cease-fire violations by azeris

[Yervant1]

Armenia has no future with current political elite – expert

20:58 - 18/April/2016

The four day war has awaken us from the sleep, as unlike Azerbaijan
which was getting prepared for war we were sleeping, political analyst
Yervand Bozoyan told the reporters. He said this war made corrections
in the conscience of the people as many have understood that our main
problem is security.

The political analyst said that Azerbaijan did not aim to levy
full-scale war but a blitzkrieg to demand concessions from Armenia in
case of success. But Baku failed. “Yes, they came forward a little but
not as much for demanding concessions. I think that the talks will
last for few months, after which Azerbaijanis will again try to occupy
some territories as they know that if you win in the battle field you
win the diplomatic fight as well,” political analyst said, adding that
Azerbaijan will hardly reach success as Armenian army overcomes it
with its spirit.

He also said that the Armenian authorities want to create powerful
state but they are not ready to put aside their personal interests for
the sake of state ones. “Our authorities are busy with political games
and they do not care of state interests. With such elite we have no
future. We cannot ensure our security with them,” Bozoyan said.

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[Yervant1]

104-year old Armenian woman tortured by Azeri forces six years older
than Azerbaijan as a country

16:14, 19 Apr 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan

“Azerbaijani military forces recently unleashed an aggression against
the people of Nagorno Karabakh in what has been describes a four-day
war,” member of the Armenian delegation to PACE Samvel Farmanyan said
at the Assembly session today.

“Azerbaijani armed forces used deadly offensive weaponry obtained in
the course of the past twenty years in a gross breach of all
international norms set by the OSCE. Use of force by Azerbaijan goes
contrary to the key documents of international law – the UN Charter,
the Helsinki Final Act and others. The Azerbaijani attack amounts to
an act of aggression in line with international law,” the MP said.

“Azerbaijani army targeted civilian infrastructures and peaceful
population. Twelve-years-old Vaghinak Grigoryan was killed and two
other children were wounded heavily at the schoolyard bombarded by
Azeri forces. And this is not the only case of violence against the
civilian population. An elderly couple was shot in the home, with
their ears being cut off by the Azerbaijani military. They also
executed a 92-year-old Marusya Halabyan and tortured 104-year-old
woman, who is six years older than Azerbaijani itself as a country,”
Farmanyan noted.

“Moreover, soldiers of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army were beheaded
by Azerbaijani troops, beheaded in ISIS way, and all the photos can be
found in the social network. These are evidences of cruel treatment by
Azerbaijani soldiers, posing with the head of Karam Sloyan as a
trophy. Later the head was transferred to local Azerbaijani
population, demonstrating it as a trophy and encouraging hatred and
aggression against Armenians,” teh Armenian lawmaker said.

“No action by official Baku has followed to punish the guilty. By
doing so Azerbaijan once again violated numerous international
treaties, namely the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of
the Crime of Genocide, the International convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the European Convention on
Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions on the Protection of Victims of
War and others,” he stressed.

“Another episode includes torture of prisoners of war and mutilation
of bodies of eighteen dead Karabakh soldiers handed over to Nagorno
Karabakh authorities in presence of the representatives of the
International committee of the Red Cross a week after the
hostilities,” Farmanyan said.

“We can’t close our eyes on these crimes committed by Azerbaijani
military,” he concluded.

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[Yervant1]

Azerbaijan finally admits loss of its army lieutenant-colonel

16:37, 19 April, 2016

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan, which was trying to hide
from the public the information about hundreds of servicemen who were
eliminated as a result of military aggression against the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic, finally confessed the loss of its colonel.

“Armenpress” reports citing the Azerbaijani media, the Press Service
of the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry announced about the death of the
lieutenant-colonel in the armed forces Syanan Tahir oglu Akhundov
stating that he allegedly died as a result of “violations of security
operations”.

It is important to note that Azerbaijan confessed the loss of its
colonel after Facebook user Habib Muntazir posted information about
the killing of three servicemen and one wounded in the Facebook social
network.

“Such kind of behavior of social network users helps the adversary to
get information about the Azerbaijani armed forces and simplifies
their activities in many cases”, the statement of the Defense Ministry
of Azerbaijan reads, accusing Muntazir of publicizing the “state
secret”.

In his turn, Habib Muntazir in an interview with Meydan TV said that
the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry works very slowly and deliberately
hides the information on the loss of soldiers from the public”.

“Although two weeks have passed after the events of April 1-5, the
Defense Ministry has not released the names and the number of any
killed serviceman, whereas the adversary releases all information
about its losses in the media and social networks. As a results, the
Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan is obliged to release the information
after they are being published in social networks which shows the
inability of the Ministry. However, it will be better that the Defense
Ministry from time to time announces about its losses rather than to
leave the public to follow the adversary media. Azerbaijani people
rather trusts Habib Muntazir than the Defense Ministry. The evidence
of this is the number of users reading his information which reaches
to 1110, whereas in case of Defense Ministry the number of users
reaches to 149”, said Muntazir.

Beside, the Press Service of the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry clearly
stated that the information about the killed and wounded servicemen in
the line of contact, their personal information and military
professions are considered as state secret, while several users of
various social networks collect and disseminate this information”.

Azerbaijani Meydan TV channel conducted its own research in social
networks. Based on that research, the TV channel on April 11 announced
about more than hundred killed and more than 500 wounded servicemen
during the military operations on April 1-5.

On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the
Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno
Karabakh, Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting
vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system (Grad).
During military operations 500 Azerbaijani soldiers and militants have
been eliminated, nearly 2000 are wounded.

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[Yervant1]

Interview with MEP Jaromír Štětina: All efforts to claim sovereignty
over Karabakh by force will wreck

20:50, 19 April, 2016

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. Not supporting Nagorno Karabakh or
Armenia means to support the Soviet cruel ethnic policy. Member of
European People's Party, Czech by nationality, MEP Jaromír Štětina had
expressed such a viewpoint back on April 13 during a discussion held
at the European Parliament. “Armenpress” took an interview from the
MEP about his visit to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and Karabakh
conflict.

At the discussion on Nagorno Karabakh at the European Parliament you
firmly supported Nagorno Karabakh. What resulted in such a firm
opinion?

Of course, my personal experience also played a role. I have been in
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh from the start of the conflict when
Karabakh committee was in charge. Mr. Polyanichko had a high position
in Karabakh at that time, and once he personally arrested me and
expelled from Karabakh, but we, as reporters (Jaromír Štětina was one
of the most prominent military reporters of the Czech Republic-edit.)
were able to find ways to return. It is the main reason of my opinion,
as I was able to catch the main reasons of the conflict.



In your announcement you mentioned that supporting Azerbaijan can be
viewed as support to Bolshevik policy of 1920s. Why did you come to
that opinion?

I stated that because I am afraid that the thesis that Armenia and
Azerbaijan are equally guilty of the conflict expands in Europe.
Everyone forgets that everything started from Bolshevik era, when the
Soviet Union came into existence and Moscow took Karabakh from Armenia
and handed to Azerbaijan based on the principle “divide and rule”. It
was an old imperial policy of Moscow. If I did not support Armenia and
Karabakh it would mean that I accept those methods.

It is already a long time there are talks about mechanisms
investigating ceasefire violations. What do you think, what steps must
be taken to ensure the effectiveness of those mechanisms?

I heard about the discussions over this issue when Rome and Minsk
conferences were organized over Karabakh issue. The OSCE did not make
enough efforts to realize them. Karabkh authorities waited and waited
and later decided that they will deal with the issue on their own and
stand for the protection of their country.

What do you think, why Azerbaijan decided that now is the proper time
to launch military operations against Nagorno Karabakh?

Of course, there are many reasons, both political and economic, but
one of the main reasons is that Aliyev decided to take a step which is
often called in Russia “small victorious war”. Dictators often do so.
If a dictator faces hardships inside his country, it is necessary to
wage a war and win it. Aliyev failed in implementing that idea. Maybe
he had in mind that “Blitzkrieg" triumph, but it did not come into
reality.

How do you assess the respond of the international community to those
developments? Were they adequate?

I believe the international community, including the EU were not tough
enough. They even respond to developments in Ukraine mildly, as the
Syrian conflict has eclipsed everything, and Karabakh is too far away
and has no direct impact on Europe and the migrant issue. I assure you
that if hundreds of thousands migrants arrived in Europe from this
region, everybody would be much more interested in Karabakh.

Do you think that the EU has real levers to influence that issue?

Federica Mogherini was in the center of attention at the European
Parliament. She stated a key sentence: Nagorno Karabakh conflict has
no military solution. I do not want what connotation she wanted to
stress, but it is the truth. One of the reasons that it is impposible
to settle the conflict by military means is that Nagorno Karabakh has
won that war and it has become a citadel that remains for already 20
years. I believe all attempts to claim sovereignty over Karabakh by
force will wreck. I visited Aghdam a few years ago and I saw the
fortifications there, it is like the Maginot Line, which will be too
difficult to take by military means. If the policy of putting a sign
of parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the situation formed after
1990s will continue. Karabakh has to protect itself.

What do you think, which are the reasons of that parity-policy? Why
does not the international community often see the reality?



I believe Armenia’s geopolitical position has had an impact there, and
due to that position Armenia signed the agreement of membership to the
Eurasian Economic Union in Moscow. I understand that, but there are
people, politicians in Europe who do not understand that nuance. It
reminds me of Europe’s policy towards Ukraine, where economic benefits
prevail over political state of affairs. If in this case there are
European politicians who are afraid of Moscow, there are some who are
afraid of Baku.

We witnessed in this war how Azerbaijanis mutilate the bodies of the
killed, cut off ears of civilians and behead soldiers. What would you
say about conducting such a war by Azerbaijan?

War is not “breakfast in kindergarten”. War is a tough and cruel
thing. The spiral of hatred in such conditions often begins to rotate,
but it should not be forgotten who starts to rotate it.

As you know Turkey, which is a member of the Minsk Group engaged in
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, vigorously supports Azerbaijan.
How would you comment on this reality?

This situation is a good point to understand Turkish policy. Turkey
reveals its cards behaving that way. Turkey supported Azerbaijan back
in 1990s as well. There is information that today Azerbaijan uses not
only Russian and Israeli weapons, but also Turkish. In principle, we
understand that Turkey overtly behaves as Azerbaijan’s ally.

Interview conducted by Armen Ghazaryan

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[Yervant1]

PACE adopts peaceful resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

21:20, 19 April, 2016

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. The Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE
adopted peaceful resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict No. 603.
“Armenpress” reports, citing the official website of the Council of
Europe, the statement particularly reads as follows, “Being convinced
that a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has no
alternative, the Parliamentary Assembly reiterates its continuous
support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, the only
internationally agreed mediation format, to reach a lasting and just
settlement of this conflict. Therefore, we urge to respect the
continuous calls made by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs not to undermine
their mandate and complicate the ongoing negotiations.

We encourage all sides to undertake decisive steps and show the
necessary political will to reach a negotiated settlement based on
proposals of the Co-Chair countries – France, USA and Russia -outlined
in five statements at the level of their presidents made since 2009.
We share the concerns regarding the increase of tensions in the
conflict zone. The use of heavy weaponry, such as mortars and rocket
launchers, is unacceptable and presents a serious danger to civilian
population. We deeply regret the loss of lives, including civilians.

The Creation of a mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations
together with other proposals of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs on
confidence building measures and consolidation of 1994 ceasefire
agreement will contribute to the reduction of tensions and the
creation of a more favorable atmosphere for advancing peace talks”.

44 PACE MPs signed the document.

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[Yervant1]

Russia’s Lavrov to be met with massive protest rally in Armenia

April 20, 2016 - 13:59 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will arrive
in Yerevan on April 21-22 to discuss theNagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement with the Armenian authorities.

Russia's top diplomat, however, will be met with a protest rally,
dubbed “Hands off Artsakh: Demand-March for Dignity.”

The march will start at 6:30 pm, April 21 at the Freedom Square and
progress towards the Foreign Ministry and the Russian Embassy.

According to the initiators of the march, the participants will submit
their claims, based on Azerbaijan’s aggression and war crimes
perpetrated against Karabakh, especially in view of the four-day
clashes on the contact line.

“Armenia and Artsakh won’t cede even an inch of land to Azerbaijan,”
their message reads. “Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army has been and will
always be the only protector of Artsakh, while international
peacekeepers should be deployed in Azerbaijan to protect the
indigenous peoples.”

According to the statement, the international community should ensure
the Armenian refugees’ safe return to the Armenian regions, occupied
by Azerbaijan.

“We demand the recognition of Karabakh’s independence under
international law and insist that Russia stop providing Azerbaijan
with the most advanced military equipment that will further be used
against Armenia and Karabakh,” the statements goes on to say.

On the night of April 1-2, Azerbaijani armed forces initiated overt
offensive operations in the southern, southeastern and northeastern
directions of the line of contact with Nagorno Karabakh.

The Armenian side has suffered 77 combat and 15 non-combat losses, 122
more were wounded. One soldier is still missing.

The Azerbaijani side has lost 26 tanks and 4 infantry fighting
vehicles, as well as 1 BM-21 Grad multipl e rocket launcher, 1
engineering vehicle, 2 military helicopters and 14 unmanned aerial
vehicles. The Azerbaijani side has admitted the loss of 31 fighters, 1
helicopter and 1 unmanned drone, whereas the Armenian side's photo and
video materials show dozens of killed Azerbaijani troops, 1 helicopter
and 3 UAVs. Opposition media outlets, however, reported on the death
of 95 Azerbaijani soldiers, stating that 39 more have been wounded.
According to Karabakh authorities, 300 Azerbaijani soldiers were
killed in clashes.

14 Karabakh tanks have been neutralized since April 2.

The parties to the conflict agreed on a bilateral cessation of fire
along the contact line which came into force at midday, April 5.

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[Yervant1]

Armenian specialists are working on the creation of drones and other military equipment

11:55 | April 20 2016

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Today, Chairman of the Union of Information Technology Enterprises, Karen Vardanyan, in an interview with Aravot.am said that the Armenian specialists are actively working on the creation of drones and other military equipment, “They have established an institution where hundreds of engineers are united on a voluntary basis. Now, this institution has several sections, for instances, detection of aircraft, control systems, etc. The engineers are working on then and the discussions are underway. When we feel they everything is ready, we will apply to the Ministry to get an order for making its prototypes and test. We are always cooperating, now it is directed to protecting the country,” said Mr. Vardanyan.

Still one year ago, during the NA hearings, Karen Vardanyan speaking about the “army bluff and bubble” said that the Defense Ministry for some reason ignores a number of proposals presented by them regarding the modernization of the army. Seyran Ohanyan responded that they had not received practical proposals, therefore, they were ignored. As mentioned by Karen Vardanyan, “If they want to justify themselves for making our army look good, let them be justified. I have said everything, let the government entities come and tell me, why are you lying?” According to Karen Vardanyan, their proposals are going to be cheaper than the ones bought from outside, “It is cheaper, of course, if no specialists are not invited from other countries, they are next to you who also have patriotic motives and the knowledge remains in the country and accumulates, naturally, all this leads to the fact that it becomes cheaper than in the case when you would buy from others.”

Hripsime JEBEJYAN

http://en.aravot.am/2016/04/20/175874/

[Yervant1]

“Keep your hands off Artsakh” initiative to hold march on April 21

• 11:50 | April 20,2016 | Politics
• Հայ

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is due to arrive in Armenia on April 21 to discuss with Armenia authorities a Kremlin peace plan on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

On April 21, an initiative calling itself “Keep your hands off Artsakh” is holding a march from Liberty Square in Yerevan to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Russian Embassy in Armenia to pose their demands ahead of the planned meeting of the Armenia and Russia foreign ministers.

“Realizing the seriousness of the situation and the threat of anti-Armenian programs that can harm the Republic of Artsakh which was recaptured and defended by bloodshed we announce that

1. Armenia and Artsakh will not an inch of land to On the contrary, we have a vital need to create a wider area security to guarantee the security of our people and protect them from Azerbaijan
2. soldiers of Artsakh have been and remain the main guarantee for peace and security of Artsakh while international peacekeepers should be deployed in Azerbaijan to protect native peoples there, including Lezgins, Talish and Avar people
3. we demand to ensure prompt and safe return of Armenians who fled Azerbaijan, including Shahumyan region, to the Armenian territories occupied by Azerbaijan
4. recognize Artsakh’s independence in line with international law
5. we demand that Russia stop supplying Azerbaijan with newest offensive weapons of mass destruction which have been used and continue to be used against Armenia and Arsakh,” the initiative said in a statement.

http://en.a1plus.am/1234032.html

[Yervant1]

Nagorno-Karabakh official thanks Basque country for condemning Azerbaijan

16:20 • 20.04.16

The speaker of Nagorno-Karabakh’s (Artsakh) National Assembly has
extended his gratitude to his counterpart in the Basque Country for a
unanimously adopted declaration condemning Azerbaijan’s recent
aggression against the second Armenian republic.

In a letter to Bakartcho Tekheria, Ashot Ghulyan highly appreciates
the move as a key effort towards supporting the country’s peace
efforts. “This declaration is extremely important for the people in
Artsakh. It is not only a political document calling for urgent
efforts to reestablish and reinforce the ceasefire but also a key
message that we are not alone in our struggle for a peaceful, secure
and democratic future. Despite the thousands of kilometers dividing
us, we are united around the same vision and values,” reads the
letter.

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[Yervant1]

Truth is the first casualty of war: Nagorno-Karabakh and media misinformation

By Jirair Tutunjian
Posted on April 20, 2016by Jirair Tutunjian

“A foreign correspondent is someone who flies around from hotel to hotel and thinks the most interesting thing about any story is the fact that he has arrived to cover it.”—Tom Stoppard (“Night and Day”)

The Crimean War, in the mid-19th century, introduced the world to the cardigan, the raglan jersey, and the balaclava headdress. It also introduced a new profession: the foreign correspondent. And almost immediately after the war the axiom “truth is the first casualty of war” was born because of the falsehoods spread by foreign correspondents on both sides, not to mention Tennyson’s overheated and wrong-headed poem.

Since then, as in any other profession, there have been capable and honest foreign correspondents and reporters who have been incompetent, ignorant or propaganda tools of their nation or their employers. Ernest Hemingway, a giant of American literature, didn’t hesitate to color his coverage of the Spanish Civil War with propaganda for the side he favoured. A British daily reported that the Americans had been victorious at Pearl Harbor. Countless American foreign correspondents beat the Pentagon drum during the Vietnam War. More recently, “embedded” American journalists reported how the US forces had “liberated” Iraq.

Foreign correspondents can be notoriously uninformed and cavalier about the country’s they report on: for example, the Middle East foreign correspondents of Western media who speak Arabic are as rare as atheists in Mecca. Most Western correspondents thus depend on local “minders” and a dubious local media to report what’s happening. The situation has worsened in recent years as Western media have closed news bureaus around the globe and lone correspondents cover whole continents. This has given rise to the “airport reporter” . . . the journalist who flies in to a hot spot for a few days and covers complicated conflicts with a few hundred words then flies away to chase another conflict.

Considering the deteriorating condition of the profession, it’s no surprise that many of its practitioners did a shabby job in reporting on the early April fighting between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). As usual, East vs. West friction, national and corporate interests (Azeri oil more precious than Armenian blood), carelessness and sheer ignorance played a part in their coverage. And as on other occasions, the conflict was often covered in Manichean terms.

Here’s how the anti-Armenian or indifferent foreign correspondents and commentators reported the war between Azerbaijan and Artsakh.

Rather than point out that the fighting erupted because Azeri forces had attacked Armenian positions, hostile-to-the-Armenians journalists wrote of “violence and shooting on both sides.”

They said “both the Armenians and the Azeris spent enormous sums of building their armed forces” without mentioning that what Armenia spends is a pittance of what petro-rich Azerbaijan spends. In the past decade Baku has invested $20 billion in its armed forces while the annual Azeri defense budget equals Armenia’s total national budget. The journalists also didn’t mention that impoverished Armenia has no interest in war and is forced to invest in its military in a failed attempt to keep up with the Azerbaijan martial profligacy. The equivalency was jarring.

The foreign correspondents talked vaguely of “numerous casualties on both sides” thus hiding the fact that the invading Azeris, who made the surprise attack and were better armed than Artsakh Armenians, suffered far greater losses in personnel and in weapons.

The foreign correspondents in many instances failed to mention that three Armenian soldiers were beheaded, and several unarmed and aged Armenian men were killed and mutilated in their homes. Perhaps the foreign correspondents didn’t want to suggest proximity in Azeri and ISIS attitude and behaviour. Such a comparison would have painted the Azeris in pitch black and their leadership as war criminals.

The journalists wrote that prior to the recent fight there was almost daily shootings across the contact line. However, they didn’t mention that almost in all cases the Azeris had initiated the shooting, forcing the Armenians to retaliate. They also didn’t mention that no month has passed in recent years without Azeri President Ilham Aliev or one of his senior military officers threatening to invade Artsakh.

While they occasionally talked about Azeri drones, many foreign correspondents omitted the fact that these very effective weapons, called Harop, were all imported from Israel. That country manufactures 40% of the world’s drones. Mentioning Israeli complicity would have been a no-no in the Western media. In one instance one of these drones killed seven Armenian civilians in a bus.

To hide the David and Goliath aspect of the April fighting, these same journalists didn’t mention that the Artsakh fighters achieved victory without reinforcements from Armenia.

Although Azeri forces achieved very little in their costly blitzkrieg, correspondents who were anti-Armenian exaggerated the importance of the several hillocks the Azeris managed to take from the Armenian side.

The anti-Armenian media didn’t mention the heroism of young Armenian soldiers who downed helicopter and drone with rudimentary weapons.

Not to offend Turkey, these same foreign correspondents failed to mention Erdogan’s and Davutoglu’s incitement for war against tiny Armenia. The correspondents also didn’t mention that the Azeri defense minister had threatened to bomb civilians in Stepanagerd.

To depict the Armenians as the foe, the journalists made sure to mention that Russia had a military base in Armenia. Of course, they didn’t say that Armenia was not only blockaded by the Turkbeijan Twins but was also threatened by 700,000-plus Turkish army, the second largest in NATO. In other words, the Russian military presence in Armenia is largely symbolic.

Some reporters even falsified the fighting in the ‘90s by claiming that the Azeris had fought the Armenians of Artsakh and Armenia, in addition to Russian soldiers. Not only did the Russians stop Armenians from advancing but the Azeris had hired Ukrainian pilots ($1,000 per bombing mission) in addition to having brought Pakistani, Mujahideen, Taliban and other Islamic fighters to attack the small Armenian army.

To portray Azerbaijan as “peace-loving” some journalists said that Baku had cut its military budget by 40%. They didn’t say that Baku was forced to do so because of the collapse of the oil market Azerbaijan depends on to stay afloat.

Another way of hitting the Armenian side—in a subtle way—is to call them “armed separatists who illegally control 20% of Azerbaijan” and Artsakh “a “breakaway region,” “occupier” and “enclave.” The use of “ethnic” to describe Artsakh Armenians is another gimmick. An ethnic group is by definition a minority. Artsakh residents are not ethnics. They are a nation—a nation which has lived in Artsakh for nearly 3,000 years. They are the settled indigenous inhabitants. The Azeris are the interloping Turkic/Tatar nomads. The reason Artsakh Armenians wrested the region from Azerbaijan during the collapse of the Soviet Union was because Joseph Stalin had given Armenian Artsakh to Azerbaijan to please Turkey, Azerbaijan’s older brother.

To divert the readers’ attention from the crux of the conflict, some journalists opined that President Serge Sarkissian of Armenia needs a victory on the battlefield to improve his chances of continuing his reign past 2018. The same correspondent said Sarkissian is prepared to follow any Moscow directives where the now tense Turkey-Russia relations are concerned. In other words, nasty and belligerent Armenia threatens NATO. Of course no mention of the various NATO bases in Turkey, the establishment of a NATO base in Nakhichevan (another territory taken from Armenia by Stalin and given to Azerbaijan) and Israeli access to Azeri airfields across from northern Iran.

In one instance, a foreign correspondent wrote: “The number of incidents along the Armenian-Azeri line increased over the past year. On the Azeri side there is a civilian population that has not left its homes. They are subjected to Armenian fire, which is sometimes aimed at them one-hundred or more times a day.” No mention that the incidents were ALWAYS started by the Azeris.

The same reporter ended his misleading report with: “Now that Azerbaijan has proved its military superiority, there is a chance for real diplomatic communication that could lead to an agreement.” By this reporter’s estimation, war is peace, petrol is a cleaning agent, and corrupt, dictatorial and belligerent Baby Aliyev is a modern Simon Bolivar.

Orwellianism is alive and well.

Jirair Tutunjian is a Canadian-Armenian journalist.

- See more at: http://www.intrepidreport.com/archives/17886#sthash.aSJZ1jRv.CP5uGi2D.dpuf

[Yervant1]

Plans for resumption of military industry discussed at the National
Academy of Sciences

17:52, 20 Apr 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan


Ashot Melkonyan, Director of the History Institute of the National
Academy of Sciences (NAS) calls for resumption of military industry in
the country.

Addressing the annual meeting of the Academy, Melkonyan first enlisted
the weapons Azerbaijan used during the “four-day” war and urged to
spare no means to acquire similar weapons or, why not, organize their
production.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan said, in turn, that the government
possesses necessary financial means to arm the military forces, and
there’s no need to raise funds for acquisition of weapons, but added
he does not mind voluntary assistance to the families of the deceased
soldiers.

The military actions made it clear that the Armenian scholars also
have a serious work to do. Director of the Institute of Radio Physics
and Electronics Arsen Hakhumyan said “there is a great potential, and
they are trying to achieve maximal results with scarce funds.”

Over the past years the Institute has developed a portable radar
system that allows to spot the movement of people and equipment at the
distance of 2-4 km, Hakhumyan said. He noted that that Armenia has the
potential to produce laser systems, optical, engineering and
communication systems, but added that large-scale machine production
is necessary for producing attacking weapons.

Arsen Hakhumyan said different tools developed and produced in Armenia
are being used at the frontline today.

The Academician added that today the world is moving towards a ‘clever
war.’ Therefore, preference is given to the data processing, rapid
response to problems, and assured that the country has a huge
“scientific potential.”

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.armradio.am_en_2016_04_20_plans-2Dfor-2Dresumption-2Dof-2Dmilitary-2Dindustry-2Ddiscussed-2Dat-2Dthe-2Dnational-2Dacademy-2Dof-2Dsciences_&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=tkGVEPfD5qf91PVnnv8VDPakXGpzd7shchYNR-KpyNQ&s=kVFbt2m5eUcrmckgj9LhjwK8tLgdsLtkQKcPVUr2S1I&e=

[Yervant1]

Where are millions of dollars sent to Armenia?

18:56 | April 20,2016 | Politics


Our soldiers were armed with high fighting spirit and that fighting
spirit brought them victory. If the hostilities continued on the
border our soldiers would counterattack and give the enemy a
worthwhile response within four days,” Mr Sargsyan said to A1+.

The freedom fighter is frustrated by the fact that Armenia does not
have modern military equipment and blames the country’s authorities
for it.

“What have they [authorities] done with millions of dollars that were
sent to Armenia? What have they done with the money? The government
should be held accountable. A person cannot be richer than his country
but in Armenia there are numerous people who are much richer than the
state. Armenia does not have even a cat today,” he stressed.

Grisha Sargsyan says the money must be returned to the state budget to
buy firearms for the army and to arm our troops with the latest
technology. “Have pity on our children, have pity on our people.”

About 105 veterans of the Union have been guarding the
Karvachar-Martakert section of the border since April 2. More veterans
will join them in the near future to replace their friends.

Speaking about Russia’s stance during the April war in Karabakh, Mr
Sargsyan said, “Armenia should withdraw from all formats. After all,
this nation needs to wise up. Can we bang our fist on the table or
not? I cannot understand what disturbs us or prevents us from doing
it. Only in this way shall we be able to make Russians come to their
senses.”

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__en.a1plus.am_1234116.html&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=CPEe-WX8BV_NnKxMDzUSP-DcXhOEG4tsj5H_pDoKxG0&s=4iwgxbFL71vTbgJ76YQhqvzFLDMnwkLUSr_-f95s-Xg&e=

[Yervant1]

Azerbaijan’s president saved his skin – Pargev Martirosyan

20:32 • 20.04.16

Russian FM Sergey Lavrov is arriving in Armenia for an official visit
on Thursday.

In an interview with Tert.am, Primate of the Artsakh diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan spoke of the
sentiments in Nagorno-Karabakh and of what mutual concessions the
Nagorno-Karabakh authorities and society see.

Recent talks have it that Russian FM Sergey Lavrov is coming to
Armenia tomorrow with the
Russian president’s program, which contains points on Russia’s stepped
up activities in the OSCE Minsk Group, return of territories and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s status. In this context, what can you say about the
sentiments among the people, political forces and military? What
possible mutual concessions do they see now?

I do not think Russia can bring a new package. As far as I am
concerned, there are the Madrid principles and the Kazan principles,
which are supposed to be the cornerstone of negotiations. As regards
the Nagorno-Karabakh people, political authorities and army, none of
them is supportive of it. And this is my answer as a man.

Does Nagorno-Karabakh consider any possibility of mutual concessions?

I am not well informed. Let Mr Lavrov come. I do not know anything
about his program.

Referring to diplomatic sources, Armenian press claims Russia plans to
make Azerbaijan a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and
grant observer status to Nagorno-Karabakh. Thus, all the three
conflicting parties will find themselves under the EEU auspices.

I do not think Azerbaijan will join the EEU. It is not in Azerbaijan’s
interests now. Secondly, I do not think Turkey will allow Azerbaijan
to take such a step. We are going to see what proposals they are
bringing to us. But I have always said that Nagorno-Karabakh will be
an independent state.

Much has been said, and even the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have
stated, that official Stepanakert will some day become negotiator. Do
you think Stepanakert can now be a negotiator? Such a need has much
been discussed.

I do not think Azerbaijan will agree to it, even if it is a desire of us all.

Much has been talked about the lessons to be drawn from the four-day
war. Do you in Artsakh analyze that something was wrong and we should
have been stronger. I do not mean military operations Rather, I mean
that Armenia and Artsakh should have had greater population, with
fewer people that emigrated.

I think everything was right. The attacker always has an advantage in
the case of a surprise attack along the border. But they failed.
Azerbaijan’s plans failed due to our heroes on the frontline. They
suffered great losses. We were going to launch a counteroffensive, and
Ilham Aliyev was well aware of that and a ceasefire was agreed on in
Moscow. But if we had advanced a little, the Azerbaijani people would
have hanged him [Aliyev] in their squares. So he saved his skin. And I
believe our army acted right.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.tert.am_en_news_2016_04_20_lavrov_1996118&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=5b8DRl6a17yCdbdmq4TC9PvWog5s40l6CyVuOuISy7E&s=oNWSEdG17bdrBJvr5vSgepkDp3J_ryIF7qpBCO9bNq4&e=

[Yervant1]

Opposition: No territorial concessions, no peacekeepers in Karabakh

April 21, 2016

Amid active speculations about a possible Russian plan for a
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, sentiments against any
territorial concessions to Azerbaijan have been on the rise in Armenia
these days.

The Russian media have suggested that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov, who starts a two-day visit to Yerevan tonight, will be
bringing with him some sort of a proposal on how to resolve the
decades-long Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict that, in particular, will
be based on the Kazan plan already discussed by the sides in 2011.

The plan based on the well-known Madrid principles (Armenian
withdrawal from some territories around Nagorno-Karabakh proper,
return of refugees, deployment of peacekeepers, a future referendum on
the area’s status), in particular, implied the deployment of
particularly Russian or Russian-led peacekeepers.

Speculations about such a possibility intensified after the four-day
hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone that left scores
killed and wounded on both sides.

Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who was effectively
ousted from power in 1998 over his advocacy of a “territories in
exchange for peace” position then discarded by many as defeatist, has
also become active in recent days.

Today Ter-Petrosyan is the leader of the main opposition Armenian
National Congress and his supporters consider him the “victorious
president” given that ex-officio he was supreme commander-in-chief
during the 1992-1994 conflict with Azerbaijan that ended in Armenians’
gaining territories and consolidating their presence in the
Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Ter-Petrosyan reportedly initiated a meeting with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan on April 9 to discuss the Karabakh crisis and is
expected to meet with Nagorno-Karabakh President Bako Sahakyan soon.

A harsh critic of the current Armenian leadership, Ter-Petrosyan said
in a later interview with ilur.am that the Armenian opposition should
put aside its differences with the current administration ahead of
what he described as important negotiations with Azerbaijan. He
emphasized that on the “diplomatic front” President Sargsyan “should
feel strong and have the support of the people.”

Deputy Director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute Sergey
Minasyan says that it is logical that the man who was involved in all
processes in the 1990s should have reacted to the latest crisis.

“I think that the behavior of Levon Ter-Petrosyan and his supporters
can have its reflection in the upcoming [parliamentary] elections, as
it has been positively taken by a majority of Armenian citizens,”
Minasyan told ArmeniaNow.

Armen Martirosyan, deputy head of the opposition Heritage party, not
diminishing the role of presidents and military leaders, believes,
however, that at the end of the day it is the people that will make
decisions.

“We have liberated our homeland at the cost of blood and no one has
the right to sell it. We have repeatedly expressed our position and
have done it clearly: we are against the idea of returning
territories, they belong to Artsakh and are Armenian lands; moreover,
we have liberated only part of our lands. We are also against the
deployment of peacekeeping forces since there can be no better
peacekeeper than an Armenian soldier,” Martirosyan told ArmeniaNow.

Hayk Khanumyan, the leader of Nagorno-Karabakh’s opposition National
Rebirth party, also excludes territorial concession to Azerbaijan.

“There are again people who are trying to speak in favor of resolving
the issue by means of territorial concessions. The problem is that by
ceding territory we won’t resolve any problems, ceding territory will
only weaken Artsakh’s position and will expose the people of Artsakh
to physical destruction,” Khanumyan wrote in a Facebook post.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.armenianow.com_en_karabakh_2016_04_21_armenia-2Drussia-2Dkarabakh-2Dlavrov-2Dplan-2Dyerevan-2Dvisit-2Dazerbaijan_1359_&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=KcoyK4hjhWNDwf2s8bU-q1cNaW8P68M9ZombazUNvUs&s=fpVeYl6SGvjYuAFr7mQ3khmGQ_sVZW8uyZ-AFhd7mmI&e=

[Yervant1]

Expert: Armenia and Hay Dat should demonstrate Azerbaijan's terrorist
image to the world

by David Stepanyan

Thursday, April 21, 14:40

The Armenian Foreign Ministry and Hay Dat should demonstrate
Azerbaijan's terrorist image to the world, editor-in-chief of
Lebanon-based Azdak Daily Shahan Gantaharyan told reporters on April
21.

He stressed that the world should understand that it is impossible to
live in the region, where there is a terrorist state. The latest
evidence of that fact was the Azerbaijani army's atrocities against
the residents of Talish and the Armenian servicemen, he said.

Gantaharyan noted that the neutrality of Armenia's strategic ally
Russia and its political statements regarding the April war do not
actually differ from the statements of the western countries and
international organizations.

He thinks such neutrality contributes to continuation of the peace
process given Russia's mediation role in the Karabakh conflict
settlement. In this light, he said, Moscow simply could not support
either of the conflicting of the parties.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.arminfo.am_index.cfm-3Fobjectid-3D6A729690-2D07AD-2D11E6-2D8EAE0EB7C0D21663&d=CwIBaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=T06d1K-rvG6aZb6700OAwrMh4QABdYWFy6voB4TdrME&s=okl-mtins4UC40XW-SK1GeZflRckRDsTMIFUp6_x8Lk&e=

[Yervant1]

NKR has a right of self-defense, Tonoyan says at NATO

April 21, 2016 17:02


Yerevan /Mediamax/. First Deputy Defense Minister of Armenia Davit
Tonoyan met NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Alexander
Vershbow today at NATO headquarters.

According to Armenian Defense Ministry press service, Davit Tonoyan
presented the details of the aggression Azerbaijan conducted against
Nagorno-Karabakh in early April, partucilarly planned attacks and
arguments proving violations of the international humanitarian law
during the attacks.

The Deputy Minister noted that the right of self-determination of NKR
cannot be annulled by use of force. He reaffirmed that Armenians
around the world are mobilized and will defend that right through any
means.

Davit Tonoyan stressed that the people of NKR have a right to defend
themselves and improve their safety environment.

Alexander Vershbow appreciated the current level of Armenia-NATO
relations and expressed a hope that they will maintain the development
dynamics.

Davit Tonoyan will participate in the discussion of Armenia-NATO
Planning and Review Process on April 22.

- See more at:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.mediamax.am_en_news_karabakh_17951_-23sthash.FPoleRdm.dpuf&d=CwIBaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=_MZ32_8f3494igM0xt0tgybiccw49WPDvHFu1LtQu2A&s=-sewxnQF4RK-0Nbpl_JSGi35XnlonHyZmNX97oXjf9o&e=

[Yervant1]

Facts presented by our delegation to the PACE came as shock (video)

19:00 | April 21,2016 | Politics


Today we have one task- the actions of Azerbaijan must be qualified as
war crime, Naira Zohrabyan, member of the Armenian delegation to the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), told “A1+”.

“The state, which university’s official website publishes the photo of
the soldier beheaded by Azerbaijanis, officially admits that it is a
terrorist state, there is no other formulation or assessment,” said
Naira Zohrabyan.

Today she showed the members of the ad hoc Sub-Committee on Conflicts
between Member States of the Council of Europe those photos registered
by the Red Cross, which should not be published taking into account
the rules of ethics.

“The photos and pictures simply shocked our colleagues. Head of the
Azerbaijani delegation once again tried to cry from his place that the
secretariat must have authorized to show something and that they also
could show; I insisted on showing, but they didn’t show,” said Naira
Zohrabyan.

According to the words of the member of the Armenian delegation to the
PACE, the Council of Europe doesn’t have a mandate to deal with the
conflict and the only positive work, which it can do, is to refrain
from hindering.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__youtu.be_v6Ju9PLZTQM&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=bED6j2bzWWXVURdYVEXTDfc0lQs2vMTixH7S_SZenu0&s=ikJXGHoh_IsgJNerDqfXmgvBQKpABP51ey08MMYnujU&e=


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[Yervant1]

Serzh Sargsyan on Azerbaijani aggression: “What would you say of a
country, whose actions are not different from that of the Islamic
State terrorists?”

11:35, 23 April, 2016

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. The international community must
swiftly and resolutely eradicate instances of genocidal occurrences
and xenophobia. As “Armenpress” reports, this was stated by President
Serzh Sargsyan during the “Against the Crime of Genocide” Global
Forum, while speaking on the recent Azerbaijani aggression against
Nagorno Karabakh.

“As recent crises in the Middle East have demonstrated, nowadays the
issue of genocide prevention remains urgent and topical. Lately, the
world has been watching with repulsion how the terrorists of the
Islamic State have been torturing, beheading and mutilating innocent
people, including women, children, and elderly people. The world is
shocked with the barbarities that are carried out by a gang of thugs,
who can hardly be called to justice and can be fought against barely
with missiles.
Nevertheless, if the thugs that carry out atrocities are fought with
missiles, a question comes up: what kind of responsibility should bear
a State, a subject of international law, for condoning and carrying
out similar crimes?
What would you say of a country, a fully-fledged subject of
international law, a member of the UN, Council of Europe and various
other structures, a signatory of the humanitarian conventions, whose
script is not much different from that of the Islamic State? Just a
few weeks ago, during the large-scale offensive unleashed by
Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh, Azeri soldiers were not content
with just shooting their arms: they mutilated elderly people, Armenian
soldiers, decapitated them and cut off their ears and presented those
actions in the social networks as a manifestation of national heroism.
It was all evidently encouraged by the Azerbaijani authorities. Is not
it bizarre that a country that pursues such barbaric policy and
violates all the norms of civilized conduct, these days is going to
host a conference under the rubric of “Alliance of Civilizations?” Is
this an approach to be tolerated? We must get to the point, when a
display of such hatred shall not be tolerated, when any government
shall refrain from such conduct mindful that it may be hold
responsible for it.
We as the international community must swiftly and resolutely
eradicate all such instances of genocidal conduct wherever they should
occur, as it was done some days ago by the leadership and public of
Sweden with regard to the hate speech directed against Armenians by
the Turkish nationalist Barbaros Leylani. This requires our concerted
effort, perhaps even subordination of geopolitical interests, ability
to voice strict and targeted condemnation. Unless we are able to nip
such conduct in the bud, we will have to deal with the elimination of
their various and unpredictable consequences; we will continue to face
various crimes nourished by hatred – crimes, among which are the
terrorist activities that gain new range and scale on our continent”,
the President said.

The 2nd “Against the Crime of Genocide” Global Forum kicked off in
Yerevan. The forum will mainly focus on issues of genocide refugees
and living survivors. Sessions are scheduled to take place, followed
by Q&As. Participants will deliver speeches.

More than 70 foreign media are covering the forum.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__armenpress.am_eng_news_844667_serzh-2Dsargsyan-2Don-2Dazerbaijani-2Daggression-2D-25E2-2580-259Cwhat-2Dwould-2Dyou-2Dsay-2Dof-2Da-2Dcountry-2Dwhose-2Dactions-2Dare-2Dnot.html&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=MbW0Vn7Rxgc7MMq4teBFr0A3YXwkKgINN-zEsmDgYmc&s=1sfTQJkW0ljlbtbl21D9DDxHk_jz7CRXMznXDUSkJ3U&e=

[Yervant1]

Instead of taking pictures, stand by the truth and say something meaningful!

Azerbaijan and Turkey hysterical on Lavrov photographing Ararat in Yerevan

http://www.groong.com/news/attachments/msg571214/pngeRsXOMZd9L.png

14:55, 23 April, 2016

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. Recently Russian FM Sergey Lavrov was on an official visit in Yerevan. In the airport Lavrov photographed Mount Ararat. Russian FM official representative Maria Zakharova posted the photo on Facebook and wrote: “Today Ararat captivated with its beauty. Sergey Lavrov couldn’t help but photograph it”. This created hysteria in Azerbaijan and Turkey.

As “Armenpress” reports, citing Azerbaijani media, Azerbaijanis and Turks demanded via social networks for their countries to address the Russian MFA regarding this.

Maria Zakharova responded to this hysteria by writing:”When Mount Ararat was depicted on the coat of arms of the Armenian SSR, in response to the Turkish government’s protest FM Chicherin had said :”The moon is depicted on the Turkish flag, but the moon is not Turkish territory”.”

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/844696/turkish-scholar-armenian-genocide-shame-of-turkey.html

 

[Yervant1]

40 Azerbaijani helicopters were involved in recent clashes: Karabakh

April 23, 2016 - 17:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - On April 2, 2016, Nagorno KarabakhDefense Army
downed an Azerbaijani Air Force Mi-24Gattack helicopter, which was
carrying out a combat flight during Baku's military aggression against
Karabakh.

Military equipment has been collected from the crash site of the
downed helicopter, including flight maps, pilot tablets, user manual
for night vision equipment, personal notebook of one of the pilots,
VHF ACR500-A 30-420 MHz radio, ARK-U2 automatic radio compass,
SARPP-12 flight data recorder with a cassette, part of the
helmet-mounted night vision device, 10 links with eight 20 mm cannon
shells, optoelectronic module with a gyro-stabilized platform.

The analysis of data from the seized property (flight documentation)
revealed that:

- between 31 March and 1 April 2016, the downed Mi-24G, as part of a
squadron, flew from Baku's Kala air base to Zhdanovsk with a stopover
at Kyurdamir air base;

- the route and the specified targets on the flight map indicate that
the crew was tasked to attack targets in the territory of Karabakh, at
a depth of three to ten kilometers from the line of contact;

- according to the flight map, an advanced landing ground had been
prepared to reduce the time for aircrafts to go into combat;

- in the area of mount Lyalya Ilyagi, a grid was applied with the
possible directions of aviation spotters’ work with a group of army
aviation helicopters;

- the total duration of flight of the downed helicopter is about three hours;

- objective control data contain records of three separate flights,
including the last one.

The Karabakh Defense Ministry earlier provided this information to
colleagues in Armenia to introduce it to military attaches of foreign
countries accredited in Yerevan.

According to radar reconnaissance of Karabakh air defense forces,
during the 4-day aggression up to 60 sorties by the Azerbaijani armed
forces were registered, of which 40 with the use of various types of
weapons on Karabakh positions.

This is confirmed by the analysis of the armaments, technical
equipment, flight maps, pilot's notebook, as well as the transcript of
the SARPP-12 data, found at the crash site of the Mi-24G. In the first
12 hours of military actions by the Azerbaijani armed forces, 40 army
aviation helicopters were involved.

The actions of the Azerbaijani armed forces, as well as the documents
seized from the downed Mi-24G show that the 4-day clashes were planned
in advance by the Azerbaijani leadership, Karabakh Defense Ministry
said in a statement.

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[Yervant1]

Serzh Sargsyan toughens Armenia’s position on NK talks

April 23, 2016 14:09
5322 views

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan

Photo: REUTERS

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said today that
it’s impossible to learn lessons and move forward without pointing out
the aggressor.

The President stated this answering the questions of delegates of the
second Against the Crime of Genocide Global Forum.

“I received yesterday Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, to whom I
presented the position we hold after the situation that resulted from
Azerbaijan’s large-scale military actions.

As an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair state, Russia is actively involved in
the process of peaceful settlement of NK issue. We have been a
responsible participant of that process for years, tried to find
solutions acceptable for all sides, and be construcrive. Obviously,
the negotiation process was thrown aside by Azerbaijan grossly
violating the Ceasefire Agreement of 1994.

We were convinced that the issue can be solved only by compromises, in
a peaceful way, but we have a different situation today. Agreements of
ceasefire regime and its strengthening were trampled, 5 joint
statements of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair states’ – Russia, USA and
France – Presidents were ignored, and horrible war crimes were
commited. We say today to everyone, point out the aggressor, do it so
we can learn lessons and move forward,” said Serzh Sargsyan.

- See more at:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.mediamax.am_en_news_politics_17982_-23sthash.prBowWyo.dpuf&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=tt38r7RB_4gp7abKg0Bqw2jOubU5HcTWOCA8ztkjNNU&s=tkakyOJ7WSWda8u54Pr3aZwa5hKrKNa3CQbam3jf3Xc&e=

[Yervant1]

Paul Levin believes that world is not aware of atrocities committed by
Azerbaijan

00:26, 24.04.2016

The world is not aware of the atrocities committed by Azerbaijan in
Nagorno-Karabakh, Paul Levin told Armenian News -NEWS.am. Levin is a
historian, who visited Yerevan to participate in the Global Forum
Against the Crime of Genocide .

"I read a lot about the conflict but did not read about the atrocities
. I learnt about them during discussions , and, I think, the whole
world does not know about them . Therefore, the Armenian government
and journalists should raise the awareness of the international
community making sure that those cases have appeared in the
international press, " he said.

“Azerbaijan should be convicted of the crime. Of course, violence
should be severely condemned. But does it change anything? Sometimes
yes, sometimes no, " Levin noted.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__news.am_eng_news_323779.html&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=dVFoSwGMftXzxABmtZVuEEhlGP8o7usUT3gbBaBgb80&s=Dc8y_zTgERMqHnRGRW-n7qHNviJ4rqEphCxLPcEF8mc&e=

[gamavor]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JgW28vgvN0

[Yervant1]

Truth, the first casualty of war: Untangling Western media lies about Azerbaijan's attack against Nagorno-Karabakh

By Jirair Tutunjian
Sign of the Times

Apr 2016 00:00 UTC

http://www.sott.net/images/map22.png

"A foreign correspondent is someone who flies around from hotel to hotel and thinks the most interesting thing about any story is the fact that he has arrived to cover it." —Tom Stoppard, Night and Day

http://www.sott.net/image/s15/315475/medium/article_2147431_132E7E3D000005.jpg

© EPA
Mafia State: US-UK-Israel puppet President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev runs a 'mafia state' in which journalists who go against the regime are jailed or blackmailed, just like in 'Big Brother' Turkey.

The Crimean War, in mid-19th century, introduced the world to the cardigan, the raglan jersey, and the balaclava headdress. It also introduced a new profession: the foreign correspondent. And almost immediately after the war the axiom "truth is the first casualty of war" was born because of the falsehoods spread by foreign correspondents on both sides, not to mention Tennyson's overheated and wrong-headed poem.

Since then, as in any other profession, there have been capable and honest foreign correspondents and reporters who have been incompetent, ignorant or propaganda tools of their nation or their employers. Ernest Hemingway, a giant of American literature, didn't hesitate to color his coverage of the Spanish Civil War with propaganda for the side he favoured. A British daily reported that the Americans had been victorious at Pearl Harbor. Countless American foreign correspondents beat the Pentagon drum during the Vietnam War. More recently, "embedded" American journalists reported how the US forces had "liberated" Iraq.

Foreign correspondents can be notoriously uninformed and cavalier about the countries they report on: for example, Middle East foreign correspondents of Western media who speak Arabic are as rare as atheists in Mecca. Most Western correspondents thus depend on local "minders" and a dubious local media to report what's happening. The situation has worsened in recent years as Western media have closed news bureaus around the globe and lone correspondents cover whole continents. This has given rise to the "airport reporter"... the journalist who flies in to a hot spot for a few days and covers complicated conflicts with a few hundred words then flies away to chase another conflict.

Considering the deteriorating condition of the profession, it's no surprise that many of its practitioners did a shabby job in reporting on the early April fighting between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). As usual, East vs. West friction, national and corporate interests (Azeri oil more precious than Armenian blood), carelessness and sheer ignorance played a part in their coverage. And as on other occasions, the conflict was often covered in Manichean terms.

Comment: Manichaeism was a major religion founded by an Iranian prophet and elaborated a moral dualistic cosmology offering a clear choice of action between good and evil.

Here's how the anti-Armenian or indifferent foreign correspondents and commentators reported the war between Azerbaijan and Artsakh:

Rather than point out that the fighting erupted because Azeri forces had attacked Armenian positions, hostile-to-the-Armenians journalists wrote of "violence and shooting on both sides".

They said "both the Armenians and the Azeris spent enormous sums of building their armed forces" without mentioning that what Armenia spends is a pittance of what petro-rich Azerbaijan spends. In the past decade Baku has invested $20 billion in its armed forces while the annual Azeri defense budget equals Armenia's total national budget. The journalists also didn't mention that impoverished Armenia has no interest in warand is forced to invest in its military in a failed attempt to keep up with the Azerbaijan martial profligacy. The equivalency was jarring.

The foreign correspondents talked vaguely of "numerous casualties on both sides" thus hiding the fact that the invading Azeris, who made the surprise attack and were better armed than Artsakh Armenians, suffered far greater losses in personnel and in weapons.

The foreign correspondents in many instances failed to mention that three Armenian soldiers were beheaded, and several unarmed and aged Armenian men were killed and mutilated in their homes. Perhaps the foreign correspondents didn't want to suggest proximity in Azeri and ISIS attitude and behaviour. Such a comparison would have painted the Azeris in pitch black and their leadership as war criminals.

The journalists wrote that prior to the recent fight there was almost daily shootings across the contact line. However, they didn't mention that almost in all cases the Azeris had initiated the shooting, forcing the Armenians to retaliate. They also didn't mention that no month has passed in recent years without Azeri President Ilham Aliev or one of his senior military officers threatening to invade Artsakh.

While they occasionally talked about Azeri drones, many foreign correspondents omitted the fact that these very effective weapons, called Harop, were all imported from Israel. That country manufactures 40% of the world's drones. Mentioning Israeli complicity would have been a no-no in the Western media. In one instance, one of these drones killed seven Armenian civilians in a bus.

To hide the David-and-Goliath aspect of the April fighting, these same journalists didn't mention that the Artsakh fighters achieved victory without reinforcements from Armenia. Although Azeri forces achieved very little in their costly blitzkrieg, correspondents who were anti-Armenian exaggerated the importance of the several hillocks the Azeris managed to take from the Armenian side. The anti-Armenian media didn't mention the heroism of young Armenian soldiers who downed helicopters and drones with rudimentary weapons.

Not to offend Turkey, these same foreign correspondents failed to mention Erdogan's and Davutoglu's incitement for war against tiny Armenia. The correspondents also didn't mention that the Azeri defense minister had threatened to bomb civilians in Stepanagerd.

To depict the Armenians as the foe, the journalists made sure to mention that Russia had a military base in Armenia. Of course, they didn't say that Armenia was not only blockaded by the Turkbeijan Twins but was also threatened by 700,000-plus Turkish army, the second largest in NATO. In other words, the Russian military presence in Armenia is largely symbolic.

Some reporters even falsified the fighting in the '90s by claiming that the Azeris had fought the Armenians of Artsakh and Armenia, in addition to Russian soldiers. Not only did the Russians stop Armenians from advancing but the Azeris had hired Ukrainian pilots ($1,000 per bombing mission) in addition to having brought Pakistani, Mujahideen, Taliban and other Islamic fighters to attack the small Armenian army.

To portray Azerbaijan as "peace-loving", some journalists said that Baku had cut its military budget by 40%. They didn't say that Baku was forced to do so because of the collapse of the oil market Azerbaijan depends on to stay afloat.

Another way of hitting the Armenian side—in a subtle way—is to call them "armed separatists who illegally control 20% of Azerbaijan" and Artsakh "a "breakaway region", "occupier" and "enclave". The use of "ethnic" to describe Artsakh Armenians is another gimmick. An ethnic group is by definition a minority. Artsakh residents are not "ethnics". They are a nation - a nation which has lived in Artsakh for nearly 3,000 years. They are the settled indigenous inhabitants. The Azeris are the interloping Turkic/Tatar nomads. The reason Artsakh Armenians wrested the region from Azerbaijan during the collapse of the Soviet Union was because Joseph Stalin had given Armenian Artsakh to Azerbaijan to please Turkey,Azerbaijan's older brother.

To divert readers' attention from the crux of the conflict, some journalists opined that President Serge Sarkissian of Armenia needs a victory on the battlefield to improve his chances of continuing his reign past 2018. The same correspondent said Sarkissian is prepared to follow any Moscow directives where the now tense Turkey-Russia relations are concerned. In other words, nasty and belligerent Armenia threatens NATO. Of course,no mention of the various NATO bases in Turkey, the establishment of a NATO base in Nakhichevan (another territory taken from Armenia by Stalin and given to Azerbaijan) and Israeli access to Azeri airfields across from northern Iran.

In one instance a foreign correspondent wrote: "The number of incidents along the Armenian-Azeri line increased over the past year. On the Azeri side there is a civilian population that has not left its homes. They are subjected to Armenian fire, which is sometimes aimed at them one-hundred or more times a day." No mention that the incidents were ALWAYS started by the Azeris.

The same reporter ended his misleading report with: "Now that Azerbaijan has proved its military superiority, there is a chance for real diplomatic communication that could lead to an agreement." By this reporter's estimation, war is peace, petrol is a cleaning agent, and corrupt, dictatorial and belligerent Baby Aliyev is a modern Simon Bolivar.

Orwellianism is alive and well.

About the author

Jirair Tutunjian is a Canadian-Armenian journalist.

[Yervant1]

Seyran Ohanyan: We will not cede a single inch of our land (video)

14:03 | April 24,2016 | Politics


The recent atrocities committed by the Azerbaijani side in Artsakh
correspond to genocide elements, Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran
Ohanyan said at Tsitsernakaberd memorial in Yerevan on Sunday.

In reply to A1+’s questions what lessons Armenia should learn from the
latest flare-up of violence in the conflict zone which has been dubbed
a ‘four-day war,’ Mr Ohanyan first praised the combat readiness of
Armenian servicemen then added that an analysis had been done to
address the shortcomings in the military.

Speaking about renewed speculations about possible territorial
concessions to Azerbaijan, the minister said, “What territories are
you talking about. We will not cede a single inch of our land.”

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