Author: Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 02-12-21

Emil Lazarian

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 17:33, 2 December, 2021

YEREVAN, 2 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 2 December, USD exchange rate up by 0.52 drams to 488.50 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.44 drams to 553.13 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.01 drams to 6.61 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 1.23 drams to 650.83 drams.

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

Gold price down by 207.78 drams to 28101.31 drams. Silver price up by 0.30 drams to 359.03 drams. Platinum price up by 62.90 drams to 14873.24 drams.

Armenian FM, US Secretary of State make a detailed reference to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict

Emil Lazarian

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 19:35, 2 December, 2021

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, who is in Stockholm on a working visit, met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on December 2.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, the interlocutors praised the current level and development dynamics of the Armenia-US political dialogue.

Ararat Mirzoyan expressed satisfaction with the US support to the democratic development in Armenia, the strengthening of the capacities of state structures, the rule of law and the fight against corruption. Antony Blinken expressed the full support of the American side for the process of democratic reforms in Armenia.

Ararat Mirzoyan praised the US resolute position on the issue of the Armenian Genocide recognition. In this context, referring to President Joe Biden’s statement recognizing the Armenian Genocide last year, the Foreign Minister stressed that in this way the United States reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of human rights, values and principles of humanity.

The parties also discussed issues related to international and regional security and stability. In this context, Ararat Mirzoyan presented to the US Secretary of State the situation created as a result of the recent invasion of the Azerbaijani armed forces into the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and the aggression against the territorial integrity of Armenia. In this context, the interlocutors highlighted the steps aimed at de-escalating the situation.

The Nagorno Karabakh conflict was discussed in detail at the meeting. In the context of the urgent humanitarian issues caused by the 44-day war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh, the need to repatriate Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees was addressed.

FM Mirzoyan and US Secretary of State Blinken stressed the need for a full resumption of the peace process aimed at the comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The role of the United States as a Co-chair country was also emphasized

Ararat Mirzoyan expressed satisfaction with the US support to the democratic development in Armenia, the strengthening of the capacities of state structures, the rule of law and the fight against corruption. Antony Blinken expressed the full support of the American side for the process of democratic reforms in Armenia.




Armenian Defense Minister, US Ambassador discuss issues related to border situation and security

Emil Lazarian

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 19:52, 2 December, 2021

YEREVAN, 2 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense of Armenia Suren Papikyan on December 2 received US Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Defense, Ambassador Tracy congratulated Suren Papikyan on the occasion of assuming the position and wished success in further activities.

During the meeting issues related to border situation and security were discussed. The Minister of Defense presented the present situation at the border and the approaches of the Armenian side of solving the issues.

Ambassador Tracy in her turn mentioned that the American side supports the reduction of tension and peaceful resolution of problems, emphasized the US role in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and highlighted the continuation of processes taking place in that framework.

The interlocutors discussed also issues related to the Armenian-American cooperation in the defense sector.

Minsk Group co-chairing countries welcome Russia’s mediating efforts in Karabakh – Lavrov

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 2 2021
December 2, 2021, 22:45

 Less than a minute

Russia’s mediation in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been welcomed by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday on the sidelines of a meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Stockholm, TASS reports.

“The Ministers of Russia, the United States and France, as countries – co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, adopted a statement on the Karabakh settlement, which, among other things, welcomes the mediating efforts of the Russian Federation,” he said.

The text of the statement is yet to be published.

Sports: Armenian wrestler Malkhas Amoyan tops UWW ranking, to get $10,000 in reward

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 2 2021
December 2, 2021, 11:24

 1 minute read

Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler Malkhas Amoyan tops the ranking of the United World Wrestling (UWW)in the 72 kg weight category and will be awarded $10,000.

Another Armenian wrestler Gevorg Sahakyan, representing Poland, comes second in the same weight category. Sergei Kutuzov of Russia is ranked third.

Wrestlers from eight different nationalities claimed the grand prize of $10,000 as United World Wrestling announced the prize winners of Greco-Roman in its year-end awards.

UWW will award $600,000 in prize money to 90 wrestlers, 30 from each style, based on a ranking system that honors the most active wrestler throughout the season. 

The top-ranked wrestler will get $10,000 followed by $7,000 for the second-placed wrestler and $3,000 for the third-ranked wrestler.

Malkhas Amoyan, 22, won men’s 72 kg event at the 2021 World Wrestling Championships held in Oslo, Norway. He snatched a silver medal in the 2021 European Wrestling Championships held in Warsaw, Poland.


Main Christmas tree to be put up in Yerevan

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 2 2021

The Yerevan Municipality is not planning any New Year celebrations and fireworks this year. There will be no holiday street lighting and Christmas fair, the press service of the municipality said on Thursday.

At the same time, on the occasion of the New Year and Christmas, the Yerevan Municipality has decided to install the main Christmas tree of the country for children at the Republic Square in Yerevan. Christmas trees will also be put up in the administrative districts of the capital.

All first and second graders in Yerevan will receive invitations from the city hall to attend children’s performances for the New Year.

Armenia raised the use of chemical weapon by Azerbaijan against Artsakh at international conference

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 2 2021

The 26th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention was held from 29 November to 2 December in The Hague. The Armenian Delegation to the conference was led by Georgi Kocharyan, Head of the International Security Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, foreign ministry reported. 

The head of the Armenian delegation, as the representative of the country which holds the chairmanship of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), delivered the joint statement of the CSTO member states during the conference. The statement referred to the inadmissibility of the use of chemical weapons during armed conflicts, the need to maintain the technical direction of the organization and its non-politicization. The CSTO member states have emphasized the importance of maintaining the objectivity and impartiality of the Technical Secretariat in promptly responding to requests from the States Parties to the Convention on the alleged use of chemical weapons in armed conflicts.

At the conference the national statement of Armenia was distributed, in which the Armenian side referred to the use of weapons containing chemical elements during the aggression against Artsakh unleashed by Azerbaijan in 2020, expressing regret over the fact that the Technical Secretariat did not send a fact-finding mission of the OPCW to investigate the use of the weapons containing chemical elements.

Yerevan Mayor, Governor of St. Petersburg sign cooperation roadmap

Emil Lazarian

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 13:29, 1 December, 2021

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marutyan and Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov signed a cooperation roadmap for 2021-2025.

The Yerevan Mayor said in a statement on social media that this roadmap covers cooperation in general education, culture, healthcare and other areas.

“The development and deepening of the relations between the two partner, friendly cities is among our priorities. I invited Mr. Governor to be hosted in Yerevan in the nearest future”, the Mayor said.

Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan is in St. Petersburg on an official visit.

[See Video]

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani deputy PMs to meet in Moscow on December 1

Emil Lazarian

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 15:35, 1 December, 2021

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. The Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan trilateral working group chaired by the deputy prime ministers will hold a meeting today in the Russian capital of Moscow, the Office of Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan told Armenpress.

The trilateral working group deals with the unblocking of all economic and transportation communications in the region.

During the recent meeting of the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani leaders in Sochi, President of Russia Vladimir Putin said that the deputy prime ministers will meet in Moscow soon to sum up the results and announce the decisions which were agreed upon by the leaders of their countries on November 26.

Armenian deputy PM Mher Grigoryan and his delegation will be in Moscow from December 1 to 3. He will also take part in the session of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the CIS Economic Council meeting and the 2nd Eurasian Congress.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

23 countries report coronavirus Omicron variant

Emil Lazarian

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 19:39, 1 December, 2021

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. A new coronavirus variant, Omicron, originally found in South Africa, has been found in at least 23 countries, ARMENPRESS reports Director General of the World Health Organization Tedros Ghebreyesus said at a briefing in Geneva.

“At least 23 countries have reported the discovery of the Omicron variant, and that number will undoubtedly increase”, he said.