Author: Jack Hunanian

Banks of Armenia, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan stop cooperation with Russian Unistream due to US sanctions

Jack Hunanian

Ukrainska Pravda
Sat, at 5:08 PM GMT+3·1 min read

Banks of Armenia, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan have stopped cooperating with the Russian Unistream payment system after the US imposed blocking sanctions against it.

Source: This is reported by Forbes.

Details: It is noted that Armenian banks, including Ardshinbank, Armeconombank and Evocabank, announced the termination of money transfers through Unistream. Bank of Georgia suspended transfers among Georgian banks.

The Russian payment system also stopped working among the Kyrgyz banks Kompanion Bank and DemirBank, Asia Alliance Bank and Aiyl Bank.

Quote: "FINCA Bank stated that it has suspended the issuance and sending of funds through Unistream in dollars and euros, while the restriction does not apply to the rouble," the announcement reads.

It is added that on 20 July, the Unistream payment system came under US blocking sanctions.

Background:

The US State Department on Thursday announced sanctions against a number of senior Russian officials as part of an effort to hold accountable those Russians who are contributing to Russia's illegal war.


https://news.yahoo.com/banks-armenia-georgia-kyrgyzstan-stop-140839716.html

Nagorno Karabakh asks UN Security Council permanent members to adopt resolution imposing peace

Jack Hunanian

 11:15,

YEREVAN, JULY 18, ARMENPRESS. The Parliament of Nagorno Karabakh has asked the permanent members of the UN Security Council to adopt an imperative resolution to initiate practical steps to impose peace in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh).

In a statement adopted on July 21, the parliament of Nagorno Karabakh called on the Government of Armenia to “take immediate measures” to vest the peacekeeping mission in Nagorno Karabakh with an international mandate by requesting the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly to take proper action to preserve peace and security in the region.

It also called on the international community, in person of the permanent members of the UNSC, to adopt an imperative resolution and initiate practical measures to impose peace in Artsakh pursuant to the goals and principles enshrined in the UN Charter’s Chapter 1 and guided by Chapter 7.

“The Republic of Artsakh is committed to saving its people from the disaster of war, to reiterating faith for the fundamental human rights and freedoms, and equal rights of large and small nations, thus it expects from these organizations to create the kind of conditions that would ensure respect towards obligations stemming from the norms of international law, and promote the safeguarding of the dignified life of the Artsakh people in conditions of freedom,” reads a part of the resolution.

It noted that under the 9 November 2020 trilateral agreement, Russia – which deployed peacekeepers to Nagorno Karabakh – exercised the provisions of the UN Charter’s Chapter 6 on Pacific Settlement of Disputes, bringing the dispute settlement to the framework of mediation, consent and negotiations, but this has been undermined by Azerbaijan’s continuous aggression which created a regional crisis with the involvement of the direct and indirect parties to the conflict.

“On the other hand, the subjectivity and the _expression_ of will of the Republic of Artsakh and its people continue to be ignored. The people of Artsakh exercised its right to self-determination in line with well-known norms and principles of the international law and the USSR legislation, proclaiming the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic on September 2, 1991, and then holding an independence referendum on December 10,” reads the statement adopted by parliament.

It added that the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh don’t have an international mandate and that this greenlights Azerbaijan to commit violations, jeopardizing regional security and stability.

The statement says that the blockade of Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan’s disruption of infrastructures, continuous terror against civilians, promotion of ethnic hatred, deliberate destruction of Armenian churches and historical and cultural landmarks constitutes a policy of ethnic cleansing which amounts to a crime against humanity.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations and the Red Cross has been facilitating the medical evacuations of patients.

FM Mirzoyan presents preconditions for peace in South Caucasus

Jack Hunanian

 19:25,

YEREVAN, JULY 18, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan made a statement for journalists after meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Vienna, touching on the relations between the two countries, Armenia-EU partnership, cooperation on international platforms, including the UN, OSCE, regional security and stability.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Mirzoyan noted that he presented to his colleague the security situation in the South Caucasus, Armenia's vision of establishing peace, the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the efforts made by Armenia and the international community to achieve results. He noted that stable peace in the region is possible only in the case of proper addressing of the rights and security issues of the people of Nagorno Karabakh under the international mechanism, through the Stepanakert-Baku dialogue.

“Dear Minister,

Dear attendees,

First of all, I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Schallenberg, for the invitation to Vienna and the warm welcome. The contacts between the two countries, between me and my counterpart, my dear friend, are quite intensive, and today as well, we had fruitful discussions on many issues of mutual interest.

We commended the high level of political dialogue between Armenia and Austria, touched upon the dynamically developing bilateral cooperation in recent years in areas of economy, trade, business ties, science, education, culture, people-to-people contacts and other spheres. In this context, we mentioned the role and activities of the Armenian-Austrian joint commission on trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation as well as the prospects of effective use of the existing untapped potential in all mentioned areas.

Mr. Minister,

I am glad to mention the significant increase in bilateral trade turnover between our countries during the first half of this year. In this context I recall the Armenian-Austrian business forum that took place in Yerevan during your visit last year.

I give special importance also to the commitment of Austria to support the sustainable development efforts in Armenia. During your visit in 2022, the opening of the Austrian Development Agency coordination office in Yerevan, indeed, was a stimulus for the development of our relations.

Today we also exchanged views on our cooperation in various international platforms, including in the framework of the UN and the OSCE.

A wide range of issues related to the Armenia-EU partnership was on the agenda of our meeting. 

We touched upon the importance of the EU's consistent assistance to democratic reforms and the development of institutional capacities in Armenia. We attached particular importance to the activities of the EU civilian monitoring mission operating in Armenia since February. It makes an important contribution to reducing tensions and preventing escalations at international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. I expressed my gratitude to my colleague and the Government of Austria for the participation of the Austrian observers in this mission.

I would like to note that we also discussed the possibilities of the Armenia-EU cooperation in the field of security, taking into account the inaugural meeting of the Armenia-EU political and security dialogue held in January this year.

Dear attendees,

Our discussion today also focused on developments on regional security and stability. I briefed my colleague on the security situation in the South Caucasus, Armenia's vision of establishing peace, the process of normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the efforts made by Armenia and the international community to achieve results.

We are confident, and I believe that Armenia is not alone on this, that stable peace in the region is possible if the issues of the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh are properly addressed within the framework of an international mechanism, through the Stepanakert-Baku dialogue. In this context, it is regrettable to state that instead of engaging in such a dialogue, Azerbaijan is currently pursuing a policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. A clear manifestation of it is the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh which has been going on for more than seven months now. Nagorno-Karabakh is now on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe. This is happening in violation of international humanitarian norms and contrary to numerous appeals of international actors, resolutions and the legally binding Order of the International Court of Justice of February 22, which, by the way, the Court reaffirmed with its Order of July 6 this year. 

In the negotiation process with Azerbaijan, the key issue is to ensure maximum certainty regarding the interstate border. In this context, it should be emphasised that the borders of the former Soviet Republics, as recognized by the Alma-Ata Declaration, serve as the interstate border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 

Armenia is also interested in unblocking the regional economic and transport infrastructure, which should be based on the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries and according to the principles of equality and reciprocity.

Of course, for reaching agreements to the mentioned issues, the general atmosphere is very important: the rejection of the use of force or threat of use of force as well as of hostile and aggressive rhetoric, the solution of urgent humanitarian issues, in particular, the release of all Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijan are important for creating an environment conducive for peace. 

In conclusion, I would like to note that in the above-mentioned issues and, as a priority, in lifting the blockade of the Lachin corridor, Armenia expects effective steps by international actors, especially by the members of the UN Security Council.

Mr. Minister, dear friend,

Thank you once again for the warm welcome and fruitful, comprehensive conversation. I am greatly interested in continuing this dialogue.

Thank you very much”, Mirzoyan said in his speech.

International Court of Justice rejects Armenia’s request for Azerbaijani troops to withdraw from border

Jack Hunanian
 eureporter 

On 14 July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) published its decision to unanimously reject Armenia’s request for Azerbaijan “to “[w]ithdraw any and all personnel deployed on or along the Lachin Corridor since 23 April 2023 and refrain from deploying any such personnel on or along the Lachin Corridor”. Armenia had made a request for the Court to modify its February 2023 Order in May this year. The request was rejected unanimously by the 15 ICJ judges.

See the statement issued by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov welcoming the Court’s and stating that “Azerbaijan has a right to control its own borders. The ICJ rejected Armenia’s request to issue an order that would deny our country an inherent aspect of our sovereignty. The below request by Armenia was unanimously rejected. The best response to Armenia’s falsehoods.”

Some key points from the Court's order are:

  • Armenia’s attempts to spin the Court’s decision into a “win” and “reaffirmation” of its position is a profound misstatement -“Affirmation” of the Court’s prior order does not suggest that the Court credits Armenia’s position. To the contrary, the Court rejected Armenia’s requested measure that would have required closing the Border Checkpoint. [paragraph 29]
  • Armenia’s obstructive conduct is why the Court in its 6 July Order has also reaffirmed its previous 7 December 2021 Order that both parties shall refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficult to resolve.
  • The Court also made clear in the Order itself that it is “without prejudice as to any finding on the merits concerning” both Parties’ compliance with its Order of 22 February 2023. [paragraph 32]

Since the Border Checkpoint was established at the end of April 2023, at least 1,927 Armenian residents have travelled through the checkpoint between Armenia and Karabakh and more than a hundred cargo vehicles have passed through in each direction, to provide residents with essential goods, food, and necessary medical services and supplies.

https://www.eureporter.co/world/azerbaijan-world/2023/07/17/international-court-of-justice-rejects-armenias-request-for-azerbaijani-troops-to-withdraw-from-border/

Iran and Armenia have common interests and concerns – Ambassador

Jack Hunanian

 16:37,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. The "Questions to the Ambassador" initiative is being implemented on the platform of the "Orbeli" analytical center operating under the Public Relations and Information Center of the Armenian Prime Minister's Office, within the framework of which interviews are organized with heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Armenia, Armenian ambassadors abroad, representatives of international organizations, etc., on key issues of Armenian foreign policy agenda, bilateral and multilateral relations.

Within the framework of the initiative, the guest of the "Orbeli" analytical center is the Ambassador of Iran to Armenia, Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri, who is completing his mission in Armenia.

– Your Excellency, the year 2022 was quite an important and effective year in terms of the development of Armenia-Iran cooperation in almost all fields. In the political sphere, there have been enough important meetings, mutual visits, top level negotiations. The Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran was opened in Kapan, the bilateral trade turnover records an unprecedented progress, exceeding 700 million USD. How would you assess bilateral cooperation in the past year, and what expectations and benchmarks are there for the coming years?

– We witnessed the growth and development of relations in various fields. Most importantly, on political and strategic issues, we witnessed the continuation of regular contacts at the highest levels and the strengthening of mutual trust and respect. One of the important events of last year was the opening of the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kapan. Bilateral cooperation in the field of infrastructures, including energy and transport infrastructures, also recorded positive developments. Last year, the trade turnover between the two countries also increased by more than forty percent and crossed the threshold of 700 million USD. The increase in trade turnover continued in the first months of this year as well. We witnessed interesting trends also in terms of human contacts and public opinion towards each other.

– Mr. Ambassador, the whole world, including our region, is facing serious political and security threats. The Armenian and Iranian peoples, as the indigenous peoples of this region that have been neighbors and friends for several thousand years, and their states are trying to face new challenges, often showing quite close positions. In your opinion, how can bilateral cooperation in the direction of facing common challenges be made more effective?

– Maintaining and strengthening the atmosphere of trust and mutual respect between the authorities and peoples of the two countries was one of the important areas in the center of attention of the embassy in recent years. I think that at present, more than ever, we realize the importance of bilateral cooperation and there is a real will to expand cooperation in both countries. It is necessary to strive to maintain this dynamic. Another important point is to draw attention to the fact that deep and serious developments are taking place at the international and regional levels, which may lead to the creation of unexpected opportunities and challenges. Based on this, I consider the continuity of contacts and consensus between the authorities and expert circles of the two countries to be very important. In particular, expert and professional communication can help foster mutual understanding, correctly predict challenges, and proper planning of grasping opportunities.

– Mr. Zohouri, it has been more than 4 months since Azerbaijan closed the Lachin Corridor, as a result of which the 120,000 Armenian population of Artsakh has appeared under siege. Azerbaijan has also placed a checkpoint in the corridor. These actions of Baku are another gross violation of the tripartite declaration of November 9, 2020 and violate the right of Artsakh Armenians to live freely and safely in their homeland. What is Tehran's position on this issue, and how can Iran support the resolution of the crisis?

– Our advice to all parties to the November 9 declaration and the subsequent agreements has always been to adhere to the letter and spirit of these agreements and commitments. The countries also have clear obligations under international law, one of which is to protect the rights and safety of the residents of the region. We note that the issue of the rights and security of the residents of the mentioned area is a complex and delicate issue.

– Armenian and Iranian expert fields often talk about the need to develop security cooperation between the two countries. According to you, what are the prospects for bilateral cooperation in this field?

– The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Armenia have common interests and common concerns in the field of national security. You are aware that among the periodic contacts between the heads of the two countries, there were regular meetings and contacts between the secretaries of the national security councils of the two countries during the past year. Institutions responsible for national security in both countries also closely cooperate with each other. This is the path that should be continued at different levels. Another direction to pursue and pay attention to in the field of national security is the regular process of serious political consultations between the ministries of foreign affairs and strategic dialogue between the two countries. In this regard, in March of this year, we witnessed the visit of Iran's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, Mr. Bagheri, to Armenia.

– Mr. Zohouri, as we know, the North-South highway is being built in Armenia, thanks to which Armenia can become one of the key routes of the North-South international corridor. On October 20, 2022, Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian announced during his visit to Armenia that an Armenia-Iran-India platform should be created for effective cooperation in the sidelines of North-South Corridor. By the way, it should be noted that tripartite political consultations were held at the Armenian MFA recently. At the same time, some expert circles are skeptical about the implementation of the North-South International Corridor project. How important is this corridor for Iran, what are the material obstacles on the way to its implementation, and what are the concrete expectations from Armenia to implement this important regional program as quickly as possible?

– Most of the trade between Iran and Armenia is carried out by the land route from Nurduz to Yerevan, which passes through the Syunik Province of Armenia. Within the framework of the "North-South" road project in Armenia, the Armenian government has serious plans to improve the infrastructure of this route and turn it into an international transit road. We also attach great importance to the full implementation of this project in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, and Iranian companies are ready to actively participate in the implementation of this project. The implementation of this project will contribute to the launch of the Persian Gulf-Black Sea transit corridor through the territory of Iran and Armenia, which has also attracted the attention of other countries. The North-South road project is a large-scale project, both economically and in terms of implementation. The implementation of a project of this scale is one of the largest economic projects in the history of Armenia. The works must be carried out very carefully in terms of financing, tendering, project implementation and monitoring of deadlines. I think that now the perspective of the implementation of the project has significantly improved.

– And in the end, since your diplomatic activity in Armenia is coming to an end, during it, what significant obstacles did you face for the development of bilateral relations, which could have been solved by the state structures of the Republic of Armenia, and which still continue to exist? And what are the most impressive achievements during your tenure in the Republic of Armenia?

– During the farewell meeting with Mr. Pashinyan, I highly appreciated the cooperation shown by him, the government of the Republic of Armenia and the state system in developing relations at different levels. I consider it necessary to thank once again for all the cooperation shown by the Armenian side during my mission. Without the will and cooperation of both parties, it would not be possible to advance the works. Of course, this does not mean that the situation could not be better or that there are no obstacles and problems. My understanding is that increasing awareness of each other's capabilities and potential, reducing bureaucratic barriers, and speeding up and facilitating cooperation and especially focusing on key issues is of primary importance and can contribute to further development of relations. The development of relations in all spheres is the joint achievement of the authorities and peoples of the two countries in recent years.

Russia May Get its Hands on French Weapons, Supplied to Armenia

Jack Hunanian
July 7 2023
By

 Joseph Epstein

Armenian and French defense cooperation has heated up in the past year. Last October, France appointed a permanent defense attaché to Yerevan tasked with increasing French-Armenian military cooperation. This May, Paris supplied Yerevan with 50 armored personnel carriers. Three weeks ago, 170 French parliamentarians and other elected officials called on the government to provide more military support to Armenia. And just last week, the Armenian Defense Minister was in Paris meeting with his French counterpart.

These developments worry Ukraine and Israel, who are concerned that French-supplied military technology could make its way to Russia or Iran given Armenia’s close ties to the two countries. Both Kyiv and Jerusalem have been silent publicly but have expressed their private concerns as noted by French military experts.

It wouldn’t be the first time that Russia’s military has profited from its alliance with Armenia. Since the start of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine in February of last year, senior U.S. trade and tax officials reported a surge of western electronic components sold to Russia through Armenia. This included electronic devices and chips crucial to the development of Russian cruise missiles and other weapons. Yerevan has also served as a transit hub for the Iranian drones headed to Russia. These are the drones that are often used to target civilian infrastructure.

Another cause for concern is the potential for French military technology to be reverse engineered. This March, CNN reported that Russia was capturing NATO and U.S.-supplied weapons like Javelin and Stinger missiles and sending them to Iran to be dismantled and analyzed to see if the Iranian military could make their own versions of the weapons. Iran has previously managed to reverse-engineer anti-tank guided missiles and drones from intercepted U.S. stockpiles.

The APCs that France already delivered to Armenia are the nearly 50-year-old VAB MK3s. This type of antiquated technology falling into Russian or Iranian hands would not be likely to cause too many issues. However, the French are considering supplying the Armenians with modern Sherpa and Bastion APCs. This has caused French defense experts to express their concern given Yerevan’s close ties to Moscow. And considering that Paris has supplied Kyiv with Bastion APCs, if Russia were able to get their hands on one, it would be able to better counter them on the battlefield.

France is aware of these risks but has prioritized its own influence in the South Caucasus. The weapons sale is not a matter of economics or profit, but a purely political calculation. Since their defeat in the 2020 Second Karabakh War, when Azerbaijan reclaimed a large swath of Armenian-occupied territory in the separatist territory of Karabakh, many in the Armenian government including Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, understood that Russia is not a reliable guarantor of their security. The realization made Yerevan search for a new patron – France.

Pashinyan has taken real steps to move westward, including distancing itself from the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization – or CSTO — defense pact. He also declared three weeks ago that Armenia would not act as a Russian ally in the war against Ukraine, leading to a retaliatory Russian ban on Armenian dairy products.

But Armenian politics are complicated. While Pashinyan appears to sincerely want to pivot Armenia westward, he can only do so much. Many Armenian elites and politicians have close ties to Russia and Armenia is still very dependent on Russia economically and militarily. Russia is Armenia’s largest trading partner in both imports and exports and has two military bases in the country. This makes reorienting extremely difficult. Additionally, Pashinyan must deal with domestic hardliners, often backed by Russia that have sabotaged attempts at making peace with Azerbaijan, a necessary step if the country aims to wean itself from Russian dependence.

That is why despite Pashinyan’s moves West, Yerevan has become one of Russia’s go-to partners in avoiding sanctions and has served as a transit hub for Western electronics used in the Russian war effort.

Armenia’s relationship with Russia is not the only cause for concern. Yerevan has also become closer to Iran as the latter seeks to contain Turkish and Azerbaijani influence on its borders. As Armenia attempts to rely less on Moscow, it has increased cooperation with Tehran.

When it comes to containing Turkey, French and Iranian interests overlap. Paris and Ankara have long competed for influence in the Eastern Mediterranean region and North Africa. Through Armenia, France feels it could counterbalance the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem in the South Caucasus.

In addition to the perceived foreign policy benefits, increased military support to Armenia would be domestically popular for Paris. France is home to an estimated 650,000 Armenians, the largest Armenian diaspora outside the United States and Russia. This population is politically active and organized and French politicians know that military support for Yerevan and Karabakh is extremely popular.

Support from the Armenian diaspora has proven more important to France than Armenia’s actual welfare and finding a peaceful solution to the thirty-year conflict over Karabakh that has ravished the region. This was proven by French President Emmanuel Macron last week, when he told representatives of the local Armenian community that he was taking a stronger stance against his Azerbaijani counterpart than Pashinyan himself.

France should reconsider supplying Armenia with modern military technology. Russian expansionism is the real threat to Europe. And given the strong defense cooperation between Russia and Armenia, there is a high risk of French military technology giving Russia an advantage while it commits war crimes on European soil. France should also consider that meddling in the South Caucasus could jeopardize Azerbaijani energy exports to the Europe Union. These exports have been crucial as the European Union seeks to become independent from Russian energy. European officials have already expressed their concerns that Moscow is trying to use the separatists in the Karabakh region to create a conflict to disrupt this supply. Given the Armenian military’s historic close collaboration with the separatists in Karabakh, much like Russia’s relationship with Ukrainian separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk, French military technology supplied to Armenia could easily become part of this conflict.

If France truly wants to support Armenia, it should focus on helping the Pashinyan administration root out Russian influence. Now that Moscow is overloaded with its invasion of Ukraine and dealing with domestic challenges to Putin’s authority, it has less capacity to deal with maintaining its authority in the South Caucasus. Armenia is trying to take advantage of this trend, and hopefully it does, but it has a long way to go.

Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination, Ambassador James O’Brien, Visits Armenia

Jack Hunanian
U.S. Embassy in Armenia
July 6 2023
Ambassador James O’Brien, Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the U.S. State Department, and Kumar Iyer, Director General, Economics, Science and Technology at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, visited Armenia June 29-30 to express appreciation for Armenia’s commitment to preventing sanctions circumvention.  Their visit follows on the visit of the EU Special Representative for Sanctions Implementation, David O’Sullivan.   Mr. Iyer and Ambassador O’Brien met with government officials and representatives of the private sector.

https://am.usembassy.gov/james-o-brien/

​ Disney called out for glorifying genocidal killer Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

Jack Hunanian



themanews.com
Greece – July 3 2023

Author: Newsroom  | Published: July 3, 2023
The Armenian Genocide refers to the systematic massacre that took place between 1915 and 1923, committed by the Turkey under Kemal Ataturk

In the age of international awareness and cultural respect, a group called Disney out in an effort to stop a new series from reaching the air, citing the glorification of a “genocidal killer.”

The show in question is the forthcoming Disney Atatürk Series. It’s a historical piece slated for release on October 29, coinciding with the centennial anniversary of the Republic of Turkey. After seeing the trailer, a prominent Armenian-American committee (ANCA), called Disney out for its glorification of “a dictator and genocide killer.”

The ANCA went on to claim that “Half of Turkish Twitter is desperately denying Atatürk was a genocidal killer. The other half is joyfully celebrating that Atatürk was a genocidal killer.”

The claims that Emma Watson is reportedly cast in the film are even more alarming.

The Armenian Genocide refers to the systematic massacre that took place between 1915 and 1923, committed by the Turkey. It occurred both after and during WWI. Effective 2023, 34 countries officially recognize the genocide. Amongst those who acknowledge the genocide are the United States, Germany, France, Brazil, and Canada.

Four Armenian soldiers killed in latest ceasefire violations in Artsakh

Jack Hunanian
 Lillian Avedian News 0

Four Artsakh soldiers killed by Azerbaijani forces (Artsakh Ombudsman, June 28)

Four Armenian soldiers were killed today in Artsakh by Azerbaijani forces, according to Artsakh authorities.

In the early morning hours of June 28, Azerbaijani forces opened fire on Artsakh Defense Army positions in Martuni and Martakert, deploying artillery systems and combat drones. Artsakh Defense Army soldiers Armo Abgaryan, Samvel Torosyan, Yervand Tadevosyan and Gagik Balayan were killed, according to the Artsakh Defense Ministry.

The Artsakh Defense Ministry said that Azerbaijan spread “false reports” about a ceasefire violation by Artsakh in order to create an “informational basis for another provocation.” On June 27, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said that its armed forces took “retaliatory measures” after an Azerbaijani soldier was injured in a ceasefire violation.

This is the largest death toll amid frequent reports of ceasefire violations in Artsakh and along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of violating the ceasefire nearly every day for months. Today’s attacks follow a week of ceasefire violations by Azerbaijani forces against Artsakh soldiers, as well as civilians. 

On June 27, Azerbaijani armed forces launched a mortar in the direction of the Martakert region. Azerbaijani forces previously deployed small arms toward the Martakert, Martuni, Askeran and Shushi regions on June 25, and Martakert, Martuni and Askeran on June 22. Artsakh Defense Army soldier Mher Hakobyan received a gunshot wound in the June 22 attack. 

Azerbaijani forces have also fired on civilians and civilian objects in Artsakh several times in the past week. 

On June 25, 22-year-old Mikayel Mezhlumyan was fired on while working with a tractor near Myurishen village in Martuni. That same day, Azerbaijani forces fired on a tractor in the Avdur village of Martuni.

On June 22, the roof of a house belonging to Zori Arakelyan, a resident of Chankatagh village in Martakert, was damaged by Azerbaijani fire. Azerbaijani forces also fired on a tractor in the Chartar village in Martuni that day. 

A coalition of all of the parties in the Artsakh parliament released a joint statement on June 28 urging the Armenian delegation conducting negotiations on an Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty in Washington to immediately halt talks. It said the negotiations should not continue “until the establishment of a full ceasefire on the line of contact with Artsakh and the borders of Armenia.” 

“Otherwise, the continuation of negotiations will mean encouraging the aggressive behavior of the Azerbaijani side and privilege at the international level,” the statement reads. 

The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are in Washington this week for three days of talks mediated by the U.S. scheduled to end on June 29. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov held separate meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the first day of negotiations on June 27. 

“We support Armenia and Azerbaijan working together toward a durable and dignified agreement. Dialogue is key to lasting peace,” Blinken tweeted on June 27. 

Mirzoyan and Bayramov previously met in Washington for marathon talks from May 1-4 to negotiate a peace deal titled “Agreement on normalization of relations.” American and Azerbaijani leaders struck an optimistic tone after the talks, stating that significant progress was made on a peace deal. Armenian authorities, however, said that disagreements remained on fundamental issues. Namely, Azerbaijan has not agreed to the creation of an international mechanism to oversee talks between Artsakh and Azerbaijan. 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Armenia is ready to recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, which would include Azerbaijani control over Artsakh. He has also called for direct talks between Baku and Stepanakert, overseen by an international mechanism, and special guarantees for the rights and security of the Armenian population of Artsakh. Azerbaijan has so far rejected these measures, insisting that talks between Azerbaijan and Artsakh are a domestic matter.

During an interview with Reuters published on June 23, Bayramov said that special guarantees for the rights and security of Artsakh Armenians are unnecessary. He said that the Armenians of Artsakh would be subject to the same constitutional principles and international conventions as ethnic and religious minorities in Azerbaijan.

Senior Analyst for the South Caucasus at the International Crisis Group Olesya Vartanyan said that the outcome of the talks largely depends on Azerbaijan’s position moving forward. “Azerbaijan is undoubtedly aware that a mass exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh driven by fear and uncertainty would result in substantial global repercussions, potentially impeding the country in various ways,” Vartanyan said in an analysis for openDemocracy. “By heeding international appeals and entering the talks with Stepanakert, Baku can reassure Armenians that they would have a chance to continue living in Nagorno-Karabakh.” 

In response to the June 28 escalation, Pashinyan warned of a “high risk of destabilization” in the region. “Urging international community to take practical steps to ensure rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh people. Meanwhile Lachin Corridor remains illegally blocked, tonight as result of Azerbaijani attack with use of UAVs there are four casualties,” Pashinayn tweeted.

Azerbaijan has blockaded the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor, the sole route connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the outside world, since December 2022, leading to critical shortages of food and medical supplies. Since June 15, Azerbaijan has tightened the blockade by prohibiting humanitarian shipments, which had been delivered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Russian peacekeepers. 

The ICRC had also been prevented from transporting medical patients awaiting treatment from Artsakh to Armenia. On June 24, Russian peacekeepers transported a one-year-old child diagnosed with acute hemorrhagic encephalitis by helicopter to a medical center in Armenia. The ICRC resumed the transfer of medical patients to Armenia by ambulance on June 28. 

Government-backed Azerbaijani protesters posing as eco-activists had closed the Berdzor Corridor from December 12, 2022 to April 23, 2023. They ended their protest after Azerbaijan set up a military checkpoint at the entrance to the corridor from Armenia, placing movement along the corridor completely under the control of Azerbaijani border guards. On June 23, Artsakh authorities published a video reportedly showing Azerbaijani guards installing concrete barricades along the corridor. 

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Lillian Avedian is a staff writer for the Armenian Weekly. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hetq and the Daily Californian. She is pursuing master’s degrees in journalism and Near Eastern Studies at New York University. A human rights journalist and feminist poet, Lillian's first poetry collection Journey to Tatev was released with Girls on Key Press in spring of 2021


Governor of Kansas Laura Kelly and Brigadier General Michael Venerdi Visit Armenia

Jack Hunanian

U.S. Embassy in Armenia



Yerevan, Armenia – June 21, 2023 – U.S. Embassy Yerevan welcomes Governor of Kansas Laura Kelly to Armenia June 22-23, 2023.  The Governor’s visit will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Kansas-Armenia State Partnership, and strengthen ties between the State of Kansas and Armenia.  

Governor Kelly is joined by U.S. Brigadier General Michael Venerdi on his first visit to Yerevan since being appointed as Adjutant General for the State of Kansas. 

Governor Kelly and Brigadier General Venerdi will meet with the Prime Minister and senior officials from the Armenian government, including the Minister of Defense, Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister for Education, and Minister of Economy.  They will also visit the 12th Peacekeeping Brigade, the Military Hospital, the National Defense Research University, Military University, and the Armenia National Agrarian University.

In 2003, the Republic of Armenia signed an agreement with the State of Kansas and the U.S. Department of Defense to establish the Kansas-Armenia State Partnership Program.  Under the program, the Kansas National Guard has worked closely with the Armenian Ministry of Defense, and other governmental agencies on joint initiatives including military training, emergency preparedness, law enforcement, business, medical, public health, educational and humanitarian exchanges.