Thursday,
EEU Prime Ministers Gather In Yerevan
A narrow-format sitting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Yerevan,
Armenia,
Armenia is hosting a meeting of the prime ministers of five post-Soviet
countries making up the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), with issues related to
cooperation in various fields on the agenda of the two-day event.
In his opening remarks on Thursday Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian
stressed that cooperation within the framework of the EEU is one of the
priorities of his government.
“We are ready to further continue making every possible effort to improve the
mechanisms of cooperation and the effective functioning of the integration
space,” Pashinian added.
The event in Yerevan brings together the prime ministers of five post-Soviet
states, including Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan forming
the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council.
The Council met in a narrow format today, with its expanded sitting scheduled
for November 19.
Discussions took place around a wide range of issues related to the development
of cooperation in the fields of industry, agriculture and healthcare within the
EEU, the Armenian prime minister’s press office said.
Issues related to the introduction of new regulations in the markets of
different spheres, customs regulations, as well as the EEU’s 2022 budget were
also discussed, it added.
Putin Upbeat On Prospects Of Armenian-Azerbaijani Settlement
• Heghine Buniatian
Russian President Vladimir Putin (file photo)
Russian President Vladimir Putin struck an optimistic note speaking about
prospects of an Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement as he addressed top diplomats at
a meeting in Moscow on Thursday.
“The latest skirmishes along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border prove that the
situation there has not finally calmed down yet. The mission of the Russian
peacekeepers [in Nagorno-Karabakh] as guarantors of the ceasefire and the safety
of the civilian population is extremely important,” Putin said.
In his remarks Putin said that “the role of Russian diplomacy is undoubtedly
growing in continuing efforts on settling disputes between Azerbaijan and
Armenia, restoring economic ties in the South Caucasus and unblocking transport
corridors.”
“We have created a corresponding interstate commission at the level of deputy
prime ministers, it is working, and in my opinion, prospects there are not bad.
In fact, all countries of the region, including Russia, are interested in the
settlement, a long-term settlement of the problem,” the Russian leader added.
Earlier on Thursday Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said that proposals
presented by the Russian Defense Ministry regarding “the preparatory stage for
the process of delimitation and demarcation” of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border
were acceptable to Yerevan. He did not provide details.
Pashinian’s statement came two days after Armenia and Azerbaijan clashed along
their un-demarcated border, with both sides reporting casualties among their
militaries.
The worst Armenian-Azerbaijani fighting since the Russian-brokered ceasefire in
Nagorno-Karabakh last year was also stopped through Moscow’s mediation.
Pashinian Remarks On POWs Spark Controversy In Armenia
• Marine Khachatrian
Parents of Armenian POWs held by Azerbaijan stage a protest in front of the
National Assembly of Armenia in Yerevan, August 2, 2021
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has sparked a public outcry after
calling for an investigation of the circumstances in which over a dozen Armenian
soldiers were taken prisoner by Azerbaijan during the latest border clashes.
During a question-and-answer session in parliament on Wednesday Pashinian was
asked by an opposition lawmaker about what he knew about the fate of the 13
servicemen captured by Azerbaijani forces during the November 16 fighting and
dozens others remaining in Azerbaijan after last year’s war in Nagorno-Karabakh
as well as what his government has been doing to prevent violence against them.
In answering the question, however, the prime minister said nothing about what
is known about the condition of these captives. Instead, he spoke about the need
to investigate circumstances of their captivity.
“I think it is time for us to investigate every case of captivity properly,
because every soldier serving in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia has
responsibilities. Perhaps we have been wrong in this because of the emotional
background, but all cases must be clearly examined. What does it mean to be
taken prisoner? Under what circumstances?” Pashinian said.
Human rights activist Nina Karapetiants described the prime minister’s remarks
on prisoners of war (POWs) as unbecoming to the country’s leader.
“Such an answer is unbecoming to the commander-in-chief, unbecoming to the prime
minister, the one who, under the Constitution, is the guarantor of the life,
rights and freedoms of every citizen of Armenia,” Karapetiants said.
Nina Karapetiants
The human rights activist said that she expected to hear from the prime minister
about what is being done to repatriate the soldiers. “But instead, it turns out
that we need to understand how much guilt a captured, tortured or killed soldier
has had. But are there any questions to the generals, to the officers of these
soldiers or questions for your own self? Why were our soldiers left defenseless?
Why were they taken prisoner? Why can’t we repatriate our soldiers from
captivity?” the human rights activist said.
Karapetiants said that while discussing whose negligence it was in every case
may be necessary, it is more urgent now to get people out of captivity today.
“But it is clear that it couldn’t be through the guilt of a soldier who has
served in the army for only six months. These soldiers had officers and generals
above them to manage all that, they had their minister of defense and finally
they had the commander-in-chief. These are issues that couldn’t be solved by a
private,” she said.
Over a hundred Armenian POWs and other detainees have been repatriated from
Azerbaijan since the end of hostilities in and around Nagorno-Karabakh in
November 2020. Scores, however, continue to be held by Azerbaijan despite a
ceasefire provision calling for the return of all captives and hostages.
Pashinian also drew criticism from the opposition last summer after suggesting,
during an election campaign, that Armenian captives could wait a little longer
before they could be released.
“These guys in Baku prisons are struggling for the independence and sovereignty
of Armenia. They will forgive us for staying in captivity for a couple of month
longer. But they will not forgive us if we give up our independence and
sovereignty for the sake of their freedom,” Pashinian told a campaign rally in
Armavir on June 7.
Russian Proposals On Border Demarcation ‘Acceptable’ To Yerevan
Armenian Prime Minister Pashinian presiding over a government session (file
photo)
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Thursday revealed what appears to be
fresh proposals by Russia regarding the process of delimitation and demarcation
of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
“The Russian Defense Ministry has made proposals on the preparatory stage of
delimitation and demarcation,” Pashinian said in his remarks during a government
session.
“These proposals are acceptable to Armenia,” he added.
Pashinian’s remarks came two days after Armenia and Azerbaijan clashed along
their un-demarcated border, with both sides reporting casualties among their
militaries.
Pashinian today asked Armenia’s Defense Minister Suren Papikian “to clarify the
details” of the proposals with his Russian counterpart. “Let’s try to implement
the process within the framework of the proposals made by the Russian
Federation,” Pashinian said, without elaborating.
During a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday
Pashinian accused Azerbaijan of torpedoing the process by not responding to
three Russian proposals on border delimitation and demarcation made since May
when the current crisis began along the Soviet-era border between the two former
socialist republics.
Pashinian reminded that still half a year ago he said at a government session
that there was a document on the table that he was going to sign. “But why
wasn’t that document signed? [The document wasn’t signed] because it did not
reach the stage of the offer of signing... In my impression the process did not
move forward because of Azerbaijan’s not giving a concrete answer,” he said.
After Armenian-Azerbaijani border clashes on November 16 Russia reiterated its
call on both sides to engage in the process of border delimitation and
demarcation.
“The latest developments demonstrate the importance of this process, including
the need for a relevant commission to work on the basis of proposals made by the
Russian side,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said during
a news briefing in Moscow on Wednesday.
During a meeting with Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigorian in
Moscow the same day his Russian counterpart Nikolay Patrushev said that the
Russian side was ready to provide relevant assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan
in the delimitation and demarcation of their border.
Earlier, the United States and the European Union also urged Yerevan and Baku to
work towards resolving “outstanding issues”, including border demarcation.
OSCE Hails Ceasefire Between Armenia, Azerbaijan
Swedish Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ann Linde
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has welcomed the
ceasefire reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan through Russian mediation after
the latest flare-up of violence along the borders between the two South Caucasus
nations.
The OSCE’s chairperson-in-office Ann Linde said on Twitter on November 17 that
she had spoken to Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
“I welcomed the ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan after Russian mediation
and called for de-escalation,” she said, expressing “deep regret” over the loss
of life during the November 16 clashes along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
The Swedish diplomat also said that she reiterated support for a continued
process through the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and her personal representative.
In another Twitter post Linde said that she had a “good conversation” on
November 18 with Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Jeyhun Bayramov “on recent
developments in the region.”
“[I] called for continued de-escalation. [I] reiterated support for [the]
process through [the] Minsk Group Co-Chairs and my Personal Representative,” she
wrote.
Armenia and Azerbaijan announced a Moscow-mediated ceasefire late on Tuesday
after nearly six hours of clashes between their armed forces along portions of
the border between the two South Caucasus nations.
Yerevan confirmed yesterday that one Armenian soldier was killed in the clashes
and 24 others went missing, while 13 servicemen were taken prisoner by
Azerbaijan.
In a statement today Armenia’s Defense Ministry said that the body of another
Armenian soldier who participated in the Tuesday clashes was transported from
Baku to Yerevan yesterday.
Azerbaijan reported that seven of its soldiers were killed and 10 others were
wounded in what was the worst fighting between Armenians and Azerbaijanis since
last year’s 44-day war over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia’s Defense Ministry today also accused Azerbaijani armed forces of
opening sporadic fire in some directions along the northeastern part of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border, saying that “the enemy fire was suppressed by
retaliatory actions.”
Azerbaijan, for its part, accused Armenia of firing at its military positions in
the Tovuz district late on Wednesday, Azerbaijani media wrote, citing the
country’s Defense Ministry.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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