Author: Aram Torosian

Ararat Mirzoyan presents details of his short meeting with Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu

Aram Torosian

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 19:12,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan presented details of the informal meeting with Turkish FM Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Stockholm. ARMENPRESS reports in a parliament-Cabinet Q&A session, answering the question of MP from “I have honor” faction Hayk Mamijanyan about that meeting, Mirzoyan said that he can literally represent his meeting with Çavuşoğlu.

“We did not have an official meeting, just walking from one room to another, where the official meeting was to take place, we walked side by side, greeted each other, got acquainted, expressed readiness to normalize relations, talked about appointing special representatives, agreed to appoint representatives as soon as we return to our countries and start the process. I think this is a good conversation, it is not an official meeting, but it is a meeting, and the signals are positive," Mirzoyan said, ruling out the possibilities of a secret meeting, and as it was not an official meeting, there was no corresponding press release.

Pope mentions prisoners of war in Christmas message

Aram Torosian
Public Radio of Armenia
Dec 26 2021
, 00:31

 1 minute read

In his “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message given at midday in Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Francis called for  dialogue, unity, peace.

The Pope observed that our world needs dialogue, especially in these pandemic times where unity and solidarity are essential to overcoming the hurt in social relationships, putting them to the test.  Imagine what our world would be like if it were not for the patient dialogue of so many generous persons trying to keep families and communities together, preventing and resolving conflicts, he said.

The Pope also prayed for the release of military and civilian prisoners.

“Child of Bethlehem, grant that the many military and civilian prisoners of war and recent conflicts, and all those imprisoned for political reasons, may soon return home. Do not leave us indifferent before the tragic situation of migrants, displaced persons and refugees. Their eyes beg us not to look the other way, ignoring our common humanity, but instead to make their stories our own and to be mindful of their plight,”

Russian fighter aviation holds drills in skies over Armenia

Aram Torosian
TASS, Russia
Dec 23 2021
Military & DefenseDecember 23, 12:14

ROSTOV-ON-DON, December 23. /TASS/. The crews of MiG-29 fighters of Russia’s Erebuni Air Base intercepted notional enemy targets in the skies over Armenia during drills, the press office of the Southern Military District reported on Thursday.

"The crews of MiG-29 fighters of the Southern Military District’s Erebuni Air Base stationed in Armenia intercepted the mock enemy’s aerial targets during training flights," the press office said in a statement.

Intercepted targets simulated the enemy aircraft during the drills, it specified.

The military pilots operated in air pairs to perform simple and complex aerobatic maneuvers in the mountains in adverse weather conditions. The pilots also practiced measures to compel intruder aircraft to make a forced landing, the statement says.

In 2021, the pilots of MiG-29 fighters of the Russian Air Base in Armenia conducted over 1,200 training and combat training flights, employing the aircraft armaments both in tactical drills and combat alert missions, the press office specified.

After the break-up of the Soviet Union, Russia and the Republic of Armenia signed an agreement on August 21, 1992, on the Russian troops stationing on Armenian soil. On September 1, 1994, the Russian 102nd military base was set up in Armenia with its units stationed in Gyumri and Erebuni. Russia pays no rent for its military base in Armenia. The base’s legal status is based on the Russia-Armenia interstate agreement with an option of its further prolongation. The current agreement is valid through 2044. The Russian 102nd military base in Armenia has about 5,000 personnel.

The Russian military base in Armenia is subordinate to Russia’s Southern Military District. It is Russia’s sole military base in the South Caucasus and is part of the joint Russia-Armenia group of forces. The base is intended to protect the integrity of the CIS borders and safeguard Russia’s interests in the region.

The military base’s air task force is stationed at the Erebuni airfield near Yerevan. Initially, the 426th aviation group had been stationed there since 1995 and in November 1998 the 520th aviation commandant’s office was added to it. At that time, Russian MiG-29 multirole fighters were redeployed to the Air Base. In July 2001, the 3624th Air Base was set up to integrate the aviation units stationed at the Erebuni airfield. The Air Base operates MiG-29 and upgraded MiG-29S multirole fighters, MiG-29UB combat training aircraft, Su-30SM multirole fighters, Mi-8MT transport helicopters, and Mi-24P gunships as its available and planned fixed-and rotary-wing aircraft.

Boston: Ceremony Amplifies Importance of Genocide Education as Baker Signs Bill

Aram Torosian
NBC Boston
Dec 23 2021
GENOCIDE

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is in the process of developing a genocide education framework three weeks after Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill mandating public schools teach students the history of some of the world's worst atrocities.

The education law, passed by the Legislature in November, is heralded by supporters as one way to make sure younger generations do not forget about mass killings and genocides. At a ceremonial bill signing on Wednesday in the State House Library, Baker said it will go into effect "as soon as that framework is developed and processed with our colleagues in local education."

"Generally speaking, while this is a requirement, we do want to make sure we process this through our colleagues in local government because they are the ones who will ultimately be responsible for delivering it," Baker said.

According to a Dec. 6 update from state Education Commissioner Jeff Riley, local school districts must comply with the law starting in the 2022-2023 school year and instruction on the history of genocide must stay consistent with standards in the Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum.

Both Jewish and Armenian advocates and legislators joined Baker on Wednesday at the signing including Anti-Defamation League New England Regional Director Robert Trestan, who said genocides like the Holocaust and Amernian Genocide "received a second life" as a result of the law.

"Their murder and the factors that allowed it to happen will be known and will be understood by all who live in the commonwealth. And while the focus of genocide education is about the lessons of the past, our focus must be on the future," Trestan said. "Prioritizing genocide education is an investment in a commonwealth free of hate and bigotry, and a world without genocide."

The law mandates public schools in Massachusetts teach the history of genocide and also sets up a Genocide Education Trust Fund to help districts develop curriculum, host trainings, and provide professional development courses. A portion of the money used to fill the fund would come from fines imposed for hate crimes or civil rights violations.

Baker formally signed the proposal into law at the start of December, setting up a requirement for schools to teach students about mass atrocities. About 19 other states had already enacted similar requirements at the time of the signing.

Armenian Assembly of America Massachusetts State Chair Herman Purutyan said he knows what it's like to grow up in a community where genocide was not taught, not acknowledged, and denied. Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Purutyan said he came to learn that asking questions about Armenians in the country "was to open ourselves to threats."

"In fact, I first learned about the genocide when I came to this country in my 20s," he said. "Continuous animosity, division, fear, and isolation prevented Armenians and other minorities from accessing their full potential as free and responsible citizens in Turkey."

Education Committee House Chair Rep. Alice Peisch, D-Wellesley, said Massachusetts generally leaves decisions on what is taught in classrooms to local officials, but this law is "one of those rare occasions" where the Legislature thought a mandate was appropriate.

"We all realized that too many districts were failing to teach to the state standard regarding genocide, thus increasing the probability that history could repeat itself, a concern unfortunately heightened by recent increases in anti-Semitic and racist behaviors in some of our schools," the Wellesley Democrat said.

Rep. David Muradian, R-Grafton, an Armenian American, said Armenians have grown up with stories passed down from generation to generation "of the horrific events carried out at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, each story seemingly more gruesome than the previous."

"Yet, we as Armenians have never let that define us. In fact, we have used it to drive us. We are driven to be contributing members of society and even more importantly, it drives us to be educators, and informers," he said. "We are committed to ensuring our youth, now and in the future, know our past so that we do not hopefully have anyone to repeat it in the future."

Copyright State House News Service
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/ceremony-amplifies-importance-of-genocide-education-as-baker-signs-bill/2597674/

Armenian analyst: Ankara and Baku are now solving quite different problems

Aram Torosian
Panorama, Armenia
Dec 20 2021

Below is an interview of Panorama.am with political analyst Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan, head of the Voskanapat analytical center.

Question: Armenia and Turkey are launching a dialogue aimed at normalizing relations. The sides have appointed special envoys to that end. What do you think Ankara and Yerevan will achieve as a result of this process?

Answer: I would say that the Armenian and Turkish authorities have already made significant progress in establishing relations between the two countries. In any case, it is clear that the process is not actually unfolding the way the public imagines it. Otherwise, how should we interpret the fact that the Armenian authorities, who refute regularly reported contacts with Turkish officials, are suddenly so enthusiastic about Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s statement on normalizing relations with Armenia and appointing a special representative to that end, and within days they appoint Ruben Rubinyan as Yerevan's special envoy for the Armenia-Turkey dialogue?

Obviously, this is not a new process and, by and large, everything was decided here long ago; Armenia and Turkey will soon announce the establishment of diplomatic relations and the opening of borders. In all likelihood there will be no preconditions. The reason is simple: the preconditions put forward earlier by Turkey are in fact no longer relevant, the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem won the 44-day war, the Armenian-held territories of Artsakh no longer pose a great threat to the enemy, and Ankara and Baku are now solving quite different problems.

Question: The Armenian Foreign Ministry has announced that Deputy National Assembly Speaker Ruben Rubinyan will be Armenia's special envoy in the dialogue with Turkey. Do you think he is a good fit for the job?

Answer: In my opinion he was the only candidate, or one of the few candidates. You see, Pashinyan's government has no choice. After all, it is not easy to act against the state and the people. Thank God there are not many such figures in Armenia. This is the reason why Pashinyan appoints not specialists to different posts, but those who agree to take the position.

Suffice it to recall that for months after the end of the war the head of the Armenian government failed to find a single candidate for the post of foreign minister. Thus, he tried to appoint Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan to that position, but it did not work out either. I think it was due to external pressure. Now Ararat Mirzoyan represents Armenia's interests in the international arena. With Pashinyan being prime minister and Mirzoyan foreign minister, let Rubinyan be our special envoy in the process of normalizing ties with Turkey. All the same, it is clear that none of them is a defender of Armenian interests and doesn't understand what Armenian interests mean in general.

Question: You said that Baku and Ankara are now solving completely different problems. What do you mean? What are the priorities of their regional policy?

Answer: In short, there is a growing Turkish role in the South Caucasus. As a result of the 44-day war, Turkey managed to become a military-political factor in our region. By supporting Aliyev in the war against Artsakh, Erdogan's government became the de facto dictator of Azerbaijan's foreign and security policy. Now Turkey is taking the next step and literally entering the South Caucasus. It needs, at the very least, open borders, communications and various infrastructures for that. At the same time, Ankara will do everything possible to first weaken and then completely neutralize the influence of other geopolitical actors, especially Russia, in our region. I do not rule out that the Turkish authorities may start to cajole the Armenian society after some time in order to resolve this problem. So please don`t be surprised if some circles soon start convincing the people that Turks are not what they used to be, they are now civilized, etc. This will definitely be the case.

The whole interview is available in Armenian here. https://www.panorama.am/am/news/2021/12/20/%D5%80%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%BF-%D5%84%D5%A5%D5%AC%D5%AB%D6%84-%D5%87%D5%A1%D5%B0%D5%B6%D5%A1%D5%A6%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%B5%D5%A1%D5%B6/2616614



Armenian President, UNICEF Representative discuss problems of children living in border communities

Aram Torosian

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 16:27, 17 December, 2021

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian received today newly appointed UNICEF Representative to Armenia Christine Weigand, the Presidential Office reports.

President Sarkissian expressed confidence that Mrs Weigand will invest her energy for the implementation of effective programs for children in Armenia.

Christine Weigand presented to the President the ongoing and future programs of UNICEF in Armenia, stating that their Office will continue the cooperation with the state structures and concerned sides so that children in Armenia will more widely use their rights to live, develop, get education and be protected.

President Sarkissian also touched upon the problems of children living in border communities, proposing to pay much more attention to them.

The sides also exchanged ideas about implementing joint programs with the Office of the President of Armenia.

Christine Weigand highly valued the activity of the President’s spouse Nouneh Sarkissian as the UNICEF High Level Advocate for Children.

The practical results of the peacekeeping mission’s efforts can be seen today – Ambassador of Russia

Aram Torosian

The practical results of the peacekeeping mission's efforts can be seen today – Ambassador of Russia

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 19:26,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. The Russian side attaches great importance to that the citizens of friendly Armenia overcome the stress caused by the war as soon as possible and gain confidence in the future, ARMENPRESS reports Ambassador of Russia to Armenia Sergey Kopirkin said on December 13 during the forum “New generation – 2021”.

“Russia, being faithful to its commitments, is making serious efforts to ensure stability, to restore peaceful life in the area of responsibility of our peacekeeping contingent, and to strengthen Armenia's security. At the same time, the humanitarian component is a clear priority. I think that the following initiatives in this direction are definitely noteworthy”, the Ambassador said.

A participant of the forum asked what steps Moscow can take if, five years later, Azerbaijan demands the withdrawal of the Russian peacekeeping force from Nagorno-Karabakh. In response to the question, the Ambassador noted that today their goal is to focus on solving the main problems.

“History, as you know, does not like ifs, it teaches us to act based on facts. That's why I would not like to dwell on such an important and hypothetical question. Today our goal is to focus on solving the main problems. These are ensuring the security of civilians, the whole region, the inadmissibility of the resumption of hostilities, the establishment of a normal life. It's important that the people feel safe and secure. It is obvious that in the light of these issues, the issue of peacekeepers will be resolved in the future, moreover, it will be resolved by all the participants involved in the November 9, 2020 declaration," the Ambassador added.

Sergey Kopirkin stressed that the practical results of the peacekeeping mission's efforts can be seen today. Demining works continue. About 26 thousand explosives have already been found, about 2.3 thousand hectares have been cleared, about 2 thousand buildings and 680 km of road network have been inspected. Much work has been done to rehabilitate civilian infrastructure.

​How a Highlands community helped survivors of Armenian earthquake

Aram Torosian
B B C News

Dec 7 2021

How a Highlands community helped survivors of Armenian earthquake


By Andrew Thomson
BBC Scotland


IMAGE SOURCE,LARINA BICHAKHCHYAN
Image caption,
Larina Bichakhchyan was 14 when the earthquake hit in 1988

Larina Bichakhchyan's life changed forever when she survived an earthquake disaster in the then Soviet Union in 1988.

And 33 years later she has been recalling how support she received from a small community in the Highlands of Scotland helped her recover and inspired her future career path.

About 25,000 people were killed in the Spitak Earthquake on 7 December 1988.

Larina was 14 and at school when the 6.8 magnitude tremor struck tearing the building apart and destroying her home.

She was later to benefit from a fundraising and exchange programme set up by pupils and teachers at Dingwall Academy in the Highlands.

'There was nothing left, only ruins'

Larina was in her maths classroom in the Armenian city of Gyumri when the earthquake hit.

She said: "We were all shocked and paralysed as we didn't know what was going on until we saw the desk legs from the classroom above hanging through the ceiling."

Larina and her classmates fled through crowded corridors as the building collapsed around them.

Many children were killed by falling rumble but Larina managed to get outside to safety.


IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Image caption,
About 25,000 people were killed in the Spitak Earthquake on 7 December 1988

She made her way home through streets that were now almost unrecognisable due to the scale of destruction.

She said: "There was nothing left, only ruins. It was like Hell. I couldn't even imagine this scene in the worst horror movie.

"Along the streets there were corpses lying and you heard people crying from under the ruins."

"When I finally reached my home there was no-one there from my family.

"But then I saw my father running to me. It was like a miracle. Together we climbed on the ruins and started calling out for my mum."

Larina and her family lived on the fifth floor of an apartment block. Like all the other buildings on the street it had been completely destroyed.

Larina and her father feared the worst because they knew her mother had been at home when the earthquake hit, but they heard her crying out from under the rubble. She had been badly injured and was trapped.

Larina said: "We started with our own hands to dig into the ruins. Some other men rushed to help us and together we were able to at last get her out."

Larina's mother was the only survivor from the building. Later that day they were reunited with Larina's sister and injured brother.

They had to travel to Georgia to get medical help because local hospitals were overwhelmed.

"We were all really happy to find each other and so it didn't matter that we had lost everything in the earthquake," she recalled.

Fundraising efforts



IMAGE SOURCE,MARIANNE DRANSFIELD
Image caption,
Marianne's family hosted Larina to Scotland

The images coming out of the disaster zone shocked the world.

International fundraising began to help with the rescue mission and provide support to the estimated 500,000 people left homeless in the middle of winter.

Dingwall Academy played a major role in collecting donations in Scotland with staff, including head teacher Alexander Glass and chemistry teacher Dr Kerr Yule, helping coordinate the efforts of pupils.

Ewen Ellen who was the head boy at the school at the time said: "We wrote a letter to every single secondary school in Scotland asking them to try to raise some funds for the Armenian Earthquake."

In Dingwall there was charity carol singing and a concert. Local businesses and organisations made contributions and children put in their own pocket money.

Ewen said: "We raised over £22,000. I remember an official from the Soviet Embassy coming up to collect the cheque. I guess it was a lot of money back then. I'd like to think it made a difference."

The Soviet authorities invited a group from Dingwall Academy, including Ewen, to visit Armenia to see the ongoing disaster relief work.

During the trip in August 1989 they went to the village of Nalband, which had been near the epicentre of the earthquake, and laid flowers on the graves of people who had died.

Exchange visit to Scotland

It was a difficult time for Larina and her family.

Left homeless they had gone to live with her uncle in the Armenian capital Yerevan.

The Soviet Union was beginning to disintegrate, power cuts were the norm and many shelves in shops were empty.

Larina, who had started learning English at school, was among a group of Armenian pupils selected to make a return visit to Scotland in September 1990.

She said: "It was a period when I was really down psychologically and it was kind of a boost. I felt so proud and so lucky.

"The most vivid memory I have, and the happiest one, is the greeting by the students and staff at Dingwall Academy when we arrived. We felt so special and I remember there was Scottish music with bagpipes."


IMAGE SOURCE,BILL IRWIN
Image caption,
The unveiling of a friendship stone near Dingwall

The Armenians were put up in the homes of locals with Larina going to stay with the Ramsay family, near Strathpeffer.

Larina says the whole experience was like a "fairy tale".

Marianne Ramsay was about the same age as Larina and the pair became friends.

They recently got back in contact for the first time in more than 30 years.

Marianne said Larina was accepted as just another teenager in the house: "I remember she had very few personal belongings with her. I wanted her to have some nice things to wear so my Mum took us shopping and bought her jeans and some nice jumpers.

"I remember feeling really pleased and she was absolutely thrilled."

'This warmth has stayed with me'

The Armenian youngsters took part in lessons and were taken on day trips across Scotland.

But the highlight was an outing just a few miles up the road to Knockfarrell where a friendship stone brought from Armenia was erected at a spot known as the Cat's Back.

Larina said she has incredible memories of this event.


IMAGE SOURCE,LARINA BICHAKHCHYAN
Image caption,
Larina says visiting Scotland marked a turning point in her life

"We were taught how to do a dance to Auld Lang Syne," she added.

"Next to the stone we were singing and holding each other's hands. This warmth has stayed with me. I can feel it now."

In 2001 teachers from Dingwall Academy also took a friendship stone they had made out to Armenia.

Looking back on the trip Larina described it as a turning point in her life.

It inspired her to keep studying English and she now works as an English teacher in Yerevan.

She says: "I really dream about bringing my family to Scotland.

"I am so grateful for what the people there did for us, their kindness and hospitality. They showed us children that we were not alone in this world."

Baku swaps ten Armenian soldiers for minefield maps – state security service

Aram Torosian
TASS, Russia
Dec 3 2021
Russia acted as a mediator in the swap

BAKU, December 4. /TASS/. Azerbaijan has handed ten service members to Armenia, Azerbaijan’s State Security Service said on Saturday.

"Guided by the principles of humanism, the Republic of Azerbaijan handed ten servicemen to Armenia on December 4," the service’s press service said.

In return, Armenia handed to Azerbaijan the maps of minefields in some of the areas Baku had taken under control, the service said, adding that Russia acted as a mediator in the swap.

Azerbaijan’s State Security Service pointed out that the Armenian service members were detained on November 16 after the clashes between the two states at the border.

The State Security Service thanked Russia for assistance in the exchange.