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Armenia: The new embassy is a sign of strengthening Sino-Armenian ties

September 2, 2017 By administrator

China is building a new embassy in Yerevan which, once completed, will be the second largest embassy in the former Soviet Union. The project is another sign of China’s growing economic and diplomatic roles in Armenia.

The inauguration ceremony on 9 August was attended by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Li Huilai. The building is expected to be completed in 2019 and measures 40000 square meters. “Relationships are developing rapidly and, of course, more effort and staff are needed, and also a large building,” said Tian Erlong, China’s ambassador to Yerevan at the ceremony.

“It is obviously the desire of this country [China] to step up its policy in the region,” said the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyanaux journalists.

As China expands its influence in the world, Armenian officials argue that their relatively multidirectional foreign policy gives Yerevan the advantage of getting Beijing’s attention. “Armenia is attractive to China because not only is it a strategic partner of Russia but it also has a very good relationship with the European Union, with which we will soon sign a new agreement,” said Karen Bekaryan, a member of the Republican Party of Armenia. “Armenia has traditionally warm relations with the United States, has traditionally good relations with the Arab world. “

Armenia is seeking to become a privileged diplomatic partner of China in the region. “China is attracted by Armenia to develop its diplomacy … which is impossible for China in Georgia” because of the strongly pro-Western orientation of the latter, said Gor Sarkisyan, national director of Institute of Management of the Chinese government Confucius, in an interview granted to EurasiaNet. org. “China has enormous commercial interests in Georgia, but Tbilisi is not as attractive as a political partner. “

Armenia’s rapprochement with China began with President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Beijing in 2015, when the two sides signed a declaration of “friendly cooperation”, as well as agreements on economic relations, political and military.

China has invested massively in the iron mines in Armenia, and trade between the two countries is growing rapidly, although the turnover is still less than with neighboring Azerbaijan and Georgia. For Armenia, China in 2015 is ranked just behind Russia on the list of partner countries in terms of import / export.

In 2016, Armenia became a “dialogue partner” with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Officials in Yerevan hope that this status will improve Armenia’s chances of becoming a hub of China’s ambitious road infrastructure program called the “belt”. A Chinese company is currently conducting a feasibility study for the construction of the long-established Armenian section of the Tehran-Yerevan Railway. The project has an estimated cost of up to $ 5 billion, said Sergey Manasaryan, Ambassador of Armenia to China, in an interview with the EADaily website.

The lion’s share of Armenia’s exports to China is concentrated in copper, and thus “there is practically no real trade,” Serguey Manasaryan said. But another Chinese company is conducting a feasibility study to build a $ 500 million copper smelter in Armenia, he said, “God willing, it will be finished this year.”

One of the factors currently hampering the development of closer relations with China is a lack of Sinophones in Armenia. But it is beginning to change.

At the Confucius Institute, the number of students in Chinese language courses rose from 120 in 2014 to more than 300 last year, said Sarkissian. Meanwhile, the Department of International Relations began offering Chinese language courses three years ago and the school now has 45 potential diplomats who are learning Chinese, said Arthur Israelyan, head of China ‘ Yerevan State University.

In addition, the Chinese and Armenian governments jointly build a school for Chinese language studies: construction began in 2014 and installation is planned for next year. It will accommodate up to 650 pupils and will be the largest training center for teaching Chinese in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. It will educate Armenian students from the fifth year, as well as during summer programs for students from neighboring countries.

“Learning Chinese has become a matter of prestige in Armenia,” said Izabella Muradyan, director of the Chinese Center for Science and Culture in Yerevan at EurasiaNet.org. “The growing number of Armenian people, and especially young people, learning Chinese is pragmatic: the Armenian political and economic elite understands that it is beneficial for them to cooperate with China. “

Oksana Musaelyan

Eurasianet.org

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Sino-Armenian, strengthening, Ties

Hungary suspends diplomatic ties with the Netherlands

August 26, 2017 By administrator

Hungary has recalled its ambassador in The Hague. The move comes in response to remarks made by the Dutch envoy, in which he compared Budapest’s efforts to “create enemies” to those of the “Islamic State” jihadist group.

Blunt remarks by the Netherlands’ ambassador to Hungary, Gajus Scheltema, have ruptured relations between the two EU member states and prompted Budapest to take “one of the most radical steps in diplomacy” by withdrawing its ambassador from The Hague.

In an interview published Thursday in the Hungarian opposition magazine 168 Ora, Scheltema lambasted Hungary’s unwillingness to take part in the EU’s plan to relocate asylum seekers, expressed concerns over corruption and press freedom in the country, and decried the Orban government’s campaign against billionaire financier and philanthropist George Soros.

However, what most enraged Budapest was when he drew parallels between the Hungarian government and the so-called “Islamic State” jihadist group.

“Here it is always an immediate search for an enemy,” he said, accusing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban of “creating enemies according to the same principle as globalization losers and religious fanatics.”

The interview was published in Hungarian, although it remains unclear in what language it was conducted.

Budapest hits back

Following the interview, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto announced that Budapest would withdraw its ambassador from The Hague and bar Scheltema from entering any Hungarian ministry or state institution.

“Relations at the level of ambassadors have been suspended indeterminably,” Szijjarto said.

Hungary’s top diplomat described the decision as “one of the most radical steps in diplomacy,” adding that he would ask for the Dutch Foreign Ministry’s position on ambassador Scheltema’s statements. “We won’t settle for an explanation behind closed doors,” he said.

Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said Scheltema’s remarks were “totally unacceptable and impermissible.”

“There is no need for such unprecedented statements, neither in bilateral relations nor in Europe,” Kovacs said. “We decidedly reject (them) and we expect the Netherlands to take steps in this regard.”

Scheltema was reportedly already scheduled to leave his diplomatic post in the near future.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: diplomatic, Hungary suspends, Netherlands, Ties

4 Arab countries sever diplomatic ties with Qatar

June 5, 2017 By administrator

4 Arab countries sever diplomatic ties with QatarBahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates on Monday decided to sever diplomatic ties with Qatar.

Bahrain was the first state to make a respective announcement, reported RIA Novosti news agency of Russia. According to the official statement published by the Bahrain News Agency, Manama’s move has been motivated by Doha’s persisting attempts to destabilize situation in Bahrain.

Bahrain gave Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave the territory of the kingdom. Also, Manama suspended air and sea communication with Doha and banned Qatari citizens from visiting Bahrain, and prohibited its citizens from living and visiting Qatar.

Minutes later, Riyadh, Cairo, and Abu Dhabi made similar statements while Saudi Arabia and Egypt also suspended air and sea communication with Qatar.

The conflict between Qatar and its neighbors occurred one week after the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh, when the Qatari news agency posted a speech on behalf of the country’s emir in support of building relations with Iran.

Later, the official representative of the Qatari Foreign Ministry said that the agency’s site was hacked, and the speech on behalf of the emir was published by hackers and has nothing to do with the Qatari leader.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, however, considered this refutation to be unconvincing.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, sever, Ties

Armenian envoy calls for closer Tehran-Yerevan ties

September 26, 2016 By administrator

armo-iran-flagsArmenian Ambassador to Tehran Artashes Tumanyan called bilateral relations between Tehran and Yerevan as “historical,” calling for efforts to strengthen the ties in all spheres, economy in particular, Tasnim News Agency reports. 

Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Tehran on Sunday, Tumanyan said the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has great economic infrastructures, is a close friend of Armenia.

However, he said, bilateral trade between the two nations is at a low level as the volume of trade between the two countries does not exceed $300 million per year.

“We have good relations with Iran’s chambers of commerce,” the Armenian diplomat noted, but said the two sides need to know each other better.

Iran and  Armenia, have enjoyed amicable relations in a whole host of fields. Armenia announced in early June that it has approved signing an agreement with Iran to abolish the visa regime between the two countries.

The agreement, signed during a visit to Tehran by Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, allows Iranians and Armenians to travel to the other country without needing a visa.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Armenia, closer, Iran, Ties

Turkey your friand today your enemy tomorow, Putin to normalize trade ties with Turkey

June 29, 2016 By administrator

puting turkeyRussian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his government to start the process of normalizing trade ties with Turkey, seven months after Ankara-Moscow relations went into a downward spiral following Turkey’s shooting down of a Russian jet last year.  

“I ask that the Russian government begins the process of normalizing general trade and economic ties with Turkey,” Putin said at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, following a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Putin said that Russia has also decided to lift travel restrictions against Turkey in the tourism sector.

“I want to start with the question of tourism… We are lifting the administrative restrictions in this area,” the Russian president said.

Moscow-Ankara relations became strained last November after Turkey shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft with two pilots aboard, claiming the fighter jet had repeatedly violated Turkish airspace.

Ankara argued that the Russian plane strayed into its airspace and ignored repeated warnings. Russia, however, insisted the aircraft did not cross the border and accused Ankara of “planned provocation.”

Moscow said the plane was brought down in Syrian airspace, where Russia has been conducting combat sorties against Takfiri terrorists since late September 2015 upon a request by the Damascus government.

Of the two pilots aboard the warplane, one was rescued with the help of the Syrian army, but the other was killed by militants fighting the Syrian government.

Following the incident, Russia imposed a raft of sanctions against Ankara, including import restriction on Turkish foods, a ban on tourist travel to Turkey, an embargo on hiring Turkish citizens in Russia, and a ban on Turkish organizations’ activities in Russia.

Moscow also suspended all military deals with Ankara.

On Monday, the Kremlin said that the Turkish president apologized to Putin over Ankara’s shooting down of the Russian jet.

Turkey, however, said later it had only expressed regret to Russia, denying reports of an apology, and retracting a compensation pledge.

The Wednesday phone call between the Russian and the Turkish leader came after Putin expressed sympathy for the victims of the Tuesday night gun and bomb attacks at Istanbul’s Ataturk international airport, which claimed the lives of 41 people and injured 239 others.

Meanwhile, a Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the Turkish leader is expected to meet with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of the forthcoming G20 summit in China in September.

The meeting between the two presidents would be their first face-to-face talks for months, following the diplomatic row.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: normalize, Putin, Ties, trade, Turkey

Iran, Canada start talks to renew ties

June 11, 2016 By administrator

f575bc455cf051_575bc455cf08a.thumbCanadian Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion has confirmed to CBC News that preliminary contact has been made.
In 2012, the Harper administration cut ties with Tehran and expelled Iranian diplomats from Canada.
“Talks have started, yes, at the official level,” Dion said Friday. There has been speculation the discussions took place in New York City, where the two countries have political delegations.
“I will not comment,” the foreign minister said when asked about a possible location. “But the usual way by which countries who want to recreate links proceed, is step by step, at the official level in neutral territory.”

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Canada, Iran, Ties

Breaking News: Saudi Arabia severs diplomatic ties with Iran after violent protests over the execution of a cleric NYTimes.com News Alert Sun 1/3/2016 12:59 PM To: Wally Sarkeesian; To help protect your privacy, some content in this message has been blocked. To re-enable the blocked features, click here. To always show content from this sender, click here. Bing Maps Unsubscribe Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. January 03, 2016 The New York Times NYTimes.com » Breaking News Alert January 03, 2016 BREAKING NEWS Saudi Arabia severs diplomatic ties with Iran after violent protests over the execution of a cleric

January 3, 2016 By administrator

04SAUDI2-articleLargeSunday, January 3, 2016 3:56 PM EST
Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran on Sunday and gave all Iranian diplomats 48 hours to leave the kingdom, as escalating tensions over the execution of an outspoken Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia marked a new low in relations between the two Middle Eastern powers.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: diplomatic, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Severs, Ties

Breaking News: Russia Cuts All Military Ties With Turkey

November 26, 2015 By administrator

1030816242(sputniknews.com) All military contacts with Turkey have been cut following the downing of Russia’s Su-24 military jet, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday.

“Today, in accordance with a previously made decision, all cooperation channels have been cut between the Russian Defense Ministry and the Turkish Armed Forces,” ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters.

“This concerns all ties, not just the so-called hotline that was launched in order to avoid possible air incidents during the destruction of terrorist infrastructure in Syria,” he added.

The decision has been made after Turkish fighter jets on Tuesday had shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber, which had been taking part in Russia’s anti-terror campaign in Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin described the incident as a “stab in the back, carried out against us by accomplices of terrorists.”

Filed Under: News Tagged With: cut, military, Russia, Ties, Turkey

LOS ANGELES: City of LA Severs Ties with Genocide Denier Firm Dick Gephardt; ANCA-WR Leads Effort

February 23, 2015 By administrator

Former Congressman Dick Gephardt's contract was terminated

Former Congressman Dick Gephardt’s contract was terminated

Former Democratic House Majority Leader Turned Lobbyist Dick Gephardt Pivoted from Fully Supporting Armenian Genocide Legislation to Taking Turkish Government Money to Block U.S. Recognition Of
 Armenian Genocide

LOS ANGELES—The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is encouraged that Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is terminating a contract worth over $845,000 with Gephardt Government Relations, a firm which serves as a registered foreign agent for Turkey and a major tool in efforts to deny the Armenian Genocide. Late last year, the ANCA-WR called upon Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to end any ties between the City of Los Angeles and Dick Gephardt, a known genocide denier, including a contract he had with LAWA. A seven-member Board of Airport Commissioners, six of whom were appointed last year by Mayor Eric Garcetti and approved by the Los Angeles City Council, governs LAWA.

“Since leaving Congress where he worked hard to pass Armenian Genocide resolutions, and now becoming a paid lobbyist, Dick Gephardt has gotten rich earning huge sums of money from the Turkish Government to lobby his former colleagues to deny justice for the Armenian Genocide in a complete reversal of his position on the issue. As a Genocide denier, he doesn’t deserve a single dollar from the citizens of Los Angeles, and should have no association with our great city,” said ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian. “We applaud LAWA and City of Los Angeles officials for their principled stand enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against deniers of genocide. LAWA’s action reflects the highest standards of good governance and reinforces the proud standing of Los Angeles as a leader – nationally and internationally – on issues of genocide-prevention and human rights.”

According to U.S. Government documents obtained by the ANCA-WR and cited in support of its request, Gephardt Government Relations had a contract worth over $845,000 with LAWA, which was agreed to in 2012 during the term of former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Meanwhile, since the approval of the contract with LAWA, Gephardt Government Affairs has been drawing over $23,000 a month for its work for the airport while simultaneously representing the interests of the Turkish Government against the interests of the Armenian-American community. Gephardt has made a name for himself on Capitol Hill by trading on his congressional connections for his work on behalf of the Republic of Turkey. As documents filed with the U.S. Department of Justice under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (which regulates the lobbying activity of those who advocate on behalf of foreign interests in the United States) reveal, Gephardt himself has had to disclose the fact that he acts on Turkey’s behalf as an ardent opponent of legislative efforts to fully recognize the Armenian Genocide.

New York Times writer and author of “This Town” Mark Leibovich outed Gephardt in 2013 for his hypocrisy on the Armenian Genocide. In a television interview later that year, Bill Moyers asked Leibovich about Gephardt’s stand on the Armenian Genocide. “In the House [of Representatives] he [Gephardt] had supported a resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide of 1915. When he left Congress he was paid about $75,000 a month to oppose the resolution,” Moyers commented. Leibovich responded by sharing, “Yes. I guess the word genocide goes down a little easier at those rates.” Also in 2013, Christopher Buckley, the son of William F. Buckley, wrote a review of “This Town” in The New York Times in which he cited Gephardt’s genocide denial efforts. “There are a number of sanctimonious standout “formers” in Leibovich’s Congressional hall of shame, but just to name a few exemplars who gleefully inhabit ethical no-worry zones and execute brisk 180-¬degree switcheroos on any issue, including the Armenian genocide, so long as it pays: Dick Gephardt…”

In his most recent anti-Armenian actions on Capitol Hill, Dick Gephardt aggresively lobbied against H.R. 4347 in the 113th Congress, a House measure to return Christian churches in Turkey to their rightful owners. Last year he also did the bidding of his lucrative Turkish Government client by fighting against a U.S. Senate resolution on the Armenian Genocide authored by U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ). Despite Gephardt’s opposition, the Armenian Genocide bill advanced by Senator Menendez in April of last year was ultimately adopted by the full Senate Foreign Relations Committee by a vote of 12 to 5.

The move by the ANCA-WR to seek termination of LAWA’s contract with Gephardt coincided with the launch of a nationwide campaign by a coalition of Armenian American groups, including the ANCA, to pressure Gephardt, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (Dickstein Shapiro, LLC), Greenberg Traurig, 
Alpaytac, and LB International to stop advancing the Turkish
 Government’s Armenian Genocide denial agenda or face public scrutiny
 and protest. The effort was launched on January 29th, with over 200 
letters sent to Turkey’s lobbying firms and the top businesses, universities, and NGOs who use their services, giving them until February 28th to drop their association with Turkey’s genocide denial or end their relationships with these public relations firms. Among those receiving letters were PepsiCo, TIME Inc., Amazon, and the Chrysler Corporation, in addition to many others.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the 
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
 with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

Filed Under: Genocide, News Tagged With: city, Dick-Gephardt, LA, lobbyist, Severs, Ties

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