Author: Christine Harutyunian

Congressmen Schiff, Sherman call for U.S. action to end Azeri blockade of Nagorno- Karabakh

Christine Harutyunian

 16:15,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. The Pan Armenian Council of Western USA has launched a 24-hour nationwide hunger strike in solidarity with Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

The Pan Armenian Council of Western USA demands affirmative action by U.S. President Biden and the U.S. Department of State, to prevent a new Armenian Genocide at the hands of the Aliyev regime by:

-Ensuring the immediate re-opening of the Lachin Corridor by introducing and facilitating the passage of a UN Security Council Resolution requiring Azerbaijan to adhere to the February 22, 2023, preliminary measure of the ICJ ordering Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor;

-Immediately halting all U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan in light of the illegal humanitarian blockade imposed on the Armenians of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), consistent with Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act;

-Sanctioning members of the Aliyev regime under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by individual members of the Aliyev regime;

-Delivering $100 million in USAID humanitarian assistance to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) through the Lachin Corridor to ensure the survival of the 120,000 civilians who have been completely blockaded since June 15, 2023;

-Introducing a UN Security Council resolution to establish a United Nations Mission in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) [UNMINK] consisting of 5,000 international military personnel to ensure the physical security of the population.

Congressmen Adam Schiff and Brad Sherman joined the members of the Armenian community for a press briefing during the demonstration held outside the Azeri consulate in Los Angeles. 

“We are watching a humanitarian catastrophe unfold in Artsakh. Yesterday, I joined my colleague Adam Schiff and the Armenian community at a press conference in my district. We must hold the Aliyev regime accountable and end U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan,” Sherman said on X.

Congressman Schiff called on the U.S. government to act.

“I stand with Artsakh's 120,000 residents, and the Armenian diaspora defending them. Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor must end.  The US recognized the Armenian Genocide and said never again. We must do more than pledge. We must act,” Schiff said on X.

Congressman Adam Schiff urges Biden to personally call Aliyev to end blockade, assess options for U.S. aid to Artsakh

Christine Harutyunian

 17:21, 15 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. United States Congressman Adam Schiff has called on U.S. President Joe Biden to personally call Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and urge him to end the blockade of Lachin Corridor.

In a letter, the Congressman called on President Biden to warn Aliyev that there will be consequences, including the implementation of sanctions, visa restrictions, and cutting off U.S. foreign assistance, should the blockade continue.

Below is the Congressman’s full letter addressed to President Biden.

“Dear President Biden,

Since I wrote to you on June 8 expressing my deep concern over Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to the outside world, the crisis has deteriorated significantly and demands your personal and immediate attention.

Since December 2022, the people of Artsakh have been living under Azerbaijan's illegal blockade with devastating effects, with 120,000 individuals denied access to food, water, medical supplies and services, gas and consistent electricity. While previously the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was able to provide limited deliveries of essential food and medicine and facilitate transport in medical emergencies, Azerbaijan weeks ago cut off access to even the ICRC. As ICRC stated, "Tens of thousands of people rely on humanitarian aid reaching them through these routes. With this lifeline cut off, the population is completely isolated and the toll on civilians is escalating rapidly. There is no question that the situation is now a "dire humanitarian crisis," as stated by a group of UN experts on August 7.

The population of Artsakh is in urgent need of assistance, including those most vulnerable – pregnant women, children, and the elderly and disabled. Life-saving medications and baby formula are almost gone. Health authorities in Artsakh have reported a surge in the disease incidence and death rate related to malnutrition, lack of medicines, and lack of emergency medical services/transport. For example, the level of anemia among pregnant women has reached approximately 90 percent and incidents of fainting due to malnutrition have become widely reported. The grave consequence is that innocent civilians are increasingly suffering from malnutrition and facing the imminent threat of starvation in accordance with Aliyev's deliberate and strategic design. At this very moment, a convoy of trucks carrying 400 tons of humanitarian aid is blocked by Azerbaijan and not allowed to enter Artsakh. These actions are in clear violation of international law and the 2020 trilateral ceasefire statement. The August 7 statement by UN experts called for Azerbaijan "to uphold its international obligations to respect and protect human rights, including the right to food, health, education and life," and I join them in that call.

Though the U.S. government, the European Union, UN experts, and Russia have condemned the blockade and called for the corridor to be opened to regular traffic, Azerbaijan has ignored such statements for months. The U.S. Department of State and USAID have tried to use diplomacy to put an end to Aliyev's blockade of the Lachin Corridor, but the time for statements and such calls has clearly long passed. The United States must take concrete actions and immediately use other tools to press Azerbaijan to return to compliance with international law and order. I therefore urge you to take the following steps:

  • Convene an emergency session of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on the crisis in Artsakh while the United States holds the presidency.This situation aligns with our country's intention to focus this session on combating food insecurity and defending human rights and is an urgent matter demanding UNSC attention. UN Secretary-General Guterres voiced deep concern over the ongoing blockade and "the deteriorating situation on the ground” via an August 2 statement, and he and UN special rapporteurs have called for action. It is time for the UNSC to engage. I agree, as the Armenian government stated in an August 12 letter, that "the UN Security Council, as a principal body responsible for maintaining international peace and security, to prevent mass atrocities including war crimes, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and genocide," must convene a meeting on this crisis as soon as possible.
  • Direct the U.S. Mission to the UN to lead a UN Security Council resolution calling on Azerbaijan to immediately comply with the orders of the International Court of Justice, providing for the deployment of a team of UN experts to Artsakh to gather information and produce an independent report on the human rights and humanitarian situation, and sanction Azerbaijan for its flagrant violations of international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
  • Direct USAID and the Department of Defense to assess options for the United States to assist in the delivery of aid to Artsakhby land or airlift to prevent the very real threat of starvation and avoid the preventable deaths of innocent civilians.
  • Personally call Aliyevand urge him to lift the blockade. Warn him that there will be consequences, including the implementation of sanctions, visa restrictions, and cutting off U.S. foreign assistance, should the blockade continue. Many of us in Congress believe that Azerbaijan should have been cut off from U.S aid a long time ago.

I stand ready to provide any support to your Administration's efforts to address this crisis, including facilitating a meeting between your administration and national Armenian community stakeholders who can share first – hand accounts of the catastrophic situation in Artsakh.

This inhumane and evil campaign to destroy a people is hauntingly familiar to Armenians, whose ancestors suffered the horror of the Armenian Genocide 108 years ago. In an expert opinion report released August 7, former International Criminal Court prosecutor and international legal expert Luis Moreno Ocampo concluded, “There is a reasonable basis to believe that a Genocide is being committed against Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023.” He stated, "The blockade of the Lachin Corridor by the Azerbaijani security forces impeding access to any food, medical supplies, and other essentials should be considered a Genocide under Article II , (c) of the Genocide Convention: "Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction." There are no crematories, and there are no machete attacks. Starvation is the invisible Genocide weapon. Without immediate dramatic change, this group of Armenians will be destroyed in a few weeks."

We have pledged "never again," Mr. President, but today the people of Artsakh face the real threat of ethnic cleansing and genocide at the hands of an autocratic Azerbaijani regime. On April 24, 2023, when Armenians around the world were commemorating the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, you powerfully stated, "Here and around the world, the Armenian people have met the evil of hate with hope. They rebuilt their communities. They nurtured their families and preserved their culture. They strengthened our nation. They also told their stories – and those of their ancestors – to remember and to ensure that genocide like the one that happened 108 years ago is never again repeated. Today, let us renew this pledge. Let us recommit to speaking  out against hate, standing up for human rights, and preventing atrocities." Mr. President, you have been on the right side of history, have spoken truth to power, and now is the time to uphold this pledge and stand with the people of Artsakh and stop another Armenian Genocide from occurring.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I stand ready to work with your Administration in support of the people of Artsakh.”

The U.S. Mission to the U.N. said Monday that the U.N. Security Council will convene an emergency open meeting on Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday.




Senators call for US-backed UNSC resolution demanding end of blockade,unfettered humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh

Christine Harutyunian

 10:05,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Senators have called on the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the current President of the U.N. Security Council, to exert pressure on Azerbaijan and ‘take a strong stance’ at the forthcoming U.N. Security Council emergency meeting on Nagorno-Karabakh.

“We write to urge you to take a strong stance at today’s U.N. Security Council emergency meeting on the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh to address the humanitarian crisis,” Senator Robert Menendez, the Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and Senator Alex Padilla said in a letter addressed to Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

Describing the ongoing situation resulting from the Azeri blockade, the Senators added that “Azerbaijan’s actions are nothing short of an attempt of ethnic cleansing of the Armenian community that has lived there for centuries.”

The American lawmakers recalled that former chief prosecutor of the ICC, Luis Moreno Ocampo, has warned that “there is a reasonable basis to believe that a Genocide is being committed."

“We are encouraged that the United States supported the call for convening the meeting. In your capacity as the President of the U.N. Security Council for August 2023, we ask that you work with all UNSC members to pressure the Azerbaijani government to lift the blockade and prevent what the evidence suggests is a coordinated effort to ethnically cleanse the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. Specifically, we urge you to introduce a resolution calling for an immediate end of the blockade and unfettered humanitarian access to the region,” the Senators added.

Russia: Armenian Deputy Defence Minister visits DRDO stall at Army 2023 exhibition

Christine Harutyunian
The Print
India – Aug 16 2023

Moscow [Russia], August 16 (ANI): Armenian Deputy Defence Minister Karen Brutyan on Tuesday, visited Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) stall at Army 2023 military exhibition in Russia and held a discussion on the defence system being showcased there, DRDO said in a statement.

Earlier on Monday, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu also interacted with BrahMos Aerospace officials about the developments in BrahMos missile during the Army 2023 defence exhibition.

India’s Ambassador to Russia Pavan Kapoor inaugurated the India Pavilion at the International Military Technical Forum on Monday.

The Army 2023 international military-technical forum is being held at the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center, the Alabino training ground and the Kubinka airfield outside Moscow from August 14-20, TASS reported.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected various products made by the domestic defence industry which are exhibited at the Army-2023 International Military-Technical Forum which started in Kubinka outside Moscow on Monday.

Shoigu examined the Drok 82 mm self-propelled mortar, Kornet-D1 self-propelled anti-tank missile system, the Lotos 120 mm self-propelled artillery system, the Zavet-D automated control system managing airborne mortar teams and the Aistyonok portable radar reconnaissance station, TASS reported

The exhibition stands also included the Oryol round-the-clock, optical-electronic, multifunctional device, Orlan-30 and Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Kub system equipped with guided munitions, the Lancet system equipped with small and medium-sized loitering munitions, the Supercam-S350 drone, the Malva 152 mm self-propelled artillery system, and the Tornado-G 122 mm multiple launch missile system.

The BrahMos missile is a type of supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from various platforms like submarines, ships, aeroplanes, or land. It is currently the fastest supersonic missile in the world and was developed by a partnership between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, forming BrahMos Aerospace. The missile is named after two rivers, the Brahmaputra in India and the Moskva in Russia.

Recently, the Indian Navy successfully test-fired the ship-launched version of the BrahMos missile. The missile test was conducted using an indigenous seeker and booster in the Arabian Sea. Notably, its anti-ship version was jointly test-fired by the Andaman and Nicobar Command and the Navy in April 2022. (ANI)

This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

https://theprint.in/world/russia-armenian-deputy-defence-minister-visits-drdo-stall-at-army-2023-exhibition/1716127/



Camille Gregorian creates beauty and promotes healing through art

Christine Harutyunian
 Pauline Getzoyan Art, Local Spotlight, Diaspora, Culture 0

Camille Gregorian pictured with two of her creations

Camille Gregorian is a devoted wife, daughter and sister—and an artist re-discovering her love of artistic _expression_ while coping with the complexity of grief.Gregorian grew up in a multi-generational home in Providence, Rhode Island, with her father George K. “Frenchy,” mother Virginia and sister Janette, along with her paternal grandmother Calipse Piroumian and Calipse’s sister. Calipse and her husband Manouk Krikorian were Armenian Genocide survivors from Van.  

A collage of memories of Camille Gregorian’s brother George

The family moved to Cranston when Gregorian was 10, and that is when she “special ordered” her brother George. She recalled being frustrated with her sister, as happens between young siblings, and asking her mother, “Can’t you have another baby?” Whether or not that request prompted the outcome, Camille was delighted when her brother was born, and the siblings developed a very “tight bond.” “I took him everywhere with me,” she told the Weekly. “I didn’t mind. It wasn’t a burden. I enjoyed it.”

Gregorian would later graduate with a degree in elementary education, minoring in art, at a time when teaching jobs were difficult to attain. Eventually, she landed in the field of clinical social work, for which she earned her graduate degree—a career she enjoyed for more than three decades.

Upon retirement, Gregorian re-discovered her love of creating art, deciding to “try painting a little bit again.” “I always did something creative,” she said. “Whether it was cooking or something else, I always needed to create something interesting to me.” 

Memories of Camille Gregorian’s father and brother on display at “8 Visions”

Gregorian traces her interest in art back to visits she made to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum with her father. “Frenchy,” as he was known, had both a thriving popcorn business that was well-known throughout the state and beyond and a cosmopolitan love of art and film. After their father’s passing, her brother George took over the family business, “Frenchy’s Popcorn,” and thereafter inherited the “Frenchy” moniker.

As she began painting, Gregorian’s focus was on creating something “pretty” or a piece that had “nice colors.” Eventually, she grew into an intuitive style of abstract painting, particularly after participating in a class with an instructor whose approach was to “get to your own voice.” Her art began to more fully express her emotions.

Then, her brother George was hospitalized after contracting COVID-19. Gregorian’s painting began to reflect her accompanying emotions: “I’m scared. I’m angry. I’m frustrated.” One piece, entitled “Vax,” addresses these emotions. “He was so adamant against it and we argued about it…something that should have been innocuous during a health crisis,” she said.

“Vax” by Camille Gregorian

George tragically succumbed to COVID-19 in February of 2022 at the age of 57.

Gregorian said that she could not paint for a while afterwards, between her grief and family obligations, including caring for her mother.

“Little by little, I started to do more,” she said, and that led to her healing journey through art.

By December 2022, Gregorian saw a call for artists from the Attleboro Arts Museum in Attleboro, Massachusetts. She decided to apply and was informed in April 2023 that she was accepted, having been selected from a field of 60 applicants to be one of the final eight juried artists. Her series is entitled, “Love, Loss and Longing.”

“Camille underwent three rounds of jurying to be included in the Attleboro Arts Museum’s ‘8 Visions’ exhibition,” said Mim Brooks Fawcett, executive director and chief curator at the museum. “She was in a pool of over 60 artists when the process first began. One of the jurors was drawn to her ‘beautiful compositions that are tenderly rendered.’ Her work stood out for its layers of meaning and gentle storytelling.”

“8 Visions” at the Attleboro Arts Museum (Photo courtesy of Attleboro Arts Museum)

“2023’s 8 Visions artists present works that examine the human condition, fragile and ever changing states, and personal connections to spaces and places. Additionally, through the manipulation of classic and unexpected materials, viewers will find an emphasis on the natural world and the passage of time,” Brooks Fawcett explained.

Gregorian’s paintings immediately attract attention in the exhibit. The combination of colors and layers of texture invite the viewer’s exploration and perusal. Each time a piece is examined, additional layers become evident, including collage, stencils and family photographs included through a photo transfer process. Gregorian uses acrylic paints, oil sticks, crayons, markers and more to create her mixed media works.

“Camille’s artwork directs viewers through a combination of personal moments and vibrant visual marks. She is a sensitive artist that feels her way through the creative process and shares openly with the public,” said Brooks Fawcett.

One of the paintings, “Yellow Gold,” is an homage to her father’s, and later her brother’s, business. As one who grew up enjoying “Frenchy’s Popcorn” everywhere from Roger Williams Park Zoo to church bazaars and picnics at Camp Haiastan, the piece evoked many wonderful childhood memories.

Gregorian’s art is powerful and especially poignant given the inspiration. “It wasn’t just the sadness,” Gregorian said about her brother’s passing. “It was the loss of a legacy.” 

The “8 Visions” exhibit will be on display at the Attleboro Arts Museum until August 26. The museum is free and open to the public.

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Editor
Pauline Getzoyan is editor of the Armenian Weekly and an active member of the Rhode Island Armenian community. A longtime member of the Providence ARF and ARS, she also is a former member of the ARS Central Executive Board. A longtime advocate for genocide education through her work with the ANC of RI, Pauline is co-chair of the RI branch of The Genocide Education Project. In addition, she has been an adjunct instructor of developmental reading and writing in the English department at the Community College of Rhode Island since 2005.


Armenia seeks UN meeting on humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh

Christine Harutyunian
Aug 12 2023

Tbilisi, Aug 12 (EFE).- Armenia called on the United Nations on Saturday to convene an emergency Security Council meeting over the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed enclave currently under blockade by Azerbaijan.

“The Armenian government demands the intervention of the UN Security Council as the main organ for safeguarding global security,” Mher Margaryan, Armenia’s permanent representative to the UN, said in a letter to the world body.

Armenia said Nagorno-Karabakh was grappling with a deteriorating humanitarian state caused by an ongoing and complete blockade enforced for the past eight months.

A group of UN experts on Aug.7 stated that the closure of the Lachin corridor—the only access route from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh—has “led to a dire humanitarian crisis in the region.”

“The blockade of the Lachin corridor is a humanitarian emergency that has created severe shortages of essential food staples including sunflower oil, fish, chicken, dairy products, cereal, sugar and baby formula,” the experts said.

They have urged Azerbaijan to promptly reinstate unobstructed and secure movement of individuals, vehicles, and goods traversing the Lachin corridor in both directions, under the November 2020 ceasefire agreement that ended a war over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Nagorno-Karabakh, historically populated by Armenians, was internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Azerbaijan regained control over much of the region after a war in the autumn of 2020. EFE

mv-mos-ssk

https://www.laprensalatina.com/armenia-seeks-un-meeting-on-humanitarian-crisis-in-nagorno-karabakh/

Turkish Press: Azerbaijan-Armenia row in Lachin risks regional peace: Expert

Christine Harutyunian
DAILY SABAH
Turkey – Aug 9 2023


ince last year, a key transit road in the Karabakh region has been at the center of growing tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia, two countries struggling to strike a peace deal after their last major conflict in the fall of 2020 ended with a cease-fire brokered by Russia.

The Lachin road, which passes through its namesake district on the Azerbaijani side of the border, is Armenia’s only land route to Karabakh.

It is being monitored by a Russian peacekeeping contingent under the Nov. 10, 2020 truce, known as the Tripartite Declaration, and its control has been a major snag in relations between the two former Soviet nations.

Tensions grew significantly in December 2022 when Azerbaijani environmentalists staged protests demanding an end to what they said was Armenia’s illegal exploitation of mineral deposits in parts of Karabakh under the supervision of Russian peacekeepers.

The protests ended when Azerbaijan set up a checkpoint on the road, saying it took the step because of “threats and provocations” from the Armenian side and on the grounds that the road was being used by Yerevan to smuggle military arms and equipment into Karabakh.

Armenia has since accused Azerbaijan of causing a “humanitarian crisis” in the region. Baku has vehemently denied and pointed out that vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross can freely use the route.

For Turgut Kerem Tuncel, a senior researcher at the Center for Eurasian Studies of the Turkmeneli Cooperation and Culture Foundation, Azerbaijan’s steps in the region are justified in terms of international law, considering the problems that have emerged in the implementation of the cease-fire.

On negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the past three years, he said one of the major issues had been Armenia’s misuse of the article related to transportation along the Lachin road.

“The problem with Lachin is that … one of the articles in this declaration was the free access or transportation on the Lachin road. However, we see that this article … is abused by the Armenian side,” Tuncel said.

This prompted Baku’s decision to establish a border checkpoint at the road’s entrance, which “makes sense in terms of international law,” he said.

Armenia has raised concerns because it wants “unimpeded transportation,” he said. “But this unimpeded transportation is abused by the Armenian side because there is evidence that illegal military materials and equipment are transferred.”

He said there has been “very strong, very powerful propaganda” in the Western world, both by Armenian media outlets and members of the Armenian diaspora, claiming that Azerbaijan is pushing an “ethnic cleansing policy” against Armenian residents in Karabakh.

About Azerbaijan’s proposal to use the Aghdam-Khankendi road, Tuncel highlighted what he said were “questionable” claims pushed by Armenian media and diaspora.

“This (road) is still not under Azerbaijan’s control. So, Azerbaijan says that cargo could pass from Aghdam to Askeran and then reach Khankendi,” he explained.

“Very interestingly, while the Armenians are arguing that there is a humanitarian catastrophe going on in Karabakh, they, on the other hand, don’t accept this cargo transport from Aghdam.”

Armenia only wants cargo transportation through the Lachin road, which raises questions over its claims of a crisis in Karabakh, he said.

“If there’s such a big humanitarian crisis, why doesn’t the Armenian side allow the cargo coming from another road? If what is at stake is human lives? Then, I think all alternatives should be utilized,” he said.

The basis for Armenia’s opposition to this alternate route is that its use would mean the “integration of the Karabakh region to Azerbaijan,” he added.

“That is why they accept only the Lachin road because it directly connects the Armenian-populated parts of the Karabakh region to Armenia,” said Tuncel.

“All this discussion, all these disagreements are political, and at the core of this lies the approach of the Armenians in Karabakh to not integrate with Azerbaijan.”

Tuncel also touched upon the wider Zangezur corridor, where Azerbaijan has focused on planned connections, including motorways and a 43-kilometer (26-mile) railway.

This corridor is important for connectivity between Türkiye and Azerbaijan but must also be viewed from a regional perspective, he said.

The issue here then becomes the Middle Corridor, he added, referring to the transcontinental route, which begins in Türkiye, passes through the Caucasus via Georgia and Azerbaijan, crosses the Caspian Sea, traverses Central Asia, and reaches China.

For this corridor to materialize, there must be stability in the entire region, including the South Caucasus, which is why “we need normalization between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” he explained.

He said the Zangezur corridor significantly shortens the distance between Türkiye and the western shores of the Caspian Sea while adding “another alternative” for other regional routes, such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.

Tuncel said Armenia, despite its obligations under the Tripartite Declaration, is doing “everything” to hinder transportation connections in the South Caucasus.

The Zangezur corridor could actually benefit Armenia, maybe even more than Türkiye and Azerbaijan, as it would end its regional isolation, he said.

“For this reason, I think Armenia should start thinking strategically and do its best to normalize its relations with Azerbaijan and Türkiye and be a part of the large, globally important infrastructure projects (in the region),” he concluded.

Representatives of US Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff visit Armenian Genocide Memorial

Christine Harutyunian

 16:22, 9 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee staffers Sarah Arkin and Damian Murphy visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial on August 9.

Sarah Arkins and Damian Murphy laid a wreath at the memorial and flowers at the Eternal Flame and observed a minute of silence in memory of the Armenian Genocide victims, the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute said in a press release.

The Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Harutyun Marutyan presented the history of the Memory Alley to the guests and noted that the first tree dates back to 1997, and it was planted by the US Senator Robert Dole in memory of Hambar Kelekyan, an Armenian-American surgeon who survived the Armenian Genocide. He then presented the story of the three khachkars placed at Tsitsernakaberd in memory of the Armenians who died in the massacres organized by the Azerbaijani government in the cities of Sumgait, Kirovabad (Gandzak) and Baku at the end of the 20th century, as well as the stories of the five freedom fighters buried in front of Hushapat during the Artsakh struggle of survival— stressing that the events were the continuation of the Armenian Genocide.

Sarah Arkins and Damian Murphy arrived in Armenia at the instructions of Robert Menendez, the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Azerbaijan continues to block humanitarian aid convoy to Nagorno-Karabakh

Christine Harutyunian

 14:08, 27 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan continues to block a humanitarian aid convoy sent from Armenia from entering Nagorno-Karabakh through Lachin Corridor, which has been blockaded since December 2022.

The convoy carrying 360 tons of food and medication has reached the Kornidzor village of Syunik Province but is unable to enter Lachin Corridor.

An Armenian government official told reporters in Kornidzor that they have asked both the Russian peacekeepers and the Azeri authorities to allow the goods reach their destination, but there’s been no response yet.

“It’s been nearly twenty hours that we are here in Kornidzor village. As you can see, there is no movement. This process requires patience and a certain sequence of steps. As of this moment we haven’t received any response, we are waiting for a response,” said Vardan Sargsyan, a member of the government task force of Armenia in charge of managing the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Sargsyan said the Armenian authorities have contacted the Russian peacekeepers and the Azerbaijani side for letting the goods through. “As I said, we have no response yet,” he added.

Armenia sends humanitarian cargo to NK, Azerbaijan calls it a provocation

Christine Harutyunian

July 27 2023


  • JAMnews
  • Baku

Delivery of humanitarian cargo from Armenia to NK

Trucks with humanitarian cargo bound for Nagorno-Karabakh have been in the border zone near the Armenian village of Kornidzor since last evening. With the help of the government of Armenia, the convoy will remain there until “Azerbaijan fulfills the legally binding decision of the International Court of Justice” to ensure unhindered movement along the Lachin corridor. Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan wrote about this on Twitter.

The column is loaded with food, baby food and medicines, with a total weight of about 400 tons. The Russian peacekeepers, who were asked by the Armenian government to deliver the cargo, have still not complied with it. The Armenian media say that the Russian peacekeeping contingent did not even come up with any explanation for its inaction.

Baku regards the sending of humanitarian cargo to the unrecognized republic as a provocation.

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On July 26, the Armenian government sent humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh in 19 trucks — 60 tons of sugar, 40 tons of vegetable oil, 100 tons of flour, 80 tons of pasta, 20 tons of salt, 40 tons of powdered milk, 12 tons of baby food and 9 tons of medicines.

The government reports that on the issue of the delivery of the cargo, “they turned to the Russian peacekeeping forces, as well as through the appropriate channels to the Azerbaijani side.”

A convoy of trucks with humanitarian cargo stands near the border village of Kornidzor in the Syunik region. The vehicles passed the Armenian checkpoint and are still awaiting a response from Russian peacekeepers.

Trucks with humanitarian cargo

In a morning government meeting, the Prime Minister of Armenia stated that Azerbaijan was blocking the import of humanitarian goods through the Lachin corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh:

“Is it because the true intention, the goal of Azerbaijan is to starve the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, to subject them to genocide?”

Pashinyan said that the Armenian side is waiting for “a positive reaction from Russian peacekeepers and official Baku.” If Azerbaijan does not allow the humanitarian cargo to be transported, this, according to the prime minister, would only confirm the fears “about the intention to commit the Armenian genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh.” If the cargo is allowed to pass, it would be “a positive step for building confidence and will contribute to efforts to establish peace in the region.”

Pashinyan said that “as a pretext for illegally blocking the Lachin corridor, Baku made the absurd assertion that Armenia uses the corridor for military purposes.” He stressed that the heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in Armenia managed to get acquainted with the contents of the trucks the day before. After a meeting at the Armenian Foreign Ministry, they examined the cargo that the Armenian government had prepared to send to compatriots “who have been living in blockade for the eighth month.”

Trucks near the building of the Armenian Foreign Ministry

Statement by the Prime Minister of Armenia on the situation in the unrecognized NKR, which has been blocked for 7 months, as well as the latest information on the deepening humanitarian crisis

The statements of Armenian diplomats not only speak of the need to unblock the Lachin corridor and let humanitarian cargo through, but also respond to Baku’s reaction.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahan Kostanyan, in his commentary on the situation in the Lachin corridor, also responded to the statement of Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the President of Azerbaijan:

“Along with the failure to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice to ensure unimpeded movement, inhuman and cynical statements were made from Baku that “the game is over” [quotes Hajiyev].”

Earlier, Hikmet Hajiyev also stated that Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed in Brussels on deliveries to NK via the Aghdam route, that is, the territory of Azerbaijan.

This was denied by Armenian Ambassador-at-Large Edmon Marukyan, who stated on air of public television of Armenia that this was “an outright lie.” Marukyan read out the words of the head of the European Council Charles Michel after the meeting of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan:

“I stressed the need to open the Lachin road. I also noted Azerbaijan’s readiness to equally ensure the supply of humanitarian aid through Aghdam. I consider both options important and call for humanitarian supplies from both sides to meet the needs of the population.”

Marukyan focused on the fact that in Michel’s statement there are no words about agreements with Baku. He also said that earlier the Armenian government sent another 500 tons of cargo to NK. This cargo is now in warehouses in the city of Goris, as it also failed to be smuggled through the Lachin corridor.

“At the moment, Armenia is clearly showing that Azerbaijan is lying to the international community that the Lachin corridor is open,” the Ambassador-at-Large said.

The Prime Minister of Armenia in an interview with France Presse talked about the humanitarian crisis in NK, the likelihood of war, the possibilities of normalizing relations with Azerbaijan and the “balancing” between the West and Russia

Last night, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell reaffirmed the EU’s approach:

“We have taken note of the readiness expressed by the Azerbaijani authorities to also deliver goods through the city of Aghdam. This should not be seen as an alternative to opening the Lachin corridor. The Azerbaijani authorities are obliged to guarantee safe and free movement along the Lachin corridor in the near future and prevent further deepening of the crisis.

The EU also notes that the activities of the ICRC in the region have been seriously affected and calls for their full resumption, including medical evacuations and the delivery of humanitarian aid.”

Previously, the the Red Cross stated:

“We cannot deliver humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh through the Lachin corridor or other routes, including Agdam, despite persistent efforts in this direction. To do this, the parties need to reach a consensus.”

The delivery of the cargo was monitored by the monitoring mission of the EU monitoring the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The European observers stayed at the border together with the head of the mission until late in the evening.

“Like you, we also do not know if the Azerbaijani side will allow vehicles through the Lachin corridor to Nagorno-Karabakh. Whatever happens, we will write about it in detail in our report,” the head of the mission, Markus Ritter, told Armenian journalists.

The EU mission monitored the situation until late in the evening

According to political scientist Tevan Poghosyan, taking into account the statement of the Russian Foreign Minister after the talks in Moscow, it can be assumed that “perhaps the issue of the delivery of goods was discussed.” However, he does not believe that this will lead to the unblocking of the Lachin corridor, which should operate according to the agreements of November 9, 2020. The political scientist suggests that this could become “the last cry of the Russian Federation.”

Poghosyan suggests that instead of a convoy of trucks, the delivery of humanitarian aid could have been organized by air:

“If we look at international humanitarian law, it indicates that Airlift receives global, full support in the legal field for air rescue. And if Azerbaijan somehow violated it, then this would be the case of the international court on the fact that the plane was blown up.”

The political scientist believes that even if Azerbaijan passes the cargo now, next time it will block it and insist that the transportation be carried out, for example along the Ijevan-Gazakh-Ganja-Barda-Agdam route.

Protests taking place in Yerevan in support of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, at the UN office and embassies, as well as an expert’s comment

For the second day, the issue of delivering humanitarian aid to the Armenian population of Karabakh from Armenia remains at the center of attention in Azerbaijan.

For the first time the official position of the country’s authorities on this issue was announced at the moment when the trucks that left Yerevan were on their way to the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The assistant to the President of Azerbaijan met with the ambassadors of several Western countries accredited in Baku and tweeted about the country’s official position:

“Armenia is engaged in political manipulation and speculation on the issue of the Lachin road, which functions for medical evacuations and deliveries.

In Brussels, an agreement was reached that the Agdam-Khankendi road will be used for a larger volume of deliveries. This was also confirmed in an ICRC statement, the presidential aide wrote.

Insist on using only the Lachin road, but abandoning the Aghdam road, blocking the road and politicizing it is unacceptable. The puppet “leaders” of the separatists in Khankendi are holding the local population hostage to their own political ambitions.

Armenia must stop its territorial claims against Azerbaijan, withdraw its troops from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and stop funding the illegal puppet regime.

It is necessary to ensure the disarmament of all illegal forces. The international community must send a clear message about the use of the Agdam-Khankendi road and the reintegration of the Armenian residents of Karabakh into Azerbaijan. There is no other way! Game over!”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan also made a similar statement.

“Despite the fact that the Azerbaijani side put forward a number of proposals, including the use of the Aghdam-Khankendi road and other alternative ways to meet the needs of the Armenian residents, and these proposals were supported by the European Union, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Armenian side opposed all proposals, as well as against the transport of ICRC cargo along the roads indicated by Azerbaijan, hindering relevant humanitarian activities, blocking access to the territory by erecting concrete barriers on alternative roads, which indicates that their statements about the humanitarian situation are political blackmail. These steps, along with the politicization of humanitarian activities, contradict statements about the recognition of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The mission of the European Union in Armenia and the diplomatic corps also took part in the mentioned provocation, demonstrating that this was a pre-planned step.

We once again demand that Armenia refrain from such provocations.”

According to political observer Agil Sadikhov, the delivery of humanitarian aid has its own rules, and they are followed all over the world:

“Firstly, the country itself must declare part of its territory, or the entire territory of the state, as a disaster zone. If a country fails to do so, such an announcement is made by international organizations, first of all by the UN.

Azerbaijan has not announced anything of the kind. On the territory of the country there is a group of residents who refuse to obey its laws, and do not accept help. That’s the whole point of the question.

As for humanitarian aid from abroad, the host country has the right to refuse it even in the event of a natural disaster. We are familiar with many examples when, even after devastating earthquakes, countries refused the help of unfriendly states.

No one can simply send humanitarian aid to the territory of another state because of their prejudices. This is a violation of international laws. Humanitarian aid must be pre-agreed.

Based on the above, Azerbaijan has every right to refuse Armenia the admission of 360 tons of humanitarian cargo to its internationally recognized territory.

Regarding the specific situation, I am almost sure that the trucks at the border will not wait for permission, and will return.”

https://jam-news.net/armenia-sends-humanitarian-cargo-to-nk-azerbaijan-calls-it-a-provocation/