Ned Price, US Department of State Spokesperson, welcomed the release of Armenian POWs by Azerbaijan on September 8.    “We welcome reports of Armenian detainees returned home, a positive development for Armenia and Azerbaijan peace process. We hope all remaining detainees return home soon and Azerbaijan and Armenia continue taking steps to build trust and…

Charles Michel, President of the European Council welcomed the release of five Armenian POWs by Azerbaijan yesterday. “Welcome release by Baku of five more Armenian detainees, following August 31 discussions in Brussels. That handover is taking place bilaterally is a first – and to both Azerbaijan and Armenia credit. Addressing all outstanding humanitarian issues is…

Russian MFA Special Representative Igor Khovaev is currently in Baku to discuss a possible peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, announced during the weekly briefing, adding that in the near future, Khovaev will also visit Yerevan for the same purpose. “The word “activation” is not…

China encourages the warring sides of Russia and Ukraine to maintain communication and cooperation on humanitarian issues, said a Chinese envoy to the United Nations on Wednesday, Reuters reports. Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting, Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, said that as the Ukraine crisis drags on and the…

We welcome everything that is useful for Russian business. This was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia and commenting on the situation when numerous Russian companies have decided to relocate to Armenia.   “If the conditions are such that it is expedient and…

Ambassador Philip Reeker, US senior advisor for Caucasus negotiations, will be traveling to the region this week in what will be his first trip in this new role, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesman for the Department of State said at a press briefing.   “This is a first of what we expect to be regular…

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday (September 7) that Russia had not lost anything as a result of its military campaign in Ukraine, Reuters reports. “I am sure that we have not lost anything and will not lose anything (over actions in Ukraine). When it comes to the gains, I can say that the…

Azerbaijan Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov discussed the commercial commissioning of IGB and the gas supply to Bulgaria within the expansion of TAP with Nikola Stoyanov, Minister of Economy and Industry. Shahbazov Tweetted later about the meeting. “It is predicted that approximately 600 million cm of gas will be exported to Bulgaria by the end of…

Reuters. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday (September 6) that the West was not honouring its promise to help Russian food and fertiliser exports reach global markets, raising potential questions about Russia’s commitment to a landmark grain deal struck with Ukraine.   Lavrov said the West had not relaxed sanctions to make it…

The “Armenian Language” course will be relaunched at the Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC).   The course is aimed at ensuring that Azerbaijani researchers “systematically follow the publications of the Armenian media, prepare analytical materials, receiving more complete information from sources in Armenian in connection with the current economic situation and the future situation…

Armenia is among the invitees to an EU summit to discuss a new organisation uniting the democracies of the European continent, The Guardian reported citing President of the European Council Charles Michel. The informal summit will take place in Prague on 6 October to forge a European Political Community. The new British PM will also…

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed in a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Saturday the schedule of future high-level and summit meetings, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, TASS reports. “The ministers synchronized their schedules of future high-level and summit meeting,” the ministry said. The Foreign Ministry added that…

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan upped his rhetoric against Greece on Saturday, threatening to “come down suddenly one night,” AP reports. Erdogan has previously used that phrase to hint at looming military operations into Syria and Iraq against Kurdish militants that Turkey deems existential threats. He made good on that threat several times. Speaking at…

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Turkish leader expressed condolences over the death of former President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev and noted his significant role in the contemporary history of Russia and the entire world, the Kremlin reports.   The leaders discussed further progress of the multifaceted…

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Kremlin reports.   The leaders had an in-depth discussion of the current situation in the South Caucasus and stressed the importance of coordinated efforts to ensure stability and security on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and to establish economic ties and…

Group of Seven finance ministers agreed on Friday (September 2) to impose a price cap on Russian oil aimed at slashing revenues for Moscow’s conflict in Ukraine while keeping crude flowing to avoid price spikes, but their statement left out key details of the plan, Reuters reports. The ministers from the club of seven most…

Foreign Minister of Sweden Ann Linde welcomed the recent trilateral meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and President of the European Council Charles Michel in Brussels. “Welcome continued strong engagement by President of the European Council Charles Michel and the 4th meeting between leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Important for EU…

Congressional Armenian Caucus leaders – Rep. Frank Pallone, Gus Bilirakis, Jackie Speier, David G. Valadao and Adam Schiff – have congratulated the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) on 31st Independence Day. “We write to congratulate you and the people of the Republic of Artsakh on your 31st Independence Day. The United States Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues…

Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday rejected the calls of the Lelo for Georgia opposition party for imposing visa requirements for Russian and Belarusian citizens to prevent security threats in Georgia on the backdrop of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine by calling it a “deliberate, xenophobic campaign that…

Reuters. Thousands of female soccer fans were allowed to watch a men’s domestic league match in Tehran on Wednesday (August 31), as Iran loosened a ban that was introduced shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution.   Women flocked to the Azadi stadium, draped in the red of their team, Persepolis F. C, blowing vuvuzela horns…

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, referred to the meeting between him and the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.   “Fourth meeting with leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in constructive atmosphere. Reviewed all issues and agreed to step up work on peace treaty. The EU is ready to further step up its efforts in…

President of the European Council Charles Michel, following the trilateral meeting with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on 31 August 2022, issued a statement. As agreed during our last meeting in May, I hosted President Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Pashinyan of Armenia today. This was our…

Vedant Patel, Deputy Spokesman of the US State Department, spoke about Armenia-Azerbaijan relations at the meeting with journalists, as well as the negotiations between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan scheduled for today in Brussels. He once again confirmed that the United States is committed to promoting a secure, stable, democratic, prosperous, and peaceful future…

On August 30, the second session of the Commission on delimitation and Border Security of the State Border between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Commission on the delimitation of the State Border between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan was held in Moscow, chaired by…

The Georgian government is preparing to join Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), allowing customers make cashless euro payments – via credit transfer and direct debit – to anywhere in the European Union, as well as a number of non-EU countries, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced on Monday, 1tv.ge reports.   Today, three draft laws will…

Reuters. Iraqi militants fired several rockets at Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone on Tuesday (August 30) as sporadic clashes continued for a second day between rival Shi’ite Muslim groups, Iraq’s military said.   Streets were mostly empty of ordinary people as gunmen cruised in pickup trucks carrying machine guns and brandishing grenade launchers. Overnight, sustained gun…

OSCE FRANCE REPRESENTATION CONGRATULATED REEKER France congratulated Philip Reeker on his appointment as the new United States Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group. “Congratulations to Philip Reeker on his appointment as Senior Adviser for Caucasus Negotiations and as Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group for the United States,” the French Mission to the OSCE said…

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi said that the agency’s mission to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant is ready and will arrive there this week, TASS reports. “The day has come, @IAEAorg’s Support and Assistance Mission to #Zaporizhzhya (ISAMZ) is now on its way. We must protect the safety and…

The French permanent representation to OSCE responded to Baku’s anti-OSCE Minsk Group statements issued by Leyla Abdullayeva, a spokeswoman of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry. “Attempts to “reanimate” the virtually inactive Minsk Group may lead to the distancing US from the process of normalizing Azerbaijani-Armenian relations”, Abdullayeva stated.    “Did you know that France, along with USA…

Ukraine has exported more than 840,000 tonnes of agricultural products since the launch of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said the Joint Coordination Center of the initiative on Friday.   The Black Sea Grain Initiative was launched in Istanbul by the Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and United Nations on July 22, 2022.   Defense Minister of…