Category: 2018

Yerevan will try to make sure that its representative is appointed as Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) secretary general following the dismissal of Armenia’s Yuri Khachaturov, head of the Armenian branch of Russia’s Institute of CIS Studies, Doctor of Political Science Alexander Markarov said in an interview with TASS on Friday.

YEREVAN, November 2. /TASS/. Yerevan will try to make sure that its representative is appointed as Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) secretary general following the dismissal of Armenia’s Yuri Khachaturov, head of the Armenian branch of Russia’s Institute of CIS Studies, Doctor of Political Science Alexander Markarov said in an interview with TASS on Friday.

“Armenia will definitely make every possible effort to make sure that its representative is appointed to this position after Yuri Kharaturov has been relieved of his duties,” he said. “However, a thing to note is that the organization’s member states must reach a decision by consensus,” the expert added.

According to Markarov, “Armenia places much importance on the CSTO’s role in ensuring the country’s security although it closer cooperates with Russia within the organization that with other member states.” “Armenia’s former authorities many times pointed to the country’s ambiguous relations with other CSTO countries,” he noted.

Earlier on Friday, the CSTO Collective Security Council relieved Armenia’s Yuri Khachaturov of his duties as the organization’s secretary general. The move had been initiated by Yerevan. The Armenian prime minister’s spokesman Arman Yegoyan told TASS that the CSTO would discuss the appointment of a new secretary general at the Astana summit scheduled to be held on November 8.

On July 26, the country’s Special Investigative Service accused CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov of overthrowing the constitutional order in 2008 and requested a court to arrest him. Khachaturov, who was the commander of the Armenian Armed Forces’ Yerevan Garrison back in 2008, pleaded not guilty. On July 28, the Yerevan City Court of General Jurisdiction released him on his own recognizance and a bail of about $10,000.

Alexander Avanesov. Armenia is ready to settle relations with Turkey without preconditions. On November 1, the Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan stated this from the rostrum of the National Assembly.

According to him, it is not necessary to link this position with the process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which for Yerevan is a matter of national and international security, since it is aimed at preventing new genocides. From the Armenian side the borders with Turkey are open; they are open by Turkey itself, linking the unblocking of borders with the resolution of the Karabakh conflict in favor of Azerbaijan. “This is poor policy, it is impossible to put up any demands by threats,” the ActingPrime Minister said, adding that such a position leads to even greater cohesion of the Armenian and Artsakh societies. Nikol Pashinyan recalled that he recently met with a well-known diplomat (apparently, with US National Security Advisor to the President John Bolton – Ed.). During the meeting the issue of closed borders was discussed. “There are two roads, one of which is half-closed, which can be closed due to sanctions from the United States. The Armenian-Georgian border can be closed due to climatic conditions or for geopolitical reasons. In fact, Armenia is an island,” Nikol Pashinyan said during meeting with a diplomat.

Marianna Mkrtchyan. The delegation led by Defense Minister of Armenia David Tonoyan had a working visit on October 31 to Kosovo. The Defense Ministry’s press service told ArmInfo that the delegation included the head of the RA mission to NATO Gagik Hovhannisyan, the head of the defense policy department of the Defense Ministry Levon Ayvazyan and others.

In Pristina, Tonoyan met with the commander of the forces in Kosovo (KFOR), General Salvatore CUOCI. The latter expressed gratitude to the RA Ministry of Defense for the conscientious service of the Armenian peacekeepers involved in the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. In turn, Tonoyan stressed the importance of assistance provided by the commander of KFOR to the Armenian peacekeeping mission.

On the same day, the Defense Minister met with the Armenian contingent carrying out the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. The contingent commander Karen Davtyan reported on the functions assigned to them, assigned tasks, and raised other issues related to the performance of service. Tonoyan examined the military base, familiarized himself with the conditions of service.

The Armenian delegation also visited the ”Slatina” military airfield, where the Armenian contingent is serving, got acquainted with the conditions and gave the necessary instructions to the command.

Ani Mshetsyan. At today’s meeting, the Supreme Spiritual Council in Holy See of Echmiatsin touched upon the issue of the upcoming LGBT Christians forum in Yerevan.

According to the press service of the Catholicos , members of the Supreme Spiritual Council expressed their concern about these undesirable circumstances, stressing that advertising for homosexual behavior poses a threat to traditional national values.

During the discussions, the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, presented his point of view on this issue, noting that this forum causes widespread discontent among the residents of Armenia, and that Armenians have always been faithful to traditional values.

“God created commandments and moral norms for people. However, attempts are being made to escape from these norms and spread under the guise of ensuring human rights and freedoms. The Holy Church of Christ has already expressed its position in connection with homosexuals – calling this phenomenon unacceptable and urging those who have sinned to repent. The actions of the LGBT community are reprehensible, “concluded Karekin II. Tonote from November 15 to 18, a forum of LGBT Christians is planned in Armenia in Yerevan.

Ani Mshetsyan. The Yerkir Tsirani Party considers the six months of Nikol Pashinyan’s rule and his formal resignation as a continuation of the authoritarian regime. According to the press service of the party, during his tenure, Pashinyan not only repeated the entire statement of Sargsyan, but also distorted reality under the name of revolution, and ensured the complete security of Serzh Sargsyan.

During these months, not a single law was passed that would exclude political and economic monopolies. Superior authorities of Prime Minister were not limited. There were no improvements in customs and tax laws. The law on lustration was not adopted. The constitutional electoral law was not adopted, the constitutional law on political parties was not adopted, the right of the Artsakh people to be elected in national elections was not returned, the possibility of Armenian citizens abroad to participate in elections was not ensured, a document confirming the legal basis for the presence of Armed Armenian forces in Artsakh was not adopted. Moreover, a corruption law was passed, which, under the name of pension contributions, allows funds of unknown origin to export equal 5-6% of the country’s budget for 45 years abroad.

Representatives of the authoritarian regime Valery Osipyan and Hunan Poghosyan, who repeatedly violated human rights, were appointed to senior positions, and representatives of the former government were reassigned, such as Deputy Head of the National Security Service Arzuman Harutyunyan and Finance Minister Atom Janjugazyan. Advisor to President Serzh Sargsyan Varuzhan Nersisyan was appointed Armenian Ambassador to the United States. Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, appointed by Serzh Sargsyan, received protection of the current Armenian authorities in the person of Pashinyan. Heads of legal structures such as the National Security Service, the SIS, the IC and the police continue to apply the same methods as the previous power. Regarding the most major crimes have not been carried out versatile investigation, arrest and detention were selective. People who were imprisoned for political persecution were not released. The number of murders in the Armed Forces of Armenia remained about the same as in the days of the previous government.

Also, elections to the Council of Elders of Yerevan were held based on the existing authoritarian Electoral Code, and the Prime Minister, who led the campaign, exceeding his authority and dividing the public into “black and white” distorted the electoral process in local governments. A month later, through Mayor Hayk Marutyan, he thanked the Republican Party. The Prime Minister also did not eliminate the constitutional provisions that contribute to the development of corruption. Within 6 months of Pashinyan’s rule, our Nakhchivan enemy approached us in 3 important directions to the Yerevan-Vayk-Goris-Kapan highway through large-scale engineering works. Police troops were not abolished, and did not become troops of the border guard. As before, natural gas was imported into Armenia for $ 150 and was sold to consumers for $ 300. The production and sale of electricity continues to provide the producer with huge revenues.

According to the draft budget for 2019, the economic growth forecast is lower than in 2018 and in 2017. During Pashinyan’s visit to Ararat region on September 22, a false statement was made about the increase of pensions from January 1, 2019. Nikol Pashinyan made a false statement on August 17 that the events of March 1 were disclosed. Heroes of Armenia continue to be ignored by the authorities of Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan stated that there are no oligarchs in Armenia, meanwhile, he concluded an agreement with Gagik Tsarukyan. Despite the fact that the doors of ”Baghramian 26” (residence of the former president) were open, however, the building continues to function as the residence of the first government official, the building of the Armenian government. The doors of ”Bagramyan 19” (Parliament) are also open, however, this does not mean that the parliament makes decisions from which the citizens of the country benefit. Instead, the mansions on Proshyan and Kond streets, which are the houses of Serzh Sargsyan and Nikol Pashinyan, are still closed to visitors, and they are guarded by numerous policemen.