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

U.S. ‘quite serious’ about international mission to Nagorno-Karabakh – State Department spokesperson

Emil Lazarian

 10:26,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The United States has once again emphasized the importance of sending an international mission to Nagorno-Karabakh, noting that it is ‘quite serious' about it.

“We are quite serious about the international mission,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a press briefing on September 28. 

“We think the international mission is important because it relates to all of the other questions about humanitarian assistance, about humanitarian needs in the region. We are so serious about the international mission that the Secretary raised it in his call with President Aliyev, pressed him to support an international mission. You may have seen that the Azerbaijani Government came out yesterday [September 27] and said that they do support an international mission, and in fact in their statement said one of the reasons they are supporting it is because they have been pushed to support it by the United States. So we are quite clear on it. We’re working with our allies and partners on what the best mechanism to effectuate that is. But we think it’s important to provide transparency and to assure that humanitarian needs are being addressed on the ground," he added. 

Miller did not disclose specifics of the possible mission because the work is ongoing.

“I can’t preview specifics right now because it is a matter that is ongoing with a number of allies and partners in the region. Both under what auspices that mission would be launched, who would participate, what its scope would be, what it would look like – all those things are under discussion. So I don’t want to make any kind of announcement before we’ve nailed down the details. But it is a matter we are working on,” the State Department spokesperson said.

 

84,770 forcibly displaced persons have crossed into Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh as of Friday morning amid the ongoing mass exodus following the September 19-20 Azerbaijani attack which ended after Nagorno-Karabakh authorities agreed to Azerbaijan’s terms in a Russian-brokered ceasefire deal.

Azerbaijan says it intends to allow UN team into Nagorno-Karabakh "in a matter of days"

Emil Lazarian

 12:40,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani government claims it plans to allow an international expert team from the United Nations to enter Nagorno-Karabakh.

In an interview with the Canadian CBC, Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev said Azerbaijan intends to allow an international expert team from the United Nations into the area "in a matter of days," with the potential for media access as well.

Nagorno-Karabakh exodus: 88,780 forcibly displaced persons cross into Armenia

Emil Lazarian

 13:03,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The number of forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh who’ve arrived to Armenia via the Hakari Bridge reached 88,780 as of 10:00, September 29, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan said at a press briefing.

The number stood at 84,780 at 06:00, and judging by the dynamics “there’s already a decrease in the intensity of the inflow,” she said.

As of 12:00, 20,306 people had accepted the accommodation options offered by the government.

2000 forcibly displaced persons were transported from Stepanakert with a bus convoy sent from Yerevan.  The buses will offer transportation to everyone who wants to leave NK.

The Armenian government offers accommodation to all arriving forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh. Some of the forcibly displaced persons chose to stay with their relatives or friends in Armenia.

Armenia to send bus convoy to help forcibly displaced NK residents with transportation

Emil Lazarian

 12:28,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government has mobilized 35 large buses in Goris to help those leaving Nagorno-Karabakh who don’t have a car.

Deputy PM Tigran Khachatryan said on September 28 that Nagorno-Karabakh colleagues reported that there are multiple people who don’t have a car to travel to Armenia. “We have an agreement that we will support these people by providing buses. We have an agreement with Russian peacekeepers that they will accompany the buses,” he said, adding that the buses are now on stand-by waiting for the heavy traffic jam on the road to decrease and head to Stepanakert.

The Goris-Stepanakert road is heavily congested because all lines of the road are full of vehicles with forcibly displaced residents of NK traveling from Stepanakert to Kornidzor.

Armenia to increase defense spending 7,3% in 2024

Emil Lazarian

 15:14,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia will allocate 555 billion drams in 2024 to the Ministry of Defense, 37,7 billion drams or 7,3% more than in 2023, finance minister Vahe Hovhannisyan said at the Cabinet meeting while presenting the 2024 budget plan.

The 2024 budget of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures will comprise 311,6 billion drams. Hundreds of kilometers of roads, small and medium sized water reservoirs will be constructed, among other works.

The Ministry of Economy’s 2024 budget will be 92 billion drams, which is 41,9% more than in 2023.

745 billion will be allocated to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (14% increase).

The Ministry of Healthcare budget in 2024 will be 18,4% higher, at 168 billion.

345 billion drams will be allocated to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport (38% increase).

The draft budget was approved at the Cabinet meeting.

Armenia elected to IAEA Board of Governors for 2023-2024, Azerbaijan turned down

Emil Lazarian

 17:15,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Eleven countries have been newly elected to serve on the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors for the 2023–2024 period. The election took place on Thursday, 28 September, at the plenary session of the 67th IAEA General Conference.

Armenia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan had nominated their candidacies from the Eastern European group. Only Armenia and Ukraine were elected from the group, with 94 and 79 votes in favor.

The newly elected Board members of the International Atomic Energy Agency are the following: Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, Paraguay, Spain, and Ukraine. 

For the 2023–2024 period, the new composition of the 35-member IAEA Board will be as follows: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Namibia, Netherlands, Paraguay, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Türkiye, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, and Ukraine.

The Board of Governors is one of the two policy-making bodies of the IAEA, along with the annual General Conference of IAEA Member States.

Government of Armenia announces financial aid for forcibly displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh

Emil Lazarian

 19:19,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia will provide financial support to the forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced Thursday.

“We will provide a one-time 100,000 drams from the state budget to every one of our forcibly displaced brothers and sisters from Nagorno-Karabakh, regardless of age, for urgent needs,” PM Pashinyan said in a statement on Facebook.

Erdogan: corridor through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran must be completed

Emil Lazarian
ARAB NEWS
Sept 27 2023
  • President says Menendez resignation from Senate committee boosts Turkiye’s bid to acquire F-16s

ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the so-called Zangezur trade corridor passing through Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran must be completed, broadcasters reported on Tuesday, a day after he met Azerbaijan’s leader.

Speaking to reporters on his return flight from the Azeri exclave of Nakhchivan, where he met President Ilham Aliyev, Erdogan said that if Armenia does not allow the trade corridor to pass through its territory then Iran was warm to the idea of allowing it passage through its territory.

Following Azerbaijan’s rout of Armenian forces in a 24-hour blitz in Nagorno-Karabakh last week, Baku has raised hopes of opening a land bridge between Nakhchivan and the rest of Azerbaijan, known as the Zangezur Corridor.

Erdogan said Turkiye and Azerbaijan would “do our best to open this corridor as soon as possible.” 

The Zangezur corridor aims to give Baku unimpeded access to Nakhchivan through Armenia. Both Turkiye and Azerbaijan have been calling for its implementation since the Second Karabakh War in 2020.

Erdogan also said all materials required by civilians in the Karabakh region were being provided by trucks after Azerbaijan’s lightning offensive to retake control of the region last week.

Meanwhile, Erdogan said in remarks published on Tuesday that Turkiye’s chances of acquiring F-16 fighter jets from the US have been boosted by Sen. Bob Menendez stepping down as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Menendez, the senior Democratic senator for New Jersey, has been a vocal opponent of Turkiye receiving aircraft to update its fighter fleet. 

He stood down from the influential role last week following federal charges that he took cash and gold in illegal exchange for helping the Egyptian government and New Jersey business associates.

“One of our most important problems regarding the F-16s were the activities of US Sen. Bob Menendez against our country,” Erdogan told journalists on a flight back from Azerbaijan on Monday. 

His comments were widely reported across Turkish media.

“Menendez’s exit gives us an advantage but the F-16 issue is not an issue that depends only on Menendez,” Erdogan added.

Ankara has been seeking to buy 40 new F-16s, as well as kits to upgrade its existing fleet. 

The request was backed by the White House but ran into opposition in Congress, where Menendez raised concerns about Turkiye’s human rights records as well as blaming Ankara for fractious relations with neighboring Greece.

Referring to talks between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in recent days, Erdogan said: “It would be beneficial to turn this situation into an opportunity and meet with (Blinken) again.

“In this way, we may have the opportunity to accelerate the process regarding the F-16s. Not only on the F-16s, but on all other issues, Menendez and those with his mindset are carrying out obstructive activities against us.”

Erdogan also openly linked Turkiye’s F-16 bid to Sweden’s application for NATO membership, which is expected to be debated by the Turkish parliament after it returns from summer recess on Oct. 1.

He said Blinken and Fidan had discussed Sweden’s NATO bid, adding: “I hope that if they stay true to their promise, our parliament will also stay true to its promise.”

Questioned on whether the bid was tied to Turkiye receiving the F-16s, Erdogan said: “They are already making Sweden dependent on the F-16 … Our parliament follows every development regarding this issue in minute detail.”

Erdogan also raised the prospect of a visit to Turkiye by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in October or November. 

The Turkish president also addressed the issue of Cyprus, divided between ethnic Turkish and Greek communities for 49 years.

He reiterated his support for a two-state solution, with international recognition for the Turkish administration in the island’s north. 

Turkiye is the only country to recognize the breakaway entity. The international community broadly supports the unification of the island under a federal system.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2381041/middle-east

US announces additional humanitarian aid for Nagorno-Karabakh By REUTERS

Emil Lazarian
The Jerusalem Post
Sept 27 2023
By REUTERS

The United States urged continued humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday as officials announced additional humanitarian assistance to address health care and other emergency needs.

The White House statement came as the death toll from an explosion and fire at a fuel depot in the breakaway enclave rose to 68, with a further 105 people missing and nearly 300 injured.

"We are saddened by the news that at least 68 people have been killed and hundreds injured in an explosion at a fuel depot in Nagorno-Karabakh and express deep sympathy to the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh and to all of those suffering," White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said.

"We urge continued humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh for all those in need."


Why Are Armenians Fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh? By Michael Rubin

Emil Lazarian
Sept 26 2023

By Michael Rubin

More than 100,000 Armenian Christians are fleeing their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh, desperate to escape the arrival of the Azerbaijani army. Publicly, Azerbaijani diplomats promise they will treat the Armenian community no differently than they treat Azerbaijanis, hardly a promise that wins confidence given how repressive the Aliyev dictatorship has become in Azerbaijan. Freedom House ranks Azerbaijan alongside China and the military junta in Burma, and below Russia, Iran, Cuba, and the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip in its freedom rankings. Privately, Azerbaijani officials bargain for favors from the State Department in order to allow refugees to flow unmolested. This is equivalent to 1930s Germany seeking favors to allow small numbers of Jews to leave. Then, there has been Azerbaijani Telegram channels that range the gambit from mocking Armenians to glorifying the desecration of Armenians bodies to offering to buy women and children as slaves in postings reminiscent of the Yezidi genocide. World leaders may say “Never Again” but it is clear, then, that they have a collective case of Alzheimer’s disease.

Those who carry water for the Azerbaijani regime may justify any action with the argument that the international community recognizes Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh. The American positions dating to Secretary of State James Baker were more nuanced and conditional, but Secretary of State Antony Blinken has forgotten, waived, or ignored those conditions, first and foremost a negotiated agreement with Nagorno-Karabakh’s residents. It will be curious to see if my friends at the Hudson Institute like Michael Doran and Luke Coffey, for example, apply the same principles of “freedom-be-damned; listen to the United Nations!” to side with Palestinian rejectionists over Israel when adjudicating disputes over Jerusalem or the West Bank, or for that matter China’s equally ahistorical claims over Taiwan.

What really makes this moment as spectacular as it is tragic is that, Azerbaijan’s claims aside, Azerbaijan has never controlled Nagorno-Karabakh. Prior to rising to the Soviet premiership, Joseph Stalin had gerrymandered borders to rip Nagorno-Karabakh away from Armenia, but it remained an autonomous “oblast” within Azerbaijan, with its own parliament and administration. As the Soviet Union crumbled, the region was the first (even before Ukraine) to use the hitherto theoretical freedoms under the Soviet constitution to demand self-determination. This ultimately culminated to a referendum in which 99 percent of residents sought independence. A series of Azerbaijani pogroms and attempts to drive out Armenians or starve communities into submission failed, and the region governed itself since 1991.

Before Stalin, Turks—both from the Ottoman Empire and the newfound Azerbaijan Republic tried to wrest control of Nagorno-Karabakh from the Republic of Armenia. Indeed, the September 2020 Azerbaijan-Turkey surprise attack on Nagorno-Karabakh coincided with the centenary of that invasion. The 1920 invasion was unsuccessful, though, as neither side was able to consolidate full control over the region prior to the Soviet Union overrunning the Caucasus in their entirety.

Of course, before 1918, there was no Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh at the time fell under titular Russian and, before 1828, Persian control although in practice, it was autonomous at these times as well.

Make no mistake: Today, tens of thousands of Armenians flee an ancestral homeland in which they have lived for thousands of years. Their flight before Azerbaijani forces resembles the 2014 Yezidi flight from Sinjar under the Islamic State’s assault or the Kurds fleeing Saddam’s advancing armies in 1991.

The difference is in 1991 and 2014, the United States sided with freedom. In 2023, we betrayed it.

https://www.aei.org/foreign-and-defense-policy/why-are-armenians-fleeing-nagorno-karabakh/