Author: Hambik Zargarian

 11:24, 2 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is ready to revisit the discussion on possible deployment of its monitoring mission along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and is awaiting a response from Yerevan, a Russian foreign ministry official has said.

“The CSTO member states have never abandoned their efforts for stabilizing the situation in the region and have numerously affirmed readiness to find concrete solutions that would allow our Armenian friends to utilize the organization’s broad possibilities with maximum benefit,” Mikayel Aghasandyan, the Head of the First Department of the CIS Countries at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told RIA Novosti.

“We are still waiting for a positive response from Yerevan and stand ready to resume substantive work around the proposal to deploy a CSTO monitoring mission in Armenia’s border regions, as well as other joint actions to help our ally,” he added.

Moscow believes that “making the relevant decisions would have a positive impact on the general regional situation, the official said.

“I repeat, we are ready for such constructive work,” he added.

The foreign ministry official also said that the CSTO, like any other international organization, is not a “magic wand” for solving every problem.

“The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is one of the most complicated [conflicts], it has deep historical roots. Consistent normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations based on negotiations, mutual respect between the parties, readiness to compromise, make responsible decisions and implement them is the only path towards sustainable resolution. In this context, I must mention the key mediation role of Russia and personally President Vladimir Putin in this process,” Aghasandyan said.

 14:41,

YEREVAN, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Armenia to Romania Sergey Minasyan has paid a courtesy call on Romanian Foreign Minister Luminița Odobescu.

During the meeting, the Armenian Ambassador briefed the Romanian FM on details on the illegal Azerbaijani blockade of Lachin Corridor, the Armenian Embassy in Romania said in a readout.

Minasyan congratulated Odobescu on assuming the post of Foreign Minister and expressed hope that her rich professional experience and skills will contribute to the further development of the Armenian-Romanian relations.

Both sides emphasized that the recent positive dynamics in the rich historical Armenian-Romanian relations allows supplementing the bilateral agenda and raising it to a new qualitative level.

The Armenian Ambassador conveyed to the Romanian FM details on the ongoing illegal blockade of Lachin Corridor and the resulting humanitarian crisis.

Views were exchanged on prospects of multilateral cooperation, particularly within the framework of Armenia-EU comprehensive partnership. In this context, the importance of the deployment of the EU monitoring mission in Armenia was underscored as a factor contributing to regional stability.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno-Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

Dmitry Trenin

Mediamax’s interview with Dmitry Trenin, research professor of the Faculty of World Economy and World Politics at the Higher School of Economics and leading researcher at the Center for International Security of the National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Dmitry Trenin was Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center from 2008-2022.

– In your article “Russia’s allied policy: What to do and what to change?” published in late August 2020, about a month before the war, you wrote that Armenia’s value for Russia is not too big. Can we say that after the defeat in the 2020 war, Armenia’s value has further decreased?

– I think, first of all, it is not that Armenia has changed, but the general situation in the region. The changes inside Armenia were rather a consequence of what happened during the war and what changed the balance of power in the South Caucasus.

Today, Russia’s position has changed not only towards Armenia but the South Caucasus in general.

I will not say that a disaster occurred for Russia, but in any case, the changes are serious. Today, Turkey is probably a more significant player in the South Caucasus than Russia. In addition, in the context of the war in Ukraine, Western countries, primarily the United States and partly the United Kingdom, began to attach much more importance to the post-Soviet space in case when they distanced themselves from the 2020 war. In general, this war was very peripheral for the Western political class and, in general, for Western society – little was written about it, little was said or thought about it. But now, after Russia’s involvement in the Ukrainian developments, the West thinks there is an opportunity and a need to expand the geopolitical pressure with access to the Caucasus, Middle and Central Asia.

– In the same article you wrote: “The main value of the position on Armenia is in the possibility of maintaining relative stability in Transcaucasia, the balance between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and deterring Turkey’s ambitions. Today, this balance no longer exists.

– Actually, Russia cannot play this game anymore. For many years it had the opportunity to act as a balancer and believed that it could – as the Americans do in the Middle East – sell weapons to one and the other, control the situation in the zone of extinguished or frozen conflict and thus maintain its position in the South Caucasus, not allowing regional powers such as Turkey and world powers such as the United States or even China enter the region. Now Russia does not have such an opportunity, so there can be no talk of any balance between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

At the same time, Russia is interested that a solution be found to the problem of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. Peace creates more opportunities for Russia than war. If earlier it was possible to say that Russia benefited from this conflict, although I think this is not quite true, now it hopes that a peaceful settlement will create some conditions: first of all, by intensification of economic relations, creation of new transport opportunities, including through the territory of Armenia. We should also keep in mind that the relations between Russia and Georgia have warmed up a bit recently. This is also an interesting factor.

– How fair is the opinion that the fate of the South Caucasus is decided not in the region itself, but in Ukraine? In the sense that after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Russia does not want or is unable to play the role it had in the first post-war phase.

– I agree with that point of view. But when we say that everything depends on the outcome, we assume that the outcome is somewhere close. But the outcome is very far away, we are probably talking about years. The conflict in Ukraine may freeze on some point for a while, but it will not change the state of hybrid war between Russia and the West. The situation will remain in limbo without a clear final outcome for a long time.

Dmitry Trenin

Obviously, priorities have now changed a lot, and we have to mobilize resources in the most important areas. The luxury that Russian foreign policy used to have will no longer exist.

– And the need for Russia to take into account Turkey’s interests in the region will only grow?

– Of course, Turkey remains a very important country for Russia, and the need to take Turkish interests into account, of course, remains. I would also add that Russia has obvious interests in Azerbaijan, and these interests have grown: I mean the North-South corridor which is also one of the connecting threads between Russia and the economies of the Near and Middle East, India, Iran. This is also of strategic importance for Russia. With Europe no longer being Russia’s main economic partner, there is a need to interact more closely with Azerbaijan. The importance of Armenia as a military outpost in relation to Turkey is much smaller in the current conditions. This does not mean that Russia has stopped being interested in Armenia and would like to close this “unpromising direction”. There is nothing of the sort. There is a willingness to work with the government that exists in Armenia, understanding its aspirations and its limitations.

– Many people in Yerevan ask: in light of the difficult situation Armenia is in, and the growing importance of Turkey and Azerbaijan for Moscow, what can Armenia do, to gain competitive advantages and become more interesting for Russia?

– I repeat that Russia has no wish to reduce its presence in Armenia. Armenia today is not a “burden” or “ballast”. In the current circumstances, it is important for Russia to maintain allied relations with Armenia through the CSTO and the EAEU. For this, the relations should be more pragmatic. There is a thing which, if does not disturb the Russian side but somewhat annoys it. This is the resentment against Russia in Armenian society. I believe that Russia does not deserve such criticism. Russia is being asked to, so to speak, harness for Armenia, while Armenia is not going to harness for Russia. Such moments of tension, in my opinion, can be significantly reduced in the case of more pragmatic, more open and more honest relations. I think that Russia is ready for such a new format of relations, which would not be the relations of boss and client, as it was seen by many in Moscow and Yerevan, but the relations of two countries linked by common interests, historical and demographic ties.

Dmitry Trenin

You talk about Armenia’s difficult situation. Russia is also in a very difficult situation, with a huge number of sanctions and other forms of pressure from the West. The situation in Russia is quite difficult. It has to wage a hybrid war against the collective West, and I would like Russian partners and allies to understand this, just as Russia understands Armenia. Russia did not obstruct the choice of the Armenian people in 2018, it agreed to live with the government the Armenian people chose. Whatever Putin thinks of the notorious “Sorosians”, he is working with Nikol Pashinyan and quite closely.

– You mentioned the CSTO, which, instead of acting as a guarantor of Armenia’s security, today is actually one of the main irritants in Armenian-Russian relations.

– I would partly argue with this, saying that the CSTO is of little use to Armenia, but the CSTO does not force Armenia to do anything. CSTO members are Russia’s formal allies, but now when Russia is actually at war with the collective West, they take a neutral position. And Russia accepts this as a fact; no one is demanding that the CSTO be dissolved and no one calls on the CSTO to consolidate around Russia. In this sense Russia acts very adaptively and understands what it can demand from its allies and what it cannot. It is not an ideal tool, of course, but it is a burden that at least does not pull you down. Right, it does not help much either. But leaving the CSTO will bring forth unnecessary losses that will not be compensated. Let’s say Armenia withdraws from the CSTO, what does it mean? Will it become a member of NATO? No, it will not. Will it abandon bilateral military relations with Russia? As I understand it, no, although obviously there are circles that demand the withdrawal of Russian forces. No good alternative is seen for Armenia. Of course, Armenia is the one that determines its own fate, its military-political status, but we should look at the situation from different sides and refrain from emotions. We in Russia also have a lot of emotions not related to the Caucasus and Armenia. This should also be kept in mind.    

Ara Tadevosyan spoke with Dmitry Trenin

This interview has been prepared as part of a joint project with the Tufenkian Foundation.

 14:01,

YEREVAN, JULY 12, ARMENPRESS. Ucom has expanded its fixed network to include Goris and has also upgraded the mobile network in this regional city of Armenia. This means that both individual and corporate subscribers in Goris can now enjoy the benefits of the latest fiber optic network technology. Residents of Goris will also have the option to combine their fixed and mobile communication services into a single package, saving up to 45% compared to subscribing to these services separately.

In particular, by selecting the Unity packages, subscribers can provide their entire family with up to 500 Mbps of home internet, access to 210+ TV channels (including those of 4K quality), and a Wi-Fi 6 device that offers faster and smoother internet connectivity at home. Additionally, the package allows for the inclusion of up to 4 Super SIM cards at a special price, ensuring the family can enjoy high-speed mobile communication together.

The first subscriber from Goris, Artyom Ohanjanyan, has joined the largest Unity Super 20000 package. His family will enjoy the mentioned services free of charge for 6 months as part of this comprehensive offer.

"Internet connectivity is crucial everywhere. Whether you reside in a border settlement, Yerevan, or anywhere else in the world, the desire to stay in touch with distant relatives, see their faces, and have conversations remains constant. Fast internet plays a vital role," stated Artyom Ohanjanyan, the inaugural subscriber of Ucom's Unity package in the city of Goris.

"Of course, Ucom has a special offer for the residents of Goris. By subscribing to the regional Unity 9000 package for 12 months until October 1, families in Goris can enjoy home internet with speeds of up to 150 Mbps, over 210 TV channels, 20 GB of mobile internet, and the ability to use popular mobile applications without consuming their data bundle. Additionally, the package includes 1000 minutes to call all local networks, Artsakh, USA, and Canada. Notably, these calls will be made through our upgraded mobile network, and all connections will be activated within three days," stated Ralph Yirikian, Director General of Ucom.

During his visit on July 11, the directors of Goris No. 4 and A. Bakunts High Schools No. 1, as well as "Goris State College" SNPO A. Shegunts, L. Manucharyan, and K. Lazaryan, met with the Director General of Ucom. Immediately, the General Director instructed the teams to provide access to high-speed fixed Internet in these educational institutions, allowing hundreds of students to benefit from the fastest internet in Armenia free of charge.

Let us remind that Ucom has a strategic network expansion plan, which includes the expansion of the fixed network also in Ashtarak, Artashat, Gavar, Sevan, and Ijevan regional cities. The technical works are scheduled to be completed by 2024. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that Ucom has been awarded the "Fastest Fixed Network in Armenia 2021" and "Fastest Fixed Network in Armenia 2022" Speedtest Awards™ by Ookla®, a global leader in fixed and mobile Internet testing and analysis, for two consecutive years. This recognition serves as a testament to the dedication and collaborative efforts of Ucom's 1400 employees, not only in the Armenian market but also at the regional and CIS levels.

 14:57,

STEPANAKERT, 12 JULY, ARMENPRESS. On July 12, a rally was held by the initiative of the "People's Movement for Unblocking the Corridor" in Stepanakert's Renaissance Square, demanding to unblock the Lachin Corridor.

The coordinators of the rally noted that the situation created by the complete blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan after July 15 forces to take actions for unblocking the Lachin Corridor as soon as possible, as the situation is getting worse.

"Our plan is to gather a large number of people here, after which we will start a march to Hakari Bridge. For that, we need to be provided with fuel and security, and we need to turn to the Russian peacekeepers for both of those issues. If they don't do anything, we will close the airport and cut off their supply, just as ours is cut off. For now, we will inform the population about our actions so that a large number of people gather," Arthur Osipyan, an activist of the rally, told Armenpress.

Then the participants of the rally headed to the headquarters of the "People's Movement for Unblocking the Corridor", where the action group announced that today they will also turn to Artsakh authorities to support the implementation of the goals of the rally.

 12:48,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. World-renowned Armenian scientist, academician of the National Academy of Armenia Richard G. Hovhannisyan passed away on July 10, in the city of Los Angeles, US, at the age of 90, Armenian Center for National and International Studies reports.

He was born and raised in Tulare, near Fresno, California, in a family of Armenian Genocide survivors.

Hovannisian received his B.A. in history (1954) from the University of California, Berkeley, and his M.A. in history (1958) and his Ph.D. (1966) from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

In 1986 Richard G. Hovhannisyan was appointed as the first holder of the Armenian Educational Foundation Endowed Chair in Modern Armenian History at UCLA. He is the author of the monumental four-volume tome about the First Republic of Armenia (1918-1920), as well as many books on Armenian Genocide.

His son, Raffi Hovannisian, was the first Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia