Category: News

President Bako Sahakyan participated in the opening session of the 6^th convocation of the National Assembly.

In his opening remarks the President congratulated the attendees on the beginning of the 6^th convocation National Assembly activities, pointing out that elections held through free competition, complying with democratic principles lay an important foundation for the effective work of the newly-formed parliament.

Bako Sahakyan conveyed words of gratitude to the 5^th convocation National Assembly deputies, adding that the previous had carried out quite comprehensive work in the legislative field, playing a very visible role in the internal and external political life of our republic.

Touching upon the 6^th convocation National Assembly the Head of the State underlined that professional parliament would require a high-level responsibility from each deputy. “Expectations from the newly-elected parliament first of all concern its law-making activity. We hope that a new impetus will be given to law elaboration process, taking into consideration the experience of developed countries and the peculiarities of our republic,” Bako Sahakyan stressed.

The President also actualized the activity of the National Assembly in the development of inter-parliamentary ties, considering it among the most effective measures of establishing bilateral relationships and international recognition of Artsakh.

“The efficiency of the National Assembly’s activities to a great extent is derivative from a civilized, working atmosphere based on mutual respect, which should be prevalent in the parliament”, – noted Bako Sahakyan in his speech. According to the President the formation of such an atmosphere is one of the components of political culture, and our state being in a unique geopolitical situation, must do everything possible for acquiring a high and exemplary political culture.

A post-screening discussion of the Armenian genocide has been cancelled after NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian, a senior figure in the Armenian-Australian community, withdrew, allegedly in response to the presence of Turkish “genocide deniers” on the panel, the reports.

The panel discussions had been planned to accompany screenings at the German Film Festival in Sydney and Melbourne of the film The Cut, from acclaimed German-Turkish director Fatih Akin.

The Cut opens in 1915, just before the events that led to the death of more than a million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. The film focuses on the story of an Armenian blacksmith searching for his two daughters, years after he was separated from them.

The atrocities depicted have come to be known as the Armenian genocide, but that is a term rejected by many Turks.

According to Dr Arpad Solter, director of both the film festival and the Goethe-Institut, “the minister was concerned about appearing on a platform with genocide deniers”.

A spokesman for the Treasurer refused to confirm that was the case. “It’s fine for the organisers to say that, but we’re not actually commenting on it at all,” the spokesman said.

Dr Solter said that once the minister pulled out, other Armenian representatives did too. “If there’s no dialogue possible, and that’s what we were aiming for, then the decision had to be made to cancel.”

He said the panel was “meant to offer Armenians and Turks in Australia a forum to share and discuss their most painful history and to open new, fresh avenues for exchange, open debate and mutual understanding”.

The need to cancel, Dr Solter said, indicated that the subject is, after 100 years, “still a minefield”.

“It’s too sensitive, and too painful, most of all. I believe at the end of the day, reason and research and enlightenment will prevail, but it will take time.”

The CEO of the Australian Turkish Advocacy Alliance, Ertunc Ozen, who was to be one of the Sydney panellists, said he was disappointed at the cancellation, and the missed opportunity for “open and respectful dialogue with people of a different point of view”.

He said no one was disputing the fact that “hundreds of thousands of civilians lost their lives and were uprooted and moved throughout this period. There’s never been any denial of that.” However, he added that he “absolutely” disputed the term “genocide”.

Author and historian Robert Manne, one of the Melbourne panellists, said he regretted the cancellation.

“Given that the Armenians have been trying for 100 years to have the astonishing crimes committed against them acknowledged, the fact that a panel discussion about a straightforward film on the genocide is cancelled, that’s a matter of great dismay.”

Armenia will take part in the leading book and author event for the North American publishing industry, Book Expo America (BEA), for the first time, reports.

BEA combines the largest selection of English language titles and is the largest gathering of booksellers, librarians, retailers, and book industry professionals in North America. This year BEA has more than 2,000 exhibits, 500 authors, and over 60 conference sessions.

BEA’s conference program will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27, with the show floor opening at 1 p.m. and closing at 5:30 p.m. In addition to Wednesday afternoon, the exhibit floor will be open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Thursday, May 28, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 29.

BEA 2015 welcomes China as the global market forum Guest of Honor. Global Market Forum is part of the BEA Content & Digital Conference and is open to all BEA. Its delegation will include more than 100 of the most important Chinese publishing houses and groups attendees. China will hold a series of panels at which participants will discuss the Chinese publishing market and explore ways publishers can work with Chinese companies.

The Armenian Pavilion in BEA will showcase the Armenian culture and heritage through books and writings, which form part of a long standing tradition and culture.

Books published recently in Armenia and abroad will be represented in the Armenian pavilion. Publishers and booksellers from Armenia will participate in the pavilion. A great importance will be given to the books on the Armenian Genocide published all over the world.

The opening of the Armenian Pavilion in BEA will be on the 27th of May at 3:00 p.m.

During the opening there will be presentations of books and readings by Matthew Karanian, Scout Tufankjian, Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, Dana Walroth, Nancy Kricorian, Marian Mesrobian MacCurdy and Sona Van.

Ambassador of Armenia to the U.S., Tigran Sargsyan, will attend the book exhibition as well.

The participation in BookExpo America is supported by the State Commission on Coordination of the events for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

European leaders should use a high-level gathering with “Eastern partners” to insist that theAzerbaijan government unconditionally release anyone held on politically motivated charges, said today. Azerbaijan has detained dozens of journalists, human rights defenders, and other critics of the government.

Top European Union officials and leaders of the 28 EU member states are meeting in Riga, Latvia, on May 21 and 22, 2015, with senior leaders from several neighboring countries, including Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov of Azerbaijan, at the EU’s Eastern Partnership Summit. The Riga summit is the last high-level meeting between the EU and Azerbaijan before Baku hosts the first European Games from June 12 to 28.

“This high-level meeting presents a key opportunity for the EU to make good on its pledges to human rights activists, and unanimously insist that Azerbaijan stop the crackdown and free jailed critics,” said Lotte Leicht, EU director at Human Rights Watch. “The EU should make clear that deeper engagement with Azerbaijan is out of the question until the government rectifies its abysmal rights record.”

The EU describes the summit as an opportunity to “discuss ways of strengthening bilateral, multilateral and sectorial cooperation.” The other Eastern Partnership countries are Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.

In a letter to EU foreign ministers and the EU leadership on April 30, Human Rights Watch urged a strong collective response to the Azerbaijani government’s crackdown and concrete implications for the country’s relations with the EU. The EU should halt its negotiations with Azerbaijan toward a “Strategic Partnership Agreement” until the government releases wrongfully detained activists and dramatically improves conditions for human rights defenders and independent activists and groups, Human Rights Watch said.
EU leaders should not attend the opening ceremonies of the European Games unless Azerbaijan ends its crackdown and frees people held on politically motivated grounds, Human Rights Watch said.

The EU has taken strong measures in recent years in response to the Belarusian government’s crackdown on activists, including politically motivated prosecutions of human rights defenders, journalists, and political opposition activists.

The EU has repeatedly pledged to place human rights at the core of its relations with third countries and to stand up for those who defend human rights. When adopting the EU’s Strategic Framework for Human Rights and Democracy in June 2012, EU foreign ministers pledged that the EU will continue “to throw its full weight behind advocates of liberty, democracy and human rights throughout the world.” In June 2014, they promised to “intensify” the EU’s “political and material support to human rights defenders and step up its efforts against all form of reprisals.”

In a strongly worded resolution adopted in September 2014, the European Parliament stressed that the EU’s closer ties with Azerbaijan should be conditioned on the release of imprisoned human rights defenders and called for an “end to repression and intimidation of NGOs.” The European Parliament president, Martin Schulz, should clearly convey this position during the Riga summit, Human Rights Watch said.

Other senior EU officials expected at the summit include European Council President Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn, and Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström.

“The EU has shown that it can muster the political will to protect human rights defenders under threat in the European neighborhood,” Leicht said. “Now EU leaders need to tell Azerbaijan that it has crossed the line of what’s permissible from a respectable partner and that there will be repercussions for bilateral and multilateral relationships unless human rights activists are released.”

On a working visit to Latvia, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan today had a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to Armenian-German interstate relations, and praised the fact that the bilateral agenda of cooperation that  has considerably expanded and enriched in the recent period, has been consolidated by about sixty agreements.

President Sargsyan expressed gratitude to the German Government for continuous support to Armenia.

The interlocutors referred to Armenia-EU relations and the perspectives of development. The Armenian President stressed the essential role of Germany in the deepening of those relations.

During the meeting reference was made to the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the commemoration events held in Germany and a number of other countries. President Sargsyan expressed gratitude to the German authorities for their position on the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide.

The interlocutors exchanged views on regional issues in the South Caucasus, including the process of peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev has signed a ratification on the country’s ascension into the Eurasian Economic Union, Sputnik News reports.

The parliament of Kyrgyzstan approved the ratification on Wednesday.

The Eurasian Economic Union includes the countries of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

UEFA President Michel Platini has arrived in Armenia for a one-day visit. The prominent footballer said he decided to stop in Armenia on his way to Bulgaria to meet his friend Ruben Hayrapetyan, President of the Football Federation of Armenia.

The UEFA chief attached importance to the work with national federations, which contribute to the development of football.

At the Football Academy Michel Platini watched the training of young footballers.

Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria have seized the ancient city of Palmyra and have entered the site containing prized ruins, reports say, the BBC reports.

The Syrian Observatory monitoring group says there are no reports yet of any destruction of artefacts.

It says IS also controls the nearby air base, prison and intelligence HQ. Syria has admitted it has pulled pro-government troops out of the city.

IS has previously demolished ancient sites in Iraq that pre-date Islam.

President Serzh Sargsyan, who has paid a working visit to the Republic of Latvia, today took part in the European People’s Party Eastern Partnership Leaders’ Summit in Riga where he delivered a statement.

 

Statement by the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan at the meeting of the European People’s Party Eastern Partnership Leaders

Distinguished President Daul,
Dear colleagues,

At the outset, I would like to thank President Daul for the invitation to partake in the meeting in this format and excellent organization of this meeting.

Mr. President,

Armenia’s European agenda remains a foreign policy priority of ours, and we are committed to deepen and further consolidate our cooperation with the EU. The Eastern Partnership is not going through an easy time right now, but we do not think that it exhausted itself or it is doomed. Basically, the situation ought to be realistically assessed in order to continue anew the journey we embarked upon jointly in Prague. Indeed, the three Partners enjoy one kind of a relationship with the EU, while the rest – other, which stem from the peculiarities of their respective situations. Hence, one needs to fathom what is the pivot that connects the Partners and European Union in new circumstances? What around the cooperation will be built?

It is important to preserve the characteristic and common features, which unite us in the Partnership. We strongly believe that such a commonality shall remain rooted in the adherence of the all Partner States to shared values, such as development of democracy, human rights, rule of law, and ensuring peace and stability in the region. Therefore, our future cooperation shall continue to be rooted in our adherence, in good faith, to build and develop democratic societies and institutes, fight against corruption, conduct of free and fair elections, independence of judiciary, and establishment of a market economy based on free competition.

We, meanwhile, welcome that Towards New European Neighborhood Policy concept paper presented by the European Commission addresses the requirement to take into account the real needs of the Partner States and to display tailor-made approaches, which indeed would contribute to discovering new avenues and perspectives for cooperation with the EU.

We are of the view that any given Partner’s membership to any structure does not limit its cooperation with other structures. It is for that reason that Armenia, while acceding to the Eurasian Economic Union, continues to be committed to deepening and expanding relations with the EU.

With its balanced policy Armenia have avoided setting a new hotbed of tension in the current complicated circumstances of the European geopolitics; moreover, it has managed to build its policy on the premises of compatibility, equilibrium and multi-vectored cooperation with different integration systems.

These very principles will serve as a basis for the envisaged legal document to govern relations between Armenia and EU, for conclusion of which we count on your support.

Dear colleagues,

It has been for a long time that worrying developments in a Partner country, Ukraine, caused a serious crisis. Comprehensive settlement of the state of affairs in Ukraine is of primary significance both for the future of the country and relaxation of the current international tension. I hope that the farsighted attitude correctly appraising the situation will win over here as well; solutions will be found to respect mutual concerns, and the only stable avenue will be paved for mutual understanding; and, throughout every stage of these processes joint endeavors leading to comprehensive settlement will prevail over dissemination of one-sided fault-finding public statements, a temptation that leads nowhere. Unfortunately, I detect such signals also in the EPP declaration of today, on the several paragraphs of which we have not been able to reach consensus. In my view, the basic reason of that was that the EPP partners have not been fully engaged in the drafting exercise.

While discussing issues pertaining to ensuring cooperation and security in the European area, I cannot but address the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which continues to be one of the most serious challenges both to our regional and European security. Azerbaijan has not ceased resorting to its usual practice of provocations, threats and anti-Armenian propaganda, thus protracting the conflict settlement process. The anti-Armenian campaign in Azerbaijan is coupled with egregious human rights violations, and it has been a while that the opponents to the regime are labeled as Armenian spying agents.

The irresponsible steps of Azerbaijan, which threaten the security of the region we share, shall not go unnoticed by our European partners. Those steps deserve adequate assessment. Hence, I urge not to drift with the current generated by Azerbaijan in various international platforms, and by that avoid sharing responsibility with the latter for increasing tension in our region.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Availing myself of this opportunity, I again express gratitude to the EPP Political Assembly for adopting Resolution dedicated to the Armenian Genocide Centennial on March 3, 2015 titled “The Armenian Genocide and European Values.” I highly value contribution of the EPP and President Daul in person to the adoption of the April 15 Resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide by the European Parliament, which testifies unambiguous position and commitment to the universal values of the European family of nations. Je vous remercie, Monsieur Daul, for accepting my invitation to Yerevan, for joining us to deliver globally message “Never again.”

Dear colleagues,

Throughout the recent months our European agenda had been intensive with a number of events. Among those I shall pick out the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Eastern Partnership EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly held in March in Yerevan, as well as the Ministerial Summit of the European Higher Education Area also known as Bologna process that took place last week.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that the Republican Party of Armenia highly values its close cooperation with the EPP, and we clearly see that it bear fruit. In this context, I highly value the RPA’s youth organization’s accession to the EPP youth organization.

I thank you.

 

 

 

The European Court of Human Rights will announce the final verdict on Perincek vs. Switzerland case in 5-6 months, Armenian Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan said at the National Assembly today.

“The European Court of Human Rights is not the body that will assert whether there has been an Armenian Genocide or not,” he added.

The Prosecutor General attached importance to the historic Mass in the Vatican. He said the Pope’s statements on the Armenian Genocide come to prove once again the Armenian Genocide is properly acknowledged and perceived internationally. He added that from the point of view of international law this was more important than the fact that one more country recognized the Armenian Genocide.