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

The Jungle

Emil Lazarian
 Garin Op-Eds 0

Meghri

On October 3, 2023, the Armenian National Assembly passed into law the prohibition of the sale of animals that were not slaughtered in a licensed slaughterhouse. The law went into effect on December 3 of this year. This means that local cattle herders and shepherds must deliver their animals alive to licensed slaughterhouses, and the slaughterhouses then deliver the meat to butcher shops. 

In the United States, this would be a normal law, protecting citizens and guaranteeing the quality and safety of meat purchased. As I dig deeper into what the government of Armenia is trying to achieve with this decision, I remember many years ago when I read Upton Sinclair’s  in school to learn about the evolution of food and drug regulations in the United States. Is our new legislation a means of making safer, cleaner meat a standard in Armenia, or is it a sinister move to force a taxable step into the livestock economy? The Ministry of Health would have to answer this question, by sharing instances of meat-related poisonings in Armenia, broken down by frequency and location. 

Having lived in Meghri for the better part of the past three years, my arguments come from a local perspective on this matter. The closest registered slaughterhouse to Meghri, which is located along Armenia’s southernmost border with Iran, is in the Syunik capital of Ghapan, which is 80 kilometers (about 50 miles) away, a one and a half hour drive from the city of Meghri itself and even farther for some of the surrounding villages. However, since slaughterhouses are private entities, and the slaughterhouse in Ghapan only butchers meat from its own farms, a person from Meghri would have to drive three hours to Goris for the closest slaughterhouse that accepts outside livestock. 

Since the law went into effect on December 3, the local meat that takes advantage of the rich pastures surrounding Meghri is no longer available for sale and has been replaced by lower quality product that is raised on industrial feed. While you may pay top dollar for Whole Foods grass-fed free range organic beef, Armenia’s latest legislation is preventing Meghri from having access to local livestock, raised by farmers who are known to locals and have a reputation that they have upheld proudly for years. In Meghri, we have not seen the sanitation standards of the slaughterhouse and do not have a good impression from witnessing the supplier’s truck, which brings a mix of lamb, beef and pork, mixed together, lying open and exposed on a piece of cardboard for at least the three hours on its journey from Goris to Meghri. Additionally, considering that I have not heard locals recount any instances of poisoning or disease directly related to a local butcher shop, the government’s intent is clear. 

But why not build a slaughterhouse in Meghri? As the American saying goes: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Meghri does not have any issues with local meat and is not seeking regulation on its local markets. However, due to the centralized legislative system in Armenia, this is not a choice. Multiple shepherds and cattle herders met with the Syunik state governor, and the response they received was that the onus is on an individual to open a slaughterhouse in Meghri or to take their livestock to Goris for slaughter, both of which are not economically viable solutions. The Armenian government’s rash geopolitical decisions have caused tensions with Russia, leading to the closure of its fruit import market, Meghri’s largest buyer of local produce. Now with the livestock business freezing in its tracks, how are local villagers supposed to make a living? Worse yet, with the slaughterhouse law, how will the church perform a traditional madagh?

To add salt to the wound, for the last two months the pistol and iPad clad “Baregayin” police have been deployed to Meghri and are wreaking havoc on a once free region of Armenia, where local customs did more to dictate law than official legislation. Some locals have shared with me that, according to unofficial data, more than 150 million drams (350,000 USD) in fines have been issued to the 100,000 residents of the Syunik area since the Baregs’ deployment. From traffic violations and missing paperwork to unlicensed drivers and absurd laws that have no regard for the local infrastructure or way of life, locals now live in fear of being fined every time they leave their homes. There is no DMV equivalent, no smog and brake test centers, and limited public transportation in the Meghri area, giving the Baregs a field day with the poorest of villagers.

The once libertarian lifestyle now feels like the American propagandized version of the Soviet Union, with an authoritarian rule of law that shows no mercy for its citizens.

Since PM Nikol Pashinian’s arrival, the supposed crackdown on corruption has mostly affected the lives of those living farthest from the capital city Yerevan. Before Pashinyan, and particularly before the arrival of the Bareg police force, who are not locals to the areas of their deployment, there was a natural equilibrium through which laws were and were not enforced, based on local customs and available infrastructure. Legislation comes from Yerevan, and there is no representative body to uphold the rights and livelihoods or make decisions for those living in Meghri. The new police, equipped with body cameras, also have no choice but to issue the fines, as a review of the footage could lead to an investigation as to why a fine was not issued for a violation, which can lead to a corruption investigation. I myself have witnessed a 10,000 AMD ($25) fine to a friend for having their driver’s license out of date by three days. The same occurrence in the U.S. would likely end in the officer giving a reminder to get it renewed.

EU-sponsored courthouse placard

Since, according to the World Bank, only 60-percent of Armenian adults have a high school education, with that number being much lower in rural villages, it makes sense that driver’s licenses have traditionally been obtained through bribery. With bribery no longer an option, many are left in a hopeless state, given the difficulty of the driving test. Here are two sample questions from the exam’s official English version:

What are the signs of principal arterial bleeding, and how does first aid for principal arterial bleeding begin? 

  1. Dark blood flows slowly out of the wound. A compression bandage is placed on the wound on which there is a note on the time of holding it on the wound. 
  2. Bright red blood flows from the wound, spouting strongly with intermittent flush or like a fountain. The injured artery should be squeezed with the fingers, then above the wound, as far as possible near the wound, a bleeding cord is placed, on which there is a note about the time for keeping it on. 
  3. Blood flows slowly from the wound. A bleeding cord is placed below the injury, with a note of time for keeping it on.

The answer is number 2.

In what cases should the victim be taken out of the car? 

  1. In the event of a car overturning, ignition, high probability of explosion or loss of consciousness of the victim. 
  2. In case of a car overturning, ignition, high probability of explosion or hyper freezing of the victim, loss of consciousness and breathing, as well as in case of impossibility to provide first aid directly in the cabin. 
  3. In the event of a car overturning, ignition, high probability of explosion or severe bleeding, craniocerebral injury.

The answer is number 2.

Regardless of how one obtained their drivers license, prior to the arrival of the Baregs, residents in the Meghri area had the liberty of driving without a license, which was particularly advantageous to teens who live far from school in a region with no school buses. The closest location to take the driver’s test is in the provincial capital, Ghapan. I would be interested, and also surprised, to see if there is a correlation between accidents in Meghri and unlicensed drivers to justify the strict enforcement in such a rural area.

One of six EU-sponsored Bareg police cars in Meghri

Over the last 50 years, there has been a heavy migration from the surrounding villages of Meghri to the city of Meghri itself, leaving many villages completely empty. The villages of Vank, Galer, Lijk, Guris, Gudemis, Vahravar and Garjevan, once thriving, now only have a handful of residents, if any at all. However, many people with family roots in those villages maintain their relationships to the villages by visiting frequently, hosting celebrations and spending their summers as well as keeping livestock, bees and gardens in the very cottages that they or their parents grew up in. 

The recent strict enforcement of various laws is destroying what was left of any remaining life in these villages, and leaves me increasingly feeling that we are living under foreign rule and not in the homeland we were raised to believe was our home.That may be so, as the Meghri courthouse and the new Bareg police vehicles all feature EU flags, and the similarly foreign-funded red beret contingent is scheduled for deployment to Meghri this January. Jungles are synonymous with being unruly, but in its own twisted way, life in rural Armenia is feeling more and more like a jungle, and less like the civilized society that it was when I first moved here.

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Garin is an alumnus of the AYF Chicago "Ararat" Chapter. He lives in the town of Meghri in Syunik, Armenia.


Putin Reveals Lack of Communication from Armenia on Nagorno-Karabakh Recognition

Emil Lazarian
bnn
HongKong – Dec 18 2023
By: Momen Zellmi

In an unexpected revelation from the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin disclosed that Armenia failed to provide Russia with pertinent information preceding its recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory. The lack of communication between Armenia and its ally Russia could potentially impact the diplomatic dynamics concerning the disputed region.

Nagorno-Karabakh, known as Qarabağ in Azerbaijani, has been a contentious area between Armenia and Azerbaijan for decades. Internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, it has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces, with Armenia’s backing, since the conclusion of a separatist war in 1994. This ongoing conflict has seen Russia play an instrumental role as a mediator, with a standing peacekeeping force in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The statement by Putin indicates a potential lapse in coordination or communication between Armenia and Russia on a crucial diplomatic stance. This revelation could significantly alter the dynamics in the region and the relationship between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry has already voiced criticism towards Yerevan’s politicians for their failure to fully implement trilateral agreements and has pointed out specific actions that obstructed the process.

Reacting to the recent developments, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry has signaled its readiness to recommit to peace negotiations with Azerbaijan. The proposal for direct talks from Baku has been noted positively in Yerevan, hinting at possible diplomatic progression towards resolving the longstanding Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In another strain of news, Gleb Karakulov, a defector from the Kremlin’s bodyguard agency, has provided intimate details about Putin, labeling him as paranoid and a war criminal. The Kremlin has remained silent on the matter while a desertion case has been opened against Karakulov in Russia. This situation underlines the existing complexities and tensions in Russian politics, which could have far-reaching implications in regional and international affairs.

https://bnnbreaking.com/world/russia/putin-reveals-lack-of-communication-from-armenia-on-nagorno-karabakh-recognition/


Russia’s Rosatom to extend life of Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear plant

Emil Lazarian
Dec 18 2023
 

ByArshaluys Barseghyan

Armenia has contracted the Russian state nuclear agency, Rosatom, to extend the life of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, with talks ‘ongoing’ about building a new reactor at the ageing facility.

At a meeting in Yerevan attended by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk on Friday, the Metsamor NPP signed a deal with Rosatom to extend the operation of the plant until 2036.

RIA, a Russian state news agency, reported that the deal was worth $65 million. 

The contract involves further extending the life of Metsamor’s Reactor 2, which came online in 1980 with an expected 30-year lifespan and is currently the only reactor still operational at Metsamor. The reactor was due to be decommissioned in 2026, after its lifespan was previously extended.

Environmental campaigners, Turkey, and the EU have all expressed concerns about the safety of the current reactor, urging the government to shut it down.

Overchuk also announced that Russia was in talks with Armenia to build a new reactor at the plant. Discussions about constructing a new reactor at Metsamor have been ongoing in Armenia for well over a decade.

Metsamor, the only nuclear power plant in the South Caucasus, produced 26% of Armenia’s electricity in 2021. 

Overchuk also expressed interest in developing trade and economic relations with Armenia through the ‘diversification of transport routes and the opening of new routes’ for the transportation of cargo. 

‘Unfortunately, as we know, Upper Lars cannot provide year-round transportation due to climatic reasons, which seriously hinders the development of relations between our countries,’ said Overchuk of the Russia–Georgia border point that Armenia relies on to transport goods to Russia.

In a press briefing later on Friday, Overchuck stressed that Russia was ready to continue mediating between Armenia and Azerbaijan on unblocking transport links.

‘First of all, we are talking about unblocking the railway connection,’ he said.

On Friday evening, Rosatom also announced that they hoped to secure a contract to clean up hazardous waste at a Soviet-era rubber plant in Yerevan, according to TASS. They said they had submitted their proposals last year after a request by the Armenian Government to inspect the site.

The contract for Russia to extend the life of Armenia’s nuclear plant came as relations between the two countries reached an all-time low.

On Friday, Mikheil Galuzin, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, read a statement penned by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in which he blamed the West for the worsening of relations.

‘Allied ties between Moscow and Yerevan are being tested for strength in the light of the West’s attempts to drive a wedge into relations between our fraternal peoples’, he said.

Galuzin added that ’some temporary difficulties in our relations are not only surmountable, they are surmountable with a plus for the further development of our diverse ties.’

In response, Artur Hovhannisyan, an MP from the ruling Civil Contract party, stated that Armenia’s relations with Russia were being strained, but not due to external any influence.

‘In this context, we can also talk about the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organisation], because there are also contracts and unfulfilled obligations, that is, these contractual relations are being put to the test, we need to understand whether these contracts are valid or not’ Hovhannisyan told RFE/RL.

Armenia, which is a member of the CSTO, has been critical of the Russia-led security bloc for not providing military assistance in the face of Azerbaijani attacks on Armenia, most recently in September 2022. 

However, on Monday, Mher Grigoryan, Armenia’s deputy prime minister, attended a summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), another Russia-led bloc, in Moscow, one of the few sessions organised by the CIS or the CSTO that Armenia has attended in the past few months.

https://oc-media.org/russias-rosatom-to-extend-life-of-armenias-metsamor-nuclear-plant/

Armenpress celebrates 105th anniversary with exhibition and new departments presentation

Emil Lazarian

 21:12,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. For 105 years, Armenpress has been documenting and presenting to the public the most significant events and developments taking place both in Armenia and beyond its borders.  The photographers of Armenpress do not overlook any significant event or outstanding individual, contributing to the agency's rich archive.
On December 18, the day of the establishment of "Armenpress", the agency showcased the fascinating episodes of that archive at the "Documenting the Century" exhibition dedicated to the 105th anniversary of its establishment, which brought together officials, public figures, politicians, and representatives of the culture sector.
Armenpress Director Narine Nazaryan expressed gratitude to all the guests for joining the agency on that symbolic day.
"Armenpress'' News Agency is 105 years old. We are deeply aware of our responsibility to be bearers of the heritage created over a century. A century that is not just a chronology; it embodies history, established values, exceptional events, and the contributions of thousands of agency employees and dozens of directors. Each has left their own style, contributing to the creation of this beacon of journalistic excellence with boundless dedication,’’ she said.
According to Narine Nazaryan, the exhibition of archival photos entitled "Documenting the Century" is a unique visual journey, an opportunity to recreate decades of history in the consciousness through images.
"The organization of this exhibition was another opportunity to reevaluate what we have. The millions of tapes and digitized photos stored at Armenpress should become public property through various initiatives. We are planning to regularly present thematic exhibitions, providing everyone with the opportunity to learn about our history," assured Narine Nazaryan.
According to Nazaryan, they are creating a new century; they are trying to do it in accordance with the solutions dictated by the time- innovative and inclusive. Armenpress Director noted that they clearly realize that they  represent the voice of Armenia in the world. And they try to make that voice heard in as many languages as possible, because the language serves as the bridge that breaks all borders.
"Until now, the agency has translated Armenian news reports into six foreign languages: English, Russian, Arabic, French, Turkish and Spanish. Today, we are delighted to announce that, after months of work, the Georgian, Persian and Chinese department of the website have been created. We express our gratitude for the opportunity to implement this program with  the  state support."
We are unwavering in our mission to create the media of the future,” Nazaryan said and invited the guests to watch a short video about the creation of exclusive Armenpress documents stored in the National Archives.
Afterwards, those present had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the new departments of Armenpress.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Armenia Giorgi Sharvashidze congratulated the news agency, which has been carrying out its mission for more than a century. According to him, today more than ever, there is a need for a reliable, impartial, and free press.
"As the ambassador of Georgia, I am grateful and happy that Armenpress has added the Georgian language to its news website. In the era of digitalization, language still plays a crucial role in reaching the target audience and communicating news,” he said.
 
According to the Ambassador, many cornerstones in Georgian-Armenian relations are increasing day by day. He proudly emphasized that the volume of cooperation between the two countries has reached its maximum in politics, economy, culture, energy, tourism, and other fields. The ambassador reminded that from July 1, 2023, citizens of Georgia and Armenia have the privilege to cross the border without a passport, only with biometric ID cards, which further strengthens and deepens the cooperation and friendship between Georgians and Armenians.
"As you know, on December 15 of the current year, Georgia received the status of a candidate for EU membership, which is a historic step for Georgia towards the European Union. We hope that Georgia will become a full member of the EU in the near future. It is definitely encouraging that we witnessed the unanimous decision of the EU Council of Foreign Ministers regarding the start of negotiations on the liberalization of the visa regime with Armenia.
This is a very positive development, the European Parliament welcomes the readiness of the Armenian government to get closer to the European Union," stressed  Giorgi Sharvashidze and added that he cornerstone of any democracy is an independent, professional, and responsible media, and Armenpress has been providing the Armenian society with news for 105 years.
 The newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Armenia Mehdi Sobhani was pleased to participate in the event.
“On the launch of the Persian language department at the agency, I extend my congratulations to the "Armenpress" news agency, the Persian speakers and to those who are interested in the Persian language. This strategic step by Armenpress underscores the significance of the Iranian and Farsi-speaking audience for the agency.
This is a commendable step, as it plays a significant role in representing Armenia to Iranians and Persian-speaking people and in terms of mutual understanding and recognition between the two countries,'' the Ambassador said.
The Ambassador highly  appreciated the efforts of the honorable government of Armenia, aimed at studying the language of one of the neighboring countries.
 
“This initiative testifies to the government's prospective steps toward peaceful coexistence. We consider it a harbinger of peace, friendship, and enhanced human communication.
The spread of the Persian language in Armenia is considered a social capital for the peoples of both countries and a cultural element in the direction of deepening the friendship between the two peoples,” said the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Armenia.
"I wish happiness and well-being to the government and people of Armenia. In advance, I extend my warmest congratulations for the upcoming New Year. May the coming year bring abundance, peace, and prosperity to the people of Armenia. I also hope for the expansion of relations and friendship between our countries. Long live Armenia! Long live Iran!” concluded the Ambassador.
Congratulating "Armenpress" state news agency on the occasion of its 105th anniversary, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Armenia Fan Yong, welcomed the official launch of the agency's news releases in various languages, including Chinese.
"For over a century, Armenpress has served as a bridge, bringing  the voice of Armenia to the  world.  It has assumed the important role of being the bridge and window of Armenia. I am confident that with this new platform, the "Armenpress" news agency will make an even more significant contribution to the national development of Armenia,’’ the Ambassador noted.
According to him, China and Armenia are good partners and friends. "As the official Armenian media, Armenpress has established working relations with Chinese partners. I am confident that the launch of the Chinese department of the "Armenpress" news agency will greatly contribute to a better mutual understanding and exchange of cultural values between China and Armenia, as well as strengthen ties between the peoples of the two countries.
The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Armenia is ready to provide active support to "Armenpress" and bring the Chinese-Armenian media cooperation to a new level," the Ambassador added.
Armenpress, founded in 1918,  is the leading news agency of Armenia, publishing approximately 200 Armenian news articles regularly. The agency distributes its news reports in Russian, English, Arabic, French, Turkish, Spanish, Georgian, Persian, and Chinese. The agency has the oldest and largest photo archive in Armenia, which includes about 1 million photos. Many of them have significant historical value. In recent years, Armenpress has actively expanded its services, including video production and podcast offerings.
From Latin America to Europe, from Africa to Asia. In recent years Armenpress has signed cooperation agreements with more than 30 news agencies.



Washington Must End Its Support for Azerbaijan’s War Crimes

Emil Lazarian
 JACOBIN 
Dec 18 2023
BY
ALEX GALITSKY, 
SHAHED GHOREISHI

The US has long offered unconditional military assistance to Azerbaijan even as it carries out ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. It’s consistent with Washington’s support for brutal human rights violators from Saudia Arabia to Israel.

The other week, Azerbaijan’s president scolded US secretary of state Antony Blinken over efforts to curtail military assistance to the Caspian dictatorship in the wake of its assault on the Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. While US arms and assistance to Azerbaijan have largely been overlooked, they are representative of how Washington’s security assistance has facilitated war crimes and perpetuated a global system built on the selective application of human rights and international law. In the case of Azerbaijan, US assistance enabled ethnic cleansing on a shocking scale.

However, amid public outcry over the nonenforcement and rollback of human rights conditions on military assistance to US allies from Turkey to Saudi Arabia to Israel — a recent decision by the Senate to suspend military assistance to Azerbaijan marks an unprecedented step toward the enforcement of human rights standards and congressional oversight long absent from US foreign policy.

Last month, Azerbaijan invaded Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh), forcibly expelling its entire indigenous Armenian population, aided by US security assistance. As a direct consequence of the impunity Washington has granted Baku, Azerbaijan, is now threatening further military action against Armenia — a risk recently acknowledged by Secretary Blinken.

Azerbaijan hasn’t always enjoyed the kind of impunity other recipients of US military assistance do. In the early 1990s, Azerbaijan was prohibited from receiving US aid pursuant to Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, which suspended all forms of aid to Azerbaijan in light of its aggression against Armenian civilians during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.

While this prohibition is still in effect, following the September 11 attacks it has been subject to a national security waiver — an all-too-familiar tool that has granted the US president far-reaching discretion over military assistance, unbeholden to congressional oversight and the long-ignored human rights conditions mandated under the Leahy Laws and Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act.

In an attempt to garner Azerbaijan’s support for the United States’ 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the waiver of Section 907 saw hundreds of millions of dollars funneled to the government through lucrative defense contracts and security assistance. This has only escalated in recent years as Washington now justifies its uncritical support for Azerbaijan as necessary to secure its role as an alternative energy supplier for Europe and a regional bulwark against Russia and Iran.

Despite President Joe Biden’s campaign pledge to cut military aid to Azerbaijan after its assault on Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020, his administration has twice reauthorized assistance to Baku, even in the face of strong congressional opposition. These waivers have continued despite the Azerbaijani government’s torture and execution of Armenian prisoners of war, human rights abuses, and war crimes against civilians, and a humanitarian blockade that precipitated the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh. Washington had every opportunity to prevent this unfolding humanitarian and security crisis but instead chose to embolden Azerbaijan by rewarding its behavior with security assistance.

Azerbaijan is an instructive case in the abject failure of current US policy. Not only did unconditional assistance to Azerbaijan grant the United States little-to-no ability to influence or constrain Baku’s behavior — the lack of conditions on assistance to Azerbaijan sent a green light to its government that it would face no material repercussions for its human rights abuses, emboldening its behavior. US arms sales haven’t even deterred Azerbaijan from engaging with US rivals, as Baku continues to expand its energy partnerships with Russia and Iran.

Washington’s support of Azerbaijan will signal to other recipients of US military assistance that they will continue to face zero accountability for their actions, despite Biden’s pledge to ensure autocrats “pay the price” for their aggression. Furthermore, Washington’s reckless policy threatens to destabilize the region further by encouraging war profiteers to take a page from Washington’s playbook, with Turkey closing a major arms deal with Saudi Arabia in July, and Israel selling weapons to Azerbaijan used to perpetrate horrific human rights abuses against Armenians in Artsakh at the same time it perpetrates unconscionable war crimes of its own in Gaza.

Immediately before Azerbaijan’s assault on Nagorno-Karabakh, US officials affirmed that they “would not countenance any attempt at ethnic cleansing” by Azerbaijan. Washington’s failure to hold Azerbaijan accountable after it breached this red line will only embolden further aggression as Baku eyes Armenia’s sovereign territory. It will also undermine whatever confidence anyone might still have had in Washington’s willingness to uphold human rights. It sends a clear signal to other recipients of US military assistance engaged in human rights abuses, from Turkey’s relentless assault on Kurdish communities in Northern Syria and Iraq, to Saudi Arabia’s crackdowns at home and its mass murder of refugees and destruction of Yemen, to Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on Palestinian civilians in Gaza — heightening the risk of conflicts that could engulf the entire region.

Facing considerable congressional and public pressure, the Biden administration has now publicly stated that it does not intend to waive restrictions on military assistance to Azerbaijan. But the unanimous passage of the Armenian Protection Act by the Senate last month takes that one step further, prohibiting the executive from exercising its waiver authority for a two-year window. If enacted by the House of Representatives, this would mark an unprecedented step toward enforcing human rights standards and congressional oversight of US security assistance in a rare rebuke of US foreign policy, driven by grassroots action.

Washington’s Faustian bargain with some of the world’s most abusive governments has produced the very outcomes it purportedly seeks to avoid and recklessly enables the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s Armenians. The unanimous Senate vote to enforce human rights conditions on assistance to Azerbaijan is not just a step toward justice for the victims of Azerbaijan’s genocidal aggression — it marks an important victory in the effort to curb executive overreach, end the practice of fueling raging regional fires, and stop material US support for war crimes.

https://jacobin.com/2023/12/washington-biden-administration-azerbaijan-war-crimes-armenia-us-military-aid

Armenia’s Energy Security Faces Frosty Relations with Russia

Emil Lazarian
UK – Dec 18 2023

Lacking fossil fuels, Armenia leans on Russian gas and oil for most of its needs.


Armenia’s strained relations with Russia, its traditional strategic ally, may have an impact beyond political and security alliance, affecting the country’s energy security as Moscow supplies most of Yerevan’s gas needs.

Armenia is officially considered a self-sufficient country in terms of its volume of electricity, generating up to 98 per cent of its needs in-country. Experts, however, warn that the reality is more complex.

“Our self-sufficiency depends on the countries from which we import the gas and the uranium that operate our thermal and nuclear power plants. And when our government officials speak about our self-sufficiency, why do they forget to say how we maintain it?” energy expert Armen Manvelyan told IWPR, noting that in fact over 70 per cent of Armenia’s electricity depended on Russia.

According to Armenia’s statistical committee, in 2021 thermal power produced 42.9 per cent of the country’s electricity, while 25.4 per cent was provided by nuclear plants with uranium imported from Russia. Internal resources produce about 31.6 per cent of Armenia’s electricity: 27.9 per cent from hydropower and 3.7 percent from solar power plants. 

In addition, Armenia imports natural gas and oil for most of its energy needs, predominantly from Russia. According to data from the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Russia supplies 87.5 per cent of Armenia’s gas needs via pipeline through Georgia, while Iran covers 12.5 per cent through a barter agreement under which it exports electricity in exchange.

Armenia also trades electricity with Georgia, though volumes are low since the countries’ networks are not synchronised. Energy interconnections with Azerbaijan and Turkey are inactive for political reasons.

In an interview on November 15, Iran's newly appointed ambassador to Armenia, Mehdi Sobhani, hinted that Tehran might help Yerevan reduce its energy dependence on Russia. Since 2009 Armenia has provided Iran with electricity in return for natural gas supplies; the arrangement was due to end in 2026, but in August the two countries agreed to extend and expand it until at least 2030. Russia, however, could turn the tap off as gas giant Gazprom owns the pipeline bringing the gas from Iran to Armenia.

According to the Statistical Committee of Armenia, in 2021 natural gas accounted for 76.2 per cent of imported energy resources and oil products for 21.9 per cent.

Armen Manvelyan, an energy expert, noted that amid the strained relations with Russia in the wake of the situation in Nagorny Karabakh, this dependency was problematic. 

“Armenia is not in the best energy situation right now,” he continued. “Yes, the nuclear power plant is working, thermal power plants are working, but their activities depend on the energy resources supplied from Russia. And if their prices increase, Armenia may face serious problems.”

While a spike in prices is not imminent, the widening rift between Yerevan and Moscow meant that it cannot be ruled out.

“Until now, the existing favourable tariffs were determined by the quality of political relations between the two countries,” Manvelyan said. “If you have good political relations, you get a good price. When you start to spoil your political relations, the situation may become dicey and prices may increase.”

Other experts are more optimistic.

“I think that the problems associated with the dependence on Russian gas are not as acute and existing issues can be mitigated by diversifying the country’s energy system, for example developing further nuclear and solar energy,” Avetisyan told IWPR, adding that supplies from Russia and Iran were mutually beneficial. 

“In the case of Iran, this is done within the Gas for Electricity scheme, while in case of Russia, we buy the gas, we do not receive it as a gift.”

Manvelyan noted that rates were certainly lower for Yerevan. 

“Armenia pays Russian gas at a low price, 175 dollars per 1,000 cubic metre while Azerbaijan sells gas to its ally Turkey at 290 dollars,” he said, adding that Armenia was short of options in terms of friendly neighbours and should hence “make every effort to ensure good relations with Russia”. 

“An increase in gas prices will trigger a chain reaction across the country’s economy as prices of our goods will increase, affecting our export opportunities because our products will become uncompetitive,” he concluded.

OPENING THE ENERGY MARKET

To increase its self-sufficiency, the Armenian government has embarked on a path to liberalise the energy market as a way to boost its electricity export capacity and diversify sources. 

“We support the government of Armenia in implementing reforms in the energy sector. We are working with the Armenian government in three main areas – liberalisation of the electricity market, diversification of energy supplies and development of interstate trade with Georgia,” said Abgar Budagyan, chief of party at Tetra Tech, which implements USAID’s energy programme in Armenia.

For Prime MInister Nikol Pashinyan, the gradual liberalisation of the electricity market which started in 2022 has opened up new opportunities and created favourable conditions for interstate trade. 

“We are developing production capacities, carrying out large-scale reconstruction of substations and power lines, and building Armenia-Iran and Armenia-Georgia high-voltage lines, which contribute to the formation of the North-South Electricity Corridor and create new opportunities for increasing exports, imports, transit or seasonal power exchange. Thus, Armenia can become a kind of regional electricity hub,” he said in June. 

The open market means that consumers can choose an electricity supplier, depending on the offered tariffs. It also means that the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) no longer has the monopoly over the electricity supply, although new suppliers still have to use ENA’s distribution network, meaning that the company remains the only guaranteed distributor.

“Since the introduction of the new market model, the Commission approved the licence for 14 suppliers and seven wholesalers are already operating,” Sergey Aghinyan, a member of the Public Services Regulatory Commission, told IWPR.

According to official statistics, in the first six months of 2023, 13.1 per cent of consumers chose new electricity suppliers, up from 5.3 per cent in the whole of 2022. The government forecast the share to reach 23 per cent in 2024. 

Experts and officials noted that the reform contributed to the development of interstate imports and exports.

“In 2022, Armenia exported 365 million kWh to Georgia; in 2012-2021 the amount remained constant at 242 million. This happened mainly because of market liberalisation,” Vardanyan said. Iran remained the main recipient of Armenia’s electricity, with 1178.3 million kWh of electricity supplied in 2022. 

But experts remain divided over the benefits of liberalisation. Avetisyan’s assessment one year on is positive as it is “an important process that provides opportunities for free competition for existing market players not only within the country, but also abroad”.

Manvelyan maintained that authorities should have strengthened state control rather than open the market.

“Energy is one of the few industries that should be very seriously controlled by the state, it is the only one in the position to build large systems and high-voltage networks," he said. "If Armenia were a large country, we could also talk about the private sector, but this is not the case of our country.”

https://iwpr.net/global-voices/armenias-energy-security-faces-frosty-relations-russia

Armenia, Azerbaijan exchange war prisoners in first step towards normalising ties – AFP

Emil Lazarian
France 24
Dec 13 2023

Armenia and Azerbaijan on Wednesday swapped prisoners of war, a first step towards normalising relations since Baku retook control of the long-disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in a one-day autumn offensive.

It is the first time the neighbours have exchanged prisoners since the lightening September offensive.

Azerbaijan's military operation ended almost three decades of Armenian separatist control of Karabakh, forcing tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians to flee.

Peace talks – mediated separately by the European Union, the United States and Russia – have since stalled, despite both countries saying an agreement could be signed by the end of this year.

Baku on Wednesday announced it had freed more than two dozen Armenian soldiers.

"Azerbaijan freed 32 Armenian military, Armenia freed two Azerbaijani military," Azerbaijan's state commission for prisoners of war said in a statement.

It added that "the exchange took place at the Gazakh sector of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border."

"Armenian soldiers were handed to Armenia after the International Committee of the Red Cross examined their health and made a positive conclusion," the statement said.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan published on his Facebook page a list of 32 freed Armenian servicemen.

The exchange came after Baku and Yerevan last week released a joint statement, pledging to achieve a "long-awaited peace in the region" and announced a POWs swap.

The exchange was welcomed by all mediators of the conflict.

The EU, the US as well as regional powers Turkey and Russia praised the statement as a "breakthrough."

Yerevan said in November that a total of 55 Armenian prisoners of war were being held by Baku.

The number included six civilians, 41 military, and eight separatist leaders arrested in the wake of Baku's military operation.

The prisoner exchange raised hopes for reviving face-to-face talks between Pashinyan and Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev.

The pair have met several times for normalisation talks mediated by the EU chief Charles Michel.

But the process has been on hold since October, when Aliyev declined to attend negotiations with Pashinyan in Spain, accusing France of bias.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had been scheduled to join Michel as mediators at those talks.

There has been no visible progress so far in EU efforts to organise a fresh round of negotiations.

Azerbaijan also refused to participate in talks with Armenia that were planned in the US on November 20, over what it said was Washington's "biased" position.

Traditional regional power broker Russia, bogged down with its dragging Ukraine offensive, has seen its influence wane in the Caucasus.

Aliyev sent troops to Karabakh on September 19, and after just one day of fighting, Armenian separatist forces that had controlled the disputed region for three decades laid down arms and agreed to reintegrate with Baku.

Almost the entire Armenian population of the mountainous enclave — more than 100,000 people — fled Karabakh for Armenia, sparking a refugee crisis.

Azerbaijan's victory marked the end of the territorial dispute, which had long been seen as unresolvable and which led to two wars — in 2020 and the 1990s — that claimed tens of thousands of lives from both sides.

(AFP)

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231213-armenia-azerbaijan-exchange-war-prisoners

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Armenia and Azerbaijan exchange prisoners at border – Reuters

Emil Lazarian
Reuters
Dec 13 2023
Reuters

AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA BORDER, Dec 13 (Reuters) – Azerbaijan and Armenia traded prisoners-of-war at their border on Wednesday in a step towards normalising their relations after Azerbaijan achieved a decisive breakthrough in their decades-old conflict.

The exchange involved the release by Azerbaijan of 32 Armenians mostly captured in late 2020. In return, Armenia handed over two Azerbaijani soldiers held since April 2023.

Russia's TASS news agency reported earlier on Wednesday that Armenia and Azerbaijan were also discussing the withdrawal of troops from their shared border, though it said no decision had yet been taken.

"Thirty-one personnel from Armenia's armed forces captured in 2020-2023 and one serviceman captured in Nagorno-Karabakh in September have crossed the Azerbaijani-Armenian border and are on Armenian territory," Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook account.

The South Caucasus neighbours have fought two wars in the past 30 years over Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous area that is part of Azerbaijan, but where ethnic Armenians had broken away and established de facto independence in the 1990s.

Azerbaijan recaptured Karabakh in a lightning offensive in September, prompting most of its 120,000 ethnic Armenians to flee to Armenia.

Announcing the planned prisoner exchange last week, the two sides said they "reconfirm their intention to normalise relations and to reach a peace treaty on the basis of respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity".

The agreement was welcomed by the European Union and the United States, which have tried for decades to persuade the two countries to sign a peace treaty to settle outstanding issues including the demarcation of their borders.

Armenia-Azerbaijan: waiting for a peace treaty

Emil Lazarian
Dec 12 2023
  • December 12, 2023

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  • 0 Comments

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  • BY Nikola Mikovic

“If you want peace, prepare for war”, says the ancient adage. Although Armenia and Azerbaijan are expected to normalize relations, and possibly even sign a peace deal by the end of the year, the two South Caucasus countries continue strengthening their military capabilities.

Over the years, Azerbaijan has been purchasing weapons from its ally Turkey, as well as from Israel. Even though Armenia is Russia’s nominal ally in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), in 2009-2011 Moscow sold $5 billion worth of tanks, artillery systems and anti-tank missile systems to Baku. Rumors are flying that the energy-rich Caspian nation now plans to buy 48 self-propelled Nora-B52 howitzers from Serbia – a country that actively armed both Azerbaijan and Armenia prior to the Second Karabakh War in 2020.

Yerevan, for its part, recently started buying weapons from India, as well as from NATO member France. More importantly, the landlocked former Soviet republic, despite being a CSTO member, seeks to develop close military cooperation with the United States and Great Britain.

On the other hand, both Armenia and Azerbaijan are showing signs that they might be ready to bury the hatchet and open a new chapter in their relations. On December 7, the two archenemies made a surprising move by issuing a joint statement, claiming that they agreed to seize “a historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace in the region”, hoping to sign a peace treaty before the end of the year.

They have also made a “goodwill gesture”, and exchanged war prisoners. Azerbaijan released 32 detained Armenian military servicemen for two Azerbaijani soldiers. Still, according to the California-based Center for Truth and Justice, during the 44-day war in 2020, as well as the Azerbaijani September 2023 offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, some 200 Armenian civilians and military personnel were captured, which means that the POW issue between the two countries is yet to be fully resolved.

But in spite of that, all major global and regional actors – Russia, the European Union, Turkey, Iran, and the United States – welcomed the progress Baku and Yerevan have made towards peace. Since Azerbaijan reportedly refuses to negotiate with Armenia on Western platforms, and neither side seems to see Russia as a potential guarantor of peace, it is entirely possible that a peace deal will be signed in neighboring Georgia, or somewhere at the border between the two countries.

Such a move would undoubtedly allow both nations to freely claim that the normalization of their relations did not come as a result of foreign powers’ pressure. In reality, however, Russia and the West, as well as other actors, will continue to struggle for influence in the strategically important region.

But what would a peace treaty mean for Armenia and Azerbaijan?

According to most recent polls, 78 percent of Azerbaijanis support a peace deal with Armenia, while in June 2022, 89 percent of Armenians opposed any deal with Baku that would mean the end of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh. It remains unclear if a new geopolitical reality – where Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty over Artsakh (which is the Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh) – had an impact on the Armenian population’s attitude regarding a peace deal with Baku, although the authorities in Yerevan seem determined to normalize relations with Azerbaijan at any cost.

“We simply wasted 30 years and spent our time and resources on a problem that was intractable from the beginning”, said Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, talking about Nagorno-Karabakh – a region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, that was under Armenian control for almost three decades.

Now that the Karabakh issue is resolved in Azerbaijani favor, Pashinyan seems to have more room to make deals with Baku. But the problem for Armenia, as a defeated party, is that it will almost certainly have to make more concessions to Azerbaijan.

The energy-rich nation will undoubtedly pressure Yerevan to make “goodwill gestures” regarding a border delimitation, which means that up to 200 square kilometers of Armenian territory could belong to Azerbaijan. Moreover, Baku is unlikely to easily give up on its aspirations to have a direct land link between mainland Azerbaijan and its exclave of Nakhchivan through southern Armenian province of Syunik, bordering Iran.

Quite aware of that, Armenia’s decision to purchase weapons from France and India could be interpreted not only as Yerevan’s attempt to distance itself from Russia, but also as preparation for a potential conflict with Azerbaijan over Syunik. Alternatively, the authorities in Armenia could use the arms import as a camouflage, aiming to create an illusion at home that they are not willing to give up on their border with Iran, while in reality they might allow Azerbaijan to have a corridor to Nakhchivan, and further to Turkey.

One thing is for sure: Baku and Yerevan really have a “historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace in the region”, although it is highly uncertain how long that peace will last.

https://globalcomment.com/armenia-azerbaijan-waiting-for-a-peace-treaty/

Armenpress: Armenia elected member of the committee of UNESCO 1954 Convention

Emil Lazarian

 09:55, 13 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has been elected a member of the committee of the UNESCO 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its 1999 Protocol.

The election took place on December 12 during the committee’s meeting in Paris.

Armenia has been elected for a 4-year term.

The Armenian delegation to the meeting was led by Alfred Kocharyan, the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.

In his remarks, Kocharyan warned that the Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh is endangered and underscored that in the past three years Azerbaijan has been blocking a UNESCO mission proposed by the organization’s director general.

Kocharyan presented multiple evidence on the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as in Nakhchivan and other parts of Azerbaijan.

He cited the statement issued to Azerbaijan by the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights expressing concern about the destruction and appropriation of Armenian historic and cultural, as well as religious sites, which constitutes a violation of international standards of human rights.