The Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted a declaration of independence on August 23, 1990 and this was approved by a referendum held on 21 September, after which the country became known as the Republic of Armenia.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry condemned the recent shelling of border villages. The killed soldier in Wednesday's incident was named as twenty-eight year old Private Haykaz Matevosyan.
The elections for the Council of Elders will be the first test of Pashinyan's popularity with voters since the events of last spring which brought him to power amid street protests.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the country's National Defence and Security Council and is to be communicated formally to Russia and to the international community by the end of the month.
President Aliyev and President Erdogan participated in a ceremony full of symbolism marking the centenary of a key moment in Azerbaijan's history in 1918
"Armenian-French privileged relations are in safe hands and will continue to expand and deepen for the benefit of both countries", stated the Armenian premier
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Israel was Azerbaijan's largest arms exporter for the last two years, selling the country USD 385 million worth of arms.