Category: News

While the expert community is discussing Russia’s political passivity in the South Caucasus with varying intensity, Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Galuzin meets from time to time with the ambassadors of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Russia. Galuzin had two meetings with the Armenian Ambassador to Russia Gurgen Arsenyan during the month of April.

The first is on April 10, to discuss high-level agreements after Pashinyan’s visit to Moscow, and the second is on April 20. According to the press release of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Galuzin discussed urgent issues of the bilateral agenda with the Armenian Ambassador to Moscow, Gurgen Arsenyan, in the context of the recent high-level contacts.

“A number of topical issues of bilateral relations were discussed in the light of the results of the recent Russian-Armenian high-level talks held in Moscow,” the Russian diplomatic agency noted.

Earlier, the press secretary of the Russian President, Dmitry Peskov, noted that during the meeting held on April 1, Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan’s contact was “useful, sincere and necessary”. the parties communicated to each other their positions on a wide range of topical issues on the bilateral agenda. However, according to the assessment of the expert community, it was one of the most tense Pashinyan-Putin meetings, during which the Russian president touched on the most sensitive issues of the bilateral agenda: the incompatibility of RA EU integration and EAEU, gas price, economic privileges due to RA EAEU membership, and internal political tension due to the Russian factor.

It became known yesterday that Galuzin met the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia Rahman Mustafaev. According to reports, the parties discussed the Azerbaijani-Russian relations during the meeting. “During the meeting, a number of urgent issues of bilateral relations were discussed,” the message says.

A few days ago, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, referring to the destruction of Armenian churches and cultural heritage in Artsakh, said that the tripartite agreements reached at a high level between Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020-2022 also provided for a humanitarian direction of reconciliation.

“It includes the topics of return and exchange of all detained persons, caring for architectural monuments and memorials, exchange of information on profile structures and public organizations, as well as search for missing persons.

As it can be seen, the demand of society, both in Azerbaijan and in Armenia, regarding the solution of similar issues is relevant even today, and your question confirms this. Therefore, in case of appeal, we are ready to provide the necessary support to our partners,” Zakharova said, reconfirming the Russian proposal for mediation efforts.

168.amin a conversation with Russian analyst Fyodor Lukyanov said that Russia continues its political involvement in the South Caucasus as much as it is possible and the partner countries of the Russian Federation also need it. Naturally, according to him, during the period of changes, relations also change in a number of directions, their format and perception changes.

“As we can see, today in the relations between Russia and Armenia, the economic cooperation is in the foreground, which is centered around the Eurasian Economic Union. Thanks to EAEU membership and that cooperation, trade and economic ties have deepened over the years, Armenia’s economic indicators have changed, and the price of gas is significantly different from international prices.

Naturally, EU integration will disrupt Armenia’s progress in EAEU, whether it is good or bad will be evaluated in Armenia itself, but it is not possible to combine the two economic zones, everyone knows that. Armenia wants to maintain economic cooperation with Russia, and to deepen political cooperation with the West. How far it will be possible to continue this model, time and future geopolitical developments will show,” noted Lukianov.

As for the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister’s consultations with the ambassadors, the analyst believes that as a result of the changes in the relations, the contacts between the officials, the Foreign Ministers, are also changing. Therefore, contacts are being developed for the purpose of implementing agreements at lower levels, discussing the agenda and other issues,” the analyst said.

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Artak Zakaryan writes on his Facebook page. “The important thing is with “dukhov”…

According to the American TheBulwark.com, the US State Department is finalizing the development of a new design for US passports, which may also include the image and signature of President Donald Trump.

This idea is related to the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and provides for the printing of a limited number (25,000) of anniversary passports.

Let’s go back to Armenia.

To date, which country in the world has fundamentally changed its civil passport in the name of ICAO, “facilitation” of border crossings, obtaining visas or free movement?

I think that changing the passport is not so much about their UV protection, as canceling the old passport is about “eliminating” the connection with the victorious past of the Third Republic of Armenia. It is the replacement of past memories, historical stereotypes and symbols. It is not excluded that there will be a Turkish-Azerbaijani demand, for example, to remove the epic image of Davt of Sassoon from valid passports. Maybe it is a requirement to open the border with Turkey and/or to have an “acceptable” passport for Azerbaijanis returning to Armenia?

There may be other latent problems and with “pretty packaging”, all printed passports are taken out of circulation.

Otherwise, at this moment, there is no urgent and reasonable need to radically change the RA civil passport.

P.S. Can you include Nikol’s “Dukhov” picture in the “new passport” of the RA? If the image of Tamanyan will be included as the patriarch of urban development, let Pashinyan be included as the “patriarch” of Turan development. Especially since in the history of the Armenian people, Nikol Pashinyan and the sacrifice of Artsakh will forever be linked by an indelible bond (approached Syunik)…

It remains for the Armenian-hating Azerbaijanis and Turks to evaluate it as it deserves, “not to insult” the CP and help them to be re-elected in the near future.

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Anna Mkrtchyan, deputy of the “I have honor” faction of the National Assembly, who also participates in the action organized near the EU office, emphasized that the European structures and commissions are well aware of the situation in Armenia.

According to him, the European structures do not need their letter and in their annual reports they clearly document the actions of the judicial system dependent on the authorities in Armenia, fabricated, politicized criminal cases and human rights violations.

“The problem is that there is no adequate reaction, because they are quite loyal to Pashinyan,” the deputy said in a conversation with journalists.

According to him, many members of the opposition political forces have the impression that today the Europeans are not concerned about their declared values, human rights and freedoms.

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A protest action is underway in front of the EU office in Yerevan. The 6 opposition parties demand that the EU structures do not turn a blind eye to the illegal actions of the RA government and speak out about the pressure applied to the opposition forces, non-government media and activists.

Let’s remind that yesterday 6 political forces of Armenia addressed a letter to the heads of states participating in the European Political Community Summit to be held in Yerevan and to the EU leadership, presenting the situation in the country and noting that the holding of the European Political Community Summit in Yerevan is fraught with a dangerous political message, that is, the democratic retreat can be ignored when it is politically convenient.

The opposition forces handed over the letter to the EU ambassador in RA today.

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On April 28, a meeting of the Armenia-Turkey joint working group for the restoration and operation of the Gyumri-Kars railway took place in Kars. In the context of the expansion of transport communications in the region, the parties emphasized the importance of the early launch of the Gyumri-Kars railway. The RA Foreign Ministry issued an official message about this.

At this moment, how realistic is the resumption of the Gyumri-Kars railway, what does Armenia gain from the resumption of the railway?

Ara Marjanyan, UN national expert on energy issues speaking about these issues, he said that the most positive aspect of the resumption of the Kars-Gyumri railway will be that a real perspective will open to connect Kars with Nakhijevan through the territory of Armenia, instead of Kars-Igdir-Sadarak-Nakhijevan.

“This is extremely important, because I have mentioned many times that with the construction of the Kars-Igdir railway, Armenia will be under complete blockade. If the Kars-Gyumri railway is reopened, then it will be possible to carry out rail cargo transportation from Gyumri-Yerevan and Nakhijevan through the territory of the Republic of Armenia. With this step, steps to completely block Armenia will be prevented.” 168.amAra Marjanyan said in a conversation with

According to our interlocutor, after the reopening of the Gyumri-Kars railway, Armenia will have great transit opportunities to carry out cargo transportation through the territory of Armenia itself.

“Besides this, Armenia’s economy will have the opportunity to gain access to both Black Sea and Mediterranean sea ports,” A. added. Marjanyan.

The expert also emphasized that, unfortunately, there is currently no actual data on Turkey regarding the advancement of this process, but the meeting of the Armenian and Turkish delegates in Kars itself proves that some processes are underway in Turkey.

“As for Armenia’s position, the relaunch of the Gyumri-Kars railway fits into the ideology of the “Crossroads of Peace” project, it is an integral part of that project. I think this will ultimately be beneficial for Armenia and the entire region.

In my opinion, in order to implement this program, Armenia will need several tens of millions of dollars, which is not very expensive.

I would like to say one more important thing: it would be very good if the re-launching of the Gyumri-Kars high-voltage overhead line would go on in parallel, which would open up great prospects, this time from the point of view of the organization of regional electric power transmission lines,” stressed Ara Marjanyan.

Let’s remind that after the meeting of the Armenian-Turkish delegation in Kars, the US Embassy in RA became official statement spread, calling the meeting a historical progress.

Let’s remind that the Gyumri-Kars railway was closed in 1993, when the Armenian side was achieving success in the first Artsakh war by liberating the Armenian territories. Turkey stopped railway works in solidarity with Azerbaijan.

Years later, in 2005, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed an agreement on the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway bypassing Armenia. On October 30, 2017, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway with a total length of 826 km was inaugurated.

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This morning it became known that the delegation of Azerbaijan headed by Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev arrived in Armenia. The information had confirmed RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, did not provide other details.

According to various reports, the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan had a meeting with RA Deputy Prime Ministers Tigran Khachatryan and Mher Grigoryan in Aghveran.

Referring to its own source, SHAMSHYAN.com wrote that the head of the Azerbaijani delegation that arrived in Armenia, the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Shahin Mustafayev, expressed his desire to definitely visit the Jujevan settlement of the Noyemberyan region of the Tavush region, where he was born on June 13, 1965.

168.am Administrative head of Jujevan from Hambardzum Petrosyan asked if he has any information, will the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan go to Jujevan, are the residents ready to receive him?

The administrative head briefly answered our questions.

“It’s not all the population that should organize, I can’t say anything about the disposition of the people, but if the Government has decided that it should be like that, then it should be like that, what can I say?”

I don’t have any information, I got the news from the media.”

Hambardzum Petrosyan answered the question: if Mustafaev goes to the village, will he, as the administrative head, show him the area where he lived during the Soviet Union?

“Let me not answer that question.”

It should be noted that Shahin Musafaev is the chairman of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border demarcation commission created in 2022 by Azerbaijan, while Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan holds that position on the side of Armenia.

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On April 27, the Anti-Corruption Court detained Kandaz, head of the security team of the “Strong Armenia” party, detective Artur Avanesyan, for 2 months.

Today it became known that the detective started a hunger strike in the prison, protesting against the injustices. This information was reported by Arega Hovsepyan, a member of the “Strong Armenia” party.

of 168.am Arega Hovsepyan said that Artur Avanesyan is being subjected to obvious political persecution.

“All this is political repression, he is a classic political prisoner today, because even the recordings that have been published clearly show that there is no mention of election bribery. Two friends are talking about their vision of the future Armenia, and Mr. Avanesyan presents that they will have land, that is, peace, territorial integrity, housing, which is part of our plan, we are talking about it.

Mr. Avanesyan also talks about salary, jobs, we are talking about 300,000 jobs. He presents our program in a much simpler, accessible and human language. He talks about all this in the Artsakh dialect, maybe our law enforcement officers have a problem with understanding that dialect, I can translate for them into literary Armenian for free, so that they understand the reality,” said Arega Hovsepyan.

According to him, what is happening today with Artur Avanesyan is unreasonable, outside the law, so he is fighting against the happening injustice by resorting to an extreme step, declaring a hunger strike.

“This is the stigma of our nation, the man served his motherland for 30 years, was the fear and terror of the enemy, today he is subjected to repressions in Armenia, this is nothing but Aliyev’s wish and to fulfill his dream, which could become a reality through Nikol Pashinyan.

Today we saw that a high-ranking Azerbaijani official arrived in Armenia, this is the embodiment of our alarms when they say that they are discussing the transfer of 300,000 Azerbaijanis to Armenia. Step by step people are being prepared for this program,” added Arega Hovsepyan.

Our interlocutor also conveyed that at the moment only his defenders can see Artur Avanesyan, they will dispute the decision of the Anti-Corruption Court on the 2-month detention.

“During the petition for detention, the defenders proposed all other possible means of restraint: bail, house arrest, administrative control, all of them were rejected. Artur Avanesyan was arrested because he is Arthur Avanesyan, a legendary detective,” stressed A. Hovsepyan.

He also said that he talked to Artur Avanesyan many times about this possible repression by the authorities, he was more than ready for all this.

“A person has dedicated his whole life to the defense of the motherland and is being imprisoned by the government of the motherland – it is sad. Today I drew a parallel between the hunger strike carried out by Ruben Vardanyan in Baku prison. This is a question of dignity, how do we, Armenians, feel in this reality, I don’t think we feel good, only Azerbaijanis feel good, maybe there were fireworks in Baku on the day of Mr. Avanesyan’s arrest,” emphasized Arega Hovsepyan.

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