Armenian News - NEWS.am informational agency presents daily digest of Armenia’s top news as of 12.06.2019
· Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday sent congratulatory messages to President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, on the latter’s national holiday: Russia Day.
“The strong brotherly ties that link Armenia and Russia, as well as our active political dialogue serve as a solid basis for the development of trade and economic, military and political, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation," the statement said.
· Artsakh Defense Ministry urges the Azerbaijani side to refrain from provocative actions that exacerbate the situation, Artsakh MOD press service reported.
A number of Azerbaijani media, based on the press service of their MOD, spread the message that the Armenian units allegedly violated the cease-fire in different directions of the contact line, using various types of small arms and 60-mm mortars, the statement said.
“The Artsakh Defense Ministry not only refutes this disinformation, but also reports that during June 11 and on the night of June 12, the Azerbaijani side used both long-range and sniper weapons of various sizes and AGS-17 type grenade launchers. If necessary, we can justify these facts with appropriate video materials,” it said.
· The Armenian national football squad were hosted by Greece in the fourth round of the Group J qualifiers for the UEFA Euro 2020 final tournament, and they defeated their hosts 3-2 in Athens.
As a result, Armenia climbed to third spot in this group, with 6 points, leapfrogging Greece and Bosnia & Herzegovina which have 4 points, apiece.
“Super important win tonight,” Mkhitaryan wrote on Facebook
Gevorg Ghazaryan is recognized as the best player of the fourth round match of the Euro 2020 qualifying tournament. He received a special prize after scoring a goal in Armenia vs Greece clash.
Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan, in his turn, said: “6 goals and two victories in two games? This is already serious. I congratulate the national football team of Armenia—with expectation of a heated football autumn.”
· The Criminal Court of Appeal of Armenia on Wednesday rescheduled the consideration of the appeals by the Prosecutor General’s Office and by the legal representatives of the successors of the victims of the events that occurred in capital city Yerevan in March 2008, on the respective criminal case involving second President Robert Kocharyan and some other former senior officials.
On March 1 and 2, 2008 the then authorities of Armenia used force against the opposition members who were rallying in downtown Yerevan, and against the results of the presidential election on February 19, 2008. Eight demonstrators as well as two servicemen of the internal troops were killed in the clashes.
· Dutch parliament has passed a motion condemning Turkish president’s hate speech on April 24 about Armenian Genocide, chair of Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands Mato Hakhverdian tweeted.
The motion was submitted in Dutch Parliament on June 6 by Christian Union MP Mr. Joel Voordewind.
The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) had urged the parliament to take action in response to these unacceptable remarks.
Foreign minister Stef Blok did not advise against the motion and left it to the judgement of the parliament.
· Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to arrive in Yerevan on October 1 to take part in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Russian ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin told reporters on Tuesday.
He also said that the continuity has been preserved in the Armenian-Russian relations after the well-known political events in Armenia.
The ambassador noted that the Armenian side is striving to decently hold its chairmanship in the Eurasian Economic Union.
He also touched upon Karabakh conflict and noted that the decision on the Karabakh issue should be made by the conflicting parties.
“Russia advocates for the establishment of intensive talks. A manifestation of this, including the recent meeting of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov with his colleagues from Yerevan and Baku, as well as periodic visits of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to the region,” the ambassador noted.
What comes to natural gas talks, he said that natural gas talks contain many components.
The ambassador noted that such components are the analysis of tariffs, gas prices, and investment potential.