Month: November 2023

Hoffmann hopes German foreign policy in the South Caucasus to be value-based

Arpi Talalian

 17:57, 2 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS.  Dustin Hoffmann, a German human rights activist , the head of the office and political adviser to German MEP Martin Sonneborn, believes that the European Union has a huge responsibility to support Armenia. He noted with satisfaction that France acted in that regard and helped Armenia in developing its defense capabilities, expressing hope that Germany, which for many years has conditioned its policy in the South Caucasus based on economic interests, will also change its approach.

Dustin Hoffman said  in an interview with Armenpress Brussels correspondent.  

“With Armenia moving away from Russia, the EU has a huge responsibility to support Armenia. It is good to see that France acted further by helping Armenia with what it needed: defense capabilities. I very much hope that Germany will also change its policy regarding the South Caucasus. Due to Germany’s contribution to the Armenian Genocide in 1915, there is a strong moral responsibility to prevent any further escalation. It is important to note that all the failures in the past should not stop the German government from changing its course. Better late than never,” he said.

Referring to the main purpose of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s visit to Armenia, Hoffmann said that in the past, Germany’s foreign policy in the South Caucasus was mainly to Azerbaijan’s benefit.

 “Although Azerbaijan was frequently using military force, Germany deepened the economic relationship with the regime in Baku.  Now when there is a risk of a regional conflict which could involve neighboring states like Iran and Turkey, such an escalation would not be in Germany’s interest because it jeopardizes the region’s stability. Also, Armenia started to move away from its partnership with Russia. Given the West’s current stance towards Russia, there is a strong interest in supporting such developments,’’ said Hoffmann.

Responding to the question about the place of Armenia and the developments in Nagorno-Karabakh in the political agenda of Germany's foreign relations, Hoffmann answered: “In the past, German foreign policy in the South Caucasus was not value-based but instead prioritised economic interests. Also, it seems like there is a lack of understanding of the conflict’s dynamics. Ms Baerbock did not comment on Azerbaijan’s blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh for months, and when she did, it was already too late.’’ 

He also criticized the German Foreign Minister for his speech at the UN Security Council after Azerbaijan’s assault in September when she said that, Baku and Karabakh Armenians have to return to a dialogue”.

According to Hoffmann, such a statement was inappropriate after such a brutal attack by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh.

Speaking about the possibility of the EU imposing sanctions on Azerbaijan, Hoffmann said: “Currently, sanctions are unrealistic because there is no unanimity in the EU. Borrell’s statement of condemnation after Azerbaijan’s aggression was supposed to be a statement of 27 EU member states, which Hungary consequently vetoed. If the EU is not able to condemn Azerbaijan’s aggressions, it is doubtful that there will be consensus on sanctions. This is tragic, especially since the European Parliament already called for sanctions months ago. It is possible that more pressure would have prevented Azerbaijan from resorting to military force. Impunity encourages Baku.’’

 He also stated that the EU's foreign policy related to the South Caucasus has failed: “The EU’s foreign policy regarding the South Caucasus is a major failure. In the recent resolution, the European Parliament expressed it in an unusually blunt way: "The European Parliament expresses deep dissatisfaction at the fact that regular alerts by Parliament regarding the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the risks of a catastrophic outcome have been disregarded,’’he said.

Hoffmann also criticized the European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for the signed memorandum on increasing gas supplies from Azerbaijan, although Aliyev’s fondness for military force was not a secret.

Hoffman positively assessed the activity of the EU observation mission in Armenia.

“The EU Monitoring Mission seems to be a success since it can have a deterrent effect and enables accountability for the EU leadership,’’ Hoffmann said.

  Lilit Gasparyan




PM Pashinyan receives the members of the Estonia-Armenia inter-parliamentary friendship group

Ani Kharatian

 18:08, 2 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received the members of the Estonia-Armenia friendship group of the Estonian Parliament headed by Mati Rydma, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

''The Prime Minister highlighted the cooperation with Estonia at both intergovernmental and interparliamentary levels and noted that mutual visits contribute to the expansion and strengthening of bilateral ties.

The sides referred to the forced deportation of more than 100,000 of our compatriots from Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijan's ethnic cleansing policy and the resulting humanitarian situation, as well as the steps being taken by the Armenian government to overcome it. The support of the international community in solving the existing problems was highlighted.

The sides exchanged ideas on Armenia-European Union cooperation, the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and other issues of regional importance,'' reads the statement.

PACE co-rapporteurs to make monitoring visit to Armenia

Maral Takmazian

 19:31, 2 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland SOC) and Boriana Åberg (Sweden, EPP/CD), co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of obligations and commitments by Armenia, will make a fact-finding visit to the country from 17 to 20 February 2023, the Council of Europe said in a statement.

''In Yerevan, Mr Kiljunen and Ms Åberg are due to meet the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Minister of Defense, the Chairperson of the Armenian delegation to PACE and representatives of the diplomatic community.Sweden, EPP/CD

Meetings are also scheduled in the cities of Jermuk, Goris and Vardenis with representatives of the local authorities,'' it reads.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia thanks Estonia for the decision to provide humanitarian assistance to Armenia

Emil Lazarian

 19:44, 2 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyanon Thursday has held a meeting with  the delegation headed by Mati Raidma, the head of the Estonia-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Estonian Parliament, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said  in a readout.

According to the source, the deputy minister welcomed the visit of the delegation of the Estonia-Armenia friendship group to Armenia, highlighted the importance of the inter-parliamentary dialogue and expressed hope that the visit of the Estonian parliamentarians will contribute to the expansion of cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries.

during the meeting the process of democratic reforms implemented in Armenia, the Armenian-Estonian bilateral agenda, as well as issues related to Armenia-EU cooperation were discussed.

At the meeting Paruyr Hovhannisyan  briefed the Estonian delegation on the situation created resulting from the forced displacement of more than 100 thousand people of Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of the policy of ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan. The deputy minister expressed his gratitude to the Estonian government for deciding to provide humanitarian assistance.

Deputy PM meets the Armenian Assembly of America representatives

Tania Jagharian

 20:24, 2 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan has held a meeting with Carolyn Mugar, President of the Board of the Armenian Assembly of America, Anthony Barsamian, Co-Chair of the Assembly Board of Trustees,  Executive Director Bryan Ardouny and the  regional director Arpi Vardanyan, Grigoryan’s Office said.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister thanked the representatives of the Armenian Assembly of America for the work carried out for the benefit of the people of Armenia. Mher Grigoryan has presented the short- and medium-term needs of more than 100,000 forcibly displaced refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh.

During the meeting, the regional developments were also touched upon.

We welcome journalists who cover truth related to Armenia and the South Caucasus: Armenia’s Foreign Ministry

Vatche Chakhmakhchian

 20:32, 2 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. On the International Day  “End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists” Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the specialists covering the truth about Armenia and the South Caucasus.

“On International Day End Impunity for Crimes against journalists, we salute to professionals who stand on side of justice and cover truth related to  Armenia and South Caucasus. We remember those who gave voice to people of Nagorno Karabakh trapped in war, blockade and forced displacement,” Armenia's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ani Badalyan posted in Twitter.

Armenpress: Armenian President visits the border village of Tsav

Emil Lazarian

 21:05, 2 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan visited the border village of Tsav as part of his visit to Syunik region.

Vahagn Khachaturyan spoke directly with residents and touched upon issues of their interest.

Afterwards, President Khachaturyan visited the village school, got acquainted with the conditions and talked with the students.

Asbarez: A Tribute to Yervant Kotchounian

Kevo Kalantarian
by Contributor

 

 November 2, 2023

 

in Community, Latest, News, Top Stories

Yervant Kotchounian

BY KHACHIG TÖLÖLYAN

My friendship with Yervant Kotchounian spans nearly 40 years. I met him in 1982, during a visit to the offices of the weekly Nor Hye, edited by Sarkis Majarian. I spent a week in Los Angeles and passed an unexpectedly large amount of that time with Yervant, his closest friend Levon Kasbarian, and the writers Boghos Kupelian and Khosrov Asoyan, a posse of companions who cared about Armenian writing and talked together about every aspect of Armenian life in LA, Beirut, and elsewhere. I had not expected to spend so much time with them, especially with Yervant and Levon, but I did.

Soon after our encounter, we met again in Middletown, CT. The university where I taught, Wesleyan, is located there. Yervant called, saying he and Levon would like to come visit. I thought he was joking; he wasn’t. He had taken an extended leave from his workplace and they had driven across the country. They stayed with me for only a day and night, then moved on to Boston and Canada.

When I asked what motivated them to drive across the country, Yervant said: “We come as immigrants from the Middle East, get off a plane at LA airport and settle down in Southern California. Most of the people we know think the western border of the US is the Pacific Ocean, the northern border runs up through San Francisco, and the eastern border through the casinos of Las Vegas.” Levon added, “and they think the southern border runs through Tijuana and its vulgar night life.” Yervant noted that they both wanted to do better, to know the US, and also the Armenian communities of North America. This curiosity about both the greater Armenian community and the nation at large remained a characteristic of both.

But in Yervant it was also supplemented by his active and disciplined reading of contemporary American literature and criticism. He would surprise me by quoting from journals like The Antioch Review, The Hudson Review and The New York Review of Books. He wasn’t showing off — he wanted to know America and its distinctive intellectual culture, and did.

During the rest of the 1980s, I was a frequent visitor to LA, and I often stayed in a spare room in Yervant’s apartment. Very often we sat up late into the night talking about our personal lives and the life of the Armenian diaspora in LA and elsewhere. It became clear to me that Yervant attributed his considerable knowledge of Armenian life and literature to the influence of Simon Simonian. As a young man he had come to know other young writers, like Vehanoush Tekian and Boghos Kupelian, who frequented Simonian’s publishing house in Beirut and read and wrote for the weekly he edited, Spurk. We shared the conviction that Armenian writing was importantly shaped by two rival weeklies, Simonian’s Spyurk and Antranig Dzarougian’s Nayiri. Much later in life, Yervant, reviewing one of Marzbed Margossian’s books, reflected again on that environment in Beirut’s golden years.

One of the things that set Yervant apart from other cerebral, book-loving diaspora Armenians was his commitment to translation. He read them thoughtfully and critically, he translated extensively, sometimes for money but also and often because he loved the linguistic and intellectual challenges of translation. Fairly recently, he astonished me by asking if I knew Rafael Sabatini’s historical novel, “Scaramouche,” published in 1921. Upon finding out that I had read the now outdated historical novelist, he told me he was translating it into Armenian. I asked if it was a paid commission, and for whom? “For no one,” he said, “I liked it and I thought translating its, by now, slightly archaic English would be interesting.” He loved the challenges of translation.

It’s difficult, in an English language account like this, to convey the pleasures of talking to him as we always did, in Western Armenian. He was witty in both languages, and memorably so in Armenian. And on rare occasions, something he had said in conversation would re-appear in emails and other writings. One of my favorites was his dismissal of a somewhat pretentious, quite prosperous Beirutahye in LA who offered pompous analyses and final-judgements on Armenian political life. Yervant said, “Կեանքի էն հետաքրքրական մասը մարդոց ականջներուն միջև պատահածն է, և իր պարագային այդ է որ չկայ, պարապ տարածք է:”) “The most interesting aspect of life happens between a person’s two ears, and that space is empty in his case.” Perhaps a year later, in one of his rare long letters, Yervant paraphrased that observation almost verbatim.

We did not always agree, of course, but when the Hamazkayine, encouraged by the late Yetvart Missirlian of San Francisco, inaugurated in honor of my parents the Minas and Kohar Tololyan Prize for Armenian authors writing and translating in North America,  I did not hesitate to recruit Yervant to serve on the jury that selected the winner. He served on that committee many years more than I did, and every year I anticipated his private comments to me on works submitted; they were perceptive, often wise and witty, on rare occasions harsh, but never unjust. He cared, he read closely, he shared views with discretion. I recall one of his crisp formulations about translation — Փոխադրութի՞ւն թէ փոփոխութիւն է թարգմանութիւնը: “Is translation transportation of a text from one language to another, or is it necessarily a transformation?” He always struggled with that.

At a time like this, weighed down by Yervant’s loss, I find it very difficult to convey the way his mind and heart and abilities and concerns came together to make him the exceptional person and friend he was, that made him mean so much to me. It’s customary to end remarks like this with sustained, elevated praise, rich in adjectives. I am not disposed to pile up adjectives here and now. What I most deeply admired, loved and valued about Yervant was his care and attention to our life and behavior as individuals in friendship or rivalry, and to our collective existence as a diaspora people. He cared memorably about our diasporic public sphere. So I will end with a passage from a letter he wrote in 2009, when he was explaining how much he had valued the issues of the Paris newspaper Haratch that I used to mail to him. Referring to its late Editor, Arpik Missakian, and to the assistant editor, Arpi Totoyan, for whose columns he had often expressed special praise, he said about the passing of that wonderful newspaper. «Նոր յառաջ»ի կամ համացանցային պարբերականի կարելիութիւնները խանդավառող են։ Իմ ափսոսացածս այն ինքնայատուկ դիրքորոշումն ու կեցուածքն էին որ Արփիները, իւրաքանչիւրը իր ձեւով, կը բերէին մեր հանրային մտահոգութիւններուն եւ իրադարձութիւններուն։ “(30 May 2009). “The appearance of Nor Haratch and new Armenian periodical publications on the internet make me enthusiastic. But I lament the absence of those distinctive positions and attitudes with which the two Arpis, each in her own style, turned their attention to our collective realities and concerns.”

I miss Yervant. I shall always miss his knowledgeable concern for our communal life and its realities, but above all I will miss his distinctive, sometimes idiosyncratic, always thoughtful, caring, perceptive and witty engagement in our shared lives as Armenian friends.

Khachig Tölölyan is an author and former Wesleyan University professor. He is the founder and editor of the academic journal Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies.




Asbarez: U.S. Warns of ‘Serious Consequences’ if Armenia’s Sovereignty is Violated

Lara Antonian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 November 2, 2023

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

The Armenia-Azerbaijan border


The United States warned late Wednesday that there would be “serious consequences” in the event that Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity were violated.

The statement came after the Lemkin Institution for Genocide Prevention issued a “Red Flag Alert” for an impending attack by Azerbaijan on Armenia on Wednesday.

“Any violation of Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would lead to serious consequences,” the State Department said in response to an inquiry from Voice of America about the Lemkin Institute alert.

“The United States resolutely supports Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We’ve stressed that any violation of this sovereignty and territorial integrity would lead to serious consequences. We regularly stress our expectations, such as the call against the use of force, and we continuously follow the situation. Armenia is a close partner and friend to the United States, and we expect to work with the Armenian authorities to strengthen Armenia’s political and economic security,” the State Department added.

Last month, Politico reported that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had issued a similar warning during a telephone call with several Democratic Congressional leaders.

The State Department later downplayed the report, saying that such a warning was not issued by Blinken.

RFE/RL Armenian Service – 11/02/2023

David Nargizian 
                                        Thursday, November 2, 2023


Armenian Authorities Report Another ‘Terror Plot’

        • Karlen Aslanian

Armenia -- The main entrance to the National Security Service headquarters in 
Yerevan.


Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) said on Thursday that it has arrested 
five members of an armed group that plotted to seize government buildings and 
“disrupt the work of state bodies.”

The NSS did not identify the suspects and gave few details of the alleged plot. 
In a statement, it said that they planned to set off an explosion and 
assassinate a “civilian.” The latter was not identified either.

Nor did the NSS clarify whether it believes that overthrowing the Armenian 
government was the ultimate aim of the “terrorist acts” which it said were 
codenamed “Northern Leaf Fall” by the arrested persons.

The security agency released two purported audios of their conversations 
secretly recorded by NSS officers. In one of then, a man can be heard saying 
that he has many “sponsors from America and Russia” and telling another to 
recruit “the ones who came from Ukraine.” The two men also appeared to discuss a 
drone attack on an unknown target.

The NSS claimed to have found and confiscated a quadrocopter drone along with 
weapons and ammunition during searches conducted in the suspects’ homes and 
other locations. It said it also seized handwritten texts detailing the foiled 
conspiracy.

A purported screenshot of one such document released by the NSS calls for 
attracting members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a pro-Western 
fringe group increasingly critical of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. The group 
led by Zhirayr Sefilian, a prominent nationalist figure, did not immediately 
comment on that.

The NSS statement said that the alleged plotters planned to create fake 
Ukrainian and Moldovan social media accounts in a bid to drum up popular support 
for that they would have called a “national salvation revolt.”

The NSS claimed to have foiled a similar plot in late September when it arrested 
eight men accused of conspiring to assassinate Pashinian and seize power. The 
suspects include Albert Bazeyan, a once prominent politician who had served as 
mayor of Yerevan over two decades ago. Bazeyan denies the accusations.




Azeri Troops Not Massed At Border, Says Armenian Official

        • Astghik Bedevian

Armenia - Yerevan-based foreign military attaches visit a border area in Syunik 
province, May 20, 2021.


A senior Armenian official on Thursday seemed to downplay the risk of an 
Azerbaijani invasion of Armenia, saying that Baku has not amassed a significant 
number of troops along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

“According to my information, there is no military buildup around Armenia’s 
borders at the moment,” deputy parliament speaker Hakob Arshakian told reporters.

“Is there a threat [of Azerbaijani attack] or not?” he went on. “There have been 
positive developments lately in terms of a change in [Azerbaijani] rhetoric and 
statements by international authoritative bodies, parliaments, governments and 
other entities to the effect that Armenia’s territorial integrity cannot be 
called into question.”

“I’m not saying that that everything is wonderful and there is no danger,” 
Arshakian said, pointing to a joint Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercise held 
in Azerbaijan late last month.

The Armenian government said in early September that Azerbaijani troops are 
massing along the border and the “line of contact” in Nagorno-Karabakh in 
possible preparation for a large-scale attack. About two weeks later, they 
launched an offensive in Karabakh that caused a mass exodus of its population 
and paved the way for the restoration of Baku’s control over the region.

The Azerbaijani takeover of Karabakh raised more fears in Yerevan that Baku will 
also invade Armenia to open an exterritorial land corridor to Nakhichevan. A 
senior Armenian diplomat said on October 8 that the attack could be launched in 
the coming weeks.

The U.S.-based Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention likewise warned on 
Wednesday of the “alarming potential for an invasion of Armenia by Azerbaijan in 
the coming days and weeks.”

“Azerbaijan has long coveted Armenia’s southern Syunik Province, which has been 
discussed in the recent past as the site of an Azerbaijani-controlled ‘Zangezur 
Corridor’ to Nakhichevan,” it said in a “red flag alert” posted on its website.

Commenting to that warning, the U.S. State Department reiterated that an attack 
on Armenia “would bring serious consequences.”

“The United States strongly supports Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial 
integrity,” it told the Voice of America.




Moscow Slams Yerevan Over Fresh ‘Anti-Russian’ Moves


Russia - Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova attends the Saint 
Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), June 16, 2022.


Russia accused Armenia on Thursday of continuing to ruin Russian-Armenian 
relations when it reacted to a senior Armenian official’s participation in 
multilateral peace talks initiated by Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, also charged that 
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government is behind what she described as the 
“Russophobic” content of Armenian pro-government media.

Armen Grigorian, the secretary of Armenia’s Security Council, was among 
representatives of more than 60 countries who gathered in Malta last week to 
discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s plan to end the war with 
Russia. Grigorian also met with Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on 
the sidelines of the two-day meeting condemned by Russia as a “blatantly 
anti-Russian event.”

Zakharova said Moscow views Grigorian’s trip to Malta as a “demonstrative 
anti-Russian gesture of official Yerevan.” She linked it to Pashinian’s October 
6 conversation with Zelenskiy, which took place during a European summit in 
Spain, and his wife Anna Hakobian’s September visit to Kyiv.

“In Yerevan, I think, they should be aware that this is a demonstrative 
flirtation with those who aggressively oppose our country,” Zakharova told a 
news briefing. “It is regrettable that the current leadership of the republic is 
purposefully and persistently destroying our allied relations, which not so long 
ago it itself called the most important factor in the stability and prosperity 
of Armenia.”

Malta - Andriy Yermak, Ukraine's presidential office head, meets Armen 
Grigorian, secretary of Armenia's Security Council, October 28, 2023.

Tensions between the two longtime allies rose further following Azerbaijan’s 
September 19-20 military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh that forced its ethnic 
Armenian population to flee to Armenia. Pashinian accused Russian peacekeepers 
of failing to protect the Karabakh Armenians against the “ethnic cleansing.”

In an October 17 speech at the European Parliament, Pashinian also alleged that 
Moscow is using the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to try to oust him from power. A 
Russian official responded by the telling the official TASS news agency that the 
Armenian premier is “following in Zelenskiy’s footsteps” and helping the West 
“turn Armenia into another Ukraine.”

The Armenian Foreign Ministry handed the Russian ambassador in Yerevan a protest 
note on October 24 one day after Russia’s leading state broadcaster, Channel 
One, derided and lambasted Pashinian during an hour-long program. For its part, 
the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Armenian charge d’affaires the 
following day to condemn what it called anti-Russian propaganda spread by 
Armenian Public Television and other pro-government media outlets.

Zakharova claimed that what those outlets have been disseminating is “not just 
insults but undisguised Russophobia.”

“We do understand who is behind the funding of these [media] resources,” she 
said. “If they think over there that we don’t know who pays for it all, we know.”



Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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