Author: Diana Dabaghian

Councilmember: Armenian American Museum will be a jewel in Glendale

Diana Dabaghian
PanArmenian, Armenia
Aug 18 2018

– 10:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian American Museum is going to be a jewel in Glendale, Councilwoman Paula Devine said when theGlendale City Council joined faith and community leaders this week in signing a “declaration of partnership” celebrating their work on the future museum, Los Angeles Times reports.

Museum and city officials inked the document during a joint press conference Wednesday following Glendale City Council’s unanimous approval of the ground lease agreement for the museum’s future site. The event was held on the second floor of the Downtown Central Library, overlooking the southwest corner of Central Park where the museum will be built.

“It’s great to be here on this momentous occasion,” said Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan. “It is a proud day for the city of Glendale and we are excited that the Armenian American Museum’s future home is going to be in our city.”

Initially, the museum was going to be built on a 1.37-acre, city-owned parking lot at Mountain Street and Verdugo Road, but community push-back forced it to be relocated.

Councilwoman Paula Devine said Wednesday was “one of the proudest days of her life” in public service.

“The Armenian American Museum is going to be a jewel in our city and a world class center that we are all going to be proud of,” Devine said.

The $1-a-year ground lease agreement will be for 55 years with options to extend the lease term for four 10-year periods, for a maximum lease of 95 years. The current parking areas around Central Library and park will be turned into additional green space.

Construction on the 60,0000-square-foot, three-story museum will begin within the next year, once museum board members and city officials begin raising funds for the $100-million project and reviewing paperwork, said Berdj Karapetian, museum executive chairman.

The museum will also include a performing arts theater, a learning center, a demonstration kitchen and a café. A parking garage with 2,626 spaces will also be built.

“People from all walks of life will see that the citizens of Glendale led the charge for this marvelous building,” Karapetian said.

Museum officials will announce opportunities for the public to get involved with the project at a later date.

Councilman Vartan Gharpetian spoke about a portion of the museum being dedicated to the Armenian Genocide, the extermination of roughly 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire 103 years ago.

“As a descendant of a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, people ask me how did Armenians survive?” Gharpetian said. “First, we settled into an area we’re comfortable with. We build our churches first, then we build our schools and our cultural centers.

“This is a center for children, as well as present and future residents, to come in and learn about where Armenians came from and where we’re going,” Gharpetian said.

Councilman Ara Najarian, the self-described “Armenian from Ohio,” talked about how committed he would be to the museum.

“I intend to be an active partner because I am committed to this museum, and I will help make sure it is is done timely and with the full community’s support,” Najarian said.

“The museum will be a legacy for the next generation and we have taken a great step towards making the project a reality,” he said.

Sports: Hrachya Chandiryan: Hard work helped us win European Championship medal

Diana Dabaghian
MediaMax, Armenia
Aug 17 2018
Hrachya Chandiryan: Hard work helped us win European Championship medal

Head Coach of Armenia national diving team Hrachya Chandiryan said that hard work and dedication helped them win bronze medal in the European Championship. 


Chandiryan summed up the results of his athletes’ performances in an interview to Mediamax Sport reporter. 

 

Vladimir Harutyunyan and Lev Sargsyan won the first European Championship medal in the history of independent Armenia. The medal was achieved in 10m platform diving. We registered success thanks to our hard work, and God was with us too.  

 

We fell behind the leaders by 15 points after the 1st and 2nd dives, but I knew that we would become medalists if the penultimate jump was a success. It turned out just as I previewed, they succeeded in the 5th most difficult dive and improved their positions. My athletes scored only 3 points less than the British athletes, who took the second place. 

 

Armenia doesn’t offer opportunities to train for synchronized diving, we synchronize the elements and do exercises only in the hall. The athletes trained in water for two times only and in the competition place. Everyone approached me and asked how we did all those incredible things. 

 

I was happy only for a few seconds after the medal, while this is a result of years of hard work in our conditions. We will see how the attention towards our sport changes. We will hope that it will increase and we will have good swimming pools, diving platforms and springboards to prepare for the Olympic Games. 

 

I am also satisfied with other performances of the Armenian team. Vladimir and Azat were in the 8th position in 3m springboard diving, which is their maximum at this moment. Vardan Bayanduryan got food poisoning and wasn’t able to participate in the competition. This is the reason why he didn’t succeed in the qualification. Lev started confidently in 10m platform diving and was among the 3 best, but he failed the 3rd and 4th jumps and appeared in the 7th position. 

 

The athletes will have some break and then they will continue trainings. 

168: I have impression that work with EU partners constructively moves on – Armenian PM

Diana Dabaghian
| 17:25 | August 11 2018
Category
World

Armenian deputy prime minister Mher Grigoryan’s office, the government representatives at the moment are working with the EU partners, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told reporters during his visit to Tavush province, asked whether after his Brussels visit there are talks that Armenia expects support from the EU.

“The work is underway with the EU partners, I have an impression that it has constructive nature. We hope it will be productive”, the PM said.

Head of the SIS: Charges against Armen Gevorgyan are not based on Wikileaks publications

Diana Dabaghian
Arminfo, Armenia
Aug 10 2018

Head of the SIS: Charges against Armen Gevorgyan are not based on Wikileaks publications

Yerevan August 9

Naira Badalian. The accusation brought against the former head of the Robert Kocharyan's administration, Armen Gevorgyan, was not based on the publication of WikiLeaks, Sasun Khachatryan, Head of the Special Investigation Service (SIS) of Armenia, told journalists on August 9. As Khachatryan indicated, the accusation to someone cannot be brought on the basis of publications in Wikileaks. "The basis is a sufficient comparison of the evidence of the crime committed by him," he explained. Evidence for these, he said, is specified in the Code of Criminal Procedure. Any other factual evidence beyond the scope of the Code of Criminal Procedure cannot be considered as the basis of the charge. At the same time, Sasun Khachatryan did not disclose details and did not present the evidence.

To recall, on August 4 Sasun Khachatryan announced on the Public Television Channel of Armenia that the former deputy prime ministerand ex-secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia, Armen Gevorgyan, was charged with pressuring a member of the Constitutional Court. As mass media reported Wikileaks materials were used to initiate a criminal case against him. According to Wikileaks information Constitutional court member Valery Poghosyan complained to the American diplomats that Armen Gevorgyan, who at that time held the post of the head of the presidential administration, exerted pressure on him so that he did not participate in the court session on discussing opposition's petition to review the results of the presidential elections. Under the charge Gevorgyan may be sentenced to 6 years. He was released under written undertaking not to leave the place.

After the presidential elections on February 19, 2008, a series of protests took place in Armenia, the participants of which expressed disagreement with their official results, according to which Serzh Sargsyan won elections. Street actions were organized by supporters of the first president of Armenia, Levon Ter- Petrosyan, who then also claimed a top position. During the clashes between the protesters and law enforcement agencies, eight demonstrators and two police officers were killed, 33 police officers were hospitalized. Around 230 people turned to the doctors for help.

Armenian FM, Russian deputy defense minister discuss deepening military cooperation

Diana Dabaghian
ArmenPress, Armenia
Aug 3 2018
Armenian FM, Russian deputy defense minister discuss deepening military cooperation


YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. Foreign minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan on August 2 received deputy defense minister of Russia, Colonel-General Alexander Fomin, the foreign ministry told Armenpress.

During the meeting FM Mnatsakanyan said Armenia highly appreciates the military and military-technical cooperation between the two countries both in bilateral and multilateral formats. In this context he highlighted that Armenia attaches great importance to the further strengthening of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and is committed to continue its active engagement for that purpose.

The two officials discussed the prospects on deepening the cooperation in the military field during the meeting. They highlighted the experience of effective military, military-technical cooperation between Armenia and Russia. The Armenian FM said the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri is one of the positive and important examples of the cooperation in the military field.

At the meeting the Armenian FM and the Russian deputy defense minister also discussed regional and international security affairs. They specifically touched upon the situation in the Middle East and Syria, the challenges facing the region’s ethnic and religious minorities caused by the actions of the terrorist groups. Minister Mnatsakanyan said Armenia is very sensitive towards the ongoing developments in the region as they directly touch upon the security of our compatriots in Syria, the preservation of the Armenian rich historical-cultural heritage. The sides also highlighted the importance of joint actions of the international community in fight against terrorism.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Russian military base in Armenia positive example of military cooperation, Yerevan says

Diana Dabaghian 
Interfax - Russia & CIS Military Newswire
August 3, 2018 Friday 10:01 AM MSK


Russian military base in Armenia positive example of military
cooperation, Yerevan says

YEREVAN. Aug 3

Armenia will continue active efforts to develop the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the country's Foreign Minister
Zohrab Mnatsakyan said.

At a meeting with Russian Deputy Defense Minister Col. Gen. Alexander
Fomin, Mnatsakyan "particularly stressed that Armenia attaches great
importance to further strengthening the CSTO and is committed to
continue its active involvement to that end," the Foreign Ministry
said in a statement.

Armenia highly rates its military and military-technical cooperation
with Russia, both bilaterally and in multilateral formats, the
minister said. The parties discussed prospects of a deeper military
cooperation.

"Mnatsakyan and Fomin spoke of the effective experience of
Armenian-Russian military and military-technical cooperation and the
high level of compatibility between their armed forces. The Armenian
foreign minister noted that the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri
is a positive and important example of such cooperation," the ministry
said.

The pair also discussed regional and international security and the
situation in Syria.

Armenia is sensitive to events in that region, which directly concern
Syria's ethnic Armenians and have bearing on the issue of preserving
the Armenian historical and cultural legal in that country, Mnatsakyan
said.

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Dr. Azizian Travels To Armenia On A Mission

Diana Dabaghian
Cape News
Aug 2 2018
 
 
Dr. Azizian Travels To Armenia On A Mission
 
By LINDA MARIA STEELE
 

Dr. Maria Azizian of Falmouth traveled to Armenia in May on a 10-day philanthropy mission trip, treating 62 patients and performing 26 medical procedures to remove skin lesions and benign growths.

She paid for the trip herself, which cost approximately $10,000, and traveled to Armenia alone.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of being a medical doctor is an ability to make a positive change in peoples’ lives,” said Dr. Azizian, a general surgeon.

“I have always wanted to do philanthropy work. And this trip was my opportunity to give back,” Dr. Azizian said.

Dr. Azizian came to the United States as a teenager in 1990 when her parents sought political asylum from Armenia.

“Armenia was my birthplace, and I wanted my first philanthropy trip to be to Armenia,” Dr. Azizian said.

“In Armenia, connections matter a lot,” she said. “Armenia is one of the oldest countries in the world; some things can take a long time to happen.”

Initially she tried to contact hospitals in Armenia to set up a mission trip but received no response.

“It wasn’t until my uncle, who is a doctor in California, reached out to a former classmate of his that I was able to make a connection and find a hospital that would let me have a room to do procedures in,” she said.

“My uncle’s former classmate is the owner of the Vladimir Avagyan Medical Center in Yerevan and he allowed me to use a room in the hospital,” Dr. Azizian said.

Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, has a population of over a million people.

Dr. Azizian was asked to submit her diplomas and other credentials verifying that she was a board-certified surgeon before the mission trip was approved.

Another requirement the hospital made before approving the mission was that Dr. Azizian had to purchase and supply all of the equipment to perform the procedures.

“I needed scalpels and forceps. Since these items are forbidden in air travel, I purchased them in advance from an Armenian colleague,” she said. They were available at the hospital when she arrived.

“I was able to purchase the non-sharp equipment, such as gauze, tape and gloves, here and carry them with me on the plane,” Dr. Azizian said.

Dr. Azizian needed to decide on the nature of the procedures she would perform on patients.

“I decided not to remove any suspicious lesions and also not deal with larger excisions, because I would not be in the country to provide a free followup for these patients. I did not feel comfortable leaving them with sutures,” she said.

Prior to the trip Dr. Azizian had several representatives (family and friends) in Armenia who worked on ads in search of potential patients, phone calls and scheduling.

“It was not until I set up a Facebook page called Armenia Cosmetic Beauty Philanthropy Project that my schedule filled quickly,” Dr. Azizian said.

“I asked potential patients to send photos of their lesion via Facebook. I reviewed the photos and either scheduled the patient or politely declined,” she said.

“I was able to practice medicine in Armenia, the way it should be practiced,” she said.

For example, “I was able to keep very simple records of each patient and since there was no insurance involved, the whole process was easier,” Dr. Azizian said.

“I was even able to reconnect with an old friend in-between patients,” she said.

“The best part of the mission was helping the patients. People were so grateful and kind,” she said.

“One of the most touching patients I cared for was an older woman who came a long way from one of the remote villages, with a large skin tag hanging over her upper eyelid. She told me it had been obstructing her vision for more than 10 years. When I was done, she asked for my hand and kissed it and she said, ‘I can see so much better now,’ ” Dr. Azizian said.

She plans to go on another mission trip to Armenia, saying “due to time constraints there were more patients I was not able to accommodate. I hope to return to Armenia again and hopefully bring some of my colleagues with me next time.”

Dr. Azizian lives on Falmouth Woods Road with her husband, Erin Murphy, and their three children. In addition to her practice in Falmouth, she works as an on-call acute care surgeon in Framingham and Natick hospitals.

Azerbaijani Press: Results of Ilham Aliyev’s France visit – another foreign economic victory of Azerbaijan, says MP

Diana Dabaghian
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
21:05 (UTC+04:00)

By  Trend

Numerous contracts signed during the visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to France are another victory of the foreign economic policy of the country's leadership, member of the parliamentary committee on economic policy, industry and entrepreneurship, MP Rufat Guliyev told Trend July 21.

The MP reminded that France has one of the strongest Armenian lobbies in Europe, and against this background, the conclusion of contracts worth more than $2 billion between Azerbaijani and French companies is an absolute success.

"France is one of the three leading countries in Europe in terms of economic power. French companies are usually the most developed companies in their spheres both in Europe and in the world as a whole. Such contracts will allow the two countries to get to know each other even better and deeper. On the other hand, they will also become a kind of example for other European countries, which will strive for even deeper and closer cooperation with Baku," Guliyev said.

The MP noted that European countries treat Azerbaijan with high confidence as the most stable state of the former Soviet Union.

"Azerbaijan always fulfills the tasks set before itself on the international arena. Baku has repeatedly proved this, especially after the implementation of its huge transport, logistics and energy projects. The world is becoming more and more convinced that Azerbaijan is a permanent and reliable partner," the MP said.

Guliyev stressed that as a result, Azerbaijan is gaining an increasing reputation on the international arena.

"As you can see, the last meetings of the president are aimed at building the foreign economic potential of Azerbaijan. Politics is a concentrated _expression_ of the economy. With such economic success we will achieve even greater political power," the MP concluded.