Author: Varazdat Torgomian

​Opposition party member: Some people are trying to cast shade on Armenian Church and Supreme Patriarch

Varazdat Torgomian
News.am, Armenia
Jan 3 2021
 
 
 
Opposition party member: Some people are trying to cast shade on Armenian Church and Supreme Patriarch
14:10, 03.01.2021
 
 
There have been attacks against the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church and the Supreme Patriarch for the past two and a half years. This is what Spokesperson of the Republican Party of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov told reporters in Etchmiadzin today. Sharmazanov was at St. Gayane Church to express his support to the Catholicos of All Armenians along with several other citizens.
 
“Some people have recently been trying to cast a shade on the Armenian Church and the Supreme Patriarch again. In our turn, first, we came to attend the Sunday Holy Mass, and second, we are here to express solidarity with the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church and the Supreme Patriarch. I think there would be provocations, if there weren’t a large number of people here today. If we united around the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin like this two and a half years ago, nobody would dare to be disrespectful towards the Supreme Patriarch. We will always stand with the Armenian Church so that nobody dares to disrespect our sanctities,” he said.
 
 

Turkish Press: Turkish soldiers in Azerbaijan for joint truce monitoring center

Varazdat Torgomian
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Dec 29 2020
Turkish soldiers in Azerbaijan for joint truce monitoring center

Sarp Ozer  

ANKARA 

The Turkish personnel assigned to work in the joint monitoring center in Karabakh arrived in Azerbaijan, the Turkish defense minister announced on Tuesday.

"Our staff went to Azerbaijan and stands by there. After the construction of the joint center is completed and it goes operational, our one general and 35 military officers will start their duty immediately," Hulusi Akar said in a virtual year-end evaluation meeting.

Turkey’s Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler, other military commanders, and senior authorities were in attendance of the meeting.

Addressing defense and security issues, Akar recalled that Azerbaijan liberated its lands from Armenia's occupation after nearly 30 years.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Russia-brokered agreement on Nov. 10 to end the fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.

Turkey and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a joint center to monitor the peace deal. It will be established on Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenia's occupation.

Earlier in December, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said the center will be established in the Aghdam city.

Akar underlined that as part of the efforts to clear the region of mines and improvised explosives, the activities of the elements of the Turkish Armed Forces continue in the region.

Two Special Mine Detection and Clearance Teams, consisting of 135 mine clearance specialists of the Turkish Armed Forces, have been supporting the Azerbaijani troops in regions liberated from Armenia’s occupation.

The Turkish troops are also training Azerbaijani soldiers in mine detection and clearance techniques and tactics.

"As part of the humanitarian aid activities, we did our best to support our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters, and we will continue to do so. We have supported them in their rightful and honorable struggle, and we will continue to do so," he added.

Liberation of Karabakh

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognized as an Azerbaijani territory, and seven adjacent regions.

When new clashes erupted on Sept. 27, the Armenian army launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from the nearly three-decade-long occupation.

Despite the deal ending the conflict, the Armenian army several times violated the agreement and martyred several Azerbaijani soldiers and a civilian, as well as wounded few people, according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The truce is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces have been withdrawing in line with the agreement.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev.

​Russia will intervene on Yerevan’s side if Azerbaijani troops move across border, Armenian PM Pashinyan insists

Varazdat Torgomian
Russia Today
Dec 28 2020
  
 
 
Russia will intervene on Yerevan’s side if Azerbaijani troops move across border, Armenian PM Pashinyan insists
 
28 Dec, 2020 14:26
By Jonny Tickle
 
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Moscow will intervene if foreign forces encroach on his country’s territory. Russian peacekeepers are currently deployed on the Azeri-Armenian contact line.
 
Speaking to state-funded TV on Sunday, Pashinyan expressed his confidence in Russia's willingness to get involved in case of such an incursion.
 
In particular, Pashinyan was speaking about Syunik Province, in the country's southernmost region, which sits on the border with Azerbaijan. As a consequence of the autumn war between Baku and Yerevan, many villages in the province are now a stone's throw from Azerbaijani military positions and border posts. In some situations, such as the village of Shurnukh, the new border passes right through.
 
“As a result of actions [on the border], the war in Syunik was stopped,” Pashinyan said. “Now we are positioned so that, in the event of an encroachment against Syunik, not only Armenian armed forces will intervene, but Russian too.”
 
Pashinyan’s comments came on the same day as another alleged breach of the Azeri-Armenian ceasefire, with Baku saying that “an illegal armed group of six Armenians” had attacked Azerbaijani forces, with one fatality. Yerevan has denied the reports.
 
Also on Sunday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that President Vladimir Putin's friendly relations with both Baku and Yerevan were vital in achieving a truce between the two Caucasian nations.
 
On September 27, the up-to-then frozen Nagorno-Karabakh conflict suddenly erupted once again. The dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia is decades old, with both countries believing they have legitimate claims to the territory. The region is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but is primarily populated by ethnic Armenians. Baku considered the enclave to be illegally occupied by Yerevan.
 
Six weeks after the start of the fighting, on November 9, the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan adopted a trilateral agreement on the cessation of fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. As well as drawing up a new map, the parties also agreed on the deployment of Russian peacekeepers. At the time the truce was signed, Azerbaijan was at a clear advantage.
 
 
 
 
 
 

TURKISH press: Ancient Urartian caves of Tunceli to be restored in eastern Turkey

Varazdat Torgomian
 TUNCELI, TURKEY HISTORY 
DEC 30, 2020 1:08 PM GMT+3
The cave rooms photographed in Tunceli, eastern Turkey, Dec. 29, 2020. (DHA Photo)

Ancient Urartian cave rooms in the Çemişgezek district of eastern Turkey’s Tunceli are expected to boost tourism in the city. The cave rooms, which were carved out by ancient people to create a settlement area, will be restored thanks to a project by the local district municipality.

Located in the hidden paradise of Tağar Creek Valley, the prehistoric cave rooms are a natural and archaeological protected site. Although the cavernous holes attract thousands of visitors every season of the year, they are mostly in ruins and have been targeted by treasure hunters for many years. Çemişgezek Municipality has embarked on a project to restore the caves back to their former glory.

Mehmet Güder, district governor of Çemişgezek, authorized the project that was approved by the Fırat Development Agency, a state-funded organization to help the local development of the region. The restoration and the related environmental planning consist of a suspension bridge for ease of accessibility, a walking trail, decorative lighting and restoration of the caves while protecting their historical texture.

"The project will boost tourism in the district that is home to cultural, historical and natural attractions," Güder said. “We are working extremely hard on this project to ensure that the caves which were human-made nearly 3,000 years ago during the Urartu civilization, a ninth-century B.C. kingdom located in modern-day eastern Anatolia, are accessible and enjoyable to the public. Thankfully Fırat Development Agency has greenlit the project in recent days and efforts will continue according to plan,” he said.

Historically several names have been given to the mountain houses in these caves, including “Derviş (Dervish) cells” and “den holes.” The ancient architects of the caves are thought to be from the Urartian civilization.

The scenic view from a cave room in Tunceli, eastern Turkey, Dec. 29, 2020. (DHA Photo)

The settlement complex consists of four stories and features 25 rooms with natural heating systems and long corridors with large scenic windows. The topmost flat, called “Bey Odası” ("Bey's Chambers"), is a stone kiosk of sorts with an indoor pool but is almost impossible to reach due to the narrow stairs and corridors. There are also underground water reservoirs that collect fresh rainwater that seeps through the rock. Whether these reservoirs are natural or human-made is unknown.

The caves are one of the most intriguing and fascinating sights in Tunceli. Güder stated that they are determined not to alter the natural and historical texture of the site and will be using wood for the restoration project. “We have plans for a wooden suspension bridge, a walking trail with wooden railing and external installations of lighting.”

“We have acquired approval from Erzurum Cultural and Natural Heritage Preservation Foundation, for the project,” he added. “This project will boost tourism in Çemişgezek and Tunceli, and will be an important part of our regional and national heritage.”

Four rescuers killed in Artsakh war awarded posthumously

Varazdat Torgomian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 21 2020

Four rescuers of the State Emergency Service of Artsakh have died performing their professional duty during the war.

Hovik Aghajanyan has been posthumously awarded the “Gratitude” medal.

Harutyun Atajanyan, David Dolukhanyan and Arayik Hakobyan have been posthumously awarded the “Courage” medal.

By the decree of the director of the service, Major-General Karen Sargsyan, Hovik Aghajanyan has been posthumously awarded the “Cross of Glory-Noy” commemorative medal.

Azeris prevented Armenian soldiers returning from vacation from entering Artsakh, opposition figure says

Varazdat Torgomian
Panorama, Armenia

Dec 24 2020

Armenia has become a dangerous place for every man to live in, Artsvik Minasyan, a member of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, Dashnaktsutyun) party, said at a protest in front of the government building demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's resignation on Thursday.

He underlined that the “traitor must stand trial” through a fair judiciary, which the opposition guarantees, urging each of the 14 government members to vote for ousting Pashinyan at today’s cabinet meeting.

"It is necessary to fulfill the people's demand, that is, to remove Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who failed to protect Armenia’s sovereignty and interests, from office,” the politician said.

“Every member of the government must accept this as a constitutional requirement. Afterwards, if each of you does not fulfill this demand, you will be considered the enemy of the nation, as the security of Armenia may collapse at any moment," he said.

Another ARF member Gegham Manukyan called on members of the government and police officers cordoning off the government building to join protesters, stating Nikol Pashinyan “poses a major threat to the security of Armenia and Artsakh.”

"Yesterday [Ilham] Aliyev was in Ishkhanadzor, standing near the borders of Armenia. Nikol brought the borders close to the villages of Syunik.

“The enemy [Azerbaijanis] barred the Armenian soldiers returning from a vacation from entering Artsakh to stand in their positions. They had to return to the Sisian military unit. Our positions are being emptied because the irresponsible man sitting in the government building cannot deal with any political issue," Manukyan said.


Artsakh military “loses contact” with entire personnel of several positions in two villages

Varazdat Torgomian

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 10:30, 16 December, 2020

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of Artsakh announced in a statement that in the evening of December 15, in unknown circumstances, it lost contact with the military personnel of several combat positions of the Defense Army deployed in the direction of the Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd villages of Hadrut.

“Search operations continued during the entire night and today morning. With the mediation of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, active steps are carried out to determine the likelihood of the Armenian servicemen’s capture for launching necessary actions in the event of confirmation,” the Artsakh Ministry of Defense said. It said they would provide regular updates on the search operations.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Lori Governor submits resignation letter

Varazdat Torgomian

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 18:07, 16 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, YEREVAN. Governor of Lori Province of Armenia Andrey Ghukasyan has submitted a resignation of letter, ARMENPRESS reports Ghukasyan wrote on his Facebook page.

‘’Dear residents of Lori, today I submitted a resignation letter to Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. My resignation is conditioned by the decision of the political force, which I received without hesitation. I consider the last two and a half years to be the most responsible period of my life, when I had the honor of holding the extremely responsible position of the head of the region’’, Ghukasyan wrote.

Bodies of nine Armenian servicemen found in Hin Tagher-Khtsaberd section

Varazdat Torgomian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 17 2020

On December 16, the bodies of nine Armenian servicemen found near the Armenian military positions in the direction of Hin Tagher-Khtsaberd were handed over to the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh by the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in the area, Artsakh’s Ministry of Defense said.

Necessary actions are being taken at the moment to find out the circumstances of the soldiers’ death and their identity, the Ministry added.

The Defense Army said on the eve that the fate of 73 people in that section was unknown.

Yuri Kotenok: Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh can explode at any moment

Varazdat Torgomian
News.am, Armenia

Dec 18 2020
14:22, 18.12.2020

Armenia is facing a difficult challenge, and the opportunity is the real deepening of allied ties with Russia. This is what Editor-in-Chief of Segodnya.ru, military correspondent Yuri Kotenok, who was severely wounded during the shelling of the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi, told reporters today.

According to him, perhaps it is necessary to sign a new treaty within the scope of the already Union state and perhaps Armenia can hold a referendum for deepening of cooperation with Russia. “The threats that Armenians and Russians faced a century ago are still current. Armenian society is split into two, but Armenia has the opportunity to overcome the consequences and move towards the establishment of allied and friendly ties with Russia. It was Russia that maintained the territories that were maintained and is providing humanitarian aid. The lack of organization caused by the events in Nagorno-Karabakh have a negative impact on people’s moods,” Kotenok said.

He clarified that now it is necessary to meet the conditions of the signed statement, receive the support of the peacekeeping contingent as the guarantor of security and negotiate with the adversary. “Nagorno-Karabakh is a state, even though it is unrecognized. In any case, it’s not over yet, the situation can explode at any moment since the truce is very fragile. Armenia doesn’t have much time to prepare. It needs to solve the military issues and modernize the economy. The people need to get over the “defeated army” complex,” he concluded.