Category: 2017

Turkey summons U.S ambassador over Washington brawl

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Panorama, Armenia

Turkey summoned John Bass, the U.S. ambassador to Ankara, to its Ministry of Foreign Affairs to protest what it called "aggressive and unprofessional actions" by U.S. semiddle security personnel against Turkish bodyguards in Washington during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit last week, Fox News reports.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the U.S. ambassador was given a "written and verbal protest" against actions that is said were "contrary to diplomatic rules and practices."

It said it had requested that the U.S. authorities conduct "a full investigation of this diplomatic incident."

Donald Trump listens to performance of Armenian choir in Holy Sepulchre Church, Jerusalem

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Panorama, Armenia

U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and went to the Armenian, Catholic and Greek sections of the church. As Hovnan Baghdasaryan, Chancellor at Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, notes on Facebook, during their visit to the Armenian section, they listened to Armenian hymns performed by the choir of the Theological Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Afterwards, they listened to the explanation of Arch. Sevan Gharibian about the Armenian church and the Armenian nation.

 

 

Turkey Summons U.S. Ambassador; Blames U.S. Security Personnel for Turkish Attack in D.C.

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Armenian Weekly

By Weekly Staff on in Headline, New, News // 1 Comment // //

WASHINGTON (A.W.)—The Ambassador of the Unites States of America in Ankara John R. Bass was summoned to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 22, to protest the “aggressive and unprofessional action against Turkish security personnel” on May 16 in Washington, D.C.

A screenshot from a video of the attack by Turkish security forces, captured by Voice of America’s Turkish service (Photo: Voice of America)

According to Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, written and verbal protest was delivered “due to the aggressive and unprofessional actions taken, contrary to diplomatic rules and practices, by U.S. security personnel towards the close protection team of H.E Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey.”

On May 16, a group of peaceful demonstrators protesting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s official visit to the United States, were attacked by pro-Erdogan groups—including members of Erdogan’s security team—at the Sheridan Circle near the residence of the Turkish Ambassador to the U.S.

There has been much congressional outrage over the Turkish security team’s brutal beat-down of peaceful protesters after several videos of the incident emerged, one of which suggests that Erdogan may have ordered the attack.

During the meeting with the Ambassador, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the “lapses of security” experienced during Erdogan’s stay in Washington, which were” caused by the inability of U.S. authorities to take sufficient precautions at every stage of the official program.”

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director Aram Hamparian strongly condemned the decision to summon the Ambassador, in comments made to the Armenian Weekly. “Erdogan’s adding insult to injury. Having ordered this attack, he’s now accusing U.S. police of aggression.  This dictator is acting with absolute disdain for America—our values, our police, and our people,” said Hamparian.

The ANCA has also called for the expulsion of Turkey’s Ambassador to the U.S. Visit www.anca.org/Erdogan to take action.

Armenia’s economic activity index grows 5.7% in Jan-Apr 2017

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ARKA, Armenia

YEREVAN, May 22. /ARKA/. Armenia’s economic activity index grew 5.7% in Jan-Apr 2017, compared with the same period a year earlier, the National Statistical Service reports.  

The growth was ensured by three segments of the national economy – industry, trade and services. 

The country’s industrial output amounted to AMD 485.4 billion in Jan-Apr 2017 showing a 12.9% year-on-year growth, services totaled AMD 409 billion accounting for a 10.1 percent growth and trade turnover stood at AMD 685.87 billion and 12.1% respectively. 

The country’s construction sector accounted for AMD 52.8 billion and a 13.4% decline and agriculture has its gross product amounting to AMD 114.2 billion and shrunk by 2.9% in Jan-Apr 2017, compared with the same period a year before.  

Inflation was recorded at 0.1% in Armenia. 

The country’s foreign trade amounted to $1 689 million in Jan-Apr 2017 showing a 15.1% year-on-year growth. 

In the government budget for 2017, GDP growth is projected at 3.2%. ($1 – AMD 483.05). –0—

Survey reveals 34% of Armenians look at video surveillance at public places as personal data protection problem

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ARKA, Armenia

YEREVAN, May 22. /ARKA/. A survey conducted by Personal Data Protection Agency, an affiliation of  the Armenian Ministry of Justice, has revealed that almost 34% of Armenians look at video surveillance in public places as a personal data protection problem, Shushan Doydoyan, the head the agency, told journalists on Monday.

"The problem is that video surveillance is often conducted by owners of private and public facilities not for ensuring security, but for watching employees or hearing their conversations, which is a violation of the relevant legislation.

She said depending on the degree of the violation of the law on personal data protection, entities could be punished by a fine in the amount of 50 to 500,000 basic salaries. According to her, it is necessary that every entity conducting video surveillance does it in accordance with the letter of the law. 

She said few people know that they have the right to demand their video recording by surveillance cameras installed in public places (shops, pharmacies, market places ), and the owner must provide it within 5 days.

In turn, the acting minister of justice  Artur Hovhannisyan noted that video surveillance is a method that allows to identify a person, and according to the Constitution of Armenia, everyone has the right to protection of personal data that must be processed either at the desire of the person himself or in accordance with the procedure provided by law.

He stressed that to avoid misunderstandings in the interpretation of the law, in public places there are notices warning that the area is under video surveillance because of security issues.

"Having entered such a place, a person is notified by the appropriate sign on the door. It means that he/she agrees to being videotaped  and therefore it is legal. Otherwise, if no notice is provided, the persons making video footage will be fined for illegal collection of personal data," Hovhannisyan said. -0-

Armenian Tsaghkadzor to host EEU-devoted business conference

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ARKA, Armenia

YEREVAN, May 22. /ARKA. An annual business conference that will look into the problems arising in Armenia’s cooperation with other members of the Russia-led  Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will be held in the Armenian resort town of Tsakhkadzor on May 27, the  Armenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry informed.. It said the event will be held with the support of the government of  Armenia and the Eurasian Economic Commission, the executive body of EEU.

The event is a joint effort of the chambers of commerce of Armenia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Byelorussia, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan and a company called Investor.

The conference will be attended by Armenian prime minister Karen Karapetyan, acting. minister of economic development and investment Suren Karayan, ministers of the Eurasian Economic Commission, ambassadors, heads of chambers of commerce.

In general, the event will be attended by more than 300 participants, including about 100 foreign guests. It is planned to hold plenary and sectional meetings.

The purpose of the conference is to help companies from EEU member countries to hold negotiations,  establish new business ties and  expand cooperation areas. -0-

Armenia CEC rejects annulment of election results

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PanArmenian
– 14:47 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Central Electoral Commission on Sunday, May 21 confirmed the final results of Yerevan municipal elections and rejected an opposition party’s demand to annul them.

Yerkir Tsirani (Land of Apricot) party demanded last week that the Armenian CEC annul the results of elections.

In a letter addressed to the CEC chairman Tigran Mukuchyan, party representative Armen Gabrielyan argued that the police and the Republican Party (RPA) carried out “a large-scale fraud operation,” which included vote-buying cases and use of violence against MP Zaruhi Postanjyan and her daughter.

At a session on Sunday, the CEC declared that RPA will receive 46 mandates at Yerevan City Council, while YELQ bloc and Yerkir Tsirani will get 14 and five seats, respectively.

Russia to supply Armenia, Belarus with helicopters, air defense systems

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PanArmenian
– 16:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Head of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Dmitry Shugaev announced on Sunday, May 21 that Russia will continue supplying defense products to Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in 2017, Sputnik International reports.

"Russia plans to supply its partners within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) with new weapon systems in 2017, including helicopters, air defense systems and armored vehicles," Sputnik cited Shugaev as saying.

According to Acting Secretary General of CSTO Valery Semerikov, the CSTO may implement a plan in the coming years prescribing arming its rapid response forces with weapons on a free of charge basis.

"The plan prescribing the types of military equipment and products and the time period they should be delivered to a specific state has been prepared and nearly coordinated with all the states; it was expected to take effect in 2015-2016. However, due to such troubles as crisis and sanctions, we took the decision to halt the implementation of this plan, but only regarding non-repayable supplies," Semerikov told reporters adding that the full resumption of the plan's implementation is possible in 2018-2019.

Russia would take the biggest share of financial burden in implementation of this plan, Semerikov added.

The CSTO was established on the basis of the Collective Security Treaty, signed by Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states on May 15, 1992. The bloc comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.

Iran to be in far stronger positions, Armenian expert says

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Panorama, Armenia

“The domestic political agenda of Iran will undergo certain changes following Iran’s presidential elections,” Vardan Voskanyan, Yerevan-based expert in Iranian studies, noted at a press conference on Monday.

In the expert’s words, although Iran’s Hassan Rouhani evidently won more votes in the last presidential election than during the previous elections, the Iranian citizens have growing expectations in regard to ensuring certain liberalization processes inside the country and achieving success in the economy sphere.

“The administration of president Rouhani successfully managed to implement almost all the points of the country’s foreign policy agenda in the past years. Iran has reached a nuclear agreement and increased its influence over almost all the countries of the Middle East. However its citizens still have expectations regarding the domestic policy,” the expert said.

Touching upon Iran’s foreign policy, Mr. Voskanyan said that it will not undergo significant changes.

“The Iranians have strengthened their position in the foreign world taking into account a number of important factors related to the elections, the most important of which are the high voter turnout, the highly competitive atmosphere and the absence of any post-election processes, since Iran’s relevant bodies had ensured free and transparent elections. In fact, the Iranian voters did not have any complaints over vote rigging. In this sense Rouhani will be in stronger positions during his second term of precedency, further strengthening Iran’s negotiating positions,” he noted.

According to the expert in the Iranian studies, this is a highly significant factor amid the new level of developments in the Middle East. Iran will be in far stronger positions.

In his words, it is not accidental that on the very day of Iran’s election U.S. president paid a visit to Saudi Arabia, one of Iran’s enemy states.

Vardan Voskanyan also noted that Iran will continue its involvement in Syria and Lebanon  processes and will maintain influential leverages in the Arabian Peninsula and Yemen, continuing to ensure serious presence in Afghanistan developments.

Azerbaijan joins ‘US-Saudi campaign’ to isolate Iran

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Panorama, Armenia

Author A. Israyelyan

U.S. President Donald Trump delivered address at the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh on May 21 and called for a "coalition of nations" in the Middle East to come together with the aim of "stamping out extremism."

In his speech, during the second day of his visit to Saudi Arabia, President Trump also accused Iran of fueling "the fires of sectarian conflict and terror" and called for its international isolation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif took to Twitter to respond to President Donald Trump's anti-Tehran remarks, suggesting those were aimed at "milking" Saudi Arabia.

"Iran — fresh from real elections — attacked by @POTUS in that bastion of democracy & moderation. Foreign Policy or simply milking KSA of $480B?" Zarif tweeted on Sunday.

The Iranian foreign minister was referring to a recent arms deal between the US and Saudi Arabia worth almost $110 billion immediately, and set to reach to $350 billion over 10 years, plus a series of other deals.
It is noteworthy that Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev rushed to Saudi Arabia to participate at the Arab-Islamic-US summit “Together, we are stronger,” right after congratulating Iranian president Hasan Rouhani on his reelection in Iranian presidential elections”

Azerbaijani state-run media are quite stingy with providing details about Aliyev’s visit to Saudi Arabia, while the Iranian media outlets describe Aliyev’s participation in the summit as an act against Islamic resistance forces.