Category: News

Following the 2016 elections, 97% of Members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues seeking re-election won, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) reported.

While Caucus candidates were resoundingly successful at the ballot box this cycle, 11 members will not return to Congress due to retirement, resignation, or because they sought other office.

Three of the Armenian Caucus members who ran for another office won their races: Reps. Janice Hahn (D-CA) for Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors; Candice Miller (R-MI) for Macomb County Public Works Commissioner; and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) for the U.S. Senate after defeating Turkish Caucus Congresswoman Donna Edwards in the Maryland primary.

Co-Chairs Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Jackie Speier (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA) and Vice Co-Chairs Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Dave Trott (R-MI) were among those re-elected for the 115^thCongress, however, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Robert Dold (R-IL) lost to Democratic challenger Brad Schneider.

“The Armenian Assembly congratulates all of our friends in Congress on their successful re-election. We look forward to working with the Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs and Vice Co-Chairs to strengthen the Caucus and expand its membership,” stated Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “The Assembly thanks Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Robert Dold for his dedication to Armenia and the Armenian American community during his time in office, especially sponsoring Armenian Genocide resolutions H.Res.304 and H.Res.154.”

President Serzh Sargsyan had a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Peter Poroshenko at the initiative of the Ukrainian side.

The Presidents referred to issue on the agenda of Armenian-Ukrainian cooperation, particularly intensification of the political dialogue, implementation of mutually beneficial projects in the economic, scientific-technical and humanitarian fields.

The parties discussed the cooperation within the framework of international organizations, and attached importance to the intensification of periodic consultations on a number of sensitive issues.

Photo: Getty Images

 

Canadian singer Leonard Cohen has died aged 82, according to a statement on his official Facebook page.

“It is with profound sorrow we report that legendary poet, songwriter and artist, Leonard Cohen has passed away,” the announcement said.

“We have lost one of music’s most revered and prolific visionaries.”

There were no details about the cause of Cohen’s death. A memorial will take place in Los Angeles at a later date, the announcement said.

The Montreal-born singer’s hits included Suzanne and I’m Your Man and he released his 14th album, You Want It Darker, just last month.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan received today the Ambassadors of EU member states accredited to Armenia and the Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Piotr Switalski.

The Prime Minister emphasized the sincere and open dialogue and cooperation with the EU in all directions and stressed the importance of exchange of experience and implementation of the European culture in our country in the fields of business management, fight against corruption, protection of human rights, implementation of judicial reforms.

Speaking about the government program, Karen Karapetyan noted that the main goal of the executive is to create maximally fair, free and equal field for business and promote investment programs.

The Prime Minister briefed the diplomats on plans to create foundations that will co-finance active, openly operating business and encourage them to be law-abiding taxpayers. He said he does not see a way of development of the country without fight against shadow economy and corruption in all spheres.

Piotr Switalski, in turn, underlined that he’s impressed by the Prime Minister’s and government’s ambitions and reforms agenda.  The Ambassador stressed, that as a friend of Armenia, the European Union is willing to help the country develop the economy, improve the business field, the tax and customs management.

Referring to the fight against corruption, Mr. Switalski hailed the measures envisages by the government and voiced willingness to cooperate in that direction.

The EU Ambassador attached importance to the implementation of reforms in the organization of electoral processes, independence o the judicial system, defense of human rights.

Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs Amir-Hossein Zamani-Nia will hold talks with Vitaly Markelov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee.

According to daily, Amir-Hossein Zamani-Nia will try to convince the Russian companies to get involved in Iran’s oil and gas projects.

The source says increased supplies of Iranian gas to Armenia will be on the agenda of the talks.

Gazprom currently supplies gas to Armenia through Georgian territory, but the transit agreement will expire by the end of the year, and Gazprom seeks reduction of transit fees.

Photo: AFP

 

A suicide bomber has rammed a truck into a German consulate in Afghanistan, killing at least four civilians and wounding 120, officials said, the BBC reports.

Gunman attacked the building after the blast, in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, battling with German and Afghan forces.

The Taliban said it carried out the attack in retaliation for air strikes last week in Kunduz province.

Local police said at least one suspect had been arrested in connection with the bombing.

A Nato spokesman said there was “massive damage” to the consulate.

At least one car packed with explosives was rammed into the wall surrounding the compound, the spokesman said. Officials were also investigating whether a second car bomb was involved.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that the fighters had been sent “with a mission to destroy the German consulate general and kill whoever they found there”, Reuters reported.

All German consulate staff were “safe and uninjured”, the German foreign ministry said, adding that troops were on site preparing to evacuate staff.

Germany leads the Nato diplomatic mission in northern Afghanistan and has nearly 1,000 troops stationed in the country.

No casualties have been reported as a result of shelling from the Azerbaijani side in the northeastern direction of the line of contact, Spokesman for the NKR President David Babayan said in an interview with Public Radio of Armenia.

“The rival keeps violating the ceasefire, but it’s not something extraordinary, It’s everyday life, we have been dealing with a terrorist state for 25 states now,” the Spokesperson noted.

He added the Azerbaijani side is thus trying to regain its lost dignity.

David Babayan said implementation of confidence-building measures is an important step towards settlement of the conflict.

He added that the resolution of the Karabakh conflict should be approached from two perspectives – the settlement of the conflict and maintenance of peace in the region.

“As breakthrough in the settlement is impossible at this point, the maintenance of peace is the central issue in the negotiations,” Babayan said.

According to him, the confidence-building measures will help reinforce the ceasefire regime and hold the party violating the ceasefire accountable. “Azerbaijan prevents the implementation of the measures, because it’s the one violating the truce,” he said.

The large-scale military actions in Azerbaijan do not mean the possibility of large-scale war has increased.

“There’s no panic or concern connected with the drills. “The military exercises pursue a domestic political goal. The authorities are thus showing the ethnic minorities in the country that the power can be used agaisnt them if necessary,” David Babayan said.

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces have been taking provocative steps last night and this morning, the NKR Ministry of Defense reports.

Starting from 12:15 today the rival has been shelling the military positions in the northeastern (Talysh and Yarymja) directions of the frontline, the Ministry said.

More intensive shelling has been reported in the direction of Yarymja village.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army are taking measures to pressure the activeness of the rival.

The NKR Defense Ministry declares that the Azerbaijani side bears full responsibility for the increased tensions at the line of contact.

“Yerevan is a delightful capital. Its wide, leafy boulevards are lined with cafés and wine bars where Armenians like to sit chatting late into the night,” Frank Gardner writes in an article published by The Telegraph.

“You know you’re in wine country the moment you arrive at Yerevan airport. You can’t really miss it as there’s a 20ft high inflatable wine bottle parked outside the terminal,” the article reads.

“A Christian country sandwiched between predominantly Muslim Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan, Armenia likes its alcohol. They also produce what they say is the best brandy in the world and driving into town the advertisements are everywhere for Ararat brandy and Noy cognac,” the author writes.

“You look up to the horizon and there, towering over everything, is the magnificent, awe-inspiring snow-capped peak of Mount Ararat, 5,165 metres high and just across the border in Turkey. “It used to be ours,” Armenians say,” The Telegraph writes.

“Garni is a sort of miniature Parthenon, built in the 1st century AD, reduced to rubble by an earthquake in 1679, then rebuilt in the Seventies. It’s an extraordinary building in a dramatic setting but Geghard Monastery is, to my mind, even more impressive. Up a steep, cobbled road, through an archway, past pine trees swaying beneath yellow crags, this World Heritage-listed monastery is named after the lance said to have speared Christ’s flesh at the crucifixion,” the article reads.

For the full article click .

“Azerbaijan not only rejects creation of mechanisms for investigation of incidents and expansion of the office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE CiO, but also seeks to undermine the only international monitoring mechanism,” NKR Foreign Minitstry said in a statement. The full text is provided below:

On the night of November 10-11, and during the day the Azerbaijani armed forces shelled the frontline positions of the NKR Defense Army near the villages of Talish and Yarimja from 60 and 82 mm mortars. Such massive use of mortars occurring for the first time after a large-scale aggression against Nagorno Karabakh in April, has become the continuation of recent escalation of tension on the Line of Contact by Azerbaijan.

It is of serious concern that the aggravation of the situation takes place against the background of Azerbaijan’s preparation for the large-scale military exercises near the NKR borders, employing a large number of military equipment and manpower.

Such actions are a flagrant violation of agreements reached at summits in Vienna and St. Petersburg on inadmissibility of escalation of tension on the Line of Contact and indicate to the intention of Azerbaijan to impede the measures aimed at creating conditions for the resumption of the negotiation process.

Moreover, Azerbaijan not only rejects creation of mechanisms for investigation of incidents and expansion of the office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE CiO, but also seeks to undermine the only international monitoring mechanism to maintain the ceasefire regime by firing an area where the OSCE mission carried out a planned monitoring on the day before.

In this situation, we call on the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, the OSCE Chairperson in Office and the international community as a whole to condemn in the strongest terms destructive policy of the Azerbaijani authorities, and to take effective measures to prevent a further escalation of tension.

For its turn, the NKR will suppress any actions of Azerbaijan, threatening the security of the Republic, the peace and stability in the region.