Category: 2023

Burnt flags, border clashes, and prisoners: Tensions continue to escalate in Armenia and Azerbaijan

Nyrie Kalashian
Two Azerbaijani soldiers were arrested and charged in Armenia
Written byArzu Geybullayeva
Posted  9:31 GMT 

Screenshot from a video by Vox explaining the history of the conflict and the 2020 war.

Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan reached a new high at the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championship in Yerevan, Armenia, on April 14, 2023. A man, who was identified later as an employee of Armenian public television, ran onto the stage, grabbed the Azerbaijani flag during the opening ceremony, set it on fire, and ran off the stage with the flag in his hands. Azerbaijani athletes immediately withdrew from the competition, citing safety concerns.

Azerbaijan's National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Youth and Sports condemned the burning of the flag and described it as a “barbaric act.” Several government officials in Armenia also condemned the incident.

The flag burning followed deadly clashes between the two countries near Lachin Corridor on April 11, which left a total of seven soldiers dead — four Armenia soldiers and three Azerbaijani soldiers. There were also reports of at least eight soldiers left wounded during the clash. This has been the first major violence since  EU Civilian Monitors were deployed on the Armenian side of the Azerbaijan-Armenia border after violent clashes in September, reported Eurasianet.

Both countries’ Defense Ministries accused the other of provoking the latest skirmish.

In a separate development, Armenian security forces detained two Azerbaijani soldiers for crossing into Armenia. Official Baku said soldiers got lost due to inclement weather. On April 17, both soldiers were charged with illegal border crossing, smuggling, and illegal circulation of weapons and ammunition. Azerbaijani media reported that at least one of the arrested soldiers was tortured during his detainment. A video circulated online showing evidence that one of the soldiers was beaten. On April 18, according to reporting by the Armenian Service for Radio Liberty, charges against one of the soldiers were changed. The serviceman is accused of killing a security guard after crossing into Armenia. The new charges confirm earlier rumors that the soldier was responsible for the murder of the security guard. According to OC Media, in a video shared on social media, the soldier claimed to have “shed Armenian blood.” One member of the Armenian parliament speaking to Armenian Service for Radio Liberty, Narek Kahramanyan, said the arrested soldier confessed to the committed crime.

In January 2023, the International Crisis Group released a report sharing recommendations for how to avoid a third war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The authors of the report urged Brussels to “endow its new two-year civilian monitoring mission with adequate resources as well as flexible mandate to foster communication and cooperation between the parties. It [the mission] should seek Baku's cooperation for the mission, including cross-border access, and (if possible) let the mission's staff liaise with Russian border guards.” The April clashes signal the lack of progress thus far. Moscow, one of the stakeholders in the reconciliation efforts, was quick to blame Western interlocutors, alleging their involvement was stalling the peaceful resolution and destabilizing the process.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, voiced similar concerns in March during a Novruz holiday celebration statement. Aliyev lashed out at the mediators, accusing them of prolonging the conflict rather than helping to solve it.

In an interview with Politico, a senior official in the EU's diplomatic service said, on condition of anonymity, that things have not gone as planned for the civilian monitoring mission. “We were hoping for a different scenario with Baku,” said the official. Instead, the mission, which was deployed to Armenia's border with Azerbaijan in February 2023, has been discredited as an undercover “military intelligence operation,” and according to one news platform affiliated with the Azerbaijan state, the mission's goal was to “provoke Azerbaijan into a new war.”

But based on recent developments between the two countries, it is unlikely that the EU, or any outside parties, are responsible for the provocations.

In March 5, three Nagorno-Karabakh police officers and two Azerbaijani soldiers were killed as a result of clashes. On March 16, two civilians died in a landmine explosion in Aghdam, a region that was formerly under the control of Armenia but which came under Azerbaijan's control following the second Karabakh war. On March 22, the Armenian Defense Ministry said a soldier was killed on the border with Nakhchivan, just south of Yerevan. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense was quick to deny any involvement in the death of the soldier. It did, however, hold Armenia accountable for wounding one of its own soldiers on March 20.

Separately in December 2022, Azerbaijani citizens claiming to be environmental activists began blocking the Lachin Corridor, the sole land route connecting Armenia to the Karabakh region. The corridor remains blocked at the time of writing this article. On April 5, the so-called eco-activists prevented a group of local residents from entering Stepanakert (Khankendi in Azerbaijani). The government of Azerbaijani denies any involvement in the blockade, despite evidence that the so-called environmentalists are indeed supported by the government. However, Aliyev has praised the protestors.

Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of orchestrating the blockade, while authorities in Karabakh accuse Azerbaijan of forcing remaining Karabakh Armenians into submission. Lachin Corridor is supposedly under the protection of Russian peacekeepers who have been deployed in the territory since November 2020, following the Russia-brokered agreement signed between Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. They are also in charge of providing security for entry and exit points of the corridor. In a broader context, however, the role of some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers remains vague. The lack of clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and activities in the 2020 agreement is now becoming an issue. The blockade is a testament to that.

Official Baku has also criticized the Russian peacekeepers too, referring to them as “occupiers” and accusing them of harboring pro-Armenian sentiments.

In February, during the Munich Security Conference, leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan met for trilateral talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Ahead of the meeting in Munich, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that a peace plan was offered to Azerbaijan. Speaking to journalists in Munich, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said although there was progress based on the wording of the peace treaty, “it was not enough.” According to OC Media reporting, “three key issues remain undecided in Azerbaijan and Armenia’s peace agreement process: the demarcation of borders between the two countries, the opening of transport links, and the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenian population.” Last year, official Baku proposed its own five-point plan, which included pledges to recognize each country's territorial integrity, border demarcation, open transportation links between the two territories, and an agreement to abstain from threats.

In October last year, both leaders pledged to mutually recognize each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty at the European Political Community summit held in Prague. It was during the meeting in Prague that the two leaders agreed to a civilian EU mission alongside their common border.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan is determined to go after the man who burnt the national flag at the championship as well as those involved in the alleged torture of the arrested Azerbaijani soldier. According to reporting by Turan News Agency, the Prosecutor's Office in Baku launched a criminal investigation seeking punishment against all the perpetrators involved in the flag-burning incident. The Office is planning an appeal to the relevant bodies of foreign countries and international organizations to ensure accountability for crimes against the Azerbaijan citizen.

Separately on April 14, the Baku office of the International Committee for Red Cross said they were looking into arranging a visit for the two Azerbaijani soldiers arrested after crossing into Armenia.

https://globalvoices.org/2023/04/19/burnt-flags-border-clashes-and-prisoners-tensions-continue-to-escalate-in-armenia-and-azerbaijan/

Azerbaijani soldier who crossed into Armenia charged with murder

Kevo Kalantarian
 

ByAni AvetisyanandIsmi Aghayev

Armenia’s prosecutor’s office has charged one of two Azerbaijani soldiers captured in Armenia with murdering a security guard at the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Prosecutor General said that Huseyn Akhundov shot Hayrapet Meliksetyan, 56, on 12 April, stole his phone, and then recorded a video on that phone, later posting it on his social media. 

In the video, which spread on Armenian and Azerbaijani social media after Akhundov’s capture, the soldier says that he had ‘shed Armenian blood’, claiming to have ‘beheaded’ Armenians. 

The porescutor’s statement alleges that Akhundov also attempted to steal the guard’s car, but failed and continued by foot, adding that the soldier had planned to cross into Iran from Armenia. 

A day after the murder, Akhundov was detained near the village of Achanan, Syunik; about 25 kilometres from Shgharshik, where he allegedly killed Meliksetyan with several gunshots. 

[Read more: Second Azerbaijani soldier captured in Armenia]

On Tuesday, the Prosecutor’s Office amended the charges against the soldier, adding murder to the earlier charges of illegal border-crossing and illegally carrying weapons across the border. 

‘Deeply troubling’ footage

Huseyn Akhundov and Agshin Babirov were both detained within Armenia last week after entering the country from Azerbaijan’s autonomous exclave of Nakhchivan. Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry claimed that the soldiers had crossed the border earlier that week, after getting lost due to poor visibility. 

The soldiers were first seen in Syunik region, around 15 kilometres from the border with Nakhchivan, on 9 April. Agshin Babirov was captured by people from the village of Ashotavan the following day. 

Akhundov was found and detained on 14 April later near the village of Achanan, 40 kilometres from the border with Nakhchivan. At the time of Akhundov’s capture, local people claimed that he was responsible for the murder of Meliketsyan, but official statements underscored that this was not yet supported by evidence. 

The soldier’s civilian captors physically abused him and later posted footage of this on social media, drawing condemnation from Armenian and Azerbaijani commentators, as well as international organisations. 

On 17 April, the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the OSCE issued a statement describing the footage as ‘deeply troubling’ and calling for the incident to be investigated immediately. 

The same day, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, raised the issue of the Azerbaijani prisoners during a meeting with Louis Bono, the US Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations, and stressed the importance of their immediate release.


NYT: ‘Surge’ in electronic components sent to Russia via Armenia, Kazakhstan

Yeghisabet Vorskanian
The Kyiv Independent news desk

According to the New York Times, senior tax and trade officials from the U.S. and the European Union noticed a "surge" in chips and other electronic components sent to Russia that were "deemed as critical to the development of weapons, including Russian cruise missiles that have struck Ukraine."

The components are being sent to Russia through Armenia, Kazakhstan, and other countries, the New York Times reported on April 18.

Heavy sanctions were imposed on Russia following the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine to prevent such technology from being used on the battlefield.

The European Council announced on Feb. 25 its tenth package of sanctions against Russia, which included "further export bans on critical technology and industrial goods, such as electronics, specialized vehicles, machine parts, spare parts for trucks and jet engines, as well as goods for the construction sector, which can be directed to Russia's military, such as antennas or cranes."

However, electronic component sales through unofficial channels and Russian-allied nations make the official sale figures much lower than the total number of technology sent to Russia.

In late January 2023, a Dutch investigation revealed that millions of microchips made by Dutch companies had reportedly ended up in Russia since Feb. 24, 2022.

The investigation showed a “clear pattern” of a small group of Chinese companies obtaining Dutch chips and exporting them to Russia month after month.

The companies’ spokespeople denied wrongdoing and claimed they don’t do business with Russia, adding that even if their customers are not allowed to re-sell chips, they are powerless if chips end up in Russia through parallel trade.

On April 14, Reuters reported that Ukraine was allegedly finding more electronic components originating from China in Russian weapons recovered on the battlefield, citing a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky's office.


Washington needs a new approach on Nagorno-Karabakh

Tatoyan Vazgen
OPINION
by Michael Rubin
  11:06 AM

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s words on Tuesday were chilling. Forget integration. Forget diplomacy. He demanded Armenia declare, "Karabakh is Azerbaijan," or face the consequences. "Either they [Armenians] should accept Azerbaijani citizenship or find another place of residence," he said.

This is a call to transfer a millennia-old population. It is no accident that his words come as Armenians prepare to commemorate their previous genocide. Ethnic Armenians, meanwhile, refuse to place their security under Aliyev, given Azerbaijan’s record of pogroms, ethnic incitement, cultural denial, and destruction of centuries-old Armenian heritage.

Censuses dating back to the 19th and early 20th centuries, and physical and anecdotal evidence before that, show Nagorno-Karabakh to be historically Armenian. A century ago, Joseph Stalin transferred the mountainous region to Azerbaijan, however, as he sought to gerrymander the Caucasus to ensure ethnic identity was subordinate to the political and economic interests of the nascent Soviet Union. While, under the Soviet constitution, Nagorno-Karabakh’s secession from Azerbaijan was legal and its referendum in favor of the move overwhelming, the United States and the international community continue to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as belonging to Azerbaijan, even as they call for diplomacy to resolve the dispute.

Azerbaijan’s threats and Aliyev’s belittling of the Minsk Group diplomatic process undercut any legal basis for a State Department waiver to Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. That legislation ties American assistance to Azerbaijan to its commitment to resolve conflicts diplomatically. Behind the scenes, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has defied the law, arguing that Azerbaijan is too strategically important. On this, he lives in the past.

Just as Turkey coasted on its reputation as a pro-Western asset while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan eviscerated the country from the inside, so too is the reality of Azerbaijan today at sharp dissonance to its reputation in Washington. Simply put, the U.S. owes Azerbaijan nothing, given its recent efforts to launder both Iranian and Russian oil. Like Turkey, it plays both sides of the Ukraine and Iran matters and treats Blinken and key senators and representatives as useful idiots. On one issue, however, Aliyev is correct. Diplomacy has not worked. The reason is simple: It takes two sincere partners. Aliyev shows insincerity.

It is time for a new approach: The State Department’s recognition of Stalin’s cynical border adjustments today disincentivizes diplomacy. If Blinken wants Aliyev to negotiate sincerely, the State Department should rescind its recognition of Azerbaijani sovereignty and declare the entirety of Nagorno-Karabakh to be absent of the sovereignty of either Azerbaijan or Armenia pending the outcome of negotiations.

To do so would encourage both sides to negotiate sincerely. It would also ease international efforts to broker talks by lifting the de facto veto Azerbaijan exercises on access by American and European diplomats to the besieged communities in Nagorno-Karabakh. It would also benefit the local population by enabling mine clearance specialists from U.S.- and U.K.-funded groups such as HALO Trust to clear fields, roads, and villages, activities that Aliyev currently impedes.

Diplomats might additionally accommodate local feelings via a referendum and enable local travel through the issuance of temporary travel papers, such as the United Nations once provided to Palestinian refugees. To ensure that Azerbaijan does not simply seek to conduct a military fait accompli, such revocation of recognition of Azerbaijan’s should coincide with the deployment of European, perhaps neutral Scandinavian, peacekeepers in the territory.

Aliyev has rejected the Minsk Group. For diplomacy to succeed, Blinken must bury Stalin’s legacy. It is time to negotiate Nagorno-Karabakh’s sovereignty based not on the whims of a Soviet dictator but on the democratic and cultural aspirations of its people.

Michael Rubin (@mrubin1971) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential. He is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

 

Armenpress: Wrestler Arsen Harutyunyan becomes three-time champion of the European Championship

Vatche Chakhmakhchian

Save

Share

 20:40,

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. Arsen Harutyunyan, a member of the Armenian freestyle wrestling team, became a three-time champion of the European Championship.

ARMENPRESS reports, 61 kg Arsen Harutyunyan competed with Albania's Zalimkhan Abakarov at the European Freestyle Wrestling Championship in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. The Armenian wrestler won with a score of 5:2.

Arsen Harutyunyan became the champion of the European Championship in 2019 and 2022. He is a participant of the Tokyo Olympics, a two-time bronze medalist of the World Championship.

Earlier, Vazgen Tevanyan became the gold medalist of the European Championship in the 65 kg weight category.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 04/19/2023

Jhanna Virabian 
                                        Wednesday, 


Karabakh Leaders Again Hit Out At Pashinian


Nagorno-Karabakh - Karabakh Armenians demonstrate in Stepanakert against 
Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin corridor, December 25, 2022.


Nagorno-Karabakh’s leading political factions on Wednesday denounced Prime 
Minister Nikol Pashinian’s latest comments on the conflict with Azerbaijan, 
saying that they are “consistent with the position of official Baku.”

Speaking in the Armenian parliament on Tuesday, Pashinian made clear that his 
administration unequivocally recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. He 
also said he is ready to sign an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal that would 
commit the two South Caucasus states to recognizing each other’s Soviet-era 
borders.

Armenian opposition leaders portrayed this as further proof of their claims that 
Pashinian is helping Baku regain full control over Karabakh.

In a joint statement, the five political groups represented in the Karabakh 
parliament described Pashinian’s remarks as “unacceptable” and again accused him 
of undermining the Karabakh Armenians’ right to self-determination which was for 
decades supported by international mediators.

“Thus, Armenia’s ruling circles separate the issue of the Artsakh people’s 
security from their right to self-determination, ignoring the decisive nature of 
the latter, something which is consistent with the position of official Baku,” 
they said.

They again urged Pashinian to comply with a 1992 parliamentary act that banned 
Armenia’s governments from signing any document that would recognize Azerbaijani 
sovereignty over Karabakh. Azerbaijani rule in Karabakh would have “devastating” 
consequences for Armenia as well, added their statement.

Karabakh leaders have repeatedly criticized Pashinian ever since he signaled in 
April 2022 his readiness to “lower the bar” on Karabakh’s status acceptable to 
Armenia. Pashinian and his entourage also stopped making references to 
Karabakh’s self-determination in their public statements.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev demanded on Tuesday that Yerevan go farther 
and officially declare that “Karabakh is Azerbaijan.” He also said that the 
Karabakh Armenians must accept Azerbaijani rule or leave their region.

The Karabakh factions said Aliyev’s threats show that Baku is carrying on with 
its “genocidal actions” against Karabakh. They called on the international 
community to take “concrete measures” to end the four-month Azerbaijani blockade 
of the Lachin corridor.




Families Keep Up Protests Over Soldiers’ Deaths

        • Anush Mkrtchian

Armenia - A makeshift military barracks in Gegharkunik region destroyed by fire, 
January 19, 2023.


The parents of Armenian soldiers found dead at their military barracks in 
January blocked a major highway late on Tuesday as they continued to accuse 
authorities of trying to cover up the shock deaths.

The charred bodies of 15 conscripts were recovered after a major fire destroyed 
their makeshift barracks located in Azat, a village in Armenia’s eastern 
Gegharkunik province. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Defense Minister Suren 
Papikian said hours later that the fire was sparked by an officer who poured 
gasoline into a woodstove in breach of the military’s fire-safety rules.

The officer, Captain Yeghishe Hakobian, suffered serious burns and was 
hospitalized before being indicted and placed under arrest last month. Two 
other, more high-ranking officers were also arrested. They are accused of 
failing to enforce the safety rules at the barracks.

The families of the vast majority of the victims distrust the criminal 
investigation into what was one of the deadliest ever non-combat incidents 
registered in the Armenian army ranks. They believe that their sons were either 
dead or unconscious when the fire erupted at the village house turned into 
barracks.

The parents blocked traffic through the Yerevan-Sevan highway for a few hours 
after attending more forensic actions carried out by investigators in Azat. They 
demanded a meeting with Pashinian and Papikian.

“For three months, the parents have been trying in vain to meet with the prime 
minister or the defense minister,” their lawyer, Norayr Norikian, said on 
Wednesday.

“What happened before the fire? We don’t have an answer to this question,” 
Norikian said.

Armenia -- Sedrak Gharibian speaks to RFE/RL, .

“Our desire is to find out the truth. We don’t want anything else from them,” 
said Sedrak Gharibian, whose son Taron died just three weeks before his planned 
demobilization.

“But they won’t tell us,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “This means that 
they have some secret.”

Pashinian has stood by the official version of the deaths, denying a cover-up. 
Gegharkunik Governor Karen Sargsian said later on Wednesday that the prime 
minister will not meet the soldiers’ parents until the ongoing investigation is 
complete.




Yerevan Blasts Aliyev’s ‘Hate Speech’

        • Astghik Bedevian

Armenia - The building of the Armenian Foreign Ministry.


The Armenian government condemned Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on 
Wednesday for again telling Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian population to 
accept Azerbaijani rule or leave the region.

In televised remarks aired on Tuesday, Aliyev reiterated that Baku will not hold 
any internationally mediated talks with the Karabakh Armenians. “The separatists 
must realize that they have two options: either they will live under Azerbaijani 
rule or leave,” he said.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry said the “hate speech” highlights Aliyev’s 
“intention to subject Nagorno-Karabakh’s population to ethnic cleansing.” It 
accused him of breaking a pledge to agree to an “international mechanism for 
addressing the Nagorno-Karabakh people’s rights and security guarantees.”

“Instead of looking for sustainable and lasting solutions to problems that have 
accumulated in the region for years, Azerbaijan is trying to advance its 
maximalist ambitions through the use of force and threats of force,” the 
ministry said in a statement.

The statement referred to Aliyev’s latest threats of fresh military action 
against Armenia also voiced on Tuesday. But it did not react to his demands that 
Yerevan officially declare that “Karabakh is Azerbaijan.”

Speaking in the Armenian parliament earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian made clear that his administration unequivocally recognizes 
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. Pashinian’s political opponents said this is 
tantamount to recognizing Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh.

Armen Khachatrian, a senior lawmaker representing Pashinian’s Civil Contract 
party, denounced Aliyev’s “unbridled” statement on Wednesday.

“It’s not Aliyev who can tell us what to do and how to do,” he told reporters. 
“Aliyev needs to realize that he cannot solve any issue by force.”

But Khachatrian did not say whether or not Pashinian will agree to explicitly 
recognize Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan.

As recently as on March 30, Pashinian urged Karabakh’s leadership to negotiate 
with Azerbaijan while accusing Baku of planning to commit “genocide” in Karabakh 
amid its continuing blockade of the Lachin corridor.

Pashinian sparked angry opposition protests in Yerevan last year when he 
signaled readiness to “lower the bar” on Karabakh’s status acceptable to 
Armenia. He and other Armenian officials also stopped making references to the 
Karabakh Armenians’ right to self-determination in their public statements.


Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Israeli Press: Opinion: Tehran set to exploit Armenia-Azerbaijan escalation

Diana Dabaghian
i24, Israel

Ariel Kogan, Political analyst

Iran has the capabilities and motive to turn any conflict with Azerbaijan into a proving ground of military developments which would be used against Israel

Russian aggression in Ukraine has been a proving ground for Iranian weapons manufacturers, but it is not enough for Tehran, which needs to test its drones against Israeli military technologies.

Last week, a routine patrol on the border of Azerbaijan and Armenia led to a firefight between Armenian and Azerbaijani military personnel, which quickly devolved into a battle, with both sides rushing in heavier ordnance. Curiously enough, on the same day, just a few minutes before news of the border conflict had spread, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards-affiliated Telegram channel Sepah Pasdaran published death threats against Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. 

Moreover, at the same time, Iranian drones took off in the northwestern part of the Islamic Republic to allegedly conduct “reconnaissance missions near the border with Azerbaijan and Armenia,” as if expecting some incident to occur.

Yet, the Iranian military was not the only one to utilize Iranian-made drones. With the incident escalating rapidly, the Armenian side was quick to deploy its own arsenal of Iranian-made UAVs against their opponents, who, in part, operate Israeli-made weapons. 

Was this incident truly a simple escalation of border tensions, or was there another entity pulling the strings, with a lot to gain from a potential rematch between Armenia and Azerbaijan?

According to The Wall Street Journal, Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) commander General Esmail Qaani met with the leaders of Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Gaza’s Hamas in recent weeks to coordinate strikes against Israel. The two terror organizations are known recipients of Iranian arms. However, with the latest flare-up between Armenia and Azerbaijan, there seemed to be another step in the preparations of Tehran to annihilate the Jewish state. 

Days after the border flare-up, the Iranian army released an official statement claiming that the countdown to Israel’s destruction has begun. Following up on the IRGC’s modus operandi, to destroy Israel, two things must be ensured: a readily available army of proxies to do the deed, using a steady supply of advanced and updated military equipment.

So far, the meetings between Qaani and the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah secured the proxy condition. However, Tehran is well aware that Israeli weapons and military technologies are highly advanced, and therefore, has been looking for a way to test and evaluate their capabilities without risking open conflict against Jerusalem.

Luckily for Iran, one of its neighbors has in its arsenal plenty of Israeli arms but does not pose the military threat that Israel does. The Mullah regime certainly has the motive and will to instigate conflict between their ally, Armenia, and their Israeli-aligned neighbor, Azerbaijan.

Reported Armenian usage of Iranian drones may prove valuable to Iran by allowing someone else to test its technology against the Israeli counterpart without the risk of Iranian casualties. It is certainly not far from the realm of possibility considering several reports throughout the previous months indicating that the IRGC has been transporting and smuggling militants and weaponry into the separatist enclave of Karabakh, populated by Armenians in the recognized territory of Azerbaijan.

Additionally, as part of the ceasefire agreement to end the 2020 Karabakh war, Armenia was to allow the construction of a corridor on its southern border with Iran, allowing Azerbaijan to bridge its exclave of Nakhchivan with the mainland. Naturally, Iran opposed the project vehemently and has been outspoken about the issue with a multitude of threats of military intervention on the side of Armenia if any progress toward such a corridor would be made.

Let it also be remembered that last month, two official IRGC Telegram channels posted direct threats of a military attack, indicating that the intentions of Baku – puppeteered by the “Zionist regime” – were “for a hostile action against Armenia.”  

Once again, this proves Iran has the capabilities and motive to instigate a conflict with Azerbaijan and to turn it into a proving ground for any new Iranian military developments which would be used to target Israel.

According to Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Iran is actively waging a war of attrition against Israel on all fronts. However, the Israeli military stands ready to act in all arenas to ensure the security of the Jewish state. In this tumultuous time, it is imperative to stand united against any foreign security threats and essential to stand by the countries we can call allies and friends, such as Azerbaijan, in its own struggle with Iran.

“We deceived ourselves” – Pashinyan on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh

Rose Khoyetsian
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Pashinyan on peace treaty with Azerbaijan

“The signing of a peace treaty with Azerbaijan will become realistic if the two countries without ambiguity recognize each other’s territorial integrity and undertake not to advance territorial claims to each other either today or ever in the future,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said, introducing to parliament a report on the implementation of the government’s 2022 program.

JAMnews presents those parts of Pashinyan’s speech that dealing with Armenia’s relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey, and the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.

  • EU monitors tell Baku which section of Armenia’s border will be monitored
  • Scandal in Yerevan: Azerbaijani national team refused to participate in the European Championship
  • Criticism of Russia and the CSTO by the Armenian authorities

The Prime Minister said that, despite all the difficulties, Armenia has “the necessary optimism to talk about the future of the country, to build this future.” According to Pashinyan, the government bears “an exceptional responsibility” especially to those who doubt this possibility, and responsibility to the people can be expressed, in his opinion, only in establishing peace in the region, regulating relations with neighbors, in particular with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Pashinyan said how realistic and feasible this is has several factors:

“First, the question arises to what extent the actions and policies of Azerbaijan will be oriented towards peace, since the world is not built alone. Second, and this is especially important after the 44-day war, if compromises are reached at the political and diplomatic level, how acceptable will these compromises be for the citizens of Armenia. And how much will citizens allow the practical fulfillment of these compromises, sometimes painful decisions?

Pashinyan did not specify what kind of compromises and painful decisions he was talking about.

He only stressed that the government should explain to citizens what happened and what is happening around Armenia: “When they understand this, they will accept it.”

Second Azerbaijani arrested in the case of two soldiers who strayed into the territory of Armenia in an apparent desertion

According to Pashinyan, peace is possible if Armenia strictly adheres to the following two provisions in its international relations “today and in the future”:

  • The Republic of Armenia recognizes its territory of 29,800 square kilometers, namely the territory of the Armenian SSR, on which it gained independence in 1991;
  • The RA has no territorial claims to any other country and never will.

He says that otherwise no one will come to terms with the fact that “we are developing in order to direct this development and strength against others – to expand the territories of our country.”

“Moreover, in this case, the agenda of other [countries] will include the issue of not only preventing our development, but even preventing the existence of our state. And in this situation, no one will help us,” Pashinyan said.

He again stressed the need to create international mechanisms to guarantee the observance of a possible peace agreement with Azerbaijan, as otherwise, the day after signing the agreement, “a war may break out or a new escalation may occur.” He also stressed the necessity of mechanisms for resolving disputes between the parties:

“If the parties fail to resolve the problems associated with the interpretation of the text of the agreement through direct negotiations, there should be an instance that will do this and the decision of which will be binding on the parties.”

Political scientist Gurgen Simonyan believes that “Azerbaijan undertook hostilities near the village of Tegh yesterday based on its aggressive policy.”

“After the 44-day war in Karabakh, Azerbaijan is in a state of euphoria and intends to take as much or everything as possible. This perception of Baku is fueled by the international situation,” Pashinyan said.

According to him, Azerbaijan is becoming or has become an energy and logistics crossroads, and its importance has increased both for Russia and for some Western countries. He believes that regional stability and peace can become the basis for a consensus between the West and Russia:

“If our region explodes again, at least in terms of energy, this could be a problem for both Russia and the West, with consequences of a different plan stemming from energy.”

He stated that he considers it realistic to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. For this, in his opinion, it is necessary that both countries recognize the territorial integrity of each other and undertake not to present territorial claims to each other. Pashinyan recalled that he and Aliyev agreed on this last year in Prague, and then in Sochi:

“I want to confirm that the Republic of Armenia fully recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and we expect Azerbaijan to do the same by recognizing the entire territory of the Armenian SSR as the Republic of Armenia.”

He denied claims from Baku that Armenia refuses to recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan during discussions on the text of the peace agreement:

“We can prove it. We ourselves proposed to attach maps of the Armenian and Azerbaijan SSR approved by the USSR to the treaty as the basis for the territorial integrity of the two countries.”

Dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan – An Armenian social activist discusses his determination to foster dialogue between the two nations

Pashinyan announced that during the negotiations on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the principle of territorial integrity and the principle of self-determination were put side by side. He says that in this way realities were fixed that “we did not recognize, but, regardless of our recognition, they existed.”

The prime minister explained his idea as follows:

“The question was raised about the revision of the conditional status “A” of the beneficiary’s right to self-determination, which in theory could mean the revision of this status, and not its change or transformation into conditional status “B”, “A + 1” or “A-1”. And this happened without fixing the existing status “A”. If you raise the question of self-determination, then you are part of something, if you are not part of something, then either you have already determined, or you do not need self-determination.“

The Prime Minister came to the conclusion that the Armenian side “not only created, but also cemented” this reality with its own hands, after which it stated that it wants the status “B” for Nagorno-Karabakh, without publicly accepting the status “A”.

“We have deceived ourselves, the people of Armenia and the people of Nagorno-Karabakh by this. I say this not to blame anyone, but to say that until we recognize this obvious fact and reality, we will never have peace. Never”.

He once again stressed the importance of creating an international mechanism for negotiations and dialogue between Azerbaijan and the unrecognized NKR as a tool for ensuring the rights and security of Armenians.

President of the French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes intends to help NK with an humanitarian convoy

According to Pashinyan, an open border with Turkey will serve as the basis for development of “normal good neighborly relations.”

The Prime Minister believes that the probability has increased due to “supra-political, over-diplomatic factors.” He recalled that after the earthquake in Turkey in early February, Yerevan sent humanitarian aid and a rescue team from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and the Armenian Foreign Minister went on a visit to Ankara.

“Dozens of Armenian flags flying in front of the Turkish Foreign Ministry are not only a ceremonial attribute, but also an amazing confirmation that hope can arise where despair reigns.”

Nikol Pashinyan wants to see the agreement on opening the border to third-country nationals and holders of diplomatic passports happen in the coming months:

“Of course, this may not happen if the new ideas and impressions that have arisen under the influence of humanitarian and good-neighbourly values eventually cool down and fade away, if their influence on political and diplomatic decisions becomes zero. But I hope that doesn’t happen.”


EU monitors tell Baku which section of Armenia’s border will be monitored

Boris Nahapetian
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

EU monitors in touch with Baku

“We inform Baku about our plans a week in advance so they know where we are and what we are doing. This is also done to prevent misunderstandings and incidents,” Markus Ritter, head of the EU monitoring mission monitoring the Armenian–Azerbaijani border, said in an interview with the Swedish edition of Blankspot. He also said the information is transmitted to Azerbaijan through the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Toivo Klaar.

After the fighting near the border village of Tekh in Armenia, some wondered whether the incident was observed by the EU mission monitoring the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and what practical steps might be expected of them. In response, the EU diplomatic service said that on the morning of April 11 the monitors “carried out another patrol” near the villages of Tekh and Kornidzor, but were not in this area when the incident occurred. They learned about the shooting in the evening from the Armenian authorities.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated that the observers have the necessary information and, according to the reporting mechanism, will report the situation to the EU Foreign Service.

On April 11, a tense situation arose near the village of Tekh in the Syunik region of Armenia. At the end of March, in the same area, the Azerbaijani armed forces improved their positions, moving 100-300 meters deep from the borders of Armenia. From these improved positions, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire on the Armenian servicemen who were carrying out engineering work.

The Armenian Defense Ministry reported 4 dead and 6 woundedwhile assuring that “as a result of the Azerbaijani provocation, the Armenian side has no positional losses.” In connection with this incident, the EU Foreign Service called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to “intensify negotiations on the delimitation of the border.”

  • “We cannot intervene”: head of EU mission on a possible offensive by Azerbaijani Armed Forces
  • Second Azerbaijani soldier who crossed Armenian border found
  • Two Azerbaijani soldiers find themselves on the territory of Armenia

A journalist from the Swedish edition of Blankspot met with Markus Ritter in the Armenian city of Yeghegnadzor, where the mission is headquartered. Ritter recalled that it was originally planned to place observers in Azerbaijan, but Baku refused to accept them.

Ritter announced that the mission is cooperating with Azerbaijan, reporting a week in advance when and in what areas patrols will be carried out. Toivo Klaar clarified that the schedule is transmitted to Baku only a couple of days before the start of each week, and not a whole week.

EU observers arrived in Armenia at the end of February this year with a long-term two-year mission. It consists of 100 people — 50 observers and 50 administrative staff. The purpose of the mission is to promote stability in the border areas of Armenia, build confidence on the ground and create favorable conditions for the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Political scientist Gurgen Simonyan believes that “Azerbaijan undertook hostilities near the village of Tegh yesterday based on its aggressive policy.”

Political observer Hakob Badalyan finds it difficult to say whether the requirement of Azerbaijan is to provide information about the work of the mission. He recalls that the agreement on the deployment of the EU civil mission on the Armenian side of the border was reached on October 6 in Prague during the talks between the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, France and the head of the European Council, and Baku agreed to cooperate with the mission only “to the extent that it will concern him.”

“It is clear that at least the coordination of work and communication with Azerbaijan was an inevitable circumstance of the work of the mission on the border of Armenia. First of all, because the EU with its monitoring mission has absolutely no intention of becoming a supporter, assisting any side of the conflict,” he told JAMnews.

According to Badalyan, the mission was carried out with the tacit consent of Azerbaijan on the condition that it would not create problems for Baku. It is possible that Azerbaijan, in turn, has an agreement not to create problems for the EU mission.

“If there is such an agreement, it is not being respected, to put it mildly. The incident in the village of Tekh is under the responsibility of the EU monitoring mission. And we need to wait for what assessment they will make on this matter.“

Badalyan thinks that a coordinated dialogue is underway between Azerbaijan and the European Union, but it has been established not only because of energy resources. He says that Baku is also a channel of communication with Iran, Russia and Central Asia, saying that there are secondary circumstances.

According to Badalyan, it is wrong to think that Armenia can offer the EU anything that “will lead to the rejection of relations or agreements with Azerbaijan” and replacing them with agreements with Armenia.

But he considers it necessary to work with the European Union on the agenda of democratic reforms, including within the framework of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. He believes that in this way Armenia should try to maximize its viability, competitiveness, economic and political weight and thereby balance the EU cooperation with Baku.

He also believes that Armenia can use its achievements in terms of democratization of the country as an argument to attract other players:

“As centers that have assumed responsibility for regulating international relations and for systems of values, they must remain true to this responsibility specifically and directly in the issue of resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.”


AW: Armenian Cultural Foundation to host art exhibition by Ani Babaian

Emil Lazarian
 Guest Contributor Art, Announcements 0

ARLINGTON, Mass. – On Saturday, May 13th at 4 p.m., the Armenian Cultural Foundation (ACF) will host the opening reception of a solo exhibition titled “Soaring,” featuring the latest works of Ani Babaian. 

Babaian dedicates “Soaring” to her late parents, who inspired, encouraged and provided a rich background for her creative life. The exhibition features a series of works, including “Untold Stories of Grandma’s Quilt,” “More than Words” and “Legacy.”

“I am thrilled to share my latest works, defined by my identity, thoughts, personal experiences and the beauty around me with art lovers,” said Babaian. “I hope viewers will find meaning and inspiration in my art. I have always believed that art has the power to connect people, and I am excited to connect with the audience through this exhibition.”

Babaian is an independent researcher, artist and art conservator who holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Alzahra University in Tehran. She is a fine arts painter who has exhibited her works in Iran (Isfahan, Tehran), Armenia (Yerevan) and the United States in Massachusetts (Lowell, Lexington, Watertown), New Jersey and New York.

“Soaring” is Babaian’s third solo exhibition, following her first solo exhibition of paintings in Gallery Classic of Isfahan in 2008 and her second exhibition titled “The Spectrum of a Legacy” at the Adele and Haig Der Manuelian Galleries of the Armenian Museum of America in 2016.

Babaian has worked on numerous conservation projects, including the murals at the historic 17th century St. Amenaprkich Vank (Holy Savior Cathedral) in New Julfa, Isfahan, murals painting in the Museum of Decorative Arts of Isfahan, paintings of Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston, and others. She is the curator of the Mardigian Library of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), where she has worked since 2013.

The exhibition will be on view from May 13th to May 26th, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and weekends from 1 to 4 p.m. at the ACF, located at 441 Mystic Street in Arlington, MA. 

The exhibition is free and open to the public.