VIENNA, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS: OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Ambassador Bernard Fassier of France, Ambassador Robert Bradtke of the United States, Ambassador Igor Popov of the Russian Federation) met with the members of the Minsk Group July 28 in Vienna, Austria. Armenpress reports, citing the OSCE official website, that they have circulated a message related to the meeting. 

YEREVAN, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS: Armenian deputy foreign minister Karine Ghazinyan received today outgoing Swiss ambassador to Armenia Lorenzo Amberg. 

YEREVAN, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS: “Turkish-Kurdish clashes, right, are inner issues, but they bear the impact of the foreign forces,” administrative director of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) Karapet Kalenchyan told Armenpress. According to him, when tension in the Turkish-American or Turkish Israeli relations is becoming notable the Kurdish factor becomes active inside Turkey. 

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS: Armenian ambassador Ara Hakobyan handed July 20 his credentials to the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa. Armenian Foreign Ministry’s press and information department told Armenpress that at the conversation followed after the handing ceremony the ambassador highlighted the friendly relations between Sri Lanka and Armenia and noted that after the end of inner conflict lasting for tens of years the peace and stability established in Sri Lanka create more favorable atmosphere for further development of bilateral cooperation. 

YEREVAN, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS: Delegation headed by the Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan was in Afghanistan July 24-26 on a working visit. Public relations office of the DM told Armenpress that July 24 the minister visited the Armenian contingent located in Kunduz, got acquainted with the conditions of the service, visited the base of the Kunduz airport the security of which is being ensured by the Armenian contingent. Spiritual leader of the Armenian Armed Forces Archbishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan blessed the St. Tadevos chapel built by the Armenian peacekeepers. 

YEREVAN, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS: “Armenian-Ukrainian relations continue developing dynamically,” the outgoing Ukrainian ambassador to Armenia Alexander Bozhko said today at a news conference. Ending his tenure in Armenia, he noted that during the years of his tenure serious changes took place in Armenia and the region and in the whole world too. The most serious event in the region he considers the 2008 Russian-Georgian war and the essential change in the global scale was caused by the financial-economic crisis. 

YEREVAN, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS: The ruling of the International Court of Justice about Kosovo is a good occasion for the international community to undertake certain steps toward the recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, head of the “European Integration” non-governmental organization Karen Bekaryan said today at a meeting with reporters. According to him, in the recognition process the Karabakhi authorities and particularly the foreign ministry and parliament must carry out active and dynamic activity. 

YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS: Immediately after the next day of elections parties are starting to prepare for the regular one, vice chairman of the Armenian parliament Samvel Nikoyan stated today at the meeting with reporters, referring to the coming parliamentary elections, adding that if before it another propaganda format has been implemented and afterwards each party work was aimed at next elections. “And naturally as closer the election day comes the congresses, replacements and changes of directions in parties are directed to it,” the vice chairman of the NA said. 

YEREVAN, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS: Delegation headed by the Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan left today for a two-day visit to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The delegation headed by the DM consists of deputy head of the RA Armed Forces’ chief headquarter, General-Lieutenant Enriko Apriamov, head of the Armenian DM’s defensive policy department David Tonoyan. 

STEPANAKERT, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS: The incessant war rhetoric voiced by Azerbaijan, the violation of the ceasefire regime and subversive acts do not give any privilege to that country, President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan told the reporters. 

STEPANAKERT, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS: The issues on locating peacekeeping forces in Nagorno Karabakh are far from the ongoing negotiations. The NKR President Bako Sahakyan said currently more serious issues are being discussed voiced by Armenia. 

STEPANAKERT, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS: The OSCE Minsk Group has changed its approach connected with the participation of the Nagorno Karabakh in the negotiations. Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan said that today everyone understands that without the participation of the NK in the negotiations, the settlement of the conflict is impossible. 

STEPANAKERT, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: After the decision on independence of Kosovo adopted by the International Court of Justice the political forces of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic came forth with a statement today at a meeting with journalists. 

YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on giving a posthumous title of hero to Mubariz Ibrahimov who was killed as a result of the provocation organized against the Karabakhi posts. Five Armenians have been killed and 3 Armenians – injured as a result of the subversive act. On the decision of the Azerbaijani President, a secondary school and a street will be named after Ibrahimov. 

YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: On July 22, the International Court of Justice has adopted a ruling, by which the independence of Kosovo has been recognized legitimate. “This is an unprecedented decision. For the first time the United Nations international court has given priority to the self determination right of nations and not to the right of territorial integrity,” spokesman of the Armenian Republican Party, NA member Eduard Sharmazanov told Armenpress. He also noted that the court has adopted a decision on the basis of the norms of the international law. 

YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: A session of the civic council of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) will be held July 28, chaired by Levon Ter-Petrosyan, coordinator of the ANC Levon Zurabyan said. 

YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: Armenia must continue claiming the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border, as it has been closed by Turkey illegally, head of the NA ARF faction Vahan Hovhannisyan said today at a meeting with journalists. According to him, the closing of the border is a way of conducting war. 

YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: Within the framework of the bilateral cooperation between Armenia and Germany and at the invitation of the German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg delegation headed by the Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan was in Germany on an official visit July 21-22. 

STEPANAKERT, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: Today in accordance with the earlier achieved agreement with the NKR authorities the OSCE mission conducted а regular monitoring of the line of contact of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the eastern direction of Seysulan settlement of Martakert region, NKR. 

YEREVAN, JULY 21, ARMENPRESS: The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discussed July 20 the candidacy of Francis Ricciardone for the office of US Ambassador to Turkey. An official from the Armenian National Committee of America reported Armenpress that Armenian-oriented Senator Robert Menendez addressed to the candidate a lot of inquires on the policy of the US about the issue of the Armenian Genocide.