Month: February 2015

ART NEWS IN BRIEF

Art Desk

On Line: 16 February 2015 20:17
In Print: Tuesday 17 February 2015

Iranian films to compete in Cinequest Film Festival TEHRAN – The
Iranian films “Snow” and “Sormeh” will compete in the 25th Cinequest
Film Festival, which is scheduled to be held in the U.S. city of San
Jose from February 24 to March 8.

Directed by Mehdi Rahmani, “Snow” will be screened in the main
competition and “Sormeh” directed by Azadeh Qochaq will be shown in
the short film section.

The festival presents 200 films with over 700 participating artists
and innovators from 50 countries in attendance.

Intl. Storytelling Festival opens in Kermanshah TEHRAN – The 16th
International Storytelling Festival opened in the western Iranian
city of Kermanshah on Monday.

Twelve storytellers from Colombia, Australia, the U.S., Canada,
Scotland, the Philippines, Kenya, Brazil, Armenia, Lebanon, Syria
and Morocco are participating in this event.

In addition, over 50 Iranian storytellers are competing in the
festival, has been organized by the Institute for the Intellectual
Development of Children and Young Adults.

Theatergoers enjoying “A Night Out” in Tehran TEHRAN – An Iranian
troupe is performing English playwright Harold Pinter’s “A Night Out”
at Tehran’s Mashayekhi Theater.

The play, which is jointly being directed by Farid Qaderpanah and
Ramin Masumian, will run until March 19.

“A Night Out” mainly accentuates U.S. social life in the 1960s.

It was considered the first big success of the Nobel laureate as a
dramatist. He was also a screenwriter and a director.

MA/YAW END

ARMENIAN FISH PRODUCTS ARE UNCOMPETITIVE ON RUSSIAN MARKET, ARTUR ATOYAN SAYS

by Arthur Yernjakyan

Monday, February 16, 23:14

Armenian fish products are uncompetitive on the Russian market and
the republic’s participation in the Eurasian Economic Union does not
solve this problem, Artur Atoyan, Head of the Union of Fish Breeders
of Armenia, told media on Monday.

He said that the fish output in the republic and the fish exports to
the Russian market have dropped. Armenia’s competitors in Russia are
Turkey and Karelia, whose fish prices are lower. Atoyan added that the
domestic sales have also dropped due to the falling demand. Moreover,
he assured that due to the low demand, the producers have to sell the
fish at lower prices than the prime cost. Today 1 kg of trout is sold
for 1,400 AMD versus 1,800 AMD in the similar period of 2014. Atoyan
pointed out that the fish prices rise in winter and drop in summer,
as a rule. In this light, one should expect the producers to suffer
even more losses in summer. He said that the producers are unable to
reduce the prime cost of their products without the state support,
because the fish food prices have grown since early 2014 and the
Armenian authorities have toughened the requirements to the use of
water resources for fish breeding.

When asked by ArmInfo to confirm his concerns about the drop in
the fish output and sales by specific figures, Atoyan said that
he has no data and even if he had some data, nevertheless, he does
not trust official statistics. He said that the Union includes 83
medium-sized and large fish farms and all of them complain about
reduction of output and sales. In 2014 Atoyan told journalists that
the Government’s intentions to save water on the fish farms would
result in closure of the farms.

Meanwhile, the National Statistical Service of Armenia says that in
2014 the gross fish output grew by 24.6% versus 2013 and totaled 28,650
mln AMD. For its part, the Customs Service says that in Jan-Sept 2014
fish exports from Armenia grew to 1,653 thsd tons versus 1,410 thsd
tons a year before. The results of the entire year 2014 have not yet
been summed up.

TIGRAN KARAPETYAN: ON FEBRUARY 20 AUTHORITIES WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE STARTED “A FIGHT” AGAINST GAGIK TSARUKYAN

by Nana Martirosyan

Monday, February 16, 23:12

The leader of the People’s Party, Tigran Karapetyan, thinks that
at the February 20 rally of the 3 non-power parliamentary forces the
authorities will understand that they should not have started “a fight”
against Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader Gagik Tsarukyan.

He is sure that Liberty Square will be overcrowded on Feb 20.

Karapetyan says that he will also attend the rally and he may even make
a speech there. The politician adds that the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) is making disgusting attempts to sow discord within
the PAP. “The RPA speaks of Tsarukyan’s ignorance and tax evasion but
forgets its own officials’ ignorance and reluctance to pay taxes”,
says Karapetyan.

He is also upset by the behavior of RPA Deputy Chairman Armen Ashotyan
and RPA Spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov, who have gone beyond all ethic
standards. Karapetyan disagrees with the experts who say that “the
RPA-Tsarukyan fight is a political show”. Karapetyan thinks that
Tsarukyan is conducting an honest fight. In the meantime, he admits
that the second president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan is trying to
return to power due to the efforts of Tsarukyan and the PAP. “However,
people will not let him do it, I think”, he says.

From: A. Papazian

URUGUAY DECLARES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AS ‘ISSUE OF SPECIAL INTEREST’

by Nana Martirosyan

Monday, February 16, 23:15

The central board of Uruguay’s national administration for public
education declared the first genocide of the 20th century perpetrated
by the Ottoman Empire “an issue of special interest” in 2015, the year
when the 100th anniversary of this crime against humanity is marked,
according to the Ð~BmenianGenocide100.org. The decision was made due
to the motion submitted by the Armenian Genocide Centennial commission
claiming to declare the Armenian Genocide a topic of special interest
and to include it in the academic curriculum of 2015, the website of
the National administration for public education reports.

Furthermore, the central board also discussed the declaration by
the joint parliamentary committee of Mercosur (a sub- regional bloc
comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela and
associate countries like Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru)
to recognize the Armenian Genocide. The declaration was passed on
November 17, 2007.

Uruguay was the first country to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Genocide of Armenians has been recognized by 43 United States as
well as by 21 countries, including Canada, Argentina, Switzerland,
Uruguay, Russia, Belgium, France, Poland, Slovakia, the Netherlands,
Greece, Cyprus, Vatican, Sweden, Lithuania.. The European Parliament
passed a resolution recognizing the fact of Armenian Genocide in the
Ottoman Turkey on June 18 1987 and demanded the Council of Europe
to exert pressure on Turkey in order that country recognizes the
Armenian Genocide. Turkey still denies the genocide of 1,5 million
Armenians in 1915-1923.

From: A. Papazian

PRESS RELEASE – Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (+961- 4) 410001, 410003
Fax: (+961- 4) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

His Holiness Aram I receives the newly elected Bureau of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Tashnak Party)

Antelias – 14 February 2015. On Saturday morning, the newly elected
Bureau of the Tashnak Party, led by representative Hrant Markarian met
with Catholicos Aram I in his office in Antelias.

The members of the Bureau discussed with His Holiness the activities to
be held in Armenia and the Diaspora to commemorate the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide and the reception by Armenians and the
international community of the Centennial Pan-Armenian Declaration.

`Armenian parents should transform the family into a `little
Church,’ a blessed structure of our community,’
Stated His Holiness Aram I on the eve of the feast of the Presentation
of Jesus in the Temple (Dyarentarch)

Antelias – Friday 13 February 2014. On Thursday evening, a large
number of parents and their children gathered at St. Gregory the
Illuminator Cathedral to attend the evening service prior to the Feast
of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. His Holiness Aram I presided
over the ceremony and preached.

After recounting the story of Jesus’ parents taking the 40-day-old
baby to the Temple, according to the Jewish tradition, His Holiness
spoke of the two symbols of the feast, light and presentation of Jesus
to the temple. Jesus brought light to the world through his birth to
save the people who were involved in evil deeds and living in darkness.
He prayed that the faithful would take the light from the altar of the
Cathedral to their homes and fill their lives with Jesus. Referring to
the ritual of the presentation of Jesus to the Temple, he told the
parents that by bringing their children to the church, they were
offering them to God, promising that they would grow in the church with
its spiritual and religious values. The Catholicos then talked about the
family as the `little church’ and the role it plays in bringing up
their children as Christians according to the teachings of the Armenian
Church.

At the end of the service, the clergy, the seminarians and the
congregation gathered around the traditional bonfire to celebrate the
ancient church tradition of Dyarentarach with poetry and songs.

`The ideals of Vartanantz heroes continue to inspire our courageous
people in Karabagh,’
Said His Holiness Aram I

Antelias – On 12 February 2015, at the Feast of the Vartanantz Heroes,
the dean of the seminary, Rev. Torkom Donoyan, celebrated the Holy
Liturgy, presided over by His Holiness Aram I. In his sermon, Rev.
Torkom spoke of the urgency of national unity and the importance of
Christian faith in shaping the struggle of Armenians for justice.

After the Holy Liturgy, the clergy and faithful went to the Main Hall of
the Catholicosate. Catholicos Aram I gave his message, followed by a
cultural celebration with spiritual hymns and poetry prepared by the
seminarians.

In his message, the Catholicos quoted the commanding general of the
Vatananz battle, Vartan Mamigonian, who said, `we cannot remain
indifferent to external pressures that force us to give up our
independence and freedom.’ The Catholicos continued and said that this
same spirit that guides the people of Karabagh in their struggle today.
After greeting the people of Karabagh for their commitment, he blessed
the faithful; the celebration ended with the singing of the `Cilicia’
anthem.

The Central Committee of the Catholicosate of Cilicia concludes its
deliberations and adopts a programme for the commemoration of the 100th
Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

Antelias – 9 February 2015. Under the leadership of His Holiness Aram
I, after three days of meetings, the Central Committee representing the
dioceses of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, its Executive Committee, the
Council of Religion and the plenary of the Prelates adopted the document
whereby:
1. They welcome the activities planned by the Catholicosate of
Cilicia on national and international levels for the commemoration of
the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, as well as those
activities planned by the dioceses. They strongly support the proposal
to pursue the political and legal aspects of recognition and restitution
related to the Genocide and commend the Pan-Armenian Declaration
recently adopted in Erevan.

2. They are aware of the profound meaning of the decision of the two
Catholicoi to make the martyrs of the 1915 Genocide into saints on 23
April 2015, during a special ceremony in Holy Etchmiadzin.

3. They are grateful for His Holiness Aram I’s ecumenical
commitment despite the dwindling interest of many churches in ecumenism.
They also support Catholicos Aram I’s commitment to Christian-Muslim
dialogue to help Christians and Muslims live together and condemn
fundamentalism.

4. They will organize a pilgrimage from their respective dioceses to
Lebanon for the blessing of the Holy Muron at the St. Mary’s Monastery
in Bikfaya in July and the commemorative activities at the Bird’s Nest
and Antelias.

5. They share His Holiness Aram I’s vision of the Seminary as an
important pillar of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in preparing the clergy
and sustaining the spiritual and moral values of the church. They
promise to support the seminary financially and morally.

6. They acknowledge the role of the Christian Education Department
in enabling the women and the youth to learn the basic teachings of the
church and her diakonia. They also urge the department to use modern
educational approaches and technology to improve its teaching methods.

7. They concur with His Holiness to include youth in the structures
of the diocesan committees and other organizations of the community.

8. They express their gratitude to the constructions and renovations
committee for preparing the locations for the commemorative events.

9. They thank the Board of the Khatcher Kaloustian Foundation for
its effort in promoting the Western Armenian language and introducing
new pedagogical approaches.

10. They recognize the financial dependency of the Catholicosate on the
dioceses and benefactors and appreciate deeply His Holiness Aram I’s
achievements despite the limited funds.

11. They share the pain of the Armenian community in Syria, and promise
to accompany them during these difficult times and help them later to
rebuild their lives. They consider the presence of Armenians in the
Middle East extremely important for the whole nation and call upon all
Armenian organizations to demonstrate their solidarity with Armenians in
Syria.

12. They are indebted to His Holiness Aram I for his initiative in
preparing a litigation against the Turkish authorities demanding the
return of the historical centre of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Sis,
in cooperation with international human rights lawyers. They also thank
all those who have helped His Holiness realize this project.

# #
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
PO Box : 70 317 Antelias – LEBANON
Tel: (+961-4) 410 001 / 3
Fax: (+961-4) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief

===============================================
Monday 16 February 2015
AZERBAIJAN: NAKHICHEVAN DETENTIONS WITHOUT TRIAL, BEATINGS AND ATTEMPTED
KIDNAPPING

Three Muslims who read the works of the late Turkish theologian Said Nursi
were freed from prison on 11 February in the Azerbaijani exclave of
Nakhichevan. Two were seized in Nakhichevan and the third in Baku and
transferred to the exclave. All three were held without any court approval.
They were beaten to force them to “confess” to a “crime” (distributing
anti-government leaflets) one of their friends insisted to Forum 18 News
Service they had nothing to do with. Police have confiscated passports from
all three to prevent them leaving the exclave. A fourth fled to Turkey to
evade possible arrest, though Azerbaijani police tried to kidnap him there.
The Head of Nakhichevan’s Department for Work with Religious Organisations
Vuqar Babayev declined to discuss the cases with Forum 18. About six of the
200 or so Muslims arrested in November 2014 are still in detention, Yafez
Akramoglu of Radio Free Europe told Forum 18. Several are being
investigated on treason charges. Most of the 50 Nakhichevan mosques
forcibly closed in November 2014 have reopened, but under new leadership
“closer to the authorities”.

AZERBAIJAN: NAKHICHEVAN DETENTIONS WITHOUT TRIAL, BEATINGS AND ATTEMPTED
KIDNAPPING

By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service

On 11 February three Sunni Muslims who read the works of the late Turkish
theologian Said Nursi were freed from prison in the Azerbaijani exclave of
Nakhichevan [Naxçivan], their friends told Forum 18 News Service. The three
had been held without any court approval for two and a half weeks and are
said to have been beaten. Police had seized one of the three in the
Azerbaijani capital Baku and forcibly put him on a flight to Nakhichevan.
Police have confiscated passports from all three to prevent them leaving
the exclave. It remains unclear if they will face prosecution and, if so,
for what reason.

A fourth Muslim fled to neighbouring Turkey to evade possible arrest.
Azerbaijani attempts to seize him back failed. An Azerbaijani consular
official in the Turkish city of Kars denied all knowledge of the case (see
below).

Meanwhile, at least six or seven of the 200 or so Muslims arrested in a
government crackdown in Nakhichevan in November 2014 are believed still to
be in detention, Yafez Akramoglu of Radio Free Europe told Forum 18 on 16
February 2015. One was sent to prison for two months, apparently without
trial, while two or three others are in prison under investigation on
treason charges (see below).

The telephone of Nakhichevan Interior Minister Ahmad Ahmadov went
unanswered each time Forum 18 called on 16 February. His deputy Qulu
Rustamov put the phone down on 16 February as soon as Forum 18 introduced
itself. The Head of Nakhichevan’s Department for Work with Religious
Organisations Vuqar Babayev declined to discuss the cases the same day,
referring all questions to the Interior Ministry.

“The men were targeted because of their religious activity,” one of the
three men’s friends insisted to Forum 18. “They read Risale-i Nur [Messages
of Light, Nursi’s collection of sermons]. Nakhichevan is a small place and
everyone knows this.”

The friend said fellow Muslims in Nakhichevan who read Nursi’s works “face
such problems at minimum once a year”. Forum 18 has been unable to find out
why they were targeted this time.

During the November 2014 mass arrests, about 60 Muslims who read Nursi’s
works were held only for a day or so before being freed (see F18News 4
December 2014 ).

Severe restrictions on freedom of religion or belief

Nakhichevan – an autonomous territory of Azerbaijan on the Arax river
wedged between Armenia, Turkey and Iran – has a population of more than
400,000 and its own government and parliament. The autonomous territory’s
restrictions on people’s ability to exercise human rights, including
freedom of religion or belief and other political and social freedoms are
far tighter than in the rest of Azerbaijan. These include a de facto ban on
people exercising freedom of religion or belief who are Shia Muslims
outside state control, almost all Sunni Muslims meeting as communities, and
non-Muslims such as Baha’is, Seventh-day Adventists, Hare Krishna devotees,
or Russian Orthodox (see F18News 4 December 2014
).

Arrested or seized?

Police seized two of the three Muslims in Nakhichevan city, the capital of
the exclave, on 24 January, their friends – who asked not to be identified
for fear of state reprisals – told Forum 18. Police showed no warrant for
the men’s arrest and no court approved their detention.

At about the same time, police came to the Baku home of the third man, who
is originally from Nakhichevan but now lives and works in the Azerbaijani
capital. After seizing him they forcibly put him on a plane to Nakhichevan.
On arrival he was transferred to prison. “Officers gave no reason for his
detention and showed no documentation,” friends told Forum 18. “His family
didn’t know where he had been taken. Only when they asked the police did
they learn that he had been taken to Nakhichevan.”

The three men were taken to the Justice Ministry’s Pre-trial Detention
Centre in the village of Boyukduz in Kangarli District, 20 kms (12 miles)
north-west of Nakhichevan city.

Beaten, forced to confess

Once in detention, the three men were kicked and beaten “in various places”
and threats were made against their families, the men’s friends complained
to Forum 18. Police pressured them to sign statements confessing to
“crimes”. The men apparently did so as a result of what their friends
describe as “torture” and their “confessions” were filmed. Although their
friends believe the “confessions” were filmed for subsequent showing on
Nakhichevan television, they do not appear to have been broadcast yet.

Police officers were seeking “confessions” from the men that they were
responsible for an incident in 2013, when leaflets criticising
Nakhichevan’s rulers were thrown from a car window in central Nakhichevan
city. “But they had nothing to do with it,” the three men’s friends
insisted to Forum 18.

Police have long been under political pressure to find those responsible,
and others have earlier been pressured to admit to the “crime”, Akramoglu
of Radio Free Europe – a Nakhichevan native who was deported from the
exclave in 2011 – told Forum 18.

Released, but can’t leave Nakhichevan

The three men were released from prison on 11 February but, as their
passports have been seized, they are unable to leave the exclave. Their
friends do not know if they will face administrative or criminal
prosecution. The three men do not have a lawyer. “No lawyers in Nakhichevan
would dare to defend them,” one of their friends told Forum 18.

One who got away

Another Nakhichevan-based Muslim associated with the other three, Chingiz
Talibov, fled to neighbouring Turkey in late January to avoid what he
feared would be his detention, his friends told Forum 18.

Once in Turkey, he was contacted by the Azerbaijani Consulate in the town
of Igdir, 85 kms (50 miles) from the land border with Nakhichevan. His
friends say Consulate officials “tricked him” into coming to visit. Three
plain-clothed Azerbaijani police from Nakhichevan then tried to “kidnap”
him in an apparent attempt to return him forcibly to Azerbaijan. However,
Turkish police witnessed the kidnap attempt on the street and intervened to
protect him. The Turkish authorities then deported the three plain clothes
police officers back to Azerbaijan.

Nakhichevan police have in the past tried to kidnap in Turkey people from
Nakhichevan they wanted back, Akramoglu of Radio Free Europe told Forum 18.

After the failed kidnapping, the Nakhichevan authorities stepped up
pressure on Talibov’s family in an apparent attempt to force his return
home, his friends told Forum 18.

Ramin Yusubov, Vice-Consul at Azerbaijan’s Consulate in Kars (which
oversees the consular office in Igdir) claimed to Forum 18 on 16 February
that “we know nothing about this”. He insisted that Talibov “didn’t come to
the Consulate either in Kars or in Igdir”. And he added: “There was no
deportation by the Turkish authorities of any Azerbaijani police officers.
If there had, we would have known about it.”

Detention with no trial, investigation

During the mid-November 2014 crackdown, the authorities arrested about 200
Muslims. While most were released within one or two days (including about
60 Muslims who read Nursi’s works), up to 50 of the Muslims were apparently
still in detention in early December 2014. Up to 50 mosques – especially
those Nakhichevan’s authorities think are oriented towards Iran – appear to
have been forcibly closed after the arrests (see F18News 4 December 2014
).

However, all but six or seven of those detained are now believed to have
been released, Akramoglu of Radio Free Europe told Forum 18.

Two or three are reportedly being investigated on charges of treason and
contact with the Islamic State movement, which has gained ground in Syria,
Iraq and elsewhere, Akramoglu added. He said it is difficult to assess the
validity of such accusations.

One other of those remaining in detention is serving two months’ detention,
although the sentence does not appear to have been handed down by a court
and no specific allegations against him are known, Akramoglu told Forum 18.

New Mosque leadership “closer to the authorities”

Almost all the approximately 50 mosques forcibly closed in November 2014
have now reopened. “Most are under new leadership closer to the
authorities,” Akramoglu told Forum 18. “The authorities feared many of them
were too close to the Iranians.” Again, he said it was difficult to assess
the validity of the state’s accusations. The new imams were imposed on the
mosques by the new Multiculturalism and Religious Affairs Committee,
Akramoglu added.

The Multiculturalism Committee, established under an August 2014 Decree,
aims to promote religion “in the right direction”, control public rituals,
especially funerals, and counter “religious sects”, presumably within the
Muslim community (see F18News 4 December 2014
). Forum 18 was unable
to reach Committee Head Mirhashim Seyidov on 16 February 2015.

Forum 18 was unable to ask Babayev of Nakhichevan’s Department for Work
with Religious Organisations why the state-backed Multiculturalism
Committee interfered in the leadership of mosques. He had already put the
phone down before Forum 18 had the opportunity to ask.

“Everyone is of the Muslim religion”

Before he had ended the call, Babayev dismissed concerns Forum 18 has heard
from Nakhichevan over restrictions on freedom of religion or belief. “All
of the people in Nakhichevan are free to go to mosques or churches,” he
claimed. When Forum 18 pointed out that no non-Muslim places of worship –
whether Christian churches, Baha’i temples or places of worship of any
other faith – operate in Nakhichevan, he claimed: “There are no churches
because everyone in Nakhichevan is of the Muslim religion.”

The exclave’s authorities have long had a de facto ban on religious
activity by non-Muslim communities. Small groups of Baha’is, Seventh-day
Adventists and Hare Krishna devotees were banned from meeting in the 2000s.
Faik Farajov, then of the Department for Work with Religious Organisations,
told Forum 18 in January 2010 that no non-Muslim communities exist. “The
Adventists and Baha’is have all left,” he claimed (see F18News 21 January
2010 ).

Babayev said Shia Muslims make up 95 per cent of the population and Sunni
Muslims the rest. Asked why Sunni Muslims have difficulty maintaining
mosques, he said: “They must go to Shia mosques. Who wants a Sunni mosque?”
Told that Forum 18 has spoken to individuals who want to worship in a Sunni
mosque, he admitted that only one of the exclave’s 217 mosques is
Sunni-dominated, the Kazim Qarabakir Pasha Mosque in Nakhichevan city.

Also known as the Juma mosque, this was built in the 1990s by the Turkish
government’s Diyanet (Presidency of Religious Affairs), which also named
its imam. However, the Nakhichevan authorities did not allow any Turkish
imam to lead the mosque after February 2011. The Mosque was under Shia
leadership for a while (see F18News 13 May 2011
).

When Forum 18 asked why the Nakhichevan authorities appear to believe that
they have the sole right to determine what places of worship of what faith
are allowed to function, Babayev put the phone down. Subsequent calls went
unanswered. (END)

For more background information see Forum 18’s Azerbaijan religious freedom
survey at .

More coverage of freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Azerbaijan is
at .

See also Norwegian Helsinki Committee/Forum 18 report on freedom of
religion or belief in Azerbaijan at:

A compilation of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) freedom of religion or belief commitments can be found at
.

For a personal commentary, by an Azeri Protestant, on how the international
community can help establish religious freedom in Azerbaijan, see
.

A printer-friendly map of Azerbaijan is available at
.

All Forum 18 News Service material may be referred to, quoted from, or
republished in full, if Forum 18 is credited as the
source.

© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Museum of America, Inc.
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Tel: 617-926-2562

Email: [email protected]

The Armenian Museum of America

presents

Lecture and Book Signing by Matthew Karanian:

‘Historic Armenia after 100 Years: Ani, Kars,
and the Six Provinces of Western Armenia’

Sunday, March 1, 2015

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Adele & Haig Der Manuelian Galleries, 3rd floor

Matthew Karanian in Historic Armenia

Award-winning author, Matthew Karanian presents his newest book:

‘Historic Armenia after 100 Years: Ani, Kars, and the Six Provinces of
Western Armenia.’

This new book is the first-ever guide to cultural sites of the vast
and ancient Armenian homeland that is located in today’s Turkey. The
book features all six Armenian provinces of Western Armenia, as well
as the Eastern Armenian region of Ani and Kars. ‘Historic Armenia’ is
lavishly illustrated with 125 color photographs and maps. In many
cases, historic images from 100 years ago are included, illustrating
the once-magnificent condition of the Armenian churches, monasteries,
and towns
that are now either in ruins or were razed after 1915.

Light refreshments will be served

Free Admission

Donations kindly accepted

ANCA Leads Pro-Karabagh Campaign on Capitol Hill

By Contributor on February 16, 2015 in Headline,

Baku-Armenians Share Eyewitness Accounts of Azerbaijani Aggression;
Support Artsakh’s Security and Press for Increased US Aid

WASHINGTON’A diverse delegation of Armenian American activists, many
with roots in Baku, took part in a capacity-crowd Capitol Hill
briefing and two-day series of congressional meetings, sharing with
members of Congress, for the first time, their harrowing family
accounts of Azerbajiani aggression against the Armenian populations of
Baku, Sumgait, and Kirovabad. The delegation also advocated for robust
U.S. political support and direct assistance to ensure a brighter
future for the free citizens of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Congressional Armenian Caucus CoChair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) with
Vitaliy Dadalyan, Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, Dr. Alina Dorian,
Julia Papiyan, and Marat Khoudabakhshiev at the ANCA Capitol Hill
briefing marking the 25th anniversary of the Baku pogroms and urging
robust U.S. aid to the Nagorno Karabagh Republic.

The ANCA sponsored Capitol Hill program titled, `Nagorno-Karabagh, a
Generation after Anti-Armenian Pogroms: The Challenge of Promoting
Peace and Developing Democracy,’ featured powerful remarks by Anna
Astvatsaturian Turcotte, a lawyer, lecturer, and author of Nowhere, a
Story of Exile, and Dr. Alina Dorian, an internationally respected
public health expert and advocate who has worked for decades to
strengthen and expand public health programs in Karabagh.
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone Jr. opened the
program by offering warm words of welcome, and ardent support for an
independent Artsakh. Both the Armenian Embassy and the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic Office in Washington were well represented at the
briefing by Deputy Chief of Mission Hrachia Tashchian and
Nagorno-Karabagh Representative Robert Avetisyan.

Joining Dorian and Turcotte as devoted spokespeople for
Nagorno-Karabagh’s independence were Vitaliy Dadalyan, Marat
Khoudabakhshiev, and Julia Papiyan, who traveled from Utah, California
and Michigan, respectively, to share their family stories of
persecution in Baku during the late 1980’s. In some 40 meetings with
key Senate and House leaders, members of Congress were moved by their
accounts of courage and survival, and inspired by the Nagorno Karabagh
Republic’s commitment to democracy and economic development. ANCA
Western Region (ANCA-WR) Advisory Board Member Garo Madenlian, Esq.,
ANCA-WR Legislative Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan, and the ANCA
Eastern Region’s (ANCA-ER) Armen Sahakyan joined the ANCA Washington,
D.C., team in facilitating congressional outreach efforts and sharing
the broad range of Armenian American community priorities.

`The ANCA was proud to help the Baku Armenian community raise its
voice here in Washington’with purpose, power, and passion,’ stated
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. `These remarkable young men
and women delivered compelling messages of both remembrance and
resolve across Capitol Hill, educating dozens of members of Congress
about the atrocities committed against their families a generation
ago, and’just as importantly’demanding that American leaders stand up
for Artsakh’s, freedom; stand strong against Azerbaijani aggression;
and stand firmly with all those seeking a fair and enduring regional
peace.’

Images from the ANCA’s Capitol Hill briefing and meetings is available
on its Facebook page.

Turcotte: `They knew our addresses’

In her remarks on the Capitol Hill briefing, Turcotte described a
`happy and sunny childhood’ until 1988, when the `facades of tolerance
began to fade.’

`Life as we knew it for myself, my family, and hundreds of our friends
ceased to exist as the violent gangs organized by the Azerbaijani
government stormed our streets and attacked us for simply being
Armenian,’ explained Turcotte, who was just 11-years-old at the time.
`They knew our addresses.’

Turcotte went on to explain that families like hers `spent months
hiding in the dark, with curtains closed tightly or, equally terrified
and surrounded by Russian tanks who were there to assert the Soviet
dominance, not to protect us.’

The effects of that ordeal, their escape and the struggle for survival
affect her to this day, explained Turcotte. `This fear is still
engrained in me at 36 years old, and I detest it. I fight against it
by speaking about it out loud, just as I am doing right now.’

Turcotte praised the Nagorno Karabagh Republic for its commitment to
democracy and development, despite ongoing Azerbaijani attacks.
`Nagorno-Karabagh is flourishing with its limited resources, with all
its security concerns, road by road, building by building, family by
family,’ She said.

She continued, sharing this poignant message of hope addressed to the
Artsakh people:

`Baku Armenian communities around the world and especially in the
United States stand with you, Nagorno-Karabagh. May your children
never have to be subjected to the Azerbaijani government again. May
you never hide in the dark like we did fearing for our lives in Baku.
May you proudly display your Armenian names and culture within the
borders of your democratic country, just like I proudly do in my
adoptive country, the United States of America.’

Watch Turcotte’s remarks here.

Dorian: `Direct U.S. aid to Nagorno-Karabagh has represented a
powerful investment in peace’

A public health expert and disaster assistance specialist, Dorian
offered a strong indictment of the scarcity of international
humanitarian aid efforts to Nagorno-Karabagh to date, and laid out a
compelling case for expanded U.S. assistance to the fledgling
democracy, based on both the critical needs and the merits.

Explaining that most international response to humanitarian crises is
spearheaded by the United Nations and its relevant agencies,
International Red Cross, non-government organizations and governments,
Dorian noted that `that didn’t happen in Nagorno-Karabagh,’ with the
United Nations absent from the region to this day.

Turning to U.S. assistance, Dorian explained, `As much as I am proud
of what our government, what we have done in Nagorno-Karabagh to date,
it cannot be forgotten that we didn’t provide any assistance until
four years post-ceasefire. Can you imagine waiting four years before
responding to Haiti? Or, waiting four years before responding to
Kosovo?’ asked Dorian.

Offering a brief public health snapshot of Nagorno-Karabagh to
attendees, and thanking USAID for the rounds of assistance efforts in
1998 and 2003, in which she participated, Dorian stressed that the
need is still great. `The war and its aftermath have disrupted the
lives of individuals, their families and communities’depriving them of
the means of growth and development.’

Dorian then outlined the merits of expanded U.S. assistance to
Artsakh, citing its commitment to democracy and self-reliance. `Since
1991, Nagorno Karabagh has successfully conducted five parliamentary
and five presidential elections¦ this post-war generation is growing
up in a government of their choosing.’ She stressed Nagorno-Karabagh’s
commitment to peace, citing its willingness, unlike Azerbaijan, `to
support the OSCE’s calls to pull back snipers and increase OSCE
observers.’ Dorian highlighted the effectiveness of U.S. assistance in
the region. `We have shown outcomes; we have shown impact; we have
shown that our government’s investment, although small, has been a
wise one, by reaching for stated goals and objectives.’

Dorian then shared recommendations for expanded U.S. assistance to
Artsakh, including a thorough public health assessment in the region.
She cited the importance of maintaining Section 907 restrictions on
U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan, sending a strong signal to the
dictatorial Aliyev regime, which has steadily increased its aggression
against Nagorno-Karabagh. She urged Nagorno-Karabagh’s direct
participation in the OSCE peace process.

`The fact is that the population in Nagorno-Karabagh is struggling
daily for survival and it is not being afforded the necessary
assistance and support of the international community. Within this
triangle of conflict, the most vulnerable party’Nagorno-Karabagh’is
still marginalized and disenfranchised. Twenty years later, it is time
for us to change the tide,’ concluded Dorian.

The video of Dorian’s remarks is available online.

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), with Baku survivor Marat
Khoudabakhshiev, ANCA Western Region Advisory Board member Garo
Madenlian, Esq., and ANCA Western Region Legislative Affairs Director
Tereza Yerimyan

Baku Armenians share their stories of survival; vision for peace

Twenty-five years after the Azerbaijani government incited racially
motivated attacks that left hundreds dead, scores injured, and forced
over 300,000 to flee their family homes in Baku, Sumgait, Kirovabad,
Maragha, and other cities throughout Azerbaijan, a small but
determined group of Baku-Armenian survivors travelled to the nation’s
capitol to share their stories of courage with legislators, offering
thanks for the safe-haven provided by communities across the U.S. In
meeting after meeting’some 40 Senate and House meetings with
congressional leaders and staff’the eyewitness accounts of Azerbaijani
aggression in the late 1980’s and the continued attacks on Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabagh today underscored the need for increased U.S.
assistance and support for an independent Artsakh.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) with Vitaliy Dadalyan, a Baku Armenian whose
family sought refuge in Utah following Azerbaijani aggression in the
late 1980’s

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.)
explained, `Even though we talk about the Armenian Genocide
centennial, we have to remember that this was not just something 100
years ago. It was pogroms 150 years ago and it was pogroms 25 years
ago and we have to remember that.’ Citing his support for U.S.
recognition of an independent Artsakh, Congressman Pallone urged for
`whatever we [U.S.] could do’economic development that would lead to
recognition¦ [and] a settlement’so that Karabagh could remain an
independent country, or part of Armenia.’

Inspired by the impact of Turcotte’s moving diary of survival,Nowhere,
A Story of Exile, the ANCA issued a call earlier this year to Baku
Armenians across the U.S. to share their stories with elected
officials and the American public, beginning with a poignant account
relayed by 2014 ANCA Leo Sarkisian internInna Mirzoyan.

Since then, others have come forward, including Julia Papiyan, who
shared her family’s story, both in the pages of Asbarez and this week
on Capitol Hill. Family stories can be shared with the ANCA by
emailing them to [email protected].

Noted Armenian journalist Marianna Grigoryan and H1 Television’s
Washington correspondent Haykaram Nahapetyan travelled throughout the
U.S. videotaping and collecting Baku pogrom survivor accounts for a
powerful documentary which premiered on the 25th anniversary of the
Baku pogroms in January of this year, the fifth installment in the
`Ordinary Genocide’ Project.

That documentary will be shared with Congressional offices and is
available online.

Orange County area Congresswoman Mimi Walters (R-Calif.) discusses
U.S. ` Karabagh relations with (L-R) ANCA Legislative Affairs Director
Raffi Karakashian, Esq., constituent and ANCA Western Region Advisory
Board member Garo Madenlian, Esq., ANCA-WR Legislative Affairs
Director Tereza Yerimyan, and Francesco Urti.

Expanding the Armenian American issues profile on Capitol Hill

This month’s Capitol Hill briefing on Nagorno-Karabagh is part of a
broader ANCA sponsored initiative to spotlight key Armenian American
community concerns through interactive programs and expanded community
advocacy opportunities.

Last month, the efforts of Near East Relief, the unprecedented
American campaign of international humanitarian assistance which saved
and sustained hundreds of thousands of Armenian Genocide survivors
from 1915-1930, was spotlighted at the first Capitol Hill briefing of
the year. Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone
(D-N.J.), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Rep. Jim Costa were joined
by public policy leaders and a bipartisan group of Senate and House
congressional staff for the unique presentation by Maurice Kelechian,
a member of the ANCA Western Region’s `America We Thank You: An
Armenian Tribute to Near East Relief,” who has spent decades
researching archives around the world to document this unprecedented
American humanitarian aid effort.

Both programs were made possible by a generous grant by the Aramian
family, in memory of the late Martha Aramian’a respected community
leader and devoted daughter of the Armenian nation.

CHP deputy: AK Party spent millions to seem friendly with Israel
Feb. 16, 2015

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul deputy Aykut
Erdogdu has claimed that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK
Party) spent $65.4 million up until 2013 on efforts to portray itself
as a pro-Israeli administration while pretending to its voter base
that it is one of Israel’s staunchest critics.

Erdogdu, who is the head of the CHP’s corruption investigation unit,
shared a number of documents with the press on Monday, claiming that
they reveal the importance that the AK Party’s places on its relations
with Israel.

To prove his claims, Erdogdu said the documents show that the AK Party
paid $65.4 million to lobby groups in the US to promote its relations
with the Israeli government. However, Erdogdu did not explain how
paying lobby groups in the US helped Turkey to maintain good relations
with Israel. In common with a large number of countries, Turkey works
with a variety of groups in Washington to lobby for its interests in
the US capital. The groups that Turkey has worked with over the past
years have mostly worked against the strong Armenian lobby groups in
the US which have been working on the passage of a resolution which
would recognize the 1915 mass killings of Armenians as a genocide
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire. Turkey says the 1915 events cannot
be considered genocide because Turks also died due to the chaotic
conditions in Turkey during the break-up of the Ottoman Empire in
World War I.

AK Party government officials have increasingly employed anti-Israeli
and anti-Semitic rhetoric to gain votes from the party’s conservative
base before the parliamentary elections scheduled to take place on
June 7 this year.

“We [the CHP] have determined that the AK Party paid $65.4 million to
lobby firms in the US to tell the world that they’re friends of
Israel. We have documents to prove it,” Erdogdu said in a press
conference in Istanbul.

The deputy claimed that the AK Party paid 19 lobby firms in the US,
including DiNovo Strategies, FleishmanHillard, Neusner Communications,
Livingston Group, Gephardt Group and DPA Piper in order to appear as a
friend of Israel. He said that the AK Party government is exploiting
the sensitivities of Turkish people to the Palestine-Israel conflict
in order to solidify its support among its conservative voter base.

“On the one hand they portray themselves to the Turkish people as
being in a constant fight with the Israel while on the other hand they
worked hard to make the Jewish lobby in the US believe that the AK
Party is a pro-Israeli administration and paid millions of dollars to
that end. This is completely hypocritical,” said Erdogdu.

The unofficial Jewish caucus in Congress has traditionally supported
Turkey’s position on the Armenian issue in the past, but this support
seems to be on the wane in recent years in parallel with AK Party
government officials’ increasingly anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Iran and Armenia Expand Strategic Co-operation
By Erik Davityan
Feb. 16, 2015

[Erik Davtyan works as a reviewer at the International Association for
Political Science Students. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in
international relations from Yerevan State University. His areas of
interest include the foreign policies of Armenia, Georgia and
Azerbaijan.]

On January 27th 2015, the minister of foreign affairs of Iran,
Mohammad Javad Zarif, paid a two-day visit to Armenia. Welcoming the
foreign minister, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan attached great
importance to high-level reciprocal visits which, according to him,
provide a good opportunity to discuss the agenda of Armenian-Iranian
relations and the prospects for co-operation. Sargsyan noted that he
warmly recalled his visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2013 and
the agreements made during his meeting with President Hassan Rouhani
and added that Armenia was ready and keen on fulfilling them. He
emphasised further enhancing of relations with the friendly state of
Iran. Zarif underscored that Armenian-Iranian relations could set a
good example for the world on how Muslim and Christian countries can
reach peaceful symbiosis living side by side. Zarif noted that Iran is
also keen on enhancing relations with Armenia as a friendly and
reliable partner in all sectors. During his visit, Zarif had meetings
with the prime minister, Hovik Abrahamyan, minister of foreign
affairs, Edward Nalbandian and the president of the National Assembly
of Armenia, Galust Sahakyan.

After Armenia declared independence in 1991, the country established
relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. In response to the dual
blockade imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan, Iran became a strategic
route for Armenia in its international communications with the world.
Taking into consideration the economic and energy potential of Iran,
Armenia has focused on enhancing co-operation with its southern
neighbour in order to counterbalance the Turkish-Azerbaijani blockade
and to reduce the extremely high level of dependence upon Georgian
transit routes. The fact, that the parties have established an
Armenian-Iranian inter-governmental committee many years ago stresses
the importance of that both countries put on bilateral relations.

In August 2013 when Iran was under pressure and sanctions by the
international community, Sargsyan participated in the inauguration
ceremony of Hassan Rouhani, the seventh president of Iran. Since 1991
more than 50 mutual visits have been paid by the two states (at the
level of heads of states and governments, as well as ministers of
foreign affairs), so these facts symbolise the willingness to continue
the comprehensive co-operation.

During the most recent meeting, Zarif emphasised the importance of
enhancing the economic and energy cooperation between the two states.
In the framework of the 12th session of the inter-governmental
committee in December 2014, the parties signed a protocol on the
construction of a hydro-power station in Meghri, near the border. Iran
is the second largest gas supplier for Armenia, thereby providing an
alternative to Russian gas and securing energy security for Armenia.
On the other hand Armenia is a potential route for Iranian exports to
Russia and the EU, therefore economic co-operation may, to some
extent, be called strategic.

Another important aspect of Zarif’s visit concerns Armenia’s accession
to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the perspectives of
Iranian-Armenian relations. On October 10th 2014, Armenia signed the
membership agreement and became the fourth member of the EEU, along
with Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia. As the membership to this new
geopolitical reality assumed both political and economic changes, it
was of top importance for Armenia to harmonise the integration process
with Armenian-Georgian and Armenian-Iranian relations. Despite the
fact that Armenia and Georgia have chosen different integration paths,
in 2014 the prime ministers of both countries, Abrahamyan and
Garibashvili assured this fact will not undermine relations. In fact,
this was very important for Armenian-Iranian relations as Armenia and
Georgia play a transit role for Iranian foreign economic policy.
During his visit to Yerevan, Zarif hoped that Armenia’s accession to
the EEU will bolster bilateral ties.

Interestingly, Zarif’s visit followed a visit by Russian defence
minister, Sergei Shoigu, to Iran between January 19th and 20th. There
they signed an agreement on military co-operation between Iran and
Russia, leading to some concern among western countries, especially
the United States. It is quite obvious that Iran and Russia are trying
to develop a greater strategic partnership in the Middle East. As to
the economic aspect of bilateral relations, Russia and Iran aim at
promoting their national interests via infrastructures to unite the
two states. In this context Armenia may serve as a transit territory,
especially after the EEU agreement came into force on January 1st
2015.

However, the key issue in Armenian-Iranian relations is a railway
project that touches the national security issues of Armenia. The 305
kilometre-long railway from Armenia to Iran, to be named the Southern
Armenian Railway (SAR), is estimated to cost some 3.2 billion US
dollars. The high cost of the project is explained by the mountainous
terrain through which it is supposed to pass. During his visit, the
Iranian foreign minister confirmed that after solving some technical
issues, the parties will launch the construction of the `strategic
railway’. According to the Armenian government, the SAR will create
the shortest transportation route from the ports of the Black Sea to
the ports of the Persian Gulf and establish a major commodities
transit corridor between Europe and the Persian Gulf.

If Iran and Armenia manage to implement the project, it will have both
political and economic consequences not only for Armenia, but also for
the entire South Caucasus. First of all, Armenia will successfully
overcome the blockade imposed on it by Turkey and Azerbaijan and have
access to a much less expensive Iranian market. Secondly, due to the
Iranian railway network, Armenia can improve its foreign trade
turnover with Central Asia and the Gulf states. Thirdly, Armenia will
serve as a railway bridge between Georgia and Iran, thereby gaining
some political and economic dividends. Fourthly, in case of the
restoration of the Abkhazian railway (which does not work because of
the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict), Armenia will obtain not only
regional, but also international transit status, unifying the Black
sea basin with Iran and the Persian Gulf. Lastly, much easier access
to the gulf seaports will be available, helping diversify the way
Armenian goods are exported.
The Nagorno-Karabakh peace regulation process was the other issue
discussed in the framework of Zarif’s visit. The Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, which declared independence in 1991, borders Iran in the
south along the Araxes River, therefore the Iranian official position
towards the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is of great importance for
Armenia. In 1992, the President of Iran, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani,
hosted a meeting of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Levon
Ter-Petrosyan and Yagub Mammadov. In Yerevan, the Iranian foreign
minister reassured Iran’s balanced position towards the conflict and
stressed the importance of peaceful regulation, based on the
principles of the international law. The current high level of
relations is, to some extent, stipulated by the existence of a
well-organised and strong Armenian diaspora in Iran, actively engaged
in the policymaking process of Iran.

The Azerbaijani factor has some political impact on Armenian-Iranian
relations. Azerbaijan is the third state with a Shia Muslim majority,
after with Iran and Iraq. Being a secular state, Azerbaijan tries to
reduce the religious influence among the Azerbaijani population. The
tense situation between the two states is much more conditioned by the
Azerbaijani speaking minority, living in the northern parts of Iran
which Azerbaijani officials claim to be historic Azerbaijani
territory. Undoubtedly, the Iranian-Azerbaijani dispute is beneficial
to Armenia and reinforces the role of Armenia in Iran’s foreign policy
strategy.

From: A. Papazian