Humanitarian mission of Armenia in Syria is an aid to local Armenians – Member of RF Federation Council

Humanitarian mission of Armenia in Syria is an aid to local Armenians – Member of RF Federation Council

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18:56,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The humanitarian mission of Armenia in Syria is an aid to the Armenians in Syria, ARMENPRESS reports Member of the Russia’s Federation Council, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Colonel of Special Services Igor Morozov said on February 21.

“We welcome the step of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, that responded to the call of Russia to provide humanitarian aid. This is not a support to Russia, though it’s very important for us when the CSTO and CIS member states support our foreign policy initiatives, but it’s rather a support to the Armenians living in Syria and we are thankful for that step”, Morozov said.

He added that currently Russia has a heavy burden of humanitarian mission on its shoulders in Syria and calls on all allies and partners to provide assistance to the Syrian people.

The member of RF Federation Council noted that the Armenian people have traditional and historical links with Syria and the fact that the group of Armenian de-miners and doctors is in Syria is a great step in terms of deepening the friendly relations between the Armenian and Syrian peoples.

A group consisting of humanitarian de-miners, doctors and Armenian specialists ensuring their safety, a total of 83 people, departed for Syria’s Aleppo on February 8 aimed at providing professional humanitarian support to the Syrian people.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan




Sports: The clubs of Armenian Basketball League A: Urartu

MediaMax, Armenia
Feb 22 2019
The clubs of Armenian Basketball League A: Urartu

Basketball has been actively developing in Armenia in the last few years, and the Armenian League A has grown quite competitive, with League B not far behind.

In the new issues Mediamax Sport will present the Armenian basketball clubs and their goals. We begin with the Yerevan club, Urartu, which is playing its first game in the EAEU Cup tomorrow.

We have talked to head coach Mikael Poghosyan and President of the club Karen Giloyan.

President of Urartu BC Karen Giloyan

Photo: Mediamax

The birth of the club

A lot of work has been done since 2016 and we didn’t want it all to be in vain.

We decided to reform the team and compete in the Armenian League A. Since then we are down to hard, but pleasant work.

Step by step, we are becoming a professional club. We are getting better at organization, and my goal is that Urartu doesn’t stay a one-time project but grows into a stable club for years to come.

Photo: Mediamax

The new training ground in Yerevan

I am certain that the most important thing for us is to have a training ground. We have an investor who is ready to build it and gift it to Urartu. The architect and the mayor responded positively to our offer, and the City Council will make the final decision.

Apart from the training conditions, we need a basketball court with capacity of 500, where we will hold official matches.

Photo: Mediamax

The plans for 2019

Urartu wants to win the league this year and compete in international tournaments, where the club plans to play well and see where it stands in terms of quality.

Photo: Mediamax

Creating a team for the future

We lean on youngsters when we choose which foreign player to hire, because we think about the future of the club. I want this squad to become a real team with its own philosophy and special characteristics, a real family.

The obstacles

First of all, we need basketball courts to develop the sport in Armenia. Sport doesn’t develop with several halls available; we should attach special importance to this.

Photo: Mediamax

Besides, there should be more schools for children and youth, and qualification classes should be held for coaches and referees.

Urartu BC head coach Mikael Poghosyan

Photo: Mediamax

Plans and European cups

We wish to have a winning team each year. We were among the best in League A last year, and currently we are the second.

The club has long-term plans, and we want to perform in European cups in the future.

Competitors and League A

Now we have more foreign players, and the level of the team’s performance has changed, also conditioned by the activeness and competition in League A.

Photo: Mediamax

The competition certainly helps the team. Our main competitors in League A are Aragats and Artsakh.

Only victory

At the start of League A and now as well we only consider victory without thinking about anything else. Our composition isn’t final yet. The negotiations with players still continue, so I won’t mention names yet. Besides, it will be a surprise.

Photo: Mediamax

The club’s philosophy

Our goal is to make Urartu Armenia’s best, strongest and most favorite team. We wish to perform in Europe in several years and show that Armenia has basketball and that basketball is Urartu.

EAEU Cup

We will play in the EAEU Cup tomorrow. We will estimate our level in this competition by comparing our strength with that of our competitors to understand our potential. 

Photo: Mediamax

The next generation

We also think about the future generation of the club; we have different age groups. We have just started working in that direction and we don’t even participate in competitions.

Development of basketball

It is developing well in Armenia, but something should change every year with the help of the state or sponsors. The development should start from children, while we do the opposite.

Gohar Nalbandyan, Hasmik Babayan
Photos by Emin Aristakesyan


View from Jerusalem: Pashinyan`s entourage realizes that even small concessions can provoke Azerbaijan`s aggression

Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 18 2019
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo. The entourage of Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan perfectly realizes that even small territorial concessions are quite capable of provoking the  next aggression of Azerbaijan. A similar opinion was expressed to  ArmInfo by Israeli political scientist, public figure Avigdor Eskin.

“With the change of power in Armenia, the mediators for the OSCE Minsk Group, and the conflicting parties themselves again spoke about preparing the peoples for peace, about compromise. However, Yerevan has always considered the possibility of the concession of certain territories. In my opinion, this is evidenced by at least the lack of population in a large part of the areas adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh. Nevertheless, Armenia has never considered and, I think, does not consider the possibility of compromises that could jeopardize their own security, not to mention the security of Karabakh people, “Eskin stressed.

Almost a quarter of a century has passed since the signing of the trilateral agreement on the establishment of a truce between the parties to the Karabakh conflict. And all these years, surges of murders on the Line of Contact have been interspersed with negotiations towards peace. However, since the end of last year, the killings have practically stopped, and the OSCE MG mediators, Baku and Yerevan, have started talking about the need to prepare the parties to the conflict for peace.

According to the forecasts of an Israeli political analyst, the probability of a large-scale war around Nagorno-Karabakh is practically absent. According to him the the main reason is that after the April 2016 local war, Baku realized the impossibility of a military victory over the Armenian parties to the conflict.

Thus, Eskin sees only the possibility of a local escalation of the situation on the Line of Contact of the opposing sides. But this scenario, according to his estimates, is directly linked to the current domestic political situation in Azerbaijan. Considering the internal political stability observed in the neighboring country, there are no prerequisites for Ilham Aliyev to initiate even local hostilities against Armenia and Karabakh, at least at this stage there.

Armenian delegation members march during opening ceremony of IDEX 2019

News.am, Armenia
Feb 17 2019
Armenian delegation members march during opening ceremony of IDEX 2019 Armenian delegation members march during opening ceremony of IDEX 2019

15:05, 17.02.2019
                 

Armenian delegation comprising guard of honor, military band and representatives of the defense companies marched during the opening ceremony of IDEX 2019 defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, spokesperson for the Armenian defense ministry told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Armenian Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan is on a working visit to Abu Dhabi where he will participate in IDEX 2019 Exhibition and Conference. He is also expected to hold working meetings.

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BelTA awarded status of official media partner for II European Games

BelTA awarded status of official media partner for II European Games

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17:00, 6 February, 2019

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. ARMENPRESS partner BelTA, the Belarusian state news agency and the Minsk European Games Organizing Committee (MEGOC) have signed an agreement to establish cooperation today.

BelTA will be the official media partner of the 2019 European Games that will take place in Minsk, the capital city of Belarus this summer. By the agreement, the news agency will cover the second European Games through its six-language newsline.

“The news media have already carried out large scale work, in every corner of our country people know what kind of an important event is scheduled to take place in summer of 2019 in Minsk. It is important that BelTA publishes information in six languages, which contributes to advancing the upcoming sports forum,” George Katulin, CEO of the Minsk European Games Organizing Committee (MEGOC) said.

BelTA Director General Irina Akulovich noted that the agency has already published nearly 450 articles about the preparations for the upcoming European Games, as well as more than 300 photos.

A video section will function from February 6, which will present how athletes, coaches and organizers are gearing up for the event.

“BelTA has a huge photo archive and we are planning to initiate another project where not only will the European Games be presented with photos, but also how sports developed in Belarus,” she said.

The II European Games will be held in Minsk June 21-30.

Around 4000 athletes from 50 countries will participate in the event.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan




France MFA: Macron fulfills his pledge to honor French citizens of Armenian descent

News.am, Armenia
Feb 7 2019
France MFA: Macron fulfills his pledge to honor French citizens of Armenian descent France MFA: Macron fulfills his pledge to honor French citizens of Armenian descent

17:57, 07.02.2019
                  

In establishing this day of Armenian Genocide commemoration, President Macron is fulfilling his well-known pledge to honor French citizens of Armenian descent, French Foreign Ministry’s official said during a daily briefing.

Asked whether Turkey had responded to the decision, the MFA representative said: “We have had several opportunities to exchange views with the Turkish authorities on this issue. They have been informed of our positions just as we have been informed of theirs.”

Alexander Arzumanyan, Ambassador of Armenia to Sweden

  • 07.02.2019
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By the decree of RA President Armen Sarkissian, Alexander Arzumanyan was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Kingdom of Sweden. We learn about this from the official website of the president.


“Based on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, in accordance with Article 132, Part 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution.


To appoint Alexander Arzumanyan as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Kingdom of Sweden (residence: Stockholm), leaving him to jointly perform the powers of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Kingdom of Denmark and the Kingdom of Norway,” the presidential decree states.

Press: They threaten Babayan to reveal his face and willingness to make concessions

  • 08.02.2019
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  • Armenia:
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VERELQ presents the most notable publications of the Armenian press.


“Fact” the newspaper writes. “Samvel BabayanThe statements made recently received a harsh response in various circles of Artsakh. First, he was opposed by the favorites of the 2020 presidential elections: Araik Harutyunyan and Vitaly Balasanyan, then pointed out by him – activists of the movement Razmik Petrosyan and Armo Tsatryan: The point is that Samvel Babayan, in fact, accused the active figures of the Artsakh liberation struggle. Serzh Sargsyan, in keeping the so-called “compromising line”, and as the leaders of the movement represent, Sargsyan did not talk about concessions, but rather referred in detail to the ongoing negotiations on the Artsakh issue, presented the position and main approaches of the mediators, Azerbaijan, as well as the policy implemented by Armenia. By the way, according to the information we have, the same figures of the movement threatened in private conversations to address Babayan’s real character in the near future, in particular, to remind him of his willingness to make concessions in the stage before the war, which was prevented in the field. by commanders”.


“Publication” the newspaper writes. “The gap between the political elites of Armenia and Artsakh is growing. “Nikol Pashinyan drew that line and isolated the Artsakh leadership from the Karabakh settlement issue. on the one hand, he declares that he will do everything to make Artsakh a negotiating party, on the other hand, he broke ties with the leadership of Karabakh,” said our source. The point is that Serzh Sargsyan He had formed a tradition before and after all important foreign meetings regarding the Artsakh issue: he would go to Artsakh and meet with the local political elite, while Nikol Pashinyan does not have such discussions and meetings. At the beginning, the authorities and the elite of Artsakh did everything to gain his favor, but at some point they chose a different tactic. They have decided to maintain internal solidarity from now on and strongly oppose the Armenian authorities if they interfere in their internal life. As it happened, for example, Samvel Babayanafter the incriminating statement regarding “handover of land”. The former Prime Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh responded to that statement Araik Harutyunyan, although he is the number 1 supporter of the revolution and Pashinyan’s government in Artsakh.”


“time” the newspaper writes. “The Speaker of the National Assembly will leave for Artsakh next week Ararat Mirzoyan: In the past, the NA presidents’ visits to the Republic of Artsakh, especially the first, were quite representative, they included several MPs representing different parliamentary factions, because the parliaments of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Armenia do not interact with each other at the level of friendly groups, but at the level of inter-parliamentary commissions. This time, the first visit of the President of the National Assembly is very modest and as frugal as possible.”


“People” the newspaper writes: “All three RA presidents were interrogated within the framework of the March 1 criminal case, just in different capacities. Yesterday, the SIS invited the first president of RA for questioning Levon Ter-Petrosyanas a witness. A third president was questioned twice as a witness Serzh Sargsyan, who held the position of the Prime Minister of RA on March 1 and as a result of those events, received the position of the head of the country. And the second president? Robert Kocharyan, who was still the acting president on March 1, has been under the status of an accused for several months, he is the only one of the accused in this case, moreover, yesterday the RA Court of Appeals rejected the appeal of the defense to change his restraining order. Thus, it can be expected that the preliminary investigation in the case of March 1 can take an objective course. after all, all three presidents were on the side of these events, just on two different sides. And logic suggested that these interrogations should have been done ten years ago. In these years, there has been a lot of talk about the need to interrogate them. after all, each of them probably had something to say. Also, each of them, especially in 2008 those in power can give the answers to the most important questions if they are honest. P.S. It is surprising, but it is a fact that Serzh Sargsyan in 2008 was the Prime Minister of RA, moreover, in 2008 As a result of rigged elections and March 1, he became the president of the country, but he was never accused of subverting the constitutional order. He is just a witness.”


“People” the newspaper writes: “Before the New Year, the pre-holiday awards from the state budget just came from the noses of the officials. Yesterday, the ruling “My Step” parliamentary faction invited the Minister of Finance of RA to give explanations on this topic. Atom Janjughazyan: Moreover, the session lasted a record long time – four hours. And as the sources of the newspaper claim, during those four hours, the deputies simply questioned the minister. To be honest, they were right, because the minister’s relative and godson received the biggest awards in the ministry. The leader of the “My Step” faction in a conversation with “Zhoghovurd” newspaper Lilit Makunts also said. “Regarding the godson, Mr. Janjughazyan said that the deputy minister is not his godson, but the children. Such a question was also discussed. And indeed the meeting lasted very long.” By the way, in response to our reporter’s question, Janjughazyan tried to deny it at first. “I have no family connection with anyone. Now no one has asked about it.” But when we referred to Makunts, he admitted. “Yes, there was a question, I clarified it.”


“time” the newspaper writes. “Despite all the assurances of the Central Bank that the macroeconomic situation in Armenia is stable, yesterday we witnessed another depreciation of the dram exchange rate. Our source close to the banking system claims that the Central Bank is holding down the dram exchange rate through repressive measures, preventing banks from buying dollars even if there is a demand for them. If in the past the Central Bank influenced the exchange rate of the dram through foreign exchange interventions, now the possibility of resorting to this financial instrument is also limited due to the poor state of foreign reserves.”


“time” the newspaper writes. “The government finally sent its activity plan to the parliament. But it turns out that it is not a final document, but constantly changing and being supplemented. Now the drafters are studying the feedback and trying to complete the text accordingly. Deputies were also warned that the final version may differ significantly from the published one. It is, of course, a violation of the law, but now nobody pays attention to such details.”


“Publication” the newspaper writes. “According to some information, the former director of Kanazi Garrison-Clinical Hospital is running for the position of the head of the Ministry of Defense Medical Service Department. Sahak Ohanyan, who was also the head of the Central Military Medical Commission. Let’s remind that the name of Sahak Ohanyan has always been circulated in the media in the context of unpleasant incidents. it was written about him that in 2013 he beat soldiers in the Kanazi hospital. And the current head of the medical service of the Ministry of Defense is Gayane Hovhannisyan.”


“Publication” the newspaper writes. “Optimizing, “super” ministries have started working with journalists in a “super style”. they don’t answer verbal questions any more, they demand to send the question in writing and, according to the law, they answer only on the 5th day. Minister of Internal Affairs Araik Harutyunyan we sent written questions. Employees of the National Institute of Education received notices on January 22 that they will work until March 31, “their contracts may be terminated.” What is the reason for this and will the institute be restructured or possibly dissolved? Secretary of the Ministry Narine Harutyunyan gave an “exhaustive” answer to the question. “The reduction of staff is due to the fact that in 2019 it is planned to carry out the program activities “Substantive and methodological maintenance of education and training of teachers of public schools of the republic”, “Primary (vocational) and secondary vocational education and training (VET) reforms” in a competitive manner, as a result of which the funding of the National Institute of Education may be reduced. Based on this reality, the board decided to notify the staff of the National Institute of Education in writing about the reduction of positions. At the same time, we should note that the sub-questions put forward by you can be answered based on the results of the competition.”


“People” the newspaper writes. “On January 24, RA Minister of Health Arsen Torosyanannounced the absolutely free operations of citizens in case of malignant neoplasms. Until now, surgeries were carried out on the principle of co-payment within the framework of the state order. We were informed by the Ministry of Health that the operations will be performed in those medical facilities that meet the requirements and have an oncology license. It should be noted that for a long time, a number of citizens have been calling “Zhoghovurd” daily and asking when the free surgeries will start. It turns out that they don’t even get the answers they are interested in from medical institutions. Until then, let’s note that cancer surgery will be free of charge in those hospitals that will sign the contract with the Ministry. And in this case, the medical center will not be able to perform surgeries in case of cancer diseases on a paid basis.”

Armenia, United States cooperate in nuclear forensics

Armenia, United States cooperate in nuclear forensics

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16:25, 7 February, 2019

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. The Science Committee of Armenia is cooperating with the United States in nuclear forensics, according to committee chair Samvel Harutyunyan.

Harutyunyan says the Science Committee (under Ministry of Education and Science) is carrying out active projects with a number of international partners.

“We have created a nuclear forensics center with the U.S., which will solve regional tasks. It will have a very important function. I am proud that Armenia has been selected for having this kind of a center. Significant work has been done in this direction. A laboratory with the nuclear power station and the Armenian National Polytechnic University has already been established. Soon our colleagues will arrive to Armenia. We will also have post-graduate programs in this direction,” he told a news conference.

He said that the Science Committee will continue cooperation with scientific organizations of Russia, Belarus, Germany, China and other countries. Active work will continue for ensuring participation of scientific organizations in the EU’s Horizon 2020 program.

Armenian-Italian and Armenian-Bulgarian scientific cooperation projects are planned to be realized.

In 2017, the U.S. State Department organized a session in Yerevan on developing nuclear forensics in Armenia.

 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan