ANC UK Newsletter
June 2023

1.    Questions and statements by MPs, Members of the House of Lords and international organisations

2.    ANC UK Statement

3.    Letter: Appeal from Civil Society Organisations and Associations from Europe concerning Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh

4.    Write to your MP regarding the blockade of Artsakh

Title of photograph: “The ladies from Haterk”. Artsakh.
Photo by Ani Balayan.Instagram: @dinjkac. Photographer in Artsakh.

It has been over half a year that Azerbaijan has closed the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia and the world. Since our previous newsletter, Azerbaijan has:

•   Continuously attacked Artsakh as well as Armenia from various directions,

•   Installed concrete barriers across the Lachin Corridor, and banned Red Cross and Russian Peacekeeping vehicles from going through,

•   Illegally demanded the dissolution of the Parliament and the Government of Artsakh,

•   Failed to implement the decision of the UN International Court of Justice to ensure the uninterrupted entry and exit of people, vehicles and goods through the Lachin Corridor, thus violating the highest international values and principles.

 

Please see below some of the work we and several other organisations and individuals have been doing in the background to help end the illegal blockade and stop the Azeri aggression against the peaceful population of Artsakh.

 

On 7 June 2023, ANC UK had a briefing meeting with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Armenia and highlighted the urgency of issues which the people of Artsakh are facing. ANC UK also expressed its concerns with the ‘peace agreement” agenda pushed by the current government of Armenia and the irresponsible announcement of the Prime Minister of Armenia on the recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity including Artsakh.

 

We have also sent weekly briefings and updates about the security issues which Armenians are currently continuing to face. As a result, many parliamentarians have raised our concerns.

Questions posed and statements issued by Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the House of Lords and international organisations

1. John Howell MP (Conservative)

John Howell (Conservative), Leader of the Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), asked the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) what assessments have been made in respect of the implications of the closure of the Lachin Corridor.

 

In response, Andrew Mitchell (the Secretary of State for FCDO) said that the UK is clear that continued disruption of the Lachin Corridor runs counter to efforts to secure peace and stability in the region. The Secretary of State further noted that the UK would, in principle, support the establishment of an international mission to the Lachin Corridor, if such a mission was welcomed by all parties.

2. Hywel Williams MP (Shadow Plaid Cymru Spokesman, Foreign Affairs)

Hywel Williams asked the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs whether he has had recent discussions with his international counterparts on taking steps to ensure that people affected by blockages along the Lachin corridor are able to access (a) food, (b) medicine and (c) energy.

In response, Leo Docherty said that the UK Government has been vocal about the importance of re-opening the Lachin Corridor and publicly highlighted humanitarian concerns, including through multilateral fora such as the OSCE and the UN Security Council. Leo Docherty further highlighted that the UK is regularly engaging with both the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments, including on humanitarian issues and that the FCDO officials are in close contact with humanitarian agencies about the situation on the ground. Additionally, Leo Docherty noted that the START FUND, a humanitarian response fund to whom the UK is a significant donor, allocated £350,000 to the region to support those affected by the closure of the Lachin Corridor.

3. Stephen Doughty MP (Shadow Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and International Development)

Stephen Doughty asked the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs what diplomatic steps his Department is taking with international partners to help facilitate the lifting of the blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

In response, Leo Docherty stated that the UK Government is vocal about the importance of re-opening of the Lachin Corridor, and that this message was conveyed by himself as Minister of Europe during the latter’s visit to Azerbaijan in February, as well as further discussed during the visit to Armenia in May.

4. Munira Wilson MP (Liberal Democrat)

Munira Wilson asked the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs if he will make an assessment of the capacity of (a) the United Nations and (b) other humanitarian agencies to airlift people from the Lachin Corridor.

Leo Docherty replied that although the UK Government has not made a specific assessment of airlift capabilities, it will remain in close contact with humanitarian agencies to understand the situation and the needs of individuals on the ground. He highlighted, again, that the UK Government has and continues to be vocal regarding the importance of re-opening of the Lachin Corridor. 

 

Munira Wilson also asked the following important questions:

 

•   whether the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the recent activities of the Grey Wolves organisation in Turkey.

•   What recent assessment the Department for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has made of the availability of (a) food, (b) medicine and (c) energy supplies in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), and whether the department plans to help support.

•    Whether the Secretary of State for the Home Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of proscribing the Grey Wolves as a terrorist organisation.

5.    Lord Hylton (Cross-bench)

Lord Hylton asked His Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Azerbaijan about (1) that government’s artillery, mortar and drone attack on the village of Sotk in Armenia on 11 May, and (2) the continuing blockade of the Lachin Corridor, which has isolated at least four local communities; as well as whether they will consult the OSCE and the International Committee of the Red Cross about effective remedies.

 

In response, Lord Ahmad (Minister of State Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs) responded that although the Government has not specifically raised the 11 May incident in Sotk with the Azerbaijani government, the UK’s longstanding position is that there is no military solution to this conflict and that Armenia and Azerbaijan must engage in substantive negotiations, without preconditions, to secure a sustainable peaceful settlement. Lord Ahmad further noted that this message was underlined by the Minister of Europe during his visit to Baku in February as well as by Lord Ahmad himself during his meeting with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister in Reykjavik on 17 May, where he raised the importance of unfettered access to the Lachin Corridor and encouraged continued negotiations with Armenia. Finally, Lord Ahmad highlighted that the UK calls for the reopening of the Lachin Corridor through interventions at the OSCE and is in close contact with humanitarian agencies about the situation on the ground, including the International Committee of the Red Cross.

6. Baroness Cox (Cross-Bench)

Baroness Cox asked his Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of Azerbaijan regarding their imprisonment of prisoners of war and civilians following the ceasefire agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia concluded in September 2020.

 

In response, Lord Ahmad (Minister of State Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs) said that the UK Government welcomed the most recent return of prisoners of war in November 2022 and return of remains of the deceased in December 2022. He further noted that the UK Government urges the two parties (Azerbaijan and Armenia) to return all prisoners of war and the remains of the deceased, and that the UK Government will continue to support constructive dialogue in this respect in the coming months.  

 

Baroness Cox also asked the Government what representations it is making to the Government of Azerbaijan regarding that Government’s (1) continuing attempts to resolve the issue of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) militarily, and (2) failure to respond to his Majesty’s Government’s calls to respect international calls for a political solution.

 

Lord Ahmad highlighted the UK’s longstanding position that there is no military solution to this conflict and that the UK Government supports the peace talks that took place recently in Washington and Brussels.

 

Additionally, Baroness Cox asked His Majesty’s Government, what assessment they have made of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh in international law.

 

Lord Ahmad responded that the UK’s long-standing position has been to support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, which includes Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). At the same time, he noted that the UK Government is clear that there is no military solution to the conflict and negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan should settle all outstanding matters.

 

We would like to point Lord Ahmad to the Declaration of Independence of Artsakh made on 10 December 1992, through which, similarly to other Soviet states, Artsakh declared its independence and proceeded to democratically elect its Parliament and Government for the last 31 years. 

On 5 June 2023, Baroness Caroline Cox sent a letter “in solidarity with the Armenians of Artsakh”. We also thank Baroness Caroline Cox for speaking out against any artificial peace agreement and criticising Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement which indicated his readiness to recognise Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan. Baroness Cox rightly stated that “an agreement  that results from present-day negotiations, in their current form, will not guarantee peace for the Armenians”.

You can read Baroness Cox’s entire letter here:
https://artsakhpress.am/eng/news/182380/

 

On 20 June 2023, Baroness Cox made a video message addressed to the Armenian people. You can watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcG4LnliQn4

 

We sincerely thank Baroness Cox for her constant support of our nation.

7. Tim Loughton MP (Conservative, Chair of the APPG for Armenia)

On 13 June 2023, during a Topical Question part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the House of Commons, Tim Loughton asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs regarding the Lachin Blockade:

 

«It is now six months since the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor—the vital lifeline between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia. Since then, the Azerbaijan President has made increasingly bellicose threats towards Armenian people. Can the Under-Secretary of State, who recently returned from Armenia, update us on what we are doing to bring pressure to end that humanitarian disaster? »

 

Leo Doherty replied that the Government supports the Euro-Atlantic efforts to bring the two sides together and noted that the Government urges that the interlocutors in both Armenia and Azerbaijan get back around the table.

8. The Marquess of Lothian

The Marquess of Lothian asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current status of peace talks between the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, since the opening of an Azerbaijani checkpoint on Hakari Bridge in the Lachin Corridor in April.

 

In response, Lord Ahmad highlighted that the UK Government said at the OSCE that the checkpoint system established by Azerbaijan in April runs counter to ongoing efforts to establish peace and security in the region, which have shown promise in recent weeks. He further noted that the UK Government welcomes the continued participation of Armenia and Azerbaijan in negotiations.

9. PACE calls on Azerbaijan to ensure free and safe movement along Lachin Corridor

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted 48 to 16 with one abstention to adopt a resolution on ensuring free and safe access through the Lachin Corridor. The Assembly called on Azerbaijan to invite a Council of Europe delegation to visit the Lachin Corridor for a fact-finding mission. It also called on Azerbaijan to let other international organisations access the region, including United Nations agencies, in line with their respective mandates and relevant principles regulating international humanitarian assistance.

 

The Assembly further urged Azerbaijan to restore electricity and gas supplies without delay or impediment and noted that it is extremely worried by the hostile and threatening rhetoric used against Armenians at the highest level of Azerbaijan’s leadership.

 

To access the complete resolution, please click here.

10. The Lemkin Institute issues a Red Flag Alert on the blockade of Artsakh – Update #8

As 12 June 2023 marked six months since the beginning of Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh, the Lemkin Institute leadership team traveled to the Lachin Corridor to highlight the impact of this illegal act and issued the following state – link to statement.

 

As always, we thank every single person and organisation which is exerting efforts for the lifting of the blockade of Artsakh. Your solidarity for the people of Artsakh is very much appreciated. 

ANC UK Statement

ANC UK issued a statement following the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan’s, statement in which he confirmed his readiness to recognise Artsakh as part of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

 

President Pashinyan’s statement is a blatant violation of the provisions of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia and the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia with regard to Artsakh. In particular, it breaches the decision of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia of 8 July 1992, which specifies that «it is unacceptable for the Republic of Armenia to consider any international or interstate document which refers to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as part of Azerbaijan».

 

We reiterate that the status of Artsakh was determined by the Artsakh people’s declaration of 10 December 1992, and no power has the right to repeal it. In our statement, we condemn and consider unacceptable Nikol Pashinyan’s statement as it undermines the sovereignty of the Republic of Artsakh and the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh under international law.

 

Any control exerted by the authoritarian and systematically racist Azerbaijani regime over the native Armenian population of Artsakh will inevitably result in ethnic cleansing, a second Armenian Genocide, and cultural and physical destruction of a region which has been home to Armenians for millennia, in a manner Armenians have seen far too many times before.

 

Artsakh and its people have the right to life, security, and independence. Their desire to live independently and with enjoyment of human and political rights which would otherwise be entirely stripped form them must be respected.

Link to the statement:

Letter: Appeal from Civil Society Organizations and Associations from Europe concerning Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh

The Armenian National Committee of Europe (European Armenian Federation for Justice & Democracy, EAFJD) and all its European chapters are addressing Artsakh’s Government’s appeal to make the voices of the people of Artsakh heard.

The below letter is addressed to the Presidents of the European Council, European Commission, European Parliament, and EU High Representative, on behalf of the Armenian community organisations, European NGOs and the civil society. We would like to thank all the organisations in the UK who have shown their support for this initiative and have signed the letter, specially to Bishop Hovakim Manukyan for his assistance in contacting religious leaders in the UK. 

“APPEAL FROM CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS FROM EUROPE CONCERNING NAGORNO KARABAKH/ARTSAKH

 

Honourable Presidents of the European Council, European Commission, European Parliament, and EU High Representative/VP,

 

Distinguished Heads of Member States, Heads of Government and Parliaments of the Member States of the European Union and Council of Europe,

 

We, the civil society organisations and associations from the United Kingdom signing below, wish to convey our deepest concerns in respect of the native Armenian population of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh):

 

Since 12 December 2022 a blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan has created existential threat to the native Armenian Population of Nagorno Karabakh/Artsakh. This is in  total violation of international law, (including the Geneva Convention) and despite the ongoing negotiations. The November 2020 ceasefire agreement, signed by Azerbaijan is being regularly violated by that country.  It continuously carries out acts of aggression against the native Armenian population of Artsakh, some 120,000 people including 30,000 children. It also violates the sovereign borders of the Republic of Armenia.

 

On 22 February, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the United Nations ordered Azerbaijan to immediately lift the blockade of the Lachin corridor. The goal of the blockade is obvious – the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh. In its resolution adopted in March 2023 the European Parliament called on the EU Council to impose sanctions against Azerbaijani government officials, if the ICJ’s order of 22 February is not immediately implemented. Despite this, and the numerous voices being raised across Europe and around the world, we regretfully observe that the European Commission continues to congratulate itself on its gas partnership with a dictatorship ranked among the worst on the planet – Azerbaijan. A government that is notorious for its deep-rooted corruption at the highest level, and which hires jihadist mercenaries as a support to its army.

 

In the name of respect for human rights, the values that European democracies stand for, in the name of the sovereign right of peoples to self-determination, we solemnly ask you to act without delay to:

 

• Demand once again that Azerbaijan immediately stops violating the November 9 ceasefire agreement and

• remove the checkpoint on the Hakari-bridge installed in blatant violation of the binding order of the ICJ and international commitments;

• unblock the Lachin Corridor;

• secure the free and safe movement of people and goods to and from Artsakh;

 

If the above points are not secured (within a specified amount of time), we further ask that economic and political sanctions are imposed on Azerbaijan and its leaders for:

 

• non-compliance with international commitments

• the occupation of part of the territory of the Republic of Armenia

• the perpetration of Azerbaijan’s war crimes

• the blockade of Artsakh;

 

• Use all your leverage to prevent any control over Artsakh by Baku since this inevitably means the ethnic cleansing of the native Armenian population of Artsakh;

 

• Recognize the right to self-determination of the native Armenian population of Artsakh as indispensable and use the leverage at your disposal to ensure that the status of Artsakh reflects the democratic expression of the will of its native Armenian population, so as to enable sustainable peace as well as security;

 

• Establish an air corridor in order to provide emergency economic and humanitarian aid to Artsakh and to guarantee the safety of air links from Stepanakert airport;

 

• Apply pressure on the Azerbaijani government to

• immediately and unconditionally withdraw all its troops from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and

• stop its aggressive stance towards Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia as a prerequisite for peace talks.

 

The native Armenian people of Artsakh demand nothing less and nothing more than the protection of their fundamental and inalienable right to live as a free people in safety and with dignity in their own homeland. We sincerely hope that their voices will be heard!”

–

Dr Rowan Williams
Former He was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury
Patron of patron of the Fellowship of Saint Alban and Saint Sergius
Bishop Michael Jackson
Archbishop of Dublin
Baroness Cox
House of Lords Peer and Founder President of HART
Dr John Ebner
International President of Christian Solidarity International (CSI)
Professor the Lord Alton
Patron of Coalition for Genocide Response
Sam Mason
CEO Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust
Christos Karaolis
Chairman of the National Federation of Cypriots in the U.K.
Estella Schmid
Co-Founder of Peace In Kurdistan
Saleh Mamon
Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC)
Kurdish Solidarity Network
Bishop Hovakim Manukyan
Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland
Armand Abrahamian
Chairman of the Armenian Community Council UK
Raffi Sarkissian
Chairman of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation UK
Annette Moskofian
Chairperson of the Armenian National Committee UK
Alenoush Grigorian
Chairperson Homentmen London
Hrach Boghosian
Chairman of Hamazgayin London
Executive Committee Armenian Relief Society of GB
Board of Trustees
Armenian Institute
Andre Assaturyan
Chairman of the Armenian Youth Federation London Khanasor
Ramelia Ghazarian
Headteacher The Armenian Language Saturday School  London
Ruzanna Tatulyan
Headteacher the K Tahta Armenian Community Sunday School London
Seta Boghossuan-Tighe
Chairperson of Armenian Medical Association GB
Garen Arevian
Tekeyan Cultural Association London

What can you do? Adapt the above letter and send a similar one to your MP, urging them to (i) raise this issue in Parliament and (ii) with the Foreign Secretary on your behalf. 

Write to your MP!

Please write to your MP to encourage them to get the UK Parliament to formally recognise the Armenian Genocide. With the UK falling far behind the world in recognising the Genocide (and notably falling behind democratic nations including France, Germany and the Unites States, as well the devolved parliaments of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), there could not be a better time to formally recognise the Armenian Genocide than now.

Please also write to your MP to alert them of (1) the inhumane, illegal blockade of Artsakh which denies the human rights of the 120,000 population of Artsakh; and (2) Azerbaijan’s latest military attack against Armenia in Tegh, Armenia. We have prepared a draft email which takes less then 30 seconds to fill out if you would like to alert your MP of the blockade of Artsakh – please follow this link to send it: https://ancuk.org.uk/take-action/write-to-your-mp/.

Please also write to your MP to alert them of (1) the inhumane, illegal blockade of Artsakh which denies the human rights of the 120,000 population of Artsakh; and (2) Azerbaijan’s latest military attack against Armenia in Tegh, which resulted in four innocent Armenian soldiers being killed. We have prepared a draft email which takes less then 30 seconds to fill out if you would like to alert your MP of the blockade of Artsakh – please follow this link to send it: https://ancuk.org.uk/take-action/write-to-your-mp/.

*Photo of David Ghahramanyan

 

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