168: Martin Eurnekian is the new Chair of ACI World Governing Board

Category
Society

Airports Council International (ACI) World has announced that Martin Eurnekian is the new Chair of the ACI World Governing Board.

“I would like to welcome Martin Eurnekian as ACI World’s new Chair”, said ACI World Director General Angela Gittens. “Martin is a prominent and successful figure in the industry and an active member of ACI Latin America-Caribbean for more than a decade and President since 2016 so brings enormous experience to his role as Chair”.

Mr. Eurnekian has more than 17 years’ experience in managing diverse businesses in seven different countries, primarily in Latin America as well as in Europe.

“I am honored to be named as Chair of the ACI World Governing Board”, Martin Eurnekian said. “It is a critical time for the aviation industry, and especially airports, as we come together to meet the growing global demand for air services and deliver the social and economic benefits this growth will bring to the communities we serve. I look forward to working with the Board, our members, partners, and stakeholders to continue to advocate for the interests of airports around the world as we pursue sustainable growth over the long term”.

Closed and hard-passable roads in Armenia

The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia informs that on December 12, at 08:30, there are closed and hard-passable roads in Armenia.

Vardenyants Pass is closed for trucks.

Spitak’s roads are almost impassable to pass for trucks.

There is black ice on Sotk-Karvachar highway.

There is snow in the Amasia region of Shirak province.

Drivers are advised to travel only through the winter tires.

According to the Georgian Interior Ministry’s Emergency Situations Ministry, Stepantsminda-Lars highway is closed for trucks.

Ex-leader of Houston nonprofit pleads guilty over 2013 trip

Associated Press State & Local
Tuesday 4:55 PM GMT
Ex-leader of Houston nonprofit pleads guilty over 2013 trip
 
 HOUSTON
 
HOUSTON (AP) – The ex-operator of a Houston nonprofit has pleaded guilty to concealing that Azerbaijan (ah-zur-by-JAHN') paid for a 2013 visit by 10 U.S. lawmakers.
 
Kemal Oksuz was extradited from Armenia and pleaded guilty Monday in Washington, D.C., to devising to falsify, conceal and cover up material facts. He faces up to a year in prison in the plea deal.
 
Oksuz led the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians. An indictment was unsealed in September.
 
The House Ethics Committee in 2015 found no evidence of wrongdoing by members of Congress. Texans Ruben Hinojosa, Sheila Jackson Lee, Steve Stockman and Ted Poe traveled to Azerbaijan, along with Gregory Meeks and Yvette Clarke of New York, Danny Davis of Illinois, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Jim Bridenstine of Oklahoma and Leonard Lance of New Jersey.

Lydian Announces Acceptance of Lawsuit for Appeal Hearing of Environmental Order

Lydian International, UK
Tuesday
Lydian Announces Acceptance of Lawsuit for Appeal Hearing of Environmental Order
 
 
TORONTO – Lydian International Limited (TSX: LYD) ('Lydian' or 'the Company') is pleased to announce that the Administrative Court of the Republic of Armenia (the 'Court') has accepted the Company's lawsuit appealing a directive issued by Mr. Artur Grigoryan, the head of the Republic of Armenia's Environmental and Mining Inspection Body, to refrain from any mining-related activities at the Amulsar project.
  
The acceptance of the lawsuit by the Court results in an automatic suspension of Mr. Grigoryan's directive, under the Republic of Armenia's Administrative Procedure Code, which suspension will remain in place until the appeal is heard and determined.
 
Joao Carrelo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lydian, stated, 'We are pleased that the Court has agreed to accept Lydian's lawsuit. We are confident that the Court will rule in Lydian's favor based on studies concluded by the Ministry of Nature Protection that conclusively established no basis for Mr. Grigoryan's assertions of 'new ecological factors' and Mr. Grigoryan's inherent conflict of interest that lead to this lawsuit.'
 
As previously announced, Mr. Grigoryan had directed the Company to refrain from any mining-related activities until the Ministry of Nature Protection conducted a study to determine if Mr. Grigoryan's assertion that new ecological factors had arisen due to sightings of newly found red-listed plants and animal species, specifically, the fact that Acantholimon caryophyllaceum Boiss plant species and Parnassius apollo animal species had been identified at the Amulsar Project site for the first time.
 
After the issuance of Mr. Grigoryan's directive, a group commissioned by the Ministry of Nature Protection confirmed the non-existence of the red-listed plant and animal species and concluded that the Amulsar project site did not include the necessary habitat to support either species. These findings were officially communicated by the Minister of Nature Protection and clearly invalidated Mr. Grigoryan's conclusions. The Company had appealed Mr. Grigoryan's directive, based on these findings as well as other grounds, including Mr. Grigoryan's conflict of interest, and included such contradictory evidence with the initial appeal. The administrative appeal of the initial directives was to be heard by the Chairman of the Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Agency, a role held by Mr. Grigoryan himself. Lydian requested that Mr. Grigoryan recuse himself from acting as reviewer of the initial directive due to his conflict of interest. However, Mr. Grigoryan refused to recuse himself and subsequently rejected the Company's appeal of his own directive. Lydian subsequently appealed the decision to the Court, which accepted the lawsuit for the appeal hearing and thereby suspends Mr. Grigoryan's directive pending the determination of the appeal.
 
Despite the suspension of the directive, the illegal blockades continue to prevent Lydian from accessing site to resume full construction activities. However, Lydian has secured short-term access to undertake winterization and preservation work on process and mobile equipment, as previously disclosed. Lydian continues to retain all of its legal rights and options with respect to the appeal of Mr. Grigoryan's directive, as well as all other matters related to the Amulsar project, including the ongoing illegal blockades.
 
About Lydian International Limited
 
Lydian is a gold developer focusing on construction at its 100%-owned Amulsar Gold Project, located in south-central Armenia. However, illegal blockades have prevented access to Amulsar since late June 2018. Amulsar will be a large-scale, low-cost operation with production targeted to average approximately 225,000 ounces annually over an initial 10-year mine life. Open pit mining and conventional heap leach processing contribute to excellent scale and economic potential. Estimated mineral resources contain 3.5 million measured and indicated gold ounces and 1.3 million inferred gold ounces as outlined in the Q1 2017 Technical Report. Existing mineral resources beyond current reserves and open extensions provide opportunities to improve average annual production and extend the mine life. Lydian is committed to good international industry practices in all aspects of its operations including production, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility.
 
Contact:
 
Tel: +1 720-307-5087

Former Non-Profit President Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Conceal Foreign Funding of 2013 Congressional Trip

Legal Monitor Worldwide
Tuesday
Former Non-Profit President Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Conceal Foreign Funding of 2013 Congressional Trip
 
 
The former president of a Texas-based non-profit pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to conceal the fact that a 2013 Congressional trip to Azerbaijan was funded by the Azerbaijan government.
 
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBIs Washington Field Office made the announcement.
 
Kemal Oksuz, aka "Kevin Oksuz," 49, and previously a resident of Arlington, Virginia, pleaded guilty to one count of devising a scheme to falsify, conceal and cover up material facts from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics. Oksuz will be sentenced on Feb. 11, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan for the District of Columbia.
 
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, Oksuz lied on disclosure forms filed with the Ethics Committee prior to, and following, a privately sponsored Congressional trip to Azerbaijan. Oksuz falsely represented and certified on required disclosure forms that the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasions (TCAE), the Houston non-profit for which Oksuz was president, had not accepted funding for the Congressional trip from any outside sources. Oksuz admitted to, in truth, orchestrating a scheme to funnel money to fund the trip from the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), the wholly state-owned national oil and gas company of Azerbaijan, and then concealed the true source of funding, which violated House travel regulations.
 
A five-count indictment was returned earlier this year in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and ordered unsealed in September. Oksuz was recently extradited from Armenia where he was detained by authorities, pursuant to a warrant that was issued for his arrest.
 
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Marco Palmieri of the Criminal Divisions Public Integrity Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler and Will Mackie of the National Security Divisions Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Assistance in the investigation was provided by Trial Attorney Amanda Vaughn of the Public Integrity Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Hooks and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Bradford of the District of Columbia. Trial Attorney Natalya T. Savransky of the Criminal Divisions Office of International Affairs handled the extradition request to Armenia. The Office of International Affairs, along with the U.S. Department of State and cooperating Armenian authorities provided substantial assistance with the extradition. 2018 Legal Monitor Worldwide.

Ayse Taspinar Unveils Light of Anatolia/Apricot Tree Cultural Foundation to Benefit Diverse Communities in California

PR Newswire
Tuesday
 
 
Ayse Taspinar Unveils Light of Anatolia/Apricot Tree Cultural Foundation to Benefit Diverse Communities in California
 
 
NEWS PROVIDED BY
LOA/Apricot Tree
Dec 10, 2018, 06:35 ET
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Pianist Dr. Ayse Taspinar has launched Light Of Anatolia/Apricot Tree, a new foundation for the performing arts dedicated to developing cross-cultural understanding and communication between diverse ethnic communities.
 
"Apricot Tree was born out of a need for cultural connection," said Taspinar. "We want to form a bond between communities used to being defined by conflict." Taspinar is a an acclaimed pianist who has performed in Europe, Asia, South America, and North America, and aims to unite diverse audiences through her music.
 
LOA/Apricot Tree held its inaugural gala fundraiser on Nov. 3rd at the residence of Emine Gülistan, which was attended by an audience of 250 with Vanda Ayrapetyan serving as the Master of Ceremonies.  The program included moving performances of classical masterpieces by Ottoman Armenian and Turkish composers played by Taspinar. The line-up also featured Narine Balikjian and Vazgen Barsegian, who performed the folk song, "Sari Gelin," dedicated to the memory of Turkish Armenian journalist, Hrant Dink.
 
Proceeds from the fundraiser will fund LOA/Apricot Tree's first initiative, a solo recording of rare pieces performed by Taspinar. The project is produced by UCLA music professor Robert Winter and will be released in 2019. The organization's other purpose is to bring together an orchestra of Armenian and Turkish musicians in a unique collaboration. Turkish composer Erberk Eryilmaz is developing a piano composition dedicated to the memory of Dink for the project, while Armenian violinist, Kristapor Allen Najarian will compose a work for the orchestra.
 
LOA/Apricot Tree also features a youth program to encourage collaborations among young musicians, which will be headed by Akin Orbay.
 
About LOA/Apricot Tree
LOA/Apricot Tree is an independent non-profit organization that promotes cross-cultural engagement between various communities indigenous to the Near East. In addition to Taspinar, the LOA/Apricot Tree is comprised of other notable musicians on its board, including Grammy nominated musician Brian O'Neal. The organization's mission is to encourage understanding and communication between people and inspire younger generations to build a peaceful future. The organization develops cultural exchange programs based on the performing arts, with an emphasis on music, to foster empathy between diverse groups.
 
For more information on LOA/Apricot Tree, including Taspinar's 2019 concert at the LARK Musical Society, please visit: www.apricot3.org.
 
Generated by Elif Cercel
 
SOURCE LOA/Apricot Tree
 
Related Links
 
http://www.apricot3.org
 

Azerbaijani Press: Turkey ready to mend relations with Armenia if it withdraws from Azerbaijani lands

Azer News, Azerbaijan
Dec 11 2018

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

The lack of diplomatic relations between Yerevan and Ankara is the painful problem of the Armenians.

Armenia found itself in a political isolation and economic deadlock, being in the status of a vassal country, having lost any relationship with its powerful regional neighbors due to the short-sighted policy of the previous authorities. Now, with the advent of the new government, this issue immediately appeared on the political agenda of Yerevan.

Armenia is ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey, but without preconditions regarding Nagorno-Karabakh, said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, on December 10.

"We are ready to establish direct relations with Turkey without any preliminary conditions, and we hope that Turkey will take the same position. But relations with Turkey are connected with the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, with a third country. I mean Azerbaijan," he said.

Nikol Pashinyan’s ambiguous statement about Armenia’s readiness to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions calls into question the policy of the Armenian state in the Karabakh settlement.

He apparently forgot that Turkish officials have repeatedly stated that if Armenia dreams of good neighborly relations with Turkey, it will have to abandon its aggressive policy against Azerbaijan, sit at the negotiating table and begin de-occupation of the Azerbaijani territories. As long as it ignores the negotiation process, delaying the status quo, this is unacceptable for Azerbaijan and Turkey. Without settling the Karabakh conflict, Armenia should not count on relations with Turkey.

Besides, Armenia should put an end to territorial claims against Turkey itself, as well as a century-old political adventure about the far-fetched "genocide."

In order for Turkey to agree to restore diplomatic relations with Armenia and open its state border, all these important conditions must be met in Yerevan. Armenia should show readiness for a compromise not in words but in real actions.

And in fact, the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is the most important condition not only for sustainable peace and stability in the Caucasus but also for the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations.

Armenia says that the Nagorno-Karabakh problem does not depend on Armenian-Turkish relations, but at the same time, it neglects the fact that Turkey closed the border with it, primarily because of this conflict.

Therefore, active lobbyists support the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and the opening of the border should be viewed from the current destructive policy of Armenia as well.

Armenia must withdraw its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani lands to normalize relations with Turkey, the Turkish presidential administration told Trend while commenting on the statement voiced by PM Nikol Pashinyan.

"Turkey stands for stability and peace in the region,” the administration said. “There cannot be stability in the region without the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories,” the Turkish presidential administration stressed.

It was noted that Armenia should also renounce claims about the events of 1915 since there was no “genocide” of Armenians during these events.

On March 1, 2018, Armenia announced the annulment of the protocols on the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations.

The protocols on normalization of relations between the two countries were signed by the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia on October 10, 2009, but have not been ratified.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of Turkey – the Ottoman Empire – committed the so-called genocide against the Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915.

Armenian elections featured intolerance of dissent – Sargsyan’s party

Interfax – Russia & CIS General Newswire
Monday
Armenian elections featured intolerance of dissent – Sargsyan's party

YEREVAN. Dec 10

The extraordinary parliamentary elections in Armenia were only outwardly democratic, the opposition Republican Party led by ex-president Serzh Sargsyan said.

"The extraordinary parliamentary elections in Armenia were democratic in form, but not in content. They had an atmosphere of intolerance of dissent and gross pressure on candidates and their supporters, along with the unprecedented exploitation of administrative resource. We regret that he election campaign created deep division lines," the party said in a statement released on Monday.

The Republican Party wished the forces elected to the parliament and the government they form success, "because the future development and security of our country depend on that."

"The concerns we voiced had nothing to do with election campaigning, but expressed disagreement with the foreign policy, the security and defense polices, the socio-economic tendencies, the violations of national traditions, the stated approach on the Karabakh issue. We will continue working on this track as a non-parliamentary force," the party said.

The internal acute competition "should not inspire the enemies of Armenia and Karabakh," it said.

"Regardless of inter-party differences, the Republican Party will protect the interests of the people and will stand by the Armed Forces," the party said.

The Armenian Central Elections Commission (CEC) announced the preliminary results of the elections on Monday.

The My Step electoral bloc led by acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received 70.44% of the vote. Prosperous Armenia led by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan and Bright Armenia led by parliamentarian Edmon Marukyan received 8.27% and 6.37%, respectively, thereby earning seats in parliament. The threshold was 5% for parties and 7% for blocs.

The Republican Party earned 4.7% of the vote and Dashnaktsutyun 3.89%.

Parliamentary election in Armenia democratic – CIS monitors

Interfax – Russia & CIS General Newswire
Monday
Parliamentary election in Armenia democratic – CIS monitors

YEREVAN. Dec 10

The extraordinary parliamentary election in Armenia on Sunday was free and democratic, the CIS observer mission said.

"We confirm the conclusions we drew after the 2017 parliamentary elections in Armenia that the Electoral Code provides the possibility for holding free and democratic elections," head of the CIS observer mission head Viktor Guminsky said at a press conference after the election.

Nevertheless, certain provisions of the code dealing with disabled people, especially with regard to voting at home, could be more specific, he said.

"The CEC worked in a well-coordinated way. All measures were taken to hold the election in accordance with the country's electoral legislation. Citizens of the republic were given the opportunity to choose freely," Guminsky said.

This campaign was shorter than usual, he said.

"There were a number of irregularities, including damage to campaign posters and placement of posters in unauthorized areas," Guminsky said.

The CIS observer mission included 84 people from eight CIS states, including 16 long-term observers, he said.

The Armenian Central Elections Commission said earlier on Monday that the voter turnout stood at 48.67%, or 1.26 million people, with 4,678 ballots having been recognized as invalid.

The My Step electoral bloc led by acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan placed the first with 70.44% of votes.

The Prosperous Armenia party led by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan and the Light Armenia party led by parliamentarian Edmon Marukyan got seats in the parliament with 8.27% and 6.37% of votes, respectively.

The opposition Republican Party led by Armenia's former President Serzh Sargsyan that got 4.7% of votes did not master the five-percent threshold and did not win seats in the new parliament, he said.

The Dashnaktsutyun party also failed to get to the parliament receiving only 3.89% of votes, he said.

No other political party or bloc got more than 2% of votes, he said.

The electoral threshold is 5% for parties and 7% for blocs.

The voter turnout in the Sunday parliamentary election was the lowest in Armenia in the past few years. The election did not have a voter turnout threshold.

Nine parties and two electoral blocs ran in the election.

Azerbaijani Press: Pashinyan’s Victory Can Positively Influence Karabakh Settlement – Eldar Namazov

Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijani Opposition Press
 Monday


Pashinyan's Victory Can Positively Influence Karabakh Settlement -
Eldar Namazov



Baku / 10.12.18 / Turan: The convincing victory of Nikol Pashinyan"s
team at the parliamentary elections in Armenia will be important not
only for this country, but also for the entire region and possibly for
the geopolitical situation, the former Secretary of the President of
Azerbaijan and well-known political scientist Eldar Namazov said.

"First of all, the elections on December 9 completed the process of
transition of power, which began in Armenia in April of this year.
Over the past months, the Pashinyan team has already done a lot, but
yesterday's victory reflects the desire of society for real change,"
said Namazov.

At the same time, he noted that only a third of the voters voted
purely arithmetically for Pashinyan and his supporters, given that 48%
of voters, among whom some had cast votes for Pashinyan"s opponents,
voted.

"Nevertheless, the My Step and Enlightened Armenia movements gained an
absolute majority in the parliament and will be able to carry out
constitutional reforms.

However, having received full legislative power, the new government
will receive a new problem - the absence of real opposition in the
parliament. This means that the united opposition in the person of the
Republican Party, Dashnaktsutyun and other forces will fight with the
authorities in a non-legal field - in the street, which is extremely
dangerous," said Namazov.

Answering the question of how the foreign policy orientation of
Armenia will change, the political scientist noted that only 20% of
the new parliament is represented by the so-called pro-Russian forces
in the face of supporters of Gagik Tsarukyan from the Prosperous
Armenia party.

"There is little doubt that the new government in Armenia will be
pro-Western, despite the fact that Pashinyan every time emphasizes the
strategic nature of relations with Russia and claims that there will
be no changes in foreign policy.

However, the entire previous policy of Pashinyan and his supporters
suggests the opposite: they will go to the West as much as they can or
as far as Moscow will allow them to," Namazov underlined.

On the question of how profitable it is for Russia to keep Armenia in
its orbit, the political scientist stressed that the economic benefit
in this case is not decisive.

"Despite the fact that today Russia actually keeps Armenia, the
economic side is of secondary importance. In the first place are
geopolitical interests. For Moscow, as before, the main task is not to
let the West represented by the United States, the European Union and
NATO come to the region.

For the sake of this strategic goal, Russia will tolerate and in every
way "slow down" Pashinyan and his team.

On the whole, a situation is emerging that resembles events in Ukraine
after Yushchenko came to power. Moscow seemed to accept his victory,
but immediately began to prepare and strengthen the pro-Russian
forces. This process was not one year, but ended in victory for
Yanukovych. I think Moscow will go the same way in Armenia," said
Namazov.

What should be expected in the issue of the Karabakh settlement?
Answering this question, Namazov noted the discussion of the last
weeks and even months, when in Armenia and Karabakh the opponents of
Pashinyan accused him of preparing to surrender the territories around
Karabakh, and even Karabakh itself.

Sasun Mikaelyan, one of the closest supporters of Pashinyan, said the
victory of the Velvet Revolution was more important than the victory
in Karabakh. This statement was used by Pashinyan"s opponents as
"evidence of betrayal and confirmation of plans to surrender
Karabakh."

"But what is most interesting, it was Sasun Mikaelyan who received the
most votes from among the leaders of the movement My Step. This can be
regarded as a change in the moods of the Armenian society and their
actual agreement with the opinion that Karabakh is second for
Armenians," said Namazov.

The political scientist also believes that the Pashinyan team can go
on to make the negotiation process on the settlement more open and
begin a public discussion in order to shape public opinion.

"Currently, the Armenian society is not ready for what the governments
of Robert Kocharyan and Serge Sargsyan agreed to. We are talking about
the principles of settlement, which developed the OSCE Minsk Group.
These principles imply the liberation of 7 regions around Karabakh and
the return of Azerbaijanis there.

However, the Armenian society is not ready for this even with the
status granted to Karabakh. This raises serious questions from
international mediators and the well-known interview of the former US
Ambassador in this regard is vivid evidence of this. Therefore,
without changing the mood in society, it will be impossible to count
on progress in the settlement issue," Eldar Namazov concluded. -02B-