Category: 2020

The reason for the large-scale fight and murder that took place in densely-Armenian populated Akhalkalaki town of Georgia was the domestic dispute between the two sides, years ago. Artak Gabrielyan, coordinator of the council of Armenian NGOs in Samtskhe-Javakheti region, on Monday told NEWS.am that this dispute escalated on August 8.

He added that there were no injured at the moment. “People with minor bodily injuries were discharged from the hospital on the same day,” Gabrielyan added.

And when asked how this incident can affect the local Armenian community, he responded that this was not a community dispute. “I do not think they will have any consequences. It is also not ruled out that there will be a vendetta, that this case will have a continuation. Police forces at the regional level are currently concentrated in the town. As of yesterday, surveillance was established at the entrances to the town,” Artak Gabrielyan said.

To note, riots broke out in Akhalkalaki after the murder of Vardik Marabyan, 27, an Armenian resident of Kulikam village, and another 27-year-old Armenian was detained.

The murder was followed by the setting of fire to the hotel and restaurant belonging to Gabrielyan, who is the suspect of the murder in Akhalkalaki, as well as to several houses belonging to his supporters at the scene.

One hundred years ago, on this day, a peace treaty was signed in the Paris suburb of Sevres between the Ottoman Empire, on the one hand, and the thirteen allied nations, on the other hand, that had warred against the Ottoman Empire during World War I and defeated it with joint forces. Avetik Chalabyan, co-founder of the National Agenda party of Armenia, wrote this on his Facebook page.

“Articles 88-93 of this treaty not only recognized the independent Armenian state, but also a large part (about three times the area of present-day Armenia) of the Armenian-populated regions of the empire  was to be handed over to Armenia to create a united Armenian state and gather Armenians in those territories.

Unfortunately, the events that followed the peace Treaty of Sevres not only nullified this historic achievement, but ultimately led to the loss of Armenia’s independence and of a significant part of the territories already controlled by the republic even before the signing of the treaty.

Nevertheless, the Treaty of Sevres and the rights of the Armenians enshrined in it continue to be an important benchmark from the viewpoint of our [Armenians’] national goals and have not lost their relevance.

These rights have not been restored yet, and although the treaty has not been implemented, it gives us moral strength and the realization that in the event of a change in geopolitical realities, we can return to the negotiating table again and demand our just attainment,” Chalabyan added, in particular.