Author: Varazdat Torgomian

In a revealing article in , Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan has opened up on why his late father Hamlet continues to be his inspiration.

The Armenia captain tragically lost his dad when only seven years old due to a brain tumour and it naturally had a profound effect on his childhood. By somehow summoning up the strength to follow in his father’s footsteps, he has not only emulated Hamlet’s achievement of representing his country but is now appearing for one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“When you walk onto the pitch at Old Trafford, it is not just a pitch, it is a stage,” the attacking midfielder said. “If my father could see me on that stage, I think he would be very proud.

“I was always kind of chasing him and I think, even though he’s not here, he helped me to get to this place. If he was still alive, maybe I would be a lawyer or a doctor right now. Instead, I am a footballer.

“The year after my father died, I started football training,” he added. “He was the drive for me, he was my idol. I said to myself, I have to run just like him. I have to shoot just like him.

“By the time I was 10 years old, my entire life was football. Training, reading, watching, even playing football on PlayStation. I was totally focused on it. I especially loved the creative players — the maestros. I always wanted to play like [Zinedine] Zidane, Kaká and Hamlet. (Pretty good company for my father).”

The decision to head to Brazil as a 13-year-old to train with Sao Paulo for four months must have been an extraordinarily difficult one to take but it helped broaden the youngster’s horizons and develop his playing style.

“That was one of the most interesting times of my life, because I was a very shy kid from Armenia who didn’t speak any Portuguese,” he admitted. “But I didn’t care at all because, to me, I was getting to go to football paradise.

“I dreamed of being like Kaká, and Brazil was the home of that creative style, which the Brazilians call ginga. That time was very important to me, because it shaped my style as a player. When I returned to Armenia after four months in Brazil, I was still quite skinny and weak, but I had technique and skill. I was feeling very free on the pitch. I was feeling like the Armenian Ronaldinho. (Ha ha ha ha. No, I’m joking).”

Thankfully, United’s fans are now able to enjoy the ‘Armenian Ronaldinho’ after narrowly failing to sign the Brazilian star during Sir Alex Ferguson’s time in charge. The Old Trafford faithful have had to be patient but are clearly now falling in love with the summer signing from Borussia Dortmund.

“I knew it would be a challenge to leave a good situation at Dortmund and succeed at United,” he said. “But I did not want to sit in my chair as an old man and have any regrets. I was ready to move.

“When the deal was done and dusted, I sat down to sign the contract with United and that’s when it hit me. That’s when I realised that this big move to the Premier League was really happening.

“I will never forget that moment, nor will I forget the time I put on the red Manchester United shirt before my first training session with the club. It made me feel so happy and proud about what I had achieved in my career.

“At the beginning of this season at United, I suffered an injury and have not had many chances to play. It would be fair to say that the start of my life in Manchester was not perfect. But there have been many other times when I’ve had setbacks, and I have never given up. I will continue working every day so that I can help the team succeed.”

Having overcome incredible adversity in the past, there is every reason to expect Mkhitaryan to continue achieving his goals and become a firm favourite at United.

For the full, extensive must-read interview with Henrikh Mkhitaryan on his upbringing and football career so far, visit .

On 26 October President Bako Sahakyan signed a decree, according to which serviceman of the NKR Defense Army Gurgen Ayvazyan was posthumously awarded with the “For Service in Battle” medal for bravery shown during the defence of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic state border, NKR President’s Press Office reports.

High ranking political leaders from different countries have offered their support to the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office said in an interview with Azernews newspaper.

With regards to criticism of the OSCE MG, Kasprzyk said co-chairs are informed in detail about the developments around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“The Chairmanship of the OSCE is paying constant attention and is informed in detail about developments. The Chairperson-in-Office, Dr Steinmeier, visited the region and the resolution of the conflict was high on the agenda of his trip. The CiO and other high ranking political leaders from different countries have offered their support to the activity of the MG,” he said in an e-mail, further mentioning that the conflict is a frequent subject of public debate in other international organizations besides the OSCE.

Kasprzyk, commenting on the armistice between the sides on the frontline, said that his office follows the situation on a daily basis.

“According to information obtained and from our own observations, from the end of May 2016 the situation along the front lines has been relatively stable, though there were still reports about ceasefire violations and, regrettably, recently about casualties. Every casualty is a tragedy and causes grief and sorrow for the family and friends of the deceased. I share these sorrows,” he said, adding that “the ceasefire will only hold based on the political will of the parties.”

“Finally, I would like to stress that the monitoring exercises are not investigations, nor are they a peacekeeping measure. They provide a ‘snapshot’, an effective and consistent way of accessing information regarding the situation on the ground. With the support of the sides, we will continue our activity,” he continued.

As for the expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Kasprzyk said that his mandate and the modalities of work of his Office would be unaffected.

As part of its 2016 fundraising events worldwide, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has launched its donations-through-Haypost campaign in Armenia. This year’s fundraising efforts, which include the forthcoming Thanksgiving Day Telethon, are being organized under the slogan “My Artsakh.”

As in previous years, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has joined forces with Haypost, Armenia’s postal service, to encourage supporters to make donations at Haypost offices throughout the republic. All contributions will be used to help rebuild war-ravaged communities in Artsakh.

The Haypost campaign will run from October 20 until the end of the year. Every single donation helps implement a vital project.

System Of A Down is headed back on the road in 2017 with more than three weeks planned in Europe, according to

The first gig is scheduled June 7 at Zenith de Nancy in Nancy Maxeville, France. French festivals set to host System in 2017 are Download Festival in Paris, and the last scheduled date, Main Square Festival in Arras June 30.

There are actually only three non-French dates in the whole routing, including the solo show at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. Poland and Spain also get performances from the rockers, on June 17 and 23 at Impact and Download festivals, respectively.

System played its first show in Armenia last year to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The Armenian-American band has been involved in many efforts to raise awareness about the genocide.

Lead singer Serj Tankian in which he said: “Commemorating the anniversary of the deaths of so many Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians is not just about remembering genocide 100 years back.

“That’s what people need to realize: It’s not an ancient problem. It’s a modern one that still seems to persist because we’re using genocide as political capital in our geopolitics and not really paying attention to humanitarian loss and the damage that we’re doing to each other.”

Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock has officially proclaimed September 21, 2016 as “Armenian Independence Day” for the “twin states of the Armenian homeland, Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic),” reports the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR).

“Mayor Hancock’s celebration of the Armenian homeland and recognition of Artsakh’s ongoing struggle against aggression is a testament to the firm dedication of Armenian American grassroots in the Mile High City and the State of Colorado to raise awareness about human rights issues, including Azerbaijan’s April 2016 anti-Armenian war crimes,” remarked ANCA-WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan. “We thank the Hancock administration for their unwavering support of universal human rights, including recognizing Artsakh’s independence and ongoing struggle to preserve its ancient Christian heritage and protect its freedom-loving indigenous Armenian population against an army that wipes out medieval monuments and tortures civilians and soldiers alike,” continued Asatryan.

The proclamation notes that “the Denver Metro Area is home to thousands of productive and patriotic Armenian Americans who have enriched our city for many decades,” and that “Artsakh continues the monumental struggle to maintain its indigenous Armenian identity, preserve medieval monuments and secure its borders against war crimes.” Mayor Hancock’s Proclamation notes ANCA-WR’s “commit[ment] to advancing issues of concern to the Armenian community,” and “congratulates the Armenian community on their commitment to their heritage, their engagement in their new homeland and their ability to survive and thrive despite the challenges.”

The Washington, D.C.-based and US Office of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic also thanked the City and County of Denver, as well as the area’s vibrant Armenian American community for celebrating the Armenian homeland’s 25th independence anniversary. “We are grateful to Mayor Hancock and to the people of Denver for marking and celebrating this important anniversary. For over a quarter of a century Artsakh has been living as a sovereign democracy and remains resolute to continue protecting its choice for freedom. We are grateful for this support and look forward to continued cooperation. I also want to thank the ANCA-WR for their steadfast efforts towards raising awareness about our nation’s common struggle for the security and prosperity of independent Artsakh” remarked Robert Avetisyan, Permanent Representative of Artsakh to the United States.

Mr. Avetisyan also thanked ANCA-Colorado and the ANCA-WR Regional Office in Denver for their ongoing support of Artsakh that builds on community-wide successes such as the April 24, 2015 unveiling of the Armenians of Colorado-sponsored Colorado State Capitol Armenian Genocide Monument – a replica of one of the 2,000 medieval Djulfa khachkars demolished by the Azerbaijani army.

The full text of the Proclamation reads:
“City and County of Denver

Proclamation

WHEREAS, the Denver Metro Area is home to thousands of productive and patriotic Armenian Americans who have enriched our city for many decades; and

WHEREAS, in 2016, the twin states of the Armenian homeland, Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), celebrate the 25th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union; and

WHEREAS, Artsakh continues the monumental struggle to maintain its indigenous Armenian identity; preserve medieval monuments and secure its borders against war crimes; and

WHEREAS, the Armenian National Committee of America, Western Region, is a grassroots public affairs organization that is committed to advancing issues of concern to the Armenian community in the United States, as well as in Europe, Russia, South America, the Middle East, Australia, Armenia and Artsakh; and

WHEREAS, the City and County of Denver congratulates the Armenian community on their commitment to their heritage, their engagement in their new homeland and their ability to survive and thrive despite the challenges.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MICHAEL B. HANCOCK, MAYOR of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, by virtue of the authority vested in me, do hereby officially proclaim SEPTEMBER 21, 2016, to be known as:

“ARMENIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the official seal of the City and County of Denver to be affixed this 21st day of September, 2016
MICHAEL B. HANCOCK
MAYOR”

On October 5, the letter of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Karen Mirzoyan was transmitted to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra՝ad Al Hussein with regard to his statement made at the opening of the 33^rd session of the UN Human Rights Council on September 13, where he noted that his “Office has had no access to the conflict situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, including since the events of April 2016”.

Pointing to the absence of any appeal for access to Nagorno Karabakh from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the NKR Foreign Minister expressed regret that for more than two decades the Office had not been able to visit the NKR, not even after the Azerbaijani aggression this April.

“In our view, the OHCHR should be able to verify well-documented cases of massive and grave human rights violations and war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces both against Nagorno Karabakh civilian population and its military personnel. We strongly believe that the international community has to react to these crimes in order to prevent their recurrence; otherwise, the impunity enjoyed by perpetrators would encourage further use of force by Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno Karabakh”, the letter reads.

Assuring that the authorities of Nagorno Karabakh Republic are very open to have a genuine cooperation with the OHCHR with a view of strengthening democratic norms and principles as well as protection of human rights in situations of conflict, the NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs invited the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Nagorno Karabakh or to dispatch a team in order to make an impartial and objective assessment of the human rights situation and the crimes perpetrated against the people of Nagorno Karabakh in April this year.

Chaired by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, the Government discussed today the preliminary version of the 2017 State budget bill.

Per-sector proposals on the draft text of the 2017 State budget bill were submitted by the heads and representatives of the following ministries and government agencies: Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Ministry of Nature Protection, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development, Ministry of Healthcare, State Committee of Science, National Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture-affiliated State Food Security Service, Ministry of Agriculture-affiliated State Water Management Committee, State Migration Service, National Statistics Service, as well as the Mayor of Yerevan and Marz Governors.

A contemporary art exhibition hall opened at “Zvartnots” International Airport of Yerevan today. The exhibition opened at the airport departures hall will not only make the passengers’ journeys more interesting, but can also be a serious support for contemporary Armenian artists.

ArtAm at the airport’s departures hall is an artistic space aimed at dissemination and development of the Armenian culture and artists. Located at Zvartnots International Airport, its aim is to bring the Armenian culture closer to the community by making art and cultural heritage an active element of cognition and delight for its visitors.

By creating this artistic space to serve the society, Zvartnots International Airport expresses its commitment to the development of the Armenian culture.

The first collection of twenty-five paintings to be staged at ArtAm is authored by Hasmik Avetisyan.

The exhibitions will be changed every month, thus letting each painting to be displayed for a month in a place, where a vast number of people pass through.

Russian soldier Valery Permyakov, accused of killing a family of 7 in Armenia’s second city of Gyumri has been sentenced to life.

The family, including a six-month-old baby, was killed as a result of an armed assault on January 12, 2015.

Permyakov was arrested and later charged with the murder of two or more persons under the Armenian Criminal Code.

On August 12, Permyakov was found guilty of desertion, theft of weapons and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The murder case was singled out for considering it in a separate procedure and passed to the Armenian authorities.

On October 13, Permyakov was found sane. According to experts, he was not in the heat of passion while committing the crime. He also could recognize the consequences of his actions.

On October 16, Permyakov was additionally charged with armed assault, home-invasion robbery and attempted border crossing.