Category: 2022

 14:19, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a letter of condolences to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ebrahim Raisi over the derailment of a passenger train in the South Khorasan province, the PM’s Office said.

The letter reads:

“Your Excellency,

I learnt with pain about the crash of the passenger train near the city of Tabas in the South Khorasan province of Iran.

I address my sincere words of condolences to the families and relatives of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery to all those injured”.

 14:38, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Russian and Armenian Foreign Ministers Sergei Lavrov and Ararat Mirzoyan held a private meeting today in Yerevan, which was followed by extended-format talks and then a joint press conference.

During the press conference the Russian FM praised the productive meeting held with Ararat Mirzoyan and expressed confidence that the upcoming session of the Council of CSTO Foreign Ministers in Yerevan will also be held successfully.

Lavrov invited Mirzoyan to visit Russia, stating that the Russian side will be glad to see the delegation led by the Armenian FM in any corner of Russia. The Armenian FM thanked his Russian counterpart for the invitation.

The last visit of the Armenian FM to Russia was held on April 8, 2022, on the occasion of the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Russia.

 14:53, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan received today the delegation led by President of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission Claire Bazy Malaurie, the Presidential Office said.

The President of the Venice Commission arrived in Armenia on an official visit at the invitation of the Constitutional Court.

During the meeting President Khachaturyan said that the Council of Europe has a special significance for Armenia as Armenia is cooperating very closely with the structure since independence, and the CoE is one of the key partners of Armenia.

The President praised the fact that the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission are constantly supporting Armenia’s agenda of reforms and strengthening of democracy aimed at the protection of human rights, the fight against corruption, the independence of judiciary and the productive work.

In her turn Claire Bazy Malaurie said Armenia is the stable and reliable partner of the Council of Europe.

 15:09, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. President of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission Claire Bazy Malaurie and her delegation visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan to pay tribute to the memory of the Genocide victims.

The delegation was accompanied by President of the Constitutional Court of Armenia Arman Dilanyan, the Court’s press service said.

The President of the Venice Commission arrived in Armenia on June 8.

 15:27, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is convinced that there will be final agreements over the settlement of the bilateral relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

During a press conference in Yerevan together with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, the Russian FM, commenting on the question relating to the progress in the process of the normalization of the relations between Yerevan and Baku, reminded that after the 2020 large-scale war the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan held three trilateral meetings aimed at settling the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and solving the practical issues connected with the settlement of the relations.

“In my view, we have a common perception that the process moves forward. Perhaps, it would be desirable for the process to be faster, nevertheless, it moves on, substantive, positive, albeit still intermediate results are being achieved, but there is no doubt that there will also be final agreements. We try to contribute to it in every way. Of course, the sides have their own visions, which do not always coincide, especially on how to work in the upcoming stage, but in any case all our partners and we as well agree that the three statements adopted at the highest level are very simple roadmaps that we should all guided by”, the Russian FM said.  

He reminded that the meeting of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Border Commissions was held recently, and the next meeting is scheduled to take place in Moscow. Lavrov said the Russian side is ready to provide consulting support in this respect. According to the Russian top diplomat, the activities of the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan deputy prime ministerial working group dealing with the unblocking of transportation and economic communications in the region have also greatly moved forward.

“Therefore, I am sure that there is no other way than the complete normalization of the relations”, the Russian FM said.

 16:17, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Today, on 9th of June, the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer of Armenia, Sergey Meghryan held a thematic-discussion on the occasion of the 15th World Day of the Judicial Officer with the participation of the management team and enforcement officers, his office said.

Each year, on this day, member-states of the UIHJ participate in this event in various formats. The theme of this year’s discussion was: “Judicial Officer, element of stability in a changing world.”

In his opening remarks, the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer referred to the effective and active cooperation of the Compulsory Enforcement Service with the International Union of Judicial Officers on strengthening the international partnership, reforming the enforcement sector, and advising on best practices and solutions to the problems occurred while overcoming the coronavirus-induced crisis. According to him, the theme of this year’s discussion is vital in the changing reality of post-COVID and post-war Armenia, where the compulsory enforcement officer overcomes new challenges in their day-to-day work to defend the rights of Service beneficiaries.

The thematic discussion hosted the Deputy Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer Levon Balyan, the Assistants to the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer Varduhi Petrosyan and Elina Geghamyan, the Head of the Legal Department of the Chief Compulsory Enforcement Service Gohar Mkrtchyan, and the Head of the Special Department of Non-Property Enforcement Proceedings Vardan Melikbekyan as speakers.

The speakers highlighted in their speeches the importance of the cooperation between the Service and the UIHJ in the post-crisis situation, the reforms  implemented in the enforcement sector and their continuity, the importance of having a stable and consistent enforcement system for guaranteeing the realization of the fundamental right to fair trial, the execution of non-property enforcement proceedings in post-crisis situations, and referred to the necessity of developing a clear post-crisis communication strategy in the public administration system.

A panel discussion was held at the end of the event where the issues raised were actively discussed.

The Compulsory Enforcement Service of Armenia has been a full member of the International Union of Judicial Officers since 2015. Formed in 1952, the Union currently has more than 96 member states.

 16:49, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Alen Simonyan, who is in Strasbourg on a working visit, met today with Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Despina Chatzivassiliou-Tsovilis, the Parliament’s press service said.

The Speaker highly valued the key role of the Council of Europe and the PACE and the productive continuation of their activity as a cornerstone of democratic security, guarantor of human rights and rule of law, a platform for real pluralism and effective dialogue.

The sides discussed the PACE role in strengthening democracy in Armenia, particularly touching upon the works of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee.

The Speaker of Parliament said there are many unresolved issues after the 44-day war, one of the most urgent of which is the issue of the immediate repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and other persons held in Azerbaijan.

He said that this attempt of solving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict by force opposes the commitment of Azerbaijan’s membership to the CoE on settling the conflict exclusively peacefully.

According to the Armenian Speaker of Parliament, PACE should be consistent with its resolution on the Humanitarian consequences of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan/Nagorno Karabakh conflict, adopted on September 27, 2021.

He once again affirmed the commitment of Armenia to achieve peace and make real efforts in this direction, which could not be said about the Azerbaijani authorities who are still running an anti-Armenian and militaristic policy against Armenia.

 16:49, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan commented on the process of normalizing the relations between Armenia and Turkey.

During a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Yerevan, FM Mirzoyan said the Armenian side is happy to hear statements by the top leadership of Turkey that they are going and are ready to normalize and establish diplomatic relations with Armenia and open the Armenian-Turkish border.

“On the other hand, we see differences in approaches in a sense that Turkey constantly announces that this normalization process must take place without any precondition, but we regularly see connection between the Armenia-Turkey normalization process and the Armenia-Azerbaijan processes. A connection that the representatives of Turkey’s leadership are trying to find or highlight on every occasion. We don’t think that this is constructive. There are also some differences in a sense that we have different ideas about pace. Nevertheless, I want to state once again that hearing statements by Turkey that they are going to open the closed border with Armenia is welcome”, the FM said.

 17:10, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul Sahak Mashalian visited the Turkish Foreign Ministry on June 9 to meet with FM Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul said on social media.

Cavusoglu was interested in the topic of community elections and stated that the works on drafting the charter have reached the final stage, expressing hope that it will be published soon.

It was stated that ceremonies on the occasion of the 850th anniversary of the death of Nerses IV the Gracious are expected in Rome and other places where there are Armenians.

The Turkish FM promised to visit the Armenian Patriarchate in case of being in Istanbul.

 17:15, 9 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan commented on the ongoing protests in the country, stating that there is no political crisis in Armenia.

During a press conference today with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Mirzoyan told a reporter that he can substantiate his statement by two facts. “Firstly, snap parliamentary elections were held last summer, where the citizens of Armenia gave very clear answers to a number of questions and solved the political crisis that really existed that time. It’s worth noting that these elections were recognized as democratic and transparent by all observer missions. So, this shows that citizens undoubtedly had a chance to express their position and make a decision.

Secondly, we follow, as far as I managed to follow, the small number of people participating in rallies, perhaps, doesn’t show that these rallies are supported by the citizens of Armenia. But I want to note that Armenia is a democratic country, and everyone has a right to hold peaceful rallies”, the FM said.

Touching upon the logical sides of this process, the FM said he could present his own, personal position. “I see some problems with sound judgment here and I can state why. Firstly, that political forces have a chance to run their activity in the parliament and strongly criticize the authorities and ask the sharpest questions, which, unfortunately or fortunately, they do not use. It is their right again.

And secondly, the most important, the content part of the issue: as far as I managed to follow and understand, the forces that organize and participate in the rallies state that Armenia is not running a right policy over Nagorno Karabakh, is not running a right policy in the directions, the negotiations, I already mentioned, with Azerbaijan, and is not running a right policy in the process of normalizing the relations between Armenia and Turkey, and so on.

And here I want to state that strangely we have not seen statements that, if our government resigns, and the power is somehow transmitted to these forces, they are going to cancel, for example, the November 9 trilateral statement, or the trilateral statements of 2021 January 11 and November 26, or they are going to withdraw from the delimitation process, or they are going to suspend the process of unblocking the regional communications, etc. In other words, if such an approach was announced, perhaps it would have been logical, because I have already presented our approach and it has been announced long ago. And I suppose that it would have been logical if these aspiring political forces have had opposite positions on these key matters. As I said, I didn’t manage to follow much, but as far as I managed, I didn’t meet any talk on suspending the processes I mentioned or withdrawing from that processes, which allows me to suppose that the topic that is being discussed is just a way and occasion of manipulation by the opposition”, he said.