Month: May 2021

Azerbaijan-Armenia tensions rise again

Hovik Karapetian
Yahoo! News – Source: AAP, Australia
, 2:38 pm

Azerbaijan has launched an extensive military exercise amid mounting tensions with neighbouring Armenia.

Up to 15,000 soldiers as well as 300 tanks and other military vehicles are involved in the exercises which will last several days, the defence ministry announced on Sunday.

The military will also deploy 400 different missile and artillery systems, the ministry said while rejecting as "completely unfounded" accusations made by Armenia over border violations.

Armenia earlier said that Azerbaijani troops had occupied high ground in the southern region of Syunik, which Armenia considers its own territory, calling the move an "absolutely unacceptable interference" on sovereign territories of the country.

Azerbaijan said the troops were to secure the border with its western neighbour in the high mountain area after an "improvement in weather conditions".

On the weekend, Armenia threatened to react with "measures" if the Azerbaijani troops did not withdraw.

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell called on both sides to hold back and to de-escalate the situation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called on both countries to adhere to the ceasefire agreed in November.

In the most recent fighting in the South Caucasus that lasted from September 27 to November 9, Azerbaijan reclaimed large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory it had lost in the early 1990s.

More than 6000 people died in the clashes.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/azerbaijan-armenia-tensions-rise-again-113853992.html

Goris town intellectuals call on Armenian authorities to show more serious approach

Elizabeth Jabejian
News.am, Armenia
13:05, 16.05.2021

Goris town intellectuals have called on Armenian authorities to show more serious approach.

"We declare once again that no cheap show by the authorities can divert the attention of the residents of Goris from the explosive situation that has arisen," they noted.

"We are fairly well aware of the whereabouts of the Turks, and once again we call on the authorities to be serious.

We remind you that the community of Goris is waiting for a worthy completion of the negotiation process.

We confirm that the entire responsibility for the current situation lies with the criminal inaction of the current authorities."

  https://news.am/eng/news/643945.html  

Why we should never forget the Pontian Genocide of 1919

Samvel Nahapetian
Neos Kosmos

Photos: Kostas Deves & Mary Sinanidis

1:57pm

More than 100 years from the Genocide of the Greeks of Pontus, yet the memory of lost homelands and the pain burn still in the hearts of the Pontian’s around the world.

Every year, the Greek community of Australia remembers the persecuted Christian populations of Pontus, Asia Minor and Eastern Thrace, paying tribute with a series of commemorative events organised by the coordinating committee of the Pontian Society of Melbourne.

Honouring the dark anniversary of 19 May, the day Mustafa Kemal Ataturk landed in Samsun back in 1919, a Commemorative Service took place at St Eustathios (221 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne) at 11am, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at 12.15pm at the Domain, between Birdwood Avenue and Government Drive.

“The month of May, personally for me, is a time when feelings are more vivid and memories are more intense as I recall stories told by my grandfather about the loss of his father and forced exile of his family from Pontus to Russia to be saved from slaughter,” Roma Siachos, Secretary of Pontian Community of Melbourne and Chairman of the Coordinating Committee of Pontian Associations of Melbourne, told Neos Kosmos.

“Whether we were born in Pontus, or as descendants of the Pontian Greeks that came from the depths of Pontus whose history covers millennia of the civilisations residing across the Black Sea, we aspire not to create a climate of hatred but to never forget the Genocide of the Peoples so that similar events can never happen again in the future.”

Meanwhile, the General Consul of Greece Mr Emmanuel Kakavelakis stressed that this is not a day of celebration but a day of mourning.

Commemorative events:

  • Sunday, 16 May (today) 
    Kostas Pataridis will present a talk, titled “Renaissance of the Greek Nation and the forgotten ones”, at 4pm at the Municipality of Moreland (90 Bell Street, Coburg)
  • Monday, 17 May
    Service for lives lost during the Genocide at Axion Esti Monastery (7 Harlington Street Northcote) at 7pm.
  • Wednesday, 19 May
    Professor Thomas Savvidis will give a lecture, titled “Memory of Pontian Greek Genocide 1913-1922” at the Greek Centre (168 Lonsdale Street).
  • Sunday, 30 May
    A walk to remember the Genocide at Kokoda Memorial Archway, with a gathering next to the Carpark at Dandenong Ranges national Park, Melbourne.

*Dedicated commemorative events will be held through to October.

ANCA-WR and UCLA’s Promise Institute to Co-Host Panel Discussion

Lara Antonian



ANCA-WR an UCLA’s Promise Institute will co-host a panel on May 16

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region and The Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA School of Law will co-host a panel discussion on Sunday, May 16 at 5 p.m. (Pacific) titled “The Armenian Genocide: Truth, Recognition and Opportunities.”

Moderated by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times, esteemed panelists include U.S. Congressman David Valdao (R-CA-21); Dr. Eric Esrailian, Philanthropist and Emmy Nominated Filmmaker; Dr. Bedross Der Matossian, Professor of History at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; and Michelle Gulino, International Legal Associate at the Human Rights Foundation.

The panel will be discussing the long road to U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the future of U.S.-Turkey relations, and the implications of the announcement on human rights atrocities all over the world from China to Ethiopia.

Register for the event, please visit: www.ancawr.org/webinar

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.

The Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA School of Law is the center of human rights education, research and advocacy at UCLA and around the region.

Asbarez: Armenia Asks Russia for Assistance

Raffi Khondkarian



Azerbaijani forces have entered the Sev Lidj (Black Lake) region of Syunik

As the standoff in Syunik continued after Azerbaijani forces breached Armenia’s border and advanced into its sovereign territory, Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Friday officially asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for assistance.

Pashinyan, speaking at an emergency session of parliament, said he invoked the 1997 Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. A similar appeal by Pashinyan to Putin during last fall’s Artsakh War did not yield the anticipated assistance and instead resulted in the signing of the November 9 agreement, which halted military actions in Karabakh, but forced the surrender of territories in Artsakh and Armenia to Azerbaijan.

On Wednesday, Azerbaijani troops breached Armenia’s border and advance 3.5 kilometers into the Sev Lidj (Black Lake) region of Syunik. The lake, which is a manmade reservoir, is main water supply for the residents of the region. On Thursday, as the standoff intensified, Azerbaijani forces continued their advance in other directions in Syunik, as well as near the city of Vardenis in the Gegharkunik Province.

While there have been no shots fired, the situation has escalated an already tense situation on the Armenian border.

“I have appealed to President Putin for assistance to Armenia including military, after Azerbaijan failed to withdraw an estimated 250 troops from the southern Armenian province of Syunik,” Pashinyan told lawmakers on Friday, adding the representatives of the Russian military base in Gyumri were also involved in ongoing negotiations, which are expected to resume on Saturday.

“Representatives of the 102nd Russian base joined the negotiations with the Azerbaijani side and presented working maps. According to these documents, the territory invaded by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces is in the CSTO zone,” Pashinyan said, referring to the Russia-led security pact, of which Armenia is a member.

Meanwhile Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who was in Baku on Tuesday, one day before the Azerbaijani incursion into Armenia spoke to his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhum Bayramov on Thursday.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two leaders discussed the “escalation of the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border,” with Lavrov stressing the need for both sides to comply with the provisions of the November 9 agreement.

Lavrov reportedly called for “resolving all such incidents solely through political and diplomatic means,” the Russian foreign ministry statement said.

Armenia’s Defense Ministry on Friday confirmed that further talks for a “peaceful” resolution of the border situation were scheduled for Saturday, adding that the Azerbaijani forces still remain on Armenia’s territory.

“The Armenian side has presented its clear demand to the Azerbaijani military to return to the positions without any preconditions,” the Defense Ministry said in its statement.

Situation on Armenian borders unchanged, new round of talks with Azerbaijani side expected on Sunday

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia
     

The situation on Armenia’s borders remains unchanged after a new round of negotiations with the Azerbaijani side.

Azerbaijan’s armed forces crossed the state border of the Republic of Armenia and advanced 3.5 kilometers in Sev Lich (Black Lake) section in Syunik province. in an attempt to surround and siege the lake. On Thursday the Ministry of Defense reported provocations in the Vardenis and Sisisan sections.

“The Armenian side has once again presented its clear demand to the representatives of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces to avoid further aggravation of the situation, to avoid unpredictable consequences, to leave the sovereign territories of the Republic of Armenia without any preconditions, to return to their starting positions,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

As a result of the discussions, an agreement was reached to continue the negotiations tomorrow, on May 16, at 14:00.

No change in the situation has been registered in all three directions, where the Azerbaijani military tried to advance its positions.

Representatives of Azerbaijani Armed Forces had to leave some territories on Friday as a result of actions taken by Armenian subdivisions

The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia emphasize the need for a peaceful settlement of the situation, but once again declare that encroachments on the sovereign territories of Armenia are absolutely unacceptable.

Armenia expects equivalent response from CSTO member states in sidelines of allied commitments

Emil Karabekian
Aysor, Armenia

Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan had today phone conversation with Tajik counterpart Nasrullo Makhmudzoda, Grigoryan wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

He reported that he briefed the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border taking into consideration the recent events and the circumstance of applying to the CSTO by Armenia.

“I have attached significance to the role of the CSTO in the issue, alongside, I particularly outlined the position of Tajikistan as current presiding country in the CSTO, stressing that the created situation is unprecedented for the CSTO and in this regard is a special trial and image issue for itas international security structure,” Grigoryan wrote.

The Security Council Secretary stressed that Armenia considers the situation as encroachment on its sovereignty and territorial integrity and expects equivalent response of the CSTO member states in the sidelines of allied commitments.

The interlocutors also discussed the issues on the toolkits envisaged by the CSTO charters and documents and possible variants of response.

Nasrullo Makhmudzoda emphasized the applying of all possible mechanisms for the soonest solution of the issue, expressing readiness to support in the sidelines of the CSTO, as representative of presiding country, to the peaceful and expedient settlement of the issue.

“In the context of created situation we highlighted the session of the CSTO council of foreign ministers to be conducted in Dushanbe in upcoming days,” Grigoryan wrote.

Turkish Press:EU calls on Azerbaijan, Armenia to reduce tension over borders

Garnik Tadevosian
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Ömer Tuğrul Çam   | 15.05.2021
BRUSSELS

The European Union urged Azerbaijan and Armenia on Friday to moderation regarding tensions concerning setting borders. 

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he called on both sides to show maximum moderation and reduce tensions during telephone calls with Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Armenian counterpart Ara Aivazian.

He said the borders must be set through negotiations and that the EU welcomes technical talks between the parties.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claimed some regions settled by the Azerbaijani army and decided to make an application to the Collective Security Treaty Organization — a military alliance comprised of former Soviet states.

* Writing by Dilan Pamuk in Ankara

Talks with Azerbaijan on border situation to resume on May 16 – Armenia’s Defense Ministry

Alex Nanijanian
TASS, Russia
The Armenian side "yet again firmly asked the Azerbaijani Armed Forces to leave the sovereign territory of the country"

YEREVAN, May 15. /TASS/. Talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the border situation have not produced results and will continue on May 16, the Armenian Defense Ministry reported on Saturday.

"The Armenian side yet again firmly asked the Azerbaijani Armed Forces to leave the sovereign territory of the country and return to the initial positions without any preconditions in order to avoid the further aggravation of the situation and unpredictable consequences," the statement said.

On Wednesday, the Armenian Defense Ministry announced that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces attempted to carry out "certain operations" in the Syunik Region in a bid to "redefine the border." The Azerbaijani forces ceased their activities after the Armenian Armed Forces took measures in response. Negotiations are underway in order to sort out the situation. Pashinyan stated that the Azeri forces had crossed the Armenian border and moved 3.5 kilometers deep into its territory. He branded the incident as an attempt against Armenia’s sovereignty.

Following the end of military action in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone last fall, when seven regions adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh came under Azerbaijan’s control, the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan moved to the immediate vicinity of the Syunik Region.

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, 2020, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. On November 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from November 10. The Russian leader said the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides would maintain the positions that they had held and Russian peacekeepers would be deployed to the region.

Sports: Armenia junior boxing team wins third place at championship in Kharkov

Albert Nalbandian
News.am, Armenia

The Armenia junior boxing team has returned from Kharkov to Armenia after winning third place at the international team tournament, as reported on the Facebook page of the Armenian Boxing Federation.

Among the successful boxers were Davit Safaryan (46 kg category), Arman Miskaryan (57 kg category) and Narek Nersisyan (57 category) and Suren Arakelyan (70 kg category). They won 3 of the 4 duels.