13:37, 7 July 2023
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will visit Georgia on July 7-8, his office announced on Friday.
PM Pashinyan will meet his Georgian counterpart, PM Irakli Garibashvili in Batumi.
Author: Emil Lazarian
“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS
France expresses support to Armenia’s ‘sincere efforts’ in trying to achieve peace with Azerbaijan through negotiations
16:01, 7 July 2023
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. France supports Armenia’s sincere efforts to achieve peace with Azerbaijan through negotiations, and preserving the rights of Armenians living in Nagorno Karabakh, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has said.
“France is mobilizing its strengths for the preservation of justice and international law,” Colonna added in a Twitter post.
Armenia, Hungary discuss energy and transport bilateral interests
16:37, 7 July 2023
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan has met with the newly appointed Ambassador of Hungary to Armenia Anna Mária Sikó.
Sanosyan welcomed the ambassador and attached importance to the process of normalization of relations, the ministry said in a readout.
A number of issues of bilateral interest in energy and transport sectors were discussed.
Inter-regional cooperation was highlighted.
Armenia, Georgia aim to engage in High Level Dialogue on strategic issues
20:10, 7 July 2023
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. The meeting of Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia, Nikol Pashinyan and Irakli Garibashvili, took place in the city of Batumi, Georgia, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.
First, the leaders of the two countries had a private conversation, and then the negotiations continued in an expanded format.
The Prime Ministers emphasized the strong historical and cultural ties that unite the two nations.
It was noted that with a common commitment to contribute to regional stability and prosperity, Armenia and Georgia aim to engage in High Level Dialogue on strategic issues, which will provide an additional impetus for effective cooperation while contributing to regional peace and stability.
The intense contacts that testify to the dynamic development of bilateral relations and the high level of political dialogue were highlighted.
The interlocutors discussed various issues and perspectives of Armenia-Georgia cooperation, referred to further steps aimed at consistent development and expansion of cooperation in various fields.
The sides exchanged views on the regional situation and developments.
Armenia Security Council Secretary meets White House NSA in Washington, D.C.
09:33, 7 July 2023
YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan has met with United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in the White House.
“We discussed the regional and broader extra-regional security situation and challenges. In this context, I presented to my interlocutor the approaches of the Armenian side around a number of important directions. We spoke about issues of bilateral interest, in particular we emphasized the development of bilateral cooperation within the framework of energy, economy and democracy,” Grigoryan said in a statement on social media.
Azerbaijani state media hints at another offensive in Karabakh
July 7 2023
Jul 7, 2023
Azerbaijan’s pro-government media has been signaling potential further military action against the Armenian-controlled part of Nagorno-Karabakh.
And the president in his most recent speech stressed that ending the presence of any Armenian armed groups was a prerequisite for a comprehensive peace deal with Yerevan.
On July 3, the head of Azerbaijani state television AzTV, Rovshan Mammadov, said on his weekly talk show that Baku was within its rights to conduct “an anti-terror operation,” in Karabakh and suggested it be titled “Revenge 3”.
“International law also allows for it. It’s our territory – established by international law,” Mammadov said. “But, once again – we don’t want a war. We’re committed to the peace process. However, we need to see Armenia’s recognition of Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory not only verbally – but in a document.”
(Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said explicitly in May that Armenia was ready to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh in exchange for internationally backed guarantees for the rights and security of the region’s Armenian population.)
New Azerbaijan, the official newspaper of the ruling party, published a similar commentary on July 4 under the subhead “[Armenian] provocations lay the groundwork for Revenge 3”.
“Such situations [as the wounding of an Azerbaijani soldier] make a possible ‘Revenge 3’ operation relevant. Armenia’s non-fulfillment of its obligations under the tripartite declaration signed in 2020 has created a new situation in the region,” it read.
“After the deployment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to the relevant territories, the Armenian armed forces did not leave the territory of Azerbaijan, as it seems, on the contrary, they are engaged in new provocation-oriented activities.”
The proposed title for the possible offensive refers to an operation in August 2022 when Azerbaijan captured additional territory in Nagorno-Karabakh, killing two Armenian soldiers and wounding 19 in the process. The Defense Ministry dubbed it Operation Revenge because it followed the killing of an Azerbaijani soldier.
Another attack just two weeks ago was christened Revenge 2 by pro-government media because it followed an incident where an Azerbaijani soldier was wounded.
President Ilham Aliyev brought up the subject once again in his most recent speech. Addressing a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Baku on July 5, Aliyev said there are still “remnants of Armenian armed forces” in Karabakh.
“If Armenia is really interested in achieving long-awaited peace in the region, then its armed forces must completely leave the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan,” he warned. “Armenian military and paramilitary elements on the ground should be disarmed and demobilized.”
Armenia pledged to withdraw all its troops from Karabakh by September 2022. The Armenian troops Aliyev was talking about belong to the de facto administration of Nagorno-Karabakh’s own armed force, the Artsakh Defense Army.
Prior to Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 Second Karabakh War, that force was largely integrated with the army of the Republic of Armenia. Before the war, conscripts from Armenia were sent to serve in and around Nagorno-Karabakh.
Aliyev and other Azerbaijani officials are clearly refusing to make a distinction between Armenian troops and Karabakhi Armenian troops.
Thomas de Waal, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment, believes the Azerbaijani media hype is not a sign of a coming offensive but rather a negotiating tactic.
“I do not think that we should expect a serious escalation from the Azerbaijani side,” he told RFE’RL’s Armenian service. “As we have seen over the past two years, they have adopted a tactic that can be described as ‘coercive diplomacy’, that is, the use of both force and diplomacy. This means that we sometimes see escalation, but it does not reach the level of full-scale war as long as negotiations continue.”
As tensions rise over a possible escalation and demands to dissolve the local army, Karabakh’s de facto president, Arayik Harutyunyan, addressed a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin to be delivered by the Armenian prime minister.
Karabakh’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Ghazaryan, later clarified that the letter restated their expectation that the Russian peacekeepers will “fully lift the blockade” of Nagorno-Karabakh that recently came to exclude even patient transfers and supplies of essential items.
Soon afterward, the Kremlin press service reported a phone conversation between Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Putin “at the initiative of the Armenian side,” where the leaders discussed the difficult situation around Nagorno-Karabakh.
Russia is overseeing peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan that are not coordinated with parallel negotiations brokered by the EU and the U.S.
The key sticking point in the talks has long been the fate of Karabakh’s Armenian population. Yerevan, and the Western mediators, want Baku to hold talks with Karabakh Armenian representatives on their rights and security under prospective Azerbaijani rule.
Early in July, Armenian media reported on a U.S. offer to mediate Karabakh-Azerbaijan talks in a third country. Artur Harutyunyan, the parliamentary leader of Karabakh’s ruling party, told RFE/RL that Stepanakert refused because the only issues up for discussion were the “agenda pushed by Azerbaijan,” namely the “integration” of Karabakh Armenians into Azerbaijan.
In an interview with Armenian Public TV, while speaking about the possibility of Armenians living in Azerbaijan, the US Ambassador to Armenia said, “We believe and hope it’s possible.” The statement sparked backlash both in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
In a June 29 government hearing, Arayik Harutyunyan, Karabakh’s president, restated that “There’s only one topic Baku discusses with us – integration. There’s no second topic.”
Nagorno-Karabakh has previously agreed to negotiate with Azerbaijan on humanitarian issues, such as ensuring unhindered movement between the region and Armenia and restoring the gas supply in the region, which has been cut since March 22. But for most of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, integration with Azerbaijan is a “red line” they’re not willing to cross.
Azerbaijan has continuously insisted on their willingness to negotiate with Nagorno-Karabakh after Karabakh disbands its defense army.
President Harutyunyan additionally remarked during the hearing: “Let me tell you the sequence: we announce that we have disbanded the army, we dissolve the state administration system. They [Azerbaijan] barely create a mechanism for municipal elections, after which they will restore gas and electricity and let us use the road. And clearly, they will allow us to do it only as citizens of Azerbaijan.”
Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination, Ambassador James O’Brien, Visits Armenia
U.S. Embassy in Armenia
July 6 2023
Ambassador James O’Brien, Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the U.S. State Department, and Kumar Iyer, Director General, Economics, Science and Technology at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, visited Armenia June 29-30 to express appreciation for Armenia’s commitment to preventing sanctions circumvention. Their visit follows on the visit of the EU Special Representative for Sanctions Implementation, David O’Sullivan. Mr. Iyer and Ambassador O’Brien met with government officials and representatives of the private sector.
https://am.usembassy.gov/james-o-brien/
Ombudsperson provides information to international organizations on two Armenian servicemen kidnapped by Azerbaijan
13:17, 6 July 2023
YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Anahit Manasyan has provided information regarding the two Armenian servicemen kidnapped from the territory of Armenia by Azerbaijan to international organizations.
The subject is constantly raised in contacts with all international partners.
“In this case we are dealing with persons who clearly have a status of captives in terms of international humanitarian law, and they must be covered with the guarantees, which, basically it would be disputed to say whether or not they are factually covered now . Definitely, steps must be taken,” she said when asked on the sham trials of the soldiers in Azerbaijan.
The two servicemen of the Armed Forces of Armenia were kidnapped by an Azerbaijani sabotage team on May 26 in the sovereign territory of Armenia.
Armenia commends efforts of Western partners for establishing peace in the South Caucasus. MP
18:23, 6 July 2023
YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia highly commends the efforts of its Western partners – USA, EU, France, Germany – in the process of establishing peace, stability and security in the South Caucasus, ARMENPRESS reports, Sona Ghazaryan, MP from “Civil Contract” faction, said in her speech at the political affairs committee of the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly in Tbilisi.
“As you know, Armenia is going through great difficulties, facing the biggest security threats. Since 2021, Azerbaijan, grossly violating the principles of international law and the territorial integrity of Armenia, has illegally occupied a significant part of our sovereign territory.
We highly appreciate the efforts of our western partners – USA, EU, France, Germany – in the process of establishing peace, stability and security in the South Caucasus,” said Ghazaryan.
In this context, the MP emphasized the decision of the European Council to deploy a civilian mission of the European Union in Armenia within the framework of the Common Security and Defense Policy, contributing to the stability in the border regions of Armenia, the formation of trust and the provision of an environment conducive to efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Ghazaryan noted that, unfortunately, Azerbaijan is against even this civilian mission.
The MP also drew the attention of those present to the situation of the siege of Nagorno Karabakh, the illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to a severe humanitarian crisis. The Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh live under complete siege. About 30 thousand children are deprived of the right to full education.
In this context, the deputy emphasized the decision of the European Council to deploy a civilian mission of the European Union in Armenia within the framework of the general security and defense policy, contributing to the stability in the border regions of Armenia, the formation of local trust and the provision of an environment conducive to efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Ghazaryan noted that, unfortunately, Azerbaijan is against even this civilian mission.
The MP also drew the attention of those present to the situation of the blockade of Nagorno Karabakh, the illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to a severe humanitarian crisis. The Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh live under complete siege. About 30 thousand children are deprived of the right to full education.
“We believe that the rights and security issues of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh should also be resolved through dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert, with neutral international involvement in the process and the introduction of any mechanism for peace.
A few days before our visit, the Azerbaijani military again bombarded the positions of Nagorno Karabakh with artillery and drones, killing 4 soldiers.
Azerbaijan constantly rejects all efforts aimed at peace, ignores the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the binding decision of the International Court of Justice, and carries out an open policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.
We truly believe that democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights, peaceful coexistence are the pillars on which humanity should be based in order to live in peace and harmony,” said Sona Ghazaryan.
Armenian Deputy FM presents to newly appointed Ambassador of Bahrain the developments in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations
19:47, 6 July 2023
YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS. On July 6, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahan Kostanyan received the newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain Dr. Naser Mohamed Yusuf Al Balooshi, (residence: Rome) on the occasion of handing over the copy of his credentials, ARMENPRESS was informed from MFA Armenia.
Deputy Minister Vahan Kostanyan, congratulated Ambassador Al Balooshi upon the assumption of his mission and noted that the relations between Armenia and the Arab world have a centuries-long history. In that context, he expressed conviction that the Ambassador will bring his contribution to further strengthening and deepening of relations between Armenia and Bahrain.
Both sides noted that the current bilateral cooperation has a significant unfulfilled potential and expressed readiness to spare no effort aimed at developing current cooperation in trade and economic relations, attraction of investments, agriculture, infrastructures, tourism, healthcare, education, culture and other spheres. The parties highlighted the importance of mutual high-level visits, as well as the expansion of the legal framework between the two countries.
At the meeting, Vahan Kostanyan briefed the Ambassador on the latest developments regarding the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and Nagorno Karabakh, in particular, the humanitarian crisis caused by the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan. In this context, the Deputy Minister emphasized the readiness of the Republic of Armenia to address the existing issues through peaceful negotiations.