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

[Yervant1]

 

Daily News, Egypt

Dec 26 2023

 

Armenia, Egypt taking steps towards developing defence cooperation: Armenian Ambassador to Cairo

Imagine embarking on a journey through time, where you can hear the echoes of ancient Egyptians whispering alongside tales of Armenian kings. Picture the sands of the Sahara dancing with the snow-capped peaks of Mount Ararat. This is the rich tapestry of history woven between Armenia and Egypt, a vibrant thread that stretches from ancient trade routes to the bustling streets of Cairo and Yerevan today. In this interview, Hrachya Poladyan, the Armenian Ambassador to Egypt, discusses the current state of bilateral ties, exploring areas of cooperation, challenges, and future prospects.

How would you describe the current state of relations between Armenia and Egypt? What are some of the key challenges and opportunities in further strengthening these ties?

First of all, I would like to seize this opportunity to congratulate the people of Egypt and President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi for his re-election, wishing Egypt continued prosperity and stability.

Coming to the bilateral relations between Armenia and Egypt, I would note that during the last three decades, since the Independence of the Republic of Armenia, we have developed close relations with the Arab Republic of Egypt, which have constantly been growing and expanding. Armenia has always attached great importance to political cooperation with Egypt, and bilateral political relations have been rich in high-level mutual visits. In this regard, the historic visit of President Al-Sisi this January as well as the visit of the President of Armenia to Egypt to attend COP-27, have raised the Armenian-Egyptian political dialogue to a new level.

Armenia highly appreciates the stabilising political role of Egypt in maintaining and fostering security and cooperation in the Middle East, Africa and beyond, and its balanced, peace-oriented foreign policy as well as its effective role and experience in countering terrorism and extremism. Armenia is deeply interested in developing defence and security cooperation with Egypt, as well.

Furthermore, our interstate relations are strong and have great potential for even further growth since they are based on the historically friendly ties between Armenian and Egyptian nations. There is complete historical information indicating that Armenians had already settled in Egypt since at least the eleventh and twelfth centuries, in the era of Fatimid Egypt and have since then been quite influential and contributed greatly to the foundation of the modern state of Egypt. Even today, there are streets named after Nubar ***** (the first Prime Minister of Egypt who was of Armenian origin) in both Cairo and other cities, as well as a city called Nubaria. Also, during World War I, escaping the Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire, Armenians received safe shelter in the Arab countries, including Egypt, where they found a new home.

I can say that, in contemporary Egypt as well, the Armenian community has played an important role in the country’s cultural, educational and social life. Among the most prominent artists of Armenian origin who played a tangible role in Egyptian modern culture, I can mention the names Anushka, Lebleba, Nelly, Fayrouz, Sarukhan etc. And I proudly note that during the meetings with the political figures and religious leaders of Egypt, they always emphasise the great contribution of the Armenian community to the state-building process and overall development of Egypt. At the same time, the Armenian community of Egypt plays the role of a unique bridge between our two states.

To sum up, I can state that the Armenian-Egyptian political dialogue is on a very high level, the bilateral agenda is quite fruitful and includes the fields of economy, investments, tourism, education, culture, health, etc. The existence of the mutual political will to further expand the cooperation and explore new areas of collaboration, by itself generates opportunities to further strengthen these ties and the challenges that might exist in this regard are merely on the technical operational level.

We’ve seen recent high-level visits and agreements. What concrete steps are being taken to implement them and advance bilateral cooperation?

President Al-Sisi’s visit was historic since it was the first time that an Egyptian president visited Armenia. The President of Egypt had meetings with his Armenian counterpart, as well as with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. And as a gesture to mark the historic visit of President Sisi to Armenia, one of the squares of our capital city, Yerevan, has been named “Square of Egypt”.

About a month after the visit, Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, paid a working visit to Egypt. Although the main goal of his visit was to participate in the 159th session of the Council of Arab Foreign Ministers at the Arab League, he also had a bilateral meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and discussed with him the ongoing efforts to implement the arrangements that were agreed upon during the Egyptian President’s visit. The Armenian Foreign Minister also held very important meetings with Ahmed Al-Tayeb – the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Pope Tawadros II – Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

This year was significant also in terms of making specific steps towards developing defence cooperation between Armenia and Egypt. In December, Armenia (High-tech Ministry) participated in the international exhibition of defence and security technologies “EDEX 2023” in Cairo, with a joint pavilion that included 12 Armenian companies which demonstrated their solutions and products in the sphere of defence and security under the joint pavilion “Armenia”. In the framework of “EDEX 2023” minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Khachatryan had bilateral meetings with Lieutenant General Mohamed Ahmed Zaki Mohamed, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Minister of Defense and Military Production of Egypt, Mohamed Salah El Din Mustafa, Egypt’s State Minister for Military Production, Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Mokhtar Abdellatif, Chairperson of the Arab Organization for Industrialization. During these meetings, certain agreements have been reached between the parties on military cooperation. In this context, I would like to highlight Armenia’s deep interest in developing security and defence cooperation with Egypt, a country that plays a pivotal role as a pillar of security and stability in the Middle East, the Mediterranean Basin, and Africa

Alongside the official visits, high-level meetings regularly take place in various international areas, such as in the framework of the UN General Assembly, COP, etc.

The high-level visits that followed the historic visit of the Egyptian President to Armenia themselves embody the concrete steps that are being taken to implement the agreements reached in Yerevan. We are expecting other high-level mutual visits in the near future and further expansion of our mutual cooperation in various fields.

Specifically, can you share any potential joint projects or initiatives in areas like tourism, cultural exchange or education?

Cooperation in the field of tourism plays an important role in Armenian-Egyptian relations. We have recently made tangible achievements in the field of tourism. In February of this year, the first business forum between Armenian and Egyptian touristic companies was held in Cairo. During the forum, agreements were reached to enhance cooperation between countries in the relevant field. Representatives of Egyptian tourism companies will exchange visits to Armenia in the near future.

According to current data, about 105,000 tourists from Armenia visited Egypt during 2022. We expect that in 2023 the number of Armenian tourists will reach 140-150 thousand tourists. On the other hand, the number of Egyptian tourists visiting Armenia is still quite low, about 8000 in 2023. However, the number of Egyptian tourists wishing to travel to Armenia to explore our culture, history and traditions has significantly increased. Thus, in December there will be direct charter flights from Cairo to Yerevan taking Egyptian tourists to celebrate the holidays in Armenia. We hope that the start of regular direct flights between our capitals, expected shortly, as well as the recent facilitation of visa requirements by Armenia (Egyptian citizens can now apply for a visa, without any invitation, directly at the Embassy of Armenia or through the e-visa system, while Egyptians having a valid residency or a valid visa of over 40 countries (including GCC, EU and Schengen countries, USA, New Zealand, etc.) can obtain a visa upon arrival at any border-control point of the Republic of Armenia) will be a great contribution in increasing the number of Egyptian tourists visiting Armenia.

I mention with satisfaction that the cultural cooperation between Armenia and Egypt is witnessing significant development. We are working to strengthen cooperation between the National Library and Archives of Egypt and “Matenadaran” Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Armenia. In this context, an exhibition of Arab-Islamic manuscripts preserved in the Matenadaran will soon be organised in Cairo. In order to consolidate cooperation, the two parties are working to stimulate mutual visits by official delegations and cultural groups. In September 2023, the Yerevan State Puppet Theater participated in the 30th Cairo International Festival of Experimental Theater. Moreover, for two years in a row, the Ararat Armenian National Dance Youth Ensemble has represented Armenia at the World Children Festival, organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Egypt.

Also, to further enhance people-to-people ties, from time to time, the Armenian Embassy in Cairo and the Egyptian Embassy in Yerevan organise cultural events and concerts in the hosting countries. The last cultural days were organised in Yerevan by the Egyptian Embassy in 2019. Now the Armenian side is conducting preparatory work to organise Armenian cultural days in Egypt during the next year.

Besides this, we continued our intensive cooperation in the fields of education, and science. Mutual programs are being implemented to teach Armenian and Arabic to Armenian and Egyptian students. In the context of this cooperation, The Center for Armenian Studies at Cairo University continues its work. A lecturer from the Yerevan State University teaches the Armenian language to Egyptian students. In February a scientific symposium, dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the birth of the famous Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents, was held by the Center for Armenian Studies at Cairo University. This scientific symposium will be followed by an international scientific conference that will be held by the Center for Armenian Studies.

There is significant and fruitful cooperation with the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development, which continues hosting tens of Armenian officials (policemen, diplomats, military personnel, etc.) and other specialists (doctors, professors, etc.) in various training courses every year. Throughout the last three decades in total more than 2000 Armenian specialists have participated in the courses organised by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development.

Given the geographical distance, what are the main obstacles to increasing trade volume between our two countries? What role can Armenian and Egyptian business communities play in promoting bilateral trade and investment?

Firstly, I would like to point out that the Egyptian President’s visit to Armenia gave a new impetus to our economic relations. In fact, President Sisi’s visit to Yerevan was also significant due to the immediate and promising results that it has produced so far. With great excitement, I would note that several Egyptian and Armenian companies have since expressed reciprocal interest and willingness to explore business and investment opportunities in our friendly countries. Several companies have paid visits in order to get acquainted with the available opportunities on the ground. Thus, I can state that the representatives of the Armenian and Egyptian private sectors view President Sisi’s visit to Yerevan as a signal to further develop economic relations between Armenia and Egypt. In their announcements, the leaders of Armenia and Egypt have emphasised the need for expanding the partnership and mutual investments in various sectors of the economy, such as industry, high-tech, tourism, communications, electricity, etc.

On its part, the Armenian Embassy in Cairo is making great efforts to strengthen and develop economic cooperation between the two countries, hoping that bilateral trade and mutual investments will increase in the coming years. It should be noted that the year 2022 was very promising as the volume of trade exchange increased four times compared to the numbers of 2021. However, given the geographical distance, the trade turnover volume between our two countries continues to face challenges, and the launch of direct cargo flights between the capital cities can assist in achieving more tangible results in the coming years.

Armenia is also interested in participating in many international exhibitions held in Egypt. This year, Armenia participated in the 56th session of the Cairo International Fair. The products of nearly twenty Armenian companies were presented in the Embassy’s pavilion and the Armenian side intends to continue and increase participation in such events in Egypt.

In the first quarter of 2024, we are planning to convene the sixth session of the Armenian-Egyptian intergovernmental committee in Cairo, to follow up on the implementation of previously reached agreements, as well as to explore possibilities of reaching new ones aimed at further expansion of economic ties. For that purpose, in particular, in the framework of the intergovernmental committee session, a business forum will be organised between the two countries’ business representatives.

The infrastructure development projects that the Egyptian government is pursuing are really impressive and the Embassy is constantly informing Armenian stakeholders about them. I can say that there are currently several Armenian IT companies that have expressed interest in implementing projects in the New Administrative Capital. Hopefully, in the near time, there will be some tangible outcomes to announce.

Armenia’s participation in regional organisations, in turn, creates new avenues for cooperation with non-member states. For instance, this is the case with the Eurasian Economic Union: Egypt (along with several other countries in the region) is interested in cooperation with the EEU, and this interest broadens the scope of our cooperation with Egypt. In this regard, I would like to reiterate Armenia’s interest, as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, in continuing to make efforts to help Egypt complete the process of drafting and signing a free trade agreement with the Union as soon as possible, noting that this agreement will provide new opportunities to support economic, trade and investment cooperation between Armenia and Egypt.

Do you see any potential for Egypt to become a gateway for Armenian exports to Africa or vice versa?

Indeed, Egypt can and I think will become in the near future the main gateway for Armenian exports to Africa. At the moment, Armenian business with Africa is quite insignificant, but the expected increase in Armenian trade-business involvement in Egypt, will result in more and more Armenian companies getting interested in further expanding to other African countries and Egypt will be the natural gateway for them. In this context, we are interested in participating in the regional exhibitions held in Egypt, such as the Food Africa Expo, etc., believing that exhibitions are the best places to explore the regional markets and to find business counterparts in order to conduct targeted work and pursue profitable economic achievements.

Armenia has set ambitious climate goals. How can Egypt’s experience and resources following COP28 support Armenia’s climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts? Are there any specific areas for potential collaboration, such as renewable energy development or sustainable agriculture practices?

Firstly, I would like to note that the climate change agenda and new and renewable energy projects are among the priorities of the Armenian government. During the official visit by the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Armenia, as well as during the meeting that took place between the President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan, and the President of Egypt, within the framework of COP 28 in Dubai, the two governments stressed the importance of enhancing direct and indirect investments between the states in all possible fields, including the energy sector. I would like to point out that the participation of the President of the Republic of Armenia in COP27 as well as in COP28 particularly emphasised Armenia’s readiness to develop cooperation in the field of energy with Egypt.

Armenia believes that in order to address the challenges of Climate Change it is needed to change our lifestyle and the way that we deal with natural resources. To this end, Armenia works with Middle Eastern countries, especially with Egypt on the agenda of using water resources and with the UAE, on the projects of Solar energy generation. Also, we work closely with the EU on making amendments to the country’s Environmental Legislation.

I am convinced that in the near future, Armenian-Egyptian relations will also witness fruitful cooperation in this area in the form of concrete joint projects and initiatives.

How can international actors, including Egypt, help address humanitarian concerns arising from the conflict, such as the displacement of civilians?

Firstly, I would like to state that this conflict has never been about the Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict, it has been about the right of Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to live freely and in security in their homeland without the fear of being slaughtered.

Armenia is committed to its vision of building stability and peace in the region and continues its constructive participation in the negotiations on the normalisation of relations with Azerbaijan. Seeking to establish lasting peace in the South Caucasus, Armenia has initiated “The Crossroads of Peace” project, expressing its readiness to ensure the safety of cargo, vehicles, people, pipelines, and electric lines in its territory, thus connecting all the neighbouring countries with its further continuation by linking the East with the West, the North with the South, thus, ensuring economic benefits for the region and countries beyond. Armenia believes that this project is able to play the role of an important guarantee of peace in the region.

On December 7, 2023, Armenia and Azerbaijan jointly declared their commitment to normalising relations and are set to exchange prisoners captured during the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Nonetheless, despite the fact that Armenia has always stated its commitment and readiness to normalise relations, the Azerbaijani side continues occupying around 150 square kilometres of Armenia’s sovereign territory during its aggressions in 2021 and 2022 and continues its warmongering and Armenophobic rhetoric laying territorial claims on other sovereign territories of Armenia (including capital Yerevan). In fact, the agreement to release the POWs all-for-all had been reached immediately after the end of the 44-day war, in 2020, and Baku did not comply with that agreement, although Yerevan did release all the POWs at the moment. So, this recent statement and the release by Azerbaijan of 32 POWs came only after Azerbaijan in September 2023 committed another aggression against the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh and ethnically cleansed the region from its indigenous population. Within a few days, more than 105 thousand Armenians were forcibly displaced from their ancestral homes. Another 26 thousand Armenians were already displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of the devastating war of 2020. It should be mentioned that in its recent decision, the International Court of Justice ordered Azerbaijan to “ensure that persons who have left Nagorno-Karabakh and who wish to return are able to do so in a safe, unimpeded and expeditious manner”. Armenia welcomes this decision and fully supports the realisation of this legally binding decision.

As far as currently there are no appropriate conditions to guarantee the security and rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia has been taking all necessary steps to address the needs of refugees. While the Azerbaijani mass media is busy spreading “scenes” claiming that there are Armenians who want to be integrated into Azerbaijan. It is clearly a false propaganda of Azerbaijani authorities trying to get rid of the status of a country that committed ethnic cleansing. It is pretty cynical, indeed, to force over 100 thousand Armenians out of their homeland and then to simulate the integration of a couple of dozens (not more than 40 people), especially if “integration” in Baku’s terms means forced assimilation.

We expect the international actors, including Egypt, to support Armenia’s policy and efforts to establish peace in the region, as well as we expect them to firmly condemn the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno Karabakh and make efforts to secure the rights of the indigenous Armenian population to return to their homeland and live in security and peace.

Can you share your thoughts on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, including Egypt? What implications do you see for Armenia and the region?

Concerning the ongoing events in and around Gaza, we express our condolences for all the thousands of innocent lives that are being lost as a result of military escalation, highly appreciating Egypt’s efforts to ensure the flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, receive wounded Palestinians and evacuate foreign nationals.

With regard to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict Armenia has always supported the “two-state” solution as the only viable option for establishing lasting peace in the Middle East.

We encourage the parties to reserve peaceful means for resolving the conflict and come back to the negotiation table. We fully support Egypt’s efforts, in reaching negotiated solutions to all the outstanding issues and its mediating role. Armenia, as a direct neighbour of the Middle Eastern region, is a natural beneficiary of such a foreign policy of Egypt, since we are greatly interested in a peaceful and cooperative regional environment not only because of the economic and trade opportunities but also because of the security and wellbeing of thousands of our compatriots that live in the region (Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine etc.) for centuries.

How can Armenia and Egypt work together to counter regional threats like terrorism and extremism?

The challenges that terrorism and different types of extremism pose are universal, and Armenia itself is trying to fight terrorism in its surrounding area with any means available. In this regard, we highly appreciate Egypt’s effective role and experience in countering terrorism in the Middle East and Africa, but this, of course, is not a challenge that a single country can overcome. Unfortunately, there are other players in the region that support and foster various terrorist activities. We faced it ourselves during the 44-day war in 2020 when Azerbaijan used terrorists and mercenaries to fight against the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, and, as a matter of fact, two of those mercenaries are currently under detention in Armenia.

With regard to the cooperation between Armenia and Egypt, Armenian security and police officers participate in various training courses organised by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development, including in the field of the fight against terrorism, gaining much-valued experience and knowledge from our Egyptian partners. I can state that such courses have greatly enhanced the security collaboration between our countries and I see readiness and potential on both sides to further expand security dialogue.

https://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2023/12/26/armenia-egypt-taking-steps-towards-developing-defence-cooperation-armenian-ambassador-to-cairo/

[Yervant1]

Dec 27 2023

Armenia to Open Consulate in Iran's Tabriz

Tasnim

TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran has given Armenia its consent to the opening of a consulate general in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said.

- Politics news -

Speaking to reporters at a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, held in Yerevan on Wednesday, Amirabdollahian reaffirmed Iran's support for Armenia's territorial integrity.

Pointing to the firm determination to invigorate the bilateral ties and praising Armenia for allowing the inauguration of Iran's consulate general in the southern Armenian city of Kapan in October 2022, Amirabdollahian said Tehran has now given its approval to the opening of Armenia's consulate general in Tabriz.

The top Iranian diplomat also congratulated Armenia on the new Christian year, saying his talks with Armenia's foreign minister and prime minister have revolved around cooperation between the two neighbors as well as Iran's role as a guarantor of enduring peace in the Caucasus.

"We strongly support sustainable peace in the South Caucasus," Amirabdollahian noted, adding that Iran also welcomes the initiative proposed by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for "crossroads of peace" in order to strengthen the transit routes.

"Peace, stability and security in Armenia are what Iran is after. Sustainable peace without the interference of foreign powers and through regional guarantors could have abundant benefits for all sides," he added.

Iran has realized that Armenia is quite serious and sincere in the achievement of sustainable peace in the South Caucasus, Amirabdollahian added, expecting that an enduring peace will be attainable in early 2024.

"We are optimistic that we can be hopeful about the materialization of sustainable peace in the South Caucasus region without foreign interference, with regional guarantees and within the 3+3 Format," the Iranian diplomat said.

He also praised Armenia's constructive stances in opposition to the Israeli war on Gaza, warning the US to stop supporting the Zionist regime, discontinue the experience of defeat, and let the Palestinian people decide their own fate.

https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/274077507/armenia-to-open-consulate-in-irans-tabriz

[MosJan]

Nikole and garregin cannot split the TV airtime or the country

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

this can backfire like it did in Ukraine. be smart people..

[Yervant1]

eurasianet

Jan 3 2024

Armenian Public TV snubs Church leader's New Year address amid political rift Church-state tensions have further worsened since the displacement of Armenians from Karabakh in September.Lilit Shahverdyan Jan 3, 2024

The annual address by the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church was not broadcast this New Year's by Armenia's public broadcaster, a first in the history of the country's independence.

It's the latest episode in the deepening row between the clerical establishment and the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, which enjoys the support of Public TV.

The Church's governing body, the Mother See of the Holy Etchmiadzin, reported late on New Year's Eve that "at the last minute, the Public Television Company informed us, without giving a reason, that His Holiness' New Year's message will not be broadcast before midnight."

Traditionally, the Patriarch of All Armenians' recorded annual message has been aired on Public TV, and other channels, immediately before the address of the country's top political leader. This year, the broadcaster instead offered to show the Patriarch's message during the evening news bulletin several hours earlier. The Mother See declined.

Patriarch Karekin II's message was therefore conspicuously absent from state-funded broadcaster's airwaves and YouTube page.

As the rumors about the exclusion of the Patriarch's address started to circulate on New Year's Eve, several news platforms affiliated with family members of senior officials, including the Armenian Times, owned by Pashinyan's wife Anna Hakobyan, accused the Church of stoking controversy.

"Karekin II gave an ultimatum to TV channels that his speech must be broadcast at 12 o'clock, otherwise it should not be aired. Naturally, this ultimatum sparked unwarranted controversies, and many TV channels have no choice but to exclude Karekin II's address," pro-government blogger Roman Baghdasaryan wrote in a remark widely reported by pro-Pashinyan online media.

In fact, the address was shown at the usual time by the country's private TV channels.

The Church's relationship with the Pashinyan government has been uncomfortable from the start. It had enjoyed friendly ties with the previous regime that was swept out of power by the Pashinyan-led "velvet revolution" in 2018. Shortly afterward clerical elites faced an internal uprising of their own which was ultimately not successful.

Church-state tensions were at a low boil until Armenia's defeat against Azerbaijan in the Second Karabakh War in late 2020. The Church boldly struck out against Pashinyan's government, accusing it of compromising national interests by recognizing Azerbaijani rule over Karabakh and presented a series of political demands, including the PM's resignation.

The Church stepped up its criticism following Azerbaijan's lightning offensive to capture all of Nagorno Karabakh on September 19-20 that resulted in the forced displacement of the region's 100,000-some Armenian population.

Late last year, the Church objected to what it called inaccuracies in narrating key events related to Christianity in a new 7th-grade history textbook for public schools and to a map in the book that places Nagorno-Karabakh inside Azerbaijan.

On December 26, the Holy See disclosed a letter it had addressed to the Minister of Education, Sciences, Culture, and Sports in late November that asked for a review of the alleged "omissions and errors" in the textbooks.

During a professional conference on the revision of textbooks last week, Minister Zhanna Andreasyan told the Church to stay out of it. "The ministry respects the position of the church, but the state organizes education," she said.

This episode followed the government's decision last April to remove the History of the Armenian Church as a separate subject from the public school curriculum, a move criticized by Patriarch Karekin II as "short-sighted."

It's not clear what led the government-friendly broadcaster's decision not to air the top cleric's address at the usual time this year. It contained no direct criticism of the Pashinyan administration - or indeed any political statement - over the painful issue of Karabakh.

"Let us surround our sisters and brothers forcibly displaced from Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] with caring love; let us increase hope in them so that the vision of returning to native Artsakh never fades and faith in God remains strong. Let us support the needy and distressed and seek the help of the Most High for our missing and captured ones and their families," Karekin II said in the address, according to an English translation posted on the Church's website.

Public TV's refusal to carry the address as normal was seized on by critics of the incumbent authorities.

Arman Tatoyan, who served as human rights ombudsman during the previous government, denounced the decision as "[An] encroachment against the values of the Armenian people and our national identity, undermining the moral foundations of Armenian statehood. It is an insult to our history."

Shortly after the Church's announcement, members of a student group affiliated with the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) hung banners outside the entrance of Public TV headquarters reading "SHAME" and "TRT1," the latter being the name of the first channel of the state broadcaster of Armenia's historical rival Turkey.

In a Facebook post featuring images of the banners, the union stated, "SHAME on the management of the Public Television Company for serving the regime that handed over Artsakh to Azerbaijan instead of upholding the public interest."

Lilit Shahverdyan is a journalist based in Stepanakert.

https://eurasianet.org/armenian-public-tv-snubs-church-leaders-new-year-address-amid-political-rift

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

Jan 8 2024

"I don't expect an invasion, but strong pressure on Armenia" - Tom de Waal on Baku's plans

• JAMnews

• Yerevan

Tom de Waal’s opinion

“In 2024 Armenia will face not only threats from Azerbaijan, but also the threat of losing or breaking off relations with Russia. Undoubtedly, the country will face a lot of problems,” Tom de Waal, a leading analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Development, said.

In an interview with Radio Azatutyun (Liberty), he said that this year Armenia will have to make perhaps the most difficult choices and it is a “somewhat dangerous” moment.

The expert also talked about the signing of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty and the issue of the so-called “Zangezur corridor”, which could link Azerbaijan with its exclave of Nakhichevan through southern Armenia.

• “The past year has resulted in losses and brought Armenia back to square one.” Opinion

• How will the regional configuration in the South Caucasus change? View from Baku

• “Baku does not recognize Armenia’s territory”: opinion on the “West Azerbaijan” narrative

“About half of peace agreements are broken within 5 years”

According to de Waal, it is a well-known statistic that the majority of peace agreements are violated by the parties within 5 years after their signing.

In this regard, he believes that the signing of the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan is only the beginning of the process.

He went on that the Armenian side wants to get international guarantees for the fulfillment of the clauses of the possible agreement, including the presence of observers on the border, and this, in his opinion, will be a deterrent factor, possibly preventing the use of force by Azerbaijan. But he notes that Baku is resisting these attempts by Yerevan to resolve the issue with the participation of international actors:

“And here we see the tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which says: no, we don’t need any international agreements, we need regional solutions, meaning Turkey, Russia and Iran, excluding the West. This is the main problem.”

The right to return to one’s home as a possible treaty clause

Regarding the right of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to return to their homes, de Waal noted that the majority would not want to return to their homeland and live in Azerbaijan.

“They might want to visit, get their property back, they might want to visit family graves or move those graves to Armenia. But I don’t think anyone is talking about the right to return anytime soon.”

According to him, some international control is needed on the issue of the right of return, and the right of return should apply to everyone:

“This also includes the 1988-1990 displaced persons. It is not so that many will want to return to Baku, Sumgayit. But I think that this right should be enshrined at the international level, and it will be part of the future peace agreement.”

“Taking Meghri by force is a very risky step for Baku”

Meghri is in the southern region of Armenia, which is an internationally recognized sovereign territory, and de Waal considers the invasion of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in order to penetrate the corridor to Nakhichevan to be risky. But he immediately notes that anything is possible:

“Azerbaijan is still strong, Armenia is weak. But if you take [the corridor] by force, it means you are behaving like Russia in Ukraine. Besides, if you want to build a railroad and you want international assistance in doing so, you should not occupy [Armenia’s] territory. You cannot force the World Bank and others to cooperate with you in building this railroad.”

The expert says that in trying to force Yerevan to accept its terms, Baku is using a strategy of coercion and the “Russian card.”

“Russia and Azerbaijan have clearly agreed on this issue. And for Armenia it is difficult [to resist] because the Russians are already there, they have border troops there. I expect less of a large-scale invasion [of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces into Armenian territory]. And more I expect a strong pressure on Armenia to accept it.”

He believes that the task of Armenia’s Western partners is to be able to offer Armenia something in return. He has in mind an “alternative strategy”, according to which the road will be built, but would become not only an Azerbaijani-Russian route, but also an international one.

The south of Armenia has become interesting for many players

When asked what to expect in a situation where Armenia’s Syunik region is again in the center of attention of major players, de Waal said:

“Who would have thought a few years ago that in the town of Kapan we would see flags of the European Union, Iran, the presence of Russians, and the French would want to open a consulate there? What happened in 1919-20 is repeating itself, Syunik is becoming the center of international competition and diplomacy. And why is this happening? Because it is the most important route for both North-South and East-West directions.”

He recalls that Jugha (Julfa) in Nakhichevan used to be a railroad border point connecting the USSR and Iran. But it has been 30 years since trains have not traveled through this area. According to de Waal, if the railroad running through Syunik is restored, Jugha will once again become a railroad crossing between Russia and Iran:

“So Russia and Iran are looking at this region again. For Azerbaijan, it’s a link to Turkey, and for the West, it’s also a new East-West communication route through Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan to Central Asia.”

He emphasizes that this small, 43-kilometer railroad is of interest to everyone, especially against the background of the Russian-Ukrainian war, when all transport routes from east to west were closed.

https://jam-news.net/tom-de-waals-opinion-on-armenia-azerbaijan-relations/

[Yervant1]

Jan 10 2024

Armenia tense as Turkey and Azerbaijan renew ‘Zangezur corridor’ discussions

10 January 2024

ByIsmi AghayevandArshaluys Barseghyan

After Azerbaijan and Turkey resumed discussions of the ‘Zangezur corridor’, Armenian officials have expressed their opposition to the proposal.

The corridor is proposed to connect Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan through Armenian territory, with Azerbaijan demanding that such transport be exempted from any customs checks. It has been a consistent point of disagreement in Armenia–Azerbaijan peace negotiations.

While it appeared in late 2023 that discussions of the corridor had been put on hold after the agreement to construct an alternative route to Nakhchivan through Iran, since early January, Azerbaijani officials have resumed its discussion.

[Read more: Azerbaijan begins construction of corridor to Nakhchivan through Iran]

On 2 January, Elchin Amirbayov, an Azerbaijani presidential envoy for special assignments, told Estonian Public Broadcasting that restoring transport links was ‘an integral part of the peace process’.

‘We started talking with the Armenian side about restoring the so-called “Zangezur corridor” so that Azerbaijani citizens living in Nakhchivan, or the main part of Azerbaijan, had an unhindered passage of this territory’, said the official.

Amirbayov added that the 42-kilometre railway would be ensured by Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) forces, as per the trilateral agreement signed on 9 November 2020 that ended the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Two days later, Hikmat Hajiyev, the advisor to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, told Berliner Zeitung that Azerbaijan expected cargo to be exempted from customs and border control when transported through Armenia between Nakhchivan and Azerbaijan’s main territory. He added that were goods being transported to a third country, customs and border control would be provided by Armenia.

On 7 January, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Turkey’s transport minister, said that they expected the Zangezur Corridor would be ‘implemented’ by 2029. He added that Turkey considered the corridor ‘irreplaceable’ despite previously endorsing propositions to route the corridor through Iran.

Armenian officials have consistently opposed the proposition, with Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stating on 23 September 2023 that Azerbaijan was attempting to ‘forcefully impose’ an extraterritorial corridor on Armenia that would pass through Armenia’s territory but be out of Armenian control, with the aim of creating a new target.

‘This is unacceptable for us and should be unacceptable for the international community’, said Mirzoyan, speaking at the UN General Assembly.

Sargis Khandanyan, the chair of Armenia’s Foreign Relations Committee, told RFE/RL on 8 January that while Yerevan was willing to discuss simplified customs and border regimes and unblocking regional transport, ‘unhindered crossing’ would not be accepted by Armenia.

‘It again assumes extraterritoriality […] which is a violation of our sovereignty’, said Khandanyan.

The previous week, Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council, told News.am that discussions regarding unblocking transport between the countries could take place after Azerbaijan had publicly confirmed that the principles of sovereignty, preservation of jurisdiction, reciprocity, and equality would form the basis of the discussions.

‘We have heard agreement from Azerbaijan on these principles; we expect that they will announce [it] publicly as well, and we will continue to work on clarifying the next steps,’ said Grigoryan.

Changing approaches

Azerbaijan has, since the end of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, increasingly sought to establish a corridor to connect the exclave of Nakhchivan to the rest of the country.

However, in October 2023, Azerbaijan’s Presidential Advisor Hikmat Hajiyev told Reuters that the construction of a route through Armenia had ‘lost its attractiveness’ for Azerbaijan after the two countries failed to agree on its opening.

The construction of an alternative route through Iran began the same month. On Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani stated that developing regional transport cooperation could not be ‘a basis for geopolitical changes and violation of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of countries’.

The idea of a corridor through Armenia’s territory has resurfaced in statements by Azerbaijani officials since the beginning of 2024.

Azerbaijani political commentator Zardusht Alizade told RFE/RL that while Azerbaijan wanted goods to travel to Nakhchivan without passing border or customs checks, the country did not seek to control the corridor.

‘There is such an example in international practice: the corridor that connects the Kaliningrad region with Russia. Trains from Russia on that corridor pass through the territory of Lithuania to Kaliningrad without obstacles and are not checked by customs officers or border guards. This regime can also be applied to the 42 kilometres passing through Armenia’, said Alizade.

Peace treaty within sight but out of reach

While there were hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan could be signed by the end of 2023, this failed to take place.

On 8 January, Armen Grigoryan stated that Armenia had responded to Azerbaijan’s most recent proposals regarding a peace treaty the previous week, adding that the two countries’ demarcation commissions would meet at the end of January.

‘There are issues on which we reached an agreement during the verbal negotiations, but we have seen certain setbacks in the text of the peace agreement’, said Grigoryan. He also affirmed that there could be no question of a corridor in the peace agreement.

Mediation of the negotiations also remains a point of contention. Azerbaijan has been pushing for bilateral negotiations amidst a reported refusal to engage in US-mediated talks.

Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated in December that it was ‘extremely dangerous’ for Armenia and Azerbaijan to pursue peace negotiations without taking into account tripartite Russia-mediated agreements made in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

‘Unlike Russia, the United States and the European Union are not trying to bring peace and stability to Armenia and other states of the South Caucasus’, said Zakharova, while calling for the countries to return to Russia-mediated negotiations.

Speaking to Berliner Zeitung, Hikmat Hajiyev stated that while ‘all formats’ of negotiations had advantages and Azerbaijan was grateful to ‘all mediators’, the country’s goal was ‘result-oriented negotiations’.

He added that while Azerbaijan was ‘not against honest mediation’, it preferred direct discussions.

‘Accordingly, the text of the peace agreement between Baku and Yerevan will be prepared directly and bilaterally’, said Hajiyev.

Azerbaijan has also repeatedly proposed separating the border delimitation and demarcation process from the agreement of a peace treaty, which Armenian officials have suggested might be acceptable.

On Wednesday, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated that the peace treaty should include ‘clear foundations’ for the demarcation process, even if demarcation itself took significantly longer.

‘I want to emphasise that these two issues — territorial integrity and inviolability of borders and also the further delimitation of borders — are issues where the Republic of Armenia cannot see and cannot allow any uncertainty’, said Mirzoyan. ‘Any uncertainty is a great basis and fertile ground for further aggressions and further escalations.’

https://oc-media.org/armenia-tense-as-turkey-and-azerbaijan-renew-zangezur-corridor-discussions/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Margara crossing point at Armenian-Turkish border ready for use after repair

12:39, 12 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. The Margara border crossing checkpoint in the Armenian-Turkish border is ready for use after a major renovation, the Deputy Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of Armenia Karen Tamazyan has said.

“All infrastructures in terms of technical customs equipment, passport control, and for the border guards, are ready for duly implementation of the passenger service,” he said.

Turkey shut down its border with Armenia in 1993.

In 2021, Armenia and Turkey announced readiness to normalize ties. In 2022, the two countries agreed to open the land border for citizens of third countries and diplomatic passport holders. The agreement is yet to be implemented.

In October 2023, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said he hoped the border would be opened soon.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1127874.html?fbclid=IwAR1HW36Ez4HtU41aIZQK8eSQOCKmQH9swbIAu9Bj090wsy_nyM5MlgIVp3k

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Latest statements made by Azerbaijan are ‘direct blow’ to peace process – Armenian PM

18:04, 13 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 13, ARMENPRESS. The latest statements coming out of Azerbaijan are a serious blow to the peace process, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Saturday.

“In my assessment, the statements voiced from Baku in the recent period are a serious blow to the peace process. Why? For several reasons. The first reason is the following, as you know, we’ve publicly agreed for several times that peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the delimitation and demarcation of borders, should be based on the 1991 December Alma-Ata Declaration. This means that Armenia and Azerbaijan recognize each other’s territorial integrity with the understanding that the territory of the Republic of Armenia is precisely as much as the territory of the Armenian SSR , and Azerbaijan’s territory is precisely as much as the territory of the Azerbaijani SSR. That’s exactly what the Alma-Ata Declaration says, that the Soviet Union has collapsed and the Soviet republics that have joined the Alma-Ata Declaration gain independence with their territories and the administrative borders that existed between the Soviet states become state borders. This means that the border delimitation process isn’t about creating a border. Meaning, our delimitation commissions must not go and create a border, but they should rather restate the borders that have existed at the time when the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration was adopted,” the Prime Minister said at a meeting of the ruling Civil Contract party in Gavar.

Pashinyan said that these agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan were recorded in the quadrilateral statement adopted as a result of the 6 October 2022 Prague meeting, as well as during the meeting in Sochi held afterwards, and during the Brussels meeting on 15 July 2023.

“Why do I find these statements voiced from Azerbaijan to be a blow? Because what they are saying on the highest level is directly contradicting this logic and this agreement,” Pashinyan said.

PM Pashinyan also warned that Azerbaijan is attempting to generate territorial claims against Armenia, which is “totally unacceptable.”

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1127976.html?fbclid=IwAR26ZnPdjP2rgpSGTUeAvdaIgAhBa9tudfXzrrXrzgv64A5hP33gYSXddzs

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Ready to ensure communication between Azerbaijan and Nakhijevan - on the same terms as Iran does, says Pashinyan

23:25, 13 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 13, ARMENPRESS. From time to time, attempts are being made to form a “corridor” narrative regarding the territory of Armenia.

Moreover, when we say that this is an encroachment on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia, they say that this is an internationally recognized statement that there is a North-South corridor, a southern corridor, a northern corridor, and they give specific examples of communications passing through the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Armenian Prime Minister said Saturday in Gavar.

 

“There is a topic of the Azerbaijan-Nakhijevan connection, and parallels are being drawn about ensuring that connection through the territory of Iran.

To get out of the word games, we say that under the conditions that Iran provides the connection, we are ready for both the railway and the highway under the same conditions," Nikol Pashinyan said.

PM Pashinyan noted that Azerbaijan has been developing talk about the Zangezur Corridor for three years, referring to the tripartite statement of November 9.

“The two parties of the tripartite declaration that signed the statement dated November 9, 2020, have shown since September 2023 that this document does not exist for them. The actions that were taken in Nagorno-Karabakh, with the participation of the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan, are evidence that this document does not exist for them.

It cannot be that this document ceases to exist for the two parties to the tripartite statement, but for the third party continued to exist,’’ said the PM.

Pashinyan mentioned that Azerbaijan has been developing a corridor discourse for three years already, referring to the statement of November 9.

The Prime Minister emphasized that in the November 9 statement, there was no mention of the corridor, nor was there any provision stating that the security of the road passing through the territory of Armenia should be ensured by the Russian Federation.

According to Pashinyan, there is a political understanding that the roads and borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be opened based on the principles of sovereignty and jurisdiction.

Addressing the statements from Azerbaijan that they need unhindered movement, Pashinyan said that Armenia is not against unhindered movement, but unhindered movement does not imply a violation of legislation.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1127979.html?fbclid=IwAR3u8VBKv-cTmDPWcJZ7roInc-886fehYzHEyUACogkhmdfs1mMrn8gFUKI

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Pashinyan responds to Azerbaijan's statements on Armenia's arms acquisition

23:59, 13 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 13, ARMENPRESS. At the session of the initiative group of the 'Civil Contract' party held in the city of Gavar on Saturday, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, referred to the statements made by Azerbaijan regarding Armenia's implementation of reforms in the army and arms acquisition.

“On the one hand, Azerbaijan presents territorial demands to Armenia, announces that it will strengthen its army, on the other hand, complains that Armenia is buying weapons from France and India.What is the logic here?

Any country has the right to have an army, no one can question it," Pashinyan stated.

According to him, it is understandable that all this should be put in the context of regional security. “Armenia may have concerns regarding Azerbaijan's armaments, and Azerbaijan may have concerns about Armenia. This is the reason why we say: let's sign a peace agreement in a way that does not make war possible,' said PM Pashinyan.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1127980.html?fbclid=IwAR0z-2IRgt0u5Z1VSmUYV5HeRfIz8qvwbgizBPyUAWOT2_kaPK-NH4-kHYU

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Pashinyan proposes Azerbaijan to sign an arms control agreement

00:21, 14 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, stated on Saturday that when he reviews Azerbaijan's proposals regarding the peace treaty, he sometimes gets the impression that the country is attempting to create a document that legitimizes future wars. PM Pashinyan noted that such an approach is beyond logic.

He noted that Armenia offered to withdraw the troops from the border defined by the Alma Ata Declaration, but Azerbaijan refused. Azerbaijan also rejected Armenia's proposal to demilitarize the border zones.

"I can make another offer: let's sign an arms control agreement so that Armenia and Azerbaijan reach a concrete agreement regarding arms and have the opportunity to monitor each other in terms of fulfilling these agreements. Of course, this is a new proposal, but if we sincerely want to move towards peace, all these issues can be addressed," Pashinyan noted.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1127981.html?fbclid=IwAR3u8VBKv-cTmDPWcJZ7roInc-886fehYzHEyUACogkhmdfs1mMrn8gFUKI

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Azerbaijan raises issue of 4 villages, Armenia - 32: Pashinyan proposes practical solutions to the enclave problem

01:04, 14 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has emphasized the imperative for practical steps based on mutually agreed-upon maps regarding the adjustment of territories, borders, as well as issues of enclaves and exclaves with Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan raises the issues of four villages, while the Republic of Armenia raises the issues of 32 villages, the vital territories of which have been occupied, including those in the region of Gegharkunik.

Given our commitment to recognizing each other's territorial integrity on the basis of the Alma-Ata Declaration, we state that there should be no occupied territories between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Therefore, if it is determined that Armenia controls territories that 'de jure' belong to Azerbaijan, Armenia will have to withdraw. Similarly, for territories that 'de jure' belong to Armenia but are currently controlled by Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan will have to withdraw," PM Pashinyan said Saturday.

“This is the political agreement that has been recorded, but it is impossible to implement it practically without a mutually agreed map.

There is one way to adjust the territories: to politically base the maps expressing the provisions of the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration, go to see the reality on the ground and match the realities to the maps.

"The opposite approach means creating a situation that will constantly lead to escalations, which can’t be a foundation for peace," Pashinyan said.

He noted that Artsvashen has been under the occupation of Azerbaijan for 30 years.

“A political agreement has largely been reached that this issue should be addressed through a certain model. The same approach should be applied here, using mutually agreed-upon maps as the basis for accurately addressing the territory and the problem,” noted Pashinyan.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1127982.html?fbclid=IwAR3dxfz3IZH2JmHgWe24VV3JBcsRMFV0D_t1j44wIw1mwNZpMZ_2RWW22mI

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenia can never give up its sovereignty – lawmaker responds to Aliyev’s statements

12:20, 15 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has been doing everything in order to have open borders and maintain its sovereignty, a lawmaker has said.

“The Republic of Armenia cannot in any case give up its sovereignty,” Member of Parliament Vagharshak Harutyunyan from the Civil Contract Party said when asked to comment on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s latest statements demanding an extraterritorial corridor through Armenia to Nakhijevan. “Armenia has been doing everything in order to have open borders, and maintain its sovereignty. We are going in that direction, this is a priority for us,” the MP said.

He added that the Armenian government must continue to advance the peace agenda. “We could face multiple difficulties on this path, they will try to provoke us, they will try to hinder the peace process, but politically this is a priority,” the lawmaker said.

Harutyunyan added that the Armenian government will do everything to make the peace agenda become reality.

He said that Armenia will not deviate from the peace agenda, but implementing it alone would be impossible.

“But we must prioritize Armenia’s national interests above everything else. And I personally believe that our state interests require us to advance the peace agenda despite all difficulties and the surprising statements,” he added.

“Our desire is to make the 29 thousand 800 square kilometers area of Armenia safe. This path could be difficult and perhaps even painful. But we must take these steps reasonably to its destination, because only in that destination can Armenia have the future we dream about,” Hakobyan concluded.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1128022.html?fbclid=IwAR2c48eGnXwG6_-RLjsyqCwQ6JhC-fukjgmCbTfF7-5UXDUZYw_5cpWd5dA

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenia to defend itself until the end if attacked, says Speaker of Parliament

15:37, 15 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. Armenia doesn’t have any territorial claims against any country but it has been developing its military and will defend itself until the end if needed, Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan has said.

“Is there any signal indicating that Armenia believes there will be peace in any case? Of course not. We have a military, we are developing our military, we will defend ourselves until the end if needed. But we are not planning to attack any country and we don’t have any territorial claims against any country,” Simonyan told reporters when asked on the possibility of war on the backdrop of the latest statements made by Azerbaijan.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1128053.html?fbclid=IwAR32ZpAom2NPEZBqkL-d4BJjaVzHV8Bo6seKariDbVwj4IDLk7wPGU5VWUI

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Exchange of proposals on peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan continues, says Speaker Alen Simonyan

15:54, 15 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. The exchange of proposals on a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan continues, Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan has said.

Asked to comment on the Armenian response to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s latest rhetoric, Simonyan said that nothing “drastic” has happened. He did however note that Aliyev’s rhetoric is sometimes detached from the logic of the negotiations.

Speaking about the possible peace treaty, Simonyan said that all clauses of the would-be treaty will concern both sides. “There’s not a single thing in the draft treaty that would concern only one party. For example, when we talk about pulling back the troops, we are talking about a mirror [reciprocal] withdrawal. All narratives concern both Azerbaijan and Armenia,” Simonyan said.

Asked to comment on the Azerbaijani statements regarding the so-called Zangezur corridor, the Speaker reiterated that the draft peace treaty doesn’t include any clause on an extraterritorial corridor.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1128054.html?fbclid=IwAR0oxHdGKJA8Wv_635-EI4WE9Y7jjP-A2s2TNCAooIKT8uuxO9iYRRcHcAI

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

French Senate resolution demanding sanctions against Azerbaijan supports Armenia's territorial integrity

21:51, 17 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. The resolution demanding sanctions against Azerbaijan, adopted by the French Senate, supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Armenia. It condemns the military attack carried out by Azerbaijan, with the support of its allies, on September 19 and 20, 2023, in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian Embassy in France said.

The resolution further calls on Azerbaijan to guarantee the right of the Armenian population to return to Nagorno-Karabakh, ensuring conditions that will ensure their safety and well-being.

 

The resolution calls for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the troops of Azerbaijan and its allies from the sovereign territory of Armenia.

It states that Armenia has the right to protect its territorial integrity and possesses the means to ensure its security, including through military measures.

The resolution also condemns the arbitrary arrests of political leaders in Nagorno-Karabakh, calls for the exclusion of Azerbaijan from the intergovernmental committee for the protection of cultural property in armed conflict.

It highlights the establishment of an international group of experts at UNESCO and its mission to Nagorno-Karabakh to prepare an informative report on the state of cultural and religious heritage.

 

The resolution also calls for the strictest measures, including the seizure of the assets of Azerbaijani leaders and an embargo on the import of gas and oil from Azerbaijan as a sanction against military aggression by Azerbaijan.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1128297.html?fbclid=IwAR3Sk9YnjSx7IzzPhuoa8vbcE8IoCtkB0TM4A20ERtTwI9pOaVKsAuURsi4

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Azerbaijan obstructs process of unblocking regional infrastructures, Armenia warns EU

10:38, 19 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan is obstructing the unblocking of regional infrastructures, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan told Toivo Klaar, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, during a meeting on Thursday.

In a readout, the foreign ministry said Kostanyan and Klaar “discussed the recent developments on regional security and establishment of peace.”

“In this context, the Deputy Foreign Minister drew the attention of interlocutors to the destructive statements made by the President of Azerbaijan in his recent interview, which aim to deviate from the peace agenda. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vahan Kostanyan stressed that the former USSR member states, including Armenia and Azerbaijan, recognize each other's borders in accordance with the Alma-Ata Declaration of December 1991, and the delimitation work should be carried out on the basis of the latest maps available at the time of the dissolution of the USSR. The Deputy Minister also emphasized the imperative of the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia. Vahan Kostanyan noted that Azerbaijan is hindering the process of unblocking regional infrastructures, the 4 well-known principles of which — sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity and equality — have been previously agreed between the parties,” the ministry said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1128395.html?fbclid=IwAR2hVy8nMPvyb_hFVdxFZlTo3eQBCGzLIKD3V0n9_2jG7vZGDubdTUrNpLE

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Baku's rhetoric challenges Armenia's sovereignty and threatens lasting peace in the region, says Mirzoyan

18:22, 19 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Rhetoric and statements of the high-level Azerbaijani officials continue challenging the rule-based order, territorial integrity, sovereignty of Armenia and, hence, the prospects of lasting peace in the region.

Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan announced this on January 19, in Zagreb, during a joint press conference with the Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman.

“Today we exchanged views on international and regional security topics. I thoroughly updated my counterpart on the situation in the South Caucasus. As mentioned, we had earlier opportunities to discuss Armenia’s vision of establishing stability and peace in the region, efforts aimed at overcoming the challenges and developing regional connectivity. Unfortunately, we see rhetoric and statements of the high-level Azerbaijani officials that continue challenging the rule-based order, territorial integrity, sovereignty of Armenia and, hence, the prospects of lasting peace in the region,” the foreign ministry quoted Mirzoyan as saying.

We believe our partners interested in stability in the South Caucasus share the same approach, that peace requires unwavering commitment and genuine interest in lasting solutions. Armenia’s position has been very clear on possible solutions based on well-known principles and agreements. Countries should recognize each other's territorial integrity without any ambiguity.

The peace treaty should provide clear foundations regarding the further delimitation process, which, according to our belief, should take place in accordance with the Alma-Ata Declaration and based on the freshest and legitimate Soviet Union maps. We also are sure that the connectivity that can be unlocked in the region, the economic and transport infrastructures could also help to advance lasting peace in the region.

We believe that all the infrastructure should be unlocked according to and under the sovereignty and national jurisdictions of the countries and in accordance with the principles of equality and reciprocity.

Moreover, to promote this idea of peace and connectivity, the Government of the Republic of Armenia came up with the initiative of “Crossroads of Peace”, which is, as I said, about unblocking the infrastructure, increasing the interconnectivity in the region,’’ the Foreign Minister Mirzoyan said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1128451.html?fbclid=IwAR1MPHqRDYnPpQtTNZj2wL1FM15chyO6LRxPRPwak1FD7iddUCdUpr2UJkY

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Direct contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan more or less active, says Pashinyan

13:30, 20 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressing the session of the initiative group of his Civil Contract party and presenting details of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, stated that there had been various episodes in mediated and direct contacts during that period.

“As a matter of fact, direct contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan are now more or less active.

Basically, there are working channels to work, particularly between my office and the office of the President of Azerbaijan.

Through those channels a joint statement was accepted on December 7, resulting in the return of 32 prisoners from Azerbaijan to Armenia,'' said Pashinyan.

 

According to the Prime Minister, Armenia and Azerbaijan are working on the text of the peace treaty and sending it to each other sequentially.

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1128503.html?fbclid=IwAR2EUuEntd99srjaHBpHtjkTqU9B-MT9WtEYiJhUqeJZvSpkh3QsXM9l0Fk

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Armenia expects guarantees from Azerbaijan of no hidden territorial claims: Pashinyan

13:43, 20 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. In the peace process, Armenia expects guarantees from Azerbaijan of not having hidden territorial claims and is ready to reciprocally give the same guarantee to Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a meeting of the Civil Contract party on Saturday.

"We have reached a point where we want additional guarantees to ensure that we, from Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan, from us, do not harbor territorial claims and hidden ambitions.

Diplomatic texts always have different twists, subtexts, and footnotes. In the footnotes of Azerbaijan's proposals, and perhaps Azerbaijan in ours, observe the dangers of territorial claims, if not today, then in the future," Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister believes that peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is possible on a theoretical level.

“In fact, recent discussions have leant in the direction that Armenia and Azerbaijan have no territorial demands from each other and mutually undertake not to make such territorial demands in the future. This is the understanding that has been achieved during this time,” said Pashinyan.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1128505.html?fbclid=IwAR17enY0SxYsm-TRxCkuDzF3NxWZqrPXgSrs02yaUe9O8pcIky_Xo2KB2u0