Tuesday,
Russian Troops Reassure Karabakh Leaders Over New Corridor To Armenia
NAGORNO-KARABAKH -- Russian peacekeepers are seen at a checkpoint in the town of
Lachin, December 1, 2020
Russian peacekeeping forces reportedly assured Nagorno-Karabakh’s main political
factions on Tuesday that a new road connecting the territory to Armenia will
have the same status as the existing corridor that will be handed over to
Azerbaijan next week.
The five-kilometer-wide Lachin corridor became Karabakh’s sole overland link to
Armenia following the 2020 war. Armenian forces pulled out of the rest of the
wider Lachin district under the terms of the Russian-brokered ceasefire that
stopped the six-week hostilities.
The truce accord calls for the construction of a new Armenia-Karabakh highway
that will bypass the town of Lachin and two Armenian-populated villages located
within the current corridor protected by Russian peacekeeping troops.
Bowing to strong Azerbaijani pressure, the Armenian side agreed earlier this
month to evacuate these settlements by August 25 and start using a bypass road
newly constructed by Azerbaijan about a dozen kilometers south of that area.
The leaders of the five political groups represented in the Karabakh parliament
met with the commanders of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to discuss the
functioning of the new corridor. According to a statement released by the
parliament’s press service, they received assurances that “the new route will
have a legal status of the same corridor” and will be controlled by the Russian
peacekeepers.
The statement said they also discussed the August 3 fighting in Karabakh which
left at least one Azerbaijani and two Karabakh Armenian soldiers dead. It cited
the Russian officers as saying that they have drawn “necessary conclusions” and
“will make additional efforts to prevent a repeat of such ceasefire violations
in the future.”
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on August 4 publicly criticized the
Russian troops over the latest deadly fighting there. Pashinian complained that
Baku has been stepping up ceasefire violations in Karabakh “in the presence of”
the 2,000 peacekeepers deployed after the Armenian-Azerbaijani war.
The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected the criticism.
Turkey Reiterates Normalization Conditions For Armenia
• Tatevik Sargsian
Turkey - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during a news
conference in Antalya, March 10, 2022.
The normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations remains conditional on Armenia
accepting Azerbaijan’s key demands, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu
reiterated on Tuesday.
Cavusoglu said normalization talks launched by Ankara and Yerevan early this
year cannot be delinked from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
“Peace in the South Caucasus can become a reality with a comprehensive peace
agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan which we also support,” he told the
Turkish TV channel Haber Global. “Azerbaijan made a proposal to Armenia to which
Armenia did not respond positively for a long time.”
Baku wants Yerevan to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh through
such a treaty. Cavusoglu also mentioned another Azerbaijani demand: the opening
of a land corridor to Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave passing through Armenia’s
Syunik province. The Armenian side has ruled out any exterritorial corridors.
Cavusoglu already put forward these preconditions late last month following a
fourth round of negotiations held by Armenian and Turkish envoys in Vienna.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan likewise made clear later in July that
Turkey will normalize relations with Armenia only “after problems with
Azerbaijan are solved.”
The Armenian government says it wants an unconditional opening of the
Turkish-Armenian border and establishment of diplomatic relations between the
two neighboring states. Its domestic political opponents claim that Prime
Minister Nikol Pashinian is ready to make sweeping concessions to both Ankara
and Baku.
Cavusoglu said on Tuesday that Pashinian’s administration has a popular mandate
to make such concessions because it won last year’s Armenian parliamentary
elections. Yerevan should stop using pressure from the Armenian Diaspora and
“local extremist forces” as excuses for not accepting the Turkish-Azerbaijani
demands, he said.
Armenia Still Fighting For Independence, Says Pashinian
• Nane Sahakian
Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian speaks at a cabinet meeting in Yerevan,
August 18, 2022.
Armenia is still fighting for its independence more than three decades after the
breakup of the Soviet Union, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Tuesday.
Pashinian stressed the importance of national security and normalizing relations
with Azerbaijan and Turkey as he congratulated Armenians on the 32nd anniversary
of a declaration of independence adopted by their country’s first post-Communist
parliament.
The 1990 declaration stopped short of announcing Armenia’s immediate secession
from the Soviet Union. It announced instead “the start of a process of
establishing independent statehood.”
“De facto, that process has not ended until today, not because we don't have
independence but because independence is like health, which even if you have it,
you have to take care of it every day,” Pashinian said in a statement issued on
the occasion.
“The Government is fighting for the independence of the Republic of Armenia
every day,” he said. “For us, independence is security. The international
structures that provide it are cracking in front of all of us, and one of the
first cracks unfortunately manifested itself in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Independence is normalized relations with neighbors. Although we have excellent
relations with some of our neighbors, there is no significant progress in our
relations with others because they demand too much from us or they think that we
are demanding too much from them.”
“For us, independence is strong allied relations, but allies are not always only
allies to you but also to those who ally against you,” Pashinian added in an
apparent reference to Russia.
Pashinian’s and political opponents and other critics regularly claim that he
has put Armenia’s independence at serious risk by mishandling the 2020 war with
Azerbaijan, weakening the Armenian armed forces and undermining relations with
Russia. They say that he must therefore resign.
Pashinian did not allude to security issues or improving relations with
Azerbaijan and Turkey in his previous statements on the 1990 declaration. In
August 2021, for example, he put the emphasis on internal political and economic
challenges facing Armenia.
Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2022 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
Category: 2022
CivilNet: As evacuation date looms, most Aghavno residents have already left
CIVILNET.AM
23 Aug, 2022 08:08
Nina Shahverdyan, a resident of Aghavno, spoke to CivilNet by Skype about the situation in the Lachin corridor, as the remaining Armenian residents have just two days left to evacuate before Azerbaijan takes control of the area. Shahverdyan also talked about assistance provided by public and non-governmental organizations, villagers burning down their homes before leaving, and her message to Armenian communities around the world.
CivilNet: Armenian, Azerbaijani deputy PMs to hold border demarcation meeting
CIVILNET.AM
23 Aug, 2022 10:08
A second meeting of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border demarcation commission is set for the end of August in Moscow, Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan’s office said.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has once again appeared to criticize Russia’s role in the region, this time in veiled remarks in a message published to mark the anniversary of Armenia’s declaration of independence.
The leaders of the five political parties represented in the parliament of Karabakh met with the leadership of the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed there.
Turkey tourist arrivals rise sharply in boost for Erdogan economic plan
Aug 22 2022
Tourists visit the Church of the Holy Cross, an Armenian church on Akdamar Island in Lake Van, near the eastern Turkish city of Van, Turkey, May 21, 2022. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
ISTANBUL, Aug 22 (Reuters) – Turkey's foreign visitors jumped 53% in July from a year earlier, exceeding pre-pandemic levels and paving the way for $37 billion in tourism revenues sought by the government in support of President Tayyip Erdogan's unorthodox economy policy.
Foreign visitors to Turkey leapt to 6.67 million in July, mostly on the back of wealthy Russian visitors who opted for Turkey, due to flight restrictions applied by Western countries after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Numbers of German and British visitors also rose strongly.
Tourism revenues are vital to Turkey's economy as Erdogan's economic plan focuses on expanding the current account surplus in order to tackle high inflation and interest rates.
The tourism ministry raised its year-end targets last month to 47 million tourists and $37 billion in tourism revenues.
"July figures were strong and so is August. When we look at the current bookings, number of flights and seats allocated by tour operators for September, October and November, it seems that ministry's targets will be achieved," said Bulent Bulbuloglu, Vice Chairman of Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TUROFED).
Along with high demand from Britons and Germans, Bulbuloglu pointed out wealthy Russians newly coming to Turkish market.
"Wealthy Russians who used to travel to more expensive destinations such as Spain, France, Italy and Greece have also turned their faces to Turkey due to flight restrictions by Western countries," said Bulbuloglu.
Year-to-date, Germans were the top source market with 2.99 million visitors, followed by 2.2 million Russians and 1.8 million Britons. Turkey's total foreign visitors were up by 128% on the year to 23.03 million, still a tad below 2019's 24.7 million.
"Especially the number of Russians are increasing day by day. Now we have around 80 daily flights from Russia to Antalya and we know that that number will also go up," said Ulkay Atmaca, General Manager of Innvista Hotels in Antalya's Belek.
Atmaca said, the outlook for the next two months was also optimistic, adding that he expected the season to be extended until November.
Weakening lira also makes Turkey a more attractive destination for foreign visitors.
Lira which is traded at historical lows, has lost 27% of its value this year, after it lost more than 40% of its value last year.
"Turkey has a big price advantage when compared with its European rivals. And no bdoubt, recent weakeness in lira makes the country more attractive" said TUROFED's Bulbuloglu.
Additional reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Ece Toksabay and William Maclean
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkish-july-foreign-visitor-arrivals-climb-53-year-on-year-2022-08-22/
Realtors assess chances of forced migrants from Berdzor to acquire housing in Armenia
The Caucasian Knot
Aug 18 2022
Ten million drams will be enough for forced migrants from Berdzor and Akhavno to buy an apartment in small settlements or private houses in rural communities in Armenia, mostly real estate without repair is sold for the mentioned amount, says real estate specialists interviewed by the “Caucasian Knot”.
The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that the administration of the Kashatag District of Nagorno-Karabakh reported that residents of Berdzor (the Azerbaijani name is Lachin, – note of the “Caucasian Knot”) and the village of Akhavno (the Azerbaijani name is Zabukh, – note of the “Caucasian Knot”) must leave their houses by August 20. The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Nagorno-Karabakh reports that families who move to Armenia will receive a certificate in the amount of 10 million drams (almost 25,000 US dollars) for the purchase of housing.
Ten million drams will be enough to purchase real estate in the regions of Armenia, the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent has been explained by a consultant of the “Yerkir Real Estate Agency” real estate company located in Yerevan. According to the real estate specialist, the amount of 10 million drams will be not enough to buy real estate in Yerevan and in the suburbs of the Armenian capital.
Lilit Martirosyan, a broker of the “Goris Realty” real estate company, notes that in Goris with its population of over 20,000, the amount of 10 million drams will be enough to purchase an old private house without repair. According to the real estate specialist, the prices for habitable private houses start from 15 million drams. “With 10 million drams, you can buy a one-room apartment with repairs or a two-room apartment without repairs,” Lilit Martirosyan told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
According to the expert, the amount of 10 million drams is also enough to buy a house in a village. “For 10-11 million drams, you can find houses in the village of Khartashen with 170 inhabitants and in the village of Verishen with over 2200 inhabitants,” the real estate specialist noted.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 18, 2022 at 02:26 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
See earlier reports:
Berdzor population reduces to 70 before resettlement from Lachin corridor, Azerbaijan insists on removal of Armenian population from Lachin and two villages, Authorities hurry residents of Akhavno and Berdzor to move out.
Author: Tigran Petrosyan Source: CK correspondent
Источник:
© Кавказский Узел
Berdzor residents prepare to leave their houses
The Caucasian Knot
Aug 19 2022
More than 150 believers have attended the last service at the Berdzor Church. Local residents fear unemployment in the cities they will move to, and hope that authorities' support the will allow them to solve their housing problems.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the administration of the Kashatag District of Nagorno-Karabakh reported that residents of Berdzor (the Azerbaijani name is Lachin) and the village of Akhavno (Zabukh) must leave their houses by August 20. They have to pack their belongings in haste; and the money allocated by authorities for relocation is not enough, local residents have complained.
Akhavno villagers have demanded that the village be included in the zone of the new transport corridor, which runs 1200 meters off the village. They confirmed that they were not allowed to burn down or damage their houses before quitting under the threat of non-payment of compensations. Despite this, a resident of the village of Akhavno has burned down his house and posted the video in social networks.
Vaagn Asatryan, a resident of Berdzor, has moved his wife and three children to Yerevan. According to his story, he pays 130,000 drams per month (USD 320) for renting an apartment. He hopes that when the financial assistance begins to be paid, the family will feel a little better.
Asatryan is positive about the fact that people burn their houses down, but he did not do it himself, because "he has nothing to hope for except for the certificate for the purchase of housing."
Armine Saginyan from Armenia has expressed her dissatisfaction with the authorities. "After the 2020 war, nothing was done to make people live without shocks – for two years we have been surrendering territories; our militaries perish; more and more refugees appear," she has stated.
Let us remind you that on August 25, the Berdzor Corridor passes under Azerbaijan's control.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 19, 2022 at 03:58 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
See earlier reports:
Realtors assess chances of forced migrants from Berdzor to acquire housing in Armenia, Berdzor population reduces to 70 before resettlement from Lachin corridor, Azerbaijan insists on removal of Armenian population from Lachin and two villages.
Author: Alvard Grigoryan Source: СK correspondent
Источник:
© Кавказский Узел
Over 90% of Berdzor and Akhavno residents evacuated
The Caucasian Knot
Aug 21 2022
All the residents have left the Nerkin Sus community; several families still stay in Berdzor and Akhavno, the head of the Kashatag District has informed. Local residents complain that they were given little time to find new housing and move everything they had acquired over more than 20 years.
The administration of the Kashatag District of Nagorno-Karabakh has reported that residents of Berdzor and the village of Akhavno must leave their houses by August 20. According to the Mayor of Berdzor, on August 18, about 70 people stay in the town. All the Akhavno villagers decided to leave; two of them burned their houses down, the head of the village has informed.
The houses built during the time when these dwelling settlements were not controlled by Azerbaijan should be demolished, Imdad Alizade, a journalist, believes.
All the residents of the Nerkin Sus community have left; as well as more than 90% of residents of Berdzor and Akhavno, Musheg Alaverdyan, the head of the administration of the Kashatag District has informed. According to his story, it is planned to turn off electricity, gas and communications in the villages of Akhavno and Nerki Sus and in the town of Berdzor.
Andranik Chaushyan, the head of the Akhavno community, has sent his family, wife and five children along with their belongings to Stepanakert. According to his story, almost everyone was evacuated in Akhavno, women and children have left. "Now there are up to 30 people staying in the village, mostly those who transport the rest of their property," Mr Chaushyan has added.
Aida Balikyan, the owner of a retail outlet in Berdzor, was indignant that authorities had drastically reduced the deadline by five days – instead of August 25, they announced August 20.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 20, 2022 at 11:47 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
See earlier reports:
Karabakh: all Akhavno villagers decide to leave their houses, Realtors assess chances of forced migrants from Berdzor to acquire housing in Armenia, Berdzor population reduces to 70 before resettlement from Lachin corridor.
Author: Alvard Grigoryan Source: СK correspondent
Источник:
© Кавказский Узел
Karabakh: all Akhavno villagers decide to leave their houses
The Caucasian Knot
Aug 20 2022
All the residents of the village of Akhavno have decided to quit the community; two of them burned down their houses, the head of the village has informed. Law enforcement bodies of Nagorno-Karabakh take care that the residents of Akhavno and Berdzor, who leave for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, wouldn't burn their houses down.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the administration of the Kashatag District of Karabakh reported that residents of Berdzor (the Azerbaijani name is Lachin) and the village of Akhavno (Zabukh) must leave their houses by August 20. The authorities do not guarantee the safety of those who decide to stay, the Mayor of Berdzor has stated. Akhavno villagers have put up with the need to leave the village, a local resident has stated.
The Armenian population of the town of Lachin and two villages must leave these territories, the Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliev, has stated earlier. The houses built during the time when these dwelling settlements were not controlled by Azerbaijan should be demolished, Imdad Alizade, a journalist, believes.
Andranik Chaushyan, the head of Akhavno, has noted that "absolutely everyone will leave the village, as they fear for their lives and the lives of their children."
However, the families who decided to leave for Armenia, have faced the problem of high costs of housing.
"I've lost my house and orchards. Now, I regret that I haven't burnt down everything I left behind. But I hope that one day I will be able to return to my village," said Amlet Azizyan, a former resident of the Kashatag District.
"Why is everyone threatening ordinary people? What are we to blame for? Responsibility is on authorities of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh since 1994," Mesrop Pogosyan, a resident of Berdzor, has stated.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 19, 2022 at 04:46 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
See earlier reports:
Berdzor residents prepare to leave their houses, Realtors assess chances of forced migrants from Berdzor to acquire housing in Armenia, Berdzor population reduces to 70 before resettlement from Lachin corridor.
Author: Alvard Grigoryan Source: СK correspondent
Источник: https://www.eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/61080/
© Кавказский Узел
Two Azerbaijani soldiers blown up by mines in Lachin District
The Caucasian Knot
Aug 22 2022
Military men were injured as a result of a mine explosion in the Lachin District.
The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that by agreement signed by Ilham Aliev, Nikol Pashinyan, and Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijan gained control over the Lachin District in November 2020, after the end of hostilities.
“Military men Vugar Suleimanov and Geidar Gyulmaliev were injured when they hit the mines in the part of the Lachin District liberated from occupation,” the General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan reported.
As of August 22, since November 10, 2020, mine explosions in the Karabakh conflict zone killed seven militaries and 32 civilians, and 19 militaries and 67 civilians of the country were injured.
Let us remind you that on August 5, Babek Aliev, a military of the Azerbaijani army, perished after being blown up on a mine in the Kelbadjar District. On August 2, three employees of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) were blown up on a mine in the Fizuli District.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on at 12:48 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
See earlier reports:
Two drivers blown up by mines in Azerbaijan, Sapper blown up by mine in the Djebrail District, Two men blown up by mine in Azerbaijan.
Author: Faik Medjid Source: СK correspondent
Источник:
© Кавказский Узел
After Armenians set their houses on fire, Azeri fire-fighters arrived in Lachin
The Caucasian Knot
Aug 22 2022
After at least two villagers in the Lachin Corridor have burned down their houses before evacuation, Azerbaijani fire-fighters, escorted by Russian peacemakers, arrived in the town of Lachin (Berdzor).
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that by August 20, all residents had left the Nerkin Sus community; and a few families still remained in Berdzor (the Azerbaijani name is Lachin) and the village of Akhavno (Zabukh), the head of the Kashatag District of Nagorno-Karabakh has informed, adding that the territories would be handed over to Azerbaijan on August 25. Local residents complained that they were given very little time to find new housing and evacuate.
Earlier it was reported that at least two houses were burned down by residents of the village of Akhavno. Another house was burned down in Lachin, the "Turan" Mews Agency has reported.
"Russian soldiers will stop attempts to set fire to houses and objects; and Azerbaijani fire-fighters will extinguish the fire. Armenians have burned down two residential houses in the village of Zabukh and one house in the town of Lachin," wrote the author of the "Wind from Apsheron" blog run on the "Caucasian Knot".
On August 12, the President of Azerbaijan stated that people who "had illegally settled" in Lachin (Berdzor) and the villages of Zabukh (Akhavno) and Sus should leave there "of their own free will"; and the families from Azerbaijan who had left these places in the 1990s would settle there.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on at 02:54 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
See earlier reports:
Over 90% of Berdzor and Akhavno residents evacuated, Karabakh: all Akhavno villagers decide to leave their houses, Realtors assess chances of forced migrants from Berdzor to acquire housing in Armenia.
Source: Caucasian Knot
Источник:
© Кавказский Узел