new promising era New Promising Era "President" & VP Nikol Pashinian

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Asbarez.com

There Will be No Peace if Armenia is Guided by Independence Declaration, Pashinyan Says

by Asbarez Staff

February 7, 2024

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

Armenia's Declaration of Independence was adopted on August 23, 1990

 

Prime Minister Reveals One Aspect of Draft Peace Treaty as He Steps Up Push for New Constitution

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday continued his push for a new Constitution and doubled down on his opposition to Armenia’s Declaration of Independence, saying that if Armenia is guided by that document there will be no peace.

Certain provisions of the Declaration of Independence are cited in Armenia’s current Constitution.

He said there are three guidelines embedded in the Declaration of Independence: the aspirations of the Armenian people, historical justice and the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Pashinyan emphasized that peace would be impossible if Armenia continues to be guided by a Constitution that echoes these aspects of the Declaration of Independence.

The prime minister also questioned what historical justice means, saying that the concept has not been defined and many circles in Armenia interpret historical justice to mean different things. He echoed the same sentiments about the “national aspirations of Armenian people.”

“…And finally, what does the reference to the decision on the unification of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh mean?,” Pashinyan asked, saying that if policies are being advanced based on these principles then peace will not be possible to achieve. He added that serious discussions and considerations must take place about these issues.

Armenia’s Deceleration of Independence specifically states the need for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, as well as the imperative for the reunification of Artsakh and Armenia.

Pashinyan’s adamant disdain for these concept embedded in the Declaration of Independence, and thus the Constitution, have angered the opposition, which is claiming that Pashinyan is advancing the need for a new constitution under pressure from Ankara and Baku.

In his quest to quell criticism that he is advancing a new constitution to appease the peace the talks, Pashinyan, for the first time, revealed a provision of the so-called “peace treaty” being negotiated with Azerbaijan, claiming that both sides had agreed to the text.

“In terms of the signing of the peace treaty, even if such problems exist, they have been resolved. There is an agreed article in the text of the peace treaty stating that the parties cannot refer to their own legislation to avoid fulfilling any of their obligations under this treaty. The issue here is not and cannot be about the peace treaty at all,” said Pashinyan.

He went on to say, however, that while a constitution generally governs internal matters of a state, it also regulates foreign relations, “as is the case with the Constitution of any country.”

Pashinyan said that the world has changed since Armenia adopted a constitution and called for resilience in an effort to bolster Armenia’s security.

“The army and foreign relations should serve the legitimate interests of the given state within its internationally recognized territory. This is a step aimed at elevating the level of security by one level,” Pashinyan added.

Despite the prime minister’s claims of a new world order requiring changes in Armenia’s Constitution, there are no other countries rushing to amend their laws of the land, including in Turkey and Azerbaijan.

https://asbarez.com/there-will-be-no-peace-if-armenia-is-guided-by-independence-declaration-pashinyan-says/?fbclid=IwAR3TMU5_6ROOyYGgSPaCXDI6otm3tFj8UBbvlLZzVTqXa0iH9f9fg0xcBys

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[MosJan]

#Pshinyan you need to see this

 

 

 

 

 

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Mediamax, Armenia
Feb 10 2024


Armenian FM says demarcation should be based on the most recent USSR maps

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said that the demarcation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be carried out on the basis of the most recent and legitimate maps of the USSR.

Armenian Foreign Ministry reports that he said this at the meeting with his French counterpart Stéphane Séjourné on February 9 in Paris.

“Issues related to the security situation in the South Caucasus were thoroughly discussed. Armenia’s Foreign Affairs Minister presented the country’s vision regarding the establishment of stability and peace in the region. Ararat Mirzoyan emphasized the key principles in the process of settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, particularly the importance of respect toward territorial integrity and inseparability of borders, sovereignty, as well as the need to ensure greater certainty in order to implement the further demarcation process on the basis of the Alma-Ata Declaration and the most recent and legitimate maps of the USSR,” the news release reads.

https://mediamax.am/en/news/foreignpolicy/53873/

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Mediamax, Armenia
Feb 10 2024

US analyst urges the West not to “sacrifice Armenia to the autocracies surrounding it”

Yerevan /Mediamax/. A senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Michael Rubin believes that neither the U.S. nor Europe does enough to consolidate relations with Armenia.

“Armenians relied on Russia for protection against Turkey. The alliance between the two countries was of both heart and mind, yet within just two years, Putin’s arrogance and incompetence have flipped Armenia. Armenians resent how Putin greenlighted Azerbaijan’s 2020 aggression and ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh to avenge Armenia’s turn toward democracy,” Rubin writes in his article “Russia is making mistakes beyond Ukraine. Why won’t the US take advantage of them?”

The author claims that “today, Armenia is among the most pro-Western countries in the South Caucasus, while Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia all pivot to Moscow or Beijing.”

“Alas, neither the U.S. nor Europe does enough to consolidate its gain: providing Armenia with the economic infrastructure and partnerships and military support it needs to send the remaining Russian troops packing. Had the Senate not rejected a mandate for Armenia in 1920, the Soviet Union could never have consolidated its control over the region. Washington should not make the same mistake twice, sacrificing a pro-Western country to the autocracies surrounding it,” Rubin writes.

Mediamax notes that in September 2023, Michael Rubin wrote that the United States should back Armenia in saying no to any corridor to Azerbaijan and Turkey.

“If the White House is serious about protecting Armenia, it will consider stationing its own forces, at least on a temporary basis, in southern Armenia,” he wrote.

https://mediamax.am/en/news/foreignpolicy/53876/

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Armenpress.am

U.S. congressmen introduce Armenian Protection Act

11:45, 10 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. A group of United States congressmen have introduced the Armenian Protection Act (H.R.7288) - a bipartisan bill that will restrict U.S. aid to Azerbaijan by removing the Presidential authority to waive Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. Its Senate counterpart (S.3000), spearheaded by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), was adopted unanimously last year.

 

Representative Michael Lawler co-authored this legislation with Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and fellow first-term legislator Gabe Amo (D-RI).

If and when adopted and enacted into law, the Lawler-Pallone-Bilirakis-Amo Bill will tighten the existing statute restricting U.S. aid to Azerbaijan – Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act – substantively limiting the authority of the President to waive its full enforcement, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported.

Rep. Lawler, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was adamant about the need for clear Biden Administration action to stop bolstering Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian attacks. “Over 100,000 Armenians were targeted, abused, and displaced by the Government of Azerbaijan when they fled Nagorno-Karabakh in recent months,” explained Rep. Lawler. “There is no question of Azerbaijan’s aggression, yet President Biden continues to turn a blind eye.” He continued to note that “It’s simply unacceptable for the U.S. to be funding Azerbaijan’s campaign against the Armenian people. The Armenian Protection Act will put a stop to the Biden Administration’s funding of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime and desire for regional dominance.”

Rep. Pallone stressed the need for Azerbaijani accountability for the genocide against NK's Armenian population. “President Aliyev broke international law when he ordered his deadly assault of Artsakh last September and still has not faced any meaningful consequences from the international community. World leaders failed to stop his genocidal campaign that has displaced 120,000 Armenians from their historic homeland even though his belligerent rhetoric and troop movements made it clear an attack was imminent,” stated Rep. Pallone. “It’s far past time for the United States and our allies to take serious actions that will prevent even more death and destruction at the hands of Aliyev and provide the safety and security in the region that Armenia needs to thrive as a democracy. The Armenian Protection Act will finally hold the Aliyev regime accountable, halt any further U.S. security assistance until they end their destabilizing actions in the region, and require proof that they can be a trustworthy party in peace negotiations moving forward. I call upon House leadership to take up this commonsense legislation and pass it immediately.”

Rep. Bilirakis stressed the importance of passing the measure. “Given the political and humanitarian crisis that has resulted from Azerbaijan’s recent aggression toward neighboring Armenia, it is unconscionable that U.S. tax dollars are going to support this brutal regime. Those dollars could better be used here at home,” said Rep. Bilirakis.

“We must send a clear message to the Government of Azerbaijan and our partners around the globe that the United States will not stand for unprovoked attacks on the Armenian people,” said Congressman Amo, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “We cannot allow the Government of Azerbaijan to get a free pass for their brutal military aggression and blockades against the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation to show that the United States stands with the people of Armenia and will not accept Azerbaijan’s assault on Nagorno-Karabakh.”

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1130009.html?fbclid=IwAR0OsdmbYNlRxtXdVTAIuxoi3Gq-kN85zd5UK3QOJgKhmKCRqnAQy5a331U

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Armenpress.am

France expresses ‘unconditional, full and steadfast commitment’ in support of Armenia’s sovereignty and resilience

12:08, 10 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné expressed ‘unconditional, full and steadfast commitment in support of Armenia’s sovereignty and resilience’ during his meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, the French foreign ministry said in its readout of the February 9 meeting in Paris.

The French FM ‘signaled France’s unconditional, full and steadfast commitment in support of Armenia’s sovereignty and resilience.’ The ministers discussed the ‘priorities for strengthening our bilateral cooperation projects, particularly the development of infrastructure projects in the fields of transport, energy and water,’ the French foreign ministry said.

“They also spoke about bolstering relations between the European Union and Armenia. Furthermore, France is continuing to step up its humanitarian support for Armenia and the refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, with aid now amounting to €29 million in 2023 and enabling us to support actions by NGOs, the ICRC, the Armenian Red Cross and United Nations agencies to welcome and take social, medical, educational and financial care of these especially vulnerable people. Finally, the ministers reviewed discussions aimed at normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Minister reiterated France’s support for the mediation efforts of the European Union and United States. There can be no just and lasting peace without respect for international law, sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of the two States’ borders,” the French foreign ministry added.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1130014.html?fbclid=IwAR1Xig-icwuhvbFXpsK5Ex6bUDi50o8syU7lFT6rCl4aOuv3p2J8nmxfOvY

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The Telegraph, UK

Feb 11 2024

The prime minister torn between Russia and the West

Armenian leader Nikol Pashinyan says he is pushing ahead with democratic reforms while trying to keep the peace with his powerful neighbours

Roland Oliphant IN YEREVAN

He is in the middle of delicate peace talks, trying to please Russia and the West, and sits on a geopolitical fault line where wars in Ukraine and the Middle East overlap.

So it is no surprise that Nikol Pashinyan chooses his words with the care of a man handling a box of matches in a petrol station.

“Fear is not the right word,” the Armenian prime minister says when asked about mounting concerns of a new war in the South Caucasus.

“The Republic of Armenia is a democratic and developing country,” he told The Telegraph in an interview in his Yerevan office.

“And the Republic of Armenia is implementing wide-scale reforms for improving our country’s resilience. By the way, in recent years, I think that the international community and our society have seen that our country’s resilience has improved significantly.”

Nonetheless, he concedes: “Of course, anyone with common sense would have such concerns.”

Mr Pashinyan, a former newspaper journalist, came to power in 2018 on the back of anti-corruption protests that ended with the country’s first free and fair elections.

His pitch then, as now, is that democratic reform and a pro-European path would make the country not only more prosperous but more secure.

Since then, the country has indeed crept up international indexes on press freedom, democracy and transparency. He won re-election in 2021 suggesting he still has a mandate for that strategy.

But the entire premise of that project has come under unprecedented stress.

In the past three years Armenia suffered attack and defeat in a 2020 war with Azerbaijan, the humiliating loss in September 2023 of the Armenian backed, self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic, and effective abandonment by Russia, its principal military ally.

Concessions in pursuit of peace

Since then Mr Pashinyan’s willingness to make concessions in pursuit of peace, including recognising Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over Karabakh, has caused public anger at home and a wave of protests he claims were designed to oust him from power.

However, it has not yet produced a peace treaty.

His search for a more reliable security partner has strained relations with Moscow without winning concrete commitments from the West.

And to cap it all, many in Yerevan fear that Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s strong-man president, is laying the pretext for a third offensive – this time to conquer land inside Armenia proper.

Azerbaijan’s 24-hour reconquest of Karabakh five months ago extinguished a 30-year old Armenian-backed republic that broke away from Azerbaijan in a brutal and bloody six-year war in the 1990s.

More than 100,000 ethnic Armenians fled in what the European Parliament condemned as ethnic cleansing, and Mr Pashinyan was forced to face down angry protesters in Yerevan who accused him of abandoning the region.

It also closed the central dispute in a conflict that has blighted Armenia and Azerbaijan since their independence.

For a while, both leaders appeared keen to seize the opportunity to make peace.

At separate meetings with Emmanuel Macron in Prague and Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Mr Pashinyan and Mr Aliyev agreed to renounce the use of force, respect one another’s territorial integrity and using the Almaty declaration, the document that saw the Soviet Union’s republics declare independence, as the basis for border delimitation.

By the end of October 2023, “the architecture and principles for a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been agreed upon. And at the end of last year, it seemed to us that we were very close, finally, to a final text of agreement,” he said.

But on Jan 10, Mr Aliyev appeared to walk back those commitments, warning in a rambling interview with local media that he would take military action if Armenia tried to rearm.

He also said he would not remove Azeri troops from several areas they have occupied inside the Armenian border, and rejected using late Soviet maps for a peace deal “precisely because our historical lands had already been given to them”.

Azeri officials strongly deny planning a new war or harbouring territorial claims against Armenia, and have blamed delays in the peace process on Armenian intransigence.

In Yerevan, the remarks sounded very much like the pretext for a land grab.

“One may not say that these assessments are groundless,” Mr Pashinyan said when asked if he feared such a plot. “I publicly have said this is a blow to the peace process.

“When these events are seen side by side, there are some analysts in Armenia who think that all of this indicates that Azerbaijan is step-by-step refusing and walking away from the agreements reached among us and international platforms.

“But so long as Azerbaijan has not declared that it is withdrawing its signature from the Sochi and Prague declarations, then it’s very clear that Armenia and Azerbaijan recognise each other’s territorial integrity based on the 1991 Almaty declaration, and any statement that contradicts this logic is not legitimate.”

That is a long winded way of saying Mr Aliyev ought to keep his word. Does he trust Mr Aliyev to actually do so?

“I put my trust in God. And I think that every country that respects itself must follow the commitments it has undertaken.”

Much of the tension focuses on Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani enclave bordering Turkey, Iran and Armenia.

Baku wants to create a road and rail link to Nakhchivan along Armenia’s 25-mile border with Iran exclusively under the “neutral” control of Russian border guards.

Armenia, which has promised to provide access between Nakhchivan and mainland Azerbaijan, fears a trap that would force it to relinquish control of its southern border.

Mr Pashinyan has made a counter offer based on a general reopening of all transport corridors in the region. So far, Mr Aliyev has dismissed the proposal as unworkable.

The peace process here has implications for dozens of small countries in the new age of great-power confrontation.

Before the 2020 war, Armenia assumed that its membership of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation would keep it safe.

But Russia did not come to Armenia’s aid in 2020, and Russian peacekeepers also failed to stop Azerbaijan blockading a road into Karabakh in the aftermath. They stood aside again when it launched its final assault on the area in September 2023.

Mr Pashinyan insists Russia remains a valued security partner but he has barely concealed a sense of betrayal.

He has publicly said the country can no longer exclusively rely on Russia and should forge security relationships with the United States and France as well.

The realignment has drawn stern rebukes from Moscow.

In October 2023 the Russian state news agency TASS even quoted an anonymous official comparing Mr Pashinyan to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (Mr Pashinyan said he had not seen that report and would not comment on anonymous threats).

‘We are not Russia’s ally’

He insists that does not mean making a choice between Russia and the West, despite the fallout of the war in Ukraine.

“Look, when the Ukraine war had just started I was interviewed by CNN and I said, in the Ukraine situation, we are not Russia’s ally. And that’s the reality. But I want to also tell you that with the US or France or other partners, our security cooperation is not targeted against our other security sector partner.

“Now, our partners may have concerns about the relationship with them, or how the relationship with them could influence their security agendas. And that’s an issue we’re trying to manage by utmost transparently speaking with our partners about their shared agendas,” he said.

Nato membership, an obvious red line for Russia, “is not a question we have discussed or are discussing”.

He also suggests Armenia may rethink its membership of the CSTO. “There are some discussions in Armenia as to whether or to what extent the alliance-based strategy is consistent with Armenia’s longer term interests,” he said.

Particularly contentious is the Armenian parliament’s ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which finally came into force on Feb 1.

Russia called the move an “unfriendly” step and it is not hard to see why: the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin over war crimes allegedly committed in Ukraine.

Mr Pashinyan declined to say whether Armenian police would act on the warrant if Putin happened to visit.

The decision to join the Rome Statute “serves to improve the level of security of Armenia. As to the legal subtleties. I cannot at the moment carry out legal analysis because that’s the job of the lawyers,” he said.

“Let me break a secret to you. After 2018 Armenia has had extensive democratic reforms. And I don’t decide whom to arrest and whom not to arrest.

“And as I said, Armenia as a responsible state must remain committed to all of her international commitments, including the commitments that it has in the relationship with the Russian Federation and commitments that the country has in international relations,” he said.

But in this era of realpolitik, Armenia has painfully few cards to play.

Moscow may be the regional super power and traditional ally but is militarily overstretched in Ukraine and diplomatically isolated abroad to prioritise enforcing its CSTO commitments.

More important to Putin is his relationship with Turkey’s Recep Tayip Erdogan, Azerbaijan’s key backer and also the only Nato leader in a position to cause him serious trouble on the Black Sea.

Turkey’s foreign minister said last week that Mr Putin was expected to visit Turkey soon to discuss the Ukraine grain initiative. It would be his first visit to a Nato country since he launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago.

The West may be the natural protector of a pro-European democracy under threat, but it too is preoccupied, and Washington and Brussels value their ties to Mr Aliyev and Mr Erdogan.

In July 2022, in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union signed up to buy more gas from Azerbaijan. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, praised Mr Aliyev’s government as a “reliable” and “crucial” partner.

Mr Alieyev has also made himself useful in the grand standoff with Iran – so useful that Israeli firms reportedly supplied much of the weapons used in the final blitz on Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023.

It is an unenviable position for any leader to be in.

It gives Mr Pashinyan a unique perspective on the era of great-power confrontation and he has a warning for the rest of the world.

Critical security problems

“I don’t want to give the impression the government of Armenia does not grasp how critical its own security problems are,” he said.

“We’re living in a world where no one can say what will happen tomorrow morning. If anyone were to think that in the global world they are more relaxed, or they should be any more relaxed than the government of the Republic of Armenia or the citizens of Armenia, they would be significantly wrong,” he warns.

“I’m saying this with full seriousness. In the last two years, and currently, the international community is discussing whether or not there will be a nuclear war,” he adds.

“My position is such that I have interactions with several potential sides to such a nuclear war. I think I know what a serious topic it is.

“In that sense, at least, Armenia is significantly safer and more secure, because I don’t think anyone is intending a nuclear strike on Armenia.”

Which brings us to his basic pitch: it is in everyone’s interests, regardless of where they stand on the world’s other grand confrontations, to make the peace process in the South Caucasus work.

“I know how hard it is, I know how difficult it is and what difficulties need to be overcome. And I will do my best for peace to be established in our region. And I will do that share of the work that concerns us. I’m hopeful that the other countries in our region will do the same.

“For some of our partners, we have some confidence that they will do that and for others, there isn’t so much confidence, but the core goal of our foreign policy is that.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/02/11/armenian-prime-minister-nikol-pashinyan-azerbaijan/

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Reuters

Feb 12 2024

 

Armenia's PM: 'We are not Russia's ally' in war against Ukraine

Reuters

Feb 11 (Reuters) - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview published on Sunday that his country was not Russia' ally in its war against Ukraine, but stressed its military cooperation projects were not directed against any single country.

Pashinyan also said he hoped that Armenia's neighbour and longstanding rival, Azerbaijan, remained committed to the conclusion of a durable peace treaty despite statements by its president about demarcating borders.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought two major wars in the past 30 years over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The region has long been recognised as part of Azerbaijan and Azeri troops secured full control over it last September.

Pashinyan has said in recent months that Armenia could no longer rely on Russia to ensure its defence needs as his country had not secured the help it had needed from Moscow.

In his remarks to Britain's Daily Telegraph, Pashinyan said he had said from the outset of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine that it could not stand alongside Moscow as an ally.

"I said, in the Ukraine situation, we are not Russia’s ally. And that’s the reality," Pashinyan told the daily.

"But I want to also tell you that with the U.S. or France or other partners, our security cooperation is not targeted against our other security sector partner."

He said Armenia was approaching the notion of relationships on its security alliances "by utmost transparently speaking with our partners about their shared agendas".

And Armenia, he said, had no intention of considering membership of NATO -- as Ukraine has reaffirmed and Russia has denounced as unacceptable. Nato membership "is not a question we have discussed or are discussing".

He repeated that Armenia was considering whether to stay in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation.

On the prospects for a long-term peace deal with Azerbaijan, Pashinyan said "the basic architecture" of an agreement had been reached last year "and at the end of last year, it seemed to us that we were very close, finally, to a final text of agreement".

But Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, re-elected in a landslide last week, raised questions in a January interview by saying his troops would not pull back from border areas. He also dismissed the use of Soviet-era maps in talks as he said territorial concessions had been made to Armenia last century.

Reporting by Ron Popeski; editing by Diane Craft

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/armenias-pm-we-are-not-russias-ally-war-against-ukraine-2024-02-11/

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France 24

Feb 13 2024

Armenia says several soldiers killed in border flare-up with Azerbaijan

Armenia said on Tuesday that four of its soldiers were killed by Azerbaijani fire along the heavily militarized border, the first fatal incident since they began negotiating a deal to end more than 30 years of intermittent war last year.

Fatal exchanges have been common along the closed, roughly 1,000 km (621 mile) frontier since 1988 when Armenia and Azerbaijan first went to war over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, but the situation had calmed amid peace talks in recent months.

Tuesday's incident was the biggest since hundreds died when Azerbaijan retook Karabakh in September, prompting an exodus of the region's ethnic Armenian population.

Armenia's Defence Ministry said in a statement that the four soldiers had been killed and another was wounded at a combat post near the southern Armenian village of Nerkin Hand. Azerbaijan's border service said in a statement that it had staged "a revenge operation" for a "provocation" it said Armenian forces had committed the day before.

"The military and political leadership of Armenia is fully responsible for the incident," it said, adding that future provocations would face more serious measures.

Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry said Armenian forces on Monday evening fired at Baku's positions along a northwestern section of the border, around 400 km (250 miles) from Nerkin Hand. Armenia denied the incident.

In a statement, Armenian ambassador-at-large Edmon Marukyan accused Azerbaijan of "criminal, aggressive behaviour", and said Baku wanted a pretext to attack Armenian forces.

Peace talks stagnate

The Kremlin, which is formally allied to Armenia but also has close ties with Azerbaijan, called for restraint on both sides. A Russian peacekeeping contingent remains in Karabakh and its border guards help patrol Armenia's frontiers.

The Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan had a mostly ethnic Armenian population which won de facto independence after a lengthy war during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

But Azerbaijan in September retook Karabakh in a lightning offensive, prompting a rapid exodus of almost all of the territory's 120,000 Armenians, and a renewed push from both sides for a deal to end the conflict.

Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have said they want to sign a peace treaty, but disagree over issues including precise demarcation of their border and control over several small territorial enclaves.

Azerbaijan also wants a customs-free transport corridor through Armenian territory, connecting Azerbaijan's mainland with its Nakhichevan exclave. Armenia has said it must retain control over any transport links on its soil.

Talks have in recent months appeared to stagnate, with both sides accusing the other of sabotaging the diplomatic process.

(Reuters)

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240213-armenia-soldiers-killed-border-flare-up-azerbaijan-nagorno-karabakh

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Armenpress.am

Armenian Foreign Minister, EU’s Borrell discuss latest Azeri provocation

16:06, 13 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Vice President of the European Commission, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell held a meeting on February 13 in Brussels ahead of the Armenia-EU Partnership Council meeting.

Views were exchanged around Armenia-EU Partnership agenda issues, the foreign ministry said in a readout.

The course of implementation of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), democratic developments in Armenia, as well as the joint steps implemented for developing partnership in new directions and the existing prospects were also discussed.

The security issues in the South Caucasus were discussed.

The February 13 Azerbaijani military provocation in Syunik Province, Armenia was also discussed. FM Mirzoyan emphasized that the provocation once again showcases that Azerbaijan is seeking pretexts to escalate the situation on the border and is continuously attempting to derail the efforts of the actors interested in stability and security in the South Caucasus aimed at resuming the talks. The suppression of further actions aimed at destabilization in the South Caucasus was highlighted.

4 Armenian soldiers were killed and 1 was wounded when Azerbaijani forces opened gunfire at an Armenian military post in Syunik province on February 13.

 

 

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[Yervant1]

Feb 14 2024

France-Armenia-India: Forging a Euro-Asia Strategic Alliance

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has defended Armenia’s armaments deals with France and India, emphasizing the situational necessity for the country’s national security and defense. Azerbaijan opposes this stance, viewing the military sales as exacerbating the arms race in the South Caucasus region. The development marks a significant shift from Armenia’s long-standing reliance on Russia in its foreign policy, while underscoring the need to creating an international dialogue in the post-war reconstruction of war-ravaged Nagorno-Karabakh.

Following it is factually debated whether this trilateral cooperation, driven by situational imperatives, is genuinely taking place, or if it simply represents an effort to establish a connection between the three countries that lack deep historical ties.

France-India Growing International Synergies

During President Macron’s recent visit as the chief guest for India’s 75th Republic Day celebrations, the two countries unveiled a “defence industrial roadmap”. The plan places a strong emphasis on “co-design and co-development,” or cooperative manufacture of military weapons. The two countries reached notable agreements on space collaboration, and both countries pledged to work together to produce defense hardware, such as helicopters and submarines, for the Indian military and ‘friendly nations’.

One of the key focuses of this partnership is the Indo-Pacific strategy, wherein both countries have recognized the importance of an inclusive, free, and open region. France has endorsed India’s permanent membership in the UN Security Council on several occasions, and its acknowledgment of India’s pivotal role in global governance serves as evidence of the two countries’ mutual trust and strategic alignment.

The expansion of their respective space and cyber capabilities is a top priority in this expanding partnership, which also touches on other important domains like cybersecurity. The breadth of this partnership is well demonstrated by a shared vision for space cooperation, which calls for working together on interplanetary missions and exchanging satellite data. A shared commitment to enhancing defense capabilities is further highlighted by the 2021 agreement on combined military capabilities development and France’s assistance in modernizing India’s armed forces.

Moreover, India and France’s collaboration on climate change and sustainable energy projects, such as the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and the International Solar Alliance, demonstrates a more comprehensive understanding of security that includes energy and environmental security. The foundation of the strategic alliance between France and India is an all-encompassing approach to security, which encompasses both traditional and non-traditional sectors. It indicates a deep and multifaceted collaboration that aligns the national security objectives of both countries.

A trilateral cooperation framework already exists between France and India (the France-India-UAE model), which could be replicated with Armenia, creating a new strategic trilateral axis. Such an alliance among France, India, and Armenia would build upon their shared national security objectives and address concerns at the global level, further solidifying their strategic goals.

France-Armenia Deepening Comprehensive Ties

A significant shift toward closer military and strategic cooperation is evident in the France-Armenia relationship, as evidenced by the signing of a major weapons deal. With this agreement, which includes the future delivery of Mistral anti-air missiles and the sale of three Thales GM 200 radar systems by France to Armenia, a new chapter in bilateral relations has begun. France demonstrates its commitment to enhancing Armenia’s defensive capabilities, especially in air defense, in response to regional concerns in the South Caucasus by supplying sophisticated surface-to-air missiles and radar technologies.

The announcement of this historic agreement by Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu underscores the expanding defense cooperation between the two countries and the important role that France plays as an ally in aiding Armenia’s attempts to modernize its armed forces. This strategic alliance is evidence of their shared commitment to preserving peace and stability in the region.

Political ties have been the primary foundation of the relationship, as demonstrated by France’s acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide in 2001 and its co-chairing of the OSCE Minsk Group during the mediation of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute from 1997. This shows a common dedication to historical acknowledgment and regional stability.

Economically, the partnership has proven robust and expanding, especially considering the current global challenges. The trade between the two countries has maintained remarkable growth, notwithstanding a decline during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. With investments mostly in vital industries including banking, water management, and agrifood, France has remained the second-largest foreign investor in Armenia since 2016. France’s importance in supporting Armenia’s economic growth and infrastructure is emphasized by this strong investment landscape, which includes notable French businesses such as Veolia, Pernod Ricard, and Crédit Agricole.

Culturally and economically, the two countries have forged stronger ties through various projects. This is best demonstrated by the founding and growth of the French University in Armenia (UFAR) and the Anatole France French Educational Complex. These establishments represent the linked futures of both countries while providing high-quality education. Their role in advancing French language and culture in Armenia is crucial as it fosters mutual understanding.

Another pillar of this partnership has been decentralized cooperation, with many French local governments participating in twinning programs and initiatives in a range of industries, including tourism, healthcare, and education in Armenia. The relationship has become even more robust and complex as a result of these local activities.

This relationship has the potential to develop further and benefit both parties in the near-future. It may also serve as a model for improved cooperation within the parameters of the EU’s neighborhood policy.

India-Armenia Intensifying Defense Collaboration

The connection between Armenia and India has significantly expanded and diversified recently, supported by a number of cooperative and strategic efforts. The strengthening of relations is apparent in a number of areas, such as economic cooperation, technology, and defense.

A key component of this expanding partnership is the defense industry. India has recently emerged as an important arms supplier to Armenia, marking a new era in bilateral ties. Notably, Armenia became the first international client to acquire India’s Swathi weapon locating radar system, a deal valued at $40 million This acquisition was part of Armenia’s strategic shift to diversify its defense procurement, which historically was excessively reliant on Russia. Further consolidating this defense partnership, Armenia has also received the advanced MArG 155 howitzers from India, in addition to signing a $250 million agreement for Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, anti-tank munitions, and other armaments. This increasing defense cooperation is a strategic move for both countries, enhancing Armenia’s military capabilities while consolidating India’s role as an emerging defense exporter at the world level.

In the realm of digital innovation and technology, the relationship has taken significant strides. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology and the Armenian Ministry of High-Tech Industry in June 2023, which illustrates a commitment to mutual technological advancement. This agreement aims to facilitate the exchange of digital solutions and expertise, promoting digital transformation in both countries.

Economic interactions have also seen an uptick, although not exponentially. Armenia has recently expressed interest in integrating its payment systems with India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a move that would facilitate financial transactions between the two countries. This step is particularly significant given the increasing presence of the Indian labor force in Armenia, especially in sectors like construction and delivery services.

Emerging Synthesis

The growing strategic collaborations between France, Armenia, and India reflect a synthesis of national interests and global aspirations, driven by mutual security concerns and a shared ambition for enhanced trade and cooperation. This tripartite relationship is steadily, but surely, starting to impact contemporary geopolitics, exemplifying a dynamic model of multi-dimensional cooperation

The partnership’s primary focus is security; France and India, with their advanced defense capabilities, complement Armenia’s desire to expand its military alliances. This defense cooperation goes beyond simple acquisition; it is a step toward incorporating Armenia into a more comprehensive security framework that goes beyond its fluctuating national borders and regional dynamics.

From an economic perspective, there is ample room for scaling up cooperation. France, with its experience in investments, India, with its technological and market capabilities, and Armenia, with its strategic location and expanding economy, provide a dynamic framework for cooperative economic growth that includes opportunities in digital technology, infrastructure, and sustainable energy, with each nation contributing its special strengths to promote economic benefits for both.

Moreover, this new trilateral partnership represents a strategic turn away from bilateral relations and toward a comprehensive approach to global challenges. It represents the convergence of three long-term goals: France’s endorsement of India’s global role, India’s technological outreach to Armenia, and Armenia’s ambitions for European integration.

Way Forward

The indeed emerging strategic alliance between France, Armenia, and India demonstrates a new paradigm in international relations. Nations with diverse cultural backgrounds and geopolitical statures are forging unprecedented cooperation under present changing times. This forward-looking synthesis aims to shape a more multipolar and balanced world order, focusing not just on countering threats or seizing economic opportunities, but on broader, strategic collaboration based on the ‘epistemological character’ of the nations.

[Photo by the Prime Minister’s Office of the Republic of Armenia]

Dr. Hriday Sarma is currently a Fellow at the South Asia Democratic Forum in Brussels. He is also an India-based lawyer specializing in cross-border trade and investments. Beyond his legal expertise, Dr. Hriday has been associated with a few prestigious think tanks and research institutions. His past affiliations include the Institute for National Security Studies (Israel), the Centre for Advanced Research in European Culture and History (Azerbaijan) and Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (India) where he contributed to their research and policy analysis. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.

https://thegeopolitics.com/france-armenia-india-forging-a-euro-asia-strategic-alliance/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

PM’s Press Secretary responds to Baku's statements: Azerbaijan continues strategy of deepening enmity in the region

20:02, 14 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. The press secretary of Armenian Prime Minister Nazeli Baghdasaryan has responded to several statements from official Baku, specifically noting that Azerbaijan continues its strategy of deepening enmity in the region, which poses a continuous threat of destabilization, Baghdasaryan wrote this on her Facebook page.

In response to several announcements from official Baku, I am authorized to announce:

The legislation of the Republic of Armenia is an internal matter of the Republic of Armenia, and no external force has the right to interfere in the internal affairs of our country.

As for territorial claims, Armenia is committed to the agreements reached with Azerbaijan on international platforms to recognize each other's territorial integrity on the basis of the Alma-Ata Declaration, to conduct the demarcation and delimitation of the borders between the two countries based on the Alma-Ata Declaration, to open the regional communications on the basis of the sovereignty, jurisdiction, the principles of equality and reciprocity.

Azerbaijan regularly violates these agreements by persisting in aggressive rhetoric, using force and the threat of force, that contradict the written agreements reached at international platforms. Additionally, Azerbaijan continues to occupy 31 vital territories belonging to the Republic of Armenia. All this shows that Azerbaijan continues the strategy of deepening enmity in the region, which is a continuous threat of destabilization.

Armenia will continue its efforts to establish peace and again offers Azerbaijan the withdrawal of troops, based on the 1991 border line, which will be a cornerstone step for stability and mutual trust in the region. As for the peace treaty, there is an already agreed-upon point in the draft being negotiated between Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to which the parties cannot refer to their legislation to refuse to fulfill any provision of the peace treaty.

We repeat: Armenia and Azerbaijan have already reached an agreement on this point, and the statements from official Baku contradict this agreement as well.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1130322.html?fbclid=IwAR11Wo50zNQmQwLPthDkLADWV7rR1aAOrkvoNt-5GVKgWoV0og2vMfIkuB8

[Yervant1]

Feb 15 2024

Armenia, Pashinyan pushes for new constitution, opposition screams foul

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan plans to change the country's constitution. According to some, any new constitution is linked to a potential peace agreement with Azerbaijan. The opposition, however, stands firm and screams foul

15/02/2024 - Onnik James Krikorian

In recent weeks, Yerevan has been awash with claims that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is seeking to make monumental changes to the country’s constitution ahead of a potential agreement to normalise relations with Azerbaijan. Though constitutional reform has been policy for all successive administrations, on January 19, while visiting the Ministry of Justice, Pashinyan made it clear that he would like changes to extend well beyond that.

“[…] the Republic of Armenia needs a new Constitution”, Pashinyan said. “Not constitutional amendments but a new constitution”.

On January 23, the Ministry of Justice submitted a reform plan recommending that the current system of rule by a “stable" or “majority” system of governance should be transformed into a minority model to make it less likely for one party to monopolise power. In particular, however, the constitution “should make the country more competitive in the new geopolitical environment”.

The Armenian opposition reacted harshly, interpreting his words as confirmation of Yerevan being ready to make more concessions to Baku in order to sign a long-delayed peace deal. In particular, those critics believe that the government intends to remove a controversial preamble to the existing constitution that refers to the 1990 Declaration of Independence.

The declaration mentions a 1989 joint decision on the “Reunification of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and the Mountainous Region of Karabakh”. In August last year, Pashinyan had already fuelled such speculation by noting that the declaration contained a “confrontational narrative with[in] the regional environment that [has] kept us in constant conflicts with our neighbours”.

Speaking on 24 January, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan confirmed Baku had raised concerns with the preamble and other legislation. Discussion would likely be part of talks, he confessed, but on February 1 Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev warned that failure to change the constitution could prevent any agreement.

Yerevan is quick to point out that constitutional reform has long been planned. Pashinyan gained power in 2018 when Serzh Sargsyan attempted to retain power past his two-term limit presidency by becoming prime minister under a constitution reformed three years earlier. Pashinyan attempted to reform the constitution in April 2020, but was prevented from doing so by the pandemic, the 44-day war and snap elections held post-conflict.

Since last year, however, the opposition has also accused Pashinyan of seeking to usher in a ‘fourth republic’ to distance himself from the third, the post-Soviet Republic of Armenia formed in 1991. On February 1, in an interview with Armenian Public Radio, he did not deny such claims. Critics have claimed that could extend to changing state symbols.

Last year, for example, Pashinyan took exception with the some of the current symbols on the country’s coat of arms, and especially the depiction of Mount Ararat in neighbouring Turkey. This year, National Assembly President Alen Simonyan also suggested changing the anthem, something that he has advocated for since 2019, almost a year after Pashinyan’s 2018 Velvet Revolution.

In 2004, Georgia had also changed its state symbols following the Rose Revolution in 2003. This included the flag, coat of arms and national anthem.

The opposition claims that the electorate would reject such changes, especially if the it believed that pressure from Baku was behind them, and possibly even from Ankara. But there are other potential obstacles too. For a referendum to pass, not only should over 50% of voters agree, but turnout should exceed 25% of the country’s electorate.

Even if Armenians were to accept the changes, given the low voter turnout in last year’s Yerevan’s municipal elections, that could prove a tall order. According to others, including Pashinyan ally Aram Sargsyan – brother of the late Defence and Prime Minister assassinated in the parliamentary shootings of 27 October 1999, holding a referendum alongside snap-elections could be a possible solution.

This matches other rumours suggesting that early parliamentary elections could be held given Pashinyan’s falling ratings. Though the opposition is hardly popular, government support could drop even lower by 2026 when the next elections are scheduled.

"As far as I understand […], they will hold the referendum this fall at the latest, and I have no doubts that it will be held on the same day as fresh parliamentary elections", Sargsyan told RFE/RL’s Armenia Service last week. "I think they wouldn't mind […] this spring [but] organising a constitutional referendum takes a lot of time".

https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Areas/Armenia/Armenia-Pashinyan-pushes-for-new-constitution-opposition-screams-foul-229926

[Yervant1]

MirrorSpectator.com

Will There Be Any ‘Syunik Corridor’?

February 14, 2024

by Suren Sargsyan

Suren Sargsyan

Last week, Ilham Aliyev won the presidential elections held in Azerbaijan. The victory was given to him quite easily, without any upheaval and he will continue his presidency in the following years. Now, nothing prevents Aliyev from continuing his aggressive actions against Armenia. In particular, he will try to bring to life the so-called “Syunik Corridor” (or “Zangezur Corridor”) project.

This is a project that the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem had in mind since the collapse of the USSR and, no matter what the official statements are now, it is hard to believe that the two countries have changed their geopolitical priorities. Turkey needs this corridor for its aspirations to unite and lead the Turkic world, and Azerbaijan needs to provide a direct connection with Nakhichevan. At the same time, the implementation of this project is also necessary for Russia, because the settlement of Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Azerbaijani relations will mean that it will no longer make sense for Russia to have a military presence in Artsakh (there are no Armenians there but there are Russian troops still there) or on the territory of Armenia against Turkey (the Russian military base in Gyumri). Therefore, Russia needs this project if it is to ensure the security of the corridor, routes and communications, as well as its physical military presence on the ground. Actually, an agreement about the implementation of this project was reached with the statement of November 9, 2020 and it can be assumed that the Armenian authorities have given their consent to the project verbally, despite the fact that this statement is just a piece of paper.

When we talk about outside players, we also need to talk about those who will oppose this project. It is important to understand Iran’s position and it is unequivocally negative. Iran will not want to lose its regional transit position, and at the same time it will not want to lose or reshape its external border with Armenia which provides it an exit to Georgia, the Black Sea, etc. Yet another player is the United States, which opposes this project because Washington’s number one priority is to contain Russia, and with the implementation of this project, Washington will not be able to push Russia out of the South Caucasus region.

It is also important to understand which player is ready for what kind of actions to implement or to oppose the project. It is natural that the problem should be solved militarily so that the Armenian authorities can justify what happened in their own country and the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem will also give Russia a solid opportunity to move its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh to Syunik and deploy them right there in Syunik as the only security guarantor of Armenians.

In this scenario, everything may seem too logical. But there is also another important factor, which is adroitly chosen timing. Timing is crucial. It could happen when there is a tense pre-election or post-election processes in the USA and no one in Washington is particularly interested in what is happening in the South Caucasus – just as it happened during the 2020 elections.

Of course, this is not the only scenario for developments, but at the moment it seems the most possible one, to which Armenia cannot be an obstacle. But here, Iran and the United States, which surprisingly have common interests on this issue, can hinder Azerbaijan’s plans.

 

 

https://mirrorspectator.com/2024/02/14/will-there-be-any-syunik-corridor/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

US highly values Armenia's commitment to a dignified and stable peace – Blinken

13:05, 17 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. The United States of America highly values Armenia's commitment to a dignified and sustainable peace.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this during the meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

"Armenia is a highly valued partner in the United States and we appreciate its commitment to achieving a dignified and lasting peace," said Blinken.

Bliken stated that in addition to discussing and working towards it, they are also working on strengthening relations between the two countries across various fields.

U.S. Secretary of State expressed his intention to discuss those matters with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1130547.html?fbclid=IwAR3ap9Ugkw3KUUQ3pMu0okD2_U6hnNxknsXlAIr4pIcTh23HIa7UUSpR5yE

[Yervant1]

Asbarez.com

Pashinyan, Aliyev Meet in Munich

by Asbarez Staff

February 17, 2024

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

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (center) with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in Munich on Feb. 17

 

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan met Saturday in Munich to advance the ongoing discussions on a peace treaty. The meeting was initiated and mediated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

After discussing the process of normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and steps to ensure peace and stability in the region, the two agreed to continue to work on the peace treaty, Pashinyan’s office said in a statement.

During the meeting, which took place on the margins of the Munch Security Conference, Scholz called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to complete the peace negotiations as soon as possible.

 

“During the tripartite conversation, Scholz advocated for the swift resolution of the peace negotiations between the two countries. Germany and Europe are ready to support it within their capabilities, including the efforts of European Council President Charles Michel,” Pashinyan’s office said in its statement.

 

Scholz reportedly welcomed the commitment made by Pashinyan and Aliyev on Saturday to resolve issues “exclusively peacefully and with our the use of force.”

Prior to the meeting with Aliyev, Pashinyan met with Scholz separately and discussed issues related to the peace agenda, as well as advancing Armenia-Germany relations.

https://asbarez.com/pashinyan-aliyev-meet-in-munich/?fbclid=IwAR2Kgv8Ol_qUWIdL7eoB0SrrZC7bCuJymca0s2uxQPd-ktM26GLJ5faOcXo

[Yervant1]

Feb 18 2024

Akinci Slayers? Indian Pinaka, Akash Missiles Pitted Against Bayraktar UAVs As Azerbaijan, Armenia Tensions Heat-Up

By

Ritu Sharma

-

February 18, 2024

Indian and Turkish weapons having a face-off is becoming imminent. Armenian intelligence indicates that Azerbaijan, armed with Turkish and Pakistani weapons, is planning a “full-scale war.” The Armenian response will be scripted by newly acquired Indian and French weapon systems.

The Armenian warning came in the wake of a skirmish on the border that left four Armenian troops dead. Tensions between the two Caucasian countries have been high since Azerbaijan recaptured the Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023 in a surprise military action.

The territory is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but a large swathe of its land is under Armenian administration and the casus belli for one of the longest-running conflicts in the world.

Nagorno-Karabakh has a majority of the Armenian population and has declared independence.

The conflict has created two axes – one comprising Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan and another of Armenia, India, and France. The latest hostilities will see the use of newly acquired Indian weapons like Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) to Armenia and Bayraktar Akinci ‘Raider’ drones in Azerbaijan’s inventory.

Amid sporadic incidents of cross-border firing with Armenia, Azerbaijan has showcased the Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to the recently-opened UAV academy of its Air Force (HHQ).

As reported by the EurAsian Times earlier, Azerbaijan has raised training and operational facilities for its new Akıncı drone. The unveiling ceremony of the Turkish drone was witnessed by the President himself. A set of images published by the President’s office showed an Akıncı with manufacturer serial S46 and Azerbaijani markings.

The purchase of the Akıncı drone has been kept under wraps. Speculations were rife that Baku was among the first few customers as it was already operating the Bayraktar TB2 drone.

Bayraktar Akinci is a high-altitude, long-endurance drone that can be armed with weapons. Akinci is the Turkish word for ‘raider.’ The drone can fire various missiles, both air-to-air and air-to-ground.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict heralded the arrival of drones on the modern-day battlefield, with Armenia acknowledging that the Turkish Bayrakter TB-2 had made the difference, forcing them to concede defeat.

The Bayraktar TB2, developed and manufactured by Baykar, a Turkish defense company, is the size of a small airplane and equipped with four laser-guided missiles. It has an endurance of 12 hours when operating 550 nautical miles from its base. This allows it to be ‘eyes in the sky’ for long periods.

Armenia Bulwarking Itself Against Turkish Drones

Armenia has equipped itself with Indian-made Pinaka MBRLS (considered at par with American HIMARS) and an anti-drone system. The Pinaka was delivered to Armenia via Iran in 2023.

The news was not received well by Baku leadership. Pinaka Mk-1 is a free-flight artillery rocket area bombardment system with a range of 38 kilometers, quick reaction time, and a high rate of fire. A single Pinaka system fires a salvo of 12 rockets from a multi-barrel launcher in 44 seconds, while a battery can fire 72 rockets.

India developed the Pinaka system as a replacement for the Russian GRAD BM-21, which is also present in the Armenian armed forces. Another important reason for Armenia’s choice was apprehension that Azerbaijan would deploy a greater number of drones, including suicide drones.

For an MBRLS to survive in a drone-saturated battlefield, it must have the ability to shoot and then disappear quickly. The Pinaka Mk-1 has precisely that ability.

After importing rocket launchers and missiles from India, Armenia also opted for an anti-drone system from the Hyderabad-based Zen Technologies. Armenia is also keen to learn from India on how to modernize Soviet-era defense equipment.

While there has been no explicit ‘official’ confirmation, there are clear indications that Armenia has purchased an Indian-built surface-to-air missile (SAM) Akash.

Akash is a short-range SAM system manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to protect vulnerable areas and points from air attacks. The Akash Weapon System (AWS) can simultaneously engage Multiple Targets in Group Mode or Autonomous Mode.

It has built-in Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM) features. The entire weapon system is put atop mobile platforms.

It can effectively engage helicopters, fighter jets, and UAVs flying in the range of 4-25 kilometers. It is fully automatic with quick response time from target detection to kill.

It is highly immune to active and passive jamming. It can be transported swiftly via rail or road and can be deployed quickly. The project has an overall indigenous content of 82 percent, which will be increased to 93 percent by 2026-27.

Armenia Doubles Defense Purchases

Armenia has almost doubled its defense investments over the last year. In 2022, the spending was around US$700 million to US$800 million; now, in 2024, it will be US $1.4 billion or US $1.5 billion. The defense contracts with India alone account for a billion dollars.

For some time now, Yerevan has sought to diversify its arms imports and find new allies after Russia failed to provide the country with ordered weapons worth around US$400 million (it has not yet returned the money).

The failed arms deal was an additional trigger in the worsening Russia-Armenia relations, which made Armenia seek to diversify the sources of its arms imports, looking at the West and India.

 

Geopolitics Of Military Hardware

Azerbaijan has formed a triad with Pakistan and Turkey; soon after the military offensive against Armenia, the three countries conducted a military exercise called ‘Three Brothers.’

Azerbaijan, which supports Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, has received weapons from Islamabad. Pakistan’s relations with Azerbaijan have been close over the last few decades, so much so that Islamabad still refuses to recognize Armenia.

As far as Turkey is concerned, the country has criticized the abrogation of Article 370 in the erstwhile Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir while openly supporting Pakistan in various open forums as well as at the United Nations.

The continuous needling by the three countries on the issue of Kashmir has been a big irritant to India. The chasm between Azerbaijan and India has been expanding as India abstained from inviting Azerbaijan to the BRICS summit and also did not sign a declaration of support for Azerbaijan from non-aligned movement (NAM) countries after hard-line Shia outfits raided the Azerbaijani embassy in London on August 4, 2022.

Hence, New Delhi’s decision to supply weapons to Armenia underlines India’s “new-found” willingness to ditch its non-aligned principles and take sides in pursuit of its global interests.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war over the territory in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The conflict escalated in 2020 when six weeks of fighting left thousands of people dead. A ceasefire was enforced by Russian peacekeepers. But with Russia being busy in Ukraine, military action could start again.

A high-ranking Indian Air Force official, now retired, told the EurAsian Times on condition of strict anonymity that in case the war erupts, Akash missiles could devastate Turkish-origin TB2 and Aknici drones. After the limited success of TB2 drones, Russia easily neutralized slow-moving, bulky drones, forcing Ukraine to change tactics. Even the US is retiring the ‘world’s best’ $100 Million MQ-9 Reaper drones as they can be easily shot down in a contested environment.

For Pinaka, just like HIMARS, Russia is still struggling to counter them; what can poor Azerbaijan do? Absolutely nothing! And remember, there will be absolutely no shortage of ammo supplies for India. However, India hopes for peace and not war, he concluded.

 

• Ritu Sharma has been a journalist for over a decade, writing on defense, foreign affairs, and nuclear technology.

https://www.eurasiantimes.com/akinci-slayers-indian-pinaka-akash-missiles-pitted/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenia has deep relationship with Iran – PM Pashinyan

13:20, 19 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has a deep relationship with Iran and will continue to remain committed to these ties, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.

“We have a deep relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we continue to be committed to these relations,” Pashinyan said at a meeting with Armenian community representatives in Munich. “But this is also one of the cases where not everything is clear. Our good relations with Iran cause tensions in some places, while our good relations with other countries cause tensions in Iran.”

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1130648.html?fbclid=IwAR1Jv7lkF8UVneENRgxE64Zb5iZe6ynCN2fs52JO31BUXNgaGMOmGbAmSZQ

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenian Prime Minister accuses Russia and Azerbaijan of violating 2020 Nagorno- Karabakh ceasefire agreement

13:46, 19 February 2024

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has blamed the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh for failing to protect the Armenians there.

“Article 9 of the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement doesn’t contain anything on any corridor through Armenia, it’s impossible to find it,” Pashinyan said at a meeting with Armenian community members in Munich, speaking about the Azeri narrative on the so-called Zangezur corridor and the 2020 ceasefire agreement. “There is nothing about some other country controlling any territory of Armenia. It is about the regional connections. You are aware that we developed and proposed the Crossroads of Peace project in order to fully present our stance. That’s our vision.”

Speaking about dangers, the Armenian PM said that the narrative used by Azeri leader Ilham Aliyev is a signal on present dangers.

“How should we withstand these dangers? First of all this should be managed in our international relations. What’s one of the reasons behind creating the Crossroads of Peace project? Azerbaijan was trying to create an impression as if we don’t want to provide a road to anyone. What’s being talked about, as if Russia is supposed to control something in our territory, there’s no such thing in article 9, not to mention all the remaining articles of the trilateral statement which were basically torn and thrown away by Azerbaijan and Russia. Referring to article 9 is no longer relevant because both Russia and Azerbaijan have completely violated their obligations under the remaining articles, no Armenians are left in Nagorno-Karabakh today. And this is also the responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh, the goal of which was supposed to be the protection of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh,” PM Pashinyan said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1130652.html?fbclid=IwAR0HrYxNvboojYVc3v98rEAhZx1GYR8-aU5Fu2mcVi9q5g8LcWUBB5ETG4M

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

please take a moment/ watch this tell me your opinion

[Yervant1]

I do not remember a time, that any country who promised something and came through when it was needed. I doubt that this will be any different, I hope very much that I will be proven wrong. Armenia always been the ball, got kicked around between competing sides and forgotten.

[Yervant1]

Feb 20 2024

An Armenian war would escalate tensions with Iran

ByParker Miller

February 20, 2024 2:27 pm

Armenia, the world’s oldest Christian nation, is on the precipice of a losing war against neighboring Azerbaijan that threatens to pit Iran against the West.

In the latest bout of tensions between the two hostile neighbors, Azerbaijan killed four Armenian soldiers on Friday. Armenian officials have taken this to be a sign that Azerbaijan is preparing for a large-scale invasion of their lands.

In the following days, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and American Secretary of State Antony Blinken attempted to mediate between the two countries and come to a peaceful resolution. However, all sides doubt that the successive meetings have changed Azerbaijan’s resolve.

The tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan stem from modern and ancient rivalries: The two hate each other passionately on a fundamental level.

The Kingdom of Armenia was the first nation to convert to Christianity, preceding even its historic ally, the Roman Empire. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, was a product of Islamic military expansion northward of Arabic and Near Eastern lands several hundred years later.

The two regions naturally became historic rivals, a feud that was expanded upon by territorial claims over the contentious Nagorno-Karabakh region. Several wars have been fought since the fall of the Soviet Union to determine the fate of this Armenian-populated autonomous region.

Armenia first militarily solidified its claim over Nagorno-Karabakh in 1991 in a bloody victory over Azerbaijan. Its territorial gains were largely thanks to the backing of the newly reformed Russian Federation, compared to the military support for Azerbaijan from Turkey.

Since then, and especially since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow has grown increasingly negligent of Armenian interests and has failed to back it against Azerbaijani aggression. Last September, when Russia suffered a heavy setback at Ukraine’s hands, Azerbaijan took advantage of the moment and attacked several Armenian border points, claiming them and Nagorno-Karabakh for itself.

An attack on Armenia now risks deteriorating the remaining structural integrity of Caucasus and Near Eastern relations. Armenia rests in one of the most uncomfortable political positions on the planet.

Positioned geographically on either side of its borders are Turkey and Azerbaijan. These two share a historical connection as parts of the former Ottoman Empire, religious brotherhood as old Islamic regions, and kinship as ethnic Turkic peoples. Turkey has been key in pressuring landlocked Armenia and isolating it economically from the rest of the developed world.

Armenia has long relied on Russia as a defensive ally. They inherit some of the oldest denominations of the Orthodox Christian faith. They also bond in their abhorrence to Turkey due to its Armenian genocide in the early 20th century and the many Russo-Turkish wars that have taken place over several hundred years.

The West has effectively sided with Azerbaijan due to its holdings in the Caspian Sea, which are rich in natural oil reserves. Europe sees it as a good alternative to Russian oil, which it cut itself off from through sanctions over Ukraine, and several gas companies own major investments in Azerbaijan. Israel trades military equipment to Azerbaijan for its oil as well.

Because these factors, combined with Russia’s negligence, have effectively isolated Armenia, it turns to its only alternative friend: Iran. Tehran is at odds with Azerbaijan due to its large, possibly insurrectionist, Azerbaijani population on their shared northern border. They fear the common threats of European, Israeli, and Azerbaijani hostility that may bring them together.

There is an easy solution to this: The United States can present itself as the alternative. Make clear that friendship with the Christian nation is our goal, and not only can Armenia be saved from imminent destruction and being tied to Iran, but America can gain another geopolitical stronghold against Iran as tensions continue to grow.

If Armenia is further ignored and neglected by the world, it may be the final straw that leads to direct military involvement in Western Asia.

Parker Miller is a 2024 Washington Examiner winter fellow.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/beltway-confidential/2864627/armenian-war-escalate-tensions-iran/

[Yervant1]

MSN

Feb 20 2024

France 24

How France became the target of Azerbaijan's smear campaign

Story by Sébastian SEIBT •

What do the absence of French observers at Azerbaijan's February 7 presidential election, a group denouncing "French colonialism" and an online campaign targeting the 2024 Paris Olympics have in common? They are three facets of a new offensive strategy adopted by Azerbaijani diplomacy towards France. FRANCE 24 investigated this shift with the Forbidden Stories consortium and other media outlets as part of "The Baku Connection" project.

Azerbaijan’s February 7 presidential election, which handed President Ilham Aliyev an unsurprising and unopposed victory with 92% of the vote and a fifth term in office, provided the backdrop for the latest illustration of deteriorating Franco-Azerbaijani relations.

For the first time in at least a decade, there were no French elected representatives or independent observers on the team of international observers monitoring the vote. As Aliyev tightens his grip on power and the country’s electoral system, there were fewer West European nationals on the international monitoring team. But a few German, Austrian, Spanish and Italian nationals did make it on the observer mission.

Escalating tensions

The absence of a French presence on the observer team is the result of a disaccord between France and Azerbaijan. French parliamentarians who have visited the former Soviet republic in the past as election observers no longer want to hear about it. "When you have a president who systematically gets elected with over 80% of the vote, I wouldn’t call that free and fair elections," said Claude Kern, senator from France’s eastern Bas-Rhin region, who was part of the French delegation for the 2018 presidential election.

Even the Association of Friends of Azerbaijan at the National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament, has experienced an exodus of almost all its members in recent months.

Azerbaijan also appears to have closed the door on the few independent French nationals wishing to observe the presidential election on the ground. This was the case with journalist Jean-Michel Brun, who contributes to the websites, “Musulmans de France” and “Gazette du Caucase”, two portals with a very pro-Azerbaijani slant.

His candidacy was rejected by Azerbaijani authorities, without explanation, a few days before the election. "Relations with Azerbaijan are so rotten at the moment that they may have decided not to invite any French people," said Brun. When contacted by FRANCE 24 and Forbidden Stories, Azerbaijani authorities did not respond to the reasons for the absence of French observers.

The election observer issue is part of a wider context of escalating bilateral tensions. The month of December was marked by a particularly sharp deterioration: a Frenchman was arrested in Baku and accused of espionage, Azerbaijan then expelled two French diplomats, Paris promptly responded, declaring two Azerbaijani embassy officials persona non grata. The diplomatic tit-for-tat was accompanied by acerbic statements from both sides.

For French nationals in Azerbaijan, the message was clear. "French authorities made us understand that we had to be careful because we could be expelled overnight," confided a Frenchman living in Azerbaijan who did not wish to be named. Despite the strained ties between Paris and Baku, the Frenchman said he was quite satisfied with living conditions in Azerbaijan. When contacted, the French embassy in Azerbaijan did not respond to FRANCE 24 and Forbidden Stories.

The rapid and overt diplomatic deterioration between Azerbaijan and France is a new low, according to experts. “It’s the first time we see this kind of development against a European country, a Western country,” said Altay Goyushov, a political scientist at the Baku Research Institute, an independent Azerbaijani research center. “This is a completely new development, when a French citizen is arrested on spying charges, it’s never happened before,” he noted, adding that Azerbaijani authorities have mostly used “these kind of tactics” against the domestic opposition and the media in the past.

A song against Macron

Historically, it hasn't always been this way. France, like other European countries, has long been the target of what has come to be called "caviar diplomacy". It’s a term employed by experts and journalists for over a decade to describe oil-rich Azerbaijan’s particularly lavish and distinctive lobbying strategy, which includes costly official trips for foreign politicians and influencers, and providing expensive gifts and funds for projects such as the renovation of churches. The payback, documented in several news reports, includes soft-power wins for Azerbaijan by securing its influence in Europe’s political and media worlds.

In the past, France held a special place for Baku’s political elites. France is a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, which also includes the US and Russia. Since the early 2000s, Paris has attempted to play a key role, within the Minsk Group, to try to find a diplomatic solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

France was therefore considered an important European power in Baku, one worth wooing and trying to keep on side. For Azerbaijan, this is particularly important since Baku has long believed the Armenian community in France to be very influential in French power circles, a position echoed by several pro-Azerbaijan figures interviewed by FRANCE 24 and the Forbidden Stories consortium.

The September 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, which resulted in Azerbaijan reclaiming a third of the disputed enclave, marked the beginning of the bilateral break. Two years later, in an interview with France 2 TV station, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that France "will never abandon the Armenians".

The French president’s avowal was viewed as a diplomatic slap by Baku. "It was very frustrating for Ilham Aliyev, who wants to be able to impose his demands on a weak Armenia, which is not the case if Yerevan thinks it can count on French support," noted Goyushov.

This French support began to take shape after French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna’s October 2023 visit to Armenia when she announced that "France has given its agreement to the conclusion of future contracts with Armenia which will enable the delivery of military equipment to Armenia so that it can ensure its defence". The announcement sparked disapproval from Aliyev, who accused France of "preparing the ground [for] new wars".

Azerbaijan then began a diplomatic shift that increasingly resembled a 180-degree turn.

The tone was first set by a song performed on public television and soberly titled, "Emmanuel". Broadcast a week after Macron's France 2 interview, the lyrics featured criticisms levelled at the French president – accusing him of "betraying his promises", for instance – while children punctuated each verse, singing "Emmanuel" in chorus.

It was a very public display of Azerbaijan’s new disaffection for France. Official accusations – such as the one frequently adopted by Elchin Amirbayov, the Azerbaijani president's special representative for the normalisation of relations with Armenia, accusing France of “undermining the peace efforts” with Armenia – represent just the tip of the iceberg of Baku’s new diplomatic turn. The submerged component includes a number of initiatives aimed at denigrating France.

Outrage over ‘French colonialism’ by the Azerbaijani state

In November 2023, a video highly critical of the organisation of the 2024 Paris Olympics emerged, sparking a media stir in France. According to VIGINUM, the French government agency for the defence against foreign digital interference, it was an influence campaign linked to "an actor close to Azerbaijan".

In its technical report, seen by FRANCE 24 and Forbidden Stories, VIGINUM concluded that the operation, amplified by fake sites and accounts on social media, is "likely to harm the fundamental interests of the nation".

On another, parallel track, Azerbaijan is promoting the claims of a new structure called the "Baku Initiative Group". Its members, independence fighters from French overseas territories and regions such as French Guiana, Martinique, New Caledonia and Guadeloupe, have been denouncing France's "colonisation” and “neocolonialism”, and have been calling for “decolonisation”.

"At the last Non-Aligned Movement conference [chaired by Azerbaijan] in July 2023 in Baku, we wanted to take stock of the situation in the territories still under French domination, and decided to form the Baku Initiative Group," explained Jean-Jacob Bicep, president of the People’s Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe, a far-left political party in the French overseas region. "The aim is to make the world aware of France's colonial policy," added another representative who asked to remain anonymous.

These pro-independence activists have already been able to make their case against what they call "French colonialism" before the UN on two occasions: first at a conference in September at the UN’s New York headquarters, then at its Geneva office in December. Both events were organised by the Baku Initiative Group.

What does this have to do with Azerbaijan? It's not just a coincidence that Azerbaijan held the rotating presidency of the Non-Aligned Group at just the right time. The executive director of these “anti-French colonialism” gatherings is Azerbaijani Abbas Abbassov, who has long worked for Azerbaijan's State Oil Fund.

In addition, a July 2023 roundtable in Baku titled, “Towards the Complete Elimination of Colonialism” was organised by the AIR Center, one of Azerbaijan’s leading think tanks, whose chairman, Farid Shafiyev, is Azerbaijan’s former ambassador to the Czech Republic.

The Baku roundtable ended with an agreement on the establishment of “the Baku Initiative Group against French colonialism”, according to an AIR Center statement. When contacted, the think tank did not respond to questions from FRANCE 24 and Forbidden Stories.

Denouncing the ‘Macron Dictatorship’

The group of French nationals who have attended the Baku Initiative Group meetings includes well-known figures in the pro-Azerbaijani camp, such as journalist Yannick Urrien. "It was Hikmet Hajiyev who asked me to come to a conference of the group in Baku in October 2023," explained Urrien.

Hikmet Hajiyev is a well-known figure in Azerbaijan power circles: he is the foreign policy advisor to Azerbaijan’s president and a close associate of President Aliyev. "He is the mastermind behind the smear campaigns against other countries, including France," explained Emmanuel Dupuy, president of the Institute for Prospective and Security in Europe (IPSE) and a former advisor to Azerbaijan for around six years.

Aliyev himself used a speech at a decolonisation conference in Baku in November to deliver a scathing broadside against France. In his address, the Azerbaijani president referred to France more than 20 times, accusing Paris of “inflicting conflict” in the Caucasus and committing "most of the bloody crimes in the colonial history of humanity".

Some of the French participants in Baku’s decolonisation conferences deny being instrumentalised or prefer to ignore the issue. "It's none of my business. We seize every opportunity to achieve our goal, and all France has to do is settle its own problems with Azerbaijan," said Bicep, the leader of the far-left People’s Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe.

Another participant, who asked to remain anonymous, admits that the creation of the Baku Initiative Group came at the best possible time for Azerbaijan, which "doesn't really have any chemistry with France at the moment". It’s probably a way of asking the French government "to put its own house in order before criticising what others are doing [in Nagorno-Karabakh]", he added.

Azerbaijan has also proved to be creative in increasing the resonance of these pro-independence demands on social media. On Twitter, they are relayed by anonymous Azerbaijanis and influential personalities, such as AIR Center director Farid Shafiyev.

Since October, the Azerbaijani parliament has even hosted a support group for the people of Corsica, the French Mediterranean island which has had a tumultuous relationship with mainland France since it became French in the 18^th century. A communiqué published in early February by the people of Corsica support group set up by Azerbaijan’s parliament denounced "the Macron Dictatorship". ().

In December, Azerbaijan was accused of sending journalists "known for their proximity to Azerbaijani intelligence services" to cover French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s trip to New Caledonia, a French archipelago in the Pacific. Their mission was to write articles “with an anti-France angle", said radio station Europe 1, which broke the story.

A leaf from the Russian playbook

The creation of the Baku Initiative Group and the media hype surrounding the issue of anti-colonialism are "a monumental mistake", according to Dupuy. The former advisor to Azerbaijan asserted that this strategy has "no chance" of moving France one iota on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, while scuttling relations between the two countries. It’s an opinion he says he shares with his contacts in Azerbaijan.

But it's not surprising that Baku is resorting to this kind of tactic, explained Goyushov of the Baku Research Institute. With its internet disinformation operations and anti-West rhetoric harking back to the colonial era, Azerbaijan is taking a leaf out of the Kremlin playbook for winning friends and gaining influence in Africa.

“You have to take into account one thing: Azerbaijan was a part of the Soviet Union,” said Goyushov. Aliyev’s father, Heydar Aliyev, who was Azerbaijan’s president for a decade before his son took over the office, was a former KGB official – like Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Of course they are still almost the same,” added the political scientist. “They are copying each other in many ways. Their rhetoric against the West uses the same methods against their opponents, employs the same tactics on social media.”

But Goyushov doesn't expect the Azerbaijani offensive to succeed. Firstly, because Azerbaijan does not have the same resources as Russia to deploy large-scale operations, such as Russia's Doppelgänger disinformation campaign, which has been spreading false information in several European countries since 2022.

Secondly, Azerbaijan "is much more economically dependent on Western countries than Russia", noted Goyushov. Aliyev, he believes, does not have the luxury of getting permanently upset with a power like France.

"It's quite similar to what happened in 2013 with Germany," explained Goyushov. Back then, Germany criticised the infringements of religious freedom in Azerbaijan, a country with a Muslim majority. In the lead-up to a presidential election in Azerbaijan, "there were numerous attacks on Germany for about two years", noted Goyushov.

But then the anti-German attacks abruptly stopped. The reason, according to Goyushov, is that these smear campaigns serve mainly internal political purposes. "In an authoritarian regime, you sometimes need to find a common enemy that allows the country to unite around the leader," he explained. Perhaps COP 29, the 2024 climate conference to be held in Azerbaijan in November, will be an opportunity for the authorities to redress the diplomatic balance with the West, and France in particular.

Eloïse Layan (Forbidden Stories) contributed to this report.

This article has been translated from the original in French.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/how-france-became-the-target-of-azerbaijans-smear-campaign/ar-BB1iAwTT