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The female Narine Asatryan de-miners of Nagorno Karabakh #Artsakh

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Narine Asatryan

Narine Asatryan

Narine Asatryan says in a conversation with Al Jazeera that finding a landmine is a feeling like no other. She is one of The HALO Trust‘s de-miners in Nagorno Karabakh, and has found two anti-personnel mines so far.

For her, working as a de-miner offers a chance to make a positive effect in her community.

Amid heavy snow, the electricity is out across the entire region, and heat is provided by a gas stove in the centre of the room. Beneath the house, a steep hillside descends into the wintry valley below.

Alvina searches for PMN-2 mines at Marzili. These anti-personnel mines were used heavily during the Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994). Manufactured in the Soviet Union, these small circular devices can be triggered by any form of pressure. Originally designed to disable an adult, a PMN-2 can kill a child. EVA CLIFFORD/AL JAZEERA

One of the toughest parts of the job is working in such extreme weather, says Inga Avanesyan, another HALO de-miner.

Today, the team has had to stand down because the snow prevents them from working. But the snow is nothing compared with the other challenges they face.

Dedicated to clearing landmines across the world, The HALO Trust has been operating in Nagorno Karabakh since 2000.

In 2015, HALO employed its first, female de-mining team; there are now 11 women, with more undergoing training this year.

Military positions once lined the tops of these hills during the Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994). When the residents of a nearby village noticed a landmine they alerted The HALO Trust, who dispatched a team to survey and clear the area. The village, being just 1.2km away, means children regularly come to play here. The team carries out a full excavation so that they can ensure the land is mine-free before handing it back to the local community. EVA CLIFFORD/AL JAZEERA

Defying traditional gender roles, they are able to provide for their families as well as making a tangible difference in their communities.

Related links:

Al Jazeera. The female de-miners of Nagorno-Karabakh

Nagorno-Karabakh to remain under Armenian control ‘in case of any settlement scenario’ – Thomas de Waal

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Thomas de Waal

The plausible likelihood that Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) will remain under Armenian contol in case of any outcome in the current conflict settlement process is, by and large, understandable all actors, according to Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe.

In an interview with RFE/RL (Echo Kavkaza), the expert described the fact as the most painful and acute issue in the entire conflict settlement process.

“I think everybody understands, more or less, that Nagorno-Karabakh will remain under the Armenians’ control in case of any settlement scenario. But here we also deal with the  problem of the [surrounding seven] regions which are also under Armenian troops’ control. Baku will never certainly reconcile with the loss of those territories which used to be home to half a million Azerbaijanis (who are still refugees).

And on the other hand, Armenia will never hand them over unless there are strong security guarantees. I think this problem was much easier to solve some 20 years ago,” he noted.The analyst further warned of a high risk of renewed military operations, admitting at the same time that neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan want any war now.

“No one is likely to take such chances to instigate a confrontation potentially leading to many deaths and ravages. Yet on the other hand, there is a high proneness to conflict [in light of] mutual threats, verbal statements and accumulation of heavy armament (artillery, aviation) along the Line of Contact,” he added.

Thomas de Waal described long lasting conflicts as “stable components of instability” for the entire world. In his words, the existing high challenges are better visible to those who closely follow the developments in the region. Meantime he admitted that the world superpowers (US, EU etc.) are now more focused on other hotspots (Syria, Iran, North Korea and Ukraine) as “more urgent priorities.”

“I think that the danger surely exists as this conflict is not frozen at all, and the threat of renewed military operations is really very serious. What we need now is, I think, to give more attention to it, investing every possible effort [to prevent an escalation] instead of waiting until the conflict unexpectedly resumes any time in the future,” de Waal added.

In an article published earlier on the foundation’s website, the expert said he expects the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to remain  a “Project Minimum” for Russia US and France unless the “key actors, local and international, decide to rethink their strategic priorities”.

Artsakh people peace-loving ‘but also very attentive’ – Russian blogger

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Russian blogger and journalist Stanislav Stremidlovsky,

Russian blogger and journalist Stanislav Stremidlovsky,

A Russian blogger and journalist, who recently visited Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) to join the events marking the 30th anniversary of the liberation movement, shared his impressions of the trip in recent comments to Tert.am.

Stanislav Stremidlovsky, an editor for the regional news agency Regnum, said it was his second visit to the country after a tour several years ago.

“The Republic breathes in peace and is full of optimism; it is developing and looking towards the future,” he said, addressing also the population’s concerns over the existing war threats.

“The restless neighbor [Azerbaijan] is preparing for presidential elections in April, and because they have long opted for the confrontational behavior, it is reasonable to expect certain provocations, including armed conflicts,” he said, noting that he didn’t observe any anxiety or panic in the course of the visit.

The journalist said he had met with very knowledgeable and smart people in Artsakh.

“The people of Artsakh are peace-loving but also very attentive,” he added. Asked to comment on the liberation movement’s impact on the world history, or regional developments, Stremidlovsky said, “I really like to hear the word combination ‘people of Artsakh’ because, to the best of my understanding, the Artaskhtsis are really considered a people – united by their strong will. And I don’t believe that they made their way into history only in the past 30 years; they trace their roots back to 300 years,” he said, referring to important episodes of history.

Addressing the Azerbaijan’s policy of blacklisting foreigners who visit Artsakh, the Regnum editor attributed it to the Soviet Azerbaijani authorities’ ambition to create “a uniform country” (banning any claims or sympathies for the Armenian identity).

“And that probably led them to the idea of creating those black lists,” he said. ”What would, after all, make the things so horrible for them if the people who ever visited Artsakh visit also Azerbaijan to tell [the people there] how the country lives now. In that case very probably, the much respected people of Azerbaijan might exert pressure upon their government to urge them to normalize the relations with the Armenians (who aren’t absolutely aliens to them). If that’s really true, this kind of behavior by Baku gives ground only to compassion,” he added.

Karabakh Movement turning point & an irreversible reality “VIDEO”

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Karabakh Movement turning point

Karabakh Movement turning point & an irreversible reality. It is a point of departure for the sovereign biography of Armenian people and statehood. An event which empowered all Armenian Worldwide and realizes its common will, to demonstrate their persistence, determination, individual & human values. Artsakh reborn again. long live Artsakh.

 

Karabakh army soldier killed by Azerbaijan shooting

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Republic of Artsakh Defense Army (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR DA) serviceman Hayk Kalantaryan (born in 1998) was fatally wounded.

He was killed on Wednesday at around 1:50pm, at the protection area of an Artsakh DA military unit, and from a shot fired from the Azerbaijani side.

An investigation is underway to find out the details of this incident.

Karabakh MOD: Azerbaijan army attempted to infiltrate, it was pushed back suffering casualties

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STEPANAKERT. – On Thursday at around 2am, the vanguard forces of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR) Defense Army detected an infiltration attempt by the adversary’s intelligence-gathering diversion team, at the defense sector of a Defense Army position toward the southeastern (Kuropatkino village) direction, at the Line of Contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces.

But as a result of the preventive actions that were taken, these Azerbaijani special detachments were pushed back, the Artsakh Ministry of Defense (MOD) press service informed Armenian News- NEWS.am.

According to preliminary data, the adversary has suffered casualties.

Aliyev Again Tries to Deceive His Own Society

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Greta Avetisyan

Greta Avetisyan

by Greta Avetisyan,

At the cabinet meeting on the country’s economic development in 2017 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made a speech, trying once again to deceive his own society and distort the reality. Talking about the Karabakh conflict, Aliyev said that the conflict should be solved based on international law, emphasizing only the territorial integrity. Moreover, he noted that the international community, including the European Union, supports this approach.

Naturally, by a part of the Azerbaijani society such an announcement can be perceived as an absolute truth and become words of inspiration. Nevertheless, for those who follow international reactions on Karabakh conflict, Aliyev’s statement will raise many questions.

It is enough to remember that the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement signed between Armenia and the European Union at the end of 2017 fixed that the settlement of the conflict should be based on the three principles of the Helsinki Final Act – non-use of force or threat of force, territorial integrity and the right of peoples to self-determination. And this formulation reaffirms the position of the Armenian sides that the solution of the conflict is simply impossible without the realization of the right of the Artsakh people to self-determination.

In this context, it is important to note that this approach on Karabakh conflict is the approach of the European Union, as a structure and of individual members of the Union, and after the ratification of the Agreement it will become the EU’s stance. In this sense, it is more than logical that the EU and the EU member states should have as basis this approach when expressing their position on the conflict. It also refers to all the documents with reference to Karabakh conflict, including the possible EU-Azerbaijan agreement.

Therefore, in spite of the statements made by Aliyev, it is necessary to have as basis only the existing facts and to be guided with them, without being manipulated.

Lapshin: Azerbaijan tries to intimidate the world, but tourist flow to Karabakh grows

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Trying to intimidate the whole world, Azerbaijan contributed to the growth of the tourist flow to Artsakh, blogger Alexander Lapshin wrote on Facebook.

“For me, the outgoing year 2017 was not an easy one, because almost 9 months of this year were spent in an Azerbaijani prison because of a trip to Artsakh. I happened to dive into the dirty dismantling quarrels of the Azerbaijani clans, learned about the family squabbles of the Aliyevs, I even had a ride on the personal plane of the Baku sultan’s wife, and I saw the bickering for power and oil money in this Muslim country”, writes Lapshin.

According to him, their racism and hatred is not only towards the Armenian people because of the conflict in Artsakh, but also towards any other non-Muslim nation. The calls for Jewish pogroms shouted by demonstrators outside the Baku court, where he was held, said a lot about the country, Lapshin said, adding that all the demonstrations are organized by the authorities.

“Trying to intimidate the whole world, dwarf Azerbaijan, on the contrary, contributed to the fact that in 2017 Artsakh was visited by almost twice as many tourists as a year earlier”, wrote Lapshin.

“Among them were my good friends from the Baltics: Alexander Alimov and Ivar Utinas from Latvia, Slava Gorbunov from Lithuania and many others. They shot a cool film about this wonderful land, its culture, people, nature, monuments and architecture. Watch it, I’m sure you would like to visit it, too!: he wrote.

Time to reach Karabakh breakthrough – Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan

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Turkey’s ambassador to Azerbaijan raised an urgent demand for reaching a final peace over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as he addressed a regional affairs conference in capital Baku.

“That problem has to be resolved,” Erkan Ozoral said in a speech at the symposium “Future of Region: Geopolitical Challenges and Prospects”.

He also reiterated Turkey’s support to Azerbaijan in the negotiations.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a recent news conference in Baku that his meeting with Armenia’s foreign minister will take place in mid-January.

Ministers Mammadyarov and Edward Nalbandian held their most recent talks in Vienna on December 6 in an extended format bringing together also the French, US and Russian co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.

MP urges Canada to help end rights abuses against Karabakh people

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Canadian lawmaker Tony Clement delivered remarks at the House of Commons on Monday, December 11, concerning International Human Rights Day with particular attention to violations he witnessed in his recent trip to Artsakh.

“While of course there are numerous examples of human rights abuses that need to be highlighted, I would like to emphasize the current human rights situation in the Republic of Artsakh or Nagorno Karabakh,” Clement said.

“I travelled to the region this summer with One Free World International and observed first-hand the conflict there, and the horrific human rights abuses inflicted upon people who ultimately only wish to live in peace.

According to the lawmaker, he met with mothers who have lost sons, servicemen, and other in the conflict.

“I was on the site of some scenes of unspeakable horrors.

“I have hope for a peaceful and prosperous Artsakh, where people can live side by side with their neighbors, including Azerbaijan.

“The Artsakh conflict is currently mediated through the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,of which Canada is a full member.

“I urge the government to condemn human rights abuses in the region and work to deter further escalation of the conflict.”