Over the past couple of months, the rhetoric about the Artsakh issue, particularly the rhetoric of Armenia’s pro-government personalities and media outlets has sharply changed, and this unequivocally sparks serious concerns. They regularly make calls and accusatory statements that will lead to a deadlock.
President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan signed a decree according to which soldier Artyom Khachatryan has been posthumously awarded with Combat Service Medal for the courage shown during the defense of the state border of the Republic.
The defense ministry of Artsakh shares the grief of the loss and extends condolences to the family, relatives and co-servicemen of the soldier.
The situation at the border with Azerbaijan on June 13th and yesterday is relatively stable, Armenian Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan told reporters in parliament today when asked to brief on the situation both at the Artsakh-Azerbaijan LoC and the Armenian-Azerbaijan border.
Not only does the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Artsakh deny the reports, but it also informs that during June 11 and overnight June 12 it was the Azerbaijani side that employed in a number of directions of the Line of Contact various caliber long range and sniper weapons, as well as HAN 17 grenade launchers (5 shells).
According to another decision approved by the President, Vladik Khachatryan has been appointed director of the State Service of Emergency Situations.
President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan signed a decree according to which Vitaly Balasanyan has been relieved from the position of Secretary of the Security Council.
Armenia has raised at the OSCE the issue of Azerbaijan holding military exercises without prior notification, Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said today in response to opposition MP Tigran Urikhanyan’s (Prosperous Armenia) question at a committee hearing.
Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan states that without Artsakh’s decisive voice there will be no productive progress in the NK conflict settlement and that returning Stepanakert to the negotiations table is a matter of principle. Mnatsakanyan also said that the cooperation between the governments of Armenia and Artsakh has been and remains principled and effective.
Announcement on the details of the meeting of foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Elmar Mammadyarov, including the date and location, will be announced very soon: the parties will announce that simultaneously, the Armenian FM told reporters in the Parliament, asked when the next meeting will take place.
