Author: Hovik Karapetian

1-month-old baby infected with COVID-19 dies in Yerevan

Hovik Karapetian

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 14:44,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 29, ARMENPRESS. A 1-month-old baby infected with COVID-19 died at a Yerevan hospital.

The Yerevan State Medical University Chief of Staff Shushan Danielyan said in a statement that the baby died in the morning of October 29 at the ICU of the Muratsan hospital, where it was admitted on October 19.

“[the baby] was put on ventilator on October 26,” Danielyan said. “Listen to experts, get vaccinated and protect yourself and your loved ones from this menacing disease.”

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Ambassador says Chinese people ready to assist Armenia in fight against COVID-19

Hovik Karapetian

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 16:00,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The Chinese government will donate a new batch of vaccines against COVID-19 to Armenia in case of necessity, Ambassador of China to Armenia Fan Yong told reporters today, commenting on the demand of the two Chinese-made vaccines CoronaVac and Sinopharm in Armenia.

The Ambassador reminded that this year in May China donated vaccines to Armenia as an aid, which had a big impact on the fight against the pandemic. After that Armenia has purchased Sinopharm vaccines from China in accordance with the agreement reached between the two governments. However, the Ambassador added that if there is a necessity, the Chinese people are ready to assist the Armenian people on any matter.

“If necessary, the Chinese people, of course, are ready to assist the Armenian people on any matter. I think that in case of necessity, respective agreements will be reached between the governments of the two countries, as a result of which the vaccines can be provided in the form of a donation if needed”, the Ambassador said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia reports 1184 daily COVID-19 cases

Hovik Karapetian

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 11:09,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, ARMENPRESS. 1184 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Armenia in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 296,552, the ministry of healthcare reports.

14,037 COVID-19 tests were conducted on October 24.

1221 patients have recovered in one day. The total number of recoveries has reached 261,952.

The death toll has risen to 6055 (42 death cases have been registered in the past one day).

The number of active cases is 27,284.

The number of people who have been infected with COVID-19 but died from other disease has reached 1261 (3 new such cases).

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Vice Speaker of Parliament participates in Armenia Engineering Week 2021

Hovik Karapetian

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 12:31,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan participated in the 2021 Armenia Engineering Week, the Parliament’s press service said.

The event was also attended by Minister of High Technological Industry Vahagn Khachaturyan.

In his remarks the Vice Speaker presented the progress the sector has made in the past years. He said that in 2015 the sector had nearly 60 billion AMD turnover and 8,000 employees, but in 2020 the turnover comprised 200 billion drams and the number of employees was nearly 19,000.  It is expected to raise the turnover to 500 billion drams and the number of employees to 35,000 by 2025.

He stated that this is the result of the public-private partnership, the policy run by the state.

“We must soon come up with a new draft law thanks to the cooperation of the Parliament and the high-tech ministry, which will signal the next development stages and priorities of our technology field”, Hakob Arshakyan said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian, Russian FMs to discuss bilateral issues, Karabakh

Hovik Karapetian

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 16:39, 14 October, 2021

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are holding a meeting in Minsk, Belarus, on the sidelines of the session of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers, reports TASS.

“Recently we had a detailed talk with you in Moscow, but today we can discuss both bilateral and some additional regional issues, of course. Karabakh must always be in our focus”, the Russian FM said at the beginning of the meeting.

Later the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani FMs are expected to hold a meeting in Minsk.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Stalin’s Blunder that Made Turkey a NATO Member

Hovik Karapetian 
Russia Beyond


By Boris Egorov
Oct. 11, 2021

[The Soviet Union’s diplomatic onslaught on Turkey brought nothing but
Ankara's accession to NATO.]

In June 1945, the Soviet Union was at the peak of its power: Nazi
Germany had been defeated, the whole of Eastern Europe was firmly
inside Moscow's sphere of influence, and the Red Army, the strongest
in the world at the time, was preparing to enter the war against Japan
and deliver a decisive blow.

In these circumstances, the Soviet leadership believed it was high
time to exert diplomatic pressure on Turkey, with which it had a
number of important military, political and territorial disputes. The
Soviets’ newfound authority and enormous influence, as well as the
fact that the Western allies desperately needed Soviet help in the war
against the Japanese, convinced Stalin that dealing with Ankara would
be like taking candy from a baby. Subsequent events proved otherwise.

Rough neighborhood

Turkey's policy during WWII had provoked highly contradictory feelings
in the Kremlin. On the one hand, Anakra’s proclaimed neutrality and
refusal to let the Wehrmacht through its territory were welcomed by
Moscow in every conceivable way.

On the other hand, in the darkest days of the Soviet-German
confrontation, the Turks maintained a large grouping of troops on the
USSR’s southern border. In the fall of 1941, at the invitation of
Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, Turkish Army Generals Ali Fuad Erden
and Hüseyin Hüsnü Emir Erkilet visited the occupied Soviet
territories.

The Kremlin believed that in the event of the defeat of the Red Army,
and the fall of Moscow and Stalingrad, the Turks might invade the
Soviet Caucasus. “In mid-1942, no one could guarantee that [Turkey]
would not side with Germany,” wrote General Semyon Shtemenko in his
memoirs. To repel a possible attack required forces that were urgently
needed elsewhere.
Moreover, the USSR was convinced that Ankara had repeatedly violated
the 1936 Montreux Convention regarding the status of the Bosphorus and
Dardanelles, turning a blind eye to Kriegsmarine ​auxiliary warships
entering the straits under the guise of merchant vessels. The question
of Turkish sovereignty over the straits had vexed Stalin even before
the war; now in 1945 he had the opportunity to address it.

Soviet onslaught

Moscow was readying itself for a diplomatic conflict with Turkey,
which the latter’s joining the anti-Hitler coalition on Feb. 23, 1945,
did nothing to avert. In March of that same year, the USSR denounced
the Soviet-Turkish Treaty of Friendship and Neutrality of 1925, and on
June 7 the Turkish ambassador to the USSR, Selim Sarper, was summoned
to a meeting with People’s Commissar (Minister) of Foreign Affairs
Vyacheslav Molotov.The Turkish side was notified that, since Ankara
was unable to exercise proper control over the straits, henceforth
they would be overseen jointly with the Soviet Union, whose navy would
be provided with several bases in the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles.

In addition, the USSR insisted on revising the Treaty of Moscow of
1921, by which the Bolsheviks had transferred to Turkey the cities of
Kars, Ardahan and Artvin, plus the extensive surrounding territories,
which had previously belonged to the Russian Empire. Since the
governments of Lenin and Kemal Ataturk had been on friendly terms and
jointly opposed the Entente, this concession was then regarded in
Moscow as an important and timely step toward building a strong,
long-term alliance.

In the late 1940s, however, the USSR viewed the situation through a
very different lens. The Soviet press wrote about the “treachery of
the Turks,” who had taken advantage of the weakness of Soviet Russia
and the Soviet Caucasian republics, about the “forced removal” of
small indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands, and about the
need to reunite Soviet Armenians and Georgians with their brothers on
the other side of the border. “There are no reasonable arguments
against the return of these territories to their rightful owners, the
Armenian and Georgian peoples,” stated the People’s Commissariat of
Foreign Affairs in a report for the country’s leadership in August
1945.

Counteraction

Moscow’s pressure provoked a sharp rise in anti-Soviet sentiment in
Turkish society. Stalin was branded the “heir of the Russian tsars,”
who for centuries had sought to seize the Black Sea straits. “The
leaders of the Red order are the continuation of the Romanovs,”
declared the Mejlis, the Turkish legislature.

The question of the return of “territories legally belonging to the
Soviet Union” and the revision of the status of the Bosphorus and the
Dardanelles was raised by the USSR in negotiations with the Western
powers, too. “The Montreux Convention is directed squarely against
Russia... Turkey has been granted the right to close the straits to
our shipping, not only in the case of war, but also when Turkey
considers there to be a threat of war, which Turkey itself
defines...,” Stalin stated at the Potsdam Conference in July 1945: “It
turns out that a small state supported by Britain can hold a large
state by the throat and not let it pass... The issue concerns the free
passage of our ships through the Black Sea and back. But since Turkey
is weak [...] we must have some kind of guarantee that this freedom of
passage will be ensured.”

Whilst verbally agreeing on the need to review the agreement on the
straits, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President
Harry Truman diplomatically rejected all of the USSR’s demands for
bases and claims to Turkish territories. Nor, as it turned out, was
the Montreux Convention revised.

After the defeat of the Japanese and the end of WWII, relations
between the former allies deteriorated rapidly, with the Turkish
question acting as one of the catalysts of the incipient Cold War.
Churchill made a point of raising the issue in his famous Iron Curtain
speech in Fulton on March 5, 1946, which effectively marked the
beginning of the great standoff.

Its diplomatic pressure on Ankara brought no dividends to the Soviet
Union. On the contrary, it expedited Turkey’s rapprochement with the
U.S. and Britain. As early as 1952, it joined the North Atlantic
Alliance.

After Stalin’s death in 1953, “in the name of preserving good
neighborly relations and strengthening peace and security,” Moscow
finally withdrew its claims on Turkey. Years later, one of the main
players in those events, Molotov himself, described it as an
“untimely, impracticable undertaking.”

“Stalin I consider to be a wonderful politician, but he made
mistakes,” noted the former People’s Commissar.

In 1957, the new Soviet head of state, Nikita Khrushchev, gave an
emotional assessment of the Stalinist policy: “We had defeated the
Germans. It was head-spinning. Turks, comrades, friends. Let’s write a
note, and they’ll immediately hand over the Dardanelles. No one is
that foolish. The Dardanelles are not Turkey, it’s a nexus of states.
We terminated the friendship treaty and spat in their faces... It was
stupid. We ended up losing friendly Turkey and now have U.S. bases in
the south, with our southern flank in the crosshairs...”

Sheikh Sultan receives Armenian Honour Award

Hovik Karapetian
Gulf Today, UAE
Oct 10 2021
  • 10 Oct 2021

The Armenian people’s love for the Arabs is not new, but is rooted in the depths of history, said Sheikh Sultan.

Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi received the Armenian Honour Award by the Speaker of Armenian Parliament, on behalf of Armenian President, Serzh Sargsyan, for his pledge to fund the renovation of the Armenian medieval complex, Hagardzin.

Hagardzin is considered a historical cultural monument in Armenia that dates back to the 13th century.

On the occasion of receiving the medal, Sheikh Sultan said: “We have seen the Armenian people’s love for the Arabs, which is not new, but is rooted in the depths of history. During our last visit, the people welcomed us with love.

Therefore, we exchange love and respect with them, and we pray to God to guide them to what is good for their country.”

The announcement comes as a continuation of the project launched by Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre, which aims to highlight on a monthly basis one of the distinctive pieces from the collection of Sheikh Sultan, which represents exceptional achievements in various fields.

Recently, The popular theatrical works of Sheikh received a grand reception in Madrid and Cordoba, the historic capital of Andalusia.

Elite intellectuals and academics have discussed and celebrated the rich legacy of Sharjah Ruler’s theatrical works, including those translated into Spanish, as part of the “Sharjah Literary Days” event organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in cooperation with Cása Árabe, which is operated as the strategic centre for Spain’s relations with the Arab world.

The event follows a 2019 agreement between SBA and Cása Árabe, which was signed in the presence of the Ruler of Sharjah to strengthen bilateral collaboration.

The event was held in the presence of Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, SBA Chairman; Majid Hassan Mohamed Al Suwaidi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Kingdom of Spain; Dr Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage; Bachar Yaghi, Ambassador of the League of Arab States to the Kingdom of Spain; diplomats, media persons, and officials representing the UAE and Spain.

Moderated by Muhammad Majid Al Suwaidi, two sessions to discuss a selection of the most notable works of Sheikh Sultan were organised in Cása Árabe in Madrid and in Cordoba.

Emirati actor and producer, Ahmed Al Jasmi; actor and theatre researcher Lola Botello; and Spanish writer and playwright Julieta Soria, led the discussions, which began with a video presentation of Sheikh Sultan’s works including Nimrod, Holaku’s Return, Reality .. A True Copy, The Case, Alexander the Great, Mighty Samson, Da’esh (ISIS) and Al Ghabra’a, and The Book of Allah: A Play on The Conflict between Light and Darkness.

Speaking about the plays, Al Jasmi said: “The theatrical works of the Ruler of Sharjah are based on historical events, not just as a narration of the past, but also to provide context to the incidents. History gives us the opportunity to learn from past mistakes, and helps us understand the many reasons why people may behave the way they do. Most importantly, His Highness very subtly urges us to heed the lessons that history teaches us so as not to repeat past mistakes which can lead to chaos, confusion and even disintegration of nations.”

He added: “His Highness’ theatrical works highlight his great command over the language and precise use of words to convey a point. They are great examples of the Sharjah Ruler’s facility with words and demonstrate his love for the art form.”

For her part, Botello said: “I was very impressed with the Spanish translations of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Al Qasimi’s theatrical works which are true hallmarks of his great intellect.

They convey a wealth of knowledge and address many issues related to the human experience and existence. I am truly honoured to participate in this event.”

Turkish press: ‘We want to establish relations with our neighbor Armenia’: Aliyev

Hovik Karapetian
 ISTANBUL EUROPE 
OCT 06, 2021 5:58 PM GMT+3

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev visits Jebrayil, Azerbaijan, Oct. 4, 2021. (AA Photo)

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday reiterated his country's willingness to establish relations with neighboring Armenia.

Receiving credentials of the new head of EU delegation to Azerbaijan, Peter Michalko, Aliyev said: "We want to establish relations with our neighbor Armenia and we are ready to start negotiations on the peace agreement, delimitation, and opening communications."

"This process has partly begun, but I believe that if the European Union is fully involved and I sense such a willingness, it will be able to assist us in many areas," the president was quoted by Azerbaijan's state news agency Azertac as saying.

Aliyev stressed that the bloc could contribute to the development, permanent stability, and cooperation in the region.

Aliyev said the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 by Azerbaijan could lead to stability, and peace in the region.

Recently, Aliyev and Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian both expressed readiness for a joint summit as the second Karabakh war between the two countries has left a year behind.

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

When new clashes erupted on Sept. 27 last year, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from the nearly three-decade occupation.

On Nov. 10, 2020, the two countries signed a Russian-brokered agreement to end the fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.

On Jan. 11, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia signed a pact to develop economic ties and infrastructure to benefit the entire region. It included the establishment of a trilateral working group on Karabakh.

The cease-fire is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces withdrew in line with the agreement. Prior to this victory, about 20% of Azerbaijan's territory had been under illegal occupation for nearly 30 years.

Ankara has pledged its full support to Baku in its efforts to liberate its lands from Armenian occupation. A joint Turkish-Russian center was established to monitor the truce. Russian peacekeeping troops have also been deployed to the region.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also said last week that Turkey would coordinate all steps to be taken in terms of reestablishing relations with Armenia amid positive statements in that regard, but no meeting has been scheduled with his Armenian counterpart.

Pashinian's spokesperson Mane Gevorgyan last month said her country is ready to engage in high-level dialogue with Turkey. She noted that Yerevan was ready to establish the highest-level dialogue with Ankara and eliminate obstacles on the transit corridor that would have to go through Armenia to connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan enclave that borders Turkey and Iran.

Armenia and Turkey never established diplomatic relations and their shared border has been closed since the 1990s. The ties have further deteriorated due to Turkey's support for its regional ally Azerbaijan, which fought with Armenia last year for the liberation of the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Asbarez: COAF Holds 2nd Annual Conference on Advancement of Rural Communities in Armenia

Hovik Karapetian
by Contributor

 

 October 6, 2021

 

in Armenia, Latest, News, Top Stories

David Manoukian, Communications Manager of COAF opening the event

YEREVAN—Over 170 key private and public actors attended the second Annual Conference on Advancement of Rural Communities on October 2. The conference took place at the COAF SMART Center in Debet, Lori, and was initiated by the Children of Armenia Fund, in partnership with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia and the United Nations Development Program In Armenia, with the financial support of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia. Headlining speakers and panelists discussed smart governance, green agriculture, sustainable employment, and social recovery in the context of rural growth and development.

Like the previous CARC, held in 2019, this year’s conference aimed to attract external attention and contributions for Armenia’s rural regions, as well as establish fertile ground for collaboration between various key stakeholders. Among the attendees were representatives of local and international organizations, state and local government bodies, and individual entrepreneurs.

  • Vache Terteryan, Deputy Minister of Regional Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia
  • UNDP Armenia Deputy Resident Representative Mihaela Stojkoska
  • Sebastian Falck, GIZ

The conference opened with virtual greetings from COAF Founder and Chairman Garo Armen, followed by welcoming remarks from conference co-organizers Frank Hess (Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Armenia), Mihaela Stojkoska (Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Armenia), Korioun Khatchadourian (Managing Director, COAF), Vache Terteryan (Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia), and Aram Khachatryan (Governor of Lori).

Following the opening remarks, panel moderators kicked off a cycle of discussions which addressed rural challenges and offered new approaches for sustainable, forward-looking recovery. Conference attendees were also provided the unique opportunity to visit an outdoor expo, where private entrepreneurs and organizations from all regions of Armenia and Artsakh presented their services, innovations, and products.

  • UNDP Armenia Deputy Resident Representative Mihaela Stojkoska
  • Korioun Khatchadourian, Managing Director of COAF
  • ArtaSax Saxophone Quartet
  • Panel discussion on smart governance
  • Moderators summing up the four panel discussions
  • ArtaSax Saxophone Quartet performing pieces from world-renowned Armenian and international composers

The conference ended with a touch of traditional culture and artistry, with the ArtaSax Saxophone Quartet performing pieces from world-renowned Armenian and international composers.

The Children of Armenia Fund is a non-profit, non-governmental organization which employs community-led approaches to improve the quality of life in rural Armenia, with a particular focus on children and youth. COAF’s core development areas are education, healthcare, social services, and economic development. COAF launched its programs in 2004, starting in one village and expanding to 64 villages in the Armavir, Aragatsotn, Lori, Gegharkunik, Shirak, and Tavush regions, impacting more than 107,000 beneficiaries.

  • Conference participants at the Expo
  • At the Expo
  • Expo exhibition

Since 2015, COAF has developed and implemented its signature SMART Initiative. COAF SMART is designed to advance generations of rural Armenians through cutting-edge education, focused both on innovation and capacity-building. The first COAF SMART Center was inaugurated on May 27, 2018, near the village of Debet, in the Lori Region, and will be replicated in communities throughout Armenia.

UNDP is the leading organization of the United Nations that fights to end poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our extensive network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help states create unified, lasting solutions for people and the planet Earth.

The UNDP Armenia Office was established in 1993 and supports the Government in implementing its development priorities and Sustainable Development Goals.