Tag Archives: Armenia

Economy slides in Armenia

SEPT. 1 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia’s economy grew by only 2.3% in the second quarter of this year compared to a year earlier, the national statistics agency reported.

The low growth underscores concerns about the Armenian economy. In August, the Central Bank cut its full year growth forecast to between 3.6% and 4.2% from 4.1% and 4.8% because of the impact of sanctions on Russia’s economy. The health of the Russian economy is vital to Armenia.

Other international economic organisations have followed and warned that economic growth in 2014 will be lower than growth in 2013.

This is, of course, worrying for Armenian officials who are looking to boost the economy. The danger for Armenia is that it’s trapped in having to follow Russia.

Armenia is surrounded by enemies, mainly Turkey and Azerbaijan, and looks to Russia for support but with the Russian economy increasingly fragile because of sanctions this is dangerous.

And Armenia appears destined to join the Russia-led Customs Union later this year. These are definitely difficult times for Armenia’s policymakers.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 198, published on Sept. 3 2014)

Yezedis rally in Armenia

AUG. 31 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Members of Armenia’s Yezedi community have been holding protests in Yerevan calling for more support to stop the attacks by them in Iraq. Armenia is home to around 50,000 Yezedi, one of the largest groups outside Iraq. Fighters from the Islamic State have been attacking and killing Yezedi members.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 198, published on Sept. 3 2014)

Putin mediates in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations

AUG.10 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Russian president Vladimir Putin hosted talks between Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.Fighting around Nagorno-Karabakh has intensified over the past few weeks threatening a 1994 cease-fire.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 195, published on Aug. 13 2014)

Fighting intensifies between Azerbaijan and Armenia around Nogorno-Karabakh

AUG. 4 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – At least 15 soldiers died around the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh on probably the worst week of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan since a cease-fire in 1994.

Both sides accused the other of breaking various promises and aggravating the stand-off. International observers said they were worried the situation may slide into open conflict.

“We are seriously concerned about the recent upsurge in violence along the line of contact. The cease-fire needs to be respected,” James Warlick, a US mediator between Azerbaijan and Armenia, wrote on Twitter.

The Nagorno-Karabakh stand-off is considered one of the world’s most dangerous so-called frozen conflicts.

Armenian-backed rebels have controlled the region since the UN-brokered 1994 cease-fire. Azerbaijan, though, has always pledged to re-take the enclave and has spent millions of dollars, earned through its booming energy industry, re-arming its military.

In a sign of just how sharply the situation has worsened around Nagorno-Karabakh, reports said that President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia have agreed to meet up to discuss the situation. This is rare but is a positive sign.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 194, published on Aug. 6 2014)

Armenian priest attacked in TBI

JULY 19 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – A crowd of up to 50 people in Tbilisi reportedly attacked and beat an Armenian priest outside an Armenian Cathedral, media said. They reported that the trigger for the attack was an argument over parking. Armenia has called for an immediate investigation.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 193, published on July 30 2014)

Armenia to join CU in October

JULY 18 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenian PM Ovik Abramian confirmed that Armenia would join the Russia- led Customs Union by the end of October. Armenia has been looking to join the Customs Union for some time. Kazakhstan, though, raised concerns about its ongoing so-called “frozen conflict” with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 193, published on July 30 2014)

Armenia growth hit

JULY 8 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Armenia’s government confirmed that it had lowered its economic growth predictions to 4% from 5.2% because of sanctions imposed on Russia, its most important trading partner, since it annexed Crimea from Ukraine earlier this year. Most countries in the former Soviet Union have downgraded growth estimates because of sanctions.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 192, published on July 9 2014)

Armenia authorities worry about electricity

JULY 2 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Concerned about possible unrest connected with electricity price increases, Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan has ordered his policy chiefs to investigate whether it can soften the price rises for less well-off families, media reported.

Last month Armenia announced that it would increase the price for electricity by 10% form Aug. 1, its first price increase in two years.

Opposition politicians have said that the price increase will trigger inflation across the country and that this is just the first of several price planned price rises.

Armenia’s government has already had to negotiate through a difficult year.

A government resigned because of public unhappiness over its pension reform plans, economic growth estimates have been downgraded because of sanctions on Russia and now an electricity price increase threatens to erode the government’s popularity further.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 192, published on July 9 2014)

Armenia jewellery production falls

JULY 8 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – More bad news for Armenia’s economy. Quoting the state’s statistics agency, media reported that jewellery production in Armenia had fallen by a third this year between January and May. It did not say why production had fallen although sanctions on Russia have impacted Armenia’s economy.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 192, published on July 9 2014)

Azerbaijan using aggressive language near Nagorno-Karabakh

JULY 7 2014 (The Conway Bulletin) – Azerbaijan appears to be ramping up the pressure on Armenia over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh by holding a series of high profile military exercises along the border.

Armenian backed rebels have held Nagorno-Karabakh since a 1994 UN negotiated cease-fire but barely a week goes by without reports of isolated shootouts and casualties. Over the past decade, as Azerbaijan have become increasingly rich from oil and gas, it has also built up its weapons systems and military.

And increasingly bellicose language about war with Armenia has built up.

“Servicemen shouldn’t forget that 20 percent of the Azerbaijan’s territories are under occupation and the main task is to free these lands from invasion,” Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov said at a ceremony to honour the militar earlier this month.

This 20% is Nagorno-Karbakh and adjacent regions.

Europe’s peace monitoring watchdog, the Organisation for Cooperation and Secutriy in Europe (OSCE) has consistently called the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh the most dangerous of the South Caucasus’ frozen conflicts.

Azerbaijani media reported that 10,000 soldiers, 300 armoured vehicles, 100 artillery pieces, 20 aircraft and 15 air defence pieces were taking part in the 3-day exercise.

This exercise is certainly large but it needs to understood in context. Earlier this year, Azerbaijan mobilised 20,000 soldiers for an exercise on the border.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 192, published on July 9 2014)