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Author: Emil Karabekian

President of the European Council calls for de-escalation and an immediate ceasefire

Emil Karabekian

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 18:51,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The President of the European Council Charles Michel wrote on his Twitter page that against the background of the tense border situation he held talks with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

“We call for urgent de-escalation and full ceasefire. The situation in the region is challenging. The EU is committed to work with partners to overcome tensions for a prosperous and stable South Caucasus”, ARMENPRESS reports Charles Michel wrote.

“The Power of One Dram” to “Teach for Armenia” Educational Foundation

Emil Karabekian

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 17:47,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. IDBank and Idram’s initiative, “The Power of One Dram”, has concluded its’ 6th program and transferred 8.057.944 AMD to the Health Fund for Children of Armenia, which organizes treatment of children with life-threatening diseases abroad.

The amount was provided from the companies by transferring 1 AMD for each payment made through the Idram & IDBank applications, Idram.am website, IDBanking.am online platform, bank, and Idram terminals.

According to Gor Amiryan, Idram’s Head of Marketing, the project has also raised the awareness of the two companies' clients about social responsibility. “We are especially pleased to receive feedback from our clients that they prefer to make payments through Idram not only due to the speed and convenience, but also due to the fact that we donate 1 AMD to charity for each payment”, said Gor Amiryan.

The next beneficiary of “The Power of One Dram” initiative is already known․ The entire amount collected throughout November and December will be donated to Teach for Armenia Educational Foundation’s "Nation Builders" program.

“In the context of revealing the potential of our school communities, I would like to highlight the cooperation between Teach for Armenia Educational Foundation and IDBank. IDBank hereby joins our family of Nation Builders, allowing students from distant communities to have educational equity, and opening up opportunities for themselves and their community thanks to the work of our Teacher-Leaders during their two-year journey,” says Larisa Hovannisian, the Founder and CEO of Teach for Armenia Educational Foundation.

According to the head of the communications unit of the Bank, Tatevik Vardevanyan, the cooperation with the Teach for Armenia Educational Foundation stems from Idram and the Bank’s corporate social responsibility strategy. “One of our main goals is to contribute to the processes of ensuring equity in the education of our society and improving the quality, as well as ensuring the continuity of education for our children. We want to play our role in shaping the next generation and our cooperation with Teach for Armenia is a vivid confirmation of this. We are confident that our users and clients, as always, will continue making payments through the Idram&IDBank applications, Idram.am website, IDBanking.am online platform, Idram and Bank terminals, and will become goodwill ambassadors again”, says Tatevik Vardevanyan.

“The Power of OneDram” was launched in June 2020 and has carried out 7 programs to date, transferring more than 45 million AMD to various organizations:

  • AMD 3.701.910 to “Vahe Meliksetyan” foundation
  • AMD 6.925.000 to the Insurance Foundation for Servicemen
  • AMD 8․648․000 to “VIVA” charitablefoundation
  • AMD 6․962․504 to the “HomelandDefender'sRehabilitation Center”
  • AMD 3․603․291 to the Insurance Foundation for Servicemen
  • AMD 2․521․255 to “Hayastan” All-Armenian fund
  • AMD 5․034․750 to 

THE COMPANIES ARE CONTROLLED BY CBA

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1068211.html?fbclid=IwAR0m2N9B17IqoXWxNlLK00YG7nrgoX4rtU5gtrp1Ztj7G5wzEgJk6ETRMhg

Sports: Armenia vs. Germany: World Cup qualifier live buildup

Emil Karabekian
Deutsche Welle, Germany
Nov 13 2021

With several regulars absent due to coronavirus regulations and qualification long since assured, Hansi Flick has a chance to experiment in Germany's final qualifier for Qatar 2022. Follow all the buildup right here.

    

After a 9-0 win last time out, Germany face their final qualifier on Sunday

Germany had booked their place at Qatar 2022 long before a 9-0 win in front of old boss Joachim Löw added a little gloss to a campaign that has been straightforward enough, despite a shock loss to North Macedonia on Löw's watch.

The campaign isn't mathematically over for their oppoenents just yet but Armenia require highly unlikely results elsewhere and a minimum 12 goal swing (as well as a win) to have a chance of staying alive. In short, it ain't going to happen.

But for some of the fringe members of Germany's squad, every opportunity counts now, with the likes of Lukas Nmecha, Ridle Baku and Nico Schlotterbeck presumably desperate to impress Hansi Flick.

Armenia: Yurchenko — Hambardzumyan, Terteryan, Calisir, Hovhannisyan — Udo, Mkhitaryan — Barseghyan, Zelareyan, Vardanyan — Briasco

Germany: Neuer — Hofmann, Kehrer, Rüdiger, Günter — Neuhaus, Gündogan — Baku, Reus, Sane — Nmecha

Israeli lawmakers submit bill to recognize Armenian Genocide

Emil Karabekian
Public Radio of Armenia
Nov 9 2021
November 9, 2021, 15:20

 1 minute read

Several opposition Members of Knesset (MKs) have submitted a bill Tuesday to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide and hold a memorial day for it every April 24, The Jerusalem Post reports.

The bill was submitted by Shas MKs Ya’acov Margi, Haim Biton and Moshe Arbel alongside Likud MKs Yuli Edelstein, Israel Katz and Yoav Kish.

This is not the fist time an attempt has been made in the Knesset for Israel to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.

In 2018, Meretz MK Tamar Zandberg proposed a bill to recognize the massacre as genocide, but the bill was canceled due to government resistance.

In 2019, a number of high-profile members of Knesset like Yair Lapid and Gideon Sa’ar voiced support for the move, but again it did not proceed due to little government support.

Zoryan Institute Featured in Three Major Canadian Newspapers for its work on Genocide Education

Emil Karabekian

November 9, 2021: The Zoryan
Institute is
pleased to announce that its scholarly work on genocide
education was featured
in the Global Heroes section of three of Canada’s largest daily
newspapers: the
Toronto Star, the National Post and the Globe and Mail this
month.

Global Heroes is North America’s premier positive news magazine.
It aims to
connect its readers to uplifting stories and highlights the
inspirational
efforts of everyday people and organizations, who are diligently
working
together towards practical solutions to global problems. Global
Heroes provides
valuable insight into how communities around the world tackle
urgent issues and
create actions that lead to sustainable change.

The featured piece highlights Zoryan Institute’s scholarly work
in its three
main areas of focus, Genocide, Human Rights and
Diaspora-Homeland relations.
The Institute’s most significant and longterm initiatives, such
as the
Institute’s annual Genocide and Human Rights University Program
and its two
academic journals were given special attention, highlighting how
raising
awareness through education is key for prevention of future mass
atrocities and
genocide.

The article can be found in the November 4, 2021 issue of the
Toronto Star, and
the November 5, 2021 issues of the Globe and Mail and the
National Post. The
piece is also featured on the Global Heroes website under the
“Human Rights”
section:
. 

-- 
Megan Reid
Deputy Executive Director 
International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
A Division of the Zoryan Institute
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807  
E-mail: [email protected]

Azerbaijani press: Illegal visit of Armenian Defense Minister to Azerbaijani territories is military-political provocation – MoD

Emil Karabekian
9 November 2021 12:52 (UTC+04:00)
678

By Trend

The illegal visit of the Armenian Defense Minister to the territories of Azerbaijan is a military-political provocation, Trend reports citing Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

According to the ministry, the Armenian media reported on the illegal visit of the Minister of Defense of Armenia Arshak Karapetyan to the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed.

“The unauthorized visit of the Armenian Defense Minister to Azerbaijani lands, holding meetings with illegal Armenian formations and expressing an opinion about their combat readiness is a military-political provocation,” the ministry reports.

The ministry stressed that this provocative visit of the Armenian Defense Minister was deliberately carried out on the eve of the anniversary of the signing of the trilateral statement by the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Russia and the Prime Minister of Armenia.

“The military-political leadership of Armenia, grossly violating the provisions of the trilateral statement, intentionally destabilizes the situation in the region and endangers the activities of the Russian peacekeepers,” the message says.

The ministry added that the Armenian military leadership, instead of drawing conclusions from the total defeat in the second Karabakh war in 44 days, adapting to the new geopolitical situation in the region, strengthening peace and security, is making attempts at cheap military adventures with the expectation of an internal audience.

It was also noted that the visit of the Armenian Defense Minister once again demonstrates that Armenia continues to directly support irregular Armenian military units, aggressive separatism, and terrorist acts on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Moreover, elements of the armed forces of Armenia continue to be in the territories of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed.

"We would like to remind the Armenian Defense Minister of the fate of his former colleagues and other Armenian generals who made utopian claims such as 'impassable Ohanyan line', 'new wars, new territories'," the ministry said.

"We warn the military-political leadership of Armenia that in case of a repetition of such illegal visits to the territory of Azerbaijan, the necessary measures will be taken to prevent aggressive separatism and terrorist acts in accordance with the legislation of Azerbaijan," the ministry stressed.

Turkish press: Turkey aims to contribute to Nagorno-Karabakh’s growth: Envoy

Emil Karabekian
 BAKU DIPLOMACY 
NOV 09, 2021 4:15 PM GMT+3

Turkey's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Cahit Bağcı, in Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8, 2021. (AA Photo)

Turkey strives to boost development in the Nagorno-Karabakh region after Azerbaijan liberated it from almost three decades of Armenian occupation, Ankara's envoy to Baku said Tuesday.

Praising Azerbaijan's victory on the first anniversary of liberating Karabakh, Cahit Bağcı told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Azerbaijan achieved victory after a just struggle in the South Caucasus region.

"Azerbaijan secured the justice that proved elusive (in Karabakh). It fought and managed to preserve its territorial integrity. In this respect, it is a blessed and glorious victory," he said.

Explaining how life in the Karabakh region has been returning to normal in just one year, Bağcı said Turkey is doing all it can to help the liberated territory recover.

Turkey "has made an open pledge to provide all means of institutional capacity, public and private sector experience to Azerbaijan, and is continuing to do so," he added.

He also praised AA for its efforts during the war, saying that it is an honor "that Anadolu Agency is at every program and everywhere (in the world)."

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have remained tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

On Sept. 27, 2020, new clashes erupted after the Armenian Army attacked civilians and Azerbaijani forces, violating several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the 44-daylong conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and 300 settlements and villages that had been under Armenian occupation for almost 30 years.

Prior to that, about 20% of Azerbaijan's territory was under illegal occupation.

The fighting ended with a Russian-brokered agreement on Nov. 10, 2020, with the cease-fire seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia.

Two months later, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a pact to develop economic ties and infrastructure to benefit the entire region. It also included the establishment of a trilateral working group in Karabakh.

Armenian opposition tries to prevent Azerbaijan’s customs checkpoint on road from Goris to Kapan

Emil Karabekian
Caucasian Knot, EU
Nov 11 2021

At a protest action in Yerevan, about 200 oppositionists demanded to prevent installation of an Azerbaijani customs checkpoint on the road from Goris to Kapan. After the protesters tried to break into the government building, 16 of them were detained, the police reported.

On November 10, it became known that Azerbaijan notified Armenia about the installation of a customs checkpoint on the section of the road from Goris to Kapan. Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan announced that the Armenian side would install its own checkpoint there.

Today, activists from among the supporters of the opposition “Armenia” bloc have held a protest action in front of the government building in Yerevan. The protesters have accused the country’s authorities of concluding a deal with the Azerbaijani authorities, which damaged national interests of Armenia, the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent reports.

According to the organizers of the protest, about 200 people took part in the action.

During the protest action, Gegam Manukyan, a member of the “Armenia” faction, has claimed that as a result of a secret conspiracy between the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities, the latter got control over the road from Goris to Kapan. The oppositionist suggests that Azerbaijan is acting with the tacit consent of the Armenian authorities.

The protesters tried to break into the government building, but the police set up a cordon. The police officers detained 16 activists, the Police of Armenia reported.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on at 03:19 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Armenian and Azerbaijani analysts agree on assessment of détente between Baku and Tehran, Analysts note subsiding tension in relations between Baku and Tehran, Azerbaijan hands two detained drivers over to Iran.

Author: Tigran Petrosyan; Source: CK correspondent

Source: 
© Caucasian Knot

UPDATED: Artsakh investigators release details from deadly Azeri attack near Shushi

Emil Karabekian

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 10:51, 9 November, 2021

The original version of this article was updated with comments from the prosecutor-general's office

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Investigative Committee of Artsakh released details from the November 8 Azerbaijani attack near Shushi which left 1 Armenian civilian dead and three others seriously wounded.

“Around 15:00, November 8, a serviceman of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces – whose identity is yet to be determined by the investigation – passed into the area called “Shushii Tak” [Under Shushi] of the Shushi-Berdzor road of the Republic of Artsakh from the territories which have gone under Azerbaijani control, and with the purpose of terrorizing the population of the Republic of Artsakh and developing an atmosphere of fear and terror among them, fueled by religious and ethnic hatred and with the purpose of committing [mass murder] opened fire with his firearm at the persons who were repairing a water supply pipe,” the investigators said in a statement. They added that the shooting resulted in the death of Martin Yeremyan (born 1998) – from a gunshot wound to the head, while three others – Gevorg Melkumyan, Gagik Ghazaryan and Armen Sargsyan suffered gunshot wounds.

Criminal proceedings were launched amid an ongoing investigation to reveal all circumstances of the incident.

The prosecutor-general's office of Artsakh said in a separate statement that they are treating the shooting as terrorism. It said that all victims of the shooting were plumbers of the Artsakh water supply company. 

“The evidence gathered by law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Artsakh during the investigations of the Azerbaijani criminal actions reaffirm the constantly repeated position that similar incidents individually as well as their entirety pursue a single goal – to terrorize at all cost the Armenians of Artsakh, to defame the Russian peacekeeping forces and thus develop a sensation of defenselessness and intentions of leaving Artsakh among the population. This kind of an Armenophobic and genocidal conduct will continue as long as the international community is encouraging Azerbaijan with its silence and inaction,” the prosecution said.

 

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenian real estate market booms

Emil Karabekian
eurasianet
Nov 9 2021

Ani Mejlumyan Nov 9, 2021

Central Yerevan (iStock/Getty)

In a slowing Armenian economy, one sector is showing unexpected growth: real estate.

While the country’s economic activity index measured 4.4 percent during the first three quarters of 2021, in the real estate sector the figure was over 16 percent.

Between January and September this year, the country saw 143,000 real estate transactions — more than 16 percent over the same period in 2020. Of all the deals, 37 percent represented property sales.

“September has been somewhat record-breaking in the real estate market. This is especially visible in the mortgage sector, which is growing fast,” Armen Nurbekyan, the head of the Central Bank’s macroeconomics department, told journalists on November 2.

“From February 2021, the real estate market started getting more active, the price drop that we had in 2020 slowly came back to normal and became equal with pre-COVID, pre-war times,” Suren Tovmasyan, the head of Armenia’s Cadastre Committee, told Public TV. “We see a positive tendency, if the economy and political situation remain stable, the market will keep growing,” said Tovmasyan.

Prices, especially in Yerevan where the activity is strongest, have been inching up. After a drop of 0.7 percent in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the previous quarter, prices increased 1.5 percent in the second quarter and 3.2 percent in the third.

“There is an unexpected growth in activity of the market; we didn’t expect that after the pandemic, and in this political situation,” Vahe Danielyan, a real estate agent, told Public TV. “I think prices will grow further.”

But the increase in activity may not be a good sign for the economy.

“The market has grown but it means that people don’t know where else to invest,” economist Suren Parsyan told Eurasianet. “Instead of investing in industries like manufacturing, trade, or services they are buying property because there is little trust that the economy will be stable.”

The active market is likely connected to a recent government decision to shut down a program that had allowed homebuyers to apply their income taxes to their mortgages.

In August, the government announced that it intended to phase out the program, citing the fact that a disproportionate number of the beneficiaries were concentrated in Yerevan. It will stop supporting mortgages in Yerevan in July 2022 and across the country by 2025.

“People were trying to get into the program before it’s too late,” Parsyan said. 

The bill has already passed its first reading in parliament, the second reading has yet to be scheduled.

 

Ani Mejlumyan is a reporter based in Yerevan.