Month: February 2020

Belarus diplomat says Azerbaijan’s membership to CSTO may promote Karabakh conflict settlement

Torgomian Varazdat
Aysor, Armenia
Feb 27 2020

Belarus’ ambassador to Armenia Igor Nazaruk is not against Azerbaijan’s membership to the CSTO if to take into consideration the experience of the Soviet Union.

“I want to mention the experience of the Soviet Union. We all were different, remember the Baltic republics and Middle Asian republics. I want to note that in this multinational family there were no territorial demands, international and religious conflicts, thus such trend would have been a right thing,” he said at the Role of the CSTO in Ensuring Security in Caucasian Region round table discussion.

He said the entrance of Azerbaijan to the CSTO will probably promote the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.

Director of CSTO Institute Nver Torosyan stressed that the opinion that Azerbaijan’s entrance to the CSTO may promote settlement of the conflict is non-professional opinion.

Pan-Armenian fundraising campaign for Etchmiadzin Mother Cathedral announced

Babken Chilingarian
Public Radio of Armenia
Feb 27 2020

The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin announces a global fundraising campaign in support of the restoration and preservation of the Mother Cathedral.

The urgent restoration and renovation works of the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin began in 2012 in order to preserve the sanctuary of all Armenians.

During the restoration, experts uncovered massive deterioration that needed to be addressed immediately to prevent the Cathedral from total collapse. As such, there was a delay in the restoration efforts to further study and find the best solution in restoring the Cathedral.

The last partial renovation of the Mother Cathedral was implemented in the 1950s -1960s.

This is the largest overhaul in recent centuries concerning the preservation and renovation of the Mother Cathedral, and requires significant financial support from the worldwide community.

On this occasion, on June 23, 2019, during the Feast of the Universal Holy Church of Etchmiadzin, the Pontifical Encyclical of the Catholicos of All Armenians was read in all Armenian churches throughout the world.

Today, the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is in great need of renovation, and of important work to reinforce its walls, in order to preserve it from the danger of ruin.

Necessary repair works have already been undertaken in the Mother See in order to preserve and structurally strengthen the Cathedral. The required renovations, however, are extensive, and require great resources and the assistance of all Armenians. Now, we appeal to you, beloved, with St. Gregory the Illuminator’s call, “let us build the Holy Altar of Light.”

United, let us renovate the Holy Altar of our national ecclesiastical life: the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. Holy Etchmiadzin has always fed and strengthened in spirit all its faithful. Today Etchmiadzin needs your support, so that it may continue its eternal mission in the life of our people.

“The restoration of the Mother Cathedral is our duty and honor,” said
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Fundraising Committee Chairman.


Book about Soviet spying legend Gevork Vartanian presented in Russia

Arsine Chaltikian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 27 2020
Culture 11:41 27/02/2020Region

A book about legendary Soviet spy of Armenian descent Gevork Vartanian has been presented in Russia.

The book entitled “Agent That Outsmarted Abwehr” is the first one in the series of books dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Russian foreign intelligence, TASS reported.

Rostov-on-Don resident Khachik Khutlubyan, the author of the book, said that he had received a proposal to write the book from spokesman for Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Ivanov.

“His grandfather moved to Russia from Iran. Gevork himself was born in Don-on-Rostov. He often visited this place in the last years of his life. I knew him in person. I was always amazed at his gallantry not so typical of us, his accessibility, ease of communication and wit,” the author said.

Gevork Vartanian was famous for foiling a Nazi plot to kill the three Allied leaders – Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill – in Tehran during World War II.

Vartanian became an intelligence agent at the age of 16 when he headed a special group assigned to identify Nazi spies in Iran.

His group provided security for the three leaders during the Tehran summit held in November-December 1943 and carried out a successful operation to disrupt an assassination plot against them.

For more than 45 years Vartanian and his wife conducted a large number of intelligence operations in various countries. The couple continued to work for Soviet intelligence till the early 1990s.

Gevork Vartanian died in Moscow in 2012 at the age of 87. 

Seven educators to be recognized for teaching Armenian Genocide in US schools

Hunanian Jack
Public Radio of Armenia
Feb 27 2020

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region’s Education Committee announced that it will be recognizing seven educators, from various public schools and universities in the Western U.S., who have uniquely provided instruction and education about the Armenian Genocide in public schools of the Western Region.

The following extraordinary educators will be recognized at the 4th Annual ANCA-WR Armenian Genocide Education Luncheon on March 7.

The following seven educators will be honored at the luncheon:

  • Dr. Richard G. Hovannisian, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Los Angeles, will receive the Armenian Genocide Education Legacy Award;
  • Dr. Maria Armoudian, University of Auckland, New Zealand, will receive the Armenian Genocide Higher Education Award;
  • Jennifer Davis, Anderson W. Clark Magnet High School, Glendale Unified School District, will receive the Armenian Genocide Education Award;
  • Dr. Michelle Herczog, Los Angeles County of Education, will receive the Armenian Genocide Education Award;
  • Susan Quintana, Pojoaque Valley High School, Jaconita, New Mexico, will receive the Armenian Genocide Education Award;
  • Saakanoush Markarian, R.D. White Elementary School, Glendale Unified School District, will receive the Zaruhy “Sara” Chitjian Armenian Heritage Award;
  • Nancy Nazarian, Curtiss Magnet Middle School, Los Angeles Unified School District, will receive the Zaruhy “Sara” Chitjian Armenian Heritage Award.

“The Armenian Genocide Education Award Luncheon continuously reminds us of the important value that history has in our everyday lives. It allows the opportunity to acknowledge educators who have gone beyond the minimum requirements to provide opportunities for students to recognize the impacts of hate, intolerance, and violence. We truly appreciate the nominations of these educators and look forward to this event,” remarked Alice Petrossian, ANCA-WR Education Committee Chair.

This year, the Luncheon will feature a special keynote by Ani Hovannisian-Kevorkian, daughter of Dr. Richard G. Hovannisian.

Hovannisian-Kevorkian has produced and directed hundreds of inspiring true stories for television and other international audiences. Her most recent project, “The Hidden Map” captures her journey with a solitary Scottish explorer, as they dig deep beneath the surface of modern-day Turkey, discovering the lonely relics, silenced voices and stories of an ominous past… unearthing buried secrets and the hidden map.

Hovannisian-Kevorkian along with members of the ANCA-WR Education Committee will lead the program of the day to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions of these esteemed educators for the next generation.

Criminal case against David Sanasaryan terminated

Emil Lazarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 26 2020

ArmInfo.The criminal case against the former head of the State Control Service of Armenia David Sanasaryan has been terminated. This was announced by Sanasaryan on  his Facebook page.

In particular, he thanked all those who believed in him. After which  he noted that he did not want to return to the “false and low libel  of all the well-known scoundrels,” but once again assured that he had  not hit a child.

To note, Sanasaryan was accused of hitting a child by car. The mother  of the victim stated that the former head of the Control Service ran  into her child, and without taking any steps left the scene of the  crime. A criminal case was initiated on article 242 of the Criminal  Code of the Republic of Armenia. Sanasaryan himself claimed that he  had been slandered. 

Georgia reports first coronavirus case in country

Toneyan Mark
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 27 2020

Georgia on Wednesday reported the first case of coronavirus in the country. 

Health minister Ekaterine Tikaradze said an infected Georgian citizen, who was traveling from Iran, crossed the border from neighboring Azerbaijan, Reuters reported. 

“He was immediately taken to hospital from the border check-point,” she said.

Tikaradze said the infected man, who traveled by mini-bus with other 12 passengers, crossed the Georgian border with Azerbaijan on Tuesday.

All of them had been checked by bodyguards and taken to hospital, the minister said.

“Coronavirus positive was only in one case,” Tikaradze said.

Other members of the group tested negative, but remain in a quarantine, she said

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has created a group to coordinate actions to try to prevent a disease outbreak in the country, the premier’s press service said.

The group has decided to suspend travel between Georgia and Iran for two weeks.

The novel coronavirus originated in China late last year and has infected about 80,000 people, killing more than 2,700, the vast majority in China.

Garibashvili: Armenian military will take part in multinational NATO exercises in Georgia

Hunanian Jack
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 26 2020

ArmInfo. Armenian  military  will take part in the multinational NATO exercises in  Georgia. Minister of Defense of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili announced  at a joint press conference in the negotiations with Minister of  Defense of Armenia David Tonoyan on February 27 in Yerevan.

“I should be pleased to note that Armenian troops will take part in  the NATO Noble Partner 2020 multinational exercises in Georgia. I  also hope that Armenia will continue to be actively involved in such  events in the future,” Garibashvili summed up.

It should be noted that in 2020 Georgia will host the Noble Partner  multinational exercises for the fifth time.

International exercises are planned to be held at various training  grounds in Vaziani in September. As part of Noble Partner 2020, for  the first time, team-based exercises at the level of multinational  brigades will be held in parallel with real-time exercises, which  include new approaches, such as cybersecurity, elements of  information operations and elements of countering electronic wars,  reports with reference to the Ministry defense of  Georgia. 

Researcher Samvel Karapetyan passed away

Hambik Zargarian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 27 2020

Armenian historian, researcher specializing in the study of the historical monuments of Armenia, Samvel Karapetyan passed away, Vahe Lorents, expert in tourism informed on social media.

Karapetyan is mostly known for surveying and cataloguing thousands of artifacts of Armenian history and architecture during the course of more than two decades. Serving as the head of the Yerevan branch of the NGO Research on Armenian Architecture, he headed numerous groups of Armenian specialists to old Armenian villages in Iran, Georgia and Turkey to document the historical Armenian monuments and assess their condition. He is the author of numerous scientific publications.

In 2004, Karapetyan was awarded with Mesrop Mashtots medal of the Artsakh Republic and in 2007 – with the Armenian Presidential Humanitarian Sciences Prize for his work in literature.

Turkish dictator Erdogan not welcome in Australia: joint justice initiative

Christine Harutyunian
Aravot, Armenia
Feb 27 2020

                                                       
February 27,2020 16:32 19

CANBERRA: The Joint Justice Initiative – consisting of the peak advocacy bodies of the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities – have called on the Australian Government to reject a proposed visit by Turkey’s dictator, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Armenian, Assyrian and Greek communities – who are made up of descendants of survivors of the Ottoman Turkish-committed Genocide and together make up 750,000 of Australia’s population – recently launched their Joint Justice Initiative with the goal of advocating:

“…against any attempt by the Turkish Government to use the sacred ANZAC graves in Gallipoli (and access by Australians to those graves and memorials) as ‘hostages’ or bargaining chips in coercing or persuading the Australian Government in being complicit in the Turkish State’s denial campaign with respect to the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides”.

They say the reported trip by President Erdogan in and around ANZAC Day is “disrespectful to the legacy of our Anzacs and unacceptable to our communities”.

“It was only last year, following the Christchurch terrorist attack, that Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to return Australians and New Zealanders traveling to Gallipoli for ANZAC Day Commemorations ‘in their coffins like their grandfathers’,” said Armenian National Committee of Australia Executive Director, Haig Kayserian.

“Now we are hearing this friend of ISIS, who has created a state of terror by arresting, jailing or dismissing more opposition leaders, minority rights advocates, journalists and academics than any world leader, might be a guest of the Australian Government.”

The Australian Hellenic Council’s George Vellis said Greeks, and especially, Cypriots feel the wrath of Erdogan’s expansionist policies on a daily basis.

“We cannot stand idly by as our representatives continue to offer legitimacy to genocide-denying despotic dictators, particularly one leading a regime that bears no resonance to the values we uphold as Australians,” Vellis said.

“The Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities, who have suffered from Erdogan’s continued denial of Ottoman Turkey’s Genocide committed against our ancestors, will continue to demand higher diplomatic standards by Canberra, and pledge to join with several other community groups in protest should this visit eventuate,” Kayserian added on behalf of the Joint Justice Initiative.

On 25th February 2020, over 100 Federal Australian parliamentarians, diplomats, departmental officials, political staffers, academics, media and community leaders were treated to cultural performances, food, wine and brandy, as well as the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which affirmed that the signatory public affairs representatives of the three communities were jointly committed to seeing Australia recognise the Turkish-committed Genocide against the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian citizens of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

Italy soccer legend Alessandro Del Piero visits Yerevan

Emil Lazarian

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 10:36,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. Italian former professional football player Alessandro Del Piero is in Yerevan.

The Juventus legend shared a video story on Instagram filmed from the rooftop of what appears to be a downtown hotel in the Armenian capital.  “Good morning Yerevan”, he wrote.

The visit was not announced beforehand and it is unclear if Del Piero is on a business or private trip.

 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan