Author: Adrine Hakobian

Los Angeles reconfirms its recognition of Artsakh, commits to persuading U.S. to follow

Adrine Hakobian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 12 2020

Having recognized the independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Artsakh seven years ago, the Los Angeles City Council on Thursday urged the United States Government to follow the city’s lead. 

In a resolution introduced by Councilmember Paul Krekorian, the City Council unanimously renewed its own recognition of Artsakh’s independence, and it instructed its Washington lobbyist to advocate for the United States to recognize, at long last, the Republic of Artsakh, Asbarez reported.

Krekorian had previously led Los Angeles in taking a series of groundbreaking steps in support of Artsakh. In 2013, the Councilmember offered a resolution approved by the Council that called on the City of Los Angeles and the international community to formally recognize the Republic of Artsakh as a free, independent and sovereign state.  Krekorian has also welcomed the President of Artsakh and other government leaders from Artsakh at Los Angeles City Hall with full diplomatic protocols befitting the leaders of a foreign state.

In 2018, at Krekorian’s request, the Council declared “Artsakh Day” in the City of Los Angeles and renewed its call to the international community to recognize the Republic of Artsakh as a free, independent and sovereign state.

The City of Los Angeles has also maintained a warm “friendship city” relationship with the city of Shushi in Artsakh.  Krekorian and his Council colleague Bob Blumenfield, together with members of the California State Legislature, were in Artsakh in 2013 for the official naming of “Los Angeles-Shushi Friendship Park.”


Russian peacekeepers use Uran-6 mine clearing robot in Nagorno Karabakh

Adrine Hakobian

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 11:28,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Russian deminers have used the Uran-6 mine clearing robot to clear a part of the Stepanakert airport area in Nagorno Karabakh of mines, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday, reports TASS.

“The robot helps ensure the safety of deminers and increase the effectiveness of mine clearance activities. In addition, demining activities were carried out along the Stepenakert-Shusha motorway and on Achapnyak Street in the city of Stepanakert”, the statement reads.

Russian peacekeepers have so far cleared over 80 hectares of land and 24.8 kilometers of roads of mines, and defused 4,577 explosive devices. “Explosive devices are taken to a specially equipped area and deactivated in accordance with safety requirements”, the ministry added.

In addition, peacekeepers are assisting in the restoration of power lines, a gas pipeline and electrical substations.

Erdogan, at Karabakh parade, says Armenia needs new leaders

Adrine Hakobian
Cyprus Mail
Dec 10 2020
By Reuters News Service

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday renewed a call for a change of leadership in Armenia, as he reviewed a military parade marking that country’s defeat by Azerbaijan in a war in the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Erdogan, who provided military and diplomatic backing to Azerbaijan in this year’s war, offered indirect support for opponents of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is under pressure at home to resign over his handling of the conflict.

“We wish for the Armenian people to rid itself of the burden of leaders who console them with the lies of the past and trap them into poverty,” said Erdogan.

“If the people of Armenia learn their lessons from what happened in Karabakh, this will be the start of a new era.”

Armenia and Turkey signed a landmark peace accord in 2009 to restore ties and open their shared border after a century of hostility stemming from the World War One mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman forces. But the deal was never ratified, and ties have remained tense.

Erdogan issued a similar call for political change in Armenia on Sept 27, the day the six-week war in Karabakh started.

The fighting was brought to a halt last month after Russian peacekeeping troops deployed under a deal that locked in territorial gains by Azerbaijan, a close ally of Turkey.

Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but is populated and, until recently, was fully controlled by ethnic Armenians after a bloody war in the 1990s which saw them seize other outlying regions belonging to Azerbaijan too.

Erdogan, who reviewed the parade in Baku with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, said there was also now a need to hold ethnic Armenian forces accountable for what he said were their war crimes and destruction of villages, cities and mosques.

Armenian forces deny such accusations. They say Azeri forces and foreign mercenaries are the ones responsible for large-scale cultural destruction and atrocities. Baku denies that.

At Thursday’s parade, helicopters bearing the flags of Turkey and Azerbaijan flew over the nearby Caspian Sea, almost 3,000 Turkish troops marched across Baku’s main square, and Azeri tanks and soldiers filed past the two men.

Aliyev paid tribute to Turkey’s support during the war.

“Erdogan supported our position, our just cause, from the very start… Taking part in this victory parade together we are again showing our unity, not only to our own peoples but to the whole world,” he said.

​Protesters in Armenia besiege parliament

Adrine Hakobian
Deniliquin Pastoral Times, Australia
Dec 9 2020
 
 
Protesters in Armenia besiege parliament
By AAP Newswire
 
 
Thousands of protesters have converged on the parliament building in Armenia's capital to push for the resignation of the country's prime minister over his handling of the conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
 
Nikol Pashinyan's opponents are angry at a peace deal that ended six weeks of fighting over the separatist region but allowed Azerbaijan to take over wide areas that have been controlled by Armenian forces for more than 25 years.
 
Armenia's opposition parties gave Pashinyan an ultimatum to resign by Tuesday but he has ignored the demand, defending the peace deal as a bitter but necessary move that prevented Azerbaijan from overrunning the entire Nagorno-Karabakh region.
 
About 15,000 protesters marched through downtown Yerevan to the parliament building, chanting "Nikol go away!".
 
The opposition has been pushing for Pashinyan's resignation since the Russia-brokered peace deal took effect on November 10.
 
Protests have grown over the past days, with demonstrators blocking traffic in various sections of the capital and also rallying in other cities.
 
The Armenian Apostolic Church and all three of the country's former presidents have joined the demand for Pashinyan to step down.
 
Undeterred, the prime minister told MPs in parliament on Wednesday that the country needs consolidation in the current difficult period.
 
"Voices of different groups mustn't be mistaken for the people's voice," he said.
 
Speaking outside parliament on Wednesday, Artur Vanetsyan, the former head of the National Security Service who leads the Homeland opposition party, argued that Pashinyan should step down to allow opposition forces to "normalise the situation" in the country.
 
"Each day he stays on the job raises a new threat to the nation," Vanetsyan said.
 
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.
 
That war left Nagorno-Karabakh itself and substantial surrounding territory in Armenian hands.
 
In 44 days of fighting that began in late September and left more than 5600 people killed on both sides, the Azerbaijani army forged deep into Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing Armenia to accept the peace deal which lets Azerbaijan reclaim much of the separatist region along with surrounding areas.
 
Azerbaijanis have celebrated it as a major victory and the country is set to hold a massive military parade on Thursday – to be attended by visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
 
 
 

AZERBAIJANI press: Azerbaijan’s investment in Turkish economy to reach $20B – MP

Adrine Hakobian
ECONOMY8 December 2020 00:28 (UTC+04:00)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 8

By Elchin Mehdiyev – Trend:

Further expansion of the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey at a new stage is one of the main priorities, Azerbaijani MP Vugar Bayramov told Trend on Dec. 7.

"The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $4.4 billion in 2019," Bayramov added. "In general, there has been an upward trend in trade relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey recently."

The MP stressed that the trade turnover between the two countries increased by 33 percent in 2019 compared to 2018 and by 73 percent compared to 2017.

"So, the total trade turnover amounted to $3.4 billion in 2018, $2.7 billion in 2017," Bayramov said. "There has always been a positive balance in bilateral trade since 2017."

"It rose to a record figure of $1.2 billion in 2019," the MP said. "Azerbaijan has become one of the first countries which invested most of all in the Turkish economy recently. Azerbaijan invested more than $15 billion while Turkey has invested $12.5 billion in the Azerbaijani economy."

"Taking into account the signed agreements, Azerbaijan's investments in the Turkish economy will grow up to $20 billion soon," Bayramov said.

Bayramov considers it expedient if in accordance with the "Preferential Trade Agreement" the list of goods for which the quota and duty were reduced to zero to be expanded. The latest agreement covers 15 commodity groups.

"In general, it would be more expedient if the countries in mutual foreign trade gradually reduce quotas and duties on all goods to zero," the MP said. "It would also be expedient to create a joint special economic zone with Turkey in the territories liberated from the Armenian occupation."

"If we take into account that there will be a corridor between the main part of Azerbaijan’s territory and Nakhchivan, it can create an opportunity for bigger attraction of investments to this region," the MP said.

Opposition forces set December 8 deadline for Pashinyan to step down

Adrine Hakobian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 5 2020

The opposition forces set a December 8 deadline for PM Nikol Pashinyan to hold discussions with his team and resign, Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Supreme Body representative Ishkhan Saghatelyan stated outside the residence of the prime minister.
Saghatelyan stressed that Pashinyan is living his last hours in the residence. 

"We have no preconditions but one demand – Nikol should go and that is all. Two issues can be discussed with him – the date and the time of his resignation. We can also promise he will not face physical threats from the people. If Nikol refuses to resign until 12.00 on December 8, we will start disobedience campaigns throughout Armenia. If he fails to go, we will remove him," Saghatelyan stated.

To remind, the participants of the nation-wide rally organised by Salvation Front for the Motherland headed to the residence of Prime Minister on Saturday to present their demands to Nikol Pashinyan. The march was led by Vazgen Manukyan and other leaders of the opposition.


Armenia confirms course towards deepening strategic relations with Russia, Lavrov says

Adrine Hakobian
TASS, Russia

Nov 21 2020
Pashinyan, Sargsyan confirm their commitment to agreements on Karabakh, Russian Foreign Minister added

YEREVAN, November 21. /TASS/. The Armenian leadership reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening allied relations with Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Satirday following the visit of the Russian interdepartmental delegation to Armenia.

"The Armenian leadership has confirmed the course towards developing and deepening allied relations with the Russian Federation," he said.

Russia expects that trade and economic ties between Moscow and Yerevan will build up positive dynamics, Lavrov added. "Of course, we very much hope that our trade, economic, investment ties, which, by the way, were minimally affected during coronavirus pandemic, will build up positive dynamics," he said.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Armenian President Armen Sargsyan, during the talks with the Russian delegation on Saturday, reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia on Nagorno-Karabakh, Lavrov added.

"We also met with the President of Armenia. Both he and Prime Minister stressed that this statement helped to solve the most serious problems, helped to save lives. And they are fully committed to ensuring that the agreement is fulfilled in the future," the minister said.

The joint statement by the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh is the only way to overcome the crisis, attempts to question it are unacceptable, Lavrov noted. "It was recognized by everyone that this statement is an uncontested way of resolving the situation, which turned very acute a few weeks ago. It was unanimously noted that attempts to question this statement not only domestically, but also abroad are unacceptable. And we have confirmed our determination to do everything for this statement to continue to work," the minister said.

According to Lavrov, the statement made it possible to end the bloodshed and move on to the processes of a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Lavrov noted that the Russian delegation, which arrived on Saturday with a visit to Yerevan, held comprehensive negotiations with the Armenian leadership.

The main attention during the talks of the Russian delegation in Yerevan was paid to the tasks of clear and full implementation of the statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on the cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, Lavrov added.

On Saturday, Russia’s intergovernmental delegation arrived in Yerevan, which includes Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, and Head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia would send a delegation to Azerbaijan and Armenia, consisting of the heads of a number of ministries and departments. The Russian leader stressed that the delegation’s task would be to consider the most pressing issues of the implementation of the trilateral statement on Nagorno-Karabakh on November 9, including humanitarian issues.

Asbarez: Macron Says France Working on Protecting Artsakh’s Cultural Heritage

Adrine Hakobian

November 19,  2020



President Emanuel Macron of France

France’s President Francois Macron on Thursday said that France will work to protect and preserve the cultural heritage of Karabakh.

“The guns fell silent in Nagorno-Karabakh. We are now working for a heritage and cultural ceasefire, with Armenia, Azerbaijan, our partners in the Minsk group, to preserve and restore the treasure of diversity and wealth of the whole region,” Macron said in a Twitter post.

He said France is ready to provide its expertise and full support for the protection of cultural and religious heritage in Karabakh through UNESCO and the Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflicts.

Earlier in the day, Macron spoke to Prim Minister Nikol Pashinyan, whose press service reported that they discussed the situation in Artsakh.

Both sides stressed the need to resume the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in its entirety.

They referred to the issue of ensuring safe repatriation for tens of thousands of people who have fled their homes in recent weeks and preserving the religious, historical and cultural heritage of Artsakh.

The need to maintain peace and defuse the situation in the region was emphasized on both sides. In this regard, Pashinyan emphasized the critical importance of international recognition of the Artsakh Republic.

The Russian and France foreign ministers also had a conversation about the Karabakh conflict settlement process, a day after the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs met in Moscow. Details of that meeting have not been publicized.

Russia’s Sergey Lavrov and France’s Jean-Yves Le Drian emphasized the implementation of the “end of war” agreement signed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, which ended the military hostilities in Karabakh, but stipulated the surrender of territories in Artsakh to Azerbaijan, including Shushi.

To this end, cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UNDP and the UNESCO were emphasized, with Lavrov clarifying the role of Russian peacekeepers, as well as the functions of the interagency center for humanitarian response.

The ministers agreed that the main priorities at present are the safe return of internally displaced persons and refugees, the unblocking of economic and transport communications in the region, the providing of humanitarian assistance and the rehabilitation of civilian infrastructure.

The Russian, French foreign ministers exchanged views on further steps toward the long-term settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh crisis, based on the principles agreed within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and based on the equal interests of the Azerbaijani and Armenian peoples.

Aurora begins implementing humanitarian programs for people of Artsakh

Adrine Hakobian

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 15:55,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative urgently begins to assist and implement humanitarian programs designed to help children and adults affected by the war in Artsakh, IDeA Foundation told Armenpress.

The first assistance programs will be announced today, .

In addition, Aurora is ready to accept applications aimed at helping affected children, displaced families, and the wounded, both in Artsakh and in Armenia.

At the initial stage, applications can be sent to . The criteria and details of the projects will continue to be clarified further and will be provided in an additional announcement.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1035237.html?fbclid=IwAR0jeniUbR8g2HPTNVaZhyoa84ZXFrLmgMs91-w7fFm5SeLXgg1EIRcTKBE

Martakert-Karvachar-Vardenis road to be under Armenian control for long time – Artsakh’s President

Adrine Hakobian

Martakert-Karvachar-Vardenis road to be under Armenian control for long time – Artsakh's President

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 17:44, 13 November, 2020

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan announced that Martakert-Karvachar-Vardenis road will remain under Armenian control for a long time, ARMENPRESS reports Arayik Harutyunyan wrote on his Facebook page.

''Today I convened an extended working consultation.

I once again emphasized that it's necessary to take urgent measures for returning to normal life. Martakert-Karvachar-Vardenis road will be under Armenian control for a long time and the public concerns of remaining under blockade have no real grounds.

Our citizens that have lost their homes as a result of the war will be mainly inhabited in Stepanakert, as well as in our settlements of the Republic.  They will be temporarily sheltered in hotels and apartments rented by the state, afterwards the housing issue of everyone will be entirely solved by state funding.

No citizen will remain out of focus and the task of the Government is to immediately solve the social problems of all our compatriots'', Harutyunyan wrote.