Category: 2023

Fwd: The California Courier Online, December 7, 2023

Talar Tumanian

The California
Courier Online, December 7, 2023

 

1-         Azerbaijan Plans Takeover of Armenia

            To Create ‘Western Azerbaijan’

            By Harut
Sassounian

            Publisher, California Courier

            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

2-         Attorney
Hrair Kaladjian Sworn in as Riverside County Judge

3-         Armenian
Soldier Killed On Azeri Border

4-         Bruce
Janigian Concludes Armenian Trilogy with ‘Uncle Yeghia’s Basement’

 

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1-         Azerbaijan Plans Takeover of Armenia

            To Create ‘Western Azerbaijan’

            By Harut
Sassounian

            Publisher, California Courier

            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

 

While Armenians are dealing with the dispossession of
Artsakh and trying to cope with its tragic consequences, Azerbaijan is escalating its demands by
launching a campaign claiming that the entire territory of the Republic of Armenia
is supposedly ‘Western Azerbaijan.’ No
sensible person in the world would take such an outrageous lie seriously,
simply because Azerbaijan
was founded a little over a century ago, while Armenia has been in existence for
thousands of years. Even Coca Cola is older than Azerbaijan!

After establishing the ‘Western Azerbaijan Committee’ with
the blessing of Pres. Aliyev, Azerbaijan
has embarked on a worldwide campaign to disseminate its ridiculous scheme
around the world and at the United Nations. Those Armenians who are concerned
about Azerbaijan’s
expansionist plans over the Syunik province
of Armenia or the so-called Zangezur
Corridor should be more alarmed about Azerbaijan’s
enormous appetite to take over all of the Republic of Armenia,
after occupying Artsakh.

Here are four actions Azerbaijan has taken at the UN in
recent months:

1) Azerbaijan’s
Ambassador to the UN Yashar Aliyev circulated to all members of the General
Assembly and Security Council a letter by the ‘Western Azerbaijan Committee’ on
January 17, 2023, stating that “All Azerbaijanis expelled from the territory of
nowadays Armenia
and their descendants have the right to return to their homeland.”

2) A second letter was submitted by Azerbaijan to
the UN on February 22, 2023, accusing Armenians of carrying out acts of
“violence, genocide, massacres and other crimes against humanity and gross
violations of human rights. This process was particularly violent and cruel in
1905–1906, 1918–1921, 1948–1953 and 1987–1991.” The letter added that “in
nowadays Armenia,
Azerbaijani historical and cultural heritage, including mosques and graveyards,
were massively destroyed, toponyms were changed and systematic racial
discrimination was carried out against Azerbaijanis.”

Moreover, Azerbaijan
demanded that the UN take the following steps for the settlement of
Azerbaijanis in Armenia:

“− Obtaining a legally binding international agreement with
appropriate verification and guarantee mechanisms ensuring the voluntary return
of Azerbaijanis expelled from the territory of nowadays Armenia to their
homeland in safety and dignity;

− Securing the return process with appropriate security,
humanitarian and socio-economic assistance programs;

− Establishing international monitoring, accountability,
security, intervention and other necessary activities to prevent the recurrence
of expulsion, discrimination and harm to the returned population;

− Ensuring sustainable rehabilitation and reintegration of
returnees through the implementation of reconstruction and reconciliation
measures under international supervision.”

Azerbaijan’s
UN Ambassador demanded that Azeris who return to Armenia
“have unimpeded communication with the Republic of Azerbaijan.”
This is a very alarming suggestion which means that the Republic
of Azerbaijan wants to have a road
under its control within the territory
of Armenia. The letter
added that Azeris returning to Armenia
should not be dispersed throughout the country, but kept together as a group
and their safety and rights ensured. Even more alarming is the demand that
Azeris be able to “use the Azerbaijani language in the legislative, executive
and judicial branches of the [Armenian] Government.” Azerbaijan
added the following ridiculous demand: “Azerbaijanis shall be entitled to form
local security forces and take an appropriate role in courts” of Armenia. This
actually means that Armenia
will be an appendix to Azerbaijan
rather than a sovereign republic.

Furthermore, to ensure the safety of Azeris returning to Armenia, Azerbaijan “considers it necessary
to deploy an international security mission with an appropriate mandate and comprising
the forces of countries trusted by Western Azerbaijanis in the areas to which
they will be returning.” In other words, Azerbaijan
wants to station foreign troops on Armenia’s territory, which is
completely unacceptable. Azerbaijan
also stated that “The Government of Armenia shall ensure the return of property
and community lands belonging to Azerbaijanis and pay compensation for property
damage and losses caused by preventing the use of property.” Those who make
such insane demands are living in a make-believe world.

3) The ‘Western Azerbaijan Committee’ delivered a letter to
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in April 2023, requesting him “to send a
special UN mission to Armenia for launching the process of safe and dignified
return of Azerbaijanis expelled from this country.”

4) The ‘Western Azerbaijan Committee’ submitted a report in
October 2023 to the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
According to the Azeri media, the UN Committee “demanded that Armenia address
the issues raised by the Western Azerbaijan Committee.” If there is any truth
in this claim, I hope that Armenia’s
UN Representative responded to Azerbaijan’s
allegations and exposed the Azeri lies.

This is the vindictive enemy that Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinyan naively believes he can sign a ‘Peace Treaty’ with. This unnecessary
‘Peace Treaty’ will actually undermine Armenia’s interests. Azerbaijan is already demanding that the rights
of “Azeris expelled from Armenia”
be included in such a treaty, thus providing the ground for future aggression
and occupation by Azerbaijan.
The Azeri letter to the UN in fact includes such an alarming provision: “the
[Azeri] Community will aspire to include the creation of conditions for the
return of Western Azerbaijanis to their homeland as an obligation of Armenia in the peace treaty to be concluded
between Azerbaijan and Armenia.”

The only way to end this nonsense is for Armenia to stop the slippery slope of making
endless concessions to Azerbaijan
and reject all of its unacceptable demands.

 

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2-         President of Iraq visits Armenia

 

In 2022, attorney Hrair Kaladjian was sworn as a judge in Riverside County where he volunteers his time for
the Courts while actively maintaining his private law practice.

Originally from Ethiopia,
Kaladjian has called California
his home for over 40 years. He has an undergraduate degree in Biology and a
Juris Doctorate from Southwestern
Law School.

As a grandchild of genocide survivors, Kaladjian is active
in his local community reminding the world that the crime of the Armenian
Genocide remains unresolved. After the 2020 war on Armenians, Kaladjian filed a
lawsuit against the State Department for illegally waiving section 907 of the
Freedom Support Act, which made its way to the United States Supreme Court.

 

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3-         Armenian Soldier Killed On
Azeri Border

 

An Armenian soldier serving on the border with Azerbaijan was shot dead on Monday, December 4
in what Yerevan
described as an Azerbaijani ceasefire violation aimed at torpedoing peace
talks.

Armenia’s
Defense Ministry said the soldier, Gerasim Arakelian, was fatally wounded by
sniper fire at an Armenian army post near the village
of Bardzruni bordering Azerbaijan’s
Nakhichevan exclave.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry denied the “provocative
information,” saying that its troops did not breach the ceasefire. The head of
the Bardzruni administration, Arsen Aleksanian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service
that local residents heard the sounds of cross-border gunfire. Serious truce
violations at that section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border have been rare
until now.

“We strongly condemn these actions of the Azerbaijani side
aimed at provoking a new escalation, dragging out the peace process and
bringing it to a dead end,” the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a statement
on the deadly incident. The statement also said that Baku
is “continuously rejecting offers from various international actors to continue
negotiations” with Yerevan.

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan deplored Baku’s
“refusal to come to meetings organized by various international actors,
including the U.S.
and the EU” when he addressed last week an annual conference of the top
diplomats of OSCE member states. His Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov
said Yerevan
itself is dragging out talks on an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev twice cancelled
EU-mediated talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian planned for
October. Bayramov similarly withdrew from a November 20 meeting with Mirzoyan
that was due to take place in Washington.
Baku accused the Western powers of pro-Armenian
bias and proposed direct negotiations with Yerevan.

 

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4-         Bruce
Janigian Concludes Armenian Trilogy with ‘Uncle Yeghia’s Basement’

 

Writing as Avery Mann, former government official and think
tank director Bruce Janigian concludes his trilogy of Armenian themed
novels—The Mark Jamison Adventures—with just released Uncle Yeghia’s Basement.

Charlie Epson pulls his oars against the tides every morning
in a silent contest with his past. He is among a very special cohort monitored
within the Angel Landing Yacht Club; those whose career misadventures in public
service exposed them to matters never to be shared. Yes, this group needs to
drink a lot. But like their glasses filled to the brim, they are permitted good
conversation without spilling. When an old colleague winds up in the bay with a
broken neck and former Soviet assassins arrive looking for laundered Ukrainian
funds to help their war effort, Bjorn Ingman and Mark Jamison are once again
called into action in this thrilling new mystery, the third volume following on
Angel Landing and Persona Non Grata: End of the Great Game by the same renowned
author.

In his first novel, Angel Landing, former government agent
and think-tank director Mark Jamison needs a quiet coastal refuge for his
breathing problems, and maybe some space to sort out his life and what remains
of his marriage. What he finds in the mysterious little village of Angel Landing
quickly escalates into a series of adventures to save the planet, or at least
its male inhabitants, and soon forces him to confront his past and the assumptions
that brought him here.

Janigian’s last novel, Persona Non Grata: End of the Great
Game included a historic and globe-spanning romp through Armenia’s past
as the last best hope of saving humanity. How the rich past of this small
nation could save the future of the world involves lost Byzantine secrets, a
mysterious chess master and his relationship with the Vatican and
Kremlin.

Uncle Yeghia’s Basement continues Janigian’s passion for
truth telling and disclosing secrets along the way, from the unknown realities
of the Pacific War to Ukraine,
and the destruction of Nord Stream 2 pipelines. The novels feature half
Armenian protagonist Mark Jamison, the thinly disguised alter ego for the fully
Armenian Janigian, whose international adventures included foreign
correspondent in Beirut, Fulbright scholar, legal adviser for USAID and the
Navy, and vice president of the American University of Armenia.

The trilogy is available on Amazon.

 

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Armenpress: 1 trillion 954,8 billion AMD in tax revenues, state duties collected in January-November

Vanyan Gary

 11:18, 4 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. The State Revenue Committee of Armenia (SRC) ensured 1 trillion 954,8 billion drams in tax revenues and state duties in January-November 2023. The figure is 242,2 billion or 14,1% more compared to the same period of 2022, the SRC said in a press release.

Approximately 337,2 billion drams were returned (cashback) to corporate taxpayers and individuals in the reporting period (99,5 billion or 41,9% more).

Still no response from Azerbaijan on Armenia’s latest peace treaty proposals

Vardan Badalian

 12:06, 4 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan still hasn’t responded to Armenia’s latest proposals on a peace treaty, Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan told reporters Monday.

“We’ll make an announcement when we receive an answer,” Safaryan said.

On November 21, Armenia conveyed to Azerbaijan its latest proposals on signing a peace treaty.

First Lady of Poland visits Armenia, meets with NK refugees

Kanayan Tamar

 13:16, 4 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. The First Lady of Poland Agata Kornhauser-Duda visited Armenia on November 28-29.

At the airport, First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda was welcomed by Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan and the Ambassador of Poland to Armenia Piotr Skwieciński.

As part of the visit, Agata Kornhauser-Duda met with representatives of the Polish community in Armenia, as well as with students and teachers of the Polish language. As part of the ‘Aid to Poles in the East’, the First Lady provided material assistance as well as educational and teaching materials, the Embassy of Poland said in a press release.

During the visit to Yerevan, the First Lady of Poland was hosted by Mission Armenia, where she met with the refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh.

The 'Mission Armenia' Charitable Non-Governmental Organization was founded in 1988 by a group of volunteers, who united their efforts to bring aid to the victims of the catastrophic earthquake in 1988 and to the refugees, who fled the war for Nagorno-Karabakh in the 1990s.  

During her talks held with refugees, the First Lady asked, among others, how the forced displacement from Nagorno-Karabakh took place, as well as what they needed most and how they envisioned their future. 

The meeting was attended by Alla Harutyunyan, Deputy Director of the organization and representatives of the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR Armenia.

In connection with the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, RARS and the Ministry of National Defense, implemented, among others, humanitarian transportation for refugees. In response to UNHCR's appeal, funds in the amount of USD 300,000 were also provided. The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Yerevan, in cooperation with Armenian Caritas, provided a special aid for a group of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh who currently live in the Tegh community.

The First Lady of Poland also visited the Komitas Museum-Institute in Yerevan, where she met with representatives of the Polish community in Armenia. The meeting was enriched by the performance of the "Poloniada" choir. After the concert, the First Lady toured the Museum, where she became acquainted with the life and activities of Komitas, the creator of Armenian national classical music.

Serviceman sustains gunshot wound in unknown circumstances

Hagop Kamalian

 12:10, 4 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. A serviceman of the Armed Forces of Armenia has sustained a gunshot wound in a military base, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The incident took place around 02:50, December 4. The Defense Ministry only released the victim’s initials – A.H.

The conscript is in serious but stable condition, with no immediate life-threatening conditions observed.

Authorities launched an investigation to reveal the circumstances of the incident.

Tbilisi as a venue for Azerbaijani-Armenian negotiations?

Garnik Tadevosian
Dec 4 2023

Georgia has maintained a policy of neutrality for many years when it comes to the Karabakh conflict. Having acted as a mediator on certain occasions in the past, Tbilisi could now host talks that provide a proper solution to its neighbours’ ongoing dispute.

December 4, 2023 - Nicholas Chkhaidze

On his visit to Georgia in early October, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev suggested that Tbilisi host negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This idea could be very appealing to Georgia in terms of re-establishing itself as an essential regional actor, which would also give the country the opportunity to assume more responsibility. This is something that Tbilisi has lacked since 2012. Tbilisi’s long-standing policy of non-irritation vis-à-vis Russia has harmed its regional status and the prospect of adopting a greater role in regional matters for more than a decade.

This proposal is voiced in the wake of statements made by the heads of state of Azerbaijan and Georgia. Overall, they stated that it is necessary for them to address the regional issues themselves and fundamentally remove the shackles of “spheres of influence”, which still loom over the South Caucasus like a dark cloud.

However, there is a certain hesitation from Yerevan to accept a new, Tbilisi-based negotiation format. Armenia’s reluctance to have Georgia broker a peace deal comes from its fear of not having a security guarantor now that the country has decided to change course away from being Russia’s vassal state. This is also why they have been looking westward, seeking states that would ensure their security. Armenian fears could be overcome if western states redirect their efforts to support the Tbilisi normalisation discussions and talk more vocally about the process.

As Baku and Yerevan are not that much interested in Russian involvement in resolving their dispute, with Azerbaijan increasingly disappointed with European mediation efforts, Tbilisi was considered a neutral peace broker that could potentially contribute to fostering dialogue and promoting peace between the other two small states in the South Caucasus.

Besides the geographical factor, Georgia has demonstrated its steadfast loyalty to a policy of neutrality when it comes to the conflict between its two neighbours. Even during the Second Karabakh War, Tbilisi decided to remain neutral and not strain relations with either side. This further cemented its position as an impartial peace broker with the legitimacy to contribute to the normalisation process.

Georgia also has a certain experience in mediating its neighbours’ disputes. Back in 2021, the country facilitated the release of 15 Armenian soldiers from Azerbaijan to Armenia, and subsequently, mediated Yerevan’s handover of the maps of minefields to Azerbaijan.

The recent meeting between the Georgian, Azerbaijani and Armenian prime ministers in Tbilisi as part of the “Tbilisi Silk Road Forum” is a promising sign. This is especially true regarding future perspectives for resolving regional issues by actors from within, not outside, the South Caucasus.

The present phase of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks has been ongoing since early 2021 but achieved little. This was mostly due to disagreements over the destiny of Karabakh’s Armenian inhabitants. However, after Azerbaijan had taken back its internationally recognised territories that were occupied by Armenia for over three decades, a new reality was established in the region.

The status quo currently includes the downgraded influence of Russia not only in Karabakh but also in Armenia, as Yerevan started looking towards the West considering Russia an unreliable partner. Armenia, which has been Moscow’s loyal strategic partner and totally dependent on security guarantees given by Russia, is now looking to gain western support to exert pressure on Azerbaijan. What the foreign policy elites in the West do not understand is that Russia cannot be removed from the South Caucasus if they rely on Armenia, which is ready to change its allies just in order to continue its feud with Azerbaijan.

What can really oust Russia from the South Caucasus is the completion of the bilateral peace process, preferably mediated by Tbilisi. In light of a globally destabilised landscape and numerous attempts to change the world order, it would be wise for the three small states in the South Caucasus not to get dragged into great power competition and the potential collateral damage that could result from this geopolitical struggle.

Not only would Tbilisi establish itself as a potential leader in the South Caucasus by being a host country for these peace talks, it would also send a message to its strategic partners in the West about being a valuable partner in the region. Tbilisi could subsequently help contain the expansion of irredentist and revisionist powers in its neighbourhood and further east. Furthermore, there would be no need for a “3+3 Format”, which is nothing more than an attempt by the three participating big powers to engage in the Cold War-era style establishment of spheres of influence.

Georgia does not have vast resources or significant leverage to facilitate these talks. However, its impartiality and the positive relations it has cultivated with both sides of the conflict, along with the recent decision of the European Parliament to recommend granting Tbilisi EU candidate status, will play a huge role in re-establishing Georgia’s major position in the South Caucasus. It will also revitalise their confidence in holding these peace talks. 

However, for such a reality to materialise in the South Caucasus, in terms of having a distinct geopolitical position that will give these three small states their long-cherished regional and potentially international significance, one should carefully assess the domestic political turbulence in Georgia with all its likely ramifications. It is also important to understand the ever-changing foreign policy priorities of Armenia, which could potentially undermine the peace talks, considering Baku’s priorities and its distrust of certain countries in the European Union.

Nicholas Chkhaidze is a Research Fellow at the Topchubashov Center, a think-tank based in Baku. He is focused on Russia, Ukraine, the South Caucasus, and Russian Private Military Companies. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in International Relations with honors from the International Black Sea University. Previously, he has worked as a research assistant at the Henry Jackson Society’s “Russia and Eurasia Studies Centre” and at the Public Diplomacy Division of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia. He is an alumnus of “The Fund for American Studies” 2021 Program.

"Armenia does not yet have the resources to challenge Russia." Opinion

Babken Chilingarian
Dec 4 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Armenia-EU and Armenia-Russia relations

“The immediate threat to Armenia comes from Azerbaijan, now also from Russia – no less than from Turkey,” says political scientist Richard Kirakosian.

He believes that Armenia is entering a stage of new opportunities for itself, but warns that challenges have also become more numerous.

On the air of Azatutyun Radio (Liberty), the analyst expressed his opinion on the deepening Armenia-EU cooperation, defense reforms, the probability of acquiring weapons from Western partners and relations with Russia.

  • “Change strategy and fight” – political scientist’s proposal to Armenian authorities
  • Armenian trucks idle in Upper Lars. Russia’s response to the CSTO boycott?
  • The impact of the Israeli conflict on the situation in the region. Will Azerbaijan start a war?

Head of the Center for Regional Studies, political scientist Richard Kirakosian argues that in the position Armenia is in now, Russia should not be provoked into tough steps:

“Armenia does not yet have the resources to challenge Russia. Instead, the focus should be on discussing the terms on which relations can be built.”

The expert advises the authorities to take small steps and “talk little, show tact and prudence”. In his opinion, both the continuation of the policy of rejection of Russia and unrealistic expectations from the West are risky for Armenia in the current situation.

Kirakosian thinks it is premature for Armenia to seek NATO and EU membership. A weak country with no leverage “should not make mistakes.”

“After the recent meeting between the Armenian Foreign Minister and the special representative of NATO Secretary General, I expect that deepening cooperation with NATO, partnership, not membership, will be announced.”

Advises to pursue a small states strategy, to act as bridges and platforms of cooperation, and to diversify the security sphere.

“We need to acquire new friends and partners, from China to India to the West, but not to replace Russia, but rather to balance or compensate for its absence.”

Richard Kirakosian stated that the U.S. has never proposed an arms sale, but has long provided Armenia with military assistance, “from military medicine on the battlefield to military education”.

He claims that the weapons purchased from India are better than Russian ones. Besides, they are easy to handle compared to American weapons.

As for Armenia’s defense reforms, the political analyst believes they are going in the right direction, although much of it is not obvious to ordinary citizens:

“Armenia is moving away from the method of conscription inherited from the USSR. It is moving to a much more professional armed forces on a contract basis, which will be similar to an internal guard or territorial defense, taking into account the peculiarities of our geography. This new military doctrine is more in line with the country’s security needs than copying from the Russians, which we have been doing unsuccessfully for years.”

Kirakosian recently returned from Paris and Brussels, where he met with French Foreign Ministry officials, representatives of the European Commission and the European Parliament.

According to his impressions, European partners are more interested than ever before in involving Armenia in partnership and deepening relations. The expert sees two reasons for these changes:

  • “Europe recognizes the democratic legitimacy of Armenia and the reforms that are designed to push Russia out of the region,
  • EU structures are disappointed with Azerbaijan, which is a consequence of the abuse of their patience”.

The fact that the European Union is ready to provide the Armenian army with non-lethal weapons through the European Peace Foundation is considered “significant and unprecedented” by the political analyst.

He reminds that Armenia is the only EU security partner that has a Russian military base on its territory and is a member of the Russian military bloc CSTO:

“Despite this, the EU has chosen Armenia as a partner. In addition to the importance of this fact in itself, its effectiveness lies in the message that is addressed to both Baku and Moscow”.

The analyst also notes that now it is not Armenian officials who go to Brussels to “ask for help”, but EU officials come to Armenia and offer support.

Recently, a joint delegation of the European External Action Service and the European Commission was in Yerevan. According to Kirakosian, who personally met with members of the delegation, the Europeans came to find ways to “promote defense flexibility and reforms in Armenia.”

According to the political analyst, the EU’s approach is realistic and correct from the security point of view. The EU seeks to strengthen only the country’s defense capabilities, not its offensive capabilities:

“Cooperation with the EU at this critical moment helps offset any potential danger to Armenia.”


Karabakh refugees in Armenia face uncertainty and poverty in exile

Garo Vardanian
Reuters
Dec 4 2023

  • Asia Pacific

By Felix Light
  • Some Karabakh Armenians displaced for third time
  • Nagorno-Karabakh, retaken by Azerbaijan, disputed since 1980s
  • Armenia now hosts most of the 120,000 ethnic kin who fled
  • Some given temporary shelter in old library or kindergarten

MASIS, Armenia, Dec 4 (Reuters) – For the third time in her life, Elada Sargsyan is a refugee.

Born in the Azerbaijani capital Baku, Sargsyan fled her hometown in 1988, aged 19, as the Soviet Union began to fall apart.

The city’s once-large Armenian minority were driven out in violence triggered by the outbreak of ethnic conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, an autonomous, primarily Armenian Christian territory within the mostly Muslim Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, which was soon to become an independent country.

Sargsyan and her family fled to Soviet Armenia, then set up home in the village of Aknaghbyur in Nagorno-Karabakh, known as Agbulaq in Azerbaijani, despite the fact that the mountain region was in Azerbaijan and at war with the government in Baku.

In 2020, they lost another home, when Azerbaijan – by now closely allied with Armenians' bête noire, Turkey – reconquered much of Karabakh including their village in a second war.

In September 2023, after Azerbaijan retook the remainder of Karabakh in a lightning offensive, prompting an almost total exodus, Sargsyan, by now 54, fled her home for a third time.

She, like the rest of the territory’s 120,000 ethnic Armenians, had suffered a nine-month Azerbaijani blockade of vital supplies from Armenia and refused to believe Baku's insistence that her rights would be preserved as a citizen of Azerbaijan.

"I’ve already got used to it," Sargsyan said in the town of Masis, on the outskirts of Armenia’s capital Yerevan, where she now lives temporarily in a disused kindergarten along with 67 other refugees from Karabakh.

"It’s very hard for the people who have fled their homes for the first time. They cry. But even so, they’ll get through it, like we got through it."

Masis, an otherwise sleepy town of 20,000 where Mount Ararat, sacred to Armenians, is clearly visible beyond the closed border with Turkey, has since September hosted around 8,000 refugees from Karabakh.

Until the 1980s, Masis was home to a significant Azerbaijani community, which was forced out in expulsions mirroring those that cost Sargsyan her Baku home. Now, municipal buildings that have been emptied host Armenia’s latest generation of refugees.

Many of those now being put up in Masis have nothing, having hurriedly abandoned homes and farms in Karabakh’s outlying villages when Azerbaijan began its final assault on Sept. 19.

Alina Harutyunyan, 34, fled her village of Harutyunagomer – Qizilqaya in Azerbaijani – with dozens of others in the back of an industrial truck belonging to one of her neighbours. Now she, her husband and four children share one room on the ground floor of a derelict library.

Armenia’s government has provided them with two beds and a one-off 100,000 dram ($250) payment, but their lodgings have no utilities and are furnished only with child-size tables and chairs, while the cold sweeps into the building through empty doorframes.

"We used to have a television. Now, when the kids want to watch something, we all gather around one phone," Harutyunyan said.

Though her husband, until September a soldier in Karabakh’s army, is able to earn some money as a labourer in nearby Yerevan, the family remain dependent on the kindness of locals:

"If I could, I'd go back and get all our things. Because here I have to beg for everything."

The memory of mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War One, which all but eliminated Turkey's Armenian population, is deeply rooted in many Armenians’ folk memory. Many refugees fear they may yet have to move again.

"Turkey is very close to us here in Masis," said Sargsyan. "Where can we run to next? Where can we go? What can we do? Will this ever end?"

About 150 km (90 miles) to the north, 10 members of the Gasparyan family, who came from Karabakh's capital, live in a three-bedroom apartment they have rented on the outskirts of Vanadzor, Armenia’s third city.

Like many refugees, they have struggled to find work in Armenia.

Alvina, a grandmother aged 65, has become the family’s main breadwinner, earning a little money selling homemade "jingalov hats" or "green bread", a flatbread stuffed with herbs that is a staple for Karabakh Armenians.

"Since we don’t have any other income right now, it’s just about enough for bread," said her daughter-in-law, Narine.

Charity worker Lilia Abrahamyan has taken it upon herself to help some of the 2,600 refugees in Vanadzor.

Each December, she gathers letters from 300 children of poor families asking for Christmas presents, and raises money to buy them gifts. This year, she has received an extra 200 letters from Karabakh refugee children living in Vanadzor.

Instead of toys and sweets, some have asked Abrahamyan for more practical things to replace those their parents had to abandon in September.

"One of them wants winter boots, one of them a coat. Another wants a microwave for their mum," she said.

"One of them wrote 'I don’t want anything, I want to go home to Karabakh'. We know we can’t help with that, but we do try to cheer them up."

($1 = 401.5 dram)

Reporting by Felix Light; Editing by Kevin Liffey

Eshoo and Padilla Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Requesting Aid for Armenia in Upcoming National Security Bill

Kajoyan Gevork
Dec 4 2023

December 4, 2023
Press Release


Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Anna G. Eshoo and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla led a bipartisan group of 60 Senators and House Members in writing to Congressional Leadership to request the inclusion of military and humanitarian aid for Armenia in upcoming national security supplemental appropriations legislation.

 “We strongly support the inclusion of funds in any supplemental appropriations bill to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia security partnership and help address the severe humanitarian challenges caused by Azerbaijan’s recent aggression,” the Members wrote. “As a small democracy in a region dominated by autocrats, Armenia is particularly vulnerable.”

“We thank Congresswoman Eshoo and Senator Padilla for partnering in this bicameral call on President Biden to invest in Armenia’s security and meaningfully support Artsakh’s refugees,” said Armenian National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Any spending measure needs to include increased military aid to Armenia and robust humanitarian assistance for displaced Armenians from Artsakh.”

“We commend Senator Padilla and Representative Eshoo for spearheading this bipartisan letter urging security assistance to Armenia as well as humanitarian aid for the Armenian people of Artsakh,” said Armenian Assembly of America Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan. “We strongly support the inclusion of funds in any supplemental appropriations bill to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia security partnership and help address the severe humanitarian challenges caused by Azerbaijan’s recent aggression.”

In September of this year, Azerbaijan launched an unprovoked military offensive on Nagorno-Karabakh, displacing over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from their homeland and ending their more than three decades of self-rule. The assault has resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis, with Armenia absorbing tens of thousands of refugees.

In their letter, the bipartisan group of lawmakers requests that at least $10 million in military aid for Armenia be included in the supplemental appropriations bill to deter further Azerbaijani aggression. The letter also voices support for including robust humanitarian aid in the legislation and recognizes that a portion of these funds should be made available to Armenia to meet the needs of the thousands of refugees who were forced from their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In addition to Representative Eshoo and Senator Padilla, the letter is signed by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), as well as Representatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.-01), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.-04), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio-03), Donald Beyer, Jr. (D-Va.-08), Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.-29), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas-20), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Jim Costa (D-Calif.-21), Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07), Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.-04), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.-10), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.-05), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37), Andy Kim (D-N.J.-03), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.-08), Michael Lawler (R-N.Y.-17), Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.-02), James McGovern (D-Mass.-02), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.-08), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.-06), Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.-31), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.-06), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Katie Porter (D-Calif.-47), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), Deborah Ross (D-N.C.-02), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.-02), John Sarbanes (D-Md.-03), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.-30), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.-32), Christopher Smith (R-N.J.-04), Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.-07), Haley Stevens (D-Mich.-11), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.-14), Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.-20), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.-03), David Trone (D-Md.-06), David Valadao (R-Calif.-22), and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07).

A PDF of the letter can be found HEREand the text of the letter is below:

Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader Jeffries, and Minority Leader McConnell,

As Congress considers supplemental funding to enhance the security of our allies, we would like to highlight a vulnerable democracy that warrants American support: the Republic of Armenia. We strongly support the inclusion of funds in any supplemental appropriations bill to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia security partnership and help address the severe humanitarian challenges caused by Azerbaijan’s recent aggression.

On September 19th, Azerbaijan launched an unprovoked military offensive on Nagorno-Karabakh, displacing 120,000 ethnically Armenian civilians from their homeland and ending their more than three decades of self-rule. The assault was the culmination of a cruel blockade that deprived the region’s population of food, medicine, and other necessities for nearly ten months. Azerbaijan’s aggression has resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis, with Armenia absorbing tens of thousands of refugees.

Now that Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev has reshaped the region using military force, we fear that he is emboldened to do so again. We are particularly concerned that Azerbaijan will continue its aggression by invading the sovereign territory of Armenia. Ominously, Aliyev recently referred to southern Armenia as “western Azerbaijan” and called for the “liberation” of eight Armenian villages along the Azerbaijani border.  

As a small democracy in a region dominated by autocrats, Armenia is particularly vulnerable. This is especially true now that Armenia has distanced itself from Russia, Armenia’s traditional security guarantor, in pursuit of closer ties with western democracies. We believe the U.S. has an important role to play in ensuring Armenia’s security is not jeopardized because of its decision to break away from Putin’s murderous regime.

At this inflection point for the Caucasus, U.S. leadership is needed to deter further Azerbaijani aggression and enable Armenians to defend their democracy. To this end, we respectfully request that at least $10 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Armenia be included in the forthcoming supplemental appropriations package. We are also pleased that the President’s supplemental request includes robust funding for humanitarian aid, and we’re hopeful that a portion of these funds will be made available to Armenia to meet the humanitarian needs of the 120,000 refugees who were recently forced from their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of our requests and for your commitment to strengthening American support for vulnerable democracies throughout the world.

Sincerely,

https://eshoo.house.gov/media/press-releases/eshoo-and-padilla-lead-bipartisan-bicameral-letter-requesting-aid-armenia

Armenia’s Artistic Gems: A Must-See Museum Trail

John Hovhannisian
Dec 3 2023

Heritage


These museums are not just repositories of dusty artefacts; they are vibrant storytelling hubs that bring Armenia's rich heritage to life

Veidehi Gite

Armenia, a country in the heart of the Caucasus region, boasts a rich heritage that spans thousands of years. From its ancient historical sites to its vibrant contemporary art scene, Armenia is a treasure trove for travel enthusiasts. One of the most captivating aspects of this country is its many museums, each housing a unique collection of gems that offer a glimpse into the country's past and present. Embarking on a museum trail across Armenia promises an enriching and immersive experience, unveiling the diverse facets of its art and history.


In 1919, an ethnographer, archaeologist, and folklorist named Yervand Lalayan laid the foundation for what became the first museum of the Republic of Armenia in Yerevan. This three-story edifice, now a cornerstone of Armenian cultural heritage, houses an astonishing collection of 400,000 artefacts, including unique archaeological finds, numismatic treasures, and ethnographic specimens. While the museum's first two floors showcase a rotating array of temporary exhibits, it is the third floor that holds the permanent collection.

Begin your journey on the first floor, where a room next to the reception unveils the museum's journey through its formative years, from 1921 to 1931. As you ascend to the third floor, the museum's permanent collection unfolds before you, with a 1,800,000-year-old basalt chopper from Tavush, and the 1,200,000-year-old basalt hand axe from Kurtan, the oldest of its kind in Western Eurasia.

Stone Age exhibits amaze with the artefacts from the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods, offering a glimpse into the lives of prehistoric ancestors. exhibit, marvel at stones adorned with The Kingdom of Gods gallery is a veritable feast, offering a glimpse into Armenian wall painting fragments, a 9th-century phallus, and sculptural portraits of men. The statuette of goddess Arubani and God Teisheba, as well as other artefacts from the 4th to 6th centuries BC, are the standouts.

Getting There: For a swift commute from Yerevan Zvartnots Airport to Republic Square, consider a taxi. These reliable rides cost $6 and whisp you to Republic Square in 30 minutes.

Timings and entry fee: The museum is open to the public from 11am to 6pm, with the exception of Mondays when it is closed. The entry fee for adults is INR 312.

Address: 4 Republic Square, 375010, Armenia


Agulesti, a renowned Armenian painter, is affectionately called the "Van Gogh of Armenia." Her home, appropriately named "Armenia in one room," serves as a poignant tribute to Agulesti's profound love for her homeland. Founded in 1982, and housed in the artist's former home, this heritage house museum, nestled on Muratsan Street, is dedicated to the life and work of Lusik Agulesti.

The museum's labyrinthine corridors are a display of Agulesti's portraits and paintings. Intricate silver belts, adorned with intricate motifs and delicate gemstones, shimmer under the soft glow of museum lights. While traditional Armenian garments with elaborate embroidery, invite you to imagine the grace of those who once wore them. Utensils, dolls, weapons, carpets, and sculptures, all lovingly collected and preserved, offer a glimpse into Aguletsi's multifaceted talents and her deep appreciation for Armenian craftsmanship.

Getting There: The Lusik Agulesti House Museum is a mere 15-minute stroll from Yerevan's central train station and a 10-minute cab ride from the city centre.

Timings and entry fee: For a nominal entry fee of INR 415, the Lusik Agulesti House Museum welcomes visitors with open doors from 12 to 7pm.

Address: 79 Muratsan St, Yerevan, Armenia


Another captivating museum that ranks among the top three must-visit destinations in Armenia, is the Dzitoghtsyan House Museum of National Architecture and Urban Life in Gyumri, established in 1984. Built in 1872 by the affluent Dzitoghtsyan family, this stately residence, adorned with the distinctive red tuff stone, stands as a timeless testament to the city's architectural heritage.

Step inside and immerse yourself in the lives of Gyumri's elite, as the meticulously preserved interiors and traditional furnishings transport you back to the 19th and early 20th centuries. Furniture, wood carvings, metalwork, carpet weaving, textiles – these are just a few of the artistic expressions that adorn the museum's walls and shelves, each telling a story of the craftsmanship that flourished in Gyumri. Exhibits showcasing woodwork, carpets, hat crafting, embroidery, shoe making, tinwork, and silversmithing will open your eyes to the skills of Gyumri's artisans. But the Dzitoghtsyan House Museum isn't just about objects; it's about the people who breathed life into these spaces.

Getting There: The Dzitoghtsyan House Museum in Gyumri is a 2-hour drive from Yerevan by a cab.

Timings and entry fee: It is open from 9am to 5pm and closed on Mondays. The entry fee is INR 208 for adults.

Address: 47 Haghtanaki Avenue, Gyumri 3116, Armenia

https://www.outlooktraveller.com/experiences/heritage/armenias-artistic-gems-a-must-see-museum-trail