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

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Tasnim News Agency, Iran

Dec 13 2022

Armenia Won’t Cede Any Route to Anyone: Ambassador

• December, 13, 2022

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Armenia’s ambassador to Iran refuted the Republic of Azerbaijan’s idea for the so-called ‘Zangezur’ corridor, emphasizing that his country won’t allow any third party to use its soil to establish any route.

In an interview with Tasnim, Arsen Avagyan lashed out at the Republic of Azerbaijan for proposing the idea of the so-called Zangezur corridor while Yerevan and Baku have not signed any document in this regard.

Armenia has made it clear several times that it won’t allow any third country to use any route on its soil and has not made any commitment to such an issue, he stated.

The envoy stressed that Armenia remains committed only to the contents of a trilateral statement signed on November 9, 2020, about securing safe land connections between the western parts of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

To that end, Avagyan added, a number of border crossings have been set up along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “As mentioned by the prime minister of Armenia, the Azeri citizens can now use these routes to travel to Nakhchivan and vice versa.”

Asked about the ceasefire between Yerevan and Baku and the latest political and legal conditions in the Caucasus, the envoy said Armenia has repeatedly expressed its readiness to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan and start the process of demarcation of boundaries.

Despite the international community’s explicit recommendation for the establishment of peace, Azerbaijan has always launched new schemes instead of carrying out the previous agreements, the ambassador stated.

He said the Azeri schemes have since May 2021 resulted in the occupation of large pieces of land that are within the borders under the sovereignty of Armenia.

Deploring the aggressive policies of Azerbaijan, the ambassador said Azeri military forces launched an onslaught on residential areas on September 13 and 14, bombed and shelled the Armenian regions, illegally occupied parts of Armenia’s provinces of Syunik and Gegharkunik, and posed direct threats to the Armenian cities and its urban infrastructures.

The fundamental measure to achieve peace is the cessation of Azerbaijan’s hostile actions against Armenia and the return to the course of peace talks with the purpose of signing a peace treaty, he underlined.

As a result of the Azeri military attacks in May 2021, November 2021 and September 2022, the internationally-recognized territorial integrity of Armenia has been violated, he added.

The ambassador also said that Armenia has always shown constructive behavior and offered flexible proposals to address the problems.

https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2022/12/13/2820835/armenia-won-t-cede-any-route-to-anyone-ambassador

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Armenpress.am

Entire nation could starve to death: Nagorno Karabakh FM warns of catastrophic consequences amid Azeri total blockade

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15:40, 13 December 2022

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. The Republic of Artsakh is under total blockade for more than a day, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh Davit Babayan said at a press conference in Yerevan. Babayan himself is unable to return to Artsakh. He was on a visit to France and was on his way back to Artsakh via Armenia before the Lachin Corridor was blocked by Azerbaijan.

“For more than a day, for 29 hours, Artsakh is entirely blockaded. The total blockade has begun, this is a fact. As for the question whether or not this could be the prelude for more large-scale actions, in a way this depends also from the respective reaction by the international community,” Babayan said.

He warned that the absence of a proper reaction by the international community or indifference can be the reason of new bad developments.

“Impunity promotes aggression. Naturally, when they see impunity, while some members of the international community, for example Turkey, on the contrary is encouraging such actions, naturally Azerbaijan is becoming bolder and is resorting to such horrifying steps in the 21st century, in fact, threatening to starve to death an entire nation. I think that a stronger reaction across the world would have an impact,” he said.

Babayan noted that all high-level officials and government institutions in Artsakh have relayed important messages to the international community regarding the peacekeeping mission and their activities. “First of all it is necessary to increase the number of peacekeepers, the 1980 persons standing along the entire length of the line of contact is a very low number. Only one, two or three peacekeeping soldiers were standing against this Azerbaijani theatrical invasion. Second, we have proposed that the Russian peacekeepers receive an international mandate because this is desirable by the UN Security Council itself. This would give international legitimacy and opportunity to prevent such provocations. Because these forces are peacekeepers, they don’t impose peace like in the case of Kosovo or elsewhere. By receiving an international mandate a new quality would be conveyed to the mission and perhaps the situation would be more stable,” Babayan said, emphasizing that once again Azerbaijan has grossly violated the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1099513.html?fbclid=IwAR0sR-rCFeLxx2p1a6C-rYiP-4K_U78gJ-2WkcpyGNao71UINljjX2I8ebg

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Armenpress.am

120,000 people of Nagorno Karabakh actually appeared in status of hostage – Armenian PM

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11:22, 15 December 2022

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The humanitarian situation in Nagorno Karabakh has extremely escalated in recent days, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said during today’s Cabinet meeting.

“Azerbaijan firstly blocked the Lachin Corridor, then cut off the gas supply to Nagorno Karabakh. Due to these provocative actions the residents of Nagorno Karabakh have been deprived of the right to free movement, are facing difficulties of heating their homes in winter conditions, thousands of people, including children, are stranded on roads in cold winter, many families have unwillingly separated, appearing in different sides of the blockade.

Citizens having serious health problems are deprived of medicines and healthcare services. There are disruptions in the supplies of food and other essentials. 120,000 people have actually appeared in the status of a hostage.

Gas-heated schools and kindergartens were forced to suspend their operations, as a result of which around 22,000 children have been deprived of the right to education”, the PM said.

Pashinyan called the situation in Nagorno Karabakh a humanitarian crisis.

“Moreover, this crisis was caused as a result of Azerbaijan’s non-fulfillment of its international commitments. As it has been stated repeatedly, the closure of the Lachin Corridor is a direct and gross violation of the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020 by Azerbaijan, on the simple grounds that according to point 6^th of that statement, the Lachin Corridor is under the control of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno Karabakh, and the Republic of Azerbaijan guarantees the traffic safety of citizens, vehicles and goods along the Lachin Corridor. This is a direct quote from the November 9 statement, and that statement is a document which has the signature of the President of Azerbaijan”, the PM said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1099706.html?fbclid=IwAR0hGNMXt26GkVO-ZyfHNwJs54rvUhwSaxjUhQseOXqgBbd_Cfj3BNNtiLU

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Armenpress.am

Pashinyan describes silence of several friendly countries over Azeri closure of Lachin Corridor as strange

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11:54, 15 December 2022

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan thanked all countries and international organizations that have already reacted and gave an assessment on Azerbaijan’s blocking of the Lachin Corridor.

At the same time, Pashinyan said that the silence of some friendly countries is strange.

“I thank all countries and international organizations who have already reacted and gave an assessment to Azerbaijan’s policy of blocking the Lachin Corridor and causing a humanitarian disaster in Nagorno Karabakh. I have to say for the record that the silence of several friendly countries in this regard is at least strange,” Pashinyan said.

He added that he fully supports the December 14 statement adopted by the Armenian parliament which called for launching or re-launching international mechanisms for ensuring the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh.

“The parliament also called on the UN Security Council and OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing and member countries to send a fact-finding mission to Nagorno Karabakh for monitoring the humanitarian situation. I am instructing our diplomatic service, the Foreign Ministry to effectively convey this message of the legislative branch to the addressees,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan added that he maintains constant contact with the President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan to assess the developments and discuss possible resolutions.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1099714.html?fbclid=IwAR3ZdQNV6Ikz87MJfuIt0_y-DOCkHWYIhDyMlYP17fAk0FyUNlJN-XtYLOo

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Armenpress.am

All the claims that Armenia made verbal promise to provide “corridor” are absurd and ignorant, PM says

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11:37, 15 December 2022

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reaffirms Armenia’s readiness to implement the provisions of point 9^th of the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020 which is about the unblocking of economic and transportation links in the region. The PM says that the trilateral statement does not envisage any restriction of the Armenian sovereignty in this process.

Delivering remarks during today’s Cabinet meeting over the latest Azerbaijani provocations, PM Pashinyan said that Azerbaijan continuously and grossly violates also point 9^th of the trilateral statement, claiming that Armenia must provide a corridor. “I have stated repeatedly that the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020 does not envisage presence of any corridor via the territory of the Republic of Armenia. Nor does any document signed by Armenia envisage that. And obviously, all the claims that Armenia made such a verbal promise to anyone are absurd, even ignorant”, he said.

Like in the past, now as well Armenia is ready to implement the provisions of point 9^th of the trilateral statement relating to the unblocking of economic and transportation communications in the region. “And, therefore, Armenia is ready for the re-opening of roads, construction and operation of new roads at any moment, as envisaged by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia”, he said.

The Prime Minister stated that Azerbaijan grossly violates also point 8^th of the trilateral statement, which says that an exchange of prisoners of war, hostages and other persons held must take place.

“Azerbaijan still holds and refuses to return at least 33 captives, hostages and other persons held to Armenia, which as well is a gross violation of not only the trilateral statement, but also the humanitarian law”, Nikol Pashinyan said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1099708.html?fbclid=IwAR2GyzuvVY0fi5l7ERMRkGgywiqAXDiHaztXuiUxk7uX9jWPyqzmVpZ07uM

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Dec 15 2022

• HISTORY
• OPINION
• HISTORY SUGGESTS THIS WINTER COULD BE DANGEROUS FOR ARMENIANS

History Suggests This Winter Could Be Dangerous for Armenians

BY SIMON MAGHAKYAN

DECEMBER 15, 2022 10:50 AM EST

Wintertime is peace time, or so goes the conventional wisdom in the South Caucasus. This thinking is being challenged this week: On Tuesday, in cold temperatures, Azerbaijan reportedly suspended again the gas supply to Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed Armenian-populated region, amid an already ongoing blockade. With E.U. monitors set to depart on Sunday the borderlands that Azerbaijan attacked three months ago, the populations of Nagorno-Karabakh and all of Armenia are left pondering the next moves of Azerbaijan’s dynastic president Ilham Aliyev.

But if Aliyev does go further, it wouldn’t be the area’s first winter war—and the other exception to that historical rule is an instructive one. Though most major hostilities in this part of the world over the past century or so have happened outside the coldest months, there is one notable exception: During World War I, at the Battle of Sarikamish, the two crumbling empires of Ottoman Turkey and Tsarist Russia wrestled for control of historical Armenia, which had been divided between the two. But before the battle could even start, tens of thousands of underequipped Ottoman soldiers died by freezing.

In recent years, the memory of Sarikamish has been revived in official circles in Turkey and Azerbaijan alike. Two years ago, when Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined his “brother Aliyev” to celebrate Azerbaijan’s victory over Armenians in a fall 2020 attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, Erdogan proudly proclaimed that “the soul of… Enver *****… will rejoice.” He was referring to the WWI-era Ottoman War Minister who provided Turkish support for establishing and expanding Azerbaijan—and who, earlier, was the blunderer-in-chief of Sarikamish.

At bitter-cold Sarikamish, in late 1914-early 1915, Enver was thankful to Ottoman Armenian soldiers who gave their lives in vain to battle Russia. But when he returned to the Ottoman capital of Constantinople after that loss, he had a change of heart. Instead of admitting his incompetence in improperly dressing and housing soldiers or in dismissing German advisors’ opposition to attacking Russian troops in harsh winter conditions, Enver blamed his blunder on Armenians who had volunteered to join the Russian forces.

The collective punishment that followed was not just a temper tantrum. Enver dreamed of a racially pure polity of Turkic-speaking peoples, in which Armenians, whom he now called traitors, were the main hurdle. Not all Ottoman leaders were Pan-Turkists. But at a time when the Ottomans kept losing colonies, Armenians were the last and largest remaining Christian population in the region: an obstacle to creating a Turkey for Turks. Emptied Armenian homes and farmlands would also solve an urgent need, serving as accommodation for Muslim refugees who had just fled the Balkans.

The loss at Sarikamish, then, was an opportunity not to be missed. In 1915 alone, well over one million Armenians—the overwhelming majority of whom were loyal Ottoman citizens despite centuries of occupation, oppression, and overtaxation—were violently erased from their ancient homeland in what is now eastern Turkey. The massacres spilled outside the Ottoman borders, including when, later in WWI, Enver’s Army of Islam reached Baku, the capital of current Azerbaijan.

The Pan-Turkist dreams did not materialize. But some of Enver’s fears did. His obsession with treason took an ironic turn when he fled the defeated Ottoman Empire (which briefly acknowledged its crimes against Armenians by sentencing Enver—among other architects of the Armenian Genocide—to death), then fled Germany, to fight for and then against the Soviets. The u-turn self-fulfilled his paranoia: While in Central Asia, Enver and his rebels were destroyed by a Nagorno-Karabakh-born commander. It was not until the USSR’s collapse that the Turkish government repatriated his remains, giving Enver a hero’s reburial in 1996.

Russian trenches in the forests of Sarikamish, during campaign in Armenia in World War I.

Universal Images Group via Getty

Enver’s dream of physically connecting Turkey and Azerbaijan was unrealized, but the idea was not extinguished. In mid-September of 2022, Aliyev’s forces shelled dozens of towns in eastern Armenia and left evidence of numerous atrocities committed in the process of the invasion. The goal? A sovereign corridor splitting southern Armenia so that Turkey and Azerbaijan can have a continuous land border. Armenia’s offer to mutually unblock all transportation routes was rejected. Azerbaijan’s attack didn’t go unnoticed. Washington, despite the U.S. traditionally serving as a mediator of the conflict, shifted—if briefly—its rhetoric. Last month, USAID allocated $2 million dollars for a “transportation study in Armenia… to bolster peace,” an implicit U.S. opposition to Erdogan-Aliyev’s border dreams.

Erdogan and Aliyev weren’t always on the same page when it came to Armenians. Both came to power almost at the same time, in the early 2000s, but with different approaches to history. In 2005, Erdogan chose cultural diplomacy to polish his international image by restoring a 10th century Armenian church. Some hoped that Erdogan might even recognize the Armenian Genocide. Aliyev took a completely different path, wiping out indigenous Armenian culture in Azerbaijan’s territory by the destruction of monuments—remnants of a history that his regime now insists never existed to begin with.

But after surviving an attempted coup in 2016, Erdogan’s own obsession with power and history grew. He started frequenting outlying regions, including close to Armenia, to commemorate battles. At one of the commemorations, in 2018, Erdogan mourned the WWI Ottoman Turkish losses, declaring—for the first time—that his own grandfather had frozen at Sarikamish.

These days, Erdogan and Aliyev are even more hyped up about history for a reason: 2023 may be the most decisive year of their political futures. Aliyev appears to be readying for succession. His wife, who is the First Vice President, will automatically become president if he steps down or dies, thanks to a constitutional referendum in 2016 that also extended the presidential term limit, allowed for early elections, and lowered the age of eligibility for the office, such that their son, who has become more visible in recent years, could now run. Youthful Heydar has been showing up for photo-ops in military attire, despite skipping service in the 2020 war.

To solidify the narrative that only an Aliyev-led Azerbaijan can be secure and victorious, the senior Aliyev seems bent on delivering a “peace deal” by Jan. 1, in which Armenia would officially consent to Nagorno-Karabakh being part of Azerbaijan and would cede a sovereign corridor, which would accomplish Enver’s Pan-Turkist dream of connecting Turkey and Azerbaijan via uninterrupted land.

Absent a diplomatic victory, Aliyev may well seek a military one, by forcefully opening a Turkey-Azerbaijan “corridor” or permanently shutting off Nagorno-Karabakh’s sole connection with the rest of the world, which is currently blockaded by his regime. The year 2023 has already been designated as “The Year of Heydar Aliyev” in Azerbaijan to honor the founder of the Aliyev dynasty, who would have turned 100—a perfect time to transition the presidency to the namesake grandson.

And Erdogan is preparing for an election in June. He has been long hoping to make the year 2023—the centennial anniversary of Ataturk’s founding of the Turkish Republic on the ashes of the Armenian Genocide—an extra glorious one in Turkish history. He has already said he wants to renegotiate the post-WWI Lausanne Treaty, a Turkish diplomatic victory by 1923 standards that shelved previous commitments to ceding lands. He may not get a Lausanne redo, but a winter punishment for Armenians by his “brother Aliyev”—a chance to get a different outcome than at Sarikamish—might do the trick in energizing Erdogan’s nationalist coalition.

All of this makes this winter an extra dangerous one for Armenians. In addition to this week’s suspension of Nagorno-Karabakh’s gas supply and the ongoing blockade, satellite images suggest a military build-up around Armenia’s internationally recognized borders. Aliyev must know that his opportunities for regional opportunism are shrinking, and would do so even more if his key enabler, Erdogan, loses the election.

Despite continuing negotiations, Armenia appears to be expecting a war any moment. But it, and stability-seeking powers, should not let their guard down just because it’s winter.

After all, following the late 2020 war, when Erdogan’s and Aliyev’s forces held “the most comprehensive” winter military drill, close to the borders of Armenia, they tested exactly 218 different types of weapons for a reason: to match the artillery count at Sarikamish.

Simon Maghakyan is a visiting scholar at Tufts University and a Ph.D. student in Heritage Crime at Cranfield University. He writes and speaks on post-Soviet memory politics and cultural erasure, and facilitates global conversations on protecting Armenian heritage

https://time.com/6241293/armenia-azerbaijan-winter-war/

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Armenpress.am

Armenia is providing very big support to Russia by convening UN Security Council meeting, says legislator

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15:45, 20 December 2022

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is providing big support to Russia by convening a session of the UN Security Council where Russia – as a permanent member of the Security Council – can express its position on the crisis around Lachin Corridor, Armenian Member of Parliament and Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration Affairs Arman Yeghoyan said in parliament.

“It’s been already nine days that the Lachin Corridor is closed and Artsakh is under blockade. I am honestly surprised by the speeches of our opposition colleagues aimed at the government of Armenia. Why? because the Lachin Corridor is entirely under the control of the Russian Armed Forces. Now calls are made to the Republic of Armenia. Let’s build a simple logical chain. Is Russia a more powerful state or Armenia? I think Russia. It’s army is larger, it has nuclear bombs, missiles, its economy is stronger. And now the opposition is basically saying the following ‘Armenia, why can’t you do what Russia is unable to do’? What you are saying is void of reasoning. It is another matter as to how we should behave ourselves in this case. Should Armenia help Russia in the Lachin Corridor issue or not? If yes, then I must inform you that it is doing so. For example, a UN Security Council meeting is convened where Russia is a permanent member, Russia can express its position there. It is a very big support, it will be a very big work. It could say that it demands the immediate opening of the Lachin Corridor. That would already be a very big contribution. It could also say that some territories of the Republic of Armenia are occupied by the Azerbaijani military. It could say this at the UN Security Council too. That would also be a very big support. The UN Security Council session will take place and we will see,” Yeghoyan said.

The Lachin Corridor issue is expected to be discussed at the UN Security Council meeting on December 20 which is convened by the request of Armenia.

Azerbaijan is keeping the Lachin Corridor blocked since December 12.

 

 

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Mehr News Agency, Iran

Dec 22 2022

Pashinyan says; Armenia transmitted peace deal proposals to Azerbaijan

TEHRAN, Dec. 22 (MNA) – Yerevan has conveyed its peace agreement proposals to Baku and is ready to sign it, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a government meeting on Thursday.

"The Republic of Armenia has sent its proposals for a peace agreement to Azerbaijan, and we are ready to sign a deal with such content. I hope that Azerbaijan's reaction will also be positive," he said.

When addressing the Lachin corridor situation, Pashinyan noted that Azerbaijan's actions caused a food shortage in the Karabakh region. "The humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh remains extremely tense as a result of Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor. Hundreds of families remain separated on different sides of the blockade. Nagorno-Karabakh lacks a number of basic necessities, including food," he claimed.

The prime minister also added that the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh, deployed according to the trilateral statement signed by the leaders of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020, had obligations to control the Lachin corridor, but de facto did not fulfill them.

"De facto it turns out that the obligation assumed under the trilateral statement - to keep the Lachin corridor under control - is not fulfilled by the Russian peacekeepers either. Of course, this happens as a result of Azerbaijan's illegal actions, but it does not change the situation, because the main purpose of the presence of the Russian peacekeeping forces is to prevent such lawlessness and to keep the Lachin corridor under control," Pashinyan stressed, TASS reported.

MNA/PR

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/195255/Armenia-transmitted-peace-deal-proposals-to-Azerbaijan

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Armenpress.am

So-called environmentalists blocking Lachin Corridor are unequivocally from Azeri military – official

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14:58, 22 December 2022

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani government has organized the closure of the Lachin Corridor and it doesn’t have anything to do with any civil action, Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan said.

Grigoryan said Armenia continues making efforts to establish peace in the region. He said the crisis shows Azerbaijan’s destructive role in the region.

“Azerbaijan is blocking the Lachin Corridor through so-called environmentalists when peace talks are proceeding. I don’t know if there are generals or captains among the so-called environmentalists. But it is unequivocal that those people are representatives of Azerbaijan’s military. In this regard, it is the Azerbaijani government who organized the blockade, that step doesn’t have anything to do with any civil action. The situation remains a crisis,” Grigoryan said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1100302.html?fbclid=IwAR2jwe5RmPRCPeY6DFm_e0440vHYjpjKhURCCPQgvyAoNtAQFo7cbvackjc

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Armenpress.am

Netherlands Foreign Minister sends letter to lawmakers regarding Azeri occupation of Armenian sovereign territory

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14:02, 27 December 2022

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. In response to Dutch lawmakers, the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands Wopke Hoekstra sent a letter to the House of Representatives based on the report by the Dutch ambassador to Armenia regarding the territories of Armenia affected by Azerbaijani aggression.

The letter says that during the fighting from 12 May 2021 until 13 September 2022 Azerbaijan occupied 40 square kilometers, and another approximately 60 square kilometers as a result of the September 13 events of internationally recognized sovereign territory of Armenia.

The Dutch FM also mentioned that the Netherlands is supporting EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the EU Commission Josep Borrell’s demand that Azerbaijan must pull back its troops to the existing borders as of September 12.

The foreign minister also addressed the question regarding the possible extension of the EU mission or creating an independent mission, emphasizing that the government of Netherlands has a positive position regarding the further deployment of the mission in Armenia, explaining that negotiations are currently in process in the EU regarding the mission’s future, while the observers sent at this moment are from the EU monitoring mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia).

 

 

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Armenpress.am

“Now it turns out that Lachin Corridor is not under control of Russian peacekeepers” – Pashinyan tells Putin

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14:34, 27 December 2022

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

In his remarks at the beginning of the meeting, the Armenian Prime Minister thanked President Putin for the invitation to the informal summit of the CIS. “This is becoming a good tradition,” Pashinyan said.

“Of course, you are right, at this moment the main issue, the most urgent issue is the crisis existing in the Lachin Corridor. As you know, for nearly twenty days the Lachin Corridor is closed. It is the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh. I would like to remind that in accordance with the trilateral statement between the President of Russia, the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia the Lachin Corridor must be under the control of the Russian peacekeepers, and Azerbaijan has guaranteed the unimpeded movement of persons and goods along the Lachin Corridor. But now it turns out that the Lachin Corridor is not under the control of the Russian peacekeepers, and I would like to discuss this situation, to discuss what options exist. Thank you for the meeting,” Pashinyan said, according to a readout issued by his office.

Before the meeting, the CIS leaders had a luncheon at the Mikhailovsky Palace and toured the Russian Museum.

 

 

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Reuters

Dec 29 2022

Kremlin says it is concerned about Karabakh blockade after Armenian criticism

Reuters

MOSCOW, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Thursday Russia was concerned about tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan over a blockade of the road linking breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and would keep trying to mediate, after Armenia's leader criticised Russia's stance.

In response to a question from reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We are concerned about the tension that has arisen around the Lachin corridor, and the Russian side will continue its efforts, both in contacts with Yerevan and in contacts with Baku.

The corridor, which allows supplies from Armenia to reach the 120,000 ethnic Armenians who control the mountainous region, has been policed by Russian peacekeepers since 2020.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but its inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Armenian and it broke away from Baku's control in a war in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as the Soviet Union was disintegrating.

In 2020, Azerbaijan retook territory in and around the enclave after a second war that ended in a Russian-brokered ceasefire, and peacekeepers deployed along the Lachin corridor, which became the only route into and out of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijani civilians identifying themselves as environmental activists have blockaded the road since Dec. 12. Nagorno-Karabakh authorities say food, medicine and fuel are running short in the enclave.

The Armenian news site Hetq had on Thursday quoted Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as saying that Russian peacekeepers had not fulfilled their obligations under the 2020 ceasefire.

Pashinyan was quoted as accusing the Russian forces of "becoming a silent witness to the depopulation of Nagorno-Karabakh".

Pashinyan said that if the Russian troops were unable to ensure stability and security in Nagorno-Karabakh, they should make way for a United Nations peacekeeping mission.

Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Lachin corridor at an informal meeting in St Petersburg on Monday.

https://www.reuters.com/world/kremlin-says-it-is-concerned-about-karabakh-road-blockade-will-continue-talks-2022-12-29/

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TASS

Russia - Dec 29 2022

Armenian government expects road map from Russia to unblock Lachin Corridor — PM

According to Nikol Pashinyan, "if the Russian Federation is unable to ensure stability and security in Nagorno-Karabakh for objective or subjective reasons, it should initiate discussions in the UN Security Council"

YEREVAN, December 29. /TASS/. The Armenian government expects a road map from Russia to unblock the Lachin Corridor, which, according to the November 9, 2020 trilateral statement by the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan, is under the control of Russian peacekeepers, but is now blocked by Azerbaijan, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

"The Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Russian Federation, which has made specific commitments to provide security to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, should provide a clear explanation of the situation. How does the Russian Federation assess the situation, what is its plan and road map to restore the Lachin Corridor? These are questions that the Republic of Armenia and the people of Nagorno-Karabakh are waiting for the Russian Federation to answer. I remind you, Armenia is also a member of the UN Security Council," he stated.

According to Pashinyan, "if the Russian Federation is unable to ensure stability and security in Nagorno-Karabakh for objective or subjective reasons, it should initiate discussions in the UN Security Council on giving Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh a UN Security Council mandate or sending additional multinational peacekeeping forces to Nagorno-Karabakh."

"There is every reason to claim that Azerbaijan is once again preparing a military provocation, particularly in Nagorno-Karabakh," he added.

https://tass.com/world/1557205

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NEWS.am

Armenia - Dec 30 2022

Newspaper: West urges Armenia PM not to leave CSTO

09:32, 30.12.2022

YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Armenian-Russian relations have again entered a phase of escalation [of tension].

Political circles are worried about this tension; such a situation existed before the war of 2020.

By the way, some sources of the [Armenian] authorities claim that [PM Nikol] Pashinyan has given an ultimatum to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin: either they [re]open the Lachin road or Armenia leaves the CSTO and EAEU.

However, our sources report that Pashinyan admitted at a meeting with ambassadors in Jermuk [city] last week that [French President Emmanuel] Macron warned him not to leave the CSTO—they cannot assume the role of the RA’s guarantor, and RA Ambassador to the US [Lilit] Makunts added that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also conveyed such an exhortation.

https://news.am/eng/news/737686.html

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Jan 4 2023

Armenia Welcomes France's Efforts To Adopt UNSC Statement On Karabakh - Foreign Ministry

Fahad Shabbir

YEREVAN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th January, 2023) Armenia welcomes efforts made by France to adopt the UN Security Council statement on the situation with the Lachin corridor, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The road through the Lachin corridor is the only way connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia. According to the November 2020 agreements that put an end to hostilities in Karabakh, the road is controlled by a Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in the region for five years. Earlier, Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy said the UN Security Council statement for the press on the situation around the Lachin corridor had not been adopted due to France's approach.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry said that in the current situation, Yerevan attaches importance to an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on December 20, convened in response to the request of the Armenian side to discuss the issue of blocking the Lachin corridor and its humanitarian consequences for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh.

"We highly appreciate the publicly expressed and clear calls by the overwhelming majority of Security Council members on Azerbaijan to unblock the corridor and provide access to Nagorno-Karabakh to international organizations. We also welcome France's efforts to adopt, within a ten-day period after the aforementioned meeting of the Security Council, a statement by the President of the Security Council for the press on the current situation," the ministry said.

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/armenia-welcomes-frances-efforts-to-adopt-un-1619779.html

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Prensa Latina

Jan 5 2023

Armenia calls for international investigation in Lachín corridor

Yerevan, Jan 5 (Prensa Latina) Armenia urged the international community to send a mission to Nagorno-Karabakh to investigate the situation around the Lachin corridor blocked by Azerbaijani environmentalists, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinián said.

• January 5, 2023
• CST08:57 (GMT) -0500

• Published by: Luis Linares Petrov

According to Pashinyan, Yerevan hopes that the international community, “including Russia, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and whose peacekeeping troops are deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh,” will take further steps to lift the blockade in the region.

On December 12th, 2022, a group of Azerbaijanis, who presented themselves as ecologists, blocked the Lachin corridor (the only highway linking Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh).

Meanwhile Baku assured that civilian vehicles could circulate freely in both directions of the land route, Yerevan considers these events to represent a provocation aimed at creating humanitarian catastrophe in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Pashinián declared in a meeting of the Armenian Government that the blockade had caused a shortage of food in the region, and on December 14th he appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in order to force the unblocking of the corridor.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region with a majority of Armenian population, but located within the territory of Azerbaijan; Yerevan and Baku have fought several wars for its possession since its secession in 1988 from what was then the Azerbaijani SSR.

jrr/llp/jf/gfa

https://www.plenglish.com/news/2023/01/05/armenia-calls-for-international-investigation-in-lachin-corridor/

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Armenpress.am

EU planning assistance team arrives in Armenia for possible new civilian monitoring mission

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13:32, 9 January 2023

YEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. On January 9, the Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan held a meeting with members of the EU technical assessment team.

The team is visiting Armenia to consider the possibility of deploying a new EU civilian mission to Armenia, the foreign ministry said.

During the meeting the sides discussed the work of the EU monitoring mission which was completed on December 19, 2022. “In this context, FM Mirzoyan highly appreciated the role of the monitoring mission in strengthening stability in the region and preventing new aggressions against Armenia and expressed readiness to continue cooperation,” the foreign ministry said in a readout.

Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed.

The Head of the EU delegation to Armenia Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin also participated in the meeting.

Earlier in December, when the first monitoring mission completed its work, the EU said that “…the existing EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia) will deploy a transitional planning assistance team in Armenia to enhance the EU’s awareness of the security situation, and contribute to the planning and preparation of a possible civilian CSDP mission in the country.”

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1101251.html?fbclid=IwAR0r3I213jHZJAH1dz-XCD1ojeAwnSK3vIbVD6x-CUMzUm0j7Q1rjngiC2g

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Armenpress.am

Lachin Corridor blockade is provocation seeking new military escalation, warns Armenian Prime Minister

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11:31, 12 January 2023

YEREVAN, JANUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. The closure of the Lachin Corridor is a provocation with a final goal of a new military escalation, warned Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.

“The closure of the Lachin Corridor is a provocation, the final goal of which is a new military escalation, and steps which are desirable for those who’ve developed the scenario of the military escalation must not be taken,” Pashinyan said in a speech at the Cabinet meeting.

“One of the goals of this provocation and escalation is to conceal the explicit necessity for political and official dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert and sideline it from the agenda. Actions that would contribute to the implementation of this provocative task must not be taken,” the Armenian Prime Minister said.

PM Pashinyan called on the diplomatic service and all ministries with foreign connections to double their efforts to increase international awareness on the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh. “Massive work was done in this regard, but more is needed, he said.

He added that the working group on assisting the people of Nagorno Karabakh to manage the humanitarian crisis must continue to take possible measures to resolve urgent issues.

The Lachin Corridor is blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022. The corridor is the only travel and supply route for the 120,000 Armenians of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). The blockade has caused a humanitarian crisis. Shortages of essential products such as food and medicine prompted Nagorno Karabakh authorities to introduce rationing. Hospitals are keeping planned surgeries on hold. 1,100 residents of Nagorno Karabakh, including 270 children who were in Armenia when the road was blocked are unable to return to their homes.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1101499.html?fbclid=IwAR3AVO7gz7g4su9M0_JAQLDTed5TDrfbWvuU6dKMUXyWZSQ1cyf8IU4PR_s

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First Post

Jan 13 2023

Indian weapons in Armenia irk Azerbaijan

In an interview with a local Azeri TV Channel President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said that he considered India's supply of weapons to Armenia 'an unfriendly step'

Rakshit Sharma

New Delhi: The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has said that India selling weapons to Armenia is ‘an unfriendly step’, as Armenia tries to get its hands on better weapons to resist Azeri aggression after having lost the war in 2020.

In an interview with a local Azeri TV Channel Azernews Ilham Aliyev said, “Unfortunately, India is now playing a role among them. we consider this an unfriendly step. because these weapons, especially offensive weapons have a target, and it is Azerbaijan.”

What weapons is India providing to Armenia?

India in September 2022 signed contracts with Armenia to export weapons worth over Rs 2,000 crores. According to a an Economic Times report the order included the indigenous Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers that are already in service with the Indian Army. But this is not the first time India will be exporting weapons to Armenia. In 2020, India had a deal with Armenia to supply four Swathi radars to the nation for an estimated Rs 350 crore.

Here is a look at a few of the Indian weapons systems Armenia is getting that has the Azeri President upset and how they work.

Brahmos and Astra missiles

In the 2020 war against Azerbaijan, the Armenian military suffered heavy losses due to the Turkish Bayraktar drones used by the Azeri military. These drones were also used against Russian tanks initially in the war in Ukraine. It was found that these drones, which fly very close to the ground, were vulnerable to air-to-air missiles. Reportedly around 40 of these drones were shot down by Russian Su-30s, prompting Ukraine to scale down their use. Armenia is getting the supersonic Brahmos and Astra beyond visual range air-to-air missiles to take on the drones which turned the 2020 war in Azerbaijan’s favour.

Swathi Weapon Locating Radar

Swathi is mobile artillery locating radar that detects incoming artillery and rockets and tracks their point of position to attack the source of the attack. The Armenian military can pinpoint the location of the Azeri artillery and make counter-battery fires with these radars.

Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher

Pinaka is a truck-mounted launcher system which can fire 12 salvos in under 44 seconds. It saw action in Kargil where it was credited for neutralising the Pakistani army position on mountain tops. The 2019 upgraded version has successfully test-fired up to 90 km.

Multi-Terrain Artillery Gun

It’s one of its kind 155-mm, 39-calibre gun system mounted on a high mobility vehicle. The mobility allows the gun to shoot and scoot — relocate before counter-battery fire. Artillery guns are vulnerable to counter-battery fire — a war tactic wherein the enemy detects and attacks the origin of artillery projectiles. Weighing over 18 tonnes, it can be deployed even in mountainous regions like Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian-majority enclave in Azerbaijan which is at the heart of the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict.

https://www.firstpost.com/world/indian-weapons-in-armenia-irk-azerbaijan-11979652.html