Category: 2018

Deputy director of the Investigative Committee Aram Tamazyan has resigned.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has signed an order on relieving Tamazyan from duties at the latter’s request, according to e-gov.am.

Large-scale tactical military exercises have kicked off at the Russian military base stationed in Armenia. The drills involve 3,000 troops, TASS reported.

According to TASS, the Southern Military District of Russia, which encompasses the base in Armenia, issued a statement saying that the exercises will run until July 28.

In addition to the 3,000 troops, the exercises involve 500 units of equipment, including air defense, military and unmanned aviation systems.

There is nothing strange in what happened in Panik village, political analyst Alexander Iskandaryan said at a press conference referring to the Russian military drills in the Armenian village.

“This is a very small event. Such incidents have taken place and will take place again. You can’t avoid this,” he said.

According to him the Armenian-Russian relations will not be affected after the incident. He said the relations will remain the same.

“The Armenian-Russian relations are ready for such incidents.

Iskandaryan also talked about the upcoming early parliamentary elections and the Yerevan City Council elections. According to him a power change will take place in the Yerevan City Council too: the Republicans will transfer their position to the political force of PM Nikol Pashinyan.

“Yerevan is 1/3rd of Armenia, and having power here is a very serious priority for any political force. I don’t believe that after the elections people outside the current government will have office in the Yerevan City Council,” he said.

He expressed a similar viewpoint on the parliamentary elections also.

“In addition to Civil Contract party the two other parties would be better off by running under an alliance because this way their chances of appearing in the parliament will be higher. While Civil Contract needs to take someone with it to parliament to have a coalition partner in the future,” Iskandaryan said.

The sooner the early elections take place the greater success the incumbent government will have from the revolutionary euphoria, according to him.

The military alliance between Turkey and Azerbaijan is a source of concern for Armenia because the policy of this alliance is directed against the national security of Armenia, defense minister Davit Tonoyan said in an interview to EADaily when asked whether Turkey is considered to be a threat for Armenia’s security.

“Certainly, the cooperation of the abovementioned two countries is a threat for us, especially when we take into account the fact that Azerbaijan is openly threatening Armenia with war, and Turkey is supporting with all means the realization of Baku’s military intentions,” Tonoyan said, reminding that generally in terms of military cooperation Turkey is Azerbaijan’s main partner.

He noted Armenia’s initiation of an attempt to normalize relations with Turkey in 2008, when official Ankara did not make any steps in response.

“Eventually the process stopped as a result of the preconditions brought forwards by Turkey’s leadership. Turkey continues linking the issue of normalizing bilateral relations with the solution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. But we insist that the best solution will be the establishment of dialogue between Armenia and Turkey without preconditions, which will enable our countries to gradually head in the direction of establishing complete bilateral relations. However, taking into account the failure of the previous process, it is now Turkey’s turn to bring forward a constructive initiative,” Armenia’s defense minister said.

Armenia is cooperating with NATO within the framework of the Individual Partnership Action Plan , which is revised and modernized every 2-3 years. The program is based on realities relating to political and security affairs, and it entirely complies with Armenia’s interests, Armenia’s defense minister Davit Tonoyan told EADaily in an interview when asked to assess the Armenia-NATO relations.

As cooperation pillars, the defense minister pointed out political dialogue, reforms of the defense area, the participation of the Armenian military in NATO peacekeeping missions and educational programs.

Tonoyan attached importance to cooperation with NATO in terms of both multilateral development and international partnership of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as the military-political processes which are carried out within the framework of the Euro-Atlantic security system.

“We strongly believe that Armenia’s cooperation with NATO doesn’t contradict our collegial obligations within the framework of the CSTO. Moreover, Armenia builds its defense policy by taking into account the interests of CSTO partners and always urges them to act similarly. Armenia has active role in CSTO integration processes. Certainly, the interests of partner states, therefore also policy can’t be identical. We try to approach with understanding the military-political cooperation of our partners with countries which have clear hostile attitude towards Armenia. At the same time it is necessary to work hard over strengthening CSTO collegial mechanisms, in order for a common attitude to be displayed over issues relating to the security of CSTO members countries,” Tonoyan said.

Due to technical and procedural decision the surprise factor of future probable enemy attacks has been ruled out, Armenia’s defense minister Davit Tonoyan told EADaily in an interview.

He said that the Armenian side has drawn many conclusions from the 2016 April War of Artsakh.

“We first of all made military conclusions after the 2016 April battles. Azerbaijan will not be allowed to maintain the position of escalating the situation, the right to monopoly of deciding the time and scale. Conclusions have been made also over a number of practical and strategic issues. As a result we have carried out necessary changes in areas like positioning of troops, implementation of combat missions in the frontline and provision of armaments and equipment,” he said.

According to the minister, conclusions should indeed be drawn from the April War, but it shouldn’t be left in the epicenter of the Armenian side’s military mind.

“Examples aren’t few in military science history when even the most experiences commanders and armies have made mistakes when preparing for the next wars based on results of previous military operations. Therefore, we are widely preparing for probable military operations, taking into account not only previous incidents,” Tonoyan said.

He said that he is concerned over the equipment which Azerbaijan displayed at its latest military exercises, however he said he is more concerned over the fact as to from where and in what conditions these equipment were acquired.

“Eventually, it is up to Azerbaijan that so many necessary financial investments, which could’ve increased the quality of life of its citizens, it is actually directing for the acquisition of attack systems. There are countermeasures for any military equipment, and in this issue the Armenian side certainly doesn’t sit idly. But we are concerned over the sources of acquisition of the military equipment which was presented. It is regretful to see that Armenia’s allied countries are selling weapons to a country which….threatens the existence of Armenia,” Tonoyan said.

Tonoyan drew the attention of the countries dealing with the NK conflict settlement on this issue.

“Especially the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries, which are dealing with the settlement of the Artsakh issue, should refrain from selling various types of assault weapons to Azerbaijan. Eventually, a question arises – why is it needed to breach the existing military balance between two countries in the beginning, and then only attempt to restore it,” he said.

Speaking about media reports that Armenia is planning to acquire Russian SU 30 SM fighter jets, Tonoyan said that now they are considering various models for acquisition, but they have a need to establish dominance in the sky.

“Having a dominant position in the air has always been considered as guarantee for result and achievements in military operations. If until today we have given preference to air defense in the issue of having dominant positions in the air through existing resources, as well as application of the air force, then now we are planning to develop our air force potential. We are considering various models of military aircraft for acquisition,” he said.

Armenia’s defense minister Davit Tonoyan says he is especially concerned over the activation of Azerbaijani armed forces in the Nakhijevan direction of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, where a relative calm existed until now.

“Any manifestation of military provocation in this section is fraught with incitement of crisis, which will also relate to other regional actors,” Tonoyan said during an interview with EADaily.

At the same time, Tonoyan emphasized that Armenia is not in a status of peace requester and that it might not endure the temptation of using its entire military arsenal in an event of an Azerbaijan aggression.

“Along with Armenia’s constructive stance, I wouldn’t want you to have an impression that Armenia is in a position of a peace requestor. I would advise the Azerbaijani side not to be so certain that it is the one controlling the issue of escalating the military situation. Meaning it will not be the way that mediators will succeed in convincing the Armenian side to stop response-punitive actions in an event of Azerbaijan re-launching military operations, even in an event if limited scale military operations carried out by Baku. In an event of a repetition of the 2016 April War aggression scenario the Armenian side might not refrain from the temptation of using its entire available arsenal to give a massive and decisive counter-blow to the adversary,” Tonoyan said.

Speaking about the dangers of new large scale military operations and Azerbaijani build-ups of manpower and military equipment along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact, the Armenian defense minister said that the likelihood of resumption of large scale military operations is always high in conditions of Baku’s maximalist demands during negotiations.

“Reports about the activation and build-ups of Azerbaijani military are accurate and similar processes are observed not only at the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact, but also at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, namely in the Nakhijevan direction. Azerbaijan’s conduct is nothing else but threat to use force, whereas it is the ruling out of the use of force that is the basis of the peaceful settlement process of the NK conflict, like of any other conflict,” he said.

Armenia needs all Armenians, from Yerevan to Washington, from Paris to Tokyo, First Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Mirzoyan told representatives of the Armenian community in a meeting at the Armenian Embassy in Washington D.C. USA.

“In Yerevan, in the government, in any private home, in Washington, in Paris, in Tokyo and anywhere where there are any Armenians, we must all realize and have huge responsibility for the chance which has been created in Armenia. I am sure I won’t overestimate to say that we have an exceptional opportunity to increase the reputation of the Armenian nation, to ensure development in Armenia and in the Diaspora,” Mirzoyan said, according to the Voice of America.

The First Deputy PM stated that the Armenian government expects states with democratic values to support them.

“Whatever happens to Armenia, be it success or failure, it won’t be solely the success or failure of our political team. It won’t even be only Armenia’s success or failure.

It will be a trial, success or failure of democracy, democratic values in the world. All governments which by believing or not declare themselves defenders of democracy don’t have an alternative today other than supporting the new government of Yerevan and protecting democracy in Armenia,” he said.

Azerbaijani armed forces have made nearly 150 individual ceasefire violations in one week (July 15 – July 21) in the line of contact, Artsakh’s defense ministry said in a statement.

Artsakh’s military said Azerbaijani forces fired more than 1300 rounds at their positions during the week.

Artsakh said their military controls the tactical-strategic situation and continues its service “confidently”.