Category: News

Photo: AP

 

German police are hunting for the perpetrator of the truck attack at a Berlin market which killed 12, the BBC reprts.

Police released the only detained suspect on Tuesday, saying there was not enough evidence to hold him.

They now say more than one attacker may be on the run, possibly armed, and security has been stepped up in the German capital.

So-called Islamic State (IS) said one of its militants carried out the attack, but offered no evidence.

The former suspect, a Pakistani national named Naved B, had denied any connection with the attack. He was released by authorities who said there was no evidence he was involved.

Police said there were no forensic clues to link him to the vehicle, and had expressed doubt about his involvement soon after his arrest.

At the conclusion of the Armenian-Iranian negotiations, which took place at the Presidential Palace, the parties signed documents aimed at the deepening of the cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran in a number of areas.

In particular, signed were the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Sport and Youth of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Field of Sport, Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Cooperation in the Field of Emergency Situations, Memorandum of Understanding between the History Museum of Armenia and the National Museum of Iran on Museum Cooperation, and Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism between the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments of the Republic of Armenia and Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Joint Use of Meghri and Nurdooz Land Border Gate. The Parties also adopted a Joint Statement

The Presidents of Armenia and Iran summed up the results of the negotiations in the statements they made for the representatives of the mass media.

Statement of President Serzh Sargsyan for the mass media in the wake of the meeting with the President of Iran Hassan Rouhani

Distinguished Mr. President,

Esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honor to host in Armenia the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and my good colleague, Doctor Hassan Rouhani.

It would be impossible to explicate the entire depth and scope of the Armenian-Iranian relations describing them as solely friendly. There are only few nations who were destined for millennia to walk down the crossroads of history side by side and today too continue to work closely together, holding in high esteem each other’s cultures.

Armenia, and I am confident Iran too, is interested to further strengthen and develop friendly relations anchored in the traditionally rich ties. It is testified to by the high level of our relations with Iran after Armenia’s independence, joint programs, dynamic reciprocal visits and, of course, the present visit of my esteem colleague, His Excellency Mr. Hassan Rouhani to our country. There is no doubt that the documents to be signed today and agreements which we have reached will give a new impetus and elevate the Armenian-Iranian cooperation to a qualitatively new level.

Today, we have held comprehensive and substantial discussions on different issues of the bilateral agenda; we have reiterated our commitment to the joint implementation of the development programs, stressed the importance of holding regular political consultations, discussed issues related to the development of cooperation in the areas of trade and economy, energy, transport, agriculture, education, healthcare, culture, ecology and tourism, and enhancement of contacts between the business circles. With the Honorable Mr. President, we have also referred to the process of implementation of the agreements reached at the 14th session of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation.

I express deep gratitude to my colleague for the distinctly respectful and thoughtful attention of Iran towards the Armenian cultural heritage, as well as traditionally caring attitude towards the Armenian community of Iran.

As a result of the agreement reached by the Republic of Armenia and Islamic Republic of Iran the swaps of natural gas and electrical energy between us continue. Taking into consideration the necessity to provide for the necessary volumes, which stems from the mentioned above swaps and quadripartite agreements reached in Yerevan, we have also spoken about the use of the Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Russia energy corridor.

We have also exchanged views on the program related to the establishment of a Persian Gulf-Black Sea transport and transit corridor, which will facilitate the transportation of international cargo, will provide the opportunity for the Iranian goods to enter the European market at the minimal transportation cost, as well as will allow to use it as a transit route for cargos from other countries. This will be not only the shortest and the safest passage via Armenia for the Iranian vehicles but will also become a very serious impulse for the growth of the turnover between our countries.

We have also exchanged views on the regional integration processes and stressed the importance of the opportunities for cooperation which are provided by Armenia’s membership to the Eurasia Economic Area.

The works on the improvement of the business climate and investment regulations for the businesses of the two countries are in progress. With this regard, I would like to stress in particular the importance of the visa free regime for the citizens of our countries. I am confident that mutual recognition of our two nations will also promote the deepening of the trade and economic ties.

With this regard, I am very glad that today concurrently with the visit there will take place a large business forum in Yerevan.

At the meeting, we have certainly discussed pressing regional and international issues. We have exchanged views on the implementation of the historic agreements on Iran’s nuclear program. I am confident that they will open new horizons for the hardworking and creative people of Iran and will become a new stimulus for the invigoration of our bilateral as well as a wider regional cooperation.

We have discussed the situation in the Middle East, fight against terrorism and international efforts aimed at the resolution of the situation. With this regard, the resolution adopted two days ago by the UN Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Aleppo is important. There is no doubt that Armenia is first of all concerned with the safety of the Armenian community in Syria, particularly in Aleppo.

As always, this time too I have presented to my distinguished colleague the efforts of Armenia and the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group aimed at moving forward the process for finding a peaceful resolution for the Nagorno Karabakh problem, agreements reached at the summits in Vienna and Saint Petersburg and aimed at the elimination of the consequences of Azerbaijan’s aggression against Artsakh in April.

We highly value Iran’s balanced position on the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh issue through the exclusively peaceful means, based on international law. We have reiterated that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict has no military solution and stressed the inadmissibility of any step meant to escalate the situation in the region and surge of instability.

We agreed with my colleague to continue with this good tradition of having high level meetings.

I thanked the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the invitation to visit Iran next year and said that I would certainly come with pleasure because our relations are simply compelling. Thank you very much.

PHOTO: MEXICAN RED CROSS / TWITTER

 

An explosion at a fireworks market outside Mexico City has killed at least 29 people, officials say, the BBC  reports.

Dozens of other people were injured as the blast hit the San Pablito fireworks market, about 20 miles (32km) outside the city.

Video from the scene showed a large number of fireworks rocketing into the air as they caught fire.

Dozens of paramedics and police attended the scene. The cause of the explosions is not yet known.

Locals have been told to avoid the area and keep roads clear.

Officials said a number of children were among those who were badly burned, on up to 90% of their bodies.

Fireworks continued to explode after the initial blast, as smoke billowed from the area in thick black clouds.

The possible escalation of the Karabakh conflict will not benefit either Armenia or other countries of the region, Armenian’s Defense minister Vigen Sargsyan said in an interview with Lenta.ru. He did not rule out the possibility of resumption of armed conflict with Azerbaijan.

“A trilateral agreement on ceasefire was signed between Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia in 1994. Unfortunately, Baku has been torpedoing the peace process for over 20 years now. Moreover, it has been foiling all attempts of the international community in the face of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to seek ways of conflict settlement. The large-scale military adventure against Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan undertook this April was a complete failure. We base our work on the presumption of the possibility of resumption of hostilities,” the Armenian Defense Minister said.

He added that “it’s pretty obvious that the possible escalation of the conflict will not benefit either Armenia or other countries of the region.”

“As the guarantor of security of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Yerevan will have to engage in the conflict. It’s clear that the resumption of war will become a serious threat for the whole South Caucasus,” Vigen Sargsyan said.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan wants to establish his place in Manchester United history after winning another honour from the Armenian Football Federation.

Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan received an early Christmas present on Wednesday morning when he was announced as the for the seventh time.

“I feel honoured to have won my seventh Armenian Player of the Year award,” Mkhitaryan said, according to Manchester United’s official webpage.

“Thank you to the Armenian FA, my clubs, my fans and media representatives for believing in me.

“I have devoted my whole life to football and achieved significant milestones, yet I feel I can still create more history for my club Manchester United and Armenia, a country which I love dearly and is always on my mind.”

Mkhitaryan has scored two goals in 12 appearances since transferring to United in the summer and hopes to return from injury in the Boxing Day match with Sunderland at Old Trafford, having picked up an ankle problem during the second half of a Man of the Match display against Tottenham Hotspur.

Armenian Weekly—The situation in the Armenian neighborhoods of Aleppo has remained relatively calm, according to the Consul General of Armenia in Aleppo, Tigran Gevorgyan.

“The recent events have provided hope for the Armenian community of Aleppo, that the end of the war has arrived. This marks the beginning of the reconstruction process of [the Armenian] neighborhoods,” Gevorgyan told the Armenian Weekly’s Ani Avetyan.

According Gevorgyan, Armenian schools and community organizations have continued to operate normally despite ongoing violence.

While Gevorgyan noted that it is still too early to discuss the return of Aleppo-Armenians, he said that many will want to return once peace and stability are established.

“I believe that once there is stability and peace in the region, many will want to return,” Gevorgyan said.

The Armenian Consul in Aleppo is one of the only foreign representatives that remain in the war-torn city. Consul General Gevorgyan has been in Syria since the start of the Syrian Civil War—initially he was stationed in Damascus and later in Aleppo, where he has been for the last three years.

Armenia’s former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan has issued a statement, saying he plans to actively participate in the 2017 parliamentary elections.

“Attaching importance to the upcoming processes, I have started a series of consultations with political forces, social structures, intellectuals. My objective is to form a group of supporters to actively participate in the 2017 parliamentary elections, to find the most effective format of political participation,” Seyran Ohanyan said.

He said “they will present a realistic program with a view of forming a political and economic system of new quality with  ‘new quality’ governance.”

The ex-Defense minister pledges to stand by the people, his brothers in arms, intellectuals, students, residents of frontline settlements.

Seyran Ohanyan says he will provide further details and provisions of his political program in the near future.

Yerevan will host an Armenia-Iran business forum on December 21, Press Service of the Armenian Ministry of Economic Development and Investments informs.

The forum will be organized by the Development Foundation of Armenia within the framework of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s official visit to Armenia with a view of boosting the expansion of bilateral business ties.

Opening remarks will be offered by Armenia’s Minister of Economic Development and Investments Suren Karayan, Chairmen of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Armenia and Iran and others.

B2B meetings will be organized within the framework of the forum to help establish ties between entrepreneurs from the two countries.

Asbarez – The City Council on a 4-1 vote on December 14 appointed Planning Commissioner Ashod Mooradian as city treasurer, rejecting requests to hold a special election or go through an application process, the Whittier Daily News reports.

Mooradian ran for the office a year ago, placing second behind Charles Pell, who resigned in November, citing an increasing workload on his full-time job as an assistant U.S. attorney.

“We have a candidate who has incredible civic experience who’s served on the Planning commission for five years and prior to that he was a member of the Traffic and Safety Commission,” Councilman Jack Hadjinian said.

Councilman Bill Molinari suggested the city put out a request for resumes, as nearby city councils and school boards have done when faced with a vacancy.

“I’ve known Mr. Mooradian for many years,” Molinari said. “We go back almost 30 years. Certainly, he’s well qualified. This would allow for other folks to apply.”

And there was a third candidate in the treasurer’s 2015 race – Rosemarie Vasquez, he said.

Other council members said there was no reason to delay, saying that Mooradian had placed second in the last city treasurer’s election.

However, some residents said the city ought to call a special election.

“I don’t want your predetermined person as city treasurer,” said Yvette Fimbres.

And cost shouldn’t be an issue, Fimbres said.

“If you can afford to pay off Garfield, we can afford to spend $50,000 for residents to decide who should be city treasurer,” she said, referring to the council’s 3-1 vote on November 30 approving an undisclosed settlement with the developer regarding a more then 10-year-old dispute over street improvements.

Mooradian, who is an attorney and worked for the state bar for nine years prosecuting wayward lawyers, was born and raised in Montebello.

“I’ll do my best to be fair, to be transparent, as good as I can be and helpful to the council,” he said.

With the financial support of the Devecyan, Ekserciyan families and Krikor Simsiroglu of Argentina, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund is building a buckwheat-processing factory in Bavra, a village in Armenia’s Shirak Region. The project is being implemented in partnership with the European Neighborhood Program for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD), through the latter’s buckwheat-cultivation program. Launched in Armenia in 2015, the program provides local farmers with agricultural equipment as well as training. Armenia’s first buckwheat-processing factory was opened on December 6 in the village of Tsovagyugh, with the support of ENPARD.

Bavra’s buckwheat factory will be housed in a former agricultural building. To date, crews have renovated the structure’s walls, ceilings, and floors, and installed a new roof as well as new windows, and gates. In addition, ENPARD is connecting the building to the power grid. The next phase of the project will include the installation of electrical, plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and gas systems, exterior and interior decoration, and the construction of an adjacent lab. The project is slated to be completed by the summer of 2017.

Koryun Sumbulyan, the future factory’s manager, says that it will serve cooperatives of close to 430 farmers throughout the regions of Shirak, Lori, and Aragatsotn. “Buckwheat production is a new development in Armenia,” Sumbulyan says. “Our climate is ideal for growing this crop, and already we have reaped our first harvest. I think within a few years we will be able to produce up to 9,000 tons of buckwheat annually at our factory, thereby meeting local demand at affordable prices.”

Bavra is the gateway to Northern Armenia. In the past three years, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has built a community center, a playground, and a sports field in the village, all through the sponsorship of the Devecyan family.