Author: Shushan Frangulian

Armenian PM receives new Ambassador of Syria

Shushan Frangulian

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 16:23,

YEREVAN, JULY 12, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received newly-appointed Ambassador of Syria to Armenia Nora Arissian, the PM’s Office said.

The PM congratulated the Ambassador on assuming office, wishing a productive activity for the benefit of the development of the relations between Armenia and Syria.

“Armenia attaches importance to the cooperation and historical ties with Syria. We follow the developments and wish that friendly Syria overcomes the crisis as soon as possible”, the Prime Minister said.

He touched upon Armenia’s humanitarian mission delivered to Syria in 2019 that carried out demining works and provided medical services to the population.

The Ambassador of Syria thanked the Armenian PM for the warm words and stated that the diplomatic service in Armenia is an honor for her, also as a Syrian-Armenian. On behalf of the Syrian authorities, the Ambassador expressed gratitude to the authorities of Armenia for the humanitarian aid provided to Syria and stated that she will make all efforts to further intensify the mutual relations.

The sides highlighted the role of the Syrian-Armenian community in strengthening the Armenian-Syrian ties.

Views were exchanged also on the agenda and prospects of the cooperation.

Protesters leave pens, cucumbers outside Armenian top court and presidential palace

Shushan Frangulian
Panorama
Armenia – July 5 2022

Members and supporters of the opposition resistance movement left a large model of the Constitution in chains and pens outside the Constitutional Court of Armenia while protesting near the top court building on July 5 marking Constitution Day.

"We are leaving pens here which are a symbol of the violation of constitutionalism,” ARF activist Sevak Nazaryan announced, recalling that Hrayr Tovmasyan was ousted as the top court chairman after the story of an “expensive pen” which he allegedly gifted Nikol Pashinyan.

Addressing the protest, MP Aram Vardevanyan accused the incumbent authorities of ignoring and violating the Constitution.

“They have no idea what the Constitution is and they don't even want to know it," Vardevanyan said, adding it is possible to defend the Constitution only by fighting.

The opposition protesters next marched to the presidential palace and left cucumbers outside it.

"Although the president should be engaged in protecting the Constitution, he is the representative of vegetable crops in Armenia, as he does nothing and carries out the orders of one person. We have brought him this vegetable as a symbol of his inaction," Nazaryan noted.

The demonstrators threw cucumbers on the ground and marched to the Armenian parliament.

Deputy Speaker briefs Ambassadors on normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations

Shushan Frangulian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – July 8 2022
July 8, 2022, 16:45

 Less than a minute

Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ruben Rubinyan received the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sweden, Finland, Lithuania and Estonia Patrik Svensson, Kirsti Narinen, Inga Stanytė-Toločkienė and Riina Kaljurand.

At the ambassadors’ request, Ruben Rubinyan presented the developments in the normalization process of Armenia-Turkey relations and the concrete agreements reached as a result of the recent meeting in Vienna.

Issues of strengthening of bilateral cooperation were also discussed.

CivilNet: Russia and Canada in war of words over Armenia embassy

Shushan Frangulian
CIVILNET.AM

06 Jul, 2022 10:07

  • The Russian embassy in Yerevan has condemned a Canadian Foreign Ministry statement that described the move to open a Canadian embassy in Yerevan as a way to “push back on Russian influence.”
  • Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met with the Spanish parliamentary speaker Meritxell Batet in Madrid.
  • Azerbaijani forces opened fire in the direction of Khachik village in Armenia’s Vayots Dzor region, according to the Armenian Defense Ministry, which reported no casualties.

Brad Sherman: US should stop providing military aid to Azerbaijan

Shushan Frangulian
NEWS.am
Armenia – July 5 2022
16:04, 05.07.2022

The US administration has again reaffirmed the waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which bans direct military aid to Azerbaijan. In an interview with Voice of America, Brad Sherman, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, expressed his disagreement with this decision

We should not abandon Section 907 and provide any assistance to oil-rich Azerbaijan, which has unleashed an aggressive war. The aid we provide is not large, but I believe it is important diplomatically; so, it should be stopped, said the US congressman.

In his opinion, American aid for humanitarian projects in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) should be increased, and Armenia should be given the opportunity to be included in the Millennium Challenge program.

The World Bank ranked Armenia among those with above-average income. I would like it to be so, but we have to take into account the economic consequences of the terrible war, the coronavirus pandemic, Sherman said.

Armenian PM congratulates US President on Independence Day

Shushan Frangulian

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 10:25, 4 July 2022

YEREVAN, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory letter to US President Joe Biden on Independence Day, the PM’s Office said.

The letter reads:

“Dear Mr. President,

I warmly congratulate you and the good people of the United States on the US Independence Day.

Every year on July 4th, millions of Americans, including many of our American-Armenian compatriots are celebrating the most important day of the United States – the Independence Day. Since the declaration of Independence the people and all governments of the United States have consistently moved on the path of establishing and strengthening freedom, human rights, rule of law and democracy. The role of the United States in democracy plays a significant role in the establishment of human rights and rule of law not only in different parts of the world, but also in terms of creating a predictable and peaceful development environment for nations of regions.

The friendship and partnership between our countries and peoples are based on common values, mutual trust and friendship. I am happy to record that the cooperation between our governments in strengthening democracy and the commitment of both sides give tangible results.

Once again congratulating you on Independence Day, I wish you and the people of the United States welfare and peace.

Please, accept, respectful President, the assurances of my highest respect”.

No bomb found in Russian and Chinese Embassies

Shushan Frangulian

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 19:45, 4 July 2022

YEREVAN, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS. No bomb was found in the embassies of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China in Armenia, ARMENPRESS reports the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia informs.

On July 4, at 5:15 p.m., the National Center for Crisis Management received information that an explosive device was placed in the embassies of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China in Armenia.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 29-06-22

Shushan Frangulian

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 17:43, 29 June 2022

YEREVAN, 29 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 29 June, USD exchange rate down by 0.08 drams to 408.31 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 2.20 drams to 429.75 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.11 drams to 7.83 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 3.37 drams to 496.42 drams.

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

Gold price down by 99.88 drams to 23879.52 drams. Silver price down by 3.01 drams to 278.76 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

Turkish press: Turkey, Armenia agree to start direct cargo trade at earliest

Shushan Frangulian
 ANKARA JUL 01, 2022 – 6:50 PM GMT+3

A Turkish Cargo plane seen in air in this undated file photo. (AA Photo)

Turkey and Armenia agreed Friday in normalization talks between the special representatives of each country that the neighbors would start direct air cargo trade between the countries at the earliest possible date, as they work to mend ties after decades of animosity.

The envoys for the normalization process between Ankara and Yerevan "agreed to enable the crossing of the land border between Turkey and Armenia by third-country citizens visiting Turkey and Armenia, respectively at the earliest date possible and decided to initiate the necessary process to that end," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kılıç and Armenian National Assembly Deputy Speaker Ruben Rubinyan, the special representatives for the normalization, held their fourth meeting in Vienna, Austria's capital.

"They also agreed on commencing direct air cargo trade between Turkey and Armenia at the earliest possible date and decided to initiate the necessary process to that effect," the statement also said.

The Turkish and Armenian officials also "discussed other possible concrete steps that can be undertaken toward achieving the ultimate goal of full normalization between their respective countries," it added.

"Finally, they reemphasized their agreement to continue the normalization process without preconditions," the statement said.

The first round of normalization talks was held in Moscow on Jan. 14, where both parties agreed to continue negotiations without any preconditions, according to a statement released after that meeting.

The Turkish and Armenian envoys met for the second time in Vienna on Feb. 24, and the third meeting was held on May 3, also in the Austrian capital.

Also, a historic bilateral meeting took place between the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on March 12.

As part of the efforts, Turkey and Armenia have also resumed commercial flights as of Feb. 2 after a two-year hiatus.

The two countries have been divided on a range of issues, including Armenia's occupation of Karabakh and the 1915 events during the Ottoman Empire era, and the border between the two neighboring countries has been closed since 1993.

Turkey has been working to normalize relations with Armenia in coordination with Azerbaijan since December.

Armenian court orders release of two ARF members on bail

Shushan Frangulian
Panorama
Armenia – June 23 2022

A first instance court in Armenia’s Armavir Province has ordered the release of two members of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) party, Aramayis Mkhitaryan and Aleksan Aleksanyan, ARF Supreme Council member Lilit Galstyan, an MP from the opposition Hayastan bloc, said on Thursday.

The two oppositionists, who were arrested after security officers raided the ARF office in Armavir on May 8, have been released on bail.

“The prosecution, in fact the political persecution, of my fellow ARF members, who are participants in the three Artsakh wars, began after a telephone conversation of unknown origin was released on the pro-government news site Media News,” Galstyan wrote on Facebook.

They were held in pre-trial custody for two months.