Armenia EU To Provide Armenia With Fresh Aid

November 5, 2014 By administrator

By Heghine Buniatian

November 04, 2014

The European Union has pledged to provide between 140 million and 170 million euros to Armenia for private-sector, public administration, and justice reforms over the next three years.

The commitment is contained in a memorandum of understanding launching the Single Support Framework for EU support to Yerevan that was signed in Brussels on November 3 by newly appointed Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and Armenian Economy Minister Karen Chshmaritian.

“The EU and Armenia are committed to continuing cooperation in areas of mutual interest based on shared values,” Hahn said, on his first official working day as commissioner. “We support the country’s modernization efforts and we will continue encouraging necessary reforms in Armenia.”

The deal represents the most significant agreement between the European Union and Armenia since Yerevan decided to join the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union. That decision, announced by Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian in Moscow in September 2013, effectively put an end to years of negotiations between Yerevan and Brussels to conclude an Association Agreement and its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) component.

He also announced the first package of EU assistance for 2014 under the new Single Support Framework. The fresh funding of 19 million euros (about $23.8 million) will focus on small businesses and human rights protection in Armenia.

“Supporting businesses and innovative start-ups can, in a longer run, boost more job opportunities, increase the economic competitiveness, and enhance the overall progress of the private sector of Armenia. In the field of human rights protection, the new program will help improve relevant legislation in the areas of right to free elections, torture prevention, anti-discrimination, gender equality and child protection,” a European Commission press release said.

Pledging to continue to support reforms in Armenia, the European Union at the same time emphasized that the figures of allocations are indicative: final allocations will depend on the country’s needs and commitment to reforms.

Aside from those agreements, the EU commissioner and the Armenian economy minister also signed a document under which 25 million euros will be provided to Armenia for agriculture and rural development.

“I welcome this agreement and hope that there will be a lot of further agreements and that will be certainly a very close cooperation between Armenia and the European Union,” Hahn said.

Chshmaritian expressed Armenia’s gratitude to the EU for understanding the position of Armenia, stressing that Yerevan wants to continue cooperation in trade and investments, implementing reforms in all sectors of the economy. “We want to have a more attractive investment and business climate for our European partners,” he said.

Asked by RFE/RL Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak whether it was still possible for Armenia to sign the political component of the Association Agreement with the European Union without the DCFTA part, Hahn acknowledged that the Russian-led customs group presented an obstacle.

“Tomorrow [November 4] there will be the first reflection process on this issue, a brainstorm meeting where both the Armenian side and the European Union will be sitting together and identifying areas of future cooperation and what this membership in the Customs Union implies for the relationship with the European Union,” Hahn said.

With reporting by Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels

Turkey block KRG aid to Kobani instate Turkey launches airstrikes on Kurds PKK

October 14, 2014 By administrator

Military aid sent from the Kurdish part of Iraq, to Kurds fighting the “Islamic State” (IS) in Kobani, Syria, has failed to arrive. Turkey has also attacked Kurdish PKK militants for the first time in two years. Reported dw.com

A “symbolic” amount of military aid sent from Iraq’s Kurdish region to Syrian Kurds is stuck in northeastern Syria as Turkey refuses to open an aid corridor, Syrian Kurdish official Alan Othman said on Tuesday.

The aid was sent from the Kurdish region in Iraq with the intention of helping Kurdish fighters in Kobani fight against the “Islamic State” (IS) terrorist group who are advancing into the heart of the city on the Turkish border.

“It is a symbolic shipment that has remained in the Jazeera canton,” Othman said, using the Kurdish name for northeastern Syria.

Hamid Darbandi, Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) official, responsible for Syrian Kurdish affairs in Iraq, said, “We helped them in roughly every arena. We sent them aid, including military.”

Turkish airstrikes

A Turkish media report also said on Tuesday that Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) targets had been attacked by Turkish war planes in the Hakkari province in southeastern Turkey late on Sunday. This was the first significant air operation against the Kurdish militants since the launch of a peace protest in 2012.

Turkish newspaper website Hurriyet reported that the airstrikes were launched in response to suspected PKK shelling of a military outpost in the area.

A Turkish military statement said on Tuesday the armed forces had responded “in the strongest way” to shelling by the rebels, without saying whether airstrikes were launched.

Lack of help

The alleged airstrikes came amid criticism from Turkey’s Kurdish population that Ankara is failing to help Syrian Kurds in Kobani. On Monday, a Turkish government official also denied reports that Ankara had given permission to Washington to use its airbases to launch airstrikes on IS.

At least 35 people were killed in riots last week from Turkey’s 15-million-strong Kurrdish minority due to Ankara’s refusal to help defend Kobani from the oncoming IS assault.

The jailed leader of PKK has also threatened to call off talks to end a decades-old insurgency in Turkey if no progress is made by Wednesday.

IS advances in Iraq

Meanwhile in Iraq, IS are continuing to advance toward control of Iraq’s Anbar province. On Monday, local media and witnesses reported that jihadist militants from the self-styled “Islamic State” group seized an army base near the Iraqi town of Hit.

The capture of the military base marks a further step in the advance of the militants into the western Sunni-dominated province of Anbar, which extends from the western edge of the capital, Baghdad, to the Syrian border.

Impending massacre

Efforts by the US-led coalition carrying out airstrikes in Iraq have so far failed to drive back IS forces. During an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Monday, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond insisted that Iraqi security forces would have to do the “heavy work on the ground.”

The IS terrorist group has committed widespread atrocities during its offensive, including attacking civilians, conducting mass executions, beheadings and enslaving women.

Many now fear that if the IS succeeds in cutting off the border crossing from Syria into Turkey it could result in a massacre of those residents, many of them elderly, who have not yet fled.

ksb/ng (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa)

Armenia transfers $100,000 in aid to Iraqi Yazidis

September 3, 2014 By administrator

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian together with Bradley Busetto, the UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia, Aziz Tamoyan, President of the National Union of Yazidis, Shaikh Bro Hasanyan, the religious leader of the Yazidis of Armenia handed Wednesday, Sept 2, a note to Christoph Bierwirth, the Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on transferring $100,000 to the account of the UNHCR Geneva Headquarters for providing support to the Iraqi Yazidis who have become targets of the Islamic State militants because of their religious belief.

Addressing the guests of the event Foreign Minister Nalbandian said that during the past weeks the attention of the international community is focused on Iraq, where religious minorities have been subjected to brutal campaigns of religious violence, the Public Radio of Armenia reported.

Armenia was the co-author of a resolution, which calls for immediate action to tackle the issue, adopted Monday by the UN Human Rights Council.

“The people and government of Armenia share the indignation and concern of Yazidi citizens of Armenia regarding the ongoing atrocities,” Minister Nalbandian said.

“As you know the Armenian government has decided to offer $100,000 as assistance to the displaced Yazidis in Iraq and today we hand the note about transferring that amount to the Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Armenia,” he added.

Mr. Busetto, the UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia in his speech welcomed the decision, saying that Armenia’s participation in the UN’s humanitarian activities shows the important role of the country as a member of international humanitarian society.

Mr. Bierwirth, the Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Armenia, hailed Armenia’s contribution as an important move to support the displaced people.

Source: Public Radio of Armenia. Armenia provides $100 000 in aid to Iraqi Yazidis

Kansas Air National Guard, UAF Provide $4.1 Million of Aid to Armenia

August 25, 2014 By administrator

GLENDALE—The Kansas Air National Guard, in cooperation with the United Armenian Fund (UAF), delivered $4.1 million of medicines and medical supplies to Armenia on Aug. 16.

The National Guard provided the free air transport as part of its Humanitarian Assistance Airlift on board a KC-135 aircraft. Kansas is a partner state with the Republic of Armenia.

The UAF collected the $4.1 million of humanitarian aid from AmeriCares ($3.9 million) and Direct Relief International ($267,000).

In the past 25 years, the UAF has delivered to Armenia and Artsakh a total of $696 million worth of relief supplies on board 159 airlifts and 2,185 sea containers.

The UAF is the collective effort of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Missionary Association of America, Armenian Relief Society, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, and Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America.

For more information, contact the UAF office at 1101 North Pacific Avenue, Suite 204, Glendale, CA 91202 or call (818) 241-8900.

Armenia to provide $100,000 for Iraqi Yazidis

August 21, 2014 By administrator

YEREVAN. – Armenian government decided to provide $100,000 for Iraqi Yazidis, spokesperson for Armenian Foreign Ministry said.

The funds will be provided via UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Tigran Balayan tweeted.

On Monday Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan discussed issues related to increasing the level of Armenia-provided humanitarian assistance, spokesperson’s office reported. Armenia’s leadership is deeply concerned over violence against Yazidis that led to numerous deaths in Iraq’s north.

Armenia Increases Aid to Persecuted Yazidis in Iraq

August 19, 2014 By administrator

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)—President Serzh Sarkisian has added his voice to concerns about the plight of Iraq’s Yazidi community targeted by Islamist militants and told the Armenian government to provide them with more humanitarian aid than was initially planned.

Sarkisian discussed the issue with Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian on Monday. According to the presidential press secretary, Arman Saghatelian, Abrahamian’s cabinet will increase “the initially planned volume” of relief later this week.

Responding to appeals from leaders of Armenia’s sizable Yazidi community, the government announced last week that it will send $50,000 worth of food to the displaced Iraqi Yazidis. It was expected to be delivered through a United Nations relief agency.

Saghatelian did not specify the monetary value of the increased aid allocation or whether it will include non-food items.

In remarks to the official Armenpress news agency, Sarkisian’s spokesman said the president considers the mass killings and deportations of the Yazidis “absolutely unacceptable” and believes that the international community must take “immediate steps to stop them as soon as possible.” He said Sarkisian has also instructed Armenia’s Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions abroad to “redouble their efforts to adequately raise the issue in the international arena.”

In a statement released on Friday, the Foreign Ministry said Armenian diplomats have received “directives to closely cooperate with stakeholders on this issue.” The statement came after a series of street protests staged by Yazidis in Yerevan. They said that the Armenian government has been slow to react to the continuing violence against their co-ethnics.

In a related development, a member of the Armenian delegation at the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), Naira Zohrabian, said on Monday that she will raise the matter at next month’s session of the Strasbourg-based human rights body.

“There is no doubt that what is happening in northern Iraq now is a genocide of the Yazidi people, and the international community must take concrete steps to stop it,” she told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).

Zohrabian, who is affiliated with the opposition-leaning Prosperous Armenia Party, spoke after meeting with some leaders of the Armenian Yazidis. She said they gave her documents which she will forward to Armenia’s ambassador to the UN.