Author: Markos Nalchajian

President Serzh Sargsyan participated today in the festive events in Stepanakert and Shushi dedicated to Victory Day, the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Defense Army of Artsakh and liberation of Shushi.

This morning, together with the Artsakh authorities, members of the governmental delegation from Armenia, people of Artsakh and guests, who have arrived to Artsakh to participate in the festivities, at the Revival Square in Stepanakert Serzh Sargsyan marched with the participants of the event to the Stepanakert Memorial and paid tribute to the memory of those who had fallen in the Great Patriotic War and heroes of the Artsakh Liberation War.

In the framework of the festive events, Serzh Sargsyan visited also Shushi and laid flowers at the pedestal of the Tank-Memorial and later at Vazgen Sarkissian’s statue paid tribute to his memory. President Sargsyan was present at the concert held at the V. Sargsyan Square in Shushi and observed the Town of Arts and Crafts exhibition.

Festive events in Artsakh continue.

Photo: Reuters

Police have arrested 1,000 people suspected of being part of a movement blamed for the failed 2016 coup, the BBC reports.

Another 2,200 were being sought as authorities targeted what they said was a secret structure within Turkey’s police force.

Turkey says a movement loyal to US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen organised the July 2016 plot to bring down President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Earlier this month the president won a referendum on boosting his powers.

As a result of the narrow victory Mr Erdogan can become head of the executive, beefing up the largely ceremonial role of Turkey’s president.

US President DonaldTrump’s April 24 statement is consistent with those of his predecessors, the White House has said.

“The statement that was put out is consistent with the statements that have been put out for at least several of the past administrations,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told a press briefing.

“If you look back to the language that President Obama, President Bush have used, the language the President used is consistent with all of that,” he said.

“Today, we remember and honor the memory of those who suffered during the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th Century,”  on Monday.

“Beginning in 1915, one and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred or marched to their deaths in the final years of the Ottoman Empire. I join the Armenian community in America and around the world in mourning the loss of innocent lives and the suffering endured by so many,” he stated.

Today, President Serzh Sargsyan received the former President of Austria Heinz Fischer.

Presidents Sargsyan and Fisher recalled warmly the visit of President Fischer to Armenia and the visit of President Sargsyan to Austria. The two Presidents stressed that the agreements reached at the highest level are being implemented successfully.

The Presidents viewed as symbolic the fact that their meeting is taking place in the year which marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and noted with satisfaction that through the years the Armenian-Austrian bilateral relations in different areas have been developing dynamically.

At the meeting, the parties also discusse
d the priorities of the Austrian Chairmanship at the OSCE.

Manchester United have booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Europa League after recording a 2-1 victory over Anderlecht in the second leg of their quarter-final at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

Extra-time was needed to separate the two teams after Sofiane Hanni had cancelled out a Henrikh Mkhitaryan effort to leave the pair level at the end of 180 minutes of the last-eight tie.

Man United were the stronger team in the additional 30 minutes, however, and Marcus Rashford scored the vital goal in the second half of extra-time as the 20-time English champions booked their spot in the final four of the competition.

Christian Bale says he didn’t know about the Armenian Genocide before staring in the new movie “The Promise.”

Bale, 43, plays American journalist Chris Myers in The Promise, which focuses on a love triangle that develops between Myers, Armenian medical student Mikael played by Oscar Isaac, and Charlotte Le Bon’s character Ana.

The story begins in 1915, just as the Turkish government begins to round up Armenians after the outbreak of the First World War.

Bale blasted the brutal genocide at a screening of The Promise on Tuesday (18Apr17), and said he was one of many who knew nothing about the slaughter.

“There’s something important about a film that many people have tried to stop being made for decades,” he told Page Six. “One and a half million people were killed in the most brutal fashion, and I knew nothing about it, and that’s not uncommon.

“That’s improbably bizarre. This is modern history… The fact that this Armenian genocide happened and no one was ever held accountable may have provoked other genocides since,” Bale added.

The Promise is set to be released in the U.S. on Friday, April 21.

Asbarez – For​ ​the​ ​second​ ​consecutive​ ​year​ ​the​ ​Orange​ ​County​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Supervisors​ ​issued​ ​a proclamation​ ​designating​ ​April​ ​24​​​ ​as​ ​Armenian​ ​Genocide​ ​Remembrance​ ​Day,​ ​commemorating​ ​those who​ ​perished​ ​during​ ​the​ ​first​ ​Genocide​ ​of​ ​the​ ​twentieth​ ​century.

Representatives​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Armenian​ ​American​ ​community​ ​of​ ​Orange​ ​County​ ​were​ ​in​ ​attendance.

Chairwoman​ ​Michelle​ ​Steel​ ​opened​ ​the​ ​program​ ​by​ ​stating​ ​that​ ​this​ ​year​ ​marks​ ​the​ ​102​nd​​ ​anniversary​ ​of the​ ​Armenian​ ​Genocide​ ​that​ ​took​ ​the​ ​lives​ ​of​ ​one​ ​and​ ​a​ ​half​ ​million​ ​Armenians.​ ​She​ ​stated​ ​“Not​ ​only were​ ​Armenians​ ​massacred​ ​within​ ​their​ ​historic​ ​homeland​ ​but​ ​their​ ​lands​ ​and​ ​property​ ​were​ ​stolen.” The​ ​Chairwoman​ ​explained​ ​that​ ​Orange​ ​County​ ​continues​ ​to​ ​do​ ​its​ ​part​ ​in​ ​honoring​ ​the​ ​victims​ ​of​ ​this tragedy​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​it​ ​is​ ​not​ ​forgotten​ ​or​ ​repeated.

Reverend​ ​Fathers​ ​Moushegh​ ​Tshajian​ ​from​ ​St.​ ​Mary​ ​Armenian​ ​Church​ ​in​ ​Costa​ ​Mesa​ ​and​ ​Karekin Bedourian​ ​from​ ​Forty​ ​Martyrs​ ​Armenian​ ​Church​ ​in​ ​Santa​ ​Ana​ ​took​ ​the​ ​podium​ ​and​ ​addressed​ ​the​ ​crowd. They​ ​thanked​ ​Chairwoman​ ​Steel​ ​and​ ​the​ ​County​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Supervisors​ ​for​ ​their​ ​commitment​ ​to accurately​ ​remembering​ ​the​ ​past​ ​and​ ​honoring​ ​the​ ​victims​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Armenian​ ​Genocide,​ ​then​ ​together lead​ ​with​ ​the​ ​prayer.

Honorable​ ​Gassia​ ​Apkarian,​ ​Orange​ ​County​ ​Superior​ ​Court​ ​Judge,​ ​passed​ ​out​ ​pins​ ​with​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​and Armenian​ ​flags​ ​then​ ​thanked​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Supervisors​ ​for​ ​upholding​ ​justice,​ ​setting​ ​the​ ​historical​ ​record straight​ ​and​ ​not​ ​playing​ ​politics​ ​with​ ​historical​ ​facts.​ ​Alexander​ ​Gonzalez,​ ​District​ ​Director​ ​for​ ​Congressman Dana​ ​Rohrabacher​ ​also​ ​stressed​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​making​ ​sure​ ​such​ ​atrocities​ ​are​ ​not​ ​committed​ ​in​ ​the future​ ​and​ ​pointed​ ​to​ ​Congressman​ ​Rohrabacher’s​ ​reintroduction​ ​of​ ​the​ ​House​ ​Resolution​ ​calling​ ​for​ ​the defense​ ​of​ ​Christians​ ​and​ ​Yezidis​ ​in​ ​the​ ​region.

Anahid​ ​Arakelian,​ ​ANCA​ ​Orange​ ​County​ ​chapter​ ​addressed​ ​the​ ​crowd​ ​and​ ​also​ ​thanked​ ​Chairwoman Steel​ ​and​ ​the​ ​entire​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Supervisors.​ ​She​ ​gave​ ​a​ ​historical​ ​account​ ​of​ ​how​ ​a​ ​few​ ​of​ ​her​ grandparents escaped​ ​the​ ​devastation,​ ​survived,​ ​then​ ​eventually​ ​moved​ ​to​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States​ ​where​ ​many​ ​survivors relocated​ ​and​ ​contributed​ ​on​ ​multiple​ ​levels,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​Calvin​ ​K.​ ​Kazandjian​ ​founder​ ​of​ ​Almond​ ​Joy​ ​and Mounds​ ​candy​ ​bars,​ ​MRI​ ​inventor​ ​Raymond​ ​Vahan​ ​Damadian,​ ​and​ ​Kirk​ ​Kerkorian.​ ​Arakelian​ ​urged​ ​those in​ ​attendance​ ​to​ ​see​ ​The​ ​Promise​ ​on​ ​April​ ​21​st​,​ ​a​ ​powerful​ ​film​ ​about​ ​the​ ​Armenian​ ​Genocide.​ ​She highlighted​ ​the​ ​freedoms​ ​we​ ​sometimes​ ​take​ ​for​ ​granted​ ​in​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​and​ ​the​ ​need​ ​to​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​such tragedies​ ​are​ ​not​ ​repeated​ ​in​ ​the​ ​future.​ ​Anahid​ ​closed​ ​by​ ​once​ ​again​ ​thanking​ ​the​ ​County​ ​of​ ​Orange​ ​and urging​ ​those​ ​in​ ​attendance​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​events​ ​at​ ​home​ ​and​ ​abroad,​ ​and​ ​highlighted​ ​the​ ​situation​ ​in​ ​Artsakh and​ ​the​ ​current​ ​struggle​ ​for​ ​liberation​ ​and​ ​basic​ ​human​ ​rights​ ​taking​ ​place​ ​there.

Community​ ​members​ ​gathered​ ​for​ ​a​ ​photo​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Supervisors​ ​and​ ​this​ ​year’s​ ​proclamation, and​ ​then​ ​again​ ​with​ ​David​ ​Gonzalez​ ​from​ ​Congressman​ ​Rohrabacher’s​ ​office.

The Armenia Airline has officially launched direct flights between Yerevan and Beirut. Representatives of both countries say the event is of landmark importance for the development of bilateral relations.

The inaugural flight was carried out on April 10 with 80 passengers on board,  90 passengers arrived in Yerevan on the return flight.

“The Airline will operate flights once a week, and will increase the number to four in summer.  The two-way ticket will cost $320,” said Robert Oganesyan, Director General of Armenia Airline.

The demand for the flight is high, considering that there are more than 150 thousand Armenian living in Lebanon.

The plane was welcomed in Beirut by Lebanon’s Tourism Minister Avedis Guidanian and Armenia’s Ambassador to Lebanon Samvel Mktchyan.

Avedis Guidanian said the flight creates a stronger bridge between Armenia and Lebanon. As Tourism Minister, he pledged to prepare a tourism package and include Armenia in it. He added that Lebanese businessmen are interested in investing in Armenia.

What attracts the Lebanese most is Armenia’s rich cultural legacy and its national cuisine, Ambassador Samvel Mkrtchyan says.

“Lebanon and Armenia are tied by firm threads, and the flights will serve an additional link between the two countries that will contribute to the deepening of relations,” Amb. Mkrtchyan told reporters.

Representative of the ARF Central Committee of Lebanon, MP Hakob Bagratuni said that “aside from contributing to the development of tourism, the flights will create opportunities for cooperation in the fields of culture and economy.”

Vice-President of the State Tourism Committee Mekhak Apresyan says “the launching of flights has always been on the agenda, especially after 2013, when Armenia adopted an ‘open sky’ policy.”