Category: 2021

MOSCOW. – The Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) have ensured the safe visit of 50 pilgrims to Amaras Monastery, reported the press service of the Russian defense ministry.

“It is located near the border demarcation line of the sides; that is why the presence of the peacekeeping contingent is necessary to ensure safety. Pilgrims from Armenia and remote regions of Nagorno-Karabakh always visit this place. Besides, Russian servicemen are constantly patrolling the monastic complex to preserve the historical and cultural treasures in the region,” said Sergey Kalinin, a representative of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

In the framework of the implementation of the trilateral statement by the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020, the Russian peacekeepers continue to assist in the restoration of peaceful life in Artsakh. After the end of hostilities as a result of the signing of this ceasefire statement, the early medieval Amaras Monastery has ended up very close to the border delimitation line of the two conflicting parties.

On his way back to Turkey from the G20 summit in Rome, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented—on the plane—the details of his meetings held during this summit, and responded to reporters’ questions, according to Ermenihaber.am.

Speaking about his talk with French President Emmanuel Macron, Erdogan noted that several issues were discussed, including the South Caucasus. The Turkish president said that he told Macron that positive steps were being taken in the South Caucasus, and that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was determined to continue these positive steps.

Also, Erdogan claimed that Aliyev had a talk with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, during which the topic of creating a platform of six regional countries was put on the agenda.

“Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, and along with them, Armenia—if everyone accepts—then we will really create a platform for peace,” the Turkish leader concluded.

Turkish intellectual Dogan Akhanli, who fought for the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, has died in the German capital Berlin at the age of 64, Akunq.net reported.

Akhanli had been suffering from cancer for a long time.

This Turkish intellectual, who lived in Cologne, Germany, for many years, was living in Berlin for the last few years.

Akhanli was known for his works on human rights, history, and the culture of recollection.

According to Deutsche Welle, the Turkey-Germany Cultural Forum also extended condolences over Akhanli’s death, emphasizing on Twitter the fact that this Turkish intellectual had fought for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

In 2005, Akhanli had visited Armenia and participated in an international conference on the Armenian Genocide.

And in 2018, the Armenian translation of Dogan Akhanli’s book, entitled “Judges of Last Judgment,” was published in Yerevan.

When accepting a map as basis, it is important to understand what legal grounds it has. The Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia, Gnel Sanosyan, told reporters about this Tuesday.

“If those maps are from the Soviet years, they must be fully clarified and accepted by all parties in order to be a basis. In the map of the [19]20s, for example, Al lakes are marked as the territory of Armenia; so, the [Armenian-Azerbaijani border] changes in this regard would be in our favor. There is a certain line in those maps, from which these lakes remain on this side. These lakes are located in the Vardenis-Jermuk section [of Armenia]. Let’s wait and see which year’s the maps will be taken as a basis [to determine the Armenian-Azerbaijani],” Sanosyan added.

According to him, respective discussions are underway, but he is not aware of their details.

“Yes, we [i.e., Armenia] have ended up in a painful situation. But in this situation, peacefully living, developing, standing up, and clarifying the border situation play an important role so that we do not have disputes, they [i.e., the Azerbaijanis] do not hit any [Armenian] cars. Even if something painful can happen in one or two places, it is better to fix the painful problem, to keep in mind that this is our borders, than to have incidents every day,” Gnel Sanosyan added.

STEPANAKERT. – Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan on Tuesday got familiarized with the concluding construction of a residential district and an apartment building in the capital Stepanakert, the press service of the Artsakh President informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The head of state inquired from the heads of the construction companies about the deadlines of putting into operation, and stressed that providing housing to many families with various social statuses is on the Artsakh government’s agenda.

Also, he gave a number of instructions on the spot, ordered that all efforts be made to carry out the work with quality—and within the set timeframe.

Those in charge of urban development, in turn, assured the President that the newly constructed buildings, with about 300 apartments, shall be commissioned by the end of the year.

The Azerbaijanis came and settled there on the very first day, and if you recall, the detachment of Arush Arushanyan [mayor of Goris] and I were fighting for Kachal Sar mountain, but we weren’t allowed to continue. This is what Deputy Mayor of Goris Karen Kocharyan said during a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Kocharyan assured that the Azerbaijanis are strengthening their positions and building fortifications in the territory of Armenia. “I don’t know why Armenia isn’t building structures. Only the top leadership knows. We aren’t even renovating roads so that we can reach our boys and men in the winter. Even Armenia isn’t building roads like Azerbaijan is. They are building them in the territory of Armenia that they seized during the recent events,” the deputy mayor said.

When told that the authorities claim that the Armenian Armed Forces aren’t letting the Azerbaijanis carry out fortification works in Armenia’s territory, Kocharyan offered to take reporters and show them the place where the Azerbaijanis have built defensive structures.

The Constitutional Court of Armenia has declared part 3 of Article 40 of the Law on Military Service and Status of Servicemen constitutional. This is what Spokesperson of the Constitutional Court Yeva Tovmasyan said during a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am, adding that the decision will be posted on the official website of the Constitutional Court within a three-day period.

On February 25, 2021, after the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the latter declared that a military coup was being attempted, called on citizens to gather at Republic Square and “protect the revolution”. That same day, Pashinyan signed the petition addressed to the President of Armenia to relieve Chief of the General Staff, Colonel General Onik Gasparyan of his post, but President Armen Sarkissian didn’t sign the petition and sent it back to the government two days later. On February 27, the Prime Minister sent the same proposal again, and on March 2, by failing to sign the proposal for the dismissal of Onik Gasparyan, Armen Sarkissian applied to the Constitutional Court to determine the constitutionality of part 3 of Article 40 of the Law on Military Service and Status of Servicemen that had served as a ground for Onik Gasparyan’s dismissal, not to challenge the constitutionality of the draft decree submitted by Nikol Pashinyan. For this reason, the decision entered into force — the government promulgated the statement of Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan by which Onik Gasparyan was considered dismissed from the post of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia starting from March 10, 2021.