Category: 2020

Aliyev lays claim to ‘historical lands’ in Armenia. Moscow, Yerevan react

Emil Lazarian
JAM News
Dec 11 2020
Aliyev lays claim to ‘historical lands’ in Armenia. Moscow, Yerevan react

    JAMnews, Yerevan

At a military parade in Baku dedicated to the victory in Karabakh, President Ilham Aliyev called the capital of Armenia, as well as Zangezur, that is, the Syunik region, and Sevan the ‘historical lands’ of Azerbaijan.

President Aliyev’s provocative statements caused an extremely negative reaction amongst the Armenian public; political circles in Russia reacted as well.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that political statements should not negate the achieved result of the cessation of hostilities in Karabakh:

“The situation in the region is very difficult, a lot of efforts have been made to return it to a peaceful course, to end the hostilities, to bring the parties to the negotiating table and launch the very difficult process of returning refugees, restoring infrastructure, creating prerequisites and conditions for normalizing life in this region in all spheres.”

  • “Self-determination is a key point in the negotiations on Karabakh” – Armenian FM
  • Recording suggests Aliyev offered Sargsyan $5 billion for regions around Karabakh

Comments from the Press Secretary of the Prime Minister of Armenia:

Armenian PM Press Secretary Mano Gevorgyan lamented that the territorial claims on Armenian lands may cast in doubt Azerbaijan’s readiness to establish peace, and may endanger entire regional peace and security:

“In addition, such statements make the international recognition of the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to self-determination more than relevant in terms of preventing the new genocidal aspirations of Azerbaijanis against the Armenians of Artsakh.”

The press secretary of the Armenian Prime Minister also commented on the recently delivered speech of Turkish President Erdogan at a parade in Baku.

“Let the eternal soul of Enver Pasha shine,” Erdogan said at the time.

Gevorgyan says the celebration of the organizers of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire by the Turkish presidency deserves condemnation: “Such positions are questionable under the auspices of the Turks, in which case they are ready to contribute to regional peace and stability.”

Commentary of the Ombudsman of Armenia

Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan responded to the statements made at the parade in Baku on his Facebook page.

“The speeches of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkey, according to the Ombudsman, are a manifestation of terror, a clear threat to the life and health of the entire people of Armenia, the entire civilian population”, he said.

The Ombudsman of Armenia believes that these statements confirm the Azerbaijani policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide by terrorist methods in Karabakh during the last war:

“The speeches of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey contained the same accents and words of hatred and enmity that the Azerbaijani military used during this war in the course of torture, brutal killings of Armenian military personnel and civilians or inhuman treatment of them with exceptional cynicism.”

Aliyev’s previous statements

Aliyev has repeatedly called Yerevan the ‘historical territory’ of Azerbaijan. Moreover, during a speech at the 6th Congress of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party in 2018, he said:

“Yerevan is our historical territory, and we, Azerbaijanis, must return to this historical land. This is our political and strategic goal, which we must gradually approach.”

https://jam-news.net/response-to-aliyevs-statements-claims-on-the-territory-of-armenia-yerevan-zangezur-syunik-sevan/

Opposition MP predicts snap elections in Armenia in no later than 6 months

Maghakian Mike
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 11 2020

MP Edmon Marukyan from the opposition Bright Armenia Party predicts snap elections in Armenia in no later than 6 months, but says his prediction may fall short.

“In June or July we will discuss why it failed to happen. Politicians predict one thing, and then, if it does not happen, they explain why it didn’t happen,” Marukyan told a briefing at the parliament.

He stressed the political history of Armenia saw only one case when the opposition demand was fulfilled – the resignation Serzh Sargsyan in 2018.

The opposition MP said that he has no information on any discussions with the authorities regarding the conduct of new elections.

“If we are talking about the adoption of a new Electoral Code, and then about the conduct of elections, naturally, there should be discussions, because the rules of the game should be clear to all players,” Marukyan said.

According to the MP, if the new Electoral Code is adopted, the elections must be held in 6 months, as required by the Venice Commission, but if the law is not amended, elections may take place even tomorrow.

According to Marukyan, the pre-election rules include equal distribution of free airtime among all the parties and candidates and exclusion of attempts to silence one party by another in return for several million dollars.

Edmon Marukyan believes that only Bright Armenian can hold fair elections, because they do not trust anyone but ourselves.

He called for guarantees to ensure fair elections and rule out possible vote buying cases regardless of which political force organizes them.

In response to a question about the recognition of Artsakh’s independence, the deputy said that there are circumstances containing state secrets in the process, therefore he will refrain from making further comments, only adding that it has been a month since they began to work on the matter with the relevant bodies.

Armenia’s Pashinyan thanks Russia for assistance in fighting against COVID-19 pandemic

Albert Nalbandian
TASS, Russia
Dec 11 2020
Earlier, Russia’s consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor handed over to Armenia a mobile laboratory for identifying the pathogens of infectious diseases and making PCR-tests for the novel coronavirus

YEREVAN, December 11. /TASS/. Armenia is grateful to Russia for the assistance provided in the struggle against the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during a video conference of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on Friday.

“We are grateful to Russia for its invaluable assistance in resisting the pandemic and warding off the challenges that we were confronted with this year,” he said.

Earlier, Russia’s consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor handed over to Armenia a mobile laboratory for identifying the pathogens of infectious diseases and making PCR-tests for the novel coronavirus. Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko shared with his Armenian counterpart Arsen Torosyan samples of Russia’s anti-coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V.

Last April, Russian military specialists arrived in Armenia under an agreement between the two countries’ defense minsters to provide assistance in the struggle against the coronavirus pandemic. A Russian diagnostic laboratory has operated in Armenia since April. During the pandemic Rospotrebnadzor provided Armenia with equipment free of charge. Russian businesses operating in the country transferred large donations to the government fund for struggle against the infection.

Zatulin: Parade in Baku is attempt to humiliate not only Armenia and Armenians, but also Russia

Emil Lazarian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 11 2020
20:25, 11.12.2020
Region:Armenia, Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia


The parade held in Baku yesterday was an insult and an attempt to humiliate not only Armenia and the Armenian people, but also Armenia’s ally Russia. This is what First Deputy Chairman of the CIS Affairs, European Integration and Relations with Compatriots of the Russian State Duma Konstantin Zatulin said during today’s discussion on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

According to him, the Azerbaijani president’s comparisons of the Nagorno-Karabakh war and the Great Patriotic War and the fight against Fascism are phony and offensive and worthy of condemnation.

“Russia understands that the well-known signed agreement is not the final resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since it doesn’t state anything about the status of the remaining part of Nagorno-Karabakh. I categorically consider negotiations through force impossible. I hope this doesn’t happen after Russia’s entry into Nagorno-Karabakh. Aliyev understands that his statements on Zangezur, Yerevan and Sevan “belonging” to Azerbaijan are a provocation,” the deputy said.

“Aliyev’s claims are unrealistic. The propagandistic statements about Christian churches in Azerbaijan or the 20,000 Armenians living in Turkey are always criticized. Those 20,000 Armenians who supposedly live and prosper in Turkey would have been more in number, if there was no genocide,” he added.


Armenia’s Health Ministry examines bodies of 2996 deceased servicemen

Kalantarian Kevo
Aysor, Armenia
Dec 11 2020
Armenia’s Health Ministry reports about forensic examination of 2996 servicemen killed as a result of war.

“As of this moment 2996 bodies were medically examined,” Armenian health ministry spokesperson Alina Nikoghosyan told Armenpress.

She said a total of 1816 DNA samples were taken from family members and 993 samples from the bodies.

256 samples from family members and 541 samples from the unidentified bodies are pending results as of December 10.

The examination and identification process continues.

As of December 10, Artsakh Defense Army reported about 1779 killed servicemen.


Armenian FM briefs OIF Secretary-General on post-war humanitarian situation in Artsakh

Emma Jilavian

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 11:42,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Aivazian, who is in France on a working visit, met on December 9 with Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary-General of International Organisation of la Francophonie (OIF), the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

The Armenian FM and the OIF Secretary-General discussed the activity of the organization amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the challenges facing the Francophonie territory due to the pandemic.

Minister Aivazian briefed Mrs. Mushikiwabo on the humanitarian situation caused by the recent war unleashed by Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance against Armenia and Artsakh, as well as the actions for addressing the current crisis. He also informed the OIF chief about the direct engagement of terrorists in the recent war with the sponsorship of Turkey, stating that this is a serious threat not only for the security of Armenia and Artsakh, but also that of the entire region.

By using the chance the Armenian FM thanked the OIF Secretary-General for the principled and clear stance on the recent war launched against Artsakh.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Over 360 Artsakh residents receive medical aid at Russian mobile hospital in Stepanakert

Hagop Kamalian

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 11:56,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. More than 360 people in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) have received medical assistance from Russian military doctors since the beginning of the peacekeeping operation, TASS reports citing the Russian defense ministry.

“In all, 368 Nagorno-Karabakh residents, including 41 children, have received assistance from Russian military medics”, it said, adding that medical services were offered to 42 local residents, including seven children, in Stepanakert in the past day alone.

In late November, Russian peacekeepers organized a field hospital in Stepanakert. Another one is being organized in the settlement of Mardakert.

Armenia downgrades general mobilization to partial

David Nargizian

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 13:22,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. The Cabinet adopted a decision during the November 10 meeting whereby the general mobilization that was declared on September 27 is downgraded to partial mobilization and drafted servicemen will be gradually demobilized by December 25.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan