Month: September 2021

At the meeting with the participants of the education marathon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov detailed the content of his letter to then-Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian—and prior to the signing of the Armenian-Turkish protocols in 2009.

"In 2008, our Armenian friends told us that the Turks are proposing to agree on documents for the restoration of diplomatic relations, normalization of relations, cooperation, implementation of joint projects. We said, 'That's very good. Are there any preconditions?' 'No, there are no preconditions.'

Then the case reached the signing; it was planned in Zurich—of course, with the participation of the [foreign] ministers of Armenia, Turkey. (…). but before signing, our Turkish colleagues said, "Yes, we will sign all that, but we must make a reservation on the Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] issue."

The text of the reservation contradicted Armenia's position. And I told my colleague that I had cautioned him that I did not really believe that this would happen without preconditions. But we were where we were. Everyone has already come—and a deadlock.

As a result, the Turkish colleague agreed to withdraw that formal condition. But the Armenian colleagues were saying they shall make a statement in which Armenia would present its position on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. At that time, the Turkish minister said, ‘If you make a statement, then I will make a statement, too.’

We were already realizing that we had to get out of this situation somehow. And I wrote a letter to him [i.e., then-Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian] not to insist on the topic of a comment. And so it happened. As a result, the documents were signed, but later ‘disappeared’ for the same reason, as the parties had different viewpoints on the Karabakh settlement process," the Russian FM said.

Lavrov added: "Now that the war in Nagorno-Karabakh is over, there are grounds for unblocking the political process, transport and economic ties. It would be logical if Armenia and Turkey resume efforts to normalize relations." The Russian FM stressed that they are ready to assist these efforts in the most active way.

There is a major hysteria brewing in the Azerbaijani media over a wording on the website of the Russian state procurement.

Accordingly, the Russian Ministry of Defense is holding a closed tender "for the organization and implementation of comprehensive service of the barracks-housing funds of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation military camps located in the territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic."

The aforesaid tender was announced on August 13, the deadline for submitting respective applications is September 16.

The aforesaid hysteria in the Azerbaijani media, naturally, arose because of the word "Republic."

YEREVAN. – Past daily of Armenia writes: According to Past newspaper’s information, the so-called "Soros" [NGOs] expect to bring two quite large-scale education programs—which they are mainly going to apply in pre-school institutions and elementary school classes—to Armenia in the near future.

According to the information we have, they will try to organize and implement that process under the name of "cognitive and educational."

As key figures, World Vision and Transparency International associations will play the main role in this process.

According to the newspaper’s information, in theory, the documentation for the implementation of the program is already completely ready; it remains to implement them with concrete steps.

The residents of several villages of Armenia’s Ararat Province on Saturday closed off the Pokr Vedi village section of the Yerevan-Yeraskh motorway—and again in protest in connection with grape procurement, shamshyan.com reported.

A large number of police officers arrived at the scene.

These grape growers demand a meeting with the governor of Ararat and a representative of the government.

During the last Cabinet session of the government, Deputy Prime Minister Suren Papikyan announced that there would be no more cases when the grape growers would block roads without justifications.

YEREVAN. – After the Second Artsakh War, Armenia actually handed over to Moscow the keys to guaranteeing Artsakh's security. Political analyst Argishti Kiviryan said this at a press conference on Saturday.

"After the signing of the [trilateral (Armenian, Russian, Azerbaijani)] statement on November 9, 10 when the Russian peacekeeping military were deployed in Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)], Moscow is in fact the guarantor of Artsakh's security; and globally, it is decided in Moscow who will or will not visit Artsakh. After November 9, this issue is not decided in Yerevan, it is decided in Moscow," he added, in particular.

According to the analyst, the Armenia side in a very difficult situation today, and any irresponsible step can lead to new cataclysms for the Armenian people, especially now when the Armenian side does not have its security guarantor: the army.

"Well, it is clear that the lackeys of the [ruling] CC [Civil Contract Party of Armenia] who had gone [to Artsakh on the occasion of its Independence Day anniversary] would be greeted in that way by the Armenians of Artsakh. If the Armenians of Artsakh had greeted [them] even much more rudely, they would have done the right thing. Moreover, they were greeted rather mildly, since this catastrophe for the Armenians and the Armenian people happened as a result of the policy pursued by those people. Nobody says the previous [authorities] were right; but at that moment you were in power, you were not able to govern, hand over power," said Kiviryan.