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Karabakh ex-official: Presidential decree to dissolve Artsakh should be canceled

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Everything is very clear, there is even no need for discussion; the [presidential] decree on dissolving the Republic of Artsakh just needs to be canceled. Artak Beglaryan, the former Minister of State of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), stated this in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“I don’t know why this topic is getting so heavy. It’s just a question of cancellation mechanisms as to which one is more preferable. Either through a new [Artsakh] presidential decree or through the Supreme Court. Of course, it should be with the new decree of the president, which is very fast, without prolonging, without long procedures, without being dependent on other actors, etc.,” Beglaryan said.

“It is preferable that it happens before January 1 [i.e. when the aforesaid decree comes into force]. But it has no legal significance. Its significance is informational, political because it’s all the same. The decree of September 28 does not cause any legal consequences because it is unconstitutional, the [Artsakh] president has no authority to dissolve the republic. Secondly, it was signed under the threat of violence [by Azerbaijan], which was confirmed by both the president and the NA [National Assembly)],” added the former minister of state of Artsakh.

According to Beglaryan, there is no legal matter here, but there is a matter of perception and political message, especially to the international community.

“It is necessary to show political will and give that clear message that we [i.e. Artsakh] continue to function as of January 1. Even if it [i.e. the decree] is not cancelled, it doesn’t change anything; the state bodies of Artsakh continue to function,” said the former state minister of Artsakh.

Breaking News: The Armenians who are blaming Russia for the loss of Artsakh need to read the Pashinyan Interview

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On December 19, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke about the current policy of the Armenian government on the issue of Nagorno Karabakh in an interview with “First Channel”.

Turning to the question “Is the Karabakh issue closed? What do we want now?”, Pashinyan answered: “We want the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, statehood, and democracy of Armenia because I said in 2018 that I am the Prime Minister of Armenia and the state interests of Armenia should guide us. All of us, starting with me, and ending with my predecessors, 70-80 percent of Armenia’s resources, or not putting them in a mathematical calculation, the lion’s share was put on the Nagorno Karabakh issue. Armenia did not have a foreign policy, it had a Nagorno Karabakh policy, Armenia did not have a security agenda, it had a Nagorno Karabakh security agenda, etc.,

and so on. The resources that we should have invested in creating RA, we have invested in creating NKR. We have not taken into account the creation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic according to the 1993 resolutions of the UN Security Council, the Lisbon summit, I can list again, I’m just saying briefly, according to the results of the 1999 Istanbul summit, according to the Madrid principles, 2016. with negotiation packages, it is impossible.

Do you understand, we have set a problem, we have spent our resources on solving a problem, the solution of which, from the beginning, the entire international community has prevented,” he said. According to Pashinyan, in the negotiation process of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem, there was never such an option that would offer a solution to the Nagorno Karabakh problem. “All options that were on the table assumed non-resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. There was an option [that was resolved] in 1999, it was the exchange of Meghri and Nagorno-Karabakh.”

The Prime Minister notes that the Armenian government’s approach to the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians is as follows: if they do not have the opportunity to return, they should stay, live and work in Armenia. “What does Azerbaijan say? They say: do you want the return of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, rights, security, etc., no problem, let’s also record the rights of Azerbaijanis who emigrated from Armenia in the peace agreement.

Of course, we can call it the right of return of the Armenians of Nakhichevan, Baku, Sumgait, and Kirovabad, again the right of return of Armenians from many places, but here the topic is in the following, what logic are we following, are we now gathering resources to go to a new conflict? or are we gathering resources to go to peace and use those resources to establish a state in Armenia? In my opinion, this is the right way,” said Nikol Pashinyan.

Adversaries Using the Same Playbook

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In recent weeks, Armenian and regional political landscapes have witnessed significant events prompting contemplation on their interconnections. Discussions about potential snap elections in Armenia have permeated both pro-government and certain anti-government circles, while Azerbaijan, led by Ilham Aliyev, has already declared snap elections in February.

The chronological examination of the past weeks reveals a complex web of events. Following the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh in September, amid efforts to assist forcibly displaced Armenians, the focus of “Civil Contract” shifted to securing the position of Yerevan City Mayor. Subsequently, Avinyan, aligned with Pashinyan, assumed the mayoral role. Notably, recent actions, including the removal of the elected Mayor of Alaverdi, indicate strategic moves aligning with the discourse of potential snap elections.

Authoritarian leaders typically consolidate control over key cities and communities ahead of elections to secure favorable outcomes. In this context, the steps taken by “Civil Contract” align with such a political strategy.

Zooming out, the visit of James O’Brien, Assistant Secretary at the US State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, to Baku on December 6 underscores geopolitical dynamics. O’Brien’s bypassing of Yerevan amid tensions in US-Azerbaijan relations suggests a calculated move by the US. Unlike Pashinyan’s Armenia, Azerbaijan engages in diplomatic exchanges based on mutual interests, reflecting their pragmatic approach.

The mutual needs of Azerbaijan and the US come into focus. Azerbaijan seeks acknowledgment of its actions in Artsakh as legitimate, closing the Artsakh issue definitively. Simultaneously, the US aims to create challenges for Russia in the South Caucasus, leveraging a potential “peace treaty” between Armenia and Azerbaijan under the Western umbrella.

Bilateral agreements on the exchange of prisoners of war follow O’Brien’s visit, benefiting both Aliyev and Pashinyan. For Azerbaijan, these elections mark the first where votes extend from occupied Artsakh, while for Armenia, they signify the first election post-occupation. Aliyev and Pashinyan appear poised to solidify a status quo where the Republic of Artsakh ceases to exist, advancing their countries’ interests at Armenia’s expense.

In this intricate geopolitical situation, Pashinyan is positioned to secure another “iron mandate” for the proposed “peace treaty,” seemingly untouched by concerns raised over Alaverdi, Gyumri, Yerevan, or the potential snap elections by both the US embassy and the EU delegation.

Source: 301.am

Karabakh ex-official: We will go to war with this peace treaty

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The Armenian authorities are “packaging” the peace treaty [expected to be signed with Azerbaijan] in such a way that after 20-25 years my grandchildren will go to war [against Azerbaijan].

It seems to them [the Armenian authorities] that they are going for peace; but it’s not peace, it’s war! You’re just delaying it from one generation to the next. Samvel Babayan, former Secretary of the Security Council and former Minister of Defense of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), stated this in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“There was a genocide 100 years ago, and any president of Armenia who tries to recognize the territorial integrity of Turkey becomes a traitor. He goes abroad, gets hit with tomatoes and eggs. Even today, the [Armenian] diaspora almost completely disdains today’s incumbent [Armenian] authorities,” said Babayan.

“I say: if there are literate, thinking people in Azerbaijan so that our [two] peoples, who have been fighting each other for 300 years, do not continue to fight for another 300 years, we should play our ‘game.’ For so long we have not decided, the superpowers have decided, which have promoted their interests. I propose that we play our ‘game’ in coordination with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan needs to realize that Artsakh should be an autonomous republic, that people [should] return, there [should] be peace, the two peoples [should] reconcile. The region [should] follow the path of economic, political, and logistic integration; this is our future,” added Samvel Babayan.

Armenia: An alarming report released by 301. highlights the emergence of a new axis of danger.

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The presence of foreign-funded lobbying against Armenia has been consistently noteworthy.

A special report for 301

Since Armenia’s independence in 1991, there has been no shortage of foreign-funded anti-Armenian lobbying firms operating in the United States. It is now common knowledge that both Turkey and Azerbaijan have invested millions of dollars to prop up these firms. What is, however, astounding information that has heretofore gone unnoticed among Armenians, is a peculiar connection between one such anti-Armenian lobby–The Livingston Group–representing a registered Armenian opposition political party. The National Democratic Alliance (formerly Axis) or NDA, also affiliated with “Sasna Tsrer,” is being represented by The Livingston Group, an outright anti-Armenian lobbying firm with known ties and millions in contributions from the Turkish and Azerbaijani governments.

Many are familiar with the insidiously anti-Armenian lobbying efforts of The Livingston Group because its founding partner, Robert (Bob) Livingston, is a former US Congressman, who hastily left Congress in disgrace on March 1, 1999 after his multiple extramarital affairs were exposed by Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flint.

While in Congress, Livingston was a loyal supporter of Turkey and Azerbaijan. When Section 907, which sought to ban any kind of direct aid by the United States to the Azerbaijani government, was introduced and passed, Livingston was the legislation’s loudest opponent.

After leaving Congress in 1999, Livingston entered private practice as a lobbyist and represented Armenia’s enemies on many different issues. Both Turkey and Azerbaijan have hired The Livingston Group to lobby their interests in the US Congress for several years and have spent millions of dollars towards this end. 

The Livingston Group acts as a mouthpiece for the Turkish government, promoting its agenda of denying the Armenian Genocide and severely undermining efforts for recognition and justice for the victims of the Armenian Genocide. In addition, the Livingston Group’s portrayal of Azerbaijan as a democratic and friendly neighbor disregards the country’s long history of human rights abuses, including political repression, media censorship, and discrimination against ethnic minorities. 

According to an article in “The New Republic,” Bob Livingston is described as the kingpin of Turkish advocacy due to his lobbying firm, the Livingston Group, having received approximately $13 million in Turkish funds since 2000. Livingston, best known for his brief and controversial tenure as House Speaker-elect during the Clinton impeachment scandal (before resigning from Congress after admitting his own extramarital affair), has lobbied on various issues aligned with Turkey’s interests. However, it is his relentless efforts against the Armenian Genocide resolution that earned him hero status in Ankara. In 2000, Livingston’s team personally contacted 141 members of Congress in the lead-up to the vote on the resolution, and on October 19, the day the vote was canceled. His mission was accomplished. 

Recently published documents from the US State Department indicate that The Livingston Group is now representing National Democratic Alliance (NDA), an alliance affiliated with Sasna Tsrer—a political opposition party in Armenia, which organized and executed a terrorist attack referred to as the “2016 Hostage Crisis” that resulted in the murder of 3 Armenian police officers. Following the attack, the political party has remained active in Armenia, garnering 1.82% of the vote in the 2018 election, and 1.49% more recently in the 2021 snap elections. 

Sasna Tsrer,  while widely unpopular in Armenia as an opposition party, mustered a show of support in September 2022 when then-US speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited Armenia. Sasna Tsrer is a vehement proponent of US/Western intervention in Armenia. 

Among the US State Department documents is a statement circulated by the Livingston Group, which mentions that the purpose of NDA is to establish relations with relevant officials in the Administration, Congress, and think-tank community, and explore how the NDA can help strengthen relations between the United States and Armenia, and counter the influence of Russia in Armenia.

The statement also notes that the National Democratic Alliance of Armenia is interested in strengthening ties with US allies and the European Union.

Stated in the Livingston Group and NDA’s documentation with FARA, “Pashinyan is highly unpopular in Armenia and any attempts by the US and its allies to prop him up and entice him to change his allegiances will undoubtedly backfire. He needs to be replaced by a truly pro-Western and reformist government with the capacity to carry reform. NDA is the political movement that has the potential and credibility to make this happen. With the help of Armenia’s Western partners, NDA will spearhead this shift and prevent the further takeover of Armenian territory by Azerbaijan and Turkey, along with launching a massive economic reform effort capitalizing on the financial and human capital of the Diaspora.”

Armenia has experienced a decline in population under the leadership of Pashinyan’s

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Based on the 2022 census findings in Armenia, the country’s total permanent population stands at 2,932,731 individuals, with 1,548,250 being women and 1,384,481 being men. The Statistical Committee of Armenia released these statistics.

During the same period, the current population indicator was 2,869,438 people.

Comparing the 2022 census data with the previous 2011 census in Armenia reveals a decline in both current and permanent population figures. Specifically, in contrast to the 2011 census, the permanent population has decreased by approximately 86,023 individuals. In 2011, the permanent population was 3,018,854, and in 2001, it stood at 3,213,011 people.

Putin stated, “It wasn’t us who departed from Karabakh; rather, it was Pashinyan who acknowledged Artsakh as a part of Azerbaijan.”

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Wally Sarkeesian: Most Armenian people in Armenia and the Diaspora are by now aware that Pashinyan ascended to power in 2018 with the support of Turkey and Azerbaijan, with the sole aim of dismantling Artsakh and aligning with Turks.

Putine: Addressing the future of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in light of Armenia and Moldova’s positions, Russian President Vladimir Putin clarified that it was not Russia that abandoned Karabakh; rather, it was Armenia that independently acknowledged Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. Putin emphasized the complexity of internal political processes in Armenia, noting that the decision was made without extensive prior communication with Russia. He acknowledged both positive and negative aspects of this development, recognizing the intricate nature of the situation.

Gagrule.net Honors the Armenian Heroes of Jerusalem: Recognizing the Bravery of these Individuals for the Armenian Nation.

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By Wally Sarkeesian,

Boris Avedesian, Bedig Giragossian, Hagop Jernazian, Kegham Balian, Saro Nalbandian, and other Armenians have tirelessly collaborated day and night alongside their fellow Armenians. Their collective goal is to safeguard the Armenian quarter from the encroachment of Israeli extremists.

With unwavering resolve and a swift response, the Armenian community in Jerusalem has united to resist Israeli attempts to seize significant Armenian communal property, crucial to their history and vitality.

Jerusalem Story has covered various accounts of the ongoing standoff between Israel and the Armenian community, particularly concerning the control of Armenian church property. Since the initial reporting in November, heightened aggression from Israeli entities has compelled the Armenian community to swiftly and cohesively defend their rights. This struggle not only impacts the Armenian community’s rights but also poses a threat to the very presence of the Christian community in Jerusalem. With such spirit and determination, the liberation of Artsakh will soon reemerge on the horizon.

Armenian Government Adds Unnecessary Burdens on Already Suffering Artsakhtsis

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By Harut Sassounian,

As if the problems of displaced Artsakh Armenians were not bad enough, given their forced departure from their native land and the subsequent hardships faced by lack of housing, food, medicines and other essential items after their arrival in Armenia, the government is now creating more unnecessary difficulties for them.

Artsakh Armenians, who have been citizens of Armenia for a long time, are suddenly told by the Armenian government that they are not citizens of Armenia, even though they possess passports issued by the Republic of Armenia. Many Artsakh Armenians have used their Armenian passports for years to travel to foreign countries without any problems, which means that the authorities in Armenia and other countries accepted their passports as genuine Armenian passports. How is it possible that Artsakhtsis were citizens of Armenia while living in Artsakh, but not after they arrived in Armenia?

To make matters more confusing, the government of Armenia is now telling Artsakh Armenians that since they are not citizens of Armenia, they may apply for Armenian citizenship in the future. This is complete nonsense. How can a citizen of Armenia apply a second time for citizenship? If I, as a US citizen, apply for US citizenship for the second time, American government officials will treat me as a fool and show me the door.

I believe that the Armenian government, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, has a hidden agenda in treating Artsakh Armenians as non-citizens. He wants to make sure that during future elections in Armenia, Artsakh Armenians will be unable to vote, knowing that many of them will not vote for his political party’s candidates, since Pashinyan is the one who handed Artsakh to Azerbaijan. We now have the additional evidence that the country’s leader is not only incompetent, but also violates the country’s laws for political gain. This is confirmed by the Interior Ministry’s declaration: “A person with refugee status does not have the right to vote and be elected in national elections.”

Last week, the Republic of Armenia’s Ministry of Interior issued a statement in the format of “answers to frequently asked questions by forcibly displaced citizens of the Republic of Artsakh.” In this first sentence, there is already an error. Artsakh Armenians are citizens of Armenia, not citizens of Artsakh or Azerbaijan.

The Ministry tried to entice Artsakh Armenians to accept their refugee status, telling them that those who have the status of a refugee have no obligation to serve in the armed forces of Armenia. In other words, Artsakh Armenians, who must serve in Armenia’s armed forces as citizens of Armenia, are wrongly exempted from military service, in violation of Armenian law.

The Ministry also stated that as refugees, Artsakh Armenians have no right to own agricultural land. This provision deprives them of the ability to grow food on their own plot of land, since they do not have the necessary funds to purchase food.

The Ministry then stated that refugees cannot travel to a foreign country. This is also false, as Artsakh Armenians with their Armenian passports can travel to any country after obtaining a visa, if one is required. Some countries like Russia do not require a visa from Armenian citizens. Thousands of Artsakh Armenians have already left Armenia simply by showing their Armenian passports which means that both Armenia and other countries have recognized their passports as legitimate documents.

The Ministry then contradicted itself by stating that “should a refugee’s passport expire, it can be renewed by presenting two photos and the expired passport.” How can Artsakh Armenians renew their passports in Armenia, if they are not Armenian citizens and do not hold Armenian passports?

In a further contradiction, the Ministry stated that those Artsakh Armenians who become Armenian citizens do not lose their ability to benefit from social assistance programs for refugees. The only requirement is that they be classified as ‘displaced.’ If they do not jeopardize their right to receive assistance after becoming citizens of Armenia, why are they classified as refugees and not recognized as citizens?

Incredibly, after giving away Artsakh and repressing the rights of Artsakh Armenians to pursue any political activity in Armenia on behalf of Artsakh, the Ministry of Interior stated that their losses of property in Artsakh “does not disappear or cease to exist as a result of a change in a person’s legal status,” meaning acquiring citizenship of Armenia. It remains to be seen if the Armenian government, beyond mere words, will be willing to file lawsuits in international courts to defend the property rights of Artsakh Armenians.

Artsakh Armenians, who are citizens of Armenia, have suffered more than enough. They should not be burdened with such unnecessary bureaucratic nonsense.