Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- September 13, 2022 War anniversary
- Serdar Kiliç in Armenia for Normalization
- U.S. State Dept. $145M for TRIPP
Episode 472 | Recorded: September 15, 2025
Show Notes
Summary
Three years after the Sep 13, 2022 attack that killed 224 Armenian servicemen and left more than 200 sq km under occupation, the show asks why the state mutes remembrance while talking up “peace.” Hayastan Dashinq/ARF MP Arthur Khachatryan joins us to unpack the envoys’ “expedite” language against Ankara’s and Baku’s preconditions and probe TRIPP’s core unknowns, from “unhindered communication” and border checks to who actually gets paid. We then assess the plan to shorten service and cut defense outlays, and close on the slowing economy, rising debt risks, and a policy mix that shifts manpower inward while leaving open questions at the frontier.
Main Topics Addressed
- The third anniversary of the September 13, 2022 war and its ongoing consequences.
- Turkish envoy Serdar Kiliç’s visit to Armenia and “expediting” normalization projects.
- U.S. State Department’s $145M announcement for the TRIPP (Trump Route / Zangezur Corridor).
- Draft bill to shorten mandatory military service and Pashinyan’s decision to cut defense spending.
- Broader government underperformance in project implementation.
- Armenia’s army and police size in 2025.
Key Questions Discussed
- What lessons remain from the September 13 war, and why is it downplayed by the government?
- What is the real purpose behind Serdar Kiliç’s “expediting” language—progress or propaganda?
- What details of the TRIPP are being withheld from the Armenian public, and why?
- Can Armenia afford reduced military service and a shrinking defense budget when all its neighbors are rearming?
- Why are so many government projects underperforming, and where is the accountability?
Thoughts from the Participants
- Hovik: Azerbaijan shoots a mentally ill Armenian, Karen Avanesyan, who was left behind in Stepanakert, alleging “anti-terrorist operations.
- Arthur: The tyranny of Nikol Pashinyan’s rule - “I am the government”.
Referenced Articles & Sources
- Türkiye Today – Turkish FM links normalization to Aliyev’s peace treaty
- Armenpress – Reports on Kiliç-Rubinyan meetings
- Azatutyun – U.S. State Dept. delegation announces $145M for TRIPP
- Azatutyun – Additional coverage of U.S. delegation visit
- Eurasia Review – Trump confuses Armenia with Albania
- Azatutyun – Draft bill on shorter military service
- Armenpress – Coverage on military service reforms
- Security Cam videos of Karen Avanesyan in Stepanakert
Wrap-up
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Guests
Arthur Khachatryan
Mr. Arthur Khachatryan is an MP from the Hayastan Dashinq (Armenia alliance) and a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF Dashnaktsutyun). In the past, he has held government posts such as Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Development, Governor of Shirak, and Minister of Agriculture.
Hosts
Hovik Manucharyan
Hovik Manucharyan is an information security engineer who moved from Seattle to Armenia in 2022. He co-founded the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020 and has been a contributor to Groong News since the late 1990s.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Hovik Manucharyan on the ANN/Groong podcast are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of his employer or any other organization.
Asbed Bedrossian
Asbed Bedrossian is an IT professional with extensive experience in enterprise IT infrastructure, IT security, enterprise applications, data center operations, high performance computing, ITSM, ITPM, and more.
Asbed is founder of the Armenian News Network Groong (ca. 1989/1990) and co-founder of the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020.