Category: 2022

ArmInfo. The National Security Service of Artsakh revealed and neutralized the activities of the intelligence network formed in Artsakh by foreign special services,  which included five employees of various units of the Artsakh Defense  Army. An attempt to further recruit citizens of Artsakh was also  prevented. This was reported by the press service of the NSS.

According to the materials of the preliminary investigation, the  citizens of Artsakh, being employees of one of the military units  through social networks established a connection with the account of  a foreign intelligence officer registered under an Armenian nickname  , who was subsequently provided with information containing state and  official secrets, about the locations of combat positions, the number  of personnel who is on combat duty, the types and quantity of weapons  available at combat positions, as well as data on the commanding  staff. One of them received $200 by bank transfer, the other persons  never received the promised amounts.  Artsakh citizens A.A., M.A. and  A.B. were charged with high treason.  They were arrested, the  National Security Service of the Republic of Artsakh reports.

ArmInfo. Moscow has always emphasized that the unblocking of all transport and economic ties in the South Caucasus works to consolidate positive trends and,  ultimately, to improve the situation in the region. Official  representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova,  announced this on June 29 during a weekly briefing.

In her opinion, the implementation of the relevant agreements of the  three countries (statements by the leaders of Russia, Armenia,  Azerbaijan, ed. note) will ensure a comprehensive normalization of  relations between Baku and Yerevan.

On the night of November 10, the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and  the Prime Minister of Armenia announced that the war in Nagorno  Karabakh was being stopped. The fighting ended on November 10 at 1:00  am (exactly at midnight Moscow time). Vladimir Putin, Ilham Aliyev  and Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement, which discusses the  terms of peace in Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to this notorious agreement, 9 regions around  Nagorno-Karabakh were transferred to Azerbaijan, including two from  the NKAO. Moreover, Russia sent a contingent of peacekeepers to  Nagorno-Karabakh for a period of at least 5 years. If neither Armenia  nor Azerbaijan objects, this period will automatically be extended  for another five years. They will control the Lachin corridor, which  links Stepanakert with Armenia. According to the statement of the  Russian Ministry of Defense, the control will be carried out by about  1,960 servicemen, 90 armored personnel carriers and 380 units of  special and automotive equipment.

The parties also agreed to unblock all transport and economic ties in  the region, and return all prisoners of war on the "all for all"  principle. It is noteworthy that this point is not fulfilled by  Azerbaijan 1.5 years after the signing of the statement.

ArmInfo.The Joint Armenian-Azerbaijani Contact Group on Confidence Building Measures in Support of Lasting Peace in the South Caucasus (JOLIG), consisting of  11 Armenian and Azerbaijani independent experts and opinion makers,  met in Kachreti, Georgia, June 27 and June 28, 2022 to review its  activities and agree on a strategy on how its work on  confidence-building measures can contribute to efforts towards a  lasting peace in the South Caucasus.

As Turan reports, The participants discussed the efforts undertaken  by the governments of the two countries with the support of  international players aimed at creating the proper conditions for the  normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. They  called on the leadership of both countries to remain focused and  committed to this mission.

The participants recognized the serious danger posed by the ongoing  international processes, and in particular the war in Ukraine, which  has implications for all Eastern Partnership countries, as well as  for European and global security. They hoped for a speedy end to the  conflict and for the restoration of peace in Ukraine.

The group emphasized its conviction that confidence-building measures  are necessary for the implementation of the current state of the  Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and are indispensable, as the  governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan seek peaceful solutions to  long-term disputes and contradictions between them.

The group assessed the reaction to its "South Caucasus from War to  Peace, 30 Measures to 2030" report, published on April 2, 2022. It  noted the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the report within the  region and the international community, and especially as expressed  at the advocacy meetings held in Baku on 25 April and in Yerevan on  30 May.

The group has decided to remain in its membership until December 31,  2025, and outlined the steps it will take over the next six-month  period in support of the ongoing peace efforts in the region. The  group decided to intensify its contacts with the governments of  Armenia and Azerbaijan and other local, regional and international  stakeholders to determine the best ways in which it can contribute to  ongoing peace efforts by helping build dialogue and trust and reduce  misperceptions. It will continue to work with the media and civil  society networks to ensure that peace processes are better understood  in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The members of the Joint Armenian-Azerbaijani Contact Group are:  Ahmad Alili, Mehman Aliyev, Stepan Grigoryan, Taron Hovhannissyan,  Shahla Ismail, Samir Mammadov, Gevorg Melikyan, Johnny Melikyan,  Benyamin Poghosyan, Ramazan Samedov and Anar Veliyev.

The participants of the meeting in Kachreti thanked LINKS Europe for  its continued involvement and contribution to the process of  confidence building in the South Caucasus, as well as the European  Union for supporting their initiative.  Representatives of LINKS  Europe and the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus  attended the meeting in Kachreti and actively contributed to the  discussions.  

ArmInfo. Laura Hochla, Director of the Office of Caucasus Affairs and Regional Conflicts, serves as the current OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-Chair, as we have formally  notified all parties involved. This was reported to ArmInfo by  the US Embassy in Armenia.

Laura Hochla has been serving as the State Department's Director of  Office of Caucasus Affairs and Regional Conflicts since 2022.  Previously, she served as the Director for European Affairs at the  White House National Security Council.  She is a career diplomat who  previously held the positions of Deputy Economic Counselor at U.S.  Embassy Madrid, (2017-2020), Internal Political Chief at U.S. Embassy  Tbilisi, Georgia. (2014-2017)