A regular Cabinet meeting took place today, chaired by Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.
By the suggestion of the Head of the Government, a minute’s silence was first observed in memory of those who died as a result of military operations. “Dear colleagues, on the night of September 13, the armed forces of Azerbaijan carried out aggression against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, and many representatives of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, soldiers selflessly sacrificed their lives for the defense of the Motherland. I suggest to honor the memory of all the victims with a minute of silence,” said the Prime Minister.
Details of the situation created as a result of the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against the sovereign territory of Armenia were presented at the Cabinet meeting.
Below is the transcript of the Cabinet meeting on the issue.
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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – As of today, the number of our confirmed victims is 135, but unfortunately, we know that this number is not yet final, we also have many wounded. Mr. Papikyan, I would first like you to present the operative situation as of now.
Defense Minister Suren Papikyan – Mr. Prime Minister, dear Cabinet members, the operational situation at the moment is considered to be relatively calm. The ceasefire regime was observed last night. I can say that the Armed Forces continue to fulfill the task set before them.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – Dear colleagues, the position of the Republic of Armenia is clear and unequivocal: the invading units of the Azerbaijani armed forces must withdraw from the sovereign territory of Armenia. In general, I want to emphasize that it is not only about the events of the last days, but also about the invasion that took place in the Khoznavar area on May 12 last year. The Republic of Armenia recorded this position during the discussions held in the UN Security Council yesterday. Yesterday evening I had another telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, the country that holds the presidency of the UN Security Council, and it was agreed that the situation should remain in the focus of the UN Security Council.
Mr. Mirzoyan, I would like you to briefly present the discussions that took place in the Security Council yesterday.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan – Honorable Mr. Prime Minister, dear colleagues, as you already mentioned, yesterday a special discussion was held in the UN Security Council on the issues that concern us. The discussion was initiated by us. This was already the second discussion, although the public is largely unaware of it. Two days ago, another discussion took place behind closed doors, and here is the second one, which was in an open format at our request, so that the humanity of the whole world can also follow the positions of permanent and non-permanent member states.
No document has been adopted yet based on the discussions, but I want to emphasize that this should in no way diminish the importance of the discussion that took place, because, even without a document, in fact, the international community has taken a very clear position on the issues. I will list now, with your permission. And so, I don’t consider it necessary to mention each country separately, but the vast majority of countries emphasized the inadmissibility of the use of force, the inviolability of Armenia’s sovereign territory, the need to return to the positions that existed before the invasion, the term “aggression” was used many times. In other words, there is a very clear perception that this is an aggression, an invasion of the territory of Armenia, that civil infrastructure was targeted, that the invader should return to its initial positions, etc.
Moreover, many countries also talked about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Nagorno-Karabakh issue during the discussions, and in fact, I will not be exaggerating if I say that the thesis of the Azerbaijani leadership, which they have been trying to circulate for a year and more, that there is no more Nagorno-Karabakh issue and there is no Nagorno Karabakh, received its corresponding opposite reaction from the international community yesterday. Many other important points were highlighted. And this, I repeat, is the position of the international community on these issues, and we must continue working in this direction. Of course, I want and it is necessary to say words of satisfaction and appreciation about the countries that have courageously stopped putting a sign of equality between the aggressor and the target of aggression. But I also have to admit that in the case of individual countries or countries, we had slightly higher expectations and perhaps it is not a secret that in some cases these expectations were not quite justified. That’s it. Let me not elaborate further.
And this, I repeat, is the position of the international community on these issues, and we must continue working in this direction. Of course, I want and it is necessary to say words of satisfaction and appreciation about the countries that have courageously stopped putting a sign of equality between the aggressor and the target of aggression. But I also have to admit that in the case of individual countries or a country, we had slightly higher expectations and perhaps it is not a secret that in some cases these expectations were not quite justified. That’s it. Let me not elaborate further.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – Thank you. However, dear colleagues, I think we should record that the situation remains tense, and we have discussed in the format of the Security Council the expediency and necessity of introducing martial law in Armenia and have come to the conclusion that we should not make such a decision at this point. But on the other hand, we receive proposals from many citizens, there are also citizens who say that they are waiting for the martial law to be able to participate in the defense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. We discussed this at the meeting of the Security Council and came to the conclusion that if there are people (certainly there are) who want to be involved in this phase, they can apply to the military commissariats on a voluntary basis according to the usual procedure, and this problem will be solved. Moreover, now within the framework of the previously made decisions, the process of three-month military gatherings is continuous, is in force, and there are all the legal bases and decisions to involve citizens in the service on a voluntary basis. Am I right, Mr. Papikyan?
Defense Minister Suren Papikyan – Mr. Prime Minister, both the Law on Militia and the decisions adopted by the Government regarding the three-month gatherings and Article 29 of the Law on Defense give us those opportunities, and all those citizens who want to enrol today on a voluntary basis and go to trainings for ensuring their further participation in case of necessity, the military commissariats are ready to receive and station them.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – Thank you. Now I would like the Minister of Emergency Situations to provide information about what civil infrastructures were targeted and damaged as a result of the Azerbaijani aggression.
Minister of Emergency Situations Armen Pabukhchyan – Thank you, Honorable Mr. Prime Minister, dear colleagues, we, together with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, as well as the MES regional crisis management centers of the regional rescue service, have a rather large list of calls, and this list includes addresses and individuals. As a result of Azerbaijan’s aggression, in particular, hotels, sanatorium, water reservoirs were damaged in Vayots Dzor, the Kechut water reservoir was hit by two shells, the ropeway, the building of the fire rescue squad of the Rescue Service, and a number of people’s personal vehicles and other property have been damaged. Also, we have a problem related to the failure of power supply lines, in particular, the power supply line serving Vaghatin, Vorotanavan, Shamb, Darpas, Getatagh, Lor, Lernashen and Dastakert settlements of Sisian region of Syunik Province. We also have emergency vehicles, which were damaged again in the Syunik region as a result of the bombing. We also have emergency vehicles that were damaged again in the Syunik Province as a result of the bombing. In Gegharkunik Province, mostly people’s houses and several hectares of wheat fields and barley fields were damaged, and in Sotk 55-60 houses, livestock barns, many gas supply pipes and a number of private vehicles were damaged.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – I believe it is important to inventory all the damage for two purposes. First, the Government must provide adequate resources to carry out full recovery, to support both private individuals, communities and companies to ensure full recovery of the damage they have suffered. Next, it is very important to document these and other circumstances legally. Mrs. Vardapetyan, today you are participating in the Cabinet meeting as the Prosecutor General of the Republic for the first time. Emphasizing this fact, I also hope that very thorough work will be carried out in this direction. I am also aware that we have cases of military crimes committed by the aggressor forces of Azerbaijan, and the cases of these crimes should be documented in detail and processed in the framework of their international legal processes. Here I would also like to emphasize one circumstance, that apart from this topic, it is very important to pay special attention, yesterday we also had a discussion on this topic with the Minister of Defense, that any attempt to disrupt the activities of the Armed Forces of Armenia must be prevented by the harshest methods, regardless of the motivations, regardless of the emotional state of the acting persons, with the harshest methods. I want us to make this clear. We have had cases, unfortunately, during the 44-day war and after that, it is good that there is now an intensive investigation and criminal cases for those cases. I repeat, no person, regardless of the status, is allowed to act outside the law, and where anyone, regardless of emotional state, crosses the line of the law, they should feel the reaction of the law enforcement system in very concrete, swift and harshest ways. Let’s state that this is a matter of state security and we are not going to make any compromises here.
I also want to emphasize that ensuring information security is very important for us. We see that some suspicious persons can create threats to the national security of the country with suspicious information. Democracy is democracy, we understood everything, freedom of speech, but perverts should not be allowed to introduce perversion. Here, too, we expect our law enforcement system, the National Security Service, to take very concrete methods and measures, including identifying cooperating individuals, because it is, in fact, a spy network operating in the Republic of Armenia. Recently, the National Security Service has been very successful in identifying spy networks, but I think that we have not yet solved our problems with spy networks and we must continue to carry out consistent work in this direction.
Along with all this, it should be emphasized that we are involved in a political process, the negotiation process, including the working group on border demarcation and delimitation issues and border security issues is working. Our position is very clear: yes, we will take all possible steps to achieve settlements, lasting peace and stability. Regarding the activity of the Commission on border demarcation and delimitation and border security issues, I want to emphasize that any attempt to use this process to make territorial claims and ambitions is unacceptable for us. I say again, the Republic of Armenia has an area of 29,800 square kilometers, and not a single millimeter of that area can be a subject of discussion. I want us to make this very clear, and this position will not be changed under any circumstances. I reiterate, our political position is that the invading forces of Azerbaijan, the aggressor forces, must leave the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. We must pursue this position in all instances and by all possible means and achieve a solution to the problem. Overall, this is our assessment of the situation. Please, if there are other positions, opinions, take the floor, Mr. Mirzoyan.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan – Mr. Prime Minister, I just wanted to add to what you said, that the unformation presented by the Minister of Emergency Situations, as well as the information in the possession of the Office of the Human Rights Defender and other state agencies, are already thoroughly and properly presented to our international partners. And in those cases where there are legal issues and elements of war crimes, they are being elaborated and will be processed accordingly.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – Thank you. Please, Mrs. Grigoryan, take the floor.
Human Rights Defender Kristine Grigoryan – Thank you. Mr. Prime Minister, dear colleagues, I consider it important to announce today that apart from civil infrastructure, the civilian population has been targeted as part of the Azerbaijani aggression. We have recorded one civilian death from a shrapnel wound. The person is not involved in any armed services or in any other way, there is evidence of this. At least 6 injured civilians were recorded by our institution. We have identified these persons, we have also visited them, that is, we have these proofs. All this has been submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as mentioned by the Minister. In addition to ambulances and personnel, journalists were also targeted. There are also evidences of this, which are gross violations of international humanitarian law and customary law. We also continue to collect, identify war crime information. They are also being summarized, and we will publish a report about it and, of course, we will share the data with at least law enforcement and our colleagues, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Thank you.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – Mr. Kyaramyan, please, take the floor.
Chairman of the Investigative Committee Argishti Kyaramyan – Thank you, honorable Mr. Prime Minister, dear colleagues, in the context of Mr. Mirzoyan’s speech, I would like to mention that criminal cases have already been initiated for carrying out an act of aggression by the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan, as well as large-scale investigative actions are currently taking place regarding gross violations of international humanitarian law. The Investigative Committee will issue an additional statement.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – Thank you. Dear colleagues, you know that many people expected that martial law would be introduced and in that context there was a discussion about what the citizens should do. I think that first and foremost, we should not forget the need to perform the normal activity and functional role of the state under any circumstances. This is also about the economy, and this is extremely important. Of course, we should support the Armed Forces in every possible way. I repeat, we have compatriots, brothers and sisters who consider it their duty to participate directly in ensuring the country’s security. I have already said that such citizens can at any moment, not from this moment, but also before, they could apply to the relevant structures, military commissariats. Our other citizens, state officials, and the private sector must ensure the normal functioning of the country with their daily work, because the material, financial and economic support of our Armed Forces also depends on it, which we must not even forget for a second. Please, Mr. Kirakosyan, take the floor.
Representative on international legal matters Yeghisheh Kirakosyan – Thank you, honorable Mr. Prime Minister. We are already actively working with all the relevant and competent bodies regarding the issues raised by our partners, I mean with cases of human rights violations and war crimes, as well as damage to civilian objects and violations of international law, international humanitarian law.
We have already submitted several applications complementing each other to the European Court in the last 2 days, with the request to apply an interim measure, and we have already received the answers, especially when it comes to guaranteeing the rights of the captives. Also, as of now, the evidence related to the damage on a larger scale is being collected, which, within the framework of our current, various international legal processes, we have several interstate cases in the European Court, we have proceedings in the International Court of Justice, we will certainly present them within the framework of all these proceedings, we are now collecting.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – Thank you, Mr. Kirakosyan. Dear colleagues, there is a point of view, and I think that this point of view is not at all unfounded, that Azerbaijan’s aggression against the Republic of Armenia is also aggression against Armenian democracy. I think this view is not really unreasonable at all. I must record that despite all the attacks, the Republic of Armenia will continue the processes of democratic reforms, including economic reforms and reforms in all directions. We must also pay a lot of attention to the reforms of our Armed Forces, the army, in connection with which a huge agenda has been formed during this time, and that agenda is actually in the implementation stage, and we must consistently and continuously advance that agenda. We must, however, I also emphasize that what is happening in no way diminishes the importance of the peace agenda, on the contrary, it further emphasizes it, and we will consistently follow that path. But I also want to emphasize that before this situation arose, we were discussing our priorities for the coming years. In essence, we have highlighted three priorities on which we should focus and work. The first is peace, the second is education, the third is the reform of the Armed Forces. These are the three priorities that, in our opinion, will ensure the security and real development of our country, which will solve the issue of the durability of the Republic of Armenia in the long term. My appeal is that we should nevertheless ensure unity around the state interests of the Republic of Armenia, and the state interest of the Republic of Armenia should become the main guideline for decision-making, and we should be guided by this logic. Any other observations about the situation? Mr. Grigoryan, please, take the floor.
Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan – Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. There are also factual data regarding the idea that this is also an attack on Armenian democracy. In other words, Azerbaijan’s invasion of Armenia’s sovereign territory on May 12 last year was also an attack on Armenian democracy, because Armenia was preparing for early elections, and was trying to use one of the most important democratic tools in order to achieve internal stability and overcome the crisis. And we are sure, also our assessment is that Azerbaijan tried to attack the Armenian democracy by attacking the Republic of Armenia and thus challenge the ongoing democratic processes. Thank you.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan – I completely agree with you, Mr. Grigoryan. That was our assessment even then. What happened in the Khoznavar section had a very specific purpose of influencing the internal processes of Armenia. This attack also has such a context, and I must say that in my estimation, it was also an attack on Armenia’s economic progress, including the one that happened in 2020, because contrary to forecasts, you know that Armenia has a fairly high rate of economic growth in the current year. But the problem is not even the current indicators, GDP or economic activity, just a week ago the World Index of Economic Freedom was published, according to the results of which Armenia ranks 11th among 165 countries of the world in terms of economic freedom, significantly improving its position compared to 2018. If I’m not mistaken, in 2018 we were 46th. Moreover, this is the indicator for 2020. Of course, there is speculation that our improvement is also related to the fact that many countries have suffered from the COVID, but I want to go back to the criticisms for our handling of COVID. If many developed countries in the world managed COVID in such a way that their economic freedoms significantly worsened, and Armenia has managed COVID in such a way that economic freedom, on the contrary, has improved, this is also evidence of the management of COVID pandemic. Anyway, yes, we have to record that such attacks are also against Armenia’s long-term development strategies because, obviously, there are forces that do not want Armenia to become a competitive state. This is the most important thing, because yes, this is an attack on Armenia’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, but no aggression can distract us from our values, our goals, which are, in fact, recorded in the non-amendable articles of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. I want to emphasize that these goals do not refer to a single political force or political team, but they are recorded in the articles of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia that are not subject to be changed. Therefore, we should take this as a guide and walk continuously and tirelessly on that path, despite all difficulties and obstacles.
INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME-MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
