Author: Emil Lazarian

ArmInfo. Moscow proceeds from the fact that the signing of the declaration between Azerbaijan and Russia in no way poses any problems for the Russia’s allied  obligations to Armenia in any direction. This was stated on February  25 during a weekly briefing by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman  Maria Zakharova, referring to the impact of the allied declaration  between Azerbaijan and Russia on Moscow’s allied obligations to  Yerevan.

“We will comply with our obligations towards Yerevan, which is our  longtime, close ally. And in our opinion, the signing of the  declaration with Baku will strengthen precisely the trilateral  cooperation between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, including on  security issues, economic and humanitarian cooperation in the  Transcaucasus. Moreover, we are constantly, including taking into  account the changed geopolitical realities in the region, updating  the bilateral legal framework with Armenia, which currently has about  300 documents”, she said.

At the same time, Zakharova stressed that this declaration is not  directed against third countries, but rather aimed at strengthening  regional security. “We are discussing the subject of  military-political relations with both Baku and Ankara. You know our  position on this matter. At the same time, we have a common regional  platform for interaction – the <3 + 3> consultative platform, and  within its framework, in addition to Azerbaijan and Turkey, we  interact with Armenia, Iran and keep the door open for Georgia”, the  Russian diplomat said, adding that Russia requires NATO to fulfill  its non-expansion commitments. However, she continued, no one is  against, while observing the generally recognized norms of not  ensuring one’s own security at the expense of the security of other  countries, against military- technical cooperation between countries.

Regarding the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and, in  general, the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations,  Zakharova noted that paragraph 9 of the declaration on allied  cooperation with Azerbaijan contains a passage that the parties will  do everything possible to promote the implementation of the  provisions of the agreements between the leaders of Russia,  Azerbaijan and Armenia from November 9, 2020 and January 11, November  26, 2021. “And paragraph 10 states that the parties will cooperate in  solving the problems arising from the above agreements and work  closely in establishing long-term peace between the states of the  region. So, the adopted declaration works to strengthen regional  security. As for the position of the OSCE Minsk Group member states –  Russia, the United States and France, they are set out in joint  statements, and the last of them was issued on December 7, 2021>, the  diplomat summed up.

It should be noted that on February 22, the leaders of Russia and  Azerbaijan, Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev, signed a declaration in  Moscow on the establishment of allied relations, consisting of 43  points. The Declaration on Allied Cooperation between the Russian  Federation and Azerbaijan notes that Moscow and Baku intend to  develop military- political cooperation that meets national interests  and is not directed against other countries.

The parties also agreed to provide each other with military  assistance if necessary. “In order to ensure security, maintain peace  and stability, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan  may consider the possibility of providing each other with military  assistance on the basis of the UN Charter, separate international  treaties and taking into account the existing international legal  obligations of each of the parties,” the text of the declaration  says.

Russia and Azerbaijan intend to join forces in the fight against  international terrorism, cybercrime and other security challenges.   According to the document, Moscow and Baku will stop the activities  of individuals and organizations directed against the territorial  integrity of both countries.

Russia and Azerbaijan will consider opportunities for developing  cooperation in the field of peaceful atom, the declaration says. It  is also noted that Moscow and Baku, working closely to stimulate  international energy cooperation and strengthen global energy  security on an equal and mutually beneficial basis, intend to deepen  cooperation in the fuel and energy sector, including in the field of  exploration and development of oil and gas fields, transportation of  energy resources, including involvement of efficient infrastructure  projects, as well as in the areas of alternative and renewable energy  sources.

“Moscow and Baku will do everything possible to promote the  implementation of the agreements on the settlement of the situation  in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone,” the declaration says. In  addition, Moscow and Baku are ready for urgent consultations if  something threatens the security interests of one of the parties. The  parties refrain from any actions that, in the opinion of one of the  countries, damage the strategic partnership and allied relations of  the two states, the document emphasizes. To this end, they “create a  permanent mechanism of consultations through the Ministries of  Foreign Affairs.”

The declaration also notes that the parties interact in the field of  foreign policy in order to ensure stability and security in the  Caucasus and Caspian regions.

Russia and Azerbaijan also agreed to refrain from any economic  activity that causes direct or indirect damage to one of the  countries. According to the document, the countries intend to develop  cooperation in metallurgy, engineering, aviation, automotive,  chemical, pharmaceutical sectors, as well as in light industry,  agriculture, construction and road industries. The parties also  agreed to promote the use of national currencies in mutual  settlements and the integration of payment systems, including the  joint servicing of bank cards. 

ArmInfo. European states intend to deliver demarche to Armenia for its silence on Ukraine.

As it became known to ArmInfo from diplomatic sources familiar with  the situation. The heads of diplomatic representatives of the EU  countries accredited in Armenia today at 16:30 local time will visit  the Armenian Foreign Ministry and hand over a two-page demarche.  The  text of the demarche document, in particular, states:  “The Russian  attack on Ukraine is a breach of the UN Charter that is unprecedented  since its entry into force. We also condemn the involvement of  Belarus in this aggression against Ukraine and call on it to abide by  its international obligations.

UN Secretary-General Guterres has condemned this breach of the UN  Charter in clear words and asked Russia to stop the attack and  withdraw from Ukraine. He has made it clear that this is a global  crisis that affects every UN member state. He also qualified the use  of the term “peacekeeping” by Russia as a “perversion”. And he has  clearly stated that there is no genocide in Eastern Ukraine.

On Monday, President Putin has justified Russian actions with  historical grievances dating back over 100 years, calling into  question the right of Ukraine to exist and the very identity of its  people. By unilaterally recognising the self-proclaimed “peoples’  republics” Russia has brought the joint diplomatic efforts of the  international community to an abrupt standstill.

Russia’s decision to recognise as independent entities and send  Russian troops to certain areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk  oblasts is illegal and unacceptable. It violates international law,  Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and Russia’s own  international commitments.

Russia has ignored multiple offers of a diplomatic way forward,  including through the Normandy format on the basis of the Minsk  Agreements unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council. It has  ignored the repeated offers of good offices of the Secretary-General  and has now attacked Ukraine full-scale during an ongoing Security  Council meeting on 23 February 2022 and while the Secretary-General  was appealing to President Putin to maintain the peace.  This war of  President Putin’s choosing shatters the foundations of the UN  Charter. No UN member state can be sure that its borders, its  existence would not be called into question tomorrow. Russia does not  even pretend to act within the Charter.

What we need now is a clear and unanimous condemnation of this attack  by all UN member states in order to isolate Russia in the light of  its military aggression. We need to stand by Ukraine and reiterate  our unwavering commitment to the territorial integrity and  sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders,  and by the UN Charter.

There will be resolutions to this effect coming to the vote most  likely today in the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly.  Urge you to vote in favour of these resolutions and to lend to  Ukraine all your possible political and material support, including  in other UN fora such as Human Rights Council Ask you to not  recognise the self-proclaimed “people’s republics” of Donetsk and  Luhansk and to publicly condemn this unilateral and isolated decision  made by Russia in your national statements as well as in  international organisations and alliances.

Should Russia try to install a puppet regime in Kyiv, the  international community must under no circumstances recognize its  legitimacy. A vassal state of Ukraine as a result of a military  attack, deprived of its sovereignty and fully controlled and  manipulated by Russia, must not be tolerated.  Russia’s annexation of  the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol 2014 was  another act of violation of international law, an assault against  territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. We continue  pursuing the policy of non- recognition of this illegal act. We are  committed to upholding the sanctions and keeping the topic on the  international agenda.”