Author: Varazdat Torgomian

Azerbaijan to “restore” Armenian monastery as “Albanian”

Varazdat Torgomian
Armenia – May 6 2023
May 6, 2023 – 13:38 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan is going to “restore” the Armenian monastery of the Nagorno Karabakh town of Hadrut as an “Albanian church”, Apa.az reports.

Azerbaijan’s government announced in February 2022 that it intends to erase Armenian inscriptions on religious sites in the territory that it reclaimed in the 2020 war with Armenia

It justified the move by arguing that the churches in fact were originally the heritage of Caucasian Albania, an ancient kingdom once located in what is now Azerbaijan. The theory, which is not supported by historians, has long been propagated by nationalist Azerbaijani historians and has been embraced by the current government in Baku.

Concerns about the preservation of cultural sites in Nagorno-Karabakh are made all the more urgent by the Azerbaijani government’s history of systemically destroying indigenous Armenian heritage—acts of both warfare and historical revisionism. The Azerbaijani government has secretly destroyed a striking number of cultural and religious artifacts in the late 20th century. Within Nakhichevan alone, a historically Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani forces destroyed at least 89 medieval churches, 5,840 khachkars (Armenian cross stones) and 22,000 historical tombstones between 1997 and 2006.
https://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/307136/Azerbaijan_to_restore_Armenian_monastery_as_Albanian

Film: House on the Volcano review – silent classic of Soviet Armenia glories in machine age

Varazdat Torgomian
The Guardian, UK
May 1 2023

Amo Bek-Nazaryan’s black and white film, a tale of betrayal in an oilfield, has a plaintive beauty and operatic intensity

Machinery itself has star quality – of the most monumental and anti-heroic sort – in this fascinating 1928 silent movie from the Armenian film-maker Amo Bek-Nazaryan. It’s such a vivid, dynamic, engaged piece of work, whose energies blaze forth afresh in this restoration, having apart from anything else wonderful archival value.

Bek-Nazaryan vehemently juxtaposes the strange statuary of vast industrial architecture and the faces of the people who live and work in its shadow. The framing device is that a veteran worker in present-day Soviet Armenia is asked by his son – or someone we are led to believe is his son – to sign his application to join the Communist party. Thoughtfully, the older man tells him this is not simply a matter of bits of paper, but hard-won experience in solidarity and sacrifice; he then tells him (and us) about a workers’ action during “the reactionary years” of 1907.

In an oilfield, workers are regularly sacrificed to poor safety standards, exhausted by the long journey from their barracks. Their Armenian owner, whose thin, pinched face is seen in a stylised closeup, agrees to build housing closer to the oilfield, but this is on the site of dangerous subterranean gases (hence the title) and his frosty arrogance and cruelty is to lead to a cataclysmic horror as his employees’ housing is literally swallowed into hellish flames. For the union, the complicating factor had been that Armenian workers should not question the views of an Armenian boss: it is this kind of bourgeois nationalism that appears to be deprecated in the film.

Finally, a union worker is tricked into attacking the owner, thrown into prison and separated from his wife and child – a final twist which leads us back to the present day. One of the treats of this film is the outstanding new score from Juliet Merchant, which brings out the film’s operatic intensity, and its plaintive beauty.

 House on the Volcano is available on Klassiki.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/may/01/house-on-the-volcano-review-silent-classic-of-soviet-armenia-glories-in-machine-age

Armenia: EU-funded exhibition on combating sexual violence opens in Yerevan

Varazdat Torgomian

An exhibition on ‘Combating sexual violence in Armenia: current challenges and joint steps’ opened in Yerevan on 19 April. 

The exhibition and the round table to coincide with its opening were organised by the United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Sexual Violence Crisis Centre. The events took place within the framework of the EU-funded project ‘Accountable institutions and the protection of human rights in Armenia’. 

Representatives from government, parliament, the police, the Investigative Committee, the Human Rights Defender’s Office, civil society organisations and development and international organisations took part in the discussion.

On this occasion, EU Ambassador to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin reiterated the need for Armenia to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. “It is not only a matter of justice and law, but also one of fairness, compassion and humanism. This issue requires a consensus-based approach, free from controversial opinions and radicalism,” said Andrea Wiktorin.

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Press release

1,4km of 5km problematic section clarified – PM on situation near Tegh village

Varazdat Torgomian

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 12:30,

YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. 1,4 km of the 5km problematic part in the section of Tegh village has been clarified, border guards worked together and are deployed at a certain distance from each other, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told ARMENPRESS during a press briefing in parliament when asked on the security situation in Tegh village.

“We have a 11km part there, and we consider 5km in this 11km to be problematic. As of today, I can say that this problematic part has been cut by another 1,4km. This means that an additional that much of the border has been clarified. What do I mean by saying clarified? This means that we and the Azerbaijanis have a common opinion on that part, and our border line passes there. This also means that border guards of Armenia are deployed at a certain distance from that border, and the Azerbaijani border guards also at a certain distance from that border,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan said that the Azerbaijanis were in territory of Armenia.

“In my previous statement that problematic part was more than 5km, now that 5km is reduced to 3,6. Meaning, the border guards worked together, clarified the border point and were deployed at a certain distance,” he added.

Pashinyan added that experience shows that when border guards work together it could lead to certain result.  Armenia hopes that the remaining 3,6km section will be clarified and the subject will be closed.

At least 29 people killed in Beijing hospital fire

Varazdat Torgomian

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 09:57,

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. At least twenty-nine people were killed after a fire broke out in the east wing of the inpatient department of a hospital in China's capital Beijing.

Firefighters received a report of a fire at an inpatient department building of Beijing Changfeng Hospital at 12:57 p.m., according to Xinhua news agency.

The fire was extinguished at 1:33 p.m., with 71 patients evacuated.

By 6 p.m., 21 people had been confirmed dead.

A few hours later the death toll was said to be at least 29, the Guardian reported citing a Chinese government official.

CCTV state media reports that the cause of the fire is under investigation.

A local government spokesperson said that 26 of those who died were hospital patients.

Mirzoyan, Lavrov discuss bilateral agenda, emphasize importance of intensifying efforts in Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement

Varazdat Torgomian

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 16:16,

YEREVAN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed relevant issues of the bilateral agenda and exchanged views on regional issues during their meeting in Uzbekistan, the Russian foreign ministry said.

According to a readout issued by the Russian foreign ministry, the two FMs “discussed a number of relevant issues of the bilateral agenda.”

“An exchange of views on regional issues took place. The importance of intensifying efforts in all direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement in accordance with the 2020-2022 agreements between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan was noted.”

Mirzoyan and Lavrov agreed to continue diplomatic contacts.

Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia receives Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy

Varazdat Torgomian

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 19:17, 4 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. On April 4, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan received the delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy Edmondo Cirielli.

As ARMENPRESS was informed by the office of the Security Council of Armenia, at the meeting the parties emphasized the positive dynamics of the development of relations between Armenia and Italy.

At the meeting, reference was made to Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor and its consequences, within the framework of which the Security Council Secretary emphasized the need to send an international fact-finding team to the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno Karabakh.

The Secretary of the Security Council thanked the Italian partners for supporting the presence of the EU mission in Armenia.

Why Karabakh model only way to resolve Kashmir? [Pakistani Opinion]

Varazdat Torgomian
Pakistan Today
April 1 2023
Why Karabakh model only way to resolve Kashmir?

By Hilal Ahmad

Experts at the Summit-level meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Contact Group in Baku, Azerbaijan discussed whether Karabakh model was the only way to liberate Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir from foreign occupation.

Azerbaijan is a symbol of resilience against foreign aggression and it has succeeded in liberating the Karabakh region under the valiant leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. During the second Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020, Azerbaijan succeeded in liberating its territories. The war lasted over a month and resulted in Azerbaijan’s victory against the Armenia.

Under the visionary leadership of incumbent President Ilham Aliyev Azerbaijan has achieved tremendous success at the national and international levels. The Republic of Azerbaijan became member of the NAM on May 26, 2011 with the unanimous support of the member states. NAM was established in 1961 and is the largest group of states outside the United Nations.

NAM Summit in Baku on March 02, 2023 provided an important platform for member states to come together and discuss the world’s challenges in the post-pandemic era. During the Summit, President Iham Aliyev highlighted NAM’s contributions to the pandemic response, specifically focusing on developing a database for the pandemic needs of NAM member states.

The meeting was attended by almost 70 heads of states and government representatives including important international organizations. The event was widely covered by local and international media. Journalists belonging to different countries and regions of the world physically covered the Baku moot. After the conclusion of NAM summit, a group of foreign journalists visited the liberated areas of Karabakh.

Pakistan and Azerbaijan have maintained close relations after forming diplomatic relations. Both the countries have closely worked in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Azerbaijan declared its independence and Pakistan was the second country to recognize its liberation.

Moreover, Pakistan had always supported Azerbaijan on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia at all international forums. Pakistan is the only country in the world which does not recognize Armenia. In April 1993, a meeting of the United Nations Security Council led by Pakistan was held which unanimously adopted a resolution concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

At the same time, Azerbaijan supports Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir dispute. Azerbaijan had always urged on the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. As per stance of the Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, guided by its commitments undertaken upon joining the UN, Azerbaijan always supports and stands for implementation of norms and principles of international law and UN Security Council resolutions in settlement of conflicts and maintenance of international peace and security.

This is the firm and principled position of Azerbaijan. Keeping in view this stance, Azerbaijan supports the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council. It is worth to mention that Azerbaijan is also the member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.

On the invitation of Azeri government, a group of Journalists from across the globe including Pakistan attended the NAM summit in Baku and other places in the first week of March. The media representatives of many countries visited Azerbaijan for the coverage of Summit-level meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Baku and Karabakh region from 02 March to 05 March 2023.

Azerbaijan is presently carrying out the reconstruction process on large scale in the war-torn areas of Nagorno-Karabakh region. The foreign media persons visited different areas which were liberated by Azerbaijan in 2020 from the occupation of Armenia. The Azeri government is also engaged in rehabilitation process in Aghdam, Fazuli Shusha and other liberated areas.

During their visit to Aghdam, journalists also witnessed the ongoing development process in the liberated areas and inspected the civic facilities, religious, cultural and historical monuments destroyed during the occupation, including the Imaret complex, the Alley of Martyrs and the Drama Theater. The delegation of journalists later left for Ganja, the second largest city of Azerbaijan and stayed there for night.

Foreign journalists, who arrived in Azerbaijan to cover the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement’s Contact Group in response to COVID-19, on March 04, visited the places hit by missiles fired by Armenians in Ganja city. Media delegation visited Victory Park in Ganja.

They were briefed by the local authorities that the Armenian Armed Forces deliberately fired on the Azerbaijani civilians and settlements by using heavy artillery. As a result, 26 people were killed in Ganja, including children, women and the elderly people while as 175 people were injured besides many civilian infrastructure and vehicles were damaged. Later the journalists departed to Fuzuli city.

The author is a journalist from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir but now based in Islamabad. He could be reached at 

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/04/01/why-karabakh-model-only-way-to-resolve-kashmir/

Azerbaijan has taken control of new heights on the border with Armenia. Comments from Baku

Varazdat Torgomian
  • JAMnews
  • Baku

Entrance to old Lachin corridor closed

The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan reports that the army has taken control of several dominant heights, main and auxiliary roads, and various areas on the border with Armenia. This is due to the complete closure of the old Lachin corridor and the launch of a new alternative road.

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According to the Azerbaijani side, there was a redeployment of the armed forces in connection with the closure of the old Lachin corridor. Experts say that the Azerbaijani army is located on the heights from which the traffic on the new road connecting Armenia with Karabakh is easily controlled.

According to the terms of the tripartite statement of November 10, 2020, within three years a new road was supposed to connect Armenia with Karabakh, differing in its route from the old Lachin corridor. The former Lachin corridor passed through the city of Lachin and the settlements of the Lachin region, which returned to Azerbaijan as a result of the second Karabakh war.

On August 1, 2022, Azerbaijan announced the commissioning of a new Lachin road, and the need to evict the Armenian population from the city of Lachin and the villages of Zabukh and Sus. According to official Baku, the Armenian side, in the course of bilateral contacts, asked that the date of commissioning of the new road be postponed until August 25. On the same day, a new road was launched.

The blue line is the old Lachin corridor, the purple line is the new Lachin road, the red line is the section of the border with Armenia where the Azerbaijani Armed Forces were deployed

Despite the fact that the new Lachin road was ready, no new road was built from Armenia to the border with Azerbaijan for the movement of vehicles. Yerevan says the new road will be ready on April 1, 2023.

Today, on March 30, Azerbaijan completely blocked the entrance from Armenia along the old Lachin corridor, and the establishment of border posts began.

According to military expert and retired colonel Shair Ramaldanov, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces periodically strengthen their positions “both on the conditional border with Armenia and on the territory controlled by the Russian peacekeeping contingent”:

“The escalation of tension in Karabakh, as well as the fact that Armenia is avoiding signing a peace treaty in every possible way, is forcing Azerbaijan to take additional steps. Despite numerous signals about the transfer of weapons from Armenia to Karabakh, no measures were taken by the peacekeepers.

For this reason, a special operation was carried out to close the bypass roads through which the Armenians could transport weapons and ammunition. Now all these roads are under the control of the Azerbaijani army.”

Ramaldanov noted that while earlier “5-6,000 Armenian militants were present in Karabakh, now there are no less than 10,000 of them.” “These operations have completely closed the way to provide illegal gangs on the territory of Azerbaijan,” he added.

The road will allow Azerbaijan to take control of the regional center of the Lachin region. The Armenian part of the road is not yet complete

Military expert Alparslan Imamgulu said that the territories that came under the control of Azerbaijan after the last deployment are important for the disarmament of illegal military formations:

“Control over the dominant heights near the villages of Jagazur and Zabuh, as well as nearby roads, is of great importance. This will allow the Azerbaijani army to control almost all territories through which enemy groups could move.”

Another military expert, Adalat Verdiyev, stressed that these operations of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces would lead to “a logical outcome – the creation of checkpoints along the entire border with Armenia”:

“The current redeployment of the army will allow Azerbaijan to control not only all the roads in the Lachin region, but also the border areas of Armenia.”

Aliyev on the preparation of the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020

Former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofig Zulfugarov also expressed his opinion on the ongoing changes in Karabakh and the border areas with Armenia.

“One of the main tasks of any state is to protect its borders. This is the case in all countries. To protect themselves from a wave of migrants from Mexico, the American authorities built an iron wall six meters high,” he said.

According to Zulfugarov, peacekeepers do not guard borders anywhere in the world:

“Peacekeepers are authorized only to protect security. Everything else – entry into the country, exit from the country, border and customs control, sanitary services – is not their job. These functions, as expected, will be performed by representatives of the state structures of Azerbaijan within the framework of the laws of the country.

In this case, the argument of the Armenians about the blockade will automatically disappear. There will simply be control, and those who do not violate the laws will freely pass through the border.

Since then, the Armenians have become accustomed to the fact that this territory does not belong to Azerbaijan, and they can move around as they wish. But this is no longer possible. As President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stated, they either stay and live according to the laws of Azerbaijan, or leave.

I suppose that at first the exit from the country for the Karabakh Armenians will be in a simplified manner. Everyone who does not want to live under the laws of Azerbaijan will leave.”

https://jam-news.net/entrance-to-old-lachin-corridor-closed/

California Assembly Judiciary Committee passes ANCA-backed resolution condemning Artsakh blockade

Varazdat Torgomian
 ANCA ANCA News 0

Following successful passage by the California Assembly Judiciary Committee, AJR 1 is headed to a full Assembly vote as early as March 30th.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.– The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)-backed anti-blockade resolution AJR 1, which condemns Azerbaijan’s 100-day blockade of Artsakh, has been passed by the California Assembly Committee on Judiciary with overwhelming bipartisan support.

ANCA local leaders were present during the committee hearing and testified in support of the expeditious passage of the resolution, which reaffirms California’s recognition of Artsakh’s right to self-determination, urges the Biden administration to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to the Armenians of Artsakh, and calls on the Biden administration to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its aggression by enforcing Section 907 restrictions on military aid to Baku.

“This is a courageous step in condemning Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh, and the reaffirmation of California’s commitment to Artsakh’s right to self-determination speaks to the essence of our values as Americans, and as Californians,” stated ANCA San Francisco representative Khatchig Tazian in remarks before the committee. “With this resolution, let us make sure the US government and our tax dollars are not enabling Azerbaijan’s aggression against the Armenian people – as the Aliyev regime perpetrates this genocide right under the nose of the international community.”

Longtime ANCA Burbank activist Antranik Jarchafjian spoke to the deep connections between the Armenian-American community and the people in Artsakh impacted by the blockade. “Among the 120,000 people of Artsakh is my son, who was born and raised in Southern California and moved to Armenia to help rural communities. Shortly after he arrived in Armenia, Azerbaijan launched its assault on Artsakh, and my son stayed to help displaced refugees. Prior to the blockade, he was living in Artsakh doing humanitarian work and raising funds for communities impacted by the war. Now he, along with his wife and our 16-month-old granddaughter, have been blockaded for over 100 days.”

Khatchig Tazian (ANCA-SF) and Antranik Jarchafjian (ANCA-Burbank) with principal co-author of AJR 1, Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena)

Assemblymember Chris Holden was joined by Assemblymembers Laura Friedman, Wendy Carillo, Lisa Calderon, Megan Dahle, Mike Gipson, Mike Fong, Tom Lackey, Cottie Petrie-Norris, Eloise Gomez Reyes, Luz Rivas and Blanca Rubio as co-authors on AJR 1. The resolution is also being introduced jointly in the California State Senate by Senator Anthony Portantino, with Senators Bob Archuleta and Scott Wilk as co-authors.

“Today, AJR 1 passed the Assembly Committee on Judiciary with overwhelming bipartisan support. I stand with the Armenian Diaspora community and my colleagues as we request immediate humanitarian assistance for Armenians in Artsakh and hold Azerbaijan accountable,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden.

“Assemblymember Holden has been a longtime friend of the Armenian community. He once again has shown his unwavering support during these trying times, when Armenians in Artsakh are facing extermination by the Azerbaijani government. The Armenian American community is thankful for Mr. Holden presenting a joint resolution calling on the Azeri government to end its illegal blockade and to hold the Azerbaijani government accountable for its relentless aggression,” said ANCA National Board member Aida Dimejian.

The resolution comes amidst mounting pressure in the US Congress on President Biden to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its brazen aggression against the Armenian people. Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ), along with Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and David Valadao (R-CA) and over 80 Congressional colleagues are leading a bipartisan House Resolution (H.Res.108) condemning the blockade and urging immediate action be taken to guarantee vital humanitarian assistance to Artsakh’s 120,000 Armenians, who have been denied access to food, fuel, medical supplies, and other vital humanitarian goods for over 100 days in freezing conditions.

Representative Pallone, founding co-chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, also recently led a Congressional letter to Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations chairman Mario Diaz Balart (R-FL) and Ranking Member Barbara Lee (D-CA) calling for an end to US military assistance to Azerbaijan and urging the provision of $50 million in emergency assistance to Artsakh to meet the humanitarian and recovery needs of the region’s 120,000 Armenians, and $100 million in security, economic, governance and rule of law assistance to Armenia.

AJR 1 will be up for consideration on the California Assembly floor on Thursday.

Since the first day of the blockade, the ANCA and its local chapters have been working with the White House, State Department and Congressional leaders – urging them to stop US military assistance to Azerbaijan and to send emergency humanitarian assistance to Artsakh. Thousands have already used the ANCA online portal to call, tweet and write the White House and Congressional leaders to immediately address this enfolding Artsakh humanitarian crisis.

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The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.