Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Vatican’s alliance with Azerbaijan
- Whitewashing of Artsakh’s ethnic cleansing
- Global silence on Armenian Genocide
- U.S. policy under Trump and risks to Armenia
Episode 431 | Recorded: April 29, 2025
Show Notes
Show Notes
In this Conversations on Groong episode, we speak with Ambassador Alberto M. Fernandez about the Vatican’s collaboration with Azerbaijan, particularly the recent conference held at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome that attempted to whitewash the ethnic cleansing of Armenians from Artsakh. Fernandez shares his critique of the Vatican’s role in legitimizing authoritarian propaganda, and we also explore the muted international response to Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, the implications of Armenia’s shifting diplomatic posture, and how Trump’s return to the White House could affect regional dynamics in the South Caucasus and the Middle East.
Topics Covered
- Vatican’s moral erosion through partnership with Azerbaijan
- How the Gregorian University’s conference legitimized revisionist propaganda
- Reaction from Armenians and Eastern Christian communities
- Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti’s troubling role and the Vatican’s credibility gap
- Western diplomatic hypocrisy toward Azerbaijan vs. Russia
- Armenian government’s retreat from genocide recognition as a diplomatic strategy
- Trump’s past statements and current positioning on Armenia and Eastern Christians
- Iran, Israel, and the risk of war — regional spillover on Armenia
- Structural bias in U.S. State Department policy toward Armenians
Key Questions Discussed
- Why did the Gregorian University host a conference echoing Azerbaijani propaganda?
- How does “religious diplomacy” serve authoritarian state interests?
- What should the next pope do to rebuild trust with Armenians?
- Can the Vatican’s moral standing recover from this episode?
- Why did Western leaders downplay the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide?
- Has Armenia’s current leadership weakened its own diplomatic leverage by deprioritizing genocide recognition?
- How might the Trump administration approach the Armenia–Azerbaijan–Iran nexus?
- Does the State Department’s Near East Bureau have a structural bias against non-Arab minorities?
Links Referenced During The Show
- Azerbaijani Conference at Vatican University Spurs Armenian Outrage (National Catholic Register)
- Donations Tilt Vatican in Favor of Azerbaijan (Armenian Weekly)
- How the Vatican Helped Legitimize Azerbaijan’s Autocracy (IRPI Media)
- Over 350 Scholars Condemn Vatican Complicity (Horizon Weekly)
- Mother See Condemns “Western Azerbaijan” Exhibit in Warsaw (Armenian Church)
Other Resources
Wrap-up
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.
Thanks to Laura Osborn for the music on our podcasts.
Guests
Alberto M. Fernandez
Ambassador Alberto M. Fernandez is Vice President of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) and a former President of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. A U.S. Foreign Service Officer from 1983 to 2015, he served as Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea, Chargé d’Affaires in Sudan, and held senior posts across the Middle East and Latin America. He was also the State Department’s Coordinator for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications. Born in Cuba and raised in the U.S., he served in the Army and holds degrees in Middle East Studies. He writes widely on foreign policy and public diplomacy.
Hosts
Asbed Bedrossian
Asbed is founder of the Armenian News Network Groong and co-founder of the ANN/Groong podcast.
Hovik Manucharyan
Hovik Manucharyan is an information security engineer who moved from Seattle to Armenia in 2022. He co-founded the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020 and has been a contributor to Groong News since the late 1990s.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Hovik Manucharyan on the ANN/Groong podcast are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of his employer or any other organization.