cease-fire violations by azeris

[Yervant1]

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
May 20, 2017 Saturday


Forecast from Moscow: the delivery of any territories will lead to an
even greater intensity of the situation and the resumption over
Karabakh combat actions

Yerevan May 20

David Stepanyan. Talks about the delivery of Karabakh territories
should be stopped. Such an opinion was stated by Vladimir Evseev, the
CIS countries Caucasus Institute deputy director, while delivering a
speech at the round table session dedicated to South Caucasus
Security, held in Yerevan recently.

"It is considered that within this situation, rethorics and
Azerbaijani behavior, the delivery of any territory would exclusively
lead to even greater intensity of the situation and the resumption
over Karabakh combat actions, which is impermissible for Russia," he
stressed.

According to the expert, it is extremely important to return
Stepanakert to the negotiating table on the peaceful settlement of
Karabakh conflict. According to his estimates, Karabakh participation
in negotiations on its own destiny is a necessary condition .

Another necessary component of the contact line situation settlement
of opposing sides, Evseev thinks the speedy implementation of
mechanisms to investigate incidents. According to his estimates, only
this step can reduce the constantly growing intense degree at the
contact line.

"Without these steps, it is impermissible to give any territories over
Karabakh , because it would open new risks and would sharpen already
existing ones. In this context the delivery of situations is nothing
more than a direct and shortest way to defeat," Russian expert
summarized.

[Yervant1]

Armenpress News Agency, Armenia
May 20, 2017 Saturday



Azerbaijani forces fire anti-tank grenade launcher and mortar at Artsakh posts



YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Artsakh Republic
told Armenpress the Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire regime
more than 100 times across the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

The Ministry’s statement reads: “On May 19 and overnight May 20 the
Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire regime more than 100 times
by firing over 1750 shots from various caliber small arms at the
Armenian positions in the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

Moreover, the Azerbaijani forces fired also anti-tank grenade launcher
(32 grenades) at the eastern direction and 60 mm mortar (7 shells) at
the north-eastern direction of the line of contact.

The Defense Army forces of Artsakh took countermeasures to suppress
the Azerbaijani activeness”.

[Yervant1]

Armenpress News Agency, Armenia
May 20, 2017 Saturday


Russian expert does not rule out official recognition of Azerbaijan as
an aggressor state by OSCE MG Co-chairs



YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. The addressed statement of the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-chairs was an ultimatum warning to Azerbaijan, expertin
MiddleEastandCaucasusaffairs Stanislav Tarasov told “Armenpress”,
commenting on the May 18 statement of the Minsk Group Co-chairs, which
says that according to information received from various sources, the
Azerbaijani side fired a missile on the contact line on May 15
targeting a military object of the Armenian side.

“Azerbaijan intentionally followed the policy of wrecking the current
phase of the negotiations, because there are preconditions that are
not in its interests. Azerbaijan deliberately pursues confrontation,
and it’s difficult to predict what it expects from that. There are
different versions. I would like to believe that it will not unleash a
war, but a sharp aggravation of the situation is expected. When it
will occur is unclear. It’s just necessary to be vigilant and be
ready”, Tarasov said, adding that the recent steps by Azerbaijan seem
to be a means to check the reaction of Moscow and Yerevan.

Stanislav Tarasov does not rule out that in case of a resumption of
another war it’s possible that the Minsk Group Co-chairs will
officially recognize Azerbaijan an aggressor state.

“The Minsk Group Co-chairs spoke out unprecedentedly sharply against
Azerbaijan, which means that demonstration of aggression by Azerbaijan
is expected. After the Minsk Group recognizes Azerbaijan an aggressor
it’s rather possible that the international community or some
countries recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh. The
statement of the Minsk Group Co-chairs means that maybe they are
preparing for a move”, the Russian expert said, adding that all the
Co-chair countries are UNSC members, and if they recognize Azerbaijan
an aggressor, Azerbaijan will not see Nagorno Karabakh even in its
dreams.

Syuzi Muradyan

[Yervant1]

Lragir, Armenia

May 20 2017

Front Units Answered Azerbaijan's Fire

• 
  
  Lragir.am
  
  
  
• Country - 20 May 2017, 18:52

http://www.lragir.am/upload/img/eng149529196392.JPG

On May 19 the Azerbaijani side breached the ceasefire over 100 times, firing over 1750 times in the direction of the Armenian posts. Aside from rifles the Azerbaijani armed forces used a mounted anti-tank grenade (32 projectiles) in the eastern direction, and a 60 mm mortar (7 projectiles) in the northeastern section. The front units answered to suppress the enemy’s aggressive actions.

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/country/view/37103

[Yervant1]

Lragir, Armenia

May 20 2017

Chaos in Azerbaijan: Danger

• http://www.lragir.am/upload/author/author140516246126.JPG
  • Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
  • Comments - 20 May 2017, 14:01

http://www.lragir.am/upload/img/eng14952744693.JPG

The Defense Army of Artsakh has published a footage made with the border monitoring and intelligence equipment with a message on how the Azerbaijani armed forces were shelling their own posts.

 

Earlier the spokesperson for the Azerbaijani foreign ministry had responded to the statement of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs who stated clearly for the first time that Azerbaijan breached the ceasefire and fired a missile which was followed by the response of the Armenian side.

 

The Azerbaijani foreign ministry official responded that the Azerbaijani army is in the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan and can do everything it wants.

 

Apparently, the Azerbaijanis shelled their own posts to prove that they can do whatever they wish.

 

This would be funny of course, but there is no need to joke with Azerbaijan, especially if such things are happening in this country. Azerbaijan is either imitating uncontrollability or the situation has got out of control, which explains the fact of shelling their own posts.

 

It is hard to tell if uncontrollability has reached Baku or only the border area or has reached the border from Baku but this is not a reason for the Armenian side to make fun. On the contrary. Moreover, it can be only imitation of uncontrollability or the so-called manageable chaos initiated by Aliyev, including for starting military actions.

 

It is possible that the reason for this initiative is not the issue of Artsakh but the situation of the domestic economy and government. It is possible that Aliyev is imitating chaos to receive the assistance of the international community, otherwise threatening that the situation in Azerbaijan may get out of control.

 

Aliyev might be trying to regain his “importance”.

 

At least, this strange thing happening required vigilance. After all, it is not ruled out that Aliyev resorts to the technology of “chaos” after encountering serious issues of viability and applicability of the so-called military diplomacy clashing into the Armenian armed forces and the pressure of the international community for the introduction of ceasefire mechanisms.

 

The frequent disruption of the “military diplomacy” is forcing Aliyev to transition to the “imitation of chaos” to remain a subject.

http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/37101

[Yervant1]

Panorama, Armenia

May 25 2017

Azerbaijan fails to lead OSCE Mission to its frontline positions

On May 25, 2017, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic), the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, to the west of Seysulan settlement of the Martakert region, Artsakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Panorama.am.

From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Mihail Olaru (Moldova) and Personal Assistant to the OSCE CiO Personal Representative Simon Tiller (Great Britain).

From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ghenadie Petrica (Moldova) and staff member of the Office of the OSCE CiO Personal Representative Martin Schuster (Germany).

The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. No violation of the cease-fire regime was registered. However, the Azerbaijani side did not lead the OSCE mission to its frontline positions and in violation of arrangements reached on the procedure of conducting a monitoring used a surveillance aerostat.

From the Artsakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the Republic of Artsakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense.

http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2017/05/25/Azerbaijan-OSCE-Mission/1782959

[Yervant1]

Panorama, Armenia

May 26 2017

Armenian soldier killed by Azerbaijani fire

Artsakh Defense Army soldier identified as Armen Rafik Harutyunyan (b. 1996) sustained a fatal gunshot wound on May 26, at around 11:45 due to Azerbaijani fire in one of the military posts of the Karabakh Defense Army located in the northern direction of the Line of Contact.

As the Press Service of Artsakh Defense Ministry told Panorama.am, a probe is underway to uncover the circumstances of the incident.

The Defense Ministry of Artsakh shares the grief of the loss and extends its condolences to the family members, relatives and fellow servicemen of the deceased soldier.

http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2017/05/26/Armenian-soldier-killed-by-Azerbaijani-fire/1783574

[Yervant1]

PanArmenian

May 27 2017

550 ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan registered over the past week

http://media.pn.am/media/issue/240/680/photo/240680.jpg

May 27, 2017 - 15:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - More than 550 ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan were registered on the contact line with Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) over the past week using various caliber firearms.

Besides, Azeri forces employed 60- and 82-mm mortars and grenade launchers in different sections of the frontline

Artsakh defense army troops retaliated to continue protecting their positions.

The Nagorno Karabakh Republic Defense Army serviceman Armen Harutyunyan, 21, was lethally injured in Azeri gunfire on May 26.

The soldier was killed in the northern direction of line of contact, at an NKR army unit’s defense position.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/240680/

[Yervant1]

Interfax - Russia & CIS General Newswire
June 9, 2017 Friday


Yerevan accuses Azerbaijan of attack on Armenian village

YEREVAN. June 9

The Azerbaijani army shelled an Armenian border village, Baganis, in
the Tavush region on Thursday evening, the Armenian defense minister's
press secretary Artsrun Hovhannisyan told Interfax on Friday.

"The village came under attack at about 9 p.m. (Yerevan time). The
shelling lasted for about two hours with some pauses. They firing both
on defensive positions and the village itself. Luckily, casualties
were avoided," Hovhannisyan said.

Baganis village head Narek Saakyan told Interfax that the shells
damaged a number of house roofs.

Interfax has yet to obtain comments from Azerbaijan.

te ng aa

[Yervant1]

Panorama, Armenia

June 14 2017

April war hero Marat Petrosyan, who destroyed five Azerbaijani tanks, continues military service as commander

By Hasmik Hakobyan

Marat Petrosyan, participant of the 2016 four-day April War and awardee of the Order of the Combat Cross (first degree) of Armenia, who destroyed five Azerbaijani tanks and one armored vehicle, today continues his service at the Defense Army as a platoon commander.

In an interview with Panorama.am, Marat reflected on the April war, noting that it changed a lot in his mentality, further enhancing the homeland defense idea.

“Seeing a lot of things during the April war, I realized that I must continue my service. When I was offered to continue the military service at the Defense Army, I had already taken such a decision. Having served 8 months already, I am very satisfied with it,” he added.

Marat says that the military path is very obliging, adding that he is proud to wear officers strap.
Regarding the memories of the clashes early in April 2016, Marat finds them both happy and sad, since he cannot forget the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to their Fatherland.

“We have lost our friends, our brothers. Although I do not know them in person, I consider them my friends,” Marat says, adding that the Armenian soldiers taught a good lesion to the enemy at that time. “Fear was not important at that time. We were only thinking about preventing their advancement. Facing a resistance, the adversary was thrown back, suffering significant losses.”
A solider from Stepanakert, Marat, who was called a “master” during the April flare-up, says that he had no experience of firing from anti-tank systems when destroying Azerbaijan’s five tanks and one armored vehicle. Missing his first shot, he hit the target with the second one.

In parallel to his military service, the April war hero is also studying economy at university, meantime practicing sports.

“I spend my free time with my friends. I have no girlfriend; there is no enough time, besides, it is still early for me. I also want to add that I have no accounts at social networks,” Marat jokes.

Although he has destroyed five Azerbaijani tanks, Marat does not consider himself a hero. Only his brother does not miss a chance of being proud of his brother.

To note, Marat’s senior brother David Petrosyan was on his way to winning the semi-final match against his Azeri opponent at the European Kung Fu Championship on May 13, 2017, when he was attacked by supporters of the Azerbaijani athlete. Dozens of men from the Azeri camps lurched at the Armenian team members with poles, chairs, and sticks.

http://www.panorama.am/files/images/19184366_1369474833142418_2049296387_n.jpg

The Defense Army commander recommends the conscripts to demonstrate vigilance. “The most important thing is that they fulfil their service normally and be watchful. They must always remember that their relatives are waiting for their return,” he added.

In conclusion, Marat says that the Armenian soldiers confidently defend the positions and are ready to give a harsher response should the adversary make any provocation.

http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2017/06/14/April-war-hero-Marat-Petrosyan/1793312

[Yervant1]

The animals are at it again bleeding us to death, enough is enough a strike is in order, bite the bullet and give them a strong response and teach them a lesson they will never forget and venture again!

Public Radio of Armenia

June 16 2017

Three Artsakh soldiers killed in Azeri firing

22:21, 16 Jun 2017

Siranush Ghazanchyan

http://www.armradio.am/en/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/soldier-8-620x300.jpg

The Azerbaijani side used antitank grenade launchers as it intensively violated the ceasefire regime at about 6 p.m. today, the Artsakh Defense Ministry reports.

Defense Army servicemen Arayik Matinyan (born in 1997), Vigen Petrosyan (born in 1997) and Vardan Sargsyan (born in 1997) were killed in the shelling.

Investigation into the details of the incident is under way.

The Artsakh Defense Ministry said it shares the sorrow of the heavy loss and expresses support to the servicemen’s families and friends.

http://www.armradio.am/en/2017/06/16/three-artsakh-soldiers-killed-in-azeri-firing/

 

 

[Yervant1]

They keep bombing, we keep repeating the same useless words that no one listens. The only losers here are the brave young soldiers and their families, may the souls of our martyrs rest in peace!

Public Radio of Armenia

June 17 2017

Absence of adequate response encourages Azerbaijan for new adventures – Armenia MFA

19:46, 17 Jun 2017

http://www.armradio.am/en/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Armenia-MFA-new-620x300.jpg

“The absence of an adequate response can be perceived by Azerbaijan as an encouragement for new adventures,” the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The Ministry today express deepest condolences to the relatives and fellow servicemen of soldiers who fell today and yesterday as a result of flagrant violation of ceasefire by the armed forces of Azerbaijan along the Line of Contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan.

“In their last statement the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs condemned the ceasefire violations identifying Azerbaijan as the first to open fire. It is with such provocations that Baku reacts to this targeted statement thus demonstrating all its disrespect,” the Foreign Ministry said.

“On the eve of the Co-Chairs visit the high leadership of Azerbaijan challenges the international community, first and foremost the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group by holding large scale military drills without relevant notification required by the international commitments, continuously violating the 1994-1995 trilateral ceasefire agreements, as well as taking new steps aimed at the escalation of situation. The absence of an adequate response can be perceived by Azerbaijan as an encouragement for new adventurism,” the statement reads.

“It is obvious that Baku failed to move the peaceful settlement process through its desired path and now it tries to create an illusion of gaining an advantage on the frontline, which is also doomed to failure and fraught with unpredictable consequences, primarily to the side initiating escalation of situation,” the Ministry stated.

Four Armenian soldiers have been killed in Azerbaijani firing over the past two days.

 

http://www.armradio.am/en/2017/06/17/absence-of-adequate-response-encourages-azerbaijan-for-new-adventures-armenia-mfa/

 

 

[Yervant1]

We'll wait and see what that punishment will be? It should be ten fold at least for the animals to understand and stop.

Panorama, Armenia

June 17 2017

Artsakh President says Azerbaijani crimes would not remain unpunished

Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited today a section on the republic's east borderline, got acquainted with the course of the service and situation there.

The Information department at the President’s Office reported, during the consultation held with the command staff of one of the military units the President touched upon the latest cease-fire regime violations by Azerbaijan qualifying them as a terrorism and a gross violation of international law.

President Sahakyan stressed that such crimes would not remain unpunished.
Defense minister Levon Mnatsakanyan, other officials accompanied the President during the visit, the release said.

http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2017/06/17/Artsakh-President-says-Azerbaijani-crimes-would-not-remain-unpunished/1795100

 

 

[MosJan]

4 Azerbaijani Soldiers Killed after Artsakh Forces Rebuff Attack

 

http://asbarez.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/col.jpg

 

Special forces of the Azerbaijani army attempted to breach the Artsakh-Azerbaijan border on Thursday and were quickly rebuffed the attack. The Artsakh Defense Ministry reported that four Azerbaijani soldiers were killed and their equipment seized during the operation.

“Thanks to the high tactical preparedness and proper technical equipment, the subunits of the Artsakh Defense Army noticed the advancement of the diversionary group and pushed it back, inflicting at least four human losses,” read a statement by the Artsakh Defense Ministry.

Artsakh Defense Army suffered no losses.

“The situation at the frontline continues to remain under the full control of the Artsakh Armed Forces,” concluded the statement.

Thursday’s attack comes almost a week after Azerbaijani attacks on the Artsakh-Azerbaijan border, known as the Line of Contact, resulted in the deaths of four Artsakh soldiers and left three soldiers in critical condition.

Artsakh presidential spokesperson David Babayan called the Azerbaijani attempts a failure.

“The special forces of Azerbaijan have been repelled, suffering human losses. At the moment we have information that the adversary has suffered at least 4 victims, but we are sure this number will rise, since the enemy withdrew in panic, leaving large amounts of ammunition, personal belongings, taking instead bodies [of the killed soldiers] and the injured,” Babayan told Armenpress.

“For Azerbaijani leadership victims are of no importance. For them it’s important to distract the attention of their own people by such actions from the existing crisis in the country and continue looting their own people,” added Babayan.

 

 

[Yervant1]

If this guy in the picture looks Armenian, I'll eat my hat!

Asbarez

June 21 2017

Armenia, Artsakh Call Baku’s Claims of Captured Soldier ‘Cheap Theater’

• http://asbarez.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Zaven-Karapetyan.png

YEREVAN, STEPANAKERT—The defense ministries of Armenia and Artsakh were quick to dismiss a video released Wednesday by the Azerbaijani defense ministry depicting a man that was identified as a solder of the Artsakh armed forces and a member of an “Armenian subversive group.”

The video depicts an Azerbaijani military interrogation during which the alleged “saboteur” identifies himself as Zaven Hovhannes Karapetyan and is seen saying, in poor Armenian, that he is from the village of Dovegh and was recruited for paid combat duty. He alleges that his mission was to allegedly attack an Azerbaijani outpost and kill the soldiers stationed there. He explains that two of his comrades were wounded and others in his units carried them back to the Artaskh outpost. He claims that he was unable to flee and was captured by Azerbaijani soldier.

 

The spokesperson for Armenia’s Defense Ministry Artsrun Hovhannesyan called the video ‘cheap theater,’ adding that such a person did not exist in the ranks of the armed forces.

“No attempt of subversive infiltration was ever made. Hence there cannot be any captive ‘saboteur.’ Furthermore, we haven’t and have never had a serviceman with the mentioned name and last name,” Hovhannesyan told Panorama.am on Wednesday.

The head of the Dovegh village Samvel Gorginyan told Public Radio of Armenia that no one with the name lives in the village.

The Artsakh Defense Ministry refuted the reports of saying in a statement that Artsakh’s Defense Army ‘has not taken this kind of actions.’

“By disseminating such statements, the Azerbaijani armed forces create an illusion of yet another ‘victory’ in the virtual space,” the Ministry said, calling it “wishful thinking” on the part of Azerbaijan.

http://asbarez.com/164461/armenia-artsakh-call-bakus-claims-of-captured-soldier-cheap-theater/

 

 

Edited June 22, 2017 by Yervant1

[MosJan]

https://www.facebook.com/lurercom/videos/1737566089605104/

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

PanArmenian

June 26 2017

Israel unveils tactical missile first used by Azerbaijan against Karabakh

June 26, 2017 - 11:19 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has unveiled new fifth-generation Spike missiles at the Paris Air Show, which are already used by Azerbaijan in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Jerusalem Online reports.

A video released in May showed the guided missile being launched and then partially destroying an Armenian military objective. Following Azerbaijan's provocations, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in a statement gave an assessment of the current situation on the Karabakh line of contact, addressed to Azerbaijan.

The French, Russian and U.S. ambassadors cited "information collected from multiple reliable sources" which proved that Azerbaijan initiated the latest escalation on the contact line. The new missile, called the Spike LR II or Spike 2, has a range of up to 5.5 kilometers when launched from the ground and a range of 10 kilometers when launched from a fighter jet.

Successfully tested in Israel, the Spike LR II missiles are already being used in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict. The missile weighs only 12.7 kilograms and can be launched from any Spike system. It possesses advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, increased abilities to destroy buildings and armor and the ability to deal with reactive and active reinforcements on an armored fighting vehicle. According to foreign reports, Hezbollah also possesses this type of anti-aircraft battery.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/242836/Israel_unveils_tactical_missile_first_used_by_Azerbaijan_against_Karabakh

[Yervant1]

ARKA, Armenia

June 28 2017

Armenian defense minister confirms: eight Azerbaijani servicemen dead

http://www.arka.am/upload/resize_cache/iblock/08b/344_258_2/08b85b906d6a50efa1795bbec5752552.jpg

YEREVAN, June 28. /ARKA/. Vigen Sargsyan, Armenian defense minister, confirmed today the information that eight Azerbaijani servicemen have been killed over the last ten days in the Karabakh army’s return fire.

On June 16 and 17, Azerbaijani troops killed four Artsakh (Karabakh) army servicemen in a clear breach of the ceasefire.

Speaking today at a news conference, Saregsyan said there are also much more unconfirmed losses in the Azerbaijani army.

Unconfirmed are reports not supported with visual evidence, he said.

Sargsyan said none of these eight killed Azerbaijani servicemen has been buried and no reports about that have appeared in Azerbaijani media resources.

Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Karabakh, mainly populated by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan.

On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan.

Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to it.

Some 30,000 people were killed in this war and about one million people fled their homes.

On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations.

Тalks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group are being held over peaceful settlement of the conflict. The group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France. --0----

http://www.arka.am/en/news/politics/armenian_defense_minister_confirms_eight_azerbaijani_servicemen_dead/

[Yervant1]

Public Radio of Armenia, Armenia

June 28 2017

Israel involvement in Karabakh conflict to have adverse results – Iranian Parliament Speaker

12:46, 28 Jun 2017

Siranush Ghazanchyan

Off

Iranian Parliament Speaker in a meeting with his Armenian counterpart stressed that Israel’s involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will have negative consequences, Mehr News Agency reports.

Ali Larijani made the remark in a meeting with President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, Ara Babloyan, on the sidelines of the second annual Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments in Seoul on Tuesday, adding that the issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan need to be settled without outside interference.

Larijani also expressed Iran’s readiness to expand cooperation with Armenia in the fields of energy, transit and transport, calling for a faster implementation of agreements between the two sides on power plant and power line construction.

He also called for the formation of a working group to implement an agreement on decontamination of the Araks River which runs along the countries of Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran.

Mr. Babloyan, for his part, voiced keen interest in the prospect of the implementation of the agreement on the Araks River, adding “Iran-Armenia Parliamentary friendship group will soon be approved in Armenia’s National Assembly which will pave the ground for closer cooperation between the two countries.”

The 2nd annual Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments opened in South Korean capital Seoul on Monday and will wrap up on Wednesday. Parliamentary leaders from 25 Asian and European countries discuss ways for further cooperation for Eurasian prosperity during the three-day conference.

https://www.armradio.am/en/2017/06/28/israel-involvement-in-karabakh-conflict-to-have-adverse-results-iranian-parliament-speaker/

[Yervant1]

Panorama, Armenia

June 28 2017

Armenia disapproves any arm supplies to Azerbaijan given the latter’s ‘unpredictability’ – defense minister

I view any arm supplies to Azerbaijan quite negatively for the first and the apparent reason of Azerbaijan being an unpredictable state due to the lack of mechanisms of democratic control, Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan stated on Wednesday at a press conference.

In Minister Sargsyan’s words, the level of Azerbaijani aggressiveness is conditioned with combination of solely internal factors along with those defying any analysis.

“In this respect, any arm supplies – be those Russian, Israeli or Turkish weapons – create new risks since it would be difficult to predict who would be in charge of making decisions [in Azerbaijan] at a certain point,” Sargsyan said.

Moving on Armenia’s relations with its allies, the minister next said Armenia has partnership program with Russia. “That is a military technical, military political partnership program of allied relations in the spirit of a strategic relationship. We are satisfied with the course of the program implementation. That is an ambitious program which is constantly enhancing,” the minister noted, adding the dialogue with the Russian side is not limited to merely the amount of arms supply of certain type but rather is of more ‘long-term,’ ‘stabilizing’ nature.

Sargsyan stressed, however, no official in Armenia would ever speak with enthusiasm about Russian weapons supply to Azerbaijan.

http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2017/06/28/defense-minister/1800064

[Yervant1]

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
June 27, 2017 Tuesday


Russian historian: Politization of Islam in Azerbaijan is incapable to
lead to lead to positive results

Yerevan June 27

Anzhela Stepanyan. "Politization of Islam in Azerbaijan is incapable
to lead to lead to positive results", Viktor Nadein-Raevsky, senior
researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International
Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, believes.

"In any case, the appeal of the head of the Caucasus Muslims
Department Allahshukur *****zade to the war with Armenia is nothing
more than evidence of the use of religion in Azerbaijan for political
purposes," he said.

On the occasion of Ramadan, the head of the Caucasus Muslims
Department Allahshukur *****zade, the second time in a week, called on
the Muslims "to pray for victory in Karabakh," wishing them "soonest
liberation of the lands and the sounding of the Azan in Karabakh.

" The historian noted that against the background of distancing the
spiritual leaders of other countries from secular affairs and
politics, *****zade is doing everything to turn Islam into a political
weapon. Thus, power in Baku, according to Nadein-Rayevsky, put the
religion in Azerbaijan under control, forcing the clergy to act in
accordance with their own orders".

[Yervant1]

news.am, Armenia

July 4 2017

Karabakh armed forces inflict damage on firing point in Azerbaijani village

23:55, 04.07.2017

STEPANAKERT. - The Azerbaijani armed forces continued to violate the ceasefire regime in different sections along the contact line between the Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing forces from mortars of different calibers on Tuesday. In particular, the аdversary used 82 mm mortar (4 shells) in the eastern direction starting from 11:30am till 11:35am, а tripod-mounted man-portable recoilless gun (3 shells) in the same direction from about 12:45 pm to 12:55 pm, 60 mm mortar (2 shells) in the southern direction at 1:35 pm, and 60 mm mortar at 7:10 pm (2 shells).

Starting from 8:20 to 8:30 pm, the Azerbaijani armed forces opened fire from Turkish-made TR-107 reactive rocket propelled howitzers (5 shells) installed in Alkhanlu village in the direction of one of the commandment points of one of the military units in the southern direction, also using 82 mm mortar (3 shells) at 8:48 pm.

In order to suppress the offensive of the adversary, the vanguard units of the Defense Army had to take retaliatory actions starting from 8:31pm to 8:40pm, as a result of which damage was inflicted on the firing point installed in Akhanlu village. According to the trustworthy information provided by the relevant services of the Karabakh Defense Army, the adversary has suffered losses.

The Karabakh Defense Army suffered no losses as a result of the provocative actions of Azerbaijan.

The military and political leadership of Baku bears the whole responsibility for the consequences of the occurrence.

https://news.am/eng/news/398673.html

[Yervant1]

Asbarez Armenian News

July 5 2017

Artsakh Retaliates as Azerbaijan Attacks Using Civilians as ‘Human Shields’

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Artsakh positions being shelled from residential areas in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Military Post Damaged, Soldiers Killed in Response to Heavy Shelling of Armenian Positions

STEPANAKERT—Artsakh Army responded to major shelling by Azerbaijani forces on Tuesday evening causing heavy losses for Azerbaijan that included fatalities as well as damage to a military post in the Azerbaijani village of Alkhanli, in the southwestern area of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan border, according the Artsakh Ministry of Defense.

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Map shows close proximity of Azerbaijani forces to residential areas

According to the Artsakh Defense Ministry the retaliation resulted from an attack by the Azerbaijani forces, which used TR-107 rocket launchers, on Artsakh positions in Varanda, formerly Fizouli. The Artsakh Defense Ministry immediately reported the attack to relevant international bodies and warned that Azerbaijan was attacking Artsakh position from posts stationed within residential areas and using civilians as “human shields.”

On Wednesday, the Artsakh Defense Ministry released a video (see below) clearly showing Azerbaijan’s use of the TR-107 rocket launchers. Also on Wednesday, the Artsakh Defense Ministry refuted Azerbaijani media reports claiming that three Artsakh soldiers were killed during the July 4 attacks.

Another video released (see below) Wednesday by Arshak Zakaryan, a videographer who works with Armenia’s Defense Ministry, shows Azerbaijani attack on Artsakh from a residential area in the Alkhani village.

“Unlike Azerbaijan, the Artsakh Defnese Ministry Artsakh is committed to transparency and regularly provides information on the incidents taking place, whereas disinformation by the enemy is directed exclusively to a domestic audience,” said the Artsakh Defense Ministry.

In an audio recording (listen below), released separately by the Artsakh Defense Ministry on Wednesday, a conversation between Azerbaijani forces proves that the retaliatory fire from Artsakh forces were aimed at neutralizing Azerbaijani attacks. The audio recording also confirms that Azerbaijani forces regularly position themselves within residential areas, turning civilians into human shields.

Artsakh’s defense and foreign ministries on Wednesday touched on the Azerbaijani practice of using its civilian population as human shields with the foreign ministry issuing a statementsaying, “in violation of all the norms of international humanitarian law, Baku does not disdain to use its civilian population as a human shield for shelling the territory of Artsakh.”

Artsakh Defense Minister Levon Mnatsakanyan told Interfax Wednesday that “Hiding behind its own people Azerbaijan grossly violates norms of international law.”

Mnatsakanyan also added that Baku’s leadership has legitimized the practice of deploying its firing posts within residential areas and conducting its attacks on Artsakh posts.

“By hiding behind its own people and making them human shields the enemy grossly violates the norms of international law. If the Azerbaijanis really suffered civilian losses, then we have to express regret. But at the same time I announce with full responsibility that today and in the future the Armed Forces of Artsakh will continue to fully utilize their right to protect themselves and will give targeted and disproportionate response to the Azerbaijani attacks if necessary,” Mnatsakanyan told Interfax.

He also dismissed Azerbaijani claims that the Artsakh retaliation resulted in civilian casualties calling it another effort by Baku to mislead the international community.

“First of all I want to say that the Artsakh Army has never been the attacker; however, it is always ready to counter any provocative action launched by the enemy,” said Mnatsakanyan.

As for the Azerbaijani claims of civilian deaths after the retaliation on Alkhanlu village on July 4 Mnatsakanyan said: “this is nothing more than a cynical way to mislead the international community at the expense of the blood of its own innocent people. The Defense Army of Artsakh has never targeted civilian settlements, as it is typical to our adversary, our target has been and will always be those military positions from where the enemy opens fires toward Armenian positions.”

Mnatsakanyan urged Azerbaijan to refrain from further military attacks and find a solution at the “negotiating table.”

Also on Wednesday, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tigran Balayan said in a tweet that in order to prevent further Azerbaijani provocations and losses, Baku must agree to implement the Vienna and St. Petersburg agreements. “To continue provocations on the LoC [Line of Contact], Azerbaijan’s [President] is blocking the establishment of investigation mechanism of incidents,” Balayan also tweeted. In a separate tweet, Balayan said that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen were briefed on the situation by Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

This sentiment was echoed on Wednesday by Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan who said that Azerbaijan’s refusal to establish investigative mechanism serves its intention to put the blame for its continuous provocations on the Armenian sides.

“This is yet another crime committed by Baku’s hereditary regime, which is founded on hatred toward its neighboring nation and the blood of its own population,” Kocharyan said in the Orkarak program of Armenia’s Public Television.

“As long as Azerbaijan fails to implement its international commitments under the 1994 and 1995 trilateral agreements between Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia on a armistice and the ceasefire, and refuses to implement the Vienna and St. Petersburg agreements aimed at the consolidation of the ceasefire and continues to initiate military provocations against Artsakh and Armenia, then the same leadership of Azerbaijan bears full responsibility for all human casualties of those provocations, regardless of their nationality,” said Kocharyan.

Kocharyan also commented on the Turkish Foreign Ministry, which chimed in on Wednesday to offer its support to its “Azerbaijani brothers” and to accuse Armenians of violence.

“During the last April aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan Turkey not only failed to condemn the targeting of civilian population of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, including the killing of children, the barbaric mutilation of elderly people, as well as the ISIS-style beheading of captured Armenian soldiers, but in fact, encouraged those war crimes,” said Kocharyan.

“On the other hand, Turkey declares that it condemns the casualties among the Azerbaijani civilian population suffered as a result of the provocation initiated by the very same Azerbaijan, without even mentioning that the main reason for those casualties was the official Baku’s policy to use its civilian population as human shields. It seems that Turkey’s condemnation or sympathy is conditioned by the national identity, which is far beyond the remits of civilized commentary,” added Kocharyan.

Minsk Group co-chairman urge end to military action
The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs – Ambassador Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Ambassador Stephane Visconti of France, and Ambassador Richard Hoagland of the United States – have received information of renewed violence late in the evening on 4 July at Alkhanli village of Fizuli region that resulted in casualties, including civilians.

The Minsk Group Co-Chairs urgently call upon the sides to cease military action. Violence only begets further violence and accomplishes nothing. The only responsible and humane way to resolve this long-standing conflict is for the sides to return to the negotiation table in good faith.

The Co-Chairs extend their condolences to the families of the victims.

http://asbarez.com/164693/artsakh-retaliates-as-azerbaijan-attacks-using-civilians-as-human-shields/

[Yervant1]

Armenian Weekly

July 6 2017

Artsakh Commander Refutes Accusations of Shelling Civilians; MFA Says Azerbaijan Used Human Shields

By Weekly Staff on July 6, 2017

STEPANAKERT, Artsakh (A.W.)— On July 5, Lieutenant-General Levon Mnatsakanyan, Commander of Artsakh’s Defense Army, refuted Baku’s statements accusing the Armenian side of shelling peaceful settlements and killing innocent civilians.

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Levon Mnatsakanyan (Photo: Photolure)

Mnatskanyan noted that the Artsakh Defense Army has never initiated any attack but has instead retaliated any provocations by Azerbaijan. He added that the statement by Azerbaijan regarding the death of civilians on July 4 was nothing more than a “cynical attempt to disorient the international community at the expense of the blood of innocent citizens.”

“The Defense Army of Artsakh never chose peaceful settlements as targets, which is inherent in our enemy. The target of our attacks was, and will continue to be, exclusively those military facilities, from where the enemy is firing the Armenian positions,” said Mnatskanyan. “It is unfortunate that the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan considers it natural to place its fire installations in peaceful settlements, and the practice of carrying off offensive actions from these firing points towards Artsakh positions.”

Lieutenant-General Mnatsakanyan also stressed that the placement of military facilities near villages by Azerbaijan is a gross violation of international law. He then called on the Azerbaijani forces to refrain from military action and to seek a solution around the negotiating table.

“Since the April aggression up to now, we have repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that the Azerbaijani side, in violation of all the norms of international humanitarian law, does not disdain to use its civilian population as a human shield for shelling the territory of Artsakh,” read part of a statement released by the Artsakh Foreign Ministry on July 5.

The statement also stressed the importance of the agreements reached at the summits of May 16, 2016 in Vienna and of June 20, 2016 in St. Petersburg aimed at the stabilization of the situation at the Line of Contact (LoC).

http://armenianweekly.com/2017/07/06/artsakh-commander-refutes-accusations/