Category: 2021

Why The US Accepts More Russian Troops In South Caucasus

Emil Karabekian
International Business Times
Aug 29 2021
By Taras Kuzio on  12:35 AA
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a vicious six-week war last year which claimed some 6,500 lives

If ever there was an oxymoron, it is Russian peacekeepers. As the last three decades in Eurasia demonstrates, Moscow does not resolve conflicts; it manufactures them to its own benefit. Yet last year’s conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Karabakh region ended with a Kremlin-brokered ceasefire placing 4,000 of these supposed peacekeepers in the middle of the South Caucasus. In reality, it is just one piece in Moscow’s grand revisionist strategy.

Now, a military arc extends throughout the post-Soviet space. In Europe, Ukraine’s Donbas region continues to be a victim of Russian military aggression, whilst further North the fate of Belarus seems to be that of creeping annexation.

In the Middle East, President Vladimir Putin continues to prop up the murderous Assad regime. Meanwhile, the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan hosts one of Russia’s most significant foreign bases, with reinforcements being sent to its border with Afghanistan in the wake of the U.S. military withdrawal and the Taliban taking over.

In the South Caucasus, while supposedly protecting the peace, Russia finds itself in the middle of Europe’s energy diversification strategy. Europe is overly dependent on Kremlin fuel, which compromises its foreign policy. The recently completed Nord Stream II from Russia to Germany only deepens this dependence, despite many EU member states seeing it as a national security threat.

It is why Azerbaijan has become increasingly important as an alternative source of energy. Last December, a brand-new pipeline began delivering Baku’s natural gas to Southern Europe. Now, coincidentally, Russian troops sit at the very juncture that was supposed to diminish Moscow’s leverage in Europe. This should be of grave concern to both European and U.S. policymakers.

The problem is how quickly Russia’s presence has been normalized. Broadly speaking, Russia was Armenia’s backer in last year’s war. Yerevan is already hugely dependent on Moscow both militarily and economically. Russia has a growing number of military bases in Armenia whilst also delivering most of its weaponry. It is also a member of every Russian-led integration project in Eurasia, such as the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) and Eurasian Economic Union. But the legitimization of Russian overreach has been the work of the large and active Armenian lobby.

Zbigniew Brzezinski, former U.S. National Security Advisor, once described it as one of the three most influential foreign lobbies in the U.S. In 2019, before the war, they helped secure Armenia $60 million in foreign assistance from Washington, a 40% increase on the previous year. For much of their life in U.S. politics, they have actively contributed to civic life, keeping the cause of Armenian liberty alive under the Soviet Union, like those in the Lithuanian diaspora did for their homeland.

Paradoxically, now they are making the case for Russian peacekeeping troops as a necessary guarantor of peace in Karabakh. Before last year’s conflict, neither the U.S. nor France – who together with Russia co-chair the OSCE Minsk Group tasked since the 90s with resolving the dispute– would have accepted unaccompanied Russian troops in Karabakh. Now, they have been accepted with few raised eyebrows.

Moreover, Armenia lobbies members of Congress toward unworkable positions that push a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia further into the future. A case in point is the entreaties of Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., chairman of the influential House Intelligence Committee. Schiff has led calls in Congress to recognize the independence of the so-called “Artsakh Republic” – the Armenian name for the Azerbaijani region of Karabakh it occupied from 1994-2020.

Not even Yerevan de jure recognized the so-called “Artsakh Republic,” as this would have flown in the face of international law. This would be and will remain unacceptable to Azerbaijan, stalling any efforts to finally end the conflict. But a frozen conflict suits Moscow and allows it to maintain its peacekeepers indefinitely on the ground.

That such uncompromising lobbying should come from the diaspora is perhaps unsurprising. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan stretches back to independence in the 1990s from the Soviet Union. With Armenia’s 1990s victory and occupation came isolation on two fronts: Azerbaijan and its ally Turkey closed their borders to Armenia, which account for over 80% of them. Meanwhile, the so-called “Artsakh” posed huge costs on the Armenian government’s budget; nobody else would invest in the region given its illegal status.

Alternatively, resolution of the conflict would vastly benefit the Armenian economy. It has already missed out on regional energy and logistics infrastructure because of the Karabakh issue. It is therefore telling that the Armenian lobby argues for unfeasible positions that would instead keep Armenia isolated: they have been untouched by the economic turmoil of the past 30 years and therefore able to make radical demands whilst bearing none of the costs.

Instead, any step forward to permanent peace must start from the reality that the lands retaken by Azerbaijan are its sovereign territory. And Armenia, by listening a little less to radicals in the U.S. diaspora and those they lobby, would more likely secure a more prosperous future.

Taras Kuzio is a professor at the Department of Political Science, National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy

Erdoğan greenlights normalisation of ties with Armenia

Maghakian Mike
Aug 29 2021

  • Aug 29 2021 08:21 Gmt+3
  • Last Updated On: Aug 29 2021 08:22 Gmt+3

Turkey is willing to work for the normalization of relations with Armenia pending the neighbouring country’s abandonment of single-sided accusations and embrace of a realistic outlook, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sunday.

Neighbourly relations based on trust, respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty despite differences in opinions and expectations, would be a “responsible way to act’’ for Ankara and Yerevan, the Independent Turkish cited Erdoğan as telling reporters on a flight back from a weekend tour in the Balkans.

The region needs “new, constructive approaches” and Ankara is ready to  ready to gradually develop relations with Armenia, the Turkish leader said, if the country is ready to take steps for “sustainable peace and coexistence.’’

Erdoğan also congratulated Armenia for its newly established government, expressing hope that the new government would be beneficial to the region.

Armenia’s acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was officially appointed to the post earlier this month by the country’s president after Pashinyan’s party won an early parliamentary election in June, following months of protests demanding his resignation because of a November peace deal he signed to end six weeks of fighting with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Erdoğan’s remarks arrive after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Friday that Turkey had been sending “positive signals” to his country and that Yerevan will respond in kind, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Diplomatic ties between Turkey and Armenia are officially non-existent and have historically been hostile.Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in response to what it called Armenian aggression in Karabakh.

Nagorno-Karabakh authorities blame Azerbaijani networks for mobile telephony interruptions

Emil Lazarian
Caucasian Knot, EU
Aug 29 2021

Residents of Nagorno-Karabakh complain of frequent Internet cuts and a weak cellular signal. The problem arose due to absence of agreement with Azerbaijan, the Karabakh Infrastructure Ministry has explained. Azerbaijan is deliberately affecting Nagorno-Karabakh’s telecom, Gegam Stepanyan, an Ombudsperson, has stated.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that already in the first month after the end of the 2020 autumn war, Karabakh residents complained about poor communication and Internet problems.

Throughout the Karabakh territory, for a long time, telecom works with outages; and in some communities the population is completely deprived of communication means, Mr Stepanyan has stated. “Problems are especially severe in the communities located near the contact line of military forces,” he said on the Facebook.

According to the Ombudsperson, “the facts indicate that … Azerbaijanis are affecting the frequencies and technical means used by local telecom providers.”

“We are so accustomed to phone our relatives that when the connection is fails, we feel uncomfortable. But now, in the post-war period, bad thoughts come to mind when we cannot get through,” said Aik Avanesyan, a Stepanakert resident.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on at 08:46 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Russian MoD reports about restoration of power supply in Nagorno-Karabakh, Stepanakert townspeople left without stable cellular telephony, After Azerbaijani troops’ entry to Kelbadjar, Karabakh residents lost Internet.

Author: Alvard Grigoryan; Source: CK correspondent

Source: 
© Caucasian Knot

​Armenian soldier wounded as Azerbaijani forces open fire on Defense Army positions in Artsakh

Hambardsumian Paul

Aug 29 2021
Armenian soldier wounded as Azerbaijani forces open fire on Defense Army positions in Artsakh

On August 28, at around 3:20 pm, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces once again resorted to provocation, violating the ceasefire and opening fire on the positions of the Defense Army located in the Taghavard settlement of Artsakh, the Defense Army reports.

Private of the Defense Army Argishti Shahnazaryan was wounded in the shooting.

The enemy’s fire was silenced by the counter-actions of the Defense Army units.

Azerbaijani forces open fire in Sotk direction

Yeghisabet Arthur

Aug 29 2021


On August 29, starting from 00:20, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces fired from different caliber firearms at the Armenian positions in the Gegharkunik region, particularly in the Sotk section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the Ministry of Defense reports.

The Armenian forces undertook retaliatory actions, which was followed by two hours of shootout.

At 02.25 an ambulance approached the Azerbaijani positions, after which the Armenian side stopped the firing, allowing the enemy to evacuate the wounded.

Shelling from Azerbaijan damaged wall of one of residential buildings in Kut village

Alex Jidarian
News.am, Armenia
Aug 29 2021
02:17, 29.08.2021

Yesterday’s shots by Azerbaijani servicemen damaged the wall of one of the houses in the village of Kut right next to a child standing in the yard, the Ombudsman of Armenia Arman Tatoyan reported on his Facebook.

“Yesterday, the shots of the Azerbaijani military damaged the wall of one of the houses in the village of Kut right next to the child standing in the yard. At the time of the shelling, there were old people and young children in the courtyard of the house.

In particular, on August 27 at 22:00, the Azerbaijani armed forces began intensive fire on residential buildings in the village of Kut, Gegharkunik region of Armenia.

As a result of the shelling, more than 10 houses were damaged: roofs and walls, on which not only traces of shots, but also stuck shell casings.

The shots were fired from firearms of various calibers and were stopped at around 23:00.

These shots openly violate people’s rights to life and property, undermine the safety of civilians, including children, women, the elderly, and their peaceful life.

Yesterday’s incident once again confirms that the Azerbaijani armed forces must leave the roads between the villages and communities of Armenia. Only this can guarantee the rights of the border residents of Armenia, ensure a peaceful and safe life for the people.

The facts of the latest actions of Azerbaijan in Syunik, Gegharkunik and Ararat, including shots, indicate that they are becoming more and more dangerous for civilians, and violations of rights are widespread.

Chess: Levon Aronian named sole leader

Dabaghian Diana
News.am, Armenia
Aug 29 2021

Levon Aronian made a good start at the Aimchess US Rapid online chess tournament.

The Armenian grandmaster scored 4 points and is the sole leader of the tournament table. Aronian won three victories and ended two games in a draw.

The tournament will end on September 5th.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 08/27/2021

Hunanian Jack 
                                        Friday, 
Armenia Says Azerbaijan Unblocks Key Road In Syunik
A Russian post in the Armenian village of Vorotan in the Syunik region near the 
new border with Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan has unblocked a major Armenian highway in Syunik after keeping it 
closed for all kinds of travel for nearly two days, citing an alleged stabbing 
attack on its border-guard in the area.
Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) said on Friday evening that both 
sections of the Goris-Kapan road, namely Shurnukh-Karmrakar and Goris-Vorotan 
that were kept closed since late August 25 and August 26, respectively, were now 
open again.
“The Goris-Kapan interstate road is open for all types of vehicles and for free 
movement of citizens,” the NSS said, adding that Armenia’s border troops and 
border-guards of the Russian Federal Security Service conducted negotiations 
with the Azerbaijani side for the reopening of the road.
The NSS statement referred to no other details of the negotiations or any 
conditions on which the road section may have been reopened.
The 21-kilometer section of the Goris-Kapan road became disputable between 
Armenia and Azerbaijan after Baku regained control over much of Nagorno-Karabakh 
and all Armenian-controlled districts around it as a result of last year’s 
44-day war.
In December 2020, a month after Russia brokered a ceasefire deal to end the 
armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, it also arranged with Yerevan and Baku that 
Armenians will continue to use the stretch of the highway passing through 
Azerbaijani-controlled territory under the supervision of Russian border-guards 
until Armenia builds another alternative road for all types of transportation to 
connect two parts of the mountainous region.
The highway is also vital for Armenian trade with Iran. Earlier on Friday the 
Iranian embassy in Yerevan told the state-run Armenpress news agency that Tehran 
hopes that the latest border crisis between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be 
resolved peacefully and will not jeopardize commercial ties in the region.
During the morning session of the government Armenian Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian accused Azerbaijan of trying to discredit Armenia’s peace efforts by 
closing the road, but expressed a hope that the situation will be resolved soon.
At the same time, he told his ministers to speed up their efforts on the 
renovation of alternative roads in Syunik to ensure reliable connection between 
communities and the regional center, state and interstate highways.
“This situation was not unexpected for us and in the meantime we have worked and 
will continue to work to build new infrastructure. But the reopening of the road 
in the Eyvazli and Chaizami sections can be a very good symbol of regional 
stability,” the Armenian prime minister said, referring to the two closed 
sections of the Goris-Kapan road.
Armenia’s Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan also addressed the situation in Syunik, saying 
that problems with travel in the mountainous region had seriously affected life 
of the local population, including their access to goods and medical services. 
He said that trade between Armenia and Iran had also been hampered by the 
situation.
Armenia Condemns Deadly Attacks At Kabul Airport
AFGHANISTAN -- Afghans lie on beds at a hospital after they were wounded in the 
deadly attacks outside the airport in Kabul, 
Armenia has condemned deadly bombings at Kabul International Airport in which 72 
Afghans and 13 U.S. troops were killed on August 26.
In his message on Friday Armenian President Armen Sarkissian offered condolences 
to the families and friends of the victims of the act of terrorism.
“We strongly condemn the act of terrorism at Kabul International Airport, which 
killed many innocent civilians and soldiers. Armenia has always opposed any 
terrorist act against humanity, especially the involvement of terrorists in 
hostilities. In the fight against international terrorism, it is necessary to 
unite forces to prevent such monstrous manifestations of intolerance and 
contempt for universal values,” Sarkissian said, as quoted by his press office.
In his message the Armenian president also wished endurance and courage to the 
victims’ families and relatives, and a speedy recovery to the injured.
The Kabul airport attacks came as U.S. forces were helping to evacuate people 
desperate to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban took over this Central Asian 
country earlier this month.
The Islamic State, a terrorist organization, claimed responsibility for the 
attacks.
An Armenian peacekeeping contingent that was deployed in Afghanistan as part of 
a NATO-led mission since 2010 ended its service and returned to Armenia in March 
2021.
Iran Hopes For Peaceful Resolution Of Armenia-Azerbaijan Border Crisis
        • Heghine Buniatian
An Iranian cargo truck bound for Yerevan stuck in the Syunik region of Armenia 
due to an Armenian-Azerbaijani border crisis. .
Iran hopes that border disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the 
latest one over a road section in the Armenian province of Syunik, will be 
resolved in a peaceful atmosphere without jeopardizing commercial ties in the 
region.
“We hope that the sides will resolve the latest disagreements in the Syunik 
province’s border zones and especially the Kapan-Goris road section in a way 
that the implementation of the goal of reopening of transportation routes and 
unblocking won’t be disrupted,” the Iranian embassy in Yerevan told the 
state-run Armenpress news agency on Friday.
“Unfortunately, in the past two days we are witnessing a disruption of transit 
through this road as a result of the latest developments in the Syunik province, 
which has caused problems not only for the normal life of Armenia’s civilian 
population, but also a number of Iranian cargo vehicles carrying out shipments 
from Iran to Armenia,” the embassy added.
It stressed that due to the existing difficult situation at the 21-kilometer 
section of the road “it is required for the sides to make efforts within the 
framework of goodwill principle in the direction of ensuring normal course of 
communication and transit, until reaching an exact and concrete situation over 
this matter.”
“We are hopeful that in parallel to the ongoing negotiations over solving the 
existing disputes regarding the use of the Kapan-Goris route, the improvement 
and development works of alternative routes will swiftly take place, so that the 
conditions return to normal both from the perspective of Armenia’s citizens and 
our commercial relations with Armenia,” the Iranian embassy said.
Citing a stabbing attack against its border guard earlier this week, Azerbaijan 
closed two sections of a key Armenian interstate highway that partly passes 
through territory that Baku regained after last year’s war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia’s National Security Service said that negotiations with Azerbaijan with 
the participation of the Russian side were underway to achieve the reopening of 
the strategic road also used for vital trade with Iran.
On Friday, two days after Azerbaijan closed the road, Armenia’s Ombudsman Arman 
Tatoyan said that problems with travel in Syunik had seriously affected life of 
the local population, including their access to goods and medical services. He 
said the situation also seriously limited trade between Armenia and Iran.
An RFE/RL Armenian Service correspondent on August 27 talked to one Iranian 
truck driver stuck in Syunik who complained about the uncertain situation with 
the road. The Iranian still said that he preferred waiting for the main road to 
reopen than using an alternative dirt road that he said was difficult to drive.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian told his government earlier on Friday to 
speed up efforts on the renovation of alternative roads in Syunik to ensure 
reliable connection between communities and the regional center, state and 
interstate highways.
Pashinian claimed that by closing the road in Syunik Azerbaijan sought to 
discredit Armenia’s peace agenda for the region, but expressed a hope that the 
situation will be resolved soon.
“Such a situation was not unexpected for us and in the meantime we have worked 
and will continue to work to build new infrastructure. But the reopening of 
roads in the Eyvazli and Chaizami sections can be a very good symbol of regional 
stability,” Pashinian said.
Armenia To Reciprocate ‘Positive Signals’ From Turkey
A general view of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, against the backdrop of Mount 
Ararat, which is located in the territory of modern-day Turkey
Armenia will evaluate positive signals coming from Turkey and will respond in 
kind, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said at the start of his cabinet’s meeting 
in Yerevan on Friday.
“There have been certain public positive signals from Turkey. We will evaluate 
those signals and respond to those signals with a positive signal,” the Armenian 
prime minister said.
During a meeting with foreign ambassadors accredited to Turkey earlier this week 
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that if Armenia takes positive steps 
to establish peace in the region, Turkey will respond adequately.
“After the recent Karabakh war, new opportunities have been created for progress 
in that direction,” he said. “We have already stated that if Armenia responds 
positively to these opportunities, we will take the necessary steps.”
Armenia and Turkey have no diplomatic relations. In 1993, Turkey reacted to the 
war in Nagorno-Karabakh by closing its border with Armenia out of support for 
its regional ally Azerbaijan.
Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian (L) and his Turkish counterpart 
Ahmet Davutoglu sign protocols to normalize relations between Yerevan and Ankara 
in a ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland, October 10, 2009.
In 2009, Yerevan and Ankara attempted to normalize their relations, signing 
protocols to establish diplomatic relations and re-open the border. But the 
protocols were never ratified, while the brief rapprochement came to a close in 
the subsequent years.
Armenia has pursued international recognition of the 1915 mass killings and 
deportations of over a million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as genocide. Over two 
dozen governments of the word recognize the Ottoman-era massacres of Armenians 
as genocide today.
The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate passed resolutions in 2019 
recognizing the Armenian genocide, as did U.S. President Joe Biden when he used 
the word “genocide” in his April 24, 2021 speech on the occasion of the Armenian 
Genocide Remembrance Day.
Turkey refuses to recognize that the Ottoman government pursued a policy of 
exterminating Armenians, maintaining that hundreds of thousands of Turkish 
Muslims and Armenian Christians died in intercommunal violence around the bloody 
battlefields of World War I. Turkey also disputes Armenia’s count of the numbers 
killed, putting it at 300,000.
Last year Armenia also accused Turkey of directly assisting Azerbaijan in its 
war against ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh in September-November 2020.
Yerevan also accused Ankara of deploying terrorist fighters from Syria in the 
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone during the 44-day conflict in which Azerbaijan 
regained much of the former autonomous region’s territory as well as all seven 
surrounding districts that had been controlled by ethnic Armenians since the 
early 1990s.
Turkey has denied any involvement in the conflict, but has repeatedly voiced 
support for Azerbaijan in its actions against Armenians.
Still during the war in October 2020 Armenia announced a temporary ban on the 
import of Turkish goods beginning in 2021. It extended the ban for another six 
months in July.
In its five-year action plan approved in the parliament this week the Armenian 
government said, however, that it supports the establishment of relations with 
Turkey without any preconditions.
Pashinian Raps Azerbaijan For ‘Discrediting’ Armenia’s Peace Agenda
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian (archive photo)
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian believes Azerbaijan has closed a major 
road that connects two parts of Armenia’s southern Syunik province in an attempt 
to discredit Armenia’s peace agenda.
Speaking at a government session in Yerevan on Friday Pashinian observed that 
Azerbaijani soldiers blocked sections of the Goris-Kapan that lie in the 
territory currently controlled by Baku shortly after he presented a five-year 
action plan of his government in the Armenian parliament pledging that Armenia 
will do its part to usher in an “era of peace” in the region.
“I hope that the situations with roads in Syunik will be settled as soon as 
possible,” Pashinian said.
Azerbaijan established control over several sections of Armenia’s main 
interstate highway that is also vital for connection with Iran when its forces 
regained several districts around Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of a 44-day war 
last fall.
In doing so Baku referred to Soviet-era maps showing administrative borders 
between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The roads in questions had been controlled by Armenia since the break-up of the 
Soviet Union and the first Nagorno-Karabakh war in the early 1990s that left 
ethnic Armenians in control of large swaths of territory outside the former 
autonomous region proper.
Last December Russia, which had brokered a ceasefire deal to end the armed 
conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, also arranged with Yerevan and Baku that Armenians 
will continue to use a 21-kilometer stretch of the highway that passes through 
Azerbaijani-controlled territory under the supervision of Russian border-guards 
until Armenia builds another alternative road for all types of transportation to 
connect two parts of the mountainous region.
Pashinian stressed that with its actions these days Azerbaijan breaks the 
December arrangements.
Pashinian again denied that Armenians had any relation to an alleged stabbing of 
an Azerbaijani border-guard in the area on August 25 that Baku used as a pretext 
for closing the road. The Armenian leader said Yerevan was ready for a joint 
investigation of the incident with the participation of representatives of 
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia.
“Such a situation was not unexpected for us and in the meantime we have worked 
and will continue to work to build new infrastructure. But the reopening of 
roads in the Eyvazli and Chaizami sections can be a very good symbol of regional 
stability,” Pashinian said.
The Armenian prime minister instructed his cabinet to pursue road construction 
work in Syunik, in particular, complete the reconstruction of the Tatev-Aghvani 
road until the end of the year as well as work on other roads to ensure reliable 
connection of communities with the regional center and state and interstate 
highways.
Earlier on Friday, Armenia’s Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan said that problems with 
travel in Syunik seriously affected life of the local population, including 
their access to goods and medical services. He said the situation also seriously 
limited trade between Armenia and Iran.
Azerbaijani Soldier Detained In Nagorno-Karabakh
INFOGRAPHIC: Nagorno-Karabakh after a Russia-brokered ceasefire agreement
Ethnic Armenian authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh have detained an Azerbaijani 
soldier, whom Baku says escaped from a psychiatric clinic.
Prosecutors in Stepanakert said on August 26 that an Azerbaijani soldier 
identified as Jamil Babayev was detained in an apartment in the town of 
Martakert.
Babayev was charged with espionage, illegal border crossing, and threatening to 
kill residents of the apartment he was detained in.
Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said a probe had been launched against Babayev 
after he allegedly left a psychiatric clinic in the Azerbaijani city of Ganca 
without permission.
Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly Armenian-populated autonomous 
oblast in Soviet Azerbaijan, declared independence from Baku in 1991, 
establishing their control over the region and some surrounding districts in a 
1992-94 war with Azerbaijani forces.
Azerbaijan regained control of parts of the territory and surrounding districts 
as a result of a 44-day war last fall that ended with a Russian-brokered 
ceasefire agreement signed between Yerevan and Baku.
Under the terms of the November 9, 2020 ceasefire agreement around 2,000 Russian 
peacekeepers were deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor 
linking the Armenian-populated region with Armenia.
Ex-President Sarkisian Threatens To Sue Pro-Pashinian Tycoon For Defamation
        • Artak Khulian
Civil Contract MP Khachatur Sukiasian
Former President Serzh Sarkisian has threatened to sue Khachatur Sukiasian, a 
millionaire businessman and member of the pro-government Civil Contract faction 
in parliament, over what his lawyers describe as defamation damaging his good 
name.
Speaking in parliament on August 25, Sukiasian claimed that during his 
presidency Sarkisian lost over $100 million in a casino in the German spa town 
of Baden-Baden and that his debt to the casino was paid from taxpayer money.
Sarkisian’s lawyer Amram Makinian said that in court the former president will 
demand that the pro-government lawmaker publicly refute his statement and offer 
an apology.
Former Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian
Sarkisian already answered allegations about his gambling habits during the 
recent election campaign in June. Reacting to such claims by Prime Minister 
Nikol Pashinian, he called it a lie, saying that his friends and other people in 
his surroundings knew that he did not go to casinos and even avoided streets 
where casinos were.
“They were talking nonsense about Baden-Baden, not realizing that there was a 
casino in Baden in the 19th century, and it is more a museum than a casino 
today. As for Monaco, I have not been to Monaco at all during the last 15 years, 
and it is easy to check this,” the ex-president said.
Talking to media on Thursday, Sukiasian doubled down on his accusations and said 
that he also had lawyers and was ready for litigation with Sarkisian.
Sukiasian said that in his remarks in parliament he even mentioned a lower 
amount of money that was allegedly lost by the former president in a casino to 
make it more provable. “I even know of a case when our state aircraft flew to 
where there was a casino and money was taken out from here in sacks to pay [for 
Sarkisian’s debt], because in casinos you can play and pay later,” he claimed.
Sukiasian, who has long been in business, also claimed that there was widespread 
government corruption during the years of Sarkisian’s presidency and that 
businesses had to pay money that never went to the state budget.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2021 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Putin, Armenian PM discuss current issues of Nagorno-Karabakh settlement – Kremlin

Maral Chavushian
TASS, Russia
Aug 28 2021
Russian Politics & DiplomacyAugust 28, 0:07

MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. The current situation in Nagorno-Karabakh was the focus of a telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the Kremlin press service said on Friday.

“The sides discussed current issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement in the context of the implementation of agreements committed to paper in the trilateral statements of November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021, and the current situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border,” it said.

Putin and Pashinyan also agreed to continue contacts at various levels.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them. Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group, led by its three co-chairs – Russia, France and the United States.

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, 2020, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. On November 9, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. Under the document, the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides stopped at the positions that they had held and Russian peacekeepers were deployed along the engagement line in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Lachinsky corridor that connects Armenia with the enclave to exercise control of the ceasefire observance. Apart from that, a number of districts came over to Baku’s control.

The situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has been tense since May 12, when Armenia’s defense ministry said that Azerbaijani armed forces had tried to carry out “certain works” in a border area in Syunik Province in a bid to “adjust the border. Since then, the sides have been reporting border incidents from time to time.


Tehran: ​Baku blocks land route to Armenia

Emil Lazarian
Tehran Times, Iran
Aug 27 2021

  1. Politics
– 22:8

TEHRAN — Iran’s customs spokesman said on Friday that a part of the land route from Iran to Armenia was blocked by the forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Seyed Ruhollah Latifi, spokesman for the customs, said, “According to the news received from some drivers, the entrance of the Goris-Kapan road to Armenia was blocked by the Azerbaijani forces.”

He added that it is said that the negotiations between Yerevan officials and Baku in this regard took place on Friday morning.

Latifi emphasized, “Passengers and trucks carrying goods should make sure that the route is open in Armenia before leaving for the border of ‘Norduz’ in East Azerbaijan province.”

The Azeri Defense Ministry claimed that two Armenian soldiers attempted to stab an Azeri border guard in the area.

However, the Armenian Defense Ministry denied there was any incident, calling the statement a “sheer lie” and “more disinformation campaign by Azerbaijan.”

SA/PA