Armenian President talks Karabakh, Turkey, EU at PACEOctober 2, 2013 - 20:10 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia will take part in the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius and is ready to sign the Association Agreement, President Serzh Sargsyan said. During a Q&A session at PACE on Wednesday, Oct 2, President Sargsyan said Armenia always based on a complementary policy and “our colleagues agreed with us.” As for the Customs Union, he said it’s senseless to talk of any kind of pressure. “Armenia didn’t deviate from its course. The Customs Union doesn’t include Russia only, it’s a union of several countries,” Armenia Today quoted him as saying. When commenting on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, President Sargsyan said that the settlement should be based on three principles: the right of nations to self-determination, non-use of force and territorial integrity, as it’s mentioned in the so-called Madrid Principles proposed to the sides by the OSCE Minsk Group but later rejected by Azerbaijan. In his speech, the Armenian President also dwelled on the process of reconciliation with Turkey, saying that Ankara is not ready for establishment of relations. “As you all know, Turkish leadership refused to ratify the protocols aimed at normalization of relations,” he said. Photo: president.am 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. The Armenian-Turkish Protocols The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation. Eastern Partnership The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is the first comprehensive initiative introduced into the system of the European Union’s external relations, addressed to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The Eastern Partnership is designed to help the countries of Eastern Europe and South Caucasus with their approximation to and integration with the European Union. The EaP has injected a new quality into relations between the EU and the countries covered by the initiative through their gradual integration with the European Union. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. EU still discussing funding Armenia through European Peace Facility Discussions continue in the EU on providing Armenia with funds from the European Peace Facility, Vassilis Maragos says. |