Author: Khoyetsian Rose

Photo by Uriy Shipilov, Sputnik

 

Russia has signed a contract with Iran on the delivery of S-300 missile defense systems and as soon as the first part of the contract is fulfilled, Tehran will rescind its court case against Russia for non-delivery, the head of Russia’s state technologies corporation Rostec said Monday,  reports.

“The contract on delivery of S-300 to Iran has not only been signed by the sides but has already entered into force,” Sergei Chemezov said at the Dubai Airshow-2015.

He added that as soon as the first part of the contract is fulfilled, Iran would rescind its court case against Russia for the non-delivery of the system, basically due to economic sanctions that were in place against Tehran.

Chemezov didn’t elaborate exactly which variations of the S-300 missile defense systems will be supplied to Iran.

Moscow and Tehran signed an $800-million deal for the delivery of five S-300 missile systems in 2007. In 2011, Iran sued Russia in the Geneva Arbitration Court after Moscow suspended the contract in 2010, citing a UN Security Council resolution that placed an arms embargo on Tehran.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the S-300 delivery ban in April 2015, shortly after the P5+1 group of international negotiators and Iran reached a framework nuclear agreement to remove all economic sanctions against Tehran in exchange for its pledge to ensure that all nuclear research in the country will be for peaceful purposes.

Flights to Egypt have been suspended at the instruction of Russian President Vladimir Putin until proper security level is ensured, Putin’s presssecretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Friday, TASS reports.

“I would like to explain the following: [Russia’s Federal Security Service chief] Alexander Bortnikov referred to Putin recommendations of the National Anti-terrorist Committee to suspend air service with Egypt and the president agreed with these recommendations,” Peskov said. “The government has been instructed to elaborate a mechanism of transporting Russian citizens back home.”

“I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the president meant air service with Egypt is to be suspended until a due level of air service security is ensured,” he stressed. “We will work with the Egyptians to ensure due level of security taking into account all the risks.”

When asked how long it might take to solve this task, the Kremlin spokesman said, “We hope for close cooperation” with Egypt.

He stressed that this decision did not mean that terrorist attack was the main theory of the Russian plane crash on the Sinai peninsula. “Undoubtedly, none of the versions can be still dominating as there are no clear indications in its favor,” Peskov said.

Peskov also said he would not comment on whether Russia would tight security for flights to other Arab states after the Russian plane crash in Egypt. “I have nothing to tell you so far,” he said in reply to the question.

 

Jurgen Klopp is set to take charge of his first European match at Anfield tomorrow night. Liverpool restart their European campaign in the Europa League against Rubin Kazan having drawn their opening two fixtures with Bordeaux and Sion.

Looking back at Klopp’s record year-by-year, the reveals that Jurgen Klopp’s first European campaign came via the Fair Play League, when his Mainz faced Armenia’s Mika in a qualifier in 2005.

2012/2013 season was the best in Klopp’s career, as  Borussia Dortmund become everyone’s second-favorite team in Europe.

They escaped unbeaten from the ‘Group of Death’ alongside Real Madrid, Manchester City and Ajax. They lost in an all-German final against Bayern Munich, who won the game in the 89th minute through Arjen Robben.

The Council of Europe and European Union will carry out four projects in Armenia under the Programmatic Cooperation Framework in 2015-2017.

The projects will focus on improving electoral processes in the country, combatting ill-treatment and impunity, strengthening healthcare and human rights protection in Armenian prisons, as well as fighting corruption in higher education in Armenia.

The projects are funded by the EU and the Council of Europe, and are implemented by the Council of Europe. The total budget of these projects is 2.2mn euro. In addition to these country-specific projects, Armenia also participates in 14 regional initiatives covering several countries.

 

 

 

“Azerbaijan has gone beyond all limits, and it’s not only about the recent actions, but also the impudence it demonstrates towards international law and its own commitments,” Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan told reporters after the government sitting. He reminded that it was Azerbaijan that asked for ceasefire in 1994.

“International law means nothing to Azerbaijan. Different terrorist organizations demonstrate nearly the same behavior today by killing people and destroying monuments. Let’s remember the demolition of cross-stones in Jugha,” the Deputy Foreign Minister said.

“I think Azerbaijan is thus triggering the process of international recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic,” Kocharyan stated.

 

 

 

There is no need in deploying peacekeepers in the Karabakh conflict zone, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, Colonel General Yuri Khachaturov said at the opening of the “Enduring Brotherhood 2015” exercises in Armenia.

“We are able to deter Azeri provocations ourselves,” Khachaturov said. According to him, the Azerbaijani side has used thousands of missiles and mines over the past 15 days, which have exploded in Armenian civilian settlements 10 km away from the frontline.

“We have given a worthy response. They have serious losses,” Khachaturov said, adding that “unlike Azerbaijan, the Armenian side refrains from shelling the villages.”

He noted that representatives of the Ministry of Defense visit the frontline, meet the villagers and inform about the measures taken.

“However, it’s impossible to fully exclude the incidents, as the rival uses mortars and howitzers,” Yuri Khachaturov said.

The Chief of General Staff underlined that on many occasions the Armenian side has offered Azerbaijan to pull back the snipers, investigate every case of killing of civilians, but Baku turns down all suggestions.

As for the lack of appropriate response from the CSTO command, the Colonel General said it would be welcome. “We are part of the same security system. We do not ask for help, but human support would be welcome,” Khachaturov said.

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday greeted the people of Armenia on the occasion of their Independence Day, IANSlive reports.

In his message to Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan, Mukherjee said: “We, in India, are delighted to witness the progress and development achieved by the people of Armenia in the last two-and-half decades. We wish them further success in their chosen path of development.”

“India is committed to working with the people of Armenia to deepen mutually beneficial bilateral relationship,” he added.

Season 10 of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” returns to E! on Sunday, and the first four episodes will feature the sisters’ Armenia trip, the Latin Post reports, quoting E!

Khloé Kardashian and Kim Kardashian West are joined by Kim’s husband, Kanye West, and their daughter, North, on a trip to Armenia.

The sisters are descendants of Armenian immigrants on their father’s side of the family. They have always wanted to visit their ancestral homeland. Fans will get to see their emotional visit to Armenia where they learned about their family roots.

Armenian-American Mark Moogalian, one of the heroes, who helped tackle gunman Ayoub El-Khazzani on August 21 aboard the Amsterdam-Paris train, was handed a Legion of Honour at the Élysée.

French President Francois Hollande hosted Moogalian and his wife at the Élysée yesterday.

During the high-speed train ride, Moogalian tackled El-Khazzani, who was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle. It is reported that he instinctively acted to protect his wife Isabella Risacher, and managed to take the assault rifle away from El-Khazzani. The assailant drew another gun and shot Moogalian in the neck, revealed the professor’s sister, who was also on the train.

Moogalian’s heroism, along with the actions of Americans Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone, and Anthony Sadler, and Briton Chris Norman, helped save many lives. Skarlatos, Stone, Sadler, and Norman were awarded the Legion d’Honneur, soon after the attack. Hollande had announced that he would award Moogalian the Legion d’Honneur once he had recuperated.

 

 

 

“The activeness of the Azerbaijani side is connected with the Day of Proclamation of Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, the military exercises under way in Armenia and Artsakh, or Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Baku,” Spokesman for the NKR President David Babayan told .

David Babayan considers that the activeness could be conditioned by the electoral processes in Azerbaijan, the complex economic situation, namely the dropped oil prices and the threats to the Aliyev clan.

He says the predictions about “Azerbaijani fall” could well turn true and believes that this is what keeps the leadership of the country in panic.

“The geopolitical factor also plays a role,” Babayan said. He’s confident, however, that the situation is ‘controllable.’ “The rival engages in a ‘distant conflict,’ which means that it’s afraid of direct fight.”

“The adversary gets a worthy counterstrike and will not dare engage in direct war,” the Spokesman said.