Author: Karlen Baghdasarian

 17:26, 9 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. Spouse of the Armenian prime minister, Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of My Step and City of Smile charitable foundations Anna Hakobyan was hosted on March 7 at the Casa Rosada, the presidential residence of Argentina, where she met with First Lady Fabiola Yáñez, Mrs. Hakobyan’s Office told Armenpress.

The two ladies discussed their role and mission, highlighted implementing joint programs, stating that the status of the wife of a country’s leader should serve for the benefit of that particular country and the whole world.

Anna Hakobyan introduced the activities of the My Step and City of Smile charitable foundations, as well as the goal of the Women For Peace campaign. In her turn the First Lady of Argentina introduced her activities.

At the end of the meeting PM’s spouse Anna Hakobyan invited the First Lady of Argentina to Armenia. The invitation was approved, and the visit will take place in autumn.

The First Lady of Argentine invited Mrs. Hakobyan to take part in the upcoming meeting of the Alliance of First Ladies of Latin America, and the invitation was approved.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 20:33,

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS. Two new cases of the novel coronavirus have been diagnosed in Armenia, bringing the total number to 6, Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan said.

He said the two persons are among the 57 people who were quarantined after coming in contact with a citizen of Ejmiatsin who tested positive for the virus earlier.

They tested positive after showing symptoms, namely fever.

“At this moment they are feeling well, they don’t have fever”, Torosyan said, adding that the patients are at an infectious diseases hospital. 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Our notions of ties with Georgia are strategic – PM Pashinyan says in Tbilisi

 11:47, 3 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Georgia have deep cultural, political, economic and historic ties, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told his Georgian counterpart Giorgi Gakharia at a meeting in Tbilisi.

“We have lived side by side for millennia and I think it is time to think about jointly developing this region at least for the coming centuries, if not millennia. Our notions of the relationship with Georgia are strategic. Our countries have both common and differing areas of wider cooperation, but we are viewing our regional relations with our neighboring, with friends, with Georgia on a completely different level. Another factor strengthening our relationship has emerged: it is our people’s clear dedication to democracy and the vision of democratic development. This circumstance, in my belief, is adding one more important cornerstone on the very solid foundation that existed up to now,” the Armenian PM said.

Pashinyan noted that the sides have truly succeeded in the last 1,5 years to receive a new quality and level of cooperation. “By putting special emphasis on this result I would like to add that I am sure that this visit and its results will strengthen it even more. We are succeeding in realizing all our agreements with very clear steps,” Pashinyan said.

PM Gakharia added that the Armenian and Georgian governments are working on a daily regime to further deepen the friendly relations between the two countries.

“I remember our meeting in Yerevan, it went very productive and I think that today’s meeting will also become the foundation for further deepening the relations between our peoples. We live in a difficult region and we realize that regional stability is the inevitable way for our countries’ development. First, we must care about the peace of our countries, then only about the economic, political, cultural and all other issues that are being mentioned,” Gakharia said, expressing certainty that Armenia and Georgia are both seeking the deepening of friendship.  

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

ArmInfo. The situation on the Contact Line of the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan is relatively calm, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Artsakh  in the Russian Federation, said in an interview with the Federal News  Agency of the Russian Federation.

According to him, there are incidents, but not in that quantity and  not as intense and aggressive as before.  According to the Permanent  Representative, this is connected with the policy of the new  leadership of Armenia – attitude to the problem, to the topic of  negotiations, to the balance of forces that has been established  today. The parties are well aware of the balance of forces, and what  could be the consequences in the event of the deployment of  large-scale hostilities. "But it is impossible to rule out a  situation when a conflict can flare up again, once again go into the  hot stage. Therefore, our armed forces are always in combat positions  and are ready to repel any blow," the Permanent Representative said.  According to him, after the ceasefire in 1994, there were separate  incidents, but in fact only in 2016 [from the side of Azerbaijan] an  attempt was made to initiate the conflict. Fortunately, this attempt  was thwarted, but to say that this will not happen again is  premature. "As we all know, there is no special progress in the  negotiation process, the topic of negotiations is the same. Each side  adheres to its position. And until there are options for resolving  this conflict, the danger of a new aggravation remains. Therefore, we  need to always hold ourselves in readiness >, Albert Andryan  emphasized.

He also stated that the elections in Azerbaijan had no effect on  Artsakh. Provocations have not intensified.  "But you always want  those forces that can solve the conflict peacefully to come to power.  To finally stop this frenzied anti-Armenian policy, imposing this  artificial enmity: We need to move on to some reasonable options for  resolving the issue. So far, there's no peace between us agreement,  we have not signed an agreement on ending the war, on status: While  the conflict is, in general, in a hot state, and it's not possible to  establish neighborly relations, but I want to believe that not all  people want war.  Sooner or later, forces will come to power in  Azerbaijan that will understand that it is better to live in peace.  Anyway, you won't change geography! We'll live on our territory;  they'll be on their territory. And that don't wash off.  Fighting for  centuries is not a thing. After all, in the end, people are born not  in order to be killed by someone, but in order to live their lives  calmly, create a family, and benefit their relatives, loved ones,  their country, " the Permanent Representative said.

He also noted that Armenia is the main guarantor of Artsakh's  security. Naturally, the borders are protected by a single army.  Armed forces  are general, under general leadership. There is a  corresponding agreement between Artsakh and Armenia, according to  which Armenia is the guarantor of the security of the population of  Nagorno-Karabakh. "Our common armed forces are the guarantor of the  security of Armenia, Artsakh, and the Armenians in general, which  lives throughout this territory. And all Armenians are responsible  for this. The issue should not be considered in the sense that this  is Karabakh, and this is Armenia. All of Armenia stands for the  protection of citizens of Armenia and Karabakh. Everyone knows that  during the war not only the residents of Armenia and Artsakh took  part in it. The Diaspora helped a lot!  It's important to emphasize  who is responsible for this territory all Armenians, " the Permanent  Representative said.