Category: 2017

 news.am, Armenia
May 18 2017
Armenian president: Yerevan seeks self-determination for Karabakh
[Armenian News note: the below is translated from Armenian]
Armenia seeks to guarantee the people's right of self-determination,
not the preservation of the status quo in Azerbaijan's breakaway
Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has said in
comments about the state of the negotiating process, News.am reported
on 18 May.
The president was speaking at the first session of the new Armenian parliament.
Comprehensive solution
He noted, however, that any change in the status quo of the conflict
would only be acceptable if a comprehensive solution is reached.
Sargsyan added that Armenia has always supported the settlement of the
conflict based on mutual concessions based on the recognition and
implementation of Karabakh's right for self-determination.
"Yes, it [the solution] must be based on mutual concessions but not on
unilateral concessions, yielding to Azerbaijan's threats that
otherwise the war is inevitable. Yes, we do not want the preservation
of the status quo, not anymore. We do not want to shift the burden of
solving the issue on the next generations. And our joint efforts with
the [OSCE] member states to settle the issue pursue this aim,"
Sargsyan was quoted as saying.
Sargsyan stressed that the proposal made in December 1997 - an
apparent reference to the OSCE's "step-by-step deal" was aimed at
establishing a ceasefire and not resolving the Karabakh conflict. "The
Armenian sides were receiving dubious security guarantees and no less
dubious and unclear prospects for the political settlement of the
conflict, going for disproportional concessions instead," he was
quoted as saying.
The president also criticised the idea that the status quo of the
conflict is in Armenia's favour. "When Baku distorts the facts, saying
that we are allegedly trying to preserve the status quo, it can be
viewed as part of the opponent's logic. But it is unacceptable for
such an opinion to be voiced in Armenia," the website quoted him as
saying.
Right to self-determination
Sargsyan noted that, for the first time in history of the Karabakh
talks, references are being made to the people's right of
self-determination.
"For the first time in the history of negotiations on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, it has been fixed that the
Nagorno-Karabakh's final legal status, determined by the free will of
the Artsakh [Karabakh] people, will have legally binding force. That
is to say, it will be binding for Azerbaijan as well and guaranteed by
the international community. Unlike previous stages, it was also fixed
in the working documents that Artsakh representatives will have a
decisive voice in the settlement," Sargssyan was quoted as saying.
"In short, it is becoming clear and vivid how the political solution
to the conflict will be shaped. In this regard, the Azerbaijani
president confessed in an outburst of sincerity that the [OSCE Minsk
Group] mediators were forcing him to accept Nagorno-Karabakh's
independence. This is the essence of the negotiating process of the
last years," News.am quoted Sargsyan as saying.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Germany
May 18, 2017 Thursday
US voices 'strongest' concern to Turkey after brawl outside residence
By Frank Fuhrig, dpa WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The US State Department
voiced its 'strongest possible' concern to Ankara on Wednesday after a
melee outside the Turkish ambassador's residence following President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit this week in Washington. The incident,
which occurred on Tuesday night, left 11 people plus one officer
injured, Washington Police Chief Peter Newsham said. 'We are concerned
by the violent incidents involving protestors and Turkish security
personnel Tuesday evening,' State Department spokeswoman Heather
Nauert said.
'Violence is never an appropriate response to free speech, and we
support the rights of people everywhere to free expression and
peaceful protest.' A video posted by Voice of America (VOA), a US
government-funded international broadcaster, showed uniformed police
unable to hold back a rush of mostly men in dark business suits across
Sheridan Circle, a north-west Washington roundabout where the
ambassador's residence is located. VOA reported that some of the
participants in the scuffle were Erdogan bodyguards. In the video, the
mob pushes across the street into about a dozen people holding
placards in Sheridan Circle Park and a handful of brawls erupt among
multiple combatants. One heavy-set man with a bullhorn around his neck
tumbles to the ground, where two men in suits and a third attacker
repeatedly punch, kick and stomp the victim, who curls into a fetal
position. One of the suited attackers clutches a red flag. Later in
the VOA video, the victim is seen stumbling around the park, his face
and shirt bloodied. Washington broadcaster WJLA reported that the
demonstrators included pro-Kurdish and Armenian activists protesting
Erdogan's human rights record, as well as supporters of the Turkish
president. Nine of the injured were transported to local hospitals,
treated and released, Newsham said. Police officers at the scene had
to call for backup and two arrests were made. A 49-year-old man from
New York state faces a charge of aggravated assault, and a 42-year-old
man from Fairfax, Virginia, faces a charge of assault on an officer,
according to authorities. The incident 'appeared to be a brutal attack
on peaceful protestors at the Turkish ambassador's residence,' Newsham
said. Police have 'very good video' in the case, and federal law
enforcement agencies are cooperating, he said. 'We intend to ensure
that there is accountability for anyone that was involved in this
assault,' Newsham said. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump vowed
'unbeatable' cooperation with Turkey against the Islamic State
movement, after hosting Erdogan at the White House. 'We want to get as
many (allies) to help fight terrorism as possible, and that's one of
the beautiful things that's happening with Turkey. The relationship
that we have together will be unbeatable,' Trump said. He promised to
work with Erdogan 'on achieving peace and security in the Middle East,
on confronting the shared threats, and on working toward a future of
dignity and safety for all of our people.' The US and Turkey are both
members of NATO. Groups opposed to Erdogan demonstrated earlier
Tuesday outside the White House during his visit. On Monday night,
about 50 Erdogan supporters rallied near the White House, waving
Turkish flags and chanting Erdogan's name as he arrived in Washington.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Germany
May 18, 2017 Thursday
Germany asks US to intervene in Turkish airbase row
Washington
DPA POLITICS US diplomacy Germany Turkey  Germany asks US to intervene
in Turkish airbase row Washington
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel turned
Wednesday to the United States for help in resolving a spat with
Ankara over access to a Turkish air base.
During a meeting in Washington, Gabriel asked US Secretary of State
Rex Tillerson to use his influence after Turkey denied German
lawmakers access to the Incirlik base, which is hosting 268 German
troops who are part of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic
State group.
The decision to block the delegation, which had been scheduled to
arrive on Tuesday, was taken in part as a response to Germany's
decision to grant political asylum to Turkish soldiers in the wake of
last year's failed coup.
"I believe that the Americans will also use the opportunities they
have to talk to the Turkish side to say that we must have a different
relationship with each other than the current one," Gabriel said.
A delegation of German lawmakers including members of a parliamentary
defence committee were last year denied access to Incirlik, but were
later allowed to visit.
The dispute first arose after the German parliament voted to
designate the mass killing of Armenians at the hands of the Ottomans
a genocide. Turkey is the Ottoman Empire's successor state and
disputes the designation.
The German government is now considering withdrawing its troops from
Incirlik, with Jordan a likely alternative.
Gabriel's discussions in Washington also focused on the conflict in
Ukraine and the Syrian war.
According to Gabriel, there was no discussion of reports that US
President Donald Trump may have passed on sensitive information from
Israeli intelligence sources to Russia.
The German foreign minister emphasized that this would not have any
effect on the cooperation between the US and the German intelligence
services.
Their close cooperation was "absolutely necessary" for security in
Germany and Europe, he said.

States News Service
May 18, 2017 Thursday
OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL, ON FORTHCOMING CLOSURE OF OFFICE IN YEREVAN,
COMMENDS WORK OF ITS STAFF
VIENNA, Austria
The following information was released by the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE):
OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier said today that the
Organization had to start the process of closure of the Office in
Yerevan, since no consensus could be reached on the future mandate of
the Office.
The closure of the OSCE Office in Yerevan follows months of
negotiations and extensive efforts by the 2016 German OSCE
Chairmanship and the 2017 Austrian OSCE Chairmanship to resolve the
deadlock on the extension of the Office's mandate.
The OSCE opened its field presence in Armenia in 2000. Zannier said
that the Office in Yerevan, with its dedicated staff, had made a
significant contribution in assisting and advising the Armenian
authorities on the implementation of OSCE commitments. "Co-operation
with Armenia has always been very fruitful," he said.
The OSCE's activities in the country included, among others,
assistance with police reforms and support for reviewing and
streamlining the national regulatory frameworks affecting business
activity and the daily lives of citizens. In 2006, the Office in
Yerevan established a Programme Implementation Presence in the Syunik
region to contribute to sustainable development.
Secretary General Zannier emphasized that the OSCE will seek to
continue its engagement with Armenia in line with existing OSCE
commitments across all three security dimensions the
politico-military, the economic and environmental and the human
dimension.
The Office in Yerevan will discontinue its operations on 31 August 2017.

Plus Company Updates(PCU)
May 18, 2017 Thursday
FEAS To Move The Federation's Headquarter To Armenia
 New York
London: Mondo visione has issued the following news release:
During the Extraordinary General Assembly Meeting of the Federation of
Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges (FEAS) held on May 16, 2017 in Tehran, it
was decided to move the Federation's headquarter from Istanbul, Turkey
to Yerevan, Armenia.
With the majority of "for" and no "against" votes, the General Asembly
elected Armenia as the new host country for the FEAS's headquarter,
after 22 years of operation in Turkey, since the establishment of the
Federation in 1995.
"It is a historical and turning point for the Federation after three
years of struggle", said Mohammed Omran, the Chairperson of the
Federation and the Executive Chairman of the Egyptian Exchange.
"Having two young and ambitious exchanges; Cyprus Stock Exchange and
Iran Fare Burse as new board members replacing the withdrawal
exchanges (Bourse Istanbul and Sarajevo Stock Exchange) will defiantly
enhance the dynamism of the Federation", Omran added.
Moving the Federation's headquarter to Armenia NASDAQ OMX Armenia will
start to support the administration of the Federation. Governance of
the Secretariat has been entrusted to Mr. Konstantin Saroyan, CEO of
NASDAQ OMX Armenia, who was appointed as FEAS Secretary General. His
appointment was recommended by the Executive Board and approved by the
majority of General Assembly.
"We are starting a new era of FEAS operation, administering the
Federation from Armenia. Always being considered as cross-road of
eastern and western cultures, Armenia will link different economic and
political structures within FEAS, bringing success and growth to the
Federation", said Mr. Konstantin Saroyan, CEO, NASDAQ OMX Armenia.
To recall, Armenia, represented by “Yerevan Stock Exchange” (later
"Armenian Stock Exchange" and after "NASDAQ OMX Armenia") was among 12
founding members of the FEAS. Since November 2016 NASDAQ OMX Armenia
has also been acting as FEAS Executive Board Member.

FIDH - Worldwide Movement for Human Rights
May 18, 2017 Thursday
AZERI COURT ISSUES DECISION ORDERING LEYLA YUNUS AND ARIF YUNUSOV TO
BE FORCIBLY RETURNED TO AZERBAIJAN
GENEVA, Switzerland
The following information was released by the World Organisation
Against Torture (OMCT):
New information
AZE 002 / 0414 / OBS 031.14
Judicial harassment
Azerbaijan / The Netherlands
May 18, 2017
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a
partnership of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH,
has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in
the following situation in Azerbaijan .
New information:
The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about a decision
issued yesterday by the Appeals Court of Baku, Azerbaijan, ordering
Ms. Leyla Yunus , Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy
(IPD) and a member of OMCT General Assembly, and her husband Mr. Arif
Yunusov , Head of IPD Conflictology Department, to be forcibly
returned to Azerbaijan from the Netherlands in order to participate in
new hearings in their case.
According to the information received, on May 17, 2017, the Baku Court
of Appeals rejected a motion filed by the lawyer of Ms. Leyla Yunus
and Mr. Arif Yunusov to allow them to take part in hearings via
videoconference. The court also ruled that the next hearing will be
held on May 31, and requested Ms. Yunus and Mr. Yunusov to be sent
back to the country by force. This may lead to an international arrest
warrant to be issued by the Azeri authorities. These new hearings in
the case stem from an appeal lodged by the Yunuses in order to seek
full exoneration in relation to their conviction on trumped-up charges
of fraud and tax evasion in 2015 (see background information).
The Observatory recalls that Ms. Leyla Yunus and Mr. Arif Yunusov were
arbitrarily detained for nearly one year and a half. On August 13,
2015, after a year in pre-trial detention, they were sentenced to 8,5
and 7 years of imprisonment respectively on following a trial that
grossly disregarded international standards of fair trial and due
process. On December 9, 2015, their sentence was suspended and
commuted to a release on probation for five years. After the Baku
Court of Appeals denied the Yunus couple permission to temporarily
leave the country in order to receive urgent medical treatment on
February 11 and March 11, 2016, they were finally allowed to travel to
The Netherlands on April 19, 2016, where they have stayed since.
The Observatory strongly deplores the May-17 decision of the Baku
Court of Appeals, which puts Ms. Leyla Yunus and Mr. Arif Yunusov's
physical integrity at serious risk as there are strong reasons to
believe that they would be arbitrarily re-arrested upon arrival in
Azerbaijan.
The Observatory recalls that Mr. Arif Yunusov suffers from
hypertension, and Ms. Leyla Yunus from hepatitis, diabetes,
pancreatitis and gallstone disease, which were aggravated after her
arrest, and during their detention in Azerbaijan. Both are still in
need of medical care.
The Observatory calls on the Azeri authorities to immediately and
unconditionally put an end to all forms or attempts of judicial
harassment against Ms. Leyla Yunus and Mr. Arif Yunusov, and calls on
the authorities of the Netherlands to ensure their physical integrity
and their personal freedoms by refusing any cooperation with a
judicial system that grossly disregards international standards and
that sentenced the couple to arbitrary and heavy prison terms under
trumped-up charges as a means to sanction their legitimate human
rights activities.
Background information:
Ms. Leyla Yunus has long fought for human rights and the rights of
ethnic minorities in her country. She has been heading the IPD since
1995. In October 2014, Ms. Leyla Yunus was awarded the Polish Prize of
Sergio Vieira de Mello, and was among the three finalists for the
Sakharov Prize. She also received the distinction of "Chevalier de
l'Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur" of the French Republic in
2013. She has worked on numerous projects relating to human rights,
political prisoners, corruption, human trafficking, gender-based
issues and violations of the right to property. With her husband, Ms.
Yunus has also worked towards reconciliation between Azerbaijan and
Armenia, two countries divided by the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh
region.
On July 30, 2014, Ms. Yunus was arrested by the Prosecutor's office on
charges of "treason" (Article 274 of the Criminal Code), "large-scale
fraud" (Article 178.3.2), "forgery" (Article 320), "tax evasion"
(Article 213), and "illegal business" (Article 192), and brought to
the department of grave crimes of the General Prosecutor's Office,
where she underwent a six-hour questioning. Her husband joined her at
the department of grave crimes of the General Prosecutor's Office,
where he was also questioned. Ms. Yunus and Mr. Yunusov were both
formally charged, and placed in pre-trial detention. Mr. Yunusov was
later placed under house arrest, and placed in detention again on
August 5, for violation of his conditional sentence.
On January 5, 2015 and February 2, 2015, the European Court of Human
Rights communicated on two applications filed for violations of the
rights of Ms. Leyla Yunus and Mr. Arif Yunusov.
On July 15, 2015, the trial opened in the Baku Grave Crimes Court.
During trial, Ms. Yunus and Mr. Yunusov were placed in a glass
courtroom cage, with their Azeri to Russian interpreter sitting near
the cage (both are Russian-speaking, and the hearings were held in
Azeri). Local and international observers were often denied access to
the courtroom without explanation and hearings were held in the
smallest room of the courthouse.
During the trial, the lawyers of Ms. Yunus regularly argued that
continued detention was life threatening to Ms. Yunus, highlighting
that Ms. Yunus was suffering from diabetes, hepatitis C, and a liver
enlargement and deterioration. The lawyer also denounced the poor
conditions of detention of his client at the Investigative prison of
the Ministry of National Security, where Mr. Arif Yunusov suffers from
insomnia high blood pressure. Throughout the trial, all motions filed
by the defence lawyers, including the request to sit next to their
clients, were dismissed.
At the hearing of August 3, 2015, an ambulance was called in order to
provide first aid healthcare to Mr. Yunusov, who fainted due to a
worryingly high arterial pressure. Mr. Yunus later regained
consciousness but the doctor of the National Security prison who was
called to the court after the health incident, reportedly stated that
Mr. Yunusov health condition did not allow him to further participate
in the trial. However, the judge decided to adjourn the hearing to the
next day, August 4, 2015.
On August 13, Ms. Yunus and Mr. Yunusov were convicted to 8.5 and 7
years in jail respectively. Mr. Arif Yunusov fainted while making his
final plea.
On October 12, 2015, the appeal trial of Ms. Leyla and Mr. Arif
Yunusov opened before the Baku Court of Appeal. The hearing was
suspended several times. International observers present reported that
Ms. Yunus looked very weak and denounced being refused the medical
treatment prescribed by the German doctor.
On October 20, 2015, the Baku Court of Appeal decided to refer the
criminal case against Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunusov back to the Baku
Grave Crimes Court, following a complaint filed by their lawyer,
highlighting inaccuracies in the minutes of the hearings of the trial
before the lower court. On November 5, 2015, the court considered this
motion, but did not provide its conclusions to the defence attorneys
during the preliminary hearing held before the Baku Court of Appeal.
During the hearing on November 5, all the motions filed by their
lawyers were dismissed by the Presiding Judge Vugar Mammadov,
including the motion to change the measure of restraint from detention
to house arrest considering in particular their health condition and
to partial re-examination of the case. Ms. Leyla Yunus and Mr. Arif
Yunusov's lawyer was not allowed to meet and discuss with his clients
before, during and after the hearing. During the hearing, several
large bruises were visible on the neck of Leyla Yunus. Both Arif and
Leyla Yunus looked visibly exhausted and weak. Mr. Arif Yunus was
reportedly brought to the courtroom from the hospital. Ms. Leyla Yunus
and Mr. Arif Yunusov's lawyer announced that he would file a complaint
regarding potential acts of ill-treatment. Placed in a glass cage
before the observers were allowed to the courtroom, the two stayed
silent during the whole hearing.
On November 12, 2015, the Baku Grave Crimes Court approved the request
to change the measure of restraint against Mr. Arif Yunusov from
detention to conditional release, for the period of appeal. Under the
terms of the decision, Mr. Yunusov cannot leave Baku. The decision was
based on a medical reference provided by the Head of the Department of
Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice, stressing that the
critical health situation of Mr. Yunusov had required his transfer
from the Isolator of the Ministry of National Security to the Medical
Establishment of the Ministry of Justice. The reference indicated that
while transfer had allowed his situation to be normalised temporarily,
it remained problematic to ensure stable blood pressure under the
conditions of imprisonment. The document reportedly also referred to
the medical inspection of German doctor Christian Witt, which had
confirmed the deterioration of his health. The Baku Grave Crimes Court
could review its decision in case of a positive change in the health
of Mr. Yunusov.
During the November-12 hearing, the lawyers of the defendants indeed
also asked the court to consider a similar measure for Ms. Leyla Yunus
given her critical health condition, but the court did not even allow
them to finalise their request and interrupted them on the grounds
that the above mentioned medical reference referred only to Mr. Arif
Yunusov. Speaking from the glass courtroom cage, Mr. Yunusov demanded
the release of his wife based on her critical health condition.
On December 9, 2015, Ms. Leyla Yunus was released after the Baku Court
of Appeal commuted the sentences against her and her husband to a
release on probation for five years.
On February 11, 2016, the Yasamal District Court of Baku denied them
permission to temporarily leave the country. The decision was appealed
by the Yunuses but on March 11, 2016, the Court of Appeals in Baku
ruled that Ms. Leyla Yunus and Mr. Arif Yunus could not travel to
Germany to receive urgent medical treatment due to their suspended
prison terms.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in Azerbaijan, urging them to:
i.
Put an end to any kind of harassment - including at the judicial level
- against Ms. Leyla Yunus, Mr. Arif Yunusov, and more generally all
human rights defenders in Azerbaijan.
ii.
Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological
integrity of Ms. Leyla Yunus, Mr. Arif Yunusov, and all human rights
defenders in Azerbaijan.
iii.
Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights
Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on
December 9, 1998, especially its Articles 1, 5, and 12.2.
iv.
Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and
international instruments ratified by Azerbaijan.
Please write to the authorities in the Netherlands, urging them to:
i.
Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological
integrity of Ms. Leyla Yunus, Mr. Arif Yunusov by refusing to
cooperate in their forcible return to Azerbaijan for a judicial
process that has so far disregarded all international standards.
ii.
Guarantee the freedom of movement of Ms. Leyla Yunus and Mr. Arif
Yunusov by taking all actions at their disposal including diplomatic
actions with third countries to ensure that they are not subjected to
an international arrest warrant nor included in the Interpol list.
Authorities from Azerbaijan:
- Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, E-mail:
[email protected], [email protected]
- Mr. Zakir Garalov, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
- Mr. Eldar Mahmudov, Minister of National Security of the Republic of
Azerbaijan, E-mail: [email protected]
- Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic
of Azerbaijan, E-mail: [email protected]
- Mr. Fikrat F. Mammadov, Minister of Justice in Azerbaijan, E-mail:
[email protected]
- H.E. Mr. Murad N. Najafbayli, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of
Azerbaijan to the United Nations in Geneva, E-mail:
[email protected]
Please also write to the diplomatic missions or embassies of
Azerbaijan in your respective country as well as to the EU diplomatic
missions or embassies in Azerbaijan.
Authorities from the Netherlands:
- Mr. Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of The Netherlands. E-mail;
[email protected]
- Mr. Bert Koenders, Minister of Foreign Affairs. E-mail:
[email protected]
- Mr. Kees van Baar, Human Rights Ambassador. E-mail: [email protected]
- Mr. Robert de Groot, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands to the European Union. E-mail: [email protected]
***
Geneva-Paris, May 18, 2017
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this
appeal in your reply.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the
Observatory) was created in 1997 by the World Organisation Against
Torture (OMCT) and FIDH. The objective of this programme is to prevent
or remedy situations of repression against human rights defenders.
OMCT and FIDH are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European
Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international
civil society.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: [email protected]
-
Tel and fax OMCT +41 22 809 49 39 / +41 22 809 49 29
-
Tel and fax FIDH +33 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80
Properties
Date : May 18, 2017
Activity : Human Rights Defenders
Type : Urgent Interventions
Country : Azerbaijan, Netherlands
Subjects : Arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, Human Rights
Defenders, Justice system, Threats, intimidation and harassment

Interfax - Russia & CIS Diplomatic Panorama
May 18, 2017 Thursday 6:33 PM MSK
Russia does not need dubious advice on how to build inter-ethnic
relations - Foreign Ministry
MOSCOW. May 18
The comments made by Azerbajani diplomats over the Russian Supreme
Court decision to close the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress were
inappropriate, Moscow does not need the advice of the Azeri
representatives on how to build inter-ethnic relations within the
country, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
"We took note of the speech by a representative from the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry regarding Russia's domestic policy. Things were said
about the balance of inter-ethnic relations, the concept of reform,
prospects of an intercultural dialogue in our country. We consider
such statements inappropriate," Zakharova said at a briefing in Moscow
on Thursday.
"Assessing a Russian court decision on a Russian civic organization as
an unfriendly step against Azerbaijan looks, in principle, somehow
odd," Zakharova said.
"And, of course, it is regretful that the Foreign Ministry of
Azerbaijan is again using media theories and then goes public with
them about some Armenian trail. We don't need some dubious advice on
how we should build inter-ethnic relations in our own country,"
Zakharova said.
"Russia is a multiethnic, democratic state, the rights of everyone are
protected and ensured regardless of their ethnicity," she said.
"We have all the conditions created for self-organization and proper
operation of cultural, ethnic, civic organizations. In particular, the
interests of Russian citizens of Azeri ethnicity are represented by
over 260 nonprofit organizations. At the federal level, we have
successfully operating the Azerbaijani youth organization of Russia,
the Union of Azerbaijani organizations of Russia, the Federal
national-cultural autonomy of Azerbaijanis of Russia, the World
Azerbaijani Cultural Foundation," Zakharova said.
"Russia cherishes its strategic partnership with Azerbaijan, the
course towards reinforcing it in every measure was determined by the
two countries' leaders. We are convinced that the remarks that I
quoted, which perhaps were not quite thought through, will not inflict
damage on the Russian-Azerbaijani relationship," the Foreign Ministry
spokesperson said.

Interfax - Russia & CIS Military Newswire
May 18, 2017 Thursday 11:45 AM MSK
Recognition of Karabakh residents' right to self-determination is
compromise solution to Karabakh issue - Sargsyan
 YEREVAN. May 18
Yerevan wants the Karabakh conflict to be resolved on the basis of
mutual compromises and change of the status quo, Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan said.
"Changes in the status quo are acceptable, but only provided that the
matter is resolved in a comprehensive way. We have repeatedly spoken
in favor of a compromise solution to the problem, the essence of which
is in the recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh people's right to
self-determination and its enforcement," Sargsyan said in his address
on the occasion of the first session of the Armenian parliament
elected on April 2.
Armenia will not support a settlement of the problem through
unilateral concessions, he said.
"We do not want the status quo to stay and we do not want to place the
burden of settling the issue on the next generation. The efforts we
are making jointly with the mediators to settle this conflict are
aimed at that," Sargsyan said.

Interfax - Russia & CIS Military Newswire
May 18, 2017 Thursday 11:10 AM MSK
Unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh says its military units take preventive
measures against Azerbaijani military
YEREVAN/BAKU. May 18
The Azerbaijani Armed Forces have committed around 60 truce violations
by firing more than 650 shots along the contact line with the forces
of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) over the past 24
hours, the NKR Defense Ministry's press service said.
"Apart from small arms, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan used grenade
launchers (23 projectiles) in the eastern sector of the contact line
and D-44 cannons (18 projectiles) and 82mm mortars (four projectiles)
in the north-eastern sector. Forward units of the NKR Defense Army
took preventive measures, continuing to confidently perform their
combat duty," the NKR Defense Ministry said.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry's press service, for its part, said
that the Armenian military "have breached the ceasefire 115 times in
different sectors of the frontline in the past 24 hours, using
large-caliber machineguns and 60mm and 120mm mortars (32
projectiles)."

Trend, Azerbaijan
May 18 2017
Russia, Armenia take major steps to enhance military, deterrence
potential vis-à-vis Baku
18 May 2017 16:11 (UTC+04:00)
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 18
By Elmira Tariverdiyeva – Trend:
Since the occurrence of large scale fighting around Nagorno-Karabakh
in April 2016, resulting in some Azerbaijani gains, there has been a
widespread fear that this crisis could easily escalate out of control
drawing in not only the two belligerents but also Russia, wrote
Stephen Blank, senior fellow with the American Foreign Policy Council,
in his article published by the Central Asia – Caucasus Analyst
biweekly.
“Armenia’s response to the visible enhancement of Azerbaijan’s
military capability has marked a qualitative escalation of the crisis’
military potential. Moreover, it has further unmasked the Russian
policy of abetting the crisis rather than trying to resolve it, even
though Moscow professes to be against renewed hostilities and to want
a solution,” noted the author.
According to Blank, last year, Russia and Armenia have taken major
steps to enhance the latter’s military and thus deterrence potential
vis-à-vis Baku.
“These actions include the establishment of a joint Russo-Armenian air
defense for the Caucasus and joint forces to “ensure security in the
Caucasus region of collective security”; ongoing modernization of
Russian bases in Armenia; Armenian lobbying to increase the
effectiveness of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO); a
new agreement on new weapons transfers to Armenia and the development
of overall military-technical cooperation; and most significantly the
transfer to Armenia of the Iskander-M missile – a dual-use missile
that comes in both cruise and ballistic missile variants,” says the
article.
“To add fuel to this fire, Armenian officials claim that they received
the Iskander from Russia at subsidized prices and that it is entirely
under Armenian control. Whether or not this is truly the case – it is
admittedly a rather inconceivable proposition that Russia would be
unable to assert control of the system – this marks the first time
Moscow has ever transferred an Iskander missile abroad and therefore
another reckless step taken by Moscow in the military sphere,” said
Blank in his article. “Although Moscow undoubtedly sought to upgrade
Armenia’s deterrence capability, the terms under which Armenia claims
to have received the Iskander and President Sargsyan’s stated
readiness to use it have not calmed things down but infuriated Baku.”
“Baku has given notice that it is contemplating its own ripostes,
either by acquiring foreign missile defenses for example from Israel
or by developing or acquiring its own offensive missiles to raise the
ante on Armenia. Thus a new escalatory spiral and arms race appears to
be taking place over Nagorno-Karabakh,” noted the author.
Beyond strengthening Armenia’s deterrence capability and its own
standing in Yerevan’s eyes, Moscow has also strengthened its position
in Armenia and throughout the Caucasus by deploying the Iskander along
with troops and other arms systems to its base in Gyumri, Armenia,
says the article.
“It has clearly intervened on behalf of Yerevan and Foreign Minister
Lavrov subsequently announced that the Nagorno-Karabakh issue is not
merely an Azerbaijani or Armenian one, meaning that Russia will weigh
in on its resolution,” added Blank.
According to Blank, Moscow has qualitatively escalated the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
“Armenia’s claim to have both unlimited control and command of the
system and willingness to use it have already further heightened the
tension in the Caucasus, underscoring the recklessness of transferring
such systems even if legal loopholes exist for doing so. Of course,
the transfer to Armenia also shows that Moscow is not a neutral
arbiter between Baku and Yerevan, quite the opposite,” he said.
Blank said Moscow has once again demonstrated a lack of good judgment,
which is a fundamental legitimating factor in its claims to dominate
the former Soviet space.
These developments raise several questions, said the author.
“Beyond the Caucasus, we now must reckon with the possibility of
Moscow selling versions of the Iskander missile to other partners and
customers, including China and Iran,” noted Blank.
Moreover, beyond threatening Azerbaijan, Russia’s deployments
throughout the Caucasus also threaten the Middle East, including
Turkey, says the article, they isolate both the Caucasus and the
larger Black Sea Basin, as well as parts of the Middle East from NATO
military power.
According to Blank, these issues furnish ample incentive, if not
justification, for US and Western involvement in formulating and
implementing a viable resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The widespread belief that this conflict will not remain frozen and
that the consequences of that “unfreezing” will be catastrophic, not
only for Armenia and Azerbaijan, appears to have even greater validity
due to the Russo-Armenian escalation, noted the author.
In other words, what happens in the Caucasus does not stay in the
Caucasus, he added.