2023 November 15

Daily news wrap-up

Armenia and U.S. working "real-time" to uphold Russian sanctions // U.S. investigating attack on Karabakh, downgrades ties w/ AZ // Annual checkups required for universal care // Pashinyan's breakup with CSTO // Education reforms // New army uniforms // Georgia's u-turn // North-South
by ar_david_hh

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Big news Wednesday. 22-minute read.

Pashinyan explains why Armenia is no-show during Russian-led CSTO meetings

Opposition MP from pro-Russian faction: You have decided not to attend the CSTO meeting in Minsk. Previously, you didn't attend the CIS in Bishkek, and neither did FM Mirzoyan. Armen Grigoryan refused to attend the NatSec meeting in Moscow. MOD Papikyan refused to attend another CSTO meeting earlier. Armenia has also turned down its quota for the deputy secretary of CSTO and has recalled its representative to CSTO. You refused to host CSTO exercises in Armenia. I have a very direct question for you: What does this all mean? Are you preparing a ground to leave CSTO? If yes, what will be the alternative security system? If you aren't leaving CSTO, does that mean your actions are an attempt to "bring CSTO members to their senses"?

PASHINYAN: We aren't trying to bring anyone "to their senses". We have decided not to be present in those meetings for various reasons. We are not preparing the ground for anything. That ground either exists or doesn't, regardless of our stance.

About the alternative security mechanisms. Sadly, despite its de jure obligations, the CSTO has not responded adequately to Armenia's security challenges. This happened multiple times. With all due respect to all our partners, the Armenian public does not understand why we always attend the same meetings [CSTO, CIS] and repeat the same sentences but never receive any positive response.

The fundamental problem is that CSTO does not recognize Armenia's borders and territorial sovereignty. By silently participating in CSTO meetings, we would risk giving the impression that we also do not recognize our borders and territorial integrity. Our decision not to attend CSTO meetings will give us and CSTO some time to think about future steps.

Opposition MP: You are changing Armenia's foreign vector in the middle of a war. This is adventurism. The CSTO offered to send a border mission but you rejected it.

PASHINYAN: We did not reject an offer by CSTO to send a mission to Armenia. We asked CSTO to explain WHERE they will send the mission. They answered: "Republic of Armenia". We asked them to show us the map of the Republic of Armenia. They did not. We showed them Armenia's map and asked them to acknowledge the fact that Azerbaijan has invaded Armenian territories, but CSTO refused to acknowledge it. We cannot accept their mission unless they acknowledge the fact of invasion.

About the "alternatives". I have already stated that we have adopted the policy of diversifying Armenia's defense relations. This is necessary because Russia, including for objective reasons, cannot sell weapons to Armenia. This is a transparent process that we have announced earlier. We ask Russia not to hold a grudge against us because we have no choice but to find other defense partners as well. We have since signed agreements and acquired weapons. This is our policy. There is currently no decision to leave CSTO. //

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1god62_rxjY)

U.S. State Department about Nagorno-Karabakh

QUESTION: What do you think about the future of Nagorno-Karabakh? You have Azerbaijan on one hand celebrating the victory surrounded – in a town surrounded by Russian army. You have Armenia being bullied by Russia every single day saying they won’t go anywhere.

STATE DEPT: We continue to believe that people who have left Nagorno-Karabakh have the right to come home if they wish to do so, and that’s a right that should be upheld.

[source,](https://www.state.gov/briefings/department-press-briefing-november-14-2023/)

U.S. ambassador joined EU border observers to patrol Armenia's border with Azerbaijan

Kvien was in Tavush on Wednesday.

[source,](https://factor.am/711431.html)

U.S. is "downgrading" relations with Azerbaijan after the invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh: Azeri source in Washington

Alex Raufoglu, Turan agency: U.S. [deputy foreign minister for Europe] James O'Brien is scheduled to appear in Congress today where he will defend Armenia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and democratic institutions. Washington is telling Baku that their relations cannot be the same after the September war *[military invasion and final ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh]*. Biden's cabinet members are expected to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh's future during the Congressional hearing.

O'Brian is expected to testify that Azerbaijan's use of force in Nagorno-Karabakh has led to the mass migration of Armenians to Armenia. He is expected to say that Azerbaijan's use of force has undermined the trust and raises suspicions about Baku's willingness to achieve peace with Armenia. The State Department has made it clear to Azerbaijan that their bilateral relations cannot be the same as before.

The U.S. is expected to double the efforts to achieve peace in the region and to restore regional communication that connects Europe to Central Asia. //

[source,](https://factor.am/711438.html)

Armenia has chosen to strengthen ties with the West, we owe it to the Armenian people to support them now: U.S. State Department official O'Brien

O'BRIEN: I will focus on three things: How we're caring for the people who are uprooted in September, how we are supporting Armenia, and how we are working toward peace.

Let me talk first about the 100,000 people who are uprooted and the culture that has moved out of Nagorno-Karabakh, at least temporarily. We insist on the people having complete access to the territory and the protection of their property and culture. People need to receive adequate information so they can make a real choice about their future and know that they have the viable opportunity to return and live in Nagorno-Karabakh if that's what they choose. I'm encouraged that the UN and Red Cross report that they have unimpeded access to Nagorno-Karabakh to verify the conditions on the ground and we're working to be sure they are able to speak with the refugees inside Armenia so that clear and reliable information is available to them.

There are two things we're doing. We want them to have a viable choice to have the information and the rights they need to make decisions for themselves. We have already committed some substantial money since September 19th to make this possible. I met on Friday with PM Pashinyan to discuss other steps that we might take to support the refugees and assist the gov't of Armenia with helping them in their current situation and with whatever choices they might make.

Secretary Blinken has ordered us to prepare a comprehensive and transparent record of what happened in Nagorno-Karabakh. Not just on those days but for months before. We've commissioned independent investigators, we have our own investigators working in the field. There is info available from international NGOs and other investigators. As we develop the record of what happened, we will be completely open to what we are finding. I can't put a timeline on this investigation but we'll keep you informed as we go forward.

The second thing we're working on is support for Armenia. I'm very impressed by the Armenian government's commitment to reform and diversify the relationship in economic, political, energy, and security areas, particularly with the transatlantic community. I think we owe it to the people of Armenia to help them through this difficult situation so that those choices they've made very bravely are able to help them gather a more secure and prosperous future. We're working closely with the EU on providing an offer of support for Armenia over the next months. When I met with Pashinyan [a few days ago] this was the main topic of our conversation. It's critical to a secure free and prosperous region that we be supportive of the Armenian people and of the government and the choices they have made.

Third. We are pursuing a peace agreement. The sides have met multiple times. I saw the EU mediators just this week. Spoke with others this morning. They are hosting one of the parties today. The next few weeks will be critical in testing the parties willingness to go from good intentions to saying "yes". As we all know, yes is the hardest word to get in a negotiation. So how are we doing that? Well, we are deeply engaged. I think there have been 13 senior-level visits to the capitals of Yerevan and Baku since September, as well as meetings among the parties we well. We are also deeply engaged with Turkey as we go forward.

We've made clear that nothing will be normal with Azerbaijan after the events of September 19 until we see progress in the peace track. We've canceled a number of high-level visits. We've condemned the actions and you mentioned the 907 Waiver... we don't anticipate submitting a waiver until we see real improvement in the situation. *[oh snap?]*

We continue to urge peace. Why would they make peace now and not before? There are a couple of key elements. One of them is the economic benefit of peace. Central Asian countries are looking for new routes to get their goods to market. They can run through Azerbaijan onto Georriga or down to Armenia to Turkey. We've said that the use of force is unacceptable. A transit corridor built with the involvement and consent of Armenia can be a TREMENDOUS BOON to states across the region and to global markets that will receive access to these goods.

A transit corridor created some other way, by force [against Armenia] or with the involvement of Iran *[Azerbaijan wants to build it via Iran and bypass Armenia]*, will be met with a very strong reaction and will not be a success. That's a simple choice.

What political relationships do these states want to have in the future? A future that's built around the axis of Russia or Iran is unstable and undesirable for both the governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia. They have the opportunity to make a different decision now and we're clarifying that. We anticipate a more senior level of involvement over the weeks to come.

We have made it clear that any use of force inside Armenia would be unacceptable and Azerbaijan has stated they have no such intentions. We are monitoring the movement of troops. There is no chance of business as usual [with Azerbaijan] until the peace process is concluded. We've canceled a number of senior-level engagements [with Azerbaijan]. We do not anticipate submitting a waiver on 907 which enabled us to provide some assistance to Azerbaijan. It's assistance that's meaningful to Azerbaijan. The suspension has some effect.

CONGRESSMAN: What did you learn by interviewing those who fled Nagorno-Karabakh? How were their living conditions during the offensive by Azerbaijan?

O'BRIEN: A bit of background. I was part of an informal group to investigate the activities in Bosnia where the phrase "ethnic cleansing" first came to international attention. This takes some time because we're dealing with people who have been under enormous stress in the months leading up to the events of September 19th. We're just beginning to speak with the residents and it's not just us, there are other groups that are actively involved. We want to be sure we aren't re-interviewing the same people in a way that causes them further trauma.

What we're learning is there was a period of condition of fear due to the closure of the Lachin corridor and the runup that's no surprise to anyone. When Azeri authorities came forcibly on September 19th, it caused the residents to want to leave. Now, exactly what activities took place, where, under what command and control, and how that was conveyed to the residents, are all subjects we are seeking to learn. And again, it's not just government officials doing this. We know there has been a report published by Human Rights Watch and the international crisis group, we also anticipate that the Helsinki Committees from Norway and Poland will have their own independent reviews. All of those things will be coordinated in a report that we think will give us a true picture. It takes some time as we deal with the population.

QUESTION: Russia has been using its influence in the post-Soviet sphere to circumvent Western sanctions. How is the U.S. working with Armenia to try and deal with this issue?

O'BRIEN: The Armenian government has undertaken some very interesting reforms that allow it to track trade with Russia. So in almost real-time, they can see which firms are involved in this circumvention trade and then we're able to take measures to stop that trade. It works remarkably well. We just hosted a technical group here in my old office about 2 weeks ago and the recent stats are very encouraging. We can verify these through our own sources. The one hole is that the Russian troops actually control two key border crossings from Armenia to Russia: at the airport and at another land crossing into Azerbaijan. The [Armenian] government has no control over the goods that flow through those items. We need to find a more stable way for Armenia to govern itself and to have Russian peacekeepers leave when their 5-year term is up 1.5 years from now. We can do that only if we're deeply engaged. If we stay out, Russia will continue to control the border.

CONGRESSMAN: We are close to a peace agreement. History shows that it's possible, no matter how unbelievable it may seem today. PM Pashinyan has taken a great deal of criticism but I think he deserves enormous credit for realizing long-term benefit to his country. I look to President Aliyev. How would you categorize the leaders' role, their importance, and where we are with those leaders?

O'BRIEN: It's the right focus. We've had several meetings with the leaders. It all ultimately depends on what the two governments decide and whether the leaders are willing to say "yes". That is by far the most difficult thing to say. PM Pashinyan has made clear that he wants Armenia to have a Transatlantic opportunity and he is diversifying relationships that Armenia depends upon so that the people there are able to choose a future that fits their visions of freedom. Pashinyan seems willing to take chances for peace. The question really is whether President Aliyev is willing to do that and he said he is. So now is the moment, because the challenge for the party that feels stronger is to understand when to cash the options in, and commit to one path for the future.

So how do we do that? We are talking a lot with Turkey which has very close relations with Azerbaijan. We're trying to lay our path that makes clear the benefits that come with peace and the costs that come with choosing to wait further. Really the decision will be Alieyv's, whether he says yes. We want that to happen in the next few weeks. All signs show they are willing to consider it but getting to a "yes" is always a difficult matter.

CONGRESSMAN: Won't the suspension of military aid to Azerbaijan harm our national security, and do you think Azerbaijan intentionally attacked Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19 in response to the suspension of military support?

O'BRIEN: No. What they have said is that this is a 30-year conflict and they saw an opportunity to end it on terms they thought were favorable to them. We've said that there was a peaceful process to do so and they told us they were committed to it and were ultimately not.

The waiver is important for addressing very narrow specific issues. We feel comfortable that there is no damage to our natural security right now but the idea that they would decide an issue that is of fundamental importance to them based upon this slightly different marginal issue just to get our attention when they already had our attention, I don't quite agree with that narrative.

CONGRESSMAN: Then what was the trigger? They were so close to a diplomatic resolution.

O'BRIEN: I think what you're looking at is more a discussion about what the future of the region is and how much it's oriented to the Black Sea and transatlantic. And they saw this as an issue that they now had the ability to do something about, and so they did it. And now we're trying to deal with the consequences of that in a way that pulls the states away from the Russian orbit.

CONGRESSWOMAN: What did you discuss with Turkey? What will be their role in AM-AZ peace? Are you monitoring whether the weapons we sell to Turkey end up in Azerbaijan?

O'BRIEN: We do monitor our weapons carefully. I've never seen an indication of any illegitimate transfer.

CONGRESSWOMAN: We saw the use of F-16 jets during the 2020 war.

O'BRIEN: I'm not familiar with that, I'll check that. Turkey has a very close relationship with Azerbaijan. There are a few elements that are important here. One is the relationship with Armenia. We are hopeful to see some TR-AM opening. Armenia is essentially landlocked. It has to go through Turkey or Georgia to reach the West. For Turkey to begin to open routes is critical for Armenia's future. We spend a great deal of time discussing that with Turkey.

The government of Turkey is very well able to speak for itself but I'll say two things that matter. 1) This economic corridor that we're discussing is a road or rail route that would run from Central Asia through Azerbaijan and Armenia and then to Turkey. So there is an economic benefit for Turkey here. This is an element that was not present in previous peace talks. We just want to be sure it's kept central to everyone's calculations.

One of the hardest issues for a leader is to know when the moment is to strike a deal rather than wait for the deal to get better. And that's to some extent an objective calculation but more often it also depends on your friends telling you *enough is enough*. Turkey's involvement can be incredibly helpful because President Aliyev will want to know he's not alone in making this decision. That's a role Turkey can uniquely play.

CONGRESSMAN: What can be done to remove Russian troops from the South Caucasus?

O'BRIEN: Our involvement and concluding peace agreement is the way that each can find a way forward. Russian troops are present under a 5-year initial term following the 2020 peace agreement. If there is an alternative then there will be no role for these peacekeepers, especially since they have already failed as peacekeepers. The best approach is to give AM and AZ an alternative to work with us and the West.

CONGRESSMAN: The peace process is not going well. Azerbaijan is skipping meetings in Europe. Armenia is concerned that the only mediators will be Turkey and Russia. The latter did absolutely nothing in Nagorno-Karabakh and allowed an ETHNIC CLEANSING to happen. These folks did not WANT to leave their homes. I'm not convinced that they have access to go back to their homes.

O'BRIEN: The parties are engaging with each other directly. They do occasionally use mediators. Sometimes they argue about who the mediators should be, but they are in direct contact assisted by us and Europeans. They are not relying on Russia. This comes down to whether they can look each other in the eye and say "yes". I wouldn't worry about the different mediation efforts. This is fundamentally about whether the two leaders say we want to be in partnership working together going forward. We are doing what we can to make that happen.

CONGRESSMAN: The Armenian leadership has shown courage.

O'BRIEN: Yes.

CONGRESSMAN: We need to do everything we can to provide support to them. Armenians are concerned by this "corridor" and what it might imply for another grabbing of land by Azerbaijan.

O'BRIEN: Those are problems to be solved. Currently, that land is controlled by Russian peacekeepers [probably meant border agents]. If we create an alternative with Armenia, we are in a fundamentally different place. That's where Pashinyan says he wants to be.

CONGRESSMAN: What are we doing to promote the peace agreement? Are you willing to add sanctions for non-compliance? Would you provide support if they agree?

O'BRIEN: We are looking at a matter of weeks and months. I can't discuss everything in this forum. There are two serious questions we are trying to sort through. One is the relationship with the EU. President Ursula Von Der Leyen wants to have a meeting with the U.S. and Armenia to bring Armenia closer to the West. I discussed this with PM Pashinyan a few days ago. We are developing what that would look like. Obviously given the proximity, the offer the EU can make in terms of trade preferences, economic alignment, and access to a single market is INCREDIBLY important. We can assist in that.

The feasibility studies on this transit corridor have actually been done, funded by the AID to see what kind of economic future there may be. There may also be additional items that we and Europeans can bring for security. France has just announced significant contributions to Armenia's security. We are looking at all the tools we have. I won't preview any sanctions but that's certainly a tool in our toolkit.

USAID: We are working with Armenia to reduce their dependence on Russia and on Russian products.

CONGRESSMAN: Administrations here in the U.S. have long justified sending military assistance to Azerbaijan on the basis of its supposed utility in the containment of Russia and Iran, and yet Azerbaijan has extensive energy ties with BOTH. Sanctioned Russian and Iranian companies own significant shares in Azerbaijan's gas fields, exporting energy to Europe, and Azerbaijan has recently signed lucrative energy deals with both countries. Yes or no. Is the administration aware of Azerbaijan's energy ties with Russia and Iran?

O'BRIEN: We are aware. We try to encourage the diversification of Azerbaijan's ties.

CONGRESSMAN: Joe Biden recently noted that when autocrats don't pay a price for their aggression it only emboldens their behavior. What has the Biden administration done to ensure Azerbaijan pays a price for its aggression?

O'BRIEN: We've made clear to them that there is no business as usual anymore. We've suspended high-level contacts on a variety of topics. We've not and don't anticipate submitting a waiver on 907. The question is whether that's enough. President Aliyev has traditionally tried to balance his ties to the regional players Russia, Iran, Central Asia, as well as the West. I think he's reaching a point where if he makes peace, he has the opportunity to become more prosperous and to be in a stable area where there are counterweight to Russia and Iran. If he fails to make peace, he's really saying that in the future I want to be beholden to Russia and Iran at a time when those two powers are getting much closer to one another than they are to him. That puts him in a position of being very much the odd man in a 3-way game. I think that's not where he should want to head so we're trying to provide him with the alternative of a better future.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBXcyBKmFqk?t=693)

Russia complains about Armenia's "friends" in the West

Russia was pressuring Armenia to give a Russian-controlled corridor to Azerbaijan. Pashinyan administration has refused. Russia's foreign ministry accused Pashinyan of torpedoing the Russian-led efforts "under the advice of his friends in the West".

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ieR7J_oICQ?t=252)

Russia praises Azerbaijan, says they have created the conditions for ethnic Armenians to return to Nagorno-Karabakh

MARIA ZAKAHROVNA: We welcome the Azerbaijani government's announcement about the guarantees for the rights and security and economic prosperity of Armenians who wish to return to Karabakh. This is a very important signal. We will support this process. There are a lot of fakes and fearmongering attempts meant to discourage the return of Armenians.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzuNmb6Cxt4?t=7)

Armenia and EU discussed the possibility of supplying defensive weapons to Armenia

The Armenian delegation was in Brussels to take part in the second dialogue on security issues. The first one took place in January. On Wednesday they discussed the possibility of supplying weapons to Armenia under the EU's European Peace Facility program.

[source,](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/273664)

Armenia has the right to defend itself, says Georgia

Georgia was asked to comment on why it allowed the delivery of French armored vehicles to Armenia through its Poti port.

FM of Georgia: We allow both Armenia and Azerbaijan to use our territory for transit *[wasn't true during the 2020 war; maybe a new policy]*. Every country has the right to have defense forces and acquire ordinary weapons that aren't prohibited under international treaties. Our position is that both countries should be given the opportunity to use our transit potential on equal terms. //

[source,](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/273601) [source,](https://factor.am/711348.html) [original,](https://1tv.ge/news/ilia-darchiashvili-or-megobar-da-modzme-ertan-ertad-chveni-mtavari-mizania-uzrunvelvyot-regionshi-mshvidoba-da-stabiluroba/)

Russia is exploring the possibility of building a new railway network to Georgia that bypasses the disputed region of Abkhazia

Experts from Russia and Georgia have been discussing the possibility of building a RU-GE railway line that passes through Russia's Ingushetia, not far from the land checkpoint Upper Lars.

The Georgian government refuses to use the existing railway line through Abkhazia so this could become an alternative. It's a Russian initiative. They want to strengthen economic routes to boost the budget.

[source,](https://factor.am/711364.html)

Education Minister about the construction of new kindergartens and schools

MINISTER: We are re/building 300 schools and 500 kindergartens. Works are completed in 122 kindergartens. Thousands of children are attending classes now, many of them for the first time because their small villages had no such opportunities in the past. Another 100 kindergartens will be ready next year.

26 schools are ready, with another 8 scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. 21 will be completed next year. 235 buildings are under construction.

... about laboratories in schools

MINISTER: All schools in Armavir will have labs by the end of this year. Aragatsotn, Ararat, Koyatk, Gegharkunik, Lori, and Shirak will have STEM and IT labs next year.

... students can study the same curriculum in fewer years

EDUCATION MINISTER: In Tavush, we experimented a curriculum based on new state standards. An independent assessment has found that these standards have advanced our children's knowledge by 0.5 years. We believe the materials that our students study in 12 years can be completed in as little as 8. This is a result of years of bad quality education, bad teaching, and bad conditions. We implemented the new standards in February 2021 despite the challenges brought by COVID and the war. The experiment has yielded positive results.

... the cost of printing a single textbook has dropped from $3.5 to $1.90 after ending a Serj-era printing monopoly: Education Minister

EDUCATION MINISTER: The noise around the quality of new textbooks is exaggerated because it broke a years-long monopoly. For years, the state budget paid $3.75 just to print a single textbook. Today, we only pay $1.90, and that includes the creation, experimentation, and printing of the textbook. This is a result of the liberalization of the print industry.

... 5,000 teachers are already earning higher wages after undergoing an attestation/knowledge exam process

EDUCATION MINISTER: The number will increase because we plan to raise the wages for teachers who score "fair" during the exam. Also, STEM teachers and teachers in rural communities will receive an additional 25%-50% bonus.

Today, a high-school student in a village looks at the new wages earned by certified teachers and views pedagogy as a possible career choice with a fair wage. They can earn up to $790/mo, and even more if they undergo an attestation process.

We have decided to raise the monthly scholarship payment to students who choose STEM and pedagogy. These students receive at least $175/mo. This has doubled the number of students wishing to choose this career.

Next year we will spend $2.9 million to protect and restore monuments in Armenia. This is double the 2023 budget.

Next year we will establish the Cultural Development Fund. It will become an important tool in the management and development of museums.

... Academic City, curriculum reforms, science

EDUCATION MINISTER: Wages will increase in the science field. For example, the lead scientist's salary will increase from $345 (135K) in 2021 to $1,250 (500K) in 2024.

German architects are currently in Armenia to design the Academic City with the help of our experts. The plan will be ready by 2Q24.

Out team visited the University of the Arts London last week to sign an agreement. [The "Arts" section of the Academic City] will be based on their concept. Each field will be developed with the help of prominent international universities. [including reportedly MIT]

Multiple concepts will be drafted and discussed next year to select one. This will be followed by the merger of our universities with scientific-research organizations.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aebrhrv-WQ?t=12017) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1god62_rxjY?t=4771)

Armenia will require residents to take annual medical checkups in order to qualify for universal healthcare

Ruling MP: I have been a lifelong advocate for women's rights but lately I've noticed that every free medical screening program we have today is for women. Men are left out. How will the new healthcare system address this gap?

HEALTH MINISTER: There are free screening programs for men as well, but you are correct in noting that it's mostly for women. Preventative care will be of utmost importance under the new healthcare system. The healthcare package will be available only if the person undergoes annual checkups. We want our citizens to take care of themselves while they are still healthy.

We have achieved major progress after the introduction of the free breast cancer screening program a few years back. Not only do we detect breast cancer, but the state has decided to take care of the costs of treating the patients. This has resulted in a higher number of women undergoing checkups.

Last year we introduced the colorectal cancer screening program for men and women. We recognize that we need more programs for men. We plan to fill the gap by employing more specialists in clinics.

... the sale of energy drinks to children could be banned?

Ruling MP: I have received alarming reports that unhealthy energy drinks are becoming very popular among students, partly because of their low cost. One of my colleagues is planning a bill to discourage their use. The school buffet is already oversaturated with carbs. Does the ministry support a ban on the sale of energy drinks to persons under 18?

HEALTH MINISTER: 50% of medical issues are tied to a person's lifestyle. A physically active life, healthy food, and a no-smoking lifestyle are the most important elements of a healthy life. We have taken steps to protect the adolescent population by reviewing the content of the school and kindergarten food. We have ad campaigns to discourage unhealthy food. We will work with you to discourage the use of energy drinks by adolescents.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1god62_rxjY?t=3349)

the army will buy new uniforms with new quality standards

Opposition MP: You bragged about allocating more resources to defense infrastructure but only 55% of it has been spent. You said the soldiers will have new uniforms next year but you haven't even launched the tender process; how can you deliver them next year?

DEFENSE MINISTER: (1) The year is not over yet and your number is already outdated. The infrastructure performance has reached 65%. It mostly depends on whether construction companies can keep up. We will undoubtedly have a higher number by the end of December.

(2) We aren't changing the army uniforms just for the looks. It will be of higher quality, comfortable, and meet the international standards. This is a comprehensive reform that will take time. It's not a simple change of colors that you used to do in the past. There was a tender process among Armenian companies to come up with new clothing solutions. They were only able to offer solutions for one type of uniform, so we have launched a tender for international companies.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1god62_rxjY?t=6494)

Croatian company will monitor the quality of the work done by Iranian companies on the Kajaran-Agarak section of North-South highway

Last month Armenia and Iran signed a [$216 million](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/17eut0h/northsouth_trade_route_via_syunik_agreement/) agreement to build multiple bridges, tunnels, and roads to speed up international travel.

Another agreement was signed today with a Croatian company with a very long name to monitor the quality of the construction and provide advice to Armenia.

[source,](https://hetq.am/hy/article/162011)

Armenia's men's chess team is one of the leaders of the European Championship

Round 3: Armenia 3-1 Israel

[source,](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/273598)

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/17w8b9j/armenia_and_us_working_realtime_to_uphold_russian/