Category: 2022

Azerbaijani soldier transferred back after crossing border into Armenia

 00:29, 3 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. Armenian servicemembers patrolling the border zone in Gegharkunik Province found an Azerbaijani soldier who had crossed the Armenia-Azerbaijan border around 13:30, July 23.

The soldier was identified as Private Kamiz M. Ibayev, a serviceman of the Azeri armed forces, the Armenian Ministry of Defense said in a press release.

The Armenian military said that it clarified that the Azeri soldier got lost.

On August 3, the Armenian Defense Ministry said that Private Ibayev was handed over to the Azerbaijani side through the Russian peacekeeping contingent of Nagorno Karabakh.

 09:06, 3 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Artsakh is informing that in the night of August 2-3 the operative tactical situation was not subjected to changes. The tension in some sections of the line of contact remains, the Artsakh Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The Republic’s leadership, the Defense Army command and the Russian peacekeeping contingent continue steps in the direction of de-escalating the situation and not allowing further escalations.

 09:45, 3 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. South Korea is planning to open an embassy in Armenia, according to Professor Gu Ho Eom, the Director of the Asia-Pacific Research Center.

“Right now there are no active ties between Armenia and the Republic of Korea,” Gu Ho Eom, a Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at Hanyang University told ARMENPRESS’s Editor-in-Chief Shant Khlghatyan in Seoul during a media tour organized by the Korean Culture and Information Service. “Korea doesn’t have an embassy in Armenia, but there are plans to open an embassy in Armenia,” Professor Gu Ho Eom said.

There are no clear timeframes yet.

Professor Eom is researching and studying Russia and the Eurasian region.

He said that at this moment they have a clear decision to open an embassy in Georgia. 

Speaking about the prospects of cooperation between Armenia and Korea, the Professor noted that Korea has rich experience in modernization of industry and digital transformation – policies which are now being implemented in Armenia. “I think we can have serious contribution in developing these areas in Armenia,” he said, adding that Armenia has big potential to develop.

Gu Ho Eom underscored the multi-vector foreign policy of Armenia, whereby it maintains close relations with Russia and at the same time has effective cooperation with the European Union, United States and China. In this context, Korea and Armenia can also establish productive cooperation in various directions, he said.

Professor Eom also noted the rich history and culture of Armenia. “I have many Armenian friends in Moscow. I’ve met many Armenians in the United States as well. They are all smart and diligent people,” he said.

 

Photos by PENTA PRESS

 11:17, 3 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan received Member of Parliament of Sweden, Chairman of the Sweden-Armenia Friendship Group Arin Karapet, the Presidential Office said.

The lawmaker introduced the President on the development of the Armenian-Swedish mutual partnership and the opportunities of Sweden’s support to Armenia’s ongoing reforms. Expanding mutual cooperation particularly in tourism and culture sectors was highlighted.

Views were exchanged on Armenia’s democratic development, regional developments and prospects.

 11:56, 3 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. The first edition of the Symphonic Yerevan International Music Festival will take place in the Armenian capital of Yerevan between the 12th and 25th of August 2022.

Organised by the European Foundation for Support of Culture, in collaboration with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, and in partnership with the Armenian State Philharmonia and Arno Babajanyan Concert Hall, the Municipality of Yerevan and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, this inaugural edition will see no fewer than 17 internationally-acclaimed soloists and ensembles from around the world taking to the stage of three of Armenia’s most illustrious venues – the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall, Arno Babajanyan Concert Hall and Komitas Museum-Institute. Together with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra – the festival’s Orchestra-in-Residence – who shall be led by a number of distinguished international conductors, they will be interpreting works from a variety of historic and contemporary European and international composers, including various pieces from the pens of Armenian masters.

This first edition of Symphonic Yerevan shall boast no fewer than 14 recitals and symphonic and chamber concerts, which shall be held in three of the city’s most celebrated venues – the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall, the Komitas Museum-Institute, and the Arno Babajanyan Concert Hall. 

The first of these concerts shall be taking place on the 12th of the month, and will present a duo recital by bassoonist Nikolay Poghosyan (Armenia) and pianist Anahit Dilbaryan (Armenia). This will be followed by a second duo recital on the 13th featuring another two pianists – Armine Grigoryan (Armenia) and Sona Barseghyan (Armenia) – which will in turn precede a third duo recital, this time showcasing the talents of flautist Gevorg Avetisyan (Armenia) and pianist Anahit Dilbaryan (Armenia).

For the fourth concert of the festival, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra shall be taking to the stage, led by Dutch conductor Daniel Raiskin, and accompanied by the Italian violinist Giovanni Zanon. Then, for the 16th of August, Raiskin will be making an appearance once again, this time to conduct the string section of the ASSO in a chamber concert featuring the clarinettist Fabrizio Meloni (Italy). The 17th will witness another duo recital with cellist Sevak Avanesyan (Armenia) and pianist Sona Barseghyan (Armenia), before the ASSO takes centrestage under Raiskin’s baton once more in a symphonic concert alongside Saleem Ashkar (Israel/Palestine).

Symphonic Yerevan’s 8th concert on the 19th of August shall be a special affair, headlined by the acclaimed Aram Khachaturian Trio, while the following entry on the 20th shall see the ASSO, this time led by Hungarian maestro Gergely Madaras, accompanying cellist Brannon Cho (USA) and flautist Noemi Gyori (Hungary). Raiskin and the string section of the ASSO shall return once again on the 21st, in a chamber concert with Belgian violinist Marc Bouchkov, before Madaras takes the reins of the orchestra once more for a symphonic concert with Italian pianist Vanessa Benelli Mosell on the 22nd. 

The final three concerts of Symphonic Yerevan will kick off with a chamber concert featuring Raiskin and the string section of the ASSO in a special collaboration with Chinese guitarist Xuefei Yang, which will be followed by Russian pianist Nikita Mndoyants in a solo recital. Finally, for the festival’s closing concert, the ASSO’s Founder, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Sergey Smbatyan will be leading the orchestra himself, which will team up with Chinese-US violinist Nancy Zhou in a grand event at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall.

 12:49, 3 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan states that Azerbaijan’s demand to organize the traffic connecting Artsakh with Armenia through a different route instead of the Lachin corridor is not legitimate.

ARMENPRESS: Mr. Grigoryan, yesterday, during the extended session of the Security Council, the President of Nagorno Karabakh said that Azerbaijan, through the commanding staff of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, has presented a demand to them to organize the traffic connecting with Armenia by another route. How would you comment on this statement?

Grigoryan: Point 6th of the 2020 trilateral statement of the Armenian Prime Minister, the Russian President and the President of Azerbaijan, which defines issues relating to the creation and activity of the Lachin corridor connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia, says the following: “The Parties (Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan) have agreed that a plan for the construction of a new route along the Lachin corridor shall be determined within the next three years, providing communication between Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia, with the subsequent redeployment of Russian peacekeeping troops to protect this route”. During this period, of course, some work has been done on this direction, but as of this moment there is no agreed plan. In any case, Armenia has not approved any plan, therefore, Azerbaijan’s demand is not legitimate.

ARMENPRESS: But you have stated that Armenia is starting the reconstruction of the Kornidzor-Tegh-M12 road which is supposed to join the new route of the Lachin corridor.

GRIGORYAN: Yes, that construction has already started, but notice that the trilateral statement mentions about the plan for the construction of a new route. No such agreed upon plan exists. The Republic of Armenia has already proposed to agree over and sign the plan in a trilateral format and move forward with an agreed schedule and roadmap. This is what is envisaged by the 2020 November 9 trilateral statement.

 12:59, 3 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan held a meeting with the new World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Armenia Jihane Tawilah on the occasion of the presentation of credentials.

FM Mirzoyan praised the WHO activities in Armenia and thanked for the organization’s support in the COVID-19 response and overcoming the consequences of the pandemic, the foreign ministry said in a press release.

Views were exchanged over the ongoing healthcare reforms in Armenia and cooperation with the WHO in this regard. FM Mirzoyan underscored that the Armenian Government is taking concrete steps in the direction of continuously improving the quality of life in Armenia, including in the direction of increasing the quality of healthcare.

During the meeting FM Mirzoyan also presented to Jihane Tawilah the humanitarian challenges caused by the 44-day war, namely attaching importance to the involvement of international specialized organizations in the context of solving healthcare issues.

 13:36, 3 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. From the world's first seaside startup camp to a global venture fund. 

A prominent entertainment executive, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Artur Janibekyan, along with the co-founders of “Seaside Startup Summit” – Hakob Hakobyan and Avag Simonyan, have founded a new international Venture Capital firm called Triple S Ventures. 

Triple S has decided to engage more actively in Armenia and abroad. It targets startups in the Pre-seed or Seed stages and plans to focus its investments across AI and Blockchain technologies, creator economy, SaaS platforms and Fintech.

The founder of TripleS Ventures Artur Janibekyan has invested in over 15 startups in recent years and has a big interest in the development of the innovative startup culture.

“There is a great potential not only in Armenia but also among Armenian youth that is spread all over the world. We aim to find these striking young minds and help them with funds and our network of mentors and professionals. TripleS is a structure that will be their guiding hand in the entrepreneurship world.

My extensive experience in the Media world has proven that I have a refined skill and intuition in choosing people – human resources. I consider this one of the keys to my success as well. This is a small start of something grand and is an accumulated potential of talented people, a club of successful entrepreneurs who invest their money in innovative ideas”, said General Partner Artur Janibekyan.

Triple S is a group of international entrepreneurs, investors, experts, and mentors, committed to helping the best impact-driven startup founders and ideas, by providing access to a network of partners, talent, investors, or customers and by sharing expert knowledge in the legal, marketing & finance fields. 

"We have been organizing large-scale startup events annually, including the Seaside Startup Summit. Local venture funds, angel investors, and international accelerating programs have used these events for many years as a source to haunt startuppers. During the last years, hundreds of entrepreneurs and bold minds gathered around these events and created a pipeline for us”, said GP Hakob Hakobyan. 

 "We believe that with the hyperactive drive seen across the startup ecosystem in the last 5 years, it is important for established startup players to take the lead in paving the way towards capacity building for the new startups. Our fund is most importantly looking to invest in scalable ideas and promising founders. It will support the startups that will add value to the growth of the Armenian High-Tech Ecosystem but won't limit ourselves and will invest in any idea and a prominent team that matches our requirements," said the managing partner Avag Simonyan.

“We brought together successful LPs in the fund, who are also a network of internationally qualified and experienced field gurus. At TripleS ventures, we want promising ideas to ride on the skills, knowledge, and expertise that we have built over the years, thus empowering them to grow at an accelerated pace," said the venture partner Zareh Baghdasarian.

Triple S is also launching in the US- Southern California. The fund has set goals to expand its geographical targets soon, by expanding to North California. Ultimately, one of its goals is to provide expertise internationally and identify new investment opportunities by expanding to the following markets: EEU, US & the UK. The founders are planning to have larger funds in the future and are open to new partnerships and collaborations.