Author: George Mamian

Trump wants to abolish birthright citizenship

George Mamian
| 16:33 | October 30 2018
Category
World

US President Donald Trump told Axios he is planning to terminate birthright citizenship, potentially setting up another constitutional standoff, CNBC reports.

Trump said Monday he will sign an executive order that would remove the right to citizenship for babies of noncitizens and unauthorized immigrants born on U.S. soil.

“It was always told to me that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don’t,” Trump said in the interview by Axios on HBO, the news site’s new documentary series.

“We’re the only country in the world where a person comes in and has a baby, and the baby is essentially a citizen of the United States … with all of those benefits,” Trump said. “It’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous. And it has to end.”

“It’s in the process. It’ll happen … with an executive order.”

However, Canada and many other countries grant birthright citizenship.

Opponents will argue that it’s not within the president’s power to change birthright citizenship.

The 14th Amendment to the Constitution says:

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

Trump’s comments come as he continues to push a hard anti-immigration line ahead of next week’s midterm elections. On Monday, the Defense Department announced plans to deploy 5,200 active duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border by end of the week as a migrant caravan made its way north from Central America.

If the electoral code is not changed, the velvet revolution will be discredited (video)

George Mamian
  • 20:30 | October 24,2018 | Politics
  • Armenian:

It is inadmissible to hold extraordinary parliamentary elections by the existing Electoral Code.  According to the head of the Analytical Center for Globalization and Regional Cooperation Stepan Grigoryan, the results of the local elections prove the shortcomings of the current Code.

“There was election in more than 40 villages, almost everywhere the authorities won, it does not matter whether they are good people or not, but these people are not the bearers of party ideology.”

According to him, if the electoral code is not changed, the velvet revolution will be discredited.

“One and a half months are left before the elections, but we have no electoral code; the parties do not know what law they should obey. The difference is essential, the rating system and what Ararat Mirzoyan’s delegation suggests are different systems.”

Stepan Grigoryan notes that besides the adoption of the electoral code, the political forces, which are going to participate in extraordinary parliamentary elections, should introduce new laws.

“It is impossible with the old ones, it is excluded, we should not allow it.”

According to Stepan Grigoryan, the main fault of the current situation is the National Assembly’s, but the government has a great responsibility as well. “The government has levers and opportunities to make the MPs come and vote on Monday.”

If the National Assembly does not accept Electoral Code on October 28, snap parliamentary elections scheduled for December will be held by the current code.

Turkish Press: Cross-border attacks from Armenia target Azerbaijan

George Mamian
Yeni Şafak, Turkey
Sept 15 2018


Cross-border attacks from Armenia target Azerbaijan

   11:42

Cross-border firing from Armenian forces hit civilian housing units in Azerbaijan, the Azeri Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

The shelling started Friday night and continued to hit the districts of Tovuz, Tartar and Aghdam until Saturday morning, according to a statement.

No casualties were reported but some buildings were damaged.

The attack came as Azerbaijan celebrates the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku.

The Azeri army responded with retaliatory fire, the ministry said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia remain in dispute over the occupied Karabakh region. Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan in 1991 with Armenian military support, and a peace process has yet to be implemented.

On Sept. 15, 1918, Baku was liberated by the Caucasian Islamic Army, comprised of Azerbaijani and Turkish soldiers.

Verelq: The Prime Minister of Georgia will arrive in Armenia on an official visit

George Mamian
  • 01.09.2018

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  • Armenia:

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In the near future, the visit of Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze to Armenia is planned. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this in an interview with Georgian media in Yerevan.


“I talked with Mamuka Bakhtadze, congratulated him on his appointment as Prime Minister. We are waiting for the final details to be clarified. After that, Mamuka Bakhtadze will arrive in Armenia on an official visit,” said Nikol Pashinyan.

Accident on Kapan-Kajaran highway. Driver and passenger die on spot

George Mamian
  • 14:57 | August 30,2018 | Official
  • Armenian:
  • Rus

On August 30, at 11:20, the “911” hotline received an alarm that a road accident happened on Kapan-Kajaran highway, and there are victims.

It turned out that a VAZ-2106 car and a FAW truck collided on the 9th kilometer of Kapan-Kajaran highway. As a result of the accident, the driver and passenger of VAZ-2106 died on the spot.

Russia expects Armenia to further contribute to relief operation in Syria

George Mamian 
Interfax -
Aug 3 2018
Russia expects Armenia to further contribute to relief operation in Syria
YEREVAN. Aug 3
Russia expects Armenia to take further practical steps to contribute
to the humanitarian operation in Syria, Russian Deputy Defense
Minister Col. Gen. Alexander Fomin said at a meeting with Armenian
Foreign Minister Zograb Mnatsakanyan.
"We are grateful to you for supporting Russia's efforts aimed at
restoring peaceful life in Syria and providing aid to the people of
this country. Armenia has already sent humanitarian aid four times,
and we have a vast record of interaction with the Armenian side,"
Fomin said.
"Armenia is our ally and key partner in the South Caucasus. Our
cooperation both in the bilateral format and within international
structures, primarily the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty
Organization], has been successful," he said, adding that Russia has
been doing a great deal to help Armenia bolster its Armed Forces.
Mnatsakanyan, for his part, reaffirmed that Armenia's foreign policy,
which includes cooperation within the CSTO and the Eurasian Economic
Union - remains unchanged.
Bilateral cooperation between Russia and Armenia consists of several
avenues, with a focus on security, he said.
"And we now have a new sphere of cooperation - Syria, which
historically has been home to a large Armenian community," the
Armenian foreign minister said.
Tm aa

168: Armenian PM holds phone talk with President of Belarus

George Mamian
| 14:47 | July 28 2018
Category
World

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on July 28 held a telephone conversation with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko during which they discussed a number of issues relating to the bilateral cooperation and their expansion, the PM’s Office reported.

The officials also touched upon the mutual partnership within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

The phone conversation was held by the initiative of the Armenian side.

Head of ex-President Sargsyan’s security pays $2 million bail

George Mamian
| 16:32 | July 24 2018
Category
Society

Former security official Vachagan Ghazaryan, the head of ex-President Serzh Sargsyan’s security detail, has been released from pre-trial detention on a 1,000,000,000 dram (roughly 2,1 million dollars) bail, the Special Investigative Service told ARMENPRESS.

Ghazaryan was placed under pre-trial detention for two-months. But the former security official appealed the verdict to a higher court, which in turn granted bail.

The court had set the bail for his release earlier on July 20.

Asbarez: Congressional Armenian Caucus Calls for Trump-Pashinyan Meeting

George Mamian
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15 hours ago

A bi-partisan Congressional letter is urging President Trump to meet with Prime Minister Pashinyan

Bipartisan Letter Urges U.S. President to Meet New Armenian Prime Minister During September UN Summit in New York

WASHINGTON—The leaders of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues are collecting the signatures of their House colleagues on a bipartisan letter encouraging President Donald Trump to meet with Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the United Nations General Assembly in September, as part of a broader expansion of U.S.-Armenian dialogue aimed at further integrating Armenia into the international economic system and increasing U.S.-Armenia bilateral trade and investment.

“We are encouraged by all the new opportunities for more robust U.S. cooperation with Armenia’s new government, and join with our Congressional friends in encouraging the Administration to pro-actively strengthen our bilateral ties – with a special focus on the sustainable growth of mutually-beneficial economic relations,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

The ANCA’s U.S.-Armenia economic policy priorities include 1) a $140 million MCC Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math grant for Armenia’s public schools, 2) a modern Tax Treaty to eliminate double taxation and promote financial transparency, 3) a Social Security Agreement to protect benefits earned by people who divide their careers between the U.S. and Armenia, 4) non-stop commercial and cargo flights from Los Angeles to Yerevan, and 5) maximizing the effectiveness of the existing Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council and the U.S.-Armenia Economic Task Force.

The ANCA is also working with Armenian Caucus leadership and Congressional appropriators to expand FY2019 economic, military and refugee assistance to Armenia and demining, rehabilitation and peacekeeping assistance for Artsakh.

In a “Dear Colleague” letter to their Congressional colleagues, the Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Dave Trott (R-MI), and David Valadao (R-CA) and Vice-Chairs Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), wrote, “since being elected into office by Parliament, Prime Minister Pashinyan has committed himself to advancing Armenian issues both domestically and internationally and has stated his intent to deepen ties with the United States. Without question, a conversation between President Trump and Prime Minister Pashinyan emphasizing economic development, security and democracy is critical for a strong pivot towards a strategic partnership between our countries.”

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is encouraging U.S. Representatives to co-sign this bipartisan Armenian Caucus appeal to the President (full text provided below).

Text of Congressional Armenian Caucus Letter to President Trump

Dear Mr. President,
We urge you to meet with the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, while he is visiting the United States in September for the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Republic of Armenia has seen a remarkable change in its government through peaceful and democratic means over the past few months. As part of this movement, Mr. Pashinyan – a former newspaper editor and political prisoner – led tens of thousands of Armenians through the streets of Yerevan to protest former President and Prime Minister Sargsyan’s decade-long rule. Prior to being voted into his role as Prime Minister in May, Mr. Pashinyan organized this nonviolent grassroots movement known as the “Velvet Revolution,” which ultimately forced Mr. Sargsyan to resign.

The peaceful transition of power after the revolution is a clear indication of the will of the Armenian people, strongly demonstrating their commitment to a fairer and more democratic state. As Armenia seeks to bolster government transparency, strengthen democratic institutions, and empower civil society, it is critical for the United States to deepen its ties with this regional partner at every level of government. Without question, your meeting with Prime Minister Pashinyan would help to further this goal and strengthen dialogue between our countries.

Additionally, we are requesting a series of high-level conversations between your Cabinet Secretaries and their counterparts in Armenia – many of whom have recently been appointed as members of the newly formed government. These meetings would help to establish a critical bridge between our countries, helping to further increase Armenia’s inclusion in the international system and likely leading to more comprehensive US-Armenian bilateral trade.

We believe that the peaceful protests witnessed during the Velvet Revolution can be a model for nations seeking democracy around the world. In the long run, we would like to see Armenia develop stronger diplomatic relations with our Western allies and progress as a democratic nation within Eurasia. We reiterate our request and urge you to meet with Prime Minister Pashinyan to discuss the future of Armenian-American relations based on our shared values emphasizing economic development, security, human rights and democracy.

We look forward to hearing from you regarding our request.
Sincerel