Category: News

The meeting of Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan and Federica Mogheini, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the EU Commission, has started in Vienna, President’s Spokemsman Vladimi Hakobyan informs.

The Presidents of Armenia and Azebaijan are in Vienna to participate in meetings initiated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Russian Foeign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kery have also joined the talks.

Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan has signed a decree on the 2016 summer draft and demobilization, NKR President’s Press Office reports.

 

 

 

The Armenian National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations withheld support to the bill on Recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic co-authored by MPs Zarruhi Postanjyan and Hrant Bagratyan.

After being considered at the parliamentary panel, the bill was discussed at the National Assembly, but will not be put on the agenda of the plenary session.

The Republican Party, Prosperous Armenia and Orinats Yerkir factions did not participate in the voting, declaring that despite their support for the initiative, they consider it inexpedient at this point.

“The Ngaorno Karabakh Republic is a full-fledged state and this is a fact,” Head of the Foreign Relations Committee Artak Zakaryan said. He added, however, that “unilateral steps that would put all of us in an awkward situation” are not necessary now.

Head of Prosperous Armenia faction Naira Zohrabyan said “the issue is a delicate and sensitive one and is of great value.” “We all stand for recognition, but we should be guided by the principle ‘don’t harm’,” she added.

“Although the Armenian Revolutionary Federation has always voted for similar bills, it considers that the step should be a unanimous one,” Head of ARF faction Armen Rustamyan said. According to him, it’s up to negotiators to say when it’s the right time to recognize the Ngaorno Karabakh Republic.

The MPs advised the co-authors to postpone the vote, but the offer was turned down. With 12 votes in favor, no cons and abstentions, the bill was not put on the agenda of the session.

Two weeks ago, the  launched a poll asking to cast votes for the best music video released by the 2016 Eurovision contestants.

Over 12,300 votes have been cast and the results are in: with more than 12% of the ballot, Iveta Mukuchyan’s video for “LoveWave” takes the crown.

Armenia’s strong entry made waves ever since it was released together with the video, a co-production between national broadcaster AMPTV and Germany’s BLACKSHEEP communications. In it, a sensual Iveta Mukuchyan, also a worthy contender for the crown of , works her best physical assets — besides her voice — to wow and seduce. The object of her affection is Swedish model Ben Dahlhaus, who has been dubbed “Sweden’s Brad Pitt.” Micro shots that almost look scientific and medical are, in the words of Iveta’s team, used to picture the chemistry behind feelings of love and lust that spread through the whole body.

The “LoveWave” video was also a preview of Iveta Mukuchyan’s show-stopping performance on the Eurovision stage. The Armenian team incorporated the same sort of cutting shots and imagery in the singer’s visually arresting presentation.

Jamala from Ukraine became the winner of Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with 534 points.

In the second place was the favourite of the juries Australia with 511 points, and Russia came third with 491 points. Armenia came 7th with 249 points.

The final outcome was decided by a 50:50 split between professional juries and televoting from all 42 participants. The jury votes were decided during the Jury Final last night and the televotes decided during tonight’s show.

The 26 finalists were made up of 20 qualifiers from the first and second Semi-Finals held on the 10th and 12th of May and six automatic qualifiers including the Big 5 countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom), and host country Sweden.

 

President Serzh Sargsyan will leave for Vienna on May 16, President’s Press Office reports.

President Sargsyan is expected to have a number of working meetings organized at the initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

The Grand Final of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest takes place tonight, 14th of May, live from the Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, from 21:00 CET ( 23:00 Yerevan time).

Photo: Getty Images

– The Anti-Defamation League said Friday that the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians that began in 1915 was “unequivocally genocide” and for the first time expressed support for US government recognition of the killings as a genocide.

The was posted on the organization’s website. It marked the strongest affirmation yet from the leading civil rights group in support of Armenian advocates, who have long pushed for formal recognition of what they contend was a genocide perpetrated by Turkish forces.

“What happened to the Armenian people was unequivocally genocide,” Greenblatt wrote. “We believe that remembering and educating about any genocide — Armenian, the Holocaust, Bosnia, Rwanda, and others — is a necessary tool to prevent future tragedies. . . . That is why I am speaking out today and why we would support US recognition of the Armenian Genocide.”

The statement came after years of tension between the ADL and Armenian activists, who chafed at the organization’s prior reluctance to acknowledge the killings as genocide.

Anthony Barsamian, the Boston-based cochairman of the Armenian Assembly of America, welcomed Greenblatt’s statement and said he hoped the ADL would back a resolution pending in Congress.

When World War I broke out, Turkish leaders targeted the Christian Armenian population under the pretext that they would cooperate with the Russian enemy. Turkey has long denied that a genocide took place, saying the death toll is exaggerated and that many Armenians died of from starvation or disease amid the upheaval of the war. The Turkish embassy in Washington could not be reached.

Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America, said Greenblatt’s statement “is new in that it’s very explicit in breaking with [the Turkish government’s] denials.”

While the ADL has never denied that a massacre took place, the organization said in 2007 that a similar congressional push was “counterproductive.”

The following year, the ADL’s then-national director, Abraham H. Foxman,said in a letter to an official in Watertown, which has a large Armenian population, that “we have referred to those massacres and atrocities as genocide.” Foxman also made explicit reference to the “Armenian genocide” during a speech in 2014.

On Friday, Robert Trestan, the ADL’s New England regional director, said Greenblatt’s statement was the “most unequivocal statement that we’ve ever issued,” and that the ADL and local Armenian community share an interest in educating the public about genocides to prevent future atrocities.

But Andrew H. Tarsy, former regional director of the ADL who split with the group over the issue, said Greenblatt’s statement was inadequate.

“I think they ought to lead the conversation about reparations for these families,” he said. “The recovery of assets, land, money, items, family heirlooms. Everything that Holocaust reparations . . . has represented should be on the table.”

In a statement, the US State Department said the government “clearly acknowledges as historical fact and mourns that 1.5 million Armenians were massacred or marched to their deaths in the final days of the Ottoman Empire. . . . The United States continues to urge [Turkey and Armenia] to work together to achieve a full, frank, and just acknowledgment of the facts. ”

Friday’s declaration by the ADL was also praised by Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, a prominent member of the local Armenian community.

“Today’s historic statement was the result of a lengthy, open dialogue I was proud to be part of, along with members of the Armenian National Committee of America, the Armenian Assembly of America, as well as individuals of the Armenian American and Jewish communities of Greater Boston,” Koutoujian said. “And so I want to personally thank all those who took part in these discussions, especially ADL New England Regional Director Robert Trestan who has been a true friend and partner to all Armenians.”

The historic Armenian “rock-temple” in Mazgirt,  Dersim Province, has been seriously damaged by treasure hunters, reports, quoting Dicle news agency.

According to the source, the church – 5 m high and with two small windows – is targeted by treasure hunters. Its condition is deplorable. The Altar has also been destroyed.

The source reminds that the church is not the only legacy of the Armenian nation damaged by treasure hunters in Turkey.

Pope Francis will arrive in Armenia on June 24. After the official welcome ceremony at Zvartnots Airport the Pontiff will leave for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The same day Pope Francis will meet with President Serzh Sargsyan at the Presidential Palace. His Holiness is also expected to meet with representatives of the Armenian authorities, civil society and diplomatic corps.

The first day of the visit will be concluded with a meeting with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

In the morning of June 25 Pope Francis will visit the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial and the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute. He will later leave for Gyumri together with the Catholicos of All Armenians to serve a Holy Mass at Vardanants Square. In the evening of June 25 an ecumenical service and a Prayer for Peace will take place at the Republic Square in Yerevan.

On June 26 the Pope will meet with Armenian Catholic Bishops and will participate in a Holy Liturgy and an ecumenical dinner at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Pope Francis and the Catholicos of all Armenians will sign a joint statement and will hold a prayer at Khor Virap Monastery.