Category: News

Today marks the 25thanniversary of the Ring operation (Operation Koltso), as a result of which two villages in Artsakh were cleansed of Armenians.

The operation “Ring,” launched by the special police detachments (OMON) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, with the support of the USSR Interior Ministry՛s troops in April-May, 1991 holds a peculiar place in the history of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, both for its scope and consequences.

The operation resulted in a complete devastation and destruction of more than two dozen villages of Northern Artsakh, as well as in Shahumyan, Hadrut and Shushi regions. It ended only after a month, thanks to wide publicity and condemnation both within the USSR and beyond.

But the wheels of the war were set in motion. The operation “Ring”, which stood out by its brutality and massive violations of human rights, sharply increased the level of tension in the region and shifted the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict to a plane of military actions, becoming a prelude to the subsequent full-scale aggression of Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh.

However, Azerbaijan failed to achieve its main goal – to intimidate the population of Nagorno-Karabakh and suppress their legitimate aspirations for self-determination. On the contrary, the operation “Ring” only strengthened the determination of the people of Artsakh to fight for their rights and freedoms.

 

 

 

Director of the Regional Research Center Richard Giragosian is confident Azerbaijan is planning a new attack. He believes that neighboring Georgia can play a role in preventing a new assault, considering its good relations with Azerbaijan and its ally Turkey.

“It’s in Georgia’s interest to prevent Azerbaijan from inciting new war, Georgia can show Azerbaijan all risks and threats of war,” Giragosian said in Tbilisi.

“We want all countries of the region, including Georgia to show Azerbaijan the threats of military actions to the security and stability in the region,” the expert said.

According to Gioragosian, escalation in Karabakh poses a great danger to Georgia, as a transit country. Georgia is already in a complex condition, he said. On one hand, the country has good relations with Azerbaijan, especially in the fields of economy and energy, at the same time it’s trying to reinforce relations with Armenia.

A new military attack by Azerbaijan will threaten the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, as well, the expert said.

“This is a serious challenge not only to the region, but also the international community – the US, the EU and Russia,” Giragosian said. He added that denouncement of the 19914 ceasefire agreement is also a threat to regional and international security.

Spanish media outlet claim the Gunners are looking increasingly likely to sign the Armenian international, according to the

Chelsea and Juventus have also been linked with the attacking ace.

But according to Italian football experts , Arsenal are leading the race for his services.

It’s understood the north Londoners will pay around £23m for the Bundesliga sensation.

They’re also set to offer him an annual salary of £5m, which works at £96,000-a-week.

The midfielder has enjoyed a phenomenal season, scoring 23 goals and creating a further 30 in 49 appearances.

He is about to enter the final 12 months of his current Dortmund deal and appears no closer to a new deal after snubbing a £6.4m-a-year extension.

When asked by German newspaper Bild if he is about to pen fresh terms, Mkhitaryan said: “I do not know yet.”

The 101st anniversray of the Armenian Genocide was commemorated in different cities accross the globe.

Yerevan

Athens

London

Paris

Los Angeles

Prague

Ottawa

Sydney

Tel Aviv

At the meeting of the Executive Board of the Republican Party of Armenia, President Serzh Sargsyan has proposed three important steps needed for resumption of the negotiation process, Spokesman for the Republican Party of Armenia Edward Sharmazanov told reporters after the sitting.

“First, it’s necessary to implement mechanisms of investigation of border incidents; second, the statements of the international community must be more targeted; third, there should be guarantees that Azerbaijan will not undertake new aggression and terrorist acts against NKR people,” Sharmazanov said.

“Speaking about resumption of negotiations is untimely now , as the military actions continue, as Azerbaijan continues to violate the 1994 ceasefire agreement signed with Artsakh and Armenia, as well as the verbal agreement reached in Moscow,” he said.

Photo: Reuters

 

The UN says the situation in Syria’s city of Aleppo is catastrophic, after dozens of people were killed in attacks on targets including a hospital, the BBC reports.

Air strikes on and around the Medecins Sans Frontieres-backed al-Quds hospital killed at least 27 people, while more than 30 died in other attacks.

UN envoy Jan Egeland said the next days would be vital for the humanitarian aid lifeline for much of Syria.

The violence has left a partial truce hanging by a thread.

UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura warned the cessation of hostilities agreed between non-jihadist rebels and government forces on 27 February was now “barely alive”.

Photo:  12 News

 

A cross stone installed at the St. Apkar Armenian church in Scottsdale was destroyed by vandals.

Someone broke it into pieces and church officials told that they feel the vandals targeted them.

Artin Kandjian, the architect of the church, said, “It feels deliberate because it’s a terrible coincidence that this happened during the week of April 24th, which is a traditional commemoration of the Armenian genocide, which took place in 1915.”

Members of U.S. Senate and House took part in the annual Capitol Hill remembrance of the Armenian Genocide on April 27, stressing that the United States, as a matter of national policy, should be working toward a truthful and just recognition of this crime, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

During the evening remembrance program, legislators raised serious concerns, on a bipartisan basis, regarding the dangerous modern day implications of continued official U.S. and international indifference to a century of unchecked anti-Armenian violence and genocide, even amid warning signs of renewed atrocities against Nagorno Karabakh.

“We want to thank each of the legislators who joined us today, and the many more who are working to stop official U.S. complicity in Ankara’s genocide denials and bring an end to the Administration’s troubling silence in the face of Azerbaijan’s reckless military escalation against Nagorno Karabakh,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Sadly, we are seeing today – in Azerbaijan’s attacks all along the Nagorno Karabakh line-of-contact – the results of longstanding U.S. appeasement of Turkey and international indifference to Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian aggression, even amid clear warning signs of renewed atrocities.”

A prominent theme was the escalation of Azerbaijan’s attacks against Nagorno Karabakh, which claimed several hundred Armenian and Azerbaijani lives between April 2nd and 5th. Constant ceasefire violations continue to undermine peace in the region, with three members of Artsakh’s defense forces killed in just the last two days. Members of Congress called for zeroing out military aid to Azerbaijan, with many urging an increase in assistance to Artsakh in light of recent violence.

The annual Capitol Hill observance of the Armenian Genocide was organized by the Congressional Armenian Caucus in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, Office of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh in the U.S. and Armenian American organizations.

Among the federal legislators offering remarks were Senator Robert Menendez (D-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Robert Dold (R-IL) as well as, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Democrat Adam Schiff (D-CA), Armenian and Assyrian American Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), and David Trott (R-MI). Also in attendance were Rep. David Brat (R-VA), Hellenic Caucus Co-Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Co-Chair James McGovern (D-MA), and Armenian Genocide Resolution lead author David Valadao (R-CA).

Capitol Hill veteran and Greater Washington DC community activist Elise Kenderian Aronson served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening, inviting clerical leaders His Eminence Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Eastern U.S. and Rev. Fr. Tatev Terteryan of St. Mary Apostolic Church to offer the benediction and invocation. Also offering keynote remarks were His Excellency Grigor Hovhannissian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the U.S., and the Honorable Robert Avetisyan, Nagorno Karabakh representative to the U.S.

Armenian Americans were joined by representatives from the Hellenic, Assyrian and Kurdish communities at the observance, including Ted Katsoubas from the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC); Steve Oshana, Executive Director of A Demand for Action; and, Dasko Shirwani of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) among many others.

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, called for a “Leahy Law” investigation into reports that the Azerbaijan armed forces, which annually receive millions of dollars in U.S. military aid, committed gross violations of human rights during Baku’s April 2nd offensive against Nagorno Karabakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In remarks during an Armed Services hearing today on the National Defense Authorization Act, Rep. Sanchez noted that she has reviewed credible allegations that units of the Azerbaijani military have committed gross violations of human rights.  “I believe that these blatant human rights violations warrant action on our part to direct our Secretary of Defense to work with our Secretary of State on an investigation on possible human rights violations.  And I believe the U.S. should conduct an investigation on whether the ‘Leahy Law’ is being violated by the Azerbaijani military,” stated Rep. Sanchez.  “We, the United States, we are a leader on human rights and we cannot afford to support militaries that commit human rights violations.”

In her remarks, Rep. Sanchez cited sharp criticism of Azerbaijan’s human rights record and called attention to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev’s pardon and praise for Ramil Safarov, who axe-murdered an Armenian officer while he slept during a NATO peace-keeping training program in Hungary.  Rep. Sanchez’s statement accompanied an amendment that she submitted, but later withdrew for procedural purposes.

By Sen. Mark Kirk

The time has come for Azerbaijan to face consequences from the United States and the international community for its blatant military aggression against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR).

After years of saber rattling, Azerbaijan’s four-day assault on the NKR earlier this month is its most egregious attack since it signed a cease-fire agreement with Armenia and the NKR in 1994. These recent military actions indicate the clear need for new measures to modify a cease-fire framework that is not working.

With no system to referee the cease-fire, Azerbaijan has become increasingly belligerent while facing no consequences for its violations. This must change.

I strongly support a congressional response, spearheaded by Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and ranking member Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, that offers three pro-peace measures to bring needed oversight to a cease-fire that has been precariously self-regulated by Armenian and Azerbaijani forces for more than two decades.

First, all sides should agree not to deploy snipers along the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact.

Second, advanced gunfire locator systems and sound ranging equipment, monitored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), should be installed along the line of contact to verify the source of any attacks.

And third, additional OSCE observers should be deployed along the line of contact to more effectively monitor cease-fire violations. There are only six OSCE observers monitoring the conflict zone — woefully insufficient given the number of cease-fire violations each day.

More than 80 members of the House of Representatives have signed the bipartisan Royce-Engel proposals, which have also been supported by the U.S. State Department and the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group.

In order for a lasting peace to be established, there must be goodwill and trust on both sides. But, while both Armenia and the NKR have affirmed their support for these peace-building measures, Azerbaijan has not. In truth, the lack of oversight on the current cease-fire framework provides useful cover for Azerbaijan’s belligerence.

U.S leadership is needed now to stop the bloody pattern in which Azerbaijan attacks the NKR, the NKR responds, and then Azerbaijan blames the Armenians for violating the cease-fire. We should no longer accept Baku’s flagrant duplicity.

I call upon the administration to raise the Royce-Engel proposals to the highest levels of the Azerbaijani government.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has faced a chorus of international criticism for human rights abuses, such as the wrongful imprisonment of Radio Free Europe journalist Khadija Ismayilova and some 20 others who have been prosecuted on politically motivated charges, according to Human Rights Watch.

Just as the international community has come together to hold the Baku government responsible for its transgressions against civil society in Azerbaijan, so too should we call it to account for its treatment of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The OSCE’s Minsk Process, which started in 1995 to bring the parties of the conflict to a peaceful and comprehensive settlement, is hanging on by a thread. If diplomacy is to endure, there must be a verifiable cease-fire in place.

The onus is on Azerbaijan to demonstrate to the U.S. and the international community that it truly wants to be a partner in peace with Armenia and the NKR. Baku must fully commit to the Royce-Engel proposals.

The choice for President Aliyev is clear: Either he subscribes to diplomatic negotiations with the Armenians under peaceful circumstances or continues with a belligerent and futile policy of attrition.

If he chooses the latter, he should know that every act of Azerbaijani aggression will only further validate the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s argument that it go the way of Kosovo. As a veteran of the Kosovo War, I truly hope Azerbaijan realizes that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should only be resolved through peaceful means.

Kirk has represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate since 2010 and was previously a five-term U.S. representative from the northern Chicago suburbs.