Thursday, February 1, 2024
Pashinian Again Criticizes Armenia’s Independence Declaration
Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian speaks during a news conference in
Yerevan, July 25, 2023.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has reiterated his criticism of a 1990
declaration of Armenia’s independence resented by Azerbaijan as he defended his
plans to try to enact a new Armenian constitution.
The declaration made reference to a 1989 unification act adopted by the
legislative bodies of Soviet Armenia and the then Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous
Oblast. It also called for international recognition of the 1915 genocide of
Armenians “in Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia.” The declaration is cited in a
preamble to the current Armenian constitution adopted in 1995.
In an interview with Armenian Public Radio broadcast on Thursday, Pashinian gave
more indications that he wants to exclude this reference from the new
constitution.
“We really need to settle our relations with the declaration today,” he said.
“The question is whether our state policy should be referenced to it and whether
our state policies should be guided by that message and based on the decision of
the National Council of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Supreme Council of Armenia on
the reunification of Karabakh and Armenia.”
“If so, it means we will never have peace. Furthermore, it means that we will
now have war,” claimed Pashinian.
Pashinian did not deny Armenian opposition claims that he wants to change the
constitution under pressure from Azerbaijan. He said at the same time that Baku
is publicly demanding such a change in a bid to discredit the constitutional
reform and eventually “weaken” Armenia.
He also admitted that the new constitution envisaged by him would not
necessarily prevent Azerbaijani aggression.
Pashinian’s political opponents and other critics say that his continuing
unilateral concessions to Baku only increase the risk of another war.
Aliyev Demands Constitutional Change In Armenia
• Astghik Bedevian
AZERBAIJAN - Electoral officials stick up a poster of Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev in Baku on January 15, 2024, on the first day of the official
campaigning for the February 7 presidential election.
Armenia must change its constitution in order to make peace with Azerbaijan,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Thursday, stoking Armenian opposition
claims that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has already agreed to make such a
concession to Baku.
“In case of changing Armenia’s constitution and other documents, peace could be
achieved,” Aliyev said. “Armenia’s Declaration of Independence contains direct
call for uniting Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region to Armenia and infringing on
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. Armenia’s constitution cites that document.”
Pashinian stated on January 18 that Armenia must adopt a new constitution
reflecting the “new geopolitical environment” in the region. Critics believe he
first and foremost wants to get rid of the current constitution’s preamble that
makes reference to the declaration cited by Aliyev.
The declaration adopted in 1990 in turn cites a 1989 unification act by the
legislative bodies of Soviet Armenia and the then Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous
Oblast. It also calls for international recognition of the 1915 genocide of
Armenians “in Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia.”
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan acknowledged last week that Azerbaijan has
objected to this constitutional introduction during talks on a peace treaty with
Armenia. But both he and Pashinian allies claimed that the Armenian leadership
is not seeking to change the constitution because of that.
Armenian opposition leaders portrayed Aliyev’s latest statement as further proof
of their claims that Pashinian is planning to enact a new constitution at the
behest of Baku as well as Ankara. One of them, Artsvik Minasian, said the two
Turkic allies want to force the Armenians to “renounce their historical past and
rights.”
“If you do what your enemy wants, it means you obey its rules of the game,”
Minasian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Vladimir Vartanian, a senior pro-government lawmaker, stuck to the official line
that Pashinian’s administration is not forced to embark on the constitutional
reform. “No constitution can be adopted under pressure because if we adopt a
constitution under pressure it means that we have a problem with our
sovereignty,” he said.
Pashinian called for the new constitution just days after complaining that
Aliyev has toughened its position on the Armenian-Armenian peace treaty and
openly laid claim to Armenian territory. He went on to offer more security
“guarantees” to Baku. Pashinian’s political opponents say this appeasement
policy will not lead to a lasting peace between the two South Caucasus nations.
Armenian Minister Defends Arrested Deputy
• Artak Khulian
Armenia - Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian attends a conference in Yerevan,
February 1, 2024.
Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian on Thursday effectively denied corruption
accusations brought against one of his deputies and other subordinates arrested
on Wednesday.
Armenia’s Investigative Committee raided the Ministry of Economy building in
Yerevan and conducted searches there together with the National Security Service
(NSS). In a statement issued afterwards, the committee said that seven
individuals were taken into custody in two criminal investigations conducted by
both law-enforcement agencies.
In particular, the statement said, unnamed ministry officials illegally
disqualified a private entity from a procurement tender to make sure that it is
won by another bidder that charged a much higher sum. Ani Ispirian, who was
sacked as deputy economy minister the night before her arrest, is understood to
have been indicted in this criminal case.
The other case involves a ministry official, also not identified by the
Investigative Committee, who allegedly abused his or her position to help other
individuals receive government funding for an agribusiness project in violation
of rules set by the ministry.
Speaking to reporters, Kerobian pointed out that the investigators have not
accused the suspects of taking bribes or embezzling public funds.
“Therefore, I need an additional clarification of what they mean by abuse [of
power,]” he said. “The biding process was constantly under the control of
lawyers, other partners, including the Ministry of Finance, and we are more than
sure that both the court and the investigation will conclude that there was no
violation of procurement and related laws.”
It was still not clear whether Ispirian and other arrested ministry officials
also deny the accusations.
It emerged, meanwhile, that other suspects in the case include Ashot Hovanesian,
the founder of the software development company Synergy International Systems
which is registered in the United States but mainly operates from Armenia. A
Yerevan court on Thursday formally remanded Hovanesian in pre-trial custody.
Another arrested suspect, Ani Gevorgian, is the wife of Armenian parliament
speaker Alen Simonian’s brother Karlen. Simonian is a key political ally of
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
Armenia Formally Joins International Criminal Court
France - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian meets Karim Khan, the
International Criminal Court prosecutor who issued arrest warrant for Russian
President Vladimir Putin, Paris, November 10, 2023.
Armenia formally joined the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday four
months after its parliament ratified the court’s founding treaty despite stern
warnings from Russia.
Armenia’s Constitutional Court gave the green light for the ratification last
March one week after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President
Vladimir Putin over war crimes allegedly committed during Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine. Moscow vehemently denies the accusations and claims that The Hague
tribunal executes orders issued by Western governments.
The Armenian government pushed the treaty, also known as the Rome Statute,
through the National Assembly on October 3, adding to its unprecedented tensions
with Moscow. Russian officials said the “unfriendly” move will cause serious
damage to Russian-Armenian relations. They dismissed Yerevan’s assurances that
the ratification does not commit it to arresting Putin and handing him over to
the ICC in the event of his visit to Armenia.
Still, Putin seemed to downplay the development afterwards, saying that he will
visit the South Caucasus country again in the future. Accordingly, Putin’s press
secretary, Dmitry Peskov, reacted cautiously to the country’s formal accession
to the ICC confirmed by Armenian officials.
“This is generally the sovereign right of Armenia,” Russian news agencies quoted
Peskov as saying. “But on the other hand, it is important for us that such
decisions do not affect both de jure and de facto our bilateral relations, which
we value and hope to further develop.”
The Pashinian government’s stated rationale for accepting the ICC’s jurisdiction
is to take more legal action against Azerbaijan and prevent further Azerbaijani
attacks on Armenia.
Armenian opposition politicians counter that Azerbaijan is not a party to the
Rome Statute and would therefore ignore any pro-Armenian ruling by The Hague
court. They say the real purpose of ratifying the treaty is to drive another
wedge between Russia and Armenia and score points in the West.
The United States and the European Union swiftly praised Yerevan for ratifying
the Rome Statute. Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU’s executive body,
said that the extension of the ICC’s jurisdiction to Armenia applies to Putin.
“The world is getting smaller for the autocrat in the Kremlin,” von der Leyen
said in October.
Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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Category: 2024
Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 01-02-24
17:54, 1 February 2024
YEREVAN, 1 FEBUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 1 February, USD exchange rate up by 0.18 drams to 403.88 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.18 drams to 435.91 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.03 drams to 4.47 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.43 drams to 510.06 drams.
The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.
Gold price up by 144.27 drams to 26661.54 drams. Silver price up by 0.32 drams to 299.82 drams.
Armenia formally joins international criminal court in snub to Russia
The Guardian, UK
Jan 31 2024
Yerevan obligated to arrest Vladimir Putin if he enters Armenia after move Moscow calls ‘unfriendly step’
Armenia has formally joined the international criminal court (ICC), officials said, a move which traditional ally Moscow has denounced as unfriendly.
The Hague-based court in March issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, over the war in Ukraine and the illegal deportation of children to Russia.
Yerevan is now obliged to arrest the Russian leader if he sets foot on its territory.
“ICC Rome statute officially entered into force for Armenia on 1 February,” the country’s official representative for international legal matters, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, told AFP.
The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Armenia had taken a “wrong decision” when its parliament voted in October to ratify the ICC’s Rome statute, and the Russian foreign ministry has called the move an “unfriendly step”.
Armenia is home to a permanent Russian military base and is part of the Moscow-led military alliance the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), that consists of several ex-Soviet republics.
Western countries hailed the ratification, which marks the expansion of the court’s jurisdiction into what was long seen as Russia’s back yard.
“The world is getting smaller for the autocrat in the Kremlin,” the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said in reference to Putin after Armenia ratified the ICC statute in October.
Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, has tried to reassure Russia that his country is only addressing what it says are war crimes committed by its neighbour, Azerbaijan, in their long-running conflict, and is not aiming at Moscow.
Kirakosyan said: “Joining the ICC gives Armenia serious tools to prevent war crimes and crimes against humanity on its territory.
“First of all, this concerns Azerbaijan,” he added. Yerevan has fought two wars with its arch-foe over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
But Armenia’s move illustrated a growing divide between Moscow and Yerevan, which has grown angry with the Kremlin’s perceived inaction over Azerbaijan’s belligerence.
In September Azerbaijani forces swept through Karabakh – where Russian peacekeepers are deployed – and secured the surrender of Armenian separatist forces that had controlled the mountainous region for decades.
“Armenia hoped that by joining the ICC, by making such a sensitive step for Russia, it could receive security guarantees from the west,” independent analyst Vigen Hakobyan told AFP.
“But apparently it has strained its Russia ties without receiving real security guarantees from the west.”
Armenia signed the Rome statute in 1999, but did not ratify it, citing contradictions with the country’s constitution.
The constitutional court said in March those obstacles had been removed after Armenia’s adoption of a new constitution in 2015.
Last November, Yerevan formally deposited its instrument of ratification of the Rome statute.
Prime Minister addresses gap between citizen and state, discusses possibility of new constitution
19:32, 1 February 2024
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. During an interview on the "Safe Environment" program of Public Radio Armenia, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan outlined the reasons for the need to have a new Constitution. The Prime Minister reminded that even after the 2018 Revolution and the 44-Day War in 2020, the topic of a new Constitution has remained a recurring theme. Pashinyan noted that discussions on constitutional reforms are currently widespread and expressed the necessity of adopting a new constitution.
The Prime Minister emphasized that recently he has also been talking a lot about the relationship between the concepts of the motherland and the state; he has been talking a lot about the need to strengthen state institutions. According to him, by and large, the popular, non-violent, Velvet Revolution of 2018 was also about citizen-state relations, citizen-state relations, about de jure and de facto social and labor relations.
"We have a gap between the citizen and the state. What is that gap? It is expressed in legitimacy because the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, adopted in 1995 and modified several times, was never adopted under conditions and an environment where the citizen of the Republic of Armenia could say to himself: 'I went, voted, and adopted the Constitution.' In other words: "I went and recorded my agreement with other citizens and the state, that we relate to each other this way and live this way.'
Today, there are many notions that we use, and analysts and intellectuals very often talk about the fact that we are not a state people; we have not yet become a state nation, having been a nation without a state for a long time. This narrative exists, but I don't want to go into the details of it. However, I want us to understand something else- Which is the moment when we are transformed from a ‘non-state people’ into a ‘state people?’ That moment is the constitutional referendum, when a person, of his own free will, without coercion, without falsification, without manipulation, goes and fixes the agreement," said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of the Constitution having an organic connection with the people.
"The organic connection with the people is not only expressed by the fact that we have to discuss, understand all the nuances, and remove all the formulations. The text of the constitution is mostly a matter of professional discussion and wording to serve the political guidelines, but the genetic link with the state, the genetic link with the people is formed from the moment when the people accept and confirm this condition, and record that they are 'a state people' and record that within the borders of this state, we will relate to each other according to these rules," said Pashinyan.
According to the Prime Minister's perspective, the necessity for a new Constitution is rooted in the genetic link aiming to bridge the gap between the people and the state.
Pashinyan gave a positive response to the question of whether it will legitimize the relations between the state and the people. He emphasized that legitimacy is important in all relationships.
The Prime Minister also emphasized that the government cannot change the Constitution. The government can propose to the people, engage in discussions with the people, present its explanations to the people, and only the people can make that decision.
Referring to the opinions and speculations that the government will falsify the voting, Pashinyan reminded that dozens of elections have been held in Armenia after the 2018 Revolution.
"Let them show a single case of falsification that took place during the elections. Going that way would mean destroying our own political identity. It is impossible," added Pashinyan.
UATE holds 23rd congress
14:43, 1 February 2024
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. The Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE) has held its 23rd annual congress, during which the strategy for the next three years was adopted.
Furthermore, Alexander Yesayan was re-elected as UATE President and Sargis Karapetyan was appointed as UATE Director.
Photos by Hayk Badalyan
In his remarks, Yesayan said that new achievements will be recorded which will contribute to Armenia’s technological progress.
He said that 32 new members have joined the UATE, bringing the number of members to 132.
Armenia will host the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) in 2024.
Vice Speaker of Parliament Hakob Arshakyan also attended the event.
He said that efforts must be joined to clarify the strategic vision of the future.
“This year we plan to have a clarification of the strategic priorities, and I’d like to call on the associations and companies to unite and accurately present our priorities at this stage both in Armenia and to the international community,” he said.
The new Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan highlighted the sector’s significance for the country. “I am sure that the high technology sector can become an important factor for the sustainability and development of Armenia’s economy, as well as increasing the country’s competitiveness in international markets and ensuring advanced defensive systems,” he said.
He praised the UATE as one of the most important partners of the High-Tech Industry Ministry.
UATE Director Sargis Karapetyan also announced that they are currently working with all stakeholders on a bill regulating the high-tech sector.
Armenians influence 90% of consciousness being formed in Azerbaijan today: PM
20:00, 1 February 2024
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenians, the Republic of Armenia, fill 90 percent of the consciousness being formed in Azerbaijan today, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview with Public Radio of Armenia.
"They form their perception of statehood and public relations on the basis of signals received from Armenia and sent from Armenia regarding how Armenia affects them, how Armenia and Armenia's perception affects their own perception. And this is a mutual process", Pashinyan said.
Parliament majority leader, French ambassador discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization
16:36, 1 February 2024
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. Head of the Civil Contract faction in parliament Hayk Konjoryan on February 1 met with French Ambassador to Armenia Olivier Decottignies.
In a readout, the parliament press service said the majority leader and the French ambassador discussed the course of the democratic reforms in Armenia and attached importance to the unwavering implementation of the fight against corruption. Views were exchanged around the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process. Konjoryan highly appreciated France’s strong support to Armenia in all sectors.
Armenia needs a new national security strategy, says Pashinyan
20:33, 1 February 2024
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. The current national security strategy of the Republic of Armenia does not address the existing issues, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview with Public Radio of Armenia. He addressed the question of how suitable the current strategy is today and whether it is an effective approach capable of providing security in the uncertain world, meeting security challenges.
"No, the national security strategy we have today does not address the existing issues. It is evident that we should have a new national security strategy," said the Prime Minister.
According to Pashinyan, the new national security strategy should be framed in the logic of protecting the legitimate territorial integrity and interests of the state.
Pashinyan on creating the Fourth Republic: That is one of the ideas
20:18, 1 February 2024
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in an interview with Public Radio of Armenia, discussed the possibility of creating the Fourth Republic of Armenia in the context of the planned new Constitution.
When asked whether a new constitution is being proposed for the new Fourth Republic, the Prime Minister replied: "That is one of the ideas."
Russia hopes Armenia’s accession to ICC won’t negatively impact ties
14:55, 1 February 2024
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. Russia doesn't want Armenia’s accession to the ICC to negatively impact the bilateral ties, the Kremlin has said.
“That’s overall Armenia’s sovereign right,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti after Armenia officially joined the ICC on February 1. “But on the other hand, for us it is important that such decisions don’t negatively impact, both de jure and de facto, our bilateral relations, which we value and hope to further develop.”
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) officially entered into force for Armenia on February 1.
The Armenian parliament ratified the Rome Statute in October 2023.
Armenia’s ratification of the Rome Statute caused concerns in Moscow.
On 17 March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, after an investigation of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Ukraine. The ICC arrest warrant for Putin accuses the Russian leader of unlawfully deporting thousands of Ukrainian children, a war crime. This has been denied by the Russian government. Countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute would have to enforce the arrest warrant once Putin travels into their territory. Earlier the Russian Foreign Ministry described it as an ‘unfriendly step’ and asked for explanations.
Armenian government officials have numerously said that ratifying the Rome Statute has nothing to do with Russia and is aimed at holding Azerbaijan to account for its aggression against Armenia.