Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Reflections on August 8 White House Meeting
- Tensions in Diaspora-Armenia Relations
- Azerbaijani Lobbying, Caviar Diplomacy, and the Cuellar Bribery Case
Episode 470 | Recorded: September 5, 2025
Show Notes
In this Conversations on Groong episode, we speak with Lenna Hovanessian, board member of the ANC-Western Region, about the aftermath of the August 8 White House meeting between Pashinyan, Aliyev, and Trump. We discuss the omissions in the agreements, including the rights of Artsakh Armenians, the release of hostages, and protection of cultural heritage. The conversation also covers the Section 907 waiver, dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, strained diaspora–Armenia relations, Pashinyan’s stance on Genocide recognition, Azerbaijan’s lobbying efforts, and the Cuellar bribery case, where ANCA has asked that Armenian Americans be designated as victims.
Main Topics Addressed
- Aftermath of the August 8 White House meeting
- Exclusion of Artsakh rights, hostages, and cultural heritage from agreements
- Section 907 waiver and dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group
- Managed capitulation vs peace: corridors, TRIPP, and 99-year lease claims
- Armenia–Diaspora tensions and Genocide recognition
- Azerbaijani lobbying, caviar diplomacy, and corruption probes
- Cuellar bribery case and ANCA’s victim-designation request
Key Questions Discussed
- How does the ANC view the outcome of the August 8 White House meeting?
- What are the consequences of leaving Artsakh out of the agreements?
- Where does the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group leave Artsakh’s cause?
- Can the diaspora continue advocating for Artsakh when Armenia undermines these efforts?
- How does Pashinyan’s stance on Genocide recognition affect diaspora advocacy?
- What obstacles does the Armenian American community face in countering Azerbaijan’s lobbying?
- What would it mean if Armenian Americans are recognized as victims in the Cuellar bribery case?
Referenced Articles & Sources
- Asbarez: Armenia Has Not Gained Any Dividends From International Recognition of Armenian Genocide – Pashinyan
- Cuellar Indictment PDF (Texas Tribune)
- ANCA: Armenian Americans Should Be Designated Victims in Cuellar–Azerbaijan Bribery Case
Wrap-up
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Guests
Lenna Hovanessian
Lenna Hovanessian is a community leader, attorney, and activist in Nevada. Her career began in litigation and as a federal attorney for the U.S. District Court in CA. She has blazed the trail for political activism in Nevada for 10 years as ANCA-NV Co-Chair and WR Board Member. She was awarded ANCA’s 2023 Visionary Activist Award for her leadership in advancing Armenian Genocide recognition by co-drafting and passing the NV Holocaust and Armenian Genocide Education Bill in 2021. She has been a force to advance policy for the Armenian cause and human rights from NV to Wash. D.C.
Hosts
Asbed Bedrossian
Asbed Bedrossian is an IT professional with extensive experience in enterprise IT infrastructure, IT security, enterprise applications, data center operations, high performance computing, ITSM, ITPM, and more.
Asbed is founder of the Armenian News Network Groong (ca. 1989/1990) and co-founder of the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020.
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.