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MEP Frank Engel calls for direct negotiations with Karabakh

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Echoing the Armenian authorities of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, who had expressed the wish for 2017 that the Artsakh return to the negotiating table to settle the question of the status of territory disputed between Armenians and Azeris, MEP Frank Engel said That Azerbaijan should recognize the need to engage in direct negotiations with Karabakh, noting that there was no talk of any revival of a peace process that had never really been implemented. “It is clear that there can be no peace process as long as Azerbaijan does not agree to engage in direct discussions with Artsakh,” said the MEP. “And Armenia should insist heavily on the fact that its retention in the” Eurasian Union “led by Russia is conditioned by Russia’s attitude in the Caucasus conflicts,” added Engel, who recalled That “Baku is trying to destabilize the situation at the borders during the holiday season”.

“I suppose that the Azerbaijani attacks follow a strategy to make Armenians understand that they will never be able to celebrate their holidays in peace as long as Azerbaijan judges its situation unsatisfactory,” said Engel, recalling that When the President of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako Sahakyan was to go to Brussels in November 2016 there had also been offensives against the Artsakh and the president had to cancel his visit because of the highly worrying context – Was exactly the objective pursued by Baku “. The armed forces of Azerbaijan on 29 December launched an undercover commando operation behind the Armenian lines stationed to the southeast of the town of Chinari in the province of Tavouch in northeastern Armenia. The Armenian forces rejected the assault, at the cost of the lives of at least three Armenian soldiers

Friday 6 January 2017,
Gari © armenews.com

Karabakh: Sahakian New Year celebrations in the village of Talish ravaged by the war last April

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The village of Talish near Martakert in Nagorno Karabakh was the scene of the “four-day war” of last April. Invaded by the Azeris and then repulsed by the Armenians, the village of Talish strongly destroyed by the Azeri shots is since April last abandoned by the majority of its inhabitants. Populated by the Armenian military and a few dozens of inhabitants who try to resume the course of their lives. Bako Sahakian the President of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh visited the village of Talish yesterday 31 December to attend the end of year celebrations. He met the inhabitants and the soldiers there. Then he took part in the party around trimmed tables.

Krikor Amirzayan

Armenia retaliates against Azerbaijani aggression; 4 killed last night ten soldiers in two days

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Last night saw follow-on to Azerbaijan’s provocation on Thursday: the Armenian troops retaliated killing four Azerbaijani troops, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, Spokesman for Armenia’s defense office, wrote on his Facebook page.

“In fact, the enemy’s military gamble has claimed the life of more than ten soldiers in two days. Armenia’s Ministry of Defense has repeatedly confirmed that it has at its disposal undeniable facts of great losses suffered by Azerbaijan.”

The Collective Security Treaty Organization’s (CSTO) secretary general, Nikolay Bordyuzha, described the incident as a provocation in recent comments.

“The CSTO Secretariat is seriously concerned over the incident in the vicinities of the village Chinari. We treat those actions on the territory of a CSTO member state as provocation, especially against the background of the heavy incidents in Nagorno-Karabakh in April this year, which saw heavy weaponry used.

“The efforts by the two sides, as well as several other states, seemed to be conducive to an active process towards eventually settling the conflict.  But the recent reports from the region, particularly the December 29 incident that claimed servicemen’s lives, are a serious concern.

April victims greatest loss of 2016 – politicians sum up year

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The Armenian soldiers who fell in the fierce battles over Nagorno-Karabakh in April were the heaviest loss of 2016, politicians said today, summing up the past year.

“The four-day war in April was a kind of litmus test in terms of both domestic and foreign policies. It revealed who our strategic allies are and who provides aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan,” a deputy leader of the Free Democrats party, Angela Khachatryan, said.

In her words, the hostage standoff, which followed the petrol police regiment’s armed occupation in summer, was yet another sign of the increasing tension in the country.

Speaking of achievements, Edgar Arakelyan of the Rule of Law party said he is blessed and honored to see that two Armenian republics are entering into the new year after heavy tests. As for the losses, the politician cited the increasing emigration rate noting that it adds to the number losses suffered in April.

Summing up achievements and losses, political figure Azat Arshakyan singled out Armenia’s new cabinet. Initial expectations about Armenia’s Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan vanished after he joined the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA). So many people joining the ruling party was “like seeing a dentist to have your tooth removed.”

“I hoped Karen Karapetyan would not see the dentist,” Mr Arshakyan said.

Artak Davtyan summed up the passing year in terms of foreign and domestic policy. According to him, it is a rather difficult year.

“This year has been full of external challenges, but I agree that ‘that which does not kill us makes us stronger.’”

With respect to the premier’s membership in the RPA, he said:

“But did they think the government could be formed without the RPA? The government and premier are supposed to do what the RPA stated as the RPA is backing it in the form of coalition. The RPA membership of the premier and ministers implies consistent steps,” he said.

Mr Davtyan highlights tougher political control of the army.

“A civilian appointed as minister was a message and a specific step in the context of lessons drawn from the April war – what is the course of Armenia’s progress.”

Konstantin Zatulin director of CIS: Nagorno Karabakh will never be part of Azerbaijan

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Konstantin Zatulin, Director of Institute of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

Nagorno Karabakh will never be part of Azerbaijan, while the conflict settlement requires certain territories to be returned, Konstantin Zatulin, Director of Institute of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) stated on Thursday in Yerevan.

“In my opinion it is highly unlikely to see Karabakh to be part of Soviet Azerbaijan, since no Soviet Azerbaijan exists. The time when the Soviet Union was in process of dissolution, Azerbaijan had no more control over considerable parts of Nagorno Karabakh. Nevertheless, there are certain territories that are to be returned for the conflict settlement,” noted Zatulin, who is paying visit to Armenia to participate in the fourth joint session of Russia’s Federal Assembly State Duma Committee on the CIS Affairs and Armenian National Assembly Standing Committee on External Affairs.

Speaking of the April events, Zatulin stressed Russia condemns Azerbaijani actions and remains keen on eliminating distrust among the Armenian public.

“We look to end those days, the sentiments in the Armenian public, dobting Russia’s partnering relations. Steps taken by the heads of our countries are aimed at eliminating those suspicions.  As you know the two ministers of defense signed an agreement on creating joint Russian and Armenian military forces. Aside from that, Armenia was provided with “Iskander” missile system this summer. To note, this is the first case when such a system is transferred to other state and seeks to maintain the balance in the region,” explained Zatulin.

 

Source Panorama.am

The Iranian president, Rouhani No military solution over Nagorno-Karabakh

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The Iranian president, who is in Armenia on an official visit, ruled out the possibility of reaching a military solution over Nagorno-Karabakh as he addressed the problem at a joint news conference with his Armenian counterpart.
Hassan Rouhani reiterated his country’s interest in the maintenance of peace and stability in the region.

The Iranian leader said that the unsettled land dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan was on the agenda of his private talks with President Serzh Sargsyan.

“Armenia and Azerbaijan are our friends, so we are hopeful we will soon see sustainable peace in the region. Undoubtedly, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has no military solution. Hence, we are looking forward to a peaceful settlement.”

Mr Rouhani added that they also discussed regional developments with President Sargsyan. “We must be able to develop mutual cooperation with all countries to secure an effective outcome in the fight against terrorism,” he said.
“Iran and Armenia have been developing warm and close relations over the past 25 years since Armenia’s independence. Historically too, the people in this region and those from the territory of Iran have lived side by side for thousands of years, being under a common umbrella of civilization,” Mr Rouhani added.

A blogger arrested in Minsk at the request of Baku for visiting Karabagh

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The Belarusian blogger Alexander Lapshin was arrested on 15 December in Minsk, at the request of the authorities of Azerbaijan, who accuse him of having visited Nagorno-Karabakh in 2011 and 2012, without the authorization of Baku of course. The Azerbaijani prosecutor’s office has indicated that it is taking the necessary measures to extradite Lapshin from Belarus. This arrest is very badly publicized in the Belarusian capital, which is to host a hypothetical conference dedicated to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has been undergoing for two decades the Minsk Group, baptized for this reason.

But the very authoritarian Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled for twenty-six years with an iron fist Belarus, does not care. He is much more concerned about sparing another despot, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev, with whom he has always had excellent relations, even though Belarus, unfailingly allied to Russia, is a partner of Armenia within the The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and other political and military alliances. For example, Belarus, together with Kazakhstan, raised the issue of the status of Karabakh at the request of Baku during the debates on the admission of Armenia to the EUE in 2014. According to the Azerbaijan prosecutor’s office, a criminal investigation was opened against A.Lapshin for “illegal” crossing of the border of Azerbaijan and for public statements hostile to the state.

A. Lapshin, who holds dual Russian and Israeli nationality, said he would not withdraw any of his remarks from his blog and described the black list drawn up by Baku as “nonsense and a joke” Foreign personalities who visited Karabagh, including senior officials, such as the current French interior minister, JB Le Roux.

David Babayan, spokesman for the presidency of Artsakh, reacting to the arrest of the blogger in a third country, said that Azerbaijan was crossing a “new level” in its measures and sanctions aimed at the personalities who visited the Nagorno-Karabakh region. “This is now a matter of interference in the internal affairs of a third country,” said Babayan, adding that “in fact, Azerbaijan seeks the extradition of a citizen of a foreign state, Attempting to accuse him of a fictitious ‘crime’; This constitutes a gross violation of international law and international humanitarian law “. The Facebook page of A. Lapshin said he would still be detained in Minsk. As for the Belarusian authorities, they have remained at least discreet about this case. .

Tuesday 20 December 2016,
Gari © armenews.com

Germany’s Steinmeier calls for urgent peace over Karabakh

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Germany’s foreign minister voiced the OSCE’s concerns over the developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, calling for urgent efforts towards strengthening peace on the frontline.
In a speech at the organization’s Ministerial Council, Frank Walter Steienmeier highlighted particularly the heavy fighting in April as a real hazard. “The discussions demonstrate how urgent it is to strengthen the ceasefire; hence, we must properly continue the negotiations to settle the [conflict],”  he said.
Steienmeier, whose country this year assumed the OSCE presidency, said the organization will continue assisting in the Minsk Group efforts towards achieving peace.
“My impression is that we need to improve the humanitarian situation to build trustworthy relations and security,” he said, stressing the importance of further action.

Karabakh readies restoration project for Persian mosque

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A restoration project for the Upper Mosque in the Nagorno Karabakh city of Shushi has been completed. The program was ordered by the Ministry of Economy and implemented by a group of Iranian experts.

According to Deputy Economy Minister Sergey Shahverdyan, the renovation of the mosque is essential in terms of protecting the cultural heritage of Karabakh, as “any monument on its territory, regardless of it being a religious or cultural site, is the historic property of the people of Artsakh.”

The repair project of the Persian mosque, according to Karabakh experts, is well-prepared and fully complies with all the norms of heritage conservation.

Shahverdyan said picking an Iranian company for the project was not accidental, given the mosque’s connection with Persian culture and history.

NKR Prime Minister: Damages caused to Artsakh make up over $ 20 million

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karabakg-pmSome 10.000 civilians, who make up over 7 percent of Artaskh population, were forced to leave their settlements near the frontline. Prime Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Arayik Harutyunyan noted in his speech delivered during the ceremony dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the NKR’s Independent which was held in the US Congress.

“The regular lifestyle of Talish village was distorted as a result of the Azerbaijan atrocities, as the inhabitants have not yet returned to their native village due to security concerns. However, we are making efforts to renovate Talish. The war also had direct and indirect negative effects on the economy as well. The direct damage is estimated to over $ 20 million and the indirect damages will be felt for a long time,” NKR MP noted.

Harutyunyan reminded the congressmen that the Azerbaijan side mobilized thousands of special force servicemen, more than 10 helicopters, hundreds of tanks and artillery, rocket launch systems including forbidden weapons.

“Our army managed to resist the sudden aggression unleased by Azerbaijan defending our population from massacre and relocation. However the Azerbaijani forces managed to commit war crimes and other crimes against humanity. Particularly in Talish village they brutally tortured and killed three civilians including a 90-yaer old woman. Using the ISIS methods they beheaded three of our soldiers and tortured and mutilated the bodies of over 20 Armenian servicemen both alive and dead,” A. Harutyunan presented the atrocities committed by the adversary.

He underscored that a few days following the crimes the Azerbaijani president gave awards and glorified the criminals.

“Moreover, the Azerbaijani artillery was intentionally targeting the civil settlements of Karabakh, which resulted to the death of a child who was on his way to school. The continuation of that policy was the statement released by the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry claiming that they were going to shell Karabakh’s capital city Stepanakert. Baku’s aggression in April was a terrorism committed and praised on the state level, which, unfortunately, again was not condemned properly by the international community,” NKR PM noted in his speech.

He noted that four days after the Azerbaijani aggression, the official Baku requested a ceasefire from the Armenian side due to the painful retaliatory actions by our army, as well as the Azerbaijani failures and suffered losses. “However we also suffered significant human and material losses as well.”

Turning to the conflict resolution efforts, he welcomed the efforts made by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs directed towards the stabilization of the situation and the settlement of the conflict.

He expressed his gratitude to the seven US states, namely Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Louisiana, California, Georgia and Hawaii, for the protection of the rights of Karabakh people and the independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

Once more he underscored the conflict must be resolved through peaceful means without use of force or threat. Meanwhile it is unacceptable and impossible to reach a peaceful settlement of the conflict without the equal and full participation of the main side of the conflict_ Nagorno Karabakh.

“It must be stated that our inclination to settle the conflict exclusively through peaceful means does not mean that we are weak or are not ready for a new war. No, friends, the army of Artsakh has enough capacity and combat readiness to confront any attack towards our people which is our sacred duty and responsibility. We simply value human life and like the entire civilised society, we think that it is possible and obligatory to settle the conflict peacefully. I believe you realize that this stance of the NKR is not only in our favour, but also in favour of the Azerbaijani people. Moreover, due to our commitment to peace we can confidently state that Artsakh is a reliable partner for the international community ensuring peace and stability in the region,” he said.

 

 

Source Panorama.am