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Armenian Weekly (19 July 2023)

Jane Partizpanyan

The discourse around Armenian identity is one that oftentimes creates division within the Armenian community, as Western Armenians and Iranian Armenians tend to stand firm in the belief that Armenians are Southwest Asian and Middle Eastern, while some Eastern Armenians from the Caucasus lean towards the notion that Armenians are and should identify as European. Armenians, and even people from the Western world, are torn about the nuanced complexities of Armenian identity. But the geographic, genetic and historical identity of the Armenian people showcases an Asian and Middle Eastern heritage. 

In the past year there have been several significant instances where Armenia was regarded as a European country, most shockingly during a CNN segment on the show The Lead with Jake Tapper. While reporting on the blockade of [Karabakh], Tapper called Armenia and Azerbaijan “two European countries.” Another significant moment was when a CBN News host deemed Armenians as part of Europe while reporting on the same issue. Earlier this year Armenia was even listed as one of the “most welcoming countries in Europe,” according to euronews.

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