Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

Azerbaijani press: Azerbaijani ambassador responds to Italian journalist’s bias

Yeghisabet Arthur
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  • KARABAKH CONFLICT

Online newspaper Opinione Pubblica has published a letter of response by Azerbaijani Ambassador to Italy Mammad Ahmadzada to a biased article by Italian journalist Emanuele Vigna, the Azerbaijani Embassy told News.Az.

The article by Italian journalist contains distorted and biased information about the so-called “elections” recently held in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, as well as about the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In his letter, the ambassador said that the journalist ignored historical facts and the underlying realities of the current situation in the region. Giving detailed information about the roots of the conflict, the diplomat provided facts proving that Karabakh historically belongs to Azerbaijan, and Armenians were then resettled to this region.

He said that the Armenian military aggression against Azerbaijan has resulted in the occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts, as well as the exile of over a million Azerbaijanis from their native lands. 

Ahmadzada also informed that Armenia, in a gross violation of humanitarian law, has committed numerous war crimes, including the Khojaly Genocide – the most tragic event during the conflict – which claimed the lives of 613 innocent Azerbaijanis on the night of 25-26 February 1992.

The ambassador added that documents of numerous international organizations, as well as the relevant UN Security Council resolutions that demand the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories and the return of refugees and IDPs to their native lands, are ignored by Armenia.

To cover up the consequences of its military aggression, Armenia created a puppet regime in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, Ahmadzada noted. “This regime is ultimately nothing more than the product of racial discrimination and is not recognized by any country, including Armenia itself.

The diplomat also said that the recent so-called “elections”, like all the others, were considered illegal, as well as condemned and rejected by the international community, numerous international organizations and states, including Italy.

In is response, the ambassador told the Italian journalist that elections in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan may be held only within the Constitutional framework of the Republic of Azerbaijan and full participation of the entire population of the region.

“Any election will be possible only after the withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces and return of the expelled Azerbaijani population to their places of origin,” he added.

In the end, the ambassador called on the journalist to take an unbiased and objective approach to the Armenia-Azerbaijani conflict.

Read the full text of the article by clicking http://www.opinione-pubblica.com/nagorno-karabakh-la-replica-dellambasciatore-ahmadzada/


Coronavirus infects Armenia-Georgia rivalry

Yeghisabet Arthur
EurasiaNet.org
May 7 2020
Joshua Kucera May 7, 2020

   Georgian police have been more aggressive than their Armenian counterparts in restricting movement amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. (photo: MIA, Georgia)

The couple in what has been called the “Caucasus’ most legendary love-hate relationship,” Armenia and Georgia, now has a new topic to argue about: the coronavirus.

The two neighbors have had substantially different experiences under the global pandemic. In Georgia, COVID-19 has been largely kept at bay, and the government’s response feted worldwide. In Armenia, meanwhile, the number of cases continues to shoot up and the country has the highest per capita rate of the disease in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

It has been an unlikely turn of events. Armenia’s post-“Velvet Revolution” government brought a new, dynamic leadership to the country, while Georgia’s has been heading in the other direction, distinguishing itself above all by its lack of accountability and indifference to governance.

So many Armenians are asking: how did it turn out this way?

As a May 5 commentary on the Armenian news site CivilNet put it: “For onlookers in neighboring Armenia … Georgia’s approach to the outbreak raises some uncomfortable questions: namely, what has Georgia done right, and why has Armenia, so far, been unable to follow suit?”

The answers from Armenia have been varied.

The popular Armenian Telegram channel Bagramyan 26 spread fake news that Georgia was “hiding” its true number of cases. Health Minister Arsen Torosyan suggested that Georgia had benefited from a “lucky coincidence” in that it had avoided a couple of early super spreaders, including one notorious woman who hid her symptoms after returning from Italy and then attended a big party in the city of Echmiadzin. (To be fair: this reporter also initially explained the discrepancy that way.)

Others pointed to the discrepancy in testing: Armenia has been testing roughly double the number of people that Georgia has. (As of the end of April, Armenia had tested 21,125 people and Georgia, 12,593.)

The real difference, though, is not that complicated: Georgia implemented self-isolation regimes and controls on movement significantly sooner than Armenia did. Georgia barred flights from Italy starting March 6, and even before that it was forcing arriving passengers from Italy and other hot spots into two-week quarantines. Armenia didn’t stop flights to and from Italy until March 15; the notorious Echmiadzin party-goer arrived on March 8.

“That is, this ‘bad luck’ was preprogrammed, and was not bad luck but a natural consequence of the mistakes made,” wrote economist Hrant Mikaelian in an exhaustive blog post comparing the two countries’ responses. The testing numbers, too, are a canard, Mikaelian argued. He noted that Georgia actually gets a higher percentage of negative tests than Armenia does, suggesting that if anyone is undertesting, it is Armenia.

While Armenia for a time only allowed residents out of their homes if they filled out a form expressing the reason, the system was easily circumvented and not strictly enforced. Georgia has never restricted residents from leaving home freely, but its other novel restrictions – a 9 pm to 6 am curfew, and a two-week period where private car travel was banned – have in fact been well enforced. Threats of a 3,000-lari fine (about $930) are well publicized and the subject of much discussion.

In general, the CivilNet commentary concluded, “Armenia’s limitations have often been less strict and have come days or weeks later than Georgia’s. As a result, social distancing has been less comprehensive in Armenia, providing more opportunities for the coronavirus to spread.”

That discrepancy appears slated to continue.

On May 4, Armenia – even as the disease continued to spread rapidly – lifted most of the lockdown restrictions, allowing residents to again go to cafes and restaurants (as long as they are open air) and all factories to open. In Georgia, by contrast, open-air establishments aren’t scheduled to open until June 7.

And the political comparisons are bound to continue, as well. On May 5, a former prime minister of Armenia, Hrant Bagratyan, said that he was hoping for direct Georgian intervention in Armenia’s coronavirus response.

Noting that in the 1990s, an Armenian energy minister was dispatched to Georgia to help sort out a problem with the neighbor’s energy system, Bagratyan said the reverse should happen today: “Today I am dreaming that [Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi] Gakharia would come to Armenia for two weeks and take the post of the head of government and show how you need to fight with the epidemic.”

https://eurasianet.org/coronavirus-infects-armenia-georgia-rivalry

 

Joshua Kucera is the Turkey/Caucasus editor at Eurasianet, and author of .

Ombudsman Tatoyan comments on incident in Parliament

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 13:57, 8 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan commented on the incident in the Parliament on May 8 when a debate turned into a brawl between opposition lawmaker Edmon Marukyan and ruling faction MP Sasun Mikayelyan, the Ombudsman’s Office told Armenpress.

“Rules that concern everyone, but are of special importance for the political majority that received a mandate of high trust and each of its representative.

One should not use speech insulting the person’s dignity as it leads to dangerous consequences, doubles the insult and hatred and provokes violence.

This demand specifically concerns persons holding public position or conducting public activity, who should be restrained in their political or any other speech and should not allow any speech that would generate hatred and create tension. Similarly this applies also to the political speech or a debate.

Whether we want it or not, the speech and behavior in the Parliament become an example for the society.

Therefore, here one must specially keep the boundaries of own status and contribute to guaranteeing solidarity and mutual respect in the society with the example of his/her own behavior.

Violence or threat of violence are impermissible in principle, no matter when and from whom it is done or whom it is addressed to.

Eventually, the main goal of all of us is to completely rule out, eliminate insult and humiliation of dignity, any kind of speech that would generate hatred”, the Ombudsman said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

MP: Some landfills in Armenia located on historical and cultural monuments

Yeghisabet Arthur
Panorama, Armenia
May 7 2020

“The issue of landfills is one of the global problems facing us,” Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Suren Papikyan said at the parliament on Thursday, responding to a question of MP Srbuhi Grigoryan from My Step faction.

The lawmaker stated there are landfills in Armenia which are located on historical and cultural monuments, for example, the Aghitu landfill, beneath which there is a mausoleum field of great value.

She asked the minister whether work is being carried out to close such landfills and, if so, at what stage it is now.

According to Papikyan, not only the landfills, but also many parts of the country which should be free of garbage have become dumpsites.

According to Papikyan, there are numerous causes of the problem, saying it’s also a matter of citizens’ conscientious behavior.

“However, the government is now considering several programs. At the moment, the economic bloc is discussing the issue of developing an event for garbage collection and landfill conservation, which will allow our unemployed citizens to get paid for work and clean up garbage at the same time in an effort to close landfills and free tourist attractions, settlements and Lake Sevan shores from wastes,” the minister said.

In response to a question about garbage recycling, Papikyan informed that at the moment a landfill is being constructed in Kotayk and Gegharkunik Provinces, which can concentrate the garbage of the provinces for about 20 years.

“In the meantime, negotiations are underway for recycling, although we do not have a final concept of what kind of recycling is more applicable for us, because there are many precedents in the world, while those wishing to deal with waste recycling in Armenia offer a method which is not acceptable to us. Since there is a problem of environmental pollution, we have not reached a final decision yet,” the minister added.

Iran coronavirus cases rise by 1,485 in one day

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 14:22, 7 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS. According to the latest data, the number of people infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran has increased by 1,485 bringing the total number of cases to 103,135, the Armenian Embassy in Iran said on Facebook.

68 more deaths have been registered in the past one day. The death toll has reached 6,486.

2,728 coronavirus infected patients are in serious condition.

The number of recovered people increased by 1,157 raising the total number of recoveries to 82,744.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Memorandum of Artsakh’s foreign ministry disseminated in UN

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 16:30, 6 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. A Memorandum of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh, addressed to the Secretary General of the organization on March 27, 2020 in connection with the Azerbaijan’s ongoing attempts to falsify the events that occurred during the liberation of Khojalu from the Azerbaijani armed units in February 1992, was disseminated in the United Nations as an official document, the Artsakh MFA told Armenpress.

“The document argues that the actions of the Artsakh Republic self-defense forces, aimed at neutralizing the shelling and firing positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces located in Khojalu, as well as at lifting the blockade of the Stepanakert airport, were determined by absolute military necessity and in line with the norms and principles of international humanitarian law.

On the contrary, the Azerbaijani side committed gross violations of a number of norms of international humanitarian law during the above-mentioned events. In particular, the authorities of Azerbaijan decided not to evacuate the civilian population in order to maintain their military-strategic position. Using the civilians as human shields by the Azerbaijani armed forces to provide shelter for themselves is not only a gross violation of international humanitarian law, but also, according to Article 8 (2) (b) (xxiii) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, amounts to a war crime.

The tragic outcome of the following circumstances – the deliberate violation of international humanitarian law by the Azerbaijani side, the struggle for power in Azerbaijan and the resulting lack of unity of command among the Azerbaijani armed forces – led to human losses, despite all the protective measures taken by the Artsakh self-defense forces, including, in particular, early warning of the operation and provision of humanitarian corridors.

Azerbaijan continues to carry out a policy of falsifications and misinformation, spreading false allegations about the events that occurred during the liberation of Khojalu from the Azerbaijani armed units with the aim of escalating anti-Armenian hysteria and cultivating hatred towards Armenians in the Azerbaijani society”, the Artsakh MFA said in a statement.

Death of Yerevan man, sons treated as apparent double-murder and “incitement of suicide”

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 15:05, 5 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS. The death of two children and their father in Yerevan is being treated as an apparent double murder and suicide as authorities have launched a criminal case on murder and incitement of suicide.

The 40-year-old man, together with his 5 and 8 year old sons, were found dead outside their apartment building.

“According to preliminary information obtained during the investigation the father threw his sons out of the 9th floor window and then jumped out himself”, the Investigative Committee said.

The apartment belonged to the man and at the time of the incident his sons and his ex-wife were inside the home.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

People protest outside Armenian government after gas, electricity supplies cut off

Yeghisabet Arthur
Panorama, Armenia

A group of citizens staged a protest outside the Armenian government building on Tuesday, complaining that their electricity and natural gas supplies were cut off after they failed to pay the utility bills.

“We have gathered here to ask the prime minister who we have elected why he breaks his promise,” one of the protesters said, referring to Nikol Pashinyan’s promise that the utility companies will not disconnect the gas and electricity supplies to people failing to pay their bills due to the coronavirus crisis.

Police officers urged the protesters to return to their places of isolation although they have filled in a form specifying the reasons to leave their homes.

Several citizens were subjected to administrative liability, as police officers argued that the purpose of leaving their homes specified in the forms are not provided by the commandant’s decision.

“I think it is a very urgent purpose. Under the state of emergency, I have been left without gas and electricity supplies. We have come here to make the problem known by the prime minister. What has changed in our lives that force the majeure has disappeared? Let someone explain us what has changed in our lives. There are people living in more terrible conditions than us. There are people with children who cannot take part in the [remote] classes due to being left without power,” another man said.

The protesters claim there are many dissatisfied people who do not leave their homes. 

They promised to continue the protests despite police threats of fines. 

Tel Aviv: MK Lapid: ‘Grant official recognition of Armenian genocide’

Yeghisabet Arthur
Israel National News Arutz Sheva
 
 
MK Lapid: ‘Grant official recognition of Armenian genocide’
 
 
MK Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) has called for the Armenian genocide to be accorded official recognition.
 
Writing on Twitter, he noted, “Today, we mark Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. As on previous years, we have introduced a draft proposal that the country officially recognize the Armenian genocide. This is our moral obligation as Jewish state.”

Government to compensate 30% of gas and electricity bills of at least 280 thousand users

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 20:34, 14 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS. At least 280 thousand users will benefit from the 12th program of mitigating the economic and social consequences of the coronavirus adopted by the Government of Armenia, ARMENPRESS reports Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook page.

‘’At least 280 thousand users will benefit from this program. The users whose gas bills amounted to 10,001-30,000 AMD in February and 5,001-10,000 for electricity will get 30% assistance’’, the PM wrote.

The state of emergency has been prolonged in Armenia by 30 days until May 14, 2020. Regime of tough restrictions is in force.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan