Armenia–Azerbaijan relations

An Azerbaijan parliamentary commission called Thursday for the expulsion of French companies from the oil-rich country, including energy giant TotalEnergies, in the latest deterioration of relations between Baku and Paris.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly hit out at France for criticising Baku's Karabakh offensive last year, and for plans by Paris officials to help arm neighbouring Armenia.

Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis will visit Yerevan on Wednesday, where he is scheduled to meet with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan.

Gerapetritis will also meet with the Armenian prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, the Foreign Ministry said.

The United States on Thursday added Azerbaijan to a watchlist on religious freedom, following fears for Christian heritage after the country seized back an important enclave from Armenia.

A record 183 regional and local armed conflicts are being waged in 2023, which is the highest number recorded in the last three decades.
The IISS study particularly highlights the role of non-state armed groups, such as Hamas in Gaza, and the support they receive from major powers such as Russia and Iran.

Türkiye has hailed a deal between arch-foes Armenia and Azerbaijan to swap prisoners of war and work toward normalizing ties torn by decades of strife over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Azerbaijan reclaimed the long-disputed enclave after a lightning offensive against Armenian separatists in September.

Arch-foes Armenia and Azerbaijan said Thursday they would exchange prisoners of war and work towards normalising their relations, in a joint statement hailed by the European Union and the United States as a breakthrough after three decades of conflict over disputed territory.

The Council of Ministers has greenlit a decision to extend humanitarian aid to Armenia in response to the country's plea for assistance through the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism.

A humanitarian grant of BGN 59,440 (around 30,000 EUR), facilitated by the Bulgarian Red Cross, has been allocated to support the population displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Türkiye's top security board (MGK) has reiterated Ankara's continued support to the efforts for reaching a lasting peace and stability in the Caucasus through a permanent deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia.

Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis traveled to Brussels on Sunday to take part in the EU's Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday.

The meeting will focus on the crisis in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the European Economy Security Strategy, reported the Foreign Ministry.

The prolonged dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia has, on the whole, been settled, as the parties only need to implement additional tangible measures to completely restore and normalize their relations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.