The delegation headed by Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan will participate in the regular sitting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CIS participating states to be held in Kazakhstan on June 3.
Minister Ohanyan will leave Kazakhstan for Tajikistan on June 4 to participate in the sitting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CSTO member states.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić will visit Armenia on 3 June 2015. He will meet President Serzh Sargsyan, Speaker of Parliament Galust Sahakyan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian, as well as members of leading political parties, and visit the OSCE Office in Yerevan.
Dačić and Nalbandian will hold a joint press conference on Wednesday, 3 June at 11.00 AM at the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The state-owned oil company of Azerbaijan secretly funded an all-expenses-paid trip to a conference at Baku on the Caspian Sea in 2013 for 10 members of Congress and 32 staff members, according to a confidential ethics report obtained by The Washington Post. Three former top aides to President Obama appeared as speakers at the conference, The reports.
Lawmakers and their staff members received hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of travel expenses, silk scarves, crystal tea sets and Azerbaijani rugs valued at $2,500 to $10,000, according to the ethics report. Airfare for the lawmakers and some of their spouses cost $112,899, travel invoices show.
The State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic, known as SOCAR, allegedly funneled $750,000 through nonprofit corporations based in the United States to conceal the source of the funding for the conference in the former Soviet nation, according to the 70-page report by the , an independent investigative arm of the House.
The report reflects the most extensive investigation undertaken by the ethics office, which was created seven years ago in response to a number of scandals on Capitol Hill, including lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s illegal funding of lawmakers’ trips.
The conference, titled U.S.-Azerbaijan Convention: Vision for the Future, took place on May 28 and 29, 2013. During the previous year, SOCAR and several large energy companies sought exemptions for a $28 billion natural gas pipeline project in the Caspian Sea from U.S. economic sanctions being imposed on Iran.
The congressional investigators could not determine whether lawmakers used their official positions to benefit SOCAR or the pipeline project. They also found no evidence that the lawmakers or their staffers knew that the conference was being funded by a foreign government.
The investigators noted that the lawmakers relied on representations made to them by two Houston-based nonprofit corporations, theTurquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians (TCAE) and the Assembly of the Friends of Azerbaijan (AFAZ). The lawmakers told investigators that they had obtained approval for the trip from the ethics committee.
The report said members of the House Ethics Committee wrote to the Office of Congressional Ethics requesting a halt to their investigation so that the matter could be taken up by their own committee. OCE officials declined the request.
The lawmakers who took the trip were Reps. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.), Yvette D. Clarke (D-N.Y.), Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), Rubén Hinojosa (D-Tex.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.), Leonard Lance (R-N.J.), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.), Ted Poe (R-Tex.) and then-Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Tex.).
Clarke is a member of the Ethics Committee.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio), attended as part of a separate congressional delegation and his expenses were not paid by the conference, according to the report.
PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I PRESIDES OVER
THE CREATION OF GOGUIKIAN EDUCATIONAL FUND
In the evening of Tuesday, 18 May 2010, His Holiness Aram I presided over
the establishment of the Goguikian Educational Fund for University Students
at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut. Mr. Michel Goguigian, Mr. Jean Goguigian’s
son, initiated the setting up of the Fund with the support and blessings of
His Holiness Aram I. Leaders and representatives from the Lebanese-Armenian
community – religious and political, Armenian Members of Parliament and
Government Minister – as well as representatives of other Lebanese
communities including Government Ministers and Members of Parliament
attended the ceremony. Mr. Michel Goguigian and the Director General of the
Fund, Mrs. S Hayek addressed the present, following which an agreement was
signed by the President of the Fund and the Presidents of the American
University of Beirut, the University of Saint Joseph, Haigazian University,
the Lebanes-American University and the University of Ballamand.
In his closing address, His Holiness, the Catholicos, paid tribute to the
role Mr. Jean Goguigian had played as a member of the Lebanese diplomatic
corps. Moreover, His Holiness prized Mr. Michel Goguigian’s initiative and
decorated him with the Knight of The Catholicosate of the Great House of
Cilicia award.
Mr. Jean Goguigian has had forty years’ service as a diplomat representing
Lebanon and the first Lebanese-Armenian to occupy Ambassadorial posts
representing Lebanon. As to his son, Michel, he is the President of the
Central Bank of Venezuela and has always supported our community.
The Fund is set up to help those Lebanese-Armenian students who meet the
conditions set in the bylaws to study at the above mentioned Universities.
The bylaws can be accessed on the Funds website. Selections will be made by
the selection Committee according to the bylaws.
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View the photos here:
tos/Photos479.htm#5
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.
ARMENIA TO OVERCOME CRISIS IN 2010
PanARMENIAN.Net
May 21, 2010 – 14:14 AMT 09:14 GMT
French Minister of Economic Recovery Plan and President of the
General Council of Hauts-de-Seine department Patrick Devedjian said
that although the global crisis has affected Armenia’s economy,
the republic will overcome the depression in 2010.
"Today, Armenia is still affected by the crisis, which resulted in
suspension of a range of construction projects. However, I believe
that Armenia will start recovering in 2010," Devedjian told a press
conference in Yerevan on May 21.
"Armenia has recorded a considerable progress as compared with my
first visit in 1991," Devedjian said, adding that some activation is
observed in economy, as the Armenian nation has always been remarkable
for its spirit of enterprise and diligence.
NKR PRESIDENT MEETS ARGENTINEAN OBSERVERS
armradio.am
21.05.2010 18:01
On 21 May President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
received Jose Ameghino Arbo, member of the Argentina’s National
Congress Chamber of Deputies and Argentina public and political figure
Sergio Nahabedyan who arrived in Artsakh to observe the parliamentary
elections, Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR
President reported.
The President underlined the importance of Argentinean observers’
participation in the parliamentary elections, noting that Argentina
had always displayed impartial and objective stance towards the
events taking place in the republic and the whole region abstaining
from unnecessary politicization.
Issues related to bilateral relations, as well as domestic and foreign
policy of the republic were discussed during the meeting.
YEREVAN HAILS ARGENTINA’S BALANCED STANCE ON KARABAKH CONFLICT
PanARMENIAN.Net
May 20, 2010 – 14:14 AMT 09:14 GMT
Argentina’s newly appointed Ambassador to Armenia Miguel Angel Cuneo
handed his credentials to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
The Armenian President congratulated the diplomat on the appointment
and stressed that Armenia attaches importance to its relations with
Argentina and is interested in their further development.
Noting that Armenia’s first embassy was opened right in Argentina,
Mr. Sargsyan expressed hope that the Ambassador will contribute to
boosting bilateral relations and pledged all kind of support to the
diplomat’s mission. He also hailed Argentina’s balanced stance on
the Karabakh conflict.
The two men also prioritized the necessity of facilitating economic
ties.
Besides, they referred to Argentinean Armenians’ contribution to the
development of bilateral relations, noting that the Armenian community
serves as a bridge between Armenia and Argentine, the presidential
press service reported.
YEREVAN, ORENBURG TO SIGN A DEAL ON COOPERATION
Aysor
May 20 2010
Armenia
Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan hosted Thursday Governor of
the Orenburg Region of Russia Aleksey Chernyshyev, who is on a
visit to Armenia on the head of the Russian delegation of numerous
representatives of the various spheres, a spokesperson for the
Armenians State Administration said.
The visit’s agenda is to sign a deal on the bilateral cooperation
between Yerevan and Orenburg, aiming at clarification of the common
directions of the cooperation and establishment of the mutually
beneficial relations.
Armenia’s President stressed that high-level political relations must
be strengthened by economical ties and programs.
50% OF ARMENIA’S EMIGRANTS PREFER RUSSIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
May 19, 2010 – 14:50 AMT 09:50 GMT
Head of the Census and Demography Department of the National
Statistical Service Karine Kuyumjyan said that the total number of
air passengers made 568 600 during the first quarter of 2010. At that,
280 889 passengers arrived in Armenia and 285 748 left it.
"50% of Armenia’s emigrants prefer Russia," Kuyumjyan told a press
conference on May 19.
Besides, she noted that this figure doesn’t not reflect the entire
picture of migration, as financial resources are required to get a
clear idea about migration flows.
VODKA ‘KHLOPTSI’ REMOVED FROM SALE
ArmInfo
2010-05-19 12:51:00
ArmInfo. The Armenian State Commission for Protection of Economic
Competition has fined Alex Grig LLC for production of vodka under
brands and with design very similar to the popular brands of Ukrainian
companies. For instance, vodka "Ukraine" has been considered similar to
"Ukrainka" produced by Ukrainian Alef-Vinal Company; vodka "Khloptsi"
to "Khortitsa" by Image Holding. Vodka "Medofe" to "Medoff" and
"Premium" to "Prime" by Donetsk Liquor and Vodka Factory "Lik."
Vodka "Khlebniy Dar" was allowed for sale without any changes. Alex
Grig LLC was fined in the amount of 2.5mn drams (500,000 drams per
every violation). The company is charged to suspend activity and
remove all the above "brands" from sale.
Alex Grig and Salex Group companies are dominating in the market of
sugar, frozen fish, wheat flour, vegetable oil, child’s puree and
juices, butter and spirits in Armenia.