Month: May 2021

Artsakh foreign ministry issues statement on 30th anniversary of operation ‘Ring’

 10:10,

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. The ministry of foreign affairs of the Republic of Artsakh has released a statement today on the occasion of the 30^th anniversary of the operation ‘Koltso’ (Ring), the ministry told Armenpress.

The statement says:

“30 years ago, on April 30, 1991, the Azerbaijani authorities launched the operation ‘Koltso’ (Ring), which can rightfully be called one of the bloodiest and most inhuman operations on the deportation of peoples from their historical lands.

As a result of the operation, in the course of which tanks, combat helicopters and artillery were employed against civilians for the first time, hundreds of Armenian villages in Northern Artsakh, as well as Shahumyan, Hadrut and Shoushi regions were devastated and destroyed, tens of thousands of people were deported, hundreds were killed and taken hostages. The fate of many of them remains unknown so far.

The operation ‘Koltso’ became yet another manifestation of Azerbaijan's genocidal policy and the continuation of a series of Armenian pogroms and ethnic cleansing committed in Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad and other Armenian-populated cities and regions of Azerbaijan, as well as in the settlements of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region and Northern Artsakh in 1988-1991.

The operation ‘Koltso’ transferred the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict to a military plane and led to the subsequent full-scale aggression of Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh, which continues up today.

The war crimes and gross violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces during the operation ‘Koltso’, the 4-day war in April 2016 and the 44-day war in the fall of 2020 imposed on Artsakh by Azerbaijan with the support of Turkey and the participation of mercenaries from various terrorist groups testify that indifference and impunity for crimes against humanity lead to their recurrence”.

 

 10:51,

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has sent a letter to President of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer, expecting the Committee’s support for the quick return of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians from Azerbaijan, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

In his letter the Armenian President said several hundreds of Armenian servicemen and civilians have been captured during the recent war launched against Artsakh by Azerbaijan with the active participation and direct involvement of Turkey, noting that the POWs are being tortured and are subject to inhuman treatment by Azerbaijan.

“Touching upon the humanitarian situation in Artsakh today is a key issue, and requires urgent attention from the international community.

The international community, all countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, the international organizations and individuals must give an adequate response to Azerbaijan’s actions.

According to the 2020 November 9 trilateral statement on the ceasefire, Armenia has transferred all prisoners of war to Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, it’s highly important to conduct the exchange of all POWs and civilians with the “all for all” principle, which is ignored by Azerbaijan.

With gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, Azerbaijan is currently hiding the real number of the Armenian prisoners of war and hostages, continues rejecting and obstructing the return of the hostage-taken civilians and the prisoners of war. Armenia is expecting support from the international partners on the quick return of all captives.

I appeal to you and the International Committee of Red Cross to take all necessary measures in accordance with the international humanitarian law to ensure the immediate release and safe return of the prisoners of war”, the President of Armenia said in his letter.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 11:10,

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. 3 new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in the Republic of Artsakh in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,667.

52 coronavirus tests have been carried out on April 29, the ministry of healthcare of Artsakh said.

Currently, 20 infected patients receive treatment in hospitals.

On April 19 the vaccinations against COVID-19 have launched in Artsakh.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 11:21,

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. A nursery of forest tree species and 30-35 hectares of new forests will be created in Artsakh, the Armenian Minister of Environment Romanos Petrosyan told ARMENPRESS. Petrosyan visited Artsakh recently and said that as a result of agreements between the authorities of Artsakh and Armenia, the Hayantar governmental forestry organization has already launched the work for creating the nursery.

The nursery will be a 500 square meter greenhouse.

The new forest will be created as part of the 10 Million Trees agreement, with Hayantar and its Artsakhi counterpart having reached an agreement on donating 100,000 trees.

Hayantar will hold training and consulting for its Artsakhi counterparts.

The new forest is planned to be created in the Martakert region.

Speaking about the initiative of releasing trout into the Sarsang reservoir, Petrosyan says the goal is first of all within the framework of the restoration processes of Artsakh, as well as restoring the reserve of Sevan and the development of the trout population. Over 40,000 trout fish were released into the reservoir.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 11:25,

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. One of the main topics of discussion at the Eurasian Economic Union’s intergovernmental council session remains the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, especially now when a third wave has hit Europe, Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told his counterparts during the ongoing session in Kazan.

“It is necessary to take joint actions that would allow us to suppress the spread of the coronavirus,” he said.

He praised the Travel without COVID-19 mobile app system which allows travelers to have their test results entered into the database through certified labs and use it when leaving the country. “So far Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Russia are fully participating in the project. We hope that Kazakhstan will also join us soon.”

Mishustin said the system must be developed so that people can also enter data about their vaccination.

Earlier, the Russian PM had EDB’s Tigran Sargsyan for the COVID-19 travel app.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1050872.html?fbclid=IwAR0I0Z196eXFymXfDDeT2W7SfDDDdBjDg-3PtOw3G6SL4ZVtxV4HWkG60k8

 11:44,

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he finds the industrial sector to be one of the moving forces of the Eurasian Economic Union’s economic system.

Speaking at the union’s prime ministerial meeting in Kazan, Pashinyan highlighted the importance of the 2025 EEU Industrial Cooperation document currently under discussion.

“The creation of a complete single market of products is practically not applicable without developing an agreed policy in this direction. We are interested in increasing the competitiveness of the products produced in the EEU, both in domestic and foreign markets,” Pashinyan said.

He highlighted that the new conditions in the world brought forward the need of cooperation in the healthcare, education and social sectors, with high technologies becoming more and more demanded.

Pashinyan thanked his EEU counterparts for the joint work and reiterated Armenia’s readiness for all efforts required for enhancing the economic cooperation sectors and developing the union’s integration potential.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 11:52,

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. Both past and present haunt relations between Turkey and Armenia, The Economist’s editorial board wrote in an article, stating that the two countries don’t show any sign of reconciling.

“A century ago, Ottoman troops committed an Armenian genocide. A few months ago, Turkey helped Azerbaijan defeat Armenia in a war,” the article says.

Noting that despite some Turkish official circles have been talking about a possible “new-era” in the Armenia-Turkey relations, their actions prove otherwise.

The Economist quoted Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan’s earlier interview where he said that the re-opening of the borders with Armenia from the Turkish side would de-escalate tension. He had also noted that Armenia is ready to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions.

Nevertheless, The Economist writes that the actions of Turkey and Azerbaijan prove otherwise.

“Turkey and Azerbaijan were not really reassuring. During this victory parade in Azerbaijan, Erdogan praised Enver Pasha, one of the architects of the genocide. Mr. Aliyev recently presided over the opening of a macabre “Spoils of War” theme park, featuring mannequins of wounded Armenian soldiers with hooked noses and grotesque faces, and neatly tidy helmets of Armenians killed in the war. How to reconcile such displays with Azerbaijan’s peace offers is a guess. What MM. Erdogan and Aliyev, Armenia looks less like an olive branch and more like the short end of the stick.”

Armenian President congratulates King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden on birthday

 12:03,

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory letter to King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden on the occasion of the 75th birthday, the President’s Office told Armenpress.

President Sarkissian highlighted the friendly relations between Armenia and Sweden and the King’s great contribution to the development of these relations.

“I hope we will further deepen and strengthen the mutual partnership between the two countries with joint efforts for the benefit of our peoples”, the Armenian President said in his letter.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:12,

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a letter of gratitude to Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The letter reads:

“US President Joe Biden joined the US Congress and recognized the Armenian Genocide, emphasizing that “what has taken place should never happen again”. We are sincerely grateful to all those who did that through dedication, energy and moral or other support and contributed to the restoration of justice.

You and your team have always raised that the barbarism committed against the Armenian people was a genocide. Committed to your values, you did everything for achieving the official recognition and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

Thank you, Mrs. Speaker”.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:00,

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan met with Carrefour Armenia CEO Vache Arsen to discuss the company’s expansion in the country, the economy ministry said in a news release.

Owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim, Carrefour Armenia currently has three locations in Yerevan.

Carrefour Armenia revealed a 4-year development plan, whereby in the first year it will open 10 “convenience” type supermarkets in Yerevan. Then, in the next few years it will expand further and have presence in other cities across the country.

Arsen said they decided to expand given the measures taken in Armenia for the improvement of the investment environment. He expressed certainty that if this project is a success they will implement larger projects in the future.

Vache Arsen noted that the expansion of Carrefour in Armenia will enable to sell Armenian products also in the international chains of Carrefour around the world.

Editing by Stepan Kocharyan