Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 18-01-24

 17:36, 18 January 2024

YEREVAN, 18 JANUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 18 January, USD exchange rate down by 0.24 drams to 405.25 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.59 drams to 441.48 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 4.57 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.06 drams to 514.18 drams.

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

Gold price down by 359.69 drams to 26211.27 drams. Silver price down by 3.37 drams to 297.13 drams.

Nicolas Anelka and FFA President discuss the prospects for building football academy in Armenia

 18:08, 18 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS.  French retired football player Nicolas Anelka and the President of the Football Federation of Armenia Armen Melikbekyan discussed the prospects of establishing a football academy in Armenia, the Football Federation of Armenia said.

On January 18, Nicolas Anelka visited the FFA Technical Center/Football Academy and familiarized himself with the infrastructures.




Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan presents the Crossroads of Peace project to the German official

 18:20, 18 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. On January 18, the Minister of Economy of Armenia Vahan Kerobyan in Germany met Niels Annen, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany.

According to the ministry, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Federal Republic of Germany also attended the meeting.

The parties discussed the agreements reached as a result of the negotiations and the process of their implementation.

Vahan Kerobyan presented the "Crossroads of the World" project developed by the Armenian government to his German colleague, highlighting the opportunities for economic and infrastructural development.

Armenian lawmakers to participate in Strasbourg program on the protection of human rights in biomedicine

 19:46, 18 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Deputies of the National Assembly of Armenia will head to Strasbourg on January 21-25 to participate in the "Protection of Human Rights in Biomedicine" project.

According to the corresponding order of the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chair of the Armenian National Assembly Standing Committee on Health Care Narek Zeynalyan, MPs Lusine Badalyan, Emma Palyan, Armenuhi Kyureghyan, Rustam Bakoyan, Marina Ghazaryan, Tigran Parsilyan, Zemfira Mirzoeva, Arsen Torosyan and Tatevik Gasparyan will head to France to participate in the project on "Protection of Human Rights in Biomedicine".

French ambassador summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry

 20:16, 18 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. The Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that French Ambassador Pierre Levy has been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

"In connection with the destruction of the foreign fighters' temporary deployment point in Kharkiv by the Russian Armed Forces, among whom were several dozen Frenchmen, the French ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry," Tass quoted Maria Zakharova as saying.

Armenpress: North Korea tests ‘underwater nuclear weapon system’

 12:04,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. North Korea has carried out a test of a newly developed “underwater nuclear weapon system,” its armed forces have said, calling the move a response to joint military drills by the United States, South Korea and Japan, RT reports citing a statement from Pyongyang.

A military spokesperson announced the test in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) early on Friday morning, citing “provocative military exercises” held around the Korean peninsula in recent weeks.

“In response, the Underwater Weapon System Institute under the DPRK Academy of Defence Science conducted an important test of its underwater nuclear weapon system ‘Haeil-5-23’ under development in the East Sea of Korea,” the statement said, adding that the test helped to develop Pyongyong’s “underwater nuke-based countering posture.”

Pyongyang carried out several similar tests last year, including a “nuclear unmanned underwater attack boat” in March, which it had previously dubbed a “secret weapon.” Unnamed military officials said the naval drone could create a “radioactive tsunami” using underwater explosions and “annihilate enemy ship groups” without detection.

It was not immediately clear whether the latest trial involved a newer model of the same weapon.

Armenian Defense Minister, U.S. Ambassador discuss cooperation and regional security

 09:55,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan has met with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien to discuss defense cooperation, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The meeting took place on January 18 over dinner at the invitation of the U.S. Ambassador.

Minister Papikyan and Ambassador Kvien discussed “issues pertaining to the Armenian-American cooperation in the defense sector and regional security, as well as issues of mutual interest,” according to a readout issued by the Ministry of Defense. Papikyan thanked the U.S. Ambassador for the warm reception.

Armenian FM, Croatian Prime Minister discuss South Caucasus security

 10:21,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met on Thursday in Zagreb with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

Mirzoyan and Plenković noted that the latest high-level contacts have intensified the bilateral cooperation which is based on friendship, mutual understanding and common values, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a readout. Mirzoyan and Plenković also noted that the visit is taking place in the year marking the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Croatia.

The Armenian FM and the Croatian Prime Minister discussed possibilities to further develop the agenda of cooperation between the two countries, deepen political dialogue and develop trade-economic ties, as well as enhance cooperation in other areas of mutual interest. The development of partnership in the context of strengthening Armenia-EU cooperation was also highlighted and the existing dynamics in this direction was emphasized.

Mirzoyan and Plenković also discussed issues pertaining to security and stability. FM Mirzoyan presented to the Croatian Prime Minister the Armenian side’s approaches based on the well-known principles regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process and the establishment of peace in the South Caucasus.

Speaking about the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian Foreign Minister emphasized the need for restraining the approach of the use of force to resolve issues in the region, and for ruling out Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggressive rhetoric and territorial ambitions.

The Crossroads of Peace project developed by the Armenian government, namely its political and economic components, were also discussed.

Azerbaijan obstructs process of unblocking regional infrastructures, Armenia warns EU

 10:38,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan is obstructing the unblocking of regional infrastructures, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan told Toivo Klaar, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, during a meeting on Thursday.

In a readout, the foreign ministry said Kostanyan and Klaar “discussed the recent developments on regional security and establishment of peace.”

“In this context, the Deputy Foreign Minister drew the attention of interlocutors to the destructive statements made by the President of Azerbaijan in his recent interview, which aim to deviate from the peace agenda. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vahan Kostanyan stressed that the former USSR member states, including Armenia and Azerbaijan, recognize each other's borders in accordance with the Alma-Ata Declaration of December 1991, and the delimitation work should be carried out on the basis of the latest maps available at the time of the dissolution of the USSR. The Deputy Minister also emphasized the imperative of the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia. Vahan Kostanyan noted that Azerbaijan is hindering the process of unblocking regional infrastructures, the 4 well-known principles of which — sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity and equality — have been previously agreed between the parties,” the ministry said.

Armenian President meets with Iraqi Kurdistan PM Masrour Barzani in Davos

 11:08,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. The President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan has met Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of Iraqi Kurdistan at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Khachaturyan and Barzani discussed “a number of agenda items of bilateral interest,” the Armenian President’s office said in a readout. They also discussed “the general situation in the region and beyond, as well as current developments.”