Author: Adrine Hakobian

 

 

 

Some of the provisions of the Hamburg Statement of the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries were unprecedented, MP Khosrov Harutyunyan told reporters today. According to him, the statement was a “yellow card” to Azerbaijan.

In light of the dramatic escalation in violence along the Line of Contact in April, the Foreign Ministers of Russia and France and the US Secretary of State expressed concern over continuing armed incidents, including reports on the use of heavy weapons, and strongly condemn the use of force or the threat of the use of force.

“There is no military solution to this conflict and no justification for the death and injury of civilians,” they stressed.

“The situation in the region threatens to explode. The international community is worried about the developments and will not tolerate any attempt to further aggravate the situation or solve domestic issues, resorting to political adventurism,” Khosrov Harutyunyan said.

Russia and China have vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire in Syrian Aleppo. The document was supported by 11 countries members of the Security Council, while Russia, China and Venezuela voted against. Angola abstained, TASS reports.

The draft resolution was not passed as two permanent members voted against, Security Council President Roman Marchesi (Spain) said. To have a UN Security Council document approved, it must be supported by nine countries on condition that none of the permanent members – Russia, the UK, China, the US and France – votes against.

The resolution drafted by Egypt, Spain and New Zealand demands a truce in Syrian Aleppo for at least seven days. Under their plan, this pause in warfare would make it possible to deliver aid to the embattled city and create conditions for restarting negotiations on a political settlement of the Syrian conflict.

Prior to the voting, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said putting the resolution to vote was in violation of Council rule of procedure, under which the vote should take place no earlier than 24 hours after the final version of a draft is submitted to the Security Council.

‘The vote cannot take place before 11 a.m. local time tomorrow (19:00 Moscow time),” he said.

He said additional time could let the UN Security Council members “to take account of certain new circumstances and arrive at a consensus resolution” that would help to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria in practice.

He said the co-authors of the resolution had come under pressure from the US, the UK and France. The UN ambassador said such actions were provocative and undermining international efforts towards a peaceful settlement in Syria.

The deployment of Russia’s Iskander missile systems in Armenia was a necessary measure to ensure regional stability, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview with

Iskanders were first demonstrated on September 21 at a military parade in Yerevan marking the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. They were reportedly adopted by Armenia’s Armed Forces earlier and were put on combat alert during the escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh in April this year.

“I think this [deployment of Iskanders in Armenia] was a necessary measure to somehow balance the military situation in our region,” Sargsyan said.

“It is no secret that Azerbaijan has regularly purchased state-of-the-art weaponry in the past few years. We do not have such financial capabilities as Azerbaijan, but we are constantly trying to balance the situation by finding an antidote. I think Iskander is such an antidote in this case,” he said.

Azerbaijan’s Armenian-dominated breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh proclaimed its independence in 1991. After the military conflict ended in 1994, Azerbaijan lost control over the region. Violence erupted in Nagorno-Karabakh on April 2, 2016 and led to multiple casualties. The parties to the conflict signed a Russian-brokered ceasefire on April 5, but mutual accusations have not stopped so far.

“There is a solution, and we realize that it should be based on compromises, it is not the case when Armenia, Azerbaijan or Karabakh would win,” Sargsyan said.

He said Yerevan was ready to resume talks with Baku, but “only on the basis of the three principles,” which include non-use of force, territorial integrity of states and the right of peoples to self-determination. Sargsyan confirmed to Sputnik his readiness to meet with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, if such talks would be useful.

“We have never refused any meetings. Whether it is [a meeting] on the presidential, foreign ministerial, even working level. But we always call for these meetings to be useful, bring progress. If there is no progress when we meet, and agreements do not get implemented, what is the benefit of meetings?” Sargsyan said.

According to the president, Armenia is ready to sign an agreement on investigation of ceasefire violations in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone “even tonight.”

“We want the co-chairs [of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe] and the international community to know who is violating the ceasefire regime,” he added.

Armenia Recognizes Azerbaijan’s Territorial Integrity

Armenia recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but believes people’s right to self-determination needs to be taken into account in resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue,  Serzh Sargsyan told Sputnik.

“We recognize the territorial integrity of any state, including Azerbaijan. But people’s self-determination does not contradict in any way the principle of territorial integrity, because territorial integrity concerns relations between countries while self-determination [is related to] the capital and the people that live compactly in the civilized world, all issues are resolved without the use of force, especially in the historical motherland,” Sargsyan said.

According to the president, if Armenia rejected the principle of self-determination, then it should not have left the Soviet Union on its basis. “Therefore, these principles do not contradict each other,” he added.

No Need to Establish New Russian Military Bases in Armenia

There is no need to establish new Russian military bases in Armenia, it would be enough to expand the capacity of the existing one in Gyumri, President Sargsyan told Sputnik.

“I do not believe that there is any need in this because the military base is able to take in all elements which may be needed. Therefore, one military base is enough for the small Armenia, it is just necessary to give it military power,” Sargsyan said.

The Russian 102nd Military Base is located in the Armenian city of Gyumri. On August 20, 2010, Russia and Armenia agreed to prolong the agreement on the base location until 2044.

Armenia Fully Supports Russia’s Actions in Syria

Armenia is supportive of Russia’s actions in Syria, President Sargsyan told Sputnik. “We fully support Russia providing help to the Syrian government upon its request. There can be no doubts here. This is a legal right of the Syrian government to ask for help, and Russia’s legal right to provide this help,” Sargsyan said.

According to the president, Yerevan would like to see the Syrian crisis resolved quickly, but it can only be settled by the Syrian people.

“Of course, we would like for this issue to be resolved quickly, however, as I can see, there can hardly be a quick solution. There are 20,000 of our compatriots living [in Syria]. We do not have exact information,” Sargsyan said.

Armenian-Turkish Border Can Be Opened Only by Mutual Consent

The Armenian-Turkish border can be opened only with the agreement of both sides without any preconditions, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan told Sputnik.

“One cannot say that the issue is 50 percent resolved, that is not the case. Nothing depends on us in this respect,” Sargsyan said.

He said that despite tensions in the Armenian-Turkish relations in 2008 Armenia initiated negotiations with Turkey and in 2009 the countries signed protocols on opening the border.

“But unfortunately some time later Turkey turned out not to be ready to ratify these protocols and in fact to establish ties with Armenia without preconditions,” Sargsyan said.

The president said that Turkey demanded to exert pressure on Nagorno-Karabakh so that it transferred one of the districts it controlled to Azerbaijan. From Sargsyan’s point of view such preconditions should have been announced before signing the protocols. “After that we have no relations with Turkey,” he added.

The Armenian-Turkish relations are negatively influenced by what is recognized as genocide of Armenians by Armenia and some other countries. Around 1.2 million Armenians were killed or starved to death by the Ottoman Empire during and after World War I. Turkey has repeatedly denied accusations of committing mass murder of Armenians, claiming that the victims of the tragedy were both Turks and Armenians.

Armenian President Optimistic About Eurasian Economic Union Membership Almost 2 Years On

Serzh Sargsyan said he never regretted his country’s entry into the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) almost two years ago, in an interview with Sputnik.

Armenia’s accession to the economic bloc of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan came into effect in January 2015, months after Russia was hit by US and EU sanctions over Ukraine. “Armenia’s entry into the EAEU coincided, unfortunately, with post-sanctions economic downturn in Russia, the union’s powerhouse,” Sargsyan said, adding that his country “did the right thing” and “lost nothing.”

The fallout from anti-Russia sanctions worsened Armenia’s performance, which has a market of three million people and is tied to the Russian economy “with a thousand strings,” the president said.

“By joining the Eurasian Economic Union, we became part of a market of 170 million or even more. As soon as we reach the union’s main goal of streamlining the flow of goods, services, workforce and capital we will win a lot,” he said.

The EAEU promotes economic integration of Eurasian countries and tighter cooperation between the bloc and other trade unions. In May 2015, it signed a preferential trade deal with Vietnam, the first such pact with a non-member country. Russian Prime Minister Medvedev said earlier this month a similar deal could be signed with China’s Silk Road Economic Belt.

Armenian Exports Rise Almost 50% in 2016
Armenia’s exports have increased nearly 50 percent in 2016, Sargsyan told Sputnik.

“We significantly increased exports this year and last year as well. This year, we increased exports by almost 50 percent. Most of it headed for the Eurasian Economic Union, or course. And this fact is very, very important,” Sargsyan said. The South Caucasus country’s relatively small economy has performed well over the past several years despite some members of the Eurasian bloc having gone through economic hardship.

Armenian exports increased over 25 percent year-on-year in September after soaring to over $160 million, the highest figure since the all-time peak of over $162 million in 2012, according to the country’s National Statistical Service. GDP growth has also exceeded most other EAEU members.

Armenia’s Shift to Parliamentary System to Improve Security

Armenia’s planned transfer to a parliamentary republic from the current semi-presidential system will improve the country’s security, President Serzh Sargsyan told Sputnik.

The current system allows for a deadlock between the presidential executive authority and the parliamentary majority in case the latter is from a rival political bloc. Vesting political power in the parliament will allow for a more efficient distribution of decision-making in terms of security issues, according to the president.

“The [current] constitution says that the president is responsible for the security and the territorial integrity of the country. The president is the commander-in-chief…. The commander-in-chief is tasked with ensuring that the state is working to solve military-political issues. And how could he do that without having the right to spend some of the budget?… So I think that this [parliamentary] form of government will lead to Armenia’s security being better ensured,” Sargsyan said.

Armenia plans to change to a parliamentary system between 2017 and 2018 after the 2017 parliamentary election takes place. The election will be the first since Armenians voted to adopt a parliamentary system in a referendum on December 6, 2015. Over 66 percent approved the necessary constitutional amendments.

The Council of the European Union discussed current multilateral and bilateral relations with the six Eastern Partnership countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

Ministers had an exchange of views on the implementation of the Partnership and possible deliverables to be achieved in 2017, notably with a view to the next Eastern Partnership Summit in November 2017 in Brussels.

The Council reaffirmed the high importance it attaches to the Eastern Partnership, as a specific dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), offering close political association and economic integration with the EU and tangible results to citizens

The Council welcomed progress in negotiations of a new framework agreement with Armenia.

The Council said it looks forward to consideration in due course of the possible opening of a visa dialogue with Armenia.

Armenian Weekly—System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan confirmed that the band is working on a new album in an interview with the United Kingdom’s Kerrang! magazine. “We’ve been working on a new album for the last six months and there [are] about 15 songs that I think are album-worthy,” Dolmayan said in the interview, which appeared in the magazine’s November 9 issue.

Though Dolmayan confirmed that the band is working on the album, he said that they are still unsure about when the album will be released. “System of a Down is definitely making an album, we just don’t know what terms it will be made on,” Dolmayan said, adding, “there’s a tremendous amount of pressure on us, though, because it’s been 11 years—at least 12 by the time it [the album] comes out. Our playing ability is better than it has ever been and we’re trying new things.”

System of a Down is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in 1994. The band currently consists of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards), Daron Malakian (vocals, guitar), Shavo Odadjian (bass, backing vocals) and Dolmayan (drums).

The band achieved commercial success with the release of 5 studio albums, 3 of which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The band has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, and their song “B.Y.O.B.” won the Best Hard Rock Performance of 2006. The group briefly disbanded in August 2006 and reunited in November 2010, embarking on a tour for the following 3 years.

On Novembber 23, 2014, System of a Down announced the “Wake Up The Souls Tour” to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The tour included a free concert in Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia on April 23, 2015, their first show in the country.

On November 6, Heritage Party Chairman Raffi K. Hovannisian attended and addressed a special conference on Migration and Refugees organized by the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP).

The meeting, which brought together 40 political parties from more than 25 countries, was co-sponsored by the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party of Turkey.

Following inflammatory interventions by Azerbaijani and Turkish delegates, Raffi Hovannisian took the floor to present an Armenian perspective on historical and current developments in the region. He referred in particular to the unacceptability of the recent arrest of opposition MPs in Turkey and the crackdown on civil liberties which triggered flashbacks to 1915; the reality and legacy of the Armenian Genocide and Great National Dispossession of the Armenian and other peoples (Assyrians, Greeks, Kurds, Yezidis, and Alevis) as an unprecedented watershed in refugee creation; the Turkish official policy of denial and the untold story of thousands of righteous Turks who saved Armenian lives.

He underscored the tendency of states like Turkey and Azerbaijan to launch military activities in neighboring countries and then be compelled to manage refugee crises, seeking  international support for their solution; Armenia’s experience with Syrian-Armenian refugees; Azerbaijan’s failed war of aggression against the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic and the 500,000 Armenians who were displaced from Azerbaijan, Nakhichevan and other occupied Armenian lands; the imperative  to secure for all refugees and internally displaced persons a guaranteed  and equitable right of return to their places of origin, including the return of Armenians to and the establishment of communal life in Azerbaijan, Nakhichevan, and the western Armenian heartland in current-day eastern Turkey; and the need to be
self-critical in Turkey, Armenia, and all other countries and to take responsibility for developing just, democratic societies which are the only avenue to prevent non-conflict-driven emigration.

Upon completion of Hovannisian’s address, the vice chairman of the AK Party repeated Turkey’s denialist line and asked the reference to the word Genocide be deleted from the record.   Hovannisian condemned this approach as an unacceptable, characteristic attempt at official censorship.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho needs to adopt a more attack-minded approach, according to Jamie Redknapp. The ex-Liverpool midfielder has admitted to being baffled by Mourinho’s cautious mindset at United, especially given the star-studded attacking options in his squad.

“What was the point of Jose Mourinho signing creative, exciting players like Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan if he’s going to play so negatively?” the former Liverpool star .

“This is a talented Manchester United squad but they should be going toe-to-toe with Chelsea, not setting up to try to get a draw,” he added.

“In the first half, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford were playing as extra defenders in a back six. It’s too defensive and the players aren’t able to express themselves. Why is Mourinho leaving out players like Mkhitaryan and persisting with Marouane Fellaini? Is Mkhitaryan injured, or does Jose just not fancy him? Fellaini seems so difficult to play with and it’s affecting Pogba’s game.”

Redknapp thinks Mourinho’s defensive tactics may have created a negative atmosphere in the United dressing room, with the team having fallen woefully short of fans’ expectations so far this season. “There will be questions in the dressing room over Jose’s tactics and I worry that the atmosphere could become toxic,” he said of the United boss.

“People are saying that the players have to adapt to Jose’s style but I disagree. He must change to suit the traditions of a club that produced the most exciting team of the last 20 years.”

After suffering their third defeat of the Premier League season, United are now six points behind table-topping Manchester City.

President Serzh Sargsyan has congratulated the Jewish community on Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah. The message reads:

Dear members of the Jewish community of Armenia,

I congratulate you on the occasion of the Jewish New Year – Rosh Hashanah.

Let this year become a year of peace, prosperity and success for the Jewish community of Armenia and the entire Jewish nation. Let centuries-long relations and mutual understanding between our two nations become stronger.

On the occasion of this glorious holiday, I wish all the best and advancement to our Jewish compatriots and the Jewish people.

According to a decree signed by President Serzh Sargsyan, David Lokyan has been appointed as Minister of Territorial Administration and Development.

Photo: Reuters

 

A boat carrying African migrants headed to Europe capsized off the Mediterranean coast near the Egyptian city of Alexandria on Wednesday, killing at least 42 people, Egyptian authorities said, AP reports.

The army gave the toll in a statement, saying it had “thwarted an illegal immigration attempt” and that the boat had been 12 nautical miles off the coast when it sank.

Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said that the total number of dead was still unknown. Local official Alaa Osman from Beheira province said the migrants were from several African countries. He said over 150 people have been rescued so far but that bodies are still being pulled from the water.

Egypt’s official news agency MENA said the boat was carrying 600 people when it sank near the coast, some 180 kilometers north of the capital, Cairo. Osman said the boat had likely come from Kafr el-Sheik province, further to the east.