Author: George Mamian

Armenpress: UN Security Council condemns the terrorist attack in Kerman, Iran

George Mamian

 21:17, 4 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 4, ARMENPRESS.  The UN Security Council has strongly condemned the terrorist attack in the city of Kerman, Iran and underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable, the Security Council said in a press release.

“The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the cowardly terrorist attack in the city of Kerman, the Islamic Republic of Iran on 3 January,” reads the statement.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.  They urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as all other relevant authorities in this regard.

The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable.

Six humanitarian crises that impacted refugees and displaced communities in 2023

George Mamian
Jan 3 2024
 

By the end of 2023, a heartbreaking 114 million people globally were forcibly displaced due to war, violence, persecution and the impact of climate-related disasters. Families struggling through longstanding crises in Syria, Myanmar and Ukraine continued to need protection while new violence in Sudan and an escalation of conflict in Armenia uprooted millions of people — many for a second time in their lives. 

Despite these challenges and increased need, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) was on the ground working tirelessly to provide lifesaving aid, protection and hope to displaced communities.  

Learn about six humanitarian crises that pushed displaced communities to the brink in 2023 and how UNHCR stepped in to provide lifesaving aid.

Sudan Conflict 

On April 15th, 2023, deadly armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan and the resumption of inter-communal violence in the Darfur region forced more than 7 million people from their homes. 

Since the violence erupted, civilians have been killed and wounded, while hundreds of thousands of families have been uprooted, both within the country and across borders to neighboring countries like Egypt, Chad, South Sudan and Ethiopia.

The UN Refugee Agency has been working with government authorities and partners to support new arrivals, set up transit centers where people can rest and receive essential protection services and emergency supplies, and has established and expanded camps where they can access longer-term support.  

Armenia Refugee Crisis

At the end of September 2023, following the escalation of a decades-long conflict in the South Caucasus region, a large number of refugees rapidly started arriving in Armenia. Within a week, 100,000 refugees crossed the border and arrived in Goris, a small border town in southeastern Armenia.

The total number of new arrivals represents 3.3 percent of Armenia's entire population. Of the 101,800 refugees who have sought refuge in Armenia, 52 percent are women and girls, 31 percent are children and 18 percent are older persons. Many of these new arrivals are particularly vulnerable, including the elderly, people with disabilities, pregnant women and newborns.

Since the start of the crisis, UNHCR has been on the ground working closely with the Armenian government to closely monitor the situation, provide immediate assistance and assess the needs of refugees. UNHCR has also offered protection, counseling and information to refugees, as well as technical equipment to support the government's registration of refugees and new arrivals.

Conflict in The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

In October 2023, ongoing fighting between the Congolese army and non-state armed groups in eastern DRC intensified and continued to displace individuals in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri. The conflict has affected over 7 million people, and as of early December 2023, has displaced more than 450,000 civilians across the region.

The severity of the crisis has been further exacerbated by the limited humanitarian access to those in vital need, primarily due to the obstruction of major routes. Cut off from essential humanitarian aid, nearly 200,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) have been stranded and continue to face dire conditions. Disease outbreaks, including cholera and measles, continue to ravage IDP sites in North Kivu which are already facing overcrowding and lack of drinking water. The spike in violence has also had a devastating impact on the lives of children, who are facing an alarming number of serious violations of their rights.

Amidst this insecurity, UNHCR and its partners continue to provide lifesaving aid to displaced populations and leads the humanitarian response responsible for shelter, protection and camp coordination and camp management (CCCM) — which offer vital services to vulnerable populations, like women, children and the elderly. 

Climate Emergencies in the Horn of Africa, Libya and Afghanistan

In 2022, nearly 32 million people were displaced due to weather-related hazards, and that number is expected to rise as climate emergencies such as drought in the Horn of Africa, floods in Libya and earthquakes in Afghanistan uprooted millions from their homes in 2023.

Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia experienced their sixth failed rainy season, causing millions from around the region to struggle to feed their children and forcing them to flee their homes due to scarce water sources, hunger, insecurity and conflict. UNHCR works with partners across the region to provide cash-based assistance and lifesaving aid, including clean water, food and sanitation items to refugee and internally displaced families facing food insecurity.

In early September of last year, Storm Daniel and the collapse of two dams in Derna, Libya, claimed thousands of lives and left thousands more missing. The floods displaced an estimated 42,000 people, including 16,700 people in Derna and 4,850 people in Al Bayada. Since the onset of the emergency, UNHCR has been on the ground providing emergency aid, healthcare, shelter, and essential supplies such as tarps, blankets, solar lamps and soaps.

In October of last year, two deadly earthquakes hit Afghanistan, severely destroying and damaging more than 30,000 homes, and resulting in at least 1,480 deaths and the displacement of thousands. Since the devastating earthquakes, UNHCR and its local partners have been on the ground, assessing people's needs and delivering tents, blankets, solar lamps and other vital necessities to those in need.

How to help…

In 2023, UNHCR worked tirelessly to ensure that displaced people and their host communities received the life-saving aid, protection, and hope they needed amidst the uncertainties and challenges they faced.

This year, you, too, can help ensure that the needs of all displaced communities are met by becoming USA for UNHCR’s newest monthly donor. Through your kindness and generosity, displaced families can receive cash assistance, core relief items and other vital necessities needed to survive.

https://www.unrefugees.org/news/six-humanitarian-crises-that-impacted-refugees-and-displaced-communities-in-2023/

Armenian Quarter in al-Quds faces ‘existential threat’ amid attack

George Mamian
Dec 29 2023
  • ByAl Mayadeen English

Thirty armed men attack the Armenian Quarter and the Armenian Patriarchate Of Jerusalem explains that the clergy, indigenous Armenians, and the historical Armenian culture in al-Quds are faced with a real 'existential threat'.


The Armenian Patriarchate Of Jerusalem issued an "urgent communique" confirming that "a massive and coordinated physical attack was launched on Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Seminarians and other Armenian community members" in the Armenian quarter of occupied al-Quds.

The communique explained, "Over 30 armed provocateurs in ski-masks with lethal and less-than-lethal weaponry including powerful nerve-agents that have incapacitated dozens of our clergy broke into the grounds of the Cow's Garden [in the Armenian Quarter] and began their vicious assault," adding that the assault resulted in serious injuries of "several priests, deacons and students of the Armenian Theological Academy along with indigenous Armenians."

SETTLERS CONTINUE THEIR ATTACKS ON THE ARMENIAN QUARTER. A group of 30 violently attacked Armenians as israeli settlers have been attempting to seize 25% of the Quarter. A dozen Armenians were attacked and two were detained for defending themselves. pic.twitter.com/LFdn3nf4xu

The Communique highlighted that this comes after the Patriarchate had filed a lawsuit for the Cows' Garden in the Armenian quarter against Australian-Israeli businessman Danny Rothman (Rubenstein)  and George Warwar (Hadad), noting that this attack is the "criminal response we received" for filing the lawsuit.

Moreover, the Patriarchate stressed that the "existential threat is now a physical reality," and that the Armenian church in occupied al-Quds, alongside the clergy and all indigenous Armenians, "are fighting for their very lives on the ground."

In turn, the Save the ArQ Movement also released a statement calling the situation a "series of alarming incidents targeting the peaceful Armenian community," in the Old City of occupied al-Quds. The statement highlighted that the attacks have been taking place repeatedly "in the past two months" as part of a "broader campaign" by Xana Capital, a company, to "illegitimately and illegally seize control of the historic Cows' Garden [Armenian Gardens in the Armenian Quarter]."

These attacks, according to the statement have also been "placing the safety and integrity of the community and all Christians in the Old City at severe risk."

In its update, the Save the ArQ movement underscored that following the attack, the Israeli occupation forces showed up at the scene but "rather than addressing the aggressors solely, they arrested two innocent members of our community, Paul Djernazian and Bedig Giragossian."

Armenians in occupied Palestine said "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" and demanded the "immediate release of unlawfully detained community members…and those responsible for the violent acts" to be held accountable.

"Make no mistake, this is an existential threat and requires immediate and decisive action from everyone," the statement said.

Today, a new statement by the movement announced that the two Armenians who were arrested earlier have been released.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/the-armenian-quarter-in-al-quds-faces–existential-threat–a

Also watch: https://english.almayadeen.net/videos/israeli-settlers-attack-armenian-community-in-occupied-al-qu

Armenia Takes Charge: PM Pashinyan Vows to Curb Politics in Moscow-Led Alliance

George Mamian
Dec 25 2023
 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, despite tensions with Russia, pledges to suppress political interference in regional integration as Armenia prepares to chair the Moscow-dominated Eurasian Economic Union in 2024. 

By Sathish Raman
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, whose country's relations with Russia have been strained this year, has pledged to suppress political interference that hinders regional integration when Armenia assumes the rotating chairmanship of a Moscow-led economic alliance.
Armenia to Chair Eurasian Economic Union in 2024 

Armenia is set to become the chair country of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) in 2024. Established in 2014, the bloc comprises Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Armenia, and promotes the free movement of goods and services.
Pashinyan's Actions Strained Armenia-Russia Ties 

In the past year, Pashinyan has strained relations with Russia by denying permission for a Moscow-led security alliance to conduct exercises in Armenia and by declining to attend an alliance summit. Additionally, Armenia's accession to the Treaty of Rome, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC), further irked Russia. The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin on charges of war crimes related to the deportation of children during the conflict with Ukraine.
Pashinyan Attends EEU Supreme Council Meeting 

Despite these tensions, Pashinyan attended a meeting of the EEU's Supreme Council in St. Petersburg on Monday. He emphasized that the union and its economic principles should not be intertwined with political ambitions and that Armenia is committed to preventing any attempts to politicize Eurasian integration.

Armenia's Dependence on Russia 

Armenia is heavily reliant on Russian trade and hosts a Russian military base. However, relations between the two countries deteriorated in the past year when a Russian peacekeeping force failed to reopen a crucial road connecting Armenia to the ethnic Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan gained full control of the region in a swift offensive in September.

Azerbaijan Criticizes France’s Arms Supply to Armenia: Escalation of Tensions in South Caucasus

George Mamian
 bnn 
HongKong – Dec 19 2023

By: Safak Costu

In a recent interview with Colombian TV channel NTN24, Elnur Mammadov, the deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Azerbaijan, expressed serious concerns over France’s supply of both defensive and offensive weaponry to Armenia. Mammadov, echoing the sentiments of Prime Minister Ali Asadov, warned that such actions pose a severe threat to the peace in the South Caucasus region. The Azerbaijani leaders have urged France to refrain from what they perceive as destructive behavior that might spark a new war with Armenia.

Azerbaijan’s criticism of France’s military support to Armenia goes beyond bilateral ties, reflecting a broader geopolitical context. Mammadov’s words underscore the predicament of a region wrestling with security concerns, where the intentions of external players like France are viewed as provocations. The situation is further complicated by the involvement of other nations, notably India, which has also been accused of ‘adding fuel to the fire’ by arming Armenia.

The president of Azerbaijan is not alone in his criticism. Turkey, a staunch ally of Azerbaijan, has also voiced concerns. President Erdogan has accused Paris of provocation, thereby escalating tensions in a region already on edge. The potential for renewed conflict emerges as a focal point of this diplomatic dispute, raising questions about the role of external actors in regional stability.

Israeli expert Dr. Mordechai Kedar has criticized the West for its double standards in dealing with Azerbaijan and Armenia. Despite Azerbaijan’s commitment to establishing peace with Armenia, the US Senate has urged President Biden to extend security support to Yerevan. Furthermore, the Senate passed a resolution calling on the United States to halt military aid to Azerbaijan. Dr. Kedar emphasizes the urgent need for the United States to engage in peace initiatives in both nations rather than favoring one over the other.

As the diplomatic dispute continues to evolve, world powers, including Russia and the United States, are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh. The region has seen intense fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, with both sides reporting hundreds of deaths. Amidst these developments, Azerbaijan has demanded Armenia’s withdrawal from Nagorno Karabakh and surrounding territories, a demand that Armenia has rejected. The international community is anxiously observing, wary of the violence escalating into a full-blown war with potential involvement of regional powers Russia and Turkey.

https://bnnbreaking.com/world/france/azerbaijan-criticizes-frances-arms-supply-to-armenia-escalation-of-tensions-in-south-caucasus/

Armenpress: Iranian President Raisi, Egyptian President hold phone call

George Mamian

 17:16,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi spoke with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in a phone call Saturday, marking the first direct communication between the leaders, Raisi’s deputy chief of staff said in a post on X.
It is noted that the Iranian President Raisi congratulated Sisi on his re-election. 
The leaders discussed recent developments in Gaza. Both presidents agreed to take concrete steps toward resolving longstanding issues between their nations.

Armenia and Azerbaijan Conclude the Year With Hopeful Prospects for Peace

George Mamian
Jamestown Foundation
Dec 18 2023

December 18, 2023 06:22 PM 

On December 13, Armenia and Azerbaijan exchanged prisoners that each side had detained at different times since the end of the Second Karabakh War in November 2020 (Turan.az, December 13). This historic exchange was made possible thanks to a significant breakthrough between the two countries on December 7. Baku and Yerevan issued a joint statement announcing a list of confidence-building measures to normalize relations and reach a peace agreement (Azertag, December 7). Azerbaijan agreed to release 32 Armenian servicemen as part of the agreement, and Armenia reciprocated by releasing two Azerbaijani soldiers. While a number of unresolved issues remain, the recent success in bilateral consultations has given new hope for a comprehensive peace agreement between the two sides.

The deal included other concessions beyond the exchange of prisoners. For example, Armenia agreed to support Azerbaijan’s bid to host the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. During the COP28 summit in Dubai, the countries of Eastern Europe agreed to back Baku’s bid, with Yerevan withdrawing its candidacy and throwing its support behind Azerbaijan (Azertag, December 11). The breakthrough was internationally lauded, with the United States, the European Union, and others issuing statements that supported progress toward a peace treaty (US Department of State, December 7; Twitter.com/charlesmichel, December 7).

The agreement was made possible through direct bilateral negotiations between Baku and Yerevan, without the involvement of third parties. This represents a key development and underscores the potential for increased bilateral engagement in the future (see EDM, October 25). The Western track of negotiations facilitated by the European Union and the United States has faced obstacles, resulting in the cancellation of several scheduled peace summits this year (see EDM, November 27). Simultaneously, Russia has been unable to reclaim its once-dominant mediator role in the region following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Baku and Yerevan have now turned their attention to finalizing the details of a prospective peace treaty. Some major questions remain regarding, among other issues, the inclusion of territorial and sovereignty guarantees in the peace deal, the return of ethnic Armenians to the Karabakh region, the re-opening of transportation channels, and the fate of the two countries’ exclaves on the territory of the other (see EDM, November 28). On December 6, during an international forum in Baku, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated his government’s position on most of these questions, declaring that Baku expects “firm, verified guarantees that there will be no attempt at revanchism in Armenia” (President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, December 6).

Armenia responded resolutely to Aliyev’s statement. A parliamentarian from the ruling Civil Contract Party denied any intention on Yerevan’s part to retaliate militarily, characterizing a possible renewal of conflict with Azerbaijan as suicidal for Armenia (Azatutyun.am, December 11). Baku feels that it is imperative to secure formal guarantees that Armenia will not violate any future peace treaty based on the occupation of thousands of square kilometers of Azerbaijani territory, the massacre of civilians, and, most importantly, the present revanchist sentiments among some members of Armenian society (Civilnet.am, October 23; YouTube, December 2). Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan earlier agreed that the lack of trust between the two countries is a challenge for peace talks. He emphasized that the development of a “mechanism” for the resolution of disputed issues and the creation of security guarantees are among the issues currently being discussed (Arka.am, November 16).

On the return of Armenian refugees, Aliyev reaffirmed that Azerbaijan is ready to accept the Armenians who left the Karabakh region in the aftermath of Baku’s “anti-terrorist operation” in September (President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, December 6). The Azerbaijani president said that those who want to return to the region can apply through the reintegration portal that Baku launched earlier this year (Reintegration.gov,az, accessed December 14). He also assured that the property and cultural heritage of these refugees will remain untouched and protected. Aliyev concluded that this process needs to be reciprocated in Armenia, with Yerevan providing opportunities for the return of Azerbaijanis to their ancestral homes in Armenia.

The European Union has voiced its support for Azerbaijan’s provision of security and protection of any Armenians returning to Karabakh. In an interview with the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, European Council President Charles Michel stated that the security of Karabakh Armenians should be enshrined within Azerbaijan’s constitution (Azatutyun.am, December 13). Michel added that “the authorities of Azerbaijan should be the guarantors of this issue” and dismissed demands from some Armenian groups for international guarantees.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have yet to agree on the re-opening of transportation links, including the future status of the Zangezur Corridor. Yerevan’s refusal to open Zangezur in accordance with the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, has complicated negotiations. Azerbaijan has stated that it remains committed to the tripartite agreement and characterizes Armenia’s position as a violation of the document’s provisions (President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, December 6). The Azerbaijani government expects Armenia to provide easy passage through the Zangezur Corridor, which would mean no customs duties, no border checks, and no border security for cargo and passengers traveling from the western parts of mainland Azerbaijan to the country’s Nakhchivan exclave. Additionally, the construction of the Armenian section of the road has yet to begin, while the Azerbaijani portion is close to completion. Aliyev has asked that Yerevan or other international actors provide adequate investment for the completion of the Armenian part of the corridor.

Recent breakthroughs in peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan give hope that the unresolved issues will soon be addressed in a comprehensive manner to facilitate a lasting peace treaty. On December 14, Pashinyan stated that the exchange of prisoners between the two countries would stand as a “zero point” for resolving the remaining disagreements (News.am, December 14). Baku and Yerevan’s ability to find mutually beneficially compromises will be vital in providing for the future stability and security of the South Caucasus.

https://jamestown.org/program/armenia-and-azerbaijan-conclude-the-year-with-hopeful-prospects-for-peace/

Armenia’s Oscar Submission Screened to Jam-Packed Theater at USC

George Mamian
 Guest Contributor Diaspora 0

LOS ANGELES—On December 5, the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, in collaboration with the USC School of Cinematic Arts and Variance Films, hosted a sold-out theatrical screening and panel discussion of Amerikatsi, Armenia’s official Oscar submission for Best International Film. 

Due to an overwhelmingly large turnout, the USC School of Cinematic Arts held an additional screening in another room to accommodate the overflow. 

The screening was followed by a discussion with Michael A. Goorjian, the film’s writer, director and lead actor, and Patrick Malkassian, producer, in conversation with Luis Moreno Ocampo, Founding Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Ted Braun, USC Joseph Campbell Endowed Chair in Cinematic Ethics, and Steve Swerdlow, Esq., USC Associate Professor of the Practice of Human Rights. Dr. Shushan Karapetian, Director of the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, introduced and moderated the discussion. 

USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies Director Dr. Shushan Karapetian introducing the film

In her opening remarks, Dr. Karapetian highlighted the “rare and beautiful opportunity of being witness to dialogue between such invested and powerful voices, who may never have appeared in the same environment together otherwise.” 

The panelists provided an insightful analysis of the film’s universal themes of hope and belonging and the importance of giving voice to Armenian narratives for a global audience. 

Amerikatsi tells the story of Charlie, an Armenian-American who moves to Soviet Armenia in 1948 in hopes of finding a connection to his roots but instead finds a country crushed under Stalin’s rule. After being unjustly imprisoned, Charlie falls into despair until he discovers that he can see into a nearby apartment from his cell window—the home of a prison guard, Tigran. As his life unexpectedly becomes entwined with the guard’s, he begins to see that the true spirit of his homeland is alive in its people. 

For Michael Goorjian, making this film was an exploration of his identity as a filmmaker and an Armenian-American who had a desire to create something not limited by the experience of Genocide. Goorjian stated that this “film did not have to be about an Armenian at all.” He first heard the story that inspired the film from a Ukrainian friend who knew a man that could see into an apartment building from his prison cell. 

“Whether you are Greek or Italian, the exploration of your identity is a shared experience,” said producer Patrick Malkassian. In response to Dr. Karapetian’s inquiry about narrative scarcity, Malkassian described the difficulty of making a film about a group of people whose stories and narratives are historically overlooked. 

Ray Stark Family Theatre at USC

Commenting on Goorjian’s nuanced portrayal of the moral dilemmas faced by all the characters, Professor Braun stated, “By allowing us to empathize not just with Charlie, but also with Tigran the prison guard who is equally a captive, you help us understand how impossible the conflicting moral imperatives are, and you do it in a way that allows us to feel the humanity within all of the people trapped in this system…The film humanizes the perpetrator; that is the only way out. Because if you demonize the perpetrator, you repeat the cycle.” 

Steve Swerdlow drew parallels to Charlie’s experience in a Stalin-era prison with that of prisoners currently held in Azerbaijan, including Armenians abducted from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and outspoken Azerbaijani journalists who are being tried for trumped-up charges in kangaroo courts. 

Luis Moreno Ocampo, who was the first to blow the whistle about Aliyev’s authoritarian regime committing genocide in Artsakh, emphasized the need to engage a wider audience in the fight for prisoners in Azerbaijan, stating: “We need to talk about Armenia. If we talk about genocide our audience is small, but if we talk about this movie and the Oscar, the audience will be much bigger, and then we can talk about rescuing the 55 prisoners in Azerbaijan. You cannot go to Azerbaijan to rescue them, but you can support this film’s Oscar nomination. Your movie, Michael, is giving us an opportunity, because as I’ve learned, the more massive the demand, the easier it is to solve the problem.” 

L to R Dr. Shushan Karapetian, Patrick Malkassian, Michael A. Goorjian, Luis Moreno Ocampo, Ted Braun, Steve Swerdlow

“Responding as an artist, in a time like this with something that can reach people, is in many ways the most profound and important thing that you can do,” Braun said about the exodus from Artsakh and artistic response. 

The overflowing theater and engaged audience are proof of the film’s unique ability to reach across borders and boundaries, surpass language barriers, and deliver a human story of resilience and capacity for hope. 

“Film has the power to transform how we look at people, things, events, places and historical narratives we have taken for granted. It has the power to shape global perceptions and actions. The Institute is committed to bringing essential and pressing conversations to audiences in Los Angeles and beyond,” stated Dr. Karapetian. 

Established in 2005, the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies supports multidisciplinary scholarship to re-define, explore and study the complex issues that make up the contemporary Armenian experience—from post-Genocide to the developing Republic of Armenia to the evolving Diaspora. The Institute encourages research, publications and public service, and promotes links among the global academic and Armenian communities.




RFE/RL Armenian Service – 12/14/2023

George Mamian 
                                        Thursday, 


Leaving Russian-Led Blocs ‘Not In Armenia’s Interests,’ Says Putin


Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his year-end press conference at Gostiny 
Dvor exhibition hall in central Moscow on .


Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested on Thursday that Armenia is not 
planning to leave Russian-led military and economic blocs despite boycotting 
recent high-level meetings of their member states.

Putin also again blamed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government for the 
recent Azerbaijani takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh and the exodus of its ethnic 
Armenian population.

“I don’t think that it is in Armenia’s interests to end its membership in the 
[Commonwealth of Independent States,] the [Eurasian Economic Union,] and the 
[Collective Security Treaty Organization,]” he told a year-end news conference 
in Moscow. “Ultimately, this is still the choice of the state.”

“As for the absence of the prime minister of Armenia [Nikol Pashinian] from 
common events, we know that this is due to some processes in Armenia and is not 
related to a desire or unwillingness to continue working in these integration 
associations. We'll see how the situation develops,”

Those processes are “connected with Karabakh,” Putin said, referring to 
Azerbaijan’s September 19-20 military offensive in the region launched despite 
the presence of Russian peacekeeping forces there.

“But it’s not we who abandoned Karabakh,” he went on. “It’s Armenia that 
recognized Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan. They did so purposefully and did 
not quite inform us that they are about to make such a decision.”

Putin already claimed earlier that the Russian peacekeepers could not have 
thwarted the Azerbaijani assault because Pashinian had downgraded their mandate 
by recognizing Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh during Western-mediated 
negotiations.

Armenian leaders have faulted the Russians for their failure to prevent, stop or 
even condemn the Azerbaijani military operation despite the 2020 ceasefire 
brokered by Putin.

The resulting mass exodus of Karabakh’s ethnic population added to unprecedented 
tensions between Moscow and Yerevan. Pashinian and other senior Armenian 
officials have since attended no meetings of their counterparts from other 
ex-Soviet states making up the CSTO, the EEU and the CIS, raising more questions 
about Armenia’s continued membership in those organizations. They have sought 
instead closer relations with the United States and the European Union.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly accused Pashinian of systematically 
“destroying” Russian-Armenian relations. Last week, it rebuked Yerevan for 
ignoring its recent offers to organize more Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks and 
warned that Pashinian’s current preference of Western mediation may spell more 
trouble for the Armenian people.




No Agreement Yet On Armenia-Azerbaijan Talks In Washington (UPDATED)

        • Astghik Bedevian

U.S. - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosts Armenian Foreign Minister 
Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov for talks in 
Arlington, Virginia, June 29, 2023.


Official Baku and Yerevan denied on Thursday an Armenian official’s claim that 
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has agreed to meet with his 
Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in Washington next month.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had been scheduled to host the talks on 
November 20. However, Baku cancelled them in protest against what it called 
pro-Armenian statements made by James O’Brien, the U.S. assistant secretary of 
state for Europe and Eurasia.

O’Brien met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Bayramov in Baku last 
week. He said he told them that Blinken “looks forward to hosting foreign 
ministers Bayramov and Mirzoyan in Washington soon.”

“Azerbaijan has accepted the U.S. offer to hold a meeting of the foreign 
ministers there in January,” Edmon Marukian, an Armenian ambassador-at-large, 
told state television late on Wednesday. He said he hopes that Mirzoyan and 
Bayramov will finalize an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry effectively refuted Marukian’s announcement. “If 
there is an agreement to meet, we make it public,” a ministry spokeswoman told 
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

Baku insisted, meanwhile, that the two sides have still not agreed on a date and 
venue of the next meeting between their foreign ministers.

Speaking at a daily news briefing on Wednesday, the U.S. State Department 
spokesman, Matthew Miller, declined to clarify when the ministers might meet 
with Blinken in Washington.

“Stay tuned,” he told reporters. “I’m not going to make an announcement on that 
from here today.”

Miller also said: “We will continue to work with Armenia and Azerbaijan to move 
the process forward. We continue to believe that peace is possible if both 
parties are willing to pursue it.”




Armenia Reaffirms Readiness For Transport Links With Azerbaijan

        • Nane Sahakian
        • Ruzanna Stepanian

Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian speaks during the Ministerial Meeting 
of the Landlocked Developing Countries held in Yerevan, .


Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Thursday reaffirmed Armenia’s readiness to 
establish transport links with neighboring Azerbaijan and Turkey while insisting 
that all railways and roads passing through Armenian territory must be under 
Yerevan’s full control.

“The Republic of Armenia expresses its willingness to create and restore railway 
communication between Azerbaijan and Armenia, notably through the previously 
existing railways,” Pashinian told the annual UN-sponsored Ministerial Meeting 
of the Landlocked Developing Countries held in Yerevan.

“The first is the northern route which connects the Gazakh district of 
Azerbaijan with the Tavush region of Armenia, and the second is the southern 
route which, among others, also connects the western regions of Azerbaijan with 
the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan,” he said.

He said Armenia is also ready to provide three highways for passenger and cargo 
traffic between the exclave and the rest of Azerbaijan.

“In addition, we show the same readiness in terms of opening the Armenia-Turkey 
railway, reconstructing and reopening the two previously existing Armenia-Turkey 
roads,” Pashinian added during the conference attended by a senior Turkish 
Foreign Ministry official but shunned by Baku.

The Armenian leader went on to reiterate his government’s position that all 
regional transit routes “must operate under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of 
the countries through which they pass.” This means that people and goods passing 
through them cannot be exempt from border controls, he said, clearly alluding to 
Azerbaijani demands for an extraterritorial corridor to Nakhichevan.

The so-called “Zangezur corridor” would pass through Syunik, Armenia’s only 
province bordering Iran. Tehran strongly opposes it, having repeatedly warned 
against attempts to strip the Islamic Republic of the common border and 
transport links with Armenia.

A senior aide to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in October that the 
corridor “has lost its attractiveness for us” and that Baku is now planning to 
“do this with Iran instead.” Earlier in October, Azerbaijani and Iranian 
officials broke ground on a new road that will connect Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan 
through Iran.

The European Union’s top official, Charles Michel, noted earlier this week that 
Baku and Yerevan continue to disagree on practical modalities of mutual 
transport links that would be part of a broader Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal.

“President Aliyev made it very clear many times that he doesn't have any 
territorial claim [to Armenia,]” Michel told RFE/RL. “But there is a debate on 
the concrete modalities to make sure that those modalities will respect the 
sovereignty and the jurisdiction of Armenia.”

Armen Khachatrian, a senior lawmaker from Pashinian’s Civil Contract party, 
praised Michel’s remarks on Thursday. He suggested that Baku has not given up on 
the “Zangezur corridor.”

“Baku has pursued that goal for many years, long before the 2020 war,” 
Khachatrian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “It’s just that their desire 
sometimes becomes more acute and is sometimes suppressed until a more opportune 
moment. Right now they are not talking about that and are even saying that if 
Armenia doesn’t want to open that road it will pass through Iran.”




Russian Firm Contracted For Another Upgrade Of Armenian Nuclear Plant


Armenia - A general view of the Metsamor nuclear plant, 12May2011.


The Armenian government will pay a Russian company up to $65 million to 
modernize the Metsamor nuclear power and extend the life of its sole operating 
reactor until 2036.

The funding will take the form of a “budgetary loan” to be provided to the 
state-owned plant’s management. The latter will sign a relevant contract with 
Rusatom Service, which is part of Russia’s Rosatom state nuclear agency.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s cabinet formally approved the contract during a 
weekly session held on Thursday. It said Rusatom Service will carry out the 
upgrade of Metsamor from 2023-2026 in close coordination with Armenian nuclear 
energy specialists.

The Metsamor reactor, which generates roughly 40 percent of Armenia’s 
electricity, went into service in 1980 and was due to be decommissioned by 2017. 
Armenia’s former government decided to extend the 420-megawatt reactor’s life by 
ten years after failing to attract funding for the construction of a new and 
safer nuclear facility.

Russian and Armenian specialists essentially completed Metsamor’s first major 
modernization in 2021. Armenian officials have since repeatedly said that the 
Soviet-era facility, located 35 kilometers west of Yerevan, can safely operate 
until 2036.

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, 
praised those safety upgrades monitored by the UN nuclear watchdog when he 
visited Armenia and inspected Metsamor in October 2022.



Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Villanova University’s Armenian Students Organization Hosts Teach-In

George Mamian
Dec 6 2023
Isabella, Balian
December 6, 2023

As you read this, thousands of ethnic Armenians are fleeing their homes. News reports claim that the Artsakh territory will cease to exist a year from now, as indigenous Armenians leave their homeland. Villanova is home to a respectable Armenian population, filled with students passionate about preserving their culture, history and identity.

In an effort to spread awareness and cultivate a level of knowledge surrounding this ethnic conflict, Villanova’s Armenian Students hosted a teach-in on the happenings in Artsakh. The Teach-In was sponsored by the Department of Global Interdisciplinary Studies, the Center for Peace and Justice Education, the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies and the Student Government Association. Students also spread the word to a variety of academic departments like the Political Science Department and the History Department, as well as reaching out to various academic centers on campus.

Professor Samer Abboud played an influential role in helping the Armenian students organize this teach-in. As an Associate Professor of Global Interdisciplinary Studies and Director of the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies, Abboud has hosted successful educational events and teach-ins in the past that paved the way for the possibility of this one.

“We are hoping that this teach-in helps Villanovans develop a deeper understanding of the crisis through reference to the historical context as well as the immediate on-the-ground situation that many people are experiencing today,” Abboud said. “The teach-in will help Villanovans identify key questions and issues to think about as they pursue a deeper understanding of the crisis in Armenia and Artsakh.”

The teach-in featured three expert panelists specializing in Armenian history, humanitarian development and advocacy. Students coordinated with members of the greater Philadelphia community and beyond to pick advocates who could provide insight on the topic. The speakers included Khatchig Mouradian, Christine Momjian and Dr. Mark Schrad. At the beginning of the event, the leaders of the Armenian Students Organization, Taleen Postian and Isabella Balian, delivered the opening remarks.

Mouradian serves as a lecturer at Columbia University specializing in Middle Eastern, South Asian and Africana Studies. He also serves as an Armenian and Georgian Area Studies Specialist at the Library of Congress. In 2021, Mouradian won an Honorable Mention Award for his book, The Resistance Network: The Armenian Genocide and Humanitarianism in Ottoman Syria, 1915-1918. Other work of Mouradian’s covers civil war, ethnic cleansing, concentration camps, unarmed resistance, the aftermath of mass violence, midwifery in the Middle East and approaches to teaching history.

Momjian, a member of the larger Philadelphia Armenian community, served on the panel to contribute to the real-life experiences of refugees facing displacement. Momjian has served for the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA), whose mission is to serve the physical and spiritual needs of people both at home and overseas. Over the past few years, AMAA has been committed to meeting the humanitarian needs of Armenians in Artsakh. Their programs reach families in Artsakh who choose to remain in their homeland or migrate to Armenia.

The last panelist, Mark Schrad, serves as a professor in Villanova’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Schrad specializes in Comparative Politics & International Relations regarding Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe & Former Soviet Union, International Organizations, International Law, Cold War, Communism and Post-Communism.

From a non-Armenian perspective, Schrad was able to contribute to the panel and describe aspects of history and build-up to the present humanitarian crisis. The organizers aimed to educate the Villanova community on this often-overlooked conflict and bring awareness and empathy to this issue.

“The conflict and humanitarian crisis in Artsakh today have a historical trajectory that is too often ignored in the brief reporting that appears in Western media,” Abboud said. “Like most other crises around the world, the situation in Armenia and Artsakh is presented in mostly sensational terms and appears on our collective radars for a moment before disappearing.”

“Though the teach-in centered on the Artsakh war, ethnic cleansing against Armenian people and their culture, and the resulting current refugee crisis, the conversations and questions covered are relevant to other current and future international conflicts and crises,” Postian said.

Postian also spoke to the importance of listening to perspectives discussing humanitarian aid.

“Listening to the stories of refugees fleeing Artsakh will make you more compassionate towards other struggles of migrants,” Postian said. “These issues are both extremely local and universal and that is why this event was curated for non-Armenians to attend and learn.”

Villanova’s Armenian Students are hopeful that attendees of the teach-in were able to grasp a deeper knowledge of the humanitarian crisis and spread awareness beyond this event.

https://villanovan.com/24330/news/villanova-universitys-armenian-students-organization-hosts-teach-in/