Category: 2023

Azerbaijan Cautions Against India’s Arms Supply to Armenia

Yeghisabet Vorskanian
We News, Pakistan
Dec 28 2023

BAKU: Azerbaijan on Thursday said that it is closely monitoring the arms purchases and sales between Armenia and India. 

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, in a press conference, stated that India’s official stance is that arms sales to Armenia are not connected to Azerbaijan’s friendly relations with Turkey and Pakistan.

He said that India needs to consider the historical context and not view this as a purely commercial venture. There was a factor of occupation [of Azerbaijani lands] here for a long time, and the war is now over. 

Bayramov underscored the pivotal moment of post-war peace and the responsibility to avoid arms deals that might empower revanchist forces in Armenia.

Bayramov concluded by urging entities seeking a broader presence in the region to recognize these realities and foster positive agendas.

https://en.wenews.pk/azerbaijan-cautions-against-indias-arms-supply-to-armenia/

How Armenia solves the problems of the Karabakh people: are the government’s projects effective?

Emil Lazarian
Dec 23 2023
  • Armine Martirosyan
  • Yerevan

Assistance to resettlers from NK

More than 150 thousand Armenians who have moved from Nagorno-Karabakh have been recognized as refugees by the Armenian authorities.

Over 100,000 of them were forced to leave their homes after the military actions of September 19-20, which Azerbaijan launched after a 10-month blockade. In less than a week, Armenia received and accommodated all the arrivals. International partners recognized that a small and poor country managed to cope with this ordeal without tent camps.

The government developed and implemented humanitarian programs in parallel with the influx of people. They are ongoing and cover a wide range of issues. They included housing and employment, medical and social assistance, continuing education and psychological support. The country is trying to create conditions for the full integration of the Karabakh Armenians.

Acknowledging the complexity of the situation and the importance of the government’s efforts to solve the problems of Karabakh Armenians, both migrants and experts consider the programs developed in the deadline to be insufficiently effective. Human rights activist Larisa Alaverdyan makes a proposal on how to solve the main problem of refugees, how to provide them with housing.

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The Armenian authorities have allocated over 54 billion drams ($135 million) for the needs of Nagorno-Karabakh resettlers.

The Armenian government provides 100,000 drams ($250) to each of them, regardless of their age, for urgent expenses. 108,336 people have already received this assistance. 40,000 drams ($100) per month is allocated to all family members for rent, and an additional 10,000 drams ($25) for utility expenses.

Housing rent is not compensated to those who have housing in Armenia, as well as to those placed in special centers. However, they are still allocated an amount to pay for utilities. This decision applies not only to those who moved to Armenia after 12:00 on September 24, when Azerbaijan finally opened the Lachin corridor and people were able to leave.

According to the government’s decision, assistance will also be allocated to those who were here before the September military actions, including during the days of the blockade. The program has been implemented since October 1 and will continue for six months.

In November and December, resettlers were also given an additional 50,000 drams ($125) for “primary consumer expenditures.” However, the beneficiaries of this program were restricted. Those who had more than 2 million drams ($5,000) in their bank accounts as of October 2 were excluded.

“My mother came to visit me in Yerevan in August 2022, three months before the blockade. She was never able to return to Stepanakert. All this time she lived with me, and I did not allow her to withdraw her pension from her card. As a result, she accumulated a certain amount of money during the year, which together with the existing balance exceeded 2 million.

If it’s stolen money, let them seize it and put the owner in jail. And if it’s honest money, why is a person who has lost his home, property, motherland deprived of help?” the Yerevan resident is indignant. – Yerevan resident Marine Baghdasaryan is indignant.

Larisa Alaverdyan, Armenia’s first ombudsman and head of the NGO “Against Legal Arbitrariness,” considers the government’s decision not to pay aid to displaced persons with savings “cynical.”

“It is impossible to describe what is happening with the issuance of financial support, pensions and allowances to displaced people. People still have not been paid their pensions. For three months they have been waiting, they were told they would be paid in December, and now they say they will be paid in January. This is an unprecedented attitude towards refugees.

All these payments were envisaged by the Armenian budget when the Artsakh people were still living at home. What difference does it make which city they receive them from now? By not issuing pensions and allowances, they are deprived of their means of subsistence. How can one save money on people who have become victims of this tragedy, including because of the policy of these authorities?”.

The Government of Armenia allocates tuition fee reimbursements to all 1,844 Karabakh students studying at state universities in Armenia. The support is envisaged for the 2023-24 academic year and covers all or part of the tuition fees.

The tuition fees are compensated not only for the students of higher education institutions, but also for the students of primary and secondary vocational education institutions.

According to the Minister of Education Zhanna Andreasyan, the possibility of scholarship payments for the entire period of study is also being considered.

Nvard Gasparyan, having obtained the highest scores, entered the Law Faculty of Artsakh State University in 2022 on a free basis. There were 24 students in the same group with her, one of them died during the war on September 19-20, 2023, three of them moved to Russia. All the others are enrolled at Yerevan State University.

There are no free places at YSU Law Faculty. Tuition is 1 million drams ($2,500) per year. The government has taken over partial payment.

“We were told that 300,000 [$750] should be paid by ourselves. But now my family doesn’t have this possibility. We pay 250,000 ($625) a month just to rent an apartment. So I decided to switch to part-time study so that I could find a job and pay extra for my studies myself,” says Nward.

The government has decided to provide jobs for teachers resettled from NK.

According to the Ministry of Education, 200 people applied for jobs. By mid-December, 188 had already been employed in Armenian state educational institutions.

Karina Sargsyan taught geography at school and at Artsakh State University. She filled out an application for employment on the electronic platform of the Ministry of Education, but has not yet received any offers.

“In one of the Yerevan schools I applied to, I was offered five hours of geography for a salary of 20,000 drams ($50). And the schedule is such that I have to go to work every day. And the school is far from home, I have to spend about 8,000 drams ($20) for transportation and get only 12,000 ($30),” she says.

Karina refused this offer and decided to retrain herself. She enrolled in hairdressing courses.

“In my life I wouldn’t have believed that someday I would have to pick up a comb and scissors. Students call me all the time, telling me about their experiences, reminiscing about our classes. I cry, and they comfort me. They say that you brought us up strong, but now you are crying. And I pull myself together,” she says.

Stella Margaryan got a job through the electronic platform of the Ministry of Education in a school in Yerevan. Her salary is 52,000 thousand drams ($130) and she works from 12:00 to 17:00 hours daily.

In NK, Stella taught elementary grades, she had 20 hours for which she received 170,000 drams ($425).

“In Armenia they get much less for the same 20 hours. We are reproached for not accepting low wages. But the fact is that we all rent housing for fabulous money. So the salary is not enough for anything,” she says.

She can’t stay in this job precisely because of the low salary. She is thinking of taking on pupils and practicing with them at home. But no one here knows her as a sought-after teacher. She hasn’t made a final decision yet.

The Armenian government implements several different employment programs for Karabakh residents.

According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, as of December 2023, 5,351 people are employed in the fields of manufacturing, education, services, and construction.

3929 job seekers have been registered in 49 centers of the Unified Social Service. 1608 received employment referrals from the service, 438 of them are already employed.

180 medical workers from NK have started working in different clinics of Yerevan and marzes.

As in the field of education, most of the vacancies for medical workers are in regional hospitals and polyclinics. The government provides an additional payment of three times the monthly salary for up to 6 months to encourage those who agree to work in the regions.

To help compatriots, various NGOs organize job fairs. Here, job seekers have direct contact with potential employers.

Anna Grigoryan found a job at the Artsakh Career Expo job fair. She got a job as a lab technician at a chemical production company.

“The salary is not high, I get 130,000 ($325) drams, but it’s better than nothing,” she says.

Anna’s husband died in the 44-day war. She has four minor children. The family rents an apartment in Yerevan for 300,000 ($750) drams.

“Every month we have to give our salaries and government financial aid to the owner of the apartment. We barely survive on allowances. We are reproached that we receive financial aid for each family member, but we complain about the difficulties. People don’t realize that all the money goes to rent,” she says.

The government has decided to monitor more strictly that landlords rent housing under contracts and pay taxes. In case of non-payment, they face fines.

Because of this, the landlords increased their fees to include the amount of tax (10%). This further complicated the situation for the resettlers.

The State Revenue Committee announced that their motto is “where there is income, there should be taxes”.

Anush Mkrtchyan and her family rented an apartment in Yerevan for 250,000 drams ($625). After learning about the tax, the landlord demanded an even higher amount.

“250,000 is already very expensive for our family with three children. It will be even more difficult to pay the extra amount,” says Anush.

She is raising her children alone; her husband passed away a few years ago. Her mother and sister live with her. Not all family members have yet received the financial aid that resettled people are entitled to.

“No one understands why this happened. They say it’s a technical problem. But there is no way to fix it. It is unknown when we will receive this assistance,” she says.

The most difficult problem for the displaced is to solve is the problem of housing. According to official data, of the more than 100,000 people who arrived after the September war, 59,000 used the free housing provided by the government.

They were placed mainly in the border regions of the country. And since the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border of Armenia is unstable, many refused to stay here. They preferred to solve the housing issue on their own. And the skyrocketing rent forced some of them to leave Armenia altogether.

“In order for me to study at university and for my parents to find a job, we had to rent an apartment in Yerevan. But the rent is so high that it is impossible to pay so much even if you work. So we decided to leave for Russia. Our relatives found us an apartment for 170 dollars. In Yerevan, we would have paid 650-750 dollars for such an apartment,” says Lina Bagryan, who moved with her family to Krasnodar.

Former Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan believes that it is possible to find more effective solutions to the housing problems of displaced persons than rent payments. She suggests the following:

“No country, even the richest, can make all its residents become owners of apartments and houses, because everywhere there is a significant stratification of society into the more wealthy and less wealthy. In such cases, countries provide the needy with social housing, which is the property of the state.

Yerevan has been experiencing a construction boom for a year now. Active construction works are going on in the regions of the country as well. The Armenian Government should purchase such housing with the funds received from international partners to support refugees and provide them exclusively on the rights of use, without the right of ownership or exchange.

Resettlers would only have to pay for utilities. And they would not have to worry about being left on the streets the next day.

When people settle down and start earning, they should be given the opportunity to pay for the cost of this housing in installments. And eventually they will have property.”

“There is a charitable organization in Armenia which, with the financial support of its donors, can provide cottages worth 13,200,000 drams ($33,000) to Artsakh residents for 3,800,000 drams ($9,500). Some things will have to be completed, and in total one cottage will cost 5 million drams ($12,500). The state can purchase these cottages and provide them to the displaced people with the possibility to buy them back from the state for 5 million AMD ($12,500).

https://jam-news.net/assistance-to-nk-resettlers-with-peoples-stories/

"Baku does not recognize Armenia’s territory": opinion on the "West Azerbaijan" narrative

Garo Vardanian
Dec 27 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Opinion on the “West Azerbaijan” narrative

“Baku insists as an imperative that the return of Azerbaijanis to Armenia be included in the text of the peace agreement,” says political scientist Suren Surenyants.

The Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan adopted a statement of representatives of the so-called “community of Western Azerbaijan” which says that Azerbaijanis should be given the right to return to their “historical homeland,” meaning the territory of Armenia.

Surenyants claims that this topic has been on the agenda of negotiations for a long time. According to him, this is a disputed point of the peace agreement on which the parties cannot agree at the moment. The political analyst believes that Armenia has already made concessions on all other issues.

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Baku has been actively voicing the “West Azerbaijan” narrative since December 2022. On his birthday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with representatives of the “West Azerbaijan” community and promised that they would “return to the homeland of their ancestors”.

On December 11, the Azerbaijani Parliament organized a forum-exhibition “Each of us is a Western Azerbaijani” in Nakhchivan.

The “ancestral homeland” refers to the entire territory of present-day Armenia. The posters from numerous events and conferences organized on this topic over the past year, on which a map of the whole of Armenia is shown, also testify to this.

In Azerbaijan they talk about “restoration of historical justice”. The myth that it was Azerbaijanis who inhabited “Iravan” (i.e. Yerevan) and then their number decreased when “nomadic Armenians migrated from India” is very popular.

As part of this elaborate campaign, Baku recently adopted another decision, according to which the passports of Azerbaijani citizens will include the “historical toponyms” of their birthplaces, i.e. the Azerbaijani names of settlements in the Republic of Armenia.

Representatives of the “Community of Western Azerbaijan” in Milli Majlis issued a statement saying that “Azerbaijanis have lived on the territory of the present-day Republic of Armenia for centuries”.

The authors refer to “historical documents and maps” which allegedly prove that the majority of the population of the Republic of Armenia were Azerbaijanis. It is claimed that the absolute majority of toponyms also “belong to the people of Azerbaijan.”

“Unfortunately, as a result of ethnic cleansing carried out in stages over 150 years, particularly in 1905-1906, 1918-1921, 1948-1953 and 1987-1991, there are no Azerbaijanis left in Armenia. […]

Recognizing the rights of Western Azerbaijanis to return to their ancestral homeland in what is now Armenia is one of the most important tools for building trust between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This will be an important step towards achieving real peace between the two states and creating an environment of coexistence in the region,” the authors of the document state.

In the context of the demands put forward, the statement also says that “there are no more obstacles left to the conclusion of a peace treaty with Armenia”.

“It’s just that our government is hiding this fact from us. Remember when Blinken and Lavrov talked about the need to protect the rights of national minorities? If these issues were not discussed, why would they use this term?

Azerbaijan has already managed to successfully resolve two contentious issues. One of them is the issue of Artsakh. The second is the issue of delimitation. We hear hints that Armenia is ready to agree with Baku and separate the peace agreement from the issue of border delimitation.

Gradually, they are trying to impose solutions to the other two issues – the return of refugees and the so-called corridor. In this case, there will really be no obstacles to signing a peace agreement, as Armenia, in fact, will accept all the demands of Azerbaijan.

This is how all capitulations happen. One side imposes all the conditions on the other, the weaker side agrees and the document is quietly signed.

The main problem is that Baku does not recognize the territory of the Republic of Armenia, so they want to separate the delimitation from the peace process. In this case, it is simply unclear what the peace process is about.”

“The Republic of Armenia should take a principled position and say that it will not sign any documents until the map on which the delimitation will take place and the principles on which the delimitation will take place are clarified.

In Pashinyan’s language, if your “cadastral certificate for the territory” is not recognized by another state, what are the negotiations around and what do you agree to? In that case, it turns out that the agreement is not about peace, but about a roadmap for unconditional surrender.”

“When Pashinyan said in his last interview that we should not raise the issue of the return of Artsakh residents to their homeland so that Azerbaijanis would not raise this issue, I said that he was busy manipulating. It is clear that in fact it is Azerbaijan that is raising this issue of the return of refugees.

Pashinyan is trying to neutralize this problem by making a gesture that we will not raise the issue of Artsakh refugees’ return to their homeland, expecting that Baku will also refuse this demand. But, as you see, Azerbaijan does not refuse.

In fact, Armenia has made concessions on all issues, and the issue of refugee return remains the main point of disagreement.”

In an interview with Public TV, Pashinyan talked about the rights of Karabakh Armenians and Baku’s precondition: “What does Azerbaijan say? It says, you want the return [to their homes] of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, their rights, security, etc., no problem, let’s also fix in the peace treaty the rights of Azerbaijanis who left the Republic of Armenia.”

He noted that in such a case the Armenian side could also talk about the rights of Armenians who fled Baku, Nakhichevan and Sumgait, which, according to him, would become “a resource for a new clash”.

“In Azerbaijan, they know that the Karabakh Armenians will not return because they no longer trust any guarantees – neither Russian nor international. And in a turbulent world, there will be no guarantees in the near future that will give the Artsakh people a sense of security.

This initiative of Baku about “Western Azerbaijan” should be seen in another context. They do not recognize the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia and are trying to achieve their goals in a soft way. Remember when Aliyev said that we will return not in tanks, but in cars?

They are trying to create hotbeds of tension within Armenia itself in order to realize or legitimize new aggressive intentions. At least, they are trying to get new concessions from Armenia with their aggressive policy – be it territorial concessions, return of refugees or something else. If these plans become reality, the tension will no longer be on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, but inside the country.”

“It is very difficult to talk about public demand in Azerbaijan, it is a purely authoritarian country. Public sentiment is very relative.

We have no credible alternative sources to understand what Azerbaijani society thinks. There is a state policy, which is imposed on society by propaganda and harsher methods. And in the end it becomes ‘public’ opinion.”

“Azerbaijanis used to live in Armenia, this is not news. If there had been no conflict, perhaps a certain number of Azerbaijanis would still be living here. But the Azerbaijani authorities present this as legitimization of territorial claims. This is what I do not accept.

The government of Soviet Armenia in 1989 behaved very decently, paid them compensation for their property and they left Armenia without being subjected to mass murder or ethnic cleansing.

Due to the incompetent policy of the current government, we are faced with a problem when the political rights of Karabakh Armenians are equated with the problem of Azerbaijani refugees. This is when the problem of Azerbaijanis who left the Republic of Armenia should have been settled, for example, with the problem of forcibly displaced Armenians from Baku, Sumgait, Ganja.

When Azerbaijan publishes “historical facts” about the number of Azerbaijanis who lived in the Republic of Armenia, it would be good for them to publish the demographic picture in Baku in 1913, when Russians outnumbered them and Armenians were almost as numerous.”

https://jam-news.net/opinion-on-the-west-azerbaijan-narrative/

Iranian FM says Tehran defends Armenia sovereignty, favors regional peace

David Nargizian
IRAN FRONT PAGE
Dec 28 2023

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has said that Iran will defend Armenia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

He made the remark during a press conference with his Armenian counterpart in Yerevan, Armenia’s capital. Amirabdollahian added that Armenia and Azerbaijan Republic are capable of reaching a lasting peace.

He further said that Armenia will set up a consulate general in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz.

In other comments, the Iranian foreign minister spoke about the Gaza war. He slammed the US for supporting the Zionist regime. Addressing the US, Amirabdolalhian said, “I warn them to immediately stop their vast military support for the Zionist regime”.

He urged Washington to not continue the failed experience of the past and to return to their own country.

Azerbaijan close to peace agreement with Armenia, officials say

Sonya Jalatian
The Guardian, UK
Dec 28 2023

Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev has met Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan for bilateral talks in St Petersburg

Azerbaijani officials have said the country could be closing in on a peace agreement with Armenia to end their decades-long conflict following its lightning offensive in September to take control of its Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In face of a decisive military advance, more than 100,000 people fled the mountainous south Caucasus enclave, which, following a war in the 1990s, had been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces, backed by Armenia.

The show of force left the region largely deserted, leading the Armenian prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, to allege the advance was an act of ethnic cleansing, which Azerbaijan denied. It was followed by the two countries speeding up talks on a peace agreement to stabilise relations and recognise one another’s borders.

In a rare sign of good will, the two sides swapped prisoners of war on 13 December and have issued a joint statement, one of the first not to be mediated by a third party.

The Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev, met Pashinyan on 26 December for bilateral talks in St Petersburg, the first such encounter between the two leaders since the mass exodus. Little has emerged from the meeting so far.

The two sides have now exchanged seven drafts of a potential relatively short peace agreement. Elchin Amirbayov, the special ambassador to the Azerbaijani president, said the country is now waiting for Armenia’s response to its comments on the latest draft proposals.

“What is important to understand is that at this crucial stage in negotiations, where apparently we’re not that much far away from the final agreement, [is that] we do need a result-oriented exercise,” he said. “I know that that after three decades of negotiations and without no major result, there is a certain kind of fatigue and also frustration in both parties for how long we will continue just to see to meet each other without any reasonable results.”

Nagorno-Karabakh has been internationally recognised as Azerbaijani territory, but efforts to end the conflict have been complicated by Turkey, Russia, Iran, US and the EU all jostling for diplomatic influence in a strategically critical area. Russia has a significant military presence in Armenia. The area is of geostrategic importance due to the proposed “middle corridor”, the transport corridor that would link China to Europe through central Asia, the Caspian Sea and the south Caucasus.

Amirbayov said the five principles in the draft agreement are “mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of international recognised borders, rejection of any territorial claims to each other, now and in the future, rejection of any acts that would run counter to UN charter, like the use of force or threat of use of force, but also delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which has never been done. And, last but not least, opening of communication routes and ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan, because we’ve been without any connection because of the conflict for 30 years.”

In practice the issue of the border demarcation might be settled at a later stage since the negotiations are deemed so complex.

Azerbaijan also wants some kind of dispute mechanism for the agreement. “Our preference would be to have peace agreements. An article which would speak about some kind of bilateral commission, which needs to be set up in order to address all those misunderstandings or differences in interpretations between us,”

One of the unresolved issues is the link between the main part of Azerbaijan and its exclave of Nakhichevan. As part of a ceasefire agreement signed in November 2020 following a previous flare-up between the two countries, Pashinyan agreed to open a land transportation link through Armenian territory probably along an old Soviet rail track between the main part of Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan.

“The linkage between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan between two parts of Azerbaijan is crucial for us, in terms of national security, but also in terms of ensuring alternative route for the middle corridor,” Amirbayov said. “We cannot waste any more time. After three years Armenia has not even started a feasibility study for the 42km leg.

“Of course, we cannot force Armenia to implement what they had committed to, and it is nonsensical to suggest we would invade to impose this corridor through force or such like. So we have reached out to Iran as a plan B to build a link by road and rail through Iran.”

He said if it is possible the existence of the alternative route might make Armenia to realise how much they may lose by continuing to resist the link going through its land.

Much could yet go wrong. On 26 September the leader of Armenian separatists in Karabakh rescinded his own previous decree ordering the dissolution of separatist institutions on 1 January, and marking the end of the three decade separatist rule.

Displaced ethnic Armenian separatists have now spoken of forming a government in exile and Azerbaijan is insisting that if ethnic Armenians displaced in September are to have a right of return then those Azerbaijanis previously evicted from their homes in Karabakh should have their rights recognised.

In addition, Russia, the previous guarantor, is trying to regain influence, which waned when it did not intervene to help Armenia on the day of the decisive 19 September assault, as it had done in previous military assaults by Turkey-backed Azerbaijan.

Russia regards Pashinyan as too pro-European, particularly after he refused to participate in some recent meetings of the Russian-led regional bodies. But Russia has not abandoned its role, and it was significant that the two leaders met on Russian soil given the large number of countries offering themselves as mediators.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/27/azerbaijan-close-to-peace-agreement-with-armenia-officials-say

The Growth of the Drone Industry in Armenia

Arbi Tashjian
ANYUAKMEDIA
Dec 28 2023


The drone industry in Armenia has been experiencing significant growth in recent years. As technology continues to advance, drones are becoming increasingly popular and are being used in a variety of industries, including agriculture, construction, and photography. This growth presents both opportunities and challenges for Armenia.

One of the main reasons for the growth of the drone industry in Armenia is the increasing demand for aerial photography and videography. Drones provide a unique perspective and allow photographers and videographers to capture stunning images and footage from the sky. This has opened up new opportunities for professionals in the creative industry and has also attracted tourists who are looking for unique and breathtaking views of Armenia’s landscapes.

In addition to the creative industry, drones are also being used in agriculture. Farmers are utilizing drones to monitor crop health, assess irrigation needs, and even spray pesticides and fertilizers. This technology allows farmers to be more efficient and precise in their farming practices, ultimately leading to increased productivity and reduced costs. The use of drones in agriculture has the potential to revolutionize the way farming is done in Armenia and can contribute to the country’s food security.

The construction industry is another sector that has benefited from the growth of the drone industry in Armenia. Drones are being used to survey construction sites, monitor progress, and inspect buildings. This technology allows construction companies to save time and money by quickly identifying any issues or discrepancies. It also improves safety by reducing the need for workers to physically access dangerous or hard-to-reach areas.

While the growth of the drone industry in Armenia presents numerous opportunities, it also comes with its fair share of challenges. One of the main challenges is the lack of regulations and guidelines surrounding drone usage. Currently, there are no specific laws in Armenia that govern the operation of drones. This lack of regulation can lead to safety concerns and potential misuse of drones. It is crucial for the government to establish clear guidelines and regulations to ensure the responsible and safe use of drones in Armenia.

Another challenge is the limited availability of skilled professionals in the drone industry. As the demand for drone services increases, there is a need for individuals who are trained and experienced in operating drones. Currently, there are only a handful of training programs and courses available in Armenia. It is essential for the government and educational institutions to invest in training programs to meet the growing demand for skilled drone operators.

Despite these challenges, the growth of the drone industry in Armenia presents a promising future. The opportunities for economic growth and innovation are vast. With the right regulations and investments in training and education, Armenia can position itself as a leader in the drone industry in the region. The government, private sector, and educational institutions must work together to create an environment that fosters the growth and development of the drone industry. By doing so, Armenia can reap the benefits of this emerging technology and contribute to its overall economic development.

https://anyuakmedia.com/the-growth-of-the-drone-industry-in-armenia/#gsc.tab=0







Iran FM visits Armenia amid peace talks

Karapet Navasardian
 TEHRAN TIMES 
Dec 27 2023

TEHRAN – In a significant diplomatic move, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, has arrived in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia amid a fury of diplomatic activities to achieve lasting peace in the South Caucasus region.

Accompanied by a distinguished political and parliamentary delegation, Minister Amir Abdollahian embarked on this crucial mission to engage in discussions with Armenian authorities.

The warm reception at Yerevan airport, orchestrated by high-ranking officials of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marked the beginning of the visit. Notable figures, including Vahan Kostanyan, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Hayk Darbinyan, the head of Second Division for Bilateral Relations in Armenian Foreign Ministry, and other esteemed officials, were present at the reception ceremony.

This diplomatic endeavor aimed to encompass a spectrum of topics, ranging from political and economic collaboration to cultural exchange. Furthermore, the discussions were to delve into pressing matters concerning the South Caucasus region, emphasizing cooperation within the framework of the 3+3 cooperation format.

Crucially, bilateral meetings between the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Armenia are poised to pave the way for constructive dialogues, fostering mutual understanding and cooperation. In a joint press conference with Ararat Mirzoyan, the Armenian Foreign Minister, Minister Amir Abdollahian expressed contentment with the visit, highlighting Iran's alignment with peace, stability, and security in Armenia.

“Iran aspires for Armenia to experience peace, stability, and security, emphasizing that sustainable peace, untainted by external interventions, and facilitated by regional guarantors, can yield significant advantages for all parties involved,” he noted.

An additional announcement unveiled during the discussions pertained to the inauguration of the Armenian Consulate in Tabriz. Amir Abdollahian conveyed Tehran's approval for this consulate, expressing optimism about the official ceremony taking place in the early weeks of the new Gregorian year.

Acknowledging Armenia's dedicated pursuit of sustainable peace, the top Iranian diplomat shed light on recent dialogues with Azerbaijani counterparts, emphasizing their joint commitment to peace. Optimism prevailed regarding the prospects of enduring peace in the early months of the new Gregorian year. “Iran, Turkey, and Russia were proposed as potential regional guarantors to foster peace in the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Amir Abdollahian added.

In a continuation of the press briefing, the Iranian Foreign Minister commended the constructive stances of the Armenian Foreign Minister during the recent meeting of 3+3 cooperation format’s Foreign Ministers in Tehran. He expressed gratitude to Armenia for opposing warfare and atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, underscoring the need to prevent the Zionist regime from committing more crimes in the region.

Addressing the United States, Amir Abdollahian cautioned that an honorable resolution to the Gaza issue necessitates halting extensive military support for the Zionist regime. He asserted the improbability of a Zionist regime victory in Gaza, saying that the 80-day Gaza massacre that started from October 7 has caused Israel nothing but pure defeat and humiliation in front of the global community. He urged the U.S. not to persist in a path of failure and to let the people of Gaza determine their fate.

In another notable development, Minister Amir Abdollahian had a bilateral meeting with Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, underscoring the commitment of both nations to strengthen ties and explore new collaboration opportunities. These diplomatic efforts underscore Iran's commitment to positive neighborly relationships and regional stability. As discussions unfold, the world watches, anticipating outcomes that could potentially shape the geopolitical landscape of the South Caucasus region.

The diplomatic efforts exemplify the ongoing commitment of Iran to cultivate positive relationships with its neighbors and contribute to regional stability.

MAS

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/493028/Iran-FM-visits-Armenia-amid-peace-talks

Islamic Triad Of Turkey, Pakistan & Azerbaijan Rake Up Kashmir Issue As India Firmly Stands Behind Armenia

Markos Nalchajian
Dec 28 2023

Azerbaijan perpetuated its firm, supportive position in favor of Pakistan on its Kashmir narrative, as stated by the outgoing Azeri Ambassador to India, Ashraf Shikaliyev, in an interview.

Azerbaijan has maintained an amicable relationship with Pakistan, a policy in line with the the country’s affinity for a stance similar to its Turkish brother. Turkey has consistently maintained its cordial relations with Pakistan.

Most analysts would attribute this attitude to Erdogan’s growing aspirations to execute more clout in the South Asian region, directly or indirectly through its friend, Pakistan. The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has staunchly maintained that Turkey would continue to extend its aid to Pakistan’s socio-economic development.

Since Erdogan visited Pakistan in 2020, he has pledged his country’s support to Islamabad over Kashmir.

Earlier in January 2023, a Turkish private military company called SADAT, also known as Erdogan’s private army, reportedly declared to send mercenaries to Kashmir to fight against the Indian Military.

Also, Pakistan’s unwavering support to Turkey regarding the Cypriot matter, has gained several brownie points with Ankara.

In 2021, Pakistani President Arif Alvi pledged solidarity with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

That year, Turkey and the TRNC tried to garner support for an independent Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which was quickly acknowledged by both Azerbaijan and Pakistan.

Turkish, Azerbaijani, and Pakistani parliament speakers accepted the Baku Declaration at a ceremony in the Azeri parliament. The goal of such a declaration was to strengthen ties and cooperation between the three countries.

Following such an initiative, Pakistan, remaining in cohorts with the Turkish agenda, also showed support to Azerbaijan regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Similar to Turkey and Azerbaijan, Pakistan has refused to acknowledge Armenia as a sovereign state.

With the existing tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, there is also a more remarkable development and the involvement of both nations seen on the Nagorno-Karabakh front.

There have been reports of Pakistan and Azerbaijan conducting joint exercises since 2016 and maintaining extensive strategic security contacts. There is also a strong likelihood of Islamabad selling Pakistani and Chinese-designed JF-17 fighter jets to Azerbaijan.

India, on the other hand, has maintained friendly relations with Armenia. In 2022, both nations tried to explore the potential of military cooperation.

With Pakistan supporting Azerbaijan, it is by default expected of India to support Armenia to balance Pakistan’s influence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Earlier in 2020, it was reported that the Indian government and private defense contractors had successfully sold various weapon systems, such as weapons tracking radar systems, multi-barrel rocket launchers, and ammunition to Armenia.

Media reports suggested that Armenia was keen on purchasing loitering munitions and drones from India as well.

In 1995, India and Armenia signed a Friendship and Cooperation Treaty. This was followed by the signing of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement in 2019, which facilitated further cooperation in trade, investment, defense, and culture.

India ramped up its support to Armenia in 2022. It supplied Armenia with arms and ammunition worth $250 million. This included ePinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBRL), anti-tank missiles, rockets, and ammunition. India has also signed a deal with Armenia to supply Akash air defense missiles to the country.

With India becoming an arms supplier to Armenia, it helps fill the vacuum created by the downsizing of Russian arms and strategic influence due to its war in Ukraine. Previously, in 2020, India had also exported a $43 million order of four Swathi weapon-locating radars to Armenia.

In 2022, the Armenian Minister of Defense, Suren Papikyan, met his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, during the Defence Expo 2022. Earlier this year, the Armenian government announced it was posting a military attaché to its embassy in New Delhi to build a stronger bilateral military cooperation with India.

On September 23, Armenia appointed a new Ambassador to India despite the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Armenian concern for purchasing Iranian weapons due to the sanctions and the West’s position against Iran was also ameliorated as Iran initiated the transit of weapons from India to Iran.

These developments were not received well by the Azeris, as they tried to admonish India by asking the Indian government to “reconsider selling and weaponizing Armenia.”

Armenia, too, has expressed its support towards India regarding Kashmir. This stance openly set the stage for the strengthening and restructuring of alliances among the three Islamic nations of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan, with Armenia and India in the opposition.

In January 2021, foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan met in Islamabad to issue a joint declaration that addressed several issues. In the statement, the three nations also outlined concern over “human rights violations in and efforts to change the demographic structure of Jammu and Kashmir.”

The same year, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan conducted their first joint military drills, known as “Three Brothers – 2021,” in Baku.

It is evident, since Pakistan’s assistance to Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, that Azerbaijan appears to be trying, in an act of gratitude and reciprocity, to facilitate the Pakistani stance on the issue of Kashmir.

This stems from the trilateral military alliance, which also involves Turkey, credited with strategizing Azerbaijan’s military victory. It is clear that for the triad of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan, the subsequent military objective spells Kashmir.

Despite the ongoing developments, the Indian Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)/ ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL)has also invested in an oilfield project in Azerbaijan, and GAIL (India) is exploring the prospects for cooperation in LNG.

Azerbaijan is a part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) route. The route joins India with Russia through Central Asia and can also connect India with Turkey and from the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars passenger and freight rail link.

India’s strategic approach in the Mediterranean region comes from its interest in increasing its energy security, which can be sustained through the region’s profuse supply of oil and gas.

Additionally, India looks forward to magnifying its regional trade and investment. This also acts as a countermeasure against China’s growing regional influence.

India’s ambitions to tap into the region with a strong alliance with Armenia, Greece, and Iran raises several red flags for Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan, who are also cooperating to counter the Indian influence in the Middle Eastern and Central Asian region.

The region of the South Caucasus becomes a crucial area for India to construct a transportation corridor, the International North-South Transportation Corridor, or INSTC.

Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

This area would act as a junction to link Europe through the Iranian plateau. The planned Rail link by India would pass from North Western Iran through the Southern Caucasus to Russia or the Black Sea.

In this case, India and Iran could either build the link via Armenia’s Southern Syunik Province or the other via the Caspian coast through Azerbaijan.

INSTC provides an excellent advantage for India as it circulates Pakistan, accessing different routes to Europe and Central Asia, which remain blocked. The second beneficial factor also lies in building a closer relationship with Iran.

This move could also assist in countering the growing relationship between Iran and China and their Belt Road Initiative (BRI) in the region.

In January 2023, at the Voice of the South Virtual Summit, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan mentioned that Armenia is interested in “advancing cooperation within the framework of North-South connectivity, as well as the Persian Gulf-Black Sea international transport corridor.”

He further stated, “Armenia considers India’s potential and prospective role for these projects quite significant.”

With the growing relationship between India, Armenia, and Iran, it is expected that miffed Turkey, along with its cronies, will most likely try to entangle India in Pakistan-supplied false narratives on Kashmir to acquire a negative perception of India globally and also to hinder the capacity with which India aspires to take on its ventures in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Central Asia.

Pakistan struggles politically and economically while also failing to meet the requirements of the Universal Periodic Report on Human Rights in its homeland. However, it continues to point fingers at one of the world’s largest democracies, India, by raking up the false narratives on Kashmir at the United Nations.

As a result, nations such as Turkey and Azerbaijan, who are aligned with Pakistan, also back the latter as a form of reciprocity while diminishing their ties with India.

Turkey has consistently brought up the Kashmir matter at the UNGA, to which India has asked the country to refrain from interfering in its internal affairs. However, Pakistan’s determination to wage Gazwa-i-Hind and Turkey’s wishes to utilize Pakistan for its gains in South Asia will hardly deter the two from interfering in the Indian matter.

As for Azerbaijan, it acts as a proxy nation for Turkey due to the cultural similarities between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev, too, about the Turkish-Azeri relation, referred to the region of Azerbaijan as a part of “one nation” with “two states.”

  • Aparna Rawal is an Indian research analyst specializing in the Af/Pak region and counter-terrorism. VIEWS PERSONAL.
  • The author can be reached at aparnarawal (at) gmail.co
https://www.eurasiantimes.com/case-of-kashmir-india-armenia-the-islamic-triad/

Armenia’s capital reels from the aftermath of Nagorno-Karabakh & Russia-Ukraine wars

Karlen Baghdasarian
GZERO
Dec 28 2023

Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh and Russia’s Ukraine invasion have come to Armenia, where the future is uncertain.

In September, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive in the Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region in the South Caucuses at the heart of a decades-long conflict between the two countries. Azerbaijan seized control of the territory in less than 48 hours, forcing hundreds of thousands of ethnic Karabakh Armenians to flee across the border. And they’re not the only ones. Since Russia launches its invasion of Ukraine, around a hundred thousand Russians have also fled into Armenia to escape conscription and sanctions.

But this massive influx has driven up prices and led to job scarcity in the capital, Yerevan, which makes life really difficult for the thousands of people looking to hoping to rebuild their lives there. GZERO World correspondent Fin DePencier tells the story of two people who fled to Armenia to escape war—one from Nagorno-Karabakh, the other from Moscow—to see how conflicts playing out thousands of miles away have a huge impact on the thousands of war refugees looking for a place to call home.

Turkish Press: Russia’s Lavrov says Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy ‘lacks will to peace’

Yeghisabet Vorskanian
 Yeni Şafak 
Turkey - Dec 28 2023
Russia's Lavrov says Ukraine's President Zelenskyy 'lacks will to peace'

Russian foreign minister voices concern over Armenia's increasing cooperation with NATO

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lacks "will to peace."

Speaking in an interview with Russian state news agency TASS, Lavrov pointed out that the Ukrainian authorities speak only about war and use aggressive rhetoric.

"Any cease-fire is out of the question (for the Ukrainian authorities). The ban on negotiations with the Russian leadership, established by Zelenskyy on Sept. 30, 2022, continues to be in effect. Draw your own conclusions," he said.

Lavrov admitted that recent events in the Middle East shifted the focus from Ukraine, however, "inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia" continues to be one of the West's top priorities.

"The so-called Ramstein format continues to function, in which representatives of more than 50 countries discuss Kyiv's requests for military equipment and ammunition on a monthly basis," he said, referring to meetings at the US airbase in Germany.

"Neither Washington nor Brussels refuses to provide assistance to the Kyiv regime, realizing that without it, it is doomed. They are still vitally interested in holding back Russia with the hands and bodies of Ukrainians."

The West has provided unprecedented humanitarian, economic and military support to Ukraine, where Russia launched a "special military operation" in February 2022. The backing, however, is said to be waning amid internal political disputes and fiscal challenges.

Turning to the issue of arms control, the minister blamed the US for destroying its pillars, saying Washington either directly violated the agreements by withdrawing from them or created conditions that made their implementation impossible.

"Washington's logic is simple. The pillars that ensured the US dominance are slipping away from under their feet. Largely because of the mistakes of the Americans themselves. … In an attempt to slow down the loss of the hegemon's position, they relied on force. Hence the pursuit of military superiority, … the refusal from restrictions in arms control," he said.

– Russia concerned over Armenia's turn to NATO

Lavrov regretted Armenia's turn to the West, saying Yerevan is "trading a time-tested alliance with Moscow for the West's vague promises."

"To justify the course of a strategic U-turn, they (Armenian authorities) blame Russia for all the troubles of the republic, including the loss of Karabakh," he emphasized.

Azerbaijan established full control over the region after launching an anti-terror operation this September.

Russian authorities persist in considering Armenia as a strategic partner, steadfast in their belief that, with political will, any challenges can be surmounted, Lavrov said.

"Trade and economic ties and industry dialogue are developing at an impressive pace between Moscow and Yerevan. This is the foundation for the relations between the two countries, as well as the most important support for the stability of the Armenian economy and the well-being of the Armenian population.

"The rapid growth of the republic's GDP in recent years is largely due to cooperation with Russia and Yerevan's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union," he added.

According to Lavrov, the optimal path for Armenia to navigate the current challenges lies in the implementation of the trilateral agreements with Azerbaijan and Russia.

The minister criticized talks questioning the necessity of the presence of the Russian military base in the Armenian city of Gyumry, stressing that for many years the Russian military has been ensuring peace and stability in the region.

He also voiced concern over Yerevan's increasing military cooperation with NATO.

"This year, Armenia has participated in several dozen events with the alliance. It continues to modernize its armed forces according to NATO standards, and the republic's military is being trained in a number of states of the North Atlantic Bloc," he said.

The minister warned that "the true goal of NATO is to strengthen their positions in the region, create conditions for manipulation according to the 'divide and rule' scheme."

"I hope Yerevan is aware that deepening cooperation with the alliance leads to the loss of sovereignty in the field of national defense and security," he said.