Prie Rusijos ambasados Jerevane – antiukrainietiškas mitingas
Prie Rusijos ambasados Jerevane pastato kovo 14-ąją buvo surengtas mitingas, kurio dalyviai palaikė Rusijos agresiją prieš Ukrainą.
Susirinkę vyrai, jų būta per 200, pareiškė pasiruošę kovoti prieš Ukrainą rusų kariuomenės gretose. Susirinkusieji šūkavo, kad Rusija – strateginė Armėnijos partnerė, kad armėnai palaiko Kremlių, kad trokšta kuo greičiau išvykti į frontą.
Mitinguotojai rankose laikė Rusijos ir Armėnijos vėliavas. Jie taip pat įteikė laišką Rusijos ambasados darbuotojams. Laišką pasirašiusieji reikalavo, kad Maskva juos kuo greičiau išsiųstų į Ukrainą kariauti prieš ukrainiečius.
On 20 October I attended a remotely organized conference: ‘South Caucasus: political – legal aspects after the 2020 autumn war’. This conference, organized by Azerbaijan, was led by Ambassador, professor Namik Aliyev. Political scientists, scientists, journalists from Georgia, Israel, Poland, Moldova, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and author of these lines spoke at the conference. The recording of this conference is available at day.az .
At the conference I criticized Lithuania’s position to everywhere and in all ways indulge Armenia, who for 30 years has occupied Azeri territories (more arguments are available in by collections of articles ‘The Tragedy of Black Garden’ and ‘The Case of Black Garden’, published in 2016 and 2021).
Then I received requests from Azerbaijan’s journalists, for example, Jamila Chebotareva, to answer several questions. These are my answers to Azerbaijani journalist Jamila Chebotareva.
In which spheres Lithuania and Azerbaijan can successfully cooperate?
Our countries could cooperate in many fields – political, economic, cultural. However official Lithuania does not want to be friends with Azerbaijan. Lithuania’s politicians are only searching for ways to establish as many ties as possible with Armenia. Official foreign policy of Lithuania for Southern Caucasus is to strengthen Armenia. Anything else is not important. In my understanding, such stance of official Vilnius is wrong. But I would lie if I hid that Lithuania is allegedly acting objectively. Indulging Armenia is obvious. If Lithuanian leaders fly to South Caucasus, they firstly visit Yerevan. They fly to Baku only to maintain an image that Lithuania is equally just to both Armenians and Azerbaijani.
Algimantas Liekis’ book ‘Moving Nations’
For example, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s wife has already visited Lithuania (she was hosted by Lithuania’s First Lady Diana Nausediene, wife of Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda). Mr. Pashinian himself also has visited Vilnius. Wives of Azeri leaders have not been invited to Vilnius. The highest officials of Azerbaijan are also not invited to Vilnius. If Lithuania sends humanitarian aid and vaccines, medical teams to South Caucasus, then it sends them only to Armenia. When the Armenian tragedy of 1915 was once marked at the Lithuanian Genocide and Resistance Centre (LGRC), highest leaders of LGRC attended that event, but when Hocali victims were commemorated at the premises of LGRC, there wasn’t even one head of LGRC there. The last example of cooperation between Vilnius and Yerevan is that Transport Ministers launched direct flights Yerevan-Vilnius-Yerevan.
How did Lithuania react to the news that in autumn 2020 in 44 days Azerbaijan in a military way reclaimed its lands?
Of course, I might have missed something, but it seems to me, most of Lithuanian politicians, political scientists, journalists criticized Azerbaijan for choosing a military way to reclaim Karabakh. The fact that, according to the international law, Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan, that official Baku for a very long time already has been patiently waiting for help from the West, but did not get it – all of that was subtly omitted. Armenia was not criticized for having occupied about 20 percent of Azeri lands for almost three decades. That is my impression.
Are Lithuanian informed enough about Karabakh conflict?
Lithuanians do not really know the real history of Karabakh. Many influential Lithuanians are still convinced that Karabakh is Armenian land. Lithuania does not know or does not want to know that in the 1992-1994 war for Karabakh Armenian troops were assisted by Russian military.
It is very complicated to get Lithuanian media to publish anything favourable to Azerbaijan, especially about the conflict for Karabakh. I say this in personal experience. They do not publish. If you ask Lithuanians, what is Dasnaktsutiun, ASALA or Gncak, often a Lithuanian would answer that ‘these are Azeri terrorist organizations’. Really not all Lithuanians know that a Russian military base is still deployed in Armenia, even more, not all know that this year, in the aggressive military drill ‘Zapad’ held by Russia and Belarus by the Lithuanian border, Armenian military instructors too were learning how to occupy Baltic countries. Only on my portal you will find articles which examine the relations of Armenia and Azerbaijan. There have been only a few books published in Lithuania, which present not only Armenian, but also Azeri arguments. These are historian Algimantas Liekis’ book ‘Moving Nations’ and collections of my articles ‘The Tragedy of Black Garden’ and ‘The Case of Black Garden’. That is all.
Does Lithuania respect territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, that is, does Lithuania agree that Karabakh is a territory of Azerbaijan, not Armenia?
The Case of Black Garden
Official policy of Lithuania is correct. We respect Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. But behind the stage it is completely different. I could give a long list of Lithuania, who, ignoring official Baku, have travelled through Armenia to Karabakh and, after returning, would write in Lithuanian media ‘what moral and physical pains poor Armenians suffer, fearing cruel Azeri attacks’. I could recall many television programs, multiple publications in respected Lithuanian media, where discussion participants disputed Azeri right to Karabakh. There isn’t a single line that many Azerbaijani people in the past lived in Karabakh, even Yerevan, who were driven off their homelands. Nothing about suffering of Azeri refugees. Not a single word that Armenia in autumn 2020 insidiously shelled Ganja, Tartar, Barda cities, which have no connection to Karabakh and that civilian Azeri were killed in these attacks. Not a line that during Armenian rule in Karabakh, many cultural, historical and religious Azeri monuments have been destroyed or desecrated. Only worrying that allegedly now Muslim Azeri, entering Karabakh, will destroy Christian cultural and historic monuments.
Was it possible to regulate Karabakh conflict in a peaceful way?
In my understanding, this conflict could have been regulated in a peaceful way only if the US, NATO and EU had acted in a principled manner – strongly demanded Armenian troops to be withdrawn from Karabakh. Then, yes. But for the last three decades the West, for reasons unknown to me, have been obviously indulging Armenia, who had occupied foreign territories. Therefore, Azerbaijan had no other choice. Either Azerbaijan takes by force what belongs to it according to international law, or for another 30 years listens to Western talks about necessity ‘to solve the conflict in a peaceful way’. The West and their toothless negotiation groups are to blame for the fact that in autumn 2020 Azerbaijan was forced to use military measures to take back its lands.
By the way, in past Lithuania was in a very similar situation like Azerbaijan is for Karabakh. I mean the operation of Klaipeda liberation in 1923. Then, instead of listening to Western talks about necessity to peacefully regulate Klaipeda’s fate, Lithuania dressedits soldiers in civil clothes and by force took back the port and drove foreign military away. If not for that military operation, Lithuania would have probably lost Klaipeda forever. Therefore, I find acceptable the remark by famous Russian economist Andrey Ilarionov saying that only very rarely it is possible to peacefully reclaim territories. Efforts to find peaceful ways are most often fruitless. Occupants do not give occupied territories with good will.
Is it possible that Azeri and Armenian nations would live as friends?
It is possible. But Armenia should act in away that Armenian history researcher Philip Ekozyan suggests. Armenia has to refuse falsifications. Armenia needs to look at its history with sober eyes. They need to research without prejudice not only their own archives, but also allow in historians, researchers from other countries. Then the worth of myths about ‘the great Armenia from sea to sea’ will be clearer.
But it is not that easy to look at history honestly. Even Lithuania is not always successful in honest analysis of historic events. In 2005 Lithuanian Seimas adopted a special resolution ‘on Armenian genocide in tragic year 1915’. In my opinion it was a very wrong step by official Vilnius. Then, when the resolution was adopted, none of Lithuanian historians, political scientists, journalists not for a moment had gone to archives of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia (who still does not accept foreigners). It is impossible to understand how such statements can be made without analysing primary sources.
The Tragedy of Black Garden
I am also ashamed by another Lithuanian step. It took place in 2019. At the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, Armenians organized a discussion on the 1915 tragedy. Heads of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences acted correctly by allowing in Lithuanian politicians, historians, representatives of Armenian community. But the Academy betrayed principles of democracy and morality, when did not allow into the same hall the Turkish Ambassador and Turkish historians to discuss the same 1915. Armenians are welcome, Turks were shown the door.
I thought that after this slap in the face Turkey would recall itsambassador, stating that from now on Turkish jets would not be protecting Lithuanian air space anymore. But thanks for it, official stance of Turkey remained solid.
Thus, these are my pessimistic answers.
Editorial note
I sent the questions of Azeri journalist Jamila Chebotareva to the President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis and head of Seimas Committee for Foreign Affairs Zygimantas Pavilionis.
Gabrielius Landsbergis. Foto by Dainiaus Labutis (ELTA)
Gintaras Visockas
Now, after the visit of the Lithuanian Minister G. Landsbergis to the South Caucasus, several cautious observations can be made. Undoubtedly, the visit was important. As many as three countries were visited: Armenia, Sakartvelo (Georgia) and Azerbaijan. No mistakes? The following information was published on the official website of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: „Minister G.Landsbergis: we believe that Armenia will remain on the path of democratic reforms”, „Lithuanian grove” inaugurated in Armenia”, „Minister G.Landsbergis: I call all Sakatrvelo political forces to focus on reforms” and „Minister G.Landsbergis: Lithuania is interested in closer relations between the EU and Azerbaijan”.
All the intentions are solid, hopeful, meaningful, commendable. Not the slightest reproach. Who could be outraged by calls to remain democratic, to implement reforms, to work more seriously with Europe?
There is only one suspicion – why the Lithuanian Minister’s trips to the South Caucasus were organized at the end of April – at a time when Armenia is commemorating the tragic events of 1915? There are suspicions that in such a subtle manner, official Vilnius has expressed special support for Armenia and at the same time hoped not to irritate Turkey, the NATO ally. But no matter how you will try to hide a stitching awl, it will come out of the bag. At the end of April Lithuanian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mantas Adomėnas paid an official visit to Yerevan. He came to Yerevan not to rest. The official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania states: „Deputy Minister M.Adomėnas participated in the commemoration of the 106th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide”. There are many photos in the public space showing how Deputy Minister M.Adomėnas puts a wreath at the monument. Let us also remember that G. Landsbergis’ visit to the South Caucasus started from Armenia, that G. Landsbergis started to plant a „Lithuanian grove” in the Lori region of Armenia – and we will have a detailed picture of the most important Lithuanian accents.
Mantas Adomėnas. Foto by Dainius Labutis (ELTA)
Of course, one can also remember that at the end of April, even the new US President Joe Biden named the tragic events of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire as an „Armenian genocide”. Lithuania is just stepping on the path of its ally America. As if it has no other choice.
And yet the truth should be the most important, even more important than the political intrigues. Lithuania is small, weak. Unlike the big, powerful countries, it does not have the privilege of doing wrong – to suppress the truth in the name of political interests. If we do not seek truth and justice everywhere and always, we will not be able to demand truth and justice from others if we get into trouble ourselves.
And the truth is this: „Neither the President of the United States, nor the American Congress, nor Yerevan have a legal basis for calling 1915 a genocide.” These are not my words. This is according to Bruce Fein, an expert on US constitutional and international law, former adviser to US President Ronald Reagan.
Slaptai.lt publishes the Lithuanian translation of an interviewof this US lawyer given to one American television.
„Neither the US President, nor the American Congress, nor Yerevan have a legal basis to call 1915 genocide”
Bruce Fein, a lawyer who specializes in constitutional and international law, is being interviewed.
Although the U.S. Congress already recognizes the events of 1915 as a genocide, why is it important that President Joe Biden also made that public? Will there be any legal consequences?
Bruce Fein, former legal adviser to US President Ronald Reagan
No, it has no legal significance. This is a political statement. Biden, the Congress, and Armenians have no legal basis for calling 1915 a genocide. Article 9 of the Genocide Convention, which entered into force in 1951, 70 years ago, states that any dispute concerning the existence of a genocide must be referred to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. For 70 years Armenians have had the opportunity to bring their charges to the Hague tribunal – an organization that is not politicized and does not accept political gifts. 70 years of silence on the Armenian side. Legally there is no basis for such a case, they used political gifts and political power to obtain political statements. I have no doubt that Mr. Biden did not really undertake any serious legal investigation into what the Genocide Convention means, what elements include a case of a genocide, and what happened in 1915. Has he ever read a decision of the European Court of Human Rights stating that the Armenian genocide was never confirmed, that the events of 1915 were never anywhere confirmed as genocide.
I think it would have been wise for Mr. Biden to call on Armenia to exercise its right to the Article 9. The International Court of Justice has waited for 70 years for Armenia to go to court with its arguments. Unfortunately, we know that politicians are motivated by political motives, but they are not motivated to find out historical facts. This, unfortunately, is a constant politicization that will move this matter away from decision. Genocide is named as the most heinous crime, so why does official Yerevan not hand over the material it has to the International Court of Justice? 70 years is a long enough time to make your own claims. Another matter that is no less important, Justin McCarthy has asked Armenia: why do you keep your archives closed? If you have a case that requires archives for evidence, why do you keep it closed? Biden’s obvious hypocrisy is also obvious when he says there is a case of genocide on the one hand, but on the other hand, Armenia and Turkey should meet and resolve the disagreements. But he has already settled the case before they meet! He has already said he is on the Armenian side. Why should Armenia give away what Biden has already given her?
You have written several articles on this topic. What is your personal opinion on the 1915 events?
Firstly, I believe that we cannot fully apply the elements of genocide described in the Genocide Convention to the actions that took place before the Convention was formulated. Even the term genocide did not appear in the common language until 1943. Thus, the law on genocide cannot be applied retroactively to 1915.
Secondly, it is also impossible to prove that the Turkish state at that time wanted to destroy part or all the Armenians because they were the Armenians. Let us take advantage of the Armenian statements they made at the Paris Peace Conference on 26 February 1919. There the Armenians kept repeating: in the wake of the war the sultan offered us the autonomy in exchange for a loyalty; we rejected it, we became fighters and enemies of Turkey. These Armenians were Ottoman citizens, so basically, they have chosen betrayal. They described themselves at the Paris Peace Conference as fighters. They stated at the conference that the number of perished Ottoman Turks equaled to the number of perished Ottoman Armenians. War is hell – our famous General William Tecumseh Sherman said. This was not the case with Jews and the Holocaust. No Nazi died in Auschwitz. Here, however, both sides suffered a terrible war. I believe there is a great resemblance to our own civil war against the confederate states of America. The southern states wanted to separate, although they did not have that right. They shelled Fort Sumter. A terrible civil war started. Hundreds of thousands were killed, but no one offered to name it genocide. They pursued the political goal – independence. The war broke out and the South lost. Southerners were immediately accused of treason, and the union was not accused of genocide.
The Ottoman Armenians sought the same separation from the Ottomans as the confederate states, believing that they would gain independence after the war. Their aspiration was not successful, the Paris Peace Conference did not give them independence, but that was their goal. Therefore, I do not believe, based on the Armenian arguments, that there is evidence that the Turks intended to destroy the Armenians because they were Armenians. The massacre was because Armenians united with Turkish enemies during the war, their aspiration was a political independence. When the genocide convention was being drafted, the destruction of the group because of its political approach was considered as a forbidden category, but it was rejected. This means that massacres (I am not saying there were no other violations of the law) for political purposes, such as independence, are clearly not genocide.
So, what are Turkey’s options, how it should continue to act and respond legally?
I believe that there is a possibility that Turkey could immediately go to the International Court of Justice on Article 9 itself, saying that we are offended by false accusations of genocide, and present excusing arguments. Armenia did have a chance to file its case that it was genocide. In that case, we would have already had a legally resolved issue that could be removed from politics.
Bruce Fein, former legal adviser to US President Ronald Reagan, and US President Joe Biden
It is clear that Armenians are well adapted to maneuver in the American political system. Tilt politicians to their side with gifts and other means. If you stay in the political atmosphere, without an impartial tribunal Turkey’s chances are very slim. This can be corrected. I work with a group in the United States called the Turkish Anti-defamation Alliance. It is trying to create an educational program about what the genocide law is, what the Armenian accusations are. To present a case that is systematic, rejecting weak arguments, such as: Armenians were slaughtered because they are Armenians, and rejecting the fact that they were enemies seeking political independence.
The reason for trusting going to court, is the nearest tribunal that has ruled on this issue – the European Court of Human Rights, of which Armenia is a member and Turkey is not. The court said there was never a proven Armenian genocide. This is a historical issue that cannot be answered definitively. And that’s what I suggest you consider. It has been in the political space for too long. These issues of genocide must be dealt by the international court of justice, not in the corridors of politics, because there are always hidden motives.
What will Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Mantas Adomėnas answer to these arguments of Bruce Fein? Maybe these arguments are unknown to M.Adomėnas? How will Lithuanian Minister G. Landsbergis behave if Turkey refuses to protect the air space of the Baltic States with its fighter jets after M. Adomėnas’ voyage, to send its troops to defend the Baltic States from a possible Russian invasion?
Today I would like to ask: what is journalism worth if it does not seek the truth? What are photo reports worth if their authors are not interested in justice? This journalistic activity is not only useless, it is dangerous. It can lead you down the wrong path: oppose countries, cause new military clashes, hurt a victim, provoke the aggressor to perform new attacks …
Is this path justified?
I do agree: sometimes it is difficult to find the truth, sometimes it is unsightly. But if one does not consciously strive for it, and even is proud of this – such a person is difficult for me to understand.
This bewilderment is addressed to the photojournalist Vidmantas Balkunas, who published “Letters from Nagorno-Karabakh” on the website delfi.lt. On his page on the social network, this journalist, who has traveled a lot around the world and published valuable pictures, writes: “Perhaps that is why I never try to find out which side is right and which is not. And more often than not, there is no right answer. It is important for me to show how people who have fallen into this whirlpool live (…). Geopolitics is definitely not my sphere. (…) And therefore, it is difficult for me to understand people who, being thousands of kilometers from the war, broadcast their truth and explain who is right and who is wrong. ” This is how V. Balkunas philosophizes in social networks. And this is his right, his will. Moreover, V. Balkunas is really courageous – it is dangerous in Nagorno-Karabakh in nowadays.
Vidmantas Balkunas, who published “Letters from Nagorno-Karabakh”
But what is this courage for? It is illegal to travel to Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia and with an Armenian visa. Moreover, it is illegal from any point of view – Lithuania, the EU, NATO, the UN. International community considers Nagorno-Karabakh to be the territory of Azerbaijan. Even Armenia does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as its own territory. Therefore, every educated journalist must understand that if he wants to travel to Nagorno-Karabakh, he must obtain an Azerbaijani visa. If you are flying to Armenia, of course, you do not need an Azerbaijani visa. But if you go to Nagorno-Karabakh, you must get an Azerbaijani stamp in your passport, despite all the assurances of the Armenians that Nagorno-Karabakh is an ethnic Armenian territory.
By the way, Azerbaijan would hardly bless V. Balkunas’s trip to the Black Garden (this is how the name “Karabakh” is translated into Russian). Because if official Baku approved this visit, the journalist would most likely not have been admitted by Armenia, which controls Nagorno-Karabakh. Figuratively speaking, they would consider him a spy of Azerbaijan.
This is an important fact. In my opinion, if we do not follow the rules that secure respect for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan (including Nagorno-Karabakh), real chaos may ensue, because there will be states that disregard, for example, the fact that Vilnius or Klaipeda regions belongs to Lithuania. Does Lithuania have the right to condemn Western and Russian singers, journalists, politicians who illegally, without the consent of Kiev, Chisinau or Tbilisi, travel to the occupied Crimea, Transnistria or South Abkhazia? We have our own „travelers” who do not know what respect for international rules that have legalized the borders between states is.
Guilt of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania
The fact that there are strange „tourists” in Lithuania is a huge fault of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, which until now officially, publicly, has not clearly stated that it is not recommended to travel to Nagorno-Karabakh with an Armenian visa. It is impossible to prohibit Lithuanian citizens from traveling to Nagorno-Karabakh from Yerevan, and not from Baku. But they must be warned. And it was necessary to do so as soon as the first shots thundered. After all, it could have been predicted that Armenian ambassador Tigran Mkrtchyan, residing in Lithuania, would feverishly seek curious people who would agree to visit suffering Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Our parliamentary Committee on International Affairs, and the leaders of parliamentary friendship groups with Armenia and Azerbaijan, and, ultimately, Lithuanian journalists’ organizations, could have explained to Lithuanian citizens why it is undesirable to travel to Nagorno-Karabakh with the blessing of Armenia. No bans, no threats – just a warning: it is not recommended. By the way, my conscience is clear: back in 2014 in my articles on the slaptai.lt. I urged not to send Lithuanians to Nagorno-Karabakh from the Armenian side.
If you ask who gave me the right to reproach brave journalists who travel to hot spots, I will answer: I have such a right. I have been working as a journalist for over 35 years and have seen some violent conflicts with my own eyes. Russian-Chechen, Ossetian-Ingush, Georgian-Abkhaz clashes – I saw all this and wrote about all this. But unlike V. Balkunas, I was worried first of all who was right, and not who was louder and more convincingly shouting.
I also cannot be silent, because I am well aware of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict – I have been interested in this topic for more than ten years. I cannot boast that I traveled far and wide across Azerbaijan, but I happened to be in the Khojavend, Terter, Barda regions and witnessed how Azerbaijanis who suffered from the Armenian shelling and who lost their loved ones live there. Most of all, I was shocked by a trip in 2016 to the Terter region – the villages of Gasangaya, Gapanly, Maraga, Shikar, which were subjected to increased artillery shelling. I saw ruined houses there, crippled children, women weeping at graves. I was in Ganja, which recently came under an artillery attack by the Armenians. I can give my head to be cut off – both Armenian and Azerbaijani women have equally clear tears. To make sure that everyone has red blood – both Armenians and Azerbaijanis – it is not necessary to go somewhere.
How many Azerbaijanis live in Yerevan?
Still, the difference between the shelling of Ganja and Nagorno-Karabakh is obvious. Azerbaijan is living in their homes in Ganja, Terter, Hasangay, according to international law, live in their own state – in Azerbaijan. And the Armenians who settled in Nagorno-Karabakh do not live in Armenia. They are located on the territory belonging to Azerbaijan. If they are law-abiding citizens, they should obey Baku.
The opponents of the author of these lines, of course, will argue with foam at the mouth that ethnic Armenians live in Nagorno-Karabakh and that there are no Azerbaijanis there. And it is true. But a journalist who is looking not only for impressive shots, but also for the truth, should ask a question: where did all the Azerbaijanis who lived in Nagorno-Karabakh a few decades ago go? Did they leave of their own will, or were they cynically expelled?
Other inconvenient questions can be asked. For example, where did the Azerbaijani community that lived a hundred years ago in Yerevan disappear? Azerbaijanis in those days constituted the majority in Yerevan – they made about 75% of dwellers. One should be a fool to deny this statistical fact. There is not a single Azerbaijani in Yerevan today. Did they all leave the city of their own free will?
The lesson of Javakheti
And lastly, why does the large Armenian diaspora living in one of the regions of Georgia, Javakhetia, prove today (visit the Armenian portal armenianreport.com) that this is not a Georgian territory, but an Armenian one and therefore, you see, they need to secede from Georgia and create an independent state?! In Javakhetia a tactic, similar to the one that was tested in Nagorno-Karabakh, is used: they oust the locals, then they begin to propagandize the ideas of separatism more and more loudly and blackmail the Georgian authorities harder: if you do not support Yerevan, you will be punished – you will lose Javakheti.
If a Lithuanian journalist got into Nagorno-Karabakh, he should be worried about all the issues. For example, to what extent do American, French, Russian Armenians help the Armenians to fight the Azerbaijanis? It is obvious that Armenia with its three million population (three times less than in Azerbaijan) lacks soldiers. The fact that Armenian militants of all kinds helped the Armenians to attack Azerbaijan earlier (for example, a certain Monte Melkonyan once arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh from Lebanon; later he died), is not a secret to anyone, this information is accessible to those who looking for answers to all, even uncomfortable questions.
French smoke screen
And the tales that Turkey sends fighters, subordinate to Ankara and Istanbul, from Syria, Lebanon, Kurdish settlements to Azerbaijan to fight the Armenians are complete nonsense. I received this information from Ambassador of Turkey Gokhan Turan, whose residence is in Lithuania. And, by the way, his words sound quite convincing. Azerbaijan really has enough of its own soldiers to conflict with Armenia. If there was China instead of Armenia, then one would believe that Azerbaijan has too few defenders. But is not the case.
Ambassador of Turkey Gokhan Turan. Slaptai.lt foto
Allegations that all sorts of militants controlled by Turkey are helping Azerbaijanis to offend Christian Armenians are a smokescreen that Yerevan needs to cover up its swindle.
Even French President Emmanuel Macron, who is entangled in Armenian intrigues, needs it today. A large, extremely influential Armenian community lives in France, which the French authorities cannot control. Yerevan via France (and not only via it) is recruiting fighters for the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh front. If everything that the French authorities turned a blind eye to will surface, the French president with his French intelligence and advisers would find himself in an unenviable position. So, the best defense is offense. Therefore, the French authorities began to blame others for what they themselves were to be blamed.
Official Paris makes a gigantic mistake – sooner or later the truth will surface and face the light.
I address these remarks to those who are not satisfied by sensational photographs alone, to those who are looking for the truth.
As a Member of Parliament of the Sixth Convocation of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic, I would like to express my gratitude in advance for your attention and to draw your attention to the fact that, unfortunately, Armenia’s aggressive policy against Azerbaijan in the region has once again led to the death of innocent people.
Starting from the night of July 12-13, 2020, as a result of ceasefire violation by the Armenian armed forces and firing of Azerbaijani armed forces’ positions in the direction of Tovuz region using artillery mounts, 12 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed and many of our soldiers were seriously wounded. Also, Azizov Aziz Izzat born in 1944, the resident of Aghdam village, Tovuz region, was killed as a result of strong artillery bombardment of our residential points and villages. This event is not the first aggression of Armenian army to quiet residents at the period of ceasefire. These cases are repeating for years.
It is inadmissible, the world community and international organizations must say “stop” to aggressive policy of Armenia, it must support Azerbaijan and apply the most serious sanctions deserving to aggressor. The fact that civilians encounter the target of the enemy’s heavy equipment reveals the true face of the Armenian state. Armenia behaves itself more like a terrorist organization. Despite the peace talks conductied in the direction of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the aggressor Armenia is roughly violating the format of the talks and pursuing a purposeful tension policy. So, it violates the process of talks roughly. Also, with such provocations, they want to distract attention from the difficult internal socio-economic situation and involve the political and military organizations of which they are members in this process.
Though the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan informs OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen states, UNO, European Union, other competent international organizations in regard to violation of ceasefire roughly by Armenia and bombarding of civil people from heavy arms, no pressure is exerted on Armenia. The said organizations must force Armenia to keep the regime of ceasefire urgently, must react to targeting the peaceful Azerbaijani population by Armenian military units and must reprobate it seriously. It is known that, all international organizations accept Nagorno-Karabakh and occupied regions as integral part of Azerbaijan. Therefore, Armenia violates ceasefire not in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, but in the direction of Tovuz region of Azerbaijan-Armenia border to involve CSTO in conflict.
The Armenian state pursuing a policy of aggression for almost 30 years, more than one million people of Azerbaijan have been deprived of the right to live in their native lands. The “so-called” elections and inauguration show held in Shusha in the last months, also the recent events occurring in Tovuz region have only a provocative character, exert serious damage to the process of talks and lose the patience of the Azerbaijani people.
I think that, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen, which mediates in the settlement of the conflict peacefully, must take an objective position and must provide the execution of international legal norms and the relevant resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council in their activities. The UN Security Council resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 demand full and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan’s occupied territories. The Azerbaijani people are quite dissatisfied with the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen and if such case continues, there will be no confidence in the effectiveness of the Minsk Group. In blatant violation of the UN Charter and other legal international obligations, Armenia has carried out military aggression against Azerbaijan and occupied Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
As a member of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic, I call upon the international community to condemn strongly Armenia’s policy of occupation against Azerbaijan and its provocative actions perpetrated along the border.
Best regards,
Deputy of Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Fatma Yildirim
In times of geopolitical cold war every larger country or alliance aims to increasetheir zones of influence. All possible measures are used, starting with military and economic, ending with cultural and religious.
Sometimes it is hard to comprehend why the world‘s leading powers show interest in and invest in some country, which has no geographical relation whatsoever. However, influence is a very important thing and it does not matter if there is a big difference in geographical location, religion, culture or even economy. All leading powers and alliances try to influence other countries in Africa or South America.
It would be the easiest way to compare all these processesto expansion of retail chains in Lithuania. Sometimes Maxima opens a supermarket in a vicinity of another one – to ensure that IKI or Norfa would not take that place. It does not really matter that this supermarket will not be very profitable; however, it will be like an outpost, an obstacle for competitors’ influence.
Leaving all these introductions, let us proceed to the main topic of this article. What games do the European Commission, members of the European Parliament and politicians and diplomats of the US play with Armenia and Azerbaijan? What obstructs them from handling Nagorno-Karabakh conflict? Who profits from that the most?
In spring 2013, David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, visited Moscow. President of Russia Vladimir Putin gave Cameron a bottle of 42 years old Armenian cognac, reminding him, that in 1945, in Yalta, during the meeting of the Allies, a similar bottle of cognac has been given by Joseph Stalin to the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill.
This example is very symbolic. The President of Russia who repeatedly shows respect to such historical figures as Ivan the Terrible, Joseph Stalin, and who often regretfully remembers the collapse of the Soviet Union, gives to his foreign guest a thing, which his country, his empire treats as the most precious, thus showing that Armenia is a part of his empire.
Imagine if the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom would present to his guests a box of Indian tea, thus reminding the times when India wasa colony of England and its rulers often presented such gifts to the honorable guests from other countries. If diplomats from the United Kingdom would allow such mistake to pass, they would make a huge and unforgivable mistake with some global repercussions. India would issue a note, etc.
In the aforementioned case of Putin’s cognac nothing happened. There was no global outrage and there was no reaction from Armenia. A conclusion can be made that, for example, Armenia has a certain place in Vladimir Putin’s created geopolitical concept of “the Russian world”, or, for example, that Armenian cognac has impact on Russian politics and diplomacy by making Russians, and sometimes influential foreign diplomats or politicians, to lose their heads.
From the first sight it would seem that everything is clear anddiplomatic demagogy cannot exist. Here are some facts: in 1993 the United Nations adopted resolutions Nr. 822, 853, 874 and 884 which claim that Armenians occupied Azerbaijani lands and waged unjustified war against Azerbaijan and its territorial integrity. The UN recognized “Nagorno-Karabakh” as a territory of Azerbaijan.
Everything would be different without this“cognac democracy”. It makes leaders and politicians lose their minds and it serves twisted imperialistic policies of Russia. It is now more than 20 years since Armenia ripped a large chunk of Azerbaijan’s territory. Armenia departs from decisions of the UN and pours more fuel to the already hot atmosphere in South Caucasus region. Tens of thousands killed. More than one million Azerbaijanis can not return to their land. They are refugees for more than two decades.
This enmity is advantageous not only for Russian imperialists, but also for some politicians of the European Union. If global organizations would have been more principled and unbiased, a verdict would have already been passed. Armenia would have been asked to withdraw its soldiers from the foreign territory in a given period of time or, in the worst case scenario, economically and militaristically stronger Azerbaijan could use its brave soldiers to push the aggressor out of its land, without any foreign intervention.
We say“the worst case”because it would mean more victims, mothers would lose their sons, wives–their husbands, and stray bullets would take away more than one civilian life. It would remind a painful but necessary medical surgery which would result peace – region, known by its astounding beauty and plentiful natural resources, would be able to evolve and go forward.
Unfortunately, at the moment all three countries are suffering – Azerbaijan and Georgia feel pain for illegally taken territories from them and their people turned refugees, whereas Armenia probably also feels no joy inthis dishonest administrationof foreign territory, especially when Armenia is not a sole independent governor of Nagorno-Karabakh.
It reminds of old Soviet animated show, in which Cheburashka wants to help Gena the Crocodile by taking his heavy bag, but only if the Crocodile agrees to carry both Cheburashka and the bag on its back. In reality Nagorno-Karabakh, along with Abkhazia, Transnistria, South Ossetia, Donetsk and Lugansk “Peoples’ Republics” are governed by Russia, including Armenia itself as its colony.
All because of the cognac diplomacy, which brings only mist and obscurity. NATO and the USA cannot make a full impact on this region and not because it would open another conflict with Russia (Russia has military bases in Armenia) but because of large and powerful Armenian diaspora in the US which has similar power as other powerful American diaspora. And when Obama became president, Armenia hoped to make its occupation of Azerbaijani territories legal.
Another important thing is the experience of NATO when interests of its two members – Greece and Turkey clashed. Any major move from NATO towards disagreement of Armenia and Azerbaijan would mean a renewalof conflict between Turkey and Greece, and the latter would probably take Armenian side.
The European Union plays many games at the same time. The EU does not want to lose influence over Armenia so it does not treat Armeniaas aggressor nor does it impose any economic sanctions. On the contrary – the EU at all costs tries to attract Armenia into its sphere of influence. At the same time political architects of the EU are busy attracting Azerbaijan as well, which could be a solid alternative for a monopoly of Russian gas in Europe.
Thus many bureaucrats of the European Commission and members of the European Parliament often visit Yerevan where they are treated that drink, which Joseph Stalin used to check Winston Churchill’s vigilance. However,Churchill was not only a professional politician, but also a professional alcohol consumer. A taste of good, brandished and strong drink did not impress him and he denounced expansion of the Soviet empire, occupation of the Baltics and forced socialism in the Eastern Europe.
Unfortunately, such personas intoxicated with Armenian-Russian diplomacy can be found in Lithuania as well. In previous Seimas a “Parliamentary group of friendship with Nagorno-Karabakh” was established and initiated by Algis Kašėta and Dalia Kuodytė, active members of The Liberal Movement, and which encompassed many parliamentarians from different fractions, thirsty for cognac of Armenian diplomacy. Leader of this political party Eligijus Masiulis was caught taking a bribe – a large sum of money was hidden in a box of expensive liquor.
The group was invited to Yerevan, but somehow, as if by accident, they all ended up in Nagorno-Karabakh. This visit was not coordinated with a legitimate sovereign of the territory – Republic of Azerbaijan. For Azerbaijan it was like a spit to the face. Later Azerbaijani Community in Lithuaniaasked members of our parliament, if they are also planning to establish a “Parliamentary group of friendship with Taliban”? There was no answer.
To sum up, we could say that while Western countries drink diplomatic cognac and play diplomatic poker, Russia is getting stronger and increases its influence around the globe. Russia has goals; it does not denounce its Tsardom politics or its totalitarian legacy of the Soviet Empire. Russia stays on the road of cruelty and ignorance carved by Tsar Ivan the Terrible. This country has not apologized to its former exploited colonies. Russia retained as much of them as it could. It tries to influencethose who managed to escape by using various informational, economic, cultural and military means, waiting for a good opportunity to “take them back” as it “took back” Crimea.
Russia can only be stopped by honest and hard politics of Western countries. One of the aspects of such politics should be following the resolutions of the United Nations.
In conclusion, let us wish Azerbaijan success in taking back its historical lands. Everything is possible, as an example of Lithuania shows. In the 20th century it was torn from all sides, but now it took back mostof its precious lands, including capital Vilnius and port city Klaipėda.
And let us wish Armenia to say goodbye to things that do not belong to it. With a release of Nagorno-Karabakh it could receive even more valuable thing – freedom and the real independence.
Slaptai.lt presents a very interesting article by Parliament member Arvydas Anušauskas (who is also member of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defense). The article is titled “Twisted Footprints in Daugai: Among Russian Deputies of the State Duma, Oligarchs, Diplomats, Federal Security Agents and Soldiers”.
Lakes of Dzūkija. Foto – Vytautas Visockas (Slaptai.lt).
The afore mentioned analysis was published in the second half of 2016 at author’s homepage www.arvydasanusauskas.lt, yet the article holds important information to this day. The analysis raises a question – what methods does Russia employ trying to spread its roots in our country: does Russia disguise it with sports, economic investments or Armenian refugees?
Interestingly enough, this article has not yet been analyzed or discussed in greater detail.
2017.06.24
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Arvydas Anušauskas
Twisted Footprints in Daugai: Among Russian Deputies of the State Duma, Oligarchs, Diplomats, Federal Security Agents and Soldiers
A New Tradition in Daugai.
It is known, that 15ha land by the Lake Didžiulis in Daugai, including structures, has been property of private local business till 2013.
However, in 2013, all shares of that local business were sold to “Daugų sala”, company registered in Alytus. According to the data of the Centre of Registers, the company was founded in summer 2012. Later, some information appeared in the press, that officially the business was acquired by some company registered in Lithuania, but the real owners were Muscovites, whose activities included constructions, “gold trade” and many other things. In Daugai they planned investing into a very specific area – field hockey. The press was told that they plan building some hotels and few hockey fields. Yet looking over some of the publicly available documents some questions remain unanswered. Why a group of Muscovites acquired such local business in the beginning of 2013, and did the buyers have enough financial resources?
The second question: if the buyers had no money – who and why provided it to them?
The last question is a tricky one: what is a relation between the buyers and the fund of member ofthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation?
Interestingly enough, public limited company “Tradition-L”, which was registered in Moscow on October 22, 2012, in just a month, on November 27, acquired 90 percent of “Daugų sala“ shares from one person in Alytus. On January 11, 2013, “Tradition-L” buys the company that ownedaforementioned real estate in Daugai. It is possible that this company was connected to family of one active Lithuanian Social Democrat.
The operation of acquisition was instant – only 80 days since the appearance of the company in Moscow.
The majority shareholder of “Tradition-L” was entrepreneur Ara Ginosyan, who had one third of company’s shares. Other business partners shared smaller holdings, 6.67 percent each. Do not be fooled – the starting capital of the company was only 30,000 rubles, thus majority share holder’s share was of 1000 litas value at that time. It could not be otherwise – company’s office was in remote suburbs of Moscow, where the same commercial building was shared by many small businesses and only neighbors were logistics centers.
Interestingly, “Tradition-L” activities in Moscow was not well known. According to trade-rent indicators, it placed 2750th in a list of similar companies. How could the company have 2 million litas in its balance for all those purchases (according to daily newspaper “Verslo žinios”, Armenian shareholders invested 600,000 Euro or about 2.07 million litas)? Why one of the “Tradition-L” shareholders Grach Petrosyan (with a holding of few hundred litas of shares) was responsible for this purchase? It was noted, that company’s shareholders could engage in various other activities, however, renting apartments for Armenian laborers (and some bakery business shares) was its only profitable activity. Grach Petrosyan’s company “Urartu”, with initial capital of 10,000 rubles (about 1,000 litas), could engage in “whole sale trade in gold and other precious metals”, as well asin “wholesale trade in gems”, yet its sole declared activity was constructions. In fact, these alleged constructions could not be found, as the company was liquidated in summer 2013. It could not be the other way – company’s office was in Dmitrov town, Moscow Oblast, where the same commercial building was shared by many small businesses.
Namely Grach Petrosyan becomes the main “player” at Daugai. In 2013 he founds Daugai field hockey club “Nansen club” and becomes its president. The club instantly joins Lithuanian business club in Moscow (alongside “Vičiūnai”, “Rūta” and other large manufacturers) when in reality there were no actual “business”. “Nansen club” was titled“a unique sports center” where international “lifeguard teams” would be trained. Firstly, in October 2013, the idea was to establish an international school of lifeguards where divers and land lifeguards could be trained. It was planned that lifeguards and field hockey players would get 3 houses for 20 people each in this recreational base. On August 1, 2015, Grach Petrosyan introduced his plans: the club will train “leaders” among the youth from CIS member states. According to him: “all unconventional games in this club are dedicated for one goal – training all-rounded youth “whoare not afraid to take responsibility and who can become full-time lifeguards”. The club prioritizes meeting of young people from different countries who could later become “an international lifeguard team”. In 2015 Petrosyan announced, that he will build one more training base dedicated to working in extreme conditions. Medical training will be part of the education: two or three times a month pupils will visit medicine institute and morgue, they will learn how to sew wounds and how to treat broken or severed limbs (meanwhile, an assembled team of amateur field hockey players takes the third place in B division of Lithuanian Championship).
Member of Lithuanian parliament Arvydas Anušauskas. Slaptai.lt foto
Interestingly, instead of Grach Petrosyan, his twin brother Grant Petrosyan is the real field hockey specialist – an honored field hockey coach in Armenia and former coach of Armenian women field hockey national team. In 1994 he came to Novosibirsk where he had a small business. Instead of caring for the future of field hockey in Daugai, Grant Petrosyan tried to revive this sport in his hometown Gyumri (former Leninakan, which was destroyed during an earthquake in 1988). From 2010 he supported Gyumri youth field goal team. Since 2007 he had an idea of building “Sport-City” complex in his hometown that would include 35 different sport attractions. Yet his ideas during the years 2007-2012 were not interesting to anybody. All suddenly changed in the end of 2012 when Russia became interested in possibilities to spread its influence in Armenia and Lithuania.
From FSB Novosibirsk towards Karelin.
After 2012 elections, Lithuania started preparing for the presidency of the Council of the EU. Starting from January 2013, it was going to be an important member of the trio. Armenia had its presidential elections coming in February 2013, and it had to choose between the Eurasian Customs Union andthe EU Association Agreement. It is obvious, that due to an old tradition, Russian Federal Security Service had its influence in these foreign politics. One of the strongest directorates of Russian FSB always was in Novosibirsk where FSB had its own school and many supervised academic centers. Almost 40 thousand Armenians lived in Novosibirsk. Part of FSB activities were associated with these Armenians to keep Armenia under Russia’s influence. Many leaders made their careers in this FSB directorate as it was an important knot between Europe and Asia – there were always some work to do. Chekists from Novosibirsk were usuallygiven a job in Moscow: FSB Colonel General Yevgeniy Sysoyev, Head of FSB Novosibirsk Regional Directorate 2009-2011, left to Moscow and was later appointed Deputy Director of Russia’s FSB and Head of the National Antiterrorism Committee. General Lieutenant Viktor Ivanovich Batukin, the next Head of FSB Novosibirsk Regional Directorate, was also summoned to Moscow and Sergei Boiko took his place in April 15, 2013.
We can only guess, that FSB Novosibirsk Regional Directorate knew about business activities of Petrosyan twins in Moscow and Novosibirsk and that one of them was trying to implement his projects in his Armenian hometown where Russian military base was located. Grant Petrosyan’s Gyumri “Sport-City” project was remembered and the Russian government promised its financial support. Maybe in return he had to do a favor – to acquire essentially useless real estate in Lithuania? Or maybe one of the brothers had to establish Nansen club where “lifeguards” would be trained (and which later would agitate for giving refugees and non-citizens so called “Nansen passports”) and had to join Lithuanian business club in Moscow? Maybe another brother had to contribute with a positive influence among Armenian diaspora in Novosibirsk and Gyumri? Maybe all these questions are retorical? Maybe all of this is just a conspiracy theory?
Was it a coincidence, that just after the successful transaction in Lithuania, on February 12, 2013, there was a meeting between Grant Petrosyan (brother of Grach Petrosyan), businessman from Novosibirsk Artur Movsesyan and members of “Karelin-Fund” belonging to Aleksandr Karelin (politician, athlete, member of State Duma’s International Affairs Committee).
One of the members ofthis initiative group was Ruben Tatulian, businessman from Sochi, who build Karelin’s sports center for training Russian national teams. According to Grant Petrosyan, the construction was needed not only to improve social situation but also for family members of Russian soldiers who wanted to be involved in sports.
It was known from the beginning, that Aleksandr Karelin, representative of the Novosibirsk Oblast in Russian State Duma, plans investing in sports complex “Sport-City” in Gyumri, Armenia (“Sport-City” was planned as a town with 1500 workplaces). Grant Petrosyan treated A. Karelin as a close friend (in 2008 he attended anniversary of “Karelin-Fund”, later, however, he claimed, that his meeting with Aleksandr Karelin to discuss “Sport-City” matters was arranged by Mnac Iskandaryan, Olympic champion of 1992, working as couch in Novosibirsk).
As the 102nd Military Base in Gyumri was the main Russian base in Armenia, Grant Petrosyan claimed: “we expect Russia to pay for skating rink and swimming pool, because Russians still live in Gyumri”. But why he missed the fact, while searching for investors in Novosibirsk, that his brother invested 25 million rubles (at contemporary rate) in “sports complex” in Lithuania? One piece of information from Grant Petrosyan’s lips tells us that he perfectly knew about those plans; and negotiations on “Sport-City” construction took place not only in Novosibirsk, Moscow and Yerevan, but also in Lithuania. It is not clear with whom and how, however, it came to agreement that “Karelin-Fund” will build closed swimming pool and ice skating rink. It was officially announced, that A. Karelin was influenced by fact that thousands of soldiers are stationed in the Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri and together with their family members it makes over 10 percent of city residents.
On March 6, 2013, a project was introduced and the office of “Gyumri-City” fund was opened to coordinate the project further. Grant Petrosyan and Russia’s Consul General Vasiliy Korchmar also attended the presentation. No one asked a question, why a construction project of year 2007 was abandoned for 5-6 years? According to Russia’s Consul, he met with Grant Petrosyan many times before and discussed questions related to obligations from Russia’s side. The total estimated budget was 25 million dollars. President of the fund Ara Abramyan announced, that Russian businessmen and prominent sports funds came to an agreement. Sport-City Facebook page appeared on the same day.
Shadows of Russian Parliament Member.
“Karelin-Fund” was a perfect solution for opaque financial support, because it constantly was under surveillance of Russian law enforcement and FSB (favor in exchange of favor). Founders of the fund had a financial group. „Accept” bank was also partially controlled by one of the cofounders. A story below confirms this claim. In 2012, Vladimir Gorohov (former Karelin’s assistant, who later became deputy of Regional Parliament) addressed to Russian Ministry of Finance and later, in December 2013, to General Prosecutor of Russia with a request to investigate the corporate raid on “Mashkomplekt” (logistics complex of 1 billion rubles value) initiated by members and cofoundersof „Karelin-Fund”. However, since February-July 2013, tax inspectors refused investigating this incident. Meanwhile, corporate raiding in Russia is “one of the most profitable and corrupt criminal activities. It cannot exist without corruption and without support of the government”.
On January 31, 2016, another article was published, where aforementioned businessman from Novosibirsk revealed Aleksandr Karelin’s business structure. As a deputy A. Karelin could not directly manage his business so he did it through mediators: Yuri Sereda and Yuri Tokarev who at the same time where cofounders of “Karelin-Fund”.
Even though activities of A. Karelin and cofounders of his fund were under surveillance, he did not lose trust of Vladimir Putin. Since 2001 A. Karelin was a member of Upper House of Federation Council (as a representative of United Russia political party). In August 14, 2013, he received fromthe presidentan honorary award for promoting sports, even though at that time he belonged to State Duma’s International Affairs Committee. Another interesting fact from his biography is that in 1999 Aleksandr Karelin was Sports Adviser for Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin (1994-1995 Head of FSB) and it is assumed, that he helped Boris Ivaniuzhenkov to become Minister of Sports, who was formerly known as a member of organized crime group “Rotan”.
A. Karelin retained V. Putin’s trust, even then Viktor Golubev, godfather of Karelin’s children,board member of his fund, president of “Crystal” sports holding and the man who built sport related objects in Berdsk and Iskitim was arrested, because hehad a small illegal oil refinery that earned him 270 million rubles. FSB also accused V. Golubev of money laundering (over 100 million rubles) through “Accept” bank which belonged to another cofounder of “Karelin-Fund”. A. Karelin was still in favor of the president. On December 28, 2015, he visited military airport near Latakia and together with Colonel General and Commander-in-Chief Viktor Bondarev greeted Russian soldiers in Syria.
Sport-City near Gyumri Military Base.
Finally, Gyumri city provided 12.5 ha of land for free. Since that day Grant Petrosyan became an active supporter of Russian and Armenian relationship and he often emphasized the close collaboration between Russian and Gyumri as there was the 102th military base located in the city. Moreover, the FSB Directorate in Russian military base in Gyumri monitors military personnel and their environment. And very little happens in that environment without their knowledge.
On December 2, 2013, President of Russia Vladimir Putin visited Gyumri military base. He was satisfied, that Armenia finally terminated all negotiations with the European Union on increasing gas import. Meanwhile in Lithuania the last “crusades” were initiated against liquid gas terminal construction and energy independence… Who do you think were initiators of these crusades?
Such statements do exist. Usually Armenian Diaspora states that in 1915 during WWI the Ottoman army killed a lot of Armenians. In 1915 the Ottoman Empire was in war with tsarist Russia. When the Ottoman army attacked the Russian army in the Easter territories of the present Turkey, Russians equipped Armenians living in these territories. Armenians lived in the whole territory of the Empire, but those living in the Eastern part, were equipped by Russians and attacked the Ottoman army from the rear. That is why the Ottoman government was forced to take certain measures and deport those Armenians to Southern Anatolia so army can be safe from the rear. During this deportation some Armenians perished, because of battles with Armenian militia and clashes with the local people or because of severe climate conditions of Eastern Turkey. I can add, that in those days less than 1,5 million Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire. Scientists, who analyzed the data of those days, state that about 300 thousand Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire. It is unclear, why the number of perished is 1,5 million, when only 300 thousand lived in the Empires territory. To my point of view, these statements are not right. It may be also added, that during those military attacks 200 thousand Turks living in the Ottoman Empire perished as well as Armenians did. A lot of people were killed during sporadic clashes with Armenians, because of hostility between Armenians and the local people of Eastern Turkey. Both sides – Turks and Armenians – lost a lot of their people, though it is not right to declare that 1,5 million Armenians perished. Armenians were not treated they way it is stated.
