Author: Mike Maghakian

A view from Moscow: Attempted involvement of Azerbaijan in CSTO will face powerful opposition of Armenia

Mike Maghakian
Arminfo, Armenia
June 1 2020

ArmInfo.Talk about the possible membership of Azerbaijan in the CSTO or granting Baku observer status in the Organization is intensifying significantly. First of all, due  to the fact that today there is an opportunity for such a status. A  similar opinion was expressed by ArmInfo, head of the Eurasian  integration and development of the SCO Institute of the CIS  countries, military expert Vladimir Evseev.

<At the same time, specifically on the issue of Azerbaijan, such  conversations have not yet been conducted.  In particular, in his  recent statement on CSTO, the Russian Foreign Minister did not  mention Azerbaijan due to the lack of an appropriate application from  Baku. The same observer status should be approved by all  participating countries, including Armenia. Accordingly, if it  doesn't exist, this status will remain unavailable for Baku, although  the rest of the CSTO countries would welcome it, "he said.

Recall that at a previous meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers  of the CSTO countries, Russian Minister Sergei Lavrov announced the  possible receipt of the SCO and the CIS as CSTO partners.  Commenting  on this statement, the expert described it as made in order to expand  both the zone of influence of the CSTO and, in fact, the  Organization. According to Evseev, such statements indicate certain  discussions and the existence of processes based on the application  of the Organization.

"In any case, Armenia has every opportunity to express its own  approaches, both in relation to the observing prospects of  Azerbaijan, and in relation to the prospects of the CIS and the SCO.  Given the common interest of the participating countries in  developing opportunities, strengthening and expanding the CSTO, its  cooperation with the SCO and the CIS will make it possible for the  organization to be more effective, "the military expert emphasized.

Evseev noted the existence of a real tool to prevent the involvement  of Azerbaijan in one form or another in the activities of the CSTO.  Moreover, regardless of the presence of certain hidden negotiations  or agreements on this issue. The expert suggests that due to the  expected long-term and insurmountable contradictions as a result of  the involvement of Baku in one form or another in the CSTO, countries  interested in preventing such a prospect will suspend this process.

According to Yevseyev's estimates, this topic in any case provides a  number of players with space for political maneuvering and,  accordingly, an opportunity for negotiations. According to his  forecasts, this opportunity will soon be played in various political  combinations, including from Baku. In this case, in any case, an  attempt to involve Azerbaijan in the CSTO will meet with powerful  opposition from Armenia.

Asbarez: Award-Winning Documentary ‘An Armenian Trilogy’ and its Soundtrack Available on Amazon

Mike Maghakian

 

The poster for the “An Armenian Trilogy” film

Film explores composer’s creative path from jingle writer to the drama of commemorating the Armenian Genocide and honoring his ancestors through music

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich.—“An Armenian Trilogy,” a new documentary about Dan Yessian’s  journey from advertising music creator to writing his first classical composition in honor of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, has been released on Amazon.

In addition, his three-movement classical composition, An Armenian Trilogy –  Live in Yerevan, performed by the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, is now available on iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon. This concert is also included as bonus footage at the end of the film. Yessian is the founder of Yessian Music Inc., an international music production company responsible for creating original music for TV commercials and programs, movie trailers, video games, theme parks and memorials, including the One World Observatory at the site of the former World Trade Center in New York City.

‘When my Armenian church priest asked me to create a piece of music to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, it proved to be a life changing request. I discovered the path my ancestors had taken during this dark time and I began to tell their story through music, then ultimately film,” said Yessian, who is Armenian-American. His film, in surround sound and closed-captioned in English, has been shown at festivals throughout the U.S. and has won numerous awards including Best Score, Audience Choice and Exceptional Merit.

The Armenian Genocide, when 1.5 million Armenian citizens were massacred by the Turkish Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1922, made headlines in December 2019 when the U.S. Senate voted unanimously to recognize the mass killings as genocide and then again mid-February, 2020, when the Syrian Parliament also recognized the massacres as genocide.

“An Armenian Trilogy” soundtrack album cover

Yessian initially wrote a An Armenian Trilogy as a duet arrangement for violin and piano creating three movements:  The Freedom, The Fear and The Faith, which debuted in Michigan in 2015. Yessian then took on the immense task of orchestrating his composition for 91 pieces, which was performed at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall by the world-renowned Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra in Armenia in 2017.

The documentary film, An Armenian Trilogy follows Yessian through his childhood as a budding clarinet player, the early years of his company which was started in a 200-square-foot bait shop in metro Detroit, through to the success of the international company he heads with offices in Detroit, Los Angeles, New York City and Hamburg, Germany. The film centers on Yessian’s visit to his ancestral homeland of Armenia, where he and his family explore their rich heritage and the composer hears, for the first time, his composition performed by a full orchestra.

Yessian spent the bulk of his career creating music for advertisements for international brands, including many listed on the Fortune 500.  He was inducted into the 2018 Adcraft Hall of Fame in Detroit and was recognized for Lifetime Achievement at the Detroit Music awards in 2016. Nowadays, he can be found working alongside his sons Brian and Michael, on campaigns for companies such as United Airlines, Ford Motor Company, Macy’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Nintendo, Disney, Walmart, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. Yessian Music has also provided music for many television shows including NBC’s “Sunday Night Football”, “The Voice” and “America’s Got Talent”, ESPN’s “College Football” and all “Major League Baseball”,  A & E’s “Veteran’s Day with A & E” and “Live PD”, PBS’s “Sesame Street” and other themes and promos on channels including NBC, Disney Channel, HGTV, Lifetime, PBS and CBC.  This year Yessian was responsible for preparing a 360* audio experience for Aerosmith’s Las Vegas residency. Organizations across the globe turn to the company for unique music and sound design.

Artur Poghosyan appointed Head of NSS Investigation Department

Mike Maghakian

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 15:41,

YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Artur Poghosyan has been appointed Head of the Investigation Department at the National Security Service of Armenia, the NSS told Armenpress.

Previously, Artur Poghosyan was serving as deputy prosecutor of Shirak province.

Earlier today Artur Aghajanyan has been relieved from the position of head of the NSS Investigation Department upon his own application.

 

Reporting by Karen Khachatryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Asbarez: George C. Parker, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Madrid Principles

Mike Maghakian

The story of legendary 20th Century con man George C. Parker – who went to jail for repeatedly “selling” the Brooklyn Bridge – can tell us a lot about modern-day attempts to convince Armenians to buy the reckless Madrid Principles.

BY RAFFI HAMPARIAN

In his day, George C. Parker, an enterprising early 20th Century New York City con man, taught the gullible some pretty painful lessons.

Parker was famous for repeatedly “selling” the Brooklyn Bridge to unsuspecting immigrants who, enticed by the prospect of owning a national landmark, handed over their hard-earned cash for a worthless piece of paper. He made his money banking on the great American showman P.T. Barnum’s dictum: “there’s a sucker born every minute.”

For some historical perspective, a New York Times article from 2005 noted that “The Brooklyn Bridge had several attributes that made it particularly well suited for this sort of endeavor [being sold by con men]. Its proximity to the port made it highly visible to newcomers who might be likely marks and its size provided opportunities to show it off while avoiding the law. But perhaps most critical was its considerable fame.”

Parker eventually came to the attention of the law, was found guilty multiple times, and lived out his last years as a convict in Sing Sing – a prison on the banks of the Hudson River, just north of New York.

It is because of Parker’s fame for repeatedly “selling” the Brooklyn Bridge to unwitting buyers that we have today the memorable American phrase: “and if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.” This term is basically the textbook definition of the adjective gullible: “one who is easily duped or cheated.”

Today, looking back, it seems unreal that anyone would be gullible enough to “buy” the Brooklyn Bridge.  But as Luc Sante, author of the book “Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York” wrote, “The oddity of the thing today is not that there might have been con artists ready to sell the bridge, but that there would have been suckers both gullible enough and sufficiently well-heeled to fall for it.”

But such cons are not just from some other time, or tricks only played on someone else.

We don’t need to look any further than ongoing attempts to con Armenians out of Artsakh – to take from us what has always been ours, ancient Armenian land defended with blood and guarded today by brave soldiers – often at the cost of their lives.

Today we see the spirit of George C. Parker in the U.S. Department of State’s attempts to “prepare” Armenians for peace by getting us to buy in to the reckless Madrid Principles – a dangerous set of proposals that demand upfront and irrevocable strategic concessions of territory and security from Artsakh, in return for vague and easily reversible paper promises from the war-mongering Aliyev regime.

The set-up starts with gas-lighting Armenians into believing that any other solution is simply impossible. That the movement toward democratic self-determination that drove the number of United Nations member states from less than 50 at its founding in 1948 to more than 190 members today can never apply to Artsakh.

To convince us that a patently pro-Baku deal – one that grants land to Azerbaijan and takes security from Artsakh – is actually good for Armenians, the State Department needs to keep Artsakh out of the equation. This is why the actual people who would bear the real-world risks of a deal are blocked from any formal role in decision-making regarding their own destiny. It’s no good to have doubters around when the mark is being set up. That’s also why the State Department actively discourages Members of Congress from visiting Artsakh, using public and private levers to keep a co-equal legislative branch of government in the dark as un-elected bureaucrats push their plans behind closed doors.

Finally, cut off any outside help to make the mark feel vulnerable. This would explain why the State Department has launched a major attack on a modest $1.5 million dollar a year humanitarian de-mining program in Artsakh, even as the Pentagon pours over $100 million in military aid into the Azerbaijani armed forces. They want Artsakh isolated and alone.

That’s the set-up.

It’s a swindle – start to finish.

A classic bait and switch.

The end game of the State Department’s “long con” is the Armenian nation watching – a worthless piece of paper in hand – as Azerbaijani troops and heavy arms move into territory and fortifications recently ceded by the Artsakh military. High ground from which they will set their sights on Zangezur.

That’s the type of influence that the corrupt, oil-rich Azerbaijani dictatorship of Ilham Aliyev and his wife Merhaba have in Washington, DC. But – thankfully – they don’t have any power over us.

Their con only works if we let it.

If we abandon Artsakh.

Forget our history.

Betray our future.

But we will not.

We will stand with Artsakh, always – as Americans, heirs to our own independence struggle – foursquare behind a peaceful, durable and democratic, self-determination based resolution of status and security issues between Artsakh and Azerbaijan.

That’s why the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) rejects the George C. Parker plan for Artsakh, and why we remain opposed to any recklessly asymmetrical Madrid-style deal that front-loads strategic risks on democratic Artsakh and lavishes generous territorial rewards on oil-rich Azerbaijan.

Raffi Hamparian is the Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America.




Chairman of Supreme Certifying Committee resigns

Mike Maghakian

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 15:26, 14 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. Chairman of the Supreme Certifying Committee of Armenia Smbat Gogyan has submitted a resignation letter, he told Armenpress.

“There were contradictions to the values”, Smbat Gogyan said, presenting the reason of his resignation.

He said he will continue his activity in the field of education and science.

Smbat Gogyan was appointed Chairman of the Supreme Certifying Committee on June 12, 2018.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian government plans to acquire 25,000 computers for completely ensuring remote learning

Mike Maghakian

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 12:04,

YEREVAN, MAY 16, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government is taking steps for the remote learning system to have a complete infrastructure, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a press conference today, presenting 100 facts about the new Armenia.

“Given the necessity to prevent the novel coronavirus and the current situation, a remote learning has launched aimed at organizing the study process online in public schools. Thanks to this system, the education process has not been undermined. The government plans to acquire nearly 25,000 computers to form a complete infrastructure of remote learning”, the PM said, adding that despite the schools are closed now, the academic year will be completed.

He said actions are being taken for the remote learning to have a complete infrastructure until autumn, as there is a great probability that the coronavirus will still exist in the country also in autumn.

The Armenian government on May 14 made a decision to extend the coronavirus-related state of emergency for another 30 days, until June 13.

According to the latest data, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia has reached 4,283. 1,791 patients have already recovered. 55 death cases have been registered.

In order to prevent the spread of the virus, all educational facilities in Armenia have been closed from March, 2020.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Prime Minister: We are waiting for the comments of the Venice Commission on the issue of the Constitutional Court of Armenia

Mike Maghakian
Arminfo, Armenia


ArmInfo. A referendum on constitutional amendments, according to which it is planned to resolve the issue with the Constitutional Court; can be held in  May-June of next year in the best case.   The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan  announced this on May 16 at a press conference.  According to him,  today, waiting for the end of the pandemic to hold a referendum means  losing time. For this reason, the country's authorities sent an  appeal to the Venice Commission with a request about the possibility  of solving this problem through the capabilities of the National  Assembly.  To recall, the vote was scheduled for April 5 this year.  The draft amendments to the Constitution of Armenia, developed by the  My Step faction, provided for the termination of the powers of the  chairman and members of the Constitutional Court, appointed before  the constitutional reform in 2015. Only two of the nine judges of the  Constitutional Court, Vahe Grigoryan and Armen Dilanyan, are not  subject to this change. The remaining seven, including the chairman  of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan, became members of the  Constitutional Court in accordance with the provisions of the main  law as amended in 1995 and 2005.

World Bank Supports Innovative Social Assistance Project in Armenia

Mike Maghakian
India Education Diary
May 7 2020
By India Education Diary Bureau Admin
–

May 7, 2020

New Delhi: World Bank Country Manager for Armenia, Sylvie Bossoutrot, and President of the Armenian Association of Social Workers (AASW), Mira Antonyan, signed a Grant Agreement for the “Promoting Social Inclusion and Self-Reliant Livelihood Activities in Armenia” project. Funds for the project are generously provided by the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) through a three-year grant of $2.7 million.

The project has been designed by the World Bank in partnership with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia and will be implemented by the Association of Social Workers – a non-governmental, not-for-profit national professional representative body of social workers in Armenia.

“We are pleased to sign this Agreement with a civil society organization, as a recipient and implementing agency for this Project supported by a Japanese Grant,” says Sylvie Bossoutrot, World Bank Country Manager for Armenia. “This project will aim to better integrate vulnerable people and help them become active participants of society by improving their employment opportunities.”

“On behalf of Japanese Government, I would like to highlight the extreme importance of this project”, says Yun Yamada, Ambassador of Japan to Armenia. “I am deeply convinced that this project contributes to the enhancement of the life of vulnerable people, especially in the regions of Armenia, through the capacity building of social workers and vocational training for targeted people.”

The project is expected to help increase access to social assistance benefits and services and provide self‑employment support to about 11,000 vulnerable members of society in urban and rural communities in Ararat, Armavir, Kotayk, Lori and Shirak regions of Armenia. Beneficiary selection criteria will favor Family Benefit Program (FBP) recipient households with a disabled member(s), children up to 5 years old, and a working age adult with high motivation.

“The project objectives are strongly aligned with current reform agenda of the Government, especially from the perspectives of encouragement of employment and entrepreneurial initiatives of vulnerable groups as the most reliable way to overcome poverty,” says Zaruhi Batoyan, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of Armenia. “The Ministry will continue its support to the project implementation to promote beneficiaries’ self-reliant livelihood mechanisms.”

Specifically, this project will support:

Developing a social case management system to assess beneficiaries’ needs and refer them to various types of services including, provision of medical assistance, emergency support, access to educational institutions for children, professional and life skills training, psychotherapeutic and social rehabilitation services, as well as legal advice. This innovation will leverage the individualized case management approach to reach out to the most vulnerable and marginalized population, reaching around 6,000 family program recipients.
Enhancing self-employability of around 300 beneficiaries through business training and provision of grants, which could help them graduate out of the Family Benefit Program. The main types of businesses supported will cover areas such asagriculture, production/processing (of food/non-food goods), accommodation and food service, arts and culture, entertainment, and trade. Additionally, this component will support placing FBP beneficiaries in the existing self-employment programs, as well as providing them with capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advice on self-employment opportunities. Overall, this component will support around 5,000 vulnerable members of society.
The proposed activities will strengthen the role of community-based and territorial social workers for improving access of families to available social assistance benefits and services. Under the project 200 social workers will receive methodological support and capacity building to implement effective social case management in target areas.

The JSDF was established by the Government of Japan and the World Bank as a mechanism to provide direct assistance to the poorest and most vulnerable groups in eligible World Bank countries. The aim is to enhance their capacities, strengthen their empowerment and participation in society and economic life.


CIVILNET.Arevik: A Catholic Village in Armenia

Mike Maghakian
CIVILNET.AM

7 May, 2020 19:10

The small village of Arevik is located in Armenia’s Shirak Province. The majority of the residents in this village do not belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, but the Catholic one. Catholics in Armenia are a very small minority. According to National Statistics, they represent less than one percent of the population.

Erik Grigoryan relieved of post of Minister of Environment

Mike Maghakian

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 18:46, 5 May, 2020

YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS. Erik Grigoryan has been relieved of post of Minister of Environment of Armenia, ARMENPRESS reports President Armen Sarkissian signed the decree.

Erik Grigoryan was appointed Minister of Environment o June 1, 2019. Before that he was the Minister of Nature Protection from May 12, 2018. The Ministry of Nature Protection was renamed into Ministry of Environment following the structural changes in the Government in 2019.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan