Category: 2018

Azerbaijani press: Trend News Agency bridge of reliable information that connects Azerbaijan with world – US expert

Boris Nahapetian
3 May 2018 11:16 (UTC+04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 3

By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:

Trend News Agency is the bridge of reliable information that connects Azerbaijan with the world, political analyst and international relations expert at the Milwaukee-based Marquette University Peter Tase told Trend.

“Trend is one of the very best news agencies in the Caucasus, providing accurate, timely, strategic information about Central Asian countries, Turkey, Europe and beyond. Over the years Trend has forged a great alliance with the public at large and regional governments, thanks to its leadership in providing reliable information, effective international relations prognosis and a timely analysis of various geopolitical, economic, trade deals and partnerships that are taking place among governments in the Caucasus and Europe,” he said.

Tase pointed out that Trend is a news agency that publishes on Azerbaijan in various languages, this is critical and fundamental knowing that Azerbaijan continues to be discriminated by some of the largest global news agencies (heavily sponsored by Armenian Diaspora groups); Baku has been a victim of fake news and misleading propaganda that is spread from the Wilson Quarterly publication to The Guardian Newspaper and the Huffington Post.

“Trend gives a special emphasis to economic, financial and trade analysis and reporting, pays tremendous attention to the strategic partnership between Turkey and Azerbaijan,” he noted.

The US expert pointed out that the use of English language on all publications of Trend News Agency is articulate, lucid, vibrant and extremely accurate.

“Trend News Agency is highly practical to international audiences and readership for the following reasons: publication of oil and gas regional reports; permanent coverage of relations among Central Asian countries; energy reporting and exports of Iran; helpful information on the strategic partnership between Turkey and Azerbaijan; publications on bilateral partnership between Azerbaijan and United States of America,” added Tase.

—

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn


Azerbaijani press: Civilian vehicle in Azerbaijan’s Aghdam shelled by Armenian army

Maral Takmazian
3 May 2018 13:01 (UTC+04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 3

By Samir Ali – Trend:

A civilian car with a brigade engaged in the repair of artesian wells in Azerbaijan’s Aghdam district underwent fire from the district’s territories occupied by Armenia, Executive Power of the district told Trend May 3.

The incident occurred May 2 in the Chamanli village of the district. The people, who were inside the car, weren’t injured and had run off, leaving the car behind.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.


Turkish press: Armenia opposition leader secures support for PM bid after huge protests

Antonian Lara
  • 12:48:00

Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan called for an end to a huge wave of protests on May 3 and said all parties would support his bid to run for prime minister again next week.

“The issue has practically been solved,” he told tens of thousands of people during a rally in the capital Yerevan.

“All factions said they would support my candidacy.”

Kids, you are going to school tomorrow. We are suspending protests and going to have a rest.”

Jubilant scenes erupted across the capital which was on lockdown just a few hours earlier, with everyone from soldiers to mothers with pushchairs hugging each other and dancing on the streets.

Lawmakers will convene on May 8 for a new extraordinary session of parliament to elect a prime minister, after the ruling Republican Party voted on May 1 against a bid by Pashinyan, the hugely popular opposition leader, to take power.

Since last month the poor, Armenia has been in the grip of its most serious political crisis in years after mass demonstrations forced the resignation of longtime leader Sargsyan’ href=”‘/search/Serzh Sargsyan’>Serzh Sargsyan.

After Sargsyan ‘s party rejected Pashinyan’s bid, despite initially promising not to stand in the way, tens of thousands on May 2 launched a nationwide general strike, blocking key transport links, suspending railway traffic across the country and shutting down Yerevan and other cities.

After the unprecedented show of defiance, Vahram Baghdasaryan, the head of the ruling party’s parliamentary faction, indicated the Republicans were finally ready to back Pashinyan.

He said the Republicans would back a candidate nominated by one third of lawmakers in accordance with legislation.

Pashinyan, 42, said his candidacy would be formally submitted on May 3 and called a jumbo rally for May 8, urging 500,000 people to gather and “seal our victory”.

Protester Artashes Gevorkyan, a 52-year-old school teacher, said he was skeptical of the Republicans’ promises.

“I don’t believe them, but it looks like they are really scared and will not dare to try stealing our victory again,” he told AFP.

Mikhail Margaryan, a 38-year-old doctor added: “I am more than sure that in few days Nikol will be our new prime minister.” Analysts said it appeared the ruling party had changed position in a bid to retain control of the legislature.

If lawmakers fail to elect a prime minister for a second time, the legislature will be dissolved and early elections called.

“The Republicans are doing everything to retain a majority in parliament,” said analyst Manvel Sargsyan.

The crisis, he added, will not end even if Pashinyan is elected prime minister because the ruling party will likely sabotage his initiatives in parliament.

Earlier in the day tens of thousands of protesters including elderly people, pupils and even housewives paralysed Yerevan, with streets closed to traffic, and the subway and numerous stores shut.

Crowds of protesters waved national flags, blew vuvuzelas and shouted “Free, independent Armenia!”, turning the rallies into a street carnival.

The road linking Yerevan with its airport was blocked for several hours, forcing travelers to drag their luggage on foot.

The central bank warned Armenians against a run on banks, saying it was capable of ensuring the “stability of the country’s financial system.”

On social media, people launched a “name and shame” campaign against lawmakers, prompting the parliament speaker to ask them to stop harassing MPs.

In parliament, lawmakers could not convene for a session due to insufficient numbers, with the Prosperous Armenia party declaring a boycott over “an emergency situation in the country.”

Smaller towns and villages joined in the campaign of defiance. In the second city of Gyumri – which hosts a Russian military base – and the smaller town of Maralik, demonstrators burst into the mayor’s offices, demanding the local authorities side with protesters.

Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia, Armenian, Serzh Sargsyan, Sargsyan, prime minister

Turkish press: A Syrian refugee MP in Turkey?

Arpi Talalian
By KANAT ATKAYA

The report, headlined “The refugee parliamentary candidate with 30,000 signatures,” could only find itself a tiny spot in Turkey’s hecticnews environment when it was published in daily newspaper Karar on May 2.

Some 50,000 Syrians are reportedly cooperating to come up with a parliamentary nominee, organizing a petition in the Yayladağı and Antakya districts of the southern province of Hatay as well as in the nearby province of Osmaniye. 

The group has collected 5,000 signatures to nominate Hafez’ href=”‘/search/Samir Hafez’>Samir Hafez, former head of the Syrian Turkmen Council, for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The group aims to collect 30,000 signatures and has informed the Turkish Presidency of its aim.

“It is not important whether it is me or someone else [who is nominated]. What is important is that these people, like all other minorities, need a quota [in parliament to be represented]. Perhaps 120,000 to 130,000 people will be given Turkish citizenship soon. And this number may rise,” Hafez said.

He also spoke about problems in the fields of education, healthcare and citizenship.

Turkey, through the state authorities and various NGOs, has put on a legendary performance so far, helping more than 3.5 million refugees. We can say that we have passed a test as a society: Rejections and individual criticisms have all stayed relatively low-key in contrast to society’s overall impressive hospitality. 

What about the dream of Syrian refugees – or, as Hafez put it, the Syrian minority – getting seats in parliament?

Turkey really is a mosaic of minority groups, a barrel of differences that we all roll around in. Pomaks, Circassians, Kurds, Yazidis, Roma, Armenians, Syriacs, Yazidis, Jews… From time to time one of these groups is focused on before being forgotten until the next speech.

Let me quote an excerpt from a Hürriyet report published in 2013: “There are around 500,000 Shiite Jaafaris, 90,000 Armenian Orthodox (of whom around 60,000 are Turkish citizens and around 30,000 are undocumented migrants), 25,000 Catholics (most of whom recently migrated from Africa and the Philippines), 22,000 Jews, 20,000 Syriac Orthodox, 15,000 Russian Orthodox (with residency permits), 10,000 Bahais, 5,000 Yazidis, 5,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses, 7,000 Protestants, 3,000 Iraqi Chaldeans and around 2,500 Greek Orthodox.”

Catholic and Gregorian Armenians, Yazidis and Syriacs have all previously gotten seats in parliament under the umbrella of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). Roma people have got a voice in parliament through main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Özcan Purçu.

It has been some 20 years since Cefi Kamhi, the last Jewish lawmaker, left parliament. The last Greek Orthodox lawmaker Kaludi Laskari served as a lawmaker for just 10 months in 1961 in the first parliament set up after the 1960 military coup.

When minorities become the majority

Turkey’s notorious 10 percent election threshold on entering parliament is a barrier that even certain “majorities” cannot cross. And those who do cross that barrier to take seats in parliament often serve as little more than pawns when it comes to “macro matters” presented to them by party leaders and governments.

If Hafez does end up managing to get a seat in the Turkish Parliament, it will be of utmost importance that he not only speaks for Syrians but also becomes the voice of Iraqi, Afghan and other refugees in this country.

Good luck, Mr. Hafez. What else can I say?

Samir Hafez, Hafez, syria, Syrian, Turkey, representative, parliament, lawmaker, minority, minority rights, opinion

Verelq: Press: RPA will try to drag out another short time by resorting to various provocations

Antonian Lara
  • 03.05.2018

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  • Armenia:

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  • arm

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VERELQ presents the most notable publications of the Armenian press.

“People” the daily writes. “The internal political situation created in Armenia seems to be showing signs of resolution. Yesterday, Serzh Sargsyan met the deputies of the RPA faction of the National Assembly. Then the head of the RPA parliamentary faction Vahram Baghdasaryan announced that on May 8 they will support the candidate nominated by 1/3 of the National Assembly to become the Prime Minister of Armenia. He said that the RPA intended to vote for a popular candidate for the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in favor of 

If we are honest, many do not believe that the RPA will hand over power easily and quietly. There are doubts that the opposition will not be able to collect the signatures of 1/3 of the deputies, 35 people, to re-nominate Pashinyan for the post of prime minister. It is true that yesterday they met the president of PAP Gagik Tsarukyan and Nikol Pashinyan. And G. Tsarukyan announced that his faction will support and vote for Pashinyan. Tsarukyan’s spokesman also claimed in the conversation with “Zhoghovurd” daily that the support also implies helping in the nomination of the prime minister by providing signatures.


However, there are persistent doubts that the 35 signatures will not be collected at the last moment. RPA will hardly find the will to hand over power. Therefore, they will try to drag it out for another short time by resorting to various provocations. And in the meantime, some of the deputies who are ready to nominate Pashinyan after the explanatory work will disappear for a few days, or simply leave the country, some for chronic diarrhea or cystitis surgery abroad, some will go to settle the geopolitical problems of the superpowers. But we must record. this will not solve the internal political crisis, but will deepen it. the popular wave will rise with a new momentum, this time to sweep the government to the end. God willing, these pessimistic predictions will not come true.”

“The Square” writes: “According to our sources, organizing extraordinary elections is not such an easy task in terms of time. “The Electoral Code is a constitutional law and requires the vote of 3/5 of the deputies, which is possible in the conditions of consensus. Will they be able to provide such a consensus? I think it is difficult. Then these changes must pass the expertise of the Venice Commission and other international structures. It is a time-consuming process, according to everything, it will last from about 6 months to 1 year.
In other words, autumn is the closest time to the elections, and during that time a lot will change both in political life and in the attitude of the people. Life will show the rest. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan should be able to solve many problems by autumn, including Karabakh. At the moment, he is maneuvering between geopolitical centers, we have to wait to see what results he will have in the fall,” said our interlocutor constitutional expert.”

“time” the newspaper writes. “The Russian side wants assurances from the new authorities of Armenia that the monopoly of Russian companies in at least three sectors will be preserved. We are talking about the monopoly in the market of gas and liquid fuel: gasoline, diesel fuel. Also, Russia wants assurances that it will continue to control such a natural monopoly as the railways, which has been handed over to the Russian state-owned RZHD company under concession management. Negotiations are still ongoing.”

“People” the daily writes. “Deputy of the National Assembly RPA faction Felix Tsolakyanthe move, when contrary to the decision of the faction, he voted in favor of the prime minister’s candidate Nikol Pashinyan, has become the subject of serious discussions within the RPA, and envy among some. According to “Zhoghovurd” daily newspaper, RPA generals and several other deputies expressed their regret that they did not act like Tsolakyan and did not vote for Pashinyan, thus finding themselves in an uncomfortable situation. Moreover, the MPs who wanted to vote for Pashinyan complained to the RPA elite, saying why they were forced to go against the people’s decision and become an enemy in the eyes of the public, and in the case of Tsolakyan, they could not get him to oppose it. vote Although, as our sources claim, forcing Tsolakyan is, to put it mildly, not easy. Moreover, the authorities have no documents against Tsolakyan, who has held a high position for many years, as in the case of others.”

“The Square” writes: “Yesterday, after the meeting at the Marriott, Nikol Pashinyan and Gagik Tsarukyan went out to the people together and made a statement. Tsarukyan said: “We met and discussed without preconditions, the victory belongs to the people, we will vote for the people’s candidate, which we did the first time, the second time, the third time… I want to say once again that our words are deeds. My being here will change the political situation, and that situation will take place on the 8th of the month. Everything will be fine whether they choose or not. There is no game against the people, the most important thing is that you have won. The whole world has joined us, everything will be fine.” Let’s note that Nikol Pashinyan left in time Levon Ter-Petrosyan from the team because the latter started cooperating with Gagik Tsarukyan, trying to implement a “bourgeois-democratic revolution”.

“People” the newspaper writes. “The situation in the Ministry of Defense is quite tense these days. It became known to “Zhoghovurd” daily that it has been a long time since the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan he stays at the Ministry of Defense until late at night with his deputies. Moreover, for several days now, his deputies, together with a number of generals, have been on night duty at the Ministry of Defense. Basically, the reason is the internal political situation in RA, and it also determines the specific movement of the enemy.

“People” The daily tried to find out the information from Gevorg Altunyan, the head of the information and public relations department of the Ministry of Defense. He said that “the minister comes to work early in the morning and leaves late in the evening, so he did not notice any change in his work schedule”.


Armenia turmoil: end in sight?

Alex Jidarian 
Agence France Presse
May 2, 2018 Wednesday 6:45 PM GMT
Armenia turmoil: end in sight?
Yerevan, May 2 2018
Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday called an end
to a huge wave of protests and said all parties would support his bid
to run for prime minister again next week.
Armenia's parliament is to hold an extraordinary session next Tuesday
in a new attempt to elect a prime minister, who holds the country's
top job under a parliamentary system of government.
But analysts said the latest development did not mark an end to
Armenia's most serious political crisis in years.
Events could unfold according to three possible scenarios.
- Pashinyan gets elected PM -
This now appears to be the most plausible scenario.
The hugely popular protest leader Pashinyan was on Tuesday eight votes
short of getting elected prime minister after the ruling Republican
Party -- which has a majority in the 105-seat legislature -- rejected
his bid.
"That was the first round of a showdown between Nikol and the
Republicans in which both sides flexed their muscles," said political
analyst Vigen Hakobyan.
Relying on massive popular support, Pashinyan, 42, piled pressure on
the ruling party through an unprecedented campaign of civil
disobedience, while the Republican Party demonstrated its tight
control of the legislature.
After Republicans indicated on Wednesday they would support
Pashinyan's bid this time around in an apparent effort to retain their
parliamentary majority he called an end to protests.
But many observers are sceptical they are genuinely ready to back the
opposition leader after the Republicans promised not to stand in the
way of Pashinyan's candidacy yet withheld their support during
Tuesday's vote.
Even if Pashinyan is elected prime minister the crisis will not end
because the ruling party will sabotage his initiatives in parliament.
"We are in for difficult times. The crisis is not over," said analyst
Arman Boshyan.
- Ruling party elects own PM -
The ruling party said it would not nominate its own candidate, just
like it said last time before sabotaging Pashinyan's bid.
In principle, the Republicans could easily withdraw support for
Pashinyan and elect their own candidate.
But given the party's increasing unpopularity with everyday Armenians
the move would only deepen the crisis, leading to unpredictable
political and economic consequences.
Analysts say the turmoil is quickly eroding the party's capacity to
govern the country as the elites are increasingly losing both
legitimacy and control over state institutions.
"Society no longer wants to obey these authorities," said analyst
Stepan Safaryan, adding many state employees have joined the protest
movement.
After "electing their own candidate, they could take a reckless step
and introduce an emergency situation," Safaryan added.
Critics accuse the government of corruption and failure to tackle
widespread poverty in the tiny South Caucasus nation of 2.9 million
people.
- Dissolution of parliament -
If lawmakers fail to elect a prime minister for a second time next
week, the legislature will be dissolved and early elections called.
Early parliamentary polls must be held no sooner than 30 days and no
later than 45 days after the chamber is dissolved.
Such a development would be the least desired option for the
authorities as the Republican Party may lose its majority or fail to
make it into parliament at all.
"I think they will do everything to avoid this," said Safaryan.
"They understand that there's no way they will get into parliament
during snap elections," added analyst Manvel Sargsyan.
Some observers said that the Republicans might opt for a wait-and-see
approach hoping that popular protests will fade away in the run-up to
new elections, effectively stripping Pashinyan of his main political
weapon.
If the government resorts to extreme measures and introduces a state
of emergency, early elections will not be held, according to the
constitution.
mkh-im/as/je/cw

Turkey condemns ‘unacceptable’ attack on Armenian church in Istanbul

Chmshkian Vicken 
Agence France Presse
May 1, 2018 Tuesday 4:03 PM GMT
Turkey condemns 'unacceptable' attack on Armenian church in Istanbul
Istanbul, May 1 2018
The Turkish government on Tuesday strongly condemned an attack on an
Armenian church in Istanbul which saw nationalist graffiti scrawled
outside the building and rubbish dumped at its door.
The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the attack Monday on
the Surp Takavor church in the Kadikoy district of Istanbul was
"unacceptable" and emphasised security forces were investigating who
was behind it.
It said after the incident Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu had spoken
to the acting Istanbul Armenian Patriarch Aram Atesyan and the head of
the church in Kadikoy to pass his best wishes.
The attack saw piles of rotten rubbish dumped outside the entrance to
the church and the words "from an Erzurum resident, this homeland is
ours" scrawled on a wall.
Relations between Turkey and the modern state of Armenia remain held
up by the dispute over the massacres of Ottoman Armenians from 1915
which Yerevan says was a genocide while Turkey strongly rejects the
term.
Only a fraction of the historic population of Armenians remain in
Turkey but a culturally-dynamic community numbering tens of thousands
lives on, concentrated in Istanbul, where there are numerous Armenian
churches.
Such attacks on the places of worship of Istanbul's present day
Christian and Jewish communities are extremely rare.
Erzurum, a major city in northeastern Turkey, was home to a large
community of Armenians before 1915 whereas today there are none.

Armenian Genocide commemorated in Aleppo, Syria

Tambiyan Samvel
ArmenPress, Armenia
May 1 2018
 
 
Armenian Genocide commemorated in Aleppo, Syria
 
 
YEREVAN, MAY 1, ARMENPRESS. A range of inter-community events dedicated to the 103rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide kicked off April 24 in Aleppo, Syria.
 
A commemoration event took place in the Armenian Evangelical Bethel Church, followed by the official wreath laying ceremony on behalf of the Consulate General of Armenia of Aleppo. The wreath was laid at the Armenian Genocide memorial outside the church.
 
Armenian Evangelical community leader Reverend Harutyun Selimyan and Consul General of Armenia in Aleppo Armen Sargsyan delivered remarks at the event, mentioning that the dedicated process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is also a measure to prevent similar crimes.
 
Another commemoration event was held in the Holy Mother of God Church of Aleppo. Local government officials and heads of all Armenian community institutions of the city were in attendance, the foreign ministry of Armenia said.
 
A candlelight ceremony took place in the AGBU branch.
 
Similar other commemoration events took place in the city.
 
English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
 

‘Why should we believe that your orientation towards Russia and EEU has changed?’ – ruling party MP to Pashinyan

Garnik Zakarian
ArmenPress, Armenia
May 1 2018
‘Why should we believe that your orientation towards Russia and EEU has changed?’ – ruling party MP to Pashinyan



YEREVAN, MAY 1, ARMENPRESS. During the ongoing pre-vote hearing, Republican Party (HHK) lawmaker Hayk Babukhanyan asked opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan, who seeks to be elected PM, on the ideas that he will be guided with if elected, on his stance regarding Russia and the EEU.

“We and you have deep ideological disagreements. We are followers of national conservative ideology, you are liberal. When you were saying that not a single Republican candidate should be nominated for Prime Minister, did you in fact mean that the country should solely be guided with liberal ideas and that leading the country with national conservatism ideology shouldn’t be allowed? In addition, once you had said that you don’t know what national system of values means. Let me say that national ideology implies struggle against totalitarian sects, struggle against giving privileges to sexual minorities, against vulgar feminism and other anti-national ideologies. While the European liberal ideology displays tolerance to these issues. Next observation, you are endorsed abroad by such radical pro-Western politicians like Saakashvili, Navalny, while US Assistant Secretaryof State Mitchell expressed unconcealed support to you. I think there are many pro-Western politicians in your circle also, and if we add on this the anti-Russian expressions, your initiative of withdrawing from the EEU in your pre-election program, then why should we know believe that your orientation for Russia, the EEU has changed?” – Babukhanyan asked.

In response, Pashinyan mentioned that in the modern world the delimitations associated with the so called “ism”s are disappearing consistently.

“I will present a neutral example, communism and private property were considered to be incompatible things, but today China, which is one of the developed countries in the world, has combined communism and private property, which means that the era of the “ism”s has long ended.

Now in an era when the most important issue is ensuring the happiness of people, I think it has absolutely nothing to do with any “ism”” Pashinyan said.

Regarding his past statements on withdrawing from the EEU, Pashinyan said that a situational change has happened today.

“An assessment was said and given in our pre-election program about Armenia’s membership to the EEU and there is no secret that we had voted against this decision. Our pre-election program says that risks exist there which must be managed. It is one situation when you are forced to address these risks as an opposition, but it is another situation when you can address these risks as the government. The difference of the situations is that you have the chance to discuss these issues with colleagues and reach a common agreement. This is our attitude. In order to accurately assess this situation one must record one thing, I am obliged to present the collective opinion of the people, and even to stand above what I’ve said in the past,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan also emphasized that he finds it to be inadmissible for any politician to be called pro-Western, pro-Russian, pro-American, pro-Iranian or pro-Georgian.

“Politics in Armenia should be done solely by pro-Armenian politicians. And I find the core of Armenia’s national ideology to be the following – the meaning of existence of Armenia, as a state, is the centralization of human spiritual, economic, financial potential in its own territory, and ensuring the security of this potential and normal development. And my greatest goal is to ensure a big repatriation,” he said.

The extraordinary sitting has kicked off in the Armenian parliament where lawmakers are debating the election of a new Prime Minister. 102 MPs are in attendance.

The only nominated candidate for Prime Minister is opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan.

Pashinyan was nominated by the opposition Yelk faction.

Two other factions – Tsarukyan and the ARF – have endorsed the opposition MPs candidacy.

Pashinyan will need at least 53 votes to be elected Prime Minister, which means he will require at least 6 votes from the ruling party.

There are 4 factions in the Armenian parliament. The Republican Party (HHK) faction, the ruling party of Armenia, has 58 seats in the 105-seat unicameral parliament of Armenia – known as the National Assembly. The ARF faction – (Armenian Revolutionary Federation aka Dashnaktsutyun), has 7 seats. The Tsarukyan alliance has 31 seats, and the Yelk faction has 9 seats.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan

PM candidate Nikol Pashinyan introduces his approaches on Armenia’s foreign policy in Parliament

Hunanian Jack
ArmenPress, Armenia
May 1 2018
PM candidate Nikol Pashinyan introduces his approaches on Armenia’s foreign policy in Parliament



YEREVAN, MAY 1, ARMENPRESS. Nikol Pashinyan, candidate for Prime Minister of Armenia, assures that if elected as PM Armenia will remain in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), reports Armenpress.

During the debate of the election of the Prime Minister in the Parliament on May 1, Pashinyan in his remarks said this stance derives not from the taste of someone, from the change of position of someone, but from the “logic of the pan-national movement that brought victory to the Armenian people”.

“We have said that thanks to this movement the people came to power, and the people, by demanding a lot of changes in the field of organization of domestic life, justice, legality, protection of rights, social insurance, didn’t demand and do not demand any change in the foreign policy field. We have to take into account the people’s such message”, Pashinyan said.

He added that they have considered and consider Russia as a strategic ally, and the pan-national movement doesn’t create any threat for the Armenian-Russian relations. “We attach a specific importance to the Armenia-Iran and Armenia-Georgia relations. There is no doubt that this political process will give a new impetus and energy to our relations with our neighbors. We will deepen the relations with the European Union and its member states. We will do everything to eliminate EU visa requirement for the Armenian citizens. We expect to launch the talks over this topic in the nearest future”, Nikol Pashinyan said.

He said the quick ratification and implementation of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) derives from Armenia’s interests.

Pashinyan also touched upon the relations with the United States, stating that the friendly ties with this country need a new impetus. “We aim to take concrete and practical steps to boost the partnership with the US in different spheres. We will deepen the cooperation with China and consider this direction of the foreign policy very important. We attach a great importance to the upcoming Francophonie summit in Yerevan which, undoubtedly, will be held at a high level. Armenia fully is ready to assume the chairmanship of this leading international organization”, he said.

The PM candidate highlighted that they are committed to the process of international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, as they are convinced that it is possible to prevent the repetition of such crimes only through condemning them. “Armenia will continue playing a leading role in the prevention of crimes against humanity and genocides”, he said.

He said in the peaceful settlement process of the Karabakh conflict, the international recognition of the Artsakh people’s indivisible right to independently determine their fate and exercise that right is vital. “In terms of the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, we are committed exclusively to the peaceful settlement which must be based on the principle of the equal rights and self-determination of peoples. It’s necessary to give new impetus to the process of international recognition of Artsakh which must become one of the key functions of the Diaspora ministry”, the PM candidate stated.

The extraordinary sitting has kicked off in the Armenian parliament where lawmakers are debating the election of a new Prime Minister.

The only nominated candidate for Prime Minister is opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan.

Pashinyan was nominated by the opposition Yelk faction.

Two other factions – Tsarukyan and the ARF – have endorsed the opposition MPs candidacy.

Pashinyan will need at least 53 votes to be elected Prime Minister, which means he will require at least 6 votes from the ruling party.

There are 4 factions in the Armenian parliament. The Republican Party (RPA) faction, the ruling party of Armenia, has 58 seats in the 105-seat unicameral parliament of Armenia – known as the National Assembly. The ARF faction – (Armenian Revolutionary Federation aka Dashnaktsutyun), has 7 seats. The Tsarukyan alliance has 31 seats, and the Yelk faction has 9 seats.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan