Category: News

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received Bridget Brink, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.

Minister Nalbandian hailed the high-level friendly relations between Armenia and the United States, underlining that the bilateral ties have greatly advanced thanks to joint efforts, which creates good opportunities for further reinforcement and expansion of cooperation.

Bridget Brink noted, in turn, that the US values the partnership with Armenia and is interested in its further deepening.

The interlocutors referred to the perspectives of development of Armenian-American trade relations and exchanged views on the activity of the US-Armenia Council on Trade and Investments and the Armenian-American Inter-Governmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.

The Armenian Foreign Minister and the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State discussed issues related to the implementation of the agreements reached at Vienna and St. Petersburg Summits aimed at furthering the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

Edward Nalbandian and Bridget Brink exchanged views on urgent regional and international issues.

The 8^th informal meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Eastern Partnership countries will be held in Yerevan on November 17.

The event will bring together EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service Jean-Christophe Belliard, high-ranking delegations from Eastern Partnership participating countries.

The heads of delegation will give a joint press conference upon the conclusion of the meeting.

The same day the Eastern Partnership Ministers for Science and Technologies will hold dialogue dedicated to issues of research and innovation.

The delegations will be hosted by President Serzh Sargsyan.

On November 16, the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, and HSBC Bank, organized a one-day sustainable mining business conference.

The goal was to connect Armenian mine operators with well-known U.S. companies that offer products and services that ensure greater mine productivity, employee safety, and nature protection.  Representatives from seven leading U.S. companies and 35 Armenian mining companies attended the event.

The conference was designed to strengthen the growing commercial ties between the United States and Armenia by introducing leading American businesses to Armenian mining sector operators, and by giving the American companies the opportunity to showcase the latest technological advances in the field.

“Mining, done responsibly and transparently in line with the highest international environmental and social standards, can be a successful investment and be of benefit to the Armenian people,” said Ambassador Richard M. Mills, Jr. in his opening remarks. “Sustainable mining, using the latest technology and equipment, can be safe for mining workers and can protect Armenia’s environment.”

The day-long event helped the U.S. companies gain a greater understanding of the objectives and priorities of Armenia’s government leaders and businesses, as well as the perspectives of multilateral financing institutions and other key business actors.

“Today we’re focusing on the mining sector, because as you know, it is one of the leading sectors in the Armenian economy and a major contributor to the GDP and the country’s exports. Mining represents real opportunities for Armenia,” said Ambassador Mills. “And these opportunities are not just ideas on paper; there are successful mining enterprises that are already in operation and looking to expand. We want to see them grow, and at the same time preserve the country’s natural beauty, invest in the communities where they operate, and protect their workforce.”

Seven U.S. corporations – Modular Mining Systems, General Electric, Caterpillar/Zeppelin, IBM, Honeywell, Terra Source Global and Dow – sent representatives to Yerevan to present their products and services and to learn about business opportunities in Armenia. The one-day program also featured presentations by EBRD Armenia, HSBC Bank, Lydian International, and Armenian government officials.

The former Red Devils winger has backed the big-money summer signing to come good despite enduring a tough start to life at Old Trafford.

Former Manchester United winger Jesper Blomqvist, whose 38 appearances for the Reds included the 1999 Champions League final, believes it is only a matter of time before Henrikh Mkhitaryan proves his quality for the club.

The Armenia captain has been kept on the fringes of the first team by manager Jose Mourinho for much of the season, making just one appearance since he was replaced at halftime of the 2-1 loss to Manchester City on Sept. 10.

Blomqvist, who won the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in 1999 with United, is confident that Mkhitaryan will be a success in England.

“He can definitely become a star,” the former Sweden international told .

“United is a big club and it takes longer to settle in for some players. Maybe Henrikh needs a little more time to settle in but, when you see how he reads the game and what he has achieved elsewhere, it’s surely only going to be a matter of time before he shows us what he can do at Old Trafford.”

Blomqvist also praised the impact of compatriot Zlatan Ibrahimovic since his move to United on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in July.

One of the classrooms in Yerevan’s basic school #147 will be named after Artsakh Hero Robert Abajyan.

Abajyan, who fell as a hero during the four-day war in April, was a graduate of the school. He would be 20 today.

Students and teachers of the school recalled stories from Robert’s life. The schoolchildren pledged to keep his memory bright and vowed to assume the sacred mission of defending the Motherland, if necessary.

The honor of opening of the classroom was reserved for Robert Abajyan’s father.

By Harut Sassounian
The California Courier

An unprecedented U.S. presidential campaign came to an end with the unexpected victory of Donald Trump!

Since the November 8 elections, there has been endless speculation by self-styled Armenian analysts about the President-elect’s business ties with Azerbaijan and Turkey, wrongly concluding that he would side with Armenia’s enemies! Since Trump has made no comments on Armenian issues, no one can really know what his position is likely to be….

Beyond Trump’s sweeping campaign promises to “drain the swamp in Washington,” and “make America great again,” no one can predict what he might do on domestic or foreign policy fronts. In addition, there is no guarantee that he will stick to the positions he assumed during the campaign. In recent months, and particularly since the election, Trump has moderated his views on a number of major issues, such as banning all Muslims from entering the United States, building a wall along the Mexican border, deporting 11 million illegal aliens, and repealing Obamacare. As Pres. Obama explained during his November 14 press conference, Trump is a pragmatist, not an ideologue with fixed opinions.

Consequently, rather than speculating about what Trump may do as President, let’s follow Hillary Clinton’s wise advice to keep “an open mind” and give Donald Trump “a chance to lead!”

Since the President-elect has not yet taken a concrete position on Armenian issues, now is the time for Armenian-Americans to ask friendly Republican members of Congress to convey the community’s vital concerns to Trump and his team. It would be much more difficult to make such contacts once the President is inaugurated in January and has given his marching orders to the new Cabinet. Meanwhile, Turkish and Azeri officials are busy establishing their own contacts with Trump’s transition team and Congress through their high powered lobbyists in Washington! Furthermore, while many heads of state, including those of Armenia and Azerbaijan, have sent congratulatory messages to the President-elect, Turkish President Erdogan personally telephoned Trump, urging closer ties between their countries!

Already there are warning signs that two of Trump’s closest aides, who may be appointed to top positions in the new administration, are rabid Turkophiles:

1) Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has repeatedly declared his admiration for Kemal Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey, viewing him as a hero;

2) Retired Lt. General Michael Flynn wrote an article in The Hill last week, calling on the U.S. government “to adjust our foreign policy to recognize Turkey as a priority. We need to see the world from Turkey’s perspective.”

While Armenian-American ties with the President-elect are practically non-existent, the community has fortunately cultivated excellent relations with many reelected members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, who can adopt bills and pass resolutions on issues of importance to Armenia and Armenians.

Over 90% of the Congressional candidates endorsed by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) were elected on November 8. In the House of Representatives, 117 out of the 122 candidates endorsed by ANCA won their election bids, including Congresswomen Jackie Speier and Anna Eshoo, Armenian-American Democrats from California. Regrettably, Cong. Robert Dold (Republican-Illinois), Co-Chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, was not reelected; and candidate Danny Tarkanian (Republican-Nevada) lost his bid for the House.

In the U.S. Senate, 7 of the 11 candidates endorsed by ANCA won their election bids on November 8. Armenian Caucus member Cong. Chris Van Hollen (Democrat-Maryland) was elected to the Senate after defeating Turkish Caucus member Cong. Donna Edwards in the Maryland Primary. Unfortunately, Senator Mark Kirk (Republican-Illinois), a staunch supporter of Armenian issues, was not reelected.

Significantly, while 11 members of the Congressional Armenian Caucus did not return to the House due to failure to win, retirement, resignation or seeking other office, the Turkish Caucus suffered a greater loss, with 19 of its members not returning to the House, including Co-Chair Ed Whitfield (Republican-Kentucky) who resigned earlier this year due to an ethics probe.

The substantial electoral success, enjoyed by Congressional friends of the Armenian community, bodes well for the pursuit of Armenian issues in the new Congress. Given that the Republican Party will be controlling both Houses of Congress and the White House, it is incumbent upon Republican Armenians to win over more members of the majority party, while Democrat Armenians can build on their long-established ties with the minority party. After all, the Armenian Cause, as a nonpartisan issue, should be supported by both parties!

On behalf of the European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA), I express my deepest concern regarding the current tensions along the Line of Contact between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, and condemn the grave violations of the cease-fire agreements perpetrated by the Azerbaijani forces since the early hours of Friday, November 11.

The shelling of the military posts near Talish and Yarmja with 60mm and 82mm mortars is the most severe escalation of the fragile situation since the April Four-Day War and the agreements reached at the summits held in Vienna and in St Petersburg earlier this year.

Running in parallel with Azerbaijan’s largest-scale military exercises ever, with 60,000 soldiers, heavy weaponry and all sorts of military material near the border with Nagorno-Karabakh, these grave violations of the cease-fire indicate  the real intentions of Azerbaijan, already revealed by its recurrent war rhetoric: to impede, at any costs, the implementation of the agreed measures for more effective monitoring of the cease-fire, the investigation of incidents in the Line of Contact and, ultimately, the resumption of the peace negotiations.

Unfortunately, the otherwise positive news of the adoption by the Council of a mandate for the European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with the Republic of Azerbaijan, could not have come at a less opportune time. What is being announced by the EU as an opportunity for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation will be portrayed by the regime in Baku as an endorsement of its domestic repression of political opponents, civil society and free media, as well as of its dangerous warmongering.

We urge the European Union and its member states not to look the other way, and use all means available to prevent Azerbaijan from launching yet another offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh, which would further jeopardise the peace efforts and could carry a heavy cost in human lives and infrastructure on both sides.

Photo: EPA

 

Syria’s leader has said he hopes US President-elect Donald Trump will be an ally in fighting terrorism but remains “cautious in judging him,” the BBC reports.

Bashar al-Assad said Mr Trump would be a “natural ally” if he fulfilled a campaign pledge to fight terrorism.

But he said it was “dubious” whether Mr Trump could “live up to his promises”.

Mr Trump had previously said it was “madness” to oppose both Syrian forces and IS militants, and that fighting Syria could lead to fighting Russia.

Speaking to Portugal’s RTP state television, Mr Assad said: “We cannot tell anything about what he’s going to do, but if… he is going to fight the terrorists, of course we are going to be [an] ally, natural ally in that regard with the Russians, with the Iranians, with many other countries.”

Mr Assad said that Mr Trump’s pledge to focus the fight on Islamic State (IS) militants was “promising”, but added: “Can he deliver?”

“What about the countervailing forces within the administration, the mainstream media that were against him? How can he deal with it? That’s why for us it’s still dubious… That’s why we are very cautious in judging him.”

Current US policy is to strike against IS and other jihadists while supporting moderate rebels opposed to President Assad.

Mr Assad regards those groups as terrorists.

An Armenian immigrant Newport Beach physician who faked his own death to dodge a Medi-Cal fraud case 14 years ago pleaded guilty Tuesday to fleeing to evade justice after he was arrested in Egypt,  reports.

Tigran Svadjian, 58, entered his plea to a single federal count of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, a felony that carries a five-year maximum sentence. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 9 in Los Angeles.

Svadjian was arrested in Egypt in July and escorted back to the U.S. by federal agents 14 years after he fled to Russia and later to Egypt, court papers show.

In 2002, he was facing federal health care fraud charges in Sacramento for allegedly bilking the state Medi-Cal program out of more than $2.4 million in fraudulent insurance billings.

After agreeing to cooperate with the government’s investigation, Svadjian was allowed to travel to Moscow to visit his ailing mother. But in October 2002, federal officials were notified that Svadjian died of pneumonia while in Russia and his remains had been cremated. The fraud charges were eventually dismissed.

Svadjian had been hiding in Egypt for much of the past 14 years, most recently working as a part-time scuba instructor. He was en route to Russia with a fake passport when he was apprehended.

Federal authorities indicated that the fraud charges would not be reinstated.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Andrei Galbur.

Minister Nalbandian noted that Armenia attaches importance to the deepening of friendly relations with Moldova.

The parties held detailed discussions on issues on bilateral and multilateral agenda, urgent international and regional issues.

The interlocutors exchanged views on steps towards further development of cooperation between the two countries, discussed the trade-economic ties, intensification of scientific-technical and cultural exchange.

Edward Nalbandian and Andrei Galbur referred to the intensification of inter-parliamentary ties, conduct of consultations between the Foreign Ministries and deepening of cooperation within the framework of international organizations.

The Armenian Foreign Minister briefed his Moldovan counterpart on the talks on a new Armenia-EU framework agreement.  Andrei Galbur, in turn, presented the latest developments in the process of Moldova’s European integration.

The issue of peaceful settlement of regional conflicts was also on the agenda of the meeting. The interlocutors agreed that all conflicts should be solved exceptionally in a peaceful way. In this context Edward Nalbandian presented the efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries aimed at furthering the negotiation process on the peacefull settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

At the end of the meeting the Ministers signed four documents on elimination of visa regime for citizens of the two countries, as well as agreements on cooperation in the fields of tourism, science and education. The parties also signed the 2017-2018 plan of consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries.