Category: 2022

Prime Minister’s Cup Amateur Swimming Tournament kicks off in Lake Sevan

Hambik Zargarian

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 13:35,

SEVAN, AUGUST 23, ARMENPRESS. 120 participants are competing in the Prime Minister’s Cup Swimming Tournament in Lake Sevan near Shoghakat community.

The tournament features 2 age groups:

I) Women aged 18-35 and Men aged 18-40;

II) Women above 35 and Men above 41;

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Karen Giloyan said in remarks that the purpose of the Prime Minister’s Cup is to “promote healthy lifestyle and sports in Armenia.”

The lengths of the lanes are 1000 and 1500 meters for women and men respectively.

ARMENPRESS’s very own Anna Gziryan, the journalist in charge of exclusive projects and coordinator of press conferences –who happens to be an avid swimmer – is not only covering the tournament but has also signed up as a participant to test her strengths.

New route connecting Artsakh to Armenia will have legal status of corridor

Vanyan Gary

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 15:11,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, ARMENPRESS. Heads of 5 parliamentary factions of Artsakh met today with the leadership of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, the Parliament of Artsakh said.

The reason for the meeting was the recent statement of Minister-Counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Armenia Maksim Seleznev, as well as the ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan in early August and the security issues.

The representatives of the Russian peacekeeping contingent provided clarifications over the aforementioned issues. Particularly, citing the 2020 November 9 statement it was stated that the new route will have the legal status of the same corridor and all security components will be maintained, starting from the 5km security zone to the deployment of checkpoints of Russian peacekeeping forces.

As for the latest incidents, the leadership of the Russian peacekeeping contingent said that they have made necessary conclusions over the August incidents, at the same time assuring that they will make additional efforts to prevent such violations in the future and ensure the proper security of the population of Artsakh.

St. Mark Armenian Fest: A celebration of Armenian culture

Kajoyan Gevork
WWLP – MassAppeal, MA
Aug 23 2022

by: Patrick Berry


(Mass Appeal) – For more than 25 years, St. Mark Armenian Church in Springfield has held their Armenian Fest to highlight the Armenian culture. Here today, in our kitchen, are St. Mark Parishioners, Karen Tesini and Diana Loyuk, with details for this year’s fest and treat us to just one of the many delicious foods you can find.

This year’s festival takes place on Sunday September 4th from 12:00pm to 6:00pm at 2427 Wilbraham Road, Springfield.

Russian President, Armenian PM Discuss Situation around Nagorno-Karabakh

George Mamian
Tasnim News Agency – Iran
Aug 24 2022

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh, noting the role of Russian peacekeepers in ensuring stability in the region, the Kremlin press service reported.

"The discussion of the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh continued. The importance of the consistent implementation of the trilateral agreements between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan dated November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021 was confirmed," it said, RIA Novosti reported.

At the same time, the role of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in ensuring stability in the region was noted," it added.

In addition, some issues of further development of the relations of strategic partnership and alliance between Russia and Armenia were touched upon, according to the report.

Still growing — Armenian mining operator increases power plant capacity

Ani Kharatian
Aug 24 2022

The establishment of free economic zones that foster blockchain and cryptocurrency adoption in Armenia is bearing fruit as a local mining operator adds 60MW of capacity to its power plant-based facility.

Cryptocurrency investment platform ECOS has been operating a mining center on the grounds of the Hrazdan Power Plant since 2018. Situated in the country's center, the utility is becoming an innovation hub that is taking advantage of attractive financial benefits and direct access to power.

The establishment of the mining facility is the result of a partnership between the Armenian government and ECOS established back in 2018, which charged the company with the development of the free economic zone (FEZ) aimed at making use of the power facility as a hub for data centers and cryptocurrency mining.

The agreement between the operator and the Armenian government cites the promotion of direct foreign investment and creation of products and services within the Information Technology sector.

Cointelegraph spoke to ECOS marketing manager Anna Komashko following the upgrade to its mining operation in Hrazdan in August. She unpacked the four-year journey to date, explaining that the Armenian government ‘positions itself as the country of blockchain.’ This statement is reflected by the attractive tax benefits that are afforded to companies looking to operate in the FEZ, as Komashko explained:

“The main aim of FEZ was to help attract and develop high technologies in the country, help blockchain and crypto startups, so specific beneficial conditions are applied to them.”

The marketing manager confirmed the special tax conditions enjoyed by businesses operating at the Hrazdan site, with no taxes imposed for VAT, import and export customs duties or taxes on property and real estate. The project's longevity is backed by a 25-year agreement for an uninterrupted electric supply.

The infrastructure at the site includes a data center, service center and warehousing for equipment and spare parts. Seven shipping containers make up the data center, housing around 250 mining units. ECOS acquires its miners directly from Chinese manufacturer Bitmain. The firm’s cloud mining service has around 258,000 users, while it also sells and services equipment to clients.

China’s high-profile crackdown on cryptocurrency mining saw a shift in the geolocational distribution of the Bitcoin hashrate, making sites offering cheap power or tax incentives highly sought after.

Situated at the Hrazdan power plant, the mining facility gets its electricity supply directly from the high-voltage grid and uses the site's infrastructure to power containers. Komashko also noted that ECOS could expand to an additional 200MW of clean and affordable electricity. The area is well-suited for cryptocurrency mining, settled in a mountainous region of Armenia with an annual average temperature of 4.8°C.

https://www.investing.com/news/cryptocurrency-news/still-growing–armenian-mining-operator-increases-power-plant-capacity-2879032

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NEW SOUTH WALES STATE GOVERNMENT MINISTERS COURE AND STOKES VISIT HAMAZKAINE GALSTAUN COLLEGE IN SYDNEY

Edgar Tavakalian
       Aug 24 2022
SYDNEY: New South Wales Minister for Multiculturalism and Seniors, the Hon. Mark Coure MP and Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport, the Hon. Rob Stokes MP visited Hamazkaine Arshak & Sophie Galstaun College, partaking in a school assembly and touring the picturesque campus, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).

The visit to Sydney’s largest bilingual, co-educational Armenian day school was facilitated by the Armenian National Committee of Australia at the request of the Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure.

Minister Coure was accompanied by his parliamentary colleague and local Member for Pittwater, Rob Stokes on Tuesday 23rd August, when they addressed the student and staff body during assembly.

College captains Karny Bedrossian and Serly Boujekian welcomed the NSW Government Ministers to their school and thanked the NSW Parliament for their consistent and ongoing support of the Armenian-Australian community.

Principal Mr. Edward Demirdjian also welcomed the guests and highlighted the important role Galstaun College plays in providing students with an opportunity to excel academically whilst fostering and preserving the Armenian culture and traditions in New South Wales.

Minister Coure, who is also the Member for Oatley, noted the importance of getting involved in the Australian political system, having young voices heard and becoming active members of the local community.

Minister Stokes touched upon his personal connection to the Armenian diaspora and the assistance provided to his family by an Armenian refugee, who survived the Ottoman-committed Armenian Genocide.

Galstaun students showcased the rich and vibrant cultural traditions of the Armenian-Australian community, with several musical performances from high school students, Hagop Levonian and Aram Dermesropian.

Following the Assembly, Ministers Coure and Stokes toured the campus, visiting the Smoky Dawson Pavilion––named after the legendary former owner of the iconic property, as well as walking through the library and meeting with students from several primary school classes.

Their visit concluded with a private meeting discussing the ongoing needs of the school community and students at Galstaun College, including ways to enhance academic opportunities and infrastructure.

ANC-AU Executive Director, Michael Kolokossian thanked Ministers Coure and Stokes for taking the time to visit Galstaun College and highlighted the importance of Sydney’s Armenian day schools to the greater community.

“Galstaun College is the beating heart of the Armenian-Australian community. With over 320 students from all across Sydney walking through the College gates daily, this ‘little Armenia’ is one of our community’s most vital institutions,” said Kolokossian.

Leaders of the several Armenian-Australian community organisations were also present for the official visit including, Mr Heros Grigorian, Member of the Central Executive Board of Armenian Cultural and Educational Society (Hamazkaine) and Mr Hagop Gulumian, Representative of the Armenian Cultural and Educational Society in Australia (Hamazkaine Australia), as well as College Board members Khajaque Kortian and Vache Kahramanian.

Hamazkaine Arshak and Sophie Galstaun College is a co-educational, non-selective school located in Sydney’s Northern Beaches for students from Reception to Year 12. For more information about Galstaun College visit their website here.

http://www.anc.org.au/news/Media-Releases/New-South-Wales-State-Government-Ministers-Coure-and-Stokes-Visit-Hamazkaine-Galstaun-College-in-Sydney


7 cases of death were recorded in the armed forces of Armenia in August alone – Human Rights Activist

Emil Lazarian
ARMINFO
Armenia – Aug 23 2022
Alexandr Avanesov

ArmInfo. 7 cases of death of servicemen were recorded in the armed forces of Armenia in August of this year alone. Human Rights Activist Artur Sakunts stated on  August 23 during discussions on the topic "Mortality in the army, why  nothing changes".

According to him, the death of three of them was associated with the  presence of health problems, in one case a murder was recorded, and  in three cases the violation of the ceasefire led to the death of  soldiers. The 

Human Rights Activist emphasized that the death or loose of each of  these soldiers should be the subject of extraordinary investigations.  In particular, it is important to study the state of medical  services, the security of military positions, the level of discipline  in the armed forces, the relevant orders, etc. 

As Sakunts stressed, all these issues must be resolved, since a  person fulfills his obligations, and the state must have its own  obligations so that a person's life is safe. "In conditions when the  service of a soldier, his safety is not ensured at the proper level,  in this case, of course, there are signs to which there are  practically no responses," the human rights activist noted. 

 He stressed that over the past months, the country's armed forces  recorded 40 death cases in the Armed Forces, 14 of which were not  officially published. Meanwhile, the state is obliged not only to  provide relevant information, but also to provide explanations. "It  is not enough to refute them, since in this case we are talking about  attempts to evade responsibility," Sakunts said, adding that the  defense department had to conduct internal investigations in each of  these cases and notify the public about their results, giving  explanations.

Checkpoints on border with Azerbaijan to cause more problems – Ara Papyan

Suren Karakhanian
ARMINFO
Armenia – Aug 24 2022
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo. The Armenian Government's resolution of August 19 is a violation of Armenia's  Constitution and international law, as the processes described in the  resolution must be enshrined in international agreements, which, in  turn, requires that the nations recognize each other as legal  entities, Ara Papyan, Head of the Modus Vivendi center, said in an  interview with ArmInfo. 

On August 19, Armenia's Government decided to establish customs  control near the Sotk, Yeraskh and Karaunj customs, which will  "guarantees the safety of transport links between Azerbaijan and  Nakhichevan" to Ilham Aliyev" under Point 9 of the trilateral  statement of November 9, 2020. 

"Armenia and Azerbaijan do not have such relations. So no document  can be signed. If it is the border, a document must be signed  mutually recognizing the border – a document on border demarcation  and delimitation. However, any issue related to Armenia's territory  must only be settled by means of referendum," Mr Papyan said. 

The August 19 resolution is obviously one on surrender of  territories. It is unclear what political preferences Armenia will  enjoy in exchange. Is it symmetrical? Numerous problems involving  passenger and cargo traffic between Armenia and Azerbaijan remain  unsolved. 

"In other words, it is one more attempt to resolve grave problems by  means of a false statement, which, however, has not only failed to  resolve them, but has complicated their resolution. And it can cause  even graver problems in the future, especially with no guarantees of  who and what is going to move along the roads. How can the transit  of, for example, weapons be ruled out? So Pashinyan's initiative  remains unclear, though it could be the result of pressure on the  part of Moscow, Ankara and Baku," Mr Papyan said. 

Ankara to demand price for success in normalization process with Armenia – Ruben Safrastyan

Alex Nanijanian
ARMINFO
Armenia – Aug 24 2022
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo. The small steps forward following the fourth meeting between the Armenian and Turkish special envoys, Ruben Rubinyan and Serdar Kilic, in the Armenia- Turkey  normalization process were obviously Ankara's initiative, expert in  Turkic studies, Professor Ruben Safrastyan said in an interview with  ArmInfo.

"I think it is the result of Ankara's tactics in its negotiations  with Yerevan. Unwilling to open the border and establish diplomatic  relations with Armenia as soon as possible, Turkey is making small  steeps to produce an impression it is prepared for final  normalization," he said. 

In fact, however, at a certain stage, Ankara will demand that Yerevan  pay for its last step toward a successful completion of the process.  And the price is Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan and, of course, the  "Zangezur corridor". Evidence thereof is Recep Erdogan's repeated  attempts to link the Armenian-Turkish talks with Armenian-Azerbaijani  relations, particularly with the notorious "corridor problem."

Turkey in tandem with Azerbaijan is pushing ahead with the "corridor"  logic of unblocking transport links in the region, it being primarily  Ankara's strategic policy and far-reaching designs, with the aim to  rule out both Russia and Armenian control over the extraterritorial  corridor via Syunik, for unimpeded shipment of any cargoes via  Armenia and across the Caspian Sea to Central Asia. This proceeds  from Turkey's pan- Turkic policy. 

"Russia will not agree to an extraterritorial corridor, but it will  insist on unblocking the transport links under its border guards'  control, in line with the November 9 statement, which is in conflict  with Ankara and Baku's interests," Mr Safrastyan said. 

The conflicting desires of Moscow and Ankara are accompanied by  Armenia strongly rejecting the corridor logic. Another issue to be  specified is the safety of the transport links running to Russia via  Azerbaijan, th expert said.