Author: Meline Chalian

Asbarez: ARF Supreme Council of Armenia Leaders Visit Beirut

Meline Chalian
September 3,  2020


ARF Supreme Council of Armenia chairman Ishkhan Saghatelyan and Ashot Simonyan met with Catholicos Aram I

Soon after the devastating August 4 explosion at the port of Beirut, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia launched a fundraising campaign called “Help Your Compatriot-Lebanon.” The efforts yielded funds for the ARF Supreme Council’s “Yerkir” foundation to prepare 1,000 crates that arrived in Beirut on Thursday, the contents of which will be distributed to needy Armenian families.

Accompanying the flight were ARF Supreme Council of Armenia chairman Ishkhan Saghatelyan and fellow member Ashot Simonyan.

On Thursday, Saghatelyan and Simonyan, accompanied by ARF Lebanon Central Committee member Hagop Havatian and Melik Karakavorian visited His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. During the meeting, Saghatelyan briefed the pontiff about the “Help your Compatriot” program, stressing the Armenia ARF’s unwavering support to Lebanese Armenians during this crisis.

Aram I commended the ARF Supreme Council of Armenia’s efforts, stressing that the assistance provided to Lebanon’s Armenian community, aside from its financial worth, has a deep moral aspect and is proof of the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora triumvirate’s meaning.

Saghatelyan praised the Catholicos for his concern and care toward the Lebanese Armenian community, as well as for initiating the worldwide fundraising for the rebuilding of Lebanon, which has seen exuberant participation from Armenia, Artsakh and the various communities in the Diaspora.

The Catholicos stressed the importance of quick revitalization of the Lebanese Armenian community and emphasized the crucial role it plays in the national reality. Aram I said Armenian communities in various Middle Eastern countries have a big role to play in advancing the national aspirations of the Armenian people. Thus, he said the pan-Armenian efforts to help confront the challenges facing those communities is detrimental.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the critical issues facing Armenia and Artsakh. Saghatelyan briefed the Catholicos on the ARF’s approaches and positions on some of the domestic issues in Armenia. Aram I, stressed the importance for developing meaningful and constructive relations between the homeland and the Diaspora, and creating expanded possibilities for cooperation.

ARF Supreme Council of Armenia members Ishkhan Saghatelyan and Ashot Simonyan at the ARS “Araxi Boulghourdjian” socio-medical center

Saghatelyan and Simonyan also visited the Lebanon’s Armenian Relief Cross “Araxi Boulghourdjian” socio-medical center, this time accompanied by ARF Lebanon Central Committee members Karakavorian and Louis Nader. They were welcomed by Armenian Relief Society Central Executive member Nelly Vekilian, as well as regional and local ARS members.

The ARF Supreme Council of Armenia delegation toured the facility and gained first-hand knowledge about the center’s activities, especially since the August 4 blast.

ARF Supreme Council of Armenia members with Lebanon ARS members

Saghatelyan praised Lebanon’s Relief Cross’ efforts, saying it is imperative to serve the people during difficult economic times, while expressing the ARF Supreme Council of Armenia’s solidarity to the organization. The ARF leader pointed to the ARS’ continues support to Armenia and Artsakh, thus, he said, the Supreme Council of Armenia will do its utmost to assist the Lebanese Armenian community during the current current crisis.

The Lebanon ARS member expressed their gratitude for the assistance provided by Armenia and said Armenia ARF members’ generosity was greatly important.

The ARF leaders also visited the Varduhi Degirmendjian Soup Kitchen and were impressed by the ARS members’ dedicated work in preparing food for needy Armenian families.

Hayastan All Armenian Fund organizes special fundraising concert for Lebanon

Meline Chalian
Public Radio of Armenia
Aug 27 2020

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The Hayastan All Armenian Fund, in close cooperation with the Public Television of Armenia, has organized a special concert entitled “For You Lebanon” to be aired on Saturday August 29th at 10:30pm local time on H1TV. The event will also be livestreamed on the Fund’s Facebook page.

This special event will have performances by renowned artists, special reports from Lebanon and calls to action by Armen Sarkissian, the RA President and Chairman of the Fund’s Board of Trustees, as well as Atom Egoyan, Arsinee Khanjian, Serj Tankian and many others.

Anyone can join this critical relief effort by donating through the Fund’s online platform or directly to the Fund’s dedicated Central Bank accounts and stand in support and solidarity with our compatriots in Lebanon.

“The Armenian community in Lebanon has for decades supported both the Homeland and Diaspora Communities and it is now our turn to stand with our brothers and sisters in their time of need,” the Fund says.

Following the call to action by Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and Trustee of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund, Nikol Pashinyan, the Fund launched the “Urgent Support to Lebanese-Armenians” fundraising campaign with all funds directed to Armenian educational institutions affected by the devastating explosion in Beirut.



Azerbaijani press: Azerbaijan, Serbia mull cooperation in fight against organized crimes [VIDEO]

Meline Chalian
12 August 2020 16:36 (UTC+04:00)
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By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijan’s Interior Minister Vilayat Eyvazov and the visiting Serbian counterpart Nebojsa Stefanovic have discussed cooperation in fight against transnational organized crime, the ministry reported on August 11.

During the meeting, Eyvazov said that only join efforts can effectively combat this type of crimes. In his words, the fight against drug trafficking, international terrorism, human trafficking, illegal migration and cyber-crime, which are the main types of transnational organized crime, is in the spotlight.

Eyvazov informed his Serbian counterpart about the reforms implemented in the law enforcement agencies, reminding that Azerbaijan has adopted new laws regulating the activities of the police, based on democratic principles.

The minister added that the implementation of these laws is of special importance. Eyvazov, also highlighted that one of the important changes in this direction is to advance the activities in accordance with the best world practices.

Over the past 10 years, about 8,000 employees and servicemen have been involved in numerous pieces of training and exercises through a number of international organizations.

Eyvazov said that these training and exercises have a positive effect on the improvement of the professionalism and training level of staff. He also noted that the most modern information technologies are widely used in terms of taking urgent measures against illegal actions to which citizens are exposed.

In turn, expressing gratitude for the warm reception, Stefanovic said that relations between the two countries had expanded and deepened in recent years.

The two countries suffering from similar conflicts take the same position on a number of issues at the international level, said the Serbian minister. He also underlined that his country is interested in the further development of cooperation with the Interior Ministry of Azerbaijan that is considered a close friend for Serbia.

A number of other issues of mutual interest were also discussed at the meeting.

It should be noted that Stefanovic is also Serbia’s deputy prime minister and Secretary of the National Security Council.

Stefanovic visited Azerbaijan on August 11. Before the meeting with the Azerbaijani Interior Minister, the Serbian delegation also met with senior Azerbaijani officials – Secretary of the Security Council under the President of Azerbaijan Ramil Usubov, Presidential Aide and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov and Azerbaijani Ambassador to Serbia Eldar Hasanov.

During the meeting, Serbia and Azerbaijan discussed security cooperation and reached an agreement in expanding cooperation in the exchange of sensitive information, counter-terrorism and other significant fields.

The Serbian delegation’s visit to Baku follows the phone conversation held between President Ilham Aliyev and Serbian President Alexandar Vučić on August 7. During the phone call, Vučić said that a high-level Serbian delegation would be sent to Azerbaijan in the near future to investigate Armenia’s use of Serbian-made weapons during the recent cross-border clash with Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that Armenia’s use of Serbian-made ammunition in shelling Azerbaijani military and civilian positions that killed servicemen and a civilian has caused concern among the Azerbaijani public.

Earlier, on July 20, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry summoned Serbia's Chargé d'Affaires Danica Veinovic over the delivery of a large amount of military ammunition and mortar from Serbia to Armenia.

The cross-border clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia started on July 12 noon after Armenian troops fired artillery at Azerbaijani military post in Tovuz region. 

Azerbaijani armed forces retaliated destroying a stronghold, bombshells, vehicles and servicemen on the territory of Armenia’s military unit by using artillery, mortars and tanks. Azerbaijan has also downed six Armenian UAVs.  

Azerbaijan lost 12 servicemen, including an army general, as well as a civilian during cross-border clashes from July 12 till July 16. 

—

Akbar Mammadov  is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz

Asbarez: U.N. Chief Briefed on Azerbaijan’s Aggression Against Armenians

Meline Chalian
August 13,  2020


Armenia’s U.N. Ambassador Mher Margaryan

In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Mher Margaryan condemned the instigation of inter-ethnic clashes and violence against the Armenian communities in various parts of the world by Azerbaijanis.

Margaryan said that Azerbaijan’s recent provocations at the Armenian border were mirrored in inter-ethnic clashes, encouraged and condoned by the leadership of Azerbaijan, whose frustration about the failed attempts of aggression against Armenia continued to grow.

“Such clashes began with the infliction of economic harm by some members of the Azerbaijani diaspora in unlawful and discriminatory attempts to obstruct the export and retail of Armenian products and goods in other countries – rather distasteful and ill-advised acts of unconcealed racism,” Margaryan wrote.

“These actions were soon followed by violent attacks perpetrated against ethnic Armenians in different parts of the world, involving the deliberate damage and destruction of property belonging to Armenians, including the vandalization of a school and other disruptive acts of ethnically motivated violence and aggression,” said the letter.
Margaryan stressed that “such acts, carried out with the direct participation of Azerbaijani officials, have come to demonstrate a most irresponsible intention to spread violence and radicalization to third countries, reflecting the policy and rhetoric of the Azerbaijani leadership aimed at inciting animosity against the Armenian people.”

He added that “the hateful and racist rhetoric dominating the political discourse of the Azerbaijani leadership constitutes all elements of incitement to violence and represents a significant indicator of risk of atrocity crimes.”

“Armenia reiterated the inadmissibility of using such rhetoric to incite inter-ethnic clashes and the imperative of focusing on de-escalating tensions to prevent violence in the future,” the letter concluded.

BBC HARDtalk: Pashinyan talks about Armenia’s relations with Russia, the United States, Iran and EU

Meline Chalian

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 14:23,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has spoken about Armenia’s relations with Russia, the EU, the United States and Iran.

In an interview with BBC’s HARDtalk, Pashinyan said Armenia is maintaining good relationships with all of the above mentioned.

“Russia is strategic partner of Armenia in terms of security. We are member of Eurasian Economic Union, which is economic union, and we have comprehensive and enhanced partnership agreement with European Union and by the way now the European Union is our main partner in our reform agenda implementation. We have quite effective cooperation with NATO, and by the way we are participating in peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan, in Lebanon, in Kosovo, in Mali, and we have quite effective military cooperation with United States too”, the Armenian PM said.

Pashinyan reiterated that by saying “strategic” partnership he means long-term cooperation, and that at the same time Armenia has good relations with Iran and with the US.

“We have good relations with Iran and we are doing our best to keep our good relations with United States and with Iran, and in the same time be fully devoted to our international commitments.

Editing by Stepan Kocharyan

Turkey earthquake felt in Armenia

Meline Chalian

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 09:05,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 12, ARMENPRESS. The magnitude 4,2 earthquake that hit 12km south-east from the Turkish city of Igdir at 03:29 August 12 was also felt in Armenia, the Armenian seismic protection agency said.

The tremors were felt in the Armavir and Ararat Provinces at MSK 4, and in Yerevan at MSK 3-4.

 

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Treaty of Sevres is historic fact, our duty is to remember and preserve its meaning – PM Pashinyan

Meline Chalian

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 11:51,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. On the 100th anniversary of the signing of Treaty of Sevres, Armenian scholars are holding the “Treaty of Sevres and the Armenian Question” forum at the National Academy of Sciences in Yerevan.

Vice President of the academy Yuri Shukuryan read Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s address to the forum.

Greeting the participants of the conference, the Prime Minister expressed profound gratitude for organizing the important event.

“The Treaty of Sevres has a significant place in the modern history of the Armenian people. It’s no coincidence that it remains subject to scientific studies and research. Therefore, it is highly important for the unbiased studies conducted by our scientists of this one-century old document, the events and developments preceding and succeeding its signing, to be accessible to both our people and the broad international community,” the prime minister wrote in his welcoming remarks.

PM Pashinyan stressed that the Treaty of Sevres is a historical fact and it remains such up to this day.

Speaking about the importance of the treaty, the PM noted that “it was signaling the end of the cursed years. Like the Treaty of Versailles in Europe, the Treaty of Sevres was forming a new system of inter-state relations in the region. [The treaty] was introducing new principles and values, it was establishing not only peace but also justice in [Western Asia].”

Pashinyan says the core of the treaty was the principle of self-determination and equality of nations. The treaty was ending the centuries-old slavery imposed by empires and was giving independence and freedom to peoples of the region.

“Moreover, by providing the right to establish national states in historic territories, it was creating favorable conditions for the coexistence of Muslim and Christian peoples in the region, for peaceful coexistence and preservation of civilizational diversity of the region and their further development. Second, the Treaty of Sevres is the international document that recognized and affirmed Armenia’s independence.  The Republic of Armenia was acting as a legally equal party to this treaty. Centuries after losing independence, the Armenian government was for the first time signing an international treaty with great powers. The Republic of Armenia was being recognized in the defined borders of the treaty as a full member to international relations and a legally equal subject to international law’, the PM said.

PM Pashinyan emphasized that through being party to the treaty Armenia’s and the Armenian people’s contribution to the allied victory in WWI and establishment of peace was also being recognized. The treaty was emphasizing and duly appreciating the Armenian people’s role in international relations and the post-war governing of the world.

“Third, Article 89 of the Treaty of Sevres was stating and affirming the Armenian people’s historic and undisputed relation with the Armenian Highlands, where the Armenian people were born, lived and shaped statehood and culture for millennia. And finally, the Treaty of Sevres was signed in the years following the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian people were subjected to the cruelest and inhumane sufferings, with huge losses. Whereas, the Treaty of Sevres was paving the way for overcoming of consequences of the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian Question was receiving a just resolution through the creation of an independent statehood in the historic home of the Armenian people, historic justice was being restored, and favorable conditions were being created for the restoration of the economic and demographic potential of the Armenian people. Although the Treaty of Sevres wasn’t fulfilled, it continues existing as a historic fact, our duty is to remember it, realize and preserve its meaning,” Pashinyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

FAQ: ARTSAKH a.k.a. NAGORNO KARABAKH: Separating Facts From Fiction

Meline Chalian
The Blunt Post
Aug 1 2020

By Vic Gerami

 

 

Artsakh, also known as Nagorno Karabakh, is an integral part of historic Armenia. During the Urartian era (9-6th cc. B.C.) Artsakh was known as Urtekhe-Urtekhini. As a part of Armenia Artsakh is mentioned in the works of Strabo, Pliny the Elder, Claudius Ptolemy, Plutarch, Dio Cassius, and other ancient authors. The evident testimony of it is the remained rich historic-cultural heritage.

Artsakh, one of the 15 provinces of historic Armenia, is in the eastern Armenian Plateau. Geographically, the Artsakh Republic defines itself within administrative borders of the former Soviet Union’s Region of Mountainous Karabakh, and the adjacent Shahumyan district.

WHEN DID THE CONFLICT BEGIN?

In 1921, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, to consolidate his power, forcibly placed Artsakh under Soviet Azerbaijani rule. An arbitrary decision without precedent placed a millennia-old autonomous Christian territory into a largely hostile Muslim regional government entity. During the Soviet regime, Artsakh repeatedly appealed to the Central Government in Moscow to restore justice and reunite the region with Armenia. After years of tireless struggle, Moscow granted autonomous status to the region. The Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (Region) was created on a part of historical Artsakh. However, this new formation was deliberately separated from Armenia by a slim corridor.

Dadivank Monastery in the Shahumian Region of the Republic of Artsakh, built between the 9th and 13th centuries

Since  its  creation  in  1918,  Azerbaijan  has  been  implementing  an open campaign of national, ethnic, religious, cultural, and economic discrimination, aiming to eliminate the region’s Armenian heritage. Just as it succeeded in eliminating the Armenian population of Nakhichevan, which was 50 percent Armenian in 1920 down to zero by 1991, Azerbaijan aimed to achieve ethnic cleansing in Artsakh. Its policies had already shaved down the Armenian population from 95 percent to 75 percent when it resorted to more violent methods of eliminating the Armenians.

The formation of three ethnic republics of Transcaucasia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, began in 1917, because of the collapse of the Russian Empire. The population of Nagorno-Karabakh, 95 percent of which were Armenians, convened its first congress, which proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh an independent political unit, elected the National Council and the Government. In 1918-1920 Nagorno-Karabakh had all the trappings of statehood, including the army and the legitimate authority.

In response to the peace initiatives of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijani Democratic Republic launched a military action. From May 1918 to April 1920, Azerbaijan, and military units of Turkey, which supported Azerbaijan, used violence, and carried out massacres against the Armenian population (in March 1920 about 40,000 Armenians were killed and deported only in Shushi). But it was not possible to make the people of Nagorno-Karabakh obey Azerbaijan’s power in this way.

Mountains of Artsakh

In August 1919, to prevent military conflict, Karabakh and Azerbaijan signed a preliminary agreement by which they agreed to discuss the problem of the status of the region at the Paris Peace Conference.

The League of Nations rejected the request for Azerbaijan’s membership, citing the fact that it is difficult to define clear boundaries and territories under the sovereignty of this state. Among other contentious issues, there was the issue of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Because of the Sovietization of the region, the issue fell out of the agenda of international organizations.

Confronted by the genocidal forces of the Ottoman Empire, Armenia was fighting in 1918 for its very existence. Artsakh was mostly left to defend itself against Azerbaijani forces allied with the Ottoman Turks. When the Russian Communists took over the South Caucasus in 1920, instead of resolving the ethnic tensions that had inflamed the region, they perpetuated the divisions as a method of controlling the nominal republics of the Soviet Union.

Recognizing that 95 percent of the population was Armenian, the Soviet regime granted Nagorno Karabakh autonomy, but within Soviet Azerbaijan. During the last liberalizing phase of the Soviet era, per existing law, the population of Nagorno Karabakh declared its self-governing republic in 1991. Azerbaijan, with its Muslim majority population, responded by declaring war against the Christian Armenians. After a bloody and destructive conflict resulting in 30,000 deaths, a cease-fire agreement was signed in 1994. Year after year, however, serious, and deadly violations by Azerbaijan increased in frequency until the April 2016 escalation into a major confrontation involving large-scale attacks by Azeri forces along the entire border of Azerbaijan with Artsakh and Armenia.

Gandzasar Monastery in Artsakh which Houses the Relics of Saint John the Baptist and Gregory the Illuminator, built between 1216 and 1238

WHEN DID THE CURRENT CONFLICT BEGIN?

The current phase of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in 1988 when in response to the self-determination claims of the NK population the Azeri authorities organized massacres and ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population on the entire territory of Azerbaijan, particularly in Sumgait, Baku, and Kirovabad.

On December 10, 1991 NK population declared the establishment of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) by plebiscite, which fully complies with both international law norms and the letter and spirit of the USSR laws of that time. Thus, on the territory of the former Azerbaijani SSR, two equal state formations were created – the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas populated by Armenians, the policy pursued by Azerbaijani authorities turned into overt aggression and large-scale military actions against the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, which resulted in tens of thousands deaths and caused considerable material damage.

Azerbaijan never heeded the international community appeals, particularly the United Nations Security Council resolutions relating to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict calling to stop military actions and conduct peaceful negotiations.

Because of the war, Azerbaijan occupied the whole region of Shahumyan and the eastern parts of Martakert and Martuni regions of Nagorno-Karabakh. Neighboring districts went under the control of Nagorno-Karabakh armed forces, which played the role of a security buffer to block the further firing from the Azeri side towards Nagorno-Karabakh settlements.

‘We Are Our Mountains’ Monument in Stepanakert, Capital of Artsakh

In May 1994 Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia signed a ceasefire, which, despite violations, is still effective.

Conflict settlement negotiations are held in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, USA, France). In the last decade, several options for the settlement proposed by the co-chairs were rejected by Azerbaijan. The last was “Paris Principles” in 1991 which were summed up in the Key West document.

Currently, negotiations are held based on the Madrid proposals represented by co-chairs in November 2007.

Despite the negotiations held within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group which is the only internationally mandated format on conflict settlement, and the agreement to carry out negotiations within the Minsk process, Azerbaijan, distorting the nature and main reasons of the consequences of the conflict, takes attempts to involve other international organizations in the settlement and initiates parallel processes hindering the negotiation process and having campaign objectives especially in the UN GA and the Council of Europe, too.

Mamrot Kar Waterfalls

APRIL 2016 WAR

On April 2, 2016, Azerbaijan, with the support of Turkish military personnel and equipment, initiated a military offensive against Armenia and Artsakh. The offensive started with the killing of a 12-year-old boy on his way to school and continued with the gruesome mutilation of an elderly Armenian couple. Increasingly and without international condemnation, Azerbaijan has flaunted the signed 1994 cease-fire agreement, targeting civilians in violation of international law. Azerbaijan admitted to launching the offensive – which came hours after President Ilham Aliyev’s

meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington, D.C. The large-scale incursions along the Line of Contact resulted in the death of over 100 members of the Artsakh defense forces.

AZERBAIJAN’S  THREAT

Azerbaijan’s aggressive bellicose campaign also puts under question Azerbaijan’s desire, statements, assumed obligations, and their seriousness aimed at compromise settlement. Azerbaijan continues sending money from oil revenues to increase the military budget and to the acquisition of many offensive armaments, grossly violating several agreements and obligations in the sphere of security and political-military sphere. Azerbaijan fails all the economic, political, military, and humanitarian initiatives aimed at strengthening trust between the parties. Particularly, Azerbaijan rejects the offer of the Armenian side on regional cooperation and the offer of the Minsk Group to pull out snipers from the contact line. Azerbaijan’s rampant human rights violations are not well known. The Human Rights Watch reported on this in 2019.

Ilham Aliyev

WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN?

Azerbaijan’s dictator and corrupt president Ilham Aliyev and his family’s corruption extends throughout the globe and is well documented by countless investigative journalists. While Azerbaijanis live in oppression, Aliyev’s family has drained the country to amass wealth in the billions. Will Fitzgibbon, Miranda Patrucić, and Marcos Garcia Rey’s article, ‘How Family that Runs Azerbaijan Built an Empire of Hidden Wealth,’ for the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, is a thorough investigative piece outlining some of the most egregious lawlessness of the Aliyev family.

WHAT IS THE POSITION OF ARMENIA ON ARTSAKH?

Armenia believes that the improvement of the peace process efficiency is impossible without the full participation of the conflict party Artsakh in the negotiations. Armenia believes that conflict settlement should be based on the following principles:

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement must be based on recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh people’s right to self-determination; Nagorno-Karabakh should have uninterrupted land communication with Armenia, under the jurisdiction of the Armenian side; the security of Nagorno-Karabakh should be internationally guaranteed. Adoption of these principles and contractual stipulations will enable achieving a comprehensive settlement of the problem.

Armenia attaches importance to the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process, as a viable format for the settlement which has enough potential to find ways of settlement.

Azerbaijan’s attempts to get unilateral concessions by the threat of use of force are not only doomed to failure from the beginning but also continue to be the main obstacle for the settlement through compromise.

Artsakh has no future as a part of Azerbaijan and whatever is the solution, it must emanate from the will of the Karabakh people. That is the essence of the right of peoples to self-determination. Azerbaijan has neither legal nor political or moral grounds to claim over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Gtichavank Monastery, 1248

FACTS & FIGURES ABOUT ARTSAKH

Profile and Geographic Location Territory: 4,457 sq. miles (11,500 sq. km.)
Population: 146,600 (2012 est.)
Religion: Armenian Apostolic Christian
Language: Armenian
Capital: Stepanakert
Largest Cities: Shushi, Martuni, Martakert, Hadrut, Askeran

 

Situation relatively calm in Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Meline Chalian

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 09:39,

YEREVAN, JULY 30, ARMENPRESS. Overnight July 29-30 and today in the morning relative calm has been maintained on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, Armenian defense minister’s spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan said on Facebook.

“The Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime 15 times, firing nearly 120 shots from firearms at the Armenian positions”, she said, adding that the shots were mainly fired at the Armenian military positions located in the direction of Chambarak, Chinari, Aygedzor, Movses, Paravaqar, Koti, Yeraskh, Areni, Zangakatun.

The defense minister’s spokesperson informed that the Azerbaijani side also fired ineffective shots twice from Igla-S and OSA-AK surface-to-air missile systems.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian President calls on to participate in Empowering Remote Border Communities fundraising

Meline Chalian

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 12:24,

YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, calls on all state officials, spiritual leaders, Diaspora’s political parties and organizations, individuals involved in the Fund’s Board of Trustees to direct their efforts to the Fund’s Empowering Remote Border Communities pan-Armenian fundraising campaign, the Fund told Armenpress.

All proceeds will go to addressing the most pressing needs of these communities.

“Dear compatriots,

The recent escalation in military operations by the Azerbaijani armed forces on the Armenia-Azerbaijani state border once again compels us to unite our efforts and resources to protect and strengthen our Homeland.

Despite being the target of aggressive actions for decades, the residents of Armenia’s border communities stand firm on their land and have become the guardians of our sovereign borders.

These border communities are unequivocally and strategically vital for the security of Armenia and Artsakh. Protecting them strategically, economically and socially is a national priority.

The Hayastan All Armenian Fund has launched the “Empowering Remote Border Communities” fundraising campaign. All proceeds from this global Armenian campaign will go to addressing the most pressing needs of these communities.

I hereby call on all state officials, spiritual leaders, Diaspora political parties, organizations and individuals involved in the Fund’s Board of Trustees to direct their efforts and resources to this campaign using the Fund’s channels and to make monetary contributions through the dedicated online fundraising platform on the Hayastan All Armenian Fund’s website www.himnadram.org, or through bank transfers, as well as contact the Fund’s worldwide affiliates in order to consolidate all donations to the Fund through these channels.

The Homeland starts at the border. For years, the Fund has supported these dedicated defenders of our borders through a wide variety of infrastructure development, innovative agricultural and social projects. Today, the brave residents of our border communities need us to stand together as one global Armenian family.

United We Strengthen Our Border Communities”, the Armenian President said in his address.