Category: News

It was not immediately clear who was killed in the massive attack, whose explosion could be heard across the city and which caused damage to buildings near the site of the detonation.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will leave for France on May 12 for a working visit, Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign affairs reports.

Minister Nalbandian is expected to have meetings with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayraul, other high-ranking officials.

On May 10, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Karen Mirzoyan, during his working visit to Yerevan, met with EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, Herbert Salber.

During the meeting, Karen Mirzoyan briefed Herbert Salber on the military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against the NKR in early April, as well as on its consequences, stressing that it had become an unprecedented violation of the trilateral ceasefire agreement of 1994.

Karen Mirzoyan noted that striving to undermine the negotiation process and by rejecting all the initiatives aimed at the stabilization of the situation, Azerbaijan had attempted to resolve the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict by military means.

The NKR Foreign Minister drew the attention of the Special Representative of the European Union to the fact that the Azerbaijani aggression against the NKR was accompanied by numerous war crimes, as well as a gross violation of the laws and customs of war and norms of international humanitarian law.

Karen Mirzoyan also recalled that the NKR authorities had repeatedly warned the international community that the lack of decisive and targeted condemnation created a false sense of permissiveness in Baku and paved the way for new military ventures.

The NKR Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of visits by diplomats and representatives of international organizations to the NKR for getting the objective picture of the current situation and obtaining comprehensive information about the causes and consequences of the Azerbaijani aggression.

 The sides noted the importance of efforts aimed at the exclusion of further attempts to destabilize the situation and creation of necessary conditions for the resumption of the peaceful settlement process of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict.

The interlocutors also exchanged views on a range of issues of mutual interest.

The NKR Defense Army managed to rebuff the Azeri aggression for a second time, David Jamalyan, Adviser to Armenian Defense Minister, said in an interview with .

“This fact further legitimizes today’s Artsakh within its current de facto borders, legitimized the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination and independence. For a second time Artsakh proved its right to live as a free and independent country on its area of 11, 432 square kilometers,” David Jamalyan said.

According to him, this was the first military-political conclusion of the military actions in April.

A second military conclusion is that the NKR Defense Army managed to prevent the Azeri aggression without the intensive interference of the Armenian Armed Forces.

Third, he said, is the great number of Azeri casualties amounting to 2,000 and beyond, and the quality here is more important than quantity, Jamalyan said. “Two third of the special forces of Azerbaijani army has been destroyed, and Azerbaijan will need time to recover the losses,” he added.

The aim of the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan was to proceed to the rear of the Defense Army. It intended to reach Sarsang Reservoir in the direction of Martakert, to the outskirts of Askeran in the center and Jrakan (Jabrail) to the south, the Adviser to the Defense Minister said.

David Jamalyan stressed that the public should be ready for large-scale military actions any time, especially considering that the fragile ceasefire is based on a verbal agreement between the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

President Serzh Sargsyan received Herbert Salber, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Conflict in Georgia.

President Sargsyan presented his views on the escalation of the situation as a result of Azerbaijan’s non-constructive and belligerent stance, and the reasons behind that country’s attempts to foil the negotiation process.

Referring to the facts of the war crimes committed by the Azeri armed forces during the April events, President Sargsyan stressed the need for immediate reaction on the part of the international community and specialized bodies to such impermissible and condemnable actions.

The parties underlined that there is no alternative to the peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Eighteen songs will participate in the first Semi-Final, and professional juries in each of the participating countries, as well as in Sweden, France and Spain, voted on yesterday’s dress rehearsal. They accounted for 50% of the overall total.

Tonight the remaining 50% of the votes will be decided by the public televote in the same 21 countries. These votes will be added to those of the juries to determine the ten countries that will qualify for the Grand Final on Saturday the 14th of May.

On 10 May Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan received personal representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, NKR President’s  Press Office reports.

The meeting addressed a number of issues related to the situation along the contact line between Nagorno Karabagh and Azerbaijan armed forces.

Turkey on Monday called on German lawmakers to “act reasonably” when considering a bill next month on recognizing the deaths of Armenians in 1915 as “genocide”.

Tanju Bilgic, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Ankara had been following the preparation of the resolution and its “politicizing” of history, reports.

“It is possible that if the resolution is approved Turks living in Germany and Turkey will react seriously,” he said at a weekly news conference in Ankara. “In this framework, we expect the German parliament to act in common sense and reasonably.”

German lawmaker announced in Armenia Friday the Bundestag would consider a resolution on recognizing the events of 1915 as “genocide” on June 2.

Last year, parliamentary parties approved the resolution in principle but sent it to committee for further work.

“These [politicians] are further complicating the issue,” Bilgic said. “Genocide is not an issue that can be abused with political aims.”

He reiterated Turkey’s call to establish a joint commission to investigate the killings.

 

 

 

The National Council of the Congress of Western Armenians international NGO has adopted a statement on the creation of an alliance of national minorities with an objective of uniting efforts to fight growing nationalism in Turkey.

The statement notes that under the cover of democracy and peacefulness Erdogan’s Administration has adopted a policy of pan-Turkism.

“The Congress of Western Armenians has intensified the efforts to organize international litigation against Turkey and has initiated closer cooperation with all persecuted and exiled nations of Asia Minor with a  view of combining efforts against pan-Turkic nationalism,” member of the Congress, MP Aragats Akhoyan told reporters today.

Member of the Congress, historian Vahan Melikyan added that discussions with the nations have already started and added that under the conditions of the current developments in Syria and Iraq the creation of an anti-Turkish alliance is quite realistic.

The Congress of Western Armenians represents the interests of heirs of Western Armenians, trying to restore their rights and property. Aragats Akhoyan said they’re preparing a package to apply to the European Court.

Midfielder set to be a free agent after next season wants any new deal to include a buyout clause but his German club are unwilling, according to . 

Chelsea’s hopes of landing Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan have been given a boost as talks over a new deal have stalled.

Arsenal are also interested in the 27-year-old Armenia international, who has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season.

Versatile Mkhitaryan ’s contract runs out in the summer of 2017. But he is understood to want a buyout clause if he is to commit his future to the German Cup finalists.

Dortmund are unwilling to agree to such a request, after losing Mario Gotze to Bayern Munich three years ago. Champions Bayern triggered his £31million release fee at the time, with Dortmund powerless.

Since then, Dortmund have renegotiated the contract of Germany international Marco Reus – removing his £20m buyout clause.

Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Matzke also revealed last month that coveted striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s deal is another without a buyout clause.

He said: “We renewed Aubameyang’s contract until 2020 without a buyout clause because we want to be successful with him.”