Month: September 2015

On September 29, President Serzh Sargsyan partook in the 70th session of the c in New York, where he made an address.

Statement by the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
at the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly

Distinguished President Lykketoft,

I congratulate you upon election to the honorable post of the President of the United Nations General Assembly. I am confident that under your able leadership this jubilee Session will meet expectations we all harbor.

Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I also congratulate all of us upon the 70th anniversary of the United Nations. The establishment of this Organization had been one of the greatest achievements of the humankind that consolidated nations around shared aspirations and principles. The past 70 years have been characterized by the most important positive developments – an end was put to colonialism, racial discrimination and apartheid. Many people around the world exercised their right to self-determination, got in charge of their own fate by establishing and building independent states of their own, thus increasing the number of the UN member States from 51 to 193.

Amid all these achievements, we shall recognize that currently the world faces new challenges such as terrorism, extremism, intolerance, economic crises, climate change, trafficking in human beings and their organs, as well as drugs and arms, migration crisis etc. The list enumerating these challenges is long. It is the very necessity to struggle against them that obliges us to resolutely reiterate our joint commitment to the mission of this Organization and its Charter.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Last year, on the eve of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, from this podium I expressed our gratitude to the nations that recognized the Armenian Genocide and named them all individually. I called upon the international community to bolster the struggle against the recurrence of the crime of genocide through recognition and condemnation.

Today, from this very podium, I thank Pope Francis, and acknowledge the historical Mass he celebrated; the European Parliament, and recall the Resolution it adopted; the German President, and, believe me, his well-known statement will thenceforth take part in the pages of our nation’s history textbooks. I thank the legislative bodies of Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, numerous provincial and city councils, as well as dozens and hundreds political and non-governmental organizations.

I thank the Presidents of Russia, France, Cyprus, and Serbia, as well as delegations of numerous other countries that on April 24 paid tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan.

Our determination to keep the prevention of the crime of genocide on the international agenda is testified by the Resolutions we periodically table at the Human Rights Council, and the latest one to that effect was adopted this year. Building further upon it, just a few days ago this Assembly passed a resolution establishing December 9 as “the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime.”

Dear Attendees,

The peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh problem remains one of the most salient issues in our region. I shall note that aggressive policy pursued by Azerbaijan resulted in the absence of any meaningful progress of negotiations for the conflict settlement, and the situation drifts toward increasing tension. The dictatorial regime of the country made disgraceful repression an instrument to strangle the people’s wrath as the oil-based economy obviously falters, and even that, nevertheless, it considers being inefficient. Now it needs images from the Line-of-Contact in order to divert the attention of its own public. I would like to draw the attention of this Assembly to the fact that Azerbaijan, besides various provocative actions, has now started to apply largecaliber artillery firing at the peaceful settlements of the bordering districts of both the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

Just a few days ago in the bordering area of Armenia three women fell victim to Azerbaijani bombardment. The question that comes up to one’s mind is whether there is any reasonable person that can demonstrate any unflawed logic of that cruelty. It is obvious for us that the Azerbaijani leadership has irreversibly lost both the sense of reality and of norms of human conduct.

Azerbaijan completely disdains 5 joint Statement issued by the Presidents of the U.S., Russia and France, and the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group. Shall it continue its such an aggressive policy, it will not leave Armenia any other choice but to take necessary legal and political-military steps to provide the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic with the opportunity to develop in security and peace.

Although it is obvious to everybody as to which party instigates the cease-fire violations, I still would recall some facts.

It is strange – isn’t it? – that now it has already been for years that Azerbaijan stubbornly refused to withdraw snipers and establish incident investigation mechanism, which were proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The question that comes up to one’s mind is what Azerbaijan is afraid of?

It is strange – isn’t it? – that during the European Games hosted by Azerbaijan, when they needed image of stability, there had been almost no shooting fired at the border, while immediately subsequent those Games shootings extensively renewed. I do not expect you to buy assertions of any of the parties, but still anticipate you to exercise your mother wit.

It is strange – isn’t it? – that in the 21st century our neighbor day in, and day out, relentlessly and indefatigably takes pride in excessive accumulation of arms and manifold expansion of the military budget; it stubbornly continues making bellicose threats to renew the military hostilities, and does it at the highest level of the head of state.

I think now it is obvious to everyone why Armenia had consistently been urging the international community to make statements that were not generic, but were unambiguous as to whom it was addressed to while discussing the ceasefire violations. We shall understand that muffling of the early warning signals of threats to the peace and security may materialize in catastrophic repercussions.

Dear Colleagues,

Today we witness unspeakable cruelty taking place in the Middle East. The religious intolerance resulted in the irreversible aftermath. We have been most directly affected by the atrocities unfolding there, since they result in the destruction of the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage artefacts, murder and expulsion of the numerous Armenians residing in Iraq and Syria. The Armenian community of Syria, whose history is centuries-long, shares and experiences all hardships that the Syrian people are undergoing in these difficult times. We are trying to aid the refuges to the best of our abilities: until this day, Armenia received more than 16 thousand refugees from Syria. By this sheer figure, Armenia is one of the first among recipient European countries.

Armenians know well the fate of the refuges, of the exiled and expelled. The Armenian Genocide should have claimed many more lives, and the survivors should have gone through much more hardship unless a number of nations, our friends had given us their shoulder in those difficult times. Today it is Germany, Sweden, and some other countries that deserve their due praise for humanism they displayed. They provided hundreds of thousands of refugees with safe haven, and thus reiterated that the assistance was necessary both from the legal and humanist perspectives.

Dear Colleagues,

This year we all witnessed how the joint and adequate actions paved the way t
o smoothing out a difficult international issue. An historical agreement was made on the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran, an immediate neighbor of ours. That critical deal is undoubtedly going to contribute to the global settlement of the conflict situations and consolidation of the mutual trust, and it was made possible by the extended and consistent political and diplomatic efforts.

All these come to prove that when there is a political will to bridge disagreements and emphasize the spirit of cooperation, it is indeed possible to find solutions for the most complicated issues. From this podium I would like to once again stress the importance of taking diplomatic efforts, especially with the aim to eliminate the closed borders. Armenia has been subjected to the illegal blockade by its neighbors, and we deem unacceptable such an improvident policy that in the 21st century establishes artificial obstacles disrupting intercultural, human to human and trade contacts. In this context, we highly value the periodic review carried out under the framework of the UN Conferences on Landlocked Developing Countries. We stand ready to invest further efforts in this endeavor, also by hosting intermediate workshops on this topic in our country.

Mr. President,

To conclude I would like to join all speakers who have called to take joint efforts to struggle against the darkness, vandalism and hatred. There can be no great and small countries for that cause, and every single one has a role to play. Armenia stands ready to make its contribution to that joint struggle of ours.

I thank you.

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

Several weeks ago, Sarkis Assadourian, a former Member of the Canadian Parliament, informed me that at his request Parliamentarian Judy Sgro had nominated Pope Francis for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.

In her nomination letter, MP Sgro praised His Holiness for crafting “a papacy of inclusion, openness and reform.” She described the Pope as “an inspirational force for good” and “a symbol of hope…. From his efforts at reconciliation of past misdeeds and conflicts, to his work geared to promote peace and a greater understanding and tolerance of those with differing viewpoints, Pope Francis has already established himself as a genuine and constructive instrument of global change.”

Assadourian asked me if I could find a U.S. legislator who would likewise nominate Pope Francis for the Nobel Peace Prize. I immediately contacted Cong. Adam Schiff (D-CA) who not only agreed to nominate the Pope, but also sought the support of other House Members by circulating a letter addressed to the Nobel Committee.

Cong. Schiff’s Sept. 23rd letter states: “With unsurpassed eloquence, humility and compassion, the Pope has used his pulpit to exhort people and nations around the world to conduct their affairs with spirituality, morality and integrity…. Pope Francis has been a powerful advocate for peace, urging an end to conflict and support for constitutive ties among nations. He has called on the world to use diplomacy and discussion to solve disputes, rather than military force, coercion or intimidation. This commitment to nonviolence, which the Pope has put into practice every day through his words and actions, is at the core of the principles behind the Nobel Peace Prize.”

In view of the Pope’s reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide during a Vatican Mass in early April, Cong. Schiff commended “his courageous stand for human rights and his condemnation of all genocides, both past and present.” His Holiness has also condemned “the persecution of Christians and other minorities in Syria and Iraq.”

Cong. Schiff also characterized Pope Francis as the “leading advocate of relief” for large numbers of refugees currently flooding Europe. The Pontiff has even invited “a Syrian refugee family to reside in his residence at The Vatican.”

Finally, in his letter of nomination, Cong. Schiff emphasized that “Pope Francis has also worked to galvanize the international community to take on global problems, such as the changing climate and environmental degradation…. Pope Francis casts the issue of an unhealthy earth in religious terms, emphasizing our joint duty to care for the world and to pass on an unspoiled environment to future generations.”

Coinciding with the Pope’s U.S. visit and address to the joint Houses of Congress, Schiff’s letter attracted great attention from colleagues and the media. The Washington Post, for example, in a lengthy article, “Should Pope Francis receive the Nobel Peace Prize?” noted that “a peace prize for Francis would be historic: no Pope has ever won the honor.”

A nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize is considered valid only if it is submitted by a person who falls within one of the following categories:

Members of National Assemblies and governments of states;
Members of international courts;
Members of Institut de Droit International;
University rectors; professors of social sciences, history, philosophy, law and theology;
Directors of peace research institutes and foreign policy institutes;
Persons who have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize;
Board members of organizations that have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize;
Active and former members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee; and
Former advisers to the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

The Pope’s nomination would be considerably strengthened if it is also backed by U.S. Senators and legislators from other countries, including Armenian Parliamentarians. The deadline for submitting nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize is February 1, 2016. The recipient is selected by a 5-member Norwegian Nobel Committee appointed by the Parliament of Norway. The prize is awarded each year on December 10 in Oslo City Hall.

Pope Francis fully deserves the Nobel Peace Prize even though he is too modest to seek it or even accept it. Should he win the Prize, His Holiness would most probably donate the $1.5 million award to the poor and the destitute around the world.

Yerevan State Youth Theater, invited by the Theater Painted Bird, will be performing in Istanbul for the first time with the play “Edith Piaf-Marcel” on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16, Daily Sabah report.

The play focuses on Piaf’s love and longing for Marcel Cerdan. Theater Painted Bird celebrates its 15th birthday with “Edith Piaf-Marcel” on the 100th birthday of the legendary French singer Edith Piaf.

Directed by Hakob Ghazanchyan, the play will be staged at Şişli Municipality Cultural Center. The protagonist is played by young award-winning actress Mariam Ghazanchyan. The play is significant in that it is the first Armenian production to be staged in Turkey.

French diva Edith Piaf, known as the Little Sparrow, was born in 1915. She started to sing on the street when she was a little child. After Louis Leplee, who ran a nightclub on the Champs-Elysees, discovered her talent, Piaf started her musical career. She then became one of the most loved singers in Europe and the entire world. She recorded more than 100 songs between 1933 and 1963 when she died. The musical, “Edith Piaf-Marcel” is based on the theme of Piaf’s greatest love for world boxing champion Marcel Cerdan and the tragedy she went through after Marcel’s death. Piaf creates a spiritual and imaginary world in order to communicate with Marcel after he dies in a plane crash in 1949. She tries to communicate with Marcel through her songs, each of which turns into a prayer. Mariam Ghazanchyan utters only one word throughout the play: “M-A-R-C-E-L!”

On the evening of 28 September, President Serzh Sargsyan took part in a reception in New York held by U.S. President Barack Obama in honor of the heads of country delegations participating in the 70th session of the UN General Assembly.

At the reception, Presidents Barack Obama and Serzh Sargsyan had a brief conversation during which they discussed issues of Pan-Armenian importance.

President Serzh Sargsyan, who is visiting the United States of America to take part in the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, had a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on September 29. The president congratulated the secretary-general upon the 70th jubilee of the organization, stressing that when Armenia joined the UN 23 years ago, it has felt supported by the organization from the very first day.

Serzh Sargsyan expressed his satisfaction with the successful end of the final summit of the program “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” a few days ago, in which the UN secretary-general has played his role. Armenia’s president expressed the hope that the new comprehensive program will help raise the quality of living conditions for all people on the planet.

At the meeting, the parties touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. The president informed Ban Ki-moon about the current stage of the conflict, the present problems and especially about the tensions at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the contact line with Nagorno-Karabakh caused by the resent ceasefire violations of Azerbaijan, which he had also touched upon at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly. The UN secretary-general expressed his concern over the current tensions, stressing the need for a settlement mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.

The interlocutors exchanged views on present-day international issues, and on worrisome events occurring in the world – new conflicts, increasing terrorism and extremism, the growing tensions in the Near and Middle East. Ban Ki-moon welcomed and thanked our country for the steps to provide refugees from northern Iraq and Syria with safe haven in Armenia. The UN secretary-general attached importance to the forum on global challenges of peacekeeping to be held in Yerevan in the near future.

The Federation Council has granted permission to the Russian president to use Russian Armed Forces in Syria, Kremlin Chief of Staff Sergey Ivanov told journalists on Wednesday, TASS reports.

“The Federation Council unanimously supported the president’s request – 162 votes in favor [of granting permission],” Ivanov said.

Ivanov said that Russia will use only its Air Force in Syria against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on Syrian President Bashar Assad’s request.

“The operation’s military goal is exclusively air support of the Syrian armed forces in their fight against ISIL,” he said.

This operation by the Russian Air Force is limited in time and the types of the used weapons are not disclosed, Ivanov added.

Ivanov noted that Russia’s partners will be informed today about the decision to use Russian Air Force in Syria.

“All our partners and allies will be informed today about the decision [to use Russian Air Force in Syria]. Specific information will probably be shared with defense ministries as well,” Ivanov said.

 

The Joint exercise of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeeping forces codenamed Nerushimoe Bratstvo (Enduring Brotherhood) is beginning in Armenia on Wednesday, TASS reports.

The drills are held in accordance with the decision of the CSTO Council of Defense Ministers and the Committee of CSTO Security Council Secretaries, adopted in December 2014. The maneuvers are aimed at “preparation and conduct of peacekeeping operations by the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces in the Caucasus region of collective security.”

The exercise will involve representatives and units of the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, which are members of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces. In addition, representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as well as the Joint Staff and the Secretariat of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation will attend the drills.

The Armenian Defense Ministry reported previously that “the commanders and staffs during the exercise will drill preparation of a peacekeeping operation and command and control of units of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces.”

The Russian army is represented at the drills by 100 troops of the peacekeeping brigade of the Central Military District and 10 military hardware units, a Defense Ministry official told TASS.

The total number of troops contributed to the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces is about 4,000, including about 500 officers of law enforcement bodies and the emergencies ministries. The Nerushimoe Bratstvo peacekeeping exercise is held annually since 2012.

The Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime 100 times last night, firing more than 1,700 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions using 60,82 and 120 mm mortars, HAN-17 and RPG-7 grenades and TP-107 reactive rocket launchers, NKR Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The activeness of the rival was pressured a as result of retaliatory measures taken by the front divisions of the NKR Defense Army.

The Ministry said the Armenian forces confidently continue with their military duty all along the line of contact.

Armenia is ranked 82nd (up from 85^th last year) in the Global Competitiveness Report 2015-2016 released by the World Economic Forum today.

Switzerland tops the ranking followed by Singapore and the United States. Armenia’s neighbors in the region are placed as follows: Georgia – 66^th, Azerbaijan – 40^th, Turkey 51^st, Iran – 74^th.

Armenia’s partners in the Eurasian Economic Union Russia and Kazakhstan are ranked 45^th and 42^nd respectively. Kyrgyzstan is 102^nd, no data is available for Belarus.

The Global Competitiveness Report 2015-2016 assesses the competitiveness landscape of 140 economies, providing insight into the drivers of their productivity and prosperity. The Report series remains the most comprehensive assessment of national competitiveness worldwide.

 

 

 

There is no need in deploying peacekeepers in the Karabakh conflict zone, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, Colonel General Yuri Khachaturov said at the opening of the “Enduring Brotherhood 2015” exercises in Armenia.

“We are able to deter Azeri provocations ourselves,” Khachaturov said. According to him, the Azerbaijani side has used thousands of missiles and mines over the past 15 days, which have exploded in Armenian civilian settlements 10 km away from the frontline.

“We have given a worthy response. They have serious losses,” Khachaturov said, adding that “unlike Azerbaijan, the Armenian side refrains from shelling the villages.”

He noted that representatives of the Ministry of Defense visit the frontline, meet the villagers and inform about the measures taken.

“However, it’s impossible to fully exclude the incidents, as the rival uses mortars and howitzers,” Yuri Khachaturov said.

The Chief of General Staff underlined that on many occasions the Armenian side has offered Azerbaijan to pull back the snipers, investigate every case of killing of civilians, but Baku turns down all suggestions.

As for the lack of appropriate response from the CSTO command, the Colonel General said it would be welcome. “We are part of the same security system. We do not ask for help, but human support would be welcome,” Khachaturov said.