Author: Arsine Chaltikian

Distribution of 4000 packages containing food and medical supplies in Armenian-populated town of Kessab, Syria, started on Thursday, SANA reports.

The packages, which are part of a Russian aid shipment, will be distributed to the town’s locals and displaced families coming from other provinces.

In a statement to SANA, Lattakia Governor Ibrahim Khodr al-Salem said the aid will be distributed to beneficiaries in a number of provinces, including eastern Deir Ez-zor.

He pointed out that work is being coordinated with local and international humanitarian organizations to deliver aid to those who need it in various Syrian areas.

Two Russian aircrafts carrying on board 34 tons of food and medical supplies, in addition to children’s books and stationery, arrived in Bassel al-Assad Airport.

In June, 2014, the Syrian army restored stability and security to Kessab town and its surroundings after eliminating large numbers of terrorists who came from across the Turkish border.

India and Armenia will sign an agreement on agriculture on February 19 when the Armenian Minister for Agriculture, Sergo Karapetyan, visits India, reports.

Last July, India had given the go-ahead for signing and ratification of an inter-governmental agreement between the two counties.

“We are very interested in familiarising ourselves with the research and development potential of agriculture in India. We are also interested in the potential of your manufacturing and agriculture techniques. Traditionally we have been importing from Russia and Belarus. Now, our farmers are showing interest in Indian manufacturing,” Armen Martirosyan, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia, told The Hindu on Friday.

Inviting Indian companies to invest in Armenia, he said bilateral trade between the two countries was only $70 million to $75 million while trade with China was almost $380 million. “The newly-built transport network, however, is more conducive for India,” he said.

“The recent lifting of sanctions might facilitate trilateral cooperation between India, Iran and Armenia,” he said at a meeting organised by FICCI.

Mr. Martirosyan said Indian companies could invest in manufacturing sector, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, in the Armenian free economic zones.

A FICCI delegation focussing on the media, entertainment and tourism sector is set to visit Armenia between 15 and 19 July.

The newly appointed Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to Armenia Jashim Uddin (residence in Athens) presented his credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan, President’s Press Office reports.

The President congratulated the Ambassador on his nomination and wished him success in carrying out his diplomatic mission in our country. He noted that because he is the first Ambassador of Bangladesh in our country, his mission is even more important and full of responsibility. The new Ambassador is called upon to create a strong basis for the continuous development of the bilateral interstate relations and to strengthen friendly relations between the two peoples. With regard to the development of bilateral cooperation, the President of Armenian stressed the importance of creating a legal base.

Noting that the Armenian-Bangladeshi relations date back to the 17th century, and that in the Armenian quarter of Dhaka – Armanitola, there still stands the Armenian Saint Harutyun Church, the interlocutors concurred that, unfortunately, after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, there has not been done much to develop the interstate relations and establish cooperation in different areas.

According to the parties, the appointment of ambassador to Armenia and Armenia’s readiness based on the principle of reciprocity to appoint ambassador to Bangladesh, testify to the two countries’ political will and determination to develop relations between the two states.

At the meeting stressed was also the importance of strengthening the Armenian-Bangladeshi cooperation in the framework of international structures.

Today, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt Tarek Ibrahim Muhammad Maati presented his credential to President Serzh Sargsyan.

The President congratulated the Ambassador on the commencement of his diplomatic mission in our country and expressed hope that during his tenure he will use his experience and knowledge for furthering and strengthening relations of the two friendly states. Serzh Sargsyan noted with satisfaction that in recent years the Armenian-Egyptian relations have entered a new phase and underscored that the existing great potential in the cooperation of the two countries should be utilized to the fullest, which can be considerably boosted by the reciprocal high-level visits, active political dialogue, frequent contacts and cooperation at the intergovernmental and interparliamentary levels.

Ambassador Tarek Maati assured that he would do his best to strengthen the relations between the two states and to develop cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. He said that he has already had discussions with the Armenian colleagues on the possibility of restarting the work of the Armenian-Egyptian intergovernmental commission this year and added that he is hopeful that the activities of the commission will invigorate the trade and economic relations. The Ambassador concurred with the President of Armenia on the issue regarding the necessity to strengthen relations between the legislatures of the two countries and creation of the friendship groups in both Parliaments.

The parties underscored the special role of the Armenian diaspora of Egypt in strengthening the friendly relations between Armenia and Egypt.

The President of Armenia wished success to the newly appointed Ambassador of Egypt throughout his tenure.

Photo: Reuters

 

Microsoft ended support for Windows 8 on Wednesday, which means the three-year-old operating system will no longer receive the necessary security updates to keep hackers at bay, reports.

This leaves more than 40 million users with the only option to upgrade to a later version of Windows to remain supported.

Microsoft still supports Windows 7 and Windows Vista, which surprises several users about the end of support for Windows 8. Technically, Windows 8 users must be supported till 2022, as per Microsoft’s 10-year support policy. But a quirk in the support life cycle changes that and requires Windows 8 users to upgrade immediately.

Users upgrading to Windows 8.1 Update will be supported till 2023, according to Microsoft’s lifecycle page.

AP Photo/ SERGEY PONOMAREV

 

Seven of Russia’s advanced Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters and Mi-8MT Hip transport helicopters have been deployed to a Russian air base in Armenia, the Southern Military District (SMD) said Tuesday, reports.

An additional batch of helicopters is expected to reach the base by the end of the year, the SMD said.

“The Russian air base Erebuni, Armenia, received a batch of modern helicopters – Mi-24P attack and Mi-8MT transport helicopters,” SMD’s press service said.

The helicopters will sit alongside the MiG-29 fighters at the air base, the SMD said, adding that pilots would begin helicopter flights in a month.

The district’s Erebuni base was formed in 1995 and the MiG-29 Fulcrum multirole fighters were deployed there in 1998, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. In July 2001, the units at Erebuni were incorporated into an air division of the Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri, Armenia.

On December 3, the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states was held in Belgrade under the chairmanship of Edward Nalbandian, Foreign Minister of Armenia, the Chairman of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers.

The ministers discussed the process of implementation of decisions made at the session of the Collective Security Council on September 2015, as well as issues of coordination of foreign policy of the CSTO member states.

The members of the CSTO Foreign Ministers’ Council discussed issues on the agenda of the 22nd Ministerial Council of the OSCE member states.

The participants exchanged views on the issues impacting the global and regional security, the fight against terrorism.

The current situation, which resulted after the shooting down by the Turkish armed forces of the Russian SU-24 plane, which was carrying out an anti-terrorist military operation in Syria, was touched upon. In that context Minister Nalbandian noted that the shooting down of the plane is a serious blow to the consolidation of the efforts of international community in its fight against terrorism and to the political settlement in Syria.

The CSTO Foreign Ministers approved the agenda of the Collective Security Council, which will be held in Moscow in December, as well as exchanged views on the activities of the CSTO statutory bodies.

Away fans have been banned from all football matches in France until mid-December following the Paris attacks, the BBC reports.

On 13 November, 130 people died in attacks across Paris, with three suicide bombs outside the Stade de France where France took on Germany.

French league games went ahead the following weekend without away fans.

The Interior Ministry has extended the ban due to a “lack of police forces available” during the ongoing state of emergency and upcoming Climate Summit.

The Kremlin believes that the forthcoming visit of French President Francois Hollande to Washington and Moscow as a step towards creation of anti-terrorist coalition, Russian Presidential aide, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters on Friday, Reuters reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Hollande in Moscow on Nov. 26 to discuss fighting against terrorism and Syrian crisis, Ushakov said.

“Before Moscow, French President will visit Washington, and we consider it as a creation of the widest anti-terrorist coalition,” he said, adding that Putin and Hollande would meet again during a conference in Paris on Nov. 30.

Ushakov also added that during Russia’s President visit to Iran on Nov. 23, Putin would meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to discuss with Syrian conflict, Iran nuclear program, and tackling terrorism, including the Islamic State.

Putin will take part in a meeting of Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Iran.

According to Ushakov, presidents of Bolivia and Venezuela have requested meetings with Putin and the Kremlin “is trying to find slots” in Russian president’s schedule for these meetings.

South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been released under house arrest nearly one year after he was jailed for killing his girlfriend, the BBC reports.

He is expected to spend the remainder of a five-year prison sentence at his uncle’s home in Pretoria.

He shot Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door in 2013 but said he thought she was an intruder.

Ms Steenkamp’s relatives say they think Pistorius is “getting off lightly”.

Pistorius, 28, was found guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, of his 29-year-old girlfriend at a trial in October last year.

A case lodged by the prosecution appealing against that decision is due to be heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal on 3 November. State prosecutors say Pistorius should have instead been convicted of murder.