“Déjà vu” at Sochi presidential meetingJanuary 26, 2012 - 11:58 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - On January 23, Sochi hosted yet another meeting between Armenian and Azeri presidents mediated by Russia. As usual, the three presidents issued one of their neutral statements, with mediators noting progress in positions of conflicting parties, while the experts on each side went on to stress the diplomatic success of their countries’ leadership. Recent Sochi-hosted meeting strikes one as a déjà vu, with the joint presidential statement once again urging for investigation of incidents at contact line. However, the continued deaths and injuries over Azeri ceasefire violation and retaliation of Armenian forces came as a proof of the inconsistency of the statement. According to January 2012 statement, “Presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia took into consideration the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs report on investigation of incidents at contact line and instructed relevant bodies to continue working in this direction.” Thus, until the co-chairs pressure Baku into pulling Azeri snipers from contact line and abandon subversion attempts, losses on both sides are inevitable. OSCE MG and the international community as well show remarkable restraint towards Azerbaijan. The official Baku being the only party keeping up the military rhetoric, while continuing to violate the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), the mediators, curiously enough, call on both parties to abandon bellicose statements and promote peaceful settlement. (Any example of Armenian official threatening to start a war?) Taking the connivance of mediators as silent approval, Baku continues preparing the Azeri society for a war. Hayk Khalatyan / PanARMENIAN News 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 Achieving stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains a priority of the OSCE, said Ian Borg. The Cabinet of Ministers decided on Thursday, November 9 to allocated AMD 120 million to arrange the gathering. Michael Roth believes sanctions must be put on the table after Baku‘s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Yerevan City Council has elected Tigran Avniyan from the ruling Civil Contract as the mayor of the Armenian capital. Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |