Author: Elizabeth Jabejian

Head of Armenian village accuses Azerbaijani soldiers of stealing a car

Elizabeth Jabejian
Caucasian Knot, EU
Sept 13 2021

Soldiers stole a car that a resident of the Syunik Region of Armenia had to leave in the territory controlled by Azerbaijan, the head of the border village of Tekh reports today.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on June 5, according to the Armenian Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Azerbaijani armed forces opened fire on an Armenian shepherd, who was grazing cattle in the vicinity of the village of Kut in the Gegarkunik Region, and captured his herd of cows. Then a shootout with Armenian soldiers took place.

Nerses Shadunts, the head of the Tekh village community in the Syunik Region, stated that the Azerbaijani soldiers had stolen an UAZ car from a resident of Nagorno-Karabakh who temporarily settled in the village. According to the head of the village, the incident took place three days ago, and the car has not yet been returned. Both Armenian border guards and Russian peacekeepers were notified about the incident, the head of the community emphasized.

The car owner tried to drive his UAZ car to Nagorno-Karabakh. “On the way back, he decided to go through the fields. He got lost and drove (100-200 metres) into the territory under the control of the Azerbaijani armed forces <…>. Then he realized his mistake and tried to return to our territory, but the fuel ran out,” Nerses Shadunts said. The owner left the car and went to get fuel, but when he returned, the car was gone, the “Sputnik Armenia” reports today.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on at 01:10 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Residents of Syunik Region of Armenia complain about Azerbaijani militaries, Armenian MoD report mortar shelling of its positions, Armenia announced shelling on border with Nakhichevan.

Author: The Caucasian Knot;

Source: 
© Caucasian Knot

MP Tigran Abrahamyan meets with parents of missing Armenian soldiers

Elizabeth Jabejian
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 11 2021

I Have the Honor bloc MP Tigran Abrahamyan, who is also a member of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defense and Security, met with the citizens who applied to the committee in regard to different problems.

In a Facebook post on Friday, the lawmaker said meetings in such a format assume discussions on and clarifications of the issues raised by citizens. In some cases, the competent authorities are asked to provide clarification and solutions.

He said the issues raised by citizens are various, ranging from personal ones to institutional arrangements.

“I also met with the parents of the servicemen who went missing during the military operations in Artsakh in 2020.

"During a meeting that was very difficult, but was held in an atmosphere of mutual trust, the parents presented to me and the committee very remarkable observations of the situation around the missing and fallen soldiers, which I will always keep focus on during my activity," Abrahamyan said.

Armenia values Russia’s efforts under statement on cessation of hostilities in Karabakh

Elizabeth Jabejian
TASS, Russia
Aug 31 2021
According to the Armenian top diplomat, Azerbaijan "is torpedoing the implementation of this and other provisions of the statement"

MOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. Armenia highly values Russia’s efforts toward implementing the trilateral statement on the cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, visiting Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Tuesday after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"I would like to note with gratitude Russia’s and President Vladimir Putin’s consistent efforts. We highly value Russia’s efforts geared toward implementing the agreements (statement by the Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders of November 9, 2020 – TASS) and the most topical of them is the issue of prisoner release. Thanks to these efforts, some of the Armenian prisoners have returned home," he said.

According to the Armenian top diplomat, Azerbaijan "is torpedoing the implementation of this and other provisions of the statement."

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, 2020, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. On November 9, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. Under the document, the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides stopped at the positions that they had held and Russian peacekeepers were deployed along the engagement line in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Lachinsky corridor that connects Armenia with the enclave to exercise control of the ceasefire observance. Apart from that, a number of districts came over to Baku’s control.

The situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has been tense since May 12, when Armenia’s defense ministry said that Azerbaijani armed forces had tried to carry out "certain works" in a border area in Syunik Province in a bid to "adjust the border. Since then, the sides have been reporting border incidents from time to time.

Erdogan’s statements on readiness to normalize ties are from “fantasy genre”, warns Armenian researcher

Elizabeth Jabejian

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 09:37, 31 August, 2021

YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. A senior researcher is warning that the latest statements of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Ankara’s willingness to “normalize” relations with Armenia are from a “genre of fantasy”.

Turkologist Hakob Chakryan told ARMENPRESS that Turkey actually continues its policy based on hostility and preconditions, and basically nothing has changed over this matter.

“Since 1991, Turkey has brought forward thee preconditions for establishing diplomatic ties with Armenia, undue in international practice. One of them – not to mention about 1915 [Armenian Genocide], second – make the Diaspora-Armenians stop their activities against Turkey, i.e. the efforts to achieve the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and third – to force the Armenians of Artsakh to accept Azerbaijan’s hegemony. Numerous governments changed since 1991 but the preconditions remained the same, they simply changed the wordings. To think that Erdogan would establish diplomatic relations with Armenia is not realistic,” Chakryan said.

According to Chakryan, Turkey doesn’t have an actual desire to establish diplomatic ties with Armenia because of its “old dream” of having a land connection with Azerbaijan through Armenia’s Meghri. “As long as this objective of theirs isn’t realized Turkey won’t establish relations with Armenia.”

The expert on Turkey underscores that nothing has changed in Ankara’s hostile policy against Armenia, which was most explicitly displayed with their unconditional military and political support to Azerbaijan in the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war.

“Like before, Turkey continues to encourage Azerbaijan. When Davutoglu was serving as foreign minister he had adopted a political course of ‘zero problems with neighbors’. But today, Turkey doesn’t have a single neighbor with whom it doesn’t have problems, perhaps with the exception of Georgia. That is, the ‘zero problems with neighbors’ policy transformed into ‘zero neighbors without problems’. In these conditions how do you think it [Turkey] would treat Armenia when it [Turkey] is even unable to have normal relations with Arab countries. Thus, to believe what Erdogan is saying would be more than a fantasy genre,” Chakryan said.

The Pashinyan Administration’s 2021-2026 government program mentions that just like before, Armenia is still ready to normalize relations with Turkey without preconditions.

On August 26, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that after the 2020 Artsakh war “…..a new door of opportunity has been opened for the lasting peace in our region. If Armenia moves in line with this, Turkey will also act accordingly.”

A day later, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that he “sees some positive signals coming from Turkey in terms of regional peace.” Pashinyan said the Armenian government would evaluate those signals and respond in kind.

Then, on August 29, when asked by reporters to comment on the Armenian leader’s statements, Erdogan said that Turkey is willing to work in the direction of gradually normalizing ties with Armenia based on “respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty”. At the same time, he hinted “recent history should not be a source of hostility”.

“I wish the new government established in Armenia to be beneficial for the region. There is a need for new, constructive approaches in our region. Although there are differences of opinion and expectation, it will be a responsible course of action to make a sincere effort to develop good neighborly relations on the basis of trust, including respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Recent history should not be a source of hostility; constructive steps should be taken for sustainable peace and coexistence. Instead of one-sided accusations, forward-looking, realistic approaches should prevail. We can work to gradually normalize our relations with an Armenian government that has declared its readiness to move in this direction,” Erdogan told reporters, according to Independent Turkce.

 

Aram Sargsyan

Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

WB: Dare to Succeed: Armenian Women in Small Business

Elizabeth Jabejian
Sept 3 2021


Five stories of women entrepreneurs from various regions of Armenia engaged in different types of business. Each story portrays their experiences – how the idea of their business originated, the path from idea to getting established, the enabling environment and the kind of constraints they faced and overcame. Each of the five women provides advice to other women interested in setting-up or doing business in Armenia. Their motto: dare to start, dare to proceed, dare to succeed!
 
Watch the video at 

Annual service to be held in Van’s Akdamar Armenian Church

Elizabeth Jabejian
TOYS MATRIX
Sept 3 2021

By Kemal Pasha On Sep 3, 2021

The Armenian Church on Akdamar Island in Turkey’s eastern province of Van will host the faithful from around the world for annual religious service.

The preparations were completed for the once-a-year ritual, which was held for the first time in 2010 after a 95-year hiatus with the special permission of the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

The ceremony, normally attended by hundreds of people, will be held this year with a limited number of participants as part of the COVID-19 measures.

The visitors will be taken to the Akdamar island on boats from Gevaş and Edremit districts of Van on Sept. 5 and will participate in the ceremony after having their temperatures measured.

The Armenian church, also known as the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Aghtamar and Surp Haç, was built between 915 and 921 by architect Bishop Manuel under the sponsorship of Gagik I Artsruni of the Kingdom of Vaspurakan.

After the 1915 incidents during World War I when the Armenian community in the area was relocated, the church was abandoned. The building’s restoration began in 2005 and it opened as a museum two years later after a comprehensive reconstruction carried out by the state at a cost of about $1.4 million.

The church is open to visitors as a museum, while the Armenian Orthodox community is allowed to hold an annual religious service.

Read original article here

Agreements over Karabakh settlement being successfully implemented – Russian FM

Elizabeth Jabejian

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 12:34, 3 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Lavrov highlighted the efforts of Russia and President Vladimir Putin in stopping last year’s war in South Caucasus.

“Talking about last year, we can’t not talk about our efforts, first of all the efforts of our President in stopping the military operations in South Caucasus, reaching the agreements over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. They are now being successfully implemented with the involvement of our ministry, the ministry of defense, as well as with the participation of our economic bloc which ensures negotiations over the unblocking of all communications and economic ties in that region”, the Russian FM said at the meeting with the participation of an educational marathon.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Russia has very rich bilateral agenda with Armenia – FM Lavrov

Elizabeth Jabejian

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 12:55, 1 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is Russia’s ally, the two countries have a very rich bilateral agenda, such as mutual visits, implementation of large projects, development of economic cooperation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during the meeting with the students of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

“This time it develops very intensively and confidently”, the Russian FM said.

He has also touched upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, stating that there are agreements signed by the Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia. “These agreements clarify the proposals of the leaders over the unblocking of all transportation infrastructure and economic ties. This work cannot be done in a day, it is in process. The leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan personally deal with it”, Sergei Lavrov said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia improves position in 2021 Index of Economic Freedom

Elizabeth Jabejian

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 13:02, 26 August, 2021

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has improved its position in the 2021 Index of Economic Freedom by 2 more points, Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan said in a statement on Facebook.

“We are the 32nd now. It’s worth noting that we strengthen the position of a country having the best business climate in the EAEU space. But we are not satisfied with the results, a lot needs to be improved for doing business, which we have promised by the new action plan of the government”, the minister stated.

Armenia’s economic freedom score is 71.9.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

U.S. House Raises Alarm Over Biden Waiver of Section 907 Restriction on U.S. Aid to Azerbaijan

Elizabeth Jabejian
by Contributor

 

 July 29, 2021

 

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

Congress raises alarm over Biden's Section 907 waiver

Passes FY2022 Foreign Aid Bill Urging $52 Million in U.S Aid to Artsakh and Armenia; Cutting Military Aid to Azerbaijan

WASHINGTON—The U.S. House expressed concern over President Joe Biden’s April 23rd waiver of Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan, citing its contribution to the disparity in U.S. military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan, in a report accompanying the Fiscal Year 2022 Foreign Aid Bill (H.R.4373), adopted this evening by a vote of 217 to 213, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We welcome today’s U.S. House report language as a meaningful step, alongside today’s adoption of the Pallone Amendment, toward rolling back President Biden’s reckless waiver of Section 907 and, more broadly, stopping all U.S. arms and aid to Azerbaijan’s oil-rich, racist, and openly anti-Armenian Aliyev regime,” said ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan. “Not a single U.S. tax dollar should ever be shipped to the Azerbaijani military to kill, cripple, or capture Armenians.”

The report accompanying the H.R.4373 also calls for not less than $50 million in U.S. assistance to Armenia, “for economic development, private sector productivity, energy independence, democracy and the rule of law, and other purposes.”  It urges not less than $2 million for demining activities in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).  The recommendation for U.S. assistance to Armenia is over twice that requested by President Biden in his FY2022 proposed budget, which remains silent on the matter of U.S. assistance to Artsakh.

Earlier in the day, the U.S. House voted to amend H.R.4373 to restrict U.S. foreign military and training assistance to Azerbaijan, adopting the ANCA-backed Pallone Amendment, which was led by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), with the support of 19 Armenian Caucus colleagues.

In remarks offered on the House Floor, Rep. Pallone thanked House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations Chair, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), for her leadership in supporting pro-Artsakh/Armenia measures in the FY2022 Foreign Aid Bill. “I know that she has been a supporter of the Armenian people for many years. [I’ve] been to her district and seen some of the Armenian Americans who really love her,” stated Rep. Pallone, who spotlighted the need for expanded U.S. aid to Armenia and Artsakh. “This unprecedented commitment in funding will go a long way in helping economic, governance, and rule of law reforms, while further strengthening America’s strategic partnership with this young democracy. The language included in this bill also helps address the humanitarian needs in Artsakh as a result of the 44-day war perpetrated by Azerbaijan and Turkey last fall, and directs an additional two million dollars for demining programs.”

Rep. Pallone also had special praise for Chairman Jim McGovern (D-MA) and the House Rules Committee, which permitted the full U.S. House vote on the amendment to block foreign military and training funds to Azerbaijan.  “So, let me be clear, Madam Speaker, this bill sends a clear signal that we will not aid or tolerate authoritarian regimes that threaten peace and security, especially when those actions are aimed at a fellow democracy,” stated Rep. Pallone.

Rep. Pallone’s remarks were live-streamed by the ANCA on social media channels.

Rep. Speier concurred, noting, “As the Co-Chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, I commend my colleagues for including my request of $50 million in assistance to Armenia in the report language of the State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill.  This investment will help bolster Armenia’s economy, rule of law, and provide much-needed humanitarian assistance to Armenians affected by and displaced by last year’s horrific fighting in Artsakh.”  In a statement issued to the ANCA earlier this evening, Rep. Speier went on to state, “I was also proud to co-sponsor an amendment that will bar any International Military Education and Training (IMET) program funds and any Foreign Military Financing (FMF) funds from going to Azerbaijan. The U.S. must take a stand against Azerbaijan’s assaults against Armenia, not least to protect Armenia’s young democracy against Azerbaijan’s aggressive and autocratic government.”

Earlier in the day, Rep. Speier had met with ANCA Leo Sarkisian, Maral Melkonian Avetisyan, and Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Summer interns, where she explained the importance of strengthening the U.S.-Armenia relationship and stopping U.S. funding of Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian aggression.

The U.S. Senate has yet to review its version of the FY2022 foreign aid bill. The ANCA continues to work closely with Senate appropriators to cut military aid to Azerbaijan and expand U.S. aid to Armenia and Artsakh.  

The ANCA’s testimony outlining its FY2022 foreign aid priorities was submitted by Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan in June.