Dziunik Aghajanian: UN Security Council | Artsakh | Yerevan Elections | Ep 279 - Sep 13, 2023 [EP279]

Topics:

• Armenia’s Diplomacy at the UN
• Artsakh Elections / Blockade
• Yerevan Elections

Guest:

• Dziunik Aghajanian

Show Notes

Armenia’s Diplomacy at the UN

UNSC Meeting On August 16

On August 16, at the request of Armenia, the UN Security Council held a hearing on the blockade in Artsakh. Various countries spoke out, some surpassing expectations and delivering pro-Armenian speeches and others (especially Brazil) delivering very disappointing speeches. However, perhaps more importantly, no resolutions were introduced, no speeches were made by the president of the security council, and so far, almost a month later, there has been no follow-through.

In the past, you’ve held various important roles at the MFA including heading the international organization division there, so we’re excited at the opportunity here to ask you about these developments directly:

Questions:

• First, how would you evaluate the results of the UNSC meeting?
• A day earlier, Vartan Oskanian in one of his video recordings warned about potential negative repercussions from a resolution, namely that there would be attempts to include statements in there that recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Artsakh. Do you believe in the current international geopolitical climate, it will be easy to avoid some booby traps?

Notes:

• The agenda for the meeting said that the meeting was based on the Sep 13, 2022 letter to the UNSC, which as we all know is about the Azerbaijani attack on Armenia proper, not about Artsakh and definitely not about the blockade. Why?

Rumors of French Resolution

A week later, on August 24, Le Figaro reported that France was getting ready to propose a new resolution at the security council. Meanwhile, around the same time, there were allegations, denied by US diplomats, that it was the US that was trying to derail any potential resolution against Azerbaijan.

Those rumors about a potential French resolution were more than 10 days ago, while the crisis in Artsakh is deepening by the day.

Questions:

• Do you have any updates on if/when France plans to submit a resolution?
• What is your assessment of these behind-the-scenes games and allegations?
• Do you see any scenario where the UNSC in the current political climate could come up with a resolution that has teeth and is not a double-edged sword for Armenia?

Artsakh

Samvel Shahramanyan is now president of Artsakh.

Questions:

• What are your thoughts about the changes? What do they mean?
• Should there be parity between Aghdam/Akna and Lachin/Berdzor?
• How far can that trust in the new government take them and how long will that trust last, if the Artsakh regime is openly being betrayed by Pashinyan?

Yerevan Mayoral Elections 2023

This coming Sunday, September 17, is the date of the Yerevan Mayoral, or more technically speaking, Yerevan Council of Elders (Avakanou) elections. An MPG poll this past weekend yielded the following results:

1. Civil Contract (Tigran Avinyan) 16.3%
2. National Progress (Hayk Marutyan) 11.8%
3. Mayr Hayastan (Andranik Tevanyan) 5.1%
4. Aprelu Yerkir (Mane Tandilyan) 3.8%
5. Public Voice (Artak Galstyan) 3.6%

About 22.8% said that they are undecided while 20% said they refuse to disclose.

Questions:

• Are you actively participating in the campaign?
• What are your present thoughts about these elections? First of all, do you think we’re having free and fair campaigning and will the results be free and fair?
• There is an important contingent, 23% of polled respondents who are undecided. What’s your read of this group? How can Mayr Hayastan pull these people into its camp?
• Tevanyan is a distant third in the polls. Do you think his campaign is touching on the right topics that voters in Yerevan want to hear?

Andranik Tevanyan has made it clear, and has made the primary topic of his campaign, the removal of the current ruling party, and Pashinyan, from office.

Questions:

• Do you think that 5% support is an indication of success? How is Mayr Hayastan adjusting its strategy, in order to win the election?
• Will the results of this election become grounds for the ruling party to continue its politics of abandoning Artsakh, by claiming that their policies were affirmed by their win?

Wrap-up

All right, that’s our show, we hope you found it useful. Please find us on Social Media and follow us everywhere you get your Armenian news, the links are in the show notes. Thanks to Laura Osborn for the music on our podcasts. We’ll talk to you soon!

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