The author is the head of the foreign policy analysis department at the Azerbaijan-based Center of Analysis of International Relations in Baku

ISTANBUL  

The normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which has regained momentum in the South Caucasus, is moving in three directions. Firstly, the discourse surrounding regional transportation and communication lines has resurfaced. Second, the US and EU have become more active during the normalization process, but this activity has had a negative effect on the process. Third, it became clear that Armenia and Azerbaijan had reached agreement on several subjects in the text of the peace treaty.  

'Crossroads of Peace' appears to be empty declaration

The ongoing diplomatic process over last two years between the parties in Brussels was interrupted by a quadripartite meeting in Granada between the presidents of Armenia, France, Germany, and the European Council. While Azerbaijan did not oppose to the continuation negotiations in Brussels in a general sense, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who was dissatisfied with the Granada declaration, suggested that the peace talks continue in Georgia.

Two significant advances in Azerbaijan-Armenia peace talks took place on Oct. 26 during the "Silk Road" international summit in Georgia. First, during the conference, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met behind closed doors, indicating that President Aliyev's proposal had been realized. Second, at the conference, Pashinyan presented a map titled "Crossroad of Peace" that reflects Armenia's approach on regional transportation and communication. This statement represented Armenia's position on Azerbaijan's proposed Zangezur corridor. However, Armenia's Crossroads of Peace, according to Farid Shafiyev, chairman of the Azerbaijan Center for the Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center), is a mostly meaningless declaration, rather than a project like the Zangezur corridor.

Pashinyan made this rushed comment just after the groundbreaking agreement for the new Aras River route between Azerbaijan and Iran. After a long period of resistance from Armenia, Azerbaijan reached an agreement with Iran and agreed that the route would go through Iran. Armenia may lose the opportunity to participate in regional transportation lines if a new route through Iran is constructed. In fact, Hikmet Hajiyev, an Azerbaijani presidential aide on foreign policy, delivered a statement indicating that the Zangezur Corridor had lost its appeal to Azerbaijan. So, Pashinyan's remark arose from two developments: To reverse the process in Armenia's favor if the route is opened through Iran and to do this through a path recommended by Armenia rather than a project proposed by Azerbaijan and Türkiye. Among these factors is the desire to remove Russia from the process. However, the fact that Azerbaijan-phobia and Turkophobia remain widespread in Armenia raises security concerns related connectivity via Armenia. 

Activity of US, EU detrimental to the peace process

In recent years, two significant developments have unfolded under the banner of regional cooperation and normalization. First, during the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, there has been a noticeable inclination towards a more pro-Armenian stance from the West. Second, Western powers have expressed dissatisfaction with growing cooperation among the states in the region. During the ongoing process, the 3+2 meeting held in Iran and the subsequent agreement on a new road through Iran faced objections from the US. The paradoxical position to the Iranian-Armenian rapprochement in the period after Baku's 2020 Karabakh victory, coupled with Iran's decision to increase the previously agreed unfreeze of funds from $6 billion to $10 billion, raises questions about the sincerity and consistency of this policy.

The main expectation of the Western alliance is to exclude regional states and act as a mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan. More precisely, to play the role of Armenia's guarantor in peace negotiations. In fact, Armenia clearly wants the West to play the role of guarantor. 

Armenia delaying peace agreement

While the EU and US were criticizing Azerbaijan, Armenia postponed its response to Azerbaijan's peace offer for two months and it was conveyed to Armenia in September. Azerbaijani President Aliyev stated that there are no longer obstacles to Azerbaijan and Armenia signing a peace treaty. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry declared that it is ready for direct discussions without a mediator.

Prime Minister Pashinyan and Armenia's foreign minister disclosed that the parties struck an agreement on three principles. The first principle involves mutual recognition of territorial integrity, specifying Armenia's territory as 29,800 square kilometers and Azerbaijan's as 86,600 square kilometers. The second principle is rooted in the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration, serving as the political foundation for border delineation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, based on maps from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1974 to 1990. The third principle, which focuses on the reopening of regional communications, is guided by principles such as sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity, and equality among the countries involved. These are three of five principles offered by Azerbaijan two years before. However, Pashinyan did not make any specifications on the unagreed-upon principles and later refused to discuss a peace agreement with Azerbaijan without the participation of a third party.

To conclude, with Azerbaijan regaining its sovereignty over Karabakh, peace talks between the parties have gained momentum. However, Pashinyan's Crossroad for Peace map is only a declaration. According to the map given by Pashinyan, the goal is to enhance Armenia's transportation and communication networks. Armenia might need Western investment. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, has made the required investments in the Zangezur corridor. As a result, the Zangezur corridor appears to be more feasible, and Armenia still has a chance to be part of regional transportation project. 

*Opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Anadolu.

Activists affiliated with the Sasna Tsrer Pan-Armenian Movement plan to protest at Freedom Square in Yerevan from 19:00 Dec. 1. This is the latest in a series of demonstrations the group has organized denouncing Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan following Azerbaijan's reintegration of Nagorno-Karabakh in September. It is unclear how many demonstrators may attend; however, several hundred protestors participated in the Sasna Tsrer Pan-Armenian Movement's most recent demonstration on Nov. 10.

Heightened security is almost guaranteed around the demonstration site. Localized transport disruptions are likely near Freedom Square. Low-level confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement officers cannot be ruled out. An unscheduled march is possible.

https://crisis24.garda.com/alerts/2023/11/armenia-activists-to-demonstrate-in-yerevan-dec-1

• Main focus of new foundation will be education

• Foundation will also help refugees from Artsakh conflict

• Focus initially on Syunik province in Armenia

YEREVAN, Armenia, Nov. 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — David Amaryan, founder of the Armenian investment fund Balchug Capital, and Vardan Amaryan, founder of the Armenian investment bank Apricot Capital, have announced the creation of the Amaryan Charitable Foundation, a new foundation dedicated to education and humanitarian relief in Armenia.

The move by the Amaryan brothers follows the humanitarian crisis of some 100,000 refugees departing the territory of Artsakh in the recent conflict and seeking refuge in Armenia. The number of displaced people arriving is equivalent to around 5% of Armenia’s population. Many of those arrived in the province of Syunik, which is where the Amaryan brothers are from.

David Amaryan, founder of Balchug Capital and co-founder of the Amaryan Charitable Foundation, said, “Education is critical to the future of my homeland and particularly so given the tragic recent events, which were a catastrophe for our country. Education was the path my brother and I were able to take which helped us to launch our careers in international investment. We want to use this new foundation to help increase educational opportunities and promote excellence in teaching in Armenia.

“Despite my career that initially took me to New York and later around the world, I have never forgotten my roots and my history. This is my land and my people, to whom I feel the deepest personal connection. My brother and I have always sought to help our country in times of need, and we will be doing so again. We hope that our experience in the financial world can be put to good use. Our initial focus will be both on education and also humanitarian relief for the refugees.”

Vardan Amaryan, founder of Apricot Capital and co-founder of the Amaryan Charitable Foundation, added, “What happened in Artsakh is a challenge for Armenia and for all Armenians. The commitment is clear: every Armenian should be afforded dignified resettlement and the opportunity to rebuild their lives in Armenia. Our foundation’s initiatives will seek to help to realize this opportunity, and will be implemented based on both the short-term and long-term needs of our beneficiaries.”

The Amaryan Charitable Foundation will coordinate its work with local and national government authorities in Armenia and with international organizations. The initial focus is on the province of Syunik, where the foundation has provided refugee families with essential support, offering warm clothing, shoes, and vital winter provisions. The brothers also provided the children of refugees with school materials and supported the top school in the region. The foundation intends to extend its work to other regions in Armenia impacted by the crisis.

Notes to editors:

About Balchug Capital:

Balchug Capital is an investment fund headquartered in Yerevan, Armenia. It was founded in 2010 by David Amaryan, who serves as CEO and oversees all investment activity.

Media contact:

For further information please contact:

Tatevik Simonyan, SPRING PR: [email protected]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/david-vardan-amaryan-establish-amaryan-090000358.html

• Loan to improve access to finance in local currency for women entrepreneurs
• Focus on attracting new clients and businesses in rural areas
• Donor support from the EU and Sweden

Small and medium-sized enterprises led by women in Armenia are set to benefit from greater access to finance as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) extends fresh funds to Acba Bank, supported by the European Union (EU) and Sweden.

A US$ 10 million EBRD loan to Acba, one of Armenia’s leading banks, will help it boost lending to women-led businesses in local currency, with an emphasis on reaching new clients and financing firms in rural areas.

Women-owned firms account for 33 per cent of all businesses in Armenia. This financing will aim to address Armenia’s gender-related inclusion gap in access to finance.

The new funding comes under the EBRD’s Women in Business (WiB) programme, supported by the EU and Sweden and designed to boost female entrepreneurs’ access to finance and expertise with training, mentorship and tailored advisory services.

The EU is further supporting the loan for women-led firms through its European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) programme in the form of first-loss risk cover, both on the EBRD financing and on Acba Bank’s WiB sub-loan portfolio.

The EFSD+ financial inclusion programme is designed to empower micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, fostering their competitiveness and growth. By offering strong financial tools and expertise, the programme aims to encourage intermediaries to direct new lending towards those businesses that need it most. This is the second loan to Acba bank that has been covered by the EFSD+ programme. 

A long-standing partner of the EBRD, Acba bank is among the foremost banks in Armenia, with strong focus on lending to firms in rural areas.

The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Armenia. The Bank has invested more than €2 billion in 207 projects in the country to date, where it is supporting private-sector development and the transition to a sustainable, green economy.

https://www.ebrd.com/news/2023/ebrd-eu-and-sweden-backing-acba-bank-for-armenian-womenled-firms.html

In September, Azerbaijan's armed forces recaptured the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, provoking the mass exodus of the region's ethnic Armenian population. Over 100,000 people fled to neighboring Armenia and to an uncertain future.

Facing governmental reluctance, young women journalists in Armenia successfully reported on environmental issues.

Growing up in in the eastern region of landlocked Armenia, Lusine Aleksanyan feels privileged to have spent summer vacations with her family on the shores of nearby Lake Sevan. The largest body of water in both Armenia and the Caucasus, this high-altitude lake is not only used for recreation. The lake has also been essential to the country’s existence in terms of irrigation and hydroelectric energy since the early 20th century. 

Yet Lusine found it odd that, quite suddenly, her family and others could not return to Sevan’s shores to swim. It was clear that the water was brackish and dirty, and that its level was declining. 

“But no one really understood why,” she said recently. “And no one really seemed dedicated to finding out.”

Then, on the cusp of her teen years, she learned that sewage had been dumped into the lake and that the water hadn't been cleaned in nearly a half century. A few years later, she came to understand that, worse, governing bodies should have been more aware and responded.

She wanted answers, and as an intern at Factor TV, she was given the chance to find them. Since 2021, the station has offered journalism students the opportunity to put media theory into practice – to learn things like interviewing skills, working with a camera crew, video editing, fine-tuning pitches, interacting with government agencies and understanding data.  

At the same time, trainers from BBC Media Action and DW Akademie have worked with Armenian media managers, regional media outlets, independent journalists, fact checkers and young journalists and students to strengthen critical coverage of public governance and civic life in Armenia. The partnership has aimed not only at empowering the country's media in response to political crises and conflicts, but also on the issue of climate change and the dissemination of disinformation and fake news.   

Last year, Lusine and other trainees used what they were learning to pursue stories on Armenia's environmental problems, such as mining and waste recycling. 

Lusine ultimately researched Sevan's declining numbers of crayfish and illegal fishing. Her analysis and fact-checking led to contradictions in what government officials told her as they attempted to minimize the problem. She and her colleagues had hoped to include images of crayfish, but, tellingly, could find none to photograph. 

Like Lusine, Marine Dvoyan felt drawn to a story that affected her and her family personally. Near their home is a hazardous waste dump, along with many mines and mining factories, all of which, she found, are underreported issues in the media.

Her research showed that the Armenian government has been building underground drains to get rid of toxic waste materials. But then, she wondered, what happens? 

At first, she said, her interview requests went nowhere. At the same time, there had been a request to the government to build on an area of land near a mining site, but it had been withdrawn once the builder learned that the area could be contaminated.  

"The fact is," she said, and as she eventually reported, "that the government doesn't have the funds to eradicate these chemicals, and burying them underground doesn't solve the problem, either." 

Similarly, when another intern, Ani Evinyan, researched a government initiative to have shoppers use recycled bags, she found it challenging to go up against Armenian authorities. The idea of the bags sounded well-intentioned, but she was curious that she saw so few people following through on the plan.

She approached Armenia's ecology ministry and was surprised to learn that the program's success, or lack thereof, wasn’t being monitored, and yet the government itself was planning to introduce more restrictions on plastic bags. This disconnect led her to ask people directly why the recyclable bags were seemingly unappealing. 

"People told me that they were reluctant to use the new bags because they cost more," she said. "And although the bags looked thicker and more effective, they really weren't of better quality." 

Her reporting ignited many social media reactions and discourse, but the government remained silent, she said. 

These visible problems – water you can't swim in, shopping bags, quarry sites dotting the landscape – lend themselves to young reporters who are learning the journalism craft. Lusine said that initially, in starting at Factor TV, she felt pulled to political journalism "because everything in Armenia feels political. 

"But then I had this chance to report on the environment," she continued, "and I found that there was a greater chance to be creative, and to tell stories not only with compelling images, but to tell stories that are important to me and others." 

Factor TV's internship is part of the “European Media Facility in Armenia” project implemented by DW Akademie in cooperation with BBC Media Action, the Democracy Development Foundation (DDF), Hetq and Factor TV. The project is funded by the European Union and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 

https://akademie.dw.com/en/young-armenian-journalists-learn-how-to-critically-report-on-national-environmental-issues/a-67522237