Month: December 2020

 10:20,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia informs that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an official position in connection with the demarcation processes, in response to the inquiry of Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan.

Ombudsman Tatoyan made a respective post on social media on this:

“Following the results of my visit to the Syunik province of Armenia, I sent an official inquiry to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the demarcation processes, taking into account the direct impact of these processes on human rights in the current situation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an official position. I publish it in full below (citation):

“Demarcations are successive bilateral international processes that require the existence of a joint commission and within the framework of which professional discussions and negotiations are held. A prerequisite for the above-mentioned processes is the existence of normal bilateral relations, including diplomatic relations, between the neighboring states.

In international practice, a bilateral intergovernmental commission (chaired by representatives of the foreign ministries of the countries) is formed to carry out demarcation and demarcation processes between neighboring countries, consisting of representatives of state stakeholders (foreign policy, defense, security), experts (particularly in the field of geodesy cartography).

The first stage of the work of such commissions, as a rule, ends with a separate bilateral agreement on the legal basis of the demarcation, and later, after the demarcation, on the joint implementation of the demarcation process.

Upon successful completion of the bilateral process, the Commission concludes an agreement on the border between the two countries, which stipulates that all border issues have been resolved.

Prior to the commencement of the above-mentioned processes, "their successful completion, the deployment of armed forces or border troops to conduct combat duty along the state border is a purely defensive" security measure, in areas actually under the control of the parties, negotiated directly or indirectly between representatives of the armed forces."

Therefore, the implementation of the current measures is not related to status issues, cannot be interpreted as a final agreement on demarcation, or mechanical approval of existing administrative boundaries”.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia has established effective cooperation and reliable cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the mentioned issues, as well as on various other issues, especially with our country's permanent representatives in international structures and our ambassadors to a number of countries”.

 11:22,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. 582 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Armenia in the past one day, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 158,878, the ministry of healthcare said today.

902 more patients have recovered in one day. The total number of recoveries has reached 141,844.

3508 tests were conducted in the past one day.

10 more patients have died, raising the death toll to 2807.

The number of active cases is 13,548.

The number of patients who had coronavirus but died from other disease has reached 679 (3 new such cases).

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:27,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Russia confirmed 26,513 new coronavirus cases in the past day and the total case tally hit 3,131,550, TASS reports citing the anti-coronavirus crisis center.

In the past two days, the growth rate did not exceed 0.9%.

Moscow confirmed 5,105 new coronavirus cases. Some 3,764 COVID-19 cases were registered in St. Petersburg, 1,608 in the Moscow Region, 503 in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, 406 in the Sverldovsk Region and 395 in the Pskov Region.

Currently, 549,706 people are ill in Russia.

As many as 29,235 coronavirus recoveries were recorded in Russia in the past day. New recoveries exceeded daily cases for the first time since December 9.

The total number of coronavirus recoveries has reached 2,525,418. According to the crisis center, 80.6% of coronavirus patients have recovered in Russia.

The number of coronavirus-related fatalities in Russia went up by 599 in the past 24 hours, compared to 562 on the previous day, taking the total to 56,426.

 10:33,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Sports commentator Karen Giloyan has been appointed deputy minister of education, science, culture and sport of Armenia.

The respective decision has been signed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Karen Giloyan has long served as head of the sports department at the Public TV.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:40,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has expressed readiness to organize a meeting between Armenia and Azerbaijan for discussing the unresolved political issues in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

“As for the political issues which are still not resolved, I can reaffirm our readiness both at the national level and within the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to assist in organizing such meetings when the sides are ready to that”, Lavrov told TASS.

The Russian FM noted that currently the agenda is focused on not allowing any ceasefire violation, as well as clearing the territory from explosive objects, exchanging the prisoners of war and the bodies of the dead, ensuring the security of the return of refugees and internally displaced people, solving humanitarian problems, preserving the historical monuments regardless of their religious affiliation, unblocking transportation and economic ties.

“There is something positive in all these directions, but problems are emerging which are inevitable given the situation’s being as extraordinary”, he said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:42,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Head of the opposition Bright Armenia faction of the Parliament Edmon Marukyan met with Mayor of Kapan Gevorg Parsyan, the party said in a news release.

The officials discussed in details the recent challenges and their determination to resist them.

It is reported that the ideas discussed during the meeting will become legislative initiatives and proposals for government decisions.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

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 12:48,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. President of Russia Vladimir Putin has sent a congratulatory letter to Armenian President Armen Sarkissian on New Year and Christmas, the Armenian President’s Office told Armenpress.

“I hope the difficulties and concerns which this year brought will stay in the past. I would like to reaffirm the intention to further develop the Russian-Armenian allied partnership for the welfare of our two brotherly peoples, for the strengthening of peace and security in the South Caucasian region.

I wish you and your relatives good health, happiness and all the best, and to all citizens of Armenia – peace and prosperity”, reads the Russian leader’s congratulatory message.

On behalf of the Russian President, collection of souvenir stamps dedicated to USSR Hero Gevorg Vardanyan has been handed over to President Armen Sarkissian.  

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:41,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov has commented on the post-armistice incident which happened in Nagorno Karabakh, when on December 13 the Azerbaijani military violated the ceasefire and attacked two villages – Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd, in the Republic of Artsakh.  

In an interview to TASS, Lavrov said the incident had taken place in a location where at that time Russian peacekeepers were not deployed.

“There haven’t been any provocative actions against Russian peacekeepers so far,” Lavrov said.

“The only noticeable violation in the line of contact on December 13 took place in a location where there are no Russian peacekeepers. The steps initiated by the command of our peacekeeping contingent in contacts with our Azerbaijani and Armenian colleagues allowed us to avoid an escalation of the incident. We will further continue making all efforts to not allow ceasefire violations.”

Lavrov added that the situation in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone has a tendency of resolution.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:12,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Ukraine’s Union of Writers announced it is refusing to publish books of authors from countries who as they described have “acted against the Ukrainian territorial integrity” in the UN and other international organizations.

Armenia, Russia and Belarus are also blacklisted by the writers’ union, according to RIA Novosti.

According to the announcement, the Union of Writers of Ukraine is willing to make an “exception” for the books of late classic authors from these countries, or contemporary writers who will publicly “support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and condemn Russia’s aggression”.

Apart from Armenia, Russia and Belarus, the following countries were also blacklisted: Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Iran, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, China, North Korea, Cuba, Laos, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Serbia, Syria and Sudan.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:21,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. All persons in Armenia who received the Russian Sputnik V vaccine are feeling well and did not experience any unexpected reactions to the vaccine, the Armenian Ministry of Healthcare announced.

The Sputnik V samples were donated to Armenia by the Russian government in late November.

The first to get the shot were the executives of the Armenian healthcare ministry, with Minister of Healthcare Arsen Torosyan being the very first in order to “raise trust among the population and avoid potential manipulations” since the vaccine wasn’t yet registered at that time, despite having passed all safety requirements during clinical trials.

“It is noteworthy that no unexpected post-vaccination occurrence was recorded among those who were vaccinated, and everyone is feeling well.”

The Armenian Ministry of Healthcare expressed deep gratitude to the Russian Federation for the mutually beneficial cooperation in combating infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and said it is expecting that the process will be continuous for the benefit of ensuring public health in the two countries.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan