Month: September 2021

 15:02, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Suren Papikyan met on September 7 with Sebastian Molineus, the World Bank’s Regional Director for the South Caucasus, Mr. Papikyan’s Office told Armenpress.

Deputy PM Papikyan highlighted the long-term cooperation between the Armenian government and the World Bank, stating that many grant and loan programs have been implemented as a result of this partnership. He highlighted the Bank’s contribution to the upgrading of Armenia’s public administration system, the social, infrastructure development and reaffirmed his readiness to work closely on these directions.

Sebastian Molineus in turn congratulated minister Papikyan on their party’s victory in the recent snap parliamentary elections and on assuming office. He highly valued the Armenian government’s readiness for cooperation and expressed confidence that the new opportunities will be maximally used in the current partnering environment. Sebastian Molineus reiterated that the World Bank is ready to continue and expand the mutual partnership by assisting Armenia’s economic development.

The officials continued then discussing the cooperation opportunities in agriculture, water use, energy, tourism and infrastructure development. They attached importance to the development of small towns in Armenia for decentralization. Suren Papikyan stated that the government and the World Bank have a common agenda on these matters.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:16, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. On September 6, at around 19:30, the Azerbaijani side opened fire at the Armenian positions and the direction of peaceful settlements from the positions located in the direction of Karmir Shuka-Taghavard settlements of the Martuni region of Artsakh, Ombudsman of Artsakh Gegham Stepanyan said in a statement today.

“The house of one of the residents of Taghavard has been damaged from the shooting. Three bullets hit the wall of the house, one – the window of one of the bedrooms. 6 civilians, one of them a minor, live in the house damaged from the Azerbaijani fire”, the Ombudsman said.

After midnight, the Azerbaijani side continued the shots, but no victims and material damage have been reported.

Russian peacekeepers and the law enforcement agencies of Artsakh have been notified about the incident.

“The Azerbaijani positions located near the vicinity of the peaceful settlements are a direct and real threat to the life, health and other vital rights of the people of Artsakh and distort the normal life and operation of the people in those settlements”, he said, adding that the failure to hold the perpetrators accountable leads to repetition of such cases.

“Comprehensive investigation of all ceasefire violation cases, including the involvement of Russian peacekeepers, should be on the agenda”, the Artsakh Ombudsman said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:29, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan held a meeting with World Bank Regional Director for South Caucasus Sebastian Molineus and the new World Bank Country Manager for Armenia Carolin Geginat.

Sanosyan briefed the World Bank officials on the priorities of the new government program, main goals and directions of cooperation. He underscored that the government has set ambitious projects before itself and plans to make efforts with international partners to implement them, the ministry of territorial administration and infrastructures said in a press release.

Minister Sanosyan said the cooperation with the World Bank is multi-layered and there are many ongoing projects, and highlighted the vitally-significant roads programs, the programs directed for territorial development, water supply, tourism and the construction of the North-South road.

Carolin Geginat said that the World Bank is ready to support the Armenian government in the planned projects, especially in the water sector, the land exploitation sector, tourism and road construction. Geginat attached importance to cooperation in renewable energy for making the sector more attractable for private investors.

An agreement was reached to organize individual discussions in an expanded format to specify future actions.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:45, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received today Ambassador of France to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte on the occasion of the completion of his diplomatic mission, the PM’s Office told Armenpress.

Pashinyan stated that Mr. Lacôte’s tenure in Armenia coincided with the period full of various developments for Armenia and the region.

“That period not only did not leave a negative impact on the Armenian-French unique relations, but also made the bilateral partnership more closer”, Pashinyan said.

He added that there are broad opportunities for developing the partnership between the two friendly countries in different areas.

Pashinyan noted that the governments of Armenia and France are interested in developing and expanding the cooperation which is based on centuries-old friendship between the Armenian and French peoples.

At the same time, he highlighted the key role of France as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair country.

Touching upon Armenia’s chairmanship at the International Organization of La Francophonie, Pashinyan said that the challenges caused by the pandemic and the war didn’t allow Armenia to be active within the organization. However, he expressed confidence that the cooperation within the organization will become more effective and closer.

“All these difficulties have not put a shadow on our relations with France, and we should highlight your personal contribution to this. We will view you as friend of Armenia and will be happy to see you again in our country”, Pashinyan told the French Ambassador.

The Ambassador thanked the Armenian PM for the appreciation and stated that his tenure was marked by both heavy and happy moments for Armenia.

“I have emotional memories from the peaceful revolution held in Armenia. The recent events in the country showed that democracy is irreversible in Armenia, and that the Armenian people could be proud of it”, Jonathan Lacôte said, adding that France will continue the close cooperation with Armenia in different areas, including in promoting the reforms.

The meeting also touched upon the process of joint programs and the future activities.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 16:02, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. On September 7, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh David Babayan met in Yerevan with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, the Artsakh Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Issues related to the cooperation of the two Armenian states in the field of foreign policy, regional processes and the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict were discussed.

The sides noted the importance of continuous expansion and intensification of cooperation, maintenance of a high level of cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two Armenian states, and organization of regular discussions on various issues.

Chief of Staff of the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh Semyon Afiyan and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Artsakh to the Republic of Armenia Sergey Ghazaryan participated in the meeting.

 17:14, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenia assesses the ongoing Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises at it’s and Artsakh’s borders and near the Lachin corridor as “an action harming the steps aimed at de-escalation”.

“This action doesn’t correspond to the spirit of the 2020 November 9 trilateral statement and is disrupting the efforts for establishing lasting peace, security and stability in the region,”Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan told Sputnik Armenia when asked to comment on the Turkish-Azeri drills.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 17:27, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will travel to Georgia on September 8 on a two-day official visit, his office said.

The Armenian PM will have meetings with President Salome Zourabichvili and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. 

After holding high-level negotiations, Prime Minister Pashinyan and Prime Minister Garibashvili will deliver statements to the press.

As part of the visit, PM Pashinyan will pay homage at the Heroes Square in Tbilisi.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Azerbaijan trying to create feeling of impossibility of living peacefully in the homeland. Artsakh Prosecutor's Office

 18:03, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. On September 6, at around 19:30, the Azerbaijani side opened fire at the Armenian positions and the direction of peaceful settlements from the positions located in the direction of Karmir Shuka-Taghavard settlements of the Martuni region of Artsakh, targeting also one of the houses of Taghavard village, where 6 civilians reside.

‘’ It is obvious that the Azerbaijani side is trying to intimidate the civilian population with such actions, to keep them in tension, thus trying to create a sense of constant danger, fear and impossibility of living peacefully in the homeland’’, the Prosecutor's Office said.

 18:55, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. A meeting of the European People's Party (EPP) Political Assembly was held in Brussels on September 6-7 to discuss political developments in the member states, as well as the position on Afghanistan and the situation in Armenia and Belarus, ARMENPRESS reports the EPP statement reads.

"The EPP Political Assembly has been informed of the situation with the Armenian prisoners of war in Azerbaijan, who are still detained, which violates the November 9 trilateral declaration and international humanitarian law. Renewed efforts by European institutions is necessary for ensuring the proper release of prisoners of war without preconditions," the statement said.

The next conference of EPP delegates will take place on November 17-18 in Rotterdam.

Armenian FM highly appreciates India's role for comprehensive settlement of NK conflict

 19:05, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received on September 7 Ambassador of India to Armenia Kishan Dan Deval. Foreign Minister Mirzoyan drew the Indian Ambassador's attention to the situation created by the oenetration of theAzerbaijani armed forces into the sovereign territory of Armenia. In this regard, the Minister praised India's principled position, as well as its continued support for a peaceful and comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, Minister Mirzoyan noted that one of the priorities of Armenia's foreign policy is the deepening and strengthening of traditional friendly relations with India, raising the political dialogue and cooperation to a qualitatively new level.

The spheres of trade and economy, transport-communication, IT, defense, healthcare, culture, education-science were singled out as important directions of cooperation. The significant role of the Armenian-Indian intergovernmental commission was highlighted in terms of full use of the existing potential in the economic sphere.

The interlocutors also discussed the current developments around the North-South international transport corridor.

Referring to the cooperation of the countries on multilateral platforms, the parties recorded with satisfaction the continuation of mutual assistance within the framework of international organizations. In this context, in terms of strengthening international security, Minister Mirzoyan highlighted the fact that India will become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2021-2022.

The Armenian side also thanked the Government of India for its continued assistance in the field of healthcare.