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.