Author: Nahapetian Samvel

Today, on the occasion of the State Holiday of the Russian Federation – Russia Day, President Serzh Sargsyan visited the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Armenia. He congratulated Ambassador Ivan Volynkin and the entire staff of the Embassy and wished them all the best also the well being and prosperity to the people of Russia.

The President of Armenia watched the festive cultural program prepared by the employees of the Embassy.

On the occasion of the holiday, President Serzh Sargsyan sent congratulatory messages to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and Chairman of the RF Government Dmitry Medvedev.

In the congratulatory message addressed to the President of the Russian Federation, President Sargsyan noted with satisfaction that the strategic nature of the Armenian-Russian cooperation, which is based on the friendly and brotherly relations of the two peoples, constantly reveals itself on the bilateral interstate level, as well as in the cooperation in the framework of international and regional settings.

“I am confident that through the joint efforts we will be able to promote future development of the entire complex of our bilateral relations and implement reached agreements which are aimed at maintaining development in the atmosphere of stability and security,” reads the congratulatory message of the President of Armenia.

In the congratulatory message addressed to the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, President Sargsyan noted that this remarkable holiday is inseparably tied to the profound transformation in Russia’s vital activities and is aimed at the prosperity of the citizens and strengthening of Russia’s role on the international arena.

A single monkey caused a nationwide blackout in Kenya after falling on to a crucial piece of equipment, the BBC reports.

The monkey fell on a transformer at the Gitaru hydroelectric power station on Tuesday, electricity provider KenGen said in a statement.

The transformer then tripped, resulting in the loss of 180 megawatts of power and triggering a blackout across Kenya.

Power was restored almost four hours later and the monkey survived its adventure, KenGen said.

It has now been taken in by the Kenya Wildlife Service.

“KenGen power installations are secured by electric fencing which keeps away marauding wild animals,” the statement said.

“We regret this isolated incident and the company is looking at ways of further enhancing security at all our power plants.”

 

 

 

The German Bundestag today adopted a resolution on the genocide of Armenians and other Christian minorities with a overwealming majority of the votes. The voting was preceded by an .

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats and junior coalition partner Social Democrats, along with the opposition Greens, prepared the resolution entitled “Remembrance and commemoration of the genocide of Armenians and other Christian minorities in 1915 and 1916”, which also carries the word throughout the text.

With the motion, the German Bundestag bows to the victims of forced displacement and massacre of the Armenians and other Christian minorities of the Ottoman Empire, which began over a century ago. It deplores the deeds of the former Young Turk government, the almost complete emanation of the Armenians and other Christian groups (especially Aramaic / Assyrian and Chaldean Christians) in the Ottoman Empire

According to the resolution, the planned expulsion and extermination of more than a million Armenians by the Young Turk regime that starting from April 24, 1915, is an example of mass killing, ethnic cleansing and, yes, genocide.”

The Bundestag also deplores the inglorious role of the German Empire, as military ally of the Ottoman Empire, and notes that despite the clear information also on the part of German diplomats and missionaries on organized expulsion and annihilation of Armenians, Germany did not try to stop this crime against humanity.

The commemoration of the German Bundestag is also an expression of special respect for the most ancient Christian Nation on earth.

The Bundestag is committed to special historical responsibility of Germany to supporting the Turks and Armenians to seek ways of reconciliation. According to the bill, “an honest appraisal of history is the most important basis for reconciliation.’

The German Bundestag calls on the Federal Government, in the spirit of the debate of the German Bundestag of 24 April 2015 100^th anniversary, to continue the broad public discussion of the expulsion and almost complete annihilation of the Armenians in 1915-1916, to encourage the Turkish side to confront the past to create the necessary foundation for a reconciliation with the Armenian people.

The 7^th Summer Pan-Armenian Games will be held in Artsakh. The decision was unanimously adopted at the sitting of the Executive Board of the “World Committee of the Pan-Armenian Games” NGO.

“This is a historical decision – the basis for realization of our ideas. The decision will really reflect our objective of strengthening the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity,” said Ishkhan Zakaryan, President of the Committee, said.

The 2^nd Winter Pan-Armenian Games will take place in Tsakhkadzor in February 2018.

Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan had a meeting with Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks.

The Ombudsman presented the cruelties of the Azerbaijani armed forces against Nagorno Karabakh and underlined that those are a result of the state policy of hatred towards Armenians.

Aramn Tatoyan emphasized the importance of participation of Karabakh’s advocacy and democratic institutions in international discussions, and underlined that the protection of human rights is a priority irrespective of any circumstances.

The parties discussed issues related to joint programs towards implementation of European standards of human rights protection in Armenia.

Reference was made to the defense of children’s’ rights, fight against domestic violence, protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on the South Caucasus, Kristian Vigenin (MP, Bulgaria), today concluded a two-day visit to Armenia and called for increased parliamentary support for efforts for a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In Yerevan, the Special Representative met with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Vice-President of the Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov, and with senior members of parliament including from the OSCE PA delegation, the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and leaders of several parliamentary parties. He also visited the OSCE Office in Yerevan, and met with representatives of civil society.

“Following the important meeting last week in Vienna of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is crucial that we follow up these efforts with support at the parliamentary level. The agreements of the presidents to finalize an OSCE investigative mechanism and to expand the OSCE presence in the conflict zone are important steps that can help reduce the risk of violence,” said the Special Representative.

“I hope that these agreements will be built upon in another high-level meeting in the near future. While negotiations continue within the Minsk Group process on a comprehensive settlement, I believe that dialogue at the parliamentary level can help produce a climate that is conducive to peace,” he added.

On 16 May, meeting with the Foreign Ministers of the Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to finalize in the shortest possible time an OSCE investigative mechanism and agreed to the expansion of the existing Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.

“Work at the parliamentary level can help encourage political will from the sides in the region to engage in serious efforts to negotiate a comprehensive settlement within the framework of the Minsk Group,” said Vigenin, who expressed his support for the work of the Minsk Group and its Co-Chairs to facilitate a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“On the basis of my talks both here and later this week in Baku, I will propose some concrete ideas for further dialogue and engagement at the parliamentary level, and look forward to discussing these during the OSCE PA Annual Session in Tbilisi in early July,” he said.

The Special Representative spoke with a range of political actors and civil society representatives particularly regarding the constitutional and electoral reforms in the country.

“I continue to closely follow developments in Armenia, and was pleased to learn more about the process surrounding the ongoing electoral reform. The OSCE will continue to follow these developments closely, and I encourage all parties to take a constructive and inclusive approach to this process,” he added.

Vigenin reiterated the strong support of the Parliamentary Assembly for the work of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, and expressed his appreciation for the good co-operation that the Office enjoys with the government and civil society.

The Special Representative continues his travels this week with visits to Georgia and to Azerbaijan where high-level meetings are expected.

Vigenin was appointed Special Representative by OSCE PA President Ilkka Kanerva in February 2016. In his mandate, he is tasked with promoting dialogue in all segments of society, in particular at the parliamentary level, in order to encourage reconciliation and rehabilitation with regard to the protracted conflicts in the region.

This week’s visit is his first to the region as Special Representative. Vigenin is a former Foreign Minister of Bulgaria and currently serves as Deputy Head of the OSCE PA’s Bulgarian Delegation.

Ukraine’s State Aviation Service has agreed with the Main Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia to completely lift flight restrictions, Interfax reports.

The press service of the Ukrainian authority reported on Friday that this concerns the number of assigned carriers and frequency of flights.

Earlier under the agreement signed by the Ukrainian and Armenian governments in 1995 only one assigned airline from each side was able to fly passenger, cargos and mail. Flight frequency was restricted to three flights a week.

Borussia Dortmund have announced that centre-back Mats Hummels will sign for Bayern Munich at the beginning of the summer transfer window.

The centre-back came through the ranks at the Allianz Arena side and had expressed a desire to return in recent weeks.

 

 

 

The Armenian government approved today the opinion on the draft law on Recognition of Artsakh submitted by MPs Zaruhi Postanjyan and Hrant Bagratyan.

According to the government opinion on the draft law, “the adoption of the bill depends on the results of discussions between Armenia and Artsakh, with consideration of the future developments and external factors.”

Co-author of the bill Zaruhi Postanjyan was present at the sitting. “By recognizing Artsakh we’ll prevent a number of problem and become a political factor in the world. Recognition is a bid for Armenian statehood, which the world has to reckon with,” she said.

“The aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan was not condemned in any way, therefore, we have to recognize Artsakh as there is no alternative.  The recent developments showed that aggression is on Azerbaijan’s agenda,” Postanjyan said.

“They committed crimes against humanity, which went unpunished 100 years ago and 25 years ago, and this lead to the April aggression. We have to rely upon ourselves,” she added.

Asked whether it won’t mean end to talks, Postanjyan said “negotiations can still continue,” and added that “speaking about talks at a time when Azerbaijan is applying aggression, would be a mockery of the mankind.”

Investigators have found a SIM-card at the scene of the bus blast that occurred in Yerevan late on April 25, the Investigate Committee said in a statement. The owner of the card has been identified as a twice-convicted citizen of the Republic of Armenia.

TNT explosive material (trotyl), explosive devises (detonators) and electrical equipment has been found as a result of search at his apartment.

Traces of TNT have been detected on samples taken from the scene of the explosion. Nine of the ten people in the bus, including the driver, the seven injured passengers and one victim, have been identified. All of them are citizens of the Republic of Armenia.

The apartments of all of them have been searched as part of the investigation, no items of interest for the criminal case have been found, their involvement in the explosion has been rejected.

The second victim of the blast is yet to be identified. The body is unrecognizable, and DNA test is needed. Probe is under way to find out whether the second victim was the subscriber of the phone number.

The initial investigation has not revealed any facts that would support the version of terrorism. Investigation into the causes of the explosion is under way.