Category: 2023

Lawmaker hopes Speaker’s Ankara visit for PABSEC will contribute to normalization with Turkey

Jane Topchian

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 11:40,

YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. The installation of the Nemesis monument in Yerevan was discussed between Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Alen Simonyan and his Turkish counterpart in Ankara where Simonyan was on a visit for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) meeting, MP Babken Tunyan said on May 10.

Tunyan, a member of the Armenian delegation to PABSEC, said at a press conference that numerous other issues were discussed.

Another Armenian delegate to PABSEC, Gevorg Papoyan, stressed that BSEC is an economic organization but because of conflicts between member states the participants are mostly discussing political affairs.

Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan also participated in the session.

Tunyan highlighted that Simonyan’s visit to Turkey is a significant event. “And we hope that it will contribute to the normalization of relations with Turkey despite all the difficult problems and challenges facing us,” he said.

Asked by reporters whether or not the Nemesis monument issue was discussed at the meeting, Tunyan said: “The issue relating to the Nemesis monument became subject to discussion during the meeting between Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan and his Turkish counterpart Mustafa Şentop, where we also participated. The Turkish side said that they don’t understand how that monument was opened on the backdrop of the efforts for normalization of relations. Mr. Simonyan answered by saying that if there is the will for normalization of relations, we don’t believe that such events could become an obstacle for normalization because there’ve been, are, and will perhaps be far more significant obstacles,” Tunyan said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that Turkey would take action if the monument isn’t removed. But Tunyan said that the Turkish side did not communicate such approach to them in Turkey. During the session Tunyan was elected Deputy President of PABSEC.

Nemesis was unveiled in Yerevan on April 25 to honor the participants of Operation Nemesis, a 1920s program of assassinations of Ottoman perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide.

In response, Turkey closed its airspace to Armenian flights heading to a third destination and threatened to take further actions if it isn’t removed.

On May 9, Yerevan city authorities announced that they have no intention of removing the monument.

Reopening of land border with Turkey to be beneficial for Armenia, says lawmaker

Emil Lazarian

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 12:03,

YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Member of Parliament Gevorg Papoyan from the ruling Civil Contract faction disagrees with opinions claiming that the reopening of the land border with Turkey would only be beneficial for Turkey itself. If that were the case, Papoyan argues, then Turkey would open the border very swiftly because it was Turkey who closed it back in the 1990s in order to economically pressure Armenia.

“There’s a lot of debate in our public life whether or not the opening of the Armenian-Turkish land border would be beneficial for Armenia. If it were not beneficial for Armenia, Turkey would open the border in five seconds, because it’s not Armenia who closed the Armenia-Turkey border, it was closed by Turkey, because that’s how it is economically pressuring Armenia. They’ve never concealed this, they are supporting Azerbaijan by doing so. This shows that the narrative claiming that the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border will have some apocalyptic consequences for Armenia is simply ridiculous and untrue,” Papoyan said at a press conference on May 10.

The opening of the border will lead to economic development, new jobs, development of businesses, increase in tax revenues and significant improvement of the social condition of people, the MP said.

“Turkey has been keeping the border with Armenia closed for many years in order to support Azerbaijan in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. And they haven’t concealed this. This is their assessment. And today, I think they realize that this is beneficial for us, and they are trying to perhaps put forward some demands, find some pretexts. The normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations without preconditions is an agenda item for us, we are not deviating from this, this is a primary clause of the Armenian foreign policy,” he said.

Armenia and Turkey had earlier agreed to open the land border for citizens of third countries by summer 2023. Papoyan said that Turkey hasn’t officially cancelled this agreement. The MP commented on the issue in the context of the latest developments regarding the Nemesis monument.

Fremont Signs Letter of Intent on Vardenis Cu-Au Property in Armenia; Stakes Prospective Lithium Targets in Nevada

Raffi Khondkarian
May 9 2023

Mr. Dennis Moore reports:

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – May 9, 2023) - Fremont Gold Ltd. (TSXV: FRE) (OTCQB: FRERF) (FSE: FR20) ("Fremont" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a letter of intent pursuant to which it has been granted an option to acquire up to 100% interest in Mendia Resources Corp. ("Mendia"), an Armenian corporation, by Mendia's sole shareholder (the "Optionor"). Mendia holds the exploration license over the Vardenis copper-gold project in central Armenia.

Additionally, the company is pleased to announce the filing of 133 new claims in Nevada for the purpose of potentially advancing a world class Lithium resource. Initial geochemical results are expected before mid-year. Staking of other potential lithium prospects is ongoing.

Vardenis Cu-Au Property

The Vardenis copper-gold property is a high-sulfidation, possible Cu-porphyry mineralized system formerly held by Dundee Precious Metals Inc. between 2015 and 2018. It occurs 25 kilometers along strike and in the same Eocene volcanic sequences which host the 3-million-ounce Amulsar gold deposit being developed by Orion Mine Finance, Osisko Gold Royalties and Resource Capital Fund.

The terms set out in the letter of intent provide Fremont with the exclusive option to acquire up to 100% of Mendia via staged option payments over 4.5 years. The staged payments are as follows:

  • On completion of the definitive agreement ("Closing"), the Company shall pay US$100,000 in cash and issue 500,000 Fremont common shares to the Optionor, and initiate specified exploration work on the Vardenis property, including a minimum of 2,500 meters of diamond drilling within 18 months; completion of which will earn the Company a 51% equity ownership interest in Mendia;
  • 18 months following Closing, the Company shall pay an additional US$150,000 in cash, issue 700,000 Fremont common shares to the Optionor, and initiate further exploration work on the Vardenis property, including an additional 5000 meters of drilling within 3 years following Closing; completion of which will earn the Company an additional 29% equity ownership interest in Mendia (for a total of an 80% equity ownership interest);
  • 36 months following Closing, the Company shall pay an additional US$100,000 in cash, issue 1,000,000 Fremont common shares to the Optionor, and initiate additional exploration work including a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) level study within 4.5 years following Closing; completion of which will earn the Company an additional 10% equity ownership interest in Mendia (for a total of a 90% equity ownership interest);
  • Subsequent to the Company's acquisition of a 90% interest in Mendia, the Optionor has the right to retain a 10% interest in Mendia by contributing 10% of costs moving forward; If the Optionor declines this right, the Company has the option to purchase the remaining 10% equity in Mendia for $US3,500,000 in either cash or equivalent in Fremont shares. If this option to purchase the remaining 10% is not exercised by the Company, and the Optionor does not meet their contribution commitments, the Optionor's residual interest in Mendia will be converted to a 1.0% net smelter return royalty once their interest falls below 5%.

Closing is subject to the satisfactory completion of due diligence and the execution of a definitive option agreement with the Optionor on or before June 20, 2023. The definitive agreement will include customary provisions, representations, covenants and conditions which are typical for a transaction of this nature as well as provisions relating to dilution, governance and the terms of the net smelter return royalty. Fremont as the optionee, has the right to withdraw from the agreement at any time, with 30 day's written notice.

Closing will be subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Fig 1: project location

Previous work on the Vardenis Property

Historic work on the Vardenis copper-gold property comprises early Soviet-era trenching and pits from the 1960s followed by more recent exploration undertaken by Canadian-based companies during the past decade. This recent work includes 1,246 meters of diamond drilling in seven holes, over 4,000 geochemical samples (both soils and streams), alteration mapping and trenching. This work has defined a NW-SE somewhat ring-shaped, gold-in-soil anomaly approximately seven kilometers in length, as well as a separate 3.6 x 2.0-kilometer copper anomaly located 1.4 kilometers to the south of the gold anomaly.

The seven drill holes were confined to a relatively small area on the western end of the gold anomaly. Four of those holes are just outside, but right along the edge of Mendia's current license area (due to watershed issues). The best results of this limited program returned 11.9 m @ 1.92 g/t Au and 18 m @ 0.58 g/t Au in holes 2 and 6, respectively; the latter hole occurs within Mendia's current license. Additionally, 15 trenches were excavated in a gold-anomalous area named the Archuk target on east side of the license. All trenches returned values averaging a minimum of 0.5 to >1 g/t Au, with a best result of 26m @ 3.65 g/t Au. This area has not been drilled.

Fig 2. Looking east with alteration draped over the topography

.

Figure 4. Vardenis Copper soil geochemistry

Fremont's President and CEO, Dennis Moore, commented, "After spending the better part of two years seeking opportunities in Armenia, Vardenis was chosen as one of the few projects that could create true shareholder value in a relatively short time frame. This project has decisive attributes which include:

  • A large-scale mineralized system;
  • Hosted in Armenia's most prospective Eocene volcanics, along strike from the 3M oz Amulsar gold deposit which is currently being developed;
  • At-surface copper-gold mineralization within widespread high-sulfidation-style alteration;
  • A plethora of previous data which identify significant, sizeable copper and gold anomalies;
  • Only 1,246 meters of historical drilling.

These attributes make Vardenis a very attractive target indeed."

Mr. Moore continues, "The historic exploration work undertaken at Vardenis provides Fremont with a strong head start to efficiently and effectively advance the project. Drill targeting will obviously be more straight forward than if starting from scratch. The current plan is to undertake detailed short-wave infrared (SWIR) alteration mapping to determine the hot-spots within the mineralized system, possibly conduct an IP survey over the circular copper-moly anomaly, then integrate this data with the results of historic soil geochemistry in order to identify the best targets. We expect to conduct the initial drill program within 18 months. A current National Instrument 43-101 technical report is in the process of being completed."

Fremont is continuing to actively pursue additional projects in Armenia.

Lithium project in Nevada

The increased demand for lithium in the EV market has led to a rapid expansion of lithium exploration and attendant junior explorers in prospective jurisdictions such as Nevada, Argentina and Chile. This has led to the discovery of several world-class deposits in Nevada such as Rhyolite Ridge (Ioneer, INR-ASX) and the Thacker Pass deposit. The latter is owned by Lithium Americas Corp. (approx. $3.2 billion market cap), and is located within the McDermitt caldera of northern Nevada.

As the Company has significant gold projects in Nevada, administered by a very experienced Nevada-based team, management decided to exploit this in-house expertise to search for prospective lithium deposits. Fremont's Nevada exploration group is headed by Vice President Dr. Clay Newton, a PhD structural geologist who has worked over 25 years in Nevada and explored for numerous commodities during his long career, including rare earths and lithium.

Dr. Newton explains, "In Nevada, there are two main types of lithium deposits – lithium brines and lithium-bearing clays. Lithium brines are found in closed evaporative basins in which there is ample water inflow into the basin but no outflow. Lithium, boron, and alkali elements are residually enriched as the playa lake water evaporates.

Lithium-bearing lake sediments, also common in arid evaporative basins, may also contain clays that are enriched in lithium and boron. The lithium may either be sourced from weathered and eroded felsic volcanic rocks surrounding the basin or from intra-basin ash and felsic tuffs".

Dr. Newton continues, "Diamond Valley, in Eureka County, is a large completely enclosed basin, that in the past held large lakes as evidenced by terraces cut high into the surrounding hills. Surface water and shallow groundwater flows from south to north in the basin, converging in the northern end, where there is always a seasonal playa lake. The southern part of the valley has for generations provided ample fresh groundwater for farming irrigation. However, the northern end of the basin has been known for decades to host more caustic groundwater than the southern part. Water from the northern end of the basin exceeds safe drinking water standards for multiple chemical constituents and total dissolved solids (from Eureka County Water Resources Master Plan, 2016). Additionally, there are very abundant artesian springs in the northern part, bringing deeper water to the surface, and some of the springs are warm water, indicating geothermal heating, another important element for hydrothermal leaching of intra-basin ash.

The northern part of the basin has an enclosed gravity low anomaly (see figures below) suggesting a deep groundwater reservoir. Such depressions are known to host lithium brines, which because of their higher density than fresh water, sink into the depressions."

Fremont has recorded 133 claims to date for lithium brines, covering the gravity low anomaly in the northern end of Diamond Valley, as shown in the figure above. Initial geochemical results are expected within four weeks.

Qualified person

The content of this news release was reviewed by Dennis Moore, Fremont's President & CEO, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Fremont

Fremont's mine-finding management team has assembled a portfolio of high-quality Nevada gold and lithium projects with the goal of making a new discovery. The Company has also been seeking world-class mineral opportunities within the central Tethyan belt of Armenia and Georgia. Besides Cobb Creek, Griffon, and Hurricane in Nevada, Fremont has applied for an exploration license over the Urasar area in northern Armenia.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Dennis Moore"

Dennis Moore
President and CEO, interim Chairman
Fremont Gold Ltd.

For further information, contact:

Corporate Information

Fremont Gold Ltd.
Dennis Moore, President and CEO, interim Chairman
Telephone: +351 9250 62196
www.fremontgold.net
https://twitter.com/GoldFremont
https://www.linkedin.com/company/fremont-gold/

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward looking statements

Certain statements and information contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking statements are based on several material factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the completion of the Private Placement or the actual use of proceeds to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Fremont undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this press release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.


For all maps go to the link https://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/junior-miner-news/press-releases/2165-tsx-venture/fre/141093-fremont-signs-letter-of-intent-on-vardenis-cu-au-property-in-armenia-stakes-prospective-lithium-targets-in-nevada.html

Leaders of all five ‘Stans plus Armenia in Moscow for May 9 victory parade

Emil Lazarian
May 9 2023

The leaders of all five of Central Asia's republics, plus Armenia's PM, turned up for Russia's May 9 Victory Day parade and stood by Putin. / bne IntelliNews
By Ben Aris in Berlin May 9, 2023

The leaders of Central Asia's five republics as well as Armenia's prime minister arrived in Moscow to stand alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin during the annual May 9 Victory Day parade, despite strong US pressure to downgrade and even break ties with Russia where possible.

The five leaders from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, as well as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, were due to attend the emotionally charged event, one of the most important dates on Russia’s political calendar, to celebrate the Soviet WWII victory over Nazi Germany, a conflict referred to by Russians as the Great Patriotic War.

Putin links the victory over Adolf Hitler's Nazis with his war in Ukraine, which he claims is being run by a Nazi regime.

The Central Asian and Armenian leaders' decisions to attend the ceremony will raise eyebrows in Washington. It has been cranking up the pressure on the Central Asian states to at least substantially weaken ties with Russia. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Central Asia in March to meet with the region's foreign ministers, with both Western and Russian diplomats travelling the world to drum up support amid the fallout of the Ukraine conflict. 

Blinken has been putting pressure on the 'Stans to enforce the Western sanctions regime imposed on the Kremlin. He received some promises, but little concrete action. Kazakhstan introduced some extra inspections on transit goods to “ensure they complied with the sanctions regime”. Blinken promised to provide “alternatives to Russian investment and routes for exporting goods,” but given their landlocked geographies and Russia’s proximity, there are few alternatives to trading with Russia for the 'Stans.

Trade between the various Central Asian states and Russia continues to boom thanks to the war, bringing them badly needed economic windfalls. Blinken delivered a “prod rather than a shove” in the right direction, as the White House acknowledged that the Central Asian states have little choice but to maintain good relations with Russia as their economies remain joined at the hip. Nevertheless, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have been spooked by US threats of secondary sanctions and are trying to sail a difficult passage between maintaining good relations with Russia and not falling foul of Western sanctions.

The region has become a major transit route for banned goods entering Russia. Trade between the 'Stans and Russia has in fact exploded in the last year, with Moscow seeking conduits for sanctioned goods.

The leaders' attendance at the victory parade goes down as a major PR coup for Putin. He can use it to highlight Russia’s continued influence in its backyard. While all the leaders of the Central Asian and South Caucasus countries have moved to put some extra distance between themselves and the Kremlin, the attendance at the parade, always seen as very important to Putin as a mainstay of his nationalist message, underscores the realities of the ex-Soviet country's dependence.

The unbroken relations highlight the importance of Eurasia in Russia’s new foreign policy concept, released last month. It singles out Eurasia as a key region for development. Eurasia is also a major plank for China’s foreign policy as it attempts to build better land links between Asia and Europe. Both China and Russia are pushing for the deeper integration of the Eurasian countries as part of efforts to build a BRICS bloc of non-aligned emerging markets that are independent of Western influence or control.

All five Central Asian countries declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, but their economies remain tightly interwoven with Russia’s.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was set to visit a memorial in Rzhev, a city west of Moscow in Russia's Tver region. It was the site of heavy fighting during WWII. Many fighters from Central Asia are buried there.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov unveiled a memorial in Rzhev on May 8, saying it would "serve as a symbol of our eternal memory to all the heroes who fought for our future". Japarov arrived in Russia on May 7 for bilateral talks with Putin and other officials. He was the only one of the five Central Asian leaders to announce his participation in the May 9 parade days ahead of his arrival. The others made the announcement they were going to Moscow on “a working visit” the day before.

The parade used to attract the attendance of a substantial number of international dignitaries, but since 2014 participation has dwindled to a few members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

In 2021, only Tajik President Emomali Rahmon attended the Victory Day parade, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, no foreign leaders attended the Great Patriotic War celebrations in Moscow following the start fo Russia's unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February.

Notably, Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for nearly 30 years, traditionally leads the May 9 Victory Day celebration in his country, which was ravaged during World War II, but this year he is in Moscow.

Putin was expected to hold talks with the visiting leaders before and after the May 9 celebration. Japarov's office said the Kyrgyz leader was set to have a meeting with Putin on May 8 to discuss "current issues on the bilateral and multilateral agenda, as well as the future of further development of mutually beneficial co-operation."

Kyrgyzstan is part of the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a military alliance in Eurasia that also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The country is also a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), a trading bloc dominated by Russia that also includes Belarus, Armenia and Kazakhstan. Both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have Russian military bases.

Kyrgyzstan's Tulip Revolution took place in 2005 amid street protests driven by demands for political reforms. The uprising made it a beacon for fledgling democracy in a region more routinely stocked with post-communist authoritarians. Putin dismissed the pro-democracy events there and in other former Soviet republics, including in Georgia and Ukraine, as "colour revolutions" fomented by Western meddling.

Japarov was a surprise no-show at a gathering last year of the Russia-led Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in St Petersburg on Putin's 70th birthday. Kyrgyzstan then abruptly cancelled CSTO training drills, which hawkish Russian lawmaker Konstantin Zatulin suggested was a reflection of Bishkek indulging in a "game" and wishing "not to fall under any spread of Western sanctions." However, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan had just fought another of their periodic border conflicts and at the time of the St Petersburg celebration, Japarov was trying to put pressure on Putin to see things his way, rather than back Tajik President Emomali Rahmon who, coincidentally, was celebrating his 70th birthday at the same time as Russia's leader.

Pashinyan’s attendance at Moscow's Victory Day event goes down as a mild surprise. This is a leader who led the pro-democracy protests that ousted his country's former kleptocratic government. He is seen as a liberal reformer. However, like with the Central Asian counties, Armenia’s economy is heavily dependent on Moscow, such as in terms of unreplaceable gas supplies. Russia also guarantees its security in the region, a big consideration at a time when Armenia's conflict with Azerbaijan threatens to erupt into armed clashes once more. It is not hard to see why Pashinyan has gone out of his way to develop close ties with Putin since taking office.

https://www.bne.eu/leaders-of-all-five-stans-plus-armenia-in-moscow-for-may-9-victory-parade-278131/?source=russia

Armenia, Azerbaijan continue US talk in Moscow

Maral Takmazian
  MEHR News Agency
Iran – May 9 2023

TEHRAN, May 09 (MNA) – The planned meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow will be a continuation of the talks in the United States, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan said on Tuesday.

"All issues related to the peace agreement are a continuation of each other because the discussed issues are well-known," he said.

According to Grigoryan, Yerevan and Baku did not make significant progress on the main issues during the negotiations.

"We have not made any progress on the main issues of the negotiations, which are the definition of Armenia's sovereign territory of 29,800 kilometers, the establishment of an international Stepanakert-Baku mechanism and the provision of international guarantees," he said.

Grigoryan also said that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will soon meet twice. "Pashinyan and Aliyev will meet in Brussels on May 14, followed by a meeting in Chisinau. French President [Emmanuel] Macron and German Chancellor [Olaf] Scholz will also attend," he said.

SKH/PR

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/200523/Armenia-Azerbaijan-continue-US-talk-in-Moscow

Russia Outsmarts Europe with its New Iran-Armenia Trade Route

Tatoyan Vazgen
TFIGlobal
May 9 2023
 by Ansh Pandey

Russia has always been in love with the European market, despite the EU’s detest towards them. It’s a classic case of unrequited love, but that hasn’t stopped Russia from trying to establish new trade routes with Europe. And guess what? Russia has now come up with a new trade route via India, Iran, and Armenia that could outsmart Europe.

According to media reports, Pro-Russia Armenia is about to elaborate on a new Europe-India-Iran transport corridor. The task force’s goal is to develop a new cargo transportation route that will connect the countries of East Asia, India, and Iran with Europe through Georgia and the Black Sea, as an alternative to the North-South international transport corridor. 

The new route is set to connect Europe with India and East Asian countries through the Indian Ocean. The task force will be headed by the Armenian Minister of Economy, who will have to report to the Prime Minister on a quarterly basis. The group must establish contacts and discuss technical and other issues with relevant departments of India, Georgia, and Iran. 

The first political consultations in a trilateral format between the Foreign Ministries of Armenia, Iran, and India took place on April 20 in Yerevan. The issues discussed included new economic, regional, and communication channels, as well as the prospects for deepening trilateral cooperation in various areas.

If this plan materializes, the EU will have a new exclusive trade route to ship exports without any new costs. This would undoubtedly be beneficial for the EU. However, the proposal to first connect the Chahabar port with Yerevan and then move straight to the EU is surprising. But, one cannot deny the role that Russia could potentially play in this deal.

Iran wants to sell its oil, but it can’t supply oil directly because of sanctions. Russia is exporting its oil to Iran, which is then getting re-exported. Furthermore, Russia is actively pursuing new economic links with Iran. 

Armenia’s connection and affection with Russia are also well-known. Russia is the monopoly supplier of gas and other energy resources, including nuclear fuel for the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, which provides 40 percent of domestic electricity generation.

To add to this, many thousands of Armenian migrant workers reside in Russia, and Russia accounts for 70 percent of money transfers from abroad to Armenia, which reached a record $3.5 billion last year. It’s hard to deny Russian links in this deal, especially since Russian FM Sergei Lavrov came to Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh Crisis.

This makes the claim of a new Russian trade route more certain. Russia is establishing new links of trade to the EU via various means, like a backdoor entry. The EU may detest Russia, but it cannot deny the benefits of this new trade route.

The EU may detest Russia, but little do they know, Putin has a plan up its sleeve. With India, Iran, and Armenia all in on this trade route, it’s a veritable dream team that could outsmart Europe at its own game.

And let’s not forget about Russia’s active pursuit of economic links with Iran – they’re practically inseparable at this point. And with Armenia’s strong connections to Iran, it’s like they’re all in on the same secret trade route club.

So, while the EU may be shaking their heads at Russia’s shenanigans, it’s hard to deny that they won’t be using this new trade route to their advantage.

 

Russia to host Armenia-Azerbaijan talks after Brussels meeting, says Deputy FM

Jirair Kafian

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 13:39, 9 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will have a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Russia in a trilateral format after the Brussels talks, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Paruyr Hovhannisyan said Tuesday.

“By now you’ve probably seen the statement by President of the European Council Charles Michel, that the next meeting will take place in Brussels. It will then continue in Moscow in a trilateral format,” Hovhannisyan told reporters.

He praised the intensity of talks.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will have a trilateral meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the President of the European Council Charles Michel on 14 May in Brussels, the European Council announced Monday. The leaders will also hold a meeting together with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on 1 June.

LAUSD Acknowledges Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day

Karlen Baghdasarian

Venice High School, CA
May 8 2023

Zora Hollie, Reporter
May 8, 2023

Los Angeles Unified Schools had the day off on Monday, April 24 in recognition of Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

This unassigned day stemmed from a LAUSD Board of Education decision in October 2020, when board members voted unanimously to add the new holiday. 

Board member Kelly Gonez, who authored the resolution, thought it was important to support the Armenian community of Los Angeles.

“Each year, Armenian families across Los Angeles remember those lost in the first genocide in modern history, and many of them have a direct connection to the tragedy,” she said. 

In fact, Los Angeles has the highest population of Armenians in the United States, many settling in the Glendale area to escape the genocide of the early 1900s. 

Assistant principal, Mariana Kayichian, was surprised to hear about the new unassigned day.

“As somebody with an Armenian background, I was really surprised to see that, because I don’t think we’ve ever gotten that sort of recognition before,” Kayichian said. 

Kayichian, who went to a school with about 40% Armenians– Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, CA–  was very involved in the Armenian community growing up. 

“On April 24, what we did every single year is we all went to the Turkish consulate to protest, to demand recognition, because to this day the genocide hasn’t been recognized by that government. And so on that day, nobody was at school,” Kayichian said. 

April 24 is a day dedicated to remember the start of the genocide, which killed 1.5 million Armenians. 

The genocide mostly took place in eastern Anatolia, which held a large community of Christian Armenians. These Armenians were treated as second-class citizens of the Ottoman Empire, paying higher taxes and having few legal and political rights. 

In 1908, a group called the Young Turks gained control of the empire, and focused heavily on Turkish nationalism. 

As the Turks entered World War 1, suspicions arose from military leaders about the loyalty of Christian Armenians. Many Turkish officials felt that Armenians would support nearby Christian governments, such as the Russian army. The Turkish government began to push for the removal of Armenians in the east. 

On April 24, 1915 the genocide began, and several hundred Armenians were arrested and executed. As the genocide continued, Armenian peasants were forced to march through the Mesopatamian desert until they dropped dead. The Young Turks created killing squads, which used many different methods for mass murder, including drowning, burning, and crucifixion. The Turkish government also deported thousands of Armenians and forced children to convert to Islam.

“There’s so many other examples of this throughout history, not just with Armenians, so it’s just about having that global awareness and empathy towards other people and the historical trauma that they could be dealing with, as an individual or a family,” Kayichian said. 

Today, Turkey continues to deny the state-sanctioned murder and mass deportation of Armenians. Historically, Turkey has been a strong ally of the United States and other Western nations, so these governments have been slow to condemn the killings.

However, on April 24, 2021, President Joe Biden recognized the tragedy as a genocide, a change from past presidents who have been hesitant to use the word.

“While it’s a day for us to remember, it’s also a day for us to be active and voice our collective desire for global recognition,” Kayichian said. 

 President Biden’s choice to recognize the genocide signifies an important step for the nation. Historical topics that deal with issues in human rights, such as the history of slavery in the United States or the forced displacement of Native Americans, although challenging to confront, have to be recognized if we want to grow as a country.

And just as President Biden’s recognition is a significant step for the nation, LAUSD’s recognition of the day is a significant step for the district. 

“I just hope that the district continues to have professional development for all staff to be aware of these historical moments, to make sure that they’re then passing that awareness and knowledge off to the students. I’m really proud of the district for their focus on culturally responsive lessons and units, and I hope that a lot of different cultures continue to be represented,” Kayichian said.

https://veniceoarsman.com/13614/news/lausd-acknowledges-american-genocide-remembrance-day/

Putin hosts ‘informal breakfast’ for Pashinyan and other visiting leaders on Victory Day

Christine Harutyunian

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 13:58, 9 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan joined Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of CIS countries for an ‘informal breakfast’ in the Kremlin on May 9, RIA Novosti reports.

PM Pashinyan is in Moscow at the invitation of Putin for the Victory Day celebrations.

[see video]

A parade marking 78 years since Nazi Germany surrendered to the Soviet Union in the Second World War was held on Red Square.

Pashinyan, along with Putin and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and Serdar Berdymuhamedov of Turkmenistan then visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to lay flowers.

WATCH: Immortal Regiment march in Yerevan

Emil Lazarian

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 14:40, 9 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 9, ARMENPRESS. Hundreds of people marched on May 9 across Yerevan in the Immortal Regiment procession on Victory Day, marking 78 years since Nazi Germany surrendered to the Soviet Union in the Second World War. 

[see video]

The march was organized by the Immortal Regiment NGO.

WWII veterans were among the participants.

Participants were waving the flag of Armenia and carrying photos of their family members who died in WWII.

Immortal Regiment NGO founding director Edmon Hovhannisyan earlier said that the goal of the event is to always keep the victories and heroism of Armenians bright.

“Our ancestors, our grandfathers and parents continue to teach us what’s patriotism and family, how you should protect your country, when you live as one nation, one family,” Hovhannisyan said, adding that they link the past with the present by organizing the procession.

Photos by Tatev Duryan