Category: 2020

 12:17,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he expects the opposition to make a statement ruling out violence and the use of weapons in political matters.

The PM made the remarks at an online press conference when asked about the existing hate speech in Armenia.

 “Thank God nothing close to what happened with the Speaker of Parliament has happened over the past 2,5 years with any opposition politician, and it won’t happen. If we were to conduct a monitoring on social media, it’s still a question who was more targeted during the past 2,5 years. It is a fact that the atmosphere in the country must be improved, that the atmosphere of hate must be ruled out, and we don’t argue with this. But this requires specific actions not only from the government. I am stating that the things they tried to attribute to us this night is ruled out, it is ruled out that our actions have such toolbox. Let the opposition itself state, are they ruling out violence and the use of weapons? If they rule it out, then we have necessary preconditions for dialogue, for discussions and for overcoming the situation with joint powers,” Pashinyan said.

He pointed out that most of the political forces didn’t even condemn the November 10 riots in Yerevan when the Government headquarters, the parliament building and his official residence were attacked.

“Is it because they had organized it? How can they accuse the government in advocating hate speech?”

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:08,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has not discussed the Russian proposals over the Nagorno Karabakh issue with the US side, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during an online press conference today, asked whether it’s right that he has consulted with the US representatives for accepting the Russian proposals.

“Of course, it’s not right. During this period, this one month I have held 5 phone talks with the US representatives – three times with US president’s national security adviser O’Brien and two times with Secretary of State Pompeo. And during these talks the American proposals, rather than the Russian ones, have been discussed. The Russian proposals have not been discussed with the US side”, the Armenian PM said.

He stated that he has been in constant touch with the Russian President, there has been a day when they held phone talks for 5-6 times.

Pashinyan called the rumors on discussing the Russian proposals with the US side as “absolute, total absurdity”.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 12:22,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Army of Artsakh will continue having the same status it has after the signing of the armistice, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said at an online news conference.

“The Defense Army of Artsakh will continue having the same status it has,” he said. “And when I speak about the 20-35 thousand soldiers, a huge part of these troops are Defense Army soldiers. this means that the Defense Army of Artsakh exists and will continue to exist. The Defense Army must develop, get stronger, and also be the guarantor of Artsakh’s sovereignty,” Pashinyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:42,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Army of Artsakh fought heroically until the last second, but the town of Shushi fell because the Azeri sabotage teams succeeded in invading the city, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during an online news conference.

“Many are alleging that Shushi was surrendered. I read the statement made by the President of Artsakh that more than 100 bodies have been retrieved from the outskirts of Shushi. If Shushi was surrendered, then under whose orders were these soldiers fighting? Moreover, let me tell you that there was some statement alleging that there are concrete data, names, who made conspiracies around Shushi. Law enforcement agencies have summoned the authors of this statement and tried to obtain concrete information on these conspirators and what conspiracy they are talking about. As far as I know the author of this statement avoided to give an answer. If someone announces that treason has happened and they have information, but then refuse to give concrete information to law enforcement it turns out to be participation in treason. If someone says they don’t trust the law enforcement, let them publicly announce what happened in reality. And what happened in reality is what has been officially stated, unfortunately there were Azeri sabotage team invasions into the city, and we lost Shushi,” the PM said.

Pashinyan reminded an earlier statement of his, when he said that in the past whenever any compromise option was becoming acceptable for the Armenian side, the Azeri side was rejecting it momentarily.

“It is very important to understand whether or not we could’ve avoided war, yes, if we were to agree to surrender 7 territories including Shushi to Azerbaijan, but was this the policy we wanted to pursue? No, it wasn’t. The Defense Army of Artsakh and the government of Armenia, our military decided to accept this challenge. Unfortunately it didn’t bring the desired results. From the first day many figures were calling for surrendering territories at the cost of stopping the war, but today they are accusing us in treason for doing the very same thing. One thing needs to be realized here, there wasn’t a substantial difference of early or late, essentially. Yes, the condition of surrendering Shushi was brought forward, if not from the beginning then in the preliminary period. The Artsakh authorities, the Defense Army took this path, as long as there was a change to defend and fight until the end. They fought heroically until the last second. Unfortunately the task wasn’t solved. Yes, we are responsible for not being able in two years to fill what wasn’t filled for decades,” he said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 12:29,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Since the very start of the recent war unleashed by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), Armenia’s National Security Service has launched respective operations within its functions deriving from the situation, the NSS said in a statement.

“In parallel with the official processes the National Security bodies have been actively engaged in the military operations, and many servicemen of the system have participated in the defense of Homeland.

During the military operations launched on September 27, 46 servicemen of the NSS border troops have been killed, 191 others were wounded, and 2 are missing.

The families of all servicemen will be under the spotlight of the national security system and everything will be done to assist and support them, as respective instructions have already been given by the NSS leadership on this matter”, the statement says.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:30,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Artak Davtyan has been relieved from the position of Chairman of the Military Industry Committee of Armenia.

The respective decision has been signed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:07,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. 81.5% of the respondents of a survey conducted in Armenia positively react to the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh, Aram Navasardyan, Director of MPG LLC, a full member of the GALLUP International Association in Armenia, told reporters at a press conference today.

“37.8% said they have a completely positive attitude, 43.7% – rather positive. We have 81-82% figure, with positive reaction to the deployment of the Russian peacekeepers”, he said.

The survey has been conducted on November 13.

On November 9 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a statement on a full ceasefire and cessation of all military actions in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone since 01:00 Yerevan Time on November 10. Russian peacekeepers are being deployed to Nagorno Karabakh.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:03,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is expected to meet with all three political factions in parliament, Vice Speaker Lena Nazaryan told reporters.

“A meeting with the prime minister is planned,” she said.

Earlier the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party bloc has said that it proposed the PM to have a meeting with all parliamentary factions.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 14:33,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. 43.8% of the respondents of a survey conducted in Armenia positively react to the joint statement signed by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia on cessation of military operations in Nagorno Karabakh, Aram Navasardyan, Director of MPG LLC, a full member of the GALLUP International Association in Armenia, told reporters at a press conference today.

“23.5% of the respondents mentioned they have a completely positive attitude, 20.3% – rather positive, 13.1% – rather negative, 27.8% – completely negative, 15.3% couldn’t answer”, he said.

He stated that 48.9% of the survey participants said they are aware of the content of the document, 37.2% – partially aware, 13.1% – not aware at all.

“Answering to the reasons of signing the document, 65.6% said it has been done based on the security issue of the Artsakh population and servicemen, 19.3% said it is a state betrayal by the Prime Minister, 15.9% said it was Armenia’s defeat in the diplomatic process, 10.9% said it was the defeat of Artsakh Army and the Armed Forces of Armenia in the war, and 2.4% said it was due to the mistakes made by the previous leaderships”, Aram Navasardyan said.

The survey has been conducted on November 13.

On November 9 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a statement on a full ceasefire and cessation of all military actions in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone since 01:00 Yerevan Time on November 10. Russian peacekeepers are being deployed to Nagorno Karabakh.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:05,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The road to Stepanakert through the Lachin Corridor is expected to be opened on November 16, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.

He said he has spoken with Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan this morning. He said the process of the displaced population’s return is ongoing.

“Over the past week the number of those who returned exceeded 1000 on a daily basis, the pace is growing,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan said the homes and infrastructures in Artsakh will be restored and the economy will start working.  Pashinyan also highlighted the involvement of volunteers in helping the citizens of Artsakh.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan