Author: Kajoyan Gevork

President Khachaturyan meets with Lithuania’s Armenian community

Kajoyan Gevork

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 09:55,

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met with members of Lithuania’s Armenian community during his official visit to the country.

President Khachaturyan “presented details on the regional realities in South Caucasus, the activities and role of the EU civilian monitoring mission in the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the current domestic life in Armenia,” the President’s Office said in a readout.

The President also spoke about Armenia’s approaches and principles around the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, the ongoing reforms in Armenia and prospects of economic development.  He then held a Q&A session with those in attendance.

Even after Putin’s warning, would Armenia gain by joining the ICC?

Kajoyan Gevork


By Rodney Dixon KC





Russia’s threat of retaliation should Armenia join the international court, which has just issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, puts Armenia in a bind. But membership may even lead to unexpected legal jeopardy for the Caucasian nation

Last week Russia warned of serious consequences for Armenia if it becomes a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Back in December, Armenia’s cabinet had approved draft laws to ratify the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. However, since then, the court has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for war crimes committed in Ukraine.

Rodney Dixon KC

It puts Yerevan in a difficult position. Armenia, though a member of Russia’s economic and military alliances would, after joining the ICC, be required to arrest the leader of its security patron if he visited their country. Senior Armenian officials now claim they would simply not implement an arrest: but this is hardly an auspicious start or way to endear Armenia to the court.

This matters, because Armenia seeks to join order to pursue specific legal action for international crimes allegedly committed by its neighbour Azerbaijan in a 30-year territorial dispute over Karabakh – an Azerbaijani region held by ethnic Armenian separatists since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yet even before the ICC issued its warrant for Putin, it was questionable whether the benefits of joining the court outweighed the risks for Armenia.

Certainly, the ICC would open a new front in the legal tussles between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Karabakh had been held by Armenia since the early 90s, but Baku regained significant amounts of the territory during a 44-day conflict in 2020. Since a Moscow-brokered ceasefire put an end to hostilities, a raft of cases has been brought by both nations before various international courts. In February, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered unimpeded movement along a highway connecting Armenia to Karabakh. The month before, Azerbaijan launched a case against Armenia for environmental destruction at an international tribunal – the first inter-State arbitration sought under the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats.

Such courts and tribunals only adjudicate claims between states. In contrast, the ICC was established to prosecute the individuals behind humanity’s gravest crimes – raising the prospect of sitting politicians and military leaders in the dock. However, the international jurisdiction for this individual criminal liability is a complicated matter.

In disputes between states, the parameters are relatively clear: both are party to an international treaty and a relevant international body of rules on the matter. Bar rare referrals from the Security Council, the ICC has two jurisdictional bases: one covers the crimes committed in a territory of a member state to the court; another the crimes of a member state’s nationals committed anywhere. In signing up to the court, in the hope of holding individuals in Azerbaijan to account under this jurisdiction, the Armenian government has also opened its own forces to international scrutiny and potential prosecution.

Armenia has taken the explicit step of backdating its accession to the court to permit the ICC to apply its statute retrospectively. That date is 12 May, 2021. Tellingly, Armenia did not opt for one that would encompass the 2020 conflict. The government reasoned that the date chosen would enable Armenia to hold Azerbaijan accountable for alleged incursions into Armenia from May 2021. The specific scope of the selected jurisdiction raises three important issues.

First, Armenia seems to accept that the ICC will recognise potential crimes committed in Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory – undermining its claims it is either part of Armenia or an independent country. The 44 day-conflict in 2020 happened exclusively in Karabakh and surrounding regions in Azerbaijan, which is not a party to the ICC. Had Armenia agreed to retrospective application going back to the 2020 conflict, unless Baku voluntarily submitted to its jurisdiction, only crimes committed during this conflict by Armenian personnel would fall under the Court’s purview.

Second, and relatedly, the start date is a tacit admission that Armenia probably did commit crimes during that conflict that the court was established to deal with – which include war crimes and crimes against humanity – and is protecting its personnel from those charges. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch gathered credible evidence of crimes by both sides during the conflict. If Armenia assumed its personnel are at risk, it also highlights the government has not taken any steps to investigate them. The ICC’s jurisdiction is complementary: it only steps in if states are unwilling or unable genuinely to investigate. Through its selective commencement date, Armenia appears to admit to both. Whilst embracing the ICC, Armenia has simultaneously acted as if it is skirting justice.

Third, whilst striving for such jurisdictional contortion, Armenia may not have achieved its objective. The Armenian Minister of Justice states that the retrospective application is to deal with the alleged military aggression and occupation of territories by Azerbaijan in May 2021 and September 2022, the consequences of which ‘are still present’. But Armenia opens itself up to the exact same charge.

Armenia still occupies a significant portion of Azerbaijani territory, guarded by Russian peacekeepers, despite losses in the 2020 war. Skirmishes and outbreaks of violence have occurred in Karabakh since the ceasefire. Any crimes committed by Armenian personnel could potentially be investigated. Moreover, Azerbaijan would even be permitted, despite not being a party to the ICC, to engage the court, requesting that crimes that fall within its jurisdiction are investigated and prosecuted where there is sufficient probative evidence.

The peculiarities of Armenia’s drive to join the ICC may end up backfiring. In aiming to bring charges solely against Azerbaijan it risks looking like it is cherry picking justice and requesting uneven application of the law. If Putin visited and was not arrested as required by the Rome Statute, this would be further substantiated. In reality, Armenia may end up the subject of investigation they wished upon their adversary.

 

Rodney Dixon KC is an international lawyer specialising in international justice. He is co-author of the book ‘International Courts: Practice, Procedure & Evidence’ which is published by Sweet & Maxwell

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/commentary-and-opinion/even-after-putins-warning-would-armenia-gain-by-joining-the-icc/5115742.article

Book: Greek-Armenian writer’s ‘Bread, Education, Freedom’ hits Iranian ‎bookstores

Kajoyan Gevork
IBNA – Iran’s Book News Agency
IBNA- ‘Bread, Education, Freedom’ (2013), a dystopian novel by Greek-Armenian ‎author Petros Márkaris has been published in Persian and is available in Iranian ‎bookstores. ‎

This novel has been rendered from French into Persian by Ghasem San’avi. Jahan-e Ketab Cultural Artistic Institute has released ‘Bread, Education, Freedom’ in 242 pages.
 
In an impoverished and tense Athens, the corpses of three prominent personalities are found. Alongside them, a recording broadcasts this slogan once used against the dictatorship of the Colonels: “Bread, education, freedom”.
 
As the head of the crime squad in Athens, he’s called to the scene when Yerassismos Demertzis is murdered. When the police arrive on the premises, a construction site near the Olympic Games stadium, they start investigating. A phone set on the victim’s body rings and a recorded message says the slogan “Bread, education, freedom”.
 
This is the slogan used by the students who fought in the Athens Polytechnic Uprising in November 1973. This uprising was repressed by the Regime of the Colonels but the people supported the students and it eventually led to the end of the regime.
 
Who is behind these murders? A member of the extreme right? A former leftist driven by the desire for revenge? The police are not spared by the crisis either and Commissioner Kostas Charitos, deprived of his salary for three months, will have to redouble his efforts if he wants to discover the truth.
 
Petros Márkaris is a writer of detective novels starring the grumpy Athenian police investigator Costas Haritos. He wrote several plays and cooperated with leading film director Theo Angelopoulos on a number of film scripts. He translated several German dramas into Greek such as Goethe’s ‘Faust I’ and ‘Faust II’, as well as Brecht’s ‘Mother Courage’.

Including Armenia in list of participants of Defender 23 drills happened by mistake, says Pentagon

Kajoyan Gevork

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 13:42, 8 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. The United States Department of Defense said including Armenia in the list of participating countries of the Defender 23 military exercises happened by mistake.

In response to a query by the Voice of America, the Department of Defense said Armenia never participated in the Defender 23 drills and wasn’t supposed to be included in the list and that it happened as a result of an error by the Pentagon’s internal press team.

The U.S. Department of Defense removed Armenia on Thursday from the list of participants of the upcoming U.S.-led military exercise in Europe released by it on Wednesday.

The Armenian military said it plans to participate in two other US-led military exercises this year – KFOR and Saber Junction.

Knights and Daughters of Vartan to host annual commemoration of Armenian Genocide in Times Square

Kajoyan Gevork
April 3, 2023 Taleen Babayan Announcements 0
NEW YORK, NY – The 108th anniversary commemoration of the Armenian Genocide will be taking place in Times Square on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. The program will feature headline speakers David L. Phillips, director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights and founder of the Artsakh Atrocities Project – who will be presented with the Knights and Daughters of Vartan Humanitarian Award; and Robert Avetisyan, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh to the US.

Hosted by the Knights and Daughters of Vartan, the event, now in its 39th year, will feature remarks by elected officials and a musical interlude by Huyser Ensemble, accompanied by the Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School and the Brooklyn Armenian School.

In conjunction with the Times Square Commemoration, the Knights and Daughters of Vartan will sponsor its annual global student essay contest that gives Armenian youth the opportunity to express their voices and concerns regarding genocide awareness and human rights. Winners will be announced at the commemoration, and selections from each essay will be read.

The momentous Armenian Genocide Commemoration will reinforce the memory of the first genocide of the 20th century that claimed the lives of 1.5 million Armenian martyrs by the Young Turk Party of the Ottoman Empire. Thanks to the overwhelming support by members of Congress, both the US House of Representatives and Senate unequivocally stated US affirmation of the Armenian Genocide in 2019, preceding President Joe Biden’s acknowledgement on April 24, 2021.

The Armenian Diaspora will continue its vigorous efforts to remember, to honor and to educate the world about this devastating chapter in world history that continues to be denied today by the Turkish government. The Armenian Diaspora will not rest until Turkey recognizes the Armenian Genocide.

“As the next generation of Armenian Americans, we strive to continue bringing awareness to the Armenian Genocide here in the US, while ensuring the strength and vitality of the Armenian people,” said co-chairs Haig Gulian and Christopher Artun. “We appreciate the ongoing support from our diasporan communities to hold our annual Armenian Genocide Commemoration year after year in such an influential location as Times Square in New York City. We look forward to gathering together once again to honor our ancestors and utilize our collective efforts towards global recognition.”

The annual Armenian Genocide Commemoration in Times Square is sponsored by the Knights of Vartan and Daughters of Vartan, a national fraternal organization, and co-sponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, Tekeyan Cultural Association, Armenian National Council of America, Armenian Bar Association and the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA); participating organizations include the Diocese of the Armenian Church, Prelacy of the Armenian Church, Armenian Presbyterian Church, Armenian Evangelical Union, Armenian Catholic Eparchy, Armenian Network of Greater New York, Homenetmen Scouts of New York and New Jersey, Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) and national Armenian youth organizations.

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Taleen Babayan earned her masters in journalism from Columbia University in 2008 and her bachelors degree in history and international relations from Tufts University in 2006. Her work has been published widely in both Armenian and non-Armenian media. She can be contacted at


Armenpress: French Embassy in Armenia welcomes signing of cooperation memorandum between Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and Syunik

Kajoyan Gevork

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 20:42,

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. The Embassy of France in Armenia welcomes the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and Syunik Province, which took place in Tatev monastery, ARMENPRESS reports, the French Embassy in Armenia said on its “Twitter” page.

“The French Embassy welcomes the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and the Syunik region in the Tatev monastery, aimed specifically at economic development, agriculture, professional education, healthcare and Francophone areas,” the message states.

A cooperation agreement was signed between Syunik Province of Armenia and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France in the monastery complex of Tatev. The agreement envisages the development of bilateral cooperation based on the principles of friendship, justice and mutual interests.

The priorities spheres for cooperation are: access to medical care, economic development, particularly in agriculture, professional education, mainly for young people, promotion of tourism, promotion of Francophonie.

A steering committee will be created for the proper development of projects in accordance with the goals of the cooperation. The parties will create an action plan that will become part of the signed agreement.




The Foreign Minister of Egypt announced about bilateral political will to normalize relations with Turkey

Kajoyan Gevork

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 14:57,

YEREVAN, MARCH 18, ARMENPRESS. Egypt and Turkey want to fully normalize relations, ARMENPRESS reports the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said.

“Egypt and Turkey have strong intentions to restore bilateral relations,” Shoukry said during a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Cairo.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister added that Cairo and Ankara “have the political will to start the path of full normalization of relations” between the two countries.

BTA. Energy Minister Hristov: Bulgaria-Serbia Gas Link Launches on Schedule

Kajoyan Gevork

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 19:45,

YEREVAN, MARCH 18, ARMENPRESS. The Bulgaria-Serbia gas link will be launched on schedule in October, said caretaker Minister of Energy Rosen Hristov during the inspection of the progress of the activities for the construction of the gas interconnection near Dobroslavtsi village. According to him, the project is progressing on schedule, even slightly ahead. “We are absolutely sure that the project will be completed on time on the Bulgarian side and within the budget.” 

Minister Hristov pointed out that the capacity of the gas link is 1.8 billion cubic metres per year. A large-scale analysis of the gas market in Southeastern and Central Europe is currently being carried out with eight European countries in order for other countries to diversify their gas supplies, as Bulgaria has done, and is now ready to build an additional compressor station on the interconnector to increase its capacity to 3.2 bcm.

The project is being managed the same way as the construction of the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector, which has made it possible to catch up with the backlog. “All structures are working closely and we exchange information on a regular basis, so we are not only controlling but also supporting the process,” Minister Hristov added. He pointed out that there are currently no concerns about the completion of the project. The gas link will allow the flow to be reversed, i.e. Bulgaria can also buy gas from Serbia. However, the minister clarified that the interconnector is mainly planned to be used in the Bulgaria-Serbia direction, as the Serbian side is still dependent on Russian gas and they have reserved capacity at the Alexandroupolis terminal that Bulgaria is building. “This possibility of reverse supplies gives us an additional security in case we need to supply gas from Central Europe,” Rosen Hristov explained.

The construction of the interconnector was launched on February 1. The pipe will be almost 170 kilometres long, 62 kilometres of which are on the territory of Bulgaria. The interconnector starts from Novi Iskar and will connect to the Serbian gas pipeline network at the city of Nis.

"The Karabakh issue is off the international agenda" – Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan

Kajoyan Gevork
  • JAMnews
  • Baku

Hikmet Hajiyev interview

“With the Prague and Sochi documents Armenia recognized the sovereignty of Azerbaijan over Karabakh,” Hikmet Hajiyev, an assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, said in an interview with Report agency. According to him, the reintegration of Armenians living in Karabakh into Azerbaijan “is the only way out.”

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“President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stressed that the negotiations on a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and contacts with Armenians living in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan are two completely different things,” Hajiyev said in an interview.

He says that at the meetings held in October 2022 in Prague and Sochi, Azerbaijan and Armenia declared mutual recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty based on the 1991 Almaty Declaration:

“In accordance with the Almaty Declaration, the newly independent countries recognize the administrative borders of the former Soviet republics of the USSR period. Thus, with the Prague and Sochi documents, Armenia recognized the sovereignty of Azerbaijan over Karabakh.”

Hajiyev maintained that the issue of personal rights and security of the Armenian population living in Karabakh is “purely an internal affair of Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan will not discuss issues related to its sovereignty with any third party, including Armenia.”

“The Karabakh conflict has been settled. Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan. For Azerbaijan, the Karabakh issue is off the international agenda. It is no coincidence that the documents adopted at the meetings in Brussels, Moscow, Prague, Sochi, Karabakh are not mentioned,” he added.

On the issue of personal rights and security of the Armenian population living in Karabakh, Hajiyev said that this issue “will be resolved in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Azerbaijan”:

“There are no special privileges for Armenians. As I said, this issue has nothing to do with Armenia and others.”

Hajiyev recalled that at the talks in Brussels and at a meeting in Washington in September of last year, “the issue of ensuring the rights and security of the Armenians living in Karabakh was discussed precisely within the framework of the Constitution of Azerbaijan”:

“The creation of any international mechanism to discuss the rights and security of the Armenian population living in Karabakh is out of the question, and we have never agreed to this. Armenia’s claims on this score are completely illogical and aimed at creating artificial tension.

The position of Azerbaijan regarding sovereignty is accepted at the international level.”

“Statements by Armenian officials about “creating a demilitarized zone around Karabakh” and “sending a UN fact-finding mission to Karabakh, on the Lachin road” are unacceptable.

On what basis does Armenia call for sending a UN or OSCE mission to the territory of another country? No organization can and will not take such steps without the consent of Azerbaijan. The UN resolutions also clearly state that without the consent of a country, it is impossible to send any mission to its territory.

Such statements by Armenia as sending a mission to Karabakh, to the Lachin road and attracting external forces are nothing but a utopia, a geopolitical adventure and an attempt to create artificial tension.”

On March 1, the first official meeting of official Baku with representatives of the Armenian community of Karabakh was held in Khojaly. According to Hajiyev, the Azerbaijani authorities “are determined to continue these contacts”:

“Armenians living in Karabakh for the last 30 years have been hostages of Armenia and the illegal regime. After the end of the 30-year occupation, Azerbaijan expressed its readiness to establish contact with the Armenian population. Recently attempts have been made to create a new reality in Karabakh with the Ruben Vardanyan project exported from Moscow, to return the situation to 1988 and create a new status quo.

On March 1st, a meeting took place between representatives of official Baku and Karabakh Armenians in Khojaly

As is known, Ramin Mammadov, deputy of the Milli Majlis, was made responsible for contacts with Armenians living in Karabakh. The first contacts were established in Khojaly on 1 March. Unfortunately, after the contacts, we witnessed undesirable statements by the Armenian side. But we are determined to continue these contacts.

In our opinion, the provocation committed by Armenia on the Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu dirt road on March 5 was also designed to prevent contacts with the Armenian population. We consider the transport of weapons to the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan as a continuing policy of aggression and terrorism against our country by Armenia. Why does Armenia continue to send weapons and ammunition to the sovereign territory of another country? All responsibility for the tension lies with the military-political leadership of Armenia.”

The assistant to the President of Azerbaijan also commented on the 91-day protest of Azerbaijani activists on the Lachin road and accusations of a blockade by Armenia:

“In protest against the illegal exploitation of our natural resources in the territories of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed, since December 12 citizensand environmental activists have been holding a rally on the Lachin-Khankendi road.”

The tense situation continues for the second day in Karabakh due to the blocking of the road connecting Khankendi (Stepanakert) with Armenia.

Hajiyev held that this was “a peaceful action — its participants do not have machine guns, cannons and tanks, and they put forward legitimate demands.”

“However, now Armenia has thrown in a new narrative. Allegedly, the Lachin road is “blocked”, Azerbaijan is preparing to commit a “genocide” against the Armenians living in Karabakh. We have been saying from the first day that the Lachin road is not closed, Russian peacekeepers, the Red Cross, and humanitarian cargo passes freely along the road. From December 12 to the present day, more than 3,600 cars have passed along the Lachin-Khankendi road. Is there really a blockade?

Armenia intends to mislead the international community, strike at the positions of Azerbaijan, delay the signing of a peace treaty, and prevent the reintegration of the Armenian population living in Karabakh into Azerbaijan. There is another narrative: “Karabakh is isolated from the whole world.” These people do not understand that “Nagorno-Karabakh” is not a separate entity and cannot live as an island. This territory is an integral part of Azerbaijan. The reintegration of Armenians into Azerbaijan is the only solution.”

Charles Michel wants very much that the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia meet again in Brussels. Toivo Klaar

Kajoyan Gevork

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 13:22, 8 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. Toivo Klaar, the special representative of the European Union in the South Caucasus, announced that the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, wants to hold another tripartite meeting with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, wants the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia to come to Brussels again. A few weeks ago, he met with the leaders in Munich. Now we expect that the leaders will meet again in Brussels in the near future,” ARMENPRESS reports Klaar told the Azerbaijani APA agency.