20-03-2013 News Release 13/47

Geneva (ICRC) – Two Armenian civilians interned in Azerbaijan returned to Armenia today under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The man and the woman were placed in the care of Armenian officials on the road between the Azerbaijani town of Gazakh and the Armenian town of Ijevan, at the international border.

ICRC delegates had visited the civilians prior to their repatriation in order to assess their treatment and conditions of internment.

By Enzo Mangini

STEPANAKERT (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Caucasus), Mar 4 2013 (IPS) - A Soviet-era 4×4 snores down the muddy road to the frontline. It’s another foggy day in the flatlands east of the borders of the tiny and once autonomous region Nagorno-Karabakh, sandwiched between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The capital, Stepanakert (population 50,000), is 30 kilometres west. Azerbaijan capital Baku is 400 km east and Armenian capital Yerevan 350 km west. The region is populated by Armenians.

Key messages

•Agricultural production in 2012 was excellent for all main products: cereals (+3.5% compared to 2011), potatoes (+16%), vegetables (+8%) and fruits and berries (+39%). Prospects for 2013 winter cereal crops are favourable.

•The prevalence of poverty slightly decreased in 2011, from 35.8% in 2010 to 35.0% in 2011 but remained much higher than in 2008 (27.6%).

•Food prices increased by only 2% in 2012 but the price of social bread increased by 11% from January to December 2012 reflecting wheat regional market trends.

An estimated 7,000 (and the number is increasing) Syrian Armenians have fled their homes to escape violence. More than 3,000 refugees are food insecure.

YEREVAN, Dec 26 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Ambassador to Armenia Bassam Al Qabandi Tuesday handed over the sum of USD 100,000 to Armenian authorities as relief aid to Syrians who have sought refuge in Armenia.

According to a statement issued by the Kuwaiti embassy here, the aid follows the initiative of HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

DUBLIN, 6 December 2012 - Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Secretary of State of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Minister Delegate for European Affairs of France Bernard Cazeneuve issued the following statement today:

Funds Sent To: World Council of Churches Armenia Inter-Church Charitable Round Table Foundation (ART)

Amount Sent: 39,143 USD

Date: 9 November, 2012

Details of Response

Emergency: Rapid Support to Syrian Refugees in Armenia

Date of Emergency: 08 November, 2012 (ongoing)

ACT Requesting Member(s): World Council of Churches Armenia Inter-Church Charitable Round Table Foundation (ART)

I. NARRATIVE SUMMARY

DETAILS OF THE EMERGENCY

Introduction

Following his conviction for a brutal murder in 2004, Ramil Safarov's presidential pardon is a new low-point for those working towards a peaceful resolution of Armenia and Azerbaijan's conflict over Nagorny Karabakh. Laurence Broers analyses the impact of this case and looks at how projects like Dialogue Through Film must try and rebuild the trust that has unraveled.