cease-fire violations by azeris

[Yervant1]

March 26 2022

"We must investigate actions of Russian peacekeepers”: PM Pashinyan’s appeal to Putin

• JAMnews
  

• Yerevan

PM Pashinyan appealed to Putin amid escalation in Karabakh

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces continue to hold the positions taken on March 24 in Nagorno-Karabakh, in the zone of responsibility of Russian peacekeepers, negotiations on their return to their original positions are ongoing. The night of March 26 was relatively stable, but in the afternoon, from 11:00 am, units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued their attempts to advance towards the eastern border of the unrecognized NKR, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed.

As a result of the actions of the Azerbaijan in the previous two days, three Armenian servicemen were killed, 14 were wounded and the condition of two is assessed as critical.

In Armenia, the effectiveness of the mission of Russian peacekeepers stationed in NK is being discussed, since the strategically important Karaglukh height (Dashbashi height in Azerbaijani) captured by Azerbaijan is located in the zone of their responsibility. This issue was also discussed during a telephone conversation between the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Russia.

However, on March 26, information was received that the leadership of the unrecognized republic had decided to send an official letter to the President of Russia with a request to increase the contingent of peacekeeping forces.

What else is known at this moment: the version of the loss of height, the details of the Pashinyan–Putin conversation, what the Armenian side expects from Russia, Armenia’s appeal to the European Court of Human Rights and the International Court of Justice below.

• Armenia claims Azerbaijani forces captured strategic point in Karabakh
  
• Armenian PM: “Baku’s actions prove Azerbaijan is responsible for blowing up gas pipe in Karabakh”


• Opinion from Yerevan: “Direct Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue is unlikely”

“Peacekeepers offered to remove Armenian posts”

A controversial explanation of the loss of Karaglukh height was presented to Armenian journalists by the former commander of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army Samvel Babayan. According to him, Russian peacekeepers offered to remove both Armenian and Azerbaijani positions from these areas in order to reduce tension. This happened a week ago.

Since February, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have been shelling Armenian villages located on the line of contact. Loudspeakers periodically played a message in Armenian calling on residents to leave their homes in order to save their lives.

Samvel Babayan stated that the agreement was fulfilled only by the Armenian side, and the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, taking advantage of the situation, advanced in these territories. The Russian peacekeepers offered no resistance.

“The Armenian side must demand that Russia return the Karaglukh height, because it was at the suggestion of Russia that we removed our positions from there”, Samvel Babayan believes.

However, the Armenian side continues to expect that Russia will make efforts for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“The authorities of Artsakh express the hope that the decisive efforts of the Russian side will allow the Azerbaijani troops to return to their original positions, and the civilians of Artsakh to their homes. Otherwise, the security guarantees provided to the civilian population living in Artsakh may be seriously called into question”, the NK Information Headquarters said in a statement.

Pashinyan-Putin: “Return Azerbaijani Armed Forces to their original positions”

On the evening of March 25, the Prime Minister of Armenia spoke on the phone with the President of Russia about the situation “that has developed as a result of the invasion of Azerbaijani units of an area in the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh”.

According to the press service of the government, Nikol Pashinyan assessed the situation on the line of contact as tense and stated

• the need to investigate the actions of Russian peacekeepers in this situation,
  
• the need to ensure the return of the Azerbaijani armed forces to their original positions.

“The leaders of the two countries agreed to make efforts to resolve the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh”, the report says.

“Opportunities for cooperation with Russia have not been exhausted”

This is the opinion of the chairman of the parliamentary commission on foreign relations, Eduard Aghajanyan. In a conversation with journalists, he said that, based on the response of people on social media, he had the impression that Armenian society doubted this.

“They are asking whether it is possible that what is happening is the result of some agreements between Azerbaijanis and Russian peacekeepers. I personally do not want to think so, I have no reason or even desire to think in this direction.

But I think that this is an issue that should be resolved by concrete actions by our Russian partners, and as a result, the Azerbaijani armed forces will return to their original positions, and this tension will subside. I think that after this, the perceptions of our society will change, the mentioned doubts or fears will disappear”, Aghajanyan said.

According to him, negotiations with the Russian side are ongoing, constant communication is maintained between the defense ministers:

“However, as a member of the National Assembly, as chairman of the commission on foreign relations, I count on a political result, on a concrete practical result that will substantiate the mandate of the Russian peacekeepers. And in this way, such provocations in the territory under their responsibility will be excluded in the future”.

Enclaves – islands of Armenian-Azerbaijani confrontation

The question of whether to exchange or return enclaves remains open for both Armenia and Azerbaijan since the seocnd Karabakh war. But what is an enclave and where did they come from?

“Drones targeted soldiers who were helping the wounded”

MK Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan has visited the hospital where wounded servicemen are being treated.

“According to the information which is being specified at the moment, 14 people received injuries of varying degrees. The condition of 10 persons is assessed by doctors as mild, one is of moderate severity, one is severe, and two are critical.

During personal conversations with the wounded, it was discovered that almost all the wounds were received as a result of the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Some of them were deliberately fired upon by drones while trying to provide first aid to their wounded friends”, the Ombudsman wrote on his Facebook page.

Gegham Stepanyan believes that actions against military personnel under the ceasefire regime should also be considered as crimes and gross violations of international humanitarian law.

Life as it is: Aftermath of the second Karabakh war. A film from Armenia

Life As It Is a film telling a story of a young family with two children lived in Shushi (the name in Azerbaijan is Shusha) but had to start a new life in Armenia after the second Karabakh war

Appeal to the European Court of Human Rights

Armenia submitted to the ECtHR a demand to apply an interim urgent measure against Azerbaijan “in connection with the recent violations of the rights of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh”.

The message of the Armenian representative office for international legal issues states that the court has been presented with facts and evidence that since February, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have periodically voiced threats to the civilian population, demanding to leave their homes:

“The request for an interim measure also includes cases of indiscriminate shelling of the civilian population of Artsakh, including schools and damage to the gas pipeline supplying Artsakh with natural gas. In these adverse weather conditions, the entire population of Artsakh, all structures, including hospitals and schools, were left without natural gas. Such actions pose a direct threat not only to the village of Khramort, but to the entire population of Artsakh.

Based on these facts and comparing them with the case law of the European Court, the representative of Armenia on international legal issues stated that the actions of Azerbaijan directly threaten the fundamental rights of the population of Artsakh, protected by the Convention, and contain the threat of irreversible loss. The European Court has been demanded to apply an interim urgent measure against Azerbaijan, to oblige it to stop threats, shelling and restore natural gas supplies”.

What’s behind new gas outages in Karabakh: technical shutdown or sabotage?

The gas supply to Nagorno-Karabakh has once again stopped, the local information center reported about this in the evening of March 22

On March 25, the representative of Armenia on international legal issues also appealed to the International Court of Justice with a call to pay attention to the violations committed by Azerbaijan.

https://jam-news.net/we-must-investigate-actions-of-russian-peacekeepers-pm-pashinyans-appeal-to-putin/

[Yervant1]

ARAB NEWS

March 26 2022

Russia accuses Azerbaijan of violating cease-fire deal in Nagorno-Karabakh region

• Moscow had called on Azerbaijan to pull out its troops, and was “applying efforts” to move forces to their initial positions
  
• Reuters

MOSCOW: Moscow on Saturday accused Azerbaijan of violating a ceasefire agreement by entering the Russian peacekeeping mission's zone in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, the first time Russia publicly assigned the blame for violating the 2020 deal.

The Russian defense ministry also accused Azerbaijani troops of using Turkish-made drones to strike Karabakh troops, while the foreign ministry in Moscow expressed “extreme concern” over the spiralling tensions in the region.

Incidents between the armed forces of arch enemies Azerbaijan and Armenia have been frequent in recent months but Saturday's announcement was the first time since the end of the hostilities over Karabakh in November, 2020 that Moscow has accused one of the parties of violating the uneasy cease-fire.

Moscow denounced the flare-up on the 31st day of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, with signs indicating that both sides were digging in for a protracted conflict in the pro-Western country.

The Kremlin said on Saturday that President Vladimir Putin had discussed the situation with Armenian leader Nikol Pashinyan twice — on Friday and Thursday.

“Violating the provisions of a trilateral statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia from November 9, 2020, Azerbaijan's armed forces between March 24 and March 25 entered the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh and set up an observation post,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

The statement added that Turkish-made drones were used to strike Karabakh troops near the village of Farukh also known as Parukh.

Russia urged Azerbaijan to pull back troops.

“An appeal has been sent to the Azerbaijani side to withdraw its troops,” the defense ministry said.

“The command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent is taking measures to resolve the situation.”

The foreign ministry in Moscow urged all the parties “to exercise restraint and ensure strict compliance with the existing tripartite agreements.”

There was no immediate reaction from Azerbaijan.

In 2020, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war over the long-contested enclave which claimed more than 6,500 lives.

A ceasefire deal brokered by Putin saw Yerevan cede swathes of territory, with Russia deploying a peacekeeping contingent to the mountainous region.

On Saturday, the breakaway region's defence ministry said in a statement that Azerbaijani drones had killed three people and wounded another 15.

“Azerbaijan's armed forces are continuing to remain in the village of Parukh,” the statement added.

Armenia called on the international community to prevent attempts aimed at “destabilising the situation in the South Caucasus.”

“We also expect the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh to undertake concrete, visible steps to resolve the situation and prevent new casualties and hostilities,” the Armenian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Yerevan said that the “invasion" of Parukh “was preceded by constant shelling of Armenian settlements and civilian infrastructure.”

Armenia's foreign ministry said earlier this week that Azerbaijani troops on Thursday moved into the village of Parukh — under control of Russian peacekeepers — in what they said was “a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.”

Armenia has also warned of a possible “humanitarian catastrophe” in Karabakh after gas supplies to the disputed region were cut off following repair work.

Yerevan has accused Azerbaijan of deliberately leaving Karabakh's ethnic-Armenian population without natural gas, a charge which Azerbaijan's foreign ministry rejected as “baseless.”

Ethnic Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, and the ensuing conflict claimed around 30,000 lives.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2050886/world

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.com

United States “deeply concerned” over “irresponsible and unnecessarily provocative” Azeri troop movements

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10:24, 26 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS. The United States is deeply concerned about Azerbaijan troop movements, the US State Department said.

“…..we are closely monitoring the situation along the line of contact established following the November 2020 ceasefire. The United States is deeply concerned about Azerbaijan troop movements. Troop movements and other escalatory measures are irresponsible and unnecessarily provocative,” US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter said at a press briefing when asked by a reporter about the situation.

“And to your question on the phone call between our Assistant Secretary Karen Donfried, I can confirm that our assistant secretary did speak with both the Armenian and – Armenian foreign minister and the Azerbaijani foreign minister on March 24th, and she just reiterated what Secretary Blinken told the Prime Minister Pashinyan as well as President Aliyev on March 21st and 22nd, which was calling both sides to show restraint and intensify diplomatic engagement to find comprehensive solutions to all of the outstanding issues. Armenia and Azerbaijan just need to use direct communication channels to immediately de-escalate.

On your second question, the United States, as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, remains deeply committed to working with the sides to achieve a long-term political settlement of the conflict,” Porter said.

On March 24-25 the Azerbaijani troops attacked Artsakh military positions and invaded the Parukh village.

Azeri drone strikes killed 3 Artsakh troops and wounded 15 others.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1078964.html?fbclid=IwAR2glKpOIfjWJKZysHmYUKJNy00PN8Pny2a9zcEcQbRTlZ_OORhnfwy0CEY

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Armenpress.com

France calls on Azerbaijan to pull back troops from Artsakh villages

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10:37, 26 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS. France expressed concern over the Azerbaijani military advance in Nagorno Karabakh.

“France expresses regret over the recorded incidents in Nagorno Karabakh, particularly the armed incidents and the troop advance in Parukh and Khramort regions. France calls on the forces, which, as reported, have advanced, to pull back to their initial positions in accordance to the November 9 2020 ceasefire statement,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement.

The French foreign ministry also expressed concern over the gas supply cut-off in Nagorno Karabakh, demanding the restoration of the supply. It said that this issue has been noted during the French foreign minister’s phone calls with Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts.

On March 24-25 the Azerbaijani troops attacked Artsakh military positions and invaded the Parukh village.

Azeri drone strikes killed 3 Artsakh troops and wounded 15 others.

On March 8, the authorities of Artsakh said that the main pipeline supplying gas from Armenia to Artsakh was damaged and the supply was stopped.

The Artsakh authorities had said the area where the damage occurred was in Azerbaijani-controlled territory. It was reported that the Azerbaijani military deliberately damaged the pipeline.

The Azerbaijani authorities obstructed repair works for days. Only on March 16 the authorities in Artsakh announced that the Azerbaijani side itself began the repair work. However, days later, the gas supply was cut again. Authorities said they have reasons to believe that during the repairs the Azeri authorities installed a valve on the pipeline in order to shut it down whenever they want.

Meanwhile, the population of Artsakh is without gas and heating amid freezing temperatures and snowfalls. The Artsakh foreign ministry described Azerbaijan’s actions as humanitarian terrorism.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry said the current situation emphasizes the urgency of clear response of the international community towards preventing the humanitarian crisis.

On March 22 the Human Rights Defender of Armenia Kristinne Grigoryan and the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh Gegham Stepanyan issued a joint statement, calling on international human rights organizations to pressure Azerbaijan and eliminate its gross and continuous human rights violations against the Armenians of Artsakh.

On March 23, the FM of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said they utilized all diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation.

On March 23, the European Union expressed its concerns.

On March 24, Freedom House urged Azerbaijan to prevent humanitarian crisis and restore gas supplies to Artsakh.

 

 

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[Yervant1]

March 27 2022

Russia has accused Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire agreement with Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Arzu March 27, 2022 3 min read

Moscow on Saturday (March 26) accused Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire with Armenia signed after the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, deploying troops in areas controlled by Russian forces to maintain peace.

There are frequent incidents between the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces, but this is the first time since the conflict in November 2020 that Moscow has accused Vladimir Putin of violating the guarantee agreement. This renewed tension comes at a tense time, during which time Russia has launched a large-scale offensive against Ukraine.

Read more The article is reserved for our subscribersThe role of the Russian military in Karabakh is discussed in Azerbaijan

“Between March 24 and 25, Azerbaijan’s armed forces entered the territory under the responsibility of the Nagorno-Karabakh peacekeeping mission in violation of a tripartite agreement between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia (…).In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry condemned the attack.

The drone strikes

In Baguio, there is the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan “Sorry” Russian report “One who does not reflect the truth and accepts only one point of view”. Promised that “Azerbaijan has not violated any rules” Ceasefire Agreement and “Russian Defense Ministry calls for full withdrawal of Armenian troops and illegal armed forces from this internationally recognized territory owned by Azerbaijan.”.

According to Russia, Azerbaijani forces have set up a monitoring station “Four attacks by Pyrrhic type drones” On the Karabakh forces near the Farouk area. “Peacekeeping Commission of Russia commands action to resolve situation (…) Appeal for withdrawal of troops sent to Azerbaijan”The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Read more The article is reserved for our subscribers“It feels like a siege”: a year after the war, the sad life of Nagorno-Karabakh citizens

An Azerbaijani drone killed three people and wounded fifteen, according to Karabakh officials. “Azerbaijan Armed Forces still in Farouk village”, Karabakh Ministry of Defense lamented. Russian diplomacy revealed it “Deep Concern”.

Two soldiers were killed on Friday

The agreement, signed on November 9, 2020 by Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Armenia, Nicole Pashinian and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, marked the end of a six-week violent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over control of Nagorno-Karabakh. . Azerbaijani forces made significant regional gains.

Read more The article is reserved for our subscribersNagorno-Karabakh: Vladimir Putin has sealed Yerevan’s defeat after a “complete ceasefire” agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

On Friday, Karabakh officials said two soldiers had been killed by Azerbaijani forces. Armenian Foreign Ministry condemns Saturday “Invasion” It happened and was marked on March 24th “Fixed artillery attack”. He accused his neighbor Karabakh of losing gas and preventing people from warming up, and condemned the situation. “On the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe”.

“We expect the Russian peacekeeping force in Nagorno-Karabakh to take clear action to resolve the situation and prevent further war casualties.”Armenian diplomacy was added.

For its part, the Kremlin on Saturday called on MM. Pashinyan and Putin have twice discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh situation, the day before and the day before.

The Nagorno-Karabakh mountain range, populated mainly by Armenians, was supported by Yerevan, which seceded from Azerbaijan in the fall of the Soviet Union, leading to the First War in the 1990s, killing 30,000 people and creating hundreds of thousands of refugees.

A new conflict erupted in the fall of 2020, killing 6,500 people in six weeks. This ended in a crushing defeat for Armenia, forcing Azerbaijan to cede three areas that form a glacier around Nagorno-Karabakh.

Read our review: The article is reserved for our subscribersBetween Baku and Yerevan, increasing risks

World with AFP

https://www.balkantravellers.com/russia-has-accused-azerbaijan-of-violating-the-ceasefire-agreement-with-armenia-in-the-nagorno-karabakh-region/

[Yervant1]

Al-Arabiya, UAE

March 27 2022

Russia says Azeri troops pull back from Karabakh village

AFP

Russia said Sunday that Azerbaijan had pulled back troops from a Karabakh village following talks after Moscow accused Baku of violating a ceasefire.

“The Azerbaijani side carried out the withdrawal of its units from near the settlement of Farukh,” the Russian defense ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also said Azerbaijan’s troops had twice violated a ceasefire in the Askeran region of the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, and four people had been wounded as a result of a shootout.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

“In cooperation with representatives of the parties to the conflict, the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent has stabilized the situation,” the statement said.

There was no immediate comment from Azerbaijan.

On Saturday, Moscow accused Azerbaijan of violating a ceasefire agreement by entering the Russian peacekeeping mission’s zone in Karabakh.

In 2020, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war over the long-contested enclave which claimed more than 6,500 lives.

A ceasefire deal brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin saw Yerevan cede swathes of territory, with Russia deploying a peacekeeping contingent to the mountainous region.

The village of Farukh, also known as Parukh, is under control of Russia’s peacekeepers.

On Saturday, Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said it “regretted the one-sided statement of Russia’s defense ministry, which does not reflect the truth,” adding that “Azerbaijan didn’t violate a single provision” of the ceasefire agreement.

A new flare-up in tensions came a month after Putin sent troops to pro-Western Ukraine, with signs indicating that both sides were digging in for a protracted conflict.

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2022/03/27/Russia-says-Azeri-troops-pull-back-from-Karabakh-village-

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.com

Azerbaijan pulls back troops from Parukh village, Russian peacekeepers say

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21:05, 27 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. The Russian Ministry of Defense said that the Azerbaijani military pulled back its troops from the village of Parukh in Artsakh as a result of negotiations with Russian peacekeepers.

“As a result of negotiations the Azerbaijani side pulled back its units from the Parukh settlement,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said.

The Russian Ministry of Defense also accused Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire again in Askeran region. “Two people from each side were wounded in the shootout.The Russian peacekeeping contingent stabilized the situation in cooperation with the representatives of the parties to the conflict.”

On March 24-25 the Azerbaijani troops attacked Artsakh military positions and invaded the Parukh village. Azeri drone strikes killed 3 Artsakh troops and wounded 15 others.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1079037.html?fbclid=IwAR1I6xTOptKBEeTjIC19MQzWOnBqNsoPS7HwxU8uEPllE0z2IMing7oK3Yk

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

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Armenpress.com

Azeri troops still deployed in Karaglukh area adjacent to Parukh, Artsakh authorities say

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00:08, 29 March, 2022

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. No significant ceasefire violations occurred on the Artsakh line of contact on March 28 and the operative-tactical situation remained tense, the Artsakh authorities said through a statement published by the official InfoCenter of Artsakh.

“The Azerbaijani troops remain in their positions in Karaglukh section adjacent to Parukh and no changes in positions took place during the day. The Artsakh Armed Forces took additional warning and suppressive measures especially in the direction of Karaglukh. Parallel with this, works continue with the Russian peacekeeping contingent’s command with the purpose of withdrawing the Azerbaijani side to their initial positions,” the Artsakh authorities said, urging the population to remain calm.

On March 24-25 the Azerbaijani troops attacked Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) military positions and invaded the Parukh village.

Azeri drone strikes killed 3 Artsakh troops and wounded 15 others.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1079152.html?fbclid=IwAR3lcYmCDyOUuAzLKiVz_diKs1q0mf2JXyKsqeE7vmBYOVYmfcJ81X88Fe0

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Armenpress.com

Basque politician urges the international community to stop dictator Aliyev

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18:45, 29 March, 2022

YEREVAN, 29 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The international community should stop dictator Aliyev not allowing new aggression of Azerbaijan against Artsakh, ARMENPRESS reports member of the Congress of Deputies of Spain, Basque by nationality, Jon Iñarritu said, talking about the situation in Artsakh and the regular hostile actions by Azerbaijan.

 

“Azerbaijan uses the deviation of the international press on Ukraine in order to attack Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). For weeks, the armed forces of Azerbaijan has been violating the ceasefire agreement signed in November 2020. The international community should stop dictator (satrap) Aliyev.” Basque member of parliament wrote on his twitter page.

For weeks, Azerbaijan has been consistently aggravating the military, humanitarian and moral situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, trying to intimidate the Armenians of Artsakh by various means. The Artsakh authorities, human rights activists, describe it as a state policy of intimidation against the people of Artsakh.

During the last month, the local population was twice deprived of heating, in particular, gas supply. During that time, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired several times at a number of Armenian settlements and roads. The tension increased sharply when on March 24 the Azerbaijani troops, grossly violating the 2020 agreement, invaded the area of responsibility of the peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation in the Artsakh Republic, taking control of the village of Parukh in the Askeran region and adjacent positions, then trying to secure advancment on the eastern border of the Artsakh Republic. On March 27, the Russian peacekeeping force announced that as a result of the talks, the Azerbaijani side had withdrawn its units from Parukh.

 

 

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[Yervant1]

NEWS.am

Armenia - March 30 2022

What remains Azerbaijanis 'discovered' in invasion area near village of Parukh

19:04, 30.03.2022

If there is no evidence, it must be invented. This is exactly what the Azerbaijani authorities are guided by, distorting the facts without any shame and, if necessary, pulling the "evidence" out of the sleeve with the dexterity of an illusionist. In this case - bones and skulls.

As Azerbaijani authorities informed on Wednesday, the Azerbaijani military, which invaded the Karabakh village of Parukh on 24 March, "discovered" some remains, and it is already claimed that they were "tortured" Azerbaijanis in the first Karabakh war.

"These are supposed to be Azerbaijani soldiers who died fighting with Armenian occupants for the village and nearby heights," the Azerbaijani media write, without asking what the Azerbaijani soldiers were doing near the Armenian village and who is the occupant here. Obviously, they were doing what they are doing today - trying to capture the village.

The Azerbaijani military "discovered" many such "graves". And now the Azerbaijani authorities will try to use this falsified "evidence" to appeal to international courts, accusing the Armenian army of "inhuman treatment of prisoners and civilians.

The Azerbaijani authorities, who are doing their best to encourage Armenophobia and Aliyev, who personally rewarded literally thugs, are now busy creating "evidence" of the crimes allegedly committed by Armenians. Accusing the Armenian side of not providing data on the burial sites, Azerbaijan itself is in no hurry to hand over the live prisoners, nor to report the burial sites of about a thousand Armenians who died in the first war.

https://news.am/eng/news/694150.html

[Yervant1]

Asbarez.com

Tensions Continue in Karaglukh as Artsakh Warns of Threats to Armenian Landmarks in Askeran

by Asbarez Staff

March 31, 2022

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Armenian cultural landmarks in Askeran are under the threat of destruction by Azerbaijan

As tensions in Askeran region continued to mount on Thursday, Artsakh’s authorities warned of threats against Armenian cultural and religious landmarks in the Parukh village and Karaglukh Heights, where since Friday Azerbaijani forces have advanced their positions.

The Artsakh Information Center reported that efforts for an Azerbaijani troops pull back from the invaded area were ongoing.
Artsakh’s Deputy Culture Minister Lernik Hovhannisyan warned that Armenian cultural landmarks surrounding Karaglukh are under threat of destruction by Azerbaijanis, explaining that the area is distinguished by its rich historical-cultural landmarks that establishes the centuries-old history of Artsakh and the identity of the people of Artsakh.

“The territory needs further detailed research as just several months ago the State Service for Protection of Historical Landmarks carried out studies there, and discovered more than 20 new cross-stones,” said Hovhannisyan. “This shows that Karaglukh probably has monuments that have not been discovered yet.”

The deputy minister said that the historical landscape and Artsakh’s cultural identity is being threatened.

“The policy of ethnocide by Azerbaijan has not changed. The impunity of Azerbaijani authorities leads to new crimes, which is taking place before our eyes every day under the silence of the international community. The rich historical-cultural heritage of Artsakh needs protection,” he said.

The Parukh-Karaglukh site is very important from the perspective of the historical-cultural heritage of Artsakh. Karaglukh is located 10 km north-west from the town of Askeran, near a rock called Shikakar.

The Shikakar fortress of the village is an important historical site and played a significant role in the defense of Artsakh.

By the 2011 decision of the government of Artsakh, the historical-cultural monuments of Parukh were included into the state list of protected historical and cultural monuments of the Askeran region. Accordingly, there are more than 20 monuments, including two churches, the famous Shikakar-Karaglukh castle, cultural monuments, cemeteries and cross-stones, in the territory, explained Hovhannisyan.

https://asbarez.com/tensions-continue-in-karaglukh-as-artsakh-warns-of-threats-to-armenian-landmarks-in-askeran/?fbclid=IwAR2B-UrVUZf_lMdHRt-ZFvCCo8dO06AMmEKO2faFTZFbIj2VvUuvX_k1n10

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Armenpress.com

Azerbaijan’s false narratives attempt to develop legitimacy for attacking Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, warns PM Pashinyan

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11:13, 31 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made several clarification during the Cabinet meeting regarding the March 28 statement of the Security Council, which said that Azerbaijan is planning to make new provocations and attacks against Nagorno Karabakh.

“We’d recorded that there is a big possibility for such developments also at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. This statement naturally caused additional questions and I would like to make several clarifications and substantiations in order for the situation in the region to be clearer both in Armenia and in the international community,” Pashinyan said.

PM Pashinyan said that before, during and after the 2020 war Azerbaijan is engaged in a policy of developing a narrative attempting to substantiate military attack against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Pashinyan said that Azerbaijan starts off by releasing narratives, suggestions or comments into the diplomatic and public arena, and then starts to accuse Armenia in either not responding or destructively responding or rejecting these narratives, suggestions or comments, and then attributes some promises to Armenia and makes up some agreements.

“And then in this context it attributes to Armenia destructiveness, rejection, breaking promises or agreements, starts to build aggressive rhetoric on top of these accusations, followed by aggressive actions, which are then justified with the abovementioned narratives and formulas. This conduct, which was repeated numerously, now continues and it is obvious that with this Azerbaijan is trying to develop a legitimacy for a large-scale attack against Nagorno Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia and my goal is to show that this narrative is unfounded and not legitimate,” Pashinyan said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1079402.html?fbclid=IwAR3umG75ll4ZyknB79YvSQaFJCeNaCgi14Tojt0w-LdCVz3J_mBHTlVjc6A

[Yervant1]

New war is on the horizon, are we ready for it?

 

Armenpress.com

Azerbaijan is trying to displace all Armenians from Nagorno Karabakh in order to consider issue closed – Pashinyan

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11:44, 31 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. In its public and diplomatic responses Armenia has recorded that there is the Nagorno Karabakh issue and the issue of the rights of Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh must be addressed in the context of the Armenia-Azerbaijan comprehensive settlement, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting today.

“Azerbaijan’s position is that there is no Nagorno Karabakh conflict, it is already solved. However, this position of Azerbaijan is not giving an answer to an important question: how in this case the issue of the rights of Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh has been solved? The answer of this question doesn’t exist, and this is the reason that the international community is constantly talking about the necessity for the comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which we see in different international platforms. Understanding that the Nagorno Karabakh issue exists and will be further expressed in the international agenda, Azerbaijan is trying not to solve this issue, but to close it, and this operation started from Parukh village in Askeran region which has an obvious tendency to continue. In fact, Azerbaijan is trying to displace all Armenians from Nagorno Karabakh, thus, for considering the issue closed”, the PM said.

He said if the Armenian side is wrong, then let Azerbaijan show concrete interest to the discussions relating to the rights and security guarantees of Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh.

“A matter that is pushed forward not only by Armenia, but also the entire international community.

Whereas official Baku is moving on an opposite direction, claiming that there is no Nagorno Karabakh. This is also the reason that the official circles of Azerbaijan quite aggressively react to the cases when the international community is using the name Nagorno Karabakh. However, the use of this name is definitely and undoubtedly legitimate”, he said, stating that the November 9 trilateral statement clearly mentions the terms Nagorno Karabakh, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. “This statement has also been signed by the President of Azerbaijan”, he noted.

Pashinyan said Azerbaijan has adopted and is implementing a policy of “Nagorno Karabakh without Armenians”. It is also explained by arbitrary interpretations of the November 9 trilateral statement.

“Such are, for example, Azerbaijan’s constant claims that the November 9 trilateral statement recorded an obligation to withdraw Armenian units from Nagorno Karabakh. This is more than an arbitrary interpretation because the November 9 statement clearly states where the Armenian units should leave and where they should stay. I want to note that the statements made by the Azerbaijani President earlier show that this provision put forward by Azerbaijan is imaginary. During our trilateral meeting on November 26, 2021, mediated by the Russian President, the President of Azerbaijan has publicly announced that all provisions of the 2020 November 9 trilateral statement are implemented in practice, except the point relating to the unblocking of communications. I want to state that it’s obvious that the provision on returning prisoners of war, hostages and other persons held is also not implemented completely yet. The works on this issue continue”, Nikol Pashinyan said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1079414.html?fbclid=IwAR1xkdwVVfumGdV64fCuUOMELvOMrQKCp1Kp0JMofFcJbIKgaNUR7KuPRTk

 

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.com

‘We condemn military aggression’ – Italian MP on Azerbaijan’s actions against Artsakh

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11:51, 31 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. Member of Italian Chamber of Deputies Alvise Maniero commented on the current humanitarian problems in Artsakh caused by the actions of Azerbaijan.

In a statement on social media, the Italian lawmaker said the people of Artsakh have been left without heating for days because of the disruption of the gas supply by Azerbaijan.

“We condemn the systematic violations of human rights, the military aggression and the destruction of the cultural heritage of Armenians living in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh).

While international attention is focused on the conflict in Ukraine, the hostility has been resumed in Artsakh. And while in Italy and Europe we are concerned about the gas supplies, Azerbaijanis blew up the pipeline supplying gas to Artsakh, leaving the local people in cold, without hot water and without a chance of cooking a hot meal, under -8 temperature. Let’s not forget about the many ongoing conflicts”, he said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1079416.html?fbclid=IwAR1-Gvm9kNBK6qTvU8_kAnOIodwlNHN0LXfRClyEo_JW7_gNzYyqY6znqMk

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.com

Marina Kaljurand urges Azerbaijan to immediately withdraw troops

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14:04, 2 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 2, ARMENPRESS. Chair of the Delegation for relations with the South Caucasus of the European Parliament for Affair with South Caucasus, MEP Marina Kaljurand held a video conference with Co-Chair of the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Javanshir Feyziyev, ARMENPRESS was infomred from the website of the European Parliament.

“Yesterday, I held a videoconference meeting with the Co-Chair of the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Mr Javanshir Feyziyev. I shared my concern about Azerbaijan’s unprovoked military intrusion into Nagorno- Karabakh last week, violating the ceasefire agreement of 9 November 2020.

I urged the immediate withdrawal of forces back behind the line of contact, in line with calls from all three Minsk Group Co-Chair countries. I also recalled the European Parliament resolution of 10 March 2022 on the destruction of cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh and stressed the need for Azerbaijan to urgently allow the planned UNESCO independent technical mission to access the region and perform its work unhindered.

I welcomed the announcement of the meeting of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan and the President of the European Council on 6 April in Brussels and expressed hope that the EU will be able to contribute to the achievement of sustainable peace in the region. I urged Azerbaijan to refrain from any unilateral actions that might undermine such efforts.

Last but not least, I raised my concerns and asked for additional information regarding the UK ruling on the seizure of a substantial amount of money, laundered through the so-called Azerbaijan laundromat scheme, from accounts of Mr Feyziyev’s close family members”, she said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1079659.html

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.com

World silently watches Azerbaijani encroachments against Artsakh – French Senator

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15:19, 4 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS. It’s already the 10th day the surrounding of the Armenian village of Parukh in Artsakh is illegally occupied by Azerbaijan, journalist Jean-Christophe Buisson, who is the deputy director of the French La Figaro Magazine, said on Twitter.

“Hundreds of villagers, including children, still live far from home. But the Azerbaijani army is not withdrawing its forces. Moreover, it strengthens its positions”, the journalist said.

Member of the Senate of France, vice-chair of the France-Armenia friendship group Valérie Boyer shared the post of journalist Jean-Christophe Buisson on Twitter and reminded that during the 2020 large-scale aggression Azerbaijan, with the support of Turkey, massacred the Armenians of Artsakh through Turkish bombs, white phosphorus and drones.

“The genocidal spirit has awakened in them. And the world is silently watching without doing anything. Encroachments continue in an atmosphere of indifference”, Valérie Boyer said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1079745.html

[MosJan]

Pashinyan puts Karabakh war death toll at 3825

Pashinyan puts Karabakh war death toll at 3825

April 13, 2022 - 11:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The number of people killed in Azerbaijan's aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh in the fall of 2020 stands at 3825, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told lawmakers on Wednesday, April 13. According to him, most of them have been identified and buried.

 

The Prime Minister noted that he admitted his guilt and responsibility for both the war and the defeat, but said he did not accept accusations of treason and handing over land.

 

"I have admitted my guilt and responsibility for both the war and the defeat right from the beginning, but I have not and will not accept the accusations leveled against me by the opposition after November 9, 2020, accusing me of handing over lands, thus betraying [the nation]," Pashinyan said.

 

The Second Karabakh war lasted 44 days and ended when Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev signed a ceasefire statement on November 9, 2020. Under the deal, the Armenian side returned all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities.

 

According to him, he should not be accused of handing over land, but rather "of not handing them over".

[MosJan]

Russian peacekeepers deny entry to Armenian MPs traveling to Karabakh
Russian peacekeepers deny entry to Armenian MPs traveling to Karabakh
April 13, 2022 - 12:49 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Foreign Ministry has expressed concern about the fact that the Russian peacekeeping contingent has not allowed a group of Armenian lawmakers to enter Nagorno-Karabakh.

Opposition lawmakers on Tuesday, April 12 boycotted the parliament session and said they were planning to spend the week in Artsakh (Karabakh) and the border communities of Armenia. However, they were denied entry to Karabakh by Russian peacekeepers deployed in the area since fall 2020.

"This move contradicts the Trilateral Statement of November 9, which envisages the unimpeded connection of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia through the Lachin corridor," the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

"All parties to the Statement must strictly adhere to the letter and spirit [ of the document], as well as fulfill its obligations."

[MosJan]

https://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/299549/

На русскомՀայերեն

Meta disrupts government-run cyber espionage network in Azerbaijan
Meta disrupts government-run cyber espionage network in Azerbaijan
April 8, 2022 - 14:36 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Meta said it disrupted a complex government-run network in Azerbaijan that was involved in both cyber espionage and coordinated inauthentic behavior. Armenia was targeted too.

The campaigns targeted primarily targeted people from Azerbaijan, including democracy activists, opposition, journalists, and government critics abroad.

"This campaign was prolific but low in sophistication, and was run by the Azeri Ministry of Internal Affairs. It combined a range of tactics — from phishing, social engineering, and hacking to coordinated inauthentic behavior," Meta said in its latest Adversarial Threat Report.

"This group operated across the internet, with over 70 websites and domains that they either ran themselves or compromised. They targeted sites in Azerbaijan and, to a lesser extent, Armenia; a small number of sites had Russian or Turkish domains. Once they compromised these websites, the group harvested databases containing usernames and passwords, likely to further compromise online accounts of their targets who might have reused the same credentials across the internet. They also, at times, hosted credential phishing content on these websites."

The group also used malware, hash-cracking tools and more to steal credentials. They even compromised the accounts of public figures and posed as members of Facebook’s security team as a way to steal information and credentials.

In October 2020, Facebook announced that it was removing more than 8,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts and Pages linked to Azerbaijan’s ruling party for violating its policy against “coordinated inauthentic behavior” (CIB). But an April 2021 Guardian review of the operation’s most common targets found that the trolling operation had returned.

[Yervant1]

AFFINITY Magazine

March 28 2022

The Humanitarian Crisis in Artsakh: Azerbaijan Continues a Reign of Violence

SEAMUS BOZEMAN

MARCH 28, 2022

Within some of the world’s most desolate and loosely defined borders, people live in the crosshairs of one of the least stable points of volatile conflict on the planet, as Armenia and Azerbaijan fight over the region of Artsakh (the indigenous name for Nagorno-Karabakh). Both nations claim this region as their own territory. Many historical texts show that Artsakh is an integral part of Armenian history and culture, supporting the claim that Armenians have rights to Nagorno-Karabakh as their own. However, the claim by Armenians that they own the land is disputed by Turkey and Azerbaijan, as it is internationally recognized as a part of Azerbaijan. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey continually commit mass violence against the indigenous Armenian population, in a region that has been fought over prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, marred by geopolitical and ethnic conflict.

Armenia and Russia consider Nagorno-Karabakh to be an independent nation, based on the principles of self-determination. This allows for states with a certain percentage of people from a certain ethnic or religious background to determine their future: independence or assimilation into an already established nation.

What Led to the Current Situation

Following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, when both Armenia and Azerbaijan gained their independence in the South Caucasus Mountains, Russia drew the borders of Nagorno-Karabakh and created a messy region where religious groups from both new nations resided, and who both claimed that was rightfully theirs. This process was also happening during an extremely fractured time for Karabakh, because of ethnic violence that had broken out in the late ’80s, which then led to a full-fledged conflict. This conflict raged on from 1991 to 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed upon. After that point, the area had been fairly peaceful, despite the occasional ceasefire violation, and territorial incursions.

In late September of 2020, when the world was captivated by COVID-19 and the U.S. elections, Azerbaijan began a full-scale invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh, following months of ethnic violence, and cross-border skirmishes. The attacks by Azerbaijan began with ruthless force, as they used internationally banned cluster munitions, shelling, ground forces, drones, as well as rocket attacks on major cities and small villages in Artsakh. This conflict forced many out of their native homeland and into makeshift shelters, and farther into Armenia and surrounding regions. The war left behind thousands of casualties, from both the military and the civilian population. During the war, Azerbaijan and Turkey attacked multiple residential areas, without concern for human life or international law.

Since the war ended in November of 2020, Azerbaijan has continually violated the ceasefire agreements, despite the presence of Russian forces who were part of the trilateral peace deal brokered between Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan to end the war. This deal, meant to bring an end to the conflict, has not been successful, as Azerbaijan continues its shelling, drone attacks and occasional ground incursions into the autonomous region of Artsakh. By continuing military actions in the area, Azerbaijan has injured and killed some of the peaceful population and caused many to evacuate their homes and farmland, leaving behind their livelihood and homeland in the face of a senseless war.

“Yezidis in Armenia volunteering for the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War” — Image via Armed MEDIA, Wikimedia Commons

A Second War & Modern Day Genocide

For the last couple of weeks, Azerbaijan has shut off gas to the encircled region of Artsakh, in an attempt to force the Armenians and the autonomous government into submission. Azerbaijan is attempting to gain more territory and a better strategic hold on Artsakh. These inhumane cuts to gas have greatly increased tensions between both Armenia and Azerbaijan, threatening the fragile ceasefire that is in place.

The natural gas shut-offs are incredibly irresponsible and dangerous for the local populations because of the continued cold weather, and lack of access to heating, power and water. This is an exploitation of a peaceful population and a violation of international human rights law. The continued violence from Azerbaijan and their regional ally, Turkey, is continuing the brutal ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population in Artsakh. The shutdowns of natural resources and the prevention of aid reaching the region perpetrates this genocide.

The weapons used by Azerbaijan in the continued conflict are supported by the U.S., Israel, Turkey and NATO, making this conflict a much bigger issue on a worldwide scale, and essentially a proxy war against Russian influence in the Southern Caucasus Mountains, while also supporting two genocidal states that inhumanly force people out of their native homeland. The continued supply of weapons to Azerbaijan is one of the main reasons these hostilities are allowed to continue. The U.S. and Israel continue foreign military aid to the Armenians, Turkey supports Azerbaijan and Russia provides military aid to both sides.

“Azerbaijani combattants of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict” — Image via Republic of Azerbaijan, Wikimedia Commons

What the Future Could Hold

The people of this region will continue to face attacks on their sovereignty, and the erasure of their culture for years to come, as Azerbaijan, and nations who provide weapons shows no signs of slowing their slow calculated full annexation full annexation of Artsakh. Along with these attacks comes the destruction of thousands of years of rich culture and local heritage.

The invasion of Ukraine has distracted the world from the atrocities in Artsakh, and Azerbaijan is taking full advantage of the crisis to spark another illegal and deadly war, in a region where tensions have already soared and militaries have clashed. With Russia’s decreased presence in the region, it has become increasingly difficult to enforce the border between both Armenia and Azerbaijan. This also comes as Russia proposed a commission to create a demarcation zone in order to better define each nation’s borders and the autonomous region of Artsakh. Despite the heightened tensions, diplomatic ties between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey have improved, but there are still significant disagreements and vast uncertainty regarding the future of Artsakh. It remains unclear whether the rights of self-determination will be honored on a larger scale.

As the world turns a blind eye, the suffering will continue and people will face the horrors of war. The violence will continue unless global leaders call on all parties to find non-violent and diplomatic ways to end this crisis, beyond just thoughts and prayers for the victims.

http://affinitymagazine.us/2022/03/28/the-humanitarian-crisis-in-artsakh-azerbaijan-continues-a-reign-of-violence/

[Yervant1]

Bradford Today, Canada

April 14 2022

Armenians want ‘actions, not words’ from Canada

A conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia dating back to 2020 displaced over 90,000 Armenians. It is now flaring up again, and the diaspora of 90,000+ members is calling on Canada to help.

New Canadian Media

As the Russia-Ukraine war monopolizes the world’s attention, the Armenian diaspora in Canada is watching with apprehension as another conflict flares up in another part of the world to which they have close ties, fearing it will lead to another full-scale war.

They are also perturbed at the Canadian government’s lack of response to this geopolitical issue that affects their large community of approximately 90,000 members, according to the Armenian Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs.

Their concerns centre on Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh), a disputed territory in the South Caucasus, home to a population of ethnic Armenians, which has seen a recent escalation of violence between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“It is obvious that Azerbaijan is using the cover of war in Ukraine to push forward its agenda of ethnic cleansing of Armenians who have lived there for millennia, and of erasing Armenian history in what remains of the enclave,” Haik Kazarian, a Canadian-Armenian social entrepreneur from Montreal told New Canadian Media.

Media reports state that on Mar. 24, Azerbaijani forces took advantage of a gap in the Russian peacekeeping presence in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, violated the line of contact and occupied a village there, killing three and wounding 15 people. The conquest and occupation of the village followed a 16-day period in which Azerbaijan cut off the region’s Armenians from their fuel supply, forcing schools, hospitals and businesses to freeze in the low temperatures of this mountainous area in the South Caucasus.

Speaking from Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, where he now resides, Kazarian said the flare-up of hostilities should be taken seriously by the Canadian government, and that it should aid victims of the attacks as soon as possible given the large Armenian population within its borders.

“(So) the federal government should show support with actions, not words,” said Kazarian.

Ceasefire breaking down

The disputed territory, Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), has been internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan ever since the Soviet Union declared it as such in 1923.

However, according to a 2009 census provided by the World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous People, it had been home to approximately 120,000 ethnic Armenians for millennia. This was before war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia in September 2020, when about 90,000 of them fled to Armenia.

Separated from Armenia by 151 kms, Nagorno-Karabakh has long been a bone of contention between Azerbaijan and Armenia and a geopolitical flashpoint, with regional powers, Russia and Turkey, competing for control.

A Russian-brokered ceasefire was signed on Nov. 9, 2020 following Armenia’s defeat and Azerbaijan gaining control over large swaths of this territory.

But the ceasefire is breaking down in an alarming way, particularly given Russia’s current preoccupation with Ukraine, say Canadian Armenians like Kazarian.

Commitment to peace in Armenia rings hollow

After the 2020 war broke out, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly tweeted: “Canada is deeply concerned by the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan border clash, which resulted in the deaths of Armenian troops. Our thoughts are w/the victims’ families, loved ones & the community. We call for de-escalation so that a peaceful solution to the conflict may be found.”

A petition was also presented by MP Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park- Fort Saskatchewan) which elicited a response signed by Rob Oliphant, Joly’s parliamentary secretary. Tabled on Jan. 31, 2021, it stated: “Canada will continue to remain engaged and supportive of sustainable peace and security, and will continue to assist with humanitarian efforts.”

But now their words ring hollow and meaningless, says Sarkis Assadourian, who was the first Armenian to be elected to the Canadian parliament in 1993 and was MP for Brampton Centre from 1993 to 2004.

“Victory has 1,000 fathers, but defeat is an orphan,” says Assadourian, who lives in Richmond Hill, Ontario, referring to what he says is a common belief among the community that Armenia has been abandoned by Canada and the Western world following its defeat in the 2020 war and because it is not a European, NATO ally.

“There are … Canadian Armenians with strong ties to these ancestral territories, many with family and relatives living there,” he said.

“Armenia is still struggling with poverty and high unemployment, and now (in the wake of the Ukraine war), refugees from Ukraine, and even Russia are pouring in because it’s considered a safe country. There are 2,000 Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh until 2025, according to the ceasefire agreement, but it’s easy to break a treaty with a weak country. Armenia has no armaments and is dependent on Russia for security. A country without armaments is like an orchestra without instruments.”

Suzy Mekhdjian, of Aurora, Ontario, another Canadian Armenian community activist, told NCM she hoped Canada would do more, particularly given the lack of a “forceful international response of any kind, even though many Armenians who live in the Montreal area are in the ridings of Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly.”

“Canada can send peacekeepers to Armenia as the Russian ones can’t watch everything in the mountainous area,” she said. “We can send more humanitarian assistance and doctors with expertise in amputations, because so many were wounded in wars in the region.”

NGOs soldiering on

Four years ago, Kazarian founded a humanitarian NGO called Transparent Armenia Foundations when he moved back to Armenia.

“We are registered as an NGO in Canada, but are still waiting for charitable status,” he said, adding that they are “running on fumes” but soldiering on. They have now progressed from providing food and clothes to those who fled to Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh, to finding long-term solutions for families in poverty.

He described “Project Oink,” the NGO’s newest endeavour, as “teaching people to fish rather than giving them fish,” as the program is meant to deliver pigs to poor families to help them generate an income by raising and selling the animals.

Asked why pigs were chosen as a source of income, he said it’s because they are relatively easy to raise, don’t need much investment to feed, and most of all, because Armenians love pork.

“We love pork chops, barbecued pork and pork on skewers that we call khorovasdz (similar to kebabs).”

Disappointed but not deterred, Kazarian pointedly noted that it has been NGOs, rather than governments, that have been doing the heavy lifting in providing humanitarian assistance to people who are uprooted by wars in the region, though he said fundraising has become more difficult lately due to donor fatigue.

“Those who are most affected by the war are those living in cities rather than villages. Villagers often use wood and cow dung in stoves for heat, but it is the city folk in Stepanakert (city in Artsakh), for example, who rely on piped gas,” he explained.

“Many are still suffering due to the bitter cold. I would like the Canadian government to show it cares with actions, not words, and come to the aid of victims who are brutalized by their neighbours.”

https://www.bradfordtoday.ca/new-canadian-media/armenians-want-actions-not-words-from-canada-5268815

[Yervant1]

April 15 2022

Nagorno-Karabakh: What does the future hold?

18 months on from the 2020 war, people living in the disputed territory tell openDemocracy about their ‘new reality’

Marut Vanyan

15 April 2022, 12.00am

Today in Nagorno-Karabakh, the guns are relatively silent. But, 18 months since war brutally redrew the map of control over the disputed territory, those living there remain anxious.

In the morning of 27 September 2020, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert, woke to the sounds of cluster munitions exploding. It felt as if the fireworks were continuing from the night before, when the city had celebrated a public holiday. In the 44 days that followed, at least 3,700 Armenian and Karabakh soldiers – many of them young men – were killed in an offensive by Azerbaijani troops seeking to take key positions deep within the territory.

The real death toll is likely higher. Hundreds of Armenian servicemen remain in Azerbaijani captivity today, and the fates of people who went missing are unclear. Tens of thousands of Armenians were displaced, and hundreds of villages were taken under Azerbaijani control. In effect, Nagorno-Karabakh lost 70% of the territory it had controlled since 1994 – and with it, a sense of control over its future. The territory, which is disputed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, is today home to roughly 100,000 Armenians – and is governed by an unrecognised administration.

This “new reality” was confirmed in a 10 November 2020 ceasefire agreement, signed by Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev and Russian president Vladimir Putin. The parties, according to this document, should stay in their currently occupied positions, Azerbaijan received control over the “buffer zone” districts around Nagorno-Karabakh. Prisoner exchange was also envisaged, though it has been painfully slow.IGN UP NOThis arrangement was meant to be guaranteed by Russian peacekeeping forces. Nearly 2,000 Russian servicemen were deployed to the territory, with a small armour accompaniment.

Today, these forces control entry to the region via checkpoints on the only direct road that links Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia proper. It has become nearly impossible for foreign citizens, including tourists and journalists, to visit the territory as a result. This week, Armenian opposition MPs were refused entry to Karabakh by Russian peacekeepers.

People in Nagorno-Karabakh thought the arrival of Russian forces would stabilise the situation for the next few years but, in reality, stability has proven fleeting. Several incidents in the past month have had a direct impact on people’s lives.

On 8 March, during an unusually cold period, the gas pipeline that passes from Armenia to Karabakh was suspended after being damaged in an area under Azerbaijani control. Karabakh, with its roughly 100,000 residents, has been left without natural gas – meaning no hot food or warm water. As a result, all the kindergartens, schools and universities were closed. Prices of everyday goods in supermarkets have increased, there has been a shortage of bread, and sugar simply disappeared from the stores. Very often the electricity was switched off.

In addition, Azerbaijani forces made incursions into Karabakh territory in March. Near the borders of several villages close to current Azerbaijani positions – Parukh, Khramort and Taghavard – Azerbaijani soldiers began broadcasting menacing speeches in Armenian, calling on residents to abandon their homes and claiming working in their gardens was illegal.

Several days later, Azerbaijani forces began shooting from a grenade launcher, forcing most people to leave their villages. The nearby hill of Karaglukh was taken by Azerbaijani forces, giving them sight lines towards Stepanakert and the nearby town of Askeran. Three soldiers were killed by an Azerbaijani drone in the attack.

Last week, I took the bus to Askeran, just a few kilometres from Parukh and Khramort, to find out what happened. On the journey, which takes 15 or 20 minutes, you pass a major Russian peacekeeping base. Parukh and Khramort are no longer safe to travel to – Khramort is now, in effect, an Armenian military position. I spoke to two people, Alla Arzumanian, who runs a women’s development organisation, and Naira Baghdassarian, who used to live in Khramort.

Shortly after, the authorities in Karabakh called on the Armenian government to abandon its "catastrophic position" in response to signals that it was open to concessions with Azerbaijan.

Khramort village

| Image: Marut Vanyan

Alla Arzumanian, Askeran

I don’t believe anyone. It feels like everyone is lying. Recently, Azeris from positions near Parukh and Khramort asked us, via megaphones, to abandon our homes. We had a phone call with the head of Khramort village to figure the situation out, he told us everything was fine, there was no need to panic and the village was living its routine life. Then shooting followed. They used a grenade launcher, and a civilian was wounded while working in his garden.

The most interesting thing is that, officially, Baku [the capital of Azerbaijan] rejects all these [incidents], although Azerbaijani themselves started to spread footage via Telegram channels. In response, the Russians say: ‘what can we do when we are not allowed to shoot?’ The Russians call the current situation a ‘mirror retreat’ [meaning that both Armenian and Azerbaijani forces should pull back equally]. What does it mean? That only we must retreat? If you want to hand over territories, just say it clearly. Don’t cheat us with invented terms.

It’s clear that Russia is busy with Ukraine and doesn’t want another problem in Karabakh. Perhaps this is a ‘big game’ which we don’t understand. Although [Khramort and Parukh] are ten kilometres away from us, we heard the news of the displacement by phone. People started to ask around and it turned out to be true. There was an old man who refused to abandon his village [Parukh], but his son, who is in the military, took him out of the village. It became too dangerous to stay.

Alla Arzumanian

| Image: Marut Vanyan

We are forbidden to take back our villages. About 15 women held a demonstration [in Askeran on 4 April] against Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan – to tell him not to negotiate on our behalf as we didn’t vote for him, so he doesn’t have the right to sign documents for us.

Recently, a campaign was started to collect signatures in support of Karabakh joining Russia. Some part of the population is pro, others are against. If [Karabakh] becomes part of Russia, and that means we have to live with Azeris, then we will disagree. I don’t understand why Armenia didn’t recognise Karabakh’s independence in the past 30 years.

Naira Baghdassaryan, Khramort, Parukh

After the Azerbaijanis started to shoot in the direction of our village and we were displaced, we went to Stepanakert to live with my sister who’s also displaced, from Shushi. Now we have to pay rent.

Even during the 44-day war [in 2020] I didn’t abandon the village. [back then] I was scared as I lived alone and was frightened as I slept: the Azerbaijanis were 500 metres from my house. I was not so scared by the shooting, but when they played mugham [a traditional Azerbaijani music] via megaphones. That affected me psychologically. Each day I pray to God to send us back home. We sold our cattle and came here.

Karaglukh

| Image: Marut Vanyan

Now the Azerbaijanis are in Karaglukh, and our village is in the palm of their hand. I was born in Parukh and then moved to Khramort in 1984. I am still hopeful that one day we will visit our ancestor’s graves, our sacred places and light a candle on khachqars [an Armenian memorial stone].

My husband went missing during the 1990s war. I didn’t marry again. We fled to my husband’s village holding my little kid amid heavy snow. How do you walk 80 kilometres?

Back then, our village was burned to embers, the same is happening now. We could stand the former war, this one was even severe. We are hurt by all sides. I don’t rely on people, I rely on God. I want to go home and open the door. Yesterday, I went back home to water the flowers, all the way I was crying, my son said wait until we get home. The garden is blossoming, beans are growing.

Social issues are important, but not of utmost importance. When the gas was off, there were rumours that Azerbaijan could resume the gas flow in return for recognising their territorial integrity. People chose to stay without gas.

Naira Baghdassaryan

| Image: Marut Vanyan

Recently, the former head of Askeran region [sasun Barsegyan] suggested that we hold a referendum on joining the Russian Federation, which would lead to a secure life for people in Karabakh. Online, people started to dispute this, claiming that our soldiers spilled their blood for rejoining Armenia, not Russia. But I should say that the number of people who want to join Russia is no less. The question is whether Russia sees Karabakh as a part of it.

The Parukh incident also made its mark on Russia’s reputation: the Azerbaijanis entered the village in the presence of the Russians. Moreover, it was almost clearly stated that the Russians handed the village over to the Azeris. After that the government of Karabakh applied to the Armenian government to act as a security guarantor for people in Karabakh. Armenia hasn’t sent its response yet.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/nagorno-karabakh-what-does-the-future-hold/

[Yervant1]

eurasianet

April 15 2022

Officials in Karabakh break with Armenia over negotiations As the Armenian government moves toward significant concessions, some in Karabakh are exploring a radical solution: joining Russia.Ani Mejlumyan Apr 15, 2022

The de facto leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, meets with leaders of the territory's armed forces on April 13. (photo: NKR InfoCenter)

Authorities in self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh have spoken out against the Armenian government for signaling a willingness to make concessions that would allow Azerbaijan to regain control over the territory.

"Any attempt to incorporate Artsakh into Azerbaijan would lead to bloodshed and the destruction of Artsakh," said Davit Babayan, the de facto foreign minister of Karabakh, using an alternate Armenian name for the region. "And after the destruction of Artsakh there would be no Republic of Armenia," he said on April 14 at an extraordinary session of the territory’s parliament.

At the end of the session, the parliament issued a statement declaring that: "Any change of Nagorno-Karabakh’s status is unacceptable."

The criticism from Stepanakert followed comments by Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan the day before, in which he explained that the international community is pushing Armenia to "lower the bar a bit on Nagorno-Karabakh's status" and recognize Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, which would amount to ceding control of the territory to Baku.

Negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been gaining pace in recent weeks, with Armenia signaling a willingness to do what officials had hitherto refused: relinquish sovereignty over Karabakh, the territory at the heart of the decades-long conflict between the two sides.

Ethnic Armenian forces have controlled the territory since the first war between the two sides in the early 1990s. Since then, its population of an estimated 150,000 people had been almost entirely ethnic Armenians.

In the second war, in 2020, Azerbaijan regained much of the territory that it had lost, though most (it is not clear how many) of the previous residents continue to live there, in the parts remaining under Armenian control. Now, negotiations have begun over a final resolution to the conflict which will decide the ultimate fate of the territory.

"Armenians in Artsakh very well recognize the cost of peace,” member of parliament Artur Mosiyan, of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation - Dashnaktsutsyun party, said before lawmakers, reading the text of the declaration. “Artsakh's statehood and the right to live freely in one’s historical homeland are absolute values and even the threat of war can't hold us back."

The statement called on the Armenian government to "abandon their destructive position of lowering the bar of negotiations under the pretext of peace, agreeing to the unacceptable status of Artsakh."

Arayik Harutyunyan, Karabakh’s de facto president, held several meetings to discuss the issue with local political figures and civil society members on April 13. "We understand that we have to coexist like neighbors [with Azerbaijan] but living under their control is impossible,” he said at one meeting, in Martakert. “The only way is keeping the status quo.”

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has not been recognized by any other state, including Armenia, but Yerevan has been its security guarantor and has provided the majority of its state budget. Since Pashinyan came to power in 2018, ousting a former Armenian government headed by leaders of the first Karabakh war, relations between Yerevan and Stepanakert have been rocky.

Pashinyan, early in his premiership, was promoting the idea for the de facto Karabakh leadership to be brought into the diplomatic negotiations with Azerbaijan, though the idea never bore fruit. Following the 2020 war, relations took a more decisive turn to the bad.

Now, Pashinyan appears to be negotiating with little, if any, input from Stepanakert.

The prime minister on April 14 again pushed back against claims that he was sacrificing the Armenians of Karabakh.

"What I've been saying has been all about not surrendering Karabakh,” the prime minister said in a special session of parliament. "We are saying that the people of Karabakh must not leave Karabakh, the people of Karabakh must live in Karabakh, the people of Karabakh must have rights, freedoms, and a status,” though he did not elaborate on what that status might be.

In the uncertain situation, some in Karabakh are advocating for an unlikely solution: for the territory to become part of Russia.

One former leader of the Askeran region, Sasun Barseghyan, has proposed holding a referendum on joining Russia in order to “avoid physical annihilation, to save the remains of the shattered Artsakh,” as he put it in a Facebook post.

“Online, people started to dispute this, claiming that our soldiers spilled their blood for rejoining Armenia, not Russia,” said Naira Baghdassaryan, a resident of a village near the new line of contact with Azerbaijani forces that has seen increased tension in recent weeks. “But I should say that the number of people who want to join Russia is no less. The question is whether Russia sees Karabakh as a part of it,” she said in an interview with Open Democracy.

The territory has become heavily dependent on Russia since the 2020 war; a 2,000-strong Russian peacekeeping force now provides security for the remaining Armenian population and appears to call many of the shots politically. While many are wary of Russia’s heavy influence, Karabakhis also see their security in Moscow’s hands.

One commentator, Anush Ghavalyan, said the move toward Russia was the result of the sense of abandonment from the international community.

And Harutyunyan himself also endorsed the idea. “To continue living here, having de facto independence, striving for further de jure changes, it can be independence, it can be a union with Armenia, which I consider unlikely, but it also can be some relations with Russia in a direct vertical framework,” he said at the Martakert meeting.

 

Ani Mejlumyan is a reporter based in Yerevan.

https://eurasianet.org/officials-in-karabakh-break-with-armenia-over-negotiations