Author: Mike Maghakian

Asbarez: Azerbaijani Forces Target Artsakh Residential Areas in Latest Shootings

Mike Maghakian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

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

Damage caused by Azerbaijani gun fire directed at residential districts in Martuni on Feb. 11

Residential areas in Artsakh’s Martuni region came under Azerbaijani fire early Friday morning local time as shots were fired from positions located near the Karmir Shuka and Taghaverd villages.

Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan reported that at around 5:50 a.m. local time, Azerbaijani forces began firing in the direction of the two villages in Martuni.

“Given the distance between the residential areas and the Azerbaijani positions, and the fact that the residential part of the village is directly observed from the Azerbaijani positions, it is undeniable that the Azerbaijani side was specifically targeting the civilian residences walls, roofs and other parts of houses were damaged,” Stepanyan said.

A bullet smashed a window of a house in Karmir Shuka going through the living room during the same operation, which according to Stepanyan, was intended to instill fear and threaten the civilian population.

“The criminal actions by Azerbaijan are systematic and are aimed at creating an atmosphere of fear in Artsakh,” added Stepanyan.

“As long as the international community refuses to condemn these illegal actions unequivocally, Azerbaijan will continue its military conduct against the people of Artsakh,” Stepanyan emphasized.

On a related matter, Armenia’s Defense Ministry on Friday refuted statements by Azerbaijan claiming that Armenian forces opened fire at its positions near the Karvachar section of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Turkish Press: [OPINION] The Armenian diaspora and Turkish nationalism keep Turkey’s door to Armenia closed

Mike Maghakian
 Turkish Minute 
Feb 10 2022

Türkmen Terzi

Turkey and Armenia appointed special envoys to normalize bilateral relations last month, with the first round of negotiations taking place in Moscow on Jan. 14. During the meeting both parties agreed to continue negotiations without preconditions aiming at full normalization. The current atmosphere appears more promising than it did at the time of failed negotiations in 2009.

The opening of the border will help Armenia, which lost the Nagorno-Karabakh war against Azerbaijan in 2020. Turkey also finds itself increasingly isolated and in a serious economic crisis; hence, both countries can benefit now more than ever from establishing ties. The Turkic country of Azerbaijan has always been a major factor in preventing Turkey from developing ties with Armenia. Turkey’s nationalists have also played a major role in spreading enmity towards Armenians.

The relations between Turks and Armenians have been strained ever since the mass killing of Armenians during the rule of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century. Armenians call this killing of 1.5 million a genocide, but Turkey rejects the notion that the killings, which took place during World War I, amounted to genocide and denies that the killings were systematically orchestrated. Turkey argues that a large number of Turks were also killed and disputes the number of Armenians who died, suggesting that it was far lower than 1.5 million. The border between the two countries has remained closed since the 1990s, and diplomatic relations have been on hold. In 2009 Ankara and Yerevan signed the “Zurich Protocols” to establish diplomatic relations and reopen their joint border, but the agreement was never ratified because of opposition from Azerbaijan. Turkey and Armenia finally signed an accord aimed at ending the century-old hostility and restoring ties, but that deal as well was never ratified. Five years later, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered Turkey’s first-ever condolences for the mass killings of Armenians, but Ankara and Yerevan still failed to normalize ties.

Turkey’s initiative for rapprochement with Armenia will not be independent of Azerbaijan as Ankara has long been consulting with Baku on the process of normalization with Armenia. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said last year that flights between İstanbul and Armenia’s capital of Yerevan would start under the normalization and that Ankara would coordinate all steps with Azerbaijan. Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2 drones were among the key tools in Azerbaijan’s takeover of large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh, for which Baku is grateful to the Erdoğan government.

Turkey is receiving international support for its normalization initiative as the US government is backing Turkey’s diplomatic efforts to rebuild ties with Armenia. Russia contributed to the process by hosting the recent talks. More than global or regional powers, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan needs to see normalization with Turkey as something positive that will ultimately lead to investment, economic growth, jobs and stability. Armenia is not in a strong position in the continuing conflict with Azerbaijan to recapture the areas of Nagorno-Karabakh, although some opposition figures are calling for a fresh war against Baku. The landlocked country of Armenia is strategically located in the Southern Caucasus. The region is a gateway between the Middle East and the Caucasus and remains an important destination for Russia and Iran through which they transfer their oil and gas.

Armenia will not be Turkey’s strategic partner in the region as the Christian Armenians have strong ties with Russia and Iran. In contrast, Turkey’s key partners are Azerbaijan and Georgia, with Turkey using Georgia to reach Azerbaijan. Armenia has posed an obstacle to Turkey’s access to the rest of the Turkic world since 1990. In the same way that Armenia is a gateway for Turkey accessing Central Asia, Turkey is a key door through which Armenia can reach the Western world to increase cultural and economic engagement. Turkey also wants to reduce Russia and Iran’s influence on its neighbor Armenia. Iran isn’t keen on Turkey opening its border with Armenia as Armenia blocks Turkey’s activities along the Iranian northern and western borders and also in Central Asia. For Turks, Armenia stands as a hostile country between Turkey and the Central Asian Turkic world.

Despite a suitable environment for peace, the killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks remains one of the greatest and long-lasting controversies in recent history, still affecting world politics to this day. Turkey hosts a considerable number of Armenian workers, but the Armenian diaspora, especially in Europe and America, have long been lobbying to have Western governments recognize the Armenian genocide and keep the Turkish hostility alive. Efforts by the Armenian diaspora have borne fruit. As of 2021, 31 countries had recognized the genocide, along with Pope Francis and the European Parliament. US President Joe Biden officially designated the crime committed against Armenians by the Young Turk movement in 1915 as genocide on April 24 2021, a recognition that angered Turkey.

The Turkish nationalist group known as the Grey Wolves has become increasingly organized against anti-Turkish groups in Western countries thanks to Erdoğan’s electoral coalition with the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). France banned the Grey Wolves in November 2020 as the group is seen as a militant wing of the MHP and the AKP.  The Grey Wolves use hate speech, calling for political violence in many European cities. They attempted the lynching of Armenians in Dijon and sent death threats to Armenians living in the German cities of Hanau, Osnabrück and Hamburg. Turkish nationalist groups also actively participate in the Khojaly massacre commemorations in many parts of the world together with Azeris. Khojaly was the mass killing of Azerbaijanis, mostly civilians, by Armenians on Feb. 26, 1992. Some Grey Wolves members chanted violent threats towards Armenians during protests in Turkey and other European cities.

Turkey may normalize its diplomatic relations with Armenia and might open the border, but the wounds between Armenia and Turkey run deep. As Richard Giragosian, founding director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC) located in Yerevan, told Al Jazeera last month, Turkey’s talks with Armenia are just a process of normalization and not yet reconciliation.

The burning question is: Who is really responsible for preventing Turkey’s normalization with Armenia? Turkish nationalism is on the rise, while the Armenian diaspora grows increasingly motivated to convince Western countries to officially recognize the Ottomans’ Armenian genocide. The opening of the border may be the first step of a painful journey to closing the wounds between these two nations that have coexisted in the region for a millennium.

Azerbaijani schoolbooks promote hate towards Armenians, warns Ombudsman

Mike Maghakian

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 14:00, 4 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan presented an evidence-based emergency report on the new developments and dangers of the Azerbaijani state-sanctioned Armenophobic policy in the post-war period.

“The Azerbaijani authorities are advocating hate towards Armenia and Armenians,” warned Tatoyan.

He said that this Azerbaijani state-sanctioned policy of hate is based on two fundamental pillars: studies show that religious-fuelled hate is now added to the ethic-based hatred.

“Azerbaijani schoolbooks advocate hate and animosity against Armenians. They display their superiority against Armenian people. Their authorities even change the affiliation of churches, falsely claiming that they are Albanian,” Tatoyan said.

The Ombudsman also presented the dangers of this policy in other countries, and between the two peoples in other countries around the world. He warned that this Azeri strategy is dangerous for other countries as well.

“During the war, Azerbaijani and Turkish groups were attacking Armenians in the United States, in France and elsewhere around the world, several buildings were vandalized and there is undeniable evidence proving this,” he said.

“After the 44-day war the poet Vahid Aziz, who holds the title of People’s Poet of Azerbaijan, said that ‘Armenians can’t create anything other than chaos, they are immoral nation’. This is concrete evidence that Azerbaijan finds these kinds of statements commendable,” Tatoyan said, presenting the Azerbaijani authorities’ conduct promoting hate, which are virtually identically being displayed by cultural, sports and other public figures in the society.

Speaking on the peace-loving statements from the Azeri side, Tatoyan warned that these statements are just a cover for the outside world.

‘Proud to have been able to contribute to development of Armenia-UK ties’: President congratulates Queen Elizabeth II

Mike Maghakian

‘Proud to have been able to contribute to development of Armenia-UK ties': President congratulates Queen Elizabeth II

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 13:26, 20 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory letter to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and the UK, the Presidential Office reports.

“Over the past years Armenia and the United Kingdom have managed to establish a productive political dialogue both in bilateral and multilateral formats. I am proud that I have been able to contribute to the development of relations between our countries”, the Armenian President said in his letter.

Armenia FM highlights need for full resumption of Karabakh peace talks

Mike Maghakian
  News.am  
Armenia – Jan 20 2022
15:15, 21.01.2022

YEREVAN. – Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Friday received a visiting European Union (EU) delegation—led by Isabelle Dumont, the representative of the French chairmanship at the Council of the European Union and Advisor for Continental Europe and Turkey of the French President's Cabinet, as well as Toivo Klaar, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia.

First, Mirzoyan congratulated France on assuming the chairmanship of the EU Council, expressing a conviction that this chairmanship will be productive and will contribute to the establishment of stability and security in the South Caucasus, the foreign ministry of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. The further development of the Armenia-EU partnership was also highlighted.

During the meeting, reference was made to the humanitarian issues caused by the 44-day Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war in the fall of 2020. In this context, the immediate returning of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian detainees still being held in Azerbaijan was stressed.

The interlocutors exchanged views also on taking steps to increase the level of security and stability along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

The need for full observance of the ceasefire, as well as the need for the Azerbaijani leadership to stop its belligerent rhetoric was stressed, too.

In addition, the Armenian FM stressed the importance of the full resumption of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Young Liberal Movement of Australia reaffirms recognition of Armenian Genocide, Artsakh’s right to self-determination

Mike Maghakian

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 11:48,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, ARMENPRESS (ANCA Press Release).  The Young Liberal Movement of Australia has unanimously adopted a motion at its National Convention recognising the 1915 Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides, as well as acknowledging the rights to self-determination of the indigenous Armenian people of the Republic of Artsakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).

The Young Liberal Movement is the youth wing of the Liberal Party of Australia, which is one of two major political parties in Australian politics and currently the party in Government federally, led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

The adoption of the motion demonstrates the growing discourse in Australian society supporting national recognition of the 1915 Genocides, which contrasts with the policy of the Morrison Government, who have continued to placate the denialist Turkish Government with the use of euphemisms instead of the word “genocide” when referring to the Ottoman massacres against the Empire’s Christian minorities.

Significantly, the motion also ensures the Young Liberals support the rights to self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh, which is currently under occupation by Azerbaijan following their attacks on the independent Armenian-populated state in 2020 during the Nagorno Karabakh War.

The 2022 Young Liberal Federal Convention was held from January 21 – 23, 2022 at the Hobart Convention and Exhibition Centre at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, with 44 voting delegates participating from six states and the Australian Capital Territory.

The motion was moved by ACT Young Liberal President Connor Andreatidis and seconded by one of his colleagues from the ACT Young Liberal delegation.

Andreatidis’ motion not only recognised the 1915 crimes committed by the Ottoman Empire, but also called on the “Federal Government to recognise and condemn the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides”.

His motion also linked the Armenian Genocide to contemporary acts of aggression, notably Azerbaijani hostilities against the Armenian nation witnessed in September 2020 and the pan-Turkic attempts to ethnically cleanse the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) region of Armenians.

Andreatidis’ motion called on the Federal Young Liberals to “recognise the right to self-determination of the Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh, and that the recent and ongoing attacks against the Republic of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, are part of an ongoing legacy of Genocide and genocide denial”.

Prominent members of the Australian Liberal Party were also present at the Federal Convention and witnessed the unprecedented motion, including longtime friend and ally of the Armenian-Australian community Senator Eric Abetz, fellow Tasmanian Senators Claire Chandler and Senator Jonathon Duniam, and Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein.

ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian welcomed the support of the Australian Young Liberal Movement and thanked them for adopting the motion.

“This motion saw future leaders of our nation call out their current leaders by taking a unanimous stand in solidarity with the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities by addressing past and current injustices that remain unpunished,” Kayserian said.

“Thanks to the leadership of Mr Connor Andreatidis, some of the most politically active youth from around the country and members of our Prime Minister’s own party have sent a collective, clear and unequivocal message that we must face our future challenges by recognising and condemning past injustices wver they may take place,” Kayserian added.

“We thank Mr Andreatidis and past and present Young Liberal members who have supported this and similar motions which continue to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to advancing issues important to our communities.”

In August 2020, the ACT Young Liberals passed a similar resolution recognised and condemning the 1915 Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides and the right to self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh (see ).

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1073780.html?fbclid=IwAR0l1QegvsiT_GauBUqzmxglXZ8QD8ZBnmJt2b6u44PXo2DFgNVmbxY4iqk

Baku’s anti-Armenian and genocidal policy has a clear chronology – Gegham Stepanyan

Mike Maghakian
panorama.am
Armenia – Jan 19 2022

32 years ago, on January 13-19, 1990 a systematic and mass massacre of the Armenian population was carried out in Baku with apparent permission and support of the Azerbaijani authorities, the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Artsakh Republic Gegham Stepanyan said in a statement. In his words, hundreds of Armenians were killed, dispossessed and hundreds of thousands of Armenians tortured during the week-long atrocities.

"Armenian population of Baku and other cities were deported under the direct threat of physical existence, and found refuge in Artsakh, Armenia and other countries of the world without receiving international status and support. Over the years, Armenian cultural heritage in those areas was vandalized and desecrated, their historical value and significance were distorted by the Azerbaijani authorities being adapted to their political expediencies.  

"The realization, encouragement and glorification of the Armenian massacres by the Azerbaijani authorities and unfortunately by the Azerbaijani society is systematic, large-scale and has a clear chronology: in 1905 and 1918 – the massacres in Baku, February, 1988 – Sumgait and in November of the same year in Gandzak-Kirovabad, 1990s – again in Baku, Maragha, 2004 – the glorification of Ramil Safarov who axed Gurgen Margaryan, the killings of civilians and the torture of the Armenian military during April 2026 war, and Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression of 2020, are undeniable evidence of the systematic policy of Armenian massacres and its consequences.

Due to the poisoning of the society by the authorities for years, intolerance, hatred against and murder of Armenians, vandalism against Armenian cultural heritage and desecration of monuments in Azerbaijan have become not only a state but a national policy. This is a fact against which the urgency of taking measures is also enshrined in the decision of the UN International Court of Justice. 

Under the false slogans of peace building in the region, Azerbaijani authorities continue to commit widespread violations of the rights of the Armenians of Artsakh creating an atmosphere of fear, despair, disrupting normal life in Artsakh, isolating the people of Artsakh from the world.

There is ample material documenting the crimes committed by Azerbaijan against the Armenians, it only takes an impartial and courageous eye to see it all and give a proper assessment. Unfortunately, these crimes have not received a clear legal assessment from the international community. This impunity is one of the focal reasons why Azerbaijan allows itself grossly violate the norms of international law, to speak with hatred about an entire nation without any fear it may be held accountable. 

Guided by the most fundamental principle of the universality of human rights, pursuing the unconditional observance of this principle and restoration of justice, we will continue to demand the condemnation of the crimes against Armenians and the prevention of new crimes," Stepanyan wrote. 

French Institute to open in Yerevan, Armenia

Mike Maghakian

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 14:42,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Former Ambassador of France to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte has announced in a statement on social media that a French Institute will open in Yerevan as the French government has officially approved the initiative.

During his mission in Armenia the former Ambassador has made a lot of efforts together with the Aznavour Foundation for the implementation of this project.

The Institute will be located near the Aznavour Center on Yerevan’s Cascade.

“This Institute will unite the projects of all those who contribute to cultural ties of the two countries. The creation of this Institute 30 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations will justify the sincere expectations of the Armenian society”, Jonathan Lacôte said on Facebook.

The new French Institute will be engaged in implementing educational, cultural and humanitarian programs.

NATO welcomes first meeting of Armenian, Turkish special envoys for normalization

Mike Maghakian

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 11:29,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. NATO welcomed the first meeting between the Armenian and Turkish special representatives for normalization.

NATO welcomes today’s meeting in Moscow between the special envoys of [Armenia and Turkey]. NATO supports the normalisation of their relations, which will help in bringing stability to the region, and we encourage Ankara and Yerevan to make further efforts”, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs & Security Policy and Special Representative for the Caucasus & Central Asia Javier Colomina tweeted on January 14.

Critical level of terrorist threat introduced throughout Kazakhstan

Mike Maghakian
Public Radio of Armenia
Jan 8 2022
January 7, 2022, 11:06

 1 minute read

The authorities of Kazakhstan have introduced a critical “red” level of terrorist threat throughout the republic, press service of the National Security Committee (KNB) said on Friday, TASS reports.

The meeting of the republican task force for combating terrorism was held in Nur-Sultan led by Major General Yermek Sagimbaev, Chairman of the National Security Committee, on Jan 6. By order of the Chairman of the KNB, the head of task force in coordination with the President introduced a critical “red” level of terrorist danger throughout the territory of Kazakhstan. “An anti-terrorist operation regime is in effect in all regions,” the KNB said in a statement.

The red level of terrorist danger means authorities can conduct personal searches and inspections of belongings, vehicles, temporarily restrict or prohibit their movement; have unimpeded access to residential and other premises; take measures such as the monitoring of conversations and other information transmitted through telecommunications systems.

Mass protests started in Kazakhstan on Jan 2 in the western town of Zhanaozen after the government lifted price caps for liquefied petroleum gas. Protests then spread across the country, leading to the resignation of the government. Ex-president Nursultan Nazarbaev stepped down as Security Council Chairman.