Author: Kevo Kalantarian

 10:01,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The US interest towards Armenia has significantly increased, Co-chair of the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), lawyer Anthony Barsamian told Voice of America.

Mr. Barsamian said if in 2019 the Armenian-American relations were marked with the events of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the two chambers of the US Congress and providing nearly 60 million dollar US aid to Armenia, this year the prospects are much broader.

Anthony Barsamian said Armenia’s progress is also observed within the US leadership circles.

“The US side shows interest to supporting Armenia’s new democracy, as a country which is recording progress on this path day by day. As an American-Armenian I expect more from my government and during my meetings with the US leadership I state that it’s the best time to help Armenia to carry out real judicial reforms”, he said.

He said while the fight for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide will continue until the recognition of this tragedy also by the US President, as Ronald Reagan [40^th US President] did in the 1980s, the commercial and investment prospects should play much greater role in the agenda of the Armenian-US ties. Barsamian said Armenians living abroad should be engaged in the promotion of these issues.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 09:23,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. On the occasion of the Book Giving Day, which is celebrated on February 19 in Armenia, Mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marutyan suggests the readers to read the works by the renowned Russian writer Leo Tolstoy.

In an interview to Armenpress, Mayor Marutyan confessed that he didn’t read a fiction for almost a year. “I mainly read technical books relating to the urban development. I don’t think they will be interesting to the broad public. But I would advise the literature fans to read “Anna Karenina” novel by Leo Tolstoy”, the Mayor said.

The novel is about the tragic love of a married woman Anna Karenina and officer Vronsky.          

February 19, the birthday of renowned Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanyan, is celebrated in Armenia as the Book Giving Day. This day was introduced in Armenia since 2008 thanks to the initiative of late President of the Writers’ Union of Armenia Levon Ananyan.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

 18:18,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II hosted on February 11 King Abdullah II of Jordan, who is in Armenia on an official visit.

As ARMENPRESS was in formed from the Facebook page of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness hoped that this visit will further strengthen the relations between the two countries.

Karekin II reaffirmed with pleasure that the careful attitude of the authorities of Jordan towards the Armenian community and the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is the best prove of friendly relations.

The Catholicos of All Armenians noted with satisfaction that the heirs of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide were able to resume to normal life in Jordan, making their contribution to the progress of the country.

Referring to the fact that for historical reasons Armenia has a great Diaspora living next to various cultures and religions, His Holiness highlighted the close cooperation between the spiritual leaders of different countries aimed at prevention of abuse of religious feelings and intolerance among societies. In this context, Catholcos Karekinn II noted that the relations between Armenia and Jordan, as well as the life of the Armenian community on Jordan can serve as a good example of friendship and co-existence for many nations in their efforts to establish Christianity-Islam or other inter-religious relations.

King Abdullah II of Jordan expressed satisfaction for the meeting, talking particularly about the relations between Christian and Islamic peoples.

Referring to the important role of the Armenian community in Jordan and the Middle East, King Abdullah II of Jordan hoped that the Armenian community in Jordan will strengthen parallel with the development of Armenian-Jordanian relations. The King reaffirmed his readiness to continue supporting the Armenian Church and the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

King Abdullah II of Jordan noted that Armenia and Jordan have many opportunities for developing cooperation.

The King of Jordan expressed concern over the situation in the Middle East, the problem of the diminishing number of Christians in that region and particularly about the Armenian community in Syria, expressing readiness to provide necessary assistance to the preservation of the Armenian Christian presence.

Catholicos Karekin II wished success to the King for the sake of the progress of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the welfare of the Jordanian people.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

Armenian minister of environment receives Swedish Ambassador

 09:42, 7 February, 2020

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Environment Erik Grigoryan received Ambassador of Sweden to Armenia Ulrik Tidestrom (residence in Tbilisi), the ministry told Armenpress.

The Armenian minister said the two countries have a great prospect for expanding their cooperation within the frames of the ongoing policy for protection of environment.

The Ambassador thanked for the meeting and stated that he attaches great importance to the exchange of experience between the two countries.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

2020 will be fertile year and not only in agricultural sense – PM Pashinyan

 11:07, 1 February, 2020

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. Heavy snow increases our expectations for favorable economic year, ARMENPRESS reports Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook page.

''2020 will be fertile year and not only in agricultural sense'', he wrote.

 14:49,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the importance of elimination of current barriers and restrictions in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAE) in his remarks at today’s session of the Eurasian Inter-Governmental Council in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

“This is our first meeting this year under the Belarusian chairmanship. We support the main integration directions recorded within the Belarusian presidency. In this regard I would like to emphasize the importance of eliminating the existing barriers and restrictions that undermine the formation of a common economic space. It’s also necessary to intensify efforts aimed at creating single EAEU energy and transportation markets based on non-discriminative approaches in the fields of price increase, tariffs, availability of services. The increase of efficiency of the EAEU bodies and the development of transportation and logistics infrastructures is also another direction which should be under our focus”, the Armenian PM said.

He added that once again the process of work on eliminating the barriers within the operation of the domestic market was also discussed. “Today we have made decisions regarding these barriers. Nevertheless, as I have stated repeatedly we believe that it is necessary to unite efforts to eliminate the current barriers and create conditions to rule out their repetition in the future. As for the 2025 Eurasian Integration Development Strategy directions, I would like to note that we attach a special importance to the final approval of this document based on the cooperation forms enshrined by the EAEU treaty”, Pashinyan said.

He added that Armenia traditionally is actively participating in and supporting the process of creating and implementing the EAEU digital agenda. The Prime Minister said the creation of ecosystem for digital transportation corridors will enable to reduce the distance between the consumer of goods, services, the producer and the seller. “This will greatly reduce the time of searching for optimal options and methods to deliver and transport the goods, making the market more effective in this respect”, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan