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Macedonian Parliament Ratifies Friendship Pact With Bulgaria

January 15, 2018 By administrator

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov (left) and Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev speak to the press in Skopje in November.

The Macedonian parliament has ratified a friendship treaty with neighboring Bulgaria aimed at ending years of feuding and boosting Macedonia’s bid to join the European Union.

Sixty-one lawmakers in the 120-member parliament backed the pact on January 15, with the main opposition party boycotting the session.

The conservative VMRO-DPMNE party opposed the ratification, saying the pact contained “serious faults” and failed to recognize the existence of a Macedonian ethnic minority in Bulgaria.

Ahead of the vote, Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov told lawmakers, “We are sending a message that even in our region we can maintain relations in a European way.”

Speaking during a visit to the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov welcomed the result of the vote in Skopje.

“I hope that all countries, at some moment, will be signing this kind of treaties rather than waging wars,” he added.

Lawmakers in Bulgaria, already a NATO and EU member, had already ratified the pact, which was signed in August.

The treaty recognizes both countries’ territorial integrity and calls for an “objective” reexamination of the common history of Bulgaria and Macedonia, a process that could lead to a review of school textbooks.

Under the accord, Bulgaria, a NATO and EU member, pledges to support Macedonia’s efforts to join both blocs.

Macedonia’s rocky relations with its bigger eastern neighbor have hampered its efforts to join NATO and the EU, although the two countries share close religious, historic, and linguistic ties.

Bulgaria still does not recognize the Macedonian language, which it views as a dialect of Bulgarian.

Both Skopje and Sofia hope the new treaty will help them set aside such differences.

The two countries said they would also improve economic ties, renounce territorial claims, and improve human and minority rights.

The friendship treaty is a “joint contribution to political stabilization between the two countries and in the region,” Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said in Skopje after co-signing the pact with visiting Bulgarian counterpart Borisov.

“For the first time, without mediators or somebody telling us what to do, the two states came to a solution,” Borisov said. The treaty “shows the EU that the turbulent Balkans, which have passed through a lot of troubles, can solve problems by agreements without mediators,” he said.

“If you look back, you will stumble and fall,” Borisov said. “So we decided to look ahead. I am convinced that in 10 years the results will be visible.”

EU officials warmly greeted the agreement, which they described as “an inspiration for the whole region.”

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/macedonia-parliament-ratifies-bulgaria-friendship-pact/28976973.html?ltflags=mailer

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Bulgaria, friendship, Macedonian

Parliamentary friendship group for Armenia announced in Australia parliament

December 11, 2016 By administrator

The Parliamentary Friendship Group for Armenia was announced in the Federal Parliament of Australia by the group’s elected Chair, Trent Zimmerman MP.

The Member for North Sydney has been working closely with fellow MPs and the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) to re-form the group after the most recent Federal Elections.

Zimmerman told the House of Representatives: “Our relationship with modern Armenia – which celebrated 25 years of independence just this year – is an important one. I am pleased this has been recognised through the establishment of a Parliamentary Friendship Group for Armenia and I am honoured to have been appointed as its Chair.”

He added: “I want to thank the many members who have helped establish the group, including the Member for Hunter (Joel Fitzgibbon MP) and the Member for Bennelong (John Alexander MP) – both of whom have been such strong supporters of the Australian-Armenian community. I also want to particularly acknowledge the advocacy of the Armenian National Committee which has done so much to encourage the formation of the Group.”

ANC-AU Managing Director, Vache Kahramanian welcomed the formation of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for Armenia.

“The Armenian National Committee of Australia always looks for ways to improve ties between Australia and Armenia, and the formation of this group – which has a sister group in Armenia’s National Assembly.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Armenia, Australia, friendship

Armenia President and Georgian PM visit site of future Friendship Bridge

November 4, 2016 By administrator

friendship-bridgeYEREVAN. – President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili on Friday visited the site of the future Friendship Bridge which is to cross Debed river, Armenian News – NEWS.am correspondent reports.

The construction agreements are scheduled to be signed in the first quarter of 2017, while the bridge will be commissioned in summer or fall 2018.

In his speech, Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies of Armenia, Vahan Martirosyan, underscored the importance of developing transportation links between Armenia, Georgia and Iran. The new bridge will replace the old one built back in the 1960s. It will have a capacity to bear the current cargo traffic and attract transit cargo. The financial sources of the project include the loan taken out by the Armenian Government, as well as the co-funding of the Armenian and Georgian governments.

For his part, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Genadi Arveladze, stated that the republic is ready to modernize its road network to provide a wide and convenient transportation corridor both from west to east, and from north to south.

The Minister and Deputy Minister also noted the significance of the project as a symbol of the long-lasting friendship of the two neighboring countries and peoples.

The agreement on the bridge construction, signed by the Armenian and Georgian governments, entered into force in June 2015. The bridge will be built by means of the 10.3 mln euro loan provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Tender for choosing a contractor and technical controller has already been announced. It is carried out through the efforts of the Armenian and Georgian governments in cooperation with EBRD.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Armenia, bridge, friendship, Georgia

Where Friendship Goes To Die: Turkey’s Razed Statue Of Humanit

October 25, 2016 By administrator

The two heads of the Statue Of Humanity lie in a municipal dump on the outskirts of Kars.

The two heads of the Statue Of Humanity lie in a municipal dump on the outskirts of Kars.

(RFE/RL)  It was intended as a gesture of friendship. But in 2011, a Turkish statue symbolizing reconciliation with Armenia was labeled a “monstrosity” by then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and torn down. Today, a visit by RFE/RL to the eastern Turkish city of Kars reveals the statue dismantled and dumped among rusting vehicles 50 kilometers from the closed border with Armenia.

In 2011, when the 30-meter statue stood mostly completed on a hilltop above Kars, there was fragile hope that Turkey and Armenia were on a path to reconciliation. The two had been hostile neighbors since mass killings that began in 1915 under the Ottoman authorities. Armenia and dozens of other governments and parliaments refer to the well-documented massacre, in which more than 1 million Armenians were killed, as genocide. Turkey, however, dismisses the word and stresses the turmoil within the Ottoman Empire during World War I, in which “people of all religions and ethnicities lost their lives.” In 2008, Erdogan made Turkey’s official stance bluntly clear when he announced, “We did not commit a crime, therefore we do not need to apologize.”

But there was some cause for optimism. In 2005, an Armenian church in the Turkish city of Van was restored. Then, in 2009, Armenia’s president attended a soccer match in Turkey. They were small but emblematic steps for two bitter neighbors whose closed border has stifled trade in one of the poorest regions of Turkey.

n 2006, Naif Alibeyoglu, then mayor of Kars, told visiting anthropologist Oguz Alyanak that the Statue of Humanity that he had commissioned was “his dream.” The monument was to depict two halves of a human figure, each extending a hand toward the other: a symbol that Alibeyoglu said would bring together the “brothers and sisters” of Armenia and Turkey after decades of rancor over the mass killings.

Turkish artist Mehmet Aksoy, whose family is of Armenian descent, was set to create the monument. But, as he explained to RFE/RL by telephone, while he oversaw the statue’s block-by-block construction, there were three forces brewing into a storm that would soon destroy his work. “First, the very religious consider any statue idolatry and un-Islamic,” he said. “Second, it was close to the elections and the AKP [Erdogan’s ruling Justice And Development Party] wanted to appeal to nationalist and Islamist voters. Finally, the Azeris” — whose country is locked in a territorial dispute with Armenia — “and their president were apparently upset about the statue; [Azerbaijani President Ilham] Aliyev apparently called Erdogan personally and asked that he remove it.”

On April 26, 2011, Aksoy watched demolition workers slicing into the concrete necks of his statue with a diamond-tipped saw — a sight Aksoy described as “like watching my children being beheaded.” But tragedy soon slipped into a complex farce after Aksoy sued Erdogan over his use of the word “monstrosity” to describe the monument. Aksoy won the case and was awarded around $3,800 but, as he told RFE/RL, “I didn’t want to put this dirty money into my art, back into my stone. So I spent it. I decided I would spend this unclean money on a party with friends.”

But by publicly describing the money as “dirty,” Aksoy raised the ire of the famously litigious Erdogan, who was by then president. In 2015, Erdogan sued Aksoy for allegedly implying his earnings were illegitimate. The case is ongoing.

In Kars, few locals realize the slabs of concrete, guarded by a motley collection of stray dogs on the outskirts of town, was once a symbol of hope for the small movement within Turkey that seeks reconciliation with Armenia. When shown RFE/RL’s photographs of the statue’s final resting place, Alyanak described the images as “heartbreaking, though heartbreak has become a feeling some of us in Turkey have gotten used to lately.”

Aksoy knows about the scruffy resting place of his broken statue but is unfazed by what he sees as a temporary indignity. Through yet another pending court case, this one lodged with the European Court of Human Rights, he hopes to win the right to reconstruct the statue. “If I win that case I will rebuild my statue piece by piece, in exactly the same place it was before.”

With contributions by Abbas Djavadi

Amos Chapple

Amos Chapple is a New Zealand photojournalist with a particular interest in the former U.S.S.R. For story ideas, write to him at amos.chapple@gmail.com

Filed Under: Articles, Genocide Tagged With: Armenian, friendship, statue, Turkish

UPPER KARABAKH The Office of the Circle of Friendship inspects the contact line

May 29, 2016 By administrator

uper grabakhFollowing the dramatic events of last April that caused hundreds of civilian and military casualties at Nagorno-Karabakh Rochebloine François and René Rouquet, respectively President and Vice-President of the Circle of Friendship France-Karabakh, visited this country. During this short stay, they were able to meet with the President of the Republic Bako Sahakyan President of the National Assembly Ashot Ghoulian, several ministers, many karabaghiotes parliamentarians and military officials. “We have particularly been free to inspect large parts of the contact line, including highly vulnerable villages that are Talish and Madagiz” explained René Rouquet who expressed his emotion and concern after trade ” with displaced residents of the two municipalities “during the attack and Azerbaijan” with firmly determined to defend their country military “

François René Rouquet Rochebloine and discussed the work of the Minsk Group of mediators of the OSCE which they salute the remarkable work again. The action of mediators should lead to the establishment of the contact line monitoring mechanisms and firing triggers if Azerbaijan keeps its commitments.

“We hope that the French representative of the Minsk Group and its American and Russian colleagues will also visit the karabaghiote side of the contact line and they will spend a few days in Nagorno Karabakh to get an idea of the reality of the Republic beyond conventional wisdom peddled here and there, “said François Rochebloine. “We also regret that Azerbaijan does not allow members of our Circle to visit the Azerbaijani side of the contact line and hope that the Baku authorities will reconsider the ban,” concluded François Rochebloine recalling that “the war is a disaster for all nations who suffer. “

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: contact line, friendship, Karabakh

Armenia and Canada parliamentary friendship groups adopt joint declaration

May 27, 2015 By administrator

canada-armenianWithin the framework of Armenian National Assembly (NA) President’s official visit to Canada, NA MP and head of the Armenia-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group, Hovhannes Sahakyan, and head of the Canada-Armenia Friendship Group, Canadian MP Harold Albrecht, signed Tuesday, at the Parliament of Canada in the capital city of Ottawa, a joint declaration of the two friendship groups.

The document is aimed at strengthening relations between the Armenian NA and the Canadian parliament, and expanding their discourse and mutual assistance within international platforms.

 

Filed Under: Articles, Genocide Tagged With: Armenia, Canada, friendship, parliamentary

Armenian-Japanese parliamentary friendship group plant five Japanese cherry trees

May 20, 2015 By administrator

f555c82226d8ce_555c82226d905.thumbThe Armenian-Japanese parliamentary friendship group headed by its Chairman Samvel Farmanyan and Japanese Ambassador to Armenia Tikohito Harada planted five saplings of Japanese cherry tree in the garden of Armenia’s Parliament.

The three is a symbol of Armenian-Japanese friendship and of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Mr Harada told Tert.am that Armenian-Japanese relations are developing, and cultural cooperation is one of the numerous aspects of this cooperation.

Speaking of his earlier meeting with Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan, Mr Harada said that Armenia’s leader expects the opening of a Japanese embassy in Armenia to give impetus to the bilateral relations.

Filed Under: Articles, Genocide Tagged With: Armenian-Japanese, cherry-trees, friendship

Turkey not a state for Russia, United States to establish friendship with – Ara Papyan

April 28, 2015 By administrator

f553f9df4a5935_553f9df4a5970.thumbIn an interview with Tert.am Head of the Modus Vivendi center Ara Papyan commented on the fact that Turkish President Recep Erdogan reminded his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of the Crimea.

He noted that Turkey does not forgive when someone treads on its foot, whereas “but for Russian Bolsheviks, Turkey would certainly not have its present-day borders.”

As regards recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Mr Papyan said that Turkey is more afraid of its own society. Report tert.am

“If they do, with half of Turkey’s population not considering themselves Turks, the other half will develop a complex, and Turkey may prove unable to stand the blow,” he said.

The Turkish president stated that, before speaking of the Armenian Genocide, Russia should recall its actions in the Crimea and Ukraine.

“In Turkey’s policy we see attempts to draw parallels and comparisons. Their being right or wrong does not make Turkey’s guilt less serious. The issue of the Crimea is entirely different than the Armenian Genocide. Erdogan and Turkey have given different hints about other acts of genocide, telling Americans that they had exterminated Indians. This is evidence of Turkey’s policy being not serious. And both Russia and the United States should draw conclusions, namely, Turkey is not a state they can establish friendship with. Turkey is not a reliable partner. Let us compare what Russia did to us and to them – both good and bad. The reason for the loss of Armenian statehood and territory in 1920-1922 was Russians supplies of weapons and gold to Kemalists. And but for Russian Bolsheviks, Turkey would certainly not have its present-day borders, whereas Armenia’s territory would be much larger. However, since we have common strategic interests, we forgive many things. But we can see Turkey’s reaction. The only thing Putin did is that he arrived in Armenia and did not even use the word ‘genocide’ in his official speech.”

Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian stated that Turkey’s accusations against Russia, Germany, France and the Vatican do not at all prove that all of them are “bad.” Turkey must be well aware of the situation it is in now.

“I think that statements by President Erdogan and others are intended for the domestic audience… Admitting the Armenian Genocide is much more dangerous in terms of shaking Turkey inside. If they do, with half of Turkey’s population not considering themselves Turks, the other half will develop a complex, and Turkey may prove unable to stand the blow.”

 

Filed Under: Articles, Genocide Tagged With: friendship, Russia, Turkey, US

France: Marlene Mourier “Bourg-Les-Valence will sign the Charter friendship with Shushi in Nagorno Karabakh

June 4, 2014 By administrator

By Krikor Amirzayan, interview and pictures

Marlene Mourier (52), substitute member Patrick Labaune (UMP) with its list of “The Force of engagement” had created a stir in the municipal last March by taking the city of IMG_0898-480x320-480x320Bourg-Les-Valence, held for several decades by the Socialists. Marlene Mourier, the new Mayor of Bourg-Les-Valence, Drôme Common nearly 20,000 inhabitants, nearly 3,000 citizens of Armenian origin. While Bourg-Les-Valence is twinned with Talin (Armenia), Marlene Mourier announced during the Monday, May 26 City Council his desire to sign a charter of friendship with the city of Shushi (Nagorno-Karabakh). After the signing of the charter of friendship between the French city of Pennes-Mirabeau (Bouches-du-Rhône) and the city of Martuni in Nagorno-Karabakh and the city of Vienna with Hadrout (Nagorno-Karabakh) Bourg-Les-Valence would be the third French town to be bound by a friendship with a charter city of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. A strong signal of the mayors of the three cities and strengthen the links between France and Artsakh. Marlene Mourier has also integrated the Friendship Circle France-Karabakh.

Marlene Mourier, Mayor of Bourg-Les-Valence in his office in City Hall

Armenian News Magazine interviewed the new mayor of Bourg-Les-Valence.

Armenian News Magazine: Ms. Marlene Mourier, you’re elected head of a city nearly 15% of its population is of Armenian origin. What is your perspective on this community?

Marlene Mourier: I meet this Armenian community for many years. Very well built, warm and generous, this community is a true example of successful integration. It is a real cultural wealth for our common Bourg-Les-Valence Valencia but also where it is large. Long since I take part in the various manifestations of this Armenian community to which I remain very attached and close. I am also very proud of my very dynamic and enterprising Armenian community in many areas.

Armenian News Magazine; when the City Council Monday 26 May you said you joined the Friendship Circle France-Karabakh and especially the forthcoming signing of the Charter of friendship between Bourg-Les-Valence and Shushi in Nagorno Karabakh. Could you give us some details on these items?

Marlene Mourier: I met the representative of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh in France, Hovhannes Guevorguian affirmed and told him I wanted to join the Friendship Circle France-Karabakh as well as my desire to support the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh by ​​signing a charter of friendship with the city of Shushi. A charter that will support the development of actions to schools, education, culture, Francophonie and many aspects of relations between Bourg-Les-Valence and Shushi. There a few years ago when I was in opposition, I asked our city is committed to the Nagorno-Karabakh by a declaration of friendship and support. But my request remained unanswered. And today I realize my wish to support this wonderful people of Nagorno Karabakh hooked on their ancestral lands and heroically against its invaders.

Armenian News Magazine: specifically how you intend to formalize this Charter friendship between Bourg-Les-Valence and Shushi?

Marlene Mourier: In October we go to our sister city of Talin in Armenia. Then we drive to Talin Shushi in Nagorno Karabakh to sign with my counterpart Shushi this friendship Charter. We thus establish the basis of our discussions that go in many areas related to assistance to schools, medical and humanitarian, not to mention the development of the Francophonie.

Armenian News Magazine: You’ve been in Armenia, Armenian regularly at events you denounce the non-recognition of the Armenian genocide by Turkey. Are you in favor of the bill penalizing denial of the Armenian genocide?

Marlene Mourier: you know, through my many speeches, and I especially did during the recent European campaigns, Turkey will join the EU without recognizing the Armenian genocide. This is one of the essential conditions of this entry. Of course I am in favor of a law criminalizing France in all deniers of the Armenian genocide. Because the memory is one of the qualities of the Armenian people. Genocide and especially respect for the memory of millions of Armenians who were victims of this inhuman barbarism in the early nineteenth century by Turkey is an integral part of the Armenian memory forever marked by this crime against humanity. I found in Armenia, at the ceremony on April 24 at the genocide memorial in Yerevan, where thousands of Armenians, young and old, marched silently in the greatest dignity to bow before the eternal flame Remember the 1.5 million Armenian victims of 1915. I was impressed by what people marked forever in the depths of his memory and continues a century after the events to claim justice.

Krikor Amirzayan, interview and pictures

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Bourg-Les-Valence, France, friendship, Marlene Mourier, Shushi

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