Author: Jirair Kafian

 09:53, 8 May 2023

YEREVAN, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Sunday warned that a failure by Congress to act on the debt ceiling could trigger a "constitutional crisis" in the United States that also would call into question the federal government's creditworthiness, Reuters reported.

Yellen sounded the alarm over possible financial market consequences if the debt ceiling is not raised by early June, when she has said the federal government could run short of cash to pay its bills.

The negotiations on the issue should not take place "with a gun to the head of the American people", Yellen told the ABC program "This Week."

President Biden has asked Congress to raise the debt ceiling with no conditions. The Republican-led House of Representatives last month passed a bill that would raise the government's $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, but the measure included sweeping spending cuts over the next decade that Biden and his fellow Democrats oppose.

Biden is preparing to meet on Tuesday at the White House with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and top congressional Democrats to discuss the issue.

"It's Congress's job to do this. If they fail to do it, we will have an economic and financial catastrophe that will be of our own making," Reuters quoted Yellen as saying.

"And we should not get to the point where we need to consider whether the president can go on issuing debt. This would be a constitutional crisis," Yellen added, alluding the delineation of powers of the executive and legislature under the U.S. Constitution.

Biden has steadfastly said he will not negotiate over the debt ceiling increase, but would discuss budget cuts after a new limit is passed. Congress has often paired debt-ceiling increases with other budget and spending measures.

Washington regularly sets a limit on federal borrowing. Currently, the ceiling is equal to roughly 120% of the country's annual economic output. The debt reached that ceiling in January and the Treasury Department has kept obligations just within the limit, but by July or August, Washington could have to stop borrowing altogether.

Under that scenario, shockwaves could ripple through global financial markets as investors question the value of U.S. bonds, which are seen as among the safest investments and serve as building blocks for the world's financial system.

 11:38,

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent congratulatory messages to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei and the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi on the occasion of the Islamic Eid al-Fitr holiday.

The Prime Minister's message addressed to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution reads as follows,

"Your Eminence,

I convey my warm words of congratulations to you and the friendly people of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the occasion of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which symbolizes the end of self-purification and fasting. I wish that the symbolism of this bright holiday be an inseparable companion of the people of neighboring and friendly Iran.

The Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people greatly value the warm Armenian-Iranian relations with a history of thousands of years, which today, standing as a bright example of the effective dialogue between Christianity and Islam, will conquer new horizons in the near future for the benefit of our peoples and for the sake of regional stability.

Taking this opportunity, I wish you plenty of sunshine and good health, and lasting peace to the people of Iran.

Please accept, Your Eminence, the assurances of my highest consideration”.

Nikol Pashinyan’s message addressed to the President of Iran reads as follows,

“Your Excellency,

I warmly congratulate you on the Islamic holy holiday of Eid al-Fitr. May the fecundity and blessings of this holiday always accompany the neighboring and friendly people of Iran.

Today, there are all prerequisites for the further strengthening of our steadily developing bilateral relations, anchored on the millennia-old rich history. I sincerely hope that due to political will and stable partnership, we will witness the expansion of cooperation between our two countries for the sake of the well-being of the Armenian and Iranian peoples and regional security.

Taking this opportunity, I wish you new achievements and lasting peace to the friendly people of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration."

 12:08,

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that he sees a big chance to establish normal relations with Turkey.

Pashinyan said the opportunity for doing so increased after Armenia humanely responded to the earthquake in Turkey.

“There is a big opportunity to establish normal relations between our countries,” Pashinyan said when speaking about the relations with Turkey in parliament during debates of the 2022 report of the government action plan.

“And this opportunity increased when we decided to respond, with the logic based on humane, good-neighborly values to the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey in the beginning of this year. And the government and public of Turkey perceived and accepted our actions as such.”

Pashinyan said they wouldn’t have made the decision to send a SAR team and humanitarian aid if not for the changed perspective of perceiving history and related issues. And Turkey wouldn’t have opened the Margara Bridge for the rescue squad and aid if it were not to believe in Armenia’s sincerity.

“And the dozens of Armenian flags flying in front of the Turkish foreign ministry during Foreign Minister Mirzoyan’s Ankara visit weren’t simply a protocol attribute, but rather a surprising [realization] that hope can [be found in despair]. The flags of Armenia and Turkey were hoisted on the ruins of our relations and the devastating earthquake. And I hope that the Armenian-Turkish border will soon really be opened and will create the foundation for the development of good-neighborly, normal relations,” PM Pashinyan said.

 Pashinyan attached importance that soon the agreement on opening the border for third country citizens and diplomatic passport holders will take effect. He warned that the opening could not take place if the new perceptions and impressions gained through humanitarian and neighborly values were to get frozen, fade or lose impact on political and diplomatic decisions.

 21:21,

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. The President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan received the delegation led by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the office of the President of the Republic of Armenia, welcoming the guests, the President said: "I am sure that your visit will contribute to solving problems in the region. Unfortunately, the situation is not so that we have nothing to worry about in the current process on the way to peace. We are convinced that the OSCE has its role in solving the problems of our region, taking into account both the activities of the OSCE and our long-term working experience with the OSCE."

Thanking for the reception, Bujar Osmani noted in his speech. "Mr. President, this is my first visit to this region and Armenia. I am here today as the OSCE Chairman-in-Office to discuss the long-standing relations between the OSCE and Armenia. I can say that we have a valuable and effective cooperation based on mutual trust, and we are also ready to open a new page of cooperation, taking into account the changed geopolitical circumstances."

During the meeting, the President of the Republic presented to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office the approaches and opportunities of Armenia regarding the solution of regional problems. Vahagn Khachaturyan emphasized that Armenia is firm in its position to achieve ssustainable peace in the South Caucasus and establish neighborly relations with its neighbors.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh issue, the humanitarian crisis created in NK due to the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the security and rights protection mechanisms of the NK population.

Bujar Osmani, referring to conflict resolution, noted that the OSCE and North Macedonia in particular have a great experience in solving such problems and are ready to share that experience.

 11:01,

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan said Thursday that Russia’s ban on the imports of Armenian dairy products is a violation of the EEU trade regulations.

He said that Armenia is discussing the matter with Russian partners.

“We find this to be an obstacle for EEU trade,” Kerobyan said in parliament during question time when asked by MP Gegham Manukyan when the issue will be resolved. “We are now discussing this issue with our Russian colleagues. The ban placed by Rosselkhoznadzor [Russian governmental agriculture watchdog] contradicts the trade regulations in the Eurasian Economic Union. In addition, we are also engaged in talks to understand the regulations through which we can maximally swiftly resolve this issue without applying the EEU standard procedures,” Kerobyan said.

In response to the MP’s criticism over the government’s handling of the agriculture sector, Kerobyan said that agriculture is indeed a major sector but not the largest, while the dairy production isn’t the largest branch in agriculture itself.

Kerobyan said that in 2022 Armenia exported 18 million dollars worth of dairy products to the EEU market, which amounts less than 1% of the total exports of Armenia.

Russia banned on April 5 imports of dairy products from Armenia, saying that Armenian producers use Iranian raw materials banned in Russia.

 10:47,

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS. A bipartisan group of sixty-nine U.S. Representatives, led by Congressional Armenian Caucus founding Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) once again called for ending military aid to Azerbaijan and sending $150 million in assistance to Artsakh and Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The request comes in the form of a letter to Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations Chairman Mario Diaz Balart (R-FL) and Ranking Member Barbara Lee (D-CA), who have already begun drafting the U.S. House version of the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) foreign aid bill.

Joining Chairman Pallone in co-signing the letter are Representatives: Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Don Beyer (D-VA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Joaquín Castro (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Lou Correa (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Jared Golden (D-ME), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Jim Himes (D-CT), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Mike Levin (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), James McGovern (D-MA), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Richard Neal (D-MA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Katie Porter (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Lori Trahan (D-MA), and Susan Wild (D-PA).

The letter includes the following budgetary requests:

— $100 million for security, economic, governance, and rule of law assistance to Armenia

— $50 million for Artsakh to provide a comprehensive assistance strategy and support the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh in their rebuilding and resettlement efforts – along with an additional $2 million for humanitarian demining and UXO clearance.

— The suspension of all U.S. military and security aid to Azerbaijan and a State Department assessment of potential sanctions against Azeri officials found to have supported human rights abuses and war crimes.

— Language supporting the Administration’s efforts to secure the release of Armenian POWs illegally held by Azerbaijan.

The full text of the Armenian Caucus letter is .

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1107095.html?fbclid=IwAR2J6m0kWCf7tLBXnJkwWanc96Lk7iDw_9Sbs0Ji1qoy1AvPa4rahtgVHAo