Author: John Hovhannisian

146th IPU Assembly: Armenian delegate criticizes CSTO for inaction amid Azeri occupation

John Hovhannisian

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 14:07,

YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Member of Parliament Hasmik Hakobyan (Civil Contract faction) criticized the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for its inaction over the occupation of sovereign territories of Armenia – a CSTO member – by Azerbaijan.

Hakobyan delivered remarks at the meeting of parliamentary delegations of CSTO member states during the 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Bahrain.

“In May and November 2021, as well as in September last year, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military aggression against the Republic of Armenia which resulted in over 150 square kilometers of sovereign territories of Armenia being occupied. In this situation the military and political support from CSTO partners was important for Armenia. And we regret that our organization, the CSTO, still doesn’t have a clear political assessment that an attack has taken place on the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, and that Azerbaijan has occupied territories of a CSTO member country,” Hakobyan said in her speech.

Speaking about the humanitarian crisis and security-related issues in Nagorno Karabakh, Hakobyan underscored that Azerbaijan is not complying with the International Court of Justice February 22 ruling to open the Lachin corridor – the only road linking Nagorno Karabakh to the outside world.

“For three months, along with the blockade of Lachin corridor and creation of a humanitarian disaster, Azerbaijan continues to terrorize the indigenous Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh. The Azerbaijani military is regularly violating the ceasefire. Recently they opened fire on a peaceful civilian who was farming. And on March 5, as a result of a sabotage ambush committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces, three police officers of the Nagorno Karabakh police were killed and one was injured,” the legislator said.

Hakobyan called on the parliamentarians to condemn Azerbaijan’s use of force, as well as provocative manifestations of a large-scale military attack.

The United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan on February 22 to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. The Lachin Corridor is blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022.

Newspaper: Total propaganda on subject of Karabakh ‘reintegration’ into Azerbaijan

John Hovhannisian
News.am
Armenia – March 9 2023
10:16, 09.03.2023

Past daily of Armenia writes: While at the highest level in Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] there are insinuations about the possibility of the presence of some forces or individuals who consider the proposal of [Artsakh’s] integration into Azerbaijan acceptable, in the last two months intensive propaganda is being carried out in Azerbaijan regarding the so-called "reintegration" of Artsakh. The Azerbaijani propaganda machine is trying to circulate theories of "reintegration" and coexistence on the public platform and discourse through various "experts."

It is clear that all these "experts" are sazandars of the [Azerbaijani] authorities, although in dictatorial Azerbaijan it is difficult to imagine someone who has a real independent or, even more, an oppositional view. In particular, as a result of our study, we found out that [these] Azerbaijani "experts" try to present everything as a matter regulated exclusively in the domain of Azerbaijan, specifying their "ways and roads." It is noted that the initial dialogue with the Armenians of Artsakh should be started within the framework of representatives of the NGO sector and civil society, emphasize that Artsakh is dominated by theories from the non-government sphere of Armenia and the [Armenian] diaspora, which, according to them, allegedly "affect the real opinion of the people of Artsakh and constrain them."

It is noteworthy that, in their propaganda claims pushed forward, the Azerbaijani circles emphasize that the anti-Azerbaijani statements coming from Armenia should not be taken seriously (it is about the positions of the opposition), as "they have nothing in common with the opinion of [Armenian PM] Pashinyan's administration." By the way, it is specially noted that it is mainly these opinions that harm the "reintegration" of Artsakh and the so-called "peace" process.


Opinion from Baku: "The view that Azerbaijanis and Armenians cannot live together is being reinforced."

John Hovhannisian
March 7 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Baku

Message from the Russian peacekeeping contingent

A report from the Russian peacekeeping contingent about the March 5 incident in Karabakh provoked an angry reaction in Azerbaijan, the country’s Defense Ministry issued a statement deploring the contingent’s position. The Defense Ministry also threatened to take more decisive steps if the Armenian armed forces did not leave the country. According to political observer Shahin Jafarli, with the approach of 2025, when the peacekeepers’ stay in Karabakh ends, the opinion that Azerbaijanis and Armenians cannot live together is being reinforced.

  • ‘This is an attack on a strategic partnership’ – US Helsinki Commission on foreign agent law in Georgia
  • Two video stories about the life of people in NK after the blockade of the Lachin corridor
  • Azerbaijan loses three more cases against its own citizens

In November 2025 the mission of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh will end, and under the terms of the tripartite statement, if one of the parties does not withdraw from the agreement six months before the expiration of this period, the period is automatically extended for another 5 years, until 2030.

“They will not allow wounds to heal, to decrease the level of mutual hostility.

One side has the idea that if they are not expelled, then it will not be possible to resolve the issue at the root, while the other thinks: if we become part of this country, we won’t survive.

It’s no secret who benefits from this situation, but again, perhaps for the millionth time, the sides make the same mistakes,” Jafarli added.

Answering a question at a press conference in Baku about the possible appearance of an Azerbaijani checkpoint on the Lachin road, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the sides should not take steps that contradict the requirements of the tripartite statement of November 10, 2020.

The head of the Atlas analytical center Elkhan Shahinoglu noted that, according to this logic, Azerbaijan cannot establish a checkpoint on the Lachin road:

“But Luis Bono, senior adviser to the US Secretary of State for the negotiation process in the Caucasus, also said in Baku that the States treat Baku’s interests related to security issues with understanding. In other words, the diplomat hinted at the exclusivity of Azerbaijan’s right to install a checkpoint on the Lachin road.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is of the same opinion. Brussels will also not be against the creation of a checkpoint on the notorious corridor.”

Shahinoglu also raised the issue of a possible meeting between President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Brussels:

“EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar met with Aliyev after he had a meeting with Pashinyan.

It is clear that Charles Michel is trying to organize a meeting between Aliyev and Pashinyan. Now it remains to decide on the date of this meeting.

Baku’s only condition for holding the meeting is removing the tripartite format. In other words, without the participation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

As we remember, the fifth Aliyev-Pashinyan meeting, mediated by Brussels, was to be held in December last year. Pashinyan demanded Macron participate, Aliyev refused.

Charles Michel understands that the condition of Macron’s participation could put an end to this EU initiative, and so had to return to the previous tripartite summit model. Apparently Pashinyan has already agreed with this approach, otherwise the meeting would not take place.”

Shootout in Karabakh between Azerbaijani soldiers and police of the unrecognized republic of NK; all details known at the moment

On March 6, the Russian Ministry of Defense published a bulletin in which it accused Azerbaijan of the March 5 incident in Karabakh.

“At 10:00 on March 5, 2023, in the area of the settlement of Dyukyanlar, soldiers of the armed forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan fired at a car with law enforcement officers of Nagorno-Karabakh. Three men were killed and one who was in the car was injured. On the Azerbaijani side, the losses were two dead, one wounded. Through the efforts of Russian peacekeepers, the fighting was stopped.

The command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, together with the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides, is conducting an investigation,” the bulletin says.

On Monday evening, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry issued a response statement.

“We note with regret that on March 6, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation distorted the facts and disseminated false information in its bulletin about the armed incident that took place yesterday on the Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu road,” the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan maintained.

Azerbaijan comments on events in Karabakh on March 5

Recounting their version, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan said:

“Once again we warn that the transportation of military goods by Armenia to the territory of Azerbaijan, the dispatch and rotation of the personnel of the Armenian armed forces must be immediately and once and for all stopped, and Armenian troops must be completely withdrawn from the territory of our country. Otherwise, the Azerbaijani side will be forced to take absolutely necessary measures to disarm and neutralize illegal armed formations using all possibilities.

Such actions of Armenia are regarded as a continuation of military aggression.

The events that have taken place and the continuation of the illegal military transportation of Armenia to the sovereign territories of our country once again confirm the need to ensure the control regime on the Lachin road in the territory of Azerbaijan.”

On March 7, the news site caliber.az, which is close to the Azerbaijani authorities, published photos and videos that, according to a source, reflect the movement of a military convoy along the dirt road Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu, the same road where the March 5 shootout took place.

“According to the information received, the military transport of illegal Armenian armed formations is accompanied by the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

At the beginning of the column are two UAZ Patriot vehicles of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, followed by one tented Ural belonging to illegal Armenian armed groups, and a KamAZ with a water tank, and at the end of the column is an BTR-82A on which the Russian flag is hoisted.

The column is on the way to provide the posts of illegal Armenian armed groups with food, water and ammunition,” the report says.

The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan issued another statement after the publication of the above photos and videos.

“Military transport is unacceptable and is a gross violation of the provisions of the tripartite statement and must be stopped immediately.

We reiterate that the supply of weapons, ammunition, mines, provisions and other military equipment to illegal Armenian armed formations located in the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan, as well as the transportation and rotation of personnel to combat positions, is a gross violation of the sovereignty of Azerbaijan, the provisions of the tripartite statement and is a continuation of the policy of aggression.

If such actions are not immediately stopped, Azerbaijan will be forced to take the necessary measures to prevent such actions by Armenia and illegal Armenian military elements ionn the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan.

The events that have taken place once again confirm the necessity and validity of the establishment by Azerbaijan of a regime of control over the Lachin road,” the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry declared.

https://jam-news.net/opinion-from-baku-the-view-that-azerbaijanis-and-armenians-cannot-live-together-is-being-reinforced/

Iran voices readiness to cooperate with Armenia

John Hovhannisian
 Mehr News Agency
Iran – Feb 27 2023

TEHRAN, Feb. 27 (MNA) – Iranian Minister of Labor, Cooperatives and Social Welfare expressed Iran’s readiness to cooperate with Armenia.

Seyyed Sowlat Mortazavi made the remarks in a meeting with Gnel Sanosyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures in Yerevan, on Monday.

Iran and Armenia always enjoy very good friendly relations based on mutual respect and good neighborliness, he underlined.

Armenia's role in the development of foreign relations and access to the Eurasian Union market is of prime importance, he added.

Various projects in the fields of construction, road, tunnel digging, dam construction, urban development, energy infrastructure as well as technical and engineering services are among spheres of cooperation, he further noted.

The Armenian minister, for his part, said that the Armenian government pays special attention to the development of cooperation with the Islamic Republic in its five-year plan.

TM/85042542

Performance report 2022 of the Urban Development Committee presented to the Prime Minister

John Hovhannisian

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 18:10,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Urban Development Committee and got acquainted with the performance report 2022 of the Committee, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Mher Grigoryan and Tigran Khachatryan, Head of the State Supervision Service Romanos Petrosyan, Chairman of the Urban Development Committee Armen Ghularyan, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister Bagrat Badalyan, Deputy Minister of Finance Vahan Sirunyan, the leadership of the Committee, and other officials.

The progress and results of the activities of the Urban Development Committee were reported to the Prime Minister. In particular, the works carried out during the previous year in the fields of architecture and urban development, construction policy, management of housing stock and utility infrastructure, capital construction projects, introduction of modern technologies in the field and other directions were presented. Nikol Pashinyan was also presented with the works to be carried out in 2023-2024.

It was reported that in terms of architecture and urban development, the issue of ensuring the entire territory of Armenia with spatial planning documents by 2024 has been solved by almost 70%. The conceptual documents resulting from the micro-regional planning document aimed at the complex development of settlements and the creation of new poles of growth are being developed. It was noted that within the framework of the measures, preparations are being made for the development of the general program of resettlement of Armenia, the deadline of which is 2024, but taking into account the importance of the document, the works have already started.

According to the report, in terms of architecture and urban planning, a document regulating the large-scale construction works carried out in the republic, the order of the territory planning project, is being developed, which is aimed at drawing up a document aimed at the joint solution of problems and taking into account the needs of the public, excluding local-episodic solutions.

It was emphasized that works are also being carried out in the direction of clarifying and strictening the legal regulations, in order to prevent inappropriate interventions in the environment created during the construction works currently being carried out in the capital and to protect the center of the capital from overloading and ensure balanced development.

Currently, the process of development, localization and modernization of the regulatory and technical system is underway. It was noted that the system of normative and technical documents is one of the main tools of the state for the regulation of urban development activities. In 2022, 20 normative and technical documents were approved and put into use. The developed norms refer to the following directions considered as priority by the government: civil defense structures, increasing energy efficiency, school and preschool institutions, hydro technical and road structures, safety techniques in construction, including the organization of construction sites.

In the framework of the presented events, it was also reported on the modernization of the construction pricing methodology, the approval and application of the list of multiple-use projects, the possibilities of introducing new technologies and materials in construction, ensuring the legal basis for increasing the reliability and seismic resistance of buildings and structures, implementation of urban development projects in the most dangerous landslides, ensuring the accessibility of a number of important facilities for persons with disabilities. There was also reference to the process of introducing the passport system of buildings and constructions, to the reforms of the licensing process.

Presenting the work on housing stock issues, it was noted that during the reporting period, the concept of reforming the housing stock management system was developed, the rules for the maintenance, operation and modernization of multi-apartment buildings were developed and approved.

There was a reference to the shacks installed after the earthquake, the decision recording the approaches and priorities of the government on which has been adopted. According to the decision, in 2023, approval of lists, budget planning and implementation of works that do not require financing will be carried out.

During the reporting period, the Committee also developed a State Assistance Program for Energy Efficient Renovations, which subsidizes interest rates on renovation loans. 1245 loans were provided under the program in 2022, with a portfolio of about 2.6 billion AMD. The amount of subsidy was 40 million AMD.

Regarding the progress of capital programs, it was reported that over the course of 3 years, there was a 6-fold increase in allocations, and their sectoral proportions are entirely based on the priorities set by the Government Action Plan, namely, the building, reconstructing and renovating 300 schools, 500 kindergartens and 50 health facilities.

Regarding the works carried out in the direction of introducing modern technologies in the sector, it was reported that from January 1, 2022, design and construction permits in the enlarged communities of Nairi in Kotayk Province, Echmiadzin in Armavir Province, Masis in Ararat Province and Vanadzor in Lori Province will be provided exclusively electronically, through the e-Permits system.

The principle of determining the amount of fines applied in case of non-completion of construction in time has been regulated. Administrative measures for non-compliance with demolition permit requirements have been provided.

The website of the Committee has been upgraded, which includes a search system for normative and technical documents, as well as a map of capital expenditure programs implemented by the government.

Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasized the importance of providing the entire territory of Armenia with spatial planning documents by 2024 and emphasized that it is of strategic importance. The Prime Minister added that this will contribute to the overall development of the urban development sector. Nikol Pashinyan also emphasized the digitization of building permits and other services. Referring to the projects implemented in different communities, the Prime Minister emphasized the paving of sidewalks and parks with stones. "Our task should be increasing the efficiency of capital expenditures, including through the introduction of new project management mechanisms," said Nikol Pashinyan. The Prime Minister also emphasized the implementation of consistent steps in the direction of management of landslide zones, maintenance of accessibility standards in public buildings.

URGENT. International Court of Justice obliges Azerbaijan to ensure uninterrupted movement through the Lachin Corridor

John Hovhannisian

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 19:53, 22 February 2023

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. The International Court of Justice obliged Azerbaijan to ensure the uninterrupted movement of transport and people through the Lachin Corridor in both directions, as provided by the obligations it has assumed, reads the decision of the International Court of Justice on Armenia's petition on the issue of unblocking the Lachin Corridor.

Pashinyan applauds Zelensky at Munich Security Conference, leaves hall

John Hovhannisian
Panorama
Armenia – Feb 18 2023

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan left the Munich Security Conference hall after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech on Friday.

Zelensky opened the Munich Security Conference via a video link, delivering a strong criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A video of the meeting released by the official website of the conference shows Pashinyan applauding weakly after the Ukrainian president’s speech and then leaving the meeting hall to return only after the Q&A session.

The three-day gathering in Munich bought together around 40 heads of state and government, as well as politicians and security experts from almost 100 countries.

Residents evicted from former Armenian Defense Ministry building not allowed to set up tents

John Hovhannisian
Panorama
Armenia – Feb 18 2023

The rapid response team of the Armenian ombudsperson’s office visited the families evicted from the former building of Armenia’s Defense Ministry on the outskirts of Yerevan early on Friday.

Police officers on Thursday evicted residents of the building who, according to the authorities, were living there illegally. Over 20 residents were detained while resisting eviction.

The building located on the Yerevan-Ashtarak highway was given to Armenia’s State Revenue Committee in April 2022.

The Human Rights Defender’s Office reports that the residents shared their concerns, including over their places of residence and living conditions, at the meeting with its team.

The ombudsperson’s office summed up the residents’ concerns and sent a relevant notice to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

Late in the evening, the team paid another visit to the evicted families who said they were not allowed to set up tents and hold a protest.

The ombudsperson’s representatives discussed the matter with on-duty police officers.

Eventually, the residents were allowed to set up temporary tents.


MP: Officers who are comfortable and silent don’t know Pashinyan well

John Hovhannisian
NEWS.am
Armenia – Sept 5 2022
MP: Officers who are comfortable and silent don't know Pashinyan well
19:52, 05.09.2022

Some officers, who think they can keep silent and get favorable conditions for themselves, do not know Pashinyan well, opposition MP Tigran Abrahamyan told NEWS.am.

He is convinced that Pashinyan will sacrifice all of them until he gets an opportunity to completely avoid personal responsibility.

The deputy noted that from the point of view of public perception, Shushi has a cornerstone significance, so the authorities want to hurriedly shift the episode of the war to different actors.

"For me, these cases were not a coincidence. Charges have been brought against people who became actors in the hostilities," he added. Our interlocutor is referring to former commanders of the Artsakh Defense Army Jalal Harutyunyan and Mikael Arzumanyan, who have been charged with negligence during the 44-day war.

Abrahamyan is sure that we cannot expect unbiased investigation of the cases under the current authorities. The authorities are pursuing a certain goal, and they have said so publicly.

"The goal is to blame the volunteers, the officers, the top army personnel, but not the political authorities," the deputy noted.

He recalled that wars are fought by states, and the political authorities are responsible for the outcome of the war.

"The number one responsible and guilty party is the political authority and its leadership, including Nikol Pashinyan who became the Supreme Commander in Chief during the war," Abrahamyan concluded.

Music: The Armenian Voice sings Whitney Houston

John Hovhannisian
Sept 3 2022
 Posted on 3 September 2022 by Rita Bratovich
Masha Mnjoyan will perform songs of Whitney Houston in Whitney Orchestrated. Image: supplied

One of the headline acts for Chatswood’s Culture Bites Festival this year, is Whitney Orchestrated, a tribute concert featuring the most loved songs of Whitney Houston backed by the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra. Taking on the inconceivable challenge of “being Whitney” is Armenian singer, Masha Mnjoyan. 

While she’s not quite as well known in Australia, Mnjoyan is something of a celebrity in her home country: she performed in Junior Eurovision in 2008, then big Eurovision in 2016; she won The Voice Armenia in 2013 and was a finalist in The Voice Australia in 2020. 

Mnjoyan is an accomplished musician, singer and composer in a range of genres including pop, jazz, blues, RnB, and songs in her native Armenian language.  

From the age of four, Mnjoyan had already set her heart on a career in music. 

“It was sort of meant to be, me in music all the time,” says Mnjoyan. “Though I was very young and without even realising that I had ability, I wanted to be in music.”

Her parents, and in particular, an aunty, were very supportive. Mnjoyan recalls her aunty presenting her to the director of a music school and saying: “She’s very talented. She needs to be here.”

But Armenia is small and after being in Eurovision, Idol, The Voice, and touring and performing around the country, Mnjoyan felt she had exhausted her career potential there. And she was only 23 years old. 

Mnjoyan decided to move to Sydney. She’d visited Australia on several occasions prior.

“I fell in love with nature, the people, the culture – everything!” says Mnjoyan. “The only country where I would try to grow my career would be Australia. Otherwise I would just stay in my country.”

It didn’t take long for that growth to start happening. Mnjoyan put together two bands and began performing in Sydney’s best jazz and live music venues; she sang on the Opera House forecourt during Vivid and has done television appearances. 

It was with a Whitney Houston song, “I Have Nothing”, that Mnjoyan knocked the socks off the judges in The Voice, Aus. She has been a huge fan of Houston from a very early age.

“Since I was a child, I admired listening to Whitney Houston; watching her live videos and everything about her. She was a real model for me, an idol … something unreachable with the vocal and with the performance and presentation.”

In Sydney, Mnjoyan became aware that a lot of tribute concerts were being performed, noting that no one had yet tackled Whitney. She approached conductor and musical director, George Ellis, who had put together the series of “Orchestrated” concerts including tributes to The Beatles, ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, and many more. 

He liked the idea of doing a Whitney Houston tribute and he connected Mnjoyan with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra and things took off from there. 

Mnjoyan insists that the concert is a tribute and not an impersonation. 

“It’s not gonna be better than her, it’s not gonna be the same as her, it’s not going to be even something like her – because Whitney is the one and only, and no one can be like her.”

Instead, Mnjoyan sees this a an homage from the heart.

“It’s going to be like Masha singing Whitney Houston: the way that I feel her, the way that I feel the music, the lyrics and the way I accept music.” Singing an all-Whitney Houston show is something Mnjoyan has always aspired to do. “So yeah, it’s a dream come true!”

What Mnjoyan wants is for the audience to share in her joy of Whitney’s music.  

“It’s going to be sort of a party concert. Our goal is to make people feel positive. Obviously we’re gonna include big songs – without “All By Myself” and “I Have Nothing” and stuff like that, a Whitney concert is not gonna be the same. But we’re going to make it more active and more positive with beats and stuff.”

Whitney Orchestrated