Intense fighting occurs between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the southern area of the front.
An Azerbaijani shelling campaign once again occurs against the city of Stepanakert.
The Armenian PM calls on conscripts that recently completed their military service to sign up to be drafted.
Azerbaijan’s President states that a solution to the conflict should be found through dialogue, but with preconditions.
The Karabakh parliament is calling on international governments all around the world to recognize Karabakh as an independent republic.
Amid the collapse of the Soviet Union, and following Azerbaijani pogroms, the ethnic Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence in 1991. Karabakh currently holds the status of an “unrecognized state”, as no country has so far recognized its independence.
As the renewed war with Azerbaijan continues to intensify with the Karabakh capital of Stepanakert under constant bombing, the Parliament of the Republic of Karabakh issued a statement on the need for international recognition of the Republic.
"The Parliament of the Republic of Artsakh [Karabakh] strongly condemns the aggression carried out by Turkey and Azerbaijan jointly with international terrorist organizations against the Republic of Artsakh [Karabakh]. We call on the parliaments of the world to recognize the independence of the Artsakh [Karabakh] Republic as the most effective way to cease the attacks carried out against the peaceful civilians of Artsakh, and to protect the rights of those civilians," the statement reads.
Canada is suspending the export of sophisticated Canadian drone technology to Turkey while the government investigates claims that it is being used by the Azerbaijani military against Armenian forces in Karabakh, Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Monday.
"Over the last several days, certain allegations have been made regarding Canadian technology being used in the military conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. In line with Canada's robust export control regime and due to the ongoing hostilities, I have suspended the relevant export permits to Turkey, so as to allow time to further assess the situation," Champagne said in a statement.
Canada's Armenian community as well as the disarmament group Ploughshares International have been calling on the government to stop the export of Canadian drones and targeting systems to Turkey following reports that Ankara has deployed dozens of unmanned aircraft in combat against Armenians in Karabakh.
In a press briefing on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he has asked Champagne to travel to Europe to work with allies on the "developments in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, particularly in Nagorno-Karabakh."
Fierce fighting along the entire Line of Contact betwee Karabakh and Azerbaijan raged for the ninth consecutive day on Monday, with Armenian authorities reporting heavy bombardment of the region's capital Stepanakert and several other towns.
In addition, Amnesty International says its Crisis Response experts were able to trace the location of the footage released by Karabakh authorities to residential areas of Stepanakert, and identified Israeli-made M095 DPICM cluster munitions that appear to have been fired by Azerbaijani forces.
Armenian populated enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence from Azerbaijan in 1991 during the breakup of the Soviet Union. The Republic of Armenia refers to itself as teh "guarantor" of Karabakh's residents' security.
Translation of Nagorno-Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan's October 5 Statement.
Dear Compatriots,
We conclude another successful day at the front lines of a war that has been unleashed upon us by Azerbaijan. The [Karabakh] Defense Army is brilliantly carrying out its combat mission, and at the moment is able to prevent all enemy advances – both in the air and on the ground. Our army is inflicting heavy equipment and manpower losses upon Azerbaijan. It is perhaps for this reason that Azerbaijan’s terrorist army fired more than a hundred rockets from the Smerch launcher towards the direction of the capital Stepanakert. Fortunately, there were no major losses.
I was informed today that the donations from Diaspora Armenians in these few days have already amounted to 50 million euros. I am grateful for your support, and I urge you to continue donating, because, after the war, after the impending victory, we must quickly rebuild the ruins, we must continue to flourish Artsakh – the pride of all Armenians. This is what our collective response to the world must be.
Our national unity once again proves that Azerbaijan has already lost this war. The victory is ours and let no one doubt that.
By Sargis Grigoryan, GPartners
Since 27 September, as a result of Azerbaijan’s continuing acts of aggression against Artsakh, hundreds of homes and key infrastructures have been destroyed or damaged by heavy artillery fire and by airborne attacks including missiles. Other infrastructures such as roads, electricity, gas, and communication networks have also been damaged.
Artsakh is host to a number of important foreign investments, notably in the telecommunication and energy sectors. The current armed struggle with Azerbaijan has seriously affected these investments which will certainly lead to a series of disputes with foreign investors against Azerbaijan. These investors are from Russia, Switzerland, Germany, Lebanon, Monaco and US; the countries with whom Azerbaijan has bilateral investment treaties (BITs). The international treaties contain several types of clauses dealing with violent situations including armed conflict. These treaty provisions are designed to safeguard the interests of investors even in situations of armed conflict. The BITs apply after the outbreak of armed hostilities to restitute and compensate the investors’ losses. This is particularly so where these international treaties address the consequences of armed conflicts.
The most common provision which may be used by Artsakh’s investors against Azerbaijan is a clause guaranteeing full protection and security. In addition, some of these BITs also contain clauses that specifically address wars and other armed conflicts. One type of these “war clauses” promises non-discrimination in the treatment of losses incurred through armed conflicts and similar situations. The other type goes further and actually promises compensation for losses suffered by investors at the hand of the State's forces i.e., the armed forces of Azerbaijan through total destruction of investments in Artsakh. Such unlawful acts committed by Azerbaijan require compensation that must be prompt, adequate and effective.
Artsakh’s investors have now direct access to an international remedy that is depoliticized and subject to objective legal criteria: International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes which is part of and funded by the World Bank Group.
Under international law, Artsakh’s investors are entitled to claim that Azerbaijan must make full reparation for the injury caused by its internationally wrongful acts.
Besides, the investors can also seek diplomatic protection from their home countries which must take up the claims against Azerbaijan – it must become part of the foreign policy process.
Azerbaijan must be held responsible for a series of its criminal actions against Artsakh!
AGBU Press Office 55 East 59th Street New York, NY 10022-1112 Website: https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.agbu.org__;!!LIr3w8kk_Xxm!8GNmRGMp5raZKkzZwL4sGdUOr3GT6VYZQRbTwVjVsHBIiUk29P3LLEyXN9X7Hw$ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, October 5, 2020 AGBU and Hayastan All Armenian Fund Launch #AID4ARTSAKH Matching Gift Program with $1M Grant from AGBU In support of the rapidly growing need for humanitarian relief in Artsakh, the AGBU Board of Directors, in coordination with the Hayastan All Armenian Fund, jointly announced the #AID4ARTSAKH Matching Gift program, open for donations through November 15, 2020. These matched funds will be used exclusively for humanitarian relief and emergency medical equipment in Artsakh and Armenia as a result of the full-scale war unleashed by enemy aggression on September 27, 2020. To generate momentum behind this time-sensitive initiative, AGBU has already made available $1 million to the Hayastan All Armenian Fund with the commitment to make a matching contribution of up to $5 million, depending on total gifts received between now and the campaign deadline. AGBU is prepared to match, dollar for dollar, up to $5 million raised during the campaign window which will apply for any individual donation up to $100,000. This raises the stakes even higher for a generous outpouring from all Armenians who wish to see their support work twice as hard to save Armenian lives on and off the battlefield. "During this very critical stage in the defense effort, AGBU's matching gift opportunity will maximize funding when food and supplies for civilians and life-saving medical equipment for injured soldiers are depleting fast," stated Hayastan All Armenian Fund Executive Director Haykak Arshamyan. "The infusion of $1 million out of the gate, with the prospect of increasing that sum tenfold, should inspire every last Armenian worldwide to act without delay." AGBU Berge Setrakian described this initiative as a "foregone conclusion". He noted that considering the gravity and severity of the need among those in harm's way, whether civilians confined to bomb shelters or injured soldiers in dire medical distress, there is "no question about what we are called to do at this dark hour." To rush support for emergency relief in Artsakh, donors are encouraged to give online to AGBU, which will release the funds directly to the Hayastan All Armenian Fund as each $500,000 is generated. Please note that to qualify for the AGBU match, donations must be made directly to AGBU. To contribute, go to https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.agbu.org/aid4artsakh__;!!LIr3w8kk_Xxm!8GNmRGMp5raZKkzZwL4sGdUOr3GT6VYZQRbTwVjVsHBIiUk29P3LLEynA7iwQA$ or [email protected] for wire transfers. Donations may also be made to local AGBU offices. For more information about this limited time matching program, contact [email protected] The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is the world's largest non-profit organization devoted to upholding the Armenian heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs. Each year, AGBU is committed to making a difference in the lives of 500,000 people across Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian diaspora. Since 1906, AGBU has remained true to one overarching goal: to create a foundation for the prosperity of all Armenians. To learn more visit https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.agbu.org__;!!LIr3w8kk_Xxm!8GNmRGMp5raZKkzZwL4sGdUOr3GT6VYZQRbTwVjVsHBIiUk29P3LLEyXN9X7Hw$ .
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Saturday, October 3, 2020 Armenia Demands Turkey’s ‘Removal From South Caucasus’ October 03, 2020 NAGORNO-KARABAKH -- A house, which locals said was damaged during a recent shelling by Azeri forces, October 1, 2020 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has demanded the withdrawal of Turkish military personnel and Middle Eastern “terrorists” from Azerbaijan, saying that is essential for stopping fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. “Turkey’s military personnel and the Turkish armed forces are directly engaged in the hostilities,” he told the Canadian daily Globe and Mail in an interview published late on Friday. “Turkey’s NATO allies must explain why these F-16 jets are shelling towns and villages in Nagorno-Karabakh and killing civilian populations.” Pashinian also stood by Armenian claims that Ankara recruited Turkish-backed Islamist fighters in Syria and sent them to fight in Karabakh on the Azerbaijani side. “A ceasefire can be established only if Turkey is removed from the South Caucasus,” he added. Ankara maintains that Turkish warplanes, attack drones and military are not involved in the hostilities that broke out on September 27. It also denies deploying Syrian mercenaries in Azerbaijan. Baku denies that too. France has also alleged such deployment, with President Emmanuel Macron saying that at least 300 “Syrian fighters from jihadist groups” were flown from Turkey to Azerbaijan ahead of the flare-up of violence in Karabakh. "I urge all NATO partners to face up to the behavior of a NATO member,” Macron said on Friday. Russia has also accused, albeit implicitly, Ankara of sending “terrorists and mercenaries” to the conflict zone. It has demanded their “immediate withdrawal from the region.” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reacted cautiously to Macron’s claims backed up by Western media reports. “I hope it’s not the case,” Pompeo told reporters on Friday. “We saw Syrian fighters taken from the battlefields in Syria to Libya,” he said. “That created more instability, more turbulence, more conflict, more fighting, less peace. I think it would do the same thing in the conflict in and around Nagorno-Karabakh as well. So I hope that reporting proves inaccurate.” Commenting on Turkish involvement in the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute, Pompeo said Washington disapproves of “third parties bringing ammunitions, weapon systems, even just advisors and allies” to the conflict zone. AZERBAIJAN -- A house that was allegedly damaged by recent shelling during the fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh is seen in the Agdam district, October 1, 2020. The United States, Russia and France have long been leading international efforts to broker an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal in their capacity as co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. The presidents of the three mediating powers called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities” in a joint statement on Thursday. They also urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to “commit without delay to resuming substantive negotiations.” Yerevan welcomed the statement, saying it is willing to engage in peace talks mediated by the Minsk Group co-chairs. By contrast, Baku effectively rejected the mediators’ appeal. “In order to stop the violence Armenia must withdraw its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh,” said a senior aide to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan likewise said the mediators should instead “demand that the Armenians pull their troops out of Azerbaijan.” He condemned their long-running peace efforts as a gross failure. In an interview with Al Jazeera aired on Saturday, Aliyev said the U.S., Russia and France should “continue working together on settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict” provided that they “remain neutral.” In an apparent reference to France, he said statements made by some of the co-chair countries in recent days indicate a pro-Armenian bias. Incidentally, Macron spoke with Aliyev and Pashinian separately on the phone late on Friday. The French president said in a statement that he proposed a new method to restart talks within the Minsk Group format. He did not elaborate. Pashinian too was interviewed by Al Jazeera on Saturday. He told the international TV network that renewed peace talks with Baku are conditional on an end to what he described as Azerbaijan’s “aggression” against Karabakh. “I can say with confidence that the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh will not retreat in the face of the aggression,” the Armenian premier said as large-scale hostilities continued along the Armenian-Azerbaijani “line of contact” around Karabakh. He further made clear that Armenia will remain the “guarantor” of the disputed territory’s independence. Armenians Urged To Fight On As War In Karabakh Continues October 03, 2020 Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian addresses the nation, October 3, 2020. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian praised the Armenian military and urged his nation to help it defeat Azerbaijan as fierce battles continued around Nagorno-Karabakh for a seventh day on Saturday. Pashinian said that Baku has failed to “solve any strategic issue” with its “unprecedented” offensive launched on September 27. “Victory and only victory is the outcome which we imagine at the end of this fight,” Pashinian declared in a live televised address. “Already today, hours ago, the Defense Army of Artsakh (Karabakh) carried out active counteroffensive operations and achieved substantial successes, crushing several units of the enemy’s special forces.” “Through joint efforts we must break the attacking enemy’s spine so that it never again stretches its criminal hands towards,” he said. Pashinian charged that Azerbaijan wants to not only regain control over Karabakh but also exterminate its ethnic Armenian population. “We are probably living through the most decisive phase of our millennia-old history,” he said. Karabakh’s Armenian-backed army reported in the morning that Azerbaijani forces went on a fresh offensive at northern and southern sections of the “line of contact” around Karabakh, the epicenters of the week-long hostilities. It also accused them of again shelling the capital Stepanakert. The Defense Army claimed to have killed hundreds of Azerbaijani soldiers, destroyed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles and shot down three warplanes in the following hours. Shushan Stepanian, a spokeswoman for Armenia’s Defense Ministry, said early in the afternoon that Karabakh troops have repelled the “large-scale” offensive and launched a “counteroffensive in one of the directions.” She did not give details. In another statement issued at around 6 p.m., the Karabakh Armenian army said its frontline troops are “successfully accomplishing combat tasks set for them.” The statement came shortly after Pashinian’s televised speech. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in the morning that “fierce fighting is continuing along the entire frontline.” The ministry said its forces are dealing “crushing blows” to the enemy. The Karabakh army also reported on Saturday 51 more combat deaths within its ranks. The total number of Armenian soldiers killed in action since September 27 thus rose to 201. The Azerbaijani military has still not released any combat casualty numbers. The hostilities continued unabated despite international efforts to restore the ceasefire regime in the Karabakh conflict zone and pave the way for renewed peace negotiations. In an interview with Al Jazeera aired on Saturday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev blamed Pashinian for the collapse earlier this year of Armenian-Azerbaijani talks mediated by the United States, Russia and France. Aliyev claimed that Pashinian proved more intransigent than Armenia’s former leaders. “We do not yet have a negotiating partner in Armenia,” he said. Pashinian claimed the opposite, saying that Aliyev was not prepared for “mutual concessions” and never reciprocated his repeated statements to the effect that that a Karabakh settlement must be “acceptable to the peoples of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Karabakh.” Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL Copyright (c) 2020 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc. 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
20:30, 3 October, 2020
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani forces are again striking Stepanakert, the correspondent of ARMENPRESS informs from Stepanakert that explosions were heard.
Earlier people had been taken to shelters following air raid alarm.
Starting from September 27, Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, unleashed military operations against Artsakh, using its entire arsenal and targeting even civilian population both in Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia.
Editing and translating by Tigran Sirekanyan