Author: Chalian Meline

 19:22,

YEREVAN, 24 NOVEMBER, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan on November 24 had a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister of Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, during which issues concerning Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were discussed.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of MFA Armenia, the lasting and comprehensive resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through peaceful negotiations under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group was highlighted.

During the telephone conversation Ararat Mirzoyan presented the situation created as a consequence of the recent aggression of Azerbaijani armed forces against Armenia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia highlighted the role of Armenian-Russian allied relations in the context of the efforts aimed at establishing stability in the region.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Sergey Lavrov discussed also the process of fulfilling the commitments undertaken by the parties through trilateral statements of November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021.

 21:02,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. It’s extremely important for Armenia that issues that are being already discussed at some platforms should not be discussed in the “3+3” format, ARMENPRESS reports Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said in an online press conference, answering the question what is the position of Armenia on the establishment of the “3+3” format.

According to the PM, the “3+3” format should not replicate the already existing formats.

“For example, we do not discuss the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh issue, for which there is the format of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, in the “3+3” format. Next, we have a trilateral commission working on the opening of the regional communications and this issue should not be discussed within the “3+3” format as well. Issues that are key and are not discussed in already existing formats should be discussed. Is it possible to formulate such issues? We will live to see,” said the Prime Minister.

The “3+3” format was proposed by Turkey following the 44-day war. The initiative envisages a new platform, in which the three countries of the South Caucasus – Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan – and their three neighbors – Russia, Turkey and Iran – will participate.

 12:54, 18 November, 2021

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economy of Armenia Vahan Kerobyan assures that there is an interest in making investments in Syunik province.

“Probably, at the next session of the government a program on investments to be made by a group of major Iranian companies in the Meghri free economic zone will be presented, and if approved, it will immediately start to be implemented. In addition, there are many other topics as well, for instance, tourism. We have quite a good project in Meghri, which we are doing together with the Izmirlyan foundation”, the minister told reporters after the Cabinet meeting today.

He also informed that there are many Armenian investors who invested and continue investing.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:39,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to remain committed to solving conflict by peaceful means.

 “I am concerned about reports of on-going incidents between Armenia and Azerbaijan that have already cost human lives. News of a ceasefire is welcome and I call on both sides to maintain it.

When joining our organization more than twenty years ago, both Armenia and Azerbaijan committed themselves to solving conflict by peaceful means. This commitment remains unchanged and must be strictly respected”, the CoE Secretary General said.

Marija Pejčinović Burić stated that the Council of Europe reiterates its full support to the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in their continuing efforts to help Armenia and Azerbaijan find a peaceful solution to their differences.

“We stand ready to facilitate dialogue between these two member states, with a view to building confidence and promoting reconciliation”, Marija Pejčinović Burić said.

 13:07,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia says the government’s 2022 state budget draft is quite ambitious. According to the CBA, there will be a certain decline in the debt burden in 2022.

“Overall, it can be said that the 2022 state budget draft is quite ambitious, compared to the government’s medium-term expenditure program, it supposes significant acceleration of the economic growth and potential”, CBA President Martin Galstyan said during today’s debate of the budget draft in the Parliament and reminded that 7% economic growth has been forecast for 2022.

He said that the economic growth of 2022 will be based on large-scale state investments in infrastructure and human capital development areas.

“The quick restoration of gross demand, connected with the increase in both the domestic and external demand, will continue in 2022”, he said, while presenting the CBA conclusion on the budget draft.

As a result of economic recovery, tax administration and legislative reforms, it is expected that the taxes-GDP rate in 2022 will have a 0.9% growth, in case of which the state budget revenues will have a restraining effect on the gross demand. “On the other hand, the 2022 state expenditure policy will be directed to growth promotion, targeting the significant increase in share of public investments and management of the efficiency of spending, at the same time returning to the set fiscal rules”, he said.

Cut in state budget deficit is expected in 2022, by 1.6 percentage point against GDP. “According to our estimations, it will comprise 3.1%, a 0.7% decline in government debt-GDP rate, which will comprise 60.2%”, Martin Galstyan said. “It is estimated that the smooth consolidation behavior and the preservation of the fiscal rules as enshrined by the 2022 state budget draft will contribute to reducing Armenia’s state debt burden and ensuring macro-economic stability”.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 19:13,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Armenia to the USA Lilit Makunts held a phone conversation with Dereck Hogan, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Armenian Embassy in the USA.

During the telephone conversation, the Armenian Ambassador briefed the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State on the situation on the border with Armenia following the military aggression of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

Ambassador Makunts stressed the need for immediate and targeted calls from the international community to condemn the military action taken by Azerbaijan against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia.