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President received Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Eric Rubin
Reply
Turkey Joins UN Cultural Committee: Wolf in Charge of Guarding Sheep
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Earlier this year, I wrote a column describing the Turkish government’s bullying tactics to reclaim antique objects from European and American museums. It is ironic that Turkey, one of the greatest looters and pilferers of other nations’ cultural heritage, would so aggressively demand the return of these antiquities.
Just in case its threats fail to work, Turkey embarked on a new course of action last month — bribery! Turkish Education Minister Nabi Avci announced on November 10: “Turkey has doubled its contribution to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) amid the financial crisis it faces with the United States and Israel not paying their membership fees.”
Minister Avci did not even attempt to hide the real reason for Turkey’s generosity. He disclosed that “significant progress has been made in Turkey’s candidacy for the UNESCO World Heritage Committee elections to be held on November 19.” Indeed, the Turkish Minister’s prediction came true when his country was elected to the 21-member World Heritage Committee for the next four years.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry immediately announced that as a member of that Committee, “Turkey intends to share, at the international scale, the experience and knowledge it has accumulated in managing and protecting its own 11 world heritage areas representing different layers of Anatolian civilization, including Neolithic, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods.”
Electing Turkey to a body that is supposed to preserve cultural assets is akin to putting a wolf in charge of guarding sheep. Turkey should not be eligible to serve on the UNESCO committee or on any other UN agency because of its long record as a major violator of human rights and the hegemonic threat it presents to the peace and security of neighboring states.
Not surprisingly, the Foreign Ministry’s announcement made no mention of the numerous Armenian religious and cultural monuments in present-day Turkey. Only in recent years, with the intent of easing the way for its European Union candidacy as well as generating income from foreign tourists, the Turkish government has renovated a handful of Armenian and Greek churches, after decades of neglect and systematic desecration and destruction.
Now that Turkey has undeservedly become a member of the World Heritage Committee, Armenia’s UNESCO representative has the opportunity during each meeting for the next four years to point out the irony Turkey faces — tasked with preserving cultural monuments, while remaining one of the biggest confiscators of other nations’ cultural heritage.
Murat Suslu, Turkey’s director-general of cultural heritage and museums, told the New York Times with a straight face: “We only want back what is rightfully ours…. If you come to my house and you steal precious objects from me, do I not have the right to get them back?” Mr. Suslu, who insisted that thievery and looting are wrong no matter when they occurred, must be reminded that Turkey can make such claims only after returning to Alevis, Arabs, Armenians, Assyrians, Cypriots, Greeks, and Kurds, what is rightfully theirs!
Just as ironic was the statement made by Ertugrul Gunay, Turkey’s Culture Minister, to the Economist magazine: “I wholeheartedly believe that each and every antiquity in any part of the world should eventually go back to its homeland. Even if these objects are made of stone, just as people have souls, so do animals, plants and monuments. Taking a monument away destabilizes the world and is disrespectful to history.”
Instead of falsely presenting their country as a looting victim, Turkish officials should acknowledge that they are in possession of numerous antiquities confiscated by their Ottoman predecessors while occupying over a dozen neighboring countries. For example, the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, discovered near Sidon, Lebanon in 1887, was shipped to Istanbul’s ArchaeologyMuseum under orders from Sultan Abdul Hamid II, where it is still kept as one of its most prized possessions. It’s now up to Lebanon to demand the return of this precious cultural treasure from Turkey! Also, Saudi Arabia has the right to reclaim a plethora of sacred Islamic relics removed from Mecca by the Ottoman authorities in the 19th century.
Turkey’s membership in UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee provides a unique opportunity for Armenians and other dispossessed nations to draw the world’s attention to the Turkish government’s illegal confiscation of their cultural heritage and demand their immediate return.
It’s a Christmas miracle! Airline makes stunned passengers’ festive wishes come true (pity the guy who asked for socks)
If you aren’t quite in the Christmas spirit yet then maybe this viral video from Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet will help.
The airline claims to have spent the past four months putting together its Christmas Miracle stunt, in which passengers got to tell Santa Claus what they want before catching their flight and hey presto it was there waiting for them at the other end of their journey.
The video was uploaded onto YouTube on Sunday and depending on your seasonal cheer levels, it is either a heart-warming reminder of what Christmas is all about or a shameless attempt by an airline to milk the holidays for all they can in a shamelessly icky promo stunt.
Passengers flying to Calgary from Toronto and Hamilton were filmed asking a virtual Santa Claus what they wanted for Christmas while still in the departure lounge.
The video shows a variety of passengers – young and old – take it in turns to tell Father Christmas about the gift they most what before boarding their flights.
Then we get to see behind-the-scenes as an army of 150 volunteers rush to the nearest retail park to fill their vehicles full of all the requested presents.
After the passengers finally touch down in Calgary we see them milling around baggage reclaim, which has been decorated to look as seasonal as possible with giant gingerbread men and even fake snow.
Then the baggage carousel starts up and rather than their luggage, the passengers are greeted with individual gift boxes containing their specially-requested Christmas gifts.
The footage of the passengers opening their presents is very touching, especially a young boy who looks super excited to receive an Android tablet and a young family get the biggest present – a big screen TV, looking slightly less impressed is the poor guy who only gets some socks and underwear.
He and some of the other must be regretting that they didn’t set their sights a little higher, after all they knew they were being filmed for a Christmas Miracle stunt.
Junk food and fizzy drinks cause children to be TWICE as unhappy as their healthier counterparts
Fast food and fizzy drinks could be causing widespread depression among in children.
A study of 10 to 15-year-olds found that children who played sports and ate healthy foods were twice as likely to be happy.
Gender and age were key factors, with older children largely the least satisfied and girls more likely to eat healthy food.
Teenagers were more prone to eating fatty foods and takeaways, and were less happy than their younger peers.
During the study, happiness was graded through 20 questions including how well the children got on with their peers, whether they were kind and shared with others, and if they got restless or angry.
‘In terms of eating junk food moderation is the key – we’re not telling anyone they can’t eat these foods, just that they shouldn’t be consumed all the time’ said Dr Cara Booker, from the Institute for Social and Economic Research at Essex University.
The coldest place on earth: Antarctica sets new record with minus 135.8F
Just looking at this map of the coldest places on Earth is enough to make you chilly.
East Antarctica has set a new record for ‘soul-crushing’ cold, recording 135.8 degrees Fahrenheit below zero on the mercury, or minus 93.2 degrees Celsius, according to data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Scientists say that is so cold it hurts to breathe.
A new look at NASA satellite data revealed that Earth set a new record for coldest temperature recorded on August 2010, then on July 31 of this year, it came close again, getting to minus 135.3 degrees, again in East Antarctica. The old record had been -128.6 degrees, which is -89.2 degrees Celsius.
Ice scientist Ted Scambos said the new record is ’50 degrees colder than anything that has ever been seen in Alaska or Siberia or certainly North Dakota.’
However, it won’t be in the Guinness Book of World Records because these were satellite measured, not from thermometers, Scambos said.
‘Thank God, I don’t know how exactly it feels,’ Scambos said. But he said scientists do routinely make naked 100 degree below zero dashes outside in the South Pole, so people can survive that temperature for about three minutes.
Just because one spot on Earth has set records for cold that has little to do with global warming because it is one spot in one place, said Waleed Abdalati, an ice scientist at the University of Colorado and NASA’s former chief scientist.
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL — MESSAGE ON HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
Human Rights Day marks the anniversary of the adoption by the General Assembly of the landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year’s observance also marks 20 years since a bold step forward in the struggle to make rights a reality for all: the adoption by the World Conference on Human Rights of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. Drawing on the participation of more than 800 non-governmental organizations, national institutions, treaty bodies and academics, Member States adopted a far-reaching vision and created the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) – thereby realizing one of the international community’s long-held dreams.
In OHCHR’s two decades of existence, five dedicated High Commissioners have spearheaded the work of the United Nations to further human rights globally. Through a wide range of norms and mechanisms, OHCHR advocates for victims, presses States to live up to their obligations, supports human rights experts and bodies, and — through presences in 61 countries — helps States to develop their human
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rights capacity.
Promoting human rights is one of the core purposes of the United Nations, and the Organization has pursued this mission since its founding. Then, as now, the key to success is the political will of Member States. It is States, in the first instance, that are obliged to protect human rights and prevent violations at a national level, and to stand up when other States fail to live up to their commitments. This is not always easy, and over the past 20 years we have seen genocide and many other appalling and large-scale violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
Improving how the UN system prevents and reacts to impending catastrophes is at the heart of a new initiative, the Rights Up Front Action Plan. The Plan aims to ensure the UN system and all staff recognize the central place of human rights in the Organization’s collective responsibilities. Above all, it seeks to strengthen our responses to widespread abuses and prevent such situations from arising in the first place through an emphasis on rights-based early warning and action.
On Human Rights Day, I call on States to fulfil the promises they made at the Vienna Conference. I reiterate the commitment of the UN Secretariat, funds and programmes to vigilance and courage in the face of human rights violations. Finally, I pay tribute to one of the great symbols of human rights of our time: Nelson Mandela, whose passing has plunged the world into sorrow but whose lifelong commitment to human dignity, equality, justice and compassion will forever remain an inspiration as we continue to build a world of all human rights for all.
Australian man in agony with a killer belly condition after he caught mystery bug from a can of beer he dropped in a river
A sip from a can of beer he’d dropped in a river was all it took for this grandfather to catch a mystery bug that made his stomach balloon.
John Macdonald, 60, was on the Brisbane River, in Queensland, Australia, was on a fishing trip in March last year when the ‘tinny’ slipped out of his hand and into the water.
Without thinking Mr Macdonald picked it up up and carried on drinking from it.
Just a few hours later he was violently ill and has since had to endure countless hospital visits and operations to try and rid of the large mass growing from his stomach.
Mr Macdonald was operated on at his local Caboolture hospital after antibiotics prescribed to him failed. Despite the drugs he was given more surgery.
He was transferred to the Royal Brisbane Hospital for a third operation which initially was thought to be a success.
Instead he went into more shock when he woke up with an even larger and more grotesque hernia-like mass on his stomach.
On May 8 this year, John was once again admitted for surgery at the RBH to remove the mass, an operation he thought would be his last – but now the condition has returned again.
Mr Macdonald is now making a worldwide appeal to anyone who can cure his mystery illness, the large mass had returned but he said he was told by doctors that there was nothing they could do for at least 12 months.
He said: ‘They operated and I was left with a flat stomach.
‘But not long after when you can see what you had for supper you know something is wrong, that was the day I knew I was in strife. I’m told we have to start the whole process again.
‘Clearly the Brisbane River is far more polluted than people think – it was a split second decision on my part – a stupid one – and I have to live with this for the rest of my life.
‘I want to tell my story to the world in the hope that someone somewhere might answer my prayers and finally get me well – I’m a good bloke and I want to be around for my kids and my little grandchild so if there’s a bloody good doc out there that can help, then give me a holler.’
China bans shark fin dishes at official banquets
China has banned dishes containing delicacies like shark fin and and bird’s nest from official banquets as part of a government crackdown on official extravagance.
Chinese authorities published new regulations that “explicitly ruled out dishes containing shark fins, bird nests and wild animal products in official reception dinners,” the official Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.
Xinhua also said that cigarettes and up-market liquors are not allowed to be served at official dinners and officials below provincial level should not stay in hotel suites on business trips.
The new rules aim to “regulate the use of public funding on receptions,” Xinhua added.
President Xi Jinping has made tackling official corruption a priority since taking power earlier this year.
Some hotels in Hong Kong and China have also removed shark’s fin soup from their menus and airlines like, Cathay Pacific, have banned the product from cargo holds.
Up to 73 million sharks are estimated to be killed each year, according to a 2006 academic study quoted on the website of campaign group Hong Kong Shark Foundation.
The models in masks: Shocking images show women forced to don medical garb for fashion event in smog-hit city of Nanjing
Elegant in their long white dresses and spectacular gold jewellery, accessorised with medical masks, the women sashayed down the catwalk to applause from watching fashionistas.
Thanks to sky high levels of air pollution In Nanjing, the capital of the smog-hit Jiangsu province, the masks were insisted upon by officials concerned about the impact of doing an outdoor show on models’ health.
Air pollution is becoming an increasingly serious issue in the world’s most populous country, with scores of coal-burning power stations pushing emissions to a level that is 40 times higher than the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organisation.
In Nanjing, and capital Beijing, conditions worsen in winter thanks to additional demand for power and have been exacerbated by the country’s rapid urbanisation.
And it’s not just fashion shows that are affected by the poisonous clouds: so thick is the lingering smog, flights into and across China are regularly disrupted.
The current outbreak of smog is affecting the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Henan provinces, although the capital has also been badly hit.
Other cities to face smog-related problems during the outbreak, which has lasted for more than a week, include Shanghai and Hangzhou.
But it is Nanjing that is enduring the worst of the smog, with officials putting the city on red alert according to Chinese news agency, Xinhua.
Report: German president to boycott Olympics in Russia over human rights
German President Joachim Gauck will boycott the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, according to a report Sunday.
The announcement would make Gauck, a former pastor, the first major political figure to boycott the Games, which will be held at the Black Sea resort in February.
According to a report in the German publication Der Spiegel, Gauck made the decision in protest against human rights violations and the harassment of Russian opposition political figures. The magazine said the Russian government was informed of his decision last week.
The German presidential office could not be reached for comment Sunday. Russia’s Presidential Press Service said there was no immediate official reaction to the report.
Germany’s presidency is largely ceremonial; Chancellor Angela Merkel oversees the government.
Some athletes have spoken out against Russia’s new “propaganda” law that bans even discussion of homosexuality anywhere that children might hear it.
Lenin statue toppled in Ukraine protest
Protesters knocked down a statue of Vladimir Lenin on Sunday as outrage mounted over the Ukrainian government’s push for closer ties with Russia.
A crowd of cheering protesters chanted “Good job” after the statue fell in Kiev’s Bessarabska Square.
Some pounded the monument with hammers, leaving pieces of the statue scattered on the ground. Only parts of the Soviet hero’s legs remained at the base.
Police said they were investigating but did not know know who had toppled the monument. Ukraine’s government news agency said a lawmaker with the nationalist Svoboda party claimed responsibility for the incident.
“This is the end of Soviet occupation,” the party’s Twitter account said. “End of (the) regime of shame and humiliation.”
The Communist Party decried the attack on the statue Sunday.
The toppling of the statue on Sunday came as 100,000 protesters took to the streets of Kiev, according to police estimates, piling more pressure on Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych after he turned away from integration with Europe.
UK’s strongest schoolgirl says her success is due to the bendy joint condition that once left her in agony
A 16-year-old has become the UK’s strongest schoolgirl – and says her success is thanks to a joint condition that used to cause her agonising pain.
Laresce Browne, from Eccles, Manchester, has six British and World Champion powerlifting records under her belt – yet until just two years ago a condition called hypermobility left her in so much pain she was unable to take part in sport.
Rather than let her condition limit her life, Laresce took inspiration from her weight-lifting father, Adam, 39, and began pumping iron.
This put an end to her pain and she became champion in her field.
She now holds a UK record for deadlifting more than twice her own bodyweight after lifting 105kg.
She can also bench press her own bodyweight of 50kg (7st 12lbs).
From birth, Laresce’s toes and knees grew inward and doctors diagnosed her with metatarsus varus, commonly known as pigeon toe.
The condition means her feet turned inwards.
It usually corrects itself by the age of eight or nine and does not require treatment.
Miley Cyrus’ ‘Wrecking Ball’ Named Vevo’s Most Watched Video of 2013
The music video for Miley Cyrus‘ “Wrecking Ball” tops the list of Vevo’s most-viewed music video of 2013. The Terry Richardson-directed visuals has so far been viewed over 371 million times and is the fastest video to pass 100 million views in the site’s history.
Released back in September, the raunchy clip features the former Disney princess going nude while swinging on the top of a wrecking ball. It garnered 19.3 million views during its first day on the site, immediately breaking the previous record set by One Direction‘s “Best Song Ever”.
Cyrus’ equally provocative “We Can’t Stop” becomes the second most-viewed clip on the site, raking in more than 310 million views. Will.i.am and Britney Spears‘ “Scream & Shout” surprisingly enters the list at No. 3, earning more views than Rihanna‘s “Diamonds”, Katy Perry‘s “Roar” and Pink‘s “Just Give Me a Reason”.
Bob Dylan Stratocaster sets auction record, sells for nearly $1 million
A guitar once owned by music legend Bob Dylan sold for $965,000 Friday at Christie’s, setting a new world auction record for any guitar, according to a statement from the auction house.
The 1964 Fender Stratocaster was purchased by an unidentified bidder, said a Christie’s spokesperson.
Along with the guitar and original case, newly discovered song lyrics by Dylan were also auctioned, according to Christie’s. The items were left behind on a private plane months after the 1965 performance. In 2011, the daughter of the plane’s pilot submitted the items to the PBS show “History Detectives” for authentication, according to the statement from Christie’s.
The selling price of the guitar almost doubled the estimated range of $300,000 to $500,000, according to Christie’s.
Previously, Eric Clapton’s Fender “Blackie” held the record for a guitar sold at an auction, going for $959,500 in 2004, Christie’s spokeswoman told CNN.
Bob Dylan Stratocaster sets auction record, sells for nearly $1 million
A guitar once owned by music legend Bob Dylan sold for $965,000 Friday at Christie’s, setting a new world auction record for any guitar, according to a statement from the auction house.
The 1964 Fender Stratocaster was purchased by an unidentified bidder, said a Christie’s spokesperson.
Along with the guitar and original case, newly discovered song lyrics by Dylan were also auctioned, according to Christie’s. The items were left behind on a private plane months after the 1965 performance. In 2011, the daughter of the plane’s pilot submitted the items to the PBS show “History Detectives” for authentication, according to the statement from Christie’s.
The selling price of the guitar almost doubled the estimated range of $300,000 to $500,000, according to Christie’s.
Previously, Eric Clapton’s Fender “Blackie” held the record for a guitar sold at an auction, going for $959,500 in 2004, Christie’s spokeswoman told CNN.
Jennifer Lopez Wants Her Name Restored After Divorce
Jennifer Lopez wants her old name back. The “Live It Up” singer is now legally known as Jennifer Muniz, which is her ex-husband Marc Anthony‘s real last name.
Lopez and Anthony have been going through the divorce for more than 18 months. They announced their split in July 2011 after seven years of marriage. Anthony formally filed for divorce in April last year but remained friends with Lopez.
TMZ reported on Friday, December 6 that Lopez had just filed a legal response to Anthony’s petition. They have both asked for joint legal and physical custody of their 5-year-old twins, Max and Emme but she wants the court to restore her name to Lopez as well.
Statement by H.E. Mr. Edward Nalbandian Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia 20th Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council
06.12.2013
(Kiev)
Mr. Chairman,
Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to start my address by expressing our condolences on the passing away of Nelson Mandela. I warmly remember my meeting and conversation in Pretoria with this great and wise statesman and leader.
I want to join the previous speakers in conveying my gratitude to the Chairman-in-Office, Minister L. Kozhara and his team for their efforts and contribution to the activities of the Organization throughout the year, as well as to thank the Government of Ukraine for the warm hospitality and successful organization of this Ministerial meeting.
The OSCE Ministerial meetings are always an opportunity to exchange views on how to raise the effectiveness of the Organization as a platform for generation of ideas and elaboration of concepts that would eventually contribute to Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security. The world we live and the security environment we are in, are transforming at an increasing pace; we have to address the common challenges and find the right solutions to them.
The year behind us was in many ways important in regard to positive deliberations and outline of positions. I would like to particularly mention the “Helsinki + 40” process. We perceive it as a process aimed at full realization of the vision of free, democratic, common and indivisible security community envisaged in the Astana Commemorative Declaration.
Views presented and the conclusions reached in the Progress Report by the Chairmanship on “Helsinki + 40” could be a ground for the future consecutive Chairmanships to take the process forward.
Our adherence to the vision of security community free of dividing lines and closed borders is an essential departure point to overcome divisions and strengthen trust and confidence among all participating states aimed at reconciliation. This should exclude unilateral blockades which have persisted in the OSCE area. This year the closure of borders with Armenia by Turkey turned into its third decade.
Mr. Chairman,
The effectiveness of our Organization to a great extent depends on our collective will and ability in an equal and balanced way to maintain our activities in all three dimensions.
The Security Dimension remains high on our agenda. We need to exert additional efforts for further modernization of the Vienna Document and full implementation of all confidence and security building measures. As for the current state of affairs in regard to conventional arms control regime, we should narrow our different perceptions and try to come to an agreement.
The intricate link between economic activity and environment is evident in our daily life. Armenia supports the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) and is taking steps to create an electronic mining database in the framework of Open Government Partnership, which could serve the purpose of improvement of the environmental transparency in our region.
The decisions on the agenda to be adopted at this meeting on the Human Dimension could become an additional tool for the protection of fundamental human rights in the OSCE area.
Trafficking in human beings is still one of the disgraceful violations of human rights that needs to be effectively repudiated. Armenia’s efforts to fight this crime have been duly recognized by our partners.
Mr. Chairman,
The Government of Armenia is implementing a wide package of reforms to further consolidate the democratic institutions, strengthen the rule of law, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, improve electoral procedures and relevant legislation, strengthen independent judicial system and expand the role of civil society.
The OSCE plays an important role in advancing democratic reforms in Armenia.
Our close work with the ODIHR and the Representative on the Freedom of Media and implementation of relevant recommendations is very productive.
The 2013 Presidential elections in Armenia were assessed by OSCE/ODIHR Elections Observation Mission to be in compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections.
I would also like to mention our fruitful cooperation with the OSCE Yerevan Office which implements projects across all three dimensions.
As the Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Armenia during the last six months stressed the necessity to further consolidate cooperation between the OSCE and the Council of Europe. Building on synergies of our efforts and avoiding duplications, our two organizations can achieve better results in protecting and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Mr. Chairman,
The resolution of the existing conflicts in the OSCE area continues to remain a serious challenge.
In this June in Enniskillen in the framework of the G8 Summit the Presidents of the three Co-Chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, United States and France, issued a new, fifth consecutive statement on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, where they once again stressed that only a negotiated settlement can lead to peace, stability, and reconciliation.
In Armenia we welcomed this statement saying that, as the Co-Chairs, we continue to believe that the principles and elements outlined in the statements of the heads of the Co-Chair countries over the last five years can be the basis for reaching a fair and lasting settlement of the conflict. We share the position of the Co-Chair countries, that those principles and elements should be seen as an integrated whole and that any attempt to select some elements over others would make it impossible to reach a compromise and achieve a solution. We absolutely agree that peoples should be prepared for peace, not war. Armenia has on several occasions reiterated and in response to the Enniskillen appeal of the Presidents of USA, Russian Federation and France, once again re-affirmed its commitment to the principles of international law – the non-use of force or the threat of force, equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and territorial integrity.
On November 19, for the first time since January 2012, a meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan took place in Vienna, and everyone knows that it was not because of Armenia that for about two years Summit meetings were not organized. In Vienna the Presidents agreed to advance negotiations towards the peaceful settlement of the conflict and instructed Foreign Ministers to continue in cooperation with the Co-Chairs to build on the work to-date with the aim of intensifying the peace process. With this aim the first meeting between Ministers was held on December 4th and we agreed to continue such meetings. We do hope that Azerbaijan is really returning to the table of negotiations with a constructive approach, which could enable us to speed up efforts to reach agreement on the basic principles, about which the Co-Chairs on the highest level have made several appeals and about which the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan expressed their willingness in the last joint statement adopted in January 2012 in Sochi.
A constructive approach is necessary for reaching not only an agreement on the principles of the settlement, but also for the realization of the confidence-building measures, proposed by the Co-Chairs and supported by Armenia, such as consolidation of ceasefire, withdrawal of snipers from the line of contact and the establishment of a mechanism for the investigation of ceasefire violations.
To achieve a durable peace, stability and security in the region, Armenia will continue to invest its utmost efforts towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict exclusively through peaceful means and on the basis of the purposes, principles and norms reflected in the UN Charter and the provisions of the statements of the Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries’ Presidents in L’Aquila, Muskoka, Deauville, Los Cabos and Enniskillen.
Mr. Chairman,
To conclude, I would like to express Armenia’s readiness to support the incoming Swiss Chairmanship in the implementation of its agenda.
Thank you.
Woman Fined for Facebook Invite to a Mass Party
A Polish court has fined a 23-year-old woman who admitted posting an invitation to an outdoor spring party on Facebook, which drew more than 20,000 people. Some of them were rowdy and got into fights.
The court in the southern city of Krakow said Friday the woman failed to seek permission or ensure security during the party in April on the city outskirts. One man was injured after falling from a cliff. The woman — identified only as Anna K., in line with Poland’s privacy regulations — was convicted of organizing an unauthorized gathering.
The court said the place is “extremely dangerous” because of its water tank and rocks. It fined the woman 2,400 zlotys ($785).
Germany to Take in 5,000 More Syrian Refugees
Germany says it will take in a further 5,000 refugees from Syria, doubling its current offer of shelter for people fleeing the Arab nation’s civil war.
The decision was announced Friday at a meeting of officials from Germany’s 16 states, which share responsibility for housing refugees.
Lower Saxony’s interior minister, Boris Pistorius, said Germany couldn’t look away from the humanitarian disaster in Syria.
Millions of Syrians have fled their homes, with hundreds of thousands seeking refuge in neighboring countries.
Pistorius says a Europe-wide solution is needed to ensure that each country takes in as many refugees as it reasonably can.
Germany has offered shelter to the largest number of Syrians so far.
Hilarious video of Tippy the fainting squirrel who appears to have over done it on the nuts goes viral
A squirrel who is apparently in the grip of a fainting fit has stolen the hearts – and piqued the curiosity – of internet users.
A minute-long clip shows a black squirrel standing and and nibbling a nut. It then suddenly freezes and falls to the ground for several seconds.
Then, just as inexplicably, the adorable rodent stands back up and starts chewing again, before again tipping over. And again. And again.
The video has spread across the internet, with commenters on various forums speculating as to what could be behind the showing the squirrel’s bizarre behaviour.
Theories have ranged from narcolepsy to heart problems, drunkenness caused by eating fermented food, brain damage, or even a nut allergy.
The clip was originally uploaded to YouTube on November 25 by Honor Via with no additional information about where it was taken.
It has already been viewed nearly 500,000 times on the video sharing website.
‘Hope he stays out of trees till he’s better,’ one sympathetic commenter wrote.