Author: Ani Kharatian

Congressman Adam Schiff introduces resolution calling for U.S. recognition of Artsakh

Ani Kharatian

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 11:14,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Armenian Prime Minister holds meeting with United States Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations, OSCE MG Co-Chair

Ani Kharatian

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 14:36,

YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has held a meeting with the United States Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations and United States Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Louis Bono.

The Prime Minister attached importance to the US government’s efforts in the direction of ensuring stability and peace in the region and presented the Armenian side’s approaches in the resolution of existing key issues, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a readout.

PM Pashinyan said that the aggressive policy and belligerent rhetoric against the people of Nagorno Karabakh and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia are inadmissible.

Issues relating to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the formation of an international mechanism for dialogue between Stepanakert and Baku, the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh resulting from the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and unblocking of regional transport infrastructures were also discussed.

Armenian parliament elects ruling party candidate Ombudsman

Ani Kharatian
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Anahit Manasyan elected Ombudsman

The Armenian parliament has elected Anahit Manasyan as the top human rights defender, with 69 deputies voting in favor. Voting took place on April 11, but the results were not announced. The parliamentary session was postponed due to the tense situation on the border with Azerbaijan.

The ruling faction Civil Contract is confident that their candidate for the post of Ombudsman will be able to use his “extensive work experience and high qualifications to protect human rights in Armenia.”

The opposition believes this appointment controversial, since Manasyan has been the Deputy Prosecutor General for the last five months. But during discussion of her candidacy in parliament, she herself stated that work in the prosecutor’s office does not contradict the protection of human rights. According to Manasyan, the main function of the prosecutor’s office is precisely the protection of human rights.

Human rights activist Artur Sakunts does not consider it appropriate to give estimates in advance of how effective the new Ombudsman will be. He says she is “more of a theorist, a specialist in constitutional law.”

Prior to her appointment as Deputy Prosecutor General, Anahit Manasyan worked as an adviser at the Constitutional Court, also holding other positions both in the Constitutional Court and in the Ministry of Justice. She is a candidate of legal sciences and associate professor.

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Manasyan said that she would perform her duties with impartiality and do everything possible to protect the ombudsman institution from politicization:

“I am ready and will strive to become a bridge on the path to achieving tolerance and solidarity in society, protecting the institution of a human rights defender from any political speculation. Naturally, I don’t consider exclusively critical statements as my main tool as a defense attorney, although this is also a very important tool.”

According to Manasyan, she will use the tools widely used in international practice to protect human rights and improve this system, including through education.

She noted that the priority should not be “finding the guilty and responsible”, but an honest look at problems and their solution through joint efforts in an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation.

She identified as priority areas

  • creating an atmosphere of social tolerance and solidarity,
  • respect for the right to freedom of speech,
  • guarantee of the independence of the judiciary
  • overcoming polarization in society as a whole, and not just political sides.

According to the new Ombudsman, persecution of people on various grounds, incitement of hatred, and propaganda of violence are widespread in the country, and she believes it incumbent upon her to help overcome this.

Change of route in NK. For a week now, Armenia has been actively discussing the situation that has developed on the Armenian border due to a change in the route of the road

After Manasyan’s speech, the deputies asked questions about specific situations related to human rights. Manasyan did not say what she thinks concerning, in particular, deputies from the ruling majority and the opposition. She cited the need to know all the circumstances of the cases before expressing an opinion.

She also refused to assess the job of those who came before her in the role. According to Manasyan, there is “an institution that already exists, the foundations of which were laid by everyone.”

During the discussion, the deputies asked Manasyan “whether her friendship with the Prosecutor General of Armenia Anna Vardapetyan would fetter her.” She replied that she had friendly relations with many officials, but this did not prevent her from assessing their work.

Because the previous ombudsman resigned after one year, the deputies asked how long Manasyan was ready to stay in office.

“For me this is not a position, this is a mission, I undertake it with great responsibility. I undertake to make efforts, to do everything to bring this mission to the end and raise the sphere to the proper level, ”she replied.

The former Ombudsman of Armenia, Kristine Grigoryan, resigned on January 23, 2023, according to the official version, due to “transition to another job.” Several months have passed since then, but it is still not reported what job she switched to. The ruling power and at this meeting said nothing about the fate of the previous Ombudsman. Artur Hovhannisyan, secretary of the “Civil Contract” faction, only stated that “the public will be duly informed about this at the appropriate moment.”

Ratification of the Statute would have grave consequences for both Russia and Armenia

The issue of nominating candidates for ombudsmen was discussed at an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary commission on human rights on Apri 4l. The ruling team nominated Deputy Prosecutor General Anahit Manasyan, while the Hayastan and I Have The Honor opposition factions nominated Edgar Ghazaryan.

Edgar Ghazaryan has held various political positions since the 1990s, was the governor of the Vayots Dzor region, the Armenian ambassador to Poland, and the head of the apparatus of the Constitutional Court. In recent years he has been a harsh critic of the current government.

At a meeting a week ago where opposition candidate Edgar Ghazaryan spoke, only one opposition MP was present — the head of the human rights commission, Taguhi Tovmasyan.

The discussion in the commission grew bitter and ended in a scandal. At first, the opposition candidate called the country’s authorities a “criminal regime” and described the Velvet Revolution that took place in 2018 as “a victory for the Azerbaijani-Turkish group.”

This infuriated the secretary of the ruling faction so much that he threatened to “cut off the ears and tongues of all those who dare to call the people of Armenia an Azerbaijani-Turkish group.”

The second part of the meeting passed without incident. The opposition did not come to the meeting to ask Manasyan questions. The Commission on Human Rights, in which four out of seven members are representatives of the ruling faction, voted for Manasyan’s candidacy.

https://jam-news.net/anahit-manasyan-elected-ombudsman/

Two bullets fired at building of Turkish opposition party

Ani Kharatian

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 16:19, 31 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. The building of a Turkish opposition party in Istanbul was hit by two bullets overnight, its leader said on Friday, in what she described as an attempt to scare party members ahead of landmark presidential and parliamentary elections next month.

There were no reports of anybody being hurt in the shooting, which targeted the Istanbul office of the IYI Party, Reuters reported.

One bullet hit the ground floor and another the third floor, IYI party leader Meral Aksener told reporters.

“This is an attempt to scare members of a political party just one month and a half before the elections. This is unacceptable. You cannot scare us but this is an insult to voters,” Aksener said.

The Istanbul governor’s office said the police had launched an investigation into the incident.

The IYI Party is part of a six-party opposition alliance which has nominated Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) as their candidate to challenge President Tayyip Erdogan in the May 14 elections.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a CHP member, condemned the incident and Kilicdaroglu called on authorities to investigate.

The spokesperson for Erdogan’s ruling AK Party, Omer Celik, also condemned the incident.

100 DAYS: AZERBAIJAN’S TOTAL BLOCKADE OF ARTSAKH

Ani Kharatian

 

By Annick Asso

How can this conflict’s intolerable absence of media coverage still be justified? On , the Lachin road, a vital life road connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to Armenia, is still under the control of Azerbaijani special forces with the tacit agreement of Russia. The French government and international organizations are expected to act on this issue and finally initiate humanitarian aid to stop the ongoing ethnic cleansing.

The lives of 120,000 Armenian civilians, including 30,000 children in Artsakh, have been threatened again for over three months. Under blockade since December 12, 2022, the Republic is suffocating in inconceivable silence and embarrassing indifference. A significant action from France is expected, which has been delayed despite the promises made by President Emmanuel Macron during January 23, 2023, meeting with the representatives of the CCAF (Council of Coordination of Armenian Organizations of France) in the presence of renowned intellectuals, Sylvain Tesson and Jean-Christophe Buisson at the forefront. The Senate and the National Assembly have indeed unanimously passed resolutions condemning Azerbaijan and calling for sanctions against its leaders; however, these votes have, so far, been followed by no effect. Morally, historically, and culturally committed to the side of Armenia, France must act to stop the ongoing ethnic cleansing and firmly sanction Azerbaijan. And this involves, as a priority, in response to the gravity of the situation, significant humanitarian action promised by President Emmanuel Macron.

Silence for 100 days, the Lachin corridor, the only access road connecting Artsakh to Armenia, is completely closed under the false pretext that alleged Azerbaijani environmental activists are operating on the site, while investigations have proven that Azerbaijani special forces are on the ground.

Silence, for 100 days, Armenia and Artsakh have been subjected to a low-intensity war conducted by revisionist states that, beyond this region, contest even the borders of Armenia, now referred to as ‘Western Azerbaijan,’ which is a historical nonsense and a violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia and international law.

Silence for 100 days, Artsakh has become an open-air prison where residents lack everything: food, supplies, and the most basic hygiene products. Azerbaijan randomly cuts off gas, electricity, and internet networks, plunging residents of this mountainous nation where temperatures can reach -10 degrees during the cold winter. Children no longer attend school, and schools have had to close due to a lack of heating and operating funds.

Silence, for 100 days, children in the Stepanakert hospital run out of medicine and cannot receive treatment. Only a few have been evacuated urgently to Yerevan by the Red Cross. Two hundred babies are born, but what will their future be in a region devastated by the 2020 war and probably by a new conflict that is secretly being planned?

For 100 days, the Armenian population of Artsakh has been dying silently due to the international community’s indifference.

As Armenia, the USA, France, and many countries around the world prepare to commemorate, as every year, on April 24, 2023, the genocide of Armenians in 1915, let us insist that the duty of memory does not exempt us from acting to help the Armenians who are the target of a new ethnic cleansing in Artsakh.

During the genocide perpetrated by the Young Turks in 1915, one and a half million Armenians were deported, tortured, and massacred in total indifference and silence. Pertj Zeytountsian, a famous Armenian writer and, playwright, former Minister of Culture in Armenia, recounted in his play The Great Silence (Medz Lerutjun in Armenian) the beheading of the Armenian elite on April 24, 1915, through the figure of two eminent poets Rupen Sevag and Daniel Varoujan, and emphasized the silence that surrounded their extermination and, with them, that of an entire population condemned to deportation to the first concentration and extermination camps of the 20th century in the deserts of Syria. France recognized the genocide of Armenians in 2001, and many other countries as well. Commemorating this first genocide of the 20th century can only retain its meaning today from a perspective of prevention so that such crimes do not happen again. However, when President Ilham Aliyev declares with impunity that for the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh, it is ‘the suitcase or the coffin,’ what are we witnessing if not the explicitly announced continuation of the 1915 genocide? Let us act so that such statements, reinforced by those of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who explicitly designates Armenians as ‘the remains of the sword,’ do not lead to the last act of a tragedy that never ends and of which the international community would be complicit, once again, through its indifference.

The absence of condemnation of Azerbaijan and applicable sanctions by the international community can only encourage the dictator Ilham Aliyev to pursue his expansionist, revisionist, and genocidal policy. On February 22, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, ordered Azerbaijan to end the blockade of the Lachin corridor, which represents a minor diplomatic victory for Armenia. However, not only does Azerbaijan refuse to execute the ICJ’s order requiring the unblocking of the corridor, but it also regularly commits new crimes against Armenians: daily shootings are reported, and several civilians have been killed or abducted in ambushes. Once again, France, the EU, and the international community remain silent.

Economic and geostrategic interests and other conflicts on Europe’s doorstep must not condemn Armenians to die in silence again. One hundred eight years after the 1915 genocide, the Armenians of Artsakh have acquired the right to live in peace on their ancestral lands. The Armenian population of Artsakh is now threatened with ethnic cleansing on its territory. Historically and morally, France must intervene to immediately lift the blockade on the Lachin corridor, which has been going on for more than three months, and to send a humanitarian convoy to demonstrate true solidarity in action towards Armenia.

Annick Asso is an Associate Professor and Researcher at EHESS- Paris. She is an expert for the Auschwitz Foundation in Brussels and has been conducting various comparative research projects on genocides and mass crimes. She is the author of several books on the subject and a correspondent for Armenews in France.

ICRC: Armenia։ Facts and Figures – January to December 2022

Ani Kharatian
March 22 2023
Through our delegation in Yerevan and sub-delegations in Goris and Ijevan we continued to support those affected by the conflict escalations in autumn 2020, 2021 and September 2022.
REPORT 22 MARCH 2023 ARMENIA

Due to presence across the region, in our role of a neutral intermediary we addressed the pressing humanitarian needs occurred in relation to the situation along the Lachin corridor since December 2022.

We continued facilitating resilience-building programs in communities situated along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We cooperated closely and worked in complementarity with the Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS) supporting its activities as well as joined efforts in response to the needs of civilians affected by the escalations.

 

We continued working with the families of people unaccounted for following the escalations of hostilities, logged hundreds of tracing requests and assessed the needs of a number of families whose loved ones went missing during the escalation in autumn 2020. In addition, we provided technical and material support to relevant authorities in Armenia, including forensic expertise, to facilitate the issue of dignified management of human remains and clarification of fate of people missing in connection with conflict or other emergencies.

Across the region, the ICRC kept visiting those detained in connection with the conflict escalations in 2020 and 2021, whose detention had been confirmed by the respective authorities. During the visits, we assessed treatment of the detainees and conditions of their detention as well as facilitated the exchange of news with their families. With the consent of the authorities, the family contact was maintained by means of Red Cross messages, phone calls, oral greetings and pre-recorded video messages. This is always an important emotional lifeline for the detainees and their loved ones, and often the proof for families that their detained relatives are alive.

Over 6000
calls and individual visits were received from families of the missing.
Around 1600
oral, video and written Red Cross messages were shared with the families of the conflict-related detainees.
6970 civilians
living in or near weapon-contaminated areas participated in sessions on risks of landmines and ERWs, organized by the ARCS with the ICRC support.
Around 170 tons
of elite winter wheat seeds were distributed to 286 households in Syunik and Gegharkunik regions.
Around 5100 persons
displaced following the conflict escalation in 2020 and 2022 received multipurpose cash assistance from the ICRC in collaboration with the ARCS.
15 health facilities
in Vayots Dzor, Syunik and Gegharkunik regions received dressing materials to provide initial medical care to the injured.

Find below the Armenian and English versions of the complete report on the ICRC’s work in Armenia in 2022. 

Facts and Figures 2022, Armenian version
Facts and Figures 2022, English version

Observers warn of imminent fighting in Artsakh

Ani Kharatian
 Lillian Avedian News 0

Armenian and Azerbaijani observers have been sounding alarm bells of an imminent military escalation in Artsakh. 

Mutual accusations of ceasefire violations have been increasing in recent weeks. On March 22, Armenian soldier Arshak Sargsyan was killed by Azerbaijani fire near the Yeraskh village on the border of Nakhichevan, according to the Ministry of Defense of Armenia. 

On March 21, two Russian peacekeepers were injured by Azerbaijani gunfire near the Ishkhanasar village in the Syunik province of Armenia. The peacekeepers were assisting in a search-and-rescue operation for an Armenian soldier who went missing after accidentally entering Azerbaijani-controlled territory while driving through foggy weather. The soldier was found on March 22. The Russian soldiers were treated at the Goris hospital.

Attacks on civilians in Artsakh have also been growing. On the morning of March 22, officials in Artsakh say Azerbaijani soldiers fired on civilians working in their vineyards near the town of Chartar in the Martuni province of Artsakh. Civilians working in their fields in the Amaras valley and Taghavard village in Martuni previously came under Azerbaijani fire on March 15 and March 19. No casualties were reported. 

Azerbaijani armed forces have killed six civilians and 15 military officials in Artsakh since the end of the 2020 Artsakh War, according to a report released by the office of Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender on March 8. 

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has also accused the Armenian armed forces and the Artsakh Defense Army of ceasefire violations in recent weeks. The Defense Ministry said that Azerbaijani positions came under fire on March 13, 15 and 20. The Armenian side denied these reports. The Artsakh Defense Ministry said that Azerbaijani armed forces fired on the northern section of the line of contact on March 10. 

Tensions have been escalating since three Artsakh police officers were killed in an ambush by a dozen Azerbaijani soldiers on March 5. Two Azerbaijani soldiers were also killed in the fighting.  

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also sparked fear of a military offensive when he threatened during a speech on March 18 that if Armenians want to “live comfortably on an area of 29,000 square kilometers” (the size of Armenia), “Armenia must accept our conditions, officially recognize Karabakh as the territory of Azerbaijan, sign a peace treaty with us and carry out delimitation work according to our conditions.”

“If Armenia does not recognize our territorial integrity, we will not recognize their territorial integrity either,” Aliyev said. 

Armenian and Azerbaijani analysts have pointed to signs of a new military escalation in Artsakh. Independent Azerbaijani news outlet Mikroskop Media reported on March 13 that Azerbaijani media have been preparing the public for the outbreak of fighting. The outlet said that Azerbaijani TV channels have been warning of an Armenian provocation that would trigger an anti-terrorist operation by Azerbaijan. 

Yerevan-based political scientist Tigran Grigoryan tweeted on March 17 that the “risk of a new Azerbaijani attack in Nagorno-Karabakh is extremely high.” “Baku has been actively preparing ground for the new escalation for weeks,” Grigoryan said. “There are reports about Azerbaijani troops concentrations on the frontline.” 

Warnings of a new military escalation come as the ongoing blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan passed its 100-day mark on Tuesday. 

Government-sponsored Azerbaijani protesters posing as environmental activists have blocked the Lachin Corridor, the sole route connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the outside world, since December 12, 2022. Artsakh is facing a critical humanitarian crisis and severe shortages of food, medicine and other basic necessities.

Artsakh typically imports 90-percent of its food from Armenia and other countries, according to a report released by the office of Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender on March 21. Since the closure of the Lachin Corridor, all imports have come to a halt, except for the delivery of almost four-thousand tons of humanitarian aid by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Only ICRC and Russian peacekeeping vehicles have been permitted to use the Lachin Corridor.

Artsakh authorities have rationed pasta, buckwheat, rice, sugar, oil, fruits, vegetables, eggs and laundry detergent through a coupon system. Soap, cleaning products, toilet paper, diapers and feminine hygiene products have consistently been in short supply in grocery stores and pharmacies. 

Surgeries in Artsakh have come to a halt. The ICRC has transported 194 patients from Artsakh to Armenia to receive medical treatment. At least one person has died since the start of the blockade, because he could not be transferred in time for treatment. 

Gas and electricity supplies have also been periodically disrupted since the start of the blockade. Artsakh receives its natural gas from Armenia through a single pipeline that runs through Azerbaijani-controlled territory. Artsakh authorities say that Azerbaijan has deliberately disrupted the gas supply for a total of 34 days since the start of the blockade. The high-voltage power line that provides Artsakh’s electricity supply has been damaged since January 9. The Artsakh government says that Azerbaijan has prohibited specialists from accessing the power line. 

Before the blockade, half of Artsakh’s electricity was supplied by local hydroelectric power plants. Water resources in the Sarsang reservoir are in rapid decline, since the reservoir has been operating at its full capacity. 

“The ongoing blockade of Artsakh and disruption of vital infrastructure by Azerbaijan, as well as the regular and consistent armed attacks, aim at subjecting Artsakh to ethnic cleansing through physical and psychological intimidation, creating unbearable conditions and destroying the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh,” the report from the Artsakh Ombudsman’s office says. 

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Lillian Avedian is a staff writer for the Armenian Weekly. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hetq and the Daily Californian. She is pursuing master’s degrees in journalism and Near Eastern Studies at New York University. A human rights journalist and feminist poet, Lillian’s first poetry collection Journey to Tatev was released with Girls on Key Press in spring of 2021.


World Evangelical Alliance, World Council of Churches call on Azerbaijan to immediately end blockade of Lachin Corridor

Ani Kharatian

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 14:40, 13 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS. The World Evangelical Alliance and the World Council of Churches made a joint statement during the UN Human Rights Council 52nd Session General Debate calling on Azerbaijan to immediately lift the blockade of Lachin Corridor.

The statement was delivered by Markus Hofer, UN Communication and Outreach Officer, World Evangelical Alliance.

“The World Evangelical Alliance and the World Council of Churches are deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Nagorno Karabakh and the ongoing blockade by Azerbaijan of the Lachin corridor, the road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia. Since 12 December, the siege has put thousands of lives in peril. It affects the livelihood of 120’000 Armenian civilians in desperate need of food, medical treatment and supplies, and other essential goods. The energy provision has also been repeatedly interrupted, leaving the population with limited fuel, heat and electricity and preventing schools and hospitals from functioning because of the intense cold. This blockade violates human rights law and international humanitarian law. It also violates the ceasefire agreement signed in November 2020 that required maintaining the corridor that would ensure the connection of Nagorno Karabakh with the Republic of Armenia. We call on Azerbaijan for the immediate lifting of the blockade to allow for the two-side free and safe passage of civilians, transport and goods along the corridor and to guarantee unimpeded humanitarian access to urgently alleviate the suffering of the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh and promote the full enjoyment of fundamental human rights of all without any discrimination,” the statement reads.

TelAviv: Opinion: Iran puts pressure on Israel’s ally Azerbaijan over Karabakh

Ani Kharatian
i24

Israel – March 14 2023

Opinion: Iran puts pressure on Israel’s ally Azerbaijan over Karabakh

Ariel Kogan March 14, 2023

Is Karabakh to turn into new Syria?

With Azerbaijan getting progressively closer to Israel as of late, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian regime see this is a major threat to their interests on the northern frontier.

Following their modus operandi, the IRGC has been training militant proxy groups, which fought in Syria already, for a new potential task – infiltrating Karabakh and disrupting Azerbaijani control of this area. Karabakh, the UN-recognized Azerbaijani territory, was mostly liberated from Armenian occupation in 2020 (thanks to Israeli military aid to Azerbaijan), except for a separatist enclave, populated by the Armenians.

The presence of Shi’ite militias in this tumultuous region would be a blatant escalation towards armed conflict, potentially leading to total regional war. A scenario which would be familiar to those knowledgeable about the conflict in Syria.

According to the Turkish news outlet Türkiye Gazetesi, the IRGC plans to deploy up to 4,000 militants and IRGC operatives to Karabakh by May 2023. For this reason, the commander of the IRGC special unit Niru-ye Qods Esmail Qaani visited Iraq and Syria in February. The Iranian general instructed the leaders of the Iranian proxy groups to create a unit for special operations.

It is not hard to imagine how the 4,000-man contingent would reach Karabakh when considering the tight-knit relations between Iran and Armenia, as well as the Lachin corridor connecting the latter and the Armenian-populated separatist enclave in Karabakh – Artsakh. Convoys secretly carrying weapons have already been confirmed traveling through lesser-known routes from Armenia to the enclave.

Moreover, the area around the Lachin corridor is under the control of Russian army peacekeepers. Just so it happens that Russia, a major ally of Iran, is supervising the only officially recognized road between Armenia, another ally of the two, and the separatist “autonomous republic” on Azerbaijani soil.

Iran and Russia have solidified their ties over the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine, so it is safe to assume that the IRGC would be able to coordinate with the Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh in order to secure safe and discreet passage into the region, and ensure no interference with their operations against Azerbaijan.

The Iranian-backed proxies which fought in Syria are numerous and diverse. To name a few infamous examples: Liwa Fatemiyoun and Liwa Zainebiyoun. The organizations are made up of Shia extremists trained, organized, and instructed by the IRGC to fight for its interests in turbulent areas on the map.

The Fatemiyoun brigade is mostly Afghans, while the Zainebiyoun brigade is primarily made up of Pakistanis – however, the ethnic makeup of the different Iranian militias varies and includes many other ethnic groups. The binding factor being the IRGC, Khomeinist ideology, and being pronounced enemies of the West and its allies. These groups are willing to carry out the ayatollah’s bidding in the most ruthless of methods.

It is not the only threat: on March 11, an Iranian military plane flew along the border with Azerbaijan without notifying or warning the Azerbaijani side of the maneuver. This incident, in violation of the internationally accepted practice of issuing a warning, was condemned by the Azeri government.

What’s more is that the Iranian aircraft flew close to the Azerbaijani territories in which, according to many IRGC and Iranian official claims, Israel presumably has military assets such as air bases and intelligence gathering outposts.

A day after that Azerbaijani secret services announced the arrests of 32 Iranian agents, who carried out “provocation and disruption acts under the guise of religion.” This is the second large operation since November last year, when a similar number of Iranian operatives and agents were arrested.

Some of them participated in planning and carrying out attempts to kill Israelis in other countries and to collect information about Israeli equipment, which is supplied to Azerbaijani military. Clearly, increased Iranian involvement in Azerbaijani affairs and destabilization efforts leading to potential escalation in the region are not without cause. Tehran sees the tightening of ties between Jerusalem and Baku as a grave threat to its hegemony and seeks out ways to weaken its opponents and provoke a disproportionate response.

Turkish ambassador to Israel demands not to place Armenian Genocide monument in Haifa

Ani Kharatian
News.am
Armenia – March 15 2023
17:33, 15.03.2023
R

The Haifa city council’s decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide can be a serious test for Israeli-Turkish relations which were settled in 2022.

As it became known to Ynet, on Monday, the Turkish ambassador to Israel petitioned to the Israeli government, demanding to prevent the creation of a monument in Haifa dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. If Jerusalem refuses to fulfill this demand, the improvement of relations with Ankara may be stopped.

Turkish Ambassador Sakir Ozkan Torunlar’s letter was addressed to Israel’s Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar, who refrained from replying to this letter, sent it to the Israeli foreign ministry, and the latter held consultations regarding this memorial.

An instruction was given to leave Torunlar’s letter unanswered. If the Turkish side insists on taking measures, they will explain to Ankara that it is about the decision of the local authorities, not the Israeli government or state structure.