Category: 2023

 15:50,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. On February 18, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan met with Erin Elizabeth McKee, the Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for Europe and Eurasia within the framework of the Munich Security Conference.

During the meeting, the programs implemented by USAID in Armenia and the prospects of further cooperation were discussed, the foreign ministry said in a read-out.

Foreign Minister of Armenia emphasized the role of the U.S. and especially USAID in institutional capacity building in Armenia and providing support to democratic reforms of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. 

Issues on regional security and stability were also touched upon.

Ararat Mirzoyan briefed his counterpart on the humanitarian challenges faced by 120,000 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan. In this context, the imperative of the unimpeded humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh for relevant international organizations was stressed.

 16:22,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. The meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is underway in Munich.

Later tonight, the Armenian Prime Minister will also participate in a panel discussion alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the Secretary General of the OSCE Helga Schmid at the Munich Security Conference.

 17:52,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. The meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Munich has ended.

Later tonight, the Armenian Prime Minister will also participate in a panel discussion alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the Secretary General of the OSCE Helga Schmid at the Munich Security Conference.

 18:41,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a meeting with the former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen within the framework of the Munich Security Conference.

PM Pashinyan and Rasmussen discussed the developments taking place in the South Caucasus region and attached importance to the implementation of consistent steps in the direction of strengthening stability and peace, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a read-out.

 20:16,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan believes the situation in South Caucasus requires more international attention in conditions of the current risks.

“Global stability can make things in our region better. Because for long time, the whole international attention is concentrated on Ukraine, understandably, and it creates new risks for our region. And it is very important to keep the international attention on our region as well because I think there are many risks to be managed. What is our approach to this whole situation? We stayed devoted to our democratic reforms agenda, because we believe that democratic reforms, the development of democratic institutions, rule of law, human rights, independent judiciary, et cetera, would make the overall situation in our region better. And we think that it is a benefit for the whole region for us to do our part of the job,” PM Pashinyan said at a panel discussion alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the Secretary General of the OSCE Helga Schmid at the Munich Security Conference.

 16:51,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense of Armenia Suren Papikyan will travel to the United Arab Emirates to participate in the International Defense Conference (IDC) and the IDEX and NAVDEX 2023 defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, the defense ministry said in a press release.

 17:48,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani refugees living in Germany gathered outside the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich to protest against Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s regime, Azerbaijani media reported.

The Azerbaijani leader was to arrive at the venue of the Munich Security Conference for a trilateral meeting with the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken when the demonstration began. 

The demonstrators were holding signs calling for sanctions against Aliyev. “Don’t sacrifice democracy for energy. Sanctions against Aliyev,” read one of the posters.

 18:57,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev discussed the course of the work around the peace treaty draft during trilateral talks mediated by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken within the framework of the Munich Security Conference.

“The trilateral meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev took place within the framework of the Munich Security Conference. The course of the works around a peace treaty draft between Armenia and Azerbaijan was discussed at the meeting, as well as the unblocking of regional transport infrastructures and delimitation between the two countries in accordance with the agreement reached in Prague. Prime Minister Pashinyan reiterated Armenia’s commitment to achieve the signing of a peace treaty that would truly guarantee lasting peace and stability in the region. At the same time, Nikol Pashinyan stressed the fact of the illegal blockade of Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan and the resulting humanitarian, environmental and energy crisis in Nagorno Karabakh. The continuity of the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan was highlighted,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a read-out.

 19:08,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a meeting with the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Werner Hoyer within the framework of the Munich Security Conference.

The Prime Minister attached importance to the cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the EIB and the joint investment programs implemented in various fields, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a read-out.

PM Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the projects being implemented in cooperation with the EIB are of great importance for the business circles and citizens of Armenia, since the projects are aimed at financing the private sector and improving various infrastructure junctions. The Prime Minister also noted that the Armenian government is interested in discussing the opportunities for implementing new programs with the EIB.

Werner Hoyer assessed the cooperation with the Armenian government as productive and noted that the EIB is ready to discuss the possibilities of implementing new projects in different directions with Armenian partners.

 19:28,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Azerbaijan have a genuinely historic opportunity to secure an enduring peace after more than 30 years of conflict, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said before the meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev within the framework of the Munich Security Conference.

“Well, good afternoon, everyone.  I want to thank President Aliyev, Prime Minister Pashinyan for being here today.  We believe that Armenia and Azerbaijan have a genuinely historic opportunity to secure an enduring peace after more than 30 years of conflict.  The parties themselves have renewed their focus on a peace process, including through direct conversation as well as with the EU and ourselves.  The United States is committed to doing anything we can to support these efforts, whether it’s directly with our friends, whether it’s in a trilateral format such as this, or with other international partners.

But I’m very grateful for the presence of both the president and the prime minister today, and look forward to a good conversation.  Thank you,” the US State Department quoted Blinken as saying.