The first plane of the Air Cairo Company touched down at Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport today, the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia reports.
Political and culture figures, diplomats representing the Armenian community of Cairo were on board the first flight from Hurgada to Yerevan.
The regular flights will be operated every Tuesday. Besides, Air Cairo will carry out flights in Sharm El Sheikh -Yerevan- Sharm El Sheikh direction.
Armenpress News Agency, Armenia Monday NATO not troubled by Armenia's membership to EEU or CSTO YEREVAN, JUNE 12, ARMENPRESS. NATO isn’t at all concerned about Armenia’s membership to the Eurasian Economic Union or the Collective Security Treaty Organization, James Appathurai - NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, “We respect Armenia’s balances foreign policy. Armenia remains a reliable partner for NATO”, he emphasized. He added that NATO continues to cooperate with Armenia in all possible directions. “We continue cooperation with Armenia in all those directions, where it’s reasonable”, Appathurai said.
11:31 • 13.06.17
International pressures alone are not enough to hold back Azerbaijan from provoking further aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh, a Russian political analyst has said, commenting on the recent developments in the zone of conflict.
Speaking to Tert.am, Alexander Skakov, a coordinator for the Caucasus Studies Center (adjunct to the Russian Academy of Sciences), also addressed the international mediators' scheduled trip to the region. “It is really good that the three [French, Russian and US] co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group are visiting the region, but we should not pin great hopes on the trip,” he said.
Meantime, the expert ruled out any possibility of progress in the peace talks in the visible future. “It will be possible only due to implementing the agreements reached in Vienna – after video surveillance devices are deployed along the Line of Contact and a permanent monitoring is conducted. Otherwise, we should not expect progress in terms of regional monitoring,” he added.
Asked to comment on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement that “the sides have agreed on the conflict settlement principles, but there still are sensitive and at the same time important points”, Skakov said he thinks that the Russian official meant the monitoring mechanisms “while dropping hints for enforcing pressure against the sides” (to make them abide by the arrangements reached).
“Understandably, Armenia and Azerbaijan are not ready for mutual concessions. Moreover, Azerbaijan is not ready to implement the deal agreed verbally, i.e. – expand the monitoring group responsible for deploying the video surveillance devices. What Azerbaijan is doing is trying to test the international community, Armenia and the Minsk Group by violating the ceasefire and demanding the extradition of Belarusian blogger Alexander Lapshin and, also recently, the blogger from Tbilisi,” he added.
“It is important for all the sides to exercise pressure – simultaneously, incessantly and periodically. Russia, Brussels and Washington should take a simultaneous action,” he said, agreeing that the Russian pressures often fall short of restraining Azerbaijan.
STEPANAKERT. – President of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR), Bako Sahakyan, on Monday received American Armenian ultramarathon runner Telma Ghazarian Altoon.
The President welcomed Altoon’s initiative to run from Vardenis town to Hadrut town, and he considered this a vivid manifestation of patriotism, perseverance, and willpower, Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.
In Round 9 of the European Individual Chess Championship 2017 Armenia’s Arman Mikayelyan recorded another sensational victory against Spanish chess grandmaster Anton Guijarro David (2660). National Olympic Committee of Armenia reports, Mikayelyan along Russians Anton Demchenko and Maxim Matlakov shares the 2-4 places in the tournament with 7 points each.
On June 9, our chess player will compete with Davit Navara of the Czech Republic (2739) who is the highest ranked player of the tournament. To compare, Arman Mikayelyan is ranked the 216th at the ongoing tournament.
To remind, the championship is played in 11-round Swiss system, with the time control 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move, starting from move one. The European Individual Championship 2017 is a qualification event for the next World Cup.
New business relations established as a result of the Armenia-Italy business forum
Through the initiative of the Development Foundation of Armenia, and within the framework of the first Armenian-Italian Intergovernmental Commission Meeting, the Armenia-Italy Business Forum was held in the Italian capital of Rome, in order to establish and strengthen bilateral investment and business relations. The decision to establish the Commission was made during the official visit of the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Paolo Jentiloni, in November 2016.
Around 26 Armenian businessmen presented their different business plans to 170 potential Italian business partners, and highlighted the investment sectors where profitable cooperation is possible. Meetings between interested companies were held to discuss investment projects and export opportunities for Armenian products. The success stories of Italian companies Renco and Sartis were also presented in the Forum.
“Now is a favorable time to invest in Armenia. The government is actively taking steps towards improving the business environment and eliminating bureaucratic obstacles. Our Foundation in particular is ready to provide practical support and consulting services to Italian businessmen at any stage of investment,” stated the CEO of the Development Foundation of Armenia Armen Avak Avakian, adding that the conference and B2B meetings were organized to present the country’s investment opportunities.
The agenda of the Armenia-Italy Forum included presentations on investment opportunities in the agro-processing, renewable energy, information and communication technology, footwear and textile, and tourism sectors.
During the forum, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Development Foundation of Armenia (DFA) and the Italian Trade Promotion Agency (ICE), which will promote further bilateral trade and economic relations. According to the Memorandum, the two parties agreed to promote the cooperation between the Armenian and Italian business sectors, and share information on business visits, exhibitions and upcoming events. Both parties will do everything possible to identify and eliminate barriers against bilateral trade and increasing investment.
Statistics:
The trade turnover between Armenia and Italy amounted to 160 million USD in 2016: 32 million USD in Armenian exports and 127.5 million USD in imports. Last year Armenia mainly exported textile, clothing, aluminum foil, ethanol, liquor, plastic goods, automatic regulators and control devices to Italy. The imports from Italy mainly consisted of chocolate, confectionery, pasta, fabrics, central heating boilers and oil/petrolium products. Italy is Armenia’s 17th largest investment partner with 103.3 million AMD of investments in January-September 2016.
Development Foundation of Armenia
YEREVAN, June 7. /ARKA/. Zarmine Zeytuntsyan, the head of the State Tourism Committee, an affiliation of the Armenian Ministry of Economic Development and Infrastructure, met today with representatives of travel agencies specializing in adventure tourism to discuss creation of a working group that will be engaged in zoning of areas for adventure tourism in Armenia.
According to her, adventure tourism is interesting for Armenia not only because of a big potential, but also because of easily accessible information about it.
She said a study revealed that about 80% of travelers looking for adventure tourism learn all the necessary information through social media, especially from Facebook and YouTube.
According to statistics for 2010-2011, $263 billion were spent on adventure tourism all over the world. The average age of tourists is about 35 years, who spend $900-$100 for one trip. Most of the travelers are men who travel both with families and with friends. -0-
Armenpress News Agency , Armenia Wednesday Armenian Defense Minister meets with Archbishop of All Cyprus YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan on May 30 met with Archbishop of All Cyprus Chrysostomos II, the Ministry told Armenpress. During the meeting Archbishop Chrysostomos II thanked the Armenian Defense Minister for visiting the spiritual center of Cyprus, warmly talked about the centuries-old friendship between the two peoples, the church commonalities, commitment to similar universal values. Chrysostomos II specifically highlighted the role of Armenian community in maintaining the Armenian-Cypriot friendship. Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan thanked for warm reception, highlighting the necessity of developing dialogue between the Christian churches, as well as facing the contemporary challenges through preservation of national identity, cultural and spiritual values. He emphasized the church’s historically unique role for the Armenian people. Vigen Sargsyan also presented the key role of Armenian Apostolic church in army-building works, in the face of spiritual service. The sides agreed that the firm ties between the two churches contribute to strengthening the inter-state ties and deepening the relations.
Members of Armenia's Athletics Team Lilit Harutyunyan and Ellada Alaverdyan became champions at Georgian Athletics Championship, Panorama.am reports, citing the Armenian National Olympic Committee.
Lilit Harutyunyan took the first place in 400m race discipline, while Ellada Alaverdyan – in 1500m discipline.
Narine Shahbazyan, Secretary General of the Armenian Athletics Federation, noted that the championship is being held at a gym due to the lack of stadiums, which are currently hosting football matches.
Currently the Armenian team is preparing for the European Athletics Team Championships. Prior to that, Armenian athletes Gayane Chiloyan, Angelina Avagyan, Ellada Alaverdyan, David Sargsyan and Yura Khachatryan will take part in the Balkan Cross Country Championships in Istanbul on June 3.
The European Parliament is not responsible for the visits of some parliamentarians to Nagorno-Karabakh that took place on their own initiatives, said David McAllister, MEP from Germany, Chair of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee.
He made the remarks at a briefing held in Azerbaijan’s parliament on May 22, APA reported.
“Some MEPs paid visits to Nagorno-Karabakh on their own initiatives and the European Parliament is not responsible for it. As you know, the European Parliament didn’t recognize the “referendum” held in Nagorno-Karabakh on February 20 this year,” said McAllister, adding. “I would like to note that freedom of _expression_ is important for us. Everyone can express their opinions. Thus, we cannot interfere in the actions of these MEPs.”