Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

UN chief’s spox: Spying allegations against UNICEF representative in Armenia ‘baseless’

Tatoyan Vazgen
Panorama, Armenia
March 10 2021
See also Armenia's foreign ministry suspends duties of UNICEF Representative

Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, believes the spying allegations against UNICEF's Representative in Armenia Marianne Clark-Hattingh are “baseless”.

The Armenian government has terminated the mandate of the UNICEF representative in the country due to “failures in implementing her mandate and uncooperative conduct.”

However, some media outlets reported that Clark-Hattingh was allegedly engaged in espionage in favor of Azerbaijan and UK, and the Armenian authorities declared her persona non grata.

“The allegations against…  the spying allegations against her are baseless, and I would defend her strongly,” Dujarric told a daily press briefing on Tuesday, when asked to comment on the matter.

“What I can tell you and what my colleagues of UNICEF have told me is that UNICEF and the Government of Armenia have agreed that Marianne Clark Hattingh will complete her assignment as UNICEF Representative in Armenia this month, and she’ll be redeployed to another duty station.

“She is a highly qualified, extremely experienced and committed development professional, who has previously served with UNICEF at Headquarters, as well as being the Representative in Malaysia and other posts in places such as Somalia, Guinea, Benin and Madagascar.

“UNICEF has been working for the children in Armenia since 1993 and has had a close and effective partnership with the Government,” the spokesman said. 

Armenpress: President Sarkissian undergoing medical examinations at Asghik Medical Center

Tatoyan Vazgen

President Sarkissian undergoing medical examinations at Asghik Medical Center

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 18:05,

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has complications caused by coronavirus, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the President’s Office.

''The President has complications caused by coronavirus and now he is undergoing medical examination at Astghik Medical Center'', a press service official said.

Sarkissian tested positive for the coronavirus days after travelling to the United Kingdom in late December to spend New Year’s Eve with his sons and grandchildren living in London.

The presidential office announced on January 13 that Sarkissian was hospitalized there after developing double pneumonia and showing other symptoms of COVID-19. It said on January 26 that he has been discharged from hospital but has not yet fully recovered from the disease.




Armenia-EU Agreement Entered into Force on Monday

Tatoyan Vazgen

March 1,  2021



The European Union-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement went into effect on March 1

The European Union-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement entered into force on Monday. It has now been ratified by the Republic of Armenia, all EU Member States and the European Parliament. This represents an important milestone for EU-Armenia relations.

This Agreement provides a framework for the EU and Armenia to work together in a wide range of areas: strengthening democracy, the rule of law and human rights; creating more jobs and business opportunities, improving legislation, public safety, a cleaner environment, as well as better education and opportunities for research. This bilateral agenda also contributes to overall aim of the EU to deepen and strengthen its relations with the countries of its Eastern neighborhood through the Eastern Partnership framework.

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, said: “The entry into force of our Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement comes at a moment when Armenia faces significant challenges. It sends a strong signal that the EU and Armenia are committed to democratic principles and the rule of law, as well as to a wider reform agenda. Across political, economic, trade, and other sectoral areas, our Agreement aims to bring positive change to people’s lives, to overcome challenges to Armenia’s reforms agenda.”

Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, underlined that: “While these are trying times for Armenia, the European Union continues to stand by the Armenian people. The entry into force of the bilateral EU-Armenia agreement on 1 March will allow us to strengthen our work on the economy, connectivity, digitization and the green transformation as priority areas. These will have concrete benefits for the people and are key for socio-economic recovery and the longer-term resilience of the country. In the current turbulent days, maintaining calm and respect for democracy and constitutional order are key.”

The Agreement was signed in November 2017 and substantial parts of have been provisionally applied since 1 June 2018. Since then, the breadth and depth of the bilateral cooperation between Armenia and the European Union have advanced steadily. At the 3rd EU-Armenia Partnership Council held on 17 December 2020, the European Union and Armenia reiterated their full commitment to implementing the CEPA.

The Agreement plays an important role for the modernization of Armenia, in particular through legislative approximation to EU norms in many sectors. This includes reforms in the rule of law and respect of human rights, particularly an independent, efficient and accountable justice system, as well as reforms aimed at enhancing the responsiveness and effectiveness of public institutions and at favoring the conditions for sustainable and inclusive development.

From the entry into force of the Agreement on 1 March, cooperation will be strengthened in those areas which to date were not subject to the provisional application of the Agreement. The European Union stands ready and looks forward to working even more closely with Armenia on the full and effective implementation of the Agreement, in our mutual interest and to the benefit of our societies and citizens.

Armenian Opposition Holds Rally Against PM Pashinyan in Yerevan

Tatoyan Vazgen
SPUTNIK
March 6 2021
© AFP 2021 / KAREN MINASYAN
World

11:19 GMT 06.03.2021Get short URL

Armenia has been swept by mass protests since early November in the wake of Pashinyan signing an agreement with Azerbaijan to end hostilities in the breakaway republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenian opposition protesters continue to rally against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan.

Protests in Yerevan began in February in response to Pashinyan firing several high-profile military officials, including army chief of general staff Onik Gasparyan and deputy chief Tigran Khachatryan.

The armed forces issued a statement demanding the resignation of Pashinyan himself. The prime minister regarded this as an attempted coup and called on his supporters to take to the streets. The prime minister has faced calls to resign after he signed a Russian-brokered deal to end fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in November last year.

Under the terms of the trilateral agreement, a number of Nagorno-Karabakh districts came under Azerbaijani control.

Follow Sputnik’s feed to find out more.  

Azerbaijani press: Azerbaijani electricity supplier first to use special-purpose UAVs

Tatoyan Vazgen
OIL&GAS2 March 2021 15:35 (UTC+04:00)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2

By Fidan Babayeva – Trend:

For the first time in the communal sphere, Azerbaijan electricity supplier, Azerishig OJSC, will use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), Trend reports with reference to Azerishig OJSC

The concept of Smart Grids is fully based on the use of the latest innovative technologies.

"Within this concept, work is being successfully continued on the integration of modern protected and isolated high-voltage lines, a 3D-mobile cartographic system, electricity meters with a remote optical port, and the existing control platform," Azerishig said.

As reported, it is planned to add the organization of a comprehensive and local inspection of overhead power lines by special-purpose aircraft to the large-scale activities carried out in the direction of the program for the transition to digital control.

“Accordingly, the training course ‘Application of high technologies in identifying network defects’ has already started at the Center for Training and Innovation of the Azerishig OJSC. UAVs of this type differ significantly from UAVs designed for simple photo and video filming. The cameras to be used in Azerishig are capable of shooting 360-degree panoramas in the infrared spectrum and in the modes of visualizing temperature indicators. In addition, a special zoom function allows even small damage to be detected at a distance of 25-30 meters,” the message reads.

"Carrying out technical inspection of lines using the traditional method is a process that requires lengthy and complex dispatching operations. It is also inevitable to attract additional personnel, machines, and mechanisms, special lifting equipment. As a result, prolonged power outages occur, and subscriber satisfaction and quality of service indicators deteriorate. Using modern technologies, all these problems will be eliminated, high-precision visual registration and archiving will be carried out, and most importantly, there will be no interruptions in the supply of electricity to subscribers," the company said.

This type of special-purpose technical aircraft is intended for use as a basic element in smart grids that will be used in the territories of Azerbaijan liberated from the Armenian occupation.

Prosecutor’s Office plans to arrest army generals demanding Pashinyan’s resignation, opposition leader says

Tatoyan Vazgen
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 25 2021

Armenia is in a fateful situation currently, Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun) Supreme Council of Armenia member Ishkhan Saghatelyan, who coordinates the activity of the opposition Homeland Salvation Movement, announced at a rally at Yerevan’s Liberty Square on Thursday demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his government.

Pashinyan also urged his supporters to rally at Yerevan’s Republic Square after the military demanded that he step down earlier in the day.

Saghatelyan called on protesters not to succumb to provocations and take coordinated steps to achieve the desired results.

"We call on the Police of Armenia and the National Security Service to stand by the people and not to obey the orders of the madman [referring to the PM]. The person clinging to power is currently trying to lead our country to a civil war and bloodshed in Yerevan. Otherwise, you will take our country to new upheavals with the madman. Let us unanimously demand that the police and the NSS refuse to carry out the illegal orders of the madman," he said.

The opposition leader said that they have obtained information that on Pashinyan's order the Prosecutor's Office is going to arrest the army generals demanding the premier’s resignation by sending armed groups to the Defense Ministry.

"We have gathered here to voice support for the Armenian military. Let us all show the brave generals and officers of our army that the Armenian people stand with them. Armenia without Nikol!… Today, the Armenian army proved once again that it stands with the people. We once again urge the military to stay focused on the borders and stand firm," he said, also calling on the Foreign Ministry to condemn Pashinyan’s move.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan said they may spend the night at Liberty Square, again urging supporters not to give in to provocations and warning the authorities against using weapons on peaceful protesters.  

General Staff chief ‘categorically rejects’ Pashinyan’s demand for resignation – Mediaport

Tatoyan Vazgen
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 26 2021

Chief of the Armenian army’s General Staff Onik Gasparyan has “categorically rejected” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s demand for resignation, stating that “the demands of the army cannot be reversed”, Mediaport reported.

“The generals also sent a signal to Pashinyan that if pressures on Onik Gasparyan continues, the situation will further worsen,” it added.

Mediaport said earlier that Director of the National Security Service Armen Abazyan and President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan were in the office of the General Staff chief. “They locked the door from the inside and demanded his resignation,” the source said. 

Sports:Kyiv: Artur Aleksanyan defeated during semi-final

Tatoyan Vazgen
News.am, Armenia
Feb 26 2021        

Leading wrestler of the Armenian national wrestling team, Greco-Roman style wrestler, Olympic champion Artur Aleksanyan was defeated during the semi-final at the International Traditional Wrestling Championship taking place in Kyiv.

During the competition with his Kyrgyz opponent, Artur Aleksanyan was winning 5-0, but he was defeated 5-7, as reported on the Facebook page of the Wrestling Federation of Armenia.

Karapet Chalyan, who was competing in the 82 kg category during this championship, and Malkhas Amoyan (72 kg category), made it to the final.

Armen Sarkissian meets with Rustam Muradov, highlights return of Armenian POWs

Tatoyan Vazgen

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 18:02,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian received Commander of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno Karabakh, Lieutenant-General Rustam Muradov.  Russian embassy's military attaché, Colonel Andrey Grischuk and special representative of the President of Artsakh Boris Avagyan also attended the meeting, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the President's Office.

Rustam Muradov informed the Armenian President about the implementation process of the tasks of the Russian peacekeeping forces, emphasizing the warm attitude of the population of Nagorno Karabakh towards the Russian servicemen.

Armen Sarkissian highly assessed the role of the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh and wished them success in their service.

The interlocutors discussed issues related with the return of Armenian war prisoners and other civilian detainees kept in Azerbaijan, as well as discovering and returning to the Armenian side those missing in action. President Sarkissian assessed hindering of the searches by the Azerbaijani side as inadmissible and highlighted the solution of this extremely sensitive issue.