Category: Audio Review – South Caucasus News

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received the delegation led by USAID manager Samantha Power.

The Prime Minister welcomed Mrs. Power’s visit and emphasized the importance of cooperation in various fields within the framework of the Armenia-US strategic dialogue. Nikol Pashinyan highly appreciated the programs implemented by USAID in Armenia, which are aimed at the development of democratic institutions. The Prime Minister noted that the Government of the Republic of Armenia will resolutely continue consistent steps towards reforms.

Samantha Power noted that the US administration values ​​close cooperation with Armenia and is ready to consistently support the plans of the RA Government in the direction of strengthening democracy, development, as well as increasing Armenia’s resilience.

The interlocutors referred to the programs implemented by USAID in our country, exchanged ideas on the prospects of new joint programs. The joint work carried out in the direction of the development of the Armenian Government’s reform agenda and institutional capabilities, including strategic communication, the further expansion and promotion of interaction, was highlighted. It was noted that USAID will provide $5 million in new funding to support the collaboration between Amazon Web Service and the Government for the purpose of cloud infrastructure implementation and capacity building in Armenia.

Reference was made to the humanitarian problems of people forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh, the steps taken by the RA Government to solve them, including the housing provision program. In this context, Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasized the importance of the continued support of the international community and the implementation of the agreements reached at the RA-EU-US high-level meeting held in Brussels on April 5.

The interlocutors also touched on issues related to the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, as well as the “Crossroads of Peace” project of the RA Government.

Nazila Isgandarova, an Azerbaijani diaspora activist in Canada, has been awarded the Champion of Diversity Award in Canada, according to Guivami Rahimli, PhD, Professor at Baku State University, who also served as president of the Azerbaijan-Norway Friendship Society, citing the Canadian media outlet YorkRegion.com.

Professor Rahimli had the opportunity to work with Nazila Isgandarova during the challenging period of the liberation of the Karabakh region from Armenian occupation and restoration of its internationally recognized territorial integrity, conveying an accurate picture of Azerbaijan to the international audience regarding the Karabakh conflict.

Nazila Isgandarova is a professor and Supervised Psychospiritual Education (SPE) Director at Emmanuel College at Victoria University in the University of Toronto. 

Nazila is also the first Muslim woman chaplain, and spiritual care provider in Canada since 2004 and the first Muslim certified supervisor-educator at the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care.

Canada’s provincial government of Ontario has honored Nazila Isgandarova with the 2023 Champion of Diversity Award for being an outstanding community leader.

Nazila is a champion of diversity for demonstrating cross-cultural understanding, recognising those who make contribution toward preserving cultural heritage and supporting employees from different cultures.

One of the ways Nazila Isgandarova pays her inspiration forward and advocates is by co-founding the Azerbaijani Women’s Support Center (AWSC), alongside Minira Babayeva, Yegana Jafarova, Konul Gurbanova and Elmira Mammadova.

AWSC is a charity organization dedicated to helping women and families in need through various programs and initiatives and Canada’s only charity organization for Azerbaijani women.

Nazila tells that her journey toward community service in Canada was inspired by the compassionate women she encountered in various organizations and supporting employees from different cultures, motivating her to enhance the lives of others and strengthen her ties with the communities.

“I’m truly grateful to receive this prestigious award. This recognition marks a significant achievement in my community work and highlights efforts and commitment to diversity and interfaith relationships.”

The post Nazila Isgandarova – The Champion of Diversity Award in Canada appeared first on Azerbaijan In Focus.

“We have inquired about the conditions created at the precinct election commissions for the organized holding of elections. All necessary conditions must be provided in the premises of the commissions,” said Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Head of the Department for Territorial and Organizational Issues of the Presidential Administration Zeynal Naghdaliyev as he addressed the meeting held with chairs of the district election commissions, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting AzerTac.

Noting that there are 26 polling stations set up in the liberated territories earlier, the Assistant to the President underlined that eight more polling stations have now been established there.

The Assistant to the President recommended the chairs of the election commissions to contact the relevant institutions if any negative cases are detected.

“The number of voters in 125 constituencies across the country has increased significantly. By August 9, the identification of open and closed places in constituencies will be completed.

Zeynal Naghdaliyev also highlighted the importance of determining the voter lists before the elections.

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“Azerbaijan is the only country, where media outlets do not get approval from any organization during the elections and they freely participate in the coverage of election process,” said Chairman of Azerbaijan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov as he addressed the meeting held for the chairs of the district election commissions, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting AzerTac.

According to the CEC chairman, necessary conditions are created in more than 6,400 polling stations across 125 constituencies throughout the country for holding the snap parliamentary elections.

Noting that 26 polling stations were set up in the liberated territories during the past presidential election, Mazahir Panahov underlined that the number of polling stations would be increased in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine senate threatened on Wednesday to arrest a small town mayor for contempt during a hearing investigating her alleged ties with Chinese criminal syndicates, a case that has captivated the nation amid tension between Manila and Bejing.

The arrest threat came after the mayor, Alice Guo, failed to appear for a second consecutive hearing, citing stress.

The case that began in March, when authorities raided a casino in Guo’s sleepy farming town of Bamban, has shed light on criminal activity in the mostly Chinese-backed online casino industry in the Philippines.

It gained national attention after one senator questioned whether Guo might not have been born in the Philippines and could even be a Chinese “asset” an accusation she denied.

She has also denied links to criminals, saying she is a natural-born Philippine citizen. Guo did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment but wrote to the senate that she was the subject of “malicious accusations.”

On Wednesday, the senate cited Guo in contempt for failing to appear and Senator Risa Hontiveros, who is leading the investigation, said she would set in motion steps to get a warrant for her arrest.

“The chair has ruled to cite them in contempt,” said Hontiveros, who told a previous hearing that Guo might have actually been born in China and be a Chinese “asset,” although she gave no proof.

Raid raises questions

The investigation began after a police raid revealed a scam center operating out of a facility built on land partially owned by Guo. It was one of many that have sprung up across Southeast Asia in recent years.

The raid uncovered hundreds of trafficked workers including foreign nationals, spurring a human trafficking complaint against Guo from an agency battling organized crime.

Guo has said she sold her stake in the business before she was elected in 2022 and had no knowledge of criminality.

Officials have turned a searchlight on her background since.

The National Bureau of Investigation said Guo’s fingerprints matched those of a Chinese national who entered the country as a teenager.

The solicitor general is seeking to cancel her birth certificate and she has been suspended from her post during the investigation. The senate committee urged the immigration agency to stop Guo from leaving the Philippines.

Guo’s attorney, Stephen David, told radio station DWPM she had been “traumatized” by previous sessions but had assured him she was still in the Philippines.

“If she gets arrested and detained at the senate, then she will testify,” he said.

Earlier hearings grilled Guo about her background and a lack of records regarding her presence in the Philippines. After she was unable to recall details of her childhood, Hontiveros asked if she was an “asset” for China.

In May, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr told reporters, “No one knows her. We wonder where she came from. That’s why we are investigating this, together with the Bureau of Immigration, because of the questions about her citizenship.”

The mayor has denied she is a spy, saying in a television interview that she was a simple Philippine citizen, the love child of her Chinese father with a maid, and who had grown up “hidden” on a pig farm and homeschooled, with no friends.

Guo’s case comes at a time of growing Philippine suspicion about China’s activities following an increasingly tense dispute over reefs and shoals in the busy waterway of the South China Sea, where both nations have claims.

It has boosted calls for a crackdown on Philippine offshore gambling operators, or POGOs, mostly run by Chinese nationals to serve clients in China, which flourished during the tenure of former President Rodrigo Duterte, but have since drawn scrutiny.

New York — Purdue Pharma on Tuesday received U.S. court approval for a 60-day freeze on lawsuits against its owners — members of the wealthy Sackler family — in its first court appearance since a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling upended its bankruptcy settlement.  

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane granted an injunction at a court hearing in White Plains, New York, saying that a litigation cease-fire will give Purdue a chance to renegotiate a comprehensive settlement of lawsuits alleging that its painkiller OxyContin spurred an opioid addiction crisis in the U.S.  

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 27 that Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy settlement cannot shield the Sacklers, who did not file for bankruptcy themselves, over their role in the nation’s deadly opioid epidemic. 

The ruling sent Purdue back to the drawing board after nearly five years in bankruptcy and imperils billions of dollars in funding that the company and the Sacklers had promised to pay toward addressing the harms from the crisis. 

Lawsuits against Purdue and Sackler family members by state and local governments, as well as by individual plaintiffs, have accused them of fueling the opioid crisis through deceptive marketing of its pain medication. The company pleaded guilty to misbranding and fraud charges related to its marketing of OxyContin in 2007 and 2020.  

Purdue’s bankruptcy has stopped the opioid lawsuits from proceeding against the Stamford, Connecticut-based drugmaker since 2019, and Purdue has extended that legal protection to the Sacklers, as well. 

Purdue’s attorney, Marshall Huebner, said the company will engage in “a high-speed, high-stakes mediation” with the Sacklers, state and local governments and other stakeholders. Protecting the Sacklers during a “modest” 60-day negotiating period will give Purdue a real chance to negotiate a new bankruptcy settlement and put money toward stopping opioid overdoses and treating addiction, Huebner said. 

“Every single day of delay continues to come at a tragic, tragic cost,” Huebner said. 

Several stakeholders expressed hope for a settlement but said mediation should not be extended beyond the 60-day schedule proposed by Purdue. 

“It is essential to all parties in this case that we bring this five-year Chapter 11 case to a conclusion,” said Kenneth Eckstein, an attorney representing a coalition of state and local governments.  

During the hearing, Lane also appointed two mediators to aid settlement talks, including retired bankruptcy judge Shelley Chapman, who brokered a previous deal under which the Sacklers agreed to pay up to $6 billion to settle the opioid lawsuits. Eric Green will serve as the other mediator.  

If mediation fails, Purdue has said a court-appointed committee representing its creditors should be allowed to sue the Sacklers over claims they drained more thabn $11 billion from the company and that their conduct made Purdue liable for other lawsuits. 

The Sacklers have said the creditors’ proposed litigation is counterproductive and based on “factual errors.” Members of the family have denied wrongdoing and would fiercely oppose any litigation if the settlement talks break down, their attorneys said.  

“No one is assured of a recovery in this court or any other court,” said Gerard Uzzi, an attorney representing members of the Sackler family.  

Purdue’s previous bankruptcy settlement was supported by attorneys general from all 50 states, local governments and most of the individual opioid victims who voted on it.  

But it has also had detractors such as Carrie McGaha, who has had repeated overdoses and said Tuesday that individuals have been placed at the “bottom of the heap” throughout Purdue’s bankruptcy.  

Samantha Power, the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, arrived in Yerevan late Monday and pledged Washington’s commitment to Armenia’s security and development.

The U.S. Embassy in Armenia announced Power’s arrival in a social media post, saying she will meet with government officials, civil society representatives, media, and business leaders during her visit.

“The United States maintains its unwavering support for Armenia’s democracy, economic resilience, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the embassy added.

“Just touched down in Yerevan. It’s a privilege to return to Armenia—my 2nd trip in the last year—at such a significant time in the expanding partnership between U.S. and Armenia. Looking forward to exploring deeper cooperation during my visit this week,” Power said upon arriving in Yerevan.

Power on Tuesday met with representatives of Synopsys and National Instruments, leading tech companies operating in Armenia, to discuss USAID plans to establish a “Center for Excellence” in Armenia.

“We are committed to contributing to Armenia’s economic and digital security through continued investment in high-tech development,” a USAID statement said, adding that the agency has supported Armenia’s high-tech sector for two decades, partnering with American companies and the government of Armenia.

Power also visited “Taste of Artsakh,” a food facility run by displaced Armenians from Artsakh through support from t USAID.

The women working at “Taste of Artsakh” introduced her to the preparation of the traditional Artsakh staple, Zhingalov hats, by walking her through how to make the filling that includes 13 types of greens.

Power then joined the women in making the Zhingalov hats.

“Taste of Artsakh” was established after the 44-day war of 2020 and it currently employs 10 people, most of whom were displaced last year, after Azerbaijan’s attack on Artsakh in September.

“Our product is traditional Zhingalov hats from Nagorno-Karabakh. At the moment, we have about 12 types of Zhingalov hats,” Mihran Baghdasaryan, founding director of “Taste of Artsakh” told reporters, adding that they are honored to host USAID Administrator Samantha Power. USAID provided technical support to the company.

The cooperation started in October last year. According to Baghdasaryan, the support provided has given great results for the progress of the company, and allowed to increase the number of jobs.  

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The newly-elected Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western U.S. Central Committee, headed by its chair, Garo Madenlian, met with Western Prelate Archbishop Kegham Khacherian at the Prelacy on Monday.

The Prelate expressed his warm regards and wished the new Central Committee success in its endeavors, while the ARF leaders also congratulated the Archbishop on his recent election as Prelate of the Western U.S.

Prelacy Executive Council President Vahe Hovaguimian also welcome the newly-elected Central Committee.

During the meeting, the current challenges facing Armenians in the homeland and the Diaspora were discussed, specifically the imperative to leverage the multifaceted capabilities of the Western U.S. Armenian community in advancing the national, educational and spiritual aspirations of Armenians.

The Prelate praised the steps taken to harmonize the largest Diaspora community and emphasized the need for unity and cooperation.

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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Iran’s newly-elected President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed their country’s commitments during a telephone conversation on Tuesday.

The two leaders also agreed to meet in the near future, Pashinyan’s press secretary Nazeli Baghdasarayan said in a social media post announcing the call, during which, she said, Pashinyan again congratulated Pezeshkian on his victory.

Pezeshkian was elected Iran’s president on Friday in a runoff vote prompted by the death of the country’s former president Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash in May along with Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Upon Pezeshkian’s election, Pashinyan issued a congratulatory message, calling for continued deepening of Armenia-Iran relations.

“Relations with the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran, which have been steadily developing since the declaration of Armenia’s independence, are of special importance for the government and people of the Republic of Armenia,” Pashinyan said in the congratulatory message publicized by his office.

“Continuous deepening of warm relations between Armenia and Iran is of special importance in the context of both bilateral cooperation and regional stability and prosperity,” the Armenian leader added, expressing confidence that their two governments will implement Armenian-Iranian agreements and “launch a number of new programs.”

Pashinyan was among world leaders who attended Raisi’s funeral, on the margins of which he met with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

During that meeting, Khamenei noted that the late Iranian president was “very sensitive to the border issues related to Armenia” and that “these sensitivities and cares should still be taken into consideration,” alluding to Tehran’s opposition to Azerbaijan’s scheme of establishing a land “corridor” through Armenia that would compromise Iran’s border with Armenia.

Saying Tehran and Yerevan “must be able to secure our interests on our own,” Khamenei reiterated Tehran’s concerns over Yerevan’s recent attempts to reorient Armenia toward the West.

In a related matter, Armenia’s Defense Minister Suren Papikyan met with the Iran’s Ambassador to Armenia, Mehdi Sobhani, on Tuesday.

Iran’s newly-appointed defense attache to Armenia, Colonel Mohammad Najafi, also attended the meeting, according to a ministry statement.

The discussion between Papikyan and the Iranian officials also touched on Armenia-Iran defense cooperation and regional security issues.

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As the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan arrive in Washington for this week’s NATO Summit, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-chairs – Representatives Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), and David Valadao (R-Calif.) – called for the Biden Administration to support Armenia’s sovereignty and withhold military aid to Azerbaijan.

“As Washington hosts the NATO Summit this week, the U.S. must ensure Azerbaijan faces consequences for its actions and is not rewarded for war crimes, human rights abuses, and the ethnic cleansing of over 120,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh,” the members said

“America must support Armenia’s sovereignty and reject Azerbaijan’s aggressive demands. This means stopping military aid to Azerbaijan and sanctioning officials responsible for abuses,” the co-chairs continued.

“As leaders gather at the NATO Summit, the Biden Administration must ensure Azerbaijan follows international laws, including returning Armenian prisoners of war, protecting cultural heritage sites, upholding the right of Armenians to return to their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh under international guarantees. Accountability is crucial for lasting peace in the South Caucasus,” they concluded. 

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