The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict / Recap-1

It took me some time to try and understand whether it would make sense to write here about the second Nagorno-Karabakh war. Commentaries abound, and I am not really in the mood to add anything to what has been said by others.

What I think might make sense is to just recap in few posts, and in short, the main features of this war theatre. To make an effort to clear the muddy waters of this deep ponds the region is sinking into. Names and toponyms are used according to the most common versions in English sources.

So this first post will be about the CONSEQUENCES OF THE FIRST NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAR

Started with inter-ethnic Azeri-Armenian clashes in 1988, the confrontation escalated to a full war and was halted, to turn into a frozen/protracted conflict since the Bishkek Protocol was signed. The signatories were: The Ministers of Defence of Armenia, of Azerbaijan, of the Russian Federation, the Commander of Nagorno Karabakh, 1 Representative of the Russian Presidency, 1 Representative of the Community of the Independent States, and 1 for Kyrgyzstan, hosting the meeting. It was then ratified via signature by respective presidents in Armenia, Azerbaijan and de facto Nagorno Karabakh.

This is how the first war was stopped, but not ended. Its consequences were:

Nagorno-Karabakh: (Hereinafter) Karabakh was never recognized, although de facto became fully independent from Azerbaijan. In 1991 it had declared independence.

Armenia: Land borders closed, and diplomatic relations severed with Azerbaijan and Turkey. With Azerbaijan no exchanges at all (trades, flights).

Azerbaijan: it no longer exercised sovereignty on Karabakh, on the 3 regions between the Armenian border (Kalbajar, Lachin, Qubadli), on the 3 regions along the Iran border, south to Karabakh (Zangilan, Jabrail, Fuzuli), and on 1 region along the Karabakh-Azerbaijan administrative border, not turned into a line of milirary contact (Agdam)

Demography: More than 200 000 Armenians left Azerbaijan. In Karabakh and the surrounding regions, the Azeri community disappeared. The total number of Azeris who flew form the self declared Karabakh and Armenia is about 800 000 (the figure more quoted putting together displaced and refugees is 1 million).

Conflict solution measures: the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, (hereinafter) OSCE, activated the following mechanisms:

-          Minsk Group: 3 co-chairs mediators/facilitators depending on the phases or on the approaches. The composition never changed and it’s US, France, Russia. At the end of the process of mediation/facilitation there should be a Conference extended to other OSCE members (Belarus, Finland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, and a member of the OSCE Troika).

-          1 Representative of the OSCE presidency with a team permanently based in the region to monitor the respect of the ceasefire, give an assessment of the situation on the ground.

Positions of the parties:

-          Karabakh: war of independence based on the right to self determination

-          Armenia: Karabakhi war of independence, with pan-Armenian support

-          Azerbaijan: inter-state Armenia-Azerbaijan war for the control of Karabakh. Defensive war to restore the territorial integrity of the State (recognized in the four 1993 UN Resolutions).

All the parties claim that their principles are grounded in the Helsinki Final Act, OSCE, 1975.

Interim conclusions:

As for the principles, there’s a selective reading of the Helsinki Final Act on both/three sides. The document does enlist territorial integrity, right to self-determination, AND peaceful settlement of disputes, the no-use of force, co-operation between/among states - as well. 

#NagornoKarabakh #War #Conflict #ConflictSolution #Displacement #Refugees #Rights #HelsinkiFinalAct

Rural Tourism in Armenia

Back in 2017 I had the chance to have a very inspiring meeting with Arman Valesyan, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Project Manager and UNDP Project Assistant Ruzanna Hayrapetyan, in Yerevan, Armenia.

After 2 years they shared with me the remarkable results of their work. What was at the time mostly a series of smart ideas on paper, is now a new reality on the ground. And this means: new promotion of territory, culture, tradition, countryside; new jobs, a refreshed involvement of local communities and of well-educated young professionals.

Rural Tourism in Armenia means this and more. I already discussed in the past the tourism potential of the country, and rural tourism really fits with its specificities. With rural tourism visitors discover unique historic-cultural sights and monuments, taste local cuisine and enjoy a wonderful weather. The intriguing and visionary UNDP project make travelers’ need match with the local offer, unlocking the beauty of the territory, the Armenian sense of community and hospitality, education and IT.

Touristic potential of Armenia

Armenia shapes its future to be a unique sustainable destination (https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Areas/Armenia/Sustainable-tourism-in-Armenia-178185) , building capacities in effective tourism planning and managing. The UNDP ‘’Integrated Rural Tourism Development’’ (IRTD) Project was launched in 2016, with financial support from Russian Federation and in close partnership with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development of the Republic of Armenia. 

The project helps rural areas of Armenia to boost and develop rural tourism with the objective to create income generating opportunities for local population. A unique feature of this project is the collaboration with the business sector, which gives rural people opportunity to expand their services and create jobs.

“Tourism provides important opportunities for Armenia, and for rural communities and undiscovered destinations, but we need to ensure tourism growth is sustainable. That’s why it’s critical to focus on innovative and acceptable value chain sectors of the tourism industry to create the basis for sustainable tourism. With many of our project managers and planners, we are able to create new rural destinations that will offer new experiences to the country visitors and lasting benefits to the project beneficiaries.” - Arman Valesyan, Project Manager, UNDP Armenia Integrated Rural Tourism Development (IRTD) Project.

New tools for new goals

During the last two years, UNDP “Integrated Rural Tourism Development” Project proved to be one of the successful tourism development initiatives in the Republic of Armenia. The Project introduced the rural tourism industry from the new perspective and made tangible steps toward sustainable development of the sector. 

One the major achievements of the Project is the development of the Tourism Resource Management (TRM) tool. TRM is the largest electronic database of all the rural tourism industry value chain recourses of Armenia. TRM is equipped with analytical and reporting tools to be used for the rural tourism products and destinations development purposes. The Government of the Republic of Armenia requested to provide the tool for all country other type of data collection purposes.

The second major success is the establishment of the Tourism Research and Development (R&D) Centers in the Marzes (regions) of the Republic of Armenia. Tourism R&Ds are established in four Marzes (Tavush, Gegharqunik, Lori and Shirak) to involve youth into the sector related research and promotion. Today, 30 newly graduates are involved in the Centers’ daily activities and in close cooperation with the state and academy to advance the tourism potential of the Marzes.

The third to be mentioned innovative and successful outcome of the Project is the new approach in cooperation with the private sector in the tourism industry, the so called “Innovation Challenge Call” which is designed to motivate public and private institutions to expand into the regions and create job places in the villages.

Another achievement within the Project is the introduction of a new concept of the community-based and decentralized hotels, as an alternative mean of revenue for the community to generate and create an employment though operation of the abandoned infrastructures that are renovated and used for community-based rural tourism purposes. The opening of two types of the concepts to be launched in late 2019.
                         

The last achievement to be highlighted is the introduction of the internationally recognized “Project Management for Sustainable Development” (PM4SD) qualification to enhance skills in contribution for the Armenia’s tourism industry is opened for professionals. The course is targeted for policy makers, tourism planners and investors, programme managers, project managers and aspiring project managers in the tourism industry, public and private tourism organizations, donors, professionals and any key stakeholders of the tourism value chain in Armenia. It is an international cooperation with the JLAG (http://www.jlageurope.com/) that successfully completed the first tailored training course. The participants after the course completion were prepared for the PM4SD-Foundation certification, accredited by APMG International (https://apmg-international.com/).

Promising results

In the frames of the public-private synergies promoted by UNDP (http://www.am.undp.org/content/armenia/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2018/-_discover-lori_-event-took-place-in-lori-region.html) the “Fairy Tale’’ house in the village Pambak of Lori Marz was created. A unique touristic destination, where guests have chance to taste Armenian traditional dishes, enjoy folk concerts and see or participate in various ceremonies. 

This centre is unique not only because of its cultural and traditional folk, but it is a gift to a community of villagers who had lost their hopes to play a role in the big world of tourism. The founder, young but experiecend mugician Hasmik Baghramyan, is well aware of her mission to celebrate and cherish Armenian folk culture and share it witu locals and visitors.

Before founding the cultural center in ‘’Byurakan’’ Hasmik spent years in Italy, where she studied and later worked in Vatican as a Chamber Orchestra artist. Being a professional violinist, she had her contribution in participating to the cultural environment in Italy, where she came up with the idea to return to Armenia and create a center that will work on reviving Armenian traditions and rituals. After a while Hasmik realized, that to revive cultural traditions, rituals and festivals, it is very important to gather people who share the same passion as her and open a cultural center.

‘’Fairy Tale’’ house is Hasmik’s second successful project. She says this is only the beginning…

Many thanks to UNDP staff for their availability and cooperation. 

Aprile 2018: da Sargsyan a Pashinyan, l'Armenia rivoluzionaria

L’Armenia non è il cuore geografico dell’Eurasia, ma da molti punti di vista rappresenta un ganglio geografico e geopolitico tale da rendere quanto vi sta accadendo in questi giorni un evento sui generis che merita di essere capito nelle sue implicazioni locali, regionali e internazionali. Si palesa una forza popolare antigovernativa e in grado di rovesciare un governo ai confini di Iran, Azerbaijan e Turchia. Paradossale? Forse. Comunque da seguire. E questo è il primo passo: da Sargsyan a “Nikol”.  

La Rivoluzione degli Armeni

Dal 13 aprile all’8 maggio: in questo lasso di tempo si è consumata la rivoluzione di velluto. Meno di un mese che ha letteralmente trasformato un paese: se il termine rivoluzione può essere ragionevolmente utilizzato per descrivere quanto accaduto è soprattutto per quanto accaduto nelle piazze. Una disobbedienza civile non violenta, vissuta con ironia, intelligenza, rigore, che ha trasformato la capitale e altre città in sit-in permanenti, blocchi del traffico, manifestazioni aperte a tutti. Nei crocevia della capitale, a bloccare macchine e autobus si sono visti pianoforti, teatri per bambini, mamme con i passeggini, gruppi di danze popolari armene, oltre agli studenti universitari, i primi a mobilitarsi seguiti da medici, dipendenti del settore IT – così importante nel paese –, e infine soldati e il clero. Un elettorato disposto sì a mobilitarsi, ma anche politicamente scettico ha risposto alla chiamata di una piccola coalizione di opposizione, la Yelk.

Il grimaldello della mobilitazione viene innescato proprio dalla sua eccellente vittima nel 2013: Serzh Sargsyan, allora presidente, dà il via a una riforma costituzionale che gli permette nel 2018, terminati i due mandati, di ereditarsi i poteri politici, divenendo Primo Ministro. Primo Ministro per soli sei giorni, costretto a cedere alla pressione di una piazza che invece di scemare per le centinaia di arresti si ingrossava giorno dopo giorno.

Il 23 aprile è la data che segna l’uscita di scena (ma dietro le quinte?) di Sargsyan, punta di diamante del Partito Repubblicano che controlla la maggioranza di governo dal 1998. Due decenni di Repubblicani, uno di Sargsyan, una presa sul potere che sembrava inscalfibile fino a inizio aprile. La data delle dimissioni va compresa alla luce del fatto che il 24 si sarebbe tenuta la rievocazione del Genocidio Armeno. Impossibile gestire Yerevan in quelle condizioni, con l’afflusso di quanti partecipano alla processione che dalla città si dirige alla stele commemorativa. E ancor di più con un esercito che perdeva pezzi a favore dei dimostranti.

Dimissioni che sono state seguite da un fuggi fuggi di pezzi di parlamento: i topi hanno cominciato ad abbandonare la barca che affonda. Membri di partiti di maggioranza e di opposizione nel parlamento che hanno cominciato a fare i conti con un elettorato mobilitato. I conti non sono stati difficili da fare: il carro su cui salire è quello della piazza dello Yelk. Si è spaccata la coalizione di governo ed è cominciato il “si salvi chi può” fra i vari titolari di incarichi pubblici, anche a livello di amministrazioni locali, mentre il Partito repubblicano cercava di serrare i ranghi.

Nel terremoto i Repubblicani hanno barcollato ma non hanno mollato, riuscendo a impedire che il capopopolo Nikol Pashinyan della Yelk divenisse Primo Ministro al primo voto, il 1 maggio. Il partito controlla 58 seggi su 105, per cui senza il suo endorsement non si esce da una crisi di governo. Ma il giorno seguente al voto l’Armenia era in stato di occupazione popolare: bloccati accessi internazionali, l’aeroporto, strade, autostrade, chiuse attività. Pashinyan si definisce ed è percepito come il “candidato del popolo”, quel popolo che ha seguito le dieci ore di seduta parlamentare del 1 maggio come fosse una partita dei mondiali. Un popolo appunto rivoluzionato. Il processo non più reversibile, e l’8 maggio Pashinyan è stato eletto Primo Ministro con anche voti repubblicani.

Per capire cosa c’è da aspettarsi dall’Armenia rivoluzionata conviene proprio iniziare dal suo neo-eletto Primo Ministro. Il “candidato del popolo” Nikol Pashinyan è stato il perno carismatico che ha portato alla Rivoluzione di Velluto. Non è un Masaniello dell’ultima ora: classe ’75 ha alle spalle una carriera da giornalista e una vita politica maturata fra i banchi dell’opposizione. Si muove con cautela in una realtà politica che conosce bene. Quanto sarà profondo il cambiamento che propone, che ha perorato per anni dai banchi dell’opposizione, lo si sta vedendo in questi giorni. Nei margini di una politica che fa i conti con problemi strutturali, veti incrociati e perni talmente arrugginiti che pare impossibile si possano mettere di nuovo in movimento. Ma appunto, di questo capitolo della storia armena si è appena all’introduzione.