Author: Talar Tumanian

"Facilitating the arrest of Putin is in the interest of Armenia." Opinion

Talar Tumanian



  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Human rights activist on Putin’s extradition

“Facilitating Putin’s arrest is in the interest of Armenia,” Artur Sakunts, head of the Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, said. It does not rule out that the Russian president may resort to a provocation and visit Armenia to check the mood, whether he will be arrested.

Sakunts says that if, after the decision of the Hague Court regarding Putin, the Armenian authorities refuse to complete the process of ratification of the Rome Statute, which has already begun, “they will lose the opportunity to apply to the International Criminal Court as with a lawsuit against Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.”

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin and Russian Children’s Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova. Both are now suspects in the illegal deportation and displacement of Ukrainian children.

The Court was established by a treaty called the Rome Statute. All countries that have ratified the treaty are required to extradite Putin if the latter is on their territory. Armenia has signed the Rome Statute but has not yet ratified it. The ratification process started 2-3 months ago.

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Artur Sakunts says that Armenia should not be concerned about Putin’s fate, but rather Armenia’s interests. He says that Armenia is a victim of gross violations of international law, as “the Aliyev regime has carried out and is carrying out aggression against the country,” and without the ratification of the Rome Statute Armenia will not be able to apply to the International Criminal Court. According to Sakunts, “two authoritarian regimes, Russia and Azerbaijan, have similar value systems.”

As for the decision of the International Criminal Court, Sakunts says that wherever Putin appears now, he will create “a headache for that country.” Moreover, he believes that the Russian president could commit a provocation and come to Armenia on purpose.

“The decision of the International Criminal Court has put a question before the Armenian authorities: are you on the side of someone accused of committing a crime against humanity, or are you on the side of the law,” he said.

A regular meeting between the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Russia took place in Bishkek. Recently they have been meeting frequently, but there is less and less information from the negotiations each time.

Senior Armenian officials have revealed that Armenia began the process of ratifying the Rome Statute late last year, even before the court issued a warrant for Putin’s arrest.

Sakunts warns that if the country’s authorities decide to retreat on the basis of “political expediency”, the democratic community will not be able to perceive Armenia as a reliable partner:

“We will find ourselves, to put it mildly, in a miserable position; we will remain in the status of an ally of a fascist regime – where Belarus is now. And such regimes have no allies, they only have subordinates, colonies, zones of influence.”

According to Sakunts, the ratification of the Rome Statute will give Armenia the opportunity to integrate into the field of international law and institutions, which will allow the country’s authorities to “resist the colossal pressure that Russia is now exerting.”

Armenian expert rejects ’empty illusions’ about lasting peace with Baku’s barbaric regime

Talar Tumanian
Panorama
Armenia –

Iran specialist Vardan Voskanyan has denounced Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev over his renewed territorial claims against Armenia, insisting lasting peace with Baku’s barbaric regime is impossible.

Speaking at a summit of Turkic states on Thursday, Aliyev again called the territory of present-day Armenia “Western Azerbaijan”.

“Do you realize that Azerbaijan, an artificial entity, refuses to acknowledge not only the existence of Artsakh, but also Armenia, as well as our hard-earned basic right to live in our sacred homeland and have a state,” Voskanyan wrote on Telegram on Friday.

“All illusions that any lasting peace is possible with the barbarians who do not even recognize our basic rights are empty and dangerous and, in fact, clear the way for a new genocide.

“Also empty and dangerous are all those “thoughts” that someone will fight against the barbarians instead of us. We could have supporters fighting with us, but no one will fight for Artsakh and Armenia instead of us,” the expert said.

Authorities seek arrest of deputy Yerevan mayor over misuse of Covid funds

Talar Tumanian
Panorama
Armenia –

Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee has asked a court in Yerevan to allow the arrest of Deputy Yerevan Mayor Gevorg Simonyan and the head of the Department of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis at the National Center of Pulmonology over misuse of government funds provided to the ministry in 2020 for the fight against Covid-19.

The court is yet to rule on the arrest motions filed by the Anti-Corruption Committee, its spokeswoman Marina Ohanjanyan told Panorama.am on Saturday.

Medline Clinic Director Babken Shaumyan has already been placed under arrest as part of a probe into the case, she said.

Simonyan served as deputy health minister in 2020-2022.

The health officials and the hospital director are accused of embezzling 119 million drams out of more than 26 billion drams in emergency funding allocated by the government following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Eight others were also involved in the scam, the Anti-Corruption Committee said.

Arsen Torosyan was Armenia’s health minister at the time.

Pashinyan again calls for urgent int’l fact-finding mission in Nagorno Karabakh to prevent genocide

Talar Tumanian

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 11:29, 9 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday again called for the deployment of an international fact-finding mission to Nagorno Karabakh and Lachin Corridor, emphasizing the increasing urgency for doing so in context of the latest Azerbaijani provocations.

Pashinyan made the remarks during the March 9 Cabinet meeting where he spoke about the Azerbaijani ambush in Nagorno Karabakh (NK) on March 5 that left three NK police officers dead and one wounded.

“In this context the deployment of an international fact-finding mission to Nagorno Karabakh and Lachin Corridor is becoming more and more urgent in order to prevent a new aggression by Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan’s explicit preparations for committing ethnic cleansing and genocide against the people of Nagorno Karabakh, which are manifested by the non-compliance with the rulings of international courts, closure of the Lachin Corridor and launching military provocations and acts of terrorism,” PM Pashinyan said.

PM Pashinyan reiterated Armenia’s commitment to the peace agenda and aspiration to achieve peace in the region.

Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh Remain Under Siege

Talar Tumanian
 THE EUROPEAN CONSERVATIVE 
March 8 2023
Negotiations in this region are at an impasse, with the Armenian enclave requesting humanitarian assistance and Azerbaijan demanding Armenian integration.
  • Tadhg Pidgeon
  • — March 8, 2023

Armenians in the Republic of Artsakh continue to feel the militant aggression of Azerbaijan. Over the weekend, five more men in the Nagorno-Karabakh region lost their lives in a skirmish between the two sides. The Armenians here have been under blockade for nearly 3 months, awaiting relief from negotiation efforts—with none forthcoming—as emboldened Azerbaijani threaten to take “more drastic steps.” 

The latest clash happened as the Azerbaijani army opened fire and killed three Armenian officials travelling in a convoy. The Armenians returned fire and killed two Azerbaijani soldiers. Azerbaijan claims the Armenians were trafficking weapons, while Armenia accuses Azerbaijan of planned provocation. 

Negotiations in this region are at an impasse, with the Armenian enclave requesting humanitarian assistance and Azerbaijan demanding integration of the Armenians into Azerbaijan. The Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh had been negotiating for restoration of electricity, fuel, and highway access to allow for food and medical supplies—a peaceful resolution to the humanitarian crisis caused by the blockade of the Lachin corridor. Armenian president of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, informed his security council on Monday, March 6th, that negotiation efforts had failed.

Threats against Armenians have escalated and international leaders are raising concerns. Russia, a key mediator in the conflict, has expressed “serious concern” over the recent clashes and the potential for further violence. According to Reuters, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on both sides to exercise restraint and work towards a peaceful solution.

EU representative to the South Caucasus, Toivo Klaar, tweeted “[t]he deadly incident today underscores the urgency of pushing forward with negotiations to achieve stability & a fair peace.” However, a frustrating lack of substantive action prompted former government minister Artak Beglaryan, an Armenian from this region, to accuse Klaar of being either corrupt or incompetent.

The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh remains tense. 

Tadhg Pidgeon is an Irish journalist at The European Conservative, currently based in Brussels. He is a former assistant editor for the Irish student publication The Burkean. 

Russia says halted deadly clash in disputed Karabakh

Talar Tumanian
INSIDE PAPER
March 6 2023
AFP –

Russia said Monday its peacekeepers halted a weekend clash in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region disputed by ex-Soviet arch foes Armenia and Azerbaijan, that left five people dead.

The South Caucasus countries have fought two wars that claimed tens of thousands of lives for the control of Azerbaijan’s Armenian-populated enclave of Karabakh, in the 1990s and 2020.

Russia deployed peacekeepers to the part of Karabakh still under Armenian separatist control following fighting in 2020, but Armenia has repeatedly accused the Russians of failing their mission.

On Sunday morning, “servicemen of the armed forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan fired at a car with law enforcement officers of Nagorno-Karabakh,” Russia’s defence ministry said.

Three people in the car were killed and another injured in the incident that also left two dead and one wounded on the Azerbaijani side, according to Moscow.

“Through the efforts of Russian peacekeepers, the clash was stopped,” the ministry added in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

Pro-Armenian separatist authorities on Sunday accused a “sabotage group” of the Azerbaijani army of opening fire at a police car and killing three police officers.

Azerbaijan denied that account, saying its forces were trying to stop vehicles carrying weapons, when “Azerbaijani servicemen were fired at,” leaving two of them dead.

There has been a fragile truce between the neighbours since the 2020 war that left more than 6,500 dead and forced Armenia to cede territories it had controlled for decades.

Since mid-December, a group of self-styled Azerbaijani environmental activists has barred the only road linking Karabakh to Armenia, the Lachin corridor, to protest what they say is illegal mining.

Yerevan has accused Baku of creating a blockade there.

Ruben Vardanyan: Our will to keep Artsakh Armenian unbreakable

Talar Tumanian
Armenia – Feb 20 2023

“The preservation of Artsakh and the feeling of victory in the first Artsakh war gave us great strength and confidence, because we made this victory, which seemed impossible to many, possible. Thanks to the movement, we realized that we can prevent the disaster of losing our homeland through struggle.

 

The people of Artsakh continue to fight for the right to live a free, independent, dignified life, to avoid the threat of ethnic cleansing and deportation from the homeland hanging over our heads. In response, we received wars, loss of people’s life and difficult trials from neighboring Azerbaijan, which continue in the form of today’s blockade and the difficulties caused to us,” Ruben Vardanyan said in his message on the occasion of Artsakh Revival Day and the 35th anniversary of the Karabakh movement.

 

He noted that despite all the trials, the will to keep Artsakh Armenian remains unbreakable.

 

“All those who discuss and try to decide the fate of Artsakh without us do not understand that we took our fate into our own hands 35 years ago on this day. We paid a very high price for that decision.

 

Even if it takes another 35 years to reach our goal, it should not stop us, disappoint us, or take us away from our goal. We have enough will and persistence to achieve our goal and no one can take that away from us,” Ruben Vardanyan said.

Azerbaijan is obliged to ensure uninterrupted movement through the Lachin Corridor in both directions. The Hague Court

Talar Tumanian

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 20:06, 22 February 2023

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. The International Court of Justice published the decision on Armenia’s request to apply provisional measures regarding the unblocking of the Lachin Corridor. Thus, the court concludes that Azerbaijan is obliged, in accordance with its obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, to take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions, ARMENPRESS reports, the decision was published on February 22.

The Court reminded that by the December 7, 2021 decision, the following provisional measures were applied,

The Republic of Azerbaijan shall, in accordance with its obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,

(a) Protect from violence and bodily harm all persons captured in relation to the 2020 Conflict who remain in detention, and ensure their security and equality before the law;

(b) Take all necessary measures 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;

(c) Take all necessary measures to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration affecting Armenian cultural heritage, including but not limited to churches and other places of worship, monuments, landmarks, cemeteries and artefacts.

The Court further recalls that by a letter dated 16 September 2022, Armenia, referring to Article 76 of the Rules of Court, requested the modification of the Court’s Order of 7 December 2021 (the “second Request”).

By an Order dated 12 October 2022, the Court found that “the circumstances, as they [then] present[ed] themselves to the Court, [were] not such as to require the exercise of its power to modify the measures indicated in the Order of 7 December 2021”. In addition, the Court reaffirmed the provisional measures indicated in its Order of 7 December 2021, in particular the requirement that both Parties refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficult to resolve.

Finally, the Court recalls that, on 28 December 2022, Armenia, referring to Article 41 of the Statute and Article 73 of the Rules of Court, filed a new Request for the indication of provisional measures (the “third Request”). In that Request, Armenia states that, on 12 December 2022, Azerbaijan “orchestrated a blockade of the only road connecting the 120,000 ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh with the outside world” and asks the Court to indicate the following two provisional measures: “Azerbaijan shall cease its orchestration and support of the alleged ‘protests’ blocking uninterrupted free movement along the Lachin Corridor in both directions [; and] Azerbaijan shall ensure uninterrupted free movement of all persons, vehicles, and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.” By a letter dated 26 January 2023, the Agent of Armenia communicated to the Court the text of a further provisional measure sought by his Government, as follows: “Azerbaijan shall immediately fully restore and refrain from disrupting or impeding the provision of natural gas and other public utilities to Nagorno-Karabakh.”

The judge noted that the court notices that since December 12, 2022, the connection between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia through the Lachin Corridor has been disrupted. The Court notes that a number of consequences have arisen as a result of this situation, and that those who bear the consequences continue to suffer these effects to this day. According to the information, the import of vital goods to Nagorno-Karabakh was also hindered, as a result of which there is a shortage of food, medicine and other life-saving supplies. The Court considers that the damage can be considered irreparable when the relevant persons find themselves in life- and health-threatening circumstances.

The Court recalled that at the open session held on January 30, 2023, the representative of Azerbaijan confirmed that his government has committed and remains committed to taking all the steps within its power to guarantee the free movement of people, vehicles and cargo through the Lachin Corridor, including continuously working with the ICRC.

The court takes note of that statement. However, this does not eliminate the imminent risk of irreparable damage due to the disruption of movement through the Lachin Corridor. In light of the above circumstances, the Court concludes that the alleged impairment of the rights recognized by the Court as enforceable may cause irreparable damage to the rights and there is urgency. That is, there is a real or imminent and immediate risk that irreparable harm will occur before the Court makes a final decision on the case. Therefore, the Court concludes that the conditions for applying provisional measures are present and grounded, so it is necessary for the Court to apply some provisional measures before the final decision in order to protect the rights mentioned by the Court requested by Armenia. The Court mentions that it has the right under the statute to apply such measures that are completely or partially different from the requested measures.

“The Court notes that the Statement by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and President of the Russian Federation of 9 November 2020 provides, inter alia, that the Lachin Corridor, “which will provide a connection between Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia . . . shall remain under the control of the Russian Federation peacemaking forces”. The Statement further states that “Azerbaijan shall guarantee the security of persons, vehicles and cargo moving along the Lachin Corridor in both directions”.

In the present case, having considered the terms of the provisional measures requested by Armenia and the circumstances of the case, the Court finds that the measures to be indicated need not be identical to those requested. The Court concludes that Azerbaijan shall, pending the final decision in the case and in accordance with its obligations under the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions”, reads the decision of the Court.

Azerbaijan Forces Trying to Advance into Armenia: Yerevan

Talar Tumanian
KYIV POST, Ukraine
Sept 13 2022
By AFP.

Armenia appealed to world leaders for help on Tuesday, Sep. 13, saying that Azerbaijani forces were trying to advance onto its territory amid deadly clashes along the arch foes’ shared border.

It also subsequently announced that Armenia and Russia had agreed on ‘joint steps to stabilise situation’ on border.

Fighting erupted overnight along the volatile border between the Caucasus neighbours, leaving troops dead on both sides, defence ministries in Baku and Yerevan said, without giving the number of casualties.

The escalation marked the latest flare up since the end of the 2020 war between Yerevan and Baku over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region.

“Azerbaijani forces continue using artillery, trench mortars, and drones… striking military and civilian infrastructure. The enemy is trying to advance (into Armenian territory),” Armenia’s defence ministry in Yerevan said early on Tuesday.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s office said he called French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken to demand “an adequate reaction” to “Azerbaijan’s aggressive acts.”

Earlier, Azerbaijani defence ministry said its forces were responding to Armenian provocation and denied claims that they were hitting civilian infrastructure.

“Azerbaijani armed forces are undertaking limited and targeted steps, neutralising Armenian firing positions,” it said in a statement.

https://www.kyivpost.com/world/azerbaijan-forces-trying-to-advance-into-armenia-yerevan.html

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Successful implementation of 2030 Education Program to guarantee Armenia’s future – PM Pashinyan

Talar Tumanian

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 11:16, 1 September 2022

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan congratulated students and teachers on Knowledge and School Day in his speech at the September 1 Cabinet meeting.

“On July 28, 2022 the Government approved the 2030 Education Program bill which must be debated and finalized in parliament. The program outlines our mid-term actions in the areas of pre-school education, public education, vocational education and teaching, higher and post-graduate education. I believe that the successful implementation of this document will guarantee Armenia’s future,” Pashinyan added.