Month: April 2016

The documents of the crew members of the downed Azerbaijani military helicopter were presented to the Military Attachéof the foreign Embassiesaccredited to Armenia.

The documents come to prove that the helicopter had been flown to the frontline from Baku region a few days ago and had concrete targets it had to hit during its combat flights.

This is actually the final proof of the fact that the large-scale military actions had been pre-planned, Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense Artsrun Hovhanisyan wrote on Facebook.

 

“Ignoring the numerous calls by the international community Azerbaijan over the last few days has continued the cease-fire violations along the line of contact between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan and the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, using weaponry of various calibers including mortars and grenade launchers, leaving two soldiers killed,” Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tigran Balayan said.

“Azerbaijan grossly violates the oral arrangement of April 5 on the cessation of hostilities by which the cease-fire established by 1994 agreement between Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia was restored. Azerbaijan disregards the calls of the international community aimed at exclusively peaceful settlement of the issue,” Balayan said in comments to the First News Service.

“The continuation of military actions by Baku can lead to dangerous consequences the full responsibility of which lies with the authorities of Azerbaijan,” the Spokesman said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the situation around Nagorno Karabakh during a phone conversation, the Russian Foreign Ministry reports.

Lavrov and Kerry also discussed the Syrian and Ukraine conflicts.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received Nobel Prize laureates Aaron Ciechanover, Ada E. Yonath, Dan Shechtman, John Robin Warren, Ei-ichi Negishi.

The scholars have arrived in Yerevan at the invitation of the Yerevan state Medical University within the framework fo the “Nobel Days in Armenia” event.

Greeting the Nobel Prize winners and wishing them new achievements in their scientific activity, His Holiness Karekin II said “it’s a pleasure to host renowned scholars, who have made a great contribution to the wellbeing of the mankind, at the religious center of all Armenians.”

“Emphasizing the importance of the “Nobel days” event, His Holiness noted that it’s a unique opportunity for young scholars to communicate with world-known workers of science.”

During the meeting the Catholicos spoke about the recent military actions unleashed by Azerbaijan and their disastrous consequences. He also referred to his two-day visit to Artsakh.

His Holiness called on the Nobel Prize laureates to raise their voice in support of re-establishment of peace in the Middle East and the South Caucasus. The Catholicos stressed the importance of a condemning stance of the international community for the prevention of such developments.

 

 

 

 

 

Armenian MP at the Georgian Parliament Samvel Petrosyan has called on the authorities to recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide.

Addressing the plenary session of the Parliament, he said events that took place in the Ottoman Empire 100 years ago are an enormous trauma for the Armenian nation.

“The genocide of Armenian has been recognized by many international organizations and states. We, as a democratic country, must acknowledge that fact, at least because the Ottoman Empire has occupied Georgian lands, as well. I’m sure that had the Armenian Genocide been condemned at the time, such crimes would not reoccur in different parts of the world. I urge everyone to recognize and condemn the genocide and thus, restore historical justice,” Gruzia Online quotes Petrosyan as saying.

In response to that, leader of the parliamentary majority Zviad Kvachantiradze declared that “no one should give in to the provocations coming from a malevolent neighbor.”

“Quite recently we witnessed an attempt to re-escalate a big, deep and sleeping conflict in the Caucasus. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of the international community there seem no perspectives for the serious developments in the conflict, but we must remember that there are forces surrounding us interested in a constant war in the Caucasus, involving the countries of the South Caucasus. I urge everyone not to give in to provocations that could come from a malevolent neighbor,” Kvachantiradze declared

This is not the first rime the Armenian Genocide issue is being raised at the Georgian Parliament, but it flares hot discussions every time. Last year Samnvel Petrostyan’s speech on the topic was interrupted by ethnic Azerbaijani MP Azer Suleymanov from the United National Movement Party.

In 2012 Suleyman started a brawl, when Georgian MP Bagaturia called on his colleagues to recognize the Armenian Genocide. He even advised the Georgian lawmaker to change his surname to Bagaturyan.

Ukrainian lawmakers on Thursday approved Volodymyr Groysman for the post of prime minister, paving the way for a new government in the biggest shake-up since a 2014 uprising brought in a pro-Western leadership, Reuters reports.

“I will show you what leading a country really means,” Groysman said ahead of the vote, which also finalised the resignation of Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk.

Groysman’s nomination was backed by 257 MPs, comfortably over the minimum 226 needed.

 

 

 

“War is bad for every country,” Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotor Switalski told reporters today.  He voiced hope that the region would soon move to a settlement.

“If peace prevails, if we have a settlement, a just and durable settlement of the Karabakh conflict, it will be a big change for Armenia. Let’s hope we’ll be able to avoid military actions and escalation in the future and will see all parties at the negotiating table,” Amb. Switalski said.

“One of the elements of this settlement should be the contacts between civil societies. Armenia and Azerbaijan need direct contacts between civil societies and need to think about future reconciliation,” Switalsky said.

“The European Union is financing contacts between non-governmental organizations on both sides to help build platforms of dialogue. The success of Europe after 1945 is built on the concept of reconciliation,” the Head of the EU delegation said.

“I think Armenians know from their experience that for centuries, if not for millennia, that they can’t rely on any state to help them solve problems. They had to build their own organizations and in particular, Armenians living in Diaspora, knew that in order to preserve their identity, culture, they had to organize themselves. They had to create cultural organizations, schools, everything by themselves. That’s the big different between the Armenian nation and many others. Therefore, I would claim that organizing themselves is a national instinct for Armenians. A lot of problems confronting Armenia can be solved through civic activism, in particular in the regions, in poor districts of Armenia,” Piotor Switalski said.

The Ambassador spoke during public consultation on findings of the capacity buildingneeds assessment of civil society organizations in Armenia. He said the EU-funded “STRONG Civil Society Organizations for Stronger Armenia” project aims to help develop NGOs particularly in distant regions of Armenia.

The Karabakh issue is a very sensitive topic, and our approach should be very cautious  in order not to harm, Russian President Vladimnir Putin said during the Q&A session today.

“It’s an old conflict that has been frozen for years. Unfortunately, there was an outbreak of violence,” Putin said, adding that “it’s necessary to reach a lasting solution, to find a compromise exclusively through political means.

“Russia is interested in the solution of the issue, we want to work fully with both Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the President said.

He pledged Russia’s support to the settlement of the conflict both in bilateral format and within the framework of international organizations, but added that “it’s up to the peoples of Armenia and Azerbaijan to find a final solution.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will visit Beijing April 15-16.

In China Minister Nalbandian will have meetings with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Rashid Alimov.

Within the framework of the visit Edward Nalbandian will sign a memorandum under which Armenia will be granted a dialogue partner status at SCO.

The Armenian community in Jerusalem today protested Israel’s sale of weapons to Azerbaijan, which are being used against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh region,  reports. 

Nasser Atta, a producer for ABC News in the Middle East, tweeted some photos and videos from the demonstration, which occurred in front of the Israeli Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.  

of protest Israeli supply of weapons to in front of the Israeli forgien ministry

— Nasser Atta (@nasseratta5)

“Israel supports Azerbaijan’s state terror,” read one sign being held aloft by a protester. 

There was a separate protest by Armenian residents of Israel last week at Jerusalem’s Monument of the Armenian Genocide.