Category: 2022

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia had a telephonic conversation with President Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi of Iran, Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from the official website of the Armenian PM.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to regional developments and security challenges. The Prime Minister of Armenia presented details to the President of Iran about the recent border incidents between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In the context of establishing stability and peace in the region, Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the importance of the full implementation of the trilateral agreements of November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021.

Referring to the recent tense incidents in the South Caucasus, the President of Iran mentioned the statement made by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei during the recent meeting with the presidents of Russia and Turkey, that Iran is sensitive about its borders in the Caucasus region and will oppose any attempt to alter them.

The parties also exchanged ideas on bilateral ties, emphasized the importance of bringing them closer.

Nikol Pashinyan expressed satisfaction with the development of Armenian-Iranian relations and noted that Armenia is ready to maximally promote the transit of goods between the two countries and to develop cooperation in the field of infrastructure, including in the direction of road, energy, etc.

The President of Iran described the relations between the two countries as historical and deep and emphasized the need to raise the level of sustainable Armenian-Iranian economic cooperation.

The issue of the Lachin corridor should be resolved on the basis of point 6 of the trilateral statement by the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020. This was announced by Ivan Nechayev, Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

According to him, the abovementioned point assumes that, with the consent of the parties, the plan for the construction of a new route through the Lachin corridor will be decided within the next three years, this route will ensure the link between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, and the Russian peacekeepers will be redeployed there to protect that route.

"The situation in the region remains in the center of Russia's attention," Nechayev added.

Also, he recalled that on August 4, the Russian MFA issued a statement regarding the escalation of tension in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, calling on both sides to show restraint and maintain the ceasefire.

Not a single family has left Aghavno, people are waiting. Suren Petrosyan, chairman of the Democratic Union party, told NEWS.am, adding that if 500 people arrive in Aghavno, the village can still be saved.

Petrosyan, who has been in the village of Aghavno in Artsakh with his wife and two young children for four days, said his residents want to stay in their home village. "We have two weeks. Let's try to get results in these two weeks. We are in victim status. There are two choices: we either confront the challenges or we run away from them and die. If no one comes here, and only the villagers remain, there will be no other choice but to leave Aghavno. But once again I say that I will stay here with my family until the last moment," he said.

The chairman of the Democratic United Party added that hundreds of people have said they will come to Aghavno. "There are cases when people come and get acquainted with the situation. They promise to come," he concluded.

Recall that the situation in Artsakh heated up since August 1. Araik Harutyunyan, the president of the republic, announced at the meeting of the Security Council convened on August 2 that Azerbaijan through peacekeepers demanded to set up the corridor connecting Artsakh with Armenia by a new route.

The next day Azerbaijani units roughly violated the ceasefire by shelling the combat positions of the Defense Army and the permanent deployment of a military unit. In addition to small arms of various caliber, the enemy also used mortars, grenade launchers and UAVs, as a result of which contract servicemen Gurgen Gabrielyan and Artur Khachatryan were mortally wounded. 19 servicemen were wounded in varying degrees of severity.

Already on August 5 the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Artsakh Hayk Khanumyan informed the residents of Aghavno and Berdzor that they have to leave their houses by August 25.

The presence of terrorists and their transfer from Syria to Azerbaijan to the border with Iran is unacceptable, Former Iranian ambassador to Armenia Kazem Sajjadi tweeted.

Following Greece, Cyprus, Armenia, Syria and Iraq, Turkey is now waging sinister activity near Iran's borders. Turkey should understand that it is playing with fire, the diplomat said.

The world has entered the era of bare geopolitics, where, unfortunately, norms, principles and morals are far from being in the foreground. Artsakh Foreign Minister David Babayan wrote on his Facebook page.

"The world has entered the era of naked #geopolitics, where, unfortunately, norms, principles, morality are far from being in the foreground. Therefore, when we talk about the aspirations of our people, their dreams and wishes, it is quite obvious that the wishes, demands, opinions based on international law, human rights and freedoms, unfortunately, will be taken into account at best. Now we are faced with threats of an existential nature, and this requires composure, professionalism, patriotism, proper organization of work, patience and hard work. It is very important distance as much as possible from demagogues, provocateurs, jingoists who “cut the throats of enemies in social networks and verbal battles.” These are the guarantees for the salvation of the people and the state in the current conditions.

Dear compatriots, never lose faith and self-control, never. Never trust demagogues, loudmouths and political vagabonds. Screamers are never true patriots, understand this obvious thing, finally. These are the key components of overcoming difficulties, making it possible to save the country even in the most difficult periods of history. The next two or three years will be a very important period.

And if we think correctly, understand that our strength is in intelligence, honesty and decency, then the minimum program – the salvation of #Artsakh will be realized," the minister wrote.

The transfer of the Lachin corridor was conditional from the very beginning, an expert on Azerbaijani issues Garnik Davtyan told journalists today.

He said that there was an agreement with the trilateral statement of November 9: 2020-23 to present an alternative road project, but Azerbaijan will present the constructed road to the public in 2022. This gives the expert reason to believe that Nikol Pashinyan had a secret agreement with Azerbaijan behind the backs of the people.

"I assume that there is a clearly treacherous secret process that has been hidden from the public and presented in the context of an era of peace. By hiding all the challenges, they are promoting the idea of an era of peace, which will entail more casualties.

Second, the expert studies on the construction of an alternative road to Lachin were seen by the authorities as misinformation, dusting the public's eyes. In general, the transfer of the Berdzor corridor is a political agreement. There are also secret agreements under the clauses of the document which refer to Artsakh in order to receive concessions in future," he said.

Garnik Davtyan does not consider it a coincidence that the Armenian armed forces left Artsakh a day earlier than August 3, and the next day the Azerbaijanis managed to enter the areas uncontrolled by the Artsakh Defense Army.

"The head of the Ekhtsaog community confirmed that Azerbaijan's positions have recently advanced significantly. The main purpose of the Berdzor corridor was not only to create such a documented political environment that the corridor should be given away, but also to play on an emotional basis. When a villager, having experienced the hardships of a 44-day war that caused so many casualties, sees that there are no Azerbaijanis on the opposite hill, he at least feels peace of mind. After a short time, when he sees an Azerbaijani soldier there, he asks himself: How is it possible that there are Azerbaijanis there? Because of this, they gradually lose confidence in the state. People are not sure if their place of residence will be next," he said.

Let us remind that the situation in Artsakh heated up from August 1. At the meeting of the Security Council convened on August 2 Arayik Harutyunyan stated that Azerbaijan demanded to set up a corridor connecting Artsakh with Armenia via peacekeepers, using the new route. The next day the Azerbaijani side, having grossly violated the ceasefire regime, shelled military positions and a military unit, also using mortars, grenade launchers and assault rifles, which resulted in 2 dead and 19 wounded on the Armenian side. Already on August 5 Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Artsakh Hayk Khanumyan informed Aghavno and Berdzor residents that they should leave their houses till August 25.

It should be mentioned that point 6 of the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020 says that the parties should determine within three years the plan of constructing an alternative road which would connect Artsakh with Armenia. Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan said on August 4 that work on the construction of the alternative road Lachin corridor has already begun and will be completed by spring. Azerbaijan has built a 30-kilometer section of the road, which should connect with the road built by the Armenian side. Russian peacekeepers will be stationed on a 5-kilometer section of the new route.

As a result of the 44-day war, 303 people from Armenia have been reported missing.

The press service of the Armenian Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross told NEWS.am. Four families applied to find out the fate of their missing relatives and 12 families found out the fate of their relatives. Eight meetings were organized with the families of 66 people who went missing as a result of the conflict in the 1990s.