Month: June 2022

 16:23,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. On June 14, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan who is in Sofia on an official visit, held a tête-à-tête conversation with the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria Teodora Genchovska which was followed by the meeting in an extended format with the participation of the delegations, the Armenian Foreign Ministry reports.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Teodora Genchovska commended the current level of Armenian-Bulgarian interstate relations based on centuries-old friendship, expressing readiness to promote the cooperation between the two countries in bilateral and multilateral formats. The importance of official reciprocal high-level visits and regular consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries was emphasized. 

The sides touched upon the prospects of expanding the trade turnover and investments and emphasized the utilization of the existing great potential in these spheres. In this regard, the role of the works of the Armenian-Bulgarian Intergovernmental Commission and the promotion of business to business contacts was underlined.

Both sides stressed the importance of the works carried out towards the establishment of the Persian Gulf-Black Sea International Transport Corridor.

The sides exchanged views on the further development of the Armenia-EU partnership.

The interlocutors touched upon the ties between Armenia and Bulgaria in the spheres of education and culture. In this regard, Minister Mirzoyan expressed gratitude to the Bulgarian authorities for their caring attitude towards the Armenian cultural heritage and for organizing the education of Armenian citizens in Bulgarian universities within the framework of a bilateral intergovernmental program.

The sides discussed a number of issues on regional and international security. Minister Mirzoyan presented to his Bulgarian counterpart the situation around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the position of the Armenian side on the processes aimed at establishing regional peace and stability and the negotiations on the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The mediating role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship in promoting the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was underlined. In this regard, Ararat Mirzoyan highly valued the position of Bulgaria.

Minister Mirzoyan expressed concern over the continuous anti-Armenian and warmongering rhetoric of the Azerbaijani authorities, and provocative actions against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. He also drew his colleague’s attention to the fact that in gross violation of the norms of international humanitarian law, Azerbaijan continues to hold Armenian prisoners of war and civilian hostages.

Special emphasis was given to the prevention of  Azerbaijan’s policy of distortion and destruction of the identity of Armenian monuments that are part of the universal cultural heritage in the territories fallen under Azerbaijani control due to the 44-day war. In this context, Minister Mirzoyan stressed the urgency of a clear and targeted response of the international community, as well as the imperative of the involvement of relevant international organizations in Nagorno-Karabakh, especially the unimpeded implementation of UNESCO fact-finding mission.

Ararat Mirzoyan briefed his counterpart on the recent developments of the Armenia-Turkey normalization process.  

Within the framework of the visit of the Foreign Minister of Armenia, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria the ceremony of signing the 2022-2025 cooperation program in the sphere of culture between the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia and the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria took place. From the Armenian side the program was signed by the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, and from the Bulgarian side – the Minister of Culture Atanas Atanasov.

 16:25,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia has revised its forecast for the GDP growth, CBA Governor Martin Galstyan said at a press conference today.

The Bank’s previous forecast for the GDP growth has been 1.6%, but now it has been revised to be 4.9%.

“The figures of the industry branch review – construction, services, contributed to this. It is mainly connected with the visits of foreigners to Armenia, as well as with not so bad performance of the Russian economy in the short-run, as we expected in February”, the CBA Governor said.

 16:33,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and Bulgaria’s Minister of Culture Atanas Atanasov signed a cooperation plan on June 14, the Armenian MFA said in a statement.

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and the Minister of Culture of Bulgaria Atanas Atanasov signed the 2022-2025 cooperation program in the sphere of culture between the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia and the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria”, the statement says.

 16:41,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Health of Armenia Anahit Avanesyan, who is included in the Armenian Prime Minister’s delegation during the official visit in Qatar, met with Qatari Minister of Public Health Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, the Armenian ministry of health said.

During the meeting the sides stated that thanks to the inter-agency cooperation, the partnership in healthcare sector will develop. Moreover, the meeting, they said, will contribute to establishing direct ties between healthcare and medical institutions, to the reforms of the healthcare system and improvement of the medical service. It was stated that Qatar also attaches importance to the development of medical tourism.

Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed during the meeting.

 17:04,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. Graduates of military-training institutions in Armenia will receive a 3-room apartment in Yerevan regardless of the place of their service, Member of Parliament from the ruling Civil Contract faction Armen Khachatryan said.

“A respective bill will be submitted to the Parliament soon, according to which starting July 1, 2022, the government will provide a 3-room apartment in Yerevan free of charge for the representatives of our future officers admitted to the military-training institutions of Armenia”, the MP said.

The lawmaker said the place of the officer’s service won’t matter, as he will have a 3-room apartment in Yerevan after graduation. He called on young people aged 18-23 to apply to a military-training institution.

The respective bill was approved during the recent Cabinet meeting.

 17:50,

YEREVAN, 14 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 14 June, USD exchange rate up by 0.99 drams to 419.63 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.26 drams to 437.93 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.02 drams to 7.39 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 3.20 drams to 507.25 drams.

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

Gold price up by 69.72 drams to 24700.76 drams. Silver price up by 0.28 drams to 290.87 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

 17:51,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. By the decision of the General Meeting of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia on June 9, the prominent U.S.-Armenian scientist, Nobel Prize laureate, molecular biologist-neurobiologist, Professor Ardem Patapoutian was elected an honorary member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of the Republic of Armenia, ARMENPRESS was informed from the NAS.

In 2021 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of receptors that allow humans to feel temperature and touch.

Ardem Patapoutian is a molecular biologist specializing in sensory transduction. His notable contributions to science include identifying novel ion channels activated by temperature, mechanical force, and increased cell volume. His laboratory has shown that these ion channels play crucial roles in sensing temperature, touch, proprioception, and pain. Patapoutian was born in Lebanon in 1967 and attended the American University of Beirut for one year before he immigrated to The United States in 1986. He graduated from UCLA in 1990 and received his PhD at Caltech in the lab of Dr. Barbara Wold in 1996. After postdoctoral work with Dr. Lou Reichardt at UCSF, he joined the faculty of The Scripps Research Institute in 2000, where he is currently a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience. He also held a position at the Genomics Institute of The Novartis Research Foundation from 2000-2014. Patapoutian was awarded the Young Investigator Award from the Society for Neuroscience in 2006 and was named an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in 2014. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2016), and a member of the National Academy of Sciences (2017).

 18:12,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. The Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan attended today “World-famous Armenians. Ardem Patapoutian” stamp cancellation ceremony at the National Gallery of Armenia, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of Arayik Harutyunyan.

The stamp depicts the famous Armenian scientist, molecular biologist Ardem Patapoutian, who in 2021 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The Nobel Prize awarded to Ardem Patapoutian is depicted in the right part of the stamp.

The Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister greeted those present and congratulated them on this remarkable event. According to Arayik Harutyunyan, this event is doubly happy, as the stamp depicts the image of the first Armenian Nobel Prize winner.

“Mr. Patapoutian, welcome. I am glad that you are hosted in Armenia, especially after that event. It is a great honor for us. It is also an honor to have your image on one of the symbols of Armenia, in this case on the stamp. I think this day will be memorable not only for those present here, but also for philatelists, who will be pleased to have this stamp in their collections,” Arayik Harutyunyan said.

The stamp was canceled by Arayik Harutyunyan, Ardem Patapoutian, Deputy Minister of High Technology Davit Sahakyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Karen Trchunyan, Deputy Minister of Economy Ani Ispiryan, Chief Executive Officer of Haypost Hayk Karapetyan, President of the Philatelists’ Armenian Association MHovik Musayelyan.

Davit Dovlatyan is the designer of the stamp with a face value of 350 AMD . It was printed by the French printing house Cartor with a circulation of 20,000.

 18:47,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. Today the allocation auction of government bonds totalling AMD 25 billion has taken place on Armenian Securities Exchange.

The volume of auction allocation of government bonds (ISIN AMGN36294251) amounted to AMD 25 billion, with the demand surpassing AMD 35,3 billion (around 41%). The weighted average yield of the auction is 10.9690%, and the annual yield of the coupon is 9.25%.

You can take part in the primary auctions via primary dealers the list of which is published on the website of RA Ministry of Finance, while the secondary market government bonds can be bought via members and market participants.

You can receive additional information on auctions by visiting the “Gbond Auction” page on AMX’s website.

About AMX- Armenia Securities Exchange

Armenia Securities Exchange (AMX) is the only securities regulated market operator in Armenia. AMX offers exchange services, such as listing, trading, clearing and informational services, as well as alternative exchange solutions. The Exchange settlement is carried out by Central Depository of Armenia which is 100% owned by Armenia Securities Exchange. AMX’s mission is to foster the Exchange’s infrastructure of capital market, making it an active financial asset for the development of Armenia’s economy.

For additional information please reach us at [email protected]  or +37460695555, ext. 142.

 20:32,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. Finland and Sweden can participate in the forthcoming NATO summit as invited countries, ARMENPRESS reports, citing Ria Novosti, US Permanent Representative to NATO Julianne Smith said.

The NATO summit will take place on June 28-30 in the Spanish capital Madrid.

On May 18, Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO in the wake of the events in Ukraine, but Turkey, a NATO member, blocked the consideration of the Nordic countries’ applications, citing its reservations and preconditions.