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Armenian Revolution leader Nikol Pashinyan says to meet PM to discuss his ‘resignation’

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Armenian anti-government Revolution leader Nikol Pashinyan said he would meet Prime Minister and ex-president Serzh Sarkisian on Sunday, after nine days of mass demonstrations against an alleged power-grab.

Tens of thousands of people earlier flocked to Republic Square in the capital Yerevan to protest against new premier Sarkisian’s rule, according to AFP journalists at the scene.

“I will meet Serzh Sarkisian to discuss the conditions of his resignation and of (a) peaceful transfer of power,” Pashinyan said in a video address published on his Facebook page. He said the meeting was scheduled for Yerevan’s Marriott hotel at 10 am (0600 GMT).

Sarkisian’s office has not yet confirmed the meeting.

Armenia’s political crisis deepened Saturday — the ninth day of anti-government demonstrations — with Pashinyan insisting he would only discuss the exit of the country’s newly elected prime minister.

“We are only ready to discuss the conditions of his departure,” news agencies quoted Pashinyan as saying, rejecting Sarkisian’s appeal for “political dialogue”.

“Serzh Sarkisian doesn’t understand the new situation that has emerged in the recent days… the Armenia and Yerevan he knows does not exist anymore,” he told protestors.

Opposition supporters are angry over Sarkisian’s efforts to remain in power, after he became prime minister last week, following a decade serving as president.

Demonstrators waved Armenian flags and blocked streets, disrupting traffic in the capital. Police said they made 84 arrests on Saturday afternoon, and more than 230 people were arrested on Friday.

Rallies were also planned in other cities such as Gyumri, Ararat and Artashat.

President Armen Sarkisian — no relation to Serzh — on Saturday afternoon met Pashinyan at the demonstration, an AFP journalist said.

Flanked by bodyguards President Sarkisian shook hands with the opposition leader and the pair spoke for around ten minutes.

Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian had earlier sought discussions with the protest leader.

“I am deeply concerned about the unfolding internal political events. In order to avoid irreversible consequences, I call on deputy Nikol Pashinyan to sit at the table of political dialogue and negotiation,” the 63-year-old leader said in a statement.

At a 30,000 strong rally in Yerevan on Friday evening, Pashinyan laid out his demands for the authorities.

“First, Sarkisian resigns. Second, parliament elects a new prime minister that represents the people.

“Third, it forms a temporary government. Fourth, they schedule parliamentary elections. We will enter negotiations around these demands,” he said, calling Serzh Sarkisian a “political corpse”.

“The whole world can see this is a people’s velvet revolution, which very soon will be victorious,” Pashinyan told the rally.

– Protests enter ninth day –

Demonstrators held up placards reading “Sarkisian is a dictator”.

“I believe we will win this time because when the youth is on the street the police can do nothing,” Hovik Haranyan, a 25-year-old protester blocking traffic, told AFP.

“Our generation has the right to live in a functioning country,” he added.

Opposition supporters have criticised the 63-year-old leader over poverty, corruption and the influence of powerful oligarchs.

Putin to discuss Karabakh with Armenian and Azerbaijani President in Saint Petersburg

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3Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold separate meetings with the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev in Saint Petersburg on June 20, this being followed by a tripartite meeting on Karabakh, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told RIA Novosti.

“On June 20, tripartite talks of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement are scheduled. It is supposed that Putin will first have private meetings with Sargsyan and Aliyev, and then the three presidents will already hold talks together,” Ushakov said.

“Apparently, an active attempt to contribute to the sides in conflict settlement will be made from our side. We have already played – what I would even call – a decisive role in ceasing the military actions, which were going on,” the presidential aide noted.

“Now we are ready to continue our mediatory mission, obviously in full cooperation with the other OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing states, and based on the principles which were included in the joint statement of the Russian, U.S. and French Presidents in the period from 2009-2013. Our country will hold the most interested and active talks,” he noted.

In Ushakov’s words, Russia is going to continue its mediatory mission in line with the joint statements of the Russian, U.S. and French presidents, which mention about the unacceptability of the military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, urging the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders to solve the disputable issues on the basis of the principles of non-use of force or threat to use force, territorial integrity of states, equal rights and peoples’ right to self-determination.

The presidential aide also added that Russia considers that the sides to the conflict must strictly observe the ceasefire agreement of 1994. “We urge all the parties to the confrontation to exercise restraint, refrain from using force and take all possible measures to stabilize the situation,”he added.

Armenia Hosted Eurasian Economic Union Meeting to Discuss Cooperation

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Eurasian Intergovernmental Council Meets to Discuss Furtherance of Cooperation between EAEU Member States (Photo: Press Office of the Government of Armenia)

Eurasian Intergovernmental Council Meets to Discuss Furtherance of Cooperation between EAEU Member States (Photo: Press Office of the Government of Armenia)

YEREVAN (News.am)—A regular meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council was held on May 20 in Yerevan to discuss economic cooperation between the coalition’s member states.

The Prime Minster of Armenia, Hovik Abrahamyan, welcomed those presented and noted the positive dynamics in the establishment of a common market of goods and services at the current stage of the Eurasian Economic Union’s (EAEU) development.

Abrahamyan also spoke about expansion of cooperation in international and other formats, as well as the closer trade and economic cooperation of EAEU with separate states, enabling to raise the EAEU development level.

In this context, Abrahamyan considered cooperation with China as one of the key issues on the meeting agenda. According to him, the establishment of legal framework of cooperation between EAEU and China will enable to not only increase the volume of trade, but also involve investments for large infrastructure projects and diversify logistical opportunities. The Prime Minster stressed the importance of the work aimed at establishing China’s Silk Road Economic Belt.

“Having a historical experience, and being the only EAEU country to have land border with Iran, Armenia is ready to implement that project,” Abrahamyan said.

The meeting also spoke about the formation of common markets in the EAEU, whose activity will enable to eliminate the obstacles on the way to the movement of goods, as well as increase the speed and volume of economic cooperation between the states.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev highlighted that regular meetings are imperative in the integration processes and solving the issues set before them. He considered it necessary to reinforce the legal framework of the Union, fully ensure the free movement of goods, services, capital and persons, eliminate the obstacles and limitations, as well as form common markets in key areas of economy.

Medvedev also attached importance to the speedy adoption of the EAEU Customs Code in order to ensure clear, foreseeable and favorable legal framework for the business community. He noted that it is necessary to develop trade and economic ties with the key partners, including China, Vietnam, Southeastern Asia and other states.

Kazakhstan’s Prime Minster Karim Massimov attached importance to the trade between EAEU and states such as India, Egypt, Iran, etc.

In his speech, Belarus Prime Minister, Andrei Kobyakov, considered formation of common markets of oil and oil products a priority, attaching importance to the adoption of the Eurasian Union Customs Code.

The session also addressed this issue, and suggested implementation of the provisions of the report on coordinated transportation policy, draft decisions of the Eurasian Economic Commission, etc.

During the meeting, Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister Sooronbai Zheenbekov stressed that targeted and consistent work with the EAEU countries is a key direction.

As a result of the session, the aforementioned documents, which strengthen the economic cooperation between the member states, were approved and signed. The document on the negotiations on signing a trade and economic agreement between EAEU member states and China was also signed.

The next session of the Eurasian Economic Commission will be held on August 12 in Sochi.

GERMANY The Bundestag will today discuss the resolutions on the Armenian Genocide

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arton111434-480x359Today Wednesday, 6 May, the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee will consider resolutions on the Armenian Genocide submitted by the three parliamentary groups.
Expert genocide researcher and German activist Tessa Hoffman said it was still unclear whether the Foreign Affairs Committee will decide whether to propose a resolution after discussing the three resolutions submitted by both parties in power and members