Category: 2021

Turkish press: Azerbaijan starts construction of new airport in liberated Karabakh

Kevo Kalantarian
 ANKARA EUROPE 
JAN 16, 2021 12:41 PM GMT+3
President Ilham Aliyev helps lay the foundation for the Fuzuli airport and Fuzuli-Shusha highway in a recently liberated area of Fuzuli district, Azerbaijan, Jan. 14, 2021. (AA Photo)

The leader of Azerbaijan laid the foundation for a new airport and highway in Fuzuli district, which was recently liberated from Armenia's nearly three-decade-long occupation, the presidency said Friday.

On Thursday, President Ilham Aliyev helped pour stone for the Fuzuli-Shusha Highway, which includes the construction of bridges and tunnels, at the 27 kilometer (17 mile) mark of the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha highway, as well as an international airport in Fuzuli district.

The airport will have a 2.8-kilometer (1.7-mile) runway and is expected to be equipped with infrastructure according to international standards.

"This is a very important project for the development of our liberated regions. The Fuzuli International Airport is to be commissioned this year. At least the runway should be commissioned this year. The airport building may be commissioned this year or next year," said Aliyev.

He said the main purpose of the airport is to facilitate the arrival of foreign visitors to Shusha, which is near the airport.

Accompanied by first lady Mehriban Aliyeva and their daughter, Leyla, the president then visited Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, which was also liberated from Armenian forces.

"Work has begun to restore the city of Shusha, restore its historical appearance. In general, only two months have passed since the war ended, but extensive construction work has already begun," he said.

The Azerbaijani leader also emphasized that a second international airport will be built on liberated lands in Kalbajar or Lachin districts, a suitable site is being selected, and the construction of two international airports must be completed in the near future.

"The great return begins. All work has begun. I am sure that just as we drove the enemy out of our lands in a short time – in a matter of 44 days – we will restore our ancestral lands of Karabakh in a short time. Karabakh is Azerbaijan!," said Aliyev.

During a meeting with servicemen in Shusha, Aliyev said he would restore the city and all destroyed areas and historical sites.

"In the near future, we will ensure the restoration of Shusha in a planned manner. Of course, from now on we must protect Shusha like the apple of an eye. Our soldiers, our heroic sons will protect Shusha so that the enemy does not venture to look in this direction," he said.

Aliyev stressed that if anyone in Armenia thinks of revenge, they will again deal with Azerbaijan's "iron fist.”

"This iron fist broke their backs and crushed their heads. If they commit any provocation against us, our response will be very harsh, they will be very sorry and face a bitter defeat again," he said.

Aliyev and his family later visited the Saatli, Yukhari Govharagha and Ashaghi Govharagha mosques. Following prayers, he presented Qurans brought from Mecca to the mosques.

"During the occupation, the enemy destroyed our religious sites in the liberated lands, devastated 67 mosques or made them unusable," he said.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory, and seven adjacent regions.

When new clashes erupted on Sept. 27, 2020, Armenia launched attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces and violated humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

During the six-week-long conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages, while at least 2,802 of its soldiers were killed. There are differing claims about the number of casualties on the Armenian side, which, sources and officials say, could be as high as 5,000.

The two countries signed a Russian-brokered agreement on Nov. 10, 2020, to end fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.

A joint Turkish-Russian center is being established to monitor the truce. Russian peacekeeping troops have also been deployed in the region.

The cease-fire is seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia, whose armed forces have withdrawn in line with the agreement.

Violations, however, have been reported in recent weeks, with Armenian soldiers reportedly hiding in the mountainous enclave.

Armenian ex-ambassador: Parliament speaker is an agent of the Turkish special services

Hovsep Chakrian
News.am, Armenia
Jan 15 2021
  

Armenian parliament's speakert, Ararat Mirzoyan, is an agent of the Turkish special services, gormer Armenian Ambassador to the Vatican Mikayel Minasyan said in his video message.

Minasyan commented on the construction of the Museum-Institute of the Armenian Genocide and the Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex, noting that if Armenia made efforts towards the recognition of the Genocide, then the enemy state should have made the opposite efforts.

“The Turkish special services have begun to work in this direction," he noted.

As proof of what was said, Minasyan presented a handwritten letter from Ararat Mirzoyan written in 2007.

Artsakh village resident was captured by Azerbaijani military and returned few hours later

Meline Chalian
News.am, Armenia
Jan 16 2021
  

Ara Gasparyan, a resident of Hatsi village in Artsakh, was captured by the Azerbaijani military on January 14 and returned several hours later. In an interview with Artsakh Public TV Company Gasparyan said that he was captured while grazing his cattle.

According to him, no border demarcation was carried out, and after being captured by the Azeri military, he invited him to walk through the territory and prove that Gaparyan had violated the border.

After an interrogation that lasted several hours, Gasparyan was handed over to Russian peacekeepers.

Asbarez: Hoops 4 Hayastan Hosts an Incredible All-Star Weekend

Emil Lazarian

January 14,  2020



The Hoops 4 Armenia team

Hoops 4 Hayastan, a sports-focused non-profit organization founded in 2017 by two Armenian-American members of that year’s Armenian National Basketball team, just wrapped up its biggest fundraiser, successfully raising about $50,000 last weekend. The initial goal of raising a total of $10,00 t0 12,000 during the three-day event was surpassed the very first night.

Fundraising events don’t get any more exciting for today’s youth than the one organized by the seven-member team of Hoops 4 Hayastan (H4H). Targeted ideally for its sports minded followers, H4H hosted brief interesting interviews with an amazing group of movers and shakers in the sports world. Guests included well known current professional athletes, well-respected sports veterans, business professionals in the sports field, coaches, and sports enthusiasts. The fundraiser was hosted via Instagram Live over three evenings last weekend. The informal and relaxed vibe created by the H4H hosts with their guests kept the atmosphere fun, upbeat and friendly.

More than twenty-five interesting guests shared their inspiring stories, career highlights/challenges, and advice for today’s youth who are interested in sports. Many of them expressed heartfelt messages for the youth to pursue their dreams with hard work and determination, while remembering to care about the world around them and giving back to their communities. Hundreds of viewers from all over the country and some from as far away as Brazil watched the exciting live program and many of them participated by offering live comments and questions for the guests and the hosts.

The two co-founders of Hoops 4 Hayastan, Garen Spendjian from New York and Matt Madoian from Rhode Island, described to the guests and viewers, how after their first visit to play in a basketball tournament in Armenia, they both realized that as in most developing countries, soccer was the main team sport in Armenia (especially in villages), and that most other sports were individual ones. Contrary to soccer which in its most basic form requires an open field and a ball, basketball requires a proper outdoor or indoor court, hoops, basketballs, etc. As big lovers of basketball, they decided to find a way to bring the love of the game to the villages of Armenia.

During the next two years, they expanded the H4H team to five members who all loved the game and the mission of H4H. Joining the team were Aram Spendjian from New York, Vigen Sarkisov from Boston, and Arakel Aristakessian from the San Francisco Bay Area. This ‘starting five’ organized a few small fundraisers, collected gently used athletic shoes from their local Armenian communities and after their summer tournaments in Armenia, visited a few schools in villages and distributed shoes and uniforms to the local children.

These experiences of interacting with the children and seeing the happiness in their young excited faces, were life changing for the H4H team. They realized then and there that this was going to be their mission as Armenian Americans and lovers of basketball. They decided to double their efforts, add a few more basketball enthusiasts to the team and focus on larger fundraising efforts so they could take on bigger projects in the villages, such as renovating or building gyms and possibly finding sponsors to bring basketball shoes, uniforms, gear, etc. to the villages of Armenia.

In 2020, two more members joined the team from the San Francisco Bay Area. Sisters Natalie and Claudia Leist, also lovers of basketball and whose careers are in the sports field, became the newest members to join the team of five guys. Although due to COVID, the team didn’t travel to Armenia, they made the most of their time while working from home and met regularly via Zoom calls to discuss future projects and potential fundraising events.

In 2020, fundraising events via Instagram Live had become very popular. The H4H team began discussing the possibility of planning such a fundraising event for their future projects as well. Having team members who have made connections with professional athletes and coaches during their basketball careers or through their current jobs in the sports field, they brainstormed potential guests for such an event. Before too long, an impressive list of guests emerged and an exciting IG Live fundraiser was planned for January 2021.

The list of amazing guests included current and retired, well known professional basketball players such as Danny Green, Eric Paschall, Damion Lee, Glenn Robinson III, Will Magnay, Carlos Boozer, Jason Smith, John Petrucelli, Troy Caupain, and Patrick Rembert. From the NFL, great guests included retired players Andrew Hawkins, Will Blackmon, Lance Moore and Justin Forsett.  Other awesome athletes and personalities who joined the Live event were Olympic gymnast Houry Gebeshian, MMA fighters Georgi Karakhanyan and Katlyn Chookagian, NBA Assist. Coach Rex Kalamian, Dir. of Football for the Patriots Berj Najarian, Former pro Soccer Player Alecko Eskandarian, NBA Asst. Coach Jay Hernandez.

Many professionals in the sports field also joined, including, Allie Clifton, Christian Endrigian, Ariana Andonian, Careen Chapjian, Blaise Ffrench, and basketball enthusiast and Michigan State Representative, Mari Manoogian. Not only were they all gracious guests and warmly engaged with the hosts and viewers, but many of them generously donated to the H4H cause and urged everyone watching to do the same.

This Hoops 4 Hayastan All-Star Weekend truly lived up to its name and was incredibly successful in every way. It not only surpassed all fundraising expectations of the H4H team members, but provided an amazing opportunity for all the viewers to relax safely at home, tune in to Instagram, enjoy hearing inspiring stories from many role models for those who are lovers of sports, and to donate to an amazing cause that will bring the joy of the sport of basketball to underserved kids in the villages of Armenia.

The H4H team deserves much appreciation and gratitude for their weeks of planning, excellent preparation of material and questions for the guests, and for their heartwarming dedication to bring the love of sports to our youth in Armenia.

Hoops 4 Hayastan is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Please visit their website and social media pages to learn more about them, to contact them and to support their great efforts.

Connect with Hoops 4 Hayastan through its website and on Facebook and Instagram.




How AYF Has Shaped Activism

Jack Hunanian

January 14,  2020



Thousands attended demonstrations this fall organized by the AYF to protest Azerbaijan’s aggression against Armenia and Artsakh

BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN

For generations of current and past Armenian Youth Federation members, January 14 is an important day as it marks the anniversary of the organization’s establishment in 1933 by General Karekin Njdeh, who was dispatched by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation to the United States to organize the scattered Armenian youth in the nascent Diaspora.

For 88 years the AYF has been that singular organization that through its various programs and projects has marshaled the Armenian youth to advance the national aspirations of Armenians in the United States, internationally in countries with significant Armenian population and since the early 1990s in Armenia and Artsakh.

Njdeh believed that through education and understanding of the struggles of the Armenian people the youth can mobilize and become the torchbearers of our national ideals through the unique perspective and lens of a younger generation.

General Karekin Njdeh (center) in Los Angeles in 1933 for the installation of the AYF “Mousa Dagh”, currently known as the “Mousa Ler” chapter

“The strength of the AYF doesn’t come from one person or leader, but rather the efforts of the collective,” said Puzant Berberian a leader of the AYF Western U.S. in an article he penned last year for Asbarez to mark AYF Day.

It is that collective that has taken the broad concepts of persevering our national identity, advancing the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the need for and strengthening of Armenia’s statehood and has advanced through specific projects and programs shaping community activism for decades.

Take AYF Camp as an example. It was Njdeh’s vision and the efforts of the early generation of AYFers to create a venue where Armenian youth can gather. The grounds of the AYF Camp Haiastan in Franklin Massachusetts were acquired in the 1940s with its summer camp session kicking off in 1951. Here on the West Coast AYF Camp has been part of the Armenian youth narrative since 1977 bringing together hundreds of youth every summer since to promote camaraderie and to instill and preserve their national identity with a focus on strengthening the participants’ commitment to the Armenian Cause.

Armenian Youth Federation

In 1994, AYF Western U.S. leaders believed that with a newly-independent Armenia and Artsakh there was an imperative for a direct bridge between the Diaspora and Homeland. They conceived the AYF Youth Corps program, which sent its first seven participants to Artsakh in the summer of 1994. Since then hundreds of Armenian youth have participated in the program creating lasting relationships and planting the seeds of activism for decades among the youth of Armenia and Artsakh, with offshoot programs developed by other AYF regions in Javakhk.

In 1991, the leaders of the AYF Eastern U.S. kicked off the AYF Internship Program in Armenia, which allows Diasporan youth to gain first-hand knowledge about the functioning of civil society in Armenia by proving work experience in governmental, non-profit and organizational structures.

The AYF has always been on the forefront of advancing justice for the Armenian Genocide. It was the AYF that launched the campaign to urge University of California to divest from Turkey. The movement, which began on one college campus soon spread to all UC campuses and was later adopted by the State Assembly and Senate with the measure being signed by the governor of California.

Another program that has become a mainstay in our community is the AYF’s With Our Soldiers efforts, which, for years, has been providing for the needs of soldiers and their families in Armenia and Artsakh. The devastating toll last fall’s Karabakh war has taken on our soldiers will certainly become a priority for this program for months and years to come.

AYF members directly felt the impact and repercussions of the Karabakh War since many of their friends and colleagues in Armenia and Artsakh were on the frontlines or, as the war progressed, perished in defense of our homeland and nation. It was heart wrenching to read social media posts of AYF members who were maintaining contact on the ground as the war raged.

AYF Camp

This experience did not discourage them but made them more resilient and strengthened their conviction to continue their mission and directly confront the challenges created by the war.

As Njdeh had envisioned, the AYF has and will continue to be on the frontlines of justice for our people and the salvation of our homeland. And, we will, as always, look to the AYF to guide our convictions.

On this 88th anniversary of the AYF we bow our heads to all of their members—past and present—who have sacrificed their lives in pursuit of justice and freedom and in defense of our Nation.

Asbarez: Moscow Says Pashinyan Misrepresented Karabakh Peace Plan Proposals

Toneyan Mark

January 14,  2020



Russian OSCE Minsk Group co-chair Igor Popov

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has misrepresented proposals to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh jointly made by Russia, the United States and France, according to a senior Russian diplomat.

Igor Popov, the Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, has specifically denied Pashinyan’s claims that the three mediating powers pressured the Armenian side to give seven districts around Karabakh back to Azerbaijan and offered it nothing in return.

Pashinyan repeatedly criticized their peace proposals during and after the recent war with Azerbaijan. He dismissed critics’ arguments that he could have prevented the disastrous war by accepting the proposals based on the so-called Madrid Principles of a Karabakh settlement, which were first put forward by the U.S., Russian and French mediators in 2007.

In a January 4 article, Pashinyan claimed that the most recent version of the peace plan drafted by Russia and backed by the two other co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group amounted to a proposed “surrender of lands” to Azerbaijan “in return for nothing.” He said it left open the key question of Karabakh’s status.

Popov bluntly denied that in written comments posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website on Wednesday. He argued that under the Minsk Group plan Karabakh’s population would be able to determine the disputed territory’s internationally recognized status in a future legally binding referendum.

Popov also stressed that the plan tied Armenian withdrawal from two of the seven districts, Lachin and Kelbajar, to the determination of Karabakh’s status.

“Therefore, the claims that Russia proposed [the Armenians] to return the seven districts ‘for nothing,’ forget about the status and calm down do not correspond to reality,” he said.
“Neither the Armenian nor the Azerbaijani side rejected these proposals, even though a full agreement [between the two sides] was never reached. But the bottom line is that negotiations were held on a regular basis up until 2018 when Yerevan came up with new approaches,” Popov added in another jibe at Armenia’s current leadership.

Pashinyan and his office declined on Thursday to comment on Popov’s extraordinary remarks.
Foreign Minister Ara Aivazyan acknowledged in that regard that Moscow has never neglected the issue of Karabakh’s status. “I definitely agree with Mr. Popov in that Artsakh’s status has been and remains the most important aspect of the conflict’s resolution,” he told reporters.

Asked about the clear contradiction between Pashinyan’s and Popov’s statements, Aivazyan said: “I don’t comment on the prime minister’s statements and other comments which are often taken out of context.”

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 01/14/2021

Mary Lazarian 
                                        Thursday, 

Government Wants New Judges For Arrests, Corruption Cases


Armenia -- A court building in Yerevan, June 9, 2020.

The Armenian government formally approved on Thursday a proposal to hire new 
judges who would deal only with corruption cases or pre-trial arrests of 
criminal suspects sought by law-enforcement authorities.

A relevant bill drafted by the Ministry of Justice calls for the selection of up 
to 21 such judges for Armenian courts of first instance. Three other new judges 
specializing in arrests or corruption-related offenses would be appointed to the 
Court of Appeals.

“The increase in the number of judges would shorten criminal and judicial 
proceedings,” Justice Minister Rustam Badasian said during a cabinet meeting 
chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.

Badasian said it would also result in “more objective” court rulings on arrest 
warrants demanded by investigators.

In recent months Armenian judges have refused to allow law-enforcement bodies to 
arrest dozens of opposition leaders and members as well as other anti-government 
activists. Virtually all of those individuals are prosecuted in connection with 
angry protests sparked by the Pashinian administration’s handling of the autumn 
war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Pashinian charged last month that Armenia’s judicial system has become part of a 
“pseudo-elite” which is trying to topple him after the disastrous war. Badasian 
likewise accused judges of routinely acting in a “non-objective” manner.

Ruben Vartazarian, the chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council overseeing the 
Armenian judiciary, rejected the criticism.

Some critics of the Armenian government have already expressed concern over its 
plans to install magistrates tasked with allowing or blocking pre-trial arrests. 
They claim that the government wants to make sure that courts stop hampering 
politically motivated investigations ordered by it.

Pashinian insisted on Thursday that the bill is part of his administration’s 
stated efforts to make the judiciary more independent and effective. He said 
that the new judges would undergo thorough “integrity checks” during the 
selection and appointment process.



Moscow Denies Pashinian’s Claims On Karabakh Peace Plan


Armenia -- Igor Popov, the new Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, visits 
Yerevan, 28Apr2010.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has misrepresented proposals to resolve the 
Nagorno-Karabakh jointly made by Russia, the United States and France, according 
to a senior Russian diplomat.

Igor Popov, the Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, has specifically 
denied Pashinian’s claims that the three mediating powers pressured the Armenian 
side to give seven districts around Karabakh back to Azerbaijan and offered it 
nothing in return.

Pashinian repeatedly criticized their peace proposals during and after the 
recent war with Azerbaijan. He dismissed critics’ arguments that he could have 
prevented the disastrous war by accepting the proposals based on the so-called 
Madrid Principles of a Karabakh settlement, which were first put forward by the 
U.S., Russian and French mediators in 2007.

In a January 4 article, Pashinian claimed that the most recent version of the 
peace plan drafted by Russia and backed by the two other co-chairs of the OSCE 
Minsk Group amounted to a proposed “surrender of lands” to Azerbaijan “in return 
for nothing.” He said it left open the key question of Karabakh’s status.

Popov bluntly denied that in written comments posted on the Russian Foreign 
Ministry’s website on Wednesday. He argued that under the Minsk Group plan 
Karabakh’s population would be able to determine the disputed territory’s 
internationally recognized status in a future legally binding referendum.

Popov also stressed that the plan tied Armenian withdrawal from two of the seven 
districts, Lachin and Kelbajar, to the determination of Karabakh’s status.

“Therefore, the claims that Russia proposed [the Armenians] to return the seven 
districts ‘for nothing,’ forget about the status and calm down do not correspond 
to reality,” he said.

“Neither the Armenian nor the Azerbaijani side rejected these proposals, even 
though a full agreement [between the two sides] was never reached. But the 
bottom line is that negotiations were held on a regular basis up until 2018 when 
Yerevan came up with new approaches,” Popov added in another jibe at Armenia’s 
current leadership.


Austria -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian greets the U.S., Russian and 
French co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group before talks with Azerbaijan's 
President Ilham Aliyev, Vienna March 29, 2019.

Pashinian and his office declined on Thursday to comment on Popov’s 
extraordinary remarks.

Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazian acknowledged in that regard that Moscow has never 
neglected the issue of Karabakh’s status. “I definitely agree with Mr. Popov in 
that Artsakh’s status has been and remains the most important aspect of the 
conflict’s resolution,” he told reporters.

Asked about the clear contradiction between Pashinian’s and Popov’s statements, 
Ayvazian said: “I don’t comment on the prime minister’s statements and other 
comments which are often taken out of context.”

Meanwhile, Armenian opposition figures -- and former President Serzh Sarkisian’s 
political allies in particular -- seized upon Popov's statement to again 
denounce Pashinian's policies on the Karabakh conflict.

Armen Ashotian, the deputy chairman of Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK), said 
Popov branded the Armenian prime minister a liar. In Ashotian’s words, the 
Russian mediator also effectively accused Pashinian of torpedoing the Karabakh 
peace process and paving the way for the autumn war won by Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani army recaptured four of the seven districts which had been 
occupied by Karabakh Armenian forces in the early 1990s. Baku agreed to stop its 
military operations on November 10 in return for an Armenian pledge to withdraw 
from the three other districts.

The Armenian opposition blames Pashinian for the defeat and demands his 
resignation. The latter rejects these demands.



Armenian Minister Reports 8.5% GDP Drop In 2020

        • Sargis Harutyunyan

Armenia -- Workers rebuild a road in Gegharkunik province, Juy 4, 2020.

Armenia’s economy shrunk by 8.5 percent in 2020 after three consecutive years of 
robust growth, Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian said on Thursday.

Kerobian estimated that the country’s exports and imports as well as domestic 
consumption were down by a combined 20 percent. He gave no further macroeconomic 
data.

The Armenian government’s Statistical Committee reported last month that the 
volume of trade and services plunged by more than 13 percent in January-November 
2020.

The committee has not yet released a full-year GDP growth figure. It reported 
earlier that the Armenian economy contracted by 14 percent in the second quarter 
and by over 9 percent in the third quarter of 2020 due to the coronavirus 
pandemic.

The Central Bank of Armenia forecast in mid-September a full-year GDP decline 
6.2 percent. The economic situation in the country worsened further following 
the ensuing outbreak of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh stopped by a 
Russian-brokered ceasefire on November 10.


Armenia -- Armenian Economy Minister Vahan Kerobian attends a cabinet meeting in 
Yerevan, .

“My optimism regarding the economy hasn’t changed,” Kerobian told reporters 
after a cabinet meeting in Yerevan. “Double-digit economic growth remains my 
target.”

Kerobian, who was appointed as minister in late November, did not specify when 
he thinks Armenia can achieve such growth.

Speaking during the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said: “I 
want to wish us success so that we can properly fulfill our duties in this 
difficult period and get the country out of the crisis. To this end we need to 
make special efforts.”

In its 2021 state budget approved by the Armenian parliament, Pashinian’s 
government projected a GDP growth rate of 3.2 percent for this year.

The International Monetary Fund expects the Armenian economy to expand by only 1 
percent in 2021. The IMF said last month that the country’s growth prospects are 
“contingent upon the anticipated global recovery and domestic reform 
implementation.”


Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2021 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Armenpress: Minister Arshakyan presents latest achievements of Armenian technology field to Dutch Ambassador

Maral Chavushian

Minister Arshakyan presents latest achievements of Armenian technology field to Dutch Ambassador

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 11:00,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Minister of High technological industry Hakob Arshakyan received on January 13 Ambassador of the Netherlands to Armenia Nico Schermers, the ministry told Armenpress.

At the meeting the minister highlighted raising the efficiency of the cooperation between Armenia and the Netherlands at various directions of the high technological field, as well as implementing and developing joint programs.

The Dutch Ambassador said it’s an honor for him to work in Armenia and added that he is aware of the achievements of the Armenian technological sector, is interested in the high technologies and is ready to contribute to expanding the technology cooperation between the two countries.

Minister Arshakyan introduced the Dutch Ambassador on the latest achievements of the Armenian technological sector, the ongoing projects, including the Virtual Bridge, the Engineering City and the Cybersecurity Excellence Center.

“Through our various projects we aim at creating communication between the provinces and Yerevan, as well as connecting Armenia with the technology centers of the world, by creating cooperation opportunities with the leading companies and potential investors”, the minister said, adding that Armenia has a great potential of technology mind.

The Dutch Ambassador expressed readiness to work on deepening the bilateral cooperation in the field of high technologies.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian military reports “stable operational situation” at LoC with Azerbaijan

Albert Nalbandian

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 11:03,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. A stable operational situation maintained at the entire length of the Armenian state border’s Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact on January 13 and in the morning of January 14, the Armenian Defense Ministry said.

“According to information received from the Armenian National Security Service, no border incidents occurred at the Vorotan-Davit Bek section of the Goris-Kapan interstate road which is under the responsibility of the National Security Service border troops as well. The units of the Armed Forces of Armenia and the NSS border troops are controlling the border situation at the entire length of the border and are fulfilling their mission,” the Defense Ministry said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan