Author: Toneyan Mark

A1+: Why should a Swiss or American want to come to Armenia?

Toneyan Mark

“When talking about economic changes, we should take into account how much preparation time we had and whether the state bodies were aware of the economic situation as much as needed. In this case, I can hardly answer whether there was an economic revolution or not,” said Gagik Makaryan, President of the Union of Employers of Armenia.

Gagik Makaryan notes that there are certain complaints. One of them is that the majority of state officials are unable to create a motivated working environment in their departments. Another dissatisfaction is that the National Assembly is new and it includes mostly young people. There is still a problem of regulation with the role of oponent.
 
 According to the President of the Union of Employers of Armenia, there is certain activity only in terms of investments, but those who make investments are of Armenian descent.
 
“Investments for the economic revolution are very important and in this respect we have to consider how much we have the advantage of the developed countries and why the Swiss should want to come to Armenia,” he said.

MP Arman Yeghoyan to head Armenia’s parliamentary friendship groups with Canada and Switzerland

Toneyan Mark

MP Arman Yeghoyan to head Armenia’s parliamentary friendship groups with Canada and Switzerland

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16:28,

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. Member of Parliament Arman Yeghoyan from the ruling My Step faction will head the Armenia-Canada and Armenia-Switzerland parliamentary friendship groups.

“I have the honor to inform that at the decision of the National Assembly Council I will lead the Armenia-Canada and Armenia-Switzerland friendship groups,” Yeghoyan said on Facebook.

Arman Yeghoyan also serves as chair of the parliamentary committee on European integration affairs.

“With these two “direct democracies” and “free economies” with strong parliamentary traditions we have a potential of cooperation still untapped.

Egalitarianism, inclusiveness, close public sector-private sector cooperation and aspiration for social justice are the elements of the Canadian political culture that carry a lesson.

Direct democracy, strong local self-governance and absence of opposition, yes, indeed absence of opposition are the Swiss political system’s features. The unique structure of the Armed Forces of Switzerland and its role in the Swiss peace that lasts already for two centuries is also worthy of attention,” Yeghoyan said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan




Road section from Ninostminda to the Armenian border to be renovated

Toneyan Mark
Panorama, Armenia

The road section from Ninostminda town in Georgia’s southern district of Samtskhe – Javakheti leading to the state border of Armenia will be renovated. As akhaltskha.net reports, the road department at the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia has sent specialists to Ninostminda to assess the condition of the highway.

It is noted that road renovation plan is currently being developed with initial budget calculations for the project implementation. 

Azerbaijani press: Hikmat Hajiyev discusses Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Berlin (PHOTO)

Toneyan Mark
17:34 (UTC+04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, March 19

Trend:

Hikmat Hajiyev, head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, paid a working visit to Berlin on March 18, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Embassy in Germany.

As part of his visit, Hikmet Hajiyev met with Advisor to the Federal Chancellor on Foreign and Security Policy Jan Hecker, Head of the Foreign Policy Directorate of the Administration of the Federal President Thomas Berger and the head of the department of the German Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs for cooperation with countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, Ambassador Michael Siebert.

Hajiyev also took part in a round table held with the participation of the foreign policy officials of Germany. Hikmat Hajiyev also took part in the seventh symposium “Stability and Security in the South Caucasus. Prospects for the German-Azerbaijani Partnership” on the anniversary of the Khojaly genocide.

During the meetings, there was a wide exchange of views on Azerbaijan’s foreign policy, relations with Germany and the EU, regional issues, as well as the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Hikmat Hajiyev stressed that, despite the location of Azerbaijan in a complex geopolitical region, the country pursues an independent and based on national interests policy, has established good neighborly relations with its neighbors, with the exception of Armenia.

He also noted that Azerbaijan has laid the foundation for international cooperation in the region, and spoke about Azerbaijan’s role in the energy security of the EU, its major regional projects, including the Southern Gas Corridor, projects serving the development of the North-South and West-East transport corridors.

Hajiyev further spoke about the contribution of these projects and the multidirectional foreign policy of Azerbaijan to peace, stability, development and cooperation in the region. He also spoke about the consequences of the Armenian military aggression, the process of the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as the expectations of Azerbaijan regarding the new leadership of Armenia.

During the meetings, the fair position of Germany on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the country’s support to the conflict resolution process, as well as the potential for further expansion of ties between Azerbaijan and Germany, were discussed.

German officials called Azerbaijan a reliable partner of Germany in the region, as well as a major economic partner, highly appreciated the environment of multiculturalism and religious tolerance in Azerbaijan and welcomed the reforms carried out in the country under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev.

The meetings held by Hikmat Hajiyev in Berlin were also attended by the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Germany Ramin Hasanov and the embassy official Vugar Gafarov.


Sports: Mkhitaryan is Arsenal’s February Player of the Month

Toneyan Mark
MediaMax, Armenia
Mkhitaryan is Arsenal’s February Player of the Month

“After scoring and assisting in successive games, it’s no surprise that Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been named as our February Player of the Month,” said Arsenal official website.

 

After being out for weeks due to injury, the Armenian midfielder caught the eye with good performances and gained 40% of votes in the Arsenal poll. Alexandre Lacazette and Bernd Leno finished second and third respectively.

Minsk Group co-chairs welcome Armenian, Azerbaijani leaders’ commitment to meet soon

Toneyan Mark
TASS, Russia
March 9 2019
Minsk Group co-chairs welcome Armenian, Azerbaijani leaders’ commitment to meet soon


HIGHLIGHT: The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of Russia, Stephane Visconti of France and Andrew Schofer of the United States) have welcomed the commitment of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev to an upcoming summit meeting, the co-chairs said in a press release on Saturday.

TASS, March 9. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of Russia, Stephane Visconti of France and Andrew Schofer of the United States) have welcomed the commitment of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev to an upcoming summit meeting, the co-chairs said in a press release on Saturday.

On March 1, Pashinyan and Aliyev accepted a proposal of the OSCE Minsk Group’s co-chairs to meet for talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis.

“The Co-Chairs, working closely with the two foreign ministers, have been making preparations for this important leaders’ meeting, which will be the first direct contact between the two leaders conducted under Co-Chair auspices,” the statement says.

“The Co-Chairs also welcome some initial steps being taken in the region to prepare the populations for peace and encourage the sides to intensify such efforts,” it said.

In the meantime, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group called on the sides to the conflict to refrain from provocative statements and steps in the run-up to the meeting.

“In this context, the Co-Chairs urge the sides to refrain from statements and actions suggesting significant changes to the situation on the ground, prejudging the outcome of or setting conditions for future talks, demanding unilateral changes to the format without agreement of the other party, or indicating readiness to renew active hostilities,” the statement says.

Mutual accusations

On March 5, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov said that Yerevan’s “latest statements” were derailing the negotiating process on Nagorno-Karabakh. As an example, Mamedyarov cited the words of Armenia’s National Security Service head Artur Vanetsyan concerning a settlement program for Nagorno-Karabakh. During his visit to the area, Vanetsyan said the settlement program “will become the key security guarantee” for Armenia.

Mamedyarov said that he briefed the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on the fact and that he discussed the issue with Co-chair Igor Popov of Russia, in particular. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry reported that a major military exercise, involving up to 10,000 military personnel, would take place in the country on March 11 through 15.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that statements voiced by Azerbaijan’s officials over Nagorno-Karabakh could not create the atmosphere for negotiation. According to Yerevan, Azerbaijan is launching an offensive military exercise, which the country has not announced beforehand, and that proves force might be used.

History of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

The highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh (Mountainous Karabakh) is a mostly Armenian-populated enclave inside the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan. It was the first zone of inter-ethnic tensions and violence to appear on the map of the former USSR in February 1988. Then, the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region declared independence from Azerbaijan, a republic within the Soviet Union at the time. In 1992-1994, hostilities broke out in the region between pro-Baku forces and Armenian residents, which resulted in the Nagorno-Karabakh’s de facto independence. In 1994, a ceasefire was reached but the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been strained since then.

Since 1992, the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) co-chaired by Russia, France and the US have been holding talks to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Iran, Armenia, Qatar to set up south-north data transit route

Toneyan Mark
Tehran Times, Iran
March 2 2019
  1. Society
March 2, 2019

TEHRAN — Iran’s Telecommunication Infrastructure Company and companies from Armenia and Qatar signed a tripartite agreement for transit of data from Persian Gulf to the Europe during a meeting in Tehran on Wednesday, IRNA reported.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the meeting of Iran’s Information and Telecommunication Technology (ICT) Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi and Armenian First Deputy Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies Hakob Arshakyan in Tehran.

During the meeting, Azari Jahromi pointed to ICT cooperation between the two countries during past years.

Cyber security, solving frequency disturbance in Iran-Armenia border and development of ICT products export and digital economy were discussed during the meeting.

Azari Jahromi announced that the two sides will sign an agreement in the field of ICT cooperation in his future trip to Armenia.

Iran and Armenia have already begun their cooperation in ICT and now they are waiting for other countries to join, Arshakyan said.

He highlighted safeguarding from cyber-attacks and ICT infrastructure as the two main fields in which the two countries can boost cooperation.

Iran as data transit hub

In June 2017, Iran offered services to India through several international Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) for transit of data.

Having seven IXPs with the potential to offer international Internet transit services to neighboring countries, Iran is seeking to become a data service hub in the region to improve revenue in the technology sector and reduce dependency on oil exports.

An IXP is a physical infrastructure through which Internet service providers exchange Internet traffic between their networks.

Iran is already providing its western neighbor Iraq with data services through an IXP center in Khuzestan Province, which operates as an Internet transit hub. The center enables Iraqis to connect to the World Wide Web using Iran’s communications infrastructure.

SB/MG

Armenian National Assembly to hold hearings on Karabakh conflict settlement soon

Toneyan Mark
ARKA, Armenia
Feb 26 2019

YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. The Armenian National Assembly’s defense and security committee will hold hearings on Karabakh conflict settlement soon, Zhoghovurd reports. 

According to the newspaper, ways to involve Artsakh into the talks will be discussed. 

Andranik Kocharyan, an MP from My Step faction, refrained from commenting on the matter. He only told the newspaper correspondent that the matter is being discussed “in our country’s interest and for enhancing and strengthening its defense ability – everything is being done for that”. 

Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Karabakh, mainly populated by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan.

On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan. 
Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to it.

Some 30,000 people were killed in this war and about one million people fled their homes.  
On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations.

Тalks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group are being held over peaceful settlement of the conflict. The group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France. -0–

Evgenia Medvedeva – leader of Russian Cup

Toneyan Mark
  • 10:23 | February 22,2019 | Sports
  • Armenian:
  • Rus

Armenian figure skater Evgenia Medvedeva representing Russia has started successful performances at the Women’s Figure Skating Cup of Russia, which is being held in Greater Novgorod.

This is the last tournament that gives athletes the opportunity to win the World Cup. Evgenia Medvedeva, currently trained by Canadian specialist Trace Wilson, has got 76.89 points and now heads the tournament table. She is followed by Stanislav Konstantinova with 75.47 points.

It should be noted that twice world champion Evgenia Medvedeva has not won two awards yet: the Russian Cup and the title of Olympic champion yet.

    Primate of the Tehran Armenian Diocese: For the first time after the revolution rights of ethnic and religious minorities in Iran became legal

    Toneyan Mark
    Arminfo, Armenia
    Feb 18 2019
    Marianna Mkrtchyan

    ArmInfo. After the revolution for the first time the rights of ethnic and religious  minorities in Iran have become legal, the primate of Tehran Diocese  of Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Sepuh Sarkissian said in his  welcoming speech at the solemn event of the Armenians of Tehran on  the occasion of the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

    “Religion and homeland are two sacred values for the people of Iran,  and Iranian citizens have always sacrificed themselves for the  protection of these two sacred principles. After the war, the  Armenian community also played its role in promoting Iran in the  artistic, industrial, and international transport sectors, “said  Sarkissian.

    To note, according to official data, today the Armenian community of  Iran totals 200 thousand people.