Category: 2018

My Step Foundation Board of Trustees holds meeting

Elizabeth Jabejian

My Step Foundation Board of Trustees holds meeting

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16:14,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. The Board of Trustees of the My Step Foundation held a session on December 20 chaired by Anna Hakobyan, wife of the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Hakobyan is president of the Board of Trustees of the charitable foundation. Trustees Vahagn Tevosyan, Lena Nazaryan, Serj Tankian, Vahan Vardapetyan, Sara Anjargolyan and Lusine Kasarjian took part in the board session.

Hakobyan noted that the goal of the special session is to discuss the activity of the foundation of the recent months, to present the developed projects and the issues.

Executive director of the foundation Hovhannes Ghazaryan presented the financial report of the past 6 months and then introduced the foundation’s action plan concept to the Board of Trustees. Programs concerning social security, healthcare, education and environmental issues were also presented. Ghazaryan said that the foundation of all projects will be long-term affect.

The board also discussed the procedure and principles of individual citizens’ applications on healthcare issues.

The board also determines its budget limitations and confirmed the staff list.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan



Armenpress: Armenian Ambassador holds farewell meetings in Vienna, Austria

Eduard Nalbandian

Armenian Ambassador holds farewell meetings in Vienna, Austria

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15:34,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Ambassador Arman Kirakosyan, who completes his diplomatic mission in Austria and international organizations in Vienna, met with Lassina Zerbo – Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

During the meeting the Armenian Ambassador thanked the CTBTO Executive Secretary for the productive cooperation during his mission and the programs conducted by the organization in Armenia. In his turn Lassina Zerbo highly appreciated Arman Kirakosyan’s personal contribution to developing Armenia’s cooperation with the CTBTO. The Ambassador reaffirmed the invitation sent to the CTBTO Executive Secretary to visit Armenia, stating that it will be a chance to get acquainted with the programs being implemented by the CTBTO support. At the end of the meeting Lassina Zeerbo wished success to the Ambassador in his future activities.

On December 19 Ambassador Arman Kirakosyan also had a farewell meeting with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Director General Li Yong. At the meeting Li Yong touched upon the recent and ongoing programs of the UNIDO in Armenia which greatly contributed to the upgrading and recovery of some sectors of the country’s economy, including textile production. Ambassador Kirakosyan thanked the UNIDO Director General for the effective cooperation, highlighting the latter’s personal contribution to the regulation of some issues related to Armenia. The Ambassador said the invitation to Li Yong to visit Armenia is in force, and in response the UNIDO Director General said he plans to visit Armenia in the second half of 2019. He added that he will be happy to participate in any business forum in Armenia.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan





Armenia’s Pashinyan: State does not create problems in trade with Iran

Adrine Hakobian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Armenia’s Pashinyan: State does not create problems in trade with Iran Armenia’s Pashinyan: State does not create problems in trade with Iran

18:10, 22.12.2018
                  

The Iran-related difficulties of the banking system operating in Armenia are not related to the activities of any state department; the reason is the concerns of private companies.

The Acting Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, on Saturday noted the aforementioned while responding to journalists’ questions, in Vanadzor.

He said they had informed the banks in Armenia that the US government sees no problem in terms of remittances by way of private individuals. But, as per Pashinyan, since banks are private companies, they are careful so as not to be “blacklisted.”

Nonetheless, the acting PM noted that the Armenian government continues to engage in dialogue with these banks to explain to them that if no sanction is imposed on a specific person, it is unnecessary to limit his banking activities.

“They [the banks] ask us: ‘If we go for some operations and have financial problems, will you recompense for our problems? Obligate yourselves to recompense for our problems, and we will operate without worries,’” Pashinyan said. “But you understand that the state can’t assume some uncertain and unknown obligations there.”

Pashinyan more interested in CSTO substance than the issue of the secretary general

Janet Ekmekjian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 22 2018

The substance of the Collective security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is more important than the issue of the secretary general, acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated on Saturday at a briefing with reporters. In his words, the issue should be solved through consensus as the all parties should try to reach a consensus.

“As I said earlier, the post of CSTO has not been passed on Armenia permanently and secretary generals are appointed on a rotational basis. It means our term was to end at some point.
What matters to us is not the post and the status of the CSTO secretary general but the substance of the organization. More specifically, it is about clarification of mutual commitments and reaching a consensus,” the acting PM said, adding the relevant discussions are currently underway.

To remind, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko signed on Friday a draft resolution of the CSTO on appointing Stanislav Zas as the secretary general of the organization.

Earlier, the CSTO Collective Security Council relieved Armenia’s Yuri Khachaturov of his duties as the organization’s secretary general in November at the initiative of official Yerevan, following charges brought by Armenian Special Investigative Service against Khachaturov with overthrowing the constitutional order in 2008. Armenia earlier insisted on keeping the top CSTO post until 2020, however, the CSTO stated that due to the political situation in the country, it would be inappropriate to give up the post again to Armenia.

Iran to produce composite gas bottles in Armenia

Raffi Khondkarian
Vestnik Kavkaza
Dec 22 2018
22 Dec in 20:11

Today, the opening ceremony of the plant for the production of composite gas bottles took place in the Armenian Vanadzor. Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the ceremony, the press service of the government reports.

The plant was built by the Iranian company Rad Sane Vashamir Group, the investment in the company amounted to $ 21 million, the company's founders Husein Yagubpur and Araik Asrian said. 

The company will use the best modern technology. The gas bottles are in great demand due to their fail-safety, quality and price.

Acting PM’s new adviser general-mayor Arshak Karapetyan gives testimonies against Kocharyan: attorney

Vanyan Gary
Aysor, Armenia
Dec 22 2018

Armenia’s acting PM Nikol Pashinyan’s newly appointed adviser general-mayor Arshak Karapetyan has given testimonies against Armenia’s second president Robert Kocharyan, attorney Hayk Alumyan told the reporters today.

“This person has given testimonies against Mr Kocharyan. Mr Kocharyan claims that these testimonies are absolute lies. An attempt was made to conduct face-to-face interrogation but it failed due to some reasons I would not like to voice,” Alumyan said.

“Arshak Karapetyan was one of deputies of Yuri Khachaturov. I cannot say why he has been appointed adviser. I can only suppose that the appointment was made as a sign of encouragement in the sidelines of the criminal case. Of course, I would not like to think that it is such a case, but it would be difficult to think in another way,” Alumyan said.

Armenia’s Pashinyan: Consensus is more important to CSTO content

Ani Tigranian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Armenia’s Pashinyan: Consensus is more important to CSTO content Armenia’s Pashinyan: Consensus is more important to CSTO content

15:46, 22.12.2018

We have said that we have a candidate and the matter should be decided by consensus.

The Acting Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, on Saturday told the aforementioned to reporters. He noted this, as he commented on the most recent developments regarding the appointment of the next Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

“We need to attempt to reach a consensus [on this matter],” Pashinyan said. “It’s not like the CSTO Secretary General’s position is permanently reserved for Armenia. 

“The task for us is the CSTO content and the specifying, clarifying of mutual obligations, and to reach a consensus on this matter,”

The acting PM said he was satisfied with the past and future discussions at the CSTO.

“Very open and frank discussions have taken place, which has never taken place in the CSTO,” he added. “We need to comprehend our security environment.”

Asked whether Armenia will use its veto power should Belarus nominate its candidate as the next CSTO chief, Pashinyan responded: “Consensus is more important to the CSTO content than the Secretary General’s matter. We [Armenia] have always been constructive, and we will be constructive—hoping for the same constructive…We don’t want from others more than what we are ready to do.”

As for whether Armenia will host Belarus’ CSTO Secretary General candidate in capital city Yerevan, Nikol Pashinyan said: ‘As long as the discussions continue, we haven’t found it expedient. We haven’t rejected, but we have said that they are not expedient at this phase. The discussions will continue.”

Armenia acting PM says he has no information that Russian natural gas price shall go up at border

Hovik Karapetian
News.am, Armenia
Dec 22 2018
Armenia acting PM says he has no information that Russian natural gas price shall go up at border Armenia acting PM says he has no information that Russian natural gas price shall go up at border

16:14, 22.12.2018
                

The Acting Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, is hopeful that the ongoing talks with Russia, and with respect to the price of the Russian natural gas being supplied to Armenia, will be successful.

Speaking with reporters, and in connection with the remark that there was a leakage in recent days that the price of the Russian natural gas being supplied to Armenia will increase at the border, Pashinyan said: “I have no such information. We [Armenia and Russia] have agreed that we need to discuss that matter.”

And asked whether during these discussions the Armenian side will insist on reducing the gas price, the acting PM responded as follows, in particular: “I hope the negotiations will be successful.”

Nikol Pashinyan added that he will confer on all possible matters during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, next week in Russia.

Belarus’ candidate for CSTO secretary general approved by Tajikistan

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 22 2018

Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon signed a draft resolution of the CSTO on appointing Stanislav Zas as the secretary general of the organization, Ria Novosti agency reported.

“President of Tajikistan supports the candidacy of Stanislav Zas for the post of CSTO secretary general,” the official representative of Tajikistan MFA Vafo Niyatbekzoda told the agency.

Earlier Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko signed on Friday a draft resolution of the CSTO on appointing Stanislav Zas as the secretary general of the organization.

To remind, the CSTO Collective Security Council relieved Armenia’s Yuri Khachaturov of his duties as the organization’s secretary general in November at the initiative of official Yerevan, following charges brought by Armenian Special Investigative Service against Khachaturov with overthrowing the constitutional order in 2008. Armenia earlier insisted on keeping the top CSTO post until 2020, however, the CSTO stated that due to the political situation in the country, it would be inappropriate to give up the post again to Armenia.

Armenia should understand whether to treat CSTO seriously or not: Acting PM

Emil Lazarian
Aysor, Armenia
Dec 22 2018

Armenian acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the reporters today that the post of the CSTO secretary general is not Armenia’s forever, it is based on rotation principle and Armenia’s term is to end at certain period.

“Our issue is not to preserve the post of the secretary general and the status, for us the important thing is CSTO’s content and clarification of mutual commitments,” he said, adding that there was time when the rotation principle was not acting and one person was holding the post of the CSTO secretary general for a long period of time.

He stressed that the issue is deeper and added that he is pleased with the discussions conducted recently. “Very open and frank discussions took place that had never taken place in the CSTO before,” he added.

“And we, understanding our security environment. must ask ourselves whether we need to treat the CSTO seriously or not. It is a very important issue,” he said.