Month: June 2022

 15:27, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is convinced that there will be final agreements over the settlement of the bilateral relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

During a press conference in Yerevan together with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, the Russian FM, commenting on the question relating to the progress in the process of the normalization of the relations between Yerevan and Baku, reminded that after the 2020 large-scale war the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan held three trilateral meetings aimed at settling the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and solving the practical issues connected with the settlement of the relations.

“In my view, we have a common perception that the process moves forward. Perhaps, it would be desirable for the process to be faster, nevertheless, it moves on, substantive, positive, albeit still intermediate results are being achieved, but there is no doubt that there will also be final agreements. We try to contribute to it in every way. Of course, the sides have their own visions, which do not always coincide, especially on how to work in the upcoming stage, but in any case all our partners and we as well agree that the three statements adopted at the highest level are very simple roadmaps that we should all guided by”, the Russian FM said.  

He reminded that the meeting of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Border Commissions was held recently, and the next meeting is scheduled to take place in Moscow. Lavrov said the Russian side is ready to provide consulting support in this respect. According to the Russian top diplomat, the activities of the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan deputy prime ministerial working group dealing with the unblocking of transportation and economic communications in the region have also greatly moved forward.

“Therefore, I am sure that there is no other way than the complete normalization of the relations”, the Russian FM said.

 16:17, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Today, on 9th of June, the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer of Armenia, Sergey Meghryan held a thematic-discussion on the occasion of the 15th World Day of the Judicial Officer with the participation of the management team and enforcement officers, his office said.

Each year, on this day, member-states of the UIHJ participate in this event in various formats. The theme of this year’s discussion was: "Judicial Officer, element of stability in a changing world."

In his opening remarks, the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer referred to the effective and active cooperation of the Compulsory Enforcement Service with the International Union of Judicial Officers on strengthening the international partnership, reforming the enforcement sector, and advising on best practices and solutions to the problems occurred while overcoming the coronavirus-induced crisis. According to him, the theme of this year’s discussion is vital in the changing reality of post-COVID and post-war Armenia, where the compulsory enforcement officer overcomes new challenges in their day-to-day work to defend the rights of Service beneficiaries.

The thematic discussion hosted the Deputy Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer Levon Balyan, the Assistants to the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer Varduhi Petrosyan and Elina Geghamyan, the Head of the Legal Department of the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Service Gohar Mkrtchyan, and the Head of the Special Department of Non-Property Enforcement Proceedings Vardan Melikbekyan as speakers.

The speakers highlighted in their speeches the importance of the cooperation between the Service and the UIHJ in the post-crisis situation, the reforms  implemented in the enforcement sector and their continuity, the importance of having a stable and consistent enforcement system for guaranteeing the realization of the fundamental right to fair trial, the execution of non-property enforcement proceedings in post-crisis situations, and referred to the necessity of developing a clear post-crisis communication strategy in the public administration system.

A panel discussion was held at the end of the event where the issues raised were actively discussed.

The Compulsory Enforcement Service of Armenia has been a full member of the International Union of Judicial Officers since 2015. Formed in 1952, the Union currently has more than 96 member states.

 16:49, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Alen Simonyan, who is in Strasbourg on a working visit, met today with Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Despina Chatzivassiliou-Tsovilis, the Parliament’s press service said.

The Speaker highly valued the key role of the Council of Europe and the PACE and the productive continuation of their activity as a cornerstone of democratic security, guarantor of human rights and rule of law, a platform for real pluralism and effective dialogue.

The sides discussed the PACE role in strengthening democracy in Armenia, particularly touching upon the works of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee.

The Speaker of Parliament said there are many unresolved issues after the 44-day war, one of the most urgent of which is the issue of the immediate repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and other persons held in Azerbaijan.

He said that this attempt of solving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict by force opposes the commitment of Azerbaijan’s membership to the CoE on settling the conflict exclusively peacefully.

According to the Armenian Speaker of Parliament, PACE should be consistent with its resolution on the Humanitarian consequences of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan/Nagorno Karabakh conflict, adopted on September 27, 2021.

He once again affirmed the commitment of Armenia to achieve peace and make real efforts in this direction, which could not be said about the Azerbaijani authorities who are still running an anti-Armenian and militaristic policy against Armenia.

 16:49, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan commented on the process of normalizing the relations between Armenia and Turkey.

During a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Yerevan, FM Mirzoyan said the Armenian side is happy to hear statements by the top leadership of Turkey that they are going and are ready to normalize and establish diplomatic relations with Armenia and open the Armenian-Turkish border.

“On the other hand, we see differences in approaches in a sense that Turkey constantly announces that this normalization process must take place without any precondition, but we regularly see connection between the Armenia-Turkey normalization process and the Armenia-Azerbaijan processes. A connection that the representatives of Turkey’s leadership are trying to find or highlight on every occasion. We don’t think that this is constructive. There are also some differences in a sense that we have different ideas about pace. Nevertheless, I want to state once again that hearing statements by Turkey that they are going to open the closed border with Armenia is welcome”, the FM said.

 17:10, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul Sahak Mashalian visited the Turkish Foreign Ministry on June 9 to meet with FM Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul said on social media.

Cavusoglu was interested in the topic of community elections and stated that the works on drafting the charter have reached the final stage, expressing hope that it will be published soon.

It was stated that ceremonies on the occasion of the 850th anniversary of the death of Nerses IV the Gracious are expected in Rome and other places where there are Armenians.

The Turkish FM promised to visit the Armenian Patriarchate in case of being in Istanbul.

 17:15, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan commented on the ongoing protests in the country, stating that there is no political crisis in Armenia.

During a press conference today with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Mirzoyan told a reporter that he can substantiate his statement by two facts. “Firstly, snap parliamentary elections were held last summer, where the citizens of Armenia gave very clear answers to a number of questions and solved the political crisis that really existed that time. It’s worth noting that these elections were recognized as democratic and transparent by all observer missions. So, this shows that citizens undoubtedly had a chance to express their position and make a decision.

Secondly, we follow, as far as I managed to follow, the small number of people participating in rallies, perhaps, doesn’t show that these rallies are supported by the citizens of Armenia. But I want to note that Armenia is a democratic country, and everyone has a right to hold peaceful rallies”, the FM said.

Touching upon the logical sides of this process, the FM said he could present his own, personal position. “I see some problems with sound judgment here and I can state why. Firstly, that political forces have a chance to run their activity in the parliament and strongly criticize the authorities and ask the sharpest questions, which, unfortunately or fortunately, they do not use. It is their right again.

And secondly, the most important, the content part of the issue: as far as I managed to follow and understand, the forces that organize and participate in the rallies state that Armenia is not running a right policy over Nagorno Karabakh, is not running a right policy in the directions, the negotiations, I already mentioned, with Azerbaijan, and is not running a right policy in the process of normalizing the relations between Armenia and Turkey, and so on.

And here I want to state that strangely we have not seen statements that, if our government resigns, and the power is somehow transmitted to these forces, they are going to cancel, for example, the November 9 trilateral statement, or the trilateral statements of 2021 January 11 and November 26, or they are going to withdraw from the delimitation process, or they are going to suspend the process of unblocking the regional communications, etc. In other words, if such an approach was announced, perhaps it would have been logical, because I have already presented our approach and it has been announced long ago. And I suppose that it would have been logical if these aspiring political forces have had opposite positions on these key matters. As I said, I didn’t manage to follow much, but as far as I managed, I didn’t meet any talk on suspending the processes I mentioned or withdrawing from that processes, which allows me to suppose that the topic that is being discussed is just a way and occasion of manipulation by the opposition”, he said.

 17:39, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, 9 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 9 June, USD exchange rate down by 3.94 drams to 426.85 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 4.17 drams to 457.46 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.23 drams to 7.40 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 5.06 drams to 534.89 drams.

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

Gold price down by 188.32 drams to 25429.04 drams. Silver price down by 5.13 drams to 300.82 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

 18:19, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. President of the National Assembly of Armenia Alen Simonyan, who is in Strasbourg on a working visit, met with the Mayor of Strasbourg Jeanne Barseghian on June 9, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia.

Thanking the Mayor of Strasbourg for the warm reception, Alen Simonyan noted that he is glad to see our compatriot in such post.

The sides discussed details about Pan-Armenian and community issues.

At the meeting the Mayor’s cooperation with the elected female officials of Armenia and in that context the need of exchange of best practice were highlighted.

US Assistant Secretary of State will visit Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan

 09:41,

YEREVAN, JUNE 11, ARMENPRESS. Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Dr. Karen Donfried will travel to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia June 14 to 19 to emphasize the U.S. commitment to peace, democracy, and prosperity in the South Caucasus region. Marking the 30th anniversaries of diplomatic relations with all three countries, Assistant Secretary Donfried will emphasize U.S. support for their sovereignty and independence, underscoring the right of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia to chart their own paths. She also will highlight the readiness of the United States to help build a lasting peace in the South Caucasus, including by supporting the development of political, economic, and people-to-people connections across the entire region, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the U.S. Department of State.

Dr. Donfried will visit Baku, Azerbaijan, on June 15 and 16, where she will meet with President Ilham Aliyev, other government officials, and civil society members. The Assistant Secretary will underscore U.S. support for the diplomatic efforts between Azerbaijan and Armenia toward a lasting peace, thank Azerbaijan for humanitarian support to Ukraine, and highlight the partnership in promoting European energy security, combatting transnational threats, supporting fundamental freedoms, and advancing bilateral trade and investment.

On June 17, Assistant Secretary Donfried will visit Tbilisi, Georgia, where she will give remarks at the Tbilisi Women’s International Conference organized by President Salome Zourabichvili. Dr. Donfried will also meet with Prime Minister Garibashvili and other government officials, opposition representatives, and civil society representatives in Tbilisi to discuss the Kremlin’s unprovoked war against Ukraine, and steadfast U.S. support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. The Assistant Secretary will also discuss how the United States can further support Georgia in advancing democratic development and rule of law, diversifying Georgia’s economy, and building a prosperous future.

Assistant Secretary Donfried will then travel to Yerevan, Armenia, on June 18, where she will meet Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and other government officials. The Assistant Secretary will express U.S. support for the diplomatic efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan towards a lasting peace. She will underscore our strong partnership, based on shared values, and our mutual commitment to Armenia’s democratic development.

 12:32,

YEREVAN, JUNE 11, ARMENPRESS.  The Armenian Diocese of Germany strongly condemns the run over of pedestrians by a 29-year-old man in Berlin on the morning of June 9, killing one and injuring several citizens, including school-age children, ARMENPRESS reports the Armenian Diocese of Germany said in a statement.

"According to media reports, the author of this inhuman, hateful act, most likely, but not yet completely confirmed, is an Armenian citizen of Germany, named Gor H.. Again, according to media reports, the perpetrator had mental problems, most likely acting in a state of mental disorder. We hope that the police and other relevant bodies will find out all the details of this unfortunate incident," orer.eu quoted the Diocese as saying.

The Armenian Diocese of Germany informed that according to their data, the person who committed the act is someone unknown to the community. "We do not know anyone who knows him at this time. However, whatever the motives of the act, whoever committed it, the Armenian Diocese of Germany strongly condemns this inhuman act and expresses its solidarity with all the victims. We reject any act of this nature, regardless of the nationality or national-religious affiliation of the perpetrator.

We pray for the peace of soul of the victim of the crime, as well as for the speedy recovery and health of all the wounded," the Diocese said in its statement.