Azerbaijan have lost at least 13 soldiers and had more than 30 injured last week

December 20, 2015 By administrator

arton120067-480x320 Last week -from 13 to 19 December- more than 19,000 projectiles were fired by Azerbaijan towards the Armenian positions on the border of Karabakh according to the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. Some of these shots came rocket launchers guns TR-107. Several attempts raid were also committed by the Azerbaijani troops. All were repulsed by Armenian forces. Azerbaijanis have at least 13 soldiers killed and over 30 injured during these operations. Armenians replicating each time and repelling enemy attacks.

Krikor Amirzayan

Karabakh, Azerbaijan not to start large-scale war – David Babayan

December 20, 2015 By administrator

Speaking of the Armenian-Azerbaijani presidential meeting in Bern, as well as of a meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, David Babayan, Spokesman for President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Bako Sahakyan, can forecast that no large-scale war will break out.

On the other hand, it does not mean that Azerbaijan will stop its policy of provocations.

“A large-scale war will not be unleashed for a number of reasons. To better understand the reasons for Azerbaijan’s steps, we must better understand that state’s way of thinking, life style, values and domestic situation,” Mr Babayan said.

One the primary reasons for Azerbaijan no unleashing large-scale hostilities is politico-military balance between the conflicting parties. That is, Azerbaijan is unable to war against Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and gain victory.

“If they had such a chance or even felt it could, they would have unleashed war just as they did in 1988-1990,” Mr Babayan said.

The second reason is that the superpowers, which are actually co-chairing countries, do not want war.

“Starting a war is a most serious geopolitical act, and in the 1990s it was easier because of a geopolitical vacuum in the Transcaucasia. The USSR disintegration left a vacuum, with no global power being able to prevent a war. But the situation is different now because of global actors’ interests in Azerbaijan. Among them is both the west, Russia and Iran. So war is difficult to start because it will not only involve Azerbaijan, Armenia and Artsakh, but also global actors,” Mr Babayan said.

Should Azerbaijan unleash war, it will cause intolerance to and isolation of that state.

“That prevents Ilham Aliyev from taking practical steps. Of course he could if he fails to be fully aware of the real situation. But it would prove disastrous for Azerbaijan and for the Aliyev clan given the processes inside that country,” Mr Babayan said.

One more reason why Azerbaijan will not start war is the ruling clan’s weakening positions in Azerbaijan and, as a consequence, persecution of not only opposition members, but also government bodies – arrests and resignations in Azerbaijan’s foreign office and police.

“Especially the oil price decline has caused such consequences because they are ‘on the oil needle’ like drug addicts. And it is primarily being done to retain power,” Mr Babayan said. The best way is to develop concept of the enemy, which enables the ruling regime to represent all the opponents of Aliyev as “enemies of the people.”

Mr Babayan welcomes the very fact that President Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev held a meeting after a year’s interval, despite the fact that the meeting was followed by border incidents that claimed dozens of lives, “because they help maintain stability in the region.”

Mr Babayan is sure Azerbaijan will continue “Turkey-backed” attacks on the border. This echoes the Azerbaijani defense minister’s statements in Turkey that “we are not afraid of anything as long as our big brother is beside us.”

Source: tert.am

US Congressman Pallone & Schiff Slam OSCE Ambassador’s Praise for Turkey

December 18, 2015 By administrator

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ)

WASHINGTON—Just hours after U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Daniel Baer’s statement citing Turkey’s “valuable” role in Nagorno Karabakh mediation efforts was released, Members of Congress began to express serious concerns about the top diplomat’s controversial assessment, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) explained he is “troubled by the recent statement praising Turkey’s role in the Minsk Group peace process made by our U.S. Representative to the OSCE. Turkey’s active and overt support of Azerbaijan with regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been apparent from the beginning. A statement like this will only serve to polarize the negotiations.”

House Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Democrat Adam Schiff (D-CA) argued that “given Turkey’s behavior and longstanding support for Baku, they cannot be considered — in any way — a neutral broker in what has become an increasingly intense conflict along the Line of Contact.” Congressman Schiff went to place focus on concrete mediation steps the OSCE can take in helping stop the escalating violence in the region, suggesting, “instead of stacking the table against Nagorno Karabakh, all nations should insist upon the deployment of monitoring technology along the border, a step that Armenia has readily agreed to but has been resisted by Azerbaijan, doubtless because it would demonstrate their unprovoked aggression.”

Congressman Pallone and Schiff’s statements follow remarks by Ambassador Baer on December 17, made public earlier today, in which he praised Turkey’s role in OSCE Minsk group facilitated Karabakh negotiations, stating “Turkey has been a valuable member of the Minsk Group and has worked cooperatively with the Co-Chairs on finding a way forward in peace talks.”

ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian immediately spoke out against the statement, noting “Ankara makes no secret of its pro-Baku bias, and long ago abandoned any pretense of neutrality. Look at the facts: The Erdogan government actively supports Aliyev’s virulent anti-Armenian positions, openly providing military aid and training to the Azerbaijani military, while, at the same time, blockading Armenia, contrary to international law, and seeking to isolate Yerevan in the international arena. Turkey’s strategy — and the international community’s unwillingness to call them out on it — has emboldened an aggressive and intransigent Azerbaijan to increase its attacks – leading to over 43 Armenian deaths in 2015 alone.” Hachikian concluded that “tearing down the firewall between Turkey and the Karabakh talks would only result in adding more fuel to the fire, setting back the cause of lasting peace.”

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)- Ranking Democrat, House Select Committee on Intelligence

Rep. Schiff’s calls for the deployment of monitoring technology is an important element of a three pronged plan, advanced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel (D-NY), supported by Rep. Schiff and over 80 House colleagues, that calls on the top U.S. Karabakh negotiator, Ambassador James Warlick, to secure the withdrawal of snipers, bring in additional OSCE monitors and put in place a gun locator system to identify the parties initiating cease-fire violations.

Armenia and the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh have agreed to the Congressional proposal, as has the Obama Administration. Azerbaijan remains alone in refusing to implement the life-saving measures.

Chairman Royce, at the Capitol Hill Celebration of Karabakh Peace and Freedom last week, announced that his committee will be hosting a briefing with Amb. Warlick to follow up on the implementation of the Royce-Engel proposals for peace.

The Royce-Engel Letter for #NKPeace signed by 85 U.S. House Members is available at:

https://anca.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Royce_Engel_Karabakh_Peace.pdf

here is the United States Ambassador to the OSCE, Daniel B. Baer

US Ambassador to OSCE Praise Turkey’s Role in Minsk Group

VIENNA—The United States Ambassador to the OSCE, Daniel B. Baer on Thursday praised Turkey’s role as a Minsk Group member in remarks delivered the organization’s permanent council.

“We note recent statements that have called into question Turkey’s constructiveness as a Minsk Group member and disagree with that assessment. Turkey has been a valuable member of the Minsk Group and has worked cooperatively with the Co-Chairs on finding a way forward in peace talks,” Baer said in defense of Turkey whose role was deemed as destructive to the Karabakh talks earlier this week by Russia’s Ambassador to the OSCE, Aleksandr Lukashevich.

The Russian diplomat on Monday deplored Turkey’s unconditional support for Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, calling Ankara’s pro-Azerbaijani position “destructive.”

“There is a strict understanding that the three co-chairs [of the OSCE Minsk Group] — Russia, France and the U.S. — carry the main burden, as do other members of the Minsk Group,” said Lukashevich. “Turkey, by the way, is also a member. But the leading role [in the Karabakh peace process] is reserved for the three co-chairs.”

“Therefore, attempts to defend one of the parties to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh are absolutely destructive and cannot have any continuation,” added the diplomat.

Armenian National Committee of America Chairman Ken Hachikian responded Friday to U.S. Baer’s statement.

“In the wake of Ambassador Baer’s recent reckless statement, it is clear that the leadership of our State Department needs to exercise considerably greater caution and thoughtfulness regarding officials who encourage a direct Turkish role in the Nagorno Karabakh peace process,” said Hachikian.

“Ankara makes no secret of its pro-Baku bias, and long ago abandoned any pretense of neutrality. Look at the facts: The Erdogan government actively supports Aliyev’s virulent anti-Armenian positions, openly providing military aid and training to the Azerbaijani military, while, at the same time, blockading Armenia, contrary to international law, and seeking to isolate Yerevan in the international arena. Turkey’s strategy — and the international community’s unwillingness to call them out on it — has emboldened an aggressive and intransigent Azerbaijan to increase its attacks – leading to over 43 Armenian deaths in 2015 alone,” added Hachikian.

“Why then, do U.S. officials allow themselves to be used as props in Erdogan’s farce, pretending that the Turkish government will – against all evidence – play the role of some sort of impartial mediator?” asked Hachikian.

“Why is it that U.S. leaders can’t seem to find our moral compass when its comes to Turkey – on issues ranging from justice for the Armenian Genocide and a peace for Syria to freedom for Nagorno Karabakh?” emphasized Hachikian.

“This Administration’s shameful legacy of endlessly caving in to Turkish threats – at the expense of our own values and interests as a nation – is truly a national disgrace – an embarrassment beneath the dignity of the American people,” commented Hachikian.

“Tearing down the firewall between Turkey and the Karabakh talks would only result in adding more fuel to the fire, setting back the cause of lasting peace,” concluded Hachikian.

Karabakg: Aliyev Sargsyan meeting Saturday in Bern

December 18, 2015 By administrator

arton119994-480x270 The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will meet in Bern, the capital of Switzerland on Saturday for talks with international mediators hope they soothe tensions in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The office of President Serzh Sargsyan announced the date and place of the meeting with Ilham Aliyev in a short statement. He said that the Russian and French American diplomats who cooperate with the head of the OSCE Minsk Group will also be present at the Armenian-Azerbaijani summit. The announcement was not immediately confirmed by Aliyev’s office or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.

Mediators insist for months to the meeting being held in a context of increasing violations of the cease-fire along the “line of contact” around the heavily militarized Karabakh and Armenian-Azerbaijani border. In a joint statement issued on December 3, US Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of European Affairs of France Harlem Désir had looked forward the next meeting Sargsyan-Aliyev. They urged both sides to “dispel any misunderstandings that they are not serious in order to reach a negotiated settlement.” Sarkisian and Aliyev met recently in Paris in October last year. The two leaders had considered positive the talks.

However, tensions on the front lines were revived in November 2014 by the destruction of an Armenian attack helicopter near the border of Karabakh. What had led to a resurgence of deadly violations of the truce in January.

The fighting in the conflict area, with mortars and other heavy weapons, have again intensified in early and appear to be continuing unabated. The Defense Minister of Azerbaijan Zakir Hasanov said Tuesday that his forces will lead “even more devastating strikes against the enemy. “

The Azerbaijani army has reported two other victims who died in battle in its ranks since. She said one of the soldiers, Jafarzade Rashad, was killed by an Armenian mortar fire on Wednesday night. The defense ministry in Baku said Thursday morning that the Armenian forces violated the ceasefire regime with mortars, heavy weapons and other automatic weapons 84 times over the past 24 hours.

The Karabakh Armenian army contended, for its part, that the Azerbaijani forces fired more than 260 mortar shells on front-line positions in the night from Wednesday to Thursday. In a separate statement, she also said that Azerbaijani commando units tried nocturnal incursions unsuccessful in three sections of the “line of contact” east of Karabakh. “The enemy was forced to retreat, leaving behind a number of military equipment designed for special operations,” the statement said. “The Defense Army [Karabakh] has suffered no loss in the exchange of fire that resulted in”.

Friday, December 18, 2015,
Ara © armenews.com

Azerbaijan loses a least five troops in clashes with NKR Defense Army

December 18, 2015 By administrator

According to earlier reports, on the night of December 18, Azerbaijani troops made three attempts of incursion into the Nagorno-Karabakh territory in the northern section of the Line of Contact.

The advance forces of the NKR Defense Army spotted Azerbaijani commandos and threw them back, causing losses.

According to reliable information by the NKR Defense Army, in the Talish section three Azerbaijani troops were killed and injured, with one of them near death. In the southern section, Azerbaijani armed forces suffered losses – two killed and others injured.

In panic, the Azerbaijani side used tank fire in the Talish section at 3:40pm.

The NKR Defense Army units are in full control of the situation, read to retaliate against any provocations.

Karabakh MOD publishes photos of weapons left by Azerbaijani diversion group in battlefield

December 17, 2015 By administrator

10574269_1094542477244788_1595033147952201138_n STEPANAKERT. – The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has published the photos of the weapons left by the Azerbaijani diversion group in the battlefield.

Last night the adversary made an infiltration attempt in three directions of the eastern sector of the Line of Contact between the Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing forces, the message disseminated by the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Ministry of Defense says.

The vanguard units of the NKR Defense Army, however, detected this advance by the special units of the Azerbaijan army and pushed them back to their starting positions, also causing them casualties.

The retreating adversary left behind several resources designed for a special operation.

The NKR Defense Army, on the other hand, suffered no casualties during the skirmish.

Official: Ankara’s statements on Karabakh are destructive and can have no continuation

December 15, 2015 By administrator

Turkey’s statements on Nagorno-Karabakh are destructive and can have no continuation, Alexander Lukashevich, Russia’s permanent representative to the OSCE, said on the air of “Russia 24” channel, RIA Novosti reports.

Earlier Ankara announced that it would do its best to return the Karabakh territories to Azerbaijan.

“This position isn’t supported by the OSCE. There is a strict understanding that the three co-chairs – Russia, France and U.S. – bear the main burden, as do the Minsk Group members themselves. By the way, Turkey is also included here. But the leading role is fixed, and it is acknowledged by the three co-chairs. That’s why the attempts to defend one of the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are absolutely destructive and cannot have any continuation,” Lukashevich said, referring to the statements of the Turkish leadership.

Another Karabakh Soldier Killed by Azerbaijan

December 12, 2015 By administrator

STEPANAKERT—The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Ministry announced that an Artsakh soldier, Vardan Vardanyan, born in 1994, was killed at 8:50 a.m. on Friday, after Azerbaijani forces violated the cease fire.

An investigation has been launched by the Defense Ministry, which also announced that Azerbaijani forces fired more than 1,100 shots from varying caliber weapons, including 60 and 82 milimeter mortars, HAN-17 grenades and ZU-23 antiaircraft system.

The Defense Ministry also announced that Artsakh forces retaliated.

This latest incident comes two days after Azerbaijani forces deployed a tank for the first time since the cease fire agreement was signed in 1994. During that attack, another Karabakh soldier, 24-year-old Garik Avanesian was killed.

US congressmen urge their government not to turn blind eye to Azerbaijan aggression

December 12, 2015 By administrator

US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) called on the US, Russian, and French mediators to press Azerbaijan to accept major safeguards against intensifying ceasefire violations in the Karabakh conflict zone while speaking at the 24th anniversary of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) independence celebration on Capitol Hill.

Rep. Ed Royce also said the US administration must not shy away from blaming Azerbaijan for deadly fighting along “the line of contact” around Karabakh.

During the “Freedom and Democracy of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic” event on Capitol Hill, House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) expressed his concern with Azerbaijan’s aggressive and dangerous military provocations, as well as current U.S. policy.

“I also raised my dismay that the response from the United States has been to draw a false equivalence between Azeri and Armenian behavior,” Rep. Schiff said. “As we pursue a peaceful settlement, we cannot ignore the bellicose rhetoric and provocative military actions by Azerbaijan. Our silence only emboldens them.”

US Congressman calls on James Warlick for Karabakh briefing on Azerbaijan aggression

December 10, 2015 By administrator

APphoto_Bachus Banking Committee

A Capitol Hill celebration of Nagorno Karabakh’s commitment to freedom and democracy – capping the two day Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Fly-In for #NKPeace – featured a public call by Representative Ed Royce, Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, for a special briefing with Ambassador James Warlick, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Co-Chair of the US.

The special briefing comes as a follow up to the October 26th Congressional letter addressed to Ambassador Warlick, initiated by Chairman Royce and Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel (D-NY) and cosigned by over 80 House colleagues, outlining three concrete steps to address escalating Karabakh violence, including the removal of snipers from the border, an increase in OSCE monitors and deployment of a gunfire direction finders.

“Why are the snipers not pulled back? […] Why have we not deployed those special [gun fire] direction finders?” asked Chairman Royce, citing reports of unprecedented Azerbaijani tank fired shelling and high-powered rifle fire.

Pro-Artsakh advocates from across the US converged in Washington DC Tuesday as part of the “ANCA Fly-In for #NKPeace” initiative – a two-day mission to share a message of peace and democracy with US Senators and Representatives, culminating in Wednesday’s Capitol Hill observance.