Author: Zhanna Nahapetian

HSBC sells Armenian unit to Ardshinbank CJSC

Zhanna Nahapetian
NASDAQ
Feb 6 2024

Written by Sinead Cruise for Reuters ->

LONDON, Feb 6 (Reuters) - HSBC HSBA.L has agreed to sell its Armenian unit to Ardshinbank CJSC, subject to regulatory approvals, the latest in a series of disposals of non-core businesses aimed at tightening the lender's global footprint.

In a statement on Tuesday, HSBC said the deal reflected its broader strategy to redeploy capital from "less strategic businesses to higher-growth opportunities globally".

A spokesperson for the bank said terms of the transaction would not be disclosed.

All HSBC Armenia staff and customer relationships will transfer to Ardshinbank at completion of the deal, which is expected within the next 12 months, HSBC said.

Last May Reuters exclusively reported that HSBC was reviewing a possible exit from as many as a dozen countries, following earlier announcements to sell off parts or all of its activities in France, Canada, Russia and Greece.

HSBC completed the sale of its French retail business to CCF, a subsidary of My Money Group on January 1. Canada approved the sale of the bank's Canadian unit to Royal Bank of Canada RY.TO in late December.

(Reporting By Sinead Cruise, editing by Karin Strohecker)

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/hsbc-sells-armenian-unit-to-ardshinbank-cjsc

Armenians in Jerusalem in dispute over land

Zhanna Nahapetian
Church Times
Feb 2 2024
byREBECCA PAVELEY

02 FEBRUARY 2024

THE Armenian Christian community of Jerusalem is under the “greatest existential threat of its 16-century history”, its Patriarch has said, owing to a dispute over a valuable piece of land inside the Old City.

The Armenian Patriarchate is in dispute over a lease with an Australian-Israeli land developer who plans to build a luxury hotel on the land, the Cows’ Garden, which lies along the main path from the Jaffa Gate to the Western Wall and the Jewish Quarter.

About 2000 Armenian Christians live in the district: the oldest Armenian diaspora in the world. Cows’ Garden is a plot used in ancient times for cattle; now, it is the site of a seminary, the Armenian Patriarch’s garden, and the homes of five Armenian families. It makes up 25 per cent of the Armenian district.

The Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian of Jerusalem signed a 99-year lease in 2021 with the developer Xana Gardens. The deal did not become public for two years, but caused outrage in the community when it came to light last summer. Jordan and the Palestinian Authority withdrew their recognition of the Patriarch over concerns about the deal.

Patriarch Manougian, however, says that he was not aware of the terms of the lease, and blamed a priest, Fr Baret Yeretzian, who, the Patriarch alleges, signed it on his behalf. Fr Yeretsian has fled to the United States. The deal was reportedly for a lump sum of $2 million, and a yearly rent of $300,000, which Armenians have said is far below its real worth, and much less than previous offers received for the land.

Patriarch Manougian wrote to the developer, Danny Rothman, who is also known by the name Rubenstein, to cancel the lease in October. The Patriarch said that it had not been properly approved by the Synod of the Brotherhood of St James. Mr Rothman’s company is based in Dubai, but is understood to be involved in tourism in Israel. He has turned down all requests to speak to the media.

The Patriarch has, at times, joined protesters who formed a 24-hour barricade to protect the Cows’ Garden in the autumn. A large tent has been put up to house protesters, and it was in the tent that many celebrated Christmas Day on 19 January, the traditional holiday date for Armenian Christians in Jerusalem.

Jewish settlers and representatives of Xana Gardens, including, at one point, Mr Rothman, have turned up with bulldozers to try to force through the barricade, but the community refused to move, despite alleged intimidation.

Afterwards, the Armenian Patriarchate put out an urgent communiqué, which said: “The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is under possibly the greatest existential threat of its 16-century history. This existential territorial threat fully extends to all the Christian communities of Jerusalem.

“The Armenian Patriarchate has recently cancelled a contract tainted with false representation, undue influence, and unlawful benefits.”

It said that the developer had not offered a “lawful response to the cancellation”, and accused the police of collusion. “In recent days, the vast destruction and removal of asphalt on the grounds of the Armenian Quarter has been done without the presentation of permits from the municipality, neither the developer, nor the police. Despite this fact, the police have chosen in the last few days to demand that all members of the Armenian Community vacate the premises.”

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem responded to the communiqué with an _expression_ of “grave concern” over the events in the Armenian quarter.

“The illegal actions taken by the alleged developer against the Armenian Patriarchate and community are not conducive for the social order that the peaceful and law-abiding Armenian community, which is a member of our Christian family in the Holy Land, longs for.

“The provocations that are being used by the alleged developers to deploy incendiary tactics threaten to erase the Armenian presence in the area, weakening and endangering the Christian presence in the Holy Land.

“As the Heads of the Churches, we express our solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate and community in their decision to take the proper legal procedures in their cancellation of this transaction, and urgently appeal to all relevant governmental and non-governmental bodies able to assist in this matter to help us restore the former peace and harmony enjoyed by all those who have used this land in the Armenian quarter.”

No comment from the developer was available.


AW: We love our church, yet our expectations are low

Zhanna Nahapetian
 Stepan Piligian In Sight, Columns 0

Our relationship with the Armenian church is complicated. Criticism of performance and personalities runs rampant privately, but is strangely silent publicly. Most who are disappointed simply and quietly choose to leave. We should not confuse this with a lack of faith. Many who leave have faith but have chosen to express it through other vehicles. Many of the causes are difficult issues but must be addressed if the church is to remain relevant. Intermarriage, language and ethnic/spiritual balance are some of the topics we occasionally debate but have yet to confront. I would add knowledge and respect to the list of challenges. The former has become problematic, as functional illiteracy has evolved with succeeding generations. We have many laity in positions of influence who have limited knowledge of the history, canons and protocols of our church. I respect the commitment, but they can best be of service as informed individuals. Good quality immersion programs, camps and retreats are doing a credible job of reversing that trend within the emerging generations. The question is whether enough people are exposed for a critical mass going forward. Respect (or a lack of) has always been the major cause of conflict in our church. When egos and power become more important than compromise and collaboration, we all lose. How many talented people have you seen leave the church over conflicts?

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I and His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II

Here in the Americas, we have settled into an institutional division that began decades ago. At face value, the lack of reconciliation is an affront to our Christian value of forgiveness, yet we seem to have convinced ourselves that we are entitled to a waiver with friendly clergy and lay relations between the Diocese and the Prelacy. We all welcome the advances in meaningful relations, particularly in the last 20 years, but a lack of knowledge and respect still finds its way onto our tables. Our church has four hierarchical seats in Constantinople, Jerusalem, the Great House of Cilicia in Antelias and the Mother See in Holy Etchmiadzin. Any practicing Armenian Apostolic Christian has a responsibility to understand and embrace this reality. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Our division here in America has created a byproduct of ignorance that threatens our future. Many of the adherents (lay) to the Etchmiadzin diocese in America have little knowledge of the Holy See of Cilicia and feel little responsibility to respect its presence in the life of the Armenian Church. The Holy See of Cilicia was once the seat of all Armenians and has existed independently since 1441, yet that has little bearing on current views. 

The recent pontifical visit of His Holiness Aram I illustrates this point. We have let our administrative division (as our leaders call it) evolve into a lack of respect for one of the hierarchical sees of our church. There is no malice for the most part, just ignorance and ambivalence. Was Aram I invited by any diocesan church to conduct a simple hrashapar service to honor his presence? I applaud the presence of some diocesan clergy, but our expectations are too low. The reverse is also true. We must all remember that Holy Etchmiadzin is the Mother See. The term “All Armenians” should carry some value. Many in the Prelacy view the Catholicoi as competing, and therefore respecting both is not an option. The Prelacy faithful have a tendency to judge the personality of the current Vehapar and as a result pay less attention to the seat itself. Disagreeing with the policies or practices of a church leader is not an acceptable reason for ignoring the institution. We must be strong enough not to sacrifice knowledge and respect for the sake of short-term opinions. Criticism that is connected to expectations in the interest of the church is not only valid but essential to our sustainability. The absence of knowledge and respect is a threat to our future and tragic in that it is self-inflicted. Our divisions are artificial and should never be an impediment to knowledge and respect. We must strive to individually and collectively become informed people who maintain civil relationships in our communal life.

I was reminded this week of how low our expectations have become. While reading the weekly eastern diocesan newsletter, I noted an article about Catholicos Karekin II making another “non-pontifical” visit to the United States and meeting with the diocesan staff and Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) team. I was deeply disappointed by the news of another visit by Catholicos Karekin II to America without a public itinerary. It has been 16 years since the last pontifical visit of the Vehapar to these shores, yet during that period there have been at least half a dozen visits of a private nature devoted to benefactors and fundraising for the Mother See. I understand that collecting funds is a high priority and that time is usually allocated to this mission. Catholicos Aram I raised funds for Antelias when he visited this past fall, and I am sure this will continue with the second part of his pontifical visit later this year. Raising money is not the issue. What I find unacceptable is that the leader of the church can come here and make no public appearances during which he can bless the faithful, meet the young people and listen to our concerns. It is a major responsibility to be with the faithful and build that relationship. Our people need the inspiration of their spiritual leaders.

We should have two expectations of our spiritual leaders. The first is to be visible and make a difference in our lives. The second is to use their authority to empower our diverse diaspora dioceses to address the challenges of our survival.

Perhaps of even greater concern is the silence of the adherents in the diocese. Numerous selective visits and 16 years without a public visit are not a matter of concern? There was a time when the standard for a visiting Vehapar was always a pontifical visit, with fundraising a private secondary outcome. Beautiful high badarak, public rallies with our youth, formal gatherings to hear his message and local parish visits with hrashapar services were etched in our memory – no longer with the Mother See. The young people today do not know the Catholicos of All Armenians. Our local leadership apparently finds this acceptable. We are a church driven and at times paralyzed by protocol and formality. The visit of a Vehapar happens as a result of an invitation by the host diocese, but we all know that if the Vehapar wants to visit, the invitation will be forthcoming. Has the diocese extended an invitation to the Vehapar in the last 16 years? If not, has the diocese questioned the need during his numerous private trips? It is rather insulting for the common faithful of the parishes to be denied this opportunity unless you add some financial value to the Mother See. In this most recent visit, unless you are a substantial benefactor or in the leadership of FAR (which funds many programs in Armenia), you have no access. I will not question the integrity of those participating in the financial support of the Mother See, but as long as the faithful of this diocese are denied public visits, then we are all complicit. 

We have lowered our expectations in response to this behavior, because we are taught that challenging authority is disrespectful. In the name of respect for the position, we fail to hold elected officials accountable. In the Armenian church, all lay and clergy leaders are elected by a ratio of lay/clergy prescribed in the bylaws. It is not only possible, but also our responsibility, to show respect while speaking out for the betterment of our church. Unfortunately, we are plagued by concerns of being unpopular or socially isolated if we address some of these problems. Challenging the Vehapar in the proper manner to fulfill his responsibility to the faithful is not disrespectful or counterproductive. It may take courage since most of our proceedings are either procedurally robotic or determined in smaller groups. I remember when the Vehapar came many years ago and the youth gathered in Central Park in New York. Those teenagers are now in their 30s and building families. What about today’s teenagers? Will they have that experience? How about the small parishes that need a spiritual boost from a special experience? I have been told that he is not comfortable in this role. Respectfully, we should have two expectations of our spiritual leaders. The first is to be visible and make a difference in our lives. The second is to use their authority to empower our diverse diaspora dioceses to address the challenges of our survival. If we have learned anything in the last few generations, it is that one size does not fit all in our church. Specifically, the diocesan primate, Bishop Parsamyan, needs the freedom to address the core issues that are unique to the American Armenian experience. The Vehapar is the only person in our structure who can empower that need. It is puzzling to me why this eludes us. Empowering our leaders and being visible will only enhance the credibility of Holy Etchmiadzin. Many Armenians feel aloof from the Mother See because of the lack of presence and relationship. We cannot succeed long term only with selective relationships.

This should not be construed as an attack on our leadership. Quite the contrary. It will hopefully be viewed as a proposal to increase the influence of the Mother See. Our faithful want to be led, and our leaders need followers. During the early decades of the diaspora, intercontinental travel was limited until Catholicos Vasken of blessed memory came to America. This column began with a plea for respect for our hierarchical sees. We should not simply welcome but also insist on our spiritual leaders’ presence to fortify our faith. All Armenians should welcome Aram I here this fall. We should insist on inviting the Catholicos of All Armenians in a similar vein. For those who are focused on behavior and style, cast that aside and focus on our greater needs. Let’s hold each other accountable to build a stronger church.

  •  Bio
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Columnist
Stepan was raised in the Armenian community of Indian Orchard, MA at the St. Gregory Parish. A former member of the AYF Central Executive and the Eastern Prelacy Executive Council, he also served many years as a delegate to the Eastern Diocesan Assembly. Currently , he serves as a member of the board and executive committee of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR). He also serves on the board of the Armenian Heritage Foundation. Stepan is a retired executive in the computer storage industry and resides in the Boston area with his wife Susan. He has spent many years as a volunteer teacher of Armenian history and contemporary issues to the young generation and adults at schools, camps and churches. His interests include the Armenian diaspora, Armenia, sports and reading.


Open Letter to Ben Savage: Stop Demeaning Armenian Genocide Victims & Survivors

Zhanna Nahapetian
THE BLUNT POST
Jan 24 2024

By Vic Gerami

Hey, Ben Savage,

I was flattered to learn yesterday that you or your team blocked me on X (Twitter). I imagine it’s because I called you out on your hollow and offensive political posturing posts devoid of empathy, education, or solution.

You, me, and your ‘team’ know that you will not get elected to Congress to replace Congressman Schiff. Similarly, I knew you didn’t have a chance to become a Councilmember when you ran for West Hollywood City Council a year ago.

What I do know is that unlike your disingenuous posts about the West Hollywood ‘community,’ your hollow posts about Artsakh and Armenians are deeply offensive. As a gay man and having grown up in LA, I’ve been an integral part of West Hollywood since I came out of the closet in 2001. In all these years, I’ve never seen you in WeHo, ONCE. I’ve never witnessed you make any effort to be a part of the ‘West Hollywood community,’ NOT queer WeHo or anything else. But while campaigning, you suddenly talked like you were Elton John. That’s fake, disrespectful, and BS.

But now, you and your ‘team’ keep posting half-hazard copy/photos on your social media handles to win over the Armenian vote, without which not you or any other candidate can become a Congressperson from District 30. You have made no effort to get to know Armenian-Americans, learn about our struggle, the second Armenian Genocide (Artsakh Genocide), how we’ve been going through the worst tragedy and struggles since WWI, how we are under attack by anti-Armenian/Armenophobic flyers and hate speech all over LA and Beverly Hills. No, you have not. You simply have a strategist and a campaign manager who tell you what to say to get the vote.

In the latter case of the two runs for office, you’ve gone too far. Azerbaijan, with help from Turkiye, Russia, and Israel, massacred 10,000+ Armenians from 2020 to 2023, dozens of Armenians are currently held hostage by Aliyev’s brutal regime, Azerbaijan has escalated the cultural genocide of Armenian churches, monasteries, cemeteries, and monuments. ARMENIANS’ WOUNDS ARE TOO FRESH FOR YOU TO PLAY POLITICS.

We get you are trying to drum-p publicity for your dormant acting career, but NOT at our expense. I’ve offered you myself as a journalist, a scholar, and an expert about the matter if you truly wanted to learn. But you’ve not taken up my offer. Nor do I see your rhetoric changing to think that you are getting your facts from someone educated.

I’ll leave you with three quotes from Thomas Sowell

‘One of the painfully sobering realizations that some from reding history is the utter incompetence that is possible among leaders of whole nations and empires – and the blind faith that such leaders can nevertheless inspire among the people whore enthralled by their words or their posturing’

‘When you want to help people, you tell them the truth.
When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear’

‘It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance’


https://thebluntpost.com/open-letter-to-ben-savage-stop-demeaning-armenian-genocide-victims-survivors/?fbclid=IwAR0Gw04y0UI7amUGBN8ttcFf_eABkolnqoT3TY0TYmC5t0CQqbk349PtXTc

Prime Minister receives the newly appointed Ambassador of Norway to Armenia

Zhanna Nahapetian

 20:05,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Norway to Armenia Bergljot Hovland, the Prime Minister's Office said in a readout.

The Prime Minister congratulated Mrs. Hovland on her appointment to the new position and expressed hope that the relations between the two countries will continue to develop and expand. Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the deepening of trade and economic ties, including the implementation of new joint projects in different directions.

Bergljot Hovland noted that the Norwegian government is also interested in the development of cooperation with Armenia and noted that it is ready to contribute to the strengthening of bilateral relations.

It is noted that the interlocutors discussed issues related to cooperation in various branches of the economy, as well as the processes taking place in the region.

RFE/RL Armenian Service – 01/24/2024

Zhanna Nahapetian 
                                        Wednesday, 


Pashinian Accused Of Accepting Azeri Demands For New Armenian Constitution

        • Shoghik Galstian
        • Ruzanna Stepanian

RUSSIA - Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev (L) and Armenia's Prime Minister 
Nikol Pashinian attend a an informal CIS summit in St. Petersburg, December 26, 
2022.


Opposition leaders and other critics of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian claim 
that he is seeking to enact a new constitution for Armenia at the behest of 
Azerbaijan.

Pashinian declared late last week that Armenia must adopt a constitution 
reflecting the “new geopolitical environment” in the region. He emphasized that 
in that context the country’s “external security” and “internationally 
recognized sovereign territory”.

Critics were quick to assert that he wants to get rid of a preamble to the 
current Armenian constitution enacted in 1995. The preamble makes an indirect 
reference to a 1989 declaration on Armenia’s unification with Nagorno-Karabakh 
and calls for international recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman 
Turkey.

Five lawmakers representing the main opposition Hayastan alliance issued on 
January 19 a joint statement accusing Pashinian of “preparing the ground for 
meeting another of the nonstop Turkish-Azerbaijani demands.”

One of those deputies, Gegham Manukian, insisted on Tuesday that the main 
purpose of the planned constitutional change is to remove the preamble in 
question. Pashinian’s initiative would thus “tear down the pillars of modern 
Armenian statehood,” Manukian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

Tatevik Hayrapetian, an expert on Azerbaijan and a former parliamentarian 
critical of the Armenian government, echoed those claims on Wednesday. 
Hayrapetian pointed out that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev openly demanded 
constitutional changes from Yerevan in 2021. Baku, she said, now wants to make 
sure that “in the future Armenia will refrain from claiming its rights to 
Nagorno-Karabakh under any government.”

Armenia - Tatevik Hayrapetian attends a session of parliament, April 30, 2019.
Aliyev said in early December that an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty would 
not be enough to preclude another war between the two countries. He said 
Azerbaijan also needs safeguards against Armenian “revanchism.”

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan acknowledged on Tuesday that Baku voiced 
objections to the Armenian constitution during peace talks with Yerevan. But he 
downplayed this fact, saying that the Armenian side also has a problem with some 
provisions of Azerbaijan’s constitution.

“To say that the Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement process is the reason for the 
change of the constitution would be a gross exaggeration,” Mirzoyan told a news 
conference.

Mirzoyan, who is a leading member of Pashinian’s Civil Contract party, noted at 
the same time that the existing constitution inevitably has an impact on 
Armenian foreign policy.

The plans for the new Armenian constitution were announced after Pashinian and 
Mirzoyan complained about a toughening of Baku’s position on the peace treaty 
discussed by the two sides.

Manukian and three other opposition lawmakers were recently allowed by the 
Armenian Foreign Ministry to read recent Azerbaijani proposals regarding the 
treaty. They said afterwards that Aliyev is seeking the kind of agreement that 
would leave the door open to future territorial claims to Armenia.

“It is very obvious that the points and provisions contained in that document 
are directly related to the demand for the change of the constitution,” said 
Manukian.




340 Security Cameras Installed In Armenian Parliament

        • Shoghik Galstian

Armenia - Security cameras are seen in the parliament building in Yerevan, 
.


The Armenian authorities have increased to almost 340 the number of security 
cameras installed inside the parliament building in Yerevan, stoking opposition 
lawmakers’ concerns about government surveillance of their work.

Commenting on the measure, the press office of Armenia’s parliament said on 
Wednesday that some of the additional 120 cameras were placed in the building’s 
basement and storage rooms while others replaced older cameras installed over a 
decade ago. It insisted that this was done for solely security reasons.

“I counted six cameras in one small corridor, but I’m not sure I saw all of 
them,” said Taguhi Tovmasian, an opposition parliamentarian.

Tovmasian expressed serious concern over the “unprecedented” measure and brushed 
aside her pro-government colleagues’ periodical references to a 1999 terrorist 
attack on the parliament that left eight senior officials dead.

Armenia - Security cameras are seen in the parliament building in Yerevan, 
.

“Many years have passed since that day,” she told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. 
“There were multiple parliaments formed after that and none of them operated in 
the kind of atmosphere of fear that has been created by the current authorities. 
They are scared of everything and everyone.”

Tovmasian was particularly concerned that the cameras may be used for recording 
National Assembly members’ and staffers’ sensitive conversations and movements. 
The parliamentary press office said in this regard that although the cameras 
have audio capabilities they only record images. Opposition deputies were 
unconvinced by these assurances.

One of them, Artur Khachatrian, argued that an allegedly doctored footage of 
last April’s violent argument between two of his colleagues representing rival 
political forces was leaked to a newspaper belonging to Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian’s family.

Deputies from Pashinian’s Civil Contract party dismissed the opposition 
concerns. As one of them, Alkhas Ghazarian, put it, “This is done for everyone. 
This is what democracy is all about.”

Armenia - Security officers remove opposition deputy Gegham Manukian from the 
parliament podium, Օctober 26, 2021.

Security in and around the Armenian parliament compound was further tightened 
after the ruling party’s victory in the June 2021 snap elections. In particular, 
scores of officers of the State Protection Service (SPS), an agency tasked with 
providing bodyguards to Armenia’s top officials, were deployed inside the 
chamber.

On a number of occasions, the parliament’s pro-government leadership ordered SPS 
officers clad in camouflage uniforms to use force against opposition deputies. 
One of those deputies, Gegham Manukian, was dragged away from the parliament 
podium as he lambasted a Civil Contract colleague in October 2021.

Manukian was accused of breaching “ethnical rules” during his speech. The two 
opposition blocs represented in the parliament charged, for their part, that 
Pashinian’s administration has illegally restricted free speech on the 
parliament floor for the first time in Armenia’s post-Soviet history.




Turkey-Armenia Normalization Process Still On Hold

        • Nane Sahakian

Turkey - Foreign Ministers Mevlut Cavusoglu of Turkey and Ararat Mirzoyan of 
Armenia meet in Ankara, February 15, 2023.


Turkey is still not taking any steps to implement interim normalization 
agreements reached with Armenia in 2022, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said 
on Tuesday.

One of those agreements calls for the opening of the Turkish-Armenia border for 
holders of Armenian or Turkish diplomatic passport as well as citizens of third 
countries. Another agreement reached by Turkish and Armenian negotiators 
envisaged air freight traffic between the two neighboring nations. There have 
been no signs of its implementation, even though the Turkish government 
officially allowed cargo shipments by air to and from Armenia in January 2023.

“The Armenian side is ready for a quick opening of that border both in the 
political sense and in terms of infrastructure,” Mirzoyan told a news 
conference. “The only missing component is the decision of the Turkish side.”

“As we can see, either tangible steps in this directions have not been taken or 
there is no end result,” he said.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service last week that no 
fresh negotiations are planned between Ankara and Yerevan.

Mirzoyan sounded optimistic about prospects for the normalization of 
Turkish-Armenian relations as recently as in early November, two weeks after 
meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Tehran. “We may have some 
good news on this front in the near future,” he told Armenian lawmakers.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian similarly expressed hope at the time that the 
border agreement will be implemented soon.

Pashinian attended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s inauguration in 
June. His domestic critics denounced the move, saying that Ankara will not 
unconditionally normalize Turkish-Armenian relations even after his unilateral 
concessions.

Speaking at a November summit of the leaders of Turkic states in Kazakhstan, 
Erdogan again demanded that Armenia open an extraterritorial corridor to 
Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave. He said the corridor sought by Baku is 
important also because it would link Turkey to Central Asia which he described 
as “our ancestral homeland.” Ankara set this as a key precondition when it 
started normalization talks with Yerevan in early 2022.

Bagrat Estukian, an editor of the Istanbul-based Turkish-Armenian newspaper 
Agos, insisted on Wednesday that Erdogan is unlikely to change his policy on 
Armenia anytime soon.




Record-Low Unemployment Recorded In Armenia

        • Robert Zargarian

Armenia - A job fair in Yerevan organized for refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, 
October 31, 2024.


Amid continuing economic growth, unemployment in Armenia fell to around 11 
percent in 2023, the lowest rate registered in many years, according to official 
statistics.

It was down from 13 percent reported by the Armenian government in 2022 and 18.2 
percent in 2020.

“I don’t remember Armenia ever having such a low unemployment rate,” Finance 
Minister Vahe Hovannisian said recently.

The South Caucasus country of less than 3 million has for decades suffered from 
high unemployment that has caused hundreds of thousands of its citizens to 
emigrate to Russia, the United States and other nations. The Armenian economy 
has grown at relatively robust rates during most of the past decade, translating 
into new jobs and higher incomes.

Some economists believe that the real unemployment rate is higher than what is 
shown by government data. But they do not deny that it has fallen in the past 
decade.

Government officials admit, for their part, that a considerable percentage of 
the country’s workforce remains jobless for various reasons.

“We have a large army of young people who do not work or study and are not 
integrated into the labor market,” Ruben Sargsian, a deputy minister of labor 
and social affairs, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service in late December.

“We have a large population, including women in the age range of 30-40, who do 
not integrate into the labor market or have difficulties with integration. We 
have a large number of beneficiaries who receive benefits while being able to 
work but not working for whatever reason,” Sargsian said, adding that the 
government needs to do a better job of helping such people find work.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that job vacancies in Armenia and especially Yerevan 
are at a record high these days. However, most of these are menial jobs which 
Armenians are now less willing to do than they were in the past and which 
increasingly attract migrants from low-income foreign countries, notably India. 
According to various estimates, between 15,000 and 30,000 Indians have moved to 
Armenia in the last few years.



Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2024 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

The 1991 border should be formally documented- Pashinyan on the delimitation process

Zhanna Nahapetian

 14:13,

YEREVAN, JAN UARY 20, ARMENPRESS.The border delimitation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan isn’t about creating a border, but the border that existed in 1991 or between the republics of the Soviet Union should be restated in a documentary form as an administrative border.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a meeting of his Civil Contract party on Saturday, presenting details of the peace process.
"Is there an idea about the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia? Yes, there is an answer to this question. On October 6, 2022, an agreement was reached in Prague where Armenia and Azerbaijan recognized each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration.
The Alma-Ata Declaration signifies the dissolution of the Soviet Union and those republics of the Union that signed the Alma-Ata Declaration state that their administrative borders would become state borders. We accept this principle.
In fact, a quadripartite statement was adopted in Prague, which Azerbaijan also accepted. We emphasize, and this is evident, that the delimitation process should not establish new borders. The border that existed between the republics of the USSR in 1991, functioning as an administrative border, should be documented on the ground," said the Prime Minister.
According to the Prime Minister, the ongoing bilateral working process between Armenia and Azerbaijan should yield tangible results. Both countries should not only declare their unconditional recognition of each other's territorial integrity but also formalize this reality in the peace treaty – de jure.
"Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have internationally recognized territories. The internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Armenia is the territory of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic,’’ said PM Pashinyan.

U.S. hopes Armenia and Azerbaijan will sign peace treaty recognizing each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity

Zhanna Nahapetian

 11:20,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. The United States hopes Armenia and Azerbaijan will sign a durable peace treaty that recognizes each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has said.

“We welcome the work towards peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Miller said at a press briefing. “We support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries. We hope they will sign a durable peace treaty that recognizes such sovereignty and territorial integrity, the sooner the better. The parties have made significant progress over the past year, and we encourage them to maintain momentum building on past negotiations and conclude an agreement.”

Miller declined to give details about U.S. Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono’s meetings in Armenia last week.

Israel rubs ‘Armenian genocide’ in Turkey’s face after it supports ICJ hearing

Zhanna Nahapetian
Jan 12 2024

Jerusalem, Jan 12 (EFE).- Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Friday criticized Turkey’s history, saying “we remember the Armenians,” after its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced that his country would send documents to the International Court of Justice in The Hague that support the charge of genocide brought by South Africa against Israel.

“The President of Turkey Erdogan, from a country with the Armenian genocide in its past, now boasts of targeting Israel with unfounded claims. We remember the Armenians, the Kurds. Your history speaks for itself. Israel stands in defense, not destruction, against your barbarian allies,” Katz said in a message directed at the Turkish leader on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

The Armenian genocide refers to the systematic extermination of the Armenian people in the Ottoman Empire during World War I through massacres, death marches, and deportations.

The Turkish government maintains that the deportation of Armenians was a legitimate action that cannot be called genocide, and many countries seeking good diplomatic relations with Turkey have avoided acknowledging the events as genocide.

Israel does not recognize the events as genocide, and this is the first time a senior Israeli official has described the events as such.

Israel has been accused of genocide by South Africa before the UN’s top court, which held its first hearing in The Hague on Thursday and Friday, with the Israeli legal team accusing South Africa of “hypocrisy.”

Katz said South Africa is violating the Genocide Convention by supporting “the Hamas terrorist organization, which calls for the elimination of the State of Israel”.

Turkey has expressed “satisfaction” with South Africa’s complaint from the outset, and a Turkish parliamentary delegation is in The Hague to follow the trial.

“I believe that Israel will be convicted there. We believe in the justice of the International Court of Justice,” the Turkish president said.

Turkey is a historic ally of Israel, but after the Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, Erdogan denounced Israel’s response of massive bombardment of Gaza as a “war crime,” and Israel withdrew its ambassador from Ankara at the end of October. EFE

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