Author: Zhanna Nahapetian

Egyptian officials have arrested two Sharm al-Sheikh airport workers on suspition of aiding terrorists in planting a bomb on board the Russian flight A321, according to security staff, Sputnik News reports.

“The document on establishment of a Joint Regional Air Defense System of Collective Security in the Caucasus has been worked out under the decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council,” Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Tonoyan said in comments to Mediamax.

“The draft agreement was reviewed by Armenian and Russian Defense Ministries’ experts for several times; it passed all the procedures of interstate synchronization in Armenia and was sent to the Russian side for the same procedure, which was successfully completed,” he said.

The draft agreement is ready and the sides will agree on the date and location of its signing.

Davit Tonoyan noted that the agreement regulates bilateral relations but, according to the arrangement of the parties, it will be enforced within CIS and CSTO as well in case of violation of the air space of one of the sides.

Speaking of the new components of the future agreement, Davit Tonoyan said: “The document creates a legal basis for air defense system of collective security in the Caucasus region within the state borders of Armenia and Russia. In case of a need for protecting Armenia’s air space, it will allow engaging not only forces of the air defense and aviation of the 102nd Russian military base stationed in Armenia but also the air defense and aviation of the South Military District of Russia. It will grant additional guarantees of security to Armenia and Russia”.

Can the new agreement be applied in case Azerbaijan restarts military actions in Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone?

“I’m sure there are no grounds for doubting the effectiveness of air defense of the Defense Army of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic,” Tonoyan said.

The last 25 Armenian families have left the city of Deir ez-Zor, Syria, over the past months, reports, quoting its sources.

According to the report, most Armenians have settled in Aleppo, Qamishli and Latakia.

The source says all shops and houses belonging to Armenians have been robbed, while the St. Martyrs Church dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims stands in ruins.

Deir ez-Zor has been under the control of the Islamic State for 1.5 years now.

Pope Francis and Angela Merkel are among the favourites to receive the Nobel Peace Prize when it is announced in Norway on Friday morning, the BBC reports.

The Pope’s opposition to nuclear weapons and role in a deal between the US and Cuba boosted his chances, said Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, has been tipped for her stance on the refugee crisis unfolding in Europe.

But the prize committee’s decision is notoriously hard to predict.

Other contenders for the award include:

• Mussie Zerai, an Eritrean priest who founded a humanitarian organisation for refugees
• Denis Mukwege, a gynaecologist from the Democratic Republic of Congo who has treated thousands of gang rape victims
• Clive Stafford-Smith, the veteran human rights campaigner and lawyer.

Among the more high profile nominees for the $1.1m prize are:

• Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who leaked details of US surveillance programmes to the press
• John Kerry and Javad Zarif, the US and Iranian foreign ministers who brokered a historic nuclear deal
• The charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, for its work on the West African Ebola outbreak.

On October 1, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian participated in a meeting in the UN Headquarters, New York, dedicated to OSCE peacekeeping missions, organised under the auspices of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Troika – Switzerland, Serbia, and Germany.

In his speech at the discussion, Edward Nalbandian particularly said:

“The attitude of Armenia towards peace-keeping missions can be tested by the geography of our engagement in such past and present missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mali. I would like to note that in four days Yerevan will host the international conference on peacekeeping operations, assisted by Edmond Mulet, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.

Speaking here at the UN Headquarters, I would like to once again acknowledge the central role of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security and meanwhile to recall our shared conviction that the OSCE is a primary organization for the peaceful settlement of disputes within its region. It is in this vein that we view the current discussions on the OSCE peace operations – a concept which has yet to be defined within the framework of our Organization.

It is our conviction that it should be guided by and based on the commitments adhered to by the OSCE on the maintenance of peace and security. In this regard, I would like to recall the pledge made at the Astana Summit to increase efforts to resolve existing conflicts in the OSCE area in a peaceful and negotiated manner, within agreed formats.

In the case of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict the agreed format is the Co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group. Thus, all international, including the OSCE efforts for further addressing the conflict related matters in this case should be implemented through this framework.

The Co-chairmen of the Minsk Group are assisted on the ground by the team, led by the Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office, which is the only permanent presence in the conflict zone, monitoring the observance of the cease-fire. There is no doubt that strengthening this presence means enhancing capabilities of the Organization in fostering peace and consolidating the cease-fire on the line of contact and borders. This is a tangible case where further involvement of the Organization can make a real difference on the ground, including through the establishment of an investigative mechanism on the cease-fire violations – a Confidence and security building measure which has long been on the table – proposed and thoroughly supported by the international community.  In their statement of September 28th the co-chairs once again reiterated this proposal.

The political solutions should decide and guide the design and possible deployment of the peacekeeping operations. It has been stated by the Minsk Group Co-chairs on numerous occasions, including on the level of the presidents of the Co-chair countries, that international security guarantees would include a peacekeeping operation as one of the elements of the Basic Principles of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. It is aimed at separation of armed forces and keeping peace once the political resolution to the conflict is reached. No other mandate or component, including the one related to the police activities is attached to the peacekeeping operation in this particular case.

The situations and challenges of our shared OSCE area, which we are trying to address can be substantially different and there are no universal remedies to fit all of them. The Leaders’ Summit on Peacekeeping held two days ago, here at the UN welcomed the report of the High Level Panel on UN Peace Operations, which warns us “too often mandates and missions are produced on the basis of templates instead of [being] tailored to support situation-specific political strategies”. Tailored made approaches, carefully crafted to avoid harming or intervening the ongoing processes within internationally mandated agreed formats should form the basis of our endeavors”.

Thank you.

Bishop Michael Melki, a Syrian Catholic cleric martyred during the Assyrian Genocide of 1915 for refusing to convert to Islam, has been beatified. The bishop was beheaded by the Ottomans during the Sayfo – “putting to the sword” – of Assyrians in 1915, a tragedy in which at least 250,000 Syriac-speaking Christians were murdered, alongside 1.5 million Armenians, the reports.

Bishop Melki was beatified at a monastery in Lebanon on Saturday, the centenary of his martyrdom. On Sunday Pope Francis told the faithful in St Peter’s Square that “In the context of a terrible persecution of Christians, [Melki] was a tireless defender of the rights of his people, urging all to remain firm in their faith.

“Today, in the Middle East and other regions of the world, Christians are also persecuted,” he said, and called on “legislators and rulers” across the world to protect religious freedom.

Flavianus Michael Melki was born in 1858 and went on to be an Eastern Catholic prelate of the Brothers of Saint Ephrem, and later the Syrian Catholic eparch of Gazarta, where he was killed.

He lived in extreme poverty as a priest and sold his vestments to help the poor. In the summer of 1915, with the Armenian and Assyrian Genocides in full swing, the Ottoman authorities arrested him along with the Chaldean bishop. Both were killed for refusing to renounce their faith and convert to Islam, and Bishop Melki was tortured to death and decapitated.

On August 8 Pope Francis confirmed his beatification saying he was killed in hatred of the faith.

Syriac Catholic priest Nizar Semaan said: “A blessed of our church has not been proclaimed for a long time. Bishop Melki will be the first of the martyrs of the Syrian Catholics of that genocide to be raised to the honour of the altar.

“His beatification is a gift for all Christians of the East in these times of new trials.”

Fr Nizar said Melki’s “figure shows us the luminous faith with which he lived the terrible persecution one hundred years ago, and he can give hope and courage to all the baptised.”

The “Lost Birds” – the first Turkey-made film on Armenian Genocide – will be screened in cinemas across Turkey starting this week, Ermenihaber.am reports, quoting Turkish Sondakika.com website.

“Lost Birds” tells the story of a brother and a sister who are left behind during the ‘1915 Armenian exile.

“Lost Birds,” a heartfelt film with themes of love and family directed by Armenian director Aren Perdeci and Turkish director Ela Alyamac is the first movie to depict the tragedy in a film shot in Turkey on its 100th anniversary.

The film is led by young actors Dila Uluca and Heros Agopyan, as well as an ensemble cast of Armenian actors living in Turkey.

The exhibition “Armin T. Wegner: eyewitness of the Armenian Genocide” was opened at the Armémuseum of Stockholm on August 25. The expo showcases around thirty photos taken by Wegner with author’s notes and explanations.

The exhibition was organized by joint efforts of the Embassy of Armenia in Sweden, the Armémuseum, and armenica.org organization as part of the Armenian Genocide Centennial Commemoration events in Sweden.

The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mr. Björn Söder, Parliamentary Group Leader of Christian Democrats Mr. Andreas Carlson, other MPs, Ambassadors accredited to Sweden, social, political and cultural figures, journalists, representatives of the Armenian community. Opening remarks were offered by the Director of Armémuseum Mrs. Eva-Sofie Ernstelle and historian Vahagn Avedian.

The exhibition will be open for three months.

The Armémuseum is one of the leading cultural institutions of Stockholm and is included in compulsory educational programs.

Armenian international Gevorg Ghazaryan held the first training with Portuguese side CS Maritimo.

Ghazaryan has joined Maritimo last week.

“I am very happy for my contract with Maritimo and I am sure we will have great season . I am thankful to have the opportunity to work with this team,” Ghazaryan said in a Facebook post.

Gevorg Ghazaryan was officially presented as a reinforcement of the Maritime Sunday.

49 times Armenian international, having faced Portugal last month, is the first player from the country to act in the I League.

Speaking to MarítimoTV, the attacking midfielder said he hopes to “win many games, scoring many goals and be very successful” in green-red club.

Ghazaryan previously played in Greek Kerkyra and Olympiakos. The 27-year-old also played for Ukraine’s Metalurh Donetsk and the Shakhter, Kazakhstan, after he left Pyunik, Armenia.

Photos from Facebook page of CS Maritimo.

Orange Business Services, a global telecommunications operator, announced that it has entered into exclusive discussions with Ucom, an Armenian internet service provider, to sell 100% of its mobile subsidiary Orange Armenia. Negotiations to involve international financial institutions are already underway.

In view of worldwide telecom market trends, in 2013 Ucom acquired 4G connectivity service license and planned to launch premium quality services through its LTE networks beginning in 2016, the Company said in a statement.

Orange Armenia entered the Armenian telecom market in 2009, and has since become a beloved and trusted telecommunication brand amongst hundreds of thousands customers.

Ucom said “The positive outcome of the negotiations between Orange and Ucom will provide with the prospect to sustain and leverage the potential of more than 500 professional staff members of Orange Armenia, as well as its innovative technical power.  As a result, customers will receive modern and qualitatively different convergent solutions, as well as the added convenience of combining various offers and using the wide spectrum of telecommunication services from the same trusted provider: an opportunity that the Armenian market has never had before.”