Azerbaijan is planning a “full-scale war” against Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Thursday, two days after a skirmish on their border left four Armenian troops dead.
“Our analysis shows that Azerbaijan wants to launch military action in some parts of the border with the prospect of turning military escalation into a full-scale war against Armenia,” Pashinyan said at a government meeting.
Muhammad Irfan
Armenia and Azerbaijan's presidents pledged Saturday to resolve differences through peaceful means, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after holding three-way talks between the leaders
Munich, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 17th Feb, 2024) Armenia and Azerbaijan's presidents pledged Saturday to resolve differences through peaceful means, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after holding three-way talks between the leaders.
At the meeting in Munich with Armenia's President Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan counterpart Ilham Aliyev, Scholz urged a rapid conclusion of peace talks, according to a statement issued by the chancellery.
"The chancellor praised pledges from both sides today, to resolve differences in opinion and open questions exclusively through peaceful means and without the use of force," added the statement.
No official statements have been issued from either side regarding the talks.
But the promises to avoid conflict would be a marked change in tone from Pashinyan's warning on Thursday that Azerbaijan was planning a "full-scale war".
On Tuesday, both sides also accused each other of opening fire on their volatile border, in a skirmish Armenia said left four of its soldiers dead.
Tensions between the two Caucasus neighbours have remained high since Baku re-captured the Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh last September in a lightning military offensive.
Yerevan is concerned that Azerbaijan, emboldened by its success in Karabakh, could invade Armenian territory in order to create a land bridge to its exclave of Nakhchivan.
Aliyev, who won re-election this month, said in an inauguration speech Wednesday it was Armenia, not Azerbaijan, that had outstanding territorial claims.
Pashinyan and Aliyev previously said a peace agreement could have been signed by the end of last year, but internationally mediated peace talks have failed to yield a breakthrough.
In a bilateral meeting also in Munich, Pashinyan told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday morning that that had been a "new escalation" with Azerbaijan, in reference to the latest skirmish.
Aliyev is due to hold separate talks with Blinken later Saturday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
New Zealand international winger Logan Rogerson has signed with Armenian Premier League club FC Noah after leaving Finnish club FC Haka.
Hamilton-born Rogerson (25) joins a squad drawn from many countries, including Portugal, Brazil, Netherlands, Uruguay, Slovakia, Nigeria, DR Congo, Serbia, Mozambique, France, Italy, Senegal and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Main photo: Logan Rogerson … has joined FC Noah to play in the Armenian Premier League. Photo credit: FC Noah.
Rogerson, who has represented New Zealand at U-17, U-20, U-23 and full international level, started his career as a youth player with Hamilton’s Wanderers SC.
After making his All Whites debut in 2015, he has made nine appearances for New Zealand, scoring once.
He spent three seasons with Wellington Phoenix before moving to German third-tier club Carl Jeiss Jena.
He returned to New Zealand for two seasons with Auckland City and then left for Finland where he played for Klubi O4, HJK Helsinki and FC Haka who he joined in 2022.
Gisoo Misha Ahmadi
Press TV, Tehran
The 18th meeting of the Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Committee has wrapped up with the two sides signing 19 MOUs to expand economic cooperation. The agreements pave the way for the trade volume between the two countries to increase threefold and reach three billion USD.
Watch the video at
After warnings by Armenia of a fresh Azerbaijani military threat, Iran's Ambassador in Yerevan, Mehdi Sobhani, has reiterated Tehran's stance against any territorial alterations in the region.
In an interview with Armenpress, Sobhani emphasized, “The final position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is that we cannot accept a territorial change in any way. Any territorial changes should take place on the basis of mutual recognition of the territorial integrity of both countries, and this remains our final position…the territorial integrity of the countries of the region should be respected."
Expressing concern over regional stability, the Iranian diplomat stated that Tehran finds it “unacceptable” to witness a volatile situation around Armenia.
His comments come as tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to escalate. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Thursday rejected Azerbaijan's persistent demands for legislative changes in Armenia, warning of potential "large-scale" military aggression from Baku.
Pashinian accused Azerbaijani leadership of pursuing a "policy of military coercion" to seize Armenian territory and extract concessions. He highlighted Azerbaijan's reluctance to demarcate the border, following a ceasefire violation that resulted in the death of four Armenian soldiers on Tuesday.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday maintained his stance, stating that he won't sign a peace treaty unless Armenia revises its legislation, which he claims contains territorial claims on Azerbaijan.
Amidst the tension, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reaffirmed Tehran's opposition to the presence of external powers in the South Caucasus during discussions with a senior visiting Armenian official.
Iran supports Armenia's stance against Azerbaijani requests for an extraterritorial corridor linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave via Syunik, the sole Armenian region sharing a border with the Islamic Republic.
TEHRAN – The Armenian deputy health minister has announced the country’s willingness to import Iranian medicine and medical equipment.
Talking about the remarkable achievements of Iran in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak by adopting appropriate measures, Lena Nanushyan said that Iran's progress in the field of health is significant, ISNA reported.
She made the remarks in a meeting with Heidar Mohammadi, the head of Iran’s Food and Drug Administration on the sidelines of the 18th session of the Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Committee that was held in Tehran during February 14-15.
At the end of the meeting, the two sides signed 19 documents and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to enhance cooperation in various areas.
The mentioned documents covered a variety of areas including trade, maritime transportation, food, medicine, and customs cooperation.
Noting that Iranian pharmaceutical products are famous worldwide, she said that Armenia has yet to import the products, she added.
Referring to the quality of anti-cancer drugs manufactured in Iran, she said, “We are interested in using Iranian oncology drugs in Armenia, and it is also possible to supply part of the required drugs of the country from Iranian manufacturing companies.”
Nanushyan went on to say, “We are happy to sign an agreement to expand cooperation between the two countries in the field of medicine and medical equipment.”
She further noted once Iranian medicines are registered in Eurasia, it will be much easier to import medicines from Iran.
Nanushyan also voiced the country's readiness to hold an exhibition of Iranian-made medical products in Armenia.
The head of Iran’s Food and Drug Administration, Heidar Mohammadi, for his part, referred to the production of biotech medicines, which has few manufacturers worldwide, in the country as a competitive factor of Iran-made medicines.
The pharmaceutical industry in Iran has grown significantly after the (1979) Islamic Revolution, he said.
Mohammadi went on to say that currently, all medical supplements and some 99 percent of the country's pharmaceutical needs is produced domestically.
Also, over 50 percent of medical equipment is produced in the country and they are exported to foreign markets, he added.
Over 60 countries import Iranian medical equipment
On January 13, the head of Iran’s Union of Medical Equipment Manufacturers and Exporters said that medical equipment worth around $20 million is exported to more than 60 countries annually.
More than 70 percent of medical equipment and 100 percent of normal hospital beds are domestically made, IRNA quoted Abdolreza Yaqoubzadeh as saying.
Also, over 95 percent of specific ICU and CCU beds and more than 85 percent of operating room medical equipment such as anesthesia machines and other equipment are manufactured with cutting-edge technology in the country, he added.
Yaqoubzadeh went on to say that the country's need for medical equipment production is three to four billion dollars per year, some one billion dollars of which is imported.
Export of medicine and medical equipment rise
Iran experienced a significant rise in exports of medicine and medical equipment in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year that started on March 21, 2023.
“Exports of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment grew by 300 percent in the first four months of the year,” IRNA quoted Mohammadi as saying.
Currently, the production of medicine, medical equipment, and powdered milk is supported by subsidies. So, their exports were very limited, but it is hoped that their exports will increase next year, he explained.
Referring to the shortage of 100 drug items in the country, he said: “Nearly one and a half percent of the country's pharmaceutical need is imported. Along with domestic production, it is done as soon as the domestic production meets the demand.”
A total of 227 knowledge-based firms are supplying medical equipment for health centers across the country, according to the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology.
MT/MG
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, good morning, everyone. It’s a pleasure to be with Prime Minister Pashinyan today. Armenia is a very highly valued partner of the United States, and we applaud and appreciate its commitment to a dignified and durable peace. Even as we discuss that and work on that, we’re also working to strengthen the relationship between our countries in a whole variety of different areas. I look forward to discussing all of that with the prime minister today. Prime Minister, welcome.
PRIME MINISTER PASHINYAN: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. It’s a pleasure to see you here in Munich. And we appreciate the dynamics that we heard in – by the delegations and (inaudible) the hope that we’ll be able to develop that further. And we established, I think, a very effective partnership, and in 2019 we started strategic planning, and this year also very important that we are looking forward to a new session of our strategic partner with a quite large agenda. And this is a really good opportunity to discuss how to make that dynamic more effective. And of course, obviously, regional issues are very important to our agenda as well. Unfortunately, now we have a new phase of tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Essentially we had new escalation, and with the casualties – Armenian service member killed in the border – state border with Azerbaijan. And it is also a situation that I’d like to discuss with you. Thank you.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you very much.
In a significant development reported from Munich, Germany, the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have committed to resolve their differences peacefully.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced this pledge following a tripartite meeting that included himself and the leaders of the two countries.
The meeting involving Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev allowed Chancellor Scholz to encourage a swift conclusion to the ongoing peace talks.
During the meeting with Armenia's President Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan's Ilham Aliyev, Scholz encouraged both sides to rapidly conclude the peace talks, according to a statement issued by the chancellery.
"The chancellor praised pledges from both sides today to resolve differences in opinion and open questions exclusively through peaceful means and without the use of force," added the statement.
This commitment marks a pivotal moment in the relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have historically been at odds.
The Munich meeting's outcomes offer a hopeful prospect for the future of both nations, signaling a potential end to longstanding tensions. The emphasis on peaceful dialogue and resolution could pave the way for a more harmonious coexistence, benefiting Armenia and Azerbaijan and contributing to broader regional stability.
Source: Newsroom
Germany's Scholz meets Azeri and Armenian leaders, pledges support for peace talks
Chancellor Scholz calls for swift conclusion of peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Germany and EU ready to support this process
14:25 – 17/02/2024 Saturday
AA
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held a meeting with Azeri and Armenian leaders on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
During the meeting, Scholz reaffirmed Germany's support for the peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the German government spokesman said in a statement.
“In these trilateral talks, the Chancellor called for a swift conclusion to the peace negotiations between the two countries. Germany and Europe are ready to support this to the best of their ability, including through the efforts of EU Council President Charles Michel,” Steffen Hebestreit said.
Chancellor Scholz thanked Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for the meeting, and welcomed the commitment from both sides to resolve existing differences “exclusively through peaceful means and without the use of force,” according to the statement.
Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.
Azerbaijan liberated most of the region during the war in the fall of 2020, which ended with a Russian-brokered peace agreement, opening the door to normalization.
Baku initiated an anti-terrorism operation in Karabakh last September to establish constitutional order, after which illegal separatist forces in the region surrendered.
ADDS statements from Baku and Yerevan, Blinken-Aliyev talks
Armenia and Azerbaijan's leaders held direct talks in Munich on Saturday and agreed to push on with peace negotiations, Baku and Yerevan said, after a new spate of tension between the two Caucasus neighbours.
The bilateral between Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev came after a three-way meeting along with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who said both sides pledged to resolve differences through peaceful means.
"The chancellor praised pledges from both sides today, to resolve differences in opinion and open questions exclusively through peaceful means and without the use of force," according to a statement issued by the German chancellery.
The promises to avoid conflict appeared to be a marked change in tone from Pashinyan's warning on Thursday that Azerbaijan was planning a "full-scale war".
On Tuesday, both sides accused the other of opening fire on their volatile border, in a skirmish Armenia said left four of its soldiers dead.
Tensions between the two countries have remained high since Baku re-captured the Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh last September in a lightning military offensive.
Confirming Saturday's bilateral, the Azerbaijani presidency said the leaders "discussed negotiations on a peace treaty between the two countries, the normalisation of relations, and the issue of border delimitation".
The ministries of foreign affairs had been tasked with organising followup meetings, it added in a statement.
Separately, the Armenian government said both sides "agreed to continue work on the peace treaty."
"The process of regulating Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and steps aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the region were discussed."
Yerevan is concerned that Azerbaijan, emboldened by its success in Karabakh, could invade Armenian territory in order to create a land bridge to its Nakhchivan enclave.
Aliyev, who won re-election this month, said in an inauguration speech Wednesday it was Armenia, not Azerbaijan, that had outstanding territorial claims.
Pashinyan and Aliyev previously said a peace agreement could have been signed by the end of last year, but internationally mediated peace talks have failed to yield a breakthrough.
In another bilateral meeting in Munich, Pashinyan told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday morning that there had been a "new escalation" with Azerbaijan, in reference to the latest skirmish.
In separate talks on the same day, Blinken and Aliyev "discussed efforts to achieve a durable peace agreement" between the Caucasus neighbours, said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
Blinken reiterated US support for "a successful conclusion of those efforts, building on previous negotiations," he added.
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https://www.barrons.com/news/baku-yerevan-pledge-to-resolve-differences-without-force-scholz-7806db14