Yerevan will not abandon arms acquisition – Armenian Foreign Minister responds to Ilham Aliyev
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan rejected Ilham Aliyev's demands for Yerevan to stop acquiring weapons. "Armenia has acquired and will continue to acquire weapons solely for the purpose of self-defense. Over 200 square kilometers of our sovereign territory is under the control of Azerbaijan. And even to regain these territories, we do not intend to consider military action, but rather a process of demarcation. So, we are buying weapons and have no intention of sending them back," he stated.
"If Azerbaijan sincerely fears, we are ready to create a bilateral arms control mechanism," he continued. Addressing the claim made by Azerbaijan’s President that Armenia is becoming a barrier between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, and Europe and Central Asia, Mirzoyan said that Armenia does not want, and it is not in its interest to be such a barrier. "We want to be not a barrier, but a bridge between other states, our neighbors," he emphasized.
Politics
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Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has indefinitely suspended flights on the Baku-Kazan-Baku route, citing repeated closures of airspace over Kazan caused by the implementation of the "Kovyor" plan, the company announced on Thursday.
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On January 8, Ilham Aliyev received the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Akbar Ahmadian. Ahmadian conveyed greetings from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to Aliyev. Aliyev asked Ahmadian to convey his reciprocal greetings.
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On November 8, a hearing took place in the Sabail District Court regarding the criminal case of Aziz Orudjov, the head of Kanal-13. During the session, Orudjov's lawyers requested that his pre-trial detention be changed to house arrest. However, the request was not granted. The prosecutor then announced the indictment. Orudjov denied the charges against him. The next court session is scheduled for January 24.
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On January 8, President Ilham Aliyev received Magdalena Grono, the European Union’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus, according to the Azerbaijani President's press service. Grono expressed condolences over the AZAL plane crash and expressed hope that all the causes of the crash would be thoroughly investigated. Noting that Azerbaijan is an important partner for the European Union, Grono emphasized that the EU is interested in ensuring sustainable stability in the South Caucasus region. She highlighted the importance of dialogue between the EU and Azerbaijan, noting Azerbaijan's significant contribution to Europe's energy security.
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