Category: News

On 29 November Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited the village of Talish and got acquainted with the process of implementation of his earlier instructions, NKR President’s Press Office reports.

The film “Earthquake” based on the real events surrounding the disastrous earthquake which struck Armenia in 1988, has been submitted for 2016 Golden Globe Awards.

The terrible earthquake claimed at least 25,000 lives and left about half a million people homeless.

For director Sarik Andreasyan it was a very special project, in which he wanted, after almost 30 years, to tell the story not only of death and destruction but also to show the hope and community spirit in the face of the nightmare, according to the .

The story is built around a Russian family living in the Armenian city of Leninankan. Anna Berezhnaya (Maria Mironova) with her son Vanya (Daniil Izotov) and daughter Katya (Anastasia Savkina) awaits the return from prison of her husband (Konstantin Lavronenko) who eight years prior was sentenced to prison for the death of two people in a car accident.

Konstantin Lavronenko says that he immediately accepted the invitation for the role: “I knew right away when I heard the suggestion that this is not an easy film, and immediately agreed to participate. I do not want to repeat the lofty words about the tragedy and memory, but thanks to this movie, we can live and feel the terrible events, and then to feel how beautiful and fleeting life is, how important it is to appreciate each other. It is necessary to empathize with the pain of our loved ones – because, unfortunately, we are starting to get used to the deaths of thousands of people.”

The director Sarik Andreasyan and producer Ruben Dishdishyan recall how the original script underwent a lot of changes, despite the fact that they liked it very much. They decided to make the story more understandable to people not privy to the events of 1988. The script added some Russian and French characters, to show the role of other countries in the assistance to the victims.

“The tragedy that united the world” – is the slogan of the film. Part of the filming took place in the Armenian city of Gyumri, former Leninakan – one of the four cities most affected by the earthquake. Some locations there still look the same as they looked after the quake in 1988.

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan received today Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Georgia to the Republic of Armenia Giorgi Saganelidze.

Pleased with the current level of political dialogue between Armenia and Georgia, the Prime Minister said more vigorous efforts are needed to overhaul economic cooperation and tap the existing potential.

Giorgi Saganelidze stressed that the Armenian-Georgian relations are based on centuries-old friendship between the two peoples, and Georgia is interested in developing mutually beneficial cooperation with our country.

During the meeting, the interlocutors discussed a broad range of issues high on bilateral cooperation agenda. In particular, they exchanged views on the joint projects and future plans in energy, logistics, transportation and other areas.

Vice-Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Edward Sharmazanov received today Syrian MPs Omar al-Arab and Alan Bakeri.

The Vice-Speaker welcomed the visit of Syrian lawmakers to Armenia and noted that the Armenian-Syrian friendship has centuries-old history, which has been reinforced after Syria’s provision of refuge to Armenian genocide survivors.

Edward Sharmazanov attached importance to the cooperation between the two countries, particularly the reinforcement of inter-parliamentary ties. He expressed gratitude to the Syrian Parliament for holding a debate on the Armenian Genocide.

“The denial of genocide is fraught with threats of reoccurence of the crime. Turkish denialism and impunity bore terrorists like the Islamic State,” Sharmazanov said.

During the meeting reference was made to the Syria crisis. The Armenian Vice-Speaker wished strength to the Syrian people and voiced hope that peace and law would be reestablished in the country. He stressed Armenia’s stance on the fight against terrorism and assured of the willingness of the Armenian lawmakers to raise their voice for the sake of peaceful settlement of the Syrian issue.

The Syrian MPs, in turn, conveyed the words of gratitude of the Syrian authorities and people to the Armenian nation for supporting them at times of hardship. They also attached importance to the deepening of inter-parliamentary and informed that discussions on recognition of the Armenian Genocide are under way in Syrian parliamentary commissions.

French Ambassador to Armenia Jean-Francois Charpentier has welcomed the decision to hold the next summit of the International Organization of the Francopnonie in Armenia.

“The 16^th summit of the Francophonie in Antananarivo unanimously decided to hold the next summit of the heads of the member states of the International Organization of the Francophonie in Armenia in 2018.

I warmly congratulate Armenia for this decision and for the commitment to the values and ideas cherished by the Francophonie,” the Ambassador said in a statement.

“I’m confident it will serve as yet another opportunity to boost the role of the French language in Armenia,” Amb. Charpentier said.

US President-elect Donald Trump has named Obamacare critic Tom Price as his choice for health secretary, the BBC reports.

The Georgia congressman and orthopaedic surgeon, 62, chairs the budget committee in the House of Representatives.

He would play a central role in Republican plans to replace the Affordable Healthcare Act.

In his campaign, Mr Trump vowed to repeal and replace the act, considered President Obama’s flagship measure.

However, he has since said he favours keeping certain provisions.

The Dutch BNN Public TV has aired 2 films about Armenia with the support of the Development Foundation of Armenia and the Armenian Embassy in the Nethelands.

The group representing the “3 op Reis” travel program spent a week in Armenia to shoot the series.

The first film presents the places of interest in capital Yerevan –The Vernissage, the Cascade, the Chess House, the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial, the Republic Square, the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute and others.

In the second part the reporters travel to Lake Sevan, the Noravank and Tatev Monasteries, and other sites of Armenia.

The films are available at  and .

An airplane with 72 people on board, including players from a Brazilian football team heading to Colombia for a regional tournament final, has crashed on its way to Medellin’s international airport, AP reports.

Medellin’s Mayor Federico Gutierrez said that it is possible there are survivors.

“It’s a tragedy of huge proportions,” Gutierrez told Blu Radio on his way to the site in a mountainous area outside the city where the chartered aircraft is believed to have crashed shortly before midnight local time.

He said ambulances and rescuers were on their way. It is not clear what caused the crash.

Medellin’s airport confirmed that the aircraft, which departed from Bolivia, was transporting the Chapecoense football team from southern Brazil, which was scheduled to play the Copa Sudamerica finals against Atletico Nacional on Wednesday in Medellin.

Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan attended a reception at the Armenian Embassy in Russia on November 28.

Representatives of the Russian legislative and executive authorities, outstanding political analysts and experts, heads of Armenian community organizations, public and political figures who have contributed to the deepening of Armenian-Russian relations were present at the reception.

The Armenian Defense Minister briefed the attendees on the ongoing reforms in the Armed Forces, the new cooperation programs with different Diaspora organizations within the framework of the Army-society ties.

During the meeting the participants exchanged views on the reinforcement of the Armenian-Russian strategic partnership, the deepening of friendly relations between the two countries, as well as the need for steps stemming from the regional developments.

Minister of Culture Armen Amiryan briefed President Serzh Sargsyan on the priority directions of the Ministry’s activity –popularization of the Armenian culture in Armenia and abroad, new initiatives aimed at intensification of the cultural life outside capital Yerevan.

Minister Amiryan presented the issues raised during his meetings with culture workers.

Armen Amiryan offered to create a pan-Armenian symphony orchestra that will bring together talented Armenians from different sides of the world. He said the first concert is expected on April 24, 2017, after which the orchestra will perform in different cities of the world.

The President welcomed the idea, underling that it goes in line with his vision of Armenia-Diaspora cooperation and can well serve an example for cooperation in other spheres, as well.