Author: Emma Jilavian

Azerbaijani troops still deployed at Karaglukh post adjacent to Parukh

Emma Jilavian

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 11:27, 29 March, 2022

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. No significant ceasefire violations were recorded and the operative-tactical situation remained tense, with a certain positive trend of de-escalation at the entire frontline of Artsakh overnight March 28-29 and as of 10:00, the Artsakh authorities said.

The Azerbaijani troops are still deployed in their same post in the area of Karaglukh adjacent to Parukh, the Artsakh official InfoCenter said.

The Armed Forces of Artsakh continue reinforcing defensive positions and taking additional measures for suppressing the Azerbaijani troops.

Continuous works are done with the Russian peacekeeping contingent’s command aimed at preventing possible Azerbaijani provocations and withdrawing the Azerbaijani troops to their initial positions.

The Artsakh authorities are monitoring the situation and the Azerbaijani actions with all possible mechanisms  and will issue updates on the developments upon necessity.

Visit of OSCE Chairman-in-Office to Yerevan kicks off

Emma Jilavian

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 12:18, 1 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. The visit of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Poland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau to Armenia kicked off today.

In Yerevan, he was welcomed by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan at the Foreign Ministry. Their meeting will be followed by a joint press conference.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office arrived in Armenia as part of a regional visit.

Rau will also meet with Armenia’s President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

USA welcomes expected Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting, calls to focus on humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh

Emma Jilavian

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 18:47, 1 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. The United States of America welcomes the meeting of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to be held on April 6 in Brussels, ARMENPRESS reports this was mentioned in the "Twitter" post of the US mission to the OSCE.

"We welcome the announcement that talks between Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Aliyev will take place in Brussels on April 6. We call for greater attention to be paid to the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, and reaffirm our support for a diplomatic solution to all existing problems," the statement said.

The President of the European Council Charles Michel will hold a joint meeting with the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on April 6 in Brussels.




Armenian Ambassador, OSCE MG’s US Co-Chair discuss escalation in Nagorno Karabakh

Emma Jilavian

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 10:59,

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS. On March 25, Armenian Ambassador to the United States Lilit Makunts and the OSCE Minsk Group’s US Co-Chair Andrew Schofer discussed the escalation and developments in Nagorno Karabakh and the humanitarian issues which were caused by the disruption of gas supply.

Ambassador Makunts also had a remote meeting with Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian issues Rep. Frank Pallone and Vice-Chair Rep. Adam Schiff on March 25, the Armenian Embassy said.

Ambassador Makunts briefed the Congressmen on Azerbaijan's destabilizing actions, in particular incursion into the village of Parukh in Artsakh on March 24, as well as the disruption of the normal operation of vital infrastructure in Nagorno-Karabakh, that led to a humanitarian crisis.

Ambassador Makunts stressed the need for a clear response from the international community, including the United States and emphasized the role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 24-03-22

Emma Jilavian

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 17:28,

YEREVAN, 24 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 24 March, USD exchange rate up by 0.66 drams to 489.81 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.04 drams to 538.20 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.37 drams to 5.14 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.21 drams to 646.40 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 300.48 drams to 30420.73 drams. Silver price down by 0.57 drams to 393.93 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

‘Urgent steps needed to avoid further humanitarian crisis’ – Human Rights Watch representative on situation in Artsakh

Emma Jilavian

‘Urgent steps needed to avoid further humanitarian crisis’ – Human Rights Watch representative on situation in Artsakh

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 16:36,

YEREVAN, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS. Associate director at Europe and Central Asia Division of the Human Rights Watch, Giorgi Gogia, has expressed concerns about the current humanitarian situation in Artsakh. 

“For 2nd time in 2 weeks, Nagorno-Karabakh residents are left without heating in freezing temperatures because of a gas pipeline running through Azerbaijan-controlled territory. Many bakeries are also unable to operate causing an acute shortage of bread”, he said on Twitter. “The gas cut also affects educational institutions, including kindergartens and schools. They remain closed as they cannot be heated. Urgent steps are needed to avoid further humanitarian crisis”, he added.

FM says Armenia utilized all diplomatic efforts to resolve Artsakh gas supply issue

Emma Jilavian

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 17:08,

YEREVAN, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has utilized all diplomatic efforts over the Azerbaijani blocking of gas supply to Artsakh, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said.

During parliamentary questions time the FM was asked by MP Tatevik Gasparyan to mention what work the foreign ministry has done on the international arena to present to the world the Azerbaijani actions that created a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh.

Mirzoyan said they’ve utilized all diplomatic efforts in both cases of the disruptions of gas supplies.

“First of all we maintain close, regular contact with our Russian partners. The damaged site…..or rather in this case it is already clear how to call it….anyhow, the location of the damaged or closed part is in the area of responsibility of the peacekeepers. And we have primary contact with our Russian partners, but we also maintain contact with the rest of the civilized world,” Mirzoyan said.

The FM said they are already receiving responses from the international community.

FM Mirzoyan said that during the first incident of the gas supply interruption the Armenian Prime Minister spoke about this issue with the US Secretary of State, the Russian President and the French President, and the foreign ministry has done everything through its channels to raise this issue. “The same this time. We already see reactions.”

 

On March 8, the authorities of Artsakh said that the main pipeline supplying gas from Armenia to Artsakh was damaged and the supply was stopped.

The Artsakh authorities had said the area where the damage occurred was in Azerbaijani-controlled territory. It was reported that the Azerbaijani military deliberately damaged the pipeline.

The Azerbaijani authorities obstructed repair works for days. Only on March 16 the authorities in Artsakh announced that the Azerbaijani side itself began the repair work. However, days later, the gas supply was cut again. Authorities said they have reasons to believe that during the repairs the Azeri authorities installed a valve on the pipeline in order to shut it down whenever they want.

Meanwhile, the population of Artsakh is without gas and heating amid freezing temperatures and snowfalls.

On March 22 the Human Rights Defender of Armenia Kristinne Grigoryan and the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh Gegham Stepanyan issued a joint statement, calling on international human rights organizations to pressure Azerbaijan and eliminate its gross and continuous human rights violations against the Armenians of Artsakh.




Armenia raises Azerbaijan’s destruction of Karabakh heritage with UNESCO

Emma Jilavian
March 17 2022
March 17, 2022 – 15:02 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay have discussed the deliberate destruction of Armenian heritage sites in the territories that came under the control of Azerbaijan after Baku's aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh.

The two met in Paris on Wednesday, March 16, and Mirzoyan drew Azoulay's attention to the establishment of a state working group for the distortion of the Armenian monuments' identity. It was also emphasized during the meeting that such actions go against decision of the UN International Court of Justice on the protection of the Armenian historical, cultural and religious heritage.

The Armenian Foreign Minister stressed the need for the urgent intervention of UNESCO to prevent the vandalism of the historical and cultural monuments of Artsakh, which are part of the universal cultural heritage. He also called prioritized the arrangement of fact-finding mission to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone proposed by the UNESCO Secretary-General.

Mirzoyan also stressed that Armenia is expanding cooperation with UNESCO in the fields of education, science and communication. He noted that Armenia, as a member of the Executive Board of UNESCO, continues to be committed to the promotion of world peace, development and multilateralism, which are the pillars of the Organization.

“Historical-Cultural Heritage of Yerevan” two-day workshop launched

Emma Jilavian

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 14:13,

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS. A two-day seminar titled “Historical-Cultural Heritage of Yerevan” kicked off today in the Matenadaran – the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts.

Director of the Historical-Cultural Heritage Research Center of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Khachik Harutyunyan, said the seminar aims at separately touching upon the historical-cultural heritage of Yerevan. It involves all phases relating to the history of Yerevan, the earliest stage, the Middle Ages, the pre-Soviet and inter-Soviet periods.

“The experience shows that our citizens are still not so well aware of the city’s history, and this is a good occasion to once again touch upon the historical-cultural heritage of our beloved capital. There are many problems in the field, but for us it’s very important that citizens recognize our historical-cultural heritage. First of all, the problems are connected with not knowing that cultural layers. We sometimes, are, really, very dishonest to our monuments and then demand to preserve these monuments”, Khachik Harutyunyan said.

As for the issues relating to the demolition of historical-cultural buildings, he said there are special professional commissions examining all narrow professional matters.

“Our organization is also engaged in that professional council and we are trying to do everything possible to preserve the buildings of historical-cultural significance”, he said.

Head of the Department of Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments at the Ministry, Harutyun Vanyan, said the importance of this event is that for Armenia the historical-cultural heritage has the same significance like oil, gas and gold for other countries.

“For us it’s very important that our historical-cultural heritage is popularized as much as possible and also brings a tourism investment attraction which is also one of the government’s strategy plans. I would like to note that there is a draft on making change in the law on historical and cultural monuments and historical environment, which has been developed by the ministry of culture and submitted to the government, and it involves a number of important reforms”, Harutyun Vanyan said.

Today’s workshop aims to inventory Yerevan’s historical-cultural heritage and organize a more comprehensive international conference in the future.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 03/16/2022

Emma Jilavian 
                                        Wednesday, 


Pashinian, Putin Discuss Karabakh In Phone Call


Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Russian President Vladimir Putin 
during their meeting in Sochi, Russia, November 26, 2021.


Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed the situation around 
Nagorno-Karabakh and other issues in a telephone conversation with Russian 
President Vladimir Putin reported on Wednesday.

The transcript of the call released by Pashinian’s press office said that the 
two leaders, in particular, discussed the process of implementing agreements 
reached by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia and included in their trilateral 
statements of November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021.

Pashinian and Putin also reportedly discussed Armenia’s application to the OSCE 
Minsk Group co-chairs, including Russia, for the organization of talks on a 
peace treaty with Azerbaijan.

“The leaders of Armenia and Russia exchanged views on the Armenian-Turkish 
dialogue, recent regional developments and the situation around Ukraine. Issues 
related to the forthcoming official visit of the prime minister of Armenia to 
the Russian Federation were also discussed,” the press release said.

In an unrelated development Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hailed the 
process of Turkish-Armenian normalization as he hosted his Turkish counterpart 
Mevlut Cavusoglu in Moscow on Wednesday.

“We welcome the course towards the normalization of these bilateral ties between 
the two neighboring countries,” Lavrov said.



Armenian Opposition Seeks Debate In Parliament On Humanitarian Issues In Karabakh

        • Naira Nalbandian

The Armenian parliament in session (file photo)


Two opposition factions in the Armenian parliament have called for a discussion 
of humanitarian issues in Nagorno-Karabakh at a regular session of the 
legislative body scheduled to begin next week.

Hayastan and Pativ Unem said they are particularly concerned about the situation 
in Stepanakert and other areas of the region that for days have been left 
without natural gas supplies from Armenia following reported damage on the main 
pipeline passing via Azeri-controlled territory.

The situation affects both businesses and ordinary residents in Nagorno-Karabakh 
some of whom have to fall back on firewood for heating amid still freezing 
temperatures.

Hayastan lawmaker Aram Vardevanian said it is important that Armenia adequately 
respond to what he described as a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Since March 8, thousands of our compatriots in Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh – ed.] 
have been deprived of the possibility of heating their homes [with natural gas]. 
Even hospitals have been left without heating. I was in Artsakh a few days ago, 
and I saw with my own eyes how, for example, in a children’s hospital where 
there are more than 40 patients there is no heating,” the opposition lawmaker 
said.

For an urgent discussion on a particular issue its initiators are required to 
enlist the support of a quarter of lawmakers. The two opposition factions 
together are able to collected the required number of signatures.

Hayastan and Pativ Unem said they want the sitting to be held on March 22 and 
have already invited Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Deputy Prime Minister 
Mher Grigorian to attend it as co-rapporteurs from the government. The 
opposition factions said they have not received a response from the ruling 
faction on whether its members will participate in the discussion or not.

The opposition has designated Tigran Abrahamian, a member of Pativ Unem, as the 
keynote speaker during the discussion.

“Artsakh is in crisis. We see a problem not only in the current situation. It is 
obvious that Azerbaijan will also have the opportunity in the future – something 
that it has already shown – to use these tools to influence our compatriots 
living in Artsakh and extort concessions on issues related to Artsakh and 
Armenia. Officials who are related to this humanitarian situation in 
socio-economic or infrastructural terms or should have been in contact with 
relevant bodies of Artsakh should also provide an explanation about what steps 
they had taken to prevent such a situation,” Abrahamian said.

The pipeline supplying gas from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh was damaged at a 
section passing near Shushi (Susa), a town that has been controlled by 
Azerbaijan after a 2020 war in the region.

De-facto authorities in Stepanakert accused Azerbaijan of not allowing ethnic 
Armenian maintenance workers to approach and repair the damaged pipeline to 
restore gas supplies vital for the region.

The lack of natural gas has, in particular, created problems for the work of 
bakeries in Nagorno-Karabakh. Power outages are also frequent in the region as 
the local grid has to work at its maximum capacity. Ethnic Armenian authorities 
suspended classes in schools on Monday because of the absence of heating in 
classrooms.

Officials in Stepanakert said on Wednesday that following negotiations held with 
the assistance of the Armenian government and Russian peacekeepers Azerbaijan 
today began repairing the damaged section of the gas pipeline. They said that 
gas supply to Nagorno-Karabakh would be restored shortly.

Ahead of his two-day visit to Armenia earlier this week the European Union’s 
special representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo 
Klaar said that Brussels was concerned over the disruption of natural gas 
supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh as well as the latest shootings in the region. The 
European diplomat said these issues would “certainly be on the agenda” of his 
meetings in Yerevan.

“Obviously, these developments are of concern to the EU. It would be essential 
that the gas pipeline is repaired as soon as possible and that the shootings 
stop,” Klaar said.



Armenian Government Urged To Take Preventive ‘Anti-Crisis’ Measures

        • Artak Khulian

A textile factory in Armenia (file photo)


The Armenian government should implement a full-scale anti-crisis program to 
prevent irreversible economic losses, an opposition lawmaker has said.

Tadevos Avetisian, a member of the opposition Hayastan faction, made this 
statement in an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service late on Tuesday amid an 
admission by the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) that the country’s economy will 
significantly slow down this year because of the indirect effects of Western 
sanctions imposed on Russia over the war in Ukraine.

Russia is Armenia’s number one trade partner. Consumer demand in Armenia is also 
largely shored up due to remittances wired by Armenian migrant workers in Russia 
back home. The depreciating Russian ruble and expected fall in the purchasing 
power of the population in Russia may also cause problems for Armenian exporters.

The CBA on Tuesday revised its forecast for Armenia’s annual economic growth in 
2022 from 5.3 percent down to 1.6 percent. Martin Galstian, the governor of the 
CBA, said that certain problems are currently observed in Armenia’s mining and 
processing industries, while the construction sector is also somewhat shrinking.


Tadevos Avetisian

Avetisian said that in such conditions the government should take urgent steps 
to prevent the economic situation from further deteriorating.

“It is incomprehensible that the government is not bringing a full anti-crisis 
program now, because we are again facing an imminent economic crisis,” the 
opposition lawmaker said.

Avetisian, in particular, called for an urgent revision of the state budget in 
favor of spending more on anti-crisis measures. “There are numerous programs and 
funds that were included in the budget, to put it mildly, for populist motives. 
In ordinary conditions those programs perhaps would have been understandable. 
But in the current conditions those programs should be revised to provide more 
stimulus for the economy,” he said.

Government officials in Armenia have not yet reacted to opposition calls for 
‘anti-crisis’ steps. The government is likely to address some of the 
difficulties stemming from the global geopolitical and economic situation during 
its next session due on Thursday.

Meanwhile, to curb inflation, which stood at 6.5 percent in February, the CBA on 
Tuesday raised its benchmark interest rate by 1.25 percentage points – to 9.25 
percent.

“In the current situation, the CBA’s governing board considers it expedient to 
increase the refinancing rate by a relatively large step,” the regulator said.

The CBA expects that as a result of such policy measures Armenia’s 12-month 
inflation will gradually decrease, reaching the target of 4 percent.


Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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