Armenian News... A Topalian...Trend hahahaha
Trend, Azerbaijan
April 21 2016
American Thinker: White House should defy Armenian lobby
and support Azerbaijan
Baku, Azerbaijan, April 21
By Elmira Tariverdiyeva - Trend:
The U.S. administration should defy the Armenian lobby and support
justice for Azerbaijan -- a true ally of America in the region,
American Thinker, daily internet publication, wrote.
While speaking about an Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan's territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Raoul Lowery Contreras, author
of the article, said that the territory has been and is
internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.
"Nagorno-Karabakh has never been independent or part of Armenia," the
article said.
"In the middle of the cease-fire was Russia, not the United States,"
the author wrote. "The lack of the US meaningful diplomacy in this
instance is shocking."
"Why didn't the president of the United States intercede in this
larger-than-a-firefight episode where it is said hundreds of soldiers
and civilians died?" the author wrote.
The author wrote that while this may be news to the president,
Azerbaijan has been a partner of the United States in fighting
terrorism since 2002.
"On top of that, Azerbaijani soldiers have served in Afghanistan as
allies and are there today, in April 2016," the article said.
"Azerbaijan has also been crucial in providing energy security to the
U.S. as well as its allies in Europe and Israel."
"It is one of Washington's absurdities that the U.S. Congress passed a
law (Section 907 to the Freedom Support Act) in 1992, rewarding
Armenia for an illegal invasion and punishing Azerbaijan for defending
itself," the author wrote.
"The law was adopted at the behest of the well-financed Armenian
lobby," the article said. "This ludicrous American law was never
overridden despite United Nations Security Council resolutions
demanding Armenian forces withdraw from Azerbaijani territory."
The author wrote that Armenia was found guilty of an illegal invasion
and illegal occupation of Azerbaijani territory by the European Court
of Human Rights in June, 2015.
"The fighting over the first April weekend would never have happened
if Armenia had followed multiple United Nations resolutions to leave
the territory of Azerbaijan it has illegally occupied for 22 years,"
the article said.
On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of
Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side,
Baku, Azerbaijan, April 21
By Elmira Tariverdiyeva - Trend:
The U.S. administration should defy the Armenian lobby and support
justice for Azerbaijan -- a true ally of America in the region,
American Thinker, daily internet publication, wrote.
While speaking about an Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan's territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Raoul Lowery Contreras, author
of the article, said that the territory has been and is
internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.
"Nagorno-Karabakh has never been independent or part of Armenia," the
article said.
"In the middle of the cease-fire was Russia, not the United States,"
the author wrote. "The lack of the US meaningful diplomacy in this
instance is shocking."
"Why didn't the president of the United States intercede in this
larger-than-a-firefight episode where it is said hundreds of soldiers
and civilians died?" the author wrote.
The author wrote that while this may be news to the president,
Azerbaijan has been a partner of the United States in fighting
terrorism since 2002.
"On top of that, Azerbaijani soldiers have served in Afghanistan as
allies and are there today, in April 2016," the article said.
"Azerbaijan has also been crucial in providing energy security to the
U.S. as well as its allies in Europe and Israel."
"It is one of Washington's absurdities that the U.S. Congress passed a
law (Section 907 to the Freedom Support Act) in 1992, rewarding
Armenia for an illegal invasion and punishing Azerbaijan for defending
itself," the author wrote.
"The law was adopted at the behest of the well-financed Armenian
lobby," the article said. "This ludicrous American law was never
overridden despite United Nations Security Council resolutions
demanding Armenian forces withdraw from Azerbaijani territory."
The author wrote that Armenia was found guilty of an illegal invasion
and illegal occupation of Azerbaijani territory by the European Court
of Human Rights in June, 2015.
"The fighting over the first April weekend would never have happened
if Armenia had followed multiple United Nations resolutions to leave
the territory of Azerbaijan it has illegally occupied for 22 years,"
the article said.
On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of
Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side,
which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers.
The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the
Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack,
which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements.
Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between
Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours)
with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier
said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started
violating the ceasefire.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result
of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent
of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven
surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by
peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions
on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding districts.
APA, Azerbaijan
April 21 2016
Armenian military truck hits landmine, casualties reported -
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry
Baku. Hafiz Heydarov – APA. Armenian media reports that the
Azerbaijani armed forces allegedly violated the ceasefire in the
direction of the Talish village and as a result of the shelling
Armenian military serviceman Marat Danielyan died are false and
unfounded, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told APA on Thursday.
This morning an Armenian ZIL-131 military truck, heading north,
Military operations were stopped on the line of contact between
Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on Apr. 5 at 12:00 (UTC/GMT + 4 hours)
with the consent of the sides, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier
said. Ignoring the agreement, the Armenian side again started
violating the ceasefire.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result
of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent
of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven
surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by
peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions
on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding districts.
APA, Azerbaijan
April 21 2016
Armenian military truck hits landmine, casualties reported -
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry
Baku. Hafiz Heydarov – APA. Armenian media reports that the
Azerbaijani armed forces allegedly violated the ceasefire in the
direction of the Talish village and as a result of the shelling
Armenian military serviceman Marat Danielyan died are false and
unfounded, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told APA on Thursday.
This morning an Armenian ZIL-131 military truck, heading north,
in fact hit a landmine which had been placed by Armenians
themselves, the Azerbaijani defense ministry said, noting that
one Armenian serviceman was killed in the blast and many
others were wounded.
“Seeking to put the blame on Azerbaijan, the Armenian side is
concealing the number of those wounded and releasing this kind of
misinformation, hoping to cover up their failures,” Azerbaijan’s
ministry added.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict entered its modern phase when the
Armenian SRR made territorial claims against the Azerbaijani SSR in
1988.
A fierce war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. As a result of the war,
Armenian armed forces occupied some 20 percent of Azerbaijani
territory which includes Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts
(Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan),
and over a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally
displaced people.
The military operations finally came to an end when Azerbaijan and
Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in Bishkek in 1994.
Dealing with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the
OSCE Minsk Group, which was created after the meeting of the OSCE
Ministerial Council in Helsinki on 24 March 1992. The Group’s members
include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, the United States, France, Italy,
Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Finland and Sweden.
Besides, the OSCE Minsk Group has a co-chairmanship institution,
comprised of Russian, US and French co-chairs, which began operating
in 1996.
Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of the UN Security Council, which
were passed in short intervals in 1993, and other resolutions adopted
by the UN General Assembly, PACE, OSCE, OIC, and other organizations
require Armenia to unconditionally withdraw its troops from
Nagorno-Karabakh.
PRAVDA, Russia
April 22 2016
Armenian genocide: Two sides of the same coin
Pravda.Ru invited political scientist Andrei Epifantsev to talk about
the prospects for the settlement of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh,
tensions in Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and the history of
Armenian-Turkish relations.
"Was there the genocide of the Armenians by the Turks or not?"
"Undoubtedly, there was a massacre in Turkey in 1915 that should never
repeat again. My personal belief is that the official Armenian
position, according to which it was a genocide caused by infinite
hatred of the Turks against the Armenians, is not true for a number of
reasons.
"Firstly, it is clear that the Armenians were largely the cause of
what had happened. The rebellion that they had arranged started long
before 1915. Those events started at the end of the 19th century, and
they affected Russia too. Secondly, it is important to know what is
usually hushed up. The Armenians were acting just like the Turks. They
would go on ethnic cleaning, massacres and so on."
"The Turks have a museum of genocide dedicated to the territory
“Seeking to put the blame on Azerbaijan, the Armenian side is
concealing the number of those wounded and releasing this kind of
misinformation, hoping to cover up their failures,” Azerbaijan’s
ministry added.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict entered its modern phase when the
Armenian SRR made territorial claims against the Azerbaijani SSR in
1988.
A fierce war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. As a result of the war,
Armenian armed forces occupied some 20 percent of Azerbaijani
territory which includes Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts
(Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan),
and over a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally
displaced people.
The military operations finally came to an end when Azerbaijan and
Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in Bishkek in 1994.
Dealing with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the
OSCE Minsk Group, which was created after the meeting of the OSCE
Ministerial Council in Helsinki on 24 March 1992. The Group’s members
include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, the United States, France, Italy,
Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Finland and Sweden.
Besides, the OSCE Minsk Group has a co-chairmanship institution,
comprised of Russian, US and French co-chairs, which began operating
in 1996.
Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of the UN Security Council, which
were passed in short intervals in 1993, and other resolutions adopted
by the UN General Assembly, PACE, OSCE, OIC, and other organizations
require Armenia to unconditionally withdraw its troops from
Nagorno-Karabakh.
PRAVDA, Russia
April 22 2016
Armenian genocide: Two sides of the same coin
Pravda.Ru invited political scientist Andrei Epifantsev to talk about
the prospects for the settlement of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh,
tensions in Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and the history of
Armenian-Turkish relations.
"Was there the genocide of the Armenians by the Turks or not?"
"Undoubtedly, there was a massacre in Turkey in 1915 that should never
repeat again. My personal belief is that the official Armenian
position, according to which it was a genocide caused by infinite
hatred of the Turks against the Armenians, is not true for a number of
reasons.
"Firstly, it is clear that the Armenians were largely the cause of
what had happened. The rebellion that they had arranged started long
before 1915. Those events started at the end of the 19th century, and
they affected Russia too. Secondly, it is important to know what is
usually hushed up. The Armenians were acting just like the Turks. They
would go on ethnic cleaning, massacres and so on."
"The Turks have a museum of genocide dedicated to the territory
that Armenian units "liberated" with the help of British gold and
Russian weapons. Their commanders reported that there was not
even one single Turk left there. It was the British, who pushed the
Armenians to those acts. By the way, a Turkish court in Istanbul
condemned organisers of mass crimes against the Armenians, albeit
in absentia. Nevertheless, there was a mass crime committed and
it's a fact."
"Of course, and the Turks do not deny that - they bring condolences.
However, they do not call those events a genocide. From the point of
view of international law, there is a Convention on the Prevention of
Genocide, which Armenia and Russia signed, among other countries. The
document says that it is only the court in The Hague that is entitled
to recognize a crime as an act of genocide.
"Neither Armenia nor the Armenian diaspora abroad has never
"Of course, and the Turks do not deny that - they bring condolences.
However, they do not call those events a genocide. From the point of
view of international law, there is a Convention on the Prevention of
Genocide, which Armenia and Russia signed, among other countries. The
document says that it is only the court in The Hague that is entitled
to recognize a crime as an act of genocide.
"Neither Armenia nor the Armenian diaspora abroad has never
appealed to this court. Why? Because they understand that they
are unable to prove this genocide in legal and historical terms.
Moreover, all international courts - the European Court for Human
Rights, the French Court of Justice and so on - dismissed appeals
from the Armenian diaspora to hold genocide hearings in those courts.
There have been three of such trials since October of 2015, and the
Armenian side has lost all of them.
"In the first half of the 20th century, it was obvious that both the
Turkish and the Armenian sides had resorted to ethnic cleansing. In
1918 and in 1920, when the Soviet power was not strong yet, there were
both Armenian and Azerbaijani massacres. Afterwards, when the "Soviet
factor" disappeared, the Nagorno-Karabakh problem appeared. Today,
this territory has been cleansed to the maximum. There are practically
no Armenians left in Azerbaijan, and there are no Azerbaijanis left in
Karabakh and Armenia."
"In Istanbul, there is a large Armenian community and Armenian
churches, and this serves as an argument against genocide."
"The positions of the Turks and the Azerbaijanis are fundamentally
different on the ethnic and everyday life level. There is currently no
real territorial conflict between Armenia and Turkey, but there is one
with Azerbaijan. Some events took place 100 years ago, but some others
still continue today. The Turks did not have a goal to destroy the
Armenians physically - they wanted to force them to loyalty by
extremely brutal methods.
"Therefore, there are many Armenians in Turkey, whom the Turks wanted
to turkanize, so to speak, but the Armenians remained Armenians
inside. After WWII, Turkey started restoring Armenian churches.
"Nowadays, many Armenians go to work to Turkey. There were
"In the first half of the 20th century, it was obvious that both the
Turkish and the Armenian sides had resorted to ethnic cleansing. In
1918 and in 1920, when the Soviet power was not strong yet, there were
both Armenian and Azerbaijani massacres. Afterwards, when the "Soviet
factor" disappeared, the Nagorno-Karabakh problem appeared. Today,
this territory has been cleansed to the maximum. There are practically
no Armenians left in Azerbaijan, and there are no Azerbaijanis left in
Karabakh and Armenia."
"In Istanbul, there is a large Armenian community and Armenian
churches, and this serves as an argument against genocide."
"The positions of the Turks and the Azerbaijanis are fundamentally
different on the ethnic and everyday life level. There is currently no
real territorial conflict between Armenia and Turkey, but there is one
with Azerbaijan. Some events took place 100 years ago, but some others
still continue today. The Turks did not have a goal to destroy the
Armenians physically - they wanted to force them to loyalty by
extremely brutal methods.
"Therefore, there are many Armenians in Turkey, whom the Turks wanted
to turkanize, so to speak, but the Armenians remained Armenians
inside. After WWII, Turkey started restoring Armenian churches.
"Nowadays, many Armenians go to work to Turkey. There were
Armenian ministers in the Turkish government - this is impossible
in Azerbaijan. The current conflict is all about land. Azerbaijan
promises a high degree of autonomy, but within Azerbaijan. In a
nutshell, Azerbaijan wants the Armenians become a part of
promises a high degree of autonomy, but within Azerbaijan. In a
nutshell, Azerbaijan wants the Armenians become a part of
Azerbaijan. The Armenians can never accept such an offer.
It means massacre, violations of rights and so on.
"The history of this conflict is not over, it continues. For some
countries, it is highly important to obtain the domination of its
people on this particular land. As soon as they dominate, they can
develop the project further by attracting other people, although on
the basis of subordination. This is the stage that Armenia and
Azerbaijan are going through now."
Can Nagorno-Karabakh conflict be solved?
"Azerbaijan says: Armenians are our brethren, they must return,
"The history of this conflict is not over, it continues. For some
countries, it is highly important to obtain the domination of its
people on this particular land. As soon as they dominate, they can
develop the project further by attracting other people, although on
the basis of subordination. This is the stage that Armenia and
Azerbaijan are going through now."
Can Nagorno-Karabakh conflict be solved?
"Azerbaijan says: Armenians are our brethren, they must return,
there are all necessary guarantees for that - they will be in charge
of everything, except for external defense and international affairs.
What is the official position of Armenia?"
"Armenia and the Armenian society firmly stick to the position of
their historical land. "This is our historical land, basta! We will
not give away our historical land, we would rather die there or go
away, but we will never live in Azerbaijan." No one says that people
can not be mistaken. The Armenians may eventually realize their
mistake before they change their mind on the subject.
"All national projects have their moment of truth. For the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue, this moment has not come for any of the
parties. The elites of both Armenia and Azerbaijan have convinced
their nations that a victory is possible only if they firmly stick to
maximalist positions. "We are everything, our enemy is nothing. The
people, in fact, have become hostages to this situation."
Interviewed by Said Gafurov
What is the official position of Armenia?"
"Armenia and the Armenian society firmly stick to the position of
their historical land. "This is our historical land, basta! We will
not give away our historical land, we would rather die there or go
away, but we will never live in Azerbaijan." No one says that people
can not be mistaken. The Armenians may eventually realize their
mistake before they change their mind on the subject.
"All national projects have their moment of truth. For the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue, this moment has not come for any of the
parties. The elites of both Armenia and Azerbaijan have convinced
their nations that a victory is possible only if they firmly stick to
maximalist positions. "We are everything, our enemy is nothing. The
people, in fact, have become hostages to this situation."
Interviewed by Said Gafurov
JNS-Jewish news Service
April 20 2016
Unpacking the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and its ripple effect
on Israel’s region
By Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman/JNS.org
Aside from Israel itself, those with a vested interest in the Jewish
state are accustomed to tracking developments related to Middle East
players such as Iran, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. But much global
attention has recently focused on the Caucasus region at the
Europe-Asia border, specifically on the suddenly intensified violence
between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh
area of western Azerbaijan.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while not taking place in Israel’s
immediate neighborhood, does have what one scholar called potential
“ripple effects” on the Middle East.
Several-dozen (if not hundreds) of soldiers and civilians were killed
in early April before a Moscow-brokered cease-fire was implemented in
the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Yet this is not a new war. Much
like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has now been raging for
68 years since the establishment of the State of Israel, fighting
between Armenia and Azerbaijan has lasted for decades. The conflict
started more than 30 years ago in the late 1980s and escalated into a
full-fledged war in 1991, upon the collapse of the Soviet Union. More
than 30,000 people were killed before a cease-fire was instituted in
1994, leaving more than 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory occupied by Armenia.
“Azerbaijan is the side that lost its territory and it wants to win it
back,” said Amberin Zaman, a Turkish-born public policy scholar at the
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. “Azerbaijan has been
arming itself to the teeth for more than a decade….There may be a
point where they feel confident to do something [militarily] about
their land.”
But Azerbaijani Ambassador to the United States Elin Suleymanov
By Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman/JNS.org
Aside from Israel itself, those with a vested interest in the Jewish
state are accustomed to tracking developments related to Middle East
players such as Iran, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. But much global
attention has recently focused on the Caucasus region at the
Europe-Asia border, specifically on the suddenly intensified violence
between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh
area of western Azerbaijan.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while not taking place in Israel’s
immediate neighborhood, does have what one scholar called potential
“ripple effects” on the Middle East.
Several-dozen (if not hundreds) of soldiers and civilians were killed
in early April before a Moscow-brokered cease-fire was implemented in
the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Yet this is not a new war. Much
like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has now been raging for
68 years since the establishment of the State of Israel, fighting
between Armenia and Azerbaijan has lasted for decades. The conflict
started more than 30 years ago in the late 1980s and escalated into a
full-fledged war in 1991, upon the collapse of the Soviet Union. More
than 30,000 people were killed before a cease-fire was instituted in
1994, leaving more than 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory occupied by Armenia.
“Azerbaijan is the side that lost its territory and it wants to win it
back,” said Amberin Zaman, a Turkish-born public policy scholar at the
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. “Azerbaijan has been
arming itself to the teeth for more than a decade….There may be a
point where they feel confident to do something [militarily] about
their land.”
But Azerbaijani Ambassador to the United States Elin Suleymanov
said of the latest flare-up with Armenia, “We don’t want this
escalation.”
Suleymanov said Azerbaijan is looking for international support
towards attaining a peaceful settlement between his country and
Armenia, and that the United Nations Security Council has recognized
Azerbaijan’s right to this territory with Security Council Resolutions
822, 853, 874, and 884, among others.
“Armenia has continued to ignore the resolutions…and the world has
been comfortable with the status quo,” Suleymanov told JNS.org. “There
is so much conflict around the world. As long as our conflict did not
move to active warfare, it was easier just to ignore it or to refrain
from putting pressure on Armenia to move toward demobilization.”
Further, while the Nagorno-Karabakh region has been source of
conflict, Azerbaijan has succeeded in moving itself forward on several
fronts. Firstly, in terms of tolerance, Azerbaijan is considered a
pioneer among its autocratic neighbors (Armenia, Georgia, Iran,
Russia, and Turkey). Established in 1918, Azerbaijan is the first
secular Muslim-majority country built on the principles of a
Western-style democracy. The first draft of its constitution granted
equal rights to all citizens, including voting rights for women.
Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Rafi Harpaz has been quoted multiple
times as saying that there is no anti-Semitism in Azerbaijan.
Secondly, Azerbaijan has championed the $45 billion international
Southern Gas Corridor pipeline project to bring new gas supplies to
the European market. This project, supported by seven governments and
invested in by 11 companies, is arguably the global oil and gas
industry’s most significant and ambitious undertaking yet.
The U.S. government has made more than $10 billion in economic
investments in Azerbaijan in recent years. In fact, the first
large-scale Armenian attack in the recent Nagorno-Karabakh
Suleymanov said Azerbaijan is looking for international support
towards attaining a peaceful settlement between his country and
Armenia, and that the United Nations Security Council has recognized
Azerbaijan’s right to this territory with Security Council Resolutions
822, 853, 874, and 884, among others.
“Armenia has continued to ignore the resolutions…and the world has
been comfortable with the status quo,” Suleymanov told JNS.org. “There
is so much conflict around the world. As long as our conflict did not
move to active warfare, it was easier just to ignore it or to refrain
from putting pressure on Armenia to move toward demobilization.”
Further, while the Nagorno-Karabakh region has been source of
conflict, Azerbaijan has succeeded in moving itself forward on several
fronts. Firstly, in terms of tolerance, Azerbaijan is considered a
pioneer among its autocratic neighbors (Armenia, Georgia, Iran,
Russia, and Turkey). Established in 1918, Azerbaijan is the first
secular Muslim-majority country built on the principles of a
Western-style democracy. The first draft of its constitution granted
equal rights to all citizens, including voting rights for women.
Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Rafi Harpaz has been quoted multiple
times as saying that there is no anti-Semitism in Azerbaijan.
Secondly, Azerbaijan has championed the $45 billion international
Southern Gas Corridor pipeline project to bring new gas supplies to
the European market. This project, supported by seven governments and
invested in by 11 companies, is arguably the global oil and gas
industry’s most significant and ambitious undertaking yet.
The U.S. government has made more than $10 billion in economic
investments in Azerbaijan in recent years. In fact, the first
large-scale Armenian attack in the recent Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict took place while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was
in the U.S. to attend the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in
Washington, DC. During this visit, which included a visit with
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Azerbaijan-U.S. relations were
deemed close, cordial, active, and strategic.
Reports that followed the first Armenian attack insinuated that the
assault could have been a reminder by Russia, which has strained ties
with the West, that no one in “their sphere” should be too cozy with
the West. On this point, Suleymanov disagrees.
“I feel Russia is more…a proactive diplomatic power in the
area….Moscow’s involvement is a good thing,” Suleymanov told JNS.org,
noting that while U.S.-Russia relations remain strained,he believes
that regional powers could see the benefit of Azerbaijan’s strategic
ties with the U.S. and Israel.
“The rising tide lifts all boats,” added Suleymanov. “Like with the
U.S., our relationship with Israel has resulted in a lot of economic
growth for Azerbaijan—this is very helpful.”
Suleymanov admitted, however, that there is some cause for skepticism
about Moscow’s role. For starters, he explained, Armenia in recent
years has effectively become an extension of the Russian military in
the region. In recent months, Armenia announced that in addition to
joining the Eurasian Customs Union (the Russian-led alternative to the
European Union) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (the
Russian-led alternative to NATO), Armenia would coordinate all foreign
affairs with Moscow. This comes on top of the $200 million export loan
Russia provided Armenia in February to finance the delivery of Russian
military products, including Russian Smerch rocket launchers and
ammunition, Igla-S air defense missile systems, RPG-26 grenade
launchers, and more.
“We actually pay for what we buy,” said Azerbaijan’s Suleymanov. “The
Armenian side gets them subsidized or for free. This is an issue that
Azerbaijan has raised with its Russian counterparts….We want Moscow
involved, but we cannot just have one side involved in the forming of
a comprehensive settlement. We need Russia, the United States, and
France to produce a balanced settlement.”
Sporadic efforts have been made by the Minsk Group—co-chaired by
France, Russia, and the U.S.—to find a peaceful solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since the original regional cease-fire in
1994.
According to Woodrow Wilson Center’s Zaman, Russia has managed to
“play a double game,” arming both sides and ensuring that no other
regional powers step in. She also explained that Turkey and Azerbaijan
have had historically strong relations, while Turkey and Armenia have
had historically strained relations due to Turkey’s refusal to heed
others’ insistence that it give an official genocide designation to
the mass killing of Ottoman Armenians in 1915. Tensions between Russia
and Turkey have also been on the rise in recent months, especially
since Turkey admitted to shooting down a Russian warplane that
violated its airspace last November.
“There was a moment when people thought Armenia was moving
Reports that followed the first Armenian attack insinuated that the
assault could have been a reminder by Russia, which has strained ties
with the West, that no one in “their sphere” should be too cozy with
the West. On this point, Suleymanov disagrees.
“I feel Russia is more…a proactive diplomatic power in the
area….Moscow’s involvement is a good thing,” Suleymanov told JNS.org,
noting that while U.S.-Russia relations remain strained,he believes
that regional powers could see the benefit of Azerbaijan’s strategic
ties with the U.S. and Israel.
“The rising tide lifts all boats,” added Suleymanov. “Like with the
U.S., our relationship with Israel has resulted in a lot of economic
growth for Azerbaijan—this is very helpful.”
Suleymanov admitted, however, that there is some cause for skepticism
about Moscow’s role. For starters, he explained, Armenia in recent
years has effectively become an extension of the Russian military in
the region. In recent months, Armenia announced that in addition to
joining the Eurasian Customs Union (the Russian-led alternative to the
European Union) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (the
Russian-led alternative to NATO), Armenia would coordinate all foreign
affairs with Moscow. This comes on top of the $200 million export loan
Russia provided Armenia in February to finance the delivery of Russian
military products, including Russian Smerch rocket launchers and
ammunition, Igla-S air defense missile systems, RPG-26 grenade
launchers, and more.
“We actually pay for what we buy,” said Azerbaijan’s Suleymanov. “The
Armenian side gets them subsidized or for free. This is an issue that
Azerbaijan has raised with its Russian counterparts….We want Moscow
involved, but we cannot just have one side involved in the forming of
a comprehensive settlement. We need Russia, the United States, and
France to produce a balanced settlement.”
Sporadic efforts have been made by the Minsk Group—co-chaired by
France, Russia, and the U.S.—to find a peaceful solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since the original regional cease-fire in
1994.
According to Woodrow Wilson Center’s Zaman, Russia has managed to
“play a double game,” arming both sides and ensuring that no other
regional powers step in. She also explained that Turkey and Azerbaijan
have had historically strong relations, while Turkey and Armenia have
had historically strained relations due to Turkey’s refusal to heed
others’ insistence that it give an official genocide designation to
the mass killing of Ottoman Armenians in 1915. Tensions between Russia
and Turkey have also been on the rise in recent months, especially
since Turkey admitted to shooting down a Russian warplane that
violated its airspace last November.
“There was a moment when people thought Armenia was moving
away from the Russian orbit,” said Zaman, recalling a period when
Turkey considered opening its border with Armenia, which would
have allowed more Armenians to be employed in Turkey, among
other benefits. But the deal never went through, and the Turkish
-Armenian border has remained closed since 1993.
“Trade between Turkey and Armenia would have been to
“Trade between Turkey and Armenia would have been to
Azerbaijan’s benefit,” Zaman said. “One of the reason Armenia
is sort of hawkish about Nagorno-Karabakh is because it fears
a Turkey-Azerbaijan alliance against it, which is rooted in reality.”
Zaman said she expects it will be a long time before this conflict is
solved, and that there will be more violence, unless the Minsk Group’s
three nations can act together. She said there is no one country that
on its own could be “an honest broker.”
Yet Israel, Zaman believes, has the potential to positively influence
both Azerbaijan and Armenia.
“Israel has always had extremely good relations with Azerbaijan,” said
Zaman. “But if you look at history, I think there needs to be greater
[Israeli] awareness of where Armenians are coming from in all of this.
Let’s not forget [the] 1915 [genocide]. The Armenians sense of
insecurity is surely one Israelis can relate to.”
Zaman argued that while Israelis must first consider their own
security situation by recognizing Azerbaijan as a strategic ally in
the battle against Iranian nuclear proliferation, Israelis should also
“feel empathy for this other country (Armenia) that suffered horribly
in the way Jews did later in the century, and perhaps use its
influence to promote peace in the region.”
“If indeed we have a full-fledged war between these two, it is not
hard to imagine Turkey involved in some way on the Azerbaijani side,”
she added. “Then I can see Iran helping Armenia. Instability in the
Caucuses region is always going to be very destabilizing for the wider
region. There would be multiple negative ripple effects.”
Zaman said she expects it will be a long time before this conflict is
solved, and that there will be more violence, unless the Minsk Group’s
three nations can act together. She said there is no one country that
on its own could be “an honest broker.”
Yet Israel, Zaman believes, has the potential to positively influence
both Azerbaijan and Armenia.
“Israel has always had extremely good relations with Azerbaijan,” said
Zaman. “But if you look at history, I think there needs to be greater
[Israeli] awareness of where Armenians are coming from in all of this.
Let’s not forget [the] 1915 [genocide]. The Armenians sense of
insecurity is surely one Israelis can relate to.”
Zaman argued that while Israelis must first consider their own
security situation by recognizing Azerbaijan as a strategic ally in
the battle against Iranian nuclear proliferation, Israelis should also
“feel empathy for this other country (Armenia) that suffered horribly
in the way Jews did later in the century, and perhaps use its
influence to promote peace in the region.”
“If indeed we have a full-fledged war between these two, it is not
hard to imagine Turkey involved in some way on the Azerbaijani side,”
she added. “Then I can see Iran helping Armenia. Instability in the
Caucuses region is always going to be very destabilizing for the wider
region. There would be multiple negative ripple effects.”
armenpress.am
Deception of Azerbaijan’s embassy in France exposed
21 April, 2016
YEREVAN, APRIL 2. France-Artsakh friendship circle
uniting over 50 French politicians has issued a press release over
another propaganda fraud by Azerbaijan.
As “Armenpress” was informed from the Department of Press, Information
and Public Relations of MFA Armenia, the statement reads as follows,
“France-Artsakh friendship circle applied to the Secretary of State
for Veterans and Memory of the Ministry of Defense of France Jean-Marc
Todeschini on March 15 for checking the reliability of the information
spread by the Azerbaijani Embassy. According to the mentioned
information, an event dedicated to the memory of the victims of
Khojaly allegedly took place on February 26 in Paris, near the Tomb of
the Unknown Soldier under the Triumphal Arch.
“It is already several years the Baku propaganda cynically uses the
civilian victims of Azerbaijan for defaming the liberation forces of
Nagorno Karabakh, at the same time keeping silence over the civilian
losses of Karabakh”, president of France-Artsakh friendship group
Francois Rochebloine and Vice Presidents Rene Rouquet and Guy Tessier
explained.
In his response on April 8 Jean-Marc Todeschini denied and officially
condemned the false information spread by Azerbaijan’s embassy.
The Secretary of State mentioned that “a number of unions” were
present at the event, and the Ambassador of Azerbaijan really put a
wreath with a note “Embassy of Azerbaijan in France” on it, an act
that is regularly conducted by many other officials representing
foreign countries under the auspices of the Committee of Fire.
Mr. Todeschini mentioned that the information about the event spread
by Azerbaijani embassy through its own website is “false”.
The Secretary of State concluded his letter with the following, “I am
sorry and condemn the speculation made by that internet website
referring to the Fire burning ceremony of February 26. History and
memory deserve to be transparent, true and reliable. We are
responsible in front of those victims in honor of whom we organize
such events”.
These exposures documenting the duplicity of the Azerbaijani
authorities come to surface immediately after Azerbaijan unleashed a
military aggression against Nagorno Karabakh.
“When a country is able to shamelessly cheat the French and
international publics over an incident that took place in the centre
of Paris, how can one believe of what it tells about something
happening far away in South Caucasus. The incident near the Triumphal
Arch proves the existing regime in Azerbaijan is neither reliable nor
credible”, Francois Rochebloine said, adding that this dangerous
strategy hampers the peaceful settlement of the conflict, as
Azerbaijan regularly disseminates anti-Armenianism and hatred among
its public.
21 April, 2016
YEREVAN, APRIL 2. France-Artsakh friendship circle
uniting over 50 French politicians has issued a press release over
another propaganda fraud by Azerbaijan.
As “Armenpress” was informed from the Department of Press, Information
and Public Relations of MFA Armenia, the statement reads as follows,
“France-Artsakh friendship circle applied to the Secretary of State
for Veterans and Memory of the Ministry of Defense of France Jean-Marc
Todeschini on March 15 for checking the reliability of the information
spread by the Azerbaijani Embassy. According to the mentioned
information, an event dedicated to the memory of the victims of
Khojaly allegedly took place on February 26 in Paris, near the Tomb of
the Unknown Soldier under the Triumphal Arch.
“It is already several years the Baku propaganda cynically uses the
civilian victims of Azerbaijan for defaming the liberation forces of
Nagorno Karabakh, at the same time keeping silence over the civilian
losses of Karabakh”, president of France-Artsakh friendship group
Francois Rochebloine and Vice Presidents Rene Rouquet and Guy Tessier
explained.
In his response on April 8 Jean-Marc Todeschini denied and officially
condemned the false information spread by Azerbaijan’s embassy.
The Secretary of State mentioned that “a number of unions” were
present at the event, and the Ambassador of Azerbaijan really put a
wreath with a note “Embassy of Azerbaijan in France” on it, an act
that is regularly conducted by many other officials representing
foreign countries under the auspices of the Committee of Fire.
Mr. Todeschini mentioned that the information about the event spread
by Azerbaijani embassy through its own website is “false”.
The Secretary of State concluded his letter with the following, “I am
sorry and condemn the speculation made by that internet website
referring to the Fire burning ceremony of February 26. History and
memory deserve to be transparent, true and reliable. We are
responsible in front of those victims in honor of whom we organize
such events”.
These exposures documenting the duplicity of the Azerbaijani
authorities come to surface immediately after Azerbaijan unleashed a
military aggression against Nagorno Karabakh.
“When a country is able to shamelessly cheat the French and
international publics over an incident that took place in the centre
of Paris, how can one believe of what it tells about something
happening far away in South Caucasus. The incident near the Triumphal
Arch proves the existing regime in Azerbaijan is neither reliable nor
credible”, Francois Rochebloine said, adding that this dangerous
strategy hampers the peaceful settlement of the conflict, as
Azerbaijan regularly disseminates anti-Armenianism and hatred among
its public.
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