Author: Sonya Jalatian

Armenpress: Armenian exports to EEU hit $3,3 billion but expert warns against ‘illusions’

Sonya Jalatian

 09:21, 15 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. Over $3,3 billion worth of goods were exported from Armenia to its fellow Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member states in the 11 months of 2023, which is more than the exports of the whole previous year. 

In 2022, Armenian exports to its EEU partners totaled 2 billion 510 million 271,6 thousand dollars, whereas in the 11 months of 2023 the exports comprised 3 billion 344 million 373 thousand dollars.

Armen Ktoyan, an economist who’s been the Head of Chair of Statistics at the Armenian State Economics University since 2017, told Armenpress that despite these figures there’s been no growth in the traditional exported goods to EEU and especially Russia. Meanwhile, the growth comprises goods that have a re-export component, goods that are not produced in Armenia.

According to the latest data issued by the Statistical Committee, Armenia’s trade turnover with its fellow EEU member states in January-November 2023 amounted to 36,9% of Armenia’s entire trade turnover with a volume of 6 billion 605 million 963 thousand dollars. Most of it, 6 billion 321 million 898 thousand dollars, was with Russia.

“When we are talking about [trade] with the EEU, we actually mean with Russia, because more than 90% of trade is with Russia. On one hand Russia is a market where we are more actively involved, on the other hand we must take into account that the share of reexports is rather significant. Besides, by increasing dependence on any single country, doesn’t matter if it’s Russia or any other country, we are basically limiting the opportunities to diversify foreign trade. In this case we aren’t getting too much of a beneficial situation for ourselves,” Ktoyan said.

According to the statistics, Armenian exports to EEU countries in the 11 months of 2023 grew 52% and comprised 3 billion 344 million 373 thousand dollars. This is nearly the half of Armenia’s total exports in the reporting period.

In January-November 2023, Armenia’s total exports amounted to 6 billion 946 million 382,5 thousand dollars. In January-November 2022 exports from Armenia reached 4 billion 800 million 308,5 thousand dollars. Within the EEU, most of the exports (3 billion 167 million 499,7 thousand dollars) went to Russia, growing 49,9% compared to the same period of 2022. Albeit incomparably smaller in volumes, Armenian exports to other EEU countries also grew. In January-November 2023, Armenia’s exports to Belarus comprised 85 million 999,3 thousand dollars (28,1% growth), exports to Kazakhstan grew over 4 times and amounted to 65,6 million dollars, and exports to Kyrgyzstan grew again over 4 times and comprised 25 million 207 thousand dollars.

“Exports of precious metals and gems grew by 1,3 billion, exports of machinery and equipment grew by 500 million dollars, while exports of cars grew by 300 million dollars. Basically these three make up the 2 billion dollars growth. We can say that the Armenian exports growth is entirely comprised of the growth of sectors which do not reflect the growth of Armenia’s economic competitiveness, but are mostly a manifestation of adapting to shock realities associated with reexports or the Russian-Ukrainian war,” the economist explained.

Armenia’s traditional exports to Russia, such as food and beverages, did not record growth, and furthermore dropped (such as food exports).

“Exports that have increased are goods that have a component of reexports in them, and are not made in Armenia, such as cars, equipment, generators and others. Yes, in other equal conditions, it’s very good that so much is being exported, but this must not create illusions that our economy has become so powerful that we can conquer new horizons,” Ktoyan said.

Atamian Hovsepian Curatorial Practice presents Meghan Arlen’s Obscured Geographies

Sonya Jalatian
January 9, 2024 Guest Contributor Art 0

Meghan Arlen, Floated West, 2021, plaster on burlap, 24_ x 31_ (61 x 79cm)

NEW YORK—Atamian Hovsepian Curatorial Practice, in conjunction with the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center, is pleased to announce Meghan Arlen’s Obscured Geographies, her first show at a major New York gallery. The work currently on exhibit was born out of the artist’s curiosity about land use and the monumental changes observed in the span of just one or two generations. Arlen was struck by the new and often surreal aerial geographies created by landscape alterations brought about by modern industrial agricultural farming, natural gas extraction and large-scale residential developments. These changes of course are now visible to all simply by using Google Earth or from the seat of a passenger airplane flying overhead. Arlen’s uneasiness about the large-scale processes that have produced these unnatural landscapes was at odds with the awe she felt about the eerily beautiful curves, colors and compositions they created.

This collection of work—textural explorations of obscured aerial landforms—plays with movement and tactility. Obscured Geographies is also an ode to the medium of Venetian plaster and Arlen’s desire to use this material in new and creative ways. To observe the interplay of plaster with other materials, she incorporates charcoal, liquid iron, copper paint, gauze, fabric and other found textured and corrugated media. The results are beautifully intricate and wholly original.

Based in Brooklyn, Arlen studied fine arts as an undergraduate but has in recent years focused her energy on learning skilled trades. These include Venetian wall plaster application techniques, high-end interior design, specialty installation and fabrication, and sculptural wood furniture. Beginning in 2015, Arlen apprenticed for several years under Justino Guerrero, a Los Angeles master Venetian plasterer. She concurrently worked for L.A.-based designer Andrea Michaelson, a savant in innovative material design, including metal, wood, glass, plaster, plastic, stingray skin, leather and fabric. In 2021 Arlen moved to New York, where she undertook training in carpentry, learning to build sculptural, solid wood furniture from milling to finishing. She approaches her art practice as an artisan, submitting to the sometimes physically strenuous efforts that her material demands. Her recent work conveys her love for the historically two-dimensional medium of painting and a desire to explore its capabilities and create works where the wall plaster steps off the wall or canvas becomes more relief than flat.

MEGHAN ARLEN
Obscured Geographies
Opening reception: Thursday, January 18, 6-8 p.m.
January 18-February 24, 2024
227 E 24th St., New York, NY 10010

Atamian Hovsepian Curatorial Practice (Est. 2022) is a project-based curatorial initiative located in New York City. We invest in long-term collaborations with artists, nurturing and developing rigorous and experimental practices, to bring vital new voices to the public. We recognize art as a transformative force and a vehicle for social change. Through our creative curatorial focus, AHCP mobilizes art’s unique ability to address the state of our global reality today and our future. We are committed to affirming, developing and supporting the many underrepresented voices creating outstanding art. This includes women, LGBTQ+ and artists of color, practices whose methods, forms and expressions have been unrecognized or marginalized. We collaborate with universities, museums and other public institutions to curate challenging and inclusive art exhibitions, workshops, readings and film screenings.




How to observe the New Year

Sonya Jalatian
January 2, 2024 Rev. Dr. Vahan Tootikian Keeping the Faith, Columns 0

Hebrews 12: 1-2 (WC Ferrell, Flickr)

As the page turns on our calendar, we ask, “How do we observe the New Year?” The New Year is an opportune time to evaluate our lives and hopefully gain a deeper understanding of life. In this respect, the Bible is the best source that can be of great assistance to provide us with insight and guidance.

In the Bible, life is compared to the flower of the fields, a trust and a journey. In the Epistle to the Hebrews, life is compared to a race. The picture is that of a person standing at the starting line, ready to run. This scripture sheds some light concerning life’s journey. It tells us the following:

First, we must look behind us. The author of Hebrews speaks of “a great cloud of witness,” in reference to the previous chapter where he called on the roll of the faithful across the centuries. He speaks of Noah, Abraham, Joseph and others as if they sit in a stadium waiting to watch us run. The past offers us a body of experience. If we are wise enough to use it, surely it can save us to take advantage of the insights of the past upon which to build our own future.

Second, we must look within us. The author of Hebrews urges us “to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Are we carrying around an old cardboard box full of worries, guilt and past regrets? We don’t have to carry it anymore. We should not allow the frustrations, disappointments or mistakes of one day, a week or even earlier years to ruin our entire life. We should not dwell on thoughts that depress us. If our minds are filled with clouds, we should chase them away and fill them with sunshine. We should gather the courage to do what is right and take responsibility for our actions.

Third, we must look forward. There is a life out there to live. Hebrews 12 calls it “the race which lies ahead.” We should not live in the past. It is true that we cannot turn back the wheels of time physically, but we can go back psychologically. We can sentimentalize the good-old-days. The danger of sentimentalizing the past is that it destroys our effectiveness in the present and kills aspirations for the future.

The Apostle admonishes us “to run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” That is the forward-looking orientation of which St. Paul speaks about when he writes, “I press on toward the goal” (Philippians 3:14).

We can go forth worthily to meet the future and make it a significant one if we honestly accept what we have in the way of talent, ability and resources and use them productively.

Finally, we must look upward. The race which lies ahead is uncertain. Only God knows what the future holds, and He is too wise to spoil the excitement by taking away the anticipation. The New Year will be a year in many ways like the past—hills and valleys, good times and bad. For some people who are with us in the race of life, this will be their last year. Yes, the future is unknown to us. But one thing is known: Our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, will be with us, whether we live or die.

As for those who are in the race of life, the writer tells them “to fix their eyes on Jesus, the author and the perfecter of our faith.” Just as a runner concentrates on the finish line, we should concentrate on Jesus, the goal and objective of our faith. 

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Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian is the Executive Director of the Armenian Evangelical World Council.


Alcohol Poisoning Among Minors Mars Armenian New Year Celebrations

Sonya Jalatian
Jan 3 2024

As the world marked the advent of a New Year, Armenia was grappling with a rather grim reality. A disturbing incident involving minors and alcohol poisoning cast a shadow over the festive cheer. Armen Muradyan, the head of the Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU), reported that 18 individuals had been admitted to the hospital due to various types of poisoning. The list included carbon monoxide, chemicals, and food-related issues. However, what was deeply unsettling was the fact that children between the ages of 10 and 15 were among those affected by alcohol poisoning.

The victims included a 10-year-old, two 16-year-olds, and three 15-year-olds. The figures, in themselves, are alarming – illustrating a disconcerting trend of underage drinking. But the context of the New Year celebrations adds an additional layer of concern, highlighting the urgent need to address the issue of alcohol consumption among Armenia’s youth.

Adding to the list of New Year’s Eve calamities, Muradyan disclosed that there were five cases of individuals seeking medical attention for injuries caused by fireworks. These incidents serve as a somber reminder of the potential dangers of misusing fireworks, particularly during large-scale celebrations.

In light of these incidents, the YSMU head emphasized the importance of adhering to safety rules and raising awareness to prevent such emergencies and tragic outcomes. Muradyan urged the public to be vigilant in taking care of themselves and their loved ones, stressing the significance of knowledge and caution in reducing the risk of such incidents in the future.

https://bnnbreaking.com/breaking-news/health/alcohol-poisoning-among-minors-mars-armenian-new-year-celebrations/

Armenpress: Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan issues congratulatory message on New Year and Christmas

Sonya Jalatian

 00:01, 1 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 1, ARMENPRESS.  Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has issued a congratulatory message on New Year and Christmas, the PM's Office said.

The message reads as follows:

"Dear people, dear citizens of the Republic of Armenia,

2023 is melting before our eyes, and 2024 will enter our homes in minutes like an eager teenager.

We are closing 2023 with high economic growth and first of all I want to thank the people who worked in 2023, were creative in their work, created added value and paid the taxes stipulated by the law.

It’s first of all thanks to those people that we got the opportunity to double the salaries of military personnel and teachers, and today there are teachers and private military personnel in our country with a salary of 450 to 500 thousand AMD.

It is thanks to the people who work, are creative in their work and pay the taxes stipulated by law that we were able to take care of the basic needs of our brothers and sisters who became refugees from Nagorno Karabakh.

It is thanks to the people who work, are creative in their work and pay the taxes stipulated by law that we were able to bring the minimum pensions into line with the minimum food basket for the first time in the history of the Third Republic.

It is thanks to the people who work, are creative in their work and pay the taxes stipulated by the law that for the third year in a row, from January 1, the salary of researchers will increase.

It is thanks to people who are creative in their work, bring new ideas, and are not afraid of the responsibility of realising those ideas, that since 2018, 190 thousand jobs have been created in Armenia.

People who work, are creative in their work and pay the taxes stipulated by law deserve words of praise and gratitude, and I hope that the eagerness brought by 2024 will give them new charge, new strength, new ideas.

Dear people, dear compatriots,

As the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, I address you with a New Year message for the 6th time. And the retrospect of our joint journey evokes feelings of pain, regret, but also pride. We have talked and talk much about pain and regret, but on this New Year's Eve, I want to bow and express my pride for each of you, that with unbearable burdens on our shoulders, we were able and are able to lead our state, the Republic of Armenia, through the extremely complicated path of strengthening independence and sovereignty.

When I think about the path we have passed, I understand that this history is beyond the understandings of wrong and right decisions, and we are moving through the only possible path, even though extremely vicious, that will allow us to inherit a state for our generations.

We have passed most of this path, but we are not safe from new trials and difficulties ahead and we need not to shake, not to waver in our determination to have an independent state and to inherit that state to our generations.

I also want to apologize to each and every one of you, to all citizens of the Republic of Armenia, to all our brothers and sisters who became refugees from Nagorno Karabakh for the pain you have suffered in recent years.

I apologize not because I have committed any crime before you or I have forgotten any responsibility or obligation before you even for a moment, but because I know your feelings and I have the same feeling.

But this feeling cannot in any way undermine my duty as the head of the state, which means that all my decisions and actions must be based on the state interest of the Republic of Armenia. This is the reason why I consider it a priority to find formulas for the normalization and deepening of relations with our neighbors in our region, and I will continue to resolutely follow that path for the sake of the state, for the sake of the future, for the sake of generations.

It is the duty of the head of the state to tirelessly and constantly repeat that we need to understand many things more and more fully, we need to look at and review many things in order to irreversibly understand that the motherland is the state.

Motherland is the state. If you love your homeland, strengthen your state.

Motherland is the state. If you love your motherland, pay your taxes.

Motherland is the state. If you love your motherland, improve your education.

Motherland is the state. If you love your motherland, build your and your country's well-being, get rich and make others rich with work.

This is the state interest of the Republic of Armenia. It should be a guide for all of us, and I am sure that the year 2024, that eager teenager, will become a symbol of the state and state understanding for us.

Dear people, dear compatriots,

Fill the glasses and raise a toast for the Republic of Armenia.

Glory to the martyrs and long live the Republic of Armenia.

Long live the Republic of Armenia!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

Azerbaijan close to peace agreement with Armenia, officials say

Sonya Jalatian
The Guardian, UK
Dec 28 2023

Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev has met Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan for bilateral talks in St Petersburg

Azerbaijani officials have said the country could be closing in on a peace agreement with Armenia to end their decades-long conflict following its lightning offensive in September to take control of its Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In face of a decisive military advance, more than 100,000 people fled the mountainous south Caucasus enclave, which, following a war in the 1990s, had been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces, backed by Armenia.

The show of force left the region largely deserted, leading the Armenian prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, to allege the advance was an act of ethnic cleansing, which Azerbaijan denied. It was followed by the two countries speeding up talks on a peace agreement to stabilise relations and recognise one another’s borders.

In a rare sign of good will, the two sides swapped prisoners of war on 13 December and have issued a joint statement, one of the first not to be mediated by a third party.

The Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev, met Pashinyan on 26 December for bilateral talks in St Petersburg, the first such encounter between the two leaders since the mass exodus. Little has emerged from the meeting so far.

The two sides have now exchanged seven drafts of a potential relatively short peace agreement. Elchin Amirbayov, the special ambassador to the Azerbaijani president, said the country is now waiting for Armenia’s response to its comments on the latest draft proposals.

“What is important to understand is that at this crucial stage in negotiations, where apparently we’re not that much far away from the final agreement, [is that] we do need a result-oriented exercise,” he said. “I know that that after three decades of negotiations and without no major result, there is a certain kind of fatigue and also frustration in both parties for how long we will continue just to see to meet each other without any reasonable results.”

Nagorno-Karabakh has been internationally recognised as Azerbaijani territory, but efforts to end the conflict have been complicated by Turkey, Russia, Iran, US and the EU all jostling for diplomatic influence in a strategically critical area. Russia has a significant military presence in Armenia. The area is of geostrategic importance due to the proposed “middle corridor”, the transport corridor that would link China to Europe through central Asia, the Caspian Sea and the south Caucasus.

Amirbayov said the five principles in the draft agreement are “mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of international recognised borders, rejection of any territorial claims to each other, now and in the future, rejection of any acts that would run counter to UN charter, like the use of force or threat of use of force, but also delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which has never been done. And, last but not least, opening of communication routes and ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan, because we’ve been without any connection because of the conflict for 30 years.”

In practice the issue of the border demarcation might be settled at a later stage since the negotiations are deemed so complex.

Azerbaijan also wants some kind of dispute mechanism for the agreement. “Our preference would be to have peace agreements. An article which would speak about some kind of bilateral commission, which needs to be set up in order to address all those misunderstandings or differences in interpretations between us,”

One of the unresolved issues is the link between the main part of Azerbaijan and its exclave of Nakhichevan. As part of a ceasefire agreement signed in November 2020 following a previous flare-up between the two countries, Pashinyan agreed to open a land transportation link through Armenian territory probably along an old Soviet rail track between the main part of Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan.

“The linkage between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan between two parts of Azerbaijan is crucial for us, in terms of national security, but also in terms of ensuring alternative route for the middle corridor,” Amirbayov said. “We cannot waste any more time. After three years Armenia has not even started a feasibility study for the 42km leg.

“Of course, we cannot force Armenia to implement what they had committed to, and it is nonsensical to suggest we would invade to impose this corridor through force or such like. So we have reached out to Iran as a plan B to build a link by road and rail through Iran.”

He said if it is possible the existence of the alternative route might make Armenia to realise how much they may lose by continuing to resist the link going through its land.

Much could yet go wrong. On 26 September the leader of Armenian separatists in Karabakh rescinded his own previous decree ordering the dissolution of separatist institutions on 1 January, and marking the end of the three decade separatist rule.

Displaced ethnic Armenian separatists have now spoken of forming a government in exile and Azerbaijan is insisting that if ethnic Armenians displaced in September are to have a right of return then those Azerbaijanis previously evicted from their homes in Karabakh should have their rights recognised.

In addition, Russia, the previous guarantor, is trying to regain influence, which waned when it did not intervene to help Armenia on the day of the decisive 19 September assault, as it had done in previous military assaults by Turkey-backed Azerbaijan.

Russia regards Pashinyan as too pro-European, particularly after he refused to participate in some recent meetings of the Russian-led regional bodies. But Russia has not abandoned its role, and it was significant that the two leaders met on Russian soil given the large number of countries offering themselves as mediators.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/27/azerbaijan-close-to-peace-agreement-with-armenia-officials-say

Armenpress: JN.1 Covid variant: WHO charts its rapid global spread

Sonya Jalatian

 10:35, 21 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. A sub-variant of the Omicron strain of coronavirus has been classified as a "variant of interest" by the World Health Organization, because of "its rapidly increasing spread,” the BBC reports.

JN.1 has been found in many countries around the world, including India, China, UK and the United States.

The risk to the public is currently low and current vaccines continue to offer protection, the WHO says.

But it warns Covid and other infections could rise this winter.

Respiratory viruses such as flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and childhood pneumonia are also on the rise in the northern hemisphere.

The virus which causes Covid is constantly changing over time and sometimes this leads to new variants developing.

Omicron has been the globally dominant variant for some time.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently tracking a number of variants of interest linked to Omicron - including JN.1 – although none of them are deemed to be concerning.

But JN.1 is spreading quickly in many corners of the world.

It is currently the fastest-growing variant in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accounting for 15-29% of infections.

The UK Health Security Agency says JN.1 currently makes up around 7% of positive Covid tests analyzed in a lab. It said it would continue to monitor all available data on this and other variants.

JN.1 is spreading fast in all regions, probably because it has an additional mutation in the spike protein compared to the BA.2.86 variant from which it's descended.

"It is anticipated that this variant may cause an increase in Sars-Cov-2 [coronavirus] cases amid a surge of infections of other viral and bacterial infections, especially in countries entering the winter season," the WHO's risk assessment says.

There is still limited evidence on how capable JN.1 is of getting round the immunity offered by vaccines, the WHO says.

There are no reports of people becoming more ill with this variant than previous ones.

Don’t fall for the lie of Armenian antisemitism

Sonya Jalatian
Israel – Dec 14 2023
Grigor Hovhannissian
As the world grapples with the unfolding tragedy in Israel and Gaza, we are witnessing on its sidelines a distressing reemergence of a shopworn fake narrative: That Armenia harbors antisemitic sentiments.

Please don’t fall for this lie, which is a calumny almost certainly originating from forces hostile to Armenia that are part of the global phenomenon of rogue players who practice malicious gaslighting like a dark art. It aims to exploit the current global wave of antisemitism to whip up resentment of Armenia among Israelis and their allies – at a time when we in Armenia face our own security challenges. 
Armenia, like any society, has indeed produced its antisemites, and they are assuredly a scourge. But they in no way typify the overwhelming number of Armenians, who if anything seek a connection to Israel as a fellow non-Muslim nation-state on the periphery of the Muslim world.
We are a Christian nation – the world’s oldest, we like to boast – and we are proud of our leading presence in the Old City of Jerusalem. Like Israel, we are surrounded by Muslim neighbors in three directions – in our case with Azerbaijan to the east, Turkey to the west and Iran to the south.
Two of these neighbors – Turkey and Azerbaijan – have harbored ill will toward us, and indeed just two months ago Azerbaijan, with Turkey’s support, orchestrated the largest ethnic cleansing in many years, of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from the self-governing enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.
As some readers will know, Israel has enjoyed a close alliance with Azerbaijan, and it sells it weapons which have helped its despotic, unelected, kleptocratic regime in aggressions against Armenia. That is unfortunate, and it has certainly not been appreciated by many of my compatriots. But if anything the absence of significant anti-Jewish sentiment in Armenia despite the situation attests to the truth.
That is the context in which we have suddenly been seeing a flurry of reports about supposed Armenian antisemitism. I won’t dignify most of them, but as an example, I’ll point out an article that appeared in recent days in The Jerusalem Post casting a preposterous amount of attention upon a marginal Armenian figure (who signs show may not even be local) and who made outrageous statements against Jews in a video shared on social media.
It boggles the mind why such prominence is awarded by a respected publication to the ravings of a vile and marginal character whose views are a stark departure from the historical reality of Armenians, who, throughout the millennia, have not exhibited any animosity toward Jews.
On the contrary, the Armenians have a track record of positive interactions, reflected in the strong bonds formed between Armenian and Jewish communities across the globe.
Contrary to such malicious claims, Armenians have a history of standing up for Jews and seeking to protect them. We are proud that at Yad Vashem, many Armenian names are listed among the righteous who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. No other nation in the wider Middle East comes even close – a remarkable feat for a nation that at the time was still recovering from its own genocide (during World War I at the hands of Ottoman Turks).
The question arises: Who stands to gain from painting Armenians as antisemitic? The unequivocal answer is Azerbaijan. Since the early 2010s, Azerbaijan has actively pursued a policy of denigrating Armenia in the eyes of Jewish communities globally, especially where they are considered to wield significant influence. This orchestrated campaign aims to portray Armenia as hostile to Israel while conveniently assigning to Azerbaijan the role of an irreplaceable energy supplier and lucrative arms buyer.
Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s dictator president, is close to circles that are the main purveyors of digital era fakeries. Like us, Israel too has suffered the social media chicaneries of this cynical cabal.
This is not conspiracy theorizing. As a former senior Armenian diplomat, I have witnessed Azerbaijani officials and their paid lobbyists fabricate stories about Armenian antisemitism, particularly targeting Jewish institutions. These baseless campaigns, though often recognized as disingenuous, were not adequately countered, allowing some of the venomous allegations to take root, particularly in Israel.
Azerbaijan's attempts at tarnishing Armenia's image extended – outrageously – to Armenia and its diaspora communities. In a feat of astonishing cynicism, Azerbaijan has attempted to whip up actual anti-Israeli feelings precisely based on its own good relations with Israel.
In essence, there is a well-thought-out, planned, and orchestrated policy aimed at antagonizing the only two democracies in the wider Middle East.
Against this backdrop, it becomes imperative for both nations to stay vigilant, especially in anticipation of more seismic shifts in our region and the world at large.
Israel’s ties with Azerbaijan are at the moment a matter of short-term gains and convenience; we may not love it but we understand realpolitik. But the Armenian and Jewish people share something deeper based on common values and aspirations.
We should be celebrating successful partnerships, such as the Armenian Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives featuring a substantial number of Jewish Americans.


We should commemorate our common heroes, among them Franz Werfel, an Austrian Jewish writer whose epic novel, "The Forty Days of Musa Dagh," played a vital role in depicting Armenian resistance during the Ottoman genocide. This book not only helped inspire the rebuilding of the Armenian nation but also the Jewish resistance under Nazi rule. Passed hand-to-hand in Jewish ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe, it became a symbol for the Jewish underground. It was also read by many young Jews in Palestine as they prepared to defend Haifa against a possible Nazi invasion.

These are trying times for both our peoples. We want to reach out to you in friendship and camaraderie. Let’s focus on what unites us, recognizing the common values and aspirations that can bridge gaps and foster understanding between our two nations.
  • Grigor Hovhannissian served as Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States and Mexico, and as the country’s deputy foreign minister.

https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ry9jfjv86