cease-fire violations by azeris

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CIVILNET.AM

3 December, 2020 11:08

Patrick Azadian

There are two sets of popular conspiracy theories that are circulating in Armenia about the latest war and loss of territory in Artsakh. Naturally, neither can be proven or disproven beyond the shadow of a doubt but they are worth a mention since they cast a light on the current mood in Armenia. Both theories are based on the possibility of the existence of a ‘traitor’ or ‘traitors,’ and employ a simple linear logic. They also keep the minds of the average citizen occupied and instill a feeling of helplessness amongst the population.

Conspiracy Theory 1 – Pashinyan Planned it All Along

The most extreme version of this theory, and probably the more simple-minded, claims that Nikol Pashinyan had always planned to hand over Artsakh’s territories to Azerbaijan and the revolution was part of this grand scheme. Therefore, he is a traitor. A slightly different take on this conspiracy theory, and as simple-minded, claims that because Pashinyan is a pro-Western man, he willingly destroyed Armenia’s strategic relationship with Russia without having any concerns over loss of territories in Artsakh. Moreover, the loss of territory was Russia’s way of punishing Armenia for moving away from its circle of influence. This theory’s supporters continuously remind us that they cautioned the public on this coming disaster right before the war to further prove their point. They also love to point out the examples of loss of territories in Ukraine and Georgia due to the conflict with Russia. Whether their thinking is a product of the political version of palm-reading or an extension of Conspiracy Theory 2 (coming up next), we’ll never know. This theory is favored by some members of the opposition and some self-proclaimed political experts.

There are some holes in this theory and they are as follows:

If in fact Pashinyan was planning to sacrifice Artsakh for an alliance with the West, why didn’t certain elements of the opposition take more drastic action to prevent the coming disaster?
There is something more dangerous than a traitor, and that is someone who is incompetent, a reckless egomaniac and addicted to populism. This is a combination that can be disastrous for any nation, let alone a nation that is at war. This is an option that is excluded in the above theory.

Why would Russia punish Armenia just because of one man? Russia’s President Putin is not a capricious child. If Russia’s interests meant keeping Artsakh fully Armenian, change of leadership in Amenia would not matter to this extent. For any regional superpower, there are easier ways to control the leaders of small countries than setting their house on fire.

Pashinyan has not made any meaningful pro-Western outreach since the revolution. Beyond the cute sock-diplomacy with Canada’s prime minister, a couple of hugs here and there with President Macron of France, a somewhat supportive stance toward the Amulsar mining project which is owned by Western companies, and a symbolic visit to Georgia, his administration has had little or nothing to show for if they are truly pro-Western.

Did Pashinyan have to go through this bloody and painful exercise to hand over territories if he had already set his mind on doing so? A major defeat in the battlefield can have unpredictable consequences for any leader and that is a risk not worth taking.

Regardless of Pashinyan’s personal preferences, Armenia was still fully in the Russian sphere of influence when territories of Artsakh were conceded to Azerbaijan.

Conspiracy Theory 2 – Pre-Revolution Leaders Were the Real Traitors

The most complicated version of this theory claims that the pre-revolution leadership knew the war was coming, and that Armenia was disadvantaged. Therefore, they let the revolution happen so that when Armenia lost the war, Pashinyan would automatically take the blame. According to this theory, the old guard knew they were going to be forced to give up territory. Therefore, they allowed Pashinyan to take the blame and planned for a soft counter-revolution afterward. A milder version of this theory claims that the revolution was inevitable. Once it had happened, the old guard planned a sit-and-wait strategy peppered with occasional cautionary notes on the dangers of erosion of our strategic relationship with Russia. As war and the loss of territories became reality, they saw an opportunity to dethrone Pashinyan and install their own (and Russia’s) man. This theory is most popular among the average citizens in Armenia, and while many citizens hold Pashinyan responsible for his mistakes and miscalculations before and after the war, as well as the number of deaths on the battlefield, they overestimate the role of the old guard in the latest defeat. This is probably what can explain the lack of enthusiasm among Armenia’s citizens in support of the opposition rallies calling for the resignation of Pashinyan (the other option is that people are just tired of wars, revolutions, upheaval, and incompetent leaders).

There are some holes in this theory, as well.

1. Why would the old guard take a chance on relinquishing power to Pashinyan in the first place? If Pashinyan had moved swiftly, many of the old guard members would have been in prison by now. There was no guarantee Pashinyan was going to make mistakes.

2. Did the old guard think the people of Armenia would forgive them for their mistakes? They still haven’t.

3. The old guard is not homogenous, and therefore such a sophisticated scheme on a grand scale may not be plausible.

4. The theory assumes that all members of the old guard (with some having connections and business ventures in Artsakh) and their associates were willing to lose Artsakh just to take revenge on Pashinyan. This is an unlikely scenario.

5. Russia is officially supporting Pashinyan after the war.

In one conspiracy theory, Pashinyan is the only figure at fault for conceding territory, and in the other, it is mainly the old guard who are seen as the agents of defeat. Both viewpoints have a villain or a group of villains, and they are presented as mutually exclusive scenarios. The first theory completely relieves the pre-revolution leadership of responsibility for the situation that lead to the war and losses on the battlefield, and the second, gives Pashinyan a pass on one of the most tragic capitulations in Armenian history.

What is often missing from the discussions, is an honest self-reflection on the causes of this defeat and a re-evaluation of our strengths and areas of opportunity for growth as a nation. Our Diasporan institutions must also self-reflect and realign their priorities if an independent Armenia and an Armenian Artsakh are to continue to exist. Our national discourse needs to change from ‘name your favorite traitor’ to ‘let’s get serious about building a sustainable Armenian state.’ An honest dialogue, however, has no chance of gaining steam as long as the current administration who was in charge (not necessarily fully-responsible for capitulation during the war) is in place. They have shown they are capable of twisting facts and lying to the public to benefit their storyline that relieves them of accountability. They are now a biased party and have conflict of interest in leading this process. This dialogue will also be flawed in the eyes of public if it perceives the process of calls for accountability being advanced only by the old guard. Ironically, the continued passivity of the public will leave the calls for accountability in the hands of the ‘old guard’ alone or will ultimately relieve the current administration of responsibility. Without active public engagement, an institutional process that deals with the accountability of defeat and a roadmap for the future will be impossible. Engagement in conspiracy theories will only polarize the population and ultimately enable leaders to avoid accountability. Whatever happens, we cannot continue looking for scapegoats and spend as much non-quality time as we have been on the recent past. The future is calling, and it does not have to be gloomy.

https://www.civilnet.am/news/2020/12/03/The-search-of-traitors-leaves-no-room-for-real-accountability/411350

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Azerbaijan reduces death toll and claims it lost 2783 troops instead of 7630

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15:13, 3 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani authorities claim they lost 2783 troops in the Artsakh war.

“2783 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan were killed,” the Azeri defense ministry said.

However, this number is significantly lower that the figure of the Azeri losses provided by the Armenian authorities.

According to the Armenian defense ministry, the Azeri military lost 7630 troops in the 44 days of the Second Nagorno Karabakh War.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

[Yervant1]

Panorama, Armenia

Dec 3 2020

Israeli expert: Armenian authorities could have prevented Artsakh war, they are unable to deal with serious problems

The Armenia authorities are to blame for the start of the war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Israeli political scientist, diplomat Yakov Kedmi said in an interview to 24 News.

“Unfortunately, Armenia was unable to properly prepare for this moment neither in terms of its authorities, nor the economic and military forces. One can, of course, argue that if the Armenian military had been much stronger and the military-political leadership had acted more effectively, all this would not have happened,” he said.

At the same time, the expert highlighted the heroic deeds performed by Armenian soldiers on the battlefield.

"But heroism is the result of an unfortunate combination of circumstances. When everything goes right, heroism is not needed,” Kedmi said.

According to him, Armenia’s failure in the Artsakh war is not the result of the weakness of the Armenian people, but quite the opposite.

“The authorities are to blame for the outbreak of the war. They failed to find the right political solution to avoid a war. This is the first thing the government should be concerned about. The government of Armenia had enough tools to prevent a war. Moreover, in the end it could have ended up in a much better situation than what Armenia is facing now. Second, the very conduct of the war, the preparation of the army and the country for the war showed that the Armenian authorities are unable to deal with serious problems,” Kedmi said.

 

https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2020/12/03/Israeli-expert/2413303

[Yervant1]

 

Asbarez.com

 

PHOTOS: Azerbaijan’s Savagery in Artsakh’s Talish and Madaghis

December 3, 2020

http://asbarez.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/129513457_181069497064640_269916473569014277_n.jpgVIEW GALLERY: Azerbaijan's destruction of Armenian monuments after taking over Artsakh territory

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Days after Azerbaijan took control of the Artsakh cities of Talish and Madaghis, its forces began the destruction and desecration of Armenian monuments and cross-stones.

Chair of the Armenian parliament’s permanent commission on human rights, Naira Zohrabyan has published photos from the two cities on her Facebook page, depicting the destruction and the savagery by Azerbaijani soldiers.

http://asbarez.com/198957/photos-azerbaijans-savagery-in-artsakhs-talish-and-madaghis/?fbclid=IwAR0z7YvCek-9hHqYW1u5RE0aKk_0-bNUFGn3OCcMkXfwszBCNZu59Xx546c

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Asbarez.com

Artsakh Armenians Cannot Live Under Azerbaijan’s Jurisdiction, Says Foreign Minister

December 3, 2020

http://asbarez.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1036706.jpg

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan on Thursday said that Armenians of Artsakh cannot live under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan, saying that the few Armenians who had remained in the areas that fell under Azeri control had been killed or tortured.

Ayvazyan was speaking at the virtual OSCE Foreign Ministerial meeting, currently underway.

Below is the text of Ayvazyan’s presentation provided by Armenia’s foreign ministry.

Ms. Chairperson, I would like to join colleagues and thank the Albanian Chairmanship, your team for tireless efforts and leadership of this Organization throughout the year.

The year 2020 has been marked and profoundly affected by the unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet for the people of Artsakh and Armenia the large-scale war unleashed by Azerbaijan with the direct involvement of its allies – Turkey and foreign terrorist fighters and jihadists – added another dimension to the already dire situation.

During the 44 days of war Azerbaijan and Turkey, in a clear defiance of their international obligations and in violations of their commitments towards the OSCE, despite numerous calls made by OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair countries, despite three agreements to cease hostilities, despite persistent calls of international community, continued the offensive. The aggression was accompanied by numerous gross violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflicts, by war crimes including deliberate targeting of civilian population and critical infrastructure, executions, inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners of war and civilian captives, beheadings, mutilation of dead bodies and other well documented crimes with the ultimate purpose of ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population from their ancestral lands.

In this context, we welcome the consensus reached on the draft Ministerial Council Decision on the Prevention and Eradication of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which we consider as the most important outcome of this Ministerial.

Today we should acknowledge the efforts of the Russian Federation and personal engagement of President Vladimir Putin in establishing a ceasefire and stopping war also through providing peace-keeping forces on the ground. We are also grateful to France and the US for their efforts and engagement to achieve a ceasefire.

The actions of Azerbaijan and its allies created new dangerous precedent for addressing conflict situations in the area of responsibility of the OSCE.

First, it is the recruitment, transfer and deployment of foreign terrorist fighters and jihadists from Syria and Libya in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone by Turkey which flagrantly violates the international obligations and OSCE commitments on combating the phenomenon of the foreign terrorist fighters. This is the first time ever that two OSCE participating States have deployed terrorist fighters and jihadists in support of their armed forces in the context of conflict in the OSCE area of responsibility, a fact that was acknowledged not only by a number of the OSCE participating states, but the relevant UN body.

Second, Azerbaijan’s aggression against Artsakh was greatly instigated and supported politically and militarily by the Turkish leadership in its pursuit of expansionist power projection into the South Caucasus and beyond.

Third, Azerbaijan and its allies unleashed the war against Artsakh falsely claiming the legitimate right to use force, which is a clear breach of international law. Furthermore, Azerbaijan and Turkey now insist that the situation resulting from the use of force, aggression and war, large-scale violations of international law, war crimes and ethnic cleansing, should be considered as resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We strongly condemn the use of force against the right of people of Nagorno-Karabakh to self-determination and we will not accept any attempt to deprive the people of Nagorno-Karabakh of their rights.

Despite assurances that have been voiced out today as well, Armenians have been ethnically cleansed from the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh recently occupied by Azerbaijan, those few who stayed were killed or tortured and expelled by Azerbaijani armed forces from their ancestral homeland. This reality clearly attests to the fact that Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh cannot be placed under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan.

• The comprehensive resolution of the conflict aimed at achieving lasting and sustainable peace in the region include:
• Status of Artsakh based on realization of the right of self-determination, security of its people;
• De-occupation by Azerbaijan of the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh;
• Safe and dignified return to their homes of the recently displaced population of Artsakh;
• Preservation of Armenian cultural and religious heritage on the territories that fell under the control of Azerbaijan;
• The immediate and unconditional exchange of prisoners of war and hostages based on principle all for all, repatriation of remains should be implemented without any further delay;
• The trilateral statement of November 9 should not be considered without prejudice as the final political and durable settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Only political, negotiated settlement that will respect rights of all may bring peace and reconciliation to the South Caucasus region.

At the same time, to achieve this Turkey, whose genocidal record against Armenians is well known, should abandon its destabilizing policy and refrain from any actions which could further fuel tensions. In this context we call on all OSCE participating States to continue exerting pressure on Turkey to withdraw its military personnel from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, from the South Caucasus, together with its affiliated terrorist fighters. So far there is no sign that foreign terrorist fighters are being withdrawn from the conflict area. Quite opposite, there are persistent reports on further spread of terrorist fighters and mercenaries and plans to resettle them in areas of NK, which is currently occupied by Azerbaijan.

The lasting and sustainable resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be achieved through the negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, which is the only internationally mandated mechanism to deal with settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In this context we took positive note of the statement of heads of delegations of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries issued earlier today, which once again showed the unity and determination of the Co-Chair countries in pursuing negotiated comprehensive and sustainable settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

We also concur that all the foreign mercenaries, brought in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone by Turkey and Azerbaijan, should be withdrawn fully and promptly from the region.

In conclusion, I would like to welcome Sweden as incoming Chair and wish them every success.

http://asbarez.com/198963/artsakh-armenians-cannot-live-under-azerbaijans-jurisdiction-says-foreign-minister/?fbclid=IwAR1TlIZMHnfE1D6Pzbng_GgPzswf1rFR_k1iuIka4V9qF_UE3vn50tQbxv8

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Azeri troops filmed cutting the throat of injured Armenian POW

December 4, 2020 - 17:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijani troops have filmed themselves cutting the throat of an injured Armenian serviceman during recent hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh).

In footage published by the Telegram channel Kolorit_18, the Armenian soldier is stripped from the waist up, and is only wearing military pants and boots. He is seen wallowing in pain while Azeri troops are holding his hands to prevent him from resisting.

In another video spread by social media users, the Azerbaijani soldiers are seen humiliating, beating and torturing an Armenian man in civilian clothing. They are hitting the man in the head and groin, trying to obtain information about who the person is allegedly hiding.

Azerbaijani soldiers have a record of subjecting the Armenian prisoners of war and captives to physical abuse and humiliation, in actions that have been captured on videos and widely circulated on social media. The videos depict Azerbaijani captors variously slapping, kicking, and prodding Armenian POWs, and compelling them, under obvious duress and with the apparent intent to humiliate, to kiss the Azerbaijani flag. They have been filmed beheading several Armenians, cutting others' ears off, executing them. In most of the videos, the captors’ faces are visible, suggesting that they did not fear being held accountable.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev on November 9 signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Under the deal, the Armenian side is returning all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities.

[Yervant1]

NewsMax

Dec 3 3030

Everyone's Happy, Except Poor Armenia

(Dreamstime)

By Marek Jan ChodakiewiczThursday, 03 December 2020 12:17 PM

The Azeris have just cleaned the Armenians' clock. A month or so ago the frozen conflict thawed out and the perennial adversaries joined battle yet again in an Armenian enclave situated within Azerbaijan. The latter won, in no small measure thanks to Turkey, Israel, and the United States, but also because of dysfunctionality of post-Soviet Armenia itself.

The enemies do not even agree on the name of the place where they fought, which, historically, is rather usual in ethnically contested areas. The original ancient Armenian designation of the region is Artsakh. For the Azeris it is Nagorno Karabakh. That means "the Black Garden" with a Russian descriptive "Upper" or "Mountainous."

Surrounded by Azerbaijan, Artsakh has been a contested area from times immemorial. However, the Armenians have had a strong claim to the place for demographic and historical reasons. They have lived there for at least two millenia, including after the destruction of the last independent Armenian principality by the Muslims. Nonetheless, they survived without their state until the 20th century.

When free Armenia finally arose from the ashes of the Russian Empire in 1918, it wrangled over the enclave with the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, which also emerged as an independent entity at that time. At the time, the Armenians faced extermination in the Ottoman Empire, and, driven by pan-Turkism, the specter of death menaced the Armenian Republic, including Arsakh. The Soviet army invaded, however, and enslaved both the Armenians and Azeris. The former preferred Communist slavery to Turkish death.

In 1923, the Bolsheviks designated the disputed region as the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous District and the status quo remained unchallenged until 1991, when the local Armenians held a referendum in favor of sovereignty. Almost immediately a war broke out against Azerbaijan with atrocities and ethnic cleansing on both sides (1991-1994).

The Armenians prevailed at that time. The enclave became even more uniformly Armenian and Christian, now at over 99%. It proclaimed itself the Republic of Artsakh. With a bi-cameral parliament and a president, it is a democracy governed out of Stepanakert. For all purposes, Artsakh functions virtually as an integral part of Armenia, which maintains a narrow land corridor to the enclave. Yerevan is also virtually the only capital that recognizes the entity diplomatically.

Periodically, after 1994, fighting would break out between the adversaries but the hostilities tended to be brief and Artsakh invariably managed to maintain the status quo. This changed in the current war which lasted from September 27 to November 10, 2020. The Armenians lost. They were outmatched and outgunned. They agreed to cede much adjacent land to the Azeris except for the Nagorno Karabakh proper.

There were many reasons for the defeat. First, Armenia is poor, and Arsakh is even poorer. Neither can afford to maintain a top of the line, technologically advanced military unlike oil-rich Azerbaijan.

Second, it appears that the professional Armenian army's assistance to Arsakh was half-hearted at best. Reportedly, in addition to a rather negligible local military, it was mostly volunteers who flocked to the colors. For them it was a Christian crusade. But they were not enough to stem the tide. It was not only because Armenian volunteers were successfully countered by the Syrian and other jihadis imported by Azerbaijan.

All this, to an extent, reminds one of the developments in eastern Ukraine, following the Russian invasion in 2014. The Ukrainian volunteer regiments fought courageously; regular Ukrainian army tended to avoid armed engagements whenever it could and performed poorly. The opposite, secessionist side also consisted of volunteers, including foreign fighters, but they were under an overall Russian command, including, tactically, military intelligence officers. Most heavy weapons were Russian. However, in the current struggle in Nagorno Karabakh, professional Azeri military was paramount, and the jihadi volunteers served as adjuncts.

Although, unlike in Ukraine, there were no widespread defections to the enemy in Artsakh, there have been nonetheless complaints that the Armenian brass failed to acquit itself with distinction. Further, rumors of treason at the top have swirled wildly. At least one colonel was arrested for allegedly supplying the enemy with intelligence. One hears about summary executions of alleged high ranking traitors.

More seriously, the people have accused their elected civilian leaders of sedition. In Yerevan vicious riots broke out. Politicians were assaulted and beaten up. The crowd invaded the national parliament. The riot police and military had a tough time quelling the unrest.

The spirit at the Armenian grass roots is strong. The leadership is flaccid. Truthfully, the Armenians do not have much to choose from. It is either monumentally corrupt post-Communist oligarchs who fawn before Moscow or predictably spineless post-Communist liberals who defer to Brussels.

Putin shocked the Armenians for he refused to help them to victory but, instead, coerced them to accept a disastrous peace settlement. The folks are also disappointed that Iran did not move (except for reinforcing its military along the border with Azerbaijan) and that France was largely absent throughout the fighting.

Of course, as their default, the Armenians uniformly blame Turkey for all their travails, always fearing another genocide. But this time, the popular ire also includes the United States and Israel. Our State Department apparently OK'd the arms sales to Baku and the Israelis provided technologically advanced weapon systems, including drones, which the Azeris credit for their triumph. That assistance proved so valuable on the battlefield that during the post-victory celebrations a few in the crowds openly waved Israeli flags. Naturally, there was a sea of Turkish banners displayed prominently. Pan-Turkism galore.

As they evacuate, the Armenians leave scorched earth behind them, burning buildings, implements, orchards, and fields. They only leave their churches standing. Some of them are historical gems and pleas go out to the Russians to save them from the Azeri wrath.

As most weak people tend to, the Armenians believe that they fell victim to a plot. But there was no plot. The mighty are usually pretty brazen about their intentions. In this instance, Russia gets to insert its troops back into Azerbaijan; Turkey augments its influence in the region; and its Azeri sidekick acquires land and encourages former Muslim residents of Nagorno Karabakh to return. The U.S. is understandably happy that the killing stopped and it has convinced itself that it has secured Georgia's independence once again. France will be able to talk big about its garrulous leadership that made things better.

The international community accepts the assurances that we are only dealing with small border corrections. There probably will be no more enclave. The "corrected" Artsakh will abut Armenia proper, so the frozen conflict will be no more and peace will reign.

And thus everyone is happy. Except the poor Armenians.

 

Marek Jan Chodakiewicz is Professor of History at the Institute of World Politics, a graduate school of statecraft in Washington D.C.; expert on East-Central Europe's Three Seas region; author, among others, of "Intermarium: The Land Between The Baltic and Black Seas." Read Marek Jan

 

https://www.newsmax.com/marekjanchodakiewicz/Armenia/2020/12/03/id/999874/

[Yervant1]

Panorama, Armenia

Dec 5 2020

Hamlet Petrosyan: Azerbaijan carries out cultural genocide in Dadivank monastery

The head of archaeological expedition in Tigranakert, professor Hamlet Petrosyan insists Azerbaijan is carrying out cultural genocide in Armenian heritage sites of Artsakh. He has raised the issue of Dadivank monastery.

"Dadivank has not a single component which is non-Armenian, be that Albanian or Udi. It refers to both the architectural solutions of the complex and the sculptures, cross-stones as well as the frescoes," Petrosyan wrote on Facebook, adding: "Apart from 200 Armenian inscriptions of the 12th-17th centuries, there are no foreign letters. Azerbaijani actions, regarding Dadivank as an Albanian or Udi site, bringing Udi pilgrims there, are nothing but an explicit cultural genocide, an act of forcibly taking the religious and cultural heritage from their creators."

To note, Dadivank is one of the iconic landmarks of Artsakh. It was built in the 9th-13th centuries. The church is located on the slopes of Dadivank Mountain near the village of Dadivank in Nagorno-Karabakh. The monastery complex was subject to handover to Azerbaijan as part of the trilateral statement putting end on military hostilities in Artsakh. Director of Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Fr. Vahram Melikyan later informed that the monastery remained under the protection of Russian peacekeepers and is out of danger.

 

https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2020/12/05/Dadivank-monastery/2414934

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SwissInfo, Switzerland

Dec 7 2020

Swiss technology used in Azerbaijani military drones, report claims

The short conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh was ended with the signing of a peace treaty. Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Drones using Swiss-made components were reportedly deployed by the Azerbaijan army in the recent conflict with Armenia, according to Swiss public television, SRF.

This content was published on December 7, 2020 - 18:00 December 7, 2020 - 18:00

swissinfo.ch/sb

Drones purportedly played a crucial role in the recent conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region.

According to an SRF news report on December 7, an Israeli drone belonging to the Azerbaijani army, which was reportedly shot down by Armenian forces near the town of Shuschi on October 18, carried technology made in Switzerland.

A drive motor cylinder engraved with the name Faulhaber Minimotor SA and the words “Swiss made” can be seen on photographs validated by SRF that it received from Armenian journalists.

The pieces recovered on the ground reportedly belonged to an Israeli Harop “loitering munition” drone, also known as a “kamikaze drone”.

External Content

"Your business is killing me"@Hetq_Trace published an article today under the title "Merchants of Death" reporting that some components of Israeli "Harop" loitering munition (or "suicide drone") used during the Karabakh war are Swiss and French made:https://t.co/PshAdArbnH pic.twitter.com/6VWShxxC6A

— Vicken Cheterian (@YesVicken) December 2, 2020

In a statement sent to SRF on December 6, Faulhaber, the German industrial group, whose subsidiary Faulhaber Minimotor in Ticino builds electric motors similar to the one allegedly used in the drone, said its goods were subject to internationally applicable export control regulations. The firm said it assumed that these applied in the current case.

Swiss legislation does not prohibit the export of such electric motors from Switzerland to Israel and then on to Azerbaijan.

The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco), which is responsible for export controls, told SRF: “Such electric motors are not covered by goods control legislation and can be exported without a permit. Such drives have a wide range of industrial applications.”

Seco noted that the electric motor is not used to power the drone, but most likely for its wing mechanism. Such electric devices can be sold to any country, where they can be installed in armed and unarmed drones, it added.

Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994. That conflict left not only Nagorno-Karabakh itself, but large chunks of surrounding lands, in Armenian hands.

In 44 days of fighting that began on September 27, Azerbaijan troops routed the Armenian forces and wedged deep into Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing Armenia to accept the November 10 peace deal that saw the return to Azerbaijan of a significant part of the separatist region. It also obliged Armenia to hand over all areas it held outside Nagorno-Karabakh.

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-technology-used-in-azerbaijani-military-drones--report-claims/46209194

[Yervant1]

Public Radio of Armenia

Dec 8 2020

The US concerned about Turkey’s role in Karabakh hostilities

The US welcomes the secession of hostilities in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone, but deeply regret the really brutal and certainly unnecessary loss of life, including among civilians, Acting Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker said said during a hearing at the Helsinki Commission on Tuesday.

“We continue to stress that there is no military solution to that long-standing conflict,” Philip Reeker stated, adding that the solution should be attained at the negotiating table.

He said there are still many questions regarding the ceasefire and Turkey’s role.

“We have expressed our concern about Turkey’s role, the foreign militants being brought in, weapons being provided. These are issues of concern and remain a part of our dialogue with Turkey and Russia,” Reeker said.

He said the Minsk Group Co-Chairs will visit the region this weekend “to see where we can get the co-chairs back into a role to try to move forward on a diplomatic solution.”

https://en.armradio.am/2020/12/09/the-us-concerned-about-turkeys-role-in-karabakh-hostilities/

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Public Radio of Armenia

Dec 8 2020

Inhumane treatment of POWs by Azerbaijan strongly condemnable – Armenian FM

The cases of inhumane treatment of Armenian prisoners of war and captures civilians by the Azerbaijani military are strongly condemnable, Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian said at a joint press conference with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian.

The Foreign Minister stressed that not only are these cases not condemned by the top leadership of Azerbaijan, but also receive public support.

“Many Armenian medieval cultural and religious monuments in the Azerbaijani-occupied territories of Artsakh, which the Azerbaijani side is either trying to destroy, desecrate or change their identity, are also being targeted by these manifestations of Armenian hatred,” Minister Aivazian said.

During a meeting in Paris the Foreign Ministers of the two countries exchanged views on the preservation of these religious and cultural monuments through international organizations.

https://en.armradio.am/2020/12/08/inhumane-treatment-of-pows-by-azerbaijan-strongly-condemnable-armenian-fm/

[Yervant1]

The Morning Star, UK
Dec 8 2020

Azeri forces accused of beheading elderly Armenian civilian

ZERBAIJAN was accused of war crimes today after video footage appeared to show the beheading of an elderly Armenian civilian pinned down by soldiers wearing Azeri uniforms.

It showed a group of soldiers wearing what is described as “the distinctive earless helmet of Azerbaijani special forces” restraining an elderly man. He is heard pleading for his life before his throat is slit.

According to the Zartonk Media organisation, the video was uploaded to a Telegram messaging-service channel belonging to Azeri soldiers on Monday.

It is not clear when the incident occurred, but the gruesome killing is believed to have taken place in the sector of Nagorno-Karabakh occupied by Azeri troops as part of a peace deal struck last month that brought an end to a conflict between the two nations over the disputed territory.

In October Azeri forces were accused of beheading an Armenian soldier and posting a photograph of his decapitated head on social media, taunting the victim’s family.

Later the same month, the Council of Europe opened a war-crimes probe after video footage showed Armenian men Benik Hakobyan, 73, and 25-year-old Yuri Adamyan being shot, their arms tied behind their backs, by soldiers in Azeri uniforms.
Azerbaijan has dismissed the footage as fake and insists that its soldiers have not committed atrocities.

It is known that Turkey has shipped more than 2,000 jihadists from Syria to the region, with many fighting in Azeri army uniforms. More than 200 were killed during the Azeri military offensive while some 900 militants have returned to Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

With Azerbaijan having taken control of large swathes of land in the region following six weeks of fighting, some 2,000 Russian soldiers have been deployed as a peacekeeping force in the region.

The peace deal has led to growing anger among Armenians who blame Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for the loss of territory.
Protesters stormed the country’s parliament last month, branding Mr Pashinyan a traitor, and on Sunday the mayors of five cities in the Syunik region demanded his resignation in an open letter.

More than 34,500 Armenians have returned to the regional capital Stepanakert under the protection of Russian troops, the Kremlin said on Monday.

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/azeri-forces-accused-beheading-elderly-armenian-civilian

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Dutch parliament adopts resolution on need to decide status for Artsakh

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18:35, 9 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Dutch parliament unanimously adopted a resolution on the need to ensure the permanent security of the people of Artsakh and decide its status. ARMENPRESS was informed from the website of the Dutch parliament.

‘’There is an urgent need to initiate a final settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, to ensure strong security for the local population and to determine its status. To this end, we call on the government to make efforts within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group’’, reads the resolution.

 

[Yervant1]

Armenian cemetery desecrated after falling into Azerbaijan's hands

December 9, 2020 - 18:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Another Armenian cemetery has been destroyed and desecrated in areas that have gone under Azerbaijan's control in the aftermath of a devastating war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Fresh footage from the site was shared by Russian journalist Aleksandr Kots, the exact location and date of the video are unknown though. Evidence of Azeri troops destroying Armenian tombstones and houses have been spreading on social media for quite some time already.

In another video spreading online, some of the military equipment that Baku is going to display at a military parade on December 10 have crosses painted on them, which means Azerbaijan is going to parade Armenian equipment seized during the war.

[Yervant1]

Azerbaijanis hint will desecrate Christian Armenian monuments

December 8, 2020 - 15:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijanis have hinted they are going to inflict serious damage on the Armenian monastery of Dadivank and other monuments once they are handed over to the Azerbaijani side. For now, Russian peacekeepers are deployed in the area to protect the monastery.

According to Azerbaijani media publications, Chairman of Azerbaijan's Albanian-Udi Christian Community Robert Mobili, who also claims to be a geologist, has argued that "new crosses have been installed in the church" of Dadivank, which he maintained is a Udi place of worship, and not an Armenian one. This theory is supported and widely disseminated by the authorities of Azerbaijan, who go to great lengths to erase traces of indigenous Armenian culture and .

Mobili said Azerbaijan will "restore" all "our" religious monuments he claimed were "destroyed" by Armenians.

During the recent military hostilities, Azerbaijani forces launched two targeted attacks on the Holy Savior Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi. After taking control of the city, they destroyed the domes of Saint John the Baptist Church. Azerbaijanearlier "restored" a church by replacing its Armenian inscription with glass art.

Concerns about the preservation of cultural sites in Nagorno-Karabakh are made all the more urgent by the Azerbaijani government’s history of systemically destroying indigenous Armenian heritage—acts of both warfare and historical revisionism. The Azerbaijani government has secretly destroyed a striking number of cultural and religious artifacts in the late 20th century. Within Nakhichevan alone, a historically Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani forces destroyed at least 89 medieval churches, 5,840 khachkars (Armenian cross stones) and 22,000 historical tombstones between 1997 and 2006.

[Yervant1]

RT - Russia Today

Dec 9 2020

Azerbaijan accused of ethnic cleansing as horrifying footage appears to show elderly Armenian man being beheaded by soldiers

9 Dec, 2020 11:31

Shocking video purporting to show Azerbaijani troops executing a civilian has gone viral online, with Armenia alleging that it’s just one of a series of war crimes committed during the recent Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In the unauthenticated footage, shared widely by social media users, a man reported to be an elderly ethnic Armenian living in the contested province is seen pinned down by a man in army fatigues, before his throat is cut.

The incident comes as Armenia’s foreign minister used a meeting with his French counterpart in the capital, Yerevan, to allege that “ethnic cleansing” was taking place in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to reports by Russian news agency Sputnik. He also warned that the terms of the current ceasefire may not hold, saying that “by launching military aggression against the self-determination of [the province], Azerbaijan and Turkey have violated their international obligations. Azerbaijan has also violated its obligations in the peace process.”

In October, another viral video sparked fears that war crimes were being committed in the conflict. The footage showed two Armenian men being captured before being shot with their hands tied behind their backs. Armenian authorities identified them as Benik Hakobyan, 73, and Yuri Adamyan, 25. The Council of Europe, the continent’s top legal watchdog, confirmed that it would look into the video as an alleged abuse of human rights. However, the following day, Azerbaijan’s top legal official announced that an investigation into the videos had concluded that they were fake.

At the time, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told reporters that deep-seated ethnic tensions underpinned the conflict. He claimed that “Turkey [which provided support to Azerbaijan] has returned to the South Caucasus a hundred years later to continue its policy of genocide against Armenians.”

Baku has also accused Yerevan of committing similar violations of the laws governing warfare. In November, the Azeris announced that they would open an inquiry into potential crimes committed by both sides during the fierce fighting over the disputed province. Another clip shared on social media was said to show Armenian troops executing and beheading an Azeri prisoner of war.

In November, both sides announced a ceasefire agreement after talks brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. As part of the deal, Moscow announced that it would deploy troops to the region, in order to act as a barrier between the two sides, as well as to protect civilians.

Fact checkers have issued warnings over a number of shocking videos arising from the fighting in Nagorno-Karbakh, which they claim are part of an ongoing “information war.” One video, which attracted more than a quarter of a million views on Twitter, purported to show Iranians watching Azerbaijani and Armenian troops clash, as though it were a sporting event. However, it has since emerged that the video was taken from a military re-enactment in Russia in 2019.

https://www.rt.com/russia/509105-armenian-man-beheaded-azerbaijani-soldiers/?fbclid=IwAR1an-EUUtEvFcZWReq8iwH97PLnH3MsXhD95YFJ5eGJEO-nj_TdnOdSMow

[Yervant1]

Greek City Times

Dec 9 2020

An open letter to Armenia from a Romanianby GUEST BLOGGER

0

Armenia, I know your sorrow and your bravery. You fought for your ancestral land, for a righteous cause, and still the drums of victory and dances are heard on the side of those that are unfair and willful. Such tragic events often take place in human history.

As a Romanian, I know this better than most Europeans: my family had to leave their possessions from Macedonia due to Turkish oppression hundreds of years ago.

On another line of the family, we lost everything when the Bolsheviks took over our mansion and lands from Khotyn (in the historic Romanian region of Northern Bukovina) at the end of World War II.

I am thus sympathetic to the Armenian people, and pray for those that fought for their homeland and for their Orthodox faith and fell.

The conflict was asymmetric and the main disadvantage of Armenia was a lack of anti-UAV (Unmanned aerial vehicle) defense system, combined with a désuète military doctrine.

However, at individual level, it was evident that the character and training of the Armenian forces was superior to that of its opponents.

Right now the priority is to make measures in order to prevent further indirect or direct aggression from Turkey in the Caucasus and Balkan regions.

From my perspective, developing low-cost anti-UAV systems in Armenia (and Romania and Greece) is essential towards this purpose.

Autonomous systems and robotic drones technology can be made low cost, and with enough creativity, Armenia is able to develop its first medium range surveillance unmanned systems, anti-UAV UCAV (Unmanned aerial vehicle) and solid-propellant missiles in approximately one year, if a focused effort is made.

As I see the situation, Turkey would have an interest to create further political turmoil in both Armenia and the Balkans in order to distract people’s attention from the essential matters: it is up to the people to individually support and contribute to such a national effort.

This effort would require opening application-focused research projects at the National Polytechnic Institute of Armenia, the Yerevan University and other institutions. Hardware development would be done in research facilities distributed across the country.

Such facilities would be distributed across the country in the form of makerspaces with CNC machines and electronics laboratories.

These statements may surprise you, but I have to remind you that the beginnings of the Turkish UAV industry started with an MIT student drop-out, Selçuk Bayraktar, about ten years ago.

After obtaining support from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a few years ago, Baykar was able to produce multiple high tech UCAV and they started an extended STEM program in Turkey in order to train the next generation of engineers, scientists and military personnel.

Such measures can be also taken in the Balkans and Armenia, in order to be able to produce the technology that allows us to protect our national sovereignty.

Those that observed the political movements of the last years have seen an alarming increase in Turkey’s military spending and many aggressive moves, such as starting conflicts in the Aegean with the Greeks, illegally extracting natural gas from Romania’s maritime space, bringing war criminals and terrorists into the Nagorno-Karabakh region and many others.

From a geopolitical and geostrategic point of view, Turkey has a neo-Ottoman agenda, which includes eliminating competent elites (STEM, military, political) in the Balkans through the use of their Turkish-speaking private schools.

Moreover Turkey is evolving on a line in which it seems more probable to exit (or be excluded from) NATO and try to extend its control over the Black Sea (due to economic reasons, such as the Silk Road presence).

As a Romanian, I know that it is imperative that we act before it’s too late. The sleep of reason produces monsters.

The views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of Greek City Times.

Codrin Paul Oneci is a Romanian student studying aerospace engineering and physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/12/09/an-open-letter-to-armenia/?fbclid=IwAR3-DjEd_jH4MgHRWO64PnJ1FEE3tVpEGNTSjrpEtRkTOzOJHU6Suoyc5pA

[Yervant1]

The Guardian, UK

Dec 10 2020

Human rights groups detail 'war crimes' in Nagorno-Karabakh

Amnesty and Human Rights Watch release reports showing evidence of beheadings, torture and other abuse

Andrew Roth in Moscow

Thu 10 Dec 2020 16.50 GMT

Last modified on Thu 10 Dec 2020 17.44 GMT

Human rights organisations have raised the alarm after the emergence of videos of torture, beheadings, and other abuses, much of it shared over social networks, from the recent war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In a report on Thursday, Amnesty International said it had authenticated 22 videos from the conflict that depict extrajudicial executions, the mistreatment of prisoners of war and other captives, and desecration of the dead bodies of enemy soldiers.

 

Trench warfare, drones and cowering civilians: on the ground in Nagorno-Karabakh

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Amnesty said it had digitally verified videos showing decapitations and the desecration of corpses, although it stopped short of identifying many of the victims or the circumstances of their deaths. In particular, the report documented the execution by decapitation of two Armenian civilians and the cutting of an Azerbaijani border guard’s throat and urged both countries to investigate what it described as war crimes.

“The depravity and lack of humanity captured in these videos shows the deliberate intention to cause ultimate harm and humiliation to victims, in clear violation of international humanitarian law,” said Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s research director for eastern Europe and central Asia, in the report.

Earlier, Human Rights Watch released a report documenting how Azerbaijani forces had subjected Armenian prisoners of war to physical abuse and humiliation, including beating and slapping, in videos later shared online. Those cases had been verified with family members identifying the victims. Videos of the beheadings had been harder to confirm because they had been stripped of metadata showing where and when they were taken.

An Armenian human rights lawyer said that the country had taken more than 80 cases of mistreatment to the European court of human rights, and that the body of at least one captive was returned bearing signs of torture.

A Bayraktar TB2 drone in the military parade in Baku. Photograph: Valery Sharifulin/Tass

The report came as Azerbaijan celebrated its victory in the conflict by staging a major military parade in central Baku, with thousands of soldiers parading past the president, Ilham Aliyev, and Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who supported the country in the war. Also on display were Turkish Bayraktar TB2 armed drones that played a key role in the war.

In a speech, both Erdoğan and Aliyev indicated that the two countries would continue to press their territorial ambitions in the region.

“Azerbaijan’s saving its lands from occupation does not mean that the struggle is over,” Erdoğan said during the parade, according to a translation provided by France 24. “The struggle carried out in the political and military areas will continue from now on many other fronts.”

The latest war over the disputed territory ended one month ago in a Russian-brokered ceasefire that granted considerable territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. Both sides reported more than 2,700 soldiers killed, although the actual number may be higher. Russian peacekeepers have been deployed to the region, which had been run by an Armenian-backed local government since a bloody war in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/10/human-rights-groups-detail-war-crimes-in-nagorno-karabakh

[Yervant1]

Public Radio of Armenia

Dec 10 2020

Aliyev, Erdogan speeches a direct threat to the life and health of Armenian people – Ombudsman

Today, on December 10, during a military event taking place in the capital of Azerbaijan, the president of that country announced that Zangezur, Lake Sevan, and Yerevan are historical lands of Azerbaijan.

Following that, the president of Turkey glorified the organizers and perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide during the times of the Ottoman Empire and the mass atrocities against Armenians committed in Baku in September 1918. In addition to the aforementioned, the speeches of both Azerbaijani and Turkish presidents were full of hatred against the Armenian people, threatening the life and health of the whole population of Armenia, contained expressions of insults and instigating hatred.

The analyses of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender’s Office confirm that the statements and expressions of hatred and hostility included in the speeches of Azerbaijani and Turkish presidents were the same used also by Azerbaijani soldiers during this war while cruelly torturing, killing or degradingly treating the Armenian prisoners of war and captive civilians with excessive cynicism and humiliation.

“These have been the speeches that have formed the institutional preaching system in Azerbaijan during the years, aimed at disseminating and inflicting hatred and hostility against Armenians based on their ethnicity, endorsing explicit impunity and supporting all of this at the highest official level,” the Human Rights Defender said.

“During 2020 September-November the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Azerbaijani military forces have been beyond any human imagination by the volume and level of their cruelty: These have been actions, which require additional scientific research to understand what can be the extreme of cruelty a human being is capable of,” the Ombudsman said.

The Turkish president in his speech full of hatred and threats against the whole Armenian people, mentioned that today is the day of glorification of the souls of Ahmed Jevad *****, Nuri *****, Enver *****, and members of the Caucasus Islamic Army.

“It is an established fact that these people are the Young Turks, who have organized and committed the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire, accompanying it with killings, inflicting damages to health, tortures, and rape,” Tatoyan stated.

“Of those, Enver ***** in particular, during the years of the Armenian Genocide, was among the organizers of the atrocities, in his position as the military minister of the Ottoman Empire (1913-1918), and Jevad bey, organized and committed all genocidal actions during the First World War, in his position as Constantinople’s (now: Istanbul) city commandant and the member of Turkish state special organization “Teskilat Mahsume” based on the ideology of Pan -Turkism, serving in the rank of major-general. Moreover, these persons, in particular Nuri *****, who was Enver *****’s brother, as part of the Caucasus Islamic Army, took part in mass atrocities of September 1918 committed against Armenians in Baku, these atrocities were also accompanied by tortures and rape,” he added.

“Glorifying these persons by the Turkish president, and doing it by a public speech made during a military parade displays explicit genocidal intent. The aim of this speech is undoubtedly to inflict more hatred.,” the Human Rights Defender stressed.

“All of this is augmented by bluntly false statements blaming Armenians for destruction of Azerbaijani or Turkish religious heritage or objects,” he added.

“These speeches are direct threats aimed at life and health of the whole Armenian people, Armenia’s civilian population, an explicit terrorism, which are under absolute prohibition stipulated by the international law. The aforementioned speeches also affirm the Azerbaijani genocidal policy applied through methods of ethnic cleansing and terrorism during this war,” the Ombudsman said.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia called upon the international community to react and take substantive preventive measures with regards to those issues, which are in breach of fundamental principles of international law and undermine the whole international system human rights and humanitarian protection.

https://en.armradio.am/2020/12/10/aliyev-erdogan-speeches-a-direct-threat-to-the-life-and-health-of-armenian-people-ombudsman/

[Yervant1]

Public Radio of Armenia

Dec 10 2020

Aliyev lays claims on Armenian lands, hints at possible continuation of war

During a military parade in Baku, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev laid claims on Armenian lands and hinted at a possible continuation of the war.

Aliyev said Zangezur (in Armenia’s Syunik province), Sevan and Yerevan were “historic Azerbaijani lands and stated that “back in the 1980s, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis were expelled from their native lands.”

At the same time, Aliyev hinted that he is not satisfied with the current geopolitical situation.

He recalled that earlier he had repeatedly said “if Armenia fails to return our lands, we will resolve this issue by military means.”

 

https://en.armradio.am/2020/12/10/aliyev-lays-claims-on-armenian-lands-hints-at-possible-continuation-of-war/

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Armenpress.am

PM's spokesperson comments on announcements of Aliyev and Erdoğan

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20:49, 10 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Mane Gevorgyan, spokesperson to the Prime Minister of Armenia, commented on the announcements of Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Baku.

Gevorgyan particularly said,

''We strongly condemn the provocative announcements made by the Azerbaijani leader in Baku. Speaking about territorial ambitions against Armenia seriously questions Azerbaijan's readiness for establishing peace and deliberately puts regional peace and security under risk.

The claims of the Azerbaijani president that Azerbaijan solved Karabakh issue by military force once again shows who was the initiator of the war and use of force and who tries to lead the region to further destabilization and challenges. Those announcements make the international recognition of the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination an imperative for preventing new genocidal aspirations of Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of Artsakh.

Those statements contradict the spirit of the November 9 trilateral declaration. Speaking with the Armenian people with threats is condemnable and cannot bring lasting stability in South Caucasus. It's also strongly condemnable the glorification of the ideologies of the Young Turks, the architectures of the Armenian Genocide by the Turkish president. Such acts put Turkey's announcements, including about their readiness to contribute to the establishment of regional peace and stability, under question.

Aliyev said Yerevan, Sevan and Zangezur are Azerbaijani territories during a military parade in Baku, and Erdoğan said in his speech that this day is ‘’the he day of enlightenment of the souls of Enver *****, Nuri ***** and soldiers of the Caucasus Islamic Army’’.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1037451.html?fbclid=IwAR3qXQfMPnaM3xgxCe4Pjii89izuAPbahkN-7wAzbwJRadto0oXTeXucT4k

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News.am, Armenia

Dec 11 2020

Zatulin: Parade in Baku is attempt to humiliate not only Armenia and Armenians, but also Russia

20:25, 11.12.2020

Region:Armenia, Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia

The parade held in Baku yesterday was an insult and an attempt to humiliate not only Armenia and the Armenian people, but also Armenia’s ally Russia. This is what First Deputy Chairman of the CIS Affairs, European Integration and Relations with Compatriots of the Russian State Duma Konstantin Zatulin said during today’s discussion on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

According to him, the Azerbaijani president’s comparisons of the Nagorno-Karabakh war and the Great Patriotic War and the fight against Fascism are phony and offensive and worthy of condemnation.

“Russia understands that the well-known signed agreement is not the final resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since it doesn’t state anything about the status of the remaining part of Nagorno-Karabakh. I categorically consider negotiations through force impossible. I hope this doesn’t happen after Russia’s entry into Nagorno-Karabakh. Aliyev understands that his statements on Zangezur, Yerevan and Sevan “belonging” to Azerbaijan are a provocation,” the deputy said.

“Aliyev’s claims are unrealistic. The propagandistic statements about Christian churches in Azerbaijan or the 20,000 Armenians living in Turkey are always criticized. Those 20,000 Armenians who supposedly live and prosper in Turkey would have been more in number, if there was no genocide,” he added.

https://news.am/eng/news/618454.html

[Yervant1]

While idiot politicians in Armenia are busy with power grab, the fake sultan is trying for more land grab! We will never learn, preach unity and practice the opposite.

The Guardian, UK

Dec 12 2020

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: accusations of peace deal breaches

Armenian officials and Azerbaijan point finger at each other over new clashes in Gadrut region

Associated Press

Sat 12 Dec 2020 19.13 GMT

Armenian officials and Azerbaijan on Saturday accused each other of breaching a peace deal that ended six weeks of fierce fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, with Azerbaijan’s leader threatening to crush Armenian forces with an “iron fist”.

The new clashes mark the first significant breach of the peace deal brokered by Russia on 10 November which saw Azerbaijan reclaim control over broad swathes of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding lands which were held by Armenian forces for more than a quarter of a century.

 

Separatist officials in Nagorno-Karabakh said the Azerbaijani military launched an attack late on Friday that left three local ethnic Armenian servicemen wounded.

Human rights groups detail 'war crimes' in Nagorno-Karabakh

Read more

Russian peacekeepers deployed to the region to monitor the peace deal reported a violation of the ceasefire in the Gadrut region on Friday. The report issued on Saturday by the Russian defence ministry did not assign blame.

 

 

 

Later in the day, the Armenian defence ministry also charged that the Azerbaijani army mounted an attack in the south of Nagorno-Karabakh on Saturday.

Azerbaijani’s president, Ilham Aliyev, reacted on Saturday by blaming Armenia for the new clashes and threatened to “break its head with an iron fist”.

“Armenia shouldn’t try to start it all over again,” Aliyev said during a meeting with top diplomats from the United States and France who have tried to mediate the decades-old conflict. “It must be very cautious and not plan any military action. This time, we will fully destroy them. It mustn’t be a secret to anyone.”

Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said in a statement late Saturday that its forces thwarted Armenian “provocations” and restored the ceasefire.

Armenian officials said the fighting raged near the villages of Hin Tager and Khtsaberd, the only settlements in the Gadrut region that are still controlled by Armenian forces. They noted that the two villages have been fully encircled by the Azerbaijani army, which controls the only road leading to them.

Armenian protesters demand prime minister quit over deal with Nagorno-Karabakh

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Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but had been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994. That war left Nagorno-Karabakh itself and substantial surrounding territory in Armenian hands.

During the 44 days of fighting that began in late September and left more than 5,600 people dead on both sides, the Azerbaijani army pushed deep into Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing Armenia to accept last month’s peace deal, which saw Azerbaijan reclaim much of the separatist region along with surrounding areas. Russia deployed almost 2,000 peacekeepers for at least five years to monitor the peace deal and to facilitate the return of refugees.

Azerbaijan marked its victory with a military parade on Thursday that was attended by the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and involved more than 3,000 troops, dozens of military vehicles and a flyby of combat aircraft.

The peace deal was a major shock for Armenians, triggering protests calling for the resignation of the prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, who has refused to step down. He described the peace agreement as a bitter but necessary move that prevented Azerbaijan from taking over all of Nagorno-Karabakh.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/12/armenian-officials-and-azerbaijan-accuse-of-breeching-nagorno-karabakh-peace-deal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Yervant1]

Mehr News Agency, Iran

Dec 12 2020

Russia urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to uphold Karabakh ceasefire

TEHRAN, Dec. 12 (MNA) – Russian peacekeepers called on Armenia and Azerbaijan Republic to uphold Karabakh ceasefire after violation claims.

The hostilities ceased in the disputed region after the sides signed a declaration on November 10 to stop the bloodshed, which erupted at the end of September 2020 and claimed thousands of lives, including civilians.

A spokesperson for the Russian peacekeepers stated that Armenia and Azerbaijan have been reminded about the necessity to uphold the ceasefire regime in accordance with the previously signed declaration after a ceasefire violation was detected in Hadrut Province in the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). Peacekeepers have already arrived in the local settlements of Khtsaberd and Khin Taher, which were affected by the skirmish, to investigate which of the sides violated the ceasefire.

Previously, the defense ministry of Armenia claimed that Azerbaijan had renewed hostilities in the direction of the villages of Khin Taher (Old Taglar) and Khtsaberd on December 12. The two settlements are located in the southern part of the Karabakh in Hadrut Province, most of which is currently controlled by Baku, Sputnik reported.

Armenia claimed that their forces were undertaking "adequate actions" in regards to the offensive, without delving into details. There is no official information regarding casualties as a result of the skirmish, but reports suggest that three reservists received wounds of varying degrees of severity.

Azerbaijan, in turn, stated that its military had stopped a "provocation" purportedly attempted by Armenian forces involving a ceasefire violation on Yerevan's part. Baku added that the ceasefire regime is being upheld "at the moment".

MA/PR

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/167085/Russia-urges-Armenia-Azerbaijan-to-uphold-Karabakh-ceasefire

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Armenpress.am

Azerbaijani forces attempt attack in southern direction of Artsakh Defense Army

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11:24, 12 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Army of Artsakh denies the Azerbaijani media reports according to which the Armenian forces launched an armed provocation in the Hadrut section as a result of which an Azerbaijani servicemen has been wounded.

“The truth is that on December 11, at around 20:40, the Azerbaijani side launched an attack attempt in the direction of one of the military positions located in the southern direction of the Defense Army. Three reservists have received gunshot wounds of various degrees as a result of exchange of fire. Their lives are not under danger. Investigation is underway to clarify the details of the incident”, the Artsakh Defense Army said in a statement.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1037602.html?fbclid=IwAR2PUemvc-SaFUW3_IiRFu2DreS7oh7Igf7My2cSn0LUH7ybEBMe3yOaz_E