Author: Elizabeth Jabejian

Nagorno-Karabakh Separatists Urge Russia to Open Corridor to Armenia

Elizabeth Jabejian

Voice of America
AFP –
YEREVAN, ARMENIA — 

A separatist official in Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan on Thursday called on Russia to ensure free movement on the only road linking the breakaway region to Armenia, warning of dire humanitarian consequences.

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan earlier announced fresh EU-mediated peace talks, as Western engagement grows in a region where Russia, distracted by its war in Ukraine, appears to be losing influence.

Karabakh has been at the center of a decades-long territorial dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which have fought two wars over the mountainous territory, mainly populated by Armenians.

On Tuesday, Azerbaijan said it was shutting the only road linking the region to Armenia, accusing the Armenian branch of the Red Cross of smuggling.

State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan called on Russia, which helped broker the latest cease-fire between the two countries, to step in.

"We ask to ensure unimpeded movement, transportation of people and cargo along the corridor connecting Artsakh with Armenia," Nersisyan said, using the Armenian name for the region.

Russia sponsored the latest cease-fire that ended six weeks of fighting in autumn 2020 and saw Armenia cede swaths of territories it had controlled for decades.

Under the deal, the five-kilometer Lachin Corridor was to be manned by Russian peacekeepers to ensure free passage between Armenia and Karabakh.

'Terrible' situation

Since Azerbaijan shut the corridor there have been concerns about a humanitarian crisis in the restive enclave, which is experiencing food shortages and where locals lack access to health services, according to separatist authorities.

"The situation is terrible. In a few days we will have irreversible consequences," Nersisyan said.

This week, AFP spoke to locals in the rebel region's main city, Stepanakert, who reported food shortages and critical problems with access to medical services.

Nersisyan called on residents to gather at in the Stepanakert Renaissance Square on Friday at 9 a.m. (0500 GMT) to "begin a peaceful struggle for our existence."

Armenia, which has relied on Russia for military and economic support since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, has accused Moscow of failing to fulfill its peacekeeping role in Karabakh.

With Russia bogged down in Ukraine and unwilling to strain ties with Azerbaijan's key ally Turkey, the United States and European Union have sought to repair ties between the Caucasus rivals.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Pashinyan announced a next round of peace talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Saturday in Brussels under the mediation of European Council President Charles Michel.

An EU official said the trilateral meeting, the sixth in nearly two years, would cover humanitarian issues, border delimitation, the peace treaty, rights and security of Karabakh Armenians, and connectivity.

"We consider the leaders-level engagement essential to promote peaceful settlement and to prevent escalation," the official said in Brussels, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Pashinyan also said the "illegal blockade" contradicts a ruling of the International Court of Justice.

The U.N.'s top judicial body ordered Azerbaijan in February to ensure free movement along the Lachin Corridor, Karabakh's sole land link with Armenia.

https://www.voanews.com/a/nagorno-karabakh-separatists-urge-russia-to-open-corridor-to-armenia-/7179999.html

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https://www.digitaljournal.com/world/karabakh-separatists-urge-russia-to-open-corridor-to-armenia/article

RFE/RL Armenian Service – 07/10/2023

Elizabeth Jabejian 
                                        Monday, 


Armenian Policeman Accused Of Assaulting Oppositionist

        • Satenik Kaghzvantsian
        • Nelli Yeghiazarian

Armenia - Opposition activist Karapet Poghosian speaks to RFE/RL in Gyumri, July 
10, 2023


An opposition activist based in Gyumri on Monday claimed to have been assaulted 
by a local police officer.

The maverick activist, Karapet Poghosian, said that the officer verbally abused 
and hit him after a tense conversation in a local grocery store during which he 
told the latter to “stay away” from him.

“It was really a surprise to me, and I will definitely try to evaluate this as a 
clearly deliberate act,” Poghosian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. He did not 
specify why he warned the policeman moments before the alleged assault.

Poghosian, who is a vocal critic of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, claimed that 
he was attacked because of his political activities. “This is not the first time 
in recent years that they resorted to violence or fabricated criminal cases 
against me,” he said.

Armenia’s human rights ombudswoman, Anahit Manasian, expressed concern over the 
allegations, saying that law-enforcement authorities must investigate them in a 
“detailed and comprehensive” manner.

“The human rights defender once again emphasizes that violence is totally 
unacceptable and condemnable,” read a statement released by Manasian’s office.

The police told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that they have already launched an 
internal inquiry into the incident. Another law-enforcement body, the 
Investigative Committee, said it is conducting a separate probe based on the 
policeman’s claim that he himself was attacked by the oppositionist.

The Gyumri incident was reported two weeks after scores of Armenian lawyers went 
on strike to show support for their colleagues allegedly beaten up by police 
officers.

One of the lawyers, Karen Alaverdian, claimed to have been subjected to “undue 
physical force” after trying to stop several policemen kicking and punching his 
client at a police station in Yerevan earlier in June. The Investigative 
Committee effectively denied the allegations on June 13, saying that Alaverdian 
himself shoved and even hit the officers in a bid to free the criminal suspect.

Human rights activists say that ill-treatment of criminal suspects remains 
widespread in Armenia despite sweeping law-enforcement reforms promised by 
Pashinian’s government. Law-enforcement officers are still rarely prosecuted or 
fired for such offenses.

As recently as on June 22, a man in Yerevan claimed that the Investigative 
Committee chief, Argishti Kyaramian, personally tortured and threatened to kill 
him following his arrest on June 17. A spokesman for Kyaramian denied the 
allegations.




Opposition Lawmaker Set To Lose Parliament Post

        • Narine Ghalechian

Armenia-Member of 'I Have Honor' faction Taguhi Tovmasian hold parliamentary 
briefing at the RA National Assembly building in Yerevan, Armenia,10Oct,2022


Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s Civil Contract party moved on Monday to oust 
the last remaining opposition lawmaker heading a standing committee of the 
Armenian parliament.

The party’s parliamentary group claimed that Taguhi Tovmasian, the chairwoman of 
the parliament committee on human rights, “showed an indifferent attitude 
towards … hate speech in various situations, including a committee meeting 
chaired by herself.” It said Tovmasian must therefore be dismissed by the 
National Assembly.

The parliament’s pro-government majority referred to the April 4 meeting during 
which the committee discussed two candidates for the then vacant post of 
Armenia’s human rights defender. The meeting was marred by verbal abuse and 
threats shouted by some Civil Contract deputies at Edgar Ghazarian, the 
candidate nominated by the Armenian opposition.

Those deputies were incensed by Ghazarian’s claim that the 2018 “velvet 
revolution” that brought Pashinian to power was in fact a “Turkish-Azerbaijani 
revolution.” One of them, Artur Hovannisian, publicly pledged to “cut the 
tongues and ears of anyone” who would make disparaging comments about the regime 
change.

Hovik Aghazarian, another pro-government lawmaker, defended Hovannisian’s 
scandalous behavior at the April 4 meeting, saying that it was “two levels below 
what was admissible in that situation created by Taguhi Tovmasian.”

Armenia - Edgar Ghazarian (right) and pro-government deputy Artur Hovannisian 
attend a paliament committee meeting, April 4, 2023.

“I could not ban Edgar Ghazarian from expressing any view during the committee 
meeting just like I could not prevent Artur Hovannisian from publicly 
threatening to cut the opposition candidate’s ears and tongue,” countered 
Tovmasian.

“Lies have become the linchpin of the activities of the Civil Contract faction 
and the party as a whole,” she told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

Tovmasian, who is a former journalist and newspaper editor, claimed that 
Pashinian personally ordered his loyalists to strip her of the parliamentary 
post in retaliation against her defection from his political team following 
Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 war with Azerbaijan.

The National Assembly is scheduled to debate the issue on Tuesday. Tovmasian 
said she will not attend the session because of being on sick leave. She 
expressed hope that fellow lawmakers will not discuss her fate in her absence.

Despite a resulting uproar, law-enforcement authorities declined to investigate 
the threats. Nor did Pashinian’s party take any disciplinary action against its 
lawmakers involved in the ugly scenes. It appears to have decided instead to 
replace Tovmasian, who is affiliated with the opposition Pativ Unem bloc.

One of the parliament’s three deputy speakers, Ishkhan Saghatelian, and the 
chairman of the parliament committee on economic affairs, Vahe Hakobian, were 
ousted in July 2022 after weeks of anti-government protests organized by their 
Hayastan alliance and Pativ Unem. Another Hayastan deputy, Armen Gevorgian, 
immediately resigned as chairman of a committee dealing with “Eurasian 
integration” in protest. Tovmasian pointedly declined to follow suit.




Gas Supply To Karabakh Briefly Unblocked By Azerbaijan

        • Robert Zargarian

Nagorno-Karabakh - A woman and her son have a dinner at their home in 
Stepanakert in the absence of electricity and gas, January 18, 2023.


Azerbaijan unblocked Armenia’s supplies of natural gas to Karabakh at the 
weekend only to halt them again several hours later amid growing shortages of 
energy, good and medicine experienced by the region’s population.

The flow of gas through a pipeline passing through Azerbaijani-controlled 
territory has been regularly disrupted during Azerbaijan’s eight-month blockade 
of Karabakh’s only land link with Armenia and the outside world. According to 
officials in Stepanakert, it resumed on Saturday for the first time in more than 
three months but stopped shortly afterwards.

Azerbaijani officials made no statements on the latest disruption which came 
three weeks after Baku banned emergency supplies of food, fuel and other 
essential items to Karabakh carried out by Russian peacekeepers.

A senior Karabakh official, Artak Beglarian, accused Baku of seeking to “induce 
a sense of uncertainty and helplessness” among the Karabakh Armenians.

“The authorities of Azerbaijan must realize that they cannot take away our 
natural rights from us and break our will and spirit of freedom with gas, 
electricity, fuel, food and other household deprivations,” he wrote on Facebook.

Beglarian called on the international community to take “urgent and practical 
measures” to prevent a further worsening of the humanitarian crisis in Karabakh.

“A day that began with promise again ended in disappointment and frustration,” 
Toivo Klaar, the European Union’s special envoy for the South Caucasus, tweeted 
on Sunday. “As reiterated many times by the EU, it is crucial that the flow of 
energy supplies be restored without restrictions, as well as the movement of 
people and goods via the Lachin corridor.”

The United States and Russia have also repeatedly called for an end to the 
blockade. Azerbaijan has dismissed such appeals.

Nagorno-Karabakh - Customers visit an almost empty food store in Stepanakert, 
January 7, 2023.

With most vehicles in Karabakh powered by pressurized natural gas, the blockage 
of gas supplies has also disrupted public transport. Bus services between 
Stepanakert and other Karabakh towns and villages were seriously curtailed last 
week due to the fuel shortages.

Ashkhen Grigorian, a resident of the village of Machkalashen, complained on 
Monday the only realistic way to get to Stepanakert from her community now is a 
single minibus that runs twice a week and is too small to accommodate all local 
travelers.

“We ride it if we manage to get in and stand there on one foot,” she told 
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

Karabakh is also running out of key foodstuffs which the Russian peacekeepers 
shipped from Armenia in limited quantities until the June 15 tightening of the 
blockade.

“There is no fruit, vegetables, cooking oil and sugar at all,” said Anahit 
Tonian, a resident of another Karabakh village. “The shops sell only limited 
amounts of rise, buckwheat and macaroni.”

“We grow cucumbers and tomatoes in our garden and get by that way,” added Tonian.


Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

There is the issue of security and rights of the Armenians of NK, which is everyone’s issue. Ararat Mirzoyan

Elizabeth Jabejian

 17:32, 8 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 8, ARMENPRESS. More international efforts are needed to prevent ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, ARMENPRESS reports, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said during the panel discussion held within the framework of the Dubrovnik Conference.

Mirzoyan emphasized that Armenia is conducting negotiations with Azerbaijan in good faith, but in the negotiation process and on the ground, it still faces threats and real use of force. "We have a blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh. We need more international efforts to prevent ethnic cleansing," said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

Ararat Mirzoyan stressed that there is an issue of security and rights of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is everyone's issue. "The people of Nagorno-Karabakh are facing a real danger of ethnic cleansing. If the world order that we are talking about, that we dream about, is based on values, then humanity has a chance. Let me repeat once more: we are talking about human lives. Now we are talking about world unrest, violations of international law, but we have been talking about it since 2020, when Azerbaijan started an aggressive war in Nagorno-Karabakh, after which it invaded the sovereign territory of Armenia several times," said the Armenian FM.

Armenpress: The criminal prosecution of kidnapped Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijan is a gross violation of international law. HRD

Elizabeth Jabejian

 17:48, 8 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenian human rights defender Anahit Manasyan issued a statement regarding the condemnation of two Armenian servicemen captured from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia by the armed forces of Azerbaijan. "Armenpress" presents the statement of the human rights defender of RA.
"The court on grave crimes in Azerbaijan has convicted two Armenian servicemen who were ambushed and captured by the Azerbaijani armed forces in the sovereign territory of Armenia. They have been found guilty of allegedly violating various articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan and have been sentenced to 11 years and 6 months of imprisonment.
According to the information received from the parents and relatives of the two servicemen of the Armenian Armed Forces, Mr. Karen Ashot Ghazaryan (conscript) and Harutyun Yurik Hovakimyan (contract serviceman) were captured by the Azerbaijani armed forces on May 26, 2023, in the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia.
According to the information registered by the Human Rights Defender's Office, they were transferring nutrition and water supplies to the combat positions of the Armenian Armed Forces and were captured by the Azerbaijani side in the middle of the combat positions located between the Chakaten and Shikahogh villages of the Republic of Armenia.
The Human Rights Defender, Ms. Anahit Manasyan, emphasizes that the information registered by the Human Rights Defender's Office shows that the actions of the Azerbaijani authorities in capturing Armenian servicemen from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, then charging them with false charges and subjecting to an unfair trial constitute a gross violation of international law, international human rights law, and international humanitarian law. These actions are contrary to the Charter of the United Nations, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the requirements of international humanitarian law, including the Third Geneva Convention.
The Human Rights Defender specifically highlights that Armenian servicemen illegally kept in Azerbaijan should have the status of Prisoners of War, and their detention, criminal prosecution, and proceedings are gross violations of international humanitarian law.
These servicemen were taken captive in the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia during an incessant armed conflict. International humanitarian law is warranted in such situations, regardless of the reasons or intensity of the confrontation.
Moreover, the policy of Armenophobia propagated by the Azerbaijani authorities further confirms the unlawfulness of the criminal proceedings. It is evident that the fundamental rights of the Armenian prisoners of war are endangered in these circumstances.
The Human Rights Defender highlights that the Armenian captives still held in Azerbaijan are exposed to a constant risk of torture, degrading and inhuman treatment, as evidenced by the information registered by the Human Rights Defender's Office.
The Office of the Human Rights Defender is currently summarizing and studying the above-mentioned information and will present it to relevant international organizations, other stakeholders, and competent state bodies".

Armenia, USA attach importance to launching international mechanism for Stepanakert- Baku dialogue

Elizabeth Jabejian

 10:10, 6 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan held a meeting on July 5 with Dereck J. Hogan, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the State Department during his visit to the United States.

Grigoryan and Hogan discussed “the Armenia-US bilateral relations agenda, including prospects of economic cooperation,” Grigoryan’s office said in a readout.

The Armenian and American officials attached importance to preserving regional security, the continuity of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks, as well as the creation of an international mechanism for Stepanakert-Baku dialogue and ensuring the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh, according to the readout.

Biden, Trudeau discuss ‘situation in Russia’

Elizabeth Jabejian

 10:06, 26 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 26, ARMENPRESS. United States President Joe Biden spoke over the phone with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday to discuss the situation in Russia, the White House said in a statement.

“President Joe Biden spoke today with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada as part of his close coordination with Allies and partners following recent events in Russia. The leaders affirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine and discussed the situation in Russia,” the White House said.

Trudeau later tweeted that he’s discussed the situation in Russia also with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Russian Wagner private military company led by Evgeny Prigozhin launched an insurrection in Russia that began on Friday evening. Prigozhin said his actions were a “march for justice” while the Kremlin said the mercenary group is committing mutiny.

The armed contractors managed to seize an army headquarters in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, with some forces marching on Moscow.

However, on Saturday the Wagner chief agreed to stop the advance towards the Russian capital and return his troops to their bases in exchange for “security guarantees” as part of a deal with Moscow, brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Armenian, French defense ministers discuss issues related to regional security

Elizabeth Jabejian

 20:40,

YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. As part of his working visit to France, Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan had a meeting with French Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu. Armenian Ambassador to France Hasmik Tolmajyan also participated in the meeting.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, the welcoming ceremony of the Defense Minister of Armenia took place with the participation of a military band and guard of honor, the national anthems of the Republic of Armenia and the French Republic were performed.

After the solemn welcoming ceremony, discussions were held regarding the current course of implementation of the agreements reached at the meeting held in Paris on September 27, 2022.

Issues related to regional security were discussed. At the end of the meeting, Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan thanked French Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu for the eventful working visit to the French Republic and warm welcome.




Asbarez: Orion Summit 2023 Underway in New York

Elizabeth Jabejian
by Contributor

 

 

 

in Armenia, Latest, News, Top Stories

The co-founders of Orion Worldwide Innovations, Emma Arakelyan (second from left) and Diana Arzumanyan (center left) with Armenia's Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan (far left) and representatives of Armenia's Ministry of Economy at the Orion Summit 2023 held in New York


Last year, when the first international Orion Summit was held in Yerevan, founder of Orion Worldwide Innovations Emma Arakelyan promised that the next summit would be held in New York. Today, about a hundred participants of Orion Summit 2023 from business, finance and information technology fields are discussing in New York how to make Armenia more attractive for global investment.

“New York is the center of finance, the center of capital. Today, Armenia has reached the stage when it is necessary not only to increase the number and volume of investments, but also to work on cooperation between Armenia and other countries: investments should not only come to Armenia, but Armenian capital should also position Armenia abroad as an innovative, developing country with great future,” said Emma Arakelyan.

Founder of Orion Worldwide Innovations Emma Arakelyan delivering remarks at the summit

The event is co-organized by the Ministry of Economy of Armenia, and Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan also arrived in New York to participate in the summit.

“The title of the summit is “Investments position Armenia.” Last year, significant changes were registered in Armenia in terms of attracting investments, and foreign direct investment amounted to $1 billion, while the volume of total investment was $4.2 billion,” the minister said.

Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia Vahan Kerobyan delivering remarks at the summit

These figures, he said, are encouraging, but so far this is only the beginning of a long journey that will make it possible to really change the structure of the country’s economy. According to the minister, recently there have been frequent discussions with foreign investors on how to create new “channels” that will help attract new investments to Armenia. Orion Summit 2023, in his opinion, will become a favorable platform for the meeting of startups and investors and will help establish new business ties between them. The event will also help create a toolkit, thanks to which investments will flow to Armenia in a new volume.

“The participation of the government and leading companies in the summit will significantly increase the interest of venture companies in Armenia and Armenian startups and strengthen our position in the work with international investment companies, venture funds, and angel investors,” said Diana Arzumanyan, co-founder of Orion Worldwide Innovations Armenia.

On the first day, the participants of the summit visited the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech University and discussed a number of issues related to innovation and investment. Fernando Gomez-Baquero, director of the Runway and Spinouts program, led a tour of this flagship campus on Roosevelt Island. His research focuses on advanced nanomaterials for energy storage, the economic impact of nanotechnology, and technology entrepreneurship. Jacobs was founded by the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the American Cornell University, which ranks 20th in the world university rankings.

Co-founders of Orion Worldwide Innovations Armenia, Emma Arakelyan and Diana Arzumanyan, with Armenia’s Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan (center) at the 2023 summit

Rene Nalbandian, Head of International Relations and Strategic Growth at the New York City Hall, Rene Nalbandian, Head of Strategic and Sustainable Investments at Bank of America, Vice President of Goldman Sachs and many other influential guests, will present their vision of increasing the investment attractiveness of Armenia within the next four days at Orion Summit 2023. .

One of the speakers at the event will be financial regulatory advisor Jeff Ingber, who has held senior positions at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Citibank, and the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation. Jeff Ingber will share his extensive knowledge and experience during his session, “Why Startups Fail?”

Beth Xie, Associate Director of Endless Frontier Labs at New York University’s Stern School of Business, will join a panel discussion entitled “Technology and Finance Industries Investment and Innovation priorities.”

Another interesting speaker, Sebouh Nahabedian, Managing Director of the Credit and Structured Solutions Group at Francisco Partners, will share his observations during the panel discussion “Digital Julfa Network to position Armenian innovation, science and economy.”

Orion Worldwide Innovations is a startup growth and ecosystem acceleration hub and offers a full-service package to make companies investable and enter the US market, enhance their customer acquisition strategies, stay competitive, and protect their innovation. Orion is a U.S.-based company that was formed in 2017, with offices in New York City, U.S., and Yerevan, Armenia, though Orion partners with companies and investor networks worldwide.

"The shelling of the Lachin checkpoint creates difficulties for the Karabakh Armenians." Review from Baku

Elizabeth Jabejian
  • JAMnews
  • Baku

Tensions on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border

Armed clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan along the border in different directions, which lasted two days, worried the US State Department. Azerbaijani experts believe that the shelling of the Lachin border crossing “first of all creates difficulties for the Armenians living in Karabakh, so all their claims should be addressed to Armenia.”

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On June 15, shooting took place between the armed forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan in different directions of the state border.

The first tension occurred yesterday at about 9 am in the area of the Lachin border crossing. An Azerbaijani border guard was wounded.

According to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, on the night of June 16, units of the Armenian Armed Forces periodically fired at the positions of the Azerbaijani army in the direction of the settlement of Galakend in the Gadabay region, as well as in the direction of the Shushi region from illegal armed groups located in Karabakh.

I was indicated that already in the morning, units of the Armenian Armed Forces from the positions of the settlement of Arazdeyan (Yeraskh) fired at the positions of the Azerbaijani army in the direction of the settlement of Heydarabad of the Sadarak region of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic.

“The units of the Azerbaijani army are taking retaliatory measures,” the information says.

The Armenian Defense Ministry issued a response information that the Azerbaijani side fired at the Armenian positions in the Yeraskh direction.

As always, the sides blame each other for the tension.

Azerbaijani political observer Farhad Mammadov analyzes similarities in the positions of Azerbaijan and Armenia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has issued a statement which says:

“This military provocation, along with aggression against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, is aimed at preventing the successful operation of the border checkpoint, the safe, free and unhindered passage of Armenian residents, as well as the movement along the Lachin road.

The military provocation of Armenia, which cannot stomach the free movement of Armenian residents through the checkpoint, is a clear example of the fact that Armenia is not interested in establishing relations with Azerbaijan and in the peace process.”

Pashinyan’s statement – “The territory of Azerbaijan with an area of 86,600 square meters. km includes Nagorno-Karabakh.”

The US State Department also responded:

“We are deeply concerned that the shooting along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border near Lachin has resulted in injuries to personnel,” spokesman Matt Miller told TURAN’s Washington correspondent.

“We reaffirm our statement that the parties must refrain from hostilities along the border and free and open transit through the Lachin corridor must be restored as the parties work towards a lasting and dignified peace agreement. We look forward to meeting the parties soon.”

Russian media, citing a “diplomatic source”, reported that Washington is forcing representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh to agree to a meeting with the Azerbaijani side.

This happened a day after Yerevan reported the incident near the border with Nakhichevan. Two Indian citizens were wounded at a steel plant being built in Armenia with US investment.

“We are deeply concerned that two civilian employees of a US-affiliated company in Armenia were injured as a result of shelling from Azerbaijan,” Matthew Miller wrote on Twitter.

Aykhan Hajizadeh, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, responded on Twitter: “We reject unfounded allegations of harassment of civilians at a metallurgical plant under construction in Armenia. As usual, this is yet another invention of Armenia to mislead and divert attention from their military provocations and the negative cross-border impact of the plant.”

“The violation of the ceasefire in Lachin is aimed precisely at striking a blow to the reintegration process. Because the process of integrating our Armenian citizens into Azerbaijani society is on the agenda. Secondly, on the 14th, the second big stage of the process of returning to Lachin began. They operate on the principle of “it is necessary to scare the returning population.”

This opinion was expressed by the press secretary of the Center for Social Research (CSR), political observer Aziz Alibayli.

“They want to provoke Azerbaijan with this. In this sense, after the shelling of the Lachin border checkpoint, we see that the time has come for an anti-terrorist operation,” he added.

After the ultimatum speech of Ilham Aliyev, events around the part of Karabakh where Russian peacekeepers are stationed are developing rapidly

According to the head of the Atlas research center Elkhan Shahinoglu, the provocation of the Armenian army at the Lachin border crossing caused damage primarily to the Karabakh Armenians:

“Armenians can leave and return from Karabakh through this checkpoint. As a result of the provocation, the checkpoint temporarily stopped its activities. As a result, the Armenians cannot use the crossing. After the checkpoint resumes its work, if there is another provocation, the border will be closed again. This will create difficulties for the Armenians of Karabakh, their patients will not be able to travel to Armenia, and the supply of food will be stopped. Therefore, all the claims of the Karabakh Armenians regarding today’s incident should be addressed to the military of Armenia.”

Former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofik Zulfugarov believes that the events that took place at the Lachin border crossing once again show that Armenia will constantly escalate tension in the region, arranging provocations.

“The Armenian side, as always, sends certain signals to the international community, escalating tension in one way or another. The goal is to get some sort of offer of political support amid tensions. Now they are working on this tactic. Provocations at the border also speak of this. With its response, Azerbaijan wants to show that such provocations will cost dearly, first of all, to Armenia. In order to distance them from these provocations, I think that a strategy of tough steps should be applied there – a kind of Israeli strategy,” Zulfugarov said.

U.S. ‘Concerned’ After Azerbaijani Attack Injures 2 Civilians at U.S.-Affiliated Company

Elizabeth Jabejian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

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

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller


The travel advisory specifically mentions Yeraskh and Jermuk.

“Travel to Nagorno-Karabakh continues to be prohibited,” the travel advisory said.

On Tuesday, Miller told reporters that the cancelation of a scheduled meeting on Monday between Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Washington was due to scheduling issues.

“As we’ve said before, we believe direct dialogue is key to resolving the remaining issues. We believe an agreement is within reach. This meeting unfortunately couldn’t go forward 100 percent due to scheduling issues, and we look forward to rescheduling it as soon as we can,” Miller said at a press briefing when asked why the June 12 meeting was canceled. He did not disclose new possible dates for rescheduling the meeting.

Armenia’s foreign ministry reported last week that the June 12 meeting was canceled at Azerbaijan’s request.

The date coincided with a state visit by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey to Baku.