Author: Janet Ekmekjian

President Serzh Sargsyan sent a congratulatory letter to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani and the Supreme Leader Sayyid Ali Khamenei on the wonderful holiday of spring awakening Nowruz.

The President of Armenia wished that the new year 1396 (according to solar calendar) becomes a year of further development, new success, and achievements.

President Sargsyan noted that in the past twenty-five years, the Armenian-Iranian friendly relations have been on the rise, encompassing a large pallet ranging from the high-level political dialogue to a close trade and economic cooperation, from human contacts to the scientific, educational, and cultural ties.

President Sargsyan expressed confidence that based on that solid foundation, the strong Armenian-Iranian interstate relations will expand and deepen for the benefit of a peaceful and prosperous future.

Serzh Sargsyan wished the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution great health, bliss, and activities full of success. He also wished the friendly people of Iran long-lasting peace and prosperity.

The lack of talks on Nagorno Karabakh is connected with the huge blow to the negotiation process caused by the aggression against Artsakh last April, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said at a joint press conference with visiting Foreign Minister of Greece Nikolaos Kotzias.

“This pushed the negotiation process back,” Minister Nalbandian said. He added that Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries are making efforts to create conditions conducive to the furthering the negotiation process.

The comments come after Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov accused Armenia of freezing the Karabakh talks.

“It’s well known that the international community, the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and Armenia are speaking the same language, while Azerbaijan is speaking a different language,” Edward Nalbandian said. He blamed Azerbaijan for the failure to implement the agreements reached at Vienna and St. Petersburg summits.

Minister Nalbandian stressed that there is no alternative to the negotiations, and the OSACE Minsk Group Co-Chairs maintain efforts to further the negotiation process.

“The Co-Chairs will arrive in Armenia on March 27 and will visit Stepanakert, as well,” Edward Nalbandian informed.

 

 

 

Elections of the  Vicar of the Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul will not take place today as scheduled, as heated debates on the election of a new Patriarch continue. Editor-in-chief of the Istanbul-based Armenian Jamanak daily Ara Gochunya confirmed the news to Public Radio of Armenia.

Thirteen people signed a protocol yesterday, announcing that the election would be held on May 28. The Vicar was to be chosen among the esteemed clerics at a meeting of the Cooperation and Consultation Platform for Foundations on February 17.

“Acting Patriarch, Archbishop Aram Atesyan and Bishop Sahak Maşalyan, who announced his resignation recently, came together yesterday to issue a protocol that would bring peace until the Patriarchal elections,” Ara Gochunyan said.

He added however, that there were arguable provisions in the protocol that led to growth of tension during discussions.

As a result, the  protocol was cancelled and the two are expected to visit the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin to seek a solution to the issue.

Asbarez – On February 13, Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian unveiled the official plaque of the LA City Hall pomegranate tree to mark the commemoration of the Centennial anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In April 2015, Krekorian planted the first pomegranate tree on City Hall’s lawn and launched the Armenian Genocide Memorial Tree Project, which planted 100 pomegranate trees in parks in each of the city’s 15 Council Districts. Councilmember Krekorian was joined by Archpriest of the Armenian Apostolic Church Western Diocese Arshag Kahatchadourian, and Executive Officer and Chief of Staff of the Department of Recreation Parks Anthony-Paul Diaz at the plaque dedication ceremony.

The plaque reads: “The City of Los Angeles Commemorates the Armenian Genocide Centennial: 1915-2015. This tree was planted by Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Paul Krekorian on the occasion of the commemoration of the centennial.”

“The pomegranate is one of the most recognizable symbols in Armenian culture. In the wake of the Armenian Genocide, the pomegranate became a symbol of hope, rebirth, and survival of a nation,” said Councilmember Krekorian. “With the help of community members and my city colleagues, I planted this tree in 2015 to mark the commemoration of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide. Anyone who visits City Hall will see the pomegranate tree and this memorial plaque as an enduring symbol of the Armenian people’s culture and history.”

Extradition of Russian nationals to third countries is unacceptable, Spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said, TASS reports.

“Russia keeps in touch with the Belarusian side concerning Alexander Lapshin case,” Maria Zakharova told a weekly briefing today.

“We insist that the extradition of Russian citizens to third countries is unacceptable, Zakharova said, commenting on the possible extradition of blogger Alexander Lapshin to Azerbaijan.

“We are in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and other relevant authorities,” she said.

Alexander Lapshin, who holds Russian and Israeli citizenship, was detained in Minsk in December 2015 at the request of Azerbaijan for his prior visits to Nagorno Karabakh.

Russian and Israeli diplomats have visited Alexander Lapshin in Minsk.

“The agreements reached at the Vienna and St. Petersburg summits on Nagorno Karabakh should be consolidated in the OSCE decisions,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a press conference in Hamburg today.

He said consensus is needed for the implementation of the agreements, which include maintenance of the ceasefire and expansion of the OSCE monitoring mission.

“There should be consensus on the number of OSCE monitors and the place of their dislocation,” Lavrov said.

“I think they should be dislocated at the line of contact,” he said.

At a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, the Military-Industrial Commission approved the draft on Military-industrial and military-technical policy strategy.

Deputy Defense Minister, head of the State Military Industry Committee David Pakhchanyan said the strategy aims to turn the scientific-technical and industrial-technical potential into practical innovative means, which will help ensure the competitiveness of the production of the military industry complex.

Pakhchanyan underlined that the document has been worked out on the basis of the experience of the years of independence and the analysis of the April events.

He noted that the strategy also aims to boost the development of military industry, implementation and development of innovative technologies and organization oflocal production.

The main objective is to create a scientific-technical complex with a view of implementing the priorities of development of the military-technical policy.

According to Pakhchanyan, with the “nation-army” formula in the spotlight, it is necessary to review the education process in Armenia in order to turn the school-higher educational establishment-industry-science link into a scientific-educational complex.

During the meeting reference was made to development of the military industry complex and other issues related to the military-technical policy.

Photo: Reuters

 

A suicide bomber on Monday killed at least 27 people and wounded 35 in an explosion at a crowded Shia mosque in the Afghan capital Kabul, officials said, reports.

The attacker entered the Baqir ul Olum mosque during a ceremony, the interior ministry said in a statement.

Fraidoon Obaidi, chief of the Kabul police Criminal Investigation Department, said at least 27 people were killed and 35 wounded when the explosion tore through the worshippers.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili tendered his resignation as governor of Ukraine’s southern Odessa region on Monday, accusing highly-placed officials in Kiev of obstructing his attempts at reform, Reuters reports.

Saakashvili, who is widely credited with cracking down on graft when he was president of Georgia from 2004-2013, was appointed Odessa governor in May 2015 by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

Saakashvili has since repeatedly accused the Kiev leadership of lacking a real commitment to reform.

Vowing to continue to fight corruption which he said went to the very top of Ukraine’s establishment, he told journalists: “I have decided to tender my resignation and start a new stage of the fight. I am not giving up.”

In a clear rebuke of Poroshenko, he said: “In reality, in Odessa region, the President personally supports two clans.”

He said the work of reform-minded public officials had been repeatedly thwarted by higher authorities in Kiev interested in preserving the status quo.

Pope Francis has sent a medal and a signed photo to Armenian micro miniaturist Eduard Ter-Ghazaryan.

The miniaturist carved the Pope’s smallest portrait and handed it over to the Pontiff during the latter’s visit to Armenia in June.

“Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin handed me a surprise gift from Pope Francis, a medal and a signed photo,” Eduard Ter-Ghazaryan said in a Facebook post.