Author: Jack Hunanian

Armenian Prime Minister’s wife to participate in Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in Ukraine

Jack Hunanian

 10:25, 6 September 2023

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s spouse Anna Hakobyan will participate in the Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen: Mental Health: Resilience and Vulnerability of the Future in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Anna Hakobyan is among the scheduled to participate in the event founded by the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.

The First Ladies and Gentlemen’s Summit is an international platform that brings together the world’s first ladies and gentlemen to promote dialogue and find effective solutions to global humanitarian challenges through soft power, partnerships, public diplomacy, exchange of experience and implementation of joint initiatives.

First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, the UK Prime Minister’s spouse Akshata Murty, First Lady of Albania Armanda Begaj, the First Lady of Austria Doris Schmidauer, First Lady of Cyprus Philippa Karsera, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the Queen of Sweden Her Majesty Silvia Renate and others are among the .

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1118860.html?fbclid=IwAR0CVDMeUFGinq6Wo7nXs1r5EmR9gRcd-U53RaVMZtTV5-_NeGlodJKVc0U

U.S. Senate urged to block all White House nominations to State Department until Biden acts to break Artsakh blockade

Jack Hunanian

 15:31, 1 September 2023

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Raffi Hamparian has called upon U.S. Senators to place a hold on all nominations to the State Department, blocking any new confirmations until President Biden takes decisive action to break Azerbaijan’s 260+ day blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

The ANCA’s call is backed up by a nationwide advocacy campaign, empowering Armenian and allied Americans from all fifty states to send letters urging their Senators to take this principled stand – in accord with U.S. interests and American values. The action portal is www.anca.org/hold.

The ANCA is asking that a hold on U.S. diplomatic nominees remain in place until the Biden Administration has undertaken demonstrable steps to:

– Lead a United Nations Security Council Resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh, sanctioning the Aliyev regime, and putting in place mechanisms to open land transit via the Lachin Corridor and to airlift supplies to Artsakh.

– Stop any new, current, or pending U.S. military or security assistance to Azerbaijan, and fully enforce Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.

– Deliver emergency U.S. humanitarian assistance and longer term development aid to the Armenian victims of Azerbaijani aggression in Nagorno Karabakh, including by means of a humanitarian airlift;

– Enforce statutory sanctions against Azerbaijani officials responsible for the genocidal blockade of Nagorno Karabakh.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 31-08-23

Jack Hunanian

 17:28,

YEREVAN, 31 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 31 August, USD exchange rate down by 0.20 drams to 385.78 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.99 drams to 419.38 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 4.00 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.20 drams to 489.01 drams.

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

Gold price up by 205.26 drams to 24155.68 drams. Silver price up by 4.80 drams to 305.36 drams.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 30-08-23

Jack Hunanian

 17:58,

YEREVAN, 30 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 30 August, USD exchange rate down by 0.17 drams to 385.98 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 3.10 drams to 420.37 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 4.02 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 2.72 drams to 488.81 drams.

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

Gold price up by 169.47 drams to 23950.42 drams. Silver price up by 0.30 drams to 300.56 drams.

Armenia-United States Business Forum to take place in California

Jack Hunanian

 14:05,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Ministry of Economy and the Armenian-American Business Council will jointly organize an Armenia-United States Business Forum on September 25-29 in Los Angeles and Burbank, California.

The Ministry of Economy said representatives from the areas of winemaking, IT and agriculture are invited to participate.

American business circles will become acquainted with the Armenian investment climate and business opportunities during the event.

Participants are invited to register .

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1118303.html?fbclid=IwAR0cj2_Dov_IJBcCBkQ7VHPhpvyUt2E6I2vuWzySk8wg5jAy3qQfgVm4JBQ

Yerevan named 2nd top travel destination among Russians for early autumn

Jack Hunanian

 10:41, 21 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan is the second top travel destination among Russian tourists for early autumn 2023 based on booking data studied by OneTwoTrip agency, Gazeta newspaper reports. 

The most-preferred destination for the so-called Velvet season by Russians is Istanbul.

With 4,3% of total bookings, this year the Armenian capital is 34,4% more demanded, according to the data.

Rome is the third most-booked destination by Russians.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 15-08-23

Jack Hunanian

 16:56, 15 August 2023

YEREVAN, 15 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 15 August, USD exchange rate up by 0.05 drams to 386.66 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.37 drams to 422.70 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.13 drams to 3.94 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.29 drams to 491.25 drams.

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

Gold price down by 146.72 drams to 23666.29 drams. Silver price up by 0.47 drams to 282.50 drams.

AYF Camp Haiastan Day Camp introduces the youngest campers to the “greatest place on earth”

Jack Hunanian
August 9, 2023 Camp Haiastan Community News, Diaspora, Youth 0

AYF Camp Haiastan Day Camp campers

FRANKLIN, Mass.—AYF Camp Haiastan Day Camp is approaching a second decade since its establishment. This year, the Day Camp hosted a record 44 campers. Day Camp runs daily for one week and is limited to children five to seven years old.

Digin Ani Changelian led both sessions of Day Camp. The first took place from June 26-31 and the second from August 7-11. Changelian has been a kindergarten teacher for 17 years and has been leading the Day Camp program for the past 12 years.

An AYF Camp Haiastan alumnus, as a camper and staff member with two years as the Camp’s summer director, Changelian is well-versed in the Camp’s mission, as well as its safety protocol.

According to Camp Haiastan Board member Nevart Apovian Mikaelian, the Day Camp was established, because parents wanted their younger children to attend a camp with an Armenian identity. In fact, this year the Board of Directors added the August session for parents whose children were unable to participate in July but were still very much interested in sending their young children to Camp.

Apovian Mikaelian and Judy Gavoor served as the first Day Camp directors in 2005. At that time, most of the children attending lived locally, but attendance quickly expanded to children from other Eastern U.S. Armenian communities. Their parents would stay in a local hotel or with families that lived in the area. This year, nine different states were represented by the Day Campers. 

Now, parents of the Armenian day schools also are instrumental in organizing children from their communities to attend the Day Camp. “Parents speak to each other on summer plans,” Changelian said. “They organize a fun week while staying in the area. This year, we had 16 campers from the Sisters Academy. The parents made all the arrangements, stayed at the same hotel and made it a family fun-filled week. Parents from New Jersey do the same,” she added.

The parents’ dedication and desire to have their children attend Camp Haiastan Day Camp has resulted in most of these campers attending overnight Camp as they grow older, and some, as we have seen this year, also become staff members.

According to Changelian, the program is evaluated and redesigned every year. “We want to make sure we are up to date with activities that challenge, educate and entertain the children,” she stated. Aspects of the overnight camp are also introduced, such as sitting around a campfire, celebrating the Armenian tradition of vartavar, learning the mess hall chants, swimming in the pool, catching fish on Uncas Pond, arts and crafts and of course, Camp Store.

The counselor staff is key to the success of the Day Camp. In the past, counselors from among the overnight campers were selected to work with the children. But this year, with such a large number of Day Campers, the job was posted instead. “We are grateful that a former head counselor took the lead and recruited alumni members of the staff who were all in their mid-twenties. Having a strong group of counselors makes a difference in the campers’ experience. Campers and counselors form special bonds that go beyond the campgrounds,” Changelian explained. Designating the Day Camp counselor as a stand-alone position is another major step in the growth of the Day Camp.

The last day of Day Camp is devoted to the hantes. The children perform songs and dances for invited family and friends, as well as the older campers who are at Camp staying overnight for two weeks. The program ends with campers of all ages dancing together.  

As the Day Camp is growing, both in numbers of attendees and in significance, the AYF Camp Haiastan Board of Directors is fully committed to continuing to meet the Day Camp’s mission to fully engage campers’ imaginations and encourage them to explore, learn and connect with their Armenian heritage in a warm and friendly atmosphere. This year, as with all previous years, the Board will review the facility and program needs and make the necessary adjustments to assure the continued success of this important aspect of AYF Camp Haiastan.

AYF Camp Haiastan Day Camp

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Located in Franklin, Massachusetts, AYF Camp Haiastan, was founded in 1951 and is the oldest Armenian camp in the United States. The Camp prides itself on providing a healthy and safe experience to Armenian-American youth to help them foster their Armenian identity and establish lifelong friendships.


Armenia’s attempts to bring cargoes via Lachin corridor unauthorized: Azerbaijan

Jack Hunanian
IRAN FRONT PAGE
July 31 2023

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said the truck convoy that was detained at the entry to the Lachin corridor had no permission from the Baku side to do so, the press service of the Azerbaijani leader announced following his talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

“During the talks, President Aliyev noted that the Armenian side had staged a military provocation at the border checkpoint in Lachin, shelled Azerbaijani border guards, attempted a contraband, and sent an unauthorized tuck convoy to Azerbaijan,” it said.

According to Aliyev, Baku suggested the route Agdam-Khankendi be used to deliver goods to the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh and this proposal was supported by the European Union and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

“The Azerbaijani president said that Armenia has turned down all the proposals. The Armenian side’s statements about the ‘humanitarian situation’ and the ‘blockade’ are political manipulations,” the press service stressed.

Apart from that, Aliyev stated that Yerevan “is indulging in subversive activities” and is seeking to hamper contact and dialogue between Baku and representatives of Karabakh’s Armenian population.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan said on Thursday that a convoy with humanitarian assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh residents from Armenia was unable to enter the Lachin corridor as it had no permission from the Azerbaijani authorities.

According to the Armenian side, the Lachin corridor, which is the only road from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, was blocked on December 12, 2022 by a group of Azerbaijani nationals. Later, Baku placed an official checkpoint on the border with Armenia near the Khakari bridge.

People in Nagorno-Karabakh receive humanitarian aid with the assistance of Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which also helps evacuate those needing medical assistance to Armenia. However, after a shootout between Armenian and Azerbaijani border guards on June 15, Baku banned any humanitarian deliveries to Nagorno-Karabakh.

https://ifpnews.com/armenia-cargoes-lachin-corridor-unauthorized-azerbaijan/

Azerbaijan rejects US mediation in Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations to hide its threats of war

Jack Hunanian
July 31 2023

There's information that in the coming days, representatives of Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh will meet in a third country in order to negotiate, with the USA serving as an intermediary state. The Karabakh-Azerbaijani negotiations will probably take place in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

There's a need for official confirmation of the information, but this may only happen if the negotiation process implies confidentiality. This is at least the second attempt to organise a Baku-Stepanakert meeting in Bulgaria. The previous one was months ago, in May-June, but it failed due to Azerbaijan's maximalist position.

In particular, the international mediators conveyed Azerbaijan's proposals to Stepanakert. It was a program to integrate the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan. The Karabakh side perceived it not as an invitation to negotiations but as a presentation of a request by Azerbaijan. Due to the maximalism of Azerbaijan, that meeting didn't take place.

Azerbaijan has insisted that it pay the rent for the hotel space and hospitality for the Karabakh-Azerbaijani negotiations in Sofia. Formerly, Karabakh rejected Azerbaijan's offer to go to Baku and negotiate. Now, Azerbaijan wants to feel like a host in that negotiation.

Baku objected to American mediators in the meeting room with Stepanakert representatives in Sofia. Baku suggested that they wait in the next room.

Why does Azerbaijan object to negotiations with Nagorno Karabakh being held in the presence of international observers? During the talks, Azerbaijan intends to present a plan for the integration of Nagorno Karabakh Armenians into Azerbaijan, not to discuss or accept any of Stepanakert's proposals, and to threaten that if Stepanakert doesn't get its demands, Baku will start a war.

In other words, Azerbaijan imagines the meeting as an ultimatum presentation ceremony, not a negotiation. And he doesn't want the USA to see it.

On March 1, 2023, Azerbaijan met with representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians in Ivanyan/Khojaly. The command of the Russian peacekeepers was present. Stepanakert offered to discuss technical issues at that meeting. However, the Azerbaijani deputy sent from Baku presented a plan for integrating Karabakh Armenians, intentionally disrupting the meeting.

The meeting failed. Five to six days after that meeting, Azerbaijan killed three Armenian police officers in Nagorno Karabakh. President Arayik Harutyunyan revealed after that meeting that Azerbaijan threatened the representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh that if the Azerbaijani integration plan isn't accepted, there would be harsh military actions.

Arresting a 68-year-old citizen of Karabakh in the Lachin Corridor and transferring him to Baku is Azerbaijan's attempt to derail the upcoming negotiations with Stepanakert. It is the use of force and threat by Azerbaijan against the Armenians of Karabakh. It may seem that the meeting with the Armenians of Karabakh is beneficial for Azerbaijan because it's a chance to present a request.

However, when Nagorno Karabakh participates in the negotiations with Azerbaijan, it deprives Baku of the opportunity to create false grounds for using military force. Azerbaijan prefers that Karabakh doesn't participate in the meetings, which it will interpret as destructiveness, and start a military operation against Karabakh.

Baku likely fails this upcoming match as well. For example, in addition to arresting Vagif Khachatryan, Azerbaijan can organise new military provocations and prevent the Armenian side from attending the meeting. But if the meeting occurs, the official Stepanakert will present its program and agenda.

International mediators should be more deeply involved in the negotiations. The US should move from the role of a mere meeting organiser to the position of forcing solutions. The goal of Azerbaijan is to deport the Karabakh Armenians by starving them to death, creating inhuman conditions for living.

As long as there is no intense pressure on Azerbaijan to give up this maximalism, peace will not be established. On the contrary, the high risk of a new bloody conflict will remain.

By the way, today, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced that he spoke with the President of Azerbaijan, Aliyev, yesterday.

In the conversation, he wrote: "I spoke to Azerbaijani President Aliyev yesterday to express our deep concern for the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Nagorno-Karabakh. The United States urges all sides to continue dialogue to reach a durable peace agreement."

Robert Ananyan is a journalist for Factor TV.