Category: 2023

Armenia, Turkey leaders discuss normalization of ties

Lara Chatinian

Al Mayadeen
  • ByAl Mayadeen 

The Armenian PM and Turkish President exchange congratulations on Muslim and Christian holidays during a rare phone call.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone on Wednesday in an effort to repair their strained relations.

The common border between Armenia and Turkey has been closed since the 1990s, and the two countries have never had formal diplomatic ties.

In further detail, Pashinyan's office said that the two leaders have exchanged congratulations on Muslim and Christian holidays and "discussed the process of normalization of bilateral relations."

In early June, Pashinyan traveled to Ankara to attend Erdogan's inauguration. He was among the first world leaders to congratulate the Turkish President on his re-election.

In December 2021, the two countries appointed special envoys to help normalize relations. The first commercial flights between Turkey and Armenia in two years were restored last year.

It is noteworthy that Ankara and Yerevan agreed to normalize their relations and open their common border in 2009 when they signed the accord. However, Armenia never ratified the deal and in 2018 ditched the process.

The relationship between the two countries, who have never established diplomatic ties, has been strained over historical and political disputes and has further deteriorated due to the Nagorno-Karabakh war after Turkey supported Azerbaijan's claim to sovereignty over the region.

However, the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria last February has led to some firsts in many years as countries around the world have been raising efforts to send aid and resources to help with the disaster relief efforts.

One of such event was observed on February 11 at one of the Turkish-Aremnian border crossings where, for the first time in 35 years, the crossing was opened to allow aid to pass into quake-struck Turkey.

At the time, Turkey's special representative for dialogue with Armenia said five trucks holding aid, such as food and water, in addition to a team that will participate in the search-and-rescue efforts, crossed into Turkey through the Alican border crossing.

On February 7, Erdogan thanked Pashinyan for Armenia's assistance after the devastating earthquake, emphasizing how much the Turkish government values Yerevan's assistance, according to sources in the Armenian government. 

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/armenia-turkey-leaders-discuss-normalization-of-ties

Pashinyan hails PACE resolution as highly important document for increasing international attention on Nagorno Karabakh

Emil Lazarian

 12:18,

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani policy of escalation and depopulation of Nagorno Karabakh is becoming more and more visible for the international community and the adoption of Resolution 2256 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) serves as the most recent evidence for this, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting on June 29. 

Pashinyan quoted the resolution’s clause 15 as stating that PACE is extremely worried by the hostile and threatening rhetoric used against Armenians at the highest level of Azerbaijan’s leadership and urges Azerbaijan to repudiate such rhetoric and take steps to tackle both hate speech, including by public and high-level officials, and hate crimes.

Clause 8 of the resolution states that the current situation is not sustainable and may well lead to the Armenian population being forced to leave their homes and communities if there is no resolution to the conflict. 

In this context, PACE urgently calls for addressing the issues of the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh through dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert and a neutral international involvement in any peace implementation mechanism to be put in place.

PACE also stated that the Azerbaijani blockade of Lachin Corridor constitutes a violation of the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement, recorded the fact that gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh is interrupted and called on Azerbaijan to immediately restore the supplies and comply with the ruling of the ICJ on opening the Lachin Corridor.

Pashinyan highlighted the fact that PACE is assessing the situation in Nagorno Karabakh as a humanitarian and human rights crisis, and calls for an immediate deployment of a fact-finding mission and addresses the Committee of Ministers.

“The resolution adopted by PACE is a highly important document in terms of increasing international attention around the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh and the Armenian Foreign Ministry will be consistent in keeping the provisions of the resolution in the agenda of the Committee of Ministers, the executive body of the Council of Europe,” Pashinyan said.

The Impact of Conflict on Armenia’s Media

Emil Lazarian
UK –

Panel explores how security concerns have profoundly impacted country’s freedom of speech and fueled misinformation.

Journalists, civil society representatives and lawmakers gathered in Yerevan to discuss the challenges that journalism faces in the region’s fragile security environment.   

The conference, organised by IWPR in the framework of the project Amply, Verify, Engage: Information for Democratisation and Good Governance in Eurasia (AVE), delved into how Armenia’s hurdles in recent years have profoundly impacted its media landscape, particularly freedom of speech, gender sensitivity and financial independence.

“Challenges to media freedom and freedom of speech are not unique to Armenia, which shares similarities with other countries. It encompasses misinformation, a lack of media literacy, and, naturally, politicised challenges,” said Gegham Vardanyan, editor-in-chief of the Media Initiative Centre. 

War and other security issues have intensified pressure on local media. In 2020, as Armenia was battling the Covid-19 pandemic, the 44-day Second Nagorny Karabakh war claimed thousands of lives, displaced tens of thousands, and left the country in shock. Since then, volatility along the border with Azerbaijan, the prolonged blockade of the Lachin corridor and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have added further uncertainty. 

“The direct impact of the Nagorny Karabakh conflict is the insufficient provision of official information to the public. This creates an information vacuum, which allows manipulation and misinformation to spread. Consequently, this gap has been filled with inaccurate and misleading information,” stated Lilit Hovhannisyan, project manager of the Public Journalism Club.

Participants noted an increasing perception among the general public that security and democracy were incompatible, resulting in de facto censorship that has allowed further manipulation and control.

This approach finds fertile soil particularly in conflict-affected areas. One participant reported a journalist from Karabakh as saying “if forced to choose between democracy and security, I will choose security”.

In this environment, distrust towards journalists is on the rise, including at the governmental level, with instances of officials labelling journalists “killers” and “verbal prostitutes”: the latter in particular, is mostly associated with women, who remain vulnerable to abuse.

“In 2022, over 20 cases of physical violence against journalists were reported, and these incidents occurred at various public events,” stated Women’s Support Centre’s Zaruhi Hovhannisyan. “Women journalists in particular are subjected to a sexist approach… [those] covering gender issues become a target of online harassment… It is crucial for journalistic organisations to be highly attentive and responsive to these issues. The inadequate response to instances of sexism is concerning, as there is a lack of meaningful actions being taken to address such manifestations.”

“Security is a major concern and it poses concrete challenges to media freedom and access to information,” said Knarik Mkrtchyan, IWPR BREN project local coordinator in Armenia. “A polarised political landscape and widespread disinformation add pressure to journalists. It is of utmost importance for authorities to guarantee a plurality of voices [and] protect reporters from abuse, in particular against women reporters.”

Gendered disinformation has added a complex layer.

“Even individuals in the audience who may have more freedom to express their views, particularly men, hesitated to engage in conversations on these topics out of fear of being associated with the LGBT community,” said Vardanyan. Participants agreed that media literacy programmes, for both journalists and audience groups, were crucial to increase knowledge and awareness and address hate speech.

The polarisation of the media landscape mirrors deep-rooted divisions in the country.

“Certain media outlets are affiliated with former authorities, others with the current [ones], and only a handful strive to maintain their independence. As a result, many journalists prioritise defending political interests rather than serving the public interest,” said Hovhannisyan,

Participants highlighted that media outlet’s financial independence was a cornerstone for unbiased, fact-based information.

“Making funding flexible and unrestricted is one of the best options,” Hovhannisyan suggested. “We aim to promote the principles of feminist philanthropy and participatory grant-making in Armenia and advance unrestricted funding, [a solution] that may also work for the media.”


Deposits in Armenian banks reach record high

Emil Lazarian

 12:33,

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. The total deposit portfolio in Armenian banks amounted to 5 trillion 147 billion 288 million drams in May 2023, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the June 29 Cabinet meeting, describing the figure as a historic record.

“The total deposit portfolio in the banks of the Republic of Armenia amounted to five trillion one hundred forty seven billion two hundred and eighty eight million drams in May of 2023, which is a record number in the history of Armenia. The previous record was set in April, and it is improving. We’ve had a growth of 12 billion 841 million drams compared to last month. These are the deposit accounts where citizens keep their money. I have to note that compared to May 2018 the deposit portfolio has nearly doubled and is higher by 2,5 trillion drams or 96,7%,” Pashinyan said.

ARMENPRESS, BelTA open joint photo exhibition in Minsk on 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Armenia and Belarus

Zhanna Nahapetian

 13:00,

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. ARMENPRESS State News Agency is co-sponsoring a photo exhibition dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Belarus. The exhibition titled “Armenia Through the Lens of a Belarusian Photographer and Belarus Through the Lens of an Armenian Photographer" will be opened together with BelTA, the Belarusian Telegraph Agency at the National Museum of History of Belarus in Minsk on June 29.

The event is organized by the Armenian Embassy in Belarus, with support from ARMENPRESS and BelTA.

Photo by Leonid Scheglov – BelTA

“We highly value cooperation with our Belarusian partner and such initiatives which show the cultural similarities of the two countries, allow the societies to explore one another, the tourism attractions and historical landmarks. Armenian Ambassador to Belarus Razmik Khumaryan’s efforts in realizing this project have been invaluable,” ARMENPRESS Director Narine Nazaryan said, adding that the exhibition will further strengthen cooperation between ARMENPRESS and BelTA and lay the foundation for many more joint projects.

100 selected pictures at the exhibition will present the culture, traditions and nature of Armenia and Belarus.

Photo by Mkhitar Khachatryan – ARMENPRESS

Belarus is presented through the lens of ARMENPRESS photojournalist Mkhitar Khachatryan, while Armenia is presented through the lens of BelTA photojournalist Leonid Scheglov. The exhibition will be open until August 15 in Belarus, before its opening in Armenia in autumn.

Photo by Leonid Scheglov – BelTA
Photo by Mkhitar Khachatryan – ARMENPRESS

Photo by Leonid Scheglov – BelTA



UK FCDO Director General of Economics, Science and Technology visits Armenia

Emil Lazarian

 15:34,

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Mr. Kumar Iyer, Director General, Economics, Science and Technology at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, will visit Armenia on 29-30 June to discuss with Armenian authorities issues of common interest, the British embassy in Yerevan said in a press release.

During his visit, Mr. Iyer will meet with Armenian Government officials and representatives of financial entities. The discussions will focus on Armenia’s upholding of international sanctions and how the UK can support in this regard.

Furthermore, Mr. Iyer will have the opportunity to witness Armenia's flourishing tech scene as he visits educational and business centres. He will also pay a visit to Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan.

The visit of Mr. Kumar Iyer underscores the commitment to deepening bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Armenia, according to the embassy.

Armenia calls on CoE Committee of Ministers to react to PACE resolution on Nagorno Karabakh

Tatoyan Vazgen

 14:58,

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has called on the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to take concrete steps to address the issues raised in the PACE recommendation and react to the human rights crisis in Nagorno Karabakh caused by Azerbaijan.

The Permanent Representative of Armenia to the Council of Europe Ambassador Arman Khachatryan delivered a speech at the Committee of Ministers meeting, addressing the illegal Azerbaijani blockade of Lachin Corridor, the gross violations of the ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh and ongoing provocations. He presented the latest attack by Azerbaijan which left four Nagorno Karabakh soldiers dead.

Azerbaijan is attempting to commit ethnic cleansing in Nagorno Karabakh through the blockade, the gas and power supply cutoff, hate speech and threats, the ambassador warned.

Khachatryan presented the Ensuring free and safe access through the Lachin Corridor resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which warns that the current situation could lead to the population of Nagorno Karabakh leaving their homes, calls for a direct dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert and urges an immediate deployment of a fact-finding mission of the CoE.

A PACE recommendation on Lachin Corridor addressed to the Committee of Ministers is pointing out the humanitarian and human rights crisis facing the Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh resulting from Azerbaijan’s unilateral actions. The Armenian representative called on the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to take concrete steps to address the issues raised in the PACE recommendation and react to the premeditated human rights crisis in Nagorno Karabakh caused by Azerbaijan.

An exchange of views took place during the meeting with PACE President Tiny Kox and Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović. The Armenian ambassador stressed the importance of the involvement of PACE and the Human Rights Commissioner in addressing the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh resulting from the blockade of Lachin Corridor.

4th Meeting of Armenia-EU Partnership Committee takes place in Brussels

Emil Lazarian

 16:24,

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. On 27-, the 4th Meeting of the Armenia-EU Partnership Committee established under the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Extended Partnership Agreement (CEPA) took place in Brussels. The delegation of the Republic of Armenia headed by Mr. Paruyr Hovhannisyan, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, participated in the meeting. As a result of the discussions, the following Joint Press Statement was adopted:

“On 27-, the Armenia-EU Partnership Committee, established under the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), met for the fourth time in Brussels. This meeting gave the opportunity to the EU and Armenia to discuss the implementation of the CEPA and touch upon other areas of bilateral cooperation.

Armenia and the EU agreed to strengthen their cooperation, emphasising the EU’s active engagement in the South Caucasus, and to pursue their efforts for the implementation of the CEPA, recognising the progress made so far. The EU welcomed Armenia’s continued commitment to reforms in line with common values, in spite of the difficult security context of the region. The EU stands ready to continue assisting Armenia on the path of the CEPA implementation and in addressing socio-economic challenges, including through the substantial Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) as well as its flagship initiatives.

The Partnership Committee reviewed developments related to the rule of law, in the fields of justice sector, law enforcement, fight against corruption, and the respect for human rights. The EU appreciated the progress in these fields. Yet, the EU recalled the importance of continuous improvement of the independence and efficiency of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, in order to increase citizens’ trust in public institutions. The EU emphasised the need to make additional efforts in eliminating discrimination on all grounds and encouraged Armenia to involve civil society in public consultations on legislative proposals.

The Partnership Committee also reviewed the progress on issues related to transport, energy, environment, climate action and disaster risk management. Armenia and the EU will continue their cooperation to enhance safety at the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant. While acknowledging Armenia’s efforts on renewable energies, energy efficiency and environmental protection, the EU encouraged Armenia to set more ambitious emission reduction targets as part of its Nationally Determined Contribution.

The meeting was also an opportunity to review the cooperation in the field of customs and economic development. The EU underlined the importance of customs cooperation to prevent the circumvention of the EU sanctions on Russia through the territory of Armenia. The discussion also took stock of developments in employment and social policies. As regards education, the EU welcomed the adoption of Armenia’s comprehensive Strategy covering the whole education spectrum, as well as its ratification of the Creative Europe Agreement.

The Partnership Committee also touched upon the possibility of launching a visa liberalization dialogue (VLD). In this regard, the EU noted that while the technical requirements for the VLD launch have been sufficiently met, this also requires a political decision. The EU continues encouraging Armenia to bilaterally engage actively with Member States on this topic.

The partners also discussed the regional dynamics and the state of play of the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation process that takes place in the context of increasingly challenging security situation. The Armenian side provided an update on the blockage of the Lachin Corridor. Armenia and the EU shared concerns on the risks of a humanitarian crisis. The EU and Armenia welcomed the establishment of the EU Mission in Armenia.

Finally, the discussions highlighted the constructive engagement of Armenia in the Eastern Partnership.

The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Luc Devigne, Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service and Mr Paruyr Hovhannisyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.”

President Khachaturyan visits US Ambassador’s residence to congratulate on upcoming Independence Day

Paul Hambardsumian

 16:42,

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan visited on June 29 the residence of U.S. Ambassador Kristina Kvien to extend congratulations ahead of the U.S. Independence Day.

President Khachaturyan congratulated Ambassador Kvien, the Embassy Staff and the people of the United States on the national holiday and wished them success, Khachaturyan’s Office said in a press release.

The President emphasized the importance of US support in the implementation of democratic reforms in Armenia and the development of Armenia following independence.

During the discussion, ideas were exchanged on the current agenda of Armenian-American relations and the consistent development of multi-level cooperation.