Read daily news summary for February 11 here.

Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani Deputy PM hold session of trilateral working group

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan, his Russian and Azerbaijani counterparts Alexei Overchuk and Shahin Mustafayev held the 3rd session of the trilateral working group through a video-conference on February 12.

The sides discussed the process of the joint work based on the 9th point of November 9, 2020 trilateral declaration signed by the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan, as well as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th points of the declaration.

Meanwhile, the MP from the ruling My Step faction said that Armenia is not considering trade with Azerbaijan and Turkey. In particular, Sisak Gabrielyan said "Negotiations between Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan are not related to trade with Turkey or Azerbaijan," Aysor.am reports. 

Armenian opposition MPs demand clarification on alleged Syunik border document

While the ruling My Step faction in Armenia claims that no “secret document” has been signed regarding the disputed Davit Bek-Goris stretch of highway in the country’s southern Syunik Province, some opposition MPs claim otherwise, hetq.am reports.

The MPs say the deal is a secret addendum of the November 9 ceasefire agreement. They are demanding clarification from the Government.Sections of the new border between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the province are being demarcated, thus giving rise to allegations that the Pashinyan government has signed off on a secret deal on the issue.

Today, at a parliamentary briefing, My Step MPs said that a text, recently disseminated on social network, alleging to be such an agreement, is a fabrication.

In regards to safety of the residents in the borderside communities, a new bill has been drafted by Armen Khachatryan and Sergey Bagratyan from the ruling My Step faction. If approved, the Armenian citizens living in border settlements will be allowed to carry hunting rifles. 

Other news from Armenia and Artsakh

• The “To Live and Not Forget: To the Memory of the Victims of the Genocides of the Armenian and Jewish Peoples” memorial in the Circular Park of Yerevan was vandalized today. Armenian public-political circles consider “an act of vandalism” and strongly condemn the desecration of the memorial. Yerevan law enforcement agencies launched an immediate investigation and city authorities have sent specialists to restore and clean the memorial from the paint.
• The rally initiated by the oppositional candidate for the post of PM Vazgen Manukyan, took place at the Liberty Square in Yerevan. The Union of Informed Citizens NGO counted that as of 15:37, 1800 people gathered there. “What we have today is not a rally, our rally will take place on 20 February, it will be a big rally. Today I just invited people to discuss issues together. Today it is my personal initiative. This rally-discussion has nothing in common with the Motherland Salvation Movement initiative,” Vazgen Manukyan said.
• The layout of the ‘’Engineering city’’ has already been confirmed and soon a tender for the construction will be announced and the construction will kick off, Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan wrote on his Facebook page. The project of the ''Engineering city'' has entered an active phase. It's carried out in collaboration with the World Bank.
• Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, the Director of National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia Armen Abazyan and the commander of Russian peacekeeping forces Rustam Muradov met with the official representative of Azerbaijan in the territory under the control of the Russian troops today. Issues related to the return of POWs and the search for the missing were discussed. Issues related to the fate of missing persons during the war of the 90s were also discussed.
• As a result of search operations carried out today, bodies of 3 servicemen were found in Ishkhanadzor of Kashatagh region.
• Disinformation had been spread since February 11, as if the statue of Garegin Nzhdeh was dismantled in Martuni, Artsakh, due to Azerbaijan’s demand.