Category: 2023

 09:17,

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. United States Vice President Kamala Harris has commemorated the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

“Today, we honor the 1.5 million lives lost during the Armenian genocide. As we reflect on that painful moment in history, let us renew the pledge to never forget, and let us rededicate ourselves to speaking out against hate in all its forms,” Harris tweeted on April 24, the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

 10:41,

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna will visit Armenia this week, the French Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday.

Colonna will be traveling to Azerbaijan and Armenia on April 26-28.

The visit “will reiterate France’s commitment to support the negotiations between the two countries for a fair and lasting peace based on principles of international law and territorial integrity.”

Colonna will call for respect of the rights of the Armenian population in Nagorno Karabakh and immediate restoration of passage along the Lachin Corridor, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The French FM will meet with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Armenia. She will then visit the headquarters of the EU monitoring mission in Jermuk.

FM Colonna will also visit the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan to commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

 10:18,

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. German lawmaker, Chair of the Human Rights Committee of the Bundestag (parliament of Germany) Renata Alt (FDP) has said that Azerbaijan has violated international law by setting up a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor.

“The new Azerbaijani checkpoint on Hakari Bridge in Nagorno Karabakh violates international law, makes freedom of movement of people and supply to the region more difficult. Azerbaijan must respect human rights and implement demands of the International Court of Justice immediately,” Alt tweeted.

The Lachin Corridor has been blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022. 

The United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan on February 22 to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has so far ignored the ruling.

 10:45,

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. Member of the European Parliament Loucas Fourlas (Cyprus) is visiting Armenia on a fact-finding mission together with his staff on April 24-26, the Armenian National Committee reported.

On April 24, Fourlas traveled to the border regions in Syunik province and conducted observations in the adjacent parts of the beginning of Lachin Corridor, where Azerbaijan is illegally installing a checkpoint on the Hakari Bridge.  The MEP was accompanied by Gevorg Ghukasyan, the head of special projects at the Armenian National Committee.

Fourlas also got acquainted with details on the recent Azerbaijani provocation near Tegh village and the fact that the Azeri troops are located in sovereign territory of Armenia. In Goris, the MEP met with the mayor.

Loucas Fourlas will meet the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, the Foreign Minister of Artsakh, lawmakers and the EU Ambassador in Yerevan on April 25.

 11:14,

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced an Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) backed resolution on April 25 calling for U.S. and international recognition of the independence of Artsakh.

“We join with Congressman Schiff in calling for American recognition of Artsakh’s independence,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “His resolution reinforces what we have all always known, that Artsakh is a very American idea – a free people standing up for liberty against foreign tyranny.”

Rep. Schiff explained the importance of introducing his resolution on April 24th, the international day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. “On the occasion of the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, I have just introduced a resolution to put the United States on record recognizing the independence of Artsakh, and condemning Azerbaijan’s unchecked aggression. I am deeply concerned by the Aliyev regime’s blockade of the Lachin Corridor, and the continuing and deadly attacks on Armenians. The United States must recognize the right of self-determination of the people of Artsakh, the need for remedial secession, and stop sending support to Azerbaijan. Anything less will only further embolden Aliyev in his attempt to annihilate the Armenian people. I encourage all my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution, reinforcing our commitment to democracy and freedom around the world.”

Rep. Schiff was joined by Congressional Armenian Caucus founding co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ).

Rep. Schiff’s resolution underscores the right to self-determination of Artsakh, the legality of its declaration of independence, and the urgent security needs of its indigenous Armenian population. The measure documents Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression against both Armenia and Artsakh, condemning Aliyev’s attacks and the brutal 134-day blockade of Artsakh, which has prevented the transfer of food and medicine to Artsakh’s 120,000 strong Armenian population.

The resolution aims to put the U.S. House on the record:

1) Recognizing the independence of the Republic of Artsakh, consistent with the right to self-determination enshrined in various United Nations instruments and the people of Artsakh’s 1991 vote and decision to declare their independence from Azerbaijan;

2) Urging the United States to engage proactively in supporting international recognition of the status of the Republic of Artsakh;

3) Condemning the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor and unprovoked attacks by the Azerbaijani forces on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, and calls for Azerbaijan to immediately cease its blockade and aggressions against Armenia and Artsakh without conditions;

4) Calling for all U.S. foreign and military assistance to Azerbaijan to be immediately ceased pursuant to the section 907 of the Freedom Support Act and for the Administration to make clear to the Government of Azerbaijan that further attacks on Armenia and Artsakh will result in sanctions and other measures;

5) Standing firmly in support of our democratic partner Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and against Azerbaijan’s military aggression and blatant violations of international laws and norms; and

6) Supporting the United States and international humanitarian assistance programs to meet the urgent needs of victims of Azerbaijani aggression in both Armenia and Artsakh.

 10:57,

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. Armenian-Americans held a rally in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the Armenian Genocide victims on April 24 and to call on the U.S. President Joe Biden to take action to stop the genocide in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh).

The Armenian-Americans gathered outside the Azerbaijani embassy in the U.S. capital and marched to the Turkish embassy, before reaching the White House to hold a demonstration.

The demonstrators were carrying posters saying ‘Aliyev is a War Criminal’, ‘Stop the Artsakh Genocide’, ‘120,000 Peaceful Civilians Held Hostage by Azerbaijan’, ‘Break the Artsakh Blockade’.

 11:45,

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) President Antonio Conflitti is certain that Armenia can again host the European championships.

“The 9 days of the competition and especially the last day were wonderful. The organization was certainly wonderful. You saw that the hall was full in the last day of competition. I couldn’t find any vacant seats. This is all a very important message for weightlifting, because last year wasn’t easy for us. And now, this support from the public is very good,” Conflitti told ARMENPRESS.

He praised Armenia for the fantastic job in organizing the event. “I can proudly say that we in Europe can show the whole world that we are able to organize a world championship, Olympic-standard competition. Yes, Yerevan can again organize a European championships. We continue to work together, and they must continually work as well. Frankly speaking, before the competition, I was expecting it to be successful, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this much successfully as it turned out to be,” he said.

 11:34,

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) re-introduced the Armenian Genocide Education Act on April 24 – a bipartisan measure, backed by the ANCA, which would allocate $10 million over 5 years to help educate American students about Ottoman Turkey’s 1915-1923 Genocide of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriac, Arameans, and Maronite Christians, the ANCA reported.

“The ANCA thanks Reps. Eshoo, Bilirakis, Lieu, and Valadao, welcoming their introduction of this timely bill, brought forward in the wake of official U.S. recognition of the 1915 Genocide and amid renewed efforts by Azerbaijan and Turkey to complete this crime against the Armenian nation,” remarked ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “This federal legislation represents a necessary next step, building upon U.S. remembrance, alerting Americans to the ongoing threat of genocide, and ensuring that future generations benefit from the terrible lessons of this still unpunished crime. We will do all we can to support this bill and look forward to it being passed by Congress and signed into law by the President,” added Hamparian.

“By ensuring students have access to the resources necessary to understand why and how the Armenian Genocide occurred, the Armenian Genocide Education Act preserves the legacies of the victims, combats genocide denial, and ensures that future generations learn the lessons of this dark chapter of history,” said Rep. Eshoo, who is the lead author of the measure. “This legislation honors the memories of my ancestors and all those who perished at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.”

Representatives Eshoo, Valadao, Lieu, and Bilirakis were joined by 38 of their House colleagues as original cosponsors of the Armenian Genocide Education Act, including: Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), William Keating (D-MA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Susie Lee (D-NV), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), James McGovern (D-MA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Joseph Morelle (D-NY), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Katie Porter (D-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Lori Trahan (D-MA).

The lead Congressional advocates of the measure cited the key role that education plays in genocide prevention.

“Our darkest moments as a human race have come during times when those who knew better stood silently, making excuses for passivity and allowing injustice and persecution to reign. We must acknowledge the atrocities of the past so that we might hopefully prevent them in the future,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “One of the best ways to achieve this goal is through education and awareness, which is why I am proud to co-lead the Armenian Genocide Education Act again in the 118th Congress.”

Rep. Lieu concurred, noting: “The Armenian Genocide was one of the most horrific losses of human life in modern history. It resulted in the deaths of roughly 1.5 million Armenians, and even more were displaced and forced to start new lives from scratch. Remembering atrocities like the Armenian Genocide is crucial to ensuring they never happen again. A key part of that is education, which is why I’m proud to co-lead the Armenian Genocide Education Act with Representatives Anna Eshoo, Gus Bilirakis, and David Valadao. This bill honors the legacies of those who perished by helping to ensure future generations learn about, and never forget, the Armenian Genocide.”

Rep. Valadao stressed that, “people who fail to understand history are bound to repeat it, and education is one of the best tools we have to prevent repeating some of our darkest days. The Armenian Genocide Education Act preserves the memories of the 1.5 million Armenians who were killed at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, and ensures Americans have accurate information on why and how this horrific event happened.”

Congressional Armenian Caucus founding co-Chair Frank Pallone welcomed the introduction of the measure, stating, “education is one of the best ways we can honor the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide and ensure it never happens again. This bill will help keep the memory of this horrific genocide alive by ensuring future generations have access to historically accurate resources. Expanding access to educational tools moves us one step closer to fulfilling our obligation to speak candidly about the past that is directly tied to our moral responsibilities of the present.”

Congressional Armenian Caucus Vice-Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) explained, “when we remain silent in the face of injustice, we dishonor the victims and make further tragedy inevitable. Through education, we can combat genocide denial and ensure that future generations learn the lessons of history. The Armenian Genocide claimed 1.5 million lives. It must never be forgotten. And it must never happen again. Not to the Armenians. Not to anyone.”

The Armenian Genocide Education Act was introduced on April 24th, the international day of Armenian Genocide commemoration. Building upon the 2019 passage of H.Res.296 and S.Res.150 – which specifically rejected any official U.S. association with Armenian Genocide denial – the Armenian Genocide Education Act seeks to counter discourse and propaganda that claims that Ottoman Turkey’s systematic and deliberate state-sponsored mass murder, national dispossession, cultural erasure, and exile of millions of Christians between 1915 and 1923 did not take place. A similar measure was introduced in the last session of Congress.

 12:54,

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. The International Court of Justice has suspended the examination of the Armenia v. Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan v. Armenia cases until a decision is made regarding the objections filed by both sides against each other.

On April 21, Armenia filed its objections to the ICJ regarding Azerbaijan’s lawsuit, and received Azerbaijan’s objections.

Armenia filed its full case against Azerbaijan on 23 January this year in the case concerning Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

States are entitled to present preliminary objections within three months after receiving the case. The court suspends the case until a decision is made concerning the objections.

The preliminary objections filed by Armenia concern most part of the demands presented by Azerbaijan in its case, the Office of the Representative of Armenia for International Legal Affairs said in a statement.