Category: News

The Armenian Church has expressed willingness to contribute to the restoration of the ancient tomb in Jerusalem where Jesus was buried.

The issue was discussed at today’s sitting of the Supreme Religious Council held at the Mother See of holy Etchmiadzin.

Underlining the importance of Jerusalem in the national life and the responsibility of the Armenian Church in the maintenance of the holy site, the Supreme Religious Council committed itself to supporting the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and raise the necessary funds through its Dioceses around the world.

President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan had a meeting in Yerevan with OSCE Chairman-in-Office, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier this morning.

“The meets was held in a sincere atmosphere. The parties exchanged views on issues related to the ways out of the current situation,” NKR Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan told reporters after the meeting.

“The steps that will pave the way for restoring the negotiation process shave long been discussed. These include the development and implementation of the investigation mechanism, as well as the expansion of the office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. We expressed our views on the matter. It was noted, in part, that the proposals are in line with those Karabakh has been offering since early 2000. The Artsakh side has made a number of other proposals, which will not only allow to build confidence between the parties, but also pave the way for the uninterrupted negotiation process,” Minister Mirzoyan told reporters.

Frank Walter Steinmeier told a press conference yesterday that “the maintenance of the status–quo is impossible in the long run. Commenting on this, the NKR Foreign Minister said “we first need to understand what we mean under status-quo.”

“The current status of Artsakh, which does not ensure full rights to its people, does not provide an opportunity for the uninterrupted continuation of the process of independent state-building in Artsakh, is definitely unacceptable. It’s necessary to take all steps to reach the legal formulation of the achievements we have had over years,” he said.

The Minister said “official Stepanakert remains committed to the peaceful settlement of the issue within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, but stresses the importance of restoring the full format of negotiations with the participation of Artsakh.

“This is our official position. It’s not only the demand of Artsakh, but also an objective reality that serious progress is impossible without Artsakh’s full participation in all stages of the negotiation process,” Minister Mirzoyan said.

Mirzoyan said it was made clear during the meeting that irrespective of the situation in the negotiations and the status quo, the people of Artskah have humanitarian needs and the OSCE, as a serious international organization, should take steps in that direction.

“The rights and freedoms of the people of Artsakh are being violated because of blockade. I mean the freedom of movement, education, and other right. I think the OSCE can also play serious role in this respect,” he said.

Speaking about the situation at the line of contact, Karen Mirzoyan noted that “the more stable the situation, the better conditions it will create for the diplomats and the negotiating parties for launching constructive dialogue.”

He added that “no matter where the next meeting is held, it’s important to reach agreement on the conditions and formats that will allow to restore the negotiation process.”

“There is definitely a common understanding  among the international community and the Armenian party that there is no military solution to the Karabakh conflict, and the peaceful negotiated settlement is the only option. The sooner Azerbaijan comes to understand this, the sooner will it be possible to further the process,” Karen Mirzoyan concluded.

Pope Francis’s visit to Armenia was discussed at the sitting of the Supreme Religious Council held today at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin under the chairmanship of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

His Holiness Karekin II appreciated the Pontiff’s brotherly visit to Armenia June 24-26.

Members of the Council noted that the Pope’s three-day visit was the best evidence of the warm brotherly relations and cooperation between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church.

Russia plays a leading role in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Russia’s Plenipotentiary Representative to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich told Russia-24 in an interview.

“The attempt to reach an agreement with the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Vienna through the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Russia, France, USA) certainly gave some impulse, but the Russian side has the largest potential,” the Russian diplomat said, TASS reports.

He noted that he expects no breakthrough connected with the visit of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Yerevan and Baku.

“Although the acting chairmanship leads the process, it’s states that make decisions. The Chairman-in-Office, undoubtedly, plays an important role, but it’s not the driving force. The driving force is the Minsk Group with its three co-chairs,” he noted.

The reconstruction of the Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Lars highway may take 2-3 weeks, Armenian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of International Economic Integration and Reforms Vache Gabrielyan said at the government sitting today. The issue is in the spotlight of the Prime Minister and the government, he said.

The road is currently impassable because of flooding of Terek River. The land transportation of cargos is impossible. The Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations keeps in touch with the relevant authorities in Georgia and Russia, the Minister said.

At the request of the Armenian PM the Russian government has provided a plane to transport citizens stuck at Upper Lars border checkpoint. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations has already flown 96 citizens to Yerevan, another 120 will be transported today, Vache Gabrielyan said.

US President Barack Obama has said the UK vote to leave the EU raises “longer-term concerns about global growth,” the reports.

He said Brexit would “freeze the possibilities of investment in Great Britain or in Europe as a whole”.

He appealed to the UK prime minister and other EU leaders to ensure an orderly process for the British exit.

Mr Obama was speaking at a summit in Ottawa with the leaders of Canada and Mexico, aimed at strengthening economic ties between North American countries.

He said the preparations by central banks and finance ministers indicated that “global economy in the short run will hold steady”.

But he added: “I think there are some genuine longer-term concerns about global growth if in fact Brexit goes through and that freezes the possibilities of investment in Great Britain or in Europe as a whole.

“At a time when global growth rates were weak already, this doesn’t help,” the president said.a

Photo: AP

Taliban bombers have attacked an Afghan police convoy outside the capital Kabul, killing at least 30 people and wounding 50 others, officials say, the BBC reports.

Two bombs hit a convoy of buses carrying graduates from a ceremony on the city’s western outskirts.

Paghman District Governor Musa Khan told the BBC that all but two of the dead were police cadets.

The bombing was claimed by the Taliban and follows an attack on a bus just over a week ago that killed 14 people.

During a special audience for jubilee pilgrims at St Peter’s Square in Rome today  Pope Francis reflected on his recent  journey to Armenia.

“This past weekend I made a pastoral visit to Armenia, the first nation to embrace the Christian faith and a people which has remained faithful even in the midst of great trials,” he said.

“I also plan to go to Georgia and Azerbaijan in the near future, to encourage peace and reconciliation in a spirit of respect for all.”

“With gratitude for the welcome and fellowship showed me by the Armenian Apostolic Church, I ask the Virgin Mary to strengthen Christians everywhere to remain firm in the faith and to work for a society of ever greater justice and peace,” he concluded.

On 30 June Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan had a meeting in Yerevan with OSCEChairman-in-Office, German minister for foreign affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Issues relating to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict resolution and regional processes were on the discussion agenda.

President Sahakyan noted that the official Stepanakert remained adhered to the peaceful settlement of the conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, underlining the imperative of restoring the full-fledged negotiation format with the direct participation of Artsakh.

Bako Sahakyan highlighted elaborating and introducing mechanisms for investigating incidents of the ceasefire violation in the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict zone, which would foster maintaining peace and stability in the region and exert a constructive influence on the further pace of the negotiation process.

NKR foreign minister Karen Mirzoyan, personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk and other officials partook in the meeting.