Azerbaijani troops supposed to leave Armenia borders, more on COVID-19 vaccination, May 17 digest

Azerbaijani troops supposed to leave Armenia borders, more on COVID-19 vaccination, May 17 digest

Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 17.05.21:

BORDER SITUATION

The negotiations over the Armenian-Azerbaijani border issues, which lasted for several days through the mediation of Russian General Rustam Muradov, have reportedly yielded results.

The talks were held as, since the morning of May 12, Azerbaijani troops have been invading Armenian state borders near Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces.

Now the Azerbaijanis agreed to withdraw from the Armenian territory of Syunik Province.

Moreover, different scenarios for the conclusion of the negotiations were circulating in the media.

Spartak Minasyan, the mayor of Verin Akner village, said that according to preliminary information, the Azerbaijanis should withdraw. However, he did not say anything about how far the Azerbaijani troops would go or under which conditions they agreed to go back.

Meanwhile, some opposition representatives assured that concessions had been made to the Azerbaijanis. In particular, former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan wrote that they had agreed to set up joint posts before there would be a demarcation between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

No information was provided from official sources.

Last night, Pashinyan convened a meeting of the Security Council, which could have brought some clarity in this situation, but the government did not spread any information about the content of this meeting.

Already this morning Pashinyan convened another session of the Security Council, during which he informed that the Azerbaijani troops have been leaving Armenia in groups for the last few days.

ARMS DEALER

Armenian arms dealer Davit Galstyan has been released.

Galstyan was detained on February 1 and arrested—the next day.

The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia had informed that David Galstyan, chairman of the board of a company registered abroad, had reached an arrangement with the director of this company, and provided low-quality artillery shells of 1983-1986 production to the Ministry of Defense of Armenia in 2018, with which, according to the NSS, it was not possible to carry the military tasks, whereas Galstyan had received US$1,083,000 in exchange.

Davit Galstyan, in his turn, had issued a statement noting that, in fact, the models of ammunition produced under and dates stipulated by the contract had been delivered, and he had promised to present the respective evidence in the future.

COVID-19

As of Monday morning, 67 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 220,927 in the country.

Also, ten more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 4,333 cases.

The number of people who have recovered over the past one day is 445, the total respective number so far is 208,899.

Meanwhile, what comes to the vaccination process in Armenia, the second batch—comprising 50,000 doses—of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been imported as part of the fight against coronavirus.

The AstraZeneca vaccinations are given to people in Armenia who are 18 and older—and on a voluntary basis.