Daily News Summary

Daily News Summary [14-15.01.2023]

The International Committee of the Red Cross has transported medicine and other supplies provided by the RA Ministry of Health to Artsakh The truck of the International Committee of the Red Cross transported medicine and other supplies from Armenia provided by the RA Ministry of Health for the medical facilities of Artsakh. Zara Amatuni, head of the ICRC delegation's communication programs, informed about this. "The burden does not belong to the ICRC. We only ensured safe transportation," he said, adding that the RA Ministry of Health provided the cargo. The possibility of a humanitarian crisis is increasing - Samantha Power on the situation of the Lachin Corridor Free movement through the Lachine Corridor should be restored. Samantha Power, the head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), wrote about this on Twitter. "Transportation through the Lachin Corridor has been blocked for over a month. Each day commercial traffic and humanitarian assistance cannot flow freely to Nagorno-Karabakh, and the potential for a humanitarian crisis increases. Free movement through the corridor must be restored," Power wrote. Lachin's blockade must be lifted without delay: Standing Rapporteur on the issue of Azerbaijan in European Parliament Standing Rapporteur on Azerbaijan Željana Zovko calls for an urgent lifting of the blockade that prevents the deliveries of food and other essential supplies to the local population. The European Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur on Azerbaijan Željana Zovko (EPP, HR) has issued the following statement. Freedom House calls on Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor The Freedom House organization called on Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor. "Azerbaijan’s month-long blockade of the Lachin corridor is creating a humanitarian crisis within Nagorno-Karabakh as vital supplies dwindle. We call again for Azerbaijan to immediately end the blockage," the organization wrote in a tweet. It also called on the international community to support lifting the blockade and return to non-violent negotiations. "We call on the international community to support the lifting of the blockade and a return to negotiations without coercion. The rights, security, and well-being of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh must be ensured." Ararat Mirzoyan and the Speaker of the French National Assembly referred to the blockade of the Lachine Corridor On January 14, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received the delegation led by the Speaker of the National Assembly of France, Yaël Braun-Pivet. Minister Mirzoyan welcomed the first visit to Armenia at the level of the Speaker of the National Assembly of France, stressing that it testifies to the historical friendship based on the common values of the Armenian and French peoples and the high level of bilateral privileged relations. Issues related to the rich agenda of cooperation between Armenia and France were discussed at the meeting. The close cooperation formed at the inter-parliamentary level was emphasized with satisfaction, and in this regard, the activities of friendship groups operating in the legislative bodies of the two countries and the interaction on multilateral platforms were particularly important. The parties addressed issues related to regional security and stability. We will not leave our homeland, no matter how difficult the situation is - Ruben Vardanyan Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan stated that after the blockade of the Lachin Corridor for more than a month, Azerbaijan is forcing Armenians to leave their ancient homeland. "We won't leave our homeland, no matter how difficult the situation is. Every day we make the difficult but necessary choice to stay&protect our land. This is the only way we can prevent the process of losing Artsakh&guarantee the preservation of the Armenian world 4 future generations," Vardanyan wrote. I'm not going to resign, especially during this crisis, Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan stated on Twitter. "The possible resignation of the President or the dissolvement of the Parliament is also unacceptable. We must convene all our efforts to overcome this horrible situation. We must preserve Artsakh and we have that chance today!" he wrote. Other News With the mediation and accompaniment of the International Committee of the Red Cross, five patients from the "Republican Medical Center" CJSC were transferred to different specialized medical centers of RA today. The President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan will leave for the Republic of Estonia on a working visit from January 15 to 17. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a message of condolence to the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Gharibashvili on the occasion of the death of famous singer and actor Vakhtang Kikabidze, the RA government reports this.

23:01 - 15 January, 2023

Daily News Summary [13.01.2023]

The command of the Russian peacekeepers continues negotiations on the issue of restoring traffic through the Lachin Corridor The Russian peacekeeping contingent continues to fulfill its tasks in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation issued a message about this. It is noted that Russian peacekeepers are monitoring the situation at 30 observation points and monitoring the ceasefire. "The command of the force continues negotiations with the Armenian and Azeri sides on the issue of restoring the traffic of vehicles on the Stepanakert-Goris road (Lachin Corridor - ed.)," the message says. On the previous day, a patrol was carried out in Martuni and Martakert regions and in the Lachin corridor. French National Assembly Speaker visits Armenia During today's press conference, journalists asked French Parliament Speaker Yaël Braun-Pivet a question about the OSCE Minsk Group, specifically stating that Azerbaijan considers the Nagorno-Karabakh issue to be resolved, thus rejecting the existence of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship. “Today it is important to return to the dialogue between the parties. The Minsk Group is one of the existing dialogue platforms, not the only one, but it is a very important platform. The role of Armenia is also to tell us which conditions will allow returning to the dialogue,” she said. Armenia’s Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan added. “Today, 1-2 other formats have been created, which to some extent try to replace that format. However, we note that the United States and France, one of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group, have repeatedly stated that they are ready and will continue cooperation, and Russia has also made a statement that they are ready to discuss the existence and future fate of this format. It should be noted that today we have 1-2 formats on the initiative of France, as well as on the initiative of Moscow, which deal with the same problem and are not less important. Keeping the issue of the Minsk Group on the agenda, we should also not reduce all existing formats in any way.” "After the September attack, the French Senate adopted a resolution and condemned it, and it also mentioned the need to recognize the independence of Artsakh. Now that the Azerbaijanis have closed the Lachin Corridor, don't you think it is the right time to recognize the independence of Artsakh?", the Speaker of the French National Assembly was asked today at the joint press conference with the Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly. She first mentioned that both the Senate and the National Assembly have adopted resolutions condemning Azerbaijan's aggression on the borders of Armenia, as well as the closure of the Lachin Corridor. "As for the recognition of the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, you know the position of France. Today, France does not recognize that independence and this is in accordance with the international law to which we are subject." Yaël Braun-Pivet answered another question: why does France not impose sanctions on Azerbaijan and Aliyev along with important political statements? "We think that peaceful settlement and restoration of dialogue is important. It is not appropriate to use other ways until the way of dialogue is completely exhausted," she mentioned. Internet connection has been restored in the entire territory of Artsakh The information center of Artsakh reports that the Internet connection has been restored in the territory of the republic. "Thanks to the negotiations conducted by the Russian peacekeeping troops stationed in Artsakh, the technical specialists of "Karabakh Telecom" managed to go to the place of the accident and carry out appropriate work on the spot to restore the damaged part of the cable. As of now, the Internet connection has been restored in the entire territory of the Republic of Artsakh," the statement of the Information Center reports. We see the reaction to the problems arising around our country in the parliamentary chambers of France - Nikol Pashinyan Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received the delegation led by Yaël Braun-Pivet, the President of the French National Assembly. At the meeting, reference was made to the steps taken to overcome the humanitarian crisis created in Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijan's illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor. The sides emphasized the fact of another violation of the November 9, 2020 declaration by Azerbaijan, attaching importance to the international community's attention and adequate response to it. The sides also exchanged ideas on the processes taking place in the region. Referring to the Armenian-French relations, Nikol Pashinyan and Yaël Braun-Pivet emphasized the need to develop and expand cooperation in various fields. In particular, further deepening of ties in the fields of economy, tourism, education, science, and culture was emphasized. It was reported that the Marseille-Yerevan flight will start operating in the near future, which will contribute to the development of cooperation in the field of tourism. Issues related to the expansion of the activities of the French University in Armenia were also discussed. At the request of the guests, Prime Minister Pashinyan referred to the process of democratic and institutional reforms being implemented in our country and emphasized that the rich agenda of reforms is one of the priorities of the Armenian Government. "No event or problem should divert us from the path of reforms, our response to challenges should be asymmetrical," the Prime Minister said. The sending of the international fact-finding mission is necessary to prevent steps of ethnic cleansing in Azerbaijan - Artsakh Human Rights Defenders of Armenia and Artsakh Institutions of human rights defenders of Armenia and Artsakh have published an extraordinary report on the humanitarian consequences of blocking the Lachin Corridor, with newly updated data as of January 13, 2023. In the report, the Defenders referred to the reaction of international structures, figures, and media to the Lachin Corridor issue, the provocative statements by high-ranking Azerbaijani officials and public figures regarding the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the continuous signs of ethnic cleansing by high-ranking Azerbaijani officials, the humanitarian crisis caused by the blockade, the action of "eco-activists" to the new data justifying the false nature, as well as to the direct connections of the persons who illegally blocked the road with the government of Azerbaijan. The report also referred to the rights of free movement of the population, ensuring a sufficient standard of living, access to food, and health care, as well as violations of children's rights.

00:12 - 14 January, 2023

Daily News Summary [12.01.23]

The Azerbaijani side cut the communication wires coming from Armenia, disrupting access to telecommunications and fixed internet in the territory of Artsakh According to the facts collected by the Artsakh Human Rights Defender staff, on January 12, around 3:30 p.m., the Azerbaijani side deliberately cut the communication wires coming from the Republic of Armenia to Artsakh in the Shushi section (place of the blockade), disrupting the access to telecommunications and fixed Internet in the entire territory of Artsakh. Taking advantage of the fact that the infrastructures coming to Artsakh pass through the territories under Azerbaijani control, the Azerbaijani side deliberately paralyzes the work of vital infrastructures, which is clearly evidenced by the gas supply disruptions (March 2022, December 2022), the restoration of high-voltage electric wires on January 9 , obstructing, periodic disruptions of the Internet and mobile communication in the territory of Artsakh. The proposal to provide a platform for negotiations to Baku and Yerevan remains valid - RF MFA It is difficult to evaluate the position of the Armenian side, when the statements of the official Yerevan on the same issue differ significantly, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova stated. She mentioned that, however, the Russian proposal to provide a platform for Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations on the peace treaty remains valid. "If the Armenian partners are really interested in solving the mentioned problems at a high level and in the way of complex implementation of the tripartite agreements, then instead of engaging in mental exercises, it is necessary to continue the joint work," Zakharova noted. Aliyev continues to deceive the international community - Frank Pallone on Lachine Corridor Blockage The co-chairman of the US Congress Committee on Armenian Affairs, Frank Pallone, referred to Azerbaijan's blocking of the Lachin Corridor on Twitter, stating that Aliyev continues to deceive the international community. "Aliyev continues to lie to the international community about the month-long blockade of the Lachin Corridor. There is clear evidence it's causing a humanitarian crisis in Artsakh by blocking critical food and medical supplies from getting to civilians.," he wrote, sharing an article about Aliyev's statements on January 10. It should be reminded that since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has closed the Lachin Corridor connecting Artsakh to RA, as a result of which 120,000 residents of Artsakh, including 30,000 children, were under siege. 1100 civilians, including 270 minors, cannot return to Artsakh from RA. Armenia should not engage in negotiations with Azerbaijan on the opening of the Lachin Corridor – Alen Simonyan Armenia should not engage in negotiations with Azerbaijan regarding the opening of the Lachin Corridor, since Armenia is not a party to the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020, regarding the Lachin Corridor. The authorities of Artsakh have the opportunity to directly negotiate and speak directly with Azerbaijan, and they themselves deal with the problem, and Armenia will support every decision of Artsakh, the President of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan said in a briefing with journalists. Referring to the statement of the Artsakh Security Council, in which concern was expressed regarding a number of claims and views expressed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the press conference, Simonyan said, the Artsakh Security Council, Artsakh authorities, and Artsakh representatives have the opportunity to directly negotiate and speak directly. The president of Azerbaijan admits that the claims about the corridor have nothing to do with the trilateral declaration - Armenian MFA Speaker The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia records that the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, with his latest statements, finally frankly states that the claims made about the so-called corridor have nothing to do with the trilateral declaration of November 9. In an interview with ARMENPRESS, the spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia Vahan Hunanyan emphasized that there is only one mention of a corridor in the statement, and that is the Lachin Corridor, which Azerbaijan has illegally blocked for more than a month. Hunanyan also noted that with his latest statements, the President of Azerbaijan inadvertently admits that Azerbaijan, grossly violating its international obligations stipulated by the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020, has been keeping 120,000 Artsakh Armenians under siege for more than a month and purposefully bringing Nagorno-Karabakh to a humanitarian disaster. The meeting of Armenian and Georgian prime Ministers took place The regular session of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation between Armenia and Georgia was held in Yerevan under the leadership of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Irakli Gharibashvili. Prior to that, the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia had a private conversation. During the session, issues related to the further deepening and expansion of cooperation between the two countries in various fields were discussed. In particular, reference was made to joint programs in the fields of trade, energy, infrastructure, industry, tourism, education, and culture. As a result of the meeting, Nikol Pashinyan and Irakli Gharibashvili signed an agreement "between the Republic of Armenia and Georgia on mutual visa-free travel for citizens of the two states". The protocol of the meeting of the intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation was also signed.

00:09 - 13 January, 2023

Daily News Summary [11.01.23]

OSCE Chairman-in-Office “carefully following” Lachin corridor situation, announces visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani said that he is carefully following the situation around the Lachin corridor and announced that he will hold visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan. The OSCE Chairman-in-Office held two separate telephone conversations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, the OSCE said in a press release. “The conversations with the ministers focused on the situation in the South Caucasus region, with a particular emphasis on the Lachin corridor. Minister Osmani emphasized that he is carefully following the situation around the Lachin corridor. He expressed his concerns about its effect on the daily lives of the civilian population. He called for all sides to ease tensions and engage in constructive and productive dialogue. Azeri FM calls U.S. Assistant Secretary of State and falsely accuses Armenia of "obstructing constructive initiatives" Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov again put false accusations against Armenia. In a phone call with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried, the Azeri FM falsely accused Armenia of "constantly obstructing a number of constructive initiatives by the Azerbaijani side aimed at normalizing relations in the post-conflict period." During the phone conversation, the Azeri foreign ministry said that Bayramov and Donfried discussed the cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and the U.S., as well as the current situation in the region. Any mission can be sent to Nagorno-Karabakh only with the consent of both sides of the conflict - Peskov responded to Pashinyan's statement The issue of sending a UN Security Council peacekeeping mission to Nagorno Karabakh has been on the agenda more than once, but any mission can be involved only with the agreement of both sides of the conflict, Baku, and Yerevan. According to TASS, the spokesman of the Russian President, Dmitry Peskov, said this. "There are constant contacts at different levels. Of course, this topic has been on the agenda many times. But it is clear that any mission can be sent only with the consent of both parties to the conflict," said Peskov, answering the question of whether the leaders of Russia and Armenia discussed this topic. Yesterday's speeches of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan confirmed that the only possible choice for Artsakh is fighting - Ruben Vardanyan Yesterday's speeches of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan confirmed that the only possible choice for Artsakh is fighting, Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan wrote about this on his Facebook page. "You have to fight, relying on your own strength. To fight with the support of the citizens of Armenia, who in the last elections voted for the political forces that declared full support for Artsakh in their programs. Fight with the active support of the Diaspora, which has always stood by the motherland in extreme situations. We call on the international community to stand by Artsakh, protecting Artsakh from annihilation and occupation," the post says. We should show by personal example what patriotism is by decently serving the people - Davit Babayan We should show by our personal example and steps what patriotism is, not only with words, toasts, and appeals but by decently serving our own people. Former Foreign Minister of Artsakh Davit Babayan expressed this point of view live on Facebook, adding that they will continue to work to preserve Artsakh. "Me and my friends, party members, all members of the Artsakh conservative party will continue our mission to preserve Artsakh. Now we are in the most difficult phase of our history, and 2023 will be a very important period for us. Here it is very important that each of us should consider this important. I will continue to serve our people and the state as much as I can, I have a number of plans and I will try to communicate more often through such meetings and inform the public about them. But the fact that I am unfailingly connected to the state and the people is unequivocal, regardless of the position or position I hold. According to me, there should be one position: the trench of the nation's destiny," Babayan said. The Ministry of Defense of Armenia informed CSTO about the cancellation of military exercises on January 5 On January 5, the Ministry of Defense informed the Joint Staff of the CSTO that it considered the military exercises planned in Armenia to be inappropriate. Answering the question of "Azatutyun", how do they explain the CSTO's statement today that they did not receive an official notification from Yerevan about canceling the military exercises, while yesterday the Prime Minister said that the notification had already been sent, the Defense Ministry spokesperson Aram Torosyan said. "As the Prime Minister stated, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, taking into account the created military-political situation, considered the holding of the "Unbreakable Brotherhood-2023" military exercise in Armenia to be inappropriate and informed the Chief of the Joint Staff of the CSTO in an official letter on January 5. According to the spokesperson of the Armenian military department, on January 10, Vladislav Shegrikovich, press secretary of the CSTO Joint Staff, informed the media that the Joint Staff received the official letter from the RA Ministry of Defense and is considering holding the military exercise in another CSTO member state. Ararat Mirzoyan referred to the EU observation mission in a telephone conversation with the Swedish Foreign Minister On January 11, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan had a telephone conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden Tobias Billström. Ararat Mirzoyan congratulated his colleague on assuming the presidency of the EU Council. The parties discussed a number of issues related to regional security. Minister Mirzoyan presented to the interlocutor the details of Azerbaijan's blocking of the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the outside world - the Lachin Corridor, and the resulting humanitarian crisis. Other News The American Conservative published an interview with Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.

00:15 - 12 January, 2023

Daily News Summary [10.01.2023]

Negotiations on resuming unimpeded traffic on the Stepanakert-Goris road are continuing The Russian peacekeeping contingent continues to fulfill its tasks in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reports. According to the source, Russian peacekeepers are conducting round-the-clock monitoring of the situation in 30 observation posts and monitoring of the ceasefire. It is noted that the command of the Russian peacekeepers continues the negotiation process with the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides regarding the resumption of the unhindered movement of automobile transport along the Stepanakert-Goris road (Lachin Corridor - ed.). Since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan keeps the only highway connecting Artsakh to the world, the Lachin Corridor, closed, citing false environmental reasons. Nikol Pashinyan commented on the situation with Azerbiajan and in the region CSTO peacekeeping exercise will not be held in Armenia this year. This was announced by Nikol Pashinyan, referring to the message of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. "I think there is a little misunderstanding, because the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia has already informed the CSTO joint headquarters in writing that we do not consider it appropriate to conduct such military exercises in the Republic of Armenia in this situation, and these military exercises will not take place at least this year," Pashinyan stated. During the press conference of RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, one of the journalists asked whether the authorities of Armenia and Artsakh have different positions on the issues being discussed at the moment. "In my opinion, there are no such questions. We are in constant communication, and as of now, I do not have such a question on my agenda," Pashinyan said. There was no official offer and there could not be. RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said this while answering the question whether Russia has ever offered Armenia to join the union state.To the question whether it was unofficial, Pashinyan responded: "What do you mean? For example, the speech continuously developed by experts can be considered informal, and informal contacts can also be considered," he said.To the clarifying question, did the Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan mean that when he said that there is pressure on Armenia to join the Union State, Pashinyan said: "I suppose he meant them as well." Referring to the fact that news was spread on various Russian platforms that Armenia presented an ultimatum to Russia that if the Lachin Corridor is not opened on January 10, Armenia will leave the CSTO, Nikol Pashinyan said: "I don't think that we should speak with our partners with ultimatums. Our toolkit should be diplomatic, that is, to exert as much international pressure as possible to open the Lachine Corridor.” Commenting the topic of Armenia being the guarantor of Artsakh's security, Pashinyan reminded that the Armenia and Russia defense ministers signed the mandate of Russian peacekeepers and said that this is how Armenia fulfills its role as a guarantor of security. "If we go further, the Republic of Armenia is the guarantor of the security of Nagorno Karabakh, so let's try to form a syllogism, the guarantor of the security of the Republic of Armenia is the Russian Federation. I already said that we were guided by this formula. If RA could ensure its security with this logic, the fact that Russia is the guarantor of RA's security would not be the basis of our security," Pashinyan added. Peskov commented on Pashinyan's statement about not conducting a CSTO peacekeeping exercise in Armenia The CSTO will clarify the details of Armenia's position, according to which it is not going to conduct military exercises of the organization in 2023, Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters, commenting on Nikol Pashinyan's words that CSTO peacekeeping exercises will not be held in Armenia this year. "This is a fairly new statement by the Prime Minister of Armenia, I think that the CSTO partners will be in touch and clarify the details of Armenia's position," the Kremlin spokesman said. "In any case, Armenia is our very close ally, we will continue the dialogue, including the issues that are very difficult now," Peskov assured. A working group has been created in Azerbaijan for issues related to the return of Azerbaijanis who lived in "West Azerbaijan" - Aliyev A working group has been formed in Azerbaijan, the scope of which will be the issues related to the return of Azerbaijanis who lived in the so-called "Western Azerbaijan". This was announced by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during the press conference. It should be noted that the President of Azerbaijan has repeatedly said in his speeches of different years that current Armenia is "ancient Azerbaijani land", especially mentioning Syunik, Yerevan, and Sevan and emphasizing that now they are "not Azerbaijani due to historical injustice". By "Western Azerbaijan" he means the territory of the Republic of Armenia. "We have started work. Those deported from "West Azerbaijan" should return to their homes. A working group has been created in connection with this," Aliyev said. As a result of the closure of the Lachin Corridor, the children of Artsakh who remained in Armenia, attend RA schools With the cooperation of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Armenia, the Yerevan Municipality, and the Syunik Governor's Office, the school-age children from Artsakh attend public schools in Goris and Yerevan, as well as vocational schools, due to the educational needs of the children. As reported by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Armenia, the lists provided by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Artsakh were used as the basis for the placement of students in schools. RA territorial pedagogic-psychological support centers actively work with Artsakh children, providing psychological support. In order to ensure the continuity of children's education, the RA Ministry of Education and Culture is in constant contact with the Artsakh Ministry of Education and Culture. Aliyev also claimed that Armenia is trying to include the Karabakh issue in a possible peace treaty.\ "I think the government of Armenia has enough power to take sole responsibility and sign the peace treaty." Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said this during today's press conference, answering the question of whether the Armenian diaspora can interfere with the RA authorities in the above-mentioned matter. He noted that he said at the very beginning that the peace agreement is an ordinary document that reflects all the main principles. "And there can be no talk about our internal problems and everything related to Karabakh." Aliyev recalled the statements of Prague and Sochi, and that the Armenian side thus recognized the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan. "But saying A, they (Armenian side: ed.) will not want to say B. They are trying to introduce the subject of Karabakh into a possible peace agreement, thus blocking it (signing of the agreement: ed.)". Azerbaijan is obliged to restore the regime of the Lachin Corridor established by the tripartite declaration of November without any preconditions - Ararat Mirzoyan On January 10, RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan had a telephone conversation with US Deputy Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried. Ararat Mirzoyan presented to his interlocutor that since December 12, 2022, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating day by day due to the blocking of the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia and the outside world. It was emphasized that Azerbaijan grossly violates the November 9 (2020) tripartite statement.

22:48 - 10 January, 2023

Daily News Summary [09.01.23]

The representation of Azerbaijan in NATO blamed Yerevan for the situation around the Lachin corridor Azerbaijan's representation in NATO blamed Yerevan for the situation around the Lachin road, saying that "Armenia gets so desperate as Lachinroad is no longer available for its illegal activities, plundering natural resources, transfer of weapons and personnel, as it should have been in the letter and spirit of Trilateral Statement." "The present blockade is designed to, in the words of the Genocide Convention, “deliberately inflict conditions of life calculated to bring about the end of a national, ethnical, racial or religious group in whole or in part," the mission's Twitter account said in a statement. As Interfax-Azerbaijan reports, the country's representation in NATO stated that "Lachin road is the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan, which has agreed to be used exclusively for humanitarian purposes in accordance with the sixth point of the tripartite declaration, and even less than two years of operation." delivered the new way." "Azerbaijan has conscientiously fulfilled all its obligations, and Armenia has been using the Lachin road for illegal activities since the first days. Armenia has also not opened all transportation communications in the region, which is a gross violation of point 9 of the tripartite declaration," the NATO mission emphasized. "Armenia used the Lachin road for the illegal transportation of weapons and personnel," the statement said. It should be reminded that since december 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has closed the Lachin Corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia, as a result of which 120,000 residents of Artsakh, including 30,000 children, were under siege. 1100 civilians, including 270 minors, cannot return from Armenia to Artsakh. Because of the blockade, it is not possible to deliver 400 tons of food and medicine from Armenia to Artsakh every day, as a result of which there is a shortage of food and medicine. 350 patients cannot receive treatment in Armenia. 13 children are in the neonatal and intensive care units, and 13 patients are in the intensive care unit. 6 are in critical condition. During these days, 13 Armenians and 4 foreigners in need of emergency medical care were transferred to Armenia only through the mediation of the Red Cross, and one of the patients in Artsakh who needed medical care and was in critical condition died. The rally of Artsakh mothers in front of the building of the International Committee of the Red Cross On January 9, in Stepanakert, in front of the building of the International Committee of the Red Cross, mothers from Artsakh gathered with a request to provide humanitarian aid and take measures to prevent a humanitarian disaster. About 20 vehicles of the Russian peacekeeping troops passed through the Lachin corridor The Azerbaijani APPA agency reported that today about 20 vehicles of the Russian peacekeeping troops passed through Lachin Corridor. "The protesters left the road and created conditions for the passage of cars," the news agency notes. At the same time, the Azerbaijani news media also published a video showing the cars of the peacekeeping troops passing through the corridor of Lachin. Ararat Mirzoyan received the members of the EU technical assessment mission On January 9, the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan received the members of the EU technical assessment group headed by Marchin Vidra. The team was sent to Armenia to consider the possibility of deploying a new EU civilian mission. The head of the EU delegation in Armenia, Andrea Wiktorin, also participated in the meeting, RA MFA reports. The parties referred to the work of the EU observation mission that ended on December 19. In this context, Minister Mirzoyan highly appreciated the role of the observation mission in strengthening stability in the region and preventing new aggressions against Armenia and expressed readiness to continue cooperation. A number of issues of mutual interest were also discussed. RA Minister of Defense visited the central assembly station of the Defense Ministry To get familiar with the work of winter conscription started on January 9, RA Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, accompanied by Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, First Deputy Minister of Defense, Major General Eduard Asryan, visited the central assembly station of the Defense Ministry. Those responsible for the conscription process presented to the head of the defense department the process of meeting and accepting conscripts, medical examination, as well as the organization of the lottery. Suren Papikyan toured the assembly station and gave instructions to conduct the whole process of military recruitment effectively and properly. Other News Aram Hovhannisyan was appointed Chief of RA Police and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. Davit Hambaryan was appointed Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. Vahe Ghazaryan was appointed RA Minister of Internal Affairs.

23:50 - 09 January, 2023

Daily News Summary [07-08.01.23]

The Speaker of the National Assembly of France will arrive in Armenia The Speaker of the National Assembly of France, Yaël Braun-Pivet, will arrive in Armenia on a visit. He announced this on his Twitter page. "On Christmas, my thoughts are directed to the Armenians, to whom I address my wishes of hope and peace. I will come to Armenia next week to once again show the support of the French National Assembly," he said, adding that the French delegation will also include legislators. Dictatorial Azerbaijan is not the country that should be called upon, the dictatorship and Aliyev’s criminal regime must be punished - Artsakh Human Rights Defender Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan posted on Twitter commenting on the current situation with Azerbaijan. "Many calls were also made during the 44-day war, but this did not prevent the war crimes committed by Azerbaijan. Dictatorial Azerbaijan is not the country that should be called upon, the dictatorship and Aliyev's criminal regime must be punished. Full stop," he wrote. In Artsakh, scheduled surgeries continue to be suspended in the medical facilities operating under the ministry - Health Ministry of Artsakh The Artsakh Ministry of Health reports that because of the blockade by Azerbaijan of the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia, scheduled surgeries continue to be suspended in the medical institutions under the authority of the Artsakh Ministry of Health. 13 children are in the neonatal and intensive care units in the "Arevik" medical unit. We demand that the international community provide us with a humanitarian air corridor - Ruben Vardanyan Artsakh Republic State Minister Ruben Vardanyan had interviews with international media, presenting the situation created as a result of Azerbaijan's blockade of Artsakh, reports the office of the Artsakh Republic State Minister. In an interview given to Swedish National Radio, responding to the environmental reasons for the closure of the corridor presented by the Azerbaijani side and 2020 to the question about the violation of the tripartite declaration of November 9, Ruben Vardanyan noticed that Azerbaijan's claims do not sound credible to anyone, because the whole world knows that in an authoritarian country, nothing happens under the "responsibility of environmentalists". "Can you remember how many environmental protests have taken place in Azerbaijan in the last 10 years?" he asked. - We do not have mechanisms in Artsakh to put pressure on a country that has signed a document confirming the right to freely use the corridor, and today it is violating it. Speaker Alen Simonyan congratulates Kevin McCarthy on his election as US House Speaker Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Alen Simonyan congratulated Kevin McCarthy on his election as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. “Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy for being elected US House Speaker! Looking forward to boosting Armenian-American traditional inter-parliamentary cooperation!” Simonyan tweeted, posting a photo of him shaking hands with McCarthy during a visit to the US in 2022. Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy has been sworn in as US House speaker of the 118th Congress. ‘Josep Borrell must act now!’ – MEP Peter van Dalen on Azeri blockade of Nagorno Karabakh Member of the European Parliament and European People’s Party member Peter van Dalen has called on EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy chief Josep Borrell to act over the brutal results of the Azeri blockade of Nagorno Karabakh. “The brutal results of the Azeri blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh; empty shops and desperate people. Why is the EU so silent?! I do not understand! [High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy] Josep Borrell must act now!” the MEP tweeted, sharing a BBC article on the shortages of essential goods in Nagorno Karabakh resulting from the blockade. Ararat Melkumyan was appointed secretary of Artsakh Security Council Vitaly Balasanyan was dismissed from the post of secretary of the Artsakh Security Council by the decree of the President of the Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan. Ararat Melkumyan was appointed to that position by another decree of the President of Artsakh. This was reported by the Main Information Department of the Artsakh President's Office. By another decree, Major General Ararat Melkumyan was dismissed from the position of the first deputy director of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia. Other News The Azeri thesis that an Artsakh citizen will come under the control of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces is false - NSS of Artsakh.

00:44 - 09 January, 2023

Daily News Summary [07.01.23]

Azerbaijan keeps the Lachin corridor connecting Armenia to Artsakh closed Since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has closed the Lachin Corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia, as a result of which 120,000 residents of Artsakh, including 30,000 children, were under siege. 1100 civilians, including 270 minors, cannot return from Armenia to Artsakh. Because of the blockade, it is not possible to deliver 400 tons of food and medicine from Armenia to Artsakh every day, as a result of which there is a shortage of food and medicine. 350 patients cannot receive treatment in Armenia. 12 children are in the neonatal and intensive care units, and 12 patients are in the intensive care unit. 5 are in critical condition. During these days, 10 Armenians and 4 foreigners in need of emergency medical care were transferred to Armenia only through the mediation of the Red Cross, and one of the patients in Artsakh who needed medical care and was in critical condition died. The action on the corridor of Lachin will continue until it achieves a result. This was announced by Hikmet Alizadeh, the head of the state service of ecological security of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan. Alizadeh noted that "the demands of environmentalists are very normal". "Participants of the action demand necessary conditions for monitoring in that area. I think the action will continue until it achieves results," Alizadeh said. The Azerbaijani armed forces violated the ceasefire in the Martuni region - Police of the Artsakh Ministry of Internal Affairs The Azerbaijani armed forces violated the ceasefire regime in the Martuni region. This is reported by the Police of Artsakh Ministry of Internal Affairs. On January 6, at 13:35, resident of Hatsi village of Martunu region I. Abrahamyan appealed to the police that around 13:00, while doing agricultural work with the "Belarus 82-1" tractor operated by him in the area called "Kaghnun tak" of the administrative area of Hatsi village, a round of fire was fired from a rifle from the adjacent Azerbaijani combat position in the direction of the tractor. Agricultural work has been stopped. The Martuni regional department of the police transferred the data to the Russian peacekeepers. The Ministry of Defense denies reports that the fire on the mountain near the village of Verishen was caused by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces The information spread in the media that the fire started on the mountain near the village of Verishen was caused by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, does not correspond to reality. The spokesman of the RA Ministry of Defense Aram Torosyan informed about this on his Facebook page. According to the message of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the fire extinguished by itself at 22:33. It should be reminded that according to the report of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, information was received that grass is burning on the mountain near the village of Verishen in the Syunik region. At 10:33 p.m., information was received that the fire has extinguished by itself. Armenia will continue negotiations with Turkey in order to fully regulate relations - RA Foreign Ministry spokesperson Armenia positively assesses Turkey's move to lift the ban on direct air cargo transportation, Vahan Hunanyan, the spokesperson of the RA MFA, stated about it. "Naturally, we positively assess Turkey's move to lift the ban on direct air cargo transportation. As in the past, Armenia will constructively continue the negotiations both on the other agreement reached by the special representatives on July 1, to ensure the possibility of crossing the land border for the citizens of third countries, as soon as possible, and on the complete settlement of Armenia-Turkey relations, that is, the two countries in order to establish diplomatic relations and open the Armenian-Turkish border," he noted. The RA Foreign Minister and the manager of the US International Development Agency had a telephone conversation On January 6, RA Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and US Agency for International Development (IDA) manager Samantha Power had a telephone conversation. During the telephone conversation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia presented to the USAID manager the worsening humanitarian situation because of the blocking of the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia - the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan since December 12. Minister Mirzoyan stressed that Azerbaijan's actions are aimed at subjecting 120 thousand of Artsakh Armenians to ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Emphasizing that Azerbaijan grossly violates its obligations assumed by the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020, the RA Foreign Minister emphasized the clear steps of the international community aimed at restoring the normal operation of the Lachin Corridor and preventing a humanitarian disaster. Other News Georgian President congratulates Armenians on Christmas.

00:21 - 07 January, 2023

Daily News Summary [05.01.23]

20:04 - 05 January, 2023

Daily News Summary [04.01.23]

U.S. to remain very much engaged “to help bring about that end state” between Armenia and Azerbaijan The United States continues to engage bilaterally with likeminded partners like the European Union and through international organizations like the OSCE to facilitate direct dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia to find solutions to all outstanding issues relating to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said at a press briefing. “Well, we continue to maintain our commitment to promoting a secure, stable, democratic, prosperous, and peaceful future for the South Caucasus region. We continue to engage bilaterally with likeminded partners like the European Union and through international organizations like the OSCE to facilitate direct dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia to find solutions to all outstanding issues relating to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Price said when asked to comment on the talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “We must clearly demonstrate our commitment to freedom by helping the people of Artsakh” – Los Angeles Mayor Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass calls for an end to the blockade of the Lachin Corridor. “I stand with the Armenian community here in Los Angeles calling for an end to the blockade of the Lachin Corridor. We must clearly demonstrate our commitment to freedom by helping the people of Artsakh. This is a crisis and will only get worse with inaction. Lives are at stake,” Mayor Karen Bass tweeted. Azerbaijan is keeping the Lachin Corridor blocked since 12 December 2022. The Lachin Corridor is the only road connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the rest of the world. The closure resulted in 120,000 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh being isolated and deprived of the right to freedom of movement. Nearly all grocery stores and pharmacies are empty amid widespread shortages of essential items because the road is the only supply route. Hundreds of families were separated and are unable to return to their loved ones. "We need the world's attention now" - Kim Kardashian on the situation of the Lachin Corridor In the "story" section of her Instagram page, Kim Kardashian reposted the information about Artsakh's blockade by Azerbaijan and urged not to be indifferent. "We need the world's attention now," she wrote. It should be noted that today there were reports about power outages in Artsakh, and then they were restored. Since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has closed the Lachin Corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia, as a result of which 120,000 residents of Artsakh, including 30,000 children, were under siege. 1100 civilians, including 270 minors, cannot return from Armenia to Artsakh. Because of the blockade, it is impossible to deliver 400 tons of food and medicine from Armenia to Artsakh every day, resulting in a shortage of food and medicine. 350 patients cannot receive treatment in Armenia. 12 children are in the neonatal and intensive care units, and 12 patients are in the intensive care unit. 5 are in critical condition. During these days, 10 Armenians and 4 foreigners in need of emergency medical care were transferred to Armenia only through the mediation of the Red Cross. One of the patients in Artsakh who needed medical care and was in critical condition died. We consider Armenia's calls to send any mission to "Azerbaijani territory" as another provocation - the MFA of Azerbaijan The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan commented on the statement made yesterday by the diplomatic department of Armenia. "The next statement of the Armenian Foreign Ministry about the ongoing protests on the road to Lachin is completely groundless and aims to cause confusion among international partners and artificially aggravate the situation," the MFA of Azerbaijan declares. "It is not surprising that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has completely distorted the complaints of representatives of the civil society of Azerbaijan, which are directed against the looting of our natural resources during the 30-year Armenian occupation. It seems that the Armenian side intends to continue illegal economic and other activities in the territory of Azerbaijan. We consider Armenia's calls to send any mission to the territory of Azerbaijan as another provocation directed against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country," the statement of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reads. British legislators, the Bishop of Coventry, and other politicians urge international leaders to engage in Lachin Corridor UK Baroness Caroline Cox, Lord Rowan Williams, Lord Alton of Liverpool, the Bishop of Coventry, Dr.John Eibner, and Tim Loughton MP issued a statement appealing to international leaders to urgently engage with the “appalling tragedy” caused by Azerbaijan’s blockade of Lachin Corridor. Genocide Watch organization condemned the blockade of Artsakh The Genocide Watch organization dealing with the issues of genocide prevention has commented on the blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan for almost a month. “The U.S. must condemn Azerbaijan and: 1) Enforce Section 907 and stop all military assistance. 2) Impose sanctions, using Magnitsky laws and other applicable legal instruments. 3) Send emergency aid to the 120,000 Armenians suffering a humanitarian crisis,” the organization wrote on its Twitter. International actors must decide whether the lives of starving people are important, or economic or other interests - HRD of Artsakh Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan made a post on his Twitter page. "Azerbaijan acts in total impunity, ignoring the statements of intl organizations and states. In this situation, the only realistic step is the application of sanctions against Azerbaijan. Intl actors must decide whether the lives of starving people are important or economic or other interests," Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan wrote on Twitter. Other News 2 deaths due to the H1N1 virus were registered in Armenia - Romella Abovyan. Armenians held an action in front of the Los Angeles governor's office in support of Artsakh.

22:27 - 04 January, 2023

Daily News Summary [30.12.2022]

By the decision of the RA Prime Minister, a working group was created to support the people of Nagorno-Karabakh in the management of the humanitarian crisis RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan decided to sign the creation of a working group to support the people of Nagorno-Karabakh in the management of the humanitarian crisis established in Nagorno-Karabakh. RA Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan was appointed head of the working group. The group includes RA Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Narek Mkrtchyan, Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan, Advisor to the RA Prime Minister Artashes Tumanyan, and others. Despite these difficulties, we will go forward, we have no other way - Ruben Vardanyan Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan convened an extended consultation today with the participation of the management staff of state bodies. Summing up the past year, the state minister considered it difficult. "We faced a new reality - a blockade. On the other hand, this year showed that society is really ready to come together, and the two rallies showed people's willingness to stand side by side. I want to thank the people of Artsakh, who in this situation do not lose their spirit, do not change their ideas about the independence and future of Artsakh, and continue to stand dignified on their land", emphasized Ruben Vardanyan. The Minister of State thanked the participants of the session for the work carried out in difficult conditions. Addressing the newly appointed Ministers of Health, Agriculture, Territorial Administration, and Infrastructure, he said that it is not appropriate to congratulate them in this situation, instead, perhaps it is more correct to thank them for taking responsibility. The Minister of State emphasized that despite the blockade, the initiated reforms will continue. We ran out of basic grocery items, shops are almost empty - the Mayor of Stepanakert The shops of Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh, have almost completely run out of basic grocery items. Stepanakert Mayor Davit Sargsyan said about this. "The stores are almost empty, groceries, oil, and sugar are left in few stores, in small quantities. There are no fruits and vegetables left. There are cases when these products are not provided to people. We don't have a problem with flour and wheat, the bread factories are working normally," said Sargsyan. According to Sargsyan, five percent of the gasoline stock is left in the city, cars use gas as fuel. Artsakh residents were in front of the government building: They were demanding actions to open the Lachin corridor Today, a group of Artsakh residents was carrying out a rally in front of the RA government building. According to them, Artsakh is under blockade, but as of today, they do not see any positive steps. "We have seen that the RA Prime Minister personally told Vladimir Putin in the Russian Federation that the road to Lachin Corridor is closed, and they are not taking any positive steps. The Republic of Artsakh is under blockade. it is a flagrant violation of human rights. They are not taking any positive steps, that is, in fact, we have come to the conviction that the Russian peacekeeping forces can't fulfill their task, but they can't understand how such a superpower can take on such a task to ensure a peaceful life for people for at least 5 years, and less than 2 years later, people are already in a blockade." When asked why they don't go to the Russian embassy, the participant of the action answered:"Why should we go to the embassy if the Prime Minister of Armenia has personally told the President of the Russian Federation," said the participant, noting that they came here to demand that measures be taken to open the corridor, at least to deliver humanitarian aid. One of the Artsakh residents who participated in the action said that they had two goals for gathering here."First of all, we have gathered to show our support to our young people fighting for the people in Stepanakert, especially the young people, not the members of the assembly, not the deputies, not the rest, because we do not see places aimed at the freedom of the people." Other News Arayik Harutyunyan held a meeting with the participation of the leaders of the power structures. Vladimir Putin sent congratulatory messages to former RA presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan. and RA PM Nikol Pashinyan. Mikhail Mishustin sent a congratulatory message to Nikol Pashinyan. Pashinyan sent a congratulatory message to Zelensky on the New Year and Christmas holidays. Azerbaijani side spreads another disinformation on the border situation.

23:41 - 30 December, 2022

Daily News Summary [28.12.2022]

Negotiations on resuming unimpeded traffic on Stepanakert-Goris road are ongoing The Russian peacekeeping contingent continues to fulfill its tasks in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reports. According to the source, Russian peacekeepers are conducting round-the-clock monitoring of the situation in 30 observation posts and monitoring of the ceasefire. It is noted that the command of the Russian peacekeepers continues the negotiation process with the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides regarding the resumption of the unhindered movement of automobile transport along the Stepanakert-Goris road (Lachin Corridor - ed.). Since December 12, Azerbaijan continues to keep the only road connecting Artsakh to the world, the Lachin Corridor, closed, citing false environmental reasons. The government of Artsakh has decided to turn to international organizations to carry out ecological expertise: Mine operation will be temporarily suspended The government of the Republic of Artsakh once again confirms that the mining industry in Artsakh is carried out according to the highest international standards, to which the regulations defined by the legislation of the sector are also aligned. However, taking into account the unhealthy environment created by the "eco-activists" of the neighboring country and the attempts to mislead the international community, it was decided to contact international organizations to conduct an international ecological examination related to the activities of the "Base Metals" company. Together with the management of the company, a decision was made to temporarily stop the operation of the company's mine until the examination is completed. UNICEF issued a statement regarding the situation of the Lachine Corridor "The actual closure of the entrance to Nagorno-Karabakh through the Lachin corridor has a negative impact on the situation of children. How long will this situation last?The more children will suffer from a lack of basic food and basic services necessary for their survival, healthy growth, and well-being. Meanwhile, many children were also deprived of parental care because they were separated from their parents or legal guardians. UNICEF reiterates the UN Secretary-General's call to ensure freedom and security of movement through the Lachine Corridor in line with previous agreements. This is critical to ensure that children in Nagorno-Karabakh are protected and that humanitarian organizations can reach those in need safely and quickly. UNICEF continues to seek dialogue and cooperation with all actors to gain access to support children in the area." The UN Human Rights Commission should send a fact-finding mission to Lachine Corridor - RA Human Rights Defender The UN Human Rights Commission should send a fact-finding mission to the Lachine Corridor. RA human rights defender Kristine Grigoryan announced this in a tweet. "The UN Human Rights Commission should send a fact-finding mission to Lachin Corridor blocked already for 17th day - the only way to have a clear understanding of the matter. And yes, the mere fact that only ICRC emblemed vehicles move in and out proves that the blockade continues," the RA human rights defender wrote on Twitter. The platform for negotiations with Armenia is not a priority for us - Bayramov Azerbaijan is aiming to achieve results in negotiations with Armenia, and the platform on which these negotiations are conducted is not a priority, said Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. TASS writes about this. "The position of the Azerbaijani side is as follows - our main goal is to make the negotiations effective. And from this point of view, the negotiation platform, although important, is not a priority for us," Bayramov said. According to him, the Azerbaijani side has always agreed to conduct negotiations on any platform. "We have shown our openness to the process. The only exceptions are those platforms and people who have demonstrated their bias and inability to take a neutral and fair stance. Naturally, such platforms and participants are unacceptable for us," Bayramov emphasized. Other News The Ministry of Defense plans to call reservists for training musters from March 1 to May 12 of 2023. 3.281 reservists will be called up. On December 28, the President of the Republic Arayik Harutyunyan received the representatives of the political forces represented in the National Assembly. 3 patients in serious condition were transferred from Artsakh to Armenia through the mediation of the Red Cross.

23:40 - 28 December, 2022

Daily News Summary [27.12.2022]

The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called to ensure free movement through the Lachin Corridor The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for the issue of the Lachine Corridor to be resolved through dialogue."We call on the sides to resolve pending issues through a dialogue, urgently enable free & safe movement, protect human rights& avoid adverse humanitarian impact on civilians," the statement of the office reads. Azerbaijani FM Bayramov accused Armenia of being "deconstructive" The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, considers the progress in negotiations with Armenia in 2022 regarding the peace treaty and border delimitation to be limited. According to Azerbaijani media, he accused Armenia of allegedly being destructive. "The first round of peace treaty negotiations took place in Geneva, the second in Washington, and the third round did not take place due to the refusal of the Armenian side. Also, three sessions of the joint commission for border demarcation took place. In general, the progress achieved regarding the peace agreement and border demarcation is very limited, the reason is the non-constructive and inconsistent position of the Armenian side," Bayramov said at the press conference summarizing the results of 2022. He noted that "Armenia must fulfill its obligations, and Baku will continue its efforts for Armenia to fulfill them." The Foreign Minister also noted that for Baku, Russia's proposal to leave the issue of the status of Nagorno Karabakh to future generations is unacceptable. "It is no secret that the Russian side proposed to leave the issue related to the status of Karabakh to future generations. Baku has already expressed its position on this issue," Bayramov said. At the moment, the most urgent issue is the crisis that exists on the Lachin corridor: Pashinyan had a conversation with Putin A private conversation between the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin took place in Saint Petersburg, RA Prime Minister's Office reports. In his speech, Vladimir Putin, in particular, noted: "Dear Nikol, quite recently the meeting of the intergovernmental commission took place, the colleagues noted that the situation in the economic sphere is developing quite positively in our country. During the first 10 months of the current year, the increase in turnover was 73 percent, which is a good result. We started with you yesterday, and we managed to talk with you, of course, the main issue in general is the settlement of the situation in the South Caucasus, Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, and everything related to Karabakh. And as we agreed, we discuss all these issues in detail." Vladimir Putin stated that on December 26, on the eve of the informal CIS summit, a three-way conversation was held with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The Russian President also noted that he will discuss the settlement of the situation in the South Caucasus and Armenian-Azerbaijani relations with the Prime Minister of Armenia. "Of course, the main problem is the settlement of the situation in the South Caucasus as a whole, Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, everything related to Karabakh," Putin said. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in his turn, noted that the Lachin Corridor has not been under the control of the Russian peacekeeping troops for 20 days. "At the moment, the most important thing is the crisis of the Lachine Corridor. You know that it has been blocked for almost 20 days," said the RA Prime Minister. Nikol Pashinyan reminded that the Lachin Corridor in Nagorno-Karabakh is under the control of Russian peacekeepers. "I want to remind you that according to the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020 (by the President of the Russian Federation, the President of Azerbaijan, and the Prime Minister of Armenia), the Lachin Corridor should be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. And the Republic of Azerbaijan has guaranteed the uninterrupted passage of passengers and cargo through the Lachin Corridor. Now it turns out that the Lachin corridor is not under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Of course, I would like to discuss this situation and what options are available (to resolve the created situation, - ed.)," said Nikol Pashinyan. The citizens of Artsakh who were carrying out the march decided to spend the night outside: They didn't manage to meet the commander of the Russian peacekeeping mission, Andrey Volkov Today, on December 27, Artsakh residents marched to Stepanakert airport to demand a meeting with the commander of the Russian peacekeeping mission, Andrey Volkov. Citizens marching in Artsakh decided to spend the night outside because they did not manage to meet with Volkov. They marched to the Stepanakert airport, then went down from the airport entrance to the main entrance, where the peacekeepers were stationed. From December 12 until today, Azerbaijan continues to close the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia. On December 12, at 10:30 a.m., a group of Azerbaijanis closed the Shushi-Karin section of the Stepanakert-Goris highway, putting 120.000 residents of Artsakh under siege. 1.100 civilians, including 270 minors, cannot return to Artsakh, some temporarily staying in Syunik. The transport connection of Lisagor, Mets Shen, Hin Shen, and Yegtsahogh villages of the Shushi region with the capital Stepanakert is interrupted. Since December 13, Azerbaijan has also interrupted the gas supply of the Republic of Artsakh. The gas supply was restored on December 16. Other News The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Foundation issued a statement regarding the closure of the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia by Azerbaijan.

00:09 - 28 December, 2022

Daily News Summary [26.12.2022]

Lachin Corridor remains closed: Day 12 Since December 12, Azerbaijan has closed the Lachin Corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia, as a result of which 120,000 residents of Artsakh, including 30,000 children, have been blockaded. 1100 civilians, including 270 minors, cannot return from Armenia to Artsakh. Because of the blockade, it is not possible to deliver 400 tons of food and medicine from Armenia to Artsakh every day, as a result of which there is a shortage of food and medicine. At the Republic Medical Center of Artsakh, 10 patients are in the intensive care unit - 4 are in critical condition Because of the blocking by Azerbaijan of the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia, scheduled surgeries continue to be suspended in the medical facilities operating under the Artsakh Ministry of Health. This is reported by the Artsakh Ministry of Health. 10 children are in the neonatal and intensive care units in the "Arevik" medical unit. A 4-month-old baby diagnosed with enteric leishmaniasis has positive dynamics and continues to receive treatment at the specialized medical center of RA. At the Republican Medical Center, 10 patients are in the intensive care unit, and 4 of them are in critical condition. Doctors are doing their best to stabilize the condition of the patients. According to specialists, the 4-month-old child transferred from Artsakh to Yerevan on December 24 with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross has a slightly positive dynamic, but his condition is still serious. The child with the diagnosis of enteric leishmaniasis, who is now in "Muratsan" hospital, has started eating and has become more active, Hripsime Khachatryan, the spokesperson of the Minister of Health, told "News". The condition of a 62-year-old man from Artsakh, who was transferred to Yerevan on December 19, with heart pathology, is also stable. He underwent surgery in the "Nork-Marash" medical center, now the patient is in the general ward. The Artsakh Ministry of Health is taking all possible measures to properly overcome the situation created due to the blockade. The escalation around the Lachin Corridor complicates the work of concluding a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan - Galuzin The escalation around the Lachin Corridor complicates the work of concluding a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said this in an interview with TASS and assured that the Russian side is making vigorous efforts to settle the situation on the ground. "We are waiting for the early resumption of joint work in all ways of regulating Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. We believe that in this case, the period of agreement regarding the document is not very important. The main thing is that Baku and Yerevan reach a mutually acceptable solution that will guarantee a stable and fair peace in the region," said the diplomat. According to Galuzin, the Russian side is ready to support the negotiation process as stated in the tripartite statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia at the Sochi summit on October 31. Russia is doing everything to solve the issues related to Karabakh - Ambassador of Belarus to Armenia It is necessary to make sure that people do not suffer. Alexander Konyuk, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Armenia, commented on the situation in the Lachin corridor. In this matter, according to him, there are many other political moments. "But, in our opinion, this is the most important topic. It should be resolved as soon as possible," the ambassador said. He also stated that he did not hear anyone criticizing the Russian peacekeepers. Konyuk did not rule out that there are unfriendly forces that do this. "It is just stupid to do such things when Russia actually ensures peace in Armenia," the ambassador emphasized. There will be no tripartite meeting, but Putin will meet with Pashinyan and Aliyev separately - Peskov A tripartite meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is not planned at the informal summit of the CIS in St. Petersburg. This was announced by the press secretary of the Russian President, Dmitry Peskov. "No, there will not be a tripartite meeting, but bilateral contacts will certainly take place within the framework of this informal meeting," he emphasized. Nikol Pashinyan participated in the informal summit of the heads of the CIS member states Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took part in the unofficial summit of the heads of CIS member states in St. Petersburg. The event was also attended by the Presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the President of Azerbaijan. First, the video recording ceremony of the participants of the meeting took place, then Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted the participants. Issues related to the development of cooperation in the territory of the CIS were discussed at the meeting. The summit ended with a working lunch of the leaders of the CIS states. Putin announced the growing differences between the CIS countries The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, stated that the CIS countries continue to cooperate, despite the differences between them, and strive to jointly solve problematic issues. "The key area of cooperation between the CIS countries is maintaining security and stability in our common Eurasian region. Unfortunately, the challenges and threats in this field, first of all, from the outside, are only increasing year by year. It must be admitted that differences also arise between the member states of the Commonwealth of Nations. The main thing is that we are ready and will cooperate. Even if problematic issues arise, we strive to solve them ourselves, together, providing each other with friendly and mediating assistance," Putin said in his speech at the informal summit of CIS leaders. Other News A group of citizens was carrying out a rally today, marching from Republic Square in Yerevan to Lachin Corridor. Grigor Minasyan was appointed Minister of Justice.

21:31 - 26 December, 2022

Daily News Summary [24-25.12.2022]

The Putin-Pashinyan-Aliev meeting is not planned in St. Petersburg - Peskov A tripartite meeting of the leaders of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan is not planned in St. Petersburg within the framework of the unofficial CIS summit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told "Interfax" about this. "They (the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia - ed.) will be in St. Petersburg, but a meeting of the three is not planned," Peskov noted. It should be reminded that earlier, Peskov announced that the coordination of the tripartite meeting of the heads of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan is ongoing, but they can at least speak informally within the framework of the unofficial summit of the leaders of the CIS countries. "The communication linking Artsakh to the outside world must be restored without preconditions and immediately": Tens of thousands of Artsakh citizens gathered in Renaissance Square Today, on the 14th day of the siege of Artsakh, tens of thousands of Artsakh citizens gathered in Stepanakert's Revival Square. Artsakh Republic President Arayik Harutyunyan, former President Bako Sahakyan, and Minister of State Ruben Vardanyan were present at the rally. The people gathered in the Renaissance Square of Stepanakert, the capital of the Republic of Artsakh, address their call to Armenians around the world, the world community, and every individual fighting for freedom and universal values. "Since December 12, Artsakh has been under complete blockade. More than 120.000 people, including about 30.000 children, found themselves in a difficult situation, being completely deprived of free movement and many vital opportunities related to it. Once again, the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan grossly violates the norms of international law and in 2020 the obligations assumed by the Tripartite Declaration of November 9.The uninterrupted operation of the land road between Artsakh and Armenia cannot be the subject of any negotiations and bargaining. Communication connecting Artsakh to the outside world should be restored without preconditions and immediately, and conditions should be created to ensure its further uninterrupted activity," the call of the Artsakh people stated. 10 tons of humanitarian cargo was sent from Armenia to Artsakh Today, December 25, 10 tons of humanitarian cargo was transferred from Armenia to Artsakh through the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Zara Amatuni, press officer of the Armenian Red Cross office, informed "Hetq" about this. "The contents of the cargo were children's and other food, and medicines, which were transferred to the health institutions of Artsakh in order to redistribute from there," he said. Zara Amatuni also informed that 4 foreign citizens were taken out of Artsakh today through the mediation of the Red Cross. He did not say which country they were citizens of. "I can only mention that they had chronic diseases, and that was the reason for the transfer," he said. Aliyev again talks about the return of Azerbaijanis to Syunik The president of Azerbaijan again presents territorial demands to Armenia. Ilham Aliyev spoke about it today during his visit to the office of the "West Azerbaijan" community in Baku. The Azerbaijani authorities call the Syunik region of the Republic of Armenia "Western Azerbaijan". "Western Azerbaijan is our historical territory. This is evidenced by many historical documents, historical maps, and our history," Aliyev stated during a meeting with intellectuals. "Unfortunately, Armenians leveled and destroyed all our historical and religious monuments in Western Azerbaijan. However, the historical maps displayed in this building prove that Western Azerbaijan is a historical Azerbaijani territory, and the names of the cities and villages there are of Azerbaijani origin. I am sure that a day will come when West Azerbaijanis, their children, and grandchildren will return to their native lands with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm. There are many factors to claim this. The main one among them is the historical memory of our people," Aliyev said. The RA Foreign Ministry issued a statement regarding the speech of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev Today, on December 24, the thoughts expressed by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during the meeting with the representatives of the so-called "Western Azerbaijan" prove once again that the leadership of this state is in no way interested in the establishment of peace and stability in the South Caucasus. Moreover, the latter not only openly accepts the fact of the occupation of the sovereign territory of Armenia through the use of force but also makes new territorial demands and threats of force against the Republic of Armenia, showing open contempt for both international law and international partners. "The statements of the leader of Azerbaijan, which contradict the agreements reached in Prague and Sochi this year, reflect the aspirations of the leadership of Azerbaijan to abort the peace process. All the justifications made in the speech regarding the illegal blocking of Lachine Corridor have nothing to do with reality. This and other aggressive actions carried out by Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno Karabakh in the past are part of the consistent policy of ethnic cleansing of the people of Nagorno Karabakh. Other News Grigor Minasyan was dismissed from the post of Deputy Minister of Justice. Azerbaijan wants to put pressure on the people of Artsakh to leave their land: Ruben Vardanyan's interview with the Italian TEMPI. RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan had an interview with Azatutyun. The RA Foreign Ministry issued a statement regarding the speech of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.

22:36 - 25 December, 2022

Daily News Summary [23.12.2022]

RA Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan discussed the situation with foreign counterparts On December 23, RA Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had a telephone conversation with France's co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Brice Roquefeuil. The interlocutors touched on issues related to the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, and the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. Presenting the situation created as a result of blocking the Lachin Corridor, Ararat Mirzoyan emphasized that Azerbaijan's actions are aimed at creating a large-scale humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and subjecting Nagorno-Karabakh to ethnic cleansing. Minister Mirzoyan emphasized that the international community should take active steps to force Azerbaijan to fully respect the 2020 provisions of the tripartite declaration of November 9 and unconditionally unblock the Lachine Corridor, removing all obstacles to safe and unhindered transport traffic. He emphasized the fact-finding mission to Nagorno-Karabakh and Lachin Corridor in order to assess the humanitarian situation, as well as the provision of unhindered humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh for relevant UN bodies. Mirzoyan also had a telephone conversation with Toivo Klaar, the EU's special representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia. During the telephone conversation, regional security and stability issues were touched upon. RA Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan presented the situation created by Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor, including the humanitarian consequences for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. Mirzoyan also talked to the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Senior Advisor on Caucasian Negotiations Phillip Reeker. During the telephone conversation, the security situation in the South Caucasus region, the process of normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, and the latest developments regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh issue were discussed. RA Foreign Minister presented to the interlocutor the situation created by Azerbaijan's blocking of the Lachin Corridor since December 12, emphasizing that Azerbaijan's actions are aimed at creating a humanitarian disaster in Nagorno-Karabakh and subjecting the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to ethnic cleansing. Ararat Mirzoyan also emphasized that Azerbaijan violates the 2020 obligations under the tripartite declaration of November 9 and grossly violates international humanitarian law, emphasizing the international community's response in the context of restoring unhindered traffic through the Lachine Corridor. The reality is that on December 3, the Azerbaijani side submitted written proposals to the Artsakh authorities, which were unacceptable to Artsakh -Artsakh President Artsakh President Arayk Harutyunyan made a statement, stating that on December 3, after blocking the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia for the first time, the Azerbaijani side, through Russian peacekeepers, forwarded written proposals to Artsakh authorities, which had nothing to do with environmental issues and were absolutely unacceptable for Artsakh. The President of the European Council spoke in favor of suspending Russia's membership in the UN Security Council Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, is of the opinion that it is necessary to develop a mechanism to "suspend" Russia's membership in the UN Security Council. At the same time, he admitted that it is not possible at the moment. In an interview with the RTVi TV channel, Michel accused Russia of violating international law, noting that when a permanent member of the UN Security Council does it, "there is a flaw in international law." "In my opinion, a membership suspension mechanism should be created. I am not talking about removing Russia completely, but at least about suspending Russia's membership in the Security Council," he stated. At the same time, the head of the European Council admitted that "this is not possible at the moment, it will bring the very concept of UN security to a dead end." "However, we clearly saw that before this war began, the UN security concept was already very shaky and had many difficulties in solving serious international problems. So, I am one of those people who believe that sooner or later the reform of the work of the UN will be mandatory, for example, in order to better take into account the balance of the modern world order," said the President of the European Council. In particular, according to him, Africa and Latin America are now badly represented in the structures of the United Nations. "I think that there will be a discussion about the deep reform of the UN system," he concluded. RA FM Lavrov stated that RA did not use any diplomatic channel to inform that it will not participate in the meeting of foreign ministers Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Armenia did not use any diplomatic channel to inform Russia that it refuses to participate in the tripartite meeting with Russian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov and Jeyhun Bayramov in Moscow. According to the Russian Foreign Minister, "the method of informing the Armenian side raises questions." Lavrov announced this during the press conference following the negotiations with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Bairamov. "Like you, we learned about the refusal [to participate in the meeting] from the press report. No diplomatic channel, which is usually included in such cases, was used. This is the decision of the Armenian side," he said, adding that "informing everyone like that raises questions." It should be reminded the meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan was supposed to take place in Moscow today, but the Armenian side asked to postpone it. Bayramov announced that "Ruben Vardanyan should leave Nagorno Karabakh immediately" Azerbaijan demands that Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan leave Nagorno Karabakh. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov announced this at the press conference held as a result of negotiations with Sergey Lavrov. "His (Vardanyan-ed.) activity is criminal and adventurous in nature. We think it needs to stop. And the sooner this person leaves this region, the better it will be for everyone. First of all, the local population suffers from it. Before his arrival, there were positive relations, and his factor is very harmful and destabilizing. Bayramov noted that Ruben Vardanyan is a "foreign element" for the region. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in turn, noted that Russia has nothing to do with Ruben Vardanyan's decision to settle in Nagorno-Karabakh and engage in political activities there. "Mr. Vardanyan has nothing to do with Russia, the Russian authorities have nothing to do with him. At his request, the President of the Russian Federation signed a decree the other day, and he is no longer a citizen of the Russian Federation. We did not have, do not have, and are not going to have anything to do with his going to Karabakh and engaging in political activities there," Lavrov said. Other News A group of citizens of the Republic of Artsakh, men, and women, walked a short distance from the Artsakh side to the checkpoint of the Russian peacekeeping troops to negotiate with them on the issue of opening the only road connecting Armenia. On December 23, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan received the Artsakh delegation led by Acting Foreign Minister Davit Babayan. On December 20-21, the working discussion of the heads of RA diplomatic missions took place in Jermuk under the leadership of the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs and the leadership of the central apparatus of the MFA. The executive and legislative authorities of Armenia are carrying out large-scale work together with all partners so that the opening of the Lachin Corridor takes place as soon as possible, Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan announced today in the National Assembly.

21:23 - 23 December, 2022