Category: News

Today, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Peru to the Republic of Armenia Luis Benjamin Chimoy Arteaga (residence in Moscow) presented his credentials to Serzh Sargsyan, President’s Press Office reports.

The President of Armenia congratulated the Ambassador on the commencement of his diplomatic mission in Armenia, wished him success and expressed hope that through his active work the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in coming years will receive a new boost. The President underscored that despite geographical distance, Armenia has formed very warm and strong relations with a number of Latin-American countries, including Peru, which was promoted also by the hospitable attitude of these countries towards a segment of the Armenian people which in at the beginning of the previous century had managed to escape the Genocide and find refuge in Latin America.

Ambassador Arteaga thanked the President of Armenia for the reception and assured that he would do his best to improve and deepen the bilateral relations between Armenia and Peru.

The parties concurred that the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries is an important milestone for the re-evaluation and strengthening of the friendly ties between Armenia and Peru.

At the meeting, discussed were the opportunities and prospects for the expansion of the Armenian-Peruvian cooperation in different areas.

The parties also discussed regional issues and developments.

“Armenia is the only CIS country that is of increasing interest to Lithuanian businessmen,” noted Aleksandr Izgorodin, the economic analyst at Confederation of Industrialists of Lithuania and Lithuanian Innovation Center, in his latest presentation about Lithuanian trade tendencies and perspectives during the Competitiveness Forum.

Lithuanian businessmen consider Armenia the most effective platform through which to enter the EEU market. “This opens new corridors in the development of trade and attracting investments from the Baltic States to Armenia, as it is the gateway to the major CIS and six Arab markets. Despite the geographical distance, Armenia and Lithuania have a lot in common; both are small economies, place an emphasis on human capital, have a lack of natural resources and a similar country positioning,” added Izgorodin.

According to the representative of DFA in the Baltic States, Rena Saribekian, economic ties between Lithuania and Armenia in different sectors have been developing constantly since 2014. “Today, the Lithuanian textile industry is looking for opportunities to outsource services; we believe that Armenia’s progress in the field could meet these expectations, making it a good regional hub,” claims Saribekian.

Lithuanian businessmen are also interested in developing bilateral relationships in the IT, start-up, innovation and renewable energy, food and processing sectors. Furthermore, the IT, textile, science and technology sectors have already attracted potential investors and a business delegation representing the pharmaceutical and food industry distributors will visit Armenia this fall.

Statistics. According to the Lithuanian Department of Statistics, trade turnover between Armenia and Lithuania comprised almost €23.7 million and increased by 28.8% between 2015 and 2016. Lithuanian exports to Armenia increased by 30.2%, while Armenian exports to Lithuania increased by 16.2%, to a total of €2.1 million. Armenia mainly exports brandy, cigarettes, wine, and medicine.

Asbarez – Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) on Thursday said he is very pleased with one significant aspect of Governor Brown’s May revision of the California State Budget, the restoration of funding for the Pasadena Playhouse and the Armenian American Museum in Glendale.

“While others were declaring defeat, I got to work and advocated in favor of the budget allocations for these two laudable projects.  I’m very pleased and grateful that the Governor responded to these requests and restored the funding for two outstanding projects in the 25th State Senate District,” commented Portantino.

The Pasadena Playhouse is the State Theatre of California. It is a showcase for world class theatrical productions and educational programs targeted to California’s diverse population.  The Armenian American Museum, proposed to be built in Glendale, is a new facility slated to bring Genocide awareness and educational programming to our region. Both facilities were set to receive $1 million dollars from last year’s budget but had that funding initially suspended by the Governor in his January budget proposal.

Upon seeing the budget draft, Senator Portantino impressed upon the Governor’s office, the Department of Finance and the Senate Budget staff on the importance of these projects. The Governor agreed by restoring the funding for both.

Photo: Reuters/Mian Khurshee

A bomb exploded next to a convoy of the deputy chairman of the Pakistan Senate on Friday in the violence-plagued province of Baluchistan, killing at least 25 people, officials said, Reuters reports.

At least 35 people were wounded in the blast near the town of Mastung, 50 km (30 miles) from the provincial capital of Quetta. Television footage showed a vehicle mangled by the blast.

Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, the deputy chairman of the upper house of parliament, told Reuters minutes after the explosion he believed he was the target and he had sustained minor injuries.

“There are many casualties as there were many people in the convoy,” he said by telephone.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack from the many militant groups operating in Baluchistan.

Haideri is a member of Jamiat e Ulema Islam, a right-wing Sunni Islamist political party that is part of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s coalition government.

District health official Sher Ahmed Satakzai said the death toll had risen to 25 and 10 were in critical condition in hospital.

The European Union approved visa-free travel for Ukrainians on Thursday, fulfilling a key promise to cement ties with Kiev, AFP reports.

“YES, we did it!” Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko wrote on Facebook after the Brussels decision, which the former Soviet republic has been trying to clinch for years.

“It feels like coming home after a long and exhausting journey,” the pro-Western leader said, adding that Ukraine was gradually “becoming part of a common European civilisation”.

The European Union and Ukraine sealed a broad trade and political association agreement after the overthrow of Kiev’s government in 2014, with Brussels aiming to bring the Soviet-era satellite into the European fold.

The agreement included the offer of the removal of visa requirements, a potent symbol of the bloc’s commitment to Kiev, which has fretted over repeated delays.

A statement by the European Council, which groups the 28 EU member states, said visa liberalisation was “an important development which will help strengthen ties between the people of Ukraine and the EU”.

“It follows the completion of the necessary reforms by Ukraine in a number of areas including migration, public order and security, external relations and fundamental rights,” it said.

The Friends of Maria Jacobsen Committee has organized a special memorial service Sunday, May 14, at a Solvang church to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,   reports.

The ceremony following the 11 a.m. worship service will be held in the courtyard of Bethania Lutheran Church at 603 Atterdag Road, a committee spokesman said.

Representatives of the Southern California Armenian community will lay a wreath in honor and memory of 1.5 million Armenian martyrs as well as Danish humanitarian and missionary Maria Jacobsen (1882-1960).

“We are honoring Maria Jacobsen’s memory on Mother’s Day,” said Dr. Garbis Der-Yeghiayan, chairman of the committee. “She is known as the beloved ‘Mama’ by her grateful former orphan children.”

Der-Yeghiayan said at the conclusion of the memorial ceremony, the committee will announce a student essay contest in Jacobsen’s honor.

The contest will be open to all high school students living in Solvang and all students attending Armenian, public or private high schools in Southern California, he said.

The essay theme is: “In the more than 100 years that have passed since the first genocide of the 20th century — the Armenian Genocide of bigotry, prejudice, intolerance, persecution, deportations and heinous plans to annihilate a nation — what do you believe your generation can do to make ‘never again’ a reality?”

The government of China will donate another 200 ambulance vehicles to Armenia. The Armenian government Okayed the singing of the agreement at today’s sitting.

The vehicles will help the Armenian side fully satisfy the demand for ambulance vehicles in the republic.

The Chinese government earlier donated 88 vehicles to Armenia, of which 56 were sent to the republic’s provinces.

Photo: Getty Images

Boeing has temporarily halted test flights of its new 737 MAX aircraft due to possible issues with the engine, the BBC reports.

The stoppage came days before the US planemaker was due to make its first delivery of the aircraft to a customer.

But Boeing said it was sticking with plans to begin MAX deliveries this month, adding that production of the jets would continue.

American Airlines, Southwest, and China’s Shandong Airlines are among those who have placed orders.

The MAX fleet is designed to be a more fuel-efficient version and replaces Boeing’s previous 737 model which has been a best-seller for the aerospace giant.

The Human Rights Defender of Artsakh is on a visit to Budapest, Hungary, to attend an International Conference on “Victims of armed conflicts at the juncture of international humanitarian law and human rights law.”

The Conference has been organized by the foreign affairs agencies of Hungary and Switzerland.

On 10 May Ruben Melikyan had meetings with the leadership and members of Armenian self-government in Hungary, with the Spokesman of the Armenian minority in the Hungarian Parliament Dr. Tamás Turgyán, and had an interview with Armenian minority program broadcasted by the Hungarian Public Radio.

While referring to Ramil Safarov’s extradition, Mr. Melikyan highlighted its causal link with the atrocities carried out by Azerbaijani armed forces during the 2016 April War.

Ruben Melikyan noted that Safarov’s glorification was accompanied by the state encouragement to set his crime exemplary for the Azerbaijani youth, and the example was taken in April 2016.

The ombudsman added that Artsakh people remember the thousands of Hungarian citizens, who raised their voice of protest against the decision to extradite Safarov.

The Artsakh Foreign Ministry has commented on the shooting at the vehicle of TV crew, which left the cameraman wounded.

“This incident is another proof that Azerbaijan does not abandon its traditional policy of aggravation of the situation and escalation of tensions on the Line of Contact,” Ministry Spokesman Artak Nersisyan said in comments to Tert.am.

“The incident comes to reaffirm the importance of immediate implementation of the agreements reached at the Summits in Vienna, May 16, 2016, and St. Petersburg, June 20, 2016, aimed at the stabilization of the situation on the Line of Contact,” he said.