 30 09.04.16 - Protest against OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in front of RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs                                  OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs meet with protests in Yerevan  April 9, 2016 - 15:56 AMTPanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian residents held a massive protest as the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs arrived at the Foreign Ministry for Karabakh talks on Saturday, April 9. The participants, in particular, called on the international community to fully assess the situation, punish Azerbaijan for its aggression, issue targeted statements and recognize Nagorno Karabakh. The rally is targeted at states and international institutions involved in the Nagorno Karabakh peace process, to call attention to their weak diplomacy. Arriving at the venue of the meeting, the Co-chairs elbowed their way through the public and silently entered the building. Several hundred protesters shouted “shame,” “recognition” and “Karabakh is ours,” with many of them holding posters that read “Stop Terrorism,” “Aliyev is a Murderer,” “Karabakh is Independent.” The parties to the Karabakh conflict agreed on a bilateral ceasefire along the contact line which came into force at midday, April 5. Prior to that, on the night of April 1-2, Azerbaijani armed forces initiated overt offensive operations in the southern, southeastern and northeastern directions of the line of contact with Nagorno Karabakh. As many as 46 Karabakh servicemen were killed and 122 were wounded in the course of military operations. As of April 5, the Azerbaijani side has lost 26 tanks and 4 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as 1 BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, 1 engineering vehicle, 2 military helicopters and 11 unmanned aerial vehicles. The Azerbaijani side has admitted the loss of 31 fighters, 1 helicopter and 1 unmanned drones, whereas the Armenian side's photo and video materials show dozens of killed Azerbaijani troops, 1 helicopter and 3 UAVs. Opposition media outlets, however, reported on the death of 81 Azerbaijani soldiers, stating that 6 more have gone missing. According to Karabakh authorities, 300 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed in clashes. 14 Karabakh tanks have been neutralized since April 2.    The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.  Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18.   Partner news |  Topic Latest news Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan  A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia.U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel.Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. |
