Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

Artsakh needs the leadership of our church

Nahapetian Zhanna
September 6, 2023 Stepan Piligian In Sight 0

Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan leads Artsakh soldiers in prayer (Facebook)

There was a time when our beloved church was the face of the liberation struggle for Artsakh. Who has forgotten the image of strength, wisdom and determination displayed by Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, appointed the first Primate of the newly-formed Artsakh diocese in 1989? He was a constant presence throughout the wars in Artsakh from 1991-1994 and in 2020 until his retirement due to health problems in early 2021. Martirosyan represented the two most important attributes for military and diplomatic success – unity and hope. 

Most Armenians in the diaspora had little functional knowledge of Artsakh prior to the liberation movement in the late 1980s. The independence declarations of Artsakh and Armenia occurred within 19 days of each other in 1991, but they were a study in contrast in their aftermaths. Armenia was liberated within the vacuum left by the collapse of the Soviet Union, while Artsakh was attacked by Azerbaijan and forced to defend its rights. While Armenians waited for media reports of the conflict during those fateful years, our perceptions were influenced by the constant presence of Archbishop Martirosyan, whose blend of patriotism and spiritual guidance drew comparisons to Ghevont Yeretz and Karekin Hovseptiantz. His selfless leadership and sacrificial humility brought the church’s role into focus. With no disrespect intended, most Armenians have limited knowledge of his successor. The church has assumed a much lower profile in the last several years, to the detriment of our people. In times of crisis, hope generates motivation, and through our faith, the church can be the bedrock of hope.

The cause for Artsakh has always been about the God-given right to self-_expression_. Military conquests and human rights atrocities can never remove this fundamental truth. The liberation struggle began as a defense of self-determination and human rights and blossomed into a journey of building a nation. It is remarkable what the people of Artsakh have accomplished in isolation and a lack of political recognition. Our world contains many so-called democracies whose citizens would envy the progress of Artsakh. 

The Armenian church has always occupied a unique role in the nation. One of the most iconic pictures taken prior to the miraculous tri-battles of 1918 that enabled life for Armenia as we know it was a gathering of soldiers at Holy Etchmiadzin participating in a blessing service by Catholicos Gevorg V. Before the liberation of Shushi in May 1992, Pargev Surpazan blessed the Armenian troops, then led them to Ghazanchetsots Cathedral for a prayer for the fallen soldiers. It was the first time since 1920 that a prayer had been heard in the Cathedral. That moment was a merging of faith, self-determination and hope, as witnessed at Avarayr and Sardarabad. 

In 2011, I visited Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi and experienced its beauty. When I walked into the cathedral that morning, there were several dozen of our brave Artsakh soldiers praying in the sanctuary before heading to the line of contact for their duty to the nation. They understood the role of the church in our survival. I believe they succeeded largely because of the unity of our souls, for our faith and the nation.

If the church had a vital role in the Artsakh struggle in the past, shouldn’t that role be even more crucial today? People are suffering. The behavior of Azerbaijan has degenerated from despotic and oppressive to genocidal. There is no difference between the horrific crimes of murder and deportation committed by Talaat to the pitiful actions by Aliyev to starve an entire population. As Artsakh faces a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions, the church has a responsibility to provide visible leadership.

The struggle for Artsakh needs an active church willing to go beyond the walls of protocol or tradition. Our church must lead civil protests with the laity. Too often our church limits its work to safe, internal activities. Fundraising for Artsakh is noble, but is not the priority at this time. 

Archbishop Martirosyan possessed what I will call “humble visibility.” His service was loved and respected, because he lived with his people through every day of the struggle. Humility in the service of God and the faithful is the hallmark of faith and nation. I met such a man a few years ago in Armenia. Father Aram, from the Berd region, is a man of the people. We met in the border village of Chambarak that was building a new medical clinic at that time. He was an associate of the late Jack Medzorian and his wife Eva, who have been humanitarian and economic activists in the region for decades. Father Aram is involved in all aspects of the betterment of the lives of the local people, from a spiritual foundation to education and livelihood. He seeks no tribute or praise – only to see his beloved flock prosper. He embodies what Armenians currently seek in their church leadership. Many of you also know of the dedicated work of the late Father Dajad Davidian who, after retiring from his pastoral work in the eastern diocese, spent years in Armenia organizing youth in the church. He gave the church astounding credibility among the first generation after the fall of Soviet rule. 

These examples and others have one major theme in common. Their ministries are not clouded in hierarchy or a lack of public visibility. Their work is with the people within their spheres of influence. The struggle for Artsakh needs an active church willing to go beyond the walls of protocol or tradition. Our church must lead civil protests with the laity. Too often our church limits its work to safe, internal activities. Fundraising for Artsakh is noble, but is not the priority at this time. 

The Armenian church has invested a substantial amount of resources into the World Council of Churches (WCC). Last year, Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia was elected as one of the presidents of the WCC representing the Oriental Orthodox churches. This is a great honor and position of influence for our church. The churches of the WCC have many humanitarian vehicles and often conduct backchannel diplomacy when a nation’s political environment is volatile. It is not unreasonable to expect support from WCC members for Artsakh through active engagement in ending the blockade. 

Perhaps a prerequisite for this approach would be the visible unity of the two Catholicoi. It is common practice for the Catholicoi of Holy Etchmiadzin and Cilicia to unite in times of crisis or need, such as the 1988 earthquake and the 100th commemoration of the Genocide. Visible and sustained public united efforts would trickle down to integrated action on a diocesan level. Our activities today are so decentralized that their impact is minimal. If the mayor of Paris can go to Berdzor, why can’t Aram I and Karekin II, together with 25 bishops? How about a sustained

presence of the church at civil protests and diplomatic influence through sister churches? 

The political environment in Artsakh and Armenia should be an opportunity for the church to provide the kind of leadership that will contribute to ending the blockade and maintaining the strength of our people. The church has been criticized for being self-centered, aloof and passive in times of national crisis. This is an opportunity to alter that perception and contribute to the national struggle. This is not new – it is the tradition of our church.

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Columnist
Stepan was raised in the Armenian community of Indian Orchard, MA at the St. Gregory Parish. A former member of the AYF Central Executive and the Eastern Prelacy Executive Council, he also served many years as a delegate to the Eastern Diocesan Assembly. Currently , he serves as a member of the board and executive committee of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR). He also serves on the board of the Armenian Heritage Foundation. Stepan is a retired executive in the computer storage industry and resides in the Boston area with his wife Susan. He has spent many years as a volunteer teacher of Armenian history and contemporary issues to the young generation and adults at schools, camps and churches. His interests include the Armenian diaspora, Armenia, sports and reading.


RFE/RL Armenian Service – 08/23/2023

Nahapetian Zhanna 
                                        Wednesday, 
U.S. Denies Blocking UN Resolution On Karabakh
Armenia - The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan
The United States strongly denied on Wednesday claims that it is opposed to the 
passage of a UN Security Council resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s blockade of 
Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Security Council discussed the worsening humanitarian crisis in Karabakh 
last week during an emergency meeting initiated by Armenia. Speaking at the 
meeting, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan urged it to demand the 
immediate reopening of the Lachin corridor, send a fact-finding mission to 
Karabakh and provide humanitarian aid to the region’s struggling population.
Although most of its members, notably the U.S. and Russia, urged the lifting of 
the Azerbaijani blockade, the Council stopped short of adopting a relevant 
resolution or statement.
“We have not seen a draft resolution, and claims that the U.S. is pressuring 
member countries not to sign a resolution are completely false,” the U.S. 
Embassy in Yerevan told the Armenpress news agency.
“As noted in our statement at the [UN Security Council] session, we remain 
deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and we’re 
encouraging the Azerbaijani government to open the Lachin Corridor to 
humanitarian, commercial and private traffic expeditiously,” it said.
Mirzoyan also dismissed the rumors, circulated by some media outlets, when he 
spoke during a news conference in Yerevan on Tuesday. He said he believes 
Washington realizes that a UN resolution would help to end the crisis in 
Karabakh.
An Armenian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Monday that Armenia is not in a 
position to draft such a document because of not being a Security Council member.
The U.S., the European Union and Russia have repeatedly called on Azerbaijan to 
allow renewed commercial and humanitarian traffic through the Lachin corridor. 
Baku has dismissed their appeals.
Pashinian Critical Of Armenia’s 1990 Independence Declaration
Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian speaks during a news conference in 
Yerevan, July 25, 2023.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Wednesday criticized a 1990 declaration of 
Armenia’s independence, saying that it fomented the conflicts with Azerbaijan 
and Turkey and is now at odds with his “peace agenda.”
The document adopted by Armenia’s first post-Communist parliament stopped short 
of declaring the republic’s immediate secession from the Soviet Union. It 
announced instead “the start of a process of establishing independent statehood.”
The declaration made reference to a 1989 unification act adopted by the 
legislative bodies of Soviet Armenia and the then Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous 
Oblast. It also called for international recognition of the 1915 genocide of 
Armenians “in Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia.”
In a statement issued on the 33rd anniversary of its passage, Pashinian said 
that he used to view the declaration as a “biblical message” but revised his 
assessment after the 2020 war in Karabakh.
“A critical analysis of the text of the declaration shows that we basically 
chose a discourse and content which is based on the formula that had made us 
part of the Soviet Union. Namely, a confrontational discourse on the regional 
environment that was to keep us in constant conflict with our neighbors,” read 
the statement.
It is the same formula that “had already led to the loss of our independence at 
the beginning of the 20th century,” Pashinian went on. He claimed in this regard 
that only his current “peace agenda” aimed at normalizing Armenia’s relations 
with Azerbaijan and Turkey could prevent a repeat of that scenario.
“As long as we do not have peace, the ghost of the USSR will hover in our sky, 
in the sky of our region,” he added.
Armenia - A copy of the 1990 Declaration of Independence.
Pashinian did not specify which concrete provisions of the 1990 declaration, 
which is mentioned in a preamble to the Armenian constitution, he is unhappy 
with.
Some opposition figures were quick to condemn the premier’s statement as 
pro-Turkish and pro-Azerbaijani. Artur Khachatrian, a lawmaker from the main 
opposition Hayastan bloc, said Pashinian is resorting to “cheap blackmail” in a 
bid to convince Armenians to “abandon Karabakh.”
“I have the impression that Pashinian’s ‘declaration of independence’ message 
was written in Ankara,” Eduard Sharmazanov of the former ruling Republican Party 
charged in a Facebook post.
Other critics have speculated over the last two years that Pashinian is facing 
strong pressure from Baku and Ankara to remove all references to Karabakh and 
the Armenian genocide from the constitution.
Pashinian drew strong condemnation from the Armenian opposition and Karabakh’s 
leadership in May when he pledged to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over 
Karabakh through an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty. He caused more outrage by 
declaring that such a deal would give Armenia a “certificate of title” for its 
territory.
However, Pashinian complained on August 3 Azerbaijan is seeking to sign the kind 
of treaty with Armenia that would not prevent it from laying claim to Armenian 
territory.
The premier’s detractors seized upon that statement to assert that even the 
far-reaching concession offered by him to Baku would not safeguard Armenian 
territory from future Azerbaijani attacks. They regularly say that Pashinian 
himself put Armenia’s independence at serious risk by mishandling the 2020 war.
EU Urges Dialogue Between Baku, Stepanakert
        • Heghine Buniatian
Belgium - European Council President Charles Michel arrives for a European Union 
leaders' summit in Brussels, December 15, 2022.
The European Union hopes for the start of direct dialogue between Azerbaijan and 
Nagorno-Karabakh’s leadership while pressing Baku to end its blockade of the 
Lachin corridor, a senior EU official said on Wednesday.
“[EU Council] President Charles Michel calls for the dialogue meeting between 
Baku and Stepanakert to take place as soon as possible,” the official told 
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Sources in Stepanakert said last month that Azerbaijani officials and Karabakh 
representatives were due to meet in Bulgaria’s capital Sophia Sofia in the 
beginning of July. The meeting did not take place because the sides did not 
agree on its agenda, according to them.
Another Karabakh official claimed afterwards that the Western-mediated talks 
were rescheduled for August 1 but then cancelled by the Azerbaijani side. Baku 
wants such negotiations to be held in an Azerbaijani city, he said, adding that 
this is unacceptable to Stepanakert.
The EU official, who did not want to be identified, said it remains unclear when 
and where the two sides could launch the dialogue strongly backed by Armenia.
The deadlock is further complicating the lifting of the Azerbaijani blockade 
that has resulted in a grave humanitarian crisis in Karabakh. The EU has 
repeatedly urged Baku to unblock the sole road connecting Karabakh to Armenia.
“President Michel has stressed to the Azerbaijani side the urgent necessity to 
unblock the Lachin road in compliance with the relevant [International Court of 
Justice] decision and in order to prevent a further escalation,” the official 
said in thins regard. “He also noted Azerbaijan’s willingness to provide 
humanitarian assistance via other roads, including Aghdam.”
Michel’s team as well as the EU’s special envoy to the South Caucasus, Toivo 
Klaar, have been discussing with Baku, Yerevan and Karabakh Armenian leaders 
“options for unblocking the situation,” added the official. He stressed that the 
EU remains an “honest broker” in ongoing Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations.
Karabakh’s leadership has rejected the alternative, Azerbaijani-controlled 
supply route proposed by Baku as a cynical ploy designed to facilitate the 
restoration of Azerbaijani control over the Armenian-populated region. The EU 
foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, stressed late last month that the Aghdam 
route “should not be seen as an alternative to the reopening of the Lachin 
corridor.”
Mayoral Election Campaign Kicks Off In Yerevan
        • Robert Zargarian
        • Anush Mkrtchian
Armenia - A view of the municipal administration building of Yerevan, August 23, 
2023.
Campaigning officially began on Wednesday for municipal elections in Yerevan 
effectively boycotted by Armenia’s main opposition groups.
Yerevan residents will elect on September 17 a new municipal assembly that will 
in turn appoint the mayor of the Armenian capital. Thirteen parties and one bloc 
are vying for the assembly’s 65 seats.
The last mayor, Hrachya Sargsian, stepped down in March after only 15 months in 
office. Yerevan has since been effectively run by Tigran Avinian, a deputy mayor 
nominated by the ruling Civil Contract party for the vacant post. Prime Minister 
Nikol Pashinian expressed confidence about the party’s victory during an 
election campaign fundraiser held late last month.
The opposition Hayastan and Pativ Unem alliances represented in the Armenian 
parliament have decided not to join the mayoral race. Some of their senior 
members have said that the upcoming elections are not significant given the 
grave security challenges facing Armenia as well as Nagorno-Karabakh.
Andranik Tevanian, a Hayastan parliamentarian, disagreed with the de facto 
boycott, resigning from the National Assembly and cobbling together an electoral 
bloc called Mayr Hayastan (Mother Armenia) to run for mayor. He has said that an 
opposition victory in Yerevan would pave the way for regime change in the 
country.
Armenia - Opposition mayoral candidate Andranik Tevanian (right) starts his 
election campaign in Yerevan, .
Tevanian made the same point as his bloc comprising several other outspoken 
opposition figures launched its campaign with a rally held in the city center.
Another major opposition contender is the Aprelu Yerkir party widely linked with 
Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian-born tycoon and philanthropist who moved to 
Karabakh last year. Its mayoral candidate, Mane Tandilian, too has described the 
Yerevan polls as an opportunity to precipitate the Pashinian government’s ouster.
Tandilian ruled out any post-election power-sharing deals with Pashinian’s party 
as she spoke during her party’s inaugural campaign event. “Our struggle is about 
strengthening our statehood,” she told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
Tandilian, 50, served as labor and social affairs minister in Pashinian’s first 
cabinet in 2018.
Civil Contract and Avinian may also face a serious challenge from Hayk Marutian, 
a popular TV comedian whom Pashinian’s political team had installed as mayor 
after winning the last municipal polls in 2018. The city council controlled by 
the ruling party ousted Marutian in December 2021 after he fell out with the 
prime minister.
Marutian tops the list of council candidates nominated by a little-known party 
called National Progress.
Armenia - Opposition mayoral candidate Mane Tandilian speaks at an election 
campaign meeting in Yerevan, .
Avinian was due to hold his first campaign gathering in the city’s southern 
Nubarashen suburb on Wednesday evening. His campaign is thought to have 
unofficially begun months ago, with Civil Contract disseminating videos of his 
speeches and other public appearances on social media.
In a recent report issued earlier this month, Independent Observer, a coalition 
of civic groups that will monitor the September 17, vote accused Avinian of 
having systematically abused his administrative resources to promote his mayoral 
bid.
The coalition also said that the administration of a local community in central 
Armenia comprising the town of Spitak and surrounding villages is drawing up 
lists of its Yerevan-based natives promising to vote for Avinian. It said the 
process is overseen by Gevorg Papoyan, the ruling party’s deputy chairman.
Armenia - Former Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian attends a session of 
Yerevan's municipal assembly, September 23, 2022.
The allegations are based on recorded phone calls between local officials and a 
civic activist posing as an aide to Papoyan. Spitak’s deputy mayor and six 
village chiefs could be heard saying that they already have or will soon have 
such lists.
Papoyan strongly denied the allegations. Vahagn Hovakimian, a Pashinian ally 
heading the Armenia’s Central Election Commission, said, for his part, that “the 
audio does not testify to an abuse of administrative resources.”
Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Signs of possible easing of Karabakh blockade

Nahapetian Zhanna
EurasiaNet
Aug 22 2023
Aug 22, 2023

Azerbaijan has reportedly allowed several dozen residents of Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh to go to Armenia after having tightly blockaded the region for over two months.

The development has led to speculation about possible agreements between Karabakhi and Azerbaijani officials. 

On August 21, Azerbaijani public television reported the movement of “up to 60 Armenian residents of Nagorno-Karabakh with Russian passports” to Armenia via the Azerbaijani customs checkpoint at the Lachin road – which is the only road connecting the region to Armenia and the outside world. 

“These people supported separatism in Azerbaijan,” Public TV’s reporter said from the checkpoint. “Yet, the Azerbaijani side provides them an opportunity to go to any destination of their choice without barriers, totally safely.” 

The Lachin road has been blocked since December 2022, when Azerbaijani government-linked self-identified eco-activists staged a sit-in on the Lachin road, accusing the de facto Nagorno-Karabakh government of committing “ecocide” in the region. The demonstrations ended in April after Azerbaijan set up a customs checkpoint on the other end of the Lachin road, near the Armenian border. While most Karabakhis refused to use the checkpoint, as they saw it as an acknowledgment of Azerbaijani sovereignty over the region, there was some movement. 

Later, on June 15, Azerbaijan shut down all kinds of movement on the road, greatly exacerbating shortages of foodstuffs and supplies in Nagorno-Karabakh. On August 15, the first report of a death from malnutrition emerged from the region. 

On August 17, the UN Security Council convened to discuss the situation at the Lachin road and Karabakh at the request of Armenia. While France, the UK, and the U.S. all urged Azerbaijan to abide by a February ruling from the International Court of Justice ordering the country to provide free movement at the Lachin road, the council failed to issue any statement or resolution. 

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has continuously denied that Nagorno-Karabakh was under blockade, as did the country’s ambassador to the UN Yashar Aliyev. At the Security Council meeting, Yashar Aliyev cited the recent Azerbaijani proposal to provide humanitarian aid to Karabakh via the Azerbaijani city of Aghdam – which was backed by the EU Council President and Russia but rejected by Karabakhis, as they saw it as a legitimization of Azerbaijani rule over the region. 

“If Armenia were genuinely concerned about the ordinary residents of the region, it would never have objected to the usage of the Aghdam-Khankendi road for the delivery of goods to the Karabakh region,” Azerbaijan’s UN envoy said, citing the significantly shorter distance between Nagorno-Karabakh’s de facto capital (Stepanakert in Armenian and Khankendi in Azerbaijani) and Aghdam vs the distance between it and the Armenian border. 

In this context, the news of a partial lifting of the blockade came as a surprise.

Azerbaijani pro-government media emphasized that those who left Karabakh were Russian citizens. 

In an editorial titled “The ‘Russian world’ plan didn’t succeed in Azerbaijan,” news agency Report.az presented the August 21 movement of Armenians as an end to a Russian conspiracy. “The game Russia played in Georgia and Ukraine did not happen in Karabakh. It is known that the Kremlin distributed Russian passports to its loyal tribes in those territories and later created so-called republics in the territory of these countries,” the piece read. 

“This can be called a component of the hybrid war waged by Russia against Azerbaijan,” it continued, repeating Baku’s demand that the Karabakh Armenians “accept Azerbaijani citizenship and our laws.”

(Russia deployed a peacekeeping contingent to the region after it brokered a ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan to end the Second Karabakh War in 2020. The contingent is scheduled to leave the region in 2025, and its presence can be extended only with the consent of both sides. For a while after the Armenian side’s defeat in the second war there was talk of Karabakh Armenians becoming Russian citizens and the region becoming some sort of Russian protectorate.)

Movement at the checkpoint continued on August 22. 

On August 21, the Armenian opposition media outlet Pastinfo.am reported that the Karabakh authorities agreed with Azerbaijani government to use the Aghdam road for aid delivery, and that representatives of the two sides would meet in the coming days in the Azerbaijani city of Barda, near Karabakh. 

Azerbaijani media interpreted this report as indicating an agreement was in the works for a lifting of the blockade of the Lachin road.

On August 22, David Babayan, advisor to the de facto Karabakh president, spoke to Pastinfo.am. 

He did not directly confirm or deny reports of a possible meeting of Karabakhi and Azerbaijani representatives in Barda, saying only that Karabakh was willing to discuss humanitarian issues but not “so-called integration or the dismantling of Artsakh’s [Nagorno-Karabakh’s] statehood” with Baku. 

He also said that any opening of the road connecting Aghdam to Karabakh would have to be linked to the opening of the Lachin road connecting Karabakh with Armenia. 



Emergency UN meeting to be held regarding Azerbaijan’s blockade of the road leading from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh

Nahapetian Zhanna
Aug 15 2023
ByANIKET DIXIT


UNO: Amid a mounting humanitarian crisis, the United Nations Security Council is slated to convene an emergency session on Wednesday, focusing on the dire conditions in Nagorno-Karabakh, ensnared in a debilitating blockade imposed by Azerbaijan.

Armenia has cast a stark accusation against Azerbaijan, alleging that since December, the solitary road linking Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia has been obstructed, significantly impeding the flow of vital necessities, including food and medical supplies, to the approximately 120,000 residents of the region.

Ambassador Mher Margaryan, Armenia’s representative to the UN, articulated the grievousness of the situation in a missive to the Security Council. He asserted that the blockade has catalyzed a “full-fledged humanitarian catastrophe,” teetering perilously on the precipice of an imminent disaster.

Margaryan’s letter further implored the Security Council to demand an immediate lifting of the blockade by Azerbaijan, advocating for unhindered access to deliver vital humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh.

In its defense, Azerbaijan contends that the blockade is a necessary measure to curb the transport of weaponry and natural resources to the region. However, this stance has drawn widespread condemnation from international bodies, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Also Read: Crisis Unfolds as South Africa’s Unemployment Skyrockets to Record 32.9% in Q1 2023

Notably, the OSCE has explicitly called upon Azerbaijan to rescind the blockade and facilitate the unfettered transport of humanitarian assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Anticipated to be an incendiary affair, the Security Council meeting is poised to witness a fiery exchange of accusations between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the contentious blockade. The session’s outcome remains uncertain, particularly regarding the possibility of a unanimous resolution compelling Azerbaijan to dismantle the blockade.

Nonetheless, the convocation of this meeting underscores the global apprehension over the escalating humanitarian emergency in Nagorno-Karabakh and exerts substantial pressure on Azerbaijan to relent on its blockade.

Beyond exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, the blockade casts an ominous shadow over the peace process in Nagorno-Karabakh. The obstruction complicates the negotiation landscape for both parties, obstructing the pathway towards a sustainable and lasting peace agreement.

As Wednesday’s Security Council meeting unfolds, the international community seizes an opportune moment to convey an unequivocal message to Azerbaijan: the blockade must be lifted. Should the Council rally around a resolution to enforce this demand, it would signify a momentous stride towards invigorating the prospects of peace in the embattled region.

https://english.newstracklive.com/news/emergency-un-meeting-to-be-held-regarding-azerbaijans-blockade-of-the-road-leading-from-armenia-to-nagornokarabakh-sc57-nu355-ta355-1292489-1.html

Armenia denies Azeri accusation of sabotage infiltration attempt

Nahapetian Zhanna

 14:42,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. The statement disseminated by the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan that the Armenian Armed Forces launched a sabotage infiltration attempt in the eastern part of the frontier zone is an absolute falsehood, the Armenian Ministry of Defense has announced.

Prior to this, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia made a statement regarding the reservist and participant of the training assembly G. V., who had left the combat position according to preliminary information, the defense ministry added in a statement on social media.

A possible version and all the circumstances of the reservist appearing on the Azerbaijani side are being investigated.

AW: ANC-RI secures Friendship City establishment between North Providence, Rhode Island and Jardar, Artsakh

Nahapetian Zhanna
August 4, 2023 ANCA-Eastern Region ANCA News 0

CRANSTON, RI – For the second time this summer, the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Rhode Island secured a Friendship City between North Providence, Rhode Island, and the village of Jardar, Republic of Artsakh. The North Providence Town Council issued the proclamation establishing the Friendship City with the goal of raising awareness of Artsakh – its people’s right to self-determination and the ability to live freely and not under the abhorrent genocidal regime of Azerbaijan. 

The Friendship City and proclamation were announced at the City Council meeting just weeks after the ANC of Rhode Island, which has historically engaged federal, state and city governments to advance the Armenian Cause for decades, secured a Friendship City between Stepanakert and Cranston. 

North Providence is home to multiple generations of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, during which survivors of the first major wave of anti-Armenian attacks that took place during the first World War led to thousands escaping to the United States for a new chance at life, many of whom found haven in Rhode Island, in particular North Providence. Over the past century, Rhode Island’s Armenian American community has established various churches, several educational and cultural institutions and organizations that have created a foundation for a flourishing community. North Providence and Jardar share a strong Armenian community, both of which are dedicated to human rights and dignity and are equally committed to preserving their Armenian identity.  

Both North Providence and Cranston have also hosted an Armenian flag raising ceremony annually honoring Armenian Americans from their city/town who have brought honor and pride to the Armenian community for close to a quarter century. 

North Providence spearheaded the first flag raising, and thanks to the work of the ANC-RI and its relationship with former North Providence Mayor A. Ralph Mollis, they laid the groundwork for advocacy and activism that continues to this day. 

“The Armenian National Committee would like to thank Mayor Charles Lombardi and the Town Council of North Providence for setting up a Friendship City agreement with Jardar, Artsakh. The ANC of RI has a long proud history of partnering with the Town of North Providence to raise the Armenian flag every April 24 to commemorate the Armenian Genocide, and we are happy to add North Providence to the list of governments who have established a relationship with a counterpart community in Artskah,” stated Steve Elmasian, chairman of the ANC of Rhode Island. 

“We are thrilled to have two cities and towns in Rhode Island establish Friendship City agreements with cities and towns in Artsakh with North Providence joining Cranston, Rhode Island, which established a Friendship City agreement with Stepanakert, Artsakh on April 24, 2023,” said ANC-RI co-chairman George Mangalo.

Friendship Cities with Artsakh have been established in the Eastern Region between Granite City, Illinois, and Ashan, Republic of Artsakh; Cranston, Rhode Island, and Stepanakert, Republic of Artsakh; and now North Providence and Jardar, Republic of Artsakh. 

“We have no doubt that with the continued support of our Armenian community in the Diaspora – specifically in Rhode Island – that we can continue to hope for relief and survival. Being under the blockade for more than 170 days is not only disheartening for our people but insulting to our natural rights. But we are used to hardship and we know that we will survive. Any effort to show the world that we are here and that we will remain here is most welcome. This is our land, our native land, we have nowhere else to go. The efforts of the ANC of Rhode Island show our people that we are not alone,” said Gev Iskajyan, Armenian National Committee of Artsakh executive director.

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The Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region is part of the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots organization, the ANCA. Working in coordination with the ANCA in Washington, DC, and a network of chapters and supporters throughout the Eastern United States, the ANCA-ER actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.


The Medieval map of Armenian monasteries and sanctuaries from 1691 and stored in Bologna [Italy]

Nahapetian Zhanna
Aug 6 2023
by LIANNA AGASYAN

The Medieval map of Armenian monasteries and sanctuaries created in 1691 is stored in Bologna, Italy. The map is unique in being one of the first handwritten maps in the Armenian language. It displays a comprehensive overview of the traditional worship sites of the historical Armenian territory from the 4th to the 17th centuries. It depicts hundreds of monasteries and the main ecclesiastical centres.

This map was created by two remarkable players in the political and cultural arena of the late 1600s: Eremia Chelebi Keomiwrchean, the Armenian intellectual, poet, and Italian Luigi Ferdinando Marsili, who was a scientist and cartographer as well as an Italian diplomat and military man.

The map is stored in Italy in the University Library of Bologna; like other historical libraries of Italy, it has many ancient documents in the Armenian language, both manuscripts and prints, demonstrating the well-established cultural relations between Italy and the Armenian people since the Early Middle Ages.

Three illuminated manuscripts and nine printed volumes stand out, each representing a particular moment in Italian-Armenian relations or, more generally, of the contacts between the Armenians, Italy and Europe through printing.

The Armenian Bible is also stored there and is considered one of Europe’s most significant Bibles.

Written and illuminated in the sixteenth century, the manuscript features twenty-six lavishly illuminated full-page miniatures consistent with the Armenian rules of book painting, representing one of the few examples that survived time reaching modern days.

https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/08/06/medieval-map-armenian-1691/

Canada calls on Azerbaijan to end blockade of Lachin Corridor

Nahapetian Zhanna

 15:36, 4 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS. Canada has called on Azerbaijan to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice and to allow free passage along Lachin Corridor.

“Canada is concerned with the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. We call on Azerbaijan to comply with the order of the ICJ to allow the free transit of people and goods in the Lachin corridor and urge all sides to continue peaceful dialogue,” the Canadian Foreign Ministry said in a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. The ICJ reaffirmed its order on 6 July 2023.

Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

Iran expresses support to Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks

Nahapetian Zhanna

 13:37,

YEREVAN, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS. Iran supports the new round of peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani has said.

Kanaani’s comments come as Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan is visiting Iran. 

The spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry expressed Tehran’s readiness to contribute to the efforts for establishing sustainable peace in the Caucasus.

He described South Caucasus to be a “significant” matter for Iran.

Azerbaijani allegations on Armenian mining industry are ‘manifestly false’ – statement

Nahapetian Zhanna

 17:10,

YEREVAN, JULY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Environment of Armenia has said that the allegations made by a number of alleged “civil society organizations” in Azerbaijan regarding the Armenian mining industry are manifestly false.

The Ministry of Environment of Armenia released a statement on Friday:

“The Ministry of Environment takes note of the open letter sent by a number of alleged “civil society organizations” operating in the Republic of Azerbaijan referring to an alleged “serious environmental crisis caused by the regional and global environmental impact of the activities carried out in the mining industry of the Republic of Armenia”. The allegations in the letter are manifestly false. This is not the first time that Azerbaijan—whose own record on environmental issues is notoriously poor—has sought to use alleged “civil society organizations” to make false accusations against Armenia for public relations purposes. Just last December, Azerbaijan organized and directed many of the very same types of organizations to hold so-called environmental “protests” blocking the Goris-Stepanakert highway, thereby cutting off the 120,000 ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh from the outside world and causing serious consequences to the environment in Artsakh. That such “protests” were pretextual and in reality led by Azerbaijan can be seen from the fact that the “protesters” dispersed as soon as Azerbaijan was able to replace them with a Government checkpoint impeding traffic along the same road. 
The claims made in the open letter are entirely without foundation and are unworthy of a response. The Ministry of Environment nonetheless wishes to briefly make the following points:

  • With respect to the alleged pollution of water resources (mentioned in the preface of the open letter and its points 1-3), the Ministry notes that there are water quality monitoring points in all transboundary sections of rivers in Armenia, where the monitoring of all water quality parameters, including heavy metals, is carried out at monthly intervals. According to the law, mining enterprises monitor water quality and atmospheric air and soil pollution, and the results are submitted to the Ministry in the form of quarterly and annual reports, which are then published. At the same time, Armenia is the only member country of the “Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative” in the Caucasus region, which proves the importance Armenia accords to open and accountable management of natural resources. 
  • In response to point 4 of the open letter, the Ministry observes that the ”Sotk” gold mine was lawfully assigned to the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1964, and so it now belongs to the Republic of Armenia on the basis of succession. The open letter is simply wrong that the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Armenia has violated “rights to ecological balance”; no such decision exists.
  • Point 5 of the open letter misrepresents the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights of 14 February 2019. In those judgments, the Court accepted that the implementation of the Teghout copper‑molybdenum deposit exploitation project was in the public interest. It granted compensation to Armenian nationals only because their properties had been expropriated for this project. Contrary to what the open letter states, the Court did not consider the mining activities in question to be illegal. 
  • The mine with the name mentioned in point 6 of the letter is neither located in nor operated by the Republic of Armenia.
  • As for the Akhtala Ore Processing Combine mentioned in point 7 of the letter, it is being operated with a new technology, which does not provide for the use of tailings.
  • The factory with the name mentioned in point 8 of the open letter is neither located in nor operated by the Republic of Armenia.
  • What is mentioned in point 9 of the open letter does not correspond to reality, because there is no factory engaged in the production of copper, zinc and lead in the Kotayk region of the Republic of Armenia.
  • Point 10 of the open letter is also not true, because there is no copper smelter in the Gegharkunik region of the Republic of Armenia.
  • As for the Eraskh factory, it fully complies with international environmental standards. On June 15, the Ministry of Environment issued a detailed explanation on this (http://www.mnp.am/news/yeraskh-15-06-2023).
  • As for the Amulsar mine, it has not yet entered the operational phase, so there is no question of any contamination. And when it begins operation, the highest international benchmark of environmental risk management will be followed, and its implementation will be strictly monitored, including by international organizations.
  • It should be noted that the water leaving the borders of Armenia corresponds to international norms. This was proven years ago, when the Center for Ecological-Noosphere Studies National Academy of Sciences, with the support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), conducted studies on 40 indicators at border points for 6 years, applying the same methodology adopted jointly with neighboring countries within the framework of the project,” reads the statement.