Category: 2023

 12:54,

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenia hopes the expected reactions of Azerbaijan on a peace treaty to reflect the discussions and understanding of the Washington foreign ministerial talks, PM Nikol Pashinyan said when asked whether or not the signing of a peace treaty is planned anytime during the upcoming negotiations.

Negotiations in Moscow are planned for May 25.

Pashinyan said signing a peace treaty by May 25 would be unrealistic. “I can’t rule it out if we were to have success in having a common understanding regarding the opening of connections. Our task is to complete the negotiations and sign a peace treaty as soon as possible. Our team is working very intensively,” Pashinyan said.

Armenia had conveyed to Azerbaijan an amended version of the peace treaty before the Washington talks and now Yerevan is waiting for Baku’s response.

“We hope [the Azerbaijani response] will reflect the discussions, understanding and agreements, the progress of understanding during the Washington talks. If Azerbaijan would convey its response this week and one week were to be enough for studying it, if we were to see that we find these proposals and approaches to be acceptable in terms of compromise logic, then why not? But so far we haven’t received their response,” Pashinyan said.

 13:20,

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS. There is some change in understanding in the peace treaty talks with Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a May 22 press conference.

“I am glad to note that it seems like there is some change of understanding in this issue,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan said that other wordings describing the function of a guarantor have been proposed during the talks.

PM Pashinyan said that being a guarantor in such a difficult region would be a huge responsiblity which could create both possibilities and risks for countries, and also increase or seriously damage reputation.

“It’s not like everyone is [eagerly waiting] to assume this role. But at the same time, if the international community were to record that there is sincere desire between the parties to establish lasting peace, I believe there would be countries and organizations – starting from individual countries up to the UN Security Council, who wouldn’t just want to but would agree to assume this function,” Pashinyan said.

One of the most important records made during the Washington talks, according to Pashinyan, is that the parties have started to communicate more directly and openly, presenting their concerns, reasons and grounds for mistrust.

“Many nuances have emerged which weren’t visible for the parties in the past, or weren’t recorded. I find the biggest specificity of the Washington talks to be the style of the conversation, a very open conversation took place. Often the sentences in the negotiations contain hidden meanings, and often it’s not easy to realize. At some point, these hidden meanings became lesser and the conversation began to be mutually more understandable. This is our perception,” Pashinyan said.

 12:55,

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that the West is not telling Armenia to disrupt its ties with Russia or push Russia out.

Pashinyan made the remarks at a press conference when asked to comment on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s recent remarks claiming that the West is signaling Armenia to push Russia out of its territory in exchange of ensuring security.

“We are not receiving any signals from the West on disrupting relations with Russia or pushing Russia out, we haven’t received such signals and I don’t think such signals would ever happen. Signals can be in relation to the development or course of bilateral relations, which pertains to Russia, among others. I mean that we are discussing our bilateral relations with our Russian partners very transparently. And I believe there is no unclarified point in these talks about our concerns which we have on Russia in the region and the situation in our relations,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan stated that it is Russia’s obligation to keep Lachin Corridor under control by the 2020 ceasefire agreement. The Armenian PM said that the illegal installation of a checkpoint by Azerbaijan on the corridor is a violation of that obligation.

“Russia had, and has to keep this corridor under its control. We’ve previously also talked both publicly and in a working level about the developments in Khtsaberd to Parukh. After all, the trilateral statement noted the existence of the line of contact and the obligations of the Russian peacekeeping forces deployed inside of the line of contact, and we have constantly encouraged, we haven’t created any problems, we’ve helped with whatever we could in order for these obligations to be fully fulfilled,” Pashinyan said.

“The most important factor of our relations are our relations itself, our mutual obligations. To what extent are these obligations being fulfilled? I don’t think the West is restraining someone and not allowing for these obligations to be fulfilled, in the most various sectors, in security, military-technical cooperation, or activities pertaining to peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh. There was a case when a farmer was shot dead in the presence of peacekeepers. And we think that Russia’s response was improper. Moreover, as far as I know, the peacekeepers themselves had convinced that farmer to start working there, telling him they would ensure his security, but he was killed half an hour later. What has the West got to do with it? 90% of our compatriots who are held captive today were taken captive after the deployment of the Russian peacekeepers in their area of responsibility. What’s the West got to do with it?”

Pashinyan noted that there is no agenda of pushing Russia out in the Armenia-EU or Armenia-USA agenda.

At the same time, Pashinyan said that he has started to discuss security issues with Western partners unlike in the past when they believed that security architecture was in place.

“When we see that this security system isn’t functioning the way it should under binding documents, due to objective and subjective reasons, we also discuss security agenda issues with Western and not only Western partners,” Pashinyan said.

 13:39,

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS. The issue of possible withdrawal from the CSTO is still on Armenia’s agenda, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.

“Why was that issue raised? Because it is our understanding that the CSTO has withdrawn or is withdrawing from the Republic of Armenia. I mean, if Armenia were to make a de-jure decision on withdrawing from the CSTO, it would take place as a result of Armenia recording that the CSTO has withdrawn from Armenia. By saying the CSTO’s withdrawal I mean first of all the obligations of the organization. I wouldn’t say that this issue has been withdrawn from our agenda, because the issue is being discussed as long as there is an issue to discuss. Look, there is a lot of talk on whether or not the monitoring group should come to Armenia, why it’s not coming. I don’t rule out that Armenia could de-jure make a decision on suspending or freezing its membership to the CSTO, but this could happen only in case when we were to record that the CSTO is withdrawing from Armenia. What else should we do if it has left? That is, if we were to record that the CSTO has withdrawn from Armenia, the [needless] status of a de-jure member of the CSTO would only hinder us from discussing security agenda with other countries,” the PM said.

Pashinyan said that membership to CSTO has blocked Armenia’s opportunities for arms acquisitions from other countries.

 13:44,

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS. United States Major General Keith Phillips and Mr. Patrick Prior from the U.S. Department of Defense have arrived in Armenia, the U.S. Embassy announced Monday.

“The U.S. Embassy in Armenia welcomes to Yerevan Major General Keith Phillips and Mr. Patrick Prior from the U.S. Department of Defense. They will meet with Armenian government officials and members of the Armenian Armed Forces to discuss opportunities to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia defense and security relationship,” the U.S. Embassy said.

 14:00,

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is ready to recognize Azerbaijan’s 86,600 km2 territorial integrity which includes Nagorno Karabakh, but the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh must be discussed through Baku-Stepanakert dialogue, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on May 22.

“The 86,600 km2 includes Nagorno Karabakh. But we must note that we are saying that the issue of the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh must be discussed in the Baku-Stepanakert format,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan noted that all administrations before him have recognized the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

“Armenia is ready to recognize the 86,600 km2 territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. And it is our understanding that Azerbaijan is ready to recognize the 29,800 km2 territorial integrity of Armenia. If we understand each other correctly with Azerbaijan in this matter, Armenia, indeed, recognizes Azerbaijan’s 86,600 km2 territorial integrity, with the understanding that Azerbaijan recognizes Armenia’s 29,800 km2 territorial integrity,” PM Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan said it is highly important to create international guarantees for the direct talks between Stepanakert and Baku over the rights and security of Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. “We mean, for example, that the issue of the rights and security of Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh could get forgotten and Azerbaijan could continue its policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide against Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh through force,” Pashinyan said, highlighting the need for guarantees to prevent this policy.

During Brussels-hosted talks earlier in May, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed their unequivocal commitment to the 1991 Almaty Declaration and the respective territorial integrity of Armenia (29,800 km2) and Azerbaijan (86,600 km2). 

The 29,800 km2 territorial integrity of Armenia includes enclaves, including Artsvashen.

86,600 km2 territorial integrity of Azerbaijan also includes enclaves. “This is a political stance, but the legal part of the issue must still be looked into,” the PM said.

 15:04,

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is not holding any Azerbaijanis who’ve trespassed into the country after getting lost, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.

“I confirm that there is an understanding that soldiers and citizens who’ve appeared on the opposite side as a result of getting lost must be returned through a speedy procedure,” Pashinyan said at a press conference, referring to the agreements reached in Brussels. “But I also confirm that as of this moment there are no Azerbaijanis in Armenia who’ve appeared here as a result of getting lost. All Azerbaijanis who are now in Armenia have crossed the border consciously, knowing that they are trespassing the Armenian border,” Pashinyan said.

Any Azerbaijani crossing into Armenia as a result of getting lost will be released back to Azerbaijan through a speedy procedure, he added.

Asked whether or not he rules out releasing the two Azerbaijani servicemen currently jailed in Armenia for trespassing, one of whom is also accused of murdering a civilian in Syunik, Pashinyan said that the normalization of relations envisages difficult and important decisions, but not unilateral.

“Yes, we are ready to discuss, certainly after making legal procedures. Because on the other hand we can’t simply ignore the fact that a citizen of Armenia has been killed, but we are not violating anyone’s presumption of innocence too. The issue is under investigation,” Pashinyan said.

After a court verdict various solution are envisaged under legal proceedings, he said.

 09:42,

YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan has held a meeting with United States Major General Keith Phillips and Mr. Patrick Prior from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Grigoryan and the Pentagon representatives discussed “the regional and extraregional security situation” and also “attached importance to the Armenia-U.S. cooperation in the security sector,” Grigoryan’s office said in a readout.

 12:00,

YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Transavia airline will start operating Marseille-Yerevan roundtrip flights on June 27, the Armenia International Airports announced.

The airline will operate the route once a week, on Tuesdays.

 11:19,

YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. The State Revenue Committee’s anti-smuggling division has thwarted an attempted smuggling of unprecedented amount of Fentanyl in the region.

In a statement released on May 23, the State Revenue Committee said the investigation began when a U.S. citizen residing in Yerevan was detained while receiving a postal package containing 10,8 grams of heroin.

Investigators revealed the accomplices of the smuggler and gathered information of another incoming smuggling attempt. The second suspect, a citizen of Armenia, was detained while receiving a postal package containing 80 tablets of Fentanyl hidden in a candy box. Authorities searched the residence of the suspect and found two loaded Makarov handguns and numerous used syringes with traces of narcotics.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, authorities warned. Fentanyl causes more fatal overdose cases than any other narcotic. 

Fentanyl is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S.

According to the United States DEA, two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage.  DEA analysis has found counterfeit pills ranging from .02 to 5.1 milligrams (more than twice the lethal dose) of fentanyl per tablet.

42% of pills tested for fentanyl contained at least 2 mg of fentanyl, considered a potentially lethal dose, according to DEA. 

Drug trafficking organizations typically distribute fentanyl by the kilogram.  One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people, according to DEA.