21:10,
YEREVAN, 22 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. The United States wants to have predictable and stable relations with the Russian Federation, ARMENPRESS reports the Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin stated after the meeting with Ministers of Defense of NATO member states in Brussels.
As Reuters reported, the US Secretary of Defense also reassured the decisive commitment of the United States to the NATO and Washington’s extensive support to the European Union and Taiwan.
18:22,
YEREVAN, 20 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. The development of the potential of the CSTO parliamentary diplomacy for moving in the direction of establishment of common and indivisible area, establishment of dialogue in the platforms of international organizations and assemblies is one of the priorities of the Presidency of the Republic of Armenia at the CSTO, Deputy President of the National Assembly of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan announced, commenting the results of the session of the permanent committee of political issues and international cooperation.
As ARMENPRESS was informed from the National Assembly of Armenia, citing the official website of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CSTO, according to the Deputy President of the National Assembly of Armenia, during 2022 the Presidency of Armenia at the CSTO includes also taking measures aimed at further institutionalisation of the CSTO parliamentary platform, the continuous efforts of approximation and harmonisation of national legislations of the CSTO member states in the field of ensuring national security, taking into account new challenges and threats.
16:01,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, ARMENPRESS. On October 18, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahe Gorgyan received the newly appointed Ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of Armenia Martina Feeney (with residence in Sofia), on the occasion of presenting the copy of her credentials, the Armenian foreign ministry said in a news release.
The Deputy Foreign Minister congratulated Martina Feeney upon assuming the responsible mission and expressed hope that the newly appointed Ambassador would further contribute to the strengthening of the Armenian-Irish relations and expanding the agenda of relations, both in bilateral and multilateral formats.
The sides reiterated mutual readiness to take steps towards intensifying the political dialogue, developing mutually beneficial cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral fields, as well as making full use of the existing potential.
During the meeting, the Deputy Minister comprehensively presented the current situation around the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. In this context, the importance of a full resumption of NK peace process within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs was highlighted.
Sharjah 24 – AFP: Armenia said on Friday that six of its soldiers had been injured by Azerbaijani forces in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, which was at the centre of a war last year.
“Six servicemen were wounded in an attack by Azerbaijani armed forces” in Karabakh’s Nor Shen community, Armenia’s rights ombudsman, Arman Tatoyan, said on Facebook, adding that two soldiers were in a critical condition.
The war for Nagorno-Karabakh last autumn claimed about 6,500 lives and saw Armenia cede territories it had controlled for decades, while Russia deployed peacekeepers in the area.
The region was also at the centre of a 1990s war that cost 30,000 lives during the death throes of the Soviet Union, when ethnic Armenian separatists broke away from Azerbaijan.
Since the latest conflict, both Azerbaijan and Armenia have reported occasional exchanges of fire along their shared border, sparking fears of another flare up in their territorial dispute.
Azerbaijan’s defence ministry denied any role in the incident saying “there was a shootout between illegal Armenian armed units”.
On Thursday evening, Azerbaijan said one of its soldiers was killed in sniper fire by “illegal” Armenian forces.
News of that incident came as Armenia and Azerbaijan’s foreign ministers were holding talks with Russia in Belarus on Thursday, aimed at mending ties.
Former Artsakh Ombudsman, co-founder of the Path of Law NGO Ruben Melikyan expressed his readiness to participate in any rally against the “Turkic air corridor”.
His comments came after Azerbaijan Airlines reportedly started operating Baku-Nakhichevan-Baku flights through Armenia’s airspace.
According to reports, Azerbaijan Airlines can use all air corridors during the flight, including those passing through the space of Iran and Armenia.
“I am ready to take part in an emergency rally held by any political force in an effort to FORCE the capitulator to annul the decision on the provision of the “Turkic air corridor”.
“If necessary, I am prepared to be beaten by the police during the rally,” he wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
“We cannot sit idly by. If no action is taken, it means that everyone agrees [to the decision],” Melikyan said.
David Manoukian, Communications Manager of COAF opening the event
YEREVAN—Over 170 key private and public actors attended the second Annual Conference on Advancement of Rural Communities on October 2. The conference took place at the COAF SMART Center in Debet, Lori, and was initiated by the Children of Armenia Fund, in partnership with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia and the United Nations Development Program In Armenia, with the financial support of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia. Headlining speakers and panelists discussed smart governance, green agriculture, sustainable employment, and social recovery in the context of rural growth and development.
Like the previous CARC, held in 2019, this year’s conference aimed to attract external attention and contributions for Armenia’s rural regions, as well as establish fertile ground for collaboration between various key stakeholders. Among the attendees were representatives of local and international organizations, state and local government bodies, and individual entrepreneurs.
The conference opened with virtual greetings from COAF Founder and Chairman Garo Armen, followed by welcoming remarks from conference co-organizers Frank Hess (Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Armenia), Mihaela Stojkoska (Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Armenia), Korioun Khatchadourian (Managing Director, COAF), Vache Terteryan (Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia), and Aram Khachatryan (Governor of Lori).
Following the opening remarks, panel moderators kicked off a cycle of discussions which addressed rural challenges and offered new approaches for sustainable, forward-looking recovery. Conference attendees were also provided the unique opportunity to visit an outdoor expo, where private entrepreneurs and organizations from all regions of Armenia and Artsakh presented their services, innovations, and products.
The conference ended with a touch of traditional culture and artistry, with the ArtaSax Saxophone Quartet performing pieces from world-renowned Armenian and international composers.
The Children of Armenia Fund is a non-profit, non-governmental organization which employs community-led approaches to improve the quality of life in rural Armenia, with a particular focus on children and youth. COAF’s core development areas are education, healthcare, social services, and economic development. COAF launched its programs in 2004, starting in one village and expanding to 64 villages in the Armavir, Aragatsotn, Lori, Gegharkunik, Shirak, and Tavush regions, impacting more than 107,000 beneficiaries.
Since 2015, COAF has developed and implemented its signature SMART Initiative. COAF SMART is designed to advance generations of rural Armenians through cutting-edge education, focused both on innovation and capacity-building. The first COAF SMART Center was inaugurated on May 27, 2018, near the village of Debet, in the Lori Region, and will be replicated in communities throughout Armenia.
UNDP is the leading organization of the United Nations that fights to end poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our extensive network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help states create unified, lasting solutions for people and the planet Earth.
The UNDP Armenia Office was established in 1993 and supports the Government in implementing its development priorities and Sustainable Development Goals.
12:19, 9 October, 2021
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a letter of condolences to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on the occasion of the collapse of a multi-storey building in Batumi, which claimed human lives. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Offic eof the Prime Minister, the letter runs as follows,
“Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
Please accept my deepest condolences on the tragic incident that claimed human lives in Batumi. Please convey my words of consolation and endurance to the families and loved ones of all the victims. I wish all the injured a speedy recovery”.
13:38, 8 October, 2021
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The hearings at the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, over Armenia’s request to indicate provisional measures against Azerbaijan will be held on October 14-15.
On September 16, 2021, Armenia instituted proceedings against the Republic of Azerbaijan before the International Court of Justice with regard to alleged violations of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
Armenia also requested the Court to indicate certain provisional measures “as a matter of extreme urgency”, including the return of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives from Azerbaijan, as well as the closure of the so-called “Military Trophies Park” in Baku.
Armenia’s Representative before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Yeghishe Kirakosyan, who will represent Armenia’s interests at the International Court of Justice over this case, has provided details to ARMENPRESS.
“This is the first time that Armenia is submitting a request to the UN’s International Court of Justice. I think this is an unprecedented step made by Armenia”, he said.
He stated that the “evidence, facts, claims and demands presented in the request are quite large-scale and relate to the gross violations of the Convention, which we witness even today”. “For that purpose, Armenia, in addition to the proceedings, has also requested to indicate urgent or provisional measures. The hearings over this are scheduled on October 14 and 15, and a group has been formed for participating in those hearings, which involves also famous international experts who will help to present Armenia’s interests”, Kirakosyan said.
The examination stage of an urgent measure will be followed by the stage of examining the main request. The investigation of the main case will last for years, but the court is expected to make decision over the request on applying urgent measures in 1-1.5 month.
“I think the evidence we have presented are very convincing, the legal facts as well”, he said. “The fact that we already have an international legal process in the International Court of Justice where Armenia presents very clearly its demands and legal explanations, I think, will have quite a big impact on the formation of international public opinion and a right international public environment”, he added.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
The U.N. Must Investigate Nagorno-Karabakh War Crimes
By Sheila Paylan, an international criminal lawyer and human rights expert with more than 15 years of experience advising the United Nations.
Both claims arose almost one year to the day after Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, launched a full-scale armed attack to reclaim the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a Russian-brokered cease-fire on Nov. 10, 2020, to end six weeks of heavy fighting, leaving Azerbaijan the clear military victor.
Azerbaijan regained the seven territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh that it had lost during the first war in the early 1990s and also now occupies approximately one-third of Nagorno-Karabakh itself, including the Hadrut region and the city of Shushi. Yet there is still no peace agreement or definitive resolution to the ongoing conflict.
While there are many causes for the lack of lasting peace, one major blind spot has been on the issue of criminal accountability for atrocities committed during the hostilities.
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The charges in the ICJ case are not entirely new. Armenia and Azerbaijan have already filed interstate cases against one another before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to resolve their respective disputes about alleged human rights abuses committed during the 44-day war. Armenia also filed a case against Turkey alleging the latter’s essential role in providing material assistance to Azerbaijan during the conflict, including with the supply of drones and mercenaries. These cases are still pending.
But the ECHR’s jurisdiction is limited to determining whether human rights violations occurred. It has no competence to declare whether the facts underlying such violations also amount to international crimes. Human rights violations are, in important ways, qualitatively different from international crimes, which carry more gravitas and require higher evidentiary standards. Also, neither the ECHR nor the ICJ has the power to prosecute or send any perpetrators of crimes to prison.
There is evidence that civilians were killed on both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides; if it can be proved that they were deliberately targeted, these killings could amount to war crimes. In addition, cultural and religious treasures were destroyed, such as the 19th-century Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, which was struck in two separate, apparently deliberate, attacks just hours apart. Numerous gruesome videos also circulated widely over the internet last year of executions, live beheadings, torture, and mutilations of civilians and military personnel captured during the war and after the cease-fire.
The most appropriate forum to investigate and prosecute such crimes would be the International Criminal Court (ICC), inaugurated in 2002 to fight impunity for the worst international crimes. However, since neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan is a state party to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, the court has no jurisdiction over crimes committed by their nationals or by anyone on their territory. Nagorno-Karabakh also never joined the ICC, but since the de facto republic’s statehood remains officially unrecognized (including by Armenia), it couldn’t even if it tried.
Even if they were ICC members, the principle of complementarity demands that the ICC only exercise its jurisdiction when a country is unwilling or genuinely unable to investigate and prosecute suspected perpetrators of such grave crimes. Customary international law, deriving mainly from the 1949 Geneva Conventions, requires that states “must investigate war crimes allegedly committed by their nationals or armed forces, or on their territory, and, if appropriate, prosecute the suspects.”
Soon after the outbreak of hostilities, Armenia announced that it had started investigating serious violations of international humanitarian law arising from Azerbaijan’s aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh. To date, Armenia has tried and convicted two Syrians for committing war crimes and fighting as mercenaries for Azerbaijan in the 44-day war, sentencing them to life imprisonment. It is unclear how far other investigations or prosecutions of possible war crimes in Armenia have progressed.
Azerbaijan, in turn, announced last December that it had charged and arrested two Azerbaijani service members for defiling Armenian corpses and two others for desecrating Armenian gravestones. There is no further information as to whether these soldiers were ultimately tried or convicted of the charges against them.
In any event, investigating or prosecuting a few low-level perpetrators while letting many more serious offenders go free amounts to tokenism, not justice. Even worse, the perpetrators may have been acting on the instructions of, or under the direction or control of, the Azerbaijani state. It seems hypocritical, after all, for Azerbaijan to charge two soldiers with vandalizing Armenian gravestones when it has destroyed the largest ancient Armenian cemetery in the world, in what has been dubbed “the worst cultural genocide of the 21st century.”
Moreover, in Armenian society, a mindset of victimhood resulting from the 1915 Armenian genocide and exacerbated by the Nagorno-Karabakh war continues to prevail such that Armenians may lack sufficient critical self-reflection to be able to remain completely objective in investigating possible wrongdoing on their part.
The same can be said of Azerbaijani society, which has lived with the burden of roughly 600,000 internally displaced people from the first Nagorno-Karabakh war. However, the situation in Azerbaijan is much more dangerous because there state-sponsored anti-Armenian hatred is known to be extreme, the erasure of Armenian culture is a matter of state policy, and crimes against Armenians are glorified.
In this context, it’s doubtful whether war crimes investigations could be truly independent or impartial if performed exclusively by the warring parties. At the very least, one could expect more effort will go into pursuing perpetrators of opposing sides than one’s own.
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In Armenia, the conversation is shifting toward granting amnesties for crimes of minor or medium gravity (such as desertion) committed during the war. Meanwhile in Azerbaijan, more than 60 Armenians taken hostage during and after the war have been subjected to rushed trials and convictions on charges including “espionage” and “illegal border crossing.”
Armenian and international actors have criticized these charges as fabricated in support of sham trials to pressure Armenia into conceding to Azerbaijan’s demands. Such a reproach is not without merit, as Amnesty International and Freedom House have reported that trials in Azerbaijan are systemically unfair, especially when politically motivated.
Azerbaijan’s rhetoric is also growing more bellicose and disturbing, with President Ilham Aliyev creating an anti-Armenian theme park in April and publicly demonizing Armenians as the “hated enemy” just two months ago. Such brazen and tenacious incitement to hatred—in addition to the presence of several other atrocity risk factors, such as Azerbaijan’s (and Turkey’s) denial of the Armenian genocide and identity-based Armenophobic ideology—is alarming.
Both sides expect a lot from the ECHR and the ICJ in helping to prevent further atrocities, resolve the conflict, and bring restorative justice to the victims thereof. But to ensure criminal accountability, Armenia and Azerbaijan would do well to join the ICC. As Armenia signed the Rome Statute in 1999, it need now only ratify it, and Yerevan appears more receptive to the idea than Azerbaijan, which has done neither and seems far less inclined to expose itself to international scrutiny.
Even if both countries did ratify the statute soon—the odds of which are slim—the principle of nonretroactivity would normally preclude the ICC from exercising jurisdiction over crimes from last year’s war. An alternative, tailor-made accountability mechanism—such as the one created for crimes committed by the Islamic State, called UNITAD—would therefore be more suitable.
Such a mechanism should include independent, impartial international experts and be mandated to collect, preserve, and analyze testimonial, documentary, and forensic evidence of serious violations committed during the Nagorno-Karabakh war to prepare files for criminal proceedings in national, regional, or international courts that have or may in the future have jurisdiction over such crimes, including on the basis of universal jurisdiction.
The UNITAD model is ideal because it works in partnership with the government of the country in which the crimes occurred, thus necessitating the consent and cooperation of Armenia or Azerbaijan (or preferably both as consent by either will be limited to investigations of their own nationals or within their respective territories). Lack of consent or cooperation, however, does not necessarily pose an impediment as the United Nations’ creation of similar accountability mechanisms for Syria and Myanmar shows.
Such a forum could also be brought under the auspices of regional bodies such as the European Union (which created something similar for Georgia in 2008-2009) or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, whose Minsk Group is still mandated with finding a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Whatever the model or overseeing organization, the most important thing is to end impunity for serious violations of international law. The international community’s heightened involvement in helping Armenia and Azerbaijan to bring perpetrators to justice is therefore paramount to ensuring lasting peace in Nagorno-Karabakh and the wider region.
Sheila Paylan is an international criminal lawyer and human rights expert with more than 15 years of experience advising the United Nations. She regularly consults for a variety of international organizations, NGOs, think tanks, and governments.
15:15, 5 October, 2021
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, ARMENPRESS. On October 05, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; departed for Rome (Italy) to participate in the “People as Brothers and the Future of the Country: Religions and Cultures in Dialogue” Conference and Inter-Church Prayer, organized by Sant’Egidio Community.
During the visit, the Pontiff of All Armenians will meet with His Holiness Pope Francis, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin said in a news release.
The delegation members accompanying His Holiness are His Eminence Archbishop Khajak Parsamyan, Pontifical Delegate of Western Europe and representative of the Catholicos of All Armenians in Vatican; His Grace Bishop Moushegh Babayan, Grand Sacristan of the Mother See; Mr. Arman Tatoyan, Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia; Rev. Fr. Archimandrite Karekin Hambardzumyan, Director of the Mission Department and the Department of the Preservation of Spiritual-Cultural Heritage of Artsakh operating in the Mother See; and Rev. Fr. Anania Tsaturyan, Staff-bearer of His Holiness.
His Beatitude Archbishop Sahak Mashalian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople; will also attend the Conference and Inter-Church Prayer.