Armenian MFA commented on Baku’s harsh reaction to the appointment of the American co-chairman

The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship has an international mandate to provide support for the lasting and comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan said, commenting on Azerbaijan’s reaction to Washington’s appointment of a new U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

“No one canceled this mandate,” Hunanyan added.

Earlier today the representative of the US State Department also commented on the harsh statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan regarding the appointment of Philippe Reeker to the post of Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group. During a briefing held in Washington, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Vedant Patel, said that with Reeker’s appointment, the United States aims to achieve comprehensive Armenian-Azerbaijani peace.

Earlier, on August 25, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken appointed Ambassador Philip T. Reeker as Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations, who will also serve as U.S. OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair.

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on handing over Berdzor, Aghavno, and Sus to Azerbaijan

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a message, expressing satisfaction with handing over the three villages of Artsakh – Aghavno, Berdzor, and Nerkin Sus, under the control of Azerbaijan.

“We hope that this development, which is an important step in the direction of establishing peace and stability in the South Caucasus, will contribute to both the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and the normalization of regional ties. Turkey will continue to support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of brotherly Azerbaijan, as it has been until today,” the statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry states.

4 people arrested in the criminal proceedings initiated in connection with the explosion of “Surmalu”

Four people were arrested in criminal proceedings initiated in connection with the incident of the explosion that took place in “Surmalu”.

 Two of them are under part 2 of Article 357 of the RA Criminal Code (violation of fire safety rules or requirements, which negligently caused death or other serious consequences), and the other two – under part 2 of Article 165 (negligently depriving two or more people of life). [RA Investigation Committee].

Later it became known that one of those arrested in the case of the explosion in the “Surmalu” shopping center is the deputy director of the shopping center, and the other is the tenant of the exploded area. The other two arrested are the operators of the warehouse.

Armenian political parties comment on the new draft of the Ministry of Defense

The “Citizen’s Decision” party issued a statement regarding the new draft of the Ministry of Defense, according to which short-term compulsory military service of rank-and-file members is planned, on the condition of paying money to the RA state budget.

“This is a violation of constitutional rights, right to life, and social justice, and it will deepen social polarization and a sense of injustice in the country. This is the inability to effectively fight corruption and the legalization of corruption. This will lead to the fact that the value and right of life in our country are not for everyone, and only the rich have the right to it, and the poor must die for the rich.

This will lead to emigration, as people leave the country not only because of the poor social conditions but also because of the atmosphere of injustice. In the long term, a certain professional military unit will emerge, which, being cut off from popular control, will lay the foundation for military coups and various, dubious political controls. The “Citizen’s Decision” party opposes this project,” the statement claims. 

“For the Republic” party issued a statement regarding the new draft of the Ministry of Defense, according to which short-term mandatory military service of rank-and-file members is planned, on the condition of paying money to the RA state budget.

“Such changes in the law are, in fact, a pseudo-legal opportunity to get rid of the duty to participate in the defense of the country, which legalizes the corrupt practices of avoiding military service. The project will not solve any strategic problem, it will cause new problems that will deepen the already existing social injustice in the country and the polarization between social groups. The circulation of such a project itself raises deep doubts about the military-political and geopolitical realities and the full competence and capabilities of the men in charge of effective global military structures,” the statement claims.

Other News

• The Shushi-Berdzor-Goris road section of the interstate highway connecting Artsakh with Armenia will function until August 31.

• The Prime Ministers of Russia and Azerbaijan discuss the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh.

•  All five factions of the Artsakh Parliament announced that Independence Day (Republic Day) events will be held on September 2 in Stepanakert city. 

• Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a message, expressing satisfaction with handing over the three villages of Artsakh – Aghavno, Berdzor, and Nerkin Sus, under the control of Azerbaijan.

• The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, Major General Edward Asryan, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, first Deputy Minister of Defense, Army General Valery Gerasimov discussed the process of modernization and reforms of the Armed Forces of Armenia.

• The condition of contract soldier Armen Miroyan, who received burns as a result of the domestic gas explosion, remains critical.