Category: 2021

Armenian Opposition Holds Rally Against PM Pashinyan in Yerevan

Ophelia Vardapetian
SPUTNIK
March 6 2021
© AFP 2021 / KAREN MINASYAN
World

11:19 GMT 06.03.2021Get short URL

Armenia has been swept by mass protests since early November in the wake of Pashinyan signing an agreement with Azerbaijan to end hostilities in the breakaway republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenian opposition protesters continue to rally against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan.

Protests in Yerevan began in February in response to Pashinyan firing several high-profile military officials, including army chief of general staff Onik Gasparyan and deputy chief Tigran Khachatryan.

The armed forces issued a statement demanding the resignation of Pashinyan himself. The prime minister regarded this as an attempted coup and called on his supporters to take to the streets. The prime minister has faced calls to resign after he signed a Russian-brokered deal to end fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in November last year.

Under the terms of the trilateral agreement, a number of Nagorno-Karabakh districts came under Azerbaijani control.

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Who’s tampering with the Karabakh agreement? Differing opinions in Azerbaijan, Armenia

George Mamian
JAM News
March 6 2021

    JAMnews, Baku-Yerevan

On March 4, an online summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization took place. At this meeting, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev invited the leaders of the countries belonging to this organization to use the Zangezur Corridor, a statement which provoked an angry reaction from Armenia.

The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is a regional interstate economic organization founded in 1985. The founding countries are Iran, Pakistan and Turkey.

In 1992, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan joined the ECO.

ECO has observer status in the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Speaking at the summit, President Aliyev said:

“In 2020, Azerbaijan put an end to the almost 30-year occupation of our lands by Armenia by military-political means. The military victory won over Armenia on the battlefield was finally secured by political means.

“The UN Security Council Resolutions, adopted in 1993, demanding the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, remained on paper for 27 years. Azerbaijan itself ensured the implementation of these resolutions and restored its territorial integrity. The invaders were expelled from Karabakh, which is an ancient Azerbaijani land. Within 44 days, the Armenian army was completely defeated. On November 10, 2020, Azerbaijan forced Armenia to sign an act of surrender.”

Further, Ilham Aliyev spoke about the road that will connect the main part of the territory of Azerbaijan with its exclave – Nakhchivan.

“Today we are thinking about the future. To ensure peace and stability in the region, we have started discussing transport projects connecting many countries. Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran demonstrate a common position in connection with the implementation of transport projects in the region. Armenia, if it behaves normally, will also be able to benefit from this process.

“In this context, I would like to note that the new transport corridor, which will pass through the historical territory of Azerbaijan – Zangezur and connect the main part of Azerbaijan with the integral part of our country – the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic – and Turkey, will open up new opportunities in the transport sector in the region. We invite the member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization to use the Zangezur corridor,” he said.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry reacted to the statements of Ilham Aliyev, who called Zangezur (Syunik region in southern Armenia) “the historical territory of Azerbaijan” and stated that the new transport corridor “will connect the main part of Azerbaijan with the integral part of the country – the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic – and Turkey.”

“I repeat once again that paragraph 9 of the tripartite statement of November 9 does not mention the creation of any corridor.

Calling Zangezur “Azerbaijani historical territory” and referring to the fictitious corridor, the President of Azerbaijan with such a provocative statement deliberately undermines the implementation of the trilateral statements of November 9 and January 11. “

The trilateral agreement signed by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia ended hostilities in Karabakh at the end of 2020, and provided for the implementation of transit projects in the region.

Such rhetoric, according to the press secretary, contradicts the obligations undertaken by Azerbaijan, it is an open challenge to international law and does not contribute to the establishment of stability in the region.

Naghdalyan also commented on Aliyev’s statement that Azerbaijan solved the Karabakh problem by military means and implemented the resolutions of the UN Security Council. These statements once again show who initiated the war and the use of force, who is leading the region to destabilization and challenges, the spokeswoman believes:

“As always, Azerbaijan distorts the essence of the provisions of the UN Security Council resolutions, although these same resolutions express support for the peace process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group, which is headed by its co-chairs.”

With his statements, the President of Azerbaijan once again opposes the international community and, first of all, as Naghdalyan noted, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, whose position is a comprehensive solution to the conflict.

“It is obvious to us that an attempt to suppress by force the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh cannot create the basis for the settlement of the conflict. Realization of the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination and elimination of the consequences of the war are the key components of the conflict settlement,” Anna Naghdalyan said.

Azerbaijani MP Fazil Mustafa in his interview with turkustan.info touched upon the issue of the Zangezur Corridor:

“The meetings continue in accordance with the terms of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020. All points of this document must be followed. The road through Zangezur must be open. If this road does not open, Azerbaijan must declare that it will close the Lachin Corridor. Thus, let us make it clear to the Russian peacekeepers that one point of the statement is being fulfilled, but the other is not being fulfilled. Azerbaijan must demonstrate its principled position on this issue.”

Statements of some circles with Armenian citizenship and of enemy state tragically similar – expert

Karakhanian Suren
Aysor, Armenia
March 6 2021

It is tragic to hear same statements in Armenia voicing from the lips of the leaders of enemy state, expert in Eastern Sciences Ruben Melkonyan stated today outside the Ministry of Defense building where citizens and militaries gathered in support of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces.

“It was impossible to imagine how similar, harmonious and identical may be the approaches and statements of enemy state and certain circles having Armenian citizenship,” he stressed.

The expert also noted that no state structure takes any step in response to Turkish invectives.

“The offences directed to the General Staff with the irony of fate remain without response,” the expert said.

Armenia’s President requests meeting with Homeland Salvation Movement leaders

Parkev Tvankchian
Aysor, Armenia
March 6 2021

Armenia’s president Armen Sarkissian requested meeting with the leaders of Homeland Salvation Movement.

This was stated by the coordinator of the movement Ishkhan Saghatelyan at today’s rally on Baghramyan Avenue.

“We have been informed that the president again requested meeting with the leaders of the movement. We will apply to the president on behalf of all of you saying – You share individual and whole responsibility for the situation created in the country. You should stand by the Constitution and apply to the CC by Monday to recognize the dismissal of Chief of the General Staff anti-constitutional. In the opposite case You bear personal responsibility for the situation created in the country and the future outcome,” Saghatelyan stated.

Armenian State Symphony Orchestra cooperates with Swiss HomeOrchestra educational project

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia
March 6 2021

The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra launches a joint project with HomeOrchestra,  a Swiss classical music education project. Within the framework of this project the orchestra will perform famous classical music pieces under the baton of the Spanish conductor Ricardo Casero on March 9, and produce video recordings to be incorporated in the repertoire of the HomeOrchestra project.

HomeOrchestra is a Swiss educational project, which makes orchestral arrangements of well-known classical music pieces available for beginners to develop experience as soloists.

As a result of the cooperation with HomeOrchestra, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra will give young soloists a chance to listen and watch the accompaniment by our orchestra online.

Armenia launches serial production of OG-7V hand grenade launcher round

Jalatian Sonya
Public Radio of Armenia
March 6 2021  

Minister of High-Tech Industry Hakob Arshakyan has presented the Armenian-made OG-7V round for hand grenade launcher.

It is intended to hit the enemy’s infantry and equipment, the Minister said.

It has passed state tests and is now in the serial production stage.

“Along with innovative developments, it is also very important to organize the local production of already existing armaments, both economically and strategically,” Minister Arshakyan said.

These and other developments of Armenia’s military-industrial complex will be displayed within the framework of the ArmHiTec International Exhibition of Arms and Defense Technologies to be held at the Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex on March 25-27.

Armenia’s president still has few days to apply to CC – Bar Chamber president

Dabaghian Diana
Aysor, Armenia
March 6 2021

The president of the republic has right to apply to the Constitutional Court regarding the Chief of the Staff by March 9, president of Armenian Bar Chamber Ara Zohrabyan said outside MOD building today.

“The president of the republic must either apply to the Constitutional Court or sign the decree and agree with the prime minister,” Zohrabyan said.

“The president admitted that there is a problem, and the issue is very deep as high-ranking officers joined the Chief of the General Staff. The president still has days to apply to the CC. If he does not do it, it means he pushes the issues to be settled in streets, not in constitutional way,” Zohrabyan stated.

Those, who present the loss of motherland as a guarantee for peace, are ignorant traitors – Tigran Abrahamyan

Mary Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
March 6 2021

The Head of Henaket analytical centre Tigran Abrahamayn writes on his facebook page. 

“It is an interesting coincidence that different groups supporting the authorities, including those who dodge unwanted questions by reporters, try to implicitly or explicitly assure the public that we have not lost a territory, a region or a motherland. They put into circulation claims as a justification that Qarvachar, Hadrut, Shushi and Artsakh, in general, are not Armenian and that Armenians lived there for a period of time, while the claims of the Turks to those territories are something like ‘restoration of historical justice.’

In Abrahamyan’s words, some in Armenia are not only resigned to the losses of lands as a result of the war, signed or secret agreements, but also are indifferent to the part under Artsakh control and event Syunik province. 

“The authorities have adopted a state policy trying to persuade the people that ceding Artsakh and Syunik is a guarantee for lasting peace and stability in the region, which is a conviction for some of them,” Abrahamayn wrote, adding this approach may lead us to a new war at some point. “Those who present the loss of motherland as a guarantee for peace are just ignorant traitors, the law enforcement bodies should deal with in the future,” concluded the expert. 

General Norat Ter-Grigoryants: I support the Chief of the General Staff and all command staff

Maral Chavushian
Panorama, Armenia
March 6 2021

Retired Soviet and Armenian lieutenant-general Norat Ter-Grigoryants, who played a leading role in developing the Armed Forces of Armenia in 1992–1995, has vowed his support to the General Staff of the Armed Staff and the its command staff. 

In an interview with Yerevan Today, Norat Ter-Grigoryants has said: “The matter is that the Armed Forces in either Russia or in Armenia are not supposed to implement political changes. They are not used to make revolutions. Yet, the General Staff of the Armed Forces came to conclusion that the future rule of the Armenian prime minister, especially in his capacity of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will lead to collapse. As a result, Armenians may spread all over the world, like assyrians, leaving the territories to Turks. The General Staff made its statement being aware of this. As a military and a person who stood at the forefront of the establishment of the Armed Forces, I support the Chief of the General Staff and all command staff.” 

Forcing the Chief of the General Staff to resign is an attempt of disbanding the Army – Protest outside the MoD headquarters

Hovik Karapetian
Panorama, Armenia
March 6 2021

A group of militaries and citizens is holding a protest outside the headquarters of the Ministry Defense in Yerevan in support of the Chief of the General Staff Onik Gasparyan and the Armenian Army. 

As reported earlier, former servicemen of the military base N51191 of the Defense Ministry as well as the veterans and former servicemen of the Army announced about a protest at 13.00. They question the PM Pashinyan’s moral and legal rights to dismiss the Chief of the General Staff after the latter demanded the resignation of the cabinet.  

“Whoever tries to interfere with the Army affairs, they are an enemy. No one has the right to dismiss Onik Gasparyan and who does so he is an enemy of the Armenian people,” one of the militaries told reporters during the protest. 

Freedom fighter nicknamed Bek, present at the protest, said that the whole Army demands Pashinyan’s resignation and 

if the Chief of the General Staff is forced to resign it is an attempt to disband the Army. 

In the words of the protesters, any campaign against Onik Gasparyan and the Army is an encroachment on the decency of the Armenian people and weaken the Army.