Author: Karakhanian Suren

No one can question the role of Russia in ending the bloodshed in Nagorno Karabakh – Zakharova

Karakhanian Suren

 19:54,

YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. Russia’s role in stopping the bloodshed in Nagorno-Karabakh is beyond doubt, ARMENPRESS reports, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, announced during the weekly briefing.

“The role of Russia is fixed in the corresponding written document, under which the signatures of both Armenia and Azerbaijan are placed. This role cannot be questioned in any way because the conflicting parties have confirmed it. And an appropriate consensus was reached on that issue,” Zakharova noted.

Bordeaux inaugurates Armenian cross-stone

Karakhanian Suren

 14:12,

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS. An Armenian cross-stone was inaugurated on June 25 at a public park in central Bordeaux.

The ceremonial inauguration was attended by Bordeaux Mayor Pierre Hurmic, the Armenian consul-general to Lyon Narine Nikolian, officials from Nouvelle-Aquitaine, members of the Armenian community of France and the representative of the Diocese of France of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Nikolian thanked the French government for recognizing the Armenian Genocide and supporting Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), and noted the historic decision by President Macron on pantheonizing Missak Manouchian.

The cross-stone is dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, the martyrs of Nagorno Karabakh and the Armenians who died for France.

Armenia didn’t have full control over some types of weapons in 2020, says PM

Karakhanian Suren

 12:13,

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on June 27 that some types of weapons in the arsenal of the Armenian military weren’t entirely under the control of Armenia itself during the 2020 war.

MP Hayk Sargsyan asked Pashinyan at the parliament select committee on the 2020 war whether or not the army had any limitations or orders on not using any particular weapon during the war.

Pashinyan refused to go into details during the open format hearing but said: “There were some types of weapons the right of which didn’t entirely belong to the Republic of Armenia.”

He said he would elaborate during the closed hearing.

Situation with Armenians in Karabakh has become even more aggravated

Karakhanian Suren
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Prohibition of transport along the Lachin corridor

“Even the seriously ill are not allowed to be transported. Everything is being done to create unbearable living conditions for the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. This is exactly the policy of ethnic cleansing that we have been warning about for years,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on the 193rd day of the blockade of NK.

Since June 15 the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh has become even more aggravated. Azerbaijan banned not only the movement of people, but also the import of humanitarian goods into NK. In Armenia they believe that Baku is moving to “actions that constitute a war crime.”

US congressmen discussed the issue and called on President Biden to “stop military assistance to Azerbaijan and support Artsakh.”

The Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the outside world, has been closed since December 12 last year. On April 23, 2022, Azerbaijan installed a checkpoint on the Khakari Bridge.

After an attempt to install an Azerbaijani flag on the same bridge and return fire from the Armenian side, Baku banned all transportation, including humanitarian ones, and blocked the corridor with armored vehicles. The International Committee of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers, who had been delivering essential goods to NK over the previous six months, lost their right to move.

  • All types of humanitarian transportation are prohibited,
  • The International Committee of the Red Cross is not allowed to transport patients in need of specialized care to Yerevan (190 patients are waiting to leave), nor to deliver medicines and medical equipment to NK,
  • Since June 19, all examinations and surgical interventions, except for emergency ones, have been canceled in local medical clinics.

According to official figures, 120,000 people live in Artsakh, including 30,000 children, 20,000 elderly and 9,000 people with disabilities.

The former Ombudsman of the NK Artak Beglaryan wrote about this on his Facebook page. In his opinion, all countries should take their share of responsibility and prevent the impending tragedy:

“We expect urgent and practical steps from Armenia, Russia, the United States, France, the European Union, the UN and other actors, and from Armenians around the world, strong pressure on everyone.”

Beglaryan stressed that 120,000 people are in complete isolation, without any supply and the possibility of movement. He also posted photographs showing how Azerbaijani armored vehicles block the road.

“So Baku guarantees free movement, which they lie to the whole world about, saying that there is no blockade?” he wrote.

Photo from Artak Beglaryan’s Facebook page

How Yerevan evaluates the installation of the Azerbaijani flag on the Hakari bridge and the ban on movement along the Lachin corridor. Comments of the Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, MPs and Ombudsman of Armenia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the unrecognized republic stated that Baku’s goal is to deliberately deprive people of the minimum means of subsistence, qualifying Azerbaijan’s actions as war crimes:

“By completely blocking the Lachin corridor, Azerbaijan has actually taken its targeted policy of ethnic cleansing in Artsakh to a new level. The deliberate starvation of 120,000 people, including children, women and the elderly, inflicting unbearable daily suffering on them, as well as imposing their own will through force or threat of force, requires the international community to take urgent and effective enforcement measures aimed at preventing massive violations of rights people of Artsakh.”

NK expects that

  • the international community will take the necessary collective and individual measures in order to “suppress the ongoing international crimes committed by Azerbaijan, as well as prevent a catastrophe that threatens the people of Artsakh with genocide”;
  • international structures and human rights organizations will adequately assess the situation and appeal to the Azerbaijani authorities to respect the right to humanitarian assistance and international protection of people.

“We emphasize that inaction and indifference actually encourage the genocidal actions of Azerbaijan,” the statement says.

“How should the situation be resolved?” This issue was raised by the Prime Minister of Armenia at a government meeting. According to Pashinyan, in order to solve the problem, we need:

  • execution of the legally binding decision of the International Court of Justice of February 22 (the court ordered Azerbaijan to ensure unhindered movement along the Lachin corridor),
  • launching an international mechanism for dialogue between NK and Baku, within which the problem of the rights and security of Armenians will be resolved.

He called the implementation of the decision of the International Court of Justice a matter of “the international agenda”, including the UN Security Council. It is this body that is empowered to enforce court decisions. Pashinyan believes that “failure to implement and ignore the decision has led to a humanitarian crisis,” when even the movement of Red Cross vehicles is prohibited:

“These are important facts, which in themselves refute Azerbaijan’s arguments that the forces and countries that talk about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor are allegedly interfering in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan.”

54 representatives of the US Congress led by Congresswoman Barbara Lee sent an open letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. They appealed to the administration of the US President with a demand “to stop military assistance to Azerbaijan and support Artsakh, to oppose the blockade of NK and the anti-Armenian aggression of Azerbaijan.”

Hearings on the “Protection of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh” were held at the Human Rights Committee. Congressmen said that “the US cannot accept the threat of genocide or ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.” It was said that “Azerbaijan is tightening the ring around Nagorno-Karabakh” as early as 2020.

“People are afraid that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is the longest since the collapse of the USSR, could provoke a repeat of history,” Congressman Jim McGovern said, referring to the Armenian genocide at the beginning of the last century.

Former US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback proposed the Nagorno-Karabakh Human Rights Act. He believes that it is necessary to adopt a document that would clearly define the minimum standards for protecting the security of the Armenian population of NK:

“Until Azerbaijan lifts the blockade, the president and administration must apply the sanctions provided for by the 907th amendment. And it has to happen right now.”

The US Congress passed Amendment 907 to the Freedom Support Act in 1992. It states that the United States can only provide humanitarian assistance to the government of Azerbaijan. The US should not provide any other assistance until Azerbaijan takes “practical measures to end all blockades and the use of force for offensive purposes against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.” However, the addition to amendment 907, adopted in 2002, allowed the president to suspend its operation and provide military assistance to Azerbaijan.


AW: Boston Hamazkayin screening the documentary “Blessing of the Mountain”

Karakhanian Suren
 Guest Contributor Community News, Film, Diaspora 0

WATERTOWN, Mass.—The Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society of Boston will present a screening of Blessing of the Mountain, a documentary about the Armenians of Musa Ler and Anjar, on Sunday, June 25, at 5 p.m. EST at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC) in Watertown, MA. Filmmaker Tamar Chahinian from Montreal will be in attendance to partake in a Q&A following the screening. 

Blessing of the Mountain is a testimony of the difficult journey of Musa Dagh inhabitants, beginning with the heroic battle of 1915 until the establishment of Anjar village in Lebanon, and after that, the village’s 80-year development. Chahinian says that the film represents the struggle of all diasporan Armenians after 1915 to hold onto their identity, religion and culture. This educational film is one hour and 22 minutes in length and is presented in Armenian, the original language of the film, with English subtitles.

The film premiered in Anjar in June 2022. Since then, Blessing of the Mountain has been touring North American cities, including San Francisco, Cambridge, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, New York and now Boston. Future stops are also scheduled. All proceeds from the screenings are donated to the solar panel project in Anjar and Artsakh through the Armenian Relief Society. 

Chahinian was born in Lebanon and moved to Canada in 1983. After 20 years of volunteer service as the host at Montreal’s Hay Horizon TV, for the past nine years she has been heading the program as its executive producer, researcher, director and host. The program has since been expanded to nine countries within vibrant Armenian communities, with their individual hosts and camera crews. Blessing of the Mountain is her first feature film. Chahinian is also an active member in the Armenian community and president of Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Association of Canada.

Tickets are available by scanning the QR code on the flyer.




Christian Armenian sites in Nagorno-Karabakh on the verge of total extermination, envoy tells UN

Karakhanian Suren
Panorama
Armenia –

Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mher Margaryan, delivered remarks at the UN General Assembly plenary debate under the agenda item 14: “Culture of Peace” on 14 June. Hs full statement is provided below.

“Mr. President,

Promotion and cultivation of dialogue, tolerance and non-discrimination lie at the core of human rights and human dignity, indispensable for building peaceful and inclusive societies. At the current difficult time in the history of humanity, fostering a culture that values peace, understanding and cooperation is of crucial importance, as intolerance, exclusion and discrimination, in their various forms and manifestations continue to introduce new lines of division and generate conflict in many parts of the world.

Unchecked military build-ups and escalations, accompanied with the promulgation of hate speech at the highest political level continue to persist, including in our immediate neighborhood.

Armenia welcomed the launch of the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech by the Secretary-General in 2019 and we encourage the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, as the UN Focal Point for the implementation of the strategy, to clearly identify the prevalent instances of hate speech, as it constitutes both trigger and an indicator of the risk of atrocity crimes.    As demonstrated so many times before, intolerance, cultivation of hate speech against national, ethnic and religious groups, if not properly addressed, can lead to genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Mr. President,

In promoting the culture of peace and protecting cultural heritage, an important and unique role is bestowed upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Armed conflicts and military actions can have devastating impact on objects of cultural heritage, which are of irreplaceable value to the entire mankind as unique expressions of history, identity and cultural memory. Today, the millennia-old Christian Armenian sites in Nagorno-Karabakh are on the verge of total extermination. Armenia’s deep concern in relation to the fate of the cultural property in Nagorno-Karabakh is also based on the previous history of total and intentional eradication of the Armenian heritage in Nakhijevan by Azerbaijan.

The destruction of the Armenian cultural heritage has been extensively monitored and reported, including through the use of modern digital technologies. In particular, satellite technology has been increasingly used to monitor and document efforts that seek to destroy or modify cultural sites. Cultural genocide perpetrated on the grounds of ethnic hatred and intent to destroy the traces of historical and civilizational presence of a particular nation is no longer a hearsay but a high-resolution imagery, offering material, factual evidence before the eyes of the international community.

Mr. President,

Armenia has consistently requested that a UNESCO fact-finding mission be deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh and the adjacent areas in order to help to preserve the vast and unique cultural heritage of the region, yet, the efforts of the international organizations for independent and impartial assessment of the facts on the ground have been continuously obstructed.

Those who disregard instances of cultural heritage erasure in the face of irrefutable evidence for the mere sake of the so-called neutrality need to be reminded that, more often than not, state-sponsored policies of hate crimes and violence against cultural and religious monuments come to be followed by other forms of atrocities. The late UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold once said that, I quote: “Never. Never “for the sake of peace and quiet,” deny your own experience or convictions” (end of quote). Culture of peace can only thrive where the rights to truth, justice and guarantees for non-recurrence have been enabled, which makes it a moral imperative for the international community to stand up for the values and convictions that unite us, the people.

Armenia remains committed to a strong and effective multilateral system, with the respect for human rights and the rule of law at the heart of it. We are determined to continue working towards justice, tolerance and non-discrimination, in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the values and goals of the Declaration and Programme of Action on the Culture of Peace.

Thank you.”

Sometimes Azerbaijan has greater influence on Turkey than vice versa-analyst weighs in on Baku’s tactics against Armenia

Karakhanian Suren

 14:04,

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS. The United States seeks to achieve the signing of any document between Armenia and Azerbaijan, political analyst Tigran Grigoryan told ARMENPRESS when asked about expectations from the upcoming foreign ministerial in Washington D.C.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan foreign ministerial in the U.S. capital was supposed to take place earlier but was postponed by Baku.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on June 16 that the meeting would take place “soon”.

According to Grigoryan, now Armenia and Azerbaijan are returning to the negotiations agenda at the active mediation of the United States to negotiate around the text of the possible peace treaty.

The political analyst described Washington as a platform where rather intensive talks are proceeding with the purpose of bringing the stances of the parties closer to each other, especially around key issues.

“In case of Azerbaijan, their conduct on participating in the talks on one hand and exerting pressure, breaching the ceasefire and putting forward some ultimatums to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh on the other hand has become usual,” the expert said, referring to the regular cross-border shootings by the Azerbaijani forces. 

Azerbaijan is attempting to use dividends gained through military pressure in the negotiations process. Naturally, in such conditions it is difficult to talk about comprehensive solutions or constructive processes, and as a result of this all there could be a situation when some solutions would simply be forced upon Armenia,” Grigoryan warned.

Mediators have an important role, although Brussels and Washington avoid assuming greater responsibility, he added.

Expecting comprehensive solutions that could be the basis for long-term peace in the region would be senseless without pressure by mediators on Azerbaijan, Grigoryan said.

Asked to comment on debates whether the possible peace treaty should be signed before or after the delimitation and demarcation process, Grigoryan said the current phase of talks is focused on the signing of a framework agreement. “A document with a general text will be signed, which will be followed by more concrete processes. It’s clear that delimitation and demarcation will be carried out later because these processes usually last very long. Even the signing of a framework agreement contains certain risks, because there is no guarantee that Azerbaijan won’t continue applying force against Armenia in an attempt to regularly coerce some concessions. If Azerbaijan isn’t pulling back its forces from the territory of Armenia now, then it will highly likely not do so after the signing of the treaty as well,” Grigoryan said.

Asked whether the U.S. could apply more efficient levers against Azerbaijan’s sponsor Turkey, in order to bring it back to the constructive arena, Grigoryan said that sometimes Azerbaijan has greater influence on Turkey than vice versa.

“The same goes for the U.S.-Turkey strategic partnership. Erdogan is engaged in a rather independent policy, he has left the NATO influence circle, is pragmatically cooperating with Russia, thus the U.S. influence factor shouldn’t be overestimated. The problem is more Baku than Ankara, and if pressure is to be applied than it should undoubtedly be done so upon Baku in order for it to abandon its maximalist positions and agree to compromised solutions,” Grigoryan concluded.

Armenian Defense Minister, Iranian ambassador discuss cooperation

Karakhanian Suren

 11:17,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan met on June 14 with the outgoing Ambassador of Iran to Armenia Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri.

During the meeting the sides discussed the course and prospects of the Armenian-Iranian cooperation and exchanged views on regional security issues, Papikyan said in a statement on social media. 

Minister Papikyan thanked the Ambassador for strengthening the Armenian-Iranian relations and increasing the efficiency of cooperation during his tenure and wished him successes in his future activities.

Iran a new ambassador to Armenia earlier in March.

Armenpress: The Azerbaijani side prevents the entry of citizens with Armenian registration to Artsakh

Karakhanian Suren

 20:59,

YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani side deliberately obstructs the entry of the people with Armenian registration to the Republic of Artsakh at the checkpoint illegally installed on the Hakari bridge of the Goris-Stepanakert highway (Lachin Corridor).

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the “Facebook” page of the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh, according to the data collected by the HRD staff of Artsakh, at least three similar cases have been recorded since the checkpoint was installed: two women and one child were prevented from entering. In all recorded cases, although the citizens had Armenian registration, they always lived in the Republic of Artsakh, and their families also live in Artsakh.

“These persons went to the Republic of Armenia for treatment under the blockade, and now, after solving their health problems, they cannot return to their homes. It is noteworthy that the Azerbaijani side allowed their exit from Artsakh, arbitrarily and illegally prohibiting their entry.

As a result of the harassment by Azerbaijan, the rights of these persons were violated not only to move freely, but also to reunite with their families.

The Human Rights Defender emphasizes that the checkpoint illegally installed by Azerbaijan on the Hakari bridge in Lachin Corridor from April 23 and other measures hindering the free movement of people, vehicles and goods on that road violate not only the well-known international norms of human rights, but also the provisions of the tripartite declaration of November 9, 2020, in particular, point 6, which envisages the safe and uninterrupted movement of people, vehicles and cargo through the Lachin Corridor.

Azerbaijan is trying to mislead the international community with various propaganda videos, showing that the corridor is not blocked and the free movement of people is ensured. “The existence of such a checkpoint, the use of passport, cargo and other types of control measures by Azerbaijan already mean obstacles to uninterrupted movement, causing significant risks not only of security, but also bearing the risk for other arbitrary disruptive measures at any time. According to the HRD of Artsakh, the recorded cases once again prove the inability of the Azerbaijani state propaganda and the systematic and consistent policy of ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh.

Armenian Prime Minister urges caution on ethical consequences of ‘extremely attractive’ future of AI

Karakhanian Suren

 15:31, 9 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has described the future of artificial intelligence to be “extremely attractive” but warned that the ethical consequences must be taken into account and the useful and responsible development and use of AI must be ensured.

Pashinyan made the remarks at the Eurasian Congress in Russia.

PM Pashinyan said that the development of advanced digital tools and technologies is a key component for ensuring equal economic competition on the global level. The Armenian PM said that AI is developing rapidly and it could transform many areas of life.

He cited experts as saying that AI will become more individualized and integrated into the society in the future. “Overall, the future of artificial intelligence is extremely attractive, but it is necessary to take into account the ethical consequences and ensure that AI gets developed and used responsibly and usefully,” Pashinyan said.

At the same time, the Armenian PM said that people and their creative will and energy are behind every innovation, thus the development of human capital is highly important as well.

“We can endlessly argue on the Future of Eurasia topic, which is very interesting and multifaceted, but overall, the future of Eurasia will most likely be determined by the combination of economic and technological trends, and our success will depend on our ability to orientate in these challenges and opportunities,” Pashinyan added, noting that understanding of mutual interests, willingness to compromise, readiness to cooperate and engage in dialogue are the Eurasian region’s characteristic features that could become the key to solving many problems in the future.