Author: Bedik Zaminian

N. Korean leader sends condolence message to Japanese PM over recent earthquake

Bedik Zaminian

 12:29, 6 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a message of sympathy to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday over a powerful earthquake that struck central Japan earlier this week, North Korean state media said.

In the message, Kim expressed his deep sympathy and condolences over big casualties and material losses caused by the New Year's Day earthquake, the Korean Central News Agency said.

According to the source, Kim also expressed sincere hopes that affected people will "restore their stable life at the earliest date possible".

US, Europe should ‘stop fooling around’ expecting Russia’s collapse, says Putin

Bedik Zaminian

 17:39,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Russia does not shut itself from the US and Europe, and it is time for them to "stop fooling around" expecting Russia’s collapse, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the meeting of the Council on strategic development and national projects, Tass reports.

"I would like to note that we do not shut ourselves from the American continent, from North America, from the US and Canada, we do not shut ourselves from European states. They actually should stop fooling around and stop waiting for us to collapse," Tass quoted Putin as saying.

According to Russia's Putin, if Western states want to benefit from cooperation with Russia, they can do it.

"We do not push them away. But it is their business and their decision," Putin noted.

He noted that the US and Europe must themselves contemplate what they are being motivated by.

Armenpress: Chess GM Levon Aronian endorses Ozbiliz for FFA presidency

Bedik Zaminian

 10:36,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS. Chess grandmaster Levon Aronian has endorsed Aras Ozbiliz for the presidency of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA).

In a statement posted on social media, Aronian praised Ozbiliz’s career in football and expressed hope that he will win the vote.

“We now have the chance to elect someone who’s played in the national team and in strong clubs for many years, and proved to be a professional athlete, as president of the football federation. I hope that Aras Ozbiliz will get support on this path,” Aronian said.

Aras Ozbiliz is running for the presidency of the Football Federation of Armenia against the incumbent President Armen Melikbekyan. The election will take place on December 23.

[see video]

Deputy Foreign Minister underscores the reference to refugee rights and needs in UN Sustainable Development Goals Report

Bedik Zaminian

 18:31,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS. The kick-off seminar for the process of developing the third Voluntary National Review Report, to be presented by Armenia in 2024 on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, was organized by the UN Office in Armenia and the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tsaghkadzor on December 20. 
During the seminar, Armenian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vahan Kostanyan underscored the importance of addressing the rights and needs of refugees in the upcoming report on the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“After the ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh in September this year, Armenia’s challenges have increased significantly, in terms of both the development of human potential and the protection of human rights,” the Deputy Foreign Minister said and underscored the importance of addressing the rights and needs of refugees, which should also be addressed in the report.
"We have already presented two reports in 2018 and 2020, but it is no secret that this time, in 2023, the context, the environment and the challenges according to which this report will be prepared are very different compared to the 2020 report,'' clarified the Deputy Foreign Minister.

“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is very important for Armenia.  It serves as a framework  within which the Armenian government is trying to place the reform process and take into account two key components: the first is the development of human potential and the second component  is the protection of fundamental human rights in different directions: social, political, cultural, humanitarian," said the Deputy Foreign Minister.

UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia Nanna Skau in her speech noted the importance and significance of the Voluntary National Review Report in the context of achieving the sustainable development goals and solving challenges and problems.

The purpose of the seminar was to reflect the global and national processes of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to discuss the substantive and structural details of the process of submitting the Voluntary National Review Report by Armenia and identify areas for further cooperation.

Representatives of the legislative and executive authorities and civil society took part in the seminar.

Council of Europe Congress to visit Armenia for study visit

Bedik Zaminian

 15:52,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. A delegation of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, composed of rapporteurs Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE) and Bryony Rudkin (United Kingdom, SOC/G/PD), will carry out a study visit to Yerevan and the municipality of Masis on  to follow up on Declaration 7 (2023) on “The humanitarian situation in Karabakh and neighbouring cities and regions,” the Council of Europe said in a press release.

They will be accompanied by the member of the group of independent experts on the European Charter of Local Self-Government, Professor Jens Woelk (Germany).

The rapporteurs will hold discussions with the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Gnel Sanosyan, and the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Narek Mkrtchyan. The delegation will also meet representatives of the communes of Artashat, Yerevan, Goris and Hrazdan. In addition, a meeting will be held with representatives of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Armenian Red Cross Society. The Congress delegation will also visit the Masis commune to meet local elected representatives.

EU to Expand Armenia Mission by 50%, Says Foreign Affairs Chief

Bedik Zaminian
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by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

The 100-person EU Civilian Mission in Armenia launched on Feb. 20

The European Union’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell on Monday announced that the bloc will expand its mission in Armenia by 50 percent.

This announcement comes after EU foreign ministers last month approved the expansion of the EU mission in Armenia.

“Today the EU Council decided to strengthen our civilian mission in Armenia, increasing our presence on the ground from 138 to 209 people, this is an important increase in the size of the mission and it is a way to increase the stability of Armenia’s international border with Azerbaijan,” Borrell said.

The EU’s 100-person monitoring mission to Armenia began in February. In the fall Canada said it would join the mission, becoming the first non-EU country to be folded into its activities.

Before meeting with Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Borrell told reporters that the situation in Armenia requires the EU’s strong support.

“Many things are happening in the whole region, it is important to continue to pay attention to them and, in particular, to Armenia, that has been in a very difficult situation and still is,” Borrell told reporters ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.

Shanghai honors 50 expats with prestigious Magnolia Silver Award for 2023

Bedik Zaminian
Global Times, China
Dec 4 2023
By 

Huang Lanlan

 in Shanghai

Fifty foreign nationals in Shanghai were honored with this year's Magnolia Silver Award, an award specifically honoring expatriates in Shanghai for their contributions to the city. 

This year, the award winners are from 15 countries and are engaged in various fields including economy and trade, finance, science and technology, shipping, education, medical care, and culture, as introduced by Kong Fu'an, director-general of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, on Sunday. 

With their talent, passion, and dedication, they have contributed to the openness, vitality, prosperity, and progress of Shanghai, making the city a better place, Kong said in a speech he delivered at the award's presentation ceremony in downtown Shanghai on Sunday.

Each of the award winners has moving stories that contain expatriates' sense of belonging, integration, and love for the city of Shanghai, he added. 

In his speech, Kong cited four of the winners' connections with and contributions to Shanghai. They included Alexander Rhys Gregg-Smith, the Senior Vice President of Bureau Veritas (BV) Group and the Chief Executive of BV Marine & Offshore North Asia and China.

The Port of Shanghai, the world's busiest container port, has been at the forefront of the development of the whole of China and driving global trade, Gregg-Smith said in a speech he delivered at the ceremony on behalf of all the award recipients. "The rapid development of Shanghai provides us with a vast stage," he said. 

Speaking of himself, Gregg-Smith mentioned that he has lived and worked in many countries and cities around the world, but his love for Shanghai is deeply embedded in his heart. "It is not just a place for work; it is my spiritual home." 

For him, the award is more than a mere medal or title, "it is a symbol of the enthusiastic support and warm welcome consistently felt in this truly international megacity," Gregg-Smith added. 

Ahead of the ceremony on Sunday, Gregg-Smith shared with the Global Times his excitement about winning the award. "It's a great pride and honor to me. It's fantastic to be recognized," he said. 

Gregg-Smith mentioned that he and his colleagues now have many dealings with the Shanghai government, working on assisting the shipbuilding and international shipping in this city. 

Gregg-Smith was one of the many expats who witnessed the rapid development of Shanghai over the decades. "My first time in China was in 1998, and between 1998 and 2023, the GDP of Shanghai has increased some 10 times," he told the Global Times. "So at least for me, it is the number one city. I'm really happy to be here and [to witness] these years' exciting developments." 

Astrid Poghosyan, who works at the development department of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, is one of the youngest winners of the award this year. 

The award not only shows Shanghai's appreciation to those who make significant contributions to the city's development but also embodies its recognition and encouragement for the international young people who make efforts in pursuing their dreams in China, Poghosyan said to the Global Times on Sunday. 

Coming to Shanghai at the age of 16, Poghosyan, now 30, said that over the years she has well integrated herself into this city, from professional work to daily life, as well as community voluntary services. 

"I've been here for 14 years," she told the Global Times in fluent Putonghua. "I grew up here, and most of my friends are Chinese. I'm an expat from appearance, but I have a very 'Chinese heart.'" 

Shanghai began honoring expatriates in 1989 with the Magnolia Silver Award and added the gold award and honorary citizenship to the system in 1992 and 1997, respectively, according to the official website of the municipal government. These awards have honored more than 1,827 foreigners in the past 34 years.


France supports the resumption of peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Bedik Zaminian

 12:14, 9 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. France welcomes the positive signal sent by the joint statement issued by Armenia and Azerbaijan and the goodwill gestures by both countries, particularly regarding a prisoner exchange, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France said in a statement.

“We hope these announcements are a first step toward resolving the situation of prisoners, detainees and the disappeared,’’  said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France.

France supports the swift resumption of negotiations on a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with the support of the EU and the United States.

 The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France added that, as the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs has said repeatedly, there can be no lasting peace without respect for international law and the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders between the two nations.

Armenia receives $2.9 million grant to support teachers in providing psycho-social support to displaced children from NK

Bedik Zaminian

 15:35, 8 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The World Bank announced today that Armenia has been selected to receive a new grant from the State and Peacebuilding Umbrella Trust Fund to support the mental health and wellbeing of displaced children and adolescents from Nagorno-Karabakh region in over 200 schools across the country. The grant will finance an upcoming project to be implemented jointly by the World Bank and the Teach for Armenia Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, the Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center, and the Armenian State Pedagogical University, World Bank said in a press release. 

The $2.9 million grant will support the social integration of displaced children and adolescents into Armenian schools, and capacity building and mentoring of school staff to deliver tailored mental health and psychosocial support to displaced children and adolescents, their families, and students from the hosting communities.

It will provide technical assistance to design a comprehensive approach for the integration of displaced children and adolescents into the education system along with a specialized mental health and psychosocial support program through a combination of change-based learning, engagement with local communities, and robust monitoring and evaluation systems in schools. The grant will also support integrating the provision of mental health and psychosocial support into the new curriculum.

The State and Peacebuilding Umbrella Trust Fund (SPF) is a global multi-donor fund administered by the World Bank that works with partners to address the drivers and impacts of fragility, conflict, and violence and strengthen the resilience of countries and affected populations, communities, and institutions. SPF is supported by Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland.

The World Bank is currently financing 10 projects in Armenia totaling $500 million. Since its inception in Armenia in 1992, the World Bank has provided around $2.7 billion from International Development Association (IDA) to which Armenia became a donor in 2023, from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and from trust funds. The World Bank is committed to continuing its support to Armenia in its development path for ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity on a livable planet.

Denmark’s parliament adopts a law making it illegal to burn religious texts

Bedik Zaminian

 19:22, 7 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Denmark's parliament adopts a law making it illegal to burn the Quran or other religious texts.

The bill, which prohibits "inappropriate treatment of writings with significant religious importance for a recognized religious community", was passed with 94 votes in favor and 77 opposed, BBC reports.

According to the source, those who break the law would be punished with fines or up to two years in prison.