Author: Ara Felekian

Georgia offers Armenia to become ‘noble partner’ again

Ara Felekian
Ekho Kavkaza, Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe's Russian-language Caucasus service
Dec 27 2017
Georgia offers Armenia to become 'noble partner' again
by Vladimir Unanyants
[Armenian News note: the below is translated from Russian]
The head of the Georgian and Armenian defence ministries discussed future cooperation and current relations between the two countries in the military sphere. Negotiations held within the frames of the visit to Tbilisi of a high-ranking delegation from the neighbouring country also touched on the participation of Armenian soldiers in multinational drills held in Georgia every year under the NATO aegis.

While Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan spoke with the top Georgian leadership, his namesake and at the same time, Defence Minister Vigen Sargsyan discussed military cooperation of the two countries with his Georgian counterpart Levan Izoria. They spoke without interpreters – in Russian, but behind the closed door. Journalists had to content themselves with the report of the press service of the Georgian Defence Ministry.

In particular, the sides discussed the participation of Armenian soldiers in annual multinational drills that are held in Georgia under the NATO aegis. Yerevan held a dual position this year: At the beginning of August, it dispatched its soldiers to the Noble Partner drills in Tbilisi, but then unexpectedly defused to participate in similar manoeuvres – Agile Spirit – held at the beginning of September.

Now, three months after the regrettable incident, Levan Izoria expressed hope that Armenian soldiers would be trained side by side with Georgian and NATO soldiers in the coming year, 2018. Before that, they can improve their combat skills in the mountain training school in Sachkhere.

For his part, Sargsyan thanked his Georgian counterpart for the proposal, but it is clear that he did not agree immediately. The Armenian delegation was going to Moscow from Tbilisi and it would have been incautious to give any promises in the current situation. Russia is Armenia's chief partner and the leadership of the country cannot afford not to take its opinion into account.

At the same time, Yerevan is nevertheless gradually developing cooperation with the West in general and NATO in particular. Therefore, Armenian pundit Ruben Mehrabyan is sure that both South Caucasus countries can find points of contact on these issues:

"Incidentally, this was discussed also during the visit of NATO Deputy Secretary General [Rose Gottemoeller] to Armenia. Armenia should definitely diversify its security policy. In this sense, relations with Georgia are of strategic importance for Armenia not only in the bilateral, but also the Euro-Atlantic context. Therefore, I think that 2018 is going to be much more fruitful than 2017."

Georgian military expert Vakhtang Maisaia also said that Georgia and Armenia have sufficient common interests in the military sphere.

"First, this is participation in peacekeeping operations under the UN aegis and the NATO aegis. You know that the Armenian Armed Forces are participating also in the peacekeeping mission) in Afghanistan, i.e. they are also taking part in such kinds of operations. There are also special trainings within the frames of the Partnership for Peace [Programme]. There are crisis management operations and counterterrorist efforts. This is a common platform for relations. Thus, although we are positioned on various geopolitical poles, there are a lot of points of contact and mutually linked spheres, where it is possible to cooperate also in the field of military policy."

At the same time, Ruben Mehrabyan stressed that Yerevan should observe its national interests without regard the desires and geopolitical priorities of the northern neighbour [Russia].

"I think it is counterproductive and detrimental to Armenia's interests and the interests of Armenian-Georgian relations to hew to Moscow's moods and whims."

According to Mehrabyan, it is necessary to behave similar to natural phenomena in relations with Moscow – like "heat" and "cold". In other words, it is necessary to take the factor into account, but at the same time, try "not to freeze in winter and get burned in summer".

Chess: London Chess Classic: Aronian makes another draw

Ara Felekian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 9 2017
Sport 14:50 09/12/2017 Armenia

Armenian chess grandmaster Levon Aronian drew with Wesley So of the United States at round six of London Chess Classic, the concluding leg of the 2017 Grand Chess Tour.

The round was victorious only for Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, who outplayed Michael Adams, the National Olympic Committee said.

The other pairs that drew their games were Maxime Vachier-Lagrave-Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura-Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand-Sergey Karjakin.

After six rounds, Fabiano Caruana is leading the table with 4 points, followed by Ian Nepomniachtchi, who has collected 3.5 points. Levon Aronian shares 3-7 spots with Carlsen, Vachier-Lagrave, Nakamura and So with 3 points.

Aronian will face Hikaru Nakamura at round seven.

London Chess Classic 2017 is a 10-player round robin featuring a prize fund of $300,000.

Azerbaijan’s meagre military budget – a chance for Armenia to close the gap

Ara Felekian
Eurasia Daily
Nov 30 2017

The key goal of Azerbaijan this year has been to neutralize the military and political consequences of Russia’s decision to sell Armenia Iskander missile systems. During ADEX 2016 (the 2nd Azerbaijan International Defense Exhibition), the Azerbaijani military leaders announced plans to produce Grom 2 systems jointly with Ukraine as a counterbalance to Armenia’s Iskanders. The only problem is that today Ukraine’s defense industry is not strong enough to be able to carry out this project.

So, the Azerbaijanis are looking for alternative options, particularly, they are considering buying Chinese or Pakistani systems, which are much worse than Russian Iskanders. After Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov’s Oct 2017 visit to Belarus, some media reported agreements to supply Azerbaijan with Belarusian Polonaise systems, which, according to Azerbaijani journalists, are no worse than Russian Iskanders. Armenian experts are not unanimous. Some of them say that Polonaise is worse as its rockets are not guided and add that the Azerbaijani army has lots of very different missile systems – Turkish Kasirga, Soviet-time and Russian Grads and Smerchs, Israeli-Kazakh Xs, Czech Vampirs – and this may cause them lots of logistical and organizational problems. The others are worried as they see this as the possibility of a preventive strike from the Azerbaijani side.

In the meantime, the Azerbaijanis are also looking for air and missile defense systems. They already have Russian S-300 PMU-2s, Russia’s best air defense systems. But those systems are aimed against planes rather than missiles. This is why recently Hasanov visited Israel and negotiated with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman the purchase of Israeli Iron Dome missile defense systems, successfully tested by the Israelis against Hezbollah and Hamas.

But home-made Palestinian Qassam rockets can hardly be compared to Russian Iskanders. And even though Iron Domes are not able to destroy Iskander missiles, the Azerbaijanis are still going to deploy them in Baku, Ganca, along the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Mingachevir HPP, the first target the Armenians will hit in case of a new Azerbaijani attack.

In summer, Azerbaijan received one more batch of Russian 9M123 Khrizantema anti-tank missile systems. The contract was signed in 2014. The first batch was received in 2015 but later the supplies were stopped because of financial problems. Now the problems have reportedly been solved.

In July 2017, while visiting Islamabad, Commander of Azerbaijan’s Air Forces Ramiz Tahirov signed a contract to buy MFI-395 Super Mushshak trainer planes. Super Mushshak is an upgraded version of MFI-17, produced in 2001, and is used by Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran, South Africa and Iraq. The Azerbaijanis have also bought Czech DANA-M1 CZ 152-mm howitzers.

Israel will continue supplying Azerbaijan with drones, particularly, Hermes 900s. The Azerbaijanis are also interested in Israel’s signals intelligence station, which operates not only against traditional enemy, Iran, but also against Armenia – a fact the Israelis are trying to hush up.

In 2018. Azerbaijan is supposed to receive Russian BMP-3 infantry combat vehicles. Its defense sector is actively engaged in producing sniper rifles, licensed Russian AK-74 assault rifles and pistols. South African Paramount Group has granted the Azerbaijanis a license to produce Marauder and Matador armored mine-protected vehicles. In Feb 2017, Azerbaijan presented its first home-made armored vehicle, Tufan, to be produced on a mass basis by Agregat Company.

Azerbaijan has an Israeli license to produce Aerostar drones. According to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, the Azerbaijanis are also developing reconnaissance-combat Zabra-1K drone. They are also negotiating with the Russians to open Russian Helicopters maintenance center in Azerbaijan.

The year 2017 was successful for Azerbaijan’s shipbuilding sector. The country commissioned its fought OPV 62 corvette and started building the sixth one. The fifth ship is being built in a shipbuilding center near Baku. OPV 62s have a full load displacement of 470 tons, length 61.79 m, a width of 7.62 m and draught of 2.77 m and Rafael MLS NLOS missile systems with Rafael Spike NLOS guided missiles, Rafael Typhoon remotely controlled stabilized naval weapon system, two Rafael Mini Typhoon, two 12.7 mm, two 7.62 mm guns and modern Israel-made electronics.

Also with Israel’s support, the Azerbaijanis have built two Saar-72s (72-m-long missile-armed corvettes). This is part of Azerbaijan’s program to confront Iran in the Caspian Sea. Under this program, the Azerbaijanis keep inviting American experts (from SEAL and Blackwater/Xe) for training their marine corps.

Azerbaijan is doing its best to strengthen its army and its key stimuli here are the conflict with Nagorno-Karabakh, the growing army of Armenia and the rivalry with Iran in the Caspian Sea region. But today Azerbaijan is not as rich as it was a few years ago. N 2018, it is going to spend on defense $1.6bn. This is much more than Armenia is going to spend ($512mn) but half of this sum will be spent on interior troops, national security and repressive arms. Defense will get just $800mn. The Azerbaijanis have lots of unpaid contracts but are still there to buy more arms, like MIG-29 or SU-25 – planes that will hardly be able to overcome the air defense systems in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Thus, the current state of Azerbaijan’s army and military budget is a chance for the Armenian side to close the gap and to guarantee stability in the region.

Anton Yevstratov, specially for EADaily


Herald House holds night of remembrance for victims of genocide

Ara Felekian 
The Chronicle: Quinnipiac University, Connecticut
 Tuesday


Herald House holds night of remembrance for victims of genocide

by Stephen MacLeod


Stephen MacLeod | The Quinnipiac ChronicleThe Peter C. Herald House
hosted remembrance services and a genocide awareness talk for the 78th
anniversary of Kristallnacht, also known as the start of the
Holocaust.

Rabbi Reena Judd held the event to bring awareness on genocide and the
dangers of allowing history to repeat itself.

"The Holocaust is something that has unfortunately been repeated,"
Judd said. "As a Jewish people, we tend to cling onto the Holocaust,
but we have to be aware of the horrible damages caused in other
cultures where they are not allowed to heal."

The night began with a short Jewish prayer ceremony. First, there was
a Schma, which is the strongest prayer in the Jewish faith, similar to
the Lord's Prayer in Christianity or the Salah in Islam.

A mourner's kaddish followed, which is a prayer in honor of the dead.
Participants prayed for specific lost friends and family, as well as
all victims of genocide over the years. A toast was raised in memory
of the lost.

Lastly, the Sabbath candles were lit as a way of remembering the day
of rest. Hallah, a loaf of bread, was passed around to help enhance
the prayer service.

"In Jewish prayer, we honor the Sabbath with prayer," Judd said. "We
welcome it with candles, sanctify it with the drinking of wine,
indulge in it with bread."

Judd invited Dr. Armen Marsoobian, chairperson of the Southern
Connecticut State University philosophy department and the child of
survivors of the Armenian genocide, to speak on his experiences.

The Armenian genocide was the Ottoman Turk's systematic extermination
of about 1.5 million Christian Armenians. Unlike the Holocaust or
other genocides in history, this genocide has never been officially
recognized by an international body or even the nation it took place
in.

To this day, the Turkish government claims that the killings do not
constitute genocide and that the death toll is greatly inflated.

"It's hard to heal (from genocide) as it is, but when you are ignored
or silenced it is even harder," Judd said. "As Jews, the world has
embraced our trauma and helped us heal with love. Even the Germans beg
for Jewish forgiveness and help heal. The Armenians do not have such a
lucky break."

Stephen MacLeod | The Quinnipiac ChronicleMarsoobian has spent the
past 10 years talking about his family's experience during the
Armenian genocide. His grandfather was able to survive due to his
skills as a photographer. The Turks offered Marsoobian's grandfather a
job as a propaganda photographer for World War I. He would be allowed
to survive if he and his family renounced their Christian faith and
converted to Islam.

They agreed, although they continued to practice their Christianity in
secret. While his grandfather spent the next two years in the army
taking photos, he also spent a lot of that time trying to hide other
Armenians. Over the course of the war, Marsoobian estimates they saved
between 25 and 30 people, as well as the 10 children in the family.
Amongst those 10 kids was Marsoobian's 4-year-old mother.

He encourages anyone interested in his family's story to read his
book, Fragments of the Lost Homeland. For more information on the
Armenian Genocide, he suggests the book Black Dog of Fate by Peter
Balakian.

Marsoobian passed out pamphlets from The Genocide Education Project.
The pamphlets gave 10 stages of genocide and how to recognize and stop
them in a society.

"Genocide begins with hate, regarding people as the other, and begin
the process of dehumanizing them," Marsoobian said. "When we see that
kind of bigotry go on, we need to say no. We get this feeling of how
evil people can be, but we also see these people that resisted and
said no. We have to be the people who say no to hatred."

Radio Interview: Joe Berlinger And Eric Bogosian Open Up The Armenian Genocide

Ara Felekian
WNYC.org
Nov 9 2017
 
 

Director Joe Berlinger joins us to discuss his new documentary “Intent to Destroy," which is about the Armenian Genocide.
( Photo courtesy of Armenian Genocide Museum Institute )
    
Nov 9, 2017

Academy Award-nominated director Joe Berlinger joins us to discuss his new documentary “Intent to Destroy,” along with Eric Bogosian who is featured in the film. Berlinger explores how the true horrors of the Armenian Genocide were obscured by the Turkish state, diplomatic pressure and Hollywood censorship.

"Intent to Destroy" opens Nov. 10 at the Village East Cinema (189 2nd Ave., between E. 11th and 12th St.).

Listen to the interview at

Film: Documentary ‘Intent to Destroy’ examines Armenian genocide

Ara Felekian
Los Angeles Times
Nov 9 2017
By Gary Goldstein
Nov 09, 2017 | 12:15 PM

Archaeologists excavate Armenian dead from mass graves, from the documentary "Intent to Destroy." (Armenian Genocide Museum Institute)

Like the recent "Architects of Denial," the documentary "Intent to Destroy" is another strong look at how an estimated 1.5 million Christian Armenians were murdered between 1915 and 1918 by the Ottoman Empire (which became the modern Republic of Turkey), and why, a century later, the Turkish government still does not formally accept the facts of this heinous massacre nor the use of the word "genocide."

Director Joe Berlinger uniquely explores this complex, disturbing issue by embedding with the production of "The Promise," Terry George's sweeping romantic drama set against the events of the Armenian genocide. Berlinger then uses scenes, off-camera bits and on-set chats (with director George, producer Mike Medavoy and crew members) from that late-2015 shoot to help create a highly dimensional survey of what Armenians often call "The Great Crime." ("The Promise," which starred Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale, opened in April to mixed reviews and disappointing grosses.)

The documentary, divided into three chapters ("Death," "Denial," "Depiction"), also features a wealth of archival footage and photos, plus interviews with actor-writer Eric Bogosian, former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans, director Atom Egoyan ("Ararat"), and an array of authors and professors, all of which adds effective insight into the genocide, its longtime cultural and geopolitical ramifications, and America's thorny place in the matter. It's a masterful effort.

————-

Not rated

Running time: 1 hour, 55 minutes

Playing: Pacific Glendale 18; Laemmle Playhouse 7, Pasadena



ՀՀ-ն և ՌԴ-ն աշխատում են համատեղ ներդրումային հիմնադրամի ճանապարհային քարտեզի վրա. նախագահ

Ara Felekian
  • 01.11.2017

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Մոսկվան և Երևանը մշակում են ճանապարհային քարտեզ՝ համատեղ ներդրումային հիմնադրամի շրջանակներում նախագծեր իրականացնելու համար, ընդ որում կֆինանսավորվեն այդ թվում նաև IT և էներգետիկայի ոլորտների նախագծեր: Այս մասին ՌԻԱ Նովոստիի հետ զրույցում ասել է ՀՀ նախագահ Սերժ Սարգսյանը:


Հայ-ռուսական ներդրումային հիմնադրամի ստեղծման նախագիծը ներկայացվել էր 2017 թվականի հունվարին: Դրա գործունեությունն ուղղված կլինի այն բնագավառների  ֆինանսավորմանը, որոնք կարող են երկու երկրների միջև առևտրաշրջանառության աճ ապահովել, ինչպես նաև զարգացնել արդյունաբերական կոոպերացիան և այլն:


«Ինչ վերաբերում է հիմնադրամին, մենք շարունակում ենք աշխատանքը: Վերջերս դրա ներկայացուցիչները Հայաստանում էին: Եթե խոսենք ներդրումների համար հարմար ոլորտների մասին, ապա դրանք են IT տեխնոլոգիաները, էներգետիկան, բարձր տեխնոլոգիական արտադրությունը… Ներկայումս կողմներն աշխատում են ճանապարհային քարտեզի մշակման վրա»,- հավելել է Սերժ Սարգսյանը:

Հարգելի գործընկերներ, խնդրում ենք օգտագործել հաղորդագրության այս տարբերակը

Ara Felekian 
Please find the attached press release of the Ministry of Diaspora.

Sincerely,
Media and PR Department
(+374 10) 585601, internal 805

----------------------
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Մամուլի և հասարակայնության հետ կապերի վարչություն

(+374 10) 585601, ներքին 805


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Azerbaijani Press: Three U.S. Congress members announced ‘non grata’ for Baku

Ara Felekian
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 25 2017
11:15 (UTC+04:00)
360

By Rashid Shirinov

Baku has expanded the list of persona non grata banned from visiting Azerbaijan.

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives David Valadao, Frank Pallone and Tulsi Gabbard have been added to the Foreign Ministry's list of undesirable persons, spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend.

Valadao, Pallone and Gabbard illegally visited the Azerbaijani territories occupied by the Armenian armed forces, grossly violating the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, as well as its “Law on exit from the country, entry into the country, and passports” and “Law on the State Border of Azerbaijan”.

Hajiyev said that by this illegal visit, the members of the House of Representatives, violating the norms and principles of international law and the Helsinki Final Act, justify and support the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia, the bloody ethnic cleansing of more than a million Azerbaijani civilians in the occupied territories, and aggressive separatism.

“Unfortunately, by such illegal and biased behavior, these individuals taint the image of the U.S. Congress in the eyes of the Azerbaijani and international public,” the spokesman noted.

Hajiyev added that these acts, committed jointly with Armenia and Armenian lobby, nullify the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group, which includes the U.S., aimed at ensuring sustainable peace in the region and resolving Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“By their actions these individuals have repeatedly proved that they are under the influence of the Armenian lobby operating in the U.S., in particular, under the financial influence of such a radical and racist organization as the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA),” he added.

The spokesman noted that relevant ethical committees of the Congress must investigate on which financial conditions these visits were made.

“We also call on other members of the House of Representatives who are guided by spiritual and moral values, the rule of law at the national and international level, and their voters,” Hajiyev said. “We urge to correctly assess and condemn the acts of Valadao, Pallone and Gabbard.”

Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia are considered illegal, and any individuals paying such visits are included in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's 'black list'. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions pay special attention to the illegal activity in the occupied areas of Azerbaijan.

Baku has repeatedly warned foreign officials and diplomats of illegality of visits to its territories that are occupied by Armenia, calling them contradictory to international law. The work is constantly carried out to prevent such illegal actions.