Category: News

On the morning of November 9, a diverse group of government officials, politicians, civil society representatives, students, educators, and members of the press joined U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills, Jr. for an Election Watch Party at the U.S. Embassy.  As the results of the U.S. presidential and congressional elections were broadcast live from the United States, both American staff and our Armenian guests experienced the excitement of the democratic process in action as polls closed and votes were tabulated across the U.S.

More than 800 invited guests had the opportunity to interact with American diplomats and discuss the elections as real-time results were reported by various U.S. TV channels.  In addition to the live coverage, the Embassy provided a range of informational materials about the U.S. elections and the U.S democratic process.

In his remarks to the assembled audience, Ambassador Richard M. Mills, Jr. emphasized that “today is a special day, one that comes along every four years, when the United States reaffirms and celebrates its democratic tradition, 240 years strong, of calling upon the people to elect their next president.  As passionate and intense as this year’s election campaign has been, Americans know that as a result of yesterday’s vote, executive power will be transferred peacefully on January 20, 2017 in accordance with the U.S. Constitution and rule of law.  As Secretary Kerry said just last week, ‘we’re now engaged in the 58th free and open presidential selection process for the 58th consecutive time.  Compared to a lot of places in the world, that’s pretty amazing’.”

President Obama, who is nearing the end of his second and last term, will step down when his successor is inaugurated on Friday, January 20, 2017.  Ambassador Mills reaffirmed to the gathered Armenian guests that the excellent partnership between the U.S. and Armenia, which are celebrating their 25^th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, will stay strong regardless of who is elected the next president of the United States.
“The U.S. remains committed to our shared goal of an independent and prosperous Armenia at peace with its neighbors, and regardless of who the next president is, the U.S. government and the U.S. Embassy will remain steadfast partners and friends to Armenia, as we work together to ensure the democratic and prosperous future that the Armenian people deserve.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump with his victory in the US presidential election, voicing hope that joint work will resolve the crisis in bilateral ties, the Kremlin said Wednesday, Sputnik News reports.

According to Kremlin, Putin sent a telegram to Donald Trump congratulating him on his victory in the US presidential election and wishing him success in the responsible job as head of state.

“In a telegram, Putin expressed hope toward joint work to lift Russian-US relations from the state of crisis, as well as to address the pressing issues of the international agenda and the search for effective responses to global security challenges,” the Kremlin said.

In the telegram, Putin voiced hope that the crisis in US-Russia relations will be overcome through joint work. Putin also said he hopes that dialogue between Moscow and Washington, taking into account positions of both countries, meets the interests of the US and Russia.

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Armenia today announced the appointment of the newest National Goodwill Ambassador, Manchester United player and Armenia National Team captain Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who will support UNICEF in advocating for children’s right to education, sports and play and use his voice to bring awareness to the rights of the most marginalized children in Armenia. The appointment comes on the occasion of UNICEF’s global 70^th anniversary, which is marked in December 2016.

Together with UNICEF, Mkhitaryan will encourage Armenian families to get active and enable a fair chance for every child in the country with a focus on children’s and young people’s rights to get quality learning from early years and quality education in an inclusive environment.

“It’s very sad to see that not all children have the same opportunities to attend school and they don’t get access to quality early learning and education. All children should be able to enjoy the opportunity to reach their full potential so they can become productive citizens,” said Mkhitaryan. “I am truly honoured to become a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. I want to utilise my platform to help UNICEF advocate for every child’s right to education in Armenia, especially for those who are most vulnerable,” he added.

Over the past two decades, Armenia has seen considerable progress in expanding access to pre-primary education, introducing inclusive education, and committing to improve quality of learning. However many children are still left behind, including children with disabilities and children living in remote rural areas.

“We are excited to have Mkhitaryan join us as the newest UNICEF Ambassador in Armenia. As a passionate advocate for children and healthy living, Mkhitaryan demonstrates deep commitment to our mission,” said UNICEF Representative in Armenia Tanja Radocaj. “Education contributes to reducing inequalities and eradicating poverty, while supporting the expansion of more inclusive societies. We are thrilled to join together in advocating to make every child’s right to quality, inclusive and early education a priority in Armenia.“

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is an Armenian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for English club Manchester United, as well as leads the Armenia national team. Mkhitaryan is Armenia’s all-time top goal-scorer since his debut in January 2007. His previous clubs include Pyunik, Metalurh Donetsk, Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Dortmund. Mkhitaryan was voted Best Field Player of the season 2015/2016 in Bundesliga; he was also recognized as the best Armenian and CIS player in 2015/2016.

Mkhitaryan joins a large number of most prominent people from sports and culture who support UNICEF work for children all over the world.

Donald Trump will become the 45th US president after a stunning victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton, the Associated Press news agency reports.

The Republican nominee’s projected victory came down to a handful of key swing states, despite months of polling that favoured Mrs Clinton.

The battlegrounds of Florida, Ohio and North Carolina cleared the way for his Brexit-style upset.

Global markets plummeted, with the Dow set to open 800 points down.

Mr Trump’s projected victory in Wisconsin put him over the 270 out of 538 electoral college votes needed to win the White House.

The US president-elect took to the stage at his victory rally in New York and said: “I just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us on our victory.”

“Hillary has worked very hard and very hard over a very long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to this country,” Mr Trump said. “Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division.”

“It is time for us to come together as one united people.”

“I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for every American. And that is very important to me,” said Mr Trump.

“For those that have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I’m reaching out to you for your guidance and you help so we can work together and unify our great country.”

“I expect to have great, great relationships” with other countries, Mr Trump said.

“No dream is too big; no challenge too big. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country’s destiny and dream big and bold and daring.

“I will always keep America first,” he said.

The Republican Party has retained its majority in the US House of Representatives, projections suggest, the BBC reports.

The TV networks ABC and NBC both projected a Republican majority in the 435-seat chamber, which the party has controlled since 2010.

Republicans also appeared to be set to keep control of the 100-seat Senate, where 34 seats were being contested.

The Democrats need to gain four seats if Hillary Clinton wins the presidency and five if Donald Trump wins.

That is because the vice-president is automatically a member of the Senate.

Photo: Getty Images

 

By Harut Sassounian
The California Courier

With each passing day, Turkish President Erdogan is becoming increasingly dictatorial. The arrest of 11 members of the opposition pro-Kurdish party, HDP, is the latest in a long string of Erdogan’s dictatorial policies.

Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official and resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote a devastating exposé on Erdogan last week, listing some of his scandalous actions!

I have summarized Rubin’s lengthy article which was posted on Newsweek magazine’s European edition website, under the title, “Twelve Questions Turkish Journalists Dare not Ask”:

1. How did Erdogan become a billionaire?

Erdogan was raised in a poor family until he became Mayor of Istanbul when he faced 13 corruption probes. In 2004, when he was Prime Minister, the U.S. embassy in Ankara reported in a cable to Washington that “he had at least eight Swiss bank accounts.” In addition, secret phone recordings revealed his instructions “to liquidate perhaps a billion dollars in cash. Erdogan used his power over the courts to quash the case and arrest prosecutors and judges who sought to pursue it.”

2. Where is Erdogan’s university diploma?

Erdogan claims to have graduated from Istanbul’s Marmara University in 1981. His degree may have been forged. “A four-year degree is a prerequisite for the presidency. If Erdogan lied about having a degree, can he remain as president?”

3. Is there another story behind the coup attempt?

Erdogan fired and jailed thousands of his political opponents, accusing them of being the followers of Fethullah Gulen, the alleged mastermind of the July 15 coup attempt, which the Turkish President called “a gift from God.”

4. If there is a FETO, is there also an ETO?

Erdogan called Gulen’s movement “the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETO)…. If it is permissible to talk about FETO as a terror group, would it be equally acceptable to refer to the Erdoganist Terror Organization (ETO)?”

5. If Gulen is a terrorist, why did Erdogan work with him till 2013?

Gulen and Erdogan had practically identical religious philosophies until their split in 2013. Why is Gulen a ‘terrorist’ now?

6. Why is it OK to report on PKK attacks but not on ISIS?

“When the PKK or fringe Kurdish groups attack, it often dominates the headlines in Turkey for days as the investigation continues, authorities name suspects, etc…. But when ISIS has attacked, the Turkish government has put an embargo on reports about the investigation.”

7. Why did Turkish intelligence help the Nusra Front? And ISIS?

“Evidence is overwhelming that both the Nusra Front, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, and ISIS itself, have received arms, support and equipment from authorities in Turkey. When journalists broke the story — and provided photographic evidence — Erdogan’s response was to arrest the editor of the newspaper that published the scoop. Likewise, when Turkish soldiers stopped an arms shipment into Syria, Erdogan ordered the soldiers’ arrest rather than the smugglers….”

8. Was a Turkish death squad behind the Paris assassinations?

“In 2013, assassins executed three Kurdish activists in their office in Paris. All three were PKK members…. The French captured Omer Guney, a 32-year-old Turk who had arrived in France at age 9.Telephone intercepts after the murders show him calling back to handlers in Turkey’s intelligence agency….”

9. Why did Erdogan appoint his son-in-law oil minister?

“Berat Albayrak, Erdogan’s 37-year-old son-in-law, became Turkey’s energy minister on November 24, 2015. Was he the best qualified? Or were other factors at play?”

10. Can we talk about Erdogan’s associations?

Erdogan is a close friend of Yasin al-Qadi, a Saudi businessman, who, according to the U.S. Treasury Department “had alleged ties to Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden until 2014.” Erdogan persistently declared: “I know Mr. Qadi. I believe in him as I believe in myself. For Mr. Qadi to associate with a terrorist organization, or support one, is impossible.” Erdogan is also close to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar of Afghanistan who has “allied himself with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.” Another friend, Khalid Meshaal (the militant leader of Hamas), visited Turkey as Erdogan’s personal guest!

11. What deal have you struck with Putin?

After Erdogan and Putin buried the hatchet earlier this year, they agreed on a pipeline deal and held talks on the Turkish purchase of a Russian missile system. Were there any secret agreements?

12. What explains the court’s 2008 refusal to close the AKP?

In 2008, Turkey’s constitutional court came close to dissolving Erdogan’s ruling party. But, at the last-minute, one justice switched his vote. It is alleged that “a businessman, long hounded by Erdogan, wired money into that justice’s account just before the vote.”

During a November 6 ceremony in Istanbul to receive an honorary doctorate, Erdogan proudly proclaimed: “I don’t care if they call me a dictator or whatever else. It goes in one ear, out the other!”

Photo: AP

 

Two people have been killed and two injured in a shooting near a California polling station, the BBC reports.

However police say the incident in Azusa, about 25 miles (40km) east of Los Angeles, “had nothing to do with the ballot or voting”.

Officers were called to the scene following reports of a shooting and exchanged gunfire with the suspect.

After securing the area, police discovered a body, who they believe was the gunman, inside a house.

The man has not been identified. Police say another person was killed and two other wounded during the shooting incident but gave no details.

The Armenian side is ready to meet with Azeri counterparts, but will be waiting for development until December, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said at a joint press conference with his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni in Yerevan.

The Foreign Minister said he will meet with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council session in Hamburg December 8-9, but did not confirm the meeting with Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

“Of course, we are ready to participate in meetings, but everything will depend on the developments before Hamburg, because, as a rule, Azerbaijan aggravates the situation in the conflict zone before meetings, and has now declared about large-scale military actions that will involve the whole potential of the Armed Forces – 60 thousand troops, tanks, missiles, aviation, etc. This is an obvious violation of the Vienna document,” Minister Nalbandian said.

The Foreign Minister described it as a “provocative step” ahead of the Ministerial Council session in Hamburg.  Besides, he said, the intensity of the ceasefire violations by the Azerbaijani side has also increased.

Edward Nalbandian reminded about the numerous statements of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs that the conflict should be solved on the basis of the three principles of international law – non-use of force or the threat of force, the right of peoples to self-determination and territorial integrity. “Any attempt to separate the principles will make the settlement of the conflict impossible. Baku should decide whether it really wants to continue the negotiations in this format. On one hand, they say ready to participate in meetings, on the other hand, they speak against the Co-Chairs’ proposals, which form the basis of settlement,” Minister Nalbandian stated.

Otherwise, he said, the simple participation in becoming an imitation on the part of Azerbaijan. “Vivid examples of this are the meetings in Vienna and St. Petersburg. They participated in the summits, but it gave nothing.”

“Baku has been refusing to call the agreements reached at the Vienna and St. Petersburg summits to life. Moreover, it has been doing the utmost to prevent their implementation. Those who had doubts that Azerbaijan can resort to an abrupt aggravation of the situation, got clear proofs in early April, when Azerbaijan unleashed large-scale military actions,” Minister Nalabndian said.

On 8 November President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan watched military exercises of the Defense Army conducted in the republic’s central section.

In his speech the President underlined that the Defense Army is the greatest achievement of our independent statehood, pivotal guarantee of our country’s independence, sovereignty and our people’s security, one of the most influential factors of maintaining peace and stability in the region.

“All of us, all Armenians  are proud of our brave soldiers, who due to their daily humble and courageous behavior fulfill the Motherland defender’s sacred mission with dignity, always ready to rebuff any encroachment of the enemy”, noted President Sahakyan.

According to Bako Sahakyan the highest command staff of the Defense Army and all the command units would make the necessary conclusions and carry out appropriate work for consistent increase of the Defense Army’s combat efficiency.

President Sahakyan handed in valuable gifts to a group of servicemen who had registered high results during the maneuvers.