Category: 2022

ArmInfo. Armen Ashotyan, Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), has accused Armenia’s authorities of lying about Yerevan having allegedly  recognized Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity back in 1991. 

Speaking live on Facebook and commenting on the statement by Armenian  FM Ararat Mirzoyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that on  December 8, 1991, Yerevan and Baku signed the Agreement on  cooperation between independent states actually recognized each  other’s territorial integrity, Mr Ashotyan stated the claim is false.  And it can easily proved if one looks through the documents on the  CIS formation. 

“Nikol Pashinyan’s priority goal is clean himself of the blood and  sins of the Artsakh war, and he stops at nothing and keep on lying,”  stated Ashotyan. 

“The thesis that Armenia signed the Agreement on cooperation between  independent states thereby recognizing Azerbaijan’s territorial  integrity is false,” he said.  In this context, Mr Ashotyan stated  that the agreement was signed by Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, and  Armenia and Azerbaijan could not have signed it, as Minister Mirzoyan  claims.   

“In fact, official Yerevan signed the document in February 1992, and  official Baku in September 1993.  With reference to the point on  territorial integrity, it does not emphasize that Armenia and  Azerbaijan joined the CIS later by signing the so-called Alma Ata  Declaration,” Mr Ashotyan said.  

Also, the Agreement contains the phrase “inalienable right to  self-determination.” 

“My question: if Mr Mirzoyan erroneously refers to the agreement on  CIS and speaks of territorial integrity, why does not he refer to the  ‘inalienable right to self-determination’, which is part of the  agreement? Moreover, beside the Agreement on CIS and Declaration on  accession to the CIS, there is a third fundamental document, the CIS  Charter, approved in 1993. And Article 3 of the Charter defines  ‘inalienable right of people to self-determination’,” Mr Ashotyan  said. 

In this context, the RPA vice-chairman pointed out that the RA  Supreme Council ratified the Agreement on cooperation with  reservations.   

     In particularly, the RA Supreme Council, in the fourth paragraph of  the preamble to the Agreement replaced the phrase “inalienable right  to self-determination” with “inalienable right of people to self-  determination.” So the wording of the first paragraph of Article 5  was as follows: “The High Contracting Parties recognize and respect  the right of nations to self-determination, each other’s territorial  integrity and inviolability of borders.” 

“Nikols are ignoring the principles of importance for Armenia and  disseminating pro-Azerbaijani ideas.  Active diplomatic processes  related to Nagorno-Karabakh are under way and are being concealed  from the people. We must stop it. Artsakh has always been and must  remain Armenian,” Mr Ashotyan said. 

On March 15, Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan stated that Yerevan applied  to the OSCE MG co- chairmanship for negotiations over a peace  agreement with Azerbaijan. Speaking of the five points of  Azerbaijan’s proposals, he stressed that any negotiations must be  held without preconditions. 

“As regards the proposals such, the two countries actually recognized  each other’s territorial integrity and agrees that they have no  mutual territorial claims by signing the Agreement on cooperation  between independent states on December 8, 1991,” Mr Mirzoyan said. 

ArmInfo.The EU is heavily engaged with the war in Ukraine, but that does not mean the EU is forgetting about its friends in the South Caucasus, Toivo Klaar, EU  Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in  Georgia, stated in an interview factor.am.  

“And my mission here is the demonstration of that. For example, last  week, President [of the European Council Charles] Michel met with  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the highest level, and the EU is  more than ever committed to working with our partners for a peaceful  and prosperous South Caucasus. So the message is very simple. We are  not going anywhere even if we are very much concerned about what is  happening in Ukraine. Wee are here, in the South Caucasus, to support  our friends,” Mr Klaar said.  

Asked about the EU expectations of Armenia’s position on Ukraine, Mr  Klaar said that the EU realizes it is a challenging situation in  Armenia. 

“We appreciate all the efforts that Armenia has made and is making  and we are in close contact with the Armenian authorities. We  recognize that Armenia has very particular position, and we respect  it,” Mr Klaar said.

ArmInfo. Moscow is informed of the grave humanitarian situation as a result of the damage of the gas main, and Russia is in contact with Armenia and Azerbaijan, to  resolve the problem, Maria Zakharova, Spokesperson for Russia’s  foreign office, told a news briefing on March 17.  

“We are concerned over the situation in the region. Regular ceasefire  violations have been reported since early March. The Russian  peacekeepers are taking necessary measures to ensure stability and  control the situation. And due to the efforts no armed encounters  have been reported since March 13,” she said.   

Mrs Zakharova pointed out the advisability of expeditious border  delimitation and formation of a bilateral commission.

ArmInfo.In an interview factor.am. Toivo Klaar, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, stated that the Armenian and  Turkish FMs’ meeting was important and promising. 

“It was the first such meeting over a very long time, and already  that in itself is important. Of course, results are also important.  But sometimes the result is already the meeting itself. Of course, in  the last months we have seen meetings of the representatives, Mr  Rubinyan’s meeting with his Turkish counterpart. And I believe, the  European Union believes that these contacts between Armenia and  Turkey are very important. And so a meeting of the foreign ministers  was very important in itself. It is also, of course, important to  move forward and then have specific results, such as the opening of  borders. That is what the European Union has called for. The EU’s  expectations are that these are the first steps toward the  normalization of relations. And this is, of course, what we would  like to see,” Mr Klaar. 

ArmInfo. In an interview factor.am. Toivo Klaar, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, stated that a comprehensive  settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict requires negotiations and  reaching a state when peace is established in the South Caucasus. 

“And, of course, that means for all sides to sit down [at] the table  and start discussing, negotiating towards a comprehensive settlement.  Any developments that create tensions, when people are concerned  about safety – that does not help. So all such developments should  cease and we need to really make sure that there is de-escalation of  any situation. We have called also for de-escalation in the context  of the tensions that we had on the international border. And we  believe that Armenia and Azerbaijan need to work towards a  comprehensive settlement,” Mr Klaar said. 

He pointed out that in his contacts with the Armenian and Azerbaijani  authorities he highlighted the importance of repairing the gas  pipeline and of de-escalation and stated his intention to address  this message to the Azerbaijani authorities.

“The European Union is not on the spot, but as soon as we are  informed people are feeling their safety is nit being guarantees, we  call on all sides to step back to make sure that the average person  be able to go about their lives and to feel safe in doing so,” Mr  Klaar said.  As regards a need for repair of the damaged gas  pipeline, he said:

“My sincere hope is that this will happen in the near future. That is  what I can say and that is what I have been pushing through. I am  hopeful we can have success in the near future,” Mr Klaar said.  

As regards the EU’s position on the decision to normalize relations  by preparing a peace agreement, Mr Klaar pointed out that the EU and  the international community emphasizes a nee for a comprehensive  settlement of the conflict and welcomes any steps.  

“Certainly, the Azerbaijani proposal is important, likewise the  Armenian response to the Azerbaijani proposal. And the EU believes.  these moves result in discussions for a comprehensive settlement,” Mr  Klaar said. 

As to the EU’s expectations of the peace process between Yerevan and  Baku, he highlighted the importance of meetings between the to  countries’ leaders. 

Several meetings took place in Europe, and the processes can produce  specific results.  

“We have deputy prime ministers’ meetings over infrastructure  projects, and there are other potential avenues that can be pursued.  And there are small steps and larger steps, there are small stones  and larger stones that can be put on top of each other. I am hope  that results in Baku and Yerevan getting together and starting these  negotiations,” Mr Klaar said.