Author: Garik Boshkezenian

Armenia says three troops dead in clashes with Azerbaijan

Garik Boshkezenian
Deutsche Welle, Germany

The Armenian Defense Ministry has said three of its soldiers have died in clashes in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan rejects Yerevan's account, accusing Armenia of a military provocation.

Armenia and Azerbaijan ended a six-week conflict in November after Russia brokered a ceasefire

Armenia's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that three of its troops had been killed in clashes with Azerbaijan's military in what is one of the deadliest incidents over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh since a six-week conflict ended last November. 

"As a result of armed action launched following an attack by Azerbaijani forces, there are three dead and two wounded from the Armenian side as of 08:30 [0430 GMT]," the ministry said in a statement.

Armenia's Foreign Ministry added, "the Azerbaijani side is deliberately escalating the situation as its forces remain illegally on Armenia's sovereign territory."

In June, Azerbaijan said it had downed this drone that it said belonged to the Armenian army, a sign of recent clashes

The Azeri government rejected Armenia's account.

Its defense ministry accused Armenia of military provocation, saying Armenian forces opened fire toward Azerbaijani positions in the district of Kelbajar in the early hours of Wednesday.

"Armenia bears full responsibility for the escalation of tensions along the two countries' shared border," it said, adding that two Azeri soldiers had been wounded.

A six-week war between between the two nations last autumn left some 6,500 people dead.

The conflict ended in November with a Russian-brokered cease-fire under which Armenia ceded territories it had controlled for decades.

Prisoner swaps also took place as part of the deal.

Armenian army soldiers wave as they leave Agdam in November after a Moscow-brokered peace deal

Tensions between Baku and Yerevan flared up again in May, when Armenia accused Azerbaijan's military of crossing its southern frontier to "lay siege" to a lake shared by the two countries.

There have been further sporadic clashes in recent months, sparking fears of fresh fighting.

Watch video 02:56

Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but its population is majority Armenian.  

It has mostly been governed by a separatist, self-declared republic, run by ethnic Armenians and backed by the Armenian government.

Separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh voted to break away from Azerbaijan in the late 1980s as the Soviet Union collapsed; the ensuing conflict has claimed around 30,000 lives.

jf/nm (Reuters, AFP)

Artsakh’s Robert Avetisyan Shares Insights During Assembly Speaker Series

Garik Boshkezenian

Washington, D.C. – Mr. Robert Avetisyan, Permanent Representative
of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) to the United States, delivered insightful remarks and relevant updates about current realities in Artsakh on Thursday evening, July 15, 2021, as the featured speaker of the Armenian Assembly of America's Summer Speaker Series.

As the point of contact between Stepanakert and Washington, D.C., Avetisyan helps maintain strong ties with Armenian Americans and serves as the conduit between the American diasporan community and Artsakh Armenians. He also expressed his appreciation to the Assembly for its important work over the decades.

Regarding developments in Artsakh, Avetisyan said the Republic of Artsakh has launched a "comprehensive restoration" in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres since the September 2020 war when Azerbaijan, with the full and open support of Turkey and international terrorists, once again attacked Artsakh on an "unprecedented" level, including by way of the "scale and scope of the weaponry and offensive power used against Artsakh, Turkey being at the forefront and in control of ground and air forces," and the participation of Syrian mercenaries.

Avetisyan remarked that he expects negotiations to resume and to "finalize a general vision of settlement because the conflict is not solved."

"The Karabakh-Azerbaijan conflict is not resolved since the core issue of the conflict – the sovereign status of Artsakh – has not been internationally solidified," said Avetisyan. "We expect that the OSCE Minsk Group will resume active efforts to improve the situation on the ground and come up with a corresponding formula which would establish long-term stability for Artsakh and the entire region."

Avetisyan also said that the government is focused on "restoring lives and infrastructure" and efforts are being made to provide everyone affected with basic needs, such as housing.

"The government is doing everything possible to build homes to make sure people who have been forced out of their homes stay in Artsakh and connect their future with the Republic of Artsakh."

The most pressing humanitarian issue is the unlawful detainment of Armenian prisoners of war held by Azerbaijan, according to Avetisyan, who noted that Baku has acted in "complete disregard of humanitarian and international law," though he remains hopeful that the "international community will continue paying serious attention to this problem until all our compatriots return to their families." Avetisyan also stressed the importance of urgent international actions for preservation of the Armenian Christian heritage from destruction in the territories under Azeri occupation.

During the question and answer session, Avetisyan emphasized that the Artsakh issue is part of the "pan-Armenian agenda" and welcomed open lines of communication as well as interest from the diaspora, particularly the younger generation, to get involved and reach out.

Avetisyan also touched upon the security currently maintained by Russian peacekeepers due to the "fragile situation" and continued aggression by Azerbaijan to cause instability in the region. He noted that more people are visiting Artsakh, which is a positive way to show support.

"The more people who come to Artsakh, the more our adversaries will see that Artsakh continues to remain in the hearts and minds of our compatriots around the globe, while also supporting the post-war economy," said Avetisyan. "There is always hope but we have to reinforce hope with action."

"In Artsakh we suffered a lot, but we survived as a state and government, though at a very high price," said Avetisyan. "We are doing what we can to eradicate the consequences of this aggression and come out as a strong state and society."

The Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program, which is taking place virtually this summer, provides college students of Armenian descent an opportunity to gain exposure to the policymaking process in our nation’s capital for eight weeks each summer.

Since 1977, the Armenian Assembly of America has assisted over 1,200 participants in securing placements in prominent congressional offices, government agencies, media outlets, think tanks, and non-governmental organizations in Washington, D.C.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
###