Dear partner,
Attached you will find an article dedicated to RA A. 100th anniversary of the Republic.
Publishable at your discretion.
Յարգանքներով՝
“Z.”
MS-Word document
Building the New on the Old on the Old Vray.pdf
Author: Albert Nalbandian
Verelq: The Prime Minister proposed to dismiss the Chief of the General Staff Movses Hakobyan
- 24.05.2018
- Armenia:
- arm
- rus
653
RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan proposed to President Armen Sarkissian to fire the Chief of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces Movses Hakobyan.
Pashinyan announced this during the regular session of the government.
According to the Prime Minister, Movses Hakobyan will move to another job.
“The decision was made by mutual agreement. Today, by the end of the day, a new appointment will be made to the position of Chief of the General Staff, and tomorrow he will be presented to the Armed Forces,” said Nikol Pashinyan.
Patriarch Louis Raphaël I Sako, a prophet to serve Iraq
La Croix International
Tuesday
Patriarch Louis Raphaël I Sako, a prophet to serve Iraq
In naming him a cardinal, the pope is rewarding him for the courage with which he tirelessly serves his country and his church
Several times during the past few years, Patriarch Louis Raphaël I Sako’s name has been circulated as one of those who may be selected to become cardinal.
Then on May 20, Pope Francis finally named Sako, the Baghdad-based Chaldean patriarch of Babylon, to the College of Cardinals, which will be responsible for electing his successor.
The 69-year-old Iraqi is one of the most prominent Eastern patriarchs.
He is a tireless advocate of dialogue, justice and citizenship in a country that has been at war for more than 15 years, devastated by the invasion of the United States and then by ISIS in the summer of 2014 — a country that is still eroded by ethnic and religious divisions.
On May 20, the day the pope announced a new consistory, Sako published — in his capacity as the leader of the most important Catholic community in Iraq — a communiqué in response to the results of the country’ recent legislative elections.
Having conveyed his “warmest good wishes to [his] Muslim brothers in this holy month of Ramadan,” he congratulated those who were elected — mainly supporters of the Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr — and urged them to the constitution of a “civil, democratic and strong government … that treats all people equally … and that aims to ameliorate Iraq at all levels.”
The history of Sako, a gentle, soft spoken man, in itself reveals the painful stages of the Christian presence in Iraq. He was born on 4 July 1949 in Zahko, where his family had found refuge after the Armenian genocide of 1915. Following a conflict between Christians and Muslims, his parents and their seven children went to Mosul in the mid-1950s.
Inspired by the priest of the parish where he went every day with his father, Sako asked, at the age of 14, to enter the small seminary run by the Dominicans. In spite of his young age, he avidly followed the discussions of the Vatican II Council. He was ordained as a priest in Mosul in 1974, wanting to be a “working priest,” and was appointed to the city’s cathedral.
A polyglot — he speaks French and English as well as Arabic, Armenian and Soureth, an Armenian dialect — Sako studied in Rome at the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies. Laureate of the Defensor Fidor (2008) and the Pax Christi (2010) Prizes, he became progressively more committed to ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.
In 2002, he was named Archbishop of Kirkuk, the archdiocese that is based in a town in the Kurdish and Arabic “disputed” territories. Here, he continually promoted meetings among Iraqis, insisting always on what united them, particularly at the cultural level, in order to encourage them to surmount their differences.
A supporter of liturgical reform and greater involvement of the laity, Sako made friends in a church that remains very clerical and attached to its age-old rites as well as its language. He was also elected as Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans in 2013 by its bishops. At the age of 64, he succeeded Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly.
A year later, ISIS fighters swept through Sinjar, the territory of the Yazidis, and the Nineveh Plains, where most of the country’s Christian population lived. Christians had to flee from Mosul and Qaraqosh villages overnight, with no time to take anything with them.
Since then, with other Christian leaders, the Chaldean Patriarch has endeavored on every front — humanitarian, political and spiritual — to halt the disappearance of Christian churches in Iraq.
In appointing Louis Raphael I Sako as a cardinal, the pope is no doubt rewarding him for the courage and clear-sightedness with which he tirelessly serves his country and his church.
Cypriot House President continues meetings in Armenia in framework of official visit
Cyprus News Agency
Monday
House President continues meetings in Armenia in framework of official visit
President of the House of Representatives Demetris Syllouris is continuing his contacts in Yerevan, Armenia, in the framework of an official visit, and on Monday met with President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian and President of the National Assembly Ara Babloyan.
In statements, Sarkissian said prospects for cooperation between Cyprus and Armenia are much greater than they have been, noting that they agreed to promote cooperation in the sectors of services and education.
Sarkissian said the friendship between Cyprus and Armenia goes back centuries, and referred to the Armenian community in Cyprus, noting that its members are also good citizens of Cyprus.
Syllouris said they discussed practical ways to enhance cooperation and relations, to the benefit of the people of both countries.
In his meeting with Babloyan, Syllouris referred to preparations for the trilateral parliamentary cooperation of Cyprus, Greece, and Armenia, the first meeting of which will take place in Cyprus.
Babloyan said Armenia looks forward to the House of Representatives ratifying the enhanced partnership agreement between the EU and Armenia.
In a press conference after the talks, Babloyan said the official visit strengthened the effort for the further development of bilateral ties, noting that they had the opportunity to discuss parliamentary cooperation and relations.
Babloyan also said they discussed developments in the Cyprus issue, adding that Cyprus and Armenia support each other in matters of national importance.
Regarding the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, he said Cyprus was the first European country to recognise in 1975 and condemn the genocide. Babloyan also mentioned the law that the House of Representatives passed regarding the criminalisation of the denial of the genocide.
Regarding the Armenia’s ‘velvet revolution’, Syllouris said ‘there is only one Armenia for us’, adding that ‘we want a strong Armenia’.
168: Central Electoral Commission gives mandates to new MPs
Category
Politics
During the May 16 sitting the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia adopted several decisions by giving mandates to new MPs Hovik Aghazaryan, Hrachya Hakobyan and Alen Simonyan from the Yelk faction, Hakob Hakobyan from the RPA and Ruzanna Arakelyan from the ARF.
The CEC made protocols on giving mandates to Hovik Aghazaryan, Hrachya Hakobyan and Alen Simonyan who will substitute Nikol Pashinyan, Ararat Mirzoyan and Mane Tandilyan from the Yelk alliance in the Parliament.
Artak Zeynalyan from the Yelk alliance will be substituted by Hayk Konjoryan.
Hakob Hakobyan will substitute RPA faction MP Grigor Avalyan.
Aghvan Vardanyan from the ARF will be substituted by Ruzanna Arakelyan.
Président Sarkissian: «Mon rêve, c’est une Arménie jeune, dynamique»
RFi, France
9 mai 2018
Président Sarkissian: «Mon rêve, c’est une Arménie jeune, dynamique»
Par Daniel Vallot Publié le 09-05-2018 Modifié le 10-05-2018 à 01:12
Armen Sarkissian, élu nouveau président par le Parlement arménien, assiste à une session parlementaire à Erevan le 2 mars 2018.Vahram Baghdasaryan / Photolure via REUTERS
Nikol Pachinian est donc depuis ce mardi 8 mai le Premier ministre arménien. Celui qui était jusqu’ici le chef de l’opposition a été élu par le Parlement après des manifestations de masse contre la corruption, le népotisme et les difficultés économiques. Une révolution sans violence, dont se félicite le président de la république d’Arménie Armen Sarkissian, lui-même investi il y a un mois.
RFI : Quel regard portez-vous sur le mouvement non violent qui a permis à Nikol Pachinian d’être élu Premier ministre ?
Armen Sarkissian : Je suis très heureux qu’après un processus politique dynamique qui aura duré moins d’un mois – manifestations, meetings, discussions, tout se soit très bien déroulé. Le gouvernement a changé, la direction dans laquelle va le gouvernement a changé et nous l’avons fait ici en Arménie en respectant la loi et l’ordre, et dans le cadre de la Constitution. Et je suis fier que le monde entier nous connaisse maintenant comme les auteurs – et nous avons le copyright – d’un grand changement grâce à une révolution très, très pacifique. Une révolution à l’Arménienne !
Nikol Pachinian veut réformer la loi électorale, est-ce que vous allez le soutenir dans cette démarche ?
Et bien je vais soutenir tout ce que le Parlement va décider. Et je vais soutenir aussi tout changement qui permettra à notre République de gérer le pays de manière plus équilibrée et moderne. Je ne parle pas seulement de la loi électorale, mais aussi du fait de préserver l’équilibre des pouvoirs entre le Parlement, le gouvernement et la présidence. Et aussi de créer les conditions pour que le gouvernement puisse travailler de manière dynamique. Parce que mon rêve, c’est une Arménie jeune. Une Arménie dynamique, inscrite dans le 21e siècle, et qui une fois de plus montre au monde que nous pouvons faire des changements à l’arménienne, mais aussi avoir, à l’arménienne, une économie moderne du 21e siècle.
Nikol Pachinian n’aura pas de majorité au Parlement, vous ne craignez pas une paralysie des institutions ? Une impasse politique ?
Monsieur Pachinian n’a pas la majorité au Parlement, mais comme vous l’avez vu il a été élu par ce même Parlement où il ne dispose pas de la majorité. Monsieur Pachinian a la majorité de la rue. Donc, maintenant il faut avoir au Parlement un dialogue politique qui fonctionne. C’est ce que nous avons réussi à obtenir aujourd’hui : les sujets qui étaient débattus dans les rues, qui posaient problème à beaucoup d’habitants et de citoyens – les injustices sociales, la corruption, ce sentiment des jeunes de ne pas avoir d’avenir même s’ils ont fait de bonnes études ici en Arménie, le sentiment qu’il n’y a pas de réflexion sur leur futur. Tout cela a créé un mécontentement. Qui a abouti à ce que nous avons vu. Aujourd’hui, chaque citoyen arménien se sent fier et libre. Au final, quelqu’un va relayer son point de vue, et ce point de vue sera entendu.
Vladimir Poutine a félicité Nikol Pachinian mardi 8 mai. Est-ce un soulagement pour vous ? Cela veut-il dire que la Russie ne va pas s’ingérer dans ce qu’il se passe en Arménie ?
D’abord, ce n’est pas un soulagement, parce que je n’ai jamais douté que Monsieur Poutine appellerait le plus tôt possible le Premier ministre et qu’il le féliciterait. La relation avec la Russie est très importante pour l’Arménie, et je pense que l’Etat, que la Nation fera toujours preuve de bon sens sur ce point. Et fera en sorte que notre relation avec la Russie reste intacte. Comme vous êtes Français, je vous dirais bien que la relation entre l’Arménie et la France est également importante ! Mais vous le comprenez, je pense, la relation avec la Russie est vieille de plusieurs siècles, et les rapports avec nos autres voisins font de la Russie un partenaire important pour la République d’Arménie. Mettre en danger nos relations internationales ou quelque autre engagement international que ce soit ne serait pas sage.
Entretien avec le président arménien Armen Sarkissian 09/05/2018 – par Daniel Vallot Écouter
Bucharest: Senate’s Tariceanu, Armenian Ambassador Minasyan on boosting bilateral parliamentary relations
Agerpres, Bucharest, Romania
Thursday
Senate’s Tariceanu, Armenian Ambassador Minasyan on boosting bilateral parliamentary relations
by: Maria Voican, Agerpres, Bucharest, Romania
May 10–buton playbuton pause
Bucharest — Senate President Calin Popescu-Tariceanu expressed his conviction on Thursday, during the meeting with the new Armenian ambassador to Romania, Sergey Minasyan, that the bilateral relations will continue to develop in the future, in the spirit of the long-lasting co-operation tradition.
“Calin Popescu-Tariceanu underlined the importance of boosting the relations between the two countries’ parliaments through activities of the parliamentary friendship groups and co-operation within the international parliamentary organisations the two states are part of. Talks have also aimed at the importance Romania is showing Armenia as a commercial partner and in this respect, the deepening of the mutual knowledge between the business persons’ communities in the two countries, by organising economic missions, included,” a press release by the Senate informs.
Moreover, in the context of the recent developments on the political scene in Armenia, the Senate’s President expressed the full support for the strengthening of democracy in this country, as well as the availability of the Romanian institutions at central and local administrations’ level to participate in joint projects capitalising on their experience of the transition to democracy and EU membership.
Acting defense minister reveals future plans
Category
Politics
Acting defense minister Vigen Sargsyan says he will continue serving Armenia and the people. Speaking to reporters, Sargsyan said he will serve in the most various ways.
“I believe professional work based on knowledge and experience is always needed, be it in public or political sectors, or [academic]. I promise that my service will be diverse. I will remain in the political arena, I think I will provide a little time to restoring my academic activity, because I have been unable to deal with it in the recent years due to busy workload,” Sargsyan said.
The acting minister said he will also spend more time with his family. Sargsyan says he will be able to plan a full holiday, something he didn’t have the chance to do in the last 23 years.
“I think I will spend more time for my favorite hobby – reading, spending time with my friends. This contains positive things. Serving the country means being engaged in specialized activity. By the say, public administration is my profession, therefore whatever it is that I will do will be connected with my profession,” he said.
Sargsyan, who serves as defense minister from 2016, announced May 8 – after the election of Nikol Pashinyan as Prime Minister, that he rules out working in the new government which is due to be formed.
President Sarkissian makes new appointments
Category
Politics
More than half of the new Cabinet has been named as Armenian President Armen Sargsyan re-appointed today Davit Harutyunyan as minister of justice, Davit Tonoyan as minister emergency situations, Ignati Arakelyan as minister of agriculture and Armen Amiryan as minister of culture.
Harutyunyan has been in office since 2017, and has earlier served as justice minister again from 1998 to 2007.
Mr. Tonoyan first took office in 2017. Mr. Amiryan and Mr. Arakelyan were both appointed ministers in 2016.
‘Any investment in Armenia is safe and protected’ – President Sargsyan on country’s attractiveness
Categories
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Society
Armenia has all the qualities to be an attractive destination for tourists from the Gulf region or elsewhere, President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview for a special edition of Gulf News newspaper and Global FDI Reports about Armenia.
He highlighted that Armenia eliminated visa requirement for UAE nationals, and the language issue is easily addressed and resolved. “The country has a rich historical and cultural heritage and fascinating nature, as well as mild weather all year round. We have already established the necessary infrastructure and there are numerous ways for tourists to enjoy themselves – everything is available. Both Yerevan and Armenia in general are extremely safe”, the President said.
Addressing potential investors, the Armenian President said as a small country, Armenia has the advantage on working individually with every single large investor who arrives in the country. “We furnish investors with privileges and tax breaks when their new enterprises produce goods that have not been produced here before. Any investment in Armenia is safe and protected”, President Sargsyan noted.