16:57,
YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS. Shots were fired from the Azerbaijani side at Armenian on-duty servicemen, the defense ministry said.
The incident involving firearms happened at the “border section” of Verin Shorzha in Gegharkunik Province – where around 14:20, May 25 “automatic shots were discharged from the Azeri side in the direction of Armenian servicemen”.
The defense ministry said it is clarifying details of the incident.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
Photos: Kostas Deves & Mary Sinanidis
More than 100 years from the Genocide of the Greeks of Pontus, yet the memory of lost homelands and the pain burn still in the hearts of the Pontian’s around the world.
Every year, the Greek community of Australia remembers the persecuted Christian populations of Pontus, Asia Minor and Eastern Thrace, paying tribute with a series of commemorative events organised by the coordinating committee of the Pontian Society of Melbourne.
Honouring the dark anniversary of 19 May, the day Mustafa Kemal Ataturk landed in Samsun back in 1919, a Commemorative Service took place at St Eustathios (221 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne) at 11am, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at 12.15pm at the Domain, between Birdwood Avenue and Government Drive.
“The month of May, personally for me, is a time when feelings are more vivid and memories are more intense as I recall stories told by my grandfather about the loss of his father and forced exile of his family from Pontus to Russia to be saved from slaughter,” Roma Siachos, Secretary of Pontian Community of Melbourne and Chairman of the Coordinating Committee of Pontian Associations of Melbourne, told Neos Kosmos.
“Whether we were born in Pontus, or as descendants of the Pontian Greeks that came from the depths of Pontus whose history covers millennia of the civilisations residing across the Black Sea, we aspire not to create a climate of hatred but to never forget the Genocide of the Peoples so that similar events can never happen again in the future.”
Meanwhile, the General Consul of Greece Mr Emmanuel Kakavelakis stressed that this is not a day of celebration but a day of mourning.
Commemorative events:
*Dedicated commemorative events will be held through to October.
14:41,
YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Minsk Group still remains demanded firstly in terms of promoting the cooperation on solving humanitarian problems and the measures aimed at creating trust between the parties, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, commenting on the settlement of the situation in Artsakh.
“The key to further settlement of the situation is to fully follow the agreements reached on November 9 last year and on January 11 this year between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. These agreements ensure all the necessary mechanisms contributing to the observance of the ceasefire, as well as aim at unblocking infrastructure which have long not enabled to reveal this geopolitically important region’s very serious transit and economic potential”, the Russian FM said, adding that the trilateral working group led by the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan has a key contribution to the implementation of those agreements.
According to FM Lavrov, the unblocking of infrastructure will allow the South-Caucasian states to join together with their neighbors a common transportation space.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
15:35,
YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. American-Armenian reality TV superstar Kim Kardashian congratulated her son Psalm on the 2nd birthday, noting that he “looks most Armenian”.
“My Taurus baby Psalm. He turns 2 today on Mother’s Day. Such a special day to share together. He’s my child that looks most Armenian to me like my grandpa and reminds me so much of my dad. He is the sweetest baby ever!!! I can’t even describe his smile and sweetness that everyone just feels when they are with him. Psalm- you have brought such calmness and evenness into all of our lives! All of your cousins and siblings love you so much! You really are the joy of our crew! Mommy loves you SOOOOOO much!!!” Kim Kardashian said on Instagram.
15:21, 8 May, 2021
YEREVAN, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS. The Union of Armenians of Ukraine has sent a letter to UNESCO over the vandalism against the Armenian historical-cultural heritage in Artsakh, AnalitikaUA.net reports.
In the letter the Union has asked for UNESCO’s attention on the Armenian cultural heritage in Artsakh, which is currently under danger.
“It’s important to note that there are over 3000 monuments of Armenian history and culture in the Republic of Artsakh, including more than 500 Christian churches, as well as dozens of monuments of the pre-Christian era. The oldest of these monuments has a history of over 2000 years (Tigranakert Fortress).
Let us remind that the Union of Armenians of Ukraine became the first NGO in Ukraine that was included in the EU’s Transparency Register. The representation of the Union operates in Brussels”, the Union said in a statement.
Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
The specialists of the Russian Ministry of Defense have completed the construction of 30 block-modular camps for servicemen of the peacekeeping contingent, the country’s Defense Ministry reported on Saturday.
As the head of the construction headquarters in Nagorno-Karabakh Major General Yuri Khort informed the final stage of the construction has completed in Shushi, Qaregah and Jraberd settlements. In his words, the block-modular camps create comfortable living conditions for the personnel.
The block-modular town is full-fledged objects, which are equipped with all the necessary components of life support systems (electricity, autonomous heating, a bathroom, water supply, drainage), equipped with furniture (bed, wardrobe, kitchen set, tables, chairs, shower) and household appliances (electric stove, refrigerator, washing machine, microwave oven, TV, air conditioner, boiler).
Russian military base in Armenia deploys two new positions in Syunik Province
17:31, 3 May, 2021
YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS. The Russian 102nd military base – which is stationed in the city of Gyumri in Armenia’s northwest – has opened two new military sites in the Syunik province, reinforcing the areas near the border with Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.
“I think it’s no secret that two new strongholds of the Russian 102nd military base have been established in the Syunik province, and the establishment of these two new strongholds is an additional guarantee for ensuring the security of the Syunik province and overall Armenia. This is very important to note,” Pashinyan said in parliament on May 3.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
On April 24, U.S. President Joe Biden recognized the 1915 events as “genocide.” Considering the U.S.’ aggressive foreign policy as of late, this move does not come as a surprise at all.
In recent years, there has been an increasing trend in the West to verbally attack Ankara and engage in populism – indicating that the West perceives Turkey as a threat.
It is true that Ankara’s reforms and investments in its national defense industry have made the country more powerful today than ever before. However, this does not make Turkey a threat to the world.
If the West paid sincere attention to the Turkish strategy, it would understand that Ankara is open to the world, offering great commercial, investment and military advantages.
In other words, by allying with a stronger Turkey, the West could strengthen its position in the geostrategic balance of the entire Middle East, for example.
However, these NATO “allies” attempt to weaken Turkey both economically and politically while destabilizing the region. Take the U.S. for example, the globals arms lobby and U.S. establishment prevent the White House from following a rational foreign policy in the existing multipolar world.
The incumbent U.S. president even once said that he would overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the help of the Turkish opposition following the July 15 coup attempt by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
The situation is similar in Greece. Taking advantage of the conflict between Ankara and Athens, the U.S. is expanding in Greece by opening new military bases.
While Greece thus becomes a U.S. pawn, Turkey faces a military threat from its Western border. This is also how Washington came to open a naval base in Western Thrace, 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) from the Turkish border.
Therefore, when taking into consideration the current situation in U.S. foreign policy, it is not surprising that Biden officially recognized the alleged genocide. But can a state in principle recognize an alleged genocide?
Although the U.S. and several European states have so far declared that there was a genocide against the Armenians, these declarations are void ex tunc.
Simply put, it is not for any political authority to pass judgment on genocide as politicians and state institutions lack the necessary expertise and legal authority in this regard. This can be clearly seen from the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) judgment in the case “Switzerland vs. Perinçek” (27510/08).
While the ECtHR allows for open discussion of the topic, it also affirms that only an international criminal court can pass judgment about whether an event can be classified as genocide.
It is also clear from the judgment that there was no evidence to authenticate the alleged genocide against the Armenians, nor did an international criminal court confirm the charges.
Consequently, the ECtHR proved in its ruling that the Armenians were not subject to genocide at any point.
Despite this decision, some Western parliaments and presidents continue to accuse Turkey of having committed genocide against Armenians, which clearly shows that the aim is to weaken Turkey.
Now, the West’s next step could be to demand reparations or territories from Ankara as compensation through a judicial process.
Yet, the ECtHR’s ruling, as evidenced by numerous documents in the archives, prohibits such a step. Accusations do not automatically become reality solely based on one state’s recognition.
Despite the ECtHR’s ruling, Ankara has even offered to open its archives and establish an international committee to examine the genocide claims. But Armenia has repeatedly rejected this offer.
If one listens to the first Armenian president, Hovhannes Kajaznuni, one can understand why Armenia is against this proposal.
Kajaznuni once said that there was only a conflict between Turks and Armenians, which the latter instigated to establish a “Greater Armenia” with the promised support of the West in 1915, but there was no genocide.
According to him, Armenians murdered countless Turks to achieve this goal and the Turks were only defending themselves. Thus, opening the archives will reveal that the genocide did not take place.
In fact, it is quite the contrary. Turks were systematically killed in the name of Greater Armenia. As a result, Yerevan would have to apologize to Turkey for the accusations.
Based on this evidence, Ankara should entirely reconsider its foreign policy toward Washington given that the U.S. fails to act as an ally and attempts to besiege Turkey by all means possible.
*Author, master of arts at Friedrich Alexander University in Erlangen, Germany
11:34,
YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government approved amendments to the tax code related to imports of cars, a move aimed at developing the required tax environment for the introduction of the trade-in system in the Armenian car market.
Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that the current tax system isn’t favorable for this process and therefore they decided to change it.
He said that the trade-in system is widely used throughout the world. “We concluded that our current tax system isn’t favorable for this process. With these changes we are trying to contribute to getting our country’s motor vehicle fleet updated and so that replacing old cars with new ones gets easier,” Pashinyan said.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan