Month: May 2021

 17:18,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. The European Commission will provide an additional €10 million in humanitarian aid, including some very early recovery to help civilians affected by the recent conflict in and around Nagorno Karabakh. This brings EU assistance to people in need, since the start of the hostilities in September 2020, to over €17 million, the Commission said in a statement released today.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said: “The humanitarian situation in the region continues to require our attention, with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbating the impact of the conflict. The EU is substantially increasing its support to help people affected by the conflict to meet their basic needs and to rebuild their lives”.

Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, said: “As pledged at the end of last year, we are today delivering additional assistance to the people most affected by the conflict. Our support will not stop there: the EU continues to work towards a more comprehensive conflict transformation and long-term socio-economic recovery and resilience of the region”.

The funding made available today will help to provide emergency assistance including food, hygiene and household items, multi-purpose cash and healthcare. It will also cover protection assistance, including psychosocial support, education in emergency and ensure early recovery assistance through livelihood support. The assistance will benefit the most vulnerable conflict-affected people, including displaced persons, returnees and host communities.

This additional funding will also ensure humanitarian demining in populated areas and provide mine risk education to affected people.

 17:19,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a telephone conversation with President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, which is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Pashinyan’s Office told Armenpress.

Pashinyan presented the recent developments on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. He stated that the Azerbaijani side, by violating all norms of international law, has illegally crossed the border and entered into Armenia’s sovereign territory. Pashinyan drew the attention of the Belarusian President on the necessity of properly discussing the issue within the CSTO and combining the positions of the CSTO states over the incident.

President Lukashenko expressed his concerns over the situation and his readiness for making efforts aimed at peacefully solving the situation.

According to the Belarusian Presidential Office, Lukashenko and Pashinyan have also discussed the domestic situation in Belarus and Armenia, exchanged views on the current agenda, the existing challenges and threats.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 17:41,

YEREVAN, 17 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 17 May, USD exchange rate down by 0.57 drams to 521.91 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.76 drams to 634.43 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 7.06 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 1.49 drams to 736.10 drams.

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

Gold price up by 240.12 drams to 30842.94 drams. Silver price up by 6.38 drams to 456.91 drams. Platinum price up by 347.09 drams to 20572.03 drams.

 18:14,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Artak Apitonyan met with the heads of the diplomatic representations accredited in Armenia on May 17.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, Artak Apitonyan presented detailed information on the situation created as a result of the invasion of Azerbaijani armed force s into the sovereign territory of Armenia – Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces, and the measures taken to solve it.

The Deputy FM emphasized that the mentioned provocations are the continuation of the aggressive rhetoric against Armenia by the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan which take place during military drills in that country that were launched without informing in advance and with the violation of the 2011 Vienna document.

Artak Apitonyan mentioned that such gross violations of the international law by Azerbaijan create serious challenges for the regional peace and security and in that context Armenia expects the relevant reaction of the international community.

‘’The Republic of Armenia has the legitimate right to protect its territorial integrity and sovereignty in line with the UN Charter’’, the Armenian Deputy FM said.

 18:17,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. OSCE Secretary-General Helga Maria Schmid responded to the letter of President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian over the need for an immediate return of all Armenian war prisoners and civilians kept in Azerbaijan.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the President’s Office, the OSCE Secretary-General that she studied the issues mentioned by President Sarkissian and submitted them to relevant OSCE bodies.

‘’I continue to follow the situation and keep in contact with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs and the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office over on that  and other related issues. I am aware that you have discussed these issues also with the Chairperson-in-Office Ann Linde during her visit to Yerevan in March.

The Minsk Group Co-chairs issued a statement on April 13, 2021 where they also touch to the issues mentioned by you.  The Co-chairs noted that extra efforts are necessary to allay the existing concerns and to establish an atmosphere of mutual trust fostering lasting peace.

In this context, the Co-Chairs pointed out the issues related to the return of all prisoners of war and other detainees in line with the international humanitarian law. They, as well as personally I and other OSCE officials, will continue to monitor the situation and speak out. The OSCE institution and bodies already closely cooperate with Armenia in all three platforms.

As the OSCE Secretary-General, I hope to further develop and expand this cooperation’’, reads the letter of Helga Maria Schmid.

 18:39,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan held a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Nikolay Patrushev. The sides discussed the situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border and referred to the latest developments over this issue.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan highly assessed the active efforts of the Russian side for a quick and comprehensive solution of the situation.

The sides highlighted the expected session of the Foreign Ministers of the CSTO member states on May 19 aimed at a comprehensive discussion of the mentioned issue.

 19:04,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Defense Minister of Armenia Vagharshak Harutyunyan held a phone conversation with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu on May 17.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Armenia, Harutyunyan presented to his Russian counterpart the situation created as a result of the Azerbaijani provocation. The Armenian Defense Minister informed that despite some Azerbaijani servicemen have returned to their initial positions as a result of the negotiations, some of them continue to remain in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, which means that the issue has not been solved yet. Vagharshak Harutyunyan assessed the encroachments on the sovereign territory of Armenia inadmissible, stressing that the future developments of the situation can lead to unpredictable developments.

The Russian Defense Minister assured that the issue is in the focus of the military-political leadership of Russia and that official Moscow will make all necessary efforts for a peaceful solution of the situation.

 19:08,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian calls on Baku and Yerevan to reach an agreement over the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from the territory of Armenia, ARMENPRESS reports, citing TASS, the French Foreign Ministry said based on the phone conversations with Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs.

‘’On the occasion of the recent escalation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border, Jean-Yves Le Drian reminded about the deep concern of France and France’s commitment to the territorial integrity of Armenia. France attentively monitors the situation and calls on the sides to continue the dialogue for ensuring the immediate withdrawal of the Azerbaijani forces from the territory of Armenia’’, the Ministry said.

 19:13,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. The delegation led by the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan being on an official visit in the Russian Federation had an expanded meeting with their Russian colleagues led by the Speaker of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly Vyacheslav Volodin, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia.

Welcoming the Armenian Delegation, the Speaker of the State Duma has underlined that the relations between the two countries continue developing based on the dialogue and strategic partnership. He has added the Russian side highly assesses the Armenian-Russian relations, expressing confidence that the contacts in parallel with overcoming the pandemic will more activate at different levels.

Thanking the Speaker of the State Duma for the invitation of the official visit to Moscow, the President of the National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan in his turn has emphasized that the Armenian-Russian cooperation dynamically develops.

The Speaker of the Parliament of Armenia presented to his Russian colleagues the situation existing around the Nagorno Karabakh, reminded them that until now Azerbaijan had not completely implemented the provision regarding the return of the prisoners of war and other detainees stipulated by November 9 tripartite statement. Touching upon the intrusion of the armed forces of Azerbaijan to the RA territory, the inadmissibility of any encroachment in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, and hence, in the territory of the CSTO responsibility was underlined.

The sides reached an agreement to discuss the abovementioned issues on the relevant multi-lateral platforms.

During the meeting the members of the two delegations exchanged ideas over the agenda of the Armenian-Russian relations, the expansion of the relations in a number of directions on bilateral and multilateral platforms.

Armenia’s Security Council Head, CSTO Gen.-Sec discuss CSTO mechanisms for solving border situation

 20:04,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan held a phone conversation with Secretary General of the CSTO Stanislav Zas, during which they focused on the border escalation between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Grigoryan presented to Zas the current situation on the border.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan emphasized that the claims and aspirations of the Azerbaijani side have no grounds.

The sides discussed the CSTO mechanisms for solving the situation quickly and comprehensively.
Stanislav Zas assured that he will actively foster the measures aimed at a peaceful solution within limits of his responsibilities.