Author: Arpi Talalian

Armenians warn of crisis as Azerbaijan continues blockade

Arpi Talalian
By TZVI JOFFRE

 


Armenian officials continued to warn of a humanitarian crisis as Azerbaijan continued a blockade it intensified in mid-June on the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Since December, Azerbaijan had been limiting or blocking traffic along the Lachin corridor, only letting limited humanitarian aid through, but the blockade reportedly intensified since mid-June.

Earlier this year, Azerbaijani forces established a checkpoint along the Lachin corridor, the only road connecting the region to Armenia, near the Armenian border, accusing Armenia of using the road to transfer military equipment to ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.


On June 16, the Azerbaijani APA news site reported that Azerbaijani officials had closed the Lachin corridor completely, preventing both people and goods from crossing, in response to what they said were attacks by Armenians.

According to APA, Azerbaijan would only reopen the road when "Yerevan takes responsibility for the latest provocation."


Over a month later, the blockade continues, with supermarkets reportedly sitting nearly empty, along with shortages of medicine and fuel. Power outages are also reportedly afflicting the region.

The blockade is the latest in a series of measures reportedly taken by Azerbaijani authorities that have disrupted or blocked the movement of goods and people along the Lachin corridor.

Local journalists and officials have reported a number of incidents of miscarriages occurring due to pregnant women being unable to access necessary food items, medicine, and healthcare.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse on Friday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that "in Nagorno-Karabakh they have created a ghetto, in the most literal meaning of the word."

"Look at the situation that we now have in Nagorno-Karabakh," added Pashinyan. "We have a humanitarian crisis there. When we say humanitarian crisis, for many people it may seem like a political term or a headline for news, but let’s delve into its substance. It means, for instance, absence of essential goods, there is no vegetable oil in Nagorno-Karabakh, no sugar, there are no hygiene supplies, there is no butter, there aren’t several types of foodstuff. The people of Nagorno-Karabakh are hard working people of course, and in this agricultural season some products are produced, but because of the absence of fuel, the delivery of the goods to the potential consumers is almost impossible."

Despite the earlier reports by Azerbaijani media, Azerbaijani officials have recently insisted that there is no blockade and accused ethnic Armenian officials of blocking traffic and smuggling weapons and contraband from Armenia.

On July 11, Azerbaijan's State Border Service accused the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) of smuggling "various types of goods" along the Lachin corridor, including cell phones, fuel, and cigarettes.

"A criminal case has been opened under the relevant articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan in connection with the above-mentioned facts, and passage through the "Lachin" state border checkpoint has been temporarily suspended until necessary investigative measures have been completed," said the State Border Service at the time.


On Saturday, Azerbaijani media posted a video purporting to show that ethnic Armenians are being let through a checkpoint along the Lachin corridor, although Armenian media claims the blockade is still in place.

Additionally on Saturday, the Armenian Armenpress news site reported that 13 ethnic Armenian patients had been transferred by the Red Cross from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, although dozens of other patients are reportedly waiting to be transferred.

Additionally, on Saturday at the Shusha Global Media Forum, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev claimed that it was ethnic Armenian officials, not Azerbaijani officials, causing the roadblock and insisted that the residents of the region could get any goods they needed from Azerbaijani territory.

Armenian journalists reported on Saturday that Azerbaijani officials had insisted that Azerbaijani doctors inspect patients before letting the Red Cross transfer them.

Aliyev additionally insisted that Azerbaijan will protect the rights and security of ethnic Armenians in accordance with its constitution.

The Azerbaijani president additionally referred to ongoing efforts to reach a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia, stating that Armenia has already verbally recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory, but needs to be willing to sign a document stating that for a peace deal to be reached.

In 2020, a war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and nearby areas, ending just over a month later with a new line of contact drawn and Russian peacekeepers deployed along the line. Sporadic clashes have been reported along the line since the war.


https://www.jpost.com/international/article-752074

Armenpress: Armenia, Greece, Cyprus sign annual trilateral military cooperation plan

Arpi Talalian

 23:49, 5 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 5, ARMENPRESS. The Armenia-Greece-Cyprus trilateral defense consultations were held on July 5 in Cyprus, the Armenian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The delegation led by Levon Ayvazyan, the Head of the Department of Defense Policy and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Defense, represented Armenia at the consultations.

A number of security and cooperation issues within the framework of the interests of the three countries were discussed.

The parties reaffirmed readiness to take joint steps for strengthening the defensibility and military security of the three countries.

The annual program of trilateral military cooperation was signed during the meeting. The plan encompasses a number of events in Armenia, Greece and Cyprus.

At the end of the consultations, the Chief of the Cypriot National Guard Lieutenant General Dimokritos Zervakis held a meeting with the delegations.

Armenian Foreign Minister to participate in Dubrovnik Forum

Arpi Talalian

 13:29, 7 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan will participate in the Dubrovnik Forum on July 7-8 in Croatia, the Foreign Ministry announced Friday.

FM Mirzoyan will deliver remarks in the panel discussion entitled “World Order out of Order: How to Stabilize World Politics”. Meetings with other participants of the forum are also scheduled, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan said in a statement.

Nursery Opening in Gyumri on World Environment Day

Arpi Talalian
July 1, 2023 Armenia Tree Project Non-Profit 0

ATP staff members stand with EU4ENVIRONMENT Green Community, Resilient Future sign at Gyumri Nursery opening

GYUMRI, Armenia—On June 5, Armenia Tree Project (ATP) opened a new nursery in Gyumri with the support of the European Union within the framework of the EU4Environment: Green Community-Resilient Future Grant Project and partners Armenian Energy Agency and Jinishian Memorial Foundation. The opening date coincided with World Environment Day, symbolic of the project’s goals and future impact. Representatives from ATP, the EU, Armenian Energy Agency, Jinishian Memorial Foundation, Shirak Regional Administration and Gyumri Breeding Station attended the opening event, praising the collaboration and the bright future of the nursery. 

  Located within the Gyumri Breeding Station, the nursery will serve an essential role in increasing forest cover, which is sparse in the Shirak region. Spanning more than two football fields in size, the nursery hosts a 234-square-meter greenhouse and has the capacity to supply up to 100,000 seedlings per year. Currently, 15 types of seedlings and shrubs are growing in the nursery, including pine, birch, pear, apple, ash, maple, oak, forsythia, spirea, dogwood, honey cherry, cypress and oriental arborvitae. The project combines community greening and green economic opportunity. Norik Mkrtchyan, director of the Gyumri Breeding Station, said that they can start selling the nursery plants next year.

“Protection of the environment is at the heart of EU policies. Through the European Green Deal, EU aims to be a global leader in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation. The European Union is committed to continue supporting projects in Armenia on biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, renewable energy, and sustainable waste management,” said Silja Kasmann,deputy head of cooperation from the EU, regarding the project. 

Armenuhi Vanoyan, grants manager at ATP, said, “After working on this project for more than a year, we are so happy to be opening this nursery and to create more opportunities for people in the Shirak region. The surrounding community will be able to purchase plants and seeds that are already adapted to their climate. We hope this will lead to people greening their own spaces, creating their own backyard nurseries and food sources.” 

Since March 2021, ATP has worked under the EU4Environment: Green Community-Resilient Future Grant Project in the target regions of Shirak, Lori and Tavush. Through the project, ATP has planted 100 hectares of forests, greened more than 50 sites including parks, schools and community forests, provided green governance training to 10 village and regional administrators, established 150 backyard nurseries, trained more than 500 children in sustainable practices and topics and established 15 youth eco clubs. ATP will continue maintaining current projects throughout the grant period, at the end of which in March of 2024 information will be compiled to propose a sustainable and replicable model of green governance for other regions of Armenia.

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Armenia Tree Project (ATP) is a non-profit program based in Woburn and Yerevan conducting vitally important environmental projects in Armenia's cities and villages and seeks support in advancing its reforestation mission. Since 1994, ATP has planted and restored more than 6,000,000 trees, and hundreds of jobs have been created for Armenians in seasonal tree-related programs.


No one can question the role of Russia in ending the bloodshed in Nagorno Karabakh – Zakharova

Arpi Talalian

 19:54,

YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. Russia's role in stopping the bloodshed in Nagorno-Karabakh is beyond doubt, ARMENPRESS reports, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, announced during the weekly briefing.

"The role of Russia is fixed in the corresponding written document, under which the signatures of both Armenia and Azerbaijan are placed. This role cannot be questioned in any way because the conflicting parties have confirmed it. And an appropriate consensus was reached on that issue," Zakharova noted.

‘Important consensus’ – Unblocking process to begin with re-launch of Yeraskh-Horadiz railway

Arpi Talalian

 15:03, 21 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. The unblocking process will begin with the re-launch of the Yeraskh-Julfa-Meghri-Horadiz railway, Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan has said.

Grigoryan was asked to comment on his Russian counterpart Alexey Overchuk’s statement that the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan working group on unblocking has reached an important agreement.

“There’s a consensus that the unblocking process will begin with the re-launch of the Yeraskh-Horadiz railway, which I believe is important because what’s being talked about is concrete and clear. I think there is a final understanding that the regulations should be under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the countries through the territory of which the railwal will pass. This too is a highly important and fundamental agreement,” Grigoryan said, refusing to reveal details on other issues since there is no final consensus.

Talks with Azerbaijan must include issue of Armenian refugees, says ex-justice minister

Arpi Talalian

 16:13, 21 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. The case of Armenian refugees displaced from Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh relates not only to the violation of the right to property, but also interference with the right to identity, which is protected in context of the right to privacy, therefore if court rulings were to record these violations then the state could take appropriate measures, according to Artak Zeynalyan, human rights advocate, lawyer and former Minister of Justice of Armenia.

The matter also contains an element of genocidal policy that Azerbaijan is carrying out against the ethnic Armenians. The Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has tasked relevant authorities to conduct studies in this regard and apply to the UNHCR.

“On this occasion there must be UN-developed mechanisms which would be used against Azerbaijan in order to eliminate the consequences of the genocide and enable the refugees to return to their homes, so that their rights are duly protected. There could be mechanisms defined by interstate agreements, so that each of the states could assume the protection of the rights of the displaced, those who have become refugees who were displaced by the adversary and are now on its territory,” Zeynalyan said.

Asked whether or not a return of Armenian refugees to their homes is realistic given Azerbaijan’s ongoing policy of ethnic cleansing against Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, Zeynalyan said that this issue must definitely be included in the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations in order to receive a legal solution.

“The international legal arena and the negotiations process must be used simultaneously, because these two directions complement one another, increasing the probability of resolving the refugee issue in context of the principle of the rule of law,” he said.

The PR manager at the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Interior Ministry, Nelly Davtyan, told ARMENPRESS that the refugee issue has a history of over 30 years, with the first major flow happening in 1988-92, when 360,000 Armenians were forced to leave Azerbaijan, which served as the basis of Armenia adopting a dedicated law on them. Some of them acquired citizenship of Armenia, while others maintained the status of refugee, while a part of them left for other countries. Today, the number of Armenians forcefully displaced from Azerbaijan comprises several thousands in Armenia.

Eastern Prelacy announces schedule for October Pontifical visit

Arpi Talalian
 The Armenian Weekly Community News 0

Catholicos Aram I and His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian with children at St. Hagop Church in Niagara Falls

NEW YORK—The Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church announced last Thursday that it is finalizing plans to welcome Catholicos Aram I in October. The itinerary for the pontifical visit of His Holiness to the Eastern United States will include all parishes from Washington, D.C. to Wisconsin:

October 20-24: Watertown, MA
October 24-25: Worcester, MA
October 25-26: Indian Orchard, MA
October 26-27: Troy, NY
October 27: New Britain, CT
October 28-31: Providence, RI
October 31: Whitinsville, MA
November 1: North Andover, MA
November 2-3: Granite City, IL
November 3-5: Glenview, IL
November 6: Waukegan, IL
November 6: Racine, WI
November 7-8: Detroit, MI
November 8-14: Washington, D.C.
November 14-15: Philadelphia, PA
November 15-17: Ridgefield, NJ
November 17-21: New York City

His Holiness, who recently wrapped up his pontifical visit to Canada, also made a scheduled detour to visit the Armenian community of Niagara Falls, New York, along with his pontifical delegation, including Archbishop Papken Tcharian, Prelate of Canada, Bishop Torkom Donoyan, Prelate of the Western Prelacy, Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian, Dean of the Theological Seminary and staff-bearer, and Krikor Mahserejian, co-chair of the Central Executive Council of the Holy See.

Led by a Canadian police procession, His Holiness was welcomed at the United States border by His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the US, and the faithful. United States police escorted the procession to the Cemetery of Niagara Falls, where a requiem service was conducted for the souls of the deceased members of the local Armenian community.

Subsequently, His Holiness visited St. Hagop Church of Niagara Falls. As the choir and clergy sang the customary liturgical hymn “Hrashapar,” the Catholicos entered the church to a warm welcome by Archbishop Anoushavan and the parishioners. A reception to honor His Holiness was held afterwards at the parish hall. During the luncheon, remarks were made by the chair of the church’s Board of Trustees, Mayor of Niagara Falls Robert Restaino, and the Prelate.

Following an exchange of souvenirs, His Holiness addressed the audience and expressed his joy for the opportunity, recalling his frequent visits to the community as a student studying in New York. He also commended the fact that the Armenian spirit is kept alive in the community.




Sports: Essegian called to represent Armenian National Team

Arpi Talalian
 UW Badgers 
University of Wisconsin 
June 12 2023

Men's Basketball June 12, 2023

MADISON, Wis. — Connor Essegian earned the opportunity to play the game he loves and represent his heritage, as the Wisconsin sophomore recently accepted an invitation to play basketball for the Armenian National Team in two upcoming games against France.

Essegian will be making his debut for Armenia in the "Armenian Basketball Classic," an event that will take place June 16-17 and have Armenia facing France – ranked No. 5 globally – in back-to-back games. Both games will be played in California at Premier America Credit Union Arena on the campus of California State University, Northridge. It will mark the first-ever Armenian basketball games to be played in the United States.

Building on its momentum after winning gold at the 2022 European Championship for Small Countries, Armenia begins its journey to qualify for the FIBA World Cup.

Essegian reported for training camp in Glendale, California, which runs Monday through Thursday.

"I'm really excited to have the opportunity to play the game that I love, while also representing Armenia and my family in the process," Essegian said. "My father's side is Armenian and I believe one of my relatives, Chuck Essegian, was the first Armenian player in Major League Baseball, so I'm excited to add to that history through the game of basketball. I'm also excited to represent Wisconsin on an international level of competition. I plan to use this opportunity to challenge myself against professional-level players, while also better preparing for this upcoming season."

Connor's father is 50 percent Armenian, and Connor's grandfather is 100 percent Armenian. The cousin of Connor's grandfather, Chuck Essegian, is the first Armenian to play in Major League Baseball. Chuck Essegian played baseball and football at Stanford University, competing in the 1951 Rose Bowl, before going on to play in MLB for six seasons (1958-63) where he played in the 1959 World Series with the Dodgers. Chuck Essegian set a World Series record with two pinch-hit home runs, and became just the second player to play in both the Rose Bowl and World Series.

Essegian burst onto the scene in his first season at Wisconsin, earning Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors and showcasing himself as one of the best sharp shooters in the country. Essegian played in all 35 games for the Badgers, starting the final 19 games and averaging 11.7 points per game on the season. The Fort Wayne, Indiana native became just the fifth Badger over the last 25 years to average double figures in their freshman season, joining Brad Davison (2017-18), Ethan Happ (2015-16), Alando Tucker (2002-03) and Devin Harris (2001-02). With 69 made 3-pointers on the season, Essegian broke the school record for most made 3-point field goals by a freshman.

"Any time one of our athletes gets to play on an international stage and represent their heritage it is an awesome opportunity," Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard said. "We've had several players over the years use this experience as a springboard into the next season, and I know that Connor will go in with his eyes and ears wide open to squeeze everything out of this opportunity that he can. I'm excited to follow him as he competes."

For updates on Connor Essegian and the Armenian National Team, follow @BadgerMBB on social media and visit UWBadgers.com.

"Baku’s provocations are aimed at the complete isolation of the NK Armenians." Assessment from Yerevan

Arpi Talalian
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan


  • Azerbaijani flag hoisted on the Hakari bridge


“Last month, for propaganda purposes, Azerbaijan provided some sort of passability along the Lachin corridor through Red Cross vehicles and Russian peacekeepers. But since yesterday this movement has been stopped, reduced to zero. Food access has also been terminated,” the Prime Minister of Armenia said.

Azerbaijan banned the entry of people and the import of humanitarian goods into Nagorno-Karabakh through the Lachin corridor. This decision followed the incident on the Khakari Bridge, which resulted in the injury of an Armenian border guard.

On June 15, the National Security Service of Armenia reported that a group of Azerbaijani soldiers of the Azerbaijani border service attempted to advance into the territory of Armenia. It was reported that the purpose of the promotion was to plant the Azerbaijani flag. The attempt was averted by the response of the Armenian border guards. However, telegram channels distributed videos with footage of the Azerbaijanis setting their flag in the presence of the commander of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

“This bridge was built by Azerbaijan quite recently, and the allegations that the flag was raised on the territory of Armenia are unfounded,” Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizade said a couple of hours ago.

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Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan connects the incident with the hoisting of the Azerbaijani flag on June 15 with the Day of State Symbols celebrated in Armenia.

“Azerbaijanis have tried to once again demonstrate their provocative nature in this way. But thanks to the actions of our border guards, their goal was not achieved. Unfortunately, there is one victim from sniper fire. They [Azerbaijanis] also reported wounded,” he told deputies from the rostrum of the parliament.

Former Minister of Defense and head of the Hayastan opposition faction (Armenia) Seyran Ohanyan said that Baku once again showed its true intentions:

“The Azerbaijanis are not disposed to any agreement through negotiations and will continue to put pressure on Armenia and Artsakh. With the operation carried out on the Khakari bridge, Azerbaijan further aggravated the blockade of Artsakh. The Azerbaijanis are trying to independently demarcate or delimit the territory of Armenia in all directions.”

Frame from video

This is how the deputies of the parliamentary opposition faction “Armenia” described “the hoisting of the Azerbaijani flag on the territory of the Republic of Armenia in the presence of Russian peacekeepers.” At the same time, they avoided assessing the actions of the peacekeepers themselves. Armenian media claim that the parliamentary opposition has a pro-Russian orientation.

“We must look for answers to all these questions in the main agenda that the current government of Armenia is promoting,” opposition MP Artsvik Minasyan said.

The secretary of the ruling faction, Artur Hovhannisyan, described the incident as a “large-scale problem,” but added that the Foreign Ministry was discussing the issue with Russian colleagues:

“Naturally, there is a conversation with our Russian partners, in what context, with what results – the Foreign Ministry will report later.”

In Aliyev’s interview with state television, the Azerbaijani President talked about issues related to resolving the conflict between his country and Armenia

According to the information headquarters of the NK, Azerbaijan has banned both passenger transportation and the import of humanitarian cargo:

  • “the transportation of dozens of passengers along the route Stepanakert-Goris-Stepanakert was canceled due to urgent humanitarian need, it was supposed to be carried out by Russian peacekeepers,”
  • “the movement of trucks of Russian peacekeepers, heading to Goris to import humanitarian cargo, was suspended.”

25 patients and relatives accompanying them, who were sent from NK to Armenia with the assistance of the Red Cross, were also forced to return home. They were not allowed to pass through the Azerbaijani checkpoint.

The Office of the Ombudsman of Armenia issued a statement emphasizing that humanitarian transportation was previously carried out exclusively through the mediation of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers:

“Now Azerbaijan is preventing these already limited movement options as a lever to intimidate the civilian population of Artsakh, spread fear, psychological pressure and create unbearable living conditions in NK.”

This is the assessment of the situation by the Prime Minister of Armenia, who stated that the actions of the Azerbaijani authorities confirm the concerns he had previously expressed:

“How else should ethnic cleansing take place? The supply of food, gas and electricity to the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh has been cut off, citizens doing agricultural work are being fired upon, and the possibility of movement is blocked even for patients in critical condition.”

To ensure the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, he again stressed the need to start their dialogue with Baku within the framework of international mechanisms:

“It is to be hoped that concrete steps will be taken in this direction.”

https://jam-news.net/azerbaijani-flag-hoisted-on-the-hakari-bridge/