Category: 2021

CIVILNET.AM

 11:56, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia announced new three-month military trainings for reservists which will take place from September 15 to December 15, the defense ministry said in a statement.

The training is announced for “perfecting the military skills and training of reservists with the purpose of involving them to active duty if required in accordance to the contracts signed with them.”

The first round of reserve trainings kicked off earlier on August 25, involving up to 2000 reservists.

The defense ministry noted that refusal to participate in those trainings will have criminal consequences.

 12:50, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. The Taliban opened fire to disperse an anti-Pakistan protest in Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul, TASS reports citing the France Presse news agency.

According to the news outlet, about 70 people gathered in front of the Pakistani embassy in the Afghan capital, “waving posters and chanting anti-Pakistan slogans”.

Taliban fighters are reported to have “fired in the air several times in order to disperse dozens of Afghans protesting against Pakistan’s interference in Afghanistan’s affairs”.

 13:36, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. The Lav Eli, The Beautified Project and Nemra rock bands are teaming up to deliver a joint charity concert to help children and young people who are battling cancer.

The proceeds of the September 9 concert at the Yerevan Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall will be directed to the City of Smiles Charity foundation which will help ensure the treatment of children and persons under the age of 25 who have cancer or blood diseases.

“We are very grateful to the Lav Eli, The Beautified Project and Nemra for responding to our request,” said Esther Demirchyan, the Executive Director of City of Smiles. “It is important to secure the medication for the children. In case of having additional resources we try to make structural improvements as well, such as to open a pediatric palliative department. It will be the first of its kind in Armenia, and the proceeds of the concert will be entirely directed for treatment.”

Lav Eli founder Mher Manukyan, speaking at a press conference, emphasized that people should regularly remind themselves that it’s not all about profit in show business and elsewhere. “In a world which is getting more and more material we ought to remind ourselves that there are important values, humanitarianism, empathy, readiness to lend a helping hand.”

“The concert is going to be special also in terms of the format. An acoustic evening is expected without percussions,” said Van Nemra, frontman of Nemra. He said they are happy to be sharing the stage with Lav Eli and The Beautified Project.

The Beautified Project founder Andre Simonyan reminded that they were planning to celebrate their anniversary of foundation in 2020, but the event was delayed due to the pandemic and then the war. “And we weren’t motivated to sing, but when the foundation called we momentarily said yes without thinking about it, and I am very grateful for this initiative. I am happy that Lav Eli and Nemra have joined, they are very good friends,” Simonyan said.

The concert is sponsored by Imagine HUB by Soft.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:02, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Suren Papikyan met on September 7 with Sebastian Molineus, the World Bank’s Regional Director for the South Caucasus, Mr. Papikyan’s Office told Armenpress.

Deputy PM Papikyan highlighted the long-term cooperation between the Armenian government and the World Bank, stating that many grant and loan programs have been implemented as a result of this partnership. He highlighted the Bank’s contribution to the upgrading of Armenia’s public administration system, the social, infrastructure development and reaffirmed his readiness to work closely on these directions.

Sebastian Molineus in turn congratulated minister Papikyan on their party’s victory in the recent snap parliamentary elections and on assuming office. He highly valued the Armenian government’s readiness for cooperation and expressed confidence that the new opportunities will be maximally used in the current partnering environment. Sebastian Molineus reiterated that the World Bank is ready to continue and expand the mutual partnership by assisting Armenia’s economic development.

The officials continued then discussing the cooperation opportunities in agriculture, water use, energy, tourism and infrastructure development. They attached importance to the development of small towns in Armenia for decentralization. Suren Papikyan stated that the government and the World Bank have a common agenda on these matters.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:16, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. On September 6, at around 19:30, the Azerbaijani side opened fire at the Armenian positions and the direction of peaceful settlements from the positions located in the direction of Karmir Shuka-Taghavard settlements of the Martuni region of Artsakh, Ombudsman of Artsakh Gegham Stepanyan said in a statement today.

“The house of one of the residents of Taghavard has been damaged from the shooting. Three bullets hit the wall of the house, one – the window of one of the bedrooms. 6 civilians, one of them a minor, live in the house damaged from the Azerbaijani fire”, the Ombudsman said.

After midnight, the Azerbaijani side continued the shots, but no victims and material damage have been reported.

Russian peacekeepers and the law enforcement agencies of Artsakh have been notified about the incident.

“The Azerbaijani positions located near the vicinity of the peaceful settlements are a direct and real threat to the life, health and other vital rights of the people of Artsakh and distort the normal life and operation of the people in those settlements”, he said, adding that the failure to hold the perpetrators accountable leads to repetition of such cases.

“Comprehensive investigation of all ceasefire violation cases, including the involvement of Russian peacekeepers, should be on the agenda”, the Artsakh Ombudsman said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:29, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan held a meeting with World Bank Regional Director for South Caucasus Sebastian Molineus and the new World Bank Country Manager for Armenia Carolin Geginat.

Sanosyan briefed the World Bank officials on the priorities of the new government program, main goals and directions of cooperation. He underscored that the government has set ambitious projects before itself and plans to make efforts with international partners to implement them, the ministry of territorial administration and infrastructures said in a press release.

Minister Sanosyan said the cooperation with the World Bank is multi-layered and there are many ongoing projects, and highlighted the vitally-significant roads programs, the programs directed for territorial development, water supply, tourism and the construction of the North-South road.

Carolin Geginat said that the World Bank is ready to support the Armenian government in the planned projects, especially in the water sector, the land exploitation sector, tourism and road construction. Geginat attached importance to cooperation in renewable energy for making the sector more attractable for private investors.

An agreement was reached to organize individual discussions in an expanded format to specify future actions.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 15:45, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received today Ambassador of France to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte on the occasion of the completion of his diplomatic mission, the PM’s Office told Armenpress.

Pashinyan stated that Mr. Lacôte’s tenure in Armenia coincided with the period full of various developments for Armenia and the region.

“That period not only did not leave a negative impact on the Armenian-French unique relations, but also made the bilateral partnership more closer”, Pashinyan said.

He added that there are broad opportunities for developing the partnership between the two friendly countries in different areas.

Pashinyan noted that the governments of Armenia and France are interested in developing and expanding the cooperation which is based on centuries-old friendship between the Armenian and French peoples.

At the same time, he highlighted the key role of France as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair country.

Touching upon Armenia’s chairmanship at the International Organization of La Francophonie, Pashinyan said that the challenges caused by the pandemic and the war didn’t allow Armenia to be active within the organization. However, he expressed confidence that the cooperation within the organization will become more effective and closer.

“All these difficulties have not put a shadow on our relations with France, and we should highlight your personal contribution to this. We will view you as friend of Armenia and will be happy to see you again in our country”, Pashinyan told the French Ambassador.

The Ambassador thanked the Armenian PM for the appreciation and stated that his tenure was marked by both heavy and happy moments for Armenia.

“I have emotional memories from the peaceful revolution held in Armenia. The recent events in the country showed that democracy is irreversible in Armenia, and that the Armenian people could be proud of it”, Jonathan Lacôte said, adding that France will continue the close cooperation with Armenia in different areas, including in promoting the reforms.

The meeting also touched upon the process of joint programs and the future activities.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 16:02, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. On September 7, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh David Babayan met in Yerevan with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, the Artsakh Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Issues related to the cooperation of the two Armenian states in the field of foreign policy, regional processes and the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict were discussed.

The sides noted the importance of continuous expansion and intensification of cooperation, maintenance of a high level of cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two Armenian states, and organization of regular discussions on various issues.

Chief of Staff of the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh Semyon Afiyan and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Artsakh to the Republic of Armenia Sergey Ghazaryan participated in the meeting.

 17:14, 7 September, 2021

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenia assesses the ongoing Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises at it’s and Artsakh’s borders and near the Lachin corridor as “an action harming the steps aimed at de-escalation”.

“This action doesn’t correspond to the spirit of the 2020 November 9 trilateral statement and is disrupting the efforts for establishing lasting peace, security and stability in the region,”Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan told Sputnik Armenia when asked to comment on the Turkish-Azeri drills.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan