Category: 2022

New Temporary Road in Berdzor Will Begin Operating First Week of September

Emil Lazarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

A new temporary road will become operational in early September


A new temporary road to facilitate traffic between Armenia and Artsakh, within the existing Berdzor (Lachin) corridor, will begin operating the first week of September, Artsakh’s Minister of Territorial Administration Hayk Khanumyan told Armenpress on Thursday.

“Until then, the Stepanakert-Berdzor-Goris highway will continue to function. The alternate route will operate in the new corridor slightly south of the current road. The traffic on the new road will start after all the border posts of the Russian peacekeeping troops become operational,” explained Khanumyan.

“During that time, a temporary section of the 4.5 kilometers will be ready, a part of which has already been asphalted and will be completely finished in the next few days. It is assumed that in the first week of September, the traffic will be organized on the new road,” added the minister.

According to him, the temporary section of the new route bypasses Berdzor, Aghavno and Nerkin Sus, then joins the Aghavno-Tegh road, about three kilometers from away from the Aghavno village.

These traffic and road modifications are being done since the Armenian and Artsakh authorities, as well as the Russian peacekeeping contingent gave in to Azerbaijani demands to divert the traffic in the area ahead of schedule after Azerbaijani forces launched an attack on Berdzor earlier this month, killing two Artsakh soldiers.

Khanumyan added that the process of relocating all infrastructures to the new corridor has also begun.

“The communication issue has already been resolved. It will take time to move electricity lines, and in terms of gas supply, as I have already mentioned, other solutions should be sought,” explained Khanumyan.

Meanwhile, Artsakh’s Interior Ministry on Thursday said that the section of Shushi-Berdzor-Goris highway connecting Artsakh to Armenia is open for both directions, the security of which is ensured by Russian peacekeepers.

The Shushi-Berdzor (Lachin)-Goris section of the interstate motorway connecting Artsakh to Armenia is open both ways, informs the Artsakh Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Russian peacekeepers said that they will ensure the unobstructed and safe travel of people entering Artsakh and leaving Armenia, according to the ministry.

Asbarez: ANCA-WR to Honor Congressman Adam Schiff with Advocate for Justice Award

Garnik Zakarian
 by Contributor

 

 

 

in Community, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories
 0

BY KATY SIMONIAN

The Armenian National Committee of America–Western Region will honor Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) with the prestigious Advocate for Justice Award at the 2022 ANCA-WR Awards Gala, which will be held on Sunday, September 25 at The Beverly Hilton.

As the representative of the 28th District, Congressman Schiff has faithfully represented the Armenian American community, becoming the leading legislative voice for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, building better diplomatic relations between the United States and the Republic of Armenia, and promoting policies to prevent future crimes against humanity in the Republic of Artsakh and across the globe. For over two decades, he has written and passed resolutions in support of U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, refusing to give in to disillusion through years of persistent, transformative legislation. He is the Vice Chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, representing the largest Armenian Diaspora community in the United States.

Each year, standing on the floor of the House of Representatives the Congressman has delivered remarks commemorating the Armenian Genocide, while calling for recognition, accountability and justice. His thoughtful words prove that justice transcends language, as he says “Today, on April 24th, we are all Armenians in our pursuit of justice.” In 2014, he worked to ensure the Armenian Orphan Rug, known historically as the Ghazir Rug would be viewed in an exhibit for the White House Visitors Center in a poignant display of recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the generosity of U.S. aid to the Armenian people.

Through numerous presidential administrations, he has worked tirelessly to help educate his colleagues in both parties and the American people overall on the importance of gaining formal recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, in which 1.5 million Armenians perished. In 2019, after decades of persistent effort and hard work, the House finally voted to pass his resolution to recognize the Armenian Genocide with near unanimity, with the Senate following suit with overwhelming bipartisan support. The passing of this resolution sent a direct message to the world, that the U.S. government would no longer be complicit in the denial of the first genocide of the twentieth century.

His valiant efforts spanning decades, with the dedication of tens of thousands of Armenian American activists and historians from around the world, came to fruition when in 2021, President Joseph R. Biden issued a declarative, unequivocal statement in recognition of the Armenian Genocide, launching a new era of U.S. foreign policy. On President Biden’s historic recognition, Congressman Schiff expressed his hope to build upon the landmark legislation in the name of liberty and justice for all people. “For Armenian Americans and everyone who believes in human rights and the truth, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide marks a historic milestone. The President of the United States has at long last recognized the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians for what it was – the first genocide of the 20th century,” he said. “The President, the Congress, and the American people now speak with one voice: We will never again be silenced and we will never forget.”

Congressman Schiff is a powerful voice in the House, serving as Chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and remains an ex officio member of the House Appropriations Committee. He previously served on both the House Judiciary Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee since his election to Congress in 2000. Before his election to the House, he served as State Senator for California’s 21st District and was the youngest Senate member at only 36 years old. He has taught numerous political science courses at Glendale Community College and delights in engaging with his constituents to bridge the gap between people and their representatives. In addition to spearheading legislation to help the Armenian American community, he remains a leading advocate for the environment, education, veterans and protecting democracy. He embraces the values of family in every part of his legislative record and is a loving husband to his wife Eve and father to their children Alexa and Elijah.

Remaining true to his word, Congressman Schiff was the first member of Congress to call for the formal U.S. recognition of the Independent Republic of Artsakh. In light of the recent 44 Day War, following attacks on Artsakh from Turkish-backed Azeri troops, he introduced a resolution calling for the release of Armenian prisoners of war. He remains a prominent voice in advocating for human rights and is committed to paving a path for a peaceful resolution in which the result is the self-determination of the people of Artsakh with the total backing of the international community.

On receiving the Advocate for Justice Award, Congressman Schiff is humble, reflecting with his trademark humility and a renewed determination to bring forth a new day in which all people may unite in the name of truth and justice. 

“I am very grateful for the honor of this year’s Advocate for Justice Award. As the representative of one of the largest Armenian Diasporas in the world, I have been proud to work side-by-side with my Armenian constituents for recognition, justice, and the protection of their loved ones at home and abroad. It is a privilege to bear witness to their testimonies, to study their histories, and to share their hopes for the future – and to work to ensure those stories will be shared with generations of Americans to come,” said Congressman Schiff.

“Despite the progress we’ve made over the past two years, with President Biden at long last answering our call for America to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide, the persecution of the Armenian people continues today with Azerbaijan’s ongoing and unprovoked attacks against Armenia and Artsakh. I will not rest until the United States holds the Aliyev regime accountable for its atrocities, and the people of Armenia and Artsakh can finally realize their dreams of democracy, peace, and freedom,” added Schiff.

“The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is truly grateful to Congressman Schiff for his commitment to representing Armenian Americans and the issues that are important to us. His unwavering persistence and tenacity as an advocate for justice is an inspiration to his constituents and his fellow legislators,” said ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “Congressman Schiff leads with dignity and is one of the most knowledgeable voices on Armenian issues in the United States. We look forward to working with the Congressman toward building a better future, reaffirming our resolve to protect the human rights of the Armenian people,” she added.

In 1966, when reflecting on the need for America’s leaders to stand firm in the pursuit of justice, Robert F. Kennedy expressed the impact one man’s bravery can have on society – “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” Never have these words been embodied more gracefully than through Congressman Adam Schiff’s passionate devotion to the Armenian Cause. His legacy of principled public service and unwavering dedication to issues of great importance to Armenians everywhere is an example of political courage for leaders in the United States and around the world.

As we reflect on the U.S. government’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide and Congressman Schiff’s ongoing devotion to the Armenian Cause, it is clear the ripple effect of his public service in the pursuit of justice will inspire generations to come.
The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.

Purchase 2022 ANCA-WR Awards Gala tickets.

Katy Simonian is a member of the 2022 ANCA-WR Gala Committee




AW: CYSCA 35th anniversary celebration set for September 8

Emil Lazarian
 Guest Contributor Announcements 0

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association (CYSCA) will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its founding on Thursday, September 8, 2022. The event is being hosted in partnership with the Office of the Mayor of Cambridge and the Cambridge Peace Commission. It will be open to the public free of charge and will take place from 5:30-7:30 PM at Cambridge City Hall at 795 Massachusetts Avenue in Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

An invitation to this milestone event has been issued by Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui to the Office of the Mayor of Yerevan. The event will begin at 5:30 PM with a program in the Sullivan Chamber with the participation of Mayor Siddiqui. The program will be followed by a reception with hors d’oeuvres.

In addition, an exhibit highlighting CYSCA’s origin and accomplishments will be on display at Cambridge City Hall from September 8-19, 2022. Over 35 years, CYSCA has organized scores of projects and exchanges engaging individuals and groups of professionals in a variety of fields including education, the arts, public health, entrepreneurship and the environment, as well as two-way student exchanges.

The mission of the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association (CYSCA) is to foster friendship, mutual trust and dynamic interaction between the peoples of Cambridge and Yerevan as well as their neighboring regions; to build links between them; to promote public awareness of issues of mutual concern; and to appreciate and accommodate the various manifestations of diversity in these communities.

The organization was founded by the Cambridge City Council and the Cambridge Peace Commission.




AW: ANCA asking US Representatives to co-sign Pallone-Titus letter in support of Artsakh aid

Meline Chalian
 ANCA ANCA News 0

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV) are launching a renewed drive to end the blockade on US aid to Artsakh, asking legislators to co-sign a Congressional letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Agency for International Development (USAID) administrator Samantha Power to “take immediate steps dedicating significant resources” to support the at-risk Armenian population of Artsakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“Let’s be clear,” said ANCA Government Affairs director Tereza Yerimyan. “The decision to cut-off humanitarian aid programs in Artsakh was taken at the highest levels of our government – consistent with a deeply flawed set of US policies that, on the ground, have the practical effect of aiding and abetting Azerbaijan’s drive to ethnically-cleanse the remaining Armenians in Artsakh by denying at-risk families food, fuel, water and other life-sustaining resources.”

In a “Dear Colleague” letter to US Representatives, Reps. Pallone and Titus stress that “to date, USAID has only committed $5 million to the assistance of displaced people of Artsakh who are currently in Armenia. This amount is not sufficient to address this humanitarian crisis, and we are also concerned that the individuals who remain in Artsakh have not received any of this critical aid.” The letter calls on Secretary Blinken and Administrator Power to:

1) Increase direct aid to the people of Artsakh

2) Provide an update on Biden Administration efforts to directly assist Artsakh

3) Conduct a needs assessment on the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh

The ANCA has launched a national action portal where pro-Artsakh advocates can contact their legislators to cosign the Pallone-Titus letter.  Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chair Jackie Speier (D-CA) and House Intelligence Committee chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) have already announced their support for the initiative.

Earlier this week, ANCA chairman Raffi Hamparian, in letters sent to Congressional leadership and rank and file US Senate and House members, called for Congressional inquiries into the Biden administration’s effective blockade on humanitarian aid to Armenian families of Artsakh.  “America must not be complicit in the ethnic-cleansing of Artsakh by Azerbaijan,” stressed Hamparian.

The full text of the Pallone-Titus Congressional letter is available below.

#####

Dear Secretary Blinken and Administrator Power:

We are deeply concerned by the lack of meaningful humanitarian aid to the vulnerable Armenian population in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and urge you to take immediate steps dedicating significant resources to these individuals.

The people of Artsakh continue to face severe hardships caused both by the deadly 44-day war that Azerbaijani forces provoked in 2020 and the ongoing aggressions committed against innocent civilians. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has acknowledged that over 90,000 refugees displaced to Armenia, the majority of whom are women, children, and elderly, are suffering through an acute humanitarian crisis.

The $5,000,000 in Fiscal Year 2021 funding that USAID has committed, and the assistance allocated through the United Nations’ Armenia Interagency Response Plan (IA-RP) have been wholly insufficient to address this crisis. Many families have bravely returned to their homes in Artsakh despite the ongoing threat of violence from Azerbaijani troops and the food, shelter, and energy insecurities they face. We are also extremely concerned that the individuals who remain in Artsakh have not received any of the previously allocated U.S. assistance.

Our country has historically promoted peace in Artsakh through U.S. government-funded landmine and unexploded ordnance clearance efforts. We have also supported rebuilding through millions of dollars of direct aid for humanitarian assistance initiatives like maternal health care and clean drinking water projects. The need for this assistance has only grown due to Azerbaijan’s indiscriminate bombing campaigns in 2020 and the ongoing provocations by their troops which further endanger food, water, energy, and other critical resources for these communities. It is especially urgent because of Azerbaijan current attempts to close the Lachin corridor, which is a vital route used for transportation and communications between Artsakh and Armenia.

We strongly urge the Department of State and USAID to significantly increase funding that will directly assist the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh, including assistance for housing, food security, water and sanitation, health care, rehabilitation, and demining and UXO clearance services they need to safely rebuild their lives, homes, and communities. We also urge you to take every action possible to protect the historic and cultural Armenian sites in territory held by Azerbaijan, which many reports indicate are currently under threat.

We request an update on the specific actions the Biden Administration has taken to help at-risk Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh and any planned actions moving forward, including information on programs, partners, budgets, and deliverables. This update should differentiate between which resources were allocated to the Republic of Armenia to aid displaced people and the assistance allocated to those still living in Nagorno-Karabakh

Additionally, the most recent publicly available report from USAID on Nagorno-Karabakh from February 2021 is outdated and no longer provides the data that we need to make sound policy decisions. We strongly urge you to conduct an updated needs assessment on the humanitarian crisis and share it with interested stakeholders as soon as possible.

We appreciate your consideration of these requests and look forward to your timely reply.

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The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.


Assembly Cites The Christian Post’s Article in Calls for Release of Armenian POWs

Emil Lazarian
Washington, D.C. – As the two-year mark approaches of the signing of the November 2020 ceasefire statement that required Armenia and Azerbaijan to "exchange prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons," Azerbaijan has taken no action to adhere to the requirements of the agreement and continues to unlawfully hold Armenian prisoners as hostages. The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) urges the Biden Administration and Congress to aid in releasing Armenian POWs, which total over 100 people, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

In addition, the Assembly calls for the U.S. to provide significant aid to help post-war Artsakh rebuild, including humanitarian aid to help displaced Armenians, all of which builds upon the recommended $2 million in demining assistance in the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Bill.

In a recent article published in The Christian Post, titled "When Will Christians Stand Up for the Armenians?", journalist Uzay Bulut warns of yet "another genocide at the hands of Muslim Turks and Azeris" against the Armenians. She highlights the recent "Red Flag Alert" issued by the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention regarding the governments of Azerbaijan and Turkey, and their plans of a possible new genocide against the Armenian population.

Bulut highlights the underreporting of atrocities executed against the Armenian people, including the torture and abuse of Armenian POWs, particularly a recent video that triggered the Lemkin Institute to issue the Red Flag Alert against Azerbaijan. In the video, an Azerbaijani soldier allegedly ties an Armenian skull, dug up from a nearby Armenian cemetery, to the back of military truck as soldiers cheer the revolting action.

While Congress and the U.S. State Department have called for Azerbaijan to release all prisoners of war, including in a statement released on May 27, 2021, wherein Spokesperson Ned Price stated that the "United States is concerned by recent developments developments along the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the detention of several Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces…" and that "Azerbaijan of its obligations under international humanitarian law to treat all detainees humanely," these calls have fallen on deaf ears.

"Although almost two years have passed since the mandated release of Armenian POWs and captured civilians, which continues to be ignored by Azerbaijan and the Aliyev regime, Armenian Americans must continue to advocate and fight for their release by appealing to the Biden Administration and their elected officials," said Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan. "Enforcing Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act is critical, as is pressing Congress to pressure Azerbaijan to adhere to the trilateral ceasefire agreement, instead of allowing the Aliyev regime to double down on human rights violations."

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
###

NR# 2022-37

RFE/RL Armenian report – 08/25/2022

Paul Hambardsumian 
                                        Thursday, 


U.S. Names New Karabakh Mediator

        • Astghik Bedevian

Georgia - U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker at a news 
conference in Tbilisi, June 7, 2021.


U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a “long-term political 
settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict” late on Wednesday when he appointed 
a senior diplomat as the new U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

The diplomat, Philip Reeker, served as acting assistant secretary of state for 
European and Eurasian affairs from 2019-2021. He visited Armenia and Azerbaijan 
in that capacity in July 2021.

“The United States is committed to helping Armenia and Azerbaijan negotiate a 
long-term political settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Blinken said 
in a statement.

“Ambassador Reeker will engage bilaterally, with like-minded partners such as 
the European Union, and through his role as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, to 
facilitate direct dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” he added.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry denounced Blinken’s statement on Thursday, 
saying that the U.S. risks being left out of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace 
process with its attempts to “revive the Minsk Group.”

“The Karabakh conflict is resolved and Karabakh is an integral part of 
Azerbaijan,” a ministry spokeswoman said, echoing statements made by Azerbaijani 
President Ilham Aliyev.

The U.S. ambassador in Yerevan, Lynne Tracy, has repeatedly stated over the past 
year that Washington considers the conflict unresolved because there is still no 
agreement on Karabakh’s status.

“It is U.S. policy that the status of Nagorno-Karabakh remains to be resolved,” 
she said in May.

In July, Tracy reaffirmed Washington’s stated readiness for renewed cooperation 
with Russia on facilitating a Karabakh settlement.

The Minsk Group has been co-headed by the U.S., Russia as well as France for 
nearly three decades. Moscow says Washington and Paris stopped working with it 
in that format following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried denied that when she visited 
Yerevan in June. She insisted that the Minsk Group remains a “very important 
format” for Washington.

The Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed Donfried’s assurances. Russian Foreign 
Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed later in June that “the Minsk Group stopped its 
activities at the initiative of the American and French co-chairs.”



Armenian Military Proposes Shorter Service For Cash

        • Naira Nalbandian

Armenia - Soldiers are lined up at a military base, August 16, 2022.


Drawing strong condemnation from opposition leaders, the Armenian Defense 
Ministry has proposed significantly shortening compulsory military service for 
conscripts willing to pay a hefty fee.

Armenian law requires virtually all men aged between 18 and 27 to serve in the 
armed forces for two years.

A Defense Ministry bill circulated on Wednesday would allow draftees to do only 
a four-and-a-half-month service in exchange for paying the state 24 million 
drams ($60,000).

An explanatory note attached to the bill says that proceeds from this scheme 
would be used for sharply increasing the wages of the Armenian army’s contract 
soldiers. This, it says, would also make volunteer military service more 
attractive to other citizens.

The bill needs to be discussed and approved by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s 
government before it can be submitted to the parliament. Defense Minister Suren 
Papikian is a key political ally of Pashinian and leading member of his Civil 
Contract party.

Armen Khachatrian, a senior Civil Contract parliamentarian, on Thursday voiced 
support for the Defense Ministry proposal while saying that the authorities are 
open to considering other ideas.

“We would have more well-paid contract soldiers,” Khachatrian told RFE/RL’s 
Armenian Service. “Also, people would not have to find loopholes to be exempt 
from [two-year] military service.”

Armenia - Defense Minister Suren Papikian visits an Armenian army post in 
Syunik, March 17, 2022.

By contrast, representatives of Armenia’s main opposition forces rejected the 
proposed arrangement as unfair and dangerous for national security.

“With this draft law, the authorities want to ensure that in the Republic of 
Armenia two-year compulsory military service is performed only by those people 
who cannot afford paying tens of thousands of dollars for exemption,” said 
Gegham Manukian of the opposition Hayastan alliance. This could only deepen 
inequality in the country, he said.

Tigran Abrahamian, another opposition lawmaker, likewise warned of the emergence 
of a new social division. He also said that the authorities can find other 
sources of financing military pay increases.

“It’s not that there is no money in the country that can be used for raising 
contract soldiers’ wages,” said Abrahamian.

Most of the people randomly interviewed by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service in the 
streets of Yerevan also spoke out against the Defense Ministry initiative.

“That means turning a citizen’s duty into payment,” said one man. “This is the 
lowest level of morality.”

“A worker’s boy will have to serve while a rich kid will pay up and get 
exempted,” complained another. “Twenty-four million drams is pocket money for 
[the rich.]”

Pashinian pledged to gradually make the Armenian military fully “professional” 
during last year’s parliamentary election campaign. But he gave no time frames 
for such a transition.

Opposition forces blame Pashinian for Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 war with 
Azerbaijan. They also say that his administration is doing little to rebuild the 
armed forces.



Armenian Police Break Up Russian Anti-War Protest

        • Robert Zargarian

Armenia - An anti-war demonstration outside the Russian Embassy in Yerevan, 
February 24, 2022.


At least 22 people were detained in Yerevan on Wednesday evening as riot police 
broke up a demonstration against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine organized by a 
group of Russian expatriates living in Armenia.

News reports said the police made the arrests shortly after several dozen 
people, most of them Russian nationals, gathered in the city’s Liberty Square on 
the six-month anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine. A police statement 
released afterwards said the protesters were detained because of defying 
unspecified police orders.

All of them were released from police custody later in the evening. They 
included Yury Alexeev, the main organizer of the protest.

“We came [to the square,] unfurled our placards, and all of a sudden police 
officers turned up, saying they have information that our action has an 
offensive character and demanding that we stop the demonstration,” Alexeev told 
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Thursday. “I said that’s not true, that’s nonsense, 
they have no grounds [to impede the gathering.] They then detained us.”

Alexeev, who relocated to Yerevan this spring along with thousands of other 
Russians critical of President Vladimir Putin, described the police actions as 
illegal, arguing that the protest was sanctioned by municipal authorities.

Armenian civic activists also condemned the arrests. “That was completely 
illegal because the gathering was sanctioned and peaceful,” one of them, Artur 
Sakunts, said.

The Armenian police did not thwart similar small-scale protests that were staged 
in Yerevan earlier this year.

Russia has long been Armenia’s main ally, with the two nations maintaining close 
political, economic and military ties. The Armenian government has refrained 
from publicly criticizing the Russian invasion.



Fresh Armenian-Azeri Summit Scheduled For August 31

        • Gayane Saribekian

Belgium - European Council President Charles Michel, Armenian Prime Minister 
Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev begin a trilateral 
meeting in Brussels, April 6, 2022.


The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan will meet again in Brussels on August 31 
for talks to be hosted by the European Union’s top official, it was announced on 
Thursday.

Azerbaijani media were the first to reveal the date of the next meeting of 
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. 
The Armenian government confirmed the information later in the day.

“The agenda of Nikol Pashinian and Ilham Aliyev includes the issues which they 
have discussed before,” a government spokesman told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. 
He did not elaborate.

Senior Armenian and Azerbaijani officials met in Brussels late last week in 
apparent preparation for the summit.

Aliyev and Pashinian already held trilateral talks with European Council 
President Charles Michel in April and May. Michel spoke with the Armenian and 
Azerbaijani leaders by phone on August 5 following deadly fighting in 
Nagorno-Karabakh. He said afterwards that their next meeting is imminent.

Earlier this month, Russia indicated that it is also trying to organize an 
Armenian-Azerbaijani summit. Incidentally, Pashinian held a phone call with 
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.

Moscow has repeatedly denounced the EU’s mediation efforts, saying that they are 
part of the West’s attempts to hijack Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks and use 
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the standoff over Ukraine. A senior EU diplomat 
insisted in June that the 27-nation bloc is not competing with Russia in its 
efforts to facilitate a “comprehensive settlement” of the Karabakh conflict.

It also emerged on Thursday that an Armenian-Azerbaijani commission on 
demarcating the border between the two South Caucasus states will meet in Moscow 
on August 30. The commission held its first session on May 24 two days after the 
most recent Aliyev-Pashinian talks.


Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2022 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

CivilNet: Armenia sees 13% economic activity growth, despite mining slump

Jane Topchian
CIVILNET.AM

25 Aug, 2022 10:08

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and European Council President Charles Michel are set to meet on August 31 in Brussels.

The highway between the city of Goris in Armenia’s southern Syunik region and Karabakh, is open for traffic in both directions.

Armenia’s economic activity index grew by over 13% between January and July 2022.


Ombudsman: Citizens of Artsakh have the right to be aware of developments taking place in the republic and around it

Lara Antonian
ARMINFO
Armenia – Aug 25 2022
Alexandr Avanesov

ArmInfo. The citizens of the Republic of Artsakh have the right and the moral necessity to be aware of the developments taking place in the republic and around it.  Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan wrote about this on  his Facebook page.

"Article 51 of the Constitution of Artsakh establishes the right of  everyone to receive information about the activities of state bodies  and local self-government bodies and officials. In order to ensure  this right, legal acts that have lesser legal force also provide for  the obligation of various state bodies to act publicly within  limits. The citizens of the Republic of Artsakh have  the right and the moral necessity to be aware of the developments  taking place in and around Artsakh.  This right also applies to such  events, which are upcoming projects and are directly related to  certain processes of organizing personal and public life (building  roads and changing routes, providing the Internet, supplying energy  and gas, conducting other means of communication, etc.)," Stepanyan  noted.

He added that the inaction or passivity of the authorities in such  matters increases the feeling of uncertainty among the population,  causing additional anxiety and worry.

Amendments to Law on Military Service unacceptable -MP

Garnik Tadevosian
ARMINFO
Armenia – Aug 25 2022
Alina Hovhannisyan

ArmInfo.The government-proposed bill allowing early demobilization provided  servicemen pay AMD 24mln (about $50,000) to the state budget is  unacceptable, the opposition MP Tigran Abrahamyan wrote on his  Facebook page. 

It will only confound social injustice and deepen the social crisis. 

As regards the authorities' claims that the initiative will allow  contract servicemen to receive higher salaries, Mr Abrahamyan said: 

"That is, they are convincing us that the state has no money for  contract servicemen. Our servicemen's social conditions must meet  higher-than-average standards as these people are safeguarding our  security.  However, they are not feeling support on the government's  part. Rather they are facing constant threats because of the  authorities' policy," he wrote. 

Armenia's government has posted amendments to the Law on Military  Service. According to one of the amendments, after a  four-and-a-half-month training course, a serviceman can be exempted  from further military service after paying AMD 24mln to Armenia's  state budget, which, according to the bill, will allow one contract  serviceman to receive AMD 400,000 (about $1,000) for five years  running.   

Baku comments on appointment of new OSCE MG co-chair from US

Andranik Taslakhchian
ARMINFO
Armenia – Aug 25 2022
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo.Baku commented on the appointment of a new co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group from the United States, saying that this is an "attempt" to "revive" the practically  non-functioning Minsk Group.

Earlier today, it was reported that U.S. Secretary of State Antony  Blinken appointed Ambassador Philip T. Reeker as Senior Advisor for  Caucasus Negotiations.In this capacity, Ambassador Reeker will serve  as U.S. OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair and lead negotiator for the U.S.  delegation to the Geneva International Discussions during this  critical period.

"The United States is committed to helping Armenia and Azerbaijan  negotiate a long-term political settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh  conflict.  Ambassador Reeker will engage bilaterally, with like-  minded partners such as the European Union, and through his role as  an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, to facilitate direct dialogue between  Armenia and Azerbaijan.  Ambassador Reeker's appointment at this time  reaffirms the importance the United States places in the Geneva  International Discussions on Georgia", Antony Blinken stated.   "Ambassador Reeker brings extensive experience in Europe and  international organizations.  He served most recently at the Embassy  of the United States of America in the United Kingdom as Charg'  d'Affaires to the Court of St.  James's.  From March 2019 to August  2021, Ambassador Reeker was Acting Assistant Secretary of State for  European and Eurasian Affairs.  Prior to heading the Bureau,  Ambassador Reeker was Civilian Deputy and Policy Advisor to the  Commander of U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany.  He served  earlier as United States Consul General in Milan, covering northern  Italy, and was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State focused on the  Balkans, Central Europe, and Holocaust Issues.  From 2008-2011 he was  U.S. Ambassador to North Macedonia," the State Department said in a  statement.

According to APA, commenting on this appointment, head of the press  service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva said  that "attempts to "revive" the practically non-functioning Minsk  Group may lead the United States to move away from the process of  normalizing Azerbaijani-Armenian relations." 

"The Karabakh conflict has been settled, and Karabakh is an "integral  part of Azerbaijan". The international community, including our  partners, should understand that connecting the negotiations for the  settlement of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations with the Karabakh  problem does not serve the settlement in no way.>, the representative  of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry emphasized.  Earlier, in June, US  Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs  Dr. Karen Donfried in an interview with RFE/RL's Armenian Service  said that, despite the Ukrainian crisis, Washington is ready to  continue cooperation with Russia on the Karabakh issue.