Breaking
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry denounced the U.S., EU and France for increasing military cooperation with Armenia. Aliyev repeated his preposterous claim that Armenia should not be allowed to procure
weapons to defend its sovereignty even as Azerbaijan continues to stockpile lethal, offensive weapons it has used to commit atrocities against ethnic Armenians.
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Foreign Aid Bill Supporting Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh Refugees and Pivot from Russian Dependence
The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee favourably reported the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPs) Appropriations Bill including not less than $65 million in assistance to Armenia. The Committee specifically directs the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide bilateral economic assistance to Armenia to respond to the needs of the more than 120,000 Nagorno-Karabakh refugees forcibly displaced from their ancestral homeland due to Azerbaijan’s military aggression.
Notably, the Senate’s FY25 SFOPS Appropriations Bill and directive committee report language:
- Appropriates funding for assistance to the countries of the South Caucasus to “strengthen civil society, protect human rights, and support independent media.”
- Requires that economic and security assistance be prioritized and allocated for building military capacity to defend territorial sovereignty and deter aggression, enhancing agricultural development, and improving critical infrastructure based on the extent counties of the South Caucasus “demonstrate capacity and political will to pursue regional stability and economic integration, and to counter the malign influence of the Russian Federation and other actors.”
- Establishes conditions on U.S. assistance so that no funding may be made available for “a government of an Independent State of the former Soviet Union if such government directs any action in violation of the territorial integrity or national sovereignty of any other Independent State of the former Soviet Union, such as those violations included in the Helsinki Final Act.”
- Directs the State Department and USAID to consider the status of peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan when allocating U.S. assistance.
The Senate FY25 SFOPs Appropriations bill now heads to the Senate floor for consideration, strengthening Armenia’s position when the House and Senate ultimately conference their bills.
U.S. Senate
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin Calls Out Russia and Azerbaijan for Aggression and Occupation of Armenia
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien Testifies for the Biden Administration.
“I was recently in Armenia, near the border of Nagorno-Karabakh. Now, I can’t go to that border area because it is controlled by Azerbaijanis. How did they gain control of that area? Through Russia. Russia is allowing them to take control of that territory. What has the international community done about that? I haven’t seen very much at all(..)As you’re talking about countries that are trying to get closer to the U.S., Armenia is one of those countries. They now face a real security threat to their borders, with the territory being taken by force by Azerbaijan,” stated Chairman Cardin at a hearing held by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation.
U.S. House of Reps.
Rep. Jim Costa Condemns Azerbaijan’s Genocidal Policy and Advocates for U.S. Support for Armenia During the House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee Hearing
USAID Notes Assistance to Armenia has Doubled
Rep. Pallone: Strengthening U.S. Ties Will Help Armenia Defend Against Azerbaijan
“Armenian leaders have made clear that they want to strengthen relations with the US and our partners. These developments will further those goals and allow Armenia to better defend its land and people from Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression in the Caucasus,” stated Pallone.
Azerbaijan’s Ethnic Cleansing and Genocidal Policy in Nagorno- Karabakh and Armenia
Center for Truth & Justice Briefs “Save Armenia” Delegation in Armenia
On July 25, the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) received a delegation from the Save Armenia Judeo- Christian Union and presented the Center’s work in documenting and addressing grave human rights violations and war crimes. The Country Director of CFTJ, Arshak Gasparyan, along with CFTJ staff members, briefed the guests on the Center’s mission and recent efforts, including a communication to the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the genocide in Armenia.
Additionally, family members of victims and witnesses joined the meeting, providing poignant testimonies about their harrowing experiences, which included accounts of extrajudicial killings and sexual torture by Azerbaijani troops.
Luis Moreno Ocampo Calls on Armenians to “Expose All the Abuses of President Ilham Aliyev”
Luis Moreno Ocampo, the first Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has published an open letter to Armenians urging them to “expose all the abuses of President Ilham Aliyev” ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku.
“Let’s unite and amplify our voices at #COP29. Together, we can expose the hypocrisy and demand justice for Nagorno-Karabakh detainees,” stated Luis Moreno Ocampo.
Driven by Fear from Nagorno-Karabakh
The Unseen Struggle: Nagorno-Karabakh Testimonials Overlooked by the World
“A 40-45-year-old man was killed. He was not a soldier. He was standing there to help the peaceful population to get out. The enemy was shooting in the direction of the departing vehicles; children and women were killed. I know for sure that three children and two women were killed. Only women and children were in those cars; men were left to protect their homes,” states the Deputy Head of the 1st Department of the 2nd Department of the National Security Service of Nagorno-Karabakh, who witnessed the killings of the civilian population during Azerbaijan’s offensive in September 2023.
French Ambassador Criticizes Azerbaijani Official on Nagorno- Karabakh Armenians’ Right to Return
Photos of the week
Davit Chaloyan, flagbearer of Team Armenia, waves the flag during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Photo courtesy of Lars Baron.
The closing ceremony of the joint Armenia-U.S. military exercise “EAGLE PARTNER 2024”.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Defense of the RA.
Security
U.S. Embassy: Washington Intends to Support Armenia with Enhancing its Security Sector Governance
Read More Here
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Yuri Kim on U.S. Support for Armenia: Focus on Security, Economic Growth, and Peace
“In the current financial year, it is about $77 million, nearly double what it was just two years ago. These funds will be directed towards Armenia’s stability in areas such as climate and food security, as well as efforts to lift Armenia out of isolation,” said Kim.
U.S. Suspends Assistance to Government of Georgia
On May 23, after anti-democratic actions by the Georgian government, I announced a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation between the United States and Georgia. As a result of that review, the United States is pausing more than $95 million in assistance that directly benefits the Government of Georgia.
The Georgian government’s anti-democratic actions and false statements are incompatible with membership norms in the EU and NATO. While we are pausing our assistance to the Government of Georgia due to those actions, the United States will continue assistance to programs and activities that benefit the people of Georgia by strengthening democracy, rule of law, independent media, and economic development.
Over the 32 years of friendship and partnership between our two countries and our citizens, the people of the United States have provided over $6.2 billion in assistance, contributing to the development and strengthening of Georgia’s economy and democratic institutions. Our support has helped equip and train Georgia’s Defense Forces and Coast Guard, built schools and hospitals, and trained teachers, civil servants, and medical professionals. We will remain committed to the Georgian people and their Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
Kremlin’s Warning: Armenia Should Not Mirror Ukraine’s Approach to EU and Western Powers
Armenian Security Chief and U.S. Envoy Discuss Peace and Stability in Yerevan
Catherine Colonna Applauds EU Decision to Fund Aid for Armenia
“We are glad to hear this good news. Armenia will be able to join the European Peace Institute. This is the culmination of a long-term French initiative. France stands next to Armenia,” stated Catherine Colonna.
The EUMA Received the Delegation of Save Armenia
Armenian FM: Armenia Moves Towards Significantly Deepening Ties with EU
Economy
Armenia Welcomes Global Investors for International Summit
For the first time, Armenia will host a large-scale investor tour event, attracting investors from various countries. During the Investor Tour, participants will explore the conference and discover Armenia’s vibrant startup ecosystem.
Armenian Security Council Secretary Holds Meeting with Framatome Delegation
Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, welcomed a delegation from Framatome. Grigoryan highlighted the French company’s interest in advancing Armenia’s atomic energy sector. The meeting also covered various other bilateral topics of mutual interest.
Opinion
Could there be a Coup in Azerbaijan?
By Michael Rubin
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has doubled down on Azerbaijani support for separatist protests in New Caledonia, a French overseas territory with a land area more than three times the size of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Genocide We Can’t Afford to Ignore
By Gregory Stanton
I have an urgent warning: If you truly care about justice, you must pay attention to the world’s most ignored genocide, the one being perpetrated right now by Azerbaijan against Armenians.
One More to Join the BRICS?
By Bahruz Samadov
While favouring both China and Russia, Azerbaijan remains aloof from democracy and human rights – more so than ever before. Azerbaijan, along with Russia, is also highly critical of Armenia’s pro-western drift since the Second Karabakh War. Currently, ten Chinese companies are reportedly operating in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh Economic Zone.
COP29 Host Azerbaijan Failing to Report Ever-Growing Methane Emissions
This easily avoidable flaring is spewing dangerous gases into the atmosphere, risking contamination of the air that Azeri citizens breathe.
– Patrick Galey, Senior Fossil Fuels Investigator at Global Witness.
Plan to Send Azerbaijani Gas to Europe May Simply Disguise Russian Fuel, Say Experts
By Isobel Koshiw, Alice Hancock and Shotaro Tani
Experts have suggested a plan to replace Russian gas flowing to Europe through Ukraine with gas from Azerbaijan risks becoming a conduit for the disguised export of fuel from Russia.
Azerbaijan’s Other Unregistered Agent in Washington?
By Nick Cleveland-Stout
The Azerbaijani government hired Rodney Dixon to produce a report absolving the country of genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh, right before they ethnically cleansed the region.
Baku’s Demand for Armenia to Amend Constitution Lacks Legal Credibility
By Zaven Sargsian
The latest obstacle to finalizing a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan is Baku’s demand that Armenia first amend its Constitution, specifically the preamble.
If Azerbaijan Wants to ‘Free’ New Caledonia, Why Doesn’t It Accept Its Referendum Precedent?
By Michael Rubin
After the exposure of Azerbaijan’s hand in the May 2024 New Caledonia protests, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev doubled down, promising to sponsor separatism among other French territories across the globe.
Why was Euronews at Aliyev’s Media Forum in Shushi?
By Paul Vartan Sookiasian
Alongside the typical roster of Azerbaijani lobbyists and affiliates, the presence of Rebecca McLaughlin-Eastham raised eyebrows, raising the question of why an executive producer and anchor would participate in a dictator’s sideshow representing Europe’s once-respected leading broadcaster.
Azerbaijan Hits out at EU for Failing to Agree Long-Term Gas Deals
By Alice Hancock and Shotaro Tani
Azerbaijan has accused the EU of treating the country as a “firefighter” by only committing to short-term gas deals despite asking the country to boost exports of the fuel to the bloc.
Azerbaijan Intensifies Anti-Colonial Rhetoric Targeting France
By Rovshan Mammadli
Turning away from the West, Baku is also shifting its focus to the non- Turkic East, aiming to become a full member of BRICS and seeking observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
If Turkey Invades Israel, It Will be With American Weapons
By Michael Rubin
Ambassador Yuri Kim, the April Glaspie of the current decade, essentially repeated the mistake in her dealings with Erdogan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev before Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh last year.
