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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visits Artsakh, pays homage to fallen heroes in Stepanakert memorial and Shushi

May 9, 2018 by administrator

STEPANAKERT, MAY 9,. Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in a commemoration event dedicated to the memory of fallen soldiers of the Great Patriotic War and the Artsakh Liberation War in the Stepanakert memorial in Artsakh’s capital city.

The Armenian Prime Minister was accompanied by Artsakh’s President Bako Sahakyan, government officials and public figures.

The PM and other officials laid flowers at the memorial in memory of the fallen heroes, ARMENPRESS correspondent reported.

Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and his spouse also visited the Fraternal Cemetery of Stepanakert, where they laid flowers at the graves in honor of the fallen soldiers of the Artsakh Liberation War. The PM also expressed support and sympathy to the families of the fallen.

Afterwards the Armenian Prime Minister and Artsakh’s President visited Shushi where a commemoration ceremony took place at Sparapet Vazgen Sargsyan’s statue. PM Pashinyan and President Sahakyan also participated in the grand opening of Shushi’s Armenian Dram Museum. The museum will feature Armenian banknotes and coins from different eras, including from the Armenian Sophene Kingdom, Artaxiad dynasty, Cilician Armenia, the Russian Empire and the USSR, as well as all dram issues of modern times.

PM Pashinyan and Artsakh’s President toured the museum and viewed the exhibits.

A grand concert is due to take place in the evening in Shushi, followed by fireworks.

Source: https://armenpress.am/eng/news/932899.html

Turkish delegation visits Damascus, meets senior officials, “Authentic Turkish Crime Kiss and Kill.”

May 4, 2018 by administrator

Turkish delegation

A Turkish delegation visiting Damascus on an economic and political mission says respecting Syria’s sovereignty is a main precondition to end the conflict in the Arab country.

In a Thursday meeting with Syria’s parliament speaker Hammoudeh Sabbagh, the delegation representing the Eurasia Local Governments Union from Turkey reiterated that Syrians had the right to determine their own destiny and no third party has the right to interfere, pressure or try to influence the will of the Syrian people.

Syria’s official SANA agency cited head of the delegation Hasan Cengiz as saying in the meeting that the war on Syria, which is well in its eighth year now, came as part of a wider project to divide the Middle East region.

Cengiz added that the only way out of the conflict would be for others outside Syria to respect the country’s sovereignty and the right of its people to determine their future.

The remarks are the first of their kind for a senior Turkish politician since the war started in Syria in 2011. Turkey has been one of the main countries supporting the opposition in Syria, especially those openly vying to topple the government through armed confrontation.

Turkey has even boots on the ground in northern Syria where it is fighting Kurdish militants. Ankara considers the militant group known as the YPG an extension of the PKK, which is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey.

Syrian authorities have repeatedly criticized Turkey for launching a military operation in late January to oust the Kurds from the town of Afrin.

Sabbagh, the Syrian parliament speaker, told the visiting Turkish delegation that Turkey has committed an aggression against Syria by maintaining a military presence north of the country, adding that the move represents a flagrant violation of international laws.

Sabbagh said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was directly responsible for the bloodshed in Syria, adding Erdogan has always pursued an aggressive policy toward Damascus government over the past years.

Turkey is increasingly wary of US plans in Syria, including its schemes to carve out a mini-state for Kurds along Turkish borders.

Initially a dyed in the wool ally of US and a facilitator of the campaign against the Syrian government, Ankara has swung toward Iran and Russia in their efforts to end the crisis in Syria.

Armenian, PM Karapetyan visits Haigazian University and Zommarvank Monastery in Lebanon

March 14, 2018 by administrator

PM Karapetyan visits Haigazian

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan visited the Armenian spiritual and educational-cultural centers in Beirut. the second day of his official visit to Lebanon. As the press service of the government reported, the head of the Armenian government first visited Haigazian University where he met with faculty and students. During the Premier’s a tour of the university, Rector Paul Haydostian introduced Karen Karapetyan to educational institution’s activities and academic programs, as well as to the monument commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and a rocket monument installed in the yard of the university, the author of which is an Armenian engineer.

The Prime Minister appreciated Haigazian University’s contribution to Armenian Studies, describing it as extremely important and necessary.

“I was very much impressed to see here, in Beirut, a similar educational center which stands out among other Armenian, international and tolerant cultures. the Premier said, addressing the university staff, praising their dedication to the preservation of the Armenian identity.

Karen Karapetyan noted that he had held productive meetings with the Lebanese leadership, the business community and the banking sector representatives.

“I am convinced that we have aroused specific interest among Lebanon’s business circles, including the banking sector, and we will have the necessary feedback in the near future. We talked much about our recent economic growth: Armenia’s economic growth turned out to be much higher than the regional average, and we are well poised for ensuring continued and sustainable growth in the country.

We know which way to lead the country in order to reach the proposed horizon, and I want to assure you that we will have a very good, logical, just and developing country,” the Prime Minister said.

Karapetyan’s next port of call was the Bzommarvank monastery, one of the most outstanding Armenian cultural and spiritual centers in Lebanon, where the Head of Government met with the representatives of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate and the members of the congregation.

Putin Visits Abkhazia On Anniversary Of Russia-Georgia War

August 8, 2017 by administrator

Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia and reiterated Russia’s support for the separatists.

The Georgian government condemned the August 8 visit, which coincided with the ninth anniversary of the five-day Russia-Georgia war, as a “cynical action.”

Following the 2008 war, Georgia and Russia broke off diplomatic relations and Moscow recognized Abkhazia and another Georgian breakaway region, South Ossetia, as independent countries. Only a few countries followed Russia’s lead.

“The most important thing is that we have entirely special relations with Abkhazia,” Putin said as he met with the region’s separatist leader Raul Khadzhimba in the Black Sea resort of Pitsunda.

“We reliably guarantee the security, self-sufficiency, and independence of Abkhazia,” he added. “I am sure that will continue to be the case.”

Putin also said that the two sides need to find ways to develop Abkhazia’s economy to create jobs, adding, “This is what we will be talking about today.”

After the talks, the Russian president said that he considers it possible to soon ease controls and customs procedures on the border with Abkhazia to encourage travel and facilitate trade.

The anniversary of the 2008 war was marked in Georgia with the political leaders paying tribute to the Georgian soldiers who died in the conflict.

Following a wreath laying ceremony at a military cemetery in the outskirts of Tbilisi, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili told journalists that the Georgian government is “building a united, strong, prosperous, democratic, truly European Georgia in order to make it a common home for Georgians, Abkhaz, and [South] Ossetians.”

President Giorgi Margvelashvili, who also visited the cemetery at Mukhatgverdi, said, “No Georgian will ever tolerate the [Russian] occupation.”

Meanwhile, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said Putin’s visit to Abkhazia “serves for legitimization of forceful change of borders of the sovereign state through military aggression, ethnic cleansing, and occupation.”

The ministry also urged the international community to respond to Russia’s “aggressive steps.”

Russia maintains thousands of troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in what Georgia considers an occupation, and Georgian authorities have accused Moscow and the separatists of taking control of additional territory in recent months.

A NATO spokesman said that Putin’s trip was “detrimental to international efforts to find a peaceful and negotiated settlement.”

“NATO is united in full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders,” Dylan White said in a statement. “We will not recognize any attempts to change the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as regions of Georgia.”

During a visit to Tbilisi last week, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence reaffirmed Washington’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and denounced Russia’s “aggression” and “occupation” of Georgian territory.

With reporting by TASS, Interfax, civil.ge, AFP, AP, and Reuters

Frank-Walter Steinmeier visits Armenian Genocide Memorial

June 30, 2016 by administrator

The OSCE chairperson, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier today early in the morning visited Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex , where he laid a wreath in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Frank -Walter Steinmeier was accompanied by the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany Matthias Kiessler ,and the Armenian Genocide Museum director Hayk Demoyan.

As reported earlier, he announced that it has become clear for the OSCE that the status quo in that way will not be possible to maintain in Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The OSCE acting chairperson has arrived to Yerevan on Wednesday within the framework of the regional visit. He said “It is obvious, that it is impossible to maintain the status quo. The longer the conflict lasts, the greater the likelihood of its escalation. We need to avoid it. The OSCE makes efforts, and I, as a Chairman , am in a search of a lasting peace, ” said Steinmeier .

Putin visits Greece for energy, investment talks

May 27, 2016 by administrator

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first trip to a European Union country this year Friday with a visit to Greece that will include a stop at a secluded Christian Orthodox monastic sanctuary in the country’s north.

Under heavy security, Putin arrived for a two-day visit expected to focus on energy cooperation and Russian investments during talks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Athens is keen to maintain its traditionally close ties with post-Soviet Russia, despite its participation in European Union sanctions against Moscow, and a gas pipeline project designed to limit Russia’s regional energy dominance.

Putin was met at Athens Airport by Defense Minister Panos Kammenos as air force F-16s buzzed overhead as part of a welcoming ceremony.

Russia is one of Greece’s main trading partners, but business has been hit by the sanctions and drop in commodity prices.

Greece is also keen to reverse a slump in tourist arrivals from Russia last year.

“This will be the first time Putin has visited an EU country in the past six months and Russia-EU relations will be definitely on the agenda,” said Alexander Kokcharov of the U.S.-based IHS Country Risk group.

“Putin is likely to offer investment projects in Greece, most likely in energy and transport sectors. However, we do not expect that Greece would go against the EU consensus.”

Some 2,500 police will provide security for Putin’s visit in Athens, and much of the city center will be blocked to motorists and public transport.

On Saturday, Putin will visit the Monastery of St. Panteleimon, which is inhabited by Russian monks. It’s set in the 1,000-year-old Mount Athos autonomous monastic community, from which women are banned.

He will be accompanied by the head of Russias Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who arrived in northern Greece on Friday.

[AP]

Putin visits Greece ahead of Russia sanctions vote

May 27, 2016 by administrator

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras © Alexander Zemlianichenko / Reuters

The Russian President makes his first EU trip in seven months with a visit to Athens on Friday. It comes just a month before Brussels decides on whether to extend EU sanctions against Russia.

Before the visit, Putin published an article in Greece’s Kathimerini newspaper, where he spoke about the negative effect of mutual sanctions.

“These days, Greece is Russia’s important partner in Europe. Unfortunately, the decline in relations between Russia and the European Union stands in the way of further strengthening our cooperation, with an adverse effect on the dynamics of bilateral trade that fell by a third to $2.75 billion as compared to last year. Particularly affected were Greek agricultural producers,” Putin said.

In 2015 trade between the two countries fell by 33.7 percent to about $2.8 billion. Ninety percent of that loss was exports from Russia to Greece. Russian imports from Greece decreased by 54 percent and amounted to $229.4 million.

Putin’s visit to Greece breaks a long pause in his travels to Western countries. Last time he went to the EU was November 30 last year, when he took part in the UN climate conference in Paris.

Over the past year the Greek leadership has criticized the EU’s anti-Russian sanctions, but has never used its right to veto their extension. According to some analysts, Athens is playing the Russian card to persuade Brussels and international lenders towards a softer position on its €320 billion debt.

Experts have also said that historical ties with Greece could help Russia find an ally who could help to ease the sanctions.

“The extreme political and economic disruption Greece has experienced, in combination with existing cultural ties, make it a particularly attractive target for these kind of initiatives,” Daragh McDowell, a principal analyst for Europe and Central Asia at Verisk Maplecroft, told CNBC.

U.S. Army Chief In Europe Visits Armenia

May 23, 2016 by administrator

Armenia – U.S. Army Europe commander Ben Hodges (C) at a meeting with Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian in Yerevan, 23May2016.

(azatutyun.am) The commander of the U.S. Army Europe, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, discussed Armenia’s growing military ties with the United States and the recent escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during a visit to Yerevan on Monday.

According to the Armenian Defense Ministry, Hodges and Major General Lee Tafanelli, the Kansas National Guard chief accompanying him, expressed concern at last month’s heavy fighting in Karabakh when they met with Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian.

Ohanian was reported to brief them on the current situation in the conflict zone. The United States has been trying to defuse tensions there together with Russia and France, the two other world powers mediating Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks.

Ohanian and Hodges agreed to step up cooperation between Armenia’s Armed Forces and the U.S. Army Europe, a Defense Ministry statement said. It listed multinational peacekeeping operations among the areas of closer bilateral ties.

Ohanian was reported to point to U.S. training of Armenian military personnel and increased Armenian participation in NATO’s military exercises. Hodges praised a 32-strong unit of Armenian military medics which took part in U.S.-led exercises held in Germany last month.

During the three-week drills codenamed Sabre Junction, they simulated evacuation and treatment of wounded military personnel at a mobile field hospital that was deployed by them outside Armenia for the first time ever. The U.S. military donated the hospital to an Armenian peacekeeping brigade in 2007.

The Armenian government expressed readiness last year to commit the hospital as well sappers trained to detect and defuse improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by “terrorist groups” for and multinational peacekeeping operations. Armenian army medics and demining experts will undergo additional training, presumably by U.S. and other NATO instructors, for that purpose.

U.S. instructors already trained last year the first group of 12 teaching personnel for the Armenian army’s newly established paramedic school. Ohanian personally attended their graduation ceremony.

U.S.-Armenian military cooperation appears to have been largely unaffected so far by Western powers’ standoff with Russia, Armenia’s main military ally, over the conflict in Ukraine.

Israeli President visits Jerusalem Armenian Patriarch

May 10, 2016 by administrator

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin visited the Apostolic Armenian Church in Jerusalem‘s Old City on Monday, May 9 morning and met with leaders of the Christian community in Israel. He was welcomed by Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, Israel National News reports.

President Rivlin thanked Patriarch Manougian for his and his community’s hospitality.

“A meeting with leaders of your community is always important to me, but during these days, is perhaps even more important,” he said.

“These are difficult times for our city. Terror and death have returned to our streets. The violent attacks all over the city cause growing fear, intolerance and hatred.”

President Rivlin reiterated Israel’s commitment to the values of freedom of worship, and to the well-being of the Christian community which was facing persecution across the Middle East.

On the Ground: President Sargsyan visits Karabakh amid reports on expected peace talks

April 19, 2016 by administrator

On Monday, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan made his first trip to Nagorno-Karabakh after the four-day war there.

While on a working visit to the second Armenian republic, Sargsyan, according to his press office, met with Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) President Bako Sahakyan, senior army officers for consultations. A wide range of issues related to army building was reportedly discussed.

Sargsyan’s visit took place against the backdrop of Baku’s statements on the imminent resumption of negotiations on the Karabakh conflict settlement.

In particular, on Monday, the Russian Tass news agency quoted Azeri presidential aide Ali Hasanov as saying that talks aimed at resolving the conflict could resume soon.

“The proposal to resume negotiations was received from Moscow and now the negotiation process is being prepared. It is possible that intensive talks will start in the coming days,” said Hasanov.

On April 5, when the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides reached a verbal agreement on ceasefire in the conflict zone after four days of deadly fighting, Russian President Vladimir Putin had phone conversations with his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts, Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev, stating that Russia will do everything to contribute to the settlement of the conflict.

On April 7, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Baku made references to the so-called Kazan document – a 2011 effort by Russia to broker a solution to the Karabakh conflict one of the elements of which was the introduction of a peacekeeping contingent, likely a Russian one.

On Monday, spokesman for Armenia’s president Vladimir Hakobyan told Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency that the Armenian side has not discussed with the OSCE Minsk Group the possibility and timing of a high-level meeting.

Simultaneously, Hakobyan said that Lavrov will visit Armenia, which will be a good opportunity to examine the prospects of the negotiation process “whose main essence is the right of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to exercise their right to self-determination.”

These days there is also much talk about the possibility of Nagorno-Karabakh’s returning to the negotiating table. Nagorno-Karabakh was a full party to the 1994 ceasefire agreement, along with Armenia and Azerbaijan, but later it was left out of the peace process.

In an interview with Russia’s Interfax on Monday the NKR president’s spokesperson David Babayan stated once again that no ultimate resolution of the conflict is impossible without Stepanakert.

“It is impossible to find a comprehensive solution to the conflict without Nagorno-Karabakh’s participation. Azerbaijan at this stage will try to resolutely and persistently obstruct the participation of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiation process, but quite an interesting and paradoxical situation has been created. On the one hand, Azerbaijan is at war with us, but on the other hand, it does not want to negotiate with us and tries to impede the restoration of the full negotiation format,” Babayan said.