Thursday, February 16 2023 13:13

ArmInfo.A regular Cabinet meeting took place today, chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the press service of the RA Government reports.

 The Government adopted a decision, envisaging to allocate 17,074,985.2 thousand AMD to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of  Armenia from the funds approved by the state budget for the "Road  Network Improvement" program. Referring to road construction works,  Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the need for quality and new standards.  The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of implementing the  programs in due time.

For the organization and implementation of the centenary celebration  of the Armenian Film Foundation, the Government adopted a decision to  provide funding to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and  Sports. As noted by the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and  Sports Zhanna Andreasyan, a trilingual picture book dedicated to the  founder of Armenian cinema, Hamo Beknazarian, was published on the  initiative of the ministry, which is distributed to various libraries  and Armenian studies centers around the world. According to Zhanna  Andreasyan, the program of events has multiple components. 

In particular, the "Armenian Cinema Century" program will be  implemented, which will kick off on April 16 and will last for one  year. Around 100 classical and modern films of Armenian cinema will  be shown in the regions and in Yerevan.  The Head of the Government  emphasized the holding of the 100-year jubilee events dedicated to  the foundation of Armenian cinema also in terms of having a vision  for the future and the development of cinema. Nikol Pashinyan  considered the plan to create a high school of arts, a university of  arts in the area of Hayfilm film studio as one of the longest  discussed projects aimed at the development of the sector.  The  Government allocated 157,816.1 thousand AMD from the reserve fund in  order to provide humanitarian aid to the earthquak-affected  population in Turkey and Syria. As the Minister of Emergency  Situations Armen Pambukhchyan noted, humanitarian cargo was sent  twice by air to Syria and twice by land to Turkey.  Responding, Nikol  Pashinyan informed that the Armenian rescuers have returned from  Syria, and today the Armenian rescuers are also returning by land  from Turkey. "You know that the Minister of Foreign Affairs paid a  visit to Turkey, which I think is a very important and symbolic  event," said the Prime Minister and inquired about the details of the  visit from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.  The Minister of Foreign  Affairs noted that the main topic of the visit and discussions was  the earthquake in Turkey. "I must state that the Turkish side, both  at the level of the central authorities, and on the ground, and at  the level of the population's reactions, positively evaluated the  work of our rescuers and the provision of humanitarian aid. 

It deserved quite a positive reaction and gratitude. We also  communicated with our rescuers, they told us how the population  treated them. I think this was an important humanitarian step. Of  course, we also discussed some issues related to bilateral relations,  concrete agreements were reached. My Turkish partner told the media,  and I can also state that there is a decision to speed up this  process of dialogue and the processes taking place for the purpose of  finally opening the borders.  Our rescuers, as you mentioned, will  return again via the land border, just like the second batch of aid  was sent. It was announced that we will carry out joint works on the  restoration of the historical bridge of Ani.  Basically, before the  start of the tourist season, we will also try to complete the process  of opening the land border for citizens of third countries and  citizens with diplomatic passports of the two countries." The Prime  Minister noted that Armenia's actions are primarily and mostly  humanitarian and have had a humanitarian motive. "I want to emphasize  that I find the criticisms leveled at us absolutely unacceptable,  because I can't imagine any situation where millions of people just  across the door need support due to a natural disaster, and anyone  can remain indifferent. It is absolutely unacceptable on any  justification and for any reason.  On the other hand, already in my  New Year's address and even before that and in the Government's  Action Plan, we emphasized our vision to change the quality of our  relations in the region. I am very sorry that this change of  atmosphere occurs in the conditions of such an unprecedented  disaster, but perhaps also objectively human tragedy makes people  understand each other better. Maybe it is also an objective reality. 

I hope that this can really become a new starting point for the  establishment of relations between Armenia and Turkey in the region,"  said the Head of the Government, adding that the architectural sketch  for the reconstruction of the Ani bridge, which had been prepared  long ago, can become a symbolic step.  Nikol Pashinyan also referred  to the humanitarian work being carried out in the direction of Syria.  "I must say that I also consider our work in the direction of Syria  very important. You know that there were objective and subjective  circumstances that made humanitarian aid to Syria less accessible. I  must record that Armenia was one of the first countries that made a  decision and sent humanitarian aid to Syria. We are also planning the  visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Syrian Arab Republic. 

If our Syrian partners do not mind, we will organize it in the near  future. I also think that the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs  should definitely visit Syria in order to express our support."