Armenpress News Agency , Armenia June 9, 2017 Friday Armenian side adequately responds to Azerbaijani provocative speeches at NATO PA YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Spring session of NATO Parliamentary Assembly was held in Tbilisi on May 27-29, attended by the delegation of the National Assembly of Armenia led by the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defense,National Security and Internal Affairs Koryun Nahapetyan. “Armenpress” reports the Armenian representatives participated in the works of the defense and security, political and financial committees, presented the positions of Armenia on regional and geopolitical developments. During the Assembly the Armenian representatives also adequately responded to the provocative and misguiding announcements and speeches distorting the reality made by some Azerbaijani parliamentarians. This act of the Armenian delegation was approved and positively assessed by the international audience. Meanwhile, the attempts of anti-Armenian propaganda contradicting the nature and content of the Assembly were a failure becoming a self-discrediting action for the Azerbaijani side.
Month: June 2017
Healthcare Market in Armenia Limited By Demographics and Weak Economy
Business Monitor Online June 9, 2017 Friday Healthcare Market Limited By Demographics and Weak Economy Healthcare expenditure in Armenia will expand at a slower rate than its regional peers, reflecting the country's weak economic footing. Compounding the bearish outlook is the small population and negative demographic profile. We note that the introduction of a compulsory health insurance system would significantly shift the market landscape, although this is not planned until 2020 at the earliest. BMI View: Healthcare expenditure in Armenia will expand at a slower rate than its regional peers, reflecting the country's weak economic footing. Compounding the bearish outlook is the negative demographic profile. We note that the introduction of a compulsory health insurance system would significantly shift the market landscape, although thisis not planned until 2020 at the earliest.Armenia's healthcare market will provide few opportunities for multinational pharmaceutical firms and medical device manufacturers, given its small market size and limited growth outlook. Total expenditure on healthcare is the third smallest in the Central and Eastern Europe, behind only Kyrgyzstan and Montenegro. Moreover, the country's small population size (3.03 in 2016) is likely to decline over the long term due to the high degree of emigration coupled to a low birth rate. Indeed, according to the National Statistics Service, the number of births declines in 2016 by 2.3% compared to 2015. This will significantly limit potential growth opportunities. Recent Updates In June 2017, Armenian MPs opposed the privatisation of a number of healthcare facilities as part of the government's privatisation program for 2017-2020. In June 2017, the Ministry of Health announced the government's intentions to begin working on a draft law on compulsory health insurance to be submitted to parliament by 2020. Market Outlook Not Reflective Of Frontier Status Armenia - Healthcare Market Breakdown f = BMI forecast. Source: World Health Organization (WHO), BMI Between 2016 and 2021, we forecast that health expenditure Armenia will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1% in local currency terms and 6.8% in US dollar terms, from AMD221.8bnbn (USD466mn) to AMD327.5bn (USD647mnn) in 2021. Over our extended 10-year forecast period, we project that healthcare expenditure will reach AMD560.5bn (USD1.02bn) in 2026, posting a local currency CAGR of 9.7% and a US dollar CAGR of 8.1%. As a percentage of GDP, healthcare expenditure was 4.3% in 2016 and is forecasted to rise to 5.3% by 2026. Per capita, healthcare spend was USD154 in 2016 and is set to increase by 2026 to USD356.Despite healthcare spending forecast for robust growth, we remain downbeat on the outlook for the Armenian market. Given the market's frontier status, it represents a potential for significant expansion highlighted by the small per capita expenditure on healthcare. However, the market will underperform relative to the majority of its peers in the CIS region. While the country's economy is set to recover from its recession in 2016, this return to growth will be stymied by the high reliance on remittances from Russia (itself only set for a sluggish economic recovery) and poor labour market dynamics. The government has repeatedly highlighted the need for greater cost-efficiency within the healthcare sector through 2017 to improve healthcare outcomes and reduce endemic corrupt practices, posing downside risk to public expenditure growth. Further compounding the weak outlook for healthcare expenditure growth is the high reliance on out-of-pocket payments, with private healthcare expenditure accounting for more than 55% of total healthcare expenditures.We note that the potential for Armenia to follow the lead of some of its regional peers, notably Georgia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, in implementing a compulsory health insurance system in place of its current inefficient model would pose significant upside risk to our long-term outlook. According to the country's Minister of Health, a draft law on compulsory health insurance will be developed trough 2018-2019 for consideration by parliament in 2020.
Damascus: Armenia sends 40 tons of humanitarian aid to Syrian people
Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) June 9, 2017 Friday Armenia sends 40 tons of humanitarian aid to Syrian people Damascus, SANA- Armenian Orthodox Diocese of Damascus received on Friday a new batch of aid, including 40 tons of relief and food items, provided by the Armenian people and government to the Syrian people. In a statement to SANA, Armenian Ambassador in Damascus Arshak Poladian said that the aid "came under the directives of the President of the Republic of Armenia and presented by the Armenian people," noting that this batch is the third in 2017. He added that the aid includes food and other essential supplies, pointing out that every time at least 40 tons of aid is sent and that during the past two days quantities of aid arrived and have also been distributed to various Syrian provinces. On Wednesday, Armenian Defense Ministry announced that a cargo plane belonging to the Russian Armed Force transported 18 tons of humanitarian aid to Syria, including food and essential supplies. Manar/Ghossoun
Yerevan accuses Azerbaijan of attack on Armenian village
Interfax - Russia & CIS General Newswire June 9, 2017 Friday Yerevan accuses Azerbaijan of attack on Armenian village YEREVAN. June 9 The Azerbaijani army shelled an Armenian border village, Baganis, in the Tavush region on Thursday evening, the Armenian defense minister's press secretary Artsrun Hovhannisyan told Interfax on Friday. "The village came under attack at about 9 p.m. (Yerevan time). The shelling lasted for about two hours with some pauses. They firing both on defensive positions and the village itself. Luckily, casualties were avoided," Hovhannisyan said. Baganis village head Narek Saakyan told Interfax that the shells damaged a number of house roofs. Interfax has yet to obtain comments from Azerbaijan. te ng aa
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry blacklists Limonov for visiting Karabakh
Interfax - Russia & CIS General Newswire June 9, 2017 Friday Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry blacklists Limonov for visiting Karabakh BAKU. June 9 The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has declared Russian writer and politician Eduard Limonov persona non grata, ministry official Khikmet Gadzhiyev told Interfax. "The Limonov issue has been reviewed. His illegal visit to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan was confirmed. His name was included in the list of personae non grata in Azerbaijan. He can find his name on the updated list," Gadzhiyev said. According to the Azerbaijani authorities, Limonov illegally visited the occupied Azerbaijani territories in early June 2017. av ng kl
Armenian Defense Minister calls mediators’ attention to border situation
A1 Plus, Armenia
On June 10, Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan received the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Richard Hoagland, Igor Popov and Stephane Visconti, as well as the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.
The parties discussed the state of the Karabakh conflict, the situation along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact, the developments since the last meeting with the Co-Chairs.
The Armenian Defense Minister called the attention of his guests to the recent incident on the frontline and welcomed the targeted response of the international mediators.
As an important guarantee of the productivity of negotiations over the conflict, Vigen Sargsyan emphasized the importance of implementation of investigation mechanisms in accordance to the Vienna and St. Petersburg agreements, and thereby the formation of an atmosphere of mutual trust.
Armenian FM: International mediators should take specific actions to curb Azerbaijan’s destructive policy (video)
A1 Plus, Armenia
On June 10, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs who are in Armenia as part of a regional visit.
The meeting with Ambassadors Richard Hoagland (US), Stephane Visconti (France) and Igor Popov (Russia) and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk focused on the situation along the Line of Contact between Nagorno-Karbakh and Azerbaijani armed forces.
Mr Nalbandian called the mediators’ attention to the fact that an agreement was reached during the meeting of Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani FMs in Moscow in April in the presence of the mediators regarding a similar press release, which was published by the foreign ministries of Armenia and Russia. However, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry, as always, not only failed to implement the agreement, but also made an absurd statement alleging that during the Moscow meeting the foreign ministers didn’t highlight the implementation of the agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg summits in 2016, rather, the negotiations of the summits were discussed during the meeting.
The Armenian FM stressed that the May 18 statement of the Co-Chairs was not the fist targeted statement, Azerbaijan continues to ignore the urges and calls of the Co-Chairs, moreover it does the opposite. Edward Nalbandian added that a situation is maturing when the Co-Chairs should not only make statements, but also take specific actions to curb this destructive and provocative policy of Azerbaijan.
Bicycle ride held in Armenia dedicated to World No Tobacco Day
Panorama, Armenia
The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Armenia on Saturday organized a bicycle ride in Yerevan dedicated to World No Tobacco Day.
The cyclists headed to the Republic Square and the City Hall from Yerevan's Liberty Square, intending to reach to the Sports and Concert Complex.
In an interview with the reporters, Alexander Bazarchyan, director of the National Healthcare Institute of Armenia’s Ministry of Health, noted that similar events aim at once again raising the public awareness of the issue and advocating a healthy lifestyle.
“The international experience shows that a ban on smoking in public places is one of the most effective methods [to fight smoking], which reduces the risk factor,” Mr. Bazarchyan added.
May 31 is marked as the World No Tobacco Day by the WHO every year.
Yousuf Karsh bust unveiled in downtown Ottawa
PanArmenian, Armenia
– 11:35 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – The bust of prominent Canadian–Armenian photographer Yousuf Karsh was unveiled in front of the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, the Armenian Committee of Canada said in a Facebook post.
“The bust that is a gift from the Armenian people to the Canadian people stands as a lasting symbol of the strong friendship between Canada and Armenia,” the Committee said.
The event was attended by a number of guests, including Armenia’s ambassador to Canada Armen Yeganyan.
The bust is a gift from the Armenian people to the Canadian people on behalf of not only 150th of Canada's Confederation, but also the 25th anniversary of Canadian-Armenian diplomatic relations, Yeganyan said in a post of his own.
The choice of Chateau Laurier as the venue for the bust was not accidental. Karsh's first solo exhibition was in 1936 in the Drawing Room of the hotel. He moved his studio into the hotel in 1973, and it remained there until he retired in 1992.
Karsh has been recognized as one of the great portrait photographers of the 20th century by Time magazine and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with the latter noting the "distinct style in his theatrical lighting."
A gift from Armenian people: The bust of Yousuf Karsh unveiled in Ottawa
Public Radio of Armenia
12:38, 10 Jun 2017
Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in Canada, His Excellency Armen Yeganian officially unveils the bust of world renowned Armenian-Canadian photographer, Yousuf Karsh in Ottawa on June 9, the Armenian Embassy in Canada reports.
The bust that is a gift from the Armenian people to the Canadian people stands as a lasting symbol of the strong friendship between Canada and Armenia.
Watch video at