Donna Dausett-Kiorolo, World Bank Regional Director on Southern Caucasus, will arrive in Yerevan on September 13. Dausett-Kiorolo’s official visit on discussion of support to Armenia by World Bank will start on September 15. It is supposed that besides the representatives of the state structures, Donna Dausett-Kiorolo will meet the representatives of the social organisations. The support program...

On September 11, the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan armed forces’ contact-line, near the Bash Karvend village, Aghdam direction. From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Karol Kratky (Czechia), Kenneth Pikels (Great Britain) and...

On September 11 Armenian Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan received Jan Leve, France’s Shavil Mayor. France Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny and Mher Shahgeldyan, chair of parliamentary friendship group Armenia-France, were present to the meeting. Issues regarding Armenian-French collaboration, culture, retraining of state servicemen, exchange of the representatives of colleges and enterprises...

On September 9 president Robert Kocharyan signed a decree on relieving Razmik Davoyan from his post for councillor of the president, according to his own application. Under another decree by the president, Bagrat Yesayan was appointed the councillor of the president. Before the new appointment Bagrat Yesayan was the head of the staff for Securities Committee.

Today president Robert Kocharyan received Lebanon Ambassador to Armenia Toni Badau, who finishes his diplomatic mission in our country. Thanking for joint efficient activity, president stated thatrecently Armenian-Lebanese mutual collaboration has obviously become active. Toni Badau expressed his gratitude to the Armenian Authorities for support while his office period.

Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Freimut Duve, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, today made the following joint statement regarding the media situation in Azerbaijan. "We are deeply concerned by the continuous reports regarding harassment of the media and intimidation of journalists in Azerbaijan. We are in particular alarmed by the fate of the...

Today president Robert Kocharyan received Yuri Merzlyakov, the new Russian Co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group. The diplomat stated that his visit to the region is of cognitive nature aiming to learn the stances of the conflicting parties on the spot. At the meeting the interlocutors discussed the present condition of Karabakhi conflict settlement within OSCE Minsk Group. At Merzlyakov’s request Kocharyan...

Today Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanyan hosted Yuri Merzlyakov, the newly-appointed Russian co-chair of Minsk Group. He is in the region within cognitive visit. During the meeting the parties discussed the present state of settlement of Karabakhi conflict in the framework of Minks Group and the special issues which must be considered as prior to finally reach the peaceful settlement...

Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Peter Schieder and the Secretary General of the Organisation, Walter Schwimmer, today welcomed the decision by the National Assembly of Armenia to abolish the death penalty and to ratify Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights. "This important step brings Europe closer to total abolition of the death penalty, which is one...

According to the information, released by “Interfax” and “Trend” Agencies, Haji Akif, head of the press centre of Caucasus Muslims’ Department had announced that Allahshukur Pasha-zade, the leader of Caucasus Muslims’ had applied to Garegin II with request to take measures “to prevent destruction of historical and religious monuments in the territories controlled by Armenia” . In this connection the Information System of Saint...

On September 8, NKR Foreign Minister Ashot Ghoulian received a group of participants of the meeting of representatives of the Caucasus Network of NGOs on refugees and displaced persons with the leaders of Nagorno Karabakh's NGOs, which had taken place that day in Stepanakert. Ashot Ghoulian approved the conduct of this meeting, noting that the exchange of experience would contribute to the increase...

Another CE commitment was fulfilled today: Armenian National Assembly voted 97 to 14 to pass the Bill on the Ombudsman. Under the newly adopted law, an ombudsman will be appointed by the republic president but not chosen by the National Assembly as it was before.

Armenian National Assembly ratified Protocol No. 6 to the ECHR Tuesday by majority of the votes. 93 of lawmakers voted for and 1 against the Protocol ratification. The only MP who voted against was MP Manuk Gasparyan. “Justice” Union didn’t participate in voting.

Under September 8 decision of PM Andranik Margaryan, Manvel Eganyan was relieved of his post on vice-head for State Tax Service, affiliated with the Armenian Government. Samvel Petrosyan was relieved from the post on the deputy chief for State Tax Service, affiliated with the Armenian Government, too. Arthur Osikyan was appointed the vice-head of State Tax Service. He used to hold the...

On September 8 Yuri Merzlyakov, the Russian Co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group, arrived in Armenia. The same day he will leave for Nagorno Karabakh to meet the Authorities. Yuri Merzlyakov will return Yerevan on September 9 and meet the Armenian Authorities on September 10.

On September 5 the sitting of the governmental committee for exploitation the unit “Hydraulic Engineering Structures on Vorotan River ” took place in Government presided by Hovik Abrahamyan, Armenian Minister for Territorial Management and Co-ordinating Activity of Infrastructures. The report of the working group affiliated to the committee on implementation of works was heard. Vladimir Movsisyan, PM’ councillor and Deputy Chair of the...

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan received Thursday Roger Robinson, the head of World Bank Armenian office. Issues related to the World Bank and the National Assembly cooperation y were discussed at the meeting. Roger Robinson said attaching great importance to education and public health care development, the bank intends to implement its second program in these areas.

Yuri Merzlyakov Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group on Karabakhi conflict settlement arrived in Baku on Wednesday. He said his visit aim is to get the conflict-related information. Merzlyakov also said that he would stick to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approach toward the problem in his activity, according to which “there must be neither winner nor looser in the conflict”. Yuri...

Armenian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan left Thursday for Vienna to attend OSCE-held two-day conference against racism and discrimination. The minister is set to deliver a speech there. The delegation is scheduled to be back on September 5.

On August 29, Armenian President Kocharyan signed a decree on dismissing Harutyun Khachatryan as a member of the Radio and Television National Commission ahead of his term expiring. The same day, the president issued another decree appointing Aaron Mkrtchyan to this position. Before being appointed to this post, Aaron Mkrtchyan, who is a lawyer, worked as a lecturer in courses for civil employees...

On September 3 Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan met the heads of the Armenian offices for international organisations on the refugees’ problems and missions. It was stated that the coalition government stresses importance of integration of the refugees into the society and $5 million was allowed to solution to their housing problems. An arrangement over providing the refugees with...

Prime Ministers of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh have today signed a meeting protocol in Stepanakert, under which the governments of both republics expressed their willingness to continue implementation of the programs on “Measures for Collaboration of the Governments of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh”, signed on September 3, 2000 and August 5, 2001 in Stepanakert, to intensify integration and the...

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan with members of government is now in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to attend festivities dedicated to the 12th anniversary of declaration of independence in the republic. Margaryan commemorate Arthur Mkrtchyan, the first head of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s Supreme Council, by lying flowers at his grave. He paid floral tributes also to those warriors perished...

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan held today a routine meetings with Republican, Dashnaktsutyun parties’ and National Unity’s parliamentary fractions. Issues related to the National Assembly’s fall session were discussed at the meetings.