TodayPresident Serzh Sargsyan visited the family of Adam Sahakyan who lost his life during the April hostilities in 2016, President’s Press Office reports.
The President expressed condolences to the parentsĀ and relatives of the soldier onĀ behalf of the whole Armenian nation and on his own behalf.
“Grateful generations willĀ remember name by name and will praise the deeds of Adam and the other heroes, martyred for the sake of the Motherland,” President Sargsyan assured.
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, cast his ballot at polling station 14/11 in Etchmiadzin.
āWe made our choice, wishing that these elections bring progress, development to our people, ensure a peaceful and tranquil life and add optimism, hope and faith. God bless our country and world-spread Armenians,ā the Catholicos said.
American singer, actress, director and producer Barbara Streisand has joined The PromiseĀ film toĀ #KeepThePromiseĀ to never forget.
āWe are all children of immigrants. Iām Barbara Streisand I vow to keep the promise to never forget,ā she says in a video shared on Facebook.
Set in 1914 right before the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the film follows Michael Boghosian (Oscar Isaac), a hopeful medical student who arrives in Constantinople to bring modern medicine to his ancestral village of Siroun in Southern Turkey. In the bustling capital, he soon meets Chris Myers (Christian Bale), an American photo-journalist, and Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), an Armenian artist. Both Michael and Chris soon fall in love with Ana and a love triangle ensues just as the Turks join the war on the German side, turning against the Armenians. Everyone must find a way to settle their differences in order to survive the coming chaos.
Results of e-voting will be the first to be announced after the polls close in Armenian parliamentary elections.
877 citizens of the Republic of Armenia ā diplomats accredited to foreign countries and their families, as well as those on business visits and students – have participated in electronic voting.
Electronic voting was conducted beforehand. According to the Electoral Code, the e-voting starts nine days before the Election Day and ends 7 days prior to it. Thus, the voting took place between March 24 and 26.
The results will be summed up after polls close in Armenia. The final protocol will be prepared at the sitting of the Central Electoral Commission at 20:00.
Those participating in e-voting can chose between parties onlyĀ with no voting through regional lists.
The Central Electoral Commission informs that 344,714 citizens or 13.32 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots in the parliamentary elections as of 11 a.m.
The total number of voters is 2,587,706. The polls opened at 8 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m.
The voting is taking place at 2009 polling stations in 13 electoral districts.
The Central Electoral Commission informs that 1,317,936 citizens or 50.93 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots in the parliamentary elections as of 5 p.m.
The total number of voters is 2,587,706. The polls opened at 8 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m.
The voting is taking place at 2009 polling stations in 13 electoral districts.
The UN has issued a statement, expressing support to theĀ Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. The statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict reads:
We have noted the recent statements by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and express full support for the call to the sides to refrain from any actions that would undermine the ceasefire agreement.
We welcome all efforts to reduce the level of tensions and call on all sides to demonstrate the necessary political will to resume substantive negotiations leading to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
On March 30, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a Supreme Spiritual Council meeting was held, during which they considered the recent developments concerning the Patriarchal Locum Tenens election in the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
The Catholicos of All Armenians reflected on the current situation, and informed the members of a letter sent to Echmiadzin on 24 March, by Rev. Fr. Yegishe Uchqounian, Chairman of the Patriarchate Clerical Assembly; and Rev. Fr. Drtad Ouzounian, through which they officially informed His Holiness on the election of His Eminence Archbishop Karekin Bekchian as Patriarchal Locum Tenens in the Patriarchate on March 15.
At the end of discussions, His Holiness announced his decision to bless the choice of the Patriarchal Locum Tenens, which was welcomed by the members of the Supreme Spiritual Council.
On the same day, His Holiness Karekin II, sent a letter to the Chancellor of the Clerical Assembly of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
āFrom the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, we convey our Pontifical blessing to the elected Patriarchal Locum Tenens of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, the clergymen and all our faithful Armenian children from Constantinople.
We urge you, that with the spirit of love and wisdom, to overcome the current problems and obstacles, and according to Church laws and rules, find better solutions to conduct the Patriarchal election, for the benefit of restoration of peace and solidarity for the Armenians of Constantinopleā, stated His Holiness, and asked Godās support for the clergy of the See of Patriarchate of Constantinople in their spiritual service.
Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan has issued an address in connection with the anniversary of the Four Day April War.
The address runs as follows:
“Dear compatriots,
A year ago on the night of April the 1st Azerbaijan undertook the large-scale military operation along the whole perimeter of the Karabakh-Azerbaijani border.
The official Baku again tried to solve the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict by force, destroy the independent Artsakh statehood, and commit a new genocide of the Armenian people.
The enemy’s aggression completely failed and it suffered considerable human, material and moral losses unable to realize any of its treacherous programs.
The adversary faced our armed forces, our valiant soldiers, our population that had consolidated into an army, the entire Armenian people, the Mother Armenia and the Diaspora, who immediately stood next to Artsakh. The Armenian people have proved once again that free and independent homeland is the highest value for us and that we are capable of defending our state from any encroachments.
Unfortunately, in the result of the insidious and provocative actions of the adversary we had irretrievable losses. Dozens of servicemen and civilians perished.
Eternal honor and glory to all our martyrs! Their bright memory will always remain in our hearts, their bravery and heroism will become a guideline for the future generations.
Defeated in the battlefield, Azerbaijan has not abandoned its expansionist programs. It continues to conduct anti-Armenian policy, does not refrain from implementing offensive operations in political, information and diplomatic spheres, and keeps violating the ceasefire regime in different sectors of the borders almost on a daily basis. The authorities of Azerbaijan does not hide that it is pursuing a revanchist policy. Such a stance is nothing else than a terrorism, another heinous and inhuman manifestation of genocidal policy.
All these once again confirm a century-long truth for our people: we must always be strong and united, protect our freedom and independence and build a worthy future for the generations to come.
Dear people,
Our spirit is firm, our will is unshakable, our purposes are just. We defend our native land, our homes and families, develop our country by painstaking work. This is a sacred mission that our people will always carry out with dignity”.
The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement on the anniversary of the Azeri aggression against Artsakh:Ā
It has been a year since Azerbaijanās April aggression against Artsakh.
During four days of April 2016 Azerbaijan conducted the same type of aggressive actions and barbarism against population of Artsakh, that it had carried out for about four years in the beginning of 1990s, when it had tried to deprive the people of Nagorno-Karabakh from their right to live in their homeland and to exercise their right to self-determination.
We pay tribute to the memory of all heroes who fell repelling the attack of Azerbaijan against Artsakh and who gave their lives to prevent mass atrocities against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.
While the international community was condemning the gross violations of International Humanitarian Law by the Azerbaijani armed forces, Baku was praising the acts of barbarism and their perpetrators.
Azerbaijanās adventurism severely damaged the peace process.
On May 16 in Vienna, upon the initiative of the US Secretary of State, and on June 20 in St. Petersburg, at the invitation of the President of Russia, the meetings of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan took place aimed at stabilising the situation, preventing new escalation and creation of conditions conducive to the advancement of the negotiation process. As an outcome of those meetings it was emphasised that it is necessary to settle the conflict exclusively through peaceful means, to strictly adhere to the 1994-1995 trilateral ceasefire agreements, which have no time limitations. It was agreed to establish in the shortest possible time an investigation mechanism for ceasefire violations and to expand the capacities of the team of Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.
However, Azerbaijan refused to implement the reached agreements and found itself in an isolation by opposing to the international community.
The highest leadership of Azerbaijan openly lies when it claims that the Co-Chair countries allegedly recognise Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. It pretends as if it does not understand what the Co-Chair countries are referring to when they say that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh should implement its right to self-determination through the legally-binding free expression of will. Armenia shares the same approach: indeed, the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be determined by the people of Artsakh. That forgery of Baku exposes the failure of the policy of Azerbaijan. After failing in the negotiation process Baku resorted to the military solution but failed again.
The April war once again vividly proved that Artsakh can never be part of Azerbaijan under any status, and that the implementation of the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination is irreversible.
In response to Azerbaijanās continuous threats to use force, the international community clearly warns that it will not be tolerated.
As a guarantor of Artsakhās security, Armenia will ensure the safety of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. Together with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries we will continue the efforts aimed at exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.