Author: Ophelia Vardapetian

New Year in Armenia: Jermuk Warm New Year

Ophelia Vardapetian
argophilia
Dec 27 2023

Mihaela Lica Butler

Experience the enchanting allure of the Jermuk Warm New Year celebration, a delightful open-air concert and a Christmas market nestled within the captivating environs of the Jermuk Mineral Water Gallery. This splendid event, taking place on December 30-31, 2023, promises a mélange of sensory delights, featuring a lineup of distinguished performances and a charming Christmas market adorned with the exquisite creations of local artisans.

The festivities commence on December 30th, as the illustrious “Akunq” ensemble sets the stage aglow with their mesmerizing melodies, followed by the soul-stirring jazz compositions of the Vahagn Harutyunyan Jazz Quartet and the vibrant rhythms of the Lav Eli Band. The evening crescendos with the captivating sounds of Garik Sona and the pulsating beats of DJ Guevo. As the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, the Tezerk Band takes centre stage, regaling the audience with their captivating tunes, followed by the evocative strains of the Hogh Artun Project.

Amidst this musical extravaganza at Jermuk Warm New Year, the Christmas Market beckons, offering an array of exquisite artworks and locally crafted products, infusing the air with an ambrosial blend of warmth and festivity. Immerse yourself in the artisanal treasures while revelling in the convivial atmosphere as the spirit of the season weaves its magic throughout this vibrant gathering.

The Jermuk Mineral Water Gallery, an impressive colonnaded structure erected in 1956, stands as a testament to Armenia’s architectural grandeur. Five majestic stone urns brim with mineral water within its hallowed halls, coursing through pipes embedded in the ancient walls. The temperature of this enchanted elixir ranges from a balmy 30°C to a sultry 53°C, each vessel purportedly imbued with distinct healing properties. From alleviating stomach and liver afflictions to combatting heart disease and cancer, these sacred waters hold the promise of restoration and rejuvenation.

Welcome 2024 in style in Armenia while revelling in the vibrant atmosphere of the concert available to the public with free admission.

Netherlands will deliver 18 F-16 fighters to Ukraine

Ophelia Vardapetian

 14:28,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS.  The Netherlands will deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to help its battle against Russia's invasion, the Dutch government said on Friday, reports Reuters.

"Today I informed President Zelenskiy of our government's decision to prepare an initial 18 F-16 fighter aircraft for delivery to Ukraine," caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a post on social media platform X.

"The delivery of F-16s is one of the most important elements of the agreements made on military support for Ukraine.

Besides an export permit, a number of other criteria must also still be met before delivery can take place, including requirements for personnel and infrastructure.

This decision confirms the Netherlands’ undiminished commitment to providing Ukraine with the support it needs to respond to the ongoing Russian aggression,’’ added Mark Rutte.

Deputy Foreign Minister raises in Iran concerns over destruction of Armenian historical, cultural heritage in Karabakh

Ophelia Vardapetian

 20:35,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahe Gevorgyan participated in the 7th Ministerial Meeting of the Ancient Civilizations Forum held in Tehran. The delegations from Armenia, Bolivia, China, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Iran, Iraq and Mexico participated in the meeting chaired by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran.

Following the meeting, the Foreign Minister of Iran Hossein Amir Abdollahian welcomed the heads of delegations from member-states and delivered a concluding speech, the foreign ministry has said.

In his statement, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahe Gevorgyan highly valued the centuries-old cultural ties between Armenia and Iran and the bilateral cooperation on protection of cultural heritage. The Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized the role of the Forum as a platform for cultural dialogue and cooperation, aimed at preservation and popularization of the rich cultural heritage of ancient civilizations.

According to the source, Vahe Gevorgyan presented the policy of deliberate destruction and alteration of the identity of Armenian monuments, churches, and holy sites in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Deputy Foreign Minister stressed the importance of support from international partners to prevent the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage. In this regard, the urgent need to deploy UNESCO's independent expert mission to Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent territories was underscored.

The Forum's Ministerial Meeting was concluded with the adoption of the Tehran Declaration, outlining provisions on protecting cultural heritage in conflict situations and fostering international cooperation in this field.




Russian Deserter Taken to Russia After Detention in Armenia – Activists

Ophelia Vardapetian
Dec 19 2023

A Russian soldier who was detained by Russian troops in Armenia on desertion charges last week has been forcibly returned to his home country, a project that helps Russians avoid military service in Ukraine said Tuesday.

“We have learned that Dmitry Setrakov is now in [the Russian city of] Rostov-on-Don at the address Budennovsky 66. The regional military police directorate for the Southern Military District is located there,” the Idite Lesom (“Get Lost”) project wrote on its Telegram channel.

Setrakov, 39, fled Russia on Nov. 30 with the help of Idite Lesom after he refused to fight in the war.

In Armenia, Setrakov was held at a Russian military base in the northern Armenian city of Gyumri after being apprehended on Dec. 6-7, said the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor, an Armenian rights organization.

“He was mobilized and didn’t want to fight so we helped him leave the country,” Idite Lesom head Grigory Sverdlin told The Moscow Times last week.

He faces five to 10 years in prison if convicted of leaving his military unit during Russia’s mobilization period.

“The Russian military kidnapped a person in a sovereign state and has now taken him back to the Russian Federation,” Idite Lesom said Tuesday.

The Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor has said that Russian authorities violated Armenia’s sovereign power to restrict a person’s liberty on its territory by detaining Setrakov.

Tens of thousands of military-age Russian men fled from Russia to Armenia following the Kremlin's September 2022 mobilization for the war in Ukraine.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/12/19/russian-deserter-taken-to-russia-after-detention-in-armenia-activists-a83489

Emirates News Agency congratulates Armenpress on 105th anniversary

Ophelia Vardapetian

 13:00,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS. Emirates News Agency (WAM) Director General Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi has congratulated Armenpress News Agency on its 105th anniversary of foundation.

“On the occasion of the ARMENPRESS Agency 105th anniversary of its foundation, the Emirates News Agency-WAM would like to offer its most sincere congratulations. In addition, we would like to extend my congratulations to the leadership and employees of your media organization, as well as to all of those who are in charge, in the expectation that this momentous occasion will serve as a source of inspiration and motivation, resulting in increased innovativeness and achievement in the field of media. In addition, we would like to underline our enthusiasm to continue working together with your esteemed media organization to bring these distinguished relationships to the greatest overall levels and to fulfil our common media objectives,” Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi said in a letter to Armenpress.

The 105th anniversary of founding of Armenpress was celebrated on December 18 at a reception and photo exhibition titled .

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1126511.html?fbclid=IwAR2yb1-K51QBnnZ3ExLXw8HigllduabGlfCZsqvGC8qt2Qn3r85MK_QSq0E

Greece and Armenia sign military cooperation agreement

Ophelia Vardapetian
Neos Kosmos – The Hellenic Perspective
Dec 15 2023

Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias met with his Armenian counterpart, Suren Papikyan


Greece and Armenia have signed a military cooperation agreement in the wake of much instability in the Europe and Middle East regions.

Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias met with his Armenian counterpart, Suren Papikyan, during the latter’s visit to Athens on Thursday.

Following the meeting, Dendias took to X, formerly Twitter, to say that the military-technical field is a top priority for the Hellenic Government.

“Our meeting today coincides with a period of great tensions. The situation in Caucasus, the developments at the Ukrainian front, the Middle East, create many hotbeds of instability in the region,” he said.

Dendias noted that Greece maintains a solid view against the instability and supports “dialogue on the basis of the principles of the UN Charter and the International Law.”

“We support the recommencement of negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia with the participation of the European Union, so that conditions of peace and security for the peoples of the region can be achieved… We stand by the side of the Armenian people.”

Papikyan echoed Dendias, stating that this bilateral military cooperation has a rich history, based on traditionally friendly relations between the two peoples, mutual support readiness, and shared overall views.

Earlier this week, the Armenian Minster of Defence visited Cyprus, where met with President of the House of Representatives Annita Demetriou.

The focus of their discussion was on matters pertaining to Armenian-Cypriot relations and regional security.

On X, Papikyan shared that he visited the Tomb of Makedonitissa and laid a wreath at the memorial dedicated to Cypriot and Greek soldiers who have died for the defence of Cyprus.

"Crossroads of Peace" will not compete with logistics projects, but complement existing opportunities, says FM Mirzoyan

Ophelia Vardapetian

 12:56,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS.  Armenia, as a landlocked developing country that has had its western and eastern borders under land blockade for the past three decades, is interested in the opening of communications in the region in accordance with international norms and full respect for the sovereignty of countries.

 Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said at the Ministerial Meeting of Landlocked Developing Countries being held in Yerevan.

 In his speech, Mirzoyan referred to the Crossroads of Peace project initiated by the Government of the Republic of Armenia aimed at connecting the North and the South, the East and the West, and strengthening the ties between people, thus contributing to the dialogue and the establishment of peace and stability in the region.

Mirzoyan emphasized that the Armenian Government is ready to continue efforts to restore regional communications and build new ones. In this regard, he noted the importance of the North-South project, which is a high priority strategic plan for Armenia.

"It will ensure not only a good connection between the northern and southern regions of Armenia, but also between the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea, becoming an important transit route between Western Asia and Eastern Europe.

The Foreign Minister stressed the readiness of Armenia to restore the Gyumri-Kars, Hrazdan-Kapan, Nrnadzor-Agarak, and Yeraskh-Nakhichevan border railways.

“The Crossroads of Peace” is not a competitor to other logistics projects, but is meant to complement them,” Mirzoyan concluded.

Iran welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan joint statement

Ophelia Vardapetian

 17:56,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has welcomed the recent joint statement from Armenia and Azerbaijan on normalizing relations.

“Iran welcomes the joint statement of Baku and Yerevan about reciprocal measures to build trust, including the release of their prisoners, and considers it as a constructive step in the achievement of a peace agreement,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said at a press conference  on Monday, reports Tasnim news agency.

“Achieving sustainable peace in the region requires a trust-building atmosphere and cooperation among the regional parties,” Kanaani added.

The Iranian spokesman also expressed hope that the negotiations between Yerevan and Baku would bear fruit, voicing Iran’s readiness to help the two neighboring states strike a lasting peace deal.

In a joint statement Armenia and Azerbaijan reconfirmed their intention to normalize relations and to reach the peace treaty on the basis of respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Driven by the values of humanism and as a gesture of goodwill, the Republic of Azerbaijan releases 32 Armenian military servicemen. In its turn, driven by the values of humanism and as a gesture of goodwill, the Republic of Armenia releases 2 Azerbaijani military servicemen.




EU elaborates on possible support to Armenia through European Peace facility

Ophelia Vardapetian

 10:33,

BRUSSELS, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The EU has presented details on what its possible support to Armenia through the European Peace facility could look like.

On November 29, the EU said it will “further explore non-lethal support to the Armenian military via the European Peace Facility.”

Asked to elaborate on what the possible support could imply, the EU Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano told Armenpress correspondent Lilit Gasparyan in Brussels that the support could be in the form of a field hospital, protective equipment, and increased capacity to combat cyberattacks and disinformation.

Stano said the support is discussed by EU Member States, taking into account the needs and requests of Armenia.

“The exact modalities of the non-lethal assistance are under discussions by the member states taking of course into account the needs and request from Armenian partners. Anything that is not used to fight. It can be a field hospital, it can be protective equipment but it can be also increasing capacities to fight cyber attacks, disinformation, the spectrum is very wide and it is up to the member states to decide what the EU will eventually decide reflecting of course what Armenia defines as the most pressing needs," Stano said.

Russian Military Detains Deserter in Armenia – NGO

Ophelia Vardapetian
Dec 11 2023

Human rights activists have raised alarm over the detention of a mobilized Russian soldier on charges of desertion in Armenia, saying the move amounts to a violation of the ex-Soviet republic’s sovereignty.

Russian military police in Armenia detained Dmitry Setrakov, who fled the country to avoid serving in the Russian military, the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor said Sunday.

Setrakov, 39, is currently being held at a Russian military base in the northern Armenian city of Gyumri after being apprehended on Dec. 6-7, the organization said.

He faces five to 10 years in prison if convicted of leaving his military unit during Russia’s mobilization period.

Setrakov fled Russia on Nov. 30 with the help of Idite Lesom (“Get Lost”), a project that helps Russians avoid military service in Ukraine, after he refused to fight.

“He was mobilized and didn’t want to fight so we helped him leave the country,” Idite Lesom head Grigory Sverdlin told The Moscow Times by phone, adding that Setrakov had spent several months in hiding from the military before turning to the project.

"The kidnapping of a person on foreign territory is an extraordinary occurrence," Sverdlin said.

The people who detained Setrakov had identified themselves to him as members of Armenia’s military police “but were obviously Russian soldiers and security services,” Sverdlin said.

According to Idite Lesom, Setrakov called his wife and told her that he was detained in Gyumri and was being held at the Russian military base No. 120.

The Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor said it “condemns the abduction of and the illegal activities against a person under the Republic of Armenia’s legal protection by Russian military police in the Republic of Armenia’s territory.”

It argued that Russian authorities violated Armenia’s sovereign power to restrict a person’s liberty on its territory.

“This case is very alarming for the human rights community, because, essentially, this is a kidnapping of a person on the territory of another country,” said lawyer Anastasia Burakova, the head of Kovcheg, an international group supporting Russian emigres and anti-war activists.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in Armenia and we are in direct contact with local human rights activists,” Burakova told The Moscow Times. “This incident is lawlessness. Neither the Russian military nor Russian law enforcement agencies have the jurisdiction to carry out search operations or detentions on the territory of other countries.”

Burakova said there is little possibility that activists could successfully lobby for his release.

“But unfortunately, the prospects aren't very promising, given the fact that he is at the Russian military base and the possibilities of legal assistance are very limited,” she added.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/12/11/russian-military-detains-deserter-in-armenia-ngo-a83375