Category: News

Today, in Paris President Serzh Sargsyan participated at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Conference, which is presided over by France, is attended by the Heads of state and government from 150 countries and by thousands of delegates. At the beginning of the meeting, delegations present at this Conference with the unprecedented high level of participation paid a one minute silence tribute to the memory of the victims of the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris. According to the organizers, the presence of numerous world leaders at the Paris Conference in the wake of these tragic events proves that when it comes to confronting challenges presented to the entire humankind, civilization and solidarity are stronger than barbarity.

In their opening remarks the President of France Francois Hollande, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Laurent Fabius, who is presiding over the meeting, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Prince Charles of Great Britain and speakers after them underscored the importance of the 21st Conference for the future of planet Earth and humanity and noted that today people from all over the world are looking at Paris, expecting that as a result of the deliberations on the gravest challenge faced by the human kind – disastrous change of climate, with no delay there will be adopted a groundbreaking decision. The speakers concurred that the Final Agreement of the Conference to be adopted on December 11, should not be just about good intentions: in their statements the world leaders should come up with clear-cut and strong political messages to ensure that safe future of the humanity has no alternative.

In the statement made at the Conference, the President of Armenia first expressed gratitude to the President of France Francois Hollande for the excellent organization of the Conference on Climate Change and hospitality despite the terrorist attacks which shocked France and entire civilized world.

Considering climate change a global challenge, Serzh Sargsyan underscored that it threatens equally all states, regardless of their size or level of development. Even though Armenia’s share in global emissions is not large and does not exceed two hundredth of a percent, according to the President Sargsyan Armenia attaches great importance to the need of combining efforts of all countries to address this issue and as a developing nation has committed herself to contribute to this global endeavor.

“The Armenian national position was reflected in the “Plan of Actions defined at the National Level” adopted by our Government. It is built upon the following principles:

First, global emissions of the greenhouse gases shall be limited at the threshold, which would keep the temperature increase below the two degrees Celsius.

Second, we shall adopt an approach that is “general but differentiated,” and take into account the varying degree of the current and historical responsibility of the numerous countries.

Third, the responsibility and burden-sharing for limiting the emissions of greenhouse gases shall be distributed by taking into account the rights of the contemporary and future generations to utilize the climate resources.
And, finally, four, not to do anything that would make the developing countries to slide back.

Armenia stands ready to undertake a commitment of a quantitative limitation to the increase of the emissions of greenhouse gases,” said the President of Armenia. In conclusion, Serzh Sargsyan underlined that the challenge of climate change, as well as other contemporary global threats that are of concern to us, recognize neither national borders, nor international law, nor any civilizational norms. According to the President, a challenge that a country may face in the modern interdependent and globalizing world is, in a collective sense, a challenge to all of us. Therefore, the solutions shall be comprehensive, agreed upon, and coordinated. The President of Armenia said that it is important for us to evaluate anew foundations of the global cohabitation, and refine the toolbox at our disposal. According to President Sargsyan, joint response to the challenges of climate change, should it be successful, may become a precedent for a new kind of endeavor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not planning to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Paris on the sidelines of the UN climate conference, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, TASS reports.

“The meeting with Erdogan (in Paris) is not planned, this meeting is not being discussed. There will be no such meeting,” Peskov told reporters.

Peskov stressed that no other contacts with the Turkish leader, including a phone conversation, are included in Putin’s schedule.

The Turkish president has tried to call Putin twice and later sent an official request for the meeting with the Russian leader at the Paris conference on Monday.

Photo:  Sputnik

The South Ossetian Parliament will consider the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Speaker Anatoly Bibilov told .

“We regret that South Ossetia has not recognized the Armenian Genocide until now. The issue is on the parliament agenda now, and will be put on a discussion. It’s necessary to give a proper assessment to the crime committed in the Ottoman Empire and condemn the policy of denial of genocide,” he said.

The Speaker noted that “while world powers are guided by opportunistic interests on the matter, we do not question the historic truth.” “That’s why, guided by the principle of historical justice and preservation of historical memory, it’s necessary to acknowledge the fact of atrocities in the Ottoman Empire and the mass killing of Armenians,” Bibilov said.

According to the Speaker, although the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide is not new in South Ossetia, it has acquired a new meaning after the recent developments.

“Taking into consideration the latest downing of the Russian jet and assessing it as an act of aggression against our main strategic partner, the only adequate response to Turkey will be the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, along with a set of other steps. This step goes in line with the strategic path of development we have chosen,” the Speaker stressed.

He added that South Ossetia is not afraid of damaging ties with Turkey, as there are no relations as such. The same is true about Azerbaijan.

The aggravation of Russian-Turkish relations will not go too deep, expert of oriental studies Suren Manukyan, Deputy Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, told reporters today.

He advises not to rejoice over the possible Russian-Turkish war, as it will be dangerous for Armenia.

The expert believes that the recent developments have already earned dividends for Armenia and advises to judge soberly and not to expect more.

Manukyan welcoms Armenia’s correct stance of voicing no opinion about the tension in Russian-Turkish relations.

The expert says “what’s more dangerous is Neo-Ottomanism, which Ankara has made a primary direction in the recent period.

As for the bill envisaging accountability for the Armenian Genocide denial submitted to the Russian State Duma, the expert says “it’s conditioned by the political situation.”

“The Armenian Genocide is a political issue, and every country that has acknowledged the fact has done that out of its political interests at the time,” Suren Manukyan  said.

Jurgen Klopp holds no doubts that Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is one of the biggest talents in the world, the Daily Mail reports.

The Liverpool manager, who arrived at Anfield early on Thursday with his squad ahead of the Europa League clash with Bordeaux, plucked the Armenian from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013 and remains a confirmed admirer.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old, given his links with Klopp, and Juventus have monitored his situation.

Mkhitaryan came in for severe criticism last season – Dortmund struggled for much of it and were in danger of suffering relegation – but, talking in a new ebook Reading The Game centred on the 2014-15 campaign, Klopp leapt to his defence.

Mkhitaryan’s agent claimed he wanted to leave the club in February and – while new boss Thomas Tuchel wants to extend his contract beyond 2017 – there remains questions as to whether he will remain in Germany.

When it comes down to it, 99 per cent of people would be happy to have Mkhitaryan’s problems,’ he said. ‘There is no doubt in my mind that he is one of the most talented players in the world.’

‘He possesses an incredible combination of speed and technique. There’s very, very few you can say that about.’

‘There’s a reason why the world’s best chess players come from Armenia like Mkhitaryan. Yes, other countries product chess players, but Armenia produces far more than could reasonably expect,’ Klopp said.

Jurgen Klopp’s new ebook ‘Reading The Game: A Year in Black and Yellow’ is now on sale and can be bought from Amazon.

A male suicide bomber hit a procession of Shi’ite Muslims in Nigeria’s Kano state as they walked to the city of Zaria to pay homage to their founder in the country, security sources and a Shi’ite leader said, Reuters reports.

Muhammad Turi said that 21 people had been killed and more wounded. Police said there were casualties but they could not confirm a figure.

The blast went off at around 2 p.m. local time (1300 GMT) near the village of Dakozoye outside the town of Garum Mallam, south of Nigeria’s second city Kano.

“It was in a bush area, on a farmland along the highway, our concern is to make everywhere safe. The bomb was made of high calibre explosive,” police commissioner Muhammad Musa Katsina said.

The commissioner said he did not know who was behind the bombing.

Suspicion is likely to fall on Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which frequently uses suicide bombers to hit soft targets like places of worship, markets and bus stations. Since losing most of the territory it controlled this year, it has returned to guerilla tactics and pledged allegiance to Islamic State based in Syria and Iraq.

Last week, two female suicide bombers hit a mobile phone market in Kano, killing at least 14 people and wounding more than 100 others.

The armed group neutralized as a result of measures taken by divisions of the National Security Service (NSS) had special financing, goals and objectives, NSS Deputy Chief Mikael Hambartsumyan told reporters today.

He said the level of armament, the number of members and the cruelty of the group were unprecedented for the Republic of Armenia.

Hambartsumyan added that the group received funding amounting to thousands of dollars, probe is underway to reveal the source of financing.

“The group had special goals and a well-developed plan. The planned crimes were targeted against  civilians, different branches of power and state bodies,” Mikael Hambartsumyan said.

Head of the Defense Policy Department of the Armenian Ministry of Defense Levon Ayvazyan visited Lebanon November 25-28. He had meetings with Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Lebanon Calid Salmen, Deputy Chief of Staff, Brigade General Manuel Kirejyan, other officials.

Issues related to the development and deepening of cooperation between Armenia and Lebanon were discussed. Reference was made to the situation in the region and other issues of reciprocal interest.

The military cooperation plan between the Armed Forces of the two countries was signed within the framework of the visit.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov made has said in Tbilisi that Sergey Lavrov presented a proposal on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement during his recent visit to Armenia. According to Mammadyarov, this implies that “one should focus on the withdrawal of the Armenian military forces, return of internally displaced persons and establishment of contacts between the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno Karabakh.”

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian responded to the claims at the Eastern Partnership Informal Ministerial Dialogue in Tbilisi, Spokesman for Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tigran Balayan said in comments to Radio Liberty. Minister Nalbandian said, in part:

“All of us, gathered here, can only express bewilderment, as we did at the Riga Summit, when Azerbaijan rejected the wording proposed by everyone, including the EU member-states and EaP states in the Summit’s Final Declaration on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, which was based on the well-known statements by the Heads of Co-Chair states. It is known that they reflect the principles and elements of the settlement as an integrated whole. The joint approach of the Co-Chair states – Russia, United States and France, is well-known, that selective approach to those principles and elements will make the settlement of the conflict impossible.

Azerbaijan’s approaches should not be presented as a position of the Co-Chairs, especially given the fact that those principles and elements are published in the five well-known statements.
Regarding to what Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister presents and how he attempts to ascribe it to Sergey Lavrov, such an approach has not been proposed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia to the Armenian side, and I do not think that he would have proposed such an approach to the Azerbaijani side.
One should not turn the reality upside-down.”