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

Greek Foreign Minister briefed on deepening humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh

Emil Lazarian

 17:14, 9 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. On August 9, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan had a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece George Gerapetritis.

Minister Mirzoyan briefed his colleague on the deepening humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, stressing the importance of clear messages from the EU member states and the implementation of concrete steps, the ministry said in a readout.

Minister Mirzoyan emphasized that since June 15, Nagorno-Karabakh has been under a complete blockade, as a result the problem of supplying food, medicine and other essentials to the local population has greatly worsened. Ararat Mirzoyan noted that Azerbaijan, in violation of all norms of international humanitarian law, also disrupts the humanitarian activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the only international humanitarian organization with access to Nagorno-Karabakh, endangering the lives of people in need of urgent medical assistance. Minister Mirzoyan added that in case of minimal possibility of transfer from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia for medical treatment, accompanied by the ICRC, Azerbaijan carries out unacceptable acts of intimidation such as the abduction of Nagorno-Karabakh resident Vagif Khachatryan by the border guard service of Azerbaijan on July 29.

The importance of the immediate lifting of the blockade of the Lachin corridor in accordance with the decisions of the International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6 was emphasized.

The sides also expressed readiness to take steps towards further expansion of bilateral partnership between Armenia and Greece.

Azeri forces again target farmers in Nagorno-Karabakh, vehicle hit

Emil Lazarian

 18:45, 9 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani military forces have again opened gunfire at farmers in Nagorno-Karabakh, this time in the village of Sarushen, the Nagorno-Karabakh police said in a statement Wednesday.

A civilian vehicle was damaged as a result of the shooting.

“On August 9, the Shosh Precinct of the Askeran Regional Police Department received a report that around 10:50, civilians working in the wheat fields in Sarushen, Askeran came under various caliber small arms fire from Azerbaijani military outposts deployed in the administrative territory of the Sargsashen village, Martuni region. Fortunately no one was hurt,” police said in a statement.

A Ford-Transit vehicle owned by a farmer was damaged.

The agricultural work was suspended and the incident was reported to the Russian peacekeeping command, police added.

Assessments of international human rights organizations should not remain on paper – Nagorno-Karabakh ombudsman

Emil Lazarian

 18:57, 9 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. During the 8-month blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, thanks to the efforts of various actors of Artsakh, Armenia and the Diaspora, it was possible to give a clear and purposeful assessment of the deepening humanitarian crisis in Artsakh by influential international human rights and humanitarian organizations and a number of authoritative experts, the Human Rights Defender of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Gegham Stepanyan said in a statement on August 9.

“Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, Global Center for Responsibility to Protect, International Committee of the Red Cross, special rapporteurs of the UN Human Rights Council, Lemkin Institute for the Prevention of Genocide, International Association of Genocide Scholars and a number of other human rights activists expressed their position during this period.

“The statements of all humanitarian and human rights organizations unanimously demand the authorities of Azerbaijan to stop blocking the Lachin corridor, ensure the free and unhindered transportation of people, goods and vehicles along the corridor, and put an end to the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh.

“The Azerbaijani authorities scornfully and brazenly respond to the statements of all the organizations and blatantly show disrespect for everyone as if everyone is lying, only they are right.

“This behavior of Azerbaijan once again demonstrates the simple truth that Azerbaijan has neither commitment, nor desire to fulfill the obligations assumed at the international level, moreover, in front of all structures, it continues to pursue a policy of genocide against the people of Artsakh.

“The assessments of the international human rights organizations should not remain on paper. These addressed statements must become the basis for the positions of various states and international structures on saving the people of Artsakh from starvation, ethnic cleansing and genocide. That is why these structures were created to prevent mass atrocities and violations of human rights.

“The human rights activists have expressed their stance; it is the turn of the political decision-makers in the international arena to prove that they will not allow the criminal authorities of Azerbaijan to question the authority of the international human rights and humanitarian organizations.

“Otherwise, the indifference shown and disregard for authoritative opinion will lead to irreversible human consequences in which international actors will be directly responsible for complicity,” Stepanyan added.

“Prevention?” Only when there is self-interest

Emil Lazarian
August 9, 2023 Stepan Piligian In Sight, Columns 0

Our thoughts and actions today are dominated by our desire to prevent a genocide in Artsakh. The narrative has degenerated from “self-determination” to “territorial integrity” to “genocide prevention.” “Prevention” is commonly defined as the “action of stopping something from happening or stopping someone.” The act of genocide prevention ensures that genocide does not become a reality. 

In 1948, the United Nations passed a treaty for member states to ratify called the “Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.” It came into force in 1951, and as of 2022, 153 nations have ratified the treaty including Azerbaijan and Turkey, the successor government of the Ottoman Empire. Ironically, genocide is usually committed by member states or as a result of internal conflict. 

Raphael Lemkin’s United Nations General Assembly pass (Photo: Center for Jewish History)

It is important to note that when the convention was ratified, the UN focused both on “prevention” and “punishment.” Early advocates of criminalizing genocide, such as Raphael Lemkin, were influenced by the Armenian Genocide three decades prior to the treaty and the Jewish Holocaust during World War II. Despite the emphasis on codifying the criminalization of genocide and attempting to prevent this lowest form of human aggression, the record has been dismal. Cambodia signed in 1950, yet Pol Pot committed genocide against his people. Genocide took place in Bosnia, though Yugoslavia had ratified the treaty in 1950. Rwanda signed in 1975, yet its government did nothing to prevent the slaughter of the Tutsi ethnic group. In an irony of insulting proportions, Turkey ratified the treaty in 1950 while engaging in an institutional cover-up of the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian genocides. Azerbaijan, with one of the worst human rights records on this planet, signed on in 1996 after years of oppressing the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh and before its continuous campaign of human rights abuses and ethnic cleansing in Artsakh. They qualify for an international criminal poster.

The UN has always politicized the labeling of genocide. The Kurds have been slaughtered by successive governments in Iraq, Syria and Turkey, yet it has never been labeled a genocide. If too many genocides are declared, it paints the UN’s prevention objective as unsuccessful. Artsakh is not politically advantageous, so it receives even less attention. Despite what the UN declares, each human life is not treated with equal value. Thousands are dying in Africa, China and Yemen, but the political climate does not favor intervention for these souls.

In the case of Artsakh, the UN continuously fails to prevent atrocities, since it is hopelessly paralyzed by political and ideological division. Even when the UN is on the ground, it is toothless by design. We all recall the movie Hotel Rwanda, in which a brave hotel manager saved many lives from certain death. The film also illustrates the frustration of the UN commanders who were powerless to prevent further massacres. The rules of engagement seem to limit the presence of UN representatives to observer status. When the member states ratified the genocide convention, they declared their intention to govern according to the treaty to both prevent and punish the crime of genocide. States’ track records have made a mockery of this intention, reducing it to a legal reference point with little enforcement. The only exceptions are when “self-interests” motivate intervention.

When the member states ratified the genocide convention, they declared their intention to govern according to the treaty to both prevent and punish the crime of genocide. States’ track records have made a mockery of this intention, reducing it to a legal reference point with little enforcement. The only exceptions are when “self-interests” motivate intervention.

In the case of Artsakh, Article II c of the convention, which defines genocidal actions as “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or part,” is relevant. Azerbaijan has checked every box on genocidal criteria, but section c is particularly germane to the months-long blockade. Denying people food and medicine is a clear indicator of intent to bring about “physical destruction,” yet Armenians are left only with words of rhetorical support from the international community. The UN Convention also supersedes all territorial boundaries since most genocides are committed by perpetrators against their own citizens and are not “internal matters.” The crime of genocide is the most heinous act of humanity. The absence of enforcement, therefore, renders these treaties to be a “paper ladle,” in the words of our beloved Khrimian Hayrig.

The United Nations should consider removing the “prevention” clause since it does little to prevent atrocities and selectively addresses punishment. The strongest prevention efforts occur when the UN or member states commit peacekeeping forces to physically contain the aggressor party. Sometimes the presence of third parties can deter open aggression. In Darfur, Sudan, plagued with a civil conflict for much of the 21st century, hundreds of thousands were murdered and over three million people were impacted, yet the punishment process took years, because indictments are difficult to execute. Usually a coup or counter-revolution displaces the criminal, as is the case of Sudan. While international processes proceed at a snail’s pace, thousands suffer as “victims of genocide.” As Armenians, we know about the suffering and risks in Artsakh, but we must also examine this in the context that most Americans know little about genocides, such as those in Yemen or China targeting the Uyghurs. The message is frustrating, despicable and a sad commentary on humanity, but if we are waiting for the international community to save Artsakh, then there is another tragedy in our future. 

There is a difference, however, between trying and relying. We have an obligation to our people in Artsakh and for the sake of civility to attempt international intervention, but we should never rely on it. My grandparents were there when the French abandoned Cilicia in 1920 after utilizing the heroic Armenian Legionnaires and encouraging genocide survivors to return to their homes. Who defended our deceived people? A mandate that died in the U.S. Senate? Europeans’ words of sympathy? It was the Lions of Marash, as quoted by Kerr, and other brave defenses that allowed some to survive. We counted on the support that was promised. 

Even with countless violations of international law and basic human civility, Azerbaijan has not received one sanction. There is only one way to save Artsakh: create enough resistance to force intervention. Diplomacy alone will not lead to peace, justice or even survival. That time has unfortunately passed. The world of powerful nations is fairly proficient at stopping small outbreaks that threaten their interests. They are not very good at preventing them. Observe: 30 years of constant Azerbaijani aggression with zero implications. The oil and gas flow along with Section 907 U.S. aid. What are those interests that Armenians could exploit? All parties are interested in a stable South Caucasus. It is difficult to maintain influence where there is instability. It has little to do with justice, human rights and promoting democracy. Artsakh is locked in a war of diplomatic rhetoric. The combination of Azerbaijani barbarism and the inability of the mediating nations to take preventative action requires a higher profile for intervention. That “profile” must be provided by the Armenians in the form of resistance to encourage meaningful peace building. We must be the catalyst to alter the paradigm. The people in Artsakh have displayed remarkable resilience. This is the foundation of resistance to tyranny. We must be positioned militarily and diplomatically to assure intervention when the Azeris lose their interest in peaceful dialogue, and we must take advantage of the mediating countries and their intolerance for instability. Instead of relying on them as a subordinated party, we must appeal to their self-interest.

Armenia has stated that it is ready to accept Artsakh in the context of Azeri territorial integrity with the guarantees of the “rights and security” of its Armenian population. Sometimes we focus only on the first part of the statement, but not the second. There can be no reciprocal respect of territorial integrity without the rights of the Artsakh Armenians. Given the current situation, the best outcome would be an international peacekeeping group in Artsakh to prevent genocide. Our energy must be focused on how to motivate those peacekeeping nations to take the step that they have been unwilling to take. There is a substantial difference between hoping for foreign intervention and motivating the parties that have self-interest in intervening. It is not in the interests of Iran, the United States or Europe for instability to continue. Our resistance could provide the motivation for balance. This will require those advocating for Armenians to cooperate and perhaps subordinate partisan goals in the interests of the nation. These are questions we are confronted with as the global Armenian nation faces unprecedented risks. Prevention of genocide in Artsakh and the protection of their rights may require meaningful foreign intervention, but is the responsibility of the Armenians to navigate that journey. In a world driven by morality, the criminal aggression of Azerbaijan would be punished. In the current reality of political duplicity, the Armenians must utilize every option to protect their rights. We owe this to each other. 

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Columnist
Stepan was raised in the Armenian community of Indian Orchard, MA at the St. Gregory Parish. A former member of the AYF Central Executive and the Eastern Prelacy Executive Council, he also served many years as a delegate to the Eastern Diocesan Assembly. Currently , he serves as a member of the board and executive committee of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR). He also serves on the board of the Armenian Heritage Foundation. Stepan is a retired executive in the computer storage industry and resides in the Boston area with his wife Susan. He has spent many years as a volunteer teacher of Armenian history and contemporary issues to the young generation and adults at schools, camps and churches. His interests include the Armenian diaspora, Armenia, sports and reading.


AYF Camp Haiastan Day Camp introduces the youngest campers to the “greatest place on earth”

Emil Lazarian
August 9, 2023 Camp Haiastan Community News, Diaspora, Youth 0

AYF Camp Haiastan Day Camp campers

FRANKLIN, Mass.—AYF Camp Haiastan Day Camp is approaching a second decade since its establishment. This year, the Day Camp hosted a record 44 campers. Day Camp runs daily for one week and is limited to children five to seven years old.

Digin Ani Changelian led both sessions of Day Camp. The first took place from June 26-31 and the second from August 7-11. Changelian has been a kindergarten teacher for 17 years and has been leading the Day Camp program for the past 12 years.

An AYF Camp Haiastan alumnus, as a camper and staff member with two years as the Camp’s summer director, Changelian is well-versed in the Camp’s mission, as well as its safety protocol.

According to Camp Haiastan Board member Nevart Apovian Mikaelian, the Day Camp was established, because parents wanted their younger children to attend a camp with an Armenian identity. In fact, this year the Board of Directors added the August session for parents whose children were unable to participate in July but were still very much interested in sending their young children to Camp.

Apovian Mikaelian and Judy Gavoor served as the first Day Camp directors in 2005. At that time, most of the children attending lived locally, but attendance quickly expanded to children from other Eastern U.S. Armenian communities. Their parents would stay in a local hotel or with families that lived in the area. This year, nine different states were represented by the Day Campers. 

Now, parents of the Armenian day schools also are instrumental in organizing children from their communities to attend the Day Camp. “Parents speak to each other on summer plans,” Changelian said. “They organize a fun week while staying in the area. This year, we had 16 campers from the Sisters Academy. The parents made all the arrangements, stayed at the same hotel and made it a family fun-filled week. Parents from New Jersey do the same,” she added.

The parents’ dedication and desire to have their children attend Camp Haiastan Day Camp has resulted in most of these campers attending overnight Camp as they grow older, and some, as we have seen this year, also become staff members.

According to Changelian, the program is evaluated and redesigned every year. “We want to make sure we are up to date with activities that challenge, educate and entertain the children,” she stated. Aspects of the overnight camp are also introduced, such as sitting around a campfire, celebrating the Armenian tradition of vartavar, learning the mess hall chants, swimming in the pool, catching fish on Uncas Pond, arts and crafts and of course, Camp Store.

The counselor staff is key to the success of the Day Camp. In the past, counselors from among the overnight campers were selected to work with the children. But this year, with such a large number of Day Campers, the job was posted instead. “We are grateful that a former head counselor took the lead and recruited alumni members of the staff who were all in their mid-twenties. Having a strong group of counselors makes a difference in the campers’ experience. Campers and counselors form special bonds that go beyond the campgrounds,” Changelian explained. Designating the Day Camp counselor as a stand-alone position is another major step in the growth of the Day Camp.

The last day of Day Camp is devoted to the hantes. The children perform songs and dances for invited family and friends, as well as the older campers who are at Camp staying overnight for two weeks. The program ends with campers of all ages dancing together.  

As the Day Camp is growing, both in numbers of attendees and in significance, the AYF Camp Haiastan Board of Directors is fully committed to continuing to meet the Day Camp’s mission to fully engage campers’ imaginations and encourage them to explore, learn and connect with their Armenian heritage in a warm and friendly atmosphere. This year, as with all previous years, the Board will review the facility and program needs and make the necessary adjustments to assure the continued success of this important aspect of AYF Camp Haiastan.

AYF Camp Haiastan Day Camp

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Located in Franklin, Massachusetts, AYF Camp Haiastan, was founded in 1951 and is the oldest Armenian camp in the United States. The Camp prides itself on providing a healthy and safe experience to Armenian-American youth to help them foster their Armenian identity and establish lifelong friendships.


Anticipation building for AYF Olympics in D.C.

Emil Lazarian
August 9, 2023 Guest Contributor AYF Olympics, Diaspora, Youth 0

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The 2023 AYF Olympics Steering Committee and Washington D.C. community have planned an incredible Labor Day weekend full of exciting events and look forward to welcoming everyone in less than four short weeks!

To kick-off this year’s Olympics, Thursday’s events begin with an evening at Nationals Park stadium for a game between the Washington Nationals and the Miami Marlins (the AYF block is fully booked!). Tickets include transportation between the Renaissance Hotel and Nationals Park stadium. Following the baseball game, enjoy a night out at The Mayflower Club (ages 18+) at the heart of our capital with our very own DJ Leo Sardarian. Tickets are $10 and will be sold at the door and online. 

Grab your golf club, tennis racket and swim cap for Friday’s sporting events. Registration is open to everyone to play in the AYF Olympics Open golf tournament. Active AYF members may now register as an AYF athlete. Following a day of sports, prepare to dance the night away with a performance by the Yerakouyn Band at the Alumni dance and Armen Chamichyan for the AYF dance, followed by DJ Leo Sardarian for the AYF hook-up. 

Enjoy the musical talents of the Norkef Ensemble featuring Daron Pogharian on vocals while eating delicious food and watching the softball tournament at the Saturday picnic. After cheering on your favorite team, get dressed and ready to party with Nersik & Arabo Ispiryan performing as the Saturday night headliners! But the party doesn’t stop there. Enjoy a late-night dance with DJ Chris “Kidbibz” Habibian and DJ Esso at the AYF hook-up. 

Last, but certainly not least, finish off the unforgettable Labor Day weekend with a day of track & field and the opening ceremony. Close out the night at the AYF Olympics Grand Ball with Hooshere, Michael Gostanian and the 2023 All-Star band featuring John Berberian on oud, Mal Barsamian on clarinet, Ara Dinkjian on keyboard and Jim Kzirian on dumbeg. The star-studded performance will be followed by another endless night of dancing with DJ Chris “Kidbibz” Habibian and DJ Esso.

Don’t miss any of the fun and buy an all-inclusive Hye Pass. Buying a Hye Pass saves you over 30 percent on dance tickets and includes admission to the Friday Alumni dance, Friday AYF dance, Saturday night dance and Sunday Grand Ball & night dance. Individual dance tickets are also available online.

Thousands of Armenians from all over the U.S., Canada and Australia are expected to be in attendance, and a record number of hotel rooms have been sold – and still increasing. This year, the D.C. Olympics Steering Committee has added an online Ad Book along with the usual physical copy that is released each year at AYF Olympics. Your ad will be featured within the physical book copy, as well as uploaded to the website for year-round visibility. Be sure to place your ad before the deadline and show your continuous support of the AYF.

For more information, please visit ayfolympics.org. If you need assistance, please contact the Steering Committee at ayfolympics.org/contact.




RFE/RL Armenian Service – 08/09/2023

Emil Lazarian 
                                        Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Top International Lawyer Calls Azerbaijani Blockade Of Nagorno-Karabakh Genocide
Former International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo (file photo)
The founding prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has described the 
current blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan as a genocide.
In an expert opinion requested by Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian leader in 
late July, Luis Moreno Ocampo, an Argentine lawyer who served at the Hague court 
in 2003-2012, stressed that “there is an ongoing Genocide against 120,000 
Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh.”
In the document published from New York on August 7 and titled “Genocide against 
Armenians in 2023” the 71-year-old lawyer who successfully prosecuted for crimes 
against humanity three heads of state, including the president of Sudan, Omar 
al-Bashir, said that “the blockade of the Lachin Corridor by the Azerbaijani 
security forces impeding access to any food, medical supplies, and other 
essentials should be considered a Genocide under Article II, (c) of the Genocide 
Convention: ‘Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated 
to bring about its physical destruction.’”
“There are no crematories, and there are no machete attacks. Starvation is the 
invisible Genocide weapon. Without immediate dramatic change, this group of 
Armenians will be destroyed in a few weeks. Starvation as a method to destroy 
people was neglected by the entire international community when it was used 
against Armenians in 1915, Jews and Poles in 1939, Russians in Leningrad (now 
Saint Petersburg) in 1941, and Cambodians in 1975/1976. Starvation was also 
neglected when used in Srebrenica in the winter of 1993/1994,” Ocampo wrote.
He reminded that analyzing the Srebrenica case, the International Court of 
Justice ruled that “deprivation of food, medical care, shelter or clothing” 
constitute Genocide within the meaning of Article II(c) of the Genocide 
Convention.
“State parties of the Genocide Convention assumed the duty to prevent and punish 
Genocide. The International Court of Justice ruled that state parties should 
‘not wait until the perpetration of Genocide commences,’ and ‘The whole point of 
the obligation is to prevent or attempt to prevent the occurrence of the act,’” 
the lawyer noted.
In his expert opinion Ocampo wrote that “there is a reasonable basis to believe 
that a Genocide is being committed against Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh 
in 2023.”
He stressed that the International Court of Justice, at the request of Armenia, 
has already analyzed the Lachin corridor’s blockade.
“The Court focused on State liability for alleged violations of the 
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial 
Discrimination rather than individual criminal responsibility for the commission 
of Genocide.
Though predicated on a different set of State obligations, the Court confirmed 
the occurrence of the material elements of Genocide that are set out in Article 
II, (c) of the Genocide Convention: “Deliberately inflicting on the group 
conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction.”
The Court’s preliminary findings considered “plausible” that the Lachin corridor 
blockade produced “a real and imminent risk” to the “health and life” of an 
ethnic group, “the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh.”
The intention, a subjective element required by the crime of Genocide, should be 
deduced from the facts and statements from [Azerbaijani] President [Ilham] 
Aliyev, who has supreme authority in Azerbaijan,” Ocampo wrote.
The Argentine lawyer went on to note that “President Aliyev, in a fair trial, 
would have the opportunity to provide a different interpretation of the indicia.”
“In the meantime, there is reasonable basis to believe that President Aliyev has 
Genocidal intentions: he has knowingly, willingly and voluntarily blockaded the 
Lachin Corridor even after having been placed on notice regarding the 
consequences of his actions by the ICJ’s provisional orders,” the founding 
prosecutor of the International Criminal Court wrote in his conclusion.
Official Baku has not yet commented on the expert opinion provided by Ocampo at 
the request of Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian leader Arayik Harutiunian.
Meanwhile, Harutiunian on August 8 issued an urgent appeal to the international 
community, asking for immediate action to lift the blockade imposed by 
Azerbaijan and prevent what he called “the genocide of the people of 
Nagorno-Karabakh.”
Karabakh Leader Appeals To International Community Over Azerbaijani Blockade
Arayik Harutiunian, leader of Nagorno-Karabakh (file photo)
Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arayik Harutiunian has issued an urgent appeal to the 
international community, asking for immediate action to lift a de facto blockade 
imposed by Azerbaijan and prevent what he called “the genocide of the people of 
Nagorno-Karabakh.”
“With this urgent address I am signaling that right now the people of the 
Republic of Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh – ed.] are being subjected to genocide and 
face a real threat of destruction and deprivation of their homeland,” 
Harutiunian said in a video address published late on August 8.
He then presented what he described as a humanitarian crisis created by the 
240-day blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, charging that “in a situation like this 
manifestation of inaction or indifference is nothing but acquiescence in the 
crime of genocide.”
“The international community must take effective personal and collective steps 
in order not to allow Azerbaijan to fill the history of mankind with another 
page of mass famine and genocide,” Harutiunian said.
The Karabakh leader said that Stepanakert calls on Armenia to “immediately 
submit to the UN Security Council for discussion the humanitarian disaster that 
has emerged as a result of Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin Corridor and the 
illegal blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, which have grown into the crime of 
genocide, with the aim of adopting a resolution that implies urgent and concrete 
steps, as well as to turn to international partners for considering and imposing 
sanctions against Azerbaijan.” Harutiunian also urged Yerevan to be careful in 
its public statements and assessments of the situation.
The president of Nagorno-Karabakh called on the UN secretary general “to show 
moral and political responsibility and leadership, involving the entire UN 
system, in order to prevent further international crimes committed by Azerbaijan 
in Nagorno-Karabakh.”
“Please do not forget that Artsakh is currently the only territory in the world 
that is under complete siege and where even the international community does not 
have access. Don’t you have a question as to why Azerbaijan seeks to subject the 
peaceful people of Artsakh to complete isolation? Are you not bothered by the 
fact that from the point of view of human rights protection Artsakh has become 
not even a gray zone, but a black hole where all the crimes that human 
civilization has seen may happen? Do you not realize that such international 
impunity and allowing a new genocide will generate new crimes, possibly against 
your own peoples?! Therefore, I ask and demand from all of you that you 
immediately take action and stop this ongoing genocide of the people of Artsakh 
before it is too late,” the leader of Nagorno-Karabakh underscored.
Azerbaijan routinely brushes aside accusations that it pursues a policy of 
ethnic cleansings against Karabakh Armenians. After the 2020 war in which 
Azerbaijan regained control of all of the territories held by ethnic Armenian 
forces outside the borders of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as a chunk of the former 
autonomous oblast itself Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly 
warned the local population to integrate into Azerbaijan or leave.
Tensions around the region escalated after Azerbaijan in June suspended traffic 
through a checkpoint it had installed in the Lachin corridor two months earlier 
pending an investigation after it said “various types of contraband” had been 
discovered in the Red Cross vehicles coming from Armenia.
Baku says it can only allow supplies to reach Nagorno-Karabakh over a road from 
Agdam, a town controlled by Azerbaijan in the east of the region.
Ethnic Armenian authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh reject this offer, saying 
Azerbaijan’s blockade is a violation of the Moscow-brokered 2020 cease-fire 
agreement that placed the 5-kilometer-wide strip of land under the control of 
Russian peacekeepers.
The United States and the European Union have urged Azerbaijan to allow 
humanitarian supplies to reach Nagorno-Karabakh via the Lachin corridor.
A delegation led by staff members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee 
on August 8 visited the site in Armenia’s southern Syunik Province where a 
19-truck convoy with humanitarian aid heading from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh 
has been stranded, awaiting approval from Azerbaijan to proceed.
A group of UN experts issued a statement on August 7, expressing alarm over the 
ongoing blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan, which they said had led 
to a dire humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh. They urged Azerbaijan to lift 
the blockade.
“By lifting the blockade, the authorities can alleviate the suffering of 
thousands of people in Nagorno-Karabakh and allow for the unimpeded flow of 
humanitarian assistance to the civilian population. It is essential to ensure 
the safety, dignity, and well-being of all individuals during this critical 
time,” the experts said, also calling on Russian peacekeeping forces deployed in 
the region to protect the corridor under the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the UN experts for what it 
described as their biased statement that it claimed had been influenced by 
“Armenia’s manipulations.”
Armenian FM Briefs Foreign Counterparts On ‘Deepening Humanitarian Crisis’ In 
Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan (file photo)
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan held a series of phone calls with his 
foreign counterparts on Wednesday, briefing them on what he described as a 
“deepening humanitarian crisis” in Nagorno-Karabakh brought on by Azerbaijan’s 
continuing blockade of a vital route of supplies from Armenia.
The press office of Armenia’s Foreign Ministry said Mirzoyan held telephone 
conversations with the foreign ministers of Lithuania, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, 
as well as with a senior U.S. Department of State officials.
According to an official report, talking to his Lithuanian counterpart 
Gabrielius Landsbergis, Mirzoyan emphasized the urgency of supplying food, 
medicine and other essential goods to Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the need to 
ensure the full and uninterrupted functioning of the International Committee of 
the Red Cross, the only international humanitarian organization with access to 
Nagorno-Karabakh.
He also stressed the importance of “taking concrete steps by international 
actors, including the EU and EU member states, in order to lift the blockade of 
the Lachin corridor and to prevent Azerbaijan’s steps aimed at ethnic cleansing 
in Nagorno-Karabakh.”
Raising similar concerns during his phone calls with his Greek and Bulgarian 
counterparts, George Gerapetritis and Mariya Gabriel, the Armenian foreign 
minister also reportedly stressed the importance of the immediate lifting of the 
blockade of the Lachine corridor in accordance with the decisions of the 
International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6.
Mirzoyan was also quoted as pointing out Azerbaijan’s “unacceptable acts of 
intimidation”, referring to the recent detention of a Nagorno-Karabakh resident 
accused by Baku of allegedly perpetrating war crimes in the early 1990s that 
Yerevan calls abduction.
In his telephone conversation with Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European 
Union and Cooperation Jose Manuel Albares Bueno Mirzoyan reportedly emphasized 
“the seriousness of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the lack of necessary 
medical care resulting from the complete blockade of the Armenian-populated 
region since June 15, especially for the most sensitive groups such as 30,000 
children, 20,000 elderly and 9,000 persons with disabilities.”
Talking to Yuri Kim, Acting Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State 
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, the Armenian minister reportedly said 
that “the continuous deterioration of the humanitarian situation in 
Nagorno-Karabakh itself threatens the efforts of Armenia and the international 
community aimed at establishing a sustainable peace in the region.” Mirzoyan, 
according to the official report, emphasized the need “to make the best use of 
existing mechanisms and to immediately remove the blockade of the Lachin 
corridor in accordance with the decisions of the International Court of Justice.”
“Both sides noted the need to take steps to resolve the situation and agreed to 
continue contacts in that direction. Minister Mirzoyan emphasized the need for 
joint efforts of the international community in the current situation,” the 
Armenian Foreign Ministry’s statement said.
Armenian Group Threatening To End Karabakh Blockade By Force Claims More 
Obstruction From Police
        • Ruzanna Stepanian
A scuffle between police officers and members of the Crusaders group protesting 
in Republic Square, Yerevan, August 8, 2023.
A group of Armenian war veterans threatening to “take matters into their own 
hands” unless authorities make efforts to swiftly end the Azerbaijani blockade 
of Nagorno-Karabakh have claimed more obstruction from police after arriving in 
the south of Armenia.
Members of the group called Crusaders that mostly consists of veterans of 
Karabakh wars said they arrived on Wednesday morning at a site near a bridge 
over the Hakari river marking the entrance to the Lachin corridor linking 
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh where Azerbaijan installed a checkpoint earlier 
this year and tightened the effective blockade of the Armenian-populated region 
two months ago.
Armenia and ethnic Armenian authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh consider the 
Azerbaijani checkpoint at the Lachin corridor illegal as they insist its 
violates a Moscow-brokered 2020 ceasefire agreement that places the vital route 
under the control of Russian peacekeepers.
The de facto blockade has resulted in severe shortages of food, medicine, and 
energy supply in the region which is home to about 120,000 ethnic Armenians.
Azerbaijan denies blockading Nagorno-Karabakh and offers an alternative route 
for supplies via the town of Agdam, which is situated east of the region and 
away from Armenia and is controlled by Baku. Ethnic Armenian authorities in 
Nagorno-Karabakh reject that offer, fearing that it could be a prelude to the 
absorption of what remains of the former autonomous oblast into Azerbaijan.
Armenia has called for the reopening of the Lachin corridor, but officials in 
Yerevan have rejected any scenario of using force to unblock access to 
Nagorno-Karabakh.
As many as 14 members of the Crusaders group were detained on Tuesday during a 
protest in front of the government offices in central Yerevan demanding that 
they be armed with the intention of unblocking the corridor by force. The 
Interior Ministry told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that 13 of them were released 
shortly, but one protester was transferred to a preliminary investigation body 
on suspicion of carrying a knife.
It is unclear whether the obscure group has any immediate plans to try to 
confront the Azerbaijani checkpoints.
After spending some time in the vicinity of the Hakari bridge Crusaders members 
reportedly went back to the village of Kornidzor and then further to Goris.
One of the group members, Hovhannes Hovhannisian, published a video on TikTok, 
claiming that the police blocked their way in Kornidzor and did not allow them 
to move forward.
“We have arrived here, look with how many people they are blocking our way. They 
don’t let us go and pass this food [to Nagorno-Karabakh],” he said, referring to 
a convoy of 19 trucks with humanitarian aid that has been stranded near the 
entrance to the Lachin corridor on the Armenian side for nearly two weeks 
awaiting Azerbaijan’s approval to proceed to Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Let those who are Armenians, let veterans join us. But instead of joining us, 
instead of taking up arms and coming with us, they [police] point guns at us and 
threaten us with weapons,” Hovhannisian added.
Kornidzor village mayor Arshak Karapetian said that he did not have time to talk 
to the Crusaders and did not know what the group members were going to do in 
Goris.
“I just came to say hello and brought some water for them to drink. There were 
about 20-25 of them,” Karapetian said.
Before setting off to the southern Syunik province Crusaders members visited a 
military cemetery in Yerevan where soldiers killed in Nagorno-Karabakh wars are 
buried. From the place called Yerablur the commander of the group, Sargis 
Poghosian, called on others to join them.
“It seems to me that this is our last chance, we must do it, we must fight, we 
must not retreat, we must be able to win to save the people of Artsakh 
[Nagorno-Karabakh – ed.], we must save our families, our fellow Armenians. Dear 
people, we must not leave the people of Artsakh alone. Folks, come and join us 
before it is too late. Come and join us so that we can at least open the road, 
at least let food enter Artsakh, at least let people there go to bed with their 
stomachs full,” Poghosian said.
Official Baku has not yet commented on the presence of Armenian war veterans 
near the Azerbaijani checkpoint at the Hakari bridge threatening to unblock the 
road passing through what Azerbaijan considers to be its sovereign territory. In 
the recent past, however, both political and military officials in Azerbaijan 
vowed decisive actions against any “Armenian provocation.”
Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

"Baku will negotiate with candidates for Azerbaijani citizenship." Expert opinions

Emil Lazarian
Aug 8 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Baku

Relations between Baku and Karabakh Armenians

The situation around the part of Karabakh where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed continues to be tense. For 13 days now, trucks with humanitarian cargo from Armenia have been standing idle near the border with Azerbaijan. Baku offers humanitarian aid to Karabakh Armenians on the way from Aghdam. Azerbaijani experts expressed their views on the regulation of relations between Baku and Khankendi (Stepanakert).

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“Now Azerbaijan is offered to negotiate with a group of people from among the Karabakh Armenians, who call themselves “president”, “speaker of parliament”, “chairman of the security council”, etc.

These people receive their salaries from Yerevan and are citizens of Armenia. In other words, these are civil servants of Armenia. It is clear that Azerbaijan will not negotiate with them at the official level, especially with international mediation,” Tofig Zulfugarov, former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, commented on the situation.

According to him, currently this “group of people are trying to escalate the situation in order to slam the door”:

“The so-called leaders of the Karabakh Armenians try to ignore the fact that this territory is an integral part of Azerbaijan and make hints at horizontal relations with Baku.

But the clock is ticking and it does not work in any way in favor of these impostors. While Russian peacekeepers are standing there, they can speak in that tone, but I wonder how their words will sound after 2025, when the RMK leaves Karabakh and they will be face to face with Azerbaijani soldiers?

It is clear that the Azerbaijani army in this case will act according to the letter of the law and stop all hostile elements on its territory.

In fact, the “leaders” of the Karabakh Armenians understand all this very well, but taking advantage of the moment, they try to escalate the situation as much as possible in order to slam the door. When their time runs out, they will leave Karabakh together. And they will go not to Russia, but somewhere to the West, they will shout about “genocide”, trying to snatch more privileges for themselves.”

Zulfugarov added that official Baku would only talk to candidates for Azerbaijani citizenship:

“Not everyone in Karabakh lives on a Yerevan salary. There are ordinary people who for decades have been building conditions for themselves to live and work. They want to stay in Karabakh and are none other than candidates for Azerbaijani citizenship. It is with them that the Azerbaijani state will talk.”

According to Ilham Aliyev, the Armenians of Karabakh must decide whether to live as citizens of Azerbaijan or leave

Political commentator Ilham Ismail stated that the opening of the Lachin road for humanitarian supplies from Armenia without any conditions “Armenians will immediately call a victory, and they may begin to see the possibility of achieving greater goals in the same way.” But at the same time, he stressed that the Aghdam road is not intended for any cargo from Armenia, including humanitarian:

“The conditions for using the Agdam-Khankendi road should be prepared by Azerbaijan. The state must actually provide a humanitarian cargo for the Karabakh Armenians and openly show the world that no one is going to create a humanitarian catastrophe. The concrete slabs on the road to Khankendi were laid out by the Armenians themselves. But this is the territory of Azerbaijan, and we must solve our problems ourselves.

If the other side does not accept this help and refers to some concepts such as honor and dignity, then this is no longer a problem for the Azerbaijani side. It only means that the other side does not want peace, and does not even try to hide this unwillingness.”

Ismail asserts that the majority of Karabakh Armenians do not want to live as part of Azerbaijan, but they are not preparing to leave Karabakh either:

“Therefore, it is groundless to say now that ordinary Armenians are sitting there and waiting for us. Politics must be based on realities. One of the sides of these realities is that in this sensitive period it is necessary to go out to the Karabakh Armenians with promising humanitarian projects and programs.

Azerbaijani expert Mehman Aliyev believes that despite the optimism of the head of the European Council, little progress has been made since the Prague meeting in October last year

The sides that only yesterday were shooting at each other do not immediately develop trust, and as a rule, the defeated side has a psychological need for this trust. In this position, Azerbaijan must demonstrate its greatness, based on the fact that it is the winning side.

And then you need to put forward your requirements, but with a warning about the deadline. The Armenian armed forces must leave Karabakh, the internally displaced persons must return to their homes on conditions of ensuring security. The amnesty proposal must also remain in place. Otherwise, everyone who is wanted will face the fate of Vagif Khachatryan.”

https://jam-news.net/baku-will-negotiate-with-candidates-for-azerbaijani-citizenship-expert-opinions/

Washington reiterates Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement is ‘within reach’

Emil Lazarian

 10:26, 8 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS. The United States has reiterated that a potential peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains “within reach” after Russia warned last week that a hastily prepared peace treaty could lead to new conflict.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller was asked during a press briefing to comment on the warnings from Moscow to Armenia and Azerbaijan against rushing into a peace agreement.

“I don’t want to speak with respect to Russia when it comes to Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Miller said. “I want to speak with respect to those two countries who are directly related – who are direct parties in this dispute.  We have been engaged directly with those countries; Special Envoy Bono traveled to the region last week and engaged directly with them.  And we believe, despite any comments from other countries who are not a party to this matter, that an agreement remains within reach, and we will continue to work with them to pursue it,” he added.

Miller added that Türkiye has a productive role it can play in this process.

ICRC evacuates 11 patients from Nagorno-Karabakh

Emil Lazarian

 15:10, 8 August 2023

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Nagorno-Karabakh office has facilitated the transfer of 11 patients to Armenia, the Nagorno-Karabakh Ministry of Healthcare said in a statement Tuesday, the first medical evacuation since July 29, when Azeri border guards kidnapped a 68-year-old evacuee.

9 of the patients require life-saving hemodialysis while two others are seriously-ill cancer patients.

9 other patients, accompanied by their attendants, who have received treatment in Armenia are expected to return to Nagorno-Karabakh under ICRC mediation later today.

The Azerbaijani side is continuously prohibiting the ICRC supply of essential medicine and medical items into Nagorno-Karabakh, while many patients await their turn for medical evacuation and return, the ministry said.

30 children are hospitalized in the Arevik clinic, 9 of whom are in neonatal and intensive care.

Another 80 patients are hospitalized in the Republican Medical Center. 8 patients are under intensive care, 4 of whom are in critical condition.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

On July 26, Armenia sent a humanitarian convoy carrying emergency food and medication for Nagorno-Karabakh, but Azerbaijan blocked the trucks at the entrance of Lachin Corridor.