Author: Maral Chavushian

An enclave must be exchanged with an enclave – Armenia acting PM

Maral Chavushian
Aysor, Armenia

An enclave must be exchanged with an enclave, Armenia’s acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in the town of Berd today.

“What is under control of Azerbaijan, let it stay under its control, what is under our control, let it stay under our control,” Pashinyan said.

He stressed that Armenian territories – few tens of kilometers from Tavush province – are under Azerbaijan’s control.

“Today we have arable lands which are under their control,” he said.

Pashinyan noted that this issue has been put on the table of negotiations and said that it should be viewed in common context.

Tourists returning to Armenia: local tour companies register progress in the field

Maral Chavushian

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 10:18, 7 June, 2021

YEREVAN, JUNE 7, ARMENPRESS. Tour companies in Armenia are registering progress in the field after the recent war in Artsakh and during the conditions of the coronavirus pandemic.

Representative of Smart Travel Armenia tour company Lusine Barseghyan told Armenpress that the sector is gradually recovering.

“After all these developments we are trying to present Armenia in a new way and attract the attention of foreigners with different and interesting tours. We have two big groups which have already made bookings. They have selected the directions across Armenia. They are in particular excited with the tour to Goris-Tatev monastery-Kndzoresk. These groups will arrive from Russia”, she said.

Diving Club NGO Chairman Tigran Azizbekyan noted that before the war diving was significantly growing in Armenia as it is quite a convenient place for developing that direction.

“Lake Sevan is interesting because it is a diving peak of 2000 meters, so it’s very interesting for each diver”, he said, adding that good visibility and not big waves in the Lake also contribute to having an interesting time.

He noted that already many tourists are interested in diving in Armenia and are making bookings.

Representative of Yeghegnut hotel in Goris town Anush Malintsyan said that despite the coronavirus pandemic, the recent war and the current situation in Syunik province, tourists visit the hotel and spend their vacations.

“Currently we have tourists in our hotel, and we also have bookings. This makes us happy a lot. Tourists visit us from Russia, Ukraine, some tourists have recently visited us from France”, she said.

 

Reporting by Lilit Demuryan

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan soldiers try to steal about 20 horses from Gegharkunik Province village shepherd

Maral Chavushian
News.am, Armenia
June 6 2021
Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan soldiers try to steal about 20 horses from Gegharkunik Province village shepher
22:55, 06.06.2021

At around 1:30pm on Sunday, the Azerbaijani military tried to steal about 20 horses from the shepherd of the pasture of Verin Shorzha village of Gegharkunik Province. This was reported by the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan.
As per the respective statement, this attempted theft by the Azerbaijani servicemen was prevented thanks to the shots fired by the servicemen of the Armenian armed forces.
According to the statement, Azerbaijani armed soldiers are committing blatant crimes against the border residents of Armenia.
As per the statement, in fact, they deliberately open fire on the civilian population of Armenia in order to deprive them of the opportunity to earn a living.
According to the statement, these criminal acts of the Azerbaijani armed forces should be considered as a joint intention, taking into account that they commit the same acts against the residents of the border villages of Syunik Province, as well as of other villages of Gegharkunik Province.
As per the statement, these actions by the Azerbaijani armed forces are connected with the policy of Armenophobia and enmity backed by the Azerbaijani authorities.
According to the statement, the protection of the rights of the population of Armenia from the criminal actions of the Azerbaijani armed forces requires the presence of a security zone.
As per the Armenian ombudsman’s statement, today’s incident also clearly shows who is actually undermining the safety of the people in the region and the prospects for restoring peace.

Caucasian Knot | Armenia blames Azerbaijan for attempts to erect border fortifications

Maral Chavushian
The Caucasian Knot, EU
June 5 2021
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Armenian militaries have opened a warning fire to suppress Azerbaijani soldiers’ attempts to build some fortifications near the border in the territory of Armenia, the country’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has stated.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in May, the Armenian-Azerbaijani border conflict escalated. Yerevan stated that Azerbaijani militaries had penetrated the territory of the Syunik and Gegarkunik Regions of Armenia. In their turn, Azerbaijani authorities claim that border guards are only changing their deployment. The parties systematically report incidents at the border. The Azerbaijani MoD announced that on June 1, about 40 Armenian soldiers penetrated the Azeri territory; Armenia refuted this information.

After Azerbaijani soldiers tried to build some fortifications on the Armenian side of the border, Armenian militaries were forced to open a warning fire, the “Armenpress” News Agency reported citing the Armenian MoD.

Lately, Azerbaijani militaries have repeatedly tried to create fortifications on the border. Thus, on June 3, they used a tractor for earthworks, but after warning shots from the Armenian side they retreated, the “Arka.am” reports.

Nevertheless, Azerbaijani military servicemen continue some engineering work, the Armenian MoD has stated.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 5, 2021 at 01:10 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Azerbaijani analysts exclude inaccuracies on USSR maps, ASFS reacts to reports on shootout at border, Two Armenian soldiers wounded in clash with Azerbaijani militaries, Azerbaijan accuses Armenian military personnel of massive border violation.

Source: CK correspondent

Source:
© Caucasian Knot



Armenia acting PM on Artsakh war casualties’ bodies: We have 50 remains in which case DNA was not separated

Maral Chavushian
News.am, Armenia
June 3 2021
12:21, 03.06.2021

YEREVAN. – We must learn lessons from this incident. But on the other hand, the government, or the Minister of Health, cannot go and go around every day, see how it is. Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting of the interim government of Armenia, and referring to the improper preservation conditions of the bodies and remains of the Armenian casualties of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war last fall. He added that this is a matter of professional ethics and education.

“If we sum up the data, I want us to also record that at this moment, the work of DNA testing, identification of bodies has reached the final stage. We have bodies that have not been identified, but there are relatives who did not give a DNA sample for various reasons, and there are also bodies that the relatives did not take for various reasons,” he said.

Pashinyan noted that there are about 50 remains in which case the DNA has not been separated even after the fourth or fifth attempts, and therefore they shall turn to foreign partners who are more experienced in this field for help. “There have been cases when relatives have questioned the datum of the examination conducted in Armenia, taken [it] abroad on their own initiative, and the results have been the same—by 99.9 percent,” the acting premier added.

Nicosia: Armenians call on Russia to pressure Azeris over POWs

Maral Chavushian
Cyprus Mail
June 2 2021
By Evie Andreou

The Armenian National Committee of Cyprus on Wednesday held a protest outside the Russian embassy in Nicosia calling on Moscow to exert pressure on Azerbaijan to release Armenian war prisoners held by the Azeri military.

The group delivered a resolution to Russian ambassador to Cyprus, Stanislav Osadchiy.

“The issue of the war prisoners is purely a humanitarian one and therefore there is no place for blackmail and micro-politics,” Hagop Kazanjian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Cyprus, told the Cyprus News Agency.

The resolution states that they are protesting the continuing threats and the intervention of Azerbaijan in the sovereign rights of Armenia.

“Armenians around the world feel that Russia’s role as a strategic partner and guarantor of Armenia’s sovereign rights is being challenged,” the resolution added.

Russia’s role will continue to be challenged as long as Azerbaijan continues to hold hundreds of hostages and as long as the Azeri army threatens the borders of the Republic of Armenia.

“We urge you to continue to put pressure on Turkey and Azerbaijan, whose expansionist aspirations extend from the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East to the Caucasus,” said the resolution.

The head of the Solidarity Movement, Eleni Theocharous, who participated in the protest, condemned “the new unprovoked offensive action of Baku” and noted that the prisoners should be released under the law of war.

She added that Russia, as a guarantor of Armenia’s territorial integrity, must intervene to defuse the situation and for the release the prisoners based on bilateral agreements.

Mher Grigoryan briefs CIS PMs on developments on Armenian-Azerbaijani border

Maral Chavushian
Public Radio of Armenia
 

Armenia’s acting Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan took part in the sitting of the Council of the Heads of Government of the CIS member states in Minsk.

Addressing the participants, Mher Grigoryan draw attention to the events taking place on Armenian-Azerbaijani border, noting that the developments carry an obvious threats for the whole region.

The Acting Deputy Prime Minister also stressed that only the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the return of Armenian prisoners of war, can create conditions for considering the emerging issues within the framework of political-diplomatic toolkit.

 

Congresswoman Jackie Speier: Aliyev has shown he has no interest in peace and diplomacy

Maral Chavushian
Panorama, Armenia

U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Speier has reacted to the capture of six Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijani forces on Thursday.

In a tweet on Friday, the congresswoman stated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has shown he has no interest in peace and diplomacy, but only aggression.

“Azerbaijan’s attack on Armenian territory and the capture of six Armenian soldiers is despicable. Aliyev has shown he has no interest in peace and diplomacy – only aggression. The U.S. must freeze all military aid to Azerbaijan!” she tweeted.

Armenian Ambassador presents credentials to Tunisia’s President

Maral Chavushian

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 16:07,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Ambassador to Tunisia Arshak Poladyan presented his credentials to President Kaïs Saïed on June 25, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

The Tunisian President congratulated the Ambassador, wishing success in his mission.

In his turn the Ambassador thanked for the reception and conveyed the greetings and best wishes of Armenian President Armen Sarkissian to his Tunisian counterpart, stating that he will make all efforts to raise the Armenian-Tunisian relations to a qualitatively new level.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan must be controlled by border guards – Pashinyan

Maral Chavushian

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 13:18, 20 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan touched upon the process of the control of the Armenian-Azerbaijani borders during today’s Cabinet meeting.

“According to the view of the Armenian side, the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan must be controlled by the border guards. Yes, the Azerbaijani armed forces have crossed Armenia’s border. And for the normal launch of the long-term process I mentioned, the Azerbaijani armed forces must immediately leave Armenia’s territory. In our view, along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, now especially in that particular section, the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces must go back to their permanent deployment positions. And in that sections and later also on the entire border the border guard services should carry out control. But such solution won’t be easy, let’s not give in to illusions”, he said.

Pashinyan noted that during this period the Armenian side has constantly proposed this and continues to propose, “because it’s eventually the solution which will really be a sign for the long-term stability of the region”.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan