Category: News

The Azerbaijani side used firearms of different calibers as it violated the ceasefire more than 65 times at the line of contact with the Artsakh forces, firing over 1,700 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions.

The Azeri forces also used a 82mm mortar (4 shells) and D-44 cannons (8 shells) in Martakert direction.

Aside from ceasefire violations, the Azerbaijani side moved armored vehicles (about 10 tanks) in Tapkarakoyunlu-Talish direction at about 13:30, May 10. The tanks returned to their initial positions at 14:55.

The front divisions of the Artsakh defense Army resorted to response actions to pressure the activeness of the rival and continued with their duty all along the line of contact.

Armenia and its inhabitants have a respectful attitude to cultures and languages; its legislation and regulations comply with the country’s obligations in promoting the use of regional and minority languages in public life.  However, more needs to be done to raise awareness of the country’s minority languages and cultures, to address the problem of the lack of funds, and to change the attitude of the authorities to protecting the languages.

These are the kney findigs of the new report published by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europetoday that looks at how Armenia implements its undertakings under the European Charter for Regional and Minority languages. The report covers the period up to the end of May 2016, and places special attention on the measures taken to promote the five languages that Armenia recognized as minority ones and protects under the Charter: Assyrian, Greek, Kurdish, Russian and Yezidi.

On the positive side, a number of measures were introduced to promote these languages; and progress has been noted in the publication of school textbooks. The situation of Russian does not give rise to any concerns: this is the only minority language in which bilingual education is provided at various educational levels.

In contrast, the situation of Greek does not comply with the obligations Armenia took upon itself. There is a danger that Pontic Greek will disappear as a minority language in Armenia. Resolute action by the public authorities is essential to support the Greek language.

There are certain shortcomings in the promotion of Assyrian, Kurdish and Yezidi languages. These three minority languages have only a marginal presence in the public and private media, despite favorable legal provisions. There is a lack of well-trained teachers. The shortcomings are primarily due to the lack of funds which particularly affects teaching and the media.

Support given to minority languages in Armenia, the report says, is often limited to folklore festivals or the provision of premises for various events initiated by the minorities themselves. The Council of Europe experts note a tendency on the part of the Armenian authorities to assign responsibility for implementation of the Charter to the local authorities and the national minority communities, and use this as justification for the lack of proactive measures. The passive attitude of the authorities gives the impression that the protection of the minority languages is the responsibility of the minorities themselves. However, the Charter places obligations on the authorities, and not the minorities, to promote and protect minority languages, the experts stress.

Armenia has joined the Charter for Regional and Minority Languages in May 2002.

PHOTO: BANWARI UPADHYAY

At least 22 people were killed when a wall collapsed during a wedding party in northern India, the BBC reports.

The guests had taken shelter from heavy rain under a tin shack when a wall collapsed onto it in the storm.

Another 26 people were injured in the accident in Bharatpur, a district in Rajasthan state, 15 of them seriously.

Local media reports say food stalls had been set up along the wall for the wedding.

“The wall and a tin shed attached to it at the marriage venue collapsed due to a storm,” police officer Anil Tank is quoted as saying.

He said the wall was nearly 90ft (27m) long and 12-13ft in height and the collapse trapped many guests.

“The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals immediately and treatment was administered,” he said.

The European Union approved visa-free travel for Ukrainians on Thursday, fulfilling a key promise to cement ties with Kiev, AFP reports.

“YES, we did it!” Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko wrote on Facebook after the Brussels decision, which the former Soviet republic has been trying to clinch for years.

“It feels like coming home after a long and exhausting journey,” the pro-Western leader said, adding that Ukraine was gradually “becoming part of a common European civilisation”.

The European Union and Ukraine sealed a broad trade and political association agreement after the overthrow of Kiev’s government in 2014, with Brussels aiming to bring the Soviet-era satellite into the European fold.

The agreement included the offer of the removal of visa requirements, a potent symbol of the bloc’s commitment to Kiev, which has fretted over repeated delays.

A statement by the European Council, which groups the 28 EU member states, said visa liberalisation was “an important development which will help strengthen ties between the people of Ukraine and the EU”.

“It follows the completion of the necessary reforms by Ukraine in a number of areas including migration, public order and security, external relations and fundamental rights,” it said.

The Friends of Maria Jacobsen Committee has organized a special memorial service Sunday, May 14, at a Solvang church to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,   reports.

The ceremony following the 11 a.m. worship service will be held in the courtyard of Bethania Lutheran Church at 603 Atterdag Road, a committee spokesman said.

Representatives of the Southern California Armenian community will lay a wreath in honor and memory of 1.5 million Armenian martyrs as well as Danish humanitarian and missionary Maria Jacobsen (1882-1960).

“We are honoring Maria Jacobsen’s memory on Mother’s Day,” said Dr. Garbis Der-Yeghiayan, chairman of the committee. “She is known as the beloved ‘Mama’ by her grateful former orphan children.”

Der-Yeghiayan said at the conclusion of the memorial ceremony, the committee will announce a student essay contest in Jacobsen’s honor.

The contest will be open to all high school students living in Solvang and all students attending Armenian, public or private high schools in Southern California, he said.

The essay theme is: “In the more than 100 years that have passed since the first genocide of the 20th century — the Armenian Genocide of bigotry, prejudice, intolerance, persecution, deportations and heinous plans to annihilate a nation — what do you believe your generation can do to make ‘never again’ a reality?”

The government of China will donate another 200 ambulance vehicles to Armenia. The Armenian government Okayed the singing of the agreement at today’s sitting.

The vehicles will help the Armenian side fully satisfy the demand for ambulance vehicles in the republic.

The Chinese government earlier donated 88 vehicles to Armenia, of which 56 were sent to the republic’s provinces.

Photo: Getty Images

Boeing has temporarily halted test flights of its new 737 MAX aircraft due to possible issues with the engine, the BBC reports.

The stoppage came days before the US planemaker was due to make its first delivery of the aircraft to a customer.

But Boeing said it was sticking with plans to begin MAX deliveries this month, adding that production of the jets would continue.

American Airlines, Southwest, and China’s Shandong Airlines are among those who have placed orders.

The MAX fleet is designed to be a more fuel-efficient version and replaces Boeing’s previous 737 model which has been a best-seller for the aerospace giant.

Whoever wins the presidential election in Iran, there won’t be serious changes in the relations with Armenia, expert of Iranian studies says.

“Iran’s foreign policy towards Armenia is not conditioned by persons. The political line will not undergo serious changes whoever is elected,” expert of Iranian studies Vardan Voskanyan told a press conference today. Therefore, he said, it’s hard to judge which of the candidates is preferable from the Armenian viewpoint.

As for the Armenian community’s stance, Vardan Voskanyan said there is a huge difference when compared to those in the United States or France.

“The Armenian community of Iran does not back any single candidate, Armenians are free to express their will and vote for the candidate they prefer,” the expert said. He noted, however, that most Armenians back reforms, but it does not mean conservatives have no supporters among Armenians.

According to Voskanyan, being an Armenia in Iran is a privilege in a certain sense. He emphasized the special attitude towards the Armenian community and said “elections will not change it.”

Speaking to , Member of Iranian Majlis Karen Khanlaryan said “Armenians have different affiliations.”

He said the community issues will be presented to all candidates and voiced hope the newly elected President would take steps to ease the difficulties Armenians face.

He said the main demands include recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, material support and some legal issues.

Unlike Vardan Voskanyan, the lawmaker considers that the approaches of the elected President will lead to changes in Armenian-Iranian relations.

“The strategic and tactical guidelines will change,” Karen Khanlaryan said.

Iran will hold presidential elections on May 19. The candidates include incumbent  President Hassan Rouhani, Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, Astan Quds Razavi chairman Ebrahim Raisi, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Mostafa Mir-Salim and Mostafa Hashemitaba. The main competition is expected between reformist Hassan Rouhani and conservative Ebrahim Raisi.

Russia and the United States are closely cooperating on the Karabakh issue despite the differences existing between the two countries, US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Richard Hoagland said in an interview with the

“Sure, our national interests differ from those of Russia, because we have a different history of relations, different views in our approaches. However, having different interests does not mean we cannot work together on the issue,” he said.

According to the Ambassador, Moscow wants establishment of peace in the South Caucasus like Washington and Paris do.

“For me it’s clear that Moscow does not want war in Nagorno Karabakh, Moscow does not want war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It will destabilize the whole region and harm Russia’s interests,” Hoagland said.

According to him, even under the conditions of worst deterioration of Russian-American relation, all three Co-Chairs have closely cooperated towards peaceful settlement of the Karabakh issue.

“This is a sphere where we can say the relations between Washington and Moscow have no negative impact,” he added.

Amb. Hoagland said “the mediators are trying to resume full-scale negotiations between the parties.”

“Our job is to create an atmosphere of trust that will allow to bring the parties to the negotiating table,” he said.

Speaking about the four-day war in April 2016, Richard Hoagland said: “We have not yet reached a point, where the international community can ensure an absolute eradication of violence through peacekeepers or economic support. That has to be done by leaders themselves,” Amb. Hoagland said.

According to the Ambassador, it’s time for a compromise solution of the issue, which any of the parties will benefit from.

“Eventually, it is the responsibility of the leaders of the parties to seriously address real peace talks. When that happens, it will open up all types of opportunities for the region – for development of communication and cargo transportation, decrease of isolation, more favorable economic conditions for trade. Peoples will also feel that,” he said.

Richard Hoagland believes the US must get more actively involved in the peace process.

“I agree that we need to be a little more active, we are in the earliest stage of a new US Administration. This new Administration is still developing its foreign policy approaches. Therefore, let’s be more patient and see how things are developing in the coming months,” Richard Hoagland said.

Photo: EPA

Turkey’s deputy prime minister says the US decision to supply weapons to Kurdish fighters battling Islamic State militants in Syria is “unacceptable,” the BBC reports.

Arming the Popular Protection Units (YPG) would “not be beneficial”, Nurettin Canikli told A Haber TV.

Ankara says the YPG is an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated a terrorist group by the US.

Washington says the YPG is essential to the operation to capture the IS stronghold of Raqqa.

The YPG leads the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias that has driven IS militants from about 6,000 sq km of northern Syria over the past two years with the help of US-led coalition air strikes and military advisers.