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Author: Bedik Zaminian

Asbarez: Sen. Menendez Meets Armenian Community Leaders in Greece

Bedik Zaminian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 August 27, 2021

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) met with EAFJD and ANC-Greece leaders

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez and his wife, Nadine, met with the President of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) Kaspar Karampetian and Greek Armenian community leaders during the his visit to Greece, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

Karampetian, who is a native of Greece, and the Armenian delegation thanked Senator Menendez for supporting expanded aid to Artsakh/Armenia, zeroing out military aid to Azerbaijan, and for his decades of proactive leadership that led to the 2019 unanimous U.S. Senate recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Karampetian also briefed Menendez on the efforts of the ANC of Greece and EAFJDu to bolster the security and safety of Artsakh and Armenia, as well as work to strengthen ties with Europe.

During his visit to Greece, Menendez is scheduled to meet with a series of Greek officials, including Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to review a broad range of shared U.S.-Greece policy priorities.

Political analysts link highway blocking on Armenian border with problem of transit to NAR

Bedik Zaminian
Caucasian Knot, EU
Aug 28 2021

Azerbaijan has blocked the Goris-Kapan highway for residents of Armenia in order to get concessions from Yerevan on the Zangezur Corridor issue, Beniamin Pogosyan, a political analyst, and Tatul Akopyan, the coordinator of the ANI Research Centre, have stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Azerbaijani State Frontier Service reported an attack on August 25 committed by Armenian militaries on an Azeri border guard. Yerevan refuted the accusations, but Azerbaijani militaries blocked a section of the Goris-Kapan highway and stopped cars with Armenian residents for several hours. On August 26, Azerbaijan blocked the second section of the highway.

Azerbaijan has gained control over the section of the Goris-Kapan highway not according to the statement of November 9, 2020, but in December on the basis of an oral agreement, Beniamin Pogosyan, a political analyst, has noted.

He believes that Azerbaijan was looking for a reason to block the highway in order to put pressure on Armenia and achieve concessions on the issue of a transport corridor between Baku and the Azerbaijani enclave – the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (NAR).

Tatul Akopyan, the coordinator of the ANI Armenian Research Centre, has noted that the Goris-Kapan highway was also blocked from 1990 to 1993 at the peak of the Karabakh war. Since the fall of 2020, Armenian authorities have failed to equip an alternative route.

The problem will persist until Armenian authorities create a full-fledged alternative to the Goris-Kapan highway, Mr Akopyan has stressed.

In Akopyan's opinion, the hopes for Russia are in vain spread in the Armenian society. "It is beneficial for Russia to keep corridors under its control: in this way, it will control both Armenia and Azerbaijan," he has concluded.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on at 04:50 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Residents of Armenian villages deprived of medical care because of blocked road, Residents of three Armenian villages blocked after closure of road from Goris to Kapan, Incident on Armenian-Azerbaijani border requires Russian militaries' intervention.

Author: Tigran Petrosyan; Source: CK correspondent

Source: 
© Caucasian Knot

Armenia reports ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan

Bedik Zaminian
Public Radio of Armenia
Aug 2 2021
 

On August 2, from 11:20 to 12:00, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces violated the ceasefire on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the direction of Yeraskh, the Ministry of Defense reports.

At 14:30 the ceasefite eas violated in the direction of the village of Kut in Gegharkunik provinve.

The Azerbaijani side used firearms of different caliber to fire at the Armenian positions.

After the counteractions of the RA Armed Forces subdivisions, the enemy’s fire was silenced. There are no victims from the Armenian side.

Pashinyan suggests setting up Russian border patrol posts along Armenian-Azeri border

Bedik Zaminian
TASS, Russia

According to acting Armenian Prime Minister, "this would provide the opportunity to carry out works on the delimitation and demarcation without running the risk of military clashes"

YEREVAN, July 29. /TASS/. Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday suggested setting up Russian border patrol posts along the entire Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

"Given the current situation, it would be advisable to consider the issue of deploying Russian border guard posts along the entire Armenian-Azerbaijani border. This would provide the opportunity to carry out works on the delimitation and demarcation [of the border] without running the risk of military clashes," Pashinyan told a government meeting.

Pashinyan noted that he planned to discuss this issue with his Russian colleagues, stressing that Armenia was set to take all the necessary steps to ensure peace and stability in the region.

On Wednesday, according to both sides, intense skirmishes erupted on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. According to Baku, two Azerbaijani military servicemen were wounded, while Yerevan said that three Armenian soldiers had been killed and five others were wounded. Later in the day, a deal on a ceasefire effective 09:00 Moscow time on July 28 was reached thanks to Russia’s initiative. However, on Thursday, the sides reported new shellings of their positions.

The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has been tense since May 12 when Armenia’s Defense Ministry said that the Azerbaijani armed forces had tried to carry out "certain activities" in a border area in the Syunik Province in a bid to "adjust the border." Territorial disputes between the two sides have surfaced sporadically since then.

CSTO Rejects Yerevan’s Appeal for Help in Armenia Border Breach by Azerbaijan

Bedik Zaminian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 July 3, 2021

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories


The Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization—CSTO—has rejected an appeal from Yerevan, which was made in May after Azerbaijani forces breached Armenia’s sovereign borders and advance their positions into the Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces.

Calling it a “border incident,” the CSTO’s Secretary-General Stanislav Zas told journalists on Saturday that the situation does not fall under the organization’s charter on collective defense.

“You have to understand that the potential of the CSTO is used only in the event of an aggression, an attack [on one of the member countries]. Here we are dealing, in fact, with a border incident. Thank God, there are no casualties, there is no shooting there. This is a border incident, it must be solved, and we are in favor of solving it peacefully,” said Zas.

Last month an Armenian soldier was killed and six others were taken hostage by Azerbaijani forces, escalating an already tense situation. According to Armenian officials there are 1,000 Azerbaijani soldiers currently on Armenia’s sovereign territory, who pose a threat to the lives of Armenian citizens living in the border areas.

In his remarks, Zas claimed there was no escalation of the conflict.

“Actually, we cannot speak about any escalation of the situation there. This is already good, this is already a result. There is a lot of work ahead on the border issue, the resolution of all these controversial issues, but they need to be resolved at the negotiating table,” said Zas.

The CSTO Secretary General explained that after receiving the appeal from Armenia in May, the organization held consultations on the situation in the border regions of the country.

“Consultations were held at the level of defense ministers, secretaries of security councils, and I contacted both the Armenian foreign minister and the defense minister. We discussed this situation. In addition, we already had a general discussion of this situation during the Ministerial Council [Council of Ministers Foreign Affairs of the CSTO] in Dushanbe,” said Zas.

“A decision to form a monitoring mission was not made, although, of course, the situation is being monitored,” said Zas, adding that organization receives the necessary information from many sources, including from Armenia and Russian peacekeepers.

Arayik Harutyunyan appointed chief of staff at PM’s Office

Bedik Zaminian

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 13:22, 1 July, 2021

YEREVAN, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a decision on relieving Arsen Torosyan from the position of chief of staff at the PM’s Office.

According to Pashinyan’s another decision, Arayik Harutyunyan, who was serving as Chief Advisor to the PM, has been appointed chief of staff at the PM’s Office.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Arayik Harutyunyan replaces Arsen Torosyan as Pashinyan’s chief of staff

Bedik Zaminian
Panorama, Armenia
July 1 2021

Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has replaced his chief of staff.

According to a decree signed on Thursday, Arsen Torosyan, who managed the prime minister’s staff from January 18, was replaced by Arayik Harutyunyan after the latter was dismissed as Pashinyan’s chief advisor.

Torosyan previously served as Armenia’s health minister, while Harutyunyan was the education minister.

In a post on Facebook, Torosyan wished Harutyunyan every success and thanked his colleagues.

Some Armenian users deplored the decision in comments on Torosyan’s post, with one of them saying the replacement won't help improve the bad management.

Armenian Church welcomes Pashinyan’s invitation for dialogue

Bedik Zaminian
Public Radio of Armenia
June 22 2021

The Armenian Church has welcomed acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s invitation for dialogue.

The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has hailed the importance of Pashinyan’s call for solidarity, unity, consolidation of the national potential for the establishment of a safe, prosperous and progressive life in the homeland, as well as the need to put an end to swearing and hate speech in the political field.

“The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin expects that the newly formed government will take practical, consistent steps to implement their own offer of cooperation with the Church and build public solidarity,” the Church said in a statement.

“Aware of its important mission especially in times of crisis, the clergy must continue to do everything so that our people can overcome the difficulties and challenges of their lives,” the Mother See said.

Putin, Pashinyan discuss Nagorno-Karabakh during phone call, says Kremlin

Bedik Zaminian
TASS, Russia
June 24 2021
During an exchange of opinions on Nagorno-Karabakh, they stressed the importance of steady implementation of agreements between leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan dated November 9, 2020, and January 11 of this year
– Russian Politics & Diplomacy – TASS

MOSCOW, June 24. /TASS/. Russia will continue its mediation efforts to ensure stability in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Kremlin press service informed on Thursday after the phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.

"During an exchange of opinions on Nagorno-Karabakh, they stressed the importance of steady implementation of agreements between leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan dated November 9, 2020, and January 11 of this year. Russia will continue active mediation efforts aimed to ensure stability in the region," the message says.

The leaders agreed to maintain contact in the future, the Kremlin stated.

For its part, the Armenian government’s press service reaffirmed that Putin and Pashinyan discussed the implementation of agreements on Nagorno-Karabakh. "In this context, Acting Prime Minister of Armenia stressed the primary role of returning prisoners of war," the press service stated.

On June 23, Putin also discussed Nagorno-Karabakh in a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, 2020, with intense battles in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. On November 9, Putin, Aliyev, and Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. According to the document, the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides remain at their positions, and a number of districts, including the Kalbajar District, come under the control of Baku. Russian peacekeepers were deployed along the engagement line and the Lachin corridor in Nagorno-Karabakh.

ANCA Summer Academy to Jumpstart High School Engagement in the Armenian Cause

Bedik Zaminian
by Contributor

 

 

 

in Community, Latest, News, Top Stories

The ANCA Summer Academy will provide a select group of 10 high school students a week-long intensive program in grassroots advocacy and opportunities to explore careers in policy, politics, and media. Successful applicants are high school students 17-19 years of age with a strong background and interest in community youth activism.

Inaugural Washington Week to Inspire Careers in Politics and Policy; Explore Best Practices in Grassroots Pro-Artsakh/Armenia Civic Participation

WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America is expanding its youth advocacy and career development efforts to high schoolers, with the launch of the ANCA Summer Academy from August 9 to 14 in Washington.

The online application form for the competitive 10-person program is available at anca.org/summer.  The deadline to apply is July 9, 2021. Students accepted into the program will be notified by Monday, July 12.

“Karekin Njdeh famously said that to see the future of a nation, look to its youth.  Armenian American youth – through their efforts online and on the ground – are the engine of present-day pro-Artsakh/Armenia activism, as demonstrated during the most recent Turkey/Azerbaijan attacks against the Armenian homeland,” stated ANCA Program Director Alex Manoukian. “The ANCA Summer Academy seeks to foster and develop our youth leadership, expanding our federal advocacy at the high school level and providing ladders of opportunity for careers in public service.”

During its inaugural year, the one-week, intensive program will bring a select group of high school students 17-19 years of age with proven community leadership experience to Washington DC to learn more about the Armenian Cause and how our policy priorities are advanced within the framework of America’s federal government. The ANCA Summer Academy will focus on ongoing efforts with the Biden Administration and the 117th Congress to strengthen and improve U.S.-Armenia relations and to ensure that the U.S. Government’s policies with respect to Artsakh align with our nation’s own values with respect to freedom and democracy.

The ANCA Washington DC team of professionals will utilize modern tools, training, and skills to instruct and evaluate those who are selected to participate in the 2021 class of the ANCA Summer Academy. The program will involve direct engagement with federal policymakers, ANCA experts and a range of professionals who are involved in matters related to both the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh. The Academy will also benefit from presentations from both those who have worked on issues related to the Armenian Cause for decades and those who are currently working in Washington, DC on contemporary matters – such as securing much needed U.S. aid to the Republic of Artsakh’s citizens.  Throughout the program, ample opportunities will be provided to explore Washington, DC and make lasting friendships.

ANCA Summer Academy participants will be staying at the ANCA Aramian House, a landmark property in downtown Washington, DC which serves as the home and permanent headquarters of the ANCA’s signature youth programs.  The Aramian House is named in honor of the late community leader and philanthropist Martha Aramian of Providence, Rhode Island.

The ANCA Summer Academy is the latest in the series of youth empowerment and career development programs including the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program, Leo Sarkisian Internship Program, Maral Melkonian Avetisyan Summer Fellowship, and the ANCA Rising Leaders Program.

The ANCA Summer Academy will provide a select group of 10 high school students a week-long intensive program in grassroots advocacy and opportunities to explore careers in policy, politics, and media.  Successful applicants are high school students 17-19 years of age with a strong background and interest in community youth activism.