22 YEAR The Noah’s Ark #21 (1061) 25 May 2015 Published Since 1993 Weekly Newspaper HIGHLIGHTS ÜáÛÛ³Ý î³å³Ý ß³μ³Ã³Ã»ñà (³Ý·É. / ýñ³Ýë.) President reaffirms support for EU Eastern Partnership see page 3 In This Issue Sargsyan, Merkel discuss Armenia-EU Noyan Tapan Printing House ties, Genocide centennial events p.2 is offering coloured and black and white offset and digital Participants of the Riga Summit adopt printing of books, brochures, booklets, journals, etc with Joint Declaration p.4 high quality and low prices Tel: 060 27 64 62 Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 EU moves to open talks on new deal with Armenia p.6 Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Noyan Tapan Video Studio begins annual project-site visits is offering professional video and photography for indoor in Armenia and Artsakh p.14 and outdoor events such as weddings, birthday parties, official events, seminars and conferences. Tel: 060 27 64 62 Armenia to participate in leading Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 American book fair p.17 25 May #21 (1061) 2015 2 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights POLITICS Sargsyan, Merkel discuss Armenia-EU ties, Genocide centennial events On a working visit to Latvia, development. The Armenian President Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on stressed the essential role of Germany in May 21 had a meeting with German the deepening of those relations. Chancellor Angela Merkel. During the meeting reference was The interlocutors discussed issues made to the 100th anniversary of the related to Armenian-German interstate Armenian Genocide, the commemoration relations, and praised the fact that the events held in Germany and a number of bilateral agenda of cooperation that has other countries. President Sargsyan considerably expanded and enriched in expressed gratitude to the German author- the recent period, has been consolidated ities for their position on the condemna- by about sixty agreements. tion of the Armenian Genocide. President Sargsyan expressed grati- The interlocutors exchanged views on tude to the German Government for con- regional issues in the South Caucasus, tinuous support to Armenia. including the process of peaceful settle- The interlocutors referred to Armenia- ment of the Karabakh conflict within the EU relations and the perspectives of framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. Artsakh President Armenia, Belarus refuse to meets with French sign Riga Summit Senators in Paris Declaration over Crimea On 20 May Artsakh country and one of the cradles European Union leaders ministers from the EU, Republic President Bako of democracy, a country which begin a summit in Riga on Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Sahakyan visited the French became a second homeland for May 21 with Eastern Armenia, Azerbaijan and Senate and met a group of hundreds of thousands of Partnership countries. Belarus on Thursday Senators. Armenians, who escaped their Disagreement over the evening. The President briefed the historic land following the conflict in Ukraine, and over Armenia and Belarus Senators on the state-building Armenian Genocide. the EU's reluctance to hold refused to sign up to any state- process in Artsakh, its domes- The President rated high out membership prospects to ment that called Russia's tic and foreign policy, the the role of France in the the six states in its "Eastern annexation of Ukraine's Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict Karabakh conflict settlement Partnership", have held up Crimea peninsula illegal and settlement process, regional process and in maintaining drafting of a joint commu- EU diplomats said a compro- trends and responded to ques- peace and stability in the nique to be issued in Riga on mise text would be put to them. tions. region. Friday, diplomats said. It would note the EU's The President underlined Ambassador Extraordinary "These are not easy nego- condemnation of the Crimean that official Stepanakert and Plenipotentiary of the tiations," one EU diplomat situation but also refer to attaches importance to the Republic of Armenia to France said after talks in Brussels on partner governments' posi- development of bilateral rela- Vigen Chitechyan was present a draft text that will be tions in a U.N. vote in March tions with France, a friendly at the meeting. reviewed in Latvia by foreign 2014. 25 May #21 (1061) 2015 POLITICS The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 3 Azerbaijan objects to EU Summit statement over Karabakh basis of the principles and norms of inter- that Armenia and an important part of the national law." It expresses "full support to international community … agreed on the mediation efforts by the co-chairs of that matter whereas Azerbaijan was again the Minsk Group on the Nagorno- left isolated," he claimed. Karabakh conflict, including at the level Mammadyarov did not comment on of [U.S., Russian and French] Presidents the controversy immediately after the and their statements since 2009." two-day summit, boycotted by President Those statements have said that a Ilham Aliyev, drew to a close. The chief Karabakh settlement must be based on the Azerbaijani diplomat might have objected internationally recognized principles of to the summit declaration's failure to Azerbaijan nearly vetoed on Friday a territorial integrity of states, peoples' self- explicitly uphold Azerbaijan's sovereignty joint declaration adopted at the European determination and non-use of force. over Karabakh. Union's latest summit with six ex-Soviet "Azerbaijan had some problems with Aliyev's chief foreign policy aide, states because of the wording of its refer- that," Foreign Minister Edward Novruz Mammadov, told the Trend news ences to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Nalbandian told RFE/RL's Armenian agency later in the day that by signing up Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar service (Azatutyun.am) in Riga. "That is to the Riga declaration Baku made a "con- Mammadyarov, who represented his why their foreign minister left the confer- cession" to the EU. He did not elaborate. country at the summit held in Riga, ence room. They tried unsuccessfully to Addressing the Riga forum on reportedly stormed out of its concluding bring him back." Thursday, President Serzh Sargsyan session that discussed the text drafted by "But in the end, as a result of appropri- insisted that Baku cannot evoke the prin- EU officials. News reports from the ate negotiations, it was agreed that the ciple of territorial integrity in its efforts to Latvian capital said Mammadyarov declaration will be adopted [without any regain control over the disputed territory. demanded changes relating to the amendments] and that Azerbaijan will "Nagorno-Karabakh has nothing to do Karabakh dispute. [separately] present its objections regard- with Azerbaijan's territorial integrity The 13-page declaration calls for the ing the corresponding provision," because it has never been part of an inde- resolution of ethnic and territorial dis- Nalbandian said. pendent Azerbaijan," Serzh Sargsyan putes in the former Soviet Union "on the "So what does this mean? It means said. President reaffirms support for EU Eastern Partnership President Serzh Sargsyan has reaf- Partnership program. advance domestic "modernization" firmed Armenia's commitment to deep- Serzh Sargsyan stated in Riga that based on Armenia's "common values" ening ties with the European Union in a Armenia has already benefited from the with Europe, rather than an opportunity way that would not run counter to its program. It has given new impetus to to exploit the West's geopolitical rivalry recent accession to a Russian-led political and economic reforms in the with Russia. In that context, he warned alliance of ex-Soviet states. country, he said. against "public statements, containing "Armenia is committed to taking "Armenia's European agenda remains one-sided rebukes," clearly referring to steps together with its European partners a foreign policy priority," Sargsyan strong Western criticism of Russia's role to form a new legal basis for our relation- declared in another speech that was in the conflict in Ukraine. The conflict- ship,"Serzh Sargsyan said at the start of a delivered in the Latvian capital earlier in ing parties should seek to "understand two-day EU summit in Riga late on the day. He attended a meeting of the each other and respect each other's Thursday. He stressed that a planned new leaders, among them German Chancellor issues" instead, he said. Armenia-EU accord will be "compati- Angela Merkel, of the European People's Accordingly, Sargsyan refused to ble" with his country's membership in Party (EPP), a coalition of Europe's lead- back a draft EPP declaration that accuses the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). ing center-right parties. The ruling Russia, Armenia's main military ally, of There was no such compatibility with Republican Party of Armenia is also unleashing military aggression against an Association Agreement, including a affiliated with the EPP. Ukraine. Yerevan also objected to similar significant free-trade component, which Speaking at the EPP gathering, language in a joint communique that was Yerevan and Brussels were close to final- Sargsyan said Yerevan regards the due to be adopted by the EU summit on izing in 2013.The EU abandoned the Eastern Partnership as an opportunity to May 22. agreement after Armenia unexpectedly decided to join Russia's trade bloc with Noyan Tapan Press-Center Belarus and Kazakhstan. Noyan Tapan Press Center holds different discussions, press confer- The Armenian government and the ences, round tables, teleconferences, seminars each week which European Commission are due to start are broadcast live on the Internet. We invite you to take advantage talks soon on a less ambitious accord of the Center, as well as to place your banner in our Press Room. stemming from the EU's Eastern Tel: 060 27 64 62. Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor 25 May #21 (1061) 2015 4 www.nt.am POLITICS Participants of the Riga Summit adopt Joint Declaration The Heads of State or Government and a political solution based on respect and the representatives of the Republic of for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the and territorial integrity.