Category: 2020

4 Armenian captives repatriated from Azerbaijan

Andranik Taslakhchian

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 17:20,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Four Armenian captives held in Azeri custody were repatriated at the mediation of Russia and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Armenian Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan said on social media.

“Their families have already been notified on their return, and the captives are now under the supervision of doctors and will receive necessary medical and psychological assistance. The process of exchanging captives will continue,” he said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Russia seriously concerned over deployment of foreign mercenaries in NK conflict zone during war

Arsine Chaltikian

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 17:57,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Russia is seriously concerned over the deployment of foreign mercenaries in Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone during October-November months, ARMENPRESS reports reads the statement issued by the Russian MFA on the occasion of Sergey Lavrov’s participation in the 8th session of Russian-Turkish strategic planning.

''The emphasis will be placed on reducing the risk of potential clashes and providing humanitarian assistance to the parties. The Russian side expresses serious concerns over the deployment of foreign mercenaries to Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone during the months of October-November'', reads the statement.

''We consider this center as an auxiliary element of the post-conflict settlement, in addition to the Russian peacekeeping mission and other measures. The tasks of the center, as it is known, include monitoring the situation by visual observation methods, in particular, collecting, summarizing and checking data on violations with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles’', reads the statement.

The Russian-Turkish monitoring center in Nagorno Karabakh will start operating from January.




TURKISH press: ANALYSIS – EU and Upper-Karabakh: Recurrent mistakes

Hovik Karapetian
Deniz Ünsal   |28.12.2020

*The author is an alumnus of Trinity College Dublin, specialized in Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International and Comparative Law. His main focus areas are Turkey-EU relations, Eastern Mediterranean and contemporary debates in Turkish foreign policy. He has a special interest in public international law, EU law and Late-Ottoman Era legal-political developments.

ISTANBUL 

Although 2020 will definitely be remembered as a tough and unprecedented year, Azerbaijan’s legendary victory over Armenia in Upper-Karabakh was not overshadowed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the Upper-Karabakh Ceasefire Agreement is not just an ordinary border agreement, yet it will also be marked as a manifestation of the reality that even the most complicated “frozen conflicts” can be resolved through diplomacy and/or use of military force.

Nevertheless, there are a number of actors that have underestimated the peaceful settlement of the Upper-Karabakh Conflict and are aiming to downplay Azerbaijan’s technological superiority by ignoring Turkey’s inclusion as a “game-changer” in the conflict. Unfortunately, the European Union (EU) is one of them. For instance, the EU top diplomat Josep Borrell’s recent statements on the possibility of the troop deployment of the EU in the region demonstrate how the Union is devoid of rational policymaking. Having perplexed by the decades-old delusions that emanated from Armenian claims, Borrell said that the EU will not deploy troops on the ground and will not do what Turkey did. Actually Borrell’s attitude could not hide the EU’s estrangement from its long-term objectives aiming to consolidate the EU’s position as a farsighted and credible actor.

With all due respect, even if the EU’s reluctance to intervene in a conflict in the South Caucasus can be understood under its diligence to remain a global soft-power, Borrell’s remarks on Turkey are unacceptable. After these mind-boggling remarks, Resolution 1597 adopted by the Belgian House of Representatives on Upper-Karabakh on Dec. 18 has also proved Belgian politics’ narrow-mindedness apparently caused by one-sided Armenian narratives. Meanwhile, the Belgian parliament’s reference to the events of 1915 constitutes a clear resemblance to the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s baseless remarks, alleging that the Turkish-Azerbaijani operations in Upper-Karabakh were a continuation of the so-called “Armenian genocide”. It is saddening to observe that many Belgian parliamentarians pay so much attention to a defeated prime minister, who is being strongly criticized even by his own people. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Belgian House of Representatives has been taken hostage by “narrow interests catering to domestic politics.” 

What did Turkey do?

Ankara-based political analyst Ali Bakeer is of the opinion that “the outcome of the conflict and the constant Turkish political position in supporting Azerbaijan, not to mention the role of Ankara-made drones, show that Turkey is becoming stronger in the Caucasus ”. Bakeer’s approach is quite plausible because Turkey’s contributions to the settlement of the Upper-Karabakh conflict are versatile. Principally, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan summarized the newly established political order in the region: “Karabakh is no longer a frozen conflict, it now signifies a glorious victory”.

While evaluating Turkish achievements in the region, Azerbaijan’s decisiveness and rational policymaking under the administration of President Ilham Aliyev ought to be praised first. Unlike Yerevan, Baku has a well-rounded understanding of the nature of post-Cold War conflicts. Recalling the “Joint Vision 2020” report (2000) of the Pentagon, wars in the 21st century have long been foreseen as “network-centric wars” by the United States. According to this report, the American military strategy has to be based on “Full Spectrum Dominance” in space, high seas, air and information technologies. Apparently, Azerbaijan has had a certain perception of these expectations. Dr. Can Kasapoglu from Istanbul-centered think-tank EDAM thinks that besides diversifying her military arsenal, Azerbaijan also improved her military doctrine and military science knowledge. Moreover, apart from the fraternal solidarity between Turkey and Azerbaijan, burgeoning Turkish dronization trends in the Azerbaijani Armed Forces showed the vulnerability of traditional warfare, according to Kasapoglu. Kasapoglu summarizes these trends as a transfer of a complete robotic warfare doctrine and concept of operations to Azerbaijan. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the side which used the terrorist PKK and its regional affiliates on the front lines, namely Armenia, lost the war. This war, once again, proved that drawing on terrorism cannot be a choice for an independent state. Now, thanks to the Turkish aspirations to consolidate the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, “Karabakh is no longer a frozen conflict”.

In his renowned book On War, the German war theorist Carl von Clausewitz asserts that “war is simply the continuation of political intercourse with the addition of other means.” Although his state-centric arguments have been opposed and proved wrong quite a few times, they are still valid in many cases. In the Karabakh example, President Aliyev was of the view that peace can only be achieved by ending the Armenian occupation and cannot be ensured without Turkey. Under these principles, the possibility of a military intervention was surely on the table and was considered as the last resort to regain the occupied Azerbaijani territories. Thus, the determination of Azerbaijan and Turkey to carry out military operations in the region, once again, proved the Clausewitzian paradigm. These two countries continued to insist on a peaceful and law-abiding settlement of the conflict -as a political prerequisite- while military operations were successfully conducted on the field. Eventually, Azerbaijan’s use of her right to self-defense complemented her political and diplomatic objectives.

Turkey, Azerbaijan and European security: Need for updated EU policy

Recently, by safeguarding the narrow-minded interests of the Greek-Greek Cypriot duo, the EU has shown restraint in calling for the security of “European borders”. The ongoing refugee crisis between Turkey and Greece is a clear example of this. The EU is obviously faced with a serious dilemma, underlining, on the one hand, its priorities as maintaining European security and protecting “European borders”, and on the other hand, avoiding a direct involvement in the preservation of peace in such a critical region dominated by non-EU-member European actors. Meanwhile, downplaying and criticizing/condemning Turkish achievements in Upper-Karabakh will certainly deepen this dilemma.

Before the settlement, the EU tacitly promoted inconclusiveness and ambivalence in Upper-Karabakh by turning a blind eye to Armenian brutality in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. However, in the absence of a common will with regard to the Upper-Karabakh conflict among the EU member states, the EU’s active neutrality policy in favor of Armenian “postponement diplomacy” has failed. The EU’s appeasing attitude towards Armenia’s well-known offensive mentality, which was once again solidified with the Belgian Parliament’s unfortunate resolution, is even more puzzling. Overall, the EU showed no intention to manage the Upper-Karabakh conflict in a proper and decisive manner. Now, the Union stands merely as a “passive observer”.

The EU’s top diplomat’s latest statement is a manifestation of this consequence: the EU leadership is seemingly committed to remain a passive observer.

In light of these circumstances, the need for an updated EU policy is evident. First of all, there are convincing reasons for the EU to take the view that Turkey is an undisputed game-changer and peace-broker in this conflict. Secondly, there are also convincing reasons for the EU to believe that Turkey’s moves have changed the “game” in favor of European and Western interests by creating a counterweight to Russia with Azerbaijan. Thirdly, Turkey has good neighborly and multifaceted relations with the countries in the region. In a political atmosphere where the EU is concerned about the Russian resurgence and where Turkey is welcoming the Union’s policies to build partnerships with the countries in the Caucasus, the EU should prioritize updating its ill-fated stance towards Turkey. Unless the Union changes its rhetoric on Turkey and the Turkish military presence, the tilting of the Russian dominance in the South Caucasus will merely remain a forlorn hope.

**Opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Anadolu Agency.




Asbarez: The Power of the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program

Adrine Hakobian

December 28,  2020



Fellows participating in the Fall 2020 Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program during a seminar on preparing effective cover letters, given by program alumnus Amasia Zargarian. Also offering insights during the seminar were CGP Advisory Committee chair Maria Martirosyan, CGPAC members Tadeh Issakhanian and Areni Margossian, and ANCA Programs Director Sipan Ohannesian.

Signature ANCA Career Development Program Gears Up for Winter and Spring 2021 Sessions

WASHINGTON—Recent university graduates – participating in the first-ever virtual class of the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program – praised the ANCA’s signature job-placement initiative for helping them kick-start their careers in Washington, DC amid a national health crisis.

For the first time in its 17-year history, the Gateway Program went fully virtual, working online with nine fellows from across the U.S. seeking to start careers in Congress and across the ever vigorous policy-making and political landscape of the nation’s capital.

“Being a part of the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program has helped me expand my network in DC and has allowed me to visualize my career path there,” explained Shant Arzoumanian, an alumnus of Lafayette College with a degree in Economics and Government and Law.  “It’s a very well-connected community that is very welcoming to young professionals seeking to start a career in DC.”

Adrienne Tazian Schwartz

Adrienne Tazian Schwartz, who has degrees in Informatics and Economics from Indiana University, explained “I’m thankful for my experience participating in the ANCA Capital Gateway Program and I highly encourage any individual looking to start a career in Washington D.C. or otherwise become more involved in the Hai Tahd community to apply. The guidance I received from mentors within the ANCA community and connections I made will carry with me the rest of my career.”

Participants appreciated Program Director Sipan Ohannesian and the Capital Gateway Program Advisory Committee’s (CGPAC) coordination of a series of career placement workshops on a range of issues including resume and cover letter preparation, effective interview strategies, and networking. The CGPAC – comprised of a rotating group of successful program alumni – also connects fellows with mentors most closely aligned with their career goals for one-on-one advice and encouragement.

Tania Eprem

For Tania Eprem, who holds a Business Management degree from Farmingdale State College, these customized programs “established a great foundation for my job search process in Washington, D.C. They helped prepare me with professional development seminars, mentoring, and an invaluable network of professional Armenians in the area.”

Thanks to the program, Davit Petrosyan strengthened his professional ties in Washington, DC, expanding his LinkedIn network by 300%.  “I began reaching out and talking to a manager, director, supervisor level employees in different organizations who, to my surprise, not only found the time to speak to me but also helped me to improve my applications, suggested where to look for positions that match my background and skills and encouraged me to reach out at any time I believe they might be helpful,” said Petrosyan.  “Even though the program lasts only three months, its lessons contribute to a lifetime of professional growth and success.”  Petrosyan came to Washington, DC with a Masters in Security Studies from Charles University in Prague.

Flora Adamian

“I’m grateful to the Capital Gateway Fellowship for guiding me through my D.C. job search. Our networking, professional development, and mentorship seminars gave me the skills and confidence to pursue my dream career on Capitol Hill,” explained Flora Adamian, who has a Bachelors in Diplomacy and World Affairs and a minor in German from Occidental College. “It’s so important to have young Armenian-American representation in our nation’s capital, and I’m proud to be an alumna of the fellowship.”

“The Gateway fellowship has truly given me the tools to establish myself as a professional in this saturated market,” explained Gary Jamgotchian, who has a Bachelors in Economics with a minor in Sustainability from California State University, Northridge.  “I will always cherish the friends I was able to make in this program and the wonderful experiences it has given me.  I look forward to continuing my journey with the ANCA while creating positive changes for my community.”

Gary Jamgotchian

Gevorg Novshadyan summed up his experience this way: “As a recent graduate looking for opportunities in a tough economy, I knew I had to get professional help to make myself a more attractive candidate. The ANCA Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program taught me vital skills about resume building, networking, and giving effective elevator pitches. I am now better prepared to enter and succeed in DC’s competitive job market.”  Novshadyan has a Masters in International Affairs (Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies) from Middlebury Institute of International Studies of Monterey.

Davit Petrosyan

Applications for the upcoming Winter and Spring 2021 sessions, are available at anca.org/gateway/application.  Winter 2021 applications are due on December 31st, with a session start date on January 11th.  The Spring session application deadline is February 20th, and will start on March 29th.  Additional information about the ANCA Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program is available at anca.org/gateway, by emailing [email protected] or by calling (202) 775-1918.

“Starting a career in the middle of a pandemic can be a challenge, but one we have been eager to tackle in partnership with this remarkable class of bright, ambitious, and hard-working graduates and our incredible alumni,” said ANCA Programs Director Sipan Ohannesian, a seasoned policy professional with international experience in the defense industry. “As each finds success in their chosen field, the Armenian American community’s voice grows ever stronger in the nation’s capital.”

Gevorg Novshadyan

Launched in 2003 with a founding grant by the Cafesjian Family Foundation, the ANCA Gateway Program has emerged as the pre-eminent Armenian American career development program in the nation’s capital.  When the program is not virtual, fellows are offered three months of free housing at the ANCA’s Aramian House, located in the heart of Washington, DC, in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, just blocks from the ANCA offices.

The ANCA Gateway Program is named after Hovig Apo Saghdejian, a beloved young community leader who lost his life in a tragic car accident and whose eternal memory continues to inspire new generations of Armenian Americans.

 

Shant Arzoumanian

His family generously established the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Memorial Fund in his memory and, over the past decade, has played a vital role in the expansion of the program. Substantial support has also been provided by longtime ANCA benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Frank and Barbara Hekimian and the Armenian American Veterans Post of Milford, Massachusetts (AAVO).

The purchase of The Aramian House was made possible through a generous donation by the family of the late community leader and philanthropist Martha Aramian of Providence, Rhode Island. The Aramian family – led by sisters Sue, the late Margo, and the late Martha – have long been among the most generous benefactors of ANCA programs as well as of charitable projects in the Armenian homeland and the Diaspora.

Homeland Salvation Movement Responds to Pashinyan’s Snap Election Move

Diana Dabaghian

December 28,  2020



Supporters of Homeland Salvation Movement protest in Yerevan

In response to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s invitation on Friday to all political forces to explore the possibility of holding snap parliamentary elections, the Homeland Salvation Movement, the coalition of 16 opposition forces calling for his resignation, responded by vowing to continue its efforts for his removal and the establishment of a National Accord government that will be tasked with organizing the said elections.

Pashinyan’s move on Friday signaled the prime minister’s refusal of both the Homeland Salvation’s calls, as well as growing number of political, academic and civic organizational circles, as well as President Armen Sarkissian, for the establishment of a national accord administrative body.

Below is a translated text of the Homeland Salvation Movement’s announced issued on Sunday.

Nikol Pashinyan announced his intention to convene consultations with parliamentary and extra-parliamentary forces to hold snap parliamentary elections in 2021.

We are confident that the prime minister’s willingness to hold immediate snap parliamentary elections stems exclusively from the unabated protests by the people generated by the Homeland Salvation Movement, as well as the people’s anger toward the disgraceful defeat in the war.

The collective demand of tens of thousands of our compatriots, the spiritual leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the intelligentsia, the legal community and various segments of the society is the to force Pashinyan to resign, which has forces him to address the snap election agenda.
We can state that this is the first victory of the Homeland Salvation Movement. However, at the moment, this is a fake political agenda aimed at manipulating and diverting public attention from the demand for the prime minister’s resignation.

A prime minister who has not moral or political legitimacy and cannot guarantee a free and fair electoral process. He has cause an unprecedented national schism, betrayed our national interests throughout the capitulating agreement, has endangered the country’s sovereignty by causing the country’s political diplomatic, socio-ecamonic and diplomatic collapse.

As we have previously declared, only an interim government formed following the prime minister’s resignation can make it possible to create an atmosphere of public solidarity in the country, to prevent the loss of statehood through crisis-prevention measures, after which early parliamentary elections will be held.

Our struggle is just, our demands are well-founded.

We will fight to the end for the salvation of the homeland.

Asbarez: Dozens Arrested During Protest in Front of Parliament

Janet Ekmekjian

December 28,  2020



Protesters in front of Parliament on Dec. 28

Dozens of mostly young people were arrested Monday as they peacefully protested in front of Armenia’s National Assembly building to condemn the ruling “My Step” faction lawmakers for advancing the agenda that has allowed the defeatist November 9 agreement to be signed, that while ending the Artsakh war, it forced the surrender of territories in Artsakh and Armenia to Azerbaijan.

This is a continuation of the wave of protests organized by the Homeland Salvation Movement, a coalition of 16 opposition forces, which have been demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation since he signed the November 9 agreement. Pashinyan on Friday called on all parliamentary and extra-parliamentary forces to consultations to hold snap parliamentary elections in 2021. However, the Homeland Salvation Movement and other forces that have been calling for Pashinyan’s resignation said that they did not have confidence that snap elections organized by the government would be free and fair.

Monday’s protesters condemned the My Step alliance lawmakers for effectively destroying the legislative branch in Armenia through their inaction and ineffective leadership. The protesters also demanded that the My Step bloc members resign from the alliance and end the martial law imposed at the onset of the war in September.

As demonstrators outside protested, the ruling “My Step” alliance called a National Assembly Council meeting to discuss removing the chair of the Standing Committee of Human Rights, opposition Prosperous Armenia Party member Naira Zouhrabyan from her position, instead of discussing the pressing issues facing the country.

The protesters began marching along Baghramyan Avenue toward Republic Square.

As the protest progressed dozens of people were arrested, among them Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia president and member Simon Simonian and Artsavik Minasyan, as well as several ARF Youth Organization members.

The Homeland Salvation Movement issued an announcement urging law enforcement to not become “enslaved” to the authorities. The statement also pointed out that the protesters had formed a human “wall of shame” in front of the parliament building, when My Step lawmaker Andranik Kocharyan lashed out at the protesters hurling insults at them. Another My Step lawmaker, Sisak Gabrielyan, got out of his car and began shoving and attacking protesters.

“The police have remained silent about the behavior of the lawmakers,” said the Homeland Salvation Movement. “Instead they have arrested dozens of citizens… While releasing some, they have begun criminal proceedings against others.”

The California Courier Online, December 31, 2020

Anna Tamamian

1 -        Turkish Generals Led War on Artsakh:
            This was a Turkish, not Azeri, Victory
            By Harut Sassounian
            Publisher, The California Courier
            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2-         Armenians mourn fallen heroes, demand Pashinyan’s resignation
            Azerbaijan, Armenia exchange prisoners
            with Russian peacekeepers’ mediation
 3-        Armenia continues to fight COVID-19 pandemic
4-         Los Angeles Midwives, First LA Midwifery Team
            with Hospital Delivery Privileges
5-         COVID vaccine developers refuse to give Erdogan
            platform for positive press

*****************************************

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1 -        Turkish Generals Led War on Artsakh:
            This was a Turkish, not Azeri, Victory
            By Harut Sassounian
            Publisher, The California Courier
            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

Exiled Turkish journalist Cevheri Guven disclosed in a video report
the names and activities of three Turkish Generals who had a decisive
role in leading Azerbaijan’s war on Artsakh, starting on Sept. 27
2020. It is already known that modern drones and missiles purchased by
Azerbaijan from Israel, Turkey and Russia had a devastating effect on
Armenia and Artsakh. It is also known that 200 Turkish military
advisors and several thousand Syrian mercenaries participated in the
war on behalf of Azerbaijan. However, this is the first time that a
detailed report is made public about the presence of these Turkish
Generals in Azerbaijan during the war.

One of the Turkish military leaders is Lieutenant General Sheref
Ongay. The second is Major General Bahtiyar Ersay, and the third is
Major General Goksel Kahya. The presence of these Turkish Generals in
Baku is linked to the dismissal before the Artsakh War of Colonel
General Nejmeddin Sadikov, Azerbaijan’s First Deputy Minister of
Defense and Chief of General Staff who had been at his post for 27
years. He was accused of treason and cooperation with the Russian
military intelligence, according to Russian and dissident Azeri
sources. Sadikov was reportedly arrested after his dismissal which was
denied by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense. However, he has not been
seen in public since his dismissal. Sadikov was reportedly born in
Derbent, Dagestan, and is of Lezgin origin. He has a poor knowledge of
the Azerbaijani language. It is also alleged that his cousin is
serving in the Russian Army in Gumri, Armenia. Sadikov was educated in
Russia. It is important to note that a large number of Azeri soldiers
were sent to Turkey to get their military education. Sadikov did not
allow those returning from Turkey to serve in critical military
positions. He was opposed to Turkish dominance in the leadership of
the Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces. As a result, Turkey asked for Sadikov’s
dismissal after which those trained in Turkey were given leading
posts.

Returning to the three Turkish Generals, Sheref Ongay is the Commander
of the Turkish Third Army, deployed in Erzingan. He was in control of
the Artsakh War. Ongay graduated from the military academy in Ankara
in 1982 and served in various units of the ground forces. In 2014, he
was appointed Commander of the 9th Army Corps. He was for a while the
head of the infantry school in Tuzla.

The second Turkish military leader in Azerbaijan, Major General
Bahtiyar Ersay, was earlier jailed for being involved in a scandal
(Operation Sledgehammer). However, he was pardoned and released,
possibly because he made a plea bargain with the authorities,
disclosing the names of the other participants in the conspiracy. He
was subsequently promoted to the rank of Brigadier General becoming in
charge of the 2nd Commando Brigade which fought with great brutality
against the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) in Eastern Turkey. He is
now the Chief of Operations at the Command of Turkish Land Forces. He
stayed in Baku throughout the Artsakh War and personally managed the
operations. Before the start of the war, two satellite communication
centers were built in Baku and at the military airport of Gabala to
contact the soldiers on the ground and the headquarters in Turkey.
Both centers were managed exclusively by the Turkish Army. The
Azerbaijani military was ordered to obey all commands of the Turkish
superiors and not argue with or contradict them. Ersay was in charge
of the Syrian mercenaries who had earlier fought in Syria and Libya on
behalf of Turkey. Furthermore, Ersay managed the highly technical
military equipment provided by Turkey to Azerbaijan.

The third Turkish military man is Major General Goksel Kahya who was
in Azerbaijan since July of this year. He is close to the Defense
Minister of Turkey. Previously, he was Deputy Undersecretary in the
Ministry of Defense. While taking part in the war in Libya on behalf
of Turkey, he was captured by the opposition Libyan forces and then
released. Kahya was in charge of the Turkish drones operating in Libya
which gave him valuable experience in managing the drone war against
Artsakh.

Since the end of the Artsakh War, the Azeri public has expressed its
unhappiness that Russian peacekeepers are located on the territory of
Karabagh. Some analysts have described the Russian presence in
Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia as a defeat for Turkey and the United
States, and a victory for Russia, having located its forces “under the
nose of NATO member Turkey.” As Russian online newspaper Vzglyad
concluded: Artsakh War’s “plan was Turkish, the Generals were Turkish,
and the drones were made in Turkey…. Baku can celebrate victory, but
in terms of command and control, Turkish Generals can celebrate
victory.”

Retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Azerbaijani Army Oleg Guliyev, now
living in Moscow, told the Vzglyad newspaper: “Azerbaijan must fully
reclaim Karabagh. This is correct and fair. But we must reclaim
Karabagh ourselves. If we reclaim it on a Turkish leash, then we will
reclaim only Karabagh, and we will lose the rest of our country.”

Clarification

In my last week’s article, I referred to a letter purportedly written
by Catholicos Khrimian Hyrig. After my article’s publication, I
discovered that the letter was actually written more recently by
historian Hayk Konjoryan imitating Khrimian’s writing style and
nationalistic views. I regret any confusion that this may have caused.

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2-         Armenians mourn fallen heroes, demand Pashinyan’s resignation
            Azerbaijan, Armenia exchange prisoners
            with Russian peacekeepers’ mediation

By Lillian Avedian
and Leeza Arakelian

(The Armenain Weekly) After a three-day period of national mourning,
tens of thousands participated in a nationwide strike on Tuesday,
resuming mounting pressure against Armenia’s prime minister to step
down over his decisive role in the conclusion of the Artsakh War.

During the massive rally led by the ‘Movement for the Salvation of the
Homeland,’ Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) representative
Ishkhan Saghatelyan offered the My Step faction a deadline to discuss
these demands in-person. In staying the course, Saghatelyan told
reporters on the night of Tuesday, December 22 that if Prime Minister
Nikol Pashinyan remains in power, there would only be ruins left to
rule.

The process of demarcating the borders of Armenia and Artsakh
following the November 9 ceasefire agreement has been fraught with
uncertainty, creating security concerns for residents of border
villages. Under the agreement, the districts of Zangelan and Kubatli
were transferred from Artsakh to Azerbaijan, creating a new border
between Armenia’s southernmost province of Syunik and Azerbaijan.
Parts of the major Goris-Kapan-Meghri highway now pass through
Azerbaijani territory as well.

On December 17, Kapan mayor Gevorg Parsyan shared that Armenia’s
Ministry of Defense had ordered volunteer detachments to withdraw from
their defensive positions overlooking the town by 5 p.m. local time
the following day, since those territories were handed over to
Azerbaijan under the ceasefire agreement. These posts were set up
during the war by locals in order to defend Syunik against the
advancement of Azerbaijani troops. During meetings with community
leaders from Syunik on the 18th, Armenian Minister of Defense
Vagharshak Harutyunyan stated that Russian peacekeepers would be
deployed to the area to guarantee its security. He assured them that
the process of border demarcation was taking place with the
participation of high ranking officers from both sides and that no
territory would be conceded from the Republic of Armenia.

“Not even a single millimeter of land has been surrendered from the
region of Syunik,” insisted PM Pashinyan in an attempt to dispel
rumors of land loss ahead of his planned visit to the region on
December 21st. He wanted to “look directly into the eyes” of residents
and answer their questions, but his visit was cut short as roads to
his passage were blocked by protesters. He returned to Yerevan without
visiting Meghri, Kapan or Goris. On the eve of Pashinyan’s arrival,
Goris mayor Arush Arushanyan called on residents to gather at the
gates to the entryway of Syunik to block his entrance. Arushanyan was
arrested on charges of illegally organizing a rally, and has since
been released.

Six Armenian soldiers were found in the Azerbaijani-occupied Hadrut
region and returned home on December 20th after a successful search
operation was conducted with the combined efforts of the Artsakh State
Emergency Service, the International Committee of the Red Cross and
Russian peacekeepers. Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan said the
young men had been cut off from the Armenian Armed Forces for 70 days.

The bodies of nine soldiers found near Armenian military positions in
southern Artsakh were handed over to the Defense Army on December 16
by Russian peacekeepers. The circumstances surrounding their deaths
have not been revealed. The fate of dozens of soldiers captured by the
Azerbaijani military near the Hin Tagher and Khtsabert communities
following last week’s hostilities remains unknown. The area was the
site of renewed fighting after Azerbaijani forces attacked the two
villages on December 11, as a result of which the villages were placed
under Azerbaijani control.

Meanwhile, Artsakh Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan submitted his resignation
on Tuesday, December 22. Beglaryan will be taking up another position
within the Artsakh government, where he says he will be addressing the
ongoing challenges in the Republic.

Azerbaijan and Armenia held a prisoners’ exchange, in which two
Azerbaijanis were delivered to Baku and four Armenians to Yerevan, on
Dec 28 with the mediation of Russia and the International Committee of
the Red Cross.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

3 -        Armenia continues to fight COVID-19 pandemic

The Armenian government has commissioned 600,000 doses of coronavirus
vaccines from World Health Organization-backed COVAX; medical and
social workers, seniors and people suffering from chronic diseases
will be the first to get vaccine shots free of charge, and according
to Gayane Sahakian, the deputy director of the National Center for
Disease Control and Prevention,

COVAX is a global partnership which aims to finance COVID-19 vaccines
to be distributed fairly to more than 180 countries that have joined
it. The Armenian government’s supply contract with COVAX is worth $6
million. The first vaccine which COVAX will make available to the
participating countries is the one produced by the British company
AstraZeneca. It is expected that the manufacturer will deliver it to
COVAX in February or March.

They will be enough to vaccinate 300,000 people (roughly 10 percent of
Armenia’s population). According to the Ministry of Health, there were
15,498 active coronavirus cases in Armenia as of December 28. Armenia
has recorded 157,948 coronavirus cases and 2,775 deaths; 139,675 have
recovered.

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4-         Los Angeles Midwives, First LA Midwifery Team
            with Hospital Delivery Privileges

LOS ANGELES—On Wednesday December 16, midwives, nurses and birth
professionals from across California joined a Zoom celebration to
congratulate Lilit B. Sarkissian and Naomi E. Drucker on the “birth”
of LA’s newest midwifery practice, Los Angeles Midwives, A
Professional Nursing Corporation. The midwifery team is the first in
Los Angeles with hospital delivering privileges—providing both home
and hospital birth options to women in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Midwives co-founders are Certified Nurse-Midwives whose
primary offering is birth services (delivery, prenatal and postpartum
care) to expectant mothers, and Well-Woman Care to women ranging from
12-80 years old. The event was a chance to learn more about the
founders, the type of care they provide, the future of birth in a
post-COVID Los Angeles, and how midwives can help improve women’s
health in California.

“I’m so excited about this moment. Since I was 9 years old, I knew I
wanted to deliver babies and provide care to women at this most
precious and empowering moment of their life” said Lilit Sarkissian.
“I have dedicated my life to learning about and working in this field
as a researcher, bedside nurse, childbirth educator, nursing professor
and today—as a midwife.”

Los Angeles Midwives seeks to provide care to women that empowers them
by giving them the choice between birthing at home, or in a hospital
while maintaining the personalized care that is a hallmark of
midwifery. Childbirth is a pivotal moment in a woman’s life and both
midwives believe that the self determination of women to make the best
health care decision for themselves and their babies begins with
having access to the options that best fits with their vision of their
ideal birth.

The festive event, which took place in the Year of the Midwife, not
only celebrated the creation of this new business, but also the
expansion of the type of care that Los Angeles Midwives provide to
women. The program began with a warm remembrance of Debbie Frank, who
was a midwifery leader and pioneer in Los Angeles who opened the door
to making this type of care possible in the LA area.

“Lilit and I dreamed while working side by side as nurses – that we
would one day become midwives and create a practice that could help
bridge midwifery care from the home to the hospital,” said co-founder
Naomi Drucker. She added, “many women desire midwifery care but
hesitate for fear of losing that continuity if things get complicated-
which is when they need their trusted team the most! Also a change of
birth setting either by choice or by necessity should not require a
change in provider which could create a margin for error due to
unnecessary information handoffs.

While everyone was in attendance to celebrate this new milestone, they
also wanted to learn how Los Angeles Midwives would be impacted by
California’s recent passage of SB 1237, the Justice & Equity in
Maternity Care Act. The guests were joined by Paris Maloof-Bury, CNM
and Kathleen Belzer, CNM, the current and past Presidents of the
California Nurse-Midwives Association, who provided the guests with an
overview of the new California law, and its envisioned implementation
in the State.

“The California Nurse-Midwives Association and I want to congratulate
Los Angeles Midwives on their opening, and look forward to their
success!” said Maloof-Bury. She added, “I’d like to invite Naomi and
Lilit to help us at CNMA to chart a way forward for other
nurse-midwives and hospitals across California to expand this type of
offering, thus giving women and birthing people greater access to
midwifery care in the setting of their choosing, along with the
continuity and safety that come from integrating midwives and
hospitals.”

Private practice midwives in California are currently allowed to
deliver a baby in a home or birth center setting, but generally do not
serve women in hospital settings. It is rare for midwives to have
delivering privileges in the LA area, which is what makes Los Angeles
Midwives an appealing option for women who want to receive midwifery
care, but want to have the peace of mind of the labor and delivery
resources available in a hospital setting.

Both founders are able to provide this type of care because they were
long time labor and delivery nurses at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center,
received their Certified Nurse-Midwifery degree from Frontier Nursing
University, and completed their midwifery clinical rotations with the
UCLA Midwives group. They embrace the Hallmarks of Midwifery while
understanding how to be most effective in a hospital setting.

Keeping with the “birth” theme of the celebration, the event ended
with the midwives “revealing” their new logo, which was designed by a
very appreciative new dad as a way of thanking Lilit and Naomi. Since,
both Lilit and Naomi serve as adjunct clinical nursing faculty at UCLA
and Mt. St. Mary’s, respectively, the night couldn’t end without a
little active learning game. The participants answered fun questions
such as “how many high heels does Naomi own? how old would Florence
Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, be today? and, what do
Naomi and Lilit’s husband’s have in common?” The answers being 0, 200
and both men have delivered one of their children.

The evening’s celebration ended with a hopeful outlook on the years
ahead for Los Angeles Midwives and midwives from across the country as
they continue to work to improve health outcomes for women at all
stages in their life, especially at some of the most pivotal moments
of their lives.

For more information, visit www.LosAngelesMidwives.com

************************************************************************************************************************************************

5-     COVID vaccine developers refuse to give Erdogan
         platform  for positive press

(Combined Sources)—Pfizer and BioNTech will supply the United States
with 200 Million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.

BioNtech was co-founded by Dr. Ugur Sahin and his wife Dr. Ozlem Tureci.

BioNTech until now was mostly focused on cancer treatments. It had
never brought a product to market.

Sahin, 55, was born in Iskenderun, Turkey. When he was 4, his family
moved to Cologne, Germany, where his parents worked at a Ford factory.
He grew up wanting to be a doctor, and became a physician at the
University of Cologne. In 1993, he earned a doctorate from the
university for his work on immunotherapy in tumor cells.

Early in his career, he met Türeci. She had early hopes to become a
nun and ultimately wound up studying medicine. Türeci, now 53 and the
chief medical officer of BioNTech, was born in Germany, the daughter
of a Turkish physician who immigrated from Istanbul.

On the day they were married, Sahin and Türeci returned to the lab
after the ceremony.

In 2001, Sahin and Türeci founded Ganymed Pharmaceuticals, which
developed drugs to treat cancer using monoclonal antibodies.

After several years they founded BioNTech as well, looking to use a
wider range of technologies, including messenger RNA, to treat cancer.
“We want to build a large European pharmaceutical company,” Sahin said
in an interview with the Wiesbaden Courier, a local paper.

Sahin and Türeci sold Ganymed for $1.4 billion in 2016. Last year,
BioNTech sold shares to the public; in recent months, its market value
has soared past $21 billion, making the couple among the richest in
Germany.

The two billionaires live with their teenage daughter in a modest
apartment near their office. They ride bicycles to work. They do not
own a car.

In Germany, where immigration continues to be a fractious issue, the
success of two scientists of Turkish descent was cause for
celebration.

“With this couple, Germany has a shining example of successful
integration,” wrote the conservative-business site Focus.

A member of Parliament, Johannes Vogel, wrote on Twitter that if it
was up to the far-right Alternative for Germany party, “there would be
no BioNTech of Germany with Özlem Türeci & Ugur Sahin at the top.”

“If it were up to critics of capitalism and globalization,” he added,
“there would be no cooperation with Pfizer. But that makes us strong:
immigration country, market economy & open society!”

This is reinforced by the fact that German Chancellor Angela Merkel
held a video-conference meeting with the founders of Biontech and
thanked them, noting that the whole world is “proud of them.”

Yet no contact or meeting has taken place thus far between the Turkish
spouses and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The couple did not issue any reactions to Erdogan’s statements in
which he congratulated them on developing the vaccine; he said was
prepared to receive the vaccine himself. Erdogan also claimed to have
had a conversation with Sahin.

According to Ruetir news on December 20, the Turkish Zaman newspaper
reported that Sahin and Tureci “do not respond to Erdogan’s calls,”
noting that they “do not want to talk to him, because they object to
the oppression that he is practicing on all segments of Turkish
society.”

Ahval News reported on December 21 that Türeçi and Şahin have decided
not to hold a call Erdogan because, as they have said, “we are not his
advertising medium.”

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RFE/RL Armenian Report – 12/28/2020

Emil Lazarian 
                                        Monday, 

Armenia, Azerbajan Continue Prisoner Swap

        • Narine Ghalechian

ARMENIA -- People stand at a Russian military plane with some of Armenian 
captives upon its arrival at a military airport outside Yerevan, December 14, 
2020

Armenia and Azerbaijan exchanged on Monday more prisoners under a 
Russian-brokered deal that stopped the war in Nagorno-Karabakh November 10.

Officials said a Russian plane carrying four Armenian prisoners and the dead 
body of another captive landed at Yerevan’s Erebuni airport in the evening. The 
commander of Russian peacekeeping forces deployed in Karabakh, General Rustam 
Muradov, told reporters there that two Azerbaijanis were freed and flown to Baku 
earlier in the day.

According to human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakian, two of the freed Armenians 
are soldiers while the two others civilians.

Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian said they are already examined by doctors 
and will receive “necessary medical and psychological aid” in hospital.

“The process of exchange of prisoners will continue,” Avinian wrote on Facebook.

The November 10 truce agreement calls for the exchange of all prisoners of war 
(POWs) and civilians held by the conflicting sides. The first such exchange 
occurred on December 14, with Azerbaijan releasing 30 Armenian prisoners of war 
(POWs) and 14 civilian captives, most of them residents of Karabakh.

The latest swap raised to 54 the total number of Armenian and Karabakh Armenian 
prisoners freed so far. Dozens of others remain in Azerbaijani captivity. Their 
precise number is still not known.

Armenian officials and lawyers say that Azerbaijan has admitted holding fewer 
Armenian POWs than were captured by it during the six-week war. Sahakian told 
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that there is “irrefutable evidence” of about 40 POWs 
not acknowledged by Baku.

A Karabakh official said last week that 40 civilian residents of Karabakh remain 
unaccounted for. He said he hopes that most of these missing persons are held 
captive in Azerbaijan or are hiding in areas seized by the Azerbaijani army 
during the war.

Baku has so far confirmed the deaths of two Karabakh Armenians held in 
Azerbaijani captivity.



Armenia Raises Tax For Army Compensation Scheme

        • Anush Mkrtchian

ARMENIA -- A wounded Armenian serviceman with heavy burns, who claimed that 
Azerbaijani forces had used phosphorus munitions against him, undergoes 
treatment at a hospital in Yerevan, December 8, 2020

The National Assembly approved on Monday a government proposal to sharply 
increase a special tax to compensate the families of thousands of Armenian 
soldiers killed or seriously wounded during the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

A law enacted in Armenia in late 2016 allows the closest relatives of soldiers 
who die or become gravely disabled while on combat duty to receive 10 million 
drams ($20,000). Wounded soldiers suffering from less serious disabilities are 
eligible for 5 million drams in compensation.

In addition to these one-off payouts, the families of killed or maimed army 
officers, contract soldiers and conscripts receive monthly pensions ranging from 
100,000 to 300,000 drams for 20 years.

The compensation scheme is be financed from a special fund to which every 
working Armenian has contributed 1,000 drams ($2) a month until now. The 
six-week war with Azerbaijan has drastically increased the number of people 
covered by the compensation scheme, forcing the current government to boost the 
fund’s revenues accordingly.

A government bill passed by the Armenian parliament in the first reading will 
significantly increase and diversify the fixed tax. Public and private sector 
employees will now pay from 1,500 drams to 15,000 drams depending on their 
monthly wages.

They will be divided into five income brackets that will determine the amount of 
their monthly contributions to the insurance fund. The minimum sum will be 
levied from people earning up to 100,000 drams a month, compared with 3,000 
drams set for wages ranging from 101,000 to 200,000 drams. People making 1 
million drams or more will pay the highest tax.

For their part, individual entrepreneurs will have to pay from 18,000 drams to 
180,000 drams.

The parliament tentatively approved the bill even though some of its 
pro-government and opposition members described the quasi-proggressive tax as 
unfair.

In particular, Gevorg Papoyan of the ruling My Step bloc argued that citizens 
earning 201,000 drams will have to contribute 2.7 percent of their income to the 
insurance fund while only 0.85 percent of a monthly wage of 1 million drams will 
have to be deducted for the same purpose. He said the government should ease the 
financial burden on such citizens at the expense of high earners.

Another My Step deputy, Artak Manukian, similarly urged the government to 
introduce a new tax bracket for wages exceedings 2 million drams and collect 
25,000 drams from them.

It was not immediately clear if the government will agree to make such changes 
before trying to push the bill through the parliament in the second and final 
reading.

Government officials said earlier that the state fund has already begun 
compensating participants of the recent war or their families.



Iran Reaffirms Interest In Closer Ties With Armenia


Iran -- Ali Shamkhani (R), the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security 
Council, meets with Armenian Ambassador Artashes Tumanian, Tehran, December 27, 
2020.

Iran has reportedly reaffirmed its intention to continue seeking closer 
relations with neighboring Armenia after the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed with his Armenian 
counterpart Ara Ayvazian regional security and bilateral ties in a phone call on 
Monday.

According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Zarif and Ayvazian explored 
“prospects for cooperation aimed at addressing new regional challenges.”

“The interlocutors emphasized the importance of further stepping up 
[Armenian-Iranian] contacts and dialogue at various levels, based on 
centuries-old friendly relations between the two peoples. They reiterated mutual 
readiness to deepen the close cooperation in bilateral and multilateral 
formats,” read a ministry statement.

The two ministers spoke one day after the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National 
Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, met with Artashes Tumanian, the Armenian 
ambassador in Tehran.

“Shamkhani expressed the Iranian authorities’ readiness to deepen cooperation 
between the two countries in these difficult times for Armenia,” the Armenian 
Embassy in Iran said in a statement on the meeting.

The embassy said Tumanian briefed Shamkhani on “the situation in Armenia and 
Nagorno-Karabakh as well as regional developments.” It gave no other details.

On Saturday, Armenia’s Deputy Minister for Territorial Administraiton and 
Infrastructures Hakob Vartanian held separate talks in Tehran with Iran’s Oil 
Minister Bijan Zanganeh, his deputy Amir Hossein Zamaninia and Deputy Energy 
Minister Homayoun Hayeri.

The Armenian Embassy reported that the two sides finalized agreements to prolong 
and expand a long-running swap arrangement involving Iranian natural gas 
supplies to Armenia and Armenian electicity exports to the Islamic Republic. As 
a result of those agreements, a gas pipeline connecting the two countries will 
operate at full capacity, said the embassy.

“Discussions about some technical issues concerning gas exports and 
gas-for-electricity barter were postponed to the near future, after which a 
long-term contract will be signed,” the Fars news agency quoted Zamaninia as 
saying. The Iranian vice-minister did not elaborate.

The future of the swap arrangement hinges on the ongoing construction of a third 
power transmission line connecting Armenia and Iran. It will allow the two 
states to triple mutual energy supplies.

Work on the high-voltage line, which is mainly carried out in southeastern 
Armenia by an Iranian company, was supposed to finish in September 2019. 
However, it was delayed due to a host of factors, including U.S. sanctions 
against Iran.

The Armenian Embassy said Vartanian’s talks with Hayeri focused on the “final 
stage” of the construction.



Armenian Church Defends Calls For Government’s Resignation


Armenia -- Catholicos Garegin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic 
Church, celebrates Easter Mass at the St. Gregory the Illuminator's Cathedral in 
Yerevan, April 12, 2020.

Catholicos Garegin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, has 
defended his decision to add his voice to opposition calls for Prime Minister 
Nikol Pashinian’s resignation.

In a televised address to the nation aired on December 8, Garegin said Pashinian 
lacks popular trust after the “disastrous” war in Nagorno-Karabakh and should 
step down to prevent violent unrest and end the “deep political crisis” in 
Armenia. He said he made this clear at a face-to-face meeting with the embattled 
premier.

Similar statements have also been made by the two number two figure in the 
church hierarchy, the Lebanon-based Catholicos Aram I, and other top clergymen 
in Armenia and its worldwide Diaspora. Some of them have denounced Pashinian in 
unusually strong terms.

A priest in the southeastern town of Sisian publicly snubbed Pashinian and 
refused to shake his hand when the prime minister visited a local church earlier 
this month. The Echmiadzin-based Mother See of the Armenian Apostolic Church 
pointedly declined to criticize the priest’s behavior.

Garegin insisted on Sunday that the church is not meddling in politics. “Just 
like every citizen, the church is free to express its views,” he told reporters 
after leading a liturgy at St. Gayane’s Church in an Echmiadzin church.

“If the expressed views are godly, in support of national interests and for the 
sake of our people then they are good for the homeland,” he said.

The medieval church was surrounded by hundreds of Armenian opposition members 
and supporters during and after the liturgy. They gathered there to counter 
possible protests against Garegin by government backers.

Some Pashinian supporters took to Facebook last week to call for such protests 
and even a disruption of the Sunday mass in Echmiadzin in response to Garegin’s 
anti-government stance. The office of Armenia’s human rights ombudsman deplored 
at the weekend the resulting “hate speech” and calls for violence” against the 
Catholicos circulated on social media.

President Armen Sarkissian and Armenian many public figures have also urged 
Pashinian to step down and hand over power to an interim government. The premier 
has rejected these calls while expressing readiness to hold fresh parliamentary 
elections.



Armenian Opposition Rejects Pashinian’s Offer

        • Artak Khulian

Armenia -- Oposition leaders Ishkhan Saghatelian (L) and Vazgen Manukian (C) 
attend a demonstration outside the prime minister's office in Yerevan, December 
24, 2020.

Armenia’s leading opposition forces have rejected Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian’s offer to discuss with them the conduct of snap parliamentary 
elections.

Pashinian expressed late on Friday his readiness to hold such elections next 
year but again rejected opposition demands to step down. “I can abandon the post 
of prime minister only if the people decide so,” he wrote on Facebook.

A coalition of more than a dozen opposition parties trying to unseat Pashinian 
with street protests dismissed the proposed consultations as a “manipulative 
attempt to deflect the public demand for the prime minister’s resignation.”

In a weekend statement, the grouping called the Homeland Salvation Movement said 
Pashinian lost his “moral and political legitimacy” as a result of the recent 
war in Nagorno-Karabakh, “betrayed our national interests” and cannot hold 
democratic elections. It again demanded that he hand over power to an interim 
government that would hold such polls within a year.

In separate comments, one of the movement’s leaders, Ishkhan Saghatelian, 
branded Pashinian “the country’s number one evil.” “There is only one solution: 
to oust the traitor,” he said.


Armenia -- Police detain an opposition protester outside the parliament building 
in Yerevan, .

The Bright Armenia Party (LHK), another major opposition group which is not part 
of the movement, also insisted on the prime minister’s resignation. LHK leader 
Edmon Marukian claimed that the fresh elections will be rigged if they are held 
by the current government.

Pashinian brushed aside the opposition claims in an interview with Armenian 
Public Television aired late on Sunday. He argued that all elections held in 
Armenia during his rule have been free and fair.

Pashinian would not be drawn on when exactly he believes the snap polls should 
take place. The continuing coronavirus pandemic would seriously complicate their 
possible conduct in the coming months.

Virtually all Armenian opposition parties have blamed Pashinian for the Armenian 
side’s defeat in the recent war in Azerbaijan and demanded his resignation. 
Their demands have been backed by President Armen Sarkissian, the Armenian 
Apostolic Church and many public figures.

Pashinian pointed on Friday to what described as a poor attendance of the 
anti-government rallies held by the Homeland Salvation Movement. He said it 
shows that the opposition campaign has not won popular support.

The movement claimed the opposite in its statement. It said the embattled 
premier offered to hold elections because of the ongoing protests.


Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2020 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.