Author: Manouk Vasilian

Azerbaijan aims to provoke armed conflict in Armenian territory – Pashinyan

Manouk Vasilian

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 20:09,

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. The goal of Azerbaijan is provoking armed conflict in the territory of Armenia and it’s not about a local area or hill, ARMENPRESS reports caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said during the National Assembly extraordinary session.

''On May 12 early in the morning some groups of the Azerbaijani armed forces crossed the Armenian state border and tried to strengthen positions in the territory of the Republic of Armenia. The Armenian armed forces carried out tactical preventive measures without use of weapons and stopped the Azerbaijanis in different depths inside Armenia'', Pashinyan reminded.

''Our position has been unequivocal. The goal of Azerbaijan is provoking armed conflict in the territory of Armenia. I mean this is not a local action for one hill, mountain or coordinate'', Pashinyan said, noting that there are a number of evidences of that.

He also reminded Aliyev's announcements over the so-called ''Zangezur corridor''.  Pashinyan also recorded that Sev Lake is located in the narrowest section of Armenia's southern part, where the distance between the eastern and western borders of Armenia is the shortest.

''Based on those facts and analizing the situation, we have made a decision to put into action the military-political mechanisms of the security system of Armenia'', Pashinyan said.

On May 12 in the morning the Azerbaijani armed forces crossed Armenia’s state border in the territory of Sev Lake in Syunik province and advanced up to 3,5 kilometers, trying to surround the Lake. Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said this action is intolerable for Armenia, as it is an encroachment on the sovereign territory of Armenia.

So far, neither the Armenian nor the Azerbaijani side have used any weapon. The number of Azerbaijani soldiers in the territory of Armenia is about 250.

Armenia has officialy applied to the CSTO for launching procedures in line with the Collective Security Treaty. Pashinyan has also sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking for military assistance in line wit Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance of 1997. French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that the issue should be solved in the sidelines of the UNSC, expressing readiness to provide military assistance to the international efforts aimed at solving the situation.




Asbarez: World Bank to Support Over 20,000 Conflict-Affected Families in Armenia

Manouk Vasilian

May 7, 2021



The World Bank

A Grant Agreement for the “Support to Conflict Affected Families” project was signed Friday by Sylvie Bossoutrot, World Bank Country Manager for Armenia, and Atom Janjughazyan, Acting Minister of Finance of Armenia. Funds for the project are provided by the multi-donor State and Peacebuilding Fund, through a one-year grant of $3.72 million.

The Government of Armenia has developed a broader social protection response package with support from development partners and non-governmental organizations. This project will be implemented by Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia, through its subordinated agency — the Unified Social Service –  and aims to improve the resilience of conflict affected people and reduce the financial burden of host families, with a particular focus on women and vulnerable members of the population.

“We are pleased to sign this timely Agreement supported by the State and Peacebuilding Fund Grant,” says Sylvie Bossoutrot, World Bank Country Manager for Armenia. “This project is of extreme importance and the assistance granted to displaced individuals and their host families will help to improve the resilience of families affected by the conflict.”

The proposed project will contribute to select social protection and employment support programs, which are part of a larger support package targeting displaced people and their host families, from the Government of Armenia.

Specifically, the project aims to:

  • Reach around 11,530 displaced persons with a monthly cash benefit equal to the minimum wage (68,000 AMD) per adult/child for up to four months in Armenia.
  • Provide cash assistance/income support to 3,975 families in Armenia hosting displaced people to help meet basic consumption needs.
  • Temporarily subsidize an employment program for 936 displaced people who are looking to gain work experience in Armenia and facilitate their labor market participation and economic inclusion.
  • Support 115 displaced individuals through the public works program (cash-for-work).

“The project is designed to especially benefit women affected by the conflict,” says Maddalena Honorati, World Bank Task Team Leader. “According to the rapid multi-sector needs assessment conducted last December, women represent 70 percent of the adult displaced population. The cash transfers will help them meet their basic needs on a day-to-day basis. More importantly, the project will improve the resilience of the displaced families and promote the social cohesion in their host communities.”

The State and Peacebuilding Fund is a global fund administered by the World Bank to finance critical development operations and analysis in situations of fragility, conflict, and violence. The SPF is supported by Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, The United Kingdom, as well as the World Bank.

Prosperous Armenia Party leader: Makravank Church being restored

Manouk Vasilian
News.am, Armenia
May 8 2021
(VIDEO)
11:40, 08.05.2021
As I had promised the residents of Makravan community, the Makravank Church—which has kept its doors open to the faithful for more than a millennium, but has not been operating since 1917 due to being dilapidated condition—is being restored. Gagik Tsarukyan, opposition Prosperous Armenia Party leader and business tycoon MP, informed about this on Facebook.

"Christian monuments should always be kept at the center of our care," the aforesaid post also reads, and a respective video was attached to it.

Armenian Shepherd Beaten by Azeris in Syunik, Says Human Rights Defender

Manouk Vasilian

April 27, 2021



The Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Azerbaijani forces stationed near Syunik continue to harass, threaten and physically attack Armenian residents of nearby villages. The worsening situation in the area is due to the November 9 agreement, which ended military actions in Karabakh but saw the surrender of territories in Artsakh and Armenia to Azerbaijan, which now shares a border with Armenia.

Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan reported that last week Azerbaijan military officers attacked, dragged and beat an Armenian shepherd in the village of Aravus in the Syunik Province.

According to a fact-finding mission by the Human Rights Defender’s Syunik office, a shepherd who was watching his 14 large and small cattle on a pasture about 500 meters from his house on April 18, when, between 5 and 6 pm, he was approached by three Azerbaijani armed servicemen.

The shepherd told the Human Rights Defender’s office that the Azerbaijani military servicemen first threatened him with weapons, and then two of them pulled him and tried to take him to the trench in the direction of the Azerbaijani positions by force some 50 meters away. The Azerbaijanis constantly cursed and threatened the man.

As Armenian servicemen rushed for help, a third Azerbaijani serviceman hit the shepherd in the eye, bruising him and immediately fled to their positions.

During the Human Rights Defender’s Office fact-finding activities, it was also established that the Azerbaijani military had shouted insults at the shepherd in the same place of the Aravus village, and at around 7 pm he received threats from Azerbaijani soldiers who were openly displaying firearms on April 20.

The head of the Aravus village informed the Human Rights Defender’s Office that there are houses in the villages less than 500 meters away from the Azerbaijani positions (for example, 100 or 200 meters). This fact was also recorded by the Human Rights Defender’s Office monitoring conducted at the site.

Tatoyan specifically stated that the Azerbaijani servicemen committed a criminal attack on an Armenian border resident. “This confirms the gross violations of the internationally recognized rights of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the rights enshrined in the Constitution of Armenia,” said Tatoyan.

Tatoyan reiterate the creation of a security zone in Syunik to protect the rights of the Armenian citizens in border area villages and cities. He also said There should be no Azerbaijani soldiers, signs or flags in the immediate vicinity of the Syunik villages and on the roads connecting the communities of the province.

Armenia to purchase 1 million dozes of Russian vaccine

Manouk Vasilian 
Public Radio of Armenia







Armenia will purchase 1 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from the
Russian Federation, acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the
government sitting today. He added that a relevant agreement is in
place.

“Negotiations are underway to import large quantities of vaccine to
Armenia from other partners,” Pashinyan said.

Acting Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan said, in turn, that
citizens can register at their preferred polyclinic to receive the
vaccine. Starting next week, there will be mobile teams stationed in
busy parts of Yerevan. She said the vaccine will be available for
every citizen over 18 years of age.

“Vaccination 100% protects against the severe, extremely severe course
of the disease. The risk of side effect from the vaccine is almost
zero if we compare it to Covid, which results in serious damage to
health and, unfortunately, death,” she said, urging everyone to take
an active part in the process.

International activeness increases optimism over return of POWs – Pashinyan

Manouk Vasilian

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 11:02,

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan assesses the international community’s activeness over the return of Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan with optimism.

During today’s Cabinet meeting Pashinyan said Azerbaijan doesn’t fulfill its commitments on returning the captured persons.

“We can state that this fact is becoming a matter of the international agenda, and I want to note that yesterday the European Union has released a very important statement, clearly recording that Azerbaijan must return all captured persons regardless of the circumstances of their arrest”, Pashinyan said, adding that this statement also made a reference to the ongoing processes in the European Court of Human Rights, which adds a legal component to the political statement, which, according to him, is highly important.

“I want to note that the recent international activeness over the issues of the prisoners of war, is very important and increases the optimism that we will have concrete results on this issue. We need to be maximally united, patient and consistent, this issue must definitely get a positive solution”, Pashinyan said.

The European Union made a statement on April 28, calling on Azerbaijan to provide the outstanding information about the Armenian prisoners of war to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which was requested by the Court earlier.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

CivilNet: The War Should Be A Lesson For Us To Become Stronger: A Conversation With Dr. Yervant Zorian

Manouk Vasilian
CIVILNET.AM

25 Apr, 2021 08:04

Dr. Yervant Zorian, in a conversation with Lara Tcholakian, speaks about his leadership experiences, his character strengths and the values that guided him throughout his personal and professional life. He reflects on his memories of genocide stories and the actions he has taken to keep those memories alive and to contribute to the development of Armenia and the Diaspora.

About Yervant Zorian

Dr. Yervant Zorian is a Fellow and Chief Architect at Synopsys Corporation, a semiconductor technology firm headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, and the President of Synopsys Armenia. An AGBU Central Board member, Dr. Zorian holds an MS in Computer Engineering from the University of Southern California (USC), a PhD in Electrical Engineering from McGill University, and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. He has authored over 350 scientific papers, four books and holds 42 US patents. He is the recipient of the prestigious Industrial Pioneer Award, the IEEE Hans Karlsson Award for Diplomacy, and the National Medal of Science from the Republic of Armenia. He is the founding president of the AGBU Armenian Virtual College (AVC), and is the Program Chair of ArmTech Congress, as well as a Trustee of the American University of Armenia.

Program overview

Armenian leaders share inherited cultural and historical narratives, memories, life learnings and experiences. Down-to-earth, authentic and mindful conversations preserve the stories and legacies of families, and reflect on the lessons learnt from inherited collective trauma and introspective leadership.

#MindfulLeaders

#InheritedLegacies

The War Should Be A Lesson For Us To Become Stronger: A Conversation With Dr. Yervant Zorian



Fury in Armenia as Baku displays war trophies

Manouk Vasilian
France 24
April 13 2021

Issued on: 13/04/2021 – 11:58

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev tours the Military Trophy Park showcasing military equipment seized from Armenian troops Handout Azerbaijani Presidential Press Office/AFP

Yerevan (AFP)

Armenia on Tuesday accused its historic rival Azerbaijan of fomenting ethnic hatred by displaying helmets of Armenian soldiers killed during their war last year.

A decades-long conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region erupted into all-out war in September, killing more than 6,000 people.

Six weeks of fighting ended in November with Armenia's defeat. Yerevan ceded swathes of territories to Baku under a Russian-backed ceasefire, which was seen in Armenia as a national humiliation.

On Monday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited a "park of trophies" showcasing military equipment seized from Armenian troops during the war.

Hundreds of helmets of Armenian soldiers who had been killed were displayed in the park as well as wax mannequins of Armenian troops.

The park, due to be opened to the public shortly, sparked uproar in Armenia with ombudsman Arman Tatoyan saying it was "proof of genocidal policy".

"The opening of such a 'park' clearly confirms institutional hatred towards Armenians in Azerbaijan."

This sentiment was shared by most people in Yerevan, where mass anti-government protests have been held regularly against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's decision to agree on the humiliating truce, leading him to call snap polls in June.

"This is true fascism," 41-year-old historian Mher Barsegyan told AFP. The park "recalls evidence of Hitler's barbarism that is exhibited in museums around the world."

Ethnic Armenian separatists declared independence for Nagorno-Karabakh and seized control of the region in a brutal war in the 1990s that left tens of thousands dead and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes.

Baku and Yerevan have traded accusations of war crimes after the conflict — which had been largely dormant for decades — re-erupted last September.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210413-fury-in-armenia-as-baku-displays-war-trophies 
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Canada scraps export permits for drone technology to Turkey

Manouk Vasilian
CTV News, Canada
David Ljunggren

ReutersStaff


OTTAWA — Canada on Monday scrapped export permits for drone technology to Turkey after concluding that the equipment had been used by Azeri forces fighting Armenia in the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, said Foreign Minister Marc Garneau.

Turkey, which like Canada is a member of NATO, is a key ally of Azerbaijan, whose forces gained territory in the enclave after six weeks of fighting.

"This use was not consistent with Canadian foreign policy, nor end-use assurances given by Turkey," Garneau said in a statement, adding he had raised his concerns with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu earlier in the day.

  • Champagne tells Turkey to 'stay out' of Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict
  • Armenian-Canadians protest in Ottawa after officials decline comment on exports of military technology to Turkey
  • Read the full statement here

Ottawa suspended the permits last October so it could review claims that Azeri drones used in the conflict had been equipped with imaging and targeting systems made by L3Harris Wescam, the Canada-based unit of L3Harris Technologies Inc.

Earlier on Monday, Turkey said Cavusoglu had urged Canada to review the defense industry restrictions.

"He conveyed concerns about Canada's stance on defense industry restrictions imposed on Turkey and requested their review," the Turkish foreign ministry said.

The parts under embargo include camera systems for Baykar armed drones. Export licenses were suspended in 2019 during Turkish military activities in Syria. Restrictions were then eased, but reimposed during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Turkey's military exports to its ally Azerbaijan jumped six-fold last year. Sales of drones and other military equipment rose to $77 million in September alone before fighting broke out in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, data showed.

Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa, and Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara Writing by Daren Butler Editing by Gareth Jones

 

Eyes of the War: Exhibition telling the story of the Nagorno-Karabakh war opened in Yerevan

Manouk Vasilian
Panorama, Armenia
April 9 2021

Exhibition "Eyes of the War" featuring  the photos of Artsakh photographer Davit Ghahramanyan from the recent 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh opened on Friday at Terlemezyan Gallery in Yerevan. The event, organised at the initiative of Artsakh branch of the Armenian Educational and Cultural Union featured 100 photos from Artsakh, where active military actions took place. 

Among them are those depicting destroyed towns and villages, buildings, a maternity hospital, churches, shelters as well as women and children affected by the war. The exhibition will be open until April 18 before moving to Stepanakert. 

The author was earlier hosted at a morning TV programmed at Armenia TV Channel, telling the story of the photos. "I had both the feeling of pride and fear during those 44 days. I was able to overcome that fear through my camera and tried to help my country with my photos. Pride, however was the dominant feeling as I really believed everything will be all right,"

Davit recalled that the first photo was taken of a children's room in a Stepanakert apartment which he found in debris after a missile strike on the first day of the war. "When I entered the room, I couldn't believe the war had started. There was blood in the room, the reason I took a black and white photo, thus to convey  the catastrophic nature of the war."