Tag Archives: Armenia

Armenian president says that friendship protocols with Turkey are void

SEPT. 20 (The Bulletin) — In his speech to the UN General Assembly, Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan said he would declare 2009 Armenia-Turkey Protocols null and void unless ratified by April. The speech is a public indicator of just how far relations between Armenia and Turkey have soured since the now-seemingly-heady-days of 2009, when a rapprochement between the old enemies had appeared possible.

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— This story was first published in issue 344 of The Conway Bulletin, now called the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Sept. 24 2017.

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2017

Economic activity rises in Armenia

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SEPT. 20 (The Bulletin) — Armenia’s economic activity index showed a rise of 5.5% between Jan. and Aug. compared to the same period in 2016, the National Statistics Agency said. The index is considered the most important index to watch for business sentiment in Armenia.

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— This story was first published in issue 344 of The Conway Bulletin, now called the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Sept. 24 2017.

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2017

Armenia says it will give up land in return for peace around Nagorno-Karabakh

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SEPT. 19 (The Bulletin) — Armenia’s foreign minister Eduard Nalbandian said that the government may be willing to surrender slices of disputed land around the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which Armenian-backed separatists control, in return for a lasting peace-deal. The proposal, made during a speech to diaspora in Yerevan was roundly criticised by the Armenian media. Azerbaijan has not responded to the suggestions that were heavily label as ‘hypothetical’.

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— This story was first published in issue 344 of The Conway Bulletin, now called the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Sept. 24 2017.

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2017

Armenian MP group submits request to leave Eurasian Economic Union

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SEPT. 8 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — A group of pro-Western MPs in Armenia submitted a proposal in parliament to leave the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Armenia’s government is staunchly pro-Russia and has no intention of leaving the EEU but the proposal is a reminder that a more pro-Western strand exists in the Armenian political spectrum. Yelk, which holds nine seats in the 105 member chamber, said that Armenia’s economy has suffered in the three years it has been part of the EEU.
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— This story was first published in issue 343 of The Conway Bulletin on Sept. 15 2017

UN investigates fire at chemical factory

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SEPT. 11 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — UN investigators have flown to Armenia to help local teams look into the causes of a fire that engulfed part of the Nairit chemical plant in August, Armenian media reported. The fire was one of the biggest at an Armenian industrial site in recent years and burnt for two days. The UN, under its OCHA unit, is particularly concerned about chemical leaks and spills.
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— This story was first published in issue 343 of The Conway Bulletin on Sept. 15

Iran drops tax on foodstuffs to Central Asia

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SEPT. 4 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Iran has lifted an export tax on foodstuffs being sent to Central Asia and the South Caucasus, media quoted Abdollah Mohajer, the head of Mazandaran Province Chamber of Commerce, as saying. The export tax had covered a range of products including pistachio nuts, cabbages, dates and raisins. Ditching the export tax is likely to drop the price of sending foodstuffs to Central Asia by up to 20%. Iran is increasingly trying to tap into Central Asia and the South Caucasus as natural export markets for is various products.

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(News report from Issue No. 342, published on Sept. 7 2017)

China considers building $300m smelter in Armenia

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AUG. 31 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Armenia is discussing a potential $300m investment with China to build a copper smelting plant, media quoted Armenian economic development minister Suren Karayan as saying. China has been increasingly busy in pushing its investment portfolio in Armenia. It wants to boost its presence across Central Asia and the South Caucasus as part of its “Belt and Road” trade strategy.

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(News report from Issue No. 342, published on Sept. 7 2017)

Israeli drone-maker may have attacked Armenian soldiers

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AUG. 29 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) –The Israeli government has suspended the licence of weapons manufacturer Aeronautics Defense Systems for allegedly showing off a new drone weapon to Azerbaijani clients by attacking Armenian forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The case shows both the growing military partnership between Israel and Azerbaijan and also the lengths that Israeli defence companies will go to win contracts with their Azerbaijani counterparts.

Aeronautics Defense Systems made the disclosure to the Israeli stock market.
“The Defense Ministry’s Defense Export Controls Agency informed the company that it was suspending the marketing and export permit for the company’s Orbiter 1K model UAV to a significant customer,” it said in a statement.

A couple of weeks earlier, Israeli newspaper had reported on a leaked complaint made to the Israeli defence ministry. It said that officials from Aeronautics Defense Systems had travelled to Azerbaijan in July to show off their Orbiter 1K suicide drone that is packed with explosives and deliberately flown into an enemy position.

During the demonstration, the reports said, Azerbaijani officials asked Aeronautics Defense Systems to attack an Armenian position in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The two controllers of the drone refused but two other members of the Aeronautics Defense Systems team took the controls and attacked the Armenian position.

The alliance between Azerbaijan and Israel has been growing. Azerbaijan is one of the biggest importers of Israeli military kit and in 2012 Israel also reportedly made a deal with Azerbaijan to use its airbases in a preemptive attack on neighbouring Iran.
Armenia-backed forces currently control the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh which hey fought over in the 1990s.

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(News report from Issue No. 342, published on Sept. 7 2017)

Armenia scraps visas for Japanese

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AUG. 31 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Armenia lifted visa requirements for Japanese citizens, two years after Japan opened an embassy in Yerevan. Armenia has had an embassy in Tokyo since 2010. Previously, like EU citizens, Japanese citizens had to apply for a visa on arrival at an Armenian border.

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(News report from Issue No. 342, published on Sept. 7 2017)

Fire destroys chemical factory in Armenia

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AUG. 29 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — An explosion at a chemical manufacturing plant in Nairit, Armenia, ignited a fire that raged for at least two days. The chemicals plant has been on the verge of bankruptcy for several years, with management sacking two-thirds of the staff en mass in 2015. The plant is currently owned by Samvel Karapetyan, one of Armenia’s richest men, through his company Electric Networks of Armenia. It is unclear if anybody was hurt in the explosion and what caused it.

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(News report from Issue No. 342, published on Sept. 7 2017)