Artsakh
One year after the loss of Artsakh, the Genesis Armenia think tank organized a conference titled “One Year without Artsakh.” A key focus of the event was the ongoing plight of Armenians detained in Azerbaijan. Human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan described these individuals as hostages, emphasizing that their return is contingent on meeting specific political demands by Azerbaijan rather than legal grounds. Currently, 23 Armenians are officially recognized as being held in Azerbaijan, but Sahakyan noted that many others have been captured and are missing. “Their forced disappearance has removed them from legal protections, and we cannot confirm whether they are alive or in secret locations,” she said.
Georgia
During PM Nikol Pashinyan’s recent trip to Georgia, he highlighted the long-standing friendly relations between Armenia and Georgia, rooted in centuries of mutual respect. Georgian PM Irakli Kobakhidze reaffirmed his country’s commitment to peace and stability in the South Caucasus and welcomed positive developments in Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations. Pashinyan briefed Kobakhidze on the latest developments, noting some progress in agreements on border demarcation. He expressed optimism about achieving practical advancements in Armenia-Georgia border demarcation, underscoring the common understanding reached between the two countries.
Georgia’s parliament adopted a legislative package on Tuesday banning “LGBT propaganda,” same-sex marriage and gender affirming medical treatment. 84 MPs from the ruling Georgian Dream party voted in favor of the law, and none voted against it. 30 civil society organizations in Georgia have penned a joint statement calling the laws “harmful and dangerous.” “There are many historical examples of how restricting the rights of one group becomes the beginning of a larger repression,” the letter reads.
Russia
Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergey Shoigu arrived in Iran for an unannounced visit yesterday. During his trip, Shoigu met with Ali Akbar Ahmadian, chairman of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Shoigu expressed Russia’s support for Iran’s policies regarding “corridors and communications with Azerbaijan.” Additionally, Shoigu met with President Masoud Pezeshkian and conveyed a message from President Vladimir Putin. Pezeshkian also received a report on the agreements reached during these high-level discussions.
Turkey/Azerbaijan
Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization Chief Ibrahim Kalin said on Tuesday that the final agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia is crucial for ensuring stability and development in the Caucasus region. “Establishing lasting peace will facilitate the opening of transport and communication corridors linking Azerbaijan, Armenia, Nakhichevan, Turkey and Europe, including the ‘Zangezur Corridor,’” said Kalin.
Ambassador Serdar Kılıç, Turkey’s special envoy for the Armenia-Turkey normalization process, met with Azerbaijani FM Jeyhun Bayramov during a recent visit to Baku. They discussed Armenia-Azerbaijan talks, normalization efforts between Turkey and Armenia and broader regional and international security issues. Bayramov said that Armenia’s “constitutional claims” to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and the arming of Armenia by third parties pose challenges to peace and stability in the region.
Hoory Minoyan
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