"By providing a corridor, Armenia can request a road to the Black Sea." Opinion

Aram Torosian
Dec 11 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations

In order not to bring the topic of unblocking transport in the region to a dead end, it should be moved to “the area of projects satisfying both sides.” This is the opinion of political scientist Areg Kochinyan. He says if Azerbaijan wants to get a road uncontrolled by the Armenian side – without paying customs duties – Armenia should know what it can get in return.

In particular, he suggests considering the possibility of transport with Iran through the territory of Nakhichevan and access to the Black Sea through the territory of Turkey. The political analyst suggests that the Armenian authorities formulate their options and see what the reaction is.

Areg Kochinyan’s comments on the unblocking of regional transport, the joint statement of the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities, as well as the extraordinary elections announced in Azerbaijan.

  • Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement: Opinion from Yerevan
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  • Armenian Parliament rejects criminalization of recognition of NK as part of another country

“The topic of the extraterritorial corridor has become irrelevant for Azerbaijan, especially after the version of the end of the Karabakh issue that we have seen. And also due to the international consolidation against the corridor [of Armenia providing a road uncontrolled from its side].

The approach of the Azerbaijani side is as follows: we recognize Armenia’s territory, we have no questions about sovereignty [in relation to the territory where the road linking Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan runs]. At the same time, Baku believes that it is its right to use this road without customs control, without customs and tax duties.

Is it a corridor or not? Yes. Sovereignty is recognized, there is no extraterritorial element here, but in terms of content it is a corridor.”

“If Azerbaijan manages to get our road X without customs duties, taxes, what do we get in return?

One of the options is as follows: in return we get a road, a railroad with the same control regime through Nakhichevan, which will connect us with Iran. The Armenian-Iranian railroad has not been functioning for a long time, there is only a highway.

A more interesting option is to involve Turkey in this conversation. If we provide a road with favorable conditions for Azerbaijanis, Turkey will provide us with the same road with access to the Black Sea, for example, in the direction of Trabzon.”

“In the short term, obviously it’s a wonderful achievement, our guys [Armenian prisoners] will finally go home. I see certain threats in the long term.

When we combine this with the holding of extraordinary presidential elections in Azerbaijan, it seems that Baku wants to buy time with this move. And at the same time to ensure that it will not be under pressure. Theoretically, it will be interesting for Azerbaijan to wait until next summer, as the European Parliament and US elections are ahead.

If Trump wins in the US and the leftists and Euroskeptics win in the European Parliament, it could create additional positive conditions for Azerbaijan on the peace treaty.

And this transitional phase creates ideal conditions for putting additional, even military pressure on Armenia to get the maximum possible before signing the peace agreement.”

“I don’t think that in the long term Azerbaijan is seeking to bring the negotiation process to a deadlock. It only wants to maximize its victory on the battlefield and gain maximum benefit at the negotiating table.

For us, the most promising negotiating platforms are the Western ones: Brussels, Washington. Direct negotiations are much less interesting. For a party with a lower defense capability, it is desirable to bring additional forces to the negotiating table – mediators, guarantors.

The worst option is Moscow. Direct negotiations with Azerbaijan, even with Azerbaijan and Turkey, are a more desirable and favorable option for Armenia than the Russian platform. It is better to negotiate with one adversary than with three at the same time.”

“Now Aliyev has a chance to reach a historic high. In a year’s time, the situation may change.

But there are other layers. This is a move aimed at preventing Russia from interfering in Azerbaijan’s elections. The Russians will be busy with their elections.

In addition, it seeks to buy time again, to try to wait for a stage when he can get more out of the negotiation process.”

“The military-political leadership of Azerbaijan wants to ensure that the conversation about Nagorno-Karabakh is finally closed. Now international relations are quite flexible, any document can be changed if there is a balance of power that supports it.

At the moment there is no such balance. And Azerbaijan is taking advantage of this situation. But it cannot be sure that tomorrow this balance will not be restored or not change in Armenia’s favor.

Azerbaijan wants a third party guarantee that the story of the Karabakh conflict is over, and that what it has achieved on the battlefield and intends to consolidate at the negotiating table is final.”


Bertrand Bouyx: France stands with Armenia at this difficult moment

Emil Lazarian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 11 2023
16:28, 11.12.2023

Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, on Monday received Bertrand Bouyx, the head of the French delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the NA informed.

Welcoming the guest, the NA speaker lauded the warm relations and effective cooperation established between the Armenian and the French delegations at PACE. Also, Simonyan thanked the France-Armenia friendship group consisting of 97 MPs, of which Bouyx is also an active member, for the pro-Armenia activities.

The interlocutors reflected on the deepening and strengthening relations between Armenia and the EU, their dialogue on the liberalization of visas, the possibilities of intensifying their bilateral economic ties, and the steady implementation of democratic processes in Armenia. According to Bertrand Bouyx, it is inspiring that despite the difficult events that took place, democracy in Armenia is strong and visible. Also, the head of the French delegation in the PACE said the ratification of the Rome Statute by the Armenian parliament was an important step.

Speaking about the challenges in Armenia’s region, the parties exchanged views on the progress of negotiations on the peace treaty to be signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the immediate return of Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan, and the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations.

The French guest reaffirmed that his country is committed to Armenian-French friendship and stands with Armenia at this difficult moment.

Artsakh’s political and civic actors appeal to int’l community

Hagop Kamalian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 11 2023

More than 120 parties, public organizations, media outlets, and leaders of the local self-government bodies of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) signed an appeal to the international community on the occasion of the Day of the Referendum on Independence, the Constitution Day of the Republic of Artsakh, and the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights marked on 10 December.

The addressees of the appeal are: the UN Secretary-General, the UN Security Council, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the Council of Europe (Secretary-General, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, President of the Committee of Ministers), the President of the European Council, the President of the European Parliament, the Secretary-General of the CIS, the Secretary-General of the CSTO, and the Secretary-General of NATO. The invitation remains available for additional signatures. Entities interested in joining are encouraged to send a formal request via email to the following address: [email protected].

The text of the appeal and list of signatories are provided below and are also accessible here.

The STATEMENT made by the political and civic actors of the Republic of Artsakh reads as follows:

THE APPEAL OF THE POLITICAL AND CIVIL ORGANIZATIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Addressees: UN Secretary General, Members of the UN Security Council, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Council of Europe (Secretary General, PACE President, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers), President of the European Council, President of the European Commission, President of the European Parliament, CIS Secretary General, CSTO Secretary General, NATO Secretary General.

A free people cannot renounce its sovereign rights and submit to the rule of an alien state, especially one ruled for many years by an authoritarian, corrupt and racist regime, intoxicated by its impunity.

Our collective decision to leave our Homeland – the Republic of Artsakh (the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), our homes, our Armenian churches, leaving behind the relics of Saint John the Baptist (Surb Hovhannes Mkrtich) and the graves of our ancestors, which we have protected for centuries, is the proof to the whole world that freedom is the highest value for the people of Artsakh. We have made this forced decision amidst ongoing genocidal actions and looming serious existential threats.

We made this decision because those who call themselves champions and defenders of freedom and human rights decided to deny us our right to live with dignity in our homeland and our right to self-determination, thus aiming to achieve an imaginary peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and for the sake of their own geopolitical interests.

We left because it was the only way to guarantee our safety and preserve our human and national dignity and our gene pool, expose the big lie, on which the political idea of unilateral and forceful resolution of the conflict was based, by forcing us and our children to accept citizenship and swear allegiance to the regime that hates us.

For more than three decades, we have defended with all our might our children's right to peace and free development. We opposed the political deals that were offered to us at the expense of our sovereign right to live in our Homeland, won at the cost of lives and enormous sacrifices of many generations during the long centuries of struggle to preserve our national dignity and identity. And this struggle is not over. We are confident that we will regain our Motherland with the power of truth and justice.

For those who think that the world can be ruled by lies and brute force, we repeat the following:

The Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) was proclaimed on September 2, 1991, by the legitimate authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region (NKAO) and the Shahumyan Region of the Azerbaijani Soviet Social Republic, when the authorities of the latter announced their decision to secede from the USSR. The political Declaration on proclamation of the NKR was based on the legal norm of the Soviet law in force at that time and the will of the Artsakh people, expressed in a national referendum. Our right to self-determination was recognized even by the authorities of Soviet Russia and Azerbaijan in 1920, and became the basis for creation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region in 1923, was enshrined in the constitution of the USSR, the constitution of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic and its law “On NKAO”, and was preserved in the Law “Concerning the procedure of secession of a Soviet Republic from the USSR” of April 3, 1990, and is also based on the UN Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966. The referendum of December 10, 1991, confirmed that the absolute majority of voters supported the decision to declare the independence of our Republic. The legitimate parliament, elected according to democratic standards and in the conditions of a genocidal siege and armed aggression, adopted on January 6, 1992 the Declaration of Independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Artsakh. Thousands of our compatriots paid for this choice with their lives.

In 1992, all CSCE/OSCE member states recognized the right of elected representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh to participate in the OSCE international conference mandated to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In a referendum in 2006, our people approved the Constitution of the Republic, which defined the procedure for electing legitimate representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh and their powers; in 2017, again in a referendum, the people approved a new Constitution. This Constitution was and remains the only fundamental document by which the citizens of our Republic are guided and obeyed of their own free will.

Accordingly, we, the citizens of the Republic of Artsakh, in an effort to defend our legal rights and the right to preserve the subjecthood of our Republic, affirm that the self-determined Nagorno-Karabakh did not take any part in the formation of the constitution and authorities of the self-proclaimed Republic of Azerbaijan, and, on the contrary, declared its independence. However, the newly formed Azerbaijan did not hide its baseless claims to Nagorno-Karabakh.

It was in such conditions that the international community recorded the fact that there were disagreements over the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, recognizing the disputed nature of this territory. Armenia and Azerbaijan then became participating countries of the CSCE/OSCE on the condition that they recognized the existence of disagreements over the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh and agreed that the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh would be determined at a peace conference under the auspices of the CSCE/OSCE. Both states have assumed an international obligation to resolve the issue exclusively by peaceful means.

However, once it became an CSCE/OSCE participating state, Azerbaijan immediately violated its international obligation to resolve disputes peacefully. Official Baku illegally used force against the NKR as a disputed territory in order to prevent holding an international conference to determine the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. In those conditions, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh exercised their right to self-defense. The armed aggression of Azerbaijan in 1992-1994 resulted in its defeat with significant territorial losses. It is important to emphasize that the Line of Contact between the NKR and Azerbaijan was internationally recognized.

However, during the three decades of the conflict, not a single statesman, politician or international legal authority answered a simple question: why Azerbaijan and other states that have legally recognized the obligation to follow the rule of law as a fundamental principle of their statehood, can disregard the obligation to respect the right of self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh and the principle of non-use of force, both arising from that fundamental principle?

This circumstance allowed Azerbaijan to retain in its policy arsenal the strategy of annexation Nagorno-Karabakh through the forced expulsion of its indigenous people. Azerbaijan’s aggressive policy has yet to receive due international condemnation. International actors, contrary to their international obligations to bear responsibility for protecting the population from genocide (Responsibility to Protect), unfortunately, did not pay due attention to the warnings contained in the Statement of the Parliament of Artsakh of July 27, 2023 about the most serious existential threats facing the population of Artsakh, did not prevent the criminal actions of Azerbaijan, which committed another military aggression against the NKR in September 2023 and completely expelled the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh from their historical Homeland.

It should be recalled that after conclusion of truce on November 9, 2020, the President of Azerbaijan stated that the Nagorno-Karabakh problem no longer exists, and everyone must come to terms with the results of the Second Karabakh War. In an effort to change the essence of the conflict, Azerbaijan has introduced into its diplomatic vocabulary a false narrative of “Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani lands,” through which it attempts to mute legitimate concerns about its aggressive genocidal policy.

We do not intend to compromise our principles, beliefs and our rights in relation to our own Motherland, neither in the face of force, nor under the threat of destruction, neither in exile, nor under any other political circumstances.

The whole civilized world faces a choice today: either to restore the international order in Nagorno-Karabakh, based on respect for the right to self-determination and other rights and freedoms of peoples and human rights, or to agree that blockade, armed aggression, genocide and occupation are legitimate ways to resolve conflicts.

Today, leaders of many states speak about the need for the return of Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh. However, we believe that for the peaceful, safe and dignified return and life of our people in their homeland the following indisputable conditions are required:

First, we rule out the return of citizens of the Republic of Artsakh to the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani armed forces, police and administration must be completely withdrawn from the territory of the Republic of Artsakh, including the Shahumyan region, where too Azerbaijan bears full responsibility for the ethnic cleansing in 1992.

Second, multinational international UN peacekeeping forces should be deployed along the entire border of the Republic of Artsakh, and a demilitarized zone should be created.

Third, the internationally recognized Lachine Corridor should be completely transferred to UN control and management.

Fourth, the territory of the Republic of Artsakh should be handed over to the UN control to ensure the conditions for the return of all refugees, formation of democratic and legal institutions and the restoration of the economy. All refugees must have equal status, equal rights and be subject to the common rules of the transitional period until a referendum is held to confirm the final political status of Nagorno-Karabakh, the result of which will be legally recognized by all states.

Fifth, the possibility of criminal prosecution by Azerbaijan of citizens of the Republic of Artsakh on any charges for the entire period of the conflict should be completely excluded. All arrested and already convicted Armenians in Azerbaijan must be released immediately. We are ready to recognize the competence of an international tribunal to investigate every war crime for which our citizens are accused, provided that in a similar way this tribunal will also address all war crimes committed by citizens of Azerbaijan and its mercenaries.

We are ready to do our best to contribute to achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict, which will be based on the full respect for the right to self-determination and other internationally recognized human rights and freedoms of peoples.

Opposition MP: Pashinyan’s all opponents held in Baku prison

Zhanna Nahapetian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 11 2023

Arayik Harutyunyan was not forced to resign as Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) president before being replaced by Samvel Shahramanyan, Armenian opposition MP Artur Khachatryan insisted on Monday.
Harutyunyan and several other former Artsakh leaders were detained by Azerbaijan following its violent seizure of Artsakh in mid-September.

“It’s yet to be revealed how the change of power took place in Artsakh,” the MP from the opposition Hayastan faction told reporters.

Khachatryan recalled that Shahramanyan and the Artsakh parliament majority were members of Harutyunyan’s Free Homeland Party.

“Are the [Armenian] authorities saying that they refused to intervene to stop the massacre in Artsakh because they disapproved Arayik Harutyunyan’s resignation? Are they trying to use it to justify their inaction?” the deputy asked.

“Arayik Harutyunyan’s imprisonment in Baku is also conditioned by the fact that he knows and can tell much more than the incumbent authorities would like to hear. It’s also about the other presidents. All political opponents of [PM Nikol] Pashinyan are being held in prison in Azerbaijan. This is probably the result of some kind of agreement between the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaderships," Khachatryan charged.

Armenian cultural heritage sites tokenized on Solana blockchain

Edgar Tavakalian
Coin Telegraph
Dec 8 2023

The initiative “Realm of Historia” is on a mission to tokenize historical sites in Armenia and around the world using the blockchain to preserve cultural heritage for future generations.

SAVANNAH FORTIS

The Realm of Historia project recently announced its intentions to make strides in preserving Armenian cultural heritage through leveraging the use of blockchain technology and nonfungible tokens (NFTs).

In a departure from conventional methods, this initiative seeks to digitize historical artifacts and physical historical sites, starting with the Realm of Historia: Carahunge X digital asset collection.

Cointelegraph spoke with the two creators of Realm of Historia, Ivan Grantovsky and Ivan Krylov, about how emerging technologies can preserve culture and connect new generations with history.

At the core of Realm of Historia’s effort is the Solana blockchain, which the two developers said was chosen for efficiency and transparency purposes. 

Krylov said part of the inspiration for creating a platform is the lack of engaging platforms that digitally present cultural heritage and are transparent with how to participate philanthropically.

“This is the part for technology to solve this problem. The technology we’re talking about is the blockchain because it provides a solution for the lack of transparency.”

The Realm of Historia: Carahunge X collection aims to digitize the tangible essence of the Carahunge site, known as the Stonehenge of Armenia, which dates back to 5487 BC. All the NFTs in the collection combine art and digital versions of the stones from the physical site. 

In addition to digitizing pieces of cultural heritage, the project also aims to support local artists in Armenia and has collaborations with entities like the Yerevan Biennial Art Foundation (YBAF), A1 Art Space and Latitude Art Space. 

The founders of Realm of Historia said they see this project playing a pivotal role in bridging cultural divides, empowering local artists and showcasing Armenia’s cultural richness through emerging tech.

“The most important thing is that our projects are about the real-life impact, that you do something digitally and it impacts the real world.”

Related: How generative AI allows one architect to reimagine ancient cities

The project has a physical-digital aspect in the form of a QR code accompanying each NFT that can be scanned and redeemed in local cafes, museums and other sites in Armenia that have partnered with the project, they said.

“You’re not only helping the world and cultural preservation, but you’re a part of a community.”

This initiative aligns with a broader global trend recognizing blockchain’s potential in cultural heritage preservation. The decentralized and transparent nature of blockchain ensures a reliable record of historical assets, guaranteeing their unaltered accessibility for future generations.

In a similar project in Ukraine, a local art museum used blockchain digitization and NFTs to document and preserve art and cultural heritage during wartime.

More recently, The Sandbox Web3 metaverse platform collaborated with the British Museum to bring art and history to the metaverse in physical-digital experiences.

The team behind Realm of Historia also plans to build “The Atrium” or a “virtual museum hall” where users can enter a 3D lobby dedicated to cultural heritage and the sites represented by the project. 

“You can say, the digital ark for cultural heritage. The Atrium is aimed to draw the attention of the younger generation.”

In 2022, the island of Tuvalu, which is rapidly sinking into the sea, announced similar plans to build a digital version of itself to preserve its history as it faces erasure due to climate change.

The Realm of Historia founders said their goal is to eventually go beyond Armenia and build collections “everywhere we can all over the world.” They said they’re in talks about potential preservation projects in Malta, Italy, Cambodia and Georgia.

https://cointelegraph.com/news/armenian-cultural-heritage-sites-get-tokenized-on-solana-blockchain

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Joint statement of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia

Liana Toganian
eureporter
Dec 8 2023

Baku, December 7, AZERTAC

The Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia have released a joint statement.

AZERTAC presents the statement: “The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan share the view that there is a historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace in the region. Two countries reconfirm their intention to normalize relations and to reach a peace treaty based on respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Following the talks between the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, an agreement has been reached on taking tangible steps towards building confidence between two countries.

Driven by the values of humanism and as a gesture of goodwill, the Republic of Azerbaijan releases 32 Armenian military servicemen.

In its turn, driven by the values of humanism and as a gesture of goodwill, the Republic of Armenia releases 2 Azerbaijani military servicemen.

As a sign of good gesture, the Republic of Armenia supports the bid of the Republic of Azerbaijan to host the 29th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, by withdrawing its own candidacy. The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan do hope that the other countries within the Eastern European Group will also support Azerbaijan’s bid to host. As a sign of good gesture, the Republic of Azerbaijan supports the Armenian candidature for Eastern European Group COP Bureau membership.

The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan will continue their discussions regarding the implementation of more confidence building measures, effective in the near future and call on the international community to support their efforts that will contribute to building mutual trust between two countries and will positively impact the entire South Caucasus region.”

https://www.eureporter.co/world/karabakh/2023/12/08/joint-statement-of-the-presidential-administration-of-the-republic-of-azerbaijan-and-the-office-of-the-prime-minister-of-the-republic-of-armenia/#google_vignette

Armenia and Azerbaijan make joint statement announcing ‘confidence-building measures’

Ani Kharatian
Dec 8 2023
 8 December 2023

ByIsmi AghayevandArshaluys Barseghyan

Azerbaijan and Armenia have announced a prisoner exchange and several other measures intended to ‘build confidence’ in a move hailed as a stepping stone to a potential peace deal.

In a joint statement on Thursday, Azerbaijan’s Presidential Administration and Armenia’s Prime Minister’s Office suggested that there was ‘a historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace in the region’.

According to the Azerbaijani side, the agreement was reached without the involvement of any third country. Since the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, negotiations between the two countries have been mediated by either the EU and the US or by Russia. Prior to that, talks were mostly held under the multinational Minsk Group.

The announcement may mark the first time in the two countries’ post-independence history that Yerevan and Baku have reached an agreement without external mediation.

European Council President Charles Michel wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he was ‘delighted to welcome a major breakthrough’ in Armenia-Azerbaijani relations, particularly the ‘unprecedented opening’ of political dialogue.  

‘I now encourage the leaders to finalise the [Armenia-Azerbaijan] peace deal ASAP’, wrote Michel. 

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also welcomed the announcement, calling it ‘an important confidence-building measure’. 

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‘We commend Azerbaijani President Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan for their joint efforts to lay the groundwork for a more peaceful and prosperous future for the people of the South Caucasus’, wrote Miller. 

The announcement came shortly after James O’Brien, the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, visited Baku, where he met with Azerbaijan’s president. Earlier on Thursday, Aliyev announced that presidential elections would take place a year early.

O’Brien stated after his visit that the US would host peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan’s foreign ministers, Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov respectively, in Washington.

Mirzoyan affirmed on 8 December that he was ready to meet with Bayramov in Washington, but Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to the invitation.

On Friday, the chair of Armenia’s parliamentary foreign relations committee stated that the exchange of prisoners would take place on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in ‘a matter of hours or days’. 

Khandanyan also added that bilateral negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan had begun in ‘the last weeks’. 

‘We are talking about a short period of time’, said Khandanyan. 

The two countries agreed to exchange a total of 34 prisoners, 32 Armenians and two Azerbaijanis. Most of the Armenians were soldiers captured during clashes near Hadrut in December 2020, with six others captured at various times along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. 

According to a separate Azerbaijani statement, all had already served the majority of their sentences. They also emphasised that the list did not include detained officials from Nagorno-Karabakh, including former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan and former president Arayik Haratunyan. ‘Crucially, the released individuals do not and cannot include leaders of the so-called regime who committed war crimes and outrage on humanity against the Azerbaijani people’, they said.

They also emphasised that the list did not include Vagif Khachatryan, who was detained at the Lachin checkpoint earlier this year, and Alyosha Khosrovyan, who was captured during the 2020 war. Khachatryan is accused of participating in the 1992 Khojaly massacre, while Khosrovyan is accused of torturing Azerbaijani soldiers captured in 1992–1994.

The two Azerbaijani soldiers released were detained in April after crossing into Armenian territory. One was later charged with murdering a security guard at the Zangezur copper-molybdenum mine in Syunik Province, sentenced first to 20 years and then to lifetime imprisonment.

The shared statement also noted that Armenia had, as a gesture of goodwill, supported Azerbaijan’s bid to host the 29th session of the UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP29) by withdrawing its own candidacy, while Azerbaijan had supported Armenia’s candidature for Eastern European Group COP Bureau membership. 

The Armenian and Azerbaijani courts had released verdicts for two of the prisoners shortly before the exchange was announced.

On Wednesday, the sentence of Azerbaijani soldier Huseyn Akhundov, accused of murdering a security guard after entering Armenia in April, was extended from 20 years to life imprisonment after an appeal by the security guard’s family.

The following day, Gagik Voskanyan, an Armenian reservist captured near the Armenian town of Jermuk in 2023, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in Azerbaijan on a number of charges, including terrorism.

Armenian prisoners were last released by Azerbaijan in October 2022, through US mediation.


Armenia, Azerbaijan Announce Steps Towards Normalising Relations, Prisoner Exchange

Maral Takmazian
Arise TV
Dec 8 2023

This exchange is seen as a positive step towards building trust and fostering peace between the two nations.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have declared their intention to move towards normalising relations and exchange prisoners captured during the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The joint statement released on Thursday night expressed a shared belief in a “historical chance” for achieving “long-awaited peace,” marking a potential turning point in their decades-long conflict over the disputed territory.

In a bid to solidify their commitment to the peace process, both countries expressed their hope to sign a comprehensive peace treaty by the end of the year. The conflict escalated in September when Azerbaijan launched a rapid military offensive, ending three decades of ethnic Armenian rule in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory. The offensive resulted in the displacement of most of the region’s 120,000 ethnic Armenians to neighbouring Armenia.

As a gesture of goodwill, Azerbaijan is set to release 32 Armenian military servicemen, while Armenia will release two military servicemen. This exchange is seen as a positive step towards building trust and fostering peace between the two nations. European Council President Charles Michel praised the joint statement, calling it a “major breakthrough in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations,” and the U.S. welcomed it as an “important confidence-building measure.”

In addition to the prisoner exchange, Armenia and Azerbaijan announced their commitment to signing a comprehensive peace treaty, emphasising mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity. Other significant measures include Armenia’s withdrawal of its candidacy for hosting the COP29 climate summit in support of Azerbaijan’s bid, and Azerbaijan’s support for Armenia’s candidacy in a regional group associated with climate talks. The countries also called on the international community to support their efforts for lasting peace.

The breakthrough was achieved during talks between Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s office and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev’s administration. These talks, mediated by the EU, the U.S., and Russia, have been ongoing, with both leaders meeting on multiple occasions to facilitate normalisation. Talks had faced a setback when Azerbaijan refused to participate in discussions in the U.S. and Spain, citing perceived bias. However, negotiations resumed in Iran at the end of October, leading to this recent positive development.

Kiki Garba

Armenia, Azerbaijan agree to prisoner exchange, work toward peace treaty

Emil Lazarian
UPI
Dec 8 2023
By Darryl Coote

Dec. 8 (UPI) — Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to exchange prisoners as they recommit to normalizing relations with intentions of reaching a peace treaty, their two governments said.

The announcement comes months after Azerbaijan violently seized the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region from Armenia in a resumption of fighting that threatened to restart the deadly war of 2020.

A joint statement Thursday from the Office of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia and the Office of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan states that following talks between the Caucasian nations, they have agreed to take "tangible" confidence-building steps, including the exchange of prisoners.

The countries said that "driven by the values of humanism and as a gesture of goodwill" Azerbaijan will release 32 Armenian military servicemen and Armenia will release two Azerbaijani soldiers.

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"The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan share the view that there is a historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace in the region," the statement said.

"[The] two countries reconfirm their intention to normalize relations and to reach the peace treaty on the basis of respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity."

In another gesture of goodwill, Armenia said it will also support Azerbaijan's bid to host the 29th Session of the Conference of Parties, better known as the COP29 United Nations climate change conference, by withdrawing its own candidacy.

And in turn, Azerbaijan said it will support the Armenia's candidacy for Eastern European Group COP Bureau membership.

The development was welcomed by the United States, which commended Aliyev and Pashinyan in for their efforts "to lay the groundwork for a more peaceful and prosperous future for the people of the south Caucasus," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Charles Michel, the European Union's top diplomat, said he was "delighted" to welcome the "major breakthrough" in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

"Establishing and deepening bilateral dialogue between sides has been a key objective of the [EU]-led Brussels process: today's progress is a key step," he said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"I now encourage the leaders to finalize the [Armenia-Azerbaijan] peace deal ASAP."

EU Chief Michel Hails ‘Major Breakthrough’ In Armenia-Azerbaijan Relations

Emil Lazarian
BARRON'S
Dec 8 2023
  • FROM AFP NEWS

EU chief Charles Michel on Thursday hailed a "major breakthrough" in relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan after the arch-foe Caucasus neighbours agreed to exchange prisoners of war and work towards normalising ties.

"Delighted to welcome a major breakthrough" in relations, Michel wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Welcome in particular release of detainees and unprecedented opening in political dialogue."