Month: November 2023

The New York Public Library dedicates Center for Research in the Humanities to former President Vartan Gregorian

Vanyan Gary
 Guest Contributor Community News, Diaspora 0

Dr. Vartan Gregorian (Photo by Bernard Gotfryd, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division)

NEW YORK—The New York Public Library (NYPL) announced on November 16 that it has officially dedicated its Center for Research in the Humanities in honor of former NYPL President Vartan Gregorian, whose extraordinary leadership revitalized the Library and helped solidify its position as an indispensable civic and educational institution. 

The new Vartan Gregorian Center for Research in the Humanities is dedicated to furthering the Library’s mission to engage, inspire, support and connect a growing community of scholars worldwide—all of which were priorities of Gregorian during his tenure as NYPL president from 1981-89. 

Located in the heart of the Library’s flagship Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Gregorian Center is both an homage to its namesake’s enduring legacy and a physical manifestation of all of the progress and growth in the Research Library over the last decade. That progress includes substantial investments in collections, programs and access to public space, highlights of which are outlined below.  

Lead support for the Gregorian Center is provided by Carnegie Corporation of New York, where Gregorian served as president from 1997 until his death in 2021. The Library is also grateful for the generosity of Gregorian’s many friends and colleagues: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Agnes Gund, Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos and Adam Bartos, Annette de la Renta, Fiona and Stanley Druckenmiller, Barbara G. Fleischman, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Harold W. McGraw III Foundation, Abby and Howard Milstein, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Rockefeller Foundation and The Edward John and Patricia Rosenwald Foundation.

The 8,000 square feet space, which was part of the Schwarzman building’s recent $200 million renovation project, provides a vibrant work environment for up to 400 researchers, including 40 scholars on paid fellowships. Additional highlights of the Gregorian Center include: 

  • Dedicated spaces to support researchers and fellows by offering long-term access to collections and staff expertise in quiet workspaces, while simultaneously building meaningful and sustained connections between researchers and the Library. 
    • This includes four study rooms (Scholars Reading Room, Shoichi Noma Reading Room, Frederick Lewis Allen Room and Wertheim Study), which scholars can apply to use. 
    • The rooms will also hold books from Gregorian’s personal library.
  • Public events, programs and classes for researchers and visitors to learn more about the collections. Programs include:
    • Friday Afternoon Lecture Series: A new public lecture series, offering insights into books written with NYPL support and topics related to the library’s collections and exhibitions. Programs are held on Fridays at 2 p.m.
    • Research 101 Series: Tailored for both experienced and novice researchers, this series of classes, lectures and workshops offers comprehensive resources to advance research and fulfill information needs effectively.
    • Class Visits: Staff work with educators to design class visits that use the Library’s remarkable collections to foster creative inquiry, build critical thinking and information literacy skills, and inspire wonder and excitement around the process of research.

“It is impossible to overstate the impact of Vartan Gregorian. He is known as the savior of the Library, but I would argue his work to guarantee free access to knowledge for all at a time of enormous challenges also saved New York City. This naming honors that important legacy and underscores the significance of the Library’s mission, especially on behalf of a growing community of scholars worldwide. More and more it feels like we find ourselves in a moment not dissimilar from the one in which Vartan led the Library. At a time when once again people are counting New York City out, we will take inspiration in what he was able to achieve and navigate these choppy waters together,” said NYPL President Anthony W. Marx.

Dedication plaque at the entrance to the Vartan Gregorian Center for Research in the Humanities (Photo Ara Arakelian)

“The Vartan Gregorian Center for Research in the Humanities has a mission to inspire, engage and connect a growing community of researchers from all over the world, all while providing access to the Library’s remarkable collections,” said Brent Reidy, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries. “It is an amazing resource for all, aptly named after our legendary former president who dedicated his life to providing free access to knowledge. I am excited to see the scholarship this site will support in the years to come.”

“The headline over the beautiful New York Times obituary of our father referred to him as the ‘Savior of the New York Public Library.’ He was so many things to so many people, but those words spoke eloquently to his journey and essence, the spirit of hope and enlightenment that defined his life and the central role that libraries played in it,” said Vahe, Raffi and Dareh Gregorian. “We are deeply grateful that this center will perpetuate his legacy of humanism, with Patience and Fortitude standing watch over our beloved Literary Lion.”

“If you knew Vartan, you know that he loved libraries, as Andrew Carnegie did before him. Vartan referred to them as an oasis for renewal of one’s imagination and the development of one’s mind—a necessity for every community,” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York. “We are delighted to honor his legacy as one of the NYPL’s great champions by supporting the Vartan Gregorian Center for Research in the Humanities. I cannot think of a more fitting tribute than a space for scholars to allow their imaginations to take flight amidst the extraordinary resources of this great library.”  

The renaming of the Gregorian Center is just the latest example of the Library’s ongoing commitment to scholarship and access to its collections. 

Notable developments in recent years under NYPL President Anthony W. Marx include:

  • Global Studies Curators: Over the past five years, the Library has appointed three global studies curators, each working across general and special collections, fostering a more collaborative approach to collection development and research support.
    • Hired in 2022, Hiba Abid is the first curator of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the Library. 
    • Hired in 2018, Paloma Celis Carbajal is the first curator of Latin American, Iberian and Latino Studies at the Library.
    • Hired in 2018, Bogdan Horbal is the curator in Slavic and East European Collections at the Library.
  • Increased Fellowships: The Library has seen a remarkable increase in the number of fellowships, with a growth of over 50-percent in the past three years, rising from 18 in 2020 to 28 today. This expansion also includes diversifying review panels, which has resulted in more diverse applicants.
  • Milstein Research Stacks: The Library has transformed an additional 55,700 square feet of raw space beneath Bryant Park into a second floor of the cutting-edge storage facility that can safely preserve and store over four million books and archival materials on-site, representing a historic milestone for the Library.
  • Shared Research Collection: Launched in 2017 in collaboration with Columbia, Princeton and Harvard, this initiative has made the Library’s volumes accessible to patrons through a shared catalog, more than doubling the research catalog from 10 million volumes to an impressive 24 million volumes.
  • Expanding Digital Access: Over 120,000 items have been digitized and made available through Digital Collections in the last five years, bringing the total number of items digitized to 865,983.

Gregorian led the Library during a time of extraordinary financial and social insecurity in New York City. He is widely credited with restoring the Library after years of neglect and building the foundation that enabled it to become the preeminent civic and educational institution it is known as today. Following a decade of fiscal crisis in New York City and disinvestment in the Library, he forged strong relationships within city government and in the philanthropic sector. The hard work paid off: he restored hours of service across branches, renovated many historic locations, and significantly grew the Library’s endowment. Gregorian also strengthened the circulating collections with a focus on multilingual and multicultural materials, grew the education and literacy programs, invested in curators and expert staff in our research libraries and increased the capacity to process and preserve the Library’s collections. 

About The New York Public Library

For over 125 years, The New York Public Library has been a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With over 90 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars. The New York Public Library receives approximately 16 million visits through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.




AW: NAASR holds hybrid 69th Annual Assembly of Members

George Mamian
 NAASR Community News, Diaspora 0

Members of the NAASR Board and staff (l-r): Ani Babaian (Library Curator), Laura Yardumian (Program and Administrative Associate), Nancy R. Kolligian (Board), Judith Saryan (Board), Jirair Balayan (Board), Marc A. Mamigonian (Director of Academic Affairs), Henry Theriault (Board), Silva Sedrakian (Executive Director), Joan E. Kolligian (Board) and Ara Araz (Board)

BELMONT, Mass.—The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) held its 69th Annual Assembly of Members on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at its Vartan Gregorian Building in Belmont, Massachusetts. The event was a hybrid meeting with both in-person attendees and online participation of NAASR members around the U.S. and abroad.

Board Chairperson Judith Saryan noted the presence of a quorum and called the meeting to order, remarking on the pain of the past year for Armenians in the Republic of Armenia and in Artsakh, in particular. She observed, “Preserving our cultural and historical heritage is even more crucial, and we should be proud of having an organization such as NAASR dedicated to this cause, which has become stronger and stronger.”

Saryan’s report as chairperson gave an overview of an exceptionally active year for the organization, including sponsoring or co-sponsoring more than 65 scholarly programs, supporting scholars through research grants, hosting events for young people, providing space for a number of Armenian sister organizations to hold their events, continuing the ongoing and valuable work of NAASR’s Mardigian Library and Bookstore and more. She thanked the full- and part-time staff as well as volunteers for their efforts and expressed special gratitude to several individuals who have honored NAASR with generous bequests.

Recognition of long-serving Board members

Of special significance was Saryan’s recognition of three outstanding and long-serving NAASR Board members who are retiring this year for their leadership, vision and dedicated service: Yervant Chekijian of Watertown, Mass., a NAASR member since 1963, Board member since 1998, and Board chairman from 2016 to 2022, leading the ambitious and highly successful campaign for our new headquarters and making a profound impact on NAASR’s growth; Raffi Yeghiayan of Bedford, Mass., a NAASR member since 1960, Board member since 1968, and Board chairman from 2010 to 2016, devoting his many talents to leading the organization; and Roxanne Etmekjian of West Newton, Mass., a NAASR member since 1986 and a Board member since 2006, including many years as treasurer.

Saryan concluded by stating that she has “felt privileged to serve as NAASR’s chair this past year and honored to work with all of you,” but had made the decision to step down as chair while remaining “as committed as ever to NAASR” and continuing to serve on the Board of Directors.

Following Saryan’s report, NAASR Director of Academic Affairs Marc A. Mamigonian introduced the featured speaker, Dr. Henry Theriault, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Worcester State University and past president (2017-2021) of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, whose talk was entitled “The Artsakh Crisis: Scholarly Ethics, Activism, and Genocide.”

Insightful and timely talk by Dr. Henry Theriault

Theriault provided a succinct overview of the historical background of the current Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh crisis, going back to the post-World War I period and the Sovietization of the South Caucasus, noting that creation of the Artsakh enclave, as well as the Nakhichevan exclave and other such territories within the new Soviet republics, created a “perpetual tension” between ethnicities and a reliance on Moscow to resolve problems that inevitably arose.

Featured speaker Dr. Henry Theriault

He discussed the long-term outcomes of the first war over Artsakh that resulted in a stalemate in 1994 that left Armenians in control of the region as well as additional surrounding territories. He noted that the Artsakh Republic developed a legitimate democracy, albeit within a self-declared state that was unrecognized by other nations. Meanwhile a strong ultra-nationalist identity centered on anti-Armenian sentiment and avenging the defeat formed in Azerbaijan, and its government became increasingly oppressive and intolerant of any dissent.

Turning to the question of the relationship between the current conflict and the Armenian Genocide carried out by Ottoman Turkey, Theriault observed, “While there are certainly components specific to Azerbaijan and the immediate context, the anti-Armenian ideology and eliminationist project would not have formed or been pursued absent the history of genocide against Armenians.” Furthermore, “Azerbaijan has imported a ready-made fully genocidal ideology from Turkey.”

Azerbaijan’s stance, Theriault made clear, is harmful not only to Armenians. “Genocidal anti-Armenianism is destructive for Azeris as well,” he said, since “Heydar, then Ilham, Aliyev used this ideology as a tool of manipulation to dupe their subjects into willing subjugation in an authoritarian then totalitarian system of political control.” Connecting the current heads of state of Turkey and Azerbaijan, he stated, “Both Aliyev and Erdogan have stated repeatedly and in no uncertain terms that their goal is the elimination of the Armenian presence in the Caucasus; that is, they show the special intent to destroy Caucasus Armenians, because they are Armenian.” Therefore, there is a clear case for genocide as defined by the United Nations Genocide Convention.

Theriault then turned to the role of scholars in the contemporary crisis, faced with dilemmas regarding their perceived—albeit mythical—status as “disinterested” authorities who risk overstepping their roles by weighing in on political issues within Armenia. Rather, he argued, “The right kind of interest can drive deeply committed and effective scholarly work; it needs a moral component that militates against tainting of results.” “Is a scholar’s concern about Armenian issues based on an honest appraisal of the facts and generalized concern for all human rights or a narrower ethnocentrism that affects the scholar’s perceptions?” he posed. The former is entirely appropriate; the latter is not.

After highlighting that neither a preoccupation with past cultural achievements nor an exclusive focus on the future without awareness of the past is a productive approach for Armenian Studies scholars, Theriault concluded, “What is necessary is a model of a community of scholars engaging in both kinds of work in complementary and dynamically interactive ways.”  “In every aspect of its mission and actual activity, NAASR provides the space and lines of connection that allow, encourage and indeed are the very condition for this scholarly community. In the same way that specific territory—think of Artsakh, Ani, the Dakotas, or any other indigenous land where every hill and river, every constructed edifice and marker, every plant and animal, contributes to a unique medium through which social relations among those attached to this land are bound together—is the essential conduit and binder of interconnection and shared identity, so does NAASR provide that for the community of Armenian scholars.”

Reports from NAASR staff and committees

After Theriault’s presentation and discussion, the business session of the Assembly commenced, which included reports by Treasurer Bruce Roat, Executive Director Silva Sedrakian and Academic Director Mamigonian, as well as the presentation of the co-chairs of the Nominating Committee, Nancy R. Kolligian and Ara Araz, prior to the election of members of the Board of Directors.

Sedrakian reflected on positive developments, such as the addition of many new members around the United States as well as in other countries and encouraged all “who care about keeping our Armenian heritage, culture and history alive” to become members and to urge others to do likewise. She cited as highlights of the year two very successful outreach events: in Los Angeles, to mark the hiring of Dr. Taner Akçam as the inaugural director of the Armenian Genocide Research Program of the Promise Armenian Institute at UCLA, and in Cambridge, honoring Prof. Christina Maranci’s appointment to the Mashtots Chair in Armenian Studies at Harvard. She also presented a special gift to Saryan to recognize her time as NAASR chairperson.

Mamigonian emphasized the quality as well as the quantity of NAASR’s academic programming, which in 2023 included the co-sponsorship of several major international conferences and vital partnerships with a wide range of academic colleges and universities as well as community organizations, noting, “There is no possibility of doing all of these programs on our own, nor would it be desirable to try to…our strength lies in our ability to work with others towards our goals—namely, advancing Armenian studies and research.”

Results of elections

The following candidates were elected to the NAASR Board of Directors: incumbents Ara Araz of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey; Michael Bobelian of Cold Spring Harbor, New York; Dr. Gregory Ketabgian of La Canada, California; Stephen Kurkjian of Manomet, Massachusetts; Dr. Armineh Mirzabegian of Wellesley, Massachusetts; and Judith Saryan of Cambridge, Massachusetts; and new members Dr. Sharon Chekijian of New Haven, Connecticut; Ani Hovannisian of Los Angeles, California; Dr. Mary Papazian of Livermore, California; and Dr. Henry C. Theriault of Brookline, Massachusetts.

Tribute to longtime members and those of who have passed away

Chairperson Saryan recognized with gratitude 25, 50, 60 and 65-year members for their enduring commitment to NAASR. 25 years: Roger K. Hagopian, Paul R. Ignatius, Marc A. Mamigonian., Carissa D. Vanitzian and Gayle M. Yapchaian; 50 years: Eva A. Medzorian, Robin L. Tashjian and Dr. Edward H. Yeterian; 60 years: Yervant Chekijian and Michael Kilijian; 65 years: Mary-Louise Essaian and Edward Shooshanian.

Finally, Saryan paid respect to a number of extraordinary leaders in the community and dedicated supporters of NAASR who passed away during the past year: diplomat and author Edward Alexander, who passed away at the age of 103; NAASR Board member and principal benefactor for NAASR’s Vartan Gregorian Building, musician and philanthropist Edward Avedisian of Lexington, Massachusetts; Prof. Richard G. Hovannisian, one of the leading lights of Armenian Studies for more than half a century at UCLA; Dr. Mary Kilbourne Matossian, longtime NAASR member and pioneer scholar of Soviet Armenia and women’s studies; Peter Onanian, former NAASR Board member and prominent Boston-area community leader; and Dr. Dennis Papazian, NAASR charter member and former Board member and founder of the Armenian Research Center in Dearborn, Michigan.

Incoming Board Chair Ara Araz with outgoing Chair Judith Saryan

New Executive Committee formed

Following the close of the Assembly and the tallying of election results, the newly reconfigured Board of Directors met and approved a new Executive Committee consisting of Ara Araz, chairperson; Margaret Mgrublian of Pasadena, California, vice-chairperson; Arlene Saryan Alexander of Washington, D.C., secretary; Bruce W. Roat of Los Angeles, California, treasurer; Nancy R. Kolligian of Watertown, Massachusetts, advisor; Mark Momjian of Wayne, Pennsylvania, advisor; and Dr. Henry Theriault, advisor. Araz becomes the first NAASR chairperson from outside of the Greater Boston area in the organization’s history. The geographical diversity of the Executive Committee reflects that the work of the organization is truly national, if not international, in its scope.

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Founded in 1955, NAASR is one of the world’s leading resources for advancing Armenian Studies, supporting scholars, and building a global community to preserve and enrich Armenian culture, history, and identity for future generations.


Azerbaijan accuses France of stoking ‘new wars’ in Caucasus

Varazdat Torgomian
Nov 21 2023

BAKU, Azerbaijan: President Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday (Nov 21) accused France of inciting conflicts in the Caucasus by arming Azerbaijan's longtime rival Armenia, with which it has fought two wars.

Baku and Yerevan have been locked in a decades-long territorial conflict over Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Baku reclaimed in September after a lightning offensive against Armenian separatists.

"(France) is pursuing a militaristic policy by arming Armenia, encouraging revanchist forces in Armenia, and laying the groundwork for provoking new wars in our region," Aliyev said in written comments to an international conference in Baku.

In a statement read out by his foreign policy advisor, Aliyev said Paris was "disrupting stability not only in its former and current colonies, but also in the South Caucasus, where it is supporting separatist trends and separatists".

Home to a large Armenian diaspora, France has been routinely criticised by Azerbaijan for harbouring "pro-Armenian bias" in the Caucasus countries' territorial conflict.

Aliyev doubled down on the criticism during a press conference with Iraq's President Abdul Latif Rashid on Monday.

He accused France of "playing a very destructive role in the Southern Caucasus".

"The wrong messages from the French government actually create illusions in the Armenian government … that they can again launch a military aggression against Azerbaijan."

He accused Armenia's government of "thinking about revenge" after Azerbaijan regained control over the Nagorno-Karabakh region this fall.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said last week that Yerevan's "political will to sign a peace agreement with Azerbaijan in the coming months remains unwavering".

Nagorno-Karabakh: the evolution of the conflict. (Image: AFP/Valentin Rakovsky/Laurence Saubadu)

Aliyev said Azerbaijan recently tabled its proposals for a future peace treaty with Armenia and awaited Yerevan's response.

In a statement on Tuesday, his foreign ministry said it "stands prepared for direct negotiations with Armenia on a bilateral basis to finalise the peace agreement as soon as possible".

Azerbaijan has recently refused meetings under the mediation of the EU or the US, accusing them of favouring Armenia.

"The responsibility to continue the peace process – including the selection of a mutually acceptable venue or a decision to meet at the state border – lies with two countries," it said, an apparent refusal of international mediation.

Both leaders have said a comprehensive peace agreement could be signed by the end of the year, but internationally mediated peace talks between the former Soviet republics have seen little progress.

Aliyev and Pashinyan have also met on several occasions for talks under the mediation of the European Union.

But last month, Aliyev refused to attend negotiations with Pashinyan in Spain, citing French bias.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were meant to mediate the talks with EU chief Charles Michel.

There has since then been no visible progress to resume EU-led talks.

Washington had also organised several meetings between the countries' foreign ministries.

Azerbaijan however on Thursday refused further talks, due to what it says is Washington's "biased" position.

The traditional regional power broker Russia - bogged down in its Ukraine war - has seen its influence wane in the Caucasus.

In 2020, Moscow brokered a ceasefire that ended six weeks of fighting after which Baku reclaimed swathes of territory controlled for three decades by Armenian separatist forces.

After that conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin has hosted Aliyev and Pashinyan for several rounds of peace talks, most recently in May.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/azerbaijan-accuse-france-inciting-war-armenia-separatists-3936976

OPEC Fund supports Armenia’s green, inclusive and sustainable development with €50mln loan

Talar Tumanian
ZAWYA
Nov 21 2023

The program was developed with the World Bank, which has provided a parallel loan of €92.3 million (US$100 million equivalent) for its implementation

Press Release

ARMENIA

The OPEC Fund for International Development (The OPEC Fund) is supporting green, inclusive and sustainable development in Armenia with a €50 million loan through its program lending instrument.

This program aims to support the government’s developmental efforts to foster climate change mitigation and adaptation, improve environmental management and energy efficiency, enhance equity, promote human capital development and strengthen governance. The program was developed with the World Bank, which has provided a parallel loan of €92.3 million (US$100 million equivalent) for its implementation.

OPEC Fund Director-General Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “We are pleased to partner with the government of Armenia and the World Bank to support this ambitious program, investing in the development of human capital and improving climate change resilience. The program will support Armenia’s long-term development ambitions and national plans, while helping it to achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals.”

Armenia’s Green Inclusive and Sustainable Development Program is in line with the government’s five-year development plan (2021-2026) and includes fundamental steps such as a reform of the public investment management framework, a review of the justice system and relevant environmental legislation, an overhaul of the social assistance system and a modernization of the national curriculum strengthening Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

-Ends-

About the OPEC Fund

The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is the only globally mandated development institution that provides financing from member countries to non-member countries exclusively. The organization works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international development community to stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries around the world. The OPEC Fund was established in 1976 with a distinct purpose: to drive development, strengthen communities and empower people. Our work is people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education. To date, the OPEC Fund has committed more than US$24 billion to development projects in over 125 countries with an estimated total project cost of US$190 billion. The OPEC Fund is rated AA+/Outlook Stable by Fitch and AA, Outlook Positive by S&P. Our vision is a world where sustainable development is a reality for all.

https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/companies-news/opec-fund-supports-armenias-green-inclusive-and-sustainable-development-with-50mln-loan-dq1e4g70

A new stage of Armenian-British cooperation. What is behind it?

Arpi Talalian
Nov 21 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

New stage of Armenian-British relations

Minister of State of the United Kingdom for Europe Leo Docherty is in Yerevan on a regional visit, but a statement from the British Embassy emphasizes that the minister’s visit to Armenia is intended to continue “the strategic dialogue with Armenia that took place last week in London.”

According to some Armenian experts, this proves that Armenia is a “strategic direction” for the West. Others believe that Britain’s role in the South Caucasus is actually aimed at nullifying Russia’s influence, including resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and completing the peace process.

This is Docherty’s second visit to Armenia; his first visit took place in May. He will also visit Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The British minister arrived in Yerevan immediately after the end of the visit of Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to London. Last week, the Armenian Embassy moved to a new building in London. Mirzoyan stated: “Together with the new building, we are also laying a new foundation for deepening our relations.” The parties announced the start of a “strategic dialogue.”

  • “Take aid to Armenia off the agenda” – Yerevan’s appeal to the CSTO
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  • “The enclaves may become a pretext for Baku’s next attack” – Armenian political scientist

Just before his visit, Docherty stated:

“The South Caucasus faces serious security challenges that threaten the stability of the region – both internal and emanating from neighboring countries. In an unstable region, the UK is a trusted partner for reform, peace and stability.”

The British Embassy said that during the minister’s visit the democratic reform agenda in Armenia will be discussed, as well as the need for direct talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The region on Russia’s southern border, according to the embassy text, “remains vulnerable to external interference.” And the minister will propose that Yerevan, Baku and Tbilisi “expand trade and security cooperation to diversify the economy and reduce Europe’s dependence on Russia.”

Georgia is actually one step away from EU membership, Armenia openly declares its desire “to be closer – as far as the EU considers possible”, Azerbaijan’s position is ambiguous

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan talked about this with Minister for European Affairs Leo Docherty. He said that mutual visits will contribute to more successful realization of the cooperation potential.

The Prime Minister’s Office reports that Docherty emphasized Britain’s interest in deepening cooperation with Armenia. The progress of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process was also discussed.

The Secretary of the Armenian Security Council also received the British Minister. Armen Grigoryan and Leo Docherty discussed “opportunities for cooperation in the security sphere”.

Armenian Prime Minister on peace treaty with Azerbaijan, “Crossroads of Peace”, arms acquisition and more

According to political scientist Gurgen Simonyan, “the West is beginning to perceive Armenia as a strategic destination”. He suggests considering the strengthening of relations with the UK among other developments, recalling Armenia’s deepening cooperation with France and Germany.

“The beginning of strategic relations between Armenia and the UK, as well as the opening of the RA Embassy in London, are links in a chain reflecting the development of relations,” he said.

Meanwhile, political observer Hakob Badalyan believes that the activation of British policy in the South Caucasus is only aimed at neutralizing Russia’s influence:

“The main emphasis will be on the promotion and completion of the Armenian-Azerbaijani ‘peace process’ on Western platforms, which will allow building the next stage of weakening or practically nullifying Russia’s influence.”

According to him, Azerbaijan now refuses not Western platforms and mediation, but negotiations with Armenia, and it will behave this way until Yerevan agrees to its terms:

“An attempt is being made to persuade Armenia to accept them. Britain, of course, has a certain influence on Azerbaijan in the form of tens and hundreds of billions invested in the Azerbaijani economy. But the question is whether there is a motivation to influence Azerbaijan and whether there is a real possibility of such influence.”

Badalyan believes that “the logic of the British game” is different, the emphasis is on providing Armenia with “certain bonus promises” so that Yerevan agrees to the idea of a new deal with Azerbaijan.

https://jam-news.net/new-stage-of-armenian-british-relations/

Erdogan urges Armenia to work with Turkey, Azerbaijan, warns on relying on west

Jane Topchian
Iran Front Post
Nov 21 2023
ByIFP Media Wire

Armenia should work with Turkey and Azerbaijan to build peace instead of looking to the West for weapons and training, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, in thinly veiled criticism of the US and France.

Some Western powers have yet to realize that the Karabakh War has changed the Caucasus and the entire region, Erdogan said in a press conference on Monday after a lengthy cabinet meeting in Ankara. He was referring to last month’s epilogue to the 2020 conflict, which saw Azerbaijan reclaim the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, followed by the exodus of local ethnic Armenians.

“Those who incited Armenia for years and collected profit from the pain, troubles and conflicts of all the people living in this region actually inflicted the greatest damage on the Armenians,” Erdogan stated. While he did not name any names, the most prominent supporters of Yerevan in the West have been Paris and Washington.

“They abused Armenians, used them, and condemned them to insecurity by fueling unrealistic dreams. Armenia now needs to see and accept this fact,” Erdogan added.

“It is better for the Armenian people and rulers to seek security in peace and cooperation with their neighbors, not thousands of kilometers away.”

“No weapons and ammunition sent by Western countries can replace the peace that a permanent peace environment will provide,” Erdogan continued, urging Armenia to “accept the hand of peace extended by our Azerbaijani brothers.”

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has sought to forge closer ties with NATO in the aftermath of the Karabakh conflict, whose outcome he tried to blame on treaty ally Russia. Both Moscow and Yerevan are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Earlier this month, Armenian deputy defense minister and chief of the general staff, Lieutenant-General Edvard Asryan, visited the US European Command HQ in Stuttgart, Germany. The visit was a “milestone” as the US and Armenia sought to “deliberately and incrementally develop our defense relationship,” EUCOM said in a statement afterward.

Yerevan has also reached out to Paris, making a deal last month to purchase unspecified new weapons systems from France. This has prompted Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev to declare that France would be responsible for any new conflict in the region. Aliyev also pulled out of the EU-hosted peace summit in Grenada in early October, accusing the bloc of hostility towards Baku.

Moscow has protested Armenia’s “hostile” actions and argued that there was nothing it could do to intervene in Nagorno Karabakh, not after Pashinyan himself explicitly and repeatedly recognized Azeri sovereignty over the disputed region.

Church leaders fear land deal may uproot Armenian presence in Jerusalem’s Old City

Tambiyan Samvel
The Christian Post
Nov 21 2023
By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor

Christian leaders in Jerusalem have protested a land deal that they believe has the potential to uproot the Armenian community's historical presence in the Old City.

The contested deal involves leasing about a quarter of the Armenian district of Jerusalem to developers looking to build a luxury hotel development, according to Reuters.

In a joint statement, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, including local Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic heads, expressed concern these developments could weaken the Christian presence in the Holy Land.

"The provocations that are being used by the alleged developers to deploy incendiary tactics threaten to erase the Armenian presence in the area, weakening and endangering the Christian presence in the Holy Land," the statement reads.

"As the Heads of Churches, we express our solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate and community in their decision to take the proper legal procedures in their cancellation of this transaction and urgently appeal to the relevant governmental and non-governmental bodies able to assist in the matter to help restore the former peace and harmony enjoyed by all those who have used this land in the Armenian Quarter."

Demolition for the project started last week at a carpark, which sparked a protest that included confrontations between demonstrators and armed Israeli Jewish settlers. 

The head of the Armenian Church in Jerusalem signed the deal in July 2021, but the community learned of it only when surveyors appeared earlier this year. The church leader claims he was misled and is pursuing legal measures to annul the contract. A priest involved was defrocked in May. 

The real estate contract involves leasing the land for 99 years, according to a June report from the Associated Press. Locals say the development deal impacts not just the carpark but also a community hall, the patriarch's garden, a seminary and five residential homes, according to Reuters. 

The Armenian community says Australian-Israeli businessman Danny Rubinstein and his Xana Capital Group, registered in the United Arab Emirates, are the investors behind the real estate deal. 

As Armenia is believed to be the first nation to adopt Christianity in 301, Armenians hold equal rights in Jerusalem's Holy Christian sites. The Armenian Quarter, dating back to the fourth century, is home to St. James' Cathedral and about 1,000 residents.

"We are having to fight for our existence," Hagop Djernazian, a local student, told Reuters as the community guarded the carpark with barbed wire.

Last week, The Armenian Weekly reported that Armenians held a nonviolent demonstration against construction in their area. The arrival of armed settlers led to police stepping in. 

The following day, according to The Weekly, representatives from Xana Gardens arrived with Rubenstein and insisted on the removal of the Armenian residents. 

https://www.christianpost.com/news/church-leaders-fear-land-deal-may-uproot-armenians-in-jerusalem.html

Turkey warns Armenia of West’s arms deliveries

Maral Chavushian
MEHR News Agency, Iran
Nov 21 2023

TEHRAN, Nov. 21 (MNA) – Armenia should work with Turkey and Azerbaijan to build peace instead of looking to the West for weapons and training, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday in a thinly veiled criticism of the US and France.

Some Western powers have yet to realize that the Karabakh War has changed the Caucasus and the entire region, Erdogan said in a press conference after a lengthy cabinet meeting in Ankara. He was referring to last month’s epilogue to the 2020 conflict, which saw Azerbaijan reclaim the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, followed by the exodus of local ethnic Armenians, RT reported.

“Those who incited Armenia for years and collected profit from the pain, troubles and conflicts of all the people living in this region actually inflicted the greatest damage on the Armenians,” Erdogan said. While he did not name any names, the most prominent supporters of Yerevan in the West have been Paris and Washington.

“They abused Armenians, used them, and condemned them to insecurity by fueling unrealistic dreams. Armenia now needs to see and accept this fact,” Erdogan added.

“No weapons and ammunition sent by Western countries can replace the peace that a permanent peace environment will provide,” Erdogan added, urging Armenia to “accept the hand of peace extended by our Azerbaijani brothers.”

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has sought to forge closer ties with NATO in the aftermath of the Karabakh conflict, the outcome of which he tried to blame on the country's ally Russia. Both Moscow and Yerevan are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Earlier this month, Armenia's deputy defense minister and chief of the general staff, Lieutenant-General Edvard Asryan, visited the US European Command HQ in Stuttgart, Germany. The visit was a “milestone” as the US and Armenia sought to “deliberately and incrementally develop our defense relationship,” EUCOM said in a statement afterward.

Accoridng to RT's report, Yerevan has also reached out to Paris, making a deal last month to purchase unspecified new weapons systems from France. This has prompted Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev to declare that France would be responsible for any new conflict in the region. Aliyev also pulled out of the EU-hosted peace summit in Grenada in early October, accusing the bloc of hostility towards Baku.

Moscow has protested Armenia’s “hostile” actions and argued that there was nothing it could do to intervene in Nagorno-Karabakh, particularly after Pashinyan himself had explicitly and repeatedly recognized Azeri sovereignty over the disputed region.

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/208655/Turkey-warns-Armenia-of-West-s-arms-deliveries

Christian Church Heads Warn of Potential Erasure of Jerusalem’s Armenian Community Due to Contested Land Deal

George Mamian
Nov 21 2023

The concern arises from a deal to lease about 25% of the Armenian district to developers who plan to build a luxury hotel on the site. However, members of the Armenian community claim that they were not informed about the deal until surveyors started working in the area this year. The head of the Armenian Church in Jerusalem, who signed the deal in July 2021, has expressed that he was misled and has initiated legal action to annul the contract.

A powerful image from the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem taken by the prominent Armenian photographer Garo NalbandIan. Armenian priests standing in front of the tractor that destroyed the wall of the Armenian Seminary.

The situation has worsened as tensions rise, with some individuals from the Armenian community going to great lengths to protect their presence in the area. There is a group guarding the carpark day and night, utilizing barbed wire to keep out developers and settlers. The head of the Armenian Church in Jerusalem has described the struggle as a fight for their existence.

Activist Israeli lawyer Daniel Seidemann, who closely monitors the expansion of Jewish settlers in Jerusalem, believes that the project aims to extend the Jewish Quarter’s influence throughout half of the Old City. Seidemann suspects that the proposed Armenian Quarter deal is part of a larger plan to encircle the outside of the Old City with settlement projects. He highlights the irregularities surrounding the deal and suggests that there is a good chance the courts will reject it.

The situation raises broader issues regarding the conflicting claims to Jerusalem. Israel, which captured east Jerusalem, including the Old City, in the 1967 war, considers the entire city as its eternal and undivided capital. On the other hand, Palestinians aspire to have East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.

https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/11/21/christian-church-heads-warn-of-potential-erasure-of-jerusalems-armenian-community-due-to-contested-land-deal/

Senate votes to stop Azerbaijan aid waiver amid Armenia invasion fears

Jirair Kafian
Defense News
Nov 20 2023
By Bryant Harris

WASHINGTON ― Senators unanimously passed legislation last week that would cut off U.S. security aid to Azerbaijan for the next two years amid growing concerns that it may invade southern Armenia in the near future.

The Senate passed the Armenian Protection Act by unanimous consent with little fanfare on Wednesday. The bill, introduced by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., would bar President Joe Biden from issuing a waiver in fiscal 2024 and FY25 needed to unlock Azerbaijani security assistance.

The vote comes after more than 100,000 Armenians fled the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region after Azerbaijan placed them under siege for more than nine months in what Armenia has described as ethnic cleansing.

“We must send a strong message and show our partners around the world that America will enforce the conditions that we attach to military aid,” Peters, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “If we do not take action when countries willfully ignore the terms of our agreements with them, our agreements will become effectively meaningless and toothless.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken briefed lawmakers on the situation in October and expressed concern that Azerbaijan may launch an invasion of southern Armenia in the coming weeks, Politico reported.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has called on Armenia to establish a corridor through southern Armenia to directly connect Azerbaijan with its exclave that borders Turkey and Iran, at times threatening to do so by force.

Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday before the Senate vote that the Biden administration does not intend to renew the waiver needed to provide security aid to Azerbaijan. The waiver is a longstanding point of contention between the State Department and the Congressional Armenian Caucus, which boasts more than 100 lawmakers.

Congress first blocked security aid to Azerbaijan in 1992 after the first Nagorno-Karabakh war. However, it subsequently passed legislation in 2001 that allowed the State Department to issue an annual waiver allowing Baku to receive military aid amid mounting tensions at the time between Azerbaijan and neighboring Iran over energy exploration in the Caspian Sea.

The State Department and Pentagon reported $164 million in security aid for Azerbaijan between FY02 and FY20, per the Government Accountability Office, a small portion of the overall U.S. security assistance budget. The Trump administration was responsible for the bulk of that total, providing nearly $100 million in security aid to Azerbaijan in FY18 and FY19 under a Pentagon program designed to build partner capacity.

Congress increased pressure on the State Department to end Azerbaijan’s security aid waiver after the second Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020, which saw Baku take back control of the disputed territory.

The House has yet to pass the Armenian Protection Act that would end the waivers for the next two years.

About Bryant Harris

Bryant Harris is the Congress reporter for Defense News. He has covered U.S. foreign policy, national security, international affairs and politics in Washington since 2014. He has also written for Foreign Policy, Al-Monitor, Al Jazeera English and IPS News.