Author: Eduard Nalbandian

Azerbaijan rebukes France in dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh

Eduard Nalbandian

By Mark Armstrong  with AFP  •  Updated: 28/04/2023 - 13:36

As French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna visits the South Caucasus, Paris is accused of not using its influence on Armenia in the ongoing dispute with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Azerbaijan has accused France of not doing enough to calm tensions in the South Caucasus. 

The rebuke comes as French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna arrived in the region on Wednesday amid renewed arguments between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the long-disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The two countries have fought two wars over the mountainous enclave of Karabakh, and after the latest bout of fighting in 2020, Moscow brokered a ceasefire. 

France has a large Armenian minority, and President Emmanuel Macron has sought to retain Paris's influence over resolving the decades-long Karabakh conflict.

But in the Azeri capital Baku on Thursday, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov spoke to reporters alongside Colonna claiming that France has not used its influence with Armenia.

 "Over these past years, France has never appealed to Armenia," said Bayramov.

Although France is one of the international mediators in the conflict, Baku and Moscow have recently accused Paris of undermining the peace process.

However, the French foreign minister said that while she believed peace is still possible, Azerbaijan and Armenia could do better in trying to end the conflict.

"Progress towards peace requires the renunciation of the use of force and even the threat of force," said Colonna, "and this is a message that applies to both parties. I could also refer to rhetoric that feeds distrustful behaviours where we need to find the path of trust."

The latest tensions between the two countries flared up last weekend when Azerbaijan set up a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor, the only land link between Armenia and Azerbaijan's Armenian-majority region. 

On Thursday, Bayramov said that Azerbaijan had every right to set up the checkpoint on "its territory" and the move was in line with its constitution.

He accused Armenia of using the land link to bring in "arms and ammunition" to Karabakh.

Earlier in the day Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called for "a wider international presence" in Karabakh and the Lachin corridor.

He has repeatedly accused Russian peacekeepers of failing to protect ethnic Armenians living in the breakaway region.

https://www.euronews.com/2023/04/28/azerbaijan-rebukes-france-in-dispute-with-armenia-over-nagorno-karabakh 


Tension in Caucasus is maintained due to long-lasting contradictions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. CSTO Gen.-Sec.

Eduard Nalbandian

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 19:51,

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, ARMENPRESS. CSTO General Secretary Imangali Tasmagambetov stated that tension in the Caucasus region is maintained due to long-lasting contradictions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS reports, citing TASS, the CSTO General Secretary announced on April 28, during the event dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the CSTO Joint Headquarters.

"The world is returning to times of confrontation, with the prospect of further strengthening the potential for conflict. The negative trends have a direct impact on the situation of the entire perimeter of the CSTO zone of responsibility," Tasmagambetov said.

Asbarez: In Brazen Move ‘Welcome to Azerbaijan’ Sign Posted at Illegal Lachin Checkpoint

Eduard Nalbandian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

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

A "Welcome to Azerbaijan" sign is posted at the occupied Hakari Bridge near the illegal checkpoint at Lachin Corridor


All Supplies to Artsakh are Halted

In a brazen move, a “welcome to Azerbaijan” sign was posted on Monday at the occupied Hakari River bridge ahead of the illegal checkpoint established by Azerbaijan on Sunday, which has cut off all humanitarian supply deliveries to Artsakh, according to officials.

Despite reports of ongoing negotiations between the Russian peacekeeping contingent and Azerbaijani representative, the sign reading “Attention! You are entering the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan!” was installed.

The commander of the Russian peacekeeping forces Andrey Volkov is personally engaged in the negotiations, which are heading into the third day.

In a rebuke to Baku, the Russian Defense Ministry on Monday said that, “as a result of the unilateral and not-agreed-upon actions on April 23, 2023, the Azerbaijani side has blocked traffic through the Lachin corridor in the area of the observation post of the Russian peacekeeping contingent No. 1.”

With the installation of the illegal checkpoint, Azerbaijan has effectively tightened the chokehold around the people of Artsakh, with Artsakh’s State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan reporting a stoppage of all humanitarian assistance, which was being brought in by Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The ICRC reported that it was forced to cancel a scheduled transport of 28 patients from Artsakh to Armenia because of the checkpoint, adding that among the sick were an expectant mother whose unborn baby will need heart surgery upon being born and a nine-year-old child suffering from leukemia.

Since the Artsakh blockade began 135 day ago on December 12, the ICRC has transported 337 patents to Armenia.

Nersisyan, the Artsakh State Minister, said that the transport of rations covered by government-issued coupon has also been halted and added the government will extend the validity of the coupons beyond the specified dates.

He warned that four villages around Shushi were under the most serious threat as the checkpoint, coupled with the Azerbaijan’s breach of the line-of-contact earlier this month, have effectively cut those communities, which are currently surrounded.

The Artsakh Information Center reported late on Tuesday that due to efforts of the local administration and the Russian peacekeeping force it became possible to “somewhat restore” the supply of humanitarian goods disrupted in recent days.

Armenpress: Armenia’s Garik Karapetyan wins gold at European Weightlifting Championships

Eduard Nalbandian

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 16:44,

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Garik Karapetyan (102kg) has won gold at the European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan.

He successfully lifted 172kg and 178kg in the snatch exercise, and set a new European record among young athletes and won the small gold with the 178kg.

In clean and jerk, the athlete lifted 208kg and then 214kg and was crowned European Champion with a total result of 392kg and also set a new world record. 

Thus far Armenia has won 22 medals – 9 gold, 7 silver, 6 bronze (including both Big (Total result) and Small (Snatch and Clean & Jerk).

EU nominates new Ambassador to Armenia

Eduard Nalbandian

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 16:09,

YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. The European Union has nominated Vassilis Maragos as its next Ambassador to Armenia to replace Andrea Wiktorin.

Maragos is currently Head of Unit for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo in the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission. He has previously served as Head of Unit for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Eastern Partnership in the same Directorate-General.

Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission announced the nomination of 40 Heads of Delegations and 1 Chargé d’affaires of the European Union on April 20.

EWF General Secretary impressed by level of organization of 2023 European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan

Eduard Nalbandian

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 14:59,

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, ARMENPRESS. General Secretary of the European Weightlifting Federation Milan Mihajlovic praised the level of organization of the 2023 European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan.

“The European federation is very happy that the championships are held in Armenia. Armenian sports, particularly weightlifting, is well known in the world. We are happy that Yerevan is hosting the 2023 European championships. The organization is impressive, it’s obvious that work has been done in this direction,” Mihajlovic told ARMENPRESS.

Mihajlovic also spoke about the values of sport.

“We are all friends here and we are happy to preserve the values in this area. Regrettably, sometimes some people don’t understand this and ruin the atmosphere and create difficulties for us all,” Mihajlovic added, apparently referring to incident with the Azerbaijani flag during the opening ceremony.

Ahead of 2023 European Weightlifting Championships kick-off, Armenian PM meets with IWF and EWF presidents

Eduard Nalbandian

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 15:37,

YEREVAN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS. Ahead of the 2023 European Weightlifting Championships, due in Yerevan on April 15-23, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Mohammed Jalood and European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) President Antonio Conflitti.

PM Pashinyan said that Armenia is "honored" to host the 2023 European Weightlifting Championships.

“Armenia made maximum efforts to host the European Weightlifting Championships on the highest level. We expect it to be impressive and full of success,” PM Pashinyan said, adding that Armenia is ready to host the 2024 World Weightlifting Championships as well.

International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Mohammed Jalood and European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) President Antonio Conflitti thanked the Armenian government and the national Olympic committee for the massive work and expressed confidence that the championships will be held on the highest level.

Jalood said that given Armenia’s experience the country can truly contend to host the 2024 World Championships, for which it has already submitted a bid. Conflitti said cooperation with Armenia has been productive and emphasized the high level preparatory work.

The Prime Minister said that the development of sport and promotion of healthy lifestyle is a strategic direction for the Armenian government and that targeted reforms and programs are underway.

Asbarez: Armenian History Month at Glendale Library

Eduard Nalbandian
by Contributor

 

 

 

in Community, Latest, News, Top Stories

GLENDALE—Glendale Library, Arts & Culture announced their celebratory programs paying tribute to the local Armenian community in a celebration of history and culture throughout April.  

The Central Library will present a celebration of Armenian Culture, History, and Heritage on Saturday, April 15, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., during a large, joyous community event at the Central Library. This year’s theme is “Origins: A Celebration of Armenian Artists, Creators, and Inventors Who Have Made an Impact on the World.” The opening ceremony will begin at noon with remarks from Library, Arts & Culture Director Dr. Gary Shaffer.  

Additional events include poetry readings in English and Armenian, Armenian-themed crafts for all ages, and a class in Armenian calligraphy courtesy of the Armenian Artist’s Association. Raffi Joe Wartanian, Glendale’s inaugural Poet Laureate will be on site leading the public in writing a collective community poem.

Glendale Community College has collaborated with GLAC on a historical display of photos and visual representations of family heirlooms and artwork from GCC students and the Glendale community through a call for public submissions.  

The footage collected by the USC Institute of Armenian Studies will be on view throughout the day for patrons to listen to while they enjoy Armenian pastries and coffee offered by Glendale’s own Urartu Coffee.  

The highlight event will take place on the library’s main floor at 1:30 p.m. as Lernazang Ensemble leads a participatory workshop in traditional Armenian singing and dancing that uphold the memories of the lost homeland of Western Armenia.  

Community partners and exhibitors will be available throughout the event, including author Katia Tavitian, Armenian Relief Society of Western U.S.A, GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society, USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, Glendale Community College, Armenian Artist’s Association, Homenetmen Glendale Ararat Chapter, Armenian Youth Federation, and Abril Books. 

On Wednesday, April 19, at 7:00pm Central Library will host a special conversation with Inna Sahakyan, Director of the film “Aurora’s Sunrise,” Armenia’s submission to the 2023 Academy Awards. The animated film is based on the life of Aurora Mardiganian, an Armenian Genocide survivor who, after her escape, became an actress in the United States and starred in the silent film, Auction of Souls (Ravished Armenia). The event will include clips, stills, and an in-depth discussion about the craft of making the film.  

The conversation with Inna Sahakian is also in conjunction with the City of Glendale’s Week of Remembrance. Visit the website to learn more about upcoming events and Glendale’s 22nd Annual Armenian Genocide Commemorative Event at the Alex Theatre on April 24th 2023, at 7:00pm. 

Glendale Library, Arts & Culture’s Armenian History Month is part of the library’s “Be the Change Series: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Antiracism.” 

“Be The Change” is the library’s promise to build a collective understanding of systemic racism, elevate the voices and stories of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and inspire our community to be the change through lectures, exhibits, and programming. 

The Armenian History Celebration will take place at Central Library at 222 East Harvard Street, Glendale, CA 91205, on Saturday, April 15, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

Visit the website for details on all of the library’s events, resources, and more.  

For more information, please call Library information at 818-548-2021 or email Library staff at [email protected]. 

Known as the “Jewel City,” Glendale is the fourth largest city of Los Angeles County. With a population of more than 200,000, Glendale is a thriving cosmopolitan city that is rich in history, culturally diverse, and offers nearly 50 public parks, and easy access to a municipal airport. It is the home to a vibrant business community, with major companies in healthcare, entertainment, manufacturing, retail, and banking.

Founded in 1907, the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Department includes eight neighborhood libraries including the Brand Library & Art Center, a regional visual arts and music library and performance venue housed in the historic 1904 mansion of Glendale pioneer Leslie C. Brand, and the Central Library, a 93,000 square foot center for individuals and groups to convene, collaborate and create. The department also serves as the chief liaison to the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission which works to continually transform Glendale into an ever-evolving arts destination. Glendale Library Arts & Culture is supported in part through the efforts of the Glendale Library Arts & Culture Trust. For more information visit the Glendale LAC website, or contact Library, Arts & Culture at 818-548-2021 or via email at [email protected].

New persons arrested over the case of abuses related to COVID

Eduard Nalbandian

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 20:41, 6 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, ARMENPRESS. New persons have been arrested over the case of abuses related to the coronavirus pandemic. According to the circulating information, about 1 dozen doctors of "Medline" medical center have been arrested.

ARMENPRESS reports, however, in the interests of the preliminary investigation, the Anti-corruption Committee did not provide any other information, adding that if necessary, they will provide details in the future.

Gevorg Simonyan, Deputy Mayor of Yerevan, who held the position of Deputy Minister of Health in 2020-2022, is arrested in the sidelines of the criminal case. Babken Shahumyan, the director of "Medline" medical center, is also arrested.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Committee spread a message that Gevorg Simonyan, who held the position of Deputy Minister of Health in 2020-2022, being responsible for the distribution of state funding, having a personal relationship with the director of the "Medline" clinic, did not exercise sufficient control, as a result of which Babken Shahumyan embezzled around 120 million drams.




Sports: The Armenian national team lost to Turkey, but left the field to applause

Eduard Nalbandian
  • Gevorg Ghazaryan
  • Yerevan

Match Armenia-Turkey in Yerevan

It was impossible to overestimate the importance of the match with Turkey for the Armenian national football team. A fight with a strong opponent had been expected, and football fans and even those who were not particularly interested in football expected only victory from the team in this match. The Armenian team failed to win, though, losing to the opponent with a score of 2: 1. But the match turned out to be exciting. The players of the Armenian national team and its new head coach Alexander Petrakov showed their best side. After the game ended, the Armenian fans applauded the players of their national team for a long time.

The special significance of the Armenia-Turkey game for the Armenian society lies in the complex relations between the two countries. It was probably for this reason that, in accordance with the decision of UEFA, Turkish fans were not allowed to the stands of the Yerevan stadium.

Turkey officially recognized Armenia’s independence in 1991, but refuses to establish diplomatic relations. After 2020, the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations began – so far without much progress.

The meeting of football teams under these conditions was associated in Armenian society with a previous attempt at normalization, which was called “football diplomacy”. We are talking about the match Armenia-Turkey, held on September 6, 2008. Then Turkish President Abdullah Gul arrived in Armenia at that time. Together with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, they watched a football match between the teams of the two countries. From this visit, the process called “football diplomacy” began.

A year later, the countries signed protocols to normalize relations, but they were never ratified. In December 2009, Ankara announced that it would not ratify the documents until the Karabakh conflict was resolved. In response, the Armenian side stated that the protocols assumed the establishment of relations without preconditions and in April 2010 suspended the process of their ratification.

Details from the match between the football teams of Armenia and Turkey, and photos.

  • Henrikh Mkhitaryan: no “farewell match” with the national team
  • Opinion on Armenian-Turkish relations
  • Yerevan revokes Armenian-Turkish Protocols, border to remain sealed
  • Armenian assistance to Turkey

The game with the Turkish national team went beyond the logic of positions in the standings and points scored. The excitement around this game was colossal as if a game with one of the top European teams was expected.

The match of the first round of the EURO 2024 qualifying round was preceded by a procession of fans of the Armenian national team, and the stadium was full of fans long before the start of the game.

A crowded stadium is a rare occurrence in Armenia. But this time all the tickets were instantly sold out, and on the day of the game thousands of ticketless fans gathered around the stadium. Until the last moment, they hoped that they would be able to find tickets and go to the stands.

In the first minutes of the game, the players of the Turkish national team seemed to have been caught by surprise. Experienced Turkish sportsmen, accustomed to stadiums of many thousands, they seemed unable to establish their own game in the first 20 minutes.

The players of the Armenian national team took advantage of this by organizing several quick counterattacks. So the first goal of the game was scored. Ozan Kabak scored the ball into his own net after Kamo Hovhannisyan’s pass.

After the goal, the players of the offensive line of the Armenian team continued to put pressure on the Turkish team.

The Turkish team found its game only in the middle of the first half, after an episode when one of the important players of the Armenian national team, Taron Voskanyan, was injured and left the field.

Football players of the Turkish national team immediately took advantage of the restructuring of the enemy’s defense line. Orkun Kekcu equalized with a well-aimed shot.

One must say that in the first half both teams played quite hard. Five yellow cards were received by the players of the Armenian national team, four by their Turkish players.

The beginning of the second half was also difficult for the Turkish team, and head coach Stefan Kunz replaced two players at once. It was obvious that both teams wanted to use their best sides and increase the score. Turkish athletes succeeded.

In such games, even small episodes become decisive, mistakes are not forgiven. A quick free-kick in the central part of the field came as a surprise to the defenders of the Armenian national team. And Kerem Akturkoglu scored the winning goal. The remaining time was not enough for the wards of Alexander Petrakov to save the game.

Fans of the Armenian national team, despite the defeat, were not disappointed with the game of their team, and after the final whistle the stadium applauded loudly. And the players of the Armenian national team, as if exhausted, fell on the grass. Most likely it was an emotional reaction.

Turkey’s players also modestly celebrated their victory – both on and off the field. The absolute silence on the way to the Mixed Zone to meet with journalists and at the locker rooms was so unusual that it seemed that both teams had lost.

As part of the tournament, they will have to play one more match – already in Turkey.