Category: 2020

‘Enemy is 5 Kilometers from Shushi,’ Warns Artsakh President

Jalatian Sonya

October 29,  2020



Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, in video remarks from Shushi, warned that Azerbaijani forces have reached five kilometers from Shushi, urging the nation to rise up to beat the aggression.

“Today, in this decisive historical moment, when the Turkish-Azerbaijani and terrorist gangs, using their entire military resources, undertook an offensive at Artsakh, aimed at extermination and exile of all Artsakh Armenians, who have been living on their native soil for millennia, from their Homeland, we carry on a life and death struggle, in unequal conditions in every respect,” said Harutyunyan.

“Now they are threatening our Homeland and our existence not only along the entire frontline, but have also invested serious military resources in the direction of Shushi, in order to capture the proud Armenian town-fortress at any cost,” added Harutyunyan.

“Shushi is not just a town, it is the symbol of the determination of the Armenian people to live in their own cradle, a symbol of the victories of the Armenian people. Shoushi is the beating heart of all Armenians,” warned Harutyunyan.

“As the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Artsakh, I once again call on each and every one of you to unite and defend our Shushi, our Artsakh, our national dignity,” said Harutyunyan.

Asbarez: Moscow Voices ‘Concern’ about Mercenaries in Karabakh

Chakhmakhchian Vatche

October 29,  2020

Syrian mercenaries fighting alongside Azerbaijani forces

A meeting between Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov scheduled for Thursday in Geneva has been cancelled. Moscow on Thursday voiced “deep concern” about mercenaries in the Karabakh conflict zone.

The meeting was announced Sunday, when the OSCE Minks Group co-chairs issued a statement calling for adhering to the ceasefire agreement and pledging to continue to mediate a settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

Russian media are speculating that the meeting has been postponed until Friday.

Saying another internationally-mediated ceasefire agreement has failed, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed Moscow’s concern about the ongoing military escalation in Artsakh, specifically the presence of mercenaries in battle.

“We are deeply concerned about continued hostilities and the ongoing massive deployment of foreign mercenaries from the Middle East to the military zone. There can be no alternative to a peaceful settlement of the conflict,” Zakharova said.

“Unfortunately, the situation in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone remains complex. The military situation continues. We continue our efforts for de-escalation of the situation and resumption of the negotiation process both at the national level and within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship,” added Zakharova.

Defense officials in Armenia and Artsakh warned Wednesday that Azerbaijani forces were surrendering control of their positions to Ankara-backed terrorists in key areas on the frontlines, creating makeshift bases from where the mercenaries can attack Artsakh targets.

In an interview with Russian RIA news agency, Mnatsakanyan, once again, sounded the alarm on Turkey’s blatant intervention in the conflict. Turkey has been supporting Azerbaijan with military assistance and the deployment of Ankara-backed terrorists to fight alongside Azerbaijani forces.

“Turkey sees this conflict as an opportunity to increase its influence in the neighboring South Caucasus region,” Mnatsakanyan told RIA. “[Ankara’s] policy of inciting conflict and inflicting great human suffering on the population of the region in order to spread its influence should be resisted and discouraged,’’ Mnatsakanyan said.

Mnatsakanyan added that no country—including Turkey itself—can say that Turkey acted as an impartial actor in Nagorno Karabakh conflict, pointing out that Turkey slammed the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries—the U.S., Russia and France—after they called for an immediate ceasefire on October 1.

Mnatsakanyan spoke to EU’s Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell on Wednesday, raising the alarm about Azerbaijan’s deliberate targeting of the civilian population in Artsakh. He briefed the European leader about the ongoing attacks on Stepanakert, where, he said, the maternity hospital was deliberately targeted by Azerbaijan.

Armenia’s top diplomat warned that Turkey’s continued destabilizing involvement poses a threat to not only regional, but global security.

Mnatsakanyan told Borrell that Armenia is committed to a peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict through the mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to Twitter to highlight the true goals of the Turkey-backed Azerbaijani forces to the international community, emphasizing that Baku intends to ethnically cleanse Armenian in Artsakh.

“Turkish led Azerbaijani forces along with terrorists continue intensive military operations in different directions of the front line, including peaceful areas across Artsakh. Their aim is the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Artsakh,” Pashinyan said, urging the international community to recognize Artsakh.



Armenian FM informs Iranian Deputy FM about continuation of of works under OSCE MG Co- chairs

Garnik Tadevosian

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 02:23,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan received Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran Abbas Araghchi on October 29, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia.

The sides exchanged views on the situation over Nagorno Karabakh resulted by the war unleashed by Azerbaijan and regional security issues. The sides expressed concerns over the deployment of international terrorists in the region, assessing it as a serious threat for the entire region.

The Armenian FM emphasized that Armenia understands that Iran is sensible towards the new regional threats and highlighted the role of Iran in the stability and peace of the region.

Iran’s Deputy FM Araghchi presented the approaches of his country for overcoming the existing situation and establishing ceasefire. In this context the Armenian FM noted that Iran’s approaches to this issue will be scrutinized in detail.

FM Mnatsakanyan informed his interlocutor about the meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs planned in Geneva on October 30 and continuation of the works in that format.

U.S. Embassy in Armenia Issues Travel Warning

Jane Topchian

October 29,  2020



The U.S. Embassy building in Yerevan

The United States Embassy in Yerevan issued a travel warning urging U.S. citizens to keep away from “all of Ararat, Vayots Dzor and Syunik provinces,” and not to travel to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Below is the statement.

The U.S. Embassy in Armenia urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when traveling within Armenia. The U.S. Embassy has instructed Embassy employees and their families not to travel to the areas listed below and urges U.S. citizens to avoid travel to:

Tavush province east of the M4 and M16 Highways north of the Dilijan National Park and up to the border with Georgia.

Gegharkunik province east and south of Lake Sevan and east of the M10 Highway.
All of Ararat, Vayots Dzor, and Syunik provinces.

The U.S. Embassy will continue to monitor the security situation and provide additional information as needed.

Madrid Principles are Blueprint—and Carte Blanche—for Baku’s Aggression

Kalantarian Kevo

October 29,  2020



OSCE Minks Group mediators meet with Armenia’s Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan in Moscow on Oct. 13

BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN

The so-called Madrid Principles, based on which the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs have been mediating a settlement to the Karabakh conflict served as a blueprint for Azerbaijan to launch an aggressive attack on Artsakh beginning on September 27.

Since then Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev has wasted no opportunity to tell the world, including over last weekend during an interview with Fox News, that since the settlement of the conflict, in his view, was stalling he was exercising his right to settle the conflict based on the very provisions—or steps—outlined in the Madrid Principles.

First discussed in 2007, Madrid Principles set forth a proposed formula which calls for Artsakh’s up-front surrender of seven regions of its sovereign territory in return for only a vague promise that Azerbaijan will allow a future “_expression_ of will” that would determine its status, setting the stage for continued conflict and increased regional instability.

These principles, which tepidly were accepted by the sides as the basis for the negotiations, essentially were designed to appease Azerbaijan.

  • Artsakh was supposed to relinquish territory, without being able to negotiate for the return of its own lands that were stolen by Azerbaijan—Shahumyan, Getashen, Martunashen.
  • Artsakh was supposed to turn the other cheek, because no where in the Madrid Principles was Azerbaijan being held accountable for its gruesome pogroms in Sumgait, Kirovabad (currently Ganja, historically Gandzak), Baku, Maragha, Shahumyan and the list goes on.
  • Artsakh was also supposed to sit back and allow others to determine its “status,” despite the fact that its people voted to leave the Soviet Union and become an independent republic—that cherished inalienable right to self-determination.

Since the 2016 April War, and subsequent violations of the 1994 ceasefire agreement by Azerbaijan, the Madrid Principles were never amended to require security guarantees for the people of Artsakh. Furthermore, Baku did not have to pay a price for its brutal aggression in the 2016 war and subsequent—and continued—violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Instead what Aliyev adopted as his motto were declarations that Azerbaijan would militarily resolve the conflict, including the “liberation of Yerevan,” which he called historic Azerbaijani territory. To add to this equation, Aliyev declared all Armenians around the world to be “enemies of Azerbaijan,” based on which he adopted what has become known as Armenophobic hysteria throughout his country.

Before 2016, of course, among many examples, was the Safarov affair, which saw an ax-murderer being treated as a national hero for killing an Armenian soldier in his sleep.

None of this gave pause to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, because they were determined to mediate a settlement based on the Madrid Principles. Their false parity when it came to warnings to the sides became commonplace. Their turning a deaf ear to the military threats from Baku became the norm. The co-chairs were not even moved to act when Aliyev went on national television in July and called them “useless” and challenged their authority by saying “who are these co-chairs to tell me I can’t get what I want through military means.”

Not even a week after that broadcast, Azerbaijani forces brazenly attacked civilian and military targets in Armenia. A week later, Turkey and Azerbaijan held military exercises for a week very near to the Artsakh border. It’s become evident that Turkey left behind its military equipment in Azerbaijan, including U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets and other heavy artillery all in preparation for what was to come in September.

The September 27 attacks didn’t even move the Minsk Group co-chairs, who in their first statement, expressed “concern” for the escalation of violence and urged “both sides” to observe the ceasefire.

Today, three ceasefire agreements later, each being brokered by one of the co-chairing countries, has been violated by Azerbaijan. Yet still the mediators are calling on “all sides” to adhere to the agreements, because their bible—the Madrid Principles—awaits another round of negotiations despite the war crimes committed against the people of Artsakh and regardless of the fact that Turkey has entered the conflict, backed by mercenaries, who are becoming active players in the region.

Baku’s actions have gone unchecked for so long that Aliyev thought he could put into action all his threats, because, at the end of the day, principles on which a settlement would be negotiated would give Azerbaijan the upper hand.

On Thursday, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry announced that Yerevan’s top diplomat will be traveling to Geneva Friday to meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. The Foreign Ministry also said that the implementation of the ceasefire agreements reached during the past three weeks would be the only topic of discussion at this meeting.

It has been proven, time and again, that the Madrid Principles can only cause instability and become a real threat to regional security. At the same time these principles also give carte blanche to Azerbaijan to advance war and perpetuate the bloodshed that is now threatening the very existence of Artsakh.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 10/29/2020

Ani Tigranian 
                                        Thursday, 
Pashinian Sends Condolences To Macron Over Terrorist Attack In France
Nice, France - French security forces are outside a church where a stabbing 
attack took place on October 29
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian offered his condolences to French 
President Emmanuel Macron over a terrorist attack on October 29 that left at 
least three people killed and several injured in southern France.
One of the victims, a woman, was beheaded after a knife attack at a church in 
Nice.
In his message Pashinian said that Armenia condemns terrorism in all its forms 
and manifestations.
“It is more than obvious that extremism and fanaticism have no justification or 
moral excuse,” Pashinian said.
“The people of Armenia share the pain and anger of the fraternal people of 
France. We express our deep condolences and sympathy to victims’ families and 
friends,” he added.
The latest terrorist attack comes amid increased tensions between France and 
Turkey as well as other predominantly Muslim countries over the publication of 
the Prophet Muhammad cartoons in the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
About two weeks ago a French teacher was decapitated outside his school in a 
Parisian suburb by an attacker who wanted to punish him for showing pupils 
cartoons of the prophet in a civics lesson.
After that attack Macron and his government vowed a crackdown on Islamic 
extremism, stressing that freedom of speech is one of the highest values in 
France. This stance has drawn anger from the Muslim world where many leaders, 
including Turkey’s Erdogan, have accused Macron of Islamophobia.
Armenia, Azerbaijan Trade Blame Over Stalled Talks
RUSSIA -- Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian (right) and Azerbaijani 
Foregn Minister Jeyhun Bayramov (left) meet with their Russian counterpart 
Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, October 9, 2020
Authorities in Yerevan and Baku have accused each other of torpedoing 
negotiations aimed at finding ways of ending hostilities and de-escalating the 
current crisis in and around Nagorno-Karabakh.
In an interview with Russia’s RIA Novosti on Thursday Armenian Foreign Minister 
Zohrab Mnatsakanian claimed that Azerbaijan refuses to work constructively on 
the parameters of a ceasefire, instead pressing ahead with military operations.
The Armenian minister said that his joint statement with his Russian and 
Azerbaijani counterparts, Sergei Lavrov and Jeyhun Bayramov, made on October 10 
constituted a roadmap to achieve that goal. He said that the first two points 
concerning the ceasefire and the need to agree on its specific parameters, 
including the exchange of bodies of killed soldiers and prisoners of war, must 
be fulfilled immediately and without preconditions.
“The main obstacle in the negotiations has been Azerbaijan’s unwillingness to 
commit itself to a sustainable and verifiable ceasefire. Azerbaijan refuses to 
create verification mechanisms, its long-standing position is to avoid a 
sustainable ceasefire and leave room for mutual accusations,” Mnatsakanian said.
The Armenian minister said that consultations on verification mechanisms are 
currently underway between the defense ministries of the Russian Federation, 
Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“For now, Azerbaijan refuses to constructively engage in the development of the 
parameters of the ceasefire and continues large-scale military operations,” the 
Armenian diplomat added.
Meanwhile, in an interview with the same news agency Bayramov accused Armenia of 
torpedoing the talks. He claimed that Yerevan is not interested in a negotiated 
settlement of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Armenia grossly violated all agreements on an immediate humanitarian truce. 
Obviously, Armenia is not interested in a negotiated settlement of the 
conflict,” he said.
The top diplomats of Armenia and Azerbaijan made the remarks ahead of their 
expected separate meetings with the Russian, American and French co-chairmen of 
the OSCE Minsk Group, an international format spearheading international efforts 
on resolving the long-running conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Meanwhile, speaking on the sidelines of an annual investment forum, Russia 
Calling, in Moscow on October 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged 
the intricate nature of the conflict around Nagorno-Karabakh, saying that “it 
has no simple solutions.”
“What or where is the long-term settlement? It is in finding a balance of 
interests that would suit both sides – both the Azerbaijani people, whom we 
treat with unwavering respect, and the interests of the Armenian people,” Putin 
said.
Last week Putin said that Moscow believes that the death toll from the fighting 
in Nagorno-Karabakh that broke out on September 27 was nearing 5,000.
As of October 29, the de facto military authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh have 
confirmed the deaths of 1,163 ethnic Armenian servicemen. Azerbaijan does not 
disclose its military losses.
Bodies Of 29 Killed Soldiers Handed Over To Armenia
The bodies of 29 Armenian servicemen killed in action during the ongoing 
hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh have been handed over to the Armenian side, 
Armenia’s Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
According to Defense Ministry spokesperson Shushan Stepanian, the transfer took 
place on October 29 “with the exceptional mediation efforts of the Russian 
Federation, and with the participation of the field team of the Personal 
Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and the International Committee 
of the Red Cross (ICRC).”
She said that at the same time the ICRC efforts have resulted in one civilian’s 
repatriation to Armenia.
“In its turn, the Armenian side, adhering to the arrangements reached within the 
framework of the humanitarian ceasefire, once again reiterates its readiness to 
hand over to the Azerbaijani side the bodies of Azerbaijani servicemen in the 
territory of Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh – ed.], and to start the process of 
recovery of bodies in the inter-positional zone throughout the entire 
Artshakh-Azerbaijan frontline of hostilities, as well as exchange of information 
on POWs and their respective handover in future,” Stepanian wrote in a Facebook 
post.
Earlier today the de facto Defense Ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh confirmed the 
deaths of 51 more ethnic Armenian soldiers, taking its military death toll to 
1,116 since fighting with Azerbaijani forces broke out on September 27.
Azerbaijan does not disclose its military losses, but authorities in Baku say 
the fighting has killed 69 civilians and wounded 322. Armenian authorities in 
Nagorno-Karabakh have also reported dozens of civilians killed and wounded since 
the start of the hostilities.
Iranian Official Calls Minsk Group ‘Inefficient’
        • Gevorg Stamboltsian
Abbas Araghchi, a political deputy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, 
has been tasked by the Iranian president with unveiling a peace plan for the 
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to the warring side
A senior Iranian diplomat tasked by his government with unveiling a peace plan 
for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to the warring side has described the efforts 
of the current international group seeking a negotiated settlement as 
inefficient.
“The Minsk Group [of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] 
has shown its inefficiency,” said Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister 
and the Iranian president’s special envoy for Nagorno-Karabakh, in a statement 
made in Moscow on October 29.
Earlier this week, Iran announced it had drawn up a plan to resolve the 
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the hope of stopping fighting between Armenian and 
Azerbaijani forces continuing along its northwestern border.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif did not divulge any details of the 
plan. Zarif’s deputy Abbas Araghchi reportedly travelled to Baku earlier this 
week to submit the peace proposals to Azerbaijan’s leadership. Tehran said the 
plan would be presented in Moscow and Yerevan as well.
“It has been 30 years since the Minsk Group was formed, but it has not been able 
to find a long-term solution to the problem,” said Araghchi, as quoted by the 
Iranian embassy in Moscow, speaking about the group co-chaired by the United 
States, Russia and France.
Each country of the co-chairing troika tried to broker a ceasefire in the 
conflict zone earlier in October, but in each case it collapsed within hours 
after taking effect, with Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian 
forces accusing each other of failing to live up to the agreement.
Araghchi arrived in the Russian capital from Baku, where he reportedly met with 
the Azerbaijani leadership on October 28.
“My meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev lasted for about an hour and 
a half. Azerbaijani officials have a positive attitude towards Tehran’s plan to 
establish lasting peace in the region,” the Iranian official said, as quoted by 
the IRNA news agency.
Araghchi added that according to the plan drafted in Tehran, ceasefire is to be 
established after certain initial steps. The Iranian diplomat did not elaborate.
The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are expected to hold meetings 
with the Minsk Group co-chairs this week in a fresh effort to reach ceasefire 
and discuss further settlement of the long-running conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that Moscow believes the death 
toll from the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh that broke out on September 27 was 
nearing 5,000.
Armenia, Azerbaijan Accuse Each Other Of Targeting Civilians
Nagorno-Karabakh - Aftermaths of a missile attack on the Stepanakert Maternity 
Hospital, 28Oct,2020
Armenians and Azerbaijanis have again accused each other of targeting civilians 
as deadly fighting continues unabated in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.
Armenia and Armenia-backed ethnic Armenian authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh said 
that the region’s capital city, Stepanakert, and other towns, including nearby 
Shushi (Shusha) and Martakert in the north-east, have come under bombardment and 
rocket fire of the Azerbaijani military, causing casualties among the civilian 
population in recent days.
Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian Defense Army said that Azerbaijan has used 
Smerch multiple launch rocket systems in shelling the towns overnight.
“This is yet another war crime committed by the Azerbaijani leadership. The 
criminal leadership of Azerbaijan bears the whole responsible for further 
escalation of the situation,” it claimed in a statement released on October 29.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry in its turn claimed that Armenian forces 
shelled the Azerbaijani districts of Barda and Goranboy located north of 
Nagorno-Karabakh.
The de facto Defense Ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh said on October 29 that 51 
more casualties have taken its military death toll to 1,116 since fighting with 
Azerbaijani forces erupted on September 27.
Azerbaijan does not disclose its military losses, but authorities in Baku say 
the fighting has killed 69 civilians and wounded 322. Armenian authorities in 
Nagorno-Karabakh have also reported dozens of civilians killed and wounded since 
the start of the hostilities.
The reports of fresh fighting and targeting of civilians came three days after 
another ceasefire agreed by the warring sides collapsed.
The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are expected to hold meetings 
with the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Geneva, Switzerland, this week in a new effort 
to reach ceasefire and discuss further settlement of the long-running conflict.
The United States, France, and Russia are the co-chairs of the Minsk Group, 
which has been the main mediator in the conflict.
The Minsk Group said the meetings would be held “to discuss, reach agreement on, 
and begin implementation, in accordance with a timeline to be agreed upon, of 
all steps necessary to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh 
conflict.”
The meetings are originally scheduled for October 29. But through his 
spokesperson today Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said that his 
meeting with the mediators had been rescheduled for October 30.
Biden Urges Trump To ‘Get Involved Personally’ To Stop War In Karabakh
        • Harry Tamrazian
U.S. -- Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks 
at a drive-in rally at Cellairis Amphitheatre in Atlanta, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is the Democratic candidate in next week’s 
presidential elections in the United States, has called on President Donald 
Trump to “get personally involved” to put an end to the ongoing hostilities in 
Nagorno-Karabakh.
In his fourth announcement on the war that broke out between Azerbaijan and 
ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27 Biden also stressed that 
Washington should be leading a diplomatic effort to end the fighting.
“Following the collapse of the ceasefire announced by Secretary of State [Mike] 
Pompeo on October 25, a large-scale humanitarian disaster is looming for the 
people of Nagorno-Karabakh, who have already suffered too much and need to have 
their security protected. After a month of fighting, it is long past time for 
President Trump to directly engage the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and 
Turkey to push for immediate de-escalation and stop the advance of Azerbaijani 
troops into Nagorno-Karabakh,” Biden said on Wednesday.
He also called on the administration to enforce Section 907 of the Freedom 
Support Act that bans direct aid to Azerbaijan, including military aid.
“While he brags about his deal-making skills at campaign rallies, Trump has yet 
to get involved personally to stop this war. The administration must fully 
implement and not waive requirements under section 907 of the Freedom Support 
Act to stop the flow of military equipment to Azerbaijan, and call on Turkey and 
Russia to stop fueling the conflict with the supply of weapons and, in the case 
of Turkey, mercenaries,” said Biden.
“The United States should be leading a diplomatic effort to end the fighting, 
together with our European partners, and push for international humanitarian 
assistance to end the suffering; under my administration that is exactly what we 
will do,” pledged Biden.
The Trump administration brokered a short-lived ceasefire between Armenia and 
Azerbaijan when the two countries’ foreign ministers visited Washington late 
last week.
The third Armenian-Azerbaijani ceasefire during the current hostilities 
collapsed within hours after entering into force on the morning of October 26. 
The next day, President Trump himself acknowledged that the ceasefire was not 
holding. According to Reuters, Trump expressed optimism that the two sides will 
work things out but offered no other details.
The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are expected to hold meetings 
with the three co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe’s Minsk Group representing the United States, Russia and France in 
Geneva, Switzerland, later today to discuss ways of de-escalating the fighting 
in which hundreds of lives on both sides have already been lost.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2020 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

It’s Time To Attack On All Battle Fronts

Parkev Tvankchian

October 29,  2020



Arshak Mesrobian is the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau Youth Office Executive Director

BY ARSHAK MESROBIAN

Dear fellow Armenian compatriots,

From the early days of the hostilities launched by Azerbaijan, with the support of Turkey, against the Armenian people, ARF youth from across the globe have been at the frontlines in combatting the aggression of these two criminal regimes both in the homeland and in the diaspora.

The struggle for survival is being fought on many fronts and in order to succeed, we must exceed all expectations.

These fronts are:

On the political and diplomatic front, we must demand the recognition of the Republic of Artsakh and the self-determination and fundamental human rights of Armenians of Artsakh to live freely and peacefully on the land of their ancestors. We must also demand the condemnation of the inhumane and unprovoked invasion of the nomadic tribes in Artsakh.

On the information and public relations front, we owe it to ourselves and to humanity to present the just position of the righteous Armenian people to the world in order to establish pro-Armenian sentiment. In addition, we must work hard to prevent the spread of misinformation and falsified news by Azerbaijan.

As a global Armenian nation, we must continue to support the Armenians of Artsakh and the Armenian Armed Forces by continuing to donate money, medicinal supplies, and any other necessary sources.

Lastly, and of paramount importance, the military front of Artsakh – We must defend the borders of our sacred homeland and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Artsakh.

In the last month, ARF Youth (AYF’s and Student Associations) in the homeland and the diaspora have played a significant role in fighting the aforementioned fronts by unifying the efforts of Armenian youth everywhere.

As a pan-Armenian youth organization, we have utilized our political relationships with the international community. We have organized large scale demonstrations around the world in various diaspora communities in a strong attempt to galvanize the various Armenian communities. We have and continue to inform the international community and various political youth groups about the accurate origins of the history of the Artsakh conflict, the current war, and the details of the battlefield. Through these efforts, we have emphasized the fact that Armenia is up against not only Azerbaijan, but also Turkish special forces and jihadist mercenaries.

Evidently, over a century later, Armenians are still actively fighting against pan-Turkism. I am confident that with the following steps and actions we will reach a just and victorious end to this fight for survival:

  • We are against all defeatist mentalities.
  • We reject any solution that does not recognize the Republic of Artsakh.
  • The recognition of Artsakh by the Republic of Armenia and other world powers is an absolute priority.
  • National unity and the mobilization of all forces is necessary in order to ensure victory.
  • Being collectively prepared and organized is the only way to produce effective results on all fronts.
  • A careful and well-calculated political diplomacy is necessary to ensure a just solution to the liberation of Artsakh.

This war has shown once again that the struggle for Artsakh’s liberation is a long one. Each individual and especially every young Armenian must channel their patriotism and nationalistic sentiments into a steady and dedicated commitment to help this fight on all fronts.

The time to simply react is over. It’s time to mobilize and organize with the above-mentioned principals in mind in order to combat the efforts of Turkey and Azerbaijan on every front.

The Republic of Artsakh will remain Armenian. The ARF Youth and Student Associations are committed to the victory in Artsakh and a victorious and final end to the Artsakh war.

The sacred work towards these goals requires unmatched dedication and sacrifice. In addition to the many sacrifices the Armenian nation has made on the battlefield, the following members of the ARF youth organizations were also martyred: Aram Grigoryan, Vigen Muradyan, Benjamin Nalbandyan, Eric Galstyan.

We must continue fighting for the rights of our people and our homeland.

Eternal glory to all our martyrs.

Arshak Mesrobian is the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau Youth Office Executive Director.




TURKISH press: 2,000 PKK terrorists fighting in Karabakh alongside Armenia, Erdoğan says

George Mamian
 ISTANBUL WAR ON TERROR 
OCT 28, 2020 1:24 PM GMT+3
Armenian forces undergo military training before leaving for the frontline in Nagorno-Karabakh, at a range in Armenia’s Armavir region, Oct. 27, 2020. (AFP Photo)


At least 2,000 PKK terrorists are fighting alongside Armenia against Azerbaijan during the recent clashes in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday.

Referring to his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin late Tuesday, Erdoğan said during the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) parliamentary group meeting in Ankara: “I told Mr. President (Putin), we have identified, through intelligence sources, that there are some 2,000 PKK terrorists fighting for Armenia at the moment for $600 (TL 4,978). Mr. President said he was not aware of that.”

“I have told Putin that if our red lines are crossed, we would not hesitate to take action,” he added.

Turkey is sincere in its efforts to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and believes in Russia’s sincerity, Erdoğan also said, adding he had told Putin that they could resolve the issue together.

A new U.S.-brokered temporary humanitarian truce between Azerbaijan and Armenia was announced Sunday and took effect at 8 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) Monday.

Since the clashes erupted on Sept. 27, Armenia has repeatedly attacked Azerbaijani civilians and forces, even violating three humanitarian cease-fires since Oct. 10. To date at least 65 Azerbaijani civilians have died, and 297 have been injured.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Four United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and two from the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) as well as international organizations demand the “immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of the occupying forces” from the occupied Azerbaijani territory.

Asbarez: Mnatsakanyan Briefs Iranian Official on Ongoing Minsk Group Efforts

Lilit Nahapetian

October 29,  2020



Armenia’s Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan meets with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan on Thursday met with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is on a regional tour to promote what Tehran calls its proposal for ending the current fighting and the Karabakh conflict.

According to the foreign ministry press office the current situation of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan on Artsakh was discussed, which included a conversation about regional security concerns.

The sides expressed concerns over the deployment of terrorists in the region, agreeing that the involvement Ankara-backed mercenaries posed a serious threat to the the region.

Mnatsakanyan said that Armenia understands that Iran is sensitive toward the new regional threats and highlighted the role of Iran in advancing stability and peace in the region.
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Araghchi presented Iran’s proposal for current situation and establishing a ceasefire.

While the specific details of the plan were not publicized, Mnatsakanyan said that Iran’s proposals would be reviewed in detail.

The Armenian foreign minister also briefed Araghchi about his upcoming meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, scheduled for Friday in Geneva.

Araghchi, who is Iran’s special envoy on Nagorno-Karabakh, arrived in Yerevan Thursday after visiting Moscow and Baku respectively.

In Moscow, Araghchi met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko and called the closed-door session “very fruitful” in a Twitter post.

“Iran and Russia share similar approaches toward Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Aragchi wrote on Twitter.

In an interview with the Russian RIA Novosti news agency Mnatsakanyan praised Tehran saying, “Iran is a very important country in the region and unlike Turkey, it takes a constructive and responsible position regarding regional and global security issues.”

Turkey is not an impartial player, as it sees the conflict as an opportunity to penetrate another of its neighbors in the South Caucasus,” said Mnatsakanyan. “Only impartial countries can participate in the mechanism for sending peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh, Mnatsakanyan reiterated.”

According to a statement Araghchi released in Moscow he called the OSCE Minsk Group “inefficient.”

“The Minsk Group [of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] has shown its inefficiency,” said Araghchi.

“It has been 30 years since the Minsk Group was formed, but it has not been able to find a long-term solution to the problem,” said Araghchi in a statement released Iran’s Embassy in Moscow.

“My meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev lasted for about an hour and a half. Azerbaijani officials have a positive attitude towards Tehran’s plan to establish lasting peace in the region,” Araghchi said, reported IRNA news agency.

Araghchi added that according to the plan drafted in Tehran, ceasefire is to be established after certain initial steps. The Iranian diplomat did not elaborate.