Category: 2018

Armenpress: Armenian, Maltese FMs exchange ideas over enhancing cooperation

Shushan Frangulian

Armenian, Maltese FMs exchange ideas over enhancing cooperation

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11:26, 7 December, 2018

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s caretaker foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan held a meeting on December 6 with Malta’s minister for foreign affairs and trade promotion Carmelo Abela in Milan, Italy. The meeting took place within the framework of the 25th foreign ministerial council of OSCE member states, the foreign ministry said.

Mnatsakanyan and Abela exchanged ideas over prospects of expanding the bilateral cooperation agenda and in this context attached importance to enhancing the legal framework, organizing consultations between the foreign ministries and boosting inter-parliamentary ties.

The ministers attached importance to mutually-beneficial cooperation in regional and international organizations, pointing out the La Francophonie as a valuable platform.

The Armenian caretaker FM presented the priorities of the country’s chairmanship in the organization.

The FMs also touched upon the Armenia-European Union partnership. Mnatsakanyan noted that the CEPA is an important tool to develop cooperation based on common values with the EU and EU member states, as well as to boost the ongoing reforms in Armenia.

Mnatsakanyan also briefed Abela on Armenia’s stance and approach in the direction of the NK conflict settlement, stressing that the main beneficiary of the settlement are the people, while ensuring vital security is the key of the conflict.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan




Mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marutyan receives Chinese Ambassador

Mary Lazarian
  • 11:45 | December 7,2018 | Official
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Mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marutyan received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Armenia Tian Erlong, the Yerevan City Hall reports.

During the meeting the Mayor highly appreciated the productive cooperation between Yerevan and the Chinese cities. He said memorandums of cooperation were signed between Yerevan and Beijing, as well as with one of the largest cities of China, Qingdao. The Chinese government has implemented several technical support programs in Armenia and in particular in Yerevan, by providing city buses, ambulance vehicles and other equipment. Hayk Marutyan expressed hope that the Chinese government will continue the programs in different areas, as well as will encourage the Chinese business representatives to invest in Armenia thanks to the activities of the Embassy.

In his turn the Chinese Ambassador congratulated the Yerevan Mayor and his team on assuming office and expressed confidence that this change will contribute to Yerevan’s development. The Ambassador informed that the construction works of new Chinese Embassy in Yerevan will be completed in the near future, and thanked the city authorities for assisting in this process. The sides agreed to continue making efforts to deepen the cooperation between Yerevan and Chinese cities.

Asbarez: Russia Drop Sale of Missile System to Baku

Janet Ekmekjian
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A Kh-35 naval missile, similar to the one that Russia has cancelled its sale to Baku

MOSCOW—Russia reportedly has changed its mind to supplying Azerbaijan with the SSC-6 ‘Sennight’ coastal missile system, a version of the Kh-35 turbojet subsonic cruise anti-ship missile, according to Kommersant newspaper.

According to the newspaper, Russian military officials found that even the export of the missile system might pose a potential threat to their own navy vessels in the Caspian sea that are on-duty in Russian territorial waters.

A source familiar with the matter told Kommersant that Russia and Azerbaijan had initialed the deal on a small batch of the systems for a few dozen missiles, however the agreement was never signed.

Kommersant reported that the topic isn’t discussed yet because “a very delicate geopolitical nuance exists.” In recent years, the X-35 missile warhead’s guidance system has been modified to strike also land targets. “We wouldn’t want this weapon to be used in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” the source told Kommersant.

In 2013 and 2014, Russia reportedly delivered Uran-E missiles that are similar to the ones in question, in an agreement signed between Azerbaijan and the Russian Tactical Rocket Arms Corporation in 2010.

Israeli case of fake Armenian diplomas began to fall apart

Ara Felekian
Arminfo, Armenia
Dec 6 2018

ArmInfo. The criminal case of fake Armenian medical diplomas, code-named "License to kill," in Israel, has actually begun to fall apart.  According to the Israeli  media, yesterday the magistrate's court in Nazareth, decided to  change measure of restraint against previously taken into custody 22  interns and pharmacists, allegedly suspected of receiving fake  university diplomas, under house arrest.

The court rejected the police's request to extend the preliminary arrest, finding the  evidence submitted insufficient. Another 21 suspects in the same case  were released from custody without a court hearing.

One of them said: "I knew that this "mountain will bring forth a  mouse. "There was no reason to detain us.  The police caused us  serious damage and harm to our work. We demand an apology!". Attorney  Ahmad Raslan, representing several suspects, also said that "the  police exaggerated the value of the few materials it had to justify  the suspicion." According to him, the detainees are law-abiding  citizens from good families.  To recall, according to police  suspicions, the persons involved in the case – medical interns and  pharmacists, mostly of Arabic origin, presented diplomas to the  Ministry of Health on graduating medical and pharmacological  universities of Armenia. The investigation believes that the  documents are fictitious, since the suspects received them without  completing the full term of training.

To recall, in Armenia the scandal with fake medical diplomas did not  find a factual continuation. The administration of medical higher  education institutions, including private ones, then told ArmInfo  that the sale of diplomas is out of the question, perhaps the matter  concerns forged documents.

Index: Armenia is the first country in Europe by the number of believers

Jirair Kafian
Arminfo, Armenia
Dec 7 2018

ArmInfo. The American Analytical Center Pew Research Center has published data from studies conducted in Europe on the subject of religiosity of the population.

According to the results, 79% of the population of Armenia said that  they believe in God. According to this indicator, Armenia became the  first in Europe. 45% (2nd place) of Armenians said they pray daily,  and 53% (3rd place) that religion is important in their lives.  Moreover, only 34% (12th place) of Armenians attend churches at least  once a month. Based on all the criteria, Romania became the most  religious country in Europe, Armenia ranked second in terms of  overall performance, and Georgia was third.

Armenian Court of Appeal upholds ruling to arrest ex-President Kocharyan – lawyer

Emil Lazarian
RT – Russia Today
Dec 7 2018
Armenian Court of Appeal upholds ruling to arrest ex-President Kocharyan – lawyer
   
Published time: 7 Dec, 2018 12:29 Edited time: 7 Dec, 2018 13:32

Armenia’s Criminal Court of Appeal of the Republic has ruled to arrest the former President Robert Kocharyan, his lawyer, Aik Alumyan, said on Friday. The court has left the decision of the first-instance court as it was and has dismissed the claims of defense. “This means that Kocharyan will be arrested,” RIA Novosti quoted Alumyan as saying. Kocharyan served as president from 1998 to 2008. In July, the former president was charged with an attempt to overthrow Armenia’s constitutional order during 2008 protests that erupted following the presidential election.

City gone in 30 seconds: How deadly earthquake devastated Soviet Armenia three decades ago

Manouk Vasilian
RT- Russia Today
Dec 7 2018
City gone in 30 seconds: How deadly earthquake devastated Soviet Armenia three decades ago (PHOTOS)

Published time: 7 Dec, 2018 12:47 Edited time: 7 Dec, 2018 13:00

The city of Spitak destroyed by a powerful earthquake. December 7, 1988. © Sputnik / Alexandr Graschenkov

The city of Spitak was levelled in just 30 seconds as a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake unleashed massive destruction across northeast Armenia 30 years ago. The disaster killed at least 25,000 people.

Armenia, a part of the Soviet Union at the time, was hit by a catastrophic quake on December 7, 1988. The tremors struck at 11:41am local time, and the buildings began to collapse almost instantly.

Spitak, which was at the epicenter of the earthquake, was almost entirely levelled in just 30 seconds. It was home to 18,500 residents.

© Sputnik / Alexandr Graschenkov

The violent tremors severely damaged 21 cities and 324 villages. Among them is Armenia’s second-largest city, Leninakan (presently called Gyumri), which, too, got partially demolished by the disaster.

No matter how small or tall, the buildings everywhere folded like a house of cards.

There was a loud bang. Moments later we heard several powerful quakes,” Mariam Karapetyan, who was a daycare center worker during the disaster, recalled.

“My colleague thought that a war had started.”

“We couldn’t see the sky, and felt that everything was covered in smoke,” said Agram Stepanyan. He was 15 at the time, and had to flee for his life.

“Our school turned into chaos. Everyone ran… Two or three people jumped from the second floor windows.”

At least 25,000 people died that day, and around 20,000 more were injured.

Rescuers from all over the Soviet Union came to help clearing the rubble and evacuating the bodies. Several foreign teams also joined in.

One of the rescuers, Andrey Dyachenko recalled how people started to bury the dead in Spitak.

“You could bury three cities with that amount of coffins. That’s how I felt,” he said.

More photos at