A recent meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Vienna showed that the parties have found some common ground for settling the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said.
“The meeting in Vienna showed that, however difficult it might be, but the parties are finding some common ground. Naturally, nobody expected this to happen quickly,” Mammadyarov said in an interview with the Internet publication Moscow-Baku.
“I keep asking our Armenian friends: The conflict has been lasting for 30 years, tell me please how the Armenian citizens have benefited from this, except for the fact that more than 40% of the people in the country are poor, except for the fact that they have no prospects – the demographic situation is disastrous and the most intelligent people are leaving the country. And this whole situation somehow prompts us to think that it needs to be ended. The philosophy here is simple, and Azerbaijan has repeatedly spoken about that: you can’t take some territory and flee to the Moon, you have to seek normal neighborliness anyway,” he said.
On the other hand, even though it has lost control over part of its territory, Azerbaijan has achieved significant economic growth, Mammadyarov said. “We’ve built railroads and motor roads, we are selling oil, we have built an oil pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor,” he said.
“And I can cite numerous other examples proving that Azerbaijan has become a leading economy in the region,” he said.
The Armenian leadership should persuade its own people that they need peace with their neighbors, Mammadyarov said. “The ball is in the Armenian court now – they should persuade their own population that they need peace. They say sometimes: you know, the people in Karabakh are so hard to deal with… Well, guys, this is not our problem, this is your problem. You should explain to the people that Armenia has no future without normalizing relations with Azerbaijan,” he said.
The two parties should look for forms of interaction between their peoples, Mammadyarov said. “The more they communicate, the better. There is just no other option. Another option is war. Do we need it? A war would simply throw the whole region backwards,” Mammadyarov said.
Azerbaijan lost control of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts following a conflict with the region’s ethnic Armenian population and Armenia in the early 1990s.
Armenia and the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic on one side and Azerbaijan on the other concluded a ceasefire in May 1994.
The negotiation process is now being held via the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group, which was created in 1992 to look for ways to peacefully settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It comprises Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Finland, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Turkey and is co-chaired by Russia, France and the United States.
Azerbaijan does not view the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic as a party to the conflict and refuses to hold negotiations with it.
The situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict area dramatically deteriorated in the early hours of April 2, 2016. The parties started large-scale armed actions with the use of aircraft and artillery systems, accusing each other of violating the ceasefire on the line of contact.
Both parties claimed that their opponent suffered heavy losses, and described their own casualties as moderate.
Baku and Stepanakert announced on April 5, 2016 that they had reached a ceasefire agreement in the conflict zone.
MP Gevorg Gorgisyan, a member of the National Assembly’s “Bright Armenia” faction, also came to support the employees of the National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet after A. Spendiaryan, who held a protest in front of the government demanding not only to cancel the Nazeni Gharibyan’s order to dismiss Constantin Orbelian from the position the director of opera theater, but also to releave Nazeni Gharibyan from her duties of RA Minister of Culture.
“Now, if the minister of culture does not manage to deal with problems and give solutions to problems so that the representatives of the field will be satisfied, which, by the way, should be the role of the minister, so what would happen when they become united?”
In the last game of the 24th round of the Armenian Premier League today, “Artsakh FA” won “Gandzasar-Kapan” with a score of 2: 0. Eduard Avagyan (38th minute) and Vardan Baqalyan (80) were those who scored goals.
After this victory, “Artsakh FA” scored 17 points and took the 8th place. “Gandzasar-Kapan” is the 7th place with 23 points.
LOS ANGELES—During a series of recruitment events held in Artsakh from March 26 and 27, a total of 350 supporters joined the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, for a chance to help save the lives of patients in need of bone marrow stem cell transplants. The recruitments, held in collaboration with the Health Ministry of Artsakh, took place at the police headquarters of the republic, Artsakh State University, Shushi College of Technology, Stepanakert Medical College, and Artsakh State Medical Center.
Artsakh Health Minister Arayik Baghryan registering as a donor
Following the recruitments, on March 28, Artsakh Health Minister Arayik Baghryan, who himself joined ABMDR as a potential bone marrow stem cell donor, met with the registry’s Executive Director, Dr. Sevak Avagyan, at the Health Ministry. During the meeting, Dr. Avagyan conveyed his gratitude to Minister Baghryan for facilitating and supporting ABMDR’s donor recruitments, as well as outreach events, throughout Artsakh. On his part, Minister Baghryan thanked Dr. Avagyan for continuing to encompass Artsakh in ABMDR’s life-saving mission, and stressed the far-reaching significance of maintaining a robust registry of potential bone marrow stem cell donors.
“As always, the enthusiasm and dedication shown by Artsakh residents during our latest recruitments were truly impressive,” Dr. Avagyan told reporters. He added, “By joining the ranks of ABMDR, young men and women in Artsakh are in effect extending a helping hand to patients in Artsakh, Armenia, and across the world, whose only chance of survival depends on receiving bone marrow stem cell transplants through matched donors.”
Established in 1999, ABMDR, a nonprofit organization, helps Armenians and non-Armenians worldwide survive life-threatening blood-related illnesses by recruiting and matching donors to those requiring bone marrow stem cell transplants. To date, the registry has recruited over 30,000 donors in 31 countries across four continents, identified over 9,000 patients, and facilitated 32 bone marrow transplants. For more information, call (323) 663-3609 or visit abmdr.am.
PanARMENIAN.Net – Some 170 ceasefire violations – as many as 1000 shots in total – by Azerbaijani army were registered on the contact line with Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) in the period from March 24 to 30, the Karabakh Defense Army said in a statement.
The Karabakh frontline units continue controlling the situation on the contact line and protecting their positions.
The OSCE Mission on Thursday, March 28 conducted a planned monitoring of the ceasefire on the line of contact between the armed forces of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and Azerbaijan.
The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule.
ArmInfo. On March 22, Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan received Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in- Office.As reported by the Defense Ministry of Armenia, during the meeting the situation on the contact line of the Artsakh-Azerbaijani forces and on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border was discussed.
The RA Minister of Defense, in particular, informed the Ambassador about the operational situation and the latest processes. Ambassador Kaspichik, in turn, informed David Tonoyan on the issues of the upcoming agenda of the negotiation process.
Armenian human rights defender Arman Tatoyan visited today Elvin Arif oglu Ibrahimov, who was arrested for illegally crossing the state border of the Republic of Armenia, who is in the hospital.
The following was found out during the visit.
1) At the time of the visit to Elvin Arif oglu Ibrahimov by the human rights defender of Armenia, the lawyer and the investigator were present, and at that time they carried out actions provided for by the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Defender discussed E. with them. Issues related to Ibrahimov’s rights.
2) A licensed translator of the Azerbaijani language is involved in the criminal proceedings.
3) A lawyer from the Public Defender’s Office of Armenia is involved in Elvin Ibrahimov’s case. At the time of the human rights defender’s visit, the lawyer had already met with E. with Ibrahimov, explained to him his rights and presented the circumstances related to the initiated criminal case.
4) The private conversation of the Ombudsman of Armenia with Elvin Ibrahimov took place with the participation of an Azerbaijani translator.
Human rights defender Elvin Arif presented to Ibrahimov the rights to receive information in a language he understands and to communicate through an interpreter, to receive legal assistance, to contact the outside world, including his family, etc.
E. It was explained to Ibrahimov that if necessary, he can directly call the hotline number 116 of the Defender’s Office, which is active 24 hours a day, regardless of working days.
5) During a private conversation with the human rights defender of Armenia, E. Ibrahimov expressed his desire to meet his family members – his son, father, mother, brother and sister – or to talk with them and asked for the Defender’s support in this matter.
Arman Tatoyan discussed the issue with the director of the National Security Service of Armenia, taking into account the importance of contact with the family. The service has expressed readiness to ensure the communication of Elvin Arif oglu Ibrahimov with the members of the latter’s family by means of paper, telephone or video communication. Moreover, the Service expressed its readiness to organize the meeting of Elvin Arif Oglu Ibrahimov and his family members in the territory of the Republic of Armenia and to guarantee their safety in the country.
The human rights defender of Armenia, as an independent official, is ready to support E. His contact with Ibrahimov’s family, including the organization of the meeting.
6) The doctor of the Defender’s staff was also involved in the visit of the Human Rights Defender. E. were studied. Ibrahimov’s health condition and medical documents regarding him.
It was recorded that his state of health is satisfactory, he was admitted to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the lower third of the calf of the right lower limb. Primary surgical treatment of the wounds on his lower limb and extraocular osteosynthesis were performed in the hospital.
During the visit, it was recorded that he receives the necessary medical care and an X-ray examination was assigned to him in order to ensure the effective course of treatment.
7) At the end of the private interview, the Defender provided Elvin Arif oglu Ibrahimov with the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms in Azerbaijani, English and Russian, as well as the Constitution of Armenia in English and Russian.
8) After the visit, the Ombudsman of Armenia also spoke with the head of the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Armenia. He presented information about Elvin Ibrahimov’s health condition, as well as his willingness to ensure contact with his family.
Reminder: Elvin Ibrahimov He crossed the border of the Republic of Armenia near the village of Barekamavan, Tavush region, on March 16, 2019, around 01:00-01:30. According to the documents found in his possession, he is a citizen of Azerbaijan.
In connection with the fact of illegal crossing of the guarded state border of the Republic of Armenia by Elvin Ibrahimov, a criminal case has been initiated under the features of Article 329, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan meets with President Hassan Rouhani of Iran on Feb. 27, 2019
YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—Armenia has reached a “political” agreement with neighboring Iran on importing larger amounts of Iranian natural gas, outgoing Energy Minister Garegin Baghramyan said on Thursday.
Baghramyan also told RFE/RL’s Armenian service that Armenian and Georgian officials are already negotiating on possible Iranian gas supplies to Georgia that would be carried out via Armenia.
The gas issue featured large during Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s official visit to Tehran last week. Speaking after talks with Pashinyan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his hydrocarbon-rich country is ready to sell more gas to Armenia and also use Armenian territory for gas exports to Georgia.
Pashinyan said that Yerevan is willing to boost imports of Iranian gas. He admitted, though, that the two sides have yet to agree on its price.
Armenia currently receives up to 500 million cubic meters of Iranian gas each year under a swap scheme that also involves exports of Armenian electricity to the Islamic Republic. Its overall gas imports total roughly 2 billion cubic meters per annum and they mostly come from Russia. According to the current and former Armenian governments, Russian gas is cheaper for the South Caucasus state than Iranian.
In Baghramyan’s words, Rouhani and Pashinyan instructed relevant Iranian and Armenian bodies to look into ways of implementing their “political understandings” on the gas issue, and a commercial deal could take different forms.
“There could be an increase in [Iranian gas] volumes for the purpose of a transit to Georgia,” explained the minister. “If there is a mutually beneficial price offer, there could be an increase in gas volumes in the form of direct sales [to Armenia.]”
“Not only we are negotiating [with Georgia] but also Iranian companies have reached certain understandings with Georgian companies,” Baghramyan, adding that Armenia is ready to serve as a transit route for Iranian gas supplies to Georgia.
Baghramyan further insisted that Russia’s Gazprom gas giant cannot block or impede greater Iranian gas supplies to Armenia.
Gazprom not only meets the bulk of Armenia’s gas needs but also owns the country’s gas distribution network. The latter in turn controls the Armenian section of a pipeline delivering Iranian gas. The pipeline can pump at least 2 billion cubic meters of gas annually.