Digest compiled by RR. See also: Blinken: “Azerbaijan has long border with Iran,” needs further integration with NATO, Pentagon
Azeri Press Agency
March 23, 2023
Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova at the briefing held today in response to the question on Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan [making] a statement saying: “Iran hopes to cooperate with Moscow on the issue of sending an international mission to Karabakh.” How does Russia approach the idea of Armenia placing an international mission in Karabakh?” reminded that according to the tripartite statement dated November 10, 2020, the Russian military contingent was deployed in Karabakh.
“…As for the new mission, the consent of Baku as well as Yerevan is required for this. But today we have not seen such a thing. I mean the existence of the agreement of both sides in this regard (deployment of the international mission in Karabakh – ed),” M. Zakharova said.
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PanArmenian.net
March 23, 2023
Senior Iranian diplomat traveling to Armenia hours after Nowruz begins
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri will be visiting Armenia hours after the beginning of Nowruz, the diplomat himself said on Twitter on Tuesday, March 21.
“A few hours after the start of the new year, the rapid movement of the diplomacy apparatus focusing on strengthening the neighborhood policy and prioritizing the Caucasus began,” Bagheri said.
“Going to Yerevan for a two-day visit at the invitation of my Armenian counterpart.”
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Azeri Press Agency
March 23, 2023
Azerbaijanis living in Europe will hold a protest against Iran
Azerbaijanis living in Europe will hold a protest against Iran in Brussels on March 25, one of the organizers of the action Mahmud Bilgin told APA.
Mahmud Bilgin revealed the main demands of the action: “The main goal is to protest against the actions of the Persian-mullah regime in Iran against the Azerbaijani Turks….The flags of South Azerbaijan will also be in the action….We will work together to show our existence to the world and prove that no democratic progress can be achieved without considering the South Azerbaijan factor at the political level.”
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Gagrule.net
March 17, 2023
The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Maria Zakharova did not agree with the statement of the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan that “Russia is the guarantor of the security of Nagorno Karabakh”. These words were spoken by the Armenian Prime Minister on March 14 during a four-hour press conference for the Armenian media.
“According to the tripartite statement and the subsequent decision of the Federation Council, the President of the Russian Federation was given the opportunity to introduce peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh,” he reminded…..
“All the obligations of our side are clearly written in the tripartite statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia dated November 9, 2020. It is necessary to simply open this document and see what obligations our party bears and what obligations it does not,” said Maria Zakharova today, March 16, at a briefing for journalists….
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Moreover, speaking at the briefing, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation answered the question of “Ъ” about whether Russia should “protect Karabakh even if Azerbaijan wants to take control of new territories that are now under the control of peacekeepers”. “Future 3D prototyping is simply inappropriate. There will be something that requires a response, we will give it,” she said.
Maria Zakharova reacted to one more statement of Nikola Pashinyan – that it is not Armenia that expresses its intention to withdraw from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), but, on the contrary, “the CSTO is withdrawing from Armenia”, to the displeasure of Yerevan….
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Panorama.am
March 23, 2023
Artsakh FM rules out ‘integration’ into Azerbaijan
Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Foreign Minister Sergey Gazaryan on Thursday strongly rejected any talks on Artsakh’s “integration” into Azerbaijan sought by Baku.
“I do not even want to use this wording of the Azerbaijani authorities,” he told a video conference on 100 days of the Artsakh blockade.
Gazaryan stressed that Artsakh “will continue its struggle for the international recognition of its exercised right to self-determination.”
“Despite all the difficulties caused by the blockade, the people of Artsakh are committed to the path they have embarked on and will make every effort, hoping for the active participation of the Diaspora Armenians and its partners from around the world in their struggle,” the Artsakh FM said.
Sergey Ghazaryan urged to stop using terms like “integration” and “reintegration”.
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Panorama.am
March 23, 2023
Armenian opposition MP warns of outbreak of border clashes ‘at any moment’
Armenia has found itself in a rather complicated military and political situation, Seyran Ohanyan, the leader of the main opposition Hayastan faction in the Armenian parliament, told a briefing on Thursday, referring to the possibility of renewed hostilities on the border with Azerbaijan.
According to him, the geopolitical and regional developments, joint strategic actions of the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem, Azerbaijan’s preparatory actions and the overall situation in the South Caucasus testify to it.
“And there could be a possibility of war at any moment. I am not saying this to intimidate the people, but for them to stand together and defend their land,” Ohanyan noted, adding only intelligence data would allow to make a full assessment of Azerbaijan’s actions, military buildups and goals.
“The current geopolitical developments, relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the fact that Azerbaijan is taking relevant actions in the region indicate that clashes may erupt at any moment,” the MP stressed.
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PanArmenian.net
March 22, 2023
Azerbaijan again cuts Karabakh gas supply
Azerbaijan has again blocked the only pipeline delivering gas from Armenia to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), Artsakhgas reports.
The company urged residents on Wednesday, March 22 morning to follow all safety rules.
Azerbaijan has been regularly cutting off natural gas supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh amid freezing temperatures and severe food shortages.
Since December 12, the sole road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia – the Lachin Corridor – has been blocked by self-described Azerbaijani environmentalists. Karabakh residents have reported food and fuel shortages, while hospital patients don’t have access to essential medicines, with only a handful allowed transfer to facilities in Armenia proper.
Anti-bellum 