Author: Liana Toganian

United States welcomes meeting between Armenian, Azerbaijani FMs – State Department spox

Liana Toganian

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 14:51,

YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS. The United States welcomes the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan held in Tbilisi, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said at a press briefing.

Asked what is the US role in this process, Ned Price said: “Well, we have been taking an active role. We’ve consistently said that we are ready and stand ready to engage bilaterally and with likeminded partners, including through our role as an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, to help the countries find a long-term, comprehensive peace”.

The State Department Spokesperson added that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had an opportunity in recent weeks to engage with his foreign ministry – his foreign minister counterparts. “Assistant Secretary Donfried, others in this building, have also had an opportunity to engage at high levels with their Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts as well”, he said, adding: “We did welcome the meeting between the representatives. We continue to believe that dialogue is the best means by which to achieve a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future for the South Caucasus region, and we’ll continue to support that in any way we can”.

Armenpress: Russia has enough power and resources to protect its allies in difficult times. Naryshkin

Liana Toganian

Russia has enough power and resources to protect its allies in difficult times. Naryshkin

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 21:25,

YEREVAN, JULY 18, ARMENPRESS. Russia has enough power and resources to protect its allies and friends in difficult times, ARMENPRESS reports the head of Russia's foreign intelligence service Sergey Naryshkin told the journalists in Yerevan.

He expressed confidence that the integration processes in the CIS are a strong guarantee of stability. Naryshkin reminded that integration structures are already operating in this region: the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

"Those structures were created taking into account the interests of all the states that are part of them. The defense tools of the integration are a good guarantee to maintain stability and security. In addition, the Russian Federation has enough power and resources to protect allies and friends in difficult times," said Naryshkin.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received the Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation Sergey Naryshkin.

The Prime Minister noted that Mr. Naryshkin's visit is another good opportunity to discuss the issues on the agenda of the Armenian-Russian allied relations. Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and expressed confidence that joint efforts will make the cooperation more effective and stronger.

Sergey Naryshkin thanked for the warm reception and noted the existance of the high-level political dialogue between Armenia and Russia, which contributes to the development and strengthening of cooperation in various fields.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to international and regional security. Reference was made to the processes taking place in the South Caucasus region.




Turkish press: The US’ spiderweb policy

Liana Toganian
 JUL 08, 2022 – 12:05 AM GMT+3

Illustration by Shutterstock.

The spider is one of the rare creatures that does not hunt its prey directly but catches it instead through a well-established system. Carnivorous plants feed by releasing a liquid that insects love, trapping them inside their leaves as they land on the plants.

But those plants are not as systemic as spiders. It is not easy to weave a web that withstands the wind. The spider not only possesses this skill but also wraps up the insects that fall into its web and keeps them alive to eat later.

If we ask the spider, it would claim innocence: "I am building a nest, and the nest has a large garden. I do not hunt any insects in this garden, they come and enter my garden to wander at their ease. I wrap them to keep them alive." The spider would never admit that its main purpose in wrapping them is to eat them.

When I look at the policy that the United States has adopted toward Turkey in the last few years, I see a very comprehensive spiderweb. I may have introduced the term “spiderweb policy” into the language of diplomacy!

The U.S. weaves every situation and the practices it calls "self-interest," the rules of which are never fully determined, like a spiderweb that will wrap the whole world. This web should be called the “web of self-interest.”

No other country, even if it is considered a friend or an ally by the U.S., can escape being caught in this web in one way or another. And once caught, the captured has no option but to give in unless they want to be eaten.

The U.S. Senate, for example, acts as the epicenter of Turkish enmity. It has the main objective of protecting Greece's and the PKK terrorist group's interests through the Armenian-Greek-Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) lobby, even sending an anti-Turkey letter to U.S. President Joe Biden.

The Senate’s baseless allegations and slander against Turkey were raised by Robert (Bob) Menendez, one of the most prominent senators in the Senate's foreign policy process, during visits to Greece and the island of Cyprus. Menendez was later indicted on federal corruption charges between 2012 and 2017.

The terror issue is another major problem. The PKK's Syrian wing YPG was invited to the U.S. under the name of a “democratic assembly in Syria.” The country even provided weapons, ammunition, training and financial support to the YPG, which directly poses a threat to Turkey’s northern border. The very reality targeted the Turkish military’s efforts against terrorist elements in the region.

In another example, the U.S. supports Greece to militarize Aegean islands with heavy weapons. Aegean coasts, from Crete to Alexandroupoli (Dedeağaç), have been sieged by large military bases. It is a development making way to prepare for an attack on Turkey through Greece, with which the U.S. signed a defense cooperation agreement.

In order to complete the siege in the Mediterranean with Cyprus, Biden, during his term in foreign affairs, had refused to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and stood in favor of a single state under a Greek-dominated government. He had also declared that sanctions should be imposed on Turkey, a NATO ally.

One needs to understand that through a policy that provides military and political support to Greece and a siege that complements this policy, the U.S. is finalizing the “spiderweb” and aims to push Turkey into this web.

The main task of both Ankara and opposition parties is to develop rhetoric and actions that will explain that Turkey’s relationship with the U.S. cannot continue like this and how this relationship should be instead.

The U.S., which left a hundred billion dollars worth of weapons and supplies in front of the Taliban three days after the Vietnam debacle and fled, is still a country that has not learned and has not understood what Turkey is.

*Former Turkish minister of health and culture and tourism

MoU between Armenian China-Eurasia Council and SIS of Renmin University of China

Liana Toganian
July 7 2022

On July 7, 2022, Memorandum of understanding was signed between China-Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research and the School of International Studies of Renmin University of China. The cooperation of the Parties within the framework of this Memorandum of Understanding will include the following directions: conducting joint conferences, seminars, courses, expert meetings and consultations, implementation of joint research projects and preparation of publications, exchange of academic information and publications.

During last years, China-Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research and School of International Studies of Renmin University of China have already established cooperation. Starting from 2019, researchers of both sides attend in academic conferences, courses and seminars, such as: “Eurasian Research on Modern China and Eurasia”, “RUC Area Studies Forum”, “Rethinking China’s Rise under the Governance of the CPC: Achievements, Initiatives and Prospects”, Rethinking China’s Foreign Policy” and book presentation, organized by each side.

It is also worth to mention that on April 8, 2022, both sides jointly organized “First Armenia and China Forum” dedicated to 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations. Researchers of both sides are among co-authors of China and Eurasia: Rethinking Cooperation and Contradictions in the Era of Changing World Order book, published by Routledge in 2021.

Memorandum of understanding on cooperation between organizations was signed by Dr. Mher Sahakyan, the founding head of the China-Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research and  Professor Yang Guangbin, the dean of  Director of School of International Studies.

Dr. Mher Sahakyan emphasized the importance of this Memorandum of Understanding. He said that this agreement will provide an added impetus to bust further cooperation and implementation of academic diplomacy between both institutions. He thanked Dr. Yuntian Zheng and Professor Yang Guangbin for cooperation and support.

Professor Yang Guangbin mentioned that, congratulations on the Memorandum of Understanding between China-Eurasia Council for Political and Strategic Research and School of International Studies in Renmin University of China. Renmin University of China, which has been fostering large numbers of outstanding talents, is the first-class research base on international issues and political sciences in China. We genuinely hope to expand the academic and cultural communication between China and Armenia and enhance the relative research on this base to promote the relationship between the two countries.

Dr. Yuntian Zheng mentioned that, the Memorandum of Understanding, which is signed under the background of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Armenian diplomatic relations, truly represents the friendship between Chinese and Armenian people. In this changing era, Belt and Road Initiative is becoming more significant in Eurasia. The scholars should be responsible for contributing to promote the relative studies. As one of the best schools in area studies, School of International Studies in Renmin University of China will make more efforts on cooperating with Armenian think tanks and universities in the future.

https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2022/07/07/mou-between-armenian-china-eurasia-council-and-sis-of-renmin-university-of-china/

The priority task of the government is the development of education and science. Deputy Prime Minister Matevosyan

Liana Toganian

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 19:02, 6 July 2022

YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Brusov State University Hambardzum Matevosyan participated today in the 2022-year graduation ceremony of the University, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

The Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Vahram Dumanyan, Rector of Brusov State University Karine Harutyunyan, representatives of the teaching staff, students and others took part in the event and delivered remarks.

The Deputy Prime Minister congratulated the graduates on the occasion of the symbolic day and noted. "I salute you both as a statesman, and as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Brusov State University, and simply as an Armenian person, for whom education was and remains one of the highest and indelible values.

The Republic of Armenia, in response to the most serious challenges facing it, should present itself to the world today with its young generation, knowledgeable, responsible, innovative, creative young people who are ready to build their common home, relying on the power of knowledge, and who are ready to become advocates of peace, solidarity and kindness in our country and around the world.

The development of education and science is a priority for the government of the Republic of Armenia, only through which it is possible to achieve the country's stable development and general well-being. Investments in knowledge and skills are the key to a country's development.

Accordingly, the Government has recognized the reforms in the field of higher education in its 2021-2026 Action Plan as a priority for the development of the state. The continuous improvement of the quality of higher education is aimed at strengthening the education-science-labour market connection, preparing specialists who will meet the new demands of the labor market, and, of course, shaping civilized, creative, proactive, capable, competitive citizens who will safeguard their future in their own country.

Brusov State University occupies a unique and important place among Armenian universities providing higher education. Brusov has long ago become a unique "brand", symbolizing an educational institution anchored on the classical values of education, but at the same time providing innovative educational services. Brusov University has long established itself as a leading forge for training specialists of foreign languages. And today, remaining the leader in the field of linguistics, the University presents itself to our society as an educational center training many new specialists in humanitarian and social fields. Therefore, today, in the context of multilingual, multicultural communication in the world, the role of Brusov University is very important.

Dear attendees,

I am confident that apart from being a forge of mind and soul for its students, thousands of graduates and employees, Brusov State University is also a home, and also an open window to the world. Today, you, dear graduates, are the ones who spread knowledge and professional experience through that window, and you, dear young people, are the ones who gain centuries-old wisdom and the accumulated experience of humanity through that window.

I warmly congratulate you on the occasion of completing your studies and receiving diplomas of higher education. Warm congratulations to you, distinguished professors and employees of the university. Thank you so much for your dedication, professionalism, patience, and the difficult mission of carrying the torch of light and science.

Dear graduates,

Joining the ranks of the graduates of Brusov State University, I am sure that you will always and everywhere proudly bear the honor of being a graduate of Brusov, serving all your strength and knowledge to strengthen our Motherland, you will live and create for the glory of the Republic of Armenia, for the welfare of our people.

I wish you unobstructed path. May success be your companion always and everywhere”.

Then, Deputy Prime Minister Matevosyan presented certificates to this year's winners of the best student annual competition: Haykuhi Yailoyan, a student of the Faculty of Education and Professional Pedagogy, and Emma Ghazaryan, a student of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Service.

The graduation ceremony ended with the ceremony of awarding diplomas.

Laura Hochla is the new U.S. Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group

Liana Toganian

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 17:57, 29 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. The USA has a new Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

“Laura Hochla, Director of the Office of Caucasus Affairs and Regional Conflicts, serves as the current OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-Chair, as we have formally notified all parties involved”, the U.S. Embassy in Armenia told ARMENPRESS.

The US State Department announced on June 28 that the new Co-chair had talked to the other Co-chairs to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. "Today, the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group spoke with his counterparts to discuss the future of Nagorno Karabakh. Unfortunately, the Russian Co-chair did not accept the invitation. We look forward to continuing the work of the Minsk Group," the State Department said in a statement.




CoE: Shaping a vision for future decentralised governance in Armenia

Liana Toganian
June 30 2022
CO-OPERATION YEREVAN, ARMENIA 30 JUNE 2022

“Armenia has an excellent opportunity to embark on the path of decentralisation and building a system of multi-level governance in the post-amalgamation context” stressed Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE), President of the Congress Chamber of Local Authorities, at the opening of the conference on decentralisation in Armenia, in Yerevan on 28 June 2022. 

Congress Rapporteur Bryony Rudkin (United Kingdom, SOC/G/PD), presented the Congress recommendation on local democracy in Armenia, adopted in June 2021 following the monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in the country. She particularly highlighted the importance of consultations with local authorities, raised the issue of the limited role of local authorities in delivering public services, and particularly stressed that the powers of the municipalities had not been extended to allow them to regulate and manage a substantial share of public affairs under their own responsibilities. 

The Conference allowed representatives of local and national authorities, including from 26 communities as well as the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Justice and the Cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister, to discuss the immediate needs of local communities in the post-amalgamation context, as well as the roles of the stakeholders and their actions in the decentralisation process. 

Participants also discussed the risks and opportunities presented by decentralisation for open and ethical local governance. Vladimir Prebilic (Slovenia, SOC/G/PD) Congress Spokesperson on ethics and prevention of corruption, underlined that “while decentralisation carries risks of corruption, this can only happen in the absence of proper safeguard mechanisms and procedures”. He pointed to the need to establish mechanisms of ensuring accountability and integrity that lead to increased trust of citizens in their local elected representatives and in public institutions.

The Conference was organised by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, under the project “Strengthening the Communities Association of Armenia and Transparent, Participatory Local Governance in Armenia”. The project is implemented by the Congress within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2019-2022, with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland in the framework of the Swiss Program for the improvement of the local self-governance system in Armenia 2019-2023.


Opposition MP: Internal and external enemies ‘in tough competition’ in Armenia

Liana Toganian
Panorama
Armenia – June 20 2022

MP Tigran Abrahamyan of the opposition Pativ Unem bloc has reacted to the killing of an Armenian soldier by Azerbaijani gunfire near the town of Vardenis and the fatal shooting in Aparan on Sunday.

"In parallel with safeguarding the lives of our servicemen on the border, we must protect them inside the country as well,” he wrote on Facebook on Monday.

“Only after solving these problems can we think about defending the borders and overcoming security threats.

“The internal and external Turks are in fierce competition to create more threats for Armenia and Artsakh,” Abrahamyan said.