Category: News

On August 6-7, another session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council will be held in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan.

The agenda includes a wide range of issues related to the development of Eurasian integration, industrial cooperation, technological and digital transformations, as well as customs regulation and economic stability.

Nikol Pashinyan will also take part in the session, who in a briefing with journalists the other day made very harsh and worrying assessments about the activity of the structure.

In particular, referring to the obstacles and restrictions on the export of Armenian products, Pashinyan stated:

“The EAEU is a platform where I will raise all the issues related to our agenda. I will say what I said in the briefing. I said in the briefing that the EAEU is paralyzed. If the EAEU contract is not valid, the EAEU is not valid. And the EAEU is de facto paralyzed, and the paralysis shows tendencies to deepen. If this issue is not resolved quickly, I am 100% sure that the Republic of Armenia will overcome this problem, EAEU will not.”

Pashinyan warned that if these issues are not resolved quickly, it could be “the beginning of the end of the EAEU”, while emphasizing that he is going to Cholpon-Ata to use the EAEU platform and raise all issues on the Armenian agenda.

This will be the third time that Pashinyan talks to his colleagues on this topic.   However, at the upcoming meeting in Cholpon-Ata, these approaches will once again face serious resistance due to several key factors. First, there is the incompatibility of the given format with the nature of the problem.

EAEU intergovernmental council is primarily a platform for economic, commercial and technical regulations. In the case of Armenia, restrictions and obstacles of an economic nature actually acquired a political context or became a lever to achieve geopolitical concessions, that is, they are a reaction to the foreign policy conducted by Armenia, because Russia does not separate economic and political relations. Therefore, it seems almost impossible to solve them at the intergovernmental level. However, it is certainly possible to raise the issue and hold discussions and, perhaps, it will be successful.

Another important circumstance is that for EAEU member states, the concerns expressed by the Armenian side remain secondary, as long as there are deep cracks of trust between Yerevan and Moscow.

According to the logic of at least most of EAEU partners, judging by the statements of the leaders, Armenia’s policy of using economic privileges on the one hand, and deepening integration processes in the western direction on the other hand, is considered as a systemic risk.

As a result, Pashinyan’s demands and complaints are not perceived by the partners of the union as partnership dialogue, but are accepted as mere grievances, especially when the demand put before RA at this moment is not acceptable for the Armenian side.

In the background of all this, Nikol Pashinyan’s participation in this session turns into another platform not for recording practical results, but exclusively for raising political noise and informational background.

In this situation, the fundamental question remains: what consequences can these deepening contradictions have for Armenia’s internal and external economy? If the obstacles and restrictions on the export of Armenian goods within the framework of EAEU continue to remain in the air, and the political demands take a practical course, the Armenian business may face a serious crisis.

At the same time, it should be taken into account that the diversification of the economy is an extremely complicated and long-term process, and finding new markets, especially in Europe with high competition and strict standards, faces serious obstacles for Armenian producers. As a result, in the absence of fast alternatives, attempts to redirect markets can lead to serious economic losses.

In the short term, this visit and the expected statements, if they are aimed at escalating the situation and hardening the rhetoric, will significantly complicate the atmosphere of Armenian-Russian and general Eurasian relations.

Moscow and other partners, being dissatisfied with Yerevan’s dual policy and harsh assessments, in their turn, can apply additional economic or administrative levers.

As a result, the Cholpon-Ata session will not smooth out the existing sharp corners, but may become a new starting point for the further breakdown of bilateral trust and another diplomatic confrontation.

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The article establishing territorial claims against Azerbaijan and Turkey should be removed from the Armenian constitution. This was announced by Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the president of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani mass media reported.

“Once those territorial claims are removed, Azerbaijan sees no problem in signing a final peace agreement. Moreover, there is already a de facto peaceful situation in our region,” he said.

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Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Hikmet Hajiyev, in an interview with CNN Turk, stated that the opening of the so-called “Zangezur Corridor” will create new transport opportunities for Turkey and Azerbaijan.

According to him, Azerbaijan has almost completed the construction of transport infrastructures. Motor and railway roads from Baku to Zangelan and the Armenian border are in the final stage of construction. In addition, the Nakhichevan railway was restored.

Hajiyev reminded that Turkey is building a new railway between Kars and Igdir, adding that it will become part of the new transport network in the region.

“If the “Zangezur Corridor” is opened, it will be possible to get from Istanbul to Baku by car or train. It is not such a distant prospect. Active diplomatic work and the construction of infrastructures continue,” Hajiyev said.

He also claimed in the interview that Armenia and the USA have undertaken a joint commitment to complete the construction of the missing section of about 42 kilometers in length.

According to Hajiyev, after the completion of these works, new opportunities for transportation and trade will be opened.

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“I did charity work when Nikol Pashinyan was not yet born,” the leader of the “Strong Armenia” party, national philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan said about this in a conversation with journalists in the courtyard of the court, commenting on Nikol Pashinyan’s recent statement that he will deprive Samvel Karapetyan of the opportunity to do charity work.

Karapetyan reminded that he did charity when Nikol Pashinyan was not yet born, or he had a $1,500 business and was running around under the tables looking for sponsors.

“I did it, I am doing it and I will do it because I am doing it for Armenia, for the Armenian people and for all of Armenia. No one can deprive me of that desire,” stressed Karapetyan. Referring to the government’s decisions to seize the businesses belonging to the family of PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan and appoint managers, Karapetyan said, let them manage for a while. “You see, people are Gyormamish people, they want to manage something in their lives, now we give it to them, let them manage it. They will not leave any stone unturned, they had a chance, “Hrazdan Cement” has been in their hands for several years, let them manage it, you will see what they will do with the same cement and cognac factory.observed Karapetyan.

Referring to the international investment environment in Armenia against the background of all this, Samvel Karapetyan noted that there was no international investor in Armenia under these authorities. “They only made pre-election announcements. You journalists can study, in 2024-25, six months of 2026 have passed, how many international investors were there and what amount they invested,” he said.

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“We are fighting against the mechanism created by the enemy states to destroy our country,” the leader of the “Strong Armenia” party, national philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan told reporters today.

He mentioned that at this stage they started to carry out charity from the places where they received a lot of votes, but it will be continuous. “But first of all, we do it in the places where people trusted us and gave their vote,” Karapetyan clarified.

Referring to the current stage of political consolidation, Samvel Karapetyan clarified that he has meetings and cannot say which forces he met with, he has meetings almost every week. According to him, there were meetings with the main forces. However, Karapetyan did not specify with which representatives of the forces he met.

“People from the first faces are in detention centers, we meet with people who are not detained yet,” said Samvel Karapetyan, adding that they are discussing the way of struggle. He also commented that the oppositionists took the mandates and went to the parliament to be part of the struggle. “Outside, we will fight in our own way,” he remarked. According to Karapetyan, he did not meet with Robert Kocharyan.

Samvel Karapetyan emphasized that he does not want to limit the struggle to any period, autumn-spring. According to his assurance, when the day comes, they will say their serious word. “I understand that you are all tired and disgusted with these authorities, you want to send them away one day earlier, we are also tired and disgusted, but we are doing everything legally. We will not lead our country into upheavals,” he said, continuing that they are doing everything possible to legally remove this government. “But I already explained to you once, this is not a person, this is a mechanism against us, we must destroy this mechanism in order to finally let’s win. And it is difficult to dismantle the mechanism, because the mechanism was created by very serious states, unfriendly states, so it is both difficult and time-consuming to dismantle it,” Samvel Karapetyan noted, adding that the mechanism was created to lead our country to destruction. He noted that not only Azerbaijan is among the creators.

Karapetyan told reporters. “You must dream of me staying in the fight to take them out, because you can’t take them out without me.”

Details in the 168TV video.

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Armenian railways can be involved in the network of geopolitical combinations

The remote (for now) dispute between Yerevan and Moscow about the future administrative and legal status of the railway system of Armenia is entering a new phase. Regarding the hints made by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who was re-appointed to his post, about confiscating up to 2 billion dollars from SCR, the Russian side responds with a legal boomerang, warning of countervailing financial demands.

Thus, General Director of Russian Railways Oleg Belozerov on July 30 announced, that if they decide to unilaterally break up in Yerevan «South Caucasian Railway» 30-year concession agreement with CJSC (2008) or change its conditions separately, R:student railways have the right to expect a return on investment, that is, “… all the rights and obligations of the parties are fixed in the concession agreement, to which the Government of Armenia is also a party. From our side, we intend to firmly and from now on remain loyal to it, and if the Armenian side independently considers the possibility of terminating it or changing its conditions, we have the right to expect the return of the invested investments.

At the same time, “Russian railwaysin” the head announced the amount of investments within the framework of the concession agreement regarding “South Caucasian Railway”. “From 2008 to 2025 inclusive” Russian Railwaysin” from the means of OJSC and “South Caucasian Railway” itselfand“Investments from revenues amounted to 146 billion drams (145.77 billion drams), or about 396.3 million dollars, which is fully confirmed by documents.” In turn, the Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Maxim Reshetnikov, announced on July 31 that “South Caucasian Railway” is not a free asset of the Russian company, but an enterprise in which more than 30 billion rubles have been invested to date, and if Armenia unilaterally revises its obligations, thereby causing damage to the investor, then the Russian side will have grounds to demand compensation.

Note՝ Currently in Syunik Marz, not unknown, supported by the European Union, Turkey and Azerbaijan «Trump Corridor» under the name, the railways of Armenia (through the territory of Georgia or Turkey) Baku-Tbilisi are developed–Akhalkalak–To connect to the Kars Corridor and now reconstruct the section from Gyumri to Kars between China, Central Asia, Turkey and Europe, aso called, «Middle corridor» projects to include. At different times, concessions were announced in Yerevan to Kazakhstan, UAE or Q:atheideas to pass on. According to profile sources՝ the realization of that idea will meanin: Actual integration of Armenia’s railway network and related projects externally «careto the tyranny”, which, to put it mildly, hardly corresponds to Russia and, in particular, «Russian railways» interests.

To remind, the contract between “Russian Railways” and Armenia on concession management of railway infrastructure was signed in 2008 for a period of 30 years. The answer to the question whether it provides an unconditional return of all investments made by the concessionaire is not so obvious. The contract fee is 2 percent of gross revenue, excluding passenger fees: Last year SCR transferred 312.2 million drams (about 800 thousand US dollars) to Armenia. It seems the contract implies the possibility of claiming compensation, but its amount and legal grounds depend on the reasons for termination of the contract, possible violations committed by the parties, the amount of profit received by SCR, the volume of investments confirmed by the audit. At the same time, changing the terms of the contract itself does not imply an automatic obligation to return the investment.

Article 17 of the Concession Agreement համաձայն՝ the compensation mechanism depends onand:from different circumstances.

• which party terminates the contract,
• on what basis is it dissolved,
• has SCR properly fulfilled its obligations,
• What kind of profit has the company already made?
• What is the value of the rolling stock as of the agreed termination date of the contract?

Thus, if the Armenian government terminates the contract with the concessionaire (i.e. «South Caucasian Railwayand”) due to a violation committed, that violation must be proven in an international legal instance. The Armenian side will be obliged to pay only 50 percent of the difference between the investment in infrastructure and the profit received by the company at the time of termination of the contract. themoreover, that amount must be confirmed by an independent auditor.

In the case of rolling stock, it is not its initial value that is compensated, but the residual (actual) value at the time of termination of the contract, which is determined and approved by an independent appraiser. At the same time, “South Caucasus Railway” is obliged to pay Armenia the final amounts stipulated in the contract, including the actual costs of organizing a new concession tender-management, but not more than 2 million USD. Therefore, even then, it is not a question of compensation for all the investments made.

And if “South Caucasus Railway” terminates the contract due to a violation by the Armenian government, then in that case it is first necessary to record a specific violation of the contract, inform the other party about it and give him the opportunity and time to eliminate the violation. If the violation is not eliminated within the specified period, “South Caucasus Railway” has the right to send a notice about the termination of the contract (but not automatically terminate the contract). In this case, “South Caucasian Railway” has the right to demand:

• compensation for costs and damages caused by early termination of the contract,
• gross profit payments received during the three years preceding the termination of the contract,
• payment of the difference between the infrastructure investment and the total profit received before the termination of the contract.

For example, if “South Caucasian Railway” invested 120 billion drams in the infrastructure and received a total profit of 30 billion drams before the termination of the contract, then with the official investment component it can claim 90 billion drams instead of the initial 120 billion drams, and only in the absence of profit, this component can be equal to the entire amount of investments in the infrastructure. However, even in that case, the initial cost of the vehicle is not compensated. it is acquired at the residual value determined at the time of contract termination.

Considering these factors, it is problematic to equate the above-mentioned 145.77 billion drams “returnable” amount with the possible financial obligations of Armenia in that case. This number includes the total amount of investments made at the expense of the funds of “Russian Railways” and the own revenues of “South Caucasian Railways”, while the contract, to repeat, considers investments in infrastructure, rolling stock and other expenses differently.

The mentioned factors seem to be taken into account by the Armenian side (and its “advisors” from foreign shores) in its developing discourse on the status of the “South Caucasian Railway”. after all The initiation of the information and propaganda campaign against the “South Caucasian Railway” is most likely aimed at the transition of the Armenian railway network (especially transit) and its development projects under the direct or at least indirect control of the collective West with the participation of Turkey. By various legal and illegal means, the current authorities of Armenia are trying to aggravate the conflict, trying to worsen the relations with Russia as much as possible, following the indisputable instructions of Brussels and other external stakeholders.

Dmitry: Nefiodov

Translation by Zhanna Avetisyan

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“Additional developments are expected in the process of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations regulation” According to Azerbaijani mass media, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov announced this at a joint press conference with Swiss Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ignazio Cassis in Baku today, noting that the TRIPP project is one of them.

Bayramov announced that within the framework of the Armenia-Azerbaijan relations settlement process, the works of re-opening transport and communication links are ongoing. “We expect that construction works will begin in Armenia after the completion of the preparatory phase. Azerbaijan has largely done its part of the work.” Bayramov said.

Jeyhun Bayramov announced that the construction of railway infrastructure and highway is in the active stage of implementation. According to him, it is planned to bring both lines to the border with Armenia by the beginning of 2027.

Bayramov also informed that at the same time works are being carried out on the 180-kilometer railway line connecting the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan.

He noted that additional construction and investments will be needed in certain areas, although, according to him, the works in this direction have already started. Bayramov also clarified that the implementation of the project will be important for the development of the region. According to him, this applies not only to transport links between Azerbaijan and the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan, but also to the creation of a wider transport corridor, which can have a positive impact on Azerbaijan, Armenia, neighboring states and the entire region.

Bayramov expressed confidence that the project can contribute to the expansion of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, including trade and economic cooperation.

“As it is known, according to statistics, approximately 60,000 cargoes were transported between Azerbaijan and Armenia during the last year, and the volume of goods exported from Azerbaijan to Armenia was roughly comparable. I am sure that the work in this direction will continue.”– Bayramov said.

Along with all this, Bayramov said: “The territorial claims against Azerbaijan should be removed from the Constitution of Armenia, after which it will be possible to sign the final peace agreement.”

Earlier today, Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the President of Azerbaijan in charge of foreign relations, also announced. “We are receiving signals that the process of adopting a new Constitution will start in Armenia in the near future.”

“It is possible that a referendum will be organized in Armenia. After the removal of the demands to Azerbaijan in the preamble of the Armenian constitution, we will no longer see any obstacles to the final signing of the peace agreement.” added the Azerbaijani official.

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