Author: Nyrie Kalashian

Armenpress: Blinken to visit Vietnam next week, US senator says

Nyrie Kalashian

Save

Share

 16:51, 8 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Vietnam next week, Senator Jeff Merkley told a news conference in Hanoi on Saturday, Reuters reports.

Blinken's visit, which has not yet been officially announced, would come after U.S. President Joe Biden had a phone call last week with the chief of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong.

"Next week the Secretary of State will be here," Reuters quoted Senator Merkley as saying at a press conference during a visit to Vietnam by a delegation of U.S. lawmakers aimed at boosting relations with Hanoi.

Blinken is expected to visit Vietnam, likely on Saturday, before he heads to a meeting of foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Japan on April 16-18.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 04/05/2023

Nyrie Kalashian 
                                        Wednesday, April 5, 2023


Civic Groups Also Demand Action Against Armenian Speaker

        • Astghik Bedevian

Armenia - Parliament speaker Alen Simonian (right) and his deputy Ruben Rubinian 
talk during a session of the National Assembly, Yerevan, September 8, 2022.


Several Armenian nongovernmental organizations called on Wednesday for a 
parliamentary ethics investigation into speaker Alen Simonian accused of 
spitting at a heckler in Yerevan.

One of them, the Union of Informed Citizens (UIC), demanded separately that 
prosecutors open a “hooliganism” case against him. In a “crime report” submitted 
to the Office of the Prosecutor-General, the UIC said they should also 
investigate the legality of a brief detention of Garen Megerdichian, an 
opposition activist who branded Simonian a “traitor.”

The Canadian-Armenian activist claimed that Simonian ordered his bodyguards to 
overpower him and then spat in his face after he shouted the insult in downtown 
Yerevan on Sunday. Simonian did not deny spitting at Megerdichian. He said he 
was gravely insulted and responded accordingly.

Armenian opposition leaders strongly condemned Simonian. Former President Levon 
Ter-Petrosian said on Tuesday that he must be ousted for his “unforgivable deed.”

The civic groups added their voice to the condemnations. They said the Armenian 
parliament must set up an ad hoc ethics commission to look into its 
controversial speaker’s behavior and consider taking other action against him.

“They [the ruling Civil Contract party] like to repeat that they were 
democratically elected, that the people gave them a vote of confidence,” said 
Sona Ayvazian of the Armenian branch of Transparency International. “Surely the 
people did not give them a mandate to spit at citizens.”

Civil Contract holds the majority of parliament seats and can therefore block an 
ethics probe if it is initiated by opposition deputies.

Vahagn Aleksanian, a senior Civil Contract lawmaker, did not exclude that the 
party led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian will discuss the NGOs’ demand. But 
he defended Simonian and complained that the civil society has not condemned 
“death threats” to the government which he said have been voiced by some 
opposition groups.

Vigen Khachatrian, another deputy representing the ruling party, disapproved of 
Simonian’s behavior while rejecting demands for the speaker’s dismissal.

“I don’t think that this is a matter of resignation,” he said. “I think that 
there should be a friendly assessment [by the Civil Contract leadership] to the 
effect that this should not happen again.”

In Aleksanian’s words, the party’s governing board did not discuss the scandal 
during a meeting chaired by Pashinian late on Tuesday.




Armenia’s Crime Rate Keeps Rising


Armenia - Prosecutors attend a meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, 
Yerevan, July 1, 2022.


The number of various crimes officially recorded in Armenia soared by more than 
24 percent last year, continuing an upward trend which critics blame on the 
current Armenian authorities.

The Armenian police and other law-enforcement agencies registered a total of 
37,612 criminal offenses in 2022.

According to a report released by the Office of the Prosecutor-General this 
week, “serious and particularly serious crimes” accounted for about 16 percent 
of them. This includes 58 premeditated murders, which were slightly down from 
2021. Forty-five of them were solved, said the prosecutors.

Their report shows that Armenia crime rate was primarily pushed up by an almost 
30 percent surge in “crimes of moderate severity.”

Drug trafficking cases presumably fall under this category. Their total number 
nearly doubled to 1,717 in 2022, highlighting a growing problem in a country not 
accustomed to widespread drug abuse.

The sharp rise in such cases is widely blamed on increasingly accessible 
synthetic drugs mainly sold through the internet and, in particular, the social 
media platform Telegram. Links to Telegram channels selling such drugs can now 
be seen painted on residential buildings and other public areas across Yerevan.

The alarming trend has prompted serious concern from not only opposition 
politicians but also pro-government lawmakers. The latter criticized the police 
for not preventing it when they met with Interior Minister Vahe Ghazarian in 
late February.

Armenian law-enforcement authorities have reported considerable annual increases 
in the overall crime rate since the 2018 “velvet revolution.” Critics claim that 
the country is not as safe as it used to be because its current government is 
softer on crime than the previous ones.




Karabakh Residents Barred From Returning Home

        • Ruzanna Stepanian

Nagorno-Karabakh - Russian peacekeepers are seen deployed at a section of the 
Lachin corridor blocked by Azerbaijan, December 26, 2022.


Azerbaijani government-backed protesters blocking Nagorno-Karabakh’s land link 
with the outside world have not allowed Russian peacekeepers to escort 27 
Karabakh civilians stranded in Armenia back to Stepanakert.

A convoy of cars carrying them reportedly had to return to the Armenian town of 
Goris on Tuesday night after spending five hours at the blocked section of the 
sole road connecting Karabakh to Armenia.

Karabakh’s human rights ombudsman and eyewitnesses said some Azerbaijanis broke 
into one of those vehicles and intimidated their mostly female passengers. Three 
Karabakh Armenian women felt and unwell and passed out as a result, according to 
them.

Karine Aghajanian, another passenger, confirmed reports that an Azerbaijani 
ambulance transported them to a hospital in Stepanakert.

“The Russians wanted to transport them in their vehicles but the Azerbaijanis 
didn’t allowed them to do that … That is why we agreed to let them do that,” 
Aghajanian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Wednesday.

“It’s not that they provided medical aid, the incident happened because of 
them,” she said, speaking from Goris.

Harutiunian also accused the Azerbaijanis of trying to provoke Karabakh Armenian 
men travelling in the convoy. “Thank God, our men … restrained themselves for 
the sake of the women,” she said.

The Azerbaijani government widely publicized the transfer of the three women to 
the Stepanakert hospital. But it didn’t comment on the other Karabakh residents’ 
failure to return home almost four months after the start of the Azerbaijani 
blockade.

Karabakh’s leadership strongly condemned the Azerbaijani protesters for 
“terrorizing” the civilians during the five-hour standoff. It renewed its calls 
for the international community to help end the “illegal blockade” that has left 
hundreds of Karabakh residents stranded in Armenia and led to serious shortages 
of food, medicine and other essential items in the Armenian-populated region.

The United States, the European Union and Russia have repeatedly urged 
Azerbaijan to unblock traffic through the Lachin corridor in line with the 
Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani war. Baku 
has rejected those appeals, saying that the “environmental” protesters are right 
to demand an end to “illegal” mining in Karabakh.

The Azerbaijani side has allowed only convoys of the Russian peacekeepers and 
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to periodically pass through 
the road. The ICRC has evacuated dozens of critically ill patients from Karabakh 
to Armenia.


Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Armenian American Museum Launches Elevate Campaign at Sold Out Elevate Gala

Nyrie Kalashian

Press
Contact:

Shant
Sahakian, Executive Director

Armenian
American Museum and Cultural Center of California

(818)
644-2214

[email protected]

 

FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

ARMENIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM LAUNCHES ELEVATE CAMPAIGN AT SOLD OUT
ELEVATE GALA

 

Glendale, CA () – The Armenian American Museum and
Cultural Center of California announced the launch of the new Elevate Campaign at
the sold out Elevate Gala on Sunday, March 19, 2023. The signature event of the
year welcomed a capacity audience of donors, supporters, public officials, and
guests at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. The Elevate Gala raised $7
million in support of the Armenian American Museum through sponsorships, ticket
sales, donations, and gift announcements.

 

The Elevate Gala kicked off with heartwarming and comedic welcoming
remarks from the internationally acclaimed and award-winning entertainer Kev
Orkian who served as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

 

The National Anthems were performed by the renowned Soprano Mariné
Ter-Kazaryan.

 

The Invocation was conducted by Primate of the Western Diocese of
the Armenian Church of North America Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Prelate of
the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop Torkom Donoyan,
Minister of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America Reverend Hendrik
Shanazarian, and Representative of the Armenian Catholic Eparchy of the United
States and Canada Monsignor Parsegh Baghdassarian.

 

“The vision of the Armenian American Museum has infused in our
spiritual and national life a most precious milestone which has unified us to
justify the legacy of the Martyred Saints of the first Genocide of the 20th
Century,” stated Board of Trustees Co-Chair Archbishop Hovnan Derderian in his
remarks on behalf of the Board of Trustees. “Tonight’s Gala is another step
forward to mobilize our efforts and send to the community a new level of hope,
resilience, and commitment to serve this country and our ancestral land of
Armenia.”

 

Elevate Gala Chair Diana Timuryan thanked the sponsors who
generously supported the event and the Elevate Gala Committee members who contributed
their time to help organize the event with the museum team.

 

Major Sponsors included Rima & Donnell Cameron, Armen &
Gloria Hampar Family Foundation, Avadis & Nancy Tevanian, Jack & Zarig
Youredjian, Ayvazian Family Foundation, The GASKA Alliance Foundation,
Anonymous, Dr. Vicken & Sossy Aharonian, Ron & Kourtni Arakelian, Bank
of America, Gregory & Gina Felikian, Steve & Sandi Hampar, Nabil &
Hanan Karabetian, Berdj & Mary Karapetian, Matthew & Audrey Matoesian,
William McMorrow, Nora Tertzag Hampar Charitable Trust Ara & Nina Ohanian,
Sarkis & Nune Sepetjian, and Isaac & Frieda Vartanian.

 

The Elevate Gala Committee members included Mayda Altounian,
Alvard Barseghian, Angela Bedoyan, Ani Bekarian, Araxie Boyamian, Garine
Depoyan, Hilda Fidanian, Aida Gharakhani, Marie Jeanne Harmandayan, Natalie
Hariri, Christine Hovnanian, Tanya Kalaydjian, Maro Kasparian, Dr. Alexia
Kevonian, Erika Toriz-Kurkjian, Carmen Libaridian, Margaret Mgrublian, Narine
Mouradian, Aleen Orucakciel, Dzovig Zetlian, and Elizabeth Zoryan.

 

Senator Anthony J. Portantino delivered remarks on behalf of the
State of California, who has invested $19.6 million to support the historic
project including a new $9.8 million grant in the 2022-2023 State Budget that
was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom.

 

Executive Director Shant Sahakian celebrated the Groundbreaking
Campaign that helped the museum reach the historic groundbreaking of the cultural
and educational center in Summer 2021 and successfully complete the first phase
of construction featuring the museum parking garage and building foundation in
November 2022. He announced the launch of the Elevate Campaign to set sights on
the next major milestone of the project as the landmark center is elevated to
the horizon as a destination for education, enrichment, and inspiration for
generations to come.

 

“In the education world, we talk a great deal about the concept of
windows and mirrors,” stated Executive Director Shant Sahakian in his message on
behalf of the Armenian American Museum. “That if we want our children and our
young people to thrive – they need mirrors. They need to be able to see
themselves in the books they read, in the films they watch, in the stories they
hear, and yes – in the museums they visit. They also need windows – that allow
them to peek into the past to discover their roots, transport themselves into
places that they have never been before, learn about cultures that are not
their own, and in doing so, learn more about themselves and everyone around
them.”

 

Ara Dance Studio delivered an uplifting dance performance
dedicated to the Armenian American Museum.

 

Master of Ceremonies Kev Orkian delivered a powerful musical
performance on the piano with a self-written piece called “Freedom.”

 

Mayor Ardy Kassakhian delivered remarks on behalf of the City of
Glendale, who has dedicated a premier location for the historic project in
Central Park, where the museum campus will be going through a major expansion
with the creation of a new central lawn, outdoor amphitheater, children’s park,
and much more.

 

Board of Trustees Member Dr. Nazareth Darakjian representing the
Armenian Missionary Association of America and Board of Trustees Member Vicky
Marashlian representing the Armenian Relief Society Western USA presented the
Park Entrance Plaza recognition. The Park Entrance Plaza will serve as the main
entrance for visitors through Central Park, greeting patrons as they are
welcomed to an immersive and impactful experience at the Armenian American
Museum. The presenters announced that the Park Entrance Plaza will be sponsored
by the Armen and Gloria Hampar Family Foundation in honor of the foundation’s
generous gift to the museum.

 

Board of Trustees Co-Treasurer Avedik Izmirlian representing the
Armenian Cultural Foundation and Board of Trustees Representative Dr. Raffi
Balian representing the Nor Or Charitable Foundation presented the Grand
Elevator recognition. The Grand Elevator will elevate guests between the first
level and upper levels of the museum with an unfettered view of the inspiring
Grand Lobby on the first level and the beautiful Hazarashen Skylight rising to
the sky. The presenters announced that the Grand Elevator will be sponsored by
Rima and Donnell Cameron in honor of the family’s generous gift in the beloved
memory of Rouzas and Janet Khoylian.

 

Board of Trustees Co-Treasurer Talin Yacoubian representing
Armenian General Benevolent Union Western Region and Board of Trustees Member
Garbiel Moloyan representing Nor Serount Cultural Association presented the
Demonstration Kitchen recognition. The Demonstration Kitchen will provide a
one-of-a-kind learning experience for patrons with a wide array of culinary
opportunities including cooking presentations, cooking courses, and food-centered
social events. The presenters announced that the Demonstration Kitchen will be
sponsored by Avie and Nancy Tevanian in honor of the family’s generous gift to
the museum.

 

Executive Chairman Berdj Karapetian presented Master of Ceremonies
Kev Orkian with a special Armenian American Museum Golden Pin in recognition of
his impactful support of the Armenian American Museum and the Elevate Gala.

 

Executive Vice Chairman Zaven Kazazian introduced the Honorable
Michael Amerian, Trustee with the George Ignatius Foundation, to make a special
surprise announcement at the grand finale of the event. Joined by fellow
Trustees George Phillips, Sr. and Honorable Walter J. Karabian, he announced
that the George Ignatius Foundation will be contributing $1 million in support of the Armenian American Museum, an announcement that was greeted with a roaring
applause by the capacity audience. The George Ignatius Foundation is a
non-profit organization which has generously supported several charitable
causes promoting Armenian history, culture, and religion since 1976.

 

“Together, we are going to elevate the Armenian American Museum,
we are going to elevate the community, and we are going to elevate the future,”
stated Executive Chairman Berdj Karapetian in his closing remarks for the successful
event.

 

The Armenian American Museum is a world class educational and
cultural institution that is currently under construction in the museum campus
at Glendale Central Park. The museum will offer a wide range of public
programming through the Permanent Exhibition, Temporary Exhibitions,
Auditorium, Learning Center, Demonstration Kitchen, Archives Center, and more.

 

Contribute to the Elevate Campaign at https://www.ArmenianAmericanMuseum.org/Elevate.

 

###


Click here for all press photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vZjTag3cVooLrpoe9


Kindly,

Arsine Sina Torosyan
Communications Director
Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California
116 North Artsakh Avenue, Suite 205, Glendale, CA 91206
Office: (818) 351-3554, Ext. 706
Direct: (818) 644-2215
www.ArmenianAmericanMuseum.org
Confidentiality Notice: This communication and any documents, files, or previous e-mail messages attached to it constitute an electronic communication within the scope of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 ISCA 2510. This communication may contain non-public, confidential, or legally privileged information intended for the sole use of the designated recipient(s). The unlawful interception, use, or disclosure of such information is strictly prohibited under 18 USCA 2511 and any applicable laws.



Pashinyan Again Sidesteps Artsakh’s Self-Determination Issue

Nyrie Kalashian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 March 14, 2023

 

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

Artsakh has been under a blockade since Dec. 12, 2022


Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sidestepped the issue of self-determination for Artsakh, clearly demonstrating that his government is advocating for security for the people of Artsakh and distancing itself from a long-held principle that guided talks on Artsakh for decades.

“We have said and continue to say that the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh people’s rights and security is extremely important to us,” Pashinyan said at a news conference on Tuesday. “That is one of our main objectives.”

“It’s up to the people and the government of Nagorno-Karabakh to decide the framework of the Nagorno-Karabakh people’s rights and security,” Pashinyan added.

“Our understanding is the following: it would be better for the people of Nagorno Karabakh to be the ones pursuing that issue, the primary mandate holder, the way it actually is. There are both objective and subjective reasons for this position. We believe that this conversation must take place between Baku and Stepanakert,” Pashinyan said.

He was presumably responding to a demand put forth by Artsakh lawmakers who called on Yerevan to firmly state that it was not abandoning Artsakh’s right to self-determination.

Earlier this month, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz elevated the need for Artsakh’s self-determination to be highlight in future talks during a joint press conference with Pashinyan in Berlin. The Armenian leader, however, chose to distance himself from such a statement even during an international visit.

At the same time, Pashinyan on Tuesday warned that Azerbaijan would militarily escalate matters on the borders of Armenia and Artsakh.

“My conclusion comes from Azerbaijan’s growing aggressive rhetoric, and of course we have other information as well,” Pashinyan said, adding that since Armenia has not undertake aggressive actions, it has decided to invite observers from the European Union.

“I think the international community must record that indeed there is a high danger of new escalation, and I believe that in this regard taking into account that the Lachin Corridor is closed and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh, as well as Azerbaijan’s explicit preparation for ethnic cleansing, our position remains that it would be very relevant to send an international fact-finding mission to the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno Karabakh,” Pashinyan added.

He accused Azerbaijan of continuously altering the course of discussions, citing Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s supposed agreement to hold discussions with Artsakh representative and later changing the tenor of the talks to be about Baku’s proposed “integration of Artsakh into Azerbaijan.”

He accused Azerbaijan of continued breach of agreements and said that Baku is also “rigging” the draft peace treaty with Armenia with “boost traps” in order to continue “its aggressive policy against Armenia even after the possible signing of the agreement.”

Pashinyan said there are no meetings planned with Aliyev, saying there have to be guarantees that agreements emerging from such talks are implemented.

"The risk of an Armenian-Azerbaijani war has greatly decreased." Opinion from Yerevan

Nyrie Kalashian




  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Possibility of Armenian-Azerbaijani war

The Armenian Foreign Ministry does not rule out that Azerbaijan is preparing for “large-scale use of force both against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and against Nagorno-Karabakh.” The agency’s statement says that “all partners interested in stability and peace in the region” should take steps to eliminate “violations of international law by Azerbaijan and exclude manifestations of the use of force.”

The day before, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also stated that Baku is creating “a media background for a large-scale attack.” According to him, as “a pretext for a new regional military escalation”, Azerbaijan claims “allegedly the Republic of Armenia has an army in Nagorno-Karabakh and that there are military transports from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh.” .

  • European Parliament calls for sanctions against officials in Azerbaijan
  • European Parliament calls for sanctions against officials in Azerbaijan
  • “Azerbaijan has territorial designs on Armenia” – Nikol Pashinyan

Political scientist Gurgen Simonyan believes that the Azerbaijani authorities have failed to establish justifiable grounds for renewed hostilities. He says that the likelihood of a new escalation was high even immediately after the signing of the November 2020 statement on the cessation of hostilities in Karabakh, and remains elevated.At the same time, the geopolitical situation today is different from the conditions which obtained three years ago. According to Simonyan

  • Turkey is unable to provide large-scale support to Azerbaijan,
  • Russia is not in a position to open a second front,
  • The Armed Forces of Armenia are in incomparably better condition than immediately after the 2020 war,
  • Baku has failed to fully compensate for the losses after the war, and Russia, due to its own problems, was not able to supply Azerbaijan with weapons in the same volume as before,
  • Iran’s Revolutionary Guard corps has been brought to the highest level of readiness for military operations on its border,
  • The United States and Europe are reacting to the actions of Baku, in addition to a decision of the Hague Court on interim measures and the rejection of Azerbaijan’s accusations against Armenia.

“There is always the possibility of a resumption of hostilities because there is no peace agreement and Azerbaijan has not abandoned its previous policy, but these risks are much lower than in 2021 and 2022,” Simonyan said.

Interview with Armen Grigoryan for Azatutyun radio on the preconditions for resolving the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Simonyan believes that some kind of military operation in the direction of Nagorno-Karabakh is more likely.

“Here they can play out a scenario — allegedly there was a retaliatory strike from the territory of Armenia, thus creating a pretext for themselves to attack the sovereign territory of Armenia,” Simonyan believes.

In his view, Azerbaijan is unlikely to want to go against the course of the civilized world, so he does not consider the recent visit to Yerevan by former NATO Secretary General Rasmussen accidental. The latter went to the Lachin corridor and spoke of his intention to develop close cooperation with the Armenian government and obtain political support from the European Union.

Simonyan mentions that the newly appointed US Ambassador to Armenia, Christina Quinn, also visited the same place in the Syunik region bordering Azerbaijan. He believes that such visits and statements are calculated, indeed the advance of “European policy, behind which the United States stands with all its potential.”

New details and statesment from the Armenian Prime Minister on the March 5 incident

Simonyan believes that the United States, Europe and Iran can be deterrents for Baku and that they “will not leave a possible escalation without consequences”:

“Azerbaijan can be given the status of a state that supports terrorism, just as Russia was given this status. They can apply large-scale economic sanctions, support Armenia with military equipment. Numerous other consequences are also possible, getting out from under which will not be so easy.

Armenia is in a difficult position, Simonyan emphasizes, but it should be understood that hostilities will not be a cake-walk for Azerbaijan.

“They are pursuing a policy of extortion for maximum benefits, holding us at gunpoint. This is blackmail, not a real intent of attack.”

According to Simonyan, if they nevertheless decide to start hostilities in Baku, it will be difficult not only for Armenia, but Azerbaijan too must “expect hard times.” He does not think that “in the end Baku will win.”

Armenpress: Armenian deminers complete clearance of 88,000 sq.m territory in Aleppo Governorate, Syria

Nyrie Kalashian

Save

Share

 10:45,

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS. Armenian specialists from the Center for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise – deployed to Syria since 2019 – have completed the demining of 88,000 square meters of land in the Aleppo Governorate, Kantsasar newspaper reported.

The completion of the clearing operation featured a ceremonial commissioning of the territory where the Aleppo Governorate authorities accepted the cleared area from the deminers.

"The life of Armenians in Karabakh will be much better than during the occupation" – Ilham Aliyev

Nyrie Kalashian



  • JAMnews
  • Baku

Aliyev on Armenians in Karabakh

“It is important that disputes between countries be resolved on the basis of international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty cannot be changed by force,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said, speaking at the opening of the Global Baku Forum. “The life of Armenians in Karabakh will be much better than during the occupation,” he added.

  • What is the procedure for recalling foreign agents bill in Georgia – comment by a lawyer
  • The active phase of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Who will mediate?
  • Opinion from Baku: “The view that Azerbaijanis and Armenians cannot live together is being reinforced.”

Today, the 10th Global Baku Forum on the topic “The World Today: Challenges and Hopes”, organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, began in the capital of Azerbaijan.

The forum is being attended by four presidents, two prime ministers, six speakers and ministers, heads of five UN structures, 25 former presidents, 21 former prime ministers, deputy foreign ministers of 23 countries — a total of 360 representatives from 61 countries.

President Ilham Aliyev delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the forum.

10th Global Baku Forum. Photo: AzərTAc

“Conflicts can be resolved in two ways: peaceful and non-peaceful. We tried very hard to resolve the conflict with Armenia peacefully, despite the fact that as a result of the Armenian occupation in Azerbaijan, a humanitarian crisis arose, more than one million Azerbaijanis were left homeless, became refugees and internally displaced persons,” Aliyev said.

According to him, Armenia “pursued a policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis, expelled them from Karabakh, subjected a million Azerbaijanis to suffering.”

“Despite our attempts to resolve the problem peacefully and convince Armenia to comply with the UN Security Council resolutions that demanded the immediate, complete, unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories, Armenia simply ignored these resolutions, demonstrating disrespect for international law and the community,” the President asserted.

Aliyev talked briefly about the reasons for the second Karabakh war in the fall of 2020:

“In 1992, immediately after the start of the conflict, the OSCE created the Minsk Group. But, unfortunately, for 28 years the Minsk Group has not achieved any results. And at the end of the negotiation process, it seemed to us that they just want to freeze the situation. They wanted this conflict to be frozen forever.

But we did not agree with this. We did what we saw fit to do, using our right to self-defense, the UN Charter, in particular Article 51. We liberated our territory by force. It was our legal right.

That is, we tried to achieve this peacefully. But we did not succeed, because the Armenian side did not demonstrate a constructive approach. Then we liberated our territory by force.”

“For almost two and a half years we have been restoring a vast territory of 10,000 square kilometers, which was completely devastated.

By the way, representatives of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center visited Shusha and I also held a panel discussion there. They saw the destruction in Fizuli, in Shusha. This is indeed a sign of barbarism. It is an “culturcide” and ecocide. And all this was done by our neighbor.

The people of Azerbaijan have the moral right to demand revenge. But the essence of my words is that we took revenge on the battlefield. We did not commit war crimes, unlike the Armenians. We did not commit genocide, unlike the Armenians. And we took revenge on the battlefield,” Aliyev said in his speech.

According to Aliyev, the time has come for peace:

“Therefore, immediately after the end of the war in November 2020, we took the initiative to start peace negotiations and presented the famous five principles that could form the basis for a peace agreement with Armenia.

We hope that the international actors who are trying to assist in this matter will convince Armenia not to miss this chance. They have lost the chance to become an independent country. They have become completely dependent, a kind of colony of another country, and now, perhaps, of other countries. Because of the aggression against us, they missed their chance to become truly independent and build their future.

Now they have a chance to start behaving like a neighbor to their neighbors. We want peace. We don’t want another war. And we think peace is achievable. What was agreed between Azerbaijan and Armenia in October last year, in particular regarding respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other, actually demonstrates that there are no obstacles to achieving peace.”

Aliyev also raised the issue of the Armenian community of Karabakh:

“As for the Armenian minority in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan is a multi-confessional, multi-ethnic country. The rights of minorities in Azerbaijan are protected by our constitution. Everyone who is familiar with the real situation in Azerbaijan can confirm that Azerbaijan is a country with a high level of religious and ethnic tolerance, where various ethnic groups, various confessions live in peace and with dignity.

So I believe that the life of the Armenians living in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan will be much better than during the occupation.

Each conflict has its own history, its own dynamics and its own end. But the important thing is that disputes between countries are resolved on the basis of international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty cannot be changed by force. This is the position of Azerbaijan. And this position applies not only to our case, but to all conflicts in the world. We are publicly voicing this position.”


Rep. Sherman calls for U.S. humanitarian aid to Artsakh families under Azeri blockade

Nyrie Kalashian
Panorama
Armenia – March 9 2023

Congressman Brad Sherman, who spearheaded the launch of U.S. aid to Artsakh in FY98, on Wednesday testified in support of direct U.S. humanitarian assistance to Artsakh families under the Azerbaijani blockade.

“The people of Artsakh have lived in that region for thousands of years. Joseph Stalin made that region a part of Azerbaijan, rather than Armenian. The result has been a terrible conflict including what is now a three-month blockade of the Armenians living in that region,” Rep. Sherman said.

“They desperately need humanitarian assistance, and I hope you are generous in providing humanitarian assistance for the people of Artsakh,” he added.

Exploring The Complexities Of The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Nyrie Kalashian

March 8 2023


  • Alessia Canuto
  • March 8, 2023

On Sunday, five people were murdered in a gunfight between Azerbaijani soldiers and Armenian police officers in Nagorno-Karabakh, an area of Azerbaijan where most of the population is Armenian. Three of the fatalities were Armenian police officers, and the other two were Azerbaijani soldiers.

The incident occurred when the Azerbaijani army stopped an Armenian police vehicle on the Lachin corridor connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia. Azerbaijani activists who claim to be protesting against unlawful mining extraction have been blocking the road, which the army claimed the Armenian police were not authorized to use, since December. The Armenian police car was allegedly moving weapons to some remote regions of the country, according to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence.

The Armenian foreign ministry dismissed these claims as rubbish and claimed that the vehicle contained service weapons and some paperwork.

The territorial dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh has embroiled the South Caucasus for many years. Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars for control over the region, resulting in thousands of deaths, beginning in the late 1980s when the majority-Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast territory inside the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic stated its intention to leave Azerbaijan and join Armenia. Whereas Armenia, a mostly Christian nation, views Nagorno-Karabakh as a cultural and historical bulwark, Azerbaijan, a country with a considerable Muslim population, has traditionally seen the region as a part of its territory, and the two parties have been locked in fierce competition since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Nagorno-Karabakh dispute quickly became violent, killing tens of thousands, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, and devastating most of the area’s infrastructure.

After a truce in 1994, the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, supported by Armenia, gained control of most of the disputed region. But the tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan persisted, and fights have broken out intermittently over the years. In September 2020, Azerbaijan further worsened the area’s tensions when it mounted a significant military effort to retake the region, handily winning the 44-day conflict and taking control of large chunks of the disputed territory, including several important cities and villages. When another round of fighting broke out in September 2022, Russian peacekeepers were sent to keep an eye over the situation, and Armenia did agree to a ceasefire. However, the article “Upholding the Ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” published by the International Crisis Group Q&A, explains that although a ceasefire for the 2022 conflict was reached, violent crimes continue unabatedly.

The Nagorno-Karabakh war is intricate and multifaceted. Historical and ethnic rivalries, territorial disputes, and geopolitical concerns have all contributed to its protracted nature, and the involvement of foreign powers with interests in the region, such as Russia, Turkey, and Iran, has also intensified the conflict. Despite the formidable challenge of resolving these tensions, however, Armenia and Azerbaijan must come to compromise and make concessions in order to peacefully resolve their dispute, which has brought about great suffering for the local population and shaken the South Caucasus as a whole. The international community can be vital in facilitating dialogue and assisting attempts to end the confrontation, but long-lasting peace in the area can only happen with continuous work and a dedication to communication.