Author: Aram Torosian

Turkish press: Turkiye wins 2 gold medals at IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships

Aram Torosian
Selcuk Bugra Gokalp   |20.05.2022


ANKARA

Turkish boxer Buse Naz Cakiroglu won the gold medal on Friday in the 50 kilogram category of the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships.

Cakiroglu beat Colombia's Ingrit Lorena Valencia Victoria 5-0 in the Women's Light Fly final.

The bronze medals were shared between Uzbek Aziza Yokubova and Spaniard Laura Fuertes Fernandez.

The 25-year-old Cakiroglu had eliminated Mongolian Mungunsaran Balsan in the first round, Algerian Roumaysa Boualam in the second, Aira Cordero Villegas in the quarterfinals, and Fernandez in the semifinals.

Hatice Akbas wins gold in 54 kg

In the Women's Bantam (52-54 kg) category, Hatice Akbas was awarded the gold on Friday after beating Lacramioara Perijoc of Romania 3-2 in the final.

The bronze medals were shared by Kazakh Dina Zholaman and Thai Preedakamon Tintabthai.

After passing the first round without a match, the Turkish boxer eliminated German Zeina Nassar in the second round, followed by Armenian Ekaterina Sycheva in the third, Bulgarian Stanimira Petrova in the quarterfinals, and Thai Tintabthai in the semifinals.

This marked the third gold medal for Turkiye in the organization as Ayse Cagirir had bagged another top prize in the women's 48 kg category.

Commission on delimitation and border security to meet in Moscow next week, Armenian FM says

Aram Torosian
Public Radio of Armenia
May 12 2022
May 12, 2022, 17:15

 1 minute read

The meeting of the commissions of Azerbaijan and Armenia on delimitation and border security is scheduled for next week in Moscow, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Thursday.

“I would like to inform you that we have talked with our Azerbaijani colleagues on the issue of creating commissions on delimitation and border security. And it seems that there is an agreement with Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk that there is going to be a meeting on opening of regional communications in Moscow on May 16-17, and there is also an agreement that a bilateral meeting on delimitation and border security will be organized on the same days in Moscow,” Mirzoyan said at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Under an agreement reached at a meeting held on April 6 in Brussels with the participation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and European Council President Charles Michel, Baku and Yerevan were to form a joint commission on delimitation of the border, the first meeting was planned to be held before the end April.

Turkey Plans to Fully Normalize Ties With Armenia Published May 5th, 2022

Aram Torosian
May 5 2022
Published May 5th, 2022
Highlights
Türkiye’s Ambassador, Serdar Kilic, and the Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Ruben Rubinyan, “reiterated their agreement to continue the process without preconditions."

Turkish and Armenian envoys for the normalisation of ties between the two countries have reaffirmed their goal of “achieving full normalisation."

“The special representatives reaffirmed the declared goal of achieving full normalisation between their respective countries through this process,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

It came after the third meeting of Turkish and Armenian envoys in the Austrian capital Vienna.

The envoys discussed the possible steps that can be taken for tangible progress in normalisation, the statement said.

Türkiye’s Ambassador, Serdar Kilic, and the Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Ruben Rubinyan, “reiterated their agreement to continue the process without preconditions,” it added.

Kilic was named as Türkiye’s special envoy to discuss steps towards normalisation with neighbouring Armenia on December 15, 2021. Three days later, Armenia appointed its own special representative, Rubinyan.

Mending ties

The first round of talks was held in Russia’s capital, Moscow, on January 14, with both parties agreeing to continue negotiations without any preconditions. 

The Turkish and Armenian envoys met for the second time in Vienna on February 24.

Also, a historic bilateral meeting took place between the Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye on March 12.

As part of the efforts, Türkiye and Armenia have also resumed commercial flights as of February 2 after a two-year hiatus.

The two countries have been divided on a range of issues, including the 1915 events in the Ottoman Empire and Armenia’s occupation of Karabakh in 1993. 

Since then the land border between Türkiye and Armenia has been closed.

On October 10, 2009, the two neighbouring countries signed a peace accord, known as the Zurich Protocols, to establish diplomatic relations and open the border, but failed to ratify the agreement in their respective national parliaments.

Relations between Ankara and Yerevan entered a new phase in the fall of 2020 with the end of the second Karabakh war, which lasted 44 days and in which Türkiye helped Azerbaijan recapture its territory.

This article has been adapted from its original source.



Azerbaijan determines checkpoints on its border with Armenia

Aram Torosian
May 6 2022
  • JAMnews
  • Baku

Checkpoints at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border

The authorities of Azerbaijan and Armenia are preparing for negotiations on the delimitation of the border between the two countries within the framework of a bilateral commission. Baku has already decided on the locations of two checkpoints on the border with Armenia. The corresponding decision of the Cabinet was signed by the Prime Minister of the country.

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Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov signed a decision, according to which the places of two border checkpoints (BCP) on the border with Armenia were determined.

According to the document, the checkpoints will appear in the settlements of Eyvazly and Ghazanchy, located respectively in Gubadli and Zangilan regions, bordering Armenia.

In addition, the document refers to two more new border checkpoints. They were created at the international airports “Fizuli” and “Zagatala”, located in the regions of the same name.

The Fizuli airport, which opened in October 2021, is one of three air harbors that should appear in the territories returned to Azerbaijan’s control as a result of the second Karabakh war. The opening of the Zangilan airport is scheduled for the end of this year, and the Lachin airport should be put into operation in 2024.

The road between the cities of Goris and Kafan in Armenia passes through the village of Eyvazli in the Gubadli region, where one of the checkpoints on the border with Armenia will be located. The customs post of Azerbaijan already operates there, which serves trucks moving in the direction of Karabakh.

Azerbaijan has established police and customs checkpoints on the section of the road between the Armenian cities of Goris and Kapan, stopping Iranian trucks and requiring them to pay fees in order to pass

Near the village of Gazanchi, Zangilan region, where the second checkpoint will be created on the border with Armenia, there will be a highway to the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, an exclave of Azerbaijan. Most likely, this border checkpoint will become part of the Zangezur transport corridor. Near Gazanchi there is also the route of the former railway from Azerbaijan to Kapan, which was destroyed after the first Karabakh war.

Armenpress: Edited by President Khachaturyan, Armenian translation of R. Thaler’s Misbehaving out now

Aram Torosian

Edited by President Khachaturyan, Armenian translation of R. Thaler’s Misbehaving out now

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 09:39, 6 May, 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian translation of Richard Thaler’s Misbehaving is already available to readers.

Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics is a book by Richard Thaler, economist and professor at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. He won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2017.

The Armenian-language version was translated by Nune Gabrielyan, and edited by the President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan himself, who is an economist by profession. 

Vahagn Khachaturyan began working on the book around two years ago, back when he wasn’t serving as President.

During the presentation ceremony, President Khachaturyan said the Armenian translation of the book is of high significance for him and other economists.

“Misbehaving is an interesting story about revising academic disciplines, economics, and changing our way of thinking about ourselves and the world. This translation would be a great read for economists and businessmen, for their everyday economic activities, where they will find many answers to their questions, such as why some business ventures fail and others succeed,” the President said.

Praising the initiative, the Rector of the National Polytechnic University of Armenia Gor Vardanyan said that Thaler’s book includes approaches that are not formal and were born as a result of combining science, philosophy and psychology.

He added that each professional has its philosophy and psychology and that the book will benefit many young engineers.

The Armenian-version of the book was published by Antares Publishing House and sponsored by Arsen Ghazaryan, the Chairman of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia and Director of the Apaven Company.

‘Shady and corrupt deal’: Pashinyan responds to criticism over ZCMC transaction

Aram Torosian
Panorama
Armenia – May 5 2022

At a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Nikol Pashinyan hit back at criticism over the suspicious transfer of 15% shares of the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC) to the government by Industrial Company JSC, a subsidiary of Russian billionaire Roman Trotsenko's GeoProMining.

"From time to time this topic comes up: they say that the state refuses to reveal how it became the owner of ZCMC shares. Some even suggest that it is part of a shady and corrupt deal," he said.

"If an official or one of his relatives had acquired the stake through an offshore company, no one would have cared, as it has always been the case. But the fact that the state acquired the property somehow seems doubtful," Pashinyan noted.

"What's suspicious about it? An investor who acquired a stake from previous shareholders decided to make a donation to the Republic of Armenia and the latter gladly accepted it. Why did the investor decide to make a donation? Simply because we said in the past that this was not one transaction. It’s about a $4 billion investment program which simply can't be implemented without state participation," Pashinyan said, adding it refers to the construction of a copper smelter and a new nuclear power plant.

Thus, Nikol Pashinyan, in fact, confessed that he had snatched a share from the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine.

Expert: Armenia-Turkey process might be slow due to Russia’s stance

Aram Torosian
PanARMENIAN
Armenia – May 4 2022
May 4, 2022 – 11:42 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - British journalist and writer on the Caucasus Thomas de Waal believes that the Armenian-Turkish process is moving slow, and according to him, one of the reasons for this might be Russia's position, the Armenian service of Voice of America reports.

Armenia and Turkey last December named special envoys to discuss the normalization of ties. Three rounds of talks followed on January 14, February 24 and then on May 3.

On the one hand, De Waal says, Moscow is interested in reopening transport communications in the South Caucasus, but on the other hand, it fears that the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations may call into question the necessity of a Russian military presence in Armenia.

According to the analyst, both Yerevan and Ankara are aware that the process is only about normalizing relations between the two countries and does not include the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which, he said, can be resolved in the future.

De Waal expressed hope, however, that possible positive developments in the recent Armenian-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Turkish processes could help each other.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in mid-March that Moscow welcomes the course towards the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations,

Asbarez: ANCA-WR Endorses Alex Padilla for U.S. Senate

Aram Torosian
 by Contributor

 

 May 2, 2022

 

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LOS ANGELES—The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region has endorsed Alex Padilla to continue representing California in the United States Senate.

“We are grateful for Senator Padilla’s longstanding friendship and enduring commitment to the Armenian-American community, and are proud to support his candidacy for the U.S. Senate,”  remarked ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “Senator Padilla has been a thoughtful and dedicated leader with a proven track record of empowering Armenian-Americans, along with the many diverse communities that enrich the State of California. We look forward to continuing our work with him to advance the plight for justice for the Armenian Genocide, and to hold accountable those who threaten the Armenian people today,” Hovsepian concluded.

In 2020, Senator Padilla was appointed to replace Vice President Kamala Harris in the United States Senate. Prior to his appointment, Padilla demonstrated a consistently strong track record on Armenian issues and has been a devoted advocate for the rights of the Armenian community.

Senator Padilla first entered public office in 1999 when he was elected to the Los Angeles City Council. He later became the youngest person and first Latino American to be elected as President of the Council in 2001. During his time on Council, Padilla demonstrated a strong understanding of and commitment to the needs of the city’s Armenian-American residents.

Following seven years of service on the City Council, Padilla was elected to the California State Senate in 2006 representing Senate District 20 – encompassing parts of the Inland Empire. As a State Senator, Padilla demonstrated his consistent support for issues of importance to the Armenian-American community, including the remembrance and memorialization of the Armenian Genocide.

In 2014, the ANCA-WR endorsed Padilla’s candidacy for the office of Secretary of State. In his role, Padilla was a powerful advocate for civic engagement amongst first-generation immigrant communities and always made himself and the resources of his offices accessible to California’s Armenian-American constituency. During his tenure, Senator Padilla also participated in the ANCA-WR Grassroots Conference speaking on a panel discussing civic engagement and community activism.

Since his appointment to the U.S. Senate, Padilla has continued to build on his track record of advocating for the rights of the Armenian community. In addition to joining dozens of legislators last year in calling on President Biden to recognize the Armenian Genocide, Senator Padilla introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) calling for a joint State Department and Defense Department report into war crimes perpetrated by Azerbaijan during the invasion of Artsakh in 2020 – including an assessment of the use of U.S. technology during attacks; the use of white phosrphorous, cluster bombs, and other prohibited munitions; and the deployment of Turkey-backed foreign mercenaries.

“I am honored to count on the endorsement of the American National Committee of America-Western Region for my 2022 Senate run. I remain committed to strong U.S. – Armenian ties and leading the call on the global community to recognize the Armenian Genocide so we can prevent future atrocities. I look forward to continue working with ANCA-WR to champion the needs of Armenian-Americans in Congress,” remarked Senator Padilla.

California is home to the largest Armenian diaspora community globally, with up to half a million residents of Armenian ancestry across the county. The Armenian-American community of California has made an indelible impact on the social, cultural, political, and economic fabric of the state.

With primary elections approaching on June 7, Armenian-Americans have an important opportunity to ensure our community’s collective voice is heard, and are poised to play a significant role in shaping the country’s future.

The ANCA-WR will continue to announce its endorsements as it works tirelessly to ensure issues of significance to the Armenian-American community are addressed by candidates ahead of the upcoming elections.

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.

Artsakh doesn’t see any direction of deviating from right to self-determination – President

Aram Torosian

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 13:05, 29 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenians of Artsakh accept the agenda of peace, but on the other hand they do not see any direction of deviating from the right to self-determination, President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan said during the meeting with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.

“Therefore, I want to thank for the view that any topic, any document will be discussed with the Artsakh leadership and will be within the logic of the people. Of course, I want to fix that no other way is possible. We have a long political fight to run. The security component is the most important today”, he said, adding that the stability created by the direct mediation of the Russian peacekeepers today allows to discuss the socio-economic programs.

The President of Artsakh said that the socio-economic programs are important because if there are no people in Artsakh, the political fight and talking about security become nonsense. “That’s why demographics and socio-economic programs today are again relevant. The programs, which have started after the war, continue”, he said.

In his turn Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan considered the fact of infiltration of Azerbaijani units into the area under the responsibility of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh worrying. “We hope that the representatives of the Russian peacekeeping contingent will consistently ensure the withdrawal of Azerbaijani units from the responsibility zone of the peacekeeping forces”, he said.