Author: Kanayan Tamar

In the early days of the Soviet Union, the communist state habitually redrew borders of its republics in an effort to stoke ethnic conflicts and tamp down united resistance to Moscow. As a result, the Nagorno-Karabakh region — also known as Artsakh — was carved out of Armenia and granted to Azerbaijan, where the September Days massacre of 10,000-30,000 Armenians took place in the capital city, Baku, in 1918.

The 1994 conflict arose when Artsakh voted to secede from Azerbaijan after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Though the region has retained some autonomy, it has gone virtually unrecognized as an independent nation and remains officially part of Azerbaijan as far as the United Nations is concerned. Armenian military units bolster a formal Artsakh Defense Unit.
“Artsakh is Armenia,” Iskajyan declared, to cheers. “Artsakh has always been Armenia and Artsakh will always be Armenia. To ensure that truth, the Armenian people will fight in the trenches. We will lobby governments and we will take to the streets like we are today and all the world will know that the Armenian people will not cater and will not yield to hatred.”

The recent escalation has killed more than a dozen on each side and triggered a wave of protests throughout the U.S., home to a large segment of the Armenian diaspora. The House Armenian Caucus, which includes Congressman Adam Schiff, also demanded the White House take action to stifle Azerbaijani actions.

Amid the protests, there have been reports of vandalism against Armenian schools in the Bay Area, and a march outside of the Azerbaijani Consulate in Los Angeles resulted in some hospitalizations after Azerbaijani counter-protesters sparred with Armenian marchers.

Hasmik Burushyan, whose organization Armenian Youth Federation organized Saturday’s event through its western U.S. office in Glendale, emphasized that Armenian organizations are largely calling for peace to return, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. She added that the groups take care to target the governments of Azerbaijan and Turkey when protesting — not the Azeri or Turkish people themselves.

“Our organization is never against the people of Turkey or Azerbaijan,” she said. “Our target is definitely the governments and the state-sponsored violence that Azerbaijan and Turkey work for. There are definitely some people who, unfortunately, hate people for their identities, but our organization has never condemned the people.”

Burushyan said that solidarity is important for her organization, which collaborates closely with ANCA, and that the group has worked in direct support of Syrian and Kurdish diasporas in the area in recent years. Support from outside interest groups is key as well; she highlighted a show of solidary from Tuesday this week, when members of GlendaleOUT, an LGBTQIA group, quietly demonstrated in front of City Hall to show support for the Armenian diaspora.

“Justice is for every person and every community, and we believe in working together toward a collective justice for all people,” Burushyan said. “There’s a misconception that only Armenians care about Armenia and that’s false. It was really great to see at our rally; there was a good amount of people who weren’t Armenian. It just shows that human rights and the movement behind it are for everyone.”

 14:37,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 12, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian COVID-19 response task force is planning to make changes in the rules of mandatory face coverings.

“The mandatory face mask requirement in personal vehicles will be lifted, but the rule of wearing masks in public transport and taxis will remain in force,” Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan, the head of the task force and Superintendent of the State of Emergency operations told lawmakers in parliament.

“The requirement on wearing masks in some open public areas such as in the nature, forests will be revised”, he said.

The maximum number of permitted patrons for a single table at restaurants will also be revised, he said.

Reporting by Norayr Shoghikyan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:33,

YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS. During the military operations targeting civilian population and non-military infrastructure is prohibited by international law. Recently the spokesperson of Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan announced, that Azerbaijani army is ready to strike Armenian Metsamor Nuclear Plant, which can be described as a real threat for international security and peace. On this issue Professor Dr. Heinz Gärtner, the chair of the advisory board of International Institute for Peace and professor at University of Vienna interviewed by ‘’Haiastani hanrapetution’’ newspaper․

-Dear Professor, Dr. Gaertner, we testimony that turbulent situation in the World affairs is getting tense. What do you think which confrontations can stand real threat for peace and trigger major conflicts where nuclear issues can play decisive role? 

– The world today moves towards more global and regional polarization without multilateralism. We witness the breakdown of multilateralism, the emergence of nationalistic and ethnic xenophobia, demonization of adversaries, depreciation of international institutions, the withdrawal of international agreements and treaties and arms race. This happens on the background of a pandemic, and global economic crisis with increasing poverty accompanied and increasing climate damages.

– Can we draw some comparisons between the strike with nuclear weapons and/or strike on Nuclear plant? In which way you will evaluate the official announcement of Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense with which it is threatening to strike Metsamor Nuclear Plant in Armenia?

– Although the threat to target a civilian nuclear power plant is not the same as the threat to use a nuclear weapon, it would violate the nuclear taboo and dangerously cross a red line. I entails an uncontrollable spiral escalation. Involving potential casualties with nuclear means is a kind of first use and goes beyond any deterrence policy.

-What kind of steps must implement the International community for preventing the strikes on nuclear plants, even in the time of wars as it can stand real catastrophe for entire world security? Are there any regulations?

– A Nuclear Plant can be considered a civilian object. An attack on civilian targets are illegal according to the Additional Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and 1977. It also states that that damage against civilians should not be disproportionate to the direct military advantage. The destruction of a civilian nuclear power plant violates definitively the principle of proportionality. A nuclear power plant is no “legitimate military target”.

-International Institute for Peace (IIP) was established in 1959 in Vienna it is doing great job for strengthening peace and security in the World. As a well know scholar in the field of nuclear issue and the chair of IIP what you will suggest to both sides for strengthening peace and security in the South Caucasus?

– I would suggest to look at a successful historical analogy. The Helsinki Final act and the subsequent process could provide a guideline for resolving the conflict, without copying it. The Final Act recognizes the indivisibility of security in Europe as well as the common interest in the development of cooperation throughout Europe. The participating States pledged to refrain from any form of armed intervention or threat of such intervention or any other act of military, or of political, economic or other coercion against another participating State. Accordingly, they would refrain from direct or indirect assistance to terrorist activities. The participating states reaffirmed their will to intensify such cooperation between one another, irrespective of their systems. They consider that their frontiers can be changed, however, only “in accordance with international law, by peaceful means and by agreement”. The Final Act also recognizes the right “to be or not to be a party to treaties of alliance; they also have the right to neutrality”.

The CSCE-Helsinki Final Act of 1975 is the document which expresses best European values. In spite negotiated on the height of the Cold War it does not identify enemies, not even opponents or adversaries. It requests cooperative security and analyses that security is indivisible. The Final Act is not only a guideline to reduce the tensions in Europe but can be model for other conflict areas in the world, for example for strengthening peace and security in the South Caucasus.

Interview by Lusine Mkhitryan

 13:03, 8 July, 2020

YEREVAN, JULY 8, ARMENPRESS. The World Health Organization has acknowledged there is emerging evidence that the coronavirus can be spread by tiny particles suspended in the air, reports BBC.

The airborne transmission could not be ruled out in crowded, closed or poorly ventilated settings, an official said.

If the evidence is confirmed, it may affect guidelines for indoor spaces.

An open letter from more than 200 scientists had accused the WHO of underestimating the possibility of airborne transmission.

The WHO has so far said that the virus is transmitted through droplets when people cough or sneeze.

WHO officials have cautioned the evidence is preliminary and requires further assessment.