Ambassador Nersesyan calls out Azerbaijan’s systematic destruction of Armenian heritage in Artsakh

Panorama
Armenia – July 7 2022

On 5-6 July, International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief was held in London. Armenia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom Varuzhan Nersesyan represented Armenia at the conference, the Armenian Embassy in the UK reported.

In the national pledge Nersesyan reiterated Armenia’s commitment to democratic values, human rights including freedom of religion and belief. With a key emphasis on the plight of Christians in the Middle East, the diplomat highlighted the necessity of protecting and restoring the historic presence of Christianity in the region and Armenia’s consistent efforts towards the restoration and preservation of that millennia old heritage.

Nersesyan emphasized Azerbaijan’s systematic destruction of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), as a vivid manifestation of religious intolerance and hatred. Ambassador drew attention to the targeting and desecration of the Holly Saviour Cathedral in Shushi during and after the 2020 war against Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the destruction of numerous other significant sites stressing how alarming this is against the backdrop of the complete annihilation of the Armenian religious and cultural heritage in Nakhichevan.

The ambassador also highlighted Azerbaijan’s neglect towards the implementation of the International Court of Justice’s ruling (7/12/2021) which instructed the Azerbaijani state to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration of Armenian cultural heritage.

Ambassador Nersesyan concluded by underlining the urgent need to review and reshape existing international mechanisms responsible for the protection of human rights and freedoms and reaffirmed Armenia’s readiness to cooperate with all interested partners in protecting the rights of religious minorities and upholding the international community’s common shared values.

Mothers of 161 children born in Artsakh receive gift boxes from "Anna Astvataturyan" Foundation

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 14:17, 5 July 2022

YEREVAN, JULY 5, ARMENPRESS. “To honor and support the heroic, inspiring, and strong people of Artsakh who choose to raise future generations in their Homeland”

This is the motto of the "Ser Artsakh" charity program initiated by "Anna Astvatsaturian" Foundation: to bring love to all those Artsakh families living in such difficult conditions.

All the items included in the gift boxes that are provided to the mothers of Artsakh in the framework of the "Ser Artsakh" Program: onesies, pajama sets, sleeping sacks, towels and blankets, health care essentials (diapers, wipes, baby shampoo, thermometer and pacifier), as well as maternity hygiene necessities for the new mother, custom-made soft baby book and a wooden wheeled toy are made in Armenia or Artsakh.  In Artsakh, they are carefully packaged and delivered to maternity hospitals right in time for the next baby to be born, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Foundation.

There are three maternity hospitals in Artsakh: Martakert, Martuni and Stepanakert. Since the launch of the program, 161 children, 10 of them in Martakert, 6 in Martuni, have received their gift-boxes. Among the newborns were 2 sets of twins, a pair of beautiful sisters and a pair of brothers with their grandfather's strength in the veins.

Victoria is one of the most common names: parents hope that the choice of the child's name will be decisive in the fate of both the child and Artsakh.

"The news about the donation of 18 boxes in one day made me very happy. When mothers told me how helpful these items are for them to raise these babies that was the moment when I realized how important for the diaspora to keep donating to maintain the continuity of this project," said Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, president of the "Anna Astvatsaturian" Foundation, and added, "Despite my childhood of a refugee from Baku, I was taught by my parents to always work toward more out of life. With this project, I choose to do the same in Artsakh. Armenian children and their future are my constant focus and I will never stop expecting and working toward a better future for them.”

An individualized approach is taken with each mother. Working with Ministry of Health of Artsakh the Foundation is aware when these mothers will be checking out of the hospital. It is important to the Foundation that no baby leaves the hospital without receiving a gift box.

"Mothers always accept the gift with gratitude. Many are even waiting for our gift boxes. There was a case when a pregnant woman contacted us and informed that her child will be born in a few months. She asked us not to forget about her baby and to visit her with a box as well," Armine Vardanyan, representative of the "Anna Astvatsaturian" Foundation in Artsakh, recalls with a smile.

Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte is an American-Armenian writer, philanthropist, lawyer, elected official, president of the Westbrook City council and the president of the "Anna Astvatsaturian'' foundation. Anna also is an author of a book "Nowhere, a Story of Exile, 2012"based on her diaries which she wrote as an 11 year old child escaping the Baku massacres. In 2013 Anna spearheaded a successful recognition of Artsakh at the state of Maine legislature. Since then Astvatsaturian Turcotte has implemented a number of charitable programs in Armenia and Artsakh. In 2020 she founded the Anna Astvatsaturian Charitable Foundation. One of the fund's major projects is the "Artsakh War 2020: Losses, Challenges – Opportunities for resistance development'' survey conducted after the 44-day war.




Aliyev says USA can have an important role in the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan

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 19:59, 4 July 2022

YEREVAN, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that the United States can play an important role in the normalization of relations between Yerevan and Baku, ARMENPRESS reports, TASS informed.

"At a time when favorable conditions have been created for the establishment of stable peace and economic progress in the South Caucasus, we believe that the United States can play an important role in the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the opening of communications, and the establishment of people-to-people ties”, reads Aliyev's congratulation text to US President Joe Biden on Independence Day.

The president of Azerbaijan also expressed opinion that the USA can make a significant contribution to the process of preparing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Liparit Melikjanyan dismissed as Armenian judicial watchdog member

Panorama
Armenia – July 4 2022

The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a state body overseeing Armenian courts, has formally dismissed Liparit Melikjanyan as its member.

Melikjanyan submitted resignation on Monday, July 4, the SJC said in its decision.

The Armenian parliament has elected Melikjanyan as a judge of the Anti-Corruption Chamber of the Court of Cassation dealing with civil lawsuits. He was sworn in as Court of Cassation justice at the presidential palace on Monday. 

Azerbaijani press: Russia plans to close so-called "permanent representation" of Armenian separatists

Politics Materials 1 July 2022 15:05


BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 1. Moscow is going to close the so-called "permanent representative office" of Armenian separatists from Azerbaijan’s Karabakh, which has been operating since the 1990s, Trend reports via the Armenian media.

Information about the closure of the illegal "representative office" of the separatists appeared in the Armenian media earlier, but each time later was refuted. This time, according to the media, the Armenian Foreign Ministry and the Armenian ambassador to Russia refused to comment on the information.

Obviously, the closure of the "representative office" is due to the fact that Moscow values relations with Baku and thus demonstrates a fair position on the Armenian-Azerbaijani issue.

The removal of a provocative interview with the so-called "minister" of Armenian separatists Artak Beglaryan from RIA Novosti news agency’s site, and apologies made by famous presenter Vladimir Solovyov on Russian state television have already confirmed this fact.

“A truly unique club” – Mkhitaryan says final goodbye to AS Roma

 

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 11:58, 2 July 2022

YEREVAN, JULY 2, ARMENPRESS. Former midfielder of the Armenian national football team Henrikh Mkhitaryan said his final goodbye to AS Roma. 

In a statement on social media, Mkhitaryan called AS Roma a “truly unique club”.

“AS Roma is a truly unique club.

From the moment of my arrival to the UEFA Conference League final, your support has been outstanding and something I will always be thankful for! 

When I first put the Giallorossi shirt on, my main goal was to bring glory to the club and its fantastic fans – and I’m proud that we've achieved this together in Tirana! It was the best ending I could have hoped for my three years here! 

This now concludes my time at AS Roma, so I'd like to thank everyone at the club for the special friendship we’ve built together. A huge thanks also to our coaching staff and particularly to Mr Mourinho for his trust in me, his care and the extraordinary drive he gave me as a player. 

I’ve given everything for this club on and off the pitch and couldn’t be more grateful for the special time I’ve spent here.

This club and the Eternal City will forever remain in my heart. 

I Love You”, Mkhitaryan said.

Mkhitaryan has been playing in AS Roma since 2019. He will play in Inter Milan for the next season, but the club has not officially announced it yet.

UK commits further £500,000 to landmine disposal in Armenia and Azerbaijan

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 17:12,

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. The UK Government is providing a further £500,000 to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support land mine clearance in Armenia and Azerbaijan, the UK government said in a press release.

New funding will provide vital training and expert advice to make the area safe, prevent injuries and save lives.

“This UK contribution will harness the UN’s expertise, reduce the risks to civilian life in both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and allow people to rebuild their lives”, Minister for Europe and North America, James Cleverly said, adding that “UK urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign the UN conventions that seek to eliminate the use of anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions”. 

“We encourage the authorities to ensure the UN and other humanitarian agencies are able to contribute fully to supporting peace and development across all parts of the region”, James Cleverly said.

The latest contribution brings total UK funding for demining to over £1 million since the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 2020.

Farmland in Karabakh being given to powerful Azerbaijanis – report

Heydar Isayev Jun 28, 2022

Agricultural land in the territories Azerbaijan retook in the 2020 war with Armenia are being developed by companies connected to top government officials, a new investigation has found.

Abzas Media, an independent news outlet, on June 23 published a report detailing which companies have gotten government contracts to farm land in Karabakh. Many of the companies, several of them little-known, are connected to high-ranking officials, including the daughters of President Ilham Aliyev.

Abzas reported that the state Agency for Development of Small and Medium Businesses (KOBIA, in its Azerbaijani acronym) presented, at an October 2021 exhibition called “Rebuild Karabakh,” a short list of companies that had been awarded government deals to carry out agricultural work in various parts of Karabakh.

According to the agency’s figures, which hadn’t been publicly shared elsewhere, a total of 8,376.5 hectares of land had been leased in 2021 to five companies: Agroinkishaf-2017, Agro Fresh, Agro Diary, Azersun, and Kraun Ko.

It’s “no coincidence that these companies popped up in liberated lands in Karabakh,” Abzas said, given the close connections many of them have with the government.

While it wasn’t clear how those 8,000-plus hectares were allocated, KOBIA did identify a small number of specific, separate deals. Azersun, a giant Azerbaijani food monopoly, was awarded 9,000 square meters of land in the Gubadli district, in a project valued at 40 million manats [$23.5 million]. Azersun is owned by Turkish businessman Abdolbari Gozal, who is known to be close to the ruling family.

Agro Dairy was awarded a project worth 851,000 manats [$500,000] on 5.2 hectares in the Aghdam and Fuzuli districts. The company belongs to Pasha Holding, owned by members of the powerful Pashayev family of Aliyev’s wife, Mehriban Aliyeva.

Aliyev has mentioned the role of Azersun and Agro Dairy in Karabakh. In a visit to the Hajigabul district in April 2021, where he was visiting an “agropark,” a large-scale, state-backed agribusiness venture, Aliyev met the director of Agro Diary. Aliyev said that he had “recommended both those managing Agro Diary and Azersun to build agroparks in the liberated lands of Karabakh.”

A previous investigation by the independent news agency Turan found that the majority of the new agroparks established in Karabakh were connected to figures close to the government.

Kraun Ko-R was given a project worth 20 million manats [$12 million], on 2.3 hectares in the Zangilan district, Abzas reported, citing the KOBIA presentation. Kraun Ko-R’s ownership significantly overlaps with those of companies belonging to the family of Ali Naghiyev, the chief of the State Security Service, the Abzas investigation found. And its legal address happens to be the same as those of companies belonging to Baylar Ayyubov, the chief of the presidential security service.

And that is likely the tip of the iceberg, as the KOBIA presentation did not appear to cover all new government contracts for agricultural work in Karabakh. Kraun Ko-R’s director, Sabuhi Abdullayev, has said that his company planted wheat on 24,000 hectares in Gubadli, Zangilan, and Jabrayil districts in 2021 alone. “We plan to expand the land on which we are farming as soon as more territories are cleared of landmines,” he told Public Television.

Since the end of the war, Azerbaijan has undertaken a massive reconstruction campaign in the territories it retook, which were left largely destroyed after 30 years of Armenian occupation. The work so far has consisted mainly of landmine clearance, building infrastructure like airports and roads, and setting up several new, heavily promoted “smart villages” in the Zangilan district. The reconstruction work has focused heavily on the city of Shusha, which has been formally designated as Azerbaijan’s “cultural capital.”

The government hasn’t provided specific information on when the more than 600,000 Azerbaijanis displaced from those territories in the first war between the two sides in the 1990s might be able to return to live. But it appears to be moving ahead with allowing big businesses to start farming work there.

In a February speech, President Aliyev briefly touched upon the agricultural work being undertaken in Karabakh. “Various agricultural projects are now being implemented in the liberated areas. I can say that a sowing campaign is planned on 40,000-50,000 hectares this year. This will contribute to our food security,” he said.

According to an April 2021 presidential order, the Ministry of Agriculture “is temporarily entrusted with the implementation” of new agricultural work “in the the liberated territories of Azerbaijan,” including “leasing of agricultural lands for production and processing of agricultural products” and “exercising control over the use of leased lands.”

The Ministry of Agriculture did not respond to Abzas’s inquiry about to whom land in Karabakh had been leased and on which criteria they were selected. 

Heydar Isayev is a journalist from Baku.

Artsakh MFA: We only have red lines – status

NEWS.am
Armenia – June 20 2022

What "bars" should we lower? We only have red lines; that is the status. The whole society is united in this matter. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Foreign Minister David Babayan told this to a press conference Monday in Yerevan.

Answering the question about the statements of the representatives of the ruling party in Armenia about Artsakh, the latter’s FM said: "Official Yerevan has not said anything new about the status and destiny of Artsakh; the MPs have said. This was followed by the reaction through various channels. It is unacceptable for us—whoever says so."

"There is an opportunity to save Artsakh. And no one should be blamed; we are responsible for our own destiny. Other countries have their [own] interests; that is understandable. And professionals should be engaged in the processes, not the crowds," Babayan continued.

Armenpress: This year’s first direct flight from Armenia to Tunisia launched

This year’s first direct flight from Armenia to Tunisia launched

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 09:50,

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS. This year’s first direct flight from Armenia to Tunisia is launching today. The flight is operated by Tunisian airline Novelair, which entered the Armenian market in cooperation with the Anriva Tour travel agency.

This year’s first direct flight is starting with media tour within the frames of which several reporters of Armenian media outlets, including ARMENPRESS state news agency, will have an opportunity to get acquainted with tourism opportunities of Tunisia and presented it in details.

Tunisia is yet an undiscovered tourism destination for Armenians. It didn’t have a demand among Armenian tourists because of the absence of direct flights and tourism offers. Tunisia also requires a visa, and in the past obtaining a visa was a difficult procedure because the citizens of Armenia were getting a Tunisian visa from the Embassy of that country in Moscow, Russia. But now, all these problems are solved if an Armenian tourist planning to visit Tunisia buys the packages offered by Anriva Tour, which are sold by all Armenian travel agencies. The visa is provided in the airport like in Hurghada’s (Egypt) case. The flight duration to Tunisia is 4 hours. The flights from Yerevan will be operated once a week. The last flight of this year is scheduled on September 30.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic Tunisia was quite an active tourism destination for many countries of the world. Tunisia is hosting several million tourists every year. The country is famous for both its seaside resort, as well as cultural and historical sites. Tourists visit here to enjoy the Tunisian beaches, to get acquainted with the historical and beautiful sites, do shopping in the Eastern market and also to be in the world’s largest desert – the Sahara. In fact, for Armenians Tunisia could become an alternative tourism destination to Egypt.

What to consider when traveling to Tunisia? What tourism sites to visit in Tunisia? What are the local beaches? What services do hotels offer? What can be bought in Tunisia? The answers of these and other questions will be available soon in our articles.

 

Reporting by Anna Gziryan