Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 06.12.2019:

·       US Senator Robert Menendez and Sen. Ted Cruz issue a bipartisan call for unanimous consent for Senate adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution for the third time. However, Senator from North Dakota Kevin Cramer blocked the resolution saying “adoption is unnecessary today”. “I intend to come to the floor every week,” Menendez promised.

The White House asked Sen. Kevin Cramer to block a motion calling the mass killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire a "genocide" and the North Dakota Republican complied, Cramer told CNN on Thursday. Cramer said the White House wanted the resolution blocked because President Donald Trump had just met with the Turkish President at the NATO summit.

·       OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair states’ heads of delegation welcome the intention of the Azerbaijani and Armenian FMs to meet again in early 2020, the statement issued on Thursday said.

During his speech, Armenian FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan noted that they had round of consultations with his Azerbaijani counterpart and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

According to him, there is no alternative to the peaceful settlement of the conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship; the inalienable right of the Karabakh people to self-determination represents a fundamental principle and foundation for the peaceful resolution; the security of the Artsakh people will not be compromised; the peaceful settlement should be inclusive by directly engaging all the parties to the conflict; peaceful settlement cannot take place in an environment of tensions and risks of escalation; the basic principle of non-use of force or threat of use of force should be unconditionally adhered to; and the maximalist positions of Azerbaijan, which ignore the will and sensitivities of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh are fundamental obstacles to a meaningful progress in the peace process.

“Finally, in the past month we have demonstrated a modest, and yet important example of confidence building between all the parties to the conflict,” he added.

·       Armenian parliament approved Friday the draft state budget for 2020.

A total of 69 MPs voted for the bill, whereas 37—against it. Members of the ruling My Step bloc supported the budget plant, whereas the opposition from the Bright Armenia and Prosperous Armenia parties opposed it.

·       Armenian third president Serzh Sargsyan's lawyer has filed a petition with the Prosecutor General's Office demanding the termination of the criminal proceedings against Sargsyan, lawyer, Amram Makinyan, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

"The Armenian Constitution (...) guarantees the Armenian President's [presidential] immunity," the attorney said. "The President may not be prosecuted, or held liable, for actions arising out of his status during his term of office and after the end of his term of office.”

Makinyan stressed that there is political persecution against Sargsyan.

·       Gayane Vardanyan, a member of the majority of My Step faction, came to the special session of the Yerevan Council of Elders today with her newborn baby.

"I especially salute the youngest one who joined us during the session," Mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marutyan said before the session began. “Let us all applaud. And here comes the pediatrician.” There was liveliness at the council session, and then the council members started discussing the only issue on the agenda.