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ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN have announced an agreement to halt fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan under a pact signed with Russia that calls for the deployment of Russian peacekeepers as well as territorial concessions.
Nagorno-Karabakh has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a 1994 truce ended a separatist war in which an estimated 30,000 people died.
Sporadic clashes have occurred since then, and full-scale fighting began on 27 September.
Several cease-fires had been called but were almost immediately violated. However, the agreement announced early today appeared more likely to take hold because Azerbaijan has made significant advances, including taking control of the strategically key city of Shushi on Sunday.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Facebook that calling an end to the fight was “extremely painful for me personally and for our people”.
Soon after the announcement, thousands of people streamed to the main square in the Armenian capital Yerevan to protest the agreement, many shouting, “We won’t give up our land”.
Some of them broke into the main government building, saying they were searching for Pashinian, who apparently had already departed.
The agreement calls for Armenian forces to turn over control of some areas it held outside the borders of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the eastern district of Agdam.
That area carries strong symbolic weight for Azerbaijan because its main city, also called Agdam, was thoroughly pillaged, and the only building remaining intact is the city’s mosque.
Armenians will also turn over the Lachin region, which holds the main road leading from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.
The agreement calls for the road, the so-called Lachin Corridor, to remain open and be protected by Russian peacekeepers.
In all, 1,960 Russian peacekeepers are to be deployed in the region under a five-year mandate.
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Long time at both troughs …
Better offer incoming no doubt
@: same as Jarry
Good riddance. She’s a lot to answer for the way she treated Sergeant Mc
cabe.
No loss at all.
Perhaps the most nothing minister to ever exist
@Niall Horan Appreciation Club: Eoghan Murphy surley
Any hope the Daly and Wallace would join her? Those two yokes are a national embarrassment.
@: Clare Daly and Mick Wallace are two voices of reaon in the trough of the European ‘Parliament’. Just watch them in action on YouTube and read the comments from around Europe where people are praising Ireland for its courageous stand.
@Fearg: Any comments I’ve read from around Europe have not been complimentary
@Fearg: certainly in the aftermath of the Israeli bombardment and murder of innocent Gaza citizens they might be the only two voices of reason in the EU.
@Fearg: what’s Daley and Wallace’s comment on the little Irish girl Emily Hand who’s still missing since Oct 7th……. Nothing but silence. Shame on them.
@Fearg: I wasn’t a fan of Daly and Wallace but I have changed my mind recently.
Are people having a laugh. Daly and Wallace are two absolute fools. Two Russian apologists. They make a complete show of Ireland in europe. If the Irish people vote them back in they deserve everything they get.
@Fearg: Two communists.
@tommy bailey: nothing communist about either of them.
@tommy bailey: I’d take that as a compliment in this day and age …
Fascist running wild in England and Eastern Europe
At least they work for their money, and are well liked by Europe for their stance on real issues. Can’t be said for Francis fitz
Regardless of her achievements, when I see her political colours the words “writing” and “wall” spring to mind… can’t figure out why exactly
Considering she is 73 this is hardly a surprise.
I wish her well in her future endeavours, a brilliant representative of the Irish people
@Reece Dooley: You’re gas
@Reece Dooley: how many pensions does she have
@Reece Dooley: A waste of space.
@Reece Dooley: Maurice McCabe would highly disagree. She is a nasty piece of work.
@brian madden: one short of Jarry Adams
@Reece Dooley: I was asked: “which one is she?” and I couldn’t think of anything. Now that’s some legacy.
@brian madden: about the same amount as laptops and phones “lost”
@brian madden:
Irish TDs (and MEPs) now can only claim one public pension, whichever one is the highest, which is inline with all public servants.
The law was changed in 2011 by the FG lab government Francis Fitzgerald was a member of.
@Liam23: how many is that?
@brian madden: Jarry would have 3 pensions
I’m devastated. I just can’t go on after hearing this.
@reg morrisey: it’s all down hill from here oh wait been going that way for last ten years with housing.
The writing is on the wall for Fianna Failure , Fine Grabbers and the Greedy Greens……
I’m not a supporter of any political party but if they don’t accept the results of the 2020 General Election then we we’re hitting turbulence with the current shower…
I am devastated, crying a river here and we are doomed.
Any chance Frances might be setting the stage to take a run at a final payday in the next general election, having served her time in the wilderness of the EU after her resignation in 2017?
@Dvsespaña:
The Aras?
@P.J. Nolan: She might chance it
@Jp Cleary:
Reckon it’s between her and Mariead McGuinness for the FG nomination.
That said, I highly doubt either would be moving to the park.
@P.J. Nolan: That thought occurred to me too. She won’t be getting my vote.
Is she any relation to Dee Forbes!?
Thank god, she done nothing for clondalkin
Very, very very damaged goods who was certainly strongly involved in smearing Maurice McCabe, John Wilson. Shame on Dublin for giving her this seat
A useless waste of space – a waffler
@Johnny:
You just discribed every politician on the planet
A disgrace to her country.
Seanad here she comes
Why would she refuse to run for the European Parliament, where the salary and perks are multiples of the Seanad?
Now if she had run and lost, that would be different, although the Seanad is more for disappointed Dail candidates.
Whatever its state, thank you for Tusla and for beingt he Minister responsible for the Marriage Equality referendum, for your work as Chair of the Council for the Status of Women (National Women’s Council) and the Women’s Political Association. That said, it was her actions (or inactions!) in justice, the whistleblower that came, went and returned to haunt her!
@Tom Dillon: Tusla is not fit for purpose and is responsible for daily misery on a level somewhat comparable to what me and others I’ve known have gone through, suffering in -certain- public services of this statelet
Got her big fat pension from Europe, job done
Frances is definitely going to run for next President. That’s what this is about.
She’s not running again as an MEP because she wants to run in the GE in 2025. Can read her like a book.
@Ian:
No chance
She going to make a run for the general election.
It’s going to get dirty in Dublin
have your say