Author: Maghakian Mike

We have a rich foreign policy agenda in the near future. the president met with the prime minister

Maghakian Mike
  • 02.03.2019

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  • Armenia:

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  • arm

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  • rus

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President of the Republic Armen Sarkissian had a meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the presidential residence today.


President Armen Sargsyan. “Mr. Prime Minister, I am glad to see you again. Our traditional meetings continue. Before starting the conversation, I want to congratulate you because I heard that your visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran was very successful. I will be glad to hear the details of that visit. In any case, the feedback I have heard, both inside the country and from some friends abroad, has been positive.”


Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “Thank you, Mr. President. Yes, these working meetings of ours are periodic in nature, and it is very important that we regularly share the information that accumulates during our various contacts, working activities. And, of course, let’s discuss what to do next. Yes, I consider the recent visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran very important and very successful. Also, on Monday I am going to leave for an official visit to Brussels to discuss with our colleagues from the European Union what to do next.


We have a rich foreign policy agenda in the near future. Also, this year we are presiding over the Eurasian Economic Union, and one of the sessions of the intergovernmental council will take place in Yerevan. Another session of the Supreme Economic Council will take place in Yerevan. Of course, this entire foreign policy agenda is also important to serve the goals of our economic revolution. I am aware that during this period you also had some meetings that fit into this logic. And it is also important to combine this information so that further implementation of agreements becomes more effective.”


President Armen Sargsyan: “Mr. Prime Minister, I also have a lot to talk to you about. Of course, you are aware, but I would like to share more details with you, especially about my last two visits. one to France, where the 90th plenary meeting of the Armenian General Benevolent Union took place, in which I participated, and during which certain structural changes took place in the organization. The Charitable Union is one of the most important organizations of our national Diaspora. During that time, of course, I had meetings again in Paris in the framework that we have been talking about for a long time to support the economic development of Armenia, new technologies. There were meetings with many large French companies: Thales, Dassault, etc.


Next was my visit to Munich for the security conference, during which, as you know, a number of political meetings took place. Apart from them, I also had meetings at Heidelberg University, Technical University of Munich, Max Planck Institute. These meetings are also aimed at making Armenia a country of modern technologies and contributing to the rapid economic growth of our country. So we have a lot to talk about.”

Ghana’s Ambassador Present Credentials To Armenian President

Maghakian Mike
Modern Ghana
Feb 16 2019


By Modern Ghana

The newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Ghana to the Republic of Armenia, Dr Lesley Akyaa Opoku Ware, has presented her credentials to the President of Armenia, Armen Sarkissian in Yerevan, capital of Armenia.

Sarkissian congratulated and wished success to the newly appointed Ambassador and expressed confidence that she would use her huge experience to develop the relations between the two countries.

He said Armenia attaches great importance to the development of the relations with African countries, including the revitalization of the relations with the Republic of Ghana.

Sarkissian and Opoku Ware spoke broadly about the opportunities for a mutually beneficial cooperation in different areas and the necessity to raise the level of mutual recognizability.

Both have identified, among perspective areas, Agriculture, Information Technology and Education where the two countries have potential for deepening bilateral cooperation.

They also agreed to maintain close contacts, promote political dialogue, conduct consultations between the foreign ministries; and the two countries will provide a firm working basis for mutual cooperation.

On her turn, Opoku-Ware said her office would work towards strengthening the relationship between Armenia and Ghana; and strive to realize the full potential for multifaceted economic collaboration.

Dr Lesley Akyaa Opoku Ware is resident in Moscow.

—GNA

Top Armenian, Dutch diplomats talk bilateral ties in Munich

Maghakian Mike
PanArmenian, Armenia
Feb 16 2019
– 15:16 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, who is in Munich on a working visit, met his Dutch counterpart Stephen Blok on Friday, February 15.

The diplomats discussed a number of issues concerning the relations of two countries both in the bilateral and multilateral formats, and outlined the joint steps towards more effective use of the potential in various spheres and towards enhancement of the scope of existing cooperation.

With regards to the deepening of bilateral trade-economic ties, the Foreign Ministers pointed out the prospective fields of information technology, agriculture, as well as healthcare. Foreign Minister Mnatsakanyan presented Armenia’s achievements in the fields of high technology, innovation and creative education, as well as the World Congress on Information Technologies to be held in Armenia in October, emphasising the importance of participation of the Dutch companies in the latter.

Touching upon the relations with the European Union, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan reaffirmed the commitment of the Armenian government to effectively implement the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, noting that effective implementation of the Agreement opens a wide spectrum of cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral formats.

During the meeting the sides also touched upon a number of regional and international urgent issues.

Belarus again expresses hope for a meeting with Armenia over CSTO issue

Maghakian Mike

Belarus again expresses hope for a meeting with Armenia over CSTO issue

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15:10,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Belarus has again expressed hope that Armenia will set the date for a meeting with State Secretary of the Belarusian Security Council, that country’s candidate for the CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas soon, Anatoly Glaz, Press Secretary of the Belarusian foreign ministry said, BelTA reported.

Anatoly Glaz said Stanislav Zas already held meetings with the heads of five member states (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) who supported his candidacy for the CTSO Secretary General.

Recently Armenia’s foreign ministry commented on the statement of Stanislav Zas, stating that important consultations are being held between the member states, and a solution that will be on a legal base, based on the consensus of all 6 member states and acceptable for all sides, must be found.

On November 2 Armenia’s Yuri Khachaturov was dismissed from the position of the CSTO Secretary General after Armenia applied to the CSTO member states to launch the process of recalling him as criminal case was filed against Khachaturov over the 2008 March 1 unrest in Yerevan. CSTO Deputy Secretary General Valery Semerikov temporarily assumed the duties of the CSTO Secretary General.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeatedly stated that there are more important issues in the CSTO to discuss, than that of the Secretary General. “I hope we all understand that the issue of the CSTO Secretary General is not at least the major issue or is not so important. Here much more global and important issues are being discussed. The talk is about our commitments towards the CSTO and vice versa. The position of the Secretary General is secondary in this context”, Pashinyan said.




Artsakh’s Talish village gradually recovers

Maghakian Mike

Artsakh’s Talish village gradually recovers

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09:24, 7 February, 2019

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. After the April four-day war of 2016 Artsakh’s Talish village is gradually returning to normal life: 10 new residential houses will be put into operation soon. The newly constructed kindergarten is already ready and furnished, but the school will be furnished in the near future, Vilen Petrosyan – head of Talish village, told ARMENPRESS talking about the works carried out for the restoration of the village.

“The construction, reconstruction works of the municipality’s building, the kindergarten, school and events hall are already over. They are even furnished. The school building will also be furnished in the nearest future. The construction works of the school and kindergarten have been completed in late 2018”, he said, adding that the water supply system in the village has also been upgraded.

By the first stage of the program 19 houses have been reconstructed and totally furnished. According to the second stage, 14 houses are in the reconstruction process. Petrosyan informed that the works are almost at the completion stage. New houses are being built. “Currently the works are being carried out on this direction. The construction works of 10 residential houses will be completed in June-July”, the head of the village said.

Commenting on the issue of the resettlement of the village, Vilen Petrosyan said currently mainly men live in the village. Only one family lives in the village. But sometimes women also visit the village with their kids and stay there for some time. “They were staying in the village in summer”, he said, adding that people will return to the village with their families when the programs are completed as scheduled, before the beginning of the new academic year.

The head of the village noted that there are no shots in the direction of the village. “We are not hearing shots from the time when the number of shots decreased along the entire frontline, perhaps conditioned by Pashinyan-Aliyev recent meeting”, he said.

Artsakh’s Talish village was one of the most affected settlements during the April four-day war of 2016. The village has appeared under the Azerbaijani shelling. The Azerbaijani forces managed to enter the village, killing civilians, destroying and robbing houses.

Interview by Anna Grigoryan

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Armenia Orders Su-30, India Seeks Additional Kits

Maghakian Mike
Aviation International News
Feb 8 2019



by Vladimir Karnozov
 – February 8, 2019, 1:17 PM

Armenia has placed an order for Sukhoi Su-30SMs, thus becoming the fourth export customer for this recent version in the family of two-seat, heavyweight, multi-role fighters, which feature the “integral three-plane” aerodynamic layout and thrust-vectoring. News of the sale surfaced in local media last month and was confirmed by official sources earlier in February.

A statement released by the defense ministry says: “The Republic of Armenia has signed the respective deal to purchase the Russian-made Su-30SM aircraft.” Later, the ministry’s spokesman, Artsrun Ovannisyan, told news agencies that the equipment is being acquired at the Russian domestic price (which effectively means $50 million per airframe) and that the number of aircraft on order is four, but with the rider that this order is being made “at the initial stage.” Other details of the deal have yet to emerge.

In another recent development for the Su-30, the Indian defense ministry sent an official request to Russia’s Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) and Rosoboronexport arms vendor for 18 additional Su-30MKI assembly kits, a potential deal confirmed by FSVTS officials. If the sides agree on price—an estimated $1.1 billion—and delivery terms, the purchase will come under the previously signed framework agreement between Moscow and New Delhi covering the assembly of the type at Hindustan Aeronautic Limited (HAL)’s plant at Nasik. Under the wider deal, Russia has already supplied 272 such aircraft in both operable (50) and knocked-down kit (222) form. Some of the kits are still in the process of assembly at HAL. Reportedly, shipments of the additional kits should commence in 2020. If all goes to plan, the Indian air force will have 14 squadrons equipped with the Su-30MKI.

For Irkut, a member of UAC, the additional orders for the Su-30SM/MKI are important to bridge the gap between the completion of the production run of the Sukhoi fighters and commencement of serial manufacture of the MC-21 passenger jetliner, which has suffered repeated delays. To help the manufacturer overcome the difficulties of the transition period, the Russian defense ministry has voiced plans to buy 60 more Su-30SMs, to add to 112 already acquired since the first delivery in February 2014. Earlier, UAC president Yuri Slyusar said that Irkut hopes to have sufficient backlog to support Sukhoi fighter jet production through 2022 at an annual rate of 12-14 airframes.

The Su-30SM represents a further improved version of the Su-30MKI, with which it shares airframe and AL-31FP augmented turbofans with thrust-vectoring. The differences are confined to avionics and mission equipment, reflecting a 12-year gap between the maiden flights, since the Su-30MKI flew for the first time in November 2000. The N-011М Bars radar is replaced by the more powerful Bars-R with longer detection ranges and the ability to employ the RVV-SV medium-range air-to-air missile and other advanced weaponry. Instead of the Elbit Systems SU967 head-up display, the Su-30SM comes with either a Thales Avionics SMD55S/VEN-3022 or Russian-made IKSh-1M, both offering a wider field of view. The Russian-made LINS-1000RS inertial navigation replaces the Thales INS/GPS Totem. The Su-30SM is also equipped with the Khibiny self-protection EW suite instead of Israeli electronic countermeasures in the Su-30MKI.

To date, shipments of Su-30SM variants to Russian domestic customers Belarus and Kazakhstan, plus customized export Su-30MKIs to India, and derivative Su-30MKMs to Malaysia, and Su-30MKAs to Algeria, are approaching 500. The remaining order backlog and recent commitments indicate a production run of up to 600.


Earthquake hits Karabakh

Maghakian Mike
Vestnik Kavkaza
Feb 3 2019
3 Feb in 12:30

The “Survey for Seismic Protection” Agency of Armenia on Sunday recorded a magnitude-2.8 earthquake in the occupied territories of Nagorno-Karabakh at 8:30am local time.

The seismic activity occurred 6 km east of Karvachar town and its hypocenter was 10 km beneath the surface, the Ministry of Emergency Situations informed.

The tremor measured magnitude 3-4 at the epicenter, News.am reports.

Nikol Pashinyan, Anna Hakobyan attend concert dedicated to 150th anniversary of Komitas

Maghakian Mike

Nikol Pashinyan, Anna Hakobyan attend concert dedicated to 150th anniversary of Komitas

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20:07,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS.  Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and his wife Anna Hakobyan attended the concert giving start to the events dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Komitas at Aram Khachaturian concert hall.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, Armenian National Academic Choir led by conductor Hovhannes Chekijian performed during the concert.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan




Armenia traders again block customs checkpoint at Georgia border

Maghakian Mike
News.am, Armenia
Jan 26 2019
Armenia traders again block customs checkpoint at Georgia border Armenia traders again block customs checkpoint at Georgia border

17:02, 26.01.2019

A protest rally on Saturday is staged again at Armenia’s Bagratashen customs checkpoint, at the border with Georgia, and this has caused a huge traffic jam at the border.

Armenian traders who import goods from Turkey have blocked the entry and exit of this checkpoint, yet again.

They have been protesting for several days against the new procedure for customs clearance of the goods they import from Turkey.

As of January 1, the value of imports that are exempt from customs duties and taxes in Armenia has been reduced three times, while their weight—twice as much. 

These changes are pursuant to a respective decision by the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission—the executive body of the Eurasian Economic Union which comprises Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Traders note that, in addition, customs officers do not permit them to even import up to 25kg of goods, saying that they show their Turkish visas. Also, the customs officers demand that the traders pay 4 euros per one kilogram of imported goods.

The Armenian traders had closed off the Bagratashen customs checkpoint on Tuesday evening, too. But, subsequently, it was reopened at the request of the director of the National Security Service of Armenia, Artur Vanetsyan.