Putin's ERA betrayal backstabbing - Big Sister Russia

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Armenpress.am

Russian FM plans to discuss Nagorno Karabakh with Turkish counterpart next week

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16:47, 30 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Turkey on April 6 at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on March 30.

She said that Lavrov will discuss the situation in Nagorno Karabakh, Ukraine and Syria during his trip.

“A broad circle of issues is planned to be discussed during the contacts, first of all the state and prospects of bilateral cooperation in the areas of mutual interest, including trade, energy and tourism. A comprehensive exchange of ideas will take place on relevant issues on the international agenda, including the current situation in Ukraine, Syrian and Nagorno Karabakh resolution, as well as around Central Asia and Afghanistan,” Zakharova said.

 

 

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Armenpress.am

The issue of Armenia's accession to the ICC will be resolved in an allied manner. Zakharova

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18:58, 30 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. The Russian Federation expects that the situation related to Yerevan's possible accession to the International Criminal Court (ICC) will be settled in an allied and mutually acceptable manner, ARMENPRESS reports, citing "RIA Novosti", official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said on March 30.

"This topic is a subject of discussion during high-level contacts both in Moscow and in Yerevan. I do not consider it necessary to publish the details of those contacts. Of course, we assume that this issue will be resolved in an allied and mutually acceptable way," Zakharova said in the briefing, answering the question of how Moscow views the fact that the Constitutional Court of Armenia has recognized the Rome Statute as compatible with the Armenian constitution.

The Constitutional Court of Armenia, as its president Arman Dilanyan announced on March 24, recognized the obligations established by the Rome Statute of the ICC in accordance with the country's constitution. According to him, the decision of the Supreme Court is final and comes into force from the moment of its publication. After the decision of the Constitutional Court, the Rome Statute must be ratified by the Armenian Parliament to enter into force.

 

 

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Armenpress.am

The issue of opening a border checkpoint on the Lachin-Stepanakert road has not been discussed. Maria Zakharova

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19:34, 30 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, answered the journalist's question during the briefing held on March 30, whether there was any discussion between the representatives of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia about opening a border checkpoint on the Lachin-Stepanakert road.

"There has been no such discussion”, ARMENPRESS reports, Zakharova as saying.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107605.html?fbclid=IwAR3NdoyKEqrFNIgfZAip_sjI_LgdTLcBaF646n854pBJyY-PkDRQdKK3UkQ

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Armenpress.am

CSTO Secretary General warns of “risk of destabilization” due to situation in Nagorno Karabakh

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13:07, 31 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov has warned of a “risk of destabilization” stemming from the tense situation in Nagorno Karabakh.

Speaking at a joint meeting of the CSTO Secretariat and Joint Staff, Tasmagambetov said that the situation in Nagorno Karabakh and Afghanistan remains tense and creates “risk of destabilization” in the CSTO countries.

“The tension in the Caucasus region persists as a result of the many years of disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Interfax news agency quoted the CSTO Secretary General as saying.

He warned of a serious risk of destabilization because of the risks relating to the situation in Nagorno Karabakh and the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

“The situation in the Central Asian region is also tense, the threat of infiltration of extremist ideology and terrorist groups into the territory of CSTO allies is growing. The difficult threats coming from the territory of Afghanistan are especially concerning,” he said, adding that the organization is working to perfect its mechanisms of withstanding challenges and threats.

 

 

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Armenpress.am

The dates of possible deployment of CSTO peacekeepers in Armenia depend on the Armenian side. Zakharova

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20:10, 5 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. The dates of possible deployment of CSTO peacekeepers in Armenia depends on the Armenian side, ARMENPRESS reports, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, announced during a briefing, talking about the possibility of sending a CSTO mission to Armenia. She said that "the ball is in Yerevan's court".

Zakharova recalled the statement of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Russia is satisfied with Armenia's continued interest in receiving CSTO peacekeepers. Moscow is convinced that this step will contribute to the stabilization of the situation in the region. Both Russia and other allies are ready for it.

Zakharova recalled the statement of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Russia is satisfied with Armenia's continued interest in receiving CSTO peacekeepers. Moscow is convinced that this step will contribute to the stabilization of the situation in the region. Both Russia and other allies are ready for it.

"Such decisions are coordinated and adopted in the CSTO and approved at a high level. When the Armenian partners are ready, the parties will be able to return to the work of strengthening the specific types of the observation mission of the organization," she said.

According to Zakharova, the ball is in Yerevan's court.

Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan said during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on March 20 that the draft decision to send a CSTO mission is on the table, and work on the draft continues. At the same time, Yerevan expects a political assessment from its partners regarding Azerbaijan's September aggression. In his turn, Sergey Lavrov stated that the possibility of sending a mission still exists, the CSTO is absolutely ready.

 

 

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[Yervant1]

Unfortunately having difficulty believing you! After all you didn't do things that you were supposed to do for a while now! You were missing in action.

 

Armenpress.am

Russia doesn’t whatsoever abandon obligations towards Armenia, says Ambassador

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14:25, 8 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. Security cooperation between Armenia and Russia remains one of the key areas of partnership between the two countries, the Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin has said.

In an interview with Armeniatoday, the Ambassador said that Russia doesn’t whatsoever abandon its obligations towards Armenia enshrined in treaties.

“The 102nd military base continues to function, the number of our border guards has increased, there are observation posts in parts of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Of course, our peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno Karabakh is an important factor for ensuring regional security. Regrettably, criticism is being voiced towards the contingent from time to time, however this doesn’t cancel the fact that this is a key factor for ensuring security and the way of life of the Armenian population in Nagorno Karabakh. Even now, when the [Lachin] corridor is closed, the peacekeepers play a highly important role in preventing a humanitarian crisis and supporting the delivery of essential products and food. One can make some demands against Russia or the peacekeeping contingent, but in my opinion the fact that the Russian presence has been a very important factor for security and preventing an escalation doesn’t require proof,” the Russian ambassador said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1108247.html?fbclid=IwAR3mPf_VcH_HLxCgVxNq_aR3Y1e3nFyxepqjcuMFhUfqPzwZ4MIIlfbW1Kg

 

[Yervant1]

Asbarez.com

Lavrov, Cavusoglu Discuss Turkey-Armenia Normalization As Ankara Again Sidesteps Genocide Issue

by Asbarez Staff

April 7, 2023

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Main, Latest, News, Top Stories

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (left) with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara on Apr. 7

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who was visiting Ankara on Friday, said Moscow continues to support normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey as official Ankara continued to sidestep the issue of the Armenian Genocide repeating its insistence for a historical overview.

Lavrov’s comments came a day after Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told the Aydinlik newspaper that his president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared “that Ankara is open to the work of objective committees that historians shall form,” referencing the Armenian Genocide.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, on Friday Lavrov said the the process to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia started with Russia’s support.

“We welcome efforts to unblock transport routs and communications. Of course, we welcome the post-conflict reconstruction of the South Caucasus,” Lavrov added.

Lavrov also warned countries outside the Caucasus region to not interfere in the processes outlined in “trilateral agreements reached between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on all issues, which still remain the basis of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

Lavrov said that Russia favors deepening cooperation between countries located in the region.

“We are in favor of urgently signing a peace treaty between the two countries. We will continue consultations on this matter, including with Russia,” Cavusoglu said during the joint press conference.

Armenia, meanwhile, said that efforts were underway to open the Margara checkpoint at the Turkey-Armenia border.

The head of Armenia State Revenue Committee, Rustam Badasyan said the the justice ministry, in cooperation with other state bodies, were working to ensure that customs procedures were in place and are properly implemented at that border crossing.

Armenia and Turkey reached an agreement last July to open the land border for nationals of third countries and diplomatic passport holders. The commitment of the parties was confirmed during the meeting between Armenian and Turkish Foreign Ministers Ararat Mirzoyan and Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara in February.

“Turkey maintains the belief that the Turkish and Armenian peoples, who have lived in an atmosphere of tolerance and peace for centuries, will be able to establish relations within the framework of friendship and cooperation,” said Akar, Turkey’s Defense Minister, in his interview with Aydinlik.

https://asbarez.com/lavrov-cavusoglu-discuss-turkey-armenia-normalization-as-ankara-again-sidesteps-genocide-issue/?fbclid=IwAR1Vwd-NhHjjBjok_NLhsyX3uVDMmwongErnnY3uC5qNufpUWpDTwTGiHzo

[Yervant1]

Czech Republic - April 11 2023

Armenia Seeks Security Outside Moscow’s Orbit

by Onnik Krikorian

Sensing hesitancy from the Russian-led CSTO, Yerevan accepts the EU’s offer of a full-scale border monitoring mission.

“The appearance of the EU representatives in the border regions of Armenia […] can only bring geopolitical confrontation to the region and exacerbate existing contradictions,” the Russian Foreign Ministry warned sternly in a statement following the European Union’s decision in January to deploy a 100-strong mission to monitor Armenia’s volatile border with Azerbaijan.

Russia, which has supplied arms to both the Armenian and Azerbaijani armies, deployed a peacekeeping force after brokering a cease-fire to end hostilities in 2020 after Azerbaijan recaptured much of the territory taken by Armenian-backed forces in the first Nagorno-Karabakh war in the early 1990s.

“The EU’s attempts to gain a foothold in Armenia at any cost and to squeeze Russia’s mediation efforts could damage the fundamental interests of Armenians and Azerbaijanis in their aspirations for a return to peaceful development in the region,” the Foreign Ministry statement continued in a sign that Armenia’s perceived flirtation with the West continues to irk Moscow while the EU and United States attempt to normalize Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and facilitate a peace treaty.

Moscow First, Brussels Second

Until recently, the relationship between Yerevan and Moscow had run on predictable lines since the collapse of the Soviet Union – even after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan rose to power on the back of the unprecedented but still arguably misunderstood 2018 “Velvet Revolution.” Though many saw those events, when Pashinyan’s opposition forces peacefully ousted the old guard from power, in much the same way as the so-called colored revolutions that occurred in the post-Soviet space in the 2000s, Pashinyan was careful to maintain the same careful line between East and West as his predecessors.

Though Yerevan has always sought closer ties with the EU, including under former President Serzh Sargsyan – the man Pashinyan replaced – Russia’s importance, especially in the economic, defense, and security spheres, had always taken precedence. Besides, Armenia’s membership of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), as well as its hosting of a Russian military base in the country’s second largest city of Gyumri, constrained its ability to fully align with the EU.

The country’s borders with Iran and Turkey also continue to be patrolled by the border guard service of Russia’s main security agency, the FSB.

Nevertheless, that situation started to noticeably change after Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 war with Azerbaijan and deteriorated even further during the September 2022 clashes that also saw Azerbaijani forces move several kilometers into sovereign Armenian territory. The CSTO failed to come to Armenia’s support, and Yerevan started to seek guarantees for its security elsewhere. With Russia preoccupied in Ukraine, the EU accelerated its facilitation of peace talks between Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev through a series of meetings in Brussels.

And on 6 October last year, so, too, did France. In a clear snub to the Russian-led military alliance, the decision to send EU monitors for a limited, two-month deployment was announced at the European Political Summit that French President Emmanuel Macron had convened in Prague. The 40 members of what was officially called the EU Monitoring Capacity in Armenia (EUMCAP), made up of seconded staff from the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia, patrolled Armenia’s borderwith Azerbaijan until 19 December. Given that the monitors only operated within Armenia’s borders, Baku did not object, despite some concerns.

Supporters also touted EUMCAP as a necessary mechanism to create a more amenable environment for the possible signing of an EU-facilitated peace treaty between Yerevan and Baku by the end of last year as well as to aid in the difficult task of border delimitation and demarcation to the satisfaction of the warring sides. Indeed, tensions were reduced, and no major incidents were recorded (even though EUMCAP would likely not do anything other than report them privately back to Brussels if they did).

But even before EUMCAP’s planned December end date, both Armenia and France made it clear that they not only wanted the mission to continue but that they also wanted it enlarged. Thus, in February 2023, the two-year European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) was deployed, a month after winning approval from the European Council. With a total staff of 100, 50 monitors now patrol Armenia’s border with Azerbaijan, leading to some consternation from the Armenian opposition who believe that Pashinyan chose an unarmed civilian mission over a possibly military, CSTO alternative.

Moreover, critics charge, expectations from many Armenians may already be set too high. Though EUMA can indeed contribute to increased security on the border and reduce the risk of incidents, it cannot prevent them. Instead, EUMA’s main task will be to report back to Brussels and not, as many Armenians hope, to publicly ascribe blame to Azerbaijan for any cross-border incidents or cease-fire violations, much less respond to them.

Will Russia Reconsider Its Role?

This became most evident in a late-March interview with EUMA Head of Mission Markus Ritter. “We cannot interfere, we only have binoculars and cameras at our disposal,” he told Deutsche Welle. “Many Armenians believe there’ll be a spring offensive by Azerbaijan. If this doesn’t happen, our mission is already a success.”

The comments appear to have been taken out of context by both Armenian and Azerbaijani media, with some Armenians believing that Ritter had confirmed fears of a new war with Azerbaijan while Baku considered them a breach of the neutrality that such a mission is expected to display in order to fulfill its task. Officials from Azerbaijan also alleged that Yerevan saw the mission as a way to delay rather than contribute to the signing of a peace treaty.

Most of all, EUMA’s presence continues to perturb Moscow.

Shortly before the mission won approval, the “civilian operations commander” for the EU external action service, Stefano Tomat, issued a statement on 17 January that raised more questions in Russia. Tomat not only commemorated the 20th anniversary of EU civilian monitoring missions, but also discussed future prospects, raising Russian concerns about Armenia’s possible shift toward the West.

“New missions on our Eastern flank are already under consideration,” Tomat wrote, in what many believe was a veiled reference to Armenia. “We can also expect that EU civilian missions will increase cooperation with their military counterparts in EU military missions and Operations …”

Civilian operations within the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy “will be primed to continue to serve the EU’s foreign policy objectives and the security of its citizens in more turbulent times,” he stated.

Even with those pledges, and Armenia’s decision not to host CSTO military exercises later this year, citing its inaction in the long-running conflict with Azerbaijan, Pashinyan still received CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov in Yerevan on 17 March.

Days earlier, Pashinyan indicated that serious issues needed addressing. “It’s not Armenia leaving the CSTO,” he said in a televised press conference. “It’s the CSTO leaving Armenia […] and we are worried about this.”

It is possible that the statement was made in an effort to elicit a condemnation from the CSTO of Azerbaijan’s recent actions in exchange for Armenia’s renewed allegiance to the Russia-led alliance. (Azerbaijan joined the organization a year after its founding in 1992 but withdrew in 1999.) However, the statement further strained the increasingly problematic relations between Yerevan and Moscow. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized Pashinyan’s remarks, sarcastically calling them “incredible acrobatics.”

It appears that Russia will not remain passive while the EU, and the United States in its parallel but supportive track, persist in efforts to broker a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The opposition in Armenia and some Armenian analysts, however, believe such an agreement would set the scene for the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Karabakh by the end of 2025 (something that Baku also appears keen to achieve through a relevant mechanism included in the 2020 ceasefire agreement).

Rather than contribute to resolution of the conflict, they argue, increased geopolitical rivalry in the region could lead to unpredictable consequences such as a new war but this time within the territory of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, the depopulation of Karabakh, or even a larger regional conflict involving Russia, Iran, Turkey, and the West even if only by proxy.

“Armenia should not think that EUMA is sent by the EU to freeze the conflict and to provide it with time to strengthen its military while acting as a buffer against a potential Azerbaijani attack,” Yerevan-based regional analyst Benyamin Poghosyan said in an interview with the author in February. He explained that Yerevan should also refrain from public criticism of Russia’s peacekeeping force in Karabakh as well as its general presence in the region.

In an attempt to reach a compromise, at the end of March, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, and they proposed holding a trilateral meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in the near future, following the postponement of one planned for the end of December.

In addition, Lavrov mentioned that a CSTO mission could be dispatched to Armenia within a few days if the Armenian government were to finally accept this offer, a proposal that Yerevan has still not formally rejected.

“We expect that harmful discussions on the topic of ‘who leaves what’ will end and that all issues of interaction with Yerevan within the CSTO framework, including the deployment of the organization’s monitoring mission in Armenia, will be solved in a constructive and mutually beneficial manner,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told media at the end of March.

Onnik James Krikorian is a journalist from the UK based in the South Caucasus since 1998. He has covered the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh since 1994.

https://tol.org/client/article/armenia-seeks-security-outside-moscows-orbit.html

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenian MFA calls on Russia to ensure the withdrawal of Baku's forces from the Lachin Corridor

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20:51, 23 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. On April 23, 2023 the authorities of Azerbaijan, grossly violating the provision 6 of November 9, 2020 Trilateral statement, have already officially blocked the Lachin corridor, taking steps to install a checkpoint in the corridor in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, ARMENPRESS was informed from MFA Armenia.

This step carried out by the armed forces of Azerbaijan today cannot even be considered as another provocation of Azerbaijan: it is really a flagrant violation of one of the fundamental provisions of November 9, 2020 Trilateral statement, aimed at the consistent implementation of Azerbaijan’s policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh and the complete annihilation of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. The continuous illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor since December 12, 2022 under fabricated environmental pretexts and the installation of a checkpoint under false and groundless pretexts today are the continuation of the consistent implementation of this planned policy.

This action is being carried out against the unequivocal statements of the international community and especially the legally binding decision of February 22, 2023 of the International Court of Justice. Moreover, the authorities of Azerbaijan do not make an effort to fulfil the well-known agreements or even to cover up its continuous violations of the fundamental norms of international law and in every possible way aggravate the regional situation, preparing the ground for the use of large-scale force.

The Republic of Armenia, as a signatory to the November 9 Trilateral statement, considers this step of installation of a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan unacceptable. This, as well as the previous similar actions of Azerbaijan, combined with continuous Armeniophobic and threatening rhetoric, are aimed at scuttling the negotiations on the document on the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

We call on the Russian Federation to finally fulfil the obligation under provision 6 of the Trilateral statement by eliminating the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor and ensuring the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from the entire security zone of the corridor, and we call on the member states of the UN, having a mandate for the preservation of international security, to clearly record Azerbaijan's actions undermining the regional security and take effective steps towards the unconditional implementation of the decision of the ICJ, the highest international legal body.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1109396.html?fbclid=IwAR3M_aaO73syhfK3xh3Pf8zgWN7ASv2jIcQFZaK2J2oSO5KatTKm9XkjtXI

[Yervant1]

Asbarez.com

Armenia, Artsakh Urge Russia to End Blockade after Illegal Lachin Corridor Checkpoint

by Asbarez Staff

April 23, 2023

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Azerbaijan set up an illegal checkpoint on the Lachin Corridor

 

After Azerbaijan illegally set up a checkpoint on the blockaded Lachin Corridor, the authorities in Yerevan condemned Azerbaijan for the blatant violation of the November 9, 2020 agreement and called on Russia to “fulfill its obligations” and end the blockade of Artsakh.

Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan also made a similar appeal to Moscow after convening an emergency session of the country National Security Council.

With the establishment of the illegal checkpoint on the Lachin Corridor, “the people of Artsakh have once and for all become hostages in the hands of Azerbaijan, with the growing danger of apparent ethnic cleansing, and that the further effect of the Trilateral Ceasefire Agreement is under serious threat,” said Harutyunyan.

“We appeal to the parties of the Trilateral Ceasefire Agreement, and especially the Russian Federation, to immediately start discussions on lifting the blockade of Artsakh, preventing the establishment of an Azerbaijani checkpoint and providing real guarantees for the security of the people of Artsakh,” the Artsakh president added.

“We anticipate that effective step will be taken to resolve the security and humanitarian problems faced by the people of Artsakh in the shortest possible time, the absence of which will allow the government and the people of Artsakh to decide what to do next,” the statement said.

Below is the text of a statement issued on Sunday by Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.

On April 23, 2023 the authorities of Azerbaijan, grossly violating the provision 6 of November 9, 2020 Trilateral statement, have already officially blocked the Lachin corridor, taking steps to install a checkpoint in the corridor in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

This step carried out by the armed forces of Azerbaijan today cannot even be considered as another provocation of Azerbaijan: it is really a flagrant violation of one of the fundamental provisions of November 9, 2020 Trilateral statement, aimed at the consistent implementation of Azerbaijan’s policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh and the complete annihilation of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. The continuous illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor since December 12, 2022 under fabricated environmental pretexts and the installation of a checkpoint under false and groundless pretexts today are the continuation of the consistent implementation of this planned policy.

This action is being carried out against the unequivocal statements of the international community and especially the legally binding decision of February 22, 2023 of the International Court of Justice. Furthermore, the authorities of Azerbaijan not only are not making an effort not only to fulfill the well-known agreements, but they are covering up their continuous violations of the fundamental norms of international law as well as in every possible way aggravate the regional situation, preparing the ground for the use of large-scale force.

The Republic of Armenia, as a signatory to the November 9 Trilateral statement, considers this step of installing a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan unacceptable. This, as well as the previous similar actions of Azerbaijan, combined with continuous Armeniophobic and threatening rhetoric, are aimed at scuttling the negotiations on the document on the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

We call on the Russian Federation to finally fulfill the obligation under provision 6 of the Trilateral statement by eliminating the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor and ensuring the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from the entire security zone of the corridor, and we call on the member states of the UN, having a mandate for the preservation of international security, to clearly record Azerbaijan’s actions undermining the regional security and take effective steps towards the unconditional implementation of the decision of the ICJ, the highest international legal body.

https://asbarez.com/armenia-artsakh-urge-russia-to-end-blockade-after-illegal-lachin-corridor-checkpoint/?fbclid=IwAR3IUZvzzz8KCbnXsMoeXbZXilXb_QO1E7mm6zHl0kpw7899hHdIG4tcdsQ

[Yervant1]

April 24 2023

Kremlin says it is working with Armenia and Azerbaijan over latest Karabakh dispute

Reuters

The Kremlin said on Monday that there was no alternative to a 2020 ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as tensions spiralled over the weekend between the two countries over access to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was working on talks between Baku and Yerevan over the Lachin Corridor - the only road route between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh - after Azerbaijan on Sunday established a checkpoint at the start of the road, close to the Armenian border.

https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/2427863-kremlin-says-it-is-working-with-armenia-and-azerbaijan-over-latest-karabakh-dispute

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

You keep calling, and fake sultan keeps ignoring! What's next?

TASS

April 24 2023

Moscow calls on Baku, Yerevan to immediately return to existing agreements — MFA

It is noted that Russia was ready to provide all necessary assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia both at the political level and on the ground - with the participation of Russian peacekeeping contingent.

MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Russia calls on Azerbaijan and Armenia to immediately return to the existing agreements, Moscow is extremely concerned about the growing number of ceasefire violations in Karabakh, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Monday.

"We register with extreme concern the increase in the number of ceasefire violations. <…> We urge the sides to immediately return to the existing agreements," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"We also warn external Western players and local Russophobe elements working on their agenda against attempts to unbalance the situation by smearing Russia," the diplomats stressed.

The ministry noted that Russia was ready to provide all necessary assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia both at the political level and on the ground - with the participation of Russian peacekeeping contingent. "We proceed from the fact that the local population should not suffer in any case and no obstacles should be created to their lives," the Foreign Ministry said.

The diplomats pointed out that they considered dangerous the increased level of "accusatory and aggressive rhetoric in the public space of Azerbaijan and Armenia. "In the context of the latest developments on April 23, we especially note the unacceptability of any unilateral steps in violation of the basic provisions of the trilateral statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia of November 9, 2020, whether it is an uncoordinated change in the operation of the Lachin corridor or attempts to use it for purposes not consistent with a peaceful agenda," the statement said.

"We believe that many of the problems that have arisen are the result of months of stalemate and lack of progress in the negotiation process on the main tracks of the trilateral agreements of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, including the unblocking of transport communications in the region, launching the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and agreeing the parameters of the peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We hope that Baku and Yerevan will show political will and overcome this negative dynamic in the near future," the ministry concluded.

https://tass.com/world/1608667

 

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Russian peacekeepers are taking steps to settle the situation in the Lachin Corridor – Artsakh President’s spokesperson

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17:41, 25 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS. Peacekeepers of the Russian Federation are taking steps to resolve the situation created after the establishment of a checkpoint by Azerbaijan in the Lachin Corridor, Lusine Avanesyan, the spokesperson of Artsakh president, told ARMENPRESS.

"Parallel with the development of the situation, information will be provided," added Avanesyan.

On April 23, Azerbaijan installed a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor, on the bridge of Hakari. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Artsakh have issued statements condemning this move by Azerbaijan, stressing that it contradicts the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020. The US, France, Russia, and the EU have also expressed concern about the fact that Azerbaijan has set up a checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1109580.html?fbclid=IwAR1pStpwFAd6tfEFuN2dwL1tJv1DQ26x8yhhDuM5ukactwvLei6H9YaSs4M

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenia expects actions by allies to restore Lachin Corridor

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11:16, 26 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan has held a meeting with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin in Yerevan.

During the meeting, in the context of the dangerous situation in the region resulting from Azerbaijan’s provocative statements and aggressive actions, including its actions in the direction of installing a checkpoint in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers, the Armenian FM emphasized the need for a clear reaction and practical steps by Armenia’s allies and partners in the direction of restoring the function of the Lachin Corridor in line with the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement, the foreign ministry said in a readout.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1109620.html?fbclid=IwAR1LEab2CY_UmB5bIILRHTiSJXqltHOuWEJMP9SsfzPl_DMxaXfbiiToTDU

[Yervant1]

April 27 2023

Armenia Urges Moscow Peacekeepers to Keep Vital Road Under Control

AFP

Armenia said on Thursday that Russian peacekeepers should have full control of the only land link between its territory and the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The comments, from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, came during fresh tensions between arch-enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan.

On Thursday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna held talks in Baku on easing tensions in the South Caucasus. After visiting Azerbaijan, Colonna traveled to Armenia.

Last weekend Baku set up a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor, the only land link between Armenia and Azerbaijan's Armenian-majority region, in violation of Moscow-brokered agreements.

"Russian peacekeepers must keep the Lachin corridor under control and ensure the operation of the corridor," Pashinyan said at a government meeting.

"No one except Russia has the right to control the corridor," he added.

The Armenian leader said that "a wider international presence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor is becoming more and more necessary every day."

Azerbaijan stressed however that it had every right to set up a checkpoint "at the beginning of the road in Azerbaijan's territory."

It said the move had come in response to safety concerns, accusing Armenia of transporting weapons to Karabakh.

"Azerbaijan remains committed to taking all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin road," Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister, Elnur Mammadov, said in a statement sent to AFP on Thursday.

"Peacekeepers have independently confirmed they continue to deliver humanitarian aid in both directions through the road after the checkpoint was established."

Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars over the mountainous enclave of Karabakh that have left tens of thousands dead.

Moscow brokered a ceasefire after the latest bout of fighting in 2020 and posted peacekeepers along the Lachin corridor.

Under the terms of the agreement, Azerbaijan must guarantee safe passage through the corridor. Armenia has repeatedly accused Moscow peacekeepers of failing to protect ethnic Armenians living in the breakaway region.

On Wednesday, Pashinyan discussed the situation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said in a statement which indicated an "aggravation of the situation."

With Moscow bogged down in Ukraine and unwilling to hurt ties with Azerbaijan's patron Turkey, the United States and European Union have sought to take the lead in peace talks.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/04/27/armenia-urges-moscow-peacekeepers-to-keep-vital-road-under-control-a80963

[Yervant1]

INDIA TODAY

April 27 2023

Russia names new peacekeeping head as tensions rise between Armenia and Azerbaijan

REUTERS

As tensions rise again between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russia appointed one of its most senior army commanders to lead a peacekeeping force. The Russian armed forces said the peacekeepers were now headed by Colonel-General Alexander Lentsov, deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian ground forces.

By Reuters: Russia said on Wednesday it had appointed one of its most senior army commanders to lead a peacekeeping force in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, as tensions rise again between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Russian peacekeepers were deployed in 2020 to end a war over Nagorno-Karabakh, the second that Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought since the 1991 Soviet collapse. The mountain enclave is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated mainly by ethnic Armenians.

The Russian armed forces said the peacekeepers were now headed by Colonel-General Alexander Lentsov, deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian ground forces. He replaces Major-General Andrei Volkov, a more junior officer.

No reason was given for the change, announced hours after a telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Armenia has voiced increasing frustration that the Russian force has failed to keep open the Lachin corridor, the only land route that links it to Karabakh across Azerbaijani territory.

Russian media quoted an Armenian spokesperson on Tuesday as saying the country had appealed to the International Court of Justice over Azerbaijan's installation of a checkpoint on the highway on Sunday, calling it a "flagrant violation" of Baku's obligation to ensure free movement.

https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/russia-names-new-peacekeeping-tensions-between-armenia-azerbaijan-2365145-2023-04-27

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Agreement reached on Armenia-Azerbaijan foreign ministerial meeting in Russia, says Moscow

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14:08, 27 April 2023

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. An agreement has been reached to hold a meeting between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Russia, the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on April 27.

The timeframe will be announced later, she added.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1109738.html?fbclid=IwAR18PgXCgweJLFBfE3Mhfng7XSWrR-8gt7W0k1dfmSk62732IwS7viAlDkM

[Yervant1]

May 2 2023

Russia Says 'No Alternative' to Its Karabakh Mediation After U.S. Initiative

By AFP

Russia on Tuesday responded to U.S.-hosted peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan this week saying there was "no alternative" to a deal that Moscow signed with the two warring countries in 2020.

"For the moment, there is no other legal basis that would help a resolution. There is no alternative to these trilateral documents," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Initiatives to lower tensions in the region "are possible above all on the basis of the trilateral documents signed with Russia," he said.

The United States this week is hosting negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, seeking to quell recent tension over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The two sides have gone to war twice, in 1990 and 2020, leaving tens of thousands dead and clashes regularly erupt over the territory, an Armenian-majority region inside Azerbaijan.

Tensions have spiked again in recent days after Azerbaijan announced it had set up a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor, the only land link between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, sparking an angry response from Yerevan.

Armenia views the move as a violation of the cease-fire negotiated between the two sides.

Moscow brokered a ceasefire between Yerevan and Baku after the latest bout of fighting in 2020 and posted peacekeepers along the Lachin corridor.

With Russia bogged down in Ukraine and unwilling to strain ties with Azerbaijan's key ally Turkey, the United States and European Union have sought to steer a thaw in ties.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/05/02/russia-says-no-alternative-to-its-karabakh-mediation-after-us-initiative-a81008

[MosJan]

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[MosJan]

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenia's strong displeasure regarding the incident near the Hakari bridge presented to Russian Ambassador

20:03, 16 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS. During the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia on June 16, Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopirkin was presented with Armenia's strong dissatisfaction with the incident involving Russian peacekeepers near the Hakari Bridge. The press secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Ani Badalyan, told ARMENPRESS, answering the question about the purpose of the visit of the Russian Ambassador to Armenia, Sergey Kopirkin, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"During the meeting with the Russian Ambassador at the Foreign Ministry today, Armenia's strong displeasure was presented with regard to the incident involving Russian peacekeepers near the Hakari bridge on June 15. It was called to take all the necessary steps to find out the circumstances of the incident and correct the situation," said Badalyan.

Earlier, the border guard service of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia reported that on June 15, around 08:40, a group of soldiers of the border guard service of Azerbaijan attempted to advance towards the Hakari bridge in order to raise a flag on the territory of the Republic of Armenia. It is noted that as a result of the measures taken by the Armenian side, the advance of Azerbaijani servicemen and the attempt to raise the flag on the territory of the Republic of Armenia was prevented.

In one of the videos spread on the Internet, it was seen how the Azerbaijani military, accompanied by the Russian peacekeepers, tried to raise the Azerbaijani flag on the Hakari bridge.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1113485.html?fbclid=IwAR2Oh_uI1IGNDuNJEEL3YfgBaupzgMUv9iJPzVqiNNIdsL5K2tJrAtBjsKo

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Russian Deputy PM ‘doesn’t even want to think’ about consequences of possible rift with Armenia

11:12, 19 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Pashinyan has unequivocally stated that Russia is Armenia’s main trade partner and the reason of the latter’s economic boom, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk told TASS news agency.

Overchuk quoted the Armenian Prime Minister’s remarks when asked whether Russia is still Armenia’s important trade partner or the Armenian leader is looking to the West.

“Nikol Pashinyan has stated very deeply and unequivocally. This was voiced both in the Kremlin during the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council session and in Sochi during the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council session, that Russia is Armenia’s main trade partner and the main reason of the country’s high economic growth. Membership to the EEU, that is, the absence of a customs house, the environment without obstacles, the free movement of capital and workforce, the access into the EEU large market gives huge advantage to Armenia and serves as the reason of the economic boom which this country, which is very close to us, is recording today. We are glad to see our ally’s economic successes, which are a living example and proof of the commitment to the integration course proposed by the Russian leadership. I don’t even want to think about the possible consequences of a rift between Armenia and Russia, these [consequences] are extremely obvious,” Overchuk said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1113564.html?fbclid=IwAR1oUOkphnKg_0BZ9St_EcOnsGsr-MugcvOPPBklNQS_YUzyogEilhHjH3Y