French President begins visit to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (06.10.2011)

(Source:RFE/RL)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is opening a visit to the South Caucasus states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, during which he is expected to urge moves to ease regional tensions. … France is a co-chair, along with Russia and the United States, of the Minsk Group of the Organization For Security and Cooperation in Europe, which has been trying to mediate a resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

Armenia cites South Sudan as model to resolve territorial conflicts (11.07.2011)

(Source:RFE/RL)

Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian has touted South Sudan's declaration of independence as a blueprint for resolving other ethnic and territorial conflicts, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports.

UN chief calls to remove snipers from Azeri-Armenian frontline (27.09.2010)

(Source:Reliefweb)

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has supported the initiative to remove snipers from the contact line between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops.

Deal signed on extending Russian military presence in Armenia (20.08.2010)

(Source:RFE/RL)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sarkisian, have signed a deal extending Moscow's lease of a military base in the South Caucasus country by 24 years.

Rise in Armenian-Azeri border gunfire (06.08.2010)

(Source:IWPR)

The villagers of Koti in eastern Armenia fear that a rise in cross-border gunfire could mean the tenuous peace reached with neighbouring Azerbaijan 16 years ago is unravelling. … Azerbaijani and Armenian soldiers often fire shots at each other, but recently these incidents have become more frequent.

International organizations slam Armenian TV law (17.06.2010)

(Source:RFE/RL)

Dunja Mijatovic, the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's representative on media freedom, released a critical statement about the final version of the bill on June 15.

UN report warns of 'new wave' of emigration from Armenia (11.05.2010)

(Source:RFE/RL)

Armenia is being warned that it faces "a new wave of emigration" unless the government does more to improve the socioeconomic situation and strengthen the rule of law, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports.

EAFJD calls on OSCE to take Azerbaijan's military ambitions seriously (03.08.2009)

(Source:Panorama / Armenia)

In a call to the OSCE, the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) expressed its profound concern about the danger to the Caucasus security, and in particular to Armenia and its population, resulting from Azerbaijan’s increased arms build-up and militarist policies, EAFJD reports.

OSCE senior police adviser encourages further police reform in Armenia (18.07.2009)

(Source:Armenian Daily / Armenia)

The Senior Police Adviser to the OSCE Secretary General, Kevin Carty, discussed Armenia’s police reform with authorities during a visit to Yerevan today. … The OSCE Office in Yerevan has been supporting Armenia’s police reform since 2005.

Armenian oppositionists freed in amnesty (22.06.2009)

(Source:RFE, RL / International)

A former Armenian foreign minister and three other senior opposition figures have been freed under an amnesty for those charged over deadly clashes in March 2008 after a disputed election. The former Soviet republic passed an amnesty bill on June 19, after accusations by European rights bodies of politically motivated arrests.

OSCE-supported police outreach stations open in pilot community policing district in Armenia (19.06.2009)

(Source:OSCE / International)

Two community police outreach stations opened today in Yerevan as part a joint project by the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Armenian Police to introduce community policing in the pilot Arabkir police district in Yerevan. The outreach stations aim to improve relations and trust between police and the public by increasing police visibility and their capacity to assist the population in solving local problems.

Armenian armed forces break ceasefire (12.06.2009)

(Source:Reliefweb / International)

On June 11, the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire at Azerbaijani troops from the Mehdili and Jojugmerjanli villages in the Jabrail region … The Azerbaijani troops answered their fire. No causalities were reported.

Yerevan election condemned as “amoral and cynical” (05.06.2009)

(Source:IWPR / UK)

The Yerevan city elections were hailed as a chance to spread power beyond the hands of just the governing party, but ended up condemned as the “most illegal, amoral and cynical elections in all the history of Armenia”. That was the damning assessment of the watchdog Transparency International, as the opposition’s hopes to win power in the Armenian capital collapsed amid claims of intimidation, ballot stuffing, multiple voting, and more.

Armenia's opposition to boycott Yerevan assembly (02.06.2009)

(Source:RFE/RL / International)

The opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) has vowed to boycott Yerevan's newly elected municipal council and reject dialogue with the authorities after what its leader, Levon Ter-Petrossian, called "the ugliest election in Armenia's history," according to RFE/RL's Armenian Service. The National Congress party rejected the official results of the May 31 municipal elections as fraudulent as it rallied an estimated 10,000 supporters in downtown Yerevan the following day.

Yerevan vote is déjà vu all over again (01.06.2009)

(Source:EurasiaNet / USA)

Armenians appear headed for another round of election-related acrimony following a contentious Yerevan Council Election on May 31. As in recent national elections, official results favored the governing Republican Party of Armenia by a wide margin. Opposition supporters complained bitterly about irregularities, but, as in the past, international observers offered only cautious criticism.

Violence mars preparations for Armenian poll (15.05.2009)

(Source:IWPR / UK)

(T)he race to win the first election to be mayor of Yerevan has sucked in the country’s major political parties. In the election, voters will pick a “council of elders” for Yerevan, which will in turn select the city mayor from among its number. … The only international observers of the polls – a team from the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities – have already warned that tensions between the parties risk undermining the viability of the polls.

Council of Europe congress mission assesses pre-electoral situation in Armenia (06.05.2009)

(Source:Panorama / Armenia)

In view of the first municipal elections in the Armenian capital city of Yerevan, on 31 May 2009, a pre-electoral mission of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities was carried out from 3 to 6 May.

In den Konflikt um Armenien kommt Bewegung (Change to come for Armenia?) (30.04.2009)

(Source:Die Welt / Germany)

Armenien hat mit seinen Nachbarn so manches Problem. Mit Aserbaidschan streitet sich das Land um ein Gebiet, mit der Türkei um den Völkermord vor 90 Jahren. Russland unterstützt jetzt die Bemühungen des Landes um mehr Normalität. Dabei ist die Lage im Kaukasus auch für Moskau nicht ganz einfach.

Armenian protesters mark year since deadly riots (01.03.2009)

(Source:AlertNet / International)

Thousands of anti-government protesters in Armenia demanded early elections on Sunday at a demonstration to mark one year since deadly clashes between police and opposition activists in the former Soviet state. Rights groups and the Armenian opposition accuse President Serzh Sarksyan and his government of pursuing politically motivated trials over the unrest and failing to investigate accusations the police used excessive force.

Yerevan avoids PACE punishment yet again (27.01.2009)

(Source:EurasiaNet / USA)

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe declined on January 27 to punish Armenia over Yerevan’s failure to implement mandated reforms in the wake of 2008’s political violence in the Ar-menian capital Yerevan. At stake in a January 27 PACE vote was the suspension of Armenia’s voting rights in the European legislative body.

OSCE to conduct monitoring in the frontline (12.01.2009)

(Source:ANS Press / Azerbaija)

The Organization for Security and Co-Operation (OSCE) will conduct its next monitoring in the front-line between Armenian and Azerbaijani Armies in accordance with the mandate of the special repre-sentative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. The monitoring is planned to be conducted in the highway between Tartar and Aghdara regions, of Azerbaijan.

The EU seeks broader ties with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in 2009 (05.01.2009)

(Source:EurasiaNet / USA)

Brussels wants to enhance the European Union’s relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the coming year. In the absence of solid membership prospects, the question remains, however, whether the EU’s ideas about enhanced relations will meet the expectations of leaders of the three Caucasus states, as well as create a framework that can improve Brussels’ capabilities to address re-gional issues.

PACE monitoring commission to hear report on Armenia (17.12.2008)

(Source:Panorama / Armenia)

The Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) will hear a report on the implementation of PACE resolutions 1609 and 1620 by Armenia today in Paris. The members of the Commission are going to discuss the functioning of democratic institutes in Armenia and much will depend on the Commissioner of Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg’s report.

Armenia may withdraw from Nagorno-Karabakh (12.09.2008)

(Quelle: Turkish Daily News) Armenia seems to be willing to withdraw from Nagorno-Karabakh, according to the Turkish president. … He said Armenia and Azerbaijan were also willing to resolve their conflict over the Nagorno- Karabakh region, after he had talks in the two countries.

Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia meet in August (19.07.2008)

(Quelle: Panorama.am) On August 1 the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan Edward Nalbandyan and Elmar Mamediarov will possibly have a meeting in Moscow, said Tigran Balayan, the press secretary of the Foreign Ministry to Panorama.am. The possible meeting has been discussed when Minister Nalbandyan and OSCE American co-chairman Mattew Bryza met.

Time for a change on Karabakh? (02.05.2008)

(Quelle: EurasiaNet) Amid calls from President Serzh Sarkisian for a more 'pro-active' policy, Armenia’s parliament has adopted a statement that some observers say toughens the country’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

US officials say Yerevan risks losing development funds (18.04.2008)

(Quelle: EurasiaNet) Armenia could lose US economic support if it does not quickly take action to promote a 'national dialogue,' US legislators and administration officials are cautioning. Washington holds the Armenian government responsible for the March 1 clashes that resulted in the deaths of at least 10 people, said Matthew Bryza, deputy assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia.

Winner of disputed election is sworn in (10.04.2008)

(Quelle: New York Times) Serge Sargsyan, a former prime minister, was sworn in as president, nearly two months after an election that opposition groups criticized as rigged.

Armenia: picking up the pieces – new ICG briefing (08.04.2008)

(Quelle: International Crisis Group (ICG)) As Armenia inaugurates a president tomorrow amid its worst political crisis this century, the international community must press it to defuse tensions and release political prisoners to ensure stability and the environment to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan. 'Armenia: Picking up the Pieces', the latest policy briefing from the International Crisis Group, examines the presidential elections of 19 February, the subsequent crackdown on the opposition and the state of emergency, as well as underlying problems with the country’s course.

State of emergency ends (22.03.2008)

(Quelle: New York Times) A state of emergency introduced after post-election clashes that left eight people dead was lifted. Troops left the streets of the capital, Yerevan, that they had occupied since the March 1 clampdown, but the police blocked about 1,500 protesters in the city center.