Monday,
Armenian FM Joins Talks On Caucasus Peace In Iran
• Tatevik Lazarian
IRAN - The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Armenia and Russia
meet in Tehran, .
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan joined his Azerbaijani, Iranian, Russian and
Turkish counterparts in meeting on Monday in Tehran for talks on peace and
stability in the South Caucasus.
The multilateral talks were held within the framework of the so-called
“Consultative Regional Platform 3+3” launched in December 2021 in Moscow.
Georgia continues to boycott the platform, citing continuing Russian occupation
of its breakaway regions.
“The war in the South Caucasus is now over and the time has come for peace,
cooperation and development in the Caucasus,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein
Amir-Abdollahian was reported to say at the start of the talks.
“We believe that problems in this region can be resolved without external
interference. This is part of the message of today’s meeting in the 3+3 format,”
he said, underscoring Iran’s strong opposition to Western presence in the
region, which is shared by Russia.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi likewise described it as “harmful for regional
peace and stability” when he met with Mirzoyan earlier in the day, according to
Iranian news agencies.
Amid its deepening rift with Moscow, the Armenian leadership now seems to be
pinning hopes on Western efforts to broke a resolution of its conflict with
Azerbaijan. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian expressed hope last week that he and
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will meet in Brussels again and finalize a
bilateral peace treaty before the end of this year.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov questioned the European Union’s ability
to facilitate the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, a key
remaining obstacle to the signing of the treaty.
“Let them try their luck in Brussels, if they want to, but we are always ready
to help start the real delimitation,” he told reporters after the Tehran meeting.
Lavrov said that these and other sticking points in Armenian-Azerbaijani
negotiations were not “directly” discussed by the five ministers.
“There are other channels for doing this. But the platform itself helps resolve
remaining issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” added the top Russian diplomat.
Mirzoyan held a separate meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on
the sidelines of the Tehran conference, which coincided with the start of a
fresh Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercise held near Armenia’s borders. His
press office reported no such meetings with Lavrov or Azerbaijan’s Jeyhun
Bayramov as of 10 p.m. local time.
Armenia Signs First Arms Deal With France
France - French Defense Minsiter Sebastien Lecornu and his Armenian counterpart
Suren Papikian sign a memorandum of understanding in Paris, .
France pledged to boost Armenia’s air defenses, train Armenian military
personnel and help the South Caucasus country reform its armed forces as the
French group Thales and Yerevan signed a contract for the purchase of three
radar systems on Monday.
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and his Armenian counterpart Suren
Papikian also signed a “letter of intent” on the future delivery of Mistral
short-range surface-to-air missiles.
They gave no financial or other details of these deals during a joint news
conference held after their talks in Paris. Lecornu emphasized the defensive
character of what will be first-ever Western-manufactured major weapons supplied
to Armenia.
“It is a weapon system which, by its very nature, can only be used when there is
an aggression against Armenian territory and often with civilian populations
underneath,” he said, alluding to the risk of Azerbaijani invasion of Armenia.
Lecornu also announced that France will train Armenian officers to operate the
military equipment known for its “remarkable detection capabilities” and assist
in ongoing reforms of the Armenian armed forces. A special French military
official will advise the Armenian Defense Ministry on those reforms, he said,
adding that French instructors will be sent to Armenia to teach its troops new
combat techniques.
The French government first signaled arms supplies to Armenia last year
following large-scale fighting on the country’s border with Azerbaijani which
resulted in Azerbaijani territorial gains. It gave the green light for them
following last month’s Azerbaijani military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh that
led to the restoration of Azerbaijani control over the region and displaced its
virtually entire ethnic Armenian population. French President Emmanuel Macron
suggested that Baku might now attack Armenia as well.
FRANCE - France's President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Armenian Prime Minister
Nikol Pashinian prior to their meeting at the Elysee palace in Paris, September
26, 2022.
"France has given its agreement to the conclusion of future contracts with
Armenia which will allow the delivery of military equipment to Armenia so that
it can ensure its defense," French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said
during an October 3 visit to Yerevan.
The Azerbaijani government condemned Colonna’s announcement as further proof of
Paris’s pro-Armenian bias in the Karabakh conflict. Baku itself has increased
its military expenditures after the 2020 Karabakh war, buying more weapons from
Turkey, Israel and possibly other countries.
Armenia is stepping up military cooperation with France, a major NATO member,
amid its worsening relationship with Russia, a longtime ally. The tensions stem
in large measure from what Yerevan sees as a lack of Russian support in the
conflict with Azerbaijan. Moscow’s failure to prevent, stop or even condemn the
Azerbaijani offensive in Karabakh only added to them.
Also, Armenian leaders have implied over the past year that Moscow has failed to
supply more weapons to Yerevan despite Russian-Armenian defense contracts signed
after the 2020 war in Karabakh. They have said they have no choice but to look
for alternative arms suppliers.
France, which is home to a sizable and influential Armenian community, has
become Armenia’s leading Western backer during Macron’s rule. Lecornu said on
Monday that it is committed to the South Caucasus nation’s territorial integrity
despite the fact that “we are not part of the same military and political
alliances .”
Iranian Firms To Rebuild Strategic Road In Armenia
• Robert Zargarian
Armenia - A view of Kajaran, a town in Syunik province.
The Armenian government has awarded a $215 million contact to a consortium of
two Iranian companies to upgrade a 32-kilometer section of the main highway
connecting Armenia to Iran through its endangered Syunik region.
A senior government official and top executives of those companies signed a
relevant agreement in Yerevan on Monday in the presence of Armenia’s Minister of
Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosian and Iran’s Minister
of Roads and Urban Development Mehrzad Bazrpash.
“We are very happy that … Iranian companies will carry out the construction of
this road section,” Sanosian said at the signing ceremony.
“Our neighbor, Armenia, is very important to us,” Bazrpash said, for his part.
“Armenia could play a key role in the framework of the [transnational]
North-South transport corridor. I hope that the project will be implemented
rapidly.”
Armenia - Amenian and Iranian officials attend a signing ceremony in Yerevan,
.
The project co-financed by the Armenian government and the Eurasian Development
Bank covers the highway section stretching from Agarak, an Armenian town
adjacent to the Iranian border, to the Kajaran mountain pass, the highest in
Armenia. About two-thirds of the road is to be expanded and modernized while the
remaining 11 kilometers will be built from scratch over the next three years. In
Sanosian’s words, the Iranians will construct 17 bridges and two tunnels in the
mountainous area.
Another, much longer tunnel planned by the Armenian side will cut through the
Kajaran pass. The government has organized an international tender for its
construction, which will further shorten travel time between the two neighboring
states.
Bazrpash also announced that the Yerevan and Tehran have agreed to build a new
bridge over the Arax river that marks the Armenian-Iranian border. The two
governments will set up a joint working group for that purpose, he told
reporters.
The Iranian minister’s presence at the signing ceremony appeared to also
underscore the geopolitical significance of the project.
Armenia - A view of the Arax river separating Armenia and Iran.
Azerbaijan’s recent takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh raised more fears in Yerevan
that Baku will also attack Armenia to open an exterritorial land corridor to
Nakhichevan passing through Syunik, the sole Armenian province bordering Iran.
Azerbaijani leaders regularly demand such a corridor. A senior Armenian diplomat
claimed on October 8 that an Azerbaijani attack on Syunik may be “a matter of
weeks.”
Iran has repeatedly warned against attempts to strip it of the common border and
transport links with Armenia. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reportedly told
visiting Armenian and Azerbaijani officials early this month that the corridor
sought by Baku is “resolutely opposed by Iran” because it would give NATO a
“foothold” in the region.
NATO member Turkey fully supports the Azerbaijani demands. Its troops began on
Monday a fresh military exercise with the Azerbaijani army in Nakhichevan and
parts of mainland Azerbaijan close to Syunik. The drills reportedly involve
3,000 soldiers and several Turkish F-16 warplanes.
The United States and the European Union voiced strong support for Armenia’s
territorial integrity following the latest escalation in Karabakh. The U.S.
State Department said on October 15 that “any infringement of that sovereignty
and territorial integrity would bring serious consequences.”
Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
Author: Kanayan Tamar
Armenpress: The issue of forced displacement of NK people, Azerbaijani aggression raised at PABSEC meeting
18:10,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, ARMENPRESS. On 19 October , the 61st Meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) Economic, Commercial and Financial Affairs Committee was held in Yerevan, the Armenian Parliament's press service said in a readout.
The Meeting was attended by delegates from Armenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and Ukraine.
The topic Strengthening Parliamentary Cooperation in the Field of Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Assistance in the BSEC Region was at the core of the discussions.
The meeting was chaired by the Member of the RA NA Delegation to PABSEC Sergey Bagratyan, who is also the Vice-Chairman of the abovementioned Committee .
Welcoming the guests, the RA NA Vice President touched upon the unblocking of the road, stressing that Armenia can become crossroads, connecting East with the West, stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean , North with South.
“In Armenia we called this project Crossroads of Peace. I hope that the member countries would like to be part of this Crossroads of Peace and have their contribution to its establishment and development. Unblocking the roads is very important for the Republic of Armenia, because our country has been under blockade by Azerbaijan and Turkey for 30 years,” the NA Vice President underlined.
The RA NA Vice President Hakob Arshakyan underscored that the National Assembly of Armenia is interested in strengthening cooperation within the framework of the Parliamentary Assembly. He mentioned with regret the fact that we continue to clash with security serious challenges in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation region.
In this context the NA Vice President reminded about illegal blockade of Lachin Corridor , after the inhumane siege of the peaceful Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan unleashed another large-scale military aggression against those people on September 19. As a result, there have been hundreds of killed and wounded, t he whole population of NagornoKarabakh (more than 100. 000 people) was forcibly displaced and fled to Armenia.
”It is extremely sad, that despite of decisions of the International Court of Justice, resolutions of the European Parliament, PACE and the parliaments of individual countries, appeals of executive bodies, the international community, we all were unable to prevent the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani actions are not confined to Nagorno Karabakh but extend to the sovereign territories of the Republic of Armenia: In 2021 and then in September 2022, Azerbaijan launched another unprovoked military aggression along Armenia's eastern and southeastern borders, invading and occupying sovereign Armenian territories, some of which remain under Azerbaijan's illegal control. Azerbaijan’s approach is to impose its preferred solutions on Armenia through force ,” the NA Vice President recorded.
According to him, for over three years Azerbaijan has refused to return Armenian prisoners of war and other civilians. To conviction of the NA Deputy Speaker, all these aggressive actions of Azerbaijan endanger the prospect of peace and stability in the region. The situation created by the use of force and aggression against Armenia cannot become a basis for stable and lasting peace.
Touching upon the importance of the topic of the committee meeting, Hakob Arshakyan noted that the issue of prevention of the threat of natural disasters and provision of emergency assistance is more than relevant for the Black Sea region. This is evidenced by the devastating earthquake that took place in Turkey in February of this year, as well as the forest fires and water disasters that some countries of the Black Sea region faced. In this context he underlined that the Republic of Armenia did not remain aloof in sending a rescue team and humanitarian cargo to Turkey.
In his welcoming speech, the PABSEC Vice-President, the Head of the RA NA Delegation to the structure, the Deputy Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Babken Tunyan also referred to the serious security challenges that our country is facing. The Head of the Armenian delegation reminded about the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor and the irreversible consequences of another large-scale aggression of Azerbaijan, the policy of ethnic cleansing. He underlined that the whole population of Nagorno-Karabakh was forcibly displaced and fled to Armenia, adding that Armenia faced an emergency situation in accepting and providing asylum to our compatriots. Babken Tunyan described this situation as a humanitarian disaster. To his assessment, the belligerent rhetoric and destructive approach of one member state of the organization towards another pose security threat to the entire region, undermining every attempt to normalize relations. “ Despite the difficulties and challenges, Armenia remains committed to promote the efforts to establish peace in the region, ” the MP underscored.
Touching upon the topic under discussion, Babken Tunyan highlighted the importance to strengthen the parliamentary cooperation in the field of disaster risk reduction and emergency relief and the enhancement of the legal framework for effective assistance and risk management.
“As our region is often facing various natural and man-made disasters, the prevention and neutralization of consequences of which is often not possible only at the national level. I am sure that the deepening of cooperation at the regional level in this area can be very effective, ” the RA NA representative stated.
The participants of the meeting were welcomed by the Deputy Secretary General in Charge of Organisational Matters of the PABSEC Miltiadis Makrygiannis and the Head of the PABSEC Serbian Delegation, the PABSEC Vice-President Igor Becic.
Since there was no quorum at the meeting, discussions were organized, but the decisions will be made during the General Assembly to be held in the near future. Items on the agenda were discussed, regional issues were touched upon.
The participants of the meeting exchanged ideas on the draft of the report Strengthening Parliamentary Cooperation in the Field of Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Assistance in the BSEC Region. The threats to people's lives and safety due to natural and man-made disasters and the necessity to prevent them and the importance of the joint struggle of the PABSEC member states against them were addressed. It was noted that the PABSEC should be able to ensure legal bases for applying stable and complex mechanisms of struggle in this area. The features of the national legislations in this field were presented, the importance of the methods of combating disasters in war situations was touched open .
The member of the RA NA D elegation to the PABSEC, the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs Gevorg Papoyan emphasized the response of the PABSEC states in emergency situations, assessment of capacities and relating t o them. The MP presented in detail the steps implemented in this field in our country both at the legislative level and within the framework of the Government's activity programme. To his assessment, due to geographical and climatic conditions, Armenia is exposed to many risks, there are also technological factories, the safety of which is important as well. The RA NA deputy referred to the legislative regulations of the sector, the actions arising from the Government's programme for 2021-2026, highlighted the steps taken in the direction of preventing man-made disasters.
“ It is important for us to be a participant in prevention and elimination of the consequences both at the international and regional level. The last example in this regard was the earthquake that happened in Türkiye and Syria, in which Armenia took part to the maximum extent as a supporting country in the elimination of the consequences. The aim of all the states is one, to prevent not only through criteria, but also through raising people' s awareness, ” Gevorg Papoyan mentioned.
Other items on the agenda were discussed, information was presented about the activity of the organization of the PABSEC. The next Committee meeting is designed to be held in Kyiv, ahead of the plenary meeting.
France contributes €1million to WFP for Armenia response efforts following NK exodus
11:44,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 14, ARMENPRESS. France has allocated €1 million for the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) emergency response efforts in Armenia, WFP Armenia said on X.
“Proud to announce a generous €1million contribution from France to WFP's emergency response efforts in Armenia, following meeting between WFP Chief Cindy McCain and [French] Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna in NYC. Strengthening our partnership to support those in need,” WFP Armenia said.
French Ambassador to Armenia Olivier Decottignies said the funds will be directed to meet the needs of Armenia following the forced displacement of 100,000 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenpress: Armenian parliament to debate ratification of Rome Statute
10:00, 3 October 2023
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Members of Parliament are set to debate the ratification of the Rome Statute during the plenary session on Tuesday.
18 items are on the agenda, including the bill on ratifying the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Catholic, Anglican bishops affirm support for Armenia
Vatican News
Oct 6 2023
As the Archbishop of Canterbury visits crisis-struck Armenia, the Catholic Bishops of Europe call for action to address the growing humanitarian emergency in the country.
By Joseph Tulloch
“I come here to say you are not forgotten.”
Those were the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, as he arrived in Armenia.
The Anglican Archbishop is on a two-day journey to the country, which has been rocked by Azerbaijan’s recent annexation of the neighbouring enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Speaking on Thursday to His Holiness Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Welby said: “Armenia was the first Christian kingdom. You were the first region to have the cross as your symbol. This is a symbol of weight, pain and struggle.”
“The last weeks have seen so many Armenians suffer deeply. I have been praying for you daily. I come here to say you are not forgotten.”
Archbishop Welby is in the region as part of a five-day “pilgrimage of listening”. Earlier this week, he visited Azerbaijan and Georgia, meeting with civil and religious leaders, including the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
On the day Archbishop Welby began his visit to Armenia, the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe, a Catholic grouping, released a statement echoing Pope Francis’ “repeated calls for a negotiated solution in the region.”
Noting that over 100 thousand Armenians have been displaced, they called on the international community to alleviate what they described as a “humanitarian emergency.”
Moreover, the bishops said, the exodus of the enclave’s Armenian population “is also endangering the Christian heritage of the region”, which must be “monitored” to prevent defacement.
In their statement, the European bishops referred to a Resolution passed in 2022 by the European parliament.
The Resolution observes that “considerable deliberate damage was caused by Azerbaijan to Armenian cultural heritage during the 2020 war.”
“Over the last 30 years,” it continues, “the irreversible destruction of religious and cultural heritage has been carried out by Azerbaijan, notably in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, where 89 Armenian churches, 20 000 graves and more than 5 000 headstones have been destroyed.”
The Resolution also condemns “falsification of history and attempts to present [Armenian heritage] as so-called Caucasian Albanian”, in reference to Azerbaijani government claims that historical and religious sites widely recognised as Armenian in fact belong to a now vanished culture.
U.S. cannot turn a blind eye to ethnic cleansing – Congressman Sherman calls for sanctions against Azerbaijan
15:35,
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. United States Congressman Brad Sherman has called on the Biden Administration to sanction Azerbaijan amid its ongoing ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“The ethnic cleansing of Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] is unfolding before our eyes as Armenians flee their home of +2000 years. Azerbaijan’s arrest of Artsakh’s leaders sends a message to Armenian residents – you’re next. Ruben Vardanyan & all who have been unjustly arrested must be released.
“The Biden Admin. must publicly tell Azerbaijan: end this now or face sanctions. Last week Rep. Chris Smith & I introduced H.R.5686 to sanction Azerbaijan for its war crimes in Artsakh. This is the 21st century – the U.S. cannot turn a blind eye to ethnic cleansing,” Sherman said on X.
Nagorno-Karabakh presidential advisor David Babayan turns himself in to Azeri authorities
10:11,
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Nagorno-Karabakh presidential advisor Davit Babayan said on Thursday that he has decided to turn himself in to the Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies.
He announced his decision in a statement posted on Facebook.
“As you know, I am included in Azerbaijan’s black list, and the Azerbaijani side has requested my arrival to Baku for a relevant investigation. I decided to travel to Shushi from Stepanakert today. This decision will naturally cause great pain, worry and stress first of all to my family members, but I am sure they will understand. Not turning myself in, or moreover fleeing, would seriously harm our [anguished] people, many, many people, and I, as an honest man, a working, patriotic Christian, cannot allow it. God bless our people, may the Almighty reduce our people’s suffering and heal its wounds,” Babayan said.
BREAKING: Nagorno-Karabakh government disbands
10:37,
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Nagorno-Karabakh President Samvel Shahramanyan has signed an order on dissolving all state agencies and organizations on the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Nagorno-Karabakh official InfoCenter reported.
The order was signed given the “grave military-political situation and pursuant to ensuring the physical security and essential interests of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh as a priority, taking into consideration the agreement reached with Azerbaijan mediated by the Russian peacekeeping forces command that the free, voluntary and unimpeded passage of the NK residents with their property and vehicles through Lachin Corridor will be taken into consideration.”
All ministries and other state agencies and organizations will be disbanded by January 1, 2024 and the “NK (Artsakh) Republic ceases to exist,” reads the order.
“The population of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the population now outside the republic, after this order takes effect, becomes acquainted with the terms of reintegration presented by Azerbaijan with the purpose of making an individual decision in the future on the opportunity to stay (return) in/to NK,” reads the order.
The order is effectively immediately.
Erdogan Makes Veiled Threat to Yerevan After Meeting Aliyev in Nakhichevan
Presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan meet in Nakhichevan on Sept. 25
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey issued a veiled threat to Yerevan on Monday after he met with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Nakhichevan, where the two hinted at advancing the so-called land corridor through Armenia.
Aliyev and Erdogan chose Nakhichevan as the venue for their meeting a week after Azerbaijani forces launched a massive offensive against Artsakh, causing further deaths of civilians, injuries and displacements of Artsakh residents.
In a press conference with Aliyev, Erdogan said that the two expect Armenia to accept the hand of peace it has been extended “and be sincere.”
“Following the recent victory [last week’s attack on Artsakh and the 2020 war], new windows of opportunity have been opened for a comprehensive normalization of the situation in the region. I believe this opportunity must be appreciated,” said Erdogan.
“We expect Armenia to accept the hand of peace extended to it and be sincere. As I have always emphasized, there is no loser in peace,” the Turkish leader said, adding that “the creation of peace, stability and prosperity in our region was our duty to our people.”
“We are determined to fulfill this duty and we are sincere. Our wish is for the other side to show the same sincerity,” Erdogan said.
During the joint press conference with Erdogan, Aliyev lamented that Soviet-era authorities had deemed part of what he said should have been territory belonging to the Azerbaijani Soviet republic as land belonging to the Armenian Soviet republic.
“The land link between the main part of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan was thus cut off,” complained Aliyev.
Turkey and Erdogan have pushed for the opening of the so-called “Zangezur Corridor.”
Addressing the UN General Assembly last week, Erdogan complained that Armenia was squandering this “historic opportunity to build peace” in the South Caucasus region.
“[But] Armenia is not making the most of this historical chance.”
“We expect a comprehensive peace agreement between the two countries [Azerbaijan and Armenia] as soon as possible and for promises to be quickly fulfilled, especially on the opening of the Zangezur (land) corridor,” Erdogan told the General Assembly.
Erdogan also supported Azerbaijan’s attack on Artsakh last week.
Russia blasts statements by both Armenia and Azerbaijan
Sep 13 2023
Russia has protested to Azerbaijan over comments it made about weekend regional elections in areas of Ukraine claimed by Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
She also accused Armenia of making “unacceptable and harmful” statements that were damaging to the prospects for a peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/2591660-russia-blasts-statements-by-both-armenia-and-azerbaijan