Author: Aram Torosian

Armenia ready to contribute to improvement of Russia-EU relations – Pashinyan

Aram Torosian

Armenia ready to contribute to improvement of Russia-EU relations – Pashinyan

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18:41, 7 June, 2019

YEREVAN, JUNE 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan announced that Armenia is ready to contribute to the development of relations between Russia and the EU, the correspondent of ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan said during his speech at St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

To the question of the facilitator of the session if Armenia can in the future abandon the EAEU if the shift towards the EU continues, Pashiyan answered that there is no shift towards any direction.

“There is no shift towards the European Union, because Armenia remains in the place it is now. This is very important to emphasize, because we cooperate with the EU over issues of our domestic reforms. The EU is very interested in improving relations with Russia. I often contact with European leaders and I want to say that all of them support Armenia in developing relations with the Russian Federation. And this is very important. We are very transparent with our Russian partners in our relations with the EU, and we are transparent with our European partners in our relations with the RF. Of course, ruling out some security-linked nuances”, Pashinyan said.

The Armenian PM said that geopolitical games do not lead to any good thing and Armenia does not plan to participate in them. “I want to say that really many European leaders are interested in normalizing relations with Russia. I think the presence of the two European leaders here also speaks about that. I think many have understood in the world that geopolitical games do not lead to any good thing, and this particularly refers to the countries and peoples which become a platform for such geopolitical games. For that reason Armenia’s position is very clear – we do not plan to become part of geopolitical games. We have to establish normal relations with the European Union and the Russian Federation. We are a EAEU member state, holding the chairmanship of this year. Recently I paid a visit to the People’s Republic of China, where I mentioned in my speech that I am very glad we have a positive dynamics of relations with China. I think China, the EU and Russia are all interested in universal stability and I think that our main priority in these relations is stability and security. Of course, we, as an EAEU member state, understand our role and will contribute to the improvement of relations between our colleagues, not to worsening”, the Armenian PM said.  

Answering the question if Armenia has made an unequivocal decision in favor of the EAEU, Pashinyan said, “We are an EAEU member state. This is the only economic integration process we are member to and we will continue our membership, but it does not mean that we will no have relations with China. We will have bilateral relations with China and will contribute to the development of China-EAEU relations. As refers to the EU, here we cooperate for example, for the reforms in the judicial sphere in our country. It’s important for us to have a judicial system in line with the European standards. We are very glad for the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of relations between the EU and Russia and Armenia can be a bridge in this context”,

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan




168: “Armenians should be much more successful in Armenia which now offers unlimited opportunities” – PM meets with Armenian community representatives in Saint Petersburg (video)(photos)

Aram Torosian
| 23:21 | June 6 2019
Category
Society

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended an official reception in St. Petersburg, hosted on behalf of the Armenian Embassy in the Russian Federation, which brought together numerous well-known representatives of the Armenian community – cultural and public figures, business people.

Greeting those present, the Prime Minister noted that has been a tradition for him to meet with our compatriots during his overseas visits.

“Meetings like this are important because we hope that the New Armenia can become a center of gravitation for the entire Armenian nation. The changes taking place in the Republic of Armenia should make every Armenian living in the world proud of Armenia, proud of its content, economic and political status. Naturally, that feeling of pride should encourage them to contribute to the country’s development. Investing is usually perceived as financial investment, but I do believe that moral support is as much important. I am pleased to note that this positive contribution has been formed among the Armenians,” Nikol Pashinyan said. The Prime Minister said Armenia witnessed a series of fundamental transformations last year.

“Our confidence has been growing ever since. We have finally reached the point where we can solve the problems we face, and most importantly, make Armenia a competitive state in economic, political and security terms. Our goal is to make Armenia an influential, authoritative country on both regional and international levels, and we will go the same way,” the Prime Minister said.

Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that tangible progress has been recorded in our country in the first quarter of this year. “The Republic of Armenia was the fastest growing economy in the EAEU according to last year’s data. We continued to maintain our leading positions as of the first quarter of this year. Armenia boasts the highest economic growth rate in the EAEU, which is 7.1%. In April, economic activity was 9.2%. This does not mean at all that everything is excellent, but it means that development groundwork has started working,” the Premier said, noting that a free economic field should be formed in Armenia.

“Any Armenian willing to invest in Homeland’s development should be given the opportunity to do so, and that opportunity is already available,” Nikol Pashinyan said, adding that the Armenian government is no longer interested in easy-to-solve problems, simple economic schemes. According to him, we have to set fat more serious problems, including the making of Armenia an innovative and technological country. The Prime Minister noted that in March last year 95 percent of the citizens considered that political changes were impossible in Armenia, but the change came as early as in April.

“It was not easy to solve political issues, the process lasted a long time. I hope and I am convinced that economic development will not take so long. Why am I confident: just because I believe in our people’s talent. Many keep asking how come Armenians go to Russia, to the United States and achieve great success, but in the meantime, they cannot succeed in their home country. The time has come for Armenians to achieve much greater success in the Republic of Armenia, because the skills they have acquired in different countries of the world should be invested in Armenia where they are offered unlimited opportunities. I am convinced that this will happen. I want to say that I love you all, I am proud of the success that you have in the Russian Federation.

I am convinced that your talent will contribute to the further strengthening of your homeland, you can do that, there will be no artificial barriers before you because Armenia is your homeland, the country where I hope you and your children will live. You are allowed to get richer and enrich the country,” the Head of Government said.

Taking the opportunity, Nikol Pashinyan talked to those Armenians in attendance of the reception. They showed great interest in the positive changes taking place in Armenia and shared with the Prime Minister their ideas and initiatives to implement different projects in the homeland.

Armenia And Azerbaijan, A Fragile Truce After 25 Years

Aram Torosian
Worldcrunch
June 6 2019


Armenian soldiers in Yerevan – Jan Woitas/DPA/ZUMA      
Kirill Kriovsheyev and Aik Khalatyan
KOMMERSANT
2019-06-06

English edition • WORLDCRUNCH

English edition • WORLDCRUNCH

DZHODZHUG-MARDZHANLY — This village doesn't appear on maps or on Google. Old satellite photographs show just a few scattered roofless houses. Dzhodzhug-Mardzhanly, a village in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, was victim of the war fought between Armenia and Azerbaijan over this mountainous region in the South Caucasus in the early 1990s — a conflict that Armenia won. From 1994 to 2016, the village lay in ruins. But in the last three years, Dzhodzhug-Mardzhanly is very much back on the map.

During an outbreak in fighting in April 2016 Azerbaijani troops captured nearby Mount Leletepe, and the village was subsequently settled and rebuilt at a cost of $16 million. Dzhodzhug-Mardzhanly is now a propaganda trophy for Azerbaijan, a symbol that the republic has the resources to recover and rebuild its lost territories, while large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh remain uninhabited and in ruins.

Armenia brushes off the boasting, saying that Dzhodzhug-Mardzhanly had in fact been on the Azerbaijani side of the front since 1994 and that it was even inhabited, by a farmer named Oktai Gaziev and his family.

"I'd see Armenian patrols on the mountain," Gaziev told Kommersant. "They'd shoot at my house every day without bothering to figure out if there were civilians or soldiers there." However, he admits that there were army positions in Dzhodzhug-Mardzhanly, which have now been moved further forward. On the edge of the village a sign reading "Landmines" warns not to go any further: the Armenian positions are just 700 meters away.

Until 2016, Oktai Gaziev's children went to school in the neighboring village of Kazakhlar, and had to go to the nearest town to visit the doctor. Now Dzhodzhug-Mardzhanly has both a clinic and a school, and Gaziev's house is surrounded by new ones — granted to returning inhabitants of the village, which now has 503 inhabitants, half of its pre-war population. "The state helps all returning residents of Dzhodzhug-Mardzhanly, and even gives them livestock," says Totyg Nasyrov, deputy head of the district administration.

"We periodically hear firing, but that doesn't concern us — it's far away," says a local beekeeper named Makhmud. "We've come back home, and we're not going anywhere."

In the local school, Azerbaijan's leader Ilham Aliyev looks out from a poster. "The April war brought us a glorious victory. Mount Leletepe is the symbol of our heroism," it reads. The school's headteacher Zamin Khaziev says that the children are trying to learn about humanism, "but they also watch television and understand what is going on."

The seeds for the conflict were sown by Stalin.

It's been 25 years since Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a ceasefire ending a six-year war for control of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The seeds for the conflict were sown by Joseph Stalin, who allocated the region to the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic in 1921 despite it having a population that was 94% ethnically Armenian. The conflict resulted in the proclamation of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, a de facto Armenian protectorate that remains unrecognized by international bodies.

The balance of power is much different now, and it is oil-rich Azerbaijan with its modern armed forces that has the military edge. Only Russian mediation keeps Baku from reigniting the frozen conflict by military force.

The head of the Nagorno-Karabkh government Grigory Martirosyan says that the population of the region is 150,000, though Baku insists the real figure is three times less. Nagorno-Karabakh has a state program to support immigrants, which includes the allocation of housing, as well as social security payments.

In Talish, Nagorno-Karabakh — Photo: Celestino Arce Lavin/ZUMA

"The population of the republic is growing by 1,000-1,500 people a year," he says. He denies claims that the authorities are moving Syrian refugees in to boost the population, saying there are no more than 100 of them in the republic.

Azerbaijani parliamentary deputy Rasim Musabekov says Baku estimates the cost of rebuilding the entire territory of Nagorno-Karabakh at $27 billion. While this is not an obstacle for oil-rich Azerbaijan, it's a figure that struggling Armenia can only dream of.

Attitudes are confused on both sides of the front. "People have almost completely lost faith in the peace process," says Armenian sociologist Ovanes Grigoryan. "The tougher the Azerbaijanis talk, the tougher (Armenians) are prepared to react. On the other hand, the majority of people surveyed believe a peaceful resolution is the only way."

Despite an enduring climate of hostility, Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Zograb Mnatsakanyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov announced a campaign to "prepare the people for peace" in Paris in January. This was followed at a meeting in Moscow in April by an agreement on concrete steps to facilitate mutual visits by journalists and family visits for prisoners.

In the absence of mutual trust, and lacking Baku's economic clout, Yerevan is openly trying to improve its negotiating position. Immediately after his election as prime minister in May 2018, Nikol Pashinyan announced that he would insist that representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh are included in negotiations.

Let the goal be abstract for now.

Baku, however, has made it clear that this is unacceptable. "It is the Republic of Azerbaijan that is the Republic of Armenia's opponent in this conflict," says Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov. "This format was confirmed by a decision of the Council of Ministers of the СSCE [Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, the predecessor of the OSCE] on March 24, 1992. That's the reality. Everything else is either wishful thinking or attempts to drag out the regulation process under a contrived pretext."

Armenian parliamentary deputy Mikael Zolyan says both sides should put aside any specific discussion of a resolution for the time being. "Any detailed breakdown now will only do harm, so let the goal be abstract for now — peace," Zolyan says. "Later, when there hasn't been an incident on the border for two-three years, we can take the next step."

Azerbaijani deputy Rasim Musabekov is extremely skeptical about the intentions of the parties to rebuild mutual trust. "If you don't want to do anything, that's when you start talking about these things. Peace has only been achieved where there was either war or an extended confrontation," Musabekov said. "If Moscow's position means that we are unable to wage war for victory, then we will continue to harass Armenia. But we certainly aren't going to back down."

Armenian Assembly NGO sums up results of 1st year of activities and presents programs for 2019-2020

Aram Torosian

Armenian Assembly NGO sums up results of 1st year of activities and presents programs for 2019-2020

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18:32,

YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS.  The Armenian Assembly gathered to discuss first-year efforts and announced plans for 2019-2020, ARMENPRESS was informed from Armenian Assembly NGO. 

With the participation and support of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Russia, as well as the Russian and Novo-Nakhichevan Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, from May 27 to June 1, 2019, the Armenian Assembly is hosting Days of Armenian Culture in Moscow.

On May 28, the important day that marks the establishment of the First Armenian Republic, the Presidium of the Public Council of the Armenian Assembly held a meeting where the results of first-year efforts were presented, including cultural, educational projects, as well as those in the spheres of tourism and IT. The meeting of the Presidium of the Public Council became a part of the Days of Armenian Culture, the purpose of which is to popularize the culture and traditions of Armenia and to present the results of the Armenian Assembly's efforts.

During the meeting, members of the Presidium of the Public Council discussed the status of current projects of the Armenian Assembly, dates and phases of their implementation, and also reviewed the initiatives planned for 2019. 

The culmination of Days of Armenian Culture was the first gastronomic evening GOURMET FEST with the participation of chefs of Michelin Star restaurants – Karen Torosyan (Bozar Restaurant, Brussels, Belgium) and Stefano Ciotti (Nostrano Restaurant, Pesaro, Italy), as well as chef cooks of leading restaurants in Armenia (Chinar, The Club, Mayrig, Lavash) and chef cook Narek Avagyan from Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow.

The result of their joint efforts was the creation of a menu that represents a unique fusion of Armenian traditional and haute cuisines, based on the use of Armenian ingredients and techniques of European cuisine.

The evening also announced the launch of a new public project, GOURMET FEST, that will kick off in Yerevan this fall with expected partners MasterCard and VTB Armenia. 
The Armenian Assembly brings together successful and competent representatives of the Diaspora, who are experts in their field and possess valuable knowledge, experience, and are able to contribute to the implementation of the goals and objectives of the organization.

The Armenian Assembly realized more than ten various and quite important projects in 2018-2019 among them are development of the unique platform for a single church portal that will combine dioceses, churches, educational institutions, as well as will spread church news and events in Diaspora; the launch of the travel portal Armenia Guide, that aims to bring together representatives of the tourism sector of Armenia within a single platform for the development of tourism in Armenia; establishment of regional educational centers in the fields of IT, tourism and lifestyle-management in cooperation with the UN in Armenia. 

Armenian Assembly is a non-governmental organization supporting and implementing social-entrepreneurship projects in the spheres of culture, education, tourism, innovative technologies and science in Armenia and in the Diaspora. During the first year of its establishment, Armenian Assembly has implemented launches and support of cultural, educational, enlightenment, touristic and other projects.




Calendar of Events – 05/30/2019

Aram Torosian 
                        GROONG's Calendar of events
                        (All times local to events)

                =========================================
What:           Event dedicated to "Iraqi Armenian Educational Institutions"
When:           May 24 2019 4:30pm
Where:          St. Gregory Armenian Catholic Cathedral's Hall
                1510 E. Mountain St. Glendale, CA 91207
Misc:           With a high sense of gratitude to our Iraqi national Schools
                and educators, we have organized an event dedicated to "Iraqi
                Armenian Educational Institutions" under sponsorship of the
                Hamazkayin USA Western Region.
                Participating in the event are our youth with recited poem, who
                had received their Armenian education in Iraq, Singers, the
                screening of Iraqi Armenian Schools history video, former
                principals and teachers eyewitness testimony video, and remark
                of the Hamazkayin Board member.
                The event is free of charge to the public. There will be a
                reception at the end of the program.
Tel:            818-244-9639

                =========================================
What:           "Armenian Genocide. From the Bundestag resolution to the 
Implementation
                in Lower Saxony". Jointly organized by Hannover Historical 
Museum,
                Hannover Municipal Remembrance Culture, the German-Armenian 
Society
                and the Ada and Theodor-Lessing Adult Education Center Hannover
When:           Jun 6 2019 6:30pm
Where:          Adult Education Center (Volkshochschule) Hannover,
                Burgstrasse 4, 30159 Hannover, Germany

Misc:           On 2 June 2016, the German Bundestag passed the resolution
                "Remembrance and Memory of the Genocide of the Armenians and
                other Christian Minorities in 1915 and 1916".
                It says:
                "Today, school, university and political education in Germany
                has the task of picking up and communicating to future
                generations the study of the expulsion and annihilation of
                Armenians as part of the process of revising the history of
                ethnic conflicts in the 20th century. In particular, the
                federal states have an important role to play. "
                Some federal states have complied with this request, but others
                have not. With their joint event "Armenian Genocide. From the
                Bundestag Resolution to the Implementation in Lower Saxony ",
                the Hannover Historical Museum, Hannover Municipal Remembrance
                Culture, the German-Armenian Society and the Ada and
                Theodor-Lessing Adult Education Center Hannover on Thursday,
                June 6, 2019, 6:30pm will thematize above all the state of
                affairs in Lower Saxony.
Online Contact: [email protected]
Web:            
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.deutscharmenischegesellschaft.de&d=DwIB-g&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=wMBPuQOWil_5GMLkNrygLZs_LzQU3VtqhjG_fC29MRA&s=14kASyi5LUklOS2SSXSa8XW1VcCKgmB2qiF6bFHfMgc&e=

                =========================================
What:           "Urban Transformation of Yerevan: The Journey from a Provincial
                Village to a Capital City"
                a lecture by Architects Dr. Marco Brambilla & Dr. Andreh Marouti
When:           Jun 9 2019 1pm
                Following Church Divine Liturgy which starts at 10:30am
Where:          Armenian Apostolic Church of Crescenta Valley
                Western Prelacy's Hall, 6252 Honolulu Ave., La Crescenta, CA
Misc:           This presentation will cover the history of Yerevan and its
                transformation from a prehistoric fortress, through its
                dominance by the Persians, Ottomans, Tsarist and Communist
                Russia, its garden city master plan and its final image of a
                modern city today.
                Dr. Marco G. Brambilla is a practicing architect and an
                architectural historian specializing in the history of Islamic
                and Armenian architecture. He has taught and lectured
                extensively in major schools of architecture worldwide. As part
                of this research program, a major publication is underway
                regarding the art and the culture of Armenians in various
                regions of Iran.
                Dr. Andreh Marouti is a practicing architect with PhD in
                Preservation of Architectural Heritages from Politecnico di
                Milano. In his PhD dissertation, he reconstructs the image of
                Yerevan and Gyumri during the 19th century through the lens of
                European travelers and highlight the preservation status of
                their major monuments.
                The event is free of charge to the public
Tel:            818-244-9639

                =========================================
What:           Armenian Economic Association 2019 Annual Meetings
When:           Jun 27 2019 10am
                to Jun 29 2019 7pm
Where:          Armenian State University of Economics, 
                the Armenian National Agrarian University, and the American
                University of Armenia
Misc:           Scholars, researchers, and graduate students are invited to
                present their research in all areas of economics and finance. 
                No cost to present or attend.
Online Contact: [email protected]
Web:            
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.aea.am_conferences.html&d=DwIB-g&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=wMBPuQOWil_5GMLkNrygLZs_LzQU3VtqhjG_fC29MRA&s=x41Sa4Yfz1TX6RG8x2mKdB9MQ1O3VVLjdtmTnM9zTbI&e=

***************************************************************************

Armenian News's calendar of events is collected and updated mostly from
announcements posted on this list, and submissions to [email protected].

To submit, send to Armenian [email protected], and please note the following
important points:

a) Armenian News's administrators have final say on what may be included in
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b) Posting time will is on Thursdays, 06:00 US Pacific time, to squeeze in
        a final reminder before weekend activities kick in.
c) Calendar items are short, functional, and edited to fit a template.
d) There is no guarantee or promise that an item will be published on time.
e) Calendar information is believed to be from reliable sources. However,
        no responsibility by the List's Administation or by USC is assumed
        for inaccuracies and there is no guarantee that the information is
        up-to-date.
f) No commercial events will be accepted.
        (Dinners, dances, forget it. This is not an ad-space.)
g) Armenian News is a non-commercial, non-partisan, pan-Armenian outlet.


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Tarasov: “One gets the impression that certain forces are gearing Pashinyan and that he is trying to place a share of the responsibility on Karabakh”

Aram Torosian
| 19:26 | May 23 2019
Categories
Politics
World

Interview with Russian political analyst Stanislav Tarasov

168.am: Mr. Tarasov, you have been following the events taking place in Armenia in regard to reforms in the judiciary over the past couple of days. How would you assess the events?

Stanislav Tarasov: Every revolution has its genre and its episodes — external enemy, conspiracies, etc. In other words, this is the working style of a government that has a goal to maintain its influence, not solve the problems in society. Nikol Pashinyan has been in power for a year. The judiciary is one of the major branches of government, and the reforms in this sector had to be the first reforms.

The Prime Minister didn’t undertake these reforms, the old judiciary continued to function, and there were many cases, including the case of Khachaturov and the topic of Sargsyan’s relatives…there were also others who were charged under this or that case, in other words, the courts were functioning, and Pashinyan had no problems. As soon as the court released Kocharyan, Pashinyan immediately announced about the crisis in the judiciary. This means that even though there is a crisis, it is based on outlooks. Pashinyan wanted courts to be liberal, but be subject to his will.

If he was such a consistent liberal democrat, and if the court rendered a decision, and he hadn’t managed to implement reforms before that and now highlights the fact that it is necessary to implement reforms, he can implement those reforms. Who is holding him back — Moscow or Washington? This means he is late, and so the crisis of the judiciary is a crisis of governance. This is a very dangerous tendency since it can lead to chaos within the whole system of governance.

I would also like to talk about Kocharyan. In regard to this, Moscow supports the law, not Kocharyan personally. Presidents benefit from immunity, but the law was violated in Kocharyan’s case. Pashinyan is carrying out vendetta when he had to implement reforms. A year has passed, and the government has to report on what it has done over the past year.

168.am: The government presented 100 changes made a year after the revolution in Armenia.

Stanislav Tarasov: Yes, but the only changes were the opening of a sewing machine factory or other things…That is not a report. There is a need for serious reforms, but the government is intimidating investors through destabilization of domestic politics.

168.am: Mr. Tarasov, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia talked about the likelihood of conspiracy in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He talked about corrupt figures in the system in Armenia and their ties with Artsakh, stating that Artsakh is carrying out false propaganda against the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Prime Minister and that, based on his analysis, he sees a conspiratorial goal to provoke a conspiratorial war, even hand over some territories and place the responsibility for what happened on the Government of the Republic of Armenia. Is this possible in general?

Stanislav Tarasov: Listen, Armenians in Karabakh and Armenia are defending the territory that they want to keep under their control. On the one hand, when Pashinyan issued an order and dismissed the Minister of Defense of Karabakh from office, that was interference with the domestic affairs of Karabakh. On the other hand, Pashinyan states that Karabakh is a separate territory.

These are double and triple standards that no longer work in that society. This is a crisis of publicism and a crisis of genre, not politics. Pashinyan has found himself in a deadlock, but he needs to get out of that because he does not have the support that he used to have. People paid heed to his call and came out to the streets, but there were not as many people as there were in the spring of last year.

Moreover, many authorities, including the President, call on Pashinyan to observe the letter of the law. Pashinyan is finding himself in isolation little by little. Who is organizing a conspiracy in Karabakh? Is it Robert Kocharyan? His release was 100% legitimate. He isn’t escaping, right? He will simply be at home and will participate in the trials. His preventive measure has simply been changed.

So, Pashinyan is afraid of Kocharyan and his influence. Although Kocharyan has no influence based on surveys, Pashinyan is afraid, and this means that the government is in a political crisis and in a crisis of governance based on all indicators. Or is Bako Sahakyan organizing a conspiracy? As far as I know, Pashinyan and Sahakyan met in the morning, and Sahakyan is trying to come to terms with the Armenian authorities. Bako Sahakyan teamed up with Arkadi Ghukasyan as a guarantor because Kocharyan was the first president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, and if Kocharyan is referred to as a criminal, this is destroying the entire history of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

168.am: Although the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia states that there are tendencies for the cause of conflicts between the two peoples, this charge against Kocharyan is putting intensification of those conflicts at a higher risk. What can these allegations lead to?

Stanislav Tarasov: One gets the impression that Karabakh has stopped keeping silent. Karabakh has noticed a double game, and first and foremost, in the direction of Karabakh. Let’s observe all the statements that Pashinyan has made about Karabakh recently, and we will see that there is no logic. It’s not that he’s right or wrong. It’s just that there is no logic. We can’t say that the people of Karabakh will provoke a war and hand over territories because they will never allow it. If Karabakh is not your territory, why are you reprimanding the President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic? If the territory is viewed as an Armenian territory, then there has to be a different working style.

168.am: After this statement, there is an opinion that Armenia might take that path, laying the blame on Artsakh. What do you have to say about this?

Stanislav Tarasov: This can be justified because the policy on Karabakh is very inconsistent. I have said several times that, as I look at several developments, I get the impression that there is a plan or project. Karabakh notices this and has a feeling that something is going on behind its back.

Let us recall how Azerbaijan acted in the hottest phase of the interior political developments in Armenia — Azerbaijan supported Pashinyan and there was an agreement in Dushanbe. Now, Azerbaijan views that the time for Pashinyan to take a breath is over and is setting forth specific conditions. One gets the impression that certain forces are gearing Pashinyan and that he is trying to place a share of the responsibility on Karabakh. There is a differentiation between Armenians of Armenia and Armenians of Karabakh. This is bad.

Արմեն Սարգսյանը շնորհավորել է Վլադիմիր Զելենսկիին՝ պաշտոնն ստանձ­նելու կապակցությամբ

Aram Torosian
  • 20.05.2019

    •  

  • Հայաստան

    •  

  • arm

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Հանրապետության նախագահ Արմեն Սարգսյանը շնորհավորել է Ուկրաինայի նորընտիր նախագահ Վլադիմիր Զելենսկիին՝ պաշտոնը ստանձ­նելու կապակցությամբ:


«Համոզված եմ, որ Հայաստանի և Ուկրաինայի միջպետական հարաբերություններում առկա է զգալի ներուժ և լիահույս եմ, որ համատեղ ջանքերով հայ-ուկրաինական հարաբերությունները հնարավոր է բարձրացնել նոր մակարդակի՝ ի նպաստ մեր երկրների ու ժողովուրդների»,- ասվում է նախագահ Սարգսյանի շնորհավորական ուղերձում:


Նա նորընտիր նախագահ Զելենսկիին մաղթել է հաջողություններ, իսկ Ուկրաինայի բարեկամ ժողովրդին՝ խաղաղություն և բարգավաճում:

PM tasks Cabinet members to collect 100 facts about new Armenia in their activity fields by the end of 2019

Aram Torosian

PM tasks Cabinet members to collect 100 facts about new Armenia in their activity fields by the end of 2019

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13:19,

YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan tasked members of the Cabinet, heads of adjacent bodies to follow his example and collect 100 facts about new Armenia in their activity fields by the end of 2019.

“On May 8 I held a press conference during which I presented 100 facts and tried to sum up the results of 1-year activity of our government. I attach great importance to that document because it clearly shows what we have done during this period, but I also want to state that a new accountability bar has been defined by that document, and we should apply and adopt such format of accountability. And I also want to set a task that during my press conference at the end of the year we together must have another 100 facts about new Armenia. I expect all Cabinet members must work with this criteria. We will not wait for December to collect and release the facts, the collection and creation of these facts should be our daily work. And based on that I will assess the work carried out by our government members and the adjacent bodies”, Pashinyan said.

The PM said he expects working efficiency from the members of the Cabinet.

“This one year was a very important period, I will continue to state that heated political elections were held. 5 elections of PM took place in 2018, the snap election of Yerevan Mayor, snap parliamentary elections were held, and our government has been formed as a result of these snap parliamentary elections”, he said, urging the Cabinet members to make their activities more effective.

According to Pashinyan, the government’s key task for the future is to organize the normal process of the expenditure part of the budget.

“We must be able not only to ensure the expenditure part as envisaged by the budget, but also the 62 billion drams that is generated additionally as a state budget revenue for this year, we must be able to find concrete ways for effectively spending these sums. I have already given instructions, we, it seemed, have already made a decision over the 30 billion drams, but we must also plan additional expenditures for another 30 billion drams, we should do this quickly, but with serious discussions”, the PM added.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




Asbarez: Orange County Board of Supervisors Commemorate Armenian Genocide

Aram Torosian
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9 hours ago

Orange County Board of Supervisors Armenian Genocide Resolution

COSTA MESA, Calif.,—The Armenian community in Orange County supported the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day resolution at the Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting.

Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Vice Michelle Steel spearheaded the introduction of the resolution. Each year, Vice Chair Steel has led the efforts to put the resolution on the Board Agenda. This is the fourth year that the Board of Supervisors has recognized this day dedicated to commemorating those who perished during the Armenian Genocide from 1915 to 1923.and will be officially placed on the “Recurring List of Resolutions.”

“Orange County needs to continue leading the way to ensure that this historic tragedy is never forgotten and the victims of genocide continue to be honored,” said Vice Chair Steel. “Orange County needs to continue leading the way to ensure that this historic tragedy is never forgotten and the victims of genocide continue to be honored,” she continued.

Both Orange County Armenian church leaders, Father Moushegh Tashjian of St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church and Father Karekin Bedourian of Forty Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church, led the audience in the “Lord’s Prayer,” in Santa Ana. Father Moushegh reflected on the tragedies his family experienced, touched upon the background of the history, and the importance of recognizing the genocide. Father Karekin spoke about the canonizing the martyrs in 2015 when it was the 100 anniversary of the genocide. He led a prayer for the martyrs.

Supervisor Michelle Steel addressing attendees

This year, new language included the recognition of University of Irvine’s Meghrouni Chair in Armenian Studies Program, and its director, Dr. Houri Berberian. The resolution recognizes the UCI Armenian Student’s Association and Chapman University Armenian Students Association.

Christopher Khachadour, a history and political science graduating senior at UCI and chairman of the Armenian Students Association accepted the resolutions on behalf of the Meghrouni family, Dr. Berberian, UCI ASA and Chapman ASA.

He gave his remarks reminding the audience after 100 years, the Turkish government continues to deny perpetrating the Armenian Genocide and continues to undermine it—at all levels of government. He talked about Azerbaijan continuously waging a policy of aggression against Armenians around the world, but most prominently in the region of Artsakh.

Armenian community supporters included Anahid Arakelian and Bianka Asik, advocates of Armenian affairs in Orange County, Taline Jermakian of ANCA Orange County Chapter, Garo Kilejian of ARF O.C. Armen Karo Gomideh, Yrtsgn Sevan Bedourian, Pastors wife of Forty Martyrs Armenian Church and Hratch Hintlian Church office administration of St. Mary Armenian church board Dr. Levon Keleshian and Tony Markarian.

All Orange County Board of Supervisors meetings are archived and accessed on-demand.

Christopher Khachadour of UCI’s ASA accepting the resolution

Below is the resolution:

WHEREAS, in 1890 the Sultan Abdul Hamid II declared he would solve the “Armenian Question” in the Ottoman Empire, beginning violent actions that led to the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians throughout the Empire; and
WHEREAS, the Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out from 1915 to 1923, resulting in, the death of Christians, Assyrians, Greeks, and Armenian men, women, and children who were murdered or marched to their deaths; and

WHEREAS, these crimes against humanity also had the consequence of the deportation of nearly 2,000,000 Armenians, removing all traces of Armenians and other targeted people from their historic homelands, and enriching the opposing side with the lands and property of the victims; and

WHEREAS, the United States is on record as having officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, when on April 22, 1981, U.S. President Ronald Reagan, in Proclamation 4838 said, “Like the genocide of the Armenian’s before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it—and like too many other such persecutions of too many other peoples—the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten”; and

WHEREAS, the State of California officially recognizes the Armenian Genocide, and includes the teaching of the Armenian Genocide as part of the State’s model curriculum for 10th grade history students; and

WHEREAS, in 1986 the Armenian Students’ Association was established at the University of California, Irvine; and in 2007 the Armenian Studies Program was established, where in 2016 Dr. Houri Berberian was chosen to be the Meghrouni Family Presidential Chair in Armenian Studies with a $2 million-dollar endowment; and

WHEREAS, in 2018 the Armenian Students’ Association was established at Chapman University; and

WHEREAS, every student and person, regardless of ethnicity or national origin, should be made aware of and educated about the Armenian Genocide so that it and other state-sanctioned forms of ethnic cleansing may never happen again;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of Supervisors does hereby designate April 24, as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day in the County of Orange and encourages community groups, non-profit organizations, schools, and residents to appropriately commemorate these tragic events so that the victims may never be forgotten and the perpetrators be held to account.