Author: Ani Kharatian

ANC International Criticizes Foreign Minister for Remarks on Turkey

Ani Kharatian

February 11,  2021



Armenian National Committee-International

The Armenian National Committee-International on Thursday issued a statement criticizing Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ara Aivazyan, who in remarks on Wednesday said that “Turkey no longer had a reason to keep its borders closed.”  The ANC International also voiced concern about the dangers such a policy might pose to the not only the security of Armenia but also the unresolved issues stemming from Turkey’s continued denial of the Armenian Genocide.

Below is a translation of the ANC International statement.

On February 10, 2021, during a question-and-answer session between the National Assembly and the Government, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia made statements that caused serious concern to the Central Council of the Armenian Cause.

Specifically, the Minister stated. “Turkey, under pressure from the international community, must gradually return to the normal process. As you are aware, the blockade—the closure of the border—was the result of the Nagorno-Karabakh status quo, which has changed through the use of force. Turkey, therefore, no longer has any reason to keep its border with Armenia closed. At the moment, no process underway, but Armenia and our diplomacy will make active efforts in order for a favorable environment to exist around us for strengthening Armenia’s security. I repeat that the security atmosphere contains many elements.”

From this extremely problematic statements we can make the following assertions:

1. The Government of Armenia is planning to come to terms with the status quo that was created throughout the use of force by the Turkish-Azerbaijani axis against Artsakh that resulted in the occupation of a large part of Artsakh, deportation and ethnic cleansing. In this instance, the Armenian government, is essentially relinquishing its responsibilities as the guarantor of Artsakh’s security.

2. Effectively, the Armenian government believes that there are no other pressing issues in attached to Armenia-Turkey relations than the Karabakh issue. Specifically, there is no reasonable doubt that the Armenian government is going to forget the policy of international recognition of and reparations for the Armenian Genocide, as well as other issues related to the Armenia-Turkey interstate border.

It is not clear how the Armenian government envisions the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations, when only a few months ago, with the full and overt support of Turkey, a part of our homeland was subjected to aggressive attacks, coupled with war crimes. At the same time, the representative of the Armenian government speaks about the prospects of normalization of relations with Turkey at a time when large-scale Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises are taking place near the Armenian border, which coincide with the statements of high-ranking Turkish and Azerbaijani officials about Armenia’s sovereignty.

Even at time when there have been fundamental disagreements with the Armenian authorities, the ANC International’s worldwide network not only did not retreat from its positions of defending the interests of the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh, but also continued close cooperation with embassies in different countries and Armenian representations within international organizations.

However, the minister’s statement yesterday, threatens to create a serious ideological divide between the network of organizations that function in dozens of countries as conduits of Armenia’s diplomacy, and Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.

The fact of the matter is that Turkey has not given up on the other preconditions it has been advancing for 30 years in regards to establishing diplomatic relations with the Republic of Armenia and the lifting the land blockade that include the process of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and demanding Armenia to make concessions on the Armenia-Turkey legal border. Turkey maintains its hostile attitude toward Armenia and the Armenian people, which manifested itself with its overt participation in Azerbaijan’s attacks unleashed on Artsakh on September 27, 2020, and the continuous anti-Armenian measures taken by the Turkish authorities inside and outside Turkey. Until Turkey fundamentally changes its anti-Armenian policy, any attempt by Armenia to enter into dialogue with the latter will be used by Turkey to achieve its aforementioned goals. Especially on the eve of the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, it will be an opportunity for Turkey to take advantage of it.

The Armenian government’s criminal ineptitude and its inability to serve the vital interests of Armenia are nothing new for us. We anticipate, however, that Armenia’s Foreign Ministry—one of the government institutions that have not been completely destroyed—will demonstrate the resolve to not give in to Turkey’s deceitful policies. The primary precondition for strengthening the security of Armenia, as well as Artsakh, is a fundamental change in Armenia’s domestic situation, which can begin only with the removal of the person who led the country to defeat and has been clinging to his position as Armenia’s Prime Minister. Only then it will be possible to fathom, plan and act in order to create ‘a favorable atmosphere to strengthen Armenia’s security.”

Opposition MP reiterates call for formation of fact-finding commission to study recent Artsakh war

Ani Kharatian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 12 2021

Not everyone is to blame for the outcome of the recent war in Artsakh, Armenian MP Edmon Marukyan from the opposition Bright Armenia Party told a briefing at the parliament on Friday.

“What are those who have performed their duties sacredly guilty of?” the lawmaker asked.

The deputy stated there are specific persons responsible for the situation and reiterated their call for the formation of a fact-finding commission to look into the events of the 44-day war.

“Every day you are asking the opposition if we consider ourselves guilty? Yes, we admit it. The manipulations that everyone is to blame except for the prime minister, the ministry of defense and the generals have to stop. Remember, not everyone is to blame, there are specific perpetrators, therefore we propose to set up a fact-finding commission to identify and hold them to account,” he said.

The lawmaker also unveiled what problems he faces when participating in closed, confidential meetings.

“I take part in a meeting of the Security Council, after it ends, you, journalists, ask me 100 questions, of which I can answer only 5. It turns out that, possessing this information, I cannot share it with you, and here a gap occurs. For this, for example, a document has now been published regarding David Bek-Goris section of the road. We submitted an inquiry [to the authorities] to find out whether it is genuine or not. During these three days, there should have been either confirmation or denial of the text, but there has been nothing That is the problem, what else do you expect from the current authorities?” he said. 

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 02/10/2021

Ani Kharatian 
                                        Wednesday, 
No Talks Yet On Turkish-Armenian Border Opening, Says Yerevan
        • Sargis Harutyunyan
Turkey -- Dogu Kapi border gate to Armenia, in Kars, Akyaka province, 15Apr2009
Three months after Russia brokered the Armenian-Azerbaijani agreement to stop 
the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia and Turkey are holding no talks on opening 
their border, Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazian said on Wednesday.
Ayvazian signaled Yerevan’s desire to see the border opened soon when he spoke 
in the Armenian parliament.
“As you know, the [Turkish] blockade, the closure of the [Turkish-Armenian] 
border was the result of the Nagorno-Karabakh status quo, which has changed 
through a use of force. Turkey therefore no longer has any reason to keep its 
border with Armenia closed,” he told lawmakers.
“At the moment no [Turkish-Armenian normalization] process is underway,” he 
said. “But Armenia and our diplomacy will be making meaningful efforts so that 
our neighborhood becomes more favorable for Armenia’s security.”
Armenia -- Newly appointed Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazian, November 19, 2020.
Turkey completely shut down the border between the two neighboring states in 
1993 and has refused to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia since then 
out of solidarity with Azerbaijan. It has also maintained a ban on all imports 
from Armenia via third countries.
During the recent Karabakh war the Armenian government similarly decided to ban 
the import of all Turkish goods. The government cited Ankara’s “inflammatory 
calls,” arms supplies to Azerbaijan and “deployment of terrorist mercenaries to 
the conflict zone.” It said the six-month ban, which went into force on December 
31, is meant to neutralize “various kinds of dangers” emanating from the 
“hostile country.”
Ankara has yet to clarify whether a Karabakh settlement acceptable to Baku 
remains a precondition for normalizing Turkish-Armenian relations after the 
six-week war that resulted in the restoration of Azerbaijani control over all 
districts around Karabakh.
Some Armenian analysts have speculated that it may now also demand that Yerevan 
stop seeking greater international recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide in 
Ottoman Turkey.
The Armenian-Azerbaijani ceasefire agreement also calls for the restoration of 
transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan. A trilateral “working group” 
formed by the Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani governments for that purpose 
held its first meeting in Moscow late last month.
Ruling Bloc ‘Still Open To Discussing Elections With Opposition’
        • Gayane Saribekian
Armenia -- Deputies from the ruling My Step bloc attend a session of the 
Armenian parliament, Yerevan, January 22, 2021.
Armenia’s political leadership may again consider holding fresh parliamentary 
elections if the idea is backed by the parliamentary opposition, pro-government 
lawmakers said on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian offered to hold such elections on December 25 in 
response to anti-government protests sparked by the outcome of the war in 
Nagorno-Karabakh. The Armenian opposition dismissed the proposal, insisting on 
its demands for his resignation and the formation of an interim government.
The ruling My Step bloc pointed to the opposition stance when it stated on 
Sunday that Pashinian and his allies see no need to dissolve the current 
parliament. It also claimed that most Armenians do not want snap elections.
Opposition leaders scoffed at the statement, saying Pashinian has simply 
realized that he stands no chance of winning the vote.
“Let them not blame the parliamentary opposition for not holding pre-term 
elections or attribute that to [a lack of] ‘public demand,’” said Iveta Tonoyan 
of the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), which has the second largest 
group in the National Assembly.
Arman Boshian, a lawmaker representing My Step, said, meanwhile, that the 
conduct of snap polls will be back on the government agenda if the BHK or the 
other parliamentary opposition party, Bright Armenia, agrees to discuss its 
practical modalities.
“If not a single parliamentary opposition faction is prepared to discuss and 
work out a roadmap to holding pre-term parliamentary elections we will take note 
of that fact and move on,” said Boshian.
“Our opposition colleagues are now trying to make everyone believe that they did 
not speak out against pre-term elections,” said Babken Tunian, another 
pro-government lawmaker. “They can now reaffirm that once again and make a very 
concrete proposal, in an appropriate format, as to how, when and through what 
mechanisms they see the conduct of those elections.”
Tonoyan ruled out such a possibility and made clear that the BHK and its 
opposition allies making up the Homeland Salvation Movement will continue to 
campaign for Pashinian’s resignation.
The opposition alliance has scheduled its next anti-government rally for 
February 20.
Armenia, Azerbaijan Exchange More Prisoners
        • Artak Khulian
Armenia -- Lieutenant-General Rustam Muradov (R), the commander of Russian 
peacekeepering forces stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh, meets with Armenian Defense 
Minister Vagharshak Harutiunian, Yerevan, .
Armenia and Azerbaijan have exchanged more prisoners in line with the 
Russian-brokered agreement that stopped the war in Nagorno-Karabakh on November 
10.
Five Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) were flown to Yerevan by a Russian plane 
and immediately taken to a military hospital for examination late on Tuesday.
According to Lieutenant-General Rustam Muradov, the commander of Russian 
peacekeeping forces stationed in Karabakh, Armenia repatriated an Azerbaijani 
captive earlier in the day.
Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutiunian thanked Muradov for 
facilitating Armenian-Azerbaijani prisoner exchanges and assisting in the 
continuing search for missing Armenian soldiers when they met in Yerevan on 
Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian told RFE/RL’s Armenian 
Service that two of the Armenian servicemen freed on Tuesday were taken prisoner 
during the war. The official said the three others were among 62 soldiers 
captured in early December when the Azerbaijani army seized the last two 
Armenian-controlled villages in Karabakh’s Hadrut district.
Azerbaijani officials branded those soldiers as “saboteurs” and “terrorists” 
last month, signaling Baku’s intention to prosecute them on relevant charges. 
Yerevan condemned those plans as a gross violation of international law and the 
Karabakh ceasefire agreement.
The latest exchange brought to 64 the total number of Armenian POWs and 
civilians freed by Azerbaijan to date. More than 100 others are believed to 
remain in Azerbaijani captivity.
For its part, the Armenian side has released 16 Azerbaijanis.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2021 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Ex-ambassador: The one who left the people to the mercy of fate is the so-called ‘power of the people’

Ani Kharatian
News.am, Armenia
Feb 7 2021
Ex-ambassador: The one who left the people to the mercy of fate is the so-called ‘power of the people’
20:13, 07.02.2021
The one who left the people to the mercy of fate is the so-called ‘power of the people’, former Armenian Ambassador to the Vatican Mikael Minasyan wrote on his Facebook.

“A ghost is wandering around Armenia: it is the ghost of indifference. And while a part of the Armenian people continues to wait for a miracle, staying in a lethargic dream, with the psychology of a man “boiling in the cauldron” of his own grief, the bastard, clinging to the prime minister’s chair, continues to give his homeland to the Turks,” he said.

“Three months after the surrender, when it seemed that there was nothing more to surrender, the enemy continued to freely occupy the heights of Syunik [province of Armenia – ed.], and the residents of Syunik was again left alone in front of the Azerbaijani military and their GPS.”

“And it’s even unnecessary to talk about Artsakh: it de facto does not exist – When free Artsakh is now controlled by Russian and Turkish military personnel. The rest is lyrics.”

“I propose to honestly answer the question: do you know any other country whose capitulating prime minister, a few months after 5,000 victims, thousands of wounded and prisoners, lies and betrayal, is still trying to show signs of life, presenting on this path as a “major achievement” another sharp increase in public debt, or is it staging street shows to convince, first, itself, and then its ignorant circle that it enjoys “popular support”?,” Minasyan added referring to the PM Nikol Pashinyan.

“Do you know what a normal government would do? First, it would not allow the disaster to reach such proportions, then it would fight for every centimeter of land and every life, break down the doors of international organizations, and haunt foreign diplomats and allies.”

“What are they [the current authorities – ed.] doing? They cynically declare that one should forget about whose land it is, who started the war because for them the enemy and the issue of Armenia is not the Turks, but the opposition. They are ready to give up everything for the sake of their own chair, because they have neither past nor dignity, and after losing their chair they will also have no future,” ex-envoy added.

Situation around Armenia and Artsakh discussed at Security Council session

Ani Kharatian

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 15:05, 2 February, 2021

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan chaired today the session of the Security Council, the PM’s Office told Armenpress.

A number of issues relating to the current situation around Armenia and Artsakh, the humanitarian problems and the security environment were discussed during the session.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian historian Hamlet Petrosyan reacts to another Azerbaijani slander

Ani Kharatian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 1 2021

Armenian Doctor of History, Professor Hamlet Petrosyan, who leads the archeological excavations in Artsakh’s Tigranakert, reacted to another slander by Azerbaijan in a statement on Sunday. The full text of the statement is below.

“In the Azerbaijani media domain, they post pictures from my Facebook page, which show, among others, the packaging of the materials of the Tigranakert Archaeological Museum. The Azerbaijanis present the materials of the excavations in Tigranakert as “the result of illegal excavations”, describing the evacuation of these items from the war zone as “theft of Azerbaijani cultural heritage”.

I would like to remind the semi-literate propagandists of the aggressive state that the archeological excavations in Tigranakert were carried out at the official invitation and with the permission of the Artsakh authorities, that they were financed from the Artsakh state budget. The Tigranakert Archaeological Museum was established, operated by the decision of the legitimate authorities of Artsakh, with funding of the government of Artsakh. The archeological research of Tigranakert was carried out on a full legal basis, with high professionalism, the results of the research were regularly presented to the international scientific community. It’s just ridiculous to talk about a secret process.

Let me mention that Azerbaijani archaeologists, who worked in the area in the 60s and 80s of the last century, did not see the archeological traces of the old city. I urge them not to be so jealous of what they have not been able to find.

During the 44-day war, Tigranakert became an area of enemy shelling, about which we have warned more than once. As a result, the Tigranakert archeological site were completely destroyed. The Artsakh authorities and I, our research team, could not allow the Tigranakert Archaeological Museum to suffer such a fate. The archeological findings of Tigranakert are the property of the people of Artsakh, the issues of its protection are not within the competence of Baku, but Stepanakert. In case of peace, they will be returned to Stepanakert and will be exhibited in the museum to be created for it.

The fact that Artsakh is not politically recognized does not deprive its indigenous people of their right to culture. Including the right to research and promote cultural heritage. So, the archeological research of Tigranakert was carried out on an absolutely legal basis.

The Azerbaijani ideology of depriving the people of Artsakh of their cultural heritage is a continuation of the genocide of the Armenian cultural heritage. Genocide, which we have witnessed for decades, genocide, which culminated in 2005-2006 by destruction of thousands of khachkars in Jugha, the genocide that gained momentum during Azerbaijan’s and Turkey’s recent aggression, continues every day. And it can not be justified by false political statements and false accusations.

My colleagues and I will continue the research of Artsakh’s cultural heritage, its popularization and the revelations of Azerbaijani vandalism. Aggression, military domination, defamation of international bodies are not competent and cannot deprive the people of Artsakh of the right to preserve their identity with their cultural heritage.”

3 families with minor children being deported from Austria to Georgia, Armenia, causing political scandal

Ani Kharatian
News.am, Armenia
Jan 29 2021
17:22, 29.01.2021

The deportation—to Georgia and Armenia—of three families with minor children from Austria has caused a political scandal, EurAsia Daily reports.

Three families—including three teenagers who went to school in Vienna and Lower Austria—were deported from Austria to Georgia and Armenia yesterday. The deportation of minors has provoked the protest of people who know the families. Around 160 people protested in Vienna near the detention center where the detainees were being held. Police had to disperse the demonstrators who had blocked street with shopping carts and waste tanks.

The media sensibly escalated the deportation by taking close-up photos of the frightened children. In addition, due to technical problems, the teenagers spent three hours on the bus transporting the detainees, before being taken to the airport.

“While you were sleeping, three children spent three hours in a deportation bus; dogs and hundreds of policemen outside,” Florian Klenk, editor-in-chief of the Vienna’s Falter magazine, tweeted.

The deportation of these students has also caused disagreements within the Austrian ruling coalition. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler from the Green Party stated: “There is no legal obligation, especially in the pandemic conditions, to deport students who grew up here in Austria and are well integrated. We all have a political obligation to remain human.”

However, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer of the Austrian People’s Party spoke in favor of the measure. “This is a decision of the Supreme Court, which has been reviewed several times, and the police must implement it,” he said.

Mittagsjournal reports on the details of one of the deported Georgian families, which has a 12-year-old. In 2015, the family applied for asylum for the first time, but it was rejected. Meanwhile, the family continued to live in Austria. The Federal Administrative Court clarified that the long-term residence of the family was motivated by the fact that the migrants persistently opposed the formal demands, appealing the decisions.

It got to the point where the President of Austria, Alexander van der Bellen, had to comment on the situation. “I cannot and will not believe that we live in a country where it is really necessary in that way. I’m deeply shocked. We need to find a way to interact humanely and respectfully with each other, especially when the main victims are the children.”

15 more bodies of Armenian servicemen retrieved

Ani Kharatian
Public Radio of Armenia
Jan 30 2021

On January 29, the rescue squads of the State Emergency Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan found and retrieved 15 bodies as a result of search operations.

The body of one soldier killed during the hostilities was found in the Martuni region, 13 other in the direction of Jrakan (Jabrail).

One body of a soldier from Yeghnikner (Arega Mountain) was handed over by the Azerbaijani side to the Armenian side. A forensic examination was ordered to determine their identities.

As of January 29, 1 344 bodies were found during the search.

Today the rescue detachments will work in the Hadrut region and in the territory of Armenia’s Syunik region.

The relatives of the killed or missing servicemen, escort-volunteers who took part in the hostilities are also involved in the search.

Russian peacekeepers help another group of refugees return to Nagorno-Karabakh

Ani Kharatian
TASS, Russia
Jan 22 2021
Another 87 refugees were brought from Yerevan to Stepanakert by buses, the Russian Defense Ministry said

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. Russian peacekeepers have escorted a group of 87 refugees from Armenia to the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

– World – TASS

“Russian peacekeepers continue to facilitate the return of refugees to their homes. Another 87 refugees were brought from Yerevan to Stepanakert by buses. A total of 50,390 refugees have returned to Nagorno-Karabakh so far,” the statement reads.

The mission of Russian peacekeepers is to ensure the safe return of refugees, provide them with humanitarian assistance and restore civil infrastructure facilities. They also monitor the situation in the region and the implementation of ceasefire agreements on a round-the-clock basis at 27 observation posts.

On November 9, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from November 10. The Russian leader said that Azerbaijan and Armenia would maintain the positions that they had held and Russian peacekeepers would be deployed to the region.

CivilNet: Biden Administration’s Foreign Policy Team Taking Shape

Ani Kharatian
CIVILNET.AM

00:14

By Emil Sanamyan

Joe Biden, who is set to be inaugurated as the president of the United State on January 20, has made public the names of officials that will lead his foreign policy team. Most of them served in the Barack Obama administration and have past experience with Armenia and its region.

Antony Blinken, a former long-time Biden aide in the Senate and the White House and Obama administration’s deputy secretary of state, will serve as Biden’s secretary of state. In 2014, then deputy national security advisor Blinken facilitated the release of the so-called “orphan rug” to be displayed during Armenian community’s genocide commemoration events.

Victoria Nuland, a former assistant secretary for Europe and Eurasia under Obama, will now be the State Department’s number three, as undersecretary for political affairs. Scholar and former Armenian government official Gerard Libaridian told 168 Zham that Nuland was “one of those people who in 1997–1998 did a lot of work in Armenia’s internal affairs. She made a huge contribution to [then president Levon] Ter-Petrossian’s resignation.” According to Libaridian, Nuland’s rationale was as follows: “Ter-Petrossian is a smart man, but he is not a strong man, he can not make peace. But [Robert] Kocharyan is a strong man, he is a winner of the war, he must establish peace, he promised.

Former Obama advisor Samantha Power will head the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Power was a voice for recognition of the Armenian genocide, but was rebuffed by Obama, who, prioritizing Armenia-Turkey normalization instead, told Power in 2009: “You know what? I am worried about the Armenians, too.”

Former career diplomat Bill Burns will head the Central Intelligence Agency. As the third (2008-11) and then second (2011-14) most senior official in the State Department, Burns was involved in the U.S. efforts facilitating Armenia-Turkey talks and Karabakh negotiations.

At the White House, another Obama administration veteran and top foreign policy advisor for Hillary Clinton, Jake Sullivan will head the national security council. Notably, the Caucasus region will be part of the Europe directorate led by Amanda Sloat, whereas Russia is grouped in one directorate with Central Asia to be led by Andrea Kendall-Taylor. In the Obama administration, Sloat was deputy assistant secretary of state overseeing relations with Turkey. A former intelligence analyst, Kendall-Taylor was a Fulbright scholar in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in 2007-8, focusing on the politics of oil.

Nancy McEldowney, a former principal deputy assistant secretary for Europe and Eurasia (2009-11) will be the national security advisor to vice president Kamala Harris. McEldowney also dealt with Armenian issues as deputy chief of mission in Turkey (2005-8) and Azerbaijan (2001-4). She was charge d’affaires in Baku during transition from Heydar Aliyev to Ilham Aliyev in 2003.

This piece was originally published in Focus on Karabkah

Emil Sanamyan is a South Caucasus specialist based in Washington D.C.. He is the editor of the University of Southern California Focus on Karabakh platform.