✓The Karvachar (Kelbajar) region is handed over to Azerbaijani forces.
✓300 tons of Russian aid is sent to Stepanakert and Shushi.
✓Aliyev, Putin and Pashinyan discuss the opening of transport communications.
✓The ICRC meets with Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan.
Armenia’s economic activity index presented by the country’s Statistical Committee shows declines in many sectors compared to the same months in the previous year.
– Armenia’s overall economic activity in October 2020 has seen an 8.1% decline compared to October 2019. Economic activity in September 2020 declined by 3% compared to the same month of the previous year.
– Sales and services sector has decreased by 21% this year.
– Industrial production declined by 3%.
– Foreign trade decreased by 19%, with imports decreasing by 26%.
– The only sector that has not seen a decline is the construction sector with a 0.3% increase.
“The fact is that the calls voiced by the opposition do not receive support from the broader Armenian society,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told Russian TASS news agency Wednesday.
Pashinyan admitted that there are internal political tensions in the country but that the calls for his resignation following the signing of the “end of war” statement have not been widely heard.
Armenian opposition parties have been organizing protests in the country’s capital Yerevan following the trilateral agreement signed by presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia that saw large parts of Karabakh territory transferred to Azerbaijan,
When asked about the possibility of early parliamentary elections, Pashinyan responded that the government and all political forces must focus on the restoration of the internal and external stability and security of the country.
Last week, Pashinyan presented a six-month government roadmap, which he says is meant to provide paths, methods and programs to overcome the current situation.
The prime minister told Tass News that only after the completion of the 15-point roadmap, he will make a decision on further steps.
“This does not mean that the government thinks everything is fine. We are all dissatisfied with the situation that has been created. But we must understand what alternatives we have. We must work so as not to worsen the situation, but to stabilize and improve it,” Pashinyan said.
16:18,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The representatives of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) visited Armenian soldiers and civilians who are currently in the Azerbaijani captivity, the Armenian Unified Infocenter reports.
The Infocenter said that currently search operations for missing in action and recovery of dead bodies are underway by the mediation of the Russian peacekeeping troops and the ICRC representatives.
The search operations take place on a daily mode, covering all directions of the Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) border.
The Infocenter said the return of captives and the exchange of the bodies is one of the priorities of the government, over which collective efforts continue.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
17:09,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Emphasizing of the importance of education for middle and high school students both in the Republic of Armenia and those who moved from Artsakh, as well as the provision of affordable internet access, Ucom has expanded the list of educational resources with free access for the subscribers of U!Prepaid, Ucom Universal and Universal Plus tariff plans, Ucom told Armenpress.
In particular, following the request of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, Youth and Sports from November 21, 2020 the subscribers of Ucom’s u1000, u1500, u2000 and u3000 prepaid tariff plans, as well as Ucom Universal and Universal Plus postpaid service subscribers will not pay for any internet usage when visiting Google Classroom and Microsoft Team websites. The same regulation has been in place for months for the following websites: zoom.us, armedu.am, emis.am, kahoot.com and etwinning.net.
The company also reminds that until November 30th inclusive, the subscribers of the mentioned tariff plans will not be charged for internet use when benefiting from Twitter, Skype, Zoom, Viber, WhatsApp applications.
17:28,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The Russian humanitarian response center is starting its operation in Nagorno Karabakh aimed at providing support to the residents of the regions affected from the recent war, President of Russia Vladimir Putin said today.
“The Russian humanitarian response center is starting its activities which will deal with providing help to the residents of the affected regions, restoring infrastructure and creating conditions for peaceful life. We expect specialized international organizations to take a substantial part in these efforts. We believe that all this creates pre-requisites for the long-term and full-format settlement of the long-standing conflict on a fair basis in the interests of the Azerbaijani and Armenian peoples”, the Russian leader stressed as quoted by TASS.
Putin expressed hope that the international organizations will also support these efforts.
“In the past period Russia has been taking several mediation efforts for the settlement of one of the oldest conflicts. We have taken steps to halt the hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh which led to thousands of deaths both in our friendly Armenia and Azerbaijan. In line with this, we have followed all the key agreements reached within the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group. The situation, in general, is normalizing”, Putin said.
On November 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from November 10. The Russian peacekeeping contingent has been deployed to the region.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
17:41,
YEREVAN, 24 NOVEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 24 November, USD exchange rate up by 6.99 drams to 512.31 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 8.71 drams to 608.83 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.09 drams to 6.75 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 9.09 drams to 684.65 drams.
The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.
Gold price down by 163.19 drams to 30310.21 drams. Silver price up by 1.15 drams to 393.74 drams. Platinum price up by 50.14 drams to 15581.71 drams.
18:20,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. President of Russia Vladimir Putin held telephone conversations with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev on November 23 and 24.
ARMENPRESS reports, citing the official website of the Kremlin, the results of the November 21 visit of the Russian delegation to Yerevan and Baku, as well as the implementation of the provisions of the November 9 declaration were discussed.
The modalities of the activities of the Russian peacekeepers in the Nagorno Karabakh region and the further steps of providing humanitarian aid to the population were discussed.
The issues of economic cooperation and unblocking of transport communications in the region were also touched upon.
Debates on recognition of Artsakh’s independence to kick off in French Senate on November 25
19:42,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The French senate will discuss the resolution on the necessity to recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) on November 25. ARMENPRESS reports, citing the official website of the Senate, the debates will start at 19:30 by Yerevan time.
The resolution is authored by Bruno Retailleau, Patrick Kanner, Hervé Marseille, Éliane Assassi, Guillaume Gontard.
‘’On November 25 the Senate will discuss the draft resolution which urges France to recognize Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Only the independence can protect the rights and freedoms of the population of Nagorno Karabakh for a lasting period who have encountered Turkey’s Islamic expansionism’’, Bruno Retailleau wrote on his Twitter page.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had phone conversations with Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev and discussed the work of the Russian peacekeepers and further steps of providing humanitarian aid to the population, Kremlin press service reported.
“Reference was also made on economic partnership in the region and issues on de-blockading transport communication,” Kremlin said in a press release.
?