Category: News

The murder of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 was “probably” approved by President Vladimir Putin, a public inquiry has concluded, the BBC reports.

Mr Litvinenko died aged 43 in London days after being poisoned with radioactive polonium-210, which he is believed to have drunk in a cup of tea.

Chairman Sir Robert Owen said it was likely Mr Putin signed off the killing following a long-running feud.

Mr Litvinenko’s widow Marina said she was “very pleased” with the report.

Speaking outside London’s High Court, she said: “The words my husband spoke on his deathbed when he accused Mr Putin have been proved by an English court.”

On January 20, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian  met with Filip Vujanović, President of Montenegro.

Welcoming Foreign Minister of Armenia, President of Montenegro attached significant importance to the first high-level official visit from Armenia to Podgorica, expressing confidence that the agreements reached during the visit would advance the bilateral cooperation in different areas. “I have had number of meetings with Serzh Sargsyan, President of friendly Armenia on the sidelines of international conferences and I hope this visit will result in the further activation of mutual visits and cooperation.”

Expressing gratitude for the reception, Edward Nalbandian conveyed to the President of Montenegro the greetings of the President of Armenia and the invitation to visit Yerevan.

During the meeting, the sides stressed that traditional friendship between the peoples of Armenia and Montenegro creates solid basis for the development of relations and the use of their entire potential.

Ways on organization of high-level visits, intensification of trade and economic ties, holding of business forums, development of decentralized cooperation were discussed. In this regard, the interlocutors attached importance to the revision of Cooperation Agreement signed back in 1978 and establishment of ties between administrative units of the two states.

Negotiations between Edward Nalbandian and Igor Lukšić, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro took place in Podgorica.

Tête-à-tête negotiations were followed by talks in the extended format.

Welcoming the Foreign Minister of Armenia, the Foreign Minister of Montenegro considered quite symbolic the fact that Foreign Minister of friendly Armenia is the first foreign minister to pay official visit to Podgorica in 2016, and expressed confidence that the visit would give new impetus to bilateral relations.

Thanking Igor Lukšić for the invitation to visit the country and the reception, Minister Nalbandian said, “Your visit to Armenia in 2013 established basis for continuous political dialogue between two friendly countries. I am glad to be in Podgorica now, paying first official visit from Armenia to Montenegro.”

During the talks, the interlocutors discussed a number of issues on bilateral agenda, attached importance to the organization of high-level visits, expansion of the legal framework, promotion of trade and economic ties, visa facilitation, activation of people-to-people contacts, development of cooperation in the areas of education, science, culture, tourism, high technologies.

In the context of decentralized cooperation, the two touched upon the necessity of revision of Cooperation Agreement between the two capitals.

Issues on holding regular consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of two states, developing cooperation within international organizations, promoting inter-parliamentary cooperation were discussed.

Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro presented priorities of his country’s foreign policy, ongoing processes in the Balkan Peninsula and his country’s stance on them.
Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Montenegro exchanged thoughts on pressing regional and international issues, particularly, implementation of agreements reached over Iran nuclear program, developments in the Middle East, the fight against terrorism.

Foreign Minister of Armenia presented to his colleague the efforts of Armenia and OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

The meeting of the Ministers was followed by a press conference.

Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro hosted an official dinner in the honour of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

On the same day Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with Ranko Krivokapić, President of the Parliament of Montenegro.

During the meeting views were exchanged on the development of cooperation between two states, promotion of collaboration between legislative bodies, importance was attached to the establishment of Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Groups.

The Minister touched upon the tightening of cooperation within parliamentary formats of international organizations was outlined.

Foreign Minister of Armenia presented to the President of the Parliament of Montenegro events dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide held across the globe and their message.

Minister Nalbandian presented to Ranko Krivokapić recent developments in the negotiation process on exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue within the format of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

The Azerbaijani side fired more than 300 shots from weapons of different caliber in the direction of the Armenian positions last night, the NKR Ministry of Defense reports.

The rival used an 82mm mortar in the eastern direction of the line of contact.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army keep control of the situation on the frontline and confidently continue with their military duty.

Today, the European Court of Human Rights delivered three decisions on the cases against Armenia.

In the cases Ghuyumchyan v. Armenia and Tovmasyan v. Armenia concerning the applicants’ complaints that they were deprived of access to court since they could not afford to hire an advocate, the Court found a violation of the Article 6 § 1 of the European Convention of Human Rights (access to court) in respect of Vahan Ghuyumchyan (the son of Garegin Ghuyumchyan) and Ms Tovmasyan. The Court awarded just satisfaction: 3,600 euros (EUR) each to Vahan Ghuyumchyan and Ms Tovmasyan in respect of non-pecuniary (moral) damage.

In the case Safaryan v. Armenia concerning the applicant’s complaints that she was unable to have her property divided and transferred to her children and to register her title in respect of a pavilion built on her plot of land, the Court found a violation of the Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property) and awarded just satisfaction: EUR 3,000 (non-pecuniary damage) and EUR 630 (costs and expenses).

Tthese judgments are not final. During the three-month period following the judgment’s delivery, any party may request that the case be referred to the Grand Chamber of the Court. If such a request is made, a panel of five judges considers whether the case deserves further examination. In that event, the Grand Chamber will hear the case and deliver a final judgment. If the referral request is refused, the Chamber judgment will become final on that day. Under Article 28 of the Convention, judgments delivered by a Committee are final. Once a judgment becomes final, it is transmitted to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe for supervision of its execution.

– At 3:15 p.m. local time on Wednesday Kessab was hit by two GRAD missiles rattling the residents of the mainly Armenian-populated city in Syria, reported the executive editor of Gandzasar newspaper Zarmig Boghigian.

The rocket fire came from the direction of the Turkish border, according to Boghigian. One of the rockets landed a 55 yards from the Kessab mosque, while the other landed on the street behind the Holy Trinity Armenian Evangelical Church in the city.

The rocket fire caused heavy damage with one reported injury reported. No fatalities were reported.

Kessab residents, especially children who were playing in their yard were severely shaken by the attack.

In March, 2014 Islamic militants affiliated with al Qaeda attacked Kessab, bringing the city under siege for three months and forcing its population to flee to nearby Lattakia and elsewhere. In June, 2014, forces affiliated with the Syrian government liberated Kessab, paving the way for families to return to their home, which were looted and destroyed by the Turkish-backed Muslim militants.

The sixteenth meeting of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (PCC), composed of members of the European and the Armenian parliaments, was held in Strasbourg. At the end of the two-day debates a joint Final Statement and Recommendations were adopted.

EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee , Sixteenth Meeting

20/21 January 2016, Strasbourg

Final Statement and Recommendations

Pursuant to Article 83 of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement

The Parliamentary Cooperation Committee

1. 1.         welcomes the high-level opening of EU-Armenia negotiations on 7 December 2015, in view of a new comprehensive framework agreement that would cover political, economic and sectoral cooperation; recalls that the PCC had already recommended, on 20 March 2015, to use the experience acquired in the scoping exercise to establish a legally binding contractual basis in order to replace the outdated 1999 Partnership and Cooperation Agreement;
2. recalling the work carried out in negotiating the AA/DCFTA trusts that the technical result of these talks, which was safeguarded for future reference at the time, will facilitate the swift completion of the EU / Armenia negotiations which are now re-launched;
3. expects to see firmly enshrined in the new agreement a strong commitment to rule of law, democracy and human rights, which should be cornerstones of the text; further underlines that the respect for these shared values can only enhance and further facilitate cooperation in all other issues expected to be covered by the agreement, from energy, transport, or the environment to investment and trade; reminds that Armenia remains covered by the preferential GSP+ trade scheme, with an enhanced role played by the EP in its reformed monitoring procedure;
4. believes that a new, ambitious EU/Armenia framework agreement is compatible with the progressive differentiation approach promoted within the Eastern Partnership, particularly taking into account the revised European Neighbourhood Policy; reminds that enhancing citizens mobility in a secure and well managed environment remains a core objective of the Eastern Partnership, and welcomes the overall good implementation by Armenia of the Visa facilitation and Readmission Agreements, stressing that continued and sustained progress is crucial in order to further proceed with a Visa Liberalisation Dialogue;
5. underlines the need for a strong parliamentary dimension to be included in any future agreement, encouraging legislators to develop procedures allowing them to be duly informed throughout the negotiation process, and fully involved in its subsequent implementation and monitoring;
6. recalls the outmost importance and value of the annual EU-Armenia Human Rights Dialogue, as a unique format allowing to constructively focus on issues such as fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of assembly and association, the development of civil society, the rule of law, mobility, judicial reform, the continued fight against corruption, the independence of the media and the fight against torture and inhuman and degrading treatment;
7. welcomes the considerable effort recently undertaken by the Armenian National Assembly to align national legislation with the UN Convention Against Torture and looks forward to further progress on the ancillary measures currently under examination to avoid torture and fight impunity; further welcomes the review of the Judicial Code and the strengthening of the independence of the judiciary provided by the Constitutional Amendments as supported by the Venice Commission, particularly the Council of Justice; stresses the importance the EU attaches to ICC ratification worldwide;
8. takes note of the 6 December Constitutional Referendum results, recalling the first and the second opinions delivered by the Venice Commission on the draft Amendments to the Constitution, and the local EU Statement issued on 10 December 2015 which urged the authorities to fully investigate in a transparent manner the election fraud allegations;
9. underlines that the full implementation of existing recommendations already issued by previous OSCE/ODIHR election observation missions remains a key to increase the confidence in the integrity of the electoral process, and expects that the necessary amendments, particularly pertaining to the electoral code, will be adopted well before the 2017 general elections;
10. recognizes that the EU’s support over the years has been instrumental for the effective implementation and sustainability of Armenia’s reform process and institutional capacity building; thus welcomes the EU adopting, on 16 December 2015, a new support programme of €30 million to enhance further efforts in the areas of quality employment, fiscal governance and civil society participation in the democratic decision making process; notes the decisive role civil society can play in enhancing transparency and accountability in all fields of public life, but also in monitoring GSP+ implementation, through dedicated EDIHR-funded projects; supports and encourages Armenian full participation in the COSME and Horizon 2020 programmes ;
11. deeply regrets the continued -and rising-human cost of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and the increasingly serious violations of the cease-fire agreement, including by the use of heavy artillery/mortars, which repeatedly led to the loss of life even amongst the civilian population; stresses there can be no justification for the death and injury of innocent civilians on all sides, supporting the creation of a mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations, as repeatedly called for by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs; reminds that the Minsk Group Co-Chairs noted on 26 September that Armenia has agreed to discuss the details of this mechanism, urging Azerbaijan to do the same;expects from the EU to play a more active role in supporting further confidence building measures to spread the ideas of peace, reconciliation and trust;
12. believes that the recent escalation proves beyond possible doubt that the status quo has become unsustainable and that th ere can be no alternative to a peaceful solution in accordance with the UN Charter, Helsinki Final Act and relevant principles of international law;
13. firmly supports the negotiation process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, as the only internationally agreed format for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in this regard, strongly encouragespan-European and other international institutions and bodies to align with the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs statements in their motions and resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh in order to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the conflict; calls for a greater political commitment from all parties involved; calls on the European Union to include in its exchange and mobility programmes students and teachers hailing from conflict areas, such as Nagorno-Karabakh, as outlined in the Bologna Process communiqué of May 2015adopted also by all EU member states and the European Commission;
14. welcomes the steps taken by the Government of Armenia in accepting around 20,000 Syrian refugees and callson the European Commission and the EU member states to consider in a positive light any support request from the Armenian authorities in carrying out relevant programmes aimed at the further social integration of the Syrian refugees in Armenia.
15. recalls the commemorations of the Centennial o
    f the Armenian Genocide which took place in Yerevan in April 2015, and commends the participating EU institutions and their Office-Holders ; encourages all Member States and EU Institutions to contribute further to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, noting that the issue has, in recent years, become the focus of open and public debate in Turkey itself;
16. echoes the call of the EP Plenary, which, on 10 June 2015, urged the normalisation of Armenia – Turkey relations by the ratification, without preconditions, of the protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations, and by the opening of the unilaterally closed border; supports initiatives aimed at promotion of regional cooperation, in the belief they can contribute to the ending of isolation of any country in the region; strongly hopes such developments will help to overcome the legacy of the past and face it courageously.

Asbarez – The Armenian-International Business Forum will be held in Paris, on April 16, 2016 at the Westin Paris-Vendôme hotel.

The Forum aims to give concrete meaning to business relations between Armenians worldwide.

About hundred businessmen with the most remarkable history and experience will meet in Paris to put the foundation of the Armenian Business Agency which will come into operation the next working day of the Forum, on April 18, 2016 in Paris.

The Forum’s program is the following:

• The consolidation of Armenian Business Network
• Philanthropic business
• The creation of an investment fund
• Iran: 150 billion in business volumes to conquer
• Presentation of high value investment projects

Businessmen from twenty countries will take part in this Forum. If you are a businessman, an entrepreneur or executive, you can also take part by registering beforehand.

Project holders are also invited to present their projects. These projects will be delivered to the attention of participants and other investors of our Le Cercle d’Affaires.

The Armenian-International Business Forum in Paris and the Armenian Business Agency are the realization of a dream shared by a large number of Armenian Entrepreneurs and beyond, which will help, apart from individual business achievements, the development of Armenia and of diaspora communities.

The aim of the A.B.A. comprises the following:

• Creation of a database of Armenian business people worldwide,
• Consolidation of the Armenian business network,
• Setting up new synergies and interactions between Armenian businessmen and heads of companies,
• Attracting high added value business projects, existing or new, analyze them and work for their development,
• Finding necessary funding for selected projects,
• Proposing new business opportunities for entrepreneurs in very diverse sectors worldwide,
• Assisting Armenia and Diaspora Armenians in development projects.

The A.B.A is an Armenian structure involving professionals working to create a project development and business office.

This office will be open for all levels of companies, because large and small, project developers and investors together can make the Armenian business community better organized and stronger.

This Armenian structure will not be exclusively oriented towards the Armenians. On one hand the business doesn’t recognize any national or ethnic boundaries and on the other, the Armenians have always lived and worked in open environments.

The documentary titled “Century-old Genocide. Black January of Baku” screened in Providence, the capital city of the State of Rhode Island, on January 16, Press Service of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs.

The event was organized jointly by the Cultural Committee of the St. Sahak and Mesrop Armenian Church, Rhode Island’s Memorial Committee, and the Armenian Refugees’ Social and Economic Development Association (ARSEDA).

Permanent Representative of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic to the USA Robert Avetisyan, Rhode Island MP Catherine Kazarian, representatives of St. Sahak and Mesrop Armenian Church, journalists, Armenian refugees from Baku, and representatives of the local Armenian community participated in the event dedicated to the anniversary of theArmenian pogroms in Azerbaijan.

After the screening, Artsakh’s representative in the USA Robert Avetisyan, Rhode Island MP Catherine Kazarian, ARSEDA Chairman Karen Baghdasaryan, and religious leaders delivered speeches. Member of the film’s creative team Haykaram Nahapetian presented the details of the documentary.

After his speech, NKR Permanent Representative Robert Avetisyan answered the questions related to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict, the negotiation process, and the problems of refugees.

Real Madrid have topped the league table of the world’s 20 richest football clubs for the 11th year in a row, according to Deloitte.

Its Football Money League, based on season 2014-15, also said the combined revenues of the 20 clubs had risen 8% to €6.6bn, a new record.

Real’s arch-rivals Barcelona rose two places to second on the list, pushing Manchester United down to third.

Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich completed the top five.

The list only looks at revenues accrued and does not take into account club debts.

All the 20 clubs represented are from the “big five” European leagues, with Italy contributing four clubs, Germany three, Spain three and France one.

Real Madrid saw revenues of €577m.

The club saw revenue growth of €27.5m, including an increase of €22.7m in commercial revenues from the previous season.

DELOITTE FOOTBALL MONEY LEAGUE

•1. Real Madrid: €577m

•2. Barcelona: €560.8m

•3. Man Utd: €519.5m

•4. Paris Saint Germain; €480.8m

•5. Bayern Munich: €474m

•6. Manchester City: €463.5m

•7. Arsenal: €435.5m

•8. Chelsea: €420m

•9. Liverpool: €391.8m

•10. Juventus: €323.9m