Category: 2022

France interested in Armenia’s experience of engaging women into IT industry

Eduard Nalbandian

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 15:23, 24 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MRCH 24, ARMENPRESS. The recent working visit of Armenia’s Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Narek Mkrtchyan to the United States was full of meetings. He participated in the 66th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The agenda covered issues relating to women’s engagement in different areas, raising their role, protecting their rights, etc.

Presenting details to ARMENPRESS from his visit, the Minister touched upon his meeting with the French Minister Delegate for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities Elisabeth Moreno. Mr. Mkrtchyan said France is interested in Armenia’s experience of engagement of women into IT industry.

“Armenia has quite a good experience in terms of female engagement to the IT field, which was interesting for France. They have applied to us requesting support, so that developing and introducing this model will be more effective. For instance, France is interested in the activities on raising the interests among school-age girls towards information technologies. As you know, we have engineering laboratories in schools. Armath engineering laboratories are among the best ones. The TUMO project is quite a successful initiative”, the minister said.

At the meeting with the French minister, Narek Mkrtchyan agreed to expand the cooperation framework. It will soon be in a form of a memorandum. Narek Mkrtchyan also invited Elisabeth Moreno to Armenia, which was accepted, and now the dates are being clarified.

Narek Mkrtchyan also met in USA with the UN Women’s Deputy Executive Director Åsa Regnér, discussing the implementation of joint programs and the possibility of opening a UN Women Office in Armenia.

For expanding the partnership framework, the Armenian Minister also met with Iran’s Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Ensieh Khazali. “The importance of public perception of a family as a value was emphasized”, the Armenian Minister said. “An agreement was reached to organize joint scientific events, workshops on these topics. We also agreed to sign a memorandum of cooperation with Iran aimed at deepening the collaboration in these areas”, he added.

Jens Stoltenberg set to extend role as NATO chief for extra year

Nahapetian Zhanna

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 15:43, 24 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS.  NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is set to extend his term as head of the alliance by another year due to the war in Ukraine, Norwegian broadcaster TV2 reported citing unnamed sources.

Any extension needs to be agreed by all 30 NATO members at a summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Armenian Church disapproves Tsarukyan’s plans for constructing Jesus Christ statue citing traditions

Antonian Lara

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 16:15, 24 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Church said it disapproves Gagik Tsarukyan’s plans on initiating the construction of a Jesus Christ statue in Armenia.

The Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin said in a statement that the matter was discussed, among other issues, at the March 23 Supreme Spiritual Council assembly.

While acknowledging and appreciating Tsarukyan’s distinguished services to the Church, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin said the installation of a Jesus Christ statue is not acceptable for the Church because it doesn’t correspond with the “centuries-old depiction and worship traditions” of the Armenian Church.

At the same time, the Church said the installation of a bas-relief by the principle of a “Holy Savior” cross-stone (khachkar) would be considered as acceptable.

The Supreme Spiritual Council called upon the authors and participants of the initiative to refrain from projects contradicting the traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church and to be guided with approaches in line with Armenian national-church culture, ecclesiastical and theological principles.

Prosperous Armenia party leader Gagik Tsarukyan the tender for the construction of a Jesus Christ statue earlier in January.

A Vicious Circle of Cultural Erasure in Azerbaijan

Ani Kharatian
Wall Street Journal
By Simon Maghakyan

March 24, 2022 6:34 pm ET

“One war doesn’t make you forget another war,” François-Xavier Bellamy, a French member of the European Parliament, said on March 10. While the world’s eyes are on Ukraine, the European Parliament still found time this month to condemn Azerbaijan’s war against Armenia’s sacred past. This solidarity is encouraging but insufficient.

On Feb. 3 the Azerbaijani government announced that it would target hundreds of sacred sites that bear witness to Armenian Christian history in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. “A working group of specialists,” pro-government media quoted culture minister Anar Karimov as saying, “has been set up to remove the fictitious traces written by Armenians.”

Fictitious traces? Armenian presence in the area goes back thousands of years and can be seen in innumerable monuments. Some churches have roots in the early fourth century, and no serious scholar disputes their authenticity. But Azerbaijan, a majority-Muslim country that conquered much of the region in a 2020 war, is deploying a government-promoted conspiracy theory that casts Armenian cultural monuments as fake. As the Cornell University-based Caucasus Heritage Watch shows in its satellite research, even Armenian cemeteries haven’t been safe from Azerbaijan’s wrath since 2020. Tombstones, new and old alike, are bulldozed in the name of construction.

Azerbaijan proclaims that Armenians did not exist in Nagorno-Karabakh until the 19th century. This conspiracy theory references Caucasian Albania, a kingdom northeast of Nagorno-Karabakh that ceased existence in the ninth century. During the Soviet era, to compete with Armenian and Georgian narratives, Azerbaijani scholars claimed Caucasian Albanians as their ancestors, eventually extending the discredited theory to proclaim that Armenian heritage is stolen Caucasian Albanian heritage. In 2020, Azerbaijan introduced a new conspiracy theory, claiming that Armenian khachkar monuments are “artificially aged.”

Between 1997 and 2006, Azerbaijan covertly flattened every trace of Armenian Christianity in historically disputed areas it controlled already. Azerbaijan now says that the thousands of destroyed monuments, including the prominent churches of Agulis and the celebrated necropolis of Djulfa, never existed. That Baku would extend this project to its new dominions is brazen but unsurprising.

In December, the International Court of Justice ordered Azerbaijan to “take all necessary measures to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration.” The organization was particularly concerned with Azerbaijan’s practice of relabeling Armenian monuments as Caucasian Albanian. After some backlash, Azerbaijan’s Culture Ministry walked back part of the Feb. 3 announcement in a new text that was less threatening, but the milder language should fool no one. A 2005 commission created by the Azerbaijani authorities in Nakhichevan identified a list of surviving Armenian monuments for erasure but didn’t explicitly mention destroying them. The monuments were swiftly flattened.

As a natural-gas producer, Azerbaijan is taking advantage of the war in Ukraine: European countries looking to reduce dependence on Moscow are turning to Baku. Some of the isolation it faced from Brussels and Washington after the 2020 war is ending. As the world is distracted with the bloodshed in Ukraine, Baku projects power over newly conquered territory by destroying cultural artifacts.

The goal is to push Armenians out entirely. As their sacred sites are targeted—and their secular infrastructure is deliberately damaged—many will become demoralized and voluntarily leave. In this part of the world, if you don’t have a place of memory, you have nothing.

Azerbaijan’s government might cast the destruction of Armenian monuments as revenge for damage caused to Islamic monuments that were under Armenian control in Nagorno-Karabakh until 2020. But this is a false equivalence. Many sites sustained damage, but there is no evidence of systematic, let alone state-sponsored, erasure. That’s why the International Court of Justice rejected Azerbaijan’s counter-accusation against Armenians last year.

Not that Armenians are blameless. Before the war, Azerbaijanis couldn’t access their sacred sites in the area controlled by Armenians. Now the roles are flipped. Had Armenian and Azerbaijani religious leaders promoted mutual pilgrimages after the first Nagorno-Karabakh war ended in 1994, perhaps more monuments would have survived. Ideas for practical confidence-building measures, like installing public video monitors at churches and mosques, remain ideas.

As a researcher of cultural politics who wishes to prevent more erasure, I try to encourage dialogue. In February, I sent an email to Azerbaijan’s Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade. “Your Virtue,” I asked the religious leader of Azerbaijan, “did you approve the building of a mosque in your honor on the site of a destroyed church?” Caucasus Heritage Watch satellite images showed that a mosque built a few years ago in Nakhichevan in his honor replaced a medieval Armenian church that once stood there. Earlier, he attended the opening of at least one other mosque built in place of an Armenian church in Abrakunis.

I didn’t receive a response, but I still pray that the sheikh will use his voice to advocate for resuming Armenian pilgrimages to Dadivank, one of the most sacred Armenian sites to come under Azerbaijan’s control in 2020.

The practice of erasing a culture only feeds conflict. Azerbaijan’s religious leader, despite effectively serving at the pleasure of the president, has more power than global institutions like the European Parliament to stop cultural erasure in Nagorno-Karabakh. He has an opportunity to end this vicious circle—if he has the courage to act.

Mr. Maghakyan is a visiting scholar at Tufts University and executive director of Save Armenian Monuments.

 

Is Putin’s war spreading? Armenians grow fearful as Russian forces are distracted

Antonian Lara
THE SPECTATOR

Is Putin’s war spreading?

Armenians grow fearful as Russian forces are distracted

Gabriel Gavin
, 3:20pm
Yerevan, Armenia

‘This is our land,’ Anna says, looking out over her roadside flower shop. ‘Lenin promised it to us.’ Her father was born across the mountains in Russia, one of around 100,000 displaced Armenians only able to return home after world war two. ‘But thanks to Lenin, we have our own country. A free country – at least for now.’

Women and children have been evacuated from at least one village

As the fighting in Ukraine stretches into its first month, another conflict between two former Soviet states might not be far away. Last year, a brief but bloody war broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which had been autonomously governed by ethnic Armenians over the past three decades. Backed by fearsome drones and heavy weaponry from their Turkish allies, the Azerbaijani forces made rapid gains. Many in the tiny Caucasus nation of Armenia feared the whole country could soon be overrun.

Despite being one of the few genuine democracies to emerge from the fall of the USSR, Armenia received little support from the West: only Russia was willing to back up its southern neighbour. Thousands of Armenians were forced to leave Nagorno-Karabakh as the Azeri military rolled in and took control of towns and villages, tearing down churches and redistributing civilian property. The war was only halted when a Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal saw Russian peacekeepers deployed on the ground – something those in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, had repeatedly called for. Now, though, with the Kremlin pre-occupied with its catastrophic invasion in Eastern Europe, it appears that fragile peace could shatter.

On Thursday, the Armenian side reported that Azerbaijan’s troops had crossed the contact line. Women and children have been evacuated from at least one village in Nagorno-Karabakh. Russian peacekeepers seem keen to avoid becoming involved in the confrontation, their country’s military now focused on the other side of the Black Sea. Those watching from Kyiv seem only too happy with the situation. The official account of Ukraine’s national parliament today tweeted:

Although quickly deleted, that thumbs up emoji has proven controversial in Armenia. Tensions have been growing between the two countries – one has a vested interest in a strong Russian military; the other clearly does not. ‘What do we owe Ukraine?’ Anna asks. ‘Everyone sat by and watched the war in Karabakh ­– Britain, America, Ukraine. Only Russia helped us.’ Over the last month, the country has welcomed tens of thousands of middle-class Russians fleeing repression back home. ‘This is a good thing,’ Anna says. ‘We are a poor people, and maybe the Russians will spend money.’

However, some Armenians are sympathetic towards the plight of the Ukrainians. ‘We know what it is like to be attacked,’ says Raz, a 29-year old tech worker. ‘We have seen our friends coming home in coffins and we worry about whether our country will cease to exist, so of course we support Ukraine. But we are so dependent on Russia that we can’t do anything about it.’ Despite pursuing close ties with the West, Yerevan has so far declined to sanction Moscow in the wake of the invasion and its UN diplomats have abstained on votes against Russia.

In Nagorno-Karabakh, which most Armenians consider an integral part of their country, another humanitarian crisis is growing. Azerbaijan has reportedly cut off gas supplies, leaving homes without heating as temperatures drop below freezing. Officials in the Azeri capital, Baku, deny turning off the taps, accusing the separatists of doing it themselves for propaganda purposes.

The rhetoric coming out of Azerbaijan is itself chilling. One MP from the ruling party said earlier this month that Russian peacekeepers had stood in the way for too long. ‘Measures must be taken to eliminate those separatist terrorists who exist in our territory today,’ he said, hinting that a new military campaign could soon be underway.

As Putin’s tanks entered Ukraine, the Russian President raged against the artificial borders left by the fall of the Soviet Union. Now, Armenia, which has turned to Russia for protection, may soon see its enemies attempt to redraw those same borders once again.

WRITTEN BYGabriel Gavin
Gabriel Gavin is a Moscow-based journalist covering central and eastern Europe.

Two killed as Azerbaijan reportedly takes Nagorno-Karabakh village

Christine Harutyunian
 

ByAni Avetisyan

An Armenian-inhabited village in Nagorno-Karabakh has reportedly been taken over by Azerbaijani troops. Authorities in Stepanakert (Khankandi) report that two Armenian soldiers were killed and that Azerbaijani drones were deployed in nearby clashes. 

Azerbaijani troops reportedly crossed the line of contact separating Armenian and Azerbaijani forces on the evening of 24 March and took control of the village of Parukh (Farukh). Local residents have been evacuated.

According to Tigran Grigoryan, an independent journalist from Nagorno-Karabakh, after recent tensions near Parukh, Russian peacekeepers negotiated an agreement according to which both sides would withdraw troops from Parukh and would be replaced by a contingent of Russian peacekeepers. 

Upon the withdrawal of Armenian troops, Grigoryan said that Azerbaijani forces ‘captured the village without any actual resistance from the Russian side’.

OC Media has not been able to independently verify the account. 

Additionally, the Nagorno-Karabakh Defence Army has reported clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces near the village in the early hours of 25 March. Officials in Stepanakert have accused Azerbaijan of using armed drones during the fighting. 

As of publication, five Armenian soldiers were reportedly wounded, and two killed. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence has not released any information about possible injuries or fatalities among Azerbaijani military personnel. 

The Armenian Foreign Ministry denounced Azerbaijan’s reported incursion as a violation of the tripartite peace declaration that brought an end to the Second Nagorno-Karabakh  War.

Azerbaijan’s actions, they wrote, in combination with recent shelling of villages in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the disruption of gas supplies to the Armenian population in the region, amounted to an attempt at ‘ethnic cleansing’ that ‘seriously endanger regional stability and peace’. 

[Read more: In deep freeze, Nagorno-Karabakh finds itself without gas again]

In turn, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry released its own statement, in which they referred to events on the line of contact as a ‘clarification’ of the ‘positions and locations in the region’. 

‘There is no reason for any hysteria’, the statement reads, further accusing Armenia of engaging in ‘disinformation’ by ‘artificially exaggerating the issue’. The ongoing disruption of gas supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh, they wrote, were a result of ‘technical problems’ due to ‘severe weather conditions’.

Some in Azerbaijan have also explicitly called for escalation. Elman Mammadov, an MP from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party called for ‘the separatists and terrorists living [in Nagorno-Karabakh], and the [Nagorno-Karabakh] military’ to be ‘cleansed’. 

‘The Armenians living in those areas before 1988 and their descendants must adopt the laws of Azerbaijan. Otherwise, Armenians who are not our citizens cannot live in our territories’, he said.

As of yet, Russia’s peacekeeping mission have also not released a statement.

[Read more: Violence sparks fear of new war among Nagorno-Karabakh residents]

There was a swift, if characteristically diplomatic, comment from the US State Department on recent events, who published a tweet expressing concern about  ‘gas disruptions and Azerbaijan’s troop movements’ and calling for an immediate de-escalation. 

Armenia’s Defence Minister Suren Papikyan also announced that he spoke with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoygu, who ‘assured’ him that Russia was following the ‘situation’.

 For ease of reading, we choose not to use qualifiers such as ‘de facto’, ‘unrecognised’, or ‘partially recognised’ when discussing institutions or political positions within Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia. This does not imply a position on their status.

https://oc-media.org/two-killed-as-azerbaijan-reportedly-takes-nagorno-karabakh-village/

Armenia claims Azerbaijani forces captured strategic point in Karabakh

Alex Jidarian



  • JAMnews
  • Baku-Yerevan

Escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh

The Armenian Foreign Ministry reports that the “Azerbaijani invasion, which began on March 24 in the zone of responsibility of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation, near the village of Parukh, Askeran region [according to the administrative division of Azerbaijan – the village of Farukh, Khojaly region — JAMnews] continues”. The statement says that units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces were firing at Armenian positions at night. It is reported the unrecognized NKR reports that five servicemen were wounded as a result of the shelling.

Azerbaijan refutes the reports of the Armenian side about military clashes in the zone of deployment of peacekeepers, calling them “provocative”.

  • Opinion from Yerevan: “Direct Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue is unlikely”
  • Baku, Yerevan react to celebration of 30th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s UN accession in Shusha
  • What’s behind new gas outages in Karabakh: technical shutdown or sabotage?
  • Enclaves – islands of Armenian-Azerbaijani confrontation

By the time the article was published, NK reported that the units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces “continue gross violations of the ceasefire, in addition to firearms, they also use attack drones, including the Bayraktar TB-2 type”. As a result, two Armenian servicemen were killed.

“As of 14:00, the operational-tactical situation on the eastern border of Artsakh continues to be extremely tense”, Nagorno-Karabakh reports.

On March 24, a message was received from the Information Headquarters of Nagorno-Karabakh that “at 16:00, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces violated the line of contact in the direction of the village of Parukh, Askeran region”.

It was reported that, with the mediation of the Russian peacekeeping forces, negotiations are underway “in order to stop the further advance of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and their return to their original positions”. For security reasons, women and children were evacuated from the village of Khramort (in Azerbaijan, this village is called Pirlyar).

Then the same Information Headquarters transmitted:

“The situation in the direction of the settlements of Parukh-Khramort of the Askeran region is under the control of the Russian peacekeeping forces stationed in the Republic of Artsakh. As a result of negotiations and additional security measures, the movement of the Azerbaijani armed forces across our territory has now been suspended, but the enemy has not yet returned to their original positions”.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry also issued a statement in connection with the aggravation of the situation in NK:

“The aggressive actions of Azerbaijan once again prove that official Baku continues to flagrantly violate the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020, as a result of which hostilities were ceased, the parties stopped at their positions and peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation were deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh – along the line of contact.

These actions were preceded by the complete blocking of the operation of the only gas pipeline supplying Artsakh by Azerbaijan, the shelling of civilian infrastructure with large-caliber weapons, threats to the Armenians of Artsakh and other steps aimed at ethnic cleansing. Moreover, along with a sharp aggravation of the security situation in Europe, such actions by Baku seriously threaten regional stability and peace”.

“By its actions and statements, Azerbaijan proves that it is reponsible for blowing up pipeline in Karabakh” – Pashinyan’s statement about the alleged gas pipeline explosion

Both March 24 and 25 messages of the Armenian Foreign Ministry contain an appeal to the Russian side, which is carrying out a peacekeeping mission in this zone:

“We expect the Russian peacekeeping forces to take measures to ensure the immediate withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, which will mean the return of the Azerbaijani troops to their original positions as of March 23”.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry also appeals to the international community to “give a clear assessment of Azerbaijan’s provocative actions aimed at disrupting the peace process, support efforts to establish peace in the South Caucasus and achieve a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict”.

On March 24, the Armenian Foreign Minister held telephone conversation with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried. Ararat Mirzoyan presented the situation. He stated that Azerbaijan grossly violates the obligations enshrined in the tripartite statements on the cessation of hostilities and endangers regional stability and peace.

He assessed Azerbaijan’s actions as deliberate pressure on the civilian population. In particular, they talked about the fact that Azerbaijan, among other things, stopped the transfer of gas from Armenia to NK, thus creating a humanitarian crisis. According to the minister, Azerbaijan’s actions “are a clear manifestation of the policy of ethnic cleansing and the anti-Armenian policy of Azerbaijan”. Ararat Mirzoyan stressed that he expects a targeted and clear response on these issues from the international community, including the United States.

In recent weeks, tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh have increased significantly. Armenian experts discuss what the ongoing escalation could mean for the country

Armenian Human Rights Defender Kristine Grigoryan described Azerbaijan’s actions as “violating all universally recognized norms of international law.” She recalled the “pressure, intimidation of the population of Artsakh, the creation of unbearable conditions for a normal life” that has been going on for months.

“This invasion is another proof that the shelling of the civilian population of Khramort and other villages for several weeks did not give the desired result, people did not leave their homeland, so Azerbaijan applied its usual line of behavior and resorted to another provocation.”

The Ombudsman considers Azerbaijan’s actions as a “policy of ethnic cleansing.” And Kristine Grigoryan referred to the position of the international community as “an awkward silence”, which is not accompanied by any actions. While “people in Artsakh have the same rights as in other parts of the world.”

NK Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan also expressed his surprise at the lack of reposes from the international community in his statement. At the same time, he stated that “Azerbaijan is teaching the world a public “master class” on the destruction, deportation and deprivation of the motherland of a specific ethnic group”:

“Dear representatives of the international community, there are more than enough facts and evidence to apply the norms of “protection and responsibility” to prevent and stop genocide, crimes against humanity, mass crimes, recognize the Republic of Artsakh and save the Armenians of Artsakh from ethnic cleansing and genocide. There is simply no other option. It is finally time to understand that a criminal should be punished, not negotiated with.

Political scientist Tigran Grigoryan believes that Azerbaijan is pursuing both tactical and strategic goals, trying to use the “convenient situation” to achieve these goals:

“Obviously, Azerbaijan is trying to establish control over at least the villages of Khramort and Parukh, as well as over the strategically important hill of Karaglukh. The longer-term strategic goal is the complete expulsion of Armenians from Artsakh”.

For this, according to the political scientist, people are intimidated, artificial inconvenience is created so that the Armenian population voluntarily leaves their homes.

Tigran Grigoryan also speaks about the inefficiency of the activities of Russian peacekeepers, and he regards this as a serious problem:

“If Russian peacekeepers take on the responsibility of securing a certain area, as a result of which it comes under the control of Azerbaijan, this is simply unacceptable”.

Armenia is balancing between Russia and the West and the Ukrainian crisis has further exacerbated this situation. Experts from Armenia discuss the country’s prospects and possible strategies for development

“The provocative statements spread by the Armenian side about alleged clashes with the use of UAVs in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily stationed, and the deaths of our military personnel are false”, the press service of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said.

“We declare that the units of the Azerbaijani army continue the process of clarifying the locations of positions and deployment points without the use of force. Our units are in full control of the operational situation”, the Defense Ministry said.

Escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh, as the Armenian Foreign Ministry reports that “Azerbaijani invasion in the zone of reponsibility of Russian peacekeepers continues”. Baku refutes Armenia’s reports

In connection with the situation in the part of Karabakh where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed, and commenting on the statement of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan issued a statement.

“The statement of the Armenian Foreign Ministry on March 24, which contains accusations against Azerbaijan in connection with the alleged escalation of the situation in the region, is another attempt to mislead the international community”, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“According to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, the positions and locations in the region are being clarified, there is no reason for any hysteria. The Armenian side is engaged in disinformation by artificially exaggerating the issue.

As for the technical problems in the gas pipelines in the region due to severe weather conditions for several days, Armenia intends to use the situation as a tool for political manipulation.

We would like to remind you that Armenia, which for many years kept the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with a population of more than 400,000 people in a gas blockade, carried out water terror using the Sarsang reservoir for about 30 years, denied the existence of landmine maps that put an end to the life and health of hundreds of people for a long time, concealed information about the fate of about 4,000 Azerbaijanis who went missing in the early 1990s, and now makes baseless accusations against Azerbaijan – this is nothing but the political hypocrisy of this country.

At present, the only way to ensure peace and stability in the region is the full implementation of the provisions of the joint statements, including the complete withdrawal of the remnants of Armenian illegal formations from the region and the normalization of relations on the basis of the principles of international law.

 

Now is the time to do real work, not political manipulation”, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The issue of providing natural gas to the part of Karabakh, where Russian peacekeepers are stationed, has recently become more acute and must be neogitated between Baku and Yerevan, an expert believes

Azerbaijani military observer Adalat Verdiyev commented on what is happening in Karabakh.

“The Armenian side, demanding the status, gas and electricity in Karabakh in its additions to the 5-point proposals of Azerbaijan, received a response in the village of Farrukh and nearby heights. The village is under the control of the Azerbaijani army. From the height of Dashbashi (Karaglukh) a panorama of Khanabad, Askeran and Khojaly opens. There is no news on the Lachin corridor,” he wrote about the latest developments in this region.

Verdiev also commented on the reaction of some international organizations to the communal problems of the residents of the part of Karabakh, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily stationed.

“Along with Armenia, reproaches against Azerbaijan are heard from some international organizations. The main idea of these reproaches is that the Armenians in Karabakh are freezing, the weather is bad there, Baku should restore the gas supply.

I have a few questions for the authors of these accusations:

  1. Where were you when for many years 1 million Azerbaijani refugees were freezing in bad weather in railway cars and tents?
  2. Where were you when Armenia was building this illegal pipe through the territories of the Lachin region and the city of Shusha occupied by it?
  3. Where were you when Armenia cut off the water from the Sarsang reservoir built by Azerbaijan every summer and opened it every winter, leaving the houses of local residents under water?
  4. Where were you when for 30 years Armenia did not allow Azerbaijan to supply gas to Nakhichevan?
  5. Why were you silent when Armenia has been refusing to fulfill its obligations as the losing side for 16 months?
  6. Where were you during the period from the Khojaly genocide to the Ganja genocide?
  7. Where were you when Armenia did not want to return the whole of Karabakh and several regions around it, occupied by it, one village of Nakhichevan, 7 villages of the Gazakh region?

The list can go on, but I think these questions will suffice. If someone does not see all the consequences of separatism for the world and is hypocritical about everything that happened in Zangezur, Karabakh and Ukraine, then they have nothing human in them”, the military observer noted.

Azerbiajan Makes Military Incursion Into Russian-Controlled Territory In Nagorno-Karabakh After Russian Peacekeepers Leave For Ukraine

Emil Lazarian
by Tsarizm Staff

Azerbaijani Armed Forces went on the offensive in Karabakh, taking advantage of the departure of a Russian soldiers to Ukraine, – reported UA Insider in Ukraine, Azerbaijan decided to take this step, since the Russian military “peacekeepers” (who entered the disputed territories in 2020) went to war in Ukraine. It is reported that in the neighboring village of Pirlyar (Khramort), Armenian separatists are gathering for defense.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said in a statement on December 9 that two of its soldiers were wounded after Azerbaijani armed forces “opened intensive fire from firearms of different calibers” at Armenian military positions in the Gegharkunik region, reported RFERL.

Things Travelers Should Know Before Visiting Armenia

Boshkezenian Garik
THE TRAVEL

From the language and climate to the unique natural scenery, here are 10 things you need to know as a first-time visitor to Armenia!

BY RAJENDER BHATIAPUBLISHED 1 HOUR AGO

Armenia is a mountainous Caucasus area of the region. In the year 301, it became the world’s earliest country to adopt Christianity as its official religion. Nowadays, travelers may visit several magnificent monasteries scattered around the land, many of which are century old and provide an excellent history lesson. Armenia has a hard but lovely scenery. Furthermore, travelers will learn a great deal concerning Armenia from pleasant residents who are quite passionate about their country. Here are some ideas for first-time visitors to Armenia.

Armenia is not a tourist destination, but that’s certainly what makes it so intriguing. That’s not to imply that visitors are not welcome, as they have always been welcomed in Armenia. However, the nation currently lacks key infrastructures that would allow it to accept large numbers of tourists. In addition, locals hardly communicate English in Armenia; solely Armenian and Russian are spoken. This may be the least English-speaking place visitors have visited since then, but it is doable and will surely enjoy their stay in this incredibly beautiful country.

Armenia’s climate is noticeably continental, with the south of the nation being in the subtropical region. Over 80% of Armenia’s area is located at an altitude of 1000 meters beyond sea level. Spring, which lasts from mid-March through June, is generally wet. Summer lasts from June until mid-September and thus is humid, warm, and lengthy. Autumn is known for its moderate as well as decent weather, vibrant landscape hues, and plenty of autumn foods. Ultimately, winter is brief, with a decent snowpack from mid-December until the end of February.

For such a tiny nation, Armenia possesses a remarkably diversified natural environment. There is something for everyone from enthralling verdant valleys and gorges towards parched and vibrant mountains. Armenia also has the largest lake within the Caucasus. Lake Sevan is known as the region’s “blue gem.” It is known for its beautiful highlands, small beaches, and charming settlements. Furthermore, notwithstanding its modest size, Armenia is among the most mountainous place in the world, with mountains covering about 90% of the territory.

Armenia is among the few countries that have miraculously survived despite having a history dating back over centuries. Many nations have vanished throughout the centuries, yet many people are surprised that Armenia has survived to preserve its cultural legacy via customs that still currently exist. In the current hypothesis of Armenia, there seems to be a variety of archeological data that shows existent cultures in the past. Due to the obvious quantity of stones in the nation, Armenians have long been known for making artworks off it, and this is likely to be the greatest option for travelers that love history.

Armenia is an old nation, and its legacy from various points in history is distinctive and rather well-known across the world. The little country contains several attractions on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and there are still unexplored spots that are piquing the attention of archaeologists. The mountain Ararat is among the most mythical and iconic mountains for all Armenians, and it is officially located in modern-day Turkey. On a good, bright day, travelers may view Ararat out from the town, Yerevan, and appreciate its majesty, strength, and serenity.

Armenia is an old nation, and its legacy from various points in history is distinctive and rather well-known across the world. The little country contains several attractions on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and there are still unexplored spots that are piquing the attention of archaeologists. The mountain Ararat is among the most mythical and iconic mountains for all Armenians, and it is officially located in modern-day Turkey. On a good, bright day, travelers may view Ararat out from the town, Yerevan, and appreciate its majesty, strength, and serenity.

Armenia’s present area is barely 30 percent of what it was historically. Throughout centuries, the regions and jurisdictions have evolved considerably. Western Armenia was formerly one of the region’s most important cultural and economic hubs, and towns like Ani and Kars have resulted from Armenians’ outstanding architecture and design, and entrepreneurial skills. Currently, there are several ancient ruins, cathedrals, and towns that demonstrate why Armenians believe Western Armenia to be their medieval motherland.

One intriguing statistic regarding the Armenian race and community is that more Armenians resided beyond Armenia than within. Armenia is among the world’s largest diasporas, with significant populations in Russia, France, and the United States. Nowadays, there is still a diaspora of approximately 10,000,000 people, which may be traced all the way primarily to the Armenian Genocide, as previously stated. Notable diaspora Armenians include the Kardashians, System of a Down, and others.

The public transport system in Armenia is still in its early phases, and new modes of transportation are all being introduced into the service. Mini Buses are commonly used to link Armenian communities. These may not be the most pleasant modes of transportation. Thus, many visitors choose to use cabs or hire a vehicle while in Armenia. Trains are another alternative, but the upgraded trains will only transport visitors from Yerevan to Gyumri for the time being. Moreover, the ancient Soviet trains are another alternative.

The Armenian monetary system is known as the dram and otherwise AMD, and it is symbolized by the symbol ֏. The value changes slightly, but $1 presently equals 500 AMD. Every traveler’s money may also be exchanged almost everywhere in Yerevan. Furthermore, there will be more monetary system exchangers in the region than maybe elsewhere travelers can travel. Currency exchanges are occasionally available at shoe stores, and they are also almost available in food stores.


Irvine Mayor Under Fire From Armenian Community Over Association With Genocide Denier

Nahapetian Samvel
BY NOAH BIESIADA

Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan apologized to the Armenian community Thursday night after a video surfaced earlier in the week of her speaking with a prominent Armenian genocide denier.

But the apology came just over 24 hours after Khan dismissed the complaints against her as a political attack – and over a month after one public commenter began pointing out their connection during his three minutes to speak to the dais at council meetings. 

Khan, who’s up for reelection this year, did not respond to requests for comment Friday morning. 

The Armenian genocide took place during World War I in the Ottoman Empire, with the Turkish government killing between 664,000 and 1.2 million Armenian people in “massacres and individual killings, or from systematic ill treatment, exposure, and starvation,” according to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s website. 

Ergun Kirlikovali, a former President of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations, has repeatedly denied that the Armenian genocide took place, including multiple times on his Twitter page over the last week, which he called it a “long discredited political claim.” 

His public stance against the genocide’s existence stretches back to at least 1987, when he spoke to the California State Senate Education Committee claiming that Turkish and Armenian people lived together in “peaceful coexistence for 600 years,” until near the end of the 20th century.

“You would be laughing at some of these stories,” Kirkliovali said about claims of the genocide. “The people are gullible, they take it.” 

Khan and Kirlikovali have been photographed together at a series of events over her time in office, including one Twitter post where she thanked him for hosting a holiday party and for “always mak(ing) me feel like I’m with family.” 

While Voice of OC was not able to locate the tweet in question where Khan posted about Kirlikovali feeling like family, when she was shown photos of the tweets at an Irvine City Council meeting last month she did not deny their authenticity. 

But tensions boiled over in the Armenian community after a video surfaced from November 2020, showing Khan meeting with Kirlikovali and LA Turkish Consul General Can Oguz. 

In the clip, one of the attendees offered Khan a box of Turkish delights, at which point Kirlikovali joked that if any Armenian people were to see the candy that she could eat them and they would vanish, which Khan followed up by saying she’d be sure to eat the candy in front of Armenian people. 

But others thought Kirlikovali’s comments were aimed at Armenian people and not the candy.

To view the full clip which was posted by Beyaz Gazete, a Turkish news outlet, click here. 

The Armenian National Committee of America’s Orange County branch reposted the video last Tuesday, adding subtitles, calling it “unacceptable and (the video’s) contents hurtful.” 

On Wednesday evening, Khan released a statement on her personal Twitter page calling the video “proof that my political opponents will do whatever it takes.” 

“This video purposefully mistranslates a conversation about candy through fake captioning to create this despicable attempt at distorting my views,” Khan wrote. “My record of calling out racism, acts of hate, and making it easier for victims of hate to report crimes stands on its own.” 

To view the statement and her recorded response, click here. 

Kirlikovali didn’t back down after Khan’s first video, posting multiple invitations on the Committee’s Twitter page inviting for people to debate him over the genocide’s existence in the comments.  

“Lies, slanders, deceiving, falsifying, threats, harassment, bullying, terrorism, screaming, begging. Have I covered all Armenian traits?” Kirlikovali posted. “Oh yeah, and backstabbing and assassinating. Have I said fraud?” 

While Kirlikovali’s Tweet is no longer posted in that thread, there is a note from Twitter where it was in the thread that a tweet was removed for violating the site’s content rules. 

After that, the Committee sent out a statement calling on their supporters to “take action against this hate speech and hold Mayor Khan accountable.” 

Following that post, Khan sent out a second video message, this time from her mayoral account, saying she had “learned a lot and wanted to offer this apology.” 

“I apologize to the Armenian community for things that were said, that were felt. My intentions were never to hurt the community,” Khan said in the video. “My door is open to learn more and build on the trust we need to move forward.” 

Khan said she knows the genocide happened, and committed to “cut all ties with those who deny the Armenian genocide.” 

However, Khan’s statement didn’t address her relationship with Kirlikovali.

Eric Neshanian, a frequent critic of Khan’s, has spoken out at multiple city council meetings and in emails to the city criticizing Khan’s ties to Kirlikovali, including photos of Twitter posts that showed Khan at multiple events with Kirlikovali, including a meeting of her Mayor’s Advisory Council. 

While Voice of OC could not find those posts since Khan’s page only holds Twitter posts back to April 2021, she hasn’t publicly disputed those photos displayed by Neshanian during city council meetings.

Following Neshanian’s February 22 public comments that included photos from Khan’s Twitter page, Khan offered a short statement from the dais. 

“Mr. Neshanian is an Islamaphobe who feels ok to attack me and no other elected officials. Other elected officials at the same events, meeting the same people are never targeted. That’s sad, and that’s embarrassing,” Khan said. 

Many of the comments under her recent apology video still called for her to resign, pointing to her earlier statement of it being a political attack as evidence she only backtracked after pressure. 

Noah Biesiada is a Voice of OC Reporting Fellow. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter @NBiesiada. 

https://voiceofoc.org/2022/03/irvine-mayor-under-fire-from-armenian-community-over-association-with-genocide-denier/