Category: 2019

Armenia will undertake consistent efforts towards defending the rights of its citizen and his freedom

Ophelia Vardapetian
Aysor, Armenia
Feb 28 2019

Statement by MFA Spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan on “court sentence” of Karen Ghazaryan:

Sadly, the Azerbaijani authorities, unsatisfied with initiating farce-like court case against Karen Ghazaryan who appeared in the Azerbaijan’s territory under unknown circumstances, went even further and, by conducting the trial in an “accelerated manner,”  ruled a sentence of 20 years in prison against our citizen who has apparent health issues.

We condemn the verdict of the Azerbaijani court, ruled in an vivid violation of the international humanitarian law, while the real author of that verdict is the leadership of Azerbaijan.

The real reason behind the state-orchestrated capture of Karen Ghazaryan is not a secret. However, those efforts will not succeed. The rights of the people living in the conflict zone and the international humanitarian law constitute a priority for both the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh.

Moreover, the recently-issued decision of the authorities of Artsakh to free the Azerbaijani serviceman, who had served his proportionate court sentence, attests to the supremacy of the rule of law and the adherence of the Armenian side to the international humanitarian law.

Nevertheless, the murder of a minor on the grounds of ethnic hatred is on a different legal as well as moral plane, moreover when we still have a fresh memory of the state-wide glorification of such crimes and their perpetrators. The impunity of the murderer glorified for the crime committed under exactly the same pretext 15 years ago is a daily reminder that such new “heroes” are needed by neither our region nor by the international community.

Armenia will undertake consistent efforts towards defending the rights of its citizen and his freedom.

Armenia PM to meet with Azerbaijan president, without agenda

Manouk Vasilian
News.am, Armenia
Feb 28 2019
Armenia PM to meet with Azerbaijan president, without agenda Armenia PM to meet with Azerbaijan president, without agenda

09:47, 28.02.2019

One of our government’s priority tasks is increasing Karabakh’s being a subject in the negotiation process [to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict].

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, on Wednesday stated the aforesaid at his get-together in Tehran, with representatives of the Iranian Armenian community, according to Tert.am.

“We have to meet with the president of Azerbaijan; it will be a meeting without an agenda, but discussion of the negotiation format will be one of its important benchmarks,” the PM said. “Unless we have reached agreement on the format, the contacts can’t be considered official talks.

“[But] I speak on behalf of Armenia because I’m the prime minister of the Republic of Armenia. I don’t speak on behalf of Artsakh because Artsakh has its own authorities. The Artsakh authorities should speak in the negotiation process on behalf of Artsakh. We must do everything so that Karabakh has a new level of being a subject in the negotiation process.”

Pashinyan added that in case of any threat against Artsakh, the unity of Armenians will be doubled.

Karasin issues a warning to Georgia, mentions Armenia

Chakrian Hovsep
MediaMax, Armenia
Feb 28 2019
 
 
Karasin issues a warning to Georgia, mentions Armenia
 
 
 
 
Yerevan /Mediamax/. Russia is concerned about “the large-scale NATO military exercises in Georgia and the fact that Georgia is engaging other countries of the region in these exercises, for instance, Armenia”.
 
The remark was made by Deputy Foreign Minister, State Secretary of Russia Grigory Karasin, who gave an interview to Kommersant after the meeting with Georgian Prime Minister’s Special Representative Zurab Abashidze in Prague.
 
Before the meeting Grigory Karasin said he planned to “warn the Georgian side about possible surprises, which will be unpleasant for both countries”.
 
After meeting Abashidze Karasin made the following remarks:
 
“The NATO agenda is showing more and more actively in Georgia’s foreign policy. They hold large-scale NATO military exercises fairly often, and Georgia is engaging other countries of the region in them, for instance, Armenia. Georgian politicians speak of expedited NATO membership strategy, the so-called “Russian threat against the entire democratic Europe”, and so on. Naturally, it offends us. It does not facilitate strengthening of the atmosphere of mutual attraction between Russia and Georgia.
 
Tbilisi has to decide: either they choose the atmosphere of regional welfare or the Euro-Atlantic agenda. Doing both simultaneously is difficult and fraught with most serious consequences. Obviously, if NATO military activity develops in the South Caucasus, problems will follow sooner or later. We all remember what started the Ukrainian problems. This time the statement of the question is absolutely the same”.
 
In December 2018 he noted:
 
“Kremlin counts on the new government of Armenia to find the courage to resist the blackmail and pressure from the American side.”
 
 
 
 

Armenian expert commenting on Iranian president’s statement on transit of natural gas to Georgia through Armenia

Ara Felekian
ARKA, Armenia
Feb 28 2019

YEREVAN, February 28. /ARKA/. Gohar Iskandaryan, a specialist in Iranian studies, commenting Thursday on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s statement on his country’s readiness to export natural gas to Georgia through Armenia, said this statement can’t be a mere word. 

“This shows that discussions with Georgia have already been,” she said. “I assume the matter has been discussed also with Russia.”

President Rouhani said yesterday at a joint news conference with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that Iran is willing to increase the volume of gas supplied to Armenia. 

He also said Iran is prepared to launch tripartite cooperation in exporting gas to Georgia.

Gohar Iskandaryan finds it necessary to talk to Russia over they matter, since Iran conveys gas to Armenia through the pipeline owned by Russia’s Gazprom Armenia, and Armenia can’t afford to build a new pipeline. She finds Russia’s permission necessary. In her opinion, Rouhani’s words give grounds for thinking that certain discussions have already been conducted, and this is what the Iranian president meant.  

Now, she said, Armenian diplomats should talk to Iran, Georgia and Russia for putting these ideas into reality. “It is very important to Armenia to be completely integrated in regional processes,” Iskandaryan said. -0—   

Hungry dogs attacking people in Yerevan

Chakhmakhchian Vatche
ARKA, Armenia
Feb 28 2019

YEREVAN, February 28. /ARKA/. The problem of stray animals, particularly dogs, is waiting for its solution in Yerevan. According to Aravot, there are legions of stray dogs in Yerevan, and they are frequently attacking and even biting people in nighttime.

On the skirts of the city hungry dogs are often walking in packs and attacking people. The media source points out Paruty Sevak Street as example. Many complaints have been sent to the authorities, but nothing has been changed. -0—

Armenian and Egyptian business people set to expand cooperation

Karakhanian Suren
ARKA, Armenia
Feb 28 2019

YEREVAN, February 28. /ARKA/. The Armenian-Egyptian Business Association and the International Council for the Support of Business Relations signed today a cooperation agreement designed to help step up economic ties between Armenia and Egypt.

Under the agreement, the Egyptian Ambassador to Armenia, Bahaa El Din Bahgat Disukii, the Armenian-Egyptian Business Association and the International Council for the Support of Business Relations will implement a number of projects that will benefit both countries. Also in 2019, they will organize a set of Armenian-Egyptian economic conferences and exhibitions.

Disukii emphasized the agreement for the development of cooperation between the two countries. He said Armenia and Egypt enjoy excellent political and cultural relations, which is not the case when it comes to economic relations. He said both sides need to work hard to change this situation.

The president of the Armenian-Egyptian Business Association Eduard Manukyan stressed that the bilateral agreement should serve the development of economic relations between Armenia and Egypt. “Our job is to present Armenian businesses in Egypt and vice versa. And also help Armenian and Egyptian business people with reciprocal visits,” said Manukyan.

Mariam Manukyan, the president of the International Council for the Support of Business Relations, said an Armenian delegation is to visit Cairo in July to discuss with their Egyptian peers how to increase trade. -0-

Armenian government honored memory of Sumgait victims with a minute of silence

Emil Lazarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 28 2019
Alexandr Avanesov

ArmInfo.A regular meeting of the Armenian government started on February 28 with a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the Sumgait pogroms.

As Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan noted in his speech, exactly  31 years ago, violence began in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait  against local Armenians, after which the pogroms spread to Baku,  Kirovabad and other settlements of Azerbaijan. “Events in Sumgait  became a clear example of when on ethnic and racial grounds our  compatriots became the target of those atrocities.

Such events are not uncommon for us, and we have learned the lessons  of history. I propose to honor the memory of those killed in those  events with a minute of silence, ” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

To recall, riots on ethnic grounds in the city of Sumgait, Azerbaijan  SSR occurred on February 27-29, 1988. They were accompanied by mass  violence against the Armenian population, robbery, murder, arson and  destruction of property. According to the words of the British  journalist Tom de Waal, these events became “the first outbreak of  mass violence in modern Soviet history.” According to official data  of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the USSR, 26 citizens of  Armenian nationality died in the course of the riots, more than a  hundred people were injured. According to unofficial estimates,  hundreds of Armenians were killed. During an operation to restore  order, injuries of varying degrees of severity were received by 276  military personnel. However, according to the data of the Memorial  Human Rights Center, the lack of timely investigation of the  circumstances of the pogroms, the identification and punishment of  the perpetrators led to a further escalation of the Karabakh  conflict.

"Yerkir Tsirani" Party condemns the "coordinated attack on the media"

Antonian Lara
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 28 2019
Ani Mshetsyan

ArmInfo. They are trying to apply restrictions on the media that are not stipulated by the law and contradict democratic values. This is stated in the statement of the party “Yerkir Tsirani”.

This, in particular, concerns the decision of the Yerevan Mayor’s  Office and the Agency for State Property to terminate the contract  with the editorial offices of a number of media outlets on donation  of premises in state buildings located at Buzand 1/3, Arshakunyats 2  and Isahakyan 28.

According to the party, by their actions the authorities are trying  to illegally restrict freedom of speech, which is contrary to  democratic values and laws. ”These actions are a coordinated and  concerted attack on freedom of speech. The “Yerkir Tsirani” party  condemns such a policy of the authorities of the Republic of Armenia,  “the statement of the Party reads.

To note, a few days ago, the Yerevan Municipality issued a statement  that by the decision of the Yerevan Mayor, the media located in the  building at 1/3 Byuzand Street must leave the occupied territories  within 5 days. To recall in the building located at Byuzand Street  1/3, the editorial offices of the Hraparak newspaper, A1 + channel,  ARKA news agency, Hetq news agency of investigative journalism, and  Hayeli.am portal. To recall, earlier similar notifications were  received by some media outlets (including the ArmInfo news agency),  operating at Arshakunyats 2 and Isahakyan 28 (press houses), which  are on the balance sheet of the Committee on State Property  Management. 

Expenses of official travel will be increased to office of Prime Minister of Armenia

Elizabeth Jabejian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 28 2019
Alexandr Avanesov

ArmInfo.The office of the Prime Minister of Armenia will increase the costs of official travel. The decision was made at the February 28 sitting of the RA  government.

As noted in the project’s rationale, the Prime Minister’s office has  already exceeded its quarterly spending plan. At the same time, wage  premiums, rental expenses and entertainment expenses will be cut. As  a result, the Prime Minister’s office will be deprived of the  opportunity to receive wage premiums of 70 million drams, the cost of  renting property and equipment will be reduced by 50 million drams,  and representation expenses – by 15 million drams. Thus, 135 million  drams will be saved. At the same time, travel expenses will increase  by 70 million drams and other expenses by 20 million drams.

Postanjyan: It is impossible to solve the case on March 1 without involving Levon Ter-Petrosyan in the process

Greg Madatian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 28 2019
Tatevik Shahunyan

ArmInfo.It is impossible to open the case on March 1, 2008 without the involvement of the first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who was at the time leading the  opposition movement. Zaruhi Postanjyan, leader of the Yerkir Tsirani  Party, said this at a press conference.

According to her, there was an originally planned scenario, according  to which there should have been victims during the opposition  rallies. said Postanjyan.Already on March 1,  as Postanjyan assured, she, together with several political figures,  visited the headquarters of Ter-Petrosian, informing him that the  people gathered at the Myasnikyan monument require a meeting with  him: 

 Ter-Petrosyan refused to go, he said that it was not his people, he  did not gather them, it was a spontaneous rally, and he had nothing  to go there>.According to Postianjian, it was originally planned that  the first victim should have been a policeman. , she said.Postianjian also found it strange  that during the clashes Ter-Petrosian’s team did not arrive at the  scene.   said Postanjyan.

It should be noted that as a result of clashes at opposition rallies  that followed the 2008 presidential elections in Armenia, at which  Serj Sargsyan won de jure, 10 people were killed on March 1. The  investigation of the case is still ongoing. Within the framework of  the case, the second President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, and a  number of high-ranking officials of that time are being charged with  overthrowing the constitutional system.Recall that the current Prime  Minister Nikol Pashinyan was an active supporter of Levon  Ter-Petrosyan. After the events of March 1, 2008, Pashinyan was  convicted on charges of organizing mass riots for 7 years, and, after  serving 2 years, was released.