Author: Alex Jidarian

Artsakh plans to boost ecotourism and agricultural tourism

Alex Jidarian

Save

Share

 15:54, 4 June, 2021

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, ARMENPRESS. The Tourism Department of the Ministry of Economic and Agriculture of Artsakh is carrying out observations after the recent war and is taking actions to create alternative tourism directions in the Republic.

“After the war 80% of the main tourism sites of Artsakh are occupied by Azerbaijan at this moment, but this doesn’t mean that we have lost our potential. There are many sites which have a great tourism potential, and the Republic of Artsakh, in the person of the Tourism Department, is working on creating alternative directions”, head of the Tourism Department Gevorg Arakelyan told Armenpress.

He informed that they have already carried out monitoring, organized cognitive visits to the alternative directions, one of them is the Patara-Tsmakahogh-Kolatak-Vank village direction.

Mr. Arakelyan stated that they are planning to boost ecotourism and agricultural tourism because the country has a big potential for that.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Pashinyan-Macron meeting kicks off in Paris

Alex Jidarian

Save

Share

 15:18, 1 June, 2021

PARIS, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his delegation, who are in France on a working visit, arrived in the Élysée Palace, Armenpress correspondent reports from Paris.

Pashinyan was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The two leaders are expected to hold a joint press conference.

Thereafter, a luncheon will be served on behalf of the French President.

Pashinyan and Macron will discuss a number of issues, including the latest developments on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

After the meeting Pashinyan will visit the French Senate to meet with Speaker Gérard Larcher. Before this meeting, Pashinyan will lay flowers at the bust of world-renowned French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour which has been inaugurated recently in Paris.

After the meeting with the French Senate Speaker, the Armenian caretaker PM will be hosted at the Paris City Hall where a meeting with Mayor Anne Hidalgo is scheduled.

At the end of the visit in Paris, Pashinyan will meet with the representatives of the Armenian community.

[see video]

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia 1st President spokesperson: Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague

Alex Jidarian
News.am, Armenia
June 1 2021
13:58, 01.06.2021

In response to numerous inquiries by reporters regarding Nikol Pashinyan's proposal to debate with the First President, I inform: President Levon Ter-Petrosyan has nothing to speak with the nation-destroying plague. Arman Musinyan, the spokesman for the First President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan, on Tuesday wrote this on Facebook.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has recently proposed a televised debate to First and second President Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Robert Kocharyan. The latter’s political team had already turned down this proposal.


Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 31-05-21

Alex Jidarian

Save

Share

 17:30,

YEREVAN, 31 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 31 May, USD exchange rate down by 0.17 drams to 520.61 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.52 drams to 634.52 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 7.09 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 2.51 drams to 737.96 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 7.04 drams to 31801.36 drams. Silver price down by 8.36 drams to 462.47 drams. Platinum price down by 525.44 drams to 19583.46 drams.

CivilNet: “A unified sense of defiance should be central to our nation,” says Vahan Zanoyan

Alex Jidarian
CIVILNET.AM

07:05

Vahan Zanoyan, in a conversation with Lara Tcholakian, speaks about his memories of the Armenian Genocide, and the challenges his forefathers faced when they were deported from Musa Dagh and Sebastia. He reflects on the impact his family traumas have had on him, and the actions he has taken to keep the memory alive and to transform this trauma into a productive process for the development of Armenia.

About Vahan Zanoyan

Vahan Zanoyan is a global energy expert, writer, retired executive and anti-trafficking advocate. He has served as a global energy consultant to numerous international companies, banks, private and public organizations throughout the US, Europe, the Middle East, Far East and Latin America. He has published two volumes of poetry in Armenian, and four novels in English they include: A Place Far Away (2013) and The Doves of Ohanavank (2014), both of which were inspired by a chance meeting with a very young victim of sex trafficking

Program overview

Armenian leaders share inherited cultural and historical narratives, memories, life learnings and experiences. Down-to-earth, authentic and mindful conversations preserve the stories and legacies of families, and reflect on the lessons learnt from inherited collective trauma and introspective leadership.

#MindfulLeaders

#InheritedLegacies

Armenian PM proposes mutual withdrawal of forces from Armenian-Azerbaijani border

Alex Jidarian
JAM News

    JAMnews, Yerevan

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on May 27 made an official proposal to Azerbaijan to de-escalate the situation on the border.

He proposes to mutually withdraw troops from the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and deploy international observers. The prime minister speaks of observers in the person of Russia or other countries of the OSCE Minsk Group (USA and France).

If the situation is not resolved, it can lead to a large-scale clash, the Armenian prime minister said.

However, Pashinyan’s proposal drew sharp criticism from both the country’s political forces and political scientists.

At the same time, Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan resigned. Some experts interpreted his decision as a categorical disagreement with Pashinyan’s proposal.

On May 27, on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, in Gegharkunik, six Armenian soldiers were captured while performing engineering work. And about. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan interpreted this as a kidnapping, since the military were on their territory. Since May 12, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have advanced several kilometers deep into the sovereign territory of Armenia and are not retreating, despite the demands of the Armenian side. Azerbaijan insists on border demarcation and delimitation.

  • Azerbaijan captures 6 Armenian soldiers at the border
  • Ex-President Kocharian shares his opinion on resolving Armenia’s problems
  • Iranian FM visits Armenia, discusses Armenian-Azerbaijani border tensions, expansion of Iran’s economic presence in the country

Pashinyan considers his proposal to be the shortest way to de-escalate the situation:

“I appeal to the international community and my proposal was also sent to the leadership of Azerbaijan. We agree that very quickly the armed units of the two sides “mirror” move away from the border and return to their places of permanent deployment, and international observers from the Russian Federation or other OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are deployed along the border. “

If the problem of Azerbaijan is connected precisely with the clarification of the borders, then the country’s leadership, according to Pashinyan, has no reason not to agree to this plan.

He explains the presence of international observers by the need to guarantee compliance with the agreements.

The “I Have the Honor” political bloc sharply criticized the proposal to deploy international observers on the Sotk-Khoznavar section of the border. The bloc’s statement says that this could turn Armenia into a field for regional and geopolitical clashes.

Moreover, Pashinyan’s proposal is regarded as a reflection of the “defeatist policy” of the current leadership of Armenia, which has exhausted the possibilities of resolving the situation:

“For the sake of maintaining power, the government of the capitulators is ready to make any concessions, succumb to the blackmail and pressure of Azerbaijan.”

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun party demanded the immediate removal of Nikol Pashinyan from power and the appointment of a new interim head of government.

The statement of the opposition party says that the authorities of the country are responsible for the events taking place on the border of Armenia. In their inaction, according to Dashnaktsutyun, lies the reason that “the enemy is becoming even more impudent.”

The party considers unacceptable the fact that six Armenian servicemen were taken prisoner, and on the eve “a serviceman of the Armenian Armed Forces was killed by an enemy bullet”.

Ara Ayvazyan served as foreign minister for only seven months. He was appointed to this position in November 2020 when his predecessor Zohrab Mnatsakanyan resigned. Both left office amid disagreements with the country’s political leadership.

There are no official comments on the reasons for Ayvazyan’s departure yet. But many believe that the resignation is due to a fundamental disagreement with the position of the acting president. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the crisis on the border with Azerbaijan.

“Pashinyan makes scapegoats out of ministers: he does not give them freedom of action, but in case of failure he puts all the blame on them,” political analyst Armen Baghdasaryan told Kommersant newspaper.

Rumors about Ayvazyan’s resignation began to appear since February 2021.

Orientalist Sergey Melkonyan expressed his point of view on Pashinyan’s proposal:

“one. This statement, like all previous ones, was made without consulting the president or foreign minister. Adopted individually. During consultations, experienced diplomats would explain the absurdity of such a proposal.

  1. The OSCE Minsk Group has nothing to do with the delimitation and demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. It has no mandate to consider such issues. The only thing that the OSCE Minsk Group should do (as it should be from the position of Yerevan) is to consolidate the status of the Republic of Artsakh.
  2. Before making such statements, it is necessary to obtain an appropriate proposal or consent from the “guests” who are invited (if it is not in the OSCE format, but on the basis of bilateral and then multilateral agreements). Judging by the fact that in recent days there have been no direct contacts with Paris and Washington, it can be concluded that neither France nor the United States gave direct consent. Such decisions require lengthy discussions and consultations, which did not exist.
  3. One can expect bewilderment on the part of Russia, since it is difficult to imagine that Moscow would agree to the joint deployment of its forces with NATO representatives in its zone of influence, where it has a military presence.
  4. To make such a decision, there must be consent from Baku. I am not sure that the leadership of Azerbaijan and Turkey will agree to a French or American presence. Unless, of course, Pashinyan plans to place them only on the territory of Armenia, which is even more stupid. “

What Lies Beneath: President Biden’s Deceptive Acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide

Alex Jidarian

<style> .wpb_animate_when_almost_visible { opacity: 1; }</style>

by Guest Contributor

President Biden’s April 24 statement acknowledging the Armenian Genocide (1915–1923+) carried out by Turkey was welcome but flawed.

Indeed, “Turkey” appears nowhere in the document.

Moreover, the State Department swiftly undermined Biden’s virtuous-sounding words.

American acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide isn’t even new.

The U.S. House has passed several resolutions on the Genocide, and a nearly unanimous Congress did so in 2019.

Presidents going back to Woodrow Wilson have described the Armenian ordeals with language such as: an effort to exterminate all Armenians; terrible massacres; mass killings; death marches; and an ancient [Armenian] homeland was erased.

If these don’t describe genocide, the word is meaningless.

In 1951, the State Department cited the Armenian “massacres [as a] crime of genocide” in a filing at the International Court of Justice.

In 1981, President Reagan included “the genocide of Armenians” in a Holocaust proclamation.

Genocide acknowledgments should not — like car insurance — lapse if not renewed annually.

Will the Holocaust become a non-genocide next year if the White House happens to overlook it?

Still, Biden’s statement is noteworthy. It could even reinvigorate several Armenian American lawsuits against Turkey.

But his statement has problems.

Biden tries to take the heat off today’s Republic of Turkey by blaming only “Ottoman-era … authorities” for the Genocide.

After the Allies defeated Ottoman Turkey in WWI (1918), Ottoman General Mustafa Kemal’s (Ataturk) forces continued to massacre Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks.

Kemal also ordered that Armenia be “politically and physically eliminated.”  When he established the Turkish Republic in 1923, Kemal appointed Ottoman genocidists and continued to persecute Christians.

Thus, as President Erdogan himself has confirmed, his country is a “continuation” of Ottoman Turkey. Knowing this, the Turkish Republic has always tried to evade accountability for the Genocide.

Disgracefully, though, Biden tries to assist Turkey in that regard by writing, “We do this not to cast blame” [on Turkey].”

The president has no right to hand Turkey a “Get Out of Jail Free card.”

Just two days later, American Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy tried to help Turkey duck accountability.

“The Armenian Genocide took place in 1915, the [UN] Genocide Convention did not come into force until 1951 … from the legal perspective the Convention is not being applied retroactively.”

Tracy’s reasoning — disputed by experts — suggests that Jews should have received no restitution or reparations because the Holocaust (1933–1945) also occurred before 1951.

Turkey’s genocidal threats against Armenians continue to this day, something the president’s declaration ignores.

In 1993, Turkey was going to invade Armenia were the coup against Russian President Boris Yeltsin to succeed.

President Erdogan has branded Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks “Leftovers of the Sword.”  It’s an obvious, existential threat against Christian populations who survived Turkey’s 20th century genocides.

In 2020, Turkey, its Turkic ally Azerbaijan, and jihadist mercenaries successfully attacked Armenian-populated Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabagh and Armenia.

Erdogan gleefully likened these attacks to Ottoman Turkey’s genocidal invasion (1918) of Armenia. “Today, may the souls of [General] Nuri Pasha, [Minister of War] Enver Pasha, and the brave soldiers of the Caucasus Islam Army, be happy.”

An analogy would be Germany’s denying the Holocaust, threatening Israel, arming its foes, calling Jews “leftovers of the concentration camps,” and glorifying Nazi Germany.

Azerbaijani President Aliyev simultaneously claimed huge chunks of Armenia, including its capital Yerevan.

Turkey and Azerbaijan’s military assaults and threats are all reminiscent of the Genocide.

Biden’s vow that America must “ensure that what happened [the Armenian Genocide] is never repeated,” therefore, rings hollow.

Moreover, Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act conditionally prohibits U.S. aid to Azerbaijan if the latter supports terrorism or engages in aggression against Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabagh/Armenia.

However, the White House just waived Section 907 despite Azerbaijan’s flagrant use of ISIS and other terrorists against Armenians.

Let’s not be deceived by the Biden’s April 24 statement and the State Department’s unprincipled actions.

David Boyajian writes about Caucasus issues. His work can be found at Armeniapedia.

Catholicos Karekin II: We believe our people will find the strength to recover from this ordeal with the help of God

Alex Jidarian
Panorama, Armenia

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, has congratulated Armenians on the Republic Day celebrated on May 28. His congratulatory message reads:

“From the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin we extend greetings and blessings to our entire people, congratulating them on the festive occasion of the First Republic Day.

This year we are celebrating the Republic Day in a difficult and depressing situation for our country, once again reflecting on the reminiscences of the establishment of the First Republic of Armenia.

Our people, who suffered the bitter blows of the genocide more than 100 years ago, also faced great challenges in defending their existence in the eastern part of their homeland, however did not retreat and fought bravely in the May heroic battles, restoring the native state.

The First Republic did not survive for a long time, but it became a visible guarantor of an independent statehood, which inspired the further victories of the revival of our people.

Today, we are concerned about the problems facing our homeland, the ongoing encroachments on our borders, and the safe and secure life of our people.

However, we believe that with the victorious spirit of the May heroic battles, our people, with the help of God, will find the strength to recover from this ordeal, and through joint efforts, strengthen our homeland, reinforce the statehood, and build the bright future of the Armenian people.

May God grant peace to the whole world, to our country and people, and under His insufficient graces will empower us to achieve our national goals, our aspirations for a secure and prosperous life.”

Robert Kocharyan: The Republic of Armenia must show it will not bow to Azerbaijani pressures

Alex Jidarian
Panorama, Armenia

Armenia's ex-president, the leader of "Armenia" pre-election bloc Robert Kocharyan has responded to a question concerning the recent tension on the near-border area of Armenia's Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces where the Azerbaijani forces have advanced into the sovereign territory of Armenia. 

The ex-president's comments came at a press conference with reporters on Tuesday when asked to assess the tactic of the Armenian leaders to solve the issue through negotiations and avoid using military force to prevent a large-scale war.

"First of all, we shouldn't have allowed to be treated like that. If your policy and statements leave an impression you can be treated like that, you will face similar issues in other locations as well. As long as they [ed. Azerbaijanis] have certain expectations from the Republic of Armenia over serious additional concession, they would continue exerting pressures to reach their goals including through provoking such tensions," Kocharyan said. 

"Armenia must show that it will not bow to Azerbaijani pressures which is absolutely not the case in our approach in the current situation. Yes, the matter should be resolved through negotiations. But let me stress if today's issue is solved with the help of Russia, tomorrow we may face another problem on a different section of the border," added Kocharyan.

EAFJD welcomes European Parliament resolution on Armenian POWs

Alex Jidarian
Public Radio of Armenia
May 20 2021
– Public Radio of Armenia

The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) welcomes the urgent resolution of the European Parliament (EP), demanding the unconditional release of all the Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) and captives, still illegally detained by Azerbaijani. The joint cross-party resolution which was co-signed by 47 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), representing the five biggest political groups in the parliament, was adopted earlier today by an overwhelming majority. The voting took place after the plenary, where several MEPs firmly condemned the Azerbaijani barbaric behavior towards the Armenian POWs and called on the EU to take an active part in the process of their release.

The European Parliament expresses deep concern about the reports on the degrading conditions, the inhuman treatment and torture of many Armenian hostages by the Azerbaijani authorities. Moreover, the EP is calling on Azerbaijan to strictly respect the international humanitarian law, according to which the ill-treatment of POWs is a war crime.

Furthermore, the Parliament raises the issue of the Azerbaijani refusal to cooperate with relevant international organizations such as the ICRC and calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to stop prohibiting the access to the Armenian prisoners for the representatives of these organizations or other lawyers, doctors and human rights defenders. In addition, the resolution calls on the Azerbaijani government to fully cooperate with the ECHR by providing an exhaustive list of all persons held in its captivity and detailed information on their conditions of detention and state of health. As a Member state of the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan is supposed to comply with the interim measures of the European Court of Human Rights. Something that the Azerbaijani authorities have failed to do.

In addition to the Armenian POWs issue, the resolution criticizes the latest intrusion of the Azerbaijani armed forces in the Armenian sovereign territory and the violation of its territorial integrity as well as of international law. The EP also deplores the increased level of hate speech and anti-Armenian state policy in Azerbaijan, particularly the opening of the so-called “Trophy Park” in Baku and urges that it be closed without delay.

The European Parliament reiterates its full support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and their mandate to find a sustainable peaceful solution for the conflict based on the OSCE 2009 Basic Principles, including the right for self-determination of the peoples. To conclude, the resolution also highlights the urgent need to send humanitarian assistance and to ensure the security of the Armenian population and its cultural heritage in Nagorno Karabakh.

Commenting on the resolution, EAFJD president Kaspar Karampetian stated: “With the resolution adopted by the European Parliament, the European Commission and the EEAS have an additional powerful instrument in their possession to act more concretely and use all their political and diplomatic leverage for the return of all the Armenian captives. It is an absolute disgrace that the Azerbaijani authorities are using this humanitarian issue as a bargaining chip for more geopolitical or territorial gains. The rights of the Armenian POWs to be treated humanely and to be released regardless of the circumstances of their detention are guaranteed by international conventions signed also by Azerbaijan. Since the end of the war, Azerbaijan is violating all of them”.

“It is also important that with the resolution the European Parliament clearly criticizes the ongoing violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia by Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani invasion must be firmly condemned by the international community,” concluded Karampetian.