cease-fire violations by azeris

[Yervant1]

Lragir, Armenia

July 7 2017

Azerbaijan "Burst": Armenia's Next Step

Haikazn Ghahriyan, Editor-in-Chief

Comments - Friday, 07 July 2017, 00:51

http://www.lragir.am/upload/img/eng149937428125.JPG

Yesterday Azerbaijan made a big fuss and called on all the international organizations demanding to condemn the operation of the Armenian forces in the result of which, according to the Azerbaijani side, civilians were killed.

The Armenian forces counterattacked after the Azerbaijanis started a large-scale artillery fire, hitting an Armenian command post. Azerbaijan used the opportunity and made a noise, trying to achieve the solution of specific problems. What problems are they?

Azerbaijan has currently appeared in a situation when its demands are actually ignored, including its right to war. Armenia’s stance is tougher, it has set forth preconditions for starting the negotiations, including ceasefire and investigation mechanisms. Azerbaijan adopted a policy of murder along the entire length of the line of contact after which Armenia started calling stakeholders to use sanctions against Azerbaijan.

Here is a situation when Azerbaijan’s last method left – murder – is used up, and Azerbaijan has appeared in a deadlock. No means can lead the situation to its field of claims.

Yesterday’s provocation has one goal – trying to get out of this standstill and make counter-claims to the Armenian side. However, this does not seem to produce results. The Minsk Group has released a statement which calls on the sides to stop military actions. In its turn, the Russian foreign ministry published an unexpected statement, accusing Azerbaijan of discrimination and violence against its citizens with Armenian surnames.

Most importantly, however, the Armenian foreign ministry responded differently. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tigran Balayan has stated that the Azerbaijani authorities should agree to carry out the agreements achieved in Vienna and Saint Petersburg to avoid further escalation and losses. This may have been the most unexpected part for Azerbaijan which is used to certain “defensiveness” of the Armenian diplomacy. The Armenian foreign ministry has doubled the strike of the armed forces, hinting that Azerbaijan will continue to get disproportionate strikes unless it agrees to the application of mechanisms of restraint. Hence, the action of the Armenian armed forces is reinforced in diplomacy.

Armenia has a serious issue in the process of the Karabakh settlement because in the 1990s the Armenian government signed documents which recognized Azerbaijan’s rights, in fact. Azerbaijan puts forth to the co-chairs this very circumstance, denying everything except “territorial integrity and withdrawal of the Armenian forces”. The objective of the Armenian diplomacy is to change this situation which is complicated. Can Tigran Balayan’s note mean that the foreign ministry is adopting this policy? By the way, Armenia can put forth another precondition – a demand that Azerbaijan withdraw from the positions it occupies in the result of the military actions last April, thus restoring the pre-April status quo?

They need to continue, this is the only way. Any shot by Azerbaijan must work against it, further deepening the standstill. The events of July 4-5 are the beginning of this process.

http://m.lragir.am/index/eng/1/comments/view/37240

[Yervant1]

Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
July 5, 2017 Wednesday


Azerbaijan increases degree of Armenophobia within its public –
political scientist



YEREVAN, JULY 5, ARMENPRESS. In an interview with Armenpress,
political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan said the Azerbaijani
behavior in connection with the photo-capture and manipulation of the
killed child is a gross violation of ethical norms.

-Mr. Melik-Shahnazaryan, how would you comment on Azerbaijan’s
behavior when it releases the photo of the dead child ad distorts the
reality after escalating the situation, launching provocation and
making its own people as human shields?

-In April 2016 an Armenian child was killed as a result of Azerbaijani
shelling, however, the Artsakh side even didn’t think about releasing
any photo. The capture of photos of Azerbaijani child who was killed
as a result of the July 4 incident speaks about one thing: Azerbaijan
not only doesn’t respect the norms of ethics, but it increases the
high level of Armenophobia within its public in a quite conscious
manner. And of course, it’s very important for the international
community to feel the difference of perception of the world of the two
societies. In April 2016 Azerbaijan was honoring the hooligans who
beheaded the person with military uniform. But the Artsakh side
expresses pain and regret over the death of the Azerbaijani child,
although the reason of this is the military of the Azerbaijani side.

The Azerbaijani armed forces continued violating the ceasefire regime
in different sections of Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line on July 4.
Particularly, in the period of 11:30-11:35 the Azerbaijani troops
fired 82 mm mortars (4 projectiles) in the eastern direction of the
contact line and anti-tank missiles (3 projectiles) in the same
section at about 12:45-12:55. In the southern direction the
Azerbaijanis fired 60 mm mortars (3 projectiles) at 13:35, while at
the period of 20:20-20:30 the Azerbaijani armed forces fired 5
projectiles from TR-107 multiple rocket launcher from a military
position located in Alkhanlu village in the direction of a command
post of a regiment located in the southern direction, and at 20:48 3
projectiles were fired in the same direction from 82 mm mortars. The
front line units of the Defense Army had no alternative but take
retaliatory measures to suppress the enemy's aggressive activity at
20:31-20:40, as a result of which the military position of Azerbaijan
in Alkhanlu village was damaged. According to credible information
from the relevant services of the Defense Army, the enemy has suffered
losses. The Defense Army suffered no casualties as a result of the
provocative actions initiated by Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani side
announced that two civilians were killed and one was wounded.

[MosJan]

Թշնամիի Արձակած Արկերու Բեկորներէն Վիրաւորուած Են Երեք Զինուորներ

 

ՍՏԵՓԱՆԱԿԵՐՏ.- Արցախի Պաշտպանութեան բանակը (ՊԲ) հրապարակած է հաղորդագրութիւն մը, որուն մէջ կ՛ըսուի. «Ուրբաթ, 7 Յուլիսի առաւօտուանից սկսած, հակառակորդը արցախա-ադրբեջանական հակամարտ զօրքերի շփման գծում խախտում է հրադադարի պահպանման ռեժիմը՝ օգտագործելով ինչպէս հրաձգային զինատեսակներ, այնպէս էլ Դ-30 եւ Դ-44 տիպի հրանօթներ, տարբեր տրամաչափի ականանետեր ու նռնականետեր: Ադրբեջանական զինուժի արկակոծութեան արդիւնքում՝ տարբեր աստիճանի բեկորային վիրաւորումներ են ստացել ՊԲ զինծառայողներ Ռոբերտ Նովրուզի Գասպարեանը (ծն. 1969թ.), Համբարձում Կարապետի Յարութիւնեանը (ծն. 1997թ.) եւ Վահէ Գագիկի Բադալեանը (ծնվ. 1998թ.): Հակառակորդի նախայարձակ ակտիւութիւնը ճնշելու համար ՊԲ առաջապահ զօրամասերն իրականացնում են պատասխան գործողութիւններ: Առաջնային գծում իրավիճակի ապակայունացմանն ուղղուած գործողութիւնների ողջ պատասխանատուութիւնը կրում է Ադրբեջանի ռազմաքաղաքական ղեկավարութիւնը»:

Նշենք, որ վիրաւորուած երեք զինուորներէն մէկուն վիճակը ծանր է. ան վիրաւորուած է գլուխէն:

Արցախի ՊԲը հերքած է Ատրպէյճանի պաշտպանութեան նախարարութեան տարածած այն հաղորդագրութիւնը, որ իբրեւ թէ հերթական սադրանքը իրականացնելու համար, արցախեան զինուած ուժերը բերուած են մարտական պատրաստականութեան, որուն ի պատասխան ատրպէյճանական ուժերը թիրախային կրակային հարուածներ հասցուցած են՝ պատճառելով մեծ թիւով մարդկային կորուստներ, քանի մը միաւոր ռազմական մեքենաներ եւ ռազմական նշանակութեան ենթակառուցուածքներ: Սոյն հաղորդագրութիւնը ատրպէյճանական հերթական ապատեղեկատուութիւն է:

http://asbarez.com/arm/288397/

[MosJan]

3 Artsakh Soldiers Wounded in Azeri Shelling

 

STEPANAKERT—The Artsakh Defense Ministry on Friday reported that three soldiers of the Artsakh Defense Army have been wounded as a result of shelling from Azerbaijani positions.

The Ministry identified the soldiers as Robert Gasparyan (born in 1969), Hambartsum Harutyunyan (born in 1997) and Vahe Badalyan (born in 1998).

Head of the Armenian Defense Ministry Medical Department, Kamavor Khachartyan told Azatutyun.am that Gasparyan sustained injuries to his head. He has been treated and is in stable condition. One of the other soldiers suffered injuries to his leg.

The Azeri forces have been violating the ceasefire, firing various small arms, as well as D-30 and D-44 cannons, mortars and grenade launchers since 9 a.m. Friday. The Defense Army has taken retaliatory measures to pressure the rival.

The Artsakh Defense Ministry said that the Azerbaijani military-political leadership bears full responsibility for destabilization of the situation on the frontline.

Earlier of Friday, the Artsakh Defense Ministry released a video, which clearly shows Azerbaijan deploying weapons and artillery in close and dangerous proximity to residential areas in the Azerbaijani village of Alkhanli just outside of Varanda, formerly Fizouli, in the Artsakh Republic.

[MosJan]

http://asbarez.com/164765/3-artsakh-soldiers-wounded-in-azeri-shelling/

[MosJan]

 

The Artsakh Defense Ministry said that the army never targets civilian targets or population. However, the ministry vowed to take all steps to neutralize Azerbaijani firing posts, “even if Baku chooses to locate them in residential areas, thus using its civilian population as a human shield.”

[MosJan]

Baku’s Use of Human Shields Affects Karabakh Peace, Says Yerevan

 

YEREVAN—Armenia’s Defense Ministry on Thursday said that Azerbaijan’s continued violation of the cease-fire, as well as its decision to use its own citizens as human shields impacts chances of establishing peace in the region and resolving the Karabakh conflict.

In an interview with Public Radio of Armenia, defense ministry spokesperson Artsrun Hovannesyan said that Azerbaijan speaks about peace, but never loses an opportunity to instigate hatred toward Armenians even among the youngest of its citizens.

“The country fails to demonstrate even the slightest sign of decency, which quashes any chance of establishing peace or at least good-neighborly relations,” said Hovannesyan.

The spokesperson called this week’s attack on Artsakh position by Azerbaijan “a gross violation of a number of international norms.” He referred to the Geneva Convention that defines humanitarian protections for civilians in a war zone and prohibits the deliberate use civilians to shield military operations. Meanwhile, he said “we have ample pieces of evidence of Azerbaijan violating the norms.”

“Disrespect for the enemy is just one side of the coin. The other side is Azerbaijan’s attitude toward its own population,” Hovannesyan said. “We have long known they don’t give a damn about their soldiers, but having the same attitude toward their civilian population is another matter.”

Azerbaijan places its missile systems in residential areas, thus making the civilian population a target of retaliatory fire. According to Hovannesyan, this fact should be brought to the attention of both the people of Azerbaijan and the international community.

“People in Azerbaijan should realize that Baku, which keeps manipulating facts about civilian losses, bears responsibility for the death of a two-year-old child. This is yet another expression of Azerbaijan’s ‘unhealthy’ propaganda,” he added.

“Azerbaijan speaks about peace, but never misses an opportunity to instigate hatred towards Armenians even among the youngest of its citizens,” the Defense Ministry Spokesman said.

He believes that “the most important message we have to understand is that Azerbaijan’s inadequacy leaves no room for establishment of peace or at least good-neighborly relations.”

“The Armenian side has stated on many occasions that in Azerbaijan we are dealing with a terrorist state. The recent report about Baku’s support for terrorist organizations comes to reinforce the assertions,” the spokesman said, referring to a report published this week detailing that over the past three years, 350 Azerbaijani diplomatic flights delivered arms and machinery to terrorist organizations.

Hovannesyan added that Azerbaijan has and continues to commit acts of terrorism against Armenians and “today we see documents proving Azerbaijan’s support for international terrorism.”

[Yervant1]

Tert, Armenia

July 8 2017

Frank Angel: Azerbaijan kicking into action its usual fake assertions

10:40 • 08.07.17

Tweet

Member of the European Parliament Frank Engel (Luxemburg) expresses his sorrow over the recent fatalities in the Nagorno-Karabakah conflict zone but refrains from any comments on the incidents that led to human losses.

“I have not seen any videos and can't watch them now. I am not on the frontline. I know nothing at all, and sorry as I am, I cannot reasonably take a position in this. All I know is that if I don't know who has shot in which direction and who is using which sort of shields - human possibly - neither does anyone else. So anyone who condemns now should be pretty certain of their position - or abstain from saying anything,” he told Tert.am on Friday.

The European parliamentarian also expressed his regret for the fatalities, particularly the killing of a two-year-old child in the wake of the military actions.

“After another of innumerable military provocations, NKR retaliation sadly entailed the death of an innocent child. I deplore the girl's death, as well as that of her grandmother. But if the whole communication and propaganda machinery of Azerbaijan is now kicking into action with its usual useless and false assertions about Armenian occupation and provocation – where were all these human voices when Azeri soldiers killed and dismembered helpless old people in Talish last year? Where are they to demand the end of Azeri sniper actions and incursions into the north of the Republic of Armenia? Nowhere to be heard, of course - which proves that the intentional atrocities of Azerbaijan are commended by the Baku regime, and the casualties of Armenian defense are construed into atrocities,” he said.

http://www.tert.am/en/news/2017/07/08/frank-engel/2425192

[MosJan]

Azerbaijani Gunfire Kills Artsakh Soldier

 

http://hetq.am/eng/news/80489/hakarakordi-krakocic-zinvor-e-zohvel.html

 

Azerbaijani gunfire has killed a soldier serving in an eastern Artsakh Defense Army outpost, this according to the country’s defense ministry.

The soldier has been identified as Vazgen Poghosyan (born 1997).

[Yervant1]

news.am, Armenia

July 10 2017

Azerbaijan shells Armenian border villages with no military facilities

17:16, 10.07.2017

YEREVAN. – Azerbaijan is shelling Armenian border villages where no military infrastructure is deployed, Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan said while presenting his 2016 report.

Azerbaijani fired on Chinar, Voskepar, Koti and Baghanis villages. Road connecting Voskepar and Baghanis has been recently shelled, and there are no military facilities there.

“This makes the arguments of the Azerbaijani side that they are ‘defending their positions’ groundless. The fact that civilian targets are fired intentionally can be concluded both by the time of day and by the nature of the shooting,” Tatoyan added.

https://news.am/eng/news/399622.html

[Yervant1]

Panorama, Armenia

July 14 2017

Azerbaijani protest staged outside Armenian Embassy in Prague fails

http://www.groong.com/news/attachments/msg606372/png3xlLE49SxL.png

A protest staged by the Azerbaijani youth outside the Armenian Embassy in Prague, the Czech Republic, has failed thanks to the counter-protest organized by the Armenian community, “Orer” Armenian European magazine told Panorama.am.

The Azerbaijani protesters were welcomed by the Armenian Embassy staff and local Armenian community members, with the flags of Armenia, Artsakh and the Czech Republic, loud national-patriotic music and dozens of posters reading “Hiding behind the human shield is immoral”, “Stop aggressor Aliyev”, “Nagorno-Karabakh is a free country”, the famous assessment of Eleni Theocharous, Member of the European Parliament saying “Azerbaijan not only broke the ceasefire, but also used its own civilians as a human shield” and the others.

According to the source, during the one-hour granted to the Azerbaijanis, they had an opportunity to listen to beloved national songs dedicated to Armenian soldiers, the Armenian Army, Commander Andranik, as well as Aram Khachaturian and System of a Down.

Commenting on the Azerbaijani rally, Tigran Seyranyan, Armenia's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic, told the following to “Orer” magazine: “According to the information that we obtained the Azerbaijanis living in the Czech Republic staged this small-numbered protest action outside the Armenian Embassy upon the orders from Baku. Azerbaijan must realize that protests over made-up issues will not lead them to anything. It would be more efficient if they implemented the Vienna and St. Petersburg agreements on confidence building measures reached under the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The Armenian side has repeatedly slammed the Azerbaijani military’s actions of using their own peaceful population as a human shield. Due to the coordinated actions of the Armenian community of the Czech Republic, the Azerbaijani provocation in fact failed.”

http://www.panorama.am/files/images/IMG_5083.jpg

http://www.panorama.am/files/images/IMG_5082-768x576.jpg

http://www.panorama.am/files/images/DSC4805-768x509.jpg

http://www.panorama.am/files/images/DSC4797-768x509.jpg

http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2017/07/14/Azerbaijani-protest-fail-Armenian-Embassy-Prague/1807933

[Yervant1]

FOCUS ON KARABAKH

USC Institute of Armenian Studies

July 5, 2017

 

 

http://www.groong.com/news/attachments/msg606607/png6EfDIbriKG.png

 

Map of Azerbaijani artillery positions near Alxanli, where civilian deaths occurred; the Line of Contact is just to the west (left) of village. Courtesy of Razm.info

 

On July 5, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported that a 52-year-old woman and her 2-year-old granddaughter died when their house was hit with Armenian mortar fire late on July 4. Another woman was injured in the incident in the village of Alxanli, located about a kilometer from the Line of Contact in the southeast of Karabakh.

 

The Armenian military expressed “pain and regret” over the deaths, but added that the Armenian forces were responding to Azerbaijani rocket fire launched from behind the civilian area in Alxanli.

 

The Armenian military also published video of Azerbaijani rocket fire from inside Alxanli and an audio intercept confirming that the Armenian mortar fire primarily targeted Azerbaijani military in the area.

 

Since February, Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have resumed intermittent exchanges of mortar fire at each others’ military positions, but the July 4 incident is the first since April 2016 war to involve civilian deaths.

 

Early on April 2, 2016, three elderly Armenian civilians were executed and their bodies mutilated when their house on the outskirts of Talish was raided by Azerbaijani special forces. Separately, an Armenian schoolboy was killed and two others wounded when they were hit by missile fire on their way to school. Additionally, some half a dozen Azerbaijani civilians were killed by subsequent Armenian artillery fire at Azerbaijani military.

 

In an earlier escalation in September 2015 – that one not in Karabakh but on Armenia’s northeastern border in Tavush – three Armenian women, including two elderly, were killed when their villages were hit by Azerbaijani mortar fire.

[Yervant1]

Panorama, Armenia

July 22 2017

Armenia’s Chinari village suffers great damages amid Azerbaijani gunfire

http://www.groong.com/news/attachments/msg606911/pngVEK8x5ASQm.png

On July 20, in the period from 8:20 to 19:00, the Azerbaijani military opened gunfire at Chinari village located at Armenia’s bordering Tavush Province.

As Samvel Saghoyan, headman of Chinari community, told Panorama.am, the village has suffered significant damages as a result of the shelling.

“The Azerbaijani shooting damaged several houses, the roof of the kindergarten and a tractor. In addition to that, a barn was burnt down, with forage stored inside. One of our villagers suffered 12-13 million AMD in damages,” the village chief said.

Mr. Saghoyan also noted that the Azerbaijani snipers attempted to shoot down an Armenian young man near the village cemetery. The boy was lucky to go unharmed.

“The situation is currently calm in the village,” Mr. Saghoyan added.

To note, on July 21, in the period from 23:00 to 01:00, the Azerbaijani side opened fire at Barekamavan village of Armenia’s bordering Tavush Province. Fortunately, the village did not suffer casualties or damages.

http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2017/07/22/Armenia-Chinari-village-Azerbaijani-gunfire/1811462

[Yervant1]

Shame on the Government of Canada, and shame on Trudeau! I guess money has no morals or integrity.

CBC Canada

July 24 2017

Canadian defence deal with Azerbaijan raises new questions about arms export controls

Export permits for military vehicles issued despite concerns over Azerbaijan's poor human rights record

By Levon Sevunts - Radio Canada International, Posted: Jul 24, 2017 2:45 PM ET Last Updated: Jul 24, 2017 2:45 PM ET

A photo of a Canadian-made armoured personnel carrier that are being delivered to Azerbaijan. (Levon Sevunts/Radio Canada International)

A deal by a Canadian company to export armoured personnel carriers to Azerbaijan and set up a joint production of these military-style vehicles in the oil-rich former Soviet republic is once again raising questions about the efficacy of Canada's defence export controls.

Toronto-based INKAS Armored Vehicle Manufacturing has signed a deal with Azerbaijan's interior ministry under which the company has already delivered "a few" Canadian-made armoured personnel carriers (APCs).

The privately owned company has also set up a joint venture with an Azerbaijani firm to produce APCs in Azerbaijan, which has been embroiled in a simmering armed conflict with neighbouring Armenia since the breakup of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, said Roman Shimonov, vice-president of marketing and business development at INKAS.

• Violence flares up in decades old separatist conflict between Azerbaijan, Armenia

"Azerbaijan is a very unique country in terms of geographic location, in terms of geopolitical challenges, because they are in the middle between Iran and Armenia and Turkey," said Shimonov, who has also been appointed CEO of the joint venture AZCAN Defence Solutions. "And they have resources, more resources than other countries, and they are looking to be able to have more solutions in terms of defence — and not only defence, they're looking to protect their borders."

Export permits approved by Ottawa

Shimonov says the company has fully complied with all the government rules for the export of military goods.

"We cannot sell anything without getting a written permit from export control and once we get it, we know that our authorities, our Canadian authorities, have checked and they have approved," Shimonov said.

The interior of an armoured personnel carrier. A Canadian company has been exporting the vehicle to Azerbaijan, a country with a questionable human rights record. (Levon Sevunts/Radio Canada International)

Global Affairs Canada, the federal department responsible for issuing export permits for military and controlled goods, said "all applications for permits to export dual-use, military and strategic goods are assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on the specific goods and technology being exported, the destination country, and the specific end-use and end-user, amongst other criteria."

"Regional peace and stability, including civil conflict and human rights, as well as the possibility of unauthorized transfer or diversion of the exported goods and technology, are actively considered," said Global Affairs spokesperson Natasha Nystrom.

'Recurring crackdown on fundamental freedoms'

And yet the federal government granted INKAS permits for the export of APCs despite ongoing concerns over Azerbaijan's poor human rights record.

"Canada and Azerbaijan benefit from cooperation on issues of mutual interest and concern," Nystrom said. "However, we are concerned with the recurring crackdown on fundamental freedoms in Azerbaijan, particularly with respect to journalists and human rights defenders in the country."

An explosion of a downed Azerbaijani drone in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan on April 4, 2016. (Vahram Baghdasaryan/AP)

Groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have criticized Azerbaijan's human rights record and accused it of a "thorough crackdown on dissenting voices," as well as persistent reports of torture and other ill-treatment perpetrated by its law enforcement agencies.

• Human Rights Watch report: Azerbaijan
• Amnesty International report on Azerbaijan's human rights record

In November 2015, Azerbaijani police used Israeli-made armoured personnel carriers similar to those produced by INKAS in a controversial security operation that resulted in the death of six people and dozens of arrests in the town of Nardaran, about 30 kilometres northeast of the capital Baku.

Ongoing armed conflict

The granting of the export permits also seems to contradict the government's own export control goals that stipulate among other things that Canadian defence exports "do not contribute to national or regional conflicts or instability."

In April 2016, tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia once again erupted into an intense four-day war in contravention of a ceasefire signed in 1994. The Azerbaijani military launched a surprise offensive against Armenian forces that control the breakaway Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.

A local resident walks past police vehicles after a mass protests in the town of Ismailli, 200 kilometres northwest of the capital Baku. (David Mdzinarishvili/Reuters)

In addition, there are almost daily reports of clashes, sniper fire, artillery exchanges and commando raids along the entire line of contact between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the disputed region.

According to data collected by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) over the last two decades, Azerbaijan has spent over $30 billion of its oil wealth to rearm and retrain its military, purchasing high-tech weapons and munitions from Russia, Israel, Turkey, Ukraine and Pakistan.

"They feel that part of their land is taken and they want to be competitive in terms of capabilities, and that's why they're looking to protect their soldiers and they're looking for the best product, and when it comes to the best product in our industry, we definitely can offer a lot of solutions, very cost-effective solutions," Shimonov said.

'Paramilitary and law enforcement solutions'

And yet at the same time, Shimonov claims INKAS doesn't produce military vehicles.

"We mostly focus on paramilitary and law enforcement solutions," Shimonov said during an interview at the recent CANSEC defence industry trade show in Ottawa. "Our vehicles are not designed to provide any solution in the military field."

However, that's not what the company claims in its sales pitch on its own website.

"The INKAS Sentry APC is designed to be used by military forces, SWAT, and other law enforcement agencies all over the world," reads the vehicle overview of its Sentry model APC.

"The INKAS Huron APC is a multipurpose tactical vehicle, which is able to protect its passengers in high threat environments within almost any climate condition. The vehicle is designed and equipped to operate in police and military tactical missions, convoy protection and border control all over the world," reads the overview of its Huron model.

"AZCAN's new ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) vehicle is armed with a Pitbull light remote weapon stations jointly designed by the Israel based companies IAI and General Robotics," reads the description of the vehicle published in press release at the ADEX 2016 arms show in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku, where Shimonov presented the Sentry APC to President Ilham Aliyev.

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev agreed to purchase armoured personnel vehicles from a Toronto-based company. (Sergei Grits/AP Photo)

"The Pitbull LRWS integrate sensors for automatic detection of enemy targets with accurate and fast counter fire capabilities."

Greater scrutiny needed

Cesar Jaramillo, executive director of the peace group Project Ploughshares, said the export permit issued to INKAS illustrates an ongoing problem with Canada's arms exports control mechanism.

The government needs to take a much closer look at the destination country's general human rights record and the notion of risk and end use when it makes determinations on issuing export permits for military goods, Jaramillo said.

"Even if it's on case-by-case basis, I think the general knowledge about problems in a certain country should be again an indicator which cases should merit more scrutiny than others, and I think that countries like Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, perhaps, fall into that category of greater scrutiny," Jaramillo said.

"If the likely end use of any equipment going to Azerbaijan or anywhere else poses or triggers a certain risk, then the export we believe should not proceed."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-defence-deal-azerbaijan-export-1.4219119

 

 

[Yervant1]

news.am, Armenia

July 24 2017

Criminal cases launched into Azerbaijan’s targeting Armenian settlements

18:40, 24.07.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YEREVAN. - A criminal case has been launched in the Criminal Department of the Tavush Investigative Department of the Armenian Investigative Committee into the shelling by the Azerbaijani armed forces of Chinari village of Tavush province, its kindergarten, destroying and damaging the property of villagers and attempting to kill minors on July 20.

From 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm on July 20, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired in the direction of Chinari village, targeting peaceful residents, the Investigative Committee informed Armenian News – NEWS.am.

In particular, shots were fired in the direction of a minor (born in 2000) in the Chinari village cemetery, who hid behind a tomb in order to protect himself from the bullets of the adversary and remained there for about two hours.

The village was subjected to lengthy shelling, as a result of which the kindergarten of the village, houses of the villagers, their property and grass heaps were damaged. According to the preliminary data, the incurred loss amounts to more than 12 million AMD.

Five criminal cases have been launched in the Investigative Department of Tavush provincial Investigative Department.

 

https://news.am/eng/news/401946.html

[Yervant1]

 

Shame on the Government of Canada, and shame on Trudeau! I guess money has no morals or integrity.

 

 

Asbarez Armenian News

July 26 2017

ANC of Canada Calls On Ottawa to Immediately Halt Arms Sales to Baku

http://asbarez.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/vehicle.png

http://asbarez.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/vehicle.png

A photo of a Canadian-made armoured personnel carrier that are being delivered to Azerbaijan. (Levon Sevunts/Radio Canada International)

OTTAWA, Canada—The Armenian National Committee of Canada is appalled to learn that the Canadian government has granted an export permit for the transfer of highly sophisticated military equipment from the Toronto-based INKAS Armored Vehicle Manufacturing.

In a letter addressed to Canada?s Minister of International Trade, François-Philippe Champagne on July 24, the ANCC called upon the Canadian government to immediately halt the transfer of weapons to Azerbaijan and take the necessary steps to reverse this wrong decision.

?Such transfers of dangerous weaponry to a rogue states such as Azerbaijan violate the very basic norms of Canada?s arms exports regulations and pose a significant danger to domestic and regional stability? said Shahen Mirakian, president of the ANCC.

“As has been demonstrated repeatedly thus far, the Azeri regime is adamant on using such equipment not only to perpetuate regional instability by threatening the peace and security of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), but also to crack down on dissent at home,” added Mirakian.

As a matter of fact, in April of last year, Azerbaijan, armed with then-newly acquired lethal weaponry, initiated the Four-Day War which was the deadliest clash between Armenian and Azeri forces since the 1994 ceasefire, and has been culpable of countless ceasefire violations up to that point and ever since.

By allowing this export of military goods to Azerbaijan, Canada is contributing to the hostilities among Azerbaijan, Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh. Such decisions are contrary to Canada?s commitment and full support of the OSCE Minsk Group negotiation process and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

As for its human rights record, Azerbaijan has been repeatedly condemned by prominent rights watchdogs such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International for what is deemed to be a recurring suppression of fundamental freedoms, most notably its continuing assault on independent journalism and human rights advocacy in the country.

?In observance of Canada?s stated priorities regarding arms exports, namely preserving regional peace and stability, and protecting human rights, we urge the government to not allow the interests and motives of hostile nations trump our shared values of justice and democracy.? concluded Mirakian.

http://asbarez.com/165138/anc-of-canada-calls-on-ottawa-to-immediately-halt-arms-sales-to-baku/

also at http://armenianweekly.com/2017/07/26/ancc-calls-upon-the-canadian-government-to-immediately-halt-azerbaijani-arms-sales/

[Yervant1]

Lragir, Armenia

July 31 2017

Azerbaijani Snipers Target Wheat Fields

Lragir.am
Country - Monday, 31 July 2017, 18:05

 

 

http://www.lragir.am/upload/img/eng150150994052.JPG

The farmers in the village of Voskevan, Tavush region, have not been able to harvest wheat, the head of village administration Seryozha Alexanyan told news.am. The Azerbaijani side targets wheat fields. On July 28 the Azerbaijani side fired at the combine harvester. Fortunately, the operator of the harvester Hambik Grigoryan was able to hide in the bushes.

 

“We stopped harvesting two days ago. About 2 hectares of land is left, we have harvested the rest. We left that area for the end because it is the most dangerous area,” he said.

 

The Azerbaijani side continued to fire on July 30, between 11 am and 1 pm.

 

The head of village administration says since the installation of video surveillance equipment the enemy has replaced the attacks by fire at the civilians.

 

In another border village, in Chinari community, the villagers have been unable to harvest about 3 hectares of wheat fields. And they did most part of the harvest at night because they are afraid of snipers.

 

In Koti village, the enemy has recently fired at the combine harvester. The gunfire also set a wheat field on fire, the mayor of Koti village informed.

 

The heads of Barekamavan, Baghanis, Aygepar villages in Tavush region informed us that there has been no firing recently.

http://m.lragir.am/index/eng/1/country/view/37283

[Yervant1]

Lragir, Armenia

July 31 2017

Azerbaijan Lost One of Its Best Snipers

Lragir.am
Politics - Monday, 31 July 2017, 11:26

 

 

http://www.lragir.am/upload/img/eng150148598131.JPG

The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan informs that the serviceman of the Azerbaijani army Lieutenant Hussein Zakir oglu Akberli was killed by fire from the Armenian side.

 

The Azerbaijani MoD accuses the Armenian armed forces of opening fire in the night of July 30 in the direction of the Azerbaijani villages of Tovuz and Qazakh regions bordering with the Armenian region of Tavush.

 

The spokesperson for the Armenian MoD Artsrun Hovhannisyan mentioned on Facebook that Akberli was a high-quality sniper.

 

Note that on the recent days the Azerbaijani side has been firing at the border villages of Tavush, damaging households.

http://m.lragir.am/index/eng/1/politics/view/37281

[Yervant1]

Jerusalem Post

Aug 13 2017

Did Israeli Defense company carry out demonstration of drone strike against Armenia?

ByAnna Ahronheim

August 13, 2017 21:12

Azerbaijan and Armenia have had a long-standing dispute over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh and violence has in recent years led to the deaths of dozens of soldiers.

The Defense Ministry is checking reports that the Israeli firm Aeronautics Defense Systems had been asked by Azerbaijan to carry out a live demonstration of an armed unmanned aerial vehicle against an Armenian military position.

The Israeli daily Maariv reported on Sunday that a team belonging to the Israeli defense company arrived in Azerbaijan to finalize a contract for the sale of its Orbiter 1K UAV when they were asked to strike the position. According to the report the two Israelis operating the UAV refused to hit the position and senior representatives of the company took control and operated the craft themselves, ultimately missing their targets.

The Defense Ministry said that while “as a rule, the Defense Ministry does not make it a practice to comment on issues involving military exports the claim is being examined by the relevant parties at the ministry.”

Aeronautics Defense Systems for their part strongly denied that the event ever occurred telling The Jerusalem Post that “Aeronautics never performs demonstrations using live fire and that was true in this case as well” and that the operation of the craft is carried out by the purchaser and whatever occurs is the purchaser’s responsibility.

Aeronautics’s Orbiter 1K is a loitering suicide drone capable of carrying a 1 to 2 kg. special explosive payload.

“Aeronautics markets its products to customers in about 50 different countries,[and] only in accordance with approval from the Defense Export Controls Agency,” the statement from the company added.

The Central Asian country which borders Iran is one of the main suppliers of crude oil to Israel and has become a major recipient of Israeli military hardware in recent years. In 2012 Jerusalem and Baku signed a $1.4 billion deal which focused on drones and missile defense systems. A year earlier Aeronautics opened a factory in Azerbaijan to build the company’s Aerostar and Orbiter UAVs.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have had a long-standing dispute over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh and violence has in recent years led to the deaths of dozens of soldiers. Nagorno-Karabakh is located within Azerbaijan and it is internationally recognized as being part of that country but a large part of it is governed by separatists who seized control of the mountainous region backed by Yerevan in a war in the 1990s.

Despite a cease-fire signed by the two foes in 1994 the two have never signed a peace treaty and during the last flare-up between the two countries last year it was reported that Azerbaijan had used suicide drones against Armenian targets including a Harop drone made by Israel Aerospace Industries killing seven Armenian soldiers when it hit a bus they were traveling in.

Armenian Ambassador Armen Melkonian later delivered a formal protest to Israel over the weapons and Meretz chairwoman Zehava Gal-On demanded that then-defense minister Moshe Ya’alon stop the delivery of Israeli drones to Baku until Jerusalem receives a clear commitment that Israeli weapons will not be used against Armenia.

“Armenia and Azerbaijan are both friendly to Israel and it is inconceivable that Israeli weapons be used in a war between the two countries over the Nagorno-Karabakh region,” she wrote shortly after the incident with the Harop UAV stressing that “it is Israel’s obligation to ensure that weapons it manufactures do not contribute to igniting the land which is burning anyway, and not to take part in attacks by either side.”

According to a report in the Vestnik Kavkaza news site, Azer Mammadov, senior adviser to Azerbaijan’s Defense Industry Minister Yavar Jamalov, said that the use of UAVs by both sides has led Baku to increase its “acquisitions and joint developments from and with Israel.”

The report also quoted Mammadov as saying local manufacturer AZAD is producing the Zarba-1K based on Aeronautics’s Orbiter-K which “due to its very low acoustic signature [...] is not detectable until two seconds before diving into the attack.”

Mammadov stated that the testing of the Zarba-1K is expected to be completed within “a few months after which we plan to field 100 of them.”

http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Did-Azerbaijan-hire-Israeli-suicide-drones-against-Armenia-502331

[Yervant1]

The Times of Israel

Aug 13 2017

Israeli drone company tried to bomb Armenian army for Azerbaijan — report

August 13, 2017, 7:15 pm

n Israeli drone manufacturer attempted to bomb the Armenian military on behalf of Azerbaijan during a demonstration of one of its “suicide” unmanned aerial vehicles last month, according to a complaint filed with the Defense Ministry.

A copy of the complaint filed against Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd. with the ministry’s Defense Export Controls Agency was leaked to the Maariv newspaper, which published the details today. The Defense Ministry confirms that it is investigating the issue, but would not discuss the case further.

“As a rule, the Defense Ministry does not comment on issues concerning defense exports. The allegation is being investigated by relevant figures in the ministry,” a spokesperson says in a statement.

According to the report, the company sent a team to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, in order to demonstrate its Orbiter 1K unmanned aerial vehicle, which can be outfitted with a small explosive payload, 2.2 to 4.4 pounds (one to two kilograms), and flown into an enemy target on a “suicide” mission.

— Judah Ari Gross

http://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israeli-drone-company-tried-to-bomb-armenian-army-for-azerbaijan-report/

[MosJan]

Israeli Defense Company Accused of Drone Attack on Artsakh Targets

 

JERUSALEM, YEREVAN—The Israeli Defense Ministry said it is investigating allegations that Azerbaijan asked an Israeli defense firm to carry out live demonstrations of a suicide drone system, which it sold to Azerbaijan, on Artsakh targets.

The Israeli daily Maariv on Sunday reported that Aeronautics Defense System, which manufactures the drone, sent a team to Azerbaijan to finalize a sale of its Orbiter 1K unarmed aircraft. The Israeli team was asked by the Azerbaijani army to test the drones, armed with explosives, on a military position in Artsakh.

Maariv, which reported about the complaint, added that Aeronautics Defense System strongly denied that its staff carried out the alleged test saying the company “never carries out demonstrations [of the operations of the drone] on live targets, and that was true in this case as well.”

The existence of the complaint was reported Sunday by the Israeli daily paper Maariv. For its part however, Aeronautics Defense Systems strongly denied that its staff carried out such a mission, saying that it was carried out by the purchaser of the aircraft.

According to Maariv, however, the two Israeli drone operators refused to hit the Artsakh target, and after firmly refusing and being threatened by Azerbaijanis, senior representatives of the company armed and operated the drone, which is said to have missed its target without causing damage.

The complaint, however, states that one of them hit about 330 feet from the intended target.

The complaint against the company was filed with the ministry’s Defense Export Controls Agency, which oversees the activities of the country’s defense contractors. The defense ministry said, “As a rule,” it does not “make it a practice to comment on issues involving military exports. The claim is being examined by the relevant parties at the ministry.”

“Aeronautics markets its products to customers in about 50 different countries,[and] only in accordance with approval from the Defense Export Controls Agency. The operational action was carried out by the purchaser alone and on its responsibility. Aeronautics has never carried out demonstrations on live targets, and that was true in this case as well,” said a statement from Aeronautics Defense System.

Official Baku has boasted it reported purchase of $5 billion in arms from Israel, which were used on Artsakh targets during the April 2016 war, when a Harop aircraft, manufactured by the Israel Aerospace Industries, hit a bus and killed seven Armenians on board.

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

The Artsakh Army said that Azerbaijan used a suicide drone to attack its positions in northeastern Artsakh as recently as July 7. According to Colonel Armen Gyozalian of the Artsakh Army, two soldiers were injured during that attack, but no hardware was damaged.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tigran Balayan told Armenpress that the ministry is monitoring the reports about the drone testing.

“We are aware of those issues and are following them. Processes are underway. We carefully follow all developments related to Artsakh’s security,” said Balayan.

The spokesperson said that Armenia has a clear position on arms sales to Azerbaijan by any country and that stance has not changed.

Armenia’s Honorary Consul to Israel, Tsolag Moumjian, told Azatutyun.am that he, as well as Armenia’s foreign ministry are carefully following the developments since Sunday’s publication of the report, adding that the Armenian community in Israel was also extremely interested in the matter.

Hagop Sevan, the chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Jerusalem, called the allegation of the testing the drones on live targets “criminal”

“They [israeli officials] have conduct an internal investigation and make decisions. For Israel to carry out such tests of its military hardware is nothing but criminal,” said Sevan adding that the ANC of Jerusalem has filed numerous complaints since the 2016 April war urging Israel to withraw its military experts from Azerbaijan.

Sevan said that this did not amount to Israel’s overt involvement in the war, but what has happened is a “hostile act” toward Armenia.

 

Asbarez

[Yervant1]

Lragir, Armenia

Aug 14 2017

Israel Also Got Into Trouble Due to Azerbaijan

Lragir.am
Politics - Monday, 14 August 2017, 17:46

 

 

http://www.lragir.am/upload/img/eng150271841452.JPG

The Ministry of Defense of Israel has started an investigation into Azerbaijan’s request to Aeronautics Defense Systems. The Haaretz informed that Azerbaijan had requested the Israeli company to demonstrate Orbiter 1K UAV on the military positions of the Armenian army.

 

Aeronautics Defense Systems denies that its staff ever performed such tests. The company emphasized that it "never carries out demonstrations [of the operations of the drone] on live targets, and that was true in this case as well", the Haaretz informed.

 

Aeronautics claimed that its products are sold in around 50 countries with the approval of the Defense Export Control Agency. The demonstration was performed only by the buyer, i.e. Azerbaijan, it noted.

 

The Maariv informed that following threats from the Azerbaijani side some representatives of the management of the company personally demonstrated the devices but they did not hit targets and they fell around 100 meters from the Armenian military positions.

 

The complaint of the Armenian side is being scrutinized by the Defense Export Control Agency in Israel’s MoD.

 

Earlier Lragir.am reported that Karabakh has become a target of trade and demonstration of modern weapons for some countries, including Russia and Israel. In fact, the scandal in Israel is an indication of this.

 

In a recent interview the defense minister of Artsakh Levon Mnatsakanyan stated that the Azerbaijanis need to learn how to use modern equipment. In fact, Azerbaijan is not limited to training of staff, it also demands demonstration of equipment on Armenian military positions.

 

For example, the minister of defense of Azerbaijan hinted that the Russian specialists help them use the modern Russian weapons.

 

Azerbaijan has problems with not only equipment but also fighting. Azerbaijan lost the war in Karabakh when the Russian troops left that country. The Russian army provided huge assistance and support to Azerbaijan, not even refraining from direct military actions against the Armenian forces of Karabakh.

 

For its part, Azerbaijan is trying to involve different countries in the conflict in an effort to resolve its own problems. Thanks to the Armenian army, the countries which give any military assistance to Azerbaijan always get into trouble. These countries are directly responsible for the humanicide policy of Azerbaijan.

http://m.lragir.am/index/eng/1/politics/view/37318

[Yervant1]

The Media Line

Aug 14 2017

Complaint: Israeli Drone Maker Targeted Armenian Army For Azeris

By Charles Bybelezer | The Media Line

August 14, 2017

An Israeli drone manufacturer has come under fire for reportedly agreeing to bomb an Armenian military target on behalf of Azerbaijan, during a demonstration of one of its “suicide” unmanned aerial vehicles last month. A complaint filed with the Israeli Defense Ministry against Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd. claims the firm sent a team to the Azerbaijan capital Baku to demonstrate its Orbiter 1K drone, which can be outfitted with a small explosive payload. According to the complaint, the company was asked to carry out a live test against Armenian assets, but ended up missing the target, causing no injuries. Israeli defense officials confirmed an investigation has been launched into the matter, but would not disclose any details. Azerbaijan, one of Israel’s only Muslim-majority allies, has been fighting a sporadic conflict with Armenia for nearly 25 years over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

http://www.themedialine.org/mideast-daily-news/complaint-israeli-drone-maker-targeted-armenian-army-azeris/