Credits: Ruptly
TRENTON, Canada
Canada will expand its diplomatic presence with full embassies in Eastern Europe and increase troops in Latvia, officials said Wednesday.
The numbers have not been released but Canada Defense Minister Anita Anand agreed with NATO allies to send more troops to the 2,000-soldier battlegroup it leads in Latvia.
The announcement was made at the NATO Summit in Madrid. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also at the summit.
It is part of an overall boost in troops to the NATO contingents in the Baltics, effectively doubling the numbers of eight battlegroups to between 3,000 and 5,000 troops. Canada joins Germany and Britain where officials said earlier they were prepared to lead larger battlegroups in the area.
Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, who is at the summit, announced Canada will upgrade its offices in Estonia, Lithuania and Slovakia to full embassies. Canada will also open a full embassy in Armenia, she said.
The troop increase and the establishment of full embassies are seen as deterrents to further Russian aggression as Moscow has shown with its military operation in Ukraine.
"Transatlantic security is critical to international stability," Joly said in a statement.
"Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable and horrific invasion of Ukraine has changed the security and diplomatic landscape in Europe, and Canada needs to respond strategically,” she said.
"Building on Canada’s strong relationship with its European partners, the changes announced today will help ensure that we have the tools we need to reinforce Armenian democracy and address some of the greatest security and diplomatic challenges of our time. As a great diplomatic power Canada needs to be on the ground, connected and engaged,” Joly added.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev speaking with the Russia's foreign minister during their meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, June 23, 2022. (Russian Foreign Ministry via AFP Photo)
The Zangezur corridor, which will provide a connection between the western regions of Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave, is already becoming a reality, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the 6th Summit of the Caspian littoral states, Aliyev said: “After the victory in the Great Patriotic War and the settlement of the conflict with Armenia, Azerbaijan began to carry out large-scale work on the reconstruction and restoration of Karabakh and East Zangezur, as well as the development of international transport links. The Zangezur corridor is already becoming a reality.”
Zangezur was part of Azerbaijan until the Soviets gave the region to Armenia in the 1920s. This move resulted in Azerbaijan losing its direct overland route with Nakhchivan.
Following the completion of the railway, Azerbaijan will be able to reach Iran, Armenia and Nakhchivan uninterruptedly by train. The railway will also link Turkey with Russia through Azerbaijan.
“Today, Azerbaijan is one of the important transport and logistics centers of Eurasia,” Aliyev continued. “Our country plays an important role in the development of East-West and North-South international transport corridors. We strive for the efficient use of the Trans-Caspian international transport route.”
Aliyev announced that the eighth meeting of the North-South International Transport Corridor Coordination Council is also planned to be held in Azerbaijan this year.
Efforts for reconstruction and enhanced transport routes with regional countries come after a major territorial dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia has been resolved to a great extent, with the two countries aiming now to sign a peace agreement.
Relations between the two former Soviet countries have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.
New clashes erupted in September 2020, and the 44-day conflict saw Azerbaijan liberate several cities and over 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia for almost 30 years.
A tripartite agreement was brokered by Russia to bring an end to the war in November 2020.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr sworn in as Philippines president
09:35, 30 June 2022
YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. Ferdinand Marcos Jr has been sworn in as the Philippine president in a ceremony in Manila, succeeding the outgoing leader Rodrigo Duterte, BBC reports.
His inauguration marks a stunning comeback for the Marcos political dynasty, which was ousted after a popular revolt in 1986.
Mr Marcos Jr – nicknamed Bong Bong – won an election landslide last month.
Sara Duterte, the daughter of the outgoing president, is being sworn in as vice-president.
Mr Marcos Jr took his oath of office at midday local time (0400GMT) in a colourful ceremony at the National Museum.
Flanked by his wife and three sons, he waved and smiled while observing a parade that featured an aerial display of jet fighters and march-pasts of Philippine's various uniformed personnel.
09:57, 30 June 2022
YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. The Russian State Duma adopted a bill at first hearing on recognizing the national driving licenses of Armenian citizens in Russia if they carry out entrepreneurial or working activity in Russia, reports TASS.
“The expected changes suppose recognition of national driving licenses of citizens of Armenia in the territory of Russia for entrepreneurial and labor activities related to driving”, the bill says.
Diaspora-Armenian Tatev Manucharyan says in order to build strong country it's necessary to develop provinces
11:38, 30 June 2022
YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. Tatev Manucharyan, a Diaspora-Armenian who moved to live in the United States of America at the age of 16, got an opportunity in 2021 to return back to Armenia within the framework of iGorts project and work at the Ministry of Environment by investing her experience and knowledge for improving the field and developing policies and programs.
In an interview to ARMENPRESS, Tatev said that she was born in Yerevan and later moved with her family to Los Angeles. After graduating from school there she studied political science in a university. Later Tatev moved to Europe, lived in the Netherlands and studied EU Legislation in her Master’s Degree.
“After graduating from the university in the Netherlands, I have worked in the same university as a researcher, as well as taught EU Legislation. I would like to state that I have always wished to return to Armenia, work here, and after the war my desire further intensified. I thought what I have done to prevent such phenomena? In other words I left the country and didn’t bring any contribution to my homeland, expect from visiting as a tourist. In fact, I have always dreamed of coming to and living in Armenia, working here, and thus, I decided to come and make my dream true, by contributing to the development of my country”, she said.
Touching upon the problems she faced in Armenia, Tatev said she almost didn’t have any problems, but mentioned some phenomena. “As my work is connected with environment, I would like very much if the residents of Yerevan and the population of Armenia in general show more care to the city and the environment. It’s very sad to see garbage everywhere, in cities, in nature, in our beautiful sites, on roads. I am more concerned about the waste management issue and the air pollution in Yerevan, but as for other issues, I got used to them”, she said.
Tatev says different countries have advantages both good sides and bad sides, but you don’t feel at home in any country than in your birthplace. “I was born and grew up in Yerevan, and this feeling is very very important for me. Being here and feeling like home is very nice”, she said.
As for the plans for the future, Tatev Manucharyan said they are not clear yet as she has not completed the iGorts program, it will end in September 2022. “It can be said the idea of staying in Armenia has always been on my mind. I hope there will be more opportunities at this period so that I can work and live in Armenia. In any case after the war I understood that I cannot help my homeland only with visiting Armenia for a certain time and as a tourist”, she noted.
Talking about her dreams, she said: “Perhaps now my biggest dream is to see Armenia strong, to have a country which we will be proud of. Armenia has many good sides, but I see potential in all areas that is not used much. I would like to see more investments, both public and private, in education sector, so that we could be leaders in this and other areas. My desire is for us to be a leader in the region in all areas. The issue of development of provinces is also very important for me. We could develop our country only by developing our provinces”, she stated.
Interview by Gayane Gaboyan
Photos by Hayk Manukyan
12:50, 30 June 2022
YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s economic activity index in May comprised 13% compared to the same month of the previous year, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting today, presenting the data of the Statistical Committee.
He said that the main locomotives of the growth are the construction sector, the increase of which comprised 18.1% in May, and the services field, the increase of which comprised 30.2%, as well as the electricity production with an increase of 8.2% and the export growth which increased by 33.7% this May compared to last May.
“But, in line with good indicators, there is also a figure that creates concern, particularly the industrial production volume increased by just 2%, and also high inflationary environment is maintained which is concerning, but with the figures of five months we have entered a double-digit economic growth zone”, the PM said, adding that the plan envisaged for the first half of the year has been overperformed by 47 billion drams.
“We still have more than 10 billion EAEU customs allocations to receive”, he said.
12:57, 30 June 2022
YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. Pensions will rise in Armenia from January 1, 2023. The minimum wage will also increase from 68,000 drams to 75,000 drams, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting today.
“We came to a conclusion that we should increase the child care benefit for children up to 2 years of age. It should be increased from 28,600 drams to 30,700 drams. We also should provide child care benefit (up to 2 years of age) to all mothers, regardless of place of residence, be she from rural or urban settlement, and also regardless of whether she is working or not. But for those working in rural settlements, that benefit will be paid double, which means that they will get that benefit in the amount of 61,400 drams starting January 1”, the PM said.
13:24, 30 June 2022
YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, RIA Novosti reports.
During the meeting the sides discussed the bilateral economic, political relations, as well as issues relating to regional security.
The settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict was also on the agenda of the discussion.
Putin said that the visits of the Russian Prime Minister and the State Duma Speaker to Azerbaijan are being prepared.