The unprecedented White House statement was welcomed by Armenians around the world, and viewed in the Caucasus through the lens of last year’s war with Azerbaijan.
Activists had been pushing for their government to adopt the landmark international anti-domestic violence agreement. But “big brother” Turkey has made it more difficult.
Tehran’s foreign minister has made a tour of the region, where Russia and Turkey have become the dominant outside powers since the autumn war, leaving little room for Iran.
While evidence of a Syrian presence in Azerbaijan grows, Azerbaijanis have strongly denied the claims and Armenian officials have seized on them to portray the conflict as a “clash of civilizations.”
While there is no confirmation of the many Armenian allegations of material support from Turkey, the vigorous rhetorical support from Azerbaijan’s ally has been undeniable.