Author: Ani Basmajian

Armenia acting PM: Process of return of POWs will intensify after upcoming elections

Ani Basmajian
News.am, Armenia
17:18, 28.05.2021

We Armenians had a share of very cruel fate, and sometimes I want to understand why all this had to happen to us and me personally. Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia stated this at Friday’s meeting with the ruling Civil Contract Party supporters at Kanaker-Zeytun district of Yerevan.

“Sometimes when I meet with the relatives of deceased or missing soldiers, they get frustrated and tell me I can’t understand their grief, but then I ask them how they know I can’t. I tell them my grief is for 4,000 soldiers, while they are only in grief for their sons and husbands. I have lived and still live with the sense that I have lost 4,000 sons, and I’m not exaggerating at all,” he said.

Pashinyan added that during a meeting with relatives of missing servicemen, he told them that he hadn’t asked about his son’s fate during the war because it would mean that he distinguishes between the soldiers.

Touching upon the return of captives, Pashinyan said he is certain that the process of the return of captives will intensify after the upcoming elections in Armenia since the factor of captives and other factors are being used to have an impact on the results of the elections.

Pashinyan also talked about those who said the authorities deceived the people during the war and told them that the Armenian side was going to win, adding that the government couldn’t tell the people that the country was going to be defeated.

Armenia applies to ECHR requesting to ensure fundamental human rights of six servicemen captured by Azerbaijani forces

Ani Basmajian

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 15:02,

YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. The Republic of Armenia has applied to the European Court of Human Rights with the purpose to ensure respect of the fundamental human rights of six Armenian servicemen who have been captured today in the morning by the Azerbaijani forces in the bordering area of Gegharkunik province, the Office of the Representative of Armenia before the ECtHR told Armenpress.

The Office of the Representative of Armenia before the ECtHR has submitted request to the European Court of Human Rights to indicate interim measures under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court against Azerbaijan in the name of the individuals taken as prisoners of war while carrying out engineering works in the bordering area of the Gegharkunik province early in the morning on May 27.

The submitted request aims to ensure respect of the captives’ rights to life and prohibition of torture envisaged by the European Convention on Human Rights.

EPP Vice-Chair urges Azerbaijan to provide ECHR with necessary information about Armenian POWs

Ani Basmajian

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 14:39, 20 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Armenian servicemen and civilians captured during the recent Armenian-Azerbaijani war and after that must be immediately released without preconditions, Vice-Chair of the European People’s Party (EPP), MEP representing Bulgaria Andrey Kovatchev said during the discussion at the EP plenary session relating to the POWs captured during the recent Nagorno Karabakh war.

“Baku should refrain from applying any arbitrary detention and must fully implement the trilateral agreement which envisages exchange of all prisoners of war, captives and other detained persons”, the MEP said.

He noted that although Azerbaijan is using these persons calling them criminals or terrorists, they all are under the protection of the Geneva Convention and the international law and must be returned to their families in accordance with this.

“Azerbaijan must assist the European Court of Human Rights by providing necessary information about the persons it holds and their health condition. That country should refrain from any action torturing these people. An independent and impartial investigation is needed over the violations of the Geneva Convention and the international law, the fundamental accusations about the possible war crimes. In addition, Baku must close the so-called Victory Park which displays mannequins depicting Armenian soldiers”, the MEP said, adding that the existence of that park contributes to maintenance of hatred and harms the establishment of trust between the two countries.

He added that the European Parliament has always tried to be objective. “If we had reliable information that Azerbaijani citizens are being held on the Armenian side, we would have demanded the same from Yerevan – their immediate release without preconditions. Every human life is priceless and must be protected”, Andrey Kovatchev said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Canadian, Russian FMs discuss developments in Nagorno Karabakh

Ani Basmajian
Public Radio of Armenia

Canada’s Foreign Minister Marc Garneau and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the developments in Nagorno-Karabakh at the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting

Minister Garneau reiterated that Canada continues to call on Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tensions and expresses its hope that the parties can engage in meaningful action, including accelerating the release of detainees and the remains of the deceased, the investigation and prosecution of all alleged war crimes and cooperation on demining.

Minister Garneau said Canada will continue to support the primary role of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in reaching a permanent settlement of this conflict.

Pashinyan presents reasons of applying to CSTO

Ani Basmajian

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 12:17,

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed the question on why Armenia applied to the CSTO without having engaged in armed resistance against the Azerbaijani incursion.

“All those who’ve at least read a few paragraphs from the CSTO treaties will know that the CSTO is for the very reason for crisis situations to be overcome without firing,” he said at the Cabinet meeting. “It isn’t an organization within the framework of which one should fire and then invite others to fire. It’s an organization whose mechanisms should be applied to not allow escalation, to resolve the escalation diplomatically. This is the very essence of the CSTO. If shooting starts within the framework of the CSTO, with high probability it could transform into a big regional war, if not a bigger large-scale war in the event of certain scenarios,” he said. From this perspective, he said, it is highly important to understand the Azeri side’s goal. “One of the options was to instigate war, and we must focus on the fact that at least in the Syunik section this action was being carried out in the narrowest part of the Syunik province and of Armenian territory, approximately 26 kilometers wide. If the situation was to go out of control, uncontrollable situations could unfold there, which subsequently could create very big problems. We’ve decided that we must solve the issue through our international security mechanisms, I think this is right, and as of this moment it justifies itself, although we still can’t say that we’ve reached our goal this way. Considering the domestic processes in Armenia, we can’t rule out that the purpose of this action could be to influence the domestic processes and the results of the election, and maybe even to provide political assistance to the network of propaganda and agents operating in Armenia,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan also addressed the question on how the Azeri troops were able to cross the border.

“First I want to say that after the war our border became several kilometers longer. And in the parts where we are dealing there are difficult terrain mountainous sections, covered with snow in most times of the year and where any engineering works are impossible. The border’s current condition in this part from the Armenian side is the same from the Azerbaijani side.”

He added another issue: “We must combine today’s situation with the content of the November 9 statement, because, yes, with our assessments the movement of the Azerbaijani troops is in direct contradiction with the November 9 trilateral statement. And here we must also express certain positions and implement diplomatic work to record this.”

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Major strategies to boost trade between Iran, Armenia

Ani Basmajian
Tehran Times, Iran
By Mahnaz Abdi
  1. Economy
– 13:42

TEHRAN- Expansion of trade with the neighboring countries, especially boosting exports to the neighbors is one of the major policies that Iran is seriously pursuing to nullify the effects of the U.S. sanctions on its economy.

In this regard, given its good political and cultural relation with Iran, the neighboring country Armenia is one of the major trade partners of Iran and the Islamic Republic is taking different measures to expand trade ties with this neighbor.

Iran’s signing a free trade agreement (FTA) with Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) has noticeably affected its trade relation with Armenia.

Based on the agreement, which was finally reached in 2018 after several years of negotiations, about 862 commodity items are subject to preferential tariffs.

The interim agreement enabling formation of a free trade area between Iran and the EAEU was signed on May 17, 2018 and officially came into force on October 27, 2019.

Iran is a very important market in the region and development of ties with this country is of high significance for the EAEU members (Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan).

The free trade agreement between Iran and this union has laid the ground for the expansion of trade ties between the two sides.

Back in January 2020, the Head of Iran-Armenia Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hervik Yarijanian said the preferential trade agreement between Iran and EAEU has had a significant impact on the country’s trade relations with Armenia.

According to the official, the volume of trade between the two countries has witnessed an outstanding rise since the agreement became effective.

Iran mainly imports red meat from Armenia, while Armenia imports polymer raw materials, machinery, industrial gases, manufactured artifacts, leather and leather goods from Iran, he said.

Establishment of neighboring free trade zones (FTZs) is another measure that can boost bilateral trade between Iran and Armenia.

As stated by Yarijanian, setting up such zones on the borderlines can boost Iran-Armenia trade to over $1.2 billion in less than a year.

Saying that trade between Iran and Armenia has fluctuated up to $500 million in recent years, he noted that Mogri Free Zone in Armenia will soon be set up next to Aras Free Zone in Iran, which could increase the volume of trade between the two countries.

This proximity provides more free conditions for both countries to facilitate exchanges and can increase trade between the two sides to $1.2 billion in less than a year, he added.

“On the other hand, for the growth of trade between the two countries, due to the common border, we should consider exemption facilities for the entry and exit of some goods, and exclude countries with commercial interests from related laws”, the head of Iran-Armenia Joint Chamber of Commerce further stressed.

“Currently, there is a good market for Iranian goods in this country, which we can get, but the imposition of some import bans in the mid-term will make this market out of Iran's access”, Yarijanian noted, adding, exports and imports in the two countries must be balanced, because if exports increase and import bans are imposed in the mid-term, trade between the two sides will face obstacles.

Holding exhibitions in the other country is the other main strategy to cement trade ties between the two neighbors.

One of the ways to enter the markets of other countries is to hold and participate in exhibitions, and the Eurasian market is one of the most important commercial spaces due to its location in the region and its proximity to Iran.

Hassan Mortaji, a member of Iran’s Committee of Foreign Events, says, “Armenia has demanded the replacement of some items by Iran, and now that this market is available for our country, we can introduce and offer goods and services by holding various exhibitions.”

Armenia appreciates international calls to Azerbaijan to withdraw troops

Ani Basmajian
Public Radio of Armenia
   

Armenia highly appreciates the calls of international partners to Azerbaijan to immediately withdraw its armed units from the territory of Armenia, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Anna Naghdalyan said.

She once again emphasized that the Azerbaijani side made an incursion in the sovereign territory of Armenia.

“The Foreign Ministry of Armenia is hopeful that the Azerbaijani side will abide by these calls and will not further escalate the situation,” she added.

“The Republic of Armenia is determined to take every measure to ensure its territorial integrity, of which we have informed our partners on different platforms,” Naghdalyan stated.

Armenia expects support of allies if talks fail – deputy PM

Ani Basmajian

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 15:46,

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. There are no final results yet amid ongoing negotiations with the Azerbaijani side regarding the territory near Lake Sev in Syunik Province, caretaker Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan told reporters when asked on updates from the talks.

“We don’t have final results at this phase. I am sure that anyhow we will reach a resolution, because it is clear that the Azerbaijani armed forces have breached into the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia,” Avinyan said, adding that Armenia wants to resolve the situation peacefully and is ready to hold discussions calmly. “But nevertheless we must be ready for potential bad developments and be ready to defend our sovereign territory, and we expect the support of our allies in the event of such a bad scenario. But I hope that there won’t be any bad scenario and that all issues will be solved through negotiations,” Avinyan said.

On May 12, Azeri military units breached the Armenian state border in an attempt to seize the area of the Sev Lake in Syunik Province. Azeri military formations advanced into the Gegharkunik Province as well. A total of 250 Azeri troops are illegally deployed inside Armenian territory.

PM Pashinyan called the Azeri actions a pre-planned provocation and infringement on Armenian sovereignty. 

Armenia applied to the CSTO to initiate Article 2.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenian Defense MInister presents to CSTO Gen – Sec situation in Syunik Province

Ani Basmajian

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 17:48,

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Defense Minister of Armenia Vagharshak Harutyunyan held a telephone conversation with CSTO Secretary-General Stanislav Zas, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Armenia.

Vagharshak Harutyunyan presented in detail the situation in Syunik Province created as a result of the Azerbaijani provocation and the actions taken by the Armenian side. Emphasizing the importance of settling the issue peacefully, Vagharshak Harutyunyan assessed such provocations against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia as inadmissible, noting that such actions significantly jeopardize the fragile peace, threatening also the regional security. The Defense Minister of Armenia also informed that the Republic of Armenia has officially applied to the CSTO over the situation.

Vagharshak Harutyunyan and Stanislav Zas held a phone conversation also on May 13, following which the CSTO press service issued a press release, saying, '' The CSTO is closely following the development of the situation in the  border regions of the Syunik region of Armenia. As the situation develops, if necessary, actions will be taken under the provisions of the Collective Security Treaty and the CSTO Charter’'.

Restoring lasting peace implies liberation of Artsakh’s occupied territories, release of Armenian POWs

Ani Basmajian
Aysor, Armenia

Twenty-seven years ago, on May 12, 1992, a trilateral, termless  agreement on a complete ceasefire and cessation of hostilities signed between the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Republic of Artsakh), Azerbaijan and Armenia entered into force.The signing of the document became possible due to the mediation efforts of the Russian Federation, Artsakh MFA said in a statement.

“This agreement was preceded by a statement of the Council of CIS Heads of State dated April 15, 1994, calling for an immediate ceasefire, as well as the Bishkek Protocol of May 4-5, 1994, signed by the heads of the parliaments of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), Kyrgyzstan, the Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia, as well as the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Russian President on Nagorno-Karabakh and the head of Secretariat of the Council of CIS Interparliamentary Assembly.

Subsequently, the commitments to observe the ceasefire were repeatedly reaffirmed by the parties, in particular on July 26-27, August 29 and November 12, 1994, and were finally consolidated by the agreement on strengthening the ceasefire regime reached under the auspices of the OSCE on February 6, 1995. In April 2016, after a sharp increase in escalation caused by another armed attack of Azerbaijan on Artsakh, known as the Four-Day War, an agreement on cessation of hostilities and strict adherence to the ceasefire was again reached with the mediation of Russia.

The indefinite agreement, which put an end to the first armed aggression of Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh and its people, was considered by the international community as a document binding on the signatory parties, as well as an important instrument to prevent the resumption of bloodshed in Nagorno Karabakh and create conditions for a peaceful settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict. The UN Secretary General, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the Council of Europe Secretary General, as well as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries have repeatedly stated the need to strictly observe this agreement, including through joint statements at the level of heads of state.

On September 27, 2020, in flagrant violation of the trilateral ceasefire agreement of May 12, 1994, and subsequent agreements, Azerbaijan unleashed a new full-scale military aggression against Artsakh with the direct involvement of Turkey and international terrorists.

By its actions, Azerbaijan violated the provisions of the UN Charter, as well as OSCE, Council of Europe and international commitments as a whole. In particular, Baku violated such fundamental principles as the non-use or threat of force, peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, equal rights, including the right of peoples to decide their own destiny and the faithful implementation of obligations under international law.

The totality of the wrongful acts of Azerbaijan, including non-observance of the principle of pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept), unleashing a war of aggression, cooperation with international terrorists and their use to suppress by force the inalienable right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination, deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian objects with the use of prohibited types of indiscriminate weapons, torture and murder of Armenian prisoners of war, illegal detention of prisoners of war and civilian captives, destruction of cultural heritage and illegal occupation, constitute crimes, which entail international legal responsibility. The ceasefire achieved through the mediation of the Russian Federation on November 10, 2020, does not remove Azerbaijan’s responsibility for violation of their previous obligations, committed war crimes, mass atrocities and the ongoing systematic violations of the norms and principles of international law.

The outcomes of Azerbaijan's latest armed aggression against Artsakh are illegal, since they were the consequence of illegitimate use of force, as well as gross violations of human rights committed by the Azerbaijani side. Baku’s attempts to consolidate the imposed in such a way and, therefore, unlawful current state of affairs cannot be accepted, have no prospects and must be condemned and rejected by the relevant international organizations, by all responsible members of the international community, since illegal acts do not create law.

Restoring lasting peace, in our view, implies redressing the consequences of the recent armed aggression, which includes the liberation of the occupied territories of the Republic of Artsakh, release and repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages, as well as conducting negotiations in good faith under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict.”