Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan received today Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov.
The parties praised the level of Armenian-Russian friendly relations and attached importance to the deepening and expansion of bilateral economic-commercial relations.
The interlocutors referred to the activity of the Armenian-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.
A number of issues related to the deepening and intensification of bilateral ties were discussed.
On June 25 the delegation headed by Armenian defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan participated in the meeting of Defense Ministers of the countries contributing to the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.
The Defense Ministers of NATO partner countries discussed the progress of NATO mission in Afghanistan, the political and security situation in the country. The participants decided to start the second stage of the mission on May 1, 2016. The NATO presence will be restricted to capital Kabul and its neighborhood.
Minister Nalbandian reiterated Armenia’s commitment to contribute a 131-member group until the end of the mission.
Within the framework of the visit Minister Ohanyan participated in ministerial consultations organized by Germany, where the strategy of the mission was discussed.
The same day Seyran Ohanyan met with Georgia’s newly elected Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli. The parties discussed the perspectives of defense cooperation and exchanged views on issues of international and regional security.
On 25 June Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan sent a condolence letter in connection with the death of Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church Nerses Petros XIX, Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President reports.
The letter runs as follows:
“I have learnt with deep sorrow about the death of Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church Nerses Petros XIX.
The deceased Patriarch had a substantial input in solving national issues, strengthening the Motherland-Diaspora ties, maintaining the Armenian national identity and developing inter-church dialogue.
On behalf of the Artsakh people, authorities and on my own behalf I express my condolences on this irretrievable loss. The memory of Patriarch Nerses Petros XIX Tarmouni will always remain bright in the hearts of our faithful people.”
“The 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide marked a new stage, a new beginning in the irreversible process of international recognition,” Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said at a joint press conference with his Czech counterpart Lubomír Zaorálek.
He emphasized the fact that resolutions are being submitted to parliaments with the participation and support of all political forces. Among the recent cases the Foreign Minister stressed the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Bolivia, Austria, Luxemburg and Brazil.
“We value the statements from leaders of different countries. In this context I would like to emphasize the recent statements by the German President and the Belgian Prime Minister. I would like to stress once again that the process of recognition of the Armenian Genocide is irreversible,” he said.
“We are concerned at credible reports of excessive use of force by police officers, including against journalists, in their handling of protests in Yerevan on 23 June, and call on the authorities to investigate the incidents thoroughly and promptly,” Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement.
“As protests continue to take place in the country, the Government must ensure that the policing of demonstrations strictly complies with international human rights norms and standards, including the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement,” she said.
“We welcome the statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, expressing the Government’s commitment “to democracy, fundamental freedoms and protection of human rights in Armenia”. We encourage the Government to ensure that this commitment is translated in the way it responds to these protests, and we encourage all parties to engage in a constructive dialogue and to refrain from violence,” the statement reads.
The fifth round of informal ministerial dialogues of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) member states will take place in Minsk on 29 June, BelTA reports, quoting Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Belarus.
“Belarus will preside at the fifth round of informal ministerial dialogues of the EaP member states in Minsk on 29 June. The round will include a meeting of the ministers of environment and a meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of the EaP member states,” the ministry said.
Partaking in the meeting of the EaP ministers of environment will be European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella and State Secretary of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia Guntis Pukitis.
Informal ministerial dialogues of the Eastern Partnership member states at the level of the ministers of foreign affairs and heads of other ministries have been held since 2012. The four previous rounds were held in Chisinau (June 2012), Tbilisi (February 2013, transport), Yerevan (September 2013, education) and Baku (September 2014, energy). The main objective of the informal ministerial dialogues is to provide a platform for a regular open exchange of opinions on the most important issues in the EaP activity and the issues of the international agenda. The adoption of final documents or statements is not envisaged.
French taxi drivers have blocked the roads to Paris airports and the main ring road around the city in a protest against Uber, prompting riot police to fire tear gas at some, the BBC reports.
The drivers set up blockades and burned tires as part of a nationwide strike.
Barriers also appeared around Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence in southeast France.
Uber, a US taxi app, has been expanding its UberPOP ride-sharing service in France despite government objections.
Images from Marseille and Paris showed cars overturned and tires burning in the street.
Aeroports de Paris, the operator of the French capital’s Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly airports, warned passengers to travel by train.
Head of the Kars branch of the “Ülkü ocaklar” (Hearths of Ideal) radical group of the Grey Wolves Tolga Adıgüzel has voiced threats towards Armenians of Kars after jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan performed a concert at the Ani Ruins, Ermenihaber.am reports, quoting Turkish Radikal daily.
Speaking at a press conference, Adıgüzel threatened Armenians, “who feel so free in Turkey.” He accused Armenians of the ‘events of 1915’ and Khojalu and added: “What should we do now? Should we start a hunt for Armenians in the streets of Kars?”
He also accused all Turkish journalists and officials, who ‘support Armenians launching activity in Turkey.”
He urged Armenians “not to test the patience of Turks.” He added that “Turks, for example, cannot arrive in Armenia and freely organize an event at a sacred site for Armenians.” He threatened to take necessary measures “if such things repeat.”
Within the framework of the Luys i Luso program Tigran Hamasyan performs pieces of Armenian music in 100 churches of Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Lebanon, France, Belgium, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Great Britain, Germany, Luxemburg, the United States and Russia.
The program is a new interpretation of Armenian religious music from the 5th to the 20th centuries, which will be released as a CD in September 2015.
The program includes works by Mesrop Mashtots, Grigor Nakeratsi, Grigor Pahlavuni, Nerses Shnorhali, Mkhitar Ayrivanetsi and Makar Yekmalyan.
The decision of the Public Services Regulatory Commission will not be overturned. The government started the sitting with a discussion on the situation around the electricity price hike.
Speaking about the reasons of the decision, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan pointed to three factors: scarcity of water resources, the long-term suspension of the activity of the nuclear power plant turbine, as well as fluctuations of the currency exchange rate.
The Prime Minister said the decision will not be changed, but pledged targeted support to some families in need.
“The authorities must help alleviate the burden of the rise in prices. Our calculations show that the expenses of every household will increase by 1,400 AMD monthly on the average,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the “Government plans to pay additional 24,000 AMD to 105 thousand families.”
The Prime Minister also called on the protesters to start constructive dialogue with the authorities and said the government is ready to discuss any suggestion.
Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic Lubomír Zaorálek visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial today to pay tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.
Accompanied by Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute Hayk Demoyan, the Czech Foreign Minister toured the museum and planted a fir tree in the Memory Alley.
“Pleased to plant a Czech tree at the Memorial to the victims of Armenian Genocide in Yerevan today,” Lubomír Zaorálek said in a Twitter post.
Pleased to plant a Czech tree at the Memorial to the victims of Armenian Genocide in Yerevan today.
— Lubomír Zaorálek (@ZaoralekL)