The Region in Brief

October 4, 2023 Hoory Minoyan Briefs 0

Armenia

The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia confirmed on October 2 that one soldier was killed and two others sustained injuries during an Azerbaijani attack on Kut, Gegharkunik. The two wounded soldiers are currently in stable condition and have been safely transported to a military hospital for treatment. The Ministry has condemned Azerbaijan’s reprehensible act of targeting ambulances, a clear violation of international humanitarian law. 

The Armenian National Assembly ratified the Rome Statute on October 3, with 60 votes in favor, 22 against and 0 abstentions. Opposition factions voted against passage of the Rome Statute. Opposition MP of “Armenia Alliance” Artur Khachatryan stated that voting in favor of the statute “is a hostile move against Russia which will have its ramifications, and the consequences and burden will be placed on the people.” 

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan declined to participate in the scheduled meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Granada, Spain on October 5. The meeting was to include Armenia, Azerbaijan, France, Germany and the EU, with the participation of Pashinyan, Aliyev, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Council President Charles Michel. Azerbaijan claimed that this format fostered a hostile atmosphere and insisted on Turkey’s involvement. However, France and Germany opposed this request, leading to Baku’s decision to withdraw from the meeting.

Iran

During a working visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, met with  Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hossein Amir Abdollahian. The regional security situation was discussed and it was emphasized that the principle of the inviolability of borders should be respected, and conflicts should be resolved through dialogue. 

Meanwhile, 60 tons of humanitarian aid was delivered from Iran on October 3, including food, hygiene products, blankets and heaters, and more arrived in Syunik to be distributed to the forcibly displaced Armenians of Artsakh.  

Turkey

The Turkish Parliament’s Committee on Public Notices has submitted an application against Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear power plant due to “the expiration of its operational lifespan and associated security risks.” The Turkish Foreign Ministry sent a memorandum to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) demanding an assessment in line with the safety regulations of the nuclear power plant. This is not the first encroachment of official Turkey against Metsamor, which is Armenia’s sovereign energy source. In August of last year, the Turks held a training exercise in Kars, allegedly “in the scenario of protecting against a possible leak at Metsamor in the event of a seven-point earthquake.” On March 3, during a meeting with the Director General of the IAEA, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said that “the illegal trade of some nuclear materials from the Metsamor nuclear power plant is worrying.”

Hoory Minoyan

Hoory Minoyan

Hoory Minoyan was an active member of the Armenian community in Los Angeles until she moved to Armenia prior to the 44-day war. She graduated with a master's in International Affairs from Boston University, where she was also the recipient of the William R. Keylor Travel Grant. The research and interviews she conducted while in Armenia later became the foundation of her Master’s thesis, “Shaping Identity Through Conflict: The Armenian Experience.” Hoory continues to follow her passion for research and writing by contributing to the Armenian Weekly.

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