Category: 2023

UPDATED: Artsakh President Dismisses State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, who Blamed ‘Outside Pressures’

Christine Harutyunian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

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

Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan was dismissed on Feb. 23


Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan dismissed State Minister Ruben Vardanyan on Thursday, announcing his decision during a meeting of his cabinet.

In a statement issued Thursday, Vardanyan blamed “immense outside pressure” for this outcome, which was continuously denied by him and the Harutyunyan administration for weeks.

“We have the outside world and an internal world,” Vardanyan said Thursday. “Evidently, the external pressure does not help us to have a domestic situation where we feel that we are able to fight against this pressure more strongly.” The now former state minister said that he plans to remain in Artsakh and work through his “We are Our Mountains” foundation.

“I am aware that there are external pressures related to my remaining in Artsakh, but I should mention that not only will I not go, but I can’t imagine myself without Artsakh,” Vardanyan said.

Voicing support for Harutyunyan, in his parting words Vardanyan also emphasized the need to strengthen the system of governance.

“Your responsibility is extremely hard, as the president, who was elected four months before the war, you are in a very difficult situation. You have been carrying that burden for so long. I confidently say that in order to become successful, we must create a systemic approach. If we do not create a system, if we do not introduce transparent, consistently created mechanisms, it is very difficult to achieve success,” Vardanyan said.

Azerbaijan authorities, specifically President Ilham Aliyev, made Vardanyan’s dismissal a pre-condition for talks with Artsakh authorities over a resolution to the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, which has been closed since December 12. Aliyev reportedly reiterated the demand when he met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday in Munich.

Harutyunyan rejected Aliyev’s demand with his spokeswoman saying on Monday that Vardanyan’s current role is “Artsakh’s internal affair” and “can in no way be a topic of discussion for the government of Azerbaijan.”

A close ally of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday essentially echoed Aliyev’s demands and called for Vardanyan’s removal from office, saying that he was sent to Artsakh by Russia, a claim widely made by the Azerbaijani president.

Earlier this month, the Harutyunyan’s and Vardanyan’s press spokespeople did not confirm or deny reports that the two leaders had secretly traveled to Moscow to hold negotiations. Sources speculated that the two met with separate circles in Moscow and were anticipating that Vardanyan would return with “resignation in hand,” Azatutyun.am reported on February 9.

“Ruben Vardanyan and I have been together during this entire time, following the events and developments happening both in Artsakh and in the outer world on a daily basis, we have constantly exchanged ideas about finding solutions to the current situation,” Harutyunyan said in announcing his decision to fire the Russian-Armenian businessman, who denounced his Russia citizenship late last summer and moved to Artsakh.

“I am grateful to Mr. Vardanyan for his willingness to always share the responsibility with me to the fullest extent as a friend and partner and did not try hold the constitution over my head. On the other hand, he approached the extent of my personal responsibility for the situation created in Artsakh and all future problems with awareness and understanding,” Harutyunyan said, according to a statement his office released on Thursday.

The Artsakh president also said that he greatly appreciated Vardanyan’s efforts both in raising international awareness about Artsakh and solving numerous domestic problems during the blockade.

Harutyunyan said that he has asked Artsakh Prosecutor General Gurgen Nersisyan to assume the responsibilities of the State Minister, taking into consideration his professional and personal qualities, professionalism, fairness, principled stance and his commitment to statehood.

He added that all state bodies will coordinate their activities with the new state minister, with the exception of law enforcement agencies and the foreign ministry.

Asbarez: Baghdassarian Family Donates $1.5 Million to Chamlian’s New Pre-School

Emil Lazarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Community, Featured Main, Latest, News, Top Stories
From l to r: Gevik and Paola Baghdassarian, Hilda Baghdassarian, Prelate Torkom Donoyan, Peter and Ruby Baghdassarian


The Baghdassarian family announced their donation of $1.5 million to the Chamlian School’s new pre-school when they visited the Prelacy on Wednesday and met with Western Prelate Bishop Torkom Donoyan.

Hilda Baghdassarian and her two sons and daughters-in-law,—Gevik and Paola Baghdassarian and Peter and Ruby Baghdassarian—visited the Prelacy to present a check for their donation, becoming the main benefactors of the pre-school project. Gevik Baghdassarian is a member of the Prelacy’s Executive Council.

Prelate Donoyan welcomed the Baghdassarian brothers and praised their generous contribution in memory of their father, Hacop Baghdassarian and in honor of their mother, Hilda Baghdassarian.

In expressing his gratitude to the Baghdassarian family, Prelate Donoyan blessed the memory of the late Hagop Baghdassarian, who was recipient of the “Cilician Prince” medal from the Catholicosate and offered well wishes to Hilda Baghdassarian, praying for her well being. He also praised the younger Baghdassarians for their unwavering service and support to the community and especially the Western Prelacy’s community and educational endeavors.

AW: Armenian Film Society to present Back to Ashtarak screenings in California

Karapet Navasardian
 Guest Contributor Film 0

Tigran Nersisian’s Back to Ashtarak, an award-winning short documentary that reflects on the power of nostalgia and the enduring connection we have with our memories, will screen at various universities throughout California, announced the Armenian Film Society.

Armenian Film Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to shining a spotlight on Armenian films and filmmakers, founded by Armen and Mary Karaoghlanian, joined the production team of the film after holding its world premiere. The organization has set up screenings at the following universities as part of their partnership.

  • Monday, March 6 at 6:30pm: UC Irvine
  • Friday, March 10 at 7pm: CSU Fresno
  • Wednesday, March 29 at 7pm: USC
  • Friday, April 21 at 7pm: UC San Diego

Back to Ashtarak explores the filmmaker’s personal connection with his hometown and the impact that childhood memories have on our lives. These screenings will be followed by a Q&A with Nersisian and executive producer Armen Karaoghlanian, providing audiences with a unique opportunity to learn more about the making of this heartfelt film.

LA-based composer Arman Aloyan created the music for the film, adding to its emotional resonance and powerful storytelling. The animation was created by OnOff Studio, based in Yerevan, bringing Nersisian’s vision to life in stunning detail. The film won Best Short Documentary at the Pomegranate Film Festival in Toronto and has since received rave reviews from audiences and industry professionals.

Eric Nazarian, winner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences® prestigious Nicholl Fellowship, and writer and director of the upcoming film Die Like a Man, remarks: “Back to Ashtarak is an Armenian grandson’s sincere and enlightening love letter and ode to his family’s colorful spirit and hometown pride.”

Emmy winner Michael Goorjian, writer, director, producer and star of the upcoming film Amerikatsi, states: “Back to Ashtarak is a gem of a film. Simple and heartfelt, in a way that made me want to go lie in the ruins of an Armenian church and eat mulberries.”

Back to Ashtarak is not just a film, but a celebration of Armenian heritage and a reminder of the importance of the places and memories that shape our lives.

[SEE VIDEO]




“Lake Sevan and the city of Jermuk are in danger due to mining”: Armenian environmentalists

Karapet Navasardian
Feb 22 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Amulsar mine in Armenia

“The Amulsar gold mine will be put into use,” Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan said on February 22. A few hours later, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Armenian government, the Eurasian Development Bank, and Lydian Armenia. By obtaining the right to operate the mine, the company will transfer 12.5% of its shares to the Armenian government.

Ecologists and residents of the territories closest to the mine have been fighting against the exploitation of the deposit for several years. In 2018, the investigative committee of Armenia opened a case on suspicion of causing harm to the environment. The government ordered an international expert team from the Lebanese company ELARD (Earth link & Advanced Resources Development).

After a year of research, the company published a conclusion that the development of the Amulsar field does not contain “unmanaged risks” for the environment. But it turned out that the ELARD experts had relied on studies previously conducted by local structures.

Ecologist Silva Adamyan said that the risks had not been fully calculated. According to her, it is obvious that if the mine is put into operation, the city of Jermuk and Lake Sevan, located next to the mine, “will be lost to Armenia as resort areas.”

  • Residents and eco-activists protest against mine development in north Armenia
  • Armenia becoming more investor friendly – US State Department
  • ‘Black Gold’ of Armenia: How can copper boost the Armenian economy?

The license to operate the Amulsar gold mine belongs to the American-British company Lydian Armenia. At a meeting of the parliamentary commission on economic issues, Minister Vahan Kerobyan recalled that the government has “long-standing obligations” toward this mine.

“Today we are signing a $250 million package that will allow us to reopen the mine,” the minister said.

Since Armenia receives 12.5% of the company’s shares, Vahan Kerobyan was asked if the government buys these shares. The Economy Minister said no.

After a year-long break, the fight between activists, ecologist and the company Lydian Armenia for the gold-mine hills has started once again. There can be no compromise. The government has taken to waiting them out.

The Amulsar gold deposit is located on the border of the Vayots Dzor and Syunik regions of Armenia, regions considered a resort area.

The mine operation project is one of the largest investment projects in Armenia. Lydian Armenia planned to open it from 2018, but environmentalists and residents of nearby settlements held protests and closed the roads leading to the mine.

The Amulsar mine is located in the valley of the Arpa and Vorotan rivers. Environmentalists have raised concerns that gold mining will pollute their waters. This, in turn, will affect the ecosystem of Lake Sevan, the largest freshwater lake in Armenia, with which they communicate. Irreparable damage will be done to the mineral springs of Jermuk. Cyanide is used to separate the precious metal from the ore.

To study the situation, the Armenian government provided $400,000 to the ELARD company, but did not receive a qualified answer. Meanwhile, Lydian said that all risks have been calculated and the danger to the environment minimized. The last protests took place in August 2020. After the Karabakh war, the issue of the mine fell out of discussion.

Pashinyan said that he has taken into consideration the opinions of protesters against the exploitation of the mine and economists who are worried about the country’s international image

In 2022, 10% of state budget revenues were provided by the mining industry. The head of the Union of Miners and Metallurgists of Armenia, Vardan Jganyan, told reporters:

“In 2022, about 2 trillion drams [$5 billion] in revenues, unprecedented in the history of Armenia, were received. About 10% of this amount was provided by the mining industry, about 200 billion drams [$500 million].”

According to Jganyan, such revenues are not expected in 2023 due to a number of reasons, including export duties set on metal concentrates and the exchange rate of the dram:

“But in the coming years, when productivity increases, we expect that there will be the same high tax revenues.”

According to the head of the Union of Miners and Metallurgists of Armenia, the main product in the country is copper concentrate, which also contains gold and ferromolybdenum. According to him, China has always been the main market for copper concentrate, and the European market for ferromolybdenum, a small part was exported to Russia.

On February 22, in Parliament, deputies asked the Minister of Economy questions about the decline in the mining industry index. He confirmed the decline in income. Vahan Kerobyan stated that the country “is striving to change the structure of the economy so that mining does not become the dominant industry, but the goal is not to reduce income at all.”

“The decrease was due to the shutdown of the second large mine, Teghout. The owner and partners were subject to sanctions. The company was unable to carry out its activities. We are working with them to find solutions to reopen the mine,” he said.

The consulting company admits that its data is not sufficient to draw a conclusion about the safety of operating the mine

JAMnews spoke to environmentalist Silva Adamyan as she and a group of other environmentalists gathered outside the government building. She said that the decision came as a surprise, and environmentalists learned about it only after the Minister of Economy ad hmade a statement:

“For many years we all fought, each environmental group, to the best of its ability. We had a serious expert group that fought against the exploitation of the mine and transmitted data about it to the government. Today, as you can see, nothing has been taken into account; the document has been signed.”

SAdamyan says that “the decision was made by the prime minister of the country, he is the head of the country,” which is why they gathered in front of the government building. According to Adamyan, environmentalists will publish a joint statement on this in the near future.

“We will lose Jermuk as a resort. Jermuk is one of those places where the extraction of any minerals is clearly unacceptable. When they say, you know, we have very advanced technologies, we will minimally pollute the environment, it is clear to us that this will not happen.”

From 2016 to June 2021, Silva Adamyan and three other experts conducted risk studies at the Amulsar mine.

She believes that there are risks associated with deep groundwater which “have not been fully calculated.” This may have a harmful effect on Lake Sevan.

“We talked about the fact that deep water research was of insufficient quality. We were told that they would conduct tests again, bring new documents. But nothing was done. We are worried that there will be problems with Lake Sevan, but there is no clear information to find out how serious the damage will be.”

Adamyan hopes that it is still possible to change the situation. In her opinion, protests can play a role even after the signing of the document.

https://jam-news.net/amulsar-mine-in-armenia/

Turkish Press: Russia urges Azerbaijan and Armenia to resume normalization efforts

Yeghisabet Arthur
Haber Tusba, Turkey
feb 23 2023
by Ayaz Ahmet
 

Russia, as the supreme court of the United Nations, urged Azerbaijan and Armenia to resume efforts to normalize relations on Wednesday ordered Baku to end its so-called siege in Karabakh region.

“The Russians side Constantly contributes to normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. Russian Ministry of Defense and the Russian peacekeeping contingent, in Close cooperation with Ministry of Foreign Affairs, making unremitting efforts to resolve “The situation around the Lachin corridor,” Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, told AFP. news conspiracy.

“we call on Our partners in Baku and Yerevan resume rhythmic joint work like soon like possible in all of Regions of normalization of bilateral relations.”

Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of of Azerbaijan has been under Armenian occupation since 1991. In 2020, Azerbaijan regained its lands in And about the pocket yet second The war that ended in Russian-mediated haltfire. Since then, talks have continued to normalize relations between Baku and Yerevan.

Azerbaijani environmental activists have been holding protests since 12 December on Lachin Pass, the only road through Azerbaijan that connects Armenia with Karabakh and where the Russian peacekeepers are located on Protect.

Yerevan says The protesters are government-backed, but Baku denies blocking the road.

But the International Court of Justice ordered an end to the blockade.

Azerbaijan should, waiting final decision in This case… take all the measures at its disposal to ensure Unhindered movement of Persons vehicles and merchandise along the Lachin Pass in Either way, Chief Justice Joan Donoghue said Wednesday.

“Turbulence on The Lachine Pass hampered the transfer of Persons of Armenian national and ethnicity,” she said, in Hand over the verdict down at the courthouse in The Hague.

Evidence presented during a court session last The month showed that there are barriers to import into Nagorno-Karabakh of essential commodities,” causing shortages of said a judge[دونوغو]Food, medicine and other life saving medical equipment.

Therefore, the Court concluded that there was urgency and that there was “A risk This irreparable bias will be caused, the judge said.

World Court orders Azerbaijan to ensure free passage through Lachin corridor (+Links)

Emil Lazarian
Al Arabiya News
UAE – Feb 22 2023
REUTERS

The World Court ordered Azerbaijan on Wednesday to ensure Armenia free passage through the Lachin corridor to and from the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Lachin corridor, the only land route giving Armenia direct access to Nagorno-Karabakh, has been blocked since Dec. 12, when protesters claiming to be environmental activists stopped traffic by setting up tents.

For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

Armenia last month told judges at the World Court, formally known as the International Court of Justice, that neighboring Azerbaijan’s blockade was designed to allow “ethnic cleansing,” a claim rejected by Baku.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but its 120,000 inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Armenians and it broke away from Baku in the first of several wars in the early 1990s.

The court said on Wednesday it had evidence that traffic through the corridor was still disrupted, causing “shortages of food, medicines and other lifesaving medical supplies,” and depriving Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh of critical medical care.

It therefore ordered Azerbaijan to “take all measures at its disposal to ensure the unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin corridor in both directions.”

Azerbaijan has denied any blockade, saying the activists are staging a legitimate protest against what it characterized as illegal mining activity.

The court rejected a plea for provisional measures by Azerbaijan that would order Armenia to help remove land mines from areas it previously controlled, and to stop planting explosive devices which prevent Azeri nationals from returning to their former homes.

It instead referred to the emergency measures it had issued in the tit-for-tat cases brought by the feuding South Caucasus neighbors in 2021, which ordered both countries to not do anything that would make the conflict worse and to prevent the incitement of racial hatred against each other’s nationals.

The World Court in The Hague is the UN court for resolving disputes between countries.

Its rulings are binding, but it has no direct means of enforcing them.

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2023/02/22/World-Court-orders-Azerbaijan-to-ensure-free-passage-through-Lachin-corridor
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UN court orders Azerbaijan to end Nagorno-Karabakh roadblock | News | Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/22/un-court-orders-azerbaijan-to-end-nagorno-karabakh-roadblock
UN court calls for end to Nagorno-Karabakh roadblock – KTVZ
https://ktvz.com/news/ap-national-news/2023/02/22/un-court-calls-for-end-to-nagorno-karabakh-roadblock/
UN's top court orders Azerbaijan to end Armenia road block – Barron's

Three ceasefire violations recorded in Nagorno-Karabakh — Russian Defense Ministry

Garik Boshkezenian
 TASS 
Russia – Feb 22 2023
No casualties were reported

MOSCOW, February 22. /TASS/. Three ceasefire violations have been recorded in the Mardakert and Shusha areas of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"Russian peacekeepers monitor the situation and control the ceasefire around the clock at 30 observation posts. Three ceasefire violations have been recorded in the Mardakert and Shusha districts. There were no casualties," the statement said.

The defense ministry emphasized that the command of the Russian peacekeeping group alongside the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides were looking into the incidents.

"Russian peacekeepers continue the negotiation process so as to resume unimpeded traffic flow on the Stepanakert-Goris road," it said.

The Russian Defense Ministry pointed out that it maintained continuous interaction with the General Staffs of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia in order to ensure security of Russian peacekeepers and to prevent any potential incidents.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 02/22/2023

Emil Lazarian 
                                        Wednesday, 


UN Court Rules Against Karabakh Road Blockade

        • Anush Mkrtchian

NETHERLANDS - General view of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The 
Hague, January 23, 2020.


The United Nations’ top court on Wednesday ordered Azerbaijan to restore 
“unimpeded” traffic through the sole road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.

Armenia asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to take this and other 
“provisional measures” two weeks after Azerbaijani government-backed protesters 
blocked the road on December 12. Lawyers representing Azerbaijan’s government 
denied the closure of the Lachin corridor during court hearings in January.

The ICJ concluded that “connection between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia via the 
Lachin Corridor has been disrupted.”

“The information available to the Court indicates that the disruption on the 
Lachin Corridor has impeded the transfer of persons of Armenian national or 
ethnic origin hospitalized in Nagorno-Karabakh to medical facilities in Armenia 
for urgent medical care,” it said. “The evidence also indicates that there have 
been hindrances to the importation into Nagorno-Karabakh of essential goods, 
causing shortages of food, medicine and other life-saving medical supplies.”

The court based in The Hague pointed out that a Russian-brokered agreement that 
stopped the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh commits Azerbaijan to guaranteeing safe 
passage through the region’s sole land link with the outside world. It said Baku 
should therefore “take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement 
of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.”

At the same time, the panel of 15 ICJ judges rejected Armenia’s request for a 
separate injunction against the disruption of Armenian electricity and gas 
supplies to Karabakh carried out through Azerbaijani territory.

“The Court considers that Armenia has not placed before it sufficient evidence 
that Azerbaijan is disrupting the supply of natural gas and other utilities to 
the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh,” it said.

The ICJ also threw out Azerbaijan’s request to make Armenia stop laying land 
mines in the Lachin corridor. Yerevan has repeatedly denied the Azerbaijani 
allegations, saying that they are a pretext for blocking the vital road.

The two warring nations have sought injunctions against each other as part of 
their mutual lawsuits brought before the UN court in 2021. The legal dispute 
could take years to resolve. Also, analysts believe that the ICJ judges have no 
real means of enforcing their interim orders.

Yeghishe Kirakosian, a lawyer representing the Armenian government in 
international tribunals, said Yerevan will keep ICJ posted about Baku’s 
compliance with its latest order.



Armenia Revives Major Gold Mining Project


Armenia - Gold mining facilities constructed by Lydian International company at 
Amulsar deposit, 18 May 2018.


The Armenian government and a Canadian-based company formally agreed on 
Wednesday to restart a multimillion-dollar gold mining project in Armenia that 
was disrupted by protesters shortly after the 2018 “velvet revolution.”

The country’s former government had granted the company, now called Lydian 
Canada Ventures, a license to develop a massive gold deposit at Amulsar in 2016. 
Lydian planned to start mining operations there in late 2018 and produce 210,000 
ounces of gold, worth $385 million at current international prices, annually.

However, those plans were put on hold after several dozen environmental 
protesters started blocking all roads leading to Amulsar in June 2018. They said 
that the project would wreak havoc on the environment.

Lydian dismissed those claims, saying that it would use modern technology that 
would prevent such damage.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian made conflicting statements about the Amulsar 
project. His administration did not revoke Lydian’s mining licenses. But it also 
refrained from using force to end the blockade.

The company, which claimed to have invested $370 million in the project before 
the blockade, filed for bankruptcy protection in Canada in late 2019 before 
being restructured. It is now owned by two U.S. and Canadian equity firms 
specializing in mining.

Armenia - Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian (center) shakes hands with 
representatives of Lydian Canada Ventures and the Eurasian Development Bank, 
.

Following the disastrous 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh, Pashinian’s government 
signaled plans to revive the Amulsar project and started negotiating with Lydian 
for that purpose.

The talks resulted in the signing in Yerevan on Wednesday of a memorandum of 
understanding by Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian, Lydian board member Jeffrey 
Coach, and a senior executive of the Kazakhstan-based Eurasian Development Bank 
(EDB).

Kerobian said at the signing ceremony that the three sides aim to raise $250 
million for finishing the construction of mining and smelting facilities at 
Amulsar and installing other equipment there. In particular, he said, Lydian 
will borrow $100 million from the EDB and another $50 million from an unnamed 
Armenian bank.

Kerobian also announced that the U.S. and Canadian investors have granted the 
Armenian government a 12.5 percent stake in the project in return for its pledge 
to manage their risks.

“This is a very important project for us,” Kerobian told reporters.

Armenia -- Protesters block a road leading to Amulsar mine, July 2, 2018
“It is estimated that operations at Amulsar will increase Armenia’s GDP by 
approximately 1 percent … and we just cannot miss such an opportunity,” he said, 
adding that Lydian will be paying between 30 and 40 billion drams ($75-$100 
million) in various taxes each year.

“It’s an incredibly dynamic project for the economy of the country,” Coach said, 
for his part. “It will employ hundreds of Armenians.”

He also said that Amulsar will be “one of the most sophisticated operating mines 
in the world.”

“We will have complied with every environmental standard,” added the Lydian 
executive.

Neither man gave any dates for the planned start of open-pit mining at Amulsar. 
Nor did Kerobian clarify what the government will do if the mining site is again 
blocked by protesters. He said only that that the government “will do 
everything” to protect Lydian’s investments.

Mining has for decades been a key export-oriented sector of the Armenian 
economy. The country’s largest mining enterprise, the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum 
Combine (ZCMC), is also its leading corporate taxpayer.



Yerevan Opposes Azeri Checkpoint At Lachin Corridor


Armenia - Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan speaks during a news conference in 
Yerevan, .


The Armenian government denounced on Wednesday Azerbaijan’s apparent attempts to 
set up a permanent checkpoint on the sole road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to 
Armenia which was blocked by Baku more than two months ago.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev admitted such a desire after his weekend 
talks in Munich with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian mediated by U.S. 
Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Aliyev said he suggested during the 
trilateral meeting that checkpoints be set up on that road as well as a would-be 
corridor to Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave.

“The idea of setting up checkpoints on Armenia’s border and at the starting 
point of the Lachin corridor was really floated [at Munich],” said Foreign 
Minister Ararat Mirzoyan. “But our response was explicit.”

“Our position was expressed shortly after the blockage of the Lachin corridor 
and it remains the same: regulations for the Lachin corridor were already 
negotiated and signed, including by the president of Azerbaijan … And 
renegotiating them under the threat of another use of force is unacceptable to 
us,” he told a joint news conference with Luxembourg’s visiting Foreign Minister 
Jean Asselborn.

Russian military vehicles roll along a road towards Nagorno-Karabakh, November 
13, 2020.

Mirzoyan referred to the Russian-brokered agreement that stopped the 2020 war in 
Karabakh. The agreement placed the Lachin corridor under the control of Russian 
peacekeeping forces and committed Azerbaijan to guaranteeing safe passage 
through it.

Yerevan maintains that the continuing Azerbaijani blockade is a gross violation 
of this arrangement. Russia, the United States and the European Union have cited 
it in their repeated statements urging Baku to unblock Karabakh’s land link with 
Armenia and the outside world.

Speaking in Munich, Aliyev again defended Azerbaijani government-backed 
protesters blocking the Lachin corridor on ostensibly environmental grounds.

Mirzoyan said that in return for reopening the vital Karabakh road Baku hopes to 
force the Armenian side to agree to an extraterritorial corridor to Nakhichevan 
that would pass through Armenia’s southeastern Syunik province. He ruled out 
such a concession while reaffirming Yerevan’s readiness for conventional 
Armenian-Azerbaijani transport links.


Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

CivilNet: Armenia greenlights long-stalled gold mine operations

Yeghisabet Vorskanian
CIVILNET.AM

22 Feb, 2023 10:02

  • The Armenian government signed an agreement with the mining company Lydian Armenia to greenlight operations at the long-stalled, controversial Amulsar gold mine.
  • Armenia rejected an Azerbaijani proposal to install checkpoints along the sole road connecting Armenia and Karabakh.
  • Russian peacekeepers confirmed that a ceasefire violation took place in northern Karabakh yesterday, but did not lay responsibility on either side.
  • An official at Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned a European Union diplomat that the EU’s newly deployed civilian mission to Armenia “does not contribute to real stabilization” in the region.

Credits: Ruptly


Armenian PM, EU Civilian Operations Commander refer to the activities to be carried out in Armenia

Talar Tumanian

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 17:38,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received today the Civilian Operations Commander of the European External Action Service, Stefano Tomat, and his delegation, which also included the Head of the new EU monitoring mission in Armenia, Markus Ritter, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister welcomed the decision to deploy the EU's long-term civilian monitoring mission in Armenia and emphasized that it will contribute to regional stability and peace.

The EU Civilian Operations Commander expressed gratitude to the Armenian side for the assistance provided to the mission and referred to the work to be carried out in Armenia.

At the meeting, the sides exchanged ideas on issues related to the EU civilian monitoring mission and the cooperation agenda.