Author: Kalashian Nyrie

 11:46, 30 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Hambardzum Matevosyan met on March 29 with Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan on the sidelines of his visit in the United Arab Emirates, the deputy PM’s Office said.

A wide range of issues of bilateral interest were discussed during the meeting.

During the talk the cooperation in the diversification of the economy, the human capital and sustainable economic development was highly appreciated, the peculiarities of the post-Covid situation were discussed.

The sides agreed to continue the discussions aimed at developing concrete initiatives in the field of supporting investments.

On behalf of the Armenian government, the deputy PM reaffirmed the commitment to contribute to the implementation of Agenda 2030 and sustainable development goals.

 19:56,

YEREVAN, 29 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Command of the Russian Peacekeeping Forces are making active efforts to defuse tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh, ARMENPRESS reports the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova said at a weekly briefing, emphasizing that the Russian peacekeepers are acting strictly following the provisions of the November 9 trilateral declaration.

Asked by a reporter of The Moscow Post what is really happening on the line of contact of Russian peacekeepers, and if that can be a provocation by the Azerbaijani side, maybe even Turkey, given that Rusia is currently focused on Ukraine, Zakharova answered, “The position of our country in connection with the recent incidents in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping troops is expressed in the March 26 statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry. If you look at that announcement, you will see that we have called on the parties to urgently ensure the smooth implementation of the agreements reached at the highest level on November 9, 220 on the complete cessation of all hostilities in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone.”

According to Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry is in constant contact with the representatives of Yerevan and Baku.

For weeks, Azerbaijan has been consistently aggravating the military, humanitarian and moral situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, trying to intimidate the Armenians of Artsakh by various means. The Artsakh authorities, human rights activists, describe it as a state policy of intimidation against the people of Artsakh.

During the last month, the local population was twice deprived of heating, in particular, gas supply. During that time, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired several times at a number of Armenian settlements and roads. The tension increased sharply when on March 24 the Azerbaijani troops, grossly violating the 2020 agreement, invaded the area of responsibility of the peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation in the Artsakh Republic, taking control of the village of Parukh in the Askeran region and adjacent positions, then trying to secure advancment on the eastern border of the Artsakh Republic. On March 27, the Russian peacekeeping force announced that as a result of the talks, the Azerbaijani side has withdrawn its units from Parukh.

 17:06,

YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received today Director-General of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) Kathryne Bomberger, the foreign ministry said in a news release.

The sides praised the productive partnership established between the respective state structures of Armenia and the ICMP. In this context Minister Mirzoyan expressed gratitude to Kathryne Bomberger for the contribution to the process of DNA identification of bodies of Armenian servicemen fallen at the 2020 war.

The sides then discussed the prospects of deepening and expanding the mutual partnership. FM Mirzoyan said Armenia attaches great importance to the need to find out the fates of persons missing after the war, as well as reveal the causes, emphasizing in this respect the cooperation opportunities with the Commission.

Ararat Mirzoyan briefed Kathryne Bomberger on the humanitarian consequences of the 2020 Azerbaijani military aggression against Nagorno Karabakh, particularly stressing the need for the immediate return of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages illegally held in Azerbaijan.

The Armenian FM also presented the situation after the latest incursion of the Azerbaijani armed forces into the village of Parukh of Artsakh.

Taking steps for mitigating the tension and establishing stability in the region was emphasized.

 12:17, 24 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS. We are now at the most critical moment in the history of the Third Republic of Armenia, a point where the Armenian statehood appeared not once, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting.

“In order for us to be able to reach a desirable resolution from this same historic point, we need unprecedented flexibility, a complete and unemotional condition. We need new formulas of mentality. And we must sail our ship to a peaceful destination from this stormy geopolitical ocean that we found ourselves in. I am convinced that we will do this, and perhaps this is our historic mission,” PM Pashinyan said, emphasizing that what’s happening in the world now began with what happened to us and what’s happening today will directly impact us.

Speaking on economic issues, Pashinyan said: “I also want to speak about optimistic news. We must note that we have good grounds to maintain our economic activity. For example, with the data of the first 20 days of March against the same period of the previous year, the number of transactions recorded with point-of-sale machines in Armenia increased with 510,000, while turnover grew more than 60 billion drams. This certainly is not a fundamental indicator, but this is a positive signal which is connected to the fact that in 2022 we have a big flow of people into Armenia and this will create rather good economic effects.”

He added that in February Armenia recorded a record number of registered workplaces at 646,077 (10,3% increase against 2021 and 12,7% increase against 2019).

Average salary stood at 223,235 drams, which is a 9% increase against 2021 and 25,3% increase against 2019.

 16:56, 8 March, 2022

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. Ukraine will consider potentially abandoning its intentions of joining NATO only if security guarantees will be provided, Strana News reported citing a statement from Mikhailo Podolyak, the Adviser to the Head of the Office of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Podolyak added that Ukraine is ready for constructive negotiations over key matters.

“Regarding political matters, Zelenskyy is not afraid to speak with the Russian side about any political matter. But it is natural that we are defending our national statehood, our national rights. And we must receive a clear and concrete legally binding package of security guarantees in conditions when NATO is openly saying that there won’t be a Ukrainian accession. It makes no sense to speak about details now. Now what matters is the physical defense of Ukraine,” Podolyak said.