Author: Diana Dabaghian

Situation along NK Line of Contact remains extremely tense – Armenian PM

Diana Dabaghian

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 12:00, 4 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS. Although there are currently no active combat operations along the Line of Contact of Nagorno Karabakh, the situation remains extremely tense according to the assessment of the NK authorities, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting today.

“We should work on easing that tension. I want to note that with all points of the 2020 November 9 agreements Armenia is running a policy of conducting constructive negotiations in favor of establishing and strengthening peace in the region”, the PM said.

On August 3, two Artsakh soldiers were killed and 19 others were wounded when Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire and launched an attack on Artsakh military positions. The Azerbaijani military used mortars, grenade-launchers, combat UAVs in attacking a permanent deployment location of an Artsakh military base.




Senator Menendez condemns Azerbaijan’s latest attack against Artsakh

Diana Dabaghian
Public Radio of Armenia
Aug 5 2022
August 5, 2022, 20:38

 Less than a minute

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) condemns Azerbaijan’s latest attack against Artsakh, calling for the immediate withdrawal of Aliyev’s troops.

Chairman Menendez’s tweet reads:

“Azerbaijan’s deadly attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh are not only in violation of the ceasefire but also an unacceptable continuation of its recent pattern of aggression. Azerbaijani forces must withdraw from the region & end hostilities against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Two Armenian soldiers were killed, 19 were wounded in Azerbaijan’s fresh attack against Artsakh.

Construction of Lachin alternative road to be completed by spring – minister

Diana Dabaghian

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 17:10, 4 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS. The construction of the alternative road of Lachin will be completed by spring, according to the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of Armenia Gnel Sanosyan.

“We’ve started the construction, the equipment is working, the road is under construction,” he said.

Asked when the construction will be finished, the minister said: “Until spring.”

Azerbaijan kills 2 Armenian soldiers in retaliatory drone strike

Diana Dabaghian
Aug 3 2022

  • Aug 03 2022 08:49 Gmt+3
  • Last Updated On: Aug 03 2022 08:54 Gmt+3

Azerbaijan Defence Ministry said that the country’s military had carried out a drone strike operation titled "Revenge" killing two Armenian soldiers in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Jerusalem Post reported on Wednesday.

Tensions between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have escalated on Wednesday in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Two soldiers of the de-facto Artsakh Republic were killed, and 14 others were injured in Azerbaijani drone strikes in the north-western part of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the Jerusalem Post cited the Artsakh Defence Army.

The Republic of Artsakh is a breakaway state in the South Caucasus, whose territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. In 2020, the predominantly Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh where the republic is situated was recaptured by Azerbaijan after a war with Artsakh and Armenian forces.

In the meantime, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry claimed that Armenian militants fired at Azerbaijani positions in the Lachin district on Wednesday morning, killing one Azerbaijani soldier, the Jerusalem Post said.

Later on Wednesday, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry announced that it had carried out a drone strike operation titled "Revenge" against a number of groups of Armenian forces in the region.

President of the Artsakh Republic, Arayik Harutyunyan, declared a partial military mobilization in the region, the Jerusalem Post said.

In June, a series of clashes were reported by both Azerbaijani and Armenian authorities near the border between the two countries, the Jerusalem Post added.

Opposition MP: No limit to ‘rampant illegalities’ committed by current authorities

Diana Dabaghian
Panorama

Armenia – Aug 3 2022

Lawyer Aram Vardevanyan, an MP from the opposition Hayastan bloc, has condemned the rearrest of opposition activist Avetik Chalabyan ordered by judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan on Wednesday.

Vardevanyan recalled that Martirosyan sentenced then oppositionist Nikol Pashinyan to 7 years in prison back in 2010. Pashinyan and his supporters called the judge “puppet”, “executioner”, “Matso”, etc.

“Years later, this man and his team come to power, and the same "judge” not only remains in office, but also aspires to become the court chairman, thus arresting everyone,” Vardevanyan wrote on Facebook.

The deputy also highlighted that film producer Armen Grigoryan died during his trial presided over by Martirosyan on 15 July.

“Today, the prosecutor dealing with Avetik Chalabyan’s case did not object to another measure of restraint, but the "judge" ordered his arrest,” Vardevanyan stressed.

“In a similar situation, when a person is released from custody, the new Criminal Procedure Code doesn't allow rearrest without new circumstances having emerged, but this was also ignored. In fact, there is no limit to the rampant illegalities committed by the current authorities,” he said.


Armenia lodges new interstate complaint against Azerbaijan with the European Court of Human rights

Diana Dabaghian
Public Radio of Armenia
Aug 2 2022
August 2, 2022, 15:56

 

Armenia has lodged a new interstate complaint against Azerbaijan with the European Court of Human Rights, Representative of the Republic of Armenia on International Legal Affairs informs.

The mentioned complaint, among others, refers to the violation of the rights of the civilian population as a result of the aggression undertaken by Azerbaijan against the villages of Khramort and Parukh of the Republic of Artsakh in 2022, the real threats made by Azerbaijan to the population of the border villages of the Republic of Artsakh, as well as the cases of the use of force by the Azerbaijani armed forces against the civilian population of the Republic of Artsakh during the years 2021-2022, as a result of which the right to life of persons was violated.

The situation is under control of Artsakh’s Defense Army – Davit Babayan

Diana Dabaghian

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 21:10, 1 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh Davit Babayan, referring to the situation in the border area of Artsakh, noted that there is no need to panic.

"Talking about the situation in Artsakh, I should say that there is no need to worry and panic, everything is under the control of our armed forces. I only ask you to follow absolutely official news and not to give in to provocations," ARMENPRESS reports Davit Babayan wrote on his Facebook page.  

Earlier today, the Defense Army of Artsakh had announced that in a number of sections of the northern and northwestern border zone of the Republic of Artsakh, on August 1, starting at 09:00, the Azerbaijani units resorted to provocation, making attempts to cross the contact line, which were stopped by the forces of the Defense Army of Artsakh.




Armenian women have potential to promote and develop science and IT sectors – Vice Speaker of Parliament

Diana Dabaghian

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 14:03,

YEREVAN, JULY 30, ARMENPRESS. FemInno women innovation conference launched in Armenia on July 30. 

Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan delivered opening remarks, urging Armenian women to believe in their powers and move forward. 

“FemInno conference has been organized by women. Speakers are women who have already achieved heights and who are going to share their stories. I want to encourage the Armenian women and girls to follow their examples, believe in their strengths and move forward”, Hakob Arshakyan told reporters. He said that women employment in different areas is few which, in its turn, causes negative consequences.

Armenia needs to encourage and motivate women to be engaged in science and technologies. 

“I am happy for being here. It’s a great honor for me to deliver welcoming remarks at this conference. Each of us should make efforts so that women more intensify their activities in different areas”, he said.

Hakob Arshakyan said holding this format conference is an achievement for Armenia. He expressed hope that this international conference will be exported to other countries as a “production”, adding that the government of Armenia will provide state support for that. 

FemInno conference is being held in Armenia for the first time. The conference will last for two days. The results of competition of startups created by Armenian and foreign women will be summed up during the conference. The conference aims at appreciating, showcasing and empowering women in business, science and technology.

Turkish Press: Türkiye-Armenia normalization: People of border city of Kars want crossings to reopen

Diana Dabaghian
Turkey –


Türkiye-Armenia normalization: People of border city of Kars want crossings to reopen

"Mine clearance is of course valuable, but the people don't use the mined area and don't pass through the mine area, anyway. Border crossings, the railway and the airways should be opened as soon as possible," says the former mayor of Kars.
Ruken Tuncelİstanbul – BIA News Desk, Wednesday 

The normalization process between Türkiye and Ermenistan has led to concrete steps.

On July 11, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke over the phone.

After consultations between the two countries, mine clearance work started on July 14 in the countryside of the İbiş village district on the border with Armenia in the Akyaka district of the eastern Kars province.

What does this mean and what will its contribution to Kars be?

Naif Alibeyoğlu, who served as the mayor of Kars between 1999 and 2009, commented on the normalization process for bianet.

The most important gain was the reopening of the border crossings, he said, adding, "Mine clearance is a bit of formality."

Recalling that they had launched a petition for the reopening of the border crossings in 2001, when he was the mayor, Alibeyoğlu said they had collected 50,000 signatures and nearly all the people in the city wanted the crossings to open.

"Today, the people expect with great hope the opening of the border crossings as well," he said.

"It shouldn't be viewed only as a trade issue, the purpose should be to ensure regional peace. The people need peace now. Activities in many fields, such as trade, culture, and sports, will be steps taken towards the establishment of peace. Effort is needed to take these steps.

"Mine clearance is of course valuable, but the people don't use the mined area and don't pass through the mine area, anyway. Border crossings, the railway and the airways should be opened for use as soon as possible. These steps must be taken to demonstrate the seriousness of the normalization."

Kars has been a migrant-sending province for many years due to tensions with Armenia, Alibeyoğlu said, adding, "The population of Kars was 325,000 until 1999. Today, the population of Kars dropped to 225,000. The number drops despite fertility. It's sending migrants because nothing but animal husbandry can be done in the region."

"However, if the problem with Armenia were to be resolved, Kars, and thus Türkiye, will make a huge economic gain. Factories left because border crossings and the railway are closed. If the 'Doğukapı' and 'Alican' border crossings are reopened, the economy will revive again."

Peoples of Armenia and Kars want peace, Alibeyoğlu underlined, recalling a memory from 1999: "A delegation from Armenia's Gümrü city had come to Kars and they had invited us to Gümrü. As a delegation from Erzurum, Kars and Iğdır, we went to Gümrü. They showed great interest in us.

"We attended a live broadcast on a TV channel and the Armenian officials had told us that we should look to the future and build a common future.

"When we went out on the street, the people told us that the suffering should be left behind and peace should be established. So, the people want peace but the status quos on both sides don't want peace because they benefit from this situation and the people pay the price."

There are many disagreements between the two countries, most notably the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Armenia describes what happened in 1915 as a genocide and says one and a half million Armenians were massacred, whereas Türkiye says the Armenians died in the conflict during the World War I.

Türkiye also opposes the figures stated by Armenia, saying that the exodus order was not systematically implemented and its intention was not to commit a genocide.

The two countries decided to normalize the relations after Azerbaijan won the Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020.

Special envoys of Türkiye and Armenia, which had not had diplomatic and commercial relations for nearly 30 years, met in February for the first time since 2009, when the two countries initiated a normalization process that was eventually terminated.

The border crossings between Türkiye and Armenia were closed following the first Nagorno-Karabakh war in 1993.

Before the closure of the border crossings, the railway between the countries was open for both travel and commerce. (RT/VK)

Russian Foreign Ministry comments on situation around Mikayel Badalyan

Diana Dabaghian
NEWS.am
Armenia –
17:20, 27.07.2022

We are closely watching the unfolding situation in Armenia. Russian Foreign Ministry deputy director of department and press Ivan Nechaev said this when asked if Moscow thinks the Armenian authorities are persecuting pro-Russian activists in view of the situation around Mikayel Badalyan and the untimely death of producer Armen Grigoryan in the courtroom.

"We are sincerely interested in ensuring that our allied country develops in a stable and predictable manner in an atmosphere of peaceful and national harmony. All issues of inner-political life should be solved exclusively in the legal and constitutional framework within the framework of appropriate democratic procedures and, of course, without resorting to violence.

We welcome the call by a number of public and political figures in brotherly Armenia, among whom stands out Mika Badalyan, to develop and deepen our relations with Russia as a priority. We will continue to follow his case, as well as maintain close contacts with all responsible political forces in our friendly country. We are interested in the consolidation of the Armenian society, which would take into account the interests of all its groups. We attach great importance to further deepening of allied relations between Moscow and Yerevan, which is reflected in the joint statement adopted by the leaders of Russia and Armenia on April 19, 2022. At the request of Yerevan, Russia is ready to assist in solving problems facing the republic, including expert participation in the reforms of its system of state administration.

Recall that Mikayel Badalyan, head of the Azatagrum movement, was actively involved in the disobedience actions of the Resistance Movement. He was arrested on May 24 and charged with giving false information about terrorism. On July 18 his arrest was extended for another 20 days.

Last Friday,  Badalyan's health condition rapidly deteriorated and he was taken to the Republican Hospital.

As previously reported, producer Armen Grigoryan died on July 15 during a court session. He had been kept under arrest since May 17 of this year, despite numerous signals that he had health problems which were incompatible with the conditions of his detention.

Armen Grigoryan was charged under Part 2 of Article 226 of the Criminal Code of Armenia for statements in an interview, where he called half of the residents of Shirak and the Ararat Valley "Turks". We should also remind that international organizations have repeatedly criticized the criminalization of insult by the current Armenian authorities.