Category: News

“The targeted attacks on the Armenian border villages and the NKR Army divisions stationed kilometers away from the military positions, which claimed the lives of civilians and servicemen come to prove that in the face of Azerbaijan the international community has to deal with a state that has adopted a terrorist way of action and is guided by irresponsible and unbridled impunity,” the Public Council of the Armenian Ministry of Defense said in a statement released today.

“Baku does not conceal, and even impertinently demonstrates its negligent attitude towards international opinion, legal and humanitarian norms and its own commitments. By inciting armed clashes and escalating tensions at the border, Azerbaijan is actually eliminating the ceasefire regime and replacing it with a regime of political blackmail, thus foiling the mediating efforts towards the settlement of the Karabakh conflict,” the Council said.

“Despite all this, the political self-determination of Artsakh is a full-fledged and irreversible fact,” the Council said, adding that the Aliyev’s delirium of annexing it to Azerbaijan is a mere unrealizable dream, and following it will be disastrous for Azerbaijan itself.

“We offer our condolences to the families and friends of the victims and share their pain. We also express our support to the soldiers, officers and commanders of our Army, we are confident in the might of our Armed Forces,” the statement concludes.

Nagorno Karabakh has dismissed reports by the Azerbaijani side.

“The statement of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, claiming that seven Armenian servicemen were killed as a result of targeted strikes of their armed forces does not correspond to reality,” the NKR Defense Ministry said in a statement.

“The Ministry declares that Defense Army divisions resorted to punitive steps in response to Azerbaijani attacks, leaving more than ten Azeri soldiers killed and many wounded in the direction of Akna,” the statement reads.

The Defense Ministry added its armed forces incurred no losses.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has discussed the urgent issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlemen with co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (US, France, Russia, OSCE), TASS reports, quoting the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“Urgent issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, the current situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the contact line were discussed,” the ministry said.

“The Minsk Group Co-Chairs are committed to seeking new solutions and implementing the existing ones towards the settlement of the Karabakh conflict,” Lavros said Sunday.

“I’m very glad for this opportunity to compare notes and see what else we can do in addition to the steps taken to achieve progress in the settlement process,” the Russian Foreign Minister said at the beginning of the meeting with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

“Every co-chairing country is committed to the process, be it a French, American or Russian initiative in this direction,” Minister Lavrov said.

On September 27 Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić.

During the meeting reference was made to the expansion of Armenian-Serbian relations, the implementation of the priorities of the Serbian presidency, also as issues on the OSCE agenda.

Edward Nalbandian and Ivica Dačić hailed the stable dynamic development of bilateral relations. In this regard, reference was made to the opening of Embassies in Yerevan and Belgrade, liberalization of the visa regime, establishment of direct flights.

The interlocutors discussed the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict and the support of the Serbian presidency to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ efforts.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office expressed his deep concern over the escalation of tension in the conflict zone and attached importance to the maintenance of the ceasefire regime.

Minister Nalbandian noted that “Baku does not refuse from its non-constructive position and provocations despite the calls of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.”

After a year of assembling and organizing, the Armenian Student Association (ASA) is now recognized as an official student organization at the University of Miami, reports. 

President Mercedes Alvarez-Gechidjian worked with the Committee on Student Organizations (COSO) since January 2014 to get the organization formally recognized. Now that they are official, ASA has big plans for the campus community.

“We want to let the campus know that we are here and to show everyone our beautiful culture,” said Alvarez-Gechidjian, a junior international studies major. “We want to educate Floridians about the Armenian culture. People don’t know where Armenia is, they don’t know what Armenia is about and how rich our culture is, so our main goal is to let them know.”

Events are being planned to expose the campus community to the tradition, events and holidays that the Armenian culture celebrates. One idea is an Armenian dinner where guests can try khorovats and kebabs, traditional Armenian barbecue.

“Armenians love meat,” Alvarez-Gechidjian said of the proposed event.

An Armenian Easter is also planned. Alvarez-Gechidjian wants the organization to be a home away from home for students, Armenian or otherwise.

Having lived in various places such as China, Kuwait, India and Mongolia, Alvarez-Gechidjian, who has Argentinean roots, first came to Florida in 2013 and attended Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. When she transferred to the University of Miami in the fall of 2014, she met many Armenians but found no club to represent them.

“We all knew an Armenian in UM, so we decided to start a club. It was just an idea we had and we went for it,” she said.

While making the club official, Alvarez-Gechidjian and the other organizers still tried to maintain close family ties within the group. They made trips to St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church in Ft. Lauderdale and began connecting with Florida International University’s Armenian club.

“I am happy that the Armenian student body is coming together on this,” sophomore  and ASA member Michael Ara Bezjian said. “Being a part of a small community or group that takes care of each other is a part of Armenian heritage. It’s a good way to remind us of our roots when we’re busy with school and commitments.”

The club will still have to do an orientation with COSO to learn what it means to be a student organization and what is expected of them on campus. However, the club already has plans lined up and a sense of family among them.

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and Pierre Andrieu of France), together with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, held a meeting on 24 September with the Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian, and a separate meeting on 25 September with the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov.  They also met jointly with the two Foreign Ministers to discuss the immediate need to reduce tensions along the Line of Contact and international border, to advance negotiations on a lasting settlement, and to implement confidence-building measures.  The Ministers agreed to continue preparations with the Co-Chairs on the next presidential summit, which is expected to be held before the end of this year.

The Co-Chairs called for the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to accept an OSCE mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations.  Without such a mechanism, the sides will continue to blame each other for initiating deadly attacks on the Line of Contact and Armenia-Azerbaijan border.  Armenia has agreed to discuss the details of the mechanism, and we urged Azerbaijan to do the same.

The Co-Chairs condemned in strong terms the use of artillery that caused additional casualties in the last twenty-four hours. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. An escalation of violence is not in the interest of Azerbaijanis or Armenians, or a negotiated settlement.

The Co-Chairs encouraged the sides to implement people-to-people programs to build trust between societies affected by the conflict.

Divisions among world leaders on Syria have been laid bare in speeches at the UN General Assembly.

The US and France insisted Syria’s President Assad must go, but Russia said it would be an “enormous mistake” not to work with him to tackle Islamic State (IS) militants, the BBC report.

However, the US and Russia did hint at compromise. Barack Obama said he would work with any nation and Vladimir Putin called for a “broad coalition”.

In his speech, Mr Obama said compromise among powers would be essential to ending the Syrian conflict, which has claimed more than 200,000 lives and forced four million to flee abroad.

“Lasting stability can only take hold when the people of Syria forge an agreement to live together peacefully,” he said.

“The US is prepared to work with any nation, including Russia and Iran, to resolve the conflict. But we must recognise that there cannot be, after so much bloodshed, so much carnage, a return to the pre-war status quo.”

Speaking soon after, Mr Putin said it was an “enormous mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian government and its armed forces who are valiantly fighting terrorism face-to-face”.

He also called for the creation of a “broad anti-terror coalition” to fight IS, comparing it to the international forces that fought against Nazi Germany in World War Two.

Frank Engel, member of the European Parliament, has tabled an urgent official enquiry to the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Frederica Morgherini following attacks by the Azerbaijani army against Armenian civilians.

The aggressions on villages in Armenia, which resulted in the death of three women, have already been condemned by several members of the European Parliament last Friday.

In his question, Mr Engel (MEP – EPP Group) underlines the fact that this is the second attack on civilian population perpetrated by Azerbaijan on the land of the Republic of Armenia this month and asks Ms Morgherini to pronounce herself on these military actions. He also highlights that this second aggression took place on the eve of the OSCE Minsk Group peace talks that the co-chairs are trying to organise in New York.

Mr Engel, who is also a member of the European Friends of Armenia’s Advisory Council, refers to the two latest resolutions on Azerbaijan adopted consecutively by the European Parliament (September 2014 and September 2015) and in particular to the recommendation to apply sanctions against this country’s officials.

“I think that Mr Engel’s step is essential. All European Union Institutions should react to such an aggression, especially when one country that is part of the EU neighbourhood and the Eastern Partnership attacks the population of another one”, explains Mr. Lorenzo Ochoa, director of European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA).

The questions by Mr Engel will be translated to the European Union working languages. Once the External Action Service receives the question it will answer within three weeks.

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has issued a statement, expressing his support to the Armenian Army:

“We learned with deep sorrow about the death of our soldiers. We express our sympathy, patriarchal love and blessing to their families. Our soldiers are heroes and martyrs, because they sacrificed their lives for the Motherland, for our independence and our rights.

We express our full support to the brave Army. The Armenian Army is the guarantee of our Motherland’s security and independence. Strong Army means strong Motherland. We are confident that the brave soldiers will struggle with renewed strength to foil all attempts of the enemy to approach the territory of Artsakh.”

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland.

The parties hailed the high-level bilateral relations and emphasized the importance of the agreement on visa facilitation that came into force in 2015.

Reference was made to the perspectives of development of Armenian-American economic cooperation. The interlocutors exchanged views on the forthcoming founding meeting of the U.S.-Armenia Trade and Investment Council.

Minister Nalbandian briefed Victoria Nuland on the process of constitutional reforms in Armenia.

Cooperation within international organizations was also on the agenda. The Assistant Secretary of State expressed gratitude to Armenia for the active participation in peacekeeping operations.

The Armenian Foreign Minister and the US Assistant Secretary of State exchanged views on the process of peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Minister Nalbandian presented the situation established as a result of harsh violations of the ceasefire regime by Azerbaijan.

Victoria Nuland expressed her deep concern over the escalation of tension and stressed the importance of observing the ceasefire.

The interlocutors referred to issues of fighting terrorism, the developments in the Middle East, the protection of minority rights.