Armenia’s representative Elmira Karapetyan won a bronze medal in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol competition at the 2023
Shooting European Championships being held in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
In the competition with 60 shots, Karapetyan scored 577 points and placed third among 59 participants.
The Team Armenia is competing at the Shooting European Championships with eight athletes.
18:18, 22 February 2023
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. There is no legal prohibition for exploiting the Amulsar mine, “Lydian Armenia” company has all the necessary permits to resume operations, ARMENPRESS reports Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan said after the signing ceremony of the tripartite memorandum of understanding between the Armenian government, Eurasian Development Bank and “Lydian Armenia” company.
“The parties aim to invest 150 million dollars under this contract and another 100 million dollars outside of this contract for the resumption of the Amulsar mine owned by the Lydian Armenia company. The money will be used to complete the construction works and purchase the necessary technical equipment. The government will receive 12.5 percent of Amulsar’s shares and will not pay anything in return, but instead will insure certain risks of the transaction, also as a shareholder,” Kerobyan said.
According to him, the affected communities will receive 7 million dollars of support from the company every year.
“We have held long discussions related to the management of the company, negotiated with various investors and secured the highest quality investors. We have successfully completed this process, which is the beginning of practical work,” Kerobyan emphasized.
The minister noted that “Lydian Armenia” will create hundreds of jobs in the affected communities and will ensure significant economic growth and activity not only for the region, but also for the entire Republic of Armenia.
“It is estimated that Armenia’s GDP will increase by 1 percent with the operation of the Amulsar mine. That is quite a high indicator. We have no right to refuse such opportunities,” Kerobyan emphasized.
Referring to the environmental problems in the case of Amulsar mine operation, the minister noted that all studies have been carried out in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, and the “Lydian Armenia” company currently has all the necessary permits to start the work.
“In other words, there is no legal barrier for the company to carry out its activities,” concluded the minister.
Scenes from a protest organized by thousands of Artsakh residents demanding an end to the Lachin Corridor blockade
In welcoming this week’s ruling by the International Court of Justice, which compelled Azerbaijan to take immediate steps to ensure the opening of the Lachin Corridor, the Artsakh foreign ministry also called on the international community to acknowledge Artsakh’s independence.
“We are convinced that in their approaches to resolving the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, the international community, as an effective remedy, should acknowledge the legitimacy of the Artsakh people’s choice for independence. Any discussion of the possibility of recognizing Azerbaijani jurisdiction and control over Artsakh and its people is tantamount to encouraging Azerbaijan’s policy of ethnic cleansing,” the Artsakh foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
“We welcome the order by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) dated 22 February on the indication of a provisional measure to Azerbaijan, obliging the latter to ‘take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.’ This court order is a logical continuation of previous provisional measures indicated by the ICJ on 7 December 2021, and obliging Azerbaijan to “prevent the incitement and promotion of racial hatred and discrimination, including by its officials and public institutions, targeted at persons of Armenian national or ethnic origin,” the Artsakh foreign ministry said.
“We deem it important that when considering the case, the ICJ noted that the blockade may constitute a violation by Azerbaijan of the rights of the people of Artsakh protected under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The ICJ order allows to define the ongoing blockade of Artsakh as a manifestation of discriminatory actions deliberately carried out by the Azerbaijani authorities,” explained the foreign ministry.
“Of particular importance is also the Court’s conclusion that the ongoing blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan entails a real and imminent risk that irreparable harm will be caused to the rights of the people of Artsakh. Thus, while indicating a provisional measure to Azerbaijan, the International Court of Justice used the tools available within their competence to protect the people of Artsakh from racial discrimination by Azerbaijan,” emphasized the statement.
“The Court’s decision is an objective confirmation of the repeatedly voiced position of Artsakh that the blockade is just another episode of Azerbaijan’s decades-long discriminatory policies aimed at expelling the people of Artsakh from their historical homeland,” the statement added.
“Azerbaijan’s criminal policy, carried out against the people of Artsakh and bearing a large-scale and systematic character, is defined by international law as a crime against humanity. The international community in general and the UN member states in particular have legal and political obligations to take effective steps to prevent such massive human rights violations, as well as restore the violated rights,” said the Artsakh foreign ministry. “In this context, we call on the international community to take effective measures to ensure the immediate and unconditional implementation by Azerbaijan of the order of the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. At the same time, we deem it necessary to systematically and thoroughly consider at the international level the issue of the legal protection of the people of Artsakh from the Azerbaijani policy of massive violations of their rights,” added the statement.
Artsakh’s Foreign Minister Sergey Ghazaryan echoed the announcement when speaking at a seminar on Friday.
He said the legal, political and historical grounds for an international recognition are more than sufficient.
“Artsakh’s path of self-determination and independence is fully in line with international law and the legal norms of the USSR. 32 years ago, declaring independence was the only way to ensure the existence of the people of Artsakh. And on December 10, in 1991, the people of Artsakh exercised their right to self-determination. Afterwards, Azerbaijan resorted to attempting to solve the conflict by force for three times, trying to forcefully suppress the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh, in violation of requirements of international law and the UN charter,” Ghazaryan said.
“Even in times of relative peace Azerbaijan consistently engaged in a policy of aggravating ethnic hatred and discrimination,” he added.
“At the same time, for 30 years Baku continuously sabotaged all attempts by international mediators aimed at settling the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict based on international norms, namely of the OSCE Minks Group Co-chairing countries, every time abandoning in the last moment the agreements on compromise solution which were achieved earlier,” Ghazaryan said.
The current blockade of the Lachin corridor, which began over 70 days ago, is another example of Azerbaijan’s policy of ethnic cleansing, he added.
Commenting on the ICJ order, Ghazaryan said the ruling also confirms that Azerbaijan is engaged in discriminatory policy and recorded that it is inciting racial hate against Armenians.
“The court’s conclusions allow to describe Azerbaijan’s policy, including the blockade of Artsakh, as a manifestation of deliberate discriminatory actions by the Azerbaijani authorities. The recognition of the independence of Artsakh by the international community is a means to stop the mass and regular violations of the rights of the people of Artsakh,” the Artsakh foreign minister said.
Nagorno-Karabakh’s President Arayik Harutyunyan has dismissed Russian–Armenian billionaire Ruben Vardanyan as state minister.
Announcing the decision during a televised cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Harutyunyan said that he and Vardanyan had ‘strategic’ differences in their approaches to internal and external issues.
‘I am grateful to Mr Vardanyan for the fact that he always tried to share responsibilities with me to the maximum extent in both a friendly and professional way’, Harutyunan said, adding that Vardanyan did not ‘try to put [responsibility] on me by referring to the constitutional norms’.
‘But on the other hand, he was aware and understanding of the scope and extent of my personal responsibility for the situation created in Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] and all future problems’.
‘No one hurts more than I do because of this decision’, Harutyunyan said.
The move comes as Nagorno-Karabakh grapples with food and energy shortages caused by the blockade of the Lachin Corridor. Earlier on Thursday, the International Court of Justice ordered Azerbaijan to reopen the road, the only route connecting the region with Armenia.
[Read more on OC Media: ICJ orders Azerbaijan to unblock Lachin Corridor]
Vardanyan’s appointment in November 2022 was met with controversy from the outset, with questions arising over his links to Russia and the Russian Government.
His short-lived stint as state minister also saw the powers of his office expand significantly.
Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly railed against his appointment, claiming he was working directly for Russia.
During a panel at the Munich Security Conference last week, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev vowed that Azerbaijan would start direct dialogue with the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, but would not talk with Ruben Vardanyan, who he said had been ‘exported’ from Russia.
Vardanyan was appointed two months after he renounced his Russian citizenship and moved to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Shortly after his appointment, a group of Azerbaijanis claiming to be eco-activists blocked the Lachin Corridor purportedly to protest mining in the region.
Vardanyan, whose estate is estimated to be worth around $1 billion, is a popular figure in Armenia. As an inventor and philanthropist, he co-founded the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, an award given to those ‘helping the most destitute’ on behalf of survivors of the Armenian Genocide.
The current General Prosecutor of Nagorno-Karabakh, Gurgen Nersisyan, has been offered the role of state minister in Vardanyan’s place.
For ease of reading, we choose not to use qualifiers such as ‘de facto’, ‘unrecognised’, or ‘partially recognised’ when discussing institutions or political positions within Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia. This does not imply a position on their status.
19:16,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received Italian Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister noted that Armenia and Italy have intensive relations in the political and economic spheres and expressed confidence that they will be further strengthened by the development and expansion of cooperation in the cultural sphere. According to Nikol Pashinyan, the Armenian government is interested in Italy’s experience in training specialists in the management of the cultural sector, restoration and preservation of cultural values, so as to develop these capacities in our country.
The Minister of Culture of Italy noted that bilateral historical ties are a good basis for giving a new impetus to cultural cooperation. According to Gennaro Sangiuliano, he discussed with the Armenian colleagues the further steps and plans aimed at making Armenian culture more recognizable in Italy. At the same time, he added that they are ready to support the training of specialists in the field of culture and organize educational courses for students.
The EU deployed a mission to the Armenian border in October
Germany will participate in the European Union’s Mission in Armenia. The German government made the decision on Wednesday.
The aim of the mission, which is initially mandated for two years, is to contribute to stability in the border areas of Armenia and thus create the conditions for normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. That is why the federal government is sending police officers to monitor the existing ceasefire with Azerbaijan. In addition, Germany has offered to send civilian experts to Armenia.
At Armenia’s request, EUMA will carry out routine patrols and report on the situation. The situation has worsened in recent weeks due to the obstruction of traffic on the Lachin corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
“The Federal Government, together with its partners in the EU, is closely monitoring the situation and, together with the European Union, is trying to find a peaceful solution to the conflict,” the German Government said.
On February 20, 2023, EUMA will start its work as a civilian, non-executive and unarmed CSDP mission in Armenia. The decision was made on January 23, 2023 by the Council of the European Union based on an invitation from the Armenian government. The mission will include a total of 100 people, of whom a maximum of 15 will be German civil servants.
The German government has strongly supported the establishment of the mission. It played an active role in the planning process, as the mission shows that the EU has an effective and flexible security policy instrument in civilian CSDP that can make a substantial contribution to solving crises and conflicts in its neighborhood. With the federal police officer Dr. Markus Ritter, the Federal Republic of Germany also provides the head of the mission.
13:26, 1 February 2023
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. The officer who is suspected in attempting to light the stove in a military barracks with gasoline – in violation of safety rules – and causing the January 19 deadly fire is facing criminally negligent manslaughter charges, prosecutors announced on February 1.
The general prosecution said that captain E.H. is charged under paragraph 4 of Article 532 of the Criminal Code, which deals with the violation of rules of using military equipment and hazardous substances which negligently caused multiple deaths.
Two other military officials are in the case.
All the worst predictions keep coming true. Armen Ashotyan, vice chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia, told NEWS.am.
He recalled that prior to yesterday’s meeting in Brussels, Aliyev said he was expecting Brussels to establish a working group to prepare a peace treaty.
“After the meeting, the Armenian authorities circulated a press release about nothing, except that they tried to mislead us by allegedly talking about the Karabakh problem. In fact, Baku’s demands are being met: the foreign ministers have been instructed to discuss the draft within a month, i.e. a working group.
Another traitorous step is also implemented: the so-called agenda of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations is separated from the Karabakh problem. Armenia’s traitorous government continues to pursue a line according to which Artsakh must be completely washed of its hands.
If the peace agreement doesn’t reflect the approaches and points related to Artsakh, it turns out that Armenia “reconciles” with Azerbaijan and leaves Artsakh at the mercy of Azerbaijan, or, at the best, leaves it to Russia, or at the discretion of fate,” Ashotyan added.
This, in his assessment, will not be a reconciliation, and Armenia will only end up in a “sagging state.”
“Now Armenia is not only not a guarantor of Artsakh’s security but it does not even raise Artsakh’s voice in the international arena. If in the statement on the results of the previous meeting “Nagorno-Karabakh” became “Karabakh” (this is also an Azerbaijani demand), now it is not mentioned at all, which again completely reflects Baku’s viewpoint,” he stressed.
As for the prisoners and other issues, Armenia is not dealing with this issue, having all legal grounds.
“Yesterday the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination published a report on Azerbaijan, which says that Armenian prisoners are tortured, their humanitarian rights are violated, that Azerbaijan shows xenophobia against Armenians.
Normal authorities would have taken this report and other previously published documents and appealed to international instances, instead of forgiving Aliyev and washing the blood of Armenians off his hands.
We have 303 missing persons, over 100 unidentified bodies, over 100 prisoners. No one deals with the fate of our children. Before the change of power in 2018, during the incidents in the military, all the Soros media actively turned inside out. And now these people are gone.
These issues are not being addressed because Nichol is politically impotent. He is incapable of solving them and doesn’t want to do so. How will he do it on the international stage if inside he and his team call these people deserters or non-existent people. These are the same heroes who should have waited 1-2 months during the election campaign. Pashinyan could at least ask Charles Michel at every meeting to mediate and return 5-10 of our guys,” concluded the Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia.
Azerbaijan has once again attacked the OSCE Minsk Group, using its appropriate diplomatic lexicon. One of the reasons was the refusal of the French and US ambassadors to travel to the [Azerbaijani-] occupied Shoushi [city of Artsakh]. We welcome this waiver and consider it an important political and humanitarian step. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Foreign Minister David Babayan wrote this on Facebook.
“However, the reasons for Azerbaijan’s actions to break up the Minsk Group lie elsewhere. The main reason for Baku’s interest in the collapse of the OSCE Minsk Group, and, in particular, the institution of this group’s co-chairmanship, is that through this, Azerbaijan is trying to destroy the de-facto and de-jure international diplomatic status of Artsakh, which is a recognized party to the Azerbaijani-Karabagh conflict and negotiation process. And most of the relevant documents, statements and other political and legal acts are in the sphere of activity of the Minsk Group and the Minsk process. The disbandment of the Minsk Group and the co-chairing of this group, according to the logic of #Baku, should actually level the de-facto and de-jure international diplomatic status of Artsakh.
Here Baku and Ankara act together, making every possible use of the contradictions between Russia and the collective West, which also affects the activity of the co-chairmanship of the Minsk Group. But this emotional flirting, through which the Azerbaijani-Turkish alliance is trying to deceive Russia, is naturally tactical and temporary in its nature. It is quite obvious that both Turkey and Azerbaijan are doing everything possible to undermine the Russian peacekeeping mission in Artsakh, knowing full well that with Russia’s withdrawal, Artsakh will also be destroyed, the destruction of Artsakh in its turn will lead to tectonic geopolitical shifts in the Transcaucasus and in adjacent vast geopolitical spaces, which will create existential threats for a number of countries, primarily for Russia. This poses a threat, by the way, to the West as well, just in the longer term.
It is also possible that such a maximalist policy of Baku is also aimed at this kind of blackmail to achieve the inclusion of Turkey in the co-chairing countries of the Minsk Group as a kind of compensation for Baku to soften its tough position.
I am confident that this and many other things are well understood in Moscow, Washington, and Paris.
It is also obvious that the OSCE Minsk Group and its current co-chairmanship have no alternative yet,” added the Artsakh FM.