Stepanakert, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 1994

I’ve just come back from a quick drink with Tom de Waal, Caucasus Editor of the Institute for War & Peace Reporting, before he had to shoot off for some reception, and IWPR’s Armenia Country Director, Seda Muradyan. Beforehand, Tom launched the Russian translation of his book on the Karabakh conflict, Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan through Peace and War. Eurasianet reviewed the book, which also includes photographs by yours truly, here.

Today, the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh – located within the boundaries of Azerbaijan but populated largely by Armenians — has become one of those “political flashpoints” that few beyond the region understand or pay much heed to. Journalist Thomas de Waal, a veteran observer of the Caucasus, helps fill the need for an authoritative, clear-eyed, balanced account of a conflict that only occasionally appears on the international media radar screen.

Anyway, as the launch and following discussion, which attracted various political and media figures such as Noyan Tapan’s David Petrosian, Vazgen Manukian and Shavarsh Kocharian, was in Russian I got there only for the tail end of the event. Actually, I only attended to catch up with Tom who I haven’t seen since 2002. Interestingly, after being denied a visa to visit Russia to launch the translated version of the book, Zvartnots Airport’s computer also flagged a warning on his name.

After 40 minutes the problem was resolved, but one guesses that the computers must be somehow linked to those at Russian airports. Interesting.

Anyway, IWPR recently published my articles on Lachin and Yezidis in the past few months, and so it was interesting to hear that as usual some Armenians were adamant about something they really know nothing about. Seda told me one assistant to a former senior official now with his own think-tank attacked my article on Lachin on the basis that there are no landmines in the Kashatagh region.

Hmmm, I wonder what those green circular things HALO Trust were digging up were then? Unbelievable.

On another note, following a Yezidi magazine translating my most recent article for IWPR into German, Seda also told me that A1 Plus republished the Armenian translation of the piece that deals with divisions within the Republic’s largest minority over the weekend. A Russian translation should follow soon, but until then, the Armenian version is here.

Talking of the media, I’m off to Lernamerdz tomorrow with Marianna Grigorian from Armenia Now. The village is the last stronghold of communism in Armenia as Marianna wrote for IWPR in June. However, tomorrow’s visit will be for her to write something for Eurasianet on the anniversary of 7 November 1917.

I’ll be providing the photos this time round although Armenia Now’s Karen Mirzoyan previously did something on Lernamerdz for IWPR here.