The Region in Brief

Artsakh

The Artsakh National Assembly issued a statement commemorating the 33rd anniversary of its declaration of independence. The Assembly emphasized the resilience and commitment of Artsakh’s people to building a democratic state despite persistent threats from Azerbaijan. The Assembly criticized the Armenian government for recognizing Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan, describing this as a breach of Armenia’s obligations. It also condemned Azerbaijan for its genocidal actions and the erasure of Armenian cultural heritage. The statement called on the international community, including the U.N. and OSCE Minsk Group, to safeguard the return and rights of Artsakh’s Armenians. 

Armenia

Minister of Justice Grigor Minasyan has announced that a constitutional referendum is scheduled for 2027. The development of the document will involve extensive public consultations and collaboration with specialists. The next session of the constitutional reform commission will take place on September 5. 

Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan announced that Armenia will participate in the upcoming BRICS summit. Safaryan made this statement during a press briefing at the National Assembly but did not provide further details. The BRICS summit is scheduled to take place from October 22 to 24, 2024.

Azerbaijan

On September 2, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone. During the conversation, Erdogan congratulated Aliyev on the “New Azerbaijan” party’s decisive victory in the recent parliamentary elections. Erdogan expressed his belief that the elections were conducted under free and democratic conditions, accurately reflecting the “will of the Azerbaijani people.” The parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan were held on September 1. 

Iran

Iran has reiterated its firm stance against any alterations to the geopolitical status quo and internationally recognized borders in the region, according to a statement from Mojtaba Demirchilou, director general of Eurasia Affairs and aide to Iran’s foreign minister. He said this during a meeting with Russian Ambassador Alexey Dedov in Tehran on September 2. Demirchilou emphasized Tehran’s commitment to regional peace and stability, stressing that the legitimate concerns and interests of all countries must be taken into account. He highlighted the importance of respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity in order to maintain sustainable peace and foster regional cooperation.

Turkey

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Turkey has confirmed that discussions regarding the country’s potential membership in BRICS are ongoing. Omer Çelik, a spokesperson for the AKP, stated that the matter remains in the discussion phase without any concrete developments. The statement follows a report by Bloomberg, which, citing unnamed sources, claimed that Turkey has officially submitted an application to join the BRICS group. This report has yet to be officially confirmed by Turkish authorities. Yuri Ushakov, assistant to the Russian president, said that Russian authorities have extended an invitation to Turkey to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Kazan. Ushakov affirmed that the invitation has been delivered and that the Turkish president has accepted.

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.
Hoory Minoyan

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