Category: News

Photo: EPA/JULIEN WARNAND

Turkey should not become a part of the EU, the President of the Czech Republic, Milos Zeman said on Wednesday as he addressed voters in the north of the country, TASS reports.

He indicated that although Turkey is a NATO member-state, sometimes it behaves as if it were an ally of the Islamic State terrorist grouping.

Zeman criticized the EU’s plans to remit €3 billion to Turkey for the upkeep of 2 million refugees stranded on its territory, since Ankara is supposed to block the road to Europe for them.

He believes Turkey is capable of hosting the refugees on its territory, in no small a measure because it shares religion with them.

Zeman called for caution in the process of building up relations with Turkey. He added that the Turkish ambassador to the Czech Republic was likely to file a note of protest with the Prague Castle.

The US calls on the parties to the Karabakh conflict to take all steps to avoid violence and to improve the atmosphere for negotiations, Spokesperson for the Department of State John Kirby told a daily press briefing.

“We express our deep condolences to the families of those who died or were injured in recent incidents in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The recent escalation of violence and the use of heavy weapons are unacceptable and we call for the sides to strictly adhere to the ceasefire regimen,” he said.

We also remind the sides that these attacks do not conform to the commitment by the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully. Later this month the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs will hold the next presidential summit between the presidents. We call on the sides to take all steps to avoid violence and to improve the atmosphere for negotiations to take place in good faith at the summit,” John Kirby added.

Asked whether the tensions between Turkey and Russia might have contributed to the escalation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Spokesman said: “We’re concerned about the escalation itself and not necessarily the source. Obviously, in both cases we want to see tensions de-escalated and for cool heads to prevail. But rather than do a cause and effect, let me just state we’re – as I said, we’re concerned about this violence and we are certainly – continue to monitor and watch the relations between Turkey and Russia, particularly over the shootdown a couple weeks ago. We want to see the tensions de-escalate.”

Photo: US Air Force

The finance chief of so-called Islamic State has been killed in air strikes by the US-led coalition, a US military spokesman has said, the BBC reports.

Muwaffaq Mustafa Mohammed al-Karmoush, aka Abu Salah, and two other senior leaders were killed in the strikes which took place in “recent weeks”.

No details were immediately given.

The coalition has been carrying out air strikes against IS militants in Iraq and Syria for over a year. One recently also killed an IS leader in Libya.

US military spokesman Col Steve Warren confirmed the deaths in a video call from the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

Abu Salah is the code name for Muwaffaq Mustafa Mohammed al-Karmoush.

Col Warren called Abu Salah “one of the most senior and experienced members” of the militant group’s financial network.

On Twitter, Brett McGurk, special US presidential envoy for the global coalition to counter IS, said the three were killed “as part of the coalition campaign to destroy Isil’s (Islamic State’s) financial infrastructure”.

On Monday, the Pentagon confirmed a US air strike had killed a senior leader of the Islamic State group in Libya.

Abu Nabil died after an F-15 jet targeted a compound in the eastern city of Derna on 13 November, it said.

Karim Benzema has been suspended from the France team until an investigation into his alleged part in a blackmail and sex tape case has been resolved, the BBC reports.

The 27-year-old striker could miss Euro 2016, which starts in France in June.

Benzema has been placed under formal investigation by a French judge over an alleged bid to blackmail France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex video.

The Real Madrid forward denies any wrongdoing but if found guilty, could face a minimum of five years in prison.

France Football Federation president Noel le Graet, who had previously supported Benzema, said it was a “heart-breaking” decision to suspend him.

But he added: “I have decided that he is not available for selection.”

According to French media, Benzema mentioned the tape to Lyon midfielder Valbuena, 31, during a national team training session at Clairefontaine on 5 October.

Benzema, who scored a hat-trick for Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, told police he was advising a friend about what to do in a difficult situation.

But he was handed preliminary charges of complicity in attempted blackmail and participation in a criminal conspiracy by the judge in November.

When a suspect is placed under formal investigation, a judge will then determine whether there is sufficient evidence for the suspect to be formally charged.

The European Union Delegation has issued the following statement in agreement with the EU Members States Heads of Mission in Armenia:

“The EU has been following the constitutional reform process launched in 2013, including the two largely positive preliminary opinions of the Venice Commission, which the EU supports as standard bearer of constitutional norms in Europe.

We take note of the preliminary results of the constitutional referendum held on 6 December 2015.

We also take note of the concerns expressed by independent observers regarding the conduct of the referendum. We urge the Armenian authorities to fully investigate in a transparent manner credible fraud allegations.

Without a transparent investigation of the alleged frauds as well as remediation if these are confirmed, the referendum would be a missed opportunity to increase the confidence in, and the integrity of, electoral processes in Armenia.

Should the results of the referendum be officially confirmed, we underline that it is important to implement the new constitution, in particular the human rights chapter, the new checks and balances and minority rights for the opposition.

We reiterate the need to adopt a new Electoral Code, in line with OSCE ODIHR recommendations, in an inclusive manner and one year before the next round of ordinary parliamentary elections.

The EU will continue to assist Armenia on its internal political, social and economic reform processes, based on the future new legal framework for bilateral cooperation and within the larger perspective of the Eastern Partnership.”

Photo: Reuters

A meeting of Syrian opposition politicians and rebels in Riyadh has produced a statement of principles to guide peace talks with the government, the BBC reports

The statement calls for the creation of “a pluralistic regime that represents all sectors of the Syrian people”, according to the Reuters news agency.

It also stresses that President Bashar al-Assad and his aides can play no part in any transitional period.

Earlier, the powerful rebel group Ahrar al-Sham withdrew from the conference.

It complained that figures it regarded as too close to the government were being given too prominent a role.

World powers want negotiations between a unified opposition delegation and President Bashar al-Assad’s government on a political solution to the four-and-a-half-year conflict to start by 1 January.

On 10 December President Bako Sahakyan sent a congratulatory address on the NKR State Independence Referendum and Constitution Day.

The address runs as follows:

“Dear Artsakh people,

On behalf of the republic’s authorities and myself personally I would like to convey cordial congratulations on the NKR State Independence Referendum and Constitution Day.

Our people cherish this holiday as it symbolizes their strive towards building a free and independent, democratic and legal state marked with supremacy of law, where human rights and freedoms, legal interests and security of the citizens and the state are protected.

Following proclaiming its independence in 1991 Artsakh went through the imposed war, overcame numerous difficulties and challenges, registering glorious victories and achievements on its path.

Among the most important achievements of the state building process has been the adoption of the Constitution, our country’s basic law. The referendum held in 2006 once again witnessed the fact that the path chosen by our people was right and steady, with nobody and nothing being able to disrupt it. Our rival, who never misses the opportunity to turn to provocations, must also realize it.

Joining hands with our sisters and brothers from Armenia and the Diaspora we will do our best to further strengthen the Artsakh statehood, safeguard our people’s security and ensuring their well-being, increase the defense potential, develop economy and improve living standards of the citizens. Artsakh must become a developed and modern country and take its deserved place in the international community.

Dear fellow citizens,

I once again congratulate all of you on this memorable holiday and wish peace, robust health and all the best”.

The recent escalation at the frontline, during which the Azerbaijani side used a tank to shell the Armenian positions, is connected with the foreign external and internal developments, David Babayan, Spokesman for the NKR President, told Public Radio of Armenia.

He said the terrorist state is thus trying to destabilize the situation at the border, in order to be free to use force against its own people, as well.

Political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan considers that the recurrent ‘convulsion’ of the rival aims to help them avoid negotiations. “They are thus trying to escape discussions on the principles of conflict settlement,” he said.

According to Melik-Shahnazaryan, Azerbaijan is trying to change the political agenda by creating tension in order to either evade a meeting or discussing the issue of border at the meeting, if there is one.

Employees of the Public Radio of Armenia, Liana Yeghiazaryan and Maria Balayan are visiting Germany under the program of “Expansion of cooperation of civil society in the Eastern Partnership countries.”

The program is financed by the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin and the German Embassy in Yerevan.

Liana and Maria were hosted at today. In an hour-long interview they talked about today’s Armenia, the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Nagorno Karabakh and even the Syria crisis.