Category: News

As the 2016 Republican Convention convenes in Cleveland, Ohio next week, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) embarked on an Armenian Genocide billboard campaign prominently displaying the statement of President Ronald Reagan affirming the Armenian Genocide.

With nearly 50,000 people expected at the Convention in Cleveland, the billboards are part of the Assembly’s ongoing public awareness initiative. They serve as a reminder about the need to affirm the truth and learn from the past so as to prevent future genocides.

During his first term in office, President Reagan issued a proclamation which read in part: “Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it – and like too many other such persecutions of too many other peoples – the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.”

The first two billboards, located on I-77 northbound near Grant Avenue (close to where the Convention will be held) and Carnegie Avenue westbound, features an excerpt from President Ronald Reagan’s proclamation on April 22, 1981.

“The Cleveland Armenian community, and, particularly, our parishioners, are overjoyed with respect to the presence of both billboards,” Rev. Fr. Hratch Sargsyan, pastor of St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Apostolic Church, said. “The billboards are the talk of the Armenian community. Folks are simply ecstatic.”

The billboards’ media campaign was overseen by the Assembly’s Ohio State Chair Ara Bagdasarian, who is also a member of the Cleveland Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee.

“Ronald Reagan, one of the most revered Republican leaders, is the only sitting president to recognize the Armenian Genocide and use the term genocide. With these billboards, we will reiterate Reagan’s statement and help ensure that the next president – whether it be Republican or Democrat – reaffirms the Armenian Genocide,” Bagdasarian said. “We wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to share our message about the Armenian Genocide with the visitors coming to Cleveland during the Republican Convention. The world’s spotlight and media will converge here, and we have the chance to be heard.”

Donated by Debbie Abdalian-Thompson, owner of Cleveland Outdoor Advertising, the Assembly put up two of the billboards to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and to promote public awareness during the Convention. A third billboard was added following Germany’s affirmation of the Armenian Genocide on June 2. The most recent billboard reads: “Truth vs National Interest” and “Thank You Germany for Recognizing the Armenian Genocide,” designed by Peace of Art and located on I-77 southbound near mile marker 157.

“I would also like to give special thanks Debbie Abdalian-Thompson and Cleveland Outdoor Advertising for her generous support,” Bagdasarian added.

The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs plan to visit the region, but no exact date has been set, Russian Co-Chair Igor Popov said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“We’ll definitely visit the region, but are still coordinating the date with the parties,” he said.

Popov said all members of the Minsk Group held their regular meeting in Vienna Monday. The Russian, American and French Co-Chairs and the personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office participated in the meeting.

“The meeting was generally dedicated to the assessment of the recent mediating efforts taken by the co-chairing countries and the results of the summit in St. Petersburg. My French and American colleagues told about French President Francois Hollande’s and Secretary of State John Kerry’s discussions with the parties. We also discussed the further mediating efforts,” Popov said.

Ten people have been killed and dozens more hurt in a head-on collision involving two passenger trains in southern Italy, the BBC reports.

The two trains were on a single-track line at the time of the crash, between the coastal towns of Bari and Barletta.

Emergency services are trying to free passengers from the wrecked carriages near the town of Andria.

“I think there are many dead,” local fire brigade commander Riccardo Zingaro told Rai TV.

Some of the carriages were badly damaged, he said. There were fears the number of deaths could rise further.

One of those rescued from the wreckage was a small child who was airlifted to hospital.

It was unclear what led to the collision which happened in good weather at 11:30 local time (09:30 GMT) in the southern region of Apulia.

Italian reports said one of the trains had come from Andria, and the other from Corato, a short distance to the south-east.

“The Madrid Document proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs suggests packaged settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue based on mutual compromises,” Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan has said. The comments come after statements by the President of Azerbaijan regarding the phased solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

“One of the key elements of that packaged solution is the determination of the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally binding expression of will of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. The adoption of the Madrid Document in general, including the idea of referendum as a basis for the negotiation process, was a serious compromise by the Republic of Armenia, considering that the referendum on the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh was conducted before the collapse of the Soviet Union in full compliance with the fundamental norms of the international law and the Constitution and legislation of the Soviet Union then in force,” Shavarsh Kocharyan said in comments to Panorama.am.

“The idea of the new referendum was substantiated by the Co-Chairs in terms of providing the Azerbaijani leadership time to prepare their population to the inevitability of holding such referendum as well as to long-term peace and not to war. However the Azerbaijani leadership used the timeframe after the adoption of Madrid principles for distorting the essence of negotiation process, seeding hatred towards Armenians, preparing their population for war, maintaining the tension and carrying out provocations along the borders with the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia,” the Deputy Foreign Minister said.

“The logical continuation of such politics was the renewal of large-scale military offensive against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic by Azerbaijan, which represents a grave violation of the latter’s international obligations under trilateral – Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia- agreements on the establishment of ceasefire regime and the enforcement of the ceasefire regime of 1994-1995, which have no time limitations. The Azerbaijani aggression was conducted by a cruelty not inferior to ISIS with grave violations of humanitarian law, including shelling of schools resulting in the death and injuries of children, torture, mutilation and killing of elderly people as well as decapitation of soldiers. Moreover, the President of Azerbaijan demonstratively decorated the barbarian, who decapitated the Armenian captive soldier, exactly how he previously glorified another barbarian who axed an Armenian lieutenant during the NATO courses in Budapest,” he added.

“The international community attempted to give the Azerbaijani leadership a chance to retake a civilized and constructive path. To that end, Baku must respect and implement the agreements reached on 16th of May in Vienna and reaffirmed on 20th of June in St. Petersburg and facilitate the creation of an atmosphere necessary for the resumption of negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement. However, the statements of the Azerbaijani leadership prove that Baku is losing as well this opportunity provided by the mediators,” Shavarsh Kocharyan noted.

“Azerbaijan’s April aggression clearly demonstrated the inability of its leadership to adhere to its international commitments under the agreements signed by that very side and proved that the launch of the packaged settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh issue must start with the recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic by Azerbaijan and its proclamation on the readiness to return the occupied territories of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,” he added.

“The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan has nothing to do with Nagorno-Karabakh and the conflict must be resolved within the framework of realization of the right of self-determination of people of Nagorno-Karabakh and responsibility of Azerbaijan in its aggression against the self-determined Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,” the Deputy FM concluded.

Pope’s visit to Armenia was both of religious and inter-state character, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview with Al Mayadeen TV, a pan-Arab news station.

“The fact of the Pope visiting Armenia is very important by itself, but the essence and content of that visit make it even more valuable,” the President said. He reminded that the Pope had described the trip as “pilgrimage to the first Christian nation.”

He attached importance to the Pope’s messages of peace, inter-religious dialogue and calmness. “I think all countries of our region should accept these messages and implement them,” he said.

“Pope’s trip was a visit to peace, a visit preaching peaceful co-existence and tolerance,” Serzh Sargsyan said.

As for Turkey’s reaction to the Pope’s remarks on Armenian Genocide, President Sargsyan said “Turkey angrily reacts to the actions of all countries recognizing the Armenian Genocide, and there was nothing surprising for us here.”

Many ask why the Pope used the word genocide here. “Why should a religious or political leader who has his views on certain things and events, refrain from calling them by their names?”

“Many thought Pope Francis would not use the word ‘genocide’ again after the Mass served on the 100^th anniversary. “Pope is not a person that can change his convictions because of pressures or angry reactions. The Pope used the word many times, when he was still in Argentina. For decades he has been friends with heirs of Armenian genocide survivors,” President Sargsyan said.

“Turkey will once react calmly to these facts,” the President said, adding that the situation was different 10 years ago. “No one would imagine 10 years ago that the Armenian Genocide could be commemorated in Istanbul or Ankara on April 24.”

“Turkey will once recognize the fact of genocide,” he said.  He noted that Germany came out winner by acknowledging the fact of Holocaust.

“We do not blame the Turkish people of having perpetrated the genocide. We blame the then authorities of the country, who undertook to eliminate the Armenian people. Today we blame those who deny the genocide. No one has ever heard me say a sore word about the Turkish people,” President Sargsyan said.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian participated in the Eastern Partnership Informal Dialogue Meeting of the Foreign Ministers. The full text of Minister Nalbandian’s speech is provided below:

Dear Pavlo,
Dear Johannes,
Dear Helga,
Dear Colleagues,

I would like to thank our Ukrainian colleague for hosting this informal ministerial dialogue.

This year we already have met twice – in Prague and Brussels, sharing our vision in regard to the cooperation with European Union and perspectives of multilateral relationship within the Eastern Partnership. We hope the EU will be able to overcome the situation created by the Brexit soon. As for Armenia, we will continue our efforts to further develop and deepen the partnership with the European Union, EU member states as well as the UK.

Months that passed since our last meeting in this format in Tbilisi were fruitful for the Armenia-EU cooperation. Negotiations on a new framework document between Armenia and the European Union were launched last December. This agreement will reflect the depth and essence of our bilateral relations and set new guidelines for enhanced and comprehensive partnership. Four rounds of negotiations have been held so far, recording a steady progress.

Dear Colleagues,

The outcomes of the Riga Summit and the Joint Declaration adopted in May 2015 provided a shared vision for our partnership and cooperation in coming years.

Agreement on the participation of Armenia in the COSME Programme (for small and medium-sized enterprises) was signed last December. A month ago Armenia joined Horizon 2020 programme (for research and innovation). We envisage becoming soon a part to the Creative Europe Programme, (which offers a broader frame for cultural exchanges) and we also expect the negotiations on the Common Aviation Area agreement to start this year.

The enhanced mobility remains one of the important prerequisites for making our societies closer. A month ago third meeting of the Joint Committees on monitoring the implementation of the Visa Facilitation and Readmission agreements took place in Yerevan. The parties highlighted their successful realization. We are looking forward to live up to our joint commitment to secure mobility and contacts between people by launching a Visa Liberalization Dialogue.

Dear Colleagues,

The Government of Armenia continues the reform process aimed at the consolidation and strengthening of the democratic institutions. On May 25th the National Assembly adopted the new Electoral Code. The Joint opinion of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR recognized “the tangible efforts made by the authorities to take into account the recommendations on the basis of broad engagement with domestic stakeholders” and stated that “the draft electoral code could provide an adequate basis for the conduct of democratic elections”.

To take an extra step forward the Government of Armenia continued to work with the opposition and civil society and a deal was signed between the Government and the representatives of the parliamentary opposition to introduce new amendments in order to conduct more fair, inclusive and transparent elections.

In this context, let me note that we highly appreciate the EU’s continued support and assistance provided to our country over the years, which has been instrumental for the effective implementation and sustainability of the reform process and institutional capacity building in Armenia.

Dear Colleagues,

The ENP Action Plan was our cooperation roadmap for the last decade. Now, after the ENP Review, we are looking forward to elaborating a new Partnership Priorities document that together with the new framework agreement will become the core of our enhanced political and economic cooperation with the EU.

Dear Colleagues,

Since we are here to discuss also the security challenges, I would like to bring to your attention recent developments regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

The Vienna and St. Petersburg Summits were first and foremost aimed at stabilizing the situation in the conflict zone in the aftermath of large-scale military offensive unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh in April, which was accompanied by the gross violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws. First of all, it is a necessity to implement what was particularly emphasized and agreed upon in the frameworks of the Summits in order to create conditions for the continuation of the negotiation process – the exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict, the full adherence to the 1994-1995 trilateral ceasefire agreements, which do not have time limitations, the creation of mechanism for the investigation of ceasefire violations, the expansion of the team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.

Unfortunately, Azerbaijan after both Summits tries to ignore the reached agreements hindering the advancement of the peace process. Armenia will continue its efforts together with the Co-Chair countries aimed at exclusively peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Dear Colleagues,

Giving full credit to the effectiveness of this setting in following up, discussing and moving forward the issues ahead of us, Armenia would like to host the next Eastern Partnership Informal Dialogue Meeting of the Foreign Ministers in Yerevan. We count on your consent in this regard and hope to make a meaningful contribution to our cooperation through the Yerevan meeting.

Thank you.

The sides in Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have moved much closer to success than ever before but it is too early to disclose the details, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday after talks with his Azerbajani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov, TASS reports.

“We have grounds to think that we are now moving much closer to success than ever before,” Lavrov said.

However, the foreign minister said he will not disclose the details of agreements reached between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia at their meeting in St. Petersburg on June 20.

“For obvious reasons, we are not publicly disclosing details of those ideas that were discussed at the meeting. The leaders of the three countries agreed after the meeting on June 20 that they will carefully treat those sprouts of hope that are appearing. Not because we are hiding something, it is just an ethical norm at negotiations,” he added.

Talking about his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that took place on July 11, Lavrov said: “The conversation was rather useful, and this will help us move forward towards realization of the understanding reached by the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia at the meeting in St. Petersburg on June 20,” the foreign minister concluded.

Several German lawmakers said on Sunday the country’s soldiers working at Turkey’s Incirlik airbase should be brought home if Ankara continued to prevent parliamentarians from visiting the station, reports.

Turkey, angered by a resolution passed by the German parliament last month that branded the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces a genocide, has denied German lawmakers access to the base.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said the parliamentarians must be allowed to visit the 250 soldiers at the base who are taking part in NATO operations against Islamic State militants in Iraq but she stopped short of threatening to withdraw the soldiers.

A leader of Germany’s opposition Greens, Cem Ozdemir told ARD television the situation was unacceptable.

“As lawmakers who send soldiers to places, we must know where they are, how they are and be able to talk to the soldiers. If that is not possible in Turkey then the soldiers must come back to Germany,” he said.

Lawmakers approve military spending and investment in infrastructure at the base.

Asked if she would consider withdrawing troops from Incirlik if no agreement were reached, Merkel said she was focusing on resolving the matter by talking.

“A way must be found for the lawmakers to visit the soldiers. We must continue to work on this, the solution is not yet there,” she told broadcaster ZDF in an interview.

Merkel met Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Warsaw on Saturday. She said the atmosphere was constructive but the differences remained.

Andreas Scheuer, General Secretary of the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) who are part of Merkel’s conservative bloc in parliament, said lawmakers had to be allowed to visit soldiers.

“As a result of his behaviour, Turkish President Erdogan is risking the withdrawal of the German army,” he told Monday’s Tagesspiegel daily, according to extracts sent in advance.

A brilliant strike by Eder clinched Portugal’s first-ever major title, as the nation prevailed over hosts France 1-0 to take the Euro 2016 trophy.

Fernando Santos’ men suffered a blow early on when Cristiano Ronaldo was taken off injured, and Rui Patricio made a string of excellent saves to keep France at bay.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has issued a message on World Population Day:

The international community has committed to a new sustainable development agenda built on the principles of equity and human rights.  A central objective of the Sustainable Development Goals is to leave no one behind.

Despite significant gains made in reducing poverty and improving opportunity and well-being for many people around the world, hundreds of millions remain desperate for a chance of a better future.  Among those least served by previous development initiatives are girls, particularly those in their formative teenage years.

Just when girls should be in school and imagining the possibilities ahead, too many are held back from pursuing their ambitions by social and cultural traps.  While a boy’s options and opportunities tend to expand when he becomes an adolescent, those of a girl too often shrink.  Half of all sexual assaults worldwide are committed against girls aged 15 or younger.  In developing countries, one in three girls is married before she reaches 18.  And teenage girls are less likely than teenage boys to start or finish secondary school.

Rectifying these inequalities is critical for the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  That is why it includes the specific Goal of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.  On this World Population Day, I urge all Governments, businesses and civil society to support and invest in teenage girls.  Everyone deserves the benefits of economic growth and social progress.  Let us work together to ensure a life of security, dignity and opportunity for all.