Author: Tambiyan Samvel

Minister Papikyan meets with India’s National Defense College delegation

Tambiyan Samvel

 14:28, 30 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan has met with a delegation from India’s National Defense College led by Commandant of the college, Lieutenant General Sukriti Singh Dahiya.

India’s Ambassador to Armenia Nilakshi Saha Sinha accompanied the delegation.

Suren Papikyan welcomed Lieutenant General Sukriti Singh Dahiya and the other members of the delegation representing other partner countries. He highly appreciated the initiative of visiting Armenia given the current course of development of the Armenian-Indian relations in the defense sector, the defense ministry said in a press release.

Minister Papikyan presented the ongoing military reforms and the course and prospects of the defense cooperation between Armenia and India, and answered the questions asked by members of the delegation.

Armenpress: Azerbaijani military again falsely accuses Armenia of border shooting

Tambiyan Samvel

 00:39, 31 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense has again falsely accused the Armenian military of shooting at its outposts across the border in an ongoing disinformation campaign.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia said the Azeri defense ministry’s statement is “another disinformation.”

“The statement disseminated by the Azerbaijani MoD as if on August 30, at around 10:35 p.m. the units of the Armenian Armed Forces fired on the Azerbaijani combat outposts located in the eastern part of the frontier zone, is another disinformation,” the Armenian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

Turkish Press: Armenia sends Rome Statute to parliament for ratification: Move would bring Yerevan under jurisdiction of tribunal based in the Hague

Tambiyan Samvel
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Sept 1 2023
Elena Teslova

MOSCOW

Armenia on Friday sent the Rome Statute, founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC), to the parliament for ratification, a move that would bring it under the jurisdiction of the tribunal based in the Hague.

Armenian Justice Minister Grigor Minasyan in June had announced the government would send the bill for approval in the coming weeks.

It came after the Constitutional Court of Armenia in March said the Rome Statute does not contradict with the Constitution, eliciting a negative reaction from Russia.

Moscow called Yerevan's intentions "absolutely unacceptable," taking into account the ICC arrest warrant against President Vladimir Putin.

The Foreign Ministry said Armenia, a Russian ally, was warned "about the extremely negative" consequences such a move could have on bilateral relations.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 21-08-23

Tambiyan Samvel

 17:43,

YEREVAN, 21 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 21 August, USD exchange rate down by 0.25 drams to 385.88 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.04 drams to 420.53 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 4.10 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.65 drams to 491.65 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 48.12 drams to 23493.86 drams. Silver price up by 0.87 drams to 282.74 drams.

Intellectuals from Turkey unite to break Nagorno-Karabakh blockade and avert potential genocide

Tambiyan Samvel

 16:40,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. Politicians, writers, and human rights advocates from Turkey have united to issue a plea to the global community, urging immediate intervention to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh caused by Azerbaijan's blockade, Gercek News reports.

The heart of the appeal lies in the conviction that waiting for a humanitarian disaster to unfold before acting is unacceptable.

“As the blockade imposed by Azerbaijan on the Lachin corridor enters its eighth month and the once-vibrant region of Nagorno-Karabakh is teetering on the brink of a dire humanitarian crisis, a group of Turkish intellectuals, writers, politicians, and human rights advocates has united to issue a compelling appeal to the global community, urging immediate intervention to alleviate the suffering and prevent a potential catastrophe.

“The relentless blockade, endorsed by the Baku government and bolstered by Ankara's support, has not only isolated the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh but has also instilled concerns of a looming genocide. This grave situation has prompted a group of influential Turkish figures to raise their voices, advocating for international action to halt the blockade and offer a lifeline to the beleaguered residents.

"It is evident that essential supplies are unable to reach Karabakh, and residents are trapped without access to urgent medical care. As the crisis deepens and in confirmation of international concerns, Baku's dictator Ilham Aliyev continues to openly and continuously threaten the people of Karabakh. To such an extent that the former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, published a significant article characterizing Aliyev's actions in Karabakh as genocide,” the statement by the group said and called on all states, international organizations, particularly the United Nations and the International Red Cross, and the international public to take a proactive stance.

Drawing a historical parallel from the World War II, “Just as the Berlin blockade was broken through airlifts in 1948-49, we call for the breaking of the Karabakh blockade through air supply routes, thus putting an end to this humanitarian tragedy," the statement added.

The signatories are:

Abdullah Demirbas, Abdulhakim Das, Adnan Canguder, Adnan Celik, Ahmet Aykac, Ahmet Konuk, Akin Atauz, Akin Birdal, Alev Er, Alex Koskeryan, Ali Gokkaya, Ari Gunter, Asli Erdogan, Attila Tuygan, Ayse Hur, Ayse Yildirim, Aysegul Devecioglu, Baskin Oran, Bayram Kaya, Celal Baslangic, Cengiz Aktar, Cengiz Arin, Denis Dreisbusch, Dogan Ozguden, Emrah Cilasun, Erdal Dogan, Erdogan Kahyaoglu, Eren Keskin, Ergun Babahan, Erol Ercan, Eser Budak, Esra Mungan, Fatime Akalin, Fikret Baskaya, Garo Kaprielyan, Gencay Gursoy, Gungor Senkal, Gurhan Ertur, Hacer Ansal, Hasan Burgucuoglu, Hatice Yildiz, Hidir Celik, Hovsep Hayreni, Huseyin Habip Taskin, Ibrahim Seven, Inan Gedik, Inci Tugsavul, Ira Tzourou, Kemal Bilget, Kemal Hur, Kemal Yalcin, Kenan Yenice, Mahmut Konuk, Mehmet Ali Balta, Nafiz Ozbek, Necati Abay, Nedim Kibar, Nesim Ovadya Izrail, Nesrin Nas, Nevzat Onaran, Nurcan Baysal, Nurten Kirmizigul, Okan Kucukersan, Osman Okkan, Oya Baydar, Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, Omer Madra, Racho Donef, Ragip Duran, Ragip Zarakolu, Ramazan Gezgin, Recep Marasli, Sait Cetinoglu, Sait Oral, Selahattin Kocak, Selay Ertem, Selma Kociva, Serdar Kocman, Sibel Yigittekin, Saban Iba, Sakir Bilgin, Samil Altan, Sanar Yurdatapan, Sukriye Ercan, Taner Akcam, Ulku Cevik, Viktorya Ciprut, Yalcin Ergundogan, Yasemin Gedik, Yasar Kucukaslan, Yavuz Aydin, Yavuz Baydar, Yetvart Danzikyan, Yildiz Aydin, Yusuf Kose, Zarife Atik, Ziya Ozder.

Turkish Press: Türkiye backs Azerbaijan’s actions on Lachin corridor

Tambiyan Samvel
HURRIYET
Turkey – Aug 15 2023

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has expressed its support for Azerbaijan's recent actions regarding the Lachin corridor dispute while urging Armenia to cooperate and "refrain from provocative steps."

In a statement released on Aug. 14, the ministry acknowledged that Türkiye has been closely monitoring the longstanding disputes over the mountain road that links Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh and understands Azerbaijan's legitimate concerns surrounding the issue.

"Unfortunately, these concerns that Azerbaijan has voiced loudly for a long time were not taken into account, and as a result, Azerbaijan took the measures it deems appropriate within the framework of its sovereign rights," it said.

Türkiye is of the opinion that there is no legitimate ground for criticisms against Azerbaijan concerning the road, the ministry highlighted, adding that Azerbaijan has ensured medical evacuations through the corridor and has designated alternate routes suitable for large-scale cargo transportation.

The statement also directed expectations towards Armenia, calling for the "avoidance of provocative actions and the recognition of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty." It urged Armenia to support the utilization of Aghdam-Khankendi and other alternative roads to meet the needs of the Armenian population in Karabakh.

Türkiye's stance on achieving peace and stability in the South Caucasus is grounded in the belief that supporting Azerbaijan's sovereignty, territorial integrity and humanitarian initiatives is crucial, the statement also underscored, pointing out the necessity of refraining from actions that could further escalate the situation.

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkiye-backs-azerbaijans-actions-on-lachin-corridor-185507

Turkish Press: Türkiye expects Armenia to avoid ‘provocative steps’ on Lachin road

Tambiyan Samvel
Turkey – Aug 14 2023
Diyar Guldogan  


ANKARA

Ankara "closely" follows the debates on the southern Caucasus’ Lachin road, understands Azerbaijan's "legitimate concerns," and expects Armenia to avoid "provocative steps," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"Türkiye has been following the longstanding debates on the Lachin road closely and understands Azerbaijan's legitimate concerns on the issue.

"Unfortunately, these concerns that Azerbaijan has voiced loudly for a long time were not taken into account, and as a result, Azerbaijan took the measures it deems appropriate within the framework of its sovereign rights," the ministry said in a statement.

Azerbaijan has called on countries and international organizations that have made anti-Azerbaijani statements to respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, especially concerning developments in Karabakh and the Lachin road, the only land route giving Armenia access to the Karabakh region.

Despite ongoing talks on a peace agreement following a war in 2020, tensions between Baku and Yerevan have risen in recent months concerning the Lachin road, as well as Azerbaijan’s establishment of a border checkpoint on the road.

There is no justification for the criticisms against Azerbaijan regarding the Lachin road, Türkiye said, as the ministry statement added that Baku is making "maximum efforts" in good faith with respect to humanitarian considerations, including medical transportation.

"Our expectation from Armenia is to avoid provocative steps, to recognize Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty, to support the use of 'Agdam-Khankendi' and other alternative ways to meet the needs of the Armenian population in Karabakh, as well as to support efforts to reintegrate the Armenian population of Azerbaijan," the ministry said.

Türkiye believes that to ensure peace and stability in the region, the territorial integrity, sovereignty and humanitarian efforts of Azerbaijan should be supported and actions that aggravate the situation should be avoided, it added.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/turkiye-expects-armenia-to-avoid-provocative-steps-on-lachin-road/2967527

Nagorno-Karabakh welcomes Armenia’s UNSC emergency meeting request, expects adequate response

Tambiyan Samvel

 22:05,

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 12, ARMENPRESS. The Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Foreign Ministry has welcomed the Armenian government’s request to the UN Security Council for convening an emergency meeting on the humanitarian situation resulting from the blockade of Lachin Corridor.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Ministry called upon the UNSC to adequately respond to the situation and reach a decision on the implementation of necessary, urgent and effective measures aimed at the immediate, complete and unconditional unblocking of the Lachin Corridor.

“We welcome the decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia to submit a request to the United Nations Security Council to address the critical humanitarian situation that has emerged due to the ongoing unlawful blockade of the Lachin Corridor for the past eight months and the inhumane siege imposed on Artsakh.

“In this context, it is crucial to highlight that on 8 August, the President of the Republic of Artsakh requested the Government of the Republic of Armenia to urgently bring the humanitarian catastrophe caused by Azerbaijan's blockage of the Lachin Corridor to the UN Security Council’s discussion.

“We consider the direct involvement of the United Nations Security Council and the adoption of corresponding urgent decisions to be a crucial factor capable of putting an end to the extensive and egregious human rights violations perpetrated by Azerbaijan in Artsakh and halting the genocidal policy consistently and systematically pursued by Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh.

“We call upon the United Nations Security Council, which bears the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, preventing genocides and other mass atrocities, as well as ensuring the implementation of decisions of the International Court of Justice, to adequately respond to the situation and reach a decision on the implementation of necessary, urgent and effective measures aimed at the immediate, complete and unconditional unblocking of the Lachin corridor,” the Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Ministry said in the statement.

AP: With Nagorno-Karabakh under blockade for 8 months, Armenia seeks urgent UN Security Council meeting

Tambiyan Samvel
Aug 12 2023

Armenia is calling on the U.N. Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on the worsening humanitarian situation in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is mostly populated by Armenians

ByAVET DEMOURIAN
, 6:21 PM

YEREVAN, Armenia – Armenia called on the U.N. Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on the worsening humanitarian situation in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is mostly populated by Armenians.

In his letter to the president of the U.N. Security Council, sent Friday and released by Armenia’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday, Armenian U.N. ambassador Mher Margaryan said the people of Nagorno-Karabakh were “on the verge of a full-fledged humanitarian catastrophe.”

Since December, Azerbaijan has blockaded the only road leading from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, severely restricting the delivery of food, medical supplies and other essentials to the region of about 120,000 people.

“The Armenian government asks for the intervention of the U.N. Security Council, as the main body responsible for maintaining international peace and security, to prevent mass atrocities, including war crimes, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and genocide,” Margaryan wrote.

Armenia’s appeal comes after the former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court warned Tuesday that Azerbaijan is preparing genocide against ethnic Armenians in its Nagorno-Karabakh region and called for the U.N. Security Council to bring the matter before the international tribunal.

The report by said Azerbaijan’s blockade of the only road leading from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh seriously impedes food, medical supplies and other essentials to the region of about 120,000 people.

“There is a reasonable basis to believe that a genocide is being committed,” Luis Moreno Ocampo wrote in his repor t, noting that a U.N. convention defines genocide as including “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction.”

“There are no crematories and there are no machete attacks. Starvation is the invisible genocide weapon. Without immediate dramatic change, this group of Armenians will be destroyed in a few weeks,” the report said.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region within Azerbaijan that came under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian military in separatist fighting that ended in 1994. Armenian forces also took control of substantial territory around the region.

Azerbaijan regained control of the surrounding territory in a six-week war with Armenia in 2020. A Russia-brokered armistice that ended the war left the region’s capital, Stepanakert, connected to Armenia only by a road known as the Lachin Corridor, along which Russian peacekeeping forces were supposed to ensure free movement.

A government representative in Azerbaijan dismissed the report from Ocampo, who was the ICC’s first prosecutor, telling The Associated Press it “contains unsubstantiated allegations and accusations.”

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/nagorno-karabakh-blockade-8-months-armenia-seeks-urgent-102223492

READ ALSO

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/with-nagorno-karabakh-under-blockade-for-8-months-armenia-seeks-urgent-un-security-council-meeting/article_e69cf9ee-3bfc-5ef7-9eff-10c3c799e10e.html

https://www.elpasoinc.com/with-nagorno-karabakh-under-blockade-for-8-months-armenia-seeks-urgent-un-security-council-meeting/article_807b1b03-58f2-579e-9493-435604925e12.html

https://ktvz.com/news/2023/08/12/with-nagorno-karabakh-under-blockade-for-8-months-armenia-seeks-urgent-un-security-council-meeting/


Cypriot FM briefed on humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh

Tambiyan Samvel

 18:43,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. On August 11, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan had a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus Constantinos Kombos.

The Foreign Minister of Armenia briefed his counterpart on the details of the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor and the severe conditions created for the local population. Minister Mirzoyan noted that Azerbaijan, violating the Trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, and the Order of the International Court of Justice of February 22, not only continues the blockade of the Lachin corridor but also, by the installation of the illegal checkpoint in April, disrupts even the transportation of people with serious health issues by the International Committee of Red Cross.

Highly appreciating the statements of international partners, including Cyprus, Ararat Mirzoyan emphasized the urgency of joint efforts on different platforms aimed at lifting the blockade of the Lachin corridor. The Foreign Minister of Cyprus reaffirmed his country's approach on this issue. Both sides emphasized the need to implement the Orders of the International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6.