Category: 2017

Azerbaijani Press: "Russia, arming Armenia, violates its obligations as OSCE MG co-chair "

Kalashian Nyrie
Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2017
19:24 (UTC+04:00)             

Russia, providing Armenia with a loan worth $200 million to buy modern weapons, violates its obligations as an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, said Arzu Nagiyev, a political analyst and deputy director general of Trend Agency.

In late 2015, Russia and Armenia agreed on allocation of a $ 200 million loan to Armenia for the purchase of modern weapons. The Armenian government approved the first $100 million loan package Oct. 12, 2017.

Under the agreement, a $100-million loan will be extended to Armenia for 20 years.

Nagiyev noted that Russia openly shows that it does not respect the principle of neutrality by providing comprehensive support to one of the conflict sides.

The expert pointed out that in the current economic situation, Armenia will not be able to repay the loan.

“Russia is equipping Armenia with modern weapons and tries to strengthen military potential of the occupant country. Arming of Armenia by Russia is contrary to the principles of strategic partnership, friendship and good-neighborliness with Azerbaijan. It is obvious that Russia is not at all neutral in the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” he said.

Nagiyev added that arming Armenia, Russia flagrantly violates the requirements of international law.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

Azerbaijani Press: Turkish MP’s actions intended for benefit of Armenia – expert

Ophelia Vardapetian
Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2017
        

Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 14

By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:

The visit of Turkish MP Garo Paylan to Yerevan is an obvious step for the benefit of Armenia, Erdem Eren, Turkish foreign policy expert and chief coordinator of the Beyaz Hareket political movement, told Trend.

“Paylan, given his nationality, may be in sympathy with Armenia, but in this case he represents the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which has long been maintaining close contacts with Armenia and PKK,” he said.

He noted that in 2008, when military operations against the PKK were held in Turkey, numerous members of this organization fled to Armenia.

The expert said that Paylan’s visit to Armenia can be assessed in this context, as in Yerevan, he called on Ankara to recognize the so-called Armenian genocide and called Armenia a more democratic state, unlike Turkey.

“If Armenia and its friends are so democratic, why don’t they recognize the Khojaly genocide, and why Yerevan still holds native Azerbaijani lands under occupation?”

When it comes to Turkey and its friends, some countries perceive terrorists as defenders of democracy, Eren added.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

Azerbaijani Press: Peter Tase: Armenia becoming ‘North Korea of Europe’

Boris Nahapetian
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2017
17:45 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The purchase of advanced weapons by the Armenian Government is surely a threat to peace and stability in Europe, said Peter Tase, a political analyst and international relations expert with the Milwaukee-based Marquette University.

Tase, commenting on the approval of Russia’s credit line worth $100 for purchase of the weapons, told Trend that such an attitude will further instigate armed clashes in the line of contact, result in more innocent Azerbaijani civilians being killed by the very same weapons, as well as harm the socio-economic environment in the Caucasus region.

The expert voiced surprise that NATO and the European Union have not denounced and condemned the recent purchase of weapons made by Yerevan.

“Indeed it is a ‘hypocritical’ gesture on the part of NATO,” he said. “We have Armenia, a European country purchasing a large quantity of weapons, becoming the North Korea of Europe, and such a threat is not perceived, nor condemned with a sense of urgency by NATO. “

In late 2015, Russia and Armenia agreed on allocation of a $ 200 million loan to Armenia for the purchase of modern weapons. The Armenian government approved the first $ 100 million loan package on October 12.

Under the agreement, a $100-million loan will be extended to Armenia for 20 years.

Asked about the timing of the credit approval by Armenia, which was announced ahead of the summit of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in Geneva, Tase said that Yerevan’s attitude focused in piling up weapons and military equipment, is a threat to peace talks.

“Above all, it is a constant danger to the territorial sovereignty and integrity of Azerbaijan. The international community is making a big mistake as they are maintaining silence and continue to apply the famous formula of double standards, that in the long run will further ruin the image and reputation of multilateral diplomacy that is actively promoted by Brussels,” Tase said, adding that NATO’s silence is unacceptable.

Tase further voiced disbelief that the upcoming official meeting will generate any positive outcome nor any concrete results, as “the feeble pressure from international community is favoring the current status-quo that is embraced by Armenia, for a number of years”.

The expert called on the international community to raise its voice and call for the withdrawal of Armenian troops from sovereign territory of Azerbaijan and for the immediate lifting of Armenian economic blockade imposed against the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in a conflict, which emerged over Armenia’s territorial claims to Azerbaijan. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. Although the UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, they have not been enforced to this day.