Author: Aram Torosian

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata is said to have reached an agreement with manager Jose Mourinho over his role in the squad, accepting that he will have a reduced role in the squad compared to last season under the management of Louis van Gaal,  reports.

Mata played every single one of United’s league games last season, starting all but four of them, but looks set for a reduced role in the coming campaign even though he has started both of the club’s Premier League games so far.

The Spaniard even scored the club’s first goal of the season, striking the opener in a 3-1 win over Bournemouth, but the Telegraph report that he has accepted after talks with Mourinho that he will not have the same guaranteed first-team role he enjoyed under Van Gaal.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is expected to come in and replace Mata on the right when he has bedded into his role at the club, but the Spaniard will not be sold this summer as Mourinho puts his own stamp on the squad.

A number of players are still expected to leave Old Trafford before Wednesday’s transfer deadline, but Mata – who had attracted interest from Everton at one point – does not look like being one of them.

Yerevan will host ArmHiTec 2016 international exhibition of arms and defense technologies October 13-15. The doctrine of the first ArmHiTec 2016 expo has been approved by Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan, Press Service of the Defense Ministry reports.

The list of the expositions includes the whole arsenal of arms and technologies used in practice, with a special focus on the development of innovative technologies and precision weapons.

Battle management systems, communication equipment, automated troop control systems, robotic systems, unmanned flying vehicles, search and inspection technologies, precision weapons, laser technologies, optical-electronic equipment and systems, air defense systems will also be on display.

The exhibition aims to present the newest military equipment, innovative military production means used in Armenia and abroad. The event will open new perspectives for exchange of experience, contribute to the expansion of Armenia’s military-technical cooperation and reinforce the export potential.

Suicide bombers and gunmen have killed at least 35 people at a Shia shrine in Iraq, which so-called Islamic State (IS) said it carried out, the BBC reports.

At least one bomber blew himself up outside the mausoleum of Sayid Mohammed bin Ali al-Hadi, in Balad, which was then stormed by gunmen, officials say.

Another bomber blew himself up among fleeing worshippers, reports say.

Meanwhile the death toll from Sunday’s suicide bombing in Baghdad has again been raised, from 250 to 292.

Видео опубликовано Pope Francis (@franciscus) Июн 27 2016 в 5:04 PDT

A photo report of Pope Francis’ three-day visit to Armenia has been posted on the Pope’s page on Instagram.

 

Turkey has no levers to exert pressure on Germany, and the threats to take measures over Bundestag’s vote on Armenian Genocide are not serious, Director of the Oriental Studies Institute of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences Ruben Safrastyan said in an interview with .

He said Turkey itself depends on Germany economically and militarily, and the only thing Ankara can do is to use the migrants deal as a tool for “blackmail.”  He said, however, it cannot be a serious threat, either, considering that Turkey also depends on the EU, as it’s expected to get billions for the deal.

Speaking about the Bundestag resolution on Armenian Genocide, Safrastyan said “it’s of great importance for Armenia,” but added that the Armenian side should be able to make correct use of it.”

“The Bundestag vote has resulted in an establishment of a new atmosphere in Europe as regards the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. “It’s no coincidence that the Czech President has pledged to do his best reach Armenian Genocide recognition in his country,” the political scientist said. He’s confident many European countries will follow Bundestag’s example. Besides, he said, the Armenian Genocide will be included in school programs across Europe.

Ruben Safrastayn excluded any link between the Bundestag vote on Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s actions in Syria.

“Turkey pursues concrete goals in Syria – to get rid of Assad’s administration, strengthen its influence in the country by supporting certain terrorist groups and strike a blow to Kurds and create an atmosphere of fear among the Armenian population. The recent escalatioin in Aleppo is connected with the fact that the Al-Nusra Front, which is said to have close ties with the special services in Turkey, has recently received a huge amount of weapons from that country. There are even reports on representatives of Turkish special forces fighting in the ranks of the terrorist group,” Safrastyan added.

The political scientist called attention to the fact that Al-Nusra is targeting not only Syrian Army positions, but also Armenian-populated neighborhoods in Aleppo.

Referring to today’s blast that killed at least 11 in Istanbul, Safrastyan said “Turkey is getting what it deserves.”

The commencement of the Program on the establishment of the School with the Enhanced Studies of Chinese Language in Armenia took place at the Presidential Palace in the presence of the President of Armenia and the First-ranked Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Gaoli. The program is aimed at the strengthening of the centuries-long friendship of the Armenian and Chinese peoples.

The President of Armenia expressed confidence that the Confucius Institute functioning in our country and the School with the enhanced studies of the Chinese language will become important platforms for the dissemination of the unique values of the Chinese culture, establishment of free communication between the future generations and mutual understanding of each other’s cultures.

“I started to discuss the idea of opening such a school with the leadership of the PRC years ago and I am glad that during my last year’s state visit to China, the program was approved by President Xi Jinping. The School compound will possess a modern architectural form as well as elements of the traditional Chinese architecture. I am confident that the School will have superb technical equipment. It is deeply symbolic for us that the compound will be located next to the Home-Museum of the prominent Armenian intellectual and pedagogue Khatchatur Abovian. I am confident that the activities of the School will greatly promote dissemination in the Armenian society and particularly among our youth, of the Chinese language and Chinese culture. It is well known that mutual respect and sympathy constitute the base of strong and long-lasting interstate relations; these respect and sympathy are acquired through the consistent strengthening and development of the educational and cultural ties. This is exactly what we are doing today together with our Chinese colleagues. We are grateful for the gratuitous help which the Government of the PRC has been providing to Armenia for years.

Dear Attendees,

The Armenian-Chinese relations are anchored in the centuries-long friendship. With the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries twenty-four years ago, we declared a new phase of cooperation, creating a favorable base for the expansion and deepening of the interstate relations. After my last year’s state visit to China, our relations were elevated to a qualitatively new level, further enriching the substance of our bilateral agenda. Mr. Vice Premier, your official visit to Armenia also testifies to that fact. There is no doubt that your visit will give a new impetus to the development of our relations in every area.

Chinese language and culture have already become very popular in our country thanks to the establishment and activities of the Confucius Institute. Creation of this compound is based on the vision of the great Chinese intellectual and philosopher Confucius, “If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if you think in terms of ten years – plant trees; if you think in terms of 100 years – educate the people,” said President Serzh Sargsyan.

The 7^th Summer Pan-Armenian Games will be held in Artsakh. The decision was unanimously adopted at the sitting of the Executive Board of the “World Committee of the Pan-Armenian Games” NGO.

“This is a historical decision – the basis for realization of our ideas. The decision will really reflect our objective of strengthening the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity,” said Ishkhan Zakaryan, President of the Committee, said.

The 2^nd Winter Pan-Armenian Games will take place in Tsakhkadzor in February 2018.

On 25 May Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan received a group of deputies of the Bulgarian Parliament representing the “National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria” party headed by its leader Valery Semeonov.

Issues related to developing Artsakh-Bulgaria parliamentarian ties were discussed during the meeting.

President Sahakyan signified deepening cooperation with the Bulgarian parliament considering it as a pivotal direction of strengthening bilateral relations.

NKR National Assembly deputy chairman Vahram Balayan and other officials partook at the meeting.

 

 

 

Armenia is the only country, were Yazidis have been provided with broad opportunities to preserve their national identity, head of the Yazidi community of Armenia Aziz Tamoyan told reporters today.

The Yazidis pledge to stand by the friendly Armenian nation to rebuff the assaults of a common treacherous enemy if necessary.

More than 50 Yazidi volunteers left for Artsakh to stand next to Armenian brothers during the large-scale military actions unleashed by Azerbaijan in early April.

“Everyone knows that Artsakh has historically belonged to the Armenian people, and Aliyev’s criminal activity is doomed to fail,” Tamoyan said.

“The international community, the progressive mankind, the international organization should strongly condemn Aliyev’s misanthrope policy and punish him as a war criminal,” Tamoyan said. He added that “Yazidis in different countries of the world will combine their efforts to achieve this.”

Five Yazidis were killed in the April war. The beheading of serviceman Kyaram Sloyan will never be forgotten.  Volunteers, who have just returned from Artsakh, say they have the duty to punish such barbarities.

President Serzh Sargsyan received today Menno Snel, Executive Director of the IMF Netherlands/Belgium Constituency.

President Sargsyan thanked Mr. Snel for properly representing Armenia’s interests in the IMF in the course of the past five years.

Taking into consideration that Menno Snel will be completing his mission in the near future, the President wished him success in his future activity and voiced hope that the cooperation with the next IMF Director would be as effective and constructive.

Serzh Sargsyan hailed the role of the IMF in the execution of Armenia’s economic policy, underlining that considerable economic reforms have been implemented thanks to long-term cooperation with that authoritative financial organization.

Irrespective of a number of challenges, the negative external signals, it has been possible to achieve certain progress through joint efforts with the IMF, the President said and stressed that Armenia is interested in continuous cooperation with the IMF.

Menno Snel also praised the Armenia-IMF relations and the joint programs, noting that solid bases have been created for future cooperation.