Monday,
Russian Border Guards Beef Up Deployment In Armenian Region
• Nane Sahakian
A Russian military post on a highway running along the Armenian-Azerbaijani
border.
Russian border guards reportedly set up an additional post on Armenia’s border
with Azerbaijan at the weekend after what Armenian officials described as
gunshots fired by Azerbaijani forces.
Authorities in Armenia’s Syunik province said on Monday that Azerbaijani
servicemen deployed near Agarak, an Armenian village several kilometers east of
the provincial capital Kapan, continuously fired small arms in the air on
Saturday for unknown reasons.
According the provincial administration, Russian border guards deployed in the
area documented the sporadic gunfire and established an additional outpost at
the border section in response to the incident.
The village chief, Hayk Sahakian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that there was
no further shooting there on Sunday and Monday. Despite the relative calm many,
villagers remain concerned about their security, he said, arguing that the
nearest Azerbaijani position is only about 1 kilometer from Agarak.
The office of the Armenian human rights ombudsman, Arman Tatoyan, released what
it described as a mobile phone video shot by an Armenian border guard deployed
outside Agarak. The short video caught the sound of intense automatic gunfire.
In a statement, Tatoyan said that such gunshots are a regular occurrence in
Syunik villages bordering three districts southwest of Nagorno-Karabakh which
were retaken by Azerbaijan during and after the autumn war. He condemned the
incidents as a security threat to the local population.
“They shoot sporadically,” said Sahakian. “When they use tracer bullets we can
see that they fire towards the village.”
During the six-week war Russia deployed soldiers and border guards to Syunik to
help the Armenian military defend the region against possible Azerbaijani
attacks. Russian troops currently also patrol sections of the main regional
highway running along the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontier.
Opposition Leader Favors Election Boycott
• Gayane Saribekian
Armenia -- Opposition leader Vazgen Manukian talks to supporters at Liberty
Square, Yerevan, .
The Armenian opposition must boycott fresh parliamentary elections if they are
held by the current government, a leader of an opposition alliance campaigning
for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s resignation said on Monday.
Vazgen Manukian, whom the Homeland Salvation Movement alliance has nominated as
a caretaker prime minister, said any opposition participation in such elections
would be a “disgrace.”
“That would mean legitimizing this continuing treason,” Manukian told reporters
after holding another meeting with supporters at Yerevan’s Liberty Square.
The remarks contradict the position of some of the 17 opposition parties making
up the alliance. The largest of them, Prosperous Armenia (BHK), has made clear
that it would participate in possible snap polls organized by the current
government. BHK leader Gagik Tsarukian reaffirmed this stance in an interview
with the “Hraparak” newspaper published over the weekend.
Former President Robert Kocharian, who is reportedly cooperating with the
Homeland Salvation Movement, has also spoken out against an election boycott.
Pashinian offered to hold elections on December 25 in response to
anti-government protests sparked by the outcome of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Opposition forces dismissed the proposal, insisting on his resignation and the
formation of an interim government.
The ruling My Step bloc pointed to the opposition stance when it stated on
February 7 that Pashinian and his allies see no need to dissolve the current
parliament. It also claimed that most Armenians do not want snap elections.
A senior member of the bloc, Ruben Rubinian, said on Monday that Pashinian’s
team could consider the possibility of such a vote only if there is an agreement
with the opposition.
“They can’t even reach agreements among themselves,” he said, pointing to
Manukian’s remarks. “Some of those forces say one thing while others another.”
Ishkhan Saghatelian, the movement coordinator, downplayed the election-related
differences within the opposition alliance.
“We have a 100 percent consensus on the ouster of this government of evil,”
argued Saghatelian. “The forces making up the movement have rallied around this
agenda. Apart from that, they have no obligations and agreements.”
He said that the opposition push for Pashinian’s resignation “will continue with
fresh momentum.”
The Homeland Salvation Movement is scheduled to resume its anti-government
demonstrations on February 20.
Chinese-Armenian Trade Grows Despite Global Recession
Armenia -- Armenian President Armen Sarkissian (R) visits China's newly built
embassy complex in Yerevan, September 23, 2020.
China solidified last year its position as Armenia’s second largest trading
partner after Russia due to a sharp increase in Armenian exports to the People’s
Republic, government data shows.
According to the Armenian government’s Statistical Committee, Armenia’s overall
exports and imports fell in 2020 amid a global recession caused by the
coronavirus pandemic.
Chinese-Armenian trade bucked this trend, rising by 2 percent to $965 million on
the back of an almost 50 percent surge in Armenian exports to China, which
totaled $290 million. That offset a more than 10 percent drop in the import of
Chinese goods to the South Caucasus country.
China thus accounted for 13.6 percent of Armenia’s foreign trade, compared with
Russia’s 30.3 percent share in the total.
The official figures released by the Statistical Committee also show that
Armenia’s trade with European Union member states shrunk by as much as 23
percent to around $1.3 billion. The latter accounted for 18 percent of Armenian
import and export operations.
Both the current and former Armenian governments have maintained a cordial
relationship with Beijing and sought to cement it with closer commercial ties.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian reaffirmed this policy when he congratulated
China’s President Xi Jinping on the Chinese New Year last week.
“Armenia is eager to consistently develop and strengthen the traditionally
friendly relations with China,” Pashinian wrote to Xi.
Xi praised bilateral ties and called for “joint efforts to elevate our
multifaceted cooperation to a new level” in a congratulatory message to
President Armen Sarkissian sent in September.
President Returns To Armenia After COVID-19 Infection
Armenia - President Armen Sarkissian (C) returns to Yerevan more than one month
after being infected with the coronavirus.
President Armen Sarkissian returned to Armenia at the weekend more than one
month after testing positive for the coronavirus during a private tip to Britain.
“At doctors’ urging, the president is continuing treatment in Yerevan too,”
Sarkissian’s office said in a short statement issued on Monday. It gave no
details.
Sarkissian reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus days after travelling
to the United Kingdom in late December to spend New Year’s Eve with his sons and
grandchildren living in London.
The presidential office announced on January 13 that the 67-year-old head of
state was hospitalized there after developing double pneumonia and showing other
symptoms of COVID-19. It said on January 26 that he has been discharged from
hospital but has not yet fully recovered from the disease.
During his absence from Armenia, Sarkissian has performed his largely ceremonial
duties remotely, signing decrees, issuing statements and sending letters to
foreign leaders.
It remains unclear whether the president was infected with COVID-19 in Armenia
or Britain. Both countries have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Armenian health authorities have confirmed more than 169,000 coronavirus cases
in the country of about 3 million. The real number of cases is believed to be
much higher.
The daily number of new COVID-19 infections registered by the authorities has
fallen sharply over the last three months.
The Ministry of Health reported on Monday that six more Armenians have died from
COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 3,147.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2021 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
Author: Edgar Tavakalian
Building peace in the South Caucasus and post-war reality in Nagorno-Karabakh
KSU | The Sentinel Newspaper
Feb 14 2021
The year 2020 has been full of challenges – starting with the pandemic and ending with the global slowdown in the global economy. But one episode gave hope that one of the oldest and bloodiest conflicts in post-Soviet territory would finally be resolved: the second Karabakh war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which resulted in the liberation of all. the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The Armenian occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan, which began on the eve of the collapse of the Soviet Union, continued until September 27, 2020. It was on this date that the Azerbaijani army launched a counterattack in response to the new policy of the Armenian leadership, formulated when the Armenian Minister of Defense declared: “new war for new territories”.
The new conflict ended after 44 days of war. On November 10, 2020, Baku time, under the mediation of Russia, the Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia signed a historic document – a joint declaration – which interrupted the military confrontation and opened up new opportunities for the peacebuilding process in the region.
The Second Karabakh War closed a page of flagrant violation of international law caused by Armenia, which invalidates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan with the tacit consent of the international community. Ignoring four UN Security Council resolutions adopted in 1993 calling for the immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Azerbaijan’s lands and creating the conditions for internally displaced persons to be able to go home.
Armenia, using the strategy of “negotiations in the name of negotiations”, also opposed the position of international mediators vis-à-vis the Minsk group represented by Russia, France and the United States. Azerbaijan has never tolerated this tactic and has always insisted on its legitimate right to restore territorial integrity and protect its internationally recognized border by all legal means enshrined in international law, and the action of the year last produced this result.
Even before and after the Second Karabakh War, Azerbaijan was supported by its justified position by sister nations – such as Turkey and Pakistan – and by several international organizations. Today, we are beginning to rehabilitate the liberated lands in order to create the conditions that will allow the displaced people to finally return to their homes. Unfortunately, the Armenian occupation left nothing but ruins, havoc and destroyed natural resources in these territories and Azerbaijan will have to build everything from scratch.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his appeal to the nation said that all Armenians – inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh – after obtaining citizenship of Azerbaijan will receive the same rights and privileges as all citizens of the country in accordance with the Azerbaijani Constitution.
Today Azerbaijan calls for the constant implementation of the Joint Declaration of 10 November and this process has already started with new opportunities beneficial not only for Azerbaijan and Armenia, but for other countries of the region. We look to the future, when all communications in the region are restored, people will return to their lands and begin to live without fear of future conflicts. We believe that together we will succeed!
Elkhan Polukhov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan, PhD
Pakistan’s Military Involvement In The Nagorno-Karabakh War
MEMRI
Feb 9 2021
February 9, 2021
On October 2, 2020, the government of Pakistan sought to deny media reports that Pakistani soldiers were aiding the Azeri military against Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh war (September 27-November 10, 2020). The Pakistani newspapers of the next morning, October 3, quoted Zahid Hafeez Chaudri, the spokesman of the Foreign Office in Islamabad, as saying that such media reports were “speculative and baseless” and “irresponsible.”[1]
After this official denial of involvement, Pakistani journalists came under increased pressure not to write about the Pakistani military’s role in the Nagorno-Karabakh war. In this paper, I will examine the Pakistani view of Pakistan’s role in this war in which Azerbaijan defeated Armenia with the military help of Turkey and Pakistan. The Nagorno-Karabakh is a region where about 1,000 mujahideen from Afghanistan went to fight in the early years of the 1990s, according to the Pakistani media.[2]
This regional war of 2020, carried out when the international community’s attention was consumed by the Coronavirus outbreak, is a key part of an emerging trilateral alliance in this region. Recently, MEMRI has published a series of research papers on this subject, notably: “A New Alliance Rising In The East – Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, China – And Its Enemies – The U.S. and India;”[3] and “Under The Emerging Turkey-Pakistan Strategic Alliance, Pakistan May Provide Turkey With Nuclear Weapons Capabilities.”[4]
Pakistani, Turkish, and Azeri flags on a wall in Karabakh after capture by Azerbaijan.[5]
On October 1, a day before Pakistan’s denial, the Urdu-language daily Roznama Ummat wrote: “After the beginning of the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Pakistan and Turkey are siding with the brother-Islamic country of Azerbaijan.”[6] Noting that Turkey is “openly” aiding Azerbaijan, the daily wrote further: “Being a close ally [of Turkey] and a Muslim country, Pakistan has also announced clearly support for Azerbaijan.”[7]
Syed Ali Haider, a senior journalist and host with Pakistan’s leading TV channel Samaa, posted a video about Pakistan’s role in the Nagorno-Karabakh war on YouTube which was highlighted in Urdu as “Pakistani air force ki tarbiyat kaam dikha gayi” – i.e., “Pakistani air force’s training worked” wonders against Armenia.[8] The video includes a clip of a MiG fighter jet flown by a young Azeri pilot who later died fighting Armenia and whom Haider celebrates as a “martyr,” recommending that Azerbaijan honor him with their highest military award.[9]
However, the video’s primary purpose is to celebrate the Pakistan air force’s role in training Azeri pilots during the war. The clip included in the video could not have been obtained without access to the Pakistani military. In English, the YouTube video is titled: “Pakistan’s training to Azerbaijani Pilots.”[10] Haider’s video, which does not appear to have been telecast on his Samaa television channel, was posted to YouTube five days after Pakistan’s official denial.
Haider had also posted, two days after Pakistan’s official denial, another video on YouTube. In this video, Haider sought to find out “the reason for Azeris’ love for Pakistan, which they have begun to express clearly for the past few days.”[11] He says: “One big important thing they have done is this: in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, where these days tourism has begun walking, Pakistanis have started going in large numbers there in Baku, and tourism there is cheap, and visas for Pakistanis arrive stamped just in days, there is a large number of Pakistanis going there; and Allah willing, even I intend to go there once the clouds of war stop…”[12]
Haider’s video was posted on October 2, and the preceding nine to ten months saw lockdowns and international travel restrictions across the world due to the Coronavirus pandemic. So, it is surprising how large numbers of Pakistanis were visiting Azerbaijan in the period before October 2020 and after, unless of course they had official authorization from the government of Pakistan, most likely from the Pakistani military. This is process of Pakistanis visiting Azerbaijan in significant numbers seems, as discussed below, to have begun much before the Nagorno-Karabakh war began on September 27, 2020.
So, how was Baku for Pakistanis? Haider asks and responds: “Viewers, the Azeris there had hung flags of Pakistan and Turkey on their buildings, their residences, their offices. You see, at this time, Azeris are in a state of war, there is a conflict with Armenia, a war is underway formally. Armenia has, for several decades… occupied 30 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory, their people are getting killed in war, they too are hurt; but think, in such a situation, what would have been the need for Azeris to raise the flags of Turkey and Pakistan on their buildings, to unfurl Pakistan’s flag in their homes?”
The television journalist answers: “Pakistan must have done something. Friends, I will tell you what Pakistan has done for Azeris, not only Pakistan as a state, but that you Pakistanis have done something too I will tell you for which all Azeris are thankful.”[13] After these introductory remarks, Haider discusses the background to the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict and why the war is underway. Noting that Pakistan has always supported Azerbaijan, he begins to draw a parallel with the Kashmir situation.
“Friends, if Azerbaijan can wrest its share [of territory] from Armenia, a stronger power than itself, by military muscle, by fighting, which we call by sword, which we call by the strength of arms, here I am not endorsing a war, but Pakistan too should not be afraid of India. If Azerbaijan can make Armenia eat chickpeas through the nose, then Pakistan’s army is many times better than that of Azerbaijan [to do this to India in Kashmir],” he says.[14] Toward the conclusion, Haider adds: “Viewers, this is such a war in which, even unwillingly we are part of it, and as part of our own wish we are with Azerbaijan.”[15]
Pakistanis and Turkish flags hang over the balconies of a residential building in Baku
On October 8, Roznama Ummat published a report titled as “Pandemonium among enemies after Azerbaijan’s _expression_ of gratitude to Pakistan – Pakistan’s ambassador in Baku given a briefing on Armenian missile attacks…”[16] The report also noted that a webinar was held by the Azeri Embassy in Pakistan with the support of Pakistani officials on the defense of Azerbaijan.[17]
Among other things, the Urdu daily observed: “Many people had claimed that ‘jihadis’ from Pakistan and Afghanistan were being transferred to Azerbaijan. To some extent, this commotion is not without reason. An article was published in the Azeri-language newspaper Daily Telegraph on October 4 in which the armed forces of Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Turkey were called ‘a power.’ In this article, the size of the armed forces of Pakistan, Azeri forces, and the armed forces of Turkey was discussed. The article also referred to the military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan…”[18]
Pakistan’s military relationship with Azerbaijan is not new. Another report in Roznama Ummat discussed the use of missiles and drones in the Nagorno-Karabakh war. It also noted: “This war is different from the conflict in 1994 when Azerbaijan’s military stood demolished and being helpless after Armenia’s invasion, the Azeri government sought help from the government of Pakistan and the mujahideen of Afghanistan.”[19]
Although the Nagorno-Karabakh war began on September 27, it appears that Pakistan’s support to Azerbaijan might have begun much earlier. In mid-August 2020, the Pakistani vlogger Moin Qazi posted a YouTube video titled, “Which Country Loves Pakistan Most?” The location of posting for the video is Baku. Qazi shows how he is overwhelmed by the love he gets as a Pakistani in Baku – a woman enables him to enter metro when he cannot speak Azeri, a shopkeeper refuses to take money for groceries, a youth shocks him when he says, “Pakistan and Azerbaijan are friends” by responding: “No friends, brothers, brothers.”[20]
In the end, Qazi, who is surprised by the adulation he gets as a Pakistani in Azerbaijan, asks: “But the question arises: why do Azerbaijani people have so much love for Pakistan?” Qazi, being an ordinary Pakistani, is not well placed to answer this question, but Haider, being a journalist and knowledgeable about Pakistan’s military involvement in Azerbaijan, was well placed to do so. Qazi says it is due to Pakistan’s having been is among the first to recognize Azerbaijan in 1992 as the USSR fell apart. Qazi’s vlog was tweeted by the Azeri Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Alizada on January 24, 2021.[21]
December 12, 2020: a photo tweeted by Ambassador Alizada. His tweet reads: “The relief assistance for some of the needs of military personnel and others working in recently liberated territories of #Azerbaijan was delivered to #Baku by Pakistan.”[22]
Roznama Ausaf – an Urdu daily published from six Pakistani cities, and London – carried a report titled as “Conflict with Armenia – Pakistani military’s support for Azerbaijan.”[23] According to the report, the Azeri ambassador to Islamabad Ali Alizada went, on October 9, to the Joint Staff Headquarters of the Pakistani military in Rawalpindi where General Nadeem Raza, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, told him: “The armed forces of Pakistan support completely Azerbaijan’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”[24]
On October 8, a day before the Rawalpindi meeting, a YouTube channel, which reports on Pakistani defense preparedness, noted: “A big delegation group will reach Islamabad today. This group will hold meetings with Pakistan’s secret institutions and higher military officials. During this, it will discuss the purchase of all weapons necessary in the war in Azerbaijan. And the delivery of these weapons will be made available on an emergency basis.”[25]
On the day Ambassador Ali Alizada was meeting General Nadeem Raza, Roznama Ausaf published an editorial titled “The Dream Of Making Pakistan An International Power And The Responsibilities.”[26] The editorial, referring to a statement of Prime Minister Imran Khan about turning Pakistan into a global power, praised the role of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons status achieved against numerous odds, adding: “Countries raising questions on the security of our nuclear assets today consider it a matter of pride to take lessons from our ‘center of excellence.’ If we can achieve excellence in this difficult technology, then why not in other fields?”[27]
After Azerbaijan won the war, there were celebrations in Baku and elsewhere in Azerbaijan. It is not incidental then that the Pakistani national flag, along with the Turkish and Azeri flags, were seen in these celebrations as well as in the liberated areas of Karabakh. On January 17, Ambassador Alizada shared a video of a street in the vicinity of Baku lined with the flags of all three countries, something that cannot be achieved without governmental support.[28] On January 28, Alizada shared a photo of a wall in a freed area of Karabakh with flags of Turkey, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan.[29] After victory, Alizada tweeted that “during the war” Azerbaijan showed strong unity and “was also supported by several countries” that were “with us on these days…”[30]
Haider’s video shows the Pakistani flag in Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s victory
This analysis does not consider accusations of Pakistani military involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh war from non-Pakistani sources, such as the Armenian and Indian media. Pakistan has officially denied its role, but there is more here than meets the eye. After Joe Biden became the president of the United States, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi declared in an interview: “You have to engage with this new Pakistan.”[31] Pakistan is new. Pakistan is bold.
In the same interview, Qureshi sought to explain why the Pakistani flag was seen in Azerbaijan’s celebrations: “We had not handed them (flags), this was the people’s emotions, acceptance and tribute to Pakistan.”[32] This answer is at best a camouflage. Haider is more forthcoming. After Azerbaijan’s victory, the Samaa television host returned to his YouTube channel. In his video, Haider reminds the viewers that they would have got the details of Azerbaijan’s victory, “But I am going to tell you something different. That is, how Azerbaijan has decorated the tiara of its victory to the head of its friend-nation Pakistan, to the head of Turkey; how a Pakistani’s respect has grown in Azerbaijan now, Pakistanis are now going to Baku, not Dubai…”[33]
Haider splashes photos of Pakistan’s flags shown in Azerbaijan’s supermarkets, streets, and victory celebrations, and offers his assessment of the situation: “You can imagine from this how much respect Azeris have begun giving to you and us. Its credit goes to the Pakistani military. This is the Pakistani military’s success, viewers.”[34] He also shows a photo of the Pakistani flag in Karabakh tweeted by Ambassador Alizada and his tweets. Haider notes how Alizada thanked Pakistan for its victory – in his tweet stating “Many thanks @ForeignOfficePk, @OfficialDGISPR & @GovtofPakistan”[35] – and singles out the fact that the Azeri ambassador has especially mentioned @OfficialDGISPR, which denotes the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations, i.e., the Pakistani military.[36]
* Tufail Ahmad is Senior Fellow at MEMRI
[1] Dawn.com (Pakistan), October 2, 2020.
[2] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), September 29, 2020.
[3] MEMRI Daily Brief No. 256, A New Alliance Rising In The East – Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, China – And Its Enemies – The U.S. and India, February 3, 2020.
[4] Daily Brief No. 254, Under The Emerging Turkey-Pakistan Strategic Alliance, Pakistan May Provide Turkey With Nuclear Weapons Capabilities, January 19, 2021.
[5] Facebook.com/pakarmyislam, January 25, 2021.
[6] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), October 1, 2020.
[7] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), October 1, 2020.
[8] YouTube.com/watch?v=jKGLoi_achE, October 7, 2020.
[9] YouTube.com/watch?v=jKGLoi_achE, October 7, 2020.
[10] YouTube.com/watch?v=jKGLoi_achE, October 7, 2020.
[11] Youtube.com/watch?v=BSpE7-lrB2Y, October 4, 2020.
[12] Youtube.com/watch?v=BSpE7-lrB2Y, October 4, 2020.
[13] Youtube.com/watch?v=BSpE7-lrB2Y, October 4, 2020.
[14] Youtube.com/watch?v=BSpE7-lrB2Y, October 4, 2020.
[15] Youtube.com/watch?v=BSpE7-lrB2Y, October 4, 2020.
[16] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), October 8, 2020.
[17] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), October 8, 2020.
[18] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), October 8, 2020.
[19] Roznama Ummat (Pakistan), October 12, 2020.
[20] YouTube.com/watch?v=suuzNpIUCQc, August 13, 2020.
[21] Twitter.com/ali_f_alizada, January 24, 2021.
[22] Twitter.com/ali_f_alizada, December 12, 2020.
[23] Roznama Ausaf (Pakistan), October 10, 2020.
[24] Roznama Ausaf (Pakistan), October 10, 2020.
[25] YouTube.com/watch?v=mL8WqrDO_4A, October 8, 2020.
[26] Roznama Ausaf (Pakistan), October 9, 2020.
[27] Roznama Ausaf (Pakistan), October 9, 2020.
[28] Twitter.com/ali_f_alizada, January 17, 2021.
[29] Twitter.com/ali_f_alizada, January 28, 2021.
[30] Twitter.com/ali_f_alizada, November 10, 2020.
[31] Pakistan Today (Pakistan), January 24, 2021.
[32] Pakistan Today (Pakistan), January 24, 2021.
[33] YouTube.com/watch?v=XFiNkVcnCqE, November 11, 2020.
[34] YouTube.com/watch?v=XFiNkVcnCqE, November 11, 2020.
[35] Twitter.com/ali_f_alizada, November 10, 2020.
[36] YouTube.com/watch?v=XFiNkVcnCqE, November 11, 2020.
Russian de-miners cleared nearly 1242,3 hectares of land in Nagorno Karabakh
10:28,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. The specialists of the International Mine Action Center of the Russian defense ministry continue demining works in the territory of Nagorno Karabakh, the Russian defense ministry reports.
The engineering units of the Russian peacekeeping forces have already cleared nearly 1242,3 hectares of land, 398,8 km long roads. 24,227 explosive devices were found and neutralized.
In the course of demining and clearing the territory of explosive objects in Nagorno Karabakh, Russian peacekeepers use modern robotic systems.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Armenian FM: Turkey has no reason to keep border with Armenia closed anymore
News.am, Armenia
Feb 10 2021
17:46, 10.02.2021
Indeed, the situation is very complicated, and our main goal is to do everything possible to strengthen the security environment around Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which isn’t easy because this is an overall reflection of the geopolitical situation. This is what Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ara Aivazian said during today’s question-and-answer session with government officials in parliament, touching upon MP Gor Gevorgyan’s question on Armenia’s strategy and tactics with regard to the current situation.
“As a state, Armenia obviously needs to aspire to make all efforts to de-escalate the situation, and this will help strengthen the security environment,” he emphasized.
Touching upon the February 1-12 Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises in Kars, the minister said the following:
“Any military exercise is a cause for concern. We see that Turkey is delivering messages. In diplomacy, it is accepted to deliver messages, but taking into consideration the fact that Turkey is the one delivering messages, I believe the time has come for Armenia to be guided by actions, not messages. I’m certain that Turkey will gradually return to normalcy under the pressure of the international community, and this first and foremost means that there is no reason for Turkey to keep Armenia in a blockade anymore. As you know, the closure of the borders was conditioned by the status-quo in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) which changed through the use of force, and now Turkey has no reason to keep the border with Armenia closed,” the minister stated.
Gevorgyan responded by saying that Armenia might face another problem after the de-blockage of borders since the country is dealing with Turkey. The deputy was expecting a different answer from the minister, but the minister said there is no problem in this regard. The MP countered by saying that the military exercises that the neighboring countries are holding with the rhetoric of hostility pose a direct threat.
South Australia recognizes the Republic of Artsakh, condemns Azerbaijan and Turkey
Public Radio of Armenia
Feb 3 2021
Pashinyan’s motorcade met with shouts ‘Traitor’
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 3 2021
The co-founder of “Center of Public Control” NGO, the Homeland party coordinator for Ararat province Arman Davtyan has shared a video on social media, showing citizens shouting at the motorcade of PM Nikol Pshinyan.
The video shows citizens shouting “traitor, traitor” as the motorcade passed through downtown Yerevan.
Russia ready to assist partners in overcoming COVID-19, PM says at EAEU meeting
13:26, 5 February, 2021
ALMATY, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin says additional steps should be taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus, as well as create favorable conditions for safe passenger transportations within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
“The previous year was not easy for the EAEU member states. The fight against coronavirus remains one of the key directions of our cooperation. It’s obvious that the creation of opportunities for vaccination would be a decisive factor. As you know, two vaccines are already registered in Russia, the registration of the third is expected, and according to the decision of the Russian President, a massive vaccination process has started. We are ready to provide our partners with the whole necessary support on this matter and share our experience”, the Russian PM said at the session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
“I Am Travelling Without COVID-19” pilot project has launched. The Russian PM said Armenia, Belarus and Russia are using this project, but he expressed hope that the list of the countries will expand. He added that this will allow people to move freely and travel.
The session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council is taking place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, attended by the Prime Ministers of the EAEU member states – Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Asbarez: AUA Raises $1.5 Million for Veterans’ Education Campaign
February 5, 2021
AUA students who fell in battle during the recent Artsakh war
The American University of Armenia has successfully reached its goal for “Honoring Those Who Served: Investing in our Veterans’ Education” endowed scholarship campaign, raising over 1.5 million dollars for AUA veteran students. Thanks to the remarkable response from the AUA community of supporters, veterans will have access to the top-quality education AUA offers. The campaign positions AUA to welcome back with open arms all the heroes who defended their homeland further enhancing the institution’s vibrant culture that celebrates and supports veterans.
“The immeasurable strength and sustained giving spirit of the AUA network of supporters was, once again, exemplified in reaching the goal set for the ‘Honoring Those Who Served: Investing in our Veterans’ Education‘ campaign. Donations, small and large, poured in within a short period of time as an _expression_ of heartfelt and sincere gratitude to our veterans,” remarks AUA’s Vice President of Development, Gaiane Khachatrian. “The lessons learned from the unprecedented recent challenges imposed by the global pandemic and the war in Artsakh have inspired new perspectives on education and reaffirmed the role AUA must play in cultivating strong leaders who are equipped with the potential to design systemic solutions, propose pioneering development strategies and contribute to advancing our nation.”
The endowment fund established through the “Honoring Those Who Served: Investing in our Veterans’ Education” campaign signals and further strengthens the commitment of the University to this end. Specifically earmarked for veterans, the Fund will ensure success for veteran students and create pathways for their professional growth and opportunities for career advancement.
The Fund also has established named scholarships in honor of those six AUA students who fell in battle: Shavarsh Muradyan, Davit Uzunyan, Erik Hajikyan, Aziz Aghajanyan, Areg Gevorgyan, and Hakob Hakobyan. The memory of these heroes of the recent Artsakh war will live on forever at AUA through the scholarships awarded every year to other soldiers studying at AUA.
“Funding this endowed scholarship creates enduring tuition support and opportunities for our enrolled veteran students. The recent war has emphasized that education has a crucial role to play, universities serving as great institutions and making substantial impact on society. This dedicated scholarship has the potential for veterans to gain a transformational experience at AUA and ensure their success,” remarks AUA President Karin Markides. “The ‘Honoring Those Who Served: Investing in our Veterans’ Education’ campaign is just one of the pragmatic and constructive measures the University has taken to provide our veteran students with the right level of support for making a successful transition to student life. Shavarsh, Davit, Erik, Aziz, Areg, Hakob and every soldier who tragically lost their lives defending Armenia’s borders have made us more resolute in our commitment to our servicemen.”
Though the “Honoring Those Who Served: Investing in Our Veterans’ Education” campaign has attained its goal, it continues to stay open for new donations. You may make a secure donation online. To learn more about the impact of the campaign and other initiatives at AUA in support of veteran students, please visit our website.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.
Tehran: Dark side of the deal [about the transport links between Azerbaijan and the exclave of Nakhchivan]
Mehr News Agency, Iran
Jan 25 2021
Dark side of the deal
January 25, 2021 – 21:43
TEHRAN – The war between Azerbaijan and Armenia came to an end when the two countries agreed to a Russian-brokered deal on November 10. The deal brought an end to more than six weeks of deadly clashes that killed thousands of people on both sides but it created new concerns about the future of Nagorno-Karabakh and the geopolitics of the broader region.
Although the November deal was welcomed by regional countries as a positive development toward peace and security, it sparked confusion and concerns in some countries in the region that need to be addressed as soon as possible.
The war over the Nagorno-Karabakh region broke out in late September when Armenian and Azerbaijani forces exchanged fire along the contact lines in the disputed region. Initially, the clashes appeared to be an evanescent moment in the decades-long sporadic clashes between the two South Caucasus nations. But over time, it became increasingly obvious that things will be different this time around. While Azerbaijan used a variety of state-of-the-art weapons, especially combat drones, Armenia heavily relied on decrepit weapons that failed to prevent Azerbaijan’s armed forces from retaking large swathes of territories in the disputed region.
The Armenia-Azerbaijan war lasted for 44 days. In the final days of the war, Russia succeeded in bringing both sides of the conflict back to the negotiating table and convincing them into signing a deal to put an end to the deadly war.
On November 10, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin issued a joint statement declaring that they have signed a 9-article deal on ending the war.
According to the deal, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to “a complete ceasefire and termination of all hostilities in the area of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” with Armenia admitting to return several districts to Azerbaijan such as Aghdam, Kalbajar and Lachin in a few weeks.
The ceasefire deal allowed Russia to deploy peacemaking forces in the region concurrently with the withdrawal of the Armenian troops for a period of five years, which will be automatically extended for subsequent five-year terms unless either Party notifies about its intention to terminate this clause six months before the expiration of the current term.
The deal established a new route connecting Armenia to the Armenian enclave in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. It also included an article stipulating that “new transport links” between Azerbaijan and the exclave of Nakhchivan Autonomous region, a move that caused huge debates – and in some cases concerns- in the region as the war was being fought far away from Nakhchivan.
The last article of the ceasefire deal vaguely stipulates, “All economic and transport connections in the region shall be unblocked. The Republic of Armenia shall guarantee the security of transport connections between the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in order to arrange unobstructed movement of persons, vehicles and cargo in both directions. The Border Guard Service of the Russian Federal Security Service shall be responsible for overseeing the transport connections. As agreed by the Parties, new transport links shall be built to connect the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and the western regions of Azerbaijan.”
This article was apparently left out of public discussion intentionally given the sensitivity of the issue. The deal speaks of “new transport links” between mainland Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan but it does not say where and when these links will be established. Will they be constructed near Iran’s border with Armenia? If yes, how will they affect border movements between Iran and Armenia?
Iranian officials were under pressure from public opinion to give a clear-cut answer to these questions. They have tried to soothe concerns in this regard by saying that the Iranian government will defend the country’s national interests. But they did not -or maybe they were unable to – provide any details about the Nakhchivan-Azerbaijan route.
Upon his arrival in Baku on Sunday evening, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he will discuss with the leaders of Azerbaijan the situation around the Nagorno-Karabakh region as well as transit routes and corridors but he didn’t say whether these corridors include those connecting Nakhchivan and the western territories of Azerbaijan.
During his visit to Baku, Zarif met with several high-ranking Azerbaijani officials including Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.
Zarif discussed with Bayramov issues related to the East-West and the North-South corridors, according to two statements issued by the foreign ministries of Iran and Azerbaijan.
“The Iranian foreign minister finally described the establishment of calm in the region as a great opportunity for mutual cooperation in the transit industry and bringing into operation the East-West and the North-South corridors,” the Iranian statement said.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry confirmed that the two ministers discussed the issue of corridors while implying that the Nakhchivan-Azerbaijan corridor was also discussed.
“During the meeting, the ministers discussed the current situation in the region, the implementation of the trilateral statements of November 10, 2020 and January 11, 2021. It was noted that new opportunities for cooperation have been opened up in the region, including the prospects for the development of North-South and South-West transport and transit corridors,” Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
The last article of “the trilateral statements of November 10, 2020” deals with the issue of Azerbaijan-Nakhchivan transport links so this issue was likely a part of the two minister’s discussion.