Category: 2017

Expert: Iran will do its best to prevent certain countries from interfering in Karabakh process

Kalantarian Kevo
News.am, Armenia

Expert: Iran will do its best to prevent certain countries from interfering in Karabakh process
14:31, 21.07.2017

YEREVAN. – Iran will do its best to prevent certain countries from interfering in the Karabakh settlement, Iranian expert on regional issues Ehsan Hushmand told reporters in Yerevan implying the latest statements of Turkish officials, in particular, foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Turkish foreign minister urged the OSCE Minsk Group to intensify efforts into the settlement of Karabakh conflict, noting the need for the withdrawal of Armenian units from the “occupied” territories of Azerbaijan.

According to him, Iran supports exclusively peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

“We would like Iran to have greater involvement in the conflict resolution process so that it could prevent the possibility of resumption of hostilities. Military solution is not in the interests of any country. We are sure that a fair solution will be found as a result of prudent policy of the regional countries,” he said.

Ashotyan: Armenia is a state exporting international security

Alex Jidarian
News.am, Armenia

Ashotyan: Armenia is a state exporting international security
17:40, 21.07.2017

YEREVAN. – Armenia is a country, which exports international security.

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Armen Ashotyan told the aforementioned at the meeting with US Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills on Friday. 

Armen Ashotyan highly appreciated the bilateral relations, including at the inter-parliamentary level, the press service of the Armenian National Assembly informed Armenian News – NEWS.am. In this context, Armen Ashotyan highlighted the efficient cooperation between the relevant committees of the two countries’ parliaments and the intensification of the contacts between the parliamentary Friendship Groups.

Ambassador Mills, for his part, congratulated Armen Ashotyan on being elected in the post of the Committee Chairman and underscored the need for deepening the inter-parliamentary cooperation.

According to Ambassador Mills, the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations is one of the key structures of the parliamentary diplomacy. He also noted that they expect to continue the already formed partnership with the Committee, which is now under Ashotyan’s skilful leadership, together with new members, who replenished the committee, recording new achievements in strengthening the bilateral relations.

At the meeting the sides also touched on the formation of the Analytical Council Working Group set up upon the initiative of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and the objectives of its activity. In this context, the possible directions of cooperation with the US Embassy to Armenia were discussed.

Apart from this, the sides referred to the regional problems. They attached importance to ensuring stability and security in the region and the peaceful settlement of the existing conflicts. In this context, Armen Ashotyan referred to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, highlighting the peaceful solution of the issue and insurance of stability and security in the region. He also highly appreciated the role of the US in this issue as an OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing country. Ashotyan stressed that Armenia expects a more targeted position from the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Referring to the directions of cooperation between the two countries, the Ambassador underscored the strength of the Armenian-US relations.

At the end of the meeting, the sides also talked about the plans for further cooperation. 

Armenian state agencies send 13 requests for removal information from Google over a year

Jagharian Tania
News.am, Armenia

Armenian state agencies send 13 requests for removal information from Google over a year
15:06, 21.07.2017

Over a year Armenian state agencies have sent 13 requests for removal of information from Google product or service, says Google Transparency Report.

All requests are related to copyright and YouTube videos.

Overall, 18 requests have been sent by Armenia since 2009. The latest requests referred to copyright, but in July 2013 the reason for a request was government criticism.

As of July Russia is an absolute leader on the number of requests. The Russian state agencies have sent 13,209 requests to remove content over a year.

National Museum Institute of Architecture hosts projects of new Yerevan monuments

Emil Lazarian
News.am, Armenia


National Museum Institute of Architecture hosts projects of new Yerevan monuments
19:40, 21.07.2017

YEREVAN. – The exhibition entitled “Urban sculpture” opened in the A. Tamanyan National Museum Institute of Architecture of Armenia on Friday.

20 projects of 10 sculptors have been presented at the exhibition held in Armenia for the second time, the press service of the State Urban Development Committee informed Armenian News – NEWS.am.
The exhibition will last till August 10.

The objective of the exhibition is to attract the attention of investors to projects of new monuments organically fitting well in the urban environment. 

Iranian expert: Enemies of Iran and Armenia try to damage relations

Alex Jidarian
News.am, Armenia

Iranian expert: Enemies of Iran and Armenia try to damage relations
15:47, 21.07.2017

YEREVAN. – The enemies of Iran and Armenia periodically take steps to damage the relations between two countries, but these relations are developing day by day, Iranian expert Ehsan Hushmand told reporters in Yerevan on Friday.

“Even in the most difficult moments, the Iranian people and the Iranian government were and will remain next to Armenia. The enemies of our two countries periodically take steps to harm, but we should happily record that our relations are developing day by day,” he emphasized.

The so-called wall between the two countries, namely visa restrictions, has been lifted, he said.

“The number of Iranian tourists in Armenia has significantly increased. However, this does not mean that everything is perfect. There is a huge unrealized potential,” he added.


Armenian analyst: Turkey will return to embrace NATO

Emil Lazarian
News.am, Armenia

Armenian analyst: Turkey will return to embrace NATO
18:06, 21.07.2017
Author: Tatevik Ghazaryan

YEREVAN. –Turkey will return to embrace NATO as a “lost son” does, ex-foreign minister of Armenia, diplomat Arman Navasardyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Deterioration in Germany-Turkey relations continues, and there is a point when deviation in the diplomatic line requires political, economic, military efforts or resumption of ties becomes impossible, the diplomat explained. There are also unfavorable global processes and complex international relations, part of which are both Berlin and Ankara.

“Germany revealed the antidemocratic and authoritarian policy of the Turkish regime based on the facts, while Erdogan called fascist a country, which freed itself from fascism and condemned it. Unprecedentedly abrupt actions followed “compliments” exchanged between the leaders of the two states that have been developing successful relations in all areas for 70 years,” he said.

German Foreign Minister Sigmer Gabriel, said, also on behalf of Chancellor Angela Merkel, that his country is not able to continue its previous relations with the Turks and withdrew the ambassador, in response to which the Turkish authorities presented the lists of people and organizations that Ankara is accusing of terrorism.

“The list includes such industrial giants as Daimler and BASF. A total of 68 legal entities and individuals. The Turkish side believes that they are agents of Fetullah Gulen who took part in the coup attempt last year,” Arman Navasardyan added.

In the center of the Turkish-German political confrontation, in his opinion, there was a military air base in Injirlik. Germany withdrew its troops, as Ankara banned the visit of German parliamentarians.

“It is expected that Berlin can apply similar actions to the military base in Konya, which caused serious concern to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Can the Turkish-German growing contradictions shake the foundations of the North Atlantic alliance? The current unprecedented deterioration in the Turkish-German relations, based on domestic political motives, tends to go beyond the bilateral relations,” the expert believes.

It is for this reason, he continued, that Berlin (and not only) is concerned about changes in Turkey’s policy towards the East. Merkel, who sees herself as the “ruler” of Europe is deeply concerned about Erdogan’s rapprochement with Moscow. She believes Russia-Turkey-Iran axis in the Middle East region is more dangerous and will significantly reduce the opportunities and presence of Berlin here.

The aggravation of Turkey’s relations with Germany, according to Armand Navasardian, to some extent eclipses relations between Ankara and Washington.

“To say that Ankara will cross the red line of its eastern policy and get closer to Moscow so much that it will betray ‘old friends’ would be a very risky prediction. Even if Erdogan manages to get S-400 system, Turkey was and remains Turkey. When the passions are settled and Erdogan gets the desired political and, first of all, financial dividends, he will return to embrace the ‘family’ as prodigal son do,” he resumed.

Analyst: Karabakh people realize Azerbaijan is not a party to arrange with

David Nargizian
News.am, Armenia

Analyst: Karabakh people realize Azerbaijan is not a party to arrange with
16:57, 21.07.2017

STEPANAKERT. – People in Karabakh realize that they do not have a partner to hold talks with, Armenian analyst alexander Iskandaryan told reporters.

“The Armenian sides have an understanding that the current Azerbaijan is not a side to hold serious negotiations with. The Karabakh society understands that the outbreaks that occur from time to time are not accidental,” the political scientist said.

As Iskandaryan noted, in his opinion, in the Karabakh society, unlike in the Armenian one, the opinion on the Karabakh problem is more or less the same.

Alexander Iskandaryan: there is no need to wait Karabakh conflict settlement in upcoming prospect

Babken Chilingarian
ArmInfo, Armenia

ArmInfo. The fact that there is currently a tense situation at Karabakh conflict zone is completely unrelated to the previous presidential elections in Artsakh, such  opinion was expressed at the press conference by the director of Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan.

According to him, this is only a continuation of the policy launched  by Baku on the permanent escalation of the situation at the conflict  zone. According to Iskandaryan, Azerbaijan, understanding the  impossibility of a large-scale war, will maintain tension all the  time at the conflict zone and in the near future no decision on the  Karabakh issue is foreseen. “Similarly, Azerbaijan is trying to exert  pressure on the Armenian society, but so far it has failed,” the  expert assured. As for the possibility of repeating the April events,  Iskandaryan stated that the April escalation showed that the balance  of power is equal. “The authorities of Azerbaijan, which were  preparing for these military actions for 22 years, did not achieve a  special result, they just spent billions of dollars in vain, and now  it is obvious that to expect a repeat of the April events in the near  future definitely is not worth it, especially since the balance of  power for Recently changed in favor of the Artsakh Armed Forces, “the  expert said.

According to Iskandaryan’s statement, Artsakh authorities understand  that now international community is unlikely to solve Karabakh issue.  “Against the background of other serious problems in the world – the  Syrian crisis, the Ukrainian problem, the Karabakh issue is not a  priority for the international community now. Therefore, Artsakh,  strengthening presidential power, is now trying to maximally  stabilize the situation in the country and on the border. As practice  shows, conflicts of this kind often last for decades, and at the  moment, there is no way out of this deadlock, ” Iskandaryan said.  

Artsakh presidential elections stemmed from real hazards – Armenian analyst

Ani Kharatian
Tert, Armenia

13:06 • 21.07.17

Bako Sahakyan’s re-election as the interim president of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) stemmed from real challenges and hazards which the country perceived, says a Yerevan-based political analyst.

Alexander Iskandaryan dismisses the concerns that the February 19 voting by the country’s top legislative body may meet the international community’s criticism as a “deviation from democratic standards”.

“Artsakh never chooses living standards in anticipation of winning or failing to win anyone’s sympathy. That’s a process linked to domestic issues, which have taken a different course over the recent years,” he told Tert.am.  

Artsakh no longer relies the international community’s support, or assistance in its future recognition based on the democratic progress, Iskandaryan added.

“All now understand that nobody is going to resolve the problem instead of Karabakh,” he noted.  

Highlighting the existing hazards in the country, Iskandaryan also stressed the importance of consolidation as a possible way towards facilitating future decision-making.

He also underlined the country’s incomparably high democratic progress as opposed to Azerbaijan. “Karabakh cannot possibly be compared with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is not Transcaucasus; it is Middle East with all its oil resources,” he noted.

 Commenting on the situation along the country’s borders, Iskandaryan ruled out any connection between the repeated frontline tensions and the electoral processes. “What happens along the Line of Contact is an Azerbaijani decision which wasn’t absolutely adopted today or even yesterday. Azerbaijan avoids full-scale [military] actions but doesn’t consider negotiations as a possibility of a peaceful settlement either. Hence, under the circumstances, this situation is expected to continue,” he added.

 

Minister Vahan Martirosyan promises: ‘In the near future no private owners of public transport will be present’

Emma Nadirian
Aravot, Armenia

The technical task of forming a joint public transport network was given an approval during the government’s session yesterday. After the session, the Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies Vahan Martirosyan told that this project intends to form 1-2 large transport operators: “Depends on how many operators in which province. We will have a single transport network and concepts like owner of the transport, separate routs will not exist.”

When this beautiful project will come to life, the minister hesitated to say, for now, they have developed technical tasks.

What volume of investments the implementation of this project requires and whether operators are in place, the minister answered: “Until the assessment, we need vehicles, what routes and investments are required we cannot say.”

We told that in the upcoming few years it will hardly come to life. The minister responded: “No, the upcoming few years is much you say, but it will not be realized in a month either. There are agreements on transport networks and we can implement that after the deadlines are expired… Now they are over 100, we plan less.”