Category: 2018

Beirut: Aoun holds talks with visiting Armenian PM

Emma Nadirian
National News Agency Lebanon (NNA)
October 20, 2018 Saturday
Aoun holds talks with visiting Armenian PM
 
 
NNA – President of the Republic, Michel Aoun, met Saturday with Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, with talks centering on ways of promoting bilateral relations, activating the work of the joint governmental committee and recent regional developments.
  
Aoun welcomed Pashinyan at Baabda Palace this morning upon his arrival in Beirut on a 2-day visit, accompanied by an official Armenian delegation.
 
During their encounter, Aoun congratulated the Armenian PM on the success of the Francophone Summit held in Yerevan last week, thanking him for the warm hospitality extended to members of the Lebanese delegation attending the Summit.
 
He also praised the bilateral relations existing between the two countries, appreciating Armenia’s contribution to the UNIFIL peacekeeping forces in the South. He stressed on the active role played by the Lebanese Armenians in their country’s political and economic life, especially as they constitute a bridge of communication with Armenia.
 
The President also highlighted the importance of the agreements held between Lebanon and Armenia, calling for the conclusion of other pending agreements. Moreover, Aoun briefed Pashinyan on Lebanon’s initiative of establishing the “Academy of Encounter and Dialogue”, hoping that Armenia would be among the first states to sign its establishment agreement.
 
Pashinyan, in turn, thanked Aoun for his warm welcome and for attending the Francophone Summit in Yerevan, emphasizing the importance of the role played by Lebanon in the Francophone Organization.
 
The Armenian PM also stressed on strengthening Lebanese-Armenian bilateral relations, especially in the economic field, hoping for more coordination and collaboration between the relevant ministries of both countries.
 
Furthermore, Pashinyan expressed his country’s support for Lebanon’s decision to establish a “Human Academy for Encounter and Dialogue” which will allow for more communication between civilizations, religions and cultures. He said his country would continue to work within UNIFIL to maintain security and stability in the South of Lebanon, adding that the Armenian Defense Minister would visit his country’s troops on the Lebanese border to confirm this support.
 
Touching on the mutual aspects shared between the Lebanese and Armenian peoples, PM Pashinyan hoped that the Lebanese-Armenian Joint Committee would hold a meeting soon to study the common issues and take appropriate decisions in favor of both countries.

Azerbaijani Press: Former U.S. top Karabakh negotiator defends Moscow’s role, criticizes Washington

Elizabeth Jabejian
Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijani Opposition Press
October 20, 2018 Saturday
Former U.S. top Karabakh negotiator defends Moscow’s role, criticizes Washington
 
 
James Warlick, former U.S. top Karabakh negotiator, urges Washington to step up efforts in supporting certain confidence building measures in Nagorno-Karabakh.
 
“I see no evidence in this [Trump] administration of any interest in Nagorno-Karabakh,” Warlick, currently partner and senior policy adviser at a leading Russian firm Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners, said at Atlantic Council in Washington, TURAN’s U.S. correspondent reports.
 
In fact, he added, “our current representative in the Minsk Group, at least, deserves to have a personal rank of Ambassador as the other negotiators do.”
 
Andrew Schofer, current U.S. Co-Chair of the Minsk Group, is a career diplomat without ambassadorial rank.
 
Speaking on Russia’s role in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Warlick said, he doesn’t think it was within Moscow’s power alone to resolve the conflict. “Even if Moscow were to decide tomorrow that NK needs to be settled, I don’t think, it’s going to happen that easily.”
 
In the meantime, the added, there is an interest – first and foremost in Moscow – not having unstable southern border where there is an active military engagement.
 
“The conventional wisdom with Karabakh [resolution] has been that Moscow really doesn’t want a settlement… The problem with that conventional wisdom is that it just doesn’t bare itself out,” Warlick said, adding that when the hostilities broke out in 2016, Moscow and Washington “worked together pretty well to come with a plan that could form the basis for a settlement. Those same ideas are still in play. The kind of settlement that, in fact, [Russian foreign minister] Lavrov has suggested is not that different.”
 
Asked if Moscow is being accommodative and cooperative within the Minsk Group because there is no chance for moving forward given where the parties are, but that Kremlin actually doesn’t want to see a resolution, Warlick disagreed: “If peace were to break out the region would change better,” he argued.
 
In reply to Turan’s Washington correspondent’s question about Russia’s troublemaker role as a supplier of arms to the conflict sides, Warlick said, he is not going to defend arm sales to Armenia and Azerbaijan by any country but, “there needs to be a concerted effort – not only by Russia – to ensure that there is a rough equivalence between military capabilities of Armenia and Azerbaijan. If there weren’t such a rough equivalence the dangers of war would be high.”
 
The dangers are high enough as it is. In the meantime, he added, if we see one side or the other prevailing in terms of military capabilities, there could be the risk that in the event of a political or diplomatic stalemate, one side or the other will take military action. We should be worried about that.”
 
“Even with a rough military balance between Armenia and Azerbaijan, I do believe that the sides could be frustrated in the future and come to a conclusion that there can be no resolution through diplomatic channels. That would be unfortunate not only for those two countries but the entire future.”
 
Does Moscow need to have a positive-sum view of relations with the Western world for NK resolution? Answering to the question, Warlick said it’s a lot to ask that the conflict be settled in terms of more global view of Russia’s role in the world.
 
“We could work with Russia in a non zero-some game on a path to the settlement. I believe there is an interest in Moscow in supporting certain confidence building measures.”
 
Former negotiator also urged Washington and Moscow to “work collaboratively on things that can be achieved now, such as confidence building measures, people to people steps…”
 
“I do think that there is an opportunity to begin a discussion about what a peace keeping force would look like in Nagorno-Karabakh. That discussion hasn’t taken place yet,” he added.
 
Alex Raufoglu
 
Washington D.C,

168: One of participants of La Francophonie Economic Forum to establish Canadian ISB engineering company branch in Armenia

Boris Nahapetian
| 11:53 | October 20 2018
Category
BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Gevorg Torosyan, who participated in the recent La Francophonie Economic Forum in Armenia, is going to establish the branch of Canadian ISB engineering company in Armenia by the support of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF), deputy minister of economic development and investments Mane Adamyan said on Facebook.

“The company produces security devices which are attached to different production devices and block the devices during human work with sensors in order not to harm the employees. At this stage ISB Armenian branch will be engaged in improvement of software, and at the next stage the devices will already be produced in Armenia.

It’s worth mentioning that one of the key parts of these devices is being produced in Armenia’s Goris for a long time, and our compatriots have exported this part to Canada for many years aimed at organizing the complete production there. We have agreed with Mr. Torosyan to organize the whole cycle of production of the devices in Armenia soon”, Adamyan wrote.

168: The norms of professional ethics and copyrights are grossly violated, the architectural appearance of the buildings is being distorted (photos)

Ekmekjian Janet
| 14:21 | October 20 2018
Category
Society

President of the Chamber of Architects of the Republic of Armenia
Mr. Mkrtich Minasyan

To the Chairman of the State Urban Development Committee
of the Republic of Armenia
Mr. A. Eloyan

Honorable gentlemen,

Days ago, in presence of the Presidents of France and Armenia, a project of a “reconstruction” of the Yerevan Aznavour Center was presented to the public in the mentioned center. This project has never been discussed and never agreed in any competent authority of the Republic of Armenia.

A French-Armenian architect Aris Adamian was named as the author of the project.

It was a very disturbing fact that the author of the center, honored architect of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Narek Sargsyan refused to participate to the mentioned event, who, as it turns out, by virtue of copyright didn’t gave his consent to such modifications.

This unacceptable occurrence of arbitrary modifications of the creations of Armenian architects by foreign promoters is unfortunately becoming ordinary nowadays, considering the multitude of similar examples of the past years.

The norms of professional ethics and copyrights are grossly violated, the architectural appearance of the buildings is being distorted.

Recently, with the joint efforts of the RA Government and the Union of Architects of the Republic of Armenia, the RA National Assembly adopted the RA Law on Architectural Activity, on the basis of which the Chamber of Architects of the Republic of Armenia was created with the aim of, beside other functions, protecting the rights of RA architects in Armenia.

The law also envisages the process of obtaining a corresponding license for foreign architects to operate in Armenia.

Architectural ethics are of international character and are mandatory for architects of all countries.

Considering the fact that the arbitrary modifications of the Aznavour Center without the consent of the author can become a very bad precedent for the future of the architectural works of each of us, we hereby request to take steps in order to prevent the sacrifice of yet another unique building in Yerevan as prescribed by the above-mentioned law.

We call on foreign partners to be respectful in our country and to our creative approach. We welcome the participation of our Diaspora partners in the construction processes of Armenia, the use of the foreign advanced experience through them, but only in the atmosphere of professional solidarity and mutual respect, and not at the expense of our professional dignity.

Honored architect of the Republic of Armenia Ashot Aleksanyan

Honored architect of the Republic of Armenia Hovhannes Mutafyan

Honored architect of the Republic of Armenia Levon Vardanyan

19 Oct. 2018


168: Spiritual leaders of Christian churches of Jerusalem call shameful the bill on properties in letter addressed to Israeli PM

Ophelia Vardapetian
| 15:03 | October 20 2018
Category
World

The spiritual leaders of the Christian churches of Jerusalem – Armenian Patriarch Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, as well as the Greek Patriarch and the Custos of the Holy Land, on October 19 signed a joint letter addressed to Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Koryun Baghdasaryan – Chancellor of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, said on Facebook.

“In the letter the spiritual leaders are surprised over the fact that the bill authored by Knesset member Rachel Azaria on the properties belonging to the Christian community has been included in the agenda of October 21 discussion of the commission of ministers and call on PM Neyanyahu to intervene and suspend the discussion of the bill. The spiritual leaders called the bill shameful and reminded Netanyahu that in his letter sent to the spiritual leaders in July he assured that the bill should be withdrawn”, he said.

Despite that the bill has undergone some changes, it, however, enables the state to confiscate the church properties.

We need to make economic ties in accordance with high level of political relations – Pashinyan to Lebanese President (photos)

Manouk Vasilian
| 15:09 | October 20 2018
Categories
Official
Politics
Region

Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan today arrived in Lebanon on a working visit.

Following the welcoming ceremony the acting PM’s delegation departed to the Lebanese presidential palace where he met with President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri.

Pashinyan thanked the Lebanese President for the warm reception, stating that he is very happy for the visit to the brotherly country Lebanon. “Thank you for your participation in the La Francophonie summit in Yerevan just a week ago and for delivering a very comprehensive speech at the event. A month ago we had a chance to exchange views in New York over the bilateral relations between Armenia and Lebanon. Now as well we have a new opportunity for dialogue. Following Armenia’s independence in 1991 the relations of our countries, the centuries-old connections of our peoples have got new quality which is typical to two friendly states and brotherly peoples. We need to serve this at best for the strengthening of our partnership, implementation of our common goals”, the Armenian acting PM said.

In his turn the Lebanese President welcomed Pashinyan’s visit to the country, stating that it will contribute to further developing and strengthening the traditional friendly ties between the two countries. President Michel Aoun congratulated Nikol Pashinyan for the high-level organization of the 17th La Francophonie summit in Yerevan.

During the meeting the officials stated that there is a high-level political dialogue between the two countries which is conditioned by the historical friendly ties and the key role of the Lebanese-Armenian community. Nikol Pashinyan said the Armenian people remember with gratitude the warm attitude of the Lebanese people towards our compatriots who survived the Genocide: “Lebanon is the only country in the region that officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, and this is important not only for the preservation of historical memory, but also for the prevention of new genocides”.

The Lebanese President highly valued the role of the Armenian community in the country’s political, economic, social, cultural, educational and sports life, as well as the intensification of friendship between the two countries and peoples.

The officials also touched upon the opportunities to develop the bilateral commercial ties and attached importance to the active work on this path. “We need to take action to make the bilateral economic ties in accordance with the high-level political and human relations between our countries”, Nikol Pashinyan said. He also introduced the Armenian government’s actions in fight against corruption, simplification of tax and customs procedures, formation of favorable investment environment. The Lebanese President expressed readiness to assist the governments of the two countries in the implementation of programs and initiatives.

Nikol Pashinyan welcomed Lebanon’s initiative to establish a “Human Academy”, which was announced by President Michel Aoun during the UN General Assembly in New York on September 21, 2017. “Armenia welcomes Lebanon’s initiative to become a center of dialogue between various civilizations, religions and races and is ready to assist. We are confident that Lebanon’s efforts and experience aimed at the peaceful coexistence of different religions and nations can be instructive for not only separate countries, but also the entire region”, Pashinyan said.

At the end of the meeting the Armenian acting PM left a note at the Honorary Guest Book.

Thousands bid final farewell to renowned Istanbul-Armenian photographer Ara Guler (photos)

Emma Nadirian
| 16:49 | October 20 2018
Category
Culture

The funeral of famous Istanbul-Armenian photographer Ara Guler was held in Istanbul on October 20, Agos reports.

The farewell ceremony was held at the Armenian church in Istanbul’s Beyoglu district.

The ceremony was held under the sounds of Armenian duduk, Dele Yaman and Komitas.

The funeral was attended by thousands of Armenian community representatives, high-raking Turkish officials, fans and media representatives.

Ara Guler has passed away at the age of 90 on October 18. Guler died after being rushed to hospital for emergency treatment for heart failure.

Ara Guler was born in Istanbul on August 16, 1928.

Guler attended an Armenian school in Istanbul and began working as a photographer on Turkish newspaper Yeni.

His work included images of the city’s best known mosques and landmarks, pictures of workers going about their daily lives to rare pictures of Istanbul covered in a blanket of snow.

Fans liked to call Guler the “Eye of Istanbul” or an “Istanbul photographer”.

[visit the link for the pictures]

Pashinyan posts selfie with his Lebanese counterpart

Chmshkian Vicken
| 17:14 | October 20 2018
Category
Politics

Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who is in Beirut on a working visit, posted a photo with Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri on Facebook.

“It turns out that Lebanese PM-designate Saad Hariri is also fan of selfies. Thank you for the warm reception”, Pashinyan said.

A unique exhibition of world modern art held in "Hay Art" Museum of Contemporary Art renovated by Italians

Christine Harutyunian
Arminfo, Armenia
Oct 20 2018
A unique exhibition of world modern art held in “Hay Art” Museum of Contemporary Art renovated by Italians

Yerevan October 19

Ani Mshetsyan. The “HayArt” Museum of Contemporary Art in Yerevan hosts an exhibition of works by eight dozen authors of paintings and installations, representing 26 different countries of the world. It became possible to open the round halls of the museum unique in their architecture for the unique exhibition only thanks to the renovation of the museum at the initiative of the Italian Embassy in Armenia.

As Rita Sharoyan, director of HayArt Cultural Center told ArmInfo in an interview, the Italian Ambassador to Armenia visited the museum with a working group of specialists during the preparatory work for the opening of the exhibition of works by famous European authors of modernity. ”They studied the state of the exhibition halls of various museums in Yerevan in order to organize this exhibition. In general, many guests from Europe highly appreciate the architecture of our building and they really liked the design of the building, but, unfortunately, it was in a rather poor condition, “Sharoyan said.

The Director emphasized that the embassy representatives still felt that the HayArt museum’s capabilities were the most optimal for the fulfillment of their ideas, but the lack of repair was a serious hindrance. “We stated that we were ready to discuss the issue of renvation. Head of the EU delegation in Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski was also very interested in this issue, who had also visited the building of our museum. Various proposals were made to us, the exhibition organizers proposed to repair the museum free of charge if we agreed to provide exhibition halls for the exhibition, and we happily agreed, because it was a great achievement for us, because our museum would have acquired its original appearance again, ” Sharoyan said. She stressed that the repair work, in which Italian specialists and even volunteers were involved, gave an amazing result. The exhibition of world modernists opened on September 28 and will last exactly one month, until October 25. Admission is free for everyone. Artworks, installations, short films “without end and beginning”, and sculptural works are presented as exhibits. All the interior of the museum is a the synthesis of movement, sounds and colors.

To note, the “Hay Art” cultural center is the first Soviet Museum of Contemporary Art in Yerevan, founded in 1972 by famous art critic and public figure Henrich Igityan. A modernist-style building was erected – an ensemble of several round rooms located above the ground – the so-called “kruglyashek” was allocated for the museum on the main avenue of Yerevan, Then in 1987, the museum was allocated the area of the first floor of a new residential building, built across the street due to too many storage rooms. In 1997, the Museum of Contemporary Art for some reason left its unique architectural building of concrete circles and moved to the first floor of a new building that does not even have an entrance to the street. Thanks to the heads of the mayor’s office a unique architectural ensemble of the first museum was fully used by commercial stalls and facilities. For many years, being on the balance of the mayor’s office, the museum was completely abandoned, plaster collapsed in its halls, mountains of garbage lay, it was completely unsuitable for organizing exhibitions. For 2 decades, not a penny was allocated for its restoration. Only in one of the halls, in a completely unattractive atmosphere, some exhibitions of Armenian artists were periodically organized under the special patronage of the mayor’s office of the capital. One of the latest exhibits was dedicated to the works of the famous Armenian artist Eduard Isabekyan. According to the testimony of museum workers who are not provable, Isabekyan’s son Rector of the Academy of Arts Aram Isabekyan gifted the former mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan with one of his father’s works to organize the exhibition.

Ambassador of Belarus to RA: Unfortunately, many of the Armenian representatives are looking another way, forgetting that we have great potential inside the EEU

Emil Lazarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Oct 20 2018
Ambassador of Belarus to RA: Unfortunately, many of the Armenian representatives are looking another way, forgetting that we have great potential inside the EEU

Yerevan October 19

Alina Hovhannisyan. The trade turnover between Armenia and Belarus is growing not only in terms of value, but also the nomenclature is expanding. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Armenia Igor Nazaruk told about it in an interview with ArmInfo on the sidelines of the international industrial exhibition EXPO RUSSIA ARMENIA.

“First, I’m pleased to note that we have increased the previous year level and the current figures on mutual trade by almost 30%. While comparing the volumes of 2017 against 2016, the growth exceeded more than 35%. Our turnover is steadily growing higher and higher “, he stressed.

According to the Ambassador, this year Belarus began supplying fresh chilled beef to the Armenian market, components for the production of beer, in particular brewing malt, white sugar. As I. Nazaruk noted, meat and dairy products have incredible popularity in Armenia.

The Belarusian diplomat did not speak about problems and barriers, stressing that a corresponding legal basis had been created for the development of successful cooperation between the countries and there was an economic basis. “There are a lot of opportunities. In particular, our automotive and municipal engineering. For example, Sanitek is trying to purchase Mercedes for the garbage collection in Armenia, and the citizen will pay for this service with funds from own pocket. Whereas purchases from the Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) will cost Armenia several fold cheaper, as a result of which citizen will only benefit. We have all the necessary equipment for this purpose. But, unfortunately, many of the Armenian representatives are looking another way, forgetting that we have potential inside the EEU, from which we benefit, “the Ambassador stressed.

Speaking about the exhibition, I. Nazaruk noted that he was pleasantly surprised by the participation of a number of Belarusian enterprises, despite the fact that the event was called EXPO RUSSIA ARMENIA. “We need to look at the future somewhat more broadly and not limit ourselves to the Armenian-Russian companies on the stands. Our partners in the EEU should be involved more”, the diplomat said. In particular, the Ambassador said that the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Oncology took part in the exhibition: “This is a team with tremendous experience and traditions. This is convenient because there is a direct flight connection between Yerevan and Minsk. Three hours of flight, and a person can undergo a full examination and get a highly qualified service”. The Belarusian Metallurgical Plant also became an exhibitor, whose metal cord is used, according to the Ambassador, by one third of the world’s tire manufacturers. Nazaruk also noted the participation of the Trade House “Belarusian Machines”, which produces metal-cutting, woodworking and various materials, processing machines, etc

Sergey Fadeyev, financial director of the Belarusian Machines Trade House, told ArmInfo that the company currently exports its production to the markets of the CIS countries, including the EEU except Armenia. Speaking about the competitiveness of their products, S. Fadeyev stressed that the production of Belarusian developers with high quality will cost the purchaser cheaper than imported similar products from China and the Russian Federation. According to the financial director, representatives of the Belarusian Machines TD will hold B2B meetings with 27 Armenian entrepreneurs in the framework of the exhibition.

According to the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia, the foreign trade turnover between the Republic of Armenia and Belarus amounted in January-August of this year $ 32.1 million with an increase of 20.1% per annum. At the same time, exports increased by 66% to $ 7.5 million, imports – by 10.8% to $ 24.6 mln.