MAY-2021 BULLETIN H I GHL I GHT OF THE FORE I G N P O L I CY OF REPUBL I C OF AZERBA I JAN Table of contents I. The demarcation process and Armenia’s continued provocations on the border with Azerbaijan 2 II. Azerbaijan is transforming the region after the war 8 III. Azerbaijan continues to rebuild Karabakh 12 IV. Reintegrating Karabakh’s Armenian population into the rest of Azerbaijan 13 V. Azerbaijan to put foreign terrorist fighters on trial 14 VI. Azerbaijan and Turkey deepen military-technical cooperation 16 VII. Azerbaijan at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19 pandemic 18 2 I. The demarcation process and Ilham Aliyev put it, Armenian politicians “are Armenia’s continued provocations playing the blame game – the current on the border with Azerbaijan government blames the previous one and the previous government blames the current one. Border demarcation has been under way In fact, they are all guilty because they made a between Armenia and Azerbaijan following big mistake. They did not think that they would the Second Karabakh War. After the Trilateral find themselves in such a helpless state, and Agreement of November 10th, Azerbaijan they themselves are the culprits of all their started the process of demarcation using troubles”. Soviet maps and GPS systems. Delimitation and demarcation of state boundaries between The revanchist forces in Armenia are seeking Armenia and Azerbaijan are essential for the to present the trilateral statement as just a durable and sustainable peace and security in “truce agreement”, akin to the 1994 Bishkek the region. At the same time, Azerbaijan Protocol. However, the trilateral statement understands that this process is very and the Bishkek protocol are fundamentally complicated. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs different documents with completely different of the Republic of Azerbaijan put it, “measures legal and political weight. Unlike the Bishkek to strengthen the border protection system protocol, the trilateral statement was signed implemented within the territorial integrity of by the heads of state of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Azerbaijan are carried out based on maps Armenia which pays the way for the final peace available to each of the sides that define the agreement. The trilateral statement also calls borderline between Armenia and Azerbaijan. for the opening of all transport and Since regaining its independence, there has communication links blocked during the first been no state border between the two Karabakh war. The trilateral agreement also countries for obvious reasons, and for this lays the groundwork for the delimitation and reason, we speak about the complicated demarcation of the border between technical process, which is currently Azerbaijan and Armenia. accompanied by disagreements between the In this context, deliberately whipping up sides”. tensions and increasing provocations on the The situation is even more complicated border with Azerbaijan in the run-up to the considering the continuing political crisis in June parliamentary election in Armenia was Armenia after the war. The Second Karabakh not unexpected. Armenia is playing War has transformed the political space in provocative games, clearly striving to disrupt Armenia, throwing the Armenian society into the process of the delimitation and deep political turmoil. Unfortunately, there is demarcation of borders. By artificially stoking a significant risk that Armenia could implode up tensions, Armenia tries to prove that the from within both if Pashinyan is re-elected or conflict is not over and push international the Karabakh clan led by Robert Kocharyan actors, particularly Russia and the CSTO, to get comes to power again. In case of Pashinyan's involved in it. At the same time, through victory, the country could find itself in the spreading disinformation, lies and hysteria middle of civil war, while with Kocharyan’s about the demarcation process, the Armenian election, the criminal-oligarchic system of opposition forces also are trying to use it to government reinforced by a militarized destabilize the internal situation in Armenia, dictatorship could be revived. As President Mirza İbrahimov 8, Baku, AZ1005, Azerbaijan, Phone: (+994 12) 596-82-39, (+994 12) 596-82-41, E-mail: [email protected] www.aircenter.az 3 weaken Pashinyan and eventually to come to which have a difficult mountainous terrain and power. climatic conditions, the Azerbaijani border forces are deployed in the positions of our In this context, in the late hours of May 12th, country. This process is carried out in the usual Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol mode and in a systematic manner," Pashinyan announced at the Security Council Azerbaijan`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in meeting that Azerbaijani troops “crossed the a statement, adding that “since May 12, the border” in Syunik Region and advanced “three leadership of the State Border Service of the kilometers into Armenian territory”, claiming Republic of Azerbaijan has been sent to the that it was “encroachment on Armenia's area, negotiations are underway with the sovereign territory”. The baseless and border guards of the opposite side and provocative statements by the Armenian appropriate steps are being taken to normalize government that Azerbaijani troops advanced the situation." According the Ministry of into Armenian territory in two sections of the Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan: "Measures to state border - one in Syunik Region and the strengthen the border protection system other in Gegharkunik Region, resulted in the implemented within the territorial integrity of routine demarcation process being Azerbaijan are carried out on the basis of maps deliberately blown up way out of proportion. available to each of the sides that define the Azerbaijan rejected this claim. The Ministry of border line between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan rejected as Since regaining its independence, there has absolutely baseless Yerevan's complaint on 12 been no state border between the two May that Azerbaijani troops breached the countries for obvious reasons, and for this state border and advanced several kilometers reason we speak about the complicated into Armenia's territory. “We recommend that technical process, which is currently the political and military circles of Armenia not accompanied by disagreements between the be alarmed, accept the reality of the interstate sides. It is surprising that the Armenian side border regime along the Zangilan, Gubadli, reacted inadequately to this process and made Lachin and Kalbajar regions of Azerbaijan and provocative statements. We believe that not unreasonably aggravate the situation in attempts by official circles to use this issue for the region," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of political purposes in connection with the pre- Azerbaijan said in a statement on 13 May, election situation in Armenia are adding that “such cases can and should be unacceptable". resolved through mutual contacts between In the meantime, on May 14th, Armenia took the military on both sides”. The Ministry of another provocative step to undermine the Foreign Affairs called for resolving problems peace and stability in the region and referred through mutual contacts and said that this issue to the Collective Security Treaty attempts by Yerevan's official circles to exploit Organization (CSTO). Yerevan appealed to the the matter for political purposes ahead of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty parliamentary election in Armenia were Organisation (CSTO) despite the fact that unacceptable.” According to the trilateral Moscow has already been mediating between statement signed on November 10, 2020, with the sides to settle the border delimitation the improvement of weather conditions in the issue. Armenia's appeal to the CSTO on this settlements of the liberated Lachin and issue was nothing but an attempt by the Kalbajar regions bordering with Armenia, Mirza İbrahimov 8, Baku, AZ1005, Azerbaijan, Phone: (+994 12) 596-82-39, (+994 12) 596-82-41, E-mail: [email protected] www.aircenter.az 4 Armenian authorities to politicize the issue. In on border issues over the last months. The response, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs also accused third Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov held several actors of exaggerating this technical issue with telephone conversations with Russian Foreign provocative statements and a smear campaign Minister Sergey Lavrov, with Acting Assistant against Azerbaijan. “Such a destructive Secretary of State for European and Eurasian approach only serves to increase tensions,” Affairs Philip Reeker and with the French the Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscored. Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean- The Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Yves Le Drian. Minister Bayramov informed Bayramov had telephone conversations with them about the measures taken to strengthen Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, US the border with Armenia and stressed the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for inadmissibility of exaggeration and European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker, politicization of such cases. Secretary-General of the European External Touching upon this issue, President Ilham Action Service Stefano Sannino, OSCE Aliyev noted that Armenia's appeal to the Chairperson-in-Office Ann Linde stressing the CSTO over the ongoing border delimitation importance of resolving tensions through process was totally baseless. President Ilham political and diplomatic means and the Aliyev made