Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

David Phillips: The reality of Turkey’s occupation in Syria, and human rights violations in Nagorno Karabakh

Yeghisabet Arthur
eKathimerini, Greece
Feb 19 2021
| eKathimerini.com

Expert David Phillips joins The Greek current to explain why a recent New York Times article is being called out by a number of experts who say it whitewashes Turkey’s occupation of Afrin in Syria. We also explore David Phillips’ latest article on the international community’s failure to protect civilians in Nagorno Karabakh from human rights abuses.

Phillips is the Director of the Program on Human Rights and Peace-building at Columbia University. Phillips is also a former senior adviser to the UN Secretariat and US State Department, and the author of the books The Great Betrayal: How America Abandoned the Kurds and Lost the Middle East, and An Uncertain Ally: Turkey Under Erdogan's Dictatorship.

Listen to the interview at the link below

Anti-government protesters rally outside parliament amid session debating new courts

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 11:36, 3 February, 2021

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, ARMENPRESS. An anti-government protest led by the Homeland Salvation Movement is taking place outside the parliament building in central Yerevan, where lawmakers are debating in a special session the bills to create new specialized courts. The Homeland Salvation Movement, composed of various political forces and individuals, also blocked the Baghramyan Avenue.

Hayk Mamijanyan, a member of the movement and the head of the Republican Party’s youth wing, argued that the lawmakers – despite the many “critical” issues facing the country, are in special session debating a government-backed bill to create what he described as courts for “arrests”.

Police officers are trying to open the avenue.

The lawmakers are debating proposed amendments to the judicial code, whereby special courts tasked with examining corruption cases and supervising pre-trial proceedings would be established.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan


Turkish press: Azerbaijan: Armenia falls short to respond to claims

Yeghisabet Arthur
Seda Sevencan   |04.02.2021

ANKARA

Azerbaijan's government said that Armenia is falling short in responding to alleged breaches of the European Convention of Human Rights, Azerbaijan's state-run news agency Azertac said.

Azerbaijan filed an inter-state application under Article 33 of the European Convention on Human Rights against Armenia in mid-January.

The Armenian government on Monday responded to the allegations.

Azerbaijan alleges that violations occurred during Armenia’s occupation of its territory from 1991 until Dec.1, 2020.

The claims are that during the occupation, Armenia inflicted significant and extensive human and material damage toward Azerbaijan and its people.

Chingiz Asgarov, the deputy chairman of the Supreme Court, said: "Azerbaijan remains committed to securing justice for the people of Azerbaijan affected by the long-lasting and illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh. After years of avoiding scrutiny, Armenia’s actions will be placed under the spotlight."

Asgarov added: "These are serious allegations and Azerbaijan is committed to ensuring it follows the rule of law throughout the process."

Relations between the former Soviet republics had 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 in September 2020, 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.

In November, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Russian-brokered peace deal to end fighting.

On Saturday, Turkish and Russian troops started to monitor the truce in Upper Karabakh. It came after the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding following the truce to set up a joint center on Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenia’s occupation to monitor the cease-fire.

Armenian American Museum Submits Construction Documents for Historic Groundbreaking

Yeghisabet Arthur

February 4,  2021



From l to r: Alajajian Marcoosi Architects Project Manager Lilia Grigoryan, Alajajian Marcoosi Architects Co-Founder Sako Marcoosi, Alajajian Marcoosi Architects Co-Founder Aram Alajajian, and Armenian American Museum Executive Director Shant Sahakian

GLENDALE—The Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California has formally submitted the project’s construction documents to the City of Glendale for plan check following the official announcement of the historic groundbreaking, scheduled for this Summer.

The formal submission represents the culmination of a multi-year design process for the cultural and educational center led by Alajajian Marcoosi Architects and the museum’s design team. The submission of construction documents initiates the plan check process with the City of Glendale and begins the countdown for the start of construction of the landmark center.

In January 2021, the Glendale City Council approved the museum’s refined building design, authorized priority plan check for the project, and waived city permit and plan check fees.

The museum anticipates the issuance of construction permits by the City of Glendale in Spring 2021.

“The Armenian American Museum has reached an exciting milestone with the submission of the project’s construction documents to the City of Glendale,” stated Executive Chairman Berdj Karapetian.

“The museum’s design team has created an iconic and inspiring design to fulfill the vision of the landmark center that is now one step closer to its historic groundbreaking,” added Executive Vice-Chairman Zaven Kazazian.

From l to r: Left to Right: Alajajian Marcoosi Architects Co-Founders Sako Marcoosi and Aram Alajajian, Alajajian Marcoosi with Architects Project Manager Lilia Grigoryan, and Armenian American Museum Executive Director Shant Sahakian

The Armenian American Museum has assembled a team of experienced museum and industry professionals to provide guidance and expertise in construction, design, programming, and development for the landmark center.

The museum’s design team is led by Alajajian Marcoosi Architects and includes Robert Goodwin serving as the Construction Manager, IMEG Corp. serving as the Structural Engineer, Rhyton Engineering serving as the Civil Engineer, Glumac serving as the Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Engineer (MEP), Courtland Studio LLC serving as the Landscape Architect, and A. Zahner Company serving as the Architectural Metal Cladding Consultant of the project.

The Armenian American Museum will rise to a two-level 50,820 square foot museum complex built on a one-level semi-subterranean parking garage. The first level will feature the grand lobby, auditorium, learning center, demonstration kitchen, gift shop, and administrative offices. The second level will be dedicated to the permanent and temporary exhibition galleries as well as the collections archives.

The cultural and educational center’s programming plans include producing and hosting powerful, immersive, and thought-provoking permanent and temporary exhibitions, leading meaningful dialogues and discussions through engaging public programs, providing educational programs for adults, youth, kids, and families, preserving Armenian heritage through the museum’s collections and archives, and serving as an iconic venue for memorable experiences, gatherings, and celebrations.

The museum will be announcing its plans for the Groundbreaking Ceremony in Spring 2021.

The mission of the Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California is to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Armenian American experience. The vision is a cultural campus that enriches the community, educates the public on the Armenian American story, and empowers individuals to embrace cultural diversity and speak out against prejudice.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 02/01/2021

Yeghisabet Arthur 
                                        Monday, 

Armenian NGOs Urge EU Involvement In Karabakh Peace Efforts


NAGORNO-KARABAKH - Local residents repair a roof with construction supplies 
brought from Russia as humanitarian aid, November 25, 2020.

A coalition of pro-Western Armenian nongovernmental organizations has urged the 
European Union to help “establish lasting security and peace” in the 
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone by recognizing Karabakh’s “interim status” and 
its population’s right to self-determination.

In a weekend statement, the NGOs representing Armenia in the Civil Society Forum 
of ex-Soviet states involved in the EU’s Eastern Partnership program said the EU 
should seek the conflict’s resolution based on the so-called Madrid Principles, 
a framework peace accord put forward by the United States, Russia and France in 
2007.

The statement called on the EU to help Karabakh’s civilian population and, in 
particular, people who fled their homes during the recent war described by it as 
an “aggression by Turkey and Azerbaijan against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.” 
It said the 27-nation bloc should initiate an international investigation into 
“war crimes” committed by Azerbaijani and Turkish forces during the six-week 
hostilities stopped by a Russian-brokered ceasefire on November 10.

The NGOs also hit out at Russia, saying that it has not fulfilled some of its 
obligations stemming from the ceasefire agreement.

“In addition … the Russian peacekeeping mission in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) 
has no international mandate, its legal basis is unknown … The powers and rights 
of the mission are not known either, which severely limits the capabilities of 
that mission to fulfill its commitments and accountability in ensuring the 
security of the local Armenian population,” they said.

The EU, the statement went on, should therefore seek the deployment of UN-backed 
“international peacekeeping forces” to Karabakh alongside about 2,000 Russian 
soldiers already stationed there.

The political leaders of both Armenia and Karabakh regularly praise Moscow’s 
role in stopping the war and preventing its resumption. They have also described 
the presence of the Russian peacekeepers as the decisive factor behind the 
return of tens of thousands of ethnic Armenian refugees to Karabakh.



UN Human Rights Experts Urge Release Of Captives From Karabakh Conflict


SWITZERLAND -- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet speaks on 
the opening day of the 39th UN Council of Human Rights in Geneva, September 10, 
2018

Human rights experts at the United Nations have called for the "prompt" release 
of prisoners of war and other captives by Armenia and Azerbaijan from their 
recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner in Geneva said in a 
statement on Monday that the two countries should also move quickly to return 
the bodies of those killed to families for burial "with due respect for cultural 
customs."

“Everyone deprived of their liberty for reasons related to the conflict should 
be returned to their homes, and relatives of those killed must be able to 
receive the mortal remains of their loved ones, in line with the ceasefire 
agreement signed on November 9, 2020,” the experts said.

“Failure to disclose information on the fate and whereabouts of missing persons 
and refusal to hand over the remains of the deceased may amount to enforced 
disappearance, which both Azerbaijan and Armenia have committed to preventing,” 
they added.

At least 6,000 people were killed in the six-week war stopped by a 
Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement on November 10. The agreement calls for the 
unconditional exchange of all prisoners held by the conflicting parties. Dozens 
of them were swapped in December.

On Thursday Azerbaijan released five more Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) in 
return for an Azerbaijani captive freed by the Armenian side. The latest 
exchange raised to 59 the total number of Armenian POWs and civilians 
repatriated to date.

More than 100 others are believed to remain in Azerbaijani captivity. Yerevan 
accuses Baku of dragging its feet over their release.

The UN expert group also expressed concern at “allegations that prisoners of war 
and other protected persons have been subjected to extrajudicial killing, 
enforced disappearance, torture, and other ill-treatment.”

“No exceptional circumstances whatsoever -- whether a state of war, internal 
political instability, or any other public emergency -- may be invoked as a 
justification of torture and enforced disappearances,” they said. “Such acts, 
when perpetrated in armed conflict, may also constitute war crimes.”

“We appeal to the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan to carry out thorough, 
prompt, independent, and impartial investigations into allegations of serious 
human rights violations committed during the conflict and its aftermath in order 
to hold perpetrators to account and provide redress to the victims. These 
actions will facilitate truth, reconciliation, and healing,” the experts said.



Armenian Defense Contractor Charged With Fraud

        • Gayane Saribekian

Armenia -- A screenshot of a National Security Service vide of the arrest of 
defense contractor Davit Galstian, February 1, 2021

The owner of a company supplying Armenia’s armed forces with weapons and 
ammunition has been arrested on fraud charges, the National Security Service 
(NSS) said on Monday.

The NSS said that the charges stem from a $1 million contract for the supply of 
artillery shells which Davit Galstian’s Mosston Engineering company signed with 
the Armenian Defense Ministry in 2018.

It said the company breached the contract by providing the ministry with 
ammunition designed for older and different artillery systems. Artillery units 
could not accomplish their “combat tasks” with those shells, the NSS added in a 
statement.

This is why, it said, NSS investigators have indicted Galstian and Mosston’s 
director and asked a Yerevan court to remand them in pre-trial custody. It was 
not immediately clear if the suspects will plead guilty to the accusations.

Nor was it clear if the NSS could also prosecute any current or former Defense 
Ministry officials. The statement said in this regard that the investigators are 
taking measures to “identify the full circle of individuals involved in the 
corruption scheme.”

Galstian was an adviser to Armenia’s former Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan, who 
was sacked in November following the war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The security service further revealed that Galstian is also facing three other 
criminal investigations into his companies’ dealings with the Armenian military. 
But it did not give any details of those inquiries.

Galstian’s companies have been among the Defense Ministry’s leading suppliers in 
recent years.

Lieutenant-General Artak Davtian, who served as chief of the Armenian army’s 
General Staff from 2018-2020, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Monday that they 
repeatedly failed to fulfill their contractual obligations during his tenure.

“There were quite a lot of cases where we handed back supplies, demanded their 
replacement or found defects and told [the contractor] to eliminate them,” 
Davtian said without elaborating.

Andranik Kocharian, the pro-government chairman of the Armenian parliament 
committee on defense and security, described the fraud accusations as credible 
and said they were made possible by the sackings of Tonoyan and previous NSS 
directors.

“Such corrupt practices are not possible without the support of high-ranking 
officials,” he claimed. “So let’s wait for further developments.”

Kocharian and Tonoyan traded bitter accusations in the immediate aftermath of a 
Russian-brokered agreement that stopped the Karabakh war on November 10.



Russian-Turkish Center Begins Monitoring Karabakh Truce


NAGORNO-KARABAKH -- Russian APC and soldiers of the peacekeeping force (L) 
patrol in front of an Azerbaijan's army checkpoint near the demarcation line 
outside the town of Shushi (Susa), November 26, 2020

A joint Turkish and Russian observation center to monitor the ceasefire in 
Nagorno-Karabakh started operations after an opening ceremony with senior 
defense officials in attendance on Saturday.

Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov and deputy defense ministers from 
regional powers Turkey and Russia were there to launch the center, in the Agdam 
region east of Karabakh, according to Azerbaijan's state news agency Azertac.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced on Friday that one Turkish 
general and 38 personnel will be stationed at the center.

"Our activities will intensify with the work of this joint Turkish-Russian 
center and we will fulfill our duty to defend the rights of our Azerbaijani 
brothers," Akar said in a statement posted on the Defense Ministry’s website.

Turkey and Russia agreed to form a joint observation center shortly after Moscow 
in November brokered a ceasefire agreement that ended the Armenian-Azerbaijani 
war in and around Karabakh. Turkey was a major backer of Azerbaijan in the 
conflict.

Turkish Major General Abdullah Katirci and Russian Major General Viktor 
Fyodorenko will reportedly command their respective contingents at the center.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev 
welcomed the opening of the Russian-Turkish center when they spoke by phone 
later on Saturday. According to the Kremlin, the two leaders expressed hope it 
“will contribute to the further stabilization of the situation” in the conflict 
zone and the conflicting parties’ compliance with the ceasefire agreement.

Under the agreement, around 2,000 Russian peacekeepers are also deployed along 
Karabakh frontline areas and a land link connecting Karabakh with Armenia.

Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutiunian praised the Russian 
peacekeeping operation on Monday in a phone call with his Russian counterpart 
Sergei Shoigu. According to the Armenian Defense Ministry, Harutiunian said the 
peacekeepers have helped to ensure the “almost full observance of the ceasefire.”

A ministry statement said Shoigu phoned Harutiunian to discuss the results of 
“staff negotiations” held by senior Russian and Armenian military officials in 
Yerevan last week. The two ministers also spoke about “the course of the 
resolution of Armenia’s security issues in the post-war period,” it said without 
elaborating.



Armenia, Azerbaijan Start Talks On Transport Links


Russia -- A Russian-Armenian-Azerbaijani working group on cross-border transport 
issues meets in Moscow, January 30, 2021.

Senior Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian officials met in Moscow at the weekend 
to discuss practical modalities of opening the Armenian-Azerbaijani border for 
commercial and other traffic.

The restoration of transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan is envisaged 
by the Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement that stopped the war in 
Nagorno-Karabakh on November 10.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev and 
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian decided to set up a trilateral “working 
group” for that purpose when they met in Moscow on January 11. They said it will 
submit by March 1 a timetable of “measures envisaging the restoration and 
construction of new transport infrastructure facilities.”

The group co-headed by deputy prime ministers of the three states held its first 
meeting in the Russian capital on Saturday. A Russian government statement said 
it decided to form two “expert subgroups” that will deal with transport issues 
and border controls.

The truce agreement specifically commits Yerevan to opening rail and road links 
between the Nakhichevan exclave and the rest of Azerbaijan that will presumably 
pass through southeastern Armenia. Armenia should be able, for its part, to use 
Azerbaijani territory as a transit route for cargo shipments to and from Russia 
and Iran.

Visiting Yerevan last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said 
his country looks forward to establishing a rail link with Armenia.


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.

Armenia ex-MOD: During war I failed to overcome uncertainty in PM-Defense Ministry-General Staff

Yeghisabet Arthur
News.am, Armenia
Jan 25 2021
command order
11:42, 25.01.2021

Former Minister of Defense of Armenia David Tonoyan gave an interview to Mediamax, and reflected on his statements before the recent Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war, the course of the war, and the reasons for the defeat of the Armenian side.

Chief of General Staff Onik Gasparyan stated that at the meeting of the Security Council on June 12, 2020, he said that “our adversary is not only Azerbaijan, but also Turkey. Therefore, Armenia cannot effectively resist the combined military potential of these states, and it is necessary to direct all the political and diplomatic potential to avoid or at least postpone the war.” What was your position at that Security Council meeting?

The coordinated and synchronized approach of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff was reported at the meeting.

In that case, how adequate do you think the PR campaign of Tavush July battles was, which could not but cause additional concern to Azerbaijan and Turkey?

The “PR-campaign” and “additional concern to Azerbaijan and Turkey” were the last things representatives of the Armed Forces were interested in. But the unbalanced attitude of Aliyev and the Azerbaijani elite, followed by rather harsh “brotherly” assurances of Turkey to punish Armenia for “not knowing the regional realities and destabilizing the situation”, was unexpected for us.

Onik Gasparyan also stated that on the fourth day of the war he noted that it was necessary to take measures to stop the war within two or three days, otherwise we would have more unfavorable conditions for the negotiation process every day that follows. What was your position?

The Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces have honestly and selflessly done more than it was possible in order to win. And the analysis made on the basis of General Staff’s cold calculations was coordinated with me.

There are many publications and evidences that the situation in the Defense Army was chaotic, and unauthorized people participated in the planning of military operations. How could a situation like this occur?

I believe that when the internal political situation stabilizes, an investigation will be launched and all similar questions will get their answers.

What was your biggest personal omission during this war?

During the war, I failed to overcome the uncertainty in PM-Defense Ministry-General Staff command order and the obstacles arising from it. In particular, these are issues related to mobilization, the role and functions of the Security Council, the functions and official relations between the Armenian Armed Forces, the Defense Army and President of Artsakh, the organization of self-defense in Artsakh and the evacuation of the population.

Under the new Constitution adopted in 2015, the Minister of Defense is actually excluded from the process of planning and conducting military operations during the war, since these powers are vested in the Commander-in-Chief and the Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces. After the constitutional amendments, an attempt was made to settle this ambiguity in the law “On Defense”, which, as life has shown us, was not enough.

Nevertheless, as I said in my November 20 address, I am ready to assume my share of responsibility.

  https://news.am/eng/news/625267.html  


Patriots’ Berj Najarian Doing Everything He Can To Help Armenia By Steve Burton

Yeghisabet Arthur
Jan 29 2021

By Steve Burton

BOSTON (CBS) — The New England Patriots are no strangers when it comes to speaking out about issues in the community or around the country, whether they be on education or social reform. They’re also embracing the mission of one of their own who is hoping to make a difference on the other side of the world.

Berj Najarian is best known as Bill Belichick’s right-hand man. He is New England’s director of football/head coach administration, but first and foremost, he’s an Armenian. This past year, as the team shared the causes that are important to them, Najarian spoke with the Patriots about the recent war in Armenia.

“I’m Armenian and that’s very important to Armenians. We know who we are, we know where we came from, and right now, people — Armenians — are suffering in their homeland,” Najarian told WBZ-TV. “It’s a tough time there. People are displaced from their homes. The winters are cold and rough.”

Najarian is doing everything he can to help. And in the Patriots organization, he found himself surrounded by others who wanted to do the same.

“For them to take an interest and want to become more aware about something like Armenia, I was like, ‘wow.’ It’s incredible,” he said.

Belichick, Devin McCourty and Julian Edelman are just a few of the Patriots to record videos to raise awareness for the country and offer their support. But that support is much more than just words.

For starters, there are boxes and boxes of Patriots gear heading to Armenia to help keep people warm.

“With the Patriots, you get a lot of gear. They give you things to wear on the sidelines and in practice, and it accumulates over the years,” said Najarian. “I’ve been here for so long and I thought to myself, ‘Do I really need this extra coat?’

So Najarian spread the word and the Patriots family responded with pants, jackets, hoodies, and hundreds of other pieces of clothing.

“Within a few days, we had upwards of 200-300 items. What I’m looking forward to is seeing the Patriots stuff — the Flying Elvis, Pat Patriot — on Armenian people on the other side of the world,” he said. “It’s going to be pretty cool to see.”

The NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats campaign took Najarian’s relief efforts to another level. When the Patriots played the Chargers in 2020, he wore a specially designed pair of Armenian-themed cleats to benefit ArmeniaFund.org. And those cleats got some big TV time during Cam Newton’s postgame interview following New England’s 45-0 win.

“He looked down and saw the shoes and he knew what it was about. He said, ‘I’m going to take these,'” recalls Najarian. “I stood there in my socks, and he put them over his shoulders. It was a pretty beautiful, unscripted moment that touched a lot of people.”

As the auction for those cleats and others throughout the NFL wound down, Najarian’s had the second-highest bid — behind only Tom Brady’s. The final night of bidding happened to be Armenian Christmas.

“With maybe 15 minutes left I turned it on, and it just went insane. The bids kept coming, they never stopped. … When it got to the end and bids were still coming in, they added on another few minutes, like extra time in soccer. And they just didn’t stop.”

The 45 bids in the last hour more than doubled the final payoff. When bidding finally closed, Najarian’s cleats had pulled in the highest donation in the history of My Cause, My Cleats, raising more than $40,000 for Armenian Relief.

“That was the reason to do this in the first place; to get awareness, to get support, to help people in need. That was the mission and I’m glad that we were able to get there.”

The winning bid came from Michelle Kolligan and Bob Khederian, who put up their own money and then donated the cleats to the Armenian Museum in Watertown. Najarian made the presentation on the field at Gillette Stadium, and soon the cleats and the story behind them will be on display at the museum.

It’s a testament to one man’s desire to make a difference.

“We can all help each other,” said Najarian. “I think we’re going to get a lot further helping each other, understanding each other, having conversations collectively.”

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2021/01/28/patriots-berj-najarian-doing-everything-he-can-to-help-armenia/
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Newspaper: Opinions at Armenia parliament majority faction are divided

Yeghisabet Arthur
News.am, Armenia
Jan 27 2021
09:34, 27.01.2021

YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: Unprecedented few MPs took part in the urgent sitting of [the majority] My Step [faction of the National Assembly (NA)] yesterday.

They were invited to discuss [My Step MP] Vahagn Hovakimyan's draft on self-dissolution of the parliament without the resignation of the prime minister. But before that, it is necessary to make an amendment in the Constitution.

The [PM Nikol] Pashinyan supporters [in this faction] perceived the boycott of the [other My Step] MPs as an attitude to the idea of self-dissolution, so the issue was discussed briefly, and opinions were voiced that first, one should come to an agreement with the opposition on snap [parliamentary] elections, then think about dissolving the NA, since if the political forces boycott the snap elections, the crisis will deepen further.

[Subsequently,] the My Step [MPs] made a smooth transition to the amendments to the Electoral Code, the Laws on Parties.

Return of POWs from Azerbaijan vital issue for Armenia: Parliament Speaker tells Russian Ambassador

Yeghisabet Arthur

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 15:39,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan received today Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin, the Armenian Parliament told Armenpress.

Welcoming the Ambassador, Speaker Mirzoyan once again highlighted the importance of allied relations between Armenia and Russia and highly valued the active engagement of the Russian side in terms of stopping the hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh and overcoming the ongoing humanitarian problems. He emphasized that the return of Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan is the most important issue for the Armenian side, expressing confidence that the Russian partners will continue their mediation efforts on this direction for the implementation of the respective point enshrined in the November 9 trilateral statement.

The Parliament Speaker also noted that the trilateral statement has not solved the Karabakh conflict, adding that the Armenian side is ready to resume the negotiations within the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship over the status of Nagorno Karabakh, based on the peoples’ right to self-determination.

In his turn the Russian Ambassador introduced the activity of the humanitarian center established by Russia, as well as the operation of the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh. He stressed the need to continue the peaceful negotiations within the Minsk Group for the complete solution of the conflict, as well as for clarifying the status of Nagorno Karabakh.

During the meeting the sides discussed a number of issues relating to activating and deepening the cooperation of the Armenian and Russian parliaments in bilateral and multilateral platforms.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian expert slams Pashinyan’s ‘ignorant’ remarks on Shushi

Yeghisabet Arthur
Panorama, Armenia
Jan 23 2021

Armenian expert on Turkey Ruben Melkonyan on Saturday strongly condemned Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that Artsakh’s Shushi was “an Azerbaijani town before its liberation in 1990s” as a result of “sheer ignorance” not worthy of comments.

At the National Assembly on January 21, the Armenian premier said: “Before the start of the conflict and its liberation, 90% or more of the population of Shushi was Azerbaijani.”

Speaking at a news conference, Melkonyan noted, however, that the statement was made by the head of state from the parliament floor, and not reacting to it could lead to certain misinterpretations.

"It is necessary to make it clear Shushi, just like the whole of Artsakh, is an Armenian territory, an Armenian cradle, and the claims that Shushi is Azerbaijani don’t hold water. It’s is far from historical objectivity and approaches to the logical presentation of facts.

"Shushi was not only one of the most important Armenian towns, but also there are numerous facts that Shushi was one of the educational centers of Transcaucasia," the expert said.

Melkonyan stressed that making such an “irresponsible” statement in distortion of the obvious facts by an official is “unacceptable”.

“It’s is a major blow, first of all, to our national pride, our statehood, as well as our state principles, because for decades we have constantly come across false Azerbaijani theses about the belonging of Artsakh and Shushi, always counterarguing Baku with objective facts. The Soviet leadership has always defended and upheld the thesis that Artsakh, including Shushi, is Armenian based on scientific facts,” he expert underlined.

Ruben Melkonyan said Turkic Council, an organization comprising Turkic countries, has decided to declare Shushi the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2022, while the Armenian authorities remain silent on the matter.

He believes that such a large number of anti-Armenian statements and pro-Turkish actions in different spheres by the Armenian authorities over the past 2.5-3 years do not seem to be accidental, but a part of a planned process.

He called for criminalization of insults to the Armenian history, national values and culture, adding officials should not be allowed to speak from high tribunes on topics that “are a direct insult to our national identity, statehood and national values.”

“We are living in tragic times and the use of such mechanisms, unfortunately, is not superfluous,” Melkonyan added.