Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenian-related top news as of 07.12.2020:

•             One of the most terrible tragedies in the modern history of Armenia took place thirty-two years ago in Armenia, on December 7, 1988.

A series of aftershocks destroyed the city of Spitak and inflicted heavy destruction to the city Leninakan (now Gyumri), Kirovakan (now Vanadzor), and Stepanavan.

Over 25 thousand people died, tens of thousands were injured, hundreds of thousands were left homeless.

Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan today visited the city of Gyumri and paid tribute to the memory of the victims. The central streets of the city were closed.

A wreath was also laid on behalf of the second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan.

•             Armenian FM Ara Ayvazyan met Monday in Moscow his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

According to Lavrov, the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh is just emerging from the hot phase.

The FM highlighted the importance of the joint statement signed on November 9 by Russian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani leaders.

According to him, this statement stopped the war and ensured an agreement allowing both refugees and internally displaced persons to return to their homes.

The FM also urged to pay special attention to cultural heritage in Karabakh. According to him, it is planned to allocate special resources of UNESCO for these purposes, while UNESCO is also preparing its assessment mission.

The Armenian FM, in turn, noted that Turkey must withdraw its military and linked-militants from Karabakh.

He also added that Yerevan and Baku would hold a meeting on the Karabakh issue immediately after the situation in Karabakh stabilizes.

Ayvazyan has also expressed hope that Baku would not disrupt the process of exchange of prisoners in Karabakh.

•             The search and exchange of bodies of killed servicemen on the territory of Shushi-Martakert are practically completed.

Work is underway in the adjacent territories of the cities of Martuni, Askeran, as well as in the directions of Gadrut, Fizuli, and Kashatagh region.

Following the talks, prospecting work will soon be continued in the southern part of Gadrut, which is under the control of Azerbaijan, namely in Mekhakavan and other settlements.

•             The Constitutional Court of Armenia accepted for consideration the appeal of the parliamentary opposition on constitutional amendments, the head of the Bright Armenia party Edmon Marukyan said on Monday.

•             Bright Armenia opposition faction leader said he would meet their PM candidate Vazgen Manukyan.

Edmon Marukyan said his party has held consultations with the representative of the body coordinating the 16 political parties and has been told that the 16 political parties have decided to nominate Vazgen Manukyan as their unified candidate for PM.

•             Azerbaijan has appointed Rafik Danakari, an Udi, as a preacher at the Armenian Dadivank monastery in Karvachar Region of Karabakh, according to Azerbaijani media.

Danakari stated that there are more than 300 "Albanian" churches in Karabakh, and he is going to visit them.

Earlier, Azerbaijanis and Udis visited Dadivank and prayed there.

•             A nationwide rally was taking place on Freedom Square in Yerevan on Saturday.

The opposition gave Armenia's PM Nikol Pashinyan time until Tuesday noon to resign and leave.

According to the opposition representatives, if Nikol does not leave by that time, actions of disobedience will take place throughout Armenia.

•             President of Russia Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held phone talks during which they discussed their willingness for future cooperation within the scope of the OSCE Minsk Group, the Kremlin’s press service reported.

•             The person who called for violence against the people of Artsakh and several politicians on social media has been released.

According to Gor Abrahamyan, an adviser to the prosecutor general of Armenia, the criminal prosecution against him continues.