Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

Based on the necessity of improving mechanisms of implementing law supremacy and democracy principles, perfecting the balance between the power branches and raising the efficiency of public administration, as well as taking into consideration the suggestion of political parties represented in the National Assembly and non-parliamentary political forces and guided by the 10^th clause of the 68^th article of the NKR Constitution on 21 March President Bako Sahakyan signed a decree on establishing a professional commission on constitutional reforms under the NKR President.

The decree approved the composition of the commission at the head of the National Assembly Chairman Ashot Ghoulyan.

According to the decree by May 1, 2016 the professional commission was assigned to introduce to the President the concept of the constitutional reforms and in case of its approval by September 10, 2016 elaborate and hand in to the President the project of the constitutional reforms.

An ethnic Armenian has been injured in Istanbul blast today. Oksan Khachanyan, 40, was at his workplace, when the bomb blast occurred in the city’s shopping area, editor-in-chief of teh Istanbul based Armenian Jamanak daily Ara Gochunyan told Public Radio of Armenia.

A suicide bomb attack killed at least four people, officials say. Another 36 were injured – 12 foreign nationals – as the bomb went off near a government building on Istiklal Street.

No-one has admitted carrying out the attack, the latest to target Turkey in recent months.

The Turkish government has blamed Kurdish militants for previous attacks and has retaliated against them.

From the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, We extend our pontifical blessings and congratulations to all women and girls on the occasion of March 8.

The mission of the Armenian women in the advancement of our national life – preservation of spiritual values and educational and cultural development, is witnessed throughout our centuries-old history. But it is also seen in the defense of the homeland and in the resistance and struggle to overcome difficulties and challenges. Armenian women, with great God-loving and patriotic achievements, and with glorious example of courage and valor, continually give inspiration and strength to our nation’s children

We offer our appreciation to you, dear women, that today also with love and faith you bring your efforts and dedication to all areas of our state and public life, so that Armenian life always be flourishing, the Armenian family be reinforced, and our native land be prosperous.

Our wish is that with the blessings of Almighty God, you may always be full of joy and happiness, always beautiful, blessed with virtues and charity.

We pray that Almighty God protect all women under His Holy Right Hand, grant vibrant years filled with happiness and myriads of heavenly rewards.

May the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God and the sanctity of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forever.

Amen

Apple Inc customers were targeted by hackers over the weekend in the first campaign against Macintosh computers using a pernicious type of software known as ransomware, researchers with Palo Alto Networks Inc told on Sunday.

Ransomware, one of the fastest-growing types of cyber threats, encrypts data on infected machines, then typically asks users to pay ransoms in hard-to-trace digital currencies to get an electronic key so they can retrieve their data.

Security experts estimate that ransoms total hundreds of millions of dollars a year from such cyber criminals, who typically target users of Microsoft Corp’s Windows operating system.

Palo Alto Threat Intelligence Director Ryan Olson said the “KeRanger” malware, which appeared on Friday, was the first functioning ransomware attacking Apple’s Mac computers.

“This is the first one in the wild that is definitely functional, encrypts your files and seeks a ransom,” Olson said in a telephone interview.

Hackers infected Macs through a tainted copy of a popular program known as Transmission, which is used to transfer data through the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing network, Palo Alto said on a blog posted on Sunday afternoon.

When users downloaded version 2.90 of Transmission, which was released on Friday, their Macs were infected with the ransomware, the blog said.

An Apple representative said the company had taken steps over the weekend to prevent further infections by revoking a digital certificate that enabled the rogue software to install on Macs. The representative declined to provide other details.

Transmission responded by removing the malicious version of its software from its website, www.transmissionbt.com. On Sunday it released a version that its website said automatically removes the ransomware from infected Macs.

The website advised Transmission users to immediately install the new update, version 2.92, if they suspected they might be infected.

With the end of sanctions on Iran, the country’s regional economic influence will begin to rebound. The adjacent South Caucasus region, encompassing Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, is one area that Tehran will target for greater cooperation, reaching out to make deals on trade and energy, says  a new report published by

According to the study, the Jan. 17 end of sanctions on Iran will have important consequences worldwide, changing the state of play in the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen. In the South Caucasus, however, Tehran’s reemergence will have particularly sweeping effects. “For some time, Iran has lagged far behind its regional rivals in terms of economic and military influence, even as it has become increasingly interested in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia for their transit and energy possibilities.”

“Iran has a number of reasons for increasing its regional involvement. Europe is trying to diversify away from Russian natural gas, and Iran wants to seize the opportunity to take over these markets. But it needs access to the South Caucasus first. Tehran recently expressed interest in using existing infrastructure such as the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, which connect the Caspian and Mediterranean seas. Another option would be reaching Georgia’s Black Sea ports of Batumi and Poti through Armenia. Iranian officials are already courting Yerevan for that purpose,” the report reads.

Exporting energy through Turkey would be more convenient for Iran, but difficult relations between the countries on issues including how to end the Syrian civil war ultimately make the Armenian route more viable. So far, there has been talk of building a $3.7 billion railway and of extending a natural gas pipeline between Armenia and Iran. However, that plan, too, is complicated for Tehran, because Moscow has repeatedly tried to stall or become a shareholder in major infrastructure projects so as not to lose its influence in Armenia.

According to Stratfor, post-sanctions Iran will also try to become more involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.  On Jan 22, Iran’s Foreign Ministry offered to mediate the conflict, as a possible resolution to the standoff would make it easier for Tehran to implement its infrastructure projects in the region. “Tehran’s involvement will also undermine Russia’s dominant position in the negotiation process. Moscow could theoretically cooperate with Tehran, but considering how opposed Russia is to any Iranian moves into the Armenian and Georgian energy sectors, this scenario is unlikely. On the other hand, as other world powers try to increase their involvement in the conflict, Moscow could see Tehran as a valuable partner to counter foreign influence.”

Indeed, despite the disputes over influence in the South Caucasus, Russia and Iran have shown they can cooperate. In December, both managed to sign a memorandum to synchronize their electricity transmissions systems with those of Georgia and Armenia. And both are keenly aware of the larger threats to their interests.

“While Iran will certainly become more active in the region politically, and while it will increase trade with every South Caucasus country, it will encounter significant obstacles along the way. Russia is unlikely to loosen its grip on Armenia by allowing Iran’s large energy infrastructure projects to move forward — unless Iran allows significant Russian participation in them. And though Tehran will try to re-engage in Nagorno-Karabakh, Russia will limit or possibly block its involvement. Nonetheless, on a range of issue, the two have enough common ground to work together,” the report concludes.

Today, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt Tarek Ibrahim Muhammad Maati presented his credential to President Serzh Sargsyan.

The President congratulated the Ambassador on the commencement of his diplomatic mission in our country and expressed hope that during his tenure he will use his experience and knowledge for furthering and strengthening relations of the two friendly states. Serzh Sargsyan noted with satisfaction that in recent years the Armenian-Egyptian relations have entered a new phase and underscored that the existing great potential in the cooperation of the two countries should be utilized to the fullest, which can be considerably boosted by the reciprocal high-level visits, active political dialogue, frequent contacts and cooperation at the intergovernmental and interparliamentary levels.

Ambassador Tarek Maati assured that he would do his best to strengthen the relations between the two states and to develop cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. He said that he has already had discussions with the Armenian colleagues on the possibility of restarting the work of the Armenian-Egyptian intergovernmental commission this year and added that he is hopeful that the activities of the commission will invigorate the trade and economic relations. The Ambassador concurred with the President of Armenia on the issue regarding the necessity to strengthen relations between the legislatures of the two countries and creation of the friendship groups in both Parliaments.

The parties underscored the special role of the Armenian diaspora of Egypt in strengthening the friendly relations between Armenia and Egypt.

The President of Armenia wished success to the newly appointed Ambassador of Egypt throughout his tenure.

– On Wednesday, January 6, the newly established Football Federation of Western Armenia played its first friendly match against Olympique de Marseille (CFA) where they were short of a comeback and lost 3-2.

Vahagn Militosyan became the first ever scorer for the club as he scored the two goals of the match for Western Armenia.

Recently, the Western Armenian squad was seen at its first training session practicing for their upcoming match in France.

The Football Federation of Western Armenia was established in 2015. It became an official member of the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (ConIFA) on June 1, 2015. The Artsakh national soccer team is also part ConIFA.

This football federation aims to unite all football players who make up the Armenia Diaspora with the sport of soccer. Currently, the team consists of players from Yerevan, Istanbul, and from different diasporas around the world who’s families have originated from Western Armenia.

If you wish to find out more about the Football Federation of Western Armenia, visit their website at .

Clashes continued at the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan last night, NKR Ministry of Defense reported.

The rival fired more than 900 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions, using artillery weapons of different caliber, TR-107 missile units, 60 and 82mm mortars, HHN-9 and HAN-17 grenades

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army keep control of the situation at the line of contact and organize the reliable protection of the military positions.

Photo: AP/SERGEY PONOMAREV

 

Russia has reinforced its military base in Armenia with attack and transport helicopters, the Defense Ministry’s Southern Military District’s press service announced Monday, reports.

“Six modern attack Mi-24P and transport Mi-8MT helicopters from the Army’s aviation have been delivered [to the Armenian military base] from a military airbase in the Krasnodar region,” the press service said.

The Erebuni base was formed in 1995 and the MiG-29 Fulcrum multirole fighters were deployed there in 1998, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. In July 2001, the units at Erebuni were incorporated into an air division of the Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri, Armenia.

Privates of the NKR Defense Army Aghasi Grigoryan and Ruben Aleksanyan (both born in 1996) were killed in a clash with Azeri forces, the NKR Ministry of Defense reports.

Contract serviceman Gor Ohanyan (born in 1992) was fatally wounded under unknown circumstances in of the military units located in the northern direction of the Defense Army.

Special forces of the Azerbaijani army undertook two acts of sabotage in the northeastern and northern direction of the line of contact last night.

The front troops of the NKR Defense Army were quick to spot the advancement of the rival and force it to retreat, incurring losses.

The NKR Defense Ministry said in a statement it shares the sorrow of the heavy loss and expresses its support to the families and friends of the killed soldiers.

The Ministry vows retaliation for the provocative actions of the adversary. “The response is going to be painful and irreversible,” the statement reads.