Wednesday,
Vanadzor Election Winner Arrested
Armenia - Former Vanadzor Mayor Mamikon Aslanian at an election campaign meeting
with voters in Vanadzor, November 23, 2021.
A former mayor of Vanadzor who defeated Armenia’s ruling party in this month’s
municipal election was arrested on Wednesday on charges rejected by him and
opposition leaders as politically motivated.
Mamikon Aslanian ran the country’s third largest city until October. A bloc led
by him essentially won the election with about 39 percent of the vote.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s Civil Contract party finished second with 25
percent, the most serious of setbacks suffered by it in the local polls held in
36 communities across Armenia on December 5.
Three other parties fared much worse but still won seats in the local council
empowered to appoint the next head of the municipality comprising Vanadzor and
nearby villages.
Aslanian was well placed to regain his post with the help of these parties
despite falling short of a majority of seats in the new Vanadzor council.
The inaugural session of the council was slated for Friday. It was postponed on
Wednesday after another party, which failed to win any seats, challenged the
election results in court.
Armenia’s Investigative Committee said, meanwhile, that it arrested Aslanian and
charged him with abuse of power and forgery. It claimed, in particular, that the
former mayor illegally auctioned off two plots of municipal land during his
five-year tenure.
Aslanian swiftly denied the accusations through his lawyers, who described the
criminal proceedings as “political persecution.”
In a joint statement, Yervand Varosian and Lusine Sahakian, said: “After
familiarizing ourselves with the essence of the accusations, it became obvious
to us that Mamikon Aslanian is prosecuted for winning the election against the
will of the current authorities.”
The lawyers also said their client is urging supporters to “stay calm” and rest
assured that their votes “will not be squandered.”
Armenia - The Vanadzor municipality building,13Dec2021.
Senior representatives of the country’s two leading opposition groups also
condemned the charges and linked them with the Vanadzor election. Artur
Vanetsian of the Pativ Unem bloc visited Aslanian in custody.
Some opposition figures alleged that Aslanian’s arrest is part of Pashinian’s
broader efforts to forcibly install his loyalists in communities where his Civil
Contract party was defeated or failed to win outright on December 5.
In one such community comprising the town of Vartenis and surrounding villages,
Civil Contract won 46 percent of the vote. Two local blocs challenging it got 37
percent and 16.5 percent respectively, putting them in a position to have a
common candidate elected as community head.
The leaders of those blocs announced such a deal last week. Law-enforcement
authorities arrested one of them on corruption charges and searched the other’s
home in the following days.
In another town, Talin, a similar power-sharing deal was reached by three other
opposition groups that won 11 of the 21 seats in the local council. Pashinian’s
party will control the remaining 10 seats.
One of those groups, the Hayk party, unexpectedly announced on Monday that it
will not take up its 3 seats. The party’s top candidate in Talin, Karen
Grigorian, cited the need to “defuse post-election tensions” but did not
elaborate. Newspaper reports claimed that he made the decision under strong
government pressure.
Pashinian Allies Move To Oust Yerevan Mayor
• Naira Nalbandian
Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian (L) and his My Step bloc's mayoral
candidate Hayk Marutian attend an election campaign rally in Yerevan, 20
September 2018.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s political team confirmed on Wednesday that it
wants to impeach Yerevan’s Mayor Hayk Marutian after months of growing friction
between the two former allies.
A senior member of the My Step bloc, which is dominated by the ruling Civil
Contract party and controls Yerevan’s municipal council, said it is seeking a
vote of no confidence in Marutian.
“According to preliminary information, we already have 39 signatures [of council
members,] more than the 33 signatures necessary [for a no confidence motion,]”
Armen Kotolian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
“The process has started, and I think that Hayk Marutian will be dismissed
before the end of this month,” he said.
Kotolian declined to give reasons for the dramatic move, saying that My Step
will explain it later on.
The city council is empowered to appoint and dismiss mayors. My Step controls 54
of its 65 seats.
A spokesman for Marutian said he has not been notified about the ruling team’s
decision to oust him and will not comment on it for now.
Marutian, 45, is a former TV comedian who actively participated in the “velvet
revolution” that brought Pashinian to power in May 2018. He was handpicked by
Pashinian to lead My Step’s list of candidates in the last municipal elections
held in September 2018 and won by the pro-government bloc.
Armenia - Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutian arrives for a session of the city council,
May 8, 2019.
Marutian famously declared during the mayoral race that Armenia’s political
landscape consists of only “whites” allied to Pashinian and “blacks” symbolizing
darkness and challenging the prime minister.
Relations between the two men deteriorated after Armenia’s defeat in last year’s
war with Azerbaijan that sparked anti-government protests in Yerevan. Marutian
increasingly distanced himself from Pashinian’s team in the following months and
pointedly declined to support it in the run-up to snap parliamentary elections
held in June.
A top aide to Pashinian publicly criticized the mayor’s stance shortly after the
vote. Some media outlets reported at the time that the prime minister is now
considering replacing Marutian.
In a further sign of rising tension between the two men, the Haykakan Zhamanak
daily belonging to Pashinian’s family claimed at the weekend that Marutian has
defected to the Armenian opposition and even secretly met with former President
Robert Kocharian.
Marutian’s press secretary, Hakob Karapetian, flatly denied such a meeting on
Wednesday. Earlier this week, Karapetian referred to Pashinian’s paper as “the
yellow press.”
According to Kotolian, Armenia’s leadership is considering several potential
candidates for the post of Yerevan mayor, including Marutian’s deputy Hayk
Sargsian.
Ruling Party Blocks Parliament Debate On Armenian-Azeri Talks
• Astghik Bedevian
Armenia - Deputies from the ruling Civil Contract party boycott a session of the
Armenian parliament demanded by their opposition colleagues, Yerevan, November
15, 2021.
The pro-government majority in the Armenian parliament scuttled on Wednesday a
debate on an opposition-backed resolution effectively warning Prime Minister
Nikol Pashinian against recognizing Azerbaijani sovereignty over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
The main opposition Hayastan alliance had forced the leadership of the National
Assembly to call an emergency session on the issue. The session did not take
place, however, because the deputies representing Pashinian’s Civil Contract
party boycotted it and prevented the parliament from making a quorum.
One of those deputies, Anush Beghloyan, defended the boycott, accusing Hayastan
and the other parliamentary opposition bloc, Pativ Unem, of exploiting the
sensitive issue for domestic political purposes.
“As you can see, this resolution has an internal political and, I would say,
propaganda and speculative nature,” she told reporters.
The opposition minority denied seeking to score political points and insisted
that the proposed non-binding document reflects Armenia’s and Karabakh’s
national interests.
“They again avoided [a debate] because they avoid tough statements or demands
addressed to Turkey and Azerbaijan,” said Hayastan’s Ishkhan Saghatelian. “They
would have nothing to say if they came [to the parliament floor.] So they
boycotted [the session] to stay away from any trouble.”
Armenia - Leaders of the opposition minority in the Armenian parliament talk
during a failed session boycotted by the ruling Civil Contract party, Yerevan,
November 15, 2021.
The resolution drafted by Hayastan and backed by Pativ Unem sets conditions for
the planned demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. It says that Yerevan
must steer clear of any actions that would make it impossible for the Karabakh
Armenians to exercise their right to self-determination.
Armenian opposition figures and some media outlets have for months speculated
that during the demarcation process Armenia and Azerbaijan could formally
recognize each other’s territorial integrity. This would presumably amount to
Armenian recognition of Azerbaijani control over Karabakh.
Pashinian and his political allies have said that Yerevan will continue to
champion Karabakh’s self-determination in further talks with Baku.
The proposed resolution also demands that Pashinian’s government reinforce the
Armenian army and its border fortifications as well as “ascertain and upgrade
relations with strategic partners.”
Meeting in Brussels late on Tuesday, Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev reportedly reaffirmed their plans to start demarcation talks soon.
European Council President Charles Michel, who hosted the talks, said the two
leaders also agreed on the need for “further tangible steps” to ease tensions
along the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontier.
U.S. Hails Bid To Normalize Turkish-Armenian Relations
Indonesia - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks on the Biden
administration's Indo-Pacific strategy at the Universitas Indonesia in Jakarta,
.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday welcomed Armenia’s and
Turkey’s plans to start talks on normalizing their relations.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced on Monday that the
governments of the two neighboring states will soon appoint special envoys for
that purpose. The Armenian Foreign Ministry confirmed that.
“We welcome and strongly support statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut
Cavusoglu and [the Foreign Ministry] of Armenia on appointing Special Envoys to
discuss the process of normalization,” tweeted Blinken.
The Bloomberg news agency on Monday quoted an unnamed senior Turkish official as
saying that U.S. President Joe Biden urged his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip
Erdogan to open Turkey’s border with Armenia during an October meeting in Rome.
Ankara hopes that efforts to normalize Turkish-Armenian ties will help it to
improve its strained relations with Washington, said the official.
The U.S. played a major role in a past Turkish-Armenian rapprochement. Ankara
and Yerevan came close to normalizing bilateral relations in 2009 when their
foreign ministers signed two relevant protocols in Zurich, Switzerland.
Erdogan’s administration subsequently linked their ratification by the Turkish
parliament to a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to
Azerbaijan.
Cavusoglu made clear on Monday that Ankara will continue to coordinate its
Armenian policy with Baku.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan complained last month that the Turks
are setting “new preconditions” for establishing diplomatic relations and
opening the border with Armenia. Those include the opening of a land corridor
connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave, he said.
A spokesman for Mirzoyan said on Tuesday that Yerevan continues to stand for
“normalizing relations with Turkey without preconditions.”
EU’s Michel Hosts Talks Between Armenian, Azeri Leaders
Armenia - European Council President Charles Michel, Armenian Prime Minister
Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani Presiednt Ilham Aliyev meet in Brussels,
.
European Council President Charles Michel said the leaders of Armenia and
Azerbaijan pledged to de-escalate tensions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border
and restore rail links between the two South Caucasus states during talks hosted
by him in Brussels late on Tuesday.
Michel, who heads the European Union’s top decision-making body, said
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian
assured him that they remain committed to honoring relevant agreements brokered
by Russia over the past year.
“President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinian agreed that in the context of the
planned launch of negotiations on the delimitation and demarcation of the state
border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, further tangible steps will need to be
taken to reduce tensions on the ground to ensure a conducive atmosphere for the
talks,” he said in a late-night statement on the trilateral meeting.
The EU is ready to provide “technical assistance” to the demarcation process,
added Michel.
“It was agreed to proceed with the restoration of railway lines, with
appropriate arrangements for border and customs controls, based on the principle
of reciprocity,” he said, indicating the EU’s readiness to finance that work.
Pashinian confirmed that he and Aliyev “reaffirmed the agreements to relaunch
the railways.” Armenia and Azerbaijan will retain full control over railways
passing through their territory, he said in a Facebook post.
Neither Michel nor Pashinian mentioned other transport links and, in particular,
a road that would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave via Armenia.
Speaking in Brussels earlier on Tuesday, Aliyev said people and cargo passing
through that “Zangezur corridor” must be exempt from Armenian border controls.
Pashinian rejected the demand shortly before the trilateral meeting, saying that
it runs counter to understandings reached by them with Russian mediation.
Michel stressed the importance of establishing transport links between Armenia
and Azerbaijan “while fully respecting the sovereignty of all countries.”
He said he also urged the two sides to “work towards de-escalation” and resolve
“all outstanding humanitarian issues,” including the release of more Armenian
soldiers held in Azerbaijan.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2021 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
Category: 2021
Michel: EU to provide expert mission to help delimit and demarcate Armenian-Azerbaijani border
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 15 2021
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, hosted the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, for a discussion on the evolving situation in the South Caucasus region and ways forward regarding EU relations with both countries, the European Council said in a statement on Tuesday.
President Michel assured both leaders of the EU’s commitment to work closely with Armenia and Azerbaijan in overcoming conflict, creating cooperation and an atmosphere of trust, with a view to sustainable peace in the region ultimately underpinned by a comprehensive peace agreement. The common aim of all three leaders is to build a South Caucasus that is secure, stable and prosperous for the benefit of all people living in the region.
Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Aliyev reconfirmed that key commitments undertaken in the framework of the two trilateral statements of 9 November 2020 and 11 January 2021 would be honoured and that understandings reached in Sochi on 26 November 2021 should be built upon. President Michel commended steps taken by both leaders to ensure the de-escalation of tensions following recent armed clashes along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In particular, the successful establishment of a direct communication link between the Ministers of Defence of both countries, facilitated by President Michel, was acknowledged. This mechanism can serve to prevent future incidents and make a positive impact by helping de-escalate tensions on the ground. .
President Michel stressed that resolving key humanitarian issues is of crucial importance. He welcomed the recent release of ten Armenian detainees by Azerbaijan and the handover of all remaining mine-maps by Armenia. He called for the full and speedy resolution of all outstanding humanitarian issues, such as the release of further detainees and addressing the fate of missing persons, while recognising that humanitarian gestures by both sides also promote confidence and help create an environment conducive to progress towards peace and reconciliation. The EU will continue to support humanitarian de-mining efforts, including by providing expert advice, and assistance to conflict-affected populations, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The EU will also continue to support confidence building measures between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The leaders discussed key existing and prospective trade and economic partnerships between the EU and both countries. They also discussed the EU’s intention to launch an economic advisory platform to build confidence, contribute to peaceful coexistence and build up economic cooperation in the region.
President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan agreed that in the context of the planned launch of negotiations on the delimitation and demarcation of the state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, further tangible steps will need to be taken to reduce tensions on the ground to ensure a conducive atmosphere for the talks. President Michel called on both Yerevan and Baku to actively engage in good faith and to work towards de-escalation. He stressed that ensuring the appropriate distancing of forces is an essential element of incident prevention. The EU will make available an expert mission/consultative group to support the border delimitation and demarcation issues by providing technical assistance to both countries.
President Michel also emphasised the importance of restoring communications infrastructure between Armenia and Azerbaijan in particular and the South Caucasus more broadly, while fully respecting the sovereignty of all countries. It was agreed to proceed with the restoration of railway lines, with appropriate arrangements for border and customs controls, based on the principle of reciprocity. The EU is ready to support the development of connectivity links, in line with its Economic and Investment Plan. The proposed economic advisory platform can also support this process.
The leaders agreed to follow-up on outcomes of their meeting and to stay engaged.
One of Armenia’s largest archeological gold collections on display at ‘The Gold of Metsamor’ exhibition
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 15 2021
CULTURE 12:26 15/12/2021 ARMENIA
The international conference entitled “Metsamorian Readings-2” started at Metsamor Historical-Archeological Museum-Reserve on Wednesday morning. Then the temporary exhibition of “The Gold of Metsamor”, which is implemented within the framework of “The Secret of the Land” program of the Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, kicked off, the Service for the Protection of Historical Environment and Cultural Museum-Reserves SNCO reported.
One of the largest collections of archaeological gold in Armenia, discovered as a result of regular excavations from the 1960s to the present day, is on display at the exhibition “The Gold of Metsamor”. The pendants made of gold plate, beads, decorative buttons, necklace, fibulas and other artefacts are included in the collection. Museum artefacts made of agate, cornelian, sardonyx, amber are also on display. A one and a half turn spiral hairpin gold is very unique which has been found in Armenia.
The international conference entitled “Metsamorian Readings” is dedicated to the results of the excavations carried out in Metsamor archeological site in 2017-2021.
Ashot Piliposyan, scientific secretary of the Protection Service SNCO, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Pavel Avetisyan, Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of Armenia’s National Academy of Sciences (NAS), Hayk Avetisyan, Head of Chair, Doctor of History, Professor / Chair of Archaeology and Ethnography, were among the conference speakers.
Spokesman: Yerevan mayor has never met with Robert Kocharyan
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 15 2021
Hakob Karapetyan, spokesman for Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan, on Wednesday denied a meeting between the mayor and Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan, responding to a report of the Haykakan Zhamanak daily owned by Nikol Pashinyan's family.
"When the famous article was published on Sunday, we responded as usual by saying that we "don't comment" on rumors spread by the yellow press,” the spokesman wrote on Facebook.
“However, in view of the widespread speculation caused by the disinformation, as well as the numerous inquiries from citizens and the media, we are forced to respond substantively.
“I officially declare that Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan has had no contact with Robert Kocharyan and has never met him. The article also made many other false claims,” Karapetyan said.
Pro-government MPs boycott special parliament sitting initiated by opposition
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 15 2021
Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract faction on Wednesday boycotted a special parliament sitting initiated by the opposition to discuss issues related to the border delimitation and demarcation with Azerbaijan.
The sitting had been initiated by the Hayastan (Armenia) faction.
The attendance fell below the quorum of 54 MPs. Only 30 opposition lawmakers registered for the sitting.
Seyran Ohanyan: Delimitation and demarcation mean mutual recognition of the states’ territorial integrity
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 15 2021
The actions of the current leaders of Armenia have never been a surprise to us, as they are now boycotting the National Assembly sitting whenever discussions are focused on the situation around Armenia and Artsakh," the leader of opposition 'Armenia' bloc Seyran Ohanyan told reporters on Wednesday.
Ohanyan's comments came in response to assess the boycott by the ruling Civil Contract faction of a special of parliament sitting to discuss issues related to the border delimitation and demarcation with Azerbaijan.
In Ohanyan's words, the internal and external challenges Armenia faces, developments on the foreign policy arena and in the peace process, on the borders of Armenia and Artsakh make the opposition take necessary measures to give an assessment.
Speaking of the process of delimitation and demarcation, Ohanyan stressed that no real conditions are created to implement them. He warned that unless the process is linked to the issue of Artsakh's self-determination in one package, serious risks would arise for Artsakh.
"Delimitation and demarcation means a peace agreement, mutual recognition of the territorial integrity, that is to recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and throw a big stone on the fate of Artsakh," stressed Ohanyan.
He added that serious studies must precede the delimitation works to determine the exact borders of the Republic of Armenia as since entering the Soviet Union those have been continuoiusly changed.
Berdzor corridor and the proposed route through Meghri are topics from different dimensions, lawmaker says
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 15 2021
The Berzor (Lachin) corridor and the proposed route through southern Meghri town of Armenia are topics of different dimensions, and any comparisons, parallels between them are an explicit demagogy," opposition MP Mkhitar Zakaryan stated on Wednesday in parliament. The lawmaker thus commented the statement by Ilham Aliyev that the status and the legal regime of the Berdzor corridor, connecting Armenia with Artsakh, should be the same as the proposed corridor linking Azerbaijan with Nakhijevan through the territory of Armenia.
Zakaryan said that the victorious state tries to get the maximum in its relations with the defeated one, and in the current situation Armenia should consider its way out with minimal losses. The MP stressed that all routes should operate with consideration of the economic benefit, and the process should start when the state has recovered from the defeat.
"I believe, it is not the best time to make decisions of such a global, geopolitical scale," stressed Zakaryan, speaking of the delimitation and demarcation process as well as the process of establishing diplomatic relations with Turkey.
The ruling force initiates no confidence vote against Yerevan mayor
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 15 2021
The ruling My Step alliance, which holds majority at the Yerevan Council of Elders, is initiating a no confidence vote against Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan, member of the ruling faction at the Council of Elders Armen Kotolyan told Azatutyun.am
He has stressed that in order to pass the document through the legislative process, 39 signatures from members of the Council of Elders have been collected, while the necessary number is 33.
To note, Hayk Marutyan headed the electoral list of the ruling My Step Alliance during the Yerevan City Council elections in 2018 and was elected to the office of mayor of Yerevan.
Armenia’s Pashinyan: We reaffirmed with Azerbaijan president agreement on restoration of railway
News.am, Armenia
Dec 15 2021
03:16, 15.12.2021
During the trilateral meeting with President Charles Michel of the EU [European] Council and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, we reaffirmed with the president of Azerbaijan the agreement on the restoration of the railway. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia announced this on Facebook.
"According to that, the railway will operate in accordance with the internationally accepted border and customs rules, on the principle of reciprocity, under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries.
Armenia will get access by rail to the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation.
We also agreed to continue the contacts," Pashinyan added.
USCIRF: Armenian church demolished in Turkey, Armenian cemetery in Van destroyed this year
News.am, Armenia
Dec 15 2021
12:36, 15.12.2021
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has issued a special report in which it expresses concern over the deteriorating religious minority situation in Turkey, USCIRF commissioner Tony Perkins told the VOA Armenian Service.
He said they see anti-Semitism is on the rise in Turkey, especially during the pandemic, the Armenians also get the same accusations, and they are accused of COVID-19.
In the USCIRF special report on Turkey that was released on December 3, the Commission stressed that repression of religious minorities in the country is carried out if not with the direct participation of the Turkish authorities, then at least because of their neutrality on the matter. Moreover, the Turkish authorities leave the crimes against religious minorities in the country unpunished.
Commenting on this report, Perkins stressed that the Turkish authorities are primarily accountable for the deterioration of the situation of religious minorities in Turkey.
One Armenian church was demolished in Turkey this year, the Armenian cemetery in Van was completely destroyed, and these are forms of intimidation when important religious and cultural sites are destroyed, he added.
According to Perkins, religious minorities in Turkey, including members of the Armenian Apostolic Church, are increasingly restricted in their rights.
Recently, we are witnessing growing enmity towards religious minorities in Turkey; and if we look more closely, we can see that this trajectory is not going well at all, added Tony Perkins.
In its special report, the USCIRF advises the US Department of State to put Turkey on a special list, as its authorities tolerate gross violations of the rights of religious minorities in the country.