President Serzh Sargsyan had today a phone conversation with the US Secretary of State John Kerry. The call was initiated by the American side.
The interlocutors spoke about the recent developments in the NK peace negotiations mediated by Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, particularly to the process of implementation of the agreements reached in Vienna and Saint Petersburg.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will visit Sochi on July 1st at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Minister Nalbandian will participate in the 34th sitting of the Foreign Ministers of the member countries of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization.
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.
Armenia attaches great importance to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the German Bundestag, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said at a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
“The resolution adopted on June 2 was the continuation of President Joachim Gauck’s statement of April 23,205.
“With this step Germany not ony makes a valuable contribution to the process of international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and the international community’s fight for prevention of crimes against humanity, but also acknowledges its share of responsibility in the perpetration of the Armenian Genocide,” Minister Nalbandian said.
The Foreign said “Armenia values the support of the German Presidency of the OSCE to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs targeted at the exceptionally peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
“From the first day of assuming the OSCE presidency, Germany has supported the Co-Chairs’ proposals to implement an investigation mechanism and enlarge the team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office,” Minister Nalbandian said.
He reminded that the two above-mentioned proposals and the unconditional implementation of the 1994 and 1995 agreements were on the agenda of the meetings in Vienna and St. Petersburg.
According to Minister Nalbandian, implementation of the proposals will allow to create favorable conditions furthering the negotiation process.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter-Steinmeier today departs on a three-day visit to the South Caucasus region, and will travel to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Before his departure, Steinmeier said that despite much turbulence in Europe, one must not lose sight of the situation in the South Caucasus. “The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict risks to re-escalate at any time,” said Steinmeier. “As Chair of the OSCE we have the responsibility to hedge this risk as far as possible.” As measures to this end Steinmeier named the consolidation of the ceasefire, confidence-building measures and negotiations that should soon be taken up.
Steinmeier also stressed that the settlement of territorial conflicts in Georgia has to remain high on the agenda. With a view to the Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly that will take place in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi on 1-5 July, Steinmeier said: “By speaking at the opening session of the Parliamentary Assembly I wish to underline our support to strengthening parliamentarianism in the OSCE area.”
On June 29, Edward Nalbandian, Foreign Minister of Armenia, met in Yerevan with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Foreign Minister of Germany and the OSCE Chairperson-in-office.
The meeting started in a tete-a-tete format, and proceeded in the extended format with the participation of delegations.
Welcoming the guests, Edward Nalbandian stressed, that regular high-level visits create a solid basis to discuss perspectives of the development of multilayer Armenian-German relations.
The Ministers commended the dynamic development of bilateral cooperation. The interlocutors shared the view, that it derives from the mutual aspiration to further develop and deepen relations between the two friendly countries.
Edward Nalbandian and Frank-Walter Steinmeier reflected on the process of implementation of agreements reached between the President of Armenia and Chancellor of Germany in April in Berlin.
The sides also praised the high level of the Armenian-German inter-parliamentary ties and attached importance to the cooperation established within the international parliamentary assemblies.
Edward Nalbandian mentioned that Armenia highly values the adoption of Resolution on the Armenian Genocide by German Bundestag on June 2, which complimented the Statement made by the Federal President Joachim Gauck on April 23, 2015. “By this step, Germany not only makes a remarkable contribution to the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, as well as to the efforts of the international community for prevention of genocides and crimes against humanity, but also recognizes its part of responsibility for the Armenian Genocide”, said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.
The Ministers attached importance to the regular consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and further strengthening the cooperation within international organizations.
Ministers discussed numerous issues of bilateral agenda, including the expansion of legal framework, steps towards the development of cooperation in the fields of trade and economy, education, culture, healthcare. The sides emphasized the role of the Office of German Business Association, opened in Yerevan in April, in the advancement of bilateral trade and economic relations.
Edward Nalbandian and Frank-Walter Steinmeier discussed steps aimed at further strengthening of relations between Armenia and the European Union, and in particular, the process of negotiations over the new comprehensive agreement with the EU.
Ministers addressed issues related to the OSCE agenda. Edward Nalbandian reaffirmed Armenia’s support to the priorities of the OSCE German Chairmanship. It was mentioned that Armenia appreciates the support of the German Chairmanship to the efforts of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs aimed at exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Edward Nalbandian also valued the activities of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, and emphasized that the Office is the only OSCE full fledged mission in the region, which yet again demonstrates Armenia’s commitment to cooperation within the OSCE.
At the end of the meeting, Edward Nalbandian and Frank-Walter Steinmeier signed an Agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the Federal Republic of Germany on Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital.
Veteran Iranian Armenian composer Loris Tjeknavorian has successfully undergone balloon angioplasty at Day General Hospital in Tehran, the Persian media reported on Monday, reports.
Tjeknavorian was admitted to the hospital last week.
Several colleagues and a number of cultural officials, including Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani, visited him at the hospital.
Tjeknavorian, who is of Armenian origin, has widely performed across the world, having conducted international orchestras in Austria, Britain, the United States, Canada, Hungary, Iran, Finland, Armenia, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Africa and Denmark.
His own compositions have also been performed by major orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the American Symphony Orchestra in New York and the Tehran Symphony Orchestra.
The French government has tabled an under the Equality and Citizenship bill submitted to the National Assembly, reports.
The bill envisages punishment for those who have denied the fact of genocide, crime against humanity, crime of enslavement or exploitation of a disabled person in slavery or war crimes.
The Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) has welcomed this initiative, “which is consistent with the commitments of the President of the Republic.”
CCAF also welcomes the willingness of the government to include the defense of the truth of the Armenian Genocide in the values of the French Republic.
Video published by Pope Francis (@franciscus)
A photo report of Pope Francis’ three-day visit to Armenia has been posted on the Pope’s page on Instagram.