Category: 2022

Opposition MP brushes off claims over Berdzor, nearby villages

Emil Lazarian
Panorama
Armenia – July 1 2022

Tigran Abrahamyan, a lawmaker representing the opposition Pativ Unem (With Honor) bloc, on Friday brushed off the claims that the handover of the Artsakh town of Berdzor (Lachin) and its two surrounding villages, Aghavno and Sus, to Azerbaijan is envisaged by the 2020 ceasefire agreement.

He cited the part of the document calling for the construction of a new highway that will replace the Lachin corridor, which is Artsakh’s sole overland link to Armenia.

“As agreed by the parties, within the next three years, a plan will be outlined for the construction of a new route connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh along the Lachin corridor, and the Russian peacemaking forces shall be subsequently relocated to protect the route,” reads the document.

“Those claiming that the withdrawal of the Armenian population from Berdzor, Aghavno and Sus and the surrender of the settlements are stipulated in the trilateral statement, let them show the wording to that effect,” Abrahamyan wrote on Facebook.

He claims the alternative road project could have been discussed and approved in a way which would have allowed the Armenian communities to remain in the 5-kilometer section of the Lachin corridor and would not be handed over to Azerbaijan.

“I am more inclined to think that after the 44-day war this term of the trilateral statement is implemented in line with Azerbaijan's claims and threats,” he wrote, adding the situation is complicated and requires “carefully measured” solution to prevent new losses.

“Negotiations with Azerbaijan on various matters imply a complex process, which under the current Armenian government does not allow for a favourable outcome for us,” the MP said.

MP Armen Gevorgyan quits as parliament committee chair

Kevo Kalantarian
Panorama
Armenia – July 1 2022

Opposition MP Armen Gevorgyan has stepped down as chairman of the Armenian parliament committee on regional and Eurasian integration, which he took over in 2021.

"I have constantly tried to create an effective working atmosphere in the Commission, especially taking into account the prospects for the development of Eurasian integration of the country. However, political processes in the country have led to a point where I am resigning as the committee chairman,” the MP, who represents the Hayastan bloc, said in a statement announcing his resignation on Friday.

“The current situation dictates clear rules of political, social, and human ethics which I cannot disregard and which prevent me from continuing in my role as chair of the committee,” Gevorgyan said.

At the same time, he unveiled plans to continue fulfilling his duties as an MP in all international structures.

Armenian opposition slams ruling team for ouster of two MPs

Adrine Hakobian
Panorama
Armenia – July 1 2022

The opposition factions in the Armenian parliament, Hayastan and Pativ Unem, denounced the ruling team for the decision to strip two opposition MPs of their seats.

Lawmakers from the ruling Civil Contract party voted unanimously on Friday to oust Hayastan bloc’s Ishkhan Saghatelyan and Vahe Hakobyan as deputy parliament speaker and chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, respectively, for absenteeism.

In a joint statement, the opposition factions claimed the move was aimed at “distracting public attention from security challenges facing the country, the risk of a new war they have warned about, the Berdzor issue and new concessions, as well as their failure to repatriate prisoners of war.”

“The international community is persistently trying to ignore the setback in parliamentarianism, while there should have been an immediate and sharp response to such a conduct of the authorities,” the opposition said.

"The move indicates that the incumbent authorities are only concerned about keeping their posts, are busy with political persecution and are unable to deal with the challenges facing the country. They have no legitimacy and do not represent the interests of Armenia and Artsakh,” reads the statement.

MP Hayk Mamijanyan gives up parliament post

Samvel Nahapetian
Panorama
Armenia – July 1 2022

MP Hayk Mamijanyan of the opposition Hayastan bloc has stepped down as deputy chairman of the Armenian parliament committee on foreign affairs, which he took over in 2021.

“Considering the parliamentary diplomacy as a key tool to properly represent the interests of Armenia and Artsakh on international platforms, I tried to use it as efficiently as possible,” he said in a statement announcing his resignation on Friday.

"Given the political and moral crisis created by the political majority, I have decided to give up the post of deputy chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, continuing to use my knowledge and ties for the benefit of the homeland, including through the parliamentary and party diplomacy," Mamijanyan said.

Sports: ‘We want to elevate ourselves and others with us’: Navasartian Games unite Armenian community

Emil Lazarian
KTLA
July 3 2022
Ellina Abovian

A three-day celebration of athletic achievement and Armenian heritage kicked off this weekend in Los Angeles after a two-year hiatus.

The 45th anniversary of the Navasartian Games is put on by the L.A. chapter of Homenetmen, which spans five continents and has 30,000 members.

“Launched in East Los Angeles in 1975, now it boasts the participation of 300 teams, 3,200 athletes, 1,100 scouts and attracts over 35,000 spectators over a period of eight weeks each year,” the Navasartian Games said on their website.

The organization is dedicated to serving children within the community through athletics, scouting and public service.

“I feel like I have been inspired to keep trying and even if I lose, I can just keep trying to win and get better,” said athlete Mila Festekjian.

Festekjian’s parents played basketball for the organization in the 1980s, and she and her sister Ava are keeping alive the tradition and legacy founded more than a century ago by Shavarsh Krissian, who died during the Armenian genocide.

“I think it’s amazing that his vision was fulfilled through the work of the generations that followed him,” said Katy Simonian of the Victory Ball Committee.

Everyone is welcome to participate. Hrashq, which means “miracle” in Armenian, is Homenetmen’s program for athletes with special needs. Founding members created a coaching system, tailored to the needs of every child.

Nanor Kabakian’s son Aren has autism with a severe apraxia of speech.

“For years, I’ve been dreaming to be able to have my son participate in a community organization alongside his brother, who does not have any challenges,” Kabakian said.

Aren wrote a poem about his experience.

“We’re all different, yet alike in that we all want to be loved,” he wrote.

For Homenetmen member Quint Chemnitz, it’s all part of the mission.

“We always say it’s in our blood. We want to elevate ourselves and others with us,” he said.

Sports: Malta take silver after loss to Armenia in FIBA Games final

Babken Chilingarian
July 3 2022
 Kurt Aquilina 

MALTA 68

ARMENIA 84

(19-15, 11-24, 18-23, 20-22)

Malta had to settle for a silver medal in this year’s FIBA Small Countries Games final as they fell to a free-scoring Armenia 68-84 on Sunday at the Ta’ Qali Pavilion. 

It was a game of three-pointers versus points in the paint as Valencia guard Chris Jones, who won the Most Valuable Player award of the tournament, scored no less than eight threes, while Malta relied on the strength of Samuel Deguara and Nelson Kahler below the rim.

Malta’s roster saw the return of sharpshooter Aaron Falzon, who had been injured since the first game of the tournament against Azerbaijan. While still playing restricted minutes due to him not being yet fully fit, the Arcadia Traiskirchen Lions forward was a welcome return for the team.

Armenia’s Jones put up an enormous 41-point tally to lead the game in scoring, also grabbing 10 boards for a double-double. Andre Spight, also named in the all-star five of the tournament, scored 22.

For Malta, Deguara led the team’s scoring with 27 points, Kahler added 17, and Nathan Xuereb scored 10 for his third double-digit game of the tournament.

Sports: Armenia crowned winner of FIBA European Championship for Small Countries

Eduard Nalbandian
Public Radio of Armenia
July 3 2022

Armenia was crowned winher of the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries after defeaying Malta in the final.

The Armenian national team beat Mra 84:68 over Malta.

Chris Jones was named player of the match. He scored 41 points, had 10 rebounds and made 6 assists.

The 2022 edition of the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries was held in Ta’ Qali, Malta from June 28 – July 3, featuring six national teams from across Europe.

https://en.armradio.am/2022/07/03/armenia-crowned-winner-of-fiba-european-championship-for-small-countries/
WATCH THE COMPLETE GAME AT 

IDPs Deputy Minister of Georgia meets delegation of Armenia

Ophelia Vardapetian
Georgia Online, Georgia
July 3 2022

The Deputy Minister of IDPs, Labor, Health and Social Protection from the occupied territories of Georgia met with the delegation of the Republic of Armenia.

ByMarcin Kentacky

The Deputy Minister of IDPs, Labor, Health and Social Protection from the occupied territories of Georgia met with the delegation of the Republic of Armenia.

Tamila Barkalaya introduced Georgia’s experience to her colleagues on the issues of prevention of violence against women and domestic violence.

Deputy Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia, Tatevik Stefaniani, Anna Zhamakochiani and other representatives of government agencies participated in the official meeting. 

Along with them, Meri Maglaferidze, director of the state care and assistance agency for victims of trafficking, and Lasha Jinjikhadze, deputy director, also participated in the meeting.

As Tamila Barkalaya noted, her colleagues shared the experiences of state agencies working on issues of violence against women and domestic violence. They also discussed the changes made in the legislation of the ratification and post-ratification of the Istanbul Convention, tools for assessing the risk of domestic violence, methods of collecting and analyzing data related to violence victims’ support services, gender-based and sexual violence, inter-agency coordination and other issues.

The workshop was held within the framework of the project “EU for Gender Equality: Technical Group on Reforms”, mandated by NIRAS of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Policy (DGNEAR).


Ambassador Tracy’s July 4 Remarks

Emil Lazarian
US Embassy in Yerevan
July 2 2022



U.S. Embassy Compound
Thursday, June 30, 2022

Deputy Prime Minister Matevosyan, honorable guests, friends, fellow Americans.

I am so happy to welcome you all to our July 4th Celebration.  This is first time in three years that we have been able to gather in person!

I want to express appreciation to our sponsors for their support of our Independence Day reception.  And, offer a big thanks to local businesses and my entire Embassy team for all their hard work to make this event a success.

Today we are celebrating the 246th anniversary of America’s independence.

246 years ago, nothing was certain about the America’s experiment in democracy.  We declared our independence with a bold statement of our principles, aspirations, and vision – “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

But American democracy did not begin and end with this declaration and the creation of a constitution.  We fought two wars to secure our independence and a civil war to end slavery.  For over 150 years since then, progress toward our aspirations of freedom and equality for all has come only with long, hard struggle.  And, we still aren’t done.  In the United States, we continue to wrestle with the meaning of our constitution and to make choices as citizens.  Because democracy is not static.  It is a process, a continued renewal of commitments to fundamental principles.  By its nature, it takes work to sustain – and at times, it can seem fragile.  But, I have no doubt that we Americans will continue the process of perfecting our democracy and pursuing accountability and integrity within our institutions of government.

Today, we are also celebrating the long partnership between our two nations, including over the last 30 years of Armenia’s independence.

It has been a privilege to represent the United States in this culturally rich country, and it has been my honor to support Armenia’s democratic journey, particularly in a period of great challenges for Armenia.  I am not alone in this endeavor.  Harry Gilmore, our first Ambassador, forged the bonds of partnership in the early years of Armenia’s independence during a time of darkness, hardship, and uncertainty.  Each of the eight Ambassadors who followed throughout the last 30 years, leading a spectrum of U.S. government agencies, have worked to support the aspirations of Armenians for a peaceful, prosperous, and democratic future.  And, I am very grateful to my predecessors and the Embassy’s long-serving national staff for sharing their memories of partnership as well as President Khachaturyan who recalled Ambassador Gilmore’s tenure for our Facebook storytelling celebration of the 30th anniversary of U.S.-Armenia relations.

The stories of our partnership encompass support for democratic institutions, civil society, free and fair journalism, economic growth, energy diversification, inclusive education, improved healthcare, access to water, security cooperation, preservation of cultural heritage, exchange programs, and humanitarian needs.  We have partnered with Armenians in and out of government, like-minded diplomats and international organizations, and American citizens, including proud Armenian-Americans.  The tie that has animated this cooperation has been a shared sense of values.  And, it is the power of these partnerships that has helped drive the significant progress we have seen in Armenia over the past thirty years.

In closing, I would like to echo the words of President John F. Kennedy who once said, “Partnership is not a posture but a process- a continuous process that grows stronger each year as we devote ourselves to common tasks.”  May the next 30 years and more see the U.S.-Armenia partnership continue to grow in strength as we pursue a shared vision of a peaceful, democratic future for our countries.

I wish everyone a Happy Independence Day!

Thank you.

 

Sides could have approved project under which three Armenian settlements would be within Lachin corridor – opposition MP

Bedik Zaminian
ARMINFO
Armenia – July 1 2022
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo.Those claiming that the surrender of the Armenian settlements of Berdzor, Aghavno and Sus is stipulated by the trilateral agreement of November 9, 2020, must show the relevant points, Tigran Abrahamyan, a member of the opposition  parliamentary faction With Honor. 

According to him, a number of provisions in the November 9, 2020,  statement allow the Armenian side to defend at least some of its  interests. 

In this context, Mr Abrahamyan recalled the statement on the  alternative highway. 

"During the next three years the sides shall agree on a construction  plan for a route along the Lachin corridor that would connect  Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, with further redeployment of the  Russian peacekeeping contingent to protect the route," he said. 

"Those claiming that the exodus of the Armenian population from the  Armenian settlements of Berdzor, Aghavno and Sus and their surrender  is stipulated by the trilateral agreement of November 9, 2020, must  show the relevant points," he said. 

Following this logic, the sides could have approved a project under  which the three Armenian settlements would be within the boundaries  of the Lachin corridor instead of being surrendered to Azerbaijan, Mr  Abrahamyan. 

Mr Abrahamyan believes that after the 44-day war the provision is  being implemented in line with Azerbaijan's ambitions. 

"This is a rather complicated situation without simple or standard  solutions. Any settlement must be thoroughly thought out. Otherwise,  new losses are inevitable. Negotiations over various issues with  Azerbaijan are a complicated process which does not allow us to find  a solutions in our favor as long as thee incumbent authorities are in  power in Armenia," the MP said. 

At a recent online conference, Armenia's Premier Nikol Pashinyan  stated that new road that would be an alternative to the Lachin  corridor is under construction. Under the trilateral agreement of  November 9, 2020, during three years, with the parties consent, the  corridor  route is to be changed. As a result, the territories beyond  the boundaries of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region will  become part of Azerbaijan. The route will be changed to ensure more  reliable highway service between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. 

"We are solving the Berdzor residents' problems by means of  government decisions. Of course, the population must be provided with  housing. As regards Ahavno, the Artsakh government can resolve the  villagers' problems," the premier said. The route will be changed  after Russian troops establish control over the new route. The  corridor must be under Russian peacekeepers' full control, Mr   Pashinyan said.