U.S. State Dept: Armenia among world's safest countries for travelJanuary 11, 2018 - 12:25 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. State Department has named Armenia among the world's safest countries for travel and leisure. The department changed the previous phrasing from the previous warnings and alerts, which some travelers found confusing, to a colored-number system of advisories with more explicit descriptions of what yielded the ranking. Countries are now labeled No. 1 for taking normal precautions, No. 2 for using increased caution, No. 3 urging travelers to reconsider a trip and No. 4 for recommending against travel at that time. Specific threats will be described with summaries such as C for crime, T for terrorism and U for civil unrest. Reviews are done annually for countries ranked No. 1 or 2, and every six months for No. 3 or 4, with more frequent reviews if events warrant. Azerbaijan is ranked No. 2, while Russia is a No. 3 country. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” |