Tag Archives: Armenia

Armenia returns dead servicemen

NOV. 22 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia brought back the bodies of three crew members of a helicopter shot down by Azerbaijan earlier this month, media reported. The shooting down of the helicopter over the disputed region of Nagorno- Karabakh has heightened tension between the two neighbours.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 210, published on Nov. 26 2014)

Armenia to defend currency

NOV. 24 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia’s Central Bank said it was prepared to spend millions of dollars propping up its currency, the dram, despite increased pressure to devalue.

Like other currencies across the South Caucasus and Central Asia region, falling oil prices and a devaluation in Russian rouble are pressuring the dram.

On Monday, Nov. 24, the dram was trading at 435 to $1, down 4% from Friday.

“The Central Bank reserves are enough to prevent any artificial fluctuations of the rate and secure financial stability,” the Central Bank said in a statement.

Perhaps but the warning signs are increasing and even the Central Bank’s statement smacks of desperation.

In the last three weeks, Reuters reported, the Armenian Central Bank has spent over $60m defending its currency.

Armenia is tied into Russia, politically, economically and emotionally. It has agreed to join the Kremlin’s Eurasian Economic Union in January and Russian business virtually runs the economy.

With oil prices and the rouble falling further it can only be a matter of time before currencies such as the dram also tumble again.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 210, published on Nov. 26 2014)

Azerbaijanis support shooting down of helicopter

BAKU/Azerbaijan, NOV. 26 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) — Kamal Hasanov is the owner of small tea house in a back street of Baku. His thick eyebrows and grey hair make him appear older than his 42 years. As a war veteran he’s holds particularly strong views on the Armenian helicopter shot-down by Azerbaijan on November 12.

“My TV set here is always on,” he said. “We come together for every news bulletin to see what’s going in Garabagh (Azerbaijani new for the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh). The helicopter incident made us even angrier at Armenians. Why did they dare to fly over our territory? What’s there purpose? They well-deserved this lesson.”

Baku said the helicopter was probing Azerbaijani defences along the frontline, while Armenia insists it was on a training mission. The truth, as is usual around the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, is hard to decipher but, wherever it lies, the incident has triggered one of the most serious crises between Azerbaijan and Armenia for years.

In Azerbaijan, there was an air of triumph. On social media some people changed their profile pictures to the photo of the officer who shot downed the helicopter.

Vahid Guliyev, 28, was drinking tea. He said that he was sorry for the incident and for the officers who died, but that it was the fault of the Armenian government. “Armenia should be more careful,” he said.

Gulzar Muradova, 54, said he hoped the incident would not provoke conflict. He said: “Armenia should consider that Azerbaijan’s military budget is growing but, of course, nobody wants war.”

However, some people are expecting Armenia to retaliate. Arzu Quliyeva, 34, said that even if Armenia decided to retaliate, was within its rights to shoot down the helicopter. He said: “Why should the helicopter come that close? Isn’t there enough space in Armenia for training sessions?”

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 210, published on Nov. 26 2014)

Weak rouble hits Armenia wine

NOV. 17 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – The falling value of the Russian rouble is hitting vital wine exports to Russia, the head of the Armenian wine-making union, Avag Harutyunyan, told media. Russia is the biggest market for Armenian wine and brandy. Mr Harutyunyan said that Armenia would export 30% less wine this year than last year.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 209, published on Nov.19 2014)

Armenia promises consequences

NOV. 12 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – In a ratcheting up of tension, Armenia promised “grave consequences” after Azerbaijan shot down one of its military helicopters. Azerbaijan said that the Armenian helicopter had attacked its positions. Armenia said it had been on a training exercise.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 209, published on Nov.19 2014)

Azerbaijan shoots down Armenian helicopter

NOV. 12 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Azerbaijan said that it had shot down an Armenian military helicopter, killing all three crew members.

Armenia later confirmed the downing of its helicopter. The incident triggered the most serious stand-off between the two neighbours since a UN negotiated cease-fire ended a war over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1994.

Pro-Armenian rebels now control Nagorno-Karabakh but Azerbaijan has pledged to re-take the region and it has spent much of its recent oil wealth building up its army and buying the latest hi-tech weapons.

Azerbaijan’s military later released an animation showing how the Armenian helicopter had been flying over its territory and opened fire on its soldiers before it was shot down.

Armenia countered that the helicopter was on an unarmed exercise when it was shot down.

A Conway Bulletin correspondent in Baku said that most Azerbaijanis supported their government’s action.

“Armenia should respect Azerbaijan’s borders,” 28-year- old Muard Guliyev told the Bulletin. “If it doesn’t, there will be hard times head.”

International agencies and countries urged both Azerbaijan and Armenia to reduce the rhetoric.

Earlier this year, a shootout between the two sides killed several soldiers.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 209, published on Nov.19 2014)

Iran to build Armenia hydro site

NOV. 17 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Iran is to build a hydro-electric plant in Armenia, one of the strongest signals yet that the two neighbours are developing ever closer relations.

The Iranian state-run news agency, Fars News quoted Iran’s energy minister Hamid Chitchian as saying that a memorandum of understanding had been signed between the two sides and that construction of the hydro-electric plant will start shortly.

The two neighbours have been working on the deal for some time.

In many ways, both Armenia and Iran have been forced to work with each other because of their various geo- political scenarios.

Armenia borders Azerbaijan and Turkey, both enemies, and is short of friends in the region. Iran is looking for allies to bolster its position during the current US- imposed sanctions.

Over the past few years Armenia and Iran have widened their cooperation, particularly with energy swaps.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 209, published on Nov.19 2014)

Armenia remittances fall

NOV. 6 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Remittances to Armenia from Russia were 8.6% lower in September this year than in the same month in 2013, media reported quoting the Central Bank. Armenia’s economy is closely linked to Russia which is suffering from a severe downturn triggered by a falling oil price and Western imposed sanctions.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 208, published on Nov.12 2014)

Microsoft praised Armenia’s tech

NOV. 10 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – On a trip to Yerevan, US software company Microsoft praised Armenia’s drive to boost its tech sector. Mark Day, a senior official at Microsoft, described Armenia’s tech sector as reaching a “world level”. Armenia has highlighted technology as an area it can attract foreign investment.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 208, published on Nov.12 2014)

Armenia joins tourist route

NOV. 10 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Aiming to give tourism a lift, Armenia said it would join the EU-funded Black Sea Silk Road Corridor which already includes Georgia, Turkey and Greece. The focus of the corridor is a 3,000km path that weaves through 150 cultural sites. Armenia’s government has earmarked tourism as a way of boosting the economy.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 208, published on Nov.12 2014)