Category: 2023

 11:01,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan violated the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire on August 18 in the Martuni region, the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Defense Ministry said Friday.

In a statement, the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry said that the Azeri military opened small arms fire in the direction of a tractor working in the fields of Myurishen village.

“It is obvious that by consistently obstructing agricultural work, Azerbaijan seeks to further deepen the humanitarian disaster in the Republic of Artsakh resulting from the blockade,” the ministry added.

The Azeri military twice targeted Nagorno-Karabakh farmers on August 17 as well.

 13:05,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan continues to distort the appeals of the international community, to look for false pretexts, not corresponding to reality, to avoid fulfilling its obligations and, by prolonging the humanitarian crisis, including through starvation to subject the indigenous people of Nagorno-Karabakh to ethnic cleansing, the Armenian Foreign Ministry warned on Friday.

In a statement, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said that the UN Security Council, convened on August 16 at the request of the Republic of Armenia, once again proved that, despite the false propaganda of Azerbaijan, the international partners are clearly aware of the fact of the dire humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and realize the importance of addressing it.

Below is the full statement released by the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

“The urgent meeting of the UN Security Council, convened on August 16 at the request of the Republic of Armenia, once again proved that, despite the false propaganda of Azerbaijan, the international partners are clearly aware of the fact of the dire humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and realize the importance of addressing it. During this second discussion in the format of the UN Security Council, the assessments and targeted appeals addressed to Azerbaijan, in essence, complemented the clear positions expressed so far by various governments, international structures, and human rights organizations.

“Noteworthy were the statements of the members of the UN Security Council and the EU representative reiterating that Azerbaijan is obliged to lift the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor in accordance with the Trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, and the legally binding Orders of the UN International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6. It was unequivocally emphasized that the ongoing 8-month-long severe humanitarian situation created for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of the blockade should be resolved.

“It is evident that Azerbaijan continues to distort the appeals of the international community, to look for false pretexts, not corresponding to reality, to avoid fulfilling its obligations and, by prolonging the humanitarian crisis, including through starvation to subject the indigenous people of Nagorno-Karabakh to ethnic cleansing. Moreover, Azerbaijan tries to manipulate any "balanced" approach of international actors, interpreting it as an explicit permission to continue its adopted policy.

“We emphasize the urgency of using all available international tools to eliminate the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and restore unimpeded movement in both directions through the Lachin corridor and ensure unhindered access of international humanitarian organizations to Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, highly appreciating the principled and fair positions of the UN Security Council members that remain faithful to their mandate to advance international security and peace, will continue to work on various platforms, including in the UN Security Council, taking consistent steps to unblock the Lachin corridor and resolve the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

 11:09,

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan has cut off the internet fiber-optic cable near its illegal checkpoint in Lachin Corridor, disrupting Nagorno-Karabakh’s (Artsakh) internet access, a senior Nagorno-Karabakh official said Friday.

Artak Beglaryan, the advisor to the State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, said in a statement that Azerbaijan cut off the cable at 17:55 on August 17.

Nagorno-Karabakh specialists tried to approach the area together with Russian peacekeepers to restore the cable but were not allowed to proceed by Azeri authorities.

Beglaryan said negotiations between the peacekeepers and the Azerbaijani side continue in order to allow specialists to access the site and repair the cable.

“I don’t find it to be a coincidence that this new crime took place after the UN Security Council meeting and literally five minutes before the start of a press conference on the genocide in Artsakh. As a result of this provocation, the Artsakh-based speakers of the press conference, the Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan and displaced citizen Alvina Nersisyan, were able to join the two other speakers, Artsakh Foreign Minister Sergey Ghazaryan and former ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo, 45 minutes late using unstable and alternative communication. Despite the Azerbaijani efforts, the press conference took place, with 130 participants from 27 countries. Now, very limited volume of internet is accessible in Artsakh through unstable radio communication, which is also continuously under Azerbaijani jamming,” Beglaryan added.

 14:21,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. Member of the European Parliament François Alfonsi (France), the Co-chair of the European Parliament-Artsakh Friendship Group, is not fully satisfied with the EU’s policy regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. However, the MEP believes that as a result of consistent work and pressure by the European Parliament, the EU is trying to be more active and involved in the process.

In an interview with ARMENPRESS Brussels correspondent Lilit Gasparyan, Alfonsi said that first of all Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin must adhere to the 9 November 2020 agreement.

He said that the logic of the Cold War-era corridor between the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) and the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, West Germany) could be an example for a possible solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“The EU is more or less dealing with the issue,” Alfonsi said when asked to assess the EU’s policy in responding to the Nagorno-Karabakh humanitarian disaster resulting from the blockade.

“And I think this is a result of the European Parliament’s consistent work and pressure. The monitoring mission that Mr. Borrell sent to Armenia is nevertheless a positive step. Besides, the President of the European Council is bringing together the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to try and find a way out. I think Europe is involved to some extent, and this is more in the interest of the Armenian people for Europe to be involved, because Europe, in addition to international diplomatic influence, also has means of economic pressure, which are real.  The EU could utilize these means if it wanted to. It’s a difficult situation, and if Europe were to leave any initiative the situation would become more difficult. This is my first response. Secondly, there is an international agreement that must be respected. This is a precondition, the ceasefire agreement, which explicitly envisages free movement along Lachin Corridor under guarantees of Russian peacekeepers. It’s only them on the ground and they know what they should do, therefore I think this should be the starting point of discussions. By closing the Lachin Corridor Mr. Aliyev is using his position of force. He has made proposals on new possible entrances and roads, which would run through Azeri territory, under its complete control. But this cannot happen, because there is no trust, particularly by the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh. Europe must show that by uniting main actors, it has the influence to impose complete respect for the 2020 ceasefire agreement, because everything must happen around it [agreement].”

“The only thing recognized by everyone, by Russians, Americans, Europeans, and the Azerbaijanis and Armenians, is the ceasefire agreement that has been signed, including by Mr. Aliyev. Therefore, the first thing that needs to be asked from the international actors is to tell Mr. Aliyev to respect his own signature,” the MEP added.

François Alfonsi added that there is a strong majority in the European Parliament that will continue supporting the Armenian people.

He noted that the EU monitoring mission sent to the Armenian border has suppressed to some extent further attacks by Azerbaijan.

MEP Alfonsi warned that Aliyev’s ultimate goal is the complete invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh and stressed that only a coalition of major powers can prevent this.

Asked on his view about a possible peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Member of the European Parliament said that the main principle of such an agreement should be the respect of every citizen’s right.

“The main principle is for every citizen to be able to say ‘my rights are respected.’ There can be peace only when people will consider their rights to be respected. How can the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh say that their rights or territory are respected in these conditions? They can’t. Europe knows this well,” Alfonsi said.

“…it is necessary to have guarantees regarding the territorial integrity, the rights of the Armenian population and the inviolability of the Lachin Corridor, just like between West Germany and East Germany during the Cold War,” he added.

 14:47,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. On August 18, in New York, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan met with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, the foreign ministry said in a press release. 

Ararat Mirzoyan particularly presented the extremely difficult humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, stressing that the responsible actors of the international system should not allow it to turn into a real humanitarian catastrophe. The Minister emphasised the special role and prevention function of the UN Security Council as a structure with a mandate to maintain peace and security.

Touching upon the unfolded difficult conditions for the vulnerable groups of 120,000 people in Nagorno-Karabakh, Minister Mirzoyan stressed the urgency of implementing the Orders of the International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6 and lifting Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor.

In the context of establishing lasting stability in the region, Minister Mirzoyan emphasised the need for Azerbaijan to refrain from actions and provocations aimed at neutralising international efforts in that direction and the possibility of achieving peace.

 15:34,

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. The Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh Republic) Foreign Ministry welcomes the meeting of the United Nations Security Council held on 16 August 2023, to discuss the humanitarian catastrophe that has emerged in the Republic of Artsakh as a result of the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan.

In a statement released Friday, the Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude to those countries that have remained faithful to the principles of international law and humanism.

Below is the full statement.

“We welcome the meeting of the United Nations Security Council held on 16 August 2023, to discuss the humanitarian catastrophe that has emerged in the Republic of Artsakh as a result of the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan. We express gratitude to those countries that have remained faithful to the principles of international law and humanism, and emphasized in their statements the urgent need to unblock the Lachin Corridor and ensure the delivery of vital supplies to the population in need in Artsakh.

“At the same time, it is disappointing that certain delegations attempted to find an illusory and highly risky balance between the aspirations of the people of Artsakh to live in their homeland in freedom, security and dignity, and Azerbaijan's ambition to forcefully subjugate and annihilate them. There can be no compromise between universal values of freedom, human dignity, peace and justice on one hand, and the extreme manifestations of systematic and large-scale human rights violations, carried out with the intent of the physical destruction of a people, on the other.

“We expect that the member states of the United Nations Security Council will demonstrate consistency and а principled stance in preventing further criminal actions against the people of Artsakh, and will consolidate their position by adopting a resolution compelling Azerbaijan to lift the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor without any preconditions or linkages to alternative routes, in strict accordance with the Trilateral Statement of 9 November 2020 and the decisions of the International Court of Justice. Given Azerbaijan's evident genocidal intent, any attempts to hinder the efforts of the UN Security Council to end the inhumane siege and humanitarian catastrophe in Artsakh will be tantamount to silent approval, if not complicity in the crimes committed by Baku.”

 15:44,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien traveled to Jermuk to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing the city, the U.S. Embassy in Armenia said in a statement Friday.

“Ambassador Kvien traveled to Jermuk to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing the city. She met with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Jermuk, and hosted a roundtable with business owners to discuss the local economy and tourism sector. Ambassador Kvien was impressed with the beautiful natural landscape and outdoor activities that make Jermuk a popular tourist destination,” the U.S. embassy said.

 

 16:13,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien has emphasized U.S. support for Armenia’s sovereignty and security, as well as lasting peace in the South Caucasus, the U.S. Embassy said in a press release.

“Ambassador Kvien traveled to Vayots Dzor to meet with local officials and observe the security situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The Ambassador met with the Governor of Vayots Dzor, the EU Monitoring Mission, and local military representatives, joined by Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Lilit Makunts. Ambassador Kvien emphasized U.S. support for Armenia’s sovereignty and security, as well as lasting peace in the South Caucasus,” the U.S. Embassy said.

 16:15,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry continues its disinformation campaign targeting Nagorno-Karabakh, disseminating fabricated and fake videos and accusations, the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry warned Friday.

The Azeri accusations claiming that they’ve allegedly observed reinforcements of Nagorno-Karabakh positions and the use of ambulances accompanied by Russian peacekeepers to transport landmines, weapons and radio-electronic warfare systems to jam aircraft is “complete falsehood and disinformation,” the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry said.

It added that Azerbaijan is preparing information base for new provocations by spreading such fake news.

 17:14,

YEREVAN, 18 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 18 August, USD exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 386.13 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.72 drams to 419.49 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.13 drams to 4.12 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.19 drams to 491.00 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 98.68 drams to 23541.98 drams. Silver price up by 0.11 drams to 281.87 drams.