Author: Talar Tumanian

Asbarez: EAFJD Criticizes E.U.’s ‘Discouraging’ Stance on Artsakh Elections

Talar Tumanian
April 2, 2020

A ballot box in Artsakh

The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy, the ANC of Europe, expressed its disappointment with a recent statement by a high-ranking European Union official who disparaged Tuesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections in Artsakh.

The official in question is Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative and the Vice-President of the European Commission, who in comments to the press before Tuesday’s election said that the EU “does not recognize the constitutional and legal framework within which they [the Artsakh elections] are being held.”

Borrell went on to say that “this event [the elections] cannot prejudice the determination of the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh or the outcome of the ongoing negotiation process.”

EAFJD President Kaspar Karampetian

In an open letter publicized on Wednesday, EAFJD President Kaspar Karampetian said Borrell’s comments send “a signal that the political status of a country is a prerequisite for enjoying universal human rights”

Below is the text of the letter.

As a European grassroots organization with members in fourteen Member States of the European Union and first of all as citizens of the European Union, we would like to express our disappointment and deep discontentment with the recent statement of the European External Action Service concerning the presidential and parliamentary elections in the Nagorno Karabakh/Artsakh Republic – a statement that unfortunately discourages a democratic way of organizing a society.

We do believe that the European Union is a union that is based on values and attaches great importance to upholding the universal human rights and democracy, within the borders of the EU and outside of it. In fact, any elected government in the EU is accountable for standing for these values.

On 31. March the people of Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh exercised their right to vote and reiterated their commitment to organize their society according to the principles of transparency and democracy. This is a path that they consciously and willingly chose more than 25 years ago and have been faithful to since the collapse of the Soviet Union without any help from the outside and despite extremely complex, unfriendly geopolitical situation.
With such discouraging statements the EEAS sends a signal that the political status of a country is a prerequisite for enjoying universal human rights. In fact, international law does not recognize any limitation over human rights of individuals or groups based on the status of the country of their residence and contains no discriminatory provisions in relation to non-recognized states.

No conflict has been solved in a sustainable way through isolating, marginalizing the people who are directly affected by it and without speaking or listening to them. As citizens of the EU we therefore call on the External Action Service to reconsider its position regarding this matter and we do sincerely hope that it does so.

Sincerely,

Kaspar Karampetian
EAFJD President



Armenia reacts to Turkey’s statement on Artsakh elections

Talar Tumanian
Panorama, Armenia

The Armenian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement in regard to the statement of Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on the elections being held in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

Below is the full text of the statement published by the ministry’s press service:

“The statement of the Foreign Ministry of Turkey on the elections being held in Nagorno-Karabakh is yet another _expression_ of Turkey’s hostile policy towards the Armenian people.

In line with its traditional method of selective interpretation of international documents, on one hand Turkey invokes the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and on the other hand ignores their call to refrain from any hostile actions in the context of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict explicitly addressed to the states in the region. While it is Turkey that has been imposing land blockade on the Republic of Armenia for decades and supporting aggressive and atrocious actions unleashed against the people of Artsakh, including in April 2016.

The reference of Turkey’s Foreign Ministry to the OSCE principles and the Minsk process is equally groundless. We recall that the OSCE/CSCE decision of March 24, 1992, which laid a foundation for the Minsk process, refers to the elected representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh as a participant in the process. Elections must be held to have elected representatives, and from this viewpoint, elections conducted in Artsakh don’t contradict, but derive from the logic and fundamental documents of peaceful process.

Turkey’s attempts to act as an international guardian of human rights and its appeals to the international community are more than bankrupted in the light of its constant violations of the rights of peoples and territorial integrity of its neighbors and its aggressive policy which breaches the norms of international law and democracy.”

Azerbaijani hackers spread disinformation about coronavirus death cases in Armenia: NSS

Talar Tumanian
Aysor, Armenia
March 20 2020

Armenia’s National Security service is monitoring the information domain and information disseminated in the social networks in the sidelines of the preventive measures agreed with spread of coronavirus, NSS press service reports.

In particular, the NSS discovered a social media website users disseminating false information about the death cases in Armenia from coronavirus.

The examination showed that hackers from Azerbaijan have broken pages of some Armenian users and spread disinformation.

The NSS urges the users follow the safety rules of their accounts and the people to follow only the official information.

Armenia PM: I won’t let international organizations say Armenians’ decision is wrong

Talar Tumanian
News.am, Armenia
March 12 2020
Armenia PM: I won’t let international organizations say Armenians’ decision is wrong Armenia PM: I won’t let international organizations say Armenians’ decision is wrong

20:50, 12.03.2020
                  

We respect all of our international partners, including European institutions, the organizations of the European Union, Council of Europe, the CIS countries, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, but none of these organizations is or can be higher than our people. This is what Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan stated in the speech that he gave during the campaign in Vayk today.

“If our people make their decision, I won’t let any international organization think about saying that our people have made the wrong decision. If the people decide, there is no power in the world that can question or consider that decision since the Armenian people are a triumphant and powerful people, and they will always achieve victories from now on,” the Prime Minister declared.

Armenia will be the focus of WHO

Talar Tumanian
Arminfo, Armenia

ArmInfo.Armenia will be the focus of the World Health Organization (WHO). This was stated in a telephone conversation with the President of the Republic of Armenia  Armen Sargsyan by the Director General of WHO Tedros Adan Gebreisus.

He noted that the WHO statement on the pandemic indicates the  complexity of the situation, in which there is an urgent need to  combine international and national efforts, to coordinate activities  on the part of states, in particular in terms of border control,  population movement and mutual assistance, which is especially  important for Armenia.

In his turn, President Sargsyan expressed gratitude to WHO for the  technical and professional assistance rendered to Armenia. He said  that an interdepartmental commission was created in Armenia in order  to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and for the program of action,  the active involvement of WHO specialists and the direction of  national strategies proposed by WHO to states will be extremely  necessary and valuable.

The President of the Republic emphasized the importance of increasing  the effectiveness of measures to control the spread of the new virus  throughout the world.

The interlocutors agreed that this requires from the authorities and  the population an awareness of the seriousness of the problem,  self-organization, high responsibility and discipline.

The President of Armenia and the Director-General of WHO agreed to  periodically exchange information regarding the situation.  Recall  that in Armenia 15 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed. In this  regard, for a week, until March 23, classes in preschool and  educational institutions of the country were suspended.

CIVILNET.Jai Jagat 2020, The March for Peace Initiative Is In Armenia

Talar Tumanian
CIVILNET.AM

18:07

The Jai Jagat marchers are a group of 50 people, from India, Canada, Argentina, France and Spain, marching for peace and justice. Their mission is to trek for a whole year from New Delhi to Geneva and urge the United Nations to find solutions to poverty, conflict, climate change and social exclusion. Armenia is the first country they stopped in after India. For them, it is time for governments to recognize the Armenia Genocide as a first step to a more peaceful world. 

Ryanair cancels all flights until April 8

Talar Tumanian

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 20:02,

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, ARMENPRESS. Ryanair announced on March 10 about the suspension of its full flight schedule to/from and within Italy, following the decision of the Italian Government to “lock down” the entire country to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus. These additional cuts will be implemented as follows: From 24:00hrs Weds 11 Mar until 24:00hrs Wed 8 Apr, Ryanair will suspend all Italian domestic flights. From 24:00hrs Fri 13 Mar until 24:00hrs Wed 8 Apr, Ryanair will suspend all Italian international flights. All affected passengers have received email notices today informing them of these flight cancellations, ARMENPRESS reports Ryanair informed.

Passengers looking for repatriation can obtain a free move to an earlier Ryanair flight operating up until midnight Fri 13 Mar. Affected passengers will be able to choose between a full refund or a travel credit that can be redeemed on Ryanair flights in the next 12 months. Ryanair continues to comply fully with WHO and national Government guidance and travel bans. The situation is changing on a daily basis, and all passengers on flights affected by travel bans or cancellations, are receiving emails and are being offered flight transfers, full refunds or travel credits.

Ryanair apologises sincerely to all customers for these schedule disruptions, which are caused by national Government restrictions and the latest decision of the Italian Government to lock down the entire country to combat the Covid-19 virus.

President Sarkissian bestows diplomatic ranks to a number of diplomats

Talar Tumanian

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 14:23, 2 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 2, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian signed a decree on bestowing diplomatic ranks on the occasion of the Diplomat’s Day, his Office told Armenpress.

According to the Presidential decree, the following diplomat has been bestowed with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary:

Vahagn Atabekyan – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Lebanon

According to another decree, the President bestowed the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the following diplomats:

Yuri Babakhanyan – advisor at the department of Middle East and Africa in Armenia’s foreign ministry

Vahe Gevorgyan – advisor to the Armenian foreign minister

Anahit Harutyunyan – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Canada

 

The President signed the respective decrees based on the prime minister’s proposal.

 

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Georgian and Armenian citizens to cross the border via ID cards

Talar Tumanian
Agenda.ge, Georgia
March 5 2020
 
 
 Agenda.ge, 5 Mar 2020 – 11:00, Tbilisi,Georgia            

Georgian and Armenian citizens will be able to cross the border between the two states with the use of ID cards only as per of the agreement signed during the visit of Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan in Georgia earlier this week. 

  • Armenian PM at meeting with Georgian PM in Tbilisi:“Our relationship with Georgia is special”

It has not been announced so far when the agreement will come into play. 

As of now Georgian and Armenian citizens are able to cross the border with the use of passports. 

While in Tbilisi on March 3-4 Pashinyan met with top Georgian officials and ethnic Armenians living in the country. 

  • President Zurabishvili, Armenian PM Pashinyan discuss “stability and peace” in region

to the question asked by one of ethnic Armenian students in Georgia concerning the ‘repatriation of Armenians living in Georgia,” Pashinyan responded that using the word  repatriation towards the Armenians living in Georgia ‘seems strange to me.’ 

I believe that Armenians living in Georgia live in their homeland and they should be proud of the citizenship of Georgia. It is a very important status  and we should be interested in Georgia to be a strong and a developed country. For its part Georgia should also be interested in Armenia to be strong and developed,” Pashinyan said. 

Pashinyan was invited to Georgia by Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Two suspected coronavirus cases in Artsakh test negative

Talar Tumanian

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 16:02, 6 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 6, ARMENPRESS. Two suspected cases of the novel coronavirus in Artsakh tested negative, the Artsakh healthcare ministry said.

The samples of the tests were sent to Yerevan yesterday.

“We urge the people not to publish unchecked information and spread disinformation. We call on them to rely on the official news in order to avoid fake reports and follow the measures proposed by the healthcare ministry aimed at preventing the spread of the disease”, the Artsakh healthcare ministry said in its statement.

Earlier it was reported that two suspected coronavirus cases have been detected in Artsakh. The two persons came to Artsakh from Iran on February 20.

The government of Artsakh informed that complex measures are being taken to prevent the spread of acute respiratory infections. Overall, over three dozen samples of tests were sent to Armenia, and according to the information of the healthcare ministry as of now the results of all tests were negative.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan