✓Arayik Harutyunyan and Nikol Pashinyan address the nation, explaining why the agreement was signed.
✓UN mercenary experts call on all mercenaries to leave the South Caucasus.
✓Several opposition figureheads are arrested, due to martial law provisions.
19:42, 6 November, 2020
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS. Mayor of Artsakh’s Shushi city Artsvik Sargsyan assures that the city is in reliable hands because Artsakh-Armenia-Diaspora trinity stands for its protection.
The Mayor, who is in defense positions of the city, told ARMENPRESS that Shushi will definitely continue speaking in Armenian and the bells of Ghazanchetsots Church will continue to ring. ‘’They spread false photos that allegedly they have raised a flag on a mosque, but an examination shows that it’s a fake photo. They should never think that Shushi can belong to them, it will never happen. We have to win, we will live in Shushi’’, Sargsyan said.
Artsvik Sargsyan emphasized that Azerbaijanis have always fled from the battlefield, seeing Armenians. ‘’In all the wars I have participated they fled from us, they fled in a way we were unable to hunt them. There were times when we met in peaceful moments they told as that when we decide to attack, we should inform them so that they can flee. Yes, today they don’t fight, the mercenaries fight instead of them, because if they don’t do that, they will be shot from behind. But this is a temporal thing, in the near times we will celebrate our victory”, Sargsyan said.
Shushi Mayor assured that during the clashes for Shushi the adversary has suffered serious losses and continues to suffer.
Van Novikov
17:28, 5 November, 2020
YEREVAN, 5 NOVEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 5 November, USD exchange rate up by 0.37 drams to 493.87 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 6.21 drams to 582.32 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.12 drams to 6.35 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 4.18 drams to 644.30 drams.
The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.
Gold price down by 106.71 drams to 30171.13 drams. Silver price down by 2.81 drams to 380.68 drams. Platinum price down by 21.34 drams to 13861.75 drams.
16:59,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 31, ARMENPRESS. In an interview to Al Arabiya, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan commented on the question what is his vision on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
“Firstly, the military operations should stop because under the hostilities it’s difficult to imagine a diplomatic solution. After which substantive negotiations on solutions should take place, as envisaged in the October 10 statement in Moscow adopted by the foreign ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan”, the PM said.
Pashinyan stated that the Armenian side has always been ready to the negotiations, is always ready to talks and has always been ready to mutual concessions. “The problem is something else: at the moment when any mutual concession becomes acceptable for Armenia, that mutual concession becomes unacceptable for Azerbaijan. I can bring you the example of Kazan of 2011. You know, the status of Nagorno Karabakh, in particular the issue of the recognition of its independence, right to self-determination is a priority issue for the Armenian side. But during the so-called Kazan process in 2011 the Armenian side has agreed with the interim status of Karabakh, which was not a final status, but just an interim status. In other words, it made a step back from its initial bar with the logic to achieve compromise. But at the last moment Azerbaijan refused to accept that compromise and proposed stricter conditions to the Armenian side. It is this process which has not allowed and till now does not allow to achieve a diplomatic solution”, the PM stated.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
00:03,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Genocide Watch organization assessing genocide risks ranked Azerbaijan at stage 9 for Extermination and stage 10 for Denial. ARMENPRESS reports Genocide Watch referred to the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh starting from September 27, presented below.
‘’In September 2020, Azerbaijani troops crossed the “Line of Contact” dividing Karabakh. Turkey intervened on the side of Azerbaijan. Armenia supports Artsakh. Azerbaijan uses laser guided drones supplied by Turkey and Israel to target Armenian troops, villages and civilians. Azerbaijani military offensives against civilians are war crimes under the Geneva Conventions.
The establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918 began with the systematic extermination of the Armenian populations living in Azerbaijan and the provinces of Nakhichevan and Nagorno-Karabakh. Often viewed as an extension of the 1915 deportation and genocide of Ottoman Armenians, Azerbaijani forces in Baku slaughtered at least 15,000 Armenian civilians in the ‘September Days.’ Azerbaijanis also slaughtered 1,000 Armenians in 1919-1920 in the Karabakh cities of Shusha and Khaibalikend. These historic genocidal massacres contribute to Armenian distrust of Azerbaijan today.
Soviet rule brought the massacres against Armenians to an end, but the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh during the dismantling of the Soviet Union reignited violence against the Armenian minority in Azerbaijan. From 1988 to 1990, Azerbaijani mobs robbed, beat, raped, and murdered ethnic Armenians in the towns of Sumgait, Baku, and Kirovabad. This campaign of terror caused the forced expulsion of nearly all Armenians living in Azerbaijan.
In 1988, a parliament was formed in Nagorno-Karabagh and in a referendum, the region’s Armenian citizens voted for independence, declaring the Republic of Artsakh. Azerbaijanis boycotted the referendum. A 6-year civil war followed. Armenian forces defeated Azerbaijani forces and many Azerbaijanis fled from Nagorno-Karabakh. During the war, Azerbaijani forces shelled Stepanakert, killing over 100 Armenian civilians, and Azerbaijani forces destroyed Armenian villages, killed civilians, and mutilated corpses. In one significant massacre in the village of Marga, Azerbaijani forces murdered over 100 Armenian civilians in April 1992.
The Azerbaijani government under Ilham Aliyev denies any violence against Armenians and is also a denier of the 1915 Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire.
Today, Azerbaijan denies displaced Armenians the right to return and forbids a person of Armenian heritage from entering its territory. The Azerbaijani government promotes hate speech and encourages violence against Armenians. Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani soldier murdered Armenian soldier Gurgen Margaryan with an ax in 2004. Upon Safarov’s return home, the Azerbaijani government acquitted Safarov of murder and awarded him honors for his service to Azerbaijan. In 2016, Azerbaijani troops decapitated the Yazidi-Armenian soldier Kyaram Sloyan and posted photos of his severed head on the social media site VKontakte.
In September 2020, Azerbaijani troops crossed the “Line of Contact” dividing Karabakh. Turkey intervened on the side of Azerbaijan. Armenia supports Artsakh. Azerbaijan uses laser-guided drones supplied by Turkey and Israel to target Armenian troops, villages, and civilians. Azerbaijani military offensives against civilians are war crimes under the Geneva Conventions.
The U.N., Russia, and Red Cross have called for a ceasefire, but it has been disregarded by both sides.
Due to its denial of past genocide against Armenians, its official use of hate speech, and the current targeting of civilians in Artsakh,
Genocide Watch considers Azerbaijan to be at Stage 9: Extermination and Stage 10: Denial.
Genocide Watch recommends:
01:00,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS Mercury Public Affairs has terminated its registration as a foreign agent of the Republic of Turkey in response to calls by the Armenian community demanding an end to the company’s association with the Turkish regime amidst its support for Azerbaijan’s genocidal war against Artsakh, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Armenian National Committee of America.
“As a result of our community’s persistent activism and the steadfast support of our friends in elected office, I was just informed by Fabian Núñez, who is a partner at Mercury’s Los Angeles office, that Mercury Public Affairs would be terminating its registration as a foreign agent of Turkey,” remarked Chair of the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) Board of Directors, Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “We welcome Mercury’s decision to stand on the right side of history in ending its association with the Government of Turkey and its genocidal policies, and we hope that this decision will serve as an example for every entity which works for or with the authoritarian regimes of Turkey and Azerbaijan.”
Mercury has a long history of working with not only the Turkish government but its many proxies. Mercury has rendered services to the American-Turkish Council Turkish-American Business Council (TAIK) – headed by close ally of Turkish President Erdogan, Mehmet Yalcindag. Last year, Foreign Agent Registration Act filings show Mercury contacted over 150 Congressional offices on behalf of TAIK to set up meetings for Turkish Economy Minister Berat Albayrak – who also happens to be President Erdogan’s son-in-law.
Mercury’s decision to terminate its registration as a foreign agent of Turkey also follows decisions by the Livingston Group and DLA Piper to end their representation of Azerbaijan amidst growing public outcry over Turkey and Azerbaijan’s genocidal aggression against the Armenians of Artsakh.
The Turkish and Azerbaijani governments have for years sought to enforce a gag-rule over United States human rights policy through their insidious attempts to deny the Armenian genocide, and undermine the fundamental rights of the Armenians of Artsakh. Both states rate amongst the worst in the world in terms of democratic standards, media freedoms, and basic civil and political rights.
“Both Turkey and Azerbaijan have spent millions throughout the years on hiring public affairs firms to clean up their public image – tainted by a deplorable track record on human rights, and a severe disregard for democratic freedoms,” said Hovsepian. “The actions taken by DLA Piper, the Livingston Group and now Mercury Public Affairs are an important step in bringing the Turkish-Azerbaijani influence machine to a grinding halt, and preventing their exertion of malign foreign influence here in the United States.”
U.S. Representative for Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district, Tulsi Gabbard, has called for the U.S. to work with NATO members to have Turkey removed from the alliance, the Armenian National Council of America announced in a Facebook post.
A part of Tulsi Gabbarad‘s announcement to ANCA goes as following:
— Whereas Turkey has escalated its involvement in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh [(Artsakh)], previously offering political support for Azerbaijan’s position, but now providing direct military support;
— Whereas Turkey maintains a closed border with the Republic of Armenia, a country with friendly relations with the United States, and has repeatedly issued threats against the Republic of Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, and Armenian communities in other parts of the world, at times thinly veiling its threats with references to the genocide of Armenians in Turkey that took place in the early 20th century;
— Whereas reports indicate that Turkey has sent Syrian fighters, many of whom have been associated with Al Qaeda and ISIS, to fight against the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh;
— Whereas it has been reported that Turkey has participated in or taken outright control of Azerbaijan’s air command and military offensive against Nagorno Karabakh and that its F-16 fighters have been engaged in attacks against both Nagorno Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia;
— Whereas NATO has called for the immediate cease-fire to hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh in response to Azerbaijan’s military attack on Nagorno Karabakh while Turkey has contradicted NATO’s position by publicly supporting and assisting with Azerbaijan’s continued military aggression;
— Whereas in response to Canada’s decision to suspend arms exports to Turkey in response to its involvement in Azerbaijan’s military offensive, Turkey cited the NATO relationship as the reason for its disappointment in Canada’s decision, associating NATO with its actions in the Caucasus.
22:05,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov held telephone conversation with Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov, ARMENPRESS reports the Russian MFA informed.
Lavrov emphasized the relevance of the October 1 joint statement of the Russian, French and U.S. Presidents. During the conversation the necessity of the humanitarian ceasefire reached on October 10 between the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers was emphasized.
The importance of the agreement reached in Moscow under the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the start of substantive negotiations to reach a speedy peace settlement based on fundamental principles has been reaffirmed.
Azerbaijan violates ceasefire agreement
03:29,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan once again violated the ceasefire regime during the period of 00:04-02:45, firing from artillery and gunfire weapons in the northern direction of the contact line, and fired rockets in the period of 02:20-02:45 in the southern direction, ARMENPRESS reports spokesperson of MoD Armenia Shushan Stepanyan wrote on her Facebook page.
Armenia, Azerbaijan agreed on a humanitarian ceasefire starting from October 18 midnight.
Earlier, on October 10, Armenia and Azerbaijan reached a similiar agreement, but Azerbaijan started to violate the agreement immediately after it entered into force.
October 15, 2020
From l to r: Marie Filipian, Community Health Manager, Glendale Memorial Hospital, delivers 1,000 masks to Ani Keryan, RN, Armenian American Nurses Association.
GLENDALE—Dignity Health – Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center is saddened by the devastation and growing crisis in Armenia. As a result of the recent and ongoing attacks in Armenia, the hospital’s staff and physicians took immediate action to review its medical supply inventory and ship a large donation of much-needed items to Armenia to help care for the injured.
“Our mission to help our community includes moments like these that have an impact from around the globe,” states Jill Welton, Hospital President, Glendale Memorial. “The hospital’s donation of surgical and medical supplies, nearing $50,000 in value, were provided to the Armenia Fund and Armenian American Nurses Association. The people of Armenia need as much support as we can provide and we will continue to collect and send additional supplies in the coming days.”
“Thank you to Glendale Memorial Hospital for standing with us during this very difficult time,” shared Tagui Sarkisyan, President of the Armenian American Nurses Association. “Our community depends on the compassionate care of Glendale Memorial, and their leadership at a moment like this means so much.”
If you would like to make a charitable donation, contact the Glendale Memorial Health Foundation at (818) 502-2375 or make a direct donation to the International Mission. 100% of the funds donated will be used in partnership with the Armenian Relief Society (Western Region) who will then work with their sister chapter in Artsakh.
Founded in 1926, Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center is a 334-bed, acute care, nonprofit, community hospital located in Glendale, California. The hospital offers a full complement of services, including its award-winning heart center, the colorectal surgery institute, a gastrointestinal program, and is a Los Angeles County approved primary stroke center. The hospital shares a legacy of humankindness with Dignity Health, one of the largest health care systems. Visit dignityhealth.org/glendalememorial for more information.