Author: Jhanna Virabian

Robert Kocharyan about Armenian authorities: They will constantly be forced to sign something

Jhanna Virabian
Panorama, Armenia
May 19 2021

Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan on Tuesday met with representatives of the healthcare sector within the framework of meetings with specialists from different spheres, the official Facebook page of the former president reported.

Some of the issues raised during the meeting concerned the border situation in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces and Armenia's appeal to the CSTO for assistance.

“You [the Armenian authorities] have placed your positions deep within and Azerbaijan has advanced, now you are shouting out loud, ‘Let Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan come and push Azerbaijan back.’ But where are you? How is it that within the CSTO everyone has more friendly relations with Azerbaijan, which is not a CSTO member state, than with Armenia. Should they answer this simple question or not? Why should Belarus, Kazakhstan and other countries have better relations with Azerbaijan? Now you turn to them. Why should they protect you? You don’t stand on your border and defend it, you apply to the CSTO and present it to the people as heroism. So what is next? One of the main functions of the state – ensuring security – is simply worthy of ridicule,” the ex-president said.

Speaking about the border crisis and possible developments in Syunik, Kocharyan said: “No measures are being taken to strengthen the borders of the country. If you have a border, you must defend it with your own military. To do this, you need to understand where your positions are. During this period, our armed forces had to be given the opportunity to deploy troops with the appropriate density on this border area.

“I believe we will first of all be demanded to demarcate the borders and forced to recognize those borders. They will constantly force [the authorities] to sign something. These are broken people, and, I am convinced, that there will be no resistance.”

“Our key problem at the moment is the complete lack of new resources to resist," he stated. 

Fresno Armenians plan next move after FUSD names new school after philanthropists | KMPH

Jhanna Virabian
Fox 26 News

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by Liz Gonzalez

Friday, May 21st 2021

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FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — For years, Michelle Asadoorian saw new schools in Fresno Unified named after notable figures in the Latino, Hmong and Black communities.

She was hoping this would be the year a new school would be named after a prominent Armenian American.

Specifically, the late world-renowned journalist, Fresno State professor and Fresno native Roger Tatarian.

"He taught us to be good writers, and he cared," says Asadoorian, a former student of Tatarian and Fresno Unified Board Trustee. "He was one of the kindest, gentlest man you could ever meet."

A month-long survey of the community showed overwhelming support for naming the school after Tatarian, too.

Wednesday, her hopes were dashed when Fresno Unified School Board members voted to name the newest campus in the district after philanthropists Francine and Murray Farber.

The Farbers have lived in Fresno since 2003, and established a million-dollar endowment in honor of their late son, to provide scholarships to students at Tehipite Middle School.

"I'm not sure what the motivations are," said Superintendent Bob Nelson. "Individual board members have various motivations as to why they would nominate or suggest a certain person's name."

Nelson says while the survey was meant to gather suggestions for names, the decision is ultimately up to the board.

"The idea that those people suggesting names are actually voting, and that the board is just going to ratify their vote is actually not the process," Nelson said.

More than 900 of those surveyed suggested Tatarian.

There were 88 submissions in support of the Farbers.

Asadoorian says those surveys did carry weight when she was on the board.

The proof: Vang Pao Elementary, named after the revered Hmong leader, and Gaston Middle School, named after the African-American educator and community activist.

"We're seven percent of Fresno's metropolitan population and not one school is named after Armenians," Asadoorian said.

Nelson says he sees her point.

"I think that's a major oversight, and I think that has come out of this process for certain," Nelson said, adding there could be an opportunity to still name another school after Tatarian in the future.

Even so, Asadoorian says Wednesday's decision stings.

"The good part is, is we've kind of awakened the the bear and the the Armenians have now realized that they've got to exercise their rights and powers and that's what we plan to do moving forward," she said. 

Armenia never discussed and will never discuss anything in the logic of corridor – Pashinyan

Jhanna Virabian

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 17:41,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS.  A consultation took place today chaired by caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on economic issues.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, before starting the consultation, Nikol Pashinyan referred to the situation in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces.

‘’The Defense Ministry provides information to the public on daily basis. The situation is stable but tense, and I have to emphasize, unacceptable for us, because our position is clear and unequivocal – the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces must withdraw from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. Of course, our Armed Forces carry out tactical maneuver, but our position is that this situation should be solved by diplomatic means, peacefully. This is our priority approach and goal.

You know that we have applied to the Collective Security Treaty Organization for implementing some of its functions'', Pashinyan said, noting that though the processes do not go on at desired pace, the CSTO has the security tools and the Armenian side will continue making constant efforts for putting them into operation. ''We will also continue our diplomatic efforts for providing the international community complete information and increasing the international pressure on Azerbaijan'', Pashinyan said, adding that the works with Armenia's strategic ally Russia will continue. ''You know that I have turned to the Russian President for assistance and consultations in this direction will also continue'', he said.

Speaking about the activities of Azerbaijan, Nikol Pashinyan named them unconstructive. ''They are taking measures for increasing regional tensions. Our assessment is that by this act they are trying to thwart the implementation of November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021 statements. I want to remind that the statements are about the opening of regional communications and solution of transit cargo issues. I want to emphasize that the Republic of Armenia is not only interested in the opening of the regional communications, but we consider this one of our economic priorities. But I want to emphasize once again that Armenia has never and will never discuss anything in the logic of the ''corridor''. We are speaking about the opening of regional infrastructures'', caretaker Prime Minister Pashinyan said, expressing surprise over the Azerbaijani provocation, which took place in a period when it seemed that the trilateral commission led by the Deputy PMs of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan was carrying out quite constructive and effective works.

Armenia’s MOD confirms Azerbaijan tried to carry out work in Syunik, negotiations underway

Jhanna Virabian
Aysor, Armenia

Armenia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that early in the morning of May 12 the Azerbaijani armed forces tried to carry out certain works in one of the border sectors of Armenia’s Syunik reasoning with “border clarifications.”

After the measures undertaken by Armenian [army[ sub-divisions, the Azerbaijani armed forces stopped the works.

Currently negotiations are underway to settle the created situation, MOD reported.

Parliament expected to dissolve with second round of vote

Jhanna Virabian

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 12:01,

YEREVAN, MAY 10, ARMENPRESS. Parliament is in session for the second and final round of vote to elect a prime minister, a formality required to dissolve the legislature to hold snap election.

Caretaker PM Nikol Pashinyan is the only candidate nominated by the ruling bloc. He was voted down in the first round a week ago.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned on April 25 to trigger the snap election of parliament. The entire Cabinet also resigned. Holding early elections requires the dissolution of parliament, which in turn can happen when the legislature twice fails to elect a prime minister after the incumbent steps down. Pashinyan said during his resignation that his bloc will formally nominate and subsequently vote him down during both votings in order to maintain the technical requirements to disband the legislature.

[see video]
diting and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Saeima [Latvian Parliament] passes declaration on Armenian genocide in Ottoman Empire

Jhanna Virabian
Baltic Times
May 6 2021
  • 2021-05-06
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA – The Saeima on Thursday passed a declaration on the Armenian genocide that was committed in the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

The declaration drafted by the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee was passed after the parliament rejected a declaration proposed earlier by a group of several dozen MPs. 

In the debate about the declaration, MP Romans Naudins (National Alliance) said that parliaments should carefully weigh such declarations before adopting them because they entail certain consequences. He said that none of the declarations was discussed with historians and that they deal with matters that Latvian lawmakers have not analyzed thoroughly enough. 

Naudins called on the Saeima to vote against the declarations and to draft new one by the fall. Naudins believes that the declaration should also mention people of other ethnic backgrounds who died during these tragic events. 

At the same time, the MP urged the Armenian parliament to denounce the genocide committed against Latvians and the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states. 

MP Aleksandrs Kirsteins (National Alliance), who spoke in detail about the historic events, also called against passing the declaration, adding that he did not understand the necessity to adopt such a declaration now. 

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Committee chair Rihards Kols (National Alliance) informed that the Saeima committee has been debating a statement on the Armenian genocide for several 

months already and that all sides of the story have been heard in the process. 

The document says that it is important to remember the lives of people who perished in the Armenian genocide organized by Ottoman authorities – mass killings and deportations, which started on April 24, 1915 with arrests of ethnic Armenian intellectuals and activists in Constantinople (now Istanbul).

In the declaration, the Saeima denounces the crimes committed by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians – killings and forced deportations.

The Latvian parliament refers to the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention) and the European Parliament's resolution recognizing these World War I events as genocide as defined in the UN Genocide Convention.

The lawmakers underline that Latvia condemns all crimes against humanity and realizes its duty to recognize and remember these crimes to prevent their repetition in the future.

The parliament says in the document that as a result of the Ottoman authorities' actions, many ethnic Armenians were forcibly deported to other regions of the empire, which resulted in the loss of many lives due to famine, physical violence and killings.

The Saeima underlines that Latvia honors the memory of all Armenian genocide victims and shows respect for the survivors, as well as points out that open and free discussions on historical events are indispensable for the development of a healthy and mature democracy.

The Latvian parliament calls on the international community to assess these historical events and set sights to the future, which should be built free from violence and intolerance – a future where human rights are honored and each individual can feel free, unthreatened and secure.

”Moderna’’ named world’s best coronavirus vaccine

Jhanna Virabian

''Moderna’' named world's best coronavirus vaccine

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 21:51, 5 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS. "Moderna" vaccine of "Moderna Therapeutics" biotechnological company founded by world-famous Armenian businessman Noubar Afeyan recognized as the best vaccine against coronavirus in the world, ARMENPRESS reports, TASS informed.

Moderna was named best vaccine by World Vaccine Congress. The Pfizer, Sputnik V and AstraZeneca vaccines were among the contenders for the winner.

Failure to summon general Khachaturov for hearings was biggest shortcoming, says April War commission chief

Jhanna Virabian

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 12:48, 5 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS. The parliamentary commission investigating the circumstances of the 2016 April War succeeded in finding answers to the main questions and studying important documents, but the picture isn’t complete because one person refused to make an appearance at the hearings, according to Member of Parliament Andranik Kocharyan, the Chair of the Defense and Security Affairs Committee who heads the investigative commission.

Kocharyan told reporters that the commission did an unprecedented work in the history of all parliaments of Armenia. He said that the report is classified but persons having security clearance can have access to all recordings and materials.

 “I think that with time many episodes of the report will be available to the public after being de-classified,” he said. Kocharyan said Speaker of Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan suggested him to publicize the unclassified parts.

Kocharyan says the next phase of the work should involve prosecutors and investigative bodies looking into the report.

“There are many important episodes in the report related to the arsenal, the management, political decisions, as well as shortcomings in decision-making and its reasons,” Kocharyan said.

He said he believes that the 2020 war was the continuation of the 2016 April War, and that they should try to find an answer to the question whether or not there is a connection.

He also mentioned Yuri Khachaturov, the General who served as Chief of General Staff in 2016. According to Kocharyan, Khachaturov is the only person from all summoned ex-officials who refused to attend the hearings. Kocharyan says Khachaturov’s testimony would’ve completed the “puzzle”.

Asked by reporters to clarify what they were trying to find out from Khachaturov, the MP said: “What he’d said in Moscow”.

“I find our biggest shortcoming to be the non-attendance of one person,” he said, describing Khachaturov’s refusal as “mysterious.”

 

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Jose Mourinho named Roma boss from start of next season

Jhanna Virabian

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 17:35, 4 May, 2021

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. Jose Mourinho has been appointed Roma manager from the start of the 2021-22 season, BBC reports.

The Portuguese manager will replace Paulo Fonseca, who Roma announced earlier on Tuesday would leave the club at the end of the current campaign.

Mourinho was sacked as Tottenham boss on 19 April and had said he would "wait to be back in football" following his dismissal.

He has signed a three-year-deal with Roma, who are seventh in Serie A.

The Hindu Editorial: True name: On Armenian genocide

Jhanna Virabian
The Hindu, India
April 28 2021

APRIL 28, 2021 00:15 IST

UPDATED: APRIL 28, 2021 01:06 IST

U.S. President Joe Biden has fulfilled a long-pending American promise by recognising the mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks in 1915-16 as “an act of genocide”, but the move has clearly infuriated Turkey, a NATO ally. In 2019, both Houses of the U.S. Congress passed resolutions calling the slaughter by its true name, but former President Donald Trump, like his predecessors, stopped short of a formal recognition of the genocide, mainly because of Turkish opposition. Ankara has challenged the “scholarly and legal” basis of Mr. Biden’s announcement and warned that it will “open a deep wound”. Up to 1.5 million Armenians were estimated to have been killed during the course of the First World War by the Ottoman Turks. When the Ottoman Empire suffered a humiliating defeat in the Caucasus in 1915 at the hands of the Russians, the Turks blamed the Armenians living on the fringes of the crumbling empire for the setback. Accusing them of treachery, the Ottoman government unleashed militias on Armenian villages. Armenian soldiers, public intellectuals and writers were executed and hundreds of thousands of Armenians, including children, were forcibly moved from their houses in eastern Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) to the Syrian desert. Many died during this exodus and many others, after reaching the concentration camps in the deserts. Turkey has acknowledged that atrocities were committed against Armenians, but is opposed to calling it a genocide, which it considers as an attempt to insult the Turks.

Mr. Biden’s move comes at a time when the relationship between the U.S. and Turkey has been in steady decline. In 2016, Ankara accused the U.S.-based Turkish Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen of being the mastermind of a failed coup, and asked the U.S. government to extradite him, a demand Washington paid no attention to. Turkey’s decision to buy the S-400 missile defence system from Russia, despite strong opposition from the U.S., prompted American leaders to oust Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet training programme and impose sanctions on their ally. When Mr. Biden assumed office, Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan had sent feelers for a reset, saying Turkey needed help from the West to resolve the Syrian crisis. But Mr. Biden’s move on the Armenian killings appears to have widened the cracks. For Turkey, this overreaction to anyone calling the Armenian massacre a genocide is not doing any good in foreign policy. Instead of being defensive about the crimes of the Ottoman empire, the modern Turkish republic should demonstrate the moral courage to disown the atrocities. It shouldn’t allow the past to ruin its present interests.



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