“It is also too early to talk about ‘culinary diplomacy’ in the Karabakh conflict, sometimes also referred to as ‘gastrodiplomacy,’ though countless state banquets demonstrate that is by no means a new concept,” writes Onnik James Krikorian in this op-ed for commonspace.eu.
Nationalist and ultra-nationalist narratives increasingly resemble those disseminated by violent extremist groups. Not only are the themes similar, but so too are the ways in which they are amplified and disseminated online via different platforms. They also target specific demographic groups, but there are few if any attempts to address or counter them, especially in the context of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.
“As movement towards an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan gathers momentum, a multi-track approach needs to emerge in order to make any peace more sustainable,” writes Onnik James Krikorian for commonspace.eu. “Governments, local communities, and the non-governmental sector should be partners and not rivals.”
“Religion has taken a place in the narratives that depict two warring sides locked into perpetual battle, and the international media nearly always frames the conflict as one between “Christian Armenia” and “Muslim Azerbaijan”, implanting that image in the minds of readers,” writes Onnik James Krikorian in this op-ed for commonspace.eu.
“Time is not on the side of peace between [Armenia and Azerbaijan] and never has been,” writes Onnik James Krikorian for commonspace.eu. […] He adds that “in such an environment, it is imperative for local and international actors to become proactive again, with absolutely no space for complacency or hope for a new but unsustainable status quo to emerge.”
Commonspace yesterday published my third opinion piece on a potential Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement – or rather on what needs to happen and what should be avoided. Given some recent claims – including a rather baffling one that the cost of petrol would be reduced by half if Yerevan and Baku signed a treaty and Azerbaijani petrol was imported to Armenia – it was one that had to be written.
Commonspace, a publications of LINKS Europe, has published my opinion piece on the potential role of culture in Armenia-Azerbaijan peacebuilding. A double-edged sword, though subjective interpretation of culture has traditionally been used by nationalists to drive the sides apart, there are also examples where it can be used to highlight shared values and overlaps in customs and traditions.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno Karabakh has continued for over three decades and peace continues to remain elusive, writes Onnik James Krikorian in this op-ed for commonspace.eu. Populist rhetoric and combative media reports reinforce entrenched positions in both societies, but the situation has become markedly worse with the emergence of a new battleground – social media.
At the beginning of April, LINKS Europe published its long awaited recommendations for confidence building measures (CBMs), drawn up by a Joint Armenian-Azerbaijani Liaison Group after six months of consultations in Baku, Yerevan, and Kakheti (Georgia). In its preamble, the authors particularly noted the need to build trust between the parties as well as promote dialogue in support of what appears to be a new peace process. The report was financed by the European Union’s EU4Peace project.