Category: 2022

Roads will remain under the sovereignty of countries they pass through: Mirzoyan, Lavrov comment on opening of communications

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – June 9 2022
June 9, 2022, 13:49

 1 minute read

The meeting of the working group on unblocking of regional communications was positive, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.

“The rail routes have been agreed on, discussions on the roads and the regime that will be established are nearing completion. It will be simplified, but will definitely be based on the acknowledgement of sovereignty of the Armenian territory. There can be no ambiguity here. There are things that are related to practical actions on the ground, which are related to the creation of infrastructure meant for long years. That’s why here it’s better to weigh everything thoroughly,” Lavrov said.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said, in turn, that there is a common understanding on some issues here, and this is first of all related to the understanding that all roads that will be opened or reopened will remain under the sovereignty and authority of the countries they pass through.

“There is no place for corridor logic, and this is common understanding,” Mirzoyan emphasized.

At the same time he noted that there are details which the parties divert on, but the work continues, and I think we will reach mutually acceptable solutions on these issues.

Russian FM visits Armenian Genocide Memorial

Chakrian Hovsep
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – June 9 2022
June 9, 2022, 11:05

 

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov, accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial and paid tribute to the memory of the Genocide victims.

On a working visit to Armenia, Sergey Lavrov will hold meetings with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Vahagn Khachaturyan.

Ararat Mirzoyan: We see connection between Armenia-Turkey and Armenia-Azerbaijan processes

George Mamian
June 9 2022

Mirzoyan said this during joint news conference with the Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Yerevan.

 

“On the other hand, despite Turkey’s continued statements that the normalization process should take place without any preconditions, we see a connection between the Armenia-Turkey and Armenia-Azerbaijan processes – a connection that the representatives of the Turkish authorities try to find or emphasize on every occasion. We do not think this to be constructive. There are also some differences in terms of tempo,” he said.

 

Speaking about Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, Ararat Mirzoyan said that the negotiations are going on in several directions “with the ideas not coinciding in various issues.”

 

“We believe in the peace process, but in the normalization of relations, we consider it impossible not to refer to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, not to address it and not to give a political solution to that conflict. We believe that the talks should take place within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group,” the Armenian minister said.

 

Ararat Mirzoyan also referred to the ongoing negotiations on demarcation and border security issues.

 

“Saying negotiations is a bit exaggerated for this stage, but the beginning is set, the second meeting of the commission will take place in Moscow. We see some positive progress in terms of unblocking regional economic and trade infrastructure. It would be wrong to say that we have a full picture, but there is a positive shift.  Baku’s continued holding of Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees, encroachments on cultural monuments, anti-Armenian rhetoric and provocative actions only undermine these processes,” Ararat Mirzoyan said.

Sports: Ukraine vs Armenia prediction, preview, team news and more | 2022-23 UEFA Nations League

Christine Harutyunian
June 9 2022
Soyoye Jedidiah

ANALYST

The 2022 UEFA Nations League will continue this weekend, and will see Ukraine face Armenia at the ŁKS Municipal Stadium on Saturday.

Ukraine shook off their World Cup qualifying disappointments on Wednesday to open their Nations League campaign with a win. They beat Ireland 1-0 at the Aviva Stadium with Viktor Tsygankov scoring the sole goal of the game via a free-kick a minute after his introduction.

The Blue and Yellows have picked up maximum points in the group and will now be looking to make it two wins from two when they play this weekend.

Like their hosts, Armenia also beat Ireland 1-0 in their opening game before losing 2-0 to Scotland last time out. The Lerrnakanner struggled to cope with their dominant opponents and were fortunate not to have lost by a larger margin.

Armenia now sit third in the group with three points from an obtainable six. They will be looking to shake off their latest result and get their continental campaign back on track.

There have been eight meetings between the two nations. Ukraine are undefeated in all eight matchups, winning five of those games and drawing the other two.

The two sides last faced off in a 2004 European Championship qualifying clash, which the Blue and Yellows won 4-3.

Ukraine Form Guide (All Competitions): W-L-W-D-W

Armenia Form Guide (All Competitions): L-W-L-W-L

Ukraine

Head coach Oleksandr Petrakov rested several players last time out after their World Cup qualifiers, including Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko and Atalanta’s Ruslan Malinovsyki. Both men, however, are expected to return to the starting XI this weekend.

Injured: None

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Armenia

Arman Hovhannisyan has recovered from an injury he picked up in the first game, meaning the Mountaineers have no injured or suspended players ahead of their weekend clash.

Injured: None

Doubtful: None

Ukraine Predicted XI (4-3-3): Andriy Lunin; Vitaliy Mykolenko, Illia Zabarnyi, Mykola Matvienko, Oleksandr Karavaev; Taras Stepanenko, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Viktor Tsygankov, Andriy Yarmolenko, Roman Yaremchuk

Armenia Predicted XI (5-3-2): David Yurchenko; Hovhannes Hambardzumyan, Taron Voskanyan, Varazdat Haroyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan, Arman Hovhannisyan; Khoren Bayramyan, Artak Grigoryan, Eduard Spertsyan; Tigran Barseghyan, Sargis Adamyan

Ukraine have bounced back from their loss against Wales earlier this week and will be looking to keep the momentum going. They have lost just one of their last 15 games across all competitions and are in strong form ahead of Saturday’s game.

Armenia have lost two of their last four games and have now gone winless in 11 of their last 13 outings across all competitions. The Blue and Yellows are in much better form and should win this one.

Prediction: Ukraine 2-0 Armenia

https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/ukraine-vs-armenia-prediction-preview-team-news-2022-23-uefa-nations-league

Sports: Scotland 2-0 Armenia: Anthony Ralston revels in special first start at Hampden

Albert Nalbandian
UK – June 8 2022
By Colin MoffatBBC Scotland

“To make my first start and to get my first goal, it’s a lot to take in.”

With two more Scotland games to come in the next six days, Anthony Ralston may not have time to dwell on his impressive showing against Armenia.

But when the dust does eventually settle on this marathon season, the 23-year-old can be very satisfied.

Having established himself as a regular at Celtic, he might just be on the brink of doing the same for his country.

Ralston was in the thick of the action from the first whistle at a rain-soaked Hampden, setting up two near things for Stuart Armstrong and Andy Robertson before opening the scoring with a strong back-post header.

He continued to power up and down the right wing for 75 minutes, earning himself a warm ovation from the Tartan Army and the man-of-the-match award.

  • Scotland soothe play-off pain with win over Armenia

“It felt amazing,” he told Premier Sports immediately after the 2-0 Nations League victory.

“I enjoyed every minute of it and I’m just happy to have contributed to the team.

“It’s a very proud moment, my family and my wee girl were here tonight, to be standing there singing the national anthem will live with me forever.”

His goal came on 28 minutes when he rose to nod home a lovely cross from Armstrong.

“I just tried to get myself in at the back post, I’ve headed it down and at the angle that I was at I didn’t know if it was going it but I could see it hit the net so that was another proud moment,” he beamed in front of the TV cameras.

“It’s every kid’s dream to play for your country, score for your country, so to have done that is quite special.”

Scott McKenna got the other goal before half-time, also his first for Scotland, and the Nottingham Forest centre-back could have been celebrating a quick-fire double had the VAR cameras not picked up his offside when he knocked the ball over the line again just before the break.

“I had no real doubts about Tony because he plays for Celtic and they come up against opposition who sit and defend and make it difficult for them,” said manager Steve Clarke.

“I knew he would find the right position on the pitch and certainly when he got the goal it was definitely the right position.

“Scott did well, I thought the whole back-three did well as a unit.

“If he hadn’t been quite so impetuous and got himself half a step offside he would have had a double tonight. It was a good night for everyone.

“I think the key was just to keep the tempo in the game, the rhythm in the game, and to keep looking for weak spots and eventually we opened them up.

“We knew it wouldn’t be easy, they showed a little bit of threat on counter-attacks as well. It’s a good result for us and hopefully the start of another unbeaten run.”

The Nations League provided a path to Euro 2020 for Scotland and, with away games against Republic of Ireland and Armenia to come in the next week, Clarke is keen to move on from the pain of last week’s World Cup play-off semi-final defeat to Ukraine, who are also in Group B1.

“It was important to refresh it,” said the manager of his six changes to the starting line-up. “It was also important for the boys that played last week and went to go again.

“I’ve got to mention the captain [Robertson], I thought he was outstanding. He was outstanding in the dressing room before the game. Himself, John McGinn, and Callum McGregor are leaders to take us onto the pitch for three good performances, but I thought the captain was exceptional.

“Just in general, as a captain, as a leader, it’s a role that Andy’s really grown into. Sometimes he doesn’t quite get the mentions that maybe he should do and captains are important at this time.”

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61740982

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https://www.skysports.com/football/scotland-vs-armenia/461628
Scotland 2-0 Armenia: Player ratings as Celtic, Rangers and Nottingham Forest defenders excel | The Scotsman

Film: Artavazd Peleshyan’s ‘Nature’ to premiere in Yerevan

Elizabeth Jabejian
Panorama
Armenia – June 9 2022

Legendary Armenian filmmaker Artavazd Peleshyan’s “Nature” (La Nature) is set for its Yerevan premiere in Moscow Cinema on June 18, at 7pm.

“Nature”, which is Peleshyan’s first film in 27 years, had its world premiere at the New York Film Festival in September 2021.

The film was produced by the Fondation Cartier and ZKM Filminstitut with support from the Folk Arts Hub Foundation.

The film is made up of found footage sequences that cast humankind as a puny match for the great forces of nature, such as volcanic eruptions, roiling floods, hurricanes and tornados.

Entrance is free.

Opposition holds protest outside Armenian Foreign Ministry

Khoyetsian Rose
Panorama
Armenia – June 9 2022

The Armenian opposition on Thursday staged a peaceful protest outside the Foreign Ministry building in central Yerevan set to host a meeting of the Russian and Armenian foreign ministers.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Armenia on a two-day working visit on Wednesday.

Opposition demonstrators demanding Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation marched to the ministry from France Square, holding posters that read “No new capitulation”, “Nikol doesn’t represent us”, “Artsakh can never be part of Azerbaijan” and others.

“There are numerous issues that we should discuss with our strategic ally and resolve. However, it must be done without Nikol, because Nikol does not represent the Armenian people’s will and position,” opposition leader and deputy parliament speaker Ishkhan Saghatelyan said at the protest.

“He is a traitor and has no popular mandate,” he stated.

The opposition MP again warned against any settlement which would make Artsakh part of Azerbaijan despite the “approaches of the traitorous authorities”.

“The Armenian people stand with Artsakh,” he stressed.

After delivering the message, opposition protesters returned to France Square, chanting “Armenia without Nikol!” and “Traitor, leave!”.

Pashinyan’s team doesn’t represent interests of Armenian people, opposition MP tells Lavrov

Babken Chilingarian
Panorama
Armenia – June 9 2022

Nikol Pashinyan’s government does not represent the interests of the Armenian people, MP Aram Vardevanyan of the opposition Hayastan bloc said at a protest outside the Foreign Ministry in central Yerevan on Thursday, addressing Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The top Russian official arrived in Armenia on a two-day working visit on Wednesday. He today met with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan.

Vardevanyan stated that all those, who Lavrov is expected to meet in Yerevan during his visit, do not represent the interests of Armenia and Artsakh.

Meanwhile, the parliamentarian highlighted that Russia has been and remains Armenia’s strategic ally. According to him, the authorities have done everything possible to put relations between Yerevan and Moscow at risk.

“Once this team is ousted, Armenia will become a strong and real guarantor of Artsakh’s security and all threats to Armenian-Russian relations will be eliminated,” Vardevanian said, adding even if the authorities “make promises or express readiness to sign various documents, none of this will be legally binding.”

Opposition MP addresses chief prosecutor, ambassadors over police violence against protesters in Yerevan

Emil Lazarian
Panorama
Armenia – June 9 2022

Taguhi Tovmasyan, an MP from the opposition Pativ Unem bloc and head of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, has appealed to Armenia’s Prosecutor General Artak Davtyan and the Russian, U.S. and EU ambassadors in the country regarding police violence against peaceful protesters in Yerevan last week.

Dozens were injured in clashes between riot police and opposition demonstrators near the parliament building in downtown Yerevan on June 3. The skirmishes erupted after protesters attempted to break through a police cordon at the intersection of Proshyan and Demirchyan Streets.

In a public post on Facebook on Thursday, Tovmasyan said she called the attention of the chief prosecutor and the diplomats to the use of special means, including stun grenades, by police officers at the protest without warning. She cited opposition leaders’ claims that the special means were outdated, which led to grave injuries among policemen and civilians.

The MP urged Artak Davtyan to instruct the competent authorities to check the legality of the decision on the use of special means by the police as well as to investigate reports suggesting they were outdated.

Tovmasyan also called on international partners to publicly comment on the police brutality against peaceful protesters in an effort to prevent its recurrence.

Lavrov presents Pashinyan with additional steps to normalize situation in region

Hunanian Jack
ARMINFO
Armenia – June 9 2022
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo. RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and the delegation headed by him, the press  service of the RA PM reports.  According to the source, in his  welcoming remarks, Prime Minister Pashinyan, in particular, said,  “Dear Sergey Viktorovich, Welcome to the Republic of Armenia. I am  very glad to see you.

Russia and Armenia are strategic partners and allies and, of course,  this assumes that the intensity of bilateral visits and contacts  should be quite high, and we witness it. The agenda of our relations  is very wide and multifaceted. These are related to both bilateral  issues, and regional and international issues. I am glad that today  we will have the opportunity to discuss a wide scope of issues  related to our relations.

At the moment, the main issue on our agenda is related to the  regional situation, security, and the settlement of the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Of course, we are discussing this issue  with Russia quite intensively, and other issues as well. For example,  the opening of regional communications. The meeting of the trilateral  working group headed by the Deputy Prime Ministers of the Russian  Federation, the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan  took place recently in Moscow. I hope that in the near future we will  be able to reach concrete agreements to resolve this issue of  strategic importance for the benefit of the whole region, for the  sake of stability and peace.

The agenda of normalization of relations between Armenia and  Azerbaijan is also very important. You know that the first meeting of  the bilateral working commission on demarcation and delimitation of  the border between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of  Azerbaijan took place recently. The second meeting is already planned  to be held in Moscow, the third meeting will take place in Brussels.  In this context, we expect the support of the Russian Federation for  this process to take place and proceed in a normal way and to be  effective.

I would also like to mention the issue of the return of prisoners of  war, hostages and other detainees who are still in Azerbaijan,  contrary to the November 9, 2020 trilateral declaration. We expect  the support of the Russian Federation in this matter as well, so that  this humanitarian issue can finally be fully resolved.  Welcome once  again, I am sure we will have fruitful negotiations today”.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, “Dear Nikol Vovaevich,  Thank you very much for the opportunity to meet with you during our  full-up visit to the Republic of Armenia. Vladimir Vladimirovich  Putin conveys to you his warmest greetings and best wishes and  reaffirms the commitment to all the agreements reached during your  contacts, especially during your official visit to the Russian  Federation in April this year. You also met in Moscow within the  framework of the informal CSTO summit, you had many telephone  conversations.

We are committed to all the decisions aimed at deepening our  strategic partnership, allied cooperation, and the strengthening of  our bilateral relations in general. Today we discussed in detail with  Ararat Samvelovich the tasks you have set for us at the highest  level, I know that this work is one of the priorities within the  Intergovernmental Economic Commission.

But, undoubtedly, dear Nikol Vovaevich, as you mentioned, regional  issues deserve special attention now.  Implementation of the  trilateral statements of November 2020, January and November 2021 is  our priority.  We interested that all the directions and actions set  out there, aimed at the complete normalization of the situation in  the region, the settlement of all issues, including humanitarian  ones, to be resolved as soon as possible. As you mentioned, the  trilateral working group on unblocking transport and economic  communications at the level of Deputy Prime Ministers is in the  advanced stage of agreeing on specific aspects of the final  agreements. We have discussed what additional steps need to be taken,  and we will report to you.

The same goes for delimitation. We welcome the start of the work of  the two commissions from your and Azerbaijani sides. The first  session, meeting took place, we consider it very important. We will  start preparing for the meeting in Moscow with the participation of  Russian representatives, who, in accordance with the agreements of  the leaders, will provide consulting services, including cartographic  materials.  In general, we are interested in the full normalization  of relations between our neighbors, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Of  course, we are familiar with the proposals presented by Azerbaijan in  that context, we are also familiar with your positions, which you  have presented in written, Russia is ready to do everything possible  to reach a mutual agreement. And, as I said, we are committed to the  full implementation of all agreements without exception. It is  especially important for us to have the opportunity to hear your  assessments today. Once again, thank you for this meeting.”

Nikol Pashinyan and Sergey Lavrov discussed issues related to the  Armenian-Russian strategic partnership, the regional stability and  peace agenda, the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and  the process of normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.

In the context of the comprehensive settlement of the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Prime Minister of Armenia stressed the  important role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.  The interlocutors  also exchanged views on the development of scientific, educational  and cultural ties.  Sergey Lavrov praised the attitude and  hospitality of the Armenian side towards the Russian citizens who  have recently moved to Armenia.