ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2016-2017. bought weapons worth about $ 700 million, according to a report published yesterday on the state of the world arms trade  between 2013 and 2017 of the Stockholm Peace Research Institute  (SIPRI). According to the report, Armenia occupies the 54th place in  the world in terms of arms import for 2016-2017.

ArmInfo.Moscow stands for the normalization of the Armenian- Turkish relations. This was announced at the briefing on March 7 by the official representative of the  Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, referring to the denunciation of the Armenian-Turkish protocols on normalization of relations by Armenia.

ArmInfo. If Azerbaijan does not buy weapons from Russia, it can buy it from any other state. Colonel-General Anatoly Sidorov, head of the Joint Staff of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, said during the Moscow-Yerevan-Astana-Bishkek-Minsk space bridge on the theme "Major threats to the military security of the CSTO member states" on March 6.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. Events commemorating the 190th anniversary of the Treaty of Turkmenchay started in Yerevan with the participation of Armenian politicians, representatives of expert and scientific circles of Armenia and Russia.

ArmInfo. Francophonie Days to start in Armenia.

ArmInfo. Official Moscow commented on the presidential elections held in Armenia.

ArmInfo. Russia's position on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement is well known and has not changed. This was announced at the briefing on March 2 by Russian MFA spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, expressing Moscow's attitude to the issue of returning Nagorno-Karabakh to the negotiating table.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan commented on the possible consequences of US sanctions against the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex for the Armenian-Russian military-technical cooperation. "We must take into account all possible developments," Shavarsh Kocharyan stated in an interview with journalists on February 15 after a government meeting. According to the Deputy Minister, we should not run ahead. "We are monitoring the situation and are interested in maintaining cooperation with Russia in this area, since this is one of the components of our security," Kocharyan said. In response to a question as to whether consultations on this issue are being conducted with the American side, he replied: "While the question is not specifically worth it, it does not require negotiations with the Russian or American sides."

ArmInfo. Newly appointed Ambassador of Chile to Armenia Rodrigo Nieto Maturana (residence-Moscow) presented copies of his credentials to Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.  

ArmInfo.  Armenia can not and should not stay out of the events in the Middle East, particularly in the north of Syria and southeast of Turkey, only because it is in fact a part of this region.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. The restoration of direct rail service between Armenia and Russia through the territory of Abkhazia and Georgia meets the economic interests of Yerevan and Moscow. This was stated by the Armenian Ambassador to Russia Vardan Toganian in the press center of the Parliamentary Newspaper. According to him, the project could also strengthen political ties between the countries, although bilateral relations are still at the highest level. As the diplomat noted, Moscow and Yerevan show the whole world an example of good-neighborly relations, on the agenda of which there are no global problems. "They are not only in the political arena, but also in real life - about one and a half million Armenians living and working in Russia, only a small confirmation. "We must at least maintain such relations, take into account our historical experience and modern realities. It is worthwhile to step up military-political, economic, cultural partnership, "the diplomat emphasized, while he stressed that Russia and Armenia still lacked cooperation and production projects." There is cooperation at the level of natural monopolies in the field of gas and energy. But we need projects, for example, in the field of agriculture. This could involve our colleagues from Kazakhstan and Belarus. I am sure that the railway coming from Russia can also work for the interests of the Central Asian countries - a single Armenia can not be the beneficiary of this economic project. However, such plans would strengthen the political component of our relations, and I wholeheartedly support this idea, "the ambassador said. In turn, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Control and Rules Oleg Nilov proposed to begin the process with the restoration of the railway communication between Russia and Armenia. "This could be in demand both in passenger transportations and in freight transport, including rail transportation of timber and lumber, agricultural products, especially as this way gives us access to the huge market of Iran," the deputy explained, stressing that the road , of course, must pass through the territory of Abkhazia and Georgia. "Given that Armenia and Georgia have normal relations, the implementation of the project largely depends on the diplomatic efforts of Tbilisi and Yerevan, it is very important that the railway does not cause fears of the Georgian side," noted Nilov, noting that the Russian trains to Kaliningrad have long been going through Lithuania - and this despite the difficult relations with the Baltic state. <The trains run without stops, the cars are sealed. The same scheme can also be used here, "the parliamentarian said. He is convinced that any investments in this project will pay off fairly quickly. The trade representative of Armenia in Russia Karen Asoyan said that more than 270 agreements on cooperation have been concluded between the countries. "Last year our trade turnover amounted to 1.7 billion dollars, while the export of goods from Armenia to Russia grew by more than 44 percent," he said, adding that this was largely due to the country's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union and the implementation of a set of programs , developed by the Armenian government. As Mikhail Sheremet, a member of the State Duma Energy Committee, said, the cooperation in the energy sphere is also actively continuing - about 80 percent of the necessary energy resources the country receives from Russia. According to him, several facilities of the republic's fuel and energy complex are owned by Russian companies. "And in 2014, the Armenian government approved the proposal to extend the design lifetime of Metsamor NPP - the work on its modernization is carried out by Rosatom corporation," he recalled. In his turn, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Vladimir Jabarov considered important Armenia's actions in relation to Russia at international venues, noted. "Armenia has never voted for decisions that could cause reputational damage to Russia in the world arena. In particular, the Armenian delegation has never supported the anti-Russian resolutions of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, "the senator said.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo. In Yerevan, there is a rally-action against the rise in price, initiated by the opposition bloc "Elk". Participants of the protest action, along Abovyan Street, march to the square of the Republic chanting "We say no to price rise!", "We say no to robbery!". One of the Elk leaders, Nikol Pashinyan, stressed that the only requirement is the return of the Tax Code to the previous state, that is, before January 1, 2018, at least for the price of diesel fuel, gasoline and liquefied gas. Pashinyan stressed that it is possible to achieve success in the matter of introducing amendments to the Tax Code only through public pressure. The protesters will march through the central streets of Yerevan and return to the square in front of the Moscow cinema.

ArmInfo.Authorities are inadequate and isolated from real life of citizens. On February 5, one of the leaders of the "Elk" bloc Edmond Marukyan stated at the protest action "No rise in price". According to him, this is evidenced by the authorities' argument about the price increase for a number of goods in the country. "Citizens of our country, united by means of public pressure, must show the authorities their place, we said that the rise in price in the country is connected with excise tax." Prior to January 1, international prices rose, which have nothing to do with Armenia's obligations against the backdrop of protests in the country, gasoline prices have risen again, "said Marukyan. And in this context he expressed the conviction that without putting pressure on the ruling regime, without mobilization of forces, one cannot achieve success. According to him, "Elk" has developed amendments to the new Tax Code, according to which a proposal was made to return quotations for excises to the initial price. Marukyan also said that tomorrow in the parliament a collection of signatures will be held to hold an extraordinary meeting on the issue of amending the tax code. He expressed confidence that only joint efforts can achieve success in this matter. Another member of the bloc Artak Zeynalyan urged citizens to go out on the street and show the authorities who in the country is the owner. On the square in front of the Moscow cinema there is a protest action against the rise in price, organized by the opposition bloc "Elk". Participants of the action will march along the central streets of Yerevan and return to the Moscow cinema. About 1,000 people gathered on the square. This is the second protest action of the bloc. The first took place on 19 January.