War In Nagorno Karabakh Can Start At Any Moment

The slightest spark can ignite a full-blown fire, and threaten the "stability".


“Stability” in Karabakh conflict threatens to spark any time – expert

07 August 2013


The assessment of situation in Nagorno-Karabakh by International Crisis Group as a “stabile” does not reflect the reality in full.

“The situation in the occupied lands and on the line of contact is not stabile. It has long been rather stabile tense,” Abdullayev told 1news.az.

It is impossible to talk about stability until there is situation of war between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani lands remain under occupation and refugees can’t return homes, he said.

The opposite side realizes that slightest spark can ignite a full-blown fire, and there will no stability in this case.”

reply to post by Hellmutt


This could definetly be the place WW3 kicks off - Russia wants its land/oil route to the middle east - I'm sure they want that whole area wiped out of people.

Doesn't the US have some kind of "bio-weapon" lab in that area? in a port city?

To me, it almost looks like the US and Russia are partnering in depopulating this area. Turkey is still NATO.

NWO.

reply to post by Happy1


Don't forget Israel. They want to extend the BTC pipeline to Israel.

11/05/2006


The transportation of oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export pipeline to Middle Eastern countries via Israel will be possible in the future, the Israeli ambassador in Baku Arthur Lenk has said.

US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev met in Washington.


US, Azeri Defense Chiefs Meet

August 6th, 2013


U.S.-Azeri strategic relations were discussed Tuesday as Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev visited the United States

Abiyev added that if the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not resolved and the Azerbaijani territories are not freed, the region will continue to face a difficult military situation.

Secretary Hagel said he will make further efforts for the development and strengthening of strategic cooperation between the two countries. The ministers discussed military cooperation.

He thanked Abiyev for his country’s support of the international efforts in Afghanistan, where Azeri forces take part in fighting against the same mujahideen forces that twenty years ago aided them in the Karabakh war.

Hagel spoke positively about the development of cooperation under a number of programs in the field of defense between the U.S. and Azerbaijan.

Violations of ceasefire...


Sharmazanov: Azerbaijan should give up its illusions

06.08.2013


“Ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan have become more frequent recently. Comparison of the facts proves once again that Azerbaijan is not only unprepared for peace talks, but it is also doing everything to torpedo them,” the Armenian parliament’s vice speaker Edward Sharmazanov told the correspondent of Aysor.am.

He added that the Armenian side does not want a military solution of the Karabakh problem

Armenian Armed Forces violate ceasefire

07-08-2013


Armenian Armed Forces opened fire at Azerbaijani Army positions situated in the villages of Kohnegishlag in the Aghstafa region and Gizilhajili in Gazakh region from positions in the villages of Paravakar and Berkaber of Armenia"s Ijevan region yesterday and last night, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry told Trend on Wednesday.

The shooting was countered by return fire.

Escalation


Azerbaijani Defence Ministry: Borderline contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops escalates, both sides suffer loses

8 August 2013


A tense situation is being observed on the border between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, head of the Defence Ministry press service, Colonel Eldar Sabiroglu told Trend on Thursday.

"The situation has escalated recently. An intensive exchange of fire is taking place.

Okay .. I admit it.... I knew where Azerbijan is but I had to go look up Nagorno-Karabakh.
Side note .. this thread has been running for almost 8 years. That's kinda impressive.

Azerbaijan captures Karabakh soldier.


Azerbaijan Reportedly Captures Karabakh Soldier

August 08, 2013


Azerbaijani forces have reportedly captured an ethnic-Armenian serviceman from the defense forces of the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Defense Ministry of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic said on August 8 that Hakob Indjigulyan "lost his way" and accidently entered Azerbaijani territory.

Elections

Presidential elections in Azerbaijan on October 9th.


Azerbaijan starts presidnetial election campaign with at least 14 prisoners of conscience: Amnesty International

9 August, 2013


Amnesty International organization issued another statement about Azerbaijan. “Armenpress” reports that in the statement is mentioned that Azerbaijan will start the official campaign period for October Presidential elections with at least 14 new prisoners of conscience, after the country’s Central Election Commission announced on Friday the election date would be 9 October.

The organisation is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of opposition candidates, journalists, pro-democracy activists and human rights defenders who have been imprisoned in a pre-election crackdown on dissenting voices.

Armenian soldier taken to Baku.


Armenian soldier appeared in Azerbaijani territory has been taken to Baku

10 August, 2013


Armenian serviceman who crossed accidently Armenian-Azerbaijani border has been transferred to Baku – Defense Ministry. “Armenpress” reports that about this informs Trend agency. Azerbaijani secretary of state on prisoners of war and hostages Shahin Sailov mentioned that next week Armenian soldier will meet representatives of Red Cross International Committee who will find out whether he wants to return to Armenia or leave for a third country.

Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire about 300 times from August 4 to August 10 2013, according to the Artsakh Defense Army.


Azerbaijan violated ceasefire regime about 300 times this week

10 August, 2013


According to the operative data provided by the Artsakh Defense Army, within the period from August 4 to August 10 2013 at the Karabakh-Azerbaijan conflict forces' contact-line the ceasefire regime was violated about 300 times, during which more than 1500 shots were made towards the Armenian soldiers.

Azerbaijani Defence Ministry:

"The Armenian Armed Forces have violated the ceasefire agreement"

"An intensive exchange of fire is taking place"...

..."both sides suffer loses and are injured."


Azerbaijani Defence Ministry: Borderline contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops escalates, both sides suffer loses

09-08-2013


A tense situation is being observed on the border between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, head of the Defence Ministry press service, Colonel Eldar Sabiroglu told Trend on Thursday.

"The situation has escalated recently. An intensive exchange of fire is taking place. The Armenian Armed Forces have violated the ceasefire agreement on the border between the troops. Azerbaijani servicemen are giving a fitting rebuff to the enemy. To date, the situation is such that there"s an exchange of fire every day and both sides suffer loses and are injured," he said.

Here is a nice map of the BTC pipeline:


BTC Pipeline

Armenian captive will not be held accountable for what he said in an interview with an Azeri media outlet, in case he returns to Armenia.


Armenian captive not to be held accountable – Armenian Defense Ministry

13/08/2013


Azeri media released an interview by an Azeri media outlet with Armenian captive Hakob Injighulyan, where he says that he crossed the border into Azerbaijan because “he was tired and did not want to carry out the order of his commander who asked him for water.”

“By holding interviews with Armenian captives, Azerbaijan once again violates the Geneva Convention. Clearly, the Armenian soldier was forced into saying what he said. Considering this, I want to stress that he will not be held accountable in case he returns to Armenia.”

Mr Hovhannisyan added that the Armenian side does everything possible to return the Armenian soldier to Armenia.

The Azerbaijanis gave the captured Armenian soldier a bath, cleared him of lice, and dressed him up in a new Azerbaijani uniform.


Azerbaijani Defense Ministry: When Akop Injigulyan was captured, his appearance was awful

13 August 2013


“Hovhannisyan should not have spoken so. I would like to ask him. Did he think about the treatment towards Azerbaijani captives in Armenia while mentioning the violation of Geneva Convention? The interviews given by Azerbaijani captives under pressures were repeatedly demonstrated on Yerevan TV channels. Such video shootings are still used. Doesn’t it mean the violation of the relevant clauses of Geneva Convention. When Akop Injigulyan was captured, his appearance was awful. He was dirty, had torn shoes and shabby and torn clothes. It was impossible to go up to him, because of stench and lice. He had a bath, was cleared of lice and put on a new uniform of Azerbaijani soldier.

Relatives demands an independent investigation.


Relatives Want Investigation Of Armenian Soldier's Alleged Defection

August 13, 2013


Relatives of an Armenian soldier who reportedly defected to Azerbaijan are demanding an independent account of his situation. Hakob Indjighulian's relatives staged a protest in Yerevan on August 13.

They called on Armenia's president and defense minister to get involved in the situation. Azerbaijan's state television aired an interview with Indjighulian on August 12.

He announced that he had defected to the Azerbaijani side last week, saying he was beaten by his supervisor.

Putin visited Baku today. Azeri-Russian arms trade worth $4 Billion.


Azeri-Russian Arms Trade $4 Billion Amid Tension With Armenia

2013-08-13


Azerbaijan said its arms trade with Russia is worth $4 billion as the Caspian Sea nation boosted military spending in connection with its territorial dispute with neighboring Armenia.

“As of today, military and technical cooperation with Russia is measured at $4 billion and it tends to grow further,” President Ilham Aliyev said today after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Baku, the Azeri capital. It was the first time Azerbaijan disclosed the price of its arms deals.

Russia, Azerbaijan Agree on Oil, Gas Project as Putin Visits Baku

13/08/2013


During Putin’s visit – designed to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, including trade, energy, transportation and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict – Rosneft reported that it had also agreed with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) to jointly use some pipelines and terminals to optimize supplies to consumers.

Azerbaijani President Aliyev told reporters after a meeting with Putin that Moscow and Baku planned to continue military and technical collaboration.

According to Aliyev, his country’s defense industry cooperation with Russia is worth $4 billion and keeps growing. Azerbaijan is among the top buyers of Russian arms and other military equipment, which, Aliyev said, is considered the best in the world.

The two countries’ emergencies ministries signed a cooperation plan for 2013-2015, and a new program to train Azerbaijani emergencies staff will soon be worked out, a Russian ministry spokeswoman said.

The summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States were held in Azerbaijan on Friday. The participants issued a declaration pledging an end to the Karabakh conflict, and the Turkish President said he wish the summit to be held in Nagorno-Karabakh in the future. He also said that Turkey has always supported Azerbaijan on the issue of Nagorno Karabakh, and they will continue to do.


Turkey Pledges to ‘Liberate Karabakh’

August 15th, 2013


Turkey is ready to do everything possible to “end the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Thursday during a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States in Qabala, Anadolu news agency reported.

According to Davutoglu, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the main obstacle to the stabilization of the South Caucasus region.

The meeting of the foreign ministers is being held on the eve of the Summit of Heads of Turkic-Speaking States due to take place on Friday in Qabala.

It is also expected that the council presidency will be transferred from Kyrgyzstan to the Azerbaijani side.

The Council was established in 2009 by the member states of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey with a view to further the goals of Pan-Turanism.

Gul Wants Turkic Summit to be Held in Karabakh

August 16th, 2013


Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Friday that he wishes one day the summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States would be held in Nagorno-Karabakh, reported the APA news agency.

The summit, being attended by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Turkey Abdullah Gul, President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, is the third of its kind to be held in recent years.

At the conclusion of the summit, participants issued a declaration pledging an end to the Karabakh conflict.

Regarding Putin's visit to Baku...


Putin bumps into wall of misunderstanding in Azerbaijan

15.08.2013


One was expecting breakthrough results from Vladimir Putin's visit to Azerbaijan. Putin arrived in the country in the company of six key ministers. However, nothing has been said either about the prospects of Azerbaijan's accession to the Customs Union, or the Eurasian integration. There are tense relations between Russia and Azerbaijan practically on all issues.

However, the serious faces of the presidents of the two countries at the press conference and insignificant results of the meeting showed that a constructive dialogue failed to take place.

U.S. military presence in Azerbaijan and military alliance with Ankara and Tbilisi.

Azerbaijan has long staked on strategic partnership with the United States, which Azerbaijani Defense Minister emphasized on August 14th at a meeting with the commander of the National Guard of the State of Oklahoma (USA), Major General Myles Deering. This partnership confirms the role of Baku as an important logistics center for the transit of cargoes to Afghanistan, plus there is U.S. military presence on the territory of Azerbaijan.

Baku also makes attempts to create a military alliance with Ankara and Tbilisi. A deputy of Milli Majlis, a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security of Azerbaijan, Zakhid Orudzh, stated that Azerbaijan and Turkey had started to create a unified army on NATO standards in the context of "one nation, one army." In turn, Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania said that the efforts "of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey will focus on creating a trilateral format of cooperation in the military industry," Trend news agency said.

After Putin's visit to Azerbaijan, there where more questions left than answers. The most important one of them is whether Azerbaijan is a partner of Russia, or does it follow the West in politics?

does anyone really think the US would intervene if Russia made a move? no way.
Putin has no regard for Obama, and the US is too tied up elsewhere. there is no compelling interest/need for the US toget involved.
we'll wake up on morning and find the bear with his new prize and...nothing will happen.

According to the NKR defense army, over 1800 shots from various caliber weapons were fired towards Karabakh positions between August 11-17.


350 instances of Azeri ceasefire violation reported August 11-17

350 instances of ceasefire violation by Azeri armed forces were reported at the line of contact between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan from August 11 through 17.

Azerbaijan fired over 1800 shots from various caliber weapons towards Karabakh positions

Armenia has reportedly bought long-range multiple-rocket systems from China.


New Chinese Rockets ‘Acquired By Armenia’

19.08.2013


Armenia has acquired Chinese multiple-launch rocket systems with a firing range of up to 130 kilometers, a military source in Yerevan told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) on Monday.

Chinese-Armenian military ties appear to have deepened in the last few years. Beijing and Yerevan signed in January 2012 what the Armenian Defense Ministry called an “agreement on military and military-technical cooperation.”

Armenia Reportedly Buys Chinese Rockets

August 20, 2013


Armenia has reportedly bought long-range rockets from China, in what would be both an escalation of the rocket race between Armenia and Azerbaijan and a dramatic entry of China into the regional conflicts of the South Caucasus. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported

In an analysis for Regnum.ru, David Arutyunov puts it in the context of Azerbaijan's recent purchase of Russian Smerch multiple-rocket launch systems, of which the Chinese AR1A are an upgraded version (for example, the Chinese rockets have a range of 130 kilometers, versus 90 kilometers for the Smerch). "A tendency is noticeable over the last decade in which Azerbaijan and Armenia are giving priority in their strategy of arms development to MRLS of great distance and caliber," he writes. And those systems, he notes, would be useful for attacking not just military formations but also strategic economic sites.

Russian and Armenian troops hold joint drills.


Armenian, Russian troops hold joint drills

22.08.2013


In a statement, the press office of Russia’s Southern Military District said the “tactical” exercises, which began on Monday, involve two battalions from the Russian military base in Armenia and the Armenian army’s special Peacekeeping Brigade. The latter contributes troops to ongoing NATO-led missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo.

“During a simulation of hostilities, the servicemen will repel attacks, go on the offensive and destroy the retreating detachments as well as a detected sabotage-reconnaissance squad of the imaginary enemy,” said the statement. The participating troops are backed up by tanks, helicopters and various artillery systems, including long-range Russian Giatsint cannons.

Armenian soldier reportedly killed on Azerbaijani border.


Armenian Soldier Reported Killed On Azerbaijani Border

August 23, 2013


An Armenian soldier has reportedly been shot dead along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan's Naxcivan Autonomous Republic.

The Armenian Defense Ministry's press service told RFE/RL that another Armenian soldier was wounded by Azerbaijani snipers on August 23.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry denied the Armenian statement, calling it "disinformation."

According to the NKR Defense Army, Azerbaijan broke the ceasefire about 200 times between 18-24 August.


Azerbaijan violates ceasefire more than 200 times past week

24/08/2013


Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire at the line of contact between Karabakh and Azeri troops about 200 times between 18 and 24 August.

Azeri forces fired more than 1,000 shots at Armenian defensive posts

Azerbaijan wants to buy weapons from South Korea.


Azerbaijan Plans $3 Billion Arms Purchase

August 26th, 2013


The Azeri leadership has expressed its wish to purchase submarine boats, mine vessels, transport ships, T-50 training planes, K-9 self-propelled artillery vehicles, and drones worth $3 billion from South Korea.

These proposals have been submitted to the government of South Korea, but the Korean side has not yet given consent to the deal.

According to Hankook Ilbo, Seoul is wary that the sale of weapons might affect the balance of power in the region. Taking into account that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains unsolved, the South Korea Foreign Ministry has called on the Defense Ministry to be cautious and exercise restraint while passing a decision.

Meanwhile, at a meeting with a delegation headed by Japanese Vice-Minister of Defense, Masahi Sato, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev announced that his government will have to use military force against Armenia if negotiations don’t progress.

Planes, artillery and drones can be used in a war against Armenia, but submarines, mine vessels and transport ships are not useful against landlocked Armenia who has no navy...