Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs managed to achieve progress in the negotiations  with Azerbaijan and Armenia on elements of a comprehensive agreement on the Karabakh conflict and helped  reduce tensions along the contact line, following increased violence late last year, James Warlick, the Minsk Group’s US co-chair,told Trend Sept. 22.

He was commenting on the work done by the OSCE Minsk Group since early 2015 regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.

Warlick said the co-chairs look forward to bringing the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia together at the UN General Assembly to continue preparations for the next presidential summit.

“We hope the presidents will agree to meet before the end of the year,” he added. “The co-chairs will discuss these plans with the foreign ministers at the UN General Assembly, and we stand ready to bring the presidents together anytime.”

Commenting on the influence of a tension in relations between the US and Russia on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process, the co-chair said the two countries share the same objective on Nagorno-Karabakh, i.e. a peaceful, negotiated resolution of the conflict.

“Despite disagreements in other areas of the US-Russian relationship, we work closely in the co-chair format to make progress towards our common goal of reaching a lasting settlement that would transform the South Caucasus,” said Warlick.

The Russian Government today approved an intergovernmental agreement with Armenia on the operative exchange of information on nuclear and radiation safety, RIA Novosti reports.

Exchange of information on nuclear and radiation safety, including in case of nuclear accidents, is a widely accepted international experience.

The draft agreement submitted by Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation has been worked out in cooperation with the Armenian party and coordinated with the Russian Foreign Ministry and other interested executive agencies.

The Russian Government has instructed Rosatom to work with the Foreign Ministry to hold negotiations with the Armenian side, and sign the agreement on behalf of the Russian Government if talks succeed.

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian participated in the Eastern Partnership Ministerial Dialogue. Minister Nalbandian made the following statement:

Dear Minister Makei,
Commissioner Hahn,
Dear Colleagues,

I want to thank my Belorussian (friend and) colleague for hosting this informal ministerial dialogue. It is a good opportunity to have discussions on our bilateral agenda with the European Union as well as to reflect on the prospects of the Eastern Partnership following the Riga Summit.

As this is the first occasion that we have gathered after Riga I want to mention that from our perspective the Summit was productive and a step forward in outlining practical cooperation directions in such fields as institutional capacity building and good governance, mobility, market opportunities and interconnections.

Armenia enjoys a comprehensive partnership with the European Union, and we have important objectives to accomplish through enhancing our political dialogue and deepening trade and economic cooperation.

We are now working with the Commission to intensify effective sectoral cooperation in a large number of areas – education, science, research and innovation, promoting people-to-people contacts and creating favourable conditions for the facilitation of trade. We look forward to concluding agreements for participation in EU programmes, such as the “Horizon 2020”, and the Programme for Competitiveness of Enterprise and Small and Medium Enterprises (COSME).

In the area of transport, the Government of Armenia has expressed its readiness to conclude a Common Aviation Area Agreement with the European Union, following the liberalization of the aviation market through the Open Skies Policy.

Dear Colleagues,

In order to define our future contractual relations we have been engaged with our EU partners to shape the scope of a legal framework, which will reflect the contents of our past negotiations while taking into account our obligations in other integration formats. In mid March, the Armenian and EU teams concluded the consultations on the scope of future legal basis and it is our understanding that based on that the EU Member States will endorse the mandate soon so we can smoothly launch the negotiations.

In parallel to the regular meetings of the EU-Armenia institutional setup, Armenia continues its active participation in platforms and more than a dozen working groups of the multilateral dimension of the Eastern Partnership. We view this as an important and useful framework for sharing best practices and promoting enhanced cooperation, and we welcome all initiatives that strengthen inclusive cooperation and aim at building genuine partnerships between different actors through engagement of multiple stakeholders.

Dear friends,

Visa liberalization is a mutually shared objective and it should be duly reflected in the renewed European Neighbourhood Policy. We have a solid basis for launching the next phase in our cooperation towards the promotion of mobility and people to people contacts.

The Mobility Partnership is in place since 2011 and there are several projects being implemented under its umbrella. The EU-Armenia Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements entered into force in January 2014 providing for the facilitated issuance of visas and orderly readmission procedures for the Armenian citizens. Since January, 2013 the Government of Armenia abolished the visa requirement for the EU citizens. This April the Armenia-EU Joint Committees on the Visa Facilitation and Readmission agreements successfully were held in Brussels.

We expect that dialogue for visa liberalization is launched as soon as possible which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on stimulating national reforms in many related areas. Therefore, we hope that the Commission and the Member States will unequivocally support the launching of the Visa Dialogue with Armenia.

Dear colleagues,

Armenia well recognizes the importance of inclusive cooperation in different formats. We hold the view that it is possible to make best use of various integration frameworks employing more visionary approach. Since our joining the Eurasian Economic Union, and even before, we have been advocating for a pragmatic rationale that builds on opportunities provided by different integration formats while avoiding undue creation of new dividing lines in the larger neighbourhood. We want to make best use of our participation in the Eurasian Economic Union and at the same time generate greater synergy with the European Union.

Dear friends,

The European Neighbourhood Policy has played a substantial role in promoting and deepening the cooperation between Armenia and the EU. We highly appreciate the EU’s continued support and assistance provided within the ENP to our country over the years, which has been instrumental for the effective implementation and sustainability of the reform process and institutional capacity building in Armenia. We are taking continuous steps towards strengthening democracy, fundamental freedoms and protection of human rights.

In this context, I would like to reflect on the remarks made by the representative of the Civil Society Forum in relation to the demonstrations in Yerevan. As I stated recently, the Armenian authorities regard the statements of genuine concern as an evidence of our partners’ interest in strengthening of democracy in our country. Inquiry is being held by competent authorities, necessary steps are being taken to address the identified drawbacks.

We once again confirm our commitment to the democracy, fundamental freedoms and protection of human rights in Armenia.

In conclusion, regarding ENP review, I would like to note that despite its holistic nature, it should outline the importance of adherence to common values (of democracy, rule of law and good governance). We are also of the view that within the new policy framework the principles of a merit-based differentiation and “more-for-more” should be reinforced and continued to be applied accordingly to reflect the pace of implementation of reforms by the partner countries, without prejudice to their different aspirations or contractual relations.

Pope Francis and the patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch expressed their desire to work toward full communion of the two churches, according to the

The Pope met with Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II at the Vatican Friday. This was Aphrem’s first official visit with Francis. The two church leaders spoke privately, after which each gave a public discourse.

“We express our desire and readiness to look for new ways that will bring our churches even closer to each other, paving the way for Antioch and Rome, the only two apostolic sees where St. Peter preached, to establish full communion,” Aphrem said.

The patriarch also expressed his church’s readiness to come to an agreement to celebrate Easter on a common date. He said the Holy Synod of Antioch, motivated by the Second Vatican Council, adopted a resolution in 1981, expressing “the eagerness of our church” to celebrate Easter “on a fixed Sunday in April” in common with other Christian churches.

The celebration of Easter “on two different dates is a source of great discomfort and weakens the common witness of the church in the world,” he said, thanking Francis for recently “considering to take the initiative to lead the efforts on this matter.”

The patriarch also thanked Francis for “courageously” speaking of the Armenian genocide and “opening the way for others to do the same.” The patriarch said about 500,000 Syriac Orthodox died in the 1915 genocide, for which the community continues to seek healing and reconciliation.

In addition, he noted the loss of life of Christians and others in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, as well as the high number of refugees and the destruction of numerous religious buildings and monuments. He thanked Francis for his prayers for the suffering Christians but urged the Vatican to engage in more diplomatic activity toward peace in the region.

Three Armenians were killed as a result of heavy flooding in Tbilisi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports, quoting the Armenian Embassy in Georgia.

The victims are citizens of Georgia and are identified as Zhanna Yeghiazarova, Svetlana Yeghiazarova and Liana Yeghiazarova.

Paris city officials have started to remove padlocks symbolically fastened to one of the French capital’s main bridges by loved-up couples, the BBC reports.

Tying a “love lock” on to the Pont des Arts before throwing the key into the River Seine beneath has become a tourist tradition in recent years.

But part of the bridge’s railings collapsed under the weight last year.

Close to one million locks – weighing 45 tonnes – are due to be cut off over the next few days.

Workmen began removing grilles from the side of the Pont des Arts early on Monday morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pont de l’Archeveche, near the Notre Dame cathedral, is also having locks removed from its side.

Metal grilles on the side of the Pont des Arts, which dates from 1804, will be replaced by panels painted by street artists over the summer, before transparent panels are put in place later this year.

“It’s the end of the padlocks,” said Bruno Julliard, Paris deputy mayor.

“They spoil the aesthetics of the bridge, are structurally bad for it and can cause accidents.”

 

Former Real Salt Lake striker Yura Movsisyan wants to come back to Major League Soccer, according to

A return to Major League Soccer is indeed quite enticing to Yura Movsisyan, his agent confirmed to the Salt Lake Tribune this weekend. The 27-year-old forward who spent two and a half seasons at Real Salt Lake is currently in his third season starring at Spartak Moscow in the Russian Premier League.

“He’s very interested in a return to the MLS,” said Patrick McCabe, Movsisyan’s agent. “It would be a number of options I think he would have, but he’s definitely open-minded at this point. If that’s Salt Lake, OK, or another MLS team, he would certainly be open-minded to pursuing. We’ll have to see what shakes out here within the next few weeks between his club and himself and the other teams that are interested.”

McCabe said Movsisyan still has two more years on his contract at Spartak, which ends in 2017. Movsisyan’s rise in Europe, which started at Danish club Randers after leaving RSL upon helping the club win the 2009 MLS Cup title, saw him move from Randers to Russian Premier League club FC Krasnodar in 2011.

After two largely successful seasons there — scoring 23 goals in 50 appearances — Spartak Moscow completed a reported $9.7 million transfer for the Armenian striker in Dec. 2012. He scored 16 goals in 25 league appearances with Spartak during the 2013-2014 campaign.

“For anybody that knows Yura, there’s nothing more important than family,” McCabe said. “For him I think it’s been difficult to be in Europe for as long as he has for. He and his wife Marianna have two young kids and they’d like to obviously raise them closer to Yura’s family and her family in California. That’s a major consideration I think at this point.

“Yura is driven by family. It’s why he went to Europe to try to provide for them and he’s done a good job of that. Europe is obviously a totally different competitive landscape when you’re dealing with clubs, especially when you’re dealing with Russian clubs.”

Asked if a return to MLS is Movsisyan’s No. 1 priority as they figure out his next move, McCabe was straightforward in saying he isn’t optimistic about Movsisyan staying in Russia.

“I’m hopeful that a return to MLS can be worked out, but I’m also realistic in that I know that it may not,” McCabe said. “I have to plan for a bunch of eventualities here, and one of them is that [a return to MLS] doesn’t work out. I think if you asked [Yura], I think that would be his first choice, but we’ve had approaches in the past from other MLS teams, so we know that it may or may not happen.”

Movsisyan’s first two years in MLS were with the Kansas City Wizards where he didn’t see that much time, scoring five goals in 28 appearances. In Sept. 2007, former RSL general managerGarth Lagerwey struck his first deal in his new position by trading for Movsisyan.

While at RSL, Movsisyan flourished. He scored 15 goals in 53 appearances, including having a hand in the equalizing goal in the 2009 MLS Cup final against the L.A. Galaxy at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash. Per MLS roster regulation, RSL still holds Movsisyan’s MLS rights should he choose to return to the league. A club retains the rights to a player indefinitely following the expiration of a contract, provided the club extending a contract offer, which RSL did before Movsisyan left for Europe in 2010.

The Turkish government is discussing ways to save the Armenian orphanage in Tuzla from demolition, said the head of the Foundations Department, adding nationalization is the best option, reports. 

Syria’s army dispatched reinforcements to Palmyra in a bid to push back jihadis who advanced Friday to within touching distance of the ancient city, officials and a monitor said, AFP reports.

“Islamic State group jihadis are now one kilometer from the archeological site of Palmyra,” Rami Abdel Rahman, director of activist group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP.

UNESCO describes Palmyra as a heritage site of “outstanding universal value.”

The ancient metropolis stood on a caravan route at the crossroads of several civilisations and its 1st and 2nd century temples and colonnaded streets mark a unique blend of Graeco-Roman and Persian influences.

Since ISIS’s offensive began Tuesday night, more than 138 combatants – including 73 soldiers and 65 jihadis – have been killed.

But the governor of central Homs province, where Palmyra is located, said the situation was “under control.”

“The army has sent reinforcements and it is bombing the (IS) positions from the air,” said Talal Barazi.

According to Barazi, the inner city houses about 35,000 people, including displaced Syrians who fled there after their hometowns were engulfed in violence, and the suburbs host roughly another 35,000.

A bizarre steel statue showing an Ottoman prince taking a selfie with a smart phone while grasping his sword has raised eyebrows in a historic Turkish town – only to be physically attacked hours later, the  reports, quoting Doğan News Agency.
The municipality in the Black Sea province of Amasya erected the unconventional statue on the shore of the town’s Yeşilırmak River on May 9.
In the Ottoman era, Amasya served as one of the cities to which sultans sent their young sons, titled “Shahzade,” to learn how to govern.
Amasya Deputy Mayor Osman Akbaş said the steel statue did not depict any particular “Shahzade.”
“We built it for a purely visual purpose. We thought it would draw attention,” Akbaş said.

The statue indeed drew attention as scores of tourists flocked to the area to take their own selfies with the Ottoman prince, hours after reports of the statue appeared in the media.

However, on May 10 unidentified assailants broke off the cellphone feature on the statue.