10:00, 14 October, 2021
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan will depart for Minsk on October 14-15 to take part in the session of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers, the foreign ministry said in a statement today.
The minister will have meetings with the counterparts of the CIS states in Minsk.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
17:03, 14 October, 2021
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 14, ARMENPRESS. During today’s hearings at the International Court of Justice, convened over Armenia’s request to indicate provisional measures against Azerbaijan, Armenia has presented at best its position, convincing evidence and facts, expecting that the Court will take into account all these facts, Representative of Armenia before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Yeghishe Kirakosyan told Armenpress.
Kirakosyan is representing Armenia’s interests at the Court hearings.
“In the first part of the first day of the hearings Armenia presented its claims and legal facts, proofs which justify the circumstances of Armenia’s demand to apply urgent measures. This was the first stage, which will be followed by Azerbaijan’s response in the second half of the day. In the morning again Armenia must present its counter-arguments. I think it will be summed up with Azerbaijan’s response by the end of the day”, he said.
The Court’s response will be in the form of a decision. The Court is expected to make a decision in 1-1.5 months.
“I think Armenia with its team managed to present at best and in details the Armenian positions, the facts and evidence. We will wait for the response. We are confident that we have presented maximally in the best way”, Yeghishe Kirakosyan said.
During today’s hearings Armenia presented facts both about the confirmed captives and the unconfirmed captives. The representatives of Armenia stated that there are proofs about the captivity of these persons. They cited photos, videos, which prove ill treatment against the Armenian captives. Kirakosyan assured that Armenia presented numerous facts and videos, and all judges have been provided with all these evidence.
Armenia went to the international court with an expectation of justice. “I think this is a very important step. The future course will show, but the expectation from the Court is to take into account the convincing proofs and facts presented by Armenia and take actions on this direction. What we expect from the Court is the decision to apply an urgent measure. We wish that all our demands are met, because we are sure that our demands are well-grounded. Justice is our expectation”, he said.
He stated that the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, based on the violation of which Armenia appealed to the Court, plays a vital role in the international law. “The obligations deriving from the Convention are fundamental, therefore, the strict observance of this document is very important both for atmosphere, peace and security”, Yeghishe Kirakosyan said.
The International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, is holding public hearings over Armenia’s request to indicate provisional measures against Azerbaijan.
On September 16, 2021, Armenia instituted proceedings against the Republic of Azerbaijan before the International Court of Justice with regard to alleged violations of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
Armenia also requested the Court to indicate certain provisional measures “as a matter of extreme urgency”, including the return of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives from Azerbaijan, as well as the closure of the so-called “Military Trophies Park” in Baku.
The hearings will last until October 15.
Armenia is represented by a group at the hearings, which involves famous international experts who will help to present the country’s interests.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
THE HAGUE – Armenia on Thursday told judges at the World Court in The Hague that Azerbaijan promotes ethnic hatred against Armenians and asked the court to stop what its lawyers call a cycle of violence and hatred.
Armenia’s assertions, which Azerbaijan denies, are part of a case it filed at the World Court last month that says Azerbaijan has violated the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, to which both states are signatories.
Thursday’s hearing does not go into the merits of the case but instead deals with Armenia’s request for emergency measures to stop the alleged violations, while the court considers the claim.
After Armenia’s claim was made public Azerbaijan filed a counterclaim accusing Armenia of violating the anti-discrimination treaty. Azerbaijan is also seeking that the court order protective measures while the case is ongoing. Azerbaijan will address the court later on Thursday.
Lawyers for Armenia accused Azerbaijan’s authorities of fostering ethic hatred and a culture where murder and torture of ethnic Armenians were “systematic”.
“Generations upon generations are indoctrinated into this culture of fear and hate of anything and everything Armenian,” Yeghishe Kirakosyan said.
In fighting last September to November, Azeri troops drove ethnic Armenian forces out of swathes of territory they had controlled since the 1990s in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh region, before Russia brokered a ceasefire.
The world court, formally known as the International Court of Justice, is the United Nations’ court for resolving disputes between countries. The court has yet to determine whether it has jurisdiction in this case.
(This story was refiled to fix typo in headline)
Azerbaijani militaries have attacked the positions of the Karabakh Army near the village of Nor Shen; six servicemen were seriously wounded, the Nagorno-Karabakh Ombudsperson has informed.
The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on October 14, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the death of its serviceman as a result of a sniper’s shot made from the responsibility zone of Russian peacemakers. The MoD has treated the incident as a terror act.
In the evening on October 14, the positions of the Karabakh Army stationed near the Nor Shen community in the Martuni District were attacked; six servicemen were wounded; all of them are now in a military hospital, Gegam Stepanyan, the Nagorno-Karabakh Ombudsperson, told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
“Two of them are in grave condition; the state of four others is assessed by doctors as moderately grave. The Azerbaijani side is periodically shelling army positions and dwelling settlements; this is the second case when servicemen were wounded. A few days ago, a similar incident was fixed near the village of Shosh, Askeran District: an Armenian serviceman was wounded by shelling from the Azerbaijani side,” Mr Stepanyan has stated.
In its turn, the Azerbaijani MoD has stated its non-involvement in the incident: according to its version, in the territory controlled by the Russian peacemakers, the shootout occurred among Armenian military servicemen.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 14, 2021 at 11:58 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Alvard Grigoryan, Faik Medzhid; Source: CK correspondents
Source:
© Caucasian Knot
Russian peacekeepers stand as guarantors of the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States).
“The Russian peacekeepers stand as guarantors of the established ceasefire. We are providing assistance by delivering humanitarian cargo and carrying out mine clearance, and, I want to emphasize, [we are helping] both sides. In Azerbaijan, as well as in Armenia, life support systems are being restored, medical assistance is being provided to the population, tens of thousands of refugees, over 52,000 people, have returned to their homes,” Putin noted.
The Russian president pointed out that the CIS countries sometimes face disagreements and contradictions. “And it is bad when these contradictions result in sharp conflicts between CIS member states as it, unfortunately, happened last year in Nagorno-Karabakh,” he stated. Putin also expressed gratitude to his CIS colleagues for appreciating Russia’s contribution to resolving the conflict.
Furthermore, Putin said that Russia upheld the draft statement, prepared on Belarus’ initiative amid the 30th anniversary of the CIS, which took stock of the main results of the organization’s activities and defined some long-term tasks for its further development. “Indeed, over three decades, the CIS has come a long way, establishing itself as an authoritative regional integration association, where the member states strive to build relations on the principles of good-neighborliness, partnership, mutual benefit and consideration of each other’s interests,” the Russian leader stressed.
The president commented on the situation around Karabakh with the saying “a bad peace is better than a good war”.
However, according to the president, the crucial thing is that the member states “have managed to preserve, and in some ways, to enhance the economic, social, cultural and humanitarian ties, which have been accumulated over many years of living in a single state,” Putin concluded.
An Azerbaijani soldier aims his gun at Artsakh Defense Army positions on Oct. 14 (Screen capture from video released by Artsakh NSS)
Artsakh security forces released surveillance video on Friday showing how an Azerbaijani serviceman is breaching the ceasefire and opening gunfire at Armenian positions, while laughing.
The National Security Service of Artsakh said in a statement that since the beginning of October Azerbaijani military forces have definitely changed course and specifically have begun targeting civilians in their more active and intentional ceasefire violations. The NSS said that the provocations started in Martakert, where a civilian was killed and have continued, with the latest attack that injured six Artsakh soldiers on Thursday evening (local time).
Artsakh’s Defense Army reported that Azerbaijani forces opened fire at a military ambulance at 9 a.m. (local time) on Friday in Artsakh northeastern sector.
Azerbaijani forces opened fire at an Artsakh Army military ambulance on Oct. 15
The Artsakh Defense Ministry said there were no injuries, adding that the incident was reported to the Russian peacekeeping command.
The video from Thursday’s shooting that injured six soldiers shows an Azerbaijani soldier firing an AK-74 assault rifle at Armenian positions while another Azeri soldier is hiding behind the barracks. After firing several rounds, the shooter can be seen laughing before resuming his attack.
The NSS explained that in the past Azerbaijani forces would fire shots as warnings, not aiming at Artsakh Defense Army personnel. “However, in recent days the direction of the shots has changed dramatically, with civilians being targeted,” the NSS. said.
“Yesterday, Azerbaijani troops deployed in a position near the Nor Shen community of Martuni region shelled a nearby Armenian position set up to protect the population of the village. The nearly point-blank range shots were fired so explicitly that surveillance cameras of the Armenian side caught it on video,” the NSS said, stressing that the images prove that the Artsakh Defense Army continues to adhere to the ceasefire agreement, whereas the Azerbaijani side is intentionally violating it.
Artsakh’s State Minister Artak Beglaryan on Friday said that three of the six injured soldiers have had surgery to treat their wounds.
The Artsakh Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued on Friday, said that Azerbaijan’s policy of terrorism is aimed at intimidating the Artsakh population so they will leave the country.
“In the recent days, Azerbaijan has been trying to artificially escalate the situation in the region, and this is taking place while high-level meetings are underway,” the Artsakh foreign ministry said, adding that Azerbaijan wants Armenians to leave Artsakh, through its intimidation.
“This policy is also an affront to Russia and the Russian peacekeeping mission,” said the Artsakh foreign ministry.
“We once again reiterate that Artsakh will not be threatened by such actions. The Armenians of Artsakh are determined to live in their historical Homeland and defend their sovereignty and dignity,” added the Artsakh foreign ministry.
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned what it called “the gross violation” of the ceasefire by Azerbaijani forces. The statement pointed to the shooting Thursday that resulted in the injury of six soldiers, as well as the killing of Aram Tepants, a farmer who was shot on October 9 in the same vicinity.
Emphasizing that Thursday’s incident was the second serious attack that has resulted in civilian and military casualties.
Russia’s Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin
The latest dramatic events and the shifting realities require new approaches to Russia-Armenia relations, Russia’s Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin said Friday when speaking at a forum titled “Armenia and Russia: Imperative of a New Strategy,” the Arka news agency reported.
According to the ambassador, it is worth thinking about how to tackle the growing imbalance between the deep strategic relations between Russia and Armenia in such areas as defense, security, economy, and those prevalent external factors in such important issues as orienting the society’s values.
Kopyrkin pointed out that profound and dynamic changes were taking place in the world, in the South Caucasus region and in the broader areas surrounding this region.
“In fact, behind these sometimes dramatic events there is an obvious tendency toward the formation of a new world order. Now various forces, powers, blocs of powers, alliances of powers are fighting for positions in this new, not yet fully known world order,” he explained.
The ambassador noted that competing interests are sometimes taking on dramatic forms that are not always acceptable from a traditional diplomacy perspective and international relations.
“Under these conditions, relations between traditional allies, relations that have been tested for centuries, become even more important. The majority of the population of Russia and Armenia values these relations,” he stressed.
Kopyrkin said that this is a mutual matter for Russia and Armenia, which will help the countries to more successfully defend their interests in this difficult world.
“We all very vividly remember those dramatic events that took place a year ago [the 44-Day War in Artsakh]. During that difficult period for Armenia and the Armenian people it was Russia that stood by Armenia, providing it with support in general and in practical terms, Russia was the only entity that was on Armenia’s side,” claimed Kopyrkin.
The ambassador observed that various partners from different regions of the world are trying to get something of their own from the new, changing regional order, while a year ago “everyone was mostly silent.”
The Head of “I have Honour” opposition faction Artur Vanetsyan and lawmaker Tigran Abrahamyan met on October 15 with leaders of parliamentary factions of the Artsakh National Assembly, the head of Artsakh Democratic Faction Davit Melkumyan, Justice faction Davit Galstyan and Armenian Revolutionary Federation Artur Mosiyan among them.
The parties discussed issues related to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, ensuring Artsakh Republic security and social protection and cooperation between opposition factions of Armenia’s and Artsakh’s parliaments. The opposition lawmakers stressed there can be no alternative for the Artsakh people to exercise their right to self-determination
Considering the challenges Armenia and Artsakh face as well as the inadequate behavior of the authorities, the parties agreed to deepen the cooperation between the opposition forces to disrupt possible anti-Armenian agreements and unfavorable agendas.
The lawmakers arranged also to continue discussions on inter-parliamentary and other platforms to address issues of strengthening the Artsakh statehood, the return of prisoners and other detained people, improvement of the social conditions of those who suffered during the recent war.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh rejected the claims made by Azeri President Ilham Aliyev at the CIS summit, saying Baku seems to have the intention to make baseless media statements, which of course, will be “responded appropriately”, IRNA reported.
Khatibzadeh stressed the fact that such claims are in line with the Zionist regime’s interests and affect Iran-Azerbaijan brotherly ties.
Emphasizing Iran’s role in fighting narcotics smuggling, he said thousands of martyrs and injured over the last four decades in line with fighting this sinister phenomenon is only an example of Iran’s efforts in this regard, adding that the international bodies have confirmed this fact.
Stressing strong relations between Iranian and Azeri nations, Khatibzadeh noted that unfortunately, it seems that despite positive and private messages received from Baku, Baku has the intention to make baseless media statements, adding Iran will “respond appropriately” to them.
In a virtual meeting with the CIS leaders, Aliev claimed in an unrealistic statement that Armenia, in collusion with Iran, used the former occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan to smuggle drugs into Europe for about 30 years.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also rejected these allegations and stressed Iran-Armenia cooperation in fighting narcotics.