Month: September 2020

Tehran: Iran Says Ready to Help Truce between Armenia, Azerbaijan

Aram Torosian
Tasnim News Agency, Iran
Sept 27 2020
Iran Says Ready to Help Truce between Armenia, Azerbaijan

  • September, 27, 2020 – 16:35
– Politics news –

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is closely and worriedly monitoring the military clashes between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia, calls on the two sides to exercise self-restraint, and urges an immediate end to the clashes and the launch of dialogue between the two states,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement on Sunday.

The spokesman also expressed Iran’s readiness to employ all of its capacities to help establish a ceasefire and start negotiations between the warring sides.

Heavy fighting between the military forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia broke out in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region early on Sunday.

Armenia and Armenian-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh declared martial law, while the Republic of Azerbaijan has ordered its military to mobilize.




Armenian PM warns against any Turkish involvement in conflict with Azerbaijan

Albert Nalbandian
Reuters
Sept 27 2020

By Nvard Hovhannisyan, Nailia Bagirova

YEREVAN (Reuters) – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on the international community on Sunday to ensure that Turkey does not involve itself in Armenia’s conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, trading barbs with Ankara.

Turkey, an Azeri ally, had earlier sharply criticised Armenia after clashes between Armenian and Azeri forces broke out in the morning, saying Yerevan was an obstacle to peace and vowing to continue its support for Baku.

Pashinyan said Turkey’s behaviour could have destructive consequences for the South Caucasus and neighbouring regions.

Both sides, which fought a war in the 1990s, reported fatalities. Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway region that is inside Azerbaijan but is run by ethnic Armenians, declared martial law and mobilised its male population.

The military command of Azerbaijan proposed to the command of the Armenian garrison located in the settlement of Agdere to lay down its arms and surrender, Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said in a statement. The armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh described the statement as disinformation.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Sunday it was concerned about the humanitarian impact of the conflict escalation and called on the sides “to take all measures necessary to ensure that civilian life and infrastructure is respected and protected”.

Additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Writing by Vladimir Soldatkin and Margarita Antidze; Editing by Nick Macfie




WP: New fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan threatens to reignite 30-year-old conflict

Hagop Kamalian
Washington Post
Sept 27 2020
 
 
New fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan threatens to reignite 30-year-old conflict
 
By Robyn Dixon
September 27 at 9:01 AM
 
MOSCOW — Renewed fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Sunday threatened to reignite a three-decade-old conflict over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
 
It was the worst outbreak of fighting in the region since 2016, when four days of clashes left 200 dead. Each side blamed each other for the crisis Sunday; both declared martial law as tensions escalated.
 
At least one Azerbaijani helicopter was shot down Sunday. Armenia announced the full mobilization of its military as the situation threatened to spiral out of control.
 
[The crisis over Nagorno-Karabakh, explained]
 
Armenia claimed to have destroyed two helicopters, three drones and three tanks, saying it was in response to Azerbaijani aggression.
 
Azerbaijani officials said only one helicopter was shot down, with no loss of life. Azerbaijan said it was mounting a counteroffensive and claimed it had destroyed 12 Armenian air defense systems.
 
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was on the phone with both sides Sunday urging an end to fighting, according to a spokeswoman. Moscow has close ties with both sides.
 
“In view of the escalating situation around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Lavrov is conducting intensive contacts in a bid to encourage the sides to cease fire and begin negotiations to stabilize the situation,” spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Sunday.
 
World powers urged an end to hostilities after Armenia and Azerbaijan clashed on Sept. 27, stemming from tensions over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. (Reuters)
 
Josep Borrell, the European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs, said the escalation threatened regional security. He called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities, de-escalation and strict adherence to the cease-fire.”
 
The conflict between the two countries dates to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan with a majority-Armenian population, broke away and declared independence, triggering a war that killed at least 20,000 and drove 1 million from their homes.
 
A cease-fire was declared in 1994, but the region remains volatile, with regular clashes along the border. Decades of peace talks mediated by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe have failed to resolve the conflict.
 
Firing and skirmishes on the border are common: The International Crisis Group has reported close to 300 incidents since 2015.
 
Tensions flared again in July when at least 16 soldiers were killed in clashes on the front line between Armenia and Azerbaijan, known as the Line of Contact.
 
At the time, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry accused Armenia of shelling its positions at the Tovuz section of the border near Georgia. Armenia countered that Azerbaijan was conducting cross-border attacks.
 
Authorities in the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh region said Sunday that Azerbaijan had shelled the capital, Stepanakert, and nearby settlements. Baku, which sees the region as its territory, accused Armenia of doing the shelling.
 
Artur Sargsyan, a defense official in the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, said 16 of the region’s soldiers were killed in the fighting Sunday and more than 100 were wounded, Interfax news agency reported.
 
Vahram Poghosyan, a spokesman for the region, said the situation on the border with Azerbaijan was now “under control,” the agency reported.
 
Earlier, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed to have taken control of several villages in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian officials rejected the claim.
 
Turkey, which has cultural and economic ties with Azerbaijan, has voiced strong support for the country since the July clashes and offered to upgrade its defense capabilities. Turkey held military exercises with Azerbaijan last month.
 
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar was quick to blame Armenia for the crisis Sunday. He warned that Armenia’s actions would “set the region on fire.”
 
Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties.
 
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on the global community to prevent Turkey from intervening in the crisis. He warned it would have “catastrophic consequences” for the region.
 
Kareem Fahim in Istanbul contributed to this report.
 
 
 
 

JP: Do clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan matter to Israel?

Emil Lazarian
Jerusalem Post
Sept 27 2020
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN  

SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 16:22


In recent months there have been increasing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In general, these tensions have appeared peripheral to Israel’s concerns.

With new peace deals in the Gulf and discussions about what countries might be next to recognize Israel, the Caucasus seem far away.
However, it would be a mistake to think that this brewing conflict is not of great concern to Israel, because of wider strategic ramifications and the Israeli relationship with the countries involved.

This is particularly true because the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict is potentially at a crossroads for Turkey, Russia and Iran and their rising roles in the Middle East.
Israel and Azerbaijan have had close connections for many years. One of Israel’s most talented diplomats, George Deek, is Israel’s new ambassador to Azerbaijan. In addition, there is trade with Baku, including defense trade.
Azerbaijan is a Muslim country and it has been one of the most open to Israel and genuinely interested in wider and warmer relations over the years.
However, those relations are complex. Israel has no historical interest in the conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This is similar to Israel’s view of the conflict in eastern Ukraine between Russia and Ukraine.
In both instances there are separatist or breakaway areas, disputed areas such as Crimea, and ancient Jewish connections.

However, these conflicts have roots generally in the Soviet era when borders were drawn and redrawn. Israel prefers positive relations with Ukraine and Russia, as well as with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

However, larger countries like Russia that have a role in Syria are of greater long-term importance on issues relating to the Middle East. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has generally been good at navigating these complexities, meeting with both sides.

WHEN IT comes to Azerbaijan, the frequency of important visits has sketched out the importance that the relationship has to both sides.

Azerbaijan’s foreign minister came to Israel in 2013 and the defense minister came in 2017. Israel’s then foreign minister Avigdor Liberman went to Azerbaijan in 2018; Netanyahu was in Baku in 2016.

In 2017, Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi went to Armenia and its foreign minister came to Israel. Armenia said it would open an embassy in Israel in 2019.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is ostensibly over a disputed area claimed by both sides, a self-declared Armenian republic in Nagorno-Karabakh, similar to the republics in Donbass that were declared after the conflict in 2014.

It is also similar to the republics like South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which are largely unrecognized. The Nagorno-Karabakh self-declared republic of Artsakh was declared in 1991.

In some ways, this conflict is a frozen version of the problems inherent in the new world order of the 1990s, when many countries were fighting over old colonial and Cold War boundaries and many new states were declared but left unrecognized.

The same is true of Somaliland, for instance, which should be a recognized state but is forcibly tethered to the failures in Mogadishu.  

REGARDLESS OF the problems of history, the current issue on the ground is clear. A rising Azerbaijan would like to show its strength in the face of continued clashes with Armenia or “Armenian-backed separatists.” Azerbaijan has increased investment – and it has new support from Ankara.

The issue for Israel is that Turkey is one of the most hostile states to it in the Middle East. Turkey and Iran compete to be the most anti-Israel, largely because of Turkey’s current ruling party, which is riding a wave of nationalism and militarism designed to distract from economic problems at home.

Turkey also wants to sell military equipment, such as drones, to show off its potential. Iran also wants to play a role.  

Iran sent forces to participate in Caucasus' 2020 military drills earlier this month alongside Russia, Armenia, Myanmar, Pakistan and China.

This appears to show that Armenia, Iran and Russia are closer allies, even though Iran and Azerbaijan want to boost trade ties. Ankara would like to increase its role with Baku.

That potentially could supplant or harm Israel’s relations there depending on how Ankara’s efforts play out. For instance, in the past Israel has sold drones to Azerbaijan.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Israel’s Elbit Systems had sold the SkyStriker drone to Azerbaijan. Turkey would like to offer its Bayraktar and other drones to Baku as well. Is this competition, or could the different capabilities of Israel and Turkey mesh well?

Turkey’s drone industry is a recent phenomenon, whereas Israel has historically been one of the leaders in the field. Turkey once even acquired Israel’s Heron drones.

It’s possible that everyone could work together well in this third country. But given Ankara's anger over Israeli peace deals with the UAE and Bahrain, it appears that Turkey’s overall regional worldview is to try to isolate the Jewish state. This would indicate that Ankara’s push for more militarization of the Caucasus may not bode well for Jerusalem.  

The wider regional issue is important. Israel has good relations with Russia, which supports Armenia. Israel has very bad relations with Iran, which also supports Armenia.

Israel has good relations with Azerbaijan but bad relations with Turkey, and Turkey supports Azerbaijan. That means that with all this complexity there is no clarity on what a wider conflict could mean for Israel.

Israel has no direct role in the outcome of the conflict, but like every conflict in the Middle East, even when Israel has no connection, the wider ramifications will eventually affect the Jewish state. This is true whether they be tensions in the eastern Mediterranean or in northern Iraq, Yemen, Libya and Syria.

This is because, as the US withdraws from its historical hegemonic role in the Middle East, the regional powers such as Turkey, Iran and Israel will inevitably have a larger role.

Armenia rallies to ‘defend homeland’ over fighting with Azerbaijan

Albert Nalbandian
The National , UAE
Sept 27 2020

President Nikol Pashinyan said that Azerbaijan attacked civilian settlements in disputed Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia declared a national mobilisation to “defend our sacred homeland” after fierce fighting involving tanks, aircraft and artillery broke out with Azerbaijan forces on Sunday in the latest flare-up of a decades-long conflict over disputed land.

Azerbaijan said it had captured seven of its Armenian-controlled villages, a claim Yerevan denied.

Nagorno-Karabakh

Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry said it launched a “counterattack” after being accused of starting the fighting and claimed Armenia had fired on its military positions and on civilian settlements near the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia said Azerbaijan started bombarding along the contact line separating the two forces and shelled civilians including in the region’s capital, Stepanakert.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared martial law and ordered a general mobilisation, after accusing Azerbaijan of “pre-planned aggression.” Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said in a state TV address that: “We’ll win as our cause is just.”

People attend a meeting to recruit military volunteers after Armenian authorities declared martial law and mobilised its male population following clashes with Azerbaijan over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region. Photolure via REUTERS

France, Russia and others urged calm after the latest flare-up over Nagorno-Karabakh where fighting has repeatedly broken out since Armenians took control of the territory and seven surrounding districts from Azerbaijan in a war after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Hundreds were killed in a five-day war in 2016 before Russia pressured both sides to resume a ceasefire that was first brokered in 1994. Despite decades of mediation by the US, France and Russia, no peace agreement has been signed.

Russia again called on both sides to halt fighting immediately and to return to negotiations to ease tensions, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow said.

People attend a meeting to recruit military volunteers after Armenian authorities declared martial law and mobilised its male population. Photolure via REUTERS

France called on Yerevan and Baku to end hostilities and immediately restart dialogue. "France is extremely concerned by the confrontation," foreign ministry spokeswoman Agnes bon der Muhll said.

The EU too called for a halt in fighting.

"Military action must stop, as a matter of urgency, to prevent a further escalation," European Council president Charles Michel tweeted, calling for "an immediate return to negotiations, without preconditions".

Pope Francis appealed to Armenia and Azerbaijan on Sunday to resolve their differences through negotiations, saying: "I pray for peace in the Caucasus and ask the parties in conflict to make concrete gestures of goodwill and brotherhood that can lead to the resolution of problems not with the use of force and weapons but through dialogue and negotiations."

Turkey will stand by its ally Azerbaijan “with all our means until the end,” Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said, without elaborating.

The Azeri army is using tanks, artillery, missile systems and aircraft against Armenian positions near the front line and deeper into Armenian-held territory, the Defence Ministry in Baku said. As many as 12 Armenian anti-aircraft systems have been destroyed and one Azeri helicopter was shot down, it said.

Armenian forces hit two Azeri helicopters, three tanks and 14 drones, Armenian Defence Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan said.

Civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh have been urged to go into shelters after Azerbaijan shelled Stepanakert, according to Vahram Poghosyan, a presidential spokesman in the unrecognised republic. “Our response will be proportional, and full responsibility is on the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan,” he said.

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An Armenian woman and child were killed although the full extent of the toll is unclear.

About 10 Armenian servicemen have been killed in the fighting, said Samvel Babayan, secretary of the Nagorno-Karabakh Security Council, according to Radio Liberty.

The conflict comes after tensions between the two sides rose sharply last week, when Mr Aliyev alleged that Armenia was massing forces near Nagorno-Karabakh for a new war. Armenia dismissed the claim as groundless and accused him of preparing for war.

As the fighting raged, Facebook and other social media appeared blocked in Azerbaijan and internet access was slow in some areas.

“Armenia is occupying our territory,” Mr Aliyev said in his speech. “We’ll put an end to this occupation.”

Tbilisi: Georgia concerned with resumption of hostilities between Armenia, Azerbaijan

Manouk Vasilian
Agenda, Georgia
Sept 27 2020
Georgia concerned with resumption of hostilities between Armenia, Azerbaijan
Agenda.ge, 27 Sep 2020 – 14:10, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgian officials are concerned with the recent reports of resumed hostilities between the two neighbouring countries of Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Calling for peace in the region, President Salome Zurabishvili has tweeted:

Zurabishvili, who met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov a couple of days ago in Tbilisi, has then noted that Georgia is ready ‘to serve as a platform to contribute for regional peace and stability’.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry is also following the developments between Armenia and Azerbaijan 'with concern’.

We hope that a ceasefire agreement will be reached, the sides will start negotiating and avoid more large-scale military activities that endanger the security of the entire region”, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.

Georgia also calls on the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and the rest of the international community to spare no efforts to ensure the suspension of the confrontation on the ground and resumption of peace talks between the sides.

Georgia is ready to contribute to de-escalation [of the process] and to help establish the peace in the region”, the Foreign Ministry announced.

While Armenia and Azerbaijan trade accusations for the recent confrontation on the border, both sides have reported civilian deaths. BBC reports that Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said Azerbaijan had launched an air and artillery attack, while Azerbaijan said it was responding to shelling along the whole front.

  • Georgian gov’t denies weapons entered Armenia via Georgia, calls Azerbaijan ‘a strategic partner’

Mewnahile, Azerbaijani new agency Trend.az cited President Ilham Aliyev as saying that ‘Armenian armed forced opened fire on our settlements, as well as our military positions, from several directions this morning, using various types of weaponry, including heavy artillery’.

Aliyev claimed that ‘as a result of the enemy fire, there are casualties among the civilian population and our servicemen. Some people have been wounded’.

  • Georgia concerned by armed confrontation on Azerbaijan-Armenia border

On his part, Nikol Pashinyan has announced that the country is declaring martial law and general mobilisation.

Armenian News.am agency has released Armenian Defence Ministry video footage of the hostilities:

Armenia and Azerbaijan are technically at war over Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region of Azerbaijan that was seized by Armenia-backed separatists who declared independence amid a 1988-1994 conflict that killed at least 30,000 people and forced many others to become refugees and IDPs.

Nagorno-Karabakh escalation: Armenia releases VIDEO showing Azerbaijani tank on fire, Baku denies it lost heavy armor

Arbi Tashjian
RT – Russia Today
Sept 27 2020
Armenia’s military released footage, on Sunday, purportedly showing an Azeri tank being hit by an armor-piercing projectile and catching fire amid hostilities over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh. Baku denied suffering any losses.

The Armenian Defense Ministry claimed its forces have destroyed at least three Azerbaijani tanks, along with two helicopters and three UAVs. Later in the day, the ministry circulated what it said was video documentation of an enemy armored vehicle being destroyed by the Armenians.

The one-minute clip shows a T-72 tank on the move. Moments later, it comes to a halt and erupts in flames. Plumes of fire are seen emitting from the inside compartments, as well as the turret. No one inside seems to be able to flee to safety.

Another short video later released by Yerevan shows a group of tanks apparently being shelled, with two of them directly hit by projectiles and suffering damage. 

The authenticity of the footage has not yet been independently verified. Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry denied reports of any losses in heavy armor, telling Russia’s news agency RIA Novosti that these claims were “lies and disinformation.”

“Be advised that our units fully prevail over the enemy on the front line,” it said.

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Armenpress: Artsakh issue is a fight for Artsakh Armenians’ right to live – PM Pashinyan

Edgar Tavakalian

Artsakh issue is a fight for Artsakh Armenians’ right to live – PM Pashinyan

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 19:02,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says it’s important to update the history of the Artsakh issue for the international community, to remind that this is a fight for the people’s, the Artsakh Armenians’ right to live, the PM said during a special session in the Parliament, in response to the question of MP Arman Babajanyan on whether the CSTO partners have been notified that Azerbaijan also carried out attacks on Armenia’s borders.

“The foreign minister is holding telephone talks, I am holding telephone talks, and we are providing information to our partners about the ongoing processes.  But I fully agree, we need to use the entire potential for giving right information on what is happening, who has attacked and why, what actions are being taken. We also need to update the history of the Artsakh issue, as we see in many places that it has been forgotten what this history is about in general. It is presented as an Armenian-Azerbaijani territorial conflict which causes the biggest damage to us, we need to explain that this is a fight for the people’s right to live, and the talk is about the Armenians of Artsakh”, Pashinyan said.

On September 27 early morning the Azerbaijani military has launched a massive cross-border artillery attack on Artsakh, including on civilian settlements. Peaceful settlements are also under bombardment, including the capital city of Stepanakert.

The Azerbaijani side suffered losses in its military equipment.

Dozens of civilians in Artsakh were wounded as a result of the Azerbaijani attack. A woman and a child were killed in the Azerbaijani attack.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

“Another cowardly step” – Azerbaijani hackers attempt to breach ARMENPRESS security system

Mary Lazarian

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 19:39,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani hackers attempted to breach the security system of the ARMENPRESS Armenian State News Agency amid the Azerbaijani attack on Artsakh.

Upon failing to achieve their goal, the hackers took revenge on the security system of a third party which is not under the control of ARMENPRESS.

ARMENPRESS chief executive Aram Ananyan commented on the matter, noting that this was “yet another inhumane step of the enemy.”

“We are doing everything we can to rapidly restore it. This was another inhumane, spineless and cowardly step which totally characterizes our enemy’s conduct. The mania to cover up one’s own defeat and losses by a hacking attack should only cause laughter. Especially when the attack was made on a service rendered by a third party,” Ananyan, the Director General of ARMENPRESS remarked.

He emphasized that during September 27 there was a significant traffic of ARMENPRESS readers from Azerbaijan and  the Azerbaijani regime – which is keeping its own people in fear and restrictions – was forced to resort to ridiculous steps in an attempt to stop the Azeri population from getting actual and true reports.

“We regret for the inconveniences this caused to our readers and we will continue to provide rapid and reliable reports to our readers in Armenia and around the world,” Ananyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

NATO urges NK conflicting sides to cease hostilities in Line of Contact

Karapet Navasardian

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 19:48,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. James Appathurai, the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, has made a statement over the ongoing situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani line of contact.

“NATO is deeply concerned by reports of large scale military hostilities along the line of contact in the Nagorno Karabach conflict zone. The sides should immediately cease hostilities, which have already caused civilian casualties. There is no military solution to this conflict. The parties should resume negotiations towards a peaceful resolution. NATO supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group”, the statement says.

On September 27 early morning the Azerbaijani military has launched a massive cross-border artillery attack on Artsakh, including on civilian settlements. Peaceful settlements are also under bombardment, including the capital city of Stepanakert.

The Azerbaijani side suffered losses in its military equipment.

Dozens of civilians in Artsakh were wounded as a result of the Azerbaijani attack. A woman and a child were killed in the Azerbaijani attack.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan