Author: Elizabeth Jabejian

An Armenian-Iranian Business Forum kicked off in Yerevan today with Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and Iran’s First Vice president Eshaq Jahangiri attending the event.

“We highly appreciate the Armenian-Iranian cooperation based on centuries-old friendship and mutual respect,” PM Hovik Abrahamyan said in his opening remarks. He voiced confidence that the new political situation established in the region would further contribute to the development of a new phase of Armenian-Iranian relations.

“Today’s business forum is one of the best means to boost the economic cooperation, and will provide the Armenian and Iranian entrepreneurs with an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the economies of both countries, the investment opportunities and establish ties in most different fields of economy,” he added.

Mr. Abrahamyan noted the Armenian Government has adopted an “open door” policy, and does not restrinct the investment activity in any way.”

“The Republic of Armenia is conducting a multi-vector foreign policy and enjoying privileged trade regimes with a number of countries. Armenia is a member of the Eurasian Economic union, which means Armenian goods can freely enter the 170 million consumption market of the EEU member states without any customs duties and administrative obstacles. We have free trade agreements with most of CIS member states with a total population of 250 million,” the Prime Minister said, adding that Armenia benefits from the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) regime of the US, Canada, Switzerland, Japan and Norway. Besides, he noted that the GSP+ trade regime provided by the European Union ensures access to 28 EU member states.

Returning to the Armenian-Iranian economic relations, Hovik Abrahamyan said “the intensification of bilateral cargo shipments is of strategic importance.” In this context he attached particular importance to the North-South Road Corridor and the Armenia-Iran rail project.

The Prime Minister voiced confidence that the construction of the Armenia-Iran third high-voltage power line and the Meghri HPP would give new quality to Armenia’s integration into regional energy systems.

Another Armenian-Iranian business forum is expected to be convened in Tehran in a month, Mr. Abrahamyan informed.

Addressing the participants, Iran’s First Vice-President Ashaq Jahangiri said to be happy for the opportunity to attend a meeting of Armenian and Iranian entrepreneurs. “The two neighboring countries – Iran and Armenia – have a common historic past and exemplary relations, a wide framework of cultural and political relations, which have reinforced over time.”

“Iranian Armenians greatly contribute to the progress of the country and we have no restriction with regard to our relations with Armenia,” the Iranian official said.

Mr. Jahangiri said Armenia’s membership in EEU could serve a good platform for the establishment of EEU-Iran dialogue and development of cooperation. “Armenia is the only country that can provide Iran with an access to EEU market,” he said.

The Armenian-Iranian Business Forum has brought together more than 300 entrepreneurs from both countries.

In a letter addressed to Norbert Lammert, President of the German Bundestag, Norbert Röttgen, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag, and the heads of two factions, the International Association of Genocide Scholars urges Germany to recognize the Genocide of Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks in the Ottoman Empire. The letter reads:

“We write to you as the past presidents of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, the largest body of scholars who study genocide, concerning the resolution on the Armenian genocide that may be before you now.

The German government’s engagement with the Armenian genocide is vitally important to the international perspective in the aftermath of this history. The German Bundestag’s non-binding resolution of June 2005 concerning the annihilation of the Armenians in Turkey provides an important context for the new proposal that is now being considered in the Foreign Committee of the Bundestag.

In order for progress toward reconciliation to be made between Turkey and the Armenian Republic and the Armenian people, acknowledgement of the historical facts about one of the most devastating human rights atrocities of the modern era must be made. As the Bundestag noted in 2005. “The German Bundestag is painfully aware from its own national experience how hard it is for every people to face the dark sides of its past. But it also believes that facing one’s own history fairly and squarely is necessary and constitutes an important basis for reconciliation.”

Furthermore, the 2005 resolution read: “The German Bundestag honors and commemorates the victims of violence, murder and expulsion among the Armenian people before and during the First World War. The Bundestag deplores the deeds of the Young Turkish government in the Ottoman Empire that resulted in the almost total annihilation of the Armenians in Anatolia. It also deplores the inglorious role played by the German Reich which had made no attempt to intervene and stop these atrocities.”

In the centennial year, the opinions of Pope Francis I, the governments of Austria, Brazil, Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as the European Parliament, were significant and have joined 20 other countries (including France, Russia, Poland, Greece, Sweden) that have called for Turkey to deal with its Armenian past honestly. The front page New York Times headline of April 17, 2015 underscored the importance of this ethical issue: “A Century After A Genocide, Turkey’s Denial Only Deepens.”

The outpouring of world opinion in the spring of 2015 underscored the moral importance of official acknowledgement of the Ottoman government’s genocide because its successor state, the Republic of Turkey, continues to carry on an aggressive campaign of denial and falsification of the historical facts. Not only has there been no restitution, but Turkey’s campaign to pressure foreign governments and institutions (museums, school boards, media) to disallow the representations of the Armenian genocide is a violation of sovereign democratic rights and is ethically deplorable.

German documents on the Armenian genocide are an important part of the historical record. The documentary scholarship of Johannes Lepsius , the collection of eyewitness photographs of Armin T. Wegner, the eyewitness accounts of numerous German diplomats, officers, missionaries, nurses, engineers and railway workers, and the massive collection of German diplomatic correspondence in the archives of the German Foreign Office, and in Wolfgang Gust’s major collection of foreign office records: The Armenian Genocide: Evidence from the German Foreign Office Archives, 1915–1916, all constitute a significant part of the international historical record.

Germany, more than any country in the 20th century, has dealt with the aftermath of genocide with exemplary courage and moral reckoning. Germany has been a world leader in its ability to face its past, create a powerful culture of historical memory and deal with issues of recompense and social justice in the wake of the Holocaust. Thus, a statement from Germany affirming the historical facts and historical record of the Ottoman Turkish genocide against more than 3 million Christians—including more than a million Armenians according to the estimate of the German Embassy in Constantinople in October, 1916—would have great moral significance for this centennial moment.

We call on German legislators in this centennial year of 2015 to officially resolve in written form the forceful legal opinions made by speakers of all parliamentary factions on, April 24, 2015, confirming the genocide against the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek populations of the Ottoman Empire. We believe German leadership will help Turkey to address its own struggles with historical memory and will help support progressive forces inside Turkey, and Turkey’s forward progress as a proud nation.”

The EU Council has authorized the European Commission and the High Representative to open negotiations on a new, legally binding and overarching agreement with Armenia, and adopted the corresponding negotiating mandate. This agreement will replace the current EU-Armenia partnership and cooperation agreement.

The EU is committed to further develop and strengthen comprehensive cooperation with Armenia in all areas of mutual interest within the Eastern Partnership framework. The official launching of negotiations is envisaged to take place before the end of the year.

 

 

 

By escalating tensions at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, Baku changed the main agenda of the Foreign Ministers, political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan told a press conference today. According to him, organization of a presidential meeting was to be high on the agenda of the Foreign Minister’s meeting in New York. Meanwhile, renewed tensions at the border foiled the agenda.

Unable to solve its problems in a political way through negotiations, Azerbaijan tried and changed the agenda of the Foreign Ministers’ meeting.

“This is another expression of continuity of Aliyev’s evasive policy, aimed at foiling a new stage of negotiations by increasing tension,” Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

The actions at the border were so intensive that they really changed the political situation; Armenia’s assessment of Azerbaijani actions became the main development, the political scientist noted.

“I first of all mean President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement, which openly accused the international community of inspiring Azerbaijan by putting an equal sign between the conflicting sides’ actions. A second important message was the statement about Artsakh being an inseparable part of Armenia,” Hrant Meli- Shahnazaryan added.

According to him, Armenia is thus starting a new process, where Artsakh will be treated as an inseparable part of Armenia. As for the statement of the Ministry of Defense, it will bring some new stage of military situation, which envisages imposing peace on Azerbaijan through force. “This is the solution at this point,” Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

As for the resumption of large-scale military actions, the political scientist considers it unlikely, as Azerbaijan sees danger here and is not ready for war.

Armenia’s First Deputy Defense Minister David Tonoyan had a meeting with the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.

The parties discussed the situation along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

David Tonoyan briefed the Ambassador on the details of the recent incidents at the line of contact.

The parties shared concern over the frequency of ceasefire violations and the use of weapons of large caliber.

The Deputy Defense Minister informed Kasprzyk about the “Shant-2015” military command and staff exercises, their objectives and framework.

On 1 September Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan sent a condolence letter to the family of philanthropist Vahak Hovnanian, Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President reported.

The letter runs as follows:

“I have learnt with deep sorrow about the death of philanthropist, deserved son of the Armenian nation Vahak Hovnanian.

VahakHovnanian was a remarkable person, a great patriot, who devoted his entire life to his native people, the development and reinforcement of the Armenian independent statehood, resolution of pan-Armenian issues. Various projects of strategic significance were implemented with his active participation.

In this hour of irretrievable loss on behalf of the Artsakh people, the authorities and on my own behalf, I express condolences and support to Vahak Hovnanian’s family, his relatives and friends. His memory will always stay bright in our hearts.”

Germany now plans to return the skulls of ethnic Herero victims of 19th-century colonialism in south-western Africa. Their skulls were transported to what was then the German Empire for “medical research,” reports. 

Was it murder and expulsion, or should it be called genocide? The terminology becomes political when talking about the victims of German colonial rule in south-western Africa, mainly Namibia, around the turn of the 20th century. The deaths that occurred back then have not yet been clearly defined in the history books.

The proper term has been debated for decades, not unlike the disputed genocide against the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. For Israel Kaunatjike from a Berlin NGO against genocide, the Namibian skulls represent a chapter in German history that should have been rewritten long ago. “The first genocide of the 20th century took place in Namibia,” he told DW, “and we are listening carefully to what German politics is saying about that.”

Kaunatjike was born in 1947 as the son of Herero survivors in southwestern Africa. He has lived as a political refugee in Germany since 1970. His family’s past is closely interwoven with Germany’s colonial history. “My grandmother was employed by a German family back then – Otto Möller’s family. And that’s where my mother was born. I found that out much later,” he said.

On July 9, 1915, Germany’s colonial rule in southwestern Africa came to an end. A century later, this forgotten slice of Germany’s history is finally gaining attention. The president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Herman Parzinger, recently commented on the situation, referring specifically to a large collection of skulls which Berlin’s Charité hospital recently gave the Heritage Foundation. The precise origin of the skulls has not yet been determined.

For Parzinger, intensive provenance research is necessary. “It’s especially crucial to separate remains from pre-historic graves in Germany from those that came from German colonial territories in the 19th and early 20th centuries which may have been illegally brought to Berlin,” he told the epd news agency. Parzinger sees the scientific research as the first step to returning the remains. “However, it must be clear who the lawful recipient is,” he emphasized.

Kaunatjike has a different priority. “For us, it’s very important that the remains are brought back home. We estimate that approximately 3,000 Hereros and Namas from Namibia are here in Germany. These people were killed, expelled into the desert, or were put in camps – women, children, men.”

The skulls had likely been sent to the Charité hospital for “racial research” – a disturbing racist practice that was not uncommon in Western Europe at the time. Kaunatjike described exactly how the remains were prepared. “The Herero women had to scrape the skulls with glass shards, and wash and boil them,” he explained. “Then they were brought here – like ostrich eggs. That is inhuman. And we don’t know whether these people were beheaded.”

For Kaunatjike, the provenance research on the skulls is secondary. “These remains don’t belong in the archives of German universities and other medical institutions. They are still being used for research. That hasn’t ended.”

Helmut Parzinger has recommended that Germany’s colonial past – and the crimes committed during that time – be included in the presentation of exhibits of artifacts. “Among the German public, knowledge about these events has been overshadowed by the crime of the century – that is, the Holocaust – and World War II,” he admitted. The forgotten colonial area is to become part of the exhibitions in the planned Humboldt-Forum, which is to be part of the newly reconstructed Berlin Palace. “That has to change if we are to participate in earnest, eye-level discourse with others,” added Parzinger.

For the current generations of Hereros, like Israel Kaunatjike, the decisive point lies elsewhere: Germany’s long-overdue official apology has yet to happen. Nevertheless: “I’m very glad that the President of the Bundestag Norbert Lammert said that it’s high time that this part of Germany’s history be recognized,” said Kaunatjike.

The Aram Merangulyan Folk Instruments Ensemble of Public Radio of Armenia will participate in the Euroradio Folk Festival to be held in Krakow, Poland, as part of the EtnoKraków Festival July 5-11.

The EtnoKraków Festival is an unprecedented combination of two international events dedicated to ethnic music: the Euroradio Folk Festival review organized by Polskie Radio and the European Broadcasting Union, and the Rozstaje /Crossroads Festival Kraków.

The Aram Merangulyan Folk Instruments Ensemble was formed in Yerevan in 1926, coinciding with the foundation of the Public Radio of Armenia.

The formation performs folk songs from various countries, pieces for troubadours and minstrels, and works by Armenian composers. Their performances are transmitted on public TV and radio.

The ensemble’s leader, vocalist Ruben Matevosyan, has given thousands of concerts in all corners of the globe. He has been lecturing at the State Conservatory in Armenia since 1990, and has been the president of the Association of Armenian Musicians since 1999. He is widely regarded as one of the finest singers in the country and has appeared in a few films.

The orchestra’s sound is based on a subtle, harmonious partnership between the fascinating vocalist and the instrumentalists. The main instrument is of course the magical duduk, played by several musicians. There are also wind instruments and strings (including the qanun). The work of the Aram Merangulyan Folk Instruments Ensemble recalls the beautiful, ancient and rich Armenian traditions. The performance is bound to be one of the most emotional concerts during the festival.

The concert will take place at the Church Of St. Catherine at 18:30 on July 9.

More than 200 musicians representing countries from four continents will perform at close to 50 concerts and dance nights in exceptional festival locations.

Euroradio Folk Festival is an event with a long tradition and international prestige. The mission of the festival was to create an international platform for the presentation and promotion of artists inspired by local and regional music traditions. Established in 1980, the review of folk music takes place in a different country each year, and is organised by one of the 57 radio stations affiliated with the European Broadcasting Union.

Festiwal Rozstaje / Crossroads Festival Krakow, established in 1999, is one of the most important world music festivals in Poland and this part of Europe, presenting the best artists of the international and Polish ethno, world music, folk and ethnojazz scenes, as well as traditional scene groups. Rozstaje has hosted several hundred groups from dozens of countries in the world at open-air concerts organised, among others, at the Main Square in Krakow, as well as chamber concerts. A permanent element of the festival are music workshops, which are a unique opportunity for education in the musical cultures of the world and Poland, as well as international art projects commissioned specially for the Festival.

The Greek government has confirmed that banks will be closed all week, after a decision by the European Central Bank not to extend emergency funding, the BBC reports.

In a decree, it cited the “extremely urgent” need to protect the financial system due to the lack of liquidity.

Cash withdrawals will be limited to €60 a day for this period, the decree says.

Athens is due to make a €1.6bn payment to the IMF on Tuesday – the same day that its current bailout expires.

In reaction to the crisis, the London, Paris and Frankfurt stock markets fell sharply in early trading on Monday, following similar falls in Asia.

The euro lost 2% of its value against the the US dollar. Government borrowing costs in Italy and Spain, two of the eurozone’s weaker economies, have also risen.

Talks between Greece and the eurozone countries over bailout terms ended without an agreement on Saturday, and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras then called a surprise referendum on the issue to be held on 5 July.

Greece risks default and moving closer to a possible exit from the 19-member eurozone.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern that the sides of the Nagorno – Karabakh conflict have not reached a peace settlement yet and the tension is still growing, Trend reports.

Ban Ki-moon made this statement as part of the PACE summer session.

He said that the military solution to the conflict will be devastating not only for the sides of the conflict, but also for the entire region.

“I hope that the OSCE Minsk Group will help the sides reach a constructive and peaceful solution to the conflict,” he said.