Category: 2023

Putin, Aliyev discuss joint energy, transport projects — Kremlin

Eduard Nalbandian
 TASS 
Russia – Feb 14 2023
The Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan discussed, in particular, trade and economic cooperation

MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. Issues of trade and economic cooperation, including joint projects in the energy and transport sectors, were the focus of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s telephone conversation with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, the Kremlin press service said on Tuesday.

"The sides discussed in detail prospects for the further development of trade and economic cooperation, including the implementation of joint projects in the spheres of energy and transport," it said.

The two presidents also "discussed the current situation in the South Caucasus," the ministry said. "They stressed the importance of successive steps toward stability and security on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. In this context, they reiterated their commitment to the unconditional implementation of the package of corresponding top-level agreements between Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia."

Russia has acted as a mediator in the settlement of the situation between Baku and Yerevan more than once. Thus, it hosted talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders. A declaration on the complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh was signed in November 2020 with Moscow’s mediation. And after a trilateral meeting in Moscow in January 2021, the three leaders signed a joint statement on new infrastructure projects in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The last telephone call between the two presidents took place in December 2022. The issue of the implementation of the trilateral agreements between Moscow, Baku, and Yerevan was also on the agenda.

Yerevan vows readiness to restore peace with Ankara

Paul Hambardsumian
 TASS 
Russia – Feb 15 2023
Offering his condolences to the families of those killed in the powerful earthquakes in Turkey, Ararat Mirzoyan called for solidarity in addressing the humanitarian crisis

ANKARA, February 15. /TASS/. Yerevan is ready to bring its relations with Ankara back to normal and restore peace between the two countries, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Wednesday following talks in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Offering his condolences to the families of those killed in the powerful earthquakes in Turkey, Armenia’s top diplomat called for solidarity in addressing the humanitarian crisis. "While visiting Turkey in these trying times, I would like to assure you that we are willing to restore peace in the region and bring our relations with Turkey back to normal for a resumption of diplomatic relations with it," Mirzoyan said.

In 2009 in Zurich, the foreign ministers of the two states signed protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations and on the principles of mutual relations, but these documents have not been ratified by the parties. On March 1, 2018, Armenia announced the cancellation of the protocols. In 2021, Armenia and Turkey appointed special representatives for the settlement. Work is currently underway between the two countries to normalize bilateral relations.

Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of misusing Lachin Corridor

Eduard Nalbandian
 TASS 
Russia – Feb 15 2023
As stated in Baku, "the legitimate demands of the protesters on the Lachin road have not yet been fulfilled"

BAKU, February 15. /TASS/. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov accused Armenia of misusing the Lachin Corridor in a phone call with Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried on Wednesday, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"They touched upon the current situation in the region and the prospects for negotiations on a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Minister Jeyhun Bayramov pointed out that under the trilateral statement, Azerbaijan guarantees only the security of civilians, vehicles and cargoes along the Lachin road, but Armenia is misusing the Lachin road for illegal economic activities, rotation of Armenian service members and transportation of mines," the statement said.

Bayramov pointed out that "the legitimate demands of those protesting on the Lachin road have not yet been met."

"The minister emphasized that the statements about the allegedly ‘tense humanitarian’ situation in the region have no grounds," the Azerbaijani foreign ministry added.

In the phone conversation, the diplomats also exchanged views on bilateral and regional issues.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 02/15/2023

Raffi Khondkarian 
                                        Wednesday, 


Armenian Tycoon Wins Government Contract Without Tender

        • Naira Bulghadarian

Armenia - Khachatur Sukiasian attends a meeting of a standing committee of the 
Armenian parliament, Yerevan, January 23, 2023.


Amid growing questions about integrity in public procurement in Armenia, the 
government has awarded, without a competitive tender, another contract to a 
company belonging to the family of Khachatur Sukiasian, a pro-government 
businessman and parliamentarian.

The Armenian Interior Ministry will pay the company, SIL Insurance, about 
$500,000 to buy yearly insurance coverage for some 2,000 vehicles used by the 
national police. SIL reportedly signed earlier similar deals with other 
government agencies.

The Interior Ministry said on Wednesday that it had checked with other insurance 
firms and found out that they would charge higher fees for the mandatory 
insurance. It did not disclose those fees or explain why it did not formalize 
the procedure through a formal tender.

Armenian anti-corruption experts criticized the ministry’s decision. Varuzhan 
Hoktanian, who runs the local branch of the Berlin-based watchdog Transparency 
International, said the no-bid contract awarded to Sukiasian’s firm carries a 
“corruption risk.”

“I cannot be sure that they really sent inquiries [to other insurers,]” 
Hoktanian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

“It’s hard to presume that they did that without a tender because of a lack of 
time,” said Hayk Martirosian, a lawyer advising a German company.

Armenian law allows the government not to put contracts for the delivery of 
goods or services out to competitive tender in some cases. The number of such 
government decisions has reportedly increased in recent years, prompting 
concerns from opposition figures and civil society activists.

Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian inspects new Patrol Police vehicles in 
Gyumri, April 16, 2022.

Hoktanian pointed out that the government’s handling of procurements is one of 
the reasons why Transparency International downgraded Armenia’s position in its 
annual survey of corruption perceptions around the world released late last 
month.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian last week expressed concern at the downgrade and 
admitted shortcomings in his government’s stated fight against corruption. At 
the same time, he blamed Armenian media outlets accusing members of his 
political team of illicit enrichment.

Pashinian pledged to separate business from politics when he swept to power 
during the 2018 “velvet revolution.” He declared shortly afterwards that 
Armenian entrepreneurs no longer need parliament seats in order to protect and 
increase their assets.

Sukiasian and another wealthy businessman were elected to the current Armenian 
parliament on the ruling Civil Contract party’s ticket in June 2021.

Sukiasian and his extended family have reportedly expanded their business 
interests since 2018. In particular, the Hetq.am investigative publication 
reported in 2021 that a fuel importing company set up by them in 2020 has signed 
with the Armenian Defense Ministry supply contracts worth $14 million.

The tycoon could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.




Drug Trafficking Soars In Armenia

        • Narine Ghalechian

Armenia -- A photo released by the State Revenue Committee on March 3, 2021 
shows an Armenian customs officer and a sniffer dog searching through boxes 
which authorities say contained heroin smuggled from Iran.


Drug trafficking cases registered by Armenian law-enforcement authorities nearly 
doubled last year, raising serious concerns in a country not accustomed to 
widespread drug abuse.

The sharp increase is widely blamed on increasingly accessible synthetic drugs 
mainly sold through the internet and, in particular, social media platforms such 
as Telegram.

The Armenian police reported a total of 743 trafficking cases in 2022. Gevorg 
Sargsian, a prosecutor dealing with illegal drug trade, downplayed the figure on 
Tuesday, saying that it also reflects an increased number of cases detected and 
solved by the police and other law-enforcement bodies.

Sargsian claimed that his foreign colleagues are impressed with the success of 
Armenia’s fight against such crimes.

“The law-enforcement bodies of countries with much greater capacities have the 
same difficulties as the Armenian law-enforcement bodies do,” he told RFE/RL’s 
Armenian Service.

Critics, notably relatives of Armenians suffering from drug addiction, are 
unconvinced by these assurances, pointing to the rapid spread of banned 
substances in the country.

The walls of residential buildings and other public areas across Yerevan now 
have inscriptions showing the links to Telegram channels selling drugs. A young 
woman who asked not to be identified said her brother was one of their regular 
clients before ending up in a psychiatric hospital.

“People can buy everything on those Telegram channels,” she complained.

The Telegram logo is seen on a screen of a smartphone, April 13, 2018.

Sargsian insisted that the authorities are cracking down on the illegal online 
trade. In his words, over the last three years they have identified and charged 
over two dozen members of four criminal associations that old several million 
dollars’ worth of narcotics through social media. Two such individuals are now 
standing trial on relevant charges, added the prosecutor.

Gayane Vartazarian, a deputy director of Armenia’s main narcology clinic, said 
she is especially concerned about the growing number of juveniles and women 
using narcotics. She said the number of women who applied to the clinic rose 
from 76 in 2021 to 116 in 2022.

“I wouldn’t say that these numbers are catastrophic,” she told RFE/RL’s Armenian 
Service. “But these are large numbers and they are rising.”

Some critics of the Armenian government link the alarming trend with recent 
years’ increase in Armenia’s overall crime rate, saying that the country is not 
as safe as it used to be. The total number of various crimes registered by the 
police rose by over 24 percent in 2022.




Armenian FM Visits Quake-Hit Turkey


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


Armenia’s assistance to victims of the devastating earthquake in Turkey could 
facilitate the normalization of relations between the two neighboring states, 
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said after holding talks with his 
visiting Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan on Wednesday.

Mirzoyan flew to Ankara hours after Turkey again opened a border crossing with 
Armenia to receive a second batch of humanitarian aid sent by Yerevan.

A convoy of Armenian trucks loaded with food, medicine and other relief supplies 
headed to the southeastern Turkish city of Adiyaman where a 27-strong Armenian 
rescue team has been searching for possible survivors of the quake that killed 
at least 35,000 people.

Mirzoyan visited Adiyaman and spoke with the Armenian rescuers later on 
Wednesday.

"Armenia has extended its hand of friendship, showed solidarity and cooperation 
with us in this difficult time ... We need to continue this solidarity," 
Cavusoglu told a joint news conference in Ankara with Mirzoyan.

“The normalization process in the South Caucasus region is going on. We believe 
that our cooperation in the humanitarian field will support this process,” he 
added, according to Reuters.

In that regard, Cavusoglu pointed not only to ongoing efforts to improve 
Turkish-Armenian relations but also Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks.

Turkey - Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan inspects an Armeian 
search-and-rescue team in Adiyaman, .

The two ministers said they discussed their governments’ efforts to normalize 
bilateral relations. In Mirzoyan’s words, they reached understandings on 
rebuilding a medieval bridge on the Turkish-Armenian border and transport 
infrastructure “in advance of a full opening of the border.” He gave no details.

Turkey has for decades made the opening of the border and the establishment of 
diplomatic relations with Armenia conditional on an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace 
deal acceptable to Azerbaijan. Turkish leaders have repeatedly reaffirmed this 
precondition since the start of the normalization talks with Yerevan in January 
2022.

Turkish and Armenian officials held four rounds of negotiations before 
announcing in July that the border will be opened for citizens of third 
countries. Mirzoyan reiterated Yerevan’s hopes for the “full normalization of 
relations” and “complete opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey.”


Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Artsakh prepares to mark 35th anniversary of liberation movement

Emil Lazarian
Panorama
Armenia – Feb 15 2023

Artsakh is gearing up for the celebration of its national-liberation movement anniversary.

President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan on Wednesday signed a decree to establish a state commission for the organization and coordination of the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Artsakh national-liberation movement and to approve its individual composition, the presidential office reported.

The state commission will be chaired by the speaker of the Artsakh National Assembly, Artur Tovmasyan.

According to the decree, the state commission must discuss and approve the comprehensive program of the festive events within three days.

Canada’s House of Commons committee urges Azerbaijan to open Lachin Corridor

Suren Karakhanian
Panorama
Armenia – Feb 15 2023

Canada's House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on Tuesday unanimously adopted a motion tabled by MP Stéphane Bergeron, calling on Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor, guarantee freedom of movement and avoid further deterioration of the humanitarian situation, reported the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC).

The motion will be referred to the House of Commons and will request a response from the Canadian government.

“Thank you to MP Bergeron for his leadership on this urgent matter and to all committee members for their support,” ANCC said.

Large groups of Azerbaijanis posing as eco-activists have blocked the Lachin Corridor, the sole road linking Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to Armenia, since December 12.

Armenia’s Investigative Committee probed 960 domestic violence cases in 2022

Emil Lazarian
Panorama
Armenia – Feb 15 2023

The Investigative Committee of Armenia probed a total of 960 domestic violence cases in 2022, the law enforcement agency reported on Wednesday.

Indictments were handed down in 122 of them, and cases against 126 individuals were filed to courts. 301 criminal probes were stopped. Investigations into another 383 cases continued in January this year.

They included nine cases of homicide, four cases of inflicting bodily harm to another person, one case of kidnapping, one case of sexual assault and two cases of sexual assault against persons under 16 years old, as well as physical abuse, infliction of physical or emotional pain and non-payment of alimony.

Of the 125 defendants, 108 were spouses, 4 were grandparents, 5 were siblings and 8 were children or grandchildren.

125 persons were not prosecuted on non-rehabilitation grounds or their criminal prosecution was ended last year.

Commerce Secretary Raimondo urged to block U.S. rifle sale to Azerbaijan

Kanayan Tamar
Panorama
Armenia – Feb 15 2023

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) national and Rhode Island affiliate called on Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to oppose any consideration of granting a license to permit the export of rifles to Azerbaijan, ANCA reported on Wednesday.

In a February 13th letter, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian and the local ANC chair from Secretary Raimondo’s home state of Rhode Island, Steve Elmasian, explained, “As you know, from your long friendship with Americans of Armenian heritage in Rhode Island and across the United States, our community is deeply troubled by the U.S. military aid program to Baku, and even more shocked by the possibility that American offensive weaponry may be deployed against Armenians in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and Armenia. The victims of Azerbaijan’s attacks are, very often, the relatives and friends of Armenian American citizens.”

News of a possible sale of U.S. rifles – including assault-style and semi-automatic sniper models – to Azerbaijan broke on February 1st when Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Robert Menendez (D-NJ) announced his “deep concern and strong opposition” to the effort.

In a letter to Secretary Raimondo, Sen. Menendez explained that Azerbaijani atrocities against Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and Armenia are well documented, citing the September 2022 attack on sovereign Armenian territory and the now two-month blockade of Artsakh, which has left the 120,000 indigenous Armenian population without sufficient food, medicine, and rolling gas stoppages in freezing conditions. Sen. Menendez also highlighted Azerbaijan’s ongoing extrajudicial killings, torture, and unlawful treatment of Armenians following the 2020 Artsakh war, as documented in the State Department’s 2021 Country Report on Human Rights.

“The export of weapons to an authoritarian country that wages war against a neighbor, blockades a vulnerable population, and commits rampant human rights violations at home is not consistent with the Administration’s commitment to democracy and human rights,” Sen. Menendez stated. “Further, the consideration of this export license further compounds my dismay that the Administration continues to allow the export of assault-style and sniper rifles abroad – even while supporting an assault-style rifle ban domestically – and deepens my reservations about the Department of Commerce having jurisdiction over such exports,” concluded Senator Menendez.

As Rhode Island general treasurer and later governor, Secretary Raimondo worked closely with the ANC of Rhode Island and the state’s Armenian American community, attending community events and taking a principled position condemning the Armenian Genocide.

During the 2017 Armenian Genocide commemoration, then-Governor Raimondo remarked, “We come together today as a community to remind ourselves of the Genocide and of the atrocities; and also to provide comfort to members of the community who are still struggling with loss and painful memories; but, probably most important, to commit ourselves to the cause of peace and tolerance and diversity – so that it never happens again. And I think now, if you look around at what’s happening in the world, and even in this country, it’s very troubling – it is deeply troubling – when I see, sometimes in this state, expressions of religious intolerance and racism. And as your Governor, I want you to know there is no place for that in Rhode Island. And I reaffirm to you our core value of diversity, of religious freedom, and of tolerance here in Rhode Island. […] Today, we stand shoulder to shoulder to remind ourselves of the Genocide and to recommit ourselves – and remember, every time you hear an _expression_ of hatred, of intolerance, of racism or religious discrimination – don’t be silent, speak out.”

In her 2018 gubernatorial proclamation on the “Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide,” Governor Raimondo wrote, “we must do our best to raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide, not only because it is an undeniable chapter of world history, but also because learning more about this unconscionable tragedy will help us better understand the necessity of eliminating hatred from our own.”

Armenia FM to Turkey counterpart: We have agreement to repair Ani bridge with joint efforts

Jhanna Virabian
NEWS.am
Armenia – Feb 15 2023
13:24, 15.02.2023

Armenia has reached an agreement with Turkey to repair the Ani bridge with joint efforts, as well as to take care of the relevant infrastructure before the full reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan announced this today during his joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu, in Ankara.

Mirzoyan noted as follows in his remarks: "Dear Mr. Cavusoglu, dear attendees, first of all, on behalf of the Republic of Armenia, I once again express my condolences to the families of thousands of people who died in the devastating earthquake, to the people and government of Turkey, and I wish everyone a speedy recovery.

One of the bitterest pages in the history of my people was the devastating earthquake in Spitak [town of Armenia] in 1988, and today we are not unfamiliar with the sorrow that ‘visited’ thousands of families in Turkey. Similar natural disasters and their dimensions go beyond the borders of states, becoming universal tragedies. The world must act with a united front to overcome them. I believe that the international community should not remain indifferent in case of any humanitarian crisis occurring anywhere on the planet. And it was on this principle that the Armenian government made a decision to send rescuers and humanitarian aid to Turkey immediately after the catastrophic earthquake.

I thank Mr. Cavusoglu for his words of appreciation to our rescuers and the Armenian presence and support in general. I am very happy that the Armenian rescuers, with the support of their colleagues, managed to do the most important thing in this situation: to save human lives.

Also, consider it symbolic that on Saturday, the Armenian-Turkish border, which has been closed for almost 30 years, was opened for Armenian trucks loaded with humanitarian aid heading to Adiyaman. The same thing happened last night; and hours later, another batch of humanitarian aid [from Armenia] will reach Adiyaman.

Being in Turkey at this difficult moment, I once again want to reaffirm Armenia's readiness and aspiration to build peace in the region and, in particular, to fully normalize relations, establish diplomatic relations with Turkey, and fully [re]open the border between Armenia and Turkey.

I want to inform you that today we discussed certain details related to this process, we have an agreement to repair the Ani bridge with joint efforts, as well as take care of the relevant infrastructure before the full [re]opening of the border."

Zarmig Boghigian: 60 Armenians left homeless in Aleppo

Emil Lazarian
NEWS.am
Armenia – Feb 15 2023
15:39, 15.02.2023

Eight of the ten Armenians injured in Syria as a result of the devastating earthquake have already been discharged from medical centers, and the other two continue to receive treatment in the hospital. Zarmig Boghigian, the editor of Kantsasar Armenian weekly published in Aleppo, Syria, told Armenian News-NEWS.am about this.

"There were four severely injured [Armenians]; they were operated on. Two of them are the relatives of the deceased mother and son, Mirna and Alber Tenekedjian, the husband and daughter, who continue treatment in the hospital. There is no danger to their lives," said Boghigian.

As a result of the February 6 earthquake, the governorates of Aleppo, Latakia, Idlib, and Hama suffered the most in Syria. According to the editor of Kantsasar, the capital of Syria, Damascus, was also shaken by the quake, but there were no damages. Armenians are more concentrated in Aleppo and Latakia.

"At the moment, we have 60 homeless Armenians in Aleppo who cannot return to their apartments. The relevant specialists have come and inspected that the buildings may collapse; it is dangerous to live in," said Boghigian.

According to her, there is no information about missing Armenians. Rescuers from Armenia who went to Syria on February 8 have brought out eight dead bodies from the rubble.

"Humanitarian aid was sent from various Arab countries, the World Health Organization, as well as from Armenia," added the editor of Kantsasar.

On February 6, a devastating earthquake hit Turkey and Syria. According to the latest data, more than 37,000 people died as a result, and more than 5,000 of them—in Syria.