Armed with shields and helmets, police troops have formed a barrier and shut down the sector of the street leading from Marshal Baghramyan Avenue to Demirtchyan Street in Yerevan. In addition, police officers have shut down Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in the same sector with their cars.

There is a large number of police troops inside the National Assembly as well, including near the entrance in order to ensure entry of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan into the National Assembly.

Today is the day of the question-and-answer session with government officials in parliament, meaning all government officials will be in parliament.

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President Armen Sarkissian held a meeting today with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Colonel-General Onik Gasparyan, the presidency said in a news release.

The president and Gasparyan discussed the “tense situation which resulted from the latest developments.”

“It was noted that regardless of the decisions in this regard, the country’s security and stability are of primary importance. President Sarkissian mentioned that the armed forces should always be under our care and that he will continue keeping the army and its issues under his attention.”

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YEREVAN, March 2. /ARKA/. Armenia’s President Armen Sarkissian did not sign a draft decree resubmitted by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan seeking the resignation of the chief of the staff of the armed forces Onik Gasparyan, Sarkissian’s press service said today.

It said the president emphasizes immediate resolution of the political crisis related to the resignation Onik Gasparyan.

To this end, the president had a series of meetings with the Prime Minister, Onik Gasparyan and the high command of the Armed Forces. The president also looked into prime minister’s explanations why he did not agree to his objections to signing the decree.

“It is obvious that the current situation has resulted from disagreements between political and military leaderships during and after the war (in Nagorno-Karabakh), sometimes with highly personalized approaches. Legally problematic interpretations, legal practice and possible gaps in the law, which are grounds for objection to the signing of the decree, cannot be ignored either,” the press service said.

In his previous statements, the president emphasized that an early settlement of the issue within the framework of the Constitution is of paramount importance for the security and stability of Armenia and Artsakh and is an absolute necessity to prevent further schism in society, to restore the unity of the people and public solidarity and to get out of the current situation and reach a final decision.

“The President of the Republic decided not to sign the draft decision. At the same time, guided by paragraph 4 of part 1 of Article 169 of the Constitution, the President will submit a separate application to the Constitutional Court with a request to determine the issue of compliance with the Constitution of the law “On military service and the status of a serviceman” dated November 15, 2017, ” the press service said.

The press service noted that the president, adhering to his commitment, will continue steps aimed at further stabilizing the situation, and calls on everyone, using the presidential institution as a platform, to find a negotiated comprehensive solution to all existing problems.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has been facing opposition demands to resign since he signed a peace deal in November with Azerbaijani and Russian leaders to end the 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh that claimed thousands of young lives, and saw Azerbaijan reclaim control over large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas that had been held by Armenian forces for more than a quarter of a century.

The standoff has intensified after Pashinyan fired a deputy chief of the army’s general staff Tiran Khachatryan who reportedly laughed off his claim that only 10% of Russia-supplied Iskander missiles that Armenia used in the conflict exploded.

After Khachatryan’s sacking the chief of the army staff Onik Gasparyan and more than 40 other high-ranking army officers signed under a statement demanding Pashinyan’s resignation. Pashinyan reiterated by issuing an order to sack Gasparyan and called the demand as attempted coup.

However, Armenia’s largely ceremonial president, Armen Sarkissian refused to sign it and sent back to Pashinyan’s office. “Political struggle must not go beyond the bounds of the law, it should not lead to shocks and instability,” he said in a statement.

Pashinyan quickly resubmitted the demand warning that the president could be impeached if he fails to endorse the move.-0-

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Glendale – On February 26, Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles Ambassador Armen Baibourtian held a virtual meeting with U.S. Congressman David Valadao, who is a member of the Republican Party. The meeting was also attended by the Honorary Consul of Armenia in Fresno Berj Apkarian.

Congressman Valadao is the U.S. Representative for California’s 21st congressional district, which includes significant parts of the heavily Armenian populated Fresno.Consul General Baibourtian congratulated Congressman Valadao on the occasion of his re-election as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and on assuming the position of the Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues.

During the meeting, Ambassador Baibourtian presented the aftermath of the Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression against Artsakh and its consequences for Artsakh and Armenia, as well as the emerged humanitarian crisis in the post-war period.Ambassador Baibourtian attached special importance to the issue of the Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) held in Azerbaijan underlining the need for their immediate return to the homeland. The interlocutors agreed to hold their meetings periodically, thus planning to have the upcoming one in Fresno to discuss issues of mutual interest.During the meeting, Congressman David Valadao spoke warmly about the Armenian-American community emphasizing its importance and unique contribution in all spheres of life in the largest U.S. State of California. Ambassador Baibourtian mentioned that the Armenian community in California has its roots in the Central Valley, particularly in Fresno, where the Armenian community began to take shape in the last decades of the 19th century.Ambassador Baibourtian expressed his appreciation to the fact that Congressman Valadao had visited Artsakh in September 2017. He was also thankful for the Armenian Caucus letter of February 19 signed by 100 Members of Congress encouraging the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to strengthen the United States – Armenia bilateral relations.

ՀՀ ԳԼԽԱՎՈՐ ՀՅՈՒՊԱՏՈՍ, ԴԵՍՊԱՆ ԱՐՄԵՆ ԲԱՅԲՈՒՐԴՅԱՆԻ ՀԱՆԴԻՊՈՒՄԸ ԱՄՆ ԿՈՆԳՐԵՍԱԿԱՆ ԴԵՅՎԻԴ ՎԱԼԱԴԱՈՅԻ ՀԵՏ
ԳԼԵՆԴԵՅԼ – Փետրվարի 26-ին Լոս Անջելեսում ՀՀ գլխավոր հյուպատոս, դեսպան Արմեն Բայբուրդյանը հեռավար հանդիպում ունեցավ ԱՄՆ կոնգրեսական Դեյվիդ Վալադաոյի հետ, որը ԱՄՆ Հանրապետական կուսակցության անդամ է։ Հանդիպմանը մասնակցում էր Ֆրեզնոյում ՀՀ պատվավոր հյուպատոս Պերճ Աբգարյանը։ ԱՄՆ  Ներկայացուցիչների պալատի անդամ Վալադաոն ներկայացնում է Կալիֆորնիայի Կենտրոնական հովտի կոնգրեսական 21-րդ ընտրաշրջանը՝ հայաշատ Ֆրեզնոյի մի զգալի մասը իր մեջ ներառող։Գլխավոր հյուպատոս Բայբուրդյանը կոնգրեսական Վալադաոյին շնորհավորեց  ԱՄՆ  Կոնգրեսի Ներկայացուցիչների պալատի անդամ վերընտրվելու և Հայկական հարցերի կոնգրեսական հանձնախմբի համանախագահությունը ստանձնելու կապակցությամբ (Co-Chair of Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues.)։ Հանդիպման ընթացքում Ա․ Բայբուրդյանը ներկայացրեց Արցախի դեմ ադրբեջանաթուրքական ռազմական ագրեսիայի հետևանքները Արցախի և Հայաստանի համար, ինչպես նաև պատերազմից հետո առաջացած մարդասիրական ճգնաժամը։ Դեսպան Բայբուրդյանը հատուկ կարևորություն տվեց Ադրբեջանում պահվող հայ ռազմագերիների խնդրին՝ ընդգծելով նրանց հայրենիք շուտափույթ վերադարձի անհրաժեշտության հարցը։ Զրուցակիցները պայմանավորվեցին հանդիպումներին պարբերական  բնույթ տալու մասին՝ ծրագրելով առաջիկա հանդիպումը Ֆրեզնոյում անցկացնել և երկուստեք հետաքրքրության հարցերը քննարկել։Հանդիպման ժամանակ կոնգրեսական Դեյվիդ Վալադաոն ջերմությամբ արտահայտվեց ամերիկահայ համայնքի մասին և կարևորեց համայնքի դերակատարությունը և ուրույն ներդրումը ԱՄՆ խոշորագույն նահանգի կյանքի բոլոր բնագավառներում։ Դեսպան Բայբուրդյանը շեշտեց, որ Կալիֆորնիայի հայահոծ համայնքի ակունքները գտնվում են հենց Կենտրոնական հովտի շրջանում՝ Ֆրեզնոյում, ուր հայկական համայնքը սկսել է ձևավորվել դեռևս 19-րդ դարի վերջին տասնամյակներին։Ա․ Բայբուրդյանը նաև գոհունակություն հայտնեց Հայկական հարցերի կոնգրեսական հանձնախմբի ԱՄՆ պետքարտուղարին և պաշտպանության քարտուղարին ուղղված փետրվարի 19-ով թվագրված նամակի համար՝ կոչով ամրապնդել ԱՄՆ-Հայաստան երկկողմ հարաբերությունները։ Դեսպան Բայբուրդյանը նաև իր գնահատանքի խոսքն ասաց առ այն, որ կոնգրեսական Վալադաոն Արցախ էր այցելել 2017 թվականի սեպտեմբերին։

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By Harut Sassounian,

Words have meanings and consequences as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan found out when he told a journalist last week that the powerful Russian Iskander missiles, supposedly fired by Armenia during the Artsakh War last November, “did not explode or exploded 10%.” This surprising statement was in response to an interview by previous President Serzh Sargsyan in which he asked why Pashinyan had not ordered the use of the Iskander missiles during the early part of the Artsakh War.

Several days after the Prime Minister’s highly controversial statement, his spokeswoman announced that Pashinyan “was not briefed correctly regarding the Russian missiles.” But it was too late. The damage was done.

No one could have predicted the chain of unexpected events that followed Pashinyan’s words questioning the merits of the Iskander missiles that Russia had exported exclusively to Armenia. A large number of Russian military experts and political leaders reacted very harshly to Pashinyan’s statement viewing it as disparaging of the prized missiles of Russia and the prestige of its defense industry.

However, the reaction within Armenia was no less devastating. When First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Tiran Khachatryan, a Lieutenant General, was asked to comment on Pashinyan’s statement about the Iskander missiles not exploding, he responded with a chuckle that it was not possible and not serious.

Upon hearing of this slight, Prime Minister Pashinyan immediately ordered the firing of the Deputy General Staff. His dismissal was endorsed by Pres. Armen Sarkissian, according to the process outlined in the constitution. The Prime Minister had surely overreacted to Khachatryan’s snub, particularly since Pashinyan himself had appointed him in June 2020 and awarded him the prestigious “National Hero” medal for his outstanding role during the Artsakh War.

In retaliation, dozens of top Armenian military leaders released a joint statement on Feb. 25, 2021, demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister and his government. The statement was signed by Onik Gasparyan, Chief of the General Staff and 40 other high-ranking military Officers, including 17 generals and Commanders of all five Army Corps. Later, several other military and police officials added their signatures.

The military’s statement expressed its “resolute protest” against the “short-sighted and baseless” dismissal of the First Deputy Chief of the General Staff “without taking into account the national and state interests of the Republic of Armenia, solely based on personal and pretentious sentiments.” The statement added that “in such difficult conditions for the country, such a decision is an anti-state and irresponsible step. The Prime Minister and his government are no longer able to make adequate decisions in this critical and fateful situation for the Armenian people. The Armed Forces, for a long time, patiently tolerated the ‘attacks’ by the incumbent authorities to discredit the Armed Forces, but everything has its limits…. The current authorities’ unproductive governing and the most serious errors exhibited in foreign policy have brought the country to the brink of collapse. Based on the created situation, the Armed Forces demand the resignation of the Prime Minister and the government….”

Pashinyan immediately announced on his Facebook page the firing of the Chief of the General Staff. The Prime Minister called the military’s statement “an attempted military coup,” urging his supporters to gather at the Republic Square where he joined them and marched in Yerevan streets holding a megaphone. This was a highly irresponsible act on the part of Pashinyan, venturing to the streets during what he described as an attempted military coup, which could have led to tragic consequences for the country had anyone harmed him.

After Pashinyan ordered the firing of Onig Gasparyan, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Pres. Sarkissian, having consulting all sides of the political spectrum, refused to sign the Prime Minister’s order, calling it unconstitutional. The Prime Minister then submitted a second dismissal request to the President. Should the President refuse to sign the order for a second time, then the issue will be submitted to the constitutional court for its final decision. It is curious as to why the President endorsed the Prime Minister’s earlier order to sack the First Deputy of the General Staff but refused to sign the order to dismiss the Chief of the General Staff. After all, the First Deputy Chief of the General Staff’s wrongdoing was simply chuckling at the Prime Minister’s statement about the Russian missiles, whereas his boss, the Chief of the General Staff, demanded the Prime Minister’s resignation.

In the meantime, the Armenian military took no further steps beyond its call for the resignation of the Prime Minister which the Prime Minister wrongly described as an attempted coup. However, the statement could be viewed as interference in political affairs which violates the constitution. It is clear that the military’s intent is having the Prime Minister resign without taking any military actions.

Turning to the unconstitutionality of the military’s statement, there are counter points to this argument. The military stated that they could no longer remain quiet while the country is on the brink of collapse. The national interest of Armenia has to be of paramount importance. After all, the military is the guardian of the nation’s security. Furthermore, Pashinyan and his supporters cannot all of a sudden claim to be defenders of the constitution, when they have been violating many of its provisions in the past three years. The Prime Minister has repeatedly pressured the courts and has stacked the Constitutional Court with his allies to get verdicts desired by the government. Pashinyan and his supporters similarly pressured Pres. Sarkissian to force him to sign the Prime Minister’s order. Ironically, the democratic principles endorsed by Pashinyan when coming to power have dissipated turning the country into a one-man rule, a dictatorship. Given the Prime Minister’s partisans’ overwhelming majority in Parliament, other voices have been mostly muzzled. All suggestions to form a government of competent experts have been ignored, leaving Pashinyan with a mediocre and incompetent cadre of officials and advisors.

Pashinyan’s only important attribute is that he is not corrupt — which is very positive, but that alone is not enough to lead the state through such turbulent waters. After all, Armenians are not looking for a saint, but a competent leader who can solve the country’s complex problems.

Furthermore, Pashinyan and his followers did not always practice what they are preaching now. Back in 2018, when there were widespread street protests by Pashinyan and his supporters, a large number of Armenian soldiers illegally left their barracks and marched with the demonstrators. Even though this was a violation of military rules and interference in politics, Pashinyan did not take any action against these soldiers. In a similar situation occurred in 1998, when Defense Minister Vazgen Sargsyan forced then President Levon Ter-Petrosyan to resign. No one complained that it was unconstitutional.

Shortly after this new crisis in Armenia, leaders in Azerbaijan and Turkey issued self-serving statements on the situation in Armenia. In my opinion, both of these countries, led by dictators, are in no position to comment on developments in Armenia, let alone give Armenians lectures about democracy. They should look at themselves in the mirror and keep their mouths shut.

Having suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of our enemies in the Artsakh War, Armenians cannot afford now to attack each other. We need to place the national interest above all else. Having lost most of Artsakh and thousands of soldiers, let’s not risk losing Armenia itself.

Pashinyan, the leader of the ‘Velvet Revolution,’ should not have told his followers last week that there will be no more ‘velvet’ which could be interpreted as a threat to anyone who disagrees with him. Should the military also adopt a no velvet approach, the outcome would be tragic for the entire Armenian nation. The best solution would be for the Prime Minister, having lost territories and thousands of soldiers, to resign by his own volition without facing any threats or protests. Otherwise, having demanded Pashinyan’s resignation, the military leaders may carry out their demand by force, to ensure that they themselves are not arrested. Such a group arrest would deprive Armenia of its entire military leadership. Months from now, under calmer conditions, new parliamentary elections should take place with a clean slate, hopefully excluding Pashinyan and the other former leaders. The people have the right to decide by a majority vote who their new leader should be.

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The leadership of the Armed Forces of Armenia has issued the following statement:

“The leadership of the Armed Forces of Armenia reaffirms its assessment on the current situation and stresses that it remains unwavering, prudent and persistent, regardless of the attempts to entangle the Armed Forces in political processes.

Being composed of the sons of our nation and foreboding the threats posed to national security, the leadership of the Armed Forces considers the groundless allegations targeted at the Armed Forces and certain officials inadmissible and urges people to stop making those allegations.

The current situation shows that the leadership of the Armed Forces is only guided by state interest and only serves the people, governed by the norms of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Armenia.”

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Ahead of the scheduled big demonstration in Yerevan’s Republic Square, Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan issued a statement on Monday, expressing concern over an excessive use of administrative resources to gather together big crowds of people.

Highlighting the importance of democracy as an inalienable fundamental principle enshrined in the Constitution of Armenia, the Ombudsman called for democratic institutions’ active work to ensure respect for human rights “while promoting also solidarity”.

He also urged the National Assembly to exercise its function of maintaining checks and balances as a legislative body assigned to provide “institutional solutions” to the existing problems.

According to Tatoyan, recent observations by the staff of the Human Rights Defender’s Office reveal “a high level of intolerance and tension in the country”, with insults and hate speech being widespred in the social media and mutual accusations persisting “in the almost total absence sound or professional debates”.

Noting that the creation of a platform for public debates is essentially conducive to freedom of assembly, the Ombudsman highlights the state’s positive obligation to guarantee the security of participants.

“That’s our country’s international obligation,” Tatoyan said.

Source: tert.am

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