Friday,
Top Russian General Visits Armenia
Armenia -- Colonel-General Sergei Istrakov (second from left), the deputy chief
of the Russian military’s General Staff, meets with Armenian Defense Minister
Vagharshak Harutiunian, Yerevan, .
A visiting top Russian general met with Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutiunian
on Friday for the second time in five days to discuss Russia’s close military
ties with Armenia.
Colonel-General Sergei Istrakov, the deputy chief of the Russian military’s
General Staff, arrived in Yerevan on January 25 for what the Armenian Defense
Ministry described as “staff negotiations” between the armed forces of the two
allied states. Istrakov began the trip with separate meetings with Harutiunian
and his Armenian opposite number, Colonel-General Onik Gasparian.
A Defense Ministry statement released on Friday, said Istrakov met with
Harutiunian again to brief him on the results of the talks that touched upon
“all directions of Russian-Armenian bilateral military cooperation.” They
discussed joint activities planned by the two sides, the statement said without
elaborating.
The Russian ambassador in Yerevan, Sergei Kopyrkin, met with Harutiunian and
Gasparian on Thursday to congratulate them on the 29th anniversary of the
official creation of the Armenian army.
Armenia -- Senior Armenian and Russian military officials start "staff
negotiations" in Yerevan, January 25, 2021.
On Tuesday, Harutiunian inspected the main command post of a joint
Russian-Armenian system of air defense protecting Armenia’s airspace. He was
accompanied by a Russian Air Force general.
“Vagharshak Harutiunian stressed the need to deepen Russian-Armenian military
cooperation, including in the area of air defense,” said the Defense Ministry.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian similarly announced plans to deepen
Russian-Armenian relations in a televised address to the nation aired on New
Year’s Eve He said his country needs “new security guarantees” after the recent
war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia already has close political, economic and military ties with Russia. It
hosts a Russian military base and has long received Russian weapons at knockdown
prices and even for free.
Moscow deployed 2,000 peacekeeping troops to Karabakh as part of a
Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement that stopped the war on November 10. In
addition, it dispatched Russian soldiers and border guards to Armenia’s Syunik
region southwest of Karabakh to help the Armenian military defend it against
possible Azerbaijani attacks.
Court Upholds Acquittal Of Former Judge In Kocharian Case
• Naira Bulghadarian
Armenia -- District court judge Davit Grigorian leaves the courtroom after
ordering former President Robert Kocharian's release from prison, May 18, 2019.
Armenia’s Court of Appeals rejected on Friday prosecutors’ appeal against a
lower court’s decision to throw out controversial criminal charges brought
against a judge who had released former President Robert Kocharian from prison.
The judge, Davit Grigorian, presided over the ongoing trial of Kocharian and
three other former officials when it got underway in May 2019. A few days later,
Grigorian not only freed the ex-president but also suspended the trial,
questioning the legality of coup charges brought against him.
The decisions angered political allies and supporters of Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinian. Heeding Pashinian’s calls, hundreds of them blocked the entrances to
court buildings across Armenia. Pashinian demanded a mandatory “vetting” of all
Armenian judges, saying that many of them remain linked to the country’s
“corrupt” former leadership.
Kocharian was arrested again in June 2019 after the Court of Appeals overturned
Grigorian’s decisions. Three weeks later, law-enforcement officers searched and
sealed the judge’s offices. A state body overseeing the Armenian judiciary then
suspended Grigorian and allowed the Special Investigative Service (SIS) to
prosecute him.
Grigorian denied the ensuing accusations of document forgery brought against him
and his secretary. He described them as government retribution for Kocharian’s
release.
Investigators denied any connection between the Kocharian case and Grigorian’s
prosecution.
In June 2020, a Yerevan court of first instance threw out the case against
Grigorian for lack of evidence even before starting the suspended judge’s trial.
The Court of Appeals upheld that decision, ruling on an appeal filed by
Armenia’s prosecutor-general. One of Grigorian’s lawyers, Georgi Melikian,
thanked it for the “principled judicial act.”
The judge who took over Kocharian’s trial later in 2019, Anna Danibekian,
repeatedly refused to release the ex-president from custody pending a verdict in
the case. In June 2020, the Court of Appeals overturned Danibekian’s decision to
deny Kocharian bail and ordered him freed.
Kocharian, who ruled Armenia from 1998-2008, rejects the coup and corruption
charges leveled against him as politically motivated.
Top Judicial Official Hails Government Plans For New Judges
• Naira Bulghadarian
Armenia -- A court building in Yerevan, June 9, 2020.
The head of a state body overseeing Armenian courts backed on Friday a
government proposal to hire new judges who would deal only with corruption cases
or pre-trial arrests of criminal suspects.
A bill approved by the Armenian government earlier this month calls for the
selection of up to 21 such judges for the courts of first instance. Three other
new judges specializing in arrests or corruption-related offenses would be
appointed to the Court of Appeals.
Justice Minister Rustam Badasian said on January 14 that the new judges would
reduce the workload of courts increasingly overwhelmed by pending criminal and
civil cases. He said they should also hand down “more objective” rulings on
arrest warrants demanded by investigators.
In recent months Armenian judges have refused to allow law-enforcement bodies to
arrest dozens of opposition leaders and members as well as other anti-government
activists. Virtually all of those individuals are prosecuted in connection with
angry protests sparked by the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s handling of the
autumn war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Pashinian charged last month that Armenia’s judicial system has become part of a
“pseudo-elite” which is trying to topple him after the disastrous war. Ruben
Vartazarian, the chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, rejected the
criticism.
Critics of the government have expressed concern over its plans to install
magistrates tasked with allowing or blocking pre-trial arrests. They claim that
the government wants to make sure that courts stop hampering politically
motivated investigations ordered by it.
The head of the Armenian Chamber of Advocates, the national bar association,
echoed those concerns when he spoke with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “Given past
[court-related] events, I think that there are political considerations here,”
said Ara Zohrabian.
Vartazarian disagreed. “The [new] judges will be selected by the Supreme
Judicial Council,” he said. “It will be guided only by the law and will take
into consideration only their professional skills just like it has selected
other judges. I therefore rule out political decisions by those judges.”
Five Held Over Anti-Government Protest In Yerevan
• Artak Khulian
Armenia -- Protesters demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian's resignation
clash with riot police outside the main government building in Yerevan, January
28, 2021.
Law-enforcement authorities arrested five protesters who clashed with riot
police while demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s resignation on Thursday.
They were among several hundred people who rallied outside the main government
building in Yerevan. The demonstration was organized by several nationalist
activists holding Pashinian responsible for the outcome of the recent war in
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Riot police used force against the protesters when the latter tried to break
into the building that houses the prime minister’s office.
In a statement announcing the arrests on Friday, Armenia’s Investigative
Committee described the protesters’ actions as an attempt to seize the building.
The law-enforcement agency said the five detainees are suspected of violating
relevant articles of the Armenian Criminal Code. It did not identify any of them.
The organizers of Thursday’s protest are not known to be linked to a coalition
of 17 Armenian opposition groups that staged a series of anti-government
demonstrations late last year in a bid to force Pashinian to resign and hand
over power to an interim government. The prime minister has rejected the
opposition demands.
In a separate development, the National Security Service (NSS) arrested and
indicted Vahan Badasian, a prominent war veteran from Karabakh who called for
Pashinian’s ouster earlier on Thursday.
Badasian said that Pashinian will be removed from power “physically” and through
an armed revolt if he keeps refusing to step down. “Let the NSS arrest me,” he
told reporters at Yerevan’s Yerablur Military Pantheon.
The NSS said on Friday that Badasian has been formally charged with calling for
a violent overthrow of the constitutional order. A Yerevan court was due to
decide later in the day whether to allow investigators to hold him in pre-trial
detention.
Badasian’s lawyer, Arayik Papikian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that his
client rejects the accusation as politically motivated.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2021 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
10:49,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, ARMENPRESS. The Army has been and remains the axis of Armenia’s independent statehood, the guarantor of the security of the Artsakh people, Third President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said in a message addressed on the Army Day.
The message reads:
“Armenian army, our beloved offspring, your birthday is one of our people’s most cherished holidays, which we have always celebrated with joy.
Today, however, the mood is different: we are all saddened, grieving for the loss of a part of our Homeland, for our martyrs, concerned for the future of our state and nation. However, a parent should never deny his child under any circumstances, especially in time of hardship.
Our people have raised their children at the cost of deprivation, subjected to unspeakable ordeals, and raised a patriotic child.
Therefore, today I say without hesitation, happy birthday, Armenian Army. On behalf of my comrades-in-arms standing at the roots of the formation and development of the Armenian Army, I tell you, you have not lost the war, I know you well. You have been betrayed, struck from behind, severely injured, while before that in recent years everything was done to discredit or weaken you, but you did your duty selflessly. Today thousands of parents tell episodes of your exploits without even imagining who or where misled and trapped you.
The enemy, who has always been afraid of you, knows very well what insidious means he used to achieve his goal. You are as much powerful, and let no one boast that they have defeated you. You will still show the strength of your arm, remind the enemy of his not-so-distant shameful past. You have been the axis of our independent statehood, the guarantor of the security of our people, our sisters and brothers in Artsakh.
Learning from the past, straighten your back, squeeze the pain under your teeth, look ahead. No matter how difficult and mined is our path, inside or outside, we will cross it together, relying on each other, defying challenges.
Our big family, our Homeland, the land and the water soaked in the blood of our heroes, needs your protection today more than ever.
Eternal glory to you, glory to all our heroes, alive or martyred, who shaped your glorious path!”
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 21
Trend:
Anglo Asian Mining PLC, the AIM listed gold, copper and silver producer in Azerbaijan has restored three contract areas in Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region, Trend reports citing the company.
The areas include Soutely in the Kalbajar district, Kyzlbulag (Nagorno Karabakh), Vejnaly in the Zangilan district.
The company will fully evaluate the potential of the three restored contract areas when permission to access is received from the Government of Azerbaijan.
"Mineral exploitation has been carried out illegally during the Armenian occupation at all three contract areas," the report said.
Soutely – location of the Zod gold and silver mine, the largest in the Caucasus region, and which was reported to be producing approximately 120,000 ounces of gold per year prior to the conflict.
Kyzlbulag – location of the Kashan deposit hosting a copper and molybdenum mine.
Vejnaly – mining has been carried out at the deposit but the current situation is unknown.
The company added that considerable exploration potential exists both near the existing mines and on known geological trends in the restored contract areas.
"It has been proposed as part of the ceasefire agreement that Armenia will grant territory in its Syunik region to Azerbaijan to allow construction of direct road and rail links between the exclave of Nakhchivan and the rest of Azerbaijan. The proposed transport corridor will greatly improve access to the Company's Ordubad contract area," the company added.
Reza Vaziri, President and CEO of Anglo Asian Mining, said that It is a tragedy that this long-standing territorial dispute has resulted in a humanitarian crisis and significant loss of life.
"Anglo Asian Mining very warmly welcomes the recent ceasefire agreement which ended the hostilities. The conflict has resulted in extensive damage across the region which will require substantial investment to repair and rebuild," he said.
"Anglo Asian Mining will work with the Government of Azerbaijan, pursuant to its contractual rights, in the three restored contract areas within the Zangilan and Kalbajar districts as well as in Nagorno Karabakh. The Company will properly manage and invest in the mineral resources of the region to the benefit of the local communities and other stakeholders. Anglo Asian Mining has been a model of sustainable and sound mining practices at its current operations while working with, and investing in, the local communities," Vaziri said.
"The company intends to bring that commitment to high-quality development to its restored contract areas in the regions internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan."
TEHRAN, Jan. 22 (MNA) – Iran's Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade said that the Armenian Minister of Economy has arrived in Tehran on Friday.
Hamid Zadboum announced that the Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan arrived in Tehran on Friday and both sides are scheduled to hold bilateral talks on the expansion of economic cooperation.
He went on to say that Tehran and Yerevan will sign a memorandum of understanding to develop the level of trade relations between the two countries during the visit.
According to Zadboum, the Armenian Minister will meet with a number of Iranian officials including, the Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, the Minister of Energy, and the Governor of the Central Bank.
FA/IRN 84194684
The Office of Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan has given the following explanation stating why the numerical data on captives are not released:
“Armenia approaches any issue related to prisoners of war with full responsibility and refrains from making statements that may harm the process of quick and safe repatriation of our compatriots.
As far as the lists of captives presented by the Armenian side are concerned, taking into consideration the fact that the numerical data are confidential, it is necessary to inform that they have been presented on a regular basis, that is, in several stages and according to updates. Moreover, the full lists were transmitted to the Russian side and the International Committee of the Red Cross back in December 2020.
The numerical data on captives in Armenia and Azerbaijan are confidential and are not subject to publication, taking into consideration the fact that the issue is supersensitive.”
15:53,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. The status of Nagorno Karabakh is not mentioned in the 2020 November 9 trilateral statement and it has been left for solving in the future, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference.
“The territory where the peacekeeping mission is deployed is the area of responsibility of the peacekeeping contingent. We are proceeding from this in our contacts with Yerevan and Baku. Now, the details on organizing transport communication and humanitarian assistance are being developed,” Lavrov said.
The Russian FM said that there are contradictions about the status in Yerevan and Baku and due to these contradictions the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan have decided to set aside this issue for now and resolve it in the future.
Lavrov said that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs also have to work over this issue and that they are already in contacts with the sides and are planning to visit the region. Lavrov says the sooner Yerevan and Baku’s assurances on the willingness to resolve daily life between ethnic and religious communities are solved the sooner the NK status issue will be solved.
Lavrov called the proposal voiced by some on including Karabakh as some sort of a federal subject of Russia “exotic”, and he once again stressed that the independence of Nagorno Karabakh isn’t even recognized by Armenia itself.
“We don’t have such intention, we proceed from the point of view that such issues should be resolved between Armenia and Azerbaijan for preserving security in the region.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
19:07, 11 January, 2021
YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Following the meeting between Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Moscow, the leaders of the three countries signed a joint statement on the development of Nagorno Karabakh, ARMENPRESS reports Ria Novosti informs.
Russian President Putin said that the negotiation with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev were exceptional and productive.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Armenia Central Bank to carry out transactions in foreign exchange market
10:26, 13 January, 2021
YEREVAN, JANUARY 13, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia will carry out transactions in the foreign exchange market of the country for ensuring the normal operation of the financial markets, the CBA told Armenpress.
“The Central Bank of Armenia continues monitoring the financial markets and in case of necessity will use all its tools to guarantee the stability of prices and the financial stability”, the statement says.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
BAKU, January 15. /TASS/. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has announced the beginning of recovery works in Nagorno-Karabakh and the "big return" to the region.
"The big return is beginning, all [recovery] works have started," the president said during the ceremony timed to the laying of the foundation of an international airport in the Fuzuli District in Nagorno-Karabakh. Aliyev was quoted on his website on Friday.
The Azerbaijani leader also informed that recovery works in the city of Shusha had begun.
During a visit to Shusha, Aliyev met with military officers and visited a number of cultural and religious monuments.
Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, 2020, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them.
On November 9, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from November 10. The Russian leader said the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides would maintain the positions that they had held and Russian peacekeepers would be deployed to the region. Besides, Baku and Yerevan must exchange prisoners and the bodies of those killed.