16:44,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Head of the Armenian defense ministry’s military control service, Colonel-General Movses Hakobyan has resigned, the defense ministry’s spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan told Armenpress.
Movses Hakobyan was serving as head of the military control service since November 19, 2019.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
16:21,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. In accordance to the terms of the Karabakh armistice, 7 settlements in the Martakert province are also being handed over to Azerbaijan, the Artsakh authorities said.
“Nor Maragha, Nor Aygestan, Nor Seysulan, Nor Karmiravan, Nor Haykajur, Hovtashen and Nor Jraberd settlements of the Martakert Province are being passed under the control of Azerbaijan, in pursuance of the terms of the trilateral agreement on ending the Karabakh war achieved between the Armenian Prime Minister and the Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan. The statement notes that the Aghdam region is to be returned to Azerbaijan until November 20, 2020. The abovementioned settlements, as well as Akna (Aghdam) settlement, according to the Azerbaijani side, are located in the Aghdam region,” the Artsakh Information center said.
The authorities are now moving the property of more than 2000 residents from these villages and working to ensure accommodation.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
16:45,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. A portion of the funds received through the “We Are Our Borders” fundraising initiated by the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has been donated to the Armenian government, Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan said during a Q&A session in the Parliament.
“A portion of these funds is not spent yet, a portion has been donated to the Armenian government. In this situation and at the initial stage in particular we considered it right to consolidate our efforts and determine expenditure preferences in one center because we all understand that determining the preference of expenditures within the past 45 days was the most important issue. Therefore, we decided to discuss together the healthcare, social and infrastructure-related expenditures and carry out them through cooperation in order for them to be effective”, Grigoryan said, adding that the Foundation will soon present the directions of expenditures in detail.
The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has initiated a fundraising campaign “We Are Our Borders: All For Artsakh” since September 27 aimed at assisting Artsakh. 169,695,386.94 million USD funds were raised so far.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
17:05,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan says the country needs a new rehabilitation center for the treatment of wounded servicemen.
“There is a lot to be done here. We think that there are three main directions we should focus on. First, the maximally effective use of existing capacity, a part of which require modernization, second – our calculations show that we need new capacities, a 250-bed rehabilitation center, and third, the permanent support of these capacities in the form of buying services through state funds,” Torosyan said.
Continuous support of these capacities will cost from 2 to 2,5 billion drams according to preliminary calculations.
Torosyan said the Armenian organizations in the Diaspora could have major investments in creating the new center.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
17:36,
YEREVAN, 18 NOVEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 18 November, USD exchange rate up by 1.42 drams to 498.80 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 2.63 drams to 592.87 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.10 drams to 6.59 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 5.03 drams to 662.86 drams.
The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.
Gold price up by 141.41 drams to 30294.3 drams. Silver price up by 6.97 drams to 394.99 drams. Platinum price up by 458.46 drams to 14994.4 drams.
19:05,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan asked his supporters to stop the rally near the Government building. ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan met with the participants of the rally and said,
‘’I know that there are dozens of thousands of people in Armenia who will come to the Republican Square if needed. I want to express gratitude to you. I bow in front of the people who have come from the front line, I bow in front of all our victims and their parents. You can stand for a while here, talk with each other, but please, stop the rally. I promise I will never betray the people, I promise you when there is a necessity, I will invite all of you to the Republican Square’’, Pashinyan said.
Pashinyan’s supporters say that he should not resign. At the same time, another rally is held at the Freedom Square, organized by the 16 opposition parties, demanding the resignation of the PM.
17:17,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sees need to clarify the issues relating to the return of people displaced from Artsakh due to the war unleashed by Azerbaijan, as well as issues on ensuring their security during the negotiations.
“The first point of the roadmap released by me today mentions the resumption of the negotiation process within the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format. It’s supposed that the discussions and negotiations should give the answers on formation of mechanisms for further implementation opportunities of the points mentioned in the joint statement. That right is envisaged, and we should do everything for that right to be exercised with ensuring the security, dignity and normal life guarantees of our compatriots”, the PM said during a Q&A session in the Parliament.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
18:21,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. By the decree of the President of Armenia, Ara Ayvazyan has been appointed Foreign Minister of Armenia, ARMENPRESS was informed from the official website of the President.
On October 16, 2020 Ayvazyan had been appointed Deputy Foreign Minister.
19:21,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. The National Assembly of Armenia will convene an extraordinary session at the suggestion of the Government on November 19. ARMENPRESS reports there will be one issue on the agenda of the session. The MPs will discuss the program Caucasus Power Transmission Network III (2-nd stage).
The extraordinary session will take place at 11:00.
21:05,
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. The Council of Paris has adopted a resolution, calling on the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs to urge France to recognize the Republic of Artsakh, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Facebook page of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia.
The resolution cities numerous factors for this initiative, including the military aggression of Azerbaijan against Artsakh sponsored by Turkey and involvement of jihadist militants from Syria, the humanitarian situation in Artsakh resulted by the air strikes of Azerbaijani armed forces as a result of which 80% of the infrastructures of Stepanakert have been destroyed.
The resolution also notes that France, which is an OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair, did not participate in the signing of the ceasefire on November 9 under the mediation of Russia, where the victory of power predominated over the victory of a dialogue.
It also notes that despite the deployment of the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), the existence of Nagorno Karabakh is under existential threat.