Weekly update
18 February
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, along with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Saturday on the margins of the Munich Security Conference. According to asbarez.com during the meeting the process of finalizing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan was discussed, according to a press statement from Pashinyan’s office. The unblocking of transport routes in the region, as well as the delimitation and demarcation of borders were also discussed, based on agreements in reached in Prague last year. When Pashinyan and Aliyev met in the Czech capital in October they pledged to continue the border opening process and announced that they will respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. That meeting was held weeks after Azerbaijan invaded Armenia on September 13. Pashinyan reportedly discussed Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor and the humanitarian, environmental and energy crisis that has resulted from the closure of the road on December 12.
https://asbarez.com/blinken-mediates-meeting-between-pashinyan-and-aliyev-in-munich/
17 February
Russia on Friday accused the West of derailing the process to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and hailed an “allied cooperation” agreement signed with Baku last year as a historic document that will help stabilize the region. In line with asbarez.com Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev, signed an agreement last year ahead of the Russian-Ukraine war. The document serves as a blueprint for the advancement of relations between the two countries and includes military components. On the first anniversary of the signing of the document, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Friday hailed it as a historic agreement saying that its provisions of the will not only stabilize the region, but also international relations. Reacting to a recent State Department statement, which accused Russia of disrupting the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group in the mediation of a settlement for the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, Zakharova accused the West and the United States of derailing those efforts. “If anyone has derailed the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement efforts then it’s they themselves, the Western countries, led by the United States. The OSCE Minsk Group format was sent into the ash heap of history after the American and French co-chairs stopped cooperating with their Russian counterpart in February of 2022 under a made-up pretext,” Zakharova said, adding that no explanation has been issued since.
https://asbarez.com/moscow-accuses-west-of-derailing-armenia-azerbaijan-settlement-hails-historic-agreement-with-baku/
16 February
The EU civilian monitoring mission which will be deployed soon to Armenia to monitor the border with Azerbaijan will include 15 German police officers, the German NTV reported citing German Government Spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. According to armenpress.am the mission will begin its activities Monday, February 20. Hebestreit said that the federal government of Germany made a decision to involve maximum fifteen police officers in the mission. The federal government is also proposing to include civilian experts in the team. In total, the EU mission will be composed of nearly 100 men and women. The mission will be lead by a German federal police officer. The EU established the civilian mission in Armenia in response to an official request by the Armenian authorities to deploy a full-fledged EU civilian mission on the ground. This deployment follows the successful experience of the EU Monitoring Capacity (EUMCAP) deployed previously on the Armenian side of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border between 20 October 2022 and 19 December 2022. The EU Mission in Armenia is expected to support the EU’s efforts to promote peace, including President of the European Council Michel’s facilitated leaders’ meetings. EUMA will be deployed in several locations across Armenia’s territory, in border regions with Azerbaijan. Its area of operation will cover the entire length of the border with Azerbaijan, including the Nakhchivan section. EUMA’s headquarters will be established in Yeghegnadzor. It will have several field offices and also a separate liaison office in Yerevan.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1104263.html
15 February
As Russia and Western powers seek to compete in the South Caucasus, many analysts neglect the role of Iran in the region. In line with armenianweekly.com after the 2020 war and the signing of the November 9 trilateral statement, Iran realized that its geo-economic and geopolitical interests were being threatened due to the increase of Turkish influence and Israel’s military presence and intelligence in the region. These factors have pushed Iran to review its policy toward the region and try to engage in a proactive foreign policy. This article will shed light on the main topics discussed in Iranian media related to Artsakh and the recent interview that was held with Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan by the Iranian media. The Iranian press did not frequently cover the Artsakh conflict before the 2020 war, but after the war, it became one of the most discussed topics in Iranian mass media. That is because the results of the war created challenges not only for Armenia and Artsakh, but also for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Following the 2020 Artsakh War, Iranian media and experts began to discuss the implications of the conflict, including the strengthening of Turkey’s presence in the region, the deepening of Israeli-Azerbaijani relations, and most importantly, the issue of the so-called “Zangezur Corridor” (which in Iran is called “Turanian corridor or NATO’s Turanian corridor”). This issue gained attention with some interpreting it as an attempt to eliminate the Armenian-Iranian border. The media also emphasized that Iran was one of the defeated parties in the war.
https://armenianweekly.com/2023/02/15/how-iran-perceives-the-developments-in-artsakh/
14 February
Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Karen Brutyan left for India today to participate in the Aero India-2023 military aviation exhibition and conference. According to hetq.am the five-day exhibition showcases India's growth in the aerospace and defense sectors. Brutyan is scheduled to meet with Indian Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh to discuss greater military cooperation. In September 2022, Armenia signed a $245 million deal for Indian arms and ammunition. In November, Armenia signed a $155 million contract for artillery gun systems.
https://hetq.am/en/article/153164
13 February
The Armenian government’s decision to send massive humanitarian aid and dozens of rescuers to Turkey following the powerful earthquake generated much controversy among Armenians. In line with thecaliforniacourier.com the Turkish government is not a friend of Armenia or Armenians. Turkey is a mortal enemy having committed the Armenian Genocide in 1915 and continuing its denials until today. More recently, the Turkish military and imported Islamic terrorists supported Azerbaijan during the 2020 Artsakh War, causing the deaths of thousands of Armenian soldiers. Last week, Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged that Azerbaijan was reciprocating for Turkey’s support during the 2020 war by sending several hundred rescuers to the earthquake zone. Erdogan then added his often repeated mantra, “Azerbaijan and Turkey are one nation, two states.” Furthermore, a week ago, while Armenia was providing humanitarian aid to Turkey, the Turkish government, in the midst of the disastrous earthquake, found the time to condemn the Mexican Senate for recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
https://www.thecaliforniacourier.com/aid-from-armenia-to-turkey-generates-heated-debate-among-armenians/
12 February
Rating agency Fitch has upgraded the Armenian government’s long-term credit rating from stable to positive. According to hetq.am Fitch writes that the recent influx of Russians and Ukrainians estimated to be 65,000, has boosted Armenia’s external as well as macroeconomic and fiscal performance. “The Armenian economy is estimated to have grown by 11.6% in 2022, a 15-year high, boosted by the large influx of migrants, which also provides an upside to potential growth (currently estimated at 4.5%). Growth will slow to 6.1% in 2023 and 4.7% in 2024,” Fitch writes. The credit agency says the migrant influx has resulted in an 140% increase in remittances/money transfers to Armenia. Fitch predicts that a substantial proportion of new immigrants will stay in Armenia for at least two to three years and sees a significant chance that some of the positive effects will endure.
https://hetq.am/en/article/153102
11 February
Turkey briefly opened its border with Armenia on Saturday to receive humanitarian aid sent by the Armenian government to victims of the devastating earthquakes in southeastern Turkey. According to azatutyun.am Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanian posted a video of a convoy of five Armenian trucks crossing a bridge over the Arax river separating the two countries. They reportedly carried 100 tons of food, medicine and other relief supplies. Serdar Kilic, a senior Turkish diplomat representing his country in normalization talks with Armenia, tweeted photos of the trucks and thanked Yerevan for the aid. “I will always remember the generous aid sent by the people of Armenia to help alleviate the sufferings of our people in the earthquake-stricken region in Turkey,” wrote Kilic. “Happy to have been able to assist,” his Armenian opposite number, Ruben Rubinian, tweeted for his part. Officials said that the relief aid will be delivered to residents of the southeastern Turkish city of Adiyaman ravaged by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6.
https://www.azatutyun.am/a/32266841.html