Category: 2020

Turkey accuses Armenia of pursuing “sneaky goals” by bringing up the Treaty of Sèvres

George Mamian
Public Radio of Armenia
Aug 11 2020

<img width=”640″ height=”468″ src=””https://en.armradio.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/xTreaty-Of-Sevres.jpg.pagespeed.ic.O2pZQbCj8X.jpg” class=”attachment-full size-full wp-post-image” alt=”” srcset=”https://en.armradio.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/xTreaty-Of-Sevres.jpg.pagespeed.ic.O2pZQbCj8X.jpg 640w, 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px” data-pagespeed-url-hash=”3435528808″/> Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

Turkey has accused Armenia of pursuing “sneaky goals” by bringing up the Treaty of Sèvres 100 years later.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that “bringing up the Treaty of Sèvres which the Turkish nation overturned 100 years ago” is absurd.

It said “those who have the idea of achieving ‘sneaky goals’ should know that they will fail against Turkey’s determination to maintain its survival and national existence.”

Signed on August 10, 1920 between the Allied Powers and the Ottoman Empire, the Treaty of Sèvres was designed to liquidate the Ottoman state and set a post-war peace agreement, following the latter’s defeat during the war.

By the Treaty of Sèvres, Turkey was to recognize Armenia as a free and independent state. Turkey and Armenia would agree to leave demarcation of the borders of the two countries in Erzrum, Trabzon, Van, and Bitlis provinces (vilayets) to the decision made by the United States (the arbitral award of President Woodrow Wilson which on November 22 will also mark its 100th anniversary) and accept his decision immediately and all other proposals – to provide Armenia with an access to the see and demilitarization of all Ottoman territories adjacent to the mentioned border line.

The Treaty of Sèvres was not fully ratified (which means it remains unperfected), but was never denounced either.

On August 10, 2020 Armenia held a scientific conference desiccated to the 100th anniversary of the Treaty. In an address to the participants of the conference, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said “The Treaty of Sevres is a historical fact. It remains so to this day.”

“Although the Treaty of Sèvres was never implemented, it continues to be a historical fact, which reflects our long journey to restore our independent statehood. We are bound by duty to remember it, realize its importance and follow its message,” PM Pashinyan said.

Armenia will help rebuild one or two buildings in Beirut

Chalian Meline
Public Radio of Armenia
Aug 11 2020
<img alt=” src=”‘https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/84c04032437fad0111caa6cd4b424391?s=140&d=mm&r=g'” srcset=’https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/84c04032437fad0111caa6cd4b424391?s=280&d=mm&r=g 2x’ class=’avatar avatar-140 photo’ height=’140′ width=’140’/>                     

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Armenian will help rebuild one or two buildings in Beirut, High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan said within the framework of his visit to Lebanon.

The High Commissioner reinstated the readiness of the Armenian government to stand by the Lebanese-Armenian community. He stated that one or two community institutions will be rebuilt by Armenia’s efforts.

On August 10, High Commissioner Zareh Sinanyan, along with the Republic of Armenia Ambassador to Lebanon Vahagn Atabekyan visited the Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon and met with the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Lebanon Archbishop Shahé Panossian.

After expressing his gratitude for the welcome, the High Commissioner talked about the humanitarian aid provided by Armenia to the Lebanese government and the Armenian community. He also noted that in addition to providing aid, one of the main reasons for the visit is to get acquainted with the conditions of the Lebanese-Armenian community after the explosion. 

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The Primate of the Diocese, having described the condition of the community, emphasized that Lebanese-Armenians have seen many difficulties and will be able to overcome this as well.

Zareh Sinanyan highlighted the fundraiser organized by the Hayastan All Armenia Fund specifically for the Lebanese-Armenian community. The parties discussed possible areas of assistance, in particular the reconstruction of educational institutions. Members of the Armenian delegation were present at the meeting.

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Later that day, High Commissioner Sinanyan visited the Chaghzoyan Center in Beirut and met with ARF representatives. Ambassador Atabekyan and members of the Armenian delegation attended the meeting. 

High Commissioner Sinanyan presented the reason for his visit and underlined the importance of being in direct contact with Lebanese-Armenians and community organizations, and identifying problems through face-to-face meetings.

Lebanese MP Hagop Pakradouni thanked the Armenian government for quickly responding to the explosion and standing by the community physically and emotionally.

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High Commissioner Sinanyan also visited the office of the Lebanese branch of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party and met with the chairman Sebouh Kalpakian, who noted how important it is that the government of Armenia and Prime Minister Pashinyan are in constant contact with the community, especially given the current situation. After which the chairman discussed the SDHP’s activities in Lebanon and in Armenia.

The High Commissioner reinstated the readiness of the Armenian government to stand by the Lebanese-Armenian community. He also stated that one or two community institutions will be rebuilt by Armenia’s efforts. Furthermore, Sinanyan presented the steps taken by the government for repatriation, specifically the Law on Repatriation, and the ongoing work to establish a repatriation and integration center.

Afterward, the members of the delegation took a tour of St. Gevork church and the adjacent medical center where they spoke with representatives of the Armenian community who were affected by the explosion.

Later that day, the High Commissioner paid a visit to the Tekeyan Cultural Center in Lebanon.

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He also visited the AGBU office and met with members of the organization headed by Gerard Tufenkjian. High Commissioner Sinanyan was introduced to the activities of the Lebanese branch of the organization, and the work being carried out after the explosion. The AGBU office has assessed the needs of 400 Lebanese-Armenian families, on the basis of which assistance will be provided.

Zareh Sinanyan noted that the Office of the High Commissioner is working effectively with the AGBU and expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation. Issues affecting the Lebanese-Armenian community were discussed during the meeting.

Karabakh conflict level has actually increased in many ways, says John Bolton

David Nargizian
News.am, Armenia
Aug 11 2020

11:47, 11.08.2020
                  

Pashinyan congratulates Lukashenko on controversial re-election

Jane Topchian
EurasiaNet.org
Aug 10 2020
Joshua Kucera Aug 10, 2020 
           
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan exchange rare smiles. (photo: primeminister.am)

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who gained power on the back of street protests against a leader who overstayed his time in office, has congratulated Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko following deeply contested elections and resulting protests in Belarus.

“Dear Alexander Grigoryevich, Congratulations on your being re-elected as President of the Republic of Belarus,” Pashinyan wrote, in a letter published on his website. “I avail myself of this opportunity to wish you robust health, as well as peace and prosperity.”

Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years, claims to have won August 9 elections with 80 percent of the vote. Many Belarusians, however, believe that he stole the vote from opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and have flooded the streets of Minsk and other cities around the country in the face of a violent police crackdown. The unprecedented events have riveted much of the post-Soviet world, including Armenia.

Pashinyan was far from alone in the post-Soviet space: presidents in Central Asia and Armenia’s neighbor Azerbaijan offered their congratulations earlier. But many of those leaders – also autocrats who fear popular protests – have obvious reasons to side with Lukashenko. Given Pashinyan’s own history, leading what he called the “Velvet Revolution” in 2018, and his democratic image, many Armenians hoped he would be different.

“Disgrace,” tweeted journalist and media analyst Gegham Vardanyan. “Shameful,” tweeted Mika Artyan, an Armenian LGBTQ rights activist. “Not in my name.”

The move “totally validates all of the people who say that the Velvet Revolution changed nothing in Armenia and that Armenia is Russia’s backyard,” added digital media analyst Zarine Kharazyan.

Pashinyan and Armenia generally have been put in a difficult position by the events in Belarus, which is nominally a treaty ally via the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and an economic partner in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Both organizations are effectively led by Russia, and President Vladimir Putin also blessed Lukashenko’s controversial victory. 

Still, it’s not clear why those paper alliances would force Pashinyan to toe Lukashenko’s line, as relations between Yerevan and Minsk have been consistently rocky.

Even before Pashinyan came to power, Belarus’s arms sales to Azerbaijan were a regular source of conflict. Following the Velvet Revolution things got no better; the two countries sparred over who would be the next leader of the CSTO and in November 2018 a Belarusian foreign ministry spokesperson complained that “Perhaps, Mr. Pashinyan has not realized that the rules of the so-called street democracy are unacceptable in big politics. It’s a pity. We hope that it will go away with time.”

In a pre-election ad, Lukashenko’s campaign even cited Armenia as a negative example of a “color revolution” that he would prevent for the sake of Belarus’s stability. The mention of Armenia in the ad is accompanied by images of protesters and police clashing; it’s not clear where the footage is from but it wasn’t from Armenia in 2018, which took place without any such violence.

 

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

Lydian Armenia announces reassessment of personnel base in communities around Amulsar gold mine

Mary Lazarian
News.am, Armenia
Aug 11 2020

17:04, 11.08.2020
                  

Environmentalist: The government has no right to have such a vague position on Amulsar

Emil Lazarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 11 2020

ArmInfo. The government has no  right to have such a vague position on Amulsar, Inga Zarafyan, head  of EcoLur NGO, stated this in an interview with Arminfo.

The environmentalist recalled that after the “velvet” revolution and  to this day, Amulsar’s issue continues to hang in the air. Meanwhile,  in her opinion, the government has no choice but to fulfill the  requirement of the environmental and expert community to recall the  EIA (environmental impact assessment) for the Amulsar project.  According to the expert’s estimates, the document was approved with  legislative violations and has many gaps and shortcomings. Thus, the  positive conclusion on the EIA of the project issued earlier to  Lydian Armenia is illegal. At the same time, the company itself  cannot, according to Zarafyan, claim any compensation for the funds  invested in the project, taking into account the illegal actions on  the approval of the EIA. If desired, Lydian Armenia can present a new  draft EIA, which will take into account all the existing risks of  developing the Amulsar field. Meanwhile, the Armenian government, as  noted by Zarafyan, is trying to transfer the Amulsar issue into the  field of political decisions.

The environmentalist recalled the mass protests that took place last  week near the Amulsar mine, which clearly demonstrated that the local  population is categorically against this project. At the same time,  if at the beginning of the protests the police acted openly by force,  then later, most likely, they received other instructions from above  because of the wide resonance in society. Zarafyan attributes this to  the fact that the authorities, based on the example of these clashes,  got an idea of what the protest movement could turn into if the  situation further escalated. “Everyone is against the development of  the Amulsar field, except for Lydian Armenia and those who hope to  receive dividends from this project,” the expert noted.

Zarafyan also gave a negative assessment of the activities of the new  security organization of Lydian Armenia – “Special Security Service”.  “We have never seen so many guards deployed on the field before.  At  the same time, the guards were armed and openly provoked the  tenseness of the situation, “she said.

As noted, local residents at three sentry posts installed at the  approaches to Amulsar continue to monitor the situation in order to  prevent the passage of heavy equipment and begin work on the  operation of the mine.  The total cost of the Amulsar project is $  370 million. The life of the deposit is 10 years and 4 months, with  an average of 200 thousand ounces of gold planned to be mined  annually. We add that Lydian Armenia is a subsidiary of the British  offshore Lydian International. Environmentalists and ordinary  citizens are concerned that the operation of the mine may lead to the  pollution of the mineral underground waters of Jermuk and Lake Sevan.  In addition to the water basin, the public is also concerned about  the possible presence of uranium manifestations at the deposit.  Last  week, there were clashes near the Amulsar mine involving police and  green activists who oppose the development of the mine. The situation  escalated after the Lydian Armenia security organization – the  “Special Security Service” – dismantled the cabins of the activists  near the field and installed their own ones. During the clashes, over  10 activists were detained, as well as four employees of the security  organization suspected of hooliganism. Subsequently, the mayor of  Jermuk, Vardan Hovhannisyan, stated that the company did not have a  permit for construction work in this territory, and therefore the  Lydian Armenia’s cabins were dismantled and moved to another  location.

Artsakh declared readiness to receive Armenians of Lebanon

Talar Tumanian
Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 11 2020

ArmInfo. Artsakh President  Arayik Harutyunyan convened a working meeting dedicated to providing  assistance to the Lebanese Armenians.

According to the press service of the Artsakh President, Harutyunyan  noted that a working group headed by the Chief Adviser to the  President of Artsakh – Ambassador-at-Large Rudik Hyusnunts was  created to provide assistance to the victims of the explosion in  Beirut.

At the same time, he recalled that a special flight with humanitarian  aid “To Lebanon – from the people of Artsakh” has already been sent  to Beirut, and this aid will be of a long-term nature.

He said that direct financial assistance will also be provided to the  Armenian communities and called on the Artsakh people to actively  participate in fundraising. At the same time, Harutyunyan added that  despite the fact that he promised to transfer his salary to charity  funds, this time it will be directed to help the Armenians of  Lebanon. Additional funds will be provided from the government  reserve fund.  As Harutyunyan noted, despite the modest possibilities  of the housing stock, all measures will be taken to provide housing  to those families from Lebanon who wish to settle in Artsakh.

“I declare that even in the absence of free housing stock, we are  ready to accept all our compatriots from Lebanon and provide them  with living conditions in our hearths,” Arayik Harutyunyan assured. 

View from Moscow: The MFA is the one who should voice Russia`s position on Armenia

Toneyan Mark
Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 11 2020

ArmInfo. Russia’s foreign policy is conducted and implemented through the relevant departments. In this light, I do not consider it appropriate to consider the critical statements of Margarita Simonyan as some kind of message from Moscow to Yerevan. Russian analyst Alexander Skakov expressed a similar  opinion to ArmInfo.

“We know that as the need arose, the Russian Foreign Ministry has  repeatedly voiced rather remarkable statements regarding this or that  step of Armenia. In such cases, Russia has always expressed its own  position quite clearly. In general, regardless of the periodically  arising problems, the Armenian-Russian relations are proceeding as  usual. And I don’t see any tragic events for Armenia or Russia, “he  stressed.

Noting that the Caucasian direction at this stage is not included in  the list of priorities of Russian diplomacy, Skakov conditioned such  a situation by the natural course of events in this direction. At the  same time, regardless of this official position, in Russia, according  to his estimates, there are figures who have and express their  dissenting opinion. The latter may or may not coincide with the  position of the Kremlin, which is also quite normal and natural.

In this light, Skakov noted that representatives of the expert and  analytical community also express their subjective opinion. He  considers it important not to equate the opinions of experts with  Russian official policy. The analyst, in this light, does not see any  need for any reaction of the Russian authorities to certain  statements of certain Russian figures.

“The existing level of Armenian-Russian relations is preserved today.  And I personally do not see any threats to these relations. There are  also problems between Yerevan and Moscow, and they receive an  appropriate response at the appropriate level. It is also clear that  some people have expectations that differ from the existing  realities.  And when these expectations are not met, they react quite  sharply. I consider it natural to have a similar reaction, a reaction  to such a reaction, and an official position. Problems are natural  and they are solved – this is the main thing,” Skakov summed up.

Israeli political scientist: The Israeli Foreign Ministry reacted to the statement of the Armenian Foreign Minister with understanding

Kajoyan Gevork
Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 11 2020

ArmInfo.In my opinion, too much importance is attached to the statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, both in Armenia and in Azerbaijan. Israeli  political scientist Alexander Tsinker expressed a similar opinion to  ArmInfo, commenting on the interview of Armenian Foreign Minister  Zohrab Mnatsakanyan to The Jerusalem Post.

Mnatsakanyan, in an interview with an Israeli newspaper, called on  Israel to stop selling weapons to Azerbaijan, calling the sale of  weapons one of the unsolved problems for Armenia. “The sale of  weapons to Azerbaijan is fatal, because it never hesitates when using  it against civilian infrastructure, the population.  We will  consistently deal with this issue, which will always be an integral  part of our agenda. Israel must stop this deadly business with  Azerbaijan,” the Minister said.

” It is unacceptable when a diplomat conducts such an analysis of the  political situation and relations between countries in the language  of an ultimatum. And this statement does not contribute to the  process of activation and normalization of relations between our  countries that has begun. On the other hand, the statement was not  made officially, it was announced in an interview with an independent  Israeli publication. And I would like to believe that Mnatsakanyan’s  statement was based on his personal emotions, and not just the  emerging policy of Armenia towards Israel,” Tsinker stressed.

In this light, the political scientist stressed that as a result of  certain clarifications, Mnatsakanyan’s statement which is, according  to Zinker, non-diplomatic, but certainly fair from the point of view  of an Armenian citizen, the Israeli Foreign Ministry reacted to with  understanding.  Israel, in turn, according to the political  scientist, never establishes or develops its own interstate relations  to the detriment of third countries. Armenia adheres to a similar  policy. In this light, Zinker is convinced that the development of  Armenian-Israeli relations will in no way take place at the expense  of the interests of Iran or Azerbaijan.

In this light, the political scientist forecasts that the discontent  of Tehran and Baku in connection with the appearance of the Armenian  embassy in Israel will eventually subside, especially in the light of  the absence of any prospects for putting pressure on Yerevan and  Jerusalem. “The governments of our countries will make decisions  related to foreign policy on their own. This has been and will be.  Armenian Ambassador Armen Smbatyan has been in Tel Aviv since the end  of July and is engaged in settling the issues of arrangement of the  embassy. I am convinced that the opening of a full-fledged diplomatic  mission will give our relations a new quality”, summed up Tsinker.