Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

Armenian community calls for Malta’s backing in ongoing crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Aug 6 2023
6 August 2023, 5:09pm
by Luke Vella
 
The Armenian community in Malta gathered in front of the Foreign Ministry in Valletta on Wednesday

Malta’s Armenian community held a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday calling for the opening of the Lachin Corridor which is the sole route through which 120,000 ethnic Armenian residents in the Nagorno-Karabakh region get essential goods and services.

The small community gathered in front of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to raise awareness and seek support for the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.

It urged the Maltese government to use its diplomatic channels and international influence to address the urgent situation and support the opening of the Lachin corridor.

“By taking a strong stance in international forums, Malta can play a crucial role in advocating for the rights and wellbeing of the affected civilians in Nagorno Karabakh,” the community said.

Since 12 December 2022, the Lachin Corridor has been blocked by Azerbaijani military forces, leading to an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe, with supplies being halted, shelves empty, and medicine unavailable.

In a press release the community said it is actively participating in discussions in various international organizations Malta is a member of, calling for immediate attention to the “critical situation”.

It said that for over a week, approximately 400 tonnes of vital humanitarian aid have been unable to reach the Armenian population due to the blockade of the only supply road by the Azerbaijani government.

“Innocent lives are at risk as essential supplies, including food and medicine, are cut off, leaving the region in a state of extreme distress and peril. Both the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordered Azerbaijan to open the corridor, however, despite the court’s order, the corridor has not been implemented by Azerbaijan, leading to concerns about the protection of human rights,” the community said.

It emphasised that children are among the most vulnerable victims, suffering due to the severe shortage of food and basic medicine. Elderly individuals are not receiving the support they need, as there are no supplies available.

The crisis has left the region without transportation options, as there is no petrol, and people are forced to wait for hours in long queues, just to purchase a single loaf of bread for their families.

“We cannot stand idly by while innocent lives, especially children and the elderly, suffer the consequences of this devastating blockade,” said Anna, a member of the Armenian community in Malta.

“As part of this multicultural and compassionate nation, we seek Malta’s solidarity and support to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches the affected population swiftly.”

In July 2022 the European Commission embraced the autocratic regime of Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev, as its search for gas in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine took Ursula von der Leyen to Baku.

There, the EC president and energy commissioner for energy Kadri Simson, met Aliyev to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy in a bid to move away Europe away from Russian fossil fuels.

Since 2014, Malta has sourced gas through Azerbaijan’s trading arm in Geneva, SOCAR, a deal tainted by corruption accusations linked to Muscat’s closest allies in government at the time the Panama Papers broke.

The community also called for the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola’s support, asking her to highlight the gravity of the humanitarian crisis.

“As the highest-ranking official in the European Parliament, her support can garner greater international attention and mobilize action to resolve the situation,” the community said.

It said that it is determined to use peaceful protests and advocacy to raise awareness and make a difference.

“We believe that the international community, including Malta and the European Parliament, can play a decisive role in ending the suffering of the vulnerable population in Nagorno Karabakh,” it said.

Malta is both a United Nations member state and a member of the UN Security Council.

“The Armenian community calls upon all concerned citizens, media outlets, and international organizations to unite in solidarity and amplify their voices to end the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh.”

https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/124333/armenian_community_calls_for_maltas_backing_in_ongoing_crisis_in_nagornokarabakh

Armenia Resort Struggles To Heal ‘Scars’ After Azerbaijan Attack

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
BARRON’S

Aug 2 2023

Armenia Resort Struggles To Heal ‘Scars’ After Azerbaijan Attack

________________________________
By Irakli METREVELIAugust 2, 2023

Jermuk was Armenia’s busiest spa resort before arch foe Azerbaijan attacked nearly a year ago.

Now only the croaking of frogs and the occasional cry of a solitary swan fill the silence in the small town’s deserted park.

The mountain spa town dotted with hot springs came under artillery fire from Azerbaijan in September 2022.

While authorities insist Jermuk is ready to host tourists again, locals say the wounds are still raw and the tourism industry has been struggling to recover in the aftermath of the assault.

“You can’t see the scars of the war in the streets of Jermuk any more. They are on people’s souls,” said restaurant owner Ovsanna Stepanyan.

She said that the number of tourists visiting Jermuk — which gave its name to Armenia’s most famous mineral water brand —  had plummeted after the Azerbaijani attack.

“Hotels and restaurants are nearly empty, we are operating at a loss,” the 42-year-old told AFP.

Stepanyan’s eatery was once so busy people had to book a table days in advance. Now she receives just several customers each day and has been forced to lay off half of her staff.

Tour guide Vazgen Galstyan, 33, said hotels, cafes, schools, and kindergartens were open but stressed that the emotional trauma inflicted by the conflict had not healed.

“Many people here are still suffering from psychological trauma,” he said. “We know that the risk of a new war persists.”

Stepanyan said she had been struggling to forget last year’s attack.

She hid with her toddler son and mother in a basement when Azerbaijani forces shelled the town, an experience similar to that of many residents.

“Those hours were full of fear, like in a horror movie,” she said. “Then women and children fled Jermuk for Yerevan in trucks.”

“The road was full of cars with fleeing people, forests and fields on the outskirts of Jermuk were ablaze. I am still trembling when I remember that terrible night.”

Locked in a decades-long dispute over Azerbaijan’s Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Yerevan and Baku have fought two wars  for control of the mountainous enclave, in the 1990s and 2020.

Despite a Moscow-brokered ceasefire that ended the latest conflict, there have been near-daily border clashes between the Caucasus neighbours.

In the worst fighting since the end of the war, Azerbaijan captured a pocket of land inside Armenia last year in fierce clashes between the neighbours that claimed the lives of 210 people.

Both sides have accused each other of provoking the hostilities, which erupted on September 13, 2022, and ended with international mediation the next day.

Yerevan  said at the time that Azerbaijan attacked the towns of Jermuk, Sotk, and Verin Shorza — located near the two countries’ border — using artillery, mortars, and large-calibre firearms.

“The shelling of Jermuk began at midnight,” said the town’s vice-mayor, Vardan Sargsyan.

“Azerbaijanis were targeting roads and forests; they damaged residential buildings, vital infrastructure, the cemetery.”
But he insisted that “the consequences of the attack were eliminated, and damaged infrastructure was rebuilt”.

“Jermuk is ready to host tourists again,” added the vice-mayor.

Tigran Sargsyan, 20, returned to Jermuk four months ago after completing his military service and is now running a shooting gallery in an amusement park. Targets feature Azerbaijani flags and portraits of Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.

“The enemy is too close,” he said, referring to Azerbaijani troops stationed about four kilometres from Jermuk.

“If the situation does not change, there will be a fresh conflict and I’ll have to go to war.”

A Russian tourist strolling nearby sounded a more optimistic note.

“I know what happened in Jermuk last year, but I am not scared,” said Yuliya Shtykova, a 51-year-old Muscovite.

“Jermuk is a miracle, it has huge tourism potential.”

Armenia: EU supports new public transport system in Ashtarak community

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Aug 1 2023

With support from the EU, a new public transport system will be implemented in Ashtarak community in Armenia, within the framework of the Mayor’s for the Economic Growth (M4EG) Programme.

Thanks to this project, public transport reforms will provide comfortable transportation for residents in all settlements in the community. The plan includes acquiring 11 minibuses and constructing at least one bus stop in each village, totaling 35 bus stops.

The new public transport system will incorporate innovative features such as smart bus stops.

“Ashtarak community has the possibility to install smart bus stops, which will be equipped with such amenities as air conditioning, heating, Wi-Fi, and GPS systems. This will allow users to see the location of the route, the schedule, and the waiting time. The stop will also be accessible to people with disabilities. It will be possible to charge devices at the bus stop as well,” says Ishkhan Barseghyan, head of the Development Programmes and Tourism Department at Ashtarak Municipality.

The introduction of the new public transport system will benefit vulnerable families in the community by providing them with the opportunity to use public transport. The new transport service will cover all settlements in the community, and special rates will be available for vulnerable groups who are regular commuters.

The Mayors for Economic Growth Programme, launched in collaboration with the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme in Armenia, will operate until 2024. It encourages local governments in Eastern Partnership countries to adopt innovative development methods that will ensure fairness and have a positive impact on the environment. The Ashtarak community joined the programme in 2019.

Find out more

Press release

https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/armenia-eu-supports-new-public-transport-system-in-ashtarak-community/

Alarmed by rising tensions, Iran pursues diplomacy in South Caucasus

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
Amwaj Media
july 26 2023

The story: In its latest diplomatic foray into South Caucasus politics, Iran has hosted Armenia’s foreign minister while endorsing peace talks between Baku and Yerevan. Coming after recent Iranian efforts to ease heightened tensions with Azerbaijan, Tehran’s maneuvering underscores its desire to avoid pushing its estranged northwestern neighbor further toward Israel—and to protect its interests in the South Caucasus.

The coverage: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on July 24 met his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in Tehran.

  • Amir-Abdollahian asserted that Iran supports peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, welcoming the “recent progress in the negotiation process.”
  • At a joint press conference after the meeting, the top Iranian diplomat said “the time for war is over, and the time for a peace built on dialogue has arrived.”
  • Amir-Abdollahian also warned against the South Caucasus becoming an arena for a “power struggle” between states.

President Ebrahim Raisi expressed similar sentiments in a meeting with the visiting Armenian top diplomat.

  • Raisi declared Iran’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the region.
  • Raisi also emphasized that Tehran does not accept any changes to borders or the geopolitics of the region. He further added that outside interference would only “exacerbate” existing issues.

In parallel, Iran has over the past week stepped up its efforts to pursue de-escalation with Azerbaijan.

  • Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, said on July 19 that relations between Iran and Azerbaijan “are developing.”
  • Baqeri added that Iran has “no problems on border and security issues” with Azerbaijan. He made the remarks to reporters near Iran’s border with the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.

Meanwhile, Iran’s government-run IRNA news agency on July 21 inaugurated an office and launched an Azerbaijani website during a visit to Baku by the outlet’s director.

  • Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev notably praised the move by IRNA, saying that it would “definitely contribute to the strengthening of relations between our countries.”
  • In a seemingly reciprocal measure, Azerbaijan’s state-run Azertac news agency will launch an office in Tehran, Iran’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Abbas Mousavi told IRNA on July 21.

The context/analysis: Azerbaijan’s deepening ties with Israel in past years have been a key source of contention between Baku and Tehran. Tensions have also flared more recently due to Azerbaijan’s alleged efforts to sever Iran’s land connection to Armenia.

  • During the 2020 war between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan reportedly received help from Israel and Turkey. Iran, a longstanding ally of Armenia, cautiously refrained from taking sides during the war.
  • Azerbaijan seized large territories during the 44-day conflict. The war ended with a ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia. As part of this accord, Armenia agreed to establish a corridor in its southern Syunik region, which borders Iran. The Zangazur Corridor would create a link between the Azerbaijani mainland and the Nakhchivan exclave.
  • Iranian media view the overland transport corridor as a Turkey-backed move to disconnect Iran from Armenia as Ankara seeks to expand its influence in the South Caucasus. In this context, Iranian officials have on repeated occasions sternly warned against “border changes” in the region.

Azerbaijan and Iran have engaged in a war of words that has escalated into military drills along their border.


The already tense relations between Baku and Tehran took a turn for the worse following a series of developments earlier this year.

  • On Jan. 27, a fatal attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran resulted in the death of the diplomatic facility’s head of security. Iran blamed the incident on a personal dispute. Rejecting the Iranian explanation, Azerbaijan ordered the evacuation of its embassy.
  • Further fueling tensions, Azerbaijan in late March opened an embassy in Israel, an arch-rival of Iran. The move followed a reported surge in military ties between Baku and Tel Aviv.
  • In early April, Azerbaijan expelled four Iranian diplomats. This resulted in Tehran taking reciprocal action a month later.

The border between Armenia and Iran is of high importance to both countries.

  • The merely 48 km (29.8 miles) frontier has been described as a “lifeline” for Armenia, which finds itself sandwiched between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
  • The Armenian border provides Iran with a dependable overland transit route to Georgia and beyond. This is particularly of high value for Tehran at times when relations with Baku and Ankara experience turbulence. Moreover, Iran considers the South Caucasus as a historical zone of influence and sees any loss of a land border with the countries there as a threat to this broader stature.
  • Iran is additionally wary of the ongoing dissemination of separatist pro-Turkic discourse in its northwest, where ethnic Azeri communities reside.

The future: An armed conflict between Azerbaijan and Iran, however unlikely, could quickly come to involve multiple external actors. It could also mean a second major confrontation in the South Caucasus, which is still reeling from the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.

  • Despite high tensions, the recent conciliatory maneuvering indicates that both Baku and Tehran wish to avoid an all-out confrontation.
  • The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a project geared to connect Russia and India via Iran and the Gulf, passes through Azerbaijan. The latter is a strong incentive for Tehran to pursue improved relations with Baku, especially as transit revenues are key to the Raisi administration’s economic ambitions.
  • Iran is likely to continue to seek to strike a balance between maintaining its close relations with Armenia without worsening relations with Azerbaijan.

Goal of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh is prevention of massacres of local population – PM

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

 14:32,

YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has commented on the probability of Russia withdrawing its peacekeeping troops from Nagorno Karabakh and the subsequent possible scenarios.

Speaking at a July 25 press conference, Pashinyan said that the Russian peacekeeping force in Nagorno Karabakh has a goal which is stipulated in the decision of the Russian parliament which authorized the deployment in 2020.

 “The decision says that the Russian Federation Council authorizes the Russian president to deploy a peacekeeping contingent to Nagorno Karabakh to prevent the massacre of the local population. Now, if Russia were to decide to withdraw, regardless of nuances, this would at least mean that there’s no such threat in Nagorno Karabakh anymore, because if there is such a threat in Nagorno Karabakh it’s difficult to imagine a decision like that being made,” Pashinyan said.

If a threat of massacres would no longer face the people of Nagorno Karabakh, it would mean that the Baku-Stepanakert dialogue under an international mechanism was effective and the sides decided that there is no longer a need for a peacekeeping presence.

PM Pashinyan praises Washington’s mediation efforts

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

 16:28,

YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that he sees some degree of harmonization of stances of the West and Russia in the Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations process.

Speaking at a press conference on July 25, PM Pashinyan praised Washington’s efforts and noted that Russia’s activeness in the negotiations process has indeed reduced because of the ‘developments in Ukraine.’

“I highly appreciate the efforts of the United States. They are making truly serious efforts for making a peace treaty possible. Yes, Russia’s negotiations activeness has reduced to some extent. But not because they don’t want a resolution of the issue, but because they aren’t investing the presumed time and energy because of the developments in Ukraine. In relation to our current situation, we see harmonization trends happening in the positions of the West and Russia,” Pashinyan said.

The Armenian PM said that he’s held most of his meetings in Western platforms for objective reasons, and not because Armenia wanted to push Russia out of the process.

Communications in the times of polarizations: highlights from AxelMondrian’s CEO’s speech at EACD summit

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

 17:02,

YEREVAN, JULY 20, ARMENPRESS. In the last 5 years, 68.6% of businesses had at least one public crisis and 19.2% of these crises resulted in legal proceedings, shared the speaker, mentioning that only 16% of the companies that reported a crisis recovered their reputation.

This is a quote from the speech of Shushan Harutyunyan , Managing Partner, Chief Executive Officer of “AxelMondrian & Partners” was one of the invited speakers of the EACD summit held in Brussels this year.

Shushan Harutyunyan presented the growing precedents of “reputational laundering”. According to Shushan, there is no secret that litigation can harm a defendant’s reputation. However, litigation is often used by plaintiffs to enhance their own reputations in the court of public opinion.

“Contextually speaking, the court today is not only an official authority to make legal decisions, but yet another platform for directing public opinion, where businesses and leaders advance in the agenda of eliminating a competitor or restoring their own reputation. Moreover, in such cases, the court’s verdict is no longer substantial in its public relevance and the public discourse is mainly driven by the narratives and emotions”, – said Shushan Harutyunyan, adding that today professional ethics is rediscovering its importance.

This year themes of the EACD Summit included Purpose in a polarized world, the future of communications and the digital agenda, Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) topics, Communicating trust with different stakeholders, among others.

 

The EACD summit discussed the latest challenges in the communications industry and concluded that in the polarized times, now more than ever, public communication has an important mission. Founded in 2006, with representatives from 23 countries, EACD is one of the most trusted institutions in the European area, and this year’s summit was the largest after the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Axel Mondrian & Partners” CJSC (AxelMondrian & Partners) is a qualified consulting company, a member of the European network, which opened its office in Yerevan in 2022. It is the first reputation management company in the region and provides services in public relations, branding and marketing communication, data processing and analysis and related fields.

Medical Evacuations Resume From Karabakh To Armenia: Red Cross To AFP

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
BARRON’S
  • FROM AFP NEWS

The evacuation of patients from Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia resumed Friday, after Baku shut the road linking the enclave to its neighbour, the Red Cross said.

“Evacuation of patients by the Red Cross from Karabakh to hospitals in Armenia resumed today (Friday),” the Red Cross’s Armenian branch spokeswoman Zara Amatuni told AFP, adding that “11 patients in serious condition were transported through the Lachin Corridor” which Baku shut Tuesday, sparking concerns over a humanitarian crisis in the region.

mkh-im/sea/lcm

Yerevan Blames Death of 2 Children in Artsakh on Azerbaijan

Vorskanian Yeghisabet
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

3-year-old Leo and 6-year-old Gita died, as their mother was procuring food


Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Thursday blamed the death of two children in Artsakh on Azerbaijan and its ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

“The seven-month blockade of Lachin Corridor total siege of Nagorno Karabakh people is having irreversible and devastating impact on the lives of the people,” Mirzoyan said in a Twitter post on Thursday.

“NK [Nagorno-Karabakh] resident children 3-year-old Leo and 6-year-old Gita died as consequence of the serious humanitarian situation. In 21st century. This should not be tolerated”, Mirzoyan emphasized.

Artsakh State Minister Gourgen Nersisyan on Thursday explained that due to lack of basic necessities in the country as a result of the blockade, the mother of the children was forced to leave the children unattended in order to find food and nourishment for them.

The Artsakh police reported on Saturday that it responded to a call about two unresponsive children found in a vehicle. Following an investigation, it was determined that the children had left their residence and wandered into the Martakert district where they had fallen asleep in a vehicle and passed away from heatstroke.

Armenpress: President of Artsakh convenes a meeting to address humanitarian and security issues

Vorskanian Yeghisabet

 20:40,

YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. On July 10, President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan held a working meeting with participation of representatives from different branches of the government and heads of power structures, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the President of Artsakh.

 The meeting aimed to discuss the measures being taken to address the deepening humanitarian and security problems resulting from Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggressive policy against the Republic of Artsakh. The participants emphasized the importance of effectively utilizing internal resources and intensifying foreign political efforts to resolve the blockade of Artsakh.