Author: Arpi Talalian

President Sarkissian will not sign law on amendments of the electoral code

Arpi Talalian

Save

Share

 17:12,

YEREVAN, APRIL 17, ARMENPRESS. The Administration of the President of Armenia issued a statement over the law on ‘’making amendments in the Constitutional law of the electoral code of the Republic of Armenia.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the President’s Office, the law was submitted for the President’s signing on April 2, 2021.

The President discussed it with the heads of a number of parties, political figures, representative of the Central Electoral Commission, listened to their positions and remarks.

The examinations of the law by the President’s administration have brought to the conclusion that the law is not problematic in terms of constitutionality. But the President has his own observations over the law – it has been passed by the voting of only the political majority of the National Assembly.

President Sarkissian has stated numerous times that early parliamentary elections aimed at the overcoming of the crisis should take place following the procedure of comprehensive amendments of the Constitution and the Electoral Code, which demands reasonable time and according to the democratic principles, should be implemented listening to and considering the opinions shaped as a result of broad public and political debates.

According to the Venice Commission, amendments in the electoral legislation should take place at least one year before the elections. The Venice Commission has also stated its position that the stability of the electoral system is one of the most important principles, and that it is important to have enough time to hold in-depth public discussions on amendments to the Electoral Code with the participation of all stakeholders.

The law replaces one type of proportional electoral system with another.

Given the above-mentioned, the President of the Republic will not sign the law, but will not apply to the Constitutional Court for deciding its compliance with the Constitution.

Alberta, Canada, Unanimously Passes Regulation Recognizing the Armenian Genocide and Different Genocides

Arpi Talalian
     

By

 CanadaDailyNewswire

 –

The Alberta Legislative Assembly recently passed a law unanimously recognizing the Armenian Genocide and other genocides, while the government declared April the Month of Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention.

Bill 205, sponsored by MLA Peter Singh of the United Conservative Party of Alberta, was passed on March 22, 2021 after its third reading, and received royal approval on March 26, 2021.

The bill, titled Genocide Commemoration, Condemnation and Prevention Act, encourages the government to develop strategies to prevent and combat the root causes of genocide, to recognize the effects of genocide on individuals from various ethnic and religious communities in Alberta to remember the victims and raise awareness of genocides that have taken place around the world.

In addition, the draft law stipulates that “within one year of the entry into force of this law, the minister must prepare a report detailing the strategies and proposed measures that the government undertakes to implement in order to achieve the objectives of this law.”

With the passage of Law 205, Alberta is the second province in Canada, after Quebec, to pass a law recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

The Canadian Senate recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2002, followed by the House of Commons in 2004 and the Government of Canada in 2006. On April 24, 2015, on the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the House of Commons passed unanimously Motion-587. Declaration of April as the Month of Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention in Canada.

The Armenian National Committee of Canada is extremely pleased with the passage of Bill 205 and thanks the Prime Minister of Alberta the Hon. Jason Kenney, MLA Peter Singh and all members of the Alberta Legislative Assembly for their position of principle and unwavering commitment to truth and Justice.

  class=”gmail_default” st1yle=”font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif;font-size:small”>

RFE/RL – U.S., Russia, France Urge Renewed Talks On Karabakh Settlement

Arpi Talalian
April 14, 2021

Armenia — The U.S. and French co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and other diplomats meet with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, Yerevan, December 14, 2020.

The United States, Russia and France have called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume negotiations on a “comprehensive and sustainable” resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Diplomats from the three world powers co-heading the OSCE Minsk Group expressed readiness late on Tuesday to facilitate such talks, including with renewed visits to the conflict zone.

In a joint statement, they noted “with satisfaction” the conflicting sides’ compliance with the Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped last year’s Armenian-Azerbaijani war while calling for “additional efforts” to stabilize the situation. They said that includes the release of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians still held in Azerbaijani custody.

“The Co-Chairs stress that special attention should be paid to the achievement of a final comprehensive and sustainable settlement on the basis of the elements and principles well-known to the sides,” says the statement.

“In this respect, the Co-Chairs call on the parties to resume high-level political dialogue under the auspices of the Co-Chairs at the earliest opportunity. They reiterate their proposal to organize direct bilateral consultations under their auspices, in order for the sides to review and agree jointly upon a structured agenda, reflecting their priorities, without preconditions.”

“The Co-Chairs underscore their readiness to resume working visits to the region, including Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas, to carry out their assessment and mediation roles,” added the mediators.

Their joint statement came just hours after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev again said that Baku resolved the conflict by winning the six-week war. Aliyev said the Minsk Group co-chairs should therefore deal now not with a Karabakh settlement but other issues such as the post-war demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

By contrast, Armenia has repeatedly stated that the conflict remains unresolved and that the Minsk Group should continue its mediation efforts.

The group’s U.S. and French co-chairs, Andrew Schofer and Stephane Visconti, most recently toured the region and met with Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in December. Their Russian colleague, Igor Popov, missed the trip because of a coronavirus infection.

Aliyev and Pashinian met in Moscow in January for trilateral talks hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Armenia plans to put protection of state borders on border guards

Arpi Talalian

Save

Share

 11:41,

YEREVAN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS. In the strategic perspective the government of Armenia plans to put the protection of the parts of the state borders, which is carried out by the Armed Forces, on the border guards, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in his remarks at the Parliament.

“In the strategic perspective we imagine that the protection of the parts of the state borders, which is carried out by the Armed Forces, will be put on the border guards, and the Army units will deal with issues on increasing the combat readiness”, the PM said.

He stated that the Defense Army will continue conducting the security of Artsakh together with the Russian peacekeeping forces.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Biden must recognise Armenian Genocide, scholar says

Arpi Talalian
AHVAL News

  • Apr 13 2021 04:14 Gmt+3
  • Last Updated On: Apr 13 2021 04:17 Gmt+3

Lobbies within the U.S. State Department advocating for Turkish interests or the U.S. government’s own interests in Turkey do not offset “the cost of giving Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a free pass,” and U.S. President Joe Biden should keep his campaign promise to recognise the Armenian Genocide, wrote Michael Rubin, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, for the National Interest on Monday.

None of Washington’s concerns “justifies perverting or whitewashing history,” Rubin said.

On April 24 last year, the 105th anniversary of the 1915 events which resulted in the death of some 1.5 million Armenians and other Christian minorities in the Ottoman Empire are widely identified as a genocide among scholars, then-candidate Biden tweeted, “If elected, I pledge to support a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide and will make universal human rights a top priority.”

Past governments have made similar promises, only to forget them “when they entered the executive branch,” Rubin added.

There is a strong Turkey lobby in Washington, the Pentagon needs continued access to the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey, and many in the government believe Erdoğan may lash out in the eastern Mediterranean if antagonised, according to Rubin.

“To show Turkey that bluster can trump accountability will ensure further aggression not only against Armenia but also against the Kurds and Cyprus,” the scholar said.

Rubin said Biden should not stop at recognition only, but must “go further” and support erection of monuments to the Armenian genocide in Ankara and Baku as a litmus test of “multi-faith tolerance” that both countries project “to Western visitors”. There already is one in Yerevan.

Support for monuments would show “acknowledgement of genocide extends beyond rhetoric” and “chip away at the historical blindness that decades of Turkish incitement have caused”, Rubin said.

Armenpress: Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 09-04-21

Arpi Talalian

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 09-04-21

Save

Share

 17:33, 9 April, 2021

YEREVAN, 9 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 9 April, USD exchange rate down by 4.58 drams to 532.78 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 4.00 drams to 633.58 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.07 drams to 6.90 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 8.32 drams to 729.96 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 42.98 drams to 30070.44 drams. Silver price up by 2.23 drams to 433.88 drams. Platinum price down by 491.07 drams to 20949.1 drams.

Sports: Armenian journalists to participate in International Football Tournament for Media

Arpi Talalian
Public Radio of Armenia
March 30 2021

Armenian journalist will participate in the Egypt International Football Tournament for Media and Journalists to be held in Sharm el-Sheikh April 1-3.

Armenia will compete with journalist teams from Ukraine, Belarus, Egypt, Moldova and Kazakhstan. All teams will face each other within three days.

In 2019 the Armenian team won the silver medal of the tournament.

The participation has become possible thanks to “TotoGaming” bookmaker company.

Armenia, Georgia to discuss transit of goods

Arpi Talalian
Public Radio of Armenia
April 2 2021

An Armenian government delegation will be dispatched to Georgia April 5-7 to discuss issues arising during the transit of goods manufactured in Armenia through the territory of Georgia and identify possible solutions.

A relevant decision has been signed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Discussions will focus on the transit of wine and cognac spirit, cigarettes.

Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia has been instructed to ensure that within three days after the return the delegation submits a report on the results of the visit to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Newspaper: Who is "sponsor" of new director of Armenia National Security Service?

Arpi Talalian
News.am, Armenia
April 2 2021
09:54, 02.04.2021

YEREVAN. – Zhoghovurd daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: The newfound director of the National Security Service [(NSS)], Andranik Simonyan, it turns out, has worked in the police system before he was appointed a judge of Lori Province.

Andranik Simonyan is quite young, only 31 years old, but following the example of Argishti Kyaramyan, he has already managed to hold various positions.

According to the official biography, Andranik Simonyan studied at the RA Police Academy and the [Public] Administration Academy, receiving the title of Master of Laws.

However, it is interesting that according to Article 17 of the RA Law on the Investigative Committee, “A citizen of the Republic of Armenia permanently residing in the Republic of Armenia, having a Bachelor’s, Master’s or higher legal education of a certified specialist in the Republic of Armenia may serve in the Investigative Committee.”

Let us note that the it is with the appointment as the Deputy Chairman of the Investigative Committee that an opportunity was created [for him] to get a position in the NSS.

However, it is a fact that Andranik Simonyan achieved the flights of this career of his thanks to others. Now his sponsor is [majority] My Step [parliamentary faction] secretary Hakob Simidyan.

Azerbaijani press: Armenia creates problems for international community by its actions – Russian expert

Arpi Talalian
COMMENTARY24 March 2021 11:29 (UTC+04:00)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar.24

By Jani Babayeva – Trend:

Azerbaijan has already liberated its territories (from Armenian occupation as a result of the 44-day war from late Sept. through early Nov.2020) despite obstacles previously created by Armenia, Russian expert, candidate of political sciences, senior lecturer of St. Petersburg State University Galina Niyazova told Trend.

Niyazova made the remark commenting on the issue of mining by the Armenian side of all the former occupied territories.

She noted that Azerbaijan possesses the necessary equipment for demining the territories. Besides, Turkey and Russia provide assistance in this issue.

“Hungary, Pakistan and the UN Mine Action Service UNMAS are also ready to help. All the foregoing is a vivid example of a situation when one non-short-sighted player in world politics, with its unwise actions and decisions, creates problems not only for the countries of the region but for the entire world community,” said the expert.

According to her, it’s clear that the demining works will take a long time, but nevertheless, they are actively carried out.

“It’s important for the population of Azerbaijan to understand that the state is attracting enough resources to restore the de-occupied territories and now it’s necessary to give specialists the opportunity to do their work, and not risk the lives of both their own and family members, trying to get to the territories which are closed to civilians,” added Niyazova stressing that the work must be done carefully and in such a case haste is unacceptable.