Armenian weightlifter Hakob Mkrtchyan competing at 89 kg has become a gold medalist of the U23 European Weightlifting Championship being held in Romanian capital Bucharest.
The Armenian weightlifter, who is the current holder of the European and World champion title. showed a total of 375 kg result (1650kg+210kg). Mkrtchyan also set a new record in the total result.
Another representative of the Armenia team Davit Hovhannisyan won a bronze medal in the same weight class. Davit Hovhannisyan scored 357 kg (161+196).
Armenia’s Karen Avagyan (89 kg) won gold at the European Junior and U23 Weightlifting Championships taking place in Bucharest, Romania.
The Armenian athlete lifted a total of 364 kg (170kg+194kg) to win the champion’s title, the National Olympic Committee’s press service reported.
Avagyan also won small gold in the snatch and silver in the clean and jerk.
Another Armenian athlete Ara Aghanyan captured silver in the same weight class with a combined total of 358 kg. He also won small silver in the snatch and small gold in the clean and jerk.
Liana Gyurjyan (81 kg) had earlier won a medal in the women’s U20 competition, while Rafik Harutyunyan (81 kg) had taken bronze.
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Four-time Grammy award winner, recording artist, performer, composer, producer bassist Stanley Clarke will give a start to Yerevan Jazz Fest 2019. Organized by the Armenian Jazz Association and Mezzo Production and supported by the US Embassy in Armenia, the annual Yerevan Jazz Fest international festival will open on October 25 at K. Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex.
As part of the festival, on October 25 Aram Khachaturian concert hall will host another unique concert by Lars Danielsson, a Swedish jazz bassist, composer and record producer accompanied by Armenia State Symphony Orchestra and its Artistic Director Sergey Smbatyan .
The fest will feature also the State Jazz Orchestra of Armenia headed by its Artistic Director and Conductor Armen Hyusnunts. The concert of the Orchestra will take place at Aram Khachaturian concert hall on October 30.
Yerevan Jazz Fest 2019 will then head to Gyumri where Vahagn Hayrapetyan and John Marshal will perform unique jazz works to the local audience on November 3.
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan today held a meeting with the mothers of fallen soldiers.
At the meeting Pashinyan said he is ready to discuss all issues.
“During our previous meeting I stated that the list of the beneficiaries of Military Insurance Fund is expanding very quickly. According to the decision adopted, the Fund has started making payments to the families of soldiers fallen during the incidents that have taken place starting from January 1, 1998 and after that, as well as to the disabled soldiers of the 1st or 2nd group. We have gone 19 years back within one and a half year, we have solved the problem of beneficiaries of 19 years, our goal is to reach the beginning, but this requires some time and work which we will carry out”, the PM said.
The mothers of fallen soldiers raised some issues of their concern, in particular the fact that they are not included in the beneficiaries’ list. They said they expect the PM’s attention on the matter.
In response, Pashinyan said all issues are under their spotlight, the government cannot solve all the problems immediately, therefore they are moving forward with the stage by stage logic.
“We will do that and will go back to the beginning, but in this case as well we cannot state that all problems are solved. There are categories according to which soldiers fallen during the military service still are not considered as the Fund’s beneficiaries. Now our focus is on the families of soldiers, who were killed during the service but not during the military operations, to become beneficiaries. In other words, the families of those soldiers who were killed by the adversary. By the next stage we will come to the tragic incidents and so on”, the PM said.
Pashinyan assured that the government will in no way show an improper attitude to the families of fallen soldiers, or any citizen in general.
One of the fundamental principles of Western democracies is the ability of an ordinary citizen of a given country to participate in democratic elections, run for and hold a public office. Yet, not less important is the ability, or an obligation, if you will, to honor and most importantly, represent the official positions of the office and the government one represents. That includes communications with and visits of public officials and legislators to unrecognized authorities and ungoverned territories.
As the US international affairs expert, Peter Tase, notes in the article European MPs must honor official positions of public offices they hold published in Foreign Policy news, case in point, the willingness of some European MPs to violate the official stance of European governments and establish ties with separatist and in most cases, criminal governments. Visits by those MPs to Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh prove that they prefer own interests to those of European taxpayers. Some facts show that behind those visits stand prejudicial reasons.
In late August, Martin Sonneborn, a member of European Parliament from Germany, visited Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway region of Azerbaijan, captured by Armenian forces in the early 1990s. As part of the visit that took place at the initiative of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD), Mr Sonneborn was accompanied by a 25-member delegation of writers, scientists and journalists, as well as his wife Claudia Toursarkissian, an ethnic Armenian. In response, the Azerbaijani authorities blacklisted the MP, claiming he violated the laws of the country by visiting the unrecognized territory without permission of Azerbaijan. Sonnerborn, in turn, ridiculed the Azerbaijani government on his Facebook page, saying he wanted to make it to the top of the list with some other blacklisted foreign visitors.
“I have come to Karabakh along with a 25-member delegation of journalists, writers and professors. My wife Claudia Toursarkissian is also with me. She has come here to make a film about Karabakh. We will show this film to the world and succeed in this region’s independence. As far as I return to Brussels, I will propagate the idea that the region deserves to be independent,” Sonneborn said at his news conference in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Martin Sonneborn became a member of the European Parliament in 2014. He was the editor-in-chief of the satirical magazine “Titanic” from 2000 to 2005. He said that during his election campaign he had gotten inspired by “successful political clowns” from other countries, including the now US President Donald Trump. His victory in the election was unexpected not only for German political circles, but Sonneborn himself. The German media stressed that Sonneborn’s party won two seats in the European Parliament because of using such populist slogans like “Merkel is stupid”.
After his election Mr Sonneborn paid two visits to Nagorno Karabakh and lobbied for recognition of the breakaway republic’s independence which has not so far been recognized by any country in the world. At the same time, the MP has done much less to his electoral base, not addressing the more important problems of environmental protection, financial crisis and nationalism that German taxpayers are concerned about.
The energy-rich Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 amid political turmoil and against a backdrop of violence in its Nagorno-Karabakh region.During the collapse of the Soviet Union, ethnic Armenians living in the region, at the instigation of the Armenian Republic, petitioned for independence and but were denied the calls based on the constitution of Azerbaijan, Soviet Union and provisions of the UN Charter. Nevertheless, aided by the Russian and Armenian troops, separatists were able to capture a sizeable chunk of territory, declaring independence from Azerbaijan. The UN does not recognize the self-proclaimed republic and its Security Council adopted four resolutions calling for an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
Germany, which Sonneborn represents in the European Parliament, is among other UN member states which does not recognize Nagorno Karabakh as an independent states, and supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. On its official website, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs made it clear that Berlin does not recognize the “Nagorno-Karabakh republic” and does not provide consular support to its citizens there. The German government also makes it clear that any visits to Nagorno-Karabakh without the consent of Azerbaijan run contrary to the Azerbaijani law. The ministry urges German citizens to refrain from visiting the area.
The German Foreign Ministry condemned Sonneborn’s latest visit to Nagorno-Karabakh visit. However, it added that the ministry had no power over the legislators.
Despite being blacklisted by Azerbaijan for an illegal entry to Azerbaijani territories without permission of official Baku, Sonneborn wrote in his Twitter that he did not care about the issue and that next time he would visit Nagorno-Karabakh with a 100-member delegation.
What could possible make it that enticing for an European MP to visit unrecognized entities beyond Germany in violation of laws of the country and ethnical norms of European and German parliaments? If the MP regards himself so outspoken for individual values he chooses to represent, then why does he not visit other separatist territories, including South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Crimea? Moreover, what makes the disgruntled Sonneborn makes statements against not only the government, but also the people of Azerbaijan in a highly prejudicial tone, calling them “nomadic Tatars”?
Looks like, lambasting Azerbaijan, violating its laws and ethical barriers of European and German legislation at the behest of the Brussels-based European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD), seems like a better option to Sonneborn that addressing issues of immediate concern to his voters. Evidently, the support – financial or not – from EAFJD seems to be overwhleming.Kaspar Karapetyan , the head of EAFJD accompanied Sonneborn during the visit to Nagorno-Karabakh and attended all his meetings. To this day, the German MP has not provided information about the source of funds which paid for his visit.
It is noteworthy that in an interview with Telepolis newspaper, Sonneborn openly admitted that his political views stemmed from his feelings for his ethnic Armenian wife.“My wife is Armenian. Earlier, I called on the EU to accept Turkey’s membership. As soon as I got married, I changed my view. If our party (Die PARTEI) comes to power, the Turks will never manage to enter the EU,” Sonneborn said. This statement further demonstrates that in Sonneborn’s political activity, his personal feelings outweigh the interests of German taxpayers and positions of the German and European governments.
This is not an isolated case of German MPs being used for political purposes by the Armenian narrow interest groups. In the spring of 2019, another German member of the Bundestag (from the Alternative for Germany/AfD party) Stefan Keuter visited Nagorno Karabakh, as well. Even without a visit to an ungoverned territory, Keuter has made headlines for erratic and racist behavior. A German news agency stern.de reported that a German blogger had sued Keuter as the MP called the blogger “Judensau (Jewpig)” and greeted him with the phrase “Heil Hitler”. The issue that angered Keuter was the publication of a search by the blogger in the abovementioned website alleging that the MP circulated through WhatsApp messaging service Hitler’s phrase “Hello Vienna”.
The MP read the search and insulted the blogger, urging him to remove the article. Stern.de added that a fascist sign was painted on the wall of Keuter’s bathroom. It is also known that Keuter also posted through WhatsApp Hitler’s photos in Vienna and his candle figurine.
Frank Engel, yet another European MP from Luxembourg, is also distinguished for his contributory support to authorities of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic. Sputnik Armenia portal wrote that after marrying Tatev Manukyan, an ethnic Armenian, the couple spent their “honeymoon” in the occupied Azerbaijani territories. “After returning from Nagorno-Karabakh, Frank Engel added suffix ‘yan’ to his last name inscribed on the board of the door on his residence and became Engelyan,” Sputnik Armenia reported, quoting Armenian Foreign Ministry press-secretary Tigran Balayan.
Another Armenian source drew attention to a social media post by Engelyan’s wife. The post claimed that the MP, who had been photographed in national Armenian dress, said that he would not let Azerbaijanis to get back even an inch of lands in Nagorno-Karabakh.“They [Azerbaijanis – Ed] will fail to get even an inch of land. I am ready to wear a military uniform for the sake of this,” rusarminfo.ruwebsite reported the MP as saying. Angered by actions of the MP from Luxembourg, Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General’s Office put Frank Engel on the international wanted list for visiting Nagorno-Karabakh without Azerbaijan’s permission.
While the willingness of Armenian interest groups to lure European members of parliament into unrecognized territories is understandable as it serves their main purpose – to get recognition and as much exposure about Nagorno Karabakh as possible – yet it is not understandable as to why the MPs choose to be lured disregarding interests of their own governments and electoral base. A public office is a representation of positions and values of the majority, and none has so far supported violation of international norms and laws of UN member-states. One can choose to support separatism and ethnic nationalism in any part of the world, but that should only be possible in a personal capacity. The question is though: would Armenian interest groups pay as much attention to Sonneborns, Keuters and Engels if they didn’t hold public office? I tend to think not.
From l to r: Lawrence Pitts, Nelly and Armen Der Kiureghian
LOS ANGELES—Over 300 guests gathered at the California Club in Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to pay tribute to AUA President Emeritus Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian, who served as the fourth president of AUA from July 2014 to June 2019. The $350,000 raised at the event will go toward establishing the Armen & Nelly Der Kiureghian Endowed Scholarship Fund, which will provide scholarships to young veterans returning to AUA to continue their education. The scholarships available through this new fund will add another favorable dimension to the safe environment AUA provides for young veterans to smoothly transition back to student life and continue their studies, build a career, and grow to become responsible citizens of Armenia.
Co-chairs Lori Muncherian and Arsine Phillips welcomed the guests and, following the invocation by Western Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and Western Prelate Moushegh Mardirossian, Dr. Mary Papazian, President of San Jose State University, gave the opening remarks. Papazian applauded Dr. Der Kiureghian for his tireless efforts in many facets of university administration, making special reference to the memorandum of understanding signed between SJSU and AUA, by which SJSU hosted several AUA students this past summer along with a staff member from student affairs.
The next speaker was Sinan Sinanian, a member of the AGBU Council of Trustees and AUA Board of Trustees. For AGBU — as a founding supporter of the University — he considers AUA to be the most successful investment in Armenia.
A video presentation followed, highlighting the many accomplishments of AUA during Dr. Der Kiureghian’s tenure, including the launch and completion of the 100 Pillars campaign, the creation of the Entrepreneurship & Product Innovation Center, the start of three new degree programs, as well as the establishment of the offices of Student Affairs and Counseling. The video is available below.
A highlight of the evening, Arman Vardanyan, a veteran who is now a senior at AUA majoring in English and Communications, reflected on journey: “Every time I passed by the AUA buildings as a young teenager, I dreamt of becoming a student there one day. Well, dreams come true for those who dream but also take action. I did get admitted to AUA and I am now chasing my dream.”
When he was still a freshman at AUA, Vardanyan received the call of duty and had to put his studies on hold to serve in the military for two years. He was a soldier during the April 2016 Four-Day-War in Artsakh and served his country with dignity and honor. Upon return to AUA, he was grateful for the warm welcome and a full scholarship, which made his transition back to civilian life so much smoother. “That is when I felt the sense of belonging to a community that believes in me and has my back. I set my mind to study hard to become a better citizen of Armenia and also a citizen of the world. AUA has made this possible. I am surrounded and continually inspired by excellent administrators, outstanding faculty and staff at AUA, all of which I attribute to the tremendous leadership of Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian. On behalf of all my fellow students, and particularly in the name of the growing number of returning veterans, I extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Der Kiureghian for always staying focused on students.”
Der Kiureghian’s daughter, Naira, and son, Sebouh, added a personal touch to the evening when they talked about their father’s dedication to AUA. “A defining characteristic of my father has been his readiness to roll up his sleeves and make sacrifices when his homeland needed him,” noted Sebouh. “At the graduation party, I was amazed at how students were competing with each other for an opportunity to take selfies with him. Throughout my years in both undergraduate and graduate schools, I’ve never seen students so excited about their university president,” added Naira.
A surprise guest appearance was made by Armenian jazz pianist Vahagn Hayrapetyan, who entertained the attendees with beautiful musical renditions. Next at the podium was Dr. Lawrence “Larry” Pitts, chairman of the Board of Trustees of AUA. Pitts said that the Velvet Revolution had shifted the country toward a new path and that, “AUA has become the premier university in the region under Dr. Der Kiureghian’s leadership.” Among the many accomplishments of the University during Dr. Der Kiureghian’s tenure, Pitts acknowledged the continued support of those gathered and many other donors that have grown the “AUA endowment from $19.8 million to $61.6 million.”
Dr. Pitts then invited Dr. Der Kiureghian and his wife Nelly on stage, where he presented them with a beautiful sculpture by Michael Aram and a book of testimonies by many AUA faculty, staff, and students.
Noticeably overwhelmed, Dr. Der Kureghian thanked members of the organizing committee and the AUA Development team for putting together such a lovely evening. “It’s hard to put into words what I am feeling tonight,” he said. “I want to thank the Board of Trustees and all my colleagues at AUA for the amazing five years. We accomplished so much. But, I must say, that my greatest joy came from the interaction I had with the students and alumni.” He proceeded to give a brief history of when he and Dr. Mihran Agbabian visited Armenia after the 1988 earthquake and met with Yuri Sargsyan, Rector of Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, who said the best thing the diaspora could do for Armenia was to establish an American-style university in Armenia.
“With the help of many people, including Louise Manoogian Simone and later Stepan Karamardian, we requested assistance from UC’s President David Gardner. The affiliation with UC provided vital academic and administrative guidance including management of our endowment. I am proud to be a co-founder of AUA as well as its fourth president,” he said. “AUA is now internationally known and has students from 25 countries.”
Dr. Karin Markides, the new president of AUA concluded the evening by saying that she was honored to take on the role, and thanked everyone for attending the banquet and supporting AUA, especially the Veteran’s Campaign. “I am deeply honored to take on this torch, to lead the university to have the greatest impact in Armenia we possibly can. I want to thank Armen for doing everything possible to make this a smooth transition, so valuable for me but even more valuable for the students.”
Contributions to “Honoring Those Who Served: Investing in our Veterans Education” endowed scholarship fund can be made through the website or by email.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values. For more information about AUA and its donor opportunities, please visit the website.
Armenia will continue the friendly relations with Iran, says FM
14:02, 6 September, 2019
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia will continue the friendly relations with Iran, Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan told reporters today.
“We have quite a broad agenda in relations with Iran which aims at deepening the cooperation both in the fields of regional security and development so that we can form results in terms of pursuing this goal. This derives from our national interests. We have quite actively continued our friendly relations with Iran. Armenia’s membership to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) enables to pursue our interests also through this framework”, the Armenian FM said.
Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 03-09-19
17:32, 3 September, 2019
YEREVAN, 3 SEPTEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 3 september, USD exchange rate up by 0.16 drams to 476.33 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.83 drams to 521.20 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 7.12 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 4.66 drams to 570.74 drams.
The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.
Gold price down by 29.66 drams to 23368.95 drams. Silver price down by 0.44 drams to 281.02 drams. Platinum price down by 163.63 drams to 14211.73 drams.
Commanders Leonid Azgaldyan, Vladimir Balayan posthumously awarded with Artsakh Hero highest titles
13:07,
STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan signed a decree according to which legendary commanders Leonid Azgaldyan and Vladimir Balayan were posthumously awarded with the Hero of Artsakh highest titles, Secretary of the Security Council of Artsakh Arshavir Gharamyan said on Facebook.
““Golden Eagle” orders were handed over to their relatives in a solemn ceremony”, Gharamyan said.
The President signed the respective decree on the occasion of the 28th anniversary of the Artsakh Republic.
Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan