Month: December 2020

 14:21,

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Normal operation in trade and service spheres has restored in Artsakh, Acting minister of economy and productive infrastructure of Artsakh Armen Tovmasyan told Armenpress, adding that many grocery stores are already operating in capital Stepanakert and administrative centers.

“Respective volumes of required goods and their supply are formed by economic entities. The supply from Armenia is carried out by delivering companies via light trucks. Large cargo transportation is mainly carried out for imports of household items, property, equipment and construction materials for the displaced population”, he said.

He added that the amount of damage caused to the business sector due to the war has not been assessed yet. “Before that it was necessary to restore the infrastructure necessary for the restoration of their work. At the next stage the amount of damages caused will be assessed”, the acting minister said.

Reporting by Van Novikov; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:13,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Russia is following the situation in Nagorno Karabakh, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

“The information is really insufficient, we are following the developments,” he said, according to TASS.

Peskov’s comments come after the Azerbaijani military breached the ceasefire and attacked two villages in Artsakh, capturing them. Six Artsakh troops were wounded.

The Kremlin spokesperson said that such incidents are an additional burden for the Russian peacekeepers. “A really alarming situation happened, but it was very quickly neutralized,” Peskov added.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:36,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Aivazian received on December 14 OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Stéphane Visconti of France, Andrew Schofer of the United States of America, Charge d'Affaires of the Russian Federation in Armenia Aleksey Sinegubov, and Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the foreign ministry told Armenpress.

The meeting focused on the developments following the ceasefire established in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone, as well as on issues relating to the restoration and protection of rights of Artsakh-Armenians. In this context FM Aivazian reaffirmed the principled stance of the Armenian sides that the addressing of the rights and interests of the Artsakh-Armenians should take place first of all within the frames of the peaceful process under the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship. As a priority of the Armenian side, he highlighted the establishment of the status of Artsakh based on its people’s right to self-determination, the de-occupation of the territories of Artsakh captured by Azerbaijan, provision of conditions for the safe return of Artsakh-Armenians to their own settlements and the preservation of the religious and cultural heritage.

The minister also drew the attention of the Co-Chairs on the Azerbaijani violation of its own commitments assumed by the November 9 trilateral statement. The Armenian FM said the obvious demonstration of this was the provocative actions by Azerbaijan in the line of contact yesterday which were carried out during the visit of the Co-Chairs to the region.

Commenting on the hate speech and Armenophobia existing in the statements of the Azerbaijani leadership, the Armenian FM said with that they once again prove Azerbaijan’s incapability to constructively engage in the peace process and refuse from the policy of acting from the positions of force or threat of force.

The Armenian FM and the Co-Chairs also discussed the resumption of the peace process within the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:24,

GYUMRI, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. The ARF organized a demonstration in Gyumri demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The protesters blocked three central streets from 12:00-12:30 in what they describe as disobedience campaigns.

“We have only one demand – the prime minister’s resignation,” ARF Gyumri Committee representative Karen Galstyan told ARMENPRESS. “We are trying to show with our campaigns that we are not indifferent for our country’s fate.”

The ARF is among the more than a dozen political parties who have formed the “Homeland Salvation Movement” seeking to oust Prime Minister Pashinyan over his handling of the Nagorno Karabakh war and the terms of the armistice and replace him with ex-PM Vazgen Manukyan as an interim leader who would eventually organize early general elections.

Most of these 16 political parties are non-parliamentary ones, with the exception of Prosperous Armenia (BHK) Party. However, the parliamentary Bright Armenia (LHK) party is also calling on the PM to resign, but it hasn’t joined the “Homeland Salvation Movement”.

Reporting by Armenuhi Mkhoyan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:48,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. The meeting between the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk and the President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan has been cancelled at the initiative of the Armenian side, President Harutyunyan’s spokesperson Vahram Poghosyan told ARMENPRESS.

“The meeting of the Co-Chairs and Arayik Harutyunyan was cancelled at the initiative of the Armenian side. The reason of the cancellation is the incomplete format, especially given the fact that the Russian Co-Chair isn’t participating in the regional visit,” Poghosyan said.

The American and French Co-Chairs - Andrew Schofer and Stéphane Visconti -  of the OSCE Minsk Group arrived in Armenia on December 13 after visiting Azerbaijan. On December 14, they met with the Armenian FM Ara Aivazian. A meeting with the Armenian Premier Nikol Pashinyan is underway. The Russian Co-Chair – Igor Popov – is not participating in the visit.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 16:06,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan received on December 14 Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin, the deputy PM’s Office told Armenpress.

During the meeting deputy PM Avinyan said the deepening of the relations with the EU and its member states is among Armenia’s foreign policy priorities, adding that the launch of dialogue on visa liberalization with the EU is one of the key points of the bilateral agenda.

The sides then discussed the latest developments in the situation around Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), the preservation of the Armenian cultural heritage there. Deputy PM Avinyan provided information about the exchange process of the prisoners of war, stating that new developments are expected soon in this respect. The Armenian side thanked the EU for the humanitarian aid provided to the people displaced from Artsakh due to the Azerbaijani aggression.

The meeting sides also touched upon the agenda of the reforms being carried out in Armenia. Tigran Avinyan said the government is going to conduct the necessary reforms at a larger scale.

The deputy PM also informed that the government is currently working on an anti-crisis economic program. The main purpose of the project is to prevent the further deepening of the current crisis, restore a sustainable and reliable economic environment for business and in terms of balanced consumer behavior, etc.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 16:35,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. With the support of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, the Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Center of the Arabkir Medical Complex will be equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to help wounded servicemen recuperate and lead full lives, the Fund said in a statement.

“During a visit to the ArBeS healthcare center, Haykak Arshamyan, Executive Director of HAAF, and Ara Babloyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arabkir Medical Complex, saw the work of the current on site prosthetic workshop and noted that the planned upgraded equipment would significantly improve the rehabilitation and recovery of our servicemen wounded defending the Homeland.

The center now has an adult rehabilitation department in addition to the previous pediatric services.

To improve the amenities of the center, the medical complex began the construction of a new wing a few months ago, to be completed by spring.

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund will provide modern rehabilitation devices and equipment for the new wing.

Since the first weeks of the war, the Fund has been working with a number of international organizations and charities specializing in the production of, prosthetics / orthotics for post-war rehabilitation and treatment as well as those providing psychological support and this will be the second such workshop in Yerevan.

Our highest priority is to ensure that all needs of our brave soldiers are met and they are able to lead full and content lives”, the statement says.

 16:40,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. A “border adjustment” took place in Jermuk with participation of the Armenian military and the local government bodies, the Jermuk Mayor Vardan Hovhannisyan told ARMENPRESS when asked to comment on the reports purporting that the Azerbaijani troops are amassing at the border with Armenia to build a military base in the section which isn’t yet adjusted.

“An adjustment of the borders and positions took place, we went and agreed who will stand where. Nothing unusual happened. There won’t be any military base, unlike the purported reports. The process took place with participation of our military, I was also present,” Hovhannisyan said.

He said the Armenian military is deployed and are on-duty. The locals of Jermuk are approaching the situation with understanding, he said.

“There is simply no need to create such a fuss around this resort town. Those who are doing so are perhaps solving some objectives of theirs, but an entire city could suffer from that. In reality, Jermuk is safe, and we are expecting guests, the spas are working normally , there are no problems,” Hovhannisyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 16:10,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. The Police of Armenia deny the media reports according to which Police Chief Vahe Ghazaryan has resigned.

“A report has been spread in media outlets and social networks claiming that the Police Chief has submitted a resignation letter. We inform that this information has nothing to do with the reality”, the Police said in a statement.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 17:02,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received on December 14 OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Stéphane Visconti of France, Andrew Schofer of the United States of America, Charge d'Affaires of the Russian Federation in Armenia Aleksey Sinegubov, and Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the PM’s Office told Armenpress.

Pashinyan attached importance to the visit of the Co-Chairs to the region following the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh. He highlighted the necessity of resumption of negotiations under the Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format for the comprehensive settlement of the NK conflict. As a priority the Armenian PM stressed the need for clarification of the status of Artsakh, taking into account the importance of the principle of the exercise of the Artsakh people’s right to self-determination, the de-occupation of the territories of Artsakh captured by Azerbaijan, the creation of conditions for the safe return of Artsakh-Armenians to their settlements, as well as the preservation of religious and cultural heritage.

Pashinyan also condemned Azerbaijan’s violation of the commitments assumed by the November 9 trilateral statement, which was demonstrated by provocative actions in the line of contact with Artsakh on December 11 and 12.

During the meeting issues relating to the post-war situation, the resumption of the negotiation process, the restoration of the rights of Artsakh-Armenians and their security were discussed.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan