Category: 2020

Nikol Pashinyan, Bako Sahakyan hold joint session of Security Councils in Artsakh

 11:25,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan held a joint session of the Security Councils of the two Armenian republics in Stepanakert.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Artsakh President's Office, Bako Sahakyan focused on problems of foreign and domestic policy.

Bako Sahakyan emphasized that the projects they plan to implement are ambitious but realistic, expressing confidence that with joint efforts those projects will come into life.

Edited and traslated by Tigran Sirekanyan

Ara Shahverdyan, Robert Beglaryan elected members of Iranian parliament

 14:09,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. Two Iranian-Armenians, Ara Shahverdyan and Robert Beglaryan, have been elected members of the parliament (Majles) of Iran, Raffi Pirumian, head of the campaign office of Ara Shahverdyan told ARMENPRESS.

“4 Armenian candidates were running for parliament in the northern part – Ara Shahverdyan, Albert Poghosyan, Aris Shahbazyan and Sevan Sohrayi. Ara Shahverdyan received nearly 66% of the votes”, he said, adding that Robert Beglaryan won the election in the northern part, where Emin Hovsep was the 2nd candidate.

The parliamentary elections in Ira took place on February 21. The number of eligible voters in Iran is nearly 58,000,000. The Iranian parliament has 290 seats, 5 of which are allocated to religious minorities.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

 21:44,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian foreign ministry is advising Armenian citizens to avoid all but essential travel to Iran as the neighboring country is reporting novel coronavirus cases.

“In terms of comprehensive assessment of the situation in the region we are closely cooperating with our colleagues in Iran and Georgia in the direction of information exchange, as well as necessary measures and consideration of possible scenarios. We will give additional updates on the measures taken. We urge Armenian citizens to refrain from visiting Iran without urgent need, and we call on our citizens who are currently in Iran to contact the Embassy of Armenia -+98(21)66704833//+98(21)66760509 (landline),  +989121051639 (mobile), email - [email protected]”, the foreign ministry said in a statement on February 22.

So far, 28 cases of the Covid-2019 have been confirmed in Iran. Six people have died from the virus. Iranian authorities in the affected provinces have shut down schools, universities and cultural centers to contain the outbreak. They include Qom, Markazi, Gilan, Ardabil, Kermanshah, Qazvin, Zanjan, Mazandaran, Golestan, Hamedan, Alborz, Semnan, Kurdistan and the capital, Tehran, Al Jazeera reported.

On February 21, Lebanon confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus, a woman who returned from Qom, Iran. The United Arab Emirates announced two new cases on Saturday – an Iranian tourist and his wife.

According to Al Jazeera, Iraq has banned border crossings by Iranian nationals and the Iraqi Airways halted flights to Iran.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Partnership between Armenia, Artsakh is key security component of our people – Pashinyan

 13:21,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. The joint session of the Security Councils of Armenia and Artsakh took place in Stepanakert chaired by Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the heads of the two Armenian republics delivered speeches.

PM Pashinyan noted in his speech that this is the 3rd joint session of the Security Councils. “It is an absolute necessity that the authorities of Armenia and Artsakh walk together and the partnership between Armenia and Artsakh is the key component of the security of our country, motherland and people”, Pashinyan said, adding with satisfaction that the authorities of Armenia and Artsakh have similar views on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. For Pashinyan one of the shared positions of the two Armenian republics is that it’s impossible to solve NK issue without Artsakh’s participation in the negotiations.

“Of course, one of the most important areas of cooperation between Artsakh and Armenia is security, because Artsakh and Armenia are one and the same security zone and here the goals of Armenia and Artsakh can in no way be distinct. In this context, we attach great importance to the combat readiness of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh, as well as to the moral and psychological situation in the Armed Forces”, Pashinyan said, adding that in 2019 the Government of Armenia allocated huge resources for making significant changes in army, including acquisition of new weapons.
“And our expectation is that discipline, moral and psychological situation and inter-personal relations should be brought to a totally new level and I think that issue is really solvable”, he said.

Highlighting the role of army as the key security guarantee for Armenia and Artsakh, PM Pashinyan noted that democracy is also an important security guarantee. “We know that soon national elections will take place in Artsakh and I think that the elections during the entire existence of Artsakh have shown the drastic differences between the Republic of Artsakh and the Republic of Azerbaijan in terms of democracy, which is one of the reasons why Artsakh and Azerbaijan can never form a joint political structure”, PM Pashinyan said, expressing confidence that the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections of Artsakh will once again demonstrate Artsakh’s democratic nature.

PM Pashinyan highlighted economies of Armenia and Artsakh as another key security component, since it’s the economy that has to provide the armed forces with necessary accommodations.

“Meanwhile, we have to record that the security environment in our region unfortunately becomes more fragile and here we see more escalations than solutions and we will discuss this issue during the joint session of the Security Councils”, PM Pashinyan said, emphasizing that Armenia and Artsakh have a joint responsibility to ensure the security of not only of Armenia and Artsakh, but also should have their voice in the preservation of regional and international security.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

 11:24,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. A magnitude 5,8 earthquake that hit northwestern Iran Sunday morning has been felt in Yerevan, the Armenian seismic protection agency said.

The earthquake was recorded at 09:53 February 23, 25km south-west from the town of Salmas, Iran.

In addition to Yerevan, the tremor was felt in the provinces of Ararat and Syunik, the Seismic Protection Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:42,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia Alen Simonyan will participate in the inauguration ceremony of newly elected President of Uruguay Luis Lacalle Pou, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia.

Simonyan will leave for Uruguay from February 28 until March 3.

 13:02,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. The death toll from the novel coronavirus in Iran has reached 18, according to Al Arabiya TV.

As of February 22 the death toll was 6, with 28 confirmed cases of the virus, known as Covid-2019.

Iran reported the first case of the virus on February 19.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:35,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Embassy in Iran is temporarily suspending its consular section’s work (citizens’ registration and reception) starting February 23, the embassy said in a statement amid the novel coronavirus (covid-2019) outbreak in Iran.

“The embassy apologizes for the inconvenience,” it said Sunday morning.

The embassy did not mention for how long the consular section will remain closed but noted that it will issue updates.

Earlier on February 22, Armenia warned its nationals against all but essential travel to Iran. 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

 09:33,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory letter to President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid on the country’s national day – the Independence Day, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

“Armenia attaches importance to the friendly relations and the constant strengthening of the constructive dialogue with Estonia both at the bilateral format and within the frames of the European Union. I believe that my visit to Tallinn this year will give a new impetus to the Armenian-Estonian cooperation by covering new spheres of mutual interest”, the Armenian President said in his letter.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 10:19,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS. Foreign minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan expressed condolences to the families of victims of a devastating earthquake that hit Turkey.

“Deep condolences to families and relatives of victims of devastating earthquake in Van. Wishing speedy recovery to those injured”, the Armenian FM said on Twitter.

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake was registered near the Turkey-Iran border on February 23, killing 9 people and injuring 37. There are children among those killed. 8 of the injured are in critical condition.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan