Author: Dabaghian Diana

President Serzh Sargsyan held consultations today on Armenian-Austrian relations, the ongoing programs and the perspectives of development. Arman Kirakosyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to Austria and the country’s representative to a number of international organizations accredited to Vienna, presented a report.

“Austria is a friendly country, a developed country and we are building our relations, taking note of the joint historic path., i.e. we develop our relations on the basis of firm historic grounds,” he said. The President reminded that Austria was one of the first to respond after the devastating earthquake of 1988.

President Sargsyan said Austria is extremely important to us for its rich experience of development in the fields of information technologies, medicine, tourism and infrastructures.

“I think we have good chances of increasing the Austrian investments in Armenia, especially in the field of industry, as there are a number of powerful companies in Austria investing in different countries of the world, and Armenia could provide wide opportunities as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union,” the President said, adding that “we are ready to create favorable conditions for any serious investor.”

Violinist Vanessa-Mae has been awarded damages for defamation from the International Ski Federation (FIS), the BBC reports.

She was banned after the FIS claimed she qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympics at fixed races, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared her.

FIS apologised and has made “an appropriate” payment that the musician intends to donate to charity.

Vanessa-Mae, 37, was 67th and last in the giant slalom in Sochi competing for her father’s native Thailand.

Reacting to the news of her damages, she told BBC Sport: “The fact that the International Ski Federation has apologised to me says it all.”

British citizen Vanessa-Mae insists she will not allow the disruption to derail her bid to continue skiing and qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pheongchang, South Korea.

Kamishli-born Syrian Armenian Viken Vosgerichian (b. 1983), was among those killed in Aleppo during a missile attack on Feb. 13, the reports, quoting Aleppo-based Kantsasar.

According to the report, the attack came from militant opposition groups. Perio News, another Aleppo-based news outlet, reported that the attack targeted the mostly-Christian populated districts of Suleymanieh, Nor Kyugh, and others.

Several other individuals sustained injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals, while many buildings—including homes and stores—as well as several vehicles suffered extensive damages or were destroyed in the missile attack, according to Perio News.

The attack comes less than two weeks after Aleppo’s Armenian-populated Nor Kyugh district was attacked by missiles on Feb. 3, according to a report by Perio News. One of the missiles in the Feb. 3 attack hit an area between the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church and the Sahagian Armenian School of Aleppo, while another landed near an Armenian nursing home. According to the Perio News report, while some people sustained injuries, there were no casualties in that attack.

Just over two weeks before that attack, on the morning of Jan. 17, the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church in Aleppo’s Munshieh district was severely damaged after militant groups launched a missile attack on several Aleppo neighborhoods, including Munshieh, Azizieh, and Saad Jabri. According to Kantsasar, the church was hit a few hours after Sunday Mass.

From the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, our sacred sanctuary established by Christ, We extend Our Pontifical blessings and congratulations to the brave officers and soldiers of the Armenian Armed Forces, and all Armenians throughout the world on the occasion of Armed Forces Day.

The formation of the Armenian Army is a great achievement of our independent state which is the result of the struggle, love and devotion of our brave soldiers for the Homeland.

Today, through the feats of our soldiers and commanders; and sometimes by sacrificing their lives, the borders of our country are intact and protected. The valiant spirit of the Armenian soldier gives encouragement to our people, guiding us to serve to our Homeland with devotion, zeal and love for each other.

In front of the Holy Altar, we pray that our Heavenly Lord blesses and keeps all the soldiers and commanders victorious.

And may the grace, love and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us. Amen

 

The Football Federation of Armenia has announced its support for UEFA Secretary General Gianni Infantino’s candidacy in the upcoming FIFA presidential elections.

FIFA has confirmed that five candidates will battle for the presidency of football’s world governing body when voting takes place on 26 February.

Those five are Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, Gianni Infantino, Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne.

The election, prompted by Sepp Blatter’s decision to stand down amid a growing corruption scandal at Fifa, will be held in Zurich.

Blatter has been in charge since 1998.

Sheikh Salman, head of the Asian Football Confederation, and Infantino, the Uefa general secretary, are seen as the frontrunners.

Uefa president Michel Platini was the early favourite to succeed Blatter but was banned from football for eight years by Fifa’s ethics committee.

The Frenchman has taken his case to Fifa’s appeals committee and is expected to go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if that fails.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will visit Montenegro on January 20 at the invitation of Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Igor Lukšić.

Minister Nalbandian is expected to have meetings with high-ranking representatives of executive and legislative authorities of the country.

Suspended Uefa president Michel Platini says he will not stand in the Fifa presidential election next month, the BBC reports.

Platini, along with Fifa president Sepp Blatter, has been banned from football-related activities for eight years by world football’s governing body.

Both men were found guilty of breaches surrounding a $2m “disloyal payment” made to Platini in 2011.

They are appealing against their bans, but Platini says the timing of the 26 February election means he cannot run.

“I’m withdrawing from the race for the Fifa presidency,” the 60-year-old Frenchman told the Associated Press.

“The timing is not good for me. I don’t have the means to fight on equal terms with the other candidates.

“I have not been given the chance to play the game. Bye bye Fifa, bye bye Fifa presidency.”

On Saturday, December 26, young French singer of Armenian descent, Hakob, 12, won the first prize in a contest of classic singers during the “Prodiges” program broadcast on the French TV France 2, Jean Eckian reports from Paris.

He sang “Voi Che Sapete” (The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart), and was accompanied by the national orchestra of the Capitol de Toulouse in the city of Albi. 3.5 million of televiewers followed the show.

This is the second edition of this competition of the French TV held in three categories: musician, singer, dancer.

Hakob lives in the city of Lille. He will receive a prize of €5,000 to continue his musical education.

Photo: AP Photo/ Alexander Kots

 

The Syrian Armed Forces, assisted by Russian warplanes, have been on a roll in northern Latakia, taking two strategic highways under control, destroying scores of terrorists and forcing militants out of key border areas with Turkey, the Fars news agency reported, citing an unnamed Syrian officer.

The Qastal Ma’af road connects the provincial capital of Latakia and Kassab, a checkpoint on the border with Turkey. The town of the same name, located some 7 miles to the south of the border, is predominantly populated by the Turkmen.

Militants are reported to have fled to the town of Rabia following the government offensive. Damascus-led forces are planning to focus their efforts on liberating the town.

The Syrian Arab Army also pushed terrorists out of Height 713 and al-Koz mountain after Russian warplanes launched airstrikes against militant targets in the area.

The US calls on the parties to the Karabakh conflict to take all steps to avoid violence and to improve the atmosphere for negotiations, Spokesperson for the Department of State John Kirby told a daily press briefing.

“We express our deep condolences to the families of those who died or were injured in recent incidents in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The recent escalation of violence and the use of heavy weapons are unacceptable and we call for the sides to strictly adhere to the ceasefire regimen,” he said.

We also remind the sides that these attacks do not conform to the commitment by the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully. Later this month the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs will hold the next presidential summit between the presidents. We call on the sides to take all steps to avoid violence and to improve the atmosphere for negotiations to take place in good faith at the summit,” John Kirby added.

Asked whether the tensions between Turkey and Russia might have contributed to the escalation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Spokesman said: “We’re concerned about the escalation itself and not necessarily the source. Obviously, in both cases we want to see tensions de-escalated and for cool heads to prevail. But rather than do a cause and effect, let me just state we’re – as I said, we’re concerned about this violence and we are certainly – continue to monitor and watch the relations between Turkey and Russia, particularly over the shootdown a couple weeks ago. We want to see the tensions de-escalate.”