Author: Eduard Nalbandian

French taxi drivers have blocked the roads to Paris airports and the main ring road around the city in a protest against Uber, prompting riot police to fire tear gas at some, the BBC reports.

The drivers set up blockades and burned tires as part of a nationwide strike.

Barriers also appeared around Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence in southeast France.

Uber, a US taxi app, has been expanding its UberPOP ride-sharing service in France despite government objections.

Images from Marseille and Paris showed cars overturned and tires burning in the street.

Aeroports de Paris, the operator of the French capital’s Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly airports, warned passengers to travel by train.

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) today elected Armen Harutyunyan as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Armenia.

Mr Harutyunyan, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected a judge of the European Court of Human Rights for a term of office of nine years which shall commence no later than three months after his election.

Judges are elected by PACE from a list of three candidates nominated by each State which has ratified the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) reports that the Federal Member for Makin, Tony Zappia MP, has delivered a statement on the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide in the Federation Chamber of Australia’s Parliament.

Zappia began his remarks by recounting his presence at the Premiere opening of the theatrical production Journey of Faith in South Australia, a performance dedicated to the Armenian Genocide. He has been a long-time supporter of Armenian Genocide recognition by the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia.

He explained in the Chamber: “Whilst the Turkish Government has acknowledged that atrocities were committed, it denies that they were genocide and says that they occurred during a time of war, when other atrocities were also taking place.”

He added: “Today I acknowledge the 100th anniversary of the loss of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923, and to their surviving families I offer my sympathies.”

His statement follows on from those from numerous Members of Parliament in recent years, including the Treasurer of Australia, the Hon. Joe Hockey MP, who in March 2015 wore theForget Me Not commemorative pins in Question Time to mark the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide.

Executive Director of ANC Australia remarked: “We thank Tony for this remarks delivered in Parliament to mark the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide. As Tony points out, the Republic of Turkey continues to deny the historical reality of what occurred from 1915 to 1923. Such statements further raise awareness of this yet unpunished crime.”

The full text of Mr. Tony Zappia’s statement can be read below:

“In April I attended the stage performance entitled Journey of Faith. The play was produced to coincide with the 100th anniversary of what is referred to by many historians as the Armenian genocide. The production relives the death of an estimated 1.5 million Armenian people at the hands of the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923, through the eyes of an Armenian woman and a Turkish soldier who come face to face in Adelaide as two elderly people some 50 years after the event.

Whilst the Turkish Government has acknowledged that atrocities were committed, it denies that they were genocide and says that they occurred during a time of war, when other atrocities were also taking place. In 2013, the Turkish Prime Minister conveyed his condolences to the grandchildren of the Armenian people who had lost their lives in the early 20th century. As Australian lawyer, Geoffrey Robertson, points out, the determination of genocide is a matter for judges. What there is little disagreement about is the magnitude of Armenian suffering and the loss of lives of men, women and children—so much so that, at the time, emergency relief committees were established in several countries, including Australia.

In 1923, Adelaide pastor Reverend James Crasswell travelled to Armenia and surrounding countries to see for himself the situation of the Armenian people. Today I acknowledge the 100th anniversary of the loss of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923, and to their surviving families I offer my sympathies.”

Texas police shot dead two gunmen who opened fire on Sunday outside an exhibit of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad that was organized by an anti-Islamic group and billed as a free-speech event, reports.

Sunday’s attack took place shortly before 7 p.m. in a parking lot of the Curtis Culwell Center, an indoor arena in the suburb of Garland, northeast of Dallas. Geert Wilders, a polarizing Dutch politician and anti-Islamic campaigner who is on an al Qaeda hit list, was among the speakers at the event.

According to the source, Police said they had not immediately determined the identity of the two gunmen or whether they were linked to critics of the event who had branded it anti-Islamic.

The exhibit was organized by Pamela Geller, president of the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI). Her organization, which is described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group, has sponsored anti-Islamic advertising campaigns in transit systems across the country.

Organizers of the “Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest” said the event was to promote freedom of expression. They offered a $10,000 prize for the best artwork or cartoon depicting the Prophet, as well as a $2,500 “People’s Choice Award.”

EDWARD NALBANDYAN RECEIVES BISHOPS DELEGATION OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF SYRIA

ARMENPRESS
MAY 21, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS: RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan
received today the delegation of Bishops of the Christian Churches
of Syria. The representative delegation, headed by the Patriarch of
Damascus Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, arrived in Armenia
at the request of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. An official from
the press and information department of RA Foreign Affairs Ministry
told Armenpress that Mr. Edward Nalbandyan touched upon the relations
with Syria.

He said those relations have entered a new stage and that it was
highlighted with the mutual visits of the Presidents of the two
states and the deepening of the economic collaboration. Issues on
cross-religious cooperation were discussed at the meeting as well. Mr.

Edward Nalbandyan said he appreciates the favorable conditions,
created in Syria, which ensure the normal operation of the religious
communities. At the request of the guests, RA Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandyan represented the position of Armenia on the latest
developments of the region.

ARMENIAN COLUMN IN A MILITARY PARADE IN MOSCOW

ARMENPRESS
MAY 4, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS: An Armenian military unit left for the
capital of Russia April 30 to take part in the military parade,
which will be held May 9 in Moscow on the 65th anniversary of the
victory of the Great Patriotic War.

An official from press and PR office of RA Defense Ministry told
Armenpress that the Armenian military unit is currently located at
the military academy of combatants and commanders of Moscow, where
all the necessary conditions for organizing the drills and rest of the
soldiers are available. The representatives of Belarus and Ukraine’s
armies are located at the same place.

Military units from Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Moldova, France, the UK and
US have already started their drills at various parade grounds. The
next joint drill of the columns will take place at the general
parade ground.

The column of RA Armed Forces marched to the Red Square and then to
the Park of Victory and paid tribute to the memory of the Soviet
Union warriors, who died in the 2nd World War. RA soldiers also
visited the central museum of the Great Patriotic War.

NEW AMBASSADORS TO ROMANIA AND KUWAIT

17354.html
16:33:49 – 30/03/2010

On March 29, Serge Sargsyan signed a decree to free Yeghishe Sargsyan
from the office of Armenian ambassador to Romania and to appoint
Hamlet Grigoryan to this post.

With another decree on the same day, Vahagn Melikyan was freed from
the office of ambassador of Armenia to Kuwait and Fadey Charchoghlyan
was appointed to this post.

VIC DARCHINYAN TO COMBAT MEXICAN RODRIGO GUERRERO

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.02.2010 20:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The son of an Armenian Olympic wrestling coach,
Darchinyan finally landed an opponent last Friday in the form of
Mexican Rodrigo Guerrero.

To defend his WBA and WBC world title belts, Darchinyan intends to
mix up his training regimen to try to improve his already brutal
punching power.

Gone are the heavy sessions in the gym bench-pressing 120kg and doing
hundreds of push-ups with his feet elevated on top of one corner of
the ring.

Instead, the Sydney Olympian has been working with world champion
discuss thrower Dani Samuels to improve the fast-twitch muscle fibres
and explosive power in his legs.

Parramatta Eels conditioning gurus Hayden Knowles and Craig Catterick
are supervising the new lower-body program.

"Vic doesn’t need to work on his upper body, boxing is enough for
him in terms of maintenance there," Knowles said. "But by working
on the power from his legs, we believe we can increase his power
quite considerably."

Darchinyan’s manager Elias Nasser admitted the assignment of finding
fights was tough because of Darchinyan’s fearsome reputation, The
Sunday Telegraph reported.

Vakhtang Darchinyan (born 7 January, 1976 in Vanadzor, Armenia) is a
professional boxer who is the current WBA, WBC unified Super Flyweight
World Champion. Darchinyan was also formerly the IBF and IBO champion
of the flyweight division and briefly reigned as the IBO’s super
flyweight champion also. He is a southpaw boxer, who currently trains
under Billy Hussein, brother of boxers Nedal and Hussein Hussein.

Previously, he was trained by former 3-division world champion,
Jeff Fenech in Sydney.

AZERBAIJANI FM TO DISCUSS NAGORNO-KARABAKH WITH TURKISH OFFICIALS

Tert.am
17:43 ~U 21.12.09

Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov will pay an official
visit to Turkey on December 25 and 26 upon an invitation by his
Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu, reports Turkish news agency
Anadolu Ajansi.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs said that, aside from meeting Davutoglu, Mammadyarov would
be received by Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Parliament Speaker
Mehmet Ali Sahin and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Mammadyarov’s talks with Turkish officials will facilitate exchange
of opinions on Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, the conflict in Karabakh
and regional matters pertaining to the two countries.