Category: News

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, today informed the Committee of Ministers of his decision to withdraw the Council’s participation in the .

Since October 2014, a Council of Europe representative had been attending meetings in Baku intended to revive the dialogue between civil society and Azerbaijani authorities. Despite this initiative, the overall situation of human rights defenders in the country has deteriorated dramatically. An increasing number of human right defenders has recently been imprisoned, and the Council of Europe has received worrying reports about unacceptable detention conditions.

Prior to his intervention at the Committee of Ministers, the Secretary General had informed Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev of his decision.

The 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded for discoveries in DNA repair, the BBC reports.

Tomas Lindahl and Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar were named as the winners on Wednesday morning at a news conference in Stockholm, Sweden.

Their work uncovered the mechanisms used by cells to repair damaged DNA – a fundamental process in living cells.

The prize money of eight million Swedish kronor ($970,000) will be shared among the winners.

President Serzh Sargsyan attended today the opening of the RA Investigative Committee’s new building in Yerevan’s Arabkir Administrative District.

Armenia’s president toured the building, visited offices of different committee subdivisions, talked to some of the employees, familiarized himself with the working conditions provided for the Investigative Committee, including modern IT-based programs, e.g. digitalization of criminal cases, the electronic system of preliminary investigation, aimed at raising investigative officers’ work effectiveness.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan received today the newly appointed Head of EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Świtalski.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Armenia-EU relations are based on common values and reiterated Armenia’s commitment to continue to develop the cooperation with the European Union.

Hovik Abrahamyan praised the joint work with the EU Delegation in Armenia and noted that there is a great potential for deepening comprehensive bilateral cooperation and reach greater achievements.

The newly appointed Head of EU Delegation to Armenia pledged to do his best for the deepening of Armenia-EU ties and bringing them to a higher level. He agreed that a common value system lies in the basis of Armenia-EU cooperation and noted that the EU is interested in the further deepening of relations with Armenia.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the perspectives of expansion of bilateral cooperation and the future plans. They appreciated the visit of the President of the European Council Donald Tusk to Armenia this summer and attached importance to high-level contacts, which provide an opportunity to set new directions of cooperation.

The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the continuous financial assistance and consulting, stressing that the Armenian government actively cooperates with different EU agencies and is consistent in meeting all its commitments.

U.S. authorities charged a former president of the United Nations General Assembly, a billionaire Macau real estate developer and four others on Tuesday for engaging in a wide-ranging corruption scheme, Reuters reports.

John Ashe, a former U.N. ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda who was general assembly president from 2013 to 2014, was accused in a complaint filed in federal court in New York of taking more than $1.3 million in bribes from Chinese businessmen, including developer Ng Lap Seng.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who announced the arrests of Ashe and the other defendants, said the investigation could result in more charges as authorities examine whether “corruption is business as usual at the United Nations.”

“If proven, today’s charges will confirm that the cancer of corruption that plagues too many local and state governments infects the United Nations as well,” Bharara said.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is “shocked and deeply troubled” by the allegations, said his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric. The U.N. had not previously been informed of the probe, Dujarric said, but would cooperate if contacted.

On October 6, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with Anne Witkowsky, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense.

Welcoming the guest, Minister Nalbandian expressed satisfaction with the development of the Armenian-US partnership in different fields, including defense and security. The Foreign Minister of Armenia praised the continuous support of the United States to the development of Armenia’s peacekeeping capacities.

Expressing gratitude for the reception, Anne Witkowsky mentioned that the United States highly appreciates the partnership with Armenia, the cooperation in the field of defense, and Armenia’s significant contribution in peacekeeping operations. The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense expressed gratitude that upon the invitation of the US President Barack Obama, Serzh Sargsyan, the President of Armenia, participated in the Leaders’ Summit on Peacekeeping held in New York.

Anne Witkowsky attached importance to the organization of the “Challenges Annual Forum 2015”, which became a good platform for the discussion of various issues. The interlocutors exchanged views on the Armenia-NATO cooperation.

The Foreign Minister of Armenia introduced the efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs aimed at the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The Calfornia Courier

The Armenian Genocide Centennial State Committee unanimously adopted a resolution on September 26 in Yerevan to form a Pan-Armenian Council. Also present were representatives of Armenian Genocide Centennial Committees (AGCC) from 40 countries, with the exception of the AGCC’s of the Eastern and Western United States.

An Organizing Committee was formed composed of 12 individuals: Gagik Harutyunyan, President of the Constitutional Court of Armenia; Vigen Sargsyan, Armenian President’s Chief of Staff; Hranoush Hakobyan, Armenia’s Diaspora Minister; and representatives of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, Holy See of the Great House of Cilicia, Armenian Catholic Church; Armenian Evangelical Church, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Armenian Democratic League, Social Democratic Hunchakian Party, Union of Russian Armenians, and Armenian General Benevolent Union.

Possibly due to oversight, the Organizing Committee did not include a representative of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabagh). However, the adopted resolution clearly stated that the Pan-Armenian Council would include representatives of the Republic of Armenia, Republic of Artsakh, major Diasporan organizations, key Armenian state agencies, religious institutions, civil society, and political parties.

The resolution directed that:

— The Pan-Armenian Council be of advisory nature, have geographic and thematic committees, and meet annually in Yerevan;

— The Council include on its permanent agenda the following items: a) review of a comprehensive annual report on conditions of Armenians around the world, b) discussion on the recognition, condemnation and elimination of the consequences of the Armenian Genocide, and c) coordination of pan-Armenian activities;

— The Council hold its inaugural session in Yerevan on September 20, 2016;

— The Organizing Committee prepare and send to members of the State Committee and regional AGCC’s by April 15, 2016, a preliminary outline of the structure and composition of the Pan-Armenian Council; hold consultations on the direction, format and activities of the Council; plan the inaugural session of the Council; and by July 15, 2016 inform State Committee members of its date and place;

— The Diaspora Minister prepare the first report of “Conditions of Armenians Around the World,” in consultation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Culture, Education and Science, state agencies, and Diasporan organizations, including the State Committee and regional AGCC’s; present by May 1, 2016, a preliminary report to the State Committee and regional AGCC’s seeking their proposals; hold consultations with regional AGCC’s to prepare proposals regarding their relationship with the Pan-Armenian Council; and finalize the report by the Sept. 20th session of the Council.

During the discussion, Hrant Markarian, Chairman of the Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, suggested that, in addition to the Pan-Armenian Council, regional councils be formed in various parts of the Diaspora to help organize in 2016, the 25th anniversary of the independence of the Armenian Republic, and in 2018, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the first Republic of Armenia.

I took the floor next asking why the Pan-Armenian Council did not include representatives of the public-at-large, to ensure that the majority of Armenians, who are not members of any Armenian organization, are represented in the Council. The President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, responded that his staff had explored such a possibility, but had given up due to the difficulty of selecting representatives from the Armenian Diaspora. I mentioned that there are mechanisms for selecting representatives from the various Armenian communities. The President welcomed the suggestion and referred it to the Organizing Committee. President of the Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan and former Prime Minister Vazken Manoukian also commented on the possible inclusion of representatives from the general public in the Pan-Armenian Council.

As I have explained in previous columns, the Pan-Armenian Council would eliminate the need to form separate committees on the occasion of each Armenian crisis or issue. In my view, it would be preferable that Diasporan members of the Council be selected through democratic elections held in various Armenian communities around the world — a very difficult, yet rewarding task, if implemented successfully!

Finally, there was no discussion at the September 26 meeting on the role of the Diaspora Ministry after the Pan-Armenian Council is formed. This would be an important issue for the Organizing Committee to consider in its upcoming deliberations.

Representatives of Armenian communities across Europe and the Middle East sent a letter to the UN asking for a resolution to ban the term ‘Islamic’ State, or ISIS, since the terror organization does not represent Islam, Sputnik News reports.

Members of the Armenian diaspora have sent a letter to the UN requesting a resolution to ban the use of the term ‘Islamic’ to describe the terror organization that has taken control of large parts of Iraq and Syria, because the militants do not represent Islam.

“We are very upset at the fact that important politicians, international organizations and the media call a dangerous terrorist organization the ‘Islamic State,’” Amram Petrosyan, the group’s president, .

“In our view, this is unjust and even provocative. We know that Muslims, Christians and people of other confessions always lived peacefully in the Middle East. If there were conflicts between communities, they were the fault of politicians and national leaders.”

“Fighters engaging in a bloody war need to be called terrorists, never Muslims. The very name of this terrorist organization in official documents as the ‘Islamic State,’ creates the basis for xenophobia and religious intolerance.”

The letter requesting a ban on the term ‘Islamic’ was sent by representatives of the international ‘New Armenia’ organization in Syria, Lebanon, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Montenegro and Serbia on October 7.

It has particular importance for Armenian resistance fighters who are battling the Islamic State in Syria, a commander of the Armenian militia in the Syrian city of Homs told Izvestiya.

“The Armenian militia as part of the Syrian National Defense Force, together with our Muslim brothers with whom Armenians have lived for more than ten centuries, through the good times and the bad, and regardless of religious affiliations, today are fighting the terrorists side by side,” said Viken Glchyan.

“Shedding blood together with Muslims against terrorists, we are upset when civilized countries call them the ‘Islamic State.’”

The letter from the Armenian diaspora follows a similar call from Russia’s Central Muslim Spiritual Board, which condemned the terrorist organization’s use of the term ‘Islamic,’ and suggested it instead be called ‘Daesh,’ the Arabic abbreviation for ISIS. On September 30 the Board announced its “resolute support” for Russia’s military intervention to help the Syrian government fight the terror group.

Ambassador James Warlick, the lead U.S. negotiator in the Nagorno Karabakh peace process, has voiced the Obama Administration’s support for common-sense measures, advanced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY) and a growing number of their Congressional colleagues, to stop increased cease-fire violations along the Karabakh line of contact.

In a statement issued to H1 Television’s Haykaram Nahapetyan, Ambassador Warlick explained, “We fully support the initiatives proposed by Congressman Royce and Congressman Engel. Confidence building measures and people-to-people programs reduce tensions and lay the basis for a lasting peace. We have raised each of these initiatives with the parties and will continue to pursue all steps that can lead to a negotiated settlement,” concluded Warlick.

“We are pleased to see the Obama Administration joining with key Congressional leaders from both parties in supporting common-sense peacekeeping proposals for Nagorno Karabakh,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “These U.S.-backed life-saving initiatives have long been endorsed by both Artsakh and Armenia, but – at the cost of lives on both sides – rejected by the increasingly aggressive and isolated Azerbaijani regime of Ilham Aliyev.”

Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel are currently collecting Congressional signatures on a letter addressed to Ambassador Warlick – the U.S. representative to the OSCE’s Minsk Group tasked with reaching a resolution of Nagorno Karabakh-related security and status issues – specifically calling for the U.S. and OSCE to abandon their failed policy of false parity in responding to acts of aggression, noting that: “The longstanding U.S. and OSCE practice of responding to each new attack with generic calls upon all parties to refrain from violence has failed to de-escalate the situation. Instead, this policy of artificial evenhandedness has dangerously increased tensions. There will be no peace absent responsibility.”

The letter outlines three concrete pro-peace steps that would, “in the short-term, save lives and help to avert war. Over the longer term,” the letter notes, “these steps could contribute to a comprehensive and enduring peace for all the citizens of the region:”

— An agreement from all sides not to deploy snipers along the line of contact.

— The placement of OSCE-monitored, advanced gunfire-locator systems and sound-ranging equipment to determine the source of attacks along the line of contact.

— The deployment of additional OSCE observers along the line of contact to better monitor cease-fire violations.

Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh have both expressed support for these life-saving initiatives; Azerbaijan has not.

ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, Executive Director Aram Hamparian, Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian and the ANCA Eastern Region’s Armen Sahakyan met with Ambassador Warlick last week, in the immediate aftermath of the latest fatal Azerbaijani attacks against Armenia and Artsakh, expressing concern about the OSCE negotiators’ reluctance to clearly and unequivocally condemn Azerbaijan’s fatal ceasefire violations.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has released video footage showing its nighttime cruise missile strikes from the Caspian Sea against Islamic State targets in Syria, Sputnik News reports.