Category: 2021

They are constantly forcing us to think about concessions to Azerbaijan, forgetting a simple truth: the dictator of Baku [i.e., Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev], in fact, wants so that the whole of Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] and at least a part of Armenia is conceded [by the Armenian], and what will remain be at least in vassal dependence on Azerbaijan and Turkey. Iranian studies specialist Vardan Voskanyan, who is also a member of the opposition Homeland party of Armenia, wrote this on Facebook. He added as follows, in particular:

“In other words, the concession, according to the Azerbaijani-Turkish ‘notions,’ should be the zeroing of the whole result of the program of Armenian statehood coming from the depths of millennia, in fact, and at best, giving a purely symbolic character to the existence of Armenia as a political unit.

Therefore, our only thought should not be the concession, but to be ready for the next war and to crush Azerbaijan again in that war, because that war can take place regardless of our will, regardless of our wish, regardless of our desire to live in peace, because this is Near Asia, because not the god of peace, but of war decides the fate of nations here.”

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia on Wednesday chaired the year-end meeting of the interdepartmental working group on the issues of Syunik Province.

Opening the sitting, Pashinyan noted as follows, in particular: "In 2021, a program worth about 1.1 billion drams [approx. US$2.2 million] was allocated and implemented in Syunik Province through the channel of the [aforesaid] working group. (…).We have already announced that we are starting the preparatory work for the construction of the Meghri section of the Yeraskh-Julfa-Ordubad-Meghri-Horadiz railway.”

Subsequently, the members of this working group—that is, the representatives of the relevant departments—reported on the work done in accordance with domains.

During the ensuing exchange of views, a number of issues and ideas were discussed and suggestions were made.

At the end of this meeting, PM Pashinyan thanked the members of this working group and the expert group for the work done, and stressed that the agenda for the development of Syunik Province is quite comprehensive and it is necessary to work patiently to implement the set priorities in this regard.

Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan are finalizing, within the framework of a trilateral working group, the parameters for launching joint infrastructure projects. This was stated by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"We consider this format one of the key ones in the work toward normalization of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations. Currently, as the leaders of the three countries had agreed in Sochi [(Russia)], the parameters for the launch of joint infrastructure projects are being finalized," he said.

According to him, the respective approach of the Russian side is that the relevant decisions can be stable only if there is a consensus between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"Therefore, we are coming up with a one single ‘package’ in favor of a balanced security of the interests of the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides," added the Russian official.

Rudenko recalled that, the whole range of issues of unblocking transport and economic ties in the South Caucasus, including the restoration of both railway and motorway communication in the region, is considered within the framework of this mechanism.

During a session chaired by the President of Iran, the Council of Ministers agreed to permit China to open a Consulate General in the southern city of Bender Abbas, Mehr reports.

The Council of Ministers or the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the plan proposed by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

In addition, in accordance with Principle 138 of the Constitution and relevant laws and rules and regulations, the Council of Ministers of Iran has agreed on the proposal of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to grant permission to open a Consulate General in the city of Kapan of Armenia.

Iran is opening a consulate in Kapan — this is another signal showing how important Syunik Province of Armenia is for Tehran in the context of Armenian-Iranian relations. This is what Iranologist Vardan Voskanyan wrote on his Facebook page, touching upon the Iranian side’s decision to open Iran’s consulate in the city of Kapan.

“The opening of Armenia’s consulate in Tavriz (the center of Atrpatakan) will also be viewed as a major step towards the strengthening of Armenia-Iran relations and will serve as a clear signal to the tyrant of Baku,” the Iranologist also wrote.

Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy answered questions from a Turkish news agency.

According to Anadolu, Polyanskiy stated that Russia accepted the negotiations for normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations with satisfaction.

“The holding of the meeting in Moscow is not a surprise. Both Turkey and Armenia are Russia’s good partners. We support the expansion of regional networks. The process is very sensitive. The sides have lack of trust, and this needs to be overcome. The whole world will benefit from the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations,” Polyanskiy said.

President of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Arayik Harutyunyan today received the staffs of M. Manvelyan Secondary School in Hadrut, the D. Ghazaryan Specialized Secondary Music School and Khachatur Abovyan School in Shushi.

As reported the press office of the President of Artsakh, the head of state thanked all the teachers of community schools in the seized territories of Artsakh, namely the staffs for having performed and performing their tasks in good faith in spite of the difficult social conditions in this difficult period, ensuring the uninterrupted learning process for displaced pupils. Harutyunyan also mentioned that the schools and kindergartens in Hadrut and Shushi will have new separate buildings in Stepanakert starting from September 1, 2022.

In response to the teachers’ concerns and questions about the future and security, the head of state stressed that the people and authorities of Artsakh will never accept any status of Artsakh as a part of Azerbaijan, and the Defense Army and the Russian peacekeeping contingent ensure and will ensure security in the country.

Touching upon the social problems of displaced citizens, Harutyunyan stated that the government is currently doing its best to completely solve the housing issue and provide citizen with jobs and other social guarantees.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in a reception organized for the representatives of the public administration system on the occasion of the New Year and Christmas holidays.

In his speech, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan particularly said,

“Honorable President of the National Assembly,

Distinguished representatives of the Government, the legislative and the judicial branches,

First of all, I would like to thank all of you for the work done in 2021, because people usually complain about the work of the public system, citing bureaucracy, hassles, delays. But I want to remind you that 2021 was not an ordinary year, in fact, we felt, saw and faced a significant part of the consequences of the 44-day war in 2021. Our statehood was facing huge, dangerous challenges, and it should be stated that we were able to manage those challenges.

Of course, it was not easy, the work done by all those present, all our state bodies, local self-government bodies is of essential and key importance for the management of those challenges. I am really thankful to you for that work. Moreover, by overcoming those challenges, we not only did not damage Armenia's international reputation as a democratic country, but, on the contrary, strengthened it even more.

Early parliamentary elections were held in the country in 2021. With them, we were able to reveal a new function of the electoral process, when the atmosphere of internal political unrest was finally overcome by the elections, and not the contrary. During those elections and before that, our entire state system, legal system and judiciary worked around the clock. Moreover, they worked trying not to yield to emotions, trying to stay loyal to the service, mission, state order. And it is obvious that in 2021 this service of addressing these challenges was a success, which does not mean that our work is perfect, on the contrary, in 2020-2021 we identified a number of systemic problems that exist in our public administration system. And an agenda has been formed, which, of course, we must consistently implement.

Our greatest challenge is ensuring external security, but I want to emphasize again that ensuring external security is not, has not been and should not be the function of only the army, the Armed Forces. It is equally the function of our diplomatic service, our other public administration bodies. I would also like to mention here the work of our special services, the important mission and work of our parliamentary diplomacy. And I want to emphasize that we have also overcome significant challenges in the field of internal security in 2021, moreover, we have overcome those challenges without any shocks. And in this regard, I want to emphasize again the work of our law enforcement agencies.

Dear attendees,
Dear colleagues,

I want to wish Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all you, your families. I want to believe that 2022 will really be a year of renascence for Armenia. I hope the shocks that took place in 2020-2021, our capability to pass that road full of those shocks, which was demonstrated, will really help and strengthen us in building a state worthy of all our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Motherland during the 44-day war, the four-day war that took place before it, also our victims of the previous Artsakh war. This is probably the biggest motivation we have. And this is probably the biggest motivation, which should never allow us to waver or shake under any circumstances. We must take firm steps towards the Armenia that our ancestors dreamed of, that our martyrs dreamed of, that we dream of for our generations.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"