Author: Andranik Taslakhchian

 15:46,

YEREVAN, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji has expressed Iran’s readiness for swapping Turkmenistan’s natural gas to Armenia, SHANA reported.

Speaking after a meeting with Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan in Tehran , the Iranian minister emphasized the positive and constructive talks between the two sides and told Shana: “Negotiations for gas swap from Turkmenistan to Armenia through Iran have started and soon due to high capacity of Iran’s gas distribution network will achieve good results in this regard.”

He said that in his talks with the Armenian side, he had emphasized Iran’s readiness to swap gas from Turkmenistan to Armenia, adding that good agreements were reached in the negotiations on increasing gas exports, petrochemical products and comprehensive development.

Iran and Armenia have been cooperating for years in gas and electricity swap.

Issue of final status of Nagorno Karabakh fundamental for Armenia: Marukyan releases 6 points presented by Armenian side

 01:05,

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Ambassador-at-large Edmon Marukyan released the 6-point proposal made by Armenia for the settlement of the relations with Azerbaijan.

In an interview to the Public TV, Mr. Marukyan said that the 1st point says that the Armenian side responds to the letter of the Azerbaijani side dated February 21, which was handed over to the Armenian side on March 11.

In the 2nd point the Armenian side says that the Republic of Armenia has never had and does not have territorial claims to Azerbaijan. “As you remember, Azerbaijan says there that you should not have territorial claims to us. We say that listen, we haven’t had territorial claims to you. And from the very beginning, all leaderships of Armenia have always announced that we do not have a territorial claim. It says here that on December 8, 1991, by jointly signing with Azerbaijan the treaty on the establishment of the CIS, Armenia ratified that treaty on February 18, 1992. That is, at that time when we signed it, we mutually recognized each other’s territorial integrity and borders by joining that organization”, Marukyan said.

According to the 3rd point, the issues on guaranteeing the security of Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, respecting their rights and freedoms, as well as determining the final status of Nagorno Karabakh are fundamental for the Armenian side.

Marukyan said that in the 4th point the Armenian side considers important the commitments enshrined in the 2020 November 9, 2021 January 11 and November 26 statements signed by the Armenian Prime Minister, the President of Russia and the Azerbaijani President. “And what are those commitments? The return of the prisoners of war, which has not been done till today, the opening of communications which Azerbaijan delays”, Marukyan said, adding that with this point the Armenian side makes it clear that it continues remaining committed to its obligations, but Azerbaijan does not.

The 5th point states that the Armenian side is ready to start negotiations for the settlement of the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, for the establishment of inter-state relations based on the UN Charter, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Helsinki Final Act. “These are the basic principles that have existed from the beginning. In other words, the nations’ right to self-determination and other important rights and freedoms are enshrined here”, he said.

Edmon Marukyan added that with the 6th point the Armenian side states that Armenia applied to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs for the respective negotiations.

 00:25, 3 May, 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and the United States, the two countries have succeeded to build very strong relations based on common and shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said during the meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington D.C..

“Now after the democratic Velvet Revolution of 2018, through joint efforts, we elevated the level of our collaboration, cooperation to Strategic Dialogue. And it is very significant that I am here also in scope of the capstone session of the Strategic Dialogue. And during this session, we focused on our democratic reforms, justice reforms, cooperation in banking sphere, looking ways of deepening cooperation in the sphere of defense, and of course prevention and fight against corruption, and many other areas. And we appreciate United States efforts to support our reforms”, FM Mirzoyan said.

He stated that Armenia also appreciates United States support for developing Armenia’s energy sector, highlighting the Memorandum of Understanding on civil nuclear cooperation signed by the FM and the Secretary of State.

 16:04, 3 May, 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS. A growth in the lending activity was recorded in Armenia last year in all loan types, especially in mortgage loans, the Central Bank Governor Martin Galstyan said at a press briefing on the 2021 financial stability report.

“A growth of activity was recorded in the lending market in 2021. By successfully overcoming the unfavorable impacts of 2020’s shocks, growth trends were recorded in all areas of lending starting Q2 of 2021,” he said.

The financial cycle index grew, which reflects the dynamics of the financial market growth and loan activeness. Developments in the mortgage market greatly contributed to the growth of the financial cycle.

Galstyan noted that in order to more effective address the risks in the mortgage market they introduced the LTV (Loan-To-Value) maximum limit requirements.

He added that in 2021 both the quality of the loan portfolio and the ability to absorb risks of banks improved.

Nikol Pashinyan said this during the meeting with members of the Artsakh government headed by the President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan.

“In practice, we have always coordinated our work and considered it important that the Artsakh authorities be fully aware of our plans and activities, including the content and course of the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the challenges and opportunities,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

He welcomed the recent statement of the Artsakh President that the Artsakh authorities are also adopting a peace agenda.

“I want to say that the agenda of peace is not an agenda of defeat at all. The agenda of peace is the agenda of overcoming the horrors of war, the difficulties that followed the war and of guaranteeing the security, the rights and the future of the people. There is a very important principle – the people of Artsakh must live in Artsakh, consider themselves nationals of Artsakh, Karabakh and Armenia,” Pashinyan said.

Arayik Harutyunyan said that “fortunately, today there is a general atmosphere in Artsakh in political regard and the Armenians of Artsakh accept and welcome the agenda of peace”.