Category: Southern Caucasus

When Armenia Occupied Azerbaijani Lands Josep Borrell Was Very Silent…

By Azer HASRET

During his press remarks after the Foreign Affairs Council the High Representative on Foreign Affairs of the European Union Josep Borrell voiced baseless and unjustified claims regarding Azerbaijan. He noted that Azerbaijan has territorial claims against Armenia. He had even stressed that the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev voiced these claims.

To see the issue deeper let’s read through what was said by Mr. Borrell on Jan 22, 2024, during his press remarks.

“…we agreed that Azerbaijan needs to return to substantive peace and normalization talks with Armenia. The latest territorial claims by President [of Azerbaijan, Ilham] Aliyev are very concerning. And any violation of Armenia’s territorial integrity will be unacceptable and will have severe consequences for our relations with Azerbaijan.”

As is seen Mr. Borrell is talking about President Aliyev’s territorial claims against Armenia. But as a citizen of Azerbaijan, plus as a person closely following political developments not only within, but outside of Azerbaijan I can strongly oppose these claims by Mr. Borrell and assure that President Aliyev never voiced territorial claims against Armenia. What I know the President continuously states that Azerbaijan has no intention to occupy any piece of territory of any other country including Armenia.

This is obvious and even Mr. Borrell has an opportunity to contact Mr. Aliyev and ask him if he has territorial claims against Armenia. But as we see Mr. Borrell didn’t dare to do this and check the truthfulness of the claims spread by some propaganda centers. He made himself a tool of propaganda for those centers. Unfortunately…

Now we’ll see which country has the territorial claims against its neighbor. That is Armenia, not Azerbaijan having territorial claims. And we have quite enough evidence to prove this.

Let’s read through The Constitution of Armenia. Just in its Preamble, we can see that Armenia has territorial claims against Azerbaijan! And this is the major soul of that Constitution thus making this country an aggressor.

To see the details let’s read through the mentioned Preamble:

“The Armenian People, accepting as a basis the fundamental principles of Armenian statehood and pan-national aspirations enshrined in the Declaration on the Independence of Armenia, having fulfilled the sacred behest of its freedom-loving ancestors to restore the sovereign state, dedicated to the strengthening and prosperity of the fatherland, with the aim of ensuring the freedom, general well-being, and civic solidarity of the generations, and affirming its commitment to universal values, adopts the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia”.

One who doesn’t know the issue well would say that where is the territorial claim here? We’ll explain.

The Preamble is quoting The Declaration on the Independence of Armenia. And very this document openly expresses territorial claims against Azerbaijan!

Let’s see this time the mentioned Declaration:

“The Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic

Expressing the united will of the Armenian people;

…Based on the December 1, 1989, joint decision of the Armenian SSR Supreme Council and the Artsakh National Council on the “Reunification of the Armenian SSR and the Mountainous Region of Karabakh”;..

Declares

The beginning of the process of establishing of independent statehood positioning the question of the creation of a democratic society based on the rule of law;..”

This Declaration was adopted on August 23, 1990, and is taken as a basis for The Constitution of Armenia. Mr. Borrell before accusing Azerbaijan of territorial claims against Armenia could look through this Constitution and see the real territorial claimers…

And this is not even the last evidence showing Armenia’s territorial claims against its neighbors. The Constitution of Armenia has one more piece of evidence, this time against Türkiye.

Let’s see again The Constitution:

Article 21. The Symbols of the Republic of Armenia

…The coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia shall depict, in the center on a shield, Mount Ararat with Noah’s ark and the coats of arms of the four kingdoms of historical Armenia…

Thus, once again a person with no imagination about the region would see nothing here. But if look deeper one can see that Armenia has territorial claims against Türkiye. As we know the mount which Armenia calls “Ararat” is a Mount Aghri based in the territory of Türkiye. Why would a country depict a natural object of another country on its national symbol? Where is the logic?

This is one more piece of evidence proving that Armenia has territorial claims against at least two of its neighbors: Azerbaijan and Türkiye. But Mr. Borrell is accusing Azerbaijan of “having territorial claims against Armenia”…

Going through this evidence we can once more see that the EU High Representative Josep Borrell is voluntarily acting as part of the Armenian propaganda machine. But we here in Azerbaijan and other countries of the region were seeing the European Union and its representatives as those who could guarantee more freedom, justice, and well-being for our people…

P.S. Armenia kept under its occupation about 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan for more than 28 years. This very Mr. Borrell never talked about Armenia’s obvious occupation while the evidence was very clear. But now he is accusing Azerbaijan for having territorial claims against Azerbaijan while he has no single evidence to prove this…

January 25, 2024
Preserving Armenian roots on Turkey!

See the solution of an Armenian commenter on preserving Armenian roots on Turkey

It is what it is. Turkey has successfully made sure historical Armenian lands will never be under Armenian governmental/Armenian Republic rule. Many factors played into it: Depopulation of Armenians, Armenian state being under Soviet state for nearly 70 years, treaties being signed between Western superpowers and Turkey, it’s just too late. The boat for saving western Armenia has already sailed. Yes, I do wish that Ani and other historic Armenian territories would return to its rightful owner, but the Turkish government is very territorial government. The best way to preserve Armenian roots in these lands are if mass amount of Armenians return to these lands and start reproducing like the Kurds and Turks. Every Armenian family should have 7-8 kids. That way they’ll be able to replenish the Armenian roots again.

Historic Armenia – Peter Musurlian documentary on Western Armenia

January 6, 2024
U.S. Religious Freedom report… compiled by Armenia…

By Azer HASRET

“The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad.”

This is stated by the mentioned Commission on its “Annual Report of The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom”. This means that the Commission is independent of any outside influence.

Is it?

We’ll see…

Recently The Commission has announced its 2023 report where Azerbaijan among other several Turkic and Muslim countries is accused of “suppressing the religious freedoms”. All Turkic countries – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Türkiye and Turkmenistan – except Kyrgyzstan are those which is seen by this very Commission as “a perpetrator of religious freedoms”.

According to this report’s Azerbaijan chapter (just 2 pages) this country is in a very disturbing position and must be included “on the State Department’s Special Watch List” for violating religious freedoms…

Now let’s see some citations from the Report:

1. “This report provides an update on religious freedom conditions in Azerbaijan in 2023. It describes the legislative framework that facilitates the official regulation of religious practice, concerns for religious sites in Nagorno-Karabakh, the ongoing repression of Shi’a Muslim religious activists, and the impact of the government’s refusal to allow conscientious objection.”

“Concerns for religious sites in Nagorno-Karabakh”. One must think that the Report is overseeing the destruction of more than 60 Mosques in Karabakh during its occupation by Armenia. Yes, even all Mosques in Karabakh and other occupied lands of Azerbaijan were wiped off by Armenia. But no single word about this in the Report!

Plus, we must add that there is no territorial entity within Azerbaijan called “Nagorno-Karabakh”. Seems the compliers of the Report are using occupant Armenia’s terminology while talking about Azerbaijan…

While talking about “the ongoing repression of Shi’a Muslim religious activists” The Commission forgets about the realities of our region. Those so-called “repressed Shi’a Muslims”, who are defended by the US Government are mostly the followers of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. This General was eliminated on Jan 3, 2020, by the US drones in Baghdad, Iraq as a terrorist. And those so-called Shi’a Muslims “repressed by Azerbaijan” are mostly the supporters and followers of this very terrorist! So, the U.S. must decide and rethink if this very country has killed Qasem Soleimani by mistake…

2. “The law also prohibits non-Azerbaijani citizens from engaging in “religious propaganda” or missionary activity without explicit state permission.”

What is strange here? Why Azerbaijan must be accused of preventing its citizens from the religious propaganda? People, even foreigners are free to practice their religion. But religious propaganda by foreigners is and must be prevented!

3. “In May 2023, the chairman of the SCWRA Mubariz Gurbanli explicitly called for Armenian priests to abandon the Dadivank Monastery in the Kalbajar region as he falsely claimed that they had no connection to the site. While a United Nations mission to Nagorno-Karabakh completed in October 2023 reported that it “saw no damage…to cultural or religious structures”, human rights organizations continued to urge the government to ensure protections for religious and cultural sites and rights.”

I would say that No Comment! But The Commission needs a bit explanation and enlightenment. The Monastery which they claim to be called as “Dadivank” is Khudaveng Monastery and has nothing to do with Armenians. It was built by Albanian Christians and is under state protection of Azerbaijan. But as other religious sites it was occupied by Armenia and then renovated a bit to prove that it is “an ancient Armenian Monastery”. Even the UN mission also stated that no damage “to cultural and religious structures”.

4. “The government has particularly targeted the unregistered Muslim Unity Movement (Müsəlman Birliyi Hərəkatı) or MUM, a group that has criticized the government’s repressive policies toward religion and whose persecution many human rights defenders believe to be politically motivated.”

This so-called Muslim Movement is that very organization which supports Qasem Soleimani and Iran’s clerical regime. These people hate the U.S. and other major Western democracies and want to overthrow the government in Azerbaijan… in order to establish a new one which would support such terrorist organizations like HAMAS, Hezbollah…

5. “The United States should pressure Azerbaijan to address its severe violations of religious freedom and place the country on the State Department’s Special Watch List until the Azerbaijani government amends its 2009 law “On Freedom of Religious Beliefs” in line with international human rights standards and ceases other policies and practices that routinely infringe upon its citizens’ freedom of religion or belief.”

I’d ask, are you serious? Do you really think that Azerbaijan must be included in this List just only for preventing the country and its people from the so-called religious interference of the terror-sponsor state – Iran? What is the connection between Iran and The U.S. Commission which compiles such reports?

Maybe there is someone in The Commission who has the ties with Iran or its close allies?

Yes, there is someone called Danielle Saroyan Ashbahian, who is a Chief of Public Affairs at The Commission. If review her social media accounts, one easily can see that she is an active member of Armenian propaganda against Turks – Azerbaijan and Türkiye! But she must be neutral person, isn’t it?

This very Danielle worked for the Armenian Assembly of America before joining The Commission dealing with the religious issues throughout the world…

“Danielle Saroyan Ashbahian is the Chief of Public Affairs at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, overseeing the Communications and Congressional Relations. Before joining USCIRF, she was the Director of Communications at the Armenian Assembly of America. Prior to that, she was the Layout Editor at the Public Diplomacy Magazine and worked at the Los Angeles Consular Corps. She has had previous experience at the office of former U.S. Congresswoman Janice Hahn, the United Nations Department of Public Information in Armenia, the Lebanese Consulate in Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Ethics Commission” reads The Commission’s web site…

One more important point: The Commission is trying to support its claims against Azerbaijan siting so-called “Caucasus Heritage Watch”, a pro-Armenian entity launched in 2020 by Armenians, supported by Armenian organizations…

Just again, No Comment!

BTW, there is no report on Armenia at all! We’ll remind The Commission that for example the Jewish Synagogue was set to fire in Yerevan in 2023. Or all Muslims are religiously cleansed from Armenia! And Armenia is one of the very few countries of the world denying multiculturalism and having even 98 percent of population of Armenian ethnic background…

January 5, 2024
“Angry snakes were attacking people in tents”

By Azer HASRET

The headline is from the piece written recently by the well-known Azerbaijani journalist Seymur Verdizade, an editor-in-chief of the online publication Yeni Sabah.

Our esteemed readers can remember, a bit while ago I have had an article about Seymur’s journey back to his house in Soltanli village of Jabrayil district which was liberated from Armenia’s occupation in 2020’s 44-day war. Seymur had visited his home village on April 2021 and was filmed crying on the remnants of his house.

Thus, I wrote an article called “A Long Journey of an IDP Journalist to His House” where described feelings of Seymur.

A Long Journey of an IDP Journalist to His House

Now Azerbaijan has conducted a local antiterror operation in the territories of Karabakh, where Armenia’s Army remnants were still creating disturbances. After very successful operation a 10-thousand strong Army of Armenia agreed to surrender. Then a small Armenian community members decided to leave Azerbaijan forever. Or some of them will come back maybe.

Armenians are complaining of the situation. Some of them call Azerbaijan as an aggressor and even occupant. But the world knows and sees that Azerbaijan did not attack any other country’s territory. It has conducted an antiterror operation on its soil only.

Seymur has an answer to those Armenians who is complaining of the situation. As Seymur himself is and IDP due to Armenia’s occupation I found his article interesting and of need to spread around. That’s why asked him to provide it in English so many people around the world can read, understand and compare the realities. Especially those who fell a victim of Armenian propaganda.

30 Years Ago We Lived in Tents, Now It’s Your Turn

By Seymur VERDIZADE

In these days of victory, if we take a trip to history and remember those hard and difficult days when we were exiled from our native land, wouldn’t you be sad?

Hah, is there a single second been forgotten in these 30 years?!

This pain burned us from inside. Because the smoke of this fire did not come out, there was no one to pour water on it and put out the fire. We were left in flames.

We had a two-story house and a garden with flowers in Jabrayil. When my late grandfather built the second floor, the neighbors said: “Nurullah, even if a cannon is thrown, your house will not collapse”.

Therefore, when Karabakh was under occupation, I often said: “We had a bulletproof house in Jabrayil”.

Seymur Verdizade on the remnants of his house after 27 years. 13 April 2021

You know, when Jabrayil was occupied, when my native Soltanli village, where I was born, fell into the hands of the enemy, Armenians fired cannons at our house. But even the cannon fire could not erase our house from the face of the earth. Look carefully at the photo I shared: many of those majestic columns are still in place, which look like castle walls…

Since my late father was the youngest child in the house, our grandfather’s legacy was left to us. We had only one tractor with which we could bring everything that my father and grandfather had built, bought and accumulated over the years. We took our clothes and the five or six light items that my mother pointed out in tears and set off towards my friend’s house in Beylagan on the expired tractor. We couldn’t fit into a house because our relatives came after us. At night they made beds for the children under the dining table.

About a month later, we moved to Baku thanks to the support and dedication of Aziz Azizov, who is now the director of the Surakhani district and is known as a devoted patron of the families of martyrs, veterans, and former IDPs in the region.

We were now more comfortable in a room reserved for us in the administrative building of the old tram park. Unlike the house we took shelter in before, when we slept here at night, we could fully open our legs…

Most of our relatives and friends stayed in the regions. They were placed in tent cities. They suffered from cold in winter and heat in summer. Venomous snakes often entered the tents where the people lived. Those who escaped the hands of Armenians died from snake venom and various infectious diseases…

During the local anti-terror measures, a group of Armenian residents of Karabakh were placed in tents so that they would not be harmed. They have all kinds of guarantees. I saw their pictures yesterday that the elderly and sick Armenians are fed by the Azerbaijani police with their own hands…

We will not do to you even 3 percent of what you did to us thirty years ago. If you give up your grudge, you will soon return to your homes. It’s been 30 years, but because of you, we still can’t go back home…

The punishment for the crime you committed should have been severe, very severe. You are lucky that the state and people of Azerbaijan do not live with a sense of revenge. In fact, now your loved ones should have built a mourning tent for you, but we are building a tent to live…

September 27, 2023
The US’s Hypocrisy or How Does Look Like Double Standards…

The US’s Hypocrisy or How Does Look Like Double Standards…

By Azer HASRET

We know that the United States of America is the biggest and most powerful country of the world. We understand this and take it into account. But when it comes to fairness, we see that this very most powerful country is biased and hypocritic…

We are talking about the approach of the US towards the same issue in different countries.

The US is supporting territorial integrity of Ukraine which is now facing unfair occupation war by its neighbor – Russia. Ukraine is defending itself and even I’m in support of this country. Because I believe and know that Ukraine is in a right side.

The US also is supporting Ukraine. By any possible means. Like providing huge amount of financial aid plus arms support. We appreciate the US’s this very approach.

Why do the US do that? The answer is very clear: The US is supporting Ukraine to defend its territorial integrity and state sovereignty.

Great! Thanks to the US for this approach!

Indeed, the US is supporting those countries which is under Russian occupation or Russia’s oppression! Thanks again!

Logically if you do something in a likewise situation for someone you must do the same for others as well.

Thus, if the US is supporting Ukraine’s fight for its territorial integrity, it must support other countries which suffer from the occupation and separatism the same way!

But what do we see?

We see that the US is not doing the same for other countries or for one single country which is also facing occupation and separatism.

We are talking about Azerbaijan. Most clearly, about US’s stance towards the case with Azerbaijan which is trying to end up with occupation and separatism on its soil…

Azerbaijani lands were occupied by Armenia 30 years ago. And all cities, villages, even cemeteries, mosques, libraries, cinemas, theatres were destroyed by Armenian occupants during those years.

Plus, some 250 thousand Azerbaijanis were ethnically cleansed from Armenia. Then some 750 thousand Azerbaijanis again ethnically cleansed from the occupied Azerbaijani lands by Armenia…

Thus about 1 million Azerbaijanis were ethnically cleansed from their lands. Up today they can’t return to their homes/lands. The reason is Armenians/Armenia.

Today some 30 to 40 thousand Armenians are living in Karabakh, Azerbaijan. This region is internationally recognized part of Azerbaijan and no country on the world including the US is against this…

But from time to time the US policy makers stage discussions about 30 thousand Karabakh Armenians while we don’t hear from them a single word about 1 million Azerbaijanis expelled from their homes/lands.

We understand and accept that some politicians in the US are supporting Armenians and calling for their rights to be provided. But is there a need for that? Or why to call on Azerbaijan to respect the rights of a small Armenian community while Azerbaijan itself announced that their rights will be protected under the Constitution of the country?

Azerbaijan repeatedly announced and announces that it will protect Armenian community as well based on the Constitution of the country. So, what is the problem? Or why some people in the US are upset? And why these politicians of the biggest world power are calling on Azerbaijan to respect the rights of Armenians?

Is Azerbaijan doing something opposite? Is Azerbaijan ignoring the rights of Armenian community?

No! Clearly no!

The situation with Armenians is like this. The logic says that the US or other world powers are not interested in rights of Armenians in Karabakh, Azerbaijan. They are interested in producing as much as possible pretexts to press Azerbaijan!

And by this stance they are forcing Azerbaijan back to the USSR (Russia), while this country is looking towards the West for the integration…

At the end of this short piece, we’d like to stress out again that the US is supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine or Georgia which lands are under Russia’s occupation. But the same US is hypocritically avoiding the issue of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan while talking about rights of Armenians…

Azerbaijan and Armenia must think twice while considering the relations with the US. If not, the US will force both countries to a new war. But we don’t want a new war or any military clashes…

September 16, 2023
BBC Was Biased and One-sided

By Azer HASRET

Just a few days ago BBC World News aired an interview with two Armenian activists. One of them was connected live from Los Angeles, another one from Azerbaijani city of Khankendi.

For those who is not quite enough familiar with the region of South Caucasus, Khankendi is a city within Karabakh Economic Region of Azerbaijan with the majority Armenian population. The city alongside with other parts of Karabakh and now Eastern Zangezur was under occupation of Armenia starting from early 1990s And the whole region was liberated by Azerbaijan during the 44-day war of 2020 provoked by Armenia to capture new lands.

As Azerbaijan managed to end the war with total victory it has offered to local Armenians to stay and live in peace. Those days Armenian population of about 30-40 thousand people was ready for reconciliation. And under the control of the Russian peacekeepers, they started again to live usual life.

Azerbaijan has kept open The Lachin Corridor for the Armenians of Karabakh to be in touch with Armenia as the region being under occupation of Armenia was connected to the latest. Thus, people have ties in Armenia, and they need to be in touch. Azerbaijan instead of being winner of the war, took into consideration this issue as well as a humanitarian need.

But after some times Azerbaijan has discovered that Armenians are using The Lachin Corridor to carry in weapons and heavy army units in order to prepare for the new war. Alongside with this Azerbaijan managed to build completely new road connecting Karabakh’s center Khankendi with Armenia. Afterwards, a year ago the new road was open, and Armenians were happy to use this more suitable connection. But it was misused as well. That’s why Azerbaijan starting from April 23, 2023, installed new checkpoint at the border with Armenia in order to prevent illegal use of the road.

Afterwards Armenians started to spread a propaganda, that Azerbaijan is “killing 120 thousand peaceful Armenians in Karabakh through starvation”. They call it even a new “genocide” again Armenians by Turks…

But during these past months no single Armenian was killed due to starvation. And Azerbaijan did not close the road in full leaving it open for humanitarian needs. And by today as well Armenians are using the road in both directions to connect between Armenia and Azerbaijan Karabakh region. (Plus, Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society has sent 40 tons of wheat flour for Armenians in Karabakh which is still blocked by the Armenians and can’t be delivered to the people in need…)

Instead of this situation Armenians are trying illegally pass through The Lachin Road. And Azerbaijan is preventing them from doing this. Plus, Armenian propaganda machine calls The Lachin Border Checkpoint “illegal installation”. According to their minds Azerbaijan must keep open its border with Armenia with no control. Is it possible? Or is there any country on the world which keeps its borders open with no checkpoints? Does Armenia itself keep its borders open to other countries as well? Not of course! But they demand that Azerbaijan must keep its borders open with no checkpoint for Armenians, even for others from foreign countries whom they wish to see in Karabakh!

Now that was a small portion of the history or some kind of enlightenment for those who is not quite familiar with the region and the issues, which are misused by Armenian propaganda.

As the situation is very clear, BBC World News a couple of days ago has aired and interview with two above mentioned Armenians. Of course, the media is and must be free to cover any issue. But even the BBC’s code of conduct requires to be balanced and impartial while airing any news or commentary.

In BBC’s above-mentioned broadcast under the title “The Context” only one side was interviewed and given an opportunity to speak. And unfortunately, both interviewers were Armenians and both of them failed to speak in a fair manner. What did they do? Of course, they accused Azerbaijan for “killing and genociding 120 thousand Armenians of Karabakh through starvation”.

We have noted that there are not 120 thousand Armenians in Karabakh. This is a small portion of population with a figure of between 30 to 40 thousand people.

What was stranger and more unacceptable, the BBC presented an interviewer from Khankendi, Karabakh as a “Former Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh”!

“Republic of Artsakh”? Where is it? What is that? Does the world know about this so-called republic? Not of course! There is nothing called a “Republic of Artsakh” and no world country, no international organization recognizes such an entity. But the BBC, seems does “recognize” it…

Of course, we could stop a bit on the wordings of the interviewers. But we don’t do that. Because it was alongside with official Armenian fake propaganda and based on the accusations towards Azerbaijan with no base!

We understand Armenian propagandists. But it is not easy to understand the BBC which is to serve the truth and only truth.

That’s why as a career journalist with about 30 years of professional activity and international practice I do accuse the BBC’s this kind of stance and call on this news media to air apology and refutation. Hope, that BBC will find enough courage to do this…

September 5, 2023