Author: Antranik Varosian

President of the parliament of Armenia thanks UNDP Resident Representative for cooperation

Antranik Varosian

President of the parliament of Armenia thanks UNDP Resident Representative for cooperation

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 19:38, 4 February, 2021

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received on February 4 Resident Representative of UNDP in Armenia Dmitry Mariassin, who completes his mission in Armenia.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the National Assembly of Armenia, at the beginning of the meeting Ararat Mirzoyan thanked Dmitry Mariassin for the cooperation and the joint programs implemented in various spheres.

During the meeting the sides referred to the cooperation between the Armenian parliament and the UNDP, which is aimed at the strengthening of institutional capacities of the parliament.

Resident Representative of UNDP in Armenia Dmitry Mariassin thanked for the effective cooperation with the National Assembly f Armenia during his tenure.

Mirzoyan also referred to the Azerbaijani military aggression against Artsakh last autumn and the heavy consequences of the war, assessing the urgent return of the POWs and other detainees as a priority. The President of the parliament also highlighted the speedy elimination of other humanitarian problems and the active involvement of international partners in those activities.

Ararat Mirzoyan wished Dmitry Mariassin new achievements in his future activities.

Turkey in fresh war of words with US over coup plot accusation

Antranik Varosian 
Arab News


Feb. 6, 2021

ANKARA: Turkey has reignited its war of words with the US after a
senior Turkish minister accused Washington of being behind the
country’s failed 2016 coup.
Suleyman Soylu, Turkey’s interior minister, blamed the US for
orchestrating the failed overthrow attempt and for hosting preacher
Fethullah Gulen, who has been accused of controlling the uprising
through a deep cover network hidden within the Turkish state.

Washington further fanned the flames in statements claiming that
Turkey initiated a “disproportionate crackdown” on domestic student
protests.

The accusations come as Turkey looks to repair strained ties with the
US following last year’s sanctions over the sale of Russia’s S-400 air
defense system.

Ankara has opened several diplomatic channels with regional rivals,
including Greece, France and Israel, and has halted aggressive moves
in the Mediterranean as a goodwill gesture to the Biden
administration.

Max Hoffman, a Turkey analyst from the Washington-based Center for
American Progress, said that Soylu’s accusation could be connected to
an ongoing domestic power struggle within Turkey.

“I have to wonder at a certain point if Soylu is actively trying to
undermine Erdogan. The official line is clearly to try for a reset.
The economy is in shambles. And Soylu is the conservative heir
apparent,” he said.

The US State Department has condemned the accusation as “unfounded and
irresponsible.”

“The US had no involvement in the 2016 attempted coup in Turkey and
promptly condemned it. Recent assertions to the contrary made by
senior Turkish officials are wholly false,” it said.

Washington’s rejection of Turkish demands for Gulen’s extradition have
angered Ankara in the past.

Experts have said that the Biden administration will be tougher on
Turkey over its human rights and democratization record, contrary to
the hands-off approach put forward by previous administrations.

It remains to be seen how Biden’s team will push for harder lines on
Turkey’s democratic record, considering its status as a NATO ally.

“Contrary to Turkey-EU relations, Ankara’s relationship with
Washington doesn’t have concrete elements such as financial support to
refugees or a customs union as the centerpieces of their dealings,”
Marc Pierini, an academic and former EU envoy to Turkey, told Arab
News.

He said that Ankara “cannot attempt to leave rule-of-law issues on the
side when talking to Washington.”

Turkey has blamed “foreign meddling” for playing a role in ongoing
student protests throughout the country, with a harshly worded foreign
ministry statement pointing to a “US finger” in the demonstrations.

“We warn certain circles abroad not to use language provoking groups
that resort to illegal ways and encourage illegal actions,” the
statement said.

Police attacks on protesters in Turkey have alarmed Washington. About
600 people have been detained, with protests spreading to major cities
and the government labeling demonstrators “terrorists.”

On Friday, a group of 3,317 academics around the world released a
joint statement criticizing Turkey and calling for the resignation of
Bogazici University’s new rector Melih Bulu, who was appointed by
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a political loyalist.

US activist Noam Chomsky branded the student protests as “courageous
and honorable.”

Armenian MP appeals to women leaders in Europe to force Azerbaijan to release civilian prisoner Maral Najarian

Antranik Varosian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 6 2021

Armenian MP Naira Zohrabyan from the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party has appealed to women leaders in Europe to force Azerbaijan to release Lebanese-Armenian Maral Najarian and the other Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) from captivity.

Maral Najarian had moved to Berdzor, Artsakh after the massive Beirut port explosion. She was taken prisoner on Goris-Stepanakert highway when heading to Berdzor to transport her personal belongings to Yerevan after the end of the war on 11 November 2020.

Azerbaijan has already officially confirmed the fact of the woman's capture and some reports suggest that she is being kept in Gobustan prison, about 70 km away from Baku.

“I have appealed to the women leaders of Europe, as well as all organizations dealing with human rights and women's issues to force Azerbaijan to release Maral and all the other POWs,” the MP wrote on Facebook.

“I have appealed to all the women of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to call on Azerbaijan and Aliyev’s spouse, a UNESCO goodwill ambassador, to immediately return civilian captive Maral Najaryan to Armenia.

“I have appealed to UNESCO, which awards the title of goodwill ambassador to the wife of a war criminal country’s president, so that the organization urges, within its mandate, its Azerbaijani goodwill ambassador not to trample on international humanitarian law, not to keep Armenian prisoners and Maral Najarian as a “political currency” and immediately return all POWs to Armenia under the Third Geneva Convention,” Zohrabyan said.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 02/05/2021

Antranik Varosian 
                                                Friday, 

Armenia To Build New Hospitals With World Bank Loans


Armenia - A newly built hospital in Vanadzor, November 10, 2018.

The World Bank has approved $7.4 million in fresh loans designed to help the 
Armenian government build and equip two new provincial hospitals.

In a statement issued late on Thursday, the bank said they will serve as 
“additional financing” for a healthcare project launched in Armenia in 2013. It 
had lent the country’s former government $35 million at the time.

The statement said the expanded project will close “financial gaps” for the 
construction of the hospitals that will be located in Gegharkunik and Vayots 
Dzor provinces.

It quoted the head of the World Bank office in Yerevan, Sylvie Bossoutrot, as 
saying that more than 137,000 local residents will gain access to “quality 
medical care” as a result of the project. The bank has already financed the 
construction of 18 regional medical centers in Armenia, said Bossoutrot.

The statement added that the extra funding will also increase the country’s 
capacity to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

“Due to limitations in hospital capacity during the pandemic for clinical 
management of COVID-19 cases in Vayots Dzor region, cases requiring intensive 
care were transferred to hospitals in surrounding regions, introducing delays in 
accessing services and increasing the risk of mortality,” it said.



Armenia Slides In Global Democracy Ranking

        • Artak Khulian

ARMENIA -- Police detain demonstrators during a rally demanding the resignation 
of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian over his handling of the conflict with 
Azerbaijan, December 8, 2020.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a London-based think-tank, has downgraded 
Armenia’s position in its annual survey of the state of democracy around the 
world.

Armenia fell from 86th to 89th place in the EIU’s latest Democracy Index after 
rising substantially in the global ranking during the previous two years.

The EIU rates 167 countries and territories on five indicators, including civil 
liberties and electoral process and pluralism, and divides them into four 
categories: “full” and “flawed” democracies, “hybrid regimes” and “authoritarian 
regimes.”

Armenia remains in the “hybrid regime” category of nations with an aggregate 
democracy “score” of 5.35 out of 10. The EIU gave it 5.54 points in the 
Democracy Index 2019 released a year ago.

“Armenia’s score declined significantly in 2020, after the country had bucked 
the regional trend and registered significant improvement in 2018-19,” reads 
latest EIU report.

“As a result of the armed conflict with Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of 
Nagorny Karabakh, the Armenian government imposed martial law which 
significantly limited citizens’ freedoms, including freedom of expression. 
Martial law continued even after the fighting was ended via a ceasefire and was 
used as a pretext to disperse anti-government protests and detain opposition 
leaders,” it says.

Daniel Ioannisian of the Yerevan-based Union of Informed Citizens played down 
Armenia’s drop in the democracy ranking. He argued that the country still did 
much better than in EIU surveys conducted before the 2018 “Velvet Revolution” 
that brought Nikol Pashinian to power.

“Although we have regressed, it is not that terrible and not comparable to the 
pre-revolution years,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Friday.

Ioannisian noted that Pashinian’s government restricted civil liberties not only 
during the recent war but also after imposing a state of emergency in March to 
contain the coronavirus pandemic.

“For example, the freedom of speech in Armenia was restricted at the start of 
emergency rule, from March 13 to April 16, which was quite controversial. It’s 
good that this restriction was quickly lifted,” he said.

Armenian opposition groups have accused the government exploiting the state of 
emergency and ensuing martial law to crack down on dissent.

They have also denounced it for enacting in June 2020 constitutional amendments 
that significantly changed the composition of the country’s Constitutional 
Court. The court was locked in a yearlong standoff with Pashinian.



Pashinian Hails Lifting Of Russian Travel Ban

        • Satenik Kaghzvantsian

Kazakhstan -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian (R) greets his Russian 
counterpart Mikhail Mishustin at a Eurasian Economic Union meeting in Almaty, 
February 5, 2021.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian again welcomed on Friday the Russian government’s 
decision to lift a coronavirus-related entry ban for Armenians, saying that it 
will reduce their economic hardship.

Moscow banned the entry of visitors from many foreign countries last spring as 
part of its efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic. It subsequently allowed 
citizens of some countries, including all other members of the Russian-led 
Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) except Armenia, to visit Russia.

The ban directly affected tens of thousands of Armenian migrant workers earning 
a living in Russia on a seasonal or permanent basis. Many of them had to return 
to Armenia following lockdown restrictions imposed across Russia last March.

After repeated appeals from the Armenian government Moscow last week allowed 
Armenian citizens testing negative for COVID-19 to enter Russia by air from 
February 1 to March 1. They have to use a special mobile phone application 
certifying negative results of their coronavirus tests taken shortly before 
their departure from Armenia.

Pashinian “noted with satisfaction” the lifting of the ban when he spoke at a 
meeting of the prime ministers of Russia and other EEU member states held in 
Kazakhstan. He said that the move is of “fairly great social and economic 
significance” for Armenia.

Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigorian said on Thursday that 1,423 Armenian 
citizens flew to Moscow and other Russian cities from Yerevan on February 1-3. 
More than 1,260 others returned to Armenia from Russia in the three-day period, 
Grigorian told Pashinian during a cabinet meeting in Yerevan.

Flights to Russia from Armenia’s second international airport located in Gyumri 
resumed on Thursday evening. Gyumri and the surrounding Shirak province have for 
decades suffered from high unemployment and poverty, forcing a large part of the 
region’s population to work in Russia.

“I’m going [to Russia] for work. I was stuck here for a year because of the 
pandemic,” one local resident, Onik Poghosian, said as he prepared to board a 
Gyumri-Moscow flight on Friday.

“My family will stay here and I will come back again,” Poghosian told RFE/RL’s 
Armenian Service.

Armenuhi Ghasaboghlian was at the Gyumri airport to see off her son and his 
family that had emigrated to Russia in the 1990s but returned to Armenia 
following the 2018 “Velvet Revolution.” She said the family decided to again 
leave the country.

“Our living conditions were such that we realized that we can’t sufficiently 
provide for the children,” explained the woman. “We weren’t scared of the 
coronavirus or the war [in Nagorno-Karabakh.]”


Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2021 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Turkey, Azerbaijan Begin Joint Military Drills Near Armenian Border

Antranik Varosian
Big News Network
Feb 2 2021

Turkey and Azerbaijan have begun large-scale joint military exercises in eastern Anatolia near the border with Armenia.

The winter military exercises, set to run from February 1 to 12 near the city of Kars, are the latest sign of deepening ties between the Turkic allies after Turkey threw its weight behind Azerbaijan in its victory against ethnic Armenian forces in a six-week war over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement the drills are intended to ensure combat coordination and capabilities under winter conditions.

On Twitter, it posted a video of two combat helicopters saluting the Turkish flag above Kars castle.

On January 30, a joint Turkish-Russian observation center to monitor the cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh began operations inside Azerbaijan, giving Ankara a greater footprint in the South Caucasus.

Under the Russian-brokered cease-fire agreement reached on November 9, a chunk of Nagorno-Karabakh and all seven districts around it were placed under Azerbaijani administration after almost 30 years under the control of ethnic Armenians.

More than 4,700 people were killed in the flare-up of violence.

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Republished with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036

Famed Armenian pianist Ashot Khachatourian to perform with National Philharmonic Orchestra in Yerevan

Antranik Varosian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 1 2021

Belgian-Armenian pianist Ashot Khachatourian will perform with the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra on February 4 at 19:00 at Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall in Yerevan. As the Orchestra reported in a release, before the main concert, Khachatourian along with his friends will perform a charity concert on February 2  proceeds of which will be used to buy a grand piano for Stepanakert musical school. The February 4 concert programme features Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.3 and Symphony No.2. 

Ahot Khachatourian is considered as one of the most inspiring artists of his generation. He started playing the piano at the age of five with Valentina Melikyan and Elena Galustova at the Charles Aznavour Music School in his home country. He then continued his studies with Gerard Wyss in Basel, Switzerland,  Eliso Virssaladze in Fiesole, Italy, and Maria João Pires at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Brussels. He is a member of the Partitura Movement created by Maria João Pires.

Ashot Khachatourian has particularly excelled in his interpretations of Rachmaninov’s 2nd and 3rd concertos. He won the 1st Prize of the Rachmaninov Piano Competition in 2006 and the 1st Prize of the Martha Argerich Piano Competition in 2007. He is also a Prize winner of the Top of the World Piano Competition in 2011 and Concours d’Epinal in 2013.

The young virtuoso has been invited to perform in BBC Radio London St Luke’sand with many important orchestras such as the London Chamber Orchestra, the Norway Radio Orchestra, Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, the Basel Symphony Orchestra, the Wallonie Royal Chamber Orchestra, The Olympique Orchestra, and to collaborate with masters such as Jan Caeyers, Rodolfo Fisher, Augustin Dumay, Daniele Gatti, Thomas Søndergård, Christopher Warren-Green and others.

Vardan Voskanyan: Armenian needs a victory

Antranik Varosian
Panorama, Armenia
Jan 26 2021

Expert in Iranian studies Vardan Voskanyan commented on the Monday incident in Georgia's Marneuli region, where Azerbaijanis had reportedly attacked Armenian cargo trucks. 

"The attack on Armenian trucks with stones in Azerbaijani-populated region of Georgia shows that the explicit propaganda of the idea  about 'living in peace' after surrendering Artsakh has no touch with reality and is even very dangerous. Unless Armenia has recovered, shown its strength, recorded even a small victory in any sphere against the same enemy, we will not only be ignored but will be stoned further both literally and figuratively. Thus we would have no place to retreat or escape," Voskanyan wrote on Facebook. 

"Armenian needs a victory, and that victory will come," concluded the expert. 

Armenpress: Armenian Armed Forces celebrate 29th anniversary of foundation

Antranik Varosian

Armenian Armed Forces celebrate 29th anniversary of foundation

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 09:00,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, ARMENPRESS. The Republic of Armenia and Armenians around the world celebrate the 29th anniversary of foundation of the Armenian Armed Forces on January 28.

The formation of the Armenian Armed Forces coincides with 1992-1994, when the newly independent Republic of Armenia, along with the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, being in undeclared but de facto war with Azerbaijan, simultaneously embarked on the creation of a national army. The Declaration of Independence of 1990, however, played a decisive role in the creation of the Armenian Army.

On January 28, 1992, the Government adopted the historic decision titled “On the Defense Ministry of Armenia”, heralding the formation of the Armenian Armed Forces. In May of 1992, the Defense Ministry carried out the first drafting.

The establishment of the Armenian Armed Forces passed through several stages. The first stage lasted from February 1988 to May 1992. In this period, ensuring the safety and security of the populations of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh was more than pressing, as the Karabakh Movement became active and the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations escalated.

The second stage, June 1992 – May 1994, when the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh were in the crosshairs of the Azerbaijani aggression.

The third stage began since June 1994 and continues to present day. During this period, significant works were carried out in the direction of improving the combat readiness of the troops, strengthening discipline, training of officers, Army-public relations etc.

In September of 1990, the special regiment of Yerevan was formed, while five companies were established in Ararat, Goris, Vardenis, Ijevan and Meghri. In 1991, the Government approved the formation of the State Committee of Defense.

Men aged 18-27 are subject to compulsory military service in Armenia for a two year period. Drafting is carried out twice a year – in winters and summers. In 2017 the Defense Ministry introduced “I am”, “I have honor” and “Outlook” service options.

Since its establishment, the Armenian Armed Forces have cooperated and continue cooperating with international organizations.

On May 15, 1992, Armenia became a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Military cooperation with Russia has a great role in the international cooperation field of the Armenian Armed Forces. Russia is Armenia’s strategic partner and the defense cooperation between the states is on a high level.

Cooperation with NATO is also expanding year by year.

The Armenian Armed Forces greatly focus on training and educating highly skilled personnel. With this purpose, the Military aviation college was formed, which later transformed into the Military-Aviation institute, the Defense Ministry’s Command College was established – currently the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Institute, and the military-medical faculty of the Yerevan State Medical University.

Graduates of the abovementioned institutions have continued trainings in foreign educational facilities. Namely, more than 1500 officers and cadets have trained and continue training in Russia and Greece.

Armenian peacekeepers have a significant role in the history of the Armenian Armed Forces. Due to the peacekeepers, various countries around the world saw and appreciated the highly skilled and professional Armenian soldiers.

On February 12, 2004, Armenia deployed a platoon-sized unit (three squads) to Kosovo to join the NATO peacekeeping mission as part of the Greek peacekeeping contingent.

In 2005, Armenia deployed peacekeeping forces consisting of sappers, engineers and doctors to Iraq. The mission was on duty until 2009.

Armenian servicemen are carrying out peacekeeping missions also in Afghanistan since 2010.

Since November 26, 2014, Armenian peacekeepers are deployed in Lebanon, within the UNIFIL.

In 2015, one peacekeeper was dispatched to Mali on a monitoring-peacekeeping mission.

The Armenian Army has been and will remain the guarantor of security and borders of Armenia.

Pashinyan expects resumption of air communication between Armenia and Russia will boost tourism

Antranik Varosian

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 11:55,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan expects that the resumption of air communication between Armenia and Russia starting from February 1 will contribute to the development of cooperation between the two states in the field of tourism.

During today’s Cabinet meeting the PM expressed hope that the volume of bilateral regular flights will greatly increase already in late February.

Armenia and Russia are resuming air communication on the sidelines of “I am Traveling Without Covid-19” program, which will launch on February 1.

“This supposes that the flights to Russia will expand. This is a very important program, and I want to thank our partners of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Russian government for this active and productive cooperation. This has been the initiative of the Armenian government which has been supported by our partners and has been funded by the Eurasian Bank”, Pashinyan said.

He said the tourism sector is also waiting for the resumption of air communication between Armenia and Russia, which, according to him, will contribute to the increase in mutual visits and the restoration of the field.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Over 50,600 refugees return to Nagorno-Karabakh – Russian defense ministry

Antranik Varosian
TASS, Russia
Jan 24 2021

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 137 refugees were delivered by buses from Yerevan to Stepanakert

MOSCOW, January 24. /TASS/. More than 50,600 refugees have come back to Nagorno-Karabakh since the ceasefire entered into force in the region, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Sunday.

"Today 137 refugees were delivered by buses from Yerevan to Stepanakert. In total, 50,658 people have returned to their places of residence in Nagorno-Karabakh," the ministry said.

Russia’s peacekeepers are in Nagorno-Karabakh in accordance with the agreements confirmed by the November 9 joint statement on a full ceasefire in the region made by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh is comprised of units from the 15th separate motor rifle (peacekeeping) brigade of the Central Military District.

The Russian peacekeepers have set up observation posts along the engagement line in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Lachinsky corridor that connects Armenia with the enclave to exercise control of the ceasefire observance. The peacekeeping mission’s command is stationed in the area of Stepanakert, the de facto capital of Nagorno-Karabakh. The situation is being monitored round-the-clock.