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The Sunday Guardian April 13 2025 Name the horror: Time to recognise for what it was, Armenian genocide ByVandit Singh April 13, 2025 Aligned with the Central Powers during the First World War, the Ottoman Empire was faltering, grappling with territorial losses and internal strife. Dubbed as the Sick Man of Europe, it faced economic strain and relentless military pressures, particularly on its eastern front against Russia. This, coupled with the nationalist zeal of the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), which sought to preserve the crumbling Empire, fuelled paranoia and aggressive policies, setting the stage for a catastrophe. Starting in April 1915, the course of the coming months saw an estimated 1.5 million Armenians perish in a meticulously orchestrated effort involving mass executions, brutal death marches through the Syrian desert, and deliberate starvation. The figure shoots even higher if we also consider the Hamidian massacres (1894-96), named after the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, which saw him unleash a wave of violence against Christian Armenians, slaughtering up to 300,000 in a brutal prelude to the genocide that followed. Fuelled by suspicions of an Armenian collusion with the Russians, and the underlying religious and cultural differences between the ruling Muslim Turks and the Christian Armenians, this annihilation targeted an entire community—men, women, and children—razing their cultural and religious heritage. What began in April 1915 as the arrest and eventual slaughter of Armenian intellectuals in Constantinople, metastasized into the horrors of rampant deportations, mass drownings, acts of rape and torture, state-sponsored Islamization and confiscation of properties as a deliberate act of erasure. These events came to be known as the Armenian Genocide of 1915-17 and was regarded by Pope Francis as “the first genocide of the 20th century”. With the ultimate defeat and dissolution of the Ottoman Empire after the First World War coming as a sigh of relief for the surviving Armenian community, the ensuing revenge exacted by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) in form of targeted political assassinations, as part of the Operation Nemesis, further highlighted the Armenian cause on the global stage. SoghomonTehlirian’s assassination of Talaat Pasha, the former Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire and widely regarded as the primary architect of the genocide, was “the watershed moment” in this collective effort. The Ottoman Empire’s larger ethnic cleansing of its non-Muslim subjects carried out during the First World War and its aftermath, which also included the Assyrian and Greek genocides, ultimately paved way for the eventual formation of an ethno-national Turkish state in form of the Republic of Türkiye. A century and a decade later, the genocide’s legacy endures, marked by recognition from 34 countries, and a persistent denial by Türkiye, the successor state to the Ottoman Empire, underscoring its place as a pivotal, contested episode in human history. As the global community stands to acknowledge and commemorate the 110th anniversary of this tragic episode in human history, deliberation by India’s foremost policymakers for an official recognition of these events as a “genocide” would reflect our solemn stand against the ideologies which have also inflicted life-long wounds on our own cultural soul. Such a move would further push not only our bilateral ties with Armenia but also cement us as a stern advocate of historical justice within the democratic world. India and Armenia share historical ties spanning over two millennia, with the latter standing as one of the few countries to have publicly endorsed India’s position on the Kashmir conflict. Numbering over 11 million today, the Armenian community is spread across the world, with a large majority of Armenians residing outside Armenia. Amidst the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the modern-day Republic of Armenia stands in a precarious position, one which calls for desperate action to rescue it from not only its geographical shackles of being a landlocked state, but also its much inferior economic इस शब्द का अर्थ जानिये and military strength, vis-à-vis the Turkic alliance of Türkiye and Azerbaijan. To this day, Türkiye denies any allegation of a genocide, and instead terms the episode as “Events of 1915”, significantly undermining the brutality and magnitude of the atrocities, while downplaying any involvement of the Ottoman government. Its closest allies in form of Azerbaijan and Pakistan remain as the only other countries to explicitly deny any genocide. Far from some European states which went as far as to pay reparations for the sins of their forefathers, the Turkish policy of an emphatic rejection of any deliberate wrongdoing has further aggravated the phenomenon of “genocide denial” across the world, even in cases where the overwhelming evidence suggests otherwise. For the innocent Armenians massacred by the Ottomans, “genocide” isn’t a mere label, but a clarion call to affirm their annihilation as a deliberate act of evil and a recognition that strips away the veil of denial. As the scars of this horror still linger, the Armenian genocide stands as a solemn call for the international community to confront and acknowledge the uncomfortable chapters of history. Such recognition paves the way for reconciliation between estranged communities, fostering new pathways for cooperation and serving as a resolute safeguard against any potential recurrence of such human extremes. https://sundayguardianlive.com/featured/name-the-horror-time-to-recognise-for-what-it-was-armenian-genocide#

Armenpress.am Politics13:34, 12 April 2025 Mirzoyan and Bayramov hold bilateral meeting in Antalya Read the article in: فارسیՀայերենРусский The bilateral meeting between Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has commenced in Antalya, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Ani Badalyan, told Armenpress. Earlier, it was reported that Ararat Mirzoyan is participating in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. As part of his working visit, several bilateral meetings are scheduled, including Mirzoyan’s participation in a panel discussion titled "Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Cooperation in the South Caucasus", along with the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Georgia. Published by Armenpress, original at https://armenpress.am/en/article/1216971?fbclid=IwY2xjawJnw9FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHq49jRFYjWnz1GW0xf2iHZeVkxHgDbtSAFw80nfXwO-fLYlIBjDxgk_JPC-k_aem_r_mWpNHKJFG7m0n0ijA5Jw

April 12 2025 Holy Echmiadzin To Take Action Over Anti-Armenian Event In Vatican April 12, 2025 By PanARMENIAN The Inter-Church Relations Department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has expressed deep concern regarding an event held in Rome by Azerbaijani entities, which it says carried a clear anti-Armenian agenda. According to the statement, Holy Etchmiadzin will take appropriate steps through interchurch channels in response to this incident. The event, titled “Christianity in Azerbaijan: History and Modern Times,” took place on April 10 at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Vatican City. It was organized by the Azerbaijani Embassy in collaboration with Azerbaijani organizations and attended by representatives from various countries. During the event, Azerbaijani propaganda again attempted to deny the Armenian origins of the historical and cultural heritage of Armenia and Artsakh, distorting historical facts with the aim of eventual appropriation. The Armenian church noted that this event occurred at a time when the international community has yet to properly address Azerbaijan’s acts of genocide, the violation of the fundamental rights of forcibly displaced Armenians from Artsakh, the illegal detention and mistreatment of Armenian prisoners of war in Azerbaijani prisons, and the ongoing erasure of Armenian religious and cultural heritage in Artsakh. “It is regrettable that such an unscientific and politically motivated event was allowed to take place within a prominent Catholic educational institution,” the statement read. No Armenian scholarly institutions had been informed of the event, and though dozens of experts from various countries participated, no Armenian representatives were present. https://www.eurasiareview.com/12042025-holy-echmiadzin-to-take-action-over-anti-armenian-event-in-vatican/

Azatutyun.am Aliyev Warns Of ‘New Military Confrontation’ With Armenia Ապրիլ 09, 2025 Azerbaijan - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev speaks at an international forum in Baku, April9, 2025. Armenia will risk another war with Azerbaijan unless it enacts a new constitution demanded by Baku, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Wednesday. “Until a peace treaty is signed and Armenia completely renounces all territorial claims against Azerbaijan, which are still present in its constitution, and demonstrates sincerity in its behavior towards normalizing relations with Azerbaijan, the risk of a new military confrontation will always persist,” he told an international forum in Baku. Aliyev has repeatedly made the signing of the treaty conditional on a change of the current Armenian constitution. He has specifically demanded the removal of a reference to Armenia’s 1990 declaration of independence contained in the constitution’s preamble. The declaration in turn cites a 1989 unification act adopted by the legislative bodies of Soviet Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian leaders maintain that the reference does not amount to territorial claims to Azerbaijan. They have also argued that the draft Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty commits the two states to recognizing each other’s territorial integrity and stipulates that they cannot refer to their domestic legislation to justify their possible failure to implement it. While rejecting Aliyev’s precondition in public, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has pledged to try to enact a new constitution through a referendum. But this is unlikely to happen before June 2026. Yerevan already made a number of concessions last month to remove the remaining disagreements on the text of the draft treaty. Pashinian’s domestic political opponents say that Baku will not sign the deal before clinching further Armenian concessions not only on the constitution but also other key issues such as a land corridor to Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave. Aliyev renewed in January this year his threats to open such a corridor by force. Azerbaijan began accusing Armenia of violating the ceasefire regime along the border between the two countries on a daily basis just a few days after the two sides finalized the peace treaty a month ago. Armenian opposition figures and pundits have suggested that the accusations denied by Yerevan are aimed at preparing the ground for a military attack on Armenia or forcing Pashinian to make the concessions. Residents of two Armenian border villages have reported nightly cross-border gunfire from Azerbaijani army positions for over two weeks. According to them, Azerbaijani troops mainly fire into the air. https://www.azatutyun.am/a/33378466.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJkAXFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHuWCwEj9Z2aVj5S5Rcwtay6eClO4APxW1ev_pP14psrzhb2wgJ2NuzqRSfRS_aem_IvX3EqM42EmvOWcL65HwcQ

Armenpress.am Azerbaijan19:40, 9 April 2025 EU mission increases number of night patrols along Armenian-Azerbaijani border Read the article in: FrançaisՀայերենРусский The EU monitoring mission in Armenia (EUMA) has increased the number of night patrols along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border since March, aimed at improving nighttime security and reducing possible tension. “Starting from March, EUMA has increased the number of night patrols along the Armenian side of Armenia-Azerbaijan to enhance nighttime security and safety and relieve possible tensions. Our monitors remain committed around the clock, ensuring a continuous presence day and night,’’ EUMA said on X. Published by Armenpress, original at https://armenpress.am/en/article/1216720?fbclid=IwY2xjawJj9x1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHsAJfG4qPtXhog81eNv5mDtZBIh9z75Nl-1IlPrBY-0NZStlNBePBW7vrPFF_aem_4M6EK8tmKFHaXn2Sq6hsew

Armenpress.am Iran18:13, 9 April 2025 Armenia, Iran to conduct joint military exercise Read the article in: العربيةفارسیFrançaisՀայերենქართულიРусский From April 9 to 10, special forces units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct joint military exercise, the Armenian Defense Ministry has said in a statement. The unit of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia will conduct its portion of the exercise on the territory of Armenia, while the unit of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct its portion on the territory of Iran. The exercise involves operations to neutralize attacks by simulated terrorist groups on border checkpoints located along the Armenia–Iran state border. Published by Armenpress, original at https://armenpress.am/en/article/1216711?fbclid=IwY2xjawJj9pFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHqLyKNj5xFfN9Ycxqg_XcIVAvl5RuA36MjMQhpHkogRdmf8PJKoZ3LWG-fiK_aem_PM8ZfPI38LCIaa3raXIHaw

April 8 2025 Turkish mayor faces backlash over derogatory social media post targeting Armenians Controversial Turkish mayor Tanju Özcan is facing backlash after posting a social media message using derogatory language towards Armenians, the Agos news website reported. Özcan, the mayor of Bolu and a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), in a post on X targeted Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies. “If only your Armenian father had acted two seconds earlier, so you were never born, Öcalan. I hope this is your last birthday. Traitorous man,” he said. Since the 1980s the PKK has been leading an insurgency that has claimed the lives of some 40,000 people in Turkey. The post, viewed more than 7 million times by Friday, drew criticism for what rights groups described as hate speech and ethnic discrimination. Özcan did not clarify why he invoked Armenian identity in the message. However, critics say the language reinforced harmful ethnic stereotypes and incited division by associating one of Turkey’s most notorious terrorist leaders with the Armenian community. The spiritual leader of Turkey’s Armenian community, Patriarch Sahak Maşalyan, issued a written statement condemning the mayor’s language, calling it hate speech that undermines social harmony. “The Armenian community, which has lived in these lands for centuries, is an integral and inseparable part of this country,” the statement read. “Remarks targeting Armenian identity not only insult a people, but also threaten our shared history and will to coexist.” Maşalyan said such rhetoric “has never served brotherhood, unity or social peace — not in the past, not today, and not in the future.” He urged public officials to adopt more responsible language and warned that legitimizing hate speech damages all of society, not just minorities. Özcan has previously attracted controversy for remarks targeting ethnic minorities and immigrants. In recent years he made headlines for proposing measures in Bolu aimed at restricting services for refugees and has faced criticism for statements about Kurds, Syrians and Afghans. The CHP has not issued a formal statement regarding the tweet. While Turkish law prohibits incitement to hatred and enmity under Article 216 of the penal code, legal experts note that enforcement is inconsistent and often influenced by political context. Rights organizations and minority advocates have warned of a rise in discriminatory language and xenophobia in Turkish political discourse, particularly on social media platforms where elected officials face little accountability for inflammatory rhetoric. https://stockholmcf.org/turkish-mayor-faces-backlash-over-derogatory-social-media-post-targeting-armenians/

Azatutyun.am Gyumri Set To Have Opposition Mayor Ապրիլ 04, 2025 Armenia - A view of the building of the municipal administration of Gyumri, November 8, 2024. The leader of a political group that finished third in the March 30 municipal election in Gyumri has reluctantly agreed to enable another opposition candidate and his bitter rival to become the new mayor of Armenia’s second largest city. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s Civil Contract party won most votes (36.8 percent) but fell well short of an absolute majority in the city council empowered to appoint the mayor. Official vote results show that it will hold only 14 seats in the 33-member council. The 19 other seats will be controlled by four opposition groups. Vartan Ghukasian, a former Gyumri mayor who ran in the election on the Armenian Communist Party (HKK) ticket, staked a claim to that post of mayor after the HKK came in second with almost 20.7 percent of the vote. He quickly won the backing of two other opposition groups led by TV producer Ruben Mkhitarian and businessman Karen Simonian. They polled 7.9 percent and 6.2 percent respectively. The fourth opposition contender, the Our City bloc of Gyumri-based opposition lawmaker Martun Grigorian, got almost 16 percent. Grigorian and Ghukasian as well as their extended families have long been at loggerheads with each other. Grigorian was therefore reluctant to the provide the decisive support to the ex-mayor despite facing strong pressure from Yerevan-based opposition leaders and public figures critical of the government. Armenia - Our City bloc leader Martun Grigorian speaks at an election campaign rally in Gyumri, March 25, 2025. In what he called his “most difficult” ever political decision, Grigorian announced on Friday that members of the new city council affiliated with Our City will give Ghukasian the votes needed for his election as mayor. “I apologize to all my voters, relatives, friends, and supporters, but I also say with confidence that I am subordinating my personal issues and approaches to the interests and security of my country, state and statehood, Gyumri and the people of Gyumri and I am taking this step at the demand of the people,” he said in a statement. He stressed that his top priority now is to oust Pashinian’s party from the municipal administration. Grigorian made clear that he believes Ghukasian is “the most vulnerable” of the opposition mayoral candidates because of criminal cases pending against him. He warned that the controversial ex-mayor could be arrested soon, just like another opposition figure who won most votes in Vanadzor, the country’s third largest city, in a 2021 local election. The lawmaker said that it would therefore make more sense to designate one of the two other opposition candidates, Mkhitarian or Simonian, as Gyumri mayor. He chided them for rushing to back Ghukasian. Armenia - Opposition mayoral candidate Vartan Ghukasian casts a ballot at a polling station in Gyumri, March 30, 2025. Mkhitarian, who boasts a large nationwide following on social media, was quick to welcome Grigorian’s announcement. “The coveted victories lie ahead,” he wrote, hinting at regime change in Yerevan. There was no immediate reaction from Ghukasian, who ran the city from 1999 to 2012. He said during the election campaign that he is not afraid of being arrested. Nazeli Baghdasarian, Pashinian’s Gyumri-born spokeswoman who actively participated in the ruling party’s election campaign, predicted Grigorian’s decision earlier this week. She claimed that the local opposition forces got their votes as a result of “misleading the people and abusing their trust.” The opposition has charged, for its part, that Civil Contract and its mayoral candidate, Sarik Minasian, heavily abused their government levers before and during the election. The Armenian government appointed Minasian as acting mayor late last year following criminal charges brought against the unofficial leader of a local bloc that ran Gyumri. The charges led to the resignation of the city’s previous, elected mayor, Vardges Samsonian. https://www.azatutyun.am/a/33373686.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJdUWdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHl-tCm-rHakpGtCFOwyrdRZ6IqjLzE686LyMWgvkHLtmnrWAJ7Z9oDIig2B5_aem_IMsu8ywkLvtHntoFxVj6aw

Interfax April 4 2025 Armenia's president signs law about country's intention to join EU YEREVAN. April 4 (Interfax) - Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan on Friday signed into law a bill of his country's intention to join the European Union, his press service said. The bill passed its second and final readings in the parliament on March 26. Sixty-four deputies voted for the bill on starting Armenia's EU membership process, and seven voted against it. Only MPs from the ruling Civil Contract party voted for the bill. MPs from the opposition I Have Honor Alliance formed around ex-president Serzh Sargsyan voted against the bill, and MPs from the opposition Armenia Alliance formed around ex-president Robert Kocharyan abstained. The bill was approved by the government on January 9. The decision to join the EU must be made in a nationwide referendum, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said. Armenia is comfortable in the Eurasian Economic Community but the government sees a substantial portion of the population wanting their country to join the EU, he said. https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/110788/

Armenpress.am Economy19:44, 4 April 2025 Opening Armenia's borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan would be a game-changer – EU chief von der Leyen Read the article in: ՀայերենРусский简体中文 After three decades of closure, the opening of the borders of Armenia with Türkiye and Azerbaijan is going to be a game changer. And it will bring Europe and Central Asia closer together like never before. According to the official website of the European Commission, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said during the plenary session of the inaugural EU–Central Asia Summit. “Central Asia is the very definition of a global gateway, the beating heart of Eurasia. This is why our Global Gateway investment agenda focuses so much on this region. Last year, we pledged EUR 10 billion to the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. This will cut the overland journey between Europe and Central Asia by around a half. That is down to just 15 days. The corridor will also unlock untapped potential for business between our regions. And it will boost links and trade within your five Central Asian nations. Today I am pleased to announce that a new Investors Forum will take place in Uzbekistan in 2025. This will secure private funding for the Corridor and allow us to assess progress. In an increasingly fragmented world, the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor will boost connections between your five countries and Europe. But infrastructure is not everything. Smooth border crossing within Central Asian and South Caucasus countries is also essential to reach the Black Sea. After three decades of closure, the opening of the borders of Armenia with Türkiye and Azerbaijan is going to be a game changer. And it will bring Europe and Central Asia closer together like never before,” she said. Published by Armenpress, original at https://armenpress.am/en/article/1216348?fbclid=IwY2xjawJc6KdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHlKg5NgMHk-h98y6e-WJVWWC5cmrsnYf-PbFbmHp6C09QTD8LA_G_jSNBQtJ_aem_C65vbvdbzDha0Njijij5Qw

Azatutyun.am Aliyev Again Rules Out Unconditional Peace Deal With Armenia Ապրիլ 02, 2025 Ruzanna Stepanian Azerbaijan - Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Frank-Walter Steinmeier make statements to the press after talks in Baku, April 2, 2025. Dismissing repeated appeals from Yerevan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday reiterated his main preconditions for signing a peace deal with Armenia finalized last month. Aliyev continued to insist on the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group and a change of Armenia’s constitution which Baku says contains territorial claims to Azerbaijan. He specifically demanded the removal of a reference to Armenia’s 1990 declaration of independence contained in the constitution’s preamble. The declaration in turn cites a 1989 unification act adopted by the legislative bodies of Soviet Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. “After these two conditions are met, there will be no obstacles to signing the peace treaty,” Aliyev said after talks in Baku with Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “As they say, the ball is in Armenia's court. If Armenia really wants to sign the peace treaty, it must accept these two legitimate conditions of Azerbaijan.” Armenian leaders maintain that the reference does not amount to territorial claims to Azerbaijan, citing a corresponding conclusion drawn by Armenia’s Constitutional Court last September. They have also argued that the draft Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty commits the two states to recognizing each other’s territorial integrity and stipulates that they cannot refer to their domestic legislation to justify their possible failure to implement it. While rejecting Aliyev’s precondition in public, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has pledged to try to enact a new Armenian constitution through a referendum. But this is unlikely to happen before June 2026. Yerevan already made a number of concessions last month to remove the remaining disagreements on the text of the draft treaty. It has since repeatedly appealed to Baku to sign the treaty. The international community has also called for the quick signing of the peace deal. Steinmeier added his voice to those calls when he visited Yerevan on Monday. The German president made similar comments at a joint news conference with Aliyev. Pashinian’s domestic political opponents say that Baku will not sign the deal before clinching further Armenian concessions not only on the constitution but also other key issues such as a land corridor to Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave. They say that Pashinian’s appeasement policy has only emboldened Aliyev to make more demands on Armenia. https://www.azatutyun.am/a/33368783.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJbEX9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfcCxVIvd3hcAG4ZSAGVaCqs7CGURXPeLUDIfiyynd_BkatL7jzN7tPcqQ_aem_mRO1MyMYSNby1CUQq33Zwg

Asbarez.com Probe into Azerbaijan’s Genocide of Artsakh Armenians Ongoing, Investigative Committee Insists by Asbarez Staff April 2, 2025 in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories A caravan of cars carrying Artsakh Armenians is forcibly leaving their ancestral homeland in Sept. 2023 The probe into the case of genocide committed by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of Artsakh continues, the Investigative Committee of Armenia said in response to a written request from Sputnik Armenia. The respective criminal proceedings were initiated at the Investigative Committee of Armenia on September 20, 2023, after the Azerbaijani aggression. The criminal proceedings were conducted in connection with information publicized in the mass media about the complete or partial physical destruction of the peaceful Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, held under the blockade, on the grounds of their national, ethnic, racial, or religious affiliation, causing serious harm to their health, and creating conditions of life aimed at this. Criminal proceedings were initiated at the Investigative Committee of Armenia under Section 1 of Article 133 of the Criminal Code of Armenia: genocide. In particular, this concerns Azerbaijan’s closure of the Lachin corridor, the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, the resulting impossibility of humanitarian and passenger transportation, the cessation of natural gas and electricity supplies, as well as the latest aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan on September 19, 2024 which has the goal of Armenian ethnic cleansing and genocide. https://asbarez.com/probe-into-azerbaijans-genocide-of-artsakh-armenians-ongoing-investigative-committee-insists/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJbDsNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHaGJm-m0AXwWFLFDdhl_hm98YX4Fz17MwlcJpVkECPY8_Oc42ZxCMO2i4A_aem_5p6e_moXnI2UO3g_jtmb1A

Asbarez.com ‘The Ball is in Armenia’s Court,’ Aliyev Says, Insisting on Preconditions for Peace Treaty by Asbarez Staff April 2, 2025 in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories Presidents of Germany and Azerbaijan, Frank-Walter Steinmeier (l) and Ilham Aliyev hold a joint press conference in Baku on Apr. 2 “The ball is in Armenia’s court,” President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan declared on Wednesday, while insisting that a peace treaty with Yerevan will not be signed and reiterating his preconditions. Aliyev insisted, during a press conference with his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is visiting Baku, that the OSCE Minsk Group must be dissolved and Armenia must amend its constitution before a peace deal can be signed with Armenia. Ilham Aliyev recalled that the text of the peace agreement with Armenia has been fully agreed upon and that Azerbaijan does not put forward any additional conditions, according to the Azertac state news agency. “Our conditions are known to Armenia, they are not new. We have been putting forward these conditions for a long time. However, we have not received any serious response from Armenia to date. What does this consist of? First, the OSCE Minsk Group must be dissolved,” Aliyev said. The Azerbaijani leader added that Armenia’s Constitution contains territorial claims from Azerbaijan. “This is considered an open territorial claim against us. Therefore, the removal of this clause from the Armenian constitution is our legitimate demand,” Aliyev insisted, noting that there will be no obstacles to the deal’s signing once these two conditions are met. “As they say, the ball is in Armenia’s court. If Armenia really wants to sign the peace treaty, it must accept these two legitimate conditions of Azerbaijan,” Aliyev emphasized. Steinmeier, who visited Yerevan ahead of this trip to Baku, said that an agreement between Baku and Yerevan on the specific language of the peace treaty, which was announced last month, was a critical juncture in stabilizing the Caucasus region. He said that the sides should not “waste time” and should sign the document as soon as possible. https://asbarez.com/the-ball-is-in-armenias-court-aliyev-says-insisting-on-preconditions-for-peace-treaty/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJbDpJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHUq110BlAkS9ewyH92Jg3UO3XJ4z3sPnwDAx3zn3KifWD_nZlgHt_6YMbg_aem_r7pmrq-78O8TTsUUYABikg

eurasianet April 2 2025 Armenia: Pressure increasing on Pashinyan Prime minister confronting adversity all around. You could not blame Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan if he is feeling these days like the walls are closing in on him from all sides. Domestically, there are signs that citizens are souring on his policies, judging by recent municipal election results. And on the diplomatic front, concerns are rising about the country’s territorial integrity amid a steady, thumping bass rhythm of war-like rhetoric sounded over the past few weeks by Azerbaijan. Two Armenian municipalities held local council elections March 30, providing the first electoral gauge on Pashinyan’s performance since he unveiled his “Real Armenia” program to remake society, as well as on the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process. The results did not bode well for the prime minister. In Parakar, a suburb of the capital Yerevan, Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party experienced a drubbing at the hands of an opposition coalition, outvoted by an almost two-to-one margin. In Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city, Civil Contract gained 36 percent of the vote, the largest share of any single party on the ballot, but it may be shut out of power, as an array of opposition parties are set to join forces to form a majority in the city council. The results indicate that Pashinyan has a daunting task in front of him to secure popular approval for the Real Armenia program and an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty. Pashinyan’s Real Armenia agenda seeks to overhaul Armenia’s economic order by promoting individual initiative and entrepreneurship. It also calls on Armenians to adopt a new geopolitical outlook that draws a line on the past and focuses on the future. The ideals embodied by the program should be enshrined in a new constitution, to be adopted by a nationwide referendum, Pashinyan has stated. He wants to develop a draft before Armenia holds its next parliamentary election in 2026. Based on the initial ballot-box indicators, Real Armenia seems in real trouble of going down to defeat in a popular plebiscite, and Pashinyan’s reelection chances appear touch-and-go. Pashinyan also is finding that he has little room to maneuver as he tries to get Azerbaijan to sign a peace pact, the text of which has been finalized. Baku has set several preconditions for signing, including a demand that the Armenian constitution be amended so that Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over the Nagorno Karabakh territory is unequivocally recognized. The recent local election results suggest that an attempt at this time by Pashinyan to push the kind of amendment demanded by Baku would be political seppuku. Azerbaijan, meanwhile, is acting like there is no peace treaty ready for signing. Instead, Azerbaijani officials seem itching to renew hostilities. For the past two weeks, Baku has leveled near-daily accusations against Yerevan that Armenian forces are initiating armed provocations in border areas. Armenian government officials have vigorously denied all accusations, and even offered visual evidence of what they contend is Azerbaijani firing on Armenian villages near the border. Top Azerbaijani government officials and state-aligned media outlets are already on the rhetorical offensive. In a March 27 speech made in the village of Agdam, which was occupied for almost three decades by Armenian forces, President Ilham Aliyev repeatedly described Armenia as a “hated enemy,” referring to Armenian forces as “marauders” and “thieves” who engaged in “unprecedented barbarity.” Perhaps more ominously, the Azerbaijani press is full of hints that Baku does not consider the existing border between the two states to be fixed. Various media commentaries of late have featured the phrase “contingent border” [şərti sərhəd]. The meaning of the phrase suggests that the frontier is not real, even if it is accepted by all sides. The repeated use of the phrase in the press, especially in light of Aliyev’s recent claims that portions of Armenian territory in Syunik Province are historically Azerbaijani lands, raises fears that Azerbaijan may resort to force to take back what Baku portrays as “West Zangezur.” Regional analysts are growing worried that the window of opportunity for lasting peace in the South Caucasus is closing. “If those advocating for peace in the South Caucasus want to act, the time is now. The key pieces are in place. If Baku and Yerevan wait too long, they may squander one of the best opportunities for a settlement they have ever had—a misstep that would have grave consequences for the entire region,” wrote Olesya Vartanyan, a Caucasus expert with Brussels-based Crisis Group, in a recent commentary published by Carnegie Politika. https://eurasianet.org/armenia-pressure-increasing-on-pashinyan

OC Media April 2 2025 Armenia brings charges of official negligence against two former high-ranking military officials by Arshaluys Barseghyan New charges have been brought against two former high-ranking military officials, Movses Hakobyan, Deputy Defence Minister, and Armen Harutyunyan, former Head of the Missile Troops and Artillery Department of the Armed Forces. They are accused of official negligence connected to the supply of ‘unusable’ military equipment from Russia worth ֏4.3 billion ($11 million) nine years ago. In addition, the Prosecutor General’s Office is demanding to confiscate ֏4.5 billion ($12 million) from the two generals. The office announced on Tuesday evening that the case has been sent to the court. They also provided the details of the case to Public TV, according to which the agreement was signed on 21 July 2016 between the Armenian Defence Ministry and the Russian Rosoboronexport company for the purchase of 15 Aistenok electronically-scanning radar systems. The latter is 'the sole state-owned intermediary in Russia for exporting and importing the entire range of military and dual-use products, [...] in the field of military-technical cooperation with foreign countries’. From the Armenian side, the agreement was signed by Hakobyan, who was the Head of the Material and Technical Support Department of the Armenian Armed Forces at the time, as well as the Deputy Defence Minister. According to public prosecutor Karen Karapetyan, Hakobyan ‘did not designate a responsible unit’ that would receive the radar systems. In addition to that, the signed contract did not include testing the purchased equipment under ‘practical, combat fire conditions’ to determine its condition. The radar systems were supplied to the relevant military units in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh in 2017, and failed to ‘fulfill the tasks set before them in practical conditions’, Karapetyan told Public TV. Following their delivery, specialists were invited from Russia in 2018 ‘to eliminate the shortcomings’. However, Karapetyan said the work reportedly was carried out ‘incompletely’. Harutyunyan, serving as the Head of the Missile Troops and Artillery Department, ‘did not check whether they were repaired or not, and whether they were suitable for use or not’, Karapetyan said. During the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, according to the prosecutors, the radar system proved to be ‘not suitable for use and it was decided to remove them from use’. Both Hakobyan and Harutyunyan claim their innocence. A ban on leaving the country was imposed on both, while the court also set Hakobyan’s bail at ֏10 million ($26,000). https://oc-media.org/armenia-brings-charges-of-official-negligence-against-two-former-high-ranking-military-officials/

Armenpress.am Europe18:15, 1 April 2025 European Parliament to debate 110th anniversary of Armenian Genocide at plenary session Read the article in: العربيةفارسیՀայերենРусскийTürkçe The 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide is among the topics to be discussed at the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg. According to an Armenpress correspondent in Brussels, the debate is scheduled for April 3. European Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi will deliver a statement on behalf of the European Commission. Published by Armenpress, original at https://armenpress.am/en/article/1216045?fbclid=IwY2xjawJZbStleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHW9uJk-FLYDK4Z2EW03wETuVqHSTEjlKJd_yBz4ucb0xr9jokcT_x3Yolw_aem_fFVG2WAFetXjicPQ_QVefA

Azatutyun.am Armenian Border Village Reportedly Hit By Azeri Gunshots Մարտ 31, 2025 Narine Ghalechian Armenia - A bullet hole on a window glass in a house in the village of Khnatsakh, March 31, 2025. Azerbaijani forces opened fire at a border village in Armenia’s Syunik province overnight, the Armenian Defense Ministry said on Monday as it denied renewed Azerbaijani allegations of Armenian truce violations along the border between the two countries. The Azerbaijani military made the claims on Sunday and Monday. It said Armenian army units targeted its troops at various sections of the long border. The Defense Ministry in Yerevan dismissed the claims, again challenging Baku to present evidence of the alleged truce violations. It said Azerbaijani troops themselves fired at the village of Khnatsakh and damaged one of its houses shortly after midnight. The ministry released photographs purportedly showing a bullet hole on a window glass of the house. Local residents confirmed the cross-border gunfire. According to them, the damaged house belongs to the head of the village administration, Seyran Mirzoyan. The latter could not immediately be reached for comment. Kamela Ohanian, a woman from Khnatsakh, said she was woken up by the sound of gunfire on Sunday night. “There was shooting again at night,” Ohanian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service by phone. “It happened several times and for a long time.” Residents of Khnatsakh as well as the nearby village of Khoznavar reported gunfire from nearby Azerbaijani army positions for several consecutive nights last week. They said the gunshots were mainly fired into the air from around 10 p.m. until the early hours of the next morning. Defense Minister Suren Papikian downplayed the significance of the gunshots, saying that they are “not directed towards Armenia.” Azerbaijan began accusing Armenian of violating the ceasefire regime on a daily basis just a few days after the two sides finalized on March 13 a bilateral peace treaty. Armenian opposition figures and pundits suggested that the accusations, denied by Yerevan, are aimed at preparing the ground for a military attack on Armenia or forcing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian to make more concessions. Yerevan already made a number of concessions to remove the remaining disagreements on the text of the draft treaty. It has repeatedly appealed to Baku to promptly sign the treaty. Baku has set a number of conditions for that, notably a change of Armenia’s constitution which it says contains territorial claims to Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reiterated on Monday that the constitution is “the main obstacle” to peace. https://www.azatutyun.am/a/33365537.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJYQJ5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZ9LXm-LqSG60bjICPZsa6QuzAAoWwpX8qFwCEuwJzfTmzOsGojqWKZQfQ_aem_nrQzvdfOcXMUwXQAvGimcg

Armenpress.am Azerbaijan19:34, 31 March 2025 Deutsche Welle releases documentary on Armenia’s history and Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Read the article in: FrançaisՀայերենРусский Deutsche Welle has released a documentary titled Armenia’s Struggle for Land and Identity in the Caucasus, exploring Armenia’s history and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The film presents the perspectives of various experts and officials on the topic. Among those featured in the documentary are Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani, French Ambassador to Armenia Olivier Decottignies, Member of the European Parliament Nathalie Loiseau, former French Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Jacques Faure, Rabbi Avidan Friedman, Richard Giragosian, Founding Director of the Regional Studies Center, historian Clare Muradyan, journalist Tigran Yeghavian, and political scientist Kaits Minasyan. “Armenia, a mountainous region in the heart of the Caucasus. Armenia was the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD,” the author starts the film with these lines. The documentary also examines the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and how the region became part of Azerbaijan. It details how, between 2020 and 2023, Azerbaijan used military operations, ethnic cleansing, and threats of force to the indigenous Armenian population, who had lived in Nagorno-Karabakh for millennia to leave their homeland. The experts featured in the film discuss Armenia’s history, its rich cultural heritage in the region, and its centuries-old struggle in the South Caucasus. The filmmaker notes: “Armenia has lost the war, and there is no peace in sight with Azerbaijan, so it will have to reconsider its defense. The Russians have betrayed them. America relies on Turkey, and Europe uses Baku’s gas.” In this context, the film also mentions Armenia’s purchase of weapons from France. Published by Armenpress, original at https://armenpress.am/en/article/1215932?fbclid=IwY2xjawJYOdpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHbz0xYyjqlaM7vY4FzA0VN3rpI8jvMERbiUVvpI9UyBz8DVlyf47K1uSzg_aem_bNVzXPONjAyierhMMPFAbQ

Armenpress.am Politics09:00, 31 March 2025 Only weak souls are afraid of peace – MEP Loiseau comments on Baku's delay in signing peace agreement with Yerevan Read the article in: FrançaisՀայերենРусский简体中文 The Member of the European Parliament Nathalie Loiseau expects the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan to be signed as soon as possible. In an interview with Armenpress, she expressed confidence that there is no reason to delay the signing. Commenting on the finalization of negotiations on the full text of the draft Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations, she emphasized the importance of its swift signing and stated that she looks forward to it. “I look forward to the early signing of the peace agreement reached by Armenia and Azerbaijan. The region and its inhabitants deserve peace and to see all their rights respected,” said the MEP. Speaking about the possibility of signing an agreement aimed at normalizing Armenian-Azerbaijani relations under the conditions where the Azerbaijani side continues to put forward new preconditions, the member of the European Parliament stated that she sees no reason not to sign the agreement. “I see no reason to postpone the signing of a peace agreement which will bring relief and allow both countries to look at the future,’’ she said. The MEP also expressed hope that Azerbaijan will focus on the well-being of its own citizens, and Armenia will finally feel safe from possible attacks. “ I hope Azerbaijan will focus on the well-being of all its citizens and not on harassing a peaceful neighbor (ed. Armenia). I hope Armenia will feel safe from attacks at last,’’ Loiseau said. Commenting on the fact that, after Armenia and Azerbaijan announced they had reached an agreement on a peace deal and concluded negotiations, Azerbaijan has periodically spread false rumors in recent days claiming that Armenian armed forces are allegedly firing at Azerbaijani positions in various parts of the border, the MEP stated, "Inflammatory rhetoric and false rumors must stop." "The EUMA indicated that the situation at the border is normal. Peace requires as much courage as war. Only weak souls are afraid of peace,’’she concluded. On March 13, the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan announced that negotiations on the peace treaty had been concluded. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has proposed to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to begin consultations on the time and venue for signing the agreement. However, Azerbaijan is setting preconditions for signing the treaty. In particular, Baku insists on the false claim that Armenia’s Constitution allegedly contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan, demanding constitutional amendments as a precondition for signing the agreement. Another Azerbaijani precondition pertains to the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group. In parallel with these preconditions, Azerbaijan has been spreading false claims for several days, alleging that Armenian armed forces have been firing at Azerbaijani positions along various sections of the border. Published by Armenpress, original at https://armenpress.am/en/article/1215722?fbclid=IwY2xjawJYNUhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfSW--0iVB_ms4SdPU8XzYwbBpHNsVPQmKQHuoFwHymH4TwuFz2W16d6ng_aem_hjSz1in4-7UarEymu4zhbA

OC Media March 31 2025 Yerevan rejects Baku’s ceasefire violation accusations, claims Azerbaijan has fired towards Armenia by Xandie (Alexandra) Kuenning Armenia’s Defence Ministry has again refuted Azerbaijani allegations of ceasefire violations, while in turn accusing the Azerbaijani Armed Forces of opening fire towards a settlement in Syunik, ‘resulting in damage to a residential house’. Following a week of silence, Azerbaijan has again accused Armenia of violating the ceasefire, claiming that on the evening of 29 March and the morning of 30 March, ‘units of the Armenian armed forces using small arms repeatedly subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijan Army’ from the direction of Goris, in Syunik, and Vardenis and Chambarak in Gegharkunik. In a separate statement published on Monday, Azerbaijan claimed that the same actions occurred from 22:30 on 30 March to 04:35 on 31 March. Azerbaijan in both official statements also claimed that Armenia had used ‘unmanned aerial vehicles and drones’ in an attempt to ‘carry out reconnaissance flights over the Azerbaijan Army positions’. Armenia’s Defence Ministry refuted all allegations, claiming that the statements issued by Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry did ‘not correspond to reality’. The ministry also recalled that Pashinyan’s office has repeatedly proposed the establishment of a joint Armenia–Azerbaijan mechanism for investigating ceasefire violations, which Azerbaijan has yet to respond to, and that the ministry itself has also offered to investigate any accusations should Azerbaijan provide evidence. For the first time since the most recent round of accusations began in March, however, Armenia accused Azerbaijan armed forces of opening fire, stating that at approximately 00:50, the Azerbaijani fired towards the Khnatsakh settlement in Syunik, damaging a residential house. In their official statement, Armenia’s Defence Ministry included photos of a broken window and of the bullet which reportedly caused the breakage. They noted additionally that no casualties were reported, but urged the Azerbaijani side to ‘conduct an investigation into the shelling of a residential building in Khnatsakh and to provide public clarifications regarding the incident’. Advertisement Since 21 March, there have been numerous reports that shots have been recorded along the Armenia–Azerbaijan border in Syunik and Gegharkunik, ostensibly by Azerbaijani armed forces firing towards Armenian settlements. That day, various media reports claimed that Azerbaijani troops had opened fire towards Armenian positions in the Gegharkunik region the previous night, while allegations appeared on social media that ‘bullets were also found on the territory of Sotk mine’. In response to these claims, Armenia’s Defence Ministry characterised the allegations as ‘information that does not correspond to reality’, noting that ‘sometimes shots are recorded along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border which do not target’ Armenia’s territory. In turn, Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan said that the ministry always issued statements on ‘all dangerous shots and violations directed at our positions and personnel’, insisting that the shots heard were not targeted towards Armenian territory. Following this, on 26 March, CivilNet’s journalist Gevorg Tosunyan wrote on Facebook that while filming in Kutakan, Gegharkunik region two days prior, he and his colleagues heard shooting several times, with locals commenting that previously they had heard shooting only at night. In the period leading up to 21 March, Azerbaijan accused Armenia of violating the ceasefire at least 13 times, which Armenia repeatedly denied. https://oc-media.org/yerevan-rejects-bakus-ceasefire-violation-accusations-claims-azerbaijan-has-fired-towards-armenia/

Azatutyun.am Thousands Of Karabakh Armenians Protest In Yerevan Մարտ 30, 2025 Gayane Saribekian Armenia - Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh demonstrtate in Yerevan, March 29, 2025. Thousands of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh rallied in Yerevan on Saturday to demand that Armenia’s government stop discriminating against them, champion their right to safely return to their homeland on the international stage and keep up housing allowances paid to many of them. Organizers of the rally gave the government one week to meet these and nine other demands or face more such street protests. They pitched a tent and began a nonstop sit-in in the city’s Liberty Square right after what was the biggest demonstration staged by Karabakh Armenians since their September-October 2023 exodus. It took place amid an unusually heavy police presence around the square. The government did not immediately react to the protesters’ demands. “If the authorities take no action to keep this segment of the Armenians in Armenia and strengthen Armenia, the course of this struggle will definitely be unpredictable,” warned one of the speakers. “If they don’t solve our socioeconomic problems and our women and children are left on the street, this struggle will become a political struggle, whether they like it or not.” The protest leaders first and foremost want Armenia’s leadership to take “all possible legal, political and diplomatic steps to ensure the collective return of the people of Artsakh to their homeland where they can live a safe, dignified, stable and self-determined life.” Armenia - Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh demonstrtate in Yerevan, March 29, 2025. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government does not raise this issue in its peace talks with Azerbaijan or on multilateral international platforms. Pashinian has repeatedly indicated that the Karabakh issue is closed for his administration. He has lambasted Karabakh’s Yerevan-based leaders for continuing to present themselves as a government in exile and threatened to crack down on them. The rally’s organizers, who did not include members of the exiled government, accused Pashinian and his political team of spreading hate speech against the Karabakh Armenians and demanded an end to the alleged practice. They said the authorities in Yerevan must also reinstate all refugees as Armenian citizens. In a major policy change, Pashinian and other government officials declared in October 2023 that the refugees are not Armenian citizens despite the fact that virtually all of them hold Armenian passports. Some legal experts disputed those claims. Another key demand of the Karabakh Armenian demonstrators is that the government must scrap its decision to stop paying housing allowances to many refugees and significantly reduce them for others. Since November 2023, the government has given each refugee, who does not own a home or live in a government shelter in Armenia, 50,000 drams ($125) per month for rent and utility fees. The aid program has benefited the vast majority of some 105,000 Karabakh Armenians who fled their homeland after it was recaptured by Azerbaijan in September 2023. A lack of affordable housing remains one of the main problems facing them. The government decided in November 2024 to start phasing out the housing scheme. Starting from next month, the financial aid will be provided only to children, university or college students, pensioners and disabled persons forced to flee Karabakh. The monthly allowance paid to them will be cut to 40,000 drams in April and to 30,000 drams in July. https://www.azatutyun.am/a/33364015.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJVTY1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQHBZffw9VF7j8mLyJIZ5EjeTw0AgBAVLFeLRbfqMftWpHIkm_YMkF8ClA_aem_OOhjDLvr42kMwD5OFhQrAQ

Armenpress.am Politics16:08, 29 March 2025 Great Britain calls on Azerbaijan to release Armenian POWs Read the article in: ՀայերենРусский A question was raised in the House of Lords regarding the cruel treatment against 23 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh held captive in Azerbaijan. The question was raised by the Bishop of Winchester and was answered by Baroness Jenny Chapman of Darlington, a Labour Party member, who presented the response of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Development. In response to the question about the UK government’s statements to Azerbaijan and the steps taken in coordination with international partners to ensure Azerbaijan carries out its international obligations, Baroness Chapman stated that “the UK had urged Azerbaijani authorities to guarantee fair trials and safe conditions for those detained during the September 2023 military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh”. "Our embassy in Baku is closely monitoring these cases and regularly requests updates. We also continue to call for the release of all remaining prisoners of war. Secretary of State Stephen Doughty raised these issues with Elchin Amirbekov, the Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan, during his visit to the UK in October 2024," the response stated. “On March 10, 2025, during a meeting with Hikmet Hajiyev, the Chief Advisor to the President of Azerbaijan, he emphasized the importance of the possibility of signing a peace treaty. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary of the UK also conveyed the same messages,” it reads. Published by Armenpress, original at https://armenpress.am/en/article/1215791?fbclid=IwY2xjawJVSpxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZSgfN1a2NfhJg3aGdHhP-PKxFBIQybQast55OhVF1iMBIdJoAQn7F4k5g_aem_CbW1NKQIzi4feAjxOxlHbw

JAM News March 29 2025 'Hatred of Armenians is the glue of Aliyev regime': Yerevan reacts to Aliyev’s speech JAMnews Yerevan For the past two weeks, Armenian authorities have repeatedly declared their readiness to sign the finalised text of a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. At the same time, the international community has urged both sides to sign the document as soon as possible. However, Baku continues to impose preconditions for signing, while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev uses increasingly aggressive, hate-fuelled rhetoric. Speaking yesterday in Aghdam — a region that came under Azerbaijani control after the 44-day Karabakh war — Ilham Aliyev referred to Armenians as “hateful enemies” and claimed that “Armenian fascism is the highest form of fascism.” Aliyev made similar remarks before — including earlier this year, when he declared that “the so-called independent Armenian state is essentially a fascist state.” According to Armenia-based Azerbaijan expert Tatevik Hayrapetyan, “this kind of discourse is yet another proof of Aliyev’s racist policies.” She notes that such rhetoric has become a regular pattern. In 2024 alone, the Azerbaijani president has referred to Armenians as “jackals,” “rabbits,” “bloodthirsty enemies,” and “vandals.” In Hayrapetyan’s view, “state-level hate propaganda unites Azerbaijani society against a common enemy and helps legitimise military aggression.” Aliyev’s speech sparked strong reactions among Armenian analysts, with many condemning his stance. “Aliyev’s regime has become the main branch of fascism in the region. His rhetoric clearly shows that the Azerbaijani dictator has no real intention of making peace with Armenia — even though he himself agreed to the draft treaty,” said political analyst Ruben Mehrabyan. ‘Moscow won’t be able to settle comfortably between Yerevan and Baku’: Pashinyan–Rubio conversation ‘Problems must be resolved without use of force’: Iranian foreign minister visits Yerevan Armenia ‘does not set goals for escalation’—what about Azerbaijan? Analysis from Yerevan Aliyev on “hateful enemies” Azerbaijani media report that on 27 March, President Ilham Aliyev met with residents of the village of Sarijali in the Aghdam district. He handed over keys to their new apartments and gave a 15-minute speech. In particular, he said: “Both the city of Aghdam and all the villages in the district were completely destroyed by the hateful enemy — not a single building was left standing. This once again shows the true nature of the enemy, their utterly baseless hostility towards us. […] Aghdam is called the ‘Hiroshima of the Caucasus’. But the difference is that Hiroshima was destroyed by an atomic bomb. Aghdam, on the other hand, was dismantled stone by stone over 30 years by thieves, looters — Armenian looters — and its remains sold off in different places. This is unprecedented barbarism. I’ve said it many times before: Armenian fascism is the peak of fascism.” During his speech — and in the Q&A session that followed — Aliyev made no mention of the peace treaty or the possibility of signing it. 'Time bomb lies beneath Baku's demands,' says Armenian analyst Political analyst Narek Sukiasyan believes that if Armenian citizens vote against the new constitution in a referendum, Azerbaijan could use it as a casus belli—a pretext for declaring war. Expert commentary Azerbaijan expert Tatevik Hayrapetyan counted 11 instances of the word “enemy” used by Ilham Aliyev in his 15-minute speech — all in reference to Armenians — along with accusations of fascism. Her conclusion: “If Aliyev is looking for a fascist, he only needs to look in the mirror.” According to her, Baku continues to provoke hostility and hatred while simultaneously blocking any prospects for reconciliation or peace. Hayrapetyan also analysed the Azerbaijani president’s speeches from the previous year, noting a consistent pattern of aggressive rhetoric and hate speech. She compiled all his statements in an article, concluding: She adds that reports by the human rights organisation Transparency International also highlight how Azerbaijani authorities systematically promote the dehumanisation and demonisation of Armenians. Such a policy, she argues, shapes a national identity built on a sense of superiority over Armenians and their humiliation. Hayrapetyan believes that this hate-filled rhetoric serves two purposes: to inflame public sentiment, and to provide a false moral justification for Azerbaijan’s continued military operations and violations of international humanitarian law. She concludes that the Azerbaijani government has shut down all internal debate about peace — and notes that those advocating for Armenian-Azerbaijani reconciliation face the threat of imprisonment. 'Yerevan should propose that US become guarantor of peace treaty with Baku' – opinion According to Aram Sargsyan, leader of the Republic Party, the United States is the only power capable of restraining Azerbaijan from aggression, unlike Russia and the collective West. Political analyst Ruben Mehrabyan told JAMnews that the focus of Ilham Aliyev’s speech targeted domestic Azerbaijani audience: In his view, Aliyev’s statements also serve as a signal to Azerbaijani media to disseminate this rhetoric more broadly. At the same time, he sends a warning to pro-peace segments of society that authorities will treat their behaviour as “anti-state” and punish it. Mehrabyan doesn’t rule out that the aggressive rhetoric could become a tool for escalation: “It’s a fallback option Aliyev keeps on standby — a door he always wants to keep open.” He believes that Yerevan is likely to issue an official response to Aliyev’s remarks. He also interprets the recent special session of the OSCE Permanent Council, convened at Armenia’s request, as a form of response — although Aliyev’s speech came after that session. Thus, he sees the speech as Baku’s answer to Yerevan’s push for a treaty and to international pressure. Mehrabyan acknowledges that Azerbaijan is under some international pressure, but says it is far from sufficient to force a policy shift. He argues that change is only likely if Aliyev begins to feel the threat of economic sanctions against Azerbaijan or personal sanctions against members of his family. However, he notes that no major global players currently show the will to impose such measures. As a result, he advises the Armenian government to take its own steps, making use of the existing international consensus in favour of signing a peace treaty. Mehrabyan believes Armenia must build its strategy around the real possibility of future Azerbaijani aggression, suggesting the development of a “Plan B” in case Baku is not planning to sign a peace deal in the near future. This should involve continued reforms, building new alliances, modernising the military, and establishing a strong defence and security system. https://jam-news.net/hatred-of-armenians-is-the-glue-of-aliyev-regime-yerevan-reacts-to-aliyevs-speech/

Armenpress.am Politics09:30, 28 March 2025 Armenia needs strong security guarantees – IPHR’s Simon Papuashvili on Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal Read the article in: ՀայերենРусский Simon Papuashvili, Programme Director for Eastern Europe & South Caucasus at the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), believes that only the possible signing of a peace agreement could prevent further Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia. In an interview with Armenpress in Brussels, Papuashvili stated that the regime of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly demonstrated in recent years that it disregards its international obligations. “I am skeptical about any peace deal that can be reached with Azerbaijan at the moment. Aliev's regime has repeatedly shown their disregard for international legal commitments in the recent past, and I highly doubt that a peace agreement can stop them from initiating further aggression against Armenia. Instead I believe that what Armenia needs is strong security guarantees from its European allies that should include reinforcement of Armenia's defensive military capabilities to deter further Azerbaijani aggression. We will live in a world in which brute force is the only effective language that works in international affairs,’’ Papuashvili said. On March 13, the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan announced that negotiations on the peace treaty had been concluded. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has proposed to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to begin consultations on the time and venue for signing the agreement. However, Azerbaijan is setting preconditions for signing the treaty. In particular, Baku insists on the false claim that Armenia’s Constitution allegedly contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan, demanding constitutional amendments as a precondition for signing the agreement. Another Azerbaijani precondition pertains to the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group. In parallel with these preconditions, Azerbaijan has been spreading false claims for several days, alleging that Armenian armed forces have been firing at Azerbaijani positions along various sections of the border. Published by Armenpress, original at https://armenpress.am/en/article/1215603?fbclid=IwY2xjawJUat9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHbb1RQfRUo3Bl0sdDgZwwM2wh80Af_GvpjS_rb5uELKRanPtBcA-e85L6A_aem_c65EuAZEzV-RuekpHeI65A

Azatutyun.am Armenian Border Villagers Report Continuing Azeri Gunfire Մարտ 27, 2025 Artak Khulian Armenia - A view of the village of Khnatsakh, June10, 2023. Residents of two border villages in Armenia’s southeastern Syunik province said on Thursday that Azerbaijani troops deployed nearby opened cross-border fire for the seventh consecutive night. Their daily reports of such automatic gunfire began a week after Armenia and Azerbaijan bridged their remaining differences on the text of a bilateral peace treaty. Despite the progress in peace talks, the Azerbaijani military accused Armenian forces throughout last week of violating the ceasefire at various sections of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The Armenian side denied the accusations. People living in the neighboring Syunik villages of Khoznavar and Khnatsakh have since been on edge over Azerbaijani gunshots which they say are mainly fired into the air from around 10 p.m. until the early hours of the next morning. “We are primarily worried about our children, who get scared,” Manushak Soghomonian, a woman from Khnatsakh, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service Soghomonian said the village school is located just 100 meters from the nearest Azerbaijani army position. She said she and other parents therefore wonder whether they should send their children back to the school after the end of a spring break in early April. Defense Minister Suren Papikian continued to play down the significance of the reported gunfire when he spoke in the Armenian parliament on Wednesday. “There are cases of shooting along the border but they are not directed towards Armenia,” Papikian said, justifying his ministry’s failure to issue official statements on them. “The way to solve the problem is diplomatic,” he added without elaborating. Seyran Ohanian, a former defense minister leading the opposition Hayastan alliance’s parliamentary group, deplored the Armenian Defense Ministry’s reluctance to criticize Azerbaijan. He said Baku is now trying to exert “psychological pressure” on Armenia’s population and force the Armenian government to make more concessions. Azerbaijani officials have effectively dismissed Armenian calls for a quick signing of the peace treaty finalized by the two sides on March 13. They say that Yerevan must first meet a number of conditions, notably a change of Armenia’s constitution which they say contains territorial claims to Azerbaijan. https://www.azatutyun.am/a/33362194.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJTra5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVeUieA_yYWv1KGgacY_W7dY2KgpmmmjOxNIpp7eebL2lJ-Z5d8H3abHrQ_aem_xYdHbu-AVBTIeElo2htRLg