October 2019 – Page 19 – Armenian Directory & News

Music: Armenian pianists win top prizes at Riga International Piano Competition

October 23, 2019March 12, 2026 Emil Lazarian

Panorama, Armenia

Oct 22 2019

Culture 10:46 22/10/2019 Armenia

Armenian pianists Arthur Grigoryan and Armen Puchinyan won gold medals at 8th Riga International Competition for Young Pianists held on 12-15 October.

Both musicians are members of the Armenian and Artsakh state target program (Artistic Director – Honored Artist of Armenia Armen Babakhanyan), ANM Media reported.

Artur Grigoryan was awarded the 1st prize in the Best Solo Artist category, while Armen Puchinyan & Artur Grigoryan won the Piano Duo category.

Armenian Assembly of America Meets with Armenia High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan

October 23, 2019March 12, 2026 Antonian Lara

Armenian Assembly of America Meets with Armenia High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan

LOS ANGELES, CA – On October 16, Armenian Assembly of America staff, Southern California Regional Council, and Los Angeles County Regional Committee members were pleased to meet and discuss priority matters and challenges in Armenia-Diaspora relations with Zareh Sinanyan, the Republic of Armenia’s High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs. The meeting was graciously hosted by Mayer Brown LLP and the firm’s attorney Arteen Mnayan, Esq. in its downtown Los Angeles office.

High Commissioner Sinanyan emphasized that a concerted effort for the repatriation of diaspora-based Armenians to Armenia is currently in its planning stage. The Armenian Assembly of America wholeheartedly supports Commissioner Sinanyan’s vision for repatriation to the motherland.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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Armenian Assembly Continues to Rally Support for Armenian Genocide Resolution

October 23, 2019March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

ASSEMBLY CONTINUES TO RALLY SUPPORT FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly) continues to rally support for the Armenian Genocide Resolution,
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Armenian Caucus
Co-Chair Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) stated that they expected consideration of
H.Res. 296, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, to take place next week.

In an interview with NPR, House Foreign
Affairs Committee Chairman Engel noted that in addition to sanctioning Turkey
for its actions in Northern Syria, a bill on the Armenian Genocide was also
under consideration.

“So we’re going to have a Turkey
sanctions bill and we’re going to have an Armenian Genocide bill. Both of which
I’m sure the Government of Turkey is not happy with, but then again we’re not
happy with the Government of Turkey,” Chairman Engel said.

In a Helsinki Commission hearing this
afternoon, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Pallone also indicated that the Armenian
Genocide resolution was “very likely” to be considered next week.

“I know that might not seem to be the
topic today, but I think it’s also something that needs to be done in order to
talk about the terrible history that Armenians faced over a hundred years ago,”
Pallone stated.

This past week, Representative Anna G.
Eshoo (D-CA) sent a “Dear Colleague” letter urging support of the resolution,
as did Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) calling for its
immediate passage.

H.Res. 296 was introduced this April by
Reps. Schiff and Bilirakis along with Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Peter
King (R-NY), and Jackie Speier (D-CA), and has 112 co-sponsors to date. During
the Assembly’s 2019 National Advocacy Conference last month, Armenian Americans
from across the U.S. met with Members of Congress and urged its adoption.

Congress has also been calling out
President Erdogan for his violence against the Kurds and Christian minorities
in northern Syria this month, and Members have drawn parallels between the
current Turkish government’s actions and the Ottoman Empire’s atrocities
against Armenians and other minority populations in 1915.

Albio Sires (D-NJ) stated: “These
actions are particularly concerning given Turkey’s historical precedent of
eliminating minority groups that it perceives as a threat, as it did during the
Armenian Genocide.”

Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) said: “100 years
ago, 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered in what is now Turkey. For decades,
the US has refused to officially acknowledge that first modern genocide out of
fear of alienating Turkey. Clearly, it’s past time we stop worrying about
Turkey’s feelings & pass H.Res. 296.”

“Not only should we have sanctions
against Turkey. It’s also time that we formally recognize the Armenian
genocide,” Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) said on CNN.

“This latest assault on vulnerable
ethnic groups demonstrates the need for Congress to unequivocally affirm the
Armenian Genocide and adopt the resolutions pending in the House and Senate,”
Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny said. “In order to prevent future
genocides, we must not allow Turkey to continue to export its denial of the
genocide and try to erase America’s role in helping save the survivors,” he
added.

Established in 1972, the Armenian
Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization
promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly
is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

###

NR# 2019-063

Available online: https://armenian-assembly.org/2019/10/22/armenian-assembly-continues-to-rally-support-for-armenian-genocide-resolution/

NATO PA delegates criticize Turkey’s operations in Syria

October 22, 2019March 12, 2026 Antranik Varosian

NATO PA delegates criticize Turkey’s operations in Syria

12:59,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS. The NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s autumn session focused mainly on the Turkish military operations in Syria, the Armenian parliamentary delegation members told during a press conference, adding that many European countries criticized Turkey’s offensive in Syria.

“As the session days were coincided with the Turkish military operations in Syria, this issue became a subject of discussion. The issues discussed at the Defense Committee also related to Syria, the future of the armed forces of the NATO member states”, My Step faction MP Andranik Kocharyan said.

Another member of the Armenian delegation, Bright Armenia faction MP Gevorg Gorgisyan said he participated in the debates on civilian security and science, technologies. “Both debates focused on Turkey’s invasion in Syria. Turkey explained its operation stating that there are terrorists. But the representatives of the European countries were not satisfied with this”, the MP said.

NATO Parliament Assembly session was held in London on October 11-14.

‘In order to be real leader it’s important for the person to know himself’ – Armenian PM

October 22, 2019March 12, 2026 Jirair Kafian

‘In order to be real leader it’s important for the person to know himself’ – Armenian PM

13:43,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS. During the annual conference of the international network “Education For All” Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan answered to the question of 11th grader from Stepanavan Edik Nazaryan whether “a person is born as a leader or becomes a leader”.

“Every person is a leader because it leads himself at any moment. Everyone decides by himself what he should do, such as to wake up in the morning, where to go, except from the cases when there are arrangements. Usually by saying a leader people understand the political leader, but there are also leaders in education, science and environment spheres. Political leadership is conditionality. For being a real leader the most important for the person is to know himself. I am convinced that every person is talented, it’s another matter to what extent we provide conditions for the citizen to reveal his talents”, the PM said.

According to him, the person’s greatest talent is to be able to know himself and guide his own personality.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian and Georgian Presidents to hold meeting in Japan

October 22, 2019March 12, 2026 George Mamian

Armenian and Georgian Presidents to hold meeting in Japan

14:07,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian and Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili will hold a meeting during their visit in Japan, the Georgian presidential administration said in a statement.

The leaders of the two countries will attend the enthronement ceremony of the Emperor of Japan.

According to the statement, Armenia and Georgia are actively cooperating in different areas, such as trade, transportation, tourism.

As earlier ARMENPRESS reported Armen Sarkissian departed for Tokyo together with spouse Nouneh Sarkissian on October 19 to attend the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito of Japan at the invitation of the Japanese government.

Emperor Akihito, 85, stepped down this year in April. Starting from May 1, his eldest son Crown Prince Naruhito, 59, became a new emperor.

The Armenian President will participate in a reception organized on behalf of Prime Minister of Japan Shinzō Abe. Armen Sarkissian will also visit the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Nuclear Regulation Authority of Japan, as well as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, one of the leading industrial and technological companies in the world.

The Armenian President is also scheduled to meet with leaders of a number of major companies to encourage them to visit Armenia, to get acquainted with the cooperation opportunities and prospects.

President Sarkissian will also deliver a lecture at the Tokyo University.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Prosecutor General of Armenia bestowed with class rank of Second Class State Counsellor of Justice

October 22, 2019March 12, 2026 Hagop Kamalian

Prosecutor General of Armenia bestowed with class rank of Second Class State Counsellor of Justice

14:21,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian signed a decree on bestowing Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan with the class rank of the Second Class State Counsellor of Justice, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The President signed the respective decree based on the Prime Minister’s petition.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Investors’ interest towards Armenia grows, economists say

October 22, 2019March 12, 2026 Jhanna Virabian

Investors’ interest towards Armenia grows, economists say

14:22,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Improvement of Armenia’s economic growth forecasts by several leading international organizations is a good signal, Economist Inga Ghalayan told a press conference in ARMENPRESS, stating that the improvement of indicators is connected with a number of factors.

“They firstly view the country’s domestic situation, see what policy is being carried out. They also consider the fight against the shadow, corruption, the tax reforms, in addition they also notice that the inflationary pressures are lacking and the most important is that stability is being recorded in Armenia’s financial market. As you know, the World Bank has raised our competitiveness index”, she said.

Introducing the data released by international organizations, the economist said the World Bank’s current forecast for Armenia’s economic growth is 5.5% compared to the 4.2% of the past. The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) forecast is 6% against the 4.6% of the past. These organizations also touched upon the poverty and unemployment rate in Armenia. According to the World Bank forecast, the poverty rate in Armenia will drop, becoming 7% by 2021, and the IMF’s forecast is that the unemployment rate will decline comprising 17.5%. In addition to these two major structures, Armenia also improved its positions in the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) forecast which predicts 4.8% growth. In this context the economist attached importance to the Central Bank’s forecast according to which the year will end by 6.9% economic growth.

My Step faction MP Artak Manukyan said Armenia is among those unique countries over which forecast has been made in terms of improving the economic indicators.

“If we look at the global trends and the developments we will see that all these structures have more negative forecasts. US-China possible trade wars, certain negative trends in various regions, nearly 3% development is predicted at the global level. But we see that Armenia has further improved its positions”, he said. According to the economist, the certain decline in demand in foreign markets will be easily passed by the countries where services are more important. He said the developing countries have a greater opportunity to record a bigger economic growth for these same investments rather than the developed countries because here there is a great potential which is not utilized. The economist highlighted the fact that in 2019 Armenia’s progressive growth rates are faster than the average prediction in the world.

“We have a non-utilized potential and our prime minister constantly says that double-digit economic growth is not a myth, but for this it’s very important for us to create preconditions, but this will be difficult without investments in infrastructures”, Artak Manukyan said.

In her turn Inga Ghalayan said these forecasts of international organizations are an important signal for investments. Moody’s recently also raised its assessment over Armenia. Based on this Armenia managed to release Eurobonds at a low interest rate – 4.2%. She said after the distribution of the Eurobonds it became clear how big the demand is, and this in turn speaks about the interest of investors towards Armenia.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenian President sends condolence letter to Russian counterpart

October 22, 2019March 12, 2026 Emil Lazarian

Armenian President sends condolence letter to Russian counterpart

14:46,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a letter of condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the dam collapse in an artisanal gold mine in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Region in Siberia, the President’s Office told Armenpress.

The Armenian President offered his condolences to the relatives of the victims and wished speedy recovery to all injured.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia’s delegation led by defense minister departs for China

October 22, 2019March 12, 2026 Kalashian Nyrie

Armenia’s delegation led by defense minister departs for China

14:55,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS. The delegation led by Defense Minister of Armenia Davit Tonoyan departed for China to take part in the 9th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on international security from October 21 to 23, the defense ministry told Armenpress.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan