Category: 2022

U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff issued a statement on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Artsakh.  

"Artsakh’s Independence Day is a time to celebrate the unbreakable spirit of the people of Artsakh, who 31 years ago declared their independence from the Soviet Union. However, as the atrocities of the past two years have proven, independence is just the beginning of the struggle for liberation – and the fight to protect Artsakh from Turkey and Azerbaijan continues to demand our full attention and support.

While Artsakh’s path has never been an easy one, the war waged by Azerbaijan over the past two years against Artsakh’s people, its cultural sites, and its sovereignty has tested the nation in unimaginable ways. Armenian soldiers continue to be killed, dozens are being illegally detained as prisoners of war, and thousands of innocent civilians live in fear of the next attack or invasion. The United States must take immediate action to hold the Aliyev regime accountable and condemn Azerbaijan’s unprovoked aggression.

Today, we urgently renew our calls for the State Department to use its diplomatic power to reduce tensions and show America’s unwavering support for Artsakh’s sovereignty. In Congress, I will continue to push for the immediate release of Armenian prisoners of war, robust humanitarian and economic aid for Artsakh, and a full prohibition on U.S. security assistance to Azerbaijan. These actions are critical to helping Artsakh enjoy peace and self-determination.

I will always stand with Armenia and the people of Artsakh, and look forward to the day when Artsakh can finally enjoy the international recognition it has been deprived of for too long,” said the Congressman.

YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: Businessman Ruben Vardanyan announced, the day before yesterday, that he is renouncing his Russian citizenship and has decided to settle in Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)]. Also, he called on Armenians to move and build Artsakh.

Our Artsakh sources inform that Vardanyan will not be in the status of an ordinary citizen in Artsakh; they will try to use his potential in the administration system.

According to our information, he will be appointed Minister of State of Artsakh in the near future. This is the position of the prime minister of Artsakh, which is currently held by Artak Beglaryan.

Earlier, Ruben Vardanyan had made a proposal to create a pan-Armenian front for the support of Artsakh's security and development.

He invests in Artsakh and has close relations with [Artsakh] President Arayik Harutyunyan.

YEREVAN. – Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: According to Zhoghovurd daily’s information, the law enforcement system is facing a problem with the criminal cases launched regarding the actions of the 44-day [Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] war.

The thing is that not all materials of the war are accessible to the investigative bodies investigating the cases of the 44-day war in [the fall of] 2020, as they are considered state, military secret.

Moreover, according to the news that reached us, one of the investigative bodies has submitted a petition to the RA government, asking to provide some materials related to the war. And we have not been able to find out the details so far as to what they answered to the petition; we only know that the answer was not very satisfactory.

Let's note that, parallel to this situation, the Investigative Committee is quite actively bringing charges one after another to Artsakh former DA [(Defense Army)] commander Mikayel Arzumanyan for not properly organizing the self-defense of [Artsakh’s] Shushi [city during the aforesaid war], and, by the court decision, is taking him toward custody.

And yesterday, the head of the Military Control Service of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, the former commander of the Artsakh DA, Jalal Harutyunyan, was charged.

What is the reason for the activeness is still incomprehensible; they have remembered those guilty of the [44-day] war two years later.

The passage of Azerbaijani vehicles through the new route through the corridor connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) with Armenia is due to the participation of the relocation of the bases of the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed on the former route and being redeployed on the new route—also agreed with Artsakh authorities. This was reported by the office of Artsakh National Security Council—and in response to Armenian News-NEWS.am's written request.

The Armenian News-NEWS.am crew, going from Armenia to Artsakh on Thursday, had recorded that Azerbaijani cars were also passing through the new alternative temporary motorway.

As of Tuesday, the Armenia-Artsakh traffic is carried out along an alternative temporary motorway which is completely asphalted. But construction work continues there.

The total length of the new main motorway is 32 kilometers, of which 10 kilometers are in the territory of Armenia. The Armenian side has started the construction in August and is expected to finish it next spring.

I visited the historical Armenian monasteries of Mush and Van, which are unfortunately in ruins. Garo Paylan, the Armenian member of the Turkish parliament, wrote this on Facebook.

"The main responsible for restoring, repairing them is certainly the government of Turkey. However, as an Armenian people, we must remember our heritage, we must pursue their restoration," Paylan added, and he attached a respective video.

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan of Armenia has issued a comment regarding some speculations on Wednesday’s trilateral Brussels meeting between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, President Charles Michel of the European Council, and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan.

“The position of the Armenian side regarding the five provisions proposed by Azerbaijan is unchanged. As we have stated before, we find nothing unacceptable in the proposals forwarded by Azerbaijan on March 10, 2022. Another thing is that these proposals do not address all issues of the Armenia-Azerbaijan comprehensive peace agenda. With our response forwarded to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, we completed the agenda and therefore, on that basis, we are ready for the continuation of peace negotiations.

This was once again confirmed by Prime Minister Pashinyan during the recent discussions held in Brussels.

Not listening or trying not to listen to this position gives the Armenian side a reason to question the sincerity of Azerbaijan's intention in achieving peace. Moreover, the continued arbitrary, false interpretations of the negotiations and the avoidance to implement the agreements make an impression that Azerbaijan intends to undermine the peace process and continue its policy of ethnic cleansing through the use of force,” reads the comment by the Armenian FM.