Author: Vardan Badalian

Police Chief assures there are no corruption manifestations in the system

Vardan Badalian
| 14:17 | August 21 2018
Category
Society

Police Chief of Armenia Valeri Osipyan assures that there are no corruption manifestations in the police system.

During today’s press conference Osipyan told reporters that the corruption manifestations are totally eliminated in the police. “I assure our society, officially announce that there are no corruption manifestations in the police. Although I don’t rule out that at the moment any police officer is trying to do something in conditions incomprehensible for me, but I assure you that maybe he will succeed for the first and second times, but after the third attempt he will be jailed”, the Police Chief said.

Commenting on the possibility of wage increase in the police, he said he had a discussion in the government concerning this issue. “The Armenian Prime Minister is well familiar with this issue, and he is very interested in the increase of the salaries of the police officers, but this is linked with the economic situation of our country. Let’s hope that we will have an economic growth, and in that case I am convinced the salaries of the police officers will increase”, the Police Chief said.

He didn’t agree with the view according to which many police officers, who are not involved in corruption manifestations, will leave the system due to the current salaries. “It’s not like that the entire police system has been involved in corruption. There are serious specialists among us, honest police officers who are ready to serve for the benefit of our people, citizen and state”, Valeri Osipyan said.

Nikol Pashinyan: You will sit with all the murderers (video)

Vardan Badalian
  • 23:45 | August 17,2018 | Politics
  • Հայ

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan touched upon Robert Kocharyan’s statement that he was a victim of political persecution.

“If you are a victim, what do you do in freedom? Or do you think we do not know the ways of forcing judges to impose this or that illegal decision? But we have abandoned that practice and I want to say that we are proud of our government that we have abandoned that practice.”

Pashinyan stressed that nobody will be allowed to avoid responsibility.

“I exclude that anyone will avoid the responsibility for killing 10 civilians and carrying out state revolution in the Republic of Armenia on March 1. There cannot be such a thing. There cannot be such a thing,” announced Nikol Pashinyan and added, “You will sit with all the murderers. And I am authorized to declare it on behalf of the citizen of the Republic of Armenia.”

Syrian youth interested in higher education in Armenian universities

Vardan Badalian
Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 13 2018
Syrian youth interested in higher education in Armenian universities

Yerevan August 13

Alina Hovhannisyan. Syrian youth is interested in higher education in Armenia in the following areas: IT, medicine, linguistics and intercultural communication. This was stated by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Syrian Arab Republic to Armenia Mohammed Haj Ibrahim during a meeting with the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia Araik Harutyunyan.

According to the press service of the department, the Ambassador stressed that Armenia is attractive from the point of view of training for Syrian students, in view of the fact that favorable and safe conditions for education have been created in the country.

In turn, Harutyunyan noted that the expansion of bilateral cooperation in the educational sphere is the issue on the agenda of the ministry, since hundreds of Syrian students receive education in Armenia.

According to the source, the sides discussed the draft program of interdepartmental cooperation for 2018- 2021 in the sphere of higher education and a number of other working issues.

Azerbaijani Press: Baku urges OSCE states to demand Armenia withdraw occupation troops

Vardan Badalian 
Trend News Agency (Baku, Azerbaijan)
August 1, 2018 Wednesday


Baku urges OSCE states to demand Armenia withdraw occupation troops


Aug. 01--On the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of the Helsinki Final
Act, Azerbaijan urges all OSCE Member States to demand in a firm and
unequivocal manner from Armenia to comply with its obligations under
the Helsinki Final Act and other international legal instruments,
cease use of force against Azerbaijan and withdraw its troops from the
occupied territories of Azerbaijan, spokesman of the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry Hikmet Hajiyev said in a statement Aug. 1.

"Helsinki Final Act was adopted on August 1, 1975 within the
Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). Helsinki
Final Act established 10 fundamental principles (the 'Decalogue')
governing especially the behavior of states towards each other and
served for maintenance of peace and security in Europe. In January
1992, the Republic of Azerbaijan joined CSCE. Since then Azerbaijan
remains fully committed to its obligations under the Helsinki Final
Act," the statement says.

It is also noted in the statement that the principle of the non-use of
force in the Helsinki Final Act implies a prohibition on the
acquisition of territory by force.

"In the Helsinki Final Act, the principle of the non-use of force is
explicitly linked to the inadmissibility of changing the boundaries of
states through violent means and implies a prohibition on the
acquisition of territory by force. For this very purpose, the Helsinki
Final Act expanded Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and codified the
territorial integrity, the inviolability of frontiers and the non-use
of force as separate principles to emphasize the norm of territorial
integrity. These principles were reaffirmed in the Helsinki Final Act
in a way to emphasize that they are consequential principles generated
by the foundational norm of territorial integrity," Hajiyev said.

He noted that as the OSCE member state, the Republic of Armenia in
blatant violation of its commitments under the Helsinki Final Act, by
use of force occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions of
Azerbaijan.

"Armenia conducted notorious ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijani
civilian population in the seized lands. Illegal presence of armed
forces of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is the
continuation of Armenia's use of force and threat of force policy
against Azerbaijan. In order to disguise its illegal actions,
especially use of force and threat of force against territorial
integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, attempts of annexation of
Azerbaijan's occupied territories and forceful expulsion of civilian
Azerbaijani population from their native lands, Armenia by all means
tries to distort the principles of equal rights and self-determination
enshrined in Helsinki Final Act," the statement reads.

Hajiyev noted that as established in the relevant OSCE document of
1995, Helsinki Final Act along with the United Nations Security
Council Resolutions constitute the basis of OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs' mandate.

"In accordance with the principles of Helsinki Final Act, Azerbaijan
will ensure its territorial integrity and sovereignty within its
internationally recognized borders," Hajiyev said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result
of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent
of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven
surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions
on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding districts.

A1+: Presentation of book “The Gambler” about Kerk Kerkorian to take place in Gyumri

Vardan Badalian
  • 12:48 | July 30,2018 | Culture
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Presentation of the book “The Gambler” about an American businessman of Armenian origin, billionaire, philanthropists, the executive director of “Trancinda Corporations”, the national hero of Armenia Kerka Kerkorian will be held in Gyumri. The Edith Print publishing house, with the assistance of the Gyumri community administration, will organize the book presentation on August 4, at 1:00 pm, on the territory adjacent to the statue of Kerk Kerkorian. The venue for the presentation was chosen not accidentally: the recently installed monument is a kind of tribute to the great Armenian.

Note that the author of the book, which was published in the United States of America and has already become a bestseller, is William C. Rempel. Translators of the book are Alina and Anna Mirzoyan.

“Kerk Kerkorian was a very closed person, did not give interviews, did not speak to the public. He above all put the protection of his personal life. Kerkorian’s advisers and partners believed that even after his death, it was necessary to remain isolated, but Rempel managed to find exceptions,” the translator of the book Alina Mirzoyan said.

The book “The Gambler: How a poor, semi-educated Kerk Kerkorian became the largest businessman in the capitalist history” was published on January 23, 2018.

The author, Rempel, says: “This is the inspirational story of the ninety-eight-year-old life of Kerk Kerkorian – a guy barefoot running through the fertile and soft land of the San Joaquin Valley in California, until the family financial havost made him a city boy, forced him to find his place on the dirty sidewalks of Los Angeles.

He was a strong guy, crying at a funeral, a modest man, secretly proud of his achievements, a business genius who ignored the consultants of ABC, a brave pilot and film magnate, a gambler in the casino and on Wall Street, who, with a supernatural skill, minimum risks, made his bet on the most incredible outcome.

By the way, this is a documentary book; all quotations and descriptive scenes are based on eyewitness recollections or previously published stories.

Even Charlie Chaplin probably does not have the right to become mayor

Vardan Badalian
  • 19:34 | July 30,2018 | Social
  • Հայ
  • Рус

Candidate for mayor from the Civil Contract Party is Hayk Marutyan. The decision on this was taken at a meeting of the party’s board.

Residents of Yerevan accept it ambiguously.

“Even Charlie Chaplin probably does not have the right to become mayor,” said one of the citizens.

Meanwhile, another citizen of Yerevan wants Hayk Marutyan to be the mayor.

“We want to see the city clean, to see people cheerful, we want to develop not only the center. I am sure that he will develop not only the center, but first of all he will develop the suburbs. ”

The acting career of the candidate does not inspire confidence in residents of Yerevan. Hayk Marutyan, after yesterday’s meeting, addressed this issue.

“Since 2012, acting takes only 20% of my life,” said the latter.

“My approaches and approaches of the Civil Contract party will be the same,”Hayk Marutyan assured. He presented his ideas about a mayor.

“Of course, he should not be an official. He must be one of you, one of us. If we win this election, I will be one of you.”

Among the candidates for mayor are the names of the MP from the PAP Naira Zohrabyan and the member of the Yerkir Tsirani Party Zaruhi Postanjyan.

Despite the fact that the candidate for mayor of the Ciliv Contract Party is already known, it is not known in which format the Yelk alliance will take part in the elections of the Council of Elders of Yerevan. The Republic and Bright Armenia parties will announce their decision in the near future.

ANCA Discusses Policy Priorities with Armenia’s First Deputy Prime Minister

Vardan Badalian
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The ANCA discussed the expansion of US-Armenia relations with Armenia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, who was joined by Ambassador Grigor Hovhannissian, his Armenian government colleagues, and senior Embassy staff.

WASHINGTON—Armenia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Mirzoyan visited the ANCA Thursday for a constructive working meeting about new opportunities for the expansion of U.S.-Armenia relations and the full range of ANCA advocacy priorities. Mirzoyan was joined by Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States Grigor Hovhannissian, his Armenian government colleagues, and senior Embassy staff.

The discussion covered a broad array of shared concerns, including regional challenges, threats, and opportunities, the security of Artsakh, justice for the Armenian Genocide, and the prospect for robust growth in the U.S.-Armenia political, economic, and military relationship.

In terms of specific economic policy priorities, the ANCA is 1) exploring a $140 million MCC Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math grant for Armenia’s public schools, 2) advocating for a modern Tax Treaty to eliminate double taxation and promote financial transparency, 3) seeking a Social Security Agreement to protect benefits earned by people who divide their careers between the U.S. and Armenia, 4) researching the commercial viability of non-stop flights from Los Angeles to Yerevan, and 5) working to maximize the effectiveness of the existing Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council and the U.S.-Armenia Economic Task Force.

“At the level of bilateral relations, Armenia’s peaceful, constitutional political transition to a forward-leaning new government has created exciting new opportunities for the growth of U.S.-Armenia ties. In terms of regional relations, policymakers in Washington increasingly understand and accept that the glaring democracy gap between Armenia and Azerbaijan needs to inform U.S. policy toward these two nations and, of course, the resolution of outstanding status and security issues between Artsakh and Azerbaijan. We had an excellent discussion with Deputy Prime Minister Mirzoyan regarding progress on both these fronts, and a broad array of shared priorities,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

For a review of the ANCA’s 360-degree policy agenda outlining aims, actions, and objectives regarding U.S. policy on Artsakh, the Armenian Genocide, foreign assistance and trade, and the ANCA’s youth empowerment initiatives, visit https://anca.org/anca360.

A1+: Two foreigners in various regions steal money

Vardan Badalian
  • 13:04 | July 17,2018 | Official
  • Հայ
  • Рус

On July 6, the Masis police department received a message that in one of the banks operating in Masis, foreign men exchanged money, one of them secretly stole 1,300 euros.

On the same day, a message was sent to the Sevan Police Station that foreigners came to the gas station on the pretext of exchanging money, diverted the attention of the employee and stole money from the cash register.

Employees of various police units, through joint work, found out their whereabouts. A few hours after the messages, two foreigners were found and brought to the Sevan police station.

Measures are being taken to detect the third person.

168: First deputy PM’s spokesperson to resign

Vardan Badalian
| 09:48 | July 17 2018
Category
Politics

Karpis Pashoyan, spokesperson of first deputy prime minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, announced his plan to resign.

“I have decided to resign and tomorrow [July 17] my resignation letter will be on the table of first deputy PM Ararat Mirzoyan. I will continue to unconditionally assist Mirzoyan and his team”, Pashoyan said on Facebook.

NK conflict must be settled exclusively through peaceful talks, says Armenian president

Vardan Badalian
| 13:33 | July 7 2018
Categories
Artsakh
Politics
Region

A revolution took place, because you have changed, President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian told young participants of the Democracy, Security and Foreign Policy forum on July 7.

“The people who are walking the streets today are different from the people who walked the streets months earlier. One must be blind not to see that there is hope and faith for the future in their eyes,” the president said.

The president was the guest at the 3rd forum’s session of the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs.

At the beginning, the president touched upon the changes which took place in Armenia and attached importance to the role of the youth in them.

“There are different headlines – Velvet Revolution, New Armenia, but the best description is Young Armenia, because this all contains the idea of youth, which is faith for the future,” Sarkissian said.

At a subsequent Q&A, the president said he sees the solution of the NK conflict exclusively in a peaceful way.

“Solutions by force are unacceptable in the Artsakh settlement issue. Any solution by force will be tragic for all sides. The only way for settlement are peaceful talks,” he said.