Category: News

The Azerbaijani side kept violating the ceasefire regime at the line of contact with the Karabakh forces last night.

The rival mainly used firearms of different calibers /550 shots/ and sniper rifles /33 shots/. The Azeri side also used a hand-held antitank grenade launcher in the eastern /Martuni/ direction.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army confidently continued with their military duty and ensured the reliable protection of the frontline.

“The situation is calm at this point and is under vigil control of the Armenian forces,” the NKR Defense Ministry said.

Statement by Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia at the International Conference on Nuclear Security: Commitments and Actions

Mr. President,
Distinguished Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to thank Director General Amano for convening this important international conference on Nuclear Security in Vienna.

This is a good opportunity to review the progress made in implementing decisions adopted during Nuclear Security Summits and 2013 Conference on Nuclear Security and IAEA General Conferences, as well as to elaborate our joint endeavors aimed at further strengthening the international nuclear security. In this regard the outcome document of the Ministerial Segment will guide us in our joint endeavor to achieve more effective global nuclear security.

Mr. President,

Armenia strongly supports the essential role of the International Atomic Energy Agency in the global nuclear security architecture and its leading role in facilitating and coordinating nuclear security activities among Member States, as well as international organizations and initiatives.

Armenia attaches great importance to reinforcing nuclear security both at national and international levels through the ratification and implementation of international legal instruments as well as the establishment of robust national legislation. It is noteworthy that in 2015 we have adopted Amendments to the Government decrees on approval of the licensing procedure for import and export of radioactive materials, on the rules of physical protection for radioactive materials and on the concept of physical protection and security of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant and nuclear materials. These measures are aimed at complementing the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment.

Armenia fully implements its international obligations under the UN Security Council Resolution 1540. The National Action Plan of Armenia for 2015-2020 outlines series of concrete steps ranging from reviewing already implemented national measures to the coordination of ongoing and anticipated activities.

We are also active in counter-proliferation initiatives such as Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism and Proliferation Security Initiative. The Government of Armenia is continuously working with its international partners at bilateral and multilateral levels to further enhance its national capabilities in countering nuclear smuggling.

Mr. President,

Armenia closely cooperates on a regular basis with the IAEA and other relevant International organizations and partner countries on all issues related to the nuclear energy. The Armenian nuclear power plant has always registered excellent record of safety. The Armenian Government’s decision on extension of the life cycle of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant was taken after thorough consultations with the IAEA and our international partners with a strong emphasis on ensuring its safety and security. In particular, numerous IAEA on-site inspections and assessment missions have reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment in implementing its international obligations and the highest level of openness and transparency. Non-compliance or deviation from the requirements of international treaties has not been recorded.

Against this background it is regrettable that some Member States, namely Azerbaijan and Turkey in a sheer disrespect to IAEA – its findings, records and analysis have been trying to exploit international fora for their own narrow political and propaganda purposes in order to spread groundless charges against Armenia. These fabricated and recycled accusations have nothing to do with the reality.

Mr. President,

As a strong supporter of the non-proliferation policies, Armenia reiterates its full compliance with the nonproliferation treaty and other relevant treaties, as well as IAEA safeguards agreements and additional protocol.

In conclusion, I would like once again to reiterate Armenia’s strong commitment to the collective efforts aimed at strengthening the nuclear security architecture.

Thank you.

 

 

 

Founder of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Gagik Tsarukyan will participate in the forthcoming political processes, head of the PAP faction Naira Zohrabyan told reporters today.

Gagik Tsarukyan will make a public statement in the near future to personally explain the format of that participation.

Zohrabyan noted that Gagik Tsarukyan is returning to politics at the request of his party members, but upon his personal decision. She also added that the Party will act on the opposition field.

Naira Zohrabyan said she has the impression that Gagik Tsarukyan’s return has caused panic on the political field, especially among the opposition.

“I can understand it, because Tsarukyan’s return has shuffled all political scenarios,” Zohrabyan said.

On December 2, 2016, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills, Jr. and Armenian Minister of Culture Armen Amiryan unveiled in Gyumri the newly restored mural “In the Mountains” created by famed Armenian artist Hakob Hakobyan.  The U.S. Ambassadors’ Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) funded the restoration of this mural.

With the funding, the mural was removed from an abandoned factory building in Gyumri, repaired and conserved, and installed safely in the city’s Achemyan State Drama Theater where it is once again accessible to the public on the second floor.

“For the past several years the mural we are here to celebrate was hidden away in an abandoned factory. It was crumbling into dust,” Ambassador Mills said during the unveiling ceremony. “But thanks to the U.S. State Department’s Ambassadors’ Fund for Cultural Preservation it now has new life.  Now the eyes of the next generation of artists, community leaders, and innovators will see Hakobyan’s work, perhaps here of his story, and find in it inspiration to create future works of art that capture the spirit of Armenia.”

The mural was created by Hakob Hakobyan (1923-2013), an Armenian artist whose works are considered national treasures. His murals are included on the official list of historical and cultural treasures of Shirak province.

The restoration work done on “In the Mountains” was carried out by the Minas Avetisyan Cultural Foundation with the participation of Fabrizio Iacopini, a renowned restorer from the Restoration Institute in Florence, Italy.  The Minas Avetisyan Cultural Foundation was established in 2003 by Arman Avetisyan, the son of prominent Armenian artist Minas Avetisyan, to preserve his and other artists’ murals, removing them from abandoned industrial buildings in Gyumri and moving them to safe locations.

“The restorer’s work is a labor of love, of respect for artists and their works.  And their passion and dedication is clearly on display today,” Ambassador Mills said.

This is not the first time the U.S. Ambassadors’ Fund for Cultural Preservation has worked on rescuing a mural in Gyumri.  Last year, another project preserved Rafayel Atoyan’s “On the Way to the Watermill” mural, moving it from an abandoned factory to Gyumri’s newly-renovated Youth Palace.

The U.S. State Department established the U.S. Ambassadors’ Fund for Cultural Preservation in 2000 to celebrate mankind’s shared cultural heritage and to bring countries and peoples together. Through the AFCP, the U.S. State Department each year funds a number of projects around the globe that protect unique cultural heritage sites.

The AFCP has been providing support for Armenian cultural sites since 2005, funding projects such as preserving the archeological finds at Areni cave, protecting the Dashtadem Fortress, mapping and cataloging items found at the Noratus medieval cemetery and its collection of khachkars, preservation of a medieval masonry bridge in the Garni Gorge, and documentation of traditional Armenian music and dance.  Earlier this fall, the AFCP awarded a $450,000 grant to preserve and restore the historic St. Hovhannes Church in  Meghri.

“Culture, art, traditions – these help celebrate the uniqueness of Armenia.  This love of culture is shared by Americans.  And by preserving these Armenian treasures, we not only help bring our two people together, but save a unique treasure for generations to come,” Ambassador Mills said.

Covert Media has sold the Armenian disaster film “Earthquake” and fantasy thriller “The Night Watchmen” to multiple major international territories including Germany, Japan and Korea, has learned exclusively.

Sales were made through Covert’s recently launched Lexica Films label,which began operations ahead of the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival with the aim to champion five to 10 foreign language titles per year. Senior VP of International Jim Harvey leads the sales for President of International Liz Kim Schwan.

“Earthquake,” which had its market premiere screening at the American Film Market, has been acquired by AT Entertainment for Japan and First Run Inc for South Korea as well as Movie Cloud for Taiwan, One World Movies for India, Moxienotion for Indonesia, Sahamongkol for Malaysia and Vietnam, and with Cine Star for Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Colombia. The film has been submitted as Armenia’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film for this season’s Golden Globes.

Konstantin Lavronenko stars in a fictional account of the devastating 1988 Spitak earthquake in Armenia.

“Earthquake” is directed by Sarik Andreasyan from a script by Aleksey Gravitskiy and Sergey Yudakov, with participation from Grant Barsegyan and Arsen Danielyan. The cast also includes Sabina Akhmedova and newcomer Viktor Stepanyan.

Today, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Armenia Maria Pavlova Tsosorkova-Kaymaktchieva presented her credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan, President’s Press Office reports.

The President of Armenia congratulated the ambassador on her appointment and wished every success. Serzh Sargsyan noted with satisfaction that the Armenian-Bulgarian interstate relations have a strong base anchored in the cultural similarities and centuries-long friendship and dynamically developing political and economic dialogue. All this, according to the President, create an excellent foundation for further strengthening and deepening of the relations between Armenia and Bulgaria. Serzh Sargsyan expressed hope that the newly appointed ambassador will promote these relations through her active work, contributing to the opening and development of the entire potential for cooperation in different areas.

Ambassador Maria Pavlova Tsosorkova-Kaymaktchieva concurred with the President’s assessment of the interstate relations and stressed the importance of the full utilization of the existing legal field, which comprises over five dozen documents, and expansion of cooperation.

The parties exchanged also views on the NK peace process and challenges existing in the region.

The Azerbaijani side kept violating the ceasefire regime in almost all directions of the line of contact with the Karabakh forces last night.

More intensive firing was reported in the eastern direction of the frontline, where the Azeri side used firearms of different calibers, 60 and 82 mm mine throwers  and an automatic grenade launcher.

All in all, the rival violated the ceasefire 125 times, firing over 2,000 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions.

The Armenian side incurred no losses as a result of ceasefire violation, the NKR Defense Ministry said.

The Ministry also refuted the claims of the Azerbaijani side that “one was killed, nine wounded as a result of heavy fighting in the eastern direction of the line of contact” and said “it’s yet another misinformation.”

The Front troops of the NKR Defense Army confidently continue with their military duty and resort to response actions if necessary.

The situation has been calm this morning.

French ambassador Stéphane Visconti has been appointed co-chairman of the Minsk Group. Since 1992, this group has been instructed by the OSCE to mediate between Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to put an end to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Minsk Group has been represented since 1997 by a co-presidency composed of France, the United States and Russia, each of which is represented by an ambassador.

The co-presidency of the Minsk Group maintains a high level of engagement in political negotiations and the implementation of confidence-building measures.

Ambassador Stéphane Visconti was successively Consul General of France in St. Petersburg and Munich. He also served as adviser to the Prime Minister and then to the Mayor of Paris for international relations. Until recently he was the French Ambassador to Latvia. He succeeded Ambassador Pierre Andrieu.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan had a phone conversation with US Vice President-elect Mike Pence at the initiative of the American side.

President Sargsyan congratulated President-elect Donald TRump and his team on election victory and wished them success in their responsible mission.

The interlocutors underlined that the current high level of Armenian-American political and economic cooperation will be  maintained, but will also be furthered under the new Administration.

Reference was made to issues of reciprocal interest, including the regional problems and challenges.

Photo: Reuters

 

Europol has warned that militants from so-called Islamic State (IS) will aim to step up attacks on European targets, as they face defeat in the Middle East, the BBC reports.

The European police force says more foreign fighters will try to come back to Europe, and “several dozen” capable of attacks could already be there.

Their tactics could include car bombs, kidnappings and extortion, it said.

But the report plays down the likelihood of attacks on critical infrastructure, such as nuclear sites.

It says that IS militants now prefer soft targets, and there is now a greater emphasis on “lone actors” such as the perpetrator of the lorry attack in Nice in July.

It warns that some Syrian refugees in Europe may be vulnerable to recruitment by extremists who infiltrate refugee camps.

Europe has been shaken by a series of attacks in recent years blamed on IS militants.