Month: October 2016

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) welcomed the rise of Congressman David Valadao (R-CA), from California’s Central Valley, to his new role as Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues.

A longstanding friend of Armenians from Fresno and across America, he takes on this new post ready to work with his Caucus colleagues in support of a broad range of ANCA-supported priorities, including a U.S.-Armenia Double Tax Treaty, the prospect of a new Millennium Challenge Corporation grant for Armenia, continued direct U.S. aid to Artsakh, and the regulatory framework needed to initiate direct international flights from airports in the United States to Zvartnotz airport in Yerevan.

“We are honored to see Congressman Valadao – a proud son of our Central Valley – take on this pivotal leadership position in the Congressional Armenian Caucus,” remarked ANCA Central California activist Sevag Tateosian “It holds special meaning for those of us in and around Fresno – one our nation’s first Armenian communities – to see our U.S. Representative helping to lead a bipartisan legislative effort to ensure that our voices are heard and our views are respected in Washington, DC. We look forward to vigorously working with him hand in hand in advancing the many issues on our shared agenda.”

Valadao was born and raised in Hanford, California in the center of the agriculturally rich Twenty First Congressional District. As a lifelong resident of the Central Valley, he has been active in agriculture and dairy industry groups, as well as many local causes including Children’s Hospital Central California, 4-H, Future Farmers of America, and various Catholic charities. The Valadao family emigrated from the Azores Islands of Portugal to the United States in 1969. After settling in the Central Valley, Valadao’s father started a small dairy farm in the Central Valley in 1973. Valadao was born on April 14, 1977.

In 2010, Valadao was elected to represent California’s 30th State Assembly District. Valadao served on several California Assembly Committees including the Agriculture Committee, where he held the position of Committee Vice-Chair. In 2012, Valadao was elected to represent California’s 21st Congressional District, which includes Kings County and portions of Fresno, Kern, and Tulare Counties. He was reelected for his second term in November 2014. Valadao is proud to serve on the influential House Appropriations Committee, which is the committee responsible for funding the federal government and determining where American tax dollars are spent.

The Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues was founded by Representatives Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and former Congressman John Porter (R-Ill.) in 1995. Since that time, the bipartisan panel has been at the forefront of Congressional action on a broad range of Armenian American concerns – from justice for the Armenian Genocide, to self-determination for Nagorno-Karabakh, stronger U.S.-Armenia ties, and support for Armenian communities in Georgia and oppressed Armenian and other Christian communities around the world.

Photo: Vadim Savitsky/Russian Defense Ministry's Press Office/TASS

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a federal law on ratifying an agreement between Russia and Syria on the deployment of an aviation group of the Russian armed forces in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Kremlin press service reported on Friday, TASS reports.

The law was passed by Russia’s State Duma on October 7, 2016, and approved by the Federation Council on October 12, 2016.

The agreement was signed in Damascus on August 26, 2015. Almost a year later – on August 9, 2016 – it was submitted by Russia’s president to the State Duma for ratification. The deal stipulates that the Russian air force group will be deployed at the request of the Syrian side at the Hmeymim airfield in the Latakia province indefinitely and on a pro bono basis.

President Serzh Sargsyan has offered condolences over the crash of the passenger bus travelling from Moscow to Yerevan and issued a number of instructions for the RA state bodies. The President’s letter of condolences reads:

“Dear Compatriots,

I learned with great sorrow the news on the night accident with the bus travelling from Moscow to Yerevan which resulted in the loss of human lives and casualties. At this grave moment, I express my condolences and support to the families of the victims, their relatives and friends. I wish a speedy recovery to all injured.”

A short time after the accident, the relevant bodies reported to the President that early this morning, at 4.30am a major accident took place at the Beslan-Vladikavkaz highway. A bus travelling on the Moscow-Yerevan route and a truck collided. According to the preliminary data, five were killed and 27 injured. President Serzh Sargsyan instructed the Government of Armenia and RA Embassy in Russia to undertake urgent measures to provided necessary assistance to the victims and organize full-scale medical aid. He also instructed to provide necessary assistance to the families of those killed and injured. Relevant bodies in Armenia were instructed in a short period of time together with the law enforcement bodies of the Russian Federation to find out the causes of the accident and its circumstances and provide a comprehensive report.

The President was also informed that representatives of the RA Consulates in Rostov and South Russia have already arrived at the site of the accident and in cooperation with the relevant bodies of the Russia are engaged in providing first aid to the injured.

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan received today Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov. The Prime Minister first referred to the road accident involving a passenger bus en route from Moscow to Yerevan that left 5 killed and many injured.

Expressing his deep concern over the accident, the Prime Minister said he had already instructed the heads of relevant bodies to assess the situation on the ground and take necessary measures. He expressed gratitude to the Russian party for rapid response and for the immediate assistance.

On behalf of the Russian Government, Maxim Sokolov expressed condolences to the families of the victims and presented the details of the situation and the ongoing work. He assured that the Russian party was doing the utmost to provide necessary medical and psychological assistance to those injured. He said the Deputy Transport Minister of Russia was at the site of the crash to reveal the circumstances of the accident.

The interlocutors then discussed the Armenian-Russian relations and the perspectives of their development. The parties attached importance to the expansion of cooperation and implementation of programs in the fields of agriculture, tourism, energy, IT, transport infrastructures.  In this respect they emphasized the activity of the Armenian-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, which is expected to hold its next sitting in Yerevan in 2017.

Karen Karapetyan and Maxim Sokolov discussed issues related to infrastructure programs of regional importance, which will contribute to the restoration and development of transit communication routes.

On 14 October His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; sent condolence letters to the families of the victims who died in the Moscow-Yerevan bus crash. The bus was travelling on the Beslan-Vladikavkaz route when the crash occurred in the early morning hours, Press Service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin informs.

“We deeply regret the occurrence of the crash and pray for our children who are victims of the accident. During this difficult time, we ask for the comfort of the Holy Spirit and offer our support to the families and friends of the victims. We also pray for a speedy recovery of the injured”, the letters stated.

His Holiness instructed the Armenian Diocese of Southern Russia to provide necessary spiritual care and support to the accident victims and their families.

The French Senate just voted 156 to 146 to pass a bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, LaProvence.com reports.

The text is consistent with that adopted by the National Assembly.

The joint sitting of the CSTO Council of Foreign Minister, Council of Defense Ministers and Council of National Security Secretaries was held at the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

“Armenia has always been active in improving the collaboration within the framework of the CSTO, deepening the cooperation between the member states, development of mechanisms of coordination of foreign policies, promotion of defense cooperation,” FM Edward Nalbandian said in his opening remarks.

The Armenian FM presented the situation established as a result of Azerbaijan’s April aggression against Artsakh and the agreements reached at Vienna and St. Petersburg summits, underlining Baku’s unwillingness to call them to life.

Edward Nalbandian referred to the Syrian crisis and the need to take immediate steps to normalize the situation. He also spoke about the migration crisis and the fight against terrorism and

During the sitting reference was made to the work of the statutory bodies, intensification of cooperation between CSTO member states within the framework of different international formats, the schedule of political, defense and security consultations planned for 2016 and 2017.

The participants of the joint sitting approved of the “CSTO collective security strategy until 2025,” the final statement of the Collective Security Council session and the statement on the “Settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict” to be considered at the CSTO Collective Security Council later today. About 30 documents were signed upon the conclusion fo the meeting.

At the end of the sitting Armenia handed over the chairmanship of the CSTO statutory bodies o Belarus.

Armenia has welcomed the French bill making it a crime to deny the Armenian genocide.

“We welcome the adoption by the French Senate of a bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide, which had been approved by the National Assembly in summer,” Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said in a statement.

“With this step France once again reiterates its valuable role in the condemnation of genocides committed in the past, the fight against denial and the prevention of new crimes against humanity,” Minister Nalbandian said.

The French Senate  voted 156 to 146 today to pass a bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan attended today the opening of the Fifth Armenian-Russian Inter-Regional Forum and International Forum of Eurasian Partnership.

Greeting the participants, the Prime Minister said “the Fifth Armenian-Russian Inter-Regional Forum is a useful platform for the deepening of bilateral ties.”

“Despite the high level of the Armenian-Russian relations, there is still an unprecedented potential for their deepening, and the international integration processes taking place with the Eurasian framework can only contribute to this,” PM Karen Karapetyan said.

Referring to the International Forum of Eurasian Partnership, the Prime Minister wished productive work to the participants. “There are many similarities and there is willingness to reinforce the existing close business ties,” he said.

A number of agreements on Armenian-Russian cooperation were signed within the framework of the forums.

The Fifth Armenian-Russian Inter-Regional Forum aims to reveal potential partners interested in the export of goods and products, making investments and implementing joint programs.

The International Forum of Eurasian Partnership held with the support of the Armenian Government and the Eurasian Economic Commission aims to contribute to the development of integration processes targeted at the expansion of bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation.