Month: May 2021

 16:19,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin says the trilateral agreements over Nagorno Karabakh have opened new opportunities for the development of the region, which, he added, is in the interests of all countries of the South Caucasus, reports TASS.

During a meeting with the Azerbaijani prime minister Ali Asadov, the Russian PM noted that the joint statement of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders has opened more complex development opportunities for the region.

“I am convinced that the unblocking of economic and transportation ties, the creation of new infrastructure railways is in the interests of all states of the South Caucasus”, Mikhail Mishustin said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 16:38,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan cannot be called as criminals, Member of European Parliament representing Belgium Tom Vandenkendelaere said at the at the discussion during the EP plenary session relating to the prisoners of war captured during the recent Nagorno Karabakh war.

“It’s quite a long time the Nagorno Karabakh conflict continues. It’s a matter of a serious concern for the European Union, especially from the perspective of the issue of repatriation of prisoners of war. There is great uncertainty regarding the fate of POWs”, he said, adding: “We must exert huge pressure on Azerbaijan, they cannot remained unpunished”.

In particular, the MEP urged to investigate the facts of human rights violations by Azerbaijan. He stressed the need for taking actions for the return of the Armenian POWs from Azerbaijan and the end of “this unacceptable situation”.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 16:44,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. The opening of the military trophy park in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku and instilling children with hate there will never lead to peace, MEP Viola von Cramon-Taubadel from the Alliance '90/The Greens group said at the European Parliament’s plenary debates on prisoners of war of the Nagorno Karabakh war.

“War is disgusting and unfair. Thousands of killed soldiers from Armenia and Azerbaijan, many more displaced civilians. This is the price that president Aliyev calls an ‘unprecedented victory’,” she said.

The MEP said that humiliating the opposite side at victory parks and violating their borders only expands the circle of violence. She was referring to the latest Azeri incursion into Armenia in the Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces.

 

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 16:52,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian parliament is convening an emergency session at 18:30, Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan’s advisor Davit Karapetyan announced.

The emergency session is convened at the initiative of the opposition Bright Armenia LHK party to discuss the possible signing of a new document on demarcation and delimitation, announced by caretaker PM Pashinyan earlier.

 17:07,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. An incident took place on May 20 at the border section of Gegharkunik Province with participation of the Azeri troops who have crossed into the territory of the Republic of Armenia, the ministry of defense said.

“Around 15:00, several dozens of shots were fired, presumably in the air, after which the Armenian units opened warning shots. The commander of the Azerbaijani troops contacted the Armenian unit commander, asked to cease fire, apologized and said that the shooting was a result of an accident. The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia are warning that the repetition of such incidents will be viewed as a deliberate attempt to head for a clash and will lead to relevant actions by the Armenian side.”

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 17:18,

YEREVAN, 20 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 20 May, USD exchange rate up by 0.02 drams to 520.74 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.28 drams to 634.57 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 7.07 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 2.42 drams to 735.23 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 364.51 drams to 31616.77 drams. Silver price 

down by 13.38 drams to 463.34 drams. Platinum price down by 401.02 drams to 20040.39 drams.

 18:43,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin talked about her goals and impressions after visiting the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the area of the Blake Lake (Sev Lich). ARMENPRESS reports the EU Ambassador said that together with the Ambassadors of the EU member states they aimed to carry out a fact-finding mission and get acquainted with the developments on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on site.

''I am grateful to Deputy Foreign Minister Avet Adonts, the Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry for organizing the visit'', she said.

Before visiting the area of the Black Lake, Armenian Armed Forces corps commander Samvel Minasyan presented to the Ambassadors the map of the Armenian SSR of 1969 ratified by documents, signatures and stamps. A journalist asked EU Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin about her opinion of that map.

Andrea Wiktorin answered, ''I have heard about a few maps. Today we were shown the map of 1969. I am not an expert and cannot express a concrete opinion, but it was obvious from today's map that greater part of the Black Lake is located in the territory of the Republic of Armenia''.

The EU Ambassador assured that the EU uses all the levers for contributing to the solution of the situation and that the EU is the supporter of the territorial integrity.

The envoys included the EU ambassador to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin, EU representative Jan Plešinger, EU representative Silvia Zehe and the ambassadors of the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Greece.

 19:28,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell gave a speech at the European Parliament plenary session over the POWs issue of the recent Nagorno Karabakh war.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the website of the European External Action Service, Josep Borrell’s speech runs as follows,

‘’ Thank you Madam President and thank you Members of the European Parliament for raising the issue of prisoners of war and other detainees in the aftermath of the 2020 hostilities.

We took good note of the letter of more than 120 Members of this House on the same issue.

The European Union has taken a clear position: we have repeatedly called on both parties to fully implement the ceasefire agreement. We have also called on them to exchange prisoners of war and to release all remaining detainees, regardless of the circumstances of their capture, in accordance with international humanitarian law and the ceasefire agreement.

The release of all Armenian detainees is essential for building confidence and trust and would be an important political gesture. We welcomed the release of five Armenian detainees on the 29th of January and of three on the 4th of May. We insist that all remaining detainees be released without further delay.

The European Union expects both parties to cooperate not only on the return of detainees, but also on other important humanitarian issues. The recovery and repatriation of remains of the missing should continue. Urgent and decisive steps are needed on the exchange of information necessary for the conduct of humanitarian demining, including the sharing of any available maps of minefields to enable return to areas devastated by conflict. To defuse tensions and allow societies to progress towards normalisation, it is also crucially important to refrain from inflammatory public rhetoric.

The European Union has called for accountability for any violation of international humanitarian law. Allegations of torture, ill-treatment or execution of captives and any other war crimes that might have been committed during the recent hostilities must be thoroughly investigated. The European Union stands ready to contribute to international and independent justice mechanisms and to support an independent investigation into such claims.

The cessation of hostilities and addressing the range of immediate humanitarian issues is only a first step to end the long-lasting Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Renewed efforts for a negotiated, comprehensive and sustainable settlement are needed. The European Union fully supports the OSCE Minsk Group led by its Co-Chairs. And we stand ready to contribute in the shaping of a durable and comprehensive settlement, including through support for stabilisation and confidence-building measures.

Thank you''.

 19:46,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. The document published by the opposition is real, ARMEPRESS reports caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said at the National Assembly extraordinary session, adding that the position of the Armenian side remains the same – the armed forces of Azerbaijan must withdraw from the territory of Armenia without preconditions.

‘’Based on the discussions of this situation, a very important question emerges, since we have the reality that we have no delimited and demarcated border with Azerbaijan. If we solve this situation and at the next moment similar situations arise, will we every time take the path of making an international noise and consensus? Finally, we have a situation that has developed under the circumstances that we all know and that situation has to be managed. In this period a proposal has been made to establish a trilateral commission that will deal with those issues’’, Pashinyan said.

According to Nikol Pashinyan, the government did not consider it correct to publish the working document that is still under discussion. ''But since it has been published by the opposition, I can say that yes, it's the only and unique document that has been on our working table for 1.5-2 days. What's the key point in that document? It's that the sides undertake to resolve the border situations not through mutual movements of troops, but only through diplomatic and political means. Is this a new idea? No, because I have announced about this from here’’, Nikol Pashinyan said.

The caretaker Prime Minister emphasized that earlier he had said that the establishment of the commission should take place after Azerbaijani armed forces withdraw from the territory of our country. ‘'Or we will record a provision in that document that, say, in 3 days, in 4 days the process of withdrawal of those troops must take place. This is the whole story and I want to tell you that there is no secret appendix'', Nikol Pashinyan said.

European Parliament demands immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian POWs 

 19:53,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS.  The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the POWs issue with 607 votes in favor, demanding the Armenian war prisoners to be released immediately and without preconditions.

ARMENPRESS presents parts of the resolution.

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Armenia and Azerbaijan,

– having regard to the EU-Armenia Partnership Council meeting of 17 December 2020 and the EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council meeting of 18 December 2020 and their respective conclusions,

– having regard to the Charter of the United Nations (UN), the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Geneva Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War,

– having regard to the tripartite ceasefire statement by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia of 9 November 2020, which came to effect on 10 November 2020,

– having regard to the Human Rights Watch report of 19 March 2021 entitled ‘Azerbaijan: Armenian POWs Abused in Custody’,

– having regard to the EU statement of 28 April 2021 on captives from the recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,

– having regard to the Statements by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group of 25 October 2020, 30 October 2020, 14 December 2020, 13 April 2021 and 5 May 2021,

– having regard to the European Court of Human Right’s notification to the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers of 9 March 2021, under Rule 39 of the Rules of the Court, of interim measures in relation to the recent armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,

– having regard to Rules 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

1. whereas since the first war over Nagorno-Karabakh between 1988 and 1994, the international community has been trying to broker a lasting and comprehensive peace settlement for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, led by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs;
2. whereas hostilities ended after 44 days following an agreement on a complete ceasefire in and around Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, which was signed on 9 November 2020 and entered into force on 10 November 2020;
3. whereas point 8 of the tripartite ceasefire statement stipulates that prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees, as well as the remains of those killed, must be exchanged; whereas these exchanges should be conducted according to the ‘all for all’ principle;
4. whereas both Armenia and Azerbaijan are parties to the Geneva Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, which in Article 118 stipulates that prisoners of war must be released and repatriated without delay after the cessation of active hostilities; whereas Article 13 of the Geneva Convention (III) stipulates that prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated, any unlawful act or omission by the Detaining Power causing death or seriously endangering the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is prohibited, and will be regarded as a serious breach of the Convention; whereas the Convention also protects prisoners of war (POWs) against acts of violence or intimidation, insults and public curiosity;
5. whereas military personnel and civilians detained before and after the ceasefire enjoy different statuses under international law; whereas, on the one hand, military personnel taken into captivity before and after the ceasefire should be recognised as POWs and benefit from protection under the Geneva Conventions; whereas, on the other hand, civilians detained during the conflict must be recognised as protected persons and are also protected under the Geneva Conventions; whereas civilians detained after the ceasefire are instead protected under international human rights law;
6. whereas since the hostilities were suspended, several exchanges of prisoners, both military and civilian, have been conducted, with the most recent taking place on 4 May 2021;
7. whereas according to worrying reports, approximately 200 Armenians are being held in Azerbaijani captivity; whereas the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) stated that it has received complaints regarding 249 Armenians captured by Azerbaijan; whereas the ECtHR has applied interim measures with regard to the 229 Armenians, and 183 still remain in force; whereas the ECtHR concluded on 9 March 2021 that Azerbaijan had failed to comply with the measures, judging the information provided as too general and limited; whereas the Azerbaijani authorities acknowledged that 72 Armenians are in their captivity; whereas with regard to a further 112 individuals, no information has been submitted by Azerbaijan to the ECtHR; whereas the fate of the other Armenian POWs is unknown; whereas since the cessation of hostilities, 73 Armenian POWs and civilians have been repatriated to Armenia;
8. whereas the ECtHR has also received complaints in relation to 16 Azerbaijanis allegedly captured by Armenia, 12 of whom were repatriated in December 2020; whereas the ECtHR suspended its examination under Rule 39 in relation to the other four individuals, given the nature of the information received from the Government of Armenia;
9. whereas credible reports have been made that Armenian service personnel and civilians have also been taken prisoner since the cessation of hostilities on 10 November 2020; whereas the Azerbaijani authorities claim that these hostages and prisoners are terrorists and do not deserve POW status under the Geneva Convention;
10. whereas Human Rights Watch reported on 19 March 2021 that Azerbaijani security and armed forces had abused Armenian POWs, subjecting them to cruel and degrading treatment and torture either when they were captured, during their transfer, or while in custody at various detention facilities; whereas Azerbaijani forces have used violence to detain civilians and have subjected them to torture and inhuman and degrading conditions of detention, leading to the death of at least two detainees in Azerbaijani captivity; whereas Azerbaijani forces detained these civilians even though there was no evidence that they posed any security threat that could justify their detention under international humanitarian law; whereas Azerbaijan denies accusations that Armenian POWs have been subjected to treatment violating the Geneva Conventions;
11. whereas the ‘Park of Military Trophies’ inaugurated in Baku on 12 April 2021 reportedly displays Armenian military equipment, wax mannequins depicting dead and dying Armenian soldiers and models of Armenian POWs chained in a cell, which may be perceived as a glorification of violence and risks inciting further hostile sentiment, hate speech or even inhumane treatment of remaining POWs and other Armenian captive civilians, thereby perpetuating the atmosphere of hatred and contradicting any official statements on reconciliation;
12. whereas on 12 May 2021, troops from Azerbaijan temporarily entered the territory of Armenia, which amounts to a violation of the territorial integrity of Armenia and of international law; whereas this violation of Armenian sovereign territory follows worrying statements by Azerbaijani representatives, including the president, which appeared to raise territorial claims and threaten the use of force and thereby undermine the efforts towards security and stability in the region;
13. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian prisoners, both military and civilian, detained during and after the conflict, and that Azerbaijan refrain from making arbitrary detentions in the future; urges the parties to fully implement the tripartite ceasefire statement of 9 November 2020, which provides for an exchange of prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees, as well as the remains of those killed during hostilities;
14. Deplores the violence that took place during the most recent war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh; expresses solidarity with the victims and their families; deplores the violation of the ceasefire, which led to further human suffering, loss of life and destruction; condemns all attacks targeting civilians and recalls states’ obligation under international humanitarian law to protect civilian lives;
15. Urges the Government of Azerbaijan to provide exhaustive lists of all persons held in its captivity in connection with the armed conflict and to provide information about their whereabouts and health, including of those who have died in captivity;
16. Recalls that failure to disclose information regarding the fate and whereabouts of missing persons may amount to enforced disappearance, which both Azerbaijan and Armenia have committed to preventing; calls on all sides to clarify the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared and to treat dead bodies with dignity;
17. Demands that the Government of Azerbaijan respect legal safeguards, allow access for lawyers, doctors and human rights defenders to the Armenian prisoners and facilitate their communications with relatives;
18. Expresses its grave concern about credible reports, according to which Armenian prisoners of war and other captive persons have been and are being held in degrading conditions, and that they have been subjected to inhuman treatment and torture when captured or during their detention; condemns all instances of torture and enforced disappearances, including those perpetrated in armed conflict, as well as the ill-treatment and desecration of bodies;
19. Calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to ensure that those still in custody are provided with all protections required under international human rights and humanitarian law, including freedom from torture and inhuman treatment; calls on the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities to conduct independent, prompt, public and effective investigations and prosecute all credible allegations of grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions and other violations of international law and war crimes, in order to ensure accountability of those responsible and redress for the victims, possibly with the assistance of an international dedicated mission; calls on the Government of Azerbaijan to fully cooperate with the ECtHR to investigate the validity of reports of dehumanising treatment of Armenian prisoners and to hold those responsible to account;
20. Recalls that there is currently no publically available credible information about Azerbaijani POWs and detainees in Armenian captivity;