Turkey will be Azerbaijan’s number one partner in military and military-technical cooperation in the near future, President Ilham Aliyev said on Aug. 13 during a meeting with a delegation led by Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.
“As is the case in all other areas, our cooperation in the military and military-technical spheres is developing fast. It is no secret that Turkey possesses a strong military-industrial potential and we are benefiting from this potential,” said Aliyev.
He underlined that Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises reflect the unity and brotherhood between the two countries, noting that more than 10 joint exercises are held in both Turkey and Azerbaijan each year.
Aliyev said that with such exercises being commonplace, there is no reason for some countries to be concerned, as it is just another manifestation of Turkish-Azerbaijani unity and brotherhood.
During the visit, Akar condemned the recent attack by Armenia in Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district.
“Azerbaijan is not alone. We will continue to support Azerbaijan in its just struggle. In the struggle of Azerbaijan for the liberation of the occupied lands, we, Turkey with a population of 83 million, are next to our brothers,” he said.
Last month, Armenia attacked Azerbaijani troops in the northwestern Tovuz border region. At least 12 Azerbaijani soldiers were martyred, including a major general and a colonel. A 76-year-old Azerbaijani citizen also lost his life.
Azerbaijan accused Armenia of “provocative” actions, with Ankara warning Yerevan that it would not hesitate to stand against any kind of attack on Azerbaijan.
Upper Karabakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan, has been under illegal Armenian occupation since 1991.
International organizations including the U.N. have demanded the withdrawal of the occupational forces.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, Russia and the US, was formed in 1992 to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, but to no avail.
The war games between the two countries began on July 29, and Aug. 5 was the last day of ground engagements taking place in the capital Baku and the exclave of Nakhchivan – Azerbaijan's autonomous region bordering Turkey – with artillery, armored vehicles and mortars striking simulated targets
20:35,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian held a regular working meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Presidential Residence on August 11.
As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the President's Office, Armen Sarkissian and Nikol Pashinyan discussed issues referring to the current problems facing the country and development programs.
The leaders of the country shared the opinion that despite the declining numbers of COVID-19 cases, it's necessary to strictly follow the anti-pandemic rules, given the fact that many countries have returned to strict limitations after seemingly overcoming the pandemic.
Referring to the social-economic situation of the country, Nikol Pashinyan noted that 70 thousand jobs had been cut in April, but by June 50 thousand jobs were already restored. ‘’It was clear for me that if were had been guided only by health factors, now we would be facing social collapse’’, he said, adding that for now the priority task for the Government is to preserve and create new jobs. He emphasized that 100 billions MAD have already been invested by the state and banking system in social and economic directions.
Referring to the developments in Tavush Province in mid-July, the President and the Prime Minister emphasized that it was a direct aggression by Azerbaijan against Armenia, violating not only international laws, but also moral boundaries, given the fact that the international community is struggling against the global enemy – COVID-19. In this context, the leaders of the country expressed satisfaction for that the Armenian Armed Forces were able to once again prove that they have the strongest army in the region.
Editing and translating by Tigran Sirekanyan
13:40,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government delegation led by High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan in Lebanon held a meeting with Rev. Megerdich Karageozian, the President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, and Paul Haidostian, the President of Haigazian University in Beirut. Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon Vahagn Atabekyan was also present at the meeting, the High Commissioner’s Office said.
Rev. Megerdich Karageozian welcomed the delegation and emphasized that it is an honor to receive them during the difficult days of the Beirut blast aftermath. “When I saw the relief plane with Armenia written on it, with Ararat in the background, I honestly got emotional,” he told the delegation. Karageozian presented the Armenian community situation, the pre-explosion economic crisis and its impact on the Lebanese-Armenians. He said that the August 4 explosion had also a huge emotional and psychological impact on Lebanese-Armenians.
Sinanyan presented details on the humanitarian mission and the scheduled additional planeloads of assistance from Armenia. He then addressed the Armenian government’s actions in the direction of repatriation process. The High Commissioner highlighted the creation of the Repatriates Integration Center by end of 2020 and the adoption of the Law on Repatriation, which is currently in the final phase of development.
After the meeting a tour was held at the Armenian Evangelical Church, where its famous stained-glass cross was completely destroyed from the blast. The delegation also visited the Haigazian University, which also suffered damages.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
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17:45,
YEREVAN, 29 JULY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 29 July, USD exchange rate down by 0.22 drams to 484.42 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.95 drams to 569.24 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 6.69 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 4.56 drams to 628.49 drams.
The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.
Gold price up by 52.50 drams to 30228.48 drams. Silver price down by 13.10 drams to 366.7 drams. Platinum price up by 227.05 drams to 14686.72 drams.
17:22,
YEREVAN, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS. Nearly 313 230 000 drams were donated to the Military Insurance Fund from July 17 to 27, the Fund said on Facebook.
29% of these donations were made through the website, 10% – through Paypal, and 61% – through bank transfer.
The donations were made by Armenians living in early 55 countries.
In the aforementioned period most of the donations were made from Armenia, the United States, Russia, Canada, France, Germany, etc.
On July 20, in response to the letters and requests of numerous Armenians who wanted to provide a financial assistance to the Army, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan urged to transfer the donations to the Military Insurance Fund.
Just 10 hours after the PM’s call, nearly 1000 transfers were made to the Fund.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
17:22,
YEREVAN, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS. Nearly 313 230 000 drams were donated to the Military Insurance Fund from July 17 to 27, the Fund said on Facebook.
29% of these donations were made through the website, 10% – through Paypal, and 61% – through bank transfer.
The donations were made by Armenians living in early 55 countries.
In the aforementioned period most of the donations were made from Armenia, the United States, Russia, Canada, France, Germany, etc.
On July 20, in response to the letters and requests of numerous Armenians who wanted to provide a financial assistance to the Army, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan urged to transfer the donations to the Military Insurance Fund.
Just 10 hours after the PM’s call, nearly 1000 transfers were made to the Fund.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Turkey will continue to stand by people of Libya against all kinds of tyranny, according to a National Security Council statement on July 22.
Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The country's new government was founded in 2015 under a U.N.-led agreement, but efforts for a long-term political settlement failed due to toa military offensive by warlord Khalifa Haftar's forces, backed by Egypt and the UAE.
Libya's legitimate government has been under attack by Haftar’s forces since last April, and more than 1,000 people have been killed in the violence.
The U.N. recognizes the Libyan government headed by Fayez al-Sarraj as the country's legitimate authority as Tripoli battles Haftar's militias.
The government launched Operation Peace Storm against Haftar in March to counter attacks on the capital Tripoli, and liberated strategic locations, including the Al-Watiya airbase and city of Tarhuna.
Haftar has the support of the UAE, Egypt, and Russia while the U.N.-recognized government is backed by Turkey.
Turkey also reiterated its support to Azerbaijan against Armenian border attacks, according to the statement.
Turkey called on Armenia to stop its aggression and withdraw from Azerbaijani lands it is occupying, the statement said following the council meeting headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the Turkish capital Ankara.
Ankara also strongly condemned the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territory, the statement added.
On July 12, the Armenian army violated a cease-fire and attacked Azerbaijani positions with artillery fire towards the Tovuz border district, withdrawing after losses following retaliation from the Azerbaijani army.
During its aggression, Armenia killed 12 Azerbaijani soldiers, including high-ranking officers, and one civilian, besides wounding four troops.
Since 1991, the Armenian military has illegally occupied the Upper Karabakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) region, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.
On the long-divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus, the council said Turkey will not allow any attempt that could harm peace and stability on Cyprus.
Last May, Turkish-flagged drillships began offshore drilling operations in areas off the island of Cyprus. The areas fall entirely within the Turkish continental shelf registered with the U.N. and in permit licenses, the Turkish government in previous years granted to Turkish Petroleum Corporation, the country's national oil company.
Turkey sees energy as an incentive for political resolution on the island and peace in the wider Mediterranean basin, not a catalyst for further tensions.
Turkey is a guarantor nation for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and has consistently contested the Greek Cypriot administration's unilateral drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that the TRNC also has rights to the resources in the area.
In 1974, following a coup aimed at the annexation of Cyprus by Greece and amid ethnic violence against Turkish Cypriots, Ankara had to intervene as a guarantor power. In 1983, the TRNC was founded.
The decades since have seen several attempts to resolve the Cyprus dispute, all ending in failure. The latest, held with the participation of the guarantor countries- Turkey, Greece, and the U.K.- came to an end without any progress in 2017 in Switzerland.
Azerbaijani snipers fire at Armenian borderguards
18:07,
YEREVAN, JULY 21, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani snipers fired at the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Armenia, ARMENPRESS reports MoD spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan wrote on her Facebook page.
''The Azerbaijani armed forces have been informed about the possible consequences by relevant means of communication'', Stepanyan wrote.
She added that by now the situation on the border is relatively stable.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
17:49,
YEREVAN, JULY 18, ARMENPRESS. Head of Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov issued a statement over the situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border. ARMENPRESS reports, citing the Telegram channel of Kadyrov, the Head of the Chechen Republic noted that his people know the price of peace better than anyone else, but they also know the grief caused by war.
‘’We know from our own experience that it’s better to prevent the war and spare no efforts for peacefully solving complicated issues. Today we see escalated situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Both are brotherly countries for us. The tragic developments taking place there touch not only Russia, but they are painful for the entire Caucasus and CIS countries’’, Kadyrov said, calling on the conflicting sides, as well all the allied countries, to take measures for preventing this conflict.
‘’Everything must be done so as the sides achieve peace. Otherwise, if God forbid, this confrontation turns into a large-scale war, the tragic consequences will go beyond Caucasus. We remember the developments in Karabakh, how many lives that war claimed. And today again there are victims and the situation is escalated’’, Kadyrov said.
Referring to the possible eruption of a large-scale war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Head of the Chechen Republic said, ‘’There will be no winners. I am ready to kneel and ask the sides for the sake of peace’’, he said.
Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan