Author: Shushan Frangulian

A single monkey caused a nationwide blackout in Kenya after falling on to a crucial piece of equipment, the BBC reports.

The monkey fell on a transformer at the Gitaru hydroelectric power station on Tuesday, electricity provider KenGen said in a statement.

The transformer then tripped, resulting in the loss of 180 megawatts of power and triggering a blackout across Kenya.

Power was restored almost four hours later and the monkey survived its adventure, KenGen said.

It has now been taken in by the Kenya Wildlife Service.

“KenGen power installations are secured by electric fencing which keeps away marauding wild animals,” the statement said.

“We regret this isolated incident and the company is looking at ways of further enhancing security at all our power plants.”

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the Vice President of the Bundestag of the Federal Republic of Germany Frau Edelgard Bulmahn, President’s Press Office reports.

The President of Armenia welcomed the high guest to Armenia and said that he recalled warmly his April 5-7 visit to Germany and his meetings with the leadership of the country which were conducted in the atmosphere of frankness and mutual understanding. During the meetings discussed were issues related to the agenda of the Armenian-German relations and prospects of developing the bilateral cooperation.

Serzh Sargsyan stressed the importance of reciprocal high-level visits, including the present visit of the Vice President of the German Bundestag, from the viewpoint of strengthening the relations between the two countries and underscored the role of the interparliamentary cooperation in the development of the interstate relations. The President hailed the years-long financial and technical assistance of the German government aimed at the social and economic development of Armenia and expressed gratitude to the German authorities.

The high guest in her turn noted that the Bundestag attaches great importance to the strengthening of the interparliamentary relations with Armenia and development of cooperation. Speaking about the visit of the Armenian President to Germany, Frau Bulmahn underscored that the visit found a broad response in her country and negotiations of the German leadership with the President of Armenia were useful and efficient and gave a new impetus to the Armenian-German relations. At the meeting, the parties spoke also about the process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, particularly, to the discussions at the Bundestag related to the recognition of the Genocide and the relevant resolution. According to Serzh Sargsyan, the adoption of the resolution will demonstrate that Germany – once the ally of the Ottoman Empire – is able to once again look directly and honestly into some pages of its history and draw lessons from the past.

The Vice President of the Bundestag stressed the importance of such discussions in the Parliament of her country and presented the substance and aim of the resolution calling for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Frau Bulmahn asked the President of Armenia about the prospects of a peaceful resolution of the NK conflict and inquired of the efforts of the international community, including those of the OSCE Minsk Group.

President Serzh Sargsyan spoke in detail about the current situation and presented the approaches of the Armenian side on the resolution of the conflict.

 

 

 

Appointment of a new Prime Minister will not result in changes either in domestic, or in foreign policy of Turkey, historian Gevorg Melkonyan told reporters today.

“Persons change, policies don’t. Expecting any changes in Turkey’s foreign policy, especially with regard to its relations with neighbors, is senseless,” expert of Turkish studies Gevorg Petrosyan said, in turn. He believes the new PM will remain under President Erdogan’s influence, and his first statements come to prove this.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday appointed one of his most trusted allies to form Turkey’s new government, in a move seen to help consolidate his hold on power.

Binali Yildirim, the transportation and communications minister and a founding member of the ruling party, was tapped to replace Ahmet Davutoglu who stepped down amid growing differences with Erdogan, including his wish to overhaul the constitution to give the largely ceremonial presidency executive powers.

Yildirim has said he would work to legalize the “de facto” presidential system by introducing a new constitution to that effect.

The appointment of the 60-year-old politician came hours after the ruling party confirmed him as party chairman, and he immediately expressed allegiance to the Turkish leader, vowing to follow his path. 

Gevorg Petrosyan considers that Turkey will stiffen its foreign policy, especially in the relations with the European Union.

“The main role-player in Turkey remains unchanged, therefore, the general policy line will not change, either, including on Armenia-related issues,” Petrosyan said.

According to Gevorg Melkonyan, “Turkey has chosen the path of solving issues with tougher steps, and an evidence of this is the fact that Turkey increased its military contingent at the Syria border following Davutoglu’s resignation,” he said.

“One can assume that the more Turkey accelerates the military actions with regard to the Syrian and Kurdish issues, the stiffer the policy Azerbaijan will adopt on the Nagorno Karabakh settlement,” the historian said.

On Saturday 21 May, with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin will participate in the national event: “Museum Night.”

The Mother Cathedral Museum, and the Ruben Sevak Museum, will be open and free to the public from 14:00 to 24:00.

has presented the Armenian and Azerbaijani views on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.  The European Friends of Armenia has presented the Armenian perspective. 

It is more than 20 years since the cease-fire agreement between Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Yet, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is still simmering in the South Caucasus, disrupting the lives of thousands of people.

This landlocked mountainous region is still subject to an unresolved dispute between its ethnic Armenian population and its former Soviet colonial master – Azerbaijan.

Historical cultural monuments thousands of years old trace the Armenian heritage of this region.

At the early years of the Soviet regime the region of Nagorno Karabakh was annexed to Azerbaijan as an autonomous region (oblast) upon Stalin’s arbitrary decision, disregarding the will of the people of Karabakh and its history.

Nagorno Karabakh initiated its secession from Azerbaijan through the adoption of Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1991.

This act took place in full conformity with all the norms and principles of international law and the Soviet constitutional framework of that time, that granted oblasts the right to follow that path in a legally binding manner.

On December 10, 1991 the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh held its own referendum: 82.2% of all voters participated and 99% voted for independence. Thus, Nagorno-Karabakh got its independence in the same vein as Azerbaijan and all other former Soviet Republics.

The people of Nagorno Karabakh want to live in peace and exercise their right to self-determination.

By virtue of that right they want to freely determine their political status and pursue their development. Azerbaijan opposes that independence and wants to turn back the clock of history. Nevertheless, the only viable option for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is to let its people live independently, in safety and dignity.

Nagorno Karabakh itself is one of the most secure and stable regions in Europe. Despite the ongoing conflict and dire living conditions imposed by Azerbaijan, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh have succeeded in state-building and development: they established all the necessary elements of the State as required under the 1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, such as territory, population, government, and capacity to enter into legal relations.

The people of Nagorno Karabakh organise their political life through elections, democratic institutions, a well-established rule of law system and a vivid civil society.

Six parliamentary and five presidential elections have been conducted that were described by international observers as transparent, competitive, fair and in line with international standards.

Well-established and recognized international organizations such as Freedom House acknowledged that democratic governance in Nagorno-Karabakh has been much better established than in Azerbaijan, which suffers and exports high levels of corruption due to its ruling elite.

20 years of negotiations held by the leaderships of Armenia and Azerbaijan with mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by the U.S., France and Russia, demonstrated that the irreconcilable positions of the parties and that no amount of additional talks would overcome the impasse.

Thus, independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic should be recognized in order to provide strong guarantees for the security of its people.

They fully deserved such recognition. Azerbaijan itself should participate in that process, but constructively and not just to block it. The democratic Nagorno Karabakh Republic deserved it much more than a fully-fledged UN,OSCE and Council of Europe member Azerbaijan that routinely violates all norms and principles of those organizations.

Indeed, to make such a decision on Karabakh would be difficult and hard first and foremost for the Azerbaijani elite.

However, it will not be harder for Azerbaijan than it was, to name just a one instance of secession, for such a staunch French patriot as President de Gaulle, who recognized the independence of Algeria.

On May 12 the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia Arman Tatoyan met with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland in Strasbourg.

Tatoyan presented to the Secretary General the gross human rights violations committed against the civilian population of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijani aggression initiated in the beginning of April.

During the meeting the Defender presented to Thorbjørn Jagland specific examples of atrocities committed by Azerbaijani armed forces. He also handed to the Secretary General the published Report of NKR Human Rights Defender which analyzes those cases of atrocities.

Tatoyan underlined the devastating consequences of Azerbaijani aggressive policy of disseminating hatred and violence towards people of Armenian ethnicity which endangers the Council of Europe human rights protection system. Moreover, the Defender noted that such policy is being encouraged at state level and is of an absolutely intolerant nature.

It was noted that human rights violations are unacceptable under any circumstances, human rights protection cannot be limited by politics or borders.

The parties emphasized the role of the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) in implementing the European standards in the country. More specifically, the importance of the Ombudsman institute in executing the European Court of Human Rights judgments was emphasized. The parties also discussed  issues related to prevention of domestic violence, protection of the rights of people with disabilities, as well as other issues in the field of human rights protection.

During the Holocaust, Aznavour’s home gave shelter to Jews and Armenians who fled from the Nazis. The International Raoul Waldenburg Foundation paid  a visit to Mr. Charles Aznavour to learn the details.

Aznavour’s parents hid Jews people in their apartment during the Holocaust. “My sister and I were sleeping on the floor,” Aznavour said.

The Raoul Wallenberg Foundation established about twenty years ago focuses on rescue of people, on people who risk their lives to save others.

Up to now Charles Aznavour has said very little about an especially humane and heroic chapter in his and his family’s life: Their decision to shelter and save Jews, Armenian deserters and underground activists in their home during the German occupation of France during the war, and their involvement in anti-Nazi activity.

Now Aznavour has decided to tell the whole story, in Hebrew, in a self-published book, “Matzilim (Tzadikim) Ve’Lohamim” (“Righteous Saviors and Fighters”), by genocide researcher Prof. Yair Auron.

The latter spoke at length with Aznavour and his sister, Aida Aznavour-Garvarentz, who told him about their lives under the German occupation and what led their family, especially their father, to take part in rescue missions despite the many risks. The book, which will also be translated into French and Armenian, recounts a specific case, but offers a moral lesson on human behavior under conditions of widespread terror, and political and ideological violence. Above all, it is the moving story of survivors of one genocide who, at great personal risk, felt compelled to help victims of another.

 

 

 

Director of the Regional Research Center Richard Giragosian is confident Azerbaijan is planning a new attack. He believes that neighboring Georgia can play a role in preventing a new assault, considering its good relations with Azerbaijan and its ally Turkey.

“It’s in Georgia’s interest to prevent Azerbaijan from inciting new war, Georgia can show Azerbaijan all risks and threats of war,” Giragosian said in Tbilisi.

“We want all countries of the region, including Georgia to show Azerbaijan the threats of military actions to the security and stability in the region,” the expert said.

According to Gioragosian, escalation in Karabakh poses a great danger to Georgia, as a transit country. Georgia is already in a complex condition, he said. On one hand, the country has good relations with Azerbaijan, especially in the fields of economy and energy, at the same time it’s trying to reinforce relations with Armenia.

A new military attack by Azerbaijan will threaten the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, as well, the expert said.

“This is a serious challenge not only to the region, but also the international community – the US, the EU and Russia,” Giragosian said. He added that denouncement of the 19914 ceasefire agreement is also a threat to regional and international security.

“I’m gravely disappointed that President Obama will now leave office without fulfilling his commitment to recognize the ‎Armenian Genocide‬,” Rep. Adam Schiff said in a statement.

“For a President who knows the history so well, who spoke so passionately about the genocide as a Senator and Presidential candidate, and who has always championed human rights, the choice of silence and complicity is all the more painfully inexplicable. Remaining silent in an effort to curry favor with Turkey is as morally indefensible as it will be ineffectual,” Rep. Schiff said.

More than 7,000 polling stations opened in Syria at 07:00 local time today amid tight security measures.

The elections are held in 13 out of 15 provinces. Raqqa and Idlib provinces are the exception as they are controlled by gunmen from Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra. Refugees from these two regions will have a possibility to vote at places of their temporary domicile.

The election to the People’s Council of Syria takes place on the multi-party basis in accordance with the constitution adopted at the referendum on 26 February 2012. Syria’s parliament consists of 250 members elected for a four-year term through universal, direct and secret ballot voting.