Author: Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS

14 patients transferred from Artsakh to Armenia with their companions through ICRC

Emil Lazarian

 19:13, 1 June 2023

YEREVAN, June 1, ARMENPRESS. 14 patients from the "Republican Medical Center"  of Artsakh Ministry of Health, along with their companions, were transferred to Armenian specialized medical centers with the mediation and escort of the International Committee of the Red Cross, ARMENPRESS reports, the Artsakh Ministry of Health informed.

"12 medical patients, who had been taken to Armenia for treatment within the framework of the state order, returned to Artsakh with their companions.

14 children are in the neonatal and resuscitation department in "Arevik" medical unit.

At the "Republican Medical Center", 8 patients are in the intensive care unit, 5 of them are in an extremely serious condition," the Ministry said.

Azerbaijan accuses Macron of ‘distorting’ Armenia peace talks after EU summit

Emil Lazarian
POLITICO
June 2 2023

Spat comes amid warnings of the risk of renewed conflict in the South Caucasus.

BY GABRIEL GAVIN
JUNE 2, 2023 11:46 AM 
An EU-backed effort to avert a new conflict in the South Caucasus has been overshadowed by a growing diplomatic row, with Azerbaijan accusing French President Emmanuel Macron of misrepresenting what was discussed during high-stakes peace talks with Armenia.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met on Thursday evening on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Moldova for the latest in a series of negotiations on a potential peace treaty. Macron, along with European Council President Charles Michel and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, joined the sit-down as mediators.

In a statement following the summit, the Elysée Palace said the “European leaders called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to respect all their commitments,” urging the two neighboring nations to release prisoners of war and avoid “hostile rhetoric.” In addition, Macron’s press service added, the three Western leaders “stressed the importance of defining rights and guarantees for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh,” the breakaway region over which Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a brutal war in 2020.

However, on Friday, Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada said “the statement made unilaterally by the French President about the meeting does not reflect and distorts the position of the parties. Unfortunately, this is not the first case of such behavior by France, and it does not make a positive contribution to the peace process.”

Responding to the claims, the French foreign ministry said only that the press release issued by the presidency “set out the conclusions of yesterday’s meeting.” Hajizada, meanwhile, declined to elaborate on which parts of Paris’ version of events Baku believes are inaccurate.

A senior EU official, granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive political issue, confirmed to POLITICO that “the question of rights and security, which has also been a prominent part of the recent discussions in Brussels, was addressed yesterday.” Michel separately commented on the issue in a brief statement to reporters following the talks.

Armenia is pushing for an “international mechanism” to guarantee the safety of Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian population and, in a readout from Thursday’s meeting, said the issue had been brought up. In April, Pashinyan declared he is ready to recognize Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over the breakaway region, which has been governed autonomously by a Yerevan-backed administration since the fall of the Soviet Union, but questions remain over the fate of those living there.

Aliyev has insisted local Armenians must lay down their arms and accept being ruled from Baku in exchange for an “amnesty.”

In an open letter ahead of the talks in Moldova, the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention wrote to Macron urging him to help prevent a mass exodus of the population in Nagorno-Karabakh, which it describes as a potential “genocide.”

Macron has been one of Armenia’s closest supporters in the EU, and has previously been the subject of derision in Azerbaijan.

This article was updated with a statement from the French foreign ministry.


Armenia’s ex-President salutes Gladstone’s legacy during Flintshire library visit

Emil Lazarian
DeeSide
June 2 2023

The former President of Armenia visited a Flintshire library to pay respects to its founder, William Gladstone. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Dr Armen Sarkissian, who was President of Armenia from 2018 to 2022, visited Gladstone’s Library in Hawarden on May 22 to mark the Library’s Founder’s Day celebrations. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Dr Sarkissian and his delegation was hosted by the library team, led by Warden Andrea Russell, and Trustees of the library, including Patrick Derham, former headmaster of Westminster School and Charles Gladstone, a direct descendant of the Victorian statesman William Gladstone. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

During a one-hour talk, held in the library’s world-famous Reading Rooms, Dr Sarkissian thanked the library, which is a registered charity, for welcoming him, and emphasized the need for strong leaders like William Gladstone, four times British Prime Minister, and for learning spaces like Gladstone’s Library. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

He said: “It is a great privilege to be here for me. Gladstone is a special figure in Armenian history and for the millions of Armenians living worldwide. My grandmother was born in what was Western Armenia and she was one of the survivors of the Armenian genocide. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

“There were stories about her life during the massacres, and there were two distinguished names that came up in her stories, President Wilson of the United States and William Gladstone.” ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

William Gladstone, he added, was respected by Armenians as he returned to the public eye in his twilight years to advocate against widespread attacks on the Armenian people, which took place in the Ottoman Empire in the late 1800s. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Gladstone died on May 19 1898, less than 20 years before the Armenian Genocide was carried out in 1915. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

The recent Founder’s Day event marks the 125th anniversary of Gladstone’s death. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Patrick Derham, chair of Trustees of Gladstone’s Library, said: “All of us who are privileged to have a connection with the Library are walking in the footsteps of history. We’re just trying to preserve something that is unique, that is very, very special for future generations.” ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Warden Andrea Russell said: “It was so good to share this day with so many people who are passionate about the Library – giving thanks for all that has been and looking forward to developing and widening the Library’s reach.” ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

Among those invited to the event were Friends of the Library. As a charity, the Library has recently refreshed its Friends programme and is actively recruiting more supporters who share the Library’s vision to encourage and enable learning for all. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

To find out more about Gladstone’s Library, which has three silent Reading Rooms, 26 bedrooms and a restaurant, visit www.gladstoneslibrary.org. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌

UNECE Innovation for Sustainable Development Review of Armenia 2023

Emil Lazarian
June 2 2023

Economic Cooperation and Integration

Published:
June 2023

Since its independence in 1991, Armenia has been making significant strides towards innovation-led sustainable development. Despite the hurdles Armenia has faced, including regional instability and the global COVID-19 pandemic, the country has managed to maintain a competitive information and communication technology (ICT) sector while fostering an energetic entrepreneurial scene. The success of the ICT sector, complemented by robust tourism, mining, food processing, and agriculture sectors, underscores Armenia's innovation potential.

 However, ensuring sustained economic growth and social development remains a challenge as the old drivers of growth run out of steam. Despite seeing strong economic growth over the past decades, Armenia has recently faced a slowing economy and increased volatility in the face of regional instability and global crises. Its dependence on remittances and low-productivity activities, such as agriculture, coupled with high unemployment, outmigration, and reliance on exports of low value-added commodities, presents structural challenges for sustainable growth.

Innovation, a systematic exploration of new ideas, products, and processes, is a central catalyst in overcoming these hurdles and bolstering Armenia's sustainable development. Establishing greater intergovernmental coordination, increasing reliance on evidence-based policymaking, increasing diaspora engagement, and reassessing current innovation infrastructure mechanisms, is critical to foster innovation. Through an assessment of the country's innovation policy governance, institutions, processes, and mechanisms, the I4SDR offers concrete policy recommendations for achieving sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-led growth. This review was made possible by funding from the Government of Sweden and involved hundreds of innovation stakeholders, and will inform the reform efforts, strategies of the Armenian Government, and future capacity-building programs.

The I4SDR includes two elective chapters dedicated to two key aspects of Armenia's development:

  • Chapter 4 focuses on improving the effectiveness of the innovation infrastructure. It recognizes the need for a more strategic, coordinated approach, including technology transfer support and efficiency tracking.
  • Chapter 5 explores the potential of engaging the Armenian diaspora, particularly in spurring innovation in the agriculture sector. With the diaspora almost three times larger than Armenia's local population, this resource can be instrumental in transferring skills and driving innovative projects.

To guide Armenia in addressing these innovation policy challenges, the I4SDR also provides specific policy recommendations under three main categories: Strengthening innovation policy governance in Armenia, Improving the effectiveness of the innovation infrastructure, and Engaging the Armenian diaspora to spur innovation in the agriculture sector. These recommendations will be instrumental in shaping future UNECE support to Armenia.

https://unece.org/economic-cooperation-and-integration/publications/unece-innovation-sustainable-development-review-0

European summit brings fresh hope for reconciliation between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Emil Lazarian
SaudiArabia
June 2 2023

CHISINAU — Azerbaijan's president and Armenia's prime minister met European leaders in Moldova in a renewed effort to resolve tensions between the two countries.

Armenia and Azerbaijan appear to have taken another step towards normalizing ties following a round-table meeting at the European Political Community Summit in Moldova.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met President Emmanuel Macron of France, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Council President Charles Michel on the fringes of the summit.

The Caucasus neighbors have been seeking to negotiate a peace agreement over the decades-long Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with the help of the European Union and the United States.

On May 14, they agreed on mutual recognition of territorial integrity at a meeting hosted in Brussels by Charles Michel.

But the West's diplomatic engagement in the Caucasus has irked Moscow, the traditional power broker in the region.

Pashinyan and Aliyev had separate meetings with Vladimir Putin in late May before sitting down for three-way talks aimed at resolving the dispute. Armenia and Azerbaijan fought two wars in 2020 and in the 1990s for control of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Six weeks of fighting in 2020 killed more than 6,500 people and ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire that saw Armenia cede swathes of territory it had controlled for decades.

Armenia, which has relied on Russia for military and economic support since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, has accused Moscow of failing to fulfil its peacekeeping role in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Yerevan's concerns have grown after Azerbaijani activists blocked Nagorno-Karabakh's only land link to Armenia in December. In April, Azerbaijan set up a checkpoint manned by border guards along the route.

Last year, Armenia also accused Azerbaijan of occupying a pocket of its land, in what it has said amounted to military aggression and demanded military help from Russia, which has never materialized.

With Russia bogged down in Ukraine and unwilling to strain ties with Azerbaijan's key ally Turkey, the United States and European Union have sought to repair ties between the Caucasus rivals. — Euronews

https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/632999

Armenpress: A tripartite meeting of the Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan will take place in Moscow on June 2

Emil Lazarian

 21:50, 1 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. The meeting of the tripartite working group of Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Mher Grigoryan, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexey Overchuk and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev will take place in Moscow on June 2, ARMENPRESS reports, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during a meeting with the Armenian community in Chișinău.

"On June 2, a meeting of the working group dealing with regional communications is scheduled in Moscow," said the Prime Minister.

AW: “Ser Artsakh” marks one year on International Children’s Day

Emil Lazarian
June 1, 2023 Guest Contributor Nonprofit News 0

Ser Artsakh’s sweet little assistant Arpi among some of the many boxes prepared for Artsakh’s mothers and newborns

On this International Children’s Day, Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation announces that its “Ser Artsakh” initiative delivered 1,627 baby gift boxes (683 since the blockade began) to every child born in Artsakh since the foundation launched its initiative exactly one year ago. The foundation also intends to continue delivering these gift boxes in Artsakh as long as it is possible.

The “Ser Artsakh” initiative was launched on June 1, 2022 as a sign of support to the families who give new life to their homeland. It became more imperative to continue the initiative during the Artsakh blockade when baby supplies became and continue to be scarce. 

An Artsakh mother admiring some of the items in her “Ser Artsakh” box

“The Ser Artsakh program should not be perceived as a regular donation or charitable initiative. Instead, we created these quality gift boxes to honor brave families that live and continue to grow in difficult conditions in Artsakh,” said Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, founder and president of the Anna Astvatsaturian Foundation, herself an Armenian refugee from Baku. Since the launch of the initiative, the foundation reports that the Diaspora’s reception was so positive that instead of its initial goal of six months, it extended to 12 months and beyond. 

Each gift box costs approximately $105 USD and includes 22 to 25 high-quality clothing and hygiene items for the baby and the mother. These items are either made or purchased in Armenia. It was important for the foundation to support the local economy. The initiative is based on donations, all of which are used for the “Ser Artsakh” boxes. Mothers are gifted with the boxes upon checking out of the maternity wards of one of Artsakh’s three maternity hospitals.

The foundation hopes to launch the “Ser Syunik” initiative in Syunik in the near future if the resources, support from donors and logistics align with its mission.





CSI calls on Armenian premier to back Nagorno Karabakh’s right to self-determination

Emil Lazarian
June 1 2023

Warns that accepting Azerbaijan’s sovereignty could lead to ethnic/religious cleansing

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, June 1, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ – Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has written to the prime minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, urging him to reaffirm Armenia’s support for Nagorno Karabakh’s right to self-determination, as expressed in the OSCE Madrid Principles of 2007.

In his letter dated 1 June 2023, CSI International President Dr John Eibner warns that Prime Minister Pashinyan’s publicly declared readiness to recognize Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over Nagorno Karabakh could open the door to a new genocide of Armenians. This spring, Pashinyan has reiterated that he recognizes Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over the Armenian people of Nagorno Karabakh and their land.

Eibner recalled that in a joint statement issued on 2 November 2008, the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia had declared that the final legal status of Nagorno Karabakh – a disputed region in the South Caucasus – would be decided by its population in a plebiscite.

This right to self-determination is also expressed in the OSCE Madrid Principles for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

“Following your unilateral concession, Azerbaijan’s ultra-nationalist dictator established a military checkpoint on the Lachin Corridor and has renewed threats of violence against not only Nagorno Karabakh, but also against the Republic of Armenia itself,” Eibner wrote.

The Armenian Church has condemned Pashinyan’s acceptance of Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno Karabakh “under the pretext of peace”, Eibner said, out of a fear that rather than peace this capitulation would lead to “a new genocide and depatriation” of the Armenian people in the region.

“Given Azerbaijan’s past and current use of force against the people of Nagorno Karabakh and against the Republic of Armenia, including extensive anti-Armenian Christian ethnic/religious cleansing and the process of anti-Armenian genocide since the end of the 19th century, the judgment of the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church carries with it the seal of prophetic authenticity,” Eibner said.

“CSI urges you to reaffirm Armenia’s commitment to work for the fulfilment of the Madrid Principles, including the right to self-determination for the population of Nagorno Karabakh, and to… pursue within the framework of the OSCE a comprehensive peace agreement with Azerbaijan…,” he concluded.
CSI has supported the people of Nagorno Karabakh’s right to self-determination and has provided humanitarian aid to victims of Azerbaijani aggression since the first Nagorno Karabakh war (1988-1994).

At the end of May, CSI launched a special campaign, The Cost of Silence, to highlight the growing threat of genocide facing Nagorno Karabakh’s Christian population.

CSI is an interconfessional Christian human rights organization, campaigning for religious liberty and human dignity.

Contact: Joel Veldkamp | [email protected]

Joel Veldkamp
Christian Solidarity International
[email protected]

Armenian Prime Minister participates in 2nd European Political Community Summit

Emil Lazarian

 11:45, 1 June 2023

CHISINAU, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. The opening ceremony of the second European Political Community Summit has kicked off in Chisinau, Moldova. The summit is held at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca, located 35 km away from the Moldovan capital.

President of Moldova Maia Sandu is welcoming the participating heads of state and government.

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan is also participating in the summit.

The membership of the European Political Community has grown since the first Summit in 2022. Invitations to attend the second EPC Summit were extended to 47 heads of State and Government, as well as to the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, and the President of the European Parliament.

The European Political Community (EPC) is a platform for political coordination among European countries across the continent. It aims to promote political dialogue and cooperation to address issues of common interest and to strengthen the security, stability, and prosperity of the European continent.

The Republic of Moldova is hosting the second Summit of the EPC on 1 June 2023. This Summit will build on the foundations of the initial EPC gathering that took place in Prague in October 2022. The EPC Summits are organized on a rotating basis by each participating country with the host alternating between an EU and non-EU member state. This is the first EPC Summit hosted by a non-EU country.

The discussions of the second EPC Summit will focus on three main topics: joint efforts for peace and security; energy resilience and climate action; and interconnections in Europe for a better connected and more stable continent.

As part of the summit, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan will have a five-sided meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, President of the European Council Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Pashinyan held EU-mediated talks with Aliyev, together with French President Emmanuel Macon and President of the European Council Charles Michel during the first summit in Prague in 2022. The Armenian PM also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the 2022 summit.