ACEC Watertown presents Jazz and Armenian Wine

Torgomian Varazdat
 Weekly Staff Community News, Diaspora 0

WATERTOWN, Mass. — Join the Armenian Cultural & Educational Center (ACEC) in Watertown for an elegant evening of “Jazz and Armenian Wine” on Friday, Aug. 25. 

The evening will begin with Storica Wines, the leading purveyor of Armenian wines in the U.S. Storica Wines boasts a portfolio of 19 exquisite wines that reclaim long-lost grape varietals indigenous to Armenia, including Areni and Voskehat. The company will offer eight of its finest wines at the ACEC event, accompanied by a presentation on Armenia’s historic winemaking culture. Hors d’oeuvres will be served by Boston eatery anoush’ella.

After wine tasting, guests will enjoy a performance by the Yulia Musayelyan Quartet. Musayelyan is an award-winning flutist and composer. Born in Moscow and raised in the U.S., Musayelyan has been involved in classical, jazz and Latin music projects, including the Macayú Trio, Fernando Huergo Quintet, Manhattan Camerata, Brooklyn Orchestra and Gaia Wilmer Octet.

The non-profit ACEC has served as a home to a number of Armenian cultural and educational organizations since 1980. The center builds community among Armenian Americans in the Boston area.




Lemonade for Humanitarian Aid

Emil Lazarian
 Pauline Getzoyan Community News, Diaspora, Youth 0

Harrison Markarian, Matthew Burke, Melissa Burke and Elise Markarian happily awaiting lemonade customers

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Elise Markarian and Matthew Burke are on a mission to help people in need. The 11-year-old cousins decided to team up and raise money for two worthy organizations offering humanitarian aid around the world—and they chose a lemonade stand as the way to do it.

A few years ago, Markarian “had this idea that I wanted to help people.” Since it was summertime, she decided to sell lemonade. At first, she planned to sell the lemonade for the reasonable price of $1.00 per serving. But then she thought, “Maybe I’ll get more donations if I make everything free.”

Helping people who have suffered through disasters, both natural and man-made, is important to Markarian. Her grandmother shared that whenever Elise receives a monetary gift, she donates it to a charity. Over the years, she has made contributions to Toys for Tots and the Northern Rhode Island Food Pantry, among others. Her father, Stephen, told the Weekly that she refuses to spend monetary gifts for herself. “We try to tell her that she can use some on herself, but she doesn’t want to,” he said.

A happy neighborhood customer with the young humanitarians

“I have just always loved to help people who are in need. There are many people who are in need, now more than ever. And I think it would be awesome to see smiles on some people’s faces when they see what we’ve done,” Markarian told the Weekly in between customers.

Markarian’s portion of the proceeds will go to the American Red Cross. She picked the organization “because I know with all these weather issues that have been happening, and the wildfires, that people are losing their homes, and I noticed that the American Red Cross is doing a lot to help them.”

This year, Burke decided to join forces with his cousin. Burke knew that his cousin had been “raising money for different organizations these past few years, and I thought it was a good idea because so many people need help,” he said. “So, we decided to combine efforts and raise money for the American Red Cross and the Armenian Relief Society.”

The seed was planted last year when Burke wanted to raise money to help Armenians in the homeland. Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh and the difficulties of getting supplies to its Armenian population captured his attention and prompted his selection of the Armenian Relief Society as his charity of choice.

“I picked the Armenian Relief Society because I heard a lot about how Artsakh has been struggling and not getting supplies. I thought if we could send money, they could get more supplies to help in Armenia and Artsakh,” Burke said.

Supporters greeting each other and enjoying their lemonade

The lemonade stand was set up in front of Steve Elmasian’s home in Providence for maximum visibility. Elmasian, who is the co-chair of the ANC-RI, thought it would be easier for people to stop by than if it was held in Cumberland or Lincoln where the cousins live. “I’m honored to have them use my house, and we’ve had people from church coming by, plus neighbors,” he said. “It’s nice to see positive actions from the youth and for them to get attention.”

Elise is the daughter of Stephen and Heidi Markarian and the sister of Aedan and Harrison. She is entering the sixth grade this year at North Cumberland Middle School.

Matthew is the son of Jon and Paula Burke and the brother of Melissa and Mia. He attends Mercymount Country Day School and will be in the seventh grade this year. He also is a member of the AYF Providence “Varantian” Junior Chapter.

Notably, the lemonade was homemade, as were the baked goods. Assisting the stand and making lemonade, including squeezing all the lemons, were Burke’s sister Melissa and Markarian’s brother Harrison.

As of this report, the proceeds from the lemonade fundraiser had reached over $1,500. The young humanitarians expressed sincere gratitude to all who supported their efforts on their parents’ social media: “Melissa, Matthew, Harrison and Elise say thank you. Today was a huge success.”

The children with their supportive parents (Pictured l. to r.: Matthew, Jon, Melissa and Paula Burke, Harrison, Elise, Heidi and Steve Markarian)

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Editor
Pauline Getzoyan is editor of the Armenian Weekly and an active member of the Rhode Island Armenian community. A longtime member of the Providence ARF and ARS, she also is a former member of the ARS Central Executive Board. A longtime advocate for genocide education through her work with the ANC of RI, Pauline is co-chair of the RI branch of The Genocide Education Project. In addition, she has been an adjunct instructor of developmental reading and writing in the English department at the Community College of Rhode Island since 2005.


AW: UN Security Council convenes emergency meeting on Artsakh blockade

Torgomian Varazdat
 Lillian Avedian News 2

Ararat Mirzoyan addresses U.N. Security Council (Armenia Foreign Ministry, August 16)

Armenia called on the United Nations to prevent genocide in blockaded Artsakh during an emergency meeting convened by the U.N. Security Council today.

“I do believe that this distinguished body, despite geopolitical differences, has the capacity to act as a genocide prevention body and not a genocide commemoration body when it might be too late,” Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said. 

The meeting was scheduled following an appeal from the government of Armenia to address the “deterioration of the humanitarian situation” in Artsakh. Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh has been ongoing since December 12, 2022, when government-sponsored protesters posing as eco-activists closed the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor, the sole route connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the rest of the world. The blockade was tightened on April 23, 2023, when Azerbaijan set up an illegal military checkpoint along the corridor, placing all movement between Armenia and Artsakh under the control of Azerbaijani border guards. 

Artsakh leadership and international actors have warned that the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh is deteriorating significantly. Food, medicine and other basic supplies, which were already limited due to the blockade, have dwindled since Azerbaijani border guards barred deliveries of humanitarian aid in mid-June, which were previously supplied by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Russian peacekeeping mission. Azerbaijan has also blocked the ICRC from transporting patients requiring medical assistance to Armenia several times in the past two months.  

Several U.N. Security Council member countries called for the immediate resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries to Artsakh by the ICRC. 

“It is incumbent on the parties not to impede or politicize any principled humanitarian efforts,” said Edem Wosornu, the director of operations and advocacy of the U.N. Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “Responding to humanitarian needs is not an act of legitimization of recognition. It does not take sides, and it does not yield to political influence,” Wosornu said, calling for humanitarian aid deliveries “through any available routes.”

The Azerbaijani government has proposed delivering humanitarian assistance to Artsakh via its territory through the Azerbaijani-controlled city Agdam. Artsakh’s leadership has rejected this offer, stating that there can be no alternative to reopening the Berdzor Corridor. 

Several member countries noted the possibility of delivering humanitarian aid via Agdam during today’s U.N. Security Council meeting. Dmitry Polyanskiy, deputy permanent representative of Russia to the U.N., said his country supports the use of alternative routes for the delivery of humanitarian aid, particularly the “opening of a parallel corridor through Agdam and Lachin for the movement of civilians and cargo.”

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United States ambassador to the U.N., acknowledged the “possibility of compromise on additional routes for humanitarian supplies.” “Neutral, impartial, humane and independent humanitarian access and assistance, including medical transfers, must not be hindered, full stop,” she said. 

Silvio Gonzato, deputy head of the European Union delegation to the U.N., said that the EU has “taken note of the expressed readiness of Azerbaijani authorities to supply goods via the city Agdam. However, this should not be seen as an alternative to the opening of the Lachin Corridor.” 

Yashar Aliyev, permanent representative of Azerbaijan to the U.N., accused Armenia of rejecting the offer to deliver goods through Agdam, which he called evidence of Armenia’s “political hypocrisy.” “If Armenia were genuinely concerned about ordinary residents of the region, it would have never objected to the usage of the Agdam-Khankendi [Stepanakert] road,” Aliyev said. 

He claimed that international actors, including Russian peacekeepers and the ICRC, had reached an agreement to open traffic along this road. However, the agreement did not materialize due to Armenia’s objections. 

Mirzoyan said that there is “no alternative” to the Lachin Corridor, which he called the “agreed link between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Mirzoyan also quoted former Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Luis Moreno Ocampo’s expert opinion from August 7 arguing that genocide is already underway in Artsakh. “There are no crematories, and there are no machete attacks. Starvation is the invisible Genocide weapon. Without immediate dramatic change, this group of Armenians will be destroyed in a few weeks,” Ocampo warned. 

Just one day prior to the U.N. Security Council meeting, the first case of death by starvation was recorded in Artsakh since the start of the region’s ongoing blockade by Azerbaijan.

Hemodialysis patients in Stepanakert (Artsakh Health Ministry)

40-year-old Karo Hovhannisyan died of “chronic malnutrition” and “protein and energy deficiency,” the Artsakh Human Rights Defender’s Office said on August 15. The office attributed his death to the “catastrophic consequences of the ongoing eight-month blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan.”

It added that the blockade primarily affected the “health situation of the most vulnerable groups in society – children, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases, people with disabilities and older persons.”

Health conditions have been deteriorating among Artsakh’s population. The Artsakh Health Ministry attributes worsening health indicators to the shortage of medicine and medical supplies, inadequate nutrition, stress, suspension of scheduled surgeries and restricted access to medical care in Armenia, all caused by the blockade. 

The Health Ministry has warned that medical supplies needed for hemodialysis will run out before the end of the month. The ministry appealed to the ICRC to conduct emergency evacuations of hemodialysis patients to specialized facilities in Armenia, warning that patients can die after a week of not receiving necessary treatment for kidney failure. Of the 41 patients receiving hemodialysis, 29 were evacuated to Armenia as of August 15. The remaining patients refused to be transferred, either because they have minor children at home or they are wheelchair-bound.

“I am bedridden. I have a caregiver at home. I want to live,” said 64-year-old Vera Hovsepyan, who has been receiving hemodialysis for the past five years. “I can’t go to Yerevan in this state and receive treatment, because I want to die in my wheelchair here in Artsakh and be buried in my own cemetery.”

“Patients who suffer from the terminal stage of acute and chronic kidney failure have been severely affected by the blockade as they can’t follow a special diet, adding additional dangers for their life and health,” said Kristine Avagimyan, head of the hemodialysis department at the Stepanakert hospital. 

Other health indicators have also worsened significantly since the start of the blockade, especially since June, when Azerbaijan prohibited the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region.

Deaths due to cardiovascular diseases more than doubled in July compared to the same month last year, according to official data. 

Deaths caused by malignant neoplasms, or cancerous tumors, have increased by more than 15-percent so far in 2023 compared to the same time period last year. Newly diagnosed cases of malignant neoplasms have increased by more than 24-percent. Health authorities attribute this data to the shortage of medication, changes in quality of life and severe limitations on adequate medical assistance. 

The incidence of strokes has increased by 26-percent, and heart attacks, by nearly 10-percent. 

Pregnant women have been especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of the blockade on the healthcare system. Health officials have recorded cases of anemia among 90-percent of pregnant women under medical observation this year. This is a result of inadequate nutrition and a shortage of medication. 

There has also been an increase in the number of stillbirths. Most recently, a pregnant woman in the Haterk village of the Martakert region could not reach the hospital in time, due to the fuel shortage for ambulances, and lost her baby.

“The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Artsakh warns that in the event of the continued full siege of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, the mentioned and other indicators will further worsen, leading to the loss of many lives or a deterioration in their health,” the Artsakh Health Ministry said on August 8.

ICRC vehicles in Stepanakert (NKR InfoCenter)

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Lillian Avedian is the assistant editor of the Armenian Weekly. She reports on international women’s rights, South Caucasus politics, and diasporic identity. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Democracy in Exile, and Girls on Key Press. She holds master’s degrees in journalism and Near Eastern studies from New York University.


RFE/RL Armenian Service – 08/16/2023

Garo Vardanian 
                                        Wednesday, 
Stepanakert Official ‘Leaks’ Lavrov Proposals On Karabakh Hours Before UN 
Discussion
        • Tatevik Lazarian
A rally in Yerevan in support of Nagorno-Karabakh, July 25, 2023.
Official Yerevan neither confirms nor denies the authenticity of a document 
published by Tigran Petrosian, head of an anti-crisis body affiliated with the 
Karabakh president, which he said contained proposals made by Russian Foreign 
Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding Nagorno-Karabakh late last month.
The leakage of the document comes shortly before the UN Security Council is to 
convene for an emergency meeting in New York at Armenia’s request to discuss the 
ongoing humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh brought on by Azerbaijan’s de 
facto blockade of the region.
On July 25, Lavrov met separately with the foreign ministers of Armenia and 
Azerbaijan, Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov, in Moscow, and then the three 
ministers’ tripartite meeting was also held. Receiving Bayramov in Moscow, 
Lavrov announced that in addition to the already signed statements, a number of 
documents were being prepared for discussion by the leaders of Armenia, 
Azerbaijan and Russia, without providing details about their content.
The document published today by Petrosian and attributed to Lavrov is titled 
“The fundamental principles and parameters of ensuring the rights and security 
of the Armenian population in the territory of the former Nagorno-Karabakh 
Autonomous Oblast of Soviet Azerbaijan in accordance with the legislation of 
Azerbaijan” and contains 14 points.
They state that the Armenian population should have equal legal protection and 
should not be discriminated against on the basis of language, ethnicity or 
religion, should not be forcibly or involuntarily displaced, Armenians should 
not be persecuted for being part of the local government or armed groups, except 
when they are found guilty of war crimes in a judicial order.
The proposals state that the Armenian population should be proportionally part 
of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of power of Azerbaijan, 
including the Prosecutor’s Office and the Police of Azerbaijan, and participate 
in the decision-making concerning the Armenian population.
According to the proposals ascribed to Lavrov, the Armenian language should be 
freely used along with the Azerbaijani language in official writing and in 
public places. The inviolability of Armenians’ private property must be 
guaranteed, the religious freedom of Armenians must be ensured, education in 
Armenian from elementary grades to university, Armenian cultural and national 
identity must be preserved, the published document says.
It is stated that a separate agreement should be signed between Armenia and 
Azerbaijan, according to which close ties between the Armenian population of the 
former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of Soviet Azerbaijan and Armenia will 
be ensured, and the unimpeded receipt of humanitarian and economic aid for the 
Armenian population from outside should be ensured.
During the day neither the Foreign Ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh nor the Foreign 
Ministry of Armenia responded in any way to say whether the document published 
by the Karabakh figure is authentic or not. The Russian side did not comment on 
the leaked document either.
Petrosian himself also left phone calls unanswered. However, he accompanied the 
publication of the document on Facebook with the following post: “I have to 
publish it so that the public understands what is really happening... Today, 
[Russian President Vladimir] Putin has the opportunity to change his attitude 
and plans at the UN Security Council session... Let’s wait.”
Political analyst Alexander Iskandarian ascribed the leakage of the document to 
“a very active process unfolding around Nagorno-Karabakh.”
“As for the text that was leaked, even if we assume that it is true and that 
such a text really exists, and that it is really a proposal from the Russian 
side, the main thing is missing here: the technologies as to how this writing 
will be guaranteed, how these points will be implemented, who will monitor it 
and what mechanism will be operated are not described. Without clarifying these 
questions, this text does not make much sense,” he said.
“It is clear that there are a lot of documents circulating, but there is an 
accepted principle among diplomats that nothing is agreed until everything is 
agreed. Even if we accept that this text is true, it may not mean anything until 
we see how the process develops, and the process will still take a long time to 
develop,” Iskandarian added.
Political commentator Hakob Badalian voiced doubts regarding whether the 
revealed document was a submitted proposal or just a draft. He said that in any 
case the content of the presented proposals was unacceptable to both Yerevan and 
Stepanakert as it meant Nagorno-Karabakh’s dissolution. He, however, considered 
remarkable the timing of the leak – hours before the expected discussion at the 
UN Security Council and after a phone call between Lavrov and Bayramov.
“The publication is accompanied with a post that Putin has the opportunity to 
change the attitude at the UN Security Council session, that is, here at least 
the following question arises: is it a hint that the [Russian] Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs does not convey complete information to Putin and in this sense 
different games are going on, and this way an attempt is being made to draw 
[Putin’s] attention?... Naturally, there is also a question as to whether the 
Russian Foreign Ministry can carry out any actions fundamentally different from 
Putin’s approach or carry out any actions secretly from Putin? At the same time, 
if there is a direct expectation, then the question arises: if, for example, 
Russia’s policy does not change, then what does Nagorno-Karabakh do, or what 
does the Armenian side do in general if it has to deal with such a proposal?” 
Badalian said.
UN Security Council Set To Hold Emergency Meeting On Nagorno-Karabakh
A shop in Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh where a blockade has 
resulted in sever shortages of food, medicines, and energy.
The United Nations Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting 
regarding the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh on August 
16.
The meeting at the UN headquarters in New York City comes after the Armenian UN 
Ambassador Mher Margarian said in a letter to the Security Council that the 
people of Nagorno-Karabakh are “on the verge of a full-fledged humanitarian 
catastrophe.”
Both Armenia and ethnic Armenian authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh have said that 
Azerbaijan has blockaded the region since December, resulting in shortages of 
food, medicines, and energy.
The situation had deteriorated to such a point that the office of 
Nagorno-Karabakh’s ombudsman said on August 15 that a man around the age of 40 
had died as a result of chronic malnutrition, protein and energy deficiency.
A former International Criminal Court prosecutor said earlier in August that the 
blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the only link between Nagorno-Karabakh and 
Armenia, may amount to a “genocide” of the local Armenian population. Baku has 
rejected such an assertion.
Tensions sparked by the blockade escalated further after Azerbaijan in June 
tightened a checkpoint installed in April on the road known as the Lachin 
Corridor, claiming that “various types of contraband” had been discovered in the 
Red Cross vehicles coming from Armenia.
Referring to the blockade, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on 
August 11 that Azerbaijan’s moves could result in “nullifying a historic 
opportunity for peace” between the two South Caucasus nations.
Azerbaijan denies blockading Nagorno-Karabakh and offers an alternative route 
for supplies via the town of Agdam, which is situated east of the region and is 
controlled by Baku.
However, Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian government has rejected that offer, 
saying Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin Corridor is a violation of the 
Moscow-brokered 2020 cease-fire agreement that placed the 5-kilometer-wide strip 
of land under the control of Russian peacekeepers.
A group of UN experts issued a statement on August 7, expressing alarm over the 
ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, which they said had led 
to a dire humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“By lifting the blockade, the [Azerbaijani] authorities can alleviate the 
suffering of thousands of people in Nagorno-Karabakh and allow for the unimpeded 
flow of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population,” the experts said. 
“It is essential to ensure the safety, dignity, and well-being of all 
individuals during this critical time.”
Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars over Nagorno-Karabakh. The most 
recent war lasted six weeks in late 2020 and left 7,000 soldiers dead on both 
sides.
As a result of the war, Azerbaijan regained control over a part of 
Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts. The war ended with a 
Russian-brokered cease-fire under which Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops in 
the region to serve as peacekeepers.
Yerevan Denies Baku’s Report On Attempted Armenian ‘Commando Raid’
The Armenian Defense Ministry building in Yerevan
Military authorities in Yerevan have denied a report by Baku claiming an 
Armenian commando unit attempted to infiltrate into Azerbaijani territory on 
Wednesday.
The Armenian Defense Ministry said the report was an “absolute lie.”
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said one of the members of the Armenian 
commando unit that allegedly attempted the raid at 11:15 am was wounded and 
detained by Azerbaijani forces in the Kelbajar region. The ministry said that 
other members of the unit, whose number it did not specify, retreated.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry promptly issued a statement, strongly condemning 
“continued military provocations” by Armenia on the day when the UN Security 
Council was to hold an emergency meeting on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh 
requested by Yerevan.
Meanwhile, the Armenian Defense Ministry reminded its earlier report that 
according to preliminary data, an Armenian reservist participating in military 
training assemblies had left his combat positions.
“A possible scenario of the reservist’s appearing on the Azerbaijani side and 
related circumstances are being examined,” the Armenian ministry said.
Later the Armenian ministry confirmed that the Armenian reservist was detained 
by Azerbaijani servicemen. It published a video showing a group of Azerbaijani 
soldiers approaching and talking to the Armenian, who appeared in Azerbaijani 
territory under yet unclear circumstances, before apprehending and taking him to 
an unknown direction on a truck.
“This video disproves the false information spread by Azerbaijan’s Defense 
Ministry about an attempted penetration by an Armenian commando unit,” it said.
Azerbaijan, meanwhile, said the video disseminated by Armenia’s Defense Ministry 
had “nothing to do with the incident” and itself posted photographs of the 
detained Armenian serviceman identified as Gagik Voskanian born in 1983.
Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalated again in recent days amid a 
reportedly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh that Yerevan 
blames on Baku, accusing it of trying to force the local Armenian population out 
by blocking access to all commercial and humanitarian supplies via the Lachin 
corridor.
Azerbaijan denies blockading the region and offers alternative ways of supply as 
part of its policy on the integration of Karabakh Armenians. Authorities in 
Stepanakert have rejected such offers, considering them as a prelude to the 
absorption of Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan.
Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have blamed each other for ceasefire violations 
along their restive border in recent days. Armenia said on Monday that one of 
its soldiers stationed at a border position was seriously wounded by fire coming 
from the Azerbaijani side. Baku and Stepanakert have also traded accusations for 
reported shooting incidents around Nagorno-Karabakh.
Russian Peacekeepers Unblock Entrance To Their Karabakh Base Amid Armenian 
Protest
Russian peacekeepers dragging a car of Karabakh Armenian protesters blocking the 
entrance to their base in Nagorno-Karabakh, . (Photograph from 
Artur Osipian’s Facebook account).
Russian peacekeepers deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh removed a car of Armenian 
protesters to unblock the entrance to their military base in the region on 
Wednesday morning.
A video posted on social media by one of the protesters demanding that the 
Russians restore free traffic along the Lachin corridor that has now been closed 
by Azerbaijani forces showed Russian peacekeepers led by a colonel using an 
armored personnel carrier to threaten a group of Armenians who parked a car in 
front of the main entrance to their base in Ivanyan (Khojaly).
“Why don’t Russian soldiers remove the Azerbaijani blockade of the Lachin 
corridor? Is the [Russian] empire trembling before Azerbaijan?” said Artur 
Osipian, one of the Karabakh protesters, as several Russian servicemen were 
carrying his car aside by hand.
Osipian, a member of Nagorno-Karabakh’s movement to unblock the Lachin corridor, 
said their demand was for the Russian peacekeepers, who he said fail to carry 
out their main duties, to at least guarantee the security of their trip by cars 
to the Azerbaijani checkpoint in the Lachin corridor to hold a protest there.
The command of the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh last week refused to 
provide an escort to the protesters to the bridge over the river Hakari at the 
border with Armenia.
It said that the terms of the deployment of the Russian military under a 
trilateral statement signed by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in 
November 2020 to end a six-week war in Nagorno-Karabakh did not provide for the 
possibility of escorting protesters and ensuring the security of various 
demonstrations and rallies.
The Russian side did not comment on the incident immediately, but a Russian 
officer on the video was heard rebuking the protester as he asked him: “Who has 
paid you for this?”
On the same video, turning to the Russian servicemen, Osipian said: “If you use 
force against those whom you are supposed to protect from the enemy and do not 
use force against the enemy, it shows who you are for here.”
Osipian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that the protesters later returned to 
Stepanakert and were planning what to do next.
“There is no other option, we cannot but fight,” he said.
Azerbaijan Slams France Over Karabakh Road Blockade Remarks
The building of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan in Baku (file photo)
Baku has strongly rejected “baseless accusations” regarding the Lachin road that 
it said were made by the French foreign minister in her phone call with her 
Armenian counterpart on Tuesday.
“Regarding the [French minister’s] claims that Azerbaijan keeps the Lachin road 
‘under siege’, as a result of which ‘Armenian residents are facing a serious 
humanitarian crisis’, we remind you once again that it is absurd to present as a 
blockade the operation of a border checkpoint set up in accordance with the 
obligation of Azerbaijan to guarantee the safety of citizens, vehicles and 
cargoes on the Lachin road, as well as to prevent its misuse by Armenia for 
military and illegal economic purposes,” Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said in a 
statement.
The ministry repeated the offer to provide aid to ethnic Armenians via Agdam, an 
Azerbaijani-controlled town east of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
“Also, the French side is well aware that if the Armenian residents really need 
daily necessities, then the Azerbaijani side has proposed the Agdam-Khankendi 
(Stepanakert) road and other alternative ways for that,” the Azerbaijani 
ministry said.
In her telephone conversation with Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, 
Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, in 
particular, said that Azerbaijan’s actions contradict the obligations that it 
undertook under the terms of the ceasefire agreement and harm the negotiation 
process.
Colonna also reportedly gave assurances about the willingness of France to 
support the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, and also announced that France 
intends to make an additional allocation of 3 million euros for the activities 
of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the region.
Earlier on Tuesday Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry summoned a Spanish charge 
d’affaires over Madrid’s official announcement of aid to ethnic Armenians 
displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. It said that the decision announced in a post 
on the X (formerly Twitter) account of Spain’s embassy in Russia amounted to 
supporting “the separatist regime established by Armenia on the sovereign 
territory of Azerbaijan.”
U.S. Again Urges Azerbaijan To Restore Free Transit Through Karabakh Road
Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State 
(file photo).
The United States has again called on Azerbaijan to restore free transit through 
the Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia that 
has been effectively blockaded by Baku in recent months.
During a press briefing in Washington on August 15, Vedant Patel, principal 
deputy spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, said that Washington 
remains “deeply concerned about the continued closure of the Lachin corridor, 
specifically its closure to commercial, humanitarian, and private vehicles.”
“The halting of this kind of humanitarian traffic, in our opinion, worsens the 
humanitarian situation and undermines the efforts that have been in place to 
build confidence in the peace process. And so we urge the Government of 
Azerbaijan to restore free transit of commercial, humanitarian, and private 
vehicles through this corridor,” Patel said.
He added that the United States expected “further discussions” to take place 
during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Nagorno-Karabakh that 
would be held at Armenia’s request in New York on August 16.
The U.S. Department of State official reiterated Washington’s position on 
Armenian-Azerbaijan negotiations, saying that “direct dialogue is essential to 
resolving this longstanding conflict [over Nagorno-Karabakh].”
“We think that any engagements that ultimately bring peace and stability to the 
people of the South Caucasus would be a good thing and a positive step forward,” 
Patel said.
The call from the U.S. official came as ethnic Armenian authorities in 
Nagorno-Karabakh reported the first death from hunger among residents of the 
region that they say has experienced severe shortages of food, medicines, fuel 
and other basic supplies because of Azerbaijan’s effective blockade.
Baku denies blockading the region and offers an alternative route of supply via 
the eastern town of Agdam, which is rejected by Karabakh Armenians who fear it 
could be a prelude to their absorption into Azerbaijan.
Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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Los Angeles demonstrators call on France, China and UK to take UNSC action to end Nagorno-Karabakh blockade

George Mamian

 10:40,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. Demonstrators in Los Angeles, California rallied outside the consulates-general of France and China and the British consul’s residence demanding the countries to take action at the forthcoming UN Security Council meeting on Nagorno-Karabakh to end the blockade and prevent genocide.

The demonstrators called on France, China and the UK to vote in favor of stopping the genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh.

One of the demonstrators, Davit Mnatsakanyan, said he expects the main actors to force Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor.  

“There’s already a case of fatal starvation in Artsakh, we can’t be idle in this situation,” Mnatsakanyan said.

He said the demonstrators would also protest outside the Azeri consulate.

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United States urges Azerbaijan to restore free transit through Lachin Corridor

Anna Tamamian

 10:56,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. The United States has urged Azerbaijan to restore free transit through Lachin Corridor amid a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“We remain deeply concerned about the continued closure of the Lachin corridor, specifically its closure to commercial, humanitarian, and private vehicles,” United States Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a press briefing. “The halting of this kind of humanitarian traffic, in our opinion, it worsens the humanitarian situation and it undermines the efforts that have been in place to build confidence in the peace process. And so we urge the Government of Azerbaijan to restore free transit of commercial, humanitarian, and private vehicles through this corridor. We’re also aware that the UN Security Council has a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, and we expect further discussions to take place there as well,” he added.

Asked on the U.S.’s position on that very issue at the UN, Patel said, “I’m not going to get ahead of the meeting…but we have consistently emphasized and reiterated the fact that direct dialogue is essential to resolving this longstanding conflict, and we think that any engagements that ultimately bring peace and stability to the people of South Caucasus would be a good thing and a positive step forward.”

Protesters in Nagorno-Karabakh gather outside Russian peacekeeping contingent’s HQ, block entrance

Lilit Nahapetian

 11:40,

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. Demonstrators in Nagorno-Karabakh are holding a peaceful protest since August 15 outside the Russian peacekeeping contingent’s headquarters in Stepanakert.

Artur Osipyan, one of the leaders of the demonstrators who are united under a group calling itself the People’s Movement for Unblocking the Corridor, told ARMENPRESS correspondent Van Novikov that their goal is to lift the blockade of Lachin Corridor and that they are calling on the Russian peacekeepers to ensure the safety of a caravan which they plan to organize in the direction of Hakari bridge in a peaceful demonstration.

“We had appealed to the peacekeepers before with a letter. We are not telling them to go and lift the blockade, we are demanding them to ensure the safety of our peaceful procession to Hakari bridge and to try and resolve the issue in unity. But they gave an absurd response to our letter. As a sign of protest, we went and closed the entrance to their deployment site until they start treating us seriously and not try to make us abandon our goal,” Osipyan said, calling on others to join their movement.

The Russian peacekeepers unsuccessfully attempted to open the entrance to their HQ.

France expresses concern about Azeri shooting targeting EU monitors in Armenia, announces extra funding for ICRC in NK

Eduard Nalbandian

 12:51,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. France will provide an addition €3,000,000 to support the humanitarian activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Nagorno-Karabakh, the French foreign ministry said in a readout of the call between the Armenian and French foreign ministers.

Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, expressed deep concern about the fact that the population of Nagorno-Karabakh has been suffering for more than eight months as a result of the blockade of Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan.

Colonna noted with regret that Azerbaijan continues its blockade, which contradicts its obligations within the framework of the ceasefire agreement and harms the negotiations process.

Reiterating her call made during her April 27 and 28 trips to Azerbaijan and Armenia, she said that outstanding issues can only be solved through negotiations, which would give the chance to achieve just and lasting peace.

The French Foreign Minister reiterated her call on restoring the free movement of people and goods in both directions along the Lachin Corridor and uninterrupted gas and electricity supplies to the population.

FM Colonna said that Azerbaijan must fulfill its international obligations, particularly comply with the ICJ February 22 binding order.

The ministers also discussed the Azerbaijani cross-border shooting that happened on the Armenian border on August 15 during an EU monitoring patrol. The French foreign minister expressed concern about the shooting and expressed full support to the EU mission.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

On July 26, Armenia sent a humanitarian convoy carrying emergency food and medication for Nagorno-Karabakh, but Azerbaijan blocked the trucks at the entrance of Lachin Corridor.




Photos show bullet-riddled tractor after latest Azeri shooting targeting farmers in Nagorno- Karabakh

Chakrian Hovsep

 13:20,

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. A farmer in Nagorno-Karabakh came under Azerbaijani gunfire on August 15 while working in the grain fields, the Nagorno-Karabakh police said in a statement.

The farmer was working with his combine harvester in grain fields Tuesday evening in the village of Avdur when Azerbaijani troops opened small arms fire from adjacent outposts.

The farmer, who escaped unharmed, is a resident of Myurishen village.

The combine harvester was hit multiple times. Police released photos of the bullet-riddled vehicle.

The farmers had to suspend agricultural work due to the shootings.

Nagorno-Karabakh authorities said they’ve notified the Russian peacekeepers on the shooting.




On-duty reservist suspected of going AWOL

Emil Lazarian

 13:32,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. A reservist of the Armed Forces of Armenia serving active duty in a military post as part of training musters has presumably gone AWOL, authorities announced Wednesday.

“On August 16, reservist G. V., according to preliminary information, voluntarily left his combat outpost. Search operations are underway to find the participant of the training musters,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.