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

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

Nov 8 2023

Azerbaijan Softens Stance On Zangezur Corridor As Peace Deal Nears
By Eurasianet - Nov 07, 2023, 12:00 PM CST

• Armenia and Azerbaijan are close to reaching a peace deal based on mutual respect for territorial integrity, border delimitation, and transport link provisions.
  
• Armenia is turning towards the West for security alliances, while managing the status of displaced Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians by offering them refuge or citizenship.


• International concerns remain regarding Azerbaijan's territorial ambitions and the potential for aggression, with warnings from both the EU and the US.

Over the past week Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and other Armenian officials have been hinting that a peace deal with Azerbaijan could be imminent.

They say the sides have reached agreement on three core principles of a deal while "details" remain to be settled.

Pashinyan told parliament on October 30 that a peace deal is "realistic" if the sides remain faithful to the principles of mutual recognition of territorial integrity, delimitation/demarcation of the shared border based on the 1991 Almaty declaration and the opening of transport links in a way that respects the two countries' sovereignty and customs laws.

Later, ruling party MP Gevorg Papoyan echoed the prime minister, saying that only the "details" of the agreement are left to be hammered out.

Azerbaijan's deputy foreign minister, Elnur Mammadov, confirmed that "most points" of the peace agreement had been agreed with Yerevan. Mammadov said that reaching a deal had become "easier" thanks to Azerbaijan's takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh after its September 19-20 lightning offensive.

Following that offensive, several planned meetings between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders failed to take place in a reflection of the sides' differing preferences on who should mediate.

Baku refused to take part in EU-led peace talks in Granada, Spain and in Brussels, while Armenia's prime minister was a no-show at a CIS summit in Bishkek where he'd been expected to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Armenia was represented at a meeting in Tehran on October 23 that involved Russia, Turkey, Iran, and Azerbaijan.

Armenia's lack of interest in Moscow-brokered peace talks comes as the country looks to the West for new strategic and security allies, signing an arms deal with France and intensifying diplomatic relations with a number of Western states.

Prior to Azerbaijan's September offensive, which triggered the exodus of the region's entire Armenian population, the Karabakh Armenians' fate had been the thorniest issue in the talks. Baku had rejected the prospect of granting the region autonomous status, as well as Yerevan's calls for an international mechanism that would ensure the Karabakh Armenians' rights and securities under Azerbaijani rule.

During Azerbaijan's attack on Karabakh on September 19, Pashinyan announced that Armenia's priority was to ensure that Karabakh Armenians could remain in the region and live a "dignified" life there. But now that it has been emptied of Armenians, Yerevan seems to have abandoned this demand and instead started the process of granting them refugee status or Armenian citizenship.

"Our policy is that if those displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh do not, objectively speaking, have the opportunity to return to Nagorno-Karabakh - our wish is that they all stay in Armenia, and live and work here," Pashinyan told a cabinet meeting on November 2.

Another critical issue is "the opening of transport links," a provision of the 2020 ceasefire agreement that cemented Azerbaijan's gains in the Second Karabakh War.

Baku long discussed this provision in the context of its "Zangezur corridor" project, which for a time it insisted was to be a seamless corridor connecting mainland Azerbaijan with its exclave Nakhchivan through Armenian territory and beyond Armenian sovereignty.

Azerbaijan stepped back from the maximalist version of this project in February, and, after the September offensive, began giving assurances that it would no longer insist on a corridor and would instead make do with an alternative route through Iran.

But Armenians are wary of these assurances, particularly given Russia's apparent interest in the Zangezur corridor project.

Fears persist in Armenia that Azerbaijan will use force to make the corridor a reality, and continued rhetoric from Baku about "Western Azerbaijan" is doing nothing to allay these fears. This is the notion that parts of Armenian territory rightfully belong to Azerbaijan, or that, at the very least, Azerbaijanis have the right to settle in formerly Azerbaijani-populated parts of Armenia.

These concerns are shared by the EU, which has called on Azerbaijan to commit to respecting Armenian territory and by the U.S., where, according to Politico, Secretary of State Antony Blinken briefed members of Congress in early October on the risk of an Azerbaiajni invasion of Armenia. (The State Department rejected this report.)

The Lemkin Genocide Prevention Institute issued a "red flag alert" on November 1 over a possible "invasion of Armenia by Azerbaijan in the coming days and weeks."

On November 2, the US State Department told the Voice of America's Armenian service: "Any violation of Armenia's territorial integrity will have serious consequences."

By Eurasianet.org

[Yervant1]

The 1014, New Zealand

Nov 8 2023

Armenia Enhances Defense Capabilities with the Indrajaal Anti-Drone System

ByDavid Faiumu

In an effort to strengthen its defense capabilities, Armenia has recently acquired the cutting-edge Indrajaal anti-drone system from India. This move comes on the heels of previous imports of rocket launchers and missiles from the country, signaling Armenia’s commitment to bolster its military arsenal.

The Indrajaal system, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), represents India’s first foray into the realm of AI-powered anti-drone technology. Designed to counter the increasing threat of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, the Indrajaal system provides Armenia with an advanced and comprehensive defense solution.

Unlike traditional anti-drone systems, the Indrajaal system employs a multi-layered, multi-sensor architecture known as Zen Anti-Drone System (ZADS). This innovative system leverages passive surveillance, camera sensors, and jamming techniques to detect, classify, and track drones, effectively neutralizing any potential threat they pose.

At the core of the ZADS is its Counter Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) called RF Based Drone detector (RFDD). This component utilizes radio frequency (RF) sensors to passively monitor frequencies ranging from 70 MHz to 6 GHz, enabling it to detect and monitor the communication link between the drone and its pilot.

The procurement of the Indrajaal anti-drone system is a significant step forward for Armenia in safeguarding its national security. With the integration of this state-of-the-art technology, Armenia is poised to effectively counter emerging threats from UAVs, ensuring the protection of its airspace and critical infrastructure.

FAQ:

Q: What is the Indrajaal anti-drone system?
A: The Indrajaal system is an AI-powered anti-drone technology acquired by Armenia to counter the increasing threat from unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).

Q: How does the Zen Anti-Drone System (ZADS) work?
A: ZADS utilizes a multi-layered, multi-sensor architecture that combines passive surveillance, camera sensors, and jamming techniques to detect, classify, and track drones.

Q: What is the RF Based Drone detector (RFDD)?
A: The RFDD is a component of the ZADS that employs radio frequency sensors to passively monitor the communication link between the drone and its pilot.

Q: How will the Indrajaal anti-drone system benefit Armenia?
A: The Indrajaal system will enhance Armenia’s defense capabilities by providing advanced protection against UAVs, safeguarding its airspace and critical infrastructure.

https://the1014.co.nz/uncategorized/armenia-buying-anti-drone-system-from-india/212872/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenia, Italy discuss defense cooperation

13:05, 9 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. On November 9, Minister of Defense of Armenia Suren Papikyan received the delegation led by the Chief of the Defence Staff of Italy Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who is in Armenia on a working visit, the Ministry of Defense said in a press release.

Issues related to the Armenian-Italian defense cooperation and regional security were discussed.

The Minister of Defense emphasized the prospects for development of relations in various aspects of bilateral interest, on which agreements were reached during the meeting.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1123802.html?fbclid=IwAR1vBWluFD7k92uwLJaWpi6Mlz5JS-19Rljm6w05Vi-vbjfV6JMc7SlXQ-8

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

Asbarez.com

Moscow Says Russia Should Monitor Azerbaijan-Nakhichevan Transport Route

by Asbarez Staff

November 9, 2023

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

Russian border guards at a checkpoint in Meghri, Armenia

 

Yerevan Reacts, Saying Armenia will Monitor its Own Routes

Russia on Thursday reiterated that it should monitor any future transport route linking Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan, insisting that this matter has been enshrined in the documents signed by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia.

“I would like to draw your attention to the fact that according to the tripartite agreements, the monitoring of transport communication between Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan will be carried out by the agencies of the Border Guard Service of the FSB [Federal Security Service] of Russia,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova during a briefing on Thursday.

Yerevan was quick to respond by saying that in the event of opening regional routes, Armenia will carry out border and customs checks on its territory through its state institutions.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan said that this principle is one of the main aspects of the Armenian government’s “Crossroads of Peace” project.

“The Republic of Armenia has never, in any document, agreed to any limitation of its sovereignty, and the control of a third country cannot be established over any part of its sovereign territory,” Badalyan stressed.

The Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson added that a special unit was recently created as part of Armenia’s National Security Service, whose task is to ensure the safety of these roads as well as the passage of goods, cargo, vehicles and people in the event of the opening of regional routes.

Zakharova also said that Russia is guided by the task of lifting the blockade of Armenia, including when it supported the resumption of dialogue between Armenia and Turkey. Zakharova reminded that the first meeting of the respective special representatives of the two countries was held on January 14, 2021 in Moscow.

“Russia also considers the 3+3 format another good platform for cooperation between the countries. In 2024, during the next session of the platform in Turkey, the topic of transport will also be considered. Within the framework of that format, Yerevan’s constructive proposal will be in demand, I am convinced,” Zakharova said.

During the three years since the signing of the so-called “tripartite” agreements, both Russia and Azerbaijan overtly have violated the provisions of the documents, with the most recent case being the non-responsive approach by Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh when Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack in September forcing the displacement of more than 100,000 Artsakh residents, which many rights advocated are calling a deliberate ethnic cleansing campaign.

Zakharova said that initiatives taken by Armenia have been consistent with the decisions of the working group, comprised of the deputy prime ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, to tackle the unblocking of transport routes between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson said that Russia is convinced that unblocking process plays an important role in the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and contributes to stability as well as the opening of transit-logistics potential in the South Caucasus.

Zakharova lamented that disagreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to delay the process as envisioned by Russia. She emphasized that Russia has expressed its political will and will continue to support the process, but “one side’s political will is not enough,” she said.

Zakharova also announced that Russia will send 40 tons of humanitarian aid to Armenia in the coming days in response to the humanitarian crisis arising from the exodus of more than 100,000 displaced Artsakh residents.

“We [Russia] are assisting Armenia and the Armenians of Karabakh in the humanitarian sphere. Specifically, the government of the Russia Federation, taking into consideration the needs of the Armenian side, has prepared 40 tons of humanitarian aid. The humanitarian cargo includes a mobile power station that can supply energy to dozens of homes. The prepared humanitarian action complements the steps already taken to help the displaced people of Karabakh,” Zakharova explained.

She recalled that the Russian Humanitarian Mission project has already sent six tons of aid to Armenia that included 500 food kits, and 500 packages of personal hygiene products and household chemicals.

Zakharova added that on October 20 Russia sent 1.5 tons of humanitarian aid to various cities in Armenia, adding that forcibly displaced Artsakh residents who have settled in Armenia’s Syunik Province on a permanent basis have been receiving assistance from the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Company and a number of other Russian-affiliated institutions.

https://asbarez.com/moscow-says-russia-should-monitor-azerbaijan-nakhichevan-transport-route/?fbclid=IwAR12jMsdrff6WPkAoR6643m4Vp1hJh9kS6zYVYBMRXt-wlRN03GGarjc0ps

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenian PM attends opening ceremony of Paris Peace Forum

15:28, 10 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has attended the opening ceremony of the Paris Peace Forum 2023 at the Brongniart Palace in Paris.

President of the Paris Peace Forum Ángel Gurría welcomed the Armenian Prime Minister and the other participating world leaders.

French President Emmanuel Macron delivered welcoming remarks.

PM Pashinyan will be among the speakers of the Insights on Cooperation in a world of rivalry : Crafting Peace and Building a Safer World – The case of Caucasus panel discussion.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1123890.html?fbclid=IwAR0spXBmS6cJtf7_-WGzcGVaal-vcDBEvRbIqvkDsQBHr4jp9cCVznuBrrs

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenia seeks to sign peace treaty with Azerbaijan in coming months based on three Brussels principles: Pashinyan

18:58, 10 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian side hopes to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan in the coming months, based on the three principles agreed upon at the negotiations held in Brussels.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said this during the panel discussion at the 6th Paris Peace Forum.

“Principle 1: Armenia and Azerbaijan fully recognize each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, based on the understanding that Armenia's territory covers 29,800 square kilometers and Azerbaijan's 86,600 square kilometers.

Principle 2: Armenia and Azerbaijan reaffirm their unconditional commitment to the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration as the political basis for the border demarcation.The Alma-Ata Declaration was signed by 12 republics of the Soviet Union on December 21, 1991. With this declaration, the 12 republics of the former USSR, including Azerbaijan and Armenia, recognize each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the inviolability of existing administrative borders; therefore, the existing administrative borders between the republics of the Soviet Union become state borders.

Principe 3: Future transport regulations to unblock transport and economic ties in the region will respect the principles of sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity and equality of all countries,” Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister recalled that an agreement on these principles was reached during negotiations with the President of Azerbaijan in Brussels, and these agreements had been recorded in the statements by European Council President Charles Michel after tripartite meetings on May 14 and July 15, 2023.

“French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have also expressed their support for these principles, and this is reflected in the Quadrilateral Declaration adopted in Granada, signed by Charles Michel, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron and myself. And if Azerbaijan does not abandon these principles, this will mean that the signing of a peace treaty with Azerbaijan in the coming months will become quite realistic.

The planned tripartite meeting in Brussels in October did not take place, and I have not received an invitation to the next meeting from Charles Michel. I hope that our EU partners remain faithful to their obligations," said the RA Prime Minister.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1123921.html?fbclid=IwAR1A_7_LO9Mk-WdbesvR10IS7UyA0re7U5CU6wIZgCrqUCT3KYNUePh4M_4

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

PM Pashinyan meets the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court

20:21, 10 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Within the framework of the Paris Peace Conference, the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a meeting with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Ahmad Khan, the PM’s Office said.

During the meeting, the interlocutors discussed issues related to international justice and law, as well as other topics of mutual interest.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1123931.html?fbclid=IwAR1njeFPqakxXpA-FtdjUKVUxmcOFaBcdVkfo0NsMpyzKppZPb7CJLHZBBw

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

PM Pashinyan refers to the "Western Azerbaijan" thesis put forward by the official Baku

21:51, 10 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. During the question and answer session at the "6th Peace Forum" panel discussion held in Paris, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan referred to the "Western Azerbaijan" thesis put forward by the official Baku.

Nikol Pashinyan drew the attention of the audience to the growing rhetoric by Azerbaijan, by which the Republic of Armenia is called "Western Azerbaijan".

"This is a very disturbing message, and this narrative is sponsored by the government. But if Azerbaijan reaffirms the three principles on which we have reached an agreement with the participation of the President of Azerbaijan, it will signify that we can continue to move forward," said the Prime Minister of Armenia.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1123941.html?fbclid=IwAR2ifENcJ5nPxqsK81zNBKdWY80NDSQiv-BwA9A2BZtNLXP78Fe8TcnW_o4

[Yervant1]

Nov 12 2023

Armenia receives French armored vehicles instead of Ukraine

NEWSARMY

ByDylan Malyasov

Armenia has reportedly taken delivery of the first batch of Bastion armored vehicles from the French defense company Arquus, formerly known as Renault Trucks Defense.

The announcement was made by journalist and analyst Leonid Nersisyan on Sunday, accompanied by photos of the armored vehicles spotted in the Georgian port of Poti en route to Armenia.

It is worth noting that the Bastion armored vehicles received by Armenia are the same vehicles that Arquus pledged to deliver to Ukraine in 2022 from its stock of 24 units.

The transfer of these vehicles to Ukraine was initially reported by the French newspaper “La Tribune” on October 3, 2022, stating that the French manufacturer Arquus, a part of the Swedish group Volvo, would provide Ukraine with 20 Bastion armored vehicles.

It is noteworthy that negotiations regarding the delivery of these armored vehicles to Ukraine have been ongoing for some time, as reported by security and defense correspondent Elizabeth Gosselin-Malo in April 2023.

“Company officials say talks on this have been ongoing for some time but nothing finalized (24 in stock),” she stated on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The acquisition of the Bastion armored vehicles is seen as a significant step in bolstering Armenia’s defense capabilities amid regional security concerns.

https://defence-blog.com/armenia-receives-bastion-armored-vehicles-arquus/

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

We must be very vigilant about any attempts to destabilize Armenia, says EU foreign policy chief

20:33, 13 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. The session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union held in Brussels has ended. As reported earlier the Armenia-Azerbaijan relations were also on the agenda.

Armenpress Brussels correspondent Lilit Gasparyan informs, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell announced at the press conference that the EU expresses its unbiased support to the democratically elected authorities of Armenia and supports the country's security.

EU foreign policy chief noted that, given the ongoing reforms in the country, the EU has decided to strengthen its mission in Armenia and increase its patrols along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Borrell noted that options for liberalizing the visa regime for Armenia are being discussed.

“We must be very vigilant about any attempts to destabilize the situation in Armenia, whether internal or external. And our message to Azerbaijan is very clear: any violation of Armenia's territorial integrity will be deemed unacceptable and will result in serious consequences for the quality of our relations. We call for the resumption of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan within the framework of the work done by the President of the European Council, because we need it. It is possible to sign a peace agreement and we are committed to maintain our role as mediators,” said Josep Borrell.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1124058.html?fbclid=IwAR3Zei7OypTY8qxhvh5LaGpNMEymd4o0ea3G9zQOW3Z3ppzn3wITco-h-LY

[Yervant1]

Nov 12 2023

Erdogan projects his own genocidal intent onto Netanyahu

by Michael Rubin

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan minced no words. “I repeat my call for the Israeli leadership … to immediately end its operations amounting to genocide,” he declared even before Israel began its ground operations in Gaza. Hamas was “not a terrorist organization but a liberation and mujahedeen group that struggles to protect its land,” he explained. As for Israel, the Jewish state was acting as “a terrorist organization rather than a state.”

“We will tell the whole world that Israel is a war criminal,” he told a pro-Palestinian rally. “We are making preparations for this. We will declare Israel a war criminal.”

If such moral inversion sounds familiar, it is because it is commonplace with Erdogan. The Turkish leader complains bitterly about the United States's alliance with Syrian Kurds but forgets that the U.S. embraced the Kurds only after Erdogan provided assistance first to Syria’s al Qaeda affiliates and then to the Islamic State. As with Hamas, Erdogan and his lieutenants argued that these Syrian radicals were not terrorists. As the Kurds resisted the siege of Kobane, Erdogan allowed Islamic State fighters to transit through Turkey and even attack the Kurds from across the Turkish border.

Erdogan regularly embraces radical religious rhetoric. He has described himself as the “servant of sharia.” While Turkey’s partisans in Washington and Turkey’s diplomats urge a strategic alliance because Turkey is home to the second largest army in NATO, to his domestic audience, Erdogan describes the Turkish military as “the army of Muhammad” waging “holy war” against “enemies of Islam.” After the International Criminal Court indicted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Erdogan dismissed the charges. “A Muslim could not commit genocide; he is not capable of it,” he explained.

By Erdogan’s standards, then, anything Islamic extremist groups do is justified, while those who fight Islamism are the true suspects. This inversion is at play in Erdogan’s approach to the Jewish state. Israel’s sin, in Erdogan’s eyes, is it is a Jewish state. There is no scenario in which he could conceive Jews to be right if that meant any Muslim might be wrong.

The hypocrisy goes beyond Israel.

Prior to the formal declaration of the Turkish Republic, the Turkish army slaughtered more than one million Armenians and put to fire centuries-old Greek communities. Such genocide and ethnic cleansing differ from Turkey’s struggle to oust European armies following the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres. These were not battles, but rather the preplanned slaughter of entire Armenian communities across eastern Anatolia.

Likewise, the Turks’ burning of Smyrna (today’s Izmir) was a preplanned ethnic cleansing. Turks killed perhaps 125,000 Greek and Armenian civilians in the city over four days, a figure almost 20 times that which Turkey says Israel killed in Gaza. That the majority of those Israel eliminated in Gaza were Hamas fighters is not a distinction about which Erdogan cares. Those Turks killed inside today’s Turkey were Christians, and so, in Erdogan’s mind, not worthy of concern.

Certainly, Turkey is not the only country guilty of hypocrisy, but it distinguishes itself with its blatancy and continuity. Every accusation Erdogan makes about Israel is a crime that Turkey has committed against Kurds inside Turkey, in Syria, and in Iraq, and against Christians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Consider Afrin, a Syrian district with a large indigenous Kurdish community that Turkey, both directly and by proxy, has ethnically cleansed. Turkish F-16s and drones continue to bomb Yezidi villages in Iraq. Just last month, the White House declared Turkey’s military action “undermines the campaign to defeat the Islamic State … and continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”

Turkey does not differentiate between toddler and terrorist; farmer, or fighter. By Turkey’s own account, it has eliminated thousands of Kurds in Syria since 2016. Some in Washington blindly repeat Turkey’s characterization of Syrian Kurds as Marxist, anti-American terrorists, but anyone who has observed the region firsthand disagrees. Northeastern Syria is not unlike Israel in its feel. For Erdogan, who considers Kurds corrupted Muslims, this is the sin. Erdogan may slam Benjamin Netanyahu. Both are arrogant, unpleasant men, but, when it comes to crimes against humanity, Erdogan sees his own reflection.

Michael Rubin (@mrubin1971) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential blog. He is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/erdogan-projects-his-own-genocidal-intent-onto-netanyahu

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

Jurist

Nov 16 2023

Armenia becomes 124th State Party to International Criminal Court

James Joseph | King's College London, GB

NOVEMBER 16, 2023 09:50:42 AM

Armenia officially became the 124th State Party to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday after Ambassador Mher Margaryan deposited Armenia’s accession documents in a ceremony held at the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, where Margaryan presented the instrument of ratification to the Director of the Treaty Section.

This ceremony is the conclusion of the accession process which began in 2022 when the government approved a law on Rome Statute ratification and a declaration, accepting the ICC’s retroactive jurisdiction before the Armenian Constitutional Court authorized the ratification.

In 2003, Armenia implemented partial legislation to give the country jurisdiction over crimes punishable by the ICC under the Rome Statute. However, Progress towards ratification of the Rome Statute has faced obstacles. In 2004, the Armenian Constitutional Court ruled that the Rome Statute conflicted with the country’s national laws. The Armenian Constitution was subsequently changed in 2005 and later in 2015.

The move comes as the country and it population are facing multiple international disputes that may implicate the Rome Statute. Last month, JURIST spoke with international lawyer Sheila Paylan and Member of the UK House of Lords Baroness Caroline Cox about the current conflict and aggression by Azerbaijan in the self-declared independent republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), as the region lowered its flag, opting to dissolve all state institutions following a months-long blockade by Azerbaijani forces that brought about an acute humanitarian crisis among its predominantly ethnic Armenian population. Paylan responded to Armenia’s accession telling JURIST:

By ratifying the Rome Statute of the ICC, Armenia has affirmed its sovereignty, demonstrated its shared values with democratic nations, and finally gained a viable avenue to seek criminal accountability for the heinous atrocities committed by Azerbaijanis on Armenian territory.

This move will also obligate Armenia, a former Soviet republic, to arrest Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, if he were to visit the country, due to the outstanding ICC arrest warrants against Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov has warned Armenia that its actions in joining as a signatory of the Rome Statute would be seen as an “extremely hostile” act.

The instrument of ratification will now be deposited with the UN Secretary-General, who serves as the custodian of the Rome Statute.

https://www.jurist.org/news/2023/11/armenia-becomes-124th-state-party-to-international-criminal-court/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

India to supply more arms to Armenia

12:18, 16 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. 150,000 units of 30mm and 40mm grenades will be supplied to Armenia by India.

The arms will be supplied by Munitions India Limited, the company that had supplied 5 million units of 7.62mm caliber rounds to Armenia two months ago, according to Indian Aerospace Defence News.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1124263.html?fbclid=IwAR0WBJ7vQFPIrXUgh-LuCZNKdLAeVKHnIehFRlt3cUCTmVk5x_ZLqWjJTQ0

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Reason of not signing peace treaty with Azerbaijan is mutual distrust, says Pashinyan

12:22, 16 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has explained why Armenia is not signing a peace treaty with Azerbaijan when, as he said earlier, the principles of the treaty are agreed upon.

“By and large the reason is the distrust between the sides, because every time, we see in Azerbaijan’s statements and certain actions, and perhaps they see in ours, intentions to abandon agreements and plan aggressive actions, which negatively impacts the text work of the peace treaty,” Pashinyan said.

He said that several other key issues are yet to be clarified, one of which is the development of a mechanism for overcoming the possible misinterpretations of the content of the peace treaty.

“Unfortunately that’s the reality, that sometimes every sentence can be interpreted differently, therefore we must have very clear interpretations as to how we will overcome it in case of differing interpretations. The other [issue] is the creation of security guarantees, so that no escalation will be possible after the signing of the peace treaty,” Pashinyan said.

PM Pashinyan said his administration intends to intensify diplomatic and political work to overcome these issues.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1124265.html?fbclid=IwAR2vzc7uEBxyrcXu1odfy1RfzkzNG67noehAxkbEsCFa6H6bPXPh50zLTnQ

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Antisemitism and intolerance on national or religious grounds have no place in Armenia – Foreign Ministry

22:01, 18 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Foreign Ministry has condemned the vandalism targeting a synagogue in Yerevan.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan, in response to a media query, said that antisemitism and intolerance on national or religious grounds have no place in Armenia.

“As we have already stressed before, the Republic of Armenia considers any attack on any religious institution and in particular any manifestation of vandalism, any disrespectful action towards the synagogue in Yerevan impermissible. Such cases of intolerance or its incitement are unacceptable, and criminal proceedings have already been initiated by the competent authorities of the Republic of Armenia. We categorically reject any manipulation of the incident, subject, be it for political, propaganda or other intentions. Anti-Semitism and intolerance on national or religious grounds have no place in Armenia,” Badalyan said in a statement.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1124458.html?fbclid=IwAR0SpmIygjid7I0Kv4n1MmWo4DhsZFt3_8GHeWUBC9QAIgl7VBOi7_X9AbE

[Yervant1]

Mediamax, Armenia

Nov 20 2023

Yerevan asks CSTO to remove from agenda the document on providing aid to Armenia

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Imangali Tasmagambetov said today that “Armenia asked the partners of the organization to remove from the agenda the document on providing aid to Armenia.”

“The Armenian side, despite the support for the document from all other allies, did not show any interest in the document, moreover, in the last part of our work, it asked to completely remove it from the agenda,” the CSTO Secretary General said at the meeting with the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.

On November 22, the CSTO Collective Security Council session will take place in Minsk, to be followed with the CSTO summit on November 23. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan informed that he will not attend the summit.

https://mediamax.am/en/news/foreignpolicy/53168/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenia never avoided talks with Azerbaijan – Deputy Speaker of Parliament

14:35, 21 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has numerously announced its readiness to negotiate with Azerbaijan, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Hakob Arshakyan said at a press briefing on Tuesday.

“Armenia has numerously announced that it is ready for talks,” Arshakyan said when asked to comment on Baku calling on Yerevan to engage in direct talks. “Furthermore, various peace treaty drafts are being exchanged. In the event of news, our foreign ministry is regularly providing comments. If a documents with proposals is sent to Yerevan, and then conveyed to Baku with proposals from Yerevan, what is this if not talks?”

Arshakyan stressed that Armenia never avoids taking part in talks in platforms which it deems effective.

 

 

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[MosJan]

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

Floridian Press, FL

Nov 21 2023

Rubio’s Armenian Protection Act Heads to the House After Passing in the Senate

MATEO GUILLAMONT

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NOVEMBER 21, 2023

Washington, D.C.- Senators Gary Peters’ (D-MI) and Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) bipartisan Armenian Protection Act has successfully passed in the Senate.

Last September, Azerbaijan launched a military invasion into the Armenian-held Nagorno-Karabakh ethnic enclave and seized control of the area.

Hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee and hundreds have been killed or injured.

The military offensive was preceded by a 9-month siege of Nagorno-Karabakh, which reportedly prevented the flow of medical supplies and food. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in February ordered Azerbaijan call-off its blockade, which Azerbaijan failed to do.

A group of bipartisan Senators had penned a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Jannet Yellen requesting immediate sanctions on the Azerbaijan government.

Absent action from the White House, the Armenian Protection Act would cut all US aid to Azerbaijan until blockades and offensive acts towards Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region cease.

“U.S. taxpayer dollars should not be going towards Azerbaijan, a nation that has brought instability to the region,” said Senator Rubio in support of the bill’s passage.

The Armenian Assembly of America, an advocacy group seeking to increase US-Armenia relations and bolster US support of Armenian public institutions, welcomed the bill’s passage.

“We commend Senator Peters along with Senator Rubio for this bipartisan legislation,” stated Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan. “Passage of this Bill sends a strong message in the face of Azerbaijan’s genocidal policies against the Armenian people,” Khaloyan continued.

Earlier in November, Armenian Apostolic Church leaders met with Congressmembers in the House of Representatives to lobby for American support of Armenia

Given the bi-partisan support for the Armenian Protection Act in the Senate, its speedy passage in the House is expected.

https://floridianpress.com/2023/11/rubios-armenian-protection-act-heads-to-the-house-after-passing-in-the-senate/

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Armenpress.am

Armenia, Azerbaijan agree to hold border delimitation talks

11:08, 23 November 2023

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Azerbaijan will hold a meeting on border delimitation, foreign ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan has said.

The meeting will take place on the state border.

“According to preliminary agreement, the next meeting of the Commission on State Border Delimitation and Border Security between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, from the Armenian side, and the Commission on State Border Delimitation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia, from the Azerbaijani side, will take place on November 30 on the state border of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan,” Badalyan said.

 

 

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