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Artsakh can never be part of Azerbaijan. Vice president of Armenian parliament receives Ambassador of France

Chmshkian Vicken

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 18:17,

YEREVAN, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS. Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ishkhan Saghatelyan received French Ambassador to Armenia Anne Louyot and the First Adviser of the French Embassy in Armenia Christophe Katsahian.

 Welcoming the guests, Ishkhan Saghatelyan highly appreciated the Armenian-French friendly relations. “France is one of the most important and friendly countries of Armenia in Europe. We have permanently seen the support of France to the Republic of Armenia, and we are concerned about developing the bilateral relations,” Vice President of the National Assembly underlined.

Ishkhan Saghatelyan presented the situation created in Armenia and in Artsakh in the post-war period, noting that both Armenia and Artsakh have the most serious security problems at this moment. After the ceasefire Azerbaijan continues its threatening rhetoric, aggression and the policy of evictions of Armenians from Artsakh. In this context Ishkhan Saghatelyan noted that the Azerbaijani armed forces invaded the sovereign territory of Armenia in two directions on the previous year and continue remaining there.

Touching upon the Artsakh problem and the processes going on around it, Ishkhan Saghatelyan informed that a few days ago they exploded the pipeline from the Azerbaijani side in Artsakh, putting about 100.000 Artsakh residents before the humanitarian disaster. And plus, to this there are various threats also directed to the residents to leave the villages. “We greatly highlight the response of the international community and the distinct assessment to what is happening. The problem of Artsakh should be resolved within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship,” the National Assembly Vice President stressed, adding that this format should be able to be kept despite the wish of Azerbaijan. “Our position is that Artsakh can never be part of Azerbaijan,” the opposition deputy underlined.

The Ambassador inquired about the relations of the opposition with the authorities, not nominating candidate for the President of the Republic by the opposition, the issues of signing a peace treaty with Azerbaijan, the Armenian-Turkish relations, etc. In her turn, Ambassador Anne Louyot underscored the Armenian-French high level relations, emphasized the meetings with the parliamentary opposition. The Ambassador has informed that France attentively follows the actions happening on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Regarding the issue of the NK conflict settlement, Anne Louyot assured that France maintains its positions within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship in order to be able to help both sides to establish peace and stability in the region.

Armenia`s former human rights defender severely critical of Ministry of Defense

Chmshkian Vicken
ARMINFO
Armenia –
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo.Armenia’s former Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan is concerned over the video prepared by Armenia’s Ministry of Defense, which justifies the Azerbaijani  criminal actions in Armenia’s territory.  

“The wording obviously proves political reasons behind that, to  preclude political discontent and conceal Azerbaijani incursion into  the village of Nerqin Hand, Kapan community, from our society.  This  statement by the Ministry of Defense is most reprehensible, as it is  a disregard for the security and fundamental rights of the residents  in the borderland.

“The facts prove that most of the pastures, cultivable lands,  residential areas and cemeteries are now easy targets for  Azerbaijan,” Mr Tatoyan’s statement reads. 

“According to the explanation by the Ministry of Defense, are  Azerbaijani troops expected to stand near each house for the village  to be considered under surveillance? What approach to security is it?  What else could legitimate Azerbaijani crimes and justify the  disregard for people’s security?

“However hard we insist, at the international level, that the  Azerbaijani armed forces must be forced out of our villages, the  Azerbaijani side will take advantage of the video released by the  Ministry of Defense of March 21 as well as of the previous statements  and claim that their troops are just deployed near Nerqin Hand and do  not cause any trouble or security problems to the people. Therefore,  the explanation by the Ministry of Defense is illegal and cannot  serve as a basis for ensuring the Armenian population’s security,  defense of Armenia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” the  statement reads.

It is important for Russia that Armenia feels safe – Ambassador Kopirkin

Chmshkian Vicken

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 16:10,

YEREVAN, 26 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. Russia is not going to occupy Ukraine. The Russian side is interested in having an independent, including independent from foreign governments, prosperous neighbor which will represent the interests of all segments of Ukrainian society, Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopirkin said in an exclusive interview with ARMENPRESS.

Touching upon the fear that given the situation around Ukraine, Azerbaijan may use the opportunity to escalate the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the Ambassador reminded that Russia values the relations with Armenia. According to him, it is important that the Armenian people feel safe, and the guarantor of that is the Armenian-Russian allied relations.

“You know very well that we value the relations between the two countries, we see them as an important factor for maintaining security and peace in the region. Particulraly because it allows Russia to play a mediating role in resolving existing and emerging issues.

We use this factor in our active efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the settlement of border issues and the creation of conditions for the peaceful and secure development of the region. Naturally, it is very important that these efforts be strengthened by the political will of both sides, by their willingness to seek mutually acceptable solutions and agreements. We are actively working with Yerevan and Baku on this.

And, of course, it is important for us that Armenia and the Armenian people feel safe. It is guaranteed by our allied relations, the tendency of our countries to deepen and strengthen them”, the Russian Ambassador said.

Answering the question of what impact can the western sanctions and declining Russian currency have on  bilateral economic relations, Ambassador Kopirkin said, “I want to emphasize that Russia does not recognize unilateral sanctions. We consider them illegal, contrary to the spirit and letter of international law, according to which only the UN Security Council can take coercive measures.

At the same time, the leadership of the Russian economic and financial system, soberly assessing the “rage of sanctions” in which many Western politicians are, took timely counter-measures. Stable banks, commercial-financial information exchange systems, active import substitution program. Much has been done over the years since our Western partners first thought that they could force us to relinquish our sovereign right to defend our national interests through sanctions. Let me just remind you that the package of sanctions recently adopted by Washington has become the 101st “post-jubilee”. And a lot will be done in this direction.

The developed toolkit is also about the protection of trade and economic relations with our foreign partners, especially with those with whom we are united by common integration mechanisms. By the way, it is symbolic that the new stage of “sanctions rage” coincided with the regular successful session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Kazakhstan, in which, in particular, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mishustin announced a new integration project, the Eurasian AgroExpress, which aims to simplify and speed up logistics processes in the trade of agricultural products between the member states”, said the Russian Ambassador.

Artsakh parliament unanimously passes bill on occupied territories

Chmshkian Vicken
panorama.am
Armenia – Feb 16 2022


The Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) National Assembly has unanimously passed in the first reading a draft law on territories occupied by Azerbaijan in the 2020 war.

At a special session on Wednesday, lawmakers also approved supplements to the Civil Code of Artsakh.

“The occupation of Artsakh territories during the war waged by Azerbaijan cannot have an impact on the process of determining the final status of the Artsakh Republic and its borders during the future negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the conflict,” MP Artur Mosiyan, who represents the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) party, told lawmakers, presenting the package of bills.

The MP highlighted the need for progressive steps towards the de-occupation of Artsakh territories, the restoration of the country’s territorial integrity, a comprehensive and lasting settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the preservation of the Armenian historical and cultural heritage, as well as the repatriation of forcibly and internally displaced persons.

“The adoption of the bill is an imperative, since most of our country is occupied,” Foreign Minister David Babayan stated.

According to him, the legislation includes the vision of the Artsakh people on their past, present and future.

“This is a historic move, which is not so much for today as for the future,” the FM underlined.

Parliament Speaker Artur Tovmasyan said, in turn, that the bills have security components, which will definitely be discussed by the Security Council.

All the 31 MPs attending the session voted for the bills.

CivilNet: Kocharyan gives his support for Armenia to join Russian-led “union state”

Chmshkian Vicken
CIVILNET.AM

17 Feb, 2022 10:02

  • Former President Robert Kocharyan makes the claim during a press conference that Armenia is moving from the Russian to Turkish sphere of influence.
  • Kocharyan furthermore gives his support for Armenia to join a Russian-led supranational union state.
  • Specialists will begin conducting feasibility studies on restoring one of Armenia’s two shuttered rail connections with Azerbaijan.

Russian forces of strategic containment complete drills

Chmshkian Vicken

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 15:44,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. The Russian forces of the strategic containment have successfully completed the exercises, RIA Novosti reports citing the Kremlin.

During the drills the reliability of the strategic nuclear and non-nuclear armaments of the forces were checked.

The Kremlin said the drills are completed, and all missiles hit the simulated targets, confirming the weaponry’s characteristics.

Deputy PM comments on Pashinyan’s statement on North-South, East-West project

Chmshkian Vicken

Deputy PM comments on Pashinyan’s statement on North-South, East-West project

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 20:37,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. Unblocking means building infrastructure in as many areas as possible, ARMENPRESS reports Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan said, commenting on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement today on the “North-South, East-West” transport project.

“I have said many times, and the Prime Minister has said, that our ultimate goal is to have a scenario of unblocking that will bring stability to the region, that the infrastructure will have a regional significance. It means that the more communication opportunities there are, the more efficient our expenses will be, the more efficient our infrastructure will be, the more economically efficient our initiative will be,” he said.

During today’s Cabinet meeting, PM Pashinyan said that in the context of the opening of regional connections the Armenian government re-formulated the North-South project and is terming it “North-South, East-West” Project, or “Armenian Crossroads”.

“We hope to implement this project with fast pace. Essentially this means that one of the branches, I mean the North-South, East-West, or in short one of the branches of the Armenian Crossroads, will connect north with south, meaning, essentially, from the Republic of Armenia to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the other branch, essentially, Azerbaijan, Armenia and in the future towards Nakhijevan and Turkey. We place this project in this general context. We hope we’ll have a construction company by yearend who will implement the work. Of course the east-west section of the road project isn’t done but we will realize this in the context of reaching further agreements,” Pashinyan said.




Asbarez: Aliyev Touts ‘Zangezur Corridor’ as Viable Energy Export Route

Chmshkian Vicken
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan during the opening of a power station in Gobu on Feb. 11

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan on Friday again brought up his scheme to establish the so-called “Zangezur Corridor,” this time touting it as an essential and viable route to export energy to Turkey and Iran.

Since the end of the 2020 Artsakh War, Aliyev has insisted on opening a direct connection between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan through Armenia. This has become known as the “Zangezur Corridor,” the establishment of which has been mentioned as a precondition by Ankara as it aims to normalize relations with Yerevan. The Armenian government has rejected this “corridor,” but instead has agreed to opening a rail link that extends from Yeraskh to Nakhichevan, Iran, the Syunik Province and into Azerbaijan—all part of the November 9, 2020 agreement that ended the military actions in the war.

Aliyev, on Friday, told the AzerTac news agency, that his plans for the so-called “Zangezur Corridor” extend beyond a road and railway transport link and include the export of energy.

“We have energy links with all four neighboring countries, and now we are working on a new project,” Aliyev told AzerTac. “Now we are planning to build a new line through the ‘Zangezur corridor’ from Azerbaijan to the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic and from there to Turkey and Iran.”

“As I have previously stated, Zangezur corridor is not only for railways, roads and air transport,” Aliyev insisted, adding that his proposed scheme accelerate Azerbaijan’s dominance in the international arena.

“We will have a new line to supply electricity to the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, which is an inseparable part of Azerbaijan, and from there to foreign markets, and then to Turkey and Europe,” Aliyev said.

“Our increased exports will bolster our geopolitical importance and bring us additional foreign currency. We will earn money not only from oil and natural gas, but also from electricity, and we live prosperous lives in our country,” Aliyev said.

During all discussion on opening transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russia and other stakeholders have insisted that in advancing this process, the territorial integrity of each country must be respected.

Armenia ex-President: Did you hear clear answer from Armenian officials about future of Karabakh issue?

Chmshkian Vicken
  News.am  
Armenia – Jan 31 2022
00:12, 01.02.2022

We are not fascists and we are not racists to say that the parliament of Nagorno-Karabakh must consist only of Armenians, the third president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said this in an exclusive interview, countering arguments by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that if elections were held in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijanis participated in them too and were elected, it means that Artsakh would not be purely Armenian.

“Are there only Armenians elected in the Armenian National Assembly today? What does it all mean? If this is yet another manipulation, it’s a failed one. If this is – what can I say – an issue about lack of knowledge, then it’s ridiculous. What I am saying is, of course, also a message to the international community, because the very same co-chairmen, even after the disastrous war still were speaking about the basic principles,” he said.

In response to a comment that it had been a long time since the co-chairs had spoken, Serzh Sargsyan said, “It’s been a while because no one is speaking about that any more. Have you come across any clear answer by the incumbent Armenian officials about the future of the Karabakh issue? The most they do is making references to their government program adopted still before or maybe after the war. Why is that the case? Are they shy? Are they afraid? Or, as they say, they have some verbal agreements that impede making such statements?”

Azerbaijani press: Azerbaijani defence chief received by Iranian president [PHOTO]

Chmshkian Vicken
27 January 2022 10:00 (UTC+04:00)
673

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Zakir Hasanov was received by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on January 26 as part of his official visit to Tehran.

“The sides expressed satisfaction with the development of bilateral friendly relations between the two countries in various spheres, including military cooperation, and exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest,” the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said.

Hasanov briefed Raisi on the ongoing reconstruction in Azerbaijan’s liberated lands following the 44-day war victory over Armenia in 2020.

The minister expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and conveyed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s greetings to Iranian President Raisi.

Raisi stated that Azerbaijan and Iran have traditionally coexisted peacefully for generations and that bilateral relations between the two countries are flourishing in all fields.

He emphasized the importance of reciprocal visits in developing relations and stated that friendly and brotherly ties between the two countries would continue to develop effectively in the coming years.

Hasanov also paid a visit to the Azerbaijani embassy in Iran.

Earlier, Hasanov and Iran’s high-ranking military officials discussed prospects of Azerbaijan-Iran cooperation in the fields of military, military-technical, and military medicine, the organization of mutual visits of expert groups, and other issues of interest.

The parties emphasized that the experience of fruitful collaboration at the bilateral, regional, and international levels provides a solid foundation for the continued development of Azerbaijan-Iran relations.

Furthermore, in a video-format meeting with the delegation led by Iran’s Road and Urban Development Minister, co-chair of Azerbaijan-Iran Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation Rostam Ghasemi on January 25, President Ilham Aliyev said that after the 44-day war with Armenia “great opportunities have emerged for regional cooperation. After the war, Iranian-Azerbaijani relations have expanded in this direction. A very promising 3+3 cooperation platform has been put in place to establish regional cooperation. The first meeting has already taken place. I am confident that these meetings will be held on a regular basis in the interests of countries of the region”.

Aliyev expressed confidence that Iranian companies will begin to work actively in the liberated lands in the near future. He stressed that the relevant instructions had been given to Azerbaijan’s Economy Ministry in this regard.

The president added that other issues, such as the creation of the North-South transport corridor, the construction of the Khudafarin Hydroelectric Power Stations, the construction of a bridge over Astarachay, will certainly be among the priorities of the intergovernmental commission.

“I must also say that my meeting with the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran in late November was very successful and important, as it opens new opportunities for Iranian-Azerbaijani relations. This means the opening of a new page in our relations, a page of friendship and brotherhood,” he said.

To recap, Baku and Tehran have already signed a protocol on the construction of a new bridge over the Astarachay River on the Azerbaijani-Iranian border.

It should be noted that after a period of aggravated tensions and a series of regrettable episodes that should have been avoided, Azerbaijani-Iranian relations entered a new age of rapprochement in late 2021.

Iran was one of the 10 signatories of the final declaration of the 15th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) which, amongst many other clauses, incorporated a congratulatory part dedicated to Azerbaijan’s victory in the 2020 war and the restoration of its territorial integrity. On top of that, a new gas swap deal was signed by Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Iran, which is perceived as another indication that the recent political rupture has been left behind.

On November 28, 2021, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan signed a trilateral agreement on swapping gas supplies in Ashgabat. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi.

The agreement envisages deliveries of 1.5 to 2 billion cubic meters of gas each year, with Turkmenistan supplying gas to Iran and Iran delivering an equal quantity of gas to Azerbaijan. Thus, under the trilateral deal, Turkmenistan will sell 5-6 million cubic meters of gas per day to Azerbaijan. These volumes are expected to increase in the future.

After liberating its lands from Armenian occupation in the 44-day war in 2020, Azerbaijan regained control over a 132-km section of the Azerbaijan-Iran border. The re-establishment of control over the state border opened up new prospects for deeper cooperation between the two countries.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan and Iran’s trade turnover in 2020 was $339.1 million. In the first 11 months of 2021, this figure was $390.4 million.