Author: George Mamian

Belarus and Armenia have agreed to establish an exchange of books and cooperate in translation of works by Belarusian and Armenian writers and poets into national languages, Armenian Deputy Culture Minister Artur Poghosyan told journalists on 10 February, BelTA reports.

The Armenian official attended the opening ceremony of the 23rd International Minsk Book Fair. “Belarus has vast experience in book publishing and printing. We have agreed with the Belarusian Culture Ministry to cooperate in this field,” Artur Poghosyan said. He added that the ministries agreed to exchange books and cooperate in translation of works by Belarusian and Armenian writers and poets.

Artur Poghosyan pointed out that Armenia has been taking part in the expo in Minsk for ten years. This year, it has been given the title of the Guest of Honor. The Armenian national pavilion is designed to mark the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. It showcases books of different genres.

“We have brought the oldest Armenian Bible printed in 1666,” the Armenian Deputy Culture Minister stressed. The 23rd International Book Fair will be running through 14 February.

Partaking in the forum are guests from 29 countries, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Germany, Israel, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, South Korea, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Palestine, Poland, Russia, Syria, the United States, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Finland, France, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden, and Ecuador. The forum has been organized by the Belarusian Information Ministry and the Minsk City Hall.

The Russian Foreign Ministry will study the inquiry of Russian parliamentarians on denouncing the Moscow Treaty of Friendship and Brotherhood with Turkey signed on March 16, 1921, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a press briefing on Wednesday, reports.

“Indeed, the Russian Foreign Ministry has received a query from State Duma members proposing to denounce the treaty,” Zakharova said answering a question from an Azerbaijani journalist on the impact of the proposed move on Russia’s relations with this country, since Azerbaijan’s interests are affected in the treaty as well. “I can tell you that at this stage the query should be studied, what exactly is proposed. All this will be done in accordance with the established procedure. Meanwhile, we need to study this initiative.”

Zakharova added that “we are developing relations with Azerbaijan and will not do anything that could worsen them. On the contrary, we will focus on what could improve our relations with this country.” “We have a lot of things in common, in all areas,” she said.

Members of Russia’s State Duma (lower house of parliament) Valery Rashkin and Sergei Obukhov (Communist Party faction) have to the country’s leadership and the Foreign Ministry proposing to denounce the Moscow Treaty of Friendship and Brotherhood signed on March 16, 1921, by the government of Soviet Russia (RSFSR) and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Russia’s Izvestia daily wrote.

“We should consider a possibility of legal review of all Russian-Turkish agreements that are unfavorable for our country and its allies. Ankara must understand what the escalation of the conflict could be fraught with for it. Only this can bring it to earth and prevent it from carrying out new provocations,” Obukhov told Izvestia. He noted that “two of the three Transcaucasian republics – Georgia and Armenia – did not recognize the terms of the treaty considering it unfair.”

Under the treaty “the former Kars region and the southern part of the former Batumi region that were part of the Russian Empire since 1878 as well as former Surmalin district of Erivan Governorate that was part of the Russian Empire since 1828 with Mount Ararat were ceded to Turkey.”.

During a public event on February 10, USAID announced the launch of the Advanced Science and Partnerships for Integrated Resource Development Project (ASPIRED) – a three-year initiative designed to curb the rate of groundwater abstraction in the Ararat Valley to sustainable levels. USAID Armenia Mission Director Karen Hilliard, Deputy Minister of Nature Protection Simon Papyan, representatives of the central government, regional authorities of Armavir and Ararat provinces, and local and international organizations attended the event.

USAID’s recent assessment of the status of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley – the country’s key agricultural hub – has indicated an alarming situation. The decreasing level of the groundwater supply and the uncontrolled use of artesian water by fish farms has left some 30 communities in the Ararat and Armavir marzes without reliable access to drinking or irrigation water.

In addition, these water shortages pose a real threat to the country’s agricultural sector, the socio-economic and environmental well-being of these regions, as well as the safety and security of Armenia’s sole nuclear power plant, Metsamor, which relies on these water resources for its cooling system. Despite recent measures by the Armenian government to regulate the use of artesian water in the valley, the situation remains serious and is among the Armenian Government’s top priorities.

USAID’s new ASPIRED project will assist the Government of Armenia in developing consistent policy and technical solutions for a more regulated use of these vital groundwater resources. The project will focus on closing data gaps, improving technical capacities and tools for informed decision-making, increasing access to innovative water conservation and energy efficiency technologies, and promoting regulatory and enforcement mechanisms.

ASPIRED will also conduct an inventory of the wells and springs in the Ararat Artesian Basin, create a publicly accessible integrated data system for the valley, install an automated control system for monitoring groundwater abstraction in ten selected fisheries, and pilot innovative technologies for efficient groundwater and energy use. Policy recommendations will be provided to the Armenian government to optimize fees for underground water use by fisheries and introduce stricter water permit practices and oversight.

Pep Guardiola has signed a three-year contract with Manchester City after Manuel Pellegrini confirmed he is leaving at the end of the season, the Daily Mail reports.

Pellegrini broke the news at his press conference ahead of Tuesday night’s clash at Sunderland, while City affirmed they had discussed the job with Guardiola in 2012.

City’s desire to appoint Guardiola had been an open secret and they released a statement on Monday stating he will join the club.

Pellegrini said the club did not go behind his back and the statement read: ‘Manchester City can confirm that in recent weeks it has commenced and finalised contractual negotiations with Pep Guardiola to become MCFC Head Coach for the 2016/17 EPL season onwards.

‘The contract is for three years. These negotiations were a re-commencement of discussions that were curtailed in 2012.

‘Out of respect for Manuel Pellegrini and the players, the Club wishes to make its decision public to remove the unnecessary burden of speculation.

‘Manuel, who is fully supportive of the decision to make this communication, is entirely focused on achieving his targets for the season ahead and retains the respect and commitment of all involved with the leadership of the Club.’

Pellegrini will be confident of leaving Manchester on a high with his side currently in with a shout in several competitions this season.

On January 27, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received Herbert Salber, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia.

During the meeting the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiation process was discussed. Minister Nalbandian briefed Herbert Salber on the results of the meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan held last month in Bern.

Herbert Salber reaffirmed the support of the European Union to the efforts of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs aimed at an exclusively peaceful settlement of the issue.

The sides reflected on Armenia-EU cooperation, exchanged thoughts on the results of the 16th session of Armenia-EU Cooperation Council.

Armenia’s Foreign Minister and the EU Special Representative touched upon developments unfolding in the states and regions adjacent to the South Caucasus.

The U.S. Embassy in Armenia has issued a statement on the Constitutional Referendum held in Armenia Sunday. The statement reads:

“We commend the Armenian people and the government on the peaceful conduct of the constitutional referendum on Sunday, December 6 which took place after an open debate.

The change in the form of Armenia’s government that will result from the new constitution is significant. The credible allegations of electoral irregularities reported by both non-partisan observers as well as Armenian political parties are of concern, however, and need to be fully investigated to ensure that the Armenian people can see the outcome of the referendum as credible and legitimate.

We urge the Electoral Commission and the Armenian government to carry out transparent investigations of all credible reports of irregularities. These issues must be addressed, both now and as the government and parliament develop the new electoral code, building on OSCE/ODIHR recommendations, to ensure that future elections are viewed by the Armenian people as credible, legitimate, and a true reflection of their will.”

A €4.3 million project promoting more secure and easy traffic between the border of Georgia and Armenia is coming to its end, according to Georgia Today.

On November 25th, a summary conference in Tbilisi will bring together representatives of border management agencies in Georgia and Armenia and also international organizations.

The delegation of the European Union to Georgia, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Finance of Georgia and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia are completing a project to assist the governments of Armenia and Georgia in reducing the barriers for trade, transit and movements of people acrodd the Bagratashen-Sadakhlo border.

The project helped the governments of the two countries to tackle smuggling and trafficking, ease people’s movement at the border crossing point, equip and train border guards and promote professional cooperation between the border management agencies of Armenia and Georgia.

The European Union and UNDP also assisted the Government of Georgia to prepare and endorse the Border Management Strategy of Georgia from 2014-2018.

The initiative at the Bagratashen-Sadakhlo border crossing point is part of the European Union assistance program to the South Caucasus countries to help introduce Integrated Border Management recognised as one of the most effective tools to maintain open but secure and controlled borders.

A similar project is being implemented at the land border between Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Sixteen Assyrian and Armenian organizations have issued a statement protesting Kurdish expropriation of private property in the Hasaka province of Syria, the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) reports.

The statement accuses the Democratic Union Party (YPD), the Syrian wing of the Turkish Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), of human rights violations, expropriation of private property, illegal military conscription and interference in church school curricula.

YPD has gained some international attention in its fight against ISIS, a fight which Assyrian fighters have joined, but it has been accused by Human Rights Watch of massive violations of human rights, extending to forced evictions and the destruction of homes and property of non-Kurdish populations in regions under its control. Some of the violations which impact the Christian Assyrian population are:

• Enforcement of new curricula in private and public schools
• conducting forced recruitment of young people
• enforcing special taxes
• occupation of Assyrian owned public buildings

According to Assyrian leaders in Hasaka, the Kurds form about 30 percent of the population in Northern Syria’s Jazeera region (provincial capital Hasaka) but increasingly act as occupiers of the region. YPD militia killed David Jendo, the commander of the Assyrian Khabour village guards, in April this year.  The guards were established to defend the Khabur villages from ISIS.

Most recently the YPD has taken the decision to confiscate what it calls “abandoned emigrant property,” which is the property of internally displaced Syrians, driven away from their homes by the Syrian conflict.

Assyrian and Armenian churches, political and civic organizations issued the following letter to protest YPD’s actions:

For over four years our country, Syria, is struggling with tragic events. War devastation and terrorism have caused all ethnic groups much suffering. But we, inhabitants of Al-Jazeera, have kept so precious nowadays ideals of peaceful coexistence between various communities of our province. Due to extraordinary situation and having safety in mind Local Self-Administration was created, together with number of dependent institutions. Some of its regulations, however, are not properly prepared nor thoroughly measured. This causes valid concerns among various ethnic and national groups. While it is happening official authorities are still performing its fiscal, administrative, legal and military duties.

Law on Emigrant Property

After careful consideration representatives of Christian communities in Qamishli agreed on following:

1. Aforementioned Law on Emigrant Property is in violation of Human Rights Law, breaking fundamental Right to property
2. Under no circumstances, nobody can labelled as “traitor” just for leaving their home.
3. Efforts at creating “Institution for Emigrant Properties Redistribution and Management” is an attempt of expropriation real estate under a guise of helping those in need.
4. These regulations create a dangerous precedence in Proprietorship Law in whole province of Al-Jazeera. Additionally this will cause substantial demographic changes centered at local Christians who will lose their homes. It’s worth mentioning that nearly 35% of all real estate in the area is owned by Christians. Expropriation of this properties will cause valid concerns amongst both those who fled and stayed, preventing the latter from ever coming back.
5. It’s worth noting that stance, taken by many local Christians, of not selling nor appointing a proxy for their properties is fully supported by both state and international law. Any claims of this being illegal are false.

Taking all of the above into account we believe that such actions of “Local Administration” will cause ethnic cracks and turmoil. In order to avoid it and to convince authors to abandon these regulations we hereby announce ourselves as plaintiffs and prosecutors for any and all cases under both state and international tribunals and courts of law.

“Procedure on issuing permits and licenses, new permits and licenses fees and taxes” is redundant and illegal. Already existing permits and licenses are absolutely valid. They were issued in accordance with the law by official Syrian authorities and did not lose their legitimacy. Demand for their replacement and new fees, often exceeding their holders financial capabilities, is unacceptable.

“Conscription Law”. Demanding military service by organization without state legitimization is preposterous.

Any interference into church private schools in Al-Jazeera province in unacceptable. These institutions are sanctioned by administrative and education authorities. Pressure on this institutions is viewed as an interference in education and upbringing of Christian children and adolescents.

We appeal into everybody’s sense of responsibility and ask for restraint when handling matters that could limit rights of both individuals and communities. Fundamental Human Rights have to be upheld in order for peace and safety to once again grace all of Syria. We are hoping for continuous, peaceful coexistence of all Al-Jazeera inhabitants, regardless of their faith, ethnicity, nationality and culture.

Signatories:

• Syriac Orthodox Church
• Armenian Apostolic Church
• Al-Jazeera and Euphrates Armenian Diocese
• Chaldean Syrian Church in Qamishli
• Assyrian Church of the East
• Assyrian Ancient Church of the East
• Syriac Catholic Church
• Syriac Orthodox Civil Peace Committee
• National Evangelical Church
• Assyrian Democratic Organization
• Aramean Free Party
• Assyrian Committee on Rural Agricultural Land
• Christian Civic Union
• Mother Syria Youth Association
• Youth Institute for National Reconciliation
• Center for Syrian Christian Youth

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Ministry of Finance of Armenia and the Municipality of Yerevan city have signed an agreement to allocate a co-financing grant of €1.9 million to support the modernisation of street lighting in the city of Yerevan.

The grant is provided by the E5P fund (Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership) which is managed by the EBRD and pools donor contributions from the European Union and a number of donor countries including Armenia.

In May 2015, the loan to modernise Yerevan’s street lighting system by introducing new energy-efficient technologies that will benefit the city’s residents. The grant will now help to make the lighting more efficient and environmentally friendly.

The current street lighting network of Yerevan consists of old, inefficient and environmentally polluting mercury-based lights. The heavy-metal based content of the current lighting system contributes to energy waste and is a considerable environmental hazard. Due to the antiquated condition of the current system and the high percentage of lights that are not working, large parts of the city are not sufficiently illuminated.

The project will help to introduce new energy-efficient LED lighting, a control and monitoring system, pole replacement and renovation as well as power cable replacement. This will result in better service quality and improved environmental standards due to reduced energy consumption and the minimisation of operating and maintenance costs.

Better-lit streets will also be safer for pedestrians and motorists alike. The new LED lighting is expected to cut the cost of energy consumption by 64 per cent and will result in annual electricity cost savings for the municipality.

Mark Davis, Head of the EBRD’s Yerevan office, said: “We are very grateful to our donors, especially to the European Union and Sweden, as well as the government of Armenia and the municipality for such a successful cooperation. The grant is a very important contribution by the E5P fund. It will complement the EBRD’s initial financing and ensure the successful continuation and completion of the project. This is the first project for E5P in Armenia that sets a standard and an example which we hope to implement again in future projects in solid waste management or energy efficiency with the help of E5P grants.”

Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) along with thirty five of his colleagues sent a letter to the Nobel Committee to nominate Pope Francis as the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.  The letter, which was circulated to Members before His Holiness’ address to Congress on Thursday, highlights the Pope’s commitment to peace, his leadership in taking on the challenges facing our planet, and his courageous stand for human rights, his pleas on behalf of refugees, and his condemnation of all genocides, Adam Schiff’s Press Office rports.

Joining Schiff were Reps. Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), André Carson (D-IN), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), James McGovern (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Brad Ashford (D-NC), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), Ted Lieu (D-CA),  José Serrano (D-NY), Sam Farr (D-CA), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) John Garamendi (D-CA), Gregorio Sablan (D-NMI), Ed Perlmutter (D-OR), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), John Conyers Jr. (D-MI), Lois Capps (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), Gerry Connelly (D-VA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), James Langevin (D-RI) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA).

The full letter began circulating today, and is below:

Dear Nobel Committee:

As Members of the United States Congress and supporters of the historic mission of the Nobel Foundation, we write to nominate Pope Francis as the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. With unsurpassed eloquence, humility and compassion, the Pope has used his pulpit to exhort people and nations around the world to conduct their affairs with spirituality, morality and integrity. Pope Francis is an articulate and effective voice for fundamental human rights and is highly deserving of recognition by the Nobel Committee.

Pope Francis has been a powerful advocate for peace, urging an end to conflict and support for constitutive ties among nations. He has called on the world to use diplomacy and discussion to solve disputes, rather than military force, coercion or intimidation. This commitment to nonviolence, which the Pope has put into practice every day through his words and actions, is at the core of the principles behind the Nobel Peace Prize.

Pope Francis has also worked to galvanize the international community to take on global problems, such as the changing climate and environmental degradation. Pope Francis has brought together at the Vatican policy makers from around the world to build support and consensus around the need for a global response to the challenges facing our planet. Through his stature as a spiritual figure, Pope Francis casts the issue of an unhealthy earth in religious terms, emphasizing our joint duty to care for the world and to pass on an unspoiled environment to future generations.

Finally, Pope Francis has distinguished himself through his courageous stand for human rights and his condemnations of all genocide, both past and present. Most recently, in condemning the persecution of Christians and other minorities in Syria and Iraq, the Pope has spoken out against the darkest chapters of human history made possible “by general and collective indifference.”

As the world struggles to cope with a flood of refugees not seen since the end of World War II, the Pope has emerged as perhaps the leading advocate for relief. The Pontiff has called on the international community to respond meaningfully to this devastating humanitarian disaster. His compassion has also taken the concrete form of inviting a Syrian refugee family to reside in his residence at the Vatican.

For all these reasons and many more, we thank you for your consideration of our nomination of Pope Francis for the Nobel Peace Prize. The receipt of such an award would be a profound recognition of the Pope’s commitment to furthering the cause of peace around the world.