Category: 2020

BY TAMAR KEVONIAN

It’s been 44 days since the war for Artsakh began. 44 days of anxiety. 44 days of pride. 44 days of heartbreak. 44 days of loneliness. 44 of fighting. 44 days of sounding the trumpet. 44 days of solidarity.

As the wrenching shock of the end settles in, the tears come uncontrollably. Tears of anger. Tears for the loss. Tears for the heartbreak. Tears for the lives lost. Tears for a land lost.

But now, more than ever we must stand united. Take a hard look at the missed opportunities and plan for a better outcome in the future. This is not the end. It is the beginning: The beginning of a fight in the 21st century.

I have no party affiliations or children on the front lines or people who died in this war. I have never lived in Armenia or participated in its government. I am a child of the Diaspora, born and raised outside of the borders of Armenia. Perhaps I am the least qualified person to comment on this situation. My only qualification is my love and dedication for my people: Armenia and all Armenians everywhere.

We were given a chance almost 30 years ago to build a nation. For better or worse we have the Armenia we deserve. The outcome of the war is the result of a long line of decisions by all Armenians. We loved our country but allowed it to be looted over and over by those we entrusted it to. We loved our freedom but chose not to ensure its longevity by ignoring the threats, by relying on a superpower to save us, by not planning ahead, by not investing in our army; by playing by the rules and hoping someone noticed and rewarded us.

During this time, our enemy planned, strategized, leveraged its advantages and then took by force what it had always dreamed of.

We have no one to blame for the outcome but ourselves. Nikol Pashinyan, was democratically elected by the citizens of the country to right the wrongs of 30 years of mismanagement and graft. A herculean task impossible to accomplish in the 2 ½ years he has been allotted. He is our leader regardless of the party or group we belong to. Instead of a coup, we must stand by him for making an impossible decision in an impossible situation. No one stood up for us on the world stage; must we now abandon each other?

We accomplished much in these 44 days. We raised awareness, affected the course of many corporations, and rallied our allies on the ground even when their governments ignored us. We now definitely know who our friends are. Our united voice was heard from UEFA to Beringer Aero. We cannot falter now. We must stay vigilant. We must continue to protest and demand change. We must push for prosecution of the war crimes committed by our enemies. We must stand  together always: tall and proud and loud.

Now through our tears, anger and disappointment we must still stay united and plan for the future. The Turks are not done with us. They will return to take the rest of Artsakh. Then they will return to take Armenia. Will we be prepared next time?

With love and Armenian pride.

Saying France “stands by Armenia during this difficult time,” French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called for a “lasting political solution” to the Karabakh conflict after Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed a deal to end weeks of fierce fighting.

Earlier the Elysee Palace said in a statement that France was studying the parameters of the ceasefire agreement, but said any lasting agreement needed to take into consideration the interests of Armenia, Reuters reported.

Macron also urged that Turkey, which backs Azerbaijan, “end its provocations” in the conflict, according to AFP.

“France firmly calls on Turkey to put an end to its provocations about Nagorno-Karabakh, to show restraint and to do nothing that compromises the possibility of a lasting agreement being negotiated between the parties and within the framework of the Minsk Group,” Macron said.

Macron’s office quoted him as saying that efforts should be made “without delay” to try to come up with a “lasting political solution to the conflict that allows for the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh to remain in good condition and the return of tens of thousands of people who have fled their homes.”

The French president said he will actively pursue his consultations with Russia and will meet “very soon” with the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders.

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned Ankara that if it does not adhere to the terms of the agreement reached Tuesday between the presidents of Russia and France and the Armenian prime minister, the EU may impose additional sanctions against Turkey, reported Tass.

“We consider it important that Turkey absolutely strictly adhere to the agreed ceasefire, because otherwise it risks facing increased sanctions,” Le Drian said.

The minister added that in December the EU countries will hold another summit, at which, among other things, Turkey’s aggressive behavior will be discussed.

“Earlier, 27 countries of the community have already decided that if Turkey does not change its behavior, measures will be taken against it, including sanctions – these options are already on the table,” Le Drian stressed.

“I have spoken more than once about Turkey’s belligerent and unacceptable behavior. President Erdogan calls for hatred against our country and insults the values on which our nation is based,” Le Drian said.

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed his concern about the Russian-brokered agreement signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia to end the fighting in Nagorno Karabakh and surrounding areas.

“It is a disgrace that the United States under Trump-Pompeo leadership has once again ceded an important foreign policy matter to Russia, this time to the detriment of our Armenian friends who have been targeted, attacked, and exploited by Turkey and Azerbaijan,” said Markey.

“It is a stain on this administration that they’ve allowed President Trump’s friend Erdogan to stage a land-grab in the South Caucasus and make a mockery of the OSCE Minsk process. My thoughts are with the Armenian people who have suffered relentless attacks throughout this campaign by Turkey and Azerbaijan, including the reported use of foreign fighters imported from Syria,” explained Markey.

“As I’ve said before, the United States must clearly condemn this illegal military campaign and end our security assistance to Azerbaijan and Turkey. We must also be prepared to provide the humanitarian assistance that will be so desperately needed by the Armenian people. It is also vitally important that we continue to support democratic institutions in Armenia as the country navigates this challenging time,” added Markey.

“We join with the bipartisan leadership of the Armenian Caucus and Senator Markey in our commitment to ensuring the support of the U.S. Congress and the incoming Biden Administration for Artsakh and Armenia, and also for holding Turkey and Azerbaijan accountable for their war crimes and atrocities against the Armenian people,” said Armenian National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

“This needs to start with immediate Global Magnitsky sanctions on Erdogan and Aliyev and – on the humanitarian front – with an initial $250,000,000 package of emergency relief, reconstruction and development assistance for Artsakh and the more than 100,000 Armenians forcibly displaced from their native lands,” added Hamparian.

Hours after calling for consultations with political forces in Armenia, to find consensus regarding the fate of Artsakh, President Armen Sarkissian on Tuesday met with leaders of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

These consultations were spurred by the revelation that the president was not consulted nor was he engaged in discussions about the agreement signed by prime minister Nikol Pashinyan and the Russian and Azerbaijani presidents late Monday to end the Karabakh war.

In a statement on Tuesday, Sarkissian said any agreement on Artsakh must stem from Armenian national interests and must be concluded through a national consensus.

ARF Bureau member Armen Rustamyan and ARF Supreme Council of Armenia member Artsvik Minasyan met with president Sarkissian to discuss the unexpected situation created in the country following the revelation of the end of war agreement, which among other provisions, stipulates the surrender of Armenian territories in Artsakh—including Shushi—to Artsakh.

Holding the current leadership squarely responsible for the situation at hand, the ARF leaders expressed their concerns about the incredible threats the agreement poses to Armenia and presented their view on addressing the situation.

The sides emphasized the importance of national consensus for the settlement of Karabakh conflict, calling it an issue of national importance.

President Sarkissian underscored the need for preserve stability, public accord and unity in the country.

Sarkissian’s announcement Tuesday signaled that he was caught off guard about the agreement, saying he found out about it and its provisions through the press.

The president also held separate meetings Tuesday with leaders of the Republican Party of Armenia, as well as the parliamentary Bright Armenia party and non-parliamentary Homeland and Heritage parties.