Author: Adrine Hakobian

Arsen Poghosyan, Deputy Head of the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia, received a delegation led by Eamonn Brennan, Chief Executive of the Irish Aviation Authority.

The meeting addressed a wide range of issues related to air cooperation between Armenia and Ireland, including the perspective of establishing direction air communication between the two countries, which will have a positive influence on the development of interstate relations.

The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic today approved a resolution, condemning the genocide of Armenians and other religious and national minorities in the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, Czech media repored. Spokesman for the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tigran Balayan confirmed the news in a Twitter post.

“The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic condemns the crimes against humanity carried out by the Nazis during the Second World War on the Jewish, Roma and Slavic populations in the controlled territories, the genocide of Armenians and other national and religious minorities in the Ottoman Empire during World War I,” reads the resolution, which passed with 104 votes.

The resolution was proposed by MEP Robin Bönisch from the CSSD. “I think it was the Czech Republic’s duty to formally recognize the genocide. And because yesterday it was the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide, I think it was very symbolic to recognize the genocide of the Armenians today,” Bönisch said, according to  iRozhlas.cz.

“I am glad that we have accepted the resolution because sometimes the truth has to be remembered. Of course, Turkey will react to it, but we have always supported human rights and today it is necessary to remind Turkey of genocide,” former Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg (TOP 09) said, lidovky.cz reports.

President Milos Zeman also commemorated the Armenian genocide. On the occasion of the anniversary, the President sent a letter to Barsegh Pilavchian, the spiritual  leader of the Armenian community in the Czech Republic.

“I agree that history is not meant to be interpreted by politicians. At the same time, however, I believe that the events that cost 1.5 million innocent people represent a tragic chapter in the history of not only the Armenian nation but also of the entire civilized world,” Zeman wrote in a letter published on Tuesday.

Photo: Reuters

 

The gunman who shot dead a policeman in Paris on Thursday has been identified from papers left in his car, but French officials are yet to release his name, the BBC reports.

Local media say the 39-year-old lived in the city’s suburbs, and had been seen as a potential Islamist radical.

The gunman wounded two police officers before being shot dead by security forces on the Champs Elysees.

A pump-action shotgun and knives were found in his car, the French TV station BFMTV reported.

Another man suspected of possible links to the attack has turned himself in to Belgian police.

French police have also taken three family members of the gunman into custody, Reuters reports, citing a legal source.

A Turkish court Wednesday remanded in custody two security officers over their suspected links to the killing of a prominent Armenian-Turkish journalist, Anadolu Agency reports.

Gendarmerie sergeants Haci Sefik Simsek and Bekir Yokus are accused of homicide, being a member of an armed terrorist organization, and attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.

Hrant Dink, founder and editor of bilingual Armenian-Turkish weekly newspaper Agos, was shot dead in an Istanbul street in January 2007.

Although a suspect was convicted, the case has been re-investigated several times amid concerns that police conspired to allow Dink’s killing to happen.

Ogun Samast, age 17 at the time of the killing, claimed he murdered Dink for “insulting Turkishness” and was jailed for 23 years in 2011.

FAST (The Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology) announced the formation of the Advisory Board and the appointment of the Chief Executive Director.

Impact investor and social entepreneur, co-founder of the IDeA Foundation Ruben Vardanyan made his first statement on the intention to create the FAST Foundation in July 2016, noting that the Foundation would focus on “the development of environment for technological innovations in Armenia and mobilization of scientific, technological and financial resources of the Armenian and international community”.

Ruben Vardanyan and Noubar Afeyan on behalf of the IDeA Foundation, Fr. Mesrop Aramyan on behalf of the Ayb and Luys Foundations, the high tech and innovations entrepreneur Artur Alaverdyan became the co-founders of the FAST Foundation. Board of Trustees of five people was established, including the co-founders; Artur Alaverdyan was appointed Chairman of the Board.

At the present moment the following persons have agreed to become members of the FAST Advisory Board:

Noubar Afeyan, Ph.D., Flagship Pioneering, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, MIT, Senior Lecturer 2000-2016, current Corporation Board member (USA),

Naira Hovakimyan, Ph.D., W. Grafton and Lillian B. Wilkins Professor of Mechanical Science and Engineering (USA),

David Yang, Ph.D., ABBYY, Founder and Director of the Board (USA/Russia)

Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham OM KBE PC FRS, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Director (UK)

Serge Tchuruk, Alcatel, former CEO and Total S.A., Chairman, former CEO (France)

Garaped Antranikyan, Hamburg University of Technology, President (Germany),

Mikhail Pogosyan, Moscow Aviation Institute, Rector (Russia)

Yuri Oganessian, Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Scientific Director (Russia),

André Andonian, McKinsey and Company, Managing Partner (Japan),

Armen Gevorgyan, Staff of Presidential Administration, Chief (Armenia),

Hovhannes Avoyan, PicsArt, CEO and Founder (USA/Armenia),

Vardan Sahakian, PhD in Physics, State Committee for Science, Deputy Head, the scientist with the highest scientometric indices (h-index) in Armenia (Armenia).

Other members might join the Board in future.

As the Head of the Advisory Board Noubar Afeyan stated “The future of Armenia will depend greatly on its capacity to innovate and to provide competitive products and services within the global markets. The Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology is a timely catalyst in making this potential a near-term reality”.

“In my opinion the main mission of the FAST Foundation is that it will consolidate the intellectual power in Armenia and abroad, focusing it on solving the actual tasks which determine the scientific and technological progress of the country,” Yuri Oganessian mentioned.

“Back in Soviet times Armenia held absolute leadership in scientific and technological innovations of the big country. In 1956 the USSR government launched the Yerevan Computer Research and Development Institute after Mergelyan, and since then we were well known for leading IT and software developments in USSR. The collapse of former Soviet Union, the major earthquake, the long-lasting economic and energy crisis destroyed the economy of the country leading to mass immigration. I am hopeful that FAST will give the opportunity to re-establish ourselves again as leaders in a number of major industries, in education and academic fronts as well, and this time we will come across as leaders on a global scale outside the borders of former Soviet Union,” Naira Hovakimyan commented.

“This is an immensely exciting time for Armenia with the launch of The FAST Foundation. As a society we are facing increasing challenges in every industry and through the development of a platform for bringing about the technological revolution in Armenia, we can remain at the forefront of the development of innovative technologies,” Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham said.

The businessman, architect of innovative ecosystems Armen Orujyan was appointed Chief Executive Director of FAST. Athgo, a non-profit organization created by him in 1999 in Los Angeles, is one of the leading business platforms in the world and has the status of consultant of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Under his leadership, Athgo promoted the development of innovative ecosystems in Europe and Africa, nearly 10,000 young innovators, entrepreneurs and students from 80 counties of the world obtained the support for implementation of their projects and initiatives, including a financial one.

“The world is experiencing an exciting and unprecedented technological transformation. Exponential advances are taking place in all verticals empowering people and economies. FAST propelled by its Founders’ vision, historical scientific accomplishments of Armenia and Armenians around the world, and access to global resources can thrust Armenia into becoming one of the leading if not the leading scientific and open innovation hubs. I envision a world where Armenia is a trendsetter of disruptive and cutting edge innovation in the region and beyond. I find it inspiring and a privilege to be involved with the Founders and all other stakeholders in helming this initiative forward,” Armen Orujyan stated.

During the 9 months from the first announcement of FAST, its co-founders have conducted a series of efficient discussions in different cities in the world with the participation of scientists, investors and entrepreneurs. The team in Yerevan has created a database of almost 5,000 scientists and engineers from Armenia and the Diaspora. More than 120 people from that database contributed to the discussions of the FAST initiative. A significant contribution into this preparatory work was made by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), American University of Armenia, Synopsis, NSF, National Instruments and more than a hundred people who made important and valuable suggestions.

“Our main goal is to unite the state and the private sector, the general public and the elite, the citizens of Armenia, the diaspora and our partners in other countries, the donors and the international organizations, – in order to turn Armenia into one of the leading R&D hubs of the world together,” Ruben Vardanyan stated.

“We want to accelerate the creation of an innovate ecosystem in Armenia for science-intensive startups, to promote the commercialization of science by using the potential of the local and global scientific, engineering and entrepreneurial community. The main task of FAST is to build a road with a two-way traffic between Armenian science and the global business,” Artur Alaverdyan said.

FAST intends to become a platform for bringing the technological breakthrough in Armenia in the areas of IT and computer science, artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, advanced engineering and manufacturing technologies. The Foundation will be based on 4 pillars: education, research, start-ups and production. Expert council will be formed for every direction.

FAST is planned to pursue three main goals: to serve as a catalyst for technological development, concentrate the efforts and last, but not least, to coordinate the progress in the field. At the same time, FAST will operate according to the principle of an open platform that is ready for the development of partnership relations with private, state, public and scientific organizations in Armenia and in foreign countries. Organizationally FAST will operate as a FOF, without pursuing a commercial objective by itself. The initiative will create commercial venture funds and other business structures.

The scope of the initial financing for the development of the Foundation will be up to USD 15 million. The co-founders will launch a global fundraising campaign to attract up to USD 250 million within five years.

Baku deliberately deepens the mistrust between the parties and tries to make the process of peaceful settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict a hostage of its destructive policy and maximalist demands, the Artsakh Foreign Ministry said in a statement, marking the anniversary of the end of Azeri aggression.

The statement reads:

Today marks exactly one year since the end of military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh with a view to resolving the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict by force. On the night of 1 to 2 April 2016, in flagrant violation of the ceasefire, the Azerbaijani armed forces launched a large-scale offensive along the entire border using heavy equipment, artillery and aviation. Only after suffering heavy losses in manpower and military equipment, on 5 April 2016, Azerbaijan was forced to ask for a cessation of hostilities with the mediation of Russia.

The April aggression of Azerbaijan against Artsakh, accompanied by numerous violations of international humanitarian law and war crimes, became a serious challenge to regional peace and security and  caused great damage to the negotiation process for the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict within the framework of the mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

During the year that has passed since the end of the hostilities on 5 April 2016, the Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group have been making efforts to ensure conditions for a full restoration of the negotiation process.

The Republic of Artsakh has been consistently supporting the statements of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on the need for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement of 12 May 1994, practical application of the provisions of the agreement of 6 February 1995 on strengthening the ceasefire regime, as well as implementation of the agreements reached in Vienna (16 May 2016) and in St. Petersburg (20 June, 2016) on introduction of a mechanism for investigating incidents and increasing the capacity of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.

Azerbaijan not only rejects these proposals, but also disrupts any initiative aimed at excluding the possibility of resumption of hostilities. Moreover, throughout this time Azerbaijan has been sparing no effort to transfer the logic of confrontation to the spheres of economy, culture and even human contacts.

While demonstrating complete unwillingness to reach a negotiated peace settlement, the Azerbaijani authorities threaten to unleash another war. By consistently increasing the degree of tension on the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan and continuing the policy of confrontation and hostility, Baku deliberately deepens the mistrust between the parties and tries to make the process of peaceful settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict a hostage of its destructive policy and maximalist demands.

Ukraine has banned a Russian singer from entering the country to compete at the Eurovision Song Contest, Reuters reports.

Russian singer and composer Yuliya Samoilova has been barred from entering the country for the next three years, over a past performance in  Crimea.

“The Security Service of Ukraine has banned Yuliya Samoilova from entry for three years,” Ukrainian security services (SBU) said on Wednesday.

The SBU has blacklisted at least 140 other Russian artists.

Ukraine is due to host the Eurovision Song Contest in its capital Kiev, in May.