Author: Greg Madatian

Haberturk: There will be new Armenian-Turkish roadmap, corridor will be key issue

Greg Madatian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 16 2021
15:28, 16.12.2021

Columnist for Haberturk Cetiner Cetin has provided details about the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.

The Turkish journalist claims that by January 15, 2022, Armenia will have set up a task force and another group that will be in contact with Pashinyan [Prime Minister of Armenia].

“There will be a three-step roadmap between Armenia and Turkey. First, chartered flights will be launched. The key issue during the negotiations will be the opening of the Turkey-Nakhchivan-Azerbaijan corridor. Ankara wants to see the opening of the corridor by May-June. The economic relations will be established in the third stage, which will be launched in July,” wrote the columnist.

Armenian MP: Artsakh flag on wall near Shushi monument desecrated

Greg Madatian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 18 2021

An Artsakh flag depicted on a wall near the famous tank monument in Shushi has been desecrated in unknown circumstances, Armenian MP Tigran Abrahamyan, who represents the opposition With Honor faction, said on Friday, sharing a photo.

“Taking into account the fact that the line of contact with Azerbaijan is just above the monument, the Azerbaijanis presumably carried out an act of subversive infiltration, scraped the flag off the wall and left,” he wrote on Facebook.

The lawmaker stressed the need to reveal the circumstances in which the perpetrators crossed into the Armenian-held area.

“It can be assumed that the provocation was carried out by Azerbaijani forces, but in addition to the desecration of the Armenian symbol, it also shows the vulnerability of Artsakh's security, since the incident took place in the Armenian-controlled area near the Stepanakert-Shushi road,” Abrahamyan said.

“Taking into account the fact that we have a neighbor like Azerbaijan, such abhorrent acts are, unfortunately, expected, but our task must be to prevent Azerbaijani provocations, including incursions, by all possible means,” he added.

Seyran Ohanyan: Delimitation and demarcation mean mutual recognition of the states’ territorial integrity

Greg Madatian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 15 2021

The actions of the current leaders of Armenia have never been a surprise to us, as they are now boycotting the National Assembly sitting whenever discussions are focused on the situation around Armenia and Artsakh," the leader of opposition 'Armenia' bloc Seyran Ohanyan told reporters on Wednesday. 

Ohanyan's comments came in response to assess the boycott by the ruling Civil Contract faction of a special of parliament sitting to discuss issues related to the border delimitation and demarcation with Azerbaijan.  

In Ohanyan's words, the internal and external challenges Armenia faces, developments on the foreign policy arena and in the peace process, on the borders of Armenia and Artsakh make the opposition take necessary measures to give an assessment. 

Speaking of the process of delimitation and demarcation, Ohanyan stressed that no real conditions are created to implement them. He warned that unless the process is linked to the issue of Artsakh's self-determination in one package, serious risks would arise for Artsakh. 

"Delimitation and demarcation means a peace agreement, mutual recognition of the territorial integrity, that is to recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and throw a big stone on the fate of Artsakh," stressed Ohanyan.

He added that serious studies must precede the delimitation works to determine the exact borders of the Republic of Armenia as since entering the Soviet Union those have been continuoiusly changed. 

Asbarez: 4 Specific Azerbaijani Transgressions Included in 2022 U.S. Defense Bill

Greg Madatian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 December 7, 2021

 

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

The four issues addressed in amendments in the 2022 U.S. Defense bill

A radically scaled back 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, the result of tense partisan gridlock in the US Senate, stripped out hundreds of amendments, including several provisions backed by the Armenian National Committee of America.

A pro-accountability provision that remained in the final measure calls for a “Report on Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict,” ANCA reported.

While not calling out Azerbaijan’s aggression by name, this legislative language does point to four specific Azerbaijani transgressions:

  1. US parts discovered in Turkish Bayrakdar drones deployed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh
  2. Azerbaijan’s illegal detention and torture of Armenian POWs
  3. Jihadist mercenaries recruited by Turkey to fight alongside Azerbaijan against Artsakh
  4. Ongoing Azerbaijani violence and violations of agreements and international law

Last month Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced an
amendment that would end US presidential waiver authority of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.

The amendment was one of three offered to the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that deals with US aid to Azerbaijan as well as Azerbaijani and Turkish war crimes committed against Artsakh and Armenia during the 2020 war. 

Senator Menendez also offered a second amendment to the NDAA which called for a joint State Department and Defense Department report on Turkey’s use of US technology in its Bayrakdar drones, with a special focus on whether their sale to third countries, like Azerbaijan, violates US export laws. 

A third amendment introduced by California Senator Alex Padilla (D) called for a joint State Department and Defense Department report, in response to Azerbaijani war crimes during the 2020 Artsakh war, including the use of US technology during the attacks; the use of white phosphorous, cluster bombs, and other prohibited munitions; and the hiring of foreign mercenaries.

Armenia local elections: Lack of alternative, record low voter turnout ensure ruling party’s win in Armavir

Greg Madatian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 6 2021
02:09, 06.12.2021

The ruling Civil Contract Party (CCP) recorded a Pyrrhic victory in the absence of any alternative political force in Sunday’s local elections in Armavir, Armenia.

As only the CCP ran in the elections in this now-enlarged community, there was no competition, and as a result, the voter turnout was at a record low of 20.73 percent.

According to the Central Electoral Commission data, the results of 23 out of 29 polling stations in Armavir have been processed, and according to which the only political force running received 100% of the votes.

Extremely low voter turnout—25.78%—was also registered in Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin) city, as a result of which the CCP won there as well. The results of 14 out of 25 polling stations have been processed so far in Etchmiadzin. The ruling party has received 56.56%, and the opposition Etchmiadzin Bloc has garnered 35.5 percent. In third place is the little-known Master of the Homeland party, which received 4.57 percent. In fourth place is the Real Democratic Party (1.95%), and in last place is the Bright Armenia Party, which garnered 1.05% of the votes.

In a relatively high voter turnout (34.16%), however, the ruling party won in Metsamor city, with 81.23% of the votes. Here, as the only opposition, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party received 18.77 percent.

Yeghishe Kirakosyan to attend UN court sitting on Armenia’s claim against Azerbaijan

Greg Madatian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 3 2021

The International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, will deliver its order on the request for the indication of provisional measures made by Armenia in the case concerning Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia v. Azerbaijan) on December 7.

A public sitting will take place at 3 p.m. at the Peace Palace in The Hague, during which the President of the Court, Judge Joan E. Donoghue, will read out the ruling, the court said in a press release on Monday.

Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Representative of Armenia before the ECHR, will pay a visit to The Hague on 6-8 December to attend the hearing, according to a decree signed by Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday.

Armenia filed a case against Azerbaijan at the World Court in September, stating Azerbaijan has violated the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Among Armenia’s requested measures are an order to release Armenian prisoners of war and other captives being held in Azerbaijan, as well as to close the so-called “military trophies park”.

Armenia and Azerbaijan pledge progress as leaders meet in Sochi

Greg Madatian
Dec 1 2021
Aliyev and Pashinyan pledged to establish a bilateral commission.
Written byArzu Geybullayeva

On November 26, the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia met in the Russian city of Sochi to discuss bilateral relations, in a meeting organized by Russian president Vladimir Putin. The meeting took place, almost two weeks after the worst fighting broke out since the war the two ex-Soviet Caucasus republics fought last year, which Azerbaijan won.

Commenting on the meeting, Russian president Vladimir Putin said the leaders reached agreements on some of the key issues and that the meeting was overall positive.

In a joint statement issued following the meeting, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan agreed to establish a bilateral commission on delimitation and demarcation of the border.

Both leaders thanked the president of Russia, and the presence of Russian peacekeeping forces on the ground for the work carried out since last year's war.

In his statement, President Ilham Aliyev said:

Today we have had a very detailed and I would say sincere talk on all these issues. We openly discussed our plans that cause concern of both parties, and I think the key is that the decisions we made regarding settling arguments and disputes will contribute to making the situation in the South Caucasus safer and more predictable.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also thanked the Russian president for the efforts to maintain stability in Nagorno Karabakh, adding:

I think that if our talks gain momentum based on this meeting, we can expect real results.

I reaffirm the readiness of Armenia and the Government of Armenia, which got its mandate from the people of Armenia, to usher in the era of peaceful development for our country and for our region. We are committed to that and today’s meeting clearly contributed to the implementation of this agenda.

A list of decisions taken during the meeting will be announced in early December, following the meeting between Russian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani deputy prime ministers in Moscow.

Aliyev and Pashinyan are scheduled to meet next on December 15, in Brussels, on the margins of the EU Eastern Partnership Summit. According to the press statement issued by the European Council, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to “discuss the regional situation and ways of overcoming tensions for a prosperous and stable South Caucasus, which the EU supports.”

In an interview with OC Media, political analyst and the director of Regional Studies Center, Richard Giragosian said the meeting in Sochi was “significant” even if not “producing concrete commitments.”

The meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders offered an essential return to diplomacy over force of arms.

Giragosian also stressed the role of Russia as a mediator in the conflict, especially ahead of the upcoming summit in Brussels. “Putin sought to preempt the EU and used Sochi to reassert Russia’s role as the initiator and enforcer of the 2020 Russian-imposed ceasefire.”

CSTO Secretary General congratulates Armenia’s new defense minister on appointment

Greg Madatian

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 17:11, 26 November, 2021

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Stanislav Zas sent a congratulatory letter to Armenia’s Defense Minister Suren Papikyan on appointment, the ministry told Armenpress.

“Dear Mr. Papikyan,

Accept my sincere congratulations on your appointment as the Defense Minister of Armenia.

The trust of the Armenian authorities to you shows the appreciation of your capacities, professional achievements, deep knowledge and acquired practical experience in the governance field.

The Armed Forces of Armenia are a key factor for ensuring the country’s security and state sovereignty, as well as an important link in the CSTO collective security system.

Dear Mr. Papikyan, I wish you health and success during your responsible activity aimed at strengthening the Armenian Armed Forces and developing the military cooperation within the CSTO”, reads the letter.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Azerbaijan appreciates Vatican’s balanced position on conflict with Armenia — ambassador

Greg Madatian
TASS, Russia
Nov 17 2021
According to Rahman Mustafayev, the Vatican leadership pointed to the need to settle problems through a dialogue, based on respect for international law

ROME, November 17./TASS/. Azerbaijan greatly respects the position of the Vatican on the settlement of the post-conflict situation between Azerbaijan and Armenia and recognizes its important role in that process, Azerbaijani Ambassador to France and the Vatican Rahman Mustafayev told TASS on Wednesday.

"The issue of the post-conflict settlement and the Azerbaijani-Armenian relations is being brought up during contacts of Azerbaijan and the Vatican," the ambassador said. "We note the very balanced position of the Vatican. Its leadership points to the need to settle problems through a dialogue, based on respect for international law, and this approach coincides with the position of Azerbaijan," Rahman Mustafayev went on to say.

"We respect and trust the Pope and the Holy See and see the Vatican as an important partner," the ambassador stressed.

Azerbaijan believes the Vatican could play a major role as a mediator to restore trust and mend ties between Azerbaijan and Armenia, he said. "The position of the Vatican in this context is unique, since this state is close to Christian Armenians, but at the same time it emphasizes the necessity of respecting the rules of international law. Besides, the Vatican pays great attention to the humanitarian aspects of the settlement. We value this position very much," the ambassador stressed.

He also said that the government of Azerbaijan intended to allocate up to one billion dollars a year for the restoration of the regions of Nagorno-Karabakh that had returned under the control of Azerbaijan.

Intense clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, 2020, in Nagorno-Karabakh. On November 9, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in the conflict zone, which facilitated a complete cessation of hostilities. According to the document, the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides maintained the positions that they had held, while several regions came under Baku’s control and Russian peacekeepers were deployed along the contact line and the Lachin Corridor.

Intense fighting erupted between the armed forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the border districts of Armenia’s Syunik region on November 16. Yerevan said that the Azeri troops had launched an offensive into Armenian territory. The highway that links Armenia’s capital with the southern regions and Iran was jeopardized.

Meanwhile, Baku blamed Armenia for the fighting, accusing the Armenian armed forces of provoking the situation. As the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported, the Armenian troops attacked Azerbaijan’s army posts.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held separate telephone talks with his counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan, Suren Papikyan and Zakir Hasanov. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that following the conversations, the Armenian and Azerbaijani defense chiefs took measures to stabilize the situation on the border.