The Nagorno-Karabakh war between Armenia and Azerbaijan culminated in Azerbaijan’s victory after the September 19th and 20th offensives, resulting in the impending dissolution of the Artsakh Republic, and this move to avoid ethnic cleansing. There was a mass exodus of Armenians from the region. More than 100,000 people have since been evacuated from Nagorno-Karabakh, with both Armenia and international observers on high alert, although Azerbaijan has publicly reassured its people of their safety.
The Azerbaijani attack came days after the attack. Armenia Automobile Federation (FAA) has received an invitation from the FIA to its annual general meeting. FIA general meeting and Award ceremonyThe latter is where champions from FIA-sanctioned series such as F1 and the World Rally Raid Championship are honored. Both events will be held in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, which was selected for the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend in April.
Although the timing of the invitation and the offensive was coincidental, the FAA president Arsene Manukyan It urged the FIA to use its platform to raise awareness of the crisis.
“The FIA is the pinnacle of motorsport governance and oversees a wide range of racing disciplines.” The letter he wrote to the FIA on September 20, shortly after the attacks began, begins as follows: “Beyond the racetrack, our Big Sister organization has been tirelessly advocating for more than a century to save lives and create safer transportation for billions of people. is a powerful and unifying force for promoting peace, social justice, equality and inclusion, and combating racism, discrimination, harassment and aggression.
“Just a few days ago, I received an invitation to the 2023 FIA General Assembly Week, which will be held from December 5th to 8th in the beautiful city of Baku, Azerbaijan. After the unjust war of 2020, violence against Armenian civilians A country that has continuously targeted people, carried out the destruction of their homes and places of worship, and caused the displacement of tens of thousands of families. Over the past eight months, the Nagorno-Karabakh government has enforced a complete lockdown of Nagorno-Karabakh, They cut off all supplies, including electricity, water, food, and humanitarian aid, and as a result, the people were exposed to hunger and humiliation. Today they are a full-fledged ethnic group to the 120,000 Armenians in their ancestral land. It launched a new war targeting civilians with the clear intention of further escalating the cleansing.
“As a large family united around the International Automobile Federation, we have the influence and responsibility to act on issues of global importance. We humbly ask you to exercise your right to do so.”
He goes on to outline two plans:
- Raise awareness: “Please use our global platform to raise awareness of the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and unequivocally condemn all acts of violence and ethnic cleansing.”
- Defender of Peace: “We call on the Azerbaijani government to immediately de-escalate the conflict and only work towards finding a peaceful solution.”
“Our collective duty is to prevent genocide from happening again, and we have the ability to bring about meaningful change.” concludes the letter. “We implore the FIA to take a principled stand and act quickly to protect innocent lives and uphold human values.”
Manukyan was appointed FAA administrator in February.
Although Nagorno-Karabakh is generally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, the majority of the population is Armenian and it was administered through the Republic of Artsakh. Following defeat in the September Offensive, the Republic will be dissolved on January 1, 2024.
of Azerbaijan Automobile Federation (also known as the FAA) did not comment publicly on the attack, although it participated in Memorial Day celebrations on Sept. 27. Memorial Day is a holiday commemorating Azerbaijani troops who died in the 2020 war, which recaptured territory around Artsakh before Russian peacekeepers were sent in. Azerbaijan then blockaded Nagorno-Karabakh in 2022 and subsequently launched an offensive.
With Russia adopting a neutral position due to its ties with both countries despite being part of the CSTO military alliance with Armenia, Armenia began to pursue friendlier relations with the West. Escalating tensions in Eastern Europe, coupled with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, are having a major impact on both the military and civil society. Various motorsport events at military installations have been delayed or significantly affected, including the Extreme E Island received. The Gotland Grand National Army will also vacate its long-time home at the Tofta firing range due to the needs of the Swedish military.
The FIA general meeting and awards ceremony in Baku will be held from December 5th to 8th.