Author: Babken Chilingarian

Travel: Unlocking Armenia, The Travel Insider’s Destination To Visit In 2020

Babken Chilingarian
Singapore Tattler
March 4 2020
 
 
Unlocking Armenia, The Travel Insider’s Destination To Visit In 2020
 
 
 
By Kissa Castañeda
Mountains, monasteries and a whole lot of mystery await in Armenia, a must-visit this year
There are a few elements that need to come together for a destination to rise in collective travellers’ consciousness, and that build-up has been happening to Armenia. The success of neighbouring Georgia put the spotlight on the entire Caucasus region, an area that also spans Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia and considered the natural boundary between Europe and Asia.
 
Still relatively unexplored, the region offers an interesting blend of East-meets-West delights—rich history, gorgeous scenery, novel cuisine, and lots of adventure—without the swarm of tourists. That it ticks all the boxes speaks of its immense appeal, meaning it won't be long until it floods your Instagram feed. In the case of Armenia, it has already been featured on Kim Kardashian's account, who visited the country in October 2019 to baptise her children and get to know her Armenian heritage better.
 
 
The Government House of Armenia and the Republic Square in the centre of the capital, Yerevan (Image: 123rf)
 
To get a taste of the region, we travelled on Scott Dunn’s 8-day Essential Georgia & Armenia itinerary, which traverses the dynamic cities of Yerevan and Tbilisi as well as the picturesque passes of the Caucasus Mountain range.

Owner of Multi Rest House criticized government`s decision to put people in quarantine in resort of Tsaghkadzor

Babken Chilingarian
Arminfo, Armenia
March 3 2020

ArmInfo. PAP head Gagik Tsarukyan criticized the government's decision to quarantine people suspected of coronavirus in the resort of Tsaghkadzor, at the Golden Palace  Hotel.

The head of the PAP emphasized that this fact is extremely negative.  "People are happy to visit the ski resort in Tsaghkadzor, many  already buy tickets and book hotel rooms, but as soon as people were  brought to Tsakhkadzor for quarantine in connection with the case of  coronavirus, the situation changed. Many canceled the reservation for  hotel rooms, and those who was there, hastened to leave. Now there is  nobody there, "the MP emphasized.

Nevertheless, we note that Tsarukyan , who is one of the richest  people in Armenia, has a large Multi Rest House hotel complex in  Tsaghkadzor. According to inaccurate data, he intends to participate  in the tender for the purchase of Golden Palace, which went to the  balance of the state as a result of a criminal case against its  owner, the former head of the Customs Service of Armenia Armen  Avetisyan, who was accused of corruption crimes.

It should be noted that at the moment in Armenia one case of  coronavirus has been detected, and the patient came to the country  from Iran. Doctors assess his health condition as normal. All who in  one way or another had contact with the patient were isolated at the  Golden Palace Hotel. On Sunday, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and  his family went on vacation to Tsaghkadzor to demonstrate the  complete safety of the resort. Prior to this, he stated that people  who were quarantined would conduct it in decent and comfortable  conditions. To date, none of them have revealed symptoms of  coronavirus. 

‘No one called to see how I’m doing’: Officer wounded by Azerbaijani sniper

Babken Chilingarian
Aravot, Armenia
March 3 2020

                                                       
March 03,2020 19:10 25

Aram Hakhverdyan was the Armenian soldier who was wounded by shots fired by an Azerbaijani sniper on February 15th. He received a wound on his head and had surgery at the Republic of Armenia Ministry of Defense Central Clinical Military Hospital.

On February 15th, at the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan towards Tavush-Ghazakh, an Armenian soldier was wounded by Azerbaijani fire. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke about this during the meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the Munich Security Conference, and said, “Stop this process.”

“I was severely wounded and operated on. But I was treated with indifference by the Ministry of Defense, commanders, and by the Armed Forces. No one called me to see how I’m doing. I served for ten years at the borders. I am an officer and I’m offended. I will not be able to serve anymore after the surgery because the law forbids it based on head trauma and the loss of some functions. I will be forced to leave the army. I would like to know the reason for this indifference. The incident took place at a foothold where two other people have also been wounded. It’s a poor place for a foothold because it’s too close to the enemy,” Aram Hakhverdyan told Aravot Daily in an interview.

According to the officer, he was released from the hospital and was ordered by the doctor to rest. “People from the ministry can come and say that they know I have two children, but they’ll help me with a little bit of money in advance. I have recovered physically, but I am hurting on the inside from this indifference.”

Arpine Simonyan

P.S. The Ministry of Defense did not wish to respond to the officer’s statements. It refused to give an explanation.

Armenian FM and CSTO Secretary General discussed cooperation within framework of military alliance

Babken Chilingarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 27 2020

ArmInfo. Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, at a meeting with OSCE Secretary General Stanislav Zas, expressed hope that the newly appointed  Secretary General will contribute to the realization of the universal  goals of the Organization.

According to the press service of the RA MFA, the interlocutors  discussed in detail the interaction within the CSTO.

Pointing to the important role of Armenia in the security system  within the framework of the CSTO, Mnatsakanyan noted that close  cooperation between the participating countries plays an important  role in improving the effectiveness of the structure, as well as  jointly solving the challenges facing the Organization.

The parties discussed a wide range of issues on the regional and  international agenda.  During the visit, Zas also visited the  Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex for the victims of the Armenian  Genocide and paid tribute to the memory of the holy martyrs. 

Azerbaijan to pay compensation to Khadija Ismayilova as ECHR delivers judgement

Babken Chilingarian

Save

Share

 10:47,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has delivered a judgement in the case of journalist Khadija Ismayilova against Azerbaijan.

The Court concluded that “ the arrest and detention of the applicant, a journalist who had published articles critical of members of the Government and their families for alleged corruption and illegal business activities, had been driven by the improper reasons of silencing her and punishing her for her journalistic activity”, ECHR documents show.

The ECHR ruled that Azerbaijan must pay Ismayilova 20,000 Euros in compensation.

Meanwhile, head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Samed Seyidov, told BBC that the Azerbaijani government will comply with the judgement and fulfill the demand.

This is already the third judgement in favor of the journalist.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Azerbaijani press: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly of Pakistan adopts resolution on reaffirming respect to territorial integrity of Azerbaijan

Babken Chilingarian
POLITICS 20:51 (UTC+04:00)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.22

Trend:

On February 21, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly of Pakistan adopted a resolution on reaffirming the respect to territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Trend reports with reference to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry.

In the resolution the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa values the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Azerbaijan based on principles of respect, trust and mutual understanding and underlines the shared cultural values, common perceptions on global and regional issues and close cooperation in international arena between the two countries.

The resolution states with appreciation Azerbaijan’s unequivocal support for the principled stance of Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir issue based on norms and principles of international law and active membership of Azerbaijan in the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.

The Assembly reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders and condemns the occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia and the genocide committed by Armenian armed forces in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly on February 26 1992, against the civilian population and ignorance of the OIC and UN resolutions and supports the efforts of the Republic of Azerbaijan to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by peaceful means. The Assembly reiterates that diplomatic relations will not be established with Armenia until it withdraws from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and genuine peace between the two countries is achieved.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is one of the four administrative provinces of Pakistan and located in the northwestern region of the country and it is the third-largest province of Pakistan by the size of both population and economy. The Provincial Assembly is a unicameral legislative body consisting of 145 elected members.
The relevant resolutions recognizing the Khojaly genocide and urging the immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces from the occupied Azerbaijani lands, supporting the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan were adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate of Pakistan in 2012 and the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Pakistani National Assembly in 2017.

Sports: Armenian wrestler Artur Aleksanyan says will do his best to win his second Olympic gold

Babken Chilingarian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 21 2020

Greco-Roman wrestler Artur Aleksanyan, an Olympic gold medalist and five-time European champion, claims the Armenian people’s support motivates him to win more titles. 

Speaking to reporters during the award ceremony of the 10 best athletes of the year at the Presidential Palace, Aleksanyan reiterated his commitment to take every effort to gain more victories.

“This year too I will do my best to win the second Olympic gold medal," the athlete said.

Asked whether Prime Minister Pashinyan's statement on winning at least 25 Olympic gold medals by 2050 is realistic, he said he cannot say how many Olympic champions Armenia will have in 2050, but is confident that they will be more than two. "But it would be great if I won some of those 25 medals,” he said.

“I believe we need to work hard. Athletes should set goals and achieve them. In that case we will have good results. We feel the support of the government, the Olympic Committee and the ministry,” the champion said. 

PM Pashinyan, EU Special Representative discuss NK conflict settlement issues

Babken Chilingarian

Save

Share

 18:21,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received Toivo Klaar, the European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia.    Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Victorin was also present at the meeting.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan expressed satisfaction over the development process of the Armenia-EU relations, noting that bilateral partnership has intensive dynamics. The PM noted that at the moment Armenia is in the stage of holding a referendum on Constitutional changes and spoke about its goals.

During the meeting the interlocutors discussed issues related to the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Pashinyan noted that Armenia is committed to the peaceful settlement of the conflict in line with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’ format. He highlighted the involvement of Artsakh’s civil society in the confidence building measures, which will foster the establishment of constructive atmosphere and the negotiation process.

The Armenian PM and the European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia also exchanged views on other issues of regional importance.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

‘The Pashinyan-Aliyev debate proved that negotiations have not taken place in 22 years’: Vahram Atanesyan

Babken Chilingarian
Aravot, Armenia
Feb 18 2020

                                                       
February 18,2020 19:00 25

The former chair of the Artsakh Parliament Foreign Relations Committee, Vahram Atanesyan, considers it to be monumental that the Nikol Pashinyan-Ilham Aliyev debate took place in February, which is 22 years after Levon Ter-Petrossian resigned.

In an interview with Aravot Daily, Vahram Atanesyan gave a history lesson, speaking about how the mediators presented a suggestion for the Artsakh resolution in 1997, which is known by the “phase” name. The purpose was so that the sides- Artsakh, Azerbaijan, and Armenia- would sign a peace agreement in the initial phase to allow the Artsakh conflict to be resolved in future negotiations. The agreement was supposed to be that the Aghdam (Akna), Fizuli (Varanda), Jebrayil (Jrakan), Zangelan (Kovsakan), Qubadli (Vorotan), and Kelbajar (Karvachar) regions be returned to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan needed to remove its troops from the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Republic administrative borders. So, the parts of the Martakert and Martuni regions that were being controlled by Azerbaijan needed to be returned to Armenia.

The issue of internal displacement was based on the principle of parity; if Azeris were returning to Shushi, then Armenians were to return to Shahumyan. The political advantage of this agreement was that Azerbaijan would accept Artsakh’s sovereignty and would sign the agreement with Artsakh as an equal. Azerbaijan was supposed to agree to leave the entire Lachin (Berdzor) region under Armenian control. This would have not only created a separation, but also a buffer zone, which would have remained heavily armed and not suitable for habitation. The size of the buffer zone was to be agreed upon until troops left the region. This suggestion was rejected by the authorities of Artsakh and by three main figures in Armenian politics: Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan, Minister of Defense Vazgen Sargsyan, and Minister of the Interior and National Security Serzh Sargsyan. President Levon Ter-Petrossian resigned.

“Why did the mediators, who frequently call upon us to keep the contents of the negotiations private, organize an open discussion?” Atanesyan said, and he responded to his own question. “It seems like they want to tell Armenians and Azeris that there is no secret process in place. They want to show people the approaches of both leaders and allow people to come to their own conclusions. There is no topic of discussion, nor are there any similar perspectives or approaches. So, the last 22 years have been a waste of time. The sides did not even make half a step towards any mutual goal. There was a goal in 1997 to bring an end to the armed portion of the conflict and reduce tensions, which would create a tolerable atmosphere. This would allow the sides to discuss the Artsakh issue without emotions, and Artsakh would also participate in this discussion. The mediators, through publicizing the Pashinyan-Aliyev debate, seem to be hinting that their opportunities and imaginations are running out.”

According to Vahram Atanesyan, the sides need to come up with their own suggestions. Aliyev presented his perspective and Prime Minister Pashinyan presented his “Munich principles.” But they are on two different ends of the spectrum and they do not even have any parallels. What remains is for the co-chair nations to keep the situation under control until it becomes possible to establish a new negotiations agenda,” Atanesyan said.

Nelly Grigoryan


Armenia sees increase in cases of acute intestinal infections, salmonellosis in two years

Babken Chilingarian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 15 2020

Cases of both acute intestinal infections and Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) increased in Armenia in 2016-2018, according to a study carried out by Doctor of Nutrition David Pipoyan, the head of the Food Chain Risk Assessment Center of Armenia’s National Academy of Sciences.

"Cases of intestinal infections have grown to 11,123 from 9,092, while salmonellosis cases have increased to 537 from 361. In January-December 2019, we already recorded 793 cases of salmonellosis,” Pipoyan said in a Facebook post.

“The negative dynamics are obvious. Food safety and public health are closely and inextricably linked. The risk-based decision making also contributes to shedding light on the country's priority issues,” he wrote.