Author: Emil Lazarian

 17:32,

YEREVAN, MAY 2փ, ARMENPRESS.  On May 23, the Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia, the Special Representative of Armenia on normalization process of Armenia-Turkey relations Ruben Rubinyan met with Leo Docherty, Under Secretary of State for Europe of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, ARMENPRESS was informed from the parliament of Armenia.

Welcoming the guest, Ruben Rubinyan highlighted the cooperation existing between Armenia and the United Kingdom, underlined the necessity of expanding the bilateral relations.

The sides discussed issues on regional developments.

At the guest’s request, Ruben Rubinyan presented the current state of normalization process of Armenia-Turkey relations.

 11:38,

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS. During his first visit to Armenia this week (22-23 May), the UK’s Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty, will urge for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh as negotiations continue between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the British Embassy in Armenia said in a press release.

He will call on both sides to continue substantive negotiations to resolve all outstanding tensions – including the closure of Lachin Corridor – in a peaceful and sustainable way.  

He will also say that immediate action needs to be taken to restore the flow of goods and people into Nagorno-Karabakh.  

Ahead of the visit, Minister Docherty said:    

“The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh is affecting thousands of people, and while we are supporting humanitarian efforts, the only way this will end is through both sides continuing to engage fully in good faith negotiations.  

“The UK is committed to supporting Armenia’s democratic and economic reform agenda. I am proud that the UK is funding programmes to protect freedoms and boost prosperity.”   

"While in Yerevan, Minister Docherty will reiterate the UK’s long-standing support for Armenia’s democratic and economic development. During meetings with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, he will also discuss security, defence and the strengthening of trade relations.  

"He will announce the launch of a Strategic Dialogue that will take place between the two countries later this year as well as underline a desire to sign a Comprehensive Enhanced Partnership, an agreement which will enhance our countries economic relationship. 

"In addition, Minister Docherty will meet Members of Parliament and the Minister of Economy. He will also visit representatives from across civil society and business, including companies with ties to the UK. The Minister will discuss opportunities to strengthen the UK-Armenia trading relationship and grow both of our economies. 

"Minister Docherty will visit a Research and Training Centre at the Armenian Parliament and a project developing the textiles industry. They are both part of the UK’s programme to support Armenia. The UK funded programmes worth nearly £4 million supporting Armenia’s democratic and economic reform agenda in 2022.  

"As well as contributing to humanitarian efforts related to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, UK funding is also supporting Armenia’s efforts towards green transition; tackling disinformation by promoting media self-regulation and effective cooperation with the state authorities in regulating the sphere; promoting conflict resolution through facilitation of dialogue, enabling healthy debate and promoting the Women, Peace and Security Agenda," the embassy said.

 15:04,

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is not holding any Azerbaijanis who’ve trespassed into the country after getting lost, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.

“I confirm that there is an understanding that soldiers and citizens who’ve appeared on the opposite side as a result of getting lost must be returned through a speedy procedure,” Pashinyan said at a press conference, referring to the agreements reached in Brussels. “But I also confirm that as of this moment there are no Azerbaijanis in Armenia who’ve appeared here as a result of getting lost. All Azerbaijanis who are now in Armenia have crossed the border consciously, knowing that they are trespassing the Armenian border,” Pashinyan said.

Any Azerbaijani crossing into Armenia as a result of getting lost will be released back to Azerbaijan through a speedy procedure, he added.

Asked whether or not he rules out releasing the two Azerbaijani servicemen currently jailed in Armenia for trespassing, one of whom is also accused of murdering a civilian in Syunik, Pashinyan said that the normalization of relations envisages difficult and important decisions, but not unilateral.

“Yes, we are ready to discuss, certainly after making legal procedures. Because on the other hand we can’t simply ignore the fact that a citizen of Armenia has been killed, but we are not violating anyone’s presumption of innocence too. The issue is under investigation,” Pashinyan said.

After a court verdict various solution are envisaged under legal proceedings, he said.

 09:42,

YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan has held a meeting with United States Major General Keith Phillips and Mr. Patrick Prior from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Grigoryan and the Pentagon representatives discussed “the regional and extraregional security situation” and also “attached importance to the Armenia-U.S. cooperation in the security sector,” Grigoryan’s office said in a readout.

 12:00,

YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Transavia airline will start operating Marseille-Yerevan roundtrip flights on June 27, the Armenia International Airports announced.

The airline will operate the route once a week, on Tuesdays.

 11:19,

YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. The State Revenue Committee’s anti-smuggling division has thwarted an attempted smuggling of unprecedented amount of Fentanyl in the region.

In a statement released on May 23, the State Revenue Committee said the investigation began when a U.S. citizen residing in Yerevan was detained while receiving a postal package containing 10,8 grams of heroin.

Investigators revealed the accomplices of the smuggler and gathered information of another incoming smuggling attempt. The second suspect, a citizen of Armenia, was detained while receiving a postal package containing 80 tablets of Fentanyl hidden in a candy box. Authorities searched the residence of the suspect and found two loaded Makarov handguns and numerous used syringes with traces of narcotics.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, authorities warned. Fentanyl causes more fatal overdose cases than any other narcotic. 

Fentanyl is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S.

According to the United States DEA, two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage.  DEA analysis has found counterfeit pills ranging from .02 to 5.1 milligrams (more than twice the lethal dose) of fentanyl per tablet.

42% of pills tested for fentanyl contained at least 2 mg of fentanyl, considered a potentially lethal dose, according to DEA. 

Drug trafficking organizations typically distribute fentanyl by the kilogram.  One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people, according to DEA.

 15:40, 19 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Some progress has been achieved in context of Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization around several provisions of the possible peace treaty, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said at the beginning of the trilateral talks in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

“Some progress has already been achieved over several provisions of the possible peace treaty in context of the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization. There is some mutual understanding also in a number of other issues, including the unblocking of connection routes, delimitation and demarcation based on the Almaty Declaration,” FM Mirzoyan said.

The Armenian FM stressed the necessity for not allowing further escalations and the use of force, noting that Armenia is committed to all trilateral statements signed between the leaders.

“The Armenian side will engage in constructive work in these negotiations,” Mirzoyan said.

In turn, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov also noted that progress has been made in the talks.

Armenia and Azerbaijan held U.S.-mediated foreign ministerial talks in Washington in early May. 

On May 14, an EU-mediated Armenian-Azerbaijani summit was held in Brussels.

 14:29, 19 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. The official opening ceremony of the SIOP (International Society for Pediatric Oncology) Asia 2023 XV Congress took place Friday in Yerevan.

Armenian Healthcare Minister Anahit Avanesyan said that the event is an excellent opportunity for Armenian specialists to present their achievements of the recent years.

“This is a historic event for us,” Avanesyan said at the opening ceremony. “Because for the first time ever, such a major specialized event is being held in Armenia, and this is a very good occasion to get to know the new methods of treatment constantly developing around the world and the possibilities and important scientific work,” she said, adding that authorities will work to host such global congresses on cancer in the future again.

She said that the 75% treatment rate of pediatric cancer in Armenia is a truly a big achievement for a developing country.

Avanesyan noted the allogeneic stem cell transplant as an achievement of Armenian specialists.

The minister noted that children from abroad are among patients who are in Armenia to receive the allogeneic stem cell transplant, a rather difficult procedure.

Lawrence Faulkner, pediatric hematologist-oncologist and stem cell transplantation specialist from Italy, said that 5 children have received the transplantation treatment and 4 of them have been successfully treated.

“This means that we have success in 80% cases, and the team carrying out the transplant in Armenia is successfully implementing this treatment process and can expand this service and treat more patients. I plan to speak about stem cell transplant in developing countries with limited resources during the congress because it is an expensive service and regrettably it is unavailable in many countries,” he said.

Faulkner praised the holding of the congress in Armenia as a big achievement, highlighting the fact that experts from many countries will come together and jointly discuss diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Armen Muradyan, the Rector of the Yerevan State Medical University, the venue where the congress is held, said that it is a great achievement to have a hematology center where such advanced methodologies and technologies are used.

“I am happy and especially proud that our country was able to have such a high result and that this didn’t go unnoticed. A number of renowned experts from 60 countries have gathered here today, who will discuss their achievements and get to know how Armenia, a small developing country, was able to achieve such success,” Muradyan said.

 15:48, 19 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian economy boomed over the last year and secured 12,6% growth, becoming one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan said at the Yerevan Tech Forum.

“This year’s Q1 was as dynamic as last year. We ensured 12,2% growth in Q1 this year,” he said.

“For the first time in our history we ensured 1 billion dollars in foreign direct investments, which comprises over 5% of our GDP, and according to preliminary information the total investments stand at 4,2 billion dollars, which is an impressive result. These investments will allow us to have high economic growth in the next years as well,” he added.

The tech and finance sectors, which grew 50%, were the main contributors in the growth.

Trade, services, process manufacturing and construction also contributed to the growth.

Only the mining sector hasn’t recorded growth, “but that’s not too bad, because we must change our economic structure, from mining to high tech.”

 17:31, 19 May 2023

YEREVAN, 19 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 19 May, USD exchange rate down by 0.61 drams to 386.42 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.39 drams to 417.14 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 4.83 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.76 drams to 480.36 drams.

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

Gold price down by 213.90 drams to 24354.16 drams. Silver price down by 2.51 drams to 292.21 drams.