Month: May 2021

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrives in Armenia

 10:03,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Armenia on May 26.

He was welcomed by Armenia’s caretaker foreign minister Ara Aivazian at the Zvartnots International Airport.

During the visit the Iranian FM will meet with Armenia’s President Armen Sarkissian, caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and caretaker FM Ara Aivazian.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 11:07,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. 130 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Armenia in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 222,269, the ministry of healthcare reports.

323 patients have recovered in one day. The total number of recoveries has reached 211,957.

The death toll has risen to 4411 (11 death cases have been registered in the past one day).

3901 COVID-19 tests were conducted on May 25.

The number of active cases is 4822.

The number of people who had coronavirus but died from other disease has reached 1079 (2 new such cases).

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Kocharyan’s Hayastan alliance releases electoral list's top 20

 11:35,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The Hayastan alliance led by former president Robert Kocharyan released its electoral list’s top 20 for the upcoming snap elections.

Kocharyan himself is leading the list, followed by ARF’s Ishkhan Saghatelyan and Anna Grigoryan. The next candidates are: Vahe Hakobyan, Armen Gevorgyan, Lilit Galstyan, Armen Rustamyan, Seyran Ohanyan, Elinar Vardanyan, Artsvik Minasyan, Artur Ghazinyan, Kristine Vardanyan, Gegham Manukyan, Aghvan Vardanyan, Agnesa Khamoyan, Andranik Tevanyan, Mkhitar Zakaryan, Hripsime Stambulyan, Ashot Simonyan and Armen Charchyan.

Today, May 26, is the deadline for registration of electoral lists at the central electoral commission.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 11:49,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan’s encroachment against Armenia’s territorial integrity is the direct consequence of the 2020 war unleashed by Azerbaijan against the Artsakh people’s right to self-determination and right to life, as well as the inadequate international and regional reaction to Azerbaijan’s actions of jeopardizing regional peace, Armenian caretaker Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian said during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Yerevan.

“Emboldened by a sense of impunity, Azerbaijan is trying to create new geopolitical realities which are not in the interests of countries who are interested in regional stability. In these conditions dialogue with our regional partners is more than important,” Aivazian said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:08,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The chair of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs Ruben Rubinyan from the ruling My Step bloc doesn’t rule out that Armenia could potentially apply to the CSTO also by invoking Article 4 amid the Azerbaijani military encroachment against Armenia.

Speaking to reporters, Rubinyan commented on the opposition’s opinions as to why should allies step in and help if Armenia itself is not repelling the Azeri incursion militarily. “First of all, it is our allies themselves who’ve urged us and continue urging not to escalate the situation and attempt to solve the issue diplomatically and politically. And secondly, the allied formats in which we are involved have clear, envisaged articles for specific cases. And we aren’t asking for help by without doing anything, but we’ve rather applied based on specific documents, under a specific article. Moreover, I am talking about both the application to the CSTO on Article 2 and the prime minister’s letter based on the Armenia-Russia bilateral treaty. And we expect that our allies will support us in solving this issue. Taking into consideration the latest developments, I don’t rule out that we will reach Article 4 and not only,” he said, referring to the fatal shooting of an Armenian serviceman by Azerbaijani troops on May 25.

Rubinyan reiterated that the latest victim was not caused by an accident and that it was one of the manifestations of Azerbaijan’s aggression.

“Our position is the following – the Azerbaijani troops must withdraw from Armenian sovereign territories. Armenia is trying and will try to solve this issue first of all politically and diplomatically, which doesn’t mean that other solutions can’t happen if these fail,” he said, referring to a military solution.

“The current status-quo is definitely unacceptable for us, but the operational situation in those parts is under the control of our troops,” he said.

Armenia has so far only requested the CSTO for assistance under the treaty’s Article 2 – “The Member States shall consult with each other on all important issues of the international security affecting their interests, and coordinate positions on these issues.In case of menace to safety, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty of one or several Member States or menace to international peace and safety of the Member States shall immediately launch the mechanism of joint consultations for the purpose of their positions coordination, develop and take measures for assistance to such Member States for the purpose of elimination of the arisen menace.”

Article 4 on the other hand says that an attack on a member state is an attack on all members. In the event of an attack, the member states must provide all necessary help, including military support, to the member state under attack in accordance to a formal request.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:20,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker defense minister of Armenia Vagharshak Harutyunyan held a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu, the Russian defense ministry reported on Wednesday.

“Russian Defense Minister, Army General Sergei Shoigu held a phone talk with Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan on Tuesday evening. During the talk the situation in the region and the areas where Russia’s peacekeeping force in Nagorno Karabakh is accomplishing its mission were discussed. Other issues of bilateral interest were also discussed”, the Russian defense ministry’s statement reads.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:24,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s healthcare ministry envisages changes in the coronavirus-related rules, the ministry told Armenpress.

Accordingly, people will not be required to wear face masks outdoors starting from June 1.

And also, wearing face masks in closed areas for citizens who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 will not be mandatory starting from July 1.

A citizen is considered vaccinated who has received two shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, is registered in the Armed E-Health system and has a QR code.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:19,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan will not be included in the Civil Contract party’s electoral list for the upcoming snap election of parliament, the ruling My Step bloc’s parliamentary leader Lilit Makunts told reporters.

“That’s his personal decision,” Makunts said without elaborating.

Earlier two ruling bloc MPs – Artak Manukyan and Nikolay Baghdasaryan –also announced that they won’t run for parliament in the June 20 election.

Makunts said there are other incumbent MPs who won’t be included in the list as well.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 14:02,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The ruling Civil Contract party formally submitted its electoral list for the June 20 election to the Central Electoral Commission today, on May 26, the last day of submissions.

The papers were submitted by MP Vahagn Alexanyan from My Step Alliance, the Civil Contract’s bloc in parliament.

Speaking to reporters, the lawmaker said their party’s only expectation from the upcoming election is for the people’s power to be re-established in Armenia.  He said the people will decide through whom they’ll exercise their power.

He said the party will soon release the entire list.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 14:09,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has sent a congratulatory letter to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on the national day – the Independence Day, Pashinyan’s Office told Armenpress.

The letter reads:

“I warmly congratulate you and the good people of Georgia on the national day – the Independence Day of Georgia.

More than a century before, by expressing their unwavering will of having their own independent statehood, the good people of Georgia today as well continue consistently reaffirming their that aspiration by building and developing the state of Georgia.

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

Armenia and Georgia, during their state-building period, have developed and installed such preconditions for mutual cooperation, the implementation of which made it possible to preserve and develop at best the relations between our countries.

Today the vision that our countries have a lot to do both in the bilateral relations and in the regional processes, is also a priority. In this context our commitment to deepen the partnership between Armenia and Georgia and enrich it with new achievements is unequivocal.

By using this chance I wish you good luck in your state activity, and prosperity and progress to the brotherly people of Georgia”, the statement reads.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan