Author: Zhanna Nahapetian

CivilNet: Today in Karabakh: Broken ceasefire, wounded soldiers, and silence from peacekeepers

Zhanna Nahapetian
CIVILNET.AM

15 Oct, 2021 04:10

By Mark Dovich

Six Armenian soldiers were shot by Azerbaijani forces in eastern Karabakh (also called Artsakh by many Armenians) on Thursday evening, according to military sources in Armenia and the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Two of the soldiers sustained critical but non-life threatening injuries.

“Azerbaijani armed forces opened fire in the direction of the military base of the defense army located in the eastern border of the republic, which resulted in a gunshot wound to six soldiers,” said a statement from the Artsakh Defense Ministry.

“The Russian peacekeeping military command was immediately informed about the incident,” the statement continued. As of early Friday morning local time, neither the Russian government nor its peacekeeping contingent had not commented on the incident.

In the statement, the Artsakh Defense Ministry said it “continues to adhere to the preservation of the ceasefire regime and urges the Azerbaijani side to also stay away from actions that destabilize the situation.”

The situation along the line of contact in and around Karabakh is now calm, sources say.

Thursday’s incident comes less than a week after an Azerbaijani sniper fatally shot an Armenian man driving a tractor in a pomegranate orchard in Martakert, a large town in northern Karabakh, according to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s police force.

According to Arman Tatoyan, Armenia’s human rights ombudsman, Thursday’s incident took place near the village of Nor Shen in eastern Karabakh, “in the immediate vicinity of which the positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces are located.” He added that “attacks were launched in the direction of Harav and several other civilian communities of Artsakh.”

“The presence of the Azerbaijani armed forces in the vicinity of Armenian civilian communities poses a serious threat to the security and peace of the civilian people, it is a violation of their right to life,” Tatoyan said on Facebook.

Two of the wounded soldiers are receiving treatment for critical but non-life threatening injuries at a hospital in Stepanakert, the region’s largest city, said Artak Beglaryan, who serves as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s state minister. The position of state minister was created in 2018 to replace the post of prime minister and is one of the highest-ranking positions in the self-proclaimed republic.

Beglaryan added that “the Armenian side has no positional and territorial losses” and noted that the “defense army is conducting coordinated work with the authorities of the Republic of Armenia with the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent aimed at further defusing the situation.”

He urged “everyone to refrain from spreading misinformation and the temptation to become a source of ‘scandalous’ information.”

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a statement that “the Azerbaijani army has nothing to do with the incident” and that “on the territory of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed, an exchange of fire took place between illegal Armenian armed detachments.”

Thursday’s incident is the single largest escalation of violence in and around Karabakh since December 2020, when Azerbaijan captured the villages of Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd, the only two villages in the Hadrut region of southern Karabakh that remained under Armenian control following last year’s war.

The Russian Ministry of Defense called that incident a “violation” of the fragile ceasefire that Russia brokered between Armenia and Azerbaijan a month earlier, but did not assign blame to either side. Dozens of Armenian troops were captured in Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd, some of whom still remain in Azerbaijan as prisoners of war.

A Russia-brokered ceasefire signed last November ended 44 days of fierce fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces in and around Karabakh. The war left Azerbaijan in control of swaths of territory previously controlled by Armenian forces, with thousands dead or injured on both sides and tens of thousands more displaced.

Ground broken for Armenian church in Iraqi Kurdistan

Zhanna Nahapetian
Public Radio of Armenia
Oct 6 2021
October 6, 2021, 15:31

 Less than a minute

The groundbreaking ceremony of the Armenian St. Mariam Astvatsatsin (Mother Mary) Armenian Church was held in the city of Zakho in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The ceremony was presided over by Primate of the Iraqi Diocese of the Armenian Church Archbishop Avag Asaturyan.

Attending the event were Consul of the Armenian Embassy in Iraq Alik Gharibyan and Armenian Consul to Erbil Andranik Harutyunyan.

According to the ritual of the Armenian Apostolic Church, 16 stones washed by water and wine were placed in the foundations of the church under the singing of hymns and psalms.

Iran is ready to participate in construction of transit route leading to Georgia through Armenia

Zhanna Nahapetian
News.am, Armenia
Oct 10 2021
20:13, 10.10.2021

Deputy Minister of Roads and Municipal Development of Iran Kheyrula Khademi says Iran is ready to participate in the construction of a new transit road leading to Georgia through Armenia.

“Armenia is preparing to create a new transit route from Iran to Georgia. We have declared the willingness to participate in the construction of that road,” Khademi said, ILNA agency cites. The official stated that this concerns the new corridor, besides the alternative Goris-Kapan road on which the parties have reached an agreement.

Khademi stated that there is currently a route that links the Eastern Azerbaijan state of Iran to Yerevan. “According to the new changes, the nearly 21-km section of the road is considered a part of Azerbaijan,” the deputy minister added. According to him, the Azerbaijani side isn’t against passing through that short section in which there is only one control checkpoint that charges road fees.

“It is necessary to create an alternative road as soon as possible so that the road no longer passes through the territory of Azerbaijan, which is important for the Armenians and meets their interests,” Khademi stated.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 10/07/2021

Zhanna Nahapetian 
                                        Thursday, October 7, 2021


Pro-Government Lawmaker Avoids Prosecution For Violence

        • Narine Ghalechian

Armenia - Deputies from the ruling Civil Contract party clash with their 
opposition colleagues, August 25, 2021.


An Armenian law-enforcement agency has decided not to prosecute a controversial 
pro-government lawmaker who assaulted an opposition colleague on the parliament 
floor in late August.

The incident was part of a bigger brawl that broke out when Vahe Hakobian of the 
opposition Hayastan bloc criticized the Armenian government’s five-year policy 
program during a heated session of the parliament attended by Prime Minister 
Nikol Pashinian.

Hakobian interrupted his speech before being approached by three deputies from 
Pashinian’s Civil Contract party and kicked by one of them. He and five other 
Hayastan deputies, including deputy speaker Ishkhan Saghatelian, were hit by a 
larger number of Civil Contract lawmakers in an ensuing melee that was not 
swiftly stopped by scores of security personnel present in the chamber.

The Special Investigative Service (SIS) pledged to look into the ugly scenes 
filmed by various media outlets. It launched afterwards a formal criminal 
investigation into the beating of only one Hayastan deputy, Gegham Manukian, 
prompting allegations of a cover-up from Armenia’s leading opposition force.

One of the video clips circulated on the Internet shows that Manukian was 
assaulted by Civil Contract’s Hayk Sargsian.

The SIS confirmed on Thursday that it has halted the probe and will not try to 
indict Sargsian. It claimed to have found no evidence of any criminal offence 
committed by him.

Manukian accused the law-enforcement agency of covering up the attacks which he 
said were incited by Pashinian. “The SIS is not compatible with Armenia’s laws 
and constitution,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

Daniel Ioannisian of the Yerevan-based Union of Informed Citizens also 
criticized the SIS’s decision.

Ioannisian said the SIS failed to properly investigate and dispel suspicions 
that the brawl was pre-planned by the parliament’s pro-government majority. He 
claimed that Pashinian seemed to “bless” the violent conduct of his loyalists 
hours before the incident.

In a detailed analysis and a video clip posted on his Facebook page last month, 
Ioannisian named nine pro-government lawmakers involved in the violence. The 
civic activist also emphasized the fact that uniformed security officers waited 
for about a minute before stepping in to stop the violence.


Armenia -- Parliament deputy Hayk Sargsian.

Meanwhile, Sargsian again blamed the opposition. “With our actions we showed 
that we will not tolerate the use of force [in the parliament,]” he said.

Sargsian, whose twin brother Nairi is a senior aide to Pashinian, already 
avoided prosecution this summer for stealing the mobile phone of a journalist 
trying to interview him. Armenia’s leading media organizations expressed outrage 
at the SIS’s decision not to bring criminal charges against him.

Earlier this year, Sargsian wrested the microphone from another reporter who 
approached him in the parliament building.

Obstruction of journalistic work is a criminal offense in Armenia.



Pope Meets Armenian Church Leader


The Vatican - Pope Francis and Catholicos Garegin (Karekin) II, the supreme head 
of the Armenian Apostolic Church, meet in the Vatican, October 6, 2021.


Pope Francis and Catholicos Garegin (Karekin) II, the supreme head of the 
Armenian Apostolic Church, have met in the Vatican during a conference of 
religious leaders from around the world.

The two-day International Meeting for Peace concluded on Thursday with an 
ecumenical prayer for peace at Rome’s Colosseum. Francis, Garegin and 
representatives of other Christian denominations also observed a minute of 
silence in memory of the victims of all wars.

“Let us unambiguously urge that arms be set aside and military spending reduced, 
in order to provide for humanitarian needs, and that instruments of death be 
turned into instruments of life,” Francis said in his address at the event 
reported by the Vatican news service.

Garegin spoke at the conference organized by the St. Egidio Community, a lay 
Catholic association, earlier on Thursday.

Meeting with Francis on Wednesday, Garegin focused on the aftermath of last 
year’s Armenian-Azerbaijani war. A statement by his office said he touched upon 
“current challenges facing Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh” and stressed the need 
for the release of dozens of Armenian soldiers and civilians still held by 
Azerbaijan.

“The Armenian Pontiff also expressed his gratitude to His Holiness Pope Francis 
for the support to the Armenian people and Armenia during the war,” added the 
statement.

It said Francis greeted after the conversation members of an Armenian delegation 
accompanying Garegin. They included Arman Tatoyan, Armenia’s human rights 
ombudsman.

Tatoyan said afterwards that he handed the pontiff copies of his offices’ 
reports on what he called Azerbaijani atrocities committed during and after the 
six-week war.

The delegation headed also held a separate meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 
the Vatican secretary of state. Garegin’s office said they discussed “issues 
related to the security of the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), the 
encroachments on the sovereign territories of Armenia as well as the 
preservation of the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage in the territories 
under the control of Azerbaijan.”

Francis saluted Armenia for making Christianity an “essential part of its 
identity” when he visited the South Caucasus nation in June 2016. He and Garegin 
held an ecumenical liturgy in Yerevan’s central square which attracted thousands 
of people. The two religious leaders praised the “growing closeness” between 
their churches in a joint declaration issued at the end of the papal trip.

While in Armenia, Francis also reaffirmed his recognition of the 1915 Armenian 
genocide in Ottoman Turkey, prompting a strong condemnation from Ankara.



Iranian Minister Upbeat On Transport Links With Armenia

        • Heghine Buniatian

Armenia - A cargo terminal at a border crossing with Iran, November 29, 2018. 
(Photo by the State Revenue Committee of Armenia)


The Iranian minister of roads and urban development indicated on Thursday Iran 
will fully restore soon its transport links with neighboring Armenia which have 
been disrupted by an Azerbaijani checkpoint setup on the main road connecting 
the two states.

In a Twitter post, Rostam Qassemi predicted a complete change of “the transit 
map of the region.”

Qassemi’s deputy Kheirollah Khademi visited Armenia earlier this week to discuss 
with Armenian officials the ongoing reconstruction of an alternative road in 
Armenia’s Syunik province which will allow Iranian trucks bypass the Azerbaijani 
roadblock. Khademi said Tehran is ready to help Yerevan refurbish this and other 
Syunik roads leading to the Iranian border.

Khademi said on his return to Iran that work on the bypass road will be 
completed soon. Speaking with reporters at the Nurduz crossing on the 
Iranian-Armenian border, he said Iran and Armenia also reached agreements on 
extending that road northwards.

“Thanks to special instructions issues to the deputy minister, the issue of the 
road running from Nurduz to Armenia and the Caucasus corridor will be solved,” 
tweeted Qassemi.

“Those who caused problems must know that no road can remain closed for us. But 
‘burned bridges’ will not be restored easily,” he said in an apparent message to 
Azerbaijan.

The Armenian government controversially ceded to Azerbaijan a 21-kilometer 
section of the existing main highway connecting Armenia to Iran shortly after 
last year’s war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijani police and customs set up the 
checkpoint there on September 12 to levy hefty fees from Iranian trucks 
transporting cargo to Iran. Tensions between Tehran and Baku have run high since 
then.

The Iranian military launched last week large-scale military exercises on the 
country’s border with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has 
criticized the drills. He has also rejected Iranian claims that Baku is 
harboring Middle Eastern “terrorists” as well as Israeli security personnel near 
Iran’s borders.

A senior Iranian parliamentarian reportedly accused Aliyev on Monday of trying 
to “cut Iran’s access to Armenia” with the help of Turkey and Israel. Visiting 
Moscow on Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned 
that Tehran will not tolerate any “changes in the region’s map.”



Pashinian Deplores Armenia’s Slow Vaccine Rollout

        • Marine Khachatrian

ARMENIA -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian receives a shot of COVID-19 
vaccine in Yerevan, May 3, 2021


Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Thursday lambasted health authorities and 
other state bodies over the continuing slow pace of coronavirus vaccinations in 
Armenia.

“Our vaccination numbers are bad, very bad, and you must not blame others,” he 
told government officials during a weekly session of his cabinet. “This applies 
to all people sitting in this hall.”

The Ministry of Health reported earlier this week that just over 517,000 vaccine 
shots have been administered in Armenia since the launch of its government’s 
immunization campaign in April. Only about 165,000 people making up less than 6 
percent of the country’s population were fully vaccinated as of October 4.

Speaking during the cabinet meeting, Health Minister Anahit Avanesian 
acknowledged that the vaccination process remains slow despite having 
accelerated in recent weeks. She blamed that on individuals and groups 
“maliciously” spreading false claims about COVID-19 vaccines and their side 
effects.

Pashinian rejected the explanation. “I set a task for you,” he said. “Don’t tell 
me who is obstructing and who is not. Just go and accomplish it. I mean the 
Ministry of Health, other state bodies.”

The authorities, Pashinian went on, must use their “administrative levers” to 
speed up the process. He ordered law-enforcement authorities to crack down on 
medics who he said issue bogus vaccination certificates to individuals unwilling 
to get inoculated against COVID-19.

“Detain, arrest them,” he said. “Very strict measures must also be taken against 
those doctors who exploit the situation to not vaccinate people and to spoil 
vaccines.”

The government has already taken administrative measures in a bid to have many 
more Armenians get vaccinated. A recent directive signed by Avanesian requires 
virtually all public and private sector employees refusing vaccination to take 
coronavirus tests twice a month at their own expense.

The requirement took effect on October 1, prompting protests from some 
opposition politicians and anti-vaccine campaigners. Critics say, in particular, 
that many people can hardly afford regular coronavirus tests.

Pashinian dismissed such complaints, saying that they can avoid such 
expenditures by getting free vaccine shots.


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.

Israel Chamber Opera Orchestra’s Armenian triumph in Ashdod

Zhanna Nahapetian
Oct 7 2021

By HAGAY HACOHEN   

OCTOBER 7, 2021 19:48
THE ISRAEL Chamber Opera Orchestra with conductor Vag Papian.
(photo credit: MARK ZHALKOVSKY)

Conductor Vag Papian realized a 15-year-long ambition Monday evening when he introduced the music of Armenian composer Edvard Mirzoyan (1921-1912) to an Israeli audience in Ashdod. Speaking in Hebrew, he described Mirzoyan as “one of the wisest people I knew.” “I have learned during each moment I spent in his company,” he added.
The sparkling performance launched the new season the Israel Chamber Opera Orchestra now offers. The impressive whale-shaped culture center seemed to shine as patrons patiently produced their coronavirus-required green pass to enter and greeted old friends in Hebrew, Russian and French.
“The ICOO is 30 years old, and we are just getting started,” its CEO Moshe Fisher said. When it was established, the orchestra was made possible due to the massive influx of post-Soviet era Jews who built their new homes in the port city. These immigrants provided both the audience – eager to hear Western music performed – and the musicians themselves.
“At first, the state offered no support at all,” Fisher remarked, “it was Rafi Ben-Moshe from the Artists’ Absorption Center who opened the first door to us in the mid-1990s.” Another cultural powerhouse, the Ballet Valery Panov Theatre, opened a few years later, marking Ashdod as a multi-cultural city where arts are supported. The city boasts not one, but two orchestras, the other is the Israeli Andalusian Orchestra Ashdod. Mayor Yehiel Lasri, Fisher said, invests 1% of the city’s budget in the arts.
Mirzoyan’s work Symphony for Strings and Timpani is “his most important one and perhaps even for all Armenian music,” Papian told the audience. The dialog between kettledrums and strings was so emotionally moving people around me often clapped at the end of each movement. This led a smiling Papian to present four outstretched fingers to the front of the seated rows, indicating silently that more is yet to come. Timpani player Leonid Reshko was outstanding, winning hearty applause all around.
“To match these two works is wonderful,” violinist Roee Shiloah said in regard to the decision to begin the season with Mirzoyan and Vivaldi.

Performing in Ashdod for the first time, Shiloah took the stage to play Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.
“It is a sorrowful work and you play it differently as you age,” he added, noting it had been two decades since he last performed it.

Shiloah stepped up to perform the 1720s violin concertos with a violin made during that same century by Antonio Zanotti. When I arrived in Ashdod it was pointed out to me that not so long ago a rocket struck the outer wall of a building near the culture center. Imagine, playing Vivaldi on a 300-year-old violin in a city facing such threats. In contrast, while Papian stood firmly on two straight legs and used his arms, hands and face to lead the players into a spellbinding performance, Shiloah swayed from side to side. A tall man wearing black, he placed his weight on his heels and breathed with his instrument. When the famous first notes were played a woman seated in front of me clapped with happiness. It seems safe to say she will be coming back.
The writer was a guest of the Israel Chamber Opera Orchestra. For more information about upcoming events at the ICOO – such as a future concert with Jazz legend Leonid Ptashka (Tuesday October 19 at 8:30 p.m.) – please see their site: https://icoo.co.il


Turkish press: Macron’s words ‘unacceptable attack’ on legacy of martyrs: Algeria

Zhanna Nahapetian
 ISTANBUL EUROPE 
OCT 03, 2021 4:58 PM GMT+3

French President Emmanuel Macron meets residents in Algiers, Algeria, Dec. 6, 2017. (AFP Photo)

Algeria on Saturday issued a statement that condemned remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron on the colonial past.

The statement by the Algerian Presidency broadcast on state television said, “Macron’s statements constitute an unacceptable attack on the memory of 5.63 million martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice, through courageous resistance against French colonization between 1830-1962".

According to Anadolu Agency (AA) it said the numerous colonial crimes committed by France were a genocide against the Algerian people and noted statements attributed to Macron were not officially denied.

“The countless crimes of colonial France and the genocide against the Algerian people – which is not recognized by France – cannot be the object of offensive maneuvers,” the statement continued.

The Presidency noted that “Algeria categorically rejects any interference in its internal affairs as contained in its statements and President Abdelmedjid Tebboune has decided to immediately recall, for consultation, the Algerian ambassador to France, Mohamed Antar Daoud.”

Macron made a remark about Algeria on Thursday and blamed the country for hatred against France. He also disputed the existence of the Algerian nation before the arrival of French colonization in 1830, asking the question, “Was there an Algerian nation before French colonization?”

Macron claimed that “there was a colonization before the French colonization” of Algeria, alluding to the Ottoman presence in the country between 1514 and 1830.

“I am fascinated to see the capacity that Turkey has to make Algeria completely forget the role that it played in the country and the domination that it exerted,” he quipped.

Throughout their 300-years of influence in Algeria, Ottoman Turks greatly shaped the Algerian society and culture. Following decades of French support for Armenian claims and recognition of 1915 events as "genocide," Turkey became more vocal about the French humanitarian record in history, accusing Paris of genocidal acts throughout its colonial rule.

Ankara and Paris are at odds over a number of issues, including Libya and Syria, French backing in initiatives targeting Turkey in the Mediterranean, active French support for Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, and Macron's policies accused of being Islamophobic.

Echourouk, the Algerian newspaper described Macron’s statements as “provocative”. It underlined that they “put Algerian-French relations back to square one and reveal the extent of the fragility of bilateral relations enameled by several poisoned files”.

“It was notorious in the words of the French president that he was looking for a subcontractor of the Interior to stand up against the Algerian-Turkish rapprochement, which is growing to the detriment of the deteriorated French heritage and this sub-treating can only be the Algerians themselves, a hope which remains a chimera since Algeria knows how to distinguish clearly between friend and enemy and does not wait for advice from anyone,” it said.

The tensions between two countries have also been fueled by Paris' decision to reduce the number of entry visas granted to its Algerians.

Asbarez: ATP’s Fall Forestry Planting Starting Soon

Zhanna Nahapetian
by Contributor

 

 October 4, 2021

 

in Armenia, Latest, News, Top Stories

ATP hires local villagers for fall planting

This fall, Armenia Tree Project plans to plant 220,000 trees and hire local residents to assist in the process. The majority of these trees will be planted in the village of Lernakert, located in Armenia’s Shirak Region. 

The Shirak region is considered to be one of the poorest in Armenia. Difficulties in finding employment, the closure of local small businesses, and the struggles of the pandemic have made the socioeconomic situation even more dire. Additionally, many of Lernakert’s male population who previously sought employment opportunities in Russia, have not had the chance to leave the country due to the pandemic to help provide for their families.

The village of Lernakert, one of Shirak’s most vulnerable communities, is nestled in the mountains – quite far from the urban hustle and bustle of larger nearby villages.  Located on the western slope of Mount Aragats, it is 10 kilometers south of the town of Artik, and 35 kilometers from the provincial capital of Gyumri. The mountain life in the village is relatively quiet, particularly in Lernakert. The community was established in 1840 and was originally inhabited by refugees from Mush and Alashkert. Today, Lernakert has a population of around 1500, making it one of the biggest villages in the region. The village houses a culture house, a kindergarten, a medical center, a community center, and a secondary school. 

ATP is proud to assist in revitalizing communities like Lernakert. For years, ATP’s Community Tree Planting (CTP) Program has implemented different planting projects in many rural villages across Armenia, which have included the distribution of fruit and decorative trees to local families, as well as the establishing of small community forests.   

In the past, some of the villages that have benefited from these projects include Benyamin, Bandivan Keti, Vahramaberd, Mayisyan, Beniamin, as well as Gyumri. 

This fall will be the first time that ATP will be planting forests in the Shirak region, within the scope of its Forestry program. By planting forests in these communities, not only will we provide clean air, preserve groundwater, and reduce dust, but we will also contribute to the reduction of poverty in the area, and to the creation of new employment opportunities.

Having heard the news of this seasonal work opportunity, Lernakert villagers hurried to the village administration center to learn more about the upcoming work. They are excited to earn money working in this important project.

Simon Harutyunyan, a seasonal worker, is happy to have the opportunity to improve his community. “I do not want to leave my country. I want to work and live in my homeland,” he said.

Each year, ATP has hired hundreds of seasonal workers to support its spring and fall fundraising plantings. To date, ATP has established nearly 1,100 hectares of new forest, improving and preserving Armenia’s environment and providing economic opportunities to many rural villagers who work for ATP during planting seasons.

If you would like to support ATP”s seasonal workers, please visit the website and note ‘Fall Planting’ in the Comment Box.

Armenia Tree Project, established in 1994, is a non-profit organization that revitalizes Armenia’s and Artsakh’s most vulnerable communities through tree-planting initiatives, and provides socio-economic support and growth. It is based in Yerevan, Armenia and has an office in Woburn, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit the website.

The Black Girl’s Guide To Travel In Eastern Europe

Zhanna Nahapetian
Essence
Oct 2 2021
WHILE NOT THE FIRST REGION ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET LIST, THIS BLACK WOMAN AUTHOR WHO RESIDES IN EASTERN EUROPE SHARES WHAT THREE OF HER FAVORITE COUNTRIES HAVE TO OFFER GLOBETROTTERS.

MAPODILE/GETTY IMAGES

BY LIA MILLER · UPDATED SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

I know. Believe me, I know. You are probably thinking, Eastern Europe as a tourist destination? Is she for real? Well, I’m here to tell you that yes, Eastern Europe is a globetrotter’s delight and worthy of being on your travel bucket list. Sista to sista, I wouldn’t lead you astray. I am speaking from experience as a self-proclaimed world traveler who has journeyed to over 60 countries and counting, lived in nine, and currently resides in Armenia, one of the countries on this list. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about.

The confusion is understood, though. Of all the places to pick up and go to, especially during a global pandemic, this part of Europe might not initially peak one’s interest. But if you are looking to experience distinct types of cultural travel, taste new wines, consume one-of-a-kind culinary delights, take in some stunning landscapes and enjoy something slightly off the beaten path, Eastern Europe provides that.

Check out three of my favorites destinations from this distinct part of the world, what they have to offer Black women with wanderlust, and why they may be the next best travel destinations for you.

Armenia

Known For: Delicious food, legendary hospitality, ancient (religious) history

What Black Girls Will Love: Breathtaking views, excellent wine, and dollars really stretch here

Armenia, a small nation nestled in the heart of the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe, is a travel destination not to be overlooked. It boasts a rich cultural heritage, ancient sights and ruins, delicious cuisine, and legendary hospitality. As the first country to adopt Christianity, Armenia built the first-ever Christian cathedral known as “Echmiadzin,” which still stands and is an active place of worship today. For those up for a little adventure, you can take a ride on the longest aerial tramway in the world at 5.8 km or 3.6 miles overlooking a beautiful gorge and the Vorotan river valley among other noteworthy sites in Armenia’s southern region. For the foodies, Armenia does not disappoint with a culinary tradition that utilizes a wide array of spices, herbs, and wildflowers, many of which are indigenous to the region. Armenia’s famous “lavash” pita bread can be found on the UNESCO “Intangible Cultural Heritage” list.

continue reading at the link below

Iranian, Armenian FMs hold meeting in Tehran

Zhanna Nahapetian
Mehr News Agency, Iran
Oct 4 2021

TEHRAN, Oct. 04 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met and held talks with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan on Monday.

 Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan who arrived in Tehran on Monday morning, met with his Iranian counterpart at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building a few minutes ago.

The foreign ministers are scheduled to attend a joint news conference after the meeting.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh also told reporters at a weekly press conference on Monday that Mirzoyan's visit was pre-arranged.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson in a tweet on Monday announced the meeting between Iranian and Armenian foreign ministers.

The two foreign ministers also met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

ZZ/FNA14000712000476

PM Pashinyan: Armenia will never be involved in any anti-Iran conspiracy

Zhanna Nahapetian
Press TV, Iran
Oct 4 2021
Monday, 10:19 AM  [ Last Update: Monday, 10:48 AM ]

Armenia never has and will never be involved in any conspiracy against Iran, says the Armenian prime minister amid heightened tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan.

“I am confident that our Iranian partners know that the Republic of Armenia has never been and will never be involved in any conspiracy against Iran, because we extremely value those relations,” Nikol Pashinyan said, Armen Press reported on Sunday.

Pashinyan said his country will never forget that “Iran was the path of life for Armenia in the early 90s,” making a reference to a peace agreement brokered by Iran in 1992 between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“This is such a firm ground for our relations that rules out any involvement of Armenia in any anti-Iran conspiracy,” he reiterated.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions between Iran and neighboring Azerbaijan over the Israeli regime’s presence on Azeri soil, which Iran regards as a threat against its national security.

The Iranian Army’s Ground Forces on Friday held military exercises codenamed Fatehan-e Khaybar (Conquerors of Khaybar) in the northwestern part of the country.

Iran top security official urges neighbors to be vigilant in face of 'foreign influence'

Iran’s top security official says neighboring states need to remain vigilant in the face of foreign influence.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has criticized Iran’s exercises. Tehran has hit back by saying that holding drills is part of the national sovereignty, warning that Israel’s anti-Iran activities in neighboring countries will not be tolerated.

On Sunday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the interference of foreign actors in the region is a source of discord and damage, warning that those who suffer from the illusion of trusting foreign forces to establish security in their country “will soon get slapped.”

Armenian FM arrives in Tehran

On Monday, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan arrived in Tehran to meet his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, the two foreign ministers will issue a joint press statement after their scheduled meeting.

Mirzoyan and Amir-Abdollahian met on the sidelines of the latest session of the UN General Assembly in New York last month, when the former called for expansion of cooperation with the Islamic Republic in the oil and energy sectors.

In his Sunday remarks, Pashinyan pointed out that he has met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi twice, which he said shows how much Armenia values its relations with Iran.

Iranian MPs back latest military drills, slam border movements as Iran’s ‘red line’

Iranian lawmakers have hailed recent military exercises in northwestern Iran as a warning against Israel.

The Armenian prime minister said during his meetings with President Raeisi that he had suggested that major projects with Iran would be accelerated, particularly the 3rd high-voltage power transmission line which is under construction.

He said the Armenian side hopes to extend the “gas for electricity” contract.

“During the meetings, I also suggested that we should return to the issue of the construction of Meghri reservoir and HPP, which I think is very important not only in terms of energy, but also in terms of joint management of water resources,’’ Pashinyan added.