Category: 2022

 09:56,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin offers his deepest condolences over the death of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Wednesday.

"Vladimir Putin expresses his deepest condolences over the death of Mikhail Gorbachev. In the morning he will send a telegram with condolences to the relatives and friends," TASS quoted Peskov as saying.

Mikhail Gorbachev died at the age of 91 after a serious and prolonged illness on Tuesday, the Central Clinical Hospital said.

Putin, as Russian president, met with Gorbachev several times. The last time he received the former Soviet leader in Novo-Ogaryovo was in March 2006, the day after the politician's 75th birthday.

President Putin sent annual birthday greetings to Gorbachev on March 2. This year, the Russian leader noted in his telegram the rich life and high authority of the former head of the USSR, and emphasized his contribution to the implementation of social, charitable and educational projects and the development of international humanitarian cooperation. A year earlier, when Gorbachev was celebrating his 90th birthday, Putin pointed out in his congratulatory telegram to the first and last president of the USSR that the politician was "considered to be part of the constellation of bright and outstanding people and preeminent statesmen of our time who have had a major effect on national and global history."

 10:17,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. The universities of Yerevan and the educational facilities of Armenia will host the speakers of STARMUS VI International Festival that will launch in Armenia on September 5.

The speakers will share their knowledge and experience by discovering the secrets of the Universe.

The speakers will deliver lectures in the following educational facilities of Armenia:

• Yerevan State University
• National Polytechnic University of Armenia
• Armenian-Russian University
• American University of Armenia
• Armenian State University of Economics
• Armenian National Agrarian University
• Yerevan Haybusak University
• National Academy of Sciences of Armenia
• Alikhanian Yerevan Institute of Physics
• UN Office in Armenia
• Quantum College
• Physics and Mathematics Specialized School 
• Anania Shirakatsy Lyceum
• TUMO Center for Creative Technologies
• Ayb School
• Technological Center of Enterprise Incubator Foundation in Gyumri
• COAF Smart Center in Lori province
• LOFT in Vanadzor

The students of these educational institutions will have an opportunity to listen to the world-renowned scientists, astronauts and astrophysicists, like Jim Bagian, Garik Israelian, Kip Thorne, Charlie Duke, Nagin Cox, Joel Parker, David Eicher, Tony Fadell, Donna Strickland, Jean-Jacques Dordain and others.

The sixth Starmus, one of the world-scale science and art festivals, will take place on September 5-10 2022 in Yerevan, Armenia, to celebrate science communication with world-class scientists, engineers artists, and astronauts.

In the past, Starmus has hosted several Apollo astronauts (among them Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin), Alexei Leonov and Victor Gorbatko. World known scientists, 25 Nobel prize winners and space explorers have shared their science from the Starmus stage, among them Stephen Hawking, May-Britt Moser, Emmanuelle Charpentier, Elizabeth Blackburn, Donna Strickland, Jill Tarter, Kip Thorne, Robert Wilson, Michel Mayor, Eduard Moser, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Richard Dawkins, Brian Cox, Tony Fadell, and many other giants of science. Stephen Hawking and Alexei Leonov, together with the rock star and astrophiscist Brian May, worked to create the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, awarded to individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to science communication. Previous Stephen Hawking Medal winners include Elon Musk, Jean-Michel Jarre, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Hans Zimmer and The Particle Fever documentary.

 10:32,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed a congratulatory message to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and India, the PM’s Office said.

The message reads:

“Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

I cordially congratulate you on the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our friendly countries.

I should praise the fact that the ties between our nations having millennia-old history have got a new impetus especially in recent years. The best evidence of it is the mutually beneficial cooperation that is growing and developing in various areas day by day. The political dialogue has activated, the Armenian-Indian inter-governmental commission is effectively operating, there is a close cooperation in education, culture, IT, defense, trade-economic and other sectors.

Armenia highly appreciates the caring attitude of Indian authorities towards the Armenian community, Armenian historical sites and heritage.

I hope with bilateral efforts we will register new achievements for the welfare of our friendly countries and peoples.

Your Excellency,

Armenia highly values the reputation of friendly India that is growing year by year in today’s rapidly changing world order because peace-loving and democratic India could play a positive role in the fair solution of numerous problems facing the world and our regions.

Armenia, like in the past, is ready to support friendly India in different international platforms.

I wish you good health and success, and to the friendly people of India – lasting peace and welfare”.

 11:13,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) set off on Wednesday from the Ukrainian capital towards the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to inspect for damage after shelling nearby sparked fears of a radiation disaster, Reuters reports.

The mission is being led by the IAEA chief Rafael Grossi and comes after extensive negotiations.

"We are now finally moving after six months of strenuous efforts," Grossi told reporters before the convoy set off, adding that the mission planned to spend "a few days" at the site.

"We have a very important task there to perform – to assess the real situations there, to help stabilise the situation as much as we can."

He said the IAEA hoped to set up a permanent mission at the plant, which is being run by Ukrainian technicians. Grossi said one of the priorities of the mission would be speaking to them.

"That’s one of the most important things I want to do and I will do it,” he said.

 11:45,

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. Two-way traffic between the Republic of Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia is already being conducted through the alternative road, bypassing the town of Berdzor, the Artsakh interior ministry said.

“The new Stepanakert-Goris road, which starts from the intersection of the Berdadzor subregion of the Shushi region, has been put into operation from 20:00, August 30. Russian peacekeepers are deployed along the road. Highway patrol officers of the Artsakh police and rescuers of the State Service of Emergency Situations are also on patrol here, ensuring the safe passage of citizens,” the interior ministry said.

 12:25,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and India exchanged congratulations on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

“Warmest congratulations to a good friend and colleague, FM Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and the Government and people of India on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Very much value our strong relations and historic friendship and committed to enhancing cooperation in all areas”, the Armenian FM tweeted.

In his turn the Indian FM also made a post on Twitter on this occasion, which says: “Best wishes to FM Ararat Mirzoyan and the Government and people of Armenia on the 30th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. May our long-standing friendship keep growing”.

 13:25,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. Gagik Sargsyan was re-elected as President of the Armenian Ski Federation for a 5-year term.

Sargsyan was Vice President of the ski federation from 2016 to 2021 and was elected president in August 2021 for a 1-year term.

The congress also elected a 17-member presidency composition.

Changed were also made in the charter and the official name of the federation was changed to “Armenian Federation of Ski Sport and Snowboarding”. The federation will from now on also oversee para-skiing and para-snowboard.

 13:45,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. The European Union welcomes the IAEA visit to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and will demand a full demilitarization of the area around the plant, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said upon arriving to Prague for the EU informal foreign ministerial meeting.

“The IAEA delegation is now on its way to Zaporizhzhia. We fully support [IAEA Director General] Grossi. We call for demilitarization around the largest nuclear power plant of Europe,” TASS quoted Borrell as saying.

A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) set off on Wednesday from the Ukrainian capital towards the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to inspect for damage after shelling nearby sparked fears of a radiation disaster, Reuters reported on August 31.

The mission is being led by the IAEA chief Rafael Grossi and comes after extensive negotiations.

"We are now finally moving after six months of strenuous efforts," Grossi told reporters before the convoy set off, adding that the mission planned to spend "a few days" at the site.

"We have a very important task there to perform – to assess the real situations there, to help stabilise the situation as much as we can."

He said the IAEA hoped to set up a permanent mission at the plant, which is being run by Ukrainian technicians. Grossi said one of the priorities of the mission would be speaking to them.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Wednesday hit out at what she described as “Europe’s inaction” regarding the crisis around the nuclear power plant (NPP) which according to Moscow is under continual attack by the Ukrainian military, emphasizing that this is cause for alarm and a ‘dangerous game’.

"[The right decision can be] the cessation of the shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Any child can tell you that. In order to make the facility safe, it is necessary to stop shelling it. It is strange that adults do not understand this. This nuclear power plant is located in the heart of Europe. To pretend that no one understands the entire array of problems is a very dangerous game," the diplomat said in an interview with Sputnik radio on Wednesday.

The “out-of-control Kiev regime” has gone as far as using the nuke plant as a tool for blackmail, the spokeswoman stressed.

"But, perhaps, precisely because there is an understanding among the EU’s ranks that they cannot do anything – and the Kiev regime is just controlled by Washington while Brussels is also indirectly an instrument in US games – perhaps, this is why they simply distract the attention of their own population with endless anti-Russian sanctions," the diplomat pointed out.

"I sincerely hope that deep inside the Brussels bureaucracy, they are seriously pondering about the situation after all," Zakharova added.

"On the one hand, I have no desire to sow panic but this sense of inactivity by the leading European powers on this issue, which they have always regarded as extremely important verbally, evokes my feeling of alarm, to put it mildly," she said, pointing out that some time ago many European countries had given up nuclear power precisely due to safety concerns.

Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of shelling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP).

 14:36,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. Russia, together with Yerevan and Baku, is focused on implementing all the provisions of the trilateral agreements reached at a high level, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing.

She stated that the work within the agreed trilateral formats is of substantive nature. In this context Zakharova reminded the meetings of the working group on border delimitation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which Russia is providing a consulting support.

As for the reports on forming a working group with the mediation of the European Union, the Russian MFA Spokeswoman said that Russia has not got any information on that by the Armenian and Azerbaijani partners.

“The EU activeness in the South Caucasus is determined by geopolitical ambitions. In our opinion, it has no link with the real desire to contribute to improving the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. These are the fake initiatives of Europeans which are more like usurping the laurels of the mediation, with nothing underneath. We, as mediators, are working, and this work is bringing concrete results and getting respective assessment by the sides. Those who present themselves as mediators, but not being so, are just incapable of offering something”, she said.

Zakharova also commented on the recent statement of Turkish deputy minister of trade Rıza Tuna Turagay, who said that the so-called “Zangezur corridor” will open soon, citing an agreement with Russia.

“I have no information about the contacts between the Turkish ministry of trade and the Russian partners. I can only say that Russia continues the substantive work with Baku and Yerevan aimed at unblocking the transportation ties in South Caucasus, and the work implies a package solution on concrete routes. They should be based on the principles of sovereignty and respect of Armenia and Azerbaijan and should contribute to the security and economic welfare of the region”, Maria Zakharova stated.

 14:43,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. The authors of the teaching programs of Iranian, Georgian, Turkish and Azerbaijani languages for the public educational institutions’ regional language curriculum were awarded with certificates of appreciation of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.

Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan awarded the experts.

“Together we’ve started an important process with the purpose of learning and revaluing regional languages and our interests, position and challenges in this region. The 2021-2026 government action plan specifically mentions the organization of teaching of regional languages in various educational levels and for this purpose we began the work last year,” she said.

Andreasyan said that the ministry conducted a survey in May to find out whether or not there is willingness to include a 3rd foreign language education of any regional language in the curriculum in all schools taking into account the autonomy of the institutions. As a result of the survey, over 400 positive reactions were received, with most having noted their willingness to organize the teaching of Azerbaijani and Turkish languages.

Azerbaijani and Turkish languages will be taught in schools in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades.

Certificates of appreciation were awarded to Lendrush Ghumashyan, Nara Veranyan, Mariam Harutyunyan, Hasmik Samvelyan, Roza Hakobyan and Mushegh Khudaverdyan for the development of the Turkish-language program, Lilit Movsisyan for the Azerbaijani-language program, Asya Darbinyan for the Georgian-language program and Naira Petrosyan for the Iranian-language program.