Author: John Hovhannisian

We have shared understanding on the opening of regional infrastructures – Pashinyan

 21:45, 26 November, 2021

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev summed up the results of the trilateral meeting in Sochi and made statements for the press.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan’s statement runs as follows,

“Vladimir Vladimirovich,

Let me thank you once again for the invitation, and of course, for the positive working atmosphere.

I want to confirm that we had a very positive meeting, conversation, actually discussed all the issues on the agenda. This was not a meeting to hide the problems, but a meeting where we openly discussed all the issues. And I would like to positively assess the fact that we clarified the positions on many issues, and it turned out that we do not have any misinterpretation on a number of issues, opposite to what it seemed before this meeting.

I would like to mention that, in fact, in connection with the opening of all transport and economic communications in the region, we registered that we have a shared idea of how those communications will operate.

The topic of starting the process of delimitation and demarcation is not new, we have discussed that issue. We also adopted a trilateral statement, in which we stated that before that the necessary conditions should be created, that is, security mechanisms should be created on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Of course, humanitarian issues were also touched upon.

In general, I assess today's conversation and meeting very positive. I would like to once again thank our strategic ally, the Russian Federation, for the initiative. I think that if we manage to establish certain dynamics of our dialogue on the basis of this meeting, we can also expect concrete results.

I reaffirm the readiness of Armenia and the Government of Armenia, which has received a mandate from the people of Armenia, to open an era of peaceful development for our country and our region. We are interested in that, and of course, today's meeting contributed to the fulfilment of that agenda.

Thank you”.

Armenian soldiers pictured near the border with Azerbaijan, in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, in November 2020. © AP file photo
Text by:FRANCE 24Follow

 21:25,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The Secretariat of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has not yet received a formal application from Armenia regarding the escalation of situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, ARMENPRESS reports press secretary of the CSTO Vladimir Zainetdinov told Ria Novosti.

“The CSTO attentively follows the situation. The Secretariat has not received an official application from Armenia. We think the conflict should be solved only through political and diplomatic methods”, Vladimir Zainetdinov said.

On November 16, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces once again violated the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia, attacking the Armenian positions in the eastern borderline, using artillery, armored vehicles, firearms of various calibers. There are casualties on both sides as a result of the hostilities. The situation at the border remains tense.

 19:48, 2 November, 2021

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan received the newly appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State Erika Olson, who is in Armenia on a regional visit. FM Mirzoyan congratulated her on assuming the post and wished success in her responsible mission, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Mirzoyan and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Olson exchanged views on regional security and stability, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the framework of the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. In this regard, the five-party meeting with the participation of the Co-Chairs and the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in New York in September was highlighted.

The humanitarian situation created by the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh was also discussed. In this context, Minister Mirzoyan stressed the need for the unconditional repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees, as well as the need to preserve the Armenian religious, historical and cultural heritage of Artsakh in the territories that have appeared under Azerbaijani control.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Erika Olson also discussed a wide range of issues related to Armenia-US relations, expressing satisfaction with the positive dynamics of the dialogue at different levels. The interlocutors discussed the effective cooperation in the areas of democratic development, strengthening the rule of law, protection of human rights, and the fight against corruption.

The sides also referred to the joint steps to be taken within the framework of the US-Armenia Strategic Dialogue (USASD) and the programs of the USAID in Armenia.

Earlier the US Embassy in Armenia informed that the new Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State Erika Olson will travel to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia to "promote regional cooperation and discuss bilateral issues". While in Yerevan, Olson will participate in a regional Chiefs of Mission meeting in November 2-4, joining U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne M. Tracy, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Kelly C. Degnan, and U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lee Litzenberger, as well as Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Andrew Schofer and USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Alexander Sokolowski.

 17:50, 3 November, 2021

YEREVAN, 3 NOVEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 3 November, USD exchange rate down by 0.36 drams to 476.85 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.80 drams to 552.62 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 6.64 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.25 drams to 649.66 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 72.12 drams to 27449.54 drams. Silver price down by 0.27 drams to 365.88 drams. Platinum price down by 196.26 drams to 16082.3 drams.

Pashinyan highlights Russia's involvement in demarcation and delimitation of Armenian- Azerbaijani border

 19:45,

YEREVAN, 27 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. There are various issues on the agenda of the Armenian Government at the moment, one of which is the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and the other is the demarcation and delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS reports the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said at the National Assembly.

He agreed with a recent statement of Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Armenian-Azerbaijani border issue should be settled according to Soviet-era maps, noting that these maps, if not by 100 percent, are by 99 percent the same as those described in the 2010 law on administrative division of Armenia.

“The map of the Soviet Union should be used for delimitation. Our research shows that maps of different years are reprints of each other, we need to go deeper with those maps and understand which of them have legal basis. There are certain territorial differences between those maps," Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister stated that Russia, as a Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, as a mediator in this issue, should be involved.