cease-fire violations by azeris

[Yervant1]

Nagorno-Karabakh 'not ready to cede inch of land' – lawmaker

13:47 • 13.08.16

http://www.groong.com/news/attachments/msg583488/pngvXOUfXb2sb.png

The people in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) are resolutely opposed to any plan proposing peace instead of their own lands, a member of the second Armenian republic’s National Assembly has said, commenting on President Serzh Sargsyan’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“It is an open secret that neither Azerbaijan nor Nagorno-Karabakh is ready for a mutual concession. That’s especially true for people in Artsakh, as the events in April demonstrated yet another time that even the most insignificant concession would impose on us a new war instead of bringing peace, as more military operations will get under way. So the people in Nagorno-Karabakh remain unwavering; we are not ready to cede an inch of land to anyone. We are simply obliged to keep the borders achieved at the price of our friends and sons’ blood,” Rudik Hyusnunts, the head of the Nagorno-Karabakh National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, told Tert.am.

Highlighting the international community’s interest in achieving final peace, the lawmaker said he thinks that the negotiations will be ongoing to enable them to properly develop the economic and political relations.

“These are now desires, but in order to realize them, we at times need many years of work. The two societies must prepare themselves for a reconciliation and co-existence as neighbors. But the Azerbaijani authorities won’t translate those elements into action,” he noted.

Asked to comment on President Putin’s call on Armenia and Azerbaijan to accept mutual concessions that would signal neither victory nor defeat, Mr Hyusnunts said, “Why don’t they resolve the problem over Donbas? What about Abkhazia and South Ossetia? To be frank, Russia is undertaking a tremendous burden; though I agree that it is strong as an empire … The Artsakh people are a powerful unit; it is up to us to us to decide who to co-exist with and how to live.”

Hripsime Hovhannsiyan

http://www.tert.am/en/news/2016/08/13/rudik-hyusnunts/2104464

[Yervant1]

Bako Sahakyan: Reasonable, just and equal mutual concessions are necessary

POLITICS 17:29 15/08/2016 NKR

President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan gave interview to the
electronic newspaper of the French Parliament, Azatutyun radio station
reports.

“New phase of the Karabakh conflict settlement will be opened, if
Azerbaijan respects the 1994 ceasefire agreement, Nagorno Karabakh
joins the negotiation process and the psychological problems arising
from the policy of revenge by Azerbaijani is overcome,” President
Sahakyan has stated.

“Azerbaijan should be able to refuse from its policy of hatred towards
Karabkhis and Armenians, leave its dead-end adventurism and commit
itself to respecting the fundamental freedoms and rights of other
peoples,” Sahakyan stressed, as quoted by the source.

Artsakh President named the four-day war in April a consequence of
“Azerbaijanis anti-Armenian ideology and authoritarianism of its
leadership” toward the Armenians.

Reflecting on the possibility of mutual concessions, Artsakh President
stated any conflict settlement and especially the Karabakh issue with
its complexity might be resolved only through mutual concessions.

“Reasonable, just and equal mutual concessions are necessary,” said
the President, adding ”We are ready to make concessions unless those
do not disrupt the security of our state, do not serve an occasion for
our adversary to attack us again.”

Speaking of the international recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic and the success in that direction, Bako Sahakyan expressed
confidence that Karabakh recognition will continue with even greater
success in the coming future, positively affecting the stability in
the region of the South Caucasus.

Asked whether the demand for self- determination of a minority group
located in a small geographic area is lawful, President Sahakyan said:
“All peoples have the right to self-determination which is a
fundamental principal of the international law. The right turns into
an imperative.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.panorama.am_en_news_2016_08_15_Bako-2DSahakyan_1627364&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=A_Z4vUILeGAhRHB8Y78da0wVJcwVxwIVA-dQeMGM7zg&s=oZH52ushY01CS5DBC_tZ5qDclsP7bhOLFpfgJXp_bII&e=

[Yervant1]

Media: Russia may supply new Smerch multiple rocket launchers to Azerbaijan

21:09, 17.08.2016

http://www.groong.com/news/attachments/msg583764/pngWKB5CcsTQq.png

In the framework of the meeting between the Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu and his Azerbaijani counterpart Zakir Hasanov in Baku, among other issues specifically related to the creation of a collective security system in the Caspian, changes in the nomenclatures of Russian arms supplies to Azerbaijan were discussed, an informed source in the military and diplomatic circles told Izvestiya.

According to the source, during his visit to Baku Shoygu handed to the republic's leadership a package of proposals of the Russian military agency, receiving counterproposals from the Azerbaijan. Now the sides have to coordinate their positions.

The source noted that the issue concerns a partial reviewing of a large contract signed several years ago. The Editor-in-Chief of Eksport Vooruzheniy (Arms Supply) magazine Andrey Frolov noted that currently there is a certain gross contract amount, in the framework of which the Azerbaijanis want to withdraw from some of the supplies of several previously agreed positions in order to replace them with others.

''Perhaps, the issue concerns the purchase of ammunition (for instance, for Smerch multiple rocket launcher) to replace those used up during the escalation in Karabakh, since this is more pressing than the purchase of heavy armament,'' the military expert supposed.

''They can also withdraw from IFV-3, which is not the most priority technology in the conditions of the specific combat theatre. They can be replaced with strike systems: new Smerch or self-propelled artillery like Msta self-propelled howitzer. Baku may also be interested in Pantsir anti-aircraft artillery weapons, which are effective against drones and short-range attack missiles,'' Frolov added.

http://news.am/eng/news/342289.html

[Yervant1]

‘Let those wishing to cede lands give their own flats’ – Larisa Alaverdyan

16:28 • 22.08.16

Armenia’s rhetoric concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, with concessions and mutual concessions mentioned, is unacceptable, Armenia’s first ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdyan told reporters on Monday.

Asked what Nagorno-Karabakh President Bako Sahakyan meant when he stated that a settlement required equitable and adequate mutual concessions, Ms Alaverdyan said that speaking of concessions or mutual concessions is unacceptable to her.

“Azerbaijan never speaks of concessions or mutual concessions. Have you ever heard them say such things? On the contrary, they are claiming the lands belong to them. Moreover, they claim part of Armenia is theirs as well. Where is the limit to concessions? There is no such limit if the opposite side shows such an approach. Azerbaijan says it is not going to start a fierce war if it gets territories,” Ms Alaverdyan said.

Armenia stated its readiness to return territories by signing different documents, but “let those wishing to cede lands give their own flats.”

http://www.tert.am/en/news/2016/08/22/larisa-2/2111294

[Yervant1]

Armenian Side Gives up on Territorial Concessions

Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Country - 22 August 2016, 17:05

The former American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and the ex-ambassador in Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza published an article in atlanticcouncil.org on new tendencies in the Karabakh settlement.

He submitted the dynamics of the process of negotiations over the Karabakh settlement and it becomes obvious that after 2007 the number of territories that the Armenian side was supposed to hand has decreased from 7 to 2 and then to 0.

Bryza writes that in 2007 the principles of Madrid envisaged the return of 7 territories surrounding former autonomous district of Nagorno-Karabakh in return for which Karabakh would get an interim status and a corridor with Armenia. Azerbaijan would lift the blockade, and international peacekeepers would be stationed on the border.

Although this system has never been agreed officially, in January 2009 Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan gave a reason for optimism by stating that these proposals could be a basis for negotiations, Bryza wrote.

However, in 2009 Sargsyan changed his stance and accepted the return of five territories. It is possible that the Armenian side, probably not without external support, tried to change the condition for five territories or to get relevant “compromise” from Azerbaijan.

Bryza reported that during the meeting with his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts on 20 June 2016 Putin proposed moving forward gradually, proposing to hand two territories to Azerbaijan in return for restoring transit and economic relations.

Bryza insists that Sargsyan and Aliyev welcomed Putin’s proposal though they did not accept it. On July 17, however, the armed group of the “Armenian nationalists” stormed the police regiment in Yerevan. The storming has resulted in a tougher stance of Armenia, Bryza said.

Though the American diplomat who is known to be a lobbyist of Turkish interests does not state directly that the issue of “handing territories” has been removed from the agenda, the dynamics that Bryza notes is evidence to this. Interestingly, together with the number of territories Azerbaijan’s “compromises” were “reduced” as well. If in the beginning an “interim status” and a referendum were considered, the last proposal, as Bryza noted, envisages only the lifting of the blockade by Azerbaijan.

There is an opinion that before the April war the signing of an agreement of not attacking was seen as Azerbaijan’s concession for the return of an x number of territories. This condition has become irrelevant after April.

Over the past 10 years the negotiations over the Karabakh issue have reached a point which first of all supposes waiver of the principles of Madrid and the condition of return of territories for “compromise”, whether recognition of the interim status, use of force or lifting of the blockade.

Considering the information from Bryza and other sources, ten years ago Armenia was ready to give away 7 territories for a recognition of status, in 2009 five territories were considered in return for refraining from the use of force and lifting of the blockade. After the April war two territories were considered in return for the lifting of the blockade, and after the rebellion of Sasna Ts’rer (or maybe after getting certain guarantees) this issue also got off the agenda.

Armenia is interested in lifting the blockade but now the lifting of the blockade is needed by the external forces more. Let them “pay” to Azerbaijan and not with the Karabakh territories. Karabakh is changing its constitution and soon the territorial integrity of Karabakh will be laid down in the mother law.

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/country/view/36254

[Yervant1]

Expert sees no willingness for concessions in Karabakh settlement

YEREVAN, August 23. /ARKA/. It is not worth talking now about
compromises in the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
because neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan is ready for them, according to
Alexander Iskandaryan, the director of Yerevan-based Caucasus
Institute.

"When talking about compromises one should talk in the first place
about creation of confidence-building measures, which means ending
violence on the border and bringing Karabakh back to the negotiating
table. Only after that we can talk about concessions the parties are
ready to make. It is clear that Azerbaijan is not ready now for it",
he told reporters on Tuesday.

According to Iskandaryan, since 2007, when the Madrid Principles (for
the settlement of the conflict) were drafted, nothing has changed, and
all the new proposals are modification of them.

‘There are no other documents or agreements that Azerbaijan will
recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, and that we will not
give up a single centimeter of land and in this sense nothing new is
happening, " said Iskandaryan.

According to him, the goal after the unprecedented surge of violence
along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh in early April was to
reduce the level of tension, which was achieved only by pressure on
both sides.

"Today it is not serious to think about serious progress in the
negotiations. I am pretty skeptical not only about the final
settlement of the conflict, but also about a long-lasting ease of
tension along the border with Azerbaijan," he said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict erupted into armed clashes after the
collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s as the predominantly
Armenian-populated enclave of Azerbaijan sought to secede from
Azerbaijan and declared its independence backed by a successful
referendum.

On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the
military operations. A truce was brokered by Russia in 1994, although
no permanent peace agreement has been signed. Since then,
Nagorno-Karabakh and several adjacent regions have been under the
control of Armenian forces of Karabakh.

Nagorno-Karabakh is the longest-running post-Soviet era conflict and
has continued to simmer despite the relative peace of the past two
decades, with snipers causing tens of deaths a year.
On April 2, 2016, Azerbaijan launched military assaults along the
entire perimeter of its contact line with Nagorno-Karabakh. Four days
later a cease-fire was reached. ---0---

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__arka.am_en_news_politics_expert-5Fsees-5Fno-5Fwillingness-5Ffor-5Fconcessions-5Fin-5Fkarabakh-5Fsettlement_&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=lcW6SCymFppl31C9PHzguAu_olOS8P2dYxwVTP_yK3w&s=vDY59tBbZvOcGxeoWEYNA_e3hw5r_NytpjJY-IAYpGU&e=

[Yervant1]

Armenia MP: 99% of Karabakh residents will not make concessions

16:09, 26.08.2016

YEREVAN. – A survey was conducted in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh), and 99.4 percent of respondents stated that they will not make any concessions in the Karabakh conflict, and that they are ready to defend their land until the end.

Tevan Poghosyan, secretary of the opposition “Heritage” Faction of the National Assembly of Armenia, stated the aforesaid at a press conference on Friday.

In his words, such a survey should be conducted in Armenia, too.

“The diplomatic negotiations [on resolving this conflict] have reached an impasse, and the Vienna arrangements [between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan] are not implemented,” stressed Poghosyan. “The problem will not be solved unless the NKR sits at the negotiating table.

“It needs to be understood that we [i.e. the Armenian parties to the conflict] face an enemy [i.e. Azerbaijan] that dreams of resolving the matter by force. We must be ready for this, and strengthen our security.”

As per the MP, the Armenian parties to the conflict need to increase the combat-readiness of the army, and develop the economy and demographics so that no one dares to dictate its terms upon the Armenian side.

http://news.am/eng/news/343411.html

[Yervant1]

Եզիտի մարզիկը «Կինըս»ի սահմանած նոր մրցանիշը նուիրած է Արցախի քառօրեայ պատերազմի զոհերուն

http://www.ragmamoul.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/612.jpg

Եզիտի մարզիկը «Կինըս»ի սահմանած նոր մրցանիշը նուիրած է Արցախի քառօրեայ պատերազմի զոհերուն

Posted By: adminPosted date: August 29, 2016in: Հայրենի ԼուրերNo Comments

25 Օգոստոսին Երեւանի Ազատութեան հրապարակին վրայ ազգութեամբ եզիտի մարզիկ Մանուէլ Մամոյեան «Կինըս»ի նոր մրցանիշ սահմանեց՝ զայն նուիրելով ապրիլեան քառօրեայ պատերազմի ընթացքին անմահացած հերոսներուն յիշատակին: Մանուէլը երկրորդ փորձին կրցաւ 1 վայրկեանուան մէջ բռունցքներուն վրայ 86 անգամ կատարել հենում-ծալում վարժութիւնը՝ նոր մրցանիշ սահմանելով: Նշենք, որ նախորդ մրցանիշը կը պատկանի Գանատան ներկայացնող Ռոյ Պերկերին՝ 84 անգամ: Վերջինս այս մրցանիշը սահմանած էր 18 Յունիսին։

[Yervant1]

Friday, September 2 2016 13:30:25

Nana Martirosyan Zhirayr Sefilyan urges Armenian army to liberate positions lost during April war

http://www.arminfo.info/articlegallery/20160901030300%D0%91%D0%B5%D0%B7-%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8-1.jpg

ArmInfo. Zhirayr Sefilyan, Artsakh war hero and leader of the Founding Parliament movement, urges the soldiers and officers of the Armenian army to act independently and liberate the positions lost during the April war.

In his message written at Vardashen penitentiary, Sefilyan says that the adversary attacked Artsakh, killed over 100 Armenian soldiers and peaceful civilians, seized 18 combat positions and over 8 million sq m of territory. "This cannot be compared with the war of 1992-94," he says, adding that the positions lost on April 2 were soaked with Armenian soldiers' blood and that the adversary treated these positions as part of an unassailable Armenian fortress.

Sefilyan says that now the national dignity of Armenian people is hurt and this can reduce the combat efficiency of the Armenian army. "The leader of the ruling colonial regime in Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, not only entered into an agreed war with the deliberate intention to cede the liberated territories, but also forbade restoration of the country's territorial integrity, thereby helping the adversary to occupy our territories and evade responsibility to international structures. Consequently, he committed high treason, as a result of which the army and the people that won over 20 years ago not only suffered territorial and human losses, but also received a heavy blow on their national dignity," he stresses.

The politician also thinks that the relative calm on the Line of Contact of Artsakh and Azerbaijani troops is deceptive, because he thinks the adversary would be eager to seize Artsakh and Armenia. "Encouraged by the occupied territory, Baku will keep preparing for implementation of its plan. So, the Armenian army should hurry to retrieve the lost territories," he says. He adds that the current irregular situation needs irregular solutions. "You should act independently instead of waiting for the permit or order of traitor Serzh Sargsyan," he says.

To note, earlier Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview with Armenian TV companies that the Armenian side lost 800 hectares of land in the four-day war. He added that the specified territory is of no tactical and strategic importance. He stressed that the Armenian troops could retrieve the previous positions, but the preference was given to saving lives.

To recall, Zhirayr Sefilyan is currently under arrest. He is charged with illegal keeping, use and transportation of arms. Following his arrest, the Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sassoon) group seized a police compound in Yerevan. They demanded releasing Sefilyan.

 

http://www.arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=21931&lang=3#sthash.BxgwNIyM.dpuf

[MosJan]

http://hetq.am/eng/news/70664/azerbaijan-violated-karabakh-ceasefire-45-times.html
Azerbaijan violated the Karabakh ceasefire 45 times last night, firing more than 750 rounds of various caliber weapons, this according to the NKR Ministry of Defense.

[Yervant1]

Parade in Armenia’s capital resolves problem of Azerbaijani threats – Levon Shirinyan

19:02 • 21.09.16

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In an interview with Tert.am, political scientist Levon Shirinyan commented on the military parade in Armenia’s capital on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, with a focus on the displayed military equipment.

“I think that problem of Azerbaijan’s threats has now been settled,” Mr Shirinyan said.

If Azerbaijan’s army equipped with sophisticated weapons failed to accomplish any of its strategic tasks during the Nagorno-Karabakh war, such military equipment is more than enough.

Mr Shirinyan is interested in weapons produced in Armenia. He believes that the four-day hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh this April disturbed the balance with Azerbaijan.

“Russia came to realize that Armenia and the Armenian people would prove an irretrievable loss for it and conceding to Azerbaijan would not prove to be of any benefit to Russia. And arms supplies to Azerbaijan during the years have not proved of any benefit, and the parade was evidence thereof. And Armenia neutralized all that due to supplies of military equipment. Azerbaijan must realize it cannot gain advantage over Armenia,” Mr Shirinyan said.

It is only through reconstruction that Armenia can feel secure in the region, he added.

http://www.tert.am/en/news/2016/09/21/shirinyan/2140400

[Yervant1]

Armenian Professionals're Creating Modern Weapons

Roza Hovhannisyan, Reporter
Country - 30 September 2016, 20:59

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This year DigiTech 2016 features 120 local and international companies, and one of the main topics of this year is the defense industry.

“We learned a lesson from the April war, we saw that the enemy is using high tech weapons, and since then we have been cooperating productively with the Ministry of Defense, which has already produce its results,” said Karen Vardanyan, the head of the Union of Information Technology Enterprises.

The achievements and innovation of the Armenian IT professionals in the defense sphere were demonstrated to President Serzh Sargsyan attending Dijitech 2016. A closed meeting on the defense sphere was held in one of the stands.

According to Karen Vardanyan, since the April war they have been working towards detection of UAVs, systems for destruction of UAVs, controlled offensive weapons, management systems for the armed forces. The first fruits of these activities are demonstrated at DigiTech 2016 which is held between September 30 and October 2.

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/country/view/36367

[Yervant1]

Nature of Wars Changed: Human Factor in Army Should Be Eliminated

Lragir.am
Country - 30 September 2016, 22:22

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Since the April war Masys, an IT company, has created an armed forces management system together with the Ministry of Defense. The founder of the company Armen Manukyan says when the enemy shook us a little in April, we woke up, and a lot of work is being done today. April made some people understand that there are more important things than parties.

The expert says the structures of armies in the country have been revolutionized in the past 20 years. Before the big and the strong won now the small wins if it is flexible, has a sharp instrument and is fast, piercing the enemy from all sides.

According to the specialist, today the human factor must be eliminated in our army, the world is going through this process, robots on both sides are fighting against each other.

This period, he says, is history-making in the sense what basis we will create. If the basis is wrong, there will be problems in the future.

“In this era the wars have changed, these are technological wars. The wars are in economy and psychology, if you do not win the psychology war, you cannot win the economy war, and if you do not win the economy war, you cannot win the physical war, you cannot have the strength to hit. Formerly the strong king won and imposed his culture, today technology rules in the world, weapons are not enough to fight,” Armen Manukyan says.

Not opening the brackets, the specialist only said that at this stage the IT professionals are doing a good job in cooperation with the army. However, we need to work together to achieve results.

“There is a problem with creating collective mind, there is an issue of internal harmony. If we are able to resolve the problems inside, we will solve a lot of problems outside,” he said.

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/country/view/36368

[Yervant1]

Students and pupils from Armenia’s Sisian eager to develop ‘fast’ drones on their own

00:15, 02.10.2016

Region:Armenia
Theme: Innovations

http://news.am/img/news/34/94/36/default.jpg

YEREVAN. - Students and pupils from Sisian town of Armenia’s Syunik province want to develop drones on their own.

The representative of Sisian’s SarsUp Technological Center, Hayk Yeranosyan, told Armenian News – NEWS.am that the specialists of Armenian-Indian Center for Excellence in Information and Communication Technologies have already held training courses in Sisian.

The center specialists prepared instructors for educational engineering labs.

Getting up an appetite for new, the enthusiasts now want to make drones whose speed will exceed that of ordinary unmanned aerial vehicles. Both young and old will work on this project: the center unites lovers of technology of any age, starting from pupils to 40-year-olds.

“We were supported by Instigate and National Instruments. We’ve got a 3D printer, by which we ourselves made the drone’s carcase. We want to think and work ourselves. We want to try, search the Internet and model all by ourselves. And we want minimal assistance from outside,” Yeranosyan said.

The Sisian specialists presented the first drone made by them at the DigiTec Expo 2016 technological exhibition held in Yerevan.

http://news.am/eng/news/349436.html

[Yervant1]

Azerbaijani tanks fired at each other in panic during April war

17:42, 21 October, 2016

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenian rocket forces and artillery have an excellent command of the weapons, Chief of the department of the Rocket Forces and Artillery of the Armenian Armed Forces Colonel Artavazd Yaghmuryan told at “Armenpress” media hall, referring to the question to what extent Armenian specialists have a command of “Iskander” systems.

“Before acquiring the “Iskander” systems, a training of relevant divisions had taken place, after which the already trained staff received the systems in Armenia. There are no complications for its use” Colonel Yaghmuryan said, assuring that Yerevan decides when to use the weapon.

He added that the presence of “Iskander” systems in the Armenian Armed Forces is deterrence factor for the adversary. According to him, the adversary should take into account this factor before making any hostile move.

“To describe the destruction scale of “Iskander” systems I will bring an example: A 152 mm projectile weights 54 kg, which can destroy an entire engineering building. The weight of “Iskander’s” warhead is half a ton with 280 km of high-precision targeting. Now imagine what kind of destruction it can inflict”, the Colonel said, adding that in practice it is impossible to detect and destroy the “Iskander”.

Head of the Operation and Planning Department of the Armored Services of the Weaponry Department of Armed Forces, Colonel Zorayr Gabrielyan noted that an important factor for defeating in a war is the right use of the weapons.

According to him, the Armenian specialists have an excellent command of their weapons. Artavazd Yaghrumyan added that the skillful activities of the Armenian artillerists were the main force to stop the advance of Azerbaijan’s major tank divisions during the April war. Some tanks of the adversary were destroyed in their initial locations.

“For years Azerbaijan had announced that it modernized its tanks by Israeli technologies, and that those tanks were invulnerable. During the April operations only one anti-tank operator of NKR army destroyed 5 tanks in one battle. They should ponder much over this fact. One anti-tank volley-fire made their tanks not only to flee, but fire at each other during an irregular retreat”, Artavazd Yaghmuryan added.

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/864808/azerbaijani-tanks-fired-at-each-other-in-panic-during-april-war.html

[Yervant1]

April blitzkrieg marked serious turning point in Karabakh peace process– religious leader

17:13 • 26.10.16

http://www.tert.am/news_images/725/2174304_3/f5810ac0d78444_5810ac0d78483.thumb.jpg

In an interview with Tert.am, Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, the primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s diocese of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), addressed the Azerbaijani armed forces’ recent infiltration attempt on the frontline, noting that Armenia has now stepped up the monitoring along the Line of Contact to keep the situation under control.

He also commented upon the remark by James Warlick, the US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, hailing the Azerbaijani President’s statement on granting autonomy to Nagorno-Karabakh.

“What James Warlick means is probably the fact that it is a step forward for [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev, as he never addressed the topic over the recent years. It cannot have anything to do with the Artsakh people. We have repeatedly stated that we are not going to be part of Azerbaijan. We used to be an autonomous region; so are we now supposed to become an autonomous republic?”

Asked whether the sides have drawn any lessons from the April blitzkrieg, the Archbishop admitted that the deadly fighting has completely changed the general situation in the region. “We have equipped our trenches with monitoring devices. So they aren’t absolutely vulnerable now. Six months ago, we wouldn’t see those devices when passing by the trenches,” he noted.

Marine Kharatyan

[Yervant1]

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Politics 12:54 24/11/2016 Region

Italian TV channel Rai 3: Four-Day War in April was aimed at diverting attention from scandal over Aliyev clan

Paolo Mondani – journalist of the Italian TV channel Rai 3 – who prepared a TV program dedicated to Azerbaijan’s so-called “Caviar diplomacy,” visited the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. He particularly covers the Four-Day War in his report.

It is noted in the report that the Azerbaijani strongholds are situated hundred meters away from the village Madaghis. The village was firedfrom that place in April of the current year.

On April 2, the Azerbaijani Special forces attacked the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The military action continued for four days and resulted in many victims.

“Everything started at midnight. They were shooting everything, which moved. We hid the children in basements and started to act,” NKR citizen ShahenSailyan remembers.

Another villager, NvardAntonyan, notes that the shooting started at 12 at night. They were shooting constantly. “We want peace, only peace,” she says.

It is highlighted in the report that the Azerbaijani side started the attack after the publication of Panama papers, which exposed the property of the Azerbaijani president IlhamAliyev’s clan. According to Karen Mirzoyan –Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s minister of foreign affairs – the Azerbaijani president wanted to divert the international community’s attention.

“Aliyev acts in the way all the dictators in the history did,” Mirzoyan says.

Paolo Mondani also visited the front line of the contact line between the Azerbaijani and Karabakhtroops, as well as the village Talish. That village was shelled more intensively than the others were. Now, it is emptied.

Talish resident VilenPetrosyan says that on April 2, in the morning, the Azerbaijani Special forces invaded the villagers’ houses and many civilians fell victims to them, including a child.

Currently, the NKR citizens want Europe and all the institutions that protect the Aliyev regime to pay attention to those events.

According to SamvelFarmanyan, Armenian MP in the Council of Europe, there are parliamentarians in that organization, who support Azerbaijan in the Karabakh conflict instead of criticizing the country. “They are all aware of everything, however, they do not say anything,” Farmanyan notes.

It is also emphasized in the report that Europe supports Azerbaijan only because of the country’s energy resources. Summing up, the author notes that in 1991, the NKR citizens voted for independence, which led to a political, religious, and ethnic conflict. However, the international organizations should say “no to war, it is time for a compromise.” If Armenia supports that point of view, Azerbaijan relies on the power of its money.

http://www.report.rai.it/dl/Report/puntata/ContentItem-3b829e27-145d-4141-b216-1bb41a4cc1bd.html

http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2016/11/24/Italian-TV-channel-Rai-3/1682804

[Yervant1]

Seven Azerbaijani troops killed on Armenian border

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YEREVAN, December 29. /ARKA/. The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, following an attempted sabotage attack by Azerbaijani troops is now calm, a spokesman for the Armenian defense ministry Artsrun Hovhannisyan said today.

 

Armenian defense ministry reported earlier today that Azerbaijani troops attempted a sabotage attack in the early hours of December 29 southeast of the village of Chinari in Tavush province. It said Armenian armed forces neutralized the aggressive action of Azerbaijani troops, driving them back into Azerbaijani territory.

 

According to Artsrun Hovhannisyan, Azerbaijan’s casualties amounted to seven servicemen. During the fighting, three Armenian soldiers were also killed.

 

Meantime the Armenian ministry of foreign affairs said it is taking all the necessary steps in connection with the attempted sabotage attack by Azerbaijani troops near the Armenian village of Chinari, a foreign ministry spokesman Tigran Balayan told the Armenian service of RFE/RL.

 

"Based on the situation, we are taking all the necessary steps, typical for such situations", - Balayan said in response to a question whether the Armenian foreign ministry was going to appeal to international structures. He also noted that Azerbaijan's actions defy any logic. -0-

http://arka.am/en/news/politics/seven_azerbaijani_troops_killed_on_armenian_border/

[Yervant1]

CSTO calls Azerbaijani diversionary incursion against Armenia ‘provocation’

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YEREVAN, December 29. /ARKA/. The Russia-controlled Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) expressed today its deepest concern over an armed incident reported near the Armenian village of Chinari on the border with Azerbaijan today morning.

 

CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha said in a statement that the organization considers these actions on the territory of a CSTO member state as a provocation, especially against the background of an unprecedented upsurge of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh in April when heavy weapons and armored vehicles were used.

 

According to the CSTO Secretary General, it seemed, given the efforts that have been made on both sides, as well as by the leaders of a number of states, that the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process would finally gather momentum.

 

"However, the reports from the region about regular violations of the ceasefire, and especially the incident on 29th of December, resulting in death of servicemen, are causing serious concern," – the statement said.

 

Armenian defense ministry reported earlier today that Azerbaijani troops attempted a diversionary incursion in the early hours of December 29 southeast of the village of Chinari in Tavush province. It said Armenian armed forces neutralized the aggressive action of Azerbaijani troops, driving them back into Azerbaijani territory.

 

According to Artsrun Hovhannisyan, a spokesman for Armenian defense ministry, Azerbaijan’s casualties amounted to seven servicemen. During the fighting, three Armenian soldiers were also killed.

 

The Azerbaijani attempted attack made Armenia’s foreign ministry call on the international community asking it to condemn Azerbaijan's military adventure.

 

‘We condemn in the strongest terms today’s the diversionary incursion attempt by Azerbaijan on the state border with Armenia, which resulted in human loses. We express our deepest condolences to the relatives and fellow servicemen of the fallen soldiers,’ the statement reads.

 

‘While the most serious damage caused to the settlement process in the result of the Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) this April has not been overcome yet, Baku embarks on a new adventurism grossly violating the agreements reached at the Vienna and St. Petersburg summits and the commitment to settle the issue through peaceful means. This is how Baku responds to the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries who urged in Hamburg to adhere strictly to the 1994/95 ceasefire agreements.

 

On numerous occasions the international community, via the Co-Chairs, has called to maintain the ceasefire, especially during the holidays. By undertaking military diversionary incursion on the Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Baku acts against the universal human values.

 

The international community, first and foremost the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries should take immediate steps to sober up the Azerbaijani leadership, who has lost the sense of reality, ignores and opposes with defiance to their calls and demands,’ the statement says.-0-

http://arka.am/en/news/politics/csto_calls_azerbaijani_diversionary_incursion_against_armenia_provocation/

[Yervant1]

Thursday, December 29 2016

David Stepanyan Analyst: Escalation in Tavush is the result of St. Petersburg passivity of Armenian authorities

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ArmInfo. The escalation of tension in Tavush and the deaths of three young people are the result of the Armenian authorities' passivity shown at the Dec 26 summit of the CSTO in St. Petersburg, Director of the Stepanakert-based "Ashkharh" Center for Strategic Studies Hrachya Arzumanyan has told ArmInfo.

 

To note, on December 29 morning, the Azeri armed forces attempted a sabotage attack on the southeastern section of the Azeri-Armenian border near Chinari village of Tavush province of Armenia. The adversary used sniper rifles and grenade launchers.

 

"I do not think we could expect anything different after the April events. The month of April and the entire year 2016 gave the Armenian President the right "to be taken ill" - by the way, his Belarusian counterpart also took advantage of that right. But Serzh Sargsyan left for St. Petersburg. Eventually we have witnessed one more escalation on the border, a sabotage attack and mortar fire. This is normal and natural," he says.

 

Arzumanyan thinks that Yerevan's response to the challenges and threats to the Armenian statehood, particularly, to the willingness to cede the sovereignty is unnatural. At the same time, the analyst thinks cession of sovereignty is an unfeasible task for both the Armenian authorities and force centers.

 

Armenian Defense Ministry Spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan said that three Armenian servicemen were killed - Senior Lieutenant Shavarsh Melikyan and privates Edgar Narayan and Erik Abovyan. When retreating, the adversary left one victim on the Armenian side. There is no more detailed information about Azeri losses. "The entire responsibility for the provocation lies on the Azeri leadership," the Armenian Defense Ministry says.

 

- See more at: http://www.arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=23573&lang=3#sthash.E5xUrnU1.dpuf

[Yervant1]

Armenia MP on Aliyev: Who should we speak with, an irrational animal?

19:33, 29.12.2016

Region:Armenia, Azerbaijan
Theme: Politics

YEREVAN. - The militant policy of Azerbaijan does not get relevant assessment by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Leader of Prosperous Armenia Party, Naira Zohrabyan, told the aforementioned to Armenian News – NEWS.am on Thursday, referring to the statement of the CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha on the diversionary infiltration attempt by Azerbaijan in the morning.

Zohrabyan doesn't agree with certain politicians, according to whom Bordyuzha's statement was targeted and contained pressure against Azerbaijan.

''Rejoicing a formulation, which may turn into another one in an hour, is merely a consolation of heart. We shouldn't rejoice and wait impatiently for a CSTO representative to use a more positive formulation,'' she said.

In Zohrabyan's words, the diversionary infiltration attempt on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on Thursday came to once again prove that being a CSTO member and signing different agreements cannot give any guarantees.

''We once again assured ourselves of how 'adequate' and 'rational' Aliyev is, as [former Armenian President] Levon Ter-Petrosyan—whom I greatly respect—named him recently. We once again assured ourselves of the fact that it is not possible to expect adequate talks from Azerbaijan. We also once again assured ourselves of the fact that Azerbaijan understands no language but for that of force. I am sorry that Azerbaijan once again showed its real face and killer qualities. Alivey once again showed that he is the most irrational and non-adequate phenomenon in the political pallet of the region. Who should we speak and negotiate with over peace? An irrational animal?'' she said.

As reported earlier, Azerbaijani troops launched a diversionary infiltration attempt, on early Thursday morning, at the Republic of Armenia (RA) state border, southeast of Chinari village in Tavush Province. The Azerbaijani armed forces were driven back, having suffered injuries and casualties—including in the Armenian military positions, informed the Armenia MOD. As a result of this infiltration attempt, however, the Armenian armed forces suffered three casualties: Senior Lieutenant Shavarsh Melikyan, and Privates Edgar Narayan and Erik Abovyan.

https://news.am/eng/news/365774.html

[Yervant1]

I guess the dead asseri soldier somehow came inside the Armenian border, since they claim that we crossed into their side!

 

Armenian Defense Ministry replies Azerbaijani naked lies

Thursday, December 29 2016

Marianna Mkrtchyan

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ArmInfo.The Defence Ministry of Armenia responded the obvious lies of Azerbaijan. "After hours of silence Azerbaijani Defense Ministry came out with a statement due to the provocation at Armenian-Azerbaijani border, trying to make Armenian side bear the responsibility for diversion taken place.

 

We do repeat once again, that we possess all the proofs and facts stating that exactly Azerbaijan was the initiator of this aggressive attack. The Armenian Ministry of Defense has officially stated that Azerbaijan faced losses in the result of this aggression. And Armenian militaries were killed at the sites. Within all these events the statements of Azerbaijani entities claiming Azerbaijani troop gone missing during "Armenian investigation platoon crossing the border" turn false," the Defense Ministry statement read.

 

To mention, after long hours of silence after Armenian Defense Ministry released information on diversion attempt, Azerbaijani Defense Entity came out with a statement, reading that "A reconnaissance group of the Armenian Armed Forces tried to violate the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border on Dec. 29 morning. The Armenian group found itself in the ambush of the Azerbaijani army while violating the borders. "The enemy suffered losses in the ensuing clash and had to retreat," said the ministry. A soldier of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, Gurbanov Chingiz, is missing as a result of the shootout. He is being searched for.

 

Earlier, the Armenian Defense Ministry Press-Secretary Artsroun Hovhannisyan informed that during the defeat of an attack Armenian Military forces faced casualties. Defending the state border, Leutenant-in- chief Shavarsh Meliksetyan, and privates Edgar Narayan and Eric Abovyan perished. Hovhannisyan mentioned that the enemy has lost at least seven troops, at that the body of one of Azerbaijani troops left at Armenian side.

 

On December 29 morning, at the south-east sector of Armenian-Azerbaijani Border, nearby village of Chinari, Azerbaijani Army had initiated a diversion attempt, launching sniper rifles and rocket mortars (RPG) -

 

- See more at: http://www.arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=23583&lang=3#sthash.EZxHc9f8.dpuf

 

[Yervant1]

MP: Continuous border shocks are consequence of not giving adequate response to Azerbaijan

21:36, 29.12.2016

Region:Armenia, Karabakh, Azerbaijan
Theme: Politics, Incidents

YEREVAN. - The continuous border shocks are the consequence of failing to give an adequate response to Azerbaijan, this resulting in casualties and loss of 800 ha land in 2014-2016.

Member of the Civil Contract Party administration, Nikol Pashinyan, wrote the aforementioned on his Facebook page.

''Azerbaijan won't calm down as long as it has not suffered significant territorial losses. Serzh Sargsyan, who considered the return of 800 ha land inappropriate in terms of avoiding casualties, does nothing to prevent new losses,'' he wrote.

As reported earlier, Azerbaijani troops launched a diversionary infiltration attempt, on early Thursday morning, at the Republic of Armenia (RA) state border, southeast of Chinari village in Tavush Province. The Azerbaijani armed forces were driven back, having suffered injuries and casualties—including in the Armenian military positions, informed the Armenia MOD. As a result of this infiltration attempt, however, the Armenian armed forces suffered three casualties: Senior Lieutenant Shavarsh Melikyan, and Privates Edgar Narayan and Erik Abovyan.

https://news.am/eng/news/365797.html

[Yervant1]

Artsrun Hovhannisyan: Four more Azerbaijani soldiers killed overnight

• 13:51 | December 30,2016 | Politics
• Հայ

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This night, we witnessed the logical development of Azerbaijan’s provocation on the border with Armenia. In the result of punitive actions taken by Armenian military units, the enemy had another four losses, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, a spokesman for Armenia’s Ministry of Defense, said on Friday.

“In fact, the enemy’s adventurism of the last two days caused it to lose more than a dozen of soldiers. I want to remind that the Armenian Ministry of Defense has said several times that it has irrefutable evidence of the Azerbaijani attack and losses,” he said.

Three Armenian soldiers were killed on Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan, near the village of Chinari in Tavush marz early on Thursday in a firefight while preventing an attempted infiltration by Azerbaijan military units.

Lieutenant Shavarsh Melikyan, Privates Edgar Narayan and Erik Abovyan died while repelling an Azerbaijani commando raid on their military post in Tavush marz.

Artsrun Hovhannisyan wrote on his Fecbook page that the firefight erupted at around 10:17 a.m. Armenian army units killed at least seven Azerbaijani soldiers during the fighting that continued until noon.

The Azerbaijani side was quick to blame the firefight on Armenia instisting that the three Armenian soldiers were killed at the site of their service while the Armenian Ministry of Defense claims to have irrefutable evidence of the Azerbaijani attack.

http://en.a1plus.am/1253575.html

[Yervant1]

Analyst: Armenia was defeated at CSTO, this encouraged Azerbaijan

16:14, 30.12.2016

Region:Armenia, Azerbaijan
Theme: Politics

YEREVAN. – Armenia was disgracefully defeated at the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), as its representative was not elected CSTO Secretary General, and this encouraged Azerbaijan.

Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation Director, political scientist Stepan Grigoryan, on Friday stated the aforesaid. He noted this reflecting on the adversary’s diversionary infiltration attempt Thursday on its border with Armenia, and which took the lives of three Armenian soldiers.

“Azerbaijan, not being a CSTO member, proved that its influence in the CSTO is stronger than Armenia’s influence, even though Armenia is a CSTO member,” added Grigoryan. “Azerbaijan was against the representative of Armenia being appointed Secretary General, which was an important post in the CSTO. Azerbaijan realizes that, after this, it can [now] attack on Armenia, not Karabakh, without a problem.”

And in connection with CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha’s statement on Thursday’s Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident, and in which he had used the term “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” for the first time, the political scientist noted, in particular: “This statement was good. But I don’t think that we [i.e. the Armenian party to the Karabakh conflict] should be satisfied, since this isn’t the statement of the CSTO Secretary General. It’s important that the heads of all [CSTO] member states sign under this statement. (…) this statement was just the statement of Bordyuzha.”

Stepan Grigoryan stressed, however, that he does not consider this statement to be satisfactory.

https://news.am/eng/news/365907.html