Author: Maral Takmazian

9 November statement envisages Russian monitoring, not control in unblocking – deputy FM

Maral Takmazian

 12:59,

YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS. The 9 November 2020 trilateral statement and the order signed by the Russian president afterwards stipulates Russian monitoring and not control, however the details on unblocking are still under discussion, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan told reporters.

Speaking about the unblocking of regional connections, the Deputy Foreign Minister said that before going into details it is highly important for Armenia to record that unblocking will take place based on the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the parties, taking into account reciprocity of the unblocking process. He said that Armenia has always been constructive and eager to implement the unblocking process.

“Armenia has been displaying constructive approach ever since the statement was signed on January 11, 2021, and will continue to be constructive, because we are interested in unblocking of regional infrastructures and transport routes, because we believe that the Armenian Crossroads project has great potential, given also the geopolitical developments, logistic issues facing the world today,” Kostanyan said.

All details on unblocking, including security-related, must take place within Armenian sovereignty and jurisdiction. “If until now we haven’t been able to record on paper that unblocking will take place within the framework of sovereignty and jurisdiction, naturally the unconstructive side is Azerbaijan,” Kostanyan said.

Asked whether control of the road should be exercised by Russia under the 9 November statement, Kostanyan said: “The 9 November statement and the order signed by the Russian president afterwards speaks more about a monitoring function that the Russian FSB should implement, and not a specific control. But details on unblocking are still in the discussions phase.”

Asbarez: Schiff Urges Biden to Defend Democracy and Human Rights in Armenia and Artsakh

Maral Takmazian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 June 12, 2023

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Rep. Adam Schiff speaks at an Armenian Genocide commemoration event at the Montebello Martyrs Monument on Apr. 22


WASHINGTON — Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) sent a letter to President Biden last week urging him to act quickly and decisively to address the ongoing situation in Armenia and Artsakh as Azerbaijan continues to launch attacks and administer a blockade of the Lachin Corridor, creating a human rights crisis in the region.

In the letter, Schiff expressed concern over the escalating threat of ethnic cleansing and genocide faced by the people of Artsakh and Armenia at the hands of the despotic Aliyev regime.

The letter also expresses concern that Artsakh has been used as a bargaining chip in the peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, without any representation.

“The people of Armenia and Artsakh deserve a just and lasting peace. This will only be possible if the United States and the EU partners involved in talks remain committed to upholding democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and to respecting the legitimate rights of the people of Artsakh. We must take immediate measures to condemn ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan; call on Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian prisoners of war; hold Azerbaijan accountable for the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor, including through sanctions and cutting off aid; and ensure the protection and right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh, whose people have spoken with one voice that they will not give up on their right to independence and a peaceful life with dignity” wrote Rep. Schiff.

Schiff has long been a vocal advocate for the United States to use all available means, including sanctions and restriction of aid, to stop Azerbaijan from using force, threats, and terror to expel and annihilate the citizens of Artsakh and take control of Artsakh or Armenian territory.

In April, Schiff introduced a resolution in Congress calling for the U.S. recognition of Artsakh’s independence and self-determination.

Below is the complete text of the letter.

Dear President Biden,

In the South Caucasus we face a crisis of democracy, human rights, and the international rules-based order. After marking the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in April with pledges of “never again,” today the democratic and peaceful people of Artsakh face the real threat of ethnic cleansing and genocide at the hands of an autocratic Azerbaijani regime.

Azerbaijani President Aliyev continues to use force, threats, and terror to expel or annihilate the citizens of Artsakh and take control of the Armenian territories, without consequences. Not only has Azerbaijan tightened the chokehold around the people of Artsakh, but Azerbaijani forces continue to violate the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia by violating its sovereignty through an ongoing occupation that commenced in May 2021. Meanwhile, the United States’ positive statements on peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan are perplexing and appear detached from the reality on the ground. Ignoring Azerbaijan’s ongoing violations of the 2020 trilateral ceasefire statement and international law, and Aliyev’s increasingly hateful and threatening rhetoric toward Armenians, makes the United States complicit in the unfolding disaster. Your administration must take action to defend democracy and human rights before it is too late.

I am deeply concerned by the latest news that reveals Artsakh has been used as a bargaining chip in the peace talks, without any representation. This contravenes U.S. values and international law. Article I of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states, “All peoples have the right of self-determination.” The Republic of Artsakh declared its independence with near-unanimous consent in a referendum on December 10, 1991, consistent with their rights under the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States (1970) in accordance with the UN Charter, following Azerbaijan’s deprivation of the fundamental rights of the region’s Armenian population and use of force.

Unilaterally handing over the independent Republic of Artsakh to its oppressors will discredit the entire peace process, call into question U.S. commitment to international standards on self-determination and Responsibility to Protect, and create conditions for continued war and ethnic cleansing or genocide against the people of Artsakh.

The fragile security and humanitarian situation in Artsakh is deteriorating, with fresh reports of attacks by Azerbaijan in violation of the ceasefire statement almost daily and continued restrictions on freedom of movement along the Lachin Corridor. These actions reveal the genocidal intent to ethnically cleanse Armenians by forcible emigration from their historical homeland. For nearly six months now, Azerbaijan has blockaded the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Artsakh to the outside world. The effect has been devastating to the
population, rendering 120,000 individuals without access to food, medical supplies and services, consistent gas and electricity, and essential human rights such as freedom of movement. Azerbaijan has ignored rulings from the European Court and the International Court of Justice, which ordered1 Azerbaijan to “take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.” Instead, Aliyev has taken provocative steps to further tighten the noose around Artsakh’s civilian population by unilaterally establishing an Azerbaijani checkpoint, under the watch of Russian peacekeepers who had assumed the responsibility to ensure the security and free movement of Armenians through the Lachin Corridor, which he openly brags about.

This is a clear violation of the 2020 trilateral ceasefire statement and has disrupted the delivery of even minimal lifesaving humanitarian aid and medicine. There are new reports2 that Artsakh will soon also face a water and energy crisis, as a key reservoir dries up and Azerbaijan refuses to allow the repair of electricity cables. Though the U.S. government, EU, and Russia have condemned the blockade and called for the corridor to be opened to regular traffic, Azerbaijan has ignored such statements for months. The time for statements has clearly long passed. The United States must immediately use other tools to press Azerbaijan to return to compliance with international law and order, by imposing sanctions and visa restrictions and cutting off assistance. If the United States remains committed to peace, this issue must be front and center in all communications regarding the situation in the South Caucasus region.

Against this backdrop, at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on May 23,3 the USAID Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia shared that Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan had publicly “asserted Armenia’s recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, which was an important first step that the team has put on the table. And this assertion is inclusive of Nagorno-Karabakh.” She said, “That is progress.” I find it shocking that a determination on the sensitive issue of the status of Artsakh, made without any input from the people of Artsakh or its elected leaders, would be considered a “first step” by the U.S. government, while Azerbaijan continues its blockade of the Lachin Corridor. No serious talks can take place while the innocent civilian population there continues to live in terror.

Officials of the democratically elected government of Artsakh, which has held free, fair, and transparent elections, continue to voice their desire to engage in peace talks with Azerbaijan, as an equal partner through an internationally recognized format, and in the presence of strong international guarantees for security, the right to self-determination, human rights, and the implementation of the parties’ obligations. The security and rights of the 120,000 Armenians living there cannot be guaranteed under the authoritarian rule of Ilham Aliyev, who orchestrated the ethnic cleansing of thousands of Armenians in Shushi and Hadrut during the 2020 conflict.

Over the years, the atrocities committed by Azerbaijan against Armenians have been nothing short of deplorable, from the torture, mutilation and killing of Armenian civilians, soldiers and prisoners of war to the destruction of religious and cultural sites in Artsakh in an attempt to erase or falsify history. Armenians in Armenia, Artsakh, and the diaspora have memories of unspeakable horror, and of the murder of people they knew and loved. Furthermore, years of hateful, racist anti-Armenian propaganda have been woven into the very fabric of Azerbaijani society, which led to attacks and massacres on ethnic Armenians in Sumgait, Baku, and Kirovabad, and more recently the 44-day-war in 2020 and subsequent attacks, where Azerbaijani forces targeted and murdered innocent Armenians in Artsakh.

Instead of taking any steps to build confidence or show good faith in negotiations, Aliyev confirmed many people’s fears in his May 28 remarks4 in which he threatened the democratically elected leaders of Artsakh, stating, “Either they will bend their necks and come themselves or things will develop differently now…everyone knows perfectly well that we have all the opportunities to carry out any operation in that [Nagorno Karabakh] region today.”

Furthermore, in a clear and blatant threat which cannot be enabled nor tolerated by the United States, Aliyev demanded Armenians of Artsakh to become “loyal and normal citizen[s] of Azerbaijan,” the resignation of Artsakh’s elected leadership, and the dissolution of Artsakh’s institutions (like the Parliament) which have been functioning democratically for 30 years.

It is clear from Aliyev’s May 28 statements that he feels justified and supported in continuing on his current course with the backing of the United States, Russia, and the international community. He stated, “international organizations have completely agreed with our position of late.” He then continued his threats against Armenia, stating, “Let them know that we can see Armenian villages from here. We can see those villages, so they shouldn’t forget about that.” Just two days later, the State Department issued an upbeat statement5 “welcom[ing] President Aliyev’s recent remarks on consideration of amnesty.” Notably absent is any condemnation of the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor, of Azerbaijan’s transparent threats of military action, and aggression against Artsakh.

The people of Armenia and Artsakh deserve a just and lasting peace. This will only be possible if the United States and the EU partners involved in talks remain committed to values of democracy, human rights, rule of law, and respect the legitimate rights of the people of Artsakh.

We must take immediate measures to condemn ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan; call on Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian prisoners of war; hold Azerbaijan accountable for the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor, including through sanctions and cutting off aid to Azerbaijan; and ensure the protection and right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh, whose people have spoken with one voice that they will not give up on their right to independence and a peaceful life with dignity. We urge you to make clear to all parties – including Azerbaijani officials – that no final decisions on the status of Artsakh can be made without representatives of Artsakh at the table on equal footing. It is the right of the people of Artsakh to live free of political, cultural, and economic oppression, and as a protector of democracy, the United States must continue to support and stand with the people of Artsakh to achieve the recognition it deserves among all nations.

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

Sincerely,
Adam B. Schiff Member of Congress

“11,000 people lost their earnings”: the consequences of the 6-month blockade of NK

Maral Takmazian
June 13 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Six months of blockade in Nagorno-Karabakh

For half a year now the Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, has been blocked. The Ombudsman of the NK published an extraordinary report summarizing the latest data on the consequences of the blockade.

According to this document, the economy of the unrecognized republic was damaged by about 346 million dollars, about 11,000 people lost their jobs and livelihoods.

On December 12, 2022, a group of Azerbaijanis posing as environmentalists blocked the Lachin corridor. Later, the Azerbaijani media wrote that they were representatives of NGOs closely associated with the authorities. They stopped their action in April when Baku set up an official checkpoint near the bridge over the Hakari River. The Armenian authorities have been talking about the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh all this time, but Baku continues to insist that the road is not blocked.

Previously, videos of the movement of Red Cross vehicles and Russian peacekeepers along the road were published as evidence of this assertion. After the establishment of the checkpoint, Azerbaijan distributes footage of people passing through the checkpoint without any escort. Armenian media reports that no one has yet passed unaccompanied. According to Armenian journalists, the footage mainly shows patients leaving NK for treatment, and those who return home after the end of treatment in Armenia. There are also family members who return to NK from Armenia, accompanied by members of the International Committee of the Red Cross and peacekeepers, but during filming they are asked to leave the frame.

  • “Azerbaijan is better seen and heard in Brussels” – Armenian political scientist
  • Why were the Armenian-Azerbaijani talks postponed? Opinions
  • Video from Baku with interviews of Armenian prisoners

The Ombudsman’s report provides data on violations of both individual and collective rights of people, as well as the rights of vulnerable groups. According to the authors of the document, this list of violations “reflects the deepening humanitarian crisis and the genocidal policy of the Azerbaijani authorities against the Armenians of NK.”

The report provides the following statistics:

  • the two-way movement of people along the Lachin corridor has decreased by 198 times,
  • vehicle traffic has become 58 times less than it would have been without the blockade,
  • vital cargo imported about 13 times less than it should have been (5,574 tons instead of 72,800 tons),
  • due to the suspension of planned operations, 1,400 people lost the opportunity to improve their health by surgery,
  • Azerbaijan completely or partially stopped gas supplies from Armenia for a total of 117 days,
  • For 154 days, the supply of electricity from Armenia was completely disrupted.

According to official data, 120,000 Armenians live in NK. The Ombudsman’s report emphasizes that the effects of the blockade are more severely affecting vulnerable groups, including 30,000 children, 9,000 people with disabilities and 20,000 elderly.

What is known about the upcoming talks in Chisinau between the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan, the expectations of Western mediators, as well as the opinion of a political scientist

The report says blocking the Lachin corridor is illegal, according to a tripartite statement signed by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia in the fall of 2020. The authors of the document also appeal to the decision of the International Court of Justice, which obliged Azerbaijan to ensure unimpeded traffic along the Lachin road.

“The international community has not only the right, but also an undeniable obligation to apply practical means as soon as possible to implement the decision of the highest international court and prevent further crimes of Azerbaijan.”

The office of the ombudsman believes that “all violations are committed within the framework of the state policy of Azerbaijan – racial discrimination and hatred towards Armenians.” The authors of the document state that “the actions of the Azerbaijani authorities are directed against the realization of the right of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to self-determination.” In their opinion, Baku’s goal is to close the issue of the Karabakh conflict through ethnic cleansing, “with the logic there is no people – thus no rights.”

“The systematic and consistent policy of ethnic hatred pursued by Azerbaijan, which manifested itself both during the military aggression unleashed against Artsakh in 2020, and after the establishment of a ceasefire regime by a tripartite statement of November 9, 2020, proves that any status of Artsakh under the rule of Azerbaijan is equated to ethnic cleansing and genocide of the people of Artsakh. Thus, in the context of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the right to self-determination is equal to the right of the people of Artsakh to live in their native lands.

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

Political consensus on self-determination of NK agreed upon by all parties and factions of Armenia, however divergent

The ombudsman’s report also cites stories from local residents about separated families, lack of food and medicine, declining health and psychological problems.

“All I can think about is how to keep my newborn baby warm and fed in the face of food shortages, gas and electricity cuts, hot water and heating. A month ago, David and I caught a bad cold and ended up in the hospital. I was going crazy, I was afraid of losing my child.”

“Even in my worst dream, I could not imagine that I would be separated from my child for such a long time [this woman and her husband went shopping in the Armenian city of Goris for a day, they would not return, since the blockade began on December 12, 2022 ]. Every time I call my mother and she shows me my son, I can’t hold back my tears. My mother and son froze in the winter during the rolling power outages and gas cuts by the Azerbaijanis. Sevak doesn’t like darkness, so he starts crying as soon as the lights go out. My mother has a chronic illness, she is not able to stand in line for hours for food.”

“Before the blockade, our bakery worked all night to bake bread. Our stoves run on gas, and only during gas cuts do we switch to electric stoves, as they cost the bakery so much more. But now, when there is neither a stable gas supply nor electricity due to planned power outages, including at night, the bakery works part-time. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to meet the demand that was before the blockade. Half of our employees lost their jobs. To deprive people of bread means deliberately subjecting the people to hunger.

“I have lost my main source of income due to the blockade as the greengrocer where I work has been closed since December 2022. Since vegetables and fruits are mainly imported from Armenia, the blockade immediately hit us, we were forced to close the store almost among the first. Now I can’t support my large family. My wife is pregnant with our sixth child, but the pregnancy is at high risk as she is constantly under stress due to the blockade and the uncertainty of our future. She needs to have regular checkups, eat right and take her pills, but right now we can’t afford all that.”

“I need insulin injections several times a day, as I have the last stage
diabetes. I have to do it myself, because I live alone, my husband died during the first war in 1993. And the daughter’s family lives in Yerevan. She cannot come to me and take care of me, as we are separated by a blockade. The main problem is that there are no sufficient and stable supplies of insulin. There are no products in stores that would suit my special diet. And I physically cannot stand these lines for food, as I have a disability. Lately I’ve been feeling exhausted. I feel like I’m slowly fading away. I can’t stand on my feet for long and want to sleep all the time. Sometimes I feel like I can die alone in my apartment without anyone noticing.”

The organization calls on democratic governments not to ignore the danger that threatens Armenia and “take all possible steps to strengthen democracy” and protect the population

Official Yerevan commented on the blockade of NK, which has been going on for half a year. The Armenian Foreign Ministry condemned “the ongoing severe restrictions on the fundamental rights and freedoms of 120,000 people,” despite the binding decision of the Hague Court and numerous appeals from international structures.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement regarding recent frequent reports from Azerbaijan about “violation of the ceasefire regime” by the Armenian side. The Armenian Foreign Ministry called them “false information”, emphasizing that in the newsletters published by Russian peacekeepers, violations of the ceasefire regime were recorded only from the Azerbaijani side.

“Given Azerbaijan’s already traditional experience of providing “information support” before the next use of force and artificially placing responsibility for subsequent actions on the other side in advance, Armenia has serious fears that the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan, contrary to all its obligations, is preparing the ground for the next aggressive actions and ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh,” Armenian diplomats warn.

https://jam-news.net/six-months-of-blockade-in-nagorno-karabakh/

Sports: Euro 2024 qualifying: Wales humiliated 4-2 at home by Armenia

Maral Takmazian
UK –
Euro 2024 qualifying: Wales humiliated 4-2 at home by Armenia
By Dafydd PritchardBBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium

Wales suffered one of their most embarrassing and damaging defeats in recent memory as they lost at home to Armenia in a chaotic and foul-tempered Euro 2024 qualifier.

The hosts seemed to be on course for a comfortable evening when Daniel James fired them in front from Brennan Johnson's low cross, but the home crowd were soon silenced by an exquisite volley from Armenia's Lucas Zelaryan.

There were then gasps of disbelief as Grant-Leon Ranos was given the freedom of the Cardiff City Stadium to head the visitors – 71 places below Wales in the world rankings – into a first-half lead which was as deserved as it was shocking.

Wales had several chances to equalise but their wasteful finishing was punished after the break as Ranos hit a fine first-time shot from the edge of the area to send Armenia's small contingent of travelling fans into raptures.

Harry Wilson pulled a goal back for Wales with a little under 20 minutes remaining, only for Zelarayan to curl in a superb second to restore Armenia's two-goal advantage.

  • Chaos in Cardiff – match reaction and analysis
  • The state of play in Euro 2024 qualifying

Any hopes Wales had of salvaging something from this game were then dealt another blow when striker Kieffer Moore was sent off for an off-the-ball clash with Armenian goalkeeper Ognjen Chancharevich.

That final calamity set the seal on a nightmarish evening for Wales, who squandered the chance to go top of Group D with previous leaders Croatia instead in Nations League action.

Rob Page and his Wales players must now try to recover from this humiliation in time for Monday's trip to face new leaders Turkey, touted by many as their closest rivals for qualification behind group favourites Croatia.

Wales were heavily criticised for last year's World Cup, where their first appearance at the tournament since 1958 was spoiled by three dismal performances which saw them knocked out in the group stage.

A promising start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign in March – drawing in Croatia and beating Latvia at home – seemed to suggest Wales had purged themselves of their experience in Qatar, but this display against Armenia suggested otherwise.

It could, or more pertinently should, have been straightforward. Within 10 minutes, the pace of Johnson and James overwhelmed Armenia as they combined to put Wales ahead.

Instead of seizing control of the match from that point, however, Wales surrendered it.

Armenia's first goal was a gem, Zelarayan's sweet volley the kind that you could write off as just one of those things, a moment of individual class – even if Wales' defenders were sloppy in tracking their runners.

But there was no justifying the second. Joe Rodon tried carrying the ball out of defence but lost it carelessly and then his colleagues did nothing to reduce the masses of space afforded Ranos to head in.

Wales did not learn their lesson. As players rushed forward in the desperate hope of getting themselves back into this game, they instead fell further behind as Ranos struck again.

The porous Welsh midfield practically invited their Armenian opponents into their penalty area, while the home defence was passive and, at times, statuesque.

But it is not only the players who should shoulder the responsibility for this horror show.

Just as he did against the United States and Iran at the World Cup, Page got this game horribly wrong.

Wales still have five games left to revive their hopes of qualifying for Euro 2024 but this result could have long-lasting and serious ramifications for Page and his players.

While Wales wallow in the humiliation of this result, Armenia can bask in the afterglow of one of their greatest victories.

They had lost nine of their previous 10 competitive matches, conceding 29 goals in the process and sliding down to 97 in the world rankings.

In Cardiff, however, they made a mockery of those statistics, harrying their opponents and counter-attacking astutely.

Their goals were no flukes. Indeed, they could have scored more and, apart from the occasional wayward shot, the visitors' finishing was supreme.

This was also a moment to savour for their manager Oleksandr Petrakov, who had stood by the same touchline a year ago as his then Ukraine side were beaten by Wales in their World Cup play-off final.

The pain of that rain-soaked Sunday afternoon may now have eased for Petrakov, while the jubilation of World Cup qualification seems like a distant memory for Wales.

  • Line-ups
  • Match Stats
  • Live Text
Home TeamWalesAway TeamArmenia
Possession
Home56%
Away44%
Shots
Home18
Away11
Shots on Target
Home5
Away4
Corners
Home2
Away3
Fouls
Home4
Away8

Ararat Mirzoyan thinks there is some progress over the issue of unblocking infrastructures

Maral Takmazian

 18:11,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan touched upon the issue of lifting the blockade and noted that, in his opinion, some progress has been recorded in this issue in the recent Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations.

ARMENPRESS reports, during the question and answer session with members of the Government in the National Assembly, Mirzoyan once again reaffirmed Armenia's position, that is, the Republic of Armenia is greatly interested in the unblocking of transport and economic infrastructures in the region.

"Obviously, these infrastructures should be unblocked based on several well-known principles, such as, for example, they should operate under the sovereignty of the countries they pass through, these infrastructures should be under the jurisdiction of the countries they pass through, these infrastructures should be opened based on the principle of equality and reciprocity.

These issues are regularly discussed under the leadership of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan. My personal and subjective impression is that there is some progress, especially during Mr. Grigoryan's last meetings, but we still don't have the final result and, unfortunately, we cannot make it public for now," said Mirzoyan.

U.S. looks forward to rescheduling postponed Armenia-Azerbaijan talks in Washington

Maral Takmazian

 10:37,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. The Armenia-Azerbaijan foreign ministerial meeting that was supposed to take place on June 12 in Washington D.C. was postponed “100 percent due to scheduling issues,” according to United States Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller.

The U.S. looks forward to rescheduling the meeting, Miller added.

“It was 100 percent due to scheduling issues. We look forward to hosting another round of talks in Washington as the parties continue to pursue a peaceful dialogue for the South Caucasus region. As we’ve said before, we believe direct dialogue is key to resolving the remaining issues. We believe an agreement is within reach. This meeting unfortunately couldn’t go forward 100 percent due to scheduling issues, and we look forward to rescheduling it as soon as we can,” Miller said at a press briefing when asked why the June 12 meeting was canceled.

The U.S. State Department spokesperson did not disclose the new possible timeframes.

The foreign ministerial talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan were planned to take place June 12 in Washington. On June 8, authorities that Azerbaijan requested to postpone it.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1113208.html?fbclid=IwAR3BZw2hvxlffLaxD9DjpBwZprWl71nuGNTNR_4JSiqJfkixh3z7WJnv0Qk

Music: Mayrig. To Armenian Mothers

Maral Takmazian
UK – June 9 2023
 View record and artist details


Author: Mark Pullinger

Who was Komitas? He was an Armenian priest, composer, choirmaster and ethnomusicologist, born Soghomon Soghomonian (1869-1935), and is widely considered the founder of the Armenian national school of music. In 1906, after a concert and lecture in Paris, Claude Debussy, no less, knelt before him, kissed his hand and exclaimed: ‘I bow before your genius, Reverend Father.’ During the Armenian genocide in 1915, Komitas was deported to a prison camp by the Ottoman government, from which he emerged mentally scarred.

Komitas’s music has made a few appearances in Gramophone’s pages, notably an album of music for violin and piano by Sergey and Lusine Khachatryan (Naïve, 1/16). It has an appealing, folk-like quality and his music forms the basis of this attractive album from French mezzo-soprano Eva Zaïcik, pianist Xénia Maliarevitch and Armenian violinist David Haroutunian.

‘Komitas is the voice of the land of Armenia, of its churches and stones, which for thousands of years have remained silent’, writes Haroutunian in the booklet note. Their album pays tribute to Komitas, along with his heir, the French-Armenian composer Garbis Aprikian, a pupil of Olivier Messiaen, now 97 years old. Aprikian’s Petite suite nuptiale, composed for his son’s wedding, makes use of melodies his emigrant father sang to him when he was a child in Alexandria.

Titled ‘Mayrig: To Armenian Mothers’, the album has a haunting, nostalgic quality, the songs mainly lullabies (three are titled as such) or folk melodies, many in arrangements for the chamber forces here. It includes a short work each by Parsegh Ganatchian and Hakob Aghabab.

Zaïcik has a lovely, light mezzo, with beautiful cantabile lines. In his booklet note, Aprikian praises her meticulous pronunciation. Even Komitas’s dances for piano have an elegiac quality, played felicitously by Maliarevitch. Haroutunian’s violin tone is silky without being saccharine. This album was obviously a labour of love, which comes across in both the performances and the presentation (song texts printed in beautiful Armenian script along with French and English translations). It should appeal to anyone curious to discover more about the roots of the Armenian musical tradition.

Jerusalem: Armenian Community Fears Displacement in Jerusalem Land Deal

Maral Takmazian
The Messenger News
June 7 2023
Published 06/07/23 10:05 AM ET|

Luke Funk



Jerusalem’s Armenian community is worried they will be forced out of their neighborhood due to a land development deal.

The community has resided in that part of the city’s Old City section since at least 25 B.C. Some 2,000 Armenians still live in the Armenian Quarter.

Some Christian historians believe the land is also the Biblical Mount Zion, an area that is coveted by other nations and religions.

The land in question is roughly 8 acres, according to the Jerusalem Post, and is a quarter of the current Armenian Quarter, which itself is about 14% of the Old City.

The 99-year lease has touched sensitive nerves, the Associated Press reports.

There are concerns that the Christian minority will be squeezed out. Alarm over the lease spread in April after Israeli land surveyors suddenly appeared.

Word got around that an Australian-Israeli investor planned to transform the parking lot and limestone fortress of Armenian apartments and shops into an ultra-luxury hotel.

The Armenian body that manages the community’s civil and religious affairs admitted that the church had signed the 99-year lease.

The Armenian patriarch, Nourhan Manougian, alleged that a now-defrocked priest did the deal without his full knowledge.

The admission inflamed passions in the Armenian Quarter, where activists decried the deal as a threat to the community’s longtime presence in Jerusalem, according to the Associated Press. 

The now-deposed priest who coordinated the deal, Baret Yeretsian fled to California for his safety.

Yeretsian identified the investor as Australian-Israeli businessman Danny Rothman.

Rothman declined to comment when reached by The Associated Press.  “I never get interviewed by the press. I’m a private person,” he said before hanging up.

Yeretsian said the project would be managed by the One&Only hotel company based in Dubai.

Kerzner International, the owner of One&Only Resorts, also declined to comment to the Associated Press.

Palestinian officials accused Manougian of helping Israel in a decades-long battle between Israel and the Palestinians over a city that both sides claim as their capital.

Yeretsian dismissed fears of an Israeli settler takeover of the Armenian Quarter as “propaganda” based solely on Rothman’s Jewish identity, according to the report.

We are trying to return Nagorno Karabakh to negotiation table, dialogue with Baku – MP

Maral Takmazian

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 15:03,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The interests of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh must be represented by the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh themselves, through a Baku-Stepanakert dialogue under the auspices of an international mechanism, ruling Civil Contract party lawmaker Artur Hovhannisyan said at a press briefing when asked who should represent the interests of the Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh.

“The interests of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh must be represented by Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh themselves, through a Baku-Stepanakert format, under the auspices of international mechanisms. Armenia is now guided by the preservation of sovereignty over its 29,800 square kilometers territory and exercising the rights and security of the Armenians living in Nagorno Karabakh,” Hovhannisyan said.

The process must take place through dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert under international guarantees, the MP said.

“The Nagorno Karabakh conflict deepened after Robert Kocharyan left Nagorno Karabakh out of the negotiations process. We are now trying to return the representatives of Artsakh [Nagorno Karabakh] to the negotiation table and dialogue with Baku, where they will be able to exercise their rights the way they picture it,” Hovhannisyan said.

Hovhannisyan added that authorities of Armenia maintain permanent contact with their counterparts in Nagorno Karabakh and that the latter are aware of the details on the negotiation process.