CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A man who recently spoke at a Charlotte City Council meeting brought a decades-long conflict between two Eastern European countries to the Queen City.
Artak Vardanyan asked Mayor Vi Lyles to rescind a proclamation recognizing the independence of Azerbaijan, a neighboring country to Armenia. The two countries have a long history of ethnic tension dating back to the early 20th century when both nations were under Soviet control. The Soviet Union established an autonomous region called Nagorno-Karabakh.
Today, that region sits within Azerbaijan's borders. In 1988, the region voted to join Armenia. When the Soviet Union collapsed, war erupted between Azerbaijan and Armenia over who would control Nagorno-Karabakh.
Vardanyan, representing the Armenian National Committee of America, addressed Lyles' proclamations signed between 2020 and 2022, including Azerbaijan Independence Day. As tensions mount overseas, Vardanyan said Charlotte's Armenian community was deeply offended.
"People are trapped and there are food shortages, medical shortages," he said. "It's just a dire situation."
In response to Vardanyan's initial request for a meeting earlier this year, a city staff member wrote in part, "As a municipality, we do not unilaterally take action for or against a nation or its diaspora."
Vardanyan, as well as Mher Saribekyan, a member of the parish council at Saint Sarkis Armenian Church in Charlotte, disagreed.
"We don't want, essentially elected officials, to engage in proclamations and engage in that kind of stuff," Saribekyan said. "They demoralized the community here."
Ram Mammadov, a local resident of Azerbaijani descent, said anyone can ask for a proclamation.
"We're building, as an Azerbaijan community, building that strong relationship with North Carolina, the city of Charlotte, with elected officials," Mammadov said. "Armenians are more than welcome to do the same thing."
The former U.S. Senate candidate added that Charlotte's diaspora could benefit by having a dialogue.
"Let's sit together and see how can we work together. How can we help our communities," Mammadov said. "How can we help her children that are probably going to the same school, sitting in the same class, sitting together at the same desk, how can we help them to build brighter?"
"Just like anywhere else in the world, honestly, Azeris and Armenians get along fine outside of the region, because the region is just very politicized," Saribekyan said.
Lyles sent a letter to Vardanyan dated April 27, that said in part the office changed its proclamation vetting process pertaining to international affairs in 2021. She also wrote that the city was looking forward to "presenting a balanced process that will allow all diasporas to celebrate their heritage in a welcoming and supportive environment."
Contact Jane Monreal at jmonreal@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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