Author: Arsine Chaltikian

On 28 May Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan sent a congratulatory address in connection with the day of the First Armenian Republic. The message reads:

“Dear compatriots,

On behalf of the Artsakh Republic authorities and myself personally I cordially congratulate on the Day of the First Armenian Republic.

The 1918 battles of Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan and Gharakilisa occupy their worthy place in the heroic chronology of our people’s history.

During their centuries-long history the Armenians become convinced many times that the main guarantee of secure life is an independent statehood, its consistent reinforcement and faith in their own strength. The Four-day April war when Azerbaijan once again tried to carry out its genocidal policy towards the Armenian people has demonstrated this too. But, it faced the force and spirit of the Armenian army and was unable to carry out any of his aggressive goals.

Today it is everybody’s duty to keep alive the victorious spirit of our hero ancestors in the memory of generations to come, having before our eyes their example, guided by the national ideology and selfless patriotism, do everything possible for the two Armenian states develop day by day, become stronger and more powerful. The only way to accomplish this is a consolidated and cohesive work, aggregating the potential of world-spread Armenians and efforts of any individual Armenian for the benefit of the solution of paramount national issues. Only in this way we can forge new victories and go to a secure future.
I once again congratulate our whole people on the state holiday and wish peace and great successes.”

Photo:  Mikhail Pochuev/TASS

Agreements reached by the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents at their Monday’s meeting in Vienna are to put an end to the escalation in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a Russian lawmaker said on Tuesday, TASS reports.

“Agreements reached by the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents yesterday in Vienna are to put an end to the so-called April crisis and the aggravation of the situation at the border. It is vitally important bearing in mind that the conflict [in Nagorno-Karabakh] is still simmering and is still claiming human lives,” Leonid Slutsky, the chairman of the committee for the affairs of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots of the Russian State Duma lower parliament house, told journalists.

From this point of view, “the Vienna agreements are to be a model of a global solution on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement,” he said. “I hope it will be found in a foreseeable future. This is the problem we have no right to leave to the next generation.”

Asbarez – The Vice Chair Michelle Steel of the Orange County Board of Supervisors proposed a resolution that was unanimously supported by her fellow Board of Supervisors to officially designate each April 24 as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. The reoccurring event will be dedicated to commemorating those who perished during the Armenian Genocide from 1915 to 1923.

“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.

“Over one hundred years have passed since the beginning of the Armenian Genocide, and there isn’t anyone left to try or convict. But, there is still an opportunity to set the record straight. As a County, we denounce these horrendous crimes against humanity and commemorate the lives of the Armenian men, women, and children lost.” Said Vice Chair Steel

The Armenian-American community of Orange County turned out with representatives from community organizations, churches and school filling the Supervisors’ Chambers.

Garo Madenlian, representing the Armenian National Committee of America Orange County chapter addressed the meeting, voicing his support and extending his gratitude to the Board of Supervisors.

Also taking turns at the dais were pastor of the Forty Martyrs Armenian Church, Rev. Karekin Bedourian; pastor of the St. Mary’s Armenian Church, Rev. Mushegh Tashjian, Orange County Superior Court Judge Gasia Apkarian; and Brea City Councilman Marty Simonoff.

A renowned Russian conductor will perform in the ruins of Palmyra in Syria on Thursday, Russian media say.

Valery Gergiev will perform at Palmyra’s Roman Theatre, Rossiya 24 reported.

Syrian forces, backed by Russian air strikes, took back Palmyra from the so-called Islamic State (IS) in March.

Last July, IS posted footage online showing some of its fighters carrying out killings in the ancient theatre.

Rossiya 24 said the concert would be broadcast on Russian television later on Thursday.

Mr Gergiev travelled to Syria with the Symphony Orchestra of St Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre, where he is artistic director.

By Harut Sassounian
The California Courier

Ergun Kirlikovali, a resident of Orange County, California, and former president of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations, has carried out a life-long Don Quixotic battle against recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Unfortunately for him, the more he denies the Genocide, the more he helps publicize it.

Here is the latest episode of Kirli’s ‘heroic’ actions which once again backfired on him and his obsessive denialism.

On April 24, as 60,000 protesters gathered in front of the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles, Kirli showed up with a handful of his denialist compatriots trying to cover up the tarnished image of their homeland! The Turks’ presence at the protest attracted the attention of the local news media, generating more publicity for the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

To take credit for his anti-Armenian protest, Kirli had a cohort videotape his interview with KABC-TV, during which he once again denied the Armenian Genocide. Shockingly, in the midst of the interview, the KABC cameraman made derogatory remarks about Armenians, calling them “thug-like idiots.”

In its news coverage of the April 24 protest, KABC used a sound bite from Kirli’s 8-minute rant. However, no one would have known about the cameraman’s prejudicial comments, if it were not for Kirli posting the raw footage of his interview on Facebook, which got the anti-Armenian cameraman in hot water.

In response to complaints from the public, KABC promptly issued a statement apologizing for its freelance cameraman’s remarks and announcing the termination of his services with the TV station. However, KABC insisted that its story was “fair and accurate.” Many viewers disagreed, citing the inclusion of Kirli’s denialist views in the broadcast. In a phone conversation with KABC’s General Manager last week, I discussed the pitfalls of providing airtime to a denialist and the positive steps the TV station could initiate to educate viewers about the Armenian Genocide. Upset by the station’s conciliatory statement, Kirli posted on Facebook his “disappointment” with KABC’s apology and dismissal of the cameraman after complaints from “Armenian pressure groups.”

The Armenian National Committee of America — Western Region (ANCA) and Armenian Youth Federation — Western US (AYF) issued a joint statement contesting KABC’s decision to provide a platform to a notorious genocide denier and asked for a meeting with the TV station’s management. They justifiably contended that KABC would never interview a neo-Nazi while covering a Holocaust commemorative event.

Subsequently, KABC’s management agreed to meet with representatives of ANCA, AYF, and the Armenian Bar Association, and removed from the TV station’s website Kirli’s offensive words along with the questionable news story! After the meeting, Cheryl Kunin Fair, President and General Manager of KABC-TV, issued the following highly principled statement on May 2:

“ABC7 regrets what happened and apologizes for the pain this incident caused the Armenian community, especially on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. The actions of the cameraman in question, who no longer works for the station, and the resulting story that aired that day, were not an accurate reflection of ABC7′ s commitment to the Armenian community. While the cameraman’s comments did not air, we regret the inclusion in our story of a short bite from the interview denying the existence of the Genocide on historical grounds, which is counter to the position of a majority of historians today who do call it a Genocide, and see the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians as a premeditated and systematic campaign to exterminate an entire people. Efforts are underway in partnership with the ANCA, AYF, Armenian Bar Association and others to provide opportunities for public dialogue, internal education, and meaningful stories about and for the Armenian community and their efforts for Genocide recognition and education. We are committed to moving forward with these initiatives and we thank the ANCA and its partner organizations for their leadership in this dialogue and willingness to listen.”

KABC-TV should be commended for issuing such a reassuring statement, apologizing for the offense caused to the Armenian community, promising not to use the services of the bigoted cameraman, expressing regret for interviewing a genocide denialist, reaffirming the truth of the Armenian Genocide, and pledging to work with community organizations to educate the public on this critical issue. Without Kirli’s persistent denialist endeavors, none of these constructive steps would have been possible!

“The military action unleashed by Azerbaijan and the latter’s provocative actions on the diplomatic level have deadlocked the negotiation process,” Spokesman for the NKR President David Babayan told .

“Now Azerbaijan is trying to present Armenia and Artsakh as a non-constructive party,” he said.

“This comes to prove Azerbaijan is not ready for negotiations,” Babayan said, adding that “resumption of talks is possible only in case

“It’s very difficult to revitalize the negotiation process, but even is talks resume, the discussions will start from the very first stage, and will not focus on final political solutions,” Babayan said.

As a first step the Spokesman pointed to the necessary to implement the mechanisms for investigation of border incidents. “Without this it will be impossible to proceed to the discussion of political issues,” he noted.

Both official Stepanakert and official Yerevan have always stressed the importance of implementation of this measure. This is the basis, which the future talks should build upon.

He said the four-day war has caused a great harm to the negotiation process, and speaking about political issues after Azeri aggression would be illogical.

According to Babayan, speaking about any new document is untimely. “One thing is clear. There can be no return to the past, with regard to borders and status. Artsakh must be able to defend itself without outer interference,” he said.

Photo: Reuters

 

The UN says the situation in Syria’s city of Aleppo is catastrophic, after dozens of people were killed in attacks on targets including a hospital, the BBC reports.

Air strikes on and around the Medecins Sans Frontieres-backed al-Quds hospital killed at least 27 people, while more than 30 died in other attacks.

UN envoy Jan Egeland said the next days would be vital for the humanitarian aid lifeline for much of Syria.

The violence has left a partial truce hanging by a thread.

UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura warned the cessation of hostilities agreed between non-jihadist rebels and government forces on 27 February was now “barely alive”.

Amenian GM Levon Aronian beat World Champion  Magnus Carlsen of Norway in Round 8 of the Norway Chess-2016 super tournament.

The two ae now tied for the lead with just one round to go.

This marked Levon’s second subsequent victory in the tournament. The Amenian had beaten Pavel Eljanov in Round 7.

Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that U.S. President Barack Obama’s comment on the 1915 incidents represented a “one-sided interpretation of history,” Anadolu Agency reports.

President Obama described the 1915 ikilling of Armenians within the Ottoman Empire as “Meds Yeghern”, an Armenian term meaning “great calamity” in a

In a written statement ,Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Obama’s statement was a new example of a one-sided history telling of the “pain suffered during the World War I”.

“Turkey has shown the will to build a joint future with peace based on the shared living experience for centuries between Turkish and Armenian nations. It is sad that friend and ally countries encourage the circle that [aim] to deepen the conflict instead of answering [Turkey’s] call. It is obvious that the efforts to politicize the pain suffered in history do not do any good to anyone so far.”

“While this is the situation, the circles that aim to profit from the positions that third-party countries would take on the different dates of the year not only harm the hope for friendship and peace but they also disrespect the pain suffered during those days.”

“We invite the U.S. government to evaluate the historical facts based on a fair memory while taking into consideration the pain of all sides and adopt an objective, reasonable and constructive approach.”

President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Pedro Agramunt has held meetings with the heads of Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations to PACE.

“Met with Azeri and Armenian chairs of delegations in PACE. No conflict can be solved without dialogue,” Agramunt tweeted.

Met with and chairs of delegations in : no conflict can be solved without .

— Pedro Agramunt (@PACE_President)