18:20, 18 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. On January 18, the Minister of Economy of Armenia Vahan Kerobyan in Germany met Niels Annen, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany.

According to the ministry, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Federal Republic of Germany also attended the meeting.

The parties discussed the agreements reached as a result of the negotiations and the process of their implementation.

Vahan Kerobyan presented the "Crossroads of the World" project developed by the Armenian government to his German colleague, highlighting the opportunities for economic and infrastructural development.

 19:46, 18 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Deputies of the National Assembly of Armenia will head to Strasbourg on January 21-25 to participate in the "Protection of Human Rights in Biomedicine" project.

According to the corresponding order of the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chair of the Armenian National Assembly Standing Committee on Health Care Narek Zeynalyan, MPs Lusine Badalyan, Emma Palyan, Armenuhi Kyureghyan, Rustam Bakoyan, Marina Ghazaryan, Tigran Parsilyan, Zemfira Mirzoeva, Arsen Torosyan and Tatevik Gasparyan will head to France to participate in the project on "Protection of Human Rights in Biomedicine".

 20:16, 18 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. The Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that French Ambassador Pierre Levy has been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

"In connection with the destruction of the foreign fighters' temporary deployment point in Kharkiv by the Russian Armed Forces, among whom were several dozen Frenchmen, the French ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry," Tass quoted Maria Zakharova as saying.

 12:04,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. North Korea has carried out a test of a newly developed “underwater nuclear weapon system,” its armed forces have said, calling the move a response to joint military drills by the United States, South Korea and Japan, RT reports citing a statement from Pyongyang.

A military spokesperson announced the test in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) early on Friday morning, citing “provocative military exercises” held around the Korean peninsula in recent weeks.

“In response, the Underwater Weapon System Institute under the DPRK Academy of Defence Science conducted an important test of its underwater nuclear weapon system ‘Haeil-5-23’ under development in the East Sea of Korea,” the statement said, adding that the test helped to develop Pyongyong’s “underwater nuke-based countering posture.”

Pyongyang carried out several similar tests last year, including a “nuclear unmanned underwater attack boat” in March, which it had previously dubbed a “secret weapon.” Unnamed military officials said the naval drone could create a “radioactive tsunami” using underwater explosions and “annihilate enemy ship groups” without detection.

It was not immediately clear whether the latest trial involved a newer model of the same weapon.

 09:55,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan has met with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien to discuss defense cooperation, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The meeting took place on January 18 over dinner at the invitation of the U.S. Ambassador.

Minister Papikyan and Ambassador Kvien discussed “issues pertaining to the Armenian-American cooperation in the defense sector and regional security, as well as issues of mutual interest,” according to a readout issued by the Ministry of Defense. Papikyan thanked the U.S. Ambassador for the warm reception.

 10:21,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met on Thursday in Zagreb with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

Mirzoyan and Plenković noted that the latest high-level contacts have intensified the bilateral cooperation which is based on friendship, mutual understanding and common values, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a readout. Mirzoyan and Plenković also noted that the visit is taking place in the year marking the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Croatia.

The Armenian FM and the Croatian Prime Minister discussed possibilities to further develop the agenda of cooperation between the two countries, deepen political dialogue and develop trade-economic ties, as well as enhance cooperation in other areas of mutual interest. The development of partnership in the context of strengthening Armenia-EU cooperation was also highlighted and the existing dynamics in this direction was emphasized.

Mirzoyan and Plenković also discussed issues pertaining to security and stability. FM Mirzoyan presented to the Croatian Prime Minister the Armenian side’s approaches based on the well-known principles regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process and the establishment of peace in the South Caucasus.

Speaking about the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian Foreign Minister emphasized the need for restraining the approach of the use of force to resolve issues in the region, and for ruling out Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggressive rhetoric and territorial ambitions.

The Crossroads of Peace project developed by the Armenian government, namely its political and economic components, were also discussed.

 10:38,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan is obstructing the unblocking of regional infrastructures, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan told Toivo Klaar, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, during a meeting on Thursday.

In a readout, the foreign ministry said Kostanyan and Klaar “discussed the recent developments on regional security and establishment of peace.”

“In this context, the Deputy Foreign Minister drew the attention of interlocutors to the destructive statements made by the President of Azerbaijan in his recent interview, which aim to deviate from the peace agenda. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vahan Kostanyan stressed that the former USSR member states, including Armenia and Azerbaijan, recognize each other's borders in accordance with the Alma-Ata Declaration of December 1991, and the delimitation work should be carried out on the basis of the latest maps available at the time of the dissolution of the USSR. The Deputy Minister also emphasized the imperative of the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia. Vahan Kostanyan noted that Azerbaijan is hindering the process of unblocking regional infrastructures, the 4 well-known principles of which — sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity and equality — have been previously agreed between the parties,” the ministry said.

 11:08,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. The President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan has met Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of Iraqi Kurdistan at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Khachaturyan and Barzani discussed “a number of agenda items of bilateral interest,” the Armenian President’s office said in a readout. They also discussed “the general situation in the region and beyond, as well as current developments.”

 14:02,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan has met with Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard within the framework of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

President Khachaturyan and Callamard discussed the humanitarian situation and existing challenges in the region in the aftermath of the forced displacement of Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023. In this context, the Armenian President and the Amnesty International Secretary-General reiterated the imperative of the rule of international legal norms and fundamental human rights. They also discussed the Armenian government’s rapidly deployed relief programs for the forcibly displaced persons.

President Khachaturyan and Secretary-General Agnes Callamard both lauded the nearly 30 years of effective partnership between Armenia and Amnesty International and agreed to make efforts to strengthen and enhance cooperation.

 14:43,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan has met with U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power during the World Economic Forum in Davos.

President Khachaturyan and Administrator Power discussed “the general situation in the South Caucasian region and the existing humanitarian challenges,” Khachaturyan’s office said in a readout.

Power’s latest regional trip was also discussed.

President Khachaturyan reiterated Armenia’s principled position on achieving sustainable and lasting peace and noted that there is no alternative to the peace process.

Both sides emphasized the importance of uniting efforts for resolving humanitarian issues, as well as the need for further steps. In this context, President Khachaturyan and Administrator Power discussed the implementation of the agreements between the Armenian government and the USAID, and Power reaffirmed willingness to enhance the circle of cooperation.

President Khachaturyan and the USAID chief lauded the nearly 30 years of close cooperation between Armenia and USAID and attached importance to the continuity of joint steps aimed at deepening targeted partnership.