Infocom

After the large-scale attack of September 13, the hotel economy in the border areas is depressed - Armenian MP

Armen Khachatryan, deputy of the "Civil Contract" faction of the National Assembly called on RA officials, businessmen, and all citizens to organize their rest, external sessions, meetings, and seminars in the settlements where tourism was affected by the Azerbaijani aggression. "Recently, Azerbaijan's aggression and military attacks are directed not only against the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity but also against economic development and the economy in general. The enemy's goal is also to cripple our economy. In a way, he succeeds in this with our help. After the large-scale attack on September 13, the hotel economy in our border settlements, Vayots Dzor, Syunik, particularly in the city of Goris, in Jermuk, has fallen into depression and is in a rather difficult situation. The fact that tourists from abroad do not go to Syunik, Vayots Dzor is somehow understandable, but the fact that domestic tourism has become zero is not understandable to me. Today, when we look at the congestion in Dilijan, Tsaghkadzor, and hotels, there is no place, but Syunik, Vayots Dzor, Goris, and Jermuk, almost no tourists go there, and somehow this is incomprehensible to me." Khachatryan mentioned that patriotism should be demonstrated not only during war. "Patriotism should be demonstrated in our daily behavior, and it is a manifestation of patriotism to hold our meetings, seminars, and recreation in those affected cities in order to help those economies."

17:44 - 06 December, 2022

The settlement of relations with Hungary without remorse will be another humiliation of the dignity of the Armenian people - Armenian MP

The normalization of relations with Hungary, without remorse on the part of the latter, without condemnation of Safarov's heroization policy, will be another humiliation of the dignity of the Armenian people, MP of the "Armenia" fraction Anna Grigoryan stated today. "In 2012, Armenia severed diplomatic relations with Hungary after it extradited Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani who axed Gurgen Margaryan while he was sleeping in Budapest, despite the fact that Safarov was sentenced to life in prison for 30 years without parole. It is extremely important to record not only the fact of the extradition itself but the fact that the motive of the extradition was the promise of providing millions of dollars by Azerbaijan. In fact, Hungary extradited the murderer Safarov, and then the latter was made a hero in Azerbaijan, and Hungary remained silent, did not condemn, did not call for Azerbaijan to unconditionally fulfill the Hungarian court's verdict, and what is more important, did not repent and apologize." Anna Grigoryan said, today Hungary has the status of an observer in the Organization of Turkic-Speaking States, moreover, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary considered the Forum of Turkic-Speaking States a peace forum, and expressed his solidarity with Azerbaijan in the unleashed war against Artsakh. "Actually, not only years ago, but also today, Hungary justifies Azerbaijan's murderous policy against the Armenian people, and today's government cites the fact that Hungary provided vaccines to Armenia during the coronavirus pandemic and mediated the return of Armenian prisoners of war as a reason for the normalization of relations. and so on." According to the deputy, however, Hungary is not to blame. "Hungary auctioned the blood of an Armenian man, Gurgen Margaryan, and if Armenia goes to the normalization of relations without Hungary's acceptance of this guilt, repentance, it means that Armenia is also in solidarity with this decision made by Hungary in time," she said. It should be reminded that on December 1, within the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Forum, the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Hungary, Ararat Mirzoyan and Péter Szijjártó, took place. At the meeting, the parties agreed to restore full diplomatic relations, and also, as a continuation of the meeting, the two governments should appoint non-resident ambassadors to explore the possibilities of developing relations, especially in the fields of trade, culture, education, and tourism.

17:37 - 06 December, 2022

Any threat or provocation directed against Turkey and Azerbaijan will be considered a threat against both countries - Turkish Defense Minister

Any threat or provocation directed against Turkey and Azerbaijan, regardless of where and by whom it comes from, will be considered a threat against both countries. This was stated by Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, who recently left for Baku to attend the Turkish-Azerbaijani joint military exercises. Hulusi Akar noted that the two countries view both friends and enemies as common. "Ensuring the security of our countries and our nation in this sensitive process is only possible if we have an effective, restraining and respected army," Akar noted, adding that for this it is necessary to have professional personnel, weapons, and equipment. According to Akar, Turkey and Azerbaijan are fraternal countries that are together in all kinds of threats and dangers. "The whole world saw the best example of brotherly relations between countries when Azerbaijan liberated its lands from Armenian occupation after 30 years. Thanks to this victory, which was achieved as a result of 30 years of perseverance, faith, and determination, for the first time in many years, hopes for peace and stability in the region have increased," Akar noted. Speaking about the 44-day war, Akar noted that "various international organizations, including the EU, rushed to the region to protect Armenia after the victory of Azerbaijan". "However, no one should ever forget that Turkey is always by the side of brotherly Azerbaijan. Once again, we want to emphasize that, having the understanding of "two states, one nation" with Azerbaijan, we also know how to be one army, one force, and one fist. We consider the threat or provocation directed against Turkey and Azerbaijan as directed against both countries, regardless of where and from whom it comes. Our friend and enemy are one and the same. No one should doubt it," said Akar. Akar also noted that the presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan, Erdogan and Aliyev, made great efforts to achieve peace in the region. "We hope that Armenia will shake the hand extended by Turkey and Azerbaijan. Turkey supports sincere efforts to establish permanent peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia," Akar said. Akar also referred to establishing a connection between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan through the so-called "Zangezur Corridor", noting that this way peace will be established in the region. "Our sincere desire is to restore railway and road connections in the region, especially the opening of the Zangezur Corridor, start an economic activity, and achieve the normalization of relations in the entire region, including Azerbaijan-Armenia and Turkey-Armenia relations. We expect that other actors in the region will also contribute to the formation of a prosperous future, where there will be cooperation and solidarity between countries. In the end, Turkey will continue to stand by Azerbaijan, as it has been until now," said the Turkish minister.

17:12 - 06 December, 2022

Putin and Aliyev had a telephone conversation for the second time in a week

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had a telephone conversation, Kremlin press service reports. It is noted that the further steps of the implementation of the entire complex of tripartite agreements of the heads of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan were discussed, with an emphasis on the practical issues of unblocking transport and economic ties in the region. Ilham Aliyev also announced yesterday that he discussed the issue of the so-called "Zangezur Corridor" with Russian officials during his last conversation. The last time it was Igor Khovaev, the special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry on the issue of the settlement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, who had a meeting with Aliyev. It should be noted that Putin and Aliyev also had a telephone conversation a few days ago, on November 22, just one day before Vladimir Putin's visit to Yerevan within the framework of the CSTO joint session. After the meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council held in Yerevan, the meeting between the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin took place.

14:37 - 26 November, 2022

According to Aliyev, Iran will not block the opening of the so-called "Zangezur Corridor"

"Zangezur Corridor" is not directed against anyone, on the contrary, it will serve the benefit of all interested parties. According to the Azerbaijani media, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said this. "During my last conversation, we discussed the issue of Zangezur corridor with Russian officials. I don't think that Armenia is capable of blocking this corridor. As for Iran, I think that Iran will not do that either, considering its interest in regional communication projects. Those projects are not directed against anyone, but on the contrary, they will serve only for the benefit of all interested parties," said Aliyev. It should be noted that Iran's high-ranking officials have repeatedly emphasized the importance of the territorial integrity of the countries in the region and the inviolability of internationally recognized borders, as well as noted that any geopolitical change in the region will face a serious response from Iran. Igor Khovaev, the special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry on the issue of the settlement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, had a meeting with Ilham Aliyev in Azerbaijan yesterday. According to the press release of the Azerbaijani president's office, there was an exchange of ideas regarding the negotiation process of the settlement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the preparation of the peace treaty. Aliyev noted that, allegedly, the Armenian side does not fulfill the obligations assumed by the tripartite agreement of November 9, 2020. Before that, Igor Khovaev had been in Armenia, where he had meetings with RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.

11:57 - 25 November, 2022

The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan accuses the Russian side of not objectively presenting the border situation in Artsakh

The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan has released a message, in which it complains that the messages of the Russian peacekeeping mission uses the Armenian place names of the Artsakh Republic, despite the fact that, according to the report, "The Azerbaijani side officially provided the list and map of the settlements of the economic zone of Karabakh, with Azerbaijani place names, to the former and current command of the Russian peacekeeping force temporarily stationed in the territory of Azerbaijan, as well as to the joint Turkish-Russian monitoring center." In particular, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan mentions the November 24 message of the Russian peacekeeping troops, in which it is mentioned that the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime by opening fire in the direction of Maghavuz settlement. The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan states that the name of the settlement is not Maghavuz, but Chardaghl, and denies the message of the Russian side about violating the ceasefire regime. The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan also accuses the Russian side of not mentioning the violations of the ceasefire by the Artsakh side in its official reports. It is also mentioned that mines were discovered in Saribaba, which are of Armenian production and dated to 2021. "We call on the command of the Russian peacekeeping force temporarily stationed in the territory of Azerbaijan to correctly mention the place names of the settlements in the territory of our country in the relevant information and to seriously suppress all the provocative actions of the illegal Armenian military units, including the mining of the territories," it was stated in the message of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. Earlier, RA Ambassador-at-Large Edmon Marukyan addressed the accusations of Azerbaijan transporting ammunition to Artsakh through the Lachin Corridor, noting that Azerbaijan took land mines from the occupied territories of Armenia, moved to Nagorno Karabakh, a territory controlled by Azerbaijan, to show international partners and create false grounds for disputing the Lachin Corridor.

09:57 - 25 November, 2022

A meeting of the CSTO Council will be held in Yerevan on November 23 under the chairmanship of the RA Prime Minister

On November 23, a session of the CSTO Council will be held in Yerevan under the chairmanship of the RA Prime Minister. This was reported by the CSTO press service. It is noted that the members of the Council will discuss current issues related to international and regional security and the main results of CSTO activities after the previous session. "One of the most important issues will be the improvement of the CSTO crisis response system and the discussion of joint measures to provide assistance to the Republic of Armenia. It is planned to adopt the declaration of the Collective Security Council during the session. The agenda of the session includes a number of documents to be signed, which refer to equipping the peacekeeping forces with modern weapons, military and special equipment, joint formation of radiation, chemical and biological defense mechanisms. In relation with the January 1, 2023 rotation, the Council will discuss the issue of the CSTO Secretary General," the message states.

12:57 - 18 November, 2022

Armenia wants to include the issues related to Armenians "living in Azerbaijan" in the peace agreement: It won't happen, it's impossible - Aliyev

"Today, I consider Armenia's talks about peace to be a kind of manipulation," the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said this at the meeting with the delegation led by the European Union Special Envoy for Eastern Partnership Dirk Schuebel, the office of the President of Azerbaijan informs. At the meeting, Schuebel noted that he visited Azerbaijan after his visit to Armenia and added that the main message he received from the meetings held in Armenia was that Armenia is also interested in achieving peace. In response, Ilham Aliyev said: "Today, I consider Armenia's talks about peace to be a kind of manipulation, because if they really wanted peace, they would have responded to our proposal. We were the ones who immediately after the end of the war proposed to start the negotiations on the peace treaty. Armenia was very hesitant at the initial stage of this process, and now they are talking about peace, but we do not understand what peace means for them. However, our position is very clear... we have to go two ways - the process of regulating Azerbaijani-Armenian relations, as well as issues related to the Armenian minority in Azerbaijan and Karabakh in terms of rights and security," Aliyev noted. He said that yesterday during the telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, they talked about all that. "We fully understand that there should be two ways and they should not be mixed, but the statements from Armenia are highly contradictory. They say they recognize our territory and sovereignty. Not only they say, but they also sign in Prague and Sochi. This means the sovereignty of our entire territory. We all understand what sovereignty is. At the same time, they want to include the problems related to the Armenians living in Azerbaijan in the peace treaty. It won't happen. It is impossible. We will not agree to this. Therefore, we need a very clear position of the Armenian government regarding its agenda. I recently said that if they want peace, we want peace too. If they do not want peace, then it is their choice. We have not had peace for thirty years, and Armenia should not forget how it ended," Aliyev said.

17:12 - 17 November, 2022

Baku condemns the resolution adopted by the French Senate

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan responded to the resolution adopted by the French Senate. The statement of the Ministry states that "the resolution is completely far from reality, reflects false and slanderous provisions and, having an openly provocative nature, is aimed at disrupting the process of normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia." "The resolution adopted by the Senate and without any legal force clearly shows the biased and one-sided political position of France as a country that declares its intention to contribute to the peace process. In general, all the absurd claims mentioned in the resolution show that its authors are not aware of the historical facts and the situation in the region," the message states. Referring to the point by which the resolution reaffirms the need to recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and suggests the government to establish a humanitarian office in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan once again noted that "Nagorno-Karabakh is the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan." "The security of the Armenian population living in that region is an internal matter of Azerbaijan, and they will be ensured in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan. By encouraging the revanchist forces in Armenia, this resolution of the Senate does not serve peace, stability and progress in the region and is far from the "promotion of lasting peace" mentioned in the resolution. We strongly condemn the next resolution adopted by the French Senate," the statement of the Foreign Ministry reads. It should be reminded that on November 16, the Senate of the Republic of France adopted a resolution supporting Armenia and proposing sanctions against Azerbaijan.

13:10 - 16 November, 2022

Macron informed Aliyev about the upcoming meeting with Pashinyan

Yesterday, November 12, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and France Ilham Aliyev and Emmanuel Macron had a telephone conversation. The press service of the President of Azerbaijan issued a message about this. According to the statement of the Azerbaijani side, the French President informed about the meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan within the framework of the 18th summit of the Organization of Francophonie to be held on November 19 and once again expressed France's intention to contribute to the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. "The interlocutors also exchanged ideas on the results of the quadrilateral meeting with the participation of Armenia, Azerbaijan, EU, and France in Prague and the events that took place after that. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev emphasized the importance of a neutral, impartial, and balanced approach in the process of regulating Armenia-Azerbaijan relations. Aliyev also drew attention to the statements made by the Armenian side in recent days, noting that they contradict the agenda of peace and normalization of relations between the two countries," the statement of the press service of the President of Azerbaijan stated.

11:25 - 13 November, 2022

Nikol Pashinyan positively evaluates the meeting and telephone conversation with the President of Turkey

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan generally evaluates the telephone conversation and meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Prague, as positive. Pashinyan stated this in an interview with the Public Television of Armenia, noting that the speeches of the President of Turkey and his were not incompatible. "If there is consistent work, if there is political will and desire, these talks can be reconciled, which means the regulation of relations," he said. According to Pashinyan, if it is possible to open the Armenia-Turkey border for citizens of third countries, it will be a very serious progress. "We are working on it now, but I don't want us to fall into illusions that we will solve this problem now, in a day or two. What I said is that we should consistently go for it," the Prime Minister added.

21:29 - 11 November, 2022

If the Karabakh issue is resolved, why do the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh not feel it, why is Azerbaijan shooting at Nagorno-Karabakh? - Nikol Pashinyan

If the Nagorno-Karabakh issue has been resolved, why do the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh not feel it? Nikol Pashinyan said about this during an interview with the Public Television Company, referring to the statement of the President of Azerbaijan that the Karabakh issue has been resolved. "We said and we say that the NK issue was never a territorial issue, but rather that our foreign policy was not able to present this context to the international community," he said. According to the Prime Minister, the rights and security of NK Armenians must be addressed. "If the Karabakh issue is resolved, very well, then why do the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh not feel it, why have Azerbaijani troops set up positions around Nagorno-Karabakh, and why are they shooting at Nagorno-Karabakh?" We are not against the Nagorno-Karabakh issue being resolved or resolved, we say that the people living there should see, feel and accept that solution," Nikol Pashinyan emphasized. Referring to the issue of extending the term of the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh and increasing the number, Nikol Pashinyan mentioned that he publicly said that he is now ready to sign a document regarding the extension of the mandate of the peacekeepers, but there was no mutual understanding there either. "Theoretically, it is possible that after 2025 the presence of peacekeepers will not be withheld. Yes, if all the guarantees for the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh are provided. Those guarantees should not only be created but also tested in real life. Russian peacekeepers cannot leave without the approval of such guarantees. Azerbaijan's desire that Russian peacekeepers leave Nagorno-Karabakh in 5 years cannot be illegitimate. International mechanisms will find ways to deploy peacekeepers there," added Pashinyan.

21:09 - 11 November, 2022

We reached an agreement in Brussels that we will restore the railway, but Azerbaijan refused - Nikol Pashinyan

RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on Public Television of Armenia. "We reached an agreement in Brussels that we are restoring the railway, and we are starting the process of restoring the railway, and it seemed that we have agreed on everything. I will tell you one more detail, which I think many people in our country will not like. When I was going to post on my Facebook page, I checked my text right there with the other participants of the meeting, I asked if I understand the agreement correctly, because I have to go out and publish, and I got confirmation from both the EU president and from the president of Azerbaijan, yes, that is the agreement that happened, and my post on my page is still there, of course," said Nikol Pashinyan. He mentioned that he also spoke about it after his return, during the government session. "But when it was necessary to give that same text, which was written on my page, a practical look, Azerbaijan refused it. If this is not an occasion for escalation for Azerbaijan, but a problem of communication, in terms of the opening of communications in the region, that issue has been resolved. It is necessary to go and implement that solution," he said.

20:52 - 11 November, 2022

The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan responded to Nikol Pashinyan's statements

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan referred to the statements made by Nikol Pashinyan at the government session on October 8, with which the Prime Minister responded to the belligerent statements of the President of Azerbaijan. The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan noted that "this approach of the Armenian Prime Minister is another blow to the process of normalization of relations between the two states and establishment of peace in the region." In the message of the MFA, it is again stated that "Armenia refuses to implement the 4th, 6th, and 9th points of the tripartite statement of November 10, 2020, thus violating its international obligations." "It is the Armenian side that is delaying the process of opening the communications of the western regions of Azerbaijan with the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan, violating the obligation assumed under the 9th point of the tripartite declaration," the Foreign Ministry noted, adding that "Azerbaijan is honestly fulfilling its obligation by building the new Lachin road.", and the statement of the Prime Minister of Armenia about Azerbaijan's intention to close the Lachin road is nothing but a deliberate aggravation of the situation in the region." The statement of RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was referred to in the statement of the Foreign Ministry, that in point 9 of the tripartite declaration, there is neither the word "corridor", nor any mention of any territory of RA, or a name of any place. "Zangezur Corridor refers to the restoration of historical relations between Azerbaijan and the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan. Our country assumes the use of this corridor for peaceful and humanitarian purposes. According to the tripartite statement, Armenia undertakes to open unhindered communication between the western regions of Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan. Here, as in the case of the Lachin Corridor, we are talking about using the road not for military needs, but only for the transportation of people and goods," the message states. The MFA also addressed the issue of the status of Artsakh. "We remind the Prime Minister of Armenia, who tried to raise the issue of the status of Karabakh, and which was not mentioned in any way in the statements, that our position in this regard was voiced many times by the President of Azerbaijan, including on international platforms. Karabakh is an inseparable part of Azerbaijan, and the rights and security of the Armenian population living there will be ensured in accordance with the Constitution of Azerbaijan," said the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. The Foreign Ministry noted that "Armenia is engaged in continuous destructive activities against Azerbaijan's intention to establish peace and security in the region and peace-making initiatives, which not only does not serve to restore peace in the region but is primarily against Armenia." Let's remind that during the government session yesterday, Nikol Pashinyan stated that the statements made by Ilham Aliyev once again prove that the geopolitical beliefs of the Azerbaijani authorities continue to be a threat to the security and stability of the South Caucasus and the wider region. Pashinyan noted that in points 3 and 6 of the tripartite statement on the Lachin Corridor, it is written: Lachin Corridor. In other words, the corridor of Lachin is directly named as such. In point 9 of the same statement, there is no mention of a corridor, no area of RA, or any place name. The Prime Minister said that under clause 9, RA has only one obligation to ensure the transport connection between the western regions of Azerbaijan and the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan, and no specific route is mentioned in the November 9 statement or any other statement. The Prime Minister, in response to Azerbaijan's accusations that RA does not withdraw the units of its armed forces from Artsakh, said that there is no Armenian army in Nagorno-Karabakh, there is a Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army, which is perhaps a serious obstacle to implementing the genocidal policy.

12:59 - 11 November, 2022

Erdogan states the Armenian diaspora has a negative impact on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations

President of Turkey Erdogan stated that the Armenian diaspora is working against the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. "The diaspora, whether in France or the United States, works against [dialogue]. naturally, it has a negative effect on the process." According to Erdogan, it is the authorities of Armenia who should prevent these influences. "If the authorities of Armenia succeed in this, our views will also change in a positive way. We are trying to make friends, not enemies.''

12:19 - 10 November, 2022

Pashinyan claims accusations against RA of violating point 9 of the statement of November 9 are completely groundless

At the beginning of today's government session, referring to a number of statements made by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on November 8 in Shushi, Nikol Pashinyan said: “Aliyev's statements once again prove that the geopolitical ambitions of the Azerbaijani authorities continue to be a threat. For the security and stability of the Caucasus and the wider region. With that infamous speech, the leadership of Azerbaijan grossly violated the written agreement, recorded in the tripartite statement adopted in Sochi just a few days ago, to refrain from the use of force and the threat of using force.Contrary to the statements of Sochi and Prague, the leader of Azerbaijan is speaking about his ambitions for the sovereign territory of Armenia with the threatening use of the names of a number of Armenian settlements and other names, with an obvious motive to terrorize the civilian population.”

11:54 - 10 November, 2022