Category: 2019

The participants of the Friends of Artsakh Forum “Cooperation for Justice and Peace” adopted a concluding Declaration. The forum took place in Stepanakert, Artsakh on October 11.

The forum is jointly organized by the Artsakh Foreign Ministry and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

California State Senator Anthony Portantino, California State Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian and Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian, traveled to Artsakh to participate in the forum.

The full text of the Declaration is available below.

Friends of Artsakh Forum ‘Cooperation for Justice and Peace’

Guided by the principles and ideals of freedom, democracy and equal rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other core international human rights instruments;

Recognizing the right of peoples to self-determination as one of the most important achievements of humankind for ensuring global peace, stability and equality among nations, as well as being convinced that effective implementation of this right is of paramount importance for promoting the development of friendly relations between States based on respect for the principle of sovereign equality;

Reaffirming the obligation by States to refrain from any forcible action, which deprives peoples of their right to self-determination, freedom, and independence;

Noting that the lasting resolution of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict is possible exclusively by peaceful means, based on the recognition of the results of realization by the people of Artsakh of their right to self-determination;

Reiterating the importance of increasing the effectiveness of the mediation efforts by co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group by restoring full participation of the Republic of Artsakh at all stages of the peace process;

Taking into account that in their struggle for independence the people of Artsakh were guided exclusively by the principles and norms of the international law, democratic values, and universal ideals, which continue to remain the basis for the process of state-building in the Republic of Artsakh;

Highly appreciating the consistent steps taken by the people and authorities of the Republic of Artsakh to strengthen and develop a free and democratic society based on the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;

Considering unacceptable any form of isolation of Artsakh from international processes and deprivation of its people of the benefits of international co-operation;

Reaffirming that human rights are universal and inalienable regardless of the political, legal or international status of the country of residence;

Recognizing the key importance of bilateral and multilateral international co-operation for the development of peaceful and friendly relations between peoples, their mutual cultural enrichment, as well as the promotion of economic prosperity;

Noting the importance of creating and strengthening the institutional framework for practical co-operation, and exchange of expertise with Artsakh in areas such as education, sports, culture, and economy;

We support the people of Artsakh on their path to freedom and democracy, as well as their efforts towards recognition of the Republic’s independence;

We express readiness to further develop and deepen the dialogue with the Republic of Artsakh with the involvement of broad public and political circles;

We call on the international community to take all necessary measures to remove obstacles in the equal participation of Artsakh in international co-operation aimed at promoting democracy, as well as strengthening peace and stability in the region;

We proclaim the formation of the International Network of the Friends of Artsakh ProArtsakh with the aim of raising awareness about Artsakh in the international arena, protecting the legitimate interests of its people, and promoting the involvement of Artsakh in international processes.

October 11, 2019
Stepanakert
Republic of Artsakh”

Further coverage will be provided by Asbarez in future additions.

Kim Kardashian West tweeted about her trip to Armenia yesterday, highlighting that she too was baptized at the Holy See of Etchmiadzin.

The Kardashians were in Armenia to partake in the 2019 World Conference Information Technologies conference, where Kim was a keynote speaker. During their visit, both Kim and Kourtney’s children were baptized at Etchmiadzin.

The reality TV star tweeted: “Thank you Armenia for such a memorable trip. So blessed to have been baptized along with my babies at Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Armenia’s main cathedral which is sometimes referred to as the Vatican of the Armenian Apostolic Church. This church was built in 303 AD.”

Nairi Srapionyan, a deacon at Etchmiadzin who had met the Kardashians prior to the christening, told NEWS.am that he was asked to stand as godfather of the children baptized. He also revealed Kim’s baptismal name – Heghine.

According to Srapionyan, Kardashian West came prepared, with a cross, to be baptized along with her children. Psalm, Chicago, and Saint Kardashian West were baptized and given Christian names.

Speier: “USAID Funding is Inadequate to Complete De-Mining Project”; Chu: Artsakh Visit “Doubled, Tripled, Quadrupled my Resolve”

STEPANAKERT– Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Jackie Speier’s (D-CA) and leading Artsakh security advocate Rep. Judy Chu’s (D-CA) commitment to expanded Artsakh de-mining soared this week after the U.S. House members visited The HALO Trust to review the decades of life-saving progress made possible by ongoing U.S. assistance, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

“HALO’s landmine clearance program in Nagorno Karabakh is a lifeline for many communities,” Rep. Chu told HALO’s Artsakh Representatives after she and Rep. Speier had an in-depth tour, which included a detailed overview of their meticulous demining process. “Over 80 percent of the region’s population has benefited from cleared landmines. I will continue to engage USAID to ensure the continuation of HALO’s life-saving program.”

Congresswoman Speier told Armenia’s H1 Television, “one of my biggest takeaways today is that our USAID funding is inadequate to complete this project. So, we are going to redouble our efforts and tomorrow, when we meet with the [U.S.] Ambassador in Armenia, we are going to make the case that more money is needed.”

Similar sentiments were expressed last week by Congressional Armenian Caucus founding Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) during his visit to Stepanakert. “The State Department believes, mistakenly, that the [HALO Trust de-mining] program is no longer needed, in other words, that most of the de-mining has already occurred,” Rep. Pallone told reporters following his visit. “What we learned today from The HALO Trust people is that’s not the case. There is still more work to be done. So, we are going to go back to the U.S. and stress to the State Department, when we meet with them, that there’s still more work to do.”

Chu and Speier arrived in Stepanakert for their first visit to the Republic of Artsakh, sending a powerful message to Azerbaijan’s Aliyev regime that threats to “blacklist” U.S. legislators will not deter them from traveling to Artsakh and engaging in democratic dialogue with its citizens, elected officials, and civic leaders.

The two U.S. lawmakers took part in a series of high-level meetings with Artsakh government officials, in addition to their field visits. They were joined in Artsakh by ANCA Western Region Board Member Raffi Sarkissian and ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan.

Representatives Chu, Speier and Pallone visited Artsakh against the backdrop of standard State Department warnings issued to American travelers, and over the strident objections of the Azerbaijani government – which has placed them on a “blacklist” preventing future travel to Azerbaijan.

All three U.S. Representatives voiced their strong support for increased Artsakh aid, particularly in light of the Administration’s recent controversial bid to shut down U.S. funding for The HALO Trust. Each legislator recently joined with over 100 of their House and Senate colleagues in formally protesting USAID’s proposed cuts. In June, the U.S. House adopted an amendment to the FY20 foreign aid bill, spearheaded by Rep. TJ Cox (D-CA) and supported by Representatives Pallone, Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), calling for continued U.S. assistance for de-mining and rehabilitation services in Artsakh. The ANCA is currently working with Senate leaders to include similar language in their version of the bill, which is set to reach the Senate floor in the next few weeks.

http://asbarez.com/186912/speier-and-chu-pledge-to-redouble-efforts-to-ensure-u-s-funding-for-artsakh-de-mining/?fbclid=IwAR0aKQwaiiuD5k2q-2jOCzN3Ym8ECWc6GrZg6DQHyZCxm-GRE9GY0GyWVjA