Volfovich: Armenia has not blocked any decision of CSTO summit in Minsk

Jirair Kafian
Belarus – Nov 23 2023

MINSK, 23 November (BelTA) – Armenia has not blocked any decision of the CSTO summit, State Secretary of Belarus' Security Council Aleksandr Volfovich told reporters, BelTA has learned.

“Not a single decision has been blocked. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia have agreed on all the decisions [documents submitted to the summit attended by the heads of state], on the declaration. This is a testimony to mutual understanding, including on the part of Armenia, in addressing issues within the scope of responsibility of the Organization,” Aleksandr Volfovich said.

When asked by BelTA how bad Armenia's non-participation in the Minsk summit was for the CSTO, he said: “Of course, it would be great to see everyone here today: the heads of state and delegations. But the most important thing is that the Armenian side agreed with all the decisions. There were objective and subjective reasons why our Armenian colleagues decided not to come to Minsk.”

Yet, Aleksandr Volfovich is sure that Armenia does not want to leave the CSTO. “This would be wrong, it is not in the interests of the people of Armenia and the country,” the Security Council chief emphasized.

Earlier, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Sergei Aleinik told BelTA that all decisions of the CSTO summit in Minsk will be legitimate despite the absence of the Armenian side. “I have had a telephone conversation with my Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan. We discussed, among other things, these issues and decision-making mechanisms. All decisions that will be made today will be absolutely legitimate. In accordance with the rules and procedures of the organization, all decisions are made by consensus of all member countries. We agreed that following the summit, the CSTO secretary general will visit Yerevan. And, naturally, we will forward all the decisions finalized here within the framework of the conciliation commission to our Armenian partners. And we will count on them to join these decisions,” he said.

Commenting on the absence of high-ranking Armenian officials at the Minsk summit, including the prime minister, Sergei Aleinik said that he is okay with it.

Podcast | Are the rights of queer Armenians being forgotten?

Emil Lazarian
Nov 22 2023
 23 November 20

The recent suicide of a queer Armenian teenager shook many in Armenia, with activists accusing the authorities of lacking the sensitivity or willingness to help queer victims of abuse or bullying.

In the absence of any legislation to protect them, queer people in Armenia are frequently subjected to discrimination and violence in Armenia, including in their own homes.

This week on the Caucasus Digest, a queer Armenian student talks about the challenges of being queer in Armenia, Mamikon Hovsepyan of Pink Armenia discusses the role of queer rights activism and organisation in the country, and Freedom House’s Andranik Shirinyan about what the authorities should do to protect queer Armenians.

Listen to the Podcast at https://oc-media.org/podcasts/podcast-are-the-rights-of-queer-armenians-being-forgotten/

Armenpress: Armenia and India discuss energy cooperation

Talar Tumanian

 09:46, 23 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan has spoken via videocall with India’s Minister of New and Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh.

Sanosyan underscored that the Armenia-India relations have been rapidly developing in the recent period, the ministry said in a readout.

Gnel Sanosyan attached importance to the fact that Armenia recently joined the International Solar Alliance and expressed hope that the relations will develop rapidly within this framework as well.

Issues related to bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the energy sector were discussed.

Minister Sanosyan attached importance to the participation of Indian companies in building, rebuilding and modernization projects of Armenian energy infrastructures.

Mutual visits of professional teams to Armenia and India for exchange of experience and capacity-building was highlighted.

This is not the field, where we may justify the savings. Saribek Sukiasyan on development of science and its issues in RA

Maral Chavushian

 09:50, 23 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. It is not a secret that the state plays a key role in development and funding of science. The development of science in line with the world is a strategic and agenda issue for Armenia, which is being discussed for years and it is possible to develop the field only through investments.

According to 2023 state budget, the funding of science increased by 155% compared to 2018, and by 21% compared to 2022. It should be mentioned that the science expenses in 2022 amounted to AMD 24 bln and 957 mln. In 2021 more amounts were allocated from the state budget for the re-equipment of scientific equipment centers than in the previous 10 years taken as a whole. Till 2025, it is intended to double, in some cases triple the salaries of more than 3,357 scientists with the introduction of certification systems.

In recent years, mailnly the development of several directions plays a crucial role in the strategy of science development. The directions include: modernization of scientific infrastructures, scientific and scientific and technical theme, creation of centers of excellence for joint use in the field of science within the framework of EU-supported grant programs.

The Chairman of ARMECONOMBANK OJSC Board Saribek Sukiasyan reffered to the role of the state in the field of science development in an interview with lragir.am website in 2022. "This is not an area where we can justify savings." The solutions raised a decade ago are relevant even nowadays.

“As to me, the minimum threshold for science financing, should be at least in the amount of 1% of the GDP,– noted Saribek Sukiasyan and explained that the lower threshold of science funding relative to GDP is a national security issue.  The low indicators of financing will definitely be noticeable . "In science, there is an almost elimination of applied science, aging of scientists. The situation can be fixed only with the strong intervention of the state".

Saribek Sukiasyan considered the development of the scientific field to be the result of comprehensive interaction between the public and private sectors "In line with ensuring the specified funding threshold of at least 1% of the GDP, it is desirable that the state discuss the issue with representatives of the private sector and give clear guarantees that private sector investments will be protected by the appropriate legal framework. In such case the private sector will be keenly interested in investing in science”.

At the same time, while presenting his considerations in science, Sukiasyan highlighted the following. “All the scientific programs submitted for funding must undergo international expertise along with local expertise. I consider it necessary to adopt the law “On Scientific Expertise”, which will enable to carry out the appropriate expertise in abroad. With the adoption of this law, the state will guarantee that the expertise is fair."

The Chairman of ARMECONOMBANK OJSC Board also evaluated the efforts of scientists, overcoming difficulties for years and moved a step forward to the international arena  “Armenian representatives of exact science, despite the difficult conditions for them, are quite active in the international arena, many of them are published in prestigious international periodicals, – it should be noted that in the recent years, the representation of the Armenian scientific potential on international platforms is also one of the axes of the state policy, because, for example, the publication of scientific monographs was one of the funded directions.

Nevertheless,  Sukiasyan pointed out that it is necessary that the state stays focused on some branches of economy bringing them out of isolation. "Many candidate and doctoral theses are defended every year in the fields of economics, but most of those who defend them do not know that there are international periodicals, they do not know on level they are, let's say, international economic thought. According to Saribek Sukiasyan, it is necessary to encourage the integration of our economics into the international scientific flow, establish awards, and create a competitive environment”.

Armenia’s Garik Karapetyan wins gold at IWF World Junior Championships

Vicken Chmshkian

 09:57, 23 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Garik Karapetyan has won gold in the men’s 102kg category at the IWF World Junior Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Karapetyan lifted 175kg in snatch and 203kg in clean and jerk, earning him a small gold and small silver respectively. He was named champion with a total result of 378kg.

The Armenian team's Gor Sahakyan and Alexandra Grigoryan also won gold earlier in the championship.

Armenian National Committee of America accuses USAID of ‘epic failure’ during Nagorno-Karabakh humanitarian crisis

Emil Lazarian
MEDYA News
Nov 24 2023

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) spent more on photographers for Samantha Power’s, the agency’s administrator, October visit to Armenia than it did on humanitarian programs within Artsakh over the past three years, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) said on Tuesday.

“No aid. No airlift. Outright abandonment. An epic USAID failure on every level,” the Committee added.

ANCA’s remarks were in response to Power’s Tuesday statement regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh two months after the aggression of Azerbaijan forced over 100,000 Armenians to flee their homes and seek refuge in neighbouring Armenia.

In her statement, Power announced an additional $4 million in aid to assist the displaced individuals, bringing the total US humanitarian assistance for the Nagorno-Karabakh response to $28 million since 2020.

Power also expressed gratitude for the Armenian government’s generous reception of the displaced population and said that the US support in ensuring that those affected receive the necessary assistance would continue.

“On my recent visit to Armenia, I got to hear directly from many of the displaced people from NK [Nagorno-Karabakh] about the tremendous hardship, and heartbreak, of having to flee their homes,” said Power.

During the recent conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh to Armenians), which resulted in the displacement of most of the Armenian population, USAID had faced criticism that the amount of humanitarian aid it provided to civilians in the region was too low.

According to the ANCA, the US government had also sent military aid to Azerbaijan and refused to impose sanctions on the country despite calls from the Armenian community, while also failing to allocate aid to the region since the 2020 war.

The lightning offensive against the self-declared Republic of Artsakh was launched by neighbouring Azerbaijan on 20 September and eventually resulted in Azeri forces taking control of the region, forcing an estimated 70,500 Armenians to flee the region in the following days.

Ethnic Armenians in the enclave had been defending the self-declared republic for three decades. Despite its geographical location within Azerbaijan’s territory, the region had functioned autonomously for decades and maintained its de facto government.

https://medyanews.net/armenian-national-committee-of-america-accuses-usaid-of-epic-failure-during-nagorno-karabakh-humanitarian-crisis/

EBRD and Ardshinbank provide fresh funds for Armenian firms, partially supported by the EU

Vardan Badalian
EBRD – The European Bank
Nov 24 2023

By Loretta  Martikian

  • Greater access to finance for Armenian MSMEs
  • EBRD financing via Ardshinbank to invest in growth and greener technology
  • EU complements the loan with incentive grants and technical assistance

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) are supporting Armenian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) by boosting access to finance via Ardshinbank.

The leading Armenian bank will receive a financial package of US$ 20 million, comprising two equal loans, from the EBRD for on-lending to the private sector. Half of this amount will be on-lent to Armenian firms to foster their growth and development, and the other US$10 million will support investments in environmentally friendly equipment and production upgrades that meet EU standards.

This financing will enable borrowers to enhance their competitiveness both domestically and internationally to help diversify their export markets. It will also support the implementation of health and safety measures, as well as the adoption of environmentally friendly practices and resource efficiency. At least 70 per cent of the loan will be allocated to funding green technologies.

Borrowers will benefit from free support from international consultants and will receive cash-back incentives upon completion of their investment projects. Both are funded by the EU under its EU4Business initiative and contribute to the aims of the EU’s Eastern Partnership (EaP) Economic and Investment Plan, which include supporting 30,000 SMEs in Armenia.

The financing is part of a joint programme, the EU4Business-EBRD Credit Line, for which the EBRD provides finance to MSMEs through partner financial institutions, while the EU complements the offer with incentive grants and technical assistance. This programme is also available in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director for Financial Institutions, said: “I am delighted to announce that with today’s signing, Ardshinbank has joined our flagship programme designed to make local firms greener and more competitive, at home and abroad. This cooperation with our financial partner, along with the support of our longstanding donor, the European Union, allows us to step up support for Armenian firms. We look forward to seeing more Armenian products and Armenian brands going global.”

Lawrence Meredith, Director for Neighbourhood East and Institution building at the European Commission, said: “Supporting companies in Armenia to transition to a more sustainable and efficient production model is an investment in the future of both businesses and the environment. The European Union is proud to support this new concessional credit line the EBRD and Ardshinbank are concluding today. This is yet another demonstration that our Economic and Investment Plan for Armenia is delivering on the ground.”

Ardshinbank’s Chairman of the Management Board, Artak Ananyan noted: "Ardshinbank is committed to enhancing the resilience of enterprises and firms through the implementation of more efficient and energy-saving practices. With our extensive regional network, a substantial portion of these funds will be strategically directed to fortify SMEs across multiple regions. This streamlined approach undeniably fosters an environment conducive to the prosperity of SMEs, cultivating competitiveness both domestically and internationally. Moreover, this plays a pivotal role in driving the ongoing economic development of our country."

The EBRD has invested over €2 billion in 207 projects in Armenia since the start of its operations there in 1992.

https://www.ebrd.com/news/2023/ebrd-and-ardshinbank-provide-fresh-funds-for-armenian-firms-partially-supported-by-the-eu.html

French disinformation watchdog links Azerbaijan to 2024 Olympic smear campaign

David Nargizian
rfi, France
Nov 15 2023

Paris has linked Azerbaijani figures to a disinformation campaign aimed at tarnishing France's reputation as host of the 2024 Olympic Games.

Diplomatic tensions have simmered between France and Azerbaijan of late, with the ex-Soviet country accusing Paris of supporting its arch enemy Armenia and pursuing a policy of "militarisation" in the South Caucasus.

France is pulling out all the stops to host the 2024 Olympic Games, which will take place from 26 July to 11 August.

According to a report from state digital watchdog Viginum, seen by media outlets this week, an investigation was launched in late July after "several visuals calling for a boycott of the 2024 Olympics" were widely shared on X (formerly Twitter).

Viginum – France's service for Vigilance and Protection against Foreign Digital Interference – alleges the campaign featured images of riots, the city of Paris and also the logo of the Olympic Games, and involved three official X accounts of the games and two hashtags #PARIS2024 and #BOYCOTTPARIS2024.

On 26 and 27 July, more than 1,600 posts accompanied by these visuals or hashtags appeared on X.

Around 90 accounts appear to be behind these posts "suggesting artificial amplification", the report states. 

  • France's Macron says there 'can be no Russian flag' at Paris Olympics

Viginum added that 40 of them were created in July 2023 and only published content calling for a boycott of the Paris Games.

The probe also revealed that of these 90 accounts, "a significant proportion had at least one link to Azerbaijan" such as a photo featuring the Azerbaijani flag, Azerbaijani locations, or excerpts from speeches of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Misspelled place names – Bordo instead of Bordeaux or Monpelye instead of Montpellier – were another "marker of inauthenticity", the report said.

The watchdog has also identified an account at the origin of the online content targeting the Games.

The account @MuxtarYev published 15 visuals calling for a boycott, which were then amplified by inauthentic accounts and picked up by X accounts linked to Azerbaijan – a pattern that "reinforces the hypothesis of a coordinated manoeuvre", Viginum said. 

Created in June 2023, the @MuxtarYev account claims to be located in Azerbaijan. 

The name Muxtar Nagiyev and the account's profile photo coincide with the identity of the chairman of the Sabail district organisation of the New Azerbaijan party, the ex-Soviet country's ruling party.

According to the report, Azerbaijani national Orkhan Rzayev, who runs two companies including Mediamark Digital, could also be linked to the smear campaign.

At the time of the smear campaign, France had repeatedly criticized Azeri authorities over the blocking of the Lachin corridor, the key road that links Armenia to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.

Armenia: Grants up to €45,000 for CSOs in Sunik providing social services

Albert Nalbandian
Nov 24 2023

People in Need, a Czech non-governmental organisation, has announced a European Union-funded grant competition for civil society organisations operating in Syunik, Armenia. 

The call aims to support local CSOs in providing time-sensitive community-based social services needed by local communities and forcibly displaced individuals from Nagorno-Karabakh. The applicant CSOs should have at least 1 year of experience in providing social services.

CSOs can propose the establishment of a neighbourhood centre; the provision of local social services to prevent trafficking, labour exploitation and drug use; the launching of a Social Taxi service; the introduction of home care specialists for the long-term care of elderly people living alone or people with mental health problems, etc.

Applicants can come up with several proposals/ideas, but it may be that only one receives an award.  

People in Need intends to award five grants (up to €45,000 each, in AMD equivalent).

The deadline for applications is 10 December.

For additional questions or clarifications, an online information meeting will be held on 27 November at 12:00.

Find out more

Press release

December 10, 2023
Calls for proposals

Armenia skipping CSTO summit angers Lukashenko

Boris Nahapetian
yahoo! news
Nov 24 2023

Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko was outraged by Armenia's decision not to participate in the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Minsk, Belarusian news agency BelTA reported on Nov. 23.

"We also discussed the situation in the Caucasus and some dissatisfaction of one of the members of the Collective Security Council," Lukashenko said, referring to Armenia skipping the summit.

Read also: Armenia joins over 65 nations in Malta to chart course for ending war in Ukraine

The Belarusian dictator added that "there have always been and will be problematic issues," but they should be "resolved at the negotiating table, not by making demarches for no reason."

Read also: Armenia officially delivers humanitarian aid to Ukraine

The CSTO summit began on Nov. 23, in Minsk, Belarus.

On Nov. 14, Lukashenko invited Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan to the CSTO meeting, but the latter refused the invitation.

Secretary of the Armenian Security Council Armen Grigoryan stated that Armenia's presence in the CSTO, which is essentially led by Russia, creates "certain problems" for Armenia, while it is important for Yerevan to cooperate with Western partners on security issues.

Read also: Armenian PM claims his country not Russia’s ally in war against Ukraine, Kremlin reacts

On Nov. 15, Pashinyan assured that his country is not preparing to withdraw from the CSTO, despite the fact that it will not participate in the next meeting of the CSTO Security Council.

The CSTO is a military alliance that includes Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine