Author: Emma Nadirian

The November 9 document only mentions one corridor, and that is the Lachin corridor. Pashinyan to Aliyev

Emma Nadirian

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YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS.  The trilateral declaration of November 9 mentions only one corridor, and that is the Lachin corridor, ARMENPRESS reports, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during the extended-format session of the EAEU Supreme Council, referring to the so-called “Zangezur Corridor” _expression_ of the President of Azerbaijan.

“In his speech, the president of Azerbaijan used an _expression_ that in recent years serves as a title for presenting a territorial claim against Armenia. It is used within the framework of the implementation of point 9 of the trilateral declaration of November 9. I want to emphasize that the statement mentions only one corridor, and it is the Lachin corridor, which was supposed to be under the control of Russian peacekeepers, but, unfortunately, is illegally blocked by Azerbaijan,” said Pashinyan.

The Prime Minister of Armenia assured that the Armenian side is ready to unblock all economic and transport links in the region. He noted that Armenia is ready for the opening of regional communication within the framework of the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries through the territory of which they pass.

The President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin also noted that conditions are being created for the recognition of the borders according to the agreements reached back in 1991, these conditions give hope to believe that it will be possible to reach an appropriate agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including regarding transport communications.

“I think we can discuss all that at the tripartite meeting today,” said Putin.

The Russian President expressed hope that it will be possible to agree on what is clearly in the interests of both Armenia and Azerbaijan and the economic development of the entire region. He expressed hope that it will be discussed in detail at the tripartite meeting.

The president of Azerbaijan, in his turn, assured that they have no territorial claims against Armenia. Referring to the term “corridor” used by him, Aliyev said: “The name corridor does not in any way mean encroachment on anyone’s territory. It’s an international term.”

Aliyev added that “people who are familiar with international terminology would not give it such importance as the Prime Minister of Armenia does.”

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also responded. “All those who are familiar with the trilateral declaration of November 9, know that there is only one instance of the use of the word corridor in that statement. In that context, the word has a special meaning, and it is about the Lachin Corridor, which I repeat, according to the trilateral declaration, should be under the control of the Russian Federation and ensure the connection between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia”.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 05/17/2023

Emma Nadirian 
                                        Wednesday, 
Pashinian Signals Support For Azeri Control Of Karabakh
Icelan - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian addresses a Council of Europe 
summit in Reykjavik, .
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian appeared to confirm on Wednesday that he agreed 
to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh during the weekend 
talks with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev held in Brussels.
“Three days ago, with the mediation of European Council President Charles 
Michel, we made a step further, emphasizing that Armenia recognizes Azerbaijan’s 
territory of 86,600 square kilometers and Azerbaijan recognizes Armenia’s 
territory of 29,800 square kilometers,” Pashinian said in a speech delivered 
during a Council of Europe summit in Iceland.
The total Soviet-era area of Azerbaijan cited by him includes Karabakh.
Michel likewise said in Brussels that Aliyev and Pashinian “confirmed their 
unequivocal commitment to … respective territorial integrity of Armenia (29,800 
square kilometers) and Azerbaijan (86,600 square kilometers).” That was 
construed by Armenian opposition leaders as further proof of Pashinian’s 
readiness to help Baku regain control over Karabakh.
One of those leaders, Armen Ashotian, condemned Pashinian’s confirmation of 
Michel’s statement as “treasonous.” Pashinian thereby “annexed Karabakh to 
Azerbaijan,” Ashotian said in a Facebook post.
Commenting on the Brussels summit earlier this week, the Azerbaijani Foreign 
Ministry emphasized “Armenia’s acceptance of Azerbaijan’s internationally 
recognized territorial integrity.”
Pashinian stopped invoking the Karabakh Armenians’ right to self-determination a 
year ago. Since then, he has spoken instead of the need to protect their “rights 
and security.”
Karabakh’s leadership has criticized the Armenian premier’s statements on the 
conflict with Azerbaijan made over the past year. On Monday, it accused the 
European Union and Michel in particular of turning a blind eye to Azerbaijan’s 
five-month blockade of Karabakh’s sole land link with Armenia.
Speaking in Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, Pashinian also denounced the blockade. 
At the same time, he called for the start of “Baku-Stepanakert negotiations 
aimed at providing security and human rights for the Armenians in 
Nagorno-Karabakh under an international mechanism.”
Aliyev has repeatedly rejected such a mechanism and ruled out any status for the 
Armenian-populated region.
Armenian Soldier Killed In Fresh Borer Clash
ARMENIA -- Soldiers walk in a trench at an Armenia border post near the village 
of Sotk, June 18, 2021
An Armenian soldier was fatally wounded on Wednesday in what the Defense 
Ministry in Yerevan described as a fresh Azerbaijani truce violation on the 
Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
He died on his way to a hospital in Armenia’s eastern Gegharkunik province. The 
ministry said Azerbaijani forces also opened fire at an ambulance that evacuated 
the soldier, wounding a paramedic.
According to a ministry statement, the incident, denied by the Azerbaijani 
military, happened near the Armenian border village of Sotk. The area was the 
scene of deadly fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces last Thursday 
and Friday which reportedly involved artillery and combat drones.
The United States expressed serious concern at those clashes, urging both sides 
to withdraw troops from their long border.
The latest ceasefire violation at that border section was reported three days 
after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham 
Aliyev made progress during peace talks in Brussels mediated by the European 
Union.
Baku seemed satisfied with the outcome of the latest Armenian-Azerbaijani 
summit. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry emphasized “Armenia’s acceptance of 
Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territorial integrity.”
Armenia Also Reports Massive Seizure Of Cocaine
        • Anush Mkrtchian
Armenia - A photo of what the National Security Service described as cocaine 
seized by it on May 13, 2023.
An Armenian law-enforcement agency on Wednesday claimed to have seized about one 
ton of cocaine one day after an even bigger consignment of the drug, allegedly 
bound for Armenia, was found in Italy.
The National Security Service (NSS) said the cocaine was discovered in boxes of 
fruit imported by an Armenian company from Ecuador via Panama, Italy and 
Georgia. In a statement, the NSS did not name that company or report any arrests 
in connection with the unprecedented find.
The statement also said that the drugs were found on Saturday. It did not 
explain why the NSS waited for four days before announcing the largest-ever 
cocaine seizure in Armenia.
The security service refused to comment further when contacted by RFE/RL’s 
Armenian Service.
Armenia’s State Revenue Committee (SRC), which comprises the national customs 
service, also declined a comment. The SRC had made massive seizures of heroin 
smuggled from neighboring Iran in 2014, 2017 and 2021.
The NSS announcement came one day after police in Italy seized 2.7 tons of 
“extremely pure” cocaine which they said was destined for Armenia. The haul was 
found in refrigerated banana containers shipped to the southern Italian port of 
Gioia Tauro from Ecuador.
Armenia’s Office of the Prosecutor-General said that it is looking into the 
Italian police report.
Opposition politicians and other critics of the Armenian government seized upon 
the report to again blame it for soaring drug trafficking and abuse in Armenia. 
The number of drug drug-related crimes recorded by the Armenian police nearly 
doubled last year.
It is not clear whether NSS investigators believe that the huge quantity of the 
cocaine seized by them was intended for the small Armenian market or whether 
Armenia was used as a transit point.
Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian insisted that he does not know which Armenian 
food-importing company is accused of smuggled the drugs. “I know about this case 
as much as you do,” he told reporters.
“I can only say that we are very concerned about both these developments and the 
overall situation with drugs in Armenia,” the Hraparak daily quoted Kerobian as 
saying.
Russia’s Lavrov Blasts West’s ‘Provocative’ Policy On Armenia
        • Astghik Bedevian
U.S. - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov listens as he chairs a UN Security 
Council meeting at the U.N. headquarters in New York, April 24, 2023.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the West of pressuring 
Armenia to end Russia’s military presence in the South Caucasus country and rely 
instead on the United States for defense.
“We have information that they are signaling to the Armenians, ‘Come to us, kick 
the Russians out of your territory, remove the [Russian] military base and 
border guards too, the Americans will help to ensure your security,” he told the 
Russian TV channel Tsargrad in an interview broadcast on Wednesday.
Lavrov condemned the alleged Western policy as a “blatant provocation.” The 
Armenian Foreign Ministry declined to immediately comment on his claims.
Lavrov already decried in March “undisguised attempts by Western countries to 
estrange Armenia from Russia.” He also renewed Russian allegations that the U.S. 
and the European Union are seeking to hijack Armenian-Azerbaijani agreements 
brokered by Moscow during and after the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The traditionally close Russian-Armenian relations have deteriorated 
significantly since last September due to what Yerevan sees as Moscow’s 
reluctance to defend it against Azerbaijani military attacks on Armenian 
territory.
Armenia - Russian and Armenian troops hold a joint military exercise, November 
24, 2021.
In January, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian went as far as to question 
the need for close military ties with Russia. Pashinian said that they may be 
putting Armenia’s security and territorial integrity at greater risk. The 
Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the claim as “absurd.”
These lingering tensions have fuelled speculation about a pro-Western shift in 
Armenia’s geopolitical orientation.
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that the West wants to “squeeze Russia out 
of the region” when it reacted in February to the deployment of 100 or so EU 
monitors to Armenia’s volatile border with Azerbaijan. The monitoring mission 
was requested by the Armenian government.
Speaking to Tsargrad, Lavrov again rebuked Yerevan for refusing a similar 
mission offered by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in 
November.
“If Yerevan had confirmed what had already been agreed [by CSTO member states] … 
I am convinced that Armenia would have benefited and gotten a more stable 
situation,” he said.
Pashinian’s government has attributed its refusal to Russia’s and other CSTO 
allies’ failure to publicly condemn the “Azerbaijani aggression” against 
Armenia. It has given the same reason for rejecting “military-technical 
assistance” offered by the Russian-led military alliance last fall.
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.

Eurovision: Viewers Mistake Armenian Eurovision Entry for Ariana Grande

Emma Nadirian
NNN, Nigeria
On , Eurovision Song Contest’s grand final took place at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena where 26 acts and bands from across the world participated. Tens of millions of viewers across the globe tuned in to watch the biggest music competition and to see which act would be crowned the champion of Eurovision Song Contest 2023.

The competition was held in Liverpool this year on behalf of Ukraine, as they were unable to host due to the Russian invasion. The event started with a skit that featured last year’s winners Kalush Orchestra, followed by a performance from 26 musicians who performed their hearts out to win the coveted trophy.

However, a minor confusion occurred when singer Brunette, who was representing Armenia in this year’s contest, appeared on the stage. The viewers were distracted as they mistook her for American singer Ariana Grande. They took to their Twitter accounts to express their opinion, with some saying that Ariana Grande had invaded the show.

One of the Twitter users who posted about the confusion said “For a second I thought Ariana was at #Eurovision Armenia’s entry looked good tho.” Another user posted, “ARIANA WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! #Eurovision.”

Despite the confusion, Brunette was able to deliver a smashing performance of her song Future Lover. Her performance managed to win many hearts, even though the viewers first thought it was Ariana Grande performing for Armenia.

Azerbaijani "activists" end blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh

Emma Nadirian
May 1 2023
May 1, 2023

Azerbaijani self-proclaimed environmental activists have ended their 4.5-month demonstration on the Lachin-Stepanakert road, thus lifting the blockade of the road which connects Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. 

The blockade became redundant after Azerbaijan installed a border checkpoint at the opposite end of the road on April 23. 

Azerbaijani media reported on April 28 that the activists decided to temporarily suspend their demonstration following a meeting with Aydin Karimov, the Azerbaijani president’s special representative in Shusha. Karimov reportedly asked them to disperse since “a new situation has emerged” following the checkpoint’s installation. 

The blockade began on December 12, 2022, when the self-proclaimed environmental activists began staging a sit-in protest on the road near the town of Shusha, in the Azerbaijan-controlled part of Nagorno-Karabakh. The activists, whose composition changed regularly over the course of the blockade, said they were protesting against the exploitation of natural resources in Nagorno-Karabakh by the de facto Armenian authorities and their transportation to Armenia. 

Though the Azerbaijani government claimed it had no links to the protesters, the blockade was clearly part of a broader strategy to make life difficult for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. It prevented most Armenians from being able to travel in or out of the territory and greatly reduced the flow of goods there, driving up prices. 

Neither the blockade nor the establishment of the checkpoint were impeded by the Russian peacekeepers, who are supposed to be the sole providers of security on the road under the peace deal that ended the 2020 Second Karabakh War. 

A few hours after announcing their decision, the eco-activists released a statement praising the checkpoint. “This decisive step aimed at preventing illegality in the territories of Azerbaijan means that the participants of the demonstration have partially achieved their goals.” 

It went on: “We declare that our demands that the command of the peacekeeping contingent stop the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits in the territories of Azerbaijan where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily located and ensure the monitoring of environmental and other consequences remain in effect, and that if these demands are not met, we reserve the right to resume the demonstration!” 

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani media published footage from the newly established checkpoint at the border, which purports to show Armenian citizens going through passport control and having their vehicles examined.

https://eurasianet.org/azerbaijani-activists-end-blockade-of-nagorno-karabakh

Turkish Press: Azerbaijanis’ affection for ‘Chief’ Erdogan, preparations for May 14 elections

Emma Nadirian
Turkey – May 2 2023
Azerbaijanis’ affection for ‘Chief’ Erdogan, preparations for May 14 elections
Ersin Çelik

I was on my way to the Azerbaijani capital Baku on the night President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was taken ill on live television. I arrived towards the morning, and my host Zafer, who came to greet me, directly asked after salutations: “How is the chief?”

Azerbaijanis refer to their state leader Ilham Aliyev in English as “president.” When I visited Azerbaijan seven months following the liberation of Karabakh from invasion, I heard the Azerbaijanis I met refer to Erdoğan as, “our president.” In fact, I mentioned it in this column too. However, I heard the term “chief” used for the first time. I asked Zafer why they call Erdoğan chief. He responded, “Our [love for him is so great that our] heart is not big enough for him. He is at the highest level.”

The people of Azerbaijan truly do have an inexplicable love for the people of Türkiye, and Erdoğan. It is enough to tell anyone, “I am from Türkiye.” They immediately embrace you with their love and sincerity.

We set off towards Karabakh as the sun was rising. Zafer said, “We watched the news all night. We are curious about our chief’s condition.” Indeed, whomever we spoke to all day, the agenda was Erdoğan’s health condition.”

Surely Erdoğan’s contributions towards reclaiming Karabakh are effective in this love. However, there is a great prior “yearning” as well. As known, the two sister countries’ ties weakened for many reasons after Baku was liberated from invasion in 1918 by the Caucasus Islamic Army, led by Nuri Pasha.

The reason ties that became weaker over the years are now stronger than steel and turned into great love and affection is known by all: The Karabakh victory in 2020 against Armenia.

Regardless of whom you speak to in Azerbaijan, you will certainly hear them say: “If it wasn’t for Türkiye if Erdoğan had not made efforts, we could not have taken Karabakh.”

The people of Azerbaijan still remember Nuri Pasha, and the Türkiye that refrained from sending the helicopters requested for civilians’ evacuation in 1992 while Armenians were conducting massacres. They analyze really well the Türkiye that was dealing with its own problem in those years in comparison to the powerful Türkiye that ensured Karabakh’s conquest.

Hence, they are stronger Erdoğan supporters than the electorates in Türkiye. Therefore, the public polls conducted in Azerbaijan present 92 percent support for Erdoğan.

There are 400 kilometers between Baku and Shusha, the last remaining Azerbaijan territory in the Karabakh region. However, travel, for now, is via this exhausting and long route. Meanwhile, the construction of new roads and new cities are underway. Armenia turned the city center and villages of culture and civilization capital Shusha, which it invaded for 28 years, almost into a ghost town. They massacred history. They destroyed the mosques, homes, water fountains, and mansions. They even removed the stones and took them. Directly across Karabakh, there is the city of Khankendi, situated within Armenian borders. It is quite visible. In fact, even the sounds are audible. Khankendi is part of the Karabakh territory that was reclaimed 28 years later. In other words, it is still under Armenian occupation, and “for now” under the watch of Russian Peacekeeping Forces.

Azerbaijan wants the incomplete operation to be concluded through war or without war, and for Khankendi to be returned to Azerbaijan. Some of the officials with whom we met are pointing to 2025 and beyond. However, Armenia has plans as well, which are spread throughout the Azerbaijan side in the form of hearsay.

Such that Armenians associate Karabakh’s defeat to Türkiye and the Bayraktar drones. They are not hiding this, and they feel shamed as a nation. In other words, they have dreams of re-occupying Karabakh. But for them to overcome this hysterical state, Türkiye’s attitude must change. The expectation from Türkiye is a country that does not protect Azerbaijan, two countries that do not run to each other for help whenever they are in trouble, and a Turkish president whom the Azerbaijani president refers to as “big brother,” but rather a Republic of Türkiye that is closer to Armenia than normal. For this to happen, the ruling power in Türkiye must change. This is how Türkiye’s May 14 elections are viewed by the Armenian side. This is not an interpretation, but a matter discussed in both Baku and Shusha. These hearsay are really based on open sources. The analysis in March by Euronews – notorious for its anti-government publications in Türkiye – with the title, “Türkiye’de olası iktidar değişikliği Ermenistan ile ilişkileri nasıl etkiler?” (How will a likely government change in Türkiye affect relations with Armenia?), is only one of the signs.

Occupation-term Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan stated in recent months, “All documents identifying Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan are unacceptable for us.” Harutyunyan’s denial of the defeat is the reason underlying the close combat between the two countries’ troops on the border. Nowadays, the same Harutyunyan’s comments centered around Türkiye’s May 14 elections are being discussed. There is no doubt that the biggest dream is the ruling government in Türkiye will change, and Karabakh will be “returned” to Armenia without war in the post-Erdoğan period. The Armenian front has managed to put this hearsay in circulation. But is it successful? In other words, does it scare and unsettle the Azerbaijani public? We returned to Baku with Ali Muradoğlu and his wife, who reclaimed their destroyed home in Aghdam 28 years later. I opened the subject as we were chatting, and they made me regret ever asking them. They were so overflowed with emotion that they shared the agony of those 28 years and the gratitude of being back on their land with striking comparisons.

They said they made vows for the night of May 14, much like the retaking of Karabakh. Muradoğlu’s wife, who is the Shusha delegate said, “We are the ones who will be celebrating on the night Erdoğan wins. Everybody will see.” I asked, “What if he loses?” She said, “Brother, you must be out of your mind.”

Let’s wait and see on the evening of May 14, whether Azerbaijanis will rejoice, or the Armenian invaders will celebrate? Both countries are waiting.

https://www.yenisafak.com/en/columns/ersin-celik/azerbaijanis-affection-for-chief-erdogan-preparations-for-may-14-elections-3663929



The California Courier Online, May 4, 2023

Emma Nadirian

The California
Courier Online, May 4, 2023

 

1-         New Turkish
Denial Tactic: Impeach Biden

            For
Recognizing the Armenian Genocide!

            By Harut
Sassounian

            Publisher,
The California
Courier

           
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

2-         AGBU Honors
2021 Nobel Prize Laureate Prof. Ardem Patapoutian

3-         Azerbaijani
‘activists’ end Lachin sit-in as Baku
tightens grip on region

4-         Letters to
the Editor

************************************************************************************************************************************************

 

1-         New Turkish
Denial Tactic: Impeach Biden

            For
Recognizing the Armenian Genocide!

            By Harut
Sassounian

            Publisher,
The California
Courier

           
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

 

For over a century, successive Turkish governments have
tried various tricks to deny the veracity of the Armenian Genocide. All of
their attempts have miserably failed. Turkey exerted diplomatic pressure
around the globe and spent tens of millions of dollars hiring high-priced lobbying
firms to deny the undeniable. Contrary to post-war Germany which admitted its guilt in
the Holocaust and made amends, the Turkish government, by continuing its
denials, is labelled around the world as an unrepentant criminal regime. Turkey would
have been better off coming clean by acknowledging and making restitution for
the mass crimes of 1915 rather than perpetuating the disgraceful legacy of its
barbaric past.

The latest ridiculous Turkish denialist tactic is claiming
that Pres. Joe Biden, by acknowledging the Armenian Genocide, “violated four
articles of the U.S. Constitution.” If genocide was not a gruesome subject,
such an accusation would have been amusing. However, the comedy does not stop
there. In an interview with Turkish journalist Ugur Dundar, published in
several Turkish media outlets, former Turkish Ambassador to the United States,
Sukru Elekdag, suggested that Turkish groups try to impeach Biden after he
leaves the White House, even though a president cannot be impeached after he is
no longer in office.

Amb. Elekdag is not a constitutional law expert. He studied
economics in college and later became a diplomat. He knows nothing about the
U.S. Constitution.

When the Turkish journalist asked Elekdag how can Turks sue
Biden since he referred to the Ottoman Empire as the perpetrator of the
Genocide, not the Republic
of Turkey, the Ambassador
foolishly pointed out that “there is no ethnicity called Ottoman. Ottoman is
the name of a dynasty. Those who founded the Ottoman state are Turks and they
are our ancestors and we are their descendants.” So, Elekdag is suggesting that
Turks sue Biden for accusing the Ottoman Empire
of genocide. However, since Elekdag is associating the Republic
of Turkey with the Ottoman Empire,
then Turkey
is naturally liable for the Ottoman crimes.

Elekdag’s falsely alleged that Pres. Biden violated Article
VI, the Fifth Amendment, Article 1 (Section 9), and the 14th Amendment to the
US Constitution.

Elekdag suggested that Pres. Erdogan of Turkey announce
to the world that “Pres. Biden has committed a crime by violating the U.S.
Constitution with his 24 April statements.” This is the most ridiculous part of
the whole interview. Pres. Erdogan, who has committed massive crimes against
hundreds of thousands of Turkish citizens, is the last person on earth to
accuse anyone of committing a crime.

At the end of his interview, Elekdag stated that he had
contacted the leaders of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA)
who told him that they will consider his accusations of Pres. Biden.

Elekdag suggested that an academic research be conducted on
“whether or not to impeach and prosecute a former U.S. president” for his
“constitutional offenses.” The ATAA is now planning to hold a symposium at an
American university “with the participation of historians and lawyers.”

I received a copy of ATAA’s letter to Pres. Biden dated
April 18, 2023, telling him that his previous two years’ April 24 statements
“disregarded at least four articles and amendments of the U.S. Constitution.”
Nevertheless, a week after receiving ATAA’s letter, Pres. Biden once again
issued an Armenian Genocide statement on April 24, 2023, ignoring the Turkish
warnings. The ATAA told Pres. Biden that his April 24 statements were
“motivated solely to gain political popularity among the strong Armenian
diaspora.”

At the end of its letter, the ATAA falsely claimed that
there was an “initiative by the republics of Türkiye and Armenia to establish a Joint Historical
Commission, composed of historians and legal scholars to be selected by Ankara and Erivan.”

I would like to add a few thoughts to this Turkish onslaught
of misrepresentations:

I will be greatly pleased if the ATAA takes legal action
against Pres. Biden which will result in publicizing worldwide the crime of
Genocide committed by Ottoman Turkey. The ATAA’s lawyers will be happy to
enrich themselves by getting paid to file such a frivolous lawsuit.

If Elekdag was really a constitutional law expert, why
didn’t he sue Pres. Ronald Reagan in 1981 and the U.S. House of Representatives
in 1984, when they recognized the Armenian Genocide, while he was Ambassador in
Washington, D.C.? Why didn’t the ATAA file lawsuits for
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the House of Representatives in
1975, the Senate and House of Representatives in 2019, and all 50 U.S. states?

The ATAA can save a lot of money and effort by simply asking
Google’s Artificial Intelligence website if Turks can sue Pres. Biden for
acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. Here is AI’s answer:

“No, Biden did not violate the Constitution by recognizing
the Armenian genocide. The Constitution does not explicitly prohibit the
President from making such a declaration, and there is no precedent to suggest
that it would be considered unconstitutional…. The Armenian genocide was the
systematic extermination of Armenians by the Ottoman
Empire during World War I. It is estimated that between 1.5 and 2
million Armenians were killed during the genocide. The Turkish government has
long denied that the genocide took place, but there is overwhelming evidence to
support the fact that it did. Biden’s recognition of the Armenian genocide was
a long-overdue step in acknowledging one of the darkest chapters in human
history. It is a powerful statement of America’s commitment to human
rights and justice.”

 

************************************************************************************************************************************************
2-         AGBU Honors 2021 Nobel Prize
Laureate Prof. Ardem Patapoutian

 

The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) congratulated
the first Nobel Prize winner of Armenian descent Prof. Ardem Sarkis
Patapoutian, at the Beverly Wishire Hotel on April 15 for his research in the
field of sensory biology to treat conditions related to touch, pain, blood
pressure, and other clinical applications.

The AGBU also paid tribute to Patapoutian’s parents Sarkis
Patapoutian, an accountant and prolific writer, poet and translator under the
pen name Sarkis Vahakn, and Haigouhi Adjemian Patapoutian, an educator and
former principal of the AGBU Demirdjian Elementary School of Lebanon, where the
couple’s three children received their elementary education. AGBU President
Berge Setrakian presented them with the organization’s President’s Award in
appreciation of their dedicated service and contributions to AGBU and the
Armenian Nation in the fields of literature and education.

Among the guests were California State Senator Anthony
Portantino representing the 23rd district; Laura Friedman, California State Assembly
Member from the 44th district; California Assemblyman from the 34th district
Adrin Nazarian and his wife Diana; and President of the Los Angeles City
Council Paul Krekorian and his wife Tamar. Nazeli Hambartsumyan, the consular
at the Consulate for the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles;
and Armenian Ambassador and Former Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles Dr. Armen
Baibourtian and his wife Yvette also joined the celebration.

Western Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian delivered the
invocation. Co-emcees were Tamar Sinanian Naaman and Ara J. Balikian. Live
entertainment was performed by Lebanese-Armenian Guy Manoukian and his
ensemble.

Patapoutian was bestowed the St. Sahag-St. Mesrob Medal of
Honor and Pontifical Encyclical from His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians, presented by Archbishop Derderian.

Dr. Yervant Zorian introduced Patapoutian and congratulatory
remarks were delivered by AGBU President Berge Setrakian.

Patapoutian thanked the AGBU Western Region community and
the Gala Committee, co-chaired by Nora Janoyan Balikian and Aline Patatian, for
hosting the event.

“My most important message I have today is for parents to
give the best education for the youth. But also, please give them room to
breathe, to explore, to fail—yes, fail. And ultimately, find their own
calling,” said Patapoutian.

The evening’s proceeds were allocated to the AGBU Global
Relief Fund, which was presented by AGBU Board Member Yervant Demirjian during
his remarks. AGBU Council of Trustees Chairman Vatche Manoukian and his wife
Tamar Manoukian donated $1 million to the Fund. In addition to Lead Benefactor
Yervant Demirjian, AGBU Benefactors Jack Munushian Charitable Trust and Sinan
and Angele Sinanian were cited for their generosity, along with many other
donors, making it possible to raise over $1.6 million through this event.

 

************************************************************************************************************************************************
3-         Azerbaijani ‘activists’ end Lachin
sit-in as Baku
tightens grip on region

 

By Gabriel Gavin

(Politico)—Azerbaijani activists announced they would on
Friday, April 28 end their long-running sit-in on the sole road out of the
disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, as construction of a checkpoint on the border
with neighboring Armenia
nears completion. According to organizers, the demonstrations on the Lachin
Corridor will be “temporarily suspended” from 6 p.m. on April 28. Since
December 12, civilian traffic and cargo deliveries to the isolated,
Armenian-controlled territory have been stopped and only convoys of Russian
peacekeepers and Red Cross aid workers have been able to travel along the
highway for a total of four months, two weeks and two days.

“The majority of our demands have been addressed, and by
pausing our protest, we demonstrate our good faith, hoping for reciprocation
and gestures of goodwill from the other side,” Adnan Huseyn, one of the
organizers, told POLITICO. “If the situation reverts to ‘business as usual’, we
can always resume our protest.”

The demonstrations were ostensibly called over claims that
mining carried out by ethnic Armenians in the breakaway region was poisoning
the environment. However, analysts have been quick to point out that they have
enjoyed unprecedented support from the state, whereas other public protests are
routinely cracked down on by Azerbaijani authorities. According to Tom de Waal,
a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, those taking part had “evidently been sent
there by the government in Baku.”

On April 23, Azerbaijan
announced that it would install a checkpoint on the internationally recognized
border, controlling access to and from Nagorno-Karabakh, citing claims that
troops and weapons were being brought in by Armenia. Western nations including
the U.S. and EU, as well as Russia, have
repeatedly expressed concern that the blockade by protesters and the
installation of the border post violates the terms of a Moscow-brokered
cease-fire that put an end to a bloody war between the two sides in 2020.

According to Yerevan, the
checkpoint also breaches a call from the International Court of Justice for Azerbaijan to
“take all measures at its disposal” to ensure the “unimpeded” flow of traffic.

Last week, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna visited
Armenia
to reiterate the country’s support for the peace process and cautioned of the
risk of “ethnic cleansing” in Nagorno-Karabakh if access is not immediately
restored.

In a statement, Baku’s
foreign ministry hit back at what it said were “baseless” claims. “Assessing
the establishment of this checkpoint, which will regulate the regime of entry
and exit from the border to the road, as a closure of the road, is also
completely wrong,” officials claimed. However, Azerbaijan’s land borders remain
entirely closed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and ethnic Armenians
have long been refused entry to the country. Azerbaijani officials are yet to
set out any exemptions to those rules and the foreign ministry has declined
requests for further comment. Inside Azerbaijan’s
internationally recognized borders, Nagorno-Karabakh has been administered as a
de facto independent state by its ethnic Armenian population since a war that
followed the fall of the Soviet Union. In
2020, Azerbaijani troops launched an offensive to retake swathes of territory,
with Russian peacekeepers deployed to oversee the Lachin Corridor and maintain
the status quo.

However, in recent months, Baku’s
forces have again pushed forward into the peacekeeping zone to take control of
all routes in and out of the area, with Moscow’s
forces apparently unwilling or unable to enforce the agreement.

 

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4-         Letters to the Editor

 

Dear Editor:

 

Regarding the article “Azerbaijani weightlifters leave Armenia after
flag burned” in the April 20 issue of The California Courier.

 

As written, at the 2023 European weightlifting championship
ceremonies in Yerevan,
designer Aram Nikolyan snatched the Azerbaijani flag from an unassuming lady
and set it on fire, while the entire weightlifting world’s aficionados watched.
Later Nikolyan justified his action by saying, “I just wanted to prevent the
Azerbaijani flag being raised in the Armenian capital Yerevan.” Ignoring the fact that that flag
did not signify conquest of Yerevan
but just an affirmation of participation.

This reminded me of an Ethiopian saying, “Aheyawun ferto
dawellawoun Metta” In Armenian: “eshen vakhtsadz, perə zargav.” In English:
“scared of the donkey, he hit the load.”

Azerbaijani invaders always cry wolf when they attack Armenia,
Artsakh, kill innocent soldiers, civilians, and take our territories. They
blame that Armenians fired first, and that Armenians hate them. All Mr.
Nikolyan did was “weaponize” them and help them say that “all along, they were
telling the truth.”

In addition, Nikolyan forgot the fact that Yerevan
is only the capital city of Armenia.
Armenia has a 29,800 square
kilometers territory, of which currently Azerbaijan occupies more than 140
square kilometers, and the count goes on. In those occupied territories there
are many Azerbaijani flags. If he had burned one of those flags, I would have
highly praised him. But burning the partcipants’ flag to say the least is
unpraiseworthy.

On the Bright side Armenia
took first place in Europe (12 Gold; 11 Silver; 13 Bronze: 38 total medals), while
Turkey
was fourth (6 Gold; 10 Silver; 6 Bronze: 22 total medals).

 

Bedros Kojian

Orange, Calif.

 

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California Courier Online provides readers of the Armenian News News Service with a
few of the articles in this week’s issue of The California Courier. Letters to
the editor are encouraged through our e-mail address, .
Letters are published with the author’s name and location; authors are required
to disclose their identity to the editorial staff (name, address, and/or
telephone numbers for verification purposes).
California Courier subscribers can change or modify mailing addresses by
emailing

The High Costs of India’s INSTC Ambitions

Emma Nadirian

The country risks being pulled into the middle of ongoing tensions between the West and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other. 

By Seamus Duffy

On April 20, the first trilateral political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of India were held in Yerevan.

Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ArmeniaADVERTISEMENT

Last week, officials from Iran, India, and Armenia met for the first trilateral meeting between the countries. Although formally the meeting was a discussion of possible avenues of economic cooperation, such a summit comes with greater context. In early March, while the Armenian foreign minister was visiting India, a delegation of senior officials from the country emphasized Armenia’s importance in helping complete the International North-South Transportation Corridor (INSTC), a project India has been developing for almost a quarter century to more closely link itself to the markets of Europe. Although India has been pursuing this avenue of potential cooperation for several years now, this dialogue represents a new step in India’s pursuit of this relationship.

However, India’s interests here cannot be merely restricted to the strengthening of economic ties between the three countries. With the route of any Iran-Armenia transport connection crossing the Zanzegur corridor in the far south of Armenia, a subject of dispute between Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Armenia in the ongoing siege of Nagorno-Karabakh, India has not been shy in supporting Armenia with limited arms imports. India’s plans for the completion of the INSTC in fact hinge on such support. Without a robust defense of Armenia’s borders in the face of increasingly stiff outside pressure, India would likely have to complete the INSTC with the help of Pakistan-allied Azerbaijan. Even if India could swallow that bitter pill, it is not entirely clear that its partner Iran could. Thus, for India, the current orientation of its policy in the South Caucasus is relatively inflexible.

Left in this position, India’s pursuit of the INSTC forces them into an economic and security relationship with the other trilateral participants, Armenia and Iran. Although the INSTC may be an important goal for New Delhi, the question arises as to whether the rigid means by which India may accomplish this objective are really worth the costs associated with them.

Naming aside, the INSTC is not merely a transportation link, but the integration of the manufacturing base of the region. This is hardly a facet of the INSTC that India ignores, either. In the construction of the Chabahar port in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of southeastern Iran, a key link in the project, India has developed manufacturing facilities right alongside the extensive multimodal transport facilities there.

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For Iran, there is no expectation that India will merely use the country for transshipment. The Foreign Ministry in Iran has been careful to pursue the development of manufacturing relationships between the two countries. Although these particular projects are largely oriented toward the Indian Ocean, and not European markets, the overall aim of the initiative is to link the manufacturing base of India, and by extension Iran, to that of Europe. The INSTC, therefore, implies the exchange of goods between Europe and Iran, a fact that requires a relatively liberal trade regime.

Given the ongoing Western sanctions on Iran related to the protests there last year, as well as Iran’s further enrichment of uranium, India’s vision for integrating the two countries’ manufacturing industries with European markets is limited at best. It is possible that India could decide to repurpose the corridor to instead link it to Russia, providing a sanctions-proof means of reaching global markets, but this seems unlikely. India’s evasion of Western sanctions since the onset of the Ukraine invasion has been routinely condemned by both Brussels and Washington. Considering that this comes at a time when New Delhi is negotiating a trade agreement with the former and cooperating with the latter to contain China, deepening trade partnerships with Moscow could irreparably harm India’s relations with both.

All of this is to point out that for the INSTC to be successfully realized, India needs the EU to be relatively sanguine about removing Iranian sanctions, an outcome that currently looks unlikely.

U.S. Security Concerns

Even if India were able to persuade European leaders to remove Iranian sanctions, the existing SWIFT sanctions, which limit Iran’s access to dollar-denominated markets, would still be a major barrier to trade. The SWIFT sanctions on Iran were quite significant, amounting to nearly $60.4 billion, or more than 16 percent of Iran’s annual GDP. With these sanctions still in place, Iran’s ability to contribute constructively to the manufacturing supply chain along the INSTC would be severely dampened.

Even with the removal of EU restrictions on Iran, this would do little to counteract the effect of the sanctions, as the trade frictions would be too costly. Unfortunately, these sanctions are not the exclusive purview of EU leaders, but require the additional assent of the United States. That is to say, for the INSTC to actually accomplish its objective, it would need Washington’s support.

To that end, India would have to address concerns on both sides of the aisle in the United States that Iran’s regional ambitions, as much a justification for the current sanctions regime as its nuclear program, do not pose a threat. Although earlier attempts have been made by the Biden administration to revive the Iran nuclear deal, which might eliminate the SWIFT sanctions, the White House has since walked back these efforts. In light of the earlier strikes on a U.S. base in Syria, as well as the declining popularity of the nuclear deal, the prospect of Washington reversing its position on Iranian sanctions appears to be an unlikely outcome. Without such support, the successful implementation of India’s INSTC is again questionable.

Israel’s Iran Strategy

Presuming that India could secure the necessary prerequisites for the INSTC’s success by persuading Western regimes to remove sanctions on Iran, India’s Armenian policy would still be challenged by a potent regional power: Israel.

Israel has a vital interest in preserving its relationship with Azerbaijan, especially as a means of undermining Iran. This long-standing diplomatic and military relationship with the regime in Baku poses a direct threat to the continued stability of neighboring Armenia – stability that, as noted previously, is crucial to the completion of the existing INSTC. Should Israel feel isolated by some hypothetical detente between the West and Iran, it is likely that its impetus to undermine a regime in Tehran that opposes Israel’s very existence would be even stronger.

Given how important Azerbaijan’s interests are to Israel’s Iran strategy, a divergence of the interests of Israel and India in the South Caucasus would have further diplomatic impacts. Outside of the direct threat that an isolated Israel could pose to the INSTC, India’s relationship with Israel is hardly one that it can afford to cast aside. The arms trade between the two countries has amounted to over $2.4 billion over the last seven years, helping India develop new defense relationships away from an isolated Russia. The increasing business and diplomatic ties between the two countries, especially through the new I2U2 grouping, could give India an important set of allies in the Middle East at a time when China is expanding its influence in the region. Jeopardizing this important source of cooperation in the name of the INSTC, a project that faces many roadblocks, does not seem to be a cost commensurate with the likely benefits of India’s policies.

Conclusion

India’s policies in the South Caucasus threaten to place New Delhi both directly and indirectly in the middle of the ongoing tensions between the West and Israel alliance on the one hand and Iran on the other. Putting aside the technical difficulties of actually completing the INSTC link through Armenia, the diplomatic gauntlet that New Delhi would have to maneuver to realize the project fully are incredibly high.

This is not to say that the entire policy within the South Caucasus needs to be scrapped, as India has been able to capitalize on the discontent in Yerevan with its previous security partner, Russia. Rather, it is to say that absent a policy absolutely committed to the realization of the INSTC, New Delhi’s policies going forward in the region do not have to be as confined as they have been over the last several years.

Putin, Pashinyan discuss situation in Karabakh over escalation in Lachin Corridor

Emma Nadirian
 TASS 
Russia –
The leaders agreed to continue interaction at various levels

MOSCOW, April 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the Kremlin press service reported on Wednesday.

“The development of the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh was discussed with an emphasis on solving practical tasks of ensuring stability and security in the region. In the context of the current escalation in the Lachin Corridor, the importance of strict adherence to the entire set of fundamental agreements between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan was stressed,” its statement said.

The leaders agreed to continue interaction at various levels.

Earlier, the Armenian side reported the conversation.

Previously, Azerbaijan set up a checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor. The Armenian Foreign Ministry branded this as a flagrant violation of the 2020 trilateral statement.

Biden Must Go Beyond A Cut-And-Paste Job On Armenian Genocide Recognition

Emma Nadirian
1945

Genocide happens most easily in darkness. If Biden truly understands the lessons of the Armenian Genocide, on Monday, when the White House releases its annual declaration, he will call out those who would continue the genocide through a deliberate campaign of starvation, harassment, incitement and murder.

By Michael Rubin
On April 24, Armenians will commemorate the 108th anniversary of the genocide they suffered in the last years of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey still denies the genocide was deliberate; many Turkish nationalists question if it occurred at all.

For too long in Washington, promises to affirm the Armenian Genocide were akin to promises to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem: Every major candidate made them, but none followed through. Donald Trump disrupted that pattern with regard to Jerusalem. Rather than undermine peace, it catalyzed it. Joe Biden did the same with Armenian Genocide. He not only promised as a candidate but also followed through. On April 24, 2021, he stated clearly, “We remember the lives of all those who died in the Ottoman-era Armenian genocide and recommit ourselves to preventing such an atrocity from ever again occurring.” Today, not only the White House, but also the Senate and House of Representatives, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia officially recognize the Genocide.

Despite Turkey’s bluster, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did nothing. He showed himself to be a paper tiger. Biden and many other world leaders showed that truth trumped spin and propaganda. Unfortunately, Secretary of State Antony Blinken tarnished Biden’s moral clarity. Without forewarning Congress, whom he had briefed just days earlier on the Armenian issue, he quietly decided to waive Section 907, which enforced a weapons embargo on Azerbaijan. That section of the Freedom Support Act ties military assistance to Azerbaijan to its commitment to solve its dispute with Armenia through diplomacy alone. Blinken simply ignored the facts not only that Azerbaijan’s surprise attack had killed thousands, but also that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev openly declared he sought to take his conquests further.

In April 2022, Biden issued another statement about the Armenian Genocide on Armenian Remembrance Day. It was a good declaration and addressed all the key points. “As we reflect on the Armenian genocide, we renew our pledge to remain vigilant against the corrosive influence of hate in all its forms. We recommit ourselves to speaking out and stopping atrocities that leave lasting scars on the world,” he said. Once again, the State Department waived Section 907.

As White House speechwriters craft a statement for Monday, Biden must go further. For five months, Azerbaijani militias have blockaded the only route into Artsakh, the Armenian-governed enclave in Nagorno-Karabakh. Earlier this week, Aliyev called for population transfer of the region’s 115,000 remaining Armenians. He has cut off food, water, and gas. Genocide looms.

Blinken and the State Department meanwhile wring their hands and counsel against holding Aliyev accountable for his crimes. After all, Blinken tells Congressmen privately, the United States needs Azerbaijan’s compliance for anti-Iran operations. What Blinken fails to understand is that keeping Iran in check is an Azerbaijani interest. That Aliyev extorts Blinken for something Azerbaijan would do anyway humiliates Washington. Regardless, a millennia-old Armenian community should not die as a concession to the dictator.

Genocide happens most easily in darkness. If Biden truly understands the lessons of the Armenian Genocide, on Monday, when the White House releases its annual declaration, he will call out those who would continue the genocide through a deliberate campaign of starvation, harassment, incitement and murder. He will not simply cut-and-paste from his previous two declarations. There is nothing cheaper and more morally corrupt than condemning a genocide from a century ago while enabling its continuance today.

Now a 1945 Contributing Editor, Dr. Michael Rubin is a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Dr. Rubin is the author, coauthor, and coeditor of several books exploring diplomacy, Iranian history, Arab culture, Kurdish studies, and Shi’ite politics, including “Seven Pillars: What Really Causes Instability in the Middle East?” (AEI Press, 2019); “Kurdistan Rising” (AEI Press, 2016); “Dancing with the Devil: The Perils of Engaging Rogue Regimes” (Encounter Books, 2014); and “Eternal Iran: Continuity and Chaos” (Palgrave, 2005).

EU recorded violation of Armenia’s state border in statement following April 11 Azeri aggression – PM

Emma Nadirian

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 13:09,

YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS. The EU clearly recorded in its statement on the latest Azeri aggression in the Tegh village section that the 1991 border must be maintained, PM Nikol Pashinyan said in response to a reporter’s observation that the EU monitors did not give a targeted assessment regarding the attack.

“I think that the EU statement, which didn’t contain an assessment emotionally, but indeed contained a very clear political record that the 1991 border must be maintained. And we agree with this. This is a highly important, fundamental record and assessment. And this means that the violation of the state border of Armenia has been recorded,” Pashinyan said.

On April 11, Armenian troops carrying out engineering works near the village of Tegh close to the border with Azerbaijan came under heavy gunfire in an unprovoked attack. Four Armenian soldiers were killed and six wounded.

The European Union issued a statement over the April 11 deadly Azeri attack on Armenian troops near the village of Tegh.

In a statement, the European Union External Action Service said the EU “deplores the armed clashes.”

Below is the full statement.

“The EU deplores the armed clashes that yesterday led to several Armenian and Azerbaijani servicemen being killed or injured on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border in the area of Tegh.

This incident yet again emphasises that in the absence of a delimited border, the 1991 line must be respected the forces of either side withdrawn to safe distances from this line to prevent any similar incidents from occurring.

Previous commitments must be respected, including those reached in Prague in October 2022 regarding the mutual recognition of territorial integrity in line with the 1991 Almaty Declaration. The EU also urges the intensification of negotiations on the delimitation of the border and continues to stand ready to support this process.

We renew our calls for restraint and for the settlement of all disputes by peaceful means. The EU continues to support these efforts, including at the highest level, and also through the presence of the EU Mission in Armenia.”

Afterwards, PM Pashinyan said Armenia welcomes the EU’s statement and is ready to withdraw its forces to a safe distance from the 1991 line, as proposed by the EU.