Author: Vicken Chmshkian

Baku responded to Lavrov on situation around Parukh

Vicken Chmshkian
ARMINFO
Armenia – June 9 2022
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo.The activities of the delimitation commissions established by Azerbaijan and Armenia, as previously envisaged, are aimed specifically at delimiting the state  border of the two countries.

This was stated byhead of the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Leyla Abdullayeva, commenting on the words of the Minister  of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov that the  situation with the village of Parukh will be considered in the  context of the delimitation of the borders between Azerbaijan and  Armenia.

" This process does not envisage consideration of any issues beyond  the Azerbaijani – Armenian state border, including those related to  the territories, where Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily  deployed.," she said.  It should be noted that on June 9, at a press  conference in Yerevan, when asked by ArmInfo about what steps the  Russian side is taking to completely withdraw the Azerbaijani armed  forces from the territories around the village of Parukh of  Nagorno-Karabakh, Lavrov noted that the Russian military keep this  issue as one of their priorities, which the Armenian partners are  well aware of.

"There are already certain results in terms of de-escalation of the  situation on the ground. And we have an understanding that within the  framework of substantive work on delimitation that is already  beginning, these issues will be considered and will certainly be  resolved," the Russian minister said.  It should be noted that on  March the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, having violated the line of  contact, invaded the village of Parukh in the Askeran region of  Artsakh and tried to capture the strategic height of Karaglukh. These  territories are in the zone of responsibility of Russian  peacekeepers. The co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group  called on Azerbaijan to restore the contact line of March 23.  However, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces continue to be at the Karaglukh  height, as a result of which more than 400 people cannot return to  their homes. 

Russia’s Foreign Ministry Edits Lavrov’s Comments About Artsakh’s Parukh

Vicken Chmshkian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

The Parukh village in Artsakh's Askeran region


Russia’s foreign ministry apparently has edited comments made Thursday by the country’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov, who said that the issue of Azerbaijan’s incursion into the village of Parukh in Artsakh’s Askeran region in March will be solved within the current talks between Baku and Yerevan on delimiting and demarcating the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Lavrov, who was speaking https://asbarez.com/moscow-baku-disagree-on-artsakhs-parukh-situation/ at a press conference with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, was specifically asked what the Russian peacekeepers were doing to de-occupy Parukh and push Azerbaijani forces back to their initial positions, since 400 residents of the area are unable to return to their homes because of Azerbaijan’s continued aggression.

“As for the situation [in Parukh], it is one of the priorities of the Russian servicemen, and our Armenian friends are very well informed about that,” said Lavrov. “There are also some results in terms of easing of tension on the ground, and we view that these issues will be observed and will be definitely solved within the launching substantive border delimitation efforts.”

Official Baku was quick to counter Lavrov’s statements, insisting that the Parukh region “has no connection with the border demarcation issues with Armenia” since it is located in Azerbaijan’s Khojalu region,

“The commissions created by Azerbaijan and Armenia are aimed at delimitating and demarcating of borders between the two countries,” Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Leyla Abdulayeva said in a statement.

Abdulayeva emphasized that it is not envisioned that the border process will address areas outside of the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, including those areas where Russian peacekeeping forces are temporarily being stationed.

According to a report by RFE/RL’s Armenian service, the Russian Foreign Ministry altering the Parukh reference in the text published on its official website, writing instead: “We hope that the launch of the process of demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border will contribute to the increase of trust between Baku an Yerevan and prevent incidents like Parukh in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.”

The Russian “Kommersant” newspaper, meanwhile, quoted Lavrov’s unedited statement in an article, stating that the Parukh issue has become a “sore subject” for Baku.

“In March, a confrontation almost started between the Russian peacekeepers and the Azerbaijani soldiers, who occupied the village without agreeing with Moscow. At the same time, from Baku’s point of view, the military had the right to do so, as Azerbaijani power extends to the entire territory of Karabakh,” wrote Kommersant, according to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

“Kommersant” states that the foreign ministers of both Armenia and Russia spoke with optimistic emphasis on regional developments, including the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Turkish relations. At the same time, the article added, experts in both Yerevan and Baku do not share that optimism, saying that during recent efforts for the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict settlement, initiatives have failed many times.

Yerevan court refuses to arrest Yerkir Media head

Vicken Chmshkian
Panorama
Armenia –

A first instance court in Yerevan on Saturday rejected a motion by prosecutors to put Bagrat Yesayan, the director of Armenia’s opposition TV channel Yerkir Media, in pre-trial custody, his lawyer Vahe Yeprikian said.

“The motion for Bagrat Yesayan’s unlawful arrest has been rejected,” he wrote on Facebook, thanking the court for the “fair decision”.

Officers of the National Security Service broke into the editorial office of Yerkir Media and detained Bagrat Yesayan on Friday.

He is charged with “inciting mass riots and obstructing journalists' lawful professional activities” at the demonstrations in Yerevan on November 10, 2020.

Music: Serj Tankian Calls for Armenian Unity in Powerfully Moving ‘Amber’ Duet

Vicken Chmshkian
June 6 2022

Chad ChildersPublished: June 6, 2022

A song doesn't always need to be heavy to be "heavy." And System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian has just delivered an Armenian-language, piano-backed duet with acclaimed Armenian vocalist Sevak Amroyan that hits with an emotional impact as hard hitting as some of his heaviest music. The new song is titled "Amber" and serves as a nod to the divide going on in Armenia that Tankian witnessed in recent years.

The singer explains, “'Amber' was written in 2017 after I visited Armenia along with my friends Atom & Arsinee Egoyan and Eric Nazarian as members of the coalition ‘Justice For Armenia’ to serve as election monitors for the Parliamentary elections. I was so distraught by the slick theft of the elections before ever reaching the ballot box that I wrote this song as a response."

He adds, "The lyrics however seem to be more poignant today when Armenians are divided politically and socially following the devastating attack on Nagorno-Karabagh and Armenia by Azerbaijan and Turkey in 2020 and the continuous fallout over negotiations with those two dictatorial regimes. ‘Amber’s’ message is that of unity and harmony. Those are the only truly powerful weapons of the Armenian nation.”

The English translation of the lyrics can be read below, though you can also grasp plenty from the the Hrag Yedalia-directed music video featuring Tankian, Amroyan and a young boy with a sketchpad with drawings representing some of the lyrics within the song.

As the track hits its peak moments, the boys starts to crumble up the pages, tossing them to the ground, with the video bringing it all together at the end with the pages forming a map of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh (known in Armenia and the diaspora as Artsakh).

Of his duet partner, Tankian states, “Sevak’s voice has a unique strength harking back to our people’s native lands. I loved listening to his songs like ‘Yarkhushta’ so when we met I was excited to work on something with him.”

Amroyan adds, “NaturalIy, I have listened to Serj Tankian's music since childhood and always with a sense of pride. After getting acquainted with him, I realized that in addition to being an iconic musician he's also a very proud Armenian. I am happy about our collaboration and thankful to Serj that we’re singing ‘Amber' together. It's a great honor for me.”

The song will officially be released this Wednesday (June 8) and you can pre-save it here, but for now check out the video and lyrics below.

Tissue covered mountains
We miss you
We miss you
Our stabbed and wounded land
We miss you
We miss you
Agreements can be altered
We are capable
We are capable
Lost piano under my hand
We carry guns
We carry guns

Harmony
We miss you

Agreements can be altered
We are capable
We are capable
Our stabbed and wounded land
We miss you
We miss you

Harmony
We miss you
Harmony
We miss you

I’m looking for your faces from the sky
But I do not see through the clouds

Clouds
Clouds
Clouds
I seek your mountains from the sky
I seek your rivers from the sky
I’m looking for your faces from the sky
I seek your mountains from the sky
I seek your rivers from the sky
I seek from the sky

I seek your mountains from the sky
I am looking for your faces from the sky

Tissue covered mountains
We miss you
We miss you
Agreements can be altered
We are capable
We are capable

Watch the video at https://loudwire.com/serj-tankian-sevak-amroyan-amber-duet-lyrics-video/
READ ALSO
SERJ TANKIAN Releases New Single "Amber" Sung Entirely In Armenian (metalinjection.net)
https://metalinjection.net/video/serj-tankian-releases-new-single-amber-sung-entirely-in-armenian
System Of A Down's Serj Tankian shares Armenian protest song 'Amber' (nme.com)
https://www.nme.com/news/music/system-of-a-downs-serj-tankian-shares-armenian-protest-song-amber-3240901

Vyacheslav Volodin sees the need to improve the CSTO peacekeeping potential

Vicken Chmshkian

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 18:05, 6 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS. The decision of the leaders of the member states to establish a Collective Security Treaty Organization has enabled the establishment of an effective system of interstate cooperation in the Eurasian space, which helps to meet the challenges and threats, ARMENPRESS reports the chairman of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, Speaker of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin said at the sitting of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly in Yerevan.

Volodin reminded that the meeting of the council is held in the context of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Collective Security Treaty and the 20th anniversary of the decision to establish the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

"For the first time since the pandemic, we are gathering together here in Yerevan, with the in this particular format. And, of course, it is very important for us to gather in this format in the future, having the opportunity to look each other in the eyes, discuss issues and communicate around a round table, because trust is very important for the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, and trust cannot be achieved without communication”, Volodin said.

Volodin stressed that the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly contributes to the security and ensuring of sovereignty of the states.

"Our main task is the rapprochement and harmonization of national legislations," the CSTO PA President added.

Volodin reminded that during the entire work of the CSTO, 72 laws and proposals were adopted, which refer to terrorism, extremism, organized crime, drug trafficking, military-technical cooperation, and humanitarian aid.

According to the CSTO PA President, in practice the effectiveness of the CSTO has been confirmed by the activities of peacekeepers in the Republic of Kazakhstan in January 2022.

"The actions of the CSTO peacekeeping force, which included units of all member states, have allowed the Kazakh law enforcement agencies to focus their efforts on restoring the rule of law and eliminating threats to the country's security," Vyacheslav Volodin added.

According to the Speaker of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, based on this experience, it is necessary to continue working to improve the CSTO peacekeeping potential.

Issues of Armenian-American cooperation in field of defense were discussed in Yerevan

Vicken Chmshkian
ARMINFO
Armenia – June 3 2022
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo.Head of the General Department of Defense Policy and International Cooperation of Armenia Levon Ayvazyan received the delegation led by the Head of the  Regional Military Cooperation Directorate of the US European Command,  Colonel Jeffrey Wright.

According to the press service of the Armenian Defense Ministry,  during the meeting the issues of the Armenian-American cooperation in  the field of defense were discussed. The parties confirmed their  readiness to develop cooperation in the field of military education,  military medicine, peacekeeping and other areas.

Issues of regional security were also discussed. 

Student biologists distressed about raising funds to make Armenia competition

Vicken Chmshkian
New Zealand – June 3 2022
By Kate Nicol-Williams, 1News Reporter
New Zealand’s participation in the International Biology Olympiad next month is at risk, with a Government fund that contributes to travel costs for overseas student science competitions on hold.

This year’s premier event for high school biologists is in Armenia from July 10.

Hillcrest High School student Janet Guo is one of four New Zealand students who has qualified to participate.

“Science is conventionally still quite a male-dominated field and so like it provided confidence for me to go deeper and be like, 'oh yes, I can do this too.'"

Guo says science brings her happiness and has shaped her world view.

“It helps me think rationally… especially biology, I think it’s helped me understand how to perceive the world through literally reading about like sensory receptors.”

Guo said fundraising for the trip is eating into her study time.

“For us, it’s quite distressing I guess… it's been multiple 10 hour days for a lot of us and to feel like that might be taken away from us because of the immense costs, like $13,000 is a lot for all of us, I'm not from a wealthy family,” Guo said.

The Talented School Students Travel Award was put on hold by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment because of Covid-19 and is now being reviewed.

The scheme began in 2003 with a budget of $30,000 per year and grew to $250,000 per year until the fund was paused.

Some funding went to applicants to cover costs to attend competitions virtually.

The remaining $110,000 from the 2020/2021 budget for the scheme was spent on other initiatives from the MBIE Science in Society portfolio, including the New Zealand in Space exhibition, development of science resources for students to access during Covid-19 lockdowns and funding for the Science Media Centre to respond with information to media during the pandemic.

"We feel now it is timely to assess whether changes are needed to ensure a broader range of opportunities are available to students," an MBIE spokesperson said in a statement.

"We also want to see whether different types of opportunities should be offered as part of the award, and these mightn’t necessarily be international travel opportunities."

The Government agency said Covid-19 still makes travel high-risk.

"Logistics are unable to be safely managed for students travelling at this time," the spokesperson said.

MBIE said, "locally relevant initiatives within New Zealand are being created to make the most of the country’s excellent research and learning opportunities.

"In the future, select international opportunities may also be supported to provide a wider variety of experiences, once the logistics can be safely managed."

A draft research paper from New Zealand International Biology Olympiad chairperson Dr Angela Sharples includes reports from former participants that the local competition and international competition influenced their decision to pursue careers in science after high school.

"Programmes like this give students the confidence to consider themselves as scientists so they’re creating links through our programme in New Zealand, we work with universities throughout New Zealand to link them up with top researchers in biological scientists and then when they represent New Zealand, they link up with students who are also interested in those," Sharples said.

“They’ll be their colleagues working on collaborative science research later in life so we’re creating a network of students with a passion for science who will contribute to our economy, now we don’t always know in what way, we don’t have a crystal ball as to what the latest scientific research will be, but we do know that these are our top students.”

Sharples said the students who have been selected for the New Zealand team have been working towards it for more than two years.

“They’ve worked so hard so to fall over at the last minute because of the lack of funds and to have the fund on hold for Covid when the borders are now open and these students are travelling to compete face to face, that’s pretty disappointing.

“I would be absolutely gutted if these students can’t go through… it’s life changing to represent New Zealand in a competition like this with over 70 countries competing.”

Yerevan vainly relying on Washington for Ankara unblocking the borders – Viktor Nadein-Raevsky

Vicken Chmshkian
ARMINFO
Armenia – June 1 2022
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo.Yerevan is in vain relying on Washington for Ankara unblocking the borders, Viktor Nadein-Raevsky, Researcher of the Institute of World Economy and  International Relations (IMEMO), said in an interview with ArmInfo. 

"No doubt, the United States is attentive to the Armenian-Turkish  process. Another question is that Turkey is not at all a state under  the U.S. overwhelming influence despite its being a NATO member and  its other ties with the United States. In this context, I do not  think the Armenian leadership's hopes are in line with the reality  and trends inside Turkey, and one of the reasons is that Turkey is  coordinating its policy toward Armenia with Baku," he said. 

Ankara is not expected to make independent steps toward Armenia  without preconditions at least until the process of signing of an  Armenian-Azerbaijan peace agreement shows progress, and Azerbaijan is  clearly stating it is holding great expectations, Mr Nadein-Raevsky  said. 

For Azerbaijan, any Armenian-Turkish negotiations and Ankara's steps  toward Yerevan are instruments for ensuring progress in its own  negotiations with Armenia, especially with Turkey itself not  expecting any preferences from normalizing its relations with  Armenia. So Turkey has no need to hurry. 

"The result is the present uncertainty over the prospects for  normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. See, the process has  been continuing for nearly six months, with three meetings of the  Special Envoys. But even experts and analysts do not know anything  about the results – to say nothing of the public. Moreover, to create  an atmosphere of confidence, Yerevan is not voicing any of its  demands to remedy historical injustice. In its turn, Ankara is  dragging time in Baku's interests and can, in necessary, put forward  its own preconditions at any moment," Mr Nadein-Raevsky said.

Armenia Bans Use of Cash, Payment Terminals for All Gambling

Vicken Chmshkian
Casino.org
May 26 2022

Posted on: May 26, 2022, 08:49h. 

 

Last updated on: May 26, 2022, 09:26h.

Erik Gibbs

Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

In a move that will completely alter the country’s landscape, Armenia has approved a ban on cash for all types of gambling. The move is an attempt to trace all transactions and reduce gambling harm.

The Parliament of Armenia is fulfilling its mission to clamp down on the gambling industry. It amended its laws on land-based gambling activity, online games, casinos and lotteries.

The amendment restricts the methods of reloading user accounts in virtually any type of game that may result in winnings. This automatically complicates the betting mechanisms in gambling.

Members of Parliament Gevorg Papoyan and Tsovinar Vardanyan of the “Civil Contract” political party submitted the draft legislation. It later received approval by 67 deputies, accounting for more than half of the complement. The new rules take effect in 10 days.

Papoyan said that the main objective of the project is to protect those citizens who are prone to gambling addiction. These are susceptible to further financial harms and their social statuses continue to deteriorate.

He noted that this significantly limits citizens’ ability to make easy bets. This will require them to think twice before gambling. It also increases oversight of gambling expenses and winnings.

Electronic cash and payment terminals will disappear for gambling purposes. These will drop off after six months, and consumers will only be able to receive gambling winnings through a bank transfer.

Because of the bill, we imposed certain restrictions. At the moment, bets can be placed in three ways: cash, electronic money, and non-cash through bank accounts or cards. Immediately after the entry into force of the law, cash will be excluded from the method. After another six months, the method of payment by electronic money will be excluded,” explained Member of Parliament Gevorg Papoyan.

Papoyan has been pushing for the changes for the past couple of months. In April, he addressed the Armenian Parliament, looking for support again. In addition to reducing gambling harm, he said, the measure will also prevent youth from gambling. Only of-age individuals can open and maintain bank accounts.

How successful the initiative is will only be determined as time goes by. There are plenty of online casinos and sportsbooks that accept cryptocurrency.

Armenia has access to several cryptocurrency exchanges which can facilitate the purchase of digital currency for subsequent use on those platforms. There are also other ways to circumvent controls.

Armenia now has one of the tightest legal gambling markets following the acceptance of the new rules. It added to its restrictive nature a few months ago when lawmakers approved a measure to ban virtually all types of gambling advertising.

In March, the Armenian Parliament approved a series of new restrictions on gambling advertising. It approved the law by 63 votes in favor and 24 abstentions in a second and final reading.

The new legislation restricts gambling advertising by casinos, lotteries, bookmakers, or other organizations that offer gambling. Gambling advertising will only be allowed in hotels with four stars or more, at border checkpoints, on company websites, and on the façade of buildings that offer gambling.

Deputy Finance Minister Armen Hayrapetyan, who tabled the amendments, explained that the restrictions are the same as those of 2020. Then, operators could only advertise through the same four methods approved in March.

The changes received a lot of criticism from not only operators, but from advertising companies. The latter argued that they generate around 60%-70% of their revenue through online gambling. However, the Armenian government has said the figure is only 20%-25%.