Second Betrayal Brewing?

Garen Yegparian

BY GAREN YEGPARIAN

Roughly two months ago, the government of the Republic of Armenia enacted a flat tax whose regressive effects will hurt those least able to afford it. This betrayal largely hit the same people who supported those who came to power through a popular uprising in Spring 2018, then consolidated their success through elections at year’s end.

Now, there is a palpable fear that they might harm not only their supporters, but everyone and the country, the land, as a whole. The risk comes from a proposed gold mine which would decapitate a mountain at Ամուլսար/Amulsar. Those who write about and analyze Yerevan’s action seem to believe the government is inclined to approve this mine. Indeed, Prime Minister Pashinian said as much a few days ago, though developments since then give some hope that the battle’s not lost yet.

The RoA is no stranger to mines, and poorly or irresponsibly operated, severely polluting ones at that. Forget about the horrible mining legacy of the Soviet era. Just a few years ago, despite extensive protests, warnings, discussions, publicity, etc. the Թեղուտ//Teghut mine in the north was allowed to proceed. Its tailings (the toxic sludge which is a byproduct of the mining process) dam failed early in 2018, poisoning local rivers, and almost no-one said a word about it.

But Amulsar is in a class of its own with the hazard it poses, impacting a huge portion of the tiny fragment of our homeland still under Armenian control.

Predicted underground toxic flows from Amulsar gold mine

The widespread concern that the government is poised to approve the mine is based official Yerevan’s responses to the recently released report by ELARD, a Lebanese outfit it had hired to audit Lydian, against whom court proceedings had been initiated based on concerns that it had not obeyed the law. The report evidently finds that Lydian followed the rules.

But…

There are reports that ELARD had dealings with Lydian previously, meaning it has a conflict of interest, and may not be the kind of unbiased evaluator needed in a situation like this. Plus, record of government discussions show that Prime Minister Pashinian wants to initiate a new environmental review (referred to by its Armenian acronym ՇՄԱԳ/ShMAC), but the law doesn’t allow it. Also, this latest report was not intended to address the mine’s safety, rather Lydian’s actions and if they followed the rules.

The good news is that a new ShMAC isn’t necessary. The original provides all the information necessary to shut down this process now. Here’s how.

Lydian’s ShMAC documents that in about 130 years pollutants generated by the mine will reach Lake Sevan, the country’s jewel, source of irrigation, fish, recreation, tourism… simply, LIFE. How will this happen?

Fish killed by a gold mine’s toxic leakage in Armenia’s Lori province

It turns out that the routes water takes underground (see the accompanying diagram), starting at the mine lead it to cross the Vorotan tunnel which moves water from the Spendiarian reservoir to the Կեչուտ/Ketchut reservoir. From there, water is moved via the Arpa-Sevan tunnel to Lake Sevan. You may recall the tremendous hoopla in 1981 when this project was completed to save the lake whose levels were dropping dangerously because too much water was being drawn from it for various uses. Ironically, this “savior” might end up delivering poison to its intended beneficiary if Lydian is allowed to proceed.

You might be wondering why any of this is a problem. So what of the poison from the mine crosses the tunnel, right? An unfortunate fact of life is that tunnels leak, both in and out. So the poison from the mine would penetrate the Vorotan tunnel’s walls then proceed to the lake as described above.

You are rightfully wondering “What is this poison?” As with any metal, gold usually is not in its pure form when being mined. It is mixed up with other materials and substances. That’s why the stuff that is mined is called “ore” and must be separated into its parts so the gold (or other metal) can be extracted and purified. In Amulsar’s case, part of what accompanies the ore is sulphates. These are naturally occurring and are mostly buried and harmless. Some of them near the surface are oxidized and stable. But, when a huge pit is dug exposing the sulphates to the elements, specifically water from rain and snow, the stuff becomes sulphuric acid, a very strong acid. This is the poison that would leach into the groundwater and end up in Lake Sevan, probably killing off fish and other life in the lake, rendering it unswimmable and its waters unfit for irrigation. Also, with the waters exiting the lake used to generate a significant portion of the country’s electricity, I have to wonder what effect the acidified water would have on the turbines used in that process.

It seems to me all the government has to do is cite Lydian’s own report regarding this matter to shut down the operation. After all, why go through an environmental review process is the findings cannot be used to terminate a proposed project if it is found to be too dangerous?

As you read more about this issue, keep your focus on the sulphates-to-reservoirs/tunnels-to-Sevan problem. Other, lesser, hazards such as dust, local acidification, and other unavoidable mining nastiness can be remedied, they have engineering solutions (which is what should be implemented for other mines operating in the RoA). These are the problems being touted by some officials as solvable, ignoring the acidic elephant in the room.

But, you can’t stop water. It is a very insidious and powerful force. Think about the Grand Canyon in the U.S. Water created that massive channel. Think about the leaks you may have had in your own home, how difficult might have been to track down where they originated. Now think about whether it is worth risking a whole country for a very short term, and very small, gain. Much of the financial benefits of the gold extracted will not accrue to local villagers or the government, but to a few investors and a foreign corporate entity.

In case you need more convincing, take a look at the picture of the fishkill resulting from another gold mine’s leakage into the Tsoraked stream, a tributary of the Chknagh River in the Lori province of Armenia. That happened in late June.

What has to happen now is massive pressure. From the streets of Yerevan to Amulsar (where locals have set up roadblocks preventing Lydian’s entry for the past year or so) citizen action is required. From the corner of Lexington and Central in Glendale (where the Los Angeles RoA Consulate General of the RoA sits) to embassy row in Washington, D.C. and everywhere else in the Diaspora, demonstrations are necessary. This mine must not happen. I read that some action is already being taken in London, England. Good for our compatriots there!

If you’re too far from some of the places where such protest activities are likely to occur, write to your nearest diplomatic representation of our homeland.

It would be horrible to have survived Turkish attempts to exterminate us and extirpate us from our ancient homeland only to make it unlivable by our own hand through inaction and neglect in the face of corporate greed and corrupt governments that allowed this mining proposition to even get this far. Let’s enable this government to do the right thing and not betray us all a second time in to months.

The splendour and misery of the Eurasian Union

Aravot, Armenia
Aug 20 2019
The splendour and misery of the Eurasian Union
Ruben Mehrabyan
[Armenian News note: the below is translated from Armenian]

Ahead of the summit of the [Russian-led] Eurasian Economic Union [EEU] to be held in Yerevan on 1 October, Moscow is taking steps, whose content and easily anticipated consequences show once again the real motives for the creation of the EEU.

If it was created to achieve "integration", "well-being", and "development", there should be practical steps that confirm this. In the meantime, they, these steps, are leading in a completely opposite direction.

The first thing to say is that when they speak at the drop of a hat about the use of the European experience in the process of integration in the EEU area, a question arises as to what the coal and steel of the EEU are, as it was the unification of these markets that was the start of a common economic area in Europe. There is no answer to this question and there is not going to be any answer either.

Simple problems are simply not resolved and Moscow is not interested in anything other than discrimination in favour of Russian producers and privileged sales of Russian products "that meet Eurasian standards" in the markets of post-Soviet countries. Any proposal to liberalise some spheres encounters Moscow's demand of ceding sovereignty to "supranational" bodies, which is Moscow again or resorting to protectionist tools to restrict imports from third countries, if it turns out that these kinds of goods are produced in Russia, say, automobiles, or from time to time, they release "reports" on a "common currency" or the "rouble zone". In the meantime, proposals to liberalise, for example, the markets of gas, oil, and oil products are still "discussed" and they are going to be "discussed" until Moscow "squeaks out" the remaining fragments of sovereignty and the energy systems of the countries that are part of the EEU.

However, this does not lead either to well-being or development, as the most terrible thing that can happen in the post-Soviet area are precisely well-being and development, as this may raise questions within Russia to the grouping that has captured the country. And it is not only the economy that is a problem. "We want things like in Armenia!" protesting Russians are already saying in different cities today. They say this after they saw what happened in Armenia and what the standards were during the election to the National Assembly of the country. It has been said on many occasions that such Armenia is a constant irritant for the Russian government no matter how close a partner it may be (as Armenians have no other Armenia for Moscow and will never have it) and in the eyes of the Kremlin, the example obviously forebodes nothing good.

The Kremlin can imagine only in a bad dream what happened in Yerevan in 2018 to happen, say, in Minsk or Astana (which has become Nur-Sultan since then). They would have explained to Moscow there too that these are domestic processes in Belarus or Kazakhstan and that the two countries do not plan any geopolitical turns, revision of legal agreements in relations with Russia, and so forth.

In such conditions of shaky equilibrium, Moscow decided to take a "tricky move" ahead of the Yerevan summit. In this case, the "trick" has a concrete name – [Russian president's former adviser] Sergei Glazyev. Who is Mr Glazyev? He is coming to do what? He was Putin's adviser and was prominent, to put it mildly, for his particularly strange views and statements, which is not so strange for a member of the parties of [Gennady] Zyuganov, [the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation], and then the party of [Dmitry] Rogozin, [currently Russian space agency chief and founder of the Motherland (Rodina) party]. He does not conceal that he is anti-liberal, that he has the imperia complex, and that he holds in contempt the sovereignty of any post-Soviet country. At the same time, being Putin's adviser on economic issues, he was involved in constructing the Eurasian Union as an "alternative" to the EU, giving Putin a lot of "smart" pieces of advice during the crisis in Ukraine. During the course of the crisis, it was probably necessary to listen to Glazyev and do things contrariwise or not do everything [he advised]. However, what happened has happened and Mr Glazyev is now in "top" lines of the US and European sanction lists. And now, Mr Putin has dismissed him from the post of adviser and transferred him under "command" of [current EEU head] Tigran Sargsyan as minister of the Eurasian commission to replace Tatyana Valova. It is this "bright" decision that is to be approved in Yerevan.

In the context of the foreign strategy of the Armenian government, who have announced an economic revolution, it remains unknown how this objective relates to the real, not declared, objectives and prospects of the EEU that stem from its genealogy. Is it not risky to put all your "eggs" in the Eurasian basket, thinking that "friendly" Moscow will not sleep, being happy over the economic successes achieved or to be achieved by revolutionary Armenia? The question is rhetorical, as it is obvious that Armenia is in an aquarium and Moscow will do all it can to have everything happening contrariwise, so everything will resume its natural course.

Moscow has created this Eurasian "muzzle" not in order to achieve genuine "integration", "development of the economy", and "improved well-being", but to first and foremost preserve corrupt systems and corrupt regimes in post-Soviet countries, prevent their collapse or transformation, ensure Russia's domination in post-Soviet countries, which should have certain "obligations", leading them to isolation and marginalisation, and obtain both the stick and the carrot as a lever.. What impact has this had on Armenia's security and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict? Recall [fighting in Karabakh in April] 2016…

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 21-08-19

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 21-08-19

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17:25,

YEREVAN, 21 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 21 august, USD exchange rate stood at 475.90 drams. EUR exchange rate stood at 527.39 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 7.13 drams. GBP exchange rate stood at 575.55 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price stood at 22898.79 drams. Silver price stood at 258.96 drams. Platinum price stood at 12928.96 drams.

Chess: Armenia’s multiple chess champion to not participate in FIDE tournament in Turkey due to Azerbaijanis’ demand

News.am, Armenia
Aug 16 2019

Armenia’s multiple chess champion, member of the Armenian national women’s chess team Maria Gevorgyan has been asked to refuse to participate in the tournament of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to be held in Turkey so that the Azerbaijanis can participate.

This is what international chess master Maria Gevorgyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Recently, Maria Gevorgyan posted on her Facebook page a photo in which the organizer of the tournament set to be held in Turkey sent a message to Maria Gevorgyan asking her to refuse to participate in the international chess tournament since that is what the Azerbaijanis demanded.

NEWS.am SPORT: Maria, what happened? What is the problem?

Maria Gevorgyan: A couple of days ago, I received an offer to participate in the Sivas Buruciye Chess Open 2019 international chess tournament to be held in Turkey from August 18 to 24. I had participated in a similar tournament in Turkey in 2018. It was very well organized. The organizer of the previous tournament made the offer and informed that someone else was the organizer and that it was only assistance. Later, organizer of Sivas Buruciye Chess Open 2019 Mustafa Eroglu contacted me and informed me that he was booking my plane tickets. After a while, the tournament’s organizer contacted me again and said the plane tickets are quite expensive, and I told him that I don’t see any problem and can cancel my participation and not leave for Turkey. He immediately said there won’t be any problem and that he is expecting me in Turkey.

A couple of hours later, I received a message from Mustafa Eroglu telling me the following: “Azerbaijani athletes have submitted a petition if the Armenian athletes play we will not participate in the tournament.” I didn’t take any other action.

NEWS.am SPORT: And you refused to participate?

Maria Gevorgyan: Yes, I did. The organizer actually pushed me to make that decision since it is the organizers of the tournament who had to cover all my expenses. Mustafa’s message made it clear that the organizers are declining Armenia’s participation and won’t cover my expenses. The Armenian Chess Federation interfered and sent a letter to FIDE to explore the matter.

FIDE requested that the organizer of the tournament present the petition of the Azerbaijani athletes regarding the Armenian chess player’s participation. I contacted Mustafa Eroglu, but he didn’t submit any document. This is the whole story. The Armenian Chess Federation addressed another letter to FIDE to receive the international federation’s opinion on the situation. We are waiting for FIDE’s response.

NEWS.am SPORT: What do you think the reason for this was?

Maria Gevorgyan: I don’t think there was any petition. I think there was simply a conversation between the Turkish organizer and the Azerbaijani athletes. There was no problem with funding. If there was a problem with funding, the organizer would tell me.

NEWS.am SPORT: Has there ever been a case when the Azerbaijani party creates problems for Armenia’s representative to participate in the FIDE tournament?

Maria Gevorgyan: There has never been such a problem. This is very strange. By law, no country has the right to demand cancelation of the participation of any country. The particular country can boycott the tournament. For instance, three years ago, Armenia boycotted the World Chess Olympiad in Baku. It is normal that the Armenians don’t go to Baku and the Azerbaijanis don’t come to Yerevan. However, there had never been such a case.

NEWS.am SPORT: Has Azerbaijan given any explanation yet?

Maria Gevorgyan: Azerbaijan hasn’t commented yet. We want to understand who the chess players are who allowed such discrimination against Armenia. The tournament will kick off in a couple of days. I will find out who the Azerbaijani athletes are and will have a picture of the situation.

NEWS.am SPORT: What will turn out if Azerbaijan doesn’t give an explanation?

Maria Gevorgyan: The organizer will be held fully responsible. It will turn out that he has put the blame on the Azerbaijanis for no reason. After the organizer’s message, I posted an announcement on my Facebook page and attached the message that the organizer had sent. After that, he threatened that if I don’t delete my announcement on Facebook, he will address different authorities and even a court, but I didn’t delete it. My goal was to raise the issue so that everyone knows there is racism in sports as well.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has already contacted me. As a matter of fact, the ministry processes special cases of racism in sports.

NEWS.am SPORT: What is your attitude?

Maria Gevorgyan: Chess has always brought people together. People of different nations have played together. I have always respected each opponent, without attaching importance to the opponent’s nationality. The fact that there is such discrimination in sports and that there is such an action against me is very painful. I don’t know why this happened. In any case, I think this issue has to be in focus.

Lusine Shahbazyan


PM Pashinyan presents conceptual provisions of economic revolution

PM Pashinyan presents conceptual provisions of economic revolution

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13:48,

YEREVAN, JULY 20, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan presented the conceptual provisions of the economic policy of the Government, which he called conceptual provisions of the economic revolution, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan talked about this on July 20 at ''My step for Shirak'' investment-business forum at Gyumri Technology Center.

''I think Shirak business forum is a very good opportunity in order 1 year after the famous developments I speak about some conceptual approaches of the economic policy of the Government and virtually I have to call these conceptual provisions conceptual provisions of economic revolution, which we will sum up in the near future and present as a full strategy of how we see Armenia's development and how we see the economic system of Armenia'', Pashinyan said.

The PM said that at this stage they have already managed to make an important step by carrying out amendments in the tax code, emphasizing that by the new tax code they established a new business layer, called microbusiness and starting from January 1, 2020 companies engaged in some particular activities with annual turnover under 24 million AMD will be exempted from all types of taxes. Besides, the people employed in those companies will not pay 22% profit tax as other do, but just 5000 AMD. ''We attach great importance to this for fostering business activities among our citizens. This is the support of the Government to the citizens of Armenia and a call addressed to them to finally carry out some activities, and we see this policy as a very important tool for overcoming poverty'', PM Pashinyan said.

“My step for Shirak region” business forum, initiated by the Government of the Republic of Armenia, aims to create a platform, which will promote the development of the economy and the communities of Shirak region through multilateral collaboration among local and foreign businesses.

50 foreign and 150 local businessmen are present at the forum.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan




‘Police officers demanded to see my books’: Elif Shafak on Turkey’s war on free-speech

The Guardian(London)
July 15, 2019 Monday 9:00 AM GMT
'Police officers demanded to see my books': Elif Shafak on Turkey's war on free-speech
The author once put on trial for 'insulting Turkishness' explains why writers, academics and especially women, face escalating hostility in Erdogan's Turkey
 
by  Elif Shafak
 
 
One day two months ago I woke up to thousands of abusive messages on Turkish social media, many of them generated by bots and trolls. Sentences had been plucked from one of my novels, The Gaze, and were being circulated by people demanding fiction writers be put on trial for "obscenity". My new novel, 10 Minutes38 Seconds inThis Strange World, was also targeted. Both books explore difficult subjects – sexual harassment, gender violence and child abuse – and I was far from the only writer targeted in this way. Soon the hysteria turned into a kind of digital lynching of Turkish authors who had even slightly touched on similar issues in their novels and short stories.
 
I received a distressed call from my Turkish publisher the same week, informing me that civilian police officers had come to the office demanding to see a number of books. Not only my fiction but titles by Duygu Asena, a leading feminist who died in 2006. The books were taken to the prosecutor's office to be investigated.
 
Much has been said about the anti-liberal nature of authoritarian populism, but little about anti-intellectualism and anti-feminism
 
Since the attempted coup of 2016, 29 publishing houses have been closed by decree, and 135,000 books have been banned from public libraries, including those by Louis Althusser and Nâzim Hikmet, Turkey's greatest poet. A prosecutor has accused Baruch Spinoza and Albert Camus of being members of a terrorist organisation. Much has been said about the anti-liberal nature of authoritarian populism, but relatively little about two other features concomitant with its rise: anti-intellectualism and anti-feminism. Authoritarian populism likes to divide society into two camps: the pure people versus the corrupt elite. Writers, poets, journalists and scholars are often associated with the latter group. In the populist imagination, being elite has nothing to do with economic power or social status. It is about values. In this way, a university assistant who cannot afford a house in the city and has to commute for hours every day but happens to have progressive ideas can be labelled "elite", while a hedge fund manager will be called "a man of the people" if he sponsors populist nationalistic movements.
 
The people are romanticised as pure and innocent. The deputy rector of a newly established university in Turkey, Bülent Ari, claimed on TV: "I'd rather trust ignorant people who have not attended university or better yet, not even attended primary school … because their minds are pure." Saying he was unhappy to see literacy rates going up, he claimed that people who had higher education and were more cultured also had blurred minds and couldn't think straight. "If Erdogan leaves it will be a catastrophe," he added. Afterwards, he was promoted by the government to the Council of Higher Education.
 
There is a clear animosity towards intellectuals under President Erdogan's AKP government. More than 7,300 academics have been dismissed via emergency state decrees. Around 700 scholars have been criminally charged for signing a peace petition. They have lost their jobs and been blacklisted. Some have been arrested, others have had travel bans imposed on them or had their passports confiscated. Mehmet Fatih Tras, a university assistant who had signed the peace petition and was then fired, killed himself. Professor Sebnem Korur Fincanci, chair of the Human Rights Foundation, and Ayse Gül Altinay, a professor of gender and women's studies, were both given two-year prison sentences. Professor Füsun Üstel, one of Turkey's leading academics on nationalism and identity, is in prison.
 
It is equally hard for female journalists. Nurcan Baysal had police knocking on her door in the middle of the night. Baysal is one of the most important voices writing about the traumas of Yazidi and Kurdish women, and she was put on trial for her articles. Ayla Albayrak from the Wall Street Journal was charged with "terrorist propaganda" after penning an article about what was transpiring in the Kurdish-majority south-east. She was sentenced in absentia. Article 19 called the decision "an unprecedented verdict for a reporter of a foreign media outlet".
 
Like intellectuals, feminists are accused of being 'pawns of the west' and 'rootless cosmopolitans'
 
The rhetoric of anti-intellectualism goes hand in hand with anti-feminism. "You [feminists] have nothing to do with our religion or our civilisation," said Erdogan. Like intellectuals, feminists are accused of being "pawns of the west" and "rootless cosmopolitans". Women in opposition parties are targeted ruthlessly. Canan Kaftancioglu, the provincial chair of the Republican People's Party, played a major role in the electoral victory of the twice elected mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu. Today Kaftancioglu is under vicious attack by pro-government papers and social media channels. Last week Istanbul prosecutors demanded she be imprisoned for writing a series of tweets. She is accused of insulting the president and spreading terrorist propaganda. In response she tweeted: "There is something clear: they are afraid of women, of women who do not mince their words and are brave. I think they are right to be afraid."
 
Turkey's trajectory shows that wherever there is a rise of nationalism and authoritarianism, patriarchy and homophobia are also in the ascendant. Last month, for the fifth time, the Pride Parade in Istanbul was banned and dispersed with rubber bullets, tear gas and police violence. This is the kind of Europe authoritarian populists are trying to create: an anti-intellectual, anti-feminist, anti-LGBT and anti-abortion rights Europe. In Hungary, the government has banned gender and women's studies, with the assertion: "We do not consider it acceptable to talk about socially constructed genders, rather than biological sexes." Prime minister Viktor Orbán's policy of giving tax cuts to mothers who bear more children resembles Erdogan's drive to encourage Turkish women to have bigger families. "Have not just three, but five children," Erdogan told Turks in Europe in 2017. Meanwhile the Polish health ministry has put out a video urging citizens to procreate: "If you ever want to be a parent, follow the example of rabbits." Morning after pills are no longer available over the counter in Poland and Polish abortion law remains one of the strictest across Europe. In Warsaw 14 women were beaten and prosecuted for opening a banner that said "Stop Fascism". In Spain, the Vox Movement hired a bus with a picture of Hitler on it and a caption underneath that said: #StopFeminazis.
 
Gender is an important part of this new narrative. If women can be convinced to return to traditional values, the population will increase and majority-minority ratios will be as they used to be. Demographic changes are a primary concern for populist nationalists. If white populations continue to remain as the majority, nationalism will feel more secure. There will also be less need for immigrant workers coming from abroad. It is not a coincidence that anti-immigration rhetoric is entwined with a growing anti-feminist rhetoric.
 
In 2006, after I wrote The Bastard of Istanbul – a novel about a Turkish and Armenian-American family – I was put on trial for "insulting Turkishness". The words of several of my Armenian fictional characters were used as "evidence" by the prosecutors. As a result, my Turkish lawyer had to defend not only me but also my characters. I wish I could say that Turkey has made progress in human rights and freedom of speech since then, but I am afraid it has been the opposite.
 
No country is immune to the rise of populist nationalism. As liberal democratic values continue to be endangered, we storytellers are now facing unexpected challenges. Doris Lessing once said that literature was analysis after the event. But there might be times when literature has to become analysis during the event. Paradoxically, at a time when truth is under attack, writers might need to defend fiction more loudly. In the age of anger, tribalism and apathy, we need stories of connectivity, humanism and empathy. In the face of binary oppositions, we need to promote a more nuanced way of thinking. Wherever there is a decline in democracy we will see an increase in censorship and intolerance. Today, more than ever before, literature has to be not only about stories but also about silences and the silenced. It has to become a sanctuary for the disempowered and the marginalised across the world.

Music: Armenia’s Garni Museum-Reserve to host concert marking 150th birthdays of Komitas, Tumanyan

Panorama, Armenia
July 5 2019
Culture 10:59 05/07/2019 Armenia

Armenia’s Garni Museum-Reserve to host concert marking 150th birthdays of Komitas, Tumanyan
A concert marking the 150th birthday anniversaries of prominent Armenian composer Komitas and writer Hovhannes Tumanyan will take place at Garni Historical-Cultural Museum-Reserve located 28 km east of the Armenian capital, Yerevan.

The jubilee concert initiated by National Center of Chamber Music is scheduled for 14 July, at 8:30pm, the center said.

Three leading Armenian music groups – the State Chamber Orchestra of Armenia (Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Vahan Martirosyan), the State Chamber Choir of Armenia (Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Robert Mlkeyan) and Hover State Chamber Choir (Director Sona Hovhannisyan) – will perform during the concert.

The music groups will perform under the baton of conductors Vahan Martirosyan and Robert Mlkeyan. Several soloists will also take part in the event. The concert program features compositions by Komitas, Vache Sharafyan and Melik Mavisakalyan.

Lukashenko: No taboo subjects in Belarus-Armenia relations

Belarus News (BelTA)
July 2 2019


President 02.07.2019 | 11:42

MINSK, 2 July (BelTA) – There are no taboo subjects in the relations between Belarus and Armenia, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Armenia President Armen Sarkissian, BelTA has learned.

“We do not have any ‘no-go areas' in our relations with Armenia. We are receptive to any your wishes and requests. If you see something in Belarus that might be of use to Armenia, we are ready to open the doors for you,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said addressing the Armenian president.

The Belarusian head of state recalled that after Armen Sarkissian assumed presidency in Armenia, plans were made to arrange his visit to Belarus. These plans have been fulfilled today.

Aleksandr Lukashenko also mentioned his telephone conversation with Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “He called me prior to his visit to Singapore and asked to give best regards to the president. I responded that we are not going to see him off to Armenia any time soon. After all, what the president is doing here will be of use to Armenia,” the Belarusian leader said. He invited Armen Sarkissian to stay a bit longer in Belarus. “Take your time. Have a closer look at the things that are of interest to you in economy, manufacturing and agriculture. Being a smart, sensible, educated and pragmatic person, you know what things to look at and how Armenia can benefit from them,” the president added.

Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that cooperation between Belarus and Armenia started virtually from scratch. “Our trade is not big, but $50 million a year is much better than nothing,” he said. Close business contacts were established. “We have built very good, friendly relations with many representatives of Armenia, including business people. You know my friends from Armenia who invest in Belarus. I really appreciate it,” the president said.

At the same time he emphasized the common requirements for those who want to run a business in Belarus. “I have one rule: duty before friendship. My presidency should have nothing to do with business. When I was approached with a request to allow supplies of some sensitive goods to Belarus, I said right away: there are some common principles. You come to Belarus, start a business, create jobs, and invest. You can import raw materials and process them,” the head of state said. Following this principle, well-known businessman Gagik Tsarukyan set up a company to bottle Armenian cognac in Belarus. “In the same way we launched the Belarus-Armenia Trading House. As far as I know, it handles 30-40% of bilateral trade. In other words, we have forged economic contacts that largely rely on joint ventures. We are ready to keep moving in this direction,” Aleksandr Lukashenko added.

The head of state welcomed good political relations and solid interpersonal contacts between the two nations. “Belarus has a very good and kind attitude to Armenians. Actually, we do not try to find fault with other nations. The only thing we want from others is respect and a brotherly attitude. We have a history of good relations with Armenians and we are trying to make them last,” the president said.

Despite criticism that occasionally arises from both sides, which is absolutely normal, cooperation between Belarus and Armenia remains strong and solid. “Most importantly, we are allies, we have common ground, and we even share views of the international agenda. We will always act this way,” the Belarusian leader added.

In turn, Armen Sarkissian thanked Aleksandr Lukashenko for his invitation to visit Belarus and attend the closing ceremony of the 2nd European Games. “I was absolutely impressed with the scale, teamwork and discipline. I believe that Belarus is ready for even a bigger event,” he said. The Armenian president praised a very good performance of Armenian athletes and congratulated Team Belarus on its success at the games.

Armen Sarkissian shared his impressions of visiting the Hi-Tech Park. “I was glad to see that Belarus is ahead of many countries, that Belarus realized that virtual reality will enhance the future,” he said.

The Armenian president said that Belarus chose the right development path and emphasized the role of the head of state in making this choice. “You have vision and wisdom. These are not just nice words. This is a reality. Having a vision for a future is a great gift for a politician, because it is impossible to build the present without it,” he said.

The heads of state exchanged gifts. Aleksandr Lukashenko presented souvenirs of the 2nd European Games – a picture from bog oak with medallions symbolizing 15 sports featured in the games, an exclusive chocolate collection, and the mascot of the games Lesik the Fox. Armen Sarkissian congratulated the Belarusian president on the forthcoming national holiday – Independence Day, and noted that on this day his grandson Armen was also born. He will receive Lesik the Fox as a gift.

Armen Sarkissian gave Aleksandr Lukashenko a papyrus with the Lord's Prayer. That papyrus has been to Jerusalem.

Belarus-Armenia trade and economic relations are on the rise. In 2018, the bilateral trade was estimated at $50.1 million, up 17.3% over the year before. Belarus' export amounted to $37.4 million (up 8.3% over 2017); the import reached $12.7 million (up 55%).

The growth remained in place at the beginning of 2019. In January-April, the trade stood at $19.3 million, up nearly 31% over the same period of 2018. Belarus' export rose by 30% exceeding $15 million; the import expanded by nearly 37% up to $4.2 million.

Belarus' major exports to Armenia are milk, condensed cream and cream powder, tractors and truck tractors, medicines, tires, paper and cardboard. The key import items are liquors and furniture.

In 2018 Armenia invested $7.6 million in Belarus, including $7.5 million of FDI. In the first quarter of this year, $3.5 million of foreign direct investment was raised.

More than 80 entities of commodity distribution networks of domestic enterprises operate in Armenia. There are three enterprises with Belarusian capital there. Belarus is home to 57 enterprises with Armenian capital (17 joint ventures and 40 foreign ones).

Asbarez: Ruben Amirian’s ‘T’s Garden’ Beckons Art Lovers to Tufenkian Fine Arts

Amirian 2 36×36 acrylic on canvas

GLENDALE—Tufenkian Fine Arts is honored to present Ruben Amirian: Selected Works, a new exhibition featuring selected works by Ruben Amirian. The show will be on view from June 22 – July 12. The gallery is located at 216 S. Louise St., Glendale, CA 91205.

BY NARE GARIBYAN

Art roams freely in Ruben Amirian’s home and studio. Amirian’s paintings, as well as art collected by him and his wife, Tamar, intermingle on the walls throughout their house. The most influential of these paintings are two pieces painted by his mother when she was a young artist; Ruben’s exposure to drawing and painting began with her. He states, “My mom taught me the skills she knew, and then [painting] became something like breathing. Even if I wanted to stop painting now, it can’t happen. All I know is that I cannot live without painting. I wake up early in the morning, and I go to my studio. I just have to paint, that is what I do.”

Amirian’s aesthetic signature began to take shape in Tehran, when he came across a newspaper article about Picasso. Amirian explains, “I did not fully understand what Picasso was doing [with his art], but I picked up the idea [from him]—that it is possible to bring something new to art. And, from there, I started exploring abstraction.”

His interest in abstract forms compelled him to travel to the United States; first arriving in Baltimore, Maryland in 1962 and making his way to Howard University, in Washington D.C., where he studied architecture and city planning. But art was never far behind.

Near his architecture desk, he displayed a piece of his artwork, which was a sheet of newspaper he used as a canvas to paint. Amirian describes the rest of the story: “Professor Fry, came to look at my work and [the sheet of newspaper caught his eye] and he asked, ‘Who did that?’ I said, ‘I did it.’ He said, ‘Mr. Amirian, you are an artist. Don’t you ever forget that.’” This moment shaped his architectural practice, and he became a design architect, focused on “design, the creation of space, and human habitat.

In fact, for Ruben Amirian, art and architecture are complimentary, “I designed many single family residences and my designs [were focused] on making the house artistic, not necessarily to look pretty from the outside, but how do you live in it? How do you feel in the space? Where do you hang your paintings? How does this room look like from the other room? These are all artistic things.”

Renowned African-American abstract artist, Sam Gilliam, further encouraged Amirian’s artistic journey, alongside his architectural career. He recalls the 1960’s and remembers Washington D.C as a hub for modern art; “there were many great artists; one of the artists was Sam Gilliam. I do not know how I got the courage to call Sam Gilliam and asked him if he would look at my artwork. He said, ‘Sure, it will be my pleasure. ‘He came to my studio, viewed my work and said, ‘You got something going. Don’t give up.’”

Amirian 10 36×30 acrylic on canvas

Amirian did just that; he built a life, fueled by love of line and form in architecture, and the love of abstraction on his canvas. Tamar Amirian, his wife, always encouraged him, “Do your art. Do your art,” continuously nurturing his artistic endeavors—she is the foundation of their shared lives. Amirian describes Tamar as having “a good eye [for detail], good taste, and aesthetics.” When I ask Tamar what she thinks of art, she says, “[Art] has become part of our lives. It is the enjoyable part of life; many things are art, art is art in itself; any beautiful creation is an art.”

She fondly remembers the 13 years they lived in Washington D.C, spending hours together in galleries and art spaces. Amirian says, “When [we] go to a gallery, [we] come out of the world’s pressures and stressors and enter a different world, the world of artists, the world of sculptors.”

It is this love, Amirian’s love of Tamar, that inspired a particular series of work titled, the T’s Garden. These pieces feature a whimsical representation and deconstruction of the letter T in the Armenian language. The image of the letter is hidden among colorful backgrounds and abstract forms in motion. If you take a closer look, the Armenian T is evident. The T’s Garden series is an endearing appreciation of art and love manifest. The play with the Armenian letter T, further inspired Amirian to recreate all 36 letters with a touch of whimsy, in his Alphabet piece.

In Amirian’s work, love is a significant impetus for creation, but even more paramount is the use of color. “Color is really important in my paintings; color plays with people’s emotions, so [using color] is just something that you cannot learn; I love to play with color, I like it when the brush enters the paint. That moment is really important. I play with color with the joy of a child,” he explains. Amirian mainly uses acrylic paint, but also works with oil pastels, charcoal, and watercolor.
He paints until he feels good about the color juxtaposition within and upon the abstract forms. He remembers abstract artist, Esteban Vincente’s quote, “Color makes us feel like seeing. “

The essence of this artistic insight is felt immediately upon entering Amirian’s art studio, adjacent to his house of paintings. The studio is enveloped in color. The doors and walls are adorned in bright shades of yellow, blue, green, and pink, with paint leftover from his artwork, along with various abstract shapes interacting among inspirational quotes. In the middle, near a wall, sits his easel; encircled by an artist’s essential tools of creation, in close proximity of past work stored in pull out drawers. “My studio is small, but it is mine, I have a place to practice my art. It is my sanctuary,” he says.

While in his scared place, he showcased several canvases that will appear in an upcoming exhibit at Tufenkian Fine Arts this summer from June 22 to July 12; the show will feature his work from 2016 to the present. He proudly points to his Persian Gardens series, deconstructed forms suggesting garden, plants, greenery, water, and a hint of architectural lines, all in a sense of motion. Amirian describes his work, “In Iran, even in the desert, there were gardens and the water element was paramount in such a hot and dry place. Inspired by all this, I started painting gardens in the abstract form.” The Persian theme continues, with a repeating likeness of the curves of a mosque becoming ethereal and fantastical, placed upon a colorful background.

Amirian 8 69×34 acrylic on canvas

Sometimes, while in his studio, Amirian comes across a pile of previous work that he does not like and tears several canvases, recreating the artwork by highlighting the ripped ridges along the canvas. Thus, he does not always have a theme he wants to paint. His work is also spontaneous. He is hopeful that viewers will pick up on an Amirian line, or his sense of color and playfulness.

This is evident in the Rushing Thoughts series and the Burst series. While, these pieces are referred to as being part of a series, they should actually be considered as a collective of work, pointing to a shared essence of Amirian. For example, the surface of water is expressed, not as a thing, but as the spirit of water. There is also the circular power of the Armenian infinity symbol floating in motion, followed by three, rough-hewn whimsical masses surrounded in bright blue, inviting the viewer to determine the meaning.

The spontaneity continues inside, as we leave the studio guided by the wind chime. Amirian also showcases his mixed media work, containing a quality of paper-mache. Amirian uses pencils until the very end of the tip, right before it reaches the eraser top. He remembers that pencils were not readily available in the city he lived in, while growing up in Iran. His father would bring pencils from Tehran. In homage of pencils, he created a sculptural piece, fusing used pencils together, creating a continuous pattern, and forming a container infused with color; an instant household item.

This continues onto books, a line of books hangs above the patio threshold. The books are open, with the spines facing away from the wall. Each book is painted in unique hues, adorned with abstract forms. Amirian elaborates further, “I love books. When you read a book, you put it away in drawer and it ends. I always wanted to see the books, and I started playing around with the idea.” It is as if the books are alive and breathing, again seeming texturized like paper-mache, transforming the books into new pieces of art.

In another far corner, he points to his self-portrait, a mixed media piece, gluing the actual fabric form his shirt collar right on to the painting. Amirian’s self-portrait showcases a man full of wonder, whim, love, and the joy of artistic _expression_. Yet, abstraction remains strong as Ruben Amirian continues to create as an abstract artist in his studio sanctuary.