The symbol of Artsakh in the capital Stepanakert – Tatik-Papik – Տատիկ-Պապիկ ( Grandmother – Grandfather) also known as “We are the Mountains” Մենք ենք, մեր սարերը
On November 25th 2020, Derby City Council unanimously passed a resolution to formally recognise the Independence of the Republic of Artsakh ( Nagorno-Karabakh).
The 1st City in the United Kingdom to pass such a resolution
On 18th October, and after 3 weeks of War in Artsakh , Russell Pollard ( of Derby News) and the sister publication Artsakh.Org.UK, wrote to the political leaders of Derby City Council requesting that a resolution be passed, at the next available Full Council meeting on November 25th, to Recognise the Independence of the Republic of Arsakh. Cllr Baggy Shanker, Leader of the Labour Group agreed to move the motion which was supported by Cllr Ruth Skelton, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group.
Almost exactly 2 years ago on November 21st 2018, the Council passed a resolution to recognise the Armenian Genocide; the 1st City in England to recognise these tragic events in 1915 as a Genocide against the Armenian people. This action was also promoted by Russell Pollard, in conjunction with the local Holocaust Memorial Day group.
Notes for editors/ overseas readers
Derby is located in central England with a population of around 260,000 people. It is an industrial City being home to Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Bombardier and many other international companies. A diverse City with nearly 200 nationalities, and many spoken languages, but with no Armenian community.
The Republic of Artsakh / Nagorno-Karabkh is a state in the South Caucasus populated by Amenians. Just prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 it declared its independence during a period of war with the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. Following a ceasefire in 1994, it developed as a functioning state albeit unrecognised by all other countries. This unrecognised status left it vulnerable to further attack from Azerbaijan.
On September 27th 2020 Azerbaijan, together with Turkey, and mercenaries from Syria, initiated a full scale war against Arsakh. The combined forces bombed the capital, Stepanakert, and other major areas of population for 44 days. On November 10th 2020, a truce was agreed which left Artsakh with a much reduced territory, with many people homeless and seeking sanctuary in neighbouring Armenia. The status of Artsakh remains unclear leaving its Armenian population vulnerable to further aggression, ethnic cleansing and the continuation of the Amenian Genocide of 1915..also perpetrated by Turkey.
Artsakh territory (Sep 2020) originally bounded by the dotted line; now just the beige (light brown area). Green captured by Azerbaijan during war ; blue “handed” to Azerbaijan in truce agreement to stop war.
Children of Artsakh
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Derby News 
Bravo Derby , thank you for your humanity.
Thank you Derby City Council, this is so great news and relief that in the UK also there are people who care.
The territory of Nagorno Karabakh is recognised as Azerbaijan by UN. And it was captured by armenian forces during 1990’s. How can you recognise unrecognised military forces on the territory that officially belongs to Azerbaijan, and there was 4 UN resolutions saying, that Armenia should stop the occupation. Did you even made a research about the history of this conflict, UN resolutions, and etc? I guess no…
Thanks for your comment Bob. I know the history of the conflict and the country very well, having visited many times – but then if you’d reead the article you’ve have seen the references and known that. For information, the UN resolutions do not have a legal bearing on the situation at all.
Are you seriously saying that UN resolutions mean nothing?
What a Derby City Council says in this regard means nothing and has no legal bearing…
Yes…in much the same way that Azerbaijan ignored cease fire agreements and committed war crimes in bombing civilian areas. Do you not work to international conventions of war….or do you not believe that any civilians were bombed in the recent war?
Russel, promoting Armenian separatism in Europe (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_separatist_movements_in_Europe) is not a good cause. Moreover, misleading public in Derby. I can assure you if you ask where Karabakh is those Derby councillors will struggle to show on the map. The British Government and also all UN member countries fully support territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan where Karabakh is also part and people like you (supported by Armenian lobby) are just promoting separatism in the South Caucasus. The truce signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia is the way to bring peace to the region and bring closer Armenians and Azerbaijanis not promoting independence of an unrecognised Karabakh. You can sit in a nice, warm room in Derby but promoting separatism will lead further bloodshed in the South Caucasus.
Your use of the word separatism identifies you clearly as an Aliyev puppet. Anyone who know the history of that area knows that only Azeris use that style of language….and quote Wikipedia is pretty lame.
Thanks a lot, Bob. It looks like you only one here who knows real history what happened in Azerbaijan nearly 30 years before when I was 10 years old I know how many people became homeless and how these ungrateful neighbours slotted them and give them only 10 hours to leave cities and villages which was their home and if they won’t leave on time they all been killed. In Karabakh for century always been Azerbaijani Turks, it was Kingdom of Karabakh. Armenians end up there thanks to Russian, Stalin allowed them to settle in Karabakh but it’s always been our land. Churches there belong to Albenians from Roman Empire. We have churches all over Azerbaijan nothing wrong in there, that doesn’t means that Azerbaijan belong to Armenians.
Where was Debry City when 30 years before our children became homeless? If you are for justice then start from 30 years back Derby City!!!
No…Bob also doesn’t know what he’s talking about
Derby City has had the courage to go against the mainstream, courageously recognizing both the Armenian Genocide and the recognition of The Republic of Artsakh. I am sure the decision met the usual protest (often not only so) letters from Turkish and Azeri diplomatic representatives, which increases the appreciation and gratitude for its decision becoming, hopefully for now, the only city to do so in UK.
By adopting this motion Derby Council:
1. Supported agression of Armenia agains Azerbaijan (20% of internationally recognised Azerbaijani territory was occupied by Armenia since 1992 until recently)
2. Demonstrated total lack of respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries (Nagorniy Karabakh is internationally recognised territory of Azerbaijan).
3. Ignore Resolutions of UN and principles International Law
4. Supported war crimes of Armenia against Azerbaijan, including genocide of Azerbaijani population in Hojali, bombing of civilians in Azerbaijani towns located hundreds of kilometers from the conflict zones (Ganja and Barda), as a result of which 94 civilians were killed and hundreds were wounded.
5. Demonstrated double standards in relation to Azerbaijani refugees (almost a million of Azerbaijanis have been displaced as a result of occupation by Armenia of Nagorniy Karabakh and sourounding 7 regions of Azerbaijan and thousand were killed)….
The list can go on.
It would be good if Derby Council at least googled the conflict before taking such irresponsible steps.
Is this from Aliyev’s book of Propaganda?
This kind of anwer says it all. Total ignorance to other side’s story and sufferings. You are a true successor of Goebbels, Russel. You and your piece of paper is not worth a spit in our mouths.
Thanks Harry Windsor….aka Aliyev puppet.
When Armenians occupied illegally our 20% lands and left nearly 1 million people without a home, that time Aliyev wasn’t in power, I am talking nearly 30 years back. If you know the history very well you will never interfere in the Caucasus because, everyone knows Karabakh was and will be always Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is about 100 years old, at the most, and most of that was as part of the Soviet Union. Artsakh is full of churches and monasteries from centuries ago….and no mosques. What’s Aliyev’s answer to that….? The name, Azerbaijan, was appropriated from the region in Iran….it’s just collection of smaller groups run by a dictator. When was Aliyev voted in?
No, pure facts, which as a journalist you should know when covering such a sensitive subject
It would help if Derby City Council focussed its efforts on Derby. Local Government is a joke.
I don’t think this actually distracted them…keep a sense of proportion
As a republic maybe we are not old but as a nation, we were living there for centuries, Armenian end up in that land thanks to Russians, they do not belong to the Caucasus, they come from middle east. Azeri Turks have always been there, as I mention before Churches and Monasteries belonged to Albanians it’s fact, Christianity was before Islam, Churches are old than Mosques it’s common sense, by the way, there is there mosques but vandalism of Armenians destroyed and even keeping animals in our mosques. Before the Ottoman Empire there were ruling Roman Empire, that’s why we have Churches all over Azerbaijan. Let Armenians occupy Lebonan, Izrail, even France etc, many more where they live for centuries, they can’t because how? In those countries no Russia to help them, as they did 30 years back. But no point to tell you all these, it looks like you brainwash with Armenian storytelling, they claim even first dinosaur in this World their relative because they are very old nation!!!
What are non sense!? Is it a joke? Karabag is teretory of Azerbaijan Republic. It is a history and all world accept it. Abvously except few curropt chavs from Darby!
James….all the world don’t accept Aliyev’s fantasy that he teaches you in school
Karabakh is Azerbaijan, and it’s not a fantasy of Aliyev! This is reality of History!
Well said!
Well said, James!
Derby City Council,
Your actions are shocking! How can you go ahead with such proposal? Do you have armenians working in your Council or Armenian Lobby is paying you?
Have you done fact check at all?
1. Armenia never existed in the Caucasus before 19th century.
2. Armenians were never a nation and never had a country of their own, they were christian religious group in Ottoman Empire where they lived happily for centuries. Armenians are essentially christian turks. There is an armenian historian Phillipe Ekiziants openly telling their true history. He is also telling that Azerbaijan is an ancient country. He also says that there was no armenian genocide, so you acknowledged something that did not take place.
3. Armenian project was initiated by the British Empire. Their mythical “ancient” history was written by the British historians and archeologists. Are you carrying on with your imperialistic policies?
4. Russian Empire wedged armenians on the territories of Azerbaijan: Zangazur and Erivan Khanlig thus creating the current state of Armenia and separating Turkey from the rest of the Turkic world. In that time frame armenians destroyed all historical sights, including hundreds of mosques which were proof of Azerbaijani history on those lands.
5. The name “Artsakh” is new fake name.
Karabakh has always been Azerbaijan. There are old maps in archives which I am sure you can find in Britain too, proving that.
6. In the 1990s Karabakh was stolen from us, given to a few thousand of armenians, dusplacing 1000000 azerbaijanis from their historic lands. During 30 years of illegal occupation armenians destroyed historical sites, russian churches, muslim mosques, kept dimestic animals in muslim mosques, illegally mined gold, illegally settled armenians from Syria in Karabakh and the list goes on.
7. During the first Karabakh war armenians committed genocide in Khodjaly, brutally killing children, raping and killing women, elderly. They took the skin of children and counted how many minutes it will take them to die, they put babies in pipes and poured concrete over them. They nailed children to wooden frames. They cut a child in half and beat his mother with his half body. The atrocities are horrific.
8. Armenians have had 13 terrorist organisations since 1800s. Their terrorist acts don’t just shake Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia, but also Europe, one of them Paris airport bombing. https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/DOC_0005462031.pdf
9. Azerbaijan tried for 30 years to resolve the conflict peacefully offering Armenia better deals than what it has got now, they refused. Lately they spoke and behaved unacceptably which lead to the war, where Azerbaijan strictly adhered by international law. All claims of Armenia about terrorists from Syrian and other claims are false, unsupported claims. Armenia shelled with prohibited bombs civilian cities outside of conflict zone, killing children. Their rockets even reached capital Baku.
10. Armenians write false history all over internet, they have strong lobbies in France and USA, they misinform their own people, sparking purposeful hatred.
11. Your actions are not helping the peace in the region. Your actions contribute into more hostilities and loss of life. Armenia needs to build peace and economic relationships with its neighbours, instead of being locked in prison. You are not helping them at all, you are driving them into further disasters.
Shame on you for your ignorance.
Shame on you for supporting terrorism and aggression.
Is this from Aliyev’s book of Propaganda…it’s all nonsense 😂
And I think you read a lot of Armenian fairy Tales (lies) about Karabakh… 😁
Definitely not from the book of Armenian Lies
It is all Aliyev’s propaganda is all Russel Pollard can reply to the truth. Next time Derby people complain about the quality of life, rising crime, pollution, all what the council will reply is that it is all Aliev’s propaganda. 😂🤦♂️
Russell perfectly knows that Karabakh is part of internationally recognised territories of Azerbaijan by international law and historically, he knows that Armenian armed forces killed over 30,000 Azerbaijanis including hundreds of women, children and elderly, he knows about Khojaly massacre by Armenians, he knows that over 800,000 Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homes. However, Russell doesn’t care about all of that, he’s paid by Armenian diaspora to write and lead work for Armenian unjustified cause. It seems he doesn’t care about war crimes, international law, killed children and women etc. unless he’s paid hefty fees by Armenian diaspora.
More from Aliyev book of propaganda. One question , when was Aliyev voted into office?
Maybe instead of repeating this refrain you do some research!
You should know better, I think you know Aliyev book propaganda better than we do. Because we are talking about illegally occupied territories and 1 million people became homeless. Does it look like you don’t care about that? You only keep repeating about Aliyev🤣🤣
So disappointing to see an ignorant Council go against UK’s official position and supporting an illegal puppet regime on the territory of a neighboring country. Armenians self-determined on the territory of Armenia and they can’t repeat it on the territory of Karabakh, Los Angeles, Marseille, Sochy and even Derby! Russel please stop the trolling and research deeper into the issue, you definitely know less than the FCO officials.
That’s how democracy works…but then you only understand a dictatorship.
No, pure facts, which as a journalist you should know when covering such a sensitive subject
Azerbaijan won and taught Armenians big lesson that no nation is superior on this planet, that no nation is above the law. And most of all that the nation promoting hatred loses respect and support from all organisations and countries. During this war we showed them their history, we showed them how much lies they were fed. I hope they learned their lesson and will come up with something better than such kind of motions. The least what they can do is to try and build better relationships with their neighbours.
You taught them by committing war crimes…using banned weaponry
Your Geography knowledge needs some revision too. On both maps presented in the article you didn’t show the territory of former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast ( Region) as it was during Soviet Times ,not even mentioning annexation of seven adjacent territories of Azerbaijan Republic illegally occupied by Armenian forces. Intentionally misleading article and pathetic recognition of self-proclaimed state which even Armenia hasn’t recognised .
Perhaps I should as it wouldn’t show Azerbaijan as, of course, it didn’t exist prior to 1991 – just a part of the Soviet Union, not an independent sovereign nation, no right to any land.
You obviously don’t make much money with your photography, so your only hope are armenian terrorists who pay you to spread their propaganda
Azerbaijan first became independent in May 1918 ( I am sure you already know that well) ,so did Armenia and Georgia after the fall of Russian empire, around the same time these countries became the part of the Soviet Union and again in the same timeframe all three countries declared their independence from Soviet Union in 1991. According to your logic none of these countries have right to the land but mythical Artsakh does. Strange.
Those who oppose peace in the Caucasus, ignite ethnic hatred, call for war to carry on are enemies of armenian people. Armenia has rid itself from the burden of unresolved conflict. Now it needs to build friendship, peace and economic ties with its neighbours, including Turkey. Those who hinder this process by passing baseless resolutions, those who stand against this for their personal benefit including Armenians themselves are enemies of Armenia
Hey Russell, it seems you have simply misled and misguided the local councillors in Derby City Council. Or to put it mildly, they simply are keen to appease you just because you don’t write some negative stuff about them in your website. This is exactly what one local councillor has told me. You are propagating Armenian lies in this country and spoil others with your lies.
Do you have on the ground experience in Artsakh. I do, over many years…so I have seen the situation personally. What’s your basis for saying that I propagate Armenian lies? Have you been there? Or are you basing your opinion on Azeri propaganda? You think 51 Cllrs want to appease me….I doubt it….
Well perhaps not all 51 of them but certainly do Councillors Baggy Shanker and Skelton. I am very well aware of the history and current state of the conflict but unlike you or the likes of Baroness Cox and Lord Alton, I do care about all people irrespective of their religious and ethnic belonging. For you, being Christian is enough to receive support and symptoms. Despite the fact that those Christians have committed the most horrific unChristian acts during that conflict.
What makes you think I’m Christian. Problem is you’re dreaming up your own facts to fit your own world view. Some people might actually have a different view. The Azeris have committed many well documented war crimes in the last few weeks. Anyone who thinks Aliyev is a pinnacle of virtue is sadly misguided. The videos taken by Azeris and posted by Azeris on the internet are vile….not surprising as they are taught to hate Armenians. What kind of regime is that?
How much have you been paid by your Armenian friends (or shall we say sponsors?) for promoting this piece of rubbish through the council? By the way from now on you won’t be able to visit your lovely “artsakh”. No longer safe to travel. Beware of drones, mate ))
A threat from an Azerbaijani? Nice work. I’m glad that this is captured with your IP address.
By the way as a great “humanist” can you send me a line you have ever written about hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani IDPs who have been suffering as a result of the actions of your Armenian friends? I suppose no such thing exists.
If you are genuinely concerned about the people affected by conflict, send an email to your councillor friends and ask them to include something into the text of the motion about Armenian military occupation, Khojaly massacre, Azerbaijani IDPs? Will you do that? Or is it against the will of your Armenian instructors?
And what is your understanding of what happened at Khojalu, in detail?
Khojaly, not Khojalu. It seems you are more Armenian than Armenians themselves.
It was a heinous attack on the Azeri civilians who were given a so called “humanitarian corridor”. So will you tell your councillor friends? Or will you repeat the Armenian b…s… about Khojaly? Go and read what independent international researchers and journalists have written about Khojaly.
If you fail to do so, then you are a biased propagator of Armenian lies and deserve a condemnation as much as the Armenians themselves.
Unlike most…I have visited Khojalu, and done a lot of research centred on Azeri texts ( not Armenian…..the documents are very inconsistent with the current propaganda), and video footage from the famous Chingiz Mustafayev. Where do you think the people were killed? In Khojalu?
The film “Endless Corridor” film will tell you about Khodjaly
That’s just Azeri propaganda….it’s a joke. It doesn’t even make sense given the footage taken by the Azeri cameraman. When I ask Azeris where the killings took place, they never answer, as they don’t know….I know as I’ve been there.
You are simply in denial. If you are paid to say and write armenian propaganda, there is no point talking to you. At least research yourself armenian terrorist organisations and read the CIA reports about them.
In the meantime, you, like all Azeri trolls, demonstrate that there is no substance behind any of your accusations….you follow your dictators instruction. Just simply tell where you think the people from Khojalu were killed….I know the answer. Just interested if you know…..or you are just a puppet.
The people of Kholdjaly were killed in Khodjaly.
Do you even understand the question you are asking?
Show me one real map pre 1850s with Armenia and Artsakh on it, I will stop all my arguments. Real map, not the ones drawn by Armenians.
The film “Endless Corridor” tells the story if Khodjaly
I have lived and worked in Azerbaijan for more than 10 years and took the time to research away from Wikipedia the conflict in the NK region. The premis that Armenians are the helpless victims is a total contradiction of the whole history of the area.
The council should really reconsider its disgraceful response to what was a humanitarian disaster committed by Armenia.
I suspect that the visits you say you made to the are to Armenia and are influenced by the diaspora.
The surrender of the Armenians in the conflict is a result of the refusal by their priminister to discuss compliance with the UN council rulings for more than 27 years. So your council, the French senate and Greece refute the lawful return of these territories to Azerbaijan. Congratulations on supporting unlseful aggression. You bring shame on this country with your actions.
I would expect that you would have this view from being involved with Azerbaijan for 10 years. My visits have never been influenced by anyone, let alone the diaspora.
I bet they paid your airfare.
You should read the work of independent historians like Dr Pat Walsh, Iranian photojournalist Reza or Professor Ziyat Bunyatov Russian Historian., or Senator Bruce Feisal who headed the archival Armenia history investigation committee rather than sounding like your sponsors.
Your personal attacks on people posing legitimate responses and questions are typical of the rubbish heading the article.
So you have no links with the Armenia diaspora
Who is this then he?
The HMD committee started discussions with the council to support a recognition motion earlier this year. Initially it fell on deaf ears — sometimes with these matters it is about timing – so we waited. A breakthrough was made just a few months ago, and I drafted a motion; it was confirmed that it would be tabled,” he continued.
H. Kouyoumjian
Russell,
Do you know why Armenia hasn’t recognised ‘Artsakh’?
I wonder why the City Council of Derby (so distant from the region) would do something that the Republic of Armenia isn’t ready to do?
This recognition has no value or impact on the British foreign affairs. Only thing it achieves is potentially upsetting British with Azerbaijani and Turkish origins and leaving a tiny (microscopic) dent on Azeri- British relations which are as good as they could be. Let’s not forget that Britain is one of the biggest investors in Azerbaijan.
I wonder what is the reason behind of such a provocative action? Why would the City Council of Derby go against statements of Westminster? Who was the ‘sponsor’?
If it’s so microscopic why bother writing? Surely it’s irrelevant to Azerbaijan….just ignore it. No sponsors….a democratic vote by 51 Cllrs…it’s not a dictatorship in Derby.