Month: April 2021

 14:43, 1 April, 2021

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. 350,000 almond trees will be planted in 2021-2022 in a mega-agricultural complex run by the Kuwaiti Al-Abdalyah Group in a $30,000,000 investment project in Armenia’s Armavir Province, the economy ministry said.

Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan personally visited the 1100 hectare area on March 31 and toured the facility.

“Preparations are underway at full swing, the first 55,000 trees will be planted in a month,” the minister said.

The investor is Khalife Al-Fadala, a businessman from Kuwait.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:01, 1 April, 2021

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Kremlin press service reports.

The situation around Nagorno Karabakh was discussed during the phone talk. They praised the fact that the situation is overall stable and the ceasefire regime is strictly observed.

Taking into account the talks with Russian deputy prime minister Alexei Overchuk in Baku, the process of regulating the economic ties and transportation communications in the South Caucasus, which is implemented in accordance with the November 9, 2020, and January 11, 2021, statements of the Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders, was discussed.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:10, 1 April, 2021

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. Newly-appointed Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Armenia John Patrick Gallagher presented his credentials to President Armen Sarkissian, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The Ambassador said he is happy to represent the United Kingdom in Armenia, adding that he and his team are expecting close cooperation for the benefit of strengthening and deepening the UK-Armenia relations.

The Ambassador conveyed the greetings of Queen Elizabeth II to the Armenian President.

President Sarkissian congratulated the Ambassador on assuming office and expressed confidence that he will invest all his efforts for further enriching and promoting the Armenian-British inter-state agenda.

Highlighting the complete use of the cooperation potential, the Armenian President and the UK Ambassador highlighted economy, science, education, artificial intelligence as prospective sectors for cooperation. They said both countries can work jointly in the fight against the international challenges, including the coronavirus pandemic and the climate change.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 16:26, 1 April, 2021

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. During the 25th plenary session on April 1 the National Council (Parliament) of Slovakia has adopted a resolution on Nagorno Karabakh.

The resolution has been submitted by Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marián Kéry, (SMER-SD/Social Democrats). It was approved with 120 votes in favor.

The resolution strongly condemns the killings of civilian population, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, cultural and religious sites and monuments, expresses concern over the military involvement of third countries during the conflict and their destabilizing role, emphasizes that the process of achieving lasting peace and determining the future legal status of Nagorno Karabakh should be implemented under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The resolution also expresses deep concern that the prisoners of war and other detained persons, including civilians, have not been released in accordance with the international humanitarian law, in particular the Third Geneva Convention.

The resolution calls on the government of Slovakia, the European Union and international organizations to ensure the proper investigation of war crimes, including all accusations about the use of cluster munitions, that all prisoners of war and civilians are released immediately, and that international humanitarian organizations enter into Nagorno Karabakh without restrictions.

This is the second resolution adopted by the Slovak National Council over the recent war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh. The first resolution was adopted on October 22, 2020.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 17:26, 1 April, 2021

YEREVAN, 1 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 1 April, USD exchange rate up by 0.97 drams to 532.14 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.67 drams to 624.63 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 7.01 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.64 drams to 732.70 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 173.99 drams to 28931.66 drams. Silver price down by 5.06 drams to 410.61 drams. Platinum price up by 310.10 drams to 20222.48 drams.

 17:37, 1 April, 2021

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will hold private meetings with Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Aivazian and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on April 1, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing.

“During the meetings issues relating to the bilateral cooperation, and of course, the situation in Nagorno Karabakh, including the implementation process of the November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021 agreements reached by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as regional issues will be discussed”, Zakharova said.

The session of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers will take place in Moscow on April 2. The Armenian FM will also attend the session.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 18:38, 1 April, 2021

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. The National Assembly of Armenia adopted a bill on making changes in the Constitutional Law, according to which ranked voting system will be abolished in Armenia and the upcoming elections will be held under the proportional system. ARMENPRESS reports 82 MPs voted in favor of the bill.

In the past, a mixed system of ranked voting and proportional system was used.

Opposition ‘’Bright Armenia Party”” was against this change, proposing open-list proportional system.

The signing of the President is still necessary for the bill to come into effect.

 19:12, 1 April, 2021

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. The Russian Federation is a supporter of a careful treatment towards cultural and religious objects in Nagorno Karabakh and its surrounding regions, ARMENPRESS reports official representative of the Russian MFA Maria Zakharova said in a weekly briefing.

‘’ We reaffirm the necessity for a speedy organization of a UNESCO mission in Nagorno Karabakh. We also contact with the sides over each particular case’’, she said.

Zoravor Surp Astvatsatsin Armenian Church in Mekhakavan (Jebrail) was fully demolished following the September-November war. The demolishment of the church is confirmed by the publication of BBC World News (Nagorno-Karabakh: The mystery of the missing church). Earlier, there were reports about the destruction of Kanach Zham Church in Shushi, currently under Azerbaijani occupation. There are numerous other media report about the demolishment of other Armenian historical-religious monuments.

 19:17, 1 April, 2021

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia Artak Davtyan held a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Valery Gerasimov, ARMENPRESS was informed from the official website of the Russian Defense Ministry.

The sides discussed issues referring to ensuring regional security and peace, as well as the current stage and future opportunities of military and military-technical cooperation between the two countries.

 19:21, 1 April, 2021

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan met with his Russian counterpart  Alexei Overchuk. In Yerevan on April 1.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Armenian Deputy PM, during the meeting the sides discussed humanitarian issues in Artsakh, as well as the prospects for deepening economic cooperation between the two countries.

The Deputy FMs of Armenia and Russia also referred to the works of the working group chaired by the Deputy FMs of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan, as well as the works of the expert groups.