Author: Rose Khoyetsian

Armenian FM meets with UNWTO Secretary-General in Madrid

Rose Khoyetsian

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 16:02, 7 July 2022

YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, who is in Madrid on a working visit, held a meeting today with Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvil, the MFA said in a news release.

The interlocutors emphasized the importance of the implementation of the agreements reached within the framework of the visit of the Secretary-General of the UNWTO to Yerevan at the beginning of June, aimed at expanding cooperation between Armenia and the UNWTO, including through the implementation of joint initiatives and development programs in the field of tourism.

Ideas were exchanged on the projects implemented in the field of tourism in Armenia.

The Foreign Minister of Armenia stressed that Armenia attaches great importance to the tourism sector as a foundation for sustainable development and prosperity at the local, national, regional and international levels. In this regard, the Foreign Minister emphasized the support of the UNWTO, especially to the initiatives of Armenia in the direction of innovation, investments, rural and ecotourism development.

Vice Speaker of Parliament, PAYFA Head discuss development prospects of Armenian football

Rose Khoyetsian

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 16:33, 7 July 2022

YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS. Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan received today Head of the Pan-Armenian Youth Football Association (PAYFA) Aram Ghahramanyan.

The Chair of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Sisak Gabrielayn, MP Aren Mkrtchyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Karen Giloyan and President of Football Federation of Armenia Armen Melikbekyan also attended the meeting.

The perspectives of the development of the Armenian football and the programs directed to popularization were discussed. As Hakob Arshakyan assessed, the potential of the Diaspora should effectively be used as much as possible for the further improvement of the local football and involving Armenians of Diaspora in that process.

Aram Ghahramanyan and Armen Melikbekyan presented the programs, which would make Armenia more recognizable to the world through football.

The main function of the Pan-Armenian Youth Football Association is the revelation and involvement of the talented young people of Diaspora in the Armenian football. The first gathering of PAYFA was held in Los Angeles, and the children of Armenian origin of the USA and Canada born in 2009 were involved there. The 8 best players among them came to Yerevan. Aram Ghahramanyan expressed hope that the program would be implemented in other communities of Diaspora.

Armenian officials discourage Diasporans from sending aid to Armenia

Rose Khoyetsian
July 5, 2022 Harut Sassounian My Turn 0

Humanitarian aid for Artsakh sent by ARS of Greece arrives in Armenia, December 2020 (Photo: Twitter/Armenian Relief Society)

Just when you think you have come across every oddity in Armenia, someone will surprise you with a brand new one. Let me warn you that this problem has nothing to do with internal politics. It has to do with incompetent, careless, and sometimes, corrupt officials whose unacceptable conduct has been going on for over 30 years in Armenia.

Last week, I received an email from Kevork Yazedjian, a scholar and activist in Armenia. He described his frustration and anger at an objectionable incident that he had just experienced. He addressed his email to PM Nikol Pashinyan, the head of the State Income Committee and the High Commissioner of Diaspora Affairs of Armenia. Yazedjian sent copies of his email to hundreds of Armenians in and out of Armenia to alert them and seek their intervention.

The problem started on June 27 when Yazedjian, along with his sister and her husband, went to the State Income Committee’s office to pick up Armenian books sent from the United States by Vahakn Kupelian who had shipped 78 copies of his mother’s, Siran Seza’s (1903-1973), two novels: Shattered Lives (2015) and Book of Genesis (2019). Kupelian had asked Yazedjian to donate the books to libraries throughout Armenia and Artsakh. When the government official Mr. Sahakyan noticed multiple copies of the two books, he became suspicious that Yazedjian was going to sell them. Sahakyan wrote a memo to the customs officers at the Yerevan airport, asking them to evaluate the price of these books and charge Yazedjian the corresponding import duty.

At the customs office, Yazedjian was shocked when five officials, after consulting with each other, told him that copies of the two novels will be sent to the National Security Service (NSS) to inspect their contents! Yazedjian wondered if censorship of books was part of the duties of the NSS. He was concerned that by the time NSS employees finished reading the two novels, he could be asked to pay a large amount for storage fees. Disgusted by this violation of free speech in a “democratic country,” Yazedjian told the customs officials that they can have the books.

After he sent several letters of protest to various officials, Yazedjian received on June 30 an unexpected phone call from Sahakyan, who asked him to come over so he could give him the books. When he arrived at the office the next day, Sahakyan was not there, but his boss received Yazedjian with utmost courtesy, saying that he had received many complaints about this case which had embarrassed him in front of the whole world. The chief customs officer also claimed that his office had sent several pages of the novels to the NSS, asking them to review them urgently. The NSS had supposedly replied that there are no national security issues in the two novels. 

Given this frustrating experience and his serious interest in Armenian literature, Yazedjian has come up with a new proposal, asking the government to facilitate the transfer of Armenian books and periodicals to Armenia through diplomatic pouch by Armenia’s embassies and consulates overseas.

There is a second more shocking example of gross negligence by Armenian officials which had serious medical and diplomatic repercussions.

After the Artsakh War of 2020, on Dec. 12, 2020 and January 9, 2021, the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) of Greece collected urgently needed humanitarian aid which was flown to Armenia by two Greek military planes. A small part of the cargo was released shortly after its arrival and distributed by the ARS. More than a year later, however, it was discovered that the bulk of the aid was still at the customs’ warehouse at the Yerevan Airport. After several letters of complaint which had remained unanswered, Armenia’s recently-appointed Ambassador to Greece, Tigran Mkrtchyan, responded on June 28, 2022, with troubling news: while the ARS humanitarian aid was finally cleared from customs, “due to the expiration of the items [medicines], part of the cargo had to be destroyed.”

Amb. Mkrtchyan was answering the Greek Armenian community’s letters sent to Pashinyan and other officials on December 14, 2020 and February 7, 2022.

The urgently dispatched medicines were supposed to save the lives of Armenian soldiers wounded during the 2020 war. Who will be held responsible for the loss of the lives of the soldiers who were deprived of these medicines? Furthermore, has the Armenian government sent a letter of apology to the Greek government for the lengthy delay in releasing and destroying urgently flown medicines to Armenia? Greece may not be as responsive next time there is a medical emergency in Armenia. Besides Armenia’s utter negligence in clearing the cargo, the ARS did not even get a reply to its two letters until 18 months later!

This is a prime example of gross negligence. Regrettably, no Armenian official was held responsible for this scandalous behavior, and no one was dismissed! No good deed goes unpunished in Armenia!

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California Courier Editor
Harut Sassounian is the publisher of The California Courier, a weekly newspaper based in Glendale, Calif. He is the president of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization that has donated to Armenia and Artsakh $917 million of humanitarian aid, mostly medicines, since 1989 (including its predecessor, the United Armenian Fund). He has been decorated by the presidents of Armenia and Artsakh and the heads of the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic churches. He is also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.


Relatives of captured soldiers clash with police outside Russian Embassy in Yerevan

Rose Khoyetsian
Panorama
Armenia – June 29 2022

The parents and other relatives of Armenian soldiers, who were taken prisoner by Azerbaijani forces in Artsakh in 2020, on Wednesday staged a protest outside the Russian Embassy in Yerevan.

They demanded a meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kopirkin, but no one stepped out to talk to them.

Afterwards, a scuffle erupted between riot police officers and protesters, who wanted to enter the embassy. One of them felt sick.

The relatives held a similar protest outside the Russian Consulate General in Armenia's second largest city of Gyumri, demanding the release of captives.

The soldiers were captured near the villages of Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd in the Hadrut region in December shortly after the end of the 44-day war.

Azerbaijani press: Participants of OIC conference visiting Azerbaijan’s liberated territories

Rose Khoyetsian
Politics Materials 29 June 2022 20:29


BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. The visit by Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha and representatives of the OIC member states to Azerbaijan's liberated territories commenced within the 11th Conference of Ministers of Tourism of the OIC Member States on June 29, the State Tourism Agency told Trend.

Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan Fuad Naghiyev informed representatives of the OIC member states, visiting the Fuzuli International Airport, on the airport's role in the socio-economic development of the Fuzuli district, as well as in regional tourism.

A delegation consisting of tourism ministers, deputy ministers of Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Iran, Gambia, Niger, Malaysia, Sudan, Uganda, Gabon, the president of the Arab Tourism Organization, and ambassadors will take a look at cultural monuments, mosques, and other cultural heritage sites subjected to the Armenian aggression.

Moreover, the delegation will pay a visit to Azerbaijan's Shusha, and get acquainted with the ancient buildings of Islamic heritage and the tourism potential.

On June 28, the 11th Conference of Ministers of Tourism of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, organized by the State Tourism Agency, hosted the adoption of a Resolution on the tourism development, and the Baku Declaration.

The Resolution on tourism development condemns the illegal exploitation of natural resources, destruction of urban ecological infrastructure, cultural and historical heritage of Azerbaijan's liberated territories, as well as the demolition of Islamic cultural and historical monuments in Armenia.

The document also reflects a decision regarding the involvement of the member states' private sector in implementing infrastructure development projects in Azerbaijan's liberated lands.

President of Artsakh pays tribute to memory of servicemen fallen for defense of homeland

Rose Khoyetsian

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 13:36, 29 June 2022

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. On 29 June, on the occasion of the Day of Fallen Soldiers and Missing in Action, Artsakh Republic President Arayik Harutyunyan visited the Stepanakert Memorial Complex, the Presidential Office said.

Accompanied by high-ranking state and military officials attended, the President paid tribute and partook in the memorial service dedicated to the Day.

The Head of the State subsequently visited the Military Pantheon and laid flowers to the tombs of the servicemen fallen for the defense of the homeland.

Official Baku comments on Pashinyan`s accusations

Rose Khoyetsian
ARMINFO
Armenia –
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo.Official Baku issued an unclear statement in response to accusations by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made during an online press conference on  June 27.

In particular, Pashinyan stated during an online press conference  that Azerbaijan responds to all the peace initiatives of Armenia with  aggressive rhetoric.  In this regard, the Prime Minister noted that  the tripartite statement establishes the legal obligation of  Azerbaijan and Armenia to achieve the opening of communications. He  accused Azerbaijan of unwillingness to open communications. Pashinyan  cited two cases when a preliminary agreement was reached on holding a  meeting of the commission on the delimitation and demarcation of the   Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and in both cases Baku either refused   or demanded to postpone it. The same applies to transport   communications.  < Azerbaijan tries to make an impression that   Armenia opposes the unblocking of transport communications, which   violates the provisions of the tripartite statement," Pashinyan  said, adding that with its attempts Baku is trying to make an  impression that Armenia does not want to fulfill its obligations  under the tripartite statement, and thereby legitimize a new war  against Armenia and Karabakh.

The RA Prime Minister also noted the importance of continuing the  activities of the OSCE Minsk Group and expressed bewilderment at the  statements of the Russian Foreign Minister on this issue, made in  Baku.

In this regard, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry decided, already by  tradition, to shift all the blame to Armenia and assured that these  statements by Pashinyan cast doubt on the desire of this country to  establish peace in the region.

"Azerbaijan presented Armenia with the basic principles for  concluding a peace treaty. If Azerbaijan wanted war, it would not do  so. Azerbaijan also calls for delimitation of borders between the two  countries and opening all communications in the region," the Ministry  of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan noted, adding that  the obligations, taken by the parties on tripartite statements and  their implementation are obvious.

"As for Pashinyan's statements about the disruption of the June 27  meeting by Azerbaijan, the Armenian side, under various pretexts, has  repeatedly disrupted meetings with the participation of international  mediators.  If Armenia really wants peace, then it must show  political will and take steps towards peace, and not try to revive  the format, the effectiveness of which has always been low, and its  participants openly admit the impossibility of its functioning," the  Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a comment.  

Armenian CB, Warsaw Stock Exchange sign contract of the sale of the Armenia Securities Exchange

Rose Khoyetsian

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 18:58,

YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS. Today, on June 28th , in Yerevan, the Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia Martin Galstyan and President of the Management Board of the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW) Marek Dietl signed an agreement on the sale of a majority interest in the Armenia Securities Exchange (AMX), ARMENPRESS was infomred from the Central Bank of Armenia. 

“We consider this investment as a long-term partnership. Our aim is to recreate with joint efforts the capital markets of Armenia and thrive to extend our business further into the region. We also expect to develop the capital markets infrastructure, creating opportunity for businesses to raise sustainable and affordable capital while enabling the investors and savers to manage their savings and investments more professionally within a wider range of investment products and opportunities,” said Marek Dietl, President of the Management Board of GPW.

“We believe this to be an important milestone in the development of Armenian capital markets. Having found such a partner in the Warsaw Stock Exchange, realizing we have the same vision and similar aspirations, we believe this deal to be a turning point in the chronicles of capital markets in Armenia. Under the leadership of the Warsaw Stock Exchange, with their experience and knowledge, AMX has the full potential to expand and become the robust stock market ready to take up the challenges of the 21st century and lead the region.” said Martin Galstyan, Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia.

The intention of the GPW to acquire the AMX was announced on September 18, 2020, after which the necessary analysis were carried out, a development plan for the next 5 years was purposed, and the necessary corporate approvals were implemented. Finally, this year at the May 24 Meeting, the Board of the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia approved the transaction.

Accordingly, the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW) will acquire 65.03% of shares of the Armenia Securities Exchange (AMX) (967 shares in total). The Central Bank of Armenia will maintain 25.02% of shares, and the remaining 9.95% are the AMX's own shares. The value of the transaction is about AMD 873 million, a part of which (about AMD 499 million) will be paid after signing the Share Purchase Agreement, and the rest, after completion of processes established by the Share Purchase Agreement.

The Warsaw Stock Exchange Group (GPW Group) operates trading platforms for shares, Treasury and corporate bonds, derivatives, electricity and gas, and provides indices and benchmarks including WIBOR and WIBID. The index agent FTSE Russell classifies the Polish capital market as a Developed Market since 2018. The markets operated by the GPW Group are the biggest in Central and Eastern Europe. For more information, visit www.gpw.pl

At the end of May 2022, the market capitalisation of 376 domestic companies listed on the Main Market was PLN 585.8 billion (EUR 128.0 billion), while the total market capitalisation of 421 domestic and foreign companies listed on the Main Market was PLN 1,165.2 billion (EUR 254.6 billion).

Armenia Securities Exchange (AMX) is the only securities regulated market operator in Armenia. As an integrated exchange offering, AMX provides a full suite of services including listing, trading, clearing, information services and alternative market solutions. Currently 28 companies are listed in the AMX.

View from Moscow: It is high time for Yerevan to get rid of illusions on the issue of normalizing relations with Turkey

Rose Khoyetsian
ARMINFO
Armenia – June 23 2022
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo. It is high time for Yerevan to get rid of illusions on the issue of normalizing relations with Turkey. Victor Nadein-Raevsky, Ph.D. in Philosophy, director of  the Institute of Political and Social Studies of the Black  Sea-Caspian region, senior researcher of IMEMO RAS (Russia) expressed  a similar opinion to ArmInfo.

"Everything, literally everything, is on the surface and is visible  even to the naked eye. Turkey and Azerbaijan act in a single bond and  pursue a rather ingenious policy in all vectors, including the  Russian one. Their cooperation with the West is also similarly  situational, which Ankara and Baku also bring under their interests.  Against such a background, the current policy and calculations of  Yerevan, to put it mildly, raise questions," he said.

The expert believes that Ankara's periodic mention of the absence of  prerequisites for the process of Armenian-Turkish normalization is  Turkey's desire to formalize this process properly, first of all, for  its visual perception by the West. While in reality there is simply  no meaningful meaning in these statements, in his opinion. Since the  mere linking of Turkey's own interests in this matter with the  interests of Azerbaijan is already a precondition.

Meanwhile, according to Nadein-Raevsky, the interconnectedness of the  processes between Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan is already quite  openly mentioned in the administration of the Azerbaijani president.   And before that, this was quite clear based on the statements of  Turkish high-ranking officials. All this together allows us to assert  that without the consent of Baku, Turkey will not make a single step  towards the Armenian direction.  "In other words, it is obvious that  Baku will give Ankara consent to the same opening of the Armenian-  Turkish border only when an agreement is reached in the  Armenian-Azerbaijani direction. Opening the border between Armenia  and Turkey without negotiations over the signing of a peace treaty  between Armenia and Azerbaijan is impossible. This is a reality that  cannot be ignored. Everything else in the Armenian-Turkish  normalization is derived precisely from this reality," the  orientalist summed up.

Music: 11th International Stanisław Moniuszko Vocal Competition Announces 2022 Winners

Rose Khoyetsian
OPERA WIRE
June 12 2022
By Francisco Salazar

The 11th International Stanisław Moniuszko Vocal Competition has announced the winners of its annual competition.

The 12 finalists performed Polish arias and arias from the world repertoire, accompanied by the orchestra of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera under the baton of maestro Andriy Yurkevych.

The Grand Prix was awarded to Juliana Grigoryan from Armenia while the winner of the first prize in the category of female voices was Nombulelo Yende from RSA. The second prize went to DariJa Augustan m from Croatia, and the third prize went YulIia Zasimova from Ukraine.

The first prize in the male voices category was not awarded, while the second prize went to SzYmon Mechlinski from Poland and Volodymr Tyshkov from Ukraine ex aequo and the third prize went to Rafael Alejandro Del Angel Garcia from Mexico.

With her interpretation of Halka’s aria Nombulelo Yende won the year’s Audience Award.

The final concert is available online on the VOD streaming platform of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera and on OperaVision. It will also be retransmitted by the TVP Kultura at 3.15 p.m. on the 15th of June.

Here is the full list of winners:

• GRAND PRIZE – EUR 15,000 JULIANA GRIGORYAN

Female voices:
• FIRST PRIZE – EUR 10,000 NOMBULELO YENDE
• SECOND PRIZE – EUR 8,000 DARIJA AUGUŠTAN
• THIRD PRIZE – EUR 6,000 YULIIA ZASIMOVA

Male voices:
• FIRST PRIZE – EUR 10,000 NOT AWARDED
• SECOND PRIZE – EUR 8,000 ex aequo SZYMON MECHLIŃSKI and VOLODYMYR TYSHKOV
• THIRD PRIZE – EUR 6,000 RAFAEL ALEJANDRO DEL ANGEL GARCIA

• PRIZE FOR THE REMAINING FINALISTS – EUR 2,000 each
• MARIA FOŁTYN PRIZE for the best performance of a Stanisław Moniuszko piece – EUR 8,000 NOMBULELO YENDE

• PRIZES FOR THE BEST YOUNG PIANISTS (born not earlier than 6 June 1987) – EUR 2,000
MS ALINA SHEVCHENKO AND MS KATELAN TRẦN TERRELL

Every entrant who qualifies for and performs in Stage 2 of the Competition but does not qualify for Stage 3 (the Finals) will receive EUR 500 from the Organisers.

SPECIAL PRIZES:

TEATR WIELKI – POLISH NATIONAL OPERA PRIZE for the most beautiful performance of a Polish song: EUR 3,000 GABRIEL ROLLINSON

PRIZES FROM THE KOSCIUSZKO FOUNDATION (USA) funded by ANN COX ZAGOREOS:

TWO CARLO MARIA GIULINI PRIZES awarded separately in the male and female voice categories*Prize in memory of Carlo Maria Giulini, for a performance of profound musical _expression_ drawing on the essence of humanity: USD 5,000* ELIZA BOOM, XIAOMENG ZHANG
Il premio nella memoria di Carlo Maria Giulini per il canto che sorge dall’emozione profonda e che attinge dall’essenza di umanità.

JAN AND EDWARD RESZKE PRIZE for the best performance of a Polish work by a foreign entrant: USD 3,000 THEODORE PLATT

MARTA EGGERTH AND JAN KIEPURA PRIZE for the most promising Polish voice: USD 2,000 GABRIELA GOŁASZEWSKA

MARCELLA SEMBRICH-KOCHAŃSKA PRIZE for the youngest finalist: USD 2,000 funded by the Marcella Sembrich Memorial Association (USA) JULIANA GRIGORYAN

BOGUSŁAW KACZYŃSKI PRIZE for the best Polish singer: PLN 10,000 funded by ORFEO – the Bogusław Kaczyński Foundation SZYMON MECHLIŃSKI

SEPTEM OCTAVES ASSOCIATION PRIZE sponsored by Agnieszka Rehlis, for the best performance of a piece by a Polish composer: PLN 10,000 JAKUB FOLTAK

AUDIENCE PRIZE funded by PZU insurance company for the finalist chosen in a vote by the competition audience: EUR 5,000 NOMBULELO YENDE

PRIZE OF THE MONIUSZKO MUSIC LOVERS SOCIETY for the best performance of a piece by Stanisław Moniuszko: a statuette by artist Marian Konieczny NOMBULELO YENDE

PRIZE OF THE LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN ASSOCIATION: an invitation to perform in a concert during the 4th Elsner and His Successors Festival of Romantic Works XIAOMENG ZHANG

PRIZE OF THE KATOWICE CITY OF GARDENS – KRYSTYNA BOCHENEK CULTURAL INSTITUTION: participation in a concert during the 32nd International Festival of Young Winners of Music Competitions JULIANA GRIGORYAN, VOLODYMYR TYSHKOV

OPERA FOR PEACE PRIZE: mentoring by Opera for Peace Ambassador Jakub Józef Orliński (countertenor) for a young artist at the beginning of their career MATTEO IVAN RAŠIĆ

SPECIAL PRIZE FROM PRESTO MAGAZINE: one year’s media care ZUZANNA NALEWAJEK
*the prize, worth PLN 15,000, is not a cash reward

THREE SCHOLARSHIPS FROM THE IGNACY JAN PADEREWSKI POLISH-UKRAINIAN FOUNDATION for young artists from Ukraine: USD 3,500 each, funded by ANN COX ZAGOREOS ANASTASIA POLISHCHUK, MARIANA MAZUR, MARIIA KNIHNYTSKA
AWARD OF PROF. DR HAB. TADEUSZA PSZONKA ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF JAN KIEPURA FESTIVAL in Krynica Zdrój: participation in one of the concerts of the 56th Festival funded by the Cultural Center in Krynica Zdrój ZUZANNA NALEWAJEK, NOMBULELO YENDE, DARIJA AUGUŠTAN
SPECIAL AWARD FROM CHAIR OF THE JURY JOHN ALLISON ZUZANNA NALEWAJEK
THE LVIV NATIONAL OPERA PRIZE: INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE THE COMPANY’S PERFORMANCE IN THE 2022/23 ARTISTIC SEASON SZYMON MECHLIŃSKI