"Armenia was only reacting to challenges": on the situation after the 2020 war

Yeghisabet Arthur
Nov 9 2023

  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Armenia’s and NK’s mistakes

On November 9, three years ago, the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan signed a trilateral declaration that cemented the cessation of hostilities in Karabakh, the so-called second Karabakh war. However, in September 2023 Baku launched a military operation in the disputed territory that remained under Armenian control. Almost the entire Armenian population, more than 100 thousand people, left their homes.

What steps should the Armenian side have taken after signing the 2020 ceasefire statement in Karabakh to prevent this situation, what mistakes were made by the authorities of Armenia and the unrecognized NKR? Political scientist Tigran Grigoryan answered these questions.

  • “Apart from Armenia, no one needs the Crossroads of Peace.” Opinion from Yerevan
  • The unrecognised NKR will cease to exist on 1 January by its own decision
  • Arayik Harutyunyan and other leaders of unrecognized regime in Karabakh arrested

The political analyst believes that, as early as 2018, it was obvious that Azerbaijan was preparing for war. Aliyev had a great temptation to solve the issue militarily. The military balance was badly disturbed, and more could be achieved by war than through negotiations.

“The [Pashinyan] government had no experience in foreign policy, in the security sphere, and did not know the details of the Karabakh issue. All these circumstances contributed at least to the acceleration of the processes.”

Grigoryan says that instead of trying to postpone the war, to buy time, to strengthen Armenia’s military and diplomatic capabilities, everything was done to provoke Azerbaijan, and recalls Pashinyan’s statements about bringing about a revolution in Azerbaijan following the example of Armenia, starting negotiations from zero, saying that “Artsakh is Armenia, and that’s it.”

“This is how Aliyev’s arguments that the opponent is destructive and it is impossible to negotiate with him were legitimized. Of course, the international conjuncture also suited Azerbaijan very well: the pandemic, the US elections,” he says.

He considers the July aggravation in the Tavush direction of the border a big mistake. He says that on the eve of the war it gave the impression to the country’s security decision-makers that “the Armenian army has become a significant factor in the region”.

JAMnews talked to Armenian and Azerbaijani experts, interviewed people in Baku and Yerevan, Karabakh Armenians told their stories and how they plan to live their lives in the future

Tigran Grigoryan believes that the resignations of the leaders of Amenia and the unrecognized NKR after the signing of the November statement could have had a positive impact on the situation.

“If the change of power [in Nagorno-Karabakh] had taken place at that time and a more effective team had come to power, everything could have been organized more thoughtfully. Another question is whether there was such a team in Artsakh. And the prolonged change of power, which ended in September 2023, did not contribute to the success of the processes, but on the contrary, accelerated the collapse.”

The analyst also believes that former president of the unrecognized NKR Araik Harutyunyan pursued a “rather problematic personnel policy”, with problems related to decision-making.

“The country was on the verge of collapse, but all forces were busy with some internal political problems.”

Conflictologist Arif Yunusov does not exclude that in case of the beginning of military actions on the part of Azerbaijan on the territory of Armenia, Western partners may resort to sanctions against Baku

This applies especially to the period after the defeat in the 44-day war. Grigoryan says that, theoretically, after November 9, someone from the ruling “Civil Contract” party could have changed the prime minister, and this would have contributed to the improvement of Armenia’s “negotiating position”. At the same time, he notes that the party cannot exist without Pashinyan.

He says that there is a political situation in the country which makes it impossible to change power and “the arrival of any healthy forces”. He explains this as follows:

“On the one hand, you have a defeated government, incompetent in negotiations, foreign policy and security issues. On the other hand, you have representatives of the previous government who also contributed to the disaster. In the end, you get a snap election in 2021, when the defeated government is re-elected.”

And this created a feeling in the international community that Armenian society “has accepted the defeat, according to the government’s policy”. At the same time, he emphasizes that the ruling party ran in those elections with a different agenda and then changed it on key issues.

Main provisions of the statement adopted at the end of the Pashinyan-Macron-Scholz-Michel quadrilateral meeting, as well as a commentary by an Armenian political scientist

In Grigoryan’s opinion, the two Armenian sides did not show a strategic approach. He states that the Armenian government was constantly changing its position on the Karabakh issue and the country’s security.

“There was not a single case when the government had any idea what at least its next step would be. It has always been in the role of responding to challenges, processes initiated by Azerbaijan.”

And the leadership of the unrecognized republic, according to the political scientist, had the impression that they “by and large have no functions, they have nothing to do.”

“The perception was that the Russians guarantee local security, and everything must be done to please them.”

Among such actions, Grigoryan named the decision on the official status of the Russian language. In the same context he considers President Araik Harutyunyan’s welcoming of Russia’s recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics, which he considers “a serious mistake”.

The British expert expressed his opinion on the Karabakh conflict, recent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the future of Armenians who left their homeland

According to the analyst, with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine a “power vacuum” was created in the South Caucasus which Azerbaijan took advantage of. He believes that in addition to the fact that Russia has fully concentrated its resources on Ukraine, its interests in the region have also changed:

“At some stage Russia, having simply failed to convince or impose its approaches on Azerbaijan, adopted Baku’s approach, placing all responsibility for the situation on the Armenian authorities”.

He believes that if not for the Ukrainian war, Azerbaijan would have been much more restrained and cautious in its decisions. He believes that before the September 2023 military operation Baku periodically “probed Moscow’s red lines”. In the end, it became convinced that it would face no opposition if force were used.

“We can say that to some extent they even reached an agreement with the Russian Federation on this issue.”

https://jam-news.net/armenias-and-nks-mistakes-after-the-karabakh-war-2020/

Georgian PM at Paris Peace Forum: Georgia one of world’s fastest-growing economies along with Armenia

Liana Toganian
AGENDA, Georgia
Nov 10 2023

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday told a panel discussion at the Paris Peace Forum Georgia was “one of the fastest-growing economies in the world” along with Armenia.

In comments at the discussion around security challenges and stability in the South Caucasus region, Garibashvili said the country’s economic performance had “tripled” while the gross domestic product in United States dollars had “doubled”. 

We are one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, along with Armenia. This is not accidental. We create good policies, good governance, provide rapid economic growth for our people, which brings employment opportunities, stability, predictability for business [and] foreign direct investment was a record last year”, Garibashvili said.

He also highlighted “impressive” reforms implemented over the past 10 years, along with signings of the Association Agreement with the European Union and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the bloc in 2014. 

The PM told the panel 2022 had been a “historic” year for Georgia as the country received a European perspective from the European Council, while also noting “another historic decision” made by the European Commission this week with its recommendation to the Council to grant the country the EU membership candidate status.

This is a historic achievement. The population of Georgia [and] the ruling party, made a concrete decision that we should get closer to Europe and become full members of the European Union, and we are moving in this direction consistently, step by step”, he said.

Garibashvili was involved in the discussion with his Armenian counterpart Nikol Pashinyan.

Economy, the Best Ally for Peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia?

Tatoyan Vazgen
Nov 10 2023

The Author: A specialist in geopolitics and parallel diplomacy, Eric GOZLAN is a government advisor and directs the International Council for Diplomacy and Dialogue (www.icdd.info) Eric Gozlan is called as an expert at the French National Assembly and the Senate on subjects dealing with parallel diplomacy and secularism. In June 2019, he contributed to the United Nations Special Rapporteur’s report on anti-Semitism. In September 2018, he received the Peace Prize from Prince Laurent of Belgium for his fight for secularism in Europe. He took part in two numerous conferences on peace in Korea, Russia, the United States, Bahrain, Belgium, England, Italy, Romania… His latest book: Extremism and radicalism: lines of thought to get out of it.

Creating economic ties to ensure peace is a fundamental principle of geopolitical relations. The best example is Western Europe, which has been at peace since 1945 thanks to political agreements but mainly economic ones among the states that make up the European Union.

The establishment of common economic interests is a credible path to ensure the stability of the South Caucasus, in addition to compelling each party to recognize the territorial integrity of their neighbor.

When reading certain statements from the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, it becomes clear that they share a common goal: to end the long-standing war in the South Caucasus.

After Armenia recognized Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan and lost control over Karabakh during September military operations. This territorial loss removes the only permanent obstacle to any normalization of its relations with Azerbaijan. Both countries share a common goal: to bring the South Caucasus, one of the world’s least infrastructure-endowed regions, out of isolation and increase its connectivity to Asia and Europe.

Until now, the border between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey has been closed, and for Azerbaijan, the export of hydrocarbons to Europe depends on the transit possibilities through Georgia.

Peace through Economics

Economic peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan could bring numerous benefits:

Economic Growth: Stability fosters an environment conducive to economic growth. Both countries could benefit from increased foreign investments and expansion of their economic sectors.

Trade: The end of hostilities would facilitate cross-border trade, creating opportunities for export and import, stimulating both economies by expanding their respective markets.

Economic Cooperation: The South Caucasus is strategically important for energy. Economic peace could foster cooperation in the energy sector, facilitating the construction and use of pipelines and energy infrastructure.

Tourism: Peace eliminates security-related obstacles, fostering tourism growth. Both countries could benefit from the rise in tourism, attracting international visitors and boosting local economies.

Job Creation: A stable and growing economy creates job opportunities. Peace would promote job creation in various sectors, contributing to reducing unemployment and improving living conditions.

Economic Infrastructure: Economic cooperation could lead to the development of cross-border infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and railway connections, facilitating cross-border trade and strengthening ties between the two countries.

Financial Stability: Economic peace would contribute to financial stability, enhancing investor confidence and promoting the development of the financial sector.

Zangezur Corridor, Development Opportunity

If both parties agree to open the Zangezur Corridor, it will serve as a means to connect these two countries to Turkey, Russia, Central Asia, and Europe. It is important to note that both NATO and Russia support the opening of this corridor.

The Zangezur Corridor would facilitate commercial exchanges between the countries in the region in a short period through an expansion of transport networks. This opening would also increase international transportation in the “north-south” international corridor, also known as the “middle” corridor.

Following the opening of the Zangezur Corridor, the region’s appeal to investors would only grow stronger.

Countries Hindering Peace

Russia can be an obstacle to peace. It is well-established that Moscow deliberately maintained the “frozen conflict” in Nagorno-Karabakh and perpetuated instability in the region to preserve its influence and undermine Western interests in Eurasia.

Iran has been trying for years to strengthen its religious influence over Azerbaijan’s citizens. The government in Baku remains firm against this Islamist propagation. For the Mullahs, the rapprochement between Baku and Jerusalem is a crime, and they will do everything to ensure that the opening of the Zangezur corridor will not succeed.

Economic peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the opening of the Zangezur Corridor could create an environment conducive to mutual prosperity, fostering economic growth, trade, and cooperation in various sectors.

Could Azerbaijan End up Invading Armenia? – VisualPolitik EN

Garo Vardanian
Nov 10 2023

 by Politics Desk


he Nagorno-Karabakh conflict seems to have come to an end. Faced with Armenia’s weakness and isolation, Azerbaijan has seized Nagorno-Karabakh in a lightning mission that has led to the mass exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians from the territory to Armenia, in what many already claim is another ethnic cleansing in the post-Soviet space.

However, tensions are far from leaving the South #Caucasus. Russia, Turkey and Iran have strong interests in the region. Moreover, the attacks suffered by Israel at the hands of Hamas may lead the Jewish state to try to harm Iran in the region.

What interests are at stake in the South Caucasus? How has Azerbaijan finally gained power over Nagorno-Karabakh? Will this be the definitive end of the conflict between #Armenia and #Azerbaijan?

Watch the video at 

Azerbaijan demands Armenia hand over 8 villages it says are ‘under occupation’

Emil Lazarian
Nov 10 2023

By Peter Pinedo

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 9, 2023 / 17:39 pm

Peace talks between the Christian nation Armenia and its Muslim neighbor Azerbaijan hit a snag this week when the Azerbaijani government issued a demand that eight villages along the border be turned over.

The demand follows a military campaign by Azerbaijan in which it seized control of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in September, resulting in the emptying of nearly all Christians from the region. 

Armenia is one of the few Christian countries in the region and is landlocked by the larger, Muslim nations Azerbaijan and major regional power Turkey on either side.  

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said that the eight villages are historically part of Azerbaijan and that they are being occupied by the Armenian military.

The issue was raised by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in a phone call with European Council President Charles Michel this past week, according to Armenian-American news source Asbarez. Asbarez reported that after the conversation with Michel, Aliyev opted not to attend a peace talk scheduled for Sunday.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a Tuesday statement that Armenia was “once again hindering peace agreement negotiations” by refusing to “hand over eight Azerbaijani villages, which are still under occupation.”

Though the foreign ministry statement does not specify which villages it is referring to, Thursday report by Asbarez said that “an entry in the Azerbaijan’s president’s website mentions seven villages in Armenia’s Tavush Province [northern Armenia] and one village in the Ararat Province [central west Armenia] bordering Nakhichevan, which in the 1990s fell under Armenia’s control.”

The Azerbaijani foreign ministry demanded Armenia hand over the villages to “demonstrate a constructive and just position in the peace process” and to show they “understand the realities in the region properly.”

Azerbaijan said that though there are “ample opportunities for peace and stability in the region,” there is “no alternative” to Armenia ceding the villages to Azerbaijani control.

According to Asbarez, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan responded to Azerbaijan’s demands in an Armenian Public Television interview on Tuesday.

Asbarez reported that “Pashinyan said the future of these contested lands should be decided through a delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border” and that “he hinted that Yerevan is open to considering territorial swaps as part of that process.” 

Both former Soviet territories, the two nations have been engaged in on-again, off-again conflict for decades. Tensions reached a breaking point once again on Sept. 19 when the Azerbaijani military launched what it called “anti-terrorism measures” to assert its control of the majority ethnically Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The campaign resulted in over 200 dead Armenians and a mass evacuation of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Despite ongoing peace talks, the two nations have continued to exchange periodic fire and to engage in minor clashes at their border.

During the Sept. 19 conflict, Pashinyan publicly conceded Azerbaijan’s right to Nagorno-Karabakh and staunchly denied that Armenian troops were helping ethnic Armenians in the enclave. 

Since Azerbaijan seized Nagorno-Karabakh, Pashinyan has been a vocal advocate for peace between the two countries and has proposed that any peace agreement be based on each nation respecting each other’s territorial sovereignty.

During a presentation at the annual Silk Road International Conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Oct. 26, Pashinyan said that both Armenia and Azerbaijan must “mutually recognize each other’s territorial integrity.”

Pashinyan said that both nations’ borders must remain at their current sizes, with Armenia at 29,800 square kilometers and Azerbaijan at 86,600 square kilometers. 

“This encyclopedic reference,” Pashinyan said, “was meant to ensure that statements made by Armenia and Azerbaijan about recognition of each other’s territorial integrity leave no room for claiming that by recognizing the other country’s territorial integrity, one of the countries has in mind only a part of its internationally recognized territory.”

U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a Wednesday press conference that peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is a “priority” for the United States and that “it’s something that the department will continue to engage towards.”

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255968/azerbaijan-demands-armenia-hand-over-8-villages-it-says-are-under-occupation

Rep. Schiff introduces resolution urging Azerbaijan to release all prisoners of war & captured civilians

Garo Vardanian
Nov 9 2023

Washington, D.C.— Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)  introduced a resolution calling on Azerbaijan to immediately release all prisoners of war (POWs) and civilians currently detained in the years-long attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh.

In September 2020, Azerbaijan launched a military assault on Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), resulting in thousands killed, tens of thousands displaced, and the detention of an estimated 200 ethnic Armenian POWs, hostages, and others by Azerbaijan. In a ceasefire statement dated November 9, 2020, all parties agreed to the “exchange of prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons.” Three years later, Azerbaijan still has not released all POWs and instead continues to imprison ever more POWs, hostages, and other detained persons. This includes taking additional POWs and hostages during Azerbaijan’s unprovoked, large-scale military attack on Artsakh in September 2023, after systemically starving the people of Artsakh with a 10-month-long blockade.

“Azerbaijan is already guilty of grave atrocities committed during the recent war, and the continued illegal detention of Armenians compounds the problem. Azerbaijan’s treatment of these prisoners, including torture and killings, are heartbreaking and a direct threat to international law and order,” said Rep. Schiff. “My resolution urges the American government and international community to stand up to these gross human rights violations being perpetuated against the Armenian community by the Aliyev regime and return these prisoners back to their families.”

“Azerbaijan must immediately release all illegally held Artsakh officials, prisoners of war, and other detainees, not in barter – as part of Baku's cruel commodification of human suffering – but rather in compliance with its own obligations under international law,” said ANCA in Washington, Executive Director, Aram Hamparian. “We thank Congressman Schiff and his colleagues for introducing this measure and look forward to working on a bipartisan basis to see this measure adopted on an urgent basis by the full House of Representatives.”

“In the face of Azerbaijan's ongoing disregard for human rights and international laws, the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region stands firmly behind Representative Adam Schiff's resolution. We call upon the international community to unite in support of justice and the immediate release of all prisoners of war and captured civilians. It is time for Azerbaijan to honor its commitments and end the suffering inflicted upon innocent individuals,” said the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region Chair, Nora Hovsepian. 

Azerbaijan continues to detain at least 55 POWs today, though the true number is unknown and likely much higher, as many are still missing and Azerbaijan provides limited reliable information on the condition and treatment of POWs and captured civilians in its custody. There is widespread credible reporting on the cruel and degrading treatment, torture, extrajudicial killing, and other violations committed against Armenian POWs and detainees in Azerbaijani custody, including from the State Department, Human Rights Watch, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and others. 

Specifically, the resolution will:

  • Call upon Azerbaijan to immediately return all Armenian POWs, hostages, and other detained persons, and provide information on the status of those still be detained and those missing;
  • Call for the implementation of Global Magnitsky sanctions against Azerbaijani officials responsible for abuses against POWs and credible investigations and prosecutions of the perpetrators in these cases;
  • Call for the suspension of U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan and full implementation of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act in light of Azerbaijan’s ongoing violations of human rights;
  • Urge the Secretary of State to engage with Azerbaijani authorities to make clear the importance of adhering to their obligations to immediately release and treat humanely all POWs, hostages, and other detained persons; and
  • Urge the Secretary of State to regularly provide substantive updates to Congress on engagement with Azerbaijan on the status of POWs, hostages, and other detained persons.

This resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), and David Valadao (R-Calif.).

Read the full resolution HERE.

https://schiff.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-schiff-introduces-resolution-urging-azerbaijan-to-release-all-prisoners-of-war-and-captured-civilians

New French and Armenian-inspired bakery hosts grand opening

Vatche Chakhmakhchian
Your Central Valley, CA
Nov 9 2023

Spirit Made Cakes is hosting its grand opening on Saturday at 10 a.m. and the first 100 customers will receive a free cupcake with purchase.

The French and Armenian-inspired bakery is the passion project of Vartine Garabet. A mother, a pastor’s wife and self-taught, certified cake decorator.

At her bakery Garabet makes specialty pastries, custom cakes, smoothies, Armenian coffee, gourmet sandwiches and more.

Spirit Made Cakes is located at 1345 N Willow Ave. in Clovis.

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh flock to churches for hope

Hagop Kamalian
Mission Network News
Nov 10 2023

Armenia (MNN) — The ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, rooted in decades of historical and territorial disputes, has once again captured international attention as violence flares in the South Caucasus region.

Roughly 150,000 Armenians fled the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in late September after Azerbaijan attacked. Azerbaijan now demands that Armenia hand over eight more villages in the region. Armenia has, so far, refused.

Eric Mock with Slavic Gospel Association explains, “The area of Nagorno Karabakh — or as Armenian people would call it, Artsakh — is really a sacred area. In fact, the people that live there go back many, many, many generations. It is been at a flashpoint for especially the last year because there has been this blockade that has meant no food [and] no resources coming to…that region of about 150,000 people.”

This conflict, which has its origins in the early 20th century and was reignited in the late 1980s, centers on the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The two nations, Armenia and Azerbaijan, have engaged in multiple military clashes and full-scale wars, resulting in significant loss of life and instability in the region.

Mock says SGA has had a relationship with Armenian churches since the 1990s. “We have been supporting their missionary pastors. We’ve been helping them with their Orphans Reborn program and children’s Christmas program. Of course, Immanuel’s Child is coming up, and training now as well. So all aspects of SGA’s ministry have actually been engaged in the country of Armenia since the fall of the Soviet Union.”

SGA has supported three Armenian churches in Nagorno-Karabakh specifically with food aid and spiritual encouragement. Now, Mock says, “Those churches fled. They lost everything — their building, everything, their livelihood — but they re-gathered outside of Yerevan, Armenia, so I was able to spend time with them.

“The three churches that fled have already reformed and have grown by 40% [from] other refugees coming and trying to ask for those messages of hope. So what God has done, much like we saw in the crisis in Ukraine, is He has provided a circumstance by which these churches are now flourishing even though they’ve lost everything.”

A refugee family in Armenia. (Photo courtesy of SGA)

Churches already established in Yerevan are also housing refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Story after story, we hear refugees that have come and have heard the Gospel,” says Mock. “Several of them would have been antagonistic to the Christian appeal, the Gospel.

“The thought of even walking through a church, their context was the Armenian Apostolic Church. So they had been taught the Protestant Church was against the faith, against the good of the country, against all the people. But they found that those were the churches that were actually trying to take care of them. Those are the churches from which they heard the message of grace and people are coming to faith!”

Please pray for Armenians to know they are not forgotten by the Church! Ask the Lord to add fuel to the Church in Armenia and for the Gospel to change hearts across the region.

Unresolved Geographies: The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict & Left Realism

Emil Lazarian
Nov 10 2023
BY DANIEL FALCONE

In this interview, exclusive for CounterPunch, professor of Political Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nerses Kopalyan, breaks down the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict. After providing a historical context for the conflict from a political science point of view, he analyzes the ways in which the media unpacks the region and presents historical and contemporary analogs. Kopalyan is the author of World Political Systems After Polarity (Routledge, 2017).

Daniel Falcone: Can you provide a historical context and give us a brief background of the region following Azerbaijan’s lightning offensive?

Nerses Kopalyan: As a political scientist, the framework I have in studying this is different from that of historians. International law and contemporary developments per the international system largely remain indifferent to history. Russia and countries like Azerbaijan are authoritarian regimes weaponizing and revising history to meet a certain weaponized narrative. After 1918, Armenia and Azerbaijan became Soviet socialist republics. Nagorno-Karabakh was made an autonomous oblast in the Soviet Union within the administrative territories of the state of Azerbaijan. It was, however, 90% Armenian. It has a historical Armenian presence; the evidence is indisputable.

Throughout the Soviet period, especially in the 1960s and beyond, you had this whole process of de-Stalinization and Moscow’s approach was very different. Things started coming to a head in 1988 when the Soviet Union started disintegrating. With glasnost and perestroika, you saw nationalist movements. New forms of identity construction developed where you were no longer a Soviet citizen. You were a Ukrainian first. You were a Kazakh first. You were an Armenian first. You were Georgian first, etc., etc.

And with these movements the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians basically started their whole self-determination movement saying that “Nagorno-Karabakh has no reason to be part of Azerbaijan, and therefore, we are seeking to basically detach ourselves and be independent.” The result was international violence; it broke out between local forces, Azeri forces and Soviet forces that initially tried to mitigate the conflict.

In 1991 full-out war broke out between the indigenous population of Nagorno-Karabakh seeking independence from Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani state. The Republic of Armenia got involved in the sense that a lot of volunteer units and troops from the Republic of Armenia went and joined to support, protect, and participate in the protection of the Armenian community. What was a conflict between the Nagorno-Karabakh population seeking to secede from Azerbaijan ended up being an interstate conflict because Armenia got sucked into it. Armenia said that Nagorno-Karabakh needed to be an independent state.

Daniel Falcone: Can you talk about how the geopolitical configurations around the world are impacting the conflict? How are the more powerful nations impacting the region and what does that mean for human rights and the Armenians?

Nerses Kopalyan: The United States does not have tunnel vision so they’re not forgetting Taiwan or Ukraine just because the Palestinian-Israeli issue is there, and they’re not forgetting the South Caucasus. The Israeli conflict has been getting a lot of attention in the United States for obvious domestic reasons, but I would caution not to conflate the broad rhetoric and the political emphasis on it from the highly diplomatic, technocratic, and military components involved. America’s priority remains the defeat of Russia in the Ukraine War because that is more specific to the broader global and geopolitical configurations. Israel’s component in that context is getting a lot of international attention, but I don’t think it’s shifting policies as far as other parts of the world and other conflict zones are concerned. Israel is engaging in extreme and preemptive behavior, essentially the Bush doctrine on steroids.

The United States preaches human rights, but human rights matter until they conflict with America’s strategic interests. Foreign policy then, is based on prioritization, so human rights are prioritized until this priority conflicts with the ultimate priority, the national interest.

We see this play out in the South Caucasus. There’s a large body of evidence of the human rights violations that Azerbaijan continues to engage in. It is an authoritarian predatory regime.

And the approach of the United States and the West is: “We hope Azerbaijan isn’t too egregious with their human rights violations so we can somehow justify basically sweeping it under the rug due to our own (1) oil interests, (2) European energy security interests, and (3) ‘the Iran factor.’”  Azerbaijan is presented as a buffer against Iranian interests, so the U.S. position is always “this abuser has important characteristics that are consistent with our strategic interests.”

This is the Western posture when human rights conflict with strategic interests. And so, when we saw the entire ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh taking place, the West didn’t come out and cite crimes against humanity. The European Parliament did of course, but not the European Commission, not many European countries, and certainly not the United States. If they said it’s forced removal, that’s a violation of international law. It might force their hand to take diplomatic steps.

Daniel Falcone: It’s been said that oil flows freely in Azerbaijan, but information not so much. Could you comment on how Western media outlets cover this situation? Could you offer some sources that people could use to get a better handle on this conflict without corporate or establishment interference? Further, do activists for the Palestinian cause identify with the Armenians in this conflict in your estimation?

Nerses Kopalyan: I would encourage access to local journalism. EVN Report, for example, stands out. Further, Hetq in Armenia does a lot of investigative reporting, so there’s solid content there. Anything outside of that, as you noted, it’s either an issue of corporate interest or towing the line with respect to state policies. Now, why am I not mentioning Azerbaijan? When you have one of the worst authoritarian regimes in the world, where there is no independent media, I can’t speak of local journalism. There, everything from think tanks to academics to pundits receive directives from Baku. Authoritarianism and the misinformation utilized by authoritarians create this false parity in information.

If you don’t have a domestic audience that is intrinsically invested in the human rights violations that are happening outside of the country or other parts of the world, news outlets are only going to cater to the local and domestic audience. So those factors also remain important.  And, of course, the positions of government are very important.  We can’t deny that. As a result, the perception is that The United States has a very neutral position on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

I think at the basic human level, absolutely, the Palestinian activists understand the human suffering that the Armenians are going through. But when it gets to the political level, their sympathy becomes a lot more complicated. When we see the social justice movements in the United States, many of them are expressing solidarity or sympathy with the Palestinians, but this is a byproduct of entrenched ideational perspectives, such as decolonization. Those configurations are not so applicable to the South Caucasus and developments in Armenia.

When we study human rights organizations as institutions, they become forces of their own, in need of self-reproduction or self-perpetuation. This is known as path dependency. So, when institutions develop in size, structure, and modality thinking, they tend to prioritize self-preservation as opposed to covering every issue that they’re supposed to address.

Powerful human rights organizations have turned a blind eye to certain human rights violations because from their lens they are detrimental to their institutional interests. As a matter of fact, in the United States, do not expect any robust modality of activism to the suffering of any international people unless you have a huge constituency in the country.  Not that many people, for instance, discuss what’s been going on in Myanmar.

Daniel Falcone is a teacher, journalist, and PhD student in the World History program at St. John’s University in Jamaica, NY as well as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. He resides in New York City.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2023/11/10/unresolved-geographies-the-nagorno-karabakh-conflict-left-realism/

More than just a craft, in Armenia carpet-making is a tapestry of the country’s rich heritage

Toneyan Mark
Forbes India
Nov 10 2023

 

BY VEIDEHI GITE
Nestled on Madoyan Street, a mere 10-minute drive from Republic Square, the bustling heart of Yerevan, the Megerian Carpet Cultural Complex houses a factory, a museum and a culinary school, all of which offer a glimpse into the world of 100-to-400-year-old Armenian rugs and carpets. In Armenia, the art of carpet weaving has been passed down through generations, each stitch preserving a thread of the country’s rich heritage, and the Megerian family stands as a testament to this enduring tradition, proudly perpetuating its legacy for all to admire.

The Megerian Carpet Factory was established in 1917 in New York City by Hovannes John Megerian, the grandfather of today’s owners. Back then, Megerian was involved with washing, buying and selling, and repairing of antique rugs. Three decades later, they boldly ventured into reproduction. The company was passed on to his children and in the 1970s they opened factories all over the world, though now they only have two—in New York and Yerevan. In 2002, the Megerian family acquired Aygorg Union, a Soviet-era rug-weaving company in Armenia that used chemical dyes and the Persian one-and-a-half knot technique. They completely revamped the company's production methods, switching to all-natural organic dyes and the Armenian double knot technique, the world's oldest knotting technique. The Armenian double knot technique, in contrast to the more common Persian one-and-a-half knot technique, only becomes tighter as it is pulled.  
 
Fast forward to today, the company is one of the biggest makers of traditional Armenian rugs, whose motifs and designs whisper echoes of centuries past. They also make vast rugs, some reserved for momentous occasions, others that grace the halls of presidential palaces, churches, and other important landmarks. And it is here, within the walls of the complex, that Megerian’s craftsmanship and artistry unite in a symphony of colours and patterns, where one can marvel at the making of unique carpets and even buy them.

At the entrance, Raffi Megerian, the third-generation owner of Megerian Carpet Cultural Complex, directs our attention to an Armenian alphabet door gracing the entrance. He highlights the uncanny resemblances between the Armenian and Indian Sanskrit alphabets and the interconnectedness of cultures. Stepping into the confines, the interiors pulsate with earthen pots, antique tapestries, and a display of coloured wool encased in a glass case. The sheer magnificence of the vintage carpets that grace the floors in room after room of the museum make you ponder if you can even walk over them. But Galina, the museum guide assures us, “There is an Armenian saying that the carpets are meant to be walked upon. We clean these rugs once every six months with cold water and a special soap which is made of natural oils.” Megerian’s renowned designs find their origins and inspiration in these ancient carpets, which serve as both the wellspring and blueprint. In doing so, they proudly preserve the rich tapestry of Armenian heritage.

Arranged on a turquoise boat-shaped table in the first room of the factory, a collection of six natural dyes reads like a poetic recipe: bark of the mulberry tree for beige colour, indigo (imported from India) for the blue colour, the root of madder for red colour, rind of pomegranate from Megri for coffee and black colour, immortal flower (a type of wildflower that grows in the mountains) for yellow colour, and walnut shell for brown colour. “These humble ingredients, when skilfully combined, give birth to a staggering array of nearly 600 shades,” says Galina. In ancient times, Armenian carpet weavers obtained red dye from the cochineal insect, a type of red beetle. Today, she adds, cochineal dye (Vordan Karmir) is very expensive, so madder root is often used instead, including to paint Easter eggs red. “Alum (mineral) and wine stone (leftover wine that becomes stone over the years at the bottom of the barrel) are two fixators that are used to fix the colours to the wool. We use two more fixators which are a trade secret. This formula keeps colours vibrant and prevents them from fading.” 

A group of 40 skilled female weavers diligently operates the looms in the factory. Some of them have worked here for over a decade. Qnarik has been weaving for over 20 years, while Anush and Ripsinp are also experienced weavers. Each meter of rug takes a minimum of two months to weave, depending on the complexity of the design. A single square meter of rug contains 1,60,000 Armenian double knots. Each loom has its own map, which is a grid of tiny squares, each representing one Armenian double knot. Weavers weave row by row, using a tool called a Ktut to secure the knots after each row is complete. Megerian sources old Armenian carpets from around the world and recreates their designs on new carpets.
 
“We have several small looms but only one large power loom that can weave rugs up to 100 square meters in size. These eco rugs take three years to weave and require 4-6 women to work on them simultaneously. We typically do not sell these large rugs, as they are woven for special occasions and placed in presidential palaces, churches, and other significant locations. Some of these rugs are even donated,” says Raffi Megerian adding, “We keep the price of these rugs very reasonable and confidential, but it is estimated to be around $500-$1000 per square meter. We have woven rugs for the Vatican, the largest of which was 100 square meters." 

Their high-quality production process involves washing the carpets 4-5 times and combing out the extra wool fibres to prevent shedding when the carpets are taken home. “The final product is perfectly shiny and smooth wool that will last for generations. Like the Armenian carpets my grandfather left us, these carpets are unique works of art that are worth the investment. We use only the highest quality, hard lamb wool in our rugs. Once the rugs are finished, we turn them over and place them on the floor. We then spray them with a special natural insect repellent made from tree bark, flowers, and roots from the Armenian mountains. This protects the rugs from moths and other pests,” he adds.
 
Ancient Armenian carpets were meticulously crafted by independent weavers, each piece infused with their cultural heritage, historical narratives, social perspectives, and personal anecdotes. The newly created carpets serve as faithful replicas of those designs, preserving the essence of those weavers expressions and experiences. All the rugs in the Megerian Carpet Museum are at least a hundred years old. A large worktable in the museum displays a carpet that was woven for the 2,800th anniversary of Yerevan in 2019. Four craftsmen worked for over a year to create the carpet, which depicts some of the most important events in Yerevan’s history. Other notable rugs on display include the Tiknani carpet from 1898 with intricate floral patterns, the Khndzoresk from 1928, illustrating a scene from the Armenian village of cave dwellings, the Sisian Rug (a 20th century rug with traditional Armenian motifs) and the 19th-century Tree of Life, which is a common motif in Armenian art and culture.

The oldest, a 400-year-old carpet, is a 16th-century Vaspurakan carpet from Western Armenia, a near perfect example of the superior processes used in Armenian carpet-making. The left part of the carpet was restored in Soviet times with the help of chemical dyes and is very different from the colouring on the right side, which was neither damaged nor restored. It’s a nod to the fact that yarn dyed with natural colours never loses its vibrancy. A Lori carpet, a replica of the original held in the treasury museum of the Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual centre of the Armenian Apostolic Church, is also on display. The carpet has been reproduced six times, not for sale, but to be gifted to individuals who have made significant contributions to Armenia's development. Five have been gifted—to Pope Francis, Charles Aznavour, footballer Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I, and Turkish MP Garo Paylan. Another Lori carpet was woven for George Clooney.  
 
Most rugs have a unique story, and some are even symbolic. For example, the 160-year-old Vahan (shield) rug is a symbolic artefact of the Armenian Genocide. In 1915, a mother divided their family carpet into two pieces and gave one to each of her daughters, telling them that if they were ever separated, they might be able to find each other again someday with the help of the rug. Fifty-three years later, the sisters were reunited in New York City, thanks to the two pieces of the rug. In 2017, the Megerian family also donated two of their Armenian rugs to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the St. James Brotherhood. These rugs are placed on the altar of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the holiest sites in Christianity, where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. 

A picture of the Pazirik carpet is another impressive display in the museum. The Pazirik carpet was found in a tomb which was called Pazyryk, hence the name. Believed to have been woven in the 5th century BCE, the carpet has Armenian origins. The original, woven with Armenian double knots and dyed with red filaments from the Armenian cochineal, is kept in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The ornaments in the carpet design depict the frescoes of the Urartu palace. A 200-year-old Nshagorg carpet with almonds symbolises maternity and fertility. Women who were unable to give birth believed that weaving such a carpet by hand would make them a mother. Therefore, when looking at an Armenian carpet, you are not just glimpsing a beautiful piece of art; you are darting through a tapestry of memories and emotions.

At the restaurant in the complex, hung with Megerian carpets, they weave heritage of a different kind. “At Megerian, we don’t just weave carpets but also culinary magic that will leave you craving for more. Our on-site culinary school embodies the essence of traditional Armenian cuisine and you get served some of the best dishes at the Megerian restaurant rung by stunning carpets,” says Executive Chef Sedrak Mamulyan. Go ahead and indulge in national Armenian dishes such as dolma (minced meat wrapped in leaves), sorrel with yoghurt, freshly baked Lavash bread with Lori and Chanax cheese with herbs, Ishkhan (Trout fish), and Gata (sweet pie), Halva and Ani sweet for dessert. And don't forget to request a bottle of the Megerian family vodka, one of the best you’ll ever taste. Chef Mamulyan will insist on giving you a refill, even if you say no. They call it clearing the dust. This is just one of many delightful Armenian traditions that you’re bound to appreciate.

See more photos at the link below
https://www.forbesindia.com/article/lifes/more-than-just-a-craft-in-armenia-carpetmaking-is-a-tapestry-of-the-countrys-rich-heritage/89655/1