Author: Andranik Taslakhchian

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia hold meeting on restoration of transport communication

Andranik Taslakhchian
TASS, Russia
Feb 12 2021
The first meeting of the Deputy Prime Ministers took place on January 30 in Moscow

YEREVAN, February 12. /TASS/. Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan held the second meeting on restoration of regional transport communication, Armenia Deputy Prime Minister’s press service announced Friday.

“The meeting discussed the process of joint work, based on the November 9 statement of Prime Minister of Armenia and Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, as well as implementation of clauses 2, 3 and 4 of January 11 statement. The schedule for further operations was negotiated,” the announcement says.

Two expert groups were established under the Deputy Prime Ministers’ decision. The first group will include representatives of Armenian National Security Service, Ministries of the Interior, Economy, Territorial Management and Infrastructures. The second group will represent Armenia’s State Revenue Committee, Food Safety Inspection Body, as well as the National Security Service and Foreign Ministry.

The first meeting of the Deputy Prime Ministers took place on January 30 in Moscow.

On November 9, Prime Minister of Armenia and Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan signed a joint statement of full cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. On January 11, they agreed to establish a working group at the level of Deputy Prime Minister that focuses on restoration of transport and economic ties in the region.

Russian State Duma responds to Turkey’s map showing expansion towards Russia’s territories

Andranik Taslakhchian
News.am, Armenia
Feb 12 2021
Russian State Duma responds to Turkey’s map showing expansion towards Russia’s territories
23:49, 12.02.2021

Deputies of the Russian State Duma have commented on Turkey’s map that was shown on a Turkish TV channel and included Russian territories, RIA Novosti reported.

First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Defense of the Russian State Duma Andrey Krasov believes the Turkish government is thinking about reinstating the Ottoman Empire. Moreover, he suspects that Ankara will try to combine the territories of Russia by force. 

Krasov also called on Turkish politicians to explore the history of Russia and reminded that they shouldn’t have pretensions over other countries’ territories.

MP Pavel Shperov assured that Turkey wants to have the influence it had three centuries ago and isn’t hiding its pretensions over Crimea.

Armenian Ombudsman under organized Azerbaijani media attacks

Andranik Taslakhchian

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 18:35, 9 February, 2021

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani media organized attacks against the Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan in the recent days with the involvement of also MPs, ARMENPRESS reports Arman Tatoyan informed.

‘’The attacks are accompanied by announcements on starting a process of releasing him from duty, extreme insults against him, threats and hatred.

In addition, the Human Rights Defender received threats also by personal messages.

Those attacks are connected with the Defender’s statements related to human rights violations in the process of determining the borders of the Republic of Armenia, the appearance of Azerbaijani soldiers (flags and signs) in the Syunik region of the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijani provocations against civilians.

Moreover, the statements of the Defender are openly falsified, after which they are subjected to manipulative speculations.

For example, the Human Rights Defender speaks about the inadmissibility of the presence of Azerbaijani servicemen, flags and placards in Syunik, he speaks about Azerbaijani war crimes, threats of war, ethic cleansings and state-sponsored Armeniaphobia, while the Azerbaijani media presents this as ‘’hysteria’’, ‘’so-called Syunik’’.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia considers absolutely condemnable these manipulative attacks of the Azerbaijani media, which are carried out with the participation of politicians, personal correspondence and falsify the real statements of the Defender, provoke new hostility and hatred against Armenians.

Armenia parliament majority leader: Our statements were not made in context of fear

Andranik Taslakhchian
News.am, Armenia
Feb 8 2021
16:53, 08.02.2021

YEREVAN. – It should be noted that the holding of early parliamentary elections by the parliamentary opposition did not receive a positive response. Lilit Makunts, the head of the majority My Step faction, said this Monday in the National Assembly of Armenia, in a conversation with reporters.

“We will continue the work for the implementation of the roadmap, and when summing up, we then will return to the need for early elections,” Makunts said.

To the remark that there are opinions that the ruling force was afraid of these elections and therefore was backing away from that idea, the leader of My Step faction said that their statements were not made in the context of fear. “Because the proposal to hold snap [parliamentary] elections was voiced by us,” Makunts said.

And to a reporter’s question as to the veracity of the information that polls were conducted and as a result, the ruling force decided not to go for these elections, Lilit Makunts said: “There are various sociological polls at various stages; moreover, by many different organizations, which I am sure send their polls not only to us, but also to the opposition.”

Opposition MP deplores Armenian government-drafted bills on judiciary, social sphere

Andranik Taslakhchian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 3 2021

At the proposal of the government, the Armenian parliament on Wednesday convened a special sitting with two legislative packages on the agenda.

The government proposes to urgently adopt a draft law on amendments and supplements to the constitutional law “On Judicial Code of the Republic of Armenia”, to which a bill on making amendments and supplements to the law “On the Academy of Justice” is also attached.

The second legislative package proposes amendments to the law “On Social Assistance”, which includes draft laws on amendments to the law “On public Administration Bodies” and the law “On State Pensions”.

Presenting the bills, Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan said that the first draft package envisages an increase in the number of judges, while the second package calls for urgent changes in the norms regulating the social sphere.

MP Taron Simonyan from the opposition Bright Armenia faction took the parliament floor to denounce the hasty debates on the bills.

According to him, if bills on the de-occupation of the Azerbaijani-held Artsakh territories, amendments to the law on weapons or sweeping changes in the army building had been introduced in the parliament, he would have understood emergency debates on them, but now he does not understand the relevance of the government-drafted bills.

The minister said in turn that the priorities are different, adding there is a package of bills on the social sphere, which is set to come into force on April 1, and before that, certain model changes must be made to the submitted bills.

However, the opposition MP noted that he would have understood if this rationale had been presented a year or two ago, stating there are other priority issues now.

Another Bright Armenia MP Ani Samsoyan noted that they have repeatedly addressed the issue of reforms in the judiciary, but the government continues to “patch up” the judicial reforms. 

Armenian minister introduces Dutch Ambassador on roadmap of judicial reforms

Andranik Taslakhchian

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 14:18,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan received today Ambassador of the Netherlands to Armenia Nico Schermers, the justice ministry told Armenpress.

The minister congratulated the Ambassador on appointment, highlighting the entry of the bilateral relations into a qualitatively new stage after the 2018 Armenian Velvet Revolution and the decision of the Netherlands to open an embassy in Armenia. He expressed confidence that during the Ambassador’s tenure the potential existing in the justice sector will be utilized.

The Armenian minister of justice also highly appreciated the recent motions approved by the Dutch Parliament which call on to impose sanctions against the leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkey for their war crimes committed in Artsakh. In this context Mr. Badasyan noted: “The Netherlands showed how democracy really works when human life and rights are under danger”.

In turn the Ambassador of the Netherlands thanked for the meeting and stated that he has assumed office in Armenia with a great pleasure. He outlined the priorities which have cooperation perspectives, in particular the strengthening of the rule of law and democracy.

Minister Badasyan introduced the Dutch Ambassador on the roadmap of judicial reforms, the achievements recorded and highlighted in this context the 9 million Euro support provided by the European Union to the Armenian government for this purpose.

Possibilities of deepening the cooperation in probation and penitentiary fields were discussed during the meeting.

The sides also reached an agreement on productive mutual cooperation.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Iran ready to contribute in implementing economic projects with Armenia

Andranik Taslakhchian

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 12:12,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. On January 19, Artashes Toumanian, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Islamic Republic of Iran, was received by Seyed Rasool Mohajer, Deputy Foreign Minister on Economic Diplomacy, the Armenian Embassy in Iran reports.

During the meeting, Armenian Ambassador briefed the Deputy Minister on existing situation of Armenia – Iran economic relations, projects in infrastructure, trade and investment issues were pointed out.

Both sides discussed the objectives, challenges and capabilities for developing bilateral and multilateral economic relations in the aftermath of Artsakh war.

Mr. Mohajer affirmed the willingness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran as well as his readiness to contribute in implementing of Armenia – Iran economic plans and projects.

CivilNet: Russian TV Portrays Karabakh Move as Humanitarian, Political Success

Andranik Taslakhchian
CIVILNET.AM

06:15

By Emil Sanamyan

Russia’s Channel 1 dedicated roughly eight minutes of its hour-long Sunday news show to Karabakh, which included interviews with local residents, Russian personnel in Karabakh and selective citations of Western media commentary.

“Big thank you to your president Putin, he saved us, and stopped the war,” says Inessa Safaryan, living in temporary housing for internally displaced in Stepanakert. “If it wasn’t for Russia, for Russian soldiers, none of us would be here.”

The report continues by highlighting the work of Russian de-miners clearing unexploded ordinance and military medics providing health services to locals. “People here haven’t seen doctors of this qualification for a long time,” says the narrator.

The report continues with description of the Russian peacekeeping deployment and mission to safeguard the cease-fire along the line of contact and the link between Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia.

“Had Russian peacekeepers come earlier, this war would not have happened,” says an elderly man in Stepanakert’s main square. The narrator adds: “Putin’s role in securing the cease-fire saved thousands, if not tens of thousands of lives.”

“Western media, which is typically not very sympathetic to Russia had to recognize our country’s accomplishments,” the narrator continues, presenting a quote from an article in the Wall Street Journal calling Russian peacekeeping in Karabakh, a “geopolitical triumph.”

“Russia used this opportunity to win internationally and to increase its regional influence,” reports an Eastern European publication. “The West is losing its regional influence,” adds a German newspaper.

“It is hard to remember another conflict that would stop so quickly after introduction of peacekeepers,” the narrator continues. “This became possible with Putin’s mediation.” The report concludes with Vladimir Putin, Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan making positive comments about the cease-fire and its implementation at their January 11 meeting in Moscow.

This piece was originally published in Focus on Karabkah.

Emil Sanamyan is a South Caucasus specialist based in Washington D.C.. He is the editor of the University of Southern California Focus on Karabakh platform. 

Turkish press: In the Caucasus, Turkey and Russia negotiate a new balance

Andranik Taslakhchian
 COLUMNS 
JAN 15, 2021 12:05 AM GMT+3
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (L), Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev (C) and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a meeting in Moscow, Russia, Jan. 11, 2021. (AP Photo)

Azerbaijan liberated Nagorno-Karabakh, which was under Armenian occupation, after 44 days of fighting and disrupted the 30-year status quo in the Caucasus. There is an ongoing search for a new equilibrium now to create a fresh status quo. Turkey and Russia play dominant roles in that pursuit, as Turkey and Azerbaijan share a perspective that clashes with the Russian approach.

Before delving into the details of that search for a new balance, it is necessary to analyze the old status quo and its stakeholders. In the Caucasus, the former status quo was a frozen conflict. Nagorno-Karabakh was under Armenian occupation and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group appeared to be the only potential player to resolve the issue. That group was co-chaired by the United States, France and Russia.

In other words, they were to play a definitive role in Nagorno-Karabakh, whereas eight other nations, including Turkey, assumed a secondary role. For 28 years, the Minsk Group made absolutely no progress. The dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia remained a frozen escalation. The only other notable country was Iran, which supported Armenia and was not part of the Minsk Group.

Azerbaijan’s military victory in that mountainous region kicked all parties, except Turkey and Russia, from the negotiating table. The emerging order includes Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia. There are differences of opinion, however, about the establishment of that new order.

Russia is unhappy that another country, Turkey, exerts influence over the Caucasus – which Moscow historically viewed as its backyard. The Russians made no attempt to conceal that frustration since the fighting began, and they planned their steps accordingly.

Russian President Vladimir Putin brokered an agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, just as Baku was about to claim total victory, and persuaded the Armenians into making concessions. That was a clear attempt to stop the situation from getting out of Moscow’s control.

Likewise, Russia tried to stop the deployment of Turkish peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh and to get Russian troops to man observation posts exclusively. Moscow also does not want companies from other countries to play a role in rebuilding Nagorno-Karabakh and its infrastructure; hence Putin’s decision to host Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the Russian capital.

Turkey and Azerbaijan, in contrast, subscribe to a more participatory, regionwide and holistic approach. Aliyev and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for the creation of a regional body, including six Caucasian nations, to promote economic and social development. That project, which would include Armenia, aims to turn the region into an island of peace and political-economic stability. Judging by Yerevan’s response, the Armenians do not want to be left out in the cold either.

This approach will inform the establishment of a new order in the Caucasus and will shape the region’s future and determine its level of peace. Moscow’s attempt to stay in charge translates into a policy of exclusion targeting other regional players, encouraging Armenia to pursue a return to the status quo ante. A recent visit by Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan to Nagorno-Karabakh, which re-escalated tensions, attests to that fact.

Armenian FM, UK Minister discussed situation around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in phone call

Andranik Taslakhchian
Panorama, Armenia
Jan 15 2021

Ara Aivazian held a phone conversation with Wendy Morton, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for European Neighbourhood and the Americas, the press department at the foreign ministry reported. 

During the conversation, the sides touched upon the situation around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the steps being undertaken to eliminate the consequences of the Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh. Both sides highlighted the importance of addressing the issues of the Nagorno Karabakh peace process within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Armenia’s FM emphasized the unconditional implementation of the obligations enshrined in the November 9 trilateral statement on prisoners of war, captured civilians and others detained as a priority of the Armenian sides.

Ara Aivazian and Wendy Morton exchanged views on the steps undertaken to expand the agenda of Armenian-British relations and promote the political dialogue, the source said.