Author: Garo Vardanian

Energy, Food Shortages In Karabakh As Baku Blocks Aid Convoys

Garo Vardanian
BARRON'S
  • FROM AFP NEWS
By AFP – Agence France Presse

With energy shortages worsening and store shelves going bare, concern grows over a deepening humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan blocked aid convoys to the breakaway region.

"Our road of life has been closed, we have no electricity," Liana Atayan, a 47-year-old resident of the region's main city, Stepanakert, told AFP.

"There is no gas, no food, what kind of situation is that?" said Atayan. "Our children, our elderly people and pregnant women don't have access to fruit and vegetables."

Locals reported new shortages of food and medicine after the International Committee of the Red Cross said Azerbaijan blocked access to Karabakh last week.

Azerbaijan's Armenian-populated region of Karabakh has been at the centre of a decades-long territorial dispute between the Caucasus arch-foes.

Since last December Karabakh has been hit by a humanitarian crisis when Azerbaijani activists blocked a key road to protest illegal mining.

Azerbaijan insisted that civilian transport and aid convoys could go through the Lachin corridor unimpeded.

But on Monday the Armenian branch of the Red Cross said it could no longer bring humanitarian supplies to the disputed territory including medicines and transportation of ill patients had been also suspended.

Nelly Khachatryan, 62, said the city had not received any humanitarian aid for days.

"Things are very difficult," she said.

Slavik Seinyan, a taxi driver, said he could no longer work and support his family due to shortages of fuel.

"What should I do? Tell me what I should do," he said. "I am 70 years old."

Authorities have introduced electricity rationing, and 28-year-old Ruzanna Tadevosyan fears the situation will deteriorate further.

"There is a possibility that we will spend even more hours without electricity," she said.

"We have no gas and caring for children in these conditions is very complicated."

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan  has claimed the blockade was aimed at forcing ethnic Armenians to leave Karabakh, describing it as part of Azerbaijan's "policy of ethnic cleansing."

The two former Soviet republics have fought two wars for control of Karabakh, in the 1990s and again in 2020.

Six weeks of fighting in autumn 2020 ended with a Russian-sponsored ceasefire that saw Armenia cede swathes of territories it had controlled for decades.

There have been frequent clashes at the two countries' shared border despite talks between Baku and Yerevan under the mediation from the European Union and United States.

Marietta Avanesyan, 65, said she saw "no end in sight" for the mounting troubles of the Karabakh people.

"How can we overcome these difficulties?"

str-im/as/pvh

Lawyers protest outside Prosecutor General’s Office in Yerevan

Garo Vardanian
Panorama
Armenia –

A group of lawyers on Monday staged a protest against police violence outside the Prosecutor General's Office in Yerevan. They “gifted” a TV set with a red ribbon to Armenia’s chief prosecutor.

The protest was sparked by an incident in which lawyer Karen Alaverdyan was beaten up by police officers while representing his client at a police station in Yerevan earlier in June.

"When the chief prosecutor was asked in the parliament about the progress in the investigation into the violence, she said she was not aware of the incident," Arsen Babayan said.

"Today, we have brought the prosecutor general a TV as a gift, so that she would have the opportunity to watch not only the Public TV, but also other channels to learn about violence against lawyers in police custody," he added.

Armenian, Azerbaijani border guards wounded at entrance to closed Karabakh road

Garo Vardanian
Reuters

1:43 PM

TBILISI, June 15 (Reuters) – One Azerbaijani and one Armenian border guard were wounded, the South Caucasus countries said in separate statements on Thursday, after what Yerevan said was an attempt by Baku's forces to raise an Azerbaijani flag over Armenian territory.

In a statement, Armenia's National Security Service said a group of Azerbaijani border guards had attempted to cross a bridge over the Hakari river, which marks the internationally-recognised border between the two countries, and hoist a flag on Armenian territory. It said that attempt had been thwarted.

Russia's TASS news agency cited Azerbaijan's border service as saying one of its guards was receiving first aid after being shot.

TASS later quoted the Armenian border service as saying that one of its guards had been wounded during Azerbaijani shelling of a village close to the bridge.

The bridge lies at the beginning of the Lachin corridor, the last remaining route linking Armenia with the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but mainly inhabited by ethnic Armenians.

The road, which has been policed by Russian peacekeepers, has been blocked to most traffic since December, after Azerbaijani civilians identifying themselves as environmental activists began a blockade.

In April, Azerbaijani troops installed a checkpoint on the route.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars over Nagorno-Karabakh. In 2020, Azerbaijan recaptured chunks of territory lost in a conflict as Soviet rule collapsed in the early 1990s.

Reporting by Felix Light Editing by Gareth Jones and Conor Humphries

Sports: Wisconsin Basketball: Essegian Selected To Train And Play With Armenian National Team

Garo Vardanian
By Dylan Buboltz
Connor Essegian is already a very good player for the Wisconsin Badgers. He had a fantastic freshman season. There is no doubt he is on the verge of a breakout sophomore season after averaging 11,7 points a game as a freshman and earning Big Ten All Freshman honor.. It’s becoming clear his play is being noticed as well. It was announced this afternoon from the Wisconsin Basketball Twitter page that Connor Essegian has been selected to train and play for the Armenian National team.

In a statement from the UW Athletics page:

“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.”

The release also mentions that Essegian’s father is 50% Armenian and his grandfather is 100% Armenian. Essegian also made the following remarks in the press release:

“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.”

The following remarks also came from Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard:

“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.”

When I think about this, I think about the opportunity Johnny Davis got before his sophomore season. He was selected to represent team USA in the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup. Davis played well and it gave him momentum to having the year he had with Wisconsin. Davis just finished his rookie season with the Washington Wizards after being selected 10th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Follow me on Twitter @DylanBuboltz and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here! Also, check out our merch store for some amazing WSH merchandise!

https://wisportsheroics.com/wisconsin-basketball-connor-essegian-armenian-national-team/

Artsakh ombudsman releases updated report on Azeri blockade

Garo Vardanian
Panorama
Armenia –

Artsakh's Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan on Monday published an updated version of the ad hoc trilingual report on the violations of individual and collective human rights as a result of the 6 months (182-day) blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan.

The report comprehensively and in detail presents data on the violations of 7 individual rights, 5 rights of vulnerable groups and 4 collective rights, which reflect the deepening humanitarian crisis and the genocidal policy of Azerbaijan towards the people of Artsakh, the ombudsman's office reported.

Below are presented some basic data reflected in the report on human rights violations as a result of the 182-day blockade:

• The movement of people passing through the Stepanakert-Goris highway (along the Lachin corridor) has decreased by about 198 times (2246 entries and departures instead of 445,900);

• Almost 58 times less car traffic was recorded on the road compared to what should have been in case of no blockade (2,867 car entries and departures, performed only by the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers, instead of 167,440);

• Approximately 13 times less vital cargo was imported compared to what should have been in case of no blockade (5,574 tons instead of 72,800 tons);

• Due to the suspension of the pre-planned operations, about 1400 citizens lost the opportunity to solve their health problems via operations;

• Azerbaijan has completely or partially interrupted the gas supply from Armenia to Artsakh for a total of 117 days;

• The electricity supply from Armenia to Artsakh has been completely cut for 154 days now, which led to the introduction of rolling blackouts followed by numerous accidents;

• According to preliminary estimates, about 11,000 people have actually lost their jobs and sources of income (including cases of job retention)

• The country's economy suffered loss in the amount of about USD 346 million;

• A number of violations of rights are more pronounced in case of vulnerable groups, in particular 30,000 children, 9,000 people with disabilities, 20,000 older people, 60,000 women (women and girls) and 15,000 displaced persons.

In addition to the continuous and multiple violations of the provisions of the Tripartite Statement of November 9, 2020, the mandatory execution of the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the United Nations (UN) on ensuring unhindered entry and departure of people, cars and cargo along the Lachin corridor has not been implemented by Azerbaijan, which once again tramples on the highest international values and principles. Moreover, after that the Azerbaijani side resorted to new aggressive actions which resulted in human losses and new sufferings among Artsakh people. Since April 23, the Azerbaijani side has installed an illegal checkpoint near the Hakari bridge. Consequently, the international community has not only the right, but also an indisputable obligation to implement the decision of the Supreme International Court of Justice by practical means as soon as possible and to prevent future Azerbaijani crimes, including the new planned and brutal crime against humanity.

All the violations of Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh are carried out within the framework of its state policy of racial discrimination (Armenophobia) and are deeply directed against their right to self-determination and the fact of its realisation, aimed at finally resolving the conflict to their advantage via ethnic cleansing based on the “no people, no rights” logic.

The systematic and consistent policy of ethnic hatred pursued by Azerbaijan, which manifested itself both during the aggression against the people of Artsakh in 2020 and after the establishment of the ceasefire regime, indisputably proves that any status of Artsakh within Azerbaijan is tantamount to ethnic cleansing of Artsakh and the genocide of the Armenians of Artsakh. Therefore, in the context of the Artsakh conflict, the right to self-determination is equal to the right of people to live in their homeland.

The fundamental right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh, as well as the Azerbaijani encroachments and threats against their physical existence on the basis of racial discrimination are more than sufficient grounds for the protection of the people of Artsakh by the international community, as well as the international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh based on the principle of “remedial recognition”.

The report is available here. https://artsakhombuds.am/en/document/1028

Nagorno Karabakh President congratulates Putin on Russia Day

Garo Vardanian

 16:08,

YEREVAN, JUNE 12, ARMENPRESS. On June 12, President of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Arayik Harutyunyan sent a congratulatory message to President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on the occasion of Russia Day.

Below is the letter as published by Harutyunyan’s office.

"Honorable Vladimir Vladimirovich,

I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and the Russian people on Russia Day.

The long-standing friendship between the Armenian and Russian peoples, as well as the strategic and allied relations between the Armenian and Russian states, have forged a significant history and hold an immense potential for further development. Artsakh, as an important entity in the South Caucasus, has had and continues to have its own place within these relations. One of the indicators of that importance is the signing of the 2020 war ceasefire through active mediation and guarantees of Russia.

Therefore, we highly value the role of Russia and your personal contribution in halting the bloodshed in 2020, thereby preventing further large-scale aggressions and tragedies in Artsakh. The people of Artsakh have welcomed the presence of Russian peacekeepers, considering them a strong assurance of a free and dignified life in their homeland.

Now, as Azerbaijan persists in its efforts to dismantle the fragile security of Artsakh and the region, undermining the Russian guarantees through ongoing blockade and threats to Artsakh, we remain confident that by aligning our strategic interests and combining our efforts, our two nations will succeed in establishing a stable and dignified regional environment for all parties involved."

“Property or money for weapons not supplied to Armenia”: about Russia’s debt

Garo Vardanian
June 8 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Russia’s debt for the supply of weapons to Armenia

“Armenia is looking for alternative solutions until the problem of arms supplies that has arisen in relations with Russia is resolved,” Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the Security Council, said in Minsk, where a meeting of the Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils of the CSTO military bloc, acting under the leadership of Russia, is taking place. No details from Minsk have been reported yet.

It is not known whether Grigoryan had a meeting with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev nor whether the issue of arms supplies was discussed. He announced such an intention before leaving for Minsk on television.

Political analyst Hovsep Khurshudyan believes that even if negotiations on the issue of arms supplies take place, they will not result in anything. In his opinion, the issue can be resolved only in an international court.

  • “Armenia is not Russia’s ally in the war with Ukraine” – Pashinyan interview with CNN
  • Pashinyan-Aliyev dialogue in Moscow: signing of documents didn’t happen
  • “The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan includes Nagorno-Karabakh,” and other statements by Pashinyan

For several months now, Armenia has been discussing the story of Russia’s debt for the supply of weapons for which it was paid. The Prime Minister of the country was the first to talk about this, without specifying which country he was talking about:

“We have cases where hundreds of millions of dollars have been paid, but the obligations for deliveries to Armenia are not fulfilled, including by the allied countries.”

This statement was made after the hostilities on the border of Armenia in the fall of 2022, called the “September War”. Against the backdrop of reports of “the invasion of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces into the sovereign territory of Armenia and numerous casualties,” this statement caused a stormy response in society.

Then it became known that the partner who received the payment but did not deliver the weapons was Russia. Since the authorities and the entire society of Armenia were outraged by the inaction of Russia and the CSTO military bloc, to which the country turned for help to protect its borders, the topic of arms supplies became one of the most discussed.

However, so far neither the Prime Minister nor any of his team have provided details on how negotiations are progressing over the undelivered weapons, and whether the return of the amount paid is expected.

Armenia’s possible withdrawal from CSTO has been actively discussed, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan

The Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia made such a statement on a possible meeting with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev and discussing the issue of arms supplies.

“Taking into account the existing reality, namely: the Russian-Ukrainian war, the ability of Russia to serve its needs during these hostilities, as well as the lack of resources in order to also export, we have chosen the path of finding other resources.”

Grigoryan assured that there are many countries with which Armenia is conducting intensive negotiations on the issue of arms purchases.

“On the one hand, we have results [on the supply of weapons from other countries], on the other hand, negotiations [with Russia] are ongoing,” he said.

Novaya Gazeta Europe published Armen Grigoryan’s opinion on issues of acute public concern

Political analyst Hovsep Khurshudyan believes that returning several hundred million dollars is not a problem for Moscow:

“They deliberately do not return it. They could well return the money, this is a small amount, we are talking about several hundred million dollars. We see how the Russian Federation is transferring tens of billions of dollars to Turkey, including for the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant.”

He thinks that the situation with “non-delivered weapons and non-return of money indicate the intention to use the current situation as another way of sabotage.”

According to the analyst, Yerevan should take tough measures:

“The final decision on the return of this money will be made in the international court. Just as Ukraine is now demanding compensation for the destroyed economy and cities, Armenia must demand this compensation. And get at least property for debts.”

He recalled the “Property Instead of Debt” agreement signed in 2002 and stressed that at that time the Russian Federation “acquired Armenian enterprises for pennies”:

“Now we are talking about a sum of several hundred million dollars, but we gave away huge enterprises to Russia in exchange for a debt of only 96-97 million dollars. So we can easily return all this property by applying to an international court.”

Under the “Property Instead of Debt” agreement, four Armenian enterprises were transferred to the Russian Federation in exchange for a debt of 98 million dollars: the Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant and three electronic industry enterprises.

https://jam-news.net/russias-debt-for-the-supply-of-weapons-to-armenia/

Russia ‘takes note’ of Armenia’s position regarding Ukraine conflict, says Kremlin

Garo Vardanian

Save

 16:04, 2 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS. Moscow is taking into consideration Armenia’s stance regarding the Ukraine conflict but continues to develop its allied relations with Armenia, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said.

“We are taking note of it,” TASS quoted Peskov as saying when asked to comment on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that Armenia is not Russia’s ally in the Ukrainian conflict.

Peskov noted that this is “an important statement.”

“We know that there are certain nuances in Armenia’s approaches regarding the conflict around Ukraine, we are taking this into consideration,” Peskov said.

The Kremlin spokesperson added that Russia continues to develop its allied relations with Armenia.

In an interview with CNN Prima News, PM Nikol Pashinyan said that Armenia is not Russia's ally in the war with Ukraine.

Below is an excerpt from the interview:

CNN Prima News - And what is Armenia's position regarding the Ukrainian war, Russian aggression on Ukraine, because on the one hand you are Russia's ally, on the other hand we are witnessing very undesirable actions by the Russian Federation in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan - You said that we are Russia's ally. Of course, this was never said out loud, but I think it is visible. We are not Russia's ally in the war with Ukraine. And our feeling from that war, from that conflict, is anxiety because it directly affects all our relationships.

In the West they notice that we are Russia's ally, they mostly notice it, in Russia they see that we are not their ally in the Ukraine war, and it turns out that we are not anyone's ally in this situation, which means that we are vulnerable. Because, it seems that there is an option to avoid among all these collisions, but also the truth is that the more complicated the situation, the narrower the chances for avoiding. We are avoiding not because we don't have opinions about the situation, but we're avoiding it because of what I said a moment ago, that our concerns are, unfortunately, more than they will allow us to be more involved in coping with other problems.




Azerbaijani, Armenian and Georgian will meet again in Berlin – the series "Dolma Diaries" continues

Garo Vardanian
June 2 2023
  • JAMnews

New episodes of the Dolma Diaries

Work has begun on new episodes of the comedy web series Dolma Diaries.

It tells about three young men – an Armenian, an Azerbaijani and a Georgian – living in a jointly rented apartment in Berlin. They are in Germany to study having received a scholarship, one of the prerequisites of which is “coexistence with an opponent.”

“I don’t see why we should not mock the mindset that makes war even an option” – Oliver Mueser, a producer for the web series „Dolma Diaries“

The series is filmed by a group of South Caucasian and German civic activists and media producers who see it as their task to ridicule stereotypes.

The pilot was released with the support of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in the fall of 2022. And here are the main characters during filming:

“An online entertainment series is more likely to reach the hearts and minds of young people. Thus the idea arose to create a joint Armenian-Azerbaijani-Georgian comedy series that would resist the images of the enemy and show people with each other. Why not ridicule the mindset that allows for war as a possible solution to problems?” Oliver Muser, producer of the web series, says.

“The German Foreign Ministry liked the idea. They financed the development of the script, which we are working on together with Georgian, Armenian and Azerbaijani writers – Fazil Aliyev, Artem Petrosyan and Giorgi Javakhadze.”

  • “It would be funny if not for the war” – comedy series “Dolma Diaries” in Armenia
  • “Quality does not match the mission” – Azerbaijani opinions about “The Dolma Diaries”
  • “People want to get to know each other”: what Armenians and Azerbaijanis discuss in Caucasian Crossroads Facebook group
  • “They should know that we have an enemy” – children and the Karabakh conflict

The scriptwriters are at on several new episodes, which will appear by the end of 2023. All news will be on Instagram.

The team that is working on the series say that they would be very happy to receive any advice, suggestions and ideas from anyone who is interested. “We are looking for partnerships,” they say. You can send your messages on Instagram or by this email: 

https://jam-news.net/new-episodes-dolma-diaries/

The California Courier Online, June 1, 2023

Garo Vardanian

The California
Courier Online, June 1, 2023

 

1-         Pashinyan’s
Surrender of Artsakh

            To Azerbaijan Is
Null and Void

            By Harut
Sassounian

            Publisher,
The California
Courier

           
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

           
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

2-         Karekin II,
Aram I Reject Statement that Artsakh is Part of Azerbaijan

3-         AAF Ships to
Armenia
and Artsakh

            $16.7
Million of Cancer Medication

4-         Eagle Scout
Honors Armenian-American Veterans Through Service Project

************************************************************************************************************************************************

 

1-         Pashinyan’s
Surrender of Artsakh

            To Azerbaijan Is
Null and Void

            By Harut
Sassounian

            Publisher,
The California
Courier

            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

 

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has hinted repeatedly since
the 2020 Artsakh War that Artsakh is a part of Azerbaijan. This has been his
position for years. As a journalist, long before coming to power, he thought
that Artsakh is a burden on Armenia.

Pashinyan told the Armenian Parliament in April 2022 that
the international community urged Armenia to lower the bar on the
status of Artsakh. Earlier this year, a Parliament member of Pashinyan’s party
made the following defeatist statement: we cannot risk three million Armenians
for 120,000 people in Artsakh.

On May 14, 2023, European Council President Charles Michel
announced, after meeting with Pashinyan and Pres. Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in Brussels,
that the leaders of Armenia
and Azerbaijan “confirmed their
unequivocal commitment to … the respective territorial integrity of Armenia (29,800 square kilometers) and Azerbaijan
(86,600 square kilometers).”

Finally, during his 4.5-hour-long rambling press conference
in Yerevan on May 22, 2023, Pashinyan clearly
confirmed that his recognition of the territory of Azerbaijan
includes Artsakh. This is the same man who stood in front of the people of
Artsakh in Stepanakert, the Capital of Artsakh, on August 5, 2019 and said:
“Artsakh is Armenia,
period!” He also led the crowd in chants of ‘miyatsoum’ or ‘unification.’ To
make matters worse, Pashinyan also conceded that the enclaves (previously
Azeri-inhabited villages located inside Armenia),
are not included in his 29,800 square kilometers of Armenia.

After deciding to give away Artsakh, Pashinyan tried to
explain that his recognition of the territory of Azerbaijan, which includes
Artsakh, is with the understanding that Azerbaijan in return recognizes
Armenia’s territory (29,800 square kilometers) and that the “rights and
security issues of the people of Artsakh must be discussed by Baku and
Stepanakert.”

There are several serious problems with Pashinyan’s
statement:

1) Pashinyan is wrong to recognize Artsakh as a part of the territory of Azerbaijan. Artsakh was not historically
a part of Azerbaijan.
Whereas Artsakh has been a part of Armenia
for thousands of years, Azerbaijan
has been in existence for a little over 100 years. Pashinyan could have
recognized the territory
of Azerbaijan without
acknowledging that it includes Artsakh.

2) While Pashinyan is recognizing the territory
of Azerbaijan, Pres. Aliyev has never
acknowledged Armenia’s
territorial integrity. On the contrary, Aliyev repeatedly claims that all of Armenia is part of historic Western
Azerbaijan!

3) To cover up his misguided recognition of Artsakh as a
part of Azerbaijan,
Pashinyan is misleading the Armenian public by saying that he wants to defend
the ‘rights and security’ of Artsakh Armenians within Azerbaijan. In
reality, Artsakh Armenians will not be able to live a single day under
Azerbaijani rule. An example of how Azerbaijan treats Artsakh Armenians
is the six-month blockade of the Lachin Corridor, depriving the local Armenian
population of food and medicines. Once they fall under Azeri rule, their mistreatment
will get much worse.

4) Pashinyan keeps dangling a carrot in front of Artsakh
Armenians by saying that he is seeking ‘international guarantees’ to safeguard
their well-being under Azeri rule. During his press conference, Pashinyan
claimed that he is relying “not only on the pressures of the international
community, but on constructive negotiations with Azerbaijan, and on Baku-Stepanakert
institutional dialogue.” No international guarantees can safeguard the
well-being of Artsakhtsis under Azerbaijan’s
brutal rule. Aliyev will ignore all external pressures, since he frequently
states: “no matter what the international community says, I will do what I
want.”

5) Pashinyan is throwing Artsakhtsis to the wolf telling
them to make their separate arrangements with Azerbaijan. He is washing his hands
from the Artsakhtsis who are citizens of Armenia! Without any backing from Armenia, how
can tiny Artsakh battle the Goliath Azerbaijan? If Armenia will not defend the rights
of its own citizens in Artsakh, how can Pashinyan expect others to guarantee
their security?

6) Pashinyan is not only violating the interests of Armenia and Artsakh, but also the earlier
decision of Armenia’s
Parliament. Legally, Pashinyan has no right to give away Artsakh to Azerbaijan. He
does not own Artsakh. He also does not have the approval of the Parliament or
the Constitutional Court.

7) While Pashinyan is recklessly risking the lives of
Artsakh Armenians by planning to place them under Azerbaijani rule, he is
ironically acknowledging that Azerbaijan is pursuing a policy of “ethnic
cleansing and genocide” against the people of Artsakh.

8) Despite all the indications that he is playing with fire,
Pashinyan is hell-bent on signing a peace treaty with a brutal enemy who
intends to chop Armenians to pieces, not make peace.

9) Pashinyan’s concessions to Azerbaijan
encouraged Pres. Aliyev, a week later, to make further demands and threaten
both Armenia
and Artsakh.

This is what happens when an inexperienced, incompetent and
defeated person like Pashinyan leads a country and refuses to resign.

Pashinyan should know that whatever meaningless piece of
paper he signs with Azerbaijan,
giving away Artsakh and ‘making peace’ with Azerbaijan, the Armenian people
consider his illegal decisions null and void and categorically reject them. As
soon as a new nationalist government comes to power in Armenia, it
will cancel and reverse on day one all of Pashinyan’s defeatist and anti-Armenian
decisions.

This is not just my opinion. During the past week, several
major Armenian institutions from Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora
issued statements condemning Pashinyan’s unacceptable surrender of Artsakh. The
list includes, the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, Catholicos of the
Great House of Cilicia Aram
I, Armenian Missionary Association of America, Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, Armenian General Benevolent
Union, all 33 members of Artsakh Parliament’s unanimous resolution, and dozens
of other Armenian organizations!

Armenia’s
population should form a common front against Pashinyan, have 100,000 or more
Armenians gather in front of his office in Yerevan and demand his immediate resignation.
Unless such a joint and massive show of force is organized, Pashinyan will
remain in office until he destroys both Artsakh and Armenia!

   

************************************************************************************************************************************************
2-         Karekin II, Aram I Reject
Statement that Artsakh is Part of Azerbaijan

 

The Holy Sees of Etchmiadzin and Cilicia issued separate
statements decrying and condemning an announcement by Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinyan who confirmed on Monday, May 22 that he had agreed to recognize
Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan.
Both Catholicosates said that Pashinyan’s statement was “unacceptable”

“By recognizing the Republic
of Artsakh as a part of Azerbaijan, the
Armenian authorities would inevitably leave our brothers and sisters in Artsakh
facing a new genocide and loss of the homeland,” read a statement issued by the
Supreme Spiritual Council of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin after convening an
emergency session on Tuesday, May 23.

“The independence of Artsakh and the territories of Armenia gained
at the cost of the blood of our children are not subject to bargaining,” added
the statement, calling on the Armenian government to “abandon this defeatist
intent.”

“We believe that a decisive _expression_ of the will of our
people on this issue is imperative,” the Etchmiadzin statement said.

In a similar statement issued on Tuesday, May 23, the Holy
See of Cilicia expressed it complete solidarity with a declaration adopted late
Monday by the Artsakh National Assembly, condemning Pashinyan for his posturing
on the matter.

“On December 10, 1991, Artsakh already expressed its
collective will for sovereignty through a referendum, which was followed by a
decision, on July 8, 1992, by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia,
which re-emphasized the sovereignty of Artsakh,” said the Cilician
Catholicosate.

“According to international law, a nation has the right to
self-determination. Therefore, the just right of the people of Artsakh to
determine for themselves cannot fall victim to attempts to establish a
comprehensive peace within the region and to recognize the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan,”
the Antelias statement said.

“It is imperative to be vigilant, far-sighted and especially
determined. Including Artsakh as part Azerbaijan
will not only endanger the security of the people of Artsakh, but also the
sovereignty and security of Armenia,”
said the Cilician Catholicosate. “At this critical juncture in our history, we
appeal to all Armenians to unite and support Artsakh.”

 

************************************************************************************************************************************************
3-         AAF Ships to Armenia and Artsakh

            $16.7
Million of Cancer Medication

 

The Armenia Artsakh Fund (AAF) announced that it just sent
by airfreight to Armenia and
Artsakh its single most valuable shipment of medicines to Armenia and
Artsakh in its 34 years of existence, valued at $16.7 million.

The shipment arrived in Yerevan on May 4, 2023.

The entire shipment of this valuable medication was donated
generously by Direct Relief, a charitable organization that the AAF and its
predecessor the United Armenian Fund have worked with for more than 30 years.

The shipment consisted of 4,000 units of the highly
expensive cancer-related medication: Armenia received 3,800 units worth
$15,865,000 and Artsakh’s share was 200 units worth $835,000.

The medicine is called Udenyca (Pegfilgrastim) which is a
pre-filled injection designed to decrease the risk of infection during
chemotherapy treatment.

“We highly appreciate the life-saving medicines donated by
Direct Relief for Armenia
and Artsakh and the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross
to deliver them to the 120,000 Armenians blockaded in Artsakh,” said Harut
Sassounian, President of Armenia Artsakh Fund.

In the past 34 years, including the shipments under its
predecessor, the United Armenian Fund, the AAF delivered to Armenia and
Artsakh a grand total of $991million worth of humanitarian aid, mostly
medicines, on board 158 airlifts and 2,558 sea containers.

For more information, call the AAF office: (818) 241-8900;

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

4-         Eagle Scout
Honors Armenian-American Veterans Through Service Project

 

In honor of all Armenian-Americans who have served in the US military, Andrew Levon Krekorian of BSA Troop
36 in Valley Village has dedicated a veterans tribute
garden at the Ararat Home in Mission Hills, as a service project for the Eagle
Scout rank, Scouting’s highest achievement. 
He was inspired by the memory of his late grandfather Rick Krekorian,
who was a World War II combat veteran of the US Marines Corps.  He brought his idea to the Ararat Home, who
embraced it and partnered with Andrew in designing and completing the garden.

“Armenian-Americans have courageously served our country in
the military since the Civil War,” said Andrew, 18.  “The men and women who gave us the freedoms
we enjoy deserve all of our gratitude, and this project is one step to honor
them appropriately.”

The garden includes a circular seating area of concrete
benches around a shade tree, which will be enjoyed by the elderly residents of
the Ararat Home and their families.  A
bronze plaque that Andrew designed reads “Throughout our nation’s history
Armenian-Americans have served nobly and selflessly in the United States
Military. This garden is dedicated to the sacrifices they made and their
undying patriotism and devotion.  As you
enjoy this quiet place, take a moment to remember them with gratitude for their
service.”

In addition to the garden, Andrew created a brochure
highlighting some of the history of Armenian-American military service for the
adjacent Ararat-Eskijian
Museum.  The brochure includes information about
inspirational role models like Brigadier General Haig Shekerjian, the first
Armenian to graduate from West Point; Anna Der-Vartanian, the first woman ever
to serve as the Navy’s Master Chief Petty Officer; World War II Marine Corps
heroes Victor Maghakian and Harry Kizirian; and Civil War veteran of the Union
Navy Khachadour Paul Garabedian, who is believed to be the first Armenian to
become a US citizen.

“I’m extremely grateful to everyone who helped make this
project a reality, especially the management of Ararat Home and the Ararat-Eskijian Museum,” said Andrew.  “None of this would have been possible
without their generous partnership, cooperation and encouragement.”

The Armenian
American Veterans
Garden is located at
Ararat Home of Los Angeles, 15105
Mission Hills Road, Mission Hills,
California.

 

***********************************************************************************************************************************************
************************************************************************************************************************************************



California Courier Online provides readers of the Armenian News News Service with a
few of the articles in this week's issue of The California Courier. Letters to
the editor are encouraged through our e-mail address, .
Letters are published with the author’s name and location; authors are required
to disclose their identity to the editorial staff (name, address, and/or
telephone numbers for verification purposes).
California Courier subscribers can change or modify mailing addresses by
emailing .