Category: 2023

 11:24, 8 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan issued a congratulatory message on the occasion of March 8, ARMENPRESS presents the message of the Prime Minister.

“Dear women,

I heartily congratulate each and every one of you on the occasion of International Women's Day. This holiday has always been important for us, but now we attach special importance to it.

Today, we first bow to our numerous mothers, whose sons gave their lives for the sake of the motherland. Many of them give new life and hope to all of us, overcoming grief by ragain enjoying the joy of motherhood and thus resurrecting their martyred children.

We bow to our women widowed as a result of the war, who bear the burden of caring for bereaved families and call on their children to live, learn, overcome all difficulties and win the battles that fate brings.

Today we bow to those women who are a strong support and trust to their husbands serving in the armed forces, who are responsible for the security of the country, the state.

Today, we bow to the women who serve in the Armed Forces themselves, while also highlighting the expansion of women's roles in the life of our country that is happening before our very eyes. And this is not an ideological, political, or even worldview issue.

For quite a long time now, women have been the majority of our country's population and understandably need to take on more responsibility. And it is logical that today in our country more and more often women assume roles, responsibilities and positions that are unprecedented in the history of our country and our society should encourage this process.

Women are increasingly involved in economic activities, state administration and local self-government, judicial and law enforcement systems, and, as mentioned above, in the armed forces. And this is the guaranty of our country's development, because not using the huge potential of women to the full means being short-sighted.

Many are pessimistic about the expansion of the role of women in all spheres of public and state life, stressing that the woman is the pillar of the traditional Armenian family. This is certainly true and unequivocal. But the man is also the pillar of the traditional Armenian family and no one is worried when the man serves in the army, the police, engages in economic activities, or leads an active public-political life. On the other hand, of course, the state should make motherhood an issue of special care, which we do consistently.

On March 8, 2023, I considered it important to outline this context, because the International Women's Day is not about women being fragile and vulnerable. International Women's Day is about women being more capable.

Dear women, I congratulate each and every one of you on March 8. Thank you for going above and beyond and always willing to go above and beyond.

And therefore,

Long Live Freedom

Long live the Republic of Armenia

Long live our children who will live in Free and Happy Armenia”.

 11:27, 8 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. The EU remains concerned that the continuing disruption to freedom of movement through the Lachin corridor is affecting human rights in Nagorno Karabakh, including rights to health, education and food, ARMENPRESS reports, the official website of the EU said in a statement.

“The EU calls on the Azerbaijani authorities and all responsible to guarantee freedom and security of movement along the corridor, in line with the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020, and to abide by the order of the International Court of Justice of 22 February 2023. The EU urges Azerbaijan and Armenia to continue to engage in dialogue, including at the leaders’ level. We look forward to continuation of President of the European Council Michel facilitated peace process”, reads the statement.

 12:10, 8 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. Today, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), is circulating a letter for his colleagues to sign outlining key congressional priorities for Armenia and Artsakh. The letter, to be sent to House State Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL) and Ranking Member Barbara Lee (D-CA), specifically calls for $100 million in aid to Armenia, $50 million in aid to Artsakh, $2 million for demining efforts, as well as enforcing Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, and releasing Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians who were supposed to be freed under the terms of the trilateral statement signed in November 2020, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Armenian Assembly of America.

Citing Azerbaijan's "inhumane" and illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor, which is now in its third month, the letter emphasized that the region's Armenian people are "on the brink of a humanitarian crisis" that "threatens to have lasting consequences on the region's security."

While the Armenian people are still trying to recover from the "severe hardships caused by the deadly 44-day war" that Azerbaijan, with the full and open support of Turkey, waged on Artsakh in September 2020, the letter highlighted that these ongoing "cruel actions" of blockading the Lachin Corridor and denying access to medical treatments, food, and essential goods, have created "overwhelming needs" and therefore "the assistance provided to date by the U.S. government is wholly insufficient."

In order to bolster the security of Armenia and champion democracy in the region, the letter also urges assistance to Armenia to "protect their sovereignty" in the face of constant "Azerbaijani expansion and authoritarianism." The "critical investment" will build on the past support for Armenia and Artsakh and further strengthen U.S.-Armenia relations and partnerships.

Cutting off military assistance to Azerbaijan is another point underscored in the letter, which states that it is "abundantly clear that the continued waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, amidst Azerbaijan’s unabated policy of aggression, has emboldened this violent pattern of behavior."

Tracing President Ilham Aliyev's brutal 2020 assault on Artsakh not long after receiving over $100 million in security assistance through the Section 333 Building Partner Capacity Program in Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019, the letter states that "holding Azerbaijan accountable is long overdue and must begin with Congress encouraging the Administration to fully enforce Section 907, restricting the Administration’s authority to waive this law, and enacting statutory prohibitions on any new or pending U.S. military or security aid to Azerbaijan."

Despite agreeing to the terms of the trilateral statement, Azerbaijan continues to detain over 130 Armenian prisoners of war, hostages, and detained persons, and the letter urges their immediate return.

"The Assembly urges Members of Congress to join this important initiative spearheaded by Congressman Pallone and the Armenian Caucus," said Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan. "Securing aid for Armenia and Artsakh, stopping military assistance to Azerbaijan, and ensuring the release of Armenian prisoners of war are vital. With so much at stake as the Armenian people face a humanitarian crisis and genocidal threats to their very existence, we urge the community to join with us for our upcoming Advocacy Summit and make our voices heard in the halls of Congress." Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

 12:34, 8 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. Louis Bono, Senior Advisor for Caucasian Negotiations of the US State Department, visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial and paid tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims, the US Embassy in Armenia informed.

The message released by the embassy states that in meetings with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahe Gevorgyan, Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan, Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono reaffirmed the readiness of the United States to engage in bilateral and multilateral formats, as well as with like-minded partners to help Armenia and Azerbaijan achieve lasting and comprehensive peace.

"He emphasized the need for free and open commercial and private movement through the Lachin Corridor. Louis Bono also visited the Genocide Memorial to pay his respects to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide," reads the message.

 12:40, 8 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. The role of the US in the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement process is not mediation, no text will be imposed on the parties. ARMENPRESS reports Louis Bono, the American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the senior adviser of the US State Department on negotiations in the South Caucasus, told "Azatutyun" radio station.

"Our role in this process is not mediation. We are not here to impose a text, to wrap conditions around the neck of either side. What we are trying to do is facilitate peace. I mean, we want the parties themselves to work out the text and the terms and agree on them together. They must work on it together, because any lasting, sustainable and balanced peace must come from both sides. It cannot come from a third party, from outside," said Bono.

 13:22, 8 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. Toivo Klaar, the special representative of the European Union in the South Caucasus, announced that the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, wants to hold another tripartite meeting with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, wants the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia to come to Brussels again. A few weeks ago, he met with the leaders in Munich. Now we expect that the leaders will meet again in Brussels in the near future," ARMENPRESS reports Klaar told the Azerbaijani APA agency.

 14:27, 8 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenia conducted tests of 155mm/39 MArG self-propelled howitzers developed by Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL) before ordering the weapon, ARMNPRESS reports, the Indian Defense Research Wing said.

"Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited officials stated that the Marg 155/39 self-propelled howitzer was developed in 8 months and tested by the Indian Army in Balasore and Pokran before it was offered to Armenia, which was looking for a weapon system for military operations in the highlands, where the conflict with Azerbaijan continues," writes IDRW.

The self-propelled MArG 155/ 39 howitzer was tested again in the presence of Armenian officials for about 40 days, and the deal was sealed at a defense industry exhibition after it met all the marksmanship standards set by the Armenian military.