Category: 2021

 17:29,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan met with Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev on the sidelines of the meeting of the Security Council Secretaries of the CIS states, Mr Grigoryan’s Office said.

At the meeting Armen Grigoryan presented the current situation caused by the November 16 military actions of Azerbaijan. He informed his Russian counterpart that the military actions are taking place in the sovereign territory of Armenia and that the Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenia’s sovereign territory.

In his turn Nikolai Patrushev expressed hope that the Armenian-Azerbaijani border tension will soon ease and that the Russian side is ready to provide respective support to Armenia and Azerbaijan for the border demarcation and delimitation.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Balance has not changed in any way as a result of yesterday’s operations – Pashinyan on Azerbaijan’s aggression

 17:37,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. According to Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, as a result of the hostilities unleashed by Azerbaijan on November 16, the balance has not changed in any way, ARMENPRESS reports the Armenian PM said at the National Assembly, during the parliament-Cabinet Q&A session, answering the question of MP Vahagn Aleksanyan from “Civil Contract” Party whether new territories have passed under the Azerbaijani control.

As for the 41 square kilometers occupied as a result of the Azerbaijani aggression, the PM said that this number was not formed as a result of yesterday’s or the previous day’s operations. “As a result of yesterday’s operations, the balance has in no way changed. I mean these 41 square kilometers existed and a week ago, in the period since May 12, and remains the same following yesterday’s operations. It’s not so that the Azerbaijani armed forces have a full control of those 41 square kilometers. As a result of the processes following May 12, in fact the positions of the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces are located like a chess desk, sometimes deep into one another in an illogical way”, Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the correct understanding of the situation particularly now. According to him, before May 12, about 40 square kilometers of the territory of Armenia was under the control of Azerbaijan, as a result of the first war. “We know the precise locations of those areas. As a result of the first war, there are also territories of Soviet Azerbaijan, which are under the control of the Republic of Armenia,” Pashinyan said, adding that for these reasons he attaches great importance to the demarcation or delimitation process.

 18:15,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The whole goal of the negotiation process within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs is to reach the point of concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS reports the Armenian PM said at the National Assembly, during the parliament-Cabinet Q&A session, answering the question of MP Lena Nazaryan from “Civil Contract” Party that the Azerbaijani leadership offers Armenia to sign a peace treaty and what’s the respond of the Armenian side.

Pashinyan answered that Armenia has also offered and offers Azerbaijan to sign a peace treaty.

“This is not something new. In all the negotiation packages that existed before us, the goal of the negotiation process is to sign a peace treaty”, the PM said.

Nikol Pashinyan noted that it is strange for him when Azerbaijan says that they offer Armenia to sign a peace treaty, but there is no response from Armenia. According to the Prime Minister, not only there is a response from Armenia, but it has been said a dozen of times that it is not an Azerbaijani initiative.

“When we talk about the full restoration of the negotiation process, when we are involved in the negotiation process, our goal is to sign a peace treaty, which must be preceded by the agreement on the text of the peace treaty. It is a rather extensive process. We have never refused to do that work. On the contrary, we have always expressed readiness. We consider it our agenda,” Pashinyan concluded.

 18:47,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Georgian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani met in Brussels with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Georgian MFA.

“Within the framework of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Eastern Partnership, Georgian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani held talks with his Azerbaijani and Armenian counterparts Jeyhun Bayramov and Ararat Mirzoyan. The situation in the region was discussed. The Georgian Deputy Prime Minister once again stressed the need to de-escalate tensions between the neighboring countries and strengthen stability in the region. Zalkaliani reaffirms Georgia’s readiness to make every effort for lasting peace and stability in the region”, reads the statement.

 18:57,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Russia is in contact with both Azerbaijan and Armenia for bringing the situation to a peaceful level, ARMENPRESS reports official representative of the Russian MFA Maria Zakharova said in a weekly briefing.

She reminded that on November 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu had telephone conversations with his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts.

“As a result of these mediation efforts, the fights and clashes stopped last night. Joint efforts to defuse tensions continues. We call on both sides to show restraint, not to allow new incidents, to resolve all disputes exclusively through political-diplomatic means,” Zakharova said.

She noted that Russia is ready to further assist these countries in establishing peace and stability in the region.

“Recent events confirm the need for an immediate start of the demarcation and subsequent delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, as well as the commencement of the work of the relevant commission on the basis of previously submitted Russian proposals”, Zakharova said.

 19:19,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The regular meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council will be held in Yerevan on November 18-19, in connection with which the Heads of the Governments of the EEU member states will arrive in Armenia.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, a number of issues related to the development and strengthening of integration processes in the Eurasian space will be discussed at the narrow and then expanded-format sessions.

 19:24,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian, who is in Singapore, had a conversation with Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong. They referred to the current level of the relations between Armenia and Singapore and the development prospects of those relations.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the President’s Office, the President of Armenia presented information to the Prime Minister of Singapore about yesterday’s provocative and aggressive actions of Azerbaijan on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

“President Sarkissian and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke about the development of bilateral cooperation in a number of areas. It was noted that there is a great potential for cooperation, especially in the fields of high technology, artificial intelligence, science and education. According to President Sarkissian, the development path of Singapore is a good example for Armenia and the Singaporean experience in a number of spheres can be useful for our country”, reads the statement.

Referring to the development opportunities of small countries in the modern rapidly changing world, the interlocutors agreed that in the new realities, small and smart countries have great opportunities for development and success.

 19:33,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The EPP is greatly concerned by recent military hostilities at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

“We strongly condemn the violations of the internationally recognised border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We unequivocally reject the use of force or threat of force as a means to achieve political goals in the region.

We underline the vital need for international prevention mechanisms and for an international investigation of military clashes, including meaningful relevant sanctions against aggressors.

Long-lasting peace in the region is possible through comprehensive and negotiated resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, grounded on the Basic Principles proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs”.

 20:10,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are currently in Vienna to discuss the current situation, ARMENPRESS reports the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said during a briefing with journalists.

Referring to the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Zakharova recalled their November 15 statement, emphasizing that they continue their active mediation efforts, within the framework of which they recently met in Paris with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“Once again, we highlight the urgent organization of the visit of the Co-Chairs to the region”, Zakharova said.

 20:16,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Russia takes its bilateral and multilateral obligations seriously, ARMENPRESS reports the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said during a briefing with journalists, referring to the question about the Armenian-Russian bilateral agreement of 1997.

“Russia takes its bilateral and multilateral obligations seriously. Relevant bilateral consultations are held. As for the CSTO, according to our information, they are closely monitoring the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border”, Zakharova said.