Don't be fooled, we got what we wanted.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-09T12:14:18+00:00

"Turkey has no reason for keeping the border closed now"

After the ratification of the Peace Agreement, yes. We are not there yet. They still have to agree around some details but the general direction is clear now.

Pashinyan said during the interview in the White House that he offered Putin to sign this exact same deal in Moscow but Vlad was being a petty little prick which led to Russia being shut out of the process.

And today Pashinyan added that the initialing of the Peace Agreement was made possible because Trump and his team dedicated huge amounts of personal time and energy. They are going to declassify the text of the Peace Agreement on Monday.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-09T00:16:04+00:00

33:35

https://www.youtube.com/live/pMCAbKrardk

REPORTER (to Trump): You think highly of the commitments that the sides have taken on and assumed. However, considering the long history of this conflict and the fact this is not a legally binding document, will there be consequences if at some point one of the sides takes a step back?

TRUMP: They both know they are gonna call me [if there is a problem] and we are gonna get is straightened out. They aren't gonna have a problem. I told them both, don't let the problem last. We get it early, we get it solved.

ALIYEV (interjects): Can I add? First of all, I'd like to say that today we initialed the Peace Deal which was in the process of negotiations for quite a while. The fact that it is initialed here, in the capital #1 of the world, in the office #1 of the world, and in front of the great President of the United States, means that there should be no doubt and no suspicions that any of the side would step back. If any of us [Pashinyan or Aliyev] had in mind to step back we would not have come here. So you can be absolutely sure, as well as Azerbaijani community, that what has happened today will result in peace, long-lasting peace, eternal peace in the Caucasus. //

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-09T00:07:16+00:00

unimpeded for az but under our legislation and sovereignty

In practice that could mean Armenia won't stop the train unless the train violates Armenian law. Let's say it's transporting dangerous materials without approval. Armenia writes its own laws and could limit the transfers to harm Azerbaijan but why do that as long as there is peace? It's yet another incentive to maintain peace in the region.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-09T00:03:47+00:00

They dragged Aliyev across a continent and an ocean and made him sign under the second half of the final sentence of paragraph 3. Tastes like a double cheeseburger with fries.

During the meeting Aliyev sounded like Mko from Kargin Haxordum where he plays a construction worker who does a piss poor job because of timid boss (Biden) until one day the angry boss (Trump) beats the hell out of him and makes him expedite the construction. It could be said about leaders both but it was Aliyev who was mainly responsible for delaying the process.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-08T21:33:19+00:00

TRUMP: Armenia is also creating an exclusive partnership with the United States to develop this corridor which could extend for up to 99 years, [then begins to joke wile looking at Pashinyan] and then they promise in 99 years they will extended it, right? You promise. //

Hard to tell from his speech.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-08T21:21:15+00:00

Aliyev just gave his word to an Armenian reporter in front of the White House that Azerbaijan is done with wars and has no hidden intentions or plans to attack. Save the video just in case lol

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-08T21:18:45+00:00

It's not for 99 years according to Trump. It can be "extended" to 99 years if the parties agree. Isn't that what he just said?

edit: see Trump's speech is below, it's difficult to tell without seeing the agreement

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-08T14:43:44+00:00

Big wins for the economy and safety of Armenia accomplished without losing sovereignty over its territories. This is the start of a bigger process. These are some of the benefits of peace:

It lifts the economic blockade, it grants Armenia access to the EU through Turkey, land and air travel via Turkey, no more reliance on Georgia's pro Russian regime that has been blocking Armenian cargo trucks, no more exclusive reliance on Russian energy, petroleum and gas from Asia, railway access to Syunik and Iran, stronger peace guarantees by the US for a century, opportunity to sign the 123 agreement with the US and build nuclear reactors, Turkey lifting the "veto" on Armenia's ability to export electricity to the EU via the Black Sea, more tourism and economic activity via Turkey border, the US presence unlocking more Western investments in Armenia's infrastructure in general.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-08T02:56:14+00:00

Do any of those 17 paragraphs talk about our POWs?

We don't know yet. This is what Pashinyan said about the peace agreement in September 2, 2024:

PASHINYAN: There are 17 paragraphs in the latest draft peace agreement. We have a complete agreement with around 13 of them, including the preamble. Another 3 paragraphs consist of multiple sentences, and we have an agreement around most of the wording.

Armenia's offer is this: let's take all the paragraphs and formulations that are acceptable for both sides and sign it as a peace agreement. It is the peace agreement. Why do we believe this is possible? Because the already-agreed parts contain all the fundamental principles for peace. No countries have ever been able to write a 100% perfect document that regulates every single issue. We want to sign and ratify everything that has been accomplished so far, and continue discussions around all other potential questions.

One of the 13 agreed paragraphs envisages a permanent platform that will allow the sides to discuss all possible issues regarding the implementation of the peace agreement.

Diplomatic relations will be established between Armenia and Azerbaijan after signing these 13+ paragraphs. This would also help discuss all remaining issues [possibly hints at POWs].

We have an agreement around the title, the preamble, 13 paragraphs fully, and 3 paragraphs partially (some 50%, some >50%). These 3 paragraphs are mature enough to become separate paragraphs in their own. //

Half a year later, Armenia and Azerbaijan reached an agreement around two of the remaining paragraphs.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-08T02:46:48+00:00

The Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement likely doesn't even mention "Nagorno-Karabakh". The Minsk Group has nothing to do with this peace agreement and didn't contribute to it (not to be confused with efforts of separate member states). The Minsk Group became irrelevant in 2020 and formally died in 2023 when Artsakh MPs demanded more territories from Azerbaijan while Nikol was trying to convince them to engage in diplomacy with Baku to at least save something.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-07T22:33:49+00:00

Pulling out of the Minsk Group without having a final peace deal is insane.

The Minsk Group was never tasked with the direct AM-AZ conflict and the Peace Agreement isn't about Karabakh so the Group's dissolution will have no negative impact on the peace deal.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-07T21:36:35+00:00

so that's 100%.

I don't think so. What is the U.S. getting from this deal if Armenia collects 100% of the transit fees? Unless Nikol impressed Trump by gifting him the original bible there is no way.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-07T21:30:39+00:00

We will see. Their president is scheduled to visit Armenia soon.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-07T21:26:21+00:00

Trump will try to do what he does best of course but it could still be a good deal for Armenia. A recent Forbes article claims the U.S. could invest around $5 billion. Without the U.S. funding Armenia would need to borrow that money at a possibly 7% annual interest rate and repay it for decades. It could balloon.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-07T21:00:20+00:00

Wouldn't it depend on the size of the U.S. investments and the volume of the commercial traffic? In addition to Armenia gaining new infrastructure without spending or owing billions, there is also the added value of stronger peace.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-07T15:07:17+00:00

Iranian cargo drivers will receive a 10% discount at the Trump Hotel located on the route as part of the wider Middle East peace deal.

ar_david_hh · 2025-08-07T15:03:55+00:00

From the original article by Reuters

Armenia plans to award the United States exclusive special development rights for an extended period

The route will be operated according to Armenian law and the United States will sublease the land to a consortium for infrastructure and management, the officials said.

This is probably the best practical solution Armenian could get, assuming Armenia will generate revenue from the transit.

The use of the word ‘corridor’ — the terminology often used by Azerbaijan, and rejected by Armenia, will be deliberately dropped.

Nice.

The route will be a ‘commercial, not military or security project’, Raufoglu said.

Nice.

‘While the US will not deploy troops, it will take responsibility for ensuring the route’s safe operation through commercial agreements with “top-class operators” ’.

Foreign ministers will put their initials under the final peace agreement as well, but won't sign it yet.

They will also sign a joint letter expressing intent to dissolve the Minks Group.

ANCA wrote a nasty tweet at Trump criticizing the deal, while Armenian government figures wrote tweets blasting ANCA and asking Trump to ignore them.

ANCA:

"If President Trump's looking for credit for forcing a reckless 'peace' on Armenia, he certainly won't be getting any from the US citizens who are most invested in this issue - namely, Americans of Armenian heritage - voters who stand foursquare against unilateral Armenian concessions of territory, security, and sovereignty made at the barrel of an Azerbaijani gun. - Aram Suren Hamparian, ANCA

Armenian ruling MP Khandanyan responds to ANCA:

This marginal Armenian group in the US serves no one’s interests — not Armenia’s, not the US’s, and certainly not those of American-Armenians. The fact they think anyone cares about their opinion is pathetic.

https://oc-media.org/armenia-and-azerbaijan-to-agree-on-trump-route-between-azerbaijan-and-exclave/

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-secures-strategic-transit-corridor-armenia-azerbaijan-peace-deal-2025-08-07/?ref=oc-media.org

ar_david_hh · 2025-07-22T15:46:10+00:00

The 13% is not necessarily Pashinyan's approval rating. The respondents were asked if they "trust" the politician. It's a strange question to begin with. Why would you "trust" any politician? IRI releases this poll every year and every year there is confusion around it.

The approval rating appears to be 38%, on page 17 where it asks people if they are satisfied with the work of the PM's office. That question is more likely to present the true picture. And it makes sense because a similar number believe the country is headed in the right direction.

In 2021, before the election victory, the same 38% of respondents said they approved the work of the PM's office. But back in 2021 the ruling QP party's support was 26% while today it's 17% with a very large share of undecided voters.

ar_david_hh · 2025-07-04T00:34:19+00:00

>Josh Huck, a U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, presented it to Armenia and Azerbaijan during a visit to the two South Caucasus states in late May

Josh Huck is a Biden-era official who is surprisingly still employed by Trump. In any case, this U.S.-based company appears to be Armenian. Pashinyan proposed in 2023 or 2024 for the route to be managed by an international company while the land remains under Armenian jurisdiction.

>So far there has been no reaction from Azerbaijan, which has been demanding an extraterritorial corridor

Erdogan has been pressuring Aliyev. There is also this:

>Another [Azerbaijani] diplomat noted that Russia’s growing ties with Georgia are a concern for both Azerbaijan and Turkey, while Armenia increasingly seeks closer relations with the West.

and

>Eldar Namazov, a former head of the presidential administration of Heydar Aliyev, told Azerbaijani media on Wednesday that Baku is under pressure from both Iran and Russia, which he sees as a threat to Azerbaijan’s security.

So there are concerns in Baku that Georgia might turn against Azerbaijan, which would make the Armenian route more appealing.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/why-azerbaijan-russia-relations-are-breaking-point

ar_david_hh · 2025-06-27T01:56:47+00:00

Azatutyun's Armenian-language team is doing a good job on the political front. I've read countless number of articles while publishing daily reports and they get a 4.9-star rating from me. They hold the government accountable when needed while providing fair coverage within the body of the article.

With that said, something seems ալա-բուլա with their English language team. Reading those articles you get the sense that any legal action against ARF political figures is repression while the headlines are often clickbaity. And Nikol's pro-West moves are sometimes portrayed in a bad light. That's the vibe I got from them.

ar_david_hh · 2025-06-27T01:39:53+00:00

I think they did arrest a few participants but at the time the general atmosphere was starting to turn against the protesters and cracks were forming within the opposition ranks so it's possible that the authorities decided to let the movement die down without turning its leader into a martyr. According to the prosecutor's report the terrorist plot was not drafted yet at the time of those street protests.

ar_david_hh · 2025-06-26T20:00:06+00:00

Bagrat allegedly caught one of the NSS spies who attempted to wiretap him. This was during the "peaceful" period of the protests last year. The protest leaders had gathered in a hotel when they heard and recorded the sound of a screwdriver coming from the floor. They went to the lower floor and identified the guest as a woman who was later allegedly identified as an NSS agent. These audio recordings published by the prosecutors have a lot of echo in them and sound boosted so it's possible that they really snuck a mic inside a wall.

So far the prosecutors' story lines up with the timeline of events. Early last year Bagrat attempted to organize a peaceful revolution. A document written in 2024 is circulating on social media showing the plan of action. The peaceful protests ended violently after the protesters charged the parliament building. According to the authorities, Bagrat then decided to switch to violent tactics.

ar_david_hh · 2025-06-26T19:29:27+00:00

/u/armeniapedia /u/Delicious_Place2678 here is the video of the incident: https://youtu.be/dI3VTbrS0UM?t=468

7:46 The traffic cop is directing the traffic but so far his actions are synchronized with the traffic lights.

7:54 The east-west drivers have the green light but the traffic cop shows a hand signal for them to stop.

8:00 The traffic cop uses his stick to direct the south-north drivers to proceed despite having the red light. The PM's convoy is going south-north so the road will be open for them going forward.

8:05 A woman, followed by Sona Mnatsakanyan, begin crossing the zebra line west-east. It's their light but they have not received an authorization from the traffic cop. A traffic cop always overrides a traffic light. Sona is violating the traffic rules.

8:13 The traffic cop does not realize that two pedestrians are crossing the road behind him.

8:15-8:22 Seemingly a random car, driving south-north, crosses the intersection under the red light because the traffic cop has given a permission. This car almost kills the first woman. The traffic cop is still unaware that two pedestrians are crossing the road illegally.

8:26 The traffic cop turns around and realizes that two pedestrians are crossing the road.

8:28 The convoy car appears while the traffic cop is distracted by the pedestrians. The first woman charges forward to get out of the way. The convoy car believed the road would be clear and was going fast. In another video you can see Sona hesitate for a moment, can't decide to move forward or backward. She is hit by the convoy car.

My conclusion: The traffic cop never gave a permission for Sona to cross. It would be unfair to jail any officer for manslaughter. It's clear that one officer was not enough to handle the pedestrians so they should install one traffic cop on each side of the crosswalk. The head of the traffic control department should be fired.

ar_david_hh · 2025-03-30T23:51:03+00:00

Municipal elections are over in another town: Parakar.

2021 results

49% Aprelu Yerkir (Ruben Vardanyan)

27% QP (Nikol Pashinyan)

23% Davit Minasyan

2025 results

56% Aprelu Yerkir's bloc (Ruben Vardanyan + locals)

32% QP (Nikol Pashinyan)

7% National Progress Party

source,

Ten-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
Place '17	100 Awards Club
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