Author: Emil Lazarian

 10:50,

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS. Prosecutor General of Armenia Artur Davtyan met with Prosecutor General of Belarus Andrei Shved in Minsk, advisor to the Prosecutor General of Armenia Gor Abrahamyan said.

During the meeting Artur Davtyan thanked for the warm welcome and congratulated his Belarusian counterpart on the 100^th anniversary of the Prosecution system of Belarus. He informed that the Prosecution of Armenia will mark its 104^th anniversary soon.

Artur Davtyan highly valued the level and results of the cooperation between the Offices of Prosecutors General of Armenia and Belarus, adding that the implementation of the cooperation agreement signed between the two Offices in Minsk in 2005 continues contributing to this.

In his turn Andrei Shved expressed confidence that the session of the Coordination Council of Prosecutors General of the CIS states in Minsk will strengthen the partnership between the member states in countering crime in the CIS zone, will contribute to more effectively resisting the challenges emerging in the fields of security, human rights.

The sides discussed the opportunities of taking additional steps to develop the potential of the prosecutions of the two countries, as well as other issues of mutual interest.

 10:52,

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS. Despite ongoing Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia and Artsakh, President Joe Biden has, yet again, waived Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan, clearing the way for continued U.S. assistance to the corrupt, anti-Armenian Aliyev regime, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“President Biden’s decision to green-light military aid to Azerbaijan by waiving Section 907, again, emboldens President Aliyev to continue his illegal imprisonment of Armenian POWs, deadly attacks against Artsakh, and ongoing occupation of sovereign Armenian territory,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “The ANCA will continue to work with U.S. Senate and House leaders to zero-out U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan and restrict presidential waiver authority of Section 907.”

During his run for office, on October 14th, 2020, then-candidate Biden stated that the United States must “fully implement and not waive requirements under Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act to stop the flow of military equipment to Azerbaijan.” As President, he first reversed his position on the issue on April 23, 2021 – on the eve of his historic announcement properly recognizing the Armenian Genocide. “American recognition of the Armenian Genocide comes with responsibilities, among them not arming or abetting Azerbaijan’s drive to complete this crime,” commented ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian at the time. “Any action by President Biden that green-lights U.S. aid to the Aliyev regime runs counter to his clear stand and, more profoundly, the spirit of his recent recognition of the Armenian Genocide.”

Section 907, enacted in 1992, establishes statutory restrictions on U.S. assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan “until the President determines, and so reports to the Congress, that the Government of Azerbaijan is taking demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.” Congress included a Section 907 waiver in the FY2002 Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. U.S. presidents – Republican and Democrat – have waived Section 907 annually ever since.

The Section 907 waiver and subsequent extensions require a number of certifications, including that granting the waiver “will not undermine or hamper ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan or be used for offensive purposes against Armenia.”

 12:46,

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS. First Deputy Minister of Healthcare of Armenia Lena Nanushyan received the representatives of the World Bank, the ministry said.

In her remarks Lena Nanushyan highlighted the opportunity of boosting the cooperation after the ease of the pandemic.

The WB representatives in turn said that the steps and progress of the ministry of healthcare in overcoming the COVID-19 situation are obvious.

Lena Nanushyan introduced the guests on the main priorities of the healthcare sector, such as introduction of a comprehensive health insurance, strategy of improving quality of health services.

The first deputy minister of healthcare noted that the trust formed in the direction of solving the healthcare problems during COVID-19 and the 2020 war is a good ground for implementing long-term and realistic reforms.

The World Bank representatives expressed their support to the efforts made in the sector, highlighting the stability and predictability factors.

 15:03,

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS. President of the Constitutional Court of Armenia Arman Dilanyan met with Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Dunja Mijatović in Strasbourg on June 23, the press service of the Constitutional Court said.

During the meeting Arman Dilanyan highlighted the role of the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights in the protection of rights of different groups of the society in the European region.

Dunja Mijatović thanked the delegation of the Constitutional Court of Armenia for paying a working visit to Strasbourg and said that she always follows the developments happening in Armenia in the fields of human rights and rule of law, welcoming the ongoing democratic and judicial reforms in the country.

Touching upon the post-war situation in Artsakh, the President of the Constitutional Court stressed the urgency of the issue of immediate repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and highlighted the role of the CoE Human Rights Commissioner in this matter.

The sides exchanged ideas on intensifying the future cooperation between the Constitutional Court and the Office of the CoE Human Rights Commissioner.

 17:03,

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS. The member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have set the means to establish a joint humanitarian demining unit, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said summing up the results of the session of the CIS Council of Defense Ministers, TASS reports.

“The practical means for creation and preparation of the joint humanitarian demining unit have been set up” he said.

The Russian Defense Minister said that the CIS Council also approved creating a Medal for Contribution to Strengthening of Peace in CIS format, as well as approved the joint measures of the Armed Forces in 2023.

“The practical and constructive nature of the 80^th session of the Council once again affirmed that the mutual partnership in the CIS format on defense and military cooperation issues is consistently developing, and our multilateral ties are strengthening”, the Russian Defense Minister said and thanked the session participants for the work.

 20:00,

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS.  On June 24, a memorandum on trilateral cooperation on diaspora issues was signed between Armenia, Greece and Cyprus in Athens.

The memorandum was signed by High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of Armenia Zareh Sinanyan, Greek Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Andreas Katsaniotis and the Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Issues and Overseas Cypriots, Fotis Fotiou.

As RAMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of Armenia, the signing ceremony was preceded by a face-to-face meeting between the two sides and a "2+1" meeting between the delegations.

Armenian Ambassador to Greece Tigran Mkrtchyan was also present at the meetings and the signing ceremony.

The Memorandum sets the directions of cooperation between the three countries in the Diaspora, including the exchange of experience, inter-community cooperation, joint educational and cultural events, youth initiatives and more.

During the press conference that followed the signing, Zareh Sinanyan stressed the importance of historical friendship and common values of the three countries.  "I would like to stress that our Diaspora communities in the different countries are cooperating with each other and it is our commitment to encourage them to more actively collaborate and exchange best practices and know-how and finally to take actions toward promoting common values and interests to the greatest extent possible." said the High Commissioner.

During his working visit, Zareh Sinanyan also met with the Armenian community in Greece and presented the activities, programs and policies of our Office. Then, they discussed the repatriation process, integration programs, the establishment of the first Repatriation and Integration Center in Armenia, and investment policy.

During the meeting, Zareh Sinanyan also touched upon the domestic policy of the Republic of Armenia, external and internal challenges, and the development of the regions of Armenia.

Mirzoyan assures Armenia is consistent in its peace agenda

 21:32,

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is consistent in its agenda of establishing peace, which it has repeatedly stated both publicly and in the international platforms, and during direct contacts with the Azerbaijani side. ARMENPRESS reports Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan gave an interview to RFE/RL's Armenian Service.

Question: The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stated that their proposal to commence the works on the peace agreement has not received a response from the Armenian side yet. How would you comment on that? 

Answer:  Both publicly and in the international arena, as well as in the direct contacts with the Azerbaijani side, Armenia has repeatedly stated its consistency in the agenda of establishing peace on the highest levels, and that we do not consider anything unacceptable in the proposals of Azerbaijan regarding the future peace agreement, certainly, completing those proposals with our ideas. 

We have conveyed our proposal for the framework of the agenda of comprehensive peace negotiations to Azerbaijan through the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, but so far we have not heard any official response. In other words, contrary to the statements of the President of Azerbaijan, Armenia not only did not reject but also responded positively to the proposal of peace talks, waiting for Azerbaijan's response. At the same time, we have proposed Azerbaijan to launch consultations on the peace agreement between the Foreign Ministers, but so far we have not received any response. The Republic of Armenia reaffirms its readiness to launch consultations on a peace agreement at once.

Question: The President of Azerbaijan also noted that one and a half years later, the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020, is not fully implemented, referring, in particular, to the issue of unblocking regional transport communications. What can you say about that?

Answer: Indeed, the Trilateral Statement of November 9 has not been fully implemented yet. Azerbaijan, violating not only its obligations under the Trilateral Statement but also international humanitarian law, continues to illegally hold in captivity the Armenian prisoners of war and civilians, using them as hostages, bargaining and subjecting them to human trade.

Moreover, Azerbaijan denies one of the basic realities enshrined in the Trilateral Statement, stating that there is no Nagorno-Karabakh, and there is no Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Meanwhile, the President of Azerbaijan confirmed the existence of the Nagorno-Karabakh entity by signing a Trilateral Statement. And as long as there is the Trilateral Statement, the existence of that entity cannot be denied.

A gross violation of the Trilateral Statement of November 9 is also the fact that the Azerbaijani armed forces, violating the first provision of that statement, invaded the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh on March 24, 2022, and still remain there.

As for the unblocking of regional transport communications, we have repeatedly stated that Armenia is greatly interested in the success of this process.

The process would have been completed much faster if it were not for the continuous groundless statements of the Azerbaijani authorities on the exterritorial corridor, which have nothing to do with reality and the agreements reached in the presence of several international partners. Anyway, for the sake of justice, it should be noted that the discussion on the issue of unblocking is carried out in a constructive environment. I hope that it will not fail due to incomprehensible political intrigues and will be successfully completed soon.