The Executive Power has made amendments to N 726 decision of Government on “Setting up State Management Establishment on “Government Staff of Armenia”. Under it, to regulate the problems over religious communes and organizations and minority groups it was decided to establish a Department on Minority Groups and Religion in the Armenian Government staff. Government has decided to establish...

President Robert Kocharyan received Georgian Ambassador to Armenia Nikoloz Nikolozashvili at his request. Issues regarding the present state in Georgia and the Armenian-Georgian relations were discussed at the meeting. Armenian Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan received Georgian Ambassador, too. Georgia home policy was discussed at the meeting. Nikolozashvili conveyed greetings of the...

Armenian-German relations and collaboration prospects were discussed in Armenian Parliament. Armenian Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan, Norbert Baas, German Government’ Commissar on Russia, Caucasus and Middle Asia and German Ambassador to Armenia Hans Wolff Bartels met each other. While talking about the regional issues, Norbert Baas underlined interest of his country in Southern Caucasus...

On November 26 President Robert Kocharyan signed the Law on “Making an Amendment to the Criminal Code”, approved by Parliament.

President Kocharyan signed a decree Tuesday announcing a call-up of reservist doctors for a two-year military service and demobilization of those having completed their service in Armenian Armed Forces.

Today Adzharia president Aslan Abashidze announced that he breaks off relations with Georgia till the new and legal presidential elections. He also said that he didn’t recognize legality of acting president Nino Burdzhanadze. Adzharia Parliament has unanimously approved the decree by Abashidze on declaring an emergency for 1-month term in the territory of Adzharia.

Armenian Apostolic Church leader Garegin II is to leave for Moscow Tuesday to attend a meeting of Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Alexy II with Caucasus region’s religious leaders scheduled for November 26. Russian, Armenian, Georgian and Caucasus Muslims leaders will discuss peace and religious tolerance issues at the meeting. Garegin II is set to visit Armenian Church diocese of South Russia on November 27.

On November 22 Armenian Foreign Affairs Minister Vardan Oskanyan had a telephone conversation with his Turkish colleague Abdullah Gule. Oskanyan condemned the terror actions in Turkey, calling them menace to the whole mankind. He presented his condolences over the victims. Abdullah Gule stated that international cooperation is necessary for terror prevention and informed that the Turkish Government...

President Robert Kocharyan received NKR parliamentary delegation, headed by Parliament Speaker Oleg Esayan. Esayan represented Kocharyan the directions of the collaboration with the Armenian Parliament. Activity of the inter-parliamentary committee was underlined for experience exchange and increase of efficiency of legislative work. Garegin II as well hosted the Karabakhi delegation. Catholicos...

Armenian Foreign Ministry’s Press Secretary Hamlet Gasparyan speaking at news conference on Friday condemned the terrorist attack on British Consulate and HSBC bank in Turkey and expressed condolences to families of those killed in explosions as well as citizens and Turkey and Britain governments. Denouncing terrorism as an ugly and horrible phenomenon, the ministry spokesman said Armenia joins...

Armenia has eventually adopted Traffic Security Law. Up to now, a Soviet-era law has been in force in the republic. Introducing the new law to journalists, Armenian Police Department Deputy Chief Ararat Mahtesyan said the bill was approved by executive authorities though it faced strong criticism before being passed. Besides securing traffic, the law provides legal field for setting responsibility for those exploiting vehicles.

Armenian leader Robert Kocharyan received EU member countries’ ambassadors to Armenia and head of European Commission’s delegation on Friday. Further development of bilateral cooperation was discussed at the meeting. Both sides said they attached great importance to president Kocharyan’s visit to Brussels scheduled for December.

Central Election Committee of Georgia will make public the official results of the parliamentary elections in Georgia on November 2. Under the preliminary results, ”For the New Georgia” headed by Edward Shevardnadze, is holding the first place /20,9 and 7% accordingly.

On November 21 the delegation headed by NKR Parliament Speaker Oleg Esayan will start meetings in the permanent representative of NKR in Armenia. In Parliament NKR delegation will meet Parliament Speaker, Vice-Speakers, Chairs of the Standing Committees and the party leaders. Private conversation of Oleg Esayan with Arthur Baghdasaryan is scheduled. Armenian PM Andranik Margaryan will receive...

President Robert Kocharyan met Garegin II, Catholicos of All the Armenians. They discussed issues regarding state-church relations. Robert Kocharyan appraised highly role of a church in spiritual and moral education of our people. Garegin II stated that the Armenian Apostolic Church has always supported the Armenian statehood and it is ready to render its spiritual service to welfare of the Armenian people.

Armenian and Georgian foreign ministers met in Moscow today and discussed current relationship between the two countries. Situation in Georgia was discussed as well. Armenian minister refuted rumors that Georgian authorities asked Armenian leadership to dispatch troops in their country.

”We consider ourselves a part of Europe and try to be active in the integration processes with Europe as far as possible”, president Robert Kocharyan said at the meeting with the delegation headed by European Parliament MP Pier Garton. By the president’s word, Armenia stresses importance of developing the relations with European Union, and any visit like that is a new incentive for consolidation of cooperation. He appreciated highly...

The body of the perished pilot was found at the accident scene of MIG-29 fighter of Russia’s Air Forces in Armenia, Alexandr Drobishevski, head of the press service of Russia’s Air Forces, informs. 39-year-old Major Konstantin Kardash, the high class pilot was navigating the fighter. The “black box” of the crashed fighter was found in the wreck place. By Drobishevski’s word, flights of MIG-29 located in Gyumri air-base are temporarily...

On November 11 President Robert Kocharyan signed a decree on appointing presidential councilor Seyran Avagyan the Chairman of Committee on Local Government affiliated with the president.

USA Ambassador John Ordway received several Armenian high rankers on the building yard of the new Embassy. Yerevan Mayor Ervand Zakharyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ruben Shugaryan, Armenian Police Vice-Head General Varyan, President’s staff head Artashes Tumanyan, Yerevan Architect-in-Chief Narek Sargssyan, and the representatives of Cadastre State Committee were in the Armenian delegation....

Elections for two vacancies in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) were held Tuesday at UN General Assembly’s 58th session. Armenia, Balarus, Moldova and Poland put up their candidates for the Council membership. 120 to 125 votes of UN member countries and eligible-to-vote countries are needed to be elected in Economic Council. Moldova withdrew its candidacy on the eve of the election....

Georgia ethnic minorities’ leaders read up a statement at a briefing held on Wednesday in Tbilisi. “We found it necessary to address the community, political activists, NGOs’ and mass media representatives as well as the country’s all citizens, regardless of their nationality, who are interested in maintaining stability in society to show restraint and to defy any incitement to ethnic hatred, destabilizing order in the country that can...

MEETING AT THE NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY On November 10, NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs Ashot Ghoulian has received consultants of the British non-governmental organization “Resources of Armistice” Jenny Norton and Lara Griffith, who had arrived in Nagorno Karabakh with an acquainting visit. Greeting the guests, Ashot Ghoulian noted that the Karabakh party, limited in its opportunities due to the unrecognized status of NKR, was interested...

Today Adzharia Sovereign Republic head Aslan Abashidze arrived in Armenia. He met President Robert Kocharyan. Issues regarding the political situation in Georgia after the parliamentary elections there were discussed at the meeting. Referring to development and intensification of Armenian-Georgian economic collaboration, Abashidze introduced the economic state of Adzharia to Kocharyan.