Author: Maral Takmazian

Turkish press: Turkic grouping to change its name to Organization of Turkic States: Turkish foreign minister

Maral Takmazian
Busra Nur Cakmak and Ruslan Rehimov   |11.11.2021


ANKARA, ISTANBUL

Amid other changes to boost their institution, the grouping of Turkic countries will change its name to the Organization of Turkic States, Turkey's foreign minister said Thursday.

Addressing fellow foreign ministers of the Turkic Council ahead of a leaders’ summit on Friday, Mevlut Cavusoglu welcomed Turkmenistan, which has attended the council as an observer state.

At the summit, Turkey is due to take over the group’s term presidency from Azerbaijan.

Cavusoglu said the council will accept the revised regulations as recommended by a “wise man council,” an advisory board of senior statesmen.

“In our common culture, the words of our elders are accepted as a guiding light in times of trouble. Our wise men will shine a light on our path with their experiences,” he added.

Cavusoglu said under other upcoming changes, the status of both observer and partner states will be clearly defined, and the council will gain new allure while “our unique identity” is preserved.

The Turkic Council heads of state will accept the group’s vision for the year 2040 on Friday, said Cavusoglu, adding that this will show the perspective of the organization.

“Just as our roots are common, our vision for the future must also be common,” he urged.

“In order to fulfill the objectives in the vision document, we will accept an implementation document during our term presidency. I propose that this document, which is a five-year roadmap, be submitted for the approval of our council in the first quarter of 2022,” he added.

Cooperation to boost Turkic economies

The top Turkish diplomat also said that the economies of the member countries deserve further improvement, adding: “In order to connect our economies, we have to improve our cooperation and collaboration in the field of logistics and transportation.”

The Zangezur corridor will improve logistics between member countries, said Cavusoglu, adding that this will improve to the welfare of the entire Turkic world.

The corridor – set to be built in the wake of last year's Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in which Azerbaijan liberated some 300 settlements from Armenian occupation – is set to connect western Azerbaijan to its autonomous exclave of Nakhchivan.

Cavusoglu also again congratulated Azerbaijan on the first anniversary of its victory in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which previously had been under Armenian occupation for 28 years.

Speaking at the foreign ministers’ meeting one day before the summit on Friday in Istanbul, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov hailed Turkey’s high-level political and moral support for Azerbaijan in its victory in the Second Karabakh War.

Bayramov thanked the Turkic Council and all friendly countries that supported Azerbaijan during the war in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

He said Azerbaijan has started reconstruction in regions liberated from the Armenian occupation: “Transport, communication and infrastructure projects are in everyone's interest. I believe that these projects will contribute to peace, security and development in the region and create additional opportunities for the entire Turkic world and other countries," he said.

Bayramov noted that the Zangezur corridor will further strengthen cooperation and increase trade volume among regional countries, urging friendly and partner countries to take advantage of the opportunity.

Regarding Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, Bayramov said the strategic alliance between the two nations, and their common projects encourage broader regional cooperation.

The Turkic Council was formed in 2009 to promote cooperation among Turkic-speaking states. It consists of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan as member countries, and Hungary as an observer state.

*Zehra Nur Duz contributed to the story from Ankara

About 300 new apartments expected to be put into operation in Stepanakert by year’s end

Maral Takmazian
News.am, Armenia
Nov 2 2021
17:34, 02.11.2021

STEPANAKERT. – Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan on Tuesday got familiarized with the concluding construction of a residential district and an apartment building in the capital Stepanakert, the press service of the Artsakh President informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The head of state inquired from the heads of the construction companies about the deadlines of putting into operation, and stressed that providing housing to many families with various social statuses is on the Artsakh government's agenda.

Also, he gave a number of instructions on the spot, ordered that all efforts be made to carry out the work with quality—and within the set timeframe.

Those in charge of urban development, in turn, assured the President that the newly constructed buildings, with about 300 apartments, shall be commissioned by the end of the year.

Musk Factor: 12,000 actors apply for participation in Armenian-made comedy series

Maral Takmazian
Public Radio of Armenia
Oct 29 2021


, 13:30

 1 minute read

More than 12,000 actors have applied for participation in the Armenian-made comedy series Musk Factor. The project announced the casting through the world-famous Backstage platform.

Applications have been filed by representatives of different nations. The high demand pushed the project to the top trends section of the website.

“Backstage is the most popular platform in the world, where powerful companies such as Disney, Netflix, Amazon, NBC, HBO and others are looking for actors.

Armenian actors can also participate in the casting of the film through the platform, says Rafael Tadevosyan, general producer of the film. The shooting will start in April next year.

The 10-part Armenian film Musk Factor tells the story of four boys who achieve incredible success from an idea that seems unreal, using the possibilities of artificial intelligence.

They create human clones – virtual copies of humans in the digital space. Using these technologies, the four friends set up a social network where users can even communicate with virtual people created by artificial intelligence. It is possible to communicate with dead people (Steve Jobs, Michael Jackson, 2pac, etc.).

The events of the film develop from the moment when the father of one of the main characters flies to Mars to become one of the first inhabitants of that planet.

The events unfold in 2028. The team tries to sow what the world will be like in the near future.

Issue of restoration of the Southern Railway is being discussed – Deputy PM on the options of unblocking

Maral Takmazian

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 18:56,

YEREVAN, 27 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. The issue of restoring the Southern Railway is being discussed within the framework of the trilateral working group on unblocking the transport and economic ties of the region, Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan said during parliament-Cabinet Q&A session, referring to the question of Artur Khachatryan from ''Armenia'' faction.

''We organise the works of the trilateral working group in the framework of the January 11 statement, we do not go beyond the content of that statement'', said Grigoryan.

Referring to the possible map published by ''Komersant'', Grigoryan noticed that it referred to the option of the railway-highway passing along the southern border together. ''The railway, yes, is discussed. The issue of restoration of the Southern Railway is discussed, road – no, is not discussd because there is nothing to restore, there was no road”, said deputy Prime Minister.

He emphasised that it is about unblocking in classical sense, that is to give opportunity to all countries in the region to mutually use the existing infrastructure.

“With regards to the roads at this moment there is no consensus yet, suggestions are many, but to say that already there is a prepared map concerning highways, whether which will be used according to the priciples told by me, there is no joint statement yet, joint perception. With regards to the railway there are more common perceptions, approaches. But here I think the question is simpler.'' said deputy Prime Minister.

A trilateral working group was created on unblocking th economic and transport ties of the region, Co-chaired by deputy prime ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan.

Armenian Parliament okays cutting the New Year holidays

Maral Takmazian
Public Radio of Armenia
Oct 27 2021
, 11:24

 Less than a minute

The Armenian National Assembly voted 53 to 16 with 3 abstentions to adopt at first reading the government-proposed amendments that will see the non-working days during New Year and Christmas holidays reduced to three.

The draft recommends setting December 31, January 1 and January 6 as days-off.

Under the current legislation, the holidays last from December 31 to January 7.

The government says long holidays affect both the gross domestic product and the output of products (services) of the main sectors of the economy, the export and import volumes, as well as the implementation of contractual relations with local and foreign partner organizations.

Armenpress: OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs ready to facilitate Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting

Maral Takmazian

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs ready to facilitate Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting

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 00:45, 9 October, 2021

GENEVA, OCTOBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs say they are ready to facilitate a meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders.

“The Co-Chairs have taken positive note of President Aliyev’s and Prime Minister Pashinyan’s public statements expressing their readiness in principle to meet with each other under the auspices of the Co-Chairs,” OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Stephane Visconti of France, Andrew Schofer of the United States of America, and Igor Khovaev of the Russian Federation said in a statement released October 8. “The Co-Chairs look forward to engaging the sides on modalities and details of such a meeting and reiterate their willingness to visit the region in the near future to discuss next steps in the process.”

The statement comes after the Co-Chairs held consultations with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Vice President Gilles Carbonnier in Geneva.

“The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson in Office (PRCiO) Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in the meetings.  All participants stressed the importance of full, unimpeded access by international humanitarian organizations to carry out their work.  In light of the recent constructive meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the margins of the UN General Assembly, the Co-Chairs welcomed Azerbaijan’s release of one Armenian serviceman and also discussed possible de-escalatory and humanitarian measures, including with regard to detainees, missing persons, and the voluntary return of all displaced persons.  The Co-Chairs emphasized their intention to continue working with the parties to find areas of agreement.”

Editing by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenpress: Azerbaijan pursues far reaching goals to disrupt Russia’s peacekeeping mission – Artsakh’s MFA

Maral Takmazian

Azerbaijan pursues far reaching goals to disrupt Russia's peacekeeping mission – Artsakh's MFA

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 20:32, 9 October, 2021

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Ministry of Artsakh issued a statement condemning the killing of a civilian by Azerbaijani armed forces. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Artsakh, the statement runs as follows,

"On October 9, a civilian of the Republic of Artsakh was fatally wounded by an Azerbaijani sniper fire in an agricultural area near the town of Martakert. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh strongly condemns such aggressive behavior and provocative actions of Azerbaijan aimed at creating an atmosphere of fear among the peaceful population of the Republic of Artsakh and emigration of Armenians from the country. Azerbaijan also pursues far-reaching goals – that is to disrupt the implementation of the peacekeeping mission of the Russian Federation and to question the effectiveness of the peacekeepers’ activities. This and all the previous incidents, which resulted in casualties among civilians or damage to their property, are manifestations of Azerbaijan’s coordinated anti-Armenian policy and another proof that the Azerbaijani authorities’ peaceful calls on the people of Artsakh and claims for peaceful coexistence are nothing but an attempt to mislead the civilized world and weaken the vigilance of the Armenian parties. We call on the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair states to take active steps to hold the Azerbaijani party accountable and exclude such incidents in the future".



1,000-year-old Islamic coins discovered in Sharjah (UAE)

Maral Takmazian
The National, UAE
Sept 29 2021
Georgia TolleySep 29, 2021

Ancient silver dirham coins minted one millennium ago in Morocco, Persia, Al-Rai, the Khorasan region, Armenia and Transoxiana have been discovered in Sharjah.

A team from Sharjah Archaeology Authority made the discovery in the central region of the emirate.

The Islamic coins were stored in an Abbasid-style pot dating back to the 9th or 10th century AD.

This proves the early presence of the Abbasid dynasty in the region, said Dr Sabah Aboud Jasim, director general of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority.

he Abbasid Caliphate was the third such to succeed the Prophet Mohammed.

The rare coins bear the iconography of five caliphs, who were the chief Muslim leaders from the period, including Abu Jaafar Al Mansour, Mohamed Al Mahdi, Haroun Al Rashid, Mohamed Al Amin and Abu Jaafar Abdullah Al Maamoun.

The haul includes a silver dirham-link coin of Lady Zubaida, also known as Umm Jaafar, the wife of Caliph Haroun Al Rashid, as well as a copper Abbasid fils coin was also found.

The coins were minted in several geographical and administrative areas in the late 8th to early 9th century AD, or 154-199 AH of the Hijri period in the Islamic calendar.

The discovery documents a pivotal period in the history of Sharjah and the UAE during the Abbasid dynasty, and highlights the commercial activity taking place in the UAE and in Sharjah’s central region.

This find is one of many made in recent months in the area. In February, archaeologists at Sharjah Archaeology Authority unearthed a treasure trove of 409 coins in Mleiha.The coins, which travelled along several important trade routes to the Arabian Gulf and the UAE, confirm that the region was an important trading centre during that period.

Many discoveries made in the area are now on display in the Mleiha Archaeological Centre, which opened to visitors in 2016 and charts the region’s history back to the Stone Age.

 

Tensions grow with Azerbaijan as Iran moves forces to border

Maral Takmazian

Sept 30 2021



By TZVI JOFFRE   

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 11:30


Tensions spiked between Azerbaijan and Iran in recent weeks after Azerbaijan began targeting Iranian trucks with fines and arrests, and Iran moved military forces to its border with Azerbaijan and warned against Israeli influence near its borders.
In August, the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry invited the Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan, due to "undesirable facts" concerning what it called illegal travel of Iranian trucks to the Karabakh region without the permission of Azerbaijan. A statement by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that the new Iranian administration would take steps to end such incidents.
The trucks in question were traveling on a road between the Armenian towns of Kapan and Goris which partially crosses through territory handed over to Azerbaijan after the Nagorno-Karabakh war last year, according to RFE/RL. The highway, patrolled by Russian peacekeepers, is Armenia's only link to Iran.
Earlier this month, Azerbaijani forces set up a checkpoint and began taxing and inspecting Iranian commercial trucks traveling on the highway, according to RFE/RL. A number of Iranian truck drivers were even arrested.
Azerbaijani officials have stated that Azerbaijani law requires all foreign vehicles, not just Iranian ones, entering the country to pay road and transit fees.
In an interview with the Turkish Anadolu Agency on Tuesday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed outrage at the continued travel of Iranian trucks through Azerbaijani territory, questioning why Iran was so insistent on continuing trade to a region with only 25,000 inhabitants.
"Is this market really so important? Is this trade really so important that you show such outright disrespect for a country you consider friendly and fraternal?" said Aliyev to Anadolu Agency.
Tensions also rose recently due to joint military exercises carried out by Azerbaijan and Turkey in the Caspian Sea, with the Iranian Foreign Ministry warning that such drills violated international conventions banning the military presence of countries other than the five states which border the sea.

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In the interview with Anadolu Agency, the Azerbaijani president expressed shock at Iran's decision to hold a military exercise along its border, saying it was the first time in Azerbaijan's 30-year history of independence that this had occurred.
While Aliyev admitted that every country has the sovereign right to conduct military exercises in its own territory, he questioned why Iran chose this specific time to do so. The president stressed that he does "not wish to see a single fact that would undermine long-term cooperation in the region" and hopes that the "emotional reaction" to Azerbaijan's "legitimate steps" is temporary.
After the interview, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh stated that Aliyev's remarks were "surprising" as such issues should have been handled through proper channels and not the media.
Concerning the upcoming Iranian military drill, Khatibzadeh stated that it was aimed at "protecting regional security," adding however that Iran "will not tolerate the Israeli regime’s presence near its borders even if it’s ceremonial" and "will take any actions it deems necessary to protect its national security."
In a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian stressed the importance of good relations between the two countries, but added that "some third parties should not be allowed to affect the good relations," according to the Iranian IRNA news agency.
The "third parties" comment has been interpreted by some as referring to Israel, an ally of Azerbaijan, but an enemy of Iran.
On Tuesday, Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the land forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), warned that Iran expected neighboring countries not "to be a breeding ground for the evil deeds of the Zionist regime," according to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency.
"The Islamic Republic expects our neighboring border areas and neighboring countries to be a safe and secure environment for countries and the region," said the commander. "Therefore, it is expected that while being doubly sensitive to this, they will not allow a foreign element such as the Zionist regime, whose conspiracies and malice with the Muslim nations are not hidden from anyone, to make the soil of our neighbors a bedrock to achieve its evil and criminal goals."
Pakpour warned that there is "no doubt" that Israel is helping "some countries in the region" with the goal of created discord and division among Muslim countries.
"We cannot accept that some countries, under the influence of third countries, make unrealistic and provocative statements regarding the promotion of the readiness of the combat units of the Islamic Republic and undermine our actions," said Pakpour. "Neighboring governments know better than anyone else the reasons for holding Iranian exercises."
Pakpour stressed that Iran had not reacted to 37 exercises conducted by countries in the region in recent months and respected the inalienable right of every country to conduct drills.
Kioumars Heydari, commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces, announced on Thursday that an exercise, named "Conquerors of Khaybar," would start on Friday in northwestern Iran in order to test weapons and equipment and assess the readiness of the armed forces in any arena and along the borders of Iran, according to the Iranian Fars News Agency.
The name of the exercise, "Conquerors of Khaybar," may be a reference to the Battle of Khaybar, in which the Muslims, led by Muhammad, fought against the Jews in Khaybar, eventually defeating and imposing a tax on them.
An opinion piece published in Kayhan, a newspaper associated with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned against an alleged "invisible alliance" between the US, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Israel, saying that it could have a "major impact" on Iran's and Russia's political weight in the region.
The author of the piece warned that Turkey and Azerbaijan must know that "Iran can thwart the conspiracy designed for them in a regrettable way."
A video report on Iran's IRIB broadcaster on Tuesday seemed to insinuate that a "terrorist" group that it recently thwarted was armed in Azerbaijan, showing pictures of Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, while stating that it was armed in "one of the neighboring countries."
Iran's Intelligence Ministry announced on Tuesday that it had killed the leader of a group that it claimed was supported and guided by the intelligence services of countries hostile to Iran. The group allegedly planned to strike sensitive and vital sites in Iran, according to Iranian media. All members of the group were arrested by Iranian intelligence forces.
Azerbaijan and Israel have close ties, with the president of Azerbaijan saying in a discussion with The Nizami Ganjavi International Center in May that relations with Israel were very diverse and were especially strong in the defense industry. "It is no secret that Azerbaijan has full access to Israeli defense industry products," said Aliyev at the time.
Israeli arms, including the LORA missile and the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Harop suicide drone, were reportedly used by Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh war with Armenia last year.

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/tensions-grow-with-azerbaijan-as-iran-moves-forces-to-border-680669 


Person killed in front of Yerevan park was daughter of well-known businessman in Armenia

Maral Takmazian
News.am, Armenia
Sept 28 2021
15:35, 28.09.2021

Diana Darbinyan, the 27-year-old woman who died after gunshots fired in front of Victory Park in Yerevan on September 28, was the daughter of General Manager of Gloria Sewing Factory Bagrationi Darbinyan, and 29-year-old Vazgen Margaryan, who received a firearm injury, is Diana Darbinyan’s husband, who is the manager of a well-known limited liability company in Armenia, shamshyan.com reports.

Police and investigators have already identified the alleged suspect who committed the murder and fled the scene (the suspect is a 24-year-old citizen of Yerevan). They also found out that before the shootings, the young man, whose name is Levon, and Vazgen Margaryan had gotten into a dispute that turned into a brawl at a café located at an intersection in Yerevan.

On September 28 at around 1:40am, the police received a call informing that shots had been fired in front of Victory Park.

While the police were working at the scene, the law enforcement received a call from a hospital that two people with gunshot wounds had been admitted to this medical center, of whom a young woman had died and the man had been wounded.

About 17 cartridges fired from a rifle were found at the scene.

Also, there were traces of shots at the public transport stop and the wall behind it.

A car with Russian license plates was found in front of the medical center, and there was blood inside this vehicle.

A criminal case has been initiated.

The dead woman was Diana D., and the wounded was Vazgen M. They were husband and wife.