Author: Yeghisabet Vorskanian

Nagorno-Karabakh asks the free world to save it from genocide amid depleted food reserves

Yeghisabet Vorskanian

 13:18, 7 September 2023

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Foreign Minister Sergey Ghazaryan has called on the UN and world leaders to display political will and prevent the genocide of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh perpetrated by Azerbaijan.

In an interview with the French Ouest-France newspaper, Ghazaryan said the total blockade by Azerbaijan has led to a humanitarian disaster in Nagorno-Karabakh.

He said that farmers are unable to carry out harvest because they don’t have any fuel due to the blockade. Moreover, the Azerbaijani military is targeting on a daily basis the farmers to “obstruct any kind of economic activity in Artsakh and further deepen the famine.”

“Our reserves are depleted. We have reserves of bread and flour left only for a few more days. The cause of every third death in Artsakh is now starvation and malnutrition. Imagine what could happen if this blockade doesn't end. Urgent measures are required, or else it will be too late,” Ghazaryan warned.

He said that Azerbaijan is deliberately subjecting Artsakh to starvation.

“Leading international experts are describing the situation as genocide. Azerbaijan is using starvation as a method to destroy Armenians,” the Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Minister said.

Asked how the genocide could be prevented, Ghazaryan said that world leaders and the UN should display political will and act.

“World leaders and the United Nations must display political will. The international community has an obligation and the capacity to prevent genocides. The relevant international organizations are properly informed on the ongoing situation in Artsakh. They must issue an objective assessment to that. The UN Security Council can adopt a relevant resolution and call on Azerbaijan to end the blockade. International organizations must impose sanctions against those responsible for the blockade and send humanitarian aid by all possible ways, including airlift. We are calling on the free and civilized world to protect human rights the rights of nations. Let’s not waste time, because, after all, this is about genocide prevention,” FM Ghazaryan said.

Impossible for Nagorno-Karabakh to exist within Azerbaijan, warns head of Russian community

Yeghisabet Vorskanian

 10:47, 30 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. The Russian community of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) has held a meeting in the Stepanakert Culture and Youth Palace.

Alexander Bordov, the Head of the Russian Community, said in his speech that the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is now facing a difficult situation and praised the Nagorno-Karabakh residents for their “resilience and willpower” in honorably withstanding the challenges.

“Of course, we remember that it wasn’t easy for our grandfathers and fathers, because the entire history of the holy land of Karabakh has been a struggle for freedom, life, and the right to live on your own ancestral land,” Bordov said.

Both the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Russian peacekeepers are facing a difficult, crisis situation, he said.

“We must definitely stand on the same side of the barricades today,” he added.

“Of course we don’t have anything against the population of Azerbaijan, but we are against the blockade that has been continuing for 206 days and the other actions by the Azerbaijani military-political leadership taken in the Karabakh land, contrary to the trilateral statement. This all, as well as historical memory about the tragic events in Sumgait, Baku and Nagorno-Karabakh when cruel crimes were committed against the Armenian population, dictates the impossibility of being part of Azerbaijan and coexistence in these conditions, the wounds of losses are too deep,” Bordov said.

He called on everyone to contribute to having a safe and prosperous Artsakh.

The representatives of the Russian community attached importance to the Armenian-Russian friendship and discussed options for resolving the situation resulting from the blockade.

Armenia Parliament to consider ratifying Rome Statute

Yeghisabet Vorskanian
JURIST
Sept 1 2023

David DeNotaris | U. Pittsburgh School of Law, US
SEPTEMBER 1, 2023 03:31:16 PM

Armenian state news agency Armenpress reported Friday that the country’s parliament will consider ratifying the Rome Statute.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is the treaty that established the ICC. Armenia signed the Rome Statute in October 1999 but has not ratified it. In 2004, Armenia’s Constitutional Court found that the Rome Statute did not comply with the country’s 1995 constitution. However, in December 2022, Armenia took steps to ratify the Rome Statute anyway. The following month, the Constitutional Court took up the case for consideration, and in March 2023, the court found the Rome Statute was in compliance with the newly amended Armenian Constitution.

Armenian Minister of Justice Grigor Minasyan said it was necessary to ratify the Rome Statute due to what he calls military aggression by neighboring country Azerbaijan.

Minasyan stated that the Rome Statute must be ratified because “the risk of new Azerbaijani military aggression against Armenia remains high” and “the Azeri crimes, including war crimes committed in Armenia” being subject to the jurisdiction of the ICC would be a “preventative and restraining measure against Azerbaijan.” Azerbaijan has not signed or ratified the Rome Statute.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been involved in a violent dispute over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh (also called Artsakh), an ethnically Armenian enclave within Azerbaijan internationally recognized as being Azerbaijan’s territory. The border between Armenia and Azerbaijan was established during the dissolution of the USSR. Nagorno-Karabakh declared its independence from Azerbaijan as the Republic of Artsakh in September 1991 due to what it called “apartheid and discrimination” by the Azerbaijani government. Artsakh is recognized by some US states as an independent country even though it is not recognized by the US federal government.

A letter by Azerbaijan’s representative to the UN described Armenia as unleashing “full-scale war” against Azerbaijan in 1992. The UN Security Council condemned the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh but resolved to remain “actively seized” of the matter. Following the conflict in the 1990s, Azerbaijan exercised its “inherent right to self-defense” in September 2020, taking more than 300 settlements from Artsakh, which claimed the lives of at least 7,272 soldiers.

While both nations had agreed to a ceasefire after the 2020 conflict, Azerbaijan invaded Armenia in September 2022. Reuters reported that the September 2022 conflict ended in a ceasefire, but on Friday, Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Azerbaijan opened fire on Armenian armed forces, killing three.

The move to ratify the Rome Statute means Russian President Vladimir Putin would not be allowed into the country as Armenian forces would be required to detain him. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin, who helped broker the 2020 ceasefire between the two formerly-Soviet nations, in March.

Sydney Armenian-Australians to march to end the blockade of Artsakh, buses organised

Yeghisabet Vorskanian
Aug 31 2023

SYDNEY: On Friday 1st September 2023, hundreds from Sydney’s Armenian-Australian community will march through Sydney’s Central Business District calling on Australia to take a firm approach to help ‘End The Blockade’ of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), which has been cut off from the outside world for over 250 days by Azerbaijan.

The demonstration will commence at the Australian Red Cross (Town Hall Square) at 12:30pm.

The starting point is symbolic for Armenian-Australians, who will thank the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for providing urgent humanitarian relief to the 120,000 people of Artsakh and urge the body to do more to alleviate the humanitarian crisis being experienced by the civilian population.

The procession will be led by Armenian-Australian religious and community leaders, who will march through Sydney’s CBD before settling at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Sydney office for a short program including speeches.

"The End The Blockade March will see the Armenian-Australian community amplify the message delivered to our Foreign Affairs Minister, Senator Penny Wong and the Australian Government, to utilise all bilateral and multilateral processes available to the Government to call on Azerbaijan to lift its illegal blockade,” said Armenian National Committee of Australia Executive Director, Michael Kolokossian.

Permanent Representative to the Republic of Artsakh in Australia, whose office is organising the End The Blockade March, said: “At the behest of the President of the Republic of Artsakh for a worldwide response from Armenian communities, our office in Australia has organised a protest march and we ask our compatriots in Sydney, to join us so we can make our united voices heard by our government in Canberra.”

Armenian-Australians are encouraged to bring their flags, posters and voices to ensure the bustling streets of Sydney are brought to attention about the current siege of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh).

Buses have also been organised to transport the Armenian-Australian community to the 'End The Blockade' March on Friday, 1st September 2023 at 12:30pm, withe departure times and addresses listed below:

 10:15am – Armenian Cultural Panoyan Centre (682 Cabramatta Road, Bonnyrigg)

 11:30am – Homenetmen Ararat Scouts Hall (255 Quarry Road, Ryde)

 12:00pm – Armenian Cultural Centre (259 Penshurst Street, Willoughby)

Click here to fill out the form below to secure a place on the bus.

https://www.anc.org.au/news/Media-Releases/THIS-FRIDAY–Sydney-Armenian-Australians-to-March-to-End-The-Blockade-of-Artsakh–Buses-Organised

Armenia conveys new proposals on peace treaty to Azerbaijan

Yeghisabet Vorskanian

 11:33,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has conveyed to Azerbaijan new proposals on a peace treaty, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the August 24 Cabinet meeting.

“I’d like to underscore the commitment of the Republic of Armenia to the peace agenda. I have to inform you that we’ve conveyed to the Azerbaijani side our new proposals on a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Pashinyan said.

Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society violates principle of neutrality and gets involved in politics, warns ARCS

Yeghisabet Vorskanian

 12:14,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society violates the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, first of all, the principle of neutrality, the Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS) said in a statement on Thursday.

Below is the full statement issued by ARCS.

“Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society violates the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, first of all, the principle of neutrality, and gets involved in political process, raising the position of its government, that is, to keep the Lachin Corridor closed (also through the suggestion of so-called alternative routes).

The drawing in of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society in the political processes contradicts to the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent International Movement; the later does not have mandate to make political statements and serve the political agenda.

This is a rude breach and non-compliance to the Movement principles and values as well as to the humanitarian agenda.

Presently, Azerbaijan also using the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society is trying to obstruct the activity of the ICRC as the only humanitarian international organization operating in Nagorno – Karabakh.  

Clear evidence of that was the abduction of Vagif Khachatryan, who was kidnapped near the checkpoint on his way to be transferred to Armenia for surgery under ICRC escort. He was kidnapped while under the protection of International Humanitarian Law.

Since July 26, 2023, a convoy carrying humanitarian aid sent by Armenia is stranded on Hakari Bridge․ Тhe Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society could use its “humanitarian power” to convince the side which blocked the Lachin corridor and caused the humanitarian catastrophe to open it respecting humanitarian principles.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, with its July 25, 2023 statement attracted the attention of the international community towards the concerning humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, which was also presented during the Security Council by the representative of OCHA.

Hence, it is an urgent necessity to ensure the immediate implementation of the decisions of the UN International Court of Justice from 22 February and 6 July, 2023.

We are calling upon all the components of International Red Cross Movement: International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society to steadily follow and adhere to the Movement principles, to fulfill their complementary roles within their mandates, in favor of effective humanitarian mission implementation.”



Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 22-08-23

Yeghisabet Vorskanian

 17:21,

YEREVAN, 22 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 22 August, USD exchange rate down by 0.09 drams to 385.79 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.52 drams to 420.01 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 4.10 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.77 drams to 492.42 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 53.23 drams to 23440.63 drams. Silver price up by 1.05 drams to 283.79 drams.

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: supermarket shelves empty as food shortages hit – video

Yeghisabet Vorskanian
The Guardian, UK
Aug 21 2023



A resident of Nagorno-Karabakh filmed empty supermarket shelves as reports show it has become harder to access food, medicines and other essential supplies as an Azerbaijani blockade of the breakaway region drags into its ninth month.

Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but its population of 120,000 is overwhelmingly ethnic Armenian and the enclave's one remaining land link to Armenia, the Lachin corridor policed by Russian peacekeepers, was first disrupted in December. In April, Azerbaijani border guards installed a checkpoint along the route, tightening the blockade


Watch the video at 

Karabakh: Peace is long overdue

Yeghisabet Vorskanian
Jewish Journal
Aug 20 2023
In 2020, as a result of the second Karabakh war,  Azerbaijan liberated its territories from the occupation and immediately began the extraordinary task of rebuilding.

As a survivor of the Khojaly massacre, I have often said that the only thing worse than what I went through is to witness the denial of my experience, and the tragic experience of thousands of my friends, relatives and fellow citizens. Thankfully, in these times, the horrific tragedy I endured is universally recognized and the denial of it is universally condemned. 

Across 30 years of violent occupation, Armenia left a most unforgettable mark on Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region; including the ethnic cleansing and utter destruction of 900 Azerbaijani villages and 7 cities; altogether over 10,000 sq km of territory. Generations of Azerbaijanis from occupied territories, nearly 1 million people, have spent decades as internally displaced people (IDPs) while their hometowns were literally plundered & obliterated under Armenian occupation. 20,000 Azerbaijanis did not survive the brutal invasions of the early 1990s; including murdered women, children and the elderly. When Armenia invaded Karabakh, nothing was sacred and nobody was spared. 

In 2020, as a result of the second Karabakh war,  Azerbaijan liberated its territories from the occupation and immediately began the extraordinary task of rebuilding. The degree of devastation, across what was once the most beautiful region in the country, is nothing short of overwhelming. Since liberating Karabakh, Azerbaijan has already invested nearly 7 billion dollars toward reconstructing many of the destroyed cities and villages, all decimated under occupation. 

Azerbaijan’s proactive reconstruction is for the sake of the forcibly displaced, to honor and facilitate their right of return to their ancestral lands. Since 2020, over 1,000 Azerbaijani refugees have returned home; 10,000 more are projected to return before 2024.  

Horrifically, there are over 1 million landmines Armenian forces planted and scattered across the occupied territories during 30 years and during their withdrawal in 2020. Azerbaijan has been removing these precarious deathtraps since 2020, and has been doing it all alone, without much international assistance. These landmines, which have killed or seriously injured over 300 Azerbaijanis since the end of the 2020 war, present an enormous challenge for rebuilding the liberated areas and bringing back the forcibly displaced.

While Azerbaijan focuses on reconstruction, Armenia has spent the last 2.5 years since the war ended on efforts to disrupt and undermine the recovery and the long overdue peace they agreed to. Armenia has been misusing the Lachin Road, which connects Karabakh to Armenia, to smuggle in more landmines, weaponry, soldiers, and for other illegal activities. In order to end these illegal activities, which endanger peace and stability in the region, Azerbaijan was compelled to establish a checkpoint on its state border with Armenia on April 23, 2023. Nearly. 2,000 Armenians safely used this checkpoint to travel to and from Armenia till June 15, when Armenia fired at Azerbaijani border guards, seriously injuring one of them. Since then the checkpoint has been open for medical evacuations. Overall, more than 700 Armenian patients have been transferred by ICRC to Armenia via the Lachin Road since last December.

Azerbaijan has offered a much shorter road via the city of Aghdam to deliver all supplies to Karabakh Armenians. Regrettably, the Armenian side has installed concrete barriers on this road to prevent such deliveries. 

The refusal to utilize Aghdam, and the hoaxful, public accusations against Azerbaijan regarding a so-called blockade into Karabakh, further demonstrate Armenia’s priorities. Rather than abide by international law, and allow the transfer of aid to the Armenians of Karabakh, the Armenian side and its lobby groups in the West are spending millions on media campaigns and politicians decrying a “blockade”. The goal is to gain international sympathy toward the full opening of the Lachin Road without any control, and continue smuggling arms, soldiers and landmines into Azerbaijan’s sovereign territories. 

With so many challenges on the table, I am proud of my homeland for doing everything possible to make Karabakh a safe home for everyone, including ethnic Armenians.

I feel deeply privileged to witness the restoration of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region to its stunning and thriving history and beauty, and to know that my own daughter and generations to come can live in peace and prosperity in our ancestral homeland. I’m hopeful that these efforts to demoralize and destroy our sovereignty and safety will end; that the nationalist and diaspora movements perpetuating violence and spending millions to resuscitate a lost and unlawful war, will change course, and choose peace. I believe the world will see through the games, and take a stand against the misuse of public trust, and demand Armenia truly engage in the peace process with Azerbaijan for the sake of reconciliation between our two people. Despite the bloody wars and conflict, I am certain Azerbaijanis and Armenians can once again live peacefully together. It’s time to make it a reality


WATCH: EU monitor takes cover in Armenian trench during Azerbaijani shooting

Yeghisabet Vorskanian

 17:11, 15 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. A video posted online shows the moment when Azerbaijani forces opened fire in the direction of EU monitors and their vehicles in Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province.

[SEE VIDEO]
In the video posted by the Armenian Military Portal telegram channel, an EU monitor is seen taking cover in an Armenian trench and explaining that the shooting is taking place from Azeri positions and they are waiting for more information. 

On August 15, the Azerbaijani military opened gunfire at the EU monitors and their vehicle in the direction of Verin Shorzha, in Gegharkunik Province, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia earlier said in a statement.

The EU monitors on patrol came under small arms fire by Azerbaijani Armed Forces, the ministry said.

No one was hurt in the shooting.

“On August 15, at around 12:20 p.m., Azerbaijani AF units discharged fire from firearms targeting the EU observers patrolling in the vicinity of Verin Shorzha and their vehicle. There are no casualties,” reads a statement issued by the defense ministry.

The EU monitoring mission (EUMA) initially denied in a statement on social media the Armenian Defense Ministry’s statement on the shooting, but then removed the denial after the video was posted online.