2023 October 23

Daily news wrap-up

North-South trade route via Syunik: agreement signed, tunnels & bridges; Armenian & Iranian trucks won't pay transit fees; New interstate bridge // Indian weapons tested; French are coming // Asset forfeiture: $1.2 billion; Kocharyan: $89 million // World Inclusiveness Index: 2023 // Yerevan news
by ar_david_hh

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Nagorno-Karabakh government in Armenia

Armenian ruling party's Andranik Kocharyan, who heads the parliamentary defense committee, held a private conversation with Samvel Babayan last week to discuss the separate negotiations that Babayan was having with Azerbaijan to grant autonomy and national guard to ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. The pro-Russian regime in Nagorno-Karabakh had shunned Babayan's efforts, earning the rebuke of Andranik Kocharyan and other members of the Armenian government.

REPORTER: What do you want from the Nagorno-Karabakh government today?

ANDRANIK: I want them to make up their mind: did they sign a decree on dissolving Nagorno-Karabakh or did they not? *[President Shahramanyan reportedly told protesters last week that he did not sign the document to dissolve the state.]* How do they plan on managing things going forward? President Shahramanyan [threatened to break the skull](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/17cmxad/survey_russians_are_more_sympathetic_towards/) of a protester last week. No, Mr. Shahramanyan, you were appointed as a president with only 22 votes. Now is the time to save skulls, not break them. Samvel Babayan was working on a solution starting before the resignation of President Arayik Harutyunyan and the military aggression.

REPORTER: Are you holding discussions with Samvel Babayan today?

ANDRANIK: We are in touch with various military-political figures from Nagorno-Karabakh to discuss various topics.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ANQkqh95yU)

the large-scale efforts to fortify Armenia's second line of defense began 6 months ago

ANDRANIK KOCHARYAN (DefCom): We are going to organize a trip for our media outlets to the second line of defense. Many officials have already visited the construction sites and have learned details that are classified. Our engineers are heroes but do not get the credit they deserve because the footage isn't allowed to be published. Had we done this before the 2020 war, the frontlines would have been elsewhere today. These engineering efforts began 5-6 months ago. We aren't talking about concrete-only structures. These are "livable" spaces that will increase the chances of soldiers' survival.

Armenia wants to train skilled officers

ANDRANIK KOCHARYAN (DefCom): Reforms are underway in the field of military education, from Armavir to Vazgen Sargsyan Military University. We have already seen a higher interest in military service after the [implementation of the program that trains professional soldiers in exchange for free apartments and higher salaries]. The applicants not only have access to more social benefits and high-quality education, but they will have more opportunities to train abroad. There is a new impetus in the program that sends students to Greece and other states.

Indian weapons were experimented in Armenia

Armenia wants to buy around $1 billion worth of weapons from India. A small portion has already been delivered.

ANDRANIK KOCHARYAN (DefCom): The weapons have undergone tests. The results are very satisfactory.

Armenia expects Russia to deliver the weapons or pay a fine

Context: Before the war in Ukraine, Armenia and Russia signed an agreement on the purchase of military equipment reportedly worth $400 million. Russia has not delivered the weapons and refuses to issue a refund.

ANDRANIK KOCHARYAN (DefCom): We are waiting for the weapons...

REPORTER: Does the contract specify delivery deadlines?

ANDRANIK: The agreement has a deadline and envisages punishment if the deadlines are broken.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ANQkqh95yU)

Armenia and France sign an agreement on the purchase of military equipment

MOD Papikyan went to Paris on Monday to formalize the AM-FR military cooperation agreement. Armenia will purchase air defense systems from French manufacturers. For now, the agreement is around the sale of 3 Thales-made GM 200 radars (multi-mission medium-range radar). In the future, Armenia can acquire Mistral anti-air missiles. There were earlier separate discussions about the acquisition of armored vehicles.

France will also help Armenia train ground defense forces and modernize its military. There are discussions of cooperation in military education, retraining, and exchange of experience.

FRANCE: This agreement is necessary to allow Armenia to protect its civilian population and secure its borders. //

KHURSHUDYAN (analyst): Azerbaijan shot itself in the foot by repeatedly rejecting France as a political mediator of the AM-AZ conflict. This has pushed France towards adopting a more pro-Armenian stance militarily. I hope the AM-FR cooperation will expand to include the sharing of intel during conflicts. //

[source,](https://www.reuters.com/world/france-boost-armenias-air-defences-with-radars-missiles-minister-2023-10-23/) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgFiB88qBCA) [source,](https://arka.am/en/news/politics/france_and_armenia_were_expected_to_formalize_agreements_on_purchase_of_french_air_defense_systems/) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DasM8LceciM) [source,](https://www.civilnet.am/news/754922/հայաստանն-ու-ֆրանսիան-ստորագրել-են-պաշտպանության-ոլորտում-համագործակցության-մասին-փաստաթղթեր/)

Armenia and Iran sign a $216 million agreement on developing the North-South trade route passing through Armenia's southern province Syunik

The agreement pertains to the construction of bridges and tunnels in two mountainous sections of southern Armenia that will require significant investments. The new roads and tunnels will bypass snowy mountains. The very curvy and slow section south of Qajaran will be fully replaced by a tunnel.

Iranian construction companies will do the work. It's financed by the Armenian government and the Eurasian Development Fund.

Agarak-Vardanidzor: 21 km

Vardanidzor-tunnel end: 11 km

We're talking about 17 bridges, 2 tunnels, 5 junctures near settlements, and 6 overpasses. The goal is to have a fast highway linking south to north. The construction will begin this year and finish in 3 years. The original plan was to start the project in 2009 and finish it in 2019 but it was delayed and there have since been multiple corruption investigations against former government members.

This is separate from the section of the North-South route that's slightly to the north: Sisian-Kajaran and Sisian-Artashat. Those two are still being designed and are yet to undergo a tender process.

Armenia and Iran have reached an agreement to eliminate road fees to boost cargo traffic. Iranian and Armenian trucks will use Armenia and Iran as transit states to reach third states without paying fees.

Iran will allow Armenia to more easily access the Caspian Sea and the open waters for trade.

There are negotiations to build a new bridge on the Armenia-Iran border because the existing one won't be enough to meet the increasing demand.

[video of the proposed road,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vkLPc6ja20?t=1773) [image,](https://factor.am/702975.html) [full conference video,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vkLPc6ja20) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vkLPc6ja20?t=2993) [source,](https://www.civilnet.am/news/754869/հայաստանն-ու-իրանը-ստորագրեցին-հյուսիս-հարավի-ագարակ-քաջարան-ճանապարհի-շինարարության-պայմանագիրը/) [source,](https://www.civilnet.am/news/754901/հայաստանն-ու-իրանը-պայմանավորվել-են-սահմանին-նոր-կամուրջ-կառուցել/) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baD7gUHUz38)

regional states held the second meeting under the 3+3 format to discuss regional issues

The first meeting was held in 2021 in Moscow. The Monday meeting took place in Tehran. The participants were foreign ministries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and Turkey.

FMs of Armenia and Turkey have reaffirmed their commitment to the normalization of AM-TR relations.

[source,](https://factor.am/702809.html) [source,](https://factor.am/703368.html)

PM Pashinyan will attend the international "Silk Road" conference held in Tbilisi

The goal is to improve logistics in the region and involve as many countries in the Middle Corridor as possible. Prime ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will give a speech during the opening ceremony.

[source,](https://factor.am/703081.html)

Yerevan's buses

Public transport users in Yerevan can track buses and their arrival times on 13 routes so far. Another 8 will be added next week. The goal is to have 65 by the end of the year.

Yerevan's ad billboards

The municipality backtracked on the decision to replace Yerevan's ad billboards with new ones after conducting a life-cycle cost analysis. The չուգուն billboards installed in 2013 have incurred little maintenance expenses and have not reached an end of life yet.

143 illegal ad billboards installed by businesses have already been taken down. "Don't force us to resort to methods of repressions," warned the mayor vowing to free the city from "garbage ads". Some old authorizations granted to certain businesses will be "grandfathered", at least for a few months, but they will be required to comply with new billboard standards starting January 1.

Yerevan wants to move the garbage bins underground

Mayor Avinyan had asked the Council to study the international experience with building underground garbage containers.

COUNCIL: There are two methods used globally. 1) The containers are underground. A special mechanism would be necessary to lift them before the garbage truck could carry the trash away. 2) The garbage collection is done straight from the well. This is more expensive. //

The city will announce a tender process early next year to design a pilot program.

Yerevan Zoo will expand

The Zoo owns an unused territory that will be used for expanding the park. The city is working on a 3D model to present the newly proposed design.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAtZgMwBhJI) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01Ei_yoCekA) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA0pw4ONaw0) [source,](https://a1plus.am/hy/article/463600) [source,](https://factor.am/702964.html)

anti-corruption: former director of the nuclear plant is charged with embezzling $1 million

The 2002-2014 director is accused of conspiring with others to embezzle funds, a third of which have already been recovered by the authorities. The case has reached the Anti-Corruption Court.

[source,](https://factor.am/703305.html)

anti-corruption: authorities are using asset forfeiture law against suspicious assets worth $1.2 billion

Former and current public officials who are already undergoing a corruption investigation, or own expensive properties the existence of which cannot be explained with their publicly declared income, can be required to prove that their properties were obtained legally under Armenia's new asset forfeiture law.

The authorities have so far launched 419 investigations around 1,470 pieces of properties and company shares.

They are worth over ֏500 billion ($1.2 billion). This number does not include the value of several properties that are yet to be calculated.

4 suspects have already voluntarily surrendered properties worth $5.3 million.

[source,](https://factor.am/703320.html)

anti-corruption: former president Robert Kocharyan & family members are at the center of an asset forfeiture investigation worth $89 million and 25 real estate properties

The case is in the Anti-Corruption Court.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q43Oi5TrNU0)

world inclusiveness index: 2023 (Berkely.edu)

The "Inclusiveness Index" is an annual ranking of states. It examines the experiences of groups across a range of social dimensions, including gender, race/ethnicity, religion, disability, and sexual orientation.

... overall index

(1) New Zealand

(59) Armenia

(67) Georgia

(89) South Sudan

(90) Burkina Faso

(95) Azerbaijan

(115) Israel

... by race

(42) Armenia

(58) Azerbaijan

(94) Georgia

... by gender

(66) Armenia

(91) Azerbaijan

(94) Georgia

... by LGBTQ+

(79) Georgia

(96) Armenia

(98) Azerbaijan

... by religion

(74) Armenia

(88) Georgia

(104) Azerbaijan

... by disability

(4) Georgia [wtf?]

(50) Armenia

(75) Azerbaijan

... by general population

(41) Armenia

(69) Georgia

(103) Azerbaijan

[source,](https://belonging.berkeley.edu/index-results)

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/17eut0h/northsouth_trade_route_via_syunik_agreement/