Month: May 2021

 12:30, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Latvia has officially recognized and condemned the 1915 Armenian Genocide, Armenia’s Ambassador to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia Tigran Mkrtchyan, who is completing his mission, said on Facebook.

“Latvia has finally officially recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide. 58 out of 100 members of the Saeima voted in favor of the resolution. What was difficult to imagine years before today has become a reality. This is a result of the hard work of the past years, where the intensive political contacts, the parliamentary diplomacy, the cultural diplomacy have played a key role”, the Ambassador said.  

“I bow before all political forces and lawmakers of the Latvian Parliament who have voted in favor of giving a solution to this very important issue for the Armenian people in Latvia. A statement about the Armenian Genocide committed under the era of the Ottoman Empire”, he said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:14, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov invited Armenia’s caretaker Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian to visit Moscow.

“I have invited the Armenian foreign minister to visit Russia to continue our discussions on various issues”, FM Lavrov said during a joint press conference with Ara Aivazian in Yerevan on May 6.

He noted that during their meeting he and Mr. Aivazian discussed a broad range of issues.

“During our talks we have noted that there is a high-level dialogue between us. The inter-parliamentary relations are developing. The delegation of the Federation Council has visited Yerevan for participation to the Armenian Genocide commemoration events. On May 16-18 the visit of Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan to Moscow is planned”, the Russian FM said.

The Russian minister stated that they highly value the partnership between the two countries in integration processes, such as in the EAEU, CIS and CSTO.

“Russia remains Armenia’s biggest partner. We have also highlighted the importance of military and defense cooperation”, Sergei Lavrov said.

Russian FM Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Armenia on May 5 on a two-day visit.

He is scheduled to meet with Armenia’s caretaker prime minister Nikol Pashinyan on May 6.

Lavrov will also pay a working visit to Baku on May 9-10.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:18, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. American-Armenian reality TV superstar Kim Kardashian, renowned American-Armenian doctor, producer of The Promise film about the Armenian Genocide, Eric Esrailian, famous singer Cher (Cherilyn Sarkisian), soloist of System of A Down Serj Tankian and founder of TUMO Center for Creative Technologies Sam Simonian call for uniting all efforts in expanding educational opportunities for students in Armenia and Artsakh.

“Hope For Armenia and Teach For Armenia”: with these words Kim Kardashian, Cher and a number of other prominent Diaspora-Armenians call on to join the initiative of Teach For Armenia Fund, in particular the “Hope For Armenia: A Springtime Debut” online event, which is launching on May 7.

During the virtual event the teacher-leaders of the Teach For Armenia Fund will make an online tour to Armenia and post-war Artsakh, will introduce their schools and their activities done so far.

The initiative has been joined by students and teachers from nearly 100 communities, as well as by young specialists, philanthropists and celebrities.

 Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:39, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Russia signed an intergovernmental memorandum on ensuring biological security.

“Today we signed an intergovernmental memorandum regarding issues of ensuring biological security,” Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Armenian caretaker FM Ara Aivazian. “With its implementation a goal is set to contribute significant effort in the development of future cooperation over this delicate topic which is becoming more actual. It will help to strengthen our common area of biosecurity,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov said this issue will be advanced in multilateral formats as well, such as the CSTO and the CIS.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:49, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is discussing with Russia the issue of starting a production of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a joint press conference with Armenia’s caretaker FM Ara Aivazian in Yerevan.

“We have discussed our joint efforts in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Russia has provided Armenia with several tens of thousands of doses of Sputnik V vaccine and currently the issue of acquiring another 1 million doses by Yerevan, as well as organizing its production in the territory of Armenia is being discussed”, Lavrov said.

The first batch of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in 15,000 doses has been delivered to Armenia on April 8. A new batch for 14,000 people has been imported to Armenia on April 26.  

Russian FM Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Armenia on May 5 on a two-day visit.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:56, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker FM Ara Aivazian reiterated the Armenian stance that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is far from being resolved.

“I once again reiterated our clear stance that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is far from being resolved. Only through peaceful negotiations it is possible to reach a comprehensive political resolution which will take into account the rights of all and will bring peace and stability to South Caucasus,” Aivazian said at a joint press conference with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov in Yerevan. “And the basis of such resolution should first of all be the determination of Artsakh’s status within the borders where the people of Artsakh have self-determined,” he added.

Aivazian said Armenia is interested in the further strengthening and bolstering of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmanship format.

Aivazian said Armenia fully agrees with the OSCE MG Co-Chairing countries’ stance which was presented in the April 13 statement noting that “special attention should be paid to the achievement of a final comprehensive and sustainable settlement on the basis of the elements and principles well-known to the sides.”

The Armenian FM emphasized that nearly 6 months after the war Azerbaijan – in violation of international humanitarian law – is disrupting the implementation of the terms of the ceasefire statement and is refusing to return all prisoners of war, including civilians.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:02, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s caretaker foreign minister Ara Aivazian and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the humanitarian problems facing Artsakh during their meeting in Yerevan.

“In the context of ongoing actions aimed at restoring living conditions in Artsakh I would like to once again highlight the efforts of the Russian side with gratitude. Solving people’s return to their homes, restoring infrastructure, normal life ad solving the healthcare problems are very important for the Artsakh residents more than ever today”, Ara Aivazian said during a joint press conference with the Russian FM in Yerevan.

Russian FM Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Armenia on May 5 on a two-day visit.

He is scheduled to meet with Armenia’s caretaker prime minister Nikol Pashinyan on May 6.

Lavrov will also pay a working visit to Baku on May 9-10.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:12, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. World food commodity prices have risen for the eleventh month in a row, noticeably the price of sugar, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said on Thursday that the average FAO food price index, which reflects monthly changes in international prices for staple foods, was 120.9 points in April, up 1.7% from March, and 30.8% higher than in 2020, reports TASS.

FAO noted that the index value reached its highest level since May 2014, but in nominal terms, it is still 12% below its all-time high in February 2011.

The sugar price index rose by 3.9% month-on-month due to harvest delays in Brazil and frost damage in France. The organization noted that the index has reached levels that are almost 60% higher than the figures from April 2020.

The organization also said that new forecasts point to an increase in global wheat and corn production in the coming season.

 15:47, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Former president Robert Kocharyan will lead the Reviving Armenia and ARF’s election alliance in the expected early election of parliament, the Reviving Armenia party said in a statement.

The snap election is expected to be held on June 20.

 16:09, 6 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian visited the tomb of Hero of Artsakh, Major-General Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan (Komandos) together with the family members of Komandos on May 6, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

President Sarkissian laid flowers at the tomb of the legendary Commander by paying tribute to his memory.