Month: February 2020

 11:31,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan held a meeting on February 10 with Natalia Voutova, the Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office said in a news release.

During the meeting Deputy PM Avinyan told Voutova that the Council of Europe is one of Armenia’s key partners in advancing the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

He also addressed the Armenia-Council of Europe 2019-2022 Action Plan, an important milestone for the development of relations.

Natalia Voutova briefed the Deputy PM on the Council of Europe Office main directions of activities in Armenia.

The sides discussed the opportunities of cooperation in digitization, e-justice, cyber-security, as well as issues related to Artificial Intelligence in the context of human rights protection.

Deputy PM Avinyan told Voutova that the digitization process is advancing in full-swing and attached importance to cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:05,

On January 21, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan in Davos.

According to official reports distributed by the press services of both countries, Pakistan supports Azerbaijan’s “fair position” on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, and in return, Baku supports Pakistan on  the issue of Kashmir. However, this support is more formal: open support for Pakistan may spoil relations with India. This is the reason Azerbaijan by all means avoids participating in the resolution on the Kashmir problem, opting for a neutral position aptly voiced by the official representative of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Azerbaijan supports the settlement of the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the norms and principles of international law and the requirements of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”

Pakistan’s support for Azerbaijan’s interests in turn appears to be full of pure journalistic hype – Pakistan has its own concerns: the conflict with India, decreased regional significance for the United States in the wake of the rapprochement with China, low living standards of the majority of the population, unemployment, lack of serious reserves of natural resources, and the huge external debt, which reached 90 billion dollars last year. Therefore, getting a rich client epitomized in Baku is a matter of principle for Islamabad.

The Azerbaijani ruling circles hope that by deepening relations with Pakistan Azerbaijan will be able to maintain its military superiority over Armenia. However, it is pointless to talk about the Pakistani military presence in the Caucasus, as it will be extremely negatively perceived by Russia, Turkey and Iran. In its turn, Pakistan is ready to do anything, as long as Azerbaijan does not change its mind about buying JF-17 “Thunder” fighters. Yet no final agreement regarding the purchase of the JF-17s was reached. This is quite understandable, because “Thunder” has many shortcomings acknowledged by experts. They are trying to eliminate them in the third generation of the aircraft (Block III), hence the issue of purchasing of Pakistani fighters is more of an advertising nature.

It becomes clear that official Baku does not trust Islamabad and, under the guise of feigned assurances of interest in Pakistani military equipment, Baku will most likely try to purchase Russian weapons.

 12:18,

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan sent a congratulatory address to Hero of Artsakh, holder of the “Golden Eagle” order, writer, publicist Zori Balayan on his 85th birthday anniversary, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The address runs as follows:

“Respected Mr. Balayan,

On behalf of the Artsakh people, authorities and myself personally accept my most heartfelt congratulations on Your significant jubilee – 85th birthday anniversary.

You have dedicated your whole life to the noble cause of selflessly serving the homeland, have become one of its living heroes, occupying your worthy place in our modern history. Standing at the sources of the Karabakh movement you have been constantly living with the concerns of your people and made every effort to realize their cherished dreams and aspirations.

I once again congratulate you and wish longevity, peace, robust health and all the best”.

 Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:09,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Urban Development Committee head Vahagn Vermishyan has been remanded into pre-trial detention, 5 days after being detained on suspicions of accepting bribes, the National Security Service said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:15,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Japan to Armenia Jun Yamada assures his country is ready for the launch of the 32nd Olympic Games, adding that it has a special meaning.

“It’s a great honor for the people of Japan to host the 32nd Summer Olympic Games. I was in Japan in the end of 2019 and saw with my own eyes how the preparations were going. Everything is almost ready in Tokyo for the launch of the Games. I am full of hope that we will manage to hold good Olympic Games”, the Japanese Ambassador told a press conference in Armenpress.

Talking about the buildings the Ambassador said some infrastructures, used during the 1964 Games, still can be used for the upcoming Games.

“This Olympic Games are very important for Japan. We have one common idea: ‘the Olympics are for the whole humanity’, and one key message: ‘How to be in harmony with the nature’. We want to show to the world how our country has recovered after the 2011 tsunami”, Jun Yamada said.

The Ambassador said the organizers want to make these Games more convenient for the participants and guests by using the latest technologies.

As for the Armenia-Japan cooperation in the field of sports, the Ambassador said after the Olympic Games Armenia’s team will be hosted at the Japanese town of Minamiizu as this town has chosen Armenia’s team because of its great interest to wrestling. “I regret that there is still no cooperation between the Armenian and Japanese cities, there are no sister cities yet”, he said.

The Ambassador said Japan will do everything to hold the Games at the highest level, especially from security perspective, and as for the new coronavirus spreading from China, he said he is optimistic and hopes that this virus will disappear before spring.

Tokyo will host the 32nd Summer Olympic Games from July 24 to August 9.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:20,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. The upcoming meeting of the Armenian-German Inter-Governmental Commission for Financial and Technical Cooperation is set to be held in Berlin July 21-22.

Deputy Chief of Mission of Germany to Armenia Klaus Wendelberger conveyed the official proposal from the German side on hosting the event to Deputy Minister of Economy of Armenia Varos Simonyan during a meeting on February 10. Simonyan, the co-chair of the commission, accepted the offer.

GIZ Country Director Anne Kempa, KfW Armenia Senior Project Coordinator Bella Andriasyan and economy ministry staffers also participated in the meeting.

The German envoy said Germany is willing to continue providing assistance to the Armenian government’s reforms, especially in the economic sector – highlighting the development of “green economy” and the SME sector and tourism.

Andriasyan briefed on the KfW’s Armenia activities, namely the agricultural insurance system, as well as the support in opening the TUMO Center in Berlin, Germany.

Simonyan invited the officials to participate in the EU-Armenia Investment Forum due in autumn.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:21,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. The representatives of the Russian Embassy in Armenia led by Ambassador Sergei Kopyrkin visited today the statue of renowned Russian poet and diplomat, the great friend of the Armenian people, Alexander Griboyedov to lay flowers and a wreath on the occasion of the professional day of Russian diplomats.

Talking about the current level of the Armenian-Russian relations, the Ambassador told reporters that these relations are at the highest level.

“That status is quite clear: we are allies, strategic partners, and the Armenian and Russian peoples are brothers. This is also reflected in our diplomatic relations. The relations between our diplomatic services are really very close”, the Russian Ambassador said.

The Ambassador and his staff also visited the central cemetery in Yerevan to lay flowers at the tombs of famous Armenian diplomats who had a great contribution in diplomacy.

“With these rich history and traditions, I think we are doomed to close cooperation, in a good sense, especially when we have many common issues and interests. In this complex world Armenian and Russian diplomats stand in the same frontline on key matters. This is very important, and Russia appreciates that”, Ambassador Kopyrkin said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:25,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan on February 8 held a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister of Greece Nikos Dendias, the Armenian MFA told Armenpress.

During the phone talk the two FMs discussed broad range of issues of mutual interest relating to the Armenian-Greek agenda.

They highlighted the importance of Armenia-Greece-Cyprus trilateral cooperation in terms of strengthening the partnership and the regional cooperation, as well as discussed the preparations of the upcoming summit at Cyprus-Armenia-Greece format in Yerevan.

The Armenian and Greek FMs also exchanged views on a number of urgent international and regional issues.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan