Author: Antranik Varosian

BAKU: PACE co-rapporteurs to make proposal in relation to Karabakh conflict

Antranik Varosian
APA, Azerbaijan

The co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for Azerbaijan and Armenia will make a proposal for possible activities in relation to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during the October part-session.

 

Such a decision was passed at a meeting of the Sub-Committee on Conflicts between Council of Europe Member States of the PACE Monitoring Committee in Helsinki on 15 May, APA reported. 

 

The next meeting of the sub-committee will be held in Vienna June 9.

 

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict entered its modern phase when the Armenian SRR made territorial claims against the Azerbaijani SSR in 1988.

 

A fierce war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. As a result of the war, Armenian armed forces occupied some 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory which includes Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts (Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan), and over a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced people.

 

The military operations finally came to an end when Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in Bishkek in 1994.

 

Dealing with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the OSCE Minsk Group, which was created after the meeting of the CSCE (OSCE after the Budapest summit held in December 1994) Ministerial Council in Helsinki on 24 March 1992. The Group’s members include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, the United States, France, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Finland and Sweden.

 

Besides, the OSCE Minsk Group has a co-chairmanship institution, comprised of Russian, the US and French co-chairs, which began operating in 1996.  

 

Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of the UN Security Council, which were passed in short intervals in 1993, and other resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly, PACE, OSCE, OIC, and other organizations require Armenia to unconditionally withdraw its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh.

 

Entertainment: Concert of "Secrets of Armenia" project to take place in Moscow

Antranik Varosian 
ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
 Monday
Concert of "Secrets of Armenia" project to take place in Moscow
Yerevan May 22
Alexander Avanesov. On May 3, on one of main stages of Russia - Big
Hall of Conservatory after Tchaykovski, will take place the main event
of the year in the sphere of Armenian classical music - concert of the
project "Secrets of Armenia", dedicated to Armenian composers A.
Khachaturyan, S. Barkhudaryan, A. Stepanyan. The concert will be timed
to 130th birthday of Sergey Barkhudaryan and 120th of Aro Stepanyan.
The organizers of the event are the project "Secrets of Armenia" of
Miqael Hayrapetyan and the Congress of Armenian Youth of Russia. The
concert is aimed at popularization of the Armenian classical music in
wide auditorium of the Russian capital. The program includes both
works of famous Armenian composers and less played ones. The works of
Komitas, Ekmalyan, Tigranian, Spendiarov, Barkhudaryan, Stepanyan,
Khachaturyan, Babadzhanyan, Abramyan, Baghdasaryan, Harutyunyan,
Avetisyan, Dolukhanyan, Amirkhanyan and other Armenian composers have
already been performed on the stage of the Big, Small and Rachmaninov
halls. The main part of the program will be the world premiere of the
collection of piano arrangements "Aram Khachaturyan." Selected pages
from the ballets "Gayane" and "Spartacus." Concert arrangement of
Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia, Professor of Yerevan
Conservatory. Komitas, pianist Willy Sargsyan.
Soloists Vladimir Sergeev (violin), Hovhannes Ghazaryan (duduk),
Iskuhi Karapetyan (canon), Stanislav Davydov (bass), Mikael
Hayrapetyan (pianoforte), Dudukist Ensemble "Secrets of Armenia. "Art
should not be in oblivion" - this is the slogan of the International
Music Project of Miqael Hayrapetyan "Secrets of Armenia". Since 2012,
Miqael Hayrapetian regularly conducts a series of concerts of Armenian
classical music "Secrets of Armenia" at the Moscow State Conservatory
after Tchaikovsky.

Artsakh Defense Army: Adversary fired more than 1,300 shots toward the Armenian positions at night

Antranik Varosian
Panorama, Armenia

Azerbaijani forces broke the ceasefire across the Line of contact between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan 90 times overnight to May 18-19, firing around 1,300 shots toward the Armenian positions from weapons of different calibers. Defense Army of the Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) Republic reports, that apart from firearm, the Azerbaijani forces applied 60mm mortar (1 shell) and antitank grenade launcher (1 shell) in the eastern and northeastern directions of the Line of Contact respectively.

Defense Army frontline units continue exercising full control on the frontline and implement the reliable protection of the combat positions.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan: Man Utd have to win Europa League final

Antranik Varosian

Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan says losing the Europa League final against Ajax is not an option.

United go to Stockholm next week after their final Premier League game of the campaign against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Sunday, following a guaranteed sixth-place finish in the top flight.

A win on Wednesday night would see them claim their third trophy of the season after the EFL Cup and Community Shield, and would also hand them a spot in the Champions League group stage for next season.

Jose Mourinho has described the game as the biggest in United’s history, and Mkhitaryan also claimed it is one of the most important of his own career.

Mkhitaryan Sky Sports: “I can say that of course there is only one choice and that is to win, we are not going to the final to lose.

“We want to win and have to win, for us it is very important to win this trophy, and also the opportunity to play in the Champions League because Manchester United are not the team who has to play three years in a row in the Europa League.

“It’s going to be one of the most important games in my life. I don’t want to lose this opportunity. I am only thinking of winning that game, I know we are able to win, and I know it will be a big pleasure to win it.

“If we are going to win the Europa League final it will be an amazing season for us, because have already won two trophies, and this one would be the third one.

“I will not be nervous because I’m not a kid anymore. I know how to handle the pressure, how to get ready for that game, just play my game and be myself.

“I watched some Ajax games, they are a young team, have very good football players individually, and I can say they are very aggressive, they are trying to play the football they are used to playing.”

Reflecting on his own season, his first at United since moving from Borussia Dortmund last summer, the Armenian forward says though it started off as a struggle, he would class the campaign as “not bad”.

Mkhitaryan burst into form around winter following a slow start under Mourinho, but insists there is more to come next year, and he has enjoyed the challenge.

He said: “My first year was not very easy because at the very beginning I had a little bit of struggle, but that’s part of football, I just kept trying to work hard and wait for my second chance, which I took very well.

“I used it, and then I started to have good times. It wasn’t a bad year, a normal year, maybe I am able to do more, but for this year it’s not bad, and I will try to do more next year.

“Of course I am always positive, and I know I’m capable of doing more. I’m sure I will do more, so I’ll keep working hard with a positive mind, and will wait for next season to score more and assist more.

“Manchester United have big ambitions and are always trying to do the best and the maximum, I like that challenge to do something new and challenge myself also.”

Foreign affairs MEPs to visit Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan

Antranik Varosian
Public Radio of Armenia
18:37,

A Foreign Affairs Committee delegation, led by its Chair David McAllister (EPP, DE), will travel to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia on 22-25 May to meet the Presidents, Speakers, parliamentarians from the ruling as well as opposition parties and civil society representatives. The 8 Members of the European Parliament are to take stock of a recent deal on a new EU-Armenia agreement, the advancement of negotiations on a new EU-Azerbaijan agreement and the deepening of EU-Georgia
relations.

Ahead of the visit Mr. McAllister said: “My colleagues and I are very much looking forward to our visit to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia next week. This is a region of great importance for the European Union and a major counterpart to our Eastern Partnership policy. We share many interests, notably in terms of promoting peace, security and trade, and we also seek to uphold our values – especially democracy, rule of law, good governance, human rights and fundamental freedoms – as we seek to further deepen our
partnerships.”

In addition to Mr. McAllister, the EP’s delegation will be composed of seven MEPs: Mr. László Tokes (EPP, HU), Ms. Željana Zovko (EPP, HR), Mr. Andrejs Mamikins (S&D, LV), Mr. Angel Dzhambazki (ECR, BG), Mr. Ivo Vajgl (ALDE, SL), Mr. Helmut Scholz (GUE/NGL, DE) and, representing the interparliamentary delegation, Ms. Heidi Hautala (Greens, FI).

The delegation is planning to visit Azerbaijan on 22 May and meet the authorities including President Ilham Aliyev, the Chairman of the Milli Mejlis Ogtay Asadov and parliamentarians as well as with civil society representatives. On 23 May, the MEPs will head to Georgia to meet President Giorgui Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, the Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze, civil society organisations and to visit the EU monitoring mission (EUMM Georgia) in Mtskheta on 24 May. The EP’s delegation is to finish its mission in Armenia on 25 May with meetings with President Serzh Sargsyan, the Speaker of the National Assembly and a visit of an EU funded field project.

The EU is currently reshaping its relationship with Armenia and Azerbaijan through new agreements for which the negotiations have just ended (Armenia) or just started (Azerbaijan). The MEPs’ visit will feed into the European Parliament’s report and recommendation on these agreements to be drawn up later this year.

Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United

Antranik Varosian

Marouane Fellaini was sent off for headbutting Sergio Aguero as Manchester City and Manchester United fought out an attritional goalless draw at Etihad Stadium to leave their hopes of a place in the Premier League’s top four still in the balance, the BBC reports.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho will be the happier after they extended their unbeaten league run to 24 games, a feat achieved without Fellaini in the closing stages after he was dismissed for a senseless headbutt on Aguero.

Argentine Aguero came closest for City when he hit the post early on and manager Pep Guardiola was left with an injury concern when keeper Claudio Bravo was taken off on a stretcher after injuring his calf catching a cross in the second half.

City substitute Gabriel Jesus had a later header correctly ruled out for offside as they remain in fourth place, with United a point behind in fifth as both sides have five games remaining.

Garo Paylan calls for research into Armenian Genocide-era deportation law

Antranik Varosian

HDP Istanbul deputy Garo Paylan has presented a research proposal to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey for the examination of the results of the Provisional Relocation Act enacted on 27 May 1915, Istanbul-based reports.

The MP proposes to investigate the responsibilities of the government and public officials at that time, as well as the daily effects of the consequences of the deportations.

Garo Paylan’s research proposal for the Presidency of the Turkish Grand National Assembly includes the following statements: “Following the Temporary Relocation Act, the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire was subjected to deportation, leading to devastation in the Syriac, Keldani, Ezidi and Greek peoples.

“Although the results of this law have not been investigated by the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) for more than 102 years, it has been known that a large number of casualties have been experienced due to the Deportation Law.

“A lot of cultural assets and property have been seized or confiscated. The exploitation of the responsibilities of the government and civil servants of the period, the day-to-day effects of the consequences of the deportation, the benefits of confronting the past and the truth in ensuring social peace as a whole in our country, in accordance with Article 98 of the Constitution, Articles 104 and 105 of the Constitution in order to contribute to the uncovering of “truth” in order to prevent abuse and to provide more opportunities for future generations to live together in Turkey freely and peacefully I would like to offer and propose to open the survey.”

April 18 is World Amateur Radio Day

Antranik Varosian

Every April 18, radio amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. It was on that day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris.

Amateur Radio experimenters were the first to discover that the short wave spectrum — far from being a wasteland — could support worldwide propagation. Amateur Radio pioneers met in Paris in 1925 and created the IARU to support Amateur Radio worldwide.

Since then the IARU has worked tirelessly to broaden the range of bandwidths available to radio fans. Interest in Amateur Radio has only grown since those early days, with over 3,000,000 licensed operators spreading their voices across the globe today. It’s through this medium that people from different nations and cultures were able to spread ideas with great speed, long before the ability to shoot off an email or video chat was ever possible.

IARU has events all over the world to celebrate this great invention and to bring together people who still find value in being able to skip a radio across the ionosphere over thousands of miles and bring together two sides of the globe through little more than an oscillating wave of energy.

Armenia hails Russia’s efforts in Karabakh settlement process

Antranik Varosian

Armenia and Russia have never been on the opposite sides of the barricades, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said in an article published in Russian on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

“Establishment of diplomatic relations opened a new page in the modern history of centuries-old relations between the brotherly peoples that have passed the test of time,” Minister Nalbandian said.

According to Armenia’s top diplomat, the two nations are tied by a number of deep threads, which form the ground, on which the relations between Armenia and Russia are being built.

“Today the Armenian-Russian allied strategic partnership is seen as an exemplary model of cooperation, one of the most successful and effective ones on post-Soviet space,” he said.

Minister Nalbandian said “Armenia appreciates Russia’s mediating efforts, including in its capacity as Minsk Group Co-Chair, in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.”

“It was thanks to Russia’s efforts that the agreement on ceasefire was signed between Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan and Armenia on May 12, 1994. This enabled us to step into the political phase of conflict resolution.  Despite Azerbaijan’s continuous efforts to wreck the implementation of the agreement, including the large-scale military actions unleashed last year, Armenia works in cooperation with Russia, the co-chairing countries continues to take efforts towards stabilization of the situation, creation of conditions for furthering the negotiation process with a view of solving the conflict exceptionally in a peaceful way,” Minister Nalbandian said.