Author: Vicken Chmshkian

US nuclear-armed submarine making port call in South Korea’s Busan for first time in decades

Vicken Chmshkian

 16:25,

YEREVAN, 18 JULY, ARMENPRESS: For the first time in decades, a US Navy nuclear-armed submarine has arrived in the port of Busan, South Korea, Kurt Campbell, coordinator for the Indo-Pacific at the US National Security Council, told reporters at a briefing in Seoul․

He noted that the move was intended to demonstrate Washington's commitment to agreements with Seoul regarding extended Korean deterrence.

Campbell participated in the first session of the Korea-US nuclear planning advisory group in Seoul. The parties discussed intelligence sharing on North Korea and the topic of nuclear deterrence.

The President of the United States Joe Biden and the President of Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, adopted the Washington Declaration in April, which listed a number of steps to upgrade extended deterrence. Within its framework, regular visits of American nuclear ballistic missile submarine, aircraft carriers to the Republic of Korea, as well as flights of American bomber aircrafts are planned.

On June 16, an American nuclear submarine armed with "Tomahawk" cruise missiles arrived at the port of Busan.

US and South Korean navies have conducted special operations training exercises.

Armenia Condemns Karabakh ‘Blockade’ Ahead Of Peace Talks

Vicken Chmshkian
BARRON'S
By AFP – Agence France Presse

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday urged international unity against Azerbaijan's "illegal blockade" of the Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh, and announced fresh EU-mediated peace talks with Baku.

Azerbaijan said this week it was temporarily shutting the only road linking its breakaway region to Armenia, accusing the Armenian branch of the Red Cross of smuggling.

The move sparked concerns over a humanitarian crisis in the restive enclave, which is experiencing food shortages and where locals lack access to health services, according to separatist authorities.

Pashinyan on Thursday denounced what he said was an "illegal blockade" of Karabakh, saying it contradicts a ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The UN's top judicial body ordered Azerbaijan in February to ensure free movement along the Lachin Corridor, Karabakh's sole land link with Armenia.

"As far as the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor and the deepening humanitarian crisis are concerned, the binding ruling of the ICJ creates a possibility for a greater international consolidation to prevent Azerbaijan's policy of ethnic cleansing in Karabakh," Pashinyan said.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, he also announced the next round of peace talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev would be held on Saturday in Brussels under the mediation of European Council President Charles Michel.

"I confirmed my participation in the meeting, and I hope we will achieve progress in our talks on a peace treaty."

An EU official said the trilateral meeting — the sixth in nearly two years — would cover humanitarian issues, border delimitation, the peace treaty and rights and security of Karabakh Armenians, and connectivity.

"We consider the leaders-level engagement essential to promote peaceful settlement and to prevent escalation," the official said in Brussels, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The two former Soviet republics have fought two wars for control of Karabakh, in the 1990s and again in 2020.

Six weeks of fighting in autumn 2020 ended with a Russian-sponsored ceasefire agreement that saw Armenia cede swathes of territories it had controlled for decades.

Under the deal, the five-kilometre-wide Lachin Corridor was to be manned by Russian peacekeepers to ensure free passage between Armenia and Karabakh.

Pashinyan has complained about "problems" with Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh.

mkh-im-rmb/gw

https://www.barrons.com/news/armenia-condemns-karabakh-blockade-ahead-of-peace-talks-d31afc66


ARF Bureau Office of Youth Affairs launches “Armenian Students for Artsakh”

Vicken Chmshkian
 Guest Contributor Youth, Announcements 0

The ARF Bureau Office of Youth Affairs is pleased to announce the launch of a new research call titled “Armenian Students for Artsakh.” The program aims to harness the potential of Armenian students worldwide in support of the Artsakh front. The office is initiating this program in light of the critical period that Artsakh is currently experiencing and the pressing need to utilize the academic and professional skills of Armenian students and scholars for the greater Armenian cause, particularly in relation to Artsakh.

The program aims to bring together the professional capacity of Armenian students across various disciplines, such as political science, economics, social sciences, legal, culture and investigative journalism. The objective is to make their research available for effective use by influential institutions involved in pro-Armenian activities.

Students aged 20-35 from Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora are invited to participate in this program. The participants’ work will be supervised by renowned mentors.

To apply, please complete the application form and submit the accompanying explanatory notes by July 31, 2023, at studentsforartsakh.am. 

The deadline for submission of research papers is October 1, 2023.

The following materials and mentors are planned for the program:

The destructive impact of the blockade of Artsakh on the rights and mental state of the children of Artsakh
Gegham Stepanyan, Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh

Blockade of the Berdzor Corridor as a war crime, from the International Law perspective
Siranush Sahakian, Head of the Armenian Center for International and Comparative Law

Azerbaijan’s Caviar Diplomacy in Europe
Heghineh Evinian, Director of European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy

The Aliyev family and Azerbaijan’s foreign investments and manifestations of corruption
Harout Sassounian, Editor-in-chief of the California Courier newspaper

The importance of the implementation of sanctions against Azerbaijan
Aram Hamparian, Executive director of the ANCA office in Washington, D.C.

Azerbaijan’s Energy Policy with Russia and the West
Yeghia Tashjian, Researcher at the American University of Beirut

The nation to an army system ideology in Armenia and Artsakh
Former Deputy Supreme Commander, Lieutenant General Tiran Khachatryan

Relations between Azerbaijan and Israel
Shahan Kandaharian, Editor-in-chief of Beirut Aztag Daily

National minorities of Azerbaijan
Edgar Elbakyan, Co-founder of the Armenian Project

Azerbaijan’s relations with regional powers
Abraham Gasparyan, Founding director of Genesis Armenia Center

Azerbaijan’s political and academic attempts to distort history
Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Artsakh Lernik Hovhannisyan

The potential of unconventional water resources in Artsakh
Hovsep Der Kevorkian, ARF Bureau member and water resources specialist

The urgent necessity to preserve spiritual and non-material heritage of Artsakh
Father Garegin Hambardzumyan, Director of Artsakh’s spiritual and cultural heritage preservation office in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Possibilities of increasing the resilience of Artsakh’s economy
Suren Parsyan, ARF Bureau Economic Research Office director

The importance of involving international humanitarian organizations in Artsakh
Vicken Ashkarian, Collaborator at International Organization for Humanitarian Aid

Armenian humanitarian assistance to Artsakh Armenians after the 44-day war
Lilit Martirosyan, Chairwoman of ARS Artsakh

Artsakh issue on the agenda of international organizations
Mario Nalbandian, Member of the Central Council of ARF Hye Tahd, Socialist International Vice President

The white papers will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Modernity
  • Feasibility significance
  • Research work capacity
  • Objective basis of the work
  • Compliance with technical requirements

Students are encouraged to enter the program either individually or in groups of up to three.

All participants will receive symbolic gifts. The research papers will be evaluated by a panel of mentors. Each selected winner will be rewarded with scholarships as follows: first place – $1,000 USD, second place – $750 USD, and third place – $500 USD.

At the conclusion of the competition, an online conference will be organized to present the best white papers to the public. Each research paper will be published in newspapers in Armenia and the Diaspora.

The competition results will be announced on November 1, 2023.




UNSC debate on Children and Armed Conflict: Armenia calls on UN to ensure humanitarian access, save children in NK

Vicken Chmshkian

 14:41, 6 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS. The Presidency of the United Kingdom in the UN Security Council convened on July 5 an open debate on Children and Armed Conflict.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba and representatives of over 70 UN member states delivered remarks at the debates.

Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN Ambassador Mher Margaryan also delivered a statement.

Below is the transcript of Margaryan’s speech.

“Mr. President,

“We thank the Presidency of the United Kingdom for convening the open debate on the theme of children and armed conflict. We appreciate the comprehensive presentations of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms. Virginia Gamba, the Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF and civil society briefer.

“Armenia emphasizes the critical importance of upholding the goals, objectives and principles enshrined in the Safe School declaration, the Paris Principles and the Vancouver Principles to promote and protect the rights of all children, in particular, those residing in conflict areas, and to prevent grave violations of children’s rights.

“The Secretary-General’s report on “Children and armed conflict” reveals a growing number of challenges faced by children, as multidimensional conflicts, including across regions, continued to have an adverse impact on the lives of civilians for the reporting period of 2022. The report demonstrates that the monitoring and verification of grave violations remains extremely challenging, including owing to access constraints, which results in the underreporting of such violations.

“Underreporting is a major challenge that can lead to bias and inadequate response, enabling the perpetration of further violations, including in our own region. In September 2022, Azerbaijan conducted an armed attack against the territorial integrity of Armenia, exposing a number of villages and towns deep inside Armenia to massive shelling by heavy artillery and UAVs. Azerbaijan’s premeditated criminal actions violated the right to education of 25,000 children from the Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor and Syunik provinces.

“In Nagorno-Karabakh, since 12 December 2022, the civilian population have become victim of an inhumane blockade by Azerbaijan, the imposition of which has severely affected the rights and livelihoods of those most vulnerable, the children. As we speak, the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor, in violation of the existing legal obligations and the order of International Court of Justice, continues to endanger the lives of innocent people in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“For almost 7 months, families with children have been suffering from critical shortages of essential goods, including food, fuel and medical supplies. The humanitarian situation is further exacerbated by complete disruption of gas and electricity. 118 schools had to suspend their activities due to weather conditions, depriving 20,000 children of their right to education, including early education, with pre-schools no longer operational due to food insecurities, affecting more than 6,800 children. Provision of health services has been severely disrupted, with acute lack of antibiotics and other types of medications leaving children susceptible to otherwise easily treatable diseases, while hundreds of newborns are experiencing nutritional problems exacerbated by the ongoing shortage of infant formula.

“On 22 February, the International Court of Justice issued an Order on the indication of a provisional measure demanding that Azerbaijan “shall take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin corridor in both directions”. To this date, Azerbaijan has failed to ensure compliance with the legally binding Order of the Court.

“Mr. President,

“Azerbaijan’s denial of safe and unimpeded humanitarian access of the UN agencies to Nagorno-Karabakh undermines comprehensive assessment of the humanitarian, protection, early recovery needs and human rights situation of the population, to ensure the protection of the rights of children and their access to inclusive and quality education, healthcare and social services.

“As the leading advocate of the United Nations for the protection of children affected by armed conflict, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General has a central role to play in raising awareness on the need to increase efforts to protect children, whose inalienable rights are under brutal attack. The intentional disruption of the Lachin Corridor, which has left 30,000 children and their families besieged, constitutes a violation of a massive scope and gravity, and we call on the Special Representative to use her important mandate to monitor the situation and to take efforts for humanitarian access in order to avoid further deterioration of the conditions affecting the lives of the children in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The United Nations and its humanitarian arm (OCHA), as well as the SRSG for children and armed conflict and this very Council have a distinct responsibility to prevent grave violations and to safeguard the physical security of children, whose rights and safety must be respected and protected at all times, in all parts of the world, including in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“I thank you.”

Armenia to provide additional evidence to ICJ on situation in Nagorno Karabakh

Vicken Chmshkian

 11:14, 6 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is going to present additional evidence to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the Azerbaijani checkpoint and concrete barrier on the Lachin Corridor and the resulting humanitarian crisis, the Representative of Armenia for International Legal Affairs Yeghishe Kirakosyan said on July 6.

Kirakosyan said that Armenia began to work with international courts since the very first day of the blockade of Lachin Corridor in December 2022.

The first ruling was issued by the ECHR, ordering Azerbaijan to ensure passage of patients and those who’ve lost their homes in both ways along Lachin Corridor, but Azerbaijan has failed to implement it. Furthermore, the situation escalated further. Azerbaijan cut off gas and electricity supply into Nagorno Karabakh, prompting Armenia to take the next step and file a complaint to the ICJ.

On February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. But Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since.

“Unfortunately we didn’t have any positive movement after that ruling, on the contrary, we had more negative consequences. In April 2023 Azerbaijan installed the checkpoints and the situation escalated, then they installed the concrete barriers, almost entirely blocking passage along Lachin Corridor. Following these developments, we filed the second appeal to the ICJ, asking the court to further specify its February 22 ruling and order that any obstacle should be eliminated, including the checkpoints. Additional evidence has been provided to the court on the developments. We will provide further information this week. We hope that it won’t take the ICJ too long to issue a ruling, because it has already been two months since we filed our request,” Kirakosyan said.

Some episodes during 2020 war sought to organize change of government in Armenia, says Pashinyan

Vicken Chmshkian

 12:00,

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that he believes that the goal of some episodes that took place during the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh War on the battlefield was to organize a change of government in Armenia.

“There are many episodes regarding the war that have led to many views and narratives, that the goal of what happened on the frontline was actually to organize a change of government in Armenia. For very long, even until the end of the war I didn’t allow myself to consider this. But then, analyzing several developments, sometimes I start to think about this,” Pashinyan told lawmakers at the parliament select committee on the 2020 war.

This hypothesis was strengthened by the developments in Sotk-Khoznavar, with a criminal investigation still ongoing, a defendant facing an indictment, but still no explanations, Pashinyan said. 

“For example, it turned out that someone committed a crime, everything is revealed. But what’s not revealed is their motive. And this is a very important nuance,” Pashinyan said.

Armenia, Azerbaijan still disagree on key issues, deputy FM says

Vicken Chmshkian
Panorama
Armenia –

Armenia and Azerbaijan have still not agreed on key parameters of a bilateral peace deal, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan said on Monday.

“It’s about the principal issues that have already been announced, including the maps to be used for the border delimitation, security guarantees for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and international mechanisms for a dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert,” he told reporters in the parliament.

“Unfortunately, no agreement has been reached on these issues and the positions of the sides remain far apart, but the work is ongoing,” Kostanyan added.

He insisted on Armenia’s sovereignty over any road passing through Syunik Province, again ruling out an exterritorial corridor connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan.

Separately, the official said new dates for the postponed meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Washington were under discussion and would be announced in the near future.

Our Flag Still Flies

Vicken Chmshkian
 Raffi G. Kutnerian Memoir, Diaspora 0

The author pictured near the flagpole at his home

It is 1917, and on the docks in many US east coast port cities the flags are flying and the bands are playing. The doughboys are going “over there” to end the war. Unnoticed, an illiterate 14-year-old peasant boy – he had never seen the inside of a schoolroom, not one day – stepped ashore from the ship on which he had stowed away. He had no family, no friends, no money.  His beginning here gave real meaning to the word “underprivileged.”

At the beginning, he slept in the backrooms of the places where he found work.  Later, in rooming houses, and then, when he had learned a trade and could afford it, in apartments.

The years passed into decades: the “Roaring Twenties,” the Crash of ‘29, the Great Depression and World War II.  It was not until I was eleven years old that he was able to buy his family our first house. It was an old frame building with a postage-stamp sized yard in front and back. The roof leaked, the electrical and plumbing needed to be replaced, and the furnace was an antique.  But it was home.

One day, two weeks after we moved in, I came walking down the street after school. As I neared, there were two men working in our front yard – they were digging a large hole in the ground.

Running into the house I called, “Mommy, what are those men doing?”

She turned from the stove with an odd smile on her face, “They are putting up your father’s flagpole.”

For the first time since the beginning of his life, as an American, this man would be able to fly the flag that had become the symbol of his salvation.

The leaky roof, faulty wiring and pipes, and the smelly furnace would have to wait.

Since my father always left for work well before sunrise and did not return until well after sunset, it became one of my household chores to raise the flag “respectfully” in the morning and lower it “slowly” at dusk. In later years, when his working hours became shorter, he happily assumed the duty. He didn’t actually salute the flag when it reached the top, he just grew a little.

That was many years ago. And he and my mother are long since gone. But at the cemetery, over his grave, our flag still flies.

To read more about the author’s father and mother, see “Odyssey to the Open Door,” and “Magnificent Vision.”

  •  Bio
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Raffi G. Kutnerian was born (1936) and raised in NYC where he attended the city's public schools and NYS Community College. Kutnerian joined the Army National Guard at age 17 ½ with the written permission of his parents. He was awarded a four-year scholarship to Columbia University School of Painting and Sculpture, from which he graduated in 1959. Kutnerian married his childhood sweetheart Louise Spodick at age 21; they were married for 62 years until her passing on September 17, 2020. After a career as a photo engraver, Kutnerian entered the court reporting business and retired after 25 years. He still resides in the home he shared with Louise in the Village of Rye Brook for the last 53 years and is learning to “play solo after playing duet for a lifetime.”


Inflation to continue slowdown, says researcher

Vicken Chmshkian

 10:00,

YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS. Inflation is slowing as the year-on-year inflation (May 2023 compared to May 2022) comprised 1,3% in the consumer market, while a 1,8% decrease was recorded compared to April. The inflation rate is expected to continue slowing down in the next months, according to Hayk Bejanyan, an expert at the Amberd Research Center.

Food and non-alcoholic drink prices decreased 2,1% in May of this year compared to May of 2022. Food prices alone dropped 2,3%.

But liquor and tobacco prices grew 7,8%, while clothing and footwear prices grew 6,2%.

Flour and other cereal prices dropped 12%. Egg prices grew 18,9%. The price of butter and sugar dropped 2,9% and 6,6% respectively, while the meat price grew 5,8%. The price of vegetable oil grew 3,3%.

Bejanyan believes that the inflation rate will continue to slow down in the next months.

”Last year we had a rather high inflation indicator. And as a result of this year’s relatively stable international, stable economic developments, this year’s inflation pace is expected to be lower on the high base of last year. This forecast is substantiated when we see the trend of decrease, which is regularly dropping monthly, and not displaying an independent behavior. We will continue to witness this process during the year,’ Bejanyan said.

The currency exchange rate also plays an important role in the formation of inflation.

Furthermore, the expert doesn’t predict a decrease in the consumer demand, on the contrary, it was preserved and has gotten more active due to more inbound tourists. The preserved demand was also one of the reasons behind the stabilization of the inflation environment.

“The inflation rate will continue to slow down in the next months, and the average inflation indicator at yearend will be close to the target level, in my opinion,” the expert added.

The inflation in April was 3,2% and in March 5,4% compared to the same period of 2022.

Anna Grigoryan