Author: Kevo Kalantarian

Pope Francis Calls for Peace Between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Christmas Message

Kevo Kalantarian
 bnn 
Hong Kong – Dec 25 2023

By: Momen Zellm

In his traditional Christmas Day message, Pope Francis conveyed a profound wish for peace and reconciliation between nations embroiled in strife, with a specific mention of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Addressing a crowd gathered in the iconic St. Peter’s Square, the Pope fervently called for these nations to move towards definitive peace.

Pope Francis’ Christmas message resonated not just within the Vatican’s walls, but across the globe, as he highlighted the need for humanitarian outreach and the safe return of refugees to their homes. Respect for religious traditions and places of worship was a key theme in his address, as he passionately prayed for an end to the wars and violence that have marked various regions of the world.

From Israel and Palestine to the Sahel region, the Horn of Africa, Sudan, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and the Korean peninsula, the Pope’s prayer encompassed all corners of the globe. He also emphasized the need to address the social and political conflicts in the Americas that are triggering mass migration.

In a world increasingly marred by conflict and strife, Pope Francis’ Christmas message was a clarion call for peace. He condemned the Israeli-Hamas conflict and urged for peace in the region, alongside prayers for stability in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Sudan, South Sudan, Cameroon, and Congo.

The Pope also underscored the responsibility of political authorities and people of goodwill to resolve social and political conflicts, combat poverty, and address migration movements. In the face of global challenges, he called for a collective commitment to opposing all war, cherishing human life, and speaking up for the voiceless.

As part of his Christmas Day address from the central loggia of Saint Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis expressed his traditional good wishes for Azerbaijan and Armenia. He prayed for these states to find a definitive peace, a sentiment that was echoed in his references to the war in Israel and Palestine.

Expressing his closeness to Christians in Gaza and the entire Holy Land, the Pope called for the release of hostages from Hamas and prayed for world peace. His address marked the beginning of the preparations for the Jubilee Year 2025, a time when he hopes the world will reject war and embrace peace in earnest.

Nearly all Russia-Armenia defense agreements fulfilled on time — Russian envoy

Kevo Kalantarian
TASS, Russia
Dec 22 2023
"New agreements in the sphere of defense cooperation are being discussed between our countries," Sergey Kopyrkin added

YEREVAN, December 22. /TASS/. Almost all defense cooperation agreements between Russia and Armenia have been fulfilled efficiently and on time, Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin said in an interview with TASS.

"Bilateral defense cooperation based on the agreement signed between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia on June 25, 2013, has a long tradition. Almost all such agreements signed earlier have either been fulfilled, efficiently and on time, or are in the final stages of implementation," the Russian diplomat said.

Also, Moscow and Yerevan are discussing the signing of additional agreements, Kopyrkin emphasized. "New agreements in the sphere of defense cooperation are being discussed between our countries," he said, adding that the relevant government agencies of Russia and Armenia were currently resolving all relevant working nuances.

Earlier, Yerevan said that, although it still has not received Russian weapons that it had already paid for, it was ready to address the issue in an atmosphere of partnership. The Armenian authorities also announced plans to diversify the South Caucasus country’s weapons purchases. In particular, the former Soviet republic recently initiated active defense cooperation programs with India and France.

https://tass.com/politics/1725281

It’s Not the Economy, Stupid: Azerbaijan and Armenia

Kevo Kalantarian
Dec 21 2023

By William Roberts 

on

Contemporary students of international relations are taught the “Golden Arches Theory”, first asserted by New York Times Journalist Thomas Friedman in 1996, claims that no two countries with a McDonald’s will fight a war against each other. The merits of this bold claim stood on tenuous ground until being thoroughly disproven during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020 between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan’s recent aggression against Armenians, culminating in the ethnic cleansing of the Artsakh region in September, confirms Friedman’s assertion is inaccurate and illustrates the risks of relying upon the underlying logic.

The broader claim that economic integration should cause states to pursue non-military means of conflict resolution remains prevalent in Western policy making circles. The Golden Arches Theory basically functions as an updated theory of capitalist peace for a world undergoing globalization with a clear benchmark included. Of course, the cheers for Azerbaijan’s aggression from the official social media accounts for McDonald’s in Azerbaijan demonstrated that the very instruments of economic integration are not immune to the historical, cultural, and religious factors that cause conflicts.

In the aftermath of Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, the initial U.S. policy towards Azerbaijan began addressing the violence in the Caucasus before seemingly returning to willful ignorance. The Senate unanimously voted to prohibit U.S. foreign assistance to Azerbaijan for the next two years; the State Department declared there will be “no business as usual” with Azerbaijan until a peace agreement is implemented; USAID announced an additional $4 million in humanitarian assistance to respond to the needs of the Armenian Christians that fled their homes in the wake of Azerbaijan’s attack on September 19th. Yet these positive developments were quickly undermined when it became clear that holding Azerbaijan accountable would come at a geopolitical cost to the Biden administration vis-a-vis Russia and Iran – even despite ethnic cleansing and other human rights violations.

The Biden administration’s real position became evident after the State Department’s walking back of its “no business as usual” position, quickly restoring the high level exchanges that were previously to be prohibited as part of this short-lived policy. During the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on “The Future of Nagorno-Karabakh,” the State Department announced the initial position and explained how U.S. policy would secure a lasting peace agreement and hold Azerbaijan accountable for its continued aggression. The primary instrument for creating this peace identified by the State Department was the Zangezur Corridor, which would connect Azerbaijan and its exclave Nakhchivan. The State Department is under the impression that, if Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey become more economically integrated, then the Caucasus can be turned into a Western bastion against Russia and Iran.

Yet this strategy demonstrates the same short-sighted logic of the disproven “Golden Arches” theory which, though debunked, persists in U.S. policy making. It is ridiculous to suggest that Turkey and Azerbaijan, amid their simultaneous denial and celebration of the Armenian Genocide, would seriously pursue improved relations with Armenia after thirty years of war, hot and cold. The consistent disinterest of Azerbaijan and Turkey in the peace process thus far cannot be explained simply by economic interests, nor can they be assuaged Armenia’s newfound willingness to submit to their demands. Rather, this conflict is rooted in historical, cultural, and religious causes that will not disappear with the construction of roads and oil pipelines.

Armenians justifiably feel threatened by the Zangezur Corridor out of concern that it would be used to annex southern Armenia. Nevertheless, in the interest of securing a lasting peace, Armenia has continued to participate in negotiations around the corridor and even take further steps to dismantle its relationship with Russia, the traditional guarantor of Armenian security.

Given the U.S. failure to deter or hold accountable Azerbaijan’s latest aggression, even despite explicit promises to do so only days before, it is simply not credible that the West would be able to provide sufficient security guarantees to Armenia.

Turkey imports the lion’s share of its energy from Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran and thus has interest in strong ties to those nations. A more direct connection in Turkish–Azerbaijani relations, unobstructed by the existence of Armenia, would make these arrangements even more lucrative and undermine America’s ability to persuade Turkey and Azerbaijan to decouple from Russia and Iran as Armenia has. Rather than pulling the Caucasus and Turkey further into the Western orbit, the current trajectory of the peace process prepares for a bisection of Armenia, giving Turkey and Azerbaijan a freer hand to buck Western priorities and pursue their own agendas to the detriment of Armenian interests and America’s moral credibility.

Tolerance for human rights abuses committed by Turkey and Azerbaijan in Armenia, Artsakh, and elsewhere is not only morally abominable, but also strategically unsound. The U.S. priority in the conflict surrounding Artsakh should be a viable peace agreement that ensures security for Armenia and holds Azerbaijan accountable for its aggression. This should be pursued without the delusions of “Golden Arches” diplomacy, which leads to ignorance of the historical, cultural, and religious factors of the conflict.

The lasting influence of the “Golden Arches” theory continues to loom over U.S. policy making, especially with respect to issues of international religious freedom where economics are used to explain religious violence, ignoring other explanations for this violence from both the perpetrators and victims. Azerbaijan and Turkey would economically benefit from the destruction of Armenia, but that is not the only reason for the violence in Artsakh. We are far past the time for the U.S. to look at the world with a greater appreciation for the non-economic factors that shape history. Ensuring justice for the victims of Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing is a great opportunity for the U.S. to rebuild its moral credibility and demonstrate U.S. policy is based on our values and not dollars.

https://providencemag.com/2023/12/its-not-the-economy-stupid-azerbaijan-and-armenia/

First batch of school supplies distributed through AYF “Sponsor a Student” initiative

Kevo Kalantarian
 AYF-YOARF Diaspora, Youth 0

The gathering of AYF members at the ARF Aram Manougian Youth Center in Yerevan, Armenia for distribution of the first backpacks filled with school essentials

On Sunday, December 17, through the AYF-YOARF Eastern Region’s “Sponsor a Student” initiative, 54 Juniors from five different regions of Artsakh gathered at the ARF Aram Manougian Youth Center in Yerevan, Armenia to receive their backpacks.

The “Sponsor a Student” initiative was launched in response to the crisis in our homeland. The AYF-YOARF Eastern Region decided to raise funds to provide supplies to school-aged children who were displaced from their homes in Artsakh. Since the launch, the campaign has raised nearly $18,000. With these collected funds, the AYF-YOARF purchased backpacks, filled them with school supplies and distributed them to displaced children this past Sunday. 

The New Jersey “Arsen” Junior Chapter shares a special video Christmas message with the Artsakh AYF Juniors

The backpacks include all the essentials to help alleviate the students’ transition to starting school in Armenia. This includes notebooks, pens, pencils, pencil cases, rulers, protractors, erasers, sharpeners, drawing compasses, pins and water bottles. ARF Youth members of Armenia also participated in the program to help facilitate new introductions and ensure organization of the distribution. The morning began with announcements from the Artsakh AYF Central Executive and a special video from the New Jersey “Arsen” Junior Chapter wishing the Artsakh AYF Juniors a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. This gathering was an opportunity for the youth from Artsakh to come together, and while for some it was a reunion, for others it was an opportunity to meet new friends. 

Artsakh AYF Juniors singing together

After the introductions, the Juniors were split into teams to play games, which was followed by singing songs and reciting poems. At first, only a few Juniors were willing to sing, but by the end of the second song, everyone was volunteering to sing and recite their favorite poems. The program concluded with distributing backpacks to the youth members. Everyone left feeling excited for the upcoming events and reunions that the Artsakh AYF Central Executive is planning alongside other regions. 

Throughout the event, the beautiful dialect of Artsakh echoed in the room, whether it was through the games, the whispers between reunited friends or the parents’ encouragement and guidance of their children. The Artsakh dialect was not the only way the room was filled with Artsakhtsi spirit—it was evident in every opportunity throughout the event. The team names selected by the Juniors were: “Artsakhtsiner,” “Artsakhi Oujer,” “Avo,” “Monteapert” and “Artsakh” (Արցախցիներ, Արցախի ուժեր, Աւօ, Մոնթեաբերդ, Արցախ). 

Artsakh AYF Juniors enjoy delicious traditional Artsakh food, including Jingalyov hats and gurgut

The trivia game included questions about Artsakh’s history, geography, architecture, heroes, culture and songs. The poems and even the delicious traditional Artsakh food, like Jingalyov hats and gurgut, served as reminders of Artsakh’s resilience and the undying hope of return to the homeland. 

A donation of $50 sponsors a backpack and supplies for one student. The Central Executive has set a Round 1 goal of $25,000 to sponsor 500 students. Upon reaching this goal, future rounds will be announced to continue providing additional support to those children who have not yet received supplies. Future donation rounds will be aimed at delivering backpacks to those Artsakhtsis living outside of Yerevan and throughout the entirety of Armenia. 

Artsakh AYF Juniors show off their new backpacks filled with essential school supplies thanks to the AYF “Sponsor a Student” program

As the youth organization of the ARF, the Central Executive finds it important and necessary to support our fellow youth of Artsakh and ensure that we maintain their access to education through these extremely difficult times in our nation’s history.

To fund successive rounds of backpack deliveries, we need your continued generosity and support. If you would like to make a donation, please visit givebutter.com/artsakhfund to support this extremely vital initiative.

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Founded in 1933, The Armenian Youth Federation is an international, non-profit, youth organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF). The AYF-YOARF Eastern United States stands on five pillars that guide its central activities and initiatives: Educational, Hai Tahd, Social, Athletic and Cultural. The AYF also promotes a fraternal attitude of respect for ideas and individuals amongst its membership. Unity and cooperation are essential traits that allow members of the organization to work together to realize the AYF’s objectives.


Armenia and Azerbaijan exchange prisoners in step towards normalisation

Kevo Kalantarian
Al Jazeera, Qatar
Dec 13 2023

Azerbaijan releases 32 Armenians, most of whom were held since 2020, in exchange for two soldiers held since April.


Armenia and Azerbaijan have traded prisoners of war at their border in a step towards normalising their relations three months after Azerbaijan achieved a decisive breakthrough in their decades-old conflict.

The exchange took place on Wednesday with Azerbaijan releasing 32 Armenians mostly captured in late 2020 while Armenia released two Azerbaijani soldiers held since April.

“Thirty-one personnel from Armenia’s armed forces captured in 2020-2023 and one serviceman captured in Nagorno-Karabakh in September have crossed the Azerbaijani-Armenian border and are on Armenian territory,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook account.

Azerbaijan’s state commission for prisoners of war also released a statement about the swap.

“Armenian soldiers were handed to Armenia after the International Committee of the Red Cross examined their health and made a positive conclusion,” it said.

The two neighbours are also discussing the withdrawal of troops from their border, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

The countries said last week as they announced the prisoner exchange that they “reconfirm their intention to normalise relations and to reach a peace treaty on the basis of respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

In November, Yerevan said a total of 55 Armenian prisoners of war were being held by Baku, including six civilians, 41 soldiers and eight separatist leaders who were arrested in the wake of Baku’s military operation in September, which recaptured the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The South Caucasus neighbours have fought two wars in the past 30 years over mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh, which is a part of Azerbaijan where ethnic Armenians broke away and established de facto independence in the 1990s.

After Azerbaijan recaptured the territory, most of its 120,000 ethnic Armenians fled to Armenia.

The prisoner exchange agreement was welcomed by the European Union and the United States, who have been trying to persuade the two countries to sign a peace treaty for years.

Western mediation has stepped up after Russian influence in the region has dipped in the past two years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan were part of the former Soviet Union.

Difficulties in relations between Russia and Armenia are surmountable, says Galuzin

Kevo Kalantarian

 18:20,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. According to the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Galuzin, temporary difficulties in relations between Russia and Armenia could be overcome with the prospect of further development of relations between the two countries, TASS reports.

According to the source, Galuzin pointing out the many historical, cultural, humanitarian and economic ties between the peoples of Armenia and Russia, said that the  temporary difficulties in the relations are not only surmountable, but  could be overcome with the prospect of further development of relations between Armenia and Russia.

What happened to Ara Martirosyan? Tributes pour in as popular Armenian singer dies aged 46

Kevo Kalantarian
Dec 16 2023
ByKarishma Rao

Popular Armenian singer Ara Martirosyan passed away on , at the age of 46. News of the singer's death was confirmed by fellow singer Lilit Galstyan's manager. Ara Martirosyan reportedly suffered from cardiac arrest and was taken to the hospital. Netizens have since flooded social media with tributary messages.

As mentioned earlier, the Arevik singer was just 46 years old at the time of his passing. Cardiac arrests occur when the heart unexpectedly stops pumping blood, leading to a lack of blood circulation toward the brain and other vital organs.

News reports revealed that Ara was found unresponsive by his wife before being taken to the hospital. His funeral was held on December 18, 2023, at the St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church. He was reportedly buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California.

According to News Unzip, the renowned singer was born on June 3, 1976, in the Armenian capital of Yerevan. After expressing a keen interest in music by learning how to play the piano and guitar at a young age, he went on to join the choir at an Armenian Apostolic Church. He graduated from the Yerevan State Conservatory with a degree in music theory and composition.

The singer entered the music industry in 1998 when he joined the musical group Song State Theatre. In 1999, he released his first single Arevik which went on to become a hit track in the country. Since then, he has released several popular tracks with Nerir being his most popular album, which helped him get multiple awards.

A few of Ara Martirosyan's other popular tracks include Hayastan, Siro Ashun, Du Es, Yes U Do, and Imn Es amongst others. Apart from being a sensational artist, he has also composed songs for singers like Anush Petrosyan, Arsen Safaryan, and Nune Yesayan. The musician has also been credited for working in the music department of the film The Fiancé From Circus which was released in 2011.

The musician won the Golden Lyre Award for the Best Male Singer in Armenia in 2001, 2003, and 2005. He has also won several other awards including the Armenian Music Awards’ Best Pop Album and Best Pop Song.

Ara Martirosyan married Mercedes Khachatryan in 2002 and the couple have two children together, a son, Arman, and a daughter Ani. They lived in Yerevan before settling in Los Angeles, California.

According to Idol Networth, the Armenian singer boasts a net-worth ranging between $100K to $1M.

Internet users were incredibly saddened by the unexpected loss and took to social media to share their tributary messages.

Ara Martirosyan has amassed over 145K followers on Instagram. At the time of writing this article, no statements about his passing made it on his social media page. His last social media upload was five weeks ago, where he had written in the caption – “MAM Jan Tox Astvac Hogid Lusavori!!!”

https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/news-what-happened-ara-martirosyan-tributes-pour-popular-armenian-singer-dies-aged-46

A solar plant in Rind settlement was launched as a result of the cooperation between Ucom and SunChild NGO

Kevo Kalantarian

 16:55,

Ralph Yirikian, Director General of Ucom, and Sona Kalantaryan, Director of SunChild (Arevordi) NGO, visited Rind settlement of Areni community in Vayots Dzor province today. A 10.3 kW solar plant was installed in the local kindergarten, enabling the kindergarten building to be heated with electricity obtained from the sun's rays.

"Ucom, as a national communications operator, supports the development of the green economy in Armenia, and this initiative is one of its shining examples. These solar plants will provide warmth for our children for the next 20-25 years and, most importantly, will not harm nature because the solar plant is absolutely harmless. This is also an important mission in terms of spreading eco-education. We will always help promote the green concept," said Ralph Yirikian, Director General of Ucom.

 

This cooperation became a reality in 2023 within the framework of the memorandum of cooperation concluded in August by Ucom and SunChild non-governmental organization for nature and culture preservation. According to the memorandum of cooperation, the support was initially intended for other activities but due to the forced displacement of Artsakh residents and resettlement in different settlements of Armenia, this support was redirected to infrastructure development.

 

"The protection of nature and cultural monuments and the promotion of eco-culture is important for us. With our activities, we contribute to the development of the eco-movement in order to be able to preserve native nature. Ucom is one of our important advocates on this path, whose support greatly helps to implement more large-scale projects," said Sona Kalantaryan, director of SunChild NGO.

During the visit, the leaders of the two organizations toured the kindergarten building and familiarized themselves with the conditions.

 

***

Ucom provides the fastest fixed and mobile communication services in Armenia. It is the absolute leader in providing IPTV and fixed Internet services and occupies leading positions in the Armenian mobile Internet market. With modernized 4G+ and its own fiber optic networks meeting the best international standards, Ucom provides a complete set of fixed and mobile communication services to more than 700,000 subscribers.

 

***

 

Established in 2006, The SunChild NGO is a non-profit organization renowned for and dedicated to environmental education, awareness raising, and behavior change projects.  SunChild NGO has successfully organized a range of high-profile events, including the SunChild International Environmental Festival, that have attracted significant media attention and public participation, as well as the SunChild EcoClub Network, allowing thousands of young people to obtain environmental knowledge.




Armenia, Czech Republic Foreign Ministries hold bilateral talks

Kevo Kalantarian

 21:30,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS.  Political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and the Czech Republic were held in Yerevan on Thursday.

The Armenian delegation was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan, and the Czech delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Jan Marian.

The parties lauded the high level of political dialogue between Armenia and the Czech Republic, the need to maintain it and discussed a wide range of issues related to the Armenian-Czech bilateral agenda. Referring to the prospects of economic cooperation between the two countries, the parties emphasized the session of the Armenian-Czech intergovernmental commission to be held in May and expressed readiness to take steps in the direction of expanding economic ties. During the meeting, the sides discussed cooperation in cultural, educational and scientific spheres, the foreign ministry said.

"Reference was made to the issues related to the Armenia-EU comprehensive partnership agenda, the possibilities of mutual support within the framework of international organizations. Amidst the discussion, the importance of regular political contacts was also emphasized. Views were exchanged on a number of issues of the regional and international agenda," the statement reads.

According to the source, Deputy Foreign Minister Hovhannisyan presented to his counterpart the "Crossroads of Peace" program developed by the Armenian government and the latest developments in the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Reference was made to the December 7 joint statement of the staffs of the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan and the importance of further active steps in that direction.

Referring to the large-scale military attack carried out by Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh in September and the resulting ethnic cleansing, the deputy minister presented the steps being taken to meet the needs of forcibly displaced people of Nagorno-Katrabakh and to protect their fundamental rights.

Armenpress: Armenian, Greek Foreign Ministers emphasize importance of joint Armenia-Azerbaijan statement

Kevo Kalantarian

 21:47, 8 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan on December 8 had a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece George Gerapetritis.

The interlocutors touched upon the key issues of the Armenia-Greece bilateral agenda, as well as of the Armenia-EU partnership. Both sides commended the steps and initiatives aimed at expanding cooperation on both bilateral and multilateral platforms, the deepening of the political dialogue, the foreign ministry said.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Greece exchanged views on regional security and stability topics.

According to the source, Minister Mirzoyan briefed his counterpart on the latest developments in the normalization process of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and the positions of the Armenian side on the draft peace treaty. The importance of the joint statement made the day before by the office of the Prime Minister of Armenia and the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan and further efficient steps in that direction were mentioned.