10:57,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Transavia will launch on April 13th roundtrip flights between the French city of Lyon and the Armenian capital of Yerevan.
The Lyon-Yerevan-Lyon flights will be operated once a week: every Saturday (starting July 3 every Wednesday as well).
09:43,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. "The Essentials of Modern Marketing: Armenia Edition" book will provide a unique platform to showcase the success stories of Armenian companies on a global scale and spotlight their innovative ideas to a worldwide audience.
Published by Kotler Impact, a company established by Philip Kotler, this textbook will feature the success stories of Armenian companies and will be available for sale both locally and worldwide. This presents an excellent opportunity to venture into the international market.
Philip Kotler, an American marketing specialist, marketing professor, consultant and the author of more than 80 marketing books, is one of the most influential figures in the field of marketing. In today's dynamically evolving marketing domain, where businesses are actively seeking innovative and strategic direction, Professor Philip Kotler's "Essentials of Modern Marketing" is an innovative masterpiece that demonstrates the transformative power of marketing in an ever-evolving world. Philip Kotler's book showcasing the success of Armenian companies will soon captivate audiences worldwide in English.
In this interview, we explore why the 'Essentials of Modern Marketing: Armenian Edition' is an important project for the country and Armenian businesses. Emma Arakelyan, the chair of the advisory board for this edition, will share her insights."
Emma is a distinguished management consulting executive, angel investor, author, speaker, entrepreneur, philanthropist, coach, and professor, with over 20 years of leadership experience. She has played key roles in business strategy, IT Architecture & Transformation, M&A, governance, and compliance at prestigious firms such as EY (Ernst & Young) and Accenture. Emma's expertise extends to business transformation and technology solutions implementation for Fortune 500 companies. Moreover, she serves on the boards of multiple startups, cultural organizations, and educational programs.
How does the Armenian edition of "The Essentials of Modern Marketing" aim to showcase the success stories of Armenian companies on a global scale?
– Essentials of modern marketing is the latest project of Dr. Philip Kotler and Kotler Impact, a global initiative with a presence in more than 50 countries around the world (including editions in Canada, Italy, Poland, Brazil, India, Pakistan, Jordan, the Netherlands, Denmark, Latin America, Egypt, Turkey, Bangladesh, and Portugal/Spain).
As the first marketing publication based on local success stories and sold worldwide, this exclusive opportunity aims to share the innovative ideas of Armenian companies with the global audience. Because the book is grounded in simplified explanations and real examples, it will be accessible to both students and professionals.
Professor Kotler, recognized as the father of modern marketing, is renowned for his influential works widely studied in top business schools worldwide for decades.
What role does Philip Kotler's "Essentials of Modern Marketing" play in today's marketing landscape?
The book will serve as a fundamental resource for students studying marketing and business. The importance of the book lies in the fact that it will be a marketing guide backed by proven facts, enabling readers to understand the dynamic and evolving nature of the business landscape.
The book provides Armenian companies with a unique opportunity for international exposure, with over 10,000 copies distributed worldwide. By showcasing success stories, it enhances their presence and reputation, aligning them with global leaders. This enduring showcase ensures lasting recognition, unlike fleeting press articles. Additionally, serving as an educational resource, it benefits Armenian students.
In what ways will the emphasis on showcasing Armenian companies' achievements and serving as an educational resource in the book foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth within Armenia?
Highlighting Armenian companies' achievements, the book promotes the country's business sector, attracting both domestic and international interest and potentially boosting foreign investment. By showcasing successful marketing practices, it fosters innovation and entrepreneurship, contributing to economic growth. Furthermore, its educational content helps develop a skilled marketing workforce.
Well-trained professionals are essential for sustainable business growth and bolstering the country's overall human capital. The success stories and effective marketing practices presented in the book contribute to the formation of a positive national brand image. This positive image can extend beyond the business sphere, affecting the perception of Armenia as a country with innovative and competitive enterprises.
In summary, the book indirectly contributes to Armenia's economic development, enhances the international reputation, and competitiveness of companies. By showcasing successful marketing practices, promoting innovation, and developing business capabilities, the book plays a crucial role in positioning Armenia as a player in the global market․ I should add that the process of recruiting companies to be published in the book is still ongoing, and interested companies can fill out the registration application on the . Only the logos of the first 10-15 companies will appear on the cover.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1130618.html?fbclid=IwAR1nrKr_NKFsUtIhWNDGwzXyna_ZiYETW1X8yiDM6uT7KcYEewtK8wMja7g
10:40,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeated that his government wouldn’t want to see the forcibly displaced persons of Nagorno-Karabakh leave Armenia in case they don’t have a desire or opportunity to return to their homes.
Pashinyan has also unveiled a new housing program for the forcibly displaced persons.
More than 100,000 forcibly displaced persons of Nagorno-Karabakh found shelter in Armenia after the September 2023 Azeri attack.
Pashinyan was asked on the matter during his meeting with the Armenian community in Germany where he was on a visit for the Munich Security Conference.
He was asked on the government’s plans regarding the refugees, and whether the forcibly displaced persons would return to Nagorno-Karabakh or stay in Armenia.
“Our vision is as follows: if they don’t have a realistic opportunity to return to Nagorno-Karabakh, it is our policy to do everything for them to stay in Armenia. Our Western, foreign partners strongly encourage the fact that the government of Armenia was able to take in over one hundred thousand people within a week, and take them in without refugee camps. Secondly, we can say that most of the children now go to school. As of December 31, 2023, 10,000 forcibly displaced persons of Nagorno-Karabakh had already found employment in Armenia. This is good, but this isn’t all, because this is perhaps thirty percent of the total number of employable people [displaced from NK]. All pensioners receive their pensions, and we are planning to launch a housing program soon, and we’ve made two important conclusions during its debates: first, this project must be accessible also for the citizens of Armenia, second, our brothers and sisters who were forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, who would want to use this program, would have to obtain citizenship of Armenia [as a mandatory requirement of the program],” Pashinyan said.
11:28,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has reiterated that Armenia is not Russia’s ally in the Ukraine conflict.
“The situation is difficult, so is our stance,” Pashinyan said during his meeting with the Armenian community in Germany where he was on a visit for the Munich Security Conference, when asked on Yerevan’s position in the Ukraine issue.
He said that the Alma-Ata Declaration is the basis for recognition of the independence and territorial integrity of the republics that gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“We recognize the Alma-Ata Declaration, but it’s not just for us. 13 Soviet republics have acknowledged the Alma-Ata Declaration, including Russia and Ukraine. By the way, they are the ones who initiated it, because Russia, Ukraine and Belarus decided with the Belovezha Accords that the Soviet Union no longer exists, and that they become independent states and recognize each other’s borders. Our perception in the matter of Ukraine is that the basis for recognizing the independence and territorial integrity of the republics is the Alma-Ata Declaration. In our logic, the same should apply in case of Ukraine, because that document pertains to us all. And if we tear it down, then we tear everything down. I’ve said this long ago, Armenia is not Russia’s ally in the matter of Ukraine, and this is our sincere stance. I said this for the first time two years ago, and we very much regret that we can’t have any impact on that situation. The Ukrainian people are a friendly people to us,” Pashinyan said.
10:59,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that the goal of Armenia’s foreign policy is the protection of the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Our country’s interest should be the goal of our foreign policy vector,” Pashinyan said when asked whether the Armenian government plans to change the vector. “Now, are we pursuing the interests of our country in the foreign policy, or aren’t we? And from this perspective the narrative on the change of the vector isn’t acceptable for me. The goal of our foreign policy is the protection of our independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. In this sense, this is our vector in all our foreign relations,” Pashinyan said when asked on the matter during his meeting with the Armenian community in Germany where he was on a visit for the Munich Security Conference.
The Armenian PM added that in the relations with the EU and Western partners he attaches importance not only to material, relations, but also the value-based relations. The Armenia-EU ties, according to PM Pashinyan, are developing first and foremost because of democracy.
“The EU supports us with democratic reforms, and furthermore, we will learn more about democracy here, and there’s no shame in speaking about it,” Pashinyan said, adding that Armenia’s ties with the EU are first of all value-based.
11:54,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government is discussing the introduction of a comprehensive security and defense system, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.
“In addition to the armed forces system, we also have the militia system, which must further develop and become a part of our territorial defense system. It contains components, and according to components we are aiming for our population to have some involvement in the protection of territories. In this sense, we are cooperating with certain organizations. But we should also draw conclusions from these events,” Pashinyan said during his meeting with the Armenian community in Germany where he was on a visit for the Munich Security Conference when asked on the latest Azeri cross-border shooting in Syunik province which left 4 Armenian troops dead and another wounded.
“We are now discussing the comprehensive security and defense system, which has a goal to involve a maximally broad circle of people in the participation of the country’s security. The problem here isn’t the age, I think we must work in order for military discipline and logic to be unquestionable,” the PM said.
12:49,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Ameriabank (the Bank) has reached an agreement with the BOGG (the Group), a UK registered financial group, to join the latter as a standalone entity and the Group to become the main shareholder of the Bank, with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (“EBRD”) retaining their 10% shareholding in Ameriabank.
The Financial Conduct Authority, the financial services conduct regulator in the UK, has approved the circular of the transaction. As a next step, the transaction is subject to approval by shareholders, as well as the regulatory bodies, including the Central Bank of Armenia.
Bank of Georgia Group PLC is a UK incorporated international finanacial group listed on the Premium Segment of the LSE Main Market and a constituent of the FTSE-250 index. Among the Group’s shareholders are some of the world’s largest financial institutions, such as JPMorgan, BlackRock, The Vanguard Group, Schroders, Norges Bank Investment Management (a leading pension fund), etc.
Following approvals and closing of the transaction, Ameriabank will operate as a standalone entity within the Group under its own brand name and the current leadership in place, committed to Ameriabank’s adopted strategic goals, values, mission and vision.
Amidst significant achievements in recent years and the current stage of technological development, Ameriabank views this transaction with the Group as a one of the well-reasoned options for its long-term growth. Upon successful completion of the transaction, Ameriabank will become a member of a LSE listed Group with access to global financial markets to raise capital and investments and will continue offering the latest financial products and technological solutions to its customers.
Following the closing of the transaction and with Ameriabank on board, the Group also intends to change its name marking a new chapter in its development.
13:20,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has a deep relationship with Iran and will continue to remain committed to these ties, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.
“We have a deep relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we continue to be committed to these relations,” Pashinyan said at a meeting with Armenian community representatives in Munich. “But this is also one of the cases where not everything is clear. Our good relations with Iran cause tensions in some places, while our good relations with other countries cause tensions in Iran.”
The sixth day of the 2024 European Wrestling Championships saw the first five freestyle wrestling finals. Two of the gold medals went to Armenian wrestlers.
First up was 24-year-old Arsen Harutyunyan (57kg), who won his fourth European title in a row. He stormed onto the mat and pinned Turkey's Muhammet Karavus 10-0 in just 52 seconds. Harutyunyan remained perfect throughout the tournament, winning all three of his bouts 10-0. The bronze medals went to Azerbaijan's Islam Bazarganov and Georgia's Roberti Dingashvili.
It was then Arman Andreasyan's (-70kg) turn to win the first European gold medal of his career after defeating 65kg world champion Ismael Musukaev (Hungary) in the semi-finals the day before. However, the same four-point move that helped him beat Musukaev won him the gold medal in the final against Akaki Kemertelidze (Georgia), 7-3. Musukaev and Bulgaria's Ramazan Ramazanov took the bronze medals.
Albania won the first European title in their history when Islam Dudaev defeated Gadzhimurad Rashidov (Individual Neutral Athletes) in the final of the -65kg category. Rashidov had defeated returning European champion Vazgen Tevanyan (Armenia) in a close contest the day before, but was unable to repeat the feat in the final. Dudaev withstood his opponent's attacks to win 2-1. Germany's Andre Clarke and Azerbaijan's Ali Rahimzada went home with bronze medals.
In the battle of the two Individual Neutral Athletes, Akhmed Usmanov defeated Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov to win the gold medal in the 79kg category. Italy's Frank Chamizo and Georgia's Avtandil Kentchadze finished third.
Everyone expected double Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev to top the podium at 97kg after being granted a Romanian visa, but Romanian border officials refused to allow him to enter the country after finding some problems with his visa.
Without Sadulaev, Georgia's Givi Matcharashvili won the gold medal and Magomedkhan Magomedov took silver. The bronze medals went to Ibrahim Ciftci of Turkey and Vladislav Baitcaev of Hungary.
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1143821/armenia-with-two-golds-albania-first
The Armenian warning came in the wake of a skirmish on the border that left four Armenian troops dead. Tensions between the two Caucasian countries have been high since Azerbaijan recaptured the Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023 in a surprise military action.
The territory is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but a large swathe of its land is under Armenian administration and the casus belli for one of the longest-running conflicts in the world.
Nagorno-Karabakh has a majority of the Armenian population and has declared independence.
The conflict has created two axes – one comprising Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan and another of Armenia, India, and France. The latest hostilities will see the use of newly acquired Indian weapons like Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) to Armenia and Bayraktar Akinci ‘Raider’ drones in Azerbaijan’s inventory.
Amid sporadic incidents of cross-border firing with Armenia, Azerbaijan has showcased the Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to the recently-opened UAV academy of its Air Force (HHQ).
As reported by the EurAsian Times earlier, Azerbaijan has raised training and operational facilities for its new Akıncı drone. The unveiling ceremony of the Turkish drone was witnessed by the President himself. A set of images published by the President’s office showed an Akıncı with manufacturer serial S46 and Azerbaijani markings.
The purchase of the Akıncı drone has been kept under wraps. Speculations were rife that Baku was among the first few customers as it was already operating the Bayraktar TB2 drone.
Bayraktar Akinci is a high-altitude, long-endurance drone that can be armed with weapons. Akinci is the Turkish word for ‘raider.’ The drone can fire various missiles, both air-to-air and air-to-ground.
The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict heralded the arrival of drones on the modern-day battlefield, with Armenia acknowledging that the Turkish Bayrakter TB-2 had made the difference, forcing them to concede defeat.
The Bayraktar TB2, developed and manufactured by Baykar, a Turkish defense company, is the size of a small airplane and equipped with four laser-guided missiles. It has an endurance of 12 hours when operating 550 nautical miles from its base. This allows it to be ‘eyes in the sky’ for long periods.
Armenia has equipped itself with Indian-made Pinaka MBRLS (considered at par with American HIMARS) and an anti-drone system. The Pinaka was delivered to Armenia via Iran in 2023.
The news was not received well by Baku leadership. Pinaka Mk-1 is a free-flight artillery rocket area bombardment system with a range of 38 kilometers, quick reaction time, and a high rate of fire. A single Pinaka system fires a salvo of 12 rockets from a multi-barrel launcher in 44 seconds, while a battery can fire 72 rockets.
India developed the Pinaka system as a replacement for the Russian GRAD BM-21, which is also present in the Armenian armed forces. Another important reason for Armenia’s choice was apprehension that Azerbaijan would deploy a greater number of drones, including suicide drones.
For an MBRLS to survive in a drone-saturated battlefield, it must have the ability to shoot and then disappear quickly. The Pinaka Mk-1 has precisely that ability.
After importing rocket launchers and missiles from India, Armenia also opted for an anti-drone system from the Hyderabad-based Zen Technologies. Armenia is also keen to learn from India on how to modernize Soviet-era defense equipment.
While there has been no explicit ‘official’ confirmation, there are clear indications that Armenia has purchased an Indian-built surface-to-air missile (SAM) Akash.
Akash is a short-range SAM system manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to protect vulnerable areas and points from air attacks. The Akash Weapon System (AWS) can simultaneously engage Multiple Targets in Group Mode or Autonomous Mode.
It has built-in Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM) features. The entire weapon system is put atop mobile platforms.
It can effectively engage helicopters, fighter jets, and UAVs flying in the range of 4-25 kilometers. It is fully automatic with quick response time from target detection to kill.
It is highly immune to active and passive jamming. It can be transported swiftly via rail or road and can be deployed quickly. The project has an overall indigenous content of 82 percent, which will be increased to 93 percent by 2026-27.
Armenia has almost doubled its defense investments over the last year. In 2022, the spending was around US$700 million to US$800 million; now, in 2024, it will be US $1.4 billion or US $1.5 billion. The defense contracts with India alone account for a billion dollars.
For some time now, Yerevan has sought to diversify its arms imports and find new allies after Russia failed to provide the country with ordered weapons worth around US$400 million (it has not yet returned the money).
The failed arms deal was an additional trigger in the worsening Russia-Armenia relations, which made Armenia seek to diversify the sources of its arms imports, looking at the West and India.
Azerbaijan has formed a triad with Pakistan and Turkey; soon after the military offensive against Armenia, the three countries conducted a military exercise called ‘Three Brothers.’
Azerbaijan, which supports Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, has received weapons from Islamabad. Pakistan’s relations with Azerbaijan have been close over the last few decades, so much so that Islamabad still refuses to recognize Armenia.
As far as Turkey is concerned, the country has criticized the abrogation of Article 370 in the erstwhile Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir while openly supporting Pakistan in various open forums as well as at the United Nations.
The continuous needling by the three countries on the issue of Kashmir has been a big irritant to India. The chasm between Azerbaijan and India has been expanding as India abstained from inviting Azerbaijan to the BRICS summit and also did not sign a declaration of support for Azerbaijan from non-aligned movement (NAM) countries after hard-line Shia outfits raided the Azerbaijani embassy in London on August 4, 2022.
Hence, New Delhi’s decision to supply weapons to Armenia underlines India’s “new-found” willingness to ditch its non-aligned principles and take sides in pursuit of its global interests.
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war over the territory in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The conflict escalated in 2020 when six weeks of fighting left thousands of people dead. A ceasefire was enforced by Russian peacekeepers. But with Russia being busy in Ukraine, military action could start again.
A high-ranking Indian Air Force official, now retired, told the EurAsian Times on condition of strict anonymity that in case the war erupts, Akash missiles could devastate Turkish-origin TB2 and Aknici drones. After the limited success of TB2 drones, Russia easily neutralized slow-moving, bulky drones, forcing Ukraine to change tactics. Even the US is retiring the ‘world’s best’ $100 Million MQ-9 Reaper drones as they can be easily shot down in a contested environment.
For Pinaka, just like HIMARS, Russia is still struggling to counter them; what can poor Azerbaijan do? Absolutely nothing! And remember, there will be absolutely no shortage of ammo supplies for India. However, India hopes for peace and not war, he concluded.