Category: News

AFP – EU president Donald Tusk said the bloc already misses Britain but would act as one to defend its interests after London triggered the two-year exit process on Wednesday.

“What can I add to this? We already miss you. Thank you and goodbye,” Tusk said in Brussels after receiving a letter from British Prime Minister Theresa May requesting the EU divorce.

“There is no reason to pretend this is a happy day,” he said in a short statement to reporters, adding: “In essence this is about damage control.

In a historic moment at around 1:26 pm (1126 GMT), Tusk accepted the letter from Tim Barrow, the British ambassador to the EU, as they shook hands against a backdrop of EU and Union Jack flags.

But the former Polish premier added that the European Union would stay together during the talks on Britain’s exit.

“Paradoxically there is also something positive in Brexit. Brexit has made us, the communuity of 27 more determined and more united than before,” he added.

“Today I can say that we will remain determined and united, also in the future, during the difficult negotiations ahead,” he added.

The remaining EU 27 members issued a statement through Tusk saying they would priotise an “orderly” divorce — in contrast to May saying in her letter that she wanted to discuss new ties and the split in parallel.

“In these negotiations the Union will act as one and preserve its interests,” they said in the statement.

“Our first priority will be to minimise the uncertainty caused by the decision of the United Kingdom for our citizens, businesses and Member States,” they added.

“Therefore, we will start by focusing on all key arrangements for an orderly withdrawal,” they said.

The EU27 said they would “approach these talks constructively and strive to find an agreement” and added that “we hope to have the United Kingdom as a close partner” in future.

Tusk will issue more detailed political guidelines for the Brexit negotiations, which EU leaders will sign off on at a summit on April 29.

Artsakh Human Rights Ombudsman Ruben Melikyan outlined the work of his office and presented the findings of its latest report on Azerbaijani war crimes and atrocities committed during the four-day April 2016 war to public policy leaders at a forum sponsored by the Center for Transatlantic Relations (CTR) at the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), reported the Armenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights (ALC).

CTR’s Benedikt Harzl, an Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Fellow in Central European Studies at Johns Hopkins University SAIS and assistant professor of international law at the University of Graz, hosted the March 15th discussion.  In his introductory remarks, Prof. Harzl noted the lack of a harmonized and unified approach to conflict resolution involving de facto states as one of the reasons these situations continue to fester and the importance of hearing the voices from these entities.

Prof. Harzl explained that a crucial question revolves around “what role should be afforded de facto states in the course of conflict resolution” and believed “international law is indeed in a position to provide accommodation with de facto states.”

Mr. Melikyan offered an overview of the responsibilities of the Human Rights Ombudsman, an independent position established in 2008, to address the human rights concerns of the citizens of Artsakh, including social, political, education, and religious rights.  The Ombudsman has the right to investigate human rights complaints, can demand information from state and local government officials, and has unrestricted access to prisons.  Mr. Melikyan, who was elected to a six year term by the Artsakh Parliament in May 2016, reported that he handles about 130 complaints a year.  He is not an “Armenian rights defender,” but a “human rights defender,” stressed Mr. Melikyan, who recounted his visit to an Azerbaijani soldier currently in custody in Artsakh during which he shared a copy of the European Convention on Human Rights and emphasized his right to an attorney of his choice.

The number one human rights concern in Artsakh was the right to security and life, explained Mr. Melikyan, citing Azerbaijan’s constant threats of war and repeated attacks.  His investigation into the four-day April 2016 War found widespread and systematic war crimes abuses by Azerbaijani soldiers, including three cases of beheadings.  The report, which has been , found that of the 28 combatants and 3 civilians, who fell under the control of Azerbaijan, 90% of them were either tortured, executed, or mutilated.

Mr. Melikyan decried the lack of widespread condemnation of these atrocities, warning that “impunity encourages new atrocities.”

The Belarusian Belavia Airline will resume Minsk-Yerevan-Minsk direct flights from May 2017.

The General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia has provided the air company with a license to operate regular flights.

In the summer navigation period Belavia plans to operate flights twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays.

The last flight along the route was carried out on February 4, 2016.

President Serzh Sargsyan has left for the Republic of Malta to participate in the meetings and the Summit of the European People’s Party (EPP).

Heads of state and government of the EU and Eastern Partnership member states, whose parties are also members of the EPP, are invited to take part in the Summit.

Four Memorandums of Understanding were signed within the framework of the Armenia-UAE Investment Forum held in Abu Dhabi last week, the Development Foundation of Armenia reports.

The “Hydro Corporation” Group of Companies and Estekshaf Investment Company signed a MoU on investments in the field of renewable energy, which envisages implementation of large-scale and long-term programs. The programs aim to upgrade the small HPPs.

“Tamara Fruit” CJSC and Natural Organic Healthy Food Company signed an agreement, under which the Armenian company will supply organic food to luxury hotels in six Arab countries. The first delivery is expected in the first decade of April.

The Armenian-Emirati Business Union and the Natural Organic Healthy Food signed a Memorandum on opening of organic food processing center in Armenia.

Under a MoU signed with the Armenian Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources, the in solar photovoltaic power plants in Armenia and operate them using the best technology available to the sector.

A passenger plane has caught fire on landing at an airport near the town of Jauja in central Peru. Remarkably no injuries have been reported. All 141 people on board were evacuated safely, Euronews reports.

Witnesses said the the Boeing 737 which had taken off in Lima drove off the runway after swerving for no apparent reason.

The fire may have been started when the wing scraped the ground.

Peruvian Airlines which own the jet have launched an investigation into the incident.

Photo: PAP/Jakub Kamiński

 

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda praised the contribution of Armenians to Polish society and culture during a meeting on Wednesday marking 650 years since an Armenian community arrived in this country, reports.

Duda noted that Armenians began arriving after special privileges were granted by Polish king Casimir the Great in 1367, establishing the first Armenian diocese in Poland.

During a meeting with the Armenian community at the presidential palace in Warsaw, a parchment from that year was displayed. The document testifies to privileges accorded by the Polish king to Armenian Bishop Gregory.

Duda said the contribution made by Armenians to Poland “is invaluable and penetrates practically all of social life, because they were both excellent farmers and created [sections] of the Polish intelligentsia, they were wonderful craftsmen, merchants.”

The European Union, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom have issued a statement on the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia:

Over the past year, the European Union, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom have offered significant financial and technical support to Armenia’s voting process, including providing equipment to facilitate a free and fair parliamentary election on April 2. We are pleased with the latest tests of the voter authentication equipment developed for Sunday’s election.  We commend the Government of Armenia for its commitment to this project to support Armenia’s election process and the United Nations Development Program for its effective implementation of the project within a severely constrained timeline.

We firmly believe that this effort will diminish the likelihood of voter fraud on Election Day and will limit tampering with the electoral process inside polling stations.  We state firmly that the voting process remains anonymous and that the voter authentication devices and cameras installed in polling stations are not designed to track votes.  We laud and support the strong effort by credible local and international electoral observers to cover virtually the entirety of Armenia’s 2009 polling stations, with the aim of providing balanced, objective analysis of the conduct of the election.

We note that our ultimate assessment of the conduct of the April 2 election will not be limited to observing electoral procedures on Election Day, itself.  We are aware of and concerned by allegations of voter intimidation, attempts to buy votes, and the systemic use of administrative resources to aid certain competing parties.  We continue to urge all parties engaged in the election to abide by the letter and spirit of Armenia’s electoral law, and call upon relevant law enforcement authorities and electoral institutions to implement existing laws in an unbiased and credible manner.

We hope the ultimate result of the election will pave the way to a future of prosperity, peace, and progress.  The Armenian people deserve as much.

Eight defendants, including police and journalists, were remanded on Tuesday to stand trial on charges relating to the murder of a prominent Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink, Anadolu Agency reports.

Hrant Dink, the founder of the bilingual Armenian-Turkish weekly newspaper Agos, was shot dead in an Istanbul street in January 2007.

Although a suspect was convicted, the case has been re-investigated several times amid concerns that police conspired to allow Dink’s killing to happen.

According to a judicial source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, the eight suspects were held on charges of membership of terror organization and “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order”.

Ogun Samast, aged 17 at the time of the killing, claimed he murdered Dink for “insulting Turkishness” and was jailed for 23 years in 2011.

Since then, prosecutors have examined whether he acted alone.

Today, during his working visit to the Republic of Malta, President Serzh Sargsyan attended the Congress of the European People’s Party held at the “Arena” conference center of the “Intercontinental” hotel in Saint Julian’s. The congress was conducted by the President of the European People’s Party Joseph Daul. The Head of the European Union Donald Tusk, The Head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, The Presidents of states and governments representing the parties which are members to European People’s Party from the EU member states and Eastern Partners and the Leader of the Nationalist Party of Malta Simon Buzitil participated at the Congress.

During the two-day Congress, the spotlight of all the delegates will be the importance of pan European issues and the agenda, specifically, focuses on the political discussions on the essential topic of “The Future of Europe.” They will also turn to the issues of the European neighborhood, the current developments in the sphere of Eastern Partnership and to the current international challenges.

President Serzh Sargsyan made a speech during today’s first plenary session of the congress, in which he touched upon the relations and cooperation between Armenia and the European Union, he stressed the new opportunities and prospects for expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation, and he also touched upon the upcoming parliamentary elections after the constitutional amendments and stressed the importance of the mission and problems of the European big family which is a key milestone in the path of Armenia’s democratization.

The President of the Republic of Armenia expressed the hope that the European Union would succesfully overcome all the problems faced by this stage and all the challenges, continuing its specific mission of spreading peace, stability and development, which would be beneficial for the people of Europe as well as for its partners.

Statement by President Serzh Sargsyan at the Congress of the European People’s Party

Distinguished Mr. President,

Ladies and gentlemen,

At the outset, l’d like to thank President Daul of the European People’s Party for inviting us to attend this event. Of course, I am also sending all my best wishes to the President Mr. Buzitil at the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I’m glad to register that form the very beginning this year has been very active for the Armenia-European Union relations. A historical achievement was registered in February: jointly with President Tusk, we had announced the conclusion of negotiations on the new legal document regulating our relations-Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. It will open up a new page in the relations between Armenia and European Union, and consolidate its institutional foundations, establishing new opportunities for the further expansion and deepening of our partnership.

Armenia-European Union partnership is a success story, a model of a successful partnership that resulted on one hand from Armenia’s consistent European agenda, and on the other – stemmed from the tailor-made approaches of the recent years in EU’s cooperation with the Eastern Partnership nations. Throughout this process Armenia has vividly demonstrated that it has been possible to make compatible various integration processes while harvesting and sowing everything positive and useful, which unite and does not divide nations.

Dear colleagues,

Just in three days from now on, Armenia will hold parliamentary elections. This is going to be an important stage on the path of democratization of my nation since constitutional reform. Taking into account peculiarities of my country’s development we pursue the objective of taking a decisive step towards building a democracy of European model and further strengthening of the democratic institutions. We are committed and spare no effort in order to conduct elections in line with the highest international criteria. All appropriate international structures, such as OSCE/ODIHR, PACE, European Parliament, OSCE and CIS PAs had been invited to Armenia to observe elections.

We are grateful to the European Union and the European People’s Party for standing by us throughout these important processes.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Few days ago European communities solemnly celebrated the 60-th Anniversary of the Rome Treaty, which established necessary conditions for the current prosperity and sustainable development of European citizens. We, in Armenia closely follow with great interest both those jubilee events and accompanying discussions. The history of the EU is first and foremost one of jointly settling the issues, overcoming disagreements and, last but not least, jointly building the success.

His Holiness Pope Francis had rightly noted on this occasion: “The founding fathers remind us that Europe is not a conglomeration of rules to obey, or a manual of protocols and procedures to follow. It is a way of life, a way of understanding man based on his transcendent and inalienable dignity.”

We believe that European Union will also successfully overcome all the issues and challenges it faces at this stage and it will continue with its unique mission of peace, stability and development for the benefit of both people of Europe and Europe’s friends.

Thank you.