17:11,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. Armen Hovhannisyan has been appointed deputy minister of justice of Armenia.
The respective decision has been signed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and is posted on e-gov.am.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
I spoke with a friend a few days ago. She asked me if I had ever written a diary. I thought for a while, and realized I hadn’t. I remember that once I asked my grandmother to buy me a diary, there was such a beautiful pink notebook (it was a luxury in the 2000s). I tried to write, but after two sentences it got boring. Once I heard in a movie that happy people don’t have time to write diaries, they are too busy living life. I always believed in this, living life to the fullest. The saddest thing about this is that if I’m not bored with writing a diary any longer, it means I am not happy, to some extent. Well, but who is happy now? In times like these… So this diary has become my friend in these difficult days.
Today, I found a grey hair on my head. In the last five years, I regularly wanted to dye it red, but never dared. There was a day I decided to do it, but they refused me in the beauty salon, saying my hair is so natural, why? “You have no grey hair. No, I won’t do it, if you want, go to another place.” So, I left it that way, and deep down I was even a little proud – “oh, I don’t have grey hair!” Well, today life has decided that I must have at least one grey hair. They say that hair turns grey when a person becomes wise, or when worries about someone.
I think I matured on September 27, 2020: at the time of the bombing, when we went down to the first floor of our building. Or maybe when I saw my little sister trembling with fear (literally trembling). Or maybe when my brother went to the frontline? I don’t know at what exact moment, but I know for sure – during this war.
From now on, the fish are my responsibility again. I’m not complaining, I really love them. I’ve had fish before, but they died a month later. It was very sad. And today again, I said goodbye to their owner. Now, we are again waiting for him.
I hate the word “wait” as well as the process itself. It’s a ridiculous phenomenon when you are powerless, and the only thing given is inaction. How can the disobedient soul of an Armenian woman follow this? It cuts like а blade of a not very sharp knife. And all we have to do is wait: for a brother, for a friend, for a meeting of ministers, presidents, and then for their statements. And then – to guess the veracity of those statements. Well, and of course, wait for the end of the war. We are doomed to wait, alas, there is nothing else we can do.
But during this waiting it is still possible to do some little things.
Today, I visited some of Stepanakert’s residents in one of the shelters. And there were some children there. To be honest, I missed children’s voices in the city so much. I thought all of them had gone. But here they are, they live in their city and are not going anywhere. I talked to them. Their mother said when a car came to take them to Yerevan, the children started crying and did not want to go anywhere. They said, “Mom, please, let us stay here! We know you are afraid for us, but this is our home, how can we leave it?” And they stayed. They cannot go outside to play, they cannot see their friends, their father, but most of all they miss their school. For me this is one of the worst aspects of this war, that children are deprived of the chance to learn. Can you imagine? In the 21st century, children are deprived of the right to learn. How will the world live with this…
I’ll end today’s post with a story about the last war. Once a boy was reading a book under the light of a candle (First Artsakh war, 1988-1994). His neighbor asked, “Hey boy, what are you doing? There is a war going on.” And the boy replied, “What do you mean? Do you want me to remain ignorant because of the war? No, I don’t think so!”
I think people like him were and are the basis of everything good and kind that surrounds us.
PARIS (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday welcomed Armenia and Azerbaijan’s agreement to a humanitarian ceasefire from midnight and stressed that it should be strictly respected by both parties.
“This ceasefire must be unconditional and strictly observed by both parties. France will be very attentive to this and will remain committed so that hostilities cease permanently and that credible discussions can quickly begin,” the president’s office said in a statement.
(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide; Editing by Pravin Char)
The following is a collective statement from a group of Israeli scholars working in the field of Caucasian Studies and associated fields.
Institutional affiliations are for identification purposes only and do not reflect the opinion of the universities mentioned.
“We the undersigned write to express our deep concern with the fighting that has flared up in the region of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh). From a reading of independent accounts and analysis we have concluded that this outbreak of violence in the last few days is due solely to aggression of the Republic of Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey and backed up by fighters from elsewhere in the region. This belligerence has been directed towards military and civilian targets in the region of Artsakh and its mainly Armenian population, and deserves to be condemned in no uncertain terms. The response of the authorities of Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia is clearly one of defense of population, property and territory, and should enjoy the support of those who cherish the principle of self-determination of peoples.
We call for an end to this aggression, and a cessation of the fighting. The long-term answer to tension in the region is on-going negotiations that will aim to resolve the claims of various ethnic groups, leading to a mutually agreed upon political arrangement. Clearly, violence of any type will not resolve ethnic and other tensions.
It is with dismay that we address the matter of Israeli arms sales to Azerbaijan in recent years, this being one component in the massive armament process in that country. We call upon the Israeli government to cease immediately the sales of arms to Azerbaijan, pending a review of the issue by the government and Knesset. Matters of would-be Realpolitik, as reflected here in arm sales, are not the only basis for foreign policy. Certainly, one needs to question Israel’s role in an armament effort aimed mainly against a people that like the Jewish people suffered genocidal attacks in the twentieth century. We call upon other Israelis to raise their voice on this important issue.”
(in alphabetical order)
Prof. Reuven Amitai (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Prof. Yair Auron (Open University of Israel)
Prof. Israel Charny (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Ms. Moran Deitch (Bar Ilan University)
Prof. Benjamin Z. Kedar (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Mr. Yoav Loeff (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Prof. Benny Morris (Ben Gurion University in the Negev)
Dr. Yakir Paz (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Prof. Eli Richter (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Prof. Donna Shalev (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Mr. Marc Sherman (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Prof. Michael Stone (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Dr. Yana Tchekhanovets (Ben Gurion University in the Negev)
Prof. Dror Zeevi (Ben Gurion University in the Negev)
For further information, contact:
Yerevan [Armenia], October 10 (ANI/Sputnik): The Foreign Ministry of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh in the Nagorno-Karabakh region said on Saturday that the Azerbaijani forces carried on with military operations in the town of Hadrut in Karabakh despite the humanitarian ceasefire agreement, but other areas along the contract line are “relatively calm.” Following the 10-hour talks in the Russian capital of Moscow, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to cease hostilities in the conflict-torn region starting noon (08:00 GMT). The ceasefire is intended to allow both sides to exchange captured individuals and bodies of those deceased. However, the parties soon accused each other of violating the truce.
“Prior to reaching the ceasefire agreement for humanitarian reasons, the Azerbaijani side attempted to carry out reconnaissance operation in the direction of Hadrut. Despite the fact that it was only about three hours into the ceasefire, operations to blockade and destroy the infiltrated [Azerbaijani] group continue. It is relatively calm at the other sectors of the contact line,” the Foreign Ministry said. The large-scale hostilities in the Armenian-majority breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh erupted on September 27 when both parties accused each other of violating the ceasefire.
Most countries, including Russia and France, have called on the warring parties to cease fire and settle their differences via dialogue. Turkey has vowed to support Azerbaijan with all the needed means. (ANI/Sputnik)
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/international/1246576-self-proclaimed-artsakh-says-fighting-continues-in-karabakhs-hadrut-despite-ceasefire
12:41, 6 October, 2020
STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 6, ARMENPRESS. Turkey’s leadership was the one who forced Azerbaijan to attack Artsakh, and it is only the weaker side who strikes cities inhabited with peaceful civilians during war, Artsakh’s Speaker of Parliament Artur Tovmasyan said at a news conference on October 6 in Stepanakert City, the capital of Artsakh that has come under heavy Azeri bombardment.
“Aliyev was ready for an adventurism in the 2016 April War,” he said. “Aliyev also made an adventurism in the direction of Tavush,” the Speaker added, referring to the 2020 July Azeri attack on Armenian territory.
“I think on September 27, 2020 it was the Turkish military-political leadership that forced Aliyev to go for this adventurism.”
Tovmasyan said he thinks that Aliyev is no longer in power in Azerbaijan. The Speaker noted that in response to any statement of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs the Azeri leadership – headed by Turkey – is saying that Turkey should also participate in those talks.
“I think the international community saw that the plans that Ilham Aliyev had on drinking tea in Stepanakert or Shushi in a brief period has failed,” he said, referring to an earlier belligerent remark by the Azeri president on capturing the Artsakhi capital by force.
“And because it failed, he must step down. Perhaps he is already no longer in power. The entire world already knows that this war that they unleashed is led by Turkey,” Tovmasyan said.
Tovmasyan reminded that ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan, particularly the Talysh and Lezgins, are already protesting against the Azeri leadership for being systematically and forcibly taken to the frontline to fight, which resulted in high numbers of deaths. The Talysh activists in Azerbaijan made a statement denouncing the Azeri leadership and called for peace.
“It is the weak side that strikes the capital city during war, it is the weak side that strikes cities where peaceful civilians are living,” Tovmasyan said.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
ANKARA
The Upper Karabakh dispute can only be solved with the withdrawal of Armenia from Azerbaijani territories, Turkey’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a news conference in Ankara along with Khazar Ibrahim, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Turkey, Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated Turkey’s full support for Azerbaijan.
“We, as Turkey, always stand with our brotherly country Azerbaijan, just as they always side with Turkey,” he said, adding that Ankara is determined to completely resolve the dispute.
Cavusoglu stressed that Turkey will continue to extend all-out diplomatic support to Azerbaijan in line with the ‘one nation, two states’ concept that defines Ankara and Baku’s close relations.
Referring to international organizations’ stance on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Turkey’s top diplomat criticized parties, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), for not taking any concrete steps to solve the problem.
Cavusoglu asserted that Turkey and its current government has made concerted efforts to resolve the issue in a peaceful and diplomatic way.
Deadly border clashes broke out early Sunday when Armenian forces targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions, leading to multiple casualties.
Azerbaijan’s parliament declared a state of war in some cities and areas, following Armenia’s border violations and attacks in the occupied region.
Azerbaijan declared partial military mobilization on the second day of the clashes.
Upper Karabakh conflict
Relations between the two former Soviet nations have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Upper Karabakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.
Four UN Security Council and two UN General Assembly resolutions, as well as many international organizations, demand the withdrawal of the occupying forces.
The OSCE Minsk Group – co-chaired by France, Russia and the US – was formed in 1992 to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, but to no avail. A cease-fire, however, was agreed upon in 1994.
France, Russia, and NATO, among others, have urged an immediate halt to clashes in the occupied region.
Federal Member for the South Australian electorate of Spence, Nick Champion has affirmed his support for Australian recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides by signing on to the Joint Justice Initiative of the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities.
The February 2020 launch of the Joint Justice Initiative at Australia’s Parliament House featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) and Australian Hellenic Council (AHC), which declares Australia’s recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides as a priority on behalf of their communities.
Champion, who is a former fruit picker from South Australia’s famous rural wine country, was elected to Parliament in 2016 after a career that included time as a political staffer and State President of the Australian Labor Party. He currently serves as the Deputy Chair of the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.
“Our communities thank Mr. Nick Champion for joining our fight to bring Australia to the side of truth and justice on this issue by ensuring national recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides committed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915,” said Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) Executive Director, Haig Kayserian.
The Joint Justice Initiative has so far announced the support of Champion, Michael Sukkar MP, Senator Louise Pratt, Warren Entsch, Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Andrew Wilkie MP, Julian Leeser MP, Michelle Rowland MP, Senator Paul Scarr, Tony Zappia MP, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Senator Hollie Hughes, Senator Rex Patrick, Mike Freelander MP, Senator Eric Abetz, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator Pat Dodson, Jason Falinski MP, Josh Burns MP, John Alexander MP, Senator Andrew Bragg and Bob Katter MP, with a promise of more announcements to come.
On 25th February 2020, over 100 Federal Australian parliamentarians, diplomats, departmental officials, political staffers, academics, media and community leaders were treated to cultural performances, food, wine and brandy, as well as the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which affirmed that the signatory public affairs representatives of the three communities were jointly committed to seeing Australia recognise the Turkish-committed Genocide against the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian citizens of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
17:27,
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Employees of a children’s home in Yerevan are under criminal investigation on suspicion of physically and psychologically abusing the children of the institution, police said in a news release.
Police said they were tipped off about the alleged maltreatment of the children and launched an investigation which gathered sufficient evidence supporting the allegations.
The investigation revealed that the children at the institution “were deprived from minimal living conditions and personal hygiene means” for a lengthy period of time, police said. The authorities said the employees have subjected the children to physical abuse by beating them with sticks and hands.
Other details weren’t immediately available.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan