Author: Hovsep Chakrian

Artsakh important factor in maintaining regional, global geopolitical balance – David Babayan

Hovsep Chakrian
ARMINFO
Armenia – May 31 2022
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo.Artsakh, its very existence, is among the most important factors in maintaining regional and even global geopolitical balance, Artsakh Foreign  Minister David Babayan believes.  

"If there was no Artsakh, the geopolitical landscape of Transcaucasia  would radically change, and after that the same would take place also  in the adjacent regions. This would lead to the situation where  maintaining the geopolitical balance by traditional means (a system  of geostrategic checks and balances, etc.) will be practically  impossible. 

"This will lead to an open, tough and direct confrontation between  the centers of power. And what can happen when it is impossible  maintain the geopolitical balance by traditional means and when the  great global and regional powers will openly clash with each other? I  think the answer is very clear. The world may even be on the brink of  nuclear war," Mr Babayan's statement reads. 

Iran attaches importance to neighborliness with Armenia

Hovsep Chakrian
Mehr News Agency, Iran
June 2 2022

TEHRAN, Jun. 02 (MNA) – Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi told his Armenian counterpart that Iran considers Armenia a friendly and close country and attaches importance to its neighborliness with Armenia.

Speaking in a phone call with the President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan on Thursday, Raeisi described Iran-Armenia's continuous consultations as a sign of the importance and depth of friendly relations between the two countries.

"Protecting the geopolitics of the region, including international borders, respecting the national sovereignty of countries, and strengthening communication infrastructure between the regions is the principle of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the Iranian president added.

He also called for expanding Iran-Armenia's bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the fields of energy and transportation, saying that these ties will strengthen peace, stability and economic and trade prosperity in the region.

"Iran supports the progress in the peace talks between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan," he also pointed out, expressing hope that that the remaining issues in this regard will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the principles of international law and respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the two countries.

President of Armenia, for his part, presented a report on the implemented agreements and appreciated the principled positions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the developments in the region, describing Iran's role in the region as important and effective.

Expressing his country's interest in expanding economic, trade, political, and cultural cooperation with Iran, Khachaturyan said that the continuous holding of a joint commission on economic cooperation between the two countries will definitely facilitate and accelerate the expanding process of relations between Iran and Armenia.

He also welcomed the holding of the 3+3 summit in Tehran as soon as possible.

MP

AraratBank bonds listed on the Armenia Securities Exchange

Hovsep Chakrian
June 2 2022

02.06.2022 17:14

YEREVAN, June 2, /ARKA/. As reported by АraratBank, the bonds (AMARBKB2MER3) have a nominal value of USD 25, a coupon of 4.75% and a maturity of 27 months.

Coupons will be paid out every quarter. It is interesting to note that this is the 22nd current and the 14th US dollar-denominated issue of the Bank listed on AMX.

"АraratBank completed placement of its 22nd issue bonds ahead of schedule, within only 8 days. Both individuals and legal entities participated in the bond placement, which manifests the high level of credibility that the Bank has gained among its customers and investors, as well as the strong position taken by the Bank in the RA securities market. АraratBank bonds were listed on the Bbond list of Armenia Securities Exchange," – said Anahit Shakaryan, Head of Investment Banking Department of AraratBank.

“The collaboration of the Armenia Securities Exchange and the Central Depository with АraratBank dates back to 2007. Due to the cooperation with the Central Depository, the Bank has become a link between the citizens and the Depository, mediating the registry keeping and custody services, including registration and retention of the ownership right towards securities. 

The strong collaboration between АraratBank and the Securities Exchange has been gaining momentum and the results of the annual awards ceremony are its clear confirmation," – the Bank reports. -0-

Armenia limits bioweapons cooperation with U.S. amid Russian pressure

Hovsep Chakrian
June 3 2022
Ani Mejlumyan Jun 3, 2022

Armenia’s government has said it will no longer share with the United States samples of biological pathogens and data on disease outbreaks, amid a Russian campaign raising suspicions of American biological laboratories across the post-Soviet space.

On June 2, the government announced that it was amending a 2010 agreement between Armenia and the United States on "Cooperation in the Area of Prevention of Proliferation of Technology, Pathogens and Expertise that Could be Used in the Development of Biological Weapons."

In Article IV of the agreement, the government noted in its decision, Armenia was obliged to “provide the U.S. Department of Defense with samples of dangerous pathogens discovered in Armenia.”

But now Armenia is working on a “Comprehensive Law on Biosafety,” in which ”it will be clearly stated that the Armenian side is not obliged to provide samples of pathogens to any state.” Further in the document, it says that the decision was made “out of the need to ensure a balanced policy with partners in the field of biosafety and international cooperation.”

The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan had not responded to requests for comment by the time this piece was posted. Calls to the press office of Armenia’s National Security Council went unanswered. Article VII of the 2010 agreement allows either side to unilaterally amend or cancel the agreement with 90 days’ written notice.

It’s not clear what motivated the decision, and government officials have not commented beyond the official notice.

But it comes as Yerevan has been fighting back accusations from Moscow that it may be harboring secret American bioweapons facilities.

Over the last several years the U.S. has funded the renovation and construction of a series of biological laboratories across Armenia, several in regional centers linked to a central lab in Yerevan. They are primarily “designed to track, monitor, and fight infections,” the U.S. Embassy has said, and to “help the nation track and secure dangerous pathogens more effectively.”

The Armenian labs are part of a larger U.S. effort to build similar labs around the world, particularly in the post-Soviet space. Russia has long cast suspicion on this network – perhaps most vigorously in Georgia – suggesting that what the Americans present as merely an effort to prevent the spread of diseases around the world is in fact a secret, nefarious anti-Russian bioweapons program.

The accusations have been coming with even more frequency since the war in Ukraine began. Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations has been particularly vocal on the issue, mostly directed at Ukraine, but not only.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in a May 23 interview, listed Armenia as one of several sites of United States-funded biological laboratories that were the objects of Russian concern.

"What’s important is transparency that allows us to ensure that these programs do not have a military dimension, as this is prohibited by the Convention [on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons],” Lavrov said.

Lavrov said that Russia was in the process of setting up bilateral agreements with several post-Soviet countries allowing for Russia to inspect the facilities. But as far back as 2019 Yerevan and Moscow had signed an agreement allowing Russian officials, including military personnel, access to the Armenian facilities under question.

“The main purpose of this document is to honor the interests of all sides, to make sure that nobody, none of our partners, have any fears about the labs,” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the time.

That appears not to have mollified Russia, and Armenian officials now have been expressing confusion about what more Moscow could possibly need to know.

“These issues have been raised before, we have created a working commission […] to ensure transparency. We have invited Russian colleagues and always were open to discussing any issue, any time. And we are sure that we can address any concern, which should be enough for the context of the raised issues [by Russia],” said the head of Armenia’s National Security Council, Armen Grigoryan, in a May 31 interview with local news website CivilNet.

“Maybe they have more questions, and we are discussing with our Russian partners to answer the remaining questions,” he said. “Based on a memorandum signed between the countries, we are currently negotiating over the execution of the responsibilities taken upon that memorandum,” he said. In 2021, Armenia and Russia signed a memorandum on biosecurity cooperation.

“There are internal discussions in the Armenian government, and soon we will be ready for the final discussion,” Grigoryan said.

Separately, Grigoryan has said that senior National Security Council officials had visited Moscow and “discussed all the existing issues. […] The Armenian side gave exhaustive answers to all the issues these [Russian] specialists voiced.”

Armenia has for the most part taken a low-profile position vis-a-vis Russia’s war in Ukraine. Armenia is a treaty ally of Russia; as members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization the two sides are obliged to come to each other’s defense. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, Armenia has provided diplomatic support for Moscow in United Nations votes, but otherwise has tried to keep its head down. 

Ani Mejlumyan is a reporter based in Yerevan.

 

No prompt decisions on Karabakh – Fyodor Lukyanov

Hovsep Chakrian
ARMINFO
Armenia – May 25 2022
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo. No prompt decisions on the problems between Armenia and Azerbaijan, especially on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, should be expected in the foreseeable future, Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director of the Valdai Discussion Club,  said in an interview with ArmInfo.

"I think it is a protracted settlement process that Moscow's  reckoning and policy toward the Brussels- supervised stage of the  conflict settlement is based on. It is obvious for Moscow that EU's  major task is full control of the process, and Brussels is giving  promises to Yerevan and Baku," he said.  

According to the statement by President of the European Council  Charles Michel following his meeting with the Armenian and  Azerbaijani leaders, the leaders agreed on the need to proceed with  unblocking the transport links, on the work of Border Commissions and  on meeting again in the same format by July/August.

As regards Moscow's obvious passiveness "on the Karabakh-related  geopolitical track," Mr Lukyanov explains it by an objective  geopolitical situation. However, it is too early to ignore Russia's  role as mediator. With no light at the end of the tunnel, Moscow has  every chance to retake its role at any moment. 

"In any case, it is Brussels, not Moscow, that is the venue for the  substantial negotiations now, which does not at all improve the  chances of resolving the major Armenian-Azerbaijani problem, Nagorno-  Karabakh's status. Brussels will certainly continue with statements  in support of Yerevan and Baku, but it is our [Russian] peacekeepers  that are ensuring security in Karabakh. And it is the status of the  principal mediator in the region that is being determined now, and  the prospects are dependent on the geopolitical signals far beyond  the South Caucasus borders," Mr Lukyanov said.   

UNESCO’s intervention to preserving Armenian monuments of Nagorno Karabakh urgent: FM receives ALIPH Executive Director

Hovsep Chakrian

Save

Share

 16:25, 26 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received on May 26 Executive Director of the International alliance for the protection of heritage in conflict areas (ALIPH) Mr. Valéry Freland, the foreign ministry said in a news release.

FM Mirzoyan said that the preservation of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the territories under the Azerbaijani control is one of the priority issues of Armenia.

It was stated that more than 2000 Armenian cultural monuments and 21000 museum exhibits face a very serious threat of complete elimination.

The Armenian side said that the immediate intervention and uninterrupted engagement of the international community, particularly UNESCO, becomes more urgent in such situation, in order to preserve the Armenian monuments of Nagorno Karabakh that are part of the world cultural heritage and prevent the continuous cases of vandalism.

The works of ALIPH on shooting Armenian historical-cultural monuments in Tavush and Syunik provinces and digitizing them in 3D, as well as the future actions on this direction were also discussed during the meeting.

AW: “The Future of Things Passed” celebrates contemporary Armenian art

Hovsep Chakrian
 Lillian Avedian Art, Diaspora, Culture 1

Collectors Preview of The Future of Things Passed (Photo: Atamian Hovsepian Curatorial Practice Facebook page)

NEW YORK, NY—The future of the Armenian community was on display at the opening reception of “The Future of Things Passed” exhibition in Manhattan on May 19th.

The exhibition features celebrated women artists of Armenian descent Eozen Agopian, Melissa Dadourian, Linda Ganjian and Judith Simonian. It is the first developed by the Atamian Hovsepian Curatorial Practice, co-founded by Christopher Atamian and Tamar Hovsepian. Part of the proceeds from art sales at the exhibition will be donated to the New York Armenian Students’ Association Scholarship Fund.

Eozen Agopian, Christopher Atamian, Judith Simonian and Tamar Hovsepian (Photo: Atamian Hovsepian Curatorial Practice Facebook page)

Atamian and Hovsepian launched the practice to promote representation of contemporary artists from marginalized backgrounds.

“We identified that we want to show marginalized groups—Armenian, women, LGBTQ+, people of color,” Hovsepian told the Armenian Weekly.

Hovsepian has previously worked with all of the artists featured in “The Future of Things Passed” in former galleries she has curated. She laments that while artists like Simonian, who gained renown within the downtown Los Angeles art scene of the 1980s, are internationally acclaimed, they are not as well known among Armenians. Through her joint curatorship with Atamian, she hopes to educate and cultivate a new generation of Armenian art collectors. 

“Larry Gagosian is one of the wealthiest, most famous art dealers, and he doesn’t have a single Armenian artist that he represents,” she offered as an example of the absence of support for contemporary Armenian art. “Why is there not a single art gallery in Chelsea that shows Armenian artists?”

Contemporary Armenian artists lack visibility both within the Armenian community and the broader contemporary art world, according to Hovsepian. She recalled the “Armenia!” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which displayed the artistic achievements of Armenian people up until the 17th century. 

“You can’t title an exhibition ‘Armenia!’ and stop and then not talk about what’s happening now. Where is the contemporary Armenian art?” Hovsepian asked. “Outside of Arshile Gorky, who do we have at the Museum of Modern Art?”

“The Future of Things Passed” explores how art can “deconstruct and uncover elements of the past through sense memory and found objects, while making lasting statements through these interpretations,” as stated in an essay presented to visitors at the gallery door. The orientation of the gallery toward the future is inspired by Armenian Futurism, defined by Sylvia Alajaji as “a realm in which re-imaginings and re-claimings of queer and otherwise marginalized Armenian pasts give way to futures of possibility and wonder.”

Atamian says that Armenian Futurism, theorized by artists like Kamee Abrahamian, Mashinka Firunts Hakopian and Hrag Vartanian, can inspire creativity and visionary thinking beyond pain and hardship. 

“How do we create an inclusive vibrant forward-thinking Armenian community that thinks about its future and being progressive and being at the cutting edge?” Atamian posed. 

Atamian, a celebrated writer, editor and translator, noted how the artwork on display repurposes memories and found objects from the past. For instance, Ganjian’s series “Map of Her Prayers, No. 1-6,” incorporates inscriptions from a prayer book her grandmother carried with her through Der Zor during the Armenian Genocide. 

Map of Her Prayers #5 by Linda Ganjian (Photo: Atamian Hovsepian Curatorial Practice Facebook page)

“How do you take something from the past and make something beautiful that’s forward thinking and that people want to collect?” Atamian said of the impact of Ganjian’s artwork.

Atamian believes that Armenians should support contemporary Armenian artwork, not only because it is beautiful, but also because it can promote Armenian political causes, such as Armenian Genocide recognition and the peaceful resolution of the Artsakh conflict, by generating an emotional investment in these issues. 

“People need to know who Armenians are,” Atamian said. “Americans and people in Europe don’t have a gut reaction to it, because they don’t know about it. If you have a piece of art or a book that is Armenian, you have an emotional connection rather than just a policy paper.”

K Sherbetdjian attended the opening reception and was struck by the emotional intensity of Ganjian’s artwork. 

“I’m looking at each individual component, and I’m wondering what the story is behind it and what the significance is for the artist, and then also what the significance is for me. The text that’s incorporated is in Armenian. I don’t speak Armenian. I just wonder what the passages are. It looks like there’s doorbells. I’m wondering if that is a signal to God or a signal for help. I like pieces where there’s a lot to think about,” Sherbetdjian reflected on “Map of Her Prayers.” 

As an artist, Caroline Gates recognized her own art studio within Studio Ballou, a painting of an art studio by Simonian. Gates wandered into “The Future of Things Passed” after a painting by Simonian near the door caught her eye. 

“Even in the abstraction you can hold onto something concrete. It does a really good job of taking us back through spaces that are familiar, but we could see it through every lens of the different times that we were there,” Gates said while studying Studio Ballou. “I feel very placed. I could stare at this forever.”

Studio Ballou by Judith Simonian (Photo: Atamian Hovsepian Curatorial Practice Facebook page)

Atamian and Hovsepian plan to continue curating exhibitions to place artwork by artists from marginalized backgrounds within institutions like museums and galleries. They hope Armenians will support their fellow artists by collecting contemporary art. 

“This is as beautiful as the art you find in any museum and community, so why not represent it?” Atamian posed. 

“The Future of Things Passed” will be on display until May 29, 2022 from 11 A.M.-7 P.M. on the ground floor of 138 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10001. 

  •  Bio
  •  Latest Posts
Lillian Avedian is a staff writer for the Armenian Weekly. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hetq and the Daily Californian. She is pursuing master’s degrees in Journalism and Near Eastern Studies at New York University. A human rights journalist and feminist poet, Lillian's first poetry collection Journey to Tatev was released with Girls on Key Press in spring of 2021.


Armenpress: PM Pashinyan hosts President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović

Hovsep Chakrian

PM Pashinyan hosts President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović

Save

Share

 20:34,

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hosted the delegation led by President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović, who is in Armenia on an official visit, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

Welcoming the guests in Yerevan, the Prime Minister said, “We attach great importance to the relations with Montenegro, I am sure that your visit will give a new impetus to the further development of our relations. I was pleased to note that, in fact, there are long-established relations between our capitals; in 1978, a memorandum of understanding was signed between our capitals. I hope that in this new environment, when our countries have independence, we will be able to properly develop interstate relations and deepen economic relations. Admittedly, we do not have much to boast about today. Dear Mr. President, Dear colleagues, I once again welcome you in our capital and I am sure you will have a good and impressive visit."

In his turn, Milo Đukanović thanked for the warm reception and noted, “I am very happy to be here, because as I told the Minister of Economy and the Mayor of Yerevan, at school age I was able to come here from Belgrade in the sidelines of the exchange program between Titograd and Yerevan and spend some time in Yerevan. I have very good memories. Unfortunately, during this period I have not had the opportunity to come to your beautiful country, I am glad to be here. As you said, the first cooperation was when our countries were part of larger states, the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. Now we are in a new political reality, we are independent states, and I believe that both of us are interested and able to deepen this cooperation. Montenegro is a small country and I think small countries can, need it more urgently or it’s more important for them to be politically active. Our main foreign policy goal is

European, Euro-Atlantic integration. Of course, we are following the developments in your region, we want to have close cooperation with the Eurasian region as well, because there are already traditional relations between our countries."

The interlocutors discussed issues related to the development of cooperation in the field of economy, in particular, information technologies, tourism, agriculture. The parties expressed readiness to make efforts to expand business ties, trade turnover and facilitate the implementation of joint investment programs.

Nikol Pashinyan and Milo Đukanović exchanged views on the processes taking place in the South Caucasus. The Prime Minister presented the position of the Armenian side on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The sides also made a reference to the processes taking place in the international arena.

Armoteca: HayPost launches new platform for promotion and export of Armenian goods

Hovsep Chakrian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia –

Armenia’s post operator HayPost has launched the new Armoteca online platform, aimed at popularizing the best Armenian products and organizing their delivery to about 190 countries. Armenian wines, herbal teas, dried fruit, spices and other Armenian flavors and tastes — all will be available to customers.

It is possible to order the Armenian wines, sweets, honey, fruit jams, canned food both in Armenia and beyond its borders through Armoteca online platform. The scope of products will keep increasing every day.

HayPost CEO Hayk Karapetyan said: “Armoteca is a platform not only for Armenians living abroad, but also for everyone who appreciates the good wine, organic herbal teas, pure canned products from natural fruit. Thanks to Armoteca platform that we are launching, we create an opportunity for Armenian businessmen to present and sell their production all over the world, while we are going to deliver it in shortest period of time. We invite our producers of really high-quality products to present their goods on our platform.”

Within the framework of Armoteca online platform, HayPost will give the Armenian producers the possibility to ensure the availability of Armenian goods in about 190 countries.

AW: GALAS Queernissage to celebrate the creativity and artistry of LGBTQ+ Armenians and allies

Hovsep Chakrian
 Guest Contributor Announcements 0

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society (GALAS) will host its second annual Queernissage: an open air market featuring LGBTQ+ creatives from South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA). The market will take place on Saturday, June 4, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Studio City Pop-Up: 4354 Tujunga Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604.

Queernissage is an homage to “Vernissage,” the open air market in Armenia that has been a gathering place for artists and merchants for decades. Through Queernissage, GALAS aims to create a space for their community members to express and share their creativity with each other and with the public. With an eclectic array of vendors, attendees can expect to find artwork, baked goods, interactive booths, jewelry and much more.

The first ever Queernissage took place in July 2021. Over 30 LGBTQ+ Armenian artists and allies were featured and hosted over 400 people during the day.

Queernissage is only one of many programs GALAS has planned for this year. In its 24th year, GALAS is committed to expanding and further developing robust outreach and community programming to bring visibility to LGBTQ+ Armenian voices and create resources and safe spaces for LGBTQ+ Armenians, their families and allies. Some of GALAS’ programs include therapeutic support groups, Soorj Sessions for families and allies of LGBTQ+ Armenians, as well as a scholarship fund for college students of Armenian descent who have demonstrated LGBTQ+ activism. 

GALAS encourages all community members to attend Queernissage to support and enjoy the creative work of LGBTQ+ Armenians and allies. For additional information, email [email protected].