Author: Liana Toganian

Armenians Will Be Forever Grateful if Stallone Accepts This Challenge

Liana Toganian
Aug 24 2023

As a child in the 1980s, I grew up watching Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky” movies. It felt like Stallone and his movie wife Adrian, played by Talia Shire, were a part of our family.

Each punch Rocky took felt real and the series always got me teared up. The story of Rocky fits perfectly with the American dream and is similar to the stories of a lot of people trying to make it in this country.

Sevag Tateosian

Opinion

Rocky seemed like he was ready for any challenge.  But, as courageous as Rocky was, there is one fight that Stallone surprisingly backed away from in real life.

The story goes that in 2006, while promoting “Rocky Balboa,” another beautiful and touching Rocky film and presumed finale in the series, Stallone revealed to the Denver Post that he wanted to create an epic. The book that intrigued him was Franz Werfel’s 1933 novel “The 40 Days of Musa Dagh.”

Wefel’s book is based on a true story and is one of survival.

In the movie “The Promise,” the ending scene depicts the 1915 story of the Armenians living in Musa Dagh (known as Mousa Ler in Armenian) in Ottoman Turkey. They were alerted by clergymen that a genocide was occurring and they would be targeted next.

The villagers of Musa Dagh prepared to fight back and took to the hillside. After 53 days and numerous victories by the small Armenian population against a much bigger Ottoman Turkish military, the Armenians of Musa Dagh were evacuated by the French after their naval ships saw them.

In 1965, a group of Fresno Armenians founded the Forty Days of Mousa Dagh Commemorative Association USA, Inc. Today, the society remains committed to preserving and promoting Armenian heritage and culture, and to advocating for Armenian causes and issues.

Each September the society and community members hold a festival in Fresno with music, dancing, and great food to celebrate survival. During the festival, Armenian porridge (harissa) is made and distributed to attendees. The dish was eaten during the resistance and provided the necessary nutrition to stay alive and continue fighting.

This year’s festival is on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 2-3.

In addition, there will be an unveiling of the monument dedicated to the Armenians of Mousa Dagh located at Masis Ararat Cemetery later this year in Fresno. The concept was born in 2018 when a member of the committee approached the cemetery with the idea.

The monument is almost complete. Half of the $150,000 budget has been collected through donations. The organization is looking at doing a little more fundraising to complete the rest.

In 2006, Rocky caved to Turkish pressure. Perhaps now that the United States has officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, it’s time for Rocky to fulfill his dream project and produce this epic story.

I’ll start the chants now: “Rocky…Rocky…Rocky!” Who is joining me?

About the Author

Sevag Tateosian is host and producer of “San Joaquin Spotlight” on TalkRadio 1550 KXEX and CMAC Comcast 93 and Att 99. He works for the County of Fresno, and he and his wife own a Clovis area spa.

https://gvwire.com/2023/08/24/armenians-will-be-forever-grateful-if-stallone-accepts-this-challenge/

How to prevent the hunger in Artsakh

Liana Toganian
 Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan Commentary, Opinion 0

Since December 2022, Artsakh, or the self-proclaimed Nagorno Karabakh Republic, has faced a blockade imposed by Azerbaijan. It started with protests by so-called “eco-activists.” Then, on April 23, 2023, Azerbaijan established a checkpoint at the entrance of the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor. Since mid-June 2023, it has effectively prevented supplies of any goods from reaching Artsakh via the corridor. These actions have brought the region to the brink of actual starvation, as local resources have been almost completely depleted by the absence of deliveries of food and other necessities.

Given the deteriorating humanitarian situation, the Armenian government has launched a campaign calling on the international community to intervene and accusing the Azerbaijani government of committing genocide against the Armenians of Artsakh. Simultaneously, Armenia continues negotiations with Azerbaijan to sign a peace treaty, with multiple talks taking place in Washington, Brussels and Moscow. The Armenian government has reiterated its willingness to recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity under the 1991 Alma-Ata declaration, including Artsakh, and has dropped any demands for the autonomy of Artsakh within Azerbaijan. Instead, it has called for Stepanakert-Baku negotiations under an international mechanism to address the issue of the rights and security of the Armenian population living in Artsakh. Azerbaijan rejects any international mediation between its government and Artsakh, claiming that the rights and security of the Armenian population are the internal affairs of Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, Baku calls for the usage of the Aghdam-Stepanakert road to supply goods to Artsakh, arguing that as every state, including Armenia, recognizes Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan, no one should reject the idea of supplying goods from Azerbaijan, as is the case with other regions of the country. Artsakh authorities reject this possibility, arguing that it will validate the use of blockade as a negotiation tactic. They also raise concerns that once the road via Aghdam is functional, Azerbaijan will have another argument not to open the Berdzor Corridor, thus entirely cutting off the connection between Armenia and Artsakh.

Amidst these ongoing debates and mutual accusations, the humanitarian situation in Artsakh worsens daily. As a part of its diplomatic pressure on Azerbaijan, Armenia called on the U.N. Security Council to convene an extraordinary meeting to discuss the situation around the Berdzor Corridor. During the meeting, almost all members of the Security Council raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in Artsakh. They demanded the opening of the corridor, while some also accepted the possibility of using other routes to deliver supplies to Artsakh. However, the discussion at the Security Council ended without any statement or resolution adopted. Statements and concerns from states and international organizations are insufficient to force Azerbaijan to restore the supplies of goods to Artsakh via the Berdzor Corridor. 

Currently, there are only a few options to prevent the looming hunger crisis in Artsakh, and only Armenia can take steps to end the stalemate. All calls to the international community, U.N. Security Council members, and international and regional organizations will only bring results if Armenia takes tangible actions to solve the conundrum. 

There are several scenarios through which Armenia can restore supplies via the Berdzor Corridor. First, Armenia should clearly state that as Azerbaijan pursues a policy of genocide against Artsakh’s Armenians, Armenia cannot recognize Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan. Armenia may say it was willing to recognize Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan to contribute to long-term regional peace and stability, while knowing that Armenians will face multiple hardships living in Azerbaijan as Azerbaijan citizens. Armenia was ready to make this sacrifice, but it cannot do so while the Azerbaijani government commits genocide against Armenians. Armenia may return to its policy of recognizing Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan only after Azerbaijan ends its genocidal policy. By withdrawing its former declaration, Armenia can provide legitimacy to its demands that no supplies should be provided from Azerbaijan via Aghdam, and the supplies of goods via the Berdzor Corridor should be restored. However, this will not bring any change on the ground. Azerbaijan will continue to prevent the supply of any goods via the Berdzor Corridor.

A Flirtey drone delivering an AED (Wikimedia Commons)

If it withdraws its recognition of Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan, Armenia has two options. One is to threaten the use of force to open the corridor. This is quite challenging, as it may open the way for another large-scale war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with unclear implications. Given the dynamic changes in regional and global geopolitics, it is almost impossible to assess the reaction and steps of external actors – Russia, Iran, Turkey, the EU and the U.S. – if Armenia launches a military operation to end the blockade. Given the gap between Armenian and Azerbaijani military power, this option is risky, even if international reactions are neutral or favorable toward Armenia. The second option is the launch of an airlift to Stepanakert using drones. Azerbaijan may use its air defense systems to shoot down the drones bringing food to Stepanakert. However, it will be challenging to shoot all drones, and it will significantly harm Azerbaijan’s global image, simultaneously bringing additional international attention to the situation around Artsakh.

Suppose Armenia does not withdraw its recognition of Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan. In that case, it will be highly challenging to demand the reopening of the Berdzor Corridor and reject the option to use the Aghdam-Stepanakert route. In this scenario, to prevent hunger in Artsakh, Armenia should start negotiations with Azerbaijan and international actors, including Russia, the EU and the U.S., on the modalities of the use of the Aghdam-Stepanakert road and the possibilities of simultaneous supplies to Artsakh from Armenia via the Berdzor Corridor and from Azerbaijan via Aghdam. 

Not taking steps toward any of these scenarios will only exacerbate the situation and increase the suffering of the Armenians living in Artsakh, making the deadlock even more dangerous.

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Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan is the founder and chairman of the Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies and a senior research fellow at APRI – Armenia. He was the former vice president for research – head of the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense Research University in Armenia. In March 2009, he joined the Institute for National Strategic Studies as a research Fellow and was appointed as INSS Deputy Director for research in November 2010. Dr. Poghosyan has prepared and managed the elaboration of more than 100 policy papers which were presented to the political-military leadership of Armenia, including the president, the prime minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Poghosyan has participated in more than 50 international conferences and workshops on regional and international security dynamics. His research focuses on the geopolitics of the South Caucasus and the Middle East, US – Russian relations and their implications for the region, as well as the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. He is the author of more than 200 academic papers and articles in different leading Armenian and international journals. In 2013, Dr. Poghosyan was a Distinguished Research Fellow at the US National Defense University College of International Security Affairs. He is a graduate from the US State Department Study of the US Institutes for Scholars 2012 Program on US National Security Policy Making. He holds a PhD in history and is a graduate from the 2006 Tavitian Program on International Relations at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.


Analysts Say Use of Spyware During Conflict Is Chilling

Liana Toganian

Voice of America
Aug 7 2023
Aram Avetisyan

The use of sophisticated spyware to hack into the devices of journalists and human rights defenders during a period of conflict in Armenia has alarmed analysts.

A joint investigation by digital rights organizations, including Amnesty International, found evidence of the surveillance software on devices belonging to 12 people, including a former government spokesperson.

The apparent targeting took place between October 2020 and December 2022, including during key moments in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Amnesty reported.

The region has been at the center of a decades-long dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which have fought two wars over the mountainous territory.

Elina Castillo Jiménez, a digital surveillance researcher at Amnesty International’s Security Laboratory, told VOA that her organization’s research — published earlier this year — confirmed that at least a dozen public figures in Armenia were targeted, including a former spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a representative of the United Nations.

Others had reported on the conflict, including for VOA’s sister network Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; provided analysis; had sensitive conversations related to the conflict; or in some cases worked for organizations known to be critical of the government, the researchers found.

“The conflict may have been one of the reasons for the targeting,” Castillo said.

If, as Amnesty and others suspect, the timing is connected to the conflict, it would mark the first documented use of Pegasus in the context of an international conflict.

Researchers have found previously that Pegasus was used extensively in Azerbaijan to target civil society representatives, opposition figures and journalists, including the award-winning investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova.

VOA reached out via email to the embassies of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington for comment but as of publication had not received a response.

Pegasus is a spyware marketed to governments by the Israeli digital security company NSO Group. The global investigative collaboration, The Pegasus Project, has been tracking the spyware’s use against human rights defenders, critics and others.

Since 2021, the U.S government has imposed measures on NSO over the hacking revelations, saying its tools were used for “transnational repression.” U.S actions include export limits on NSO Group and a March 2023 executive order that restricts the U.S. government’s use of commercial spyware like Pegasus.

VOA reached out to the NSO Group for comment but as of publication had not received a response.

Castillo said that Pegasus has the capability to infiltrate both iOS and Android phones.

Pegasus spyware is a “zero-click” mobile surveillance program. It can attack devices without any interaction from the individual who is targeted, gaining complete control over a phone or laptop and in effect transforming it into a spying tool against its owner, she said.

“The way that Pegasus operates is that it is capable of using elements within your iPhones or Androids,” said Castillo. “Imagine that it embed(s) something in your phone, and through that, then it can take control over it.”

The implications of the spyware are not lost on Ruben Melikyan. The lawyer, based in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, is among those whose devices were infected.

An outspoken government critic, Melikyan has represented a range of opposition parliamentarians and activists.

The lawyer said he has concerns that the software could have allowed hackers to gain access to his data and information related to his clients.

“As a lawyer, my phone contained confidential information, and its compromise made me uneasy, particularly regarding the protection of my current and former clients’ rights.” he said.

Melikyan told VOA that his phone had been targeted twice: in May 2021, when he was monitoring Armenian elections, and again during a tense period in the Armenia and Azerbaijan conflict in December 2022.

Castillo said she believes targeting individuals with Pegasus is a violation of “international humanitarian law” and that evidence shows it is “an absolute menace to people doing human rights work.”

She said the researchers are not able to confirm who commissioned the use of the spyware, but “we do believe that it is a government customer.”

When the findings were released this year, an NSO Group spokesperson said it was unable to comment but that earlier allegations of “improper use of our technologies” had led to the termination of contracts.

Amnesty International researchers are also investigating the potential use of a commercial spyware, Predator, which was found on Armenian servers.

“We have the evidence that suggests that it was used. However, further investigation is needed,” Castillo said, adding that their findings so far suggest that Pegasus is just “one of the threats against journalists and human rights defenders.”

This story originated in VOA’s Armenia Service.


https://www.voanews.com/a/analysts-say-use-of-spyware-during-conflict-is-chilling-/7215333.html

Turkish Press: Armenia’s rejection of shipment plan stalling peace efforts in Karabakh, says Azerbaijani official

Liana Toganian
Aug 4 2023
Armenia’s rejection of shipment plan stalling peace efforts in Karabakh, says Azerbaijani official


Azerbaijan has imposed restrictions on Lachin corridor which Armenians living in Karabakh use for travel to and from Armenia, citing smuggling, terrorism

14:29 . 4/08/2023 Friday
AA

A senior Azerbaijani official has expressed concern over the rejection by the self-proclaimed Armenian leaders in Karabakh of Baku’s proposed path for shipments.

Ali Huseynli, chairman of the Azerbaijani National Assembly Law Commission, said this refusal presents “a significant risk to achieving a peaceful resolution of disputes between Azerbaijan and Armenia and hampers the efforts to establish lasting peace in the region.”

Huseynli told Anadolu that Armenia was trying to carry cargo to Karabakh using the Lachin-Khankendi road under the guise of “humanitarian aid.”

He stressed that the Lachin corridor lies in Azerbaijan’s territory and so Baku proposed using the Aghdam-Khankendi road for shipments.

“The so-called leaders of the separatist regime in Karabakh oppose shipments through the Aghdam-Khankendi road because accepting it would mean recognizing Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,” he said.

Azerbaijan has been imposing restrictions on the Lachin-Khankendi road, which the Armenians living in Karabakh use for travel to and from Armenia, citing the firing of shots from Armenia at border guards and smuggling activities using International Red Cross vehicles.

Heavy vehicles are not allowed to pass on the route, which is open to civilians.

Armenia sent 19 trucks to the border, claiming that the Armenian population in Karabakh is facing a “humanitarian crisis” due to the road closure, but these trucks have been waiting at the border for about a week.

Baku stated that it will not allow shipments that were not previously discussed with them to their sovereign territories, suggesting the Aghdam- Khankendi road for shipments to the Armenian population in Karabakh.

He further said that Azerbaijan regards the Armenians residing in Karabakh as its own citizens.

“Unfortunately, the coup regime in Khankendi, which is holding its people hostage, also rejects Azerbaijan’s integration proposals. All of this poses a serious threat to the peaceful resolution of disputes between Azerbaijan and Armenia and, most importantly, the establishment of sustainable peace in the region,” he added.

Huseynli said that accusing Azerbaijan of causing a “humanitarian crisis” in areas where the Armenian population lives in Karabakh is another manifestation of the double standards in the international arena, referring to the critical statements made by some officials from the US and Europe.

“The developments should be considered as a continuation of Armenia’s provocations. The leadership in Yerevan is trying to confuse the international community by spreading misinformation, albeit temporarily,” Huseynli said.

Nagorno-Karabakh: Canada says Armenians face ‘deteriorating humanitarian situation’

Liana Toganian
Canada – Aug 4 2023

OTTAWA – The Canadian government is again blaming Azerbaijan for escalating tensions in its Nagorno-Karabakh region, saying it is concerned about the “deteriorating humanitarian situation” for Armenians living in that region.

By Dylan Robertson The Canadian Press


OTTAWA – The Canadian government is again blaming Azerbaijan for escalating tensions in its Nagorno-Karabakh region, saying it is concerned about the “deteriorating humanitarian situation” for Armenians living in that region.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but it is mostly populated by Armenians, and neighbouring Armenia has fought for control of the region for decades.

Tensions rose in the area last fall, when the region’s main access road was blocked by groups of people suspected of being affiliated with the Azerbaijan government, and then by officials who have limited vehicle access.

Azerbaijan insists the region isn’t under a blockade, despite Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch saying food and essentials are severely restricted.

Last week, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it’s been denied access to all routes into the region, resulting in shortages for medicine, food and baby formula.

Canada is planning on sending two officials to support a European monitoring mission that is aiming to prevent another war in the region.

The Red Cross expressed alarm about Azerbaijan’s blocking of the area shortly after that country’s foreign ministry cited the group’s access to the area as proof that there was no blockade.

The Red Cross said last week it has been able to evacuate “more than 600 people in urgent need of medical care since December 2022,” but still has trouble accessing the region in order to provide medical services.

Global Affairs Canada said in a social-media post Tuesday that Azerbaijan should comply with the International Court of Justice’s order to allow the “unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo” into the region.

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry noted that the court order still allows for the inspection of vehicles entering the territory, and has alleged that the route has been used by elements affiliated with Armenia to smuggle weapons into the area.

Canadian MPs heard testimony in January about limited access to the region, but the House of Commons foreign-affairs committee hasn’t completed its study or issued an interim report on how Canada should respond.

The federal government plans to open an embassy in Armenia shortly, and Liberal officials often attend Armenian diaspora events.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 4, 2023.


https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/nagorno-karabakh-canada-says-armenians-face-deteriorating-humanitarian-situation/article_9d0d6bc3-dfd6-52aa-a5f2-185c17298dac.html

Nagorno-Karabakh residents expected to hold peaceful march to achieve opening of Lachin Corridor

Liana Toganian

 16:57, 4 August 2023

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS. Demonstrators in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) plan to organize a peaceful march towards Hakari Bridge where Azerbaijan has installed an illegal checkpoint and is keeping Lachin Corridor blockaded.

The demonstrators have formed an organization called the People’s Movement for Unblocking of the Corridor to organize the rally.

Artur Osipyan, a member of the movement, told ARMENPRESS that they see a solution to the situation through peaceful struggle.

“Based on the current situation, a large number of peaceful, unarmed residents can go to Hakari and resolve the issues on the ground, meaning to negotiate. This doesn’t mean that we are renouncing the state bodies of Artsakh, contrary to the opinions claiming that with this step we’d be doing what Aliyev told us to do. That’s not so. With this people’s movement we are once again raising the issues that we’ve raised before, to show that there are no criminals in Artsakh who’ve usurped power and are dictating their will, but that the people and the government actually concur in all the matters concerning the self-determination and the status of Artsakh. This movement is an independent people’s movement. This is a new idea of pan-national movement, that we must go and unblock the corridor ourselves,” Osipyan said.

He said that they want to rally thousands of citizens and unblock the corridor because the Russian peacekeepers and the international community are not resolving the issue.

Osipyan did not provide timeframes of the expected march.

‘We will announce the rally when we’ll see that the majority of the society is ready for it,” he said.

Van Novikov

ACT Alliance calls for an immediate lift of the blockade of the Lachin corridor in Nagorno-Karabakh and adherence to humanitarian principles

Liana Toganian
Aug 3 2023

In the face of a growing humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), ACT Alliance expresses deep concern with the blockage imposed by Azerbaijani authorities to block the Lachin corridor, the sole road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, precipitating a humanitarian crisis.  

Over the last seven months, the blockade has severely impacted the lives of the people in the region, especially the most vulnerable.  Some 120,000 ethnic Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, including 30,000 children, are suffering from severe shortages of food, medicine and fuel. In addition, this crisis is affecting their ability to access medical care and life-saving services.   

On 25 February, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Azerbaijan to ensure free movement of all persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin corridor in both directions.    

ACT Alliance is concerned by Azerbaijan’s lack of observance of its ethical obligations and humanitarian principles and urges the Azerbaijani government to end human suffering, giving particular attention to the most vulnerable. Blocking humanitarian aid should not be used as a strategy to resolve a conflict or other disputes.  

ACT Alliance calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately lift the blockade of the Lachin corridor and allow for unhindered and safe passage of civilians and goods along the corridor, as well as guarantee unimpeded humanitarian access in line with international law and the order of the ICJ.  

ACT Alliance is furthermore calling on the international community to urgently work to end the blockade and to find diplomatic solutions to bring a just peace to the region. 

Rudelmar Bueno de Faria 

ACT Alliance General Secretary  


https://actalliance.org/act-news/act-alliance-calls-for-an-immediate-lift-of-the-blockade-of-the-lachin-corridor-in-nagorno-karabakh-and-adherence-to-humanitarian-principles/

AW; DC Youth Leader denied entry to Armenia

Liana Toganian
August 2, 2023 Lillian Avedian Breaking, News 0

AYF Washington D.C. “Ani” Chapter member and AYF-YOARF ER Central Executive member Areni Margossian delivering her speech to the crowd of protesters in front of the White House on January 21, 2023 (Photo: AYF Washington D.C. “Ani” treasurer Kristine Antanesian)

Areni Margossian, a member of the Armenian Youth Federation-Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (AYF-YOARF) Eastern Region Central Executive and the AYF Washington D.C. “Ani” Chapter, was denied entry to Armenia on August 1. 

Margossian arrived at Zvartnots airport in Yerevan on the morning of August 1, en route to join a team of hikers to climb Mount Ararat. Her passport was confiscated by border control agents without an explanation. She was held at the airport for 24 hours before she was deported to the United Arab Emirates.

Margossian said everything seemed fine when she landed in Yerevan on Tuesday morning. “I could see Ararat from the plane,” she told the Weekly. Yet her passport set off an alert after it was scanned at border security. She was taken to a room in the airport, where she was held for over four hours. 

Two families came and went from the holding room. Margossian pressed the border control officers to explain why they had been released, while she was still being held without explanation. An officer told her that one of the families had been sent upstairs, which he said was a bad sign. 

She got in touch with the ARF Bureau Office of Youth Affairs in Yerevan and Kristine Vardanyan, an ARF member and parliamentarian representing the opposition Armenia Alliance. Vardanyan contacted the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan and the Human Rights Defender’s Office. Vardanyan told the Weekly that while the U.S. Embassy assured her that it would get in touch with the relevant agencies, “no significant assistance was provided within the 24-hour timeframe.” 

The Human Rights Defender’s Office eventually informed Vardanyan that Margossian’s name was included in a list of “undesirable persons for Armenia,” according to Vardanyan.

After more than four hours, Margossian was taken upstairs to the departure gates. “I hadn’t put two and two together. I thought they were saying I’d be more comfortable upstairs. The chairs are more comfortable, and I would have something to eat,” she said, until she recalled the officer’s warning that upstairs was a “bad place.” 

Margossian spent the night at the departure gates, catching some three hours of sleep on a waiting room chair. In the morning, she was informed by the Human Rights Defender’s office that she would need to submit a formal letter to the Armenian authorities to determine why she had been denied entry to the country. 

She was boarded on a flight to the UAE, connecting to Lebanon, where she would reunite with her mother. When she spoke with the Weekly from the Dubai International Airport, she was “desperately hoping” her luggage was on a plane headed her way. 

“It’s not the same, but to think about how Azerbaijan has been blockading Artsakh for eight months now, not letting any Armenians out or any supplies come in. The Armenian government in a parallel fashion is preventing me from reaching my own country, but opening it up freely to Turkey and Azerbaijan as if they’re our friends, while they’re the biggest enemies and want nothing more than to see us completely destroyed. It’s frustrating. More than that–it’s unacceptable,” Margossian said. 

Margossian suggested she was deported from Armenia because of her involvement in protests in Washington D.C. against the policies of the current Armenian government. In November 2021, she delivered a speech criticizing PM Pashinyan’s signature of the trilateral ceasefire agreement ending the 2020 Artsakh War exactly one year earlier and the concession of land to Azerbaijan, during a rally outside the Armenian embassy in Washington organized by the AYF. 

This is not the first time in the past year that an ARF member and activist from the diaspora has been denied entry to Armenia, following their involvement in anti-government protests.

In July 2022, Mourad Papazian, a leading member of the French Armenian community, was detained at Zvartnots and deported. Papazian is a member of the ARF Bureau and the co-president of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France, an umbrella structure of French Armenian groups. The Armenian Prime Minister’s office said that Papazian had been expelled from Armenia because he had organized an attack on PM Nikol Pashinyan’s motorcade during his official visit to France in June 2022. “Various objects and items were thrown in the direction of the motorcade,” according to the PM’s office. 

In August 2022, Massis Abrahamian, leader of the ARF in the Netherlands, and his daughter Suneh were detained and deported at the Yerevan airport. This past January, Njteh Karakavorian, head of the AYF in France, was refused entry to Armenia, en route to a pan-Armenian ARF Youth Conference in the Syunik province. 

The ARF has denounced these cases as violations of freedom of _expression_ and political affiliation. Vardanyan connected these incidents to the arrests of hundreds of protesters during anti-government rallies in Yerevan last year and a string of arrests of opposition politicians. 

“These incidents illustrate a worrying trend where individuals who participate in peaceful community events, engage in political activities and advocate for certain causes are being denied entry to the country or facing arrests. Such cases undoubtedly raise alarm about the state of democratic values and human rights in the country,” Vardanyan said in written comments to the Weekly. 

Meanwhile, Margossian says the priorities of the Armenian government need to shift.

“They need to protect our borders, protect Artsakh, focus energy on lifting the blockade and the return of prisoners of war. I am not their concern. I am a nobody in the grand scheme of Armenian issues right now,” Margossian said.

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Lillian Avedian is a staff writer for the Armenian Weekly. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hetq and the Daily Californian. She is pursuing master’s degrees in journalism and Near Eastern Studies at New York University. A human rights journalist and feminist poet, Lillian’s first poetry collection Journey to Tatev was released with Girls on Key Press in spring of 2021.


An Azerbaijan-Armenia Peace Deal Is Only Possible with Turkish and Iranian Participation

Liana Toganian
July 24 2023

The path to peace in Nagorno-Karabakh runs through Ankara and Tehran—and possibly Washington.

by Alex Little
Despite another round of negotiations in Brussels on July 15, the situation in the long-contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh remains volatile as violence continues to rage between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In an attempt to stabilize boiling tensions, Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan has vowed to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory. Future U.S.-hosted peace talks between Baku are critical for deciding the region’s fate. While peacekeeping proposals focus on the two direct combatants, the involvement of Turkey, which supports Azerbaijan, and Iran, which supports Armenia, will be necessary for potential talks to form an enduring settlement.

Given its shared cultural and ethnic heritage and desire to protect its sphere of influence, Turkey has long supported Azerbaijan’s territorial claims in Nagorno-Karabakh. During the 2020 Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, Turkey grew bolder in its support by providing infrastructure and weapons assistance, including Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, which helped secure Azerbaijan’s overwhelming victory. Ankara’s support has encouraged Baku’s assertiveness and reluctance to grant concessions. This attitude persisted throughout the September 2022 border clashes. Turkish foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu directly intervened, tweeting, “Armenia should cease its provocations and focus on peace negotiations and cooperation with Azerbaijan.”

Iran, meanwhile, played a pivotal role in perpetuating the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Iranian army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have conducted large-scale military drills along its border with Azerbaijan. While Iran has a sizable Azerbaijani population, Tehran is concerned about Israeli influence in the Caucasus. Baku has received high-tech drones and other weapons from Jerusalem. Azerbaijan also supplies 40 percent of Israeli oil consumption. Iran is also concerned that Israel’s support for Azerbaijan is an opportunity for the former to conduct surveillance on Tehran via unmanned surveillance aircraft. Additionally, if Baku were to construct the Zangezur overland transport corridor, which would connect Azerbaijan and Turkey via southern Armenian territory, Iran could be further isolated from the South Caucasus.

Excluding the regional powers from future Nagorno-Karabakh peace negotiations would be an unwise error. Upcoming Nagorno-Karabakh talks present the opportunity for Armenia and Turkey to make concrete steps in pursuing the normalization of ties discussed in 2022. Iran could also appease its Azerbaijani population by achieving peace with its neighbor.

Reconciling Turkey and Iran could also serve as an avenue for Washington to improve its own relations with Ankara and Tehran. U.S.-Turkey relations have deteriorated since the early 2000s. U.S.-Iran links have been in a deep freeze since the United States withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018. As a result, the Iran nuclear crisis has worsened, with Iran now possessing enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon. Through cooperation over Nagorno-Karabakh, Washington and Tehran could potentially revitalize peace talks in other areas, including nuclear nonproliferation.

While diplomatic cooperation between Iran and the West may appear unlikely, all parties have clear interests in furthering peace. Iran’s Azerbaijani population, which has staged protests in the past, poses problems for Iranian unity. The United States and France are also home to sizable Armenian diaspora communities. American and EU investors maintain commercial interests in Azerbaijan’s energy projects. Baku helped build 2,174 miles of natural gas pipelines to Europe via Georgia and Turkey. These projects will be critical for the success of the EU-Azerbaijan energy plan to double Brussels’ gas imports from Azerbaijan by 2027.

What conditions will ensure a durable peace settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh? First, Azerbaijan must cease its blockade of the Lachin corridor. This blockade has restricted the freedom of movement for the 120,000 Karabakh Armenians and threatened their access to food and medicine. Ending the blockade would be a suitable concession, allowing Armenia to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijan’s territory.

Protection of the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh will also be crucial for lasting peace and will put to rest Yerevan’s concerns about a potential ethnic cleansing. Persecution of Karabakh Armenians would surely lead to an increase in Iran and Turkey’s military involvement in the region. The United States should make clear that failure to assure the security of Karabakh Armenians would negatively impact Baku’s reputation as a dependable trading partner.

If these objectives can be met, a commitment from Iran and Turkey to reduce escalatory practices will keep Karabakh tensions from spiraling into a more significant conflict. UN peacekeepers are ideal, neutral guarantors of preserving these conditions, as Russian peacekeepers have been ineffective in quelling violence in the region. Peacekeepers from the United States are out of the question, as there are no vital U.S. national interests in the South Caucasus that would warrant the risk of starting new wars.

The United States should recognize that it can reap considerable benefits from including Turkey and Iran in future Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks. Not only is it a chance for open dialogue on a myriad of important issues, but it could provide the greatest likelihood of lasting peace in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Alex Little is an MS graduate of Georgia Tech and specializes in Russian and Central Asian affairs.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/eurasia-transition/azerbaijan-armenia-peace-deal-only-possible-turkish-and-iranian















Armenia tries to make steps to overcome distrust with Azerbaijan, says Pashinyan

Liana Toganian

 14:43,

YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that his administration is trying to take steps what would overcome the distrust between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

He said he’s never heard Azerbaijan refuse to engage in talks about the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh during negotiations, but on the other hand the public statements made by Azerbaijani representatives don’t show such willingness. At the same time, Pashinyan stressed that he doesn’t understand the positions voiced in Nagorno Karabakh on ruling out discussions and talks with Azerbaijan on this matter. Pashinyan also noted that there are some in Nagorno Karabakh who do speak about the need for dialogue.

“I’m also talking about the agreement made during the previous Brussels meeting. Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to reciprocally recognize each other’s territorial integrity, taking into account that there is an issue regarding the rights and security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh and this issue must be addressed, which can’t be denied. It is another matter that understandably there is big distrust from Azerbaijan against Armenia and vice versa, therefore, the question is as to how to overcome this distrust. That’s the reason why we want to make steps that would overcome this distrust,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan added that addressing the humanitarian situation in Nagorno Karabakh and dialogue with the agenda of addressing the rights and security of Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh is highly important.

“The distrust between the parties is the reason why we believe that a more or less effective dialogue could only take place within the framework of an international mechanism, during which vague steps or hopes for creating trust could appear. We must change our perspective on issues, with what logic we view issues,” he said.