Billionaire Ruben Vardanyan, who previously renounced his Russian citizenship, has been dismissed from his post as Minister of State (corresponding to the post of prime minister) of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (DRC). This was expressed by NKR head Arayik Harutyunyan. interfax.
Harutyunyan expressed his gratitude to Vardanyan for “raising international awareness” about Nagorno-Karabakh and solving a number of internal problems. Harutyunyan also offered the post of State Minister to the Prosecutor General of the unrecognized republic, Gurgen Nersisyan.
Vardanyan’s resignation was one of the demands of the Azerbaijani side to open the Lachin corridor. Speaking at the meeting held within the framework of the Munich Conference, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said that Baku is ready to start a practical dialogue with the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, provided that Vardanyan leaves the NKR territory.
In November 2020, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh with the participation of Russia. The document provided for the entry of Russian peacekeepers into the territory of the DRC, the exchange of prisoners, the transfer of parts of the region to Azerbaijan by Armenia, and the return of refugees.
The situation around the Lachin corridor, which connects Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh, was further complicated when a group of Azeris closed the corridor in December last year. Azerbaijan demands an end to the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits in some deposits in Karabakh. In contrast, Armenia blames Baku for the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.
formerly Vardanian declarationCriticism of the Russian peacekeeping mission periodically from Yerevan will not work.