Category: 2018

NSS makes donation to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund

Parkev Tvankchian
  • 21:21 | November 22,2018 | Official
  • Հայ
  • Рус

Director of the National Security Service of Armenia Artur Vanetsyan visited the Yerevan office of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s TV Marathon accompanied by his son.

As Hayastan All-Armenian Fund reports, Artur Vanetsyan urged to actively participate in the nationwide fund raising event. The NSS Director assured that all the donated sums will serve their goals.

The National Security Service donated over 9.5 million AMD, while Vanetsyan donated his one month’s salary as a personal donation.

Group trainings for preservation of Assyrian (video)

Kanayan Tamar
  • 11:01 | November 23,2018 | Regions
  • Հայ

Assyrian children from the Nor Artagers village of Armavir province are studying Assyrian for two hours a week. Teacher is a professional pharmacist, Assyrian Bela Avdishyan.

She got a special training for teaching the language. There are 20 children in the group, have a textbook, a clear program, but there is no log, and no grades are given.

The group’s goal is to develop verbal communication.

Jewelry: Animal instincts

Parkev Tvankchian
The Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Wednesday
Animal instincts
 
 
Falcon ring with emerald eyes.
The spotlight falls on sparkling creatures prowling Maison Artinian as the jewellery boutique expresses responsibility for nature, the environment and wildlife in November.
 
Located in the prestigious Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, Maison Artinian has a fresh look as showcases have been dressed in a verdant colour scheme under the Green Wilderness concept. Founder and CEO Arto Artinian is a supporter of wildlife conservation and has been involved in saving Thai elephants under the auspices of several charities.
 
His brother and co-founder Saro Artinian is chief operating officer as well as design and development director. The Armenian brothers have made Bangkok their home for over two decades while establishing a jewellery company in 1997, launching the Sartoro brand in 2001, followed by opening a creative studio and atelier in 2014, as some of its milestones.
 
Sartoro's latest high-jewellery collection pays tribute to fauna, namely the falcon, lion and snow leopard. Diamond, emerald, onyx and tanzanite adorn the animal-inspired pieces in white gold apart from the lion ring and necklace in yellow gold.
 
The fauna collection is a sequel to the rose gold flora jewellery released in spring 2017 while demonstrating how nature is a recurring source of inspiration for the brand. Giving back and protecting nature have been a personal commitment for the Artinian siblings, reflected in this month's Green Wilderness theme.
 
Yellow gold lion ring. readability="1Snow leopard emerald and tanzonite bangles.
 
 Snow leopard emerald and tanzonite bangles.
Maison Artinian is located in the Author's Wing Building, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.

Minsk Toughly Called on Yerevan not to Rush

Emil Lazarian
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
Wednesday
 
MINSK TOUGHLY CALLED ON YEREVAN NOT TO RUSH
 
Yuri Rocks
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, November 19, 2018, p. 1
 
  
Minsk reacted to the criticism of Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who complained about the statements made by the presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan, voiced in connection with the CSTO summit held in Astana. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus recommended the Armenian leader not to introduce "the rules of the so-called street democracy … into big politics." The story, it seems, is far from the end, because the Armenian side, even before the remarks of Minsk, was preparing an official appeal. It hasn't been voiced yet.
 
Nikol Pashinyan is annoyed by the events that occurred after the CSTO summit in Astana on November 8. One of the topics discussed in the capital of Kazakhstan was the issue of replacing the general secretary of the organization. According to the statute, this position until 2020 should be occupied by a representative of Armenia.
 
However, Yuri Khachaturov, who worked as the CSTO Secretary General, was revoked by the new authorities of the republic, being accused of anti-constitutional actions on March 1, 2008. The actions of the Armenian authorities irritated the CSTO allies, especially Russia; the Foreign Ministry's commentary said that the question of revoking the CSTO Secretary General could not be solved unilaterally and without taking into account that such actions could cause reputational damage to the interstate alliance.
 
Today, Yerevan believes that it is entitled to replace Khachaturov with another person. Even a specific nominee was called – former Minister of Defense of Armenia Vagarshak Arutyunyan. However, at the summit in Astana, the issue was not resolved, and its discussion was postponed for December 6, when the next organization's summit in St. Petersburg will take place.
 
After the Astana meeting, the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, commenting on the situation, said that he considers that it would be right if the position of the CSTO Secretary General, on the stipulated alphabetical rotation, were at present, but not in 2020, transferred to Belarus. In Minsk, meanwhile, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met with Azerbaijani ambassador Latif Gandilov and told him about the situation in the CSTO.
 
In Yerevan, Pashinyan nervously reacted to all of this, stating that Armenia has the right to demand explanations why the issues discussed at the closed meeting of the leaders of the military block became known to the representative of the state not included in this block, and why statements of a specific nature on the issue still to be resolved are voiced. He also said that he intends to discuss the situation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to reports, on the same day – on Saturday – a telephone conversation took place.
 
Pashinyan's statements were heard in Minsk, and the press secretary of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Anatoly Glaz responded "to the verge of foul": "Apparently, the acting Prime Minister of Armenia imagines himself an international prosecutor authorized to punish or pardon … Perhaps, Mr. Pashinyan has not so far realized that the rules of the so-called street democracy are unacceptable in big politics."
 
Acting CSTO Secretary General Valery Semerikov, who may keep his duties until 2020 if the members of the alliance fail to reach a compromise solution, noted that some members of the organization doubt the effectiveness of the representative of Armenia in this post. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the CSTO charter does not spell out procedures related to revoking the organization's secretary general.
 
Yerevan, justifying its position on the replacement of the CSTO Secretary General, argues that it is right in its actions, because anything could happen to Khachaturov, and not just a court prosecution, and that it should not affect the distribution of posts in the CSTO. That is, the post of Secretary General should remain with Armenia until 2020.
 
One of the experts, on condition of anonymity, stated that the main issue for Armenia is relations with Russia, who is an unconditional leader in the CSTO. "It's difficult for Armenia, amid the unsettled conflict with Azerbaijan, to see a reliable ally, say, in Kazakhstan, whose leader has repeatedly acted from Baku's position on the Karabakh issue. It is much more important than the unpleasant statement made by the Belarusian press secretary who performed his official duties. Minsk is quite warm in its relations with Yerevan, no worse than with Baku, right up to the rumor about President Lukashenko's personal friendship with one of the leading Armenian politicians – Gagik Tsarukyan. It is also important to understand that Nikol Pashinyan still finds it difficult to orient in an interstate alliances. Subconsciously, other leaders do not perceive him as as "theirs." But it may change after the parliamentary elections in Armenia on December 8. From this point of view, the CSTO summit in St. Petersburg looks even more curious – if the heads of state will satisfy Armenia and agree to replace the Secretary General, it can be interpreted as international support for Pashinyan, and as a change in attitude towards him – that they are ready to recognize him as "theirs". Of course, a different decision can be made," said the source.
 
Translated from Russian
 

Chess: Armenia’s Aronian to take part in London Chess Classic

Vanyan Gary
Panorama, Armenia
Nov 22 2018
Sport 16:40 22/11/2018 Armenia

Leading Armenian chess players will take part in a number of international tournaments in December.

GM Levon Aronian will participate at London Chess Classic to be played from 11 to 17 December, Panorama.am reports, citing the Chess Federation official website.

Armenian GM Hrant Melkumyan, WIM Siranush Ghukasyan and FM Davit Mirzoyan are set to perform at the FIDE Open tournament held on the sidelines of London Chess Classic.

Meantime, three other Armenian players will compete at the Rome international chess championship on 2-9 December and later in another prestigious tournament in Sitges, Spain.

Armenian champion, GM Haik Martirosyan will take part in Zurich open tournament on 26-30 December, while GMs Zaven Andriasian and Samvel Ter-Sahakyan will join an international tournament scheduled for 27-31 December in Montebello, Italy.