Author: Vicken Chmshkian

 21:35,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Unreasonable optimism should not be expressed over discussions and negotiations with Turkey and Azerbaijan, as there is no basis for that optimism, but the parties express a desire to discuss, talk, try to create a basis for optimism, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said in an online press conference. “We are ready to pursue that path”, ARMENPRESS reports the PM as saying.

Armenia and Turkey have appointed special envoys․ Armenia will be represented by the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Ruben Rubinyan, and Turkey will be represented by the former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey to the USA Serdar Kilic. Their first meeting has not been scheduled yet. Pashinyan, however, expressed hope that the meeting will be scheduled as soon as possible. A rather long process is expected, and one should not have exaggerated expectations from one or two meetings in order to record a concrete result.

PM Pashinyan does not agree with the opinions voiced by the opposition that with the readiness of such negotiations Armenia has agreed to Turkey's preconditions regarding the "Zangezur Corridor". "Armenia has not discussed, does not discuss and will not discuss any issue in the corridor logic. In terms of relations with Turkey, if we ask the question in the logic of communications, the agenda of creating, building and shaping transit routes may be important for us. And if during our contact with Turkey it turns out that the expected opening of the communications can have a larger regional significance, it will be one of the key issues on our agenda. One of the issues will be, for example, the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border and the railway.

There are talks about the reopening of air communication, which we positively assess, we welcome, we hope that mutual flights will start. In other words, our expectation is the normalization of relations, but we must understand that we are dealing with a complex problem, which has many nuances and sensitivities. There is a lot of emotional attitude to the issue in the Republic of Armenia”, Pashinyan emphasized.

He added that all the Armenian authorities have said that they are ready to normalize relations with Turkey without preconditions, which means that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide has never been a precondition for normalization of relations with Turkey and opening of borders. According to the Prime Minister, the Armenian government has clearly stated its position on the issue of international recognition of the Genocide.

Pashinyan also noted that there ais no agreement or idea for meeting with the Turkish president, but if the negotiation process between the envoys goes on successfully, high and top level meetings can take place.

 14:18,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. There were only 6 cases of people experiencing anaphylaxis after getting the COVID-19 shot in the nearly 1,5 million vaccinations that were administered so far in Armenia, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention Deputy Director Gayane Sahakyan said at a media event.

“Out of all 1,5 million vaccinations we’ve had only 6 people who experienced anaphylaxis, and none of them required hospitalization,” Sahakyan, the head of the National Immunization Program said.

She said that if the necessary medical intervention is provided to persons experiencing anaphylaxis within one hour of onset then the patient won’t require hospitalization and will recover quickly.

 15:47,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS. The Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) could reach clarity over the potential construction of a “national stadium” in the next 1-2 months, the FFA President Armen Melikbekyan said at a press conference.

He said the works over building a national stadium are ongoing. “If we complete a few issues, then we’ll reach a point where we can sign a preliminary memorandum with a company which will prepare to build the national stadium with our support,” he said.

Melikbekyan added that the issue will be specified in the next few months.

 18:07,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian visited on December 16 the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See in Armenia.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the President’s Office, Armen Sarkissian toured in the territory of the newly opened nunciature, accompanied by Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See, Archbishop Jose Avelino Bettencourt and Ambassador of Armenia to the Holy See Karen Nazaryan.

President Sarkissian expressed confidence that with its presence and activities in Armenia, the Nunciature of the Holy See in Armenia will contribute to the strengthening and deepening of warm and friendly relations between Yerevan and the Vatican.

The President of Armenia recalled with warmth his official visit to the Holy See in October and the meetings with Pope Francis and Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Deputy PM, ADB Armenia Office Director discuss investment program of North-South Road Corridor

 18:53, 8 December, 2021

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Hambardzum Matevosyan received Paolo Spantigati, Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Armenia Office. As RAMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Deputy PM, Hambardzum Matevosyan highlighted the successful partnership established between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the ADB, noting that it has been effective both in the fields of infrastructure and human capital development, as well as in the framework of programs implemented within the framework of regional cooperation.

Paolo Spantigati thanked for the reception, congratulating Hambardzum Matevosyan on the occasion of assuming the post of the Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia.

The interlocutors discussed the investment program of the North-South Road Corridor. The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the Government of the Republic of Armenia attaches great importance to that and is working hard to complete its 2nd and 3rd tranches. Hambardzum Matevosyan added that the construction of the southern part of the project is of strategic importance for Armenia, which further emphasizes the need for active work in that direction.

Reference was made to the "Seismic Safety Improvement Program" implemented in collaboration with the ADB, which was intended to build and reinforce 46 schools. Emphasizing the effectiveness of programs implemented in the field of health and education, the Deputy Prime Minister praised the support provided by the ADB in the conditions of the coronavirus pandemic, both in the direction of developing medical capacity and transition to distance education in crisis situations.

The issue of public-private partnership was also on the agenda of the meeting. Hambardzum Matevosyan drew attention to the need to increase the number of programs carried out with ADB assistance in the private sector, considering the existence of a new legal framework and ADB's mastery of international best practices in this field.