Category: News

By Mary Boland in Stepanakert

The blue-and-white bird-like structure of Nagorno-Karabakh’s airport perches in the Caucasus Mountains like a shining, defiant emblem of national pride. The departures screen lists an international flight to Yerevan, the Armenian capital. Members of the airport’s 120 staff stand by to pass luggage through the latest model X-ray machine. Authorities at the facility, which cost $20 million (€18 million) to rebuild, say it has sophisticated satellite navigation technology.

However, there are no passengers – and no aircraft. The flight to Yerevan is aspirational; the only way to get there remains a six-hour drive through the mountains. The reason: any flights that land at or leave this airport will come under fire from Azeri troops.

As a self-proclaimed republic recognised by no country in the world, Nagorno-Karabakh considers itself a nation under siege. Located within Azerbaijan’s official borders but run by ethnic Armenians, the landlocked enclave was the subject of a devastating war between 1991 and 1994, which cost some 30,000 lives and displaced a million people.

Nagorno-Karabakh has kept its de facto autonomy, butAzerbaijan maintains its claim to it.

Shoot down

The airport, destroyed in the war, reopened four years ago. “In 2011 we wanted to start flights, but our neighbours intervened – they said they would shoot down our aircraft,” says Dmitri Atbashyan, head of the statelet’s civil aviation authority.

The threats are not exaggerated. Last year three military personnel died after Azeri troops shot down their helicopter. Troops from both sides have died in sporadic clashes on the border, in breach of a 1994 Moscow-brokered ceasefire.

With a wry sense of humour and a glint behind his aviator sunglasses, Atbashyan is proud to show off the little-used airport – and tout its advantages as a flying school, in which lessons involve close-range sorties safe from gunfire. “You can get your pilot’s licence here for $6,000 [€5,400]; in the US it will cost you $31,000. And we have some of the best pilots.”

As if on cue, instructor Samuel Tavadyan, an ex-military man, starts up a small Zenith plane and takes off. He shoots into the sky, then ducks, weaves and does hairpin bends reminiscent of scenes from a Warner Bros cartoon. After landing, he jumps out and walks away as though he has parked a car.

The airport’s staff are kept on the payroll and all systems remain running “because with such sophisticated machines, it would be too expensive to turn them off”, says Atbashyan. He stresses that every aspect of the facility complies with international standards, so it should therefore be possible to operate it normally.

“The UN Declaration of Human Rights grants everyone freedom of movement,” he says. “This shouldn’t depend on the status of the country of that person.”

No UN member state recognises this enclave of some 147,000 people, despite its national flag, government, public institutions, army and police force. In the eyes of international law, it is a country that doesn’t exist.

This reality is ever present a few kilometres away in downtown Stepanakert, where the president, Bako Sahakyan, faces a lonely challenge on the international stage. As a member of the Commonwealth of Unrecognised States, Nagorno-Karabakh shares a bond of mutual recognition with the club’s three other similarly troubled adherents: South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transnistria.

“Our primary goal is to be integrated into the civilised and international community,” says Sahakyan, a balding, ruddy man in his 50s.

Far from the front lines

The president is sitting in the boardroom of his presidential palace overlooking the significantly renamed Renaissance Square in the reconstructed capital, with its wide avenues, cafes and fashionable shops. At this comfortable distance from the front lines, it’s hard to imagine that a low-level war is unfolding.

“Being unrecognised always forms the basis of our policies,” he says. “But you must know that everything we do as part of our state-building – our legislation, law enforcement, judicial system, our elections – are all established and operated according to international standards. What we have to do is restore historical justice.”

For Sahakyan, this means righting Moscow’s 1923 designation of Nagorno-Karabakh as an autonomous region within Soviet Azerbaijan. “This entity was itself created artificially when it was forcefully incorporated into Azerbaijan.”

The conflict dates back further, to rivalry between the Christian Armenians and Muslim Turkic Azeris who populated the area for centuries.

Nagorno-Karabakh means “highland black garden”, but locals call it Artsakh, or “strong fortress”. It is nonetheless deeply connected to and dependent on neighbouringArmenia. Its citizens, more than 95 per cent ethnic Armenians, hold Armenian passports, speak Armenian and use the Armenian currency, the dram. And Armenia’s 11 million-strong diaspora is a significant source of funds.

As Sahakyan concedes, it is not easy to run a nation at war over its very existence.

“Of course we think we have to settle this issue with our neighbour,” he says. “We want to discuss, we want to negotiate. Unfortunately, the other side is rejecting our proposals.”

The centuries-old rivalries behind this decades-old conflict are far from resolved. This country that doesn’t exist will likely remain in limbo for some time yet.

The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO has added cultural sites in Diyarbakir Turkey to its World Heritage List, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

The Diyarbakir Fortress and the city’s Hevsel Gardens were inaugurated into the list during the 39th session of the Committee, held in the German city of Bonn late on July 4.

The site was chosen by a unanimous vote of 20 delegates after a Diyarbakir presentation of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

“All of the 20 members took the floor in favor of Diyarbakırand stressed that both the conservation plan and the heritage are vital for the humanity, so Diyarbakir was approved for the list with assent and applause,” Prof. Öcal Oğuz, president of the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO, told Anadolu Agency.

On 26 June 2015 the Executive Committee of the AGBU London Chapter organised an evening, “Living Memory” at the Chelsea Old Town Hall  dedicated to the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide and  the rebirth of the Armenian nation.

The first part of the event (4-7 P.M.) was an impressive exhibition, “The memory is still alive”, dedicated to the works of the young painter Nairi Afrikian. The visitors watched the exhibits of this very talented artist with great interest and admiration. Some of the works were a combination of painting and sculpture, manifesting a style which uniquely belongs to Nairi Afrikian. It should be noted that the exhibition was dedicated to the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide.

The second part of the evening was opened by Assadour Guzelian, who welcomed the honorary guests attending the function, such as Baroness Caroline Cox, Ex-Mayor of Chelsea Councillor Condon Semmondz, Honorary Alderman Mushtaq Lasharie and Counsellor of the Armenian Embassy Tigran Galstyan, as well as the audience. After making a short reference to the Armenian Genocide, Guzelian read the following passage from Winston Churchill’s book, “The Aftermath” regarding the extermination of the Armenians by the Ottoman Turkish Government during WWI. “There is no reasonable doubt that this crime was planned and executed for political reasons. The opportunity presented itself to clearing Turkish soil of a Christian race.” Guzelian then read the letter he received from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in response to his Open Letter written in February to P. M. Cameron, President Obama and President Netanyahu about recognising the Armenian Genocide. The letter confirmed that the British Government had not altered its position. Guzelian pointed out that “powerful governments like USA and Great Britain can bury JUSTICE, but they should always remember that TRUTH has never had a grave in history. One cannot bury the truth.”

The founder-director of the Komitas Institute Ara Sarafian, a historian specialising in late Ottoman and modern Armenian history, delivered a lecture entitled “Let us remember the Armenians living in Turkey today”.  He referred to his meetings with the Turkish and Kurdish intellectuals, representatives of various organisations, public figures, ordinary citizens and peasants in different provinces of Turkey, illustrating his talk with maps and pictures. In his very interesting lecture Sarafian pointed out that compared to the undemocratic and dictatorial regime of two decades ago, the situation has improved considerably in present day Turkey. Many issues, which were considered taboo and could not be publically referred to then, including the Armenian Genocide, can now be openly discussed, and as a result many hidden Islamised Armenians are returning to their roots. Sarafian emphasised that for the pursuit and peaceful solution of the Armenian question, we must ensure the cooperation of Turkish and Kurdish intellectuals, public figures and organisations. A reputed specialist in his subject, Ara Sarafian’s lecture had a great impact on the audience.

One of the greatest friends of Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian people, Baroness Caroline Cox delivered an excellent speech full of emotion, entitled “The spirit of Armenia: Beauty from the ashes of destruction”. After a short reference to the Armenian Genocide centennial commemoration event on April 24 at the Tsitsernagapert in Armenia, Baroness Cox spoke about the atrocities perpetrated by Azerbaijan on Armenians of Artsakh during the war. She condemned barbaric crimes committed by Azerbaijan and praised the Armenians of Artsakh for their Christian spirit and patriotism. She narrated many moving stories related to her 82 humanitarian visits to Armenia and Artsakh.

According to Baroness Cox, during the Azerbaijan-Artsakh war, the Azeris launched 400 Grad rockets every day on Stepanagerd. Hundreds of missiles and rockets were launched, amongst other sites on historic Gantsassar Church. Only one bomb fell on the church, but did not explode!  Baroness Cox attributed this to Divine intervention. She spoke from her heart and that is why her moving stories made some members of the audience cry! Baroness Cox ended her speech by reading the English translation of a poem written by Gegham, a ten year old Armenian boy from Artsakh.

Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian‬‘s interview with Brazilian newspaper “‪‎Estadão‬”

“Estadão”: I would like to ask you at the beginning with the more general question, I think this is the main question right now. It is regarding the 100-years Anniversary of Genocide. So, I’d like to ask you how important was this date, this time for the efforts of international recognition of Genocide?

Edward Nalbandian: The main message of the commemoration of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide is “Never again”. The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is important not only for Armenia or the Armenian nation, it is important for the international community to prevent new crimes against humanity, new genocides. And that’s why the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, as well as other genocides is of utmost importance. Maybe it would be possible to prevent other crimes against humanity if the Armenian Genocide was duly recognized and condemned hundred years ago.

“Estadão”: You think something we’ve seen already nowadays could be avoided?

Edward Nalbandian: Yes, I think so. After the Armenian Genocide the world witnessed Shoa, Genocides in Rwanda, Cambodia, Darfur, other places. The international community has to unite efforts to prevent new crimes against humanity. On March 27th the new resolution on Genocide prevention, initiated by Armenia, was adopted in the UN’s Human Rights Council in Geneva, co-authored by 72 countries, including Brazil. And the resolution passed by consensus. Almost every two years we are initiating such resolutions with the aim to consolidate different mechanisms of prevention. It is important that the resolution was adopted on the eve of the commemoration of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

This April the European Parliament adopted a special resolution on the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide with a strong message. This was not the first time that the European Parliament recognizes it, but the new resolution contains a very clear and strong message to Turkey to come to terms with its past, to recognize the Armenian genocide and thus pave the way for a genuine reconciliation between Turkish and Armenian peoples.

It is very important that new countries are recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Here I would like to emphasize very important steps made by Germany and Austria: the first on the level of President and second on the level of Parliament. I mean statements of German President and the Austrian parliament, not only recognizing the Armenian Genocide, but also mentioning their part of responsibility for what has happened 100 years ago. While Germany and Austria are talking about their part of responsibility, Turkey – the successor of the Ottoman Empire continues to its policy of denial.

“Estadão”: In this context we have this resolution from the Brazilian Senate.

Edward Nalbandian: Very important one. It is the first step and we hope that it will be completed by other steps to recognize the Armenian Genocide on the State level in Brazil.

Here, I’d like to stress the importance and moral significance of the statement made by his Holiness the Pope on the Armenian Genocide during the special Mess organized in Holy See this April. Then just after the Mess, the journalists asked me how I would comment on the reaction of the Turkish Government, I didn’t know yet about their reaction because I was at the mess. And I asked back the journalists what was their reaction. They said Turkish side criticized harshly…

“Estadão”: As usual.

Edward Nalbandian: I said: it is the problem of Turkey, not of His Holiness. His Holiness is representing 1bn. 200 m. Catholics of the world, he is a spiritual leader of this very important part of the world population. Ankara is criticizing the European Parliament, because of its resolution on the Armenian Genocide, is calling back its Ambassadors from those countries, which recognized the Armenian Genocide, as they did after Brazilian Senate’s resolution.

“Estadão”: Yes, and you think that this has some political change right now with Turkey. Do you think this will affect somehow, have some effect, some impact for Armenia, if the…

Edward Nalbandian: You know, by the initiative of our President we started very important process of normalization of our relations with Turkey. We had several rounds of negotiations and we came to the agreement on two documents – two protocols, which were signed in Zurich on October 10th, 2009.

But the Turkish side rejected to ratify and to implement those two protocols. And the position, the stance of the international community was and is very clear, that the ball is in the Turkish court. You have to respect the main principle of the international relations – the principle of pacta sunt servanda – you have to respect reached agreements and to implement them. The Turkish side made step back. What will happen in the future? I’m sure that sooner or later, of course, we have to turn the page together…

“Estadão”: Sure.

Edward Nalbandian: ...But not with the policy of denial. It is very clear, that Armenia will never question the fact of the Armenian Genocide and the importance of its recognition. Look how many countries and how many international organizations recognized the Armenian Genocide. And Turkey is pretending that it was not happened, that it was not genocide.

“Estadão”: Is the same position for years?

Edward Nalbandian: Unfortunately, yes.

“Estadão”: You were in Damascus. I’d like to ask you regarding Syria, Diaspora, Armenian-Syrian Diaspora. I know there is a… Can you comment a little bit on how is the situation of Syrian-Armenians?

Edward Nalbandian: Armenians in Syria are a part of the Syrian people, which is in a very difficult situation today. And I think in order to find a way out of this situation it is essential, first of all, to stop military hostilities, secondly to conduct a dialogue between all political groups in Syria without exclusion, third, to respect the rights of the minorities, including the Christian minorities, including the Armenian minority, fourth – to unite efforts to combat terrorism and terrorist groups. Terrorism in the Middle East with so called ISIS, Al-Nusra, other groups represents real danger not only for minorities, Christians, but in general for the peoples of the Middle East and beyond. The international community must to join efforts in their fight against terrorism.

“Estadão”: Right now the government has dealing with the situation that there are lots of Syrian-Armenians, the diaspora coming back to Armenia, right?

Edward Nalbandian: Yes, we have about 14000 Syrian-Armenians now in Armenia. In some other countries you may have much more refugees, but for small Armenia it is a very big number.

And of course we are trying to help those who are coming to Armenia. But still we have many Armenians, tens of thousands living in Syria, including in Aleppo. It is very difficult to say the exact number. That’s why our Consulate General has never stopped to operate in Aleppo and now it is the only diplomatic mission working there. Of course we have also our Embassy in Damascus.

Our information on what is going on in this country comes not only through our Embassy and Consulate General but also from Armenians living in Syria.

“Estadão”: Regarding the diaspora, now I would like to change for Russia. There is very important community of Armenians in Russia as one of the main community. I would l
ike to ask you if the last few months or … since the Crisis in Ukraine and US and also European sanctions against Russia that it has been affecting its economy. I would like to ask if Armenia, Armenian economy have been somehow affected by the consequences of this economic situation in Russia?

Edward Nalbandian: When we talk about the consequences, we have to say that there are consequences not only on Russia, and those countries, that have strong economic relations with Russia, but also on those, who decided to impose sanctions against Russia, all they are affected.

We consider that all issues should be treated and addressed through dialogue, through negotiations, not through using force, including economic coercion.

On Diaspora. Yes, we have very big Armenian community in Russia, about 2 and half million. We have about 500.000 Armenians living in Ukraine as well.

“Estadão”: Regarding another neighbour of Armenia, how would I say, a friend country. Yesterday I saw lots of tracks with Iranian license plates on the way to Tatev – in the South. There are lots of good economic ties with Iran. So I would like to ask you in your view, in Armenian government’s view, how do you see, how do you expect the deal regarding Nuclear Problem of Iran? How do you see this deal with Iran?

Edward Nalbandian: Armenia was among first, if not the first country, which welcomed the framework agreement on Iranian Nuclear issue, negotiated by Iran and 6 countries and we hope very much that the solution could be found until the end of this month as it is expected or in the nearest future, and will bring a comprehensive settlement of this issue which will be in the interests of not only of Iran and neighboring countries, but also entire region and even wider. So we hope very much that the solution could be found and the countries of the region could have more possibilities for economic and trade relations.

“Estadão”: I have talked to some people here and I met very interesting historian, Professor in Armenia. He was talking to me, explaining to me regarding to the Genocide the role of the people who fight in the Genocide in self-defense in some places against the Ottoman troops like in Van, in Musa Ler… He was telling me that to suggest also when we remember the Genocide and the Genocide victims also remember those who play role in self-defense. How do you see how the Government see this request to change the name of remembrance of victims also for remembrance of victims and heroes. Is something working on this?

Edward Nalbandian: Our Church, Armenian Apostolic Church decided to canonize the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide this April 23rd on the eve of the Centennial and we consider the victims of the Armenian Genocide as martyrs, as saints. Of course, our nation remembers its heroes.

“Estadão”: I would like to ask you about the relationship with Brazil. Which points, which issues are more important by now between bilateral relationship and where do you expect to be more expanded, to become bigger the relationship?

Edward Nalbandian: I think that we have a big potential to be explored by our joint efforts, but I don’t think that much has been done till now.

We have an embassy since 2011 in your beautiful country and you have the Embassy in Armenia since 2006. We have established also a Consulate General in San Paolo since 1998. We paid several visits from Armenia, including on the level of the President, on the level of the chairman of the Parliament, on the level of different ministers, including of Foreign Affairs. I visited your country for the inauguration of President Dilma Rousseff in January 2011. And of course, I had an opportunity also to meet with my colleague former Foreign Minister. He promised to visit Armenia but that never happened.

“Estadão”: And now?

Edward Nalbandian: We hope very much to expand our bilateral cooperation. We hope to consolidate the legal framework of our relations. The volume of our economic and trade relations is small. With many countries, which are several times smaller than Brazil we have much more trade and economic exchanges.

We hope very much that from the Brazilian side also some concrete steps will be done to enhance, to deepen our cooperation and partnership in all possible fields. From our side we are very interested and we expressed our interest many times and as a Foreign Minister I could confirm again that we are looking forward to have really strong partnership with Brazil. We have more economic and trade cooperation with Argentina, than with Brazil. Geographically we are far from Latin America, but geographically Argentine is not much closer, than Brazil.

“Estadão”: Especially considering the size of the Armenian community in San Paolo in Brazil, it is the second one in Latin America.

Edward Nalbandian: Yes, this is also an important factor. Armenian community is playing a bridge role in our relations and could play more active role in deepening our cooperation in different dimensions. There are tens of thousands of Armenian living in Brazil, most of them in San Paolo. Two third of our people lives in in hundred countries of the world Armenia is a small country in this geographical part of the world, but we have many Armenians all over the world, we have hundred “Armenias” in the world.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has said Greeks made a “brave choice” in voting to reject the terms of an international bailout in Sunday’s referendum, the BBC reports.

Thousands celebrated in the streets after hearing the final result was 61.3% “No”, against 38.7% “Yes”.

But European officials warned that it could see the country ejected from the eurozone and the euro fell across the board in Asian markets on Monday.

Greece’s finance minister, who often clashed with creditors, has resigned.

Egypt is accusing Turkey of providing more than 10,000 Turkish passports to members of ISIS, the Islamic State, to facilitate travel of fighters across the region,  reports.

An Egyptian intelligence official who asked not to be named told WND his country delivered a report to the U.S. documenting the astonishing claim.

The official further charged that Istanbul is serving as the “headquarters” for ISIS planning.

“Turkey continues to allow free passage to Iraq and Syria to IS fighters,” the official added.

If the Turkish passport charge is true, it would present a worldwide ISIS travel threat.

from on .

The trailer for “Lost Birds,” the first film made in Turkey about the Armenian Genocide, was released on June 30.

“Lost Birds” tells the story of a brother and a sister who are left behind during the ‘1915 Armenian exile,’ Today’s Zaman reports.

Written and directed by Armenian director Aren Perdeci and Turkish director Ela Alyamac, “Lost Birds” is a turning point for cinema in Turkey.

“Lost Birds,” a heartfelt film with themes of love and family directed by Armenian director Aren Perdeci and Turkish director Ela Alyamac is the first movie to depict the tragedy in a film shot in Turkey on its 100th anniversary.

The film is led by young actors Dila Uluca and Heros Agopyan, as well as an ensemble cast of Armenian actors living in Turkey.

The Russian Government today approved an intergovernmental agreement with Armenia on the operative exchange of information on nuclear and radiation safety, RIA Novosti reports.

Exchange of information on nuclear and radiation safety, including in case of nuclear accidents, is a widely accepted international experience.

The draft agreement submitted by Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation has been worked out in cooperation with the Armenian party and coordinated with the Russian Foreign Ministry and other interested executive agencies.

The Russian Government has instructed Rosatom to work with the Foreign Ministry to hold negotiations with the Armenian side, and sign the agreement on behalf of the Russian Government if talks succeed.

The Minsk Group Co-Chairs James Warlick, Pierre Ansrieu and Igor Popov meet in Washington to discuss the Karabakh conflict settlement.

“The Minsk Group Co-Chairs are in Washington for meetings at the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the National Security Council to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh,” US Co-Chair James Warlick said in a Twitter

Armenian and Russian Prime Ministers Hovik Abrahamyan and Dmitry Medvedev will discuss the cooperation within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union on June 9, RIA Novosti reports.

“During the meeting the heads of government of the two countries will discuss urgent issues of bilateral trade and economic cooperation and integration within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union,” the source reports.