ArmInfo. Meanwhile the horror continues against the Armenians. There can be no hierarchy of horror.
We cannot remain silent in the face of the tragedy of the Armenians of Artsakh, French MP Valerie Boyer wrote in a Facebook message, referring to an article in Nouvelles d'Armenie telling about the shelling of the Atsakh villages of Khramort, Parukh and Khnapat.
18:11, 2 March, 2022
YEREVAN, 2 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. On March 2, the Steering Committee Meeting of the Armenia/Council of Europe Action Plan for 2019-2022 took place in a hybrid format.
Paruyr Hovhannisyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and Verena Taylor, the Director of the Office of the Director General of the Council of Europe delivered opening remarks. High-ranking representatives of the agencies of the Republic of Armenia involved in the Action Plan, those responsible for their implementation at the Council of Europe Secretariat and the CoE Armenia Office participated in the discussions, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia.
Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan touched upon the period after the previous session of the Steering Committee in July 2020, noted the humanitarian issues as a consequence of the 44-day war in Artsakh, highlighted the importance of ensuring access to international assistance in Artsakh and the conditions necessary for the full realization of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the population. In this regard, the Deputy Foreign Minister reffered to the statements of the high-ranking leaders and various bodies of the Council of Europe, the resolution on the humanitarian and human rights consequences of the Artsakh war, adopted by the PACE in September 2021, and the Memorandum of the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights, published in November 2021.
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the Deputy Foreign Minister expressed the gratitude to the donor countries of the Action Plan, in particular the European Union, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, as well as the Foundation for the Elimination of Violence Against Children and Human Rights Trust Fund.
During the meeting, the results of the programs implemented with the Council of Europe in the fields of protection and promotion of human rights, rule of law and democratic governance were presented. The Armenian side reaffirmed its readiness to continue close cooperation in the implementation of the Action Plan. The participants exchanged views on the projects to be included in the Armenia-Council of Europe for 2023-2026.
13:30, 22 February, 2022
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. The European Union should give an unequivocal and targeted assessment to Azerbaijan and Turkey, Member of Parliament of Armenia from the opposition “Armenia” faction Anna Grigoryan said in her remarks at the joint meeting of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly’s Committees in Yerevan.
“The security challenges continue to be maintained in our region, whereas Azerbaijan thinks that the conflict could be solved by war. About 2 years ago Azerbaijan decided that it can solve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict with the use of force, which itself is a violation of the fundamental principles guaranteed by the UN and the Helsinki Final Act. The war led to disasters, but didn’t solve the conflict, the conflict still exists. Hostility, the spread of Armenophobia and the conflict distorted the prospect of peace agreement in the region”, she said.
She addressed a question on how one can go to a political dialogue with Azerbaijan when the Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians are still held in Azerbaijan, by facing an inhuman treatment daily, when Azerbaijan committed violence, bloodshed and destructs the Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno Karabakh.
“How can we talk about security when the threat of using force, the propaganda of cynicism, militaristic rhetoric and xenophobia continue from Azerbaijan every day? Moreover, right now the Azerbaijani armed forces continue their occupation in Armenia’s sovereign territory, in Syunik. Due to this policy of Azerbaijan, it becomes difficult to think about a security environment in our region”, the Armenian lawmaker said.
Addressing her colleagues, Anna Grigoryan said the deep silence and Europe’s indifference make all these more difficult.
“If the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh and fully supported by Turkey was not a red line for applying sanctions against war criminal Aliyev and his regime, if the capturing and torturing of our soldiers is not a red line, then I should ask – whether we support the political dialogue or the policy of aggression? If we choose the political dialogue, security and not aggression, terrorism and xenophobia, then the EU must give a definite targeted political assessment to Azerbaijan and Turkey, the double standards, the selective approaches must be rejected if we really want to achieve security in our region”, the Armenian MP said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 23
Trend:
Some 12 deputies of the UK’s Parliament issued a joint statement regarding the 30th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s Khojaly genocide, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UK told Trend.
According to the embassy, the parliamentarians expressed their condolences to the Azerbaijani people, especially those who lost their loved ones as a result of the tragedy, and also expressed solidarity with Azerbaijanis.
The authors of the statement described the Khojaly genocide as one of the most tragic chapters in the recent history of Azerbaijan. They also recalled the decision of the European Court of Human Rights as of April 22, 2010, which characterized Khojaly tragedy as a war crime and a crime against humanity.
In this regard, the statement stressed the need to reinforce international humanitarian law for preventing similar tragedies in the future.
The UK parliamentarians also welcomed the end of the conflict and expressed hope for a complete normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Furthermore, the statement noted that at the post-conflict stage, a number of challenges have arisen, such as the clearance of territories, the restoration of communications and transport links, the delimitation, and the demarcation of borders. The authors of the document called on the UK government to assist in solving these problems, including mine-clearance operations.
The statement is the first joint initiative of the UK’s MPs on the occasion of the Khojaly genocide. Members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom Bob Blackman, David Duguid, Bob Seeley, Matthew Offord, Dan Poulter, members of the House of Lords – Lord Risby, Lord Sheikh, Lord Kilcluney, Lord Hossein, Lord Evans, Baroness Manzur and Lord Flight had joined the initiative.
During the first Karabakh war, on Feb. 25-26, 1992, the Armenian Armed Forces, supported by the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops, stationed in Khankendi city, committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly.
As many as 613 civil residents, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 old people were killed in the massacre, 1,000 people were injured, and 1,275 were taken, hostage.
MP Taguhi Tovmasyan from Armenia’s opposition With Honor faction has responded to the false claims of Azerbaijani parliamentarians about the Blue Mosque in Yerevan. Tovmasyan released the following statement on Thursday:
"Two Azerbaijani MPs, participating the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly in Armenia, visited Yerevan's Blue Mosque yesterday and misrepresented the reality.
Tair Mirkishili, one of them, posted on the social media platform: "… As far as we know, it is the only Azerbaijani preserved monument in Yerevan. Although there are inscriptions on the walls of the monument about another state, its walls, architecture, and soul belong to us. We felt the sense of kinship, and I believe the mosque did as well. We believe that the true masters will be able to offer their prayers in this mosque in the near future".
Azerbaijani parliamentarians should be acquainted with history and historical facts, which are consistently bypassed. The Blue Mosque in Yerevan, also known as Persian Gök Jami was built by Hussein-Ali Khan in 1766. This is evidenced by ancient inscriptions on the walls of the Blue Mosque, one of the symbols of Armenia-Iran friendship. And today the mosque, located in the center of Yerevan, continues to appear as a religious and cultural center for the Iranians and tourists visiting Armenia.
Perhaps the preservation of the cultural and religious values of another country is not typical for azeris, and they are familiar with the psychology of those, who commit genocide, also the psychology of a destroyer, the realization of which enables to present everything as their own in the future. But such behavior by deputies is ridiculous, and writing "Irevan" instead of "Yerevan" is absolutely unacceptable.
It should be stated that Azerbaijani parliamentarians are in Armenia on the European inter-parliamentary format, but they are promoting evident aggression, which should be assessed by Euronest.
And as the world is silent, the Azerbaijani deputies announced in the center of Yerevan that the "true owners" of the mosque will return soon.
Where will you come..? Shall we be silent now too?"
16:49, 25 February, 2022
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. The main forces of the Russian paratroopers joined the Russian paratroopers forces deployed in Gomel and have blocked Kiev from the west, RIA Novosti reported citing the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Earlier the Mayor of Kiev said in an address that the Ukrainian capital is now in a defensive stage and the situation is difficult.
ArmInfo.It is necessary to demand from officials who talk about new processes without naming any guarantees – security guarantees. Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan stated this on February 23 during a press conference on the occasion of the completion of the mission.
In his opinion, certain officials, who voice such statements either guided by political interests, or they do not at all realize what they are talking about. Tatoyan has repeatedly focused on the fact that the Azerbaijani authorities continue to pursue a policy of hatred and enmity towards Armenia and its people, and the voiced statements about the "peace agenda" are false. In this context, the Ombudsman urged not to lose vigilance. "We must have guarantees of our rights, and not cause serious problems to arise due to our gross mistakes, the solution of which will become unrealistic," he said.
As an example, the Ombudsman recalled his calls for the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the territories adjacent to settlements and roads. In contrast, according to him, certain officials legitimize the presence of the latter on the sovereign territory of the country with their statements, exacerbate problems, and then talk about the need to find other mechanisms to resolve the situation.
"We don't have time, time works against us. We must act very quickly," Arman Tatoyan emphasized.
17:52,
YEREVAN, 17 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. The opportunities to unblock transport and economic ties in the region, particularly the opening of railways, are visible, the correspondent of ARMENPRESS reports from Vanadzor that Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan said in a briefing with journalists, commenting on the Prime Minister's today’s speech about the Yeraskh-Julfa-Ordubad-Meghri-Horadiz railway.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, there are no new agreements at the moment, but in any case, the agreements on the issue will formulated in a written form in accordance with the legal requirements.
"There are common symmetrical perceptions that the potential for unblocking, in particular the opening of the railway, are visible", said Mher Grigoryan.
To the question whether there are concrete agreements at the moment, the Deputy Prime Minister answered that at the moment there have been official statements on all the agreements.
Mher Grigoryan referred to the agreement between the Prime Minister of Armenia and the Azerbaijani side reached in Sochi on November 26, 2021 mediated by the President of Russia and reaffirmed during the December 14, 2021 meeting mediated by the President of the European Council on the restoration of the railway.
"In particular, the Brussels statement clearly states about the agreement, the approaches of the parties regarding the railway," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed hope at today's February 17 sitting of the government that the agreements reached on the Yeraskh-Julfa-Ordubad-Meghri-Horadiz railway will be registered in the form of a document, and the de jure process will be fully start.
On February 9, Pashinyan announced in the National Assembly that a working group has been set up to organize the construction of the Yeraskh-Julfa-Ordubad-Meghri-Horadiz railway.
20:01,
YEREVAN, 17 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. The works of the trilateral working group on unblocking all economic and transport ties of the region chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia will continue on that platform, ARMENPRESS reports Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan told reporters, answering the question whether trilateral working group meetings are planned in the near future.
"At the moment I will not say anything about specific dates, but presumably, yes, the work will continue on that platform," said the Deputy Prime Minister.
Mher Grigoryan also gave a positive answer to the question on cooperation with Russian Railways.
“Yes, there is cooperation with Russian Railways OJSC, because, regardless of the work of the triplateral platform, we need a lot of discussions in bilateral relations, because, as you know, regardless of the issue of unblocking, the subsidiary of Russian Railways is our operator, the concessionaire. This means that all types of technical documentation related to design, further operation, of course, should be discussed with partners. After all, they will be the exploiters”, the Armenian Deputy PM said.
19:37,
YEREVAN, 15 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. The de-escalation of the situation around Ukraine is urgently needed, a war should not start, ARMENPRESS reports "RIA Novosti" informs, citing the statement of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
"My visit is taking place under the light of the worst and most threatening crisis in Europe of recent decades. Russia's military activity, the concentration of Russian troops along the border, the issues of security guarantees formulated by Russia took up a lot of time in our negotiations. I expressed my assessment of the security situation, we discussed how we and our European partners assess this situation”, Scholz said after the talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We are concerned that the military is concentrated on the Ukrainian line of contact, for no apparent reason. Therefore, de-escalation is urgently needed. In this tense situation, it is very important not to start a war," he said.