China has introduced a visa-free travel regime for Georgian citizens, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced at today’s Cabinet meeting, Georgian Public Broadcaster reports.   Georgian citizens can now stay in China visa-free for up to 30 consecutive days.   “This decision is of great significance as it not only facilitates travel for our fellow citizens…

Nobody is privatizing Armenia, French Ambassador to Armenia Olivier Decottignies wrote in his X microblog. “No flag planting here. Armenia is nobody’s backyard, but a friendly country and democratic nation whose sovereignty and territorial integrity France supports,” Decottignies wrote in X (former Twitter) commenting on the article of the Politico periodical, in which it was mentioned…

The US Department of State responded to the inquiry of the Armenian service of Voice of America regarding the statements made by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about Armenia’s membership in the CSTO and the steps taken by Yerevan in the field of defense.   “We respect the desire of Armenia as an independent country to…

The Russian Foreign Ministry also responded to the statement of Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in an interview with France 24, according to which Armenia practically “froze participation in the CSTO structures”, because the alliance did not fulfill its obligations towards Armenia.   The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that Armenia continues to be a full…

 U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday (February 22) met the wife and daughter of Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who died last week, “to express his heartfelt condolences,” the White House said.   During the meeting in California, Biden expressed his admiration for Navalny’s “extraordinary courage and his legacy of fighting against corruption and…

Seven economies within the Northern Africa and Western Asia region move up the ranking, including notable improvers Georgia (65th), Bahrain (67th), Jordan (71st) and Armenia (72nd), said the Global Innovation index report.    “Switzerland continues to be the uncontested innovation world champion, Singapore makes the top five, and Indonesia joins China, Turkey, India, the Islamic…

Matthew Miller, US State Department Spokesperson, referred to the prospects of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations during his regular press briefing.    In Munich last week, the US State Secretary Antony Blinken met with Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders. “Does he still believe that the peace is within reach?”, Miller was asked   “He still does believe that peace…

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in Brussels on Wednesday (21 February 2024) to discuss further strengthening the Alliance’s long-standing partnership with Georgia, NATO press office reports.   The Secretary General emphasised that Georgia is a close partner and reiterated NATO’s full support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity….

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal described the current position of the country’s army on the battlefield as unfavorable and noted that the Russian Armed Forces have an advantage in the air. He spoke about the situation in the conflict zone in an interview with a Japanese television channel NHK.   Last week, Russian troops dropped…

Azerbaijani fitness trainer Kamil Zeynalli was detained at Moscow’s ՛Domodedovo՛ airport. The issue of his detention is under the control of the Embassy of Azerbaijan to Russia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic informed.   Zeynalli stated on his Instagram social network page that he was brought to the police station because Armenia…

Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Tuesday said Georgia had to accelerate the implementation of reforms, including those of the Association Agreement, to meet the nine steps outlined by the bloc to open accession talks with the country, agenda.ge reports.   Being a candidate country requires a…

Eighty years to the day after his execution by the Nazis at Mont-Valérien Fort (near Paris), Armenian resistance fighter Missak Manouchian will enter the Panthéon on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, accompanied by his wife Mélinée, France Television reports.    Missak Manouchian is the first foreign and Communist resistance fighter to be buried at the Panthéon.  …

President of the European Council Charles Michel referred to his meeting with Armenian Prime Minster Nikol Pashinyan.    “Good discussion with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on EU-Armenia relations and Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation. The agenda of peace, stability and prosperity for the South Caucasus is high on EU’s agenda”, Michel said in a post on X.

An extended meeting between the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place in Ankara.   During the negotiations, the parties discussed the entire range of bilateral relations, as well as the steps aimed at further deepening of cooperation. In addition, current regional issues were in the center…

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that the goal of Armenia’s foreign policy is the protection of the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.   “Our country’s interest should be the goal of our foreign policy vector,” Pashinyan said when asked whether the Armenian government plans to change the vector. “Now, are we pursuing the…

In the provision 9 of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, there is nothing that a corridor will pass through the territory of Armenia, it is impossible to find it, there is no such thing that any other country will control any territory of Armenia, we are talking about regional communications. You also know…

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.   According to an Ukrinform correspondent, the two leaders spoke in English.   At the beginning of the meeting, President Zelensky wished peace to the people of Azerbaijan and emphasized the good ties between the…

US State Secretary Antony Blinken and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met in Munich, US State Department reports.  Secretary Blinken:  Well, good afternoon, everyone, Mr. President.  I very much appreciate this opportunity to spend time with President Aliyev.  We’ve had many opportunities over the last few years to speak and to meet.  I think this…

During the night, Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 33 Ukrainian drones in the Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Bryansk, and Kaluga regions of Russia, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Saturday.   “Tonight, an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack using 33 aircraft-type UAVs on sites on the territory…

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has approved the new composition of the country’s Government, Azerbaijani media reports.   According to the order posted on the website of the head of state, all members of the former Government, except for the Minister of Justice, kept their portfolios. Vilayat Eyvazov was reappointed as the Minister of Internal…

The Russian Embassy in Ankara confirmed the existence of serious problems with bank transfers between Russia and Turkey, and bilateral work is underway to resolve the situation, Russian Ambassador to Ankara Alexey Erkhov told TASS.   “We confirm the existence of major problems with bank transfers affecting Russian and Turkish participants in foreign business activity….

The Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev addressed the situation in the South Caucasus during the meeting of the Secretaries of the Security Councils on Afghanistan, TASS reports.   According to Patrushev, the West is allegedly trying to shake up the situation in the South Caucasus and interfere in the Armenian-Azerbaijani…

Miriam M. Lexmann, Member of the European Parliament referred to the latest aggressive rhetoric by Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev on his inauguration day.    “Just last week Charles Michel, President of the European Council congratulated the dictator on his ‘reelection’ and said he looks forward to working towards normalisation of relations. So at what point…

Matthew Miller, US State Department Spokesperson referred to the announcement by Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor to the US President on Nagorno-Karabakh. “He mentioned that the Congress should support supplemental, because it also covers, among other conflicts, he mentioned Nagorno-Karabakh. So what additional resources you are seeking right now?”, journalist asked.   “There are additional…

The legislation of the Republic of Armenia is the domestic affair of the Republic of Armenia, and no foreign power has the right to interfere in the domestic affairs of our country, Prime Minister’s Spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan said in a statement.   The statement comes after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev declared there will be no…

The top Biden administration official in charge of Europe and Eurasia on Tuesday spoke about the latest military escalation on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, reiterating Washington’s efforts to bring the parties together.   “I think the tensions now just point to the importance of more diplomacy,” James O’Brien, assistant Secretary of State, said,…

The inauguration ceremony of Ilham Aliyev took place in Baku. He assumes the position of the President of Azerbaijan for the fifth time. Aliyev received more than 92 percent of the votes in the snap presidential election held on February 7.   According to the assessment of the OSCE observation mission, it had passed with…

After the EU-Armenia Partnership Council in Brussells, Josep Borrell,High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, provided press remarks with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.    In particular, Borrell said:    “Today, in our discussion, it has been clearly shown that our relations are developing on a positive track.    We had…

In a joint presser held today with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that the shooting of an Azerbaijani soldier by Armenia is “deplorable” but he added that he found the response of Azerbaijan to be “disproportionate”.    He reiterated that…

Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe is concerned by recent escalation, caused by Azerbaijani aggression.    “Concerned about reports of exchange of fire along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Call on both sides to abstain from the use of force. Dialogue is the only way to lasting peace”, Pejčinović Burić posted on her…