Author: Liana Toganian

EU is committed to partnership with Armenia, building peaceful and prosperous South Caucasus – Toivo Klaar

Liana Toganian

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 15:23,

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS. The European Union is committed to partnership with Armenia and to building a peaceful and prosperous South Caucasus, the European Union’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar said March 24.

In a tweet, Klaar thanked the Head of the Armenian Mission to the EU, Ambassador Anna Aghadjanian for hosting a celebration of the second anniversary of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Armenia and the EU.

“Thank you Ambassador Anna Aghadjanian for hosting celebration of the second anniversary of Armenia-EU CEPA. The EU is committed to partnership with Armenia and to building a peaceful and prosperous South Caucasus. We support Armenia and Azerbaijan in achieving a lasting, comprehensive and fair peace,” Klaar tweeted.

PM Pashinyan holds telephone conversation with the US Secretary of State

Liana Toganian

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 18:01,

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States of America, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to the humanitarian crisis caused by Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

Nikol Pashinyan and Antony Blinken exchanged thoughts on the perspectives of the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and the opening of communication channels in the region. The US Secretary of State reaffirmed his call for the immediate reopening of the Lachin Corridor and emphasized that the US is ready to continue supporting the above-mentioned processes.

During the telephone conversation, Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed his concern regarding the recent increasing aggressive rhetoric of Azerbaijan.

Reuters: Armenian PM: We have ‘problems’ with Russia, but no crisis (+Links)

Liana Toganian
March 14 2023

TBILISI (Reuters) – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Tuesday there were "problems" in his country's relations with Russia, but no crisis, Russian news agencies reported.

Armenia and Russia are formal allies through a mutual self-defence treaty, but Yerevan has been disgruntled by Russia's unwillingness to provide stronger support in its long-running conflict with Azerbaijan.

"There is no crisis in the relationship. We talk, discuss things, state that there are problems – which is objective," Interfax quoted Pashinyan as telling a news conference.

In 2020 Russia deployed peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh – an Armenian-populated region of Azerbaijan that the two sides have contested for decades – to end weeks of fighting which saw thousands killed and Azerbaijan make significant territorial gains.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was in Germany on Tuesday to meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz as Europe vies to take a larger role in settling the dispute between Baku and Yerevan. Pashinyan visited Berlin for a similar meeting earlier this month.

Following Pashinyan's comments, Russia's foreign ministry said it was planning a meeting with the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in Moscow as Russia tries to maintain its role as the traditional regional power broker.

In the latest stand-off over Nagorno-Karabakh, Azeris claiming to be environmental protesters have been blocking the Lachin corridor – the only road route between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh – since December, triggering food and medicine shortages in the region. Yerevan says they are agitators backed by Azerbaijan, while Baku says they have legitimate grievances over illegal mining by Armenians.

The two sides have been locked in diplomacy over an attempt to broker a lasting peace settlement since Azerbaijan staged large-scale cross-border attacks inside Armenia last September that Yerevan described as unprovoked aggression.

Azerbaijan said its soldiers responded after Armenian sabotage units tried to mine its positions. More than 200 Armenian troops and around 80 Azerbaijanis were killed.

(Reporting by Jake Cordell and Caleb Davis; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

https://news.yahoo.com/armenian-pm-problems-russia-no-124357536.html

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https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/2378839-armenian-pm-we-have-problems-with-russia-but-no-crisis
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2023/03/14/armenian-pm-we-have-problems-with-russia-but-no-crisis/59588

Armenia opposition MP: Azerbaijan is building up military equipment

Liana Toganian
News.am
Armenia –
13:46, 17.03.2023

Opposition MP Taguhi Tovmasyan is in daily contact with the residents of Armenia’s border region and with the military, who alert that they had seen movement and alerted her, about which she considered it necessary to contact Armenia’s international partners so that a possible escalation of tension could be prevented as much as possible. Tovmasyan told about this today to reporters in the National Assembly—and referring to the reports about the buildup of Azerbaijani armed forces on the borders of Armenia.

"It is clear that if military equipment is being built up, it is not done for no reason; it is done to prepare for a certain [military] operation. I have received alarms from Gegharkunik, Tavush [Provinces], and all along Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)]. There was a movement of [Azerbaijani] military equipment that worried people.

“There is already quite a big and intense reaction; everyone is interested. I have reactions from various superpowers at the highest level that they are following the process, will follow the further developments with great attention as well, trying to prevent certain actions," the Armenian opposition MP said.

Azerbaijan gives preliminary confirmation on participation in Yerevan European Weightlifting Championships 2023

Liana Toganian

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 16:15,

YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan has confirmed participation in the upcoming European Weightlifting Championships 2023 in Yerevan according to preliminary information, the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Karen Giloyan has said.

“At this moment we have confirmation from Azerbaijan regarding their participation, but this isn’t final yet. By the end of March the federations of the countries that have submitted a bid have to make a financial transfer to the European federation. Thus, the Azerbaijani team’s participation will be finally confirmed when they’ll have completed all envisaged steps,” Giloyan said.

The European Weightlifting Championships 2023 will take place April 15-23 in Yerevan.

Canberra: Kylea Tink MP Signs Joint Justice Initiative In Support of Australian Recognition of Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides

Liana Toganian
Friday,

CANBERRA: Kylea Tink MP has joined a growing cohort of Members of Parliament and Senators to have signed the Joint Justice Initiative’s Affirmation of Support document calling on Australia to recognise the 1915 Genocides of Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire.

Tink was elected as the Federal Member for North Sydney at the 2022 Australian Federal Election, replacing staunch advocate for the cause of Genocide recognition, Trent Zimmerman. Tink vowed to continue her predecessor's support and advocacy for issues of importance to her local Armenian-Australian community.

Since her election to the Federal Parliament, Tink has joined the Australia-Armenia Inter-Parliamentary Union (Friendship Group), declared her support for the rights to self-determination of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh through her membership of the Australian Friends of Artsakh network, and rose in the Federal Parliament to condemn Azerbaijan’s illegal invasion of the sovereign borders of the Republic of Armenia in 2022.

Michael Kolokossian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), applauded Tink’s addition to the signatories of the Joint Justice Initiative.

“Ms Kylie Tink has been a vocal supporter of the local Armenian-Australian community since her election to the Federal Parliament, and we look forward to continuing our work with her. We also thank her for her principled stance,” said Kolokossian.

The Joint Justice Initiative has so far announced the support of Scamps, Kristy McBain MP, Senator Rachel Siewert, Susan Templeman MP, Adam Bandt MP, Senator Janet Rice, Steve Georganas MP, Michael Sukkar MP, Senator Louise Pratt, Warren Entsch, Andrew Wilkie MP, Julian Leeser MP, Michelle Rowland MP, Senator Paul Scarr, Tony Zappia MP, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Senator Hollie Hughes, Senator Rex Patrick, Mike Freelander MP, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator Pat Dodson, Josh Burns MP, Senator Andrew Bragg, Bob Katter MP, Sophie Scamps MP with a promise of more announcements to come.

On 25th February 2020, over 100 Federal Australian parliamentarians, diplomats, departmental officials, political staffers, academics, media and community leaders were treated to cultural performances, food, wine and brandy, as well as the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which affirmed that the signatory public affairs representatives of the three communities were jointly committed to seeing Australia recognise the Turkish-committed Genocides against the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian citizens of the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The Joint Justice Initiative currently has over 35 signatories in Federal Parliament.


https://www.anc.org.au/news/Media-Releases/Kylea-Tink-MP-Signs-Joint-Justice-Initiative-In-Support-of-Australian-Recognition-of-Armenian–Assyrian-and-Greek-Genocides

Russia Confirms Azerbaijani Ambush of Artsakh Police that Killed 3 Officers

Liana Toganian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 March 6, 2023

 

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

An Artsakh police vehicle was ambushed by Azerbaijani forces on Mar. 5


Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed Sunday’s ambush by Azerbaijani forces of an Artsakh police vehicle that left three officers dead and another in serious condition.

“On March 5, 2023, at 10 a.m., the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan shot at the vehicle of the law enforcement officers of Nagorno Karabakh in the territory of Dukyanlar settlement. As a result of the clashes, three people were killed, and one was injured,” the Russian defense ministry said in a statement on Monday. “There were also losses on the Azerbaijani side. two dead and one injured.”

“The clash was stopped with the efforts of Russian peacekeepers. In connection with that fact, the command of the Russian peacekeeping military group is conducting an investigation with the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides,” added the statement.

“The Russian peacekeeping contingent continues to carry out its tasks in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. In thirty observation posts, Russian peacekeepers monitor the situation around the clock and supervise the maintenance of the ceasefire regime,” said Russia’s Defense Ministry.

The Russian foreign ministry on Monday voiced Moscow’s “serious concern” over Sunday’s ambush of an Artsakh police vehicle.

As a result of the latest Azerbaijani attack Lieutenant Armen Babayan, Major David Danielyan and Lieutenant Ararat Gasparyan were killed and Lieutenant David Hovsepyan suffered a gunshot wound and is listed in critical condition.

“We express serious concern regarding the increase in tension in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. Over the past few days, multiple violations of the ceasefire have been reported. On March 5, an armed incident took place, as a result of which both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides suffered casualties,” Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Monday.

She called on the parties to exercise restraint and take steps to ease the tension.

“We reaffirm the need to strictly observe the provisions of the November 9, 2020 statement by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on the complete cessation of fire and all military operations in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone,” Zakharova said.

The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson emphasized that any security-related issue in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping troops should be resolved peacefully, through communication between the parties, under the auspices of the peacekeeping troops.

“The incident once again confirms the imperative for Baku and Yerevan to immediately return to the negotiations based on the implementation of the provisions of the trilateral statements of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9, 2020, January 11, and November 26, 2021, as well as October 31, 2022, as well as the unblocking of regional communications, delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and elaboration of the peace treaty,” Zakharova said.

Azerbaijani top diplomat invites Armenia to return to negotiating table

Liana Toganian
 TASS 
Russia – Feb 28 2023
Jeyhun Bayramov stressed that it would be wrong to say that there had been no progress in the negotiations over the past six months

BAKU, February 28. /TASS/. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov slammed online diplomacy on the peace treaty with Armenia ineffective and urged Yerevan to return to the negotiating table.

"Now we don’t have this element of face-to-face meetings. But in order not to completely kill the process, the Azerbaijani side does not refuse to receive and send comments, that is what I meant by online diplomacy. That is, there is just forwarding of comments. Do we consider this the most productive method of communication in discussing the draft peace treaty? I don’t think so," the Azerbaijani top diplomat said on Tuesday at a press conference following talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

Bayramov stressed that it would be wrong to say that there had been no progress in the negotiations over the past six months. "There is some progress. But if we were more result-oriented, if we faced fewer unpleasant surprises, we could have had a better result. And I think that the Armenian side will finally understand the inadequacy of such an approach to the current situation and return to the negotiating table. The Azerbaijani side is ready for that," he added.

The Azerbaijani top diplomat noted that "the sooner Armenia changes its position and returns to the negotiating table, the more useful it will be for the normalization process."