Author: Andres-Papazian

CITY REMEMBERS THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The Harvell gazette, MA
March 26 2015

They have not forgotten.

People from across Haverhill and the region gathered earlier this
month to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

The event at the Armenian Church at Hye Point featured a church
service with various religious leaders who reflected on the genocide
and other mass killings.

People who attended also enjoyed a dinner in the church hall featuring
Armenian food cooked by volunteers.

From: A. Papazian

ANCIENT WRITINGS SHED LIGHT ON ASENETH, MOSES

The Herald Sun, FL
March 25 2015

The Jewish Federation of Durham-Chapel Hill gathers interfaith clergy
for an annual conference with a speaker bringing a new perspective of
religious knowledge. Ancient texts shared by a University of Minnesota
professor were new stories to learn for some longtime clergy at the
event held recently at Beth El Synagogue.

Patricia Ahearne-Kroll was the guest speaker and shared excerpts
from Jewish writings recorded by Christian scribes in Egypt during
the period of the Second Temple, between the fourth century B.C. and
first century. The writings include figures already known to Jews and
Christians, including Joseph of the “coat of many colors” story and
Moses. Ahearne-Kroll is an assistant professor in the department of
Classical and Near Eastern Studies at the University of Minnesota. She
received her doctorate in Biblical studies from the University of
Chicago Divinity School.

In a story about Joseph and his wife Aseneth, the writer focuses
on Aseneth to tell her story with embellishments and detail about
Aseneth’s initial rejection of the idea of Joseph, that is until
she sees the attractive man ride in on a golden chariot. Some of the
story is a repeat of the story of Joseph in Genesis, Ahearne-Kroll
explained. Focusing on Aseneth puts a “different spin on it,” she
said. Aseneth’s mind is changed by the notion of love at first sight,
Ahearne-Kroll said. The initial obstacle to Aseneth’s and Joseph’s
relationship is her religious practices, as Aseneth was a converted
Egyptian. The story shows friendly relationships formed between Jews
and Egyptians, she said.

“Joseph and Aseneth are showing different ways of Jewishness,” she
said, showing that Aseneth married into the faith and didn’t have to
be ethnically Jewish.

Ahearne-Kroll also talked about Artapanus’ writings about Moses, which
diverges and then returns to the narrative found in Exodus. Artapanus’
story reflects amiable relations between Egyptians and Jews, she said,
and shows rich Jewish ancestry.

The Egyptian-Jewish texts, written in Greek, found appeal in Christian
circles, Ahearne-Kroll said. Rev. Rollin Russell, one of the clergy
attending the conference, said he had never heard of the texts and
asked where the texts are located now. Ninety surviving stories
includes 50 in Armenian, and are found in collections of various
literature in Armenian libraries, she said.

The largest fragment of Artapanus’ “On the Jews” writing is about
Moses, and roots Jewish heritage in Egypt. Jews lived in Egypt for
centuries, Ahearne-Kroll said. “Jewish writers put forth an impressive
effort to show how they belonged there, too,” she said. The writings
would have been lost forever were it not for Christian scribes,
she said, though writings were misused later for persecution. The
original writings were written from a vantage point of Jews trying
to form an identity in Egypt, she said.

Ahearne-Kroll was asked what makes a text sacred, if the texts have
divine or human origins.

She said that it wasn’t until much later that there was the notion
of text being fixed, as something that cannot be changed.

“So in this time, the actually building stories, that rewrite the
stories, is an indication that Genesis and Exodus are actually sacred
to these writers,” Ahearne-Kroll said.

From: A. Papazian

IT IS HIGH TIME FOR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER AZERBAIJAN TERRORIST STATE – ARMENIAN MP

17:31 * 26.03.15

Forms of terrorist practiced by official Baku are developing into a
disease, Artak Zakaryan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations, Parliament of Armenia, told Tert.am as he commented on
Zakir Hasanov’s statement Azerbaijani servicemen “must not miss a
single chance day or night to kill an Armenian and Armenians must
constantly live in an atmosphere of fear.”

“The Azerbaijani defense minister’s statement is a highest-level
statement. It is part of a series that does not surprise the Armenian
audience any more. I think, however, that it is high time for the
international community to consider Azerbaijan in the context of its
struggle against terror,” he said.

The propaganda among Azerbaijan’s society is a form of terror.

“Urging people to commit crimes can never a specific feature of a
civilized state,” Mr Zakaryan said.

If Azerbaijan wants to resolve problems, negotiations is the only
means.

“In this case they will always be punished, because punishment is
the only thing for terrorists.”

From: A. Papazian

ANCA CALLS FOR INCREASED ARTSAKH AID DURING CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY

Thursday, March 26th, 2015 | Posted by Contributor

ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian testifies before
the U.S. House Foreign Aid Panel

Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian Advocates for Full Range
of Armenian American Foreign Aid Priorities

WASHINGTON–Armenian National Committee of America Government Affairs
Director Kate Nahapetian testified yesterday before a key Congressional
panel in support of increased U.S. assistance to Nagorno Karabakh,
Armenia, at-risk Middle Eastern Armenian communities, and the Javakhk
region of Georgia.

In her opening remarks, Nahapetian thanked House Appropriations
Subcommittee on Foreign Operations Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX),
Ranking Democrat Nita Lowey (D-NY), and their colleagues for the
vital role of the U.S. Congress in supporting Artsakh with direct
aid, while also noting that much more needs to be done. Nahapetian
stressed: “According to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the war caused
an estimated over $5 billion in damages. More than twenty years since
the cease-fire established in 1994, Karabakh is still suffering from
significant infrastructure damage, including the shortage of safe
drinking water. In addition, Nagorno Karabakh continues to suffer
one of the highest per capita landmine accidents in the world.”

Nahapetian’s calls come in the face of disturbing reports from Capitol
Hill sources of budget pressure and aggressive lobbying efforts by
the increasingly undemocratic government of Azerbaijan to cut Nagorno
Karabakh assistance. The ANCA has initiated an online campaign —
anca.org/foreignaid – urging Senate and House members to expand Artsakh
assistance and support a range of other ANCA foreign aid priorities.

During her remarks before the U.S. House panel responsible for foreign
aid, Nahapetian explained that the support of Congress for a series of
seven funding and policy-related provisions will represent a strategic
investment in strengthening U.S. diplomacy, advancing our national
interests, and promoting core American values in the Caucasus region.

Other organizations testifying before the influential House foreign
aid panel on Caucasus concerns included the Armenian Assembly of
America and U.S. Azerbaijan Network.

The full text of the ANCA’s written testimony is provided below.

The Armenian American Community & U.S. Foreign Assistance Policy For
Fiscal Year 2016

Presented by Kate Nahapetian – Government Affairs Director Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA)

The Armenian American community requests:

1. At least $5 million in U.S. developmental aid to Nagorno Karabakh.

2. Zero-out U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan until it agrees with OSCE
Minsk Group calls to pull back its snipers, ceases its aggression,
renounces violence, and commits to a purely peaceful resolution of
regional conflicts.

3. At least $40 million in U.S. economic assistance to Armenia.

4. A special focus on addressing the difficulties in providing
humanitarian and resettlement aid to Armenian, Assyrian and other
at-risk minorities in Syria, as well as targeted aid to help Armenia
settle thousands fleeing from Syria.

5. At least 10% of U.S. assistance to Georgia to be used for job
creation programs in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of that country.

6. Language strengthening Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to
Azerbaijan.

7. Ending the Exclusion of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh from the
peace process:

1. At least $5 million in development assistance for Nagorno Karabakh:
Since FY 1998, direct U.S. aid to Nagorno Karabakh has represented a
powerful investment in peace and an enduring expression of America’s
leadership in supporting a negotiated and democratic resolution
of security and status issues related to the Republic of Nagorno
Karabakh. This direct aid has met pressing humanitarian needs,
providing, most recently, desperately needed clean water to families
and the clearing of villages and farmlands of mines and unexploded
ordnance. According to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the war caused
an estimated over $5 billion in damages. More than twenty years since
the cease-fire established in 1994, Karabakh is still suffering from
significant infrastructure damage, including the shortage of safe
drinking water. In addition, Nagorno Karabakh continues to suffer
one of the highest per capita landmine accidents in the world.

We urge the Subcommittee to expand this vital assistance program,
to support a needy population that has strived mightily, against
aggression and blockades, to build a strong democracy, develop a
free market economy, and work toward an enduring peace for all the
peoples of this region. Since 1991, Nagorno Karabakh has successfully
conducted five parliamentary and five presidential elections –
that have been praised by international observers as free, fair and
transparent. The most recent presidential election held in July 2012
was favorably received by more than 80 international observers from
two dozen countries, including the United States.

We specifically encourage the Department of State and USAID to fund, at
the earliest opportunity, a comprehensive humanitarian and development
needs assessment for the coming five years.

2. Suspension of U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan: The Azerbaijani
government of Ilham Aliyev neither needs nor deserves American military
aid. It does not serve our national interests or advance our values
to provide aid to a military whose leadership frequently threatens to
start a new war and regularly launches cross-border attacks not only
into Nagorno Karabakh, but also Armenia, a NATO Partnership for Peace
country, where border villages report being under siege by growing
sniper fire from Azerbaijan.

In addition to threatening to renew full-scale hostilities, President
Aliyev refuses U.S. and international calls to pull back snipers, has
made land claims on all of Armenia, and openly incites anti-Armenian
hatred, including against Americans of Armenian descent. Our State
Department warns that not all Americans are safe in Azerbaijan,
noting that Americans of Armenian heritage will likely be denied a
visa, because Azerbaijan cannot guarantee their safety.

As was widely reported in the international media, on August 31, 2012,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev personally pardoned an unrepentant,
convicted axe-murderer for killing a NATO Partnership for Peace
participant (while he slept) because he was Armenian. Immediately
after his pardon, this convicted killer received a promotion in the
Azerbaijani military, an apartment, and years of back pay for his
prison time. The pardon was condemned around the world, including by
President Obama, Members of Congress, the European Parliament, OSCE,
Council of Europe, and NATO.

Azerbaijan’s regional aggression is closely tied to its pattern of
domestic abuse, including its brutal crack-down on dissent. As is well
known by this panel, government forces have raided and shut down the
offices of U.S.-supported Radio Free Europe, unjustly imprisoned a
Radio Free Europe reporter, as well as several other civil society
leaders, including Arif and Leyla Yunus, who supported U.S. calls
to promote Armenia-Azerbaijan Track II dialogue and have been denied
medical care during their pretrial detention.

We respectfully call upon the Subcommittee to suspend the appropriation
of Fiscal Year 2015 U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan until its
government agrees to pull back its snipers, ceases cross-border
attacks, ends its threats of renewed war, and agrees to a settlement
of regional conflicts through peaceful means alone.

3. At least $40 million in Assistance to Armenia: As members of the
Subcommittee know, Armenia, a crucial ally in a strategic region of
the world, has extended robust support for U.S.-led peace-keeping
deployments in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo, and is cooperating with
the U.S. on a broad range of regional and security challenges. In June
2011, as countries were pulling out of Afghanistan, Armenia actually
tripled its troop deployment there. In February 2014, Armenia pledged
to keep its military contingent in Afghanistan even after NATO’s
mission is concluded in order to support the U.S.-led alliance to
train and assist the Afghan army. Armenian Defense Minister Seyran
Ohanian stated that Armenia is committed to “continuous contribution to
coalition efforts to establish lasting security in Afghanistan.” In
addition, Armenia is regularly ranked highly by the Wall Street
Journal/ Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom.

At the same time, the people of landlocked Armenia, the world’s first
Christian state, continue to face the devastating impact of Turkey and
Azerbaijan’s dual economic blockades. Our assistance has played a vital
role in helping alleviate these blockades (among the longest in modern
history) and promoting Armenia’s free market system and democratic
development. It is for this reason that we ask the Subcommittee to
appropriate no less than $40 million in overall FY15 economic aid
(including Economic Support Fund, International Narcotics Control
and Law Enforcement, and Global Health Programs) for Armenia.

4. Assistance to Christian and other minority communities in and from
Syria: As has been widely reported, more than ten thousand from Syria
have sought safe-haven in Armenia, a state, which despite being one
of the poorest nations accepting Syrian refugees, has only received
very modest levels of U.S. and international relief and resettlement
assistance. Armenia has generously provided full citizenship rights
to Armenian Syrian refugees.

We ask the Subcommittee to instruct the State Department and USAID
to ensure the allocation to Armenia of a proportional level of the U.S.

and international aid supporting the efforts to regional states to
resettle those fleeing from Syria.

We remain troubled that distribution gaps in need-based international
aid deliveries to Aleppo and throughout Syria have resulted in
desperately needed food, medicine, and other relief supplies not
reaching Armenians, Christian communities, and other at-risk and
vulnerable minorities. We ask the Subcommittee to formally call upon
the Administration to put in place policies and practices to ensure
that need-based aid reaches all at-risk populations.

5. Assistance to the Javakhk Region in Georgia: We join with the
Congressional Armenian Caucus in encouraging the Subcommittee,
as part of a robust U.S. aid package to Georgia, to ensure that
10% of U.S. assistance to Georgia is targeted to the largely
Armenian-populated region of Samtskhe-Javakheti (Javakhk) in
south-central Georgia, including funding for badly-needed job-creation
programs and ongoing improvements to transportation and communication
infrastructure.

6. Strengthening Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act: Enacted in
1992, Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act stands as a statutory
expression of U.S. opposition to Azerbaijan’s blockades and other
aggressive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

Since its enactment, Azerbaijan has not lifted its illegal blockades
and has ignored House Appropriations Committee Report language opposing
its destabilizing threats. The Congress should limit the President’s
waiver authority in the face of these provocations by Baku by adding
the following certification requirement, effectively narrowing the
President’s waiver authority: “In the last fiscal year, Azerbaijan has
not taken hostile action, either through military force or incitement,
including but not limited to threatening pronouncements by government
officials toward Armenia or Nagorno Karabakh, and has both stated and
demonstrated its commitment to pursuing a lasting peace with Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh through solely non-violent means.”

7. Ending the Exclusion of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh from the
Peace Process: The best and most sustainable path to peace requires
direct engagement with the people and government of Nagorno Karabakh,
whose fate and future are the subject of ongoing talks and whose
security will rest on the outcome of these negotiations. As is well
know, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was one of the three parties
to the 1994 cease-fire, which ended military hostilities between
Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan. In its aftermath, Nagorno Karabakh
participated in the OSCE Minsk Group peace process as a partner, along
with Armenia and Azerbaijan. Since 1998, however, at Baku’s insistence,
Nagorno Karabakh has been excluded from the peace process. Nagorno
Karabakh should, in the interests of peace and common sense, be a
full participant in all talks regarding its very future.

In addition to these seven specific priorities, we would like, in
closing to add a final thought about the future of the U.S.-Armenia
economic relationship. In light of the downward trend in U.S. economic
aid to Armenia, we encourage the Subcommittee to encourage the
Administration to prioritize bilateral U.S.-Armenia trade and
investment promotion, including through the negotiation of a Trade
and Investment Framework Agreement, a Double Tax Treaty, and other
economic accords. The American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia and the
ANCA have formally called for expanding economic relations through
such agreements, as have U.S. businesses operating in Armenia, among
them Microsoft, FedEx, NASDAQ and Marriot.

The ANCA, as always, looks forward to working with the Subcommittee
to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia alliance and to promote stability in
the region.

From: A. Papazian

WE ARE LIVING IN THE PERIOD OF UNFINISHED WAR – GAGIK GINOSYAN

13:30 / 23.03.2015

“We must be clever enough and act in a way to bring our losses to
minimum,” founder-commander of Armenia’s first intelligence squad
Vova Vardanov told at a news conference today, referring to the recent
attacks of the Azerbaijani forces.

“The farmer of the bordering village must too have a Kalashnikov by
his side. The concern that the possession of arms will cause fights
is senseless as such incidents occur while having illegal weapon. The
residents of bordering villages must have a right to possess weapon,”
he said, offering creation special coordinated center which will be
controlled by the president or Security Council.

Vardanov said that the recent cases revealed two names – Andranik
Grigoryan who left the ammunition and passed to the enemy’s side and
Zhora Grigoryan who bravely fought but was not awarded as in Armenia
only killed soldiers are being awarded. “We open school named after
axed person but we must name it after a person who did not allow
himself be axed,” he said.

Referring to the flaws, he said that we are considering ourselves
contemporary but we do not have money for contemporary devices.

Founder of Karin traditional dancing ensemble, freedom fighter Gagik
Ginosyan said that it is impossible to fully prevent such incidents.

It is necessary to understand that the enemy is solving some political
issues. “We must understand that if we want to live in independent
homeland we will always have this issue. We must not forget that we
are living in the period of unfinished war. We must always have sober,
battle-worthy army. It is the only way to bring the number of losses
to minimum,” he said, adding that it is very painful to have losses,
but impossible to avoid them.

“We know very well which posts are more dangerous. Such posts must
be upgraded with newest technology while there are posts with no
electricity,” Ginosyan said, urging to cooperate with the companies
producing newest technology and get devices for free.

From: A. Papazian

LA CITY COUNCIL BILL URGES OBAMA TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Thursday, March 26th, 2015

LA City Council Bill Urges Obama to Recognize Armenian Genocide

Los Angeles City Council

LOS ANGELES–Los Angeles City Councilmembers on Wednesday introduced
a measure urging President Obama to recognize the Armenian Genocide
and voicing LA’s support for H-Res 154, the Armenian Genocide Truth
and Justice resolution introduced in Congress last week.

City Councilmember Paul Krekorian and Council President Herb Wesson,
were joined by councilmembers Mitch O’Farrell and Paul Koretz
co-presented the resolution.

The City Council Resolution calls on President Obama to acknowledge
the Armenian Genocide and urge the government of Turkey to acknowledge
the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide.

The item will now go to the Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental
Affairs Committee. Once the Committee hears the item, it will be
sent to the full Council for a vote, and will be placed in the City’s
2015-2016 Federal Legislative Program.

Below is the text of the proposed resolution.

WHEREAS, any official position of the City of Los Angeles with respect
to legislation, rules, regulations or policies proposed to or pending
before a local, state, or federal governmental body or agency must
have first been adopted in the form of a Resolution by the City
Council with the concurrence of the Mayor; and

WHEREAS, the Armenian Genocide began on April 24, 1915, with the arrest
by Ottoman Turkish officials of key Armenian intellectual, political
and religious leaders, followed by the murder and deportation of men,
women and children — a pattern that has been repeated over and over
again in the Holocaust, in Cambodia, in Rwanda, in southern Sudan
and in all other genocides since the Armenian Genocide; and

WHEREAS, the Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out by
Ottoman Turkey from 1915 to 1923, resulting in the deportation of
nearly 2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men, women, and children
were killed, and 500,000 survivors were expelled from their homes,
effectively destroying the 3,000 year presence of Armenians in much
of their historic homeland; and

WHEREAS, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the
horrific series of events that left millions of Armenians dead and
displaced; and WHEREAS, the Armenian Genocide is widely recognized
by historians and genocide scholars as the first genocide of the 20th
Century, and as the harbinger of all genocides that would follow; and

WHEREAS, the Armenian Genocide is clearly documented with overwhelming
evidence in the national archives of Austria, France, Germany, Great
Britain, Russia, Turkey the United States, the Vatican and many other
countries, and this vast body of evidence attests to the same facts,
the same events, and the same consequences; and

WHEREAS, Los Angeles is home to one of the largest Armenian communities
in the world, and one of the largest populations of Genocide survivors
and their descendants; and WHEREAS, it is vital that the Government
of the United States properly recognize the Armenian Genocide, not
just because of the moral implications, but because it can help to
prevent future atrocities from occurring; and

WHEREAS, the Truth and Justice Resolution (H.Res.154), introduced
and spearheaded in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen
Adam Schiff (D-CA), Robert J. Dold (R-IL), David Valadao (R-CA),
and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), offers a new approach to U.S. efforts to
foster Armenian-Turkish relations which are equitable, constructive,
stable, and durable; and

WHEREAS, the Resolution calls on President Barack Obama to stand by
the statement, which he made before entering office, that “the Armenian
Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view,
but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body
of historical evidence”; and

WHEREAS, the Resolution calls on the Obama Administration to press
Turkey for full acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences
of the Arri1enian Genocide;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, with the concurrence of the Mayor,
that by the adoption of this Resolution, the City of Los Angeles
hereby includes in its 2015-2016 Federal Legislative Program support
for the Truth and Justice Resolution (H.Res.154).

Co-Presented by: PAUL KREKORIAN, 2nd District HERB WSSON, 10th District
MITCH O’FARRELL 13th District PAUL KORETZ, 5th District

From: A. Papazian

TEXTILE AND FASHION PROGRAM TO BOOST ARMENIAN TEXTILE EXPORTS BY $3 MILLION IN 1-3 YEARS

YEREVAN, March 26. / ARKA /. A textile and fashion program being
designed by Armenian experts in concert with UNIDO is expected to
boost Armenian textile exports by $3 million in the next 1-3 years,
according to Arman Khachatryan, the acting executive director of the
Armenia Development Fund.

According to the National Statistical Service, in 2014 some 7.3
billion drams worth clothes were produced in Armenia, by 16.1% more
than in 2013.

Arman Khachatryan said in the first stage of the program nine Armenian
garment companies united under one common brand to create a lineup
of products and promote sales and exports.

He said also the Armenia Development Fund had ensured the participation
of Armenian companies in Photonics West 2014, a specialized exhibition
of laser and optical technologies, held February 4-7 in San Francisco,
USA. According to him, as a result Armenian companies are expected
to sign 5-6 new contracts this year and boost related exports by 25%.

He said the Fund helped 22 Armenian companies to showcase their
products at Prodexpo, the largest food exhibition in Russia, where
they won six gold and 2 silver medals. The anticipated result is a
rise in the export of Armenian foods to Russia.

The Fund also helped five Armenian wine companies to present their
wines at a wine fair in Germany, where they reached arrangements to
sign ten contracts, which will raise wine exports by 5-7%.

The Fund also organized two visits to Armenia by Canadian and
Lithuanian business people and is working now to organize an
Armenia-Morocco business forum.

Armenia Development Fund was established by the government in 2014
December by merging the Industry Development Fund with the National
Competitiveness Fund and the National Tourism Agency. Concurrently
the government disbanded the Armenian Development Agency.-0-

From: A. Papazian

THE RISE AND FALL OF TIGRANES THE GREAT, KING OF ARMENIA

Ancient Origins
March 24 2015

Under King Tigranes II the Great, from 95 to 55 B.C. Armenia thrived,
and became the strongest state in the Roman east for a time.

In the aftermath of the defeat of Antiochus the Great by the Romans at
the Battle of Magnesia in 190 B.C., the grip of the Seleucid Empire
on the East was weakened. According to the Greek geographer Strabo,
Armenia was at that time governed by two of Antiochus’ generals,
Artaxias and Zariadris. Seizing the opportunity, the generals decided
to declare their loyalty to the Roman victors, and claimed autonomy
from the ailing Seleucid Empire. For much of its later history, the
Kingdom of Armenia would serve as a buffer state between the Roman
Empire in the West and the Parthian Empire in the East. Yet, this was
not always the case, as Armenia was once a powerful Eastern kingdom
during the reign of Tigranes II, also known as Tigranes the Great.

Coin with Tigranes the Great portrait (Armenian king, ruled 95 BCE-55
BCE). Public Domain

Following the independence of Armenia, the satrapy was divided between
the two generals. Artaxias ruled over the Kingdom of Armenia, which,
according to Strabo, consisted of “what is properly called Armenia,
which lay adjacent to Media and Albania and Iberia, extending as far as
Colchis and Cappadocia on the Euxine.” Zariadris, on the other hand,
ruled over the Kingdom of Sophene, and “held the southern parts and
those that lay more to the west than these (i.e. the territories
of Artaxias).” Tigranes was a descendant of Artaxias, and was born
around 140 B.C. Around 120 B.C.,

Tigranes was taken as a hostage by the Parthians, only to be released
some 25 years later after ceding “seventy valleys in Armenia” to them.

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Once freed from the Parthians and on the throne of Armenia, Tigranes
wasted no time at establishing his position. He first formed an
alliance with Mithridates VI of Pontus by marrying his daughter,
Cleopatra the Elder.

Then, Tigranes set his sights on conquest. At that time, the Kingdom
of Sophene was ruled by Artanes, a descendant of Zariadris. Tigranes
decided to expand his kingdom, and conquered the lands held by Artanes
in 93 B.C.

Following the death of Mithridates II of Parthia in 91 B.C.,
Tigranes successfully reconquered the “seventy valleys of Armenia”
ceded to him just four years earlier, and laid waste to Parthian
lands. Tigranes then conquered Osroene (Edessa), Nisibis, Gordyene,
Atropatene, and Adiabene. He also waged war on the Seleucid Empire,
and took Syria and Phoenicia in 83 B.C.

The Kingdom of Armenia at its greatest extent under Tigranes the
Great. Aivazovsky/Wikimedia Commons

Although Tigranes grew rapidly in power, his triumph was to be
short-lived. To the west of Armenia, Tigranes’ father-in-law,
Mithridates VI of Pontus, was at war with the Romans, in what is known
today as the Third Mithridatic War. Having been defeated by the Roman
general Lucullus, Mithridates fled to Tigranes, who refused to hand
him over to the Romans. By doing so, Tigranes effectively declared
war with Rome.

Armenian foot soldiers wearing the traditional Mithraic /Phrygian
caps. Wikimedia Commons

Although heavily outnumbered by his enemies, Lucullus decided to march
on Tigranocerta, the new, unfinished capital of the Kingdom of Armenia,
in 69 B.C. While the Romans were besieging the city, Tigranes arrived
with a huge army, which, according to Plutarch, numbered at 260,000
men. Leaving around 6,000 men to maintain the siege, Lucullus met
Tigranes with about 11,000 men. In a most surprising turn of events,
Tigranes was defeated by Lucullus, and was forced to flee to the old
Armenian capital, Artaxata, where he was again defeated by the Romans.

When the Roman troops grew weary of the eastern campaign, and refused
to go any further, Lucullus was recalled by the Senate, and replaced by
Pompey. In 66 B.C., Pompey marched on Armenia, and Tigranes surrendered
to the Roman general without a fight.

Having reconciled with the Romans, Tigranes became a ‘friend and ally’
of the Romans, with the condition that he give up the territories
won through his previous conquests. Tigranes continued to rule over
the Kingdom of Armenia until his death in about 55 B.C.

Tigranes’ descendants continued to rule the Kingdom of Armenia as
client kings of Rome until the overthrow of the Artaxiad dynasty in
A.D. 12 for their alleged allegiance to the Parthians.

Featured image: Tigranes the Great with four Kings surrounding him.

19th century illustration. Public Domain

References

Appian, History of Rome: The Mithridatic Wars
[Online] [White, H. (trans.), 1913. Appian’s History
of Rome: The Mithridatic Wars.] Available at:

Lendering, J., 2007. Armenia. [Online] Available at:

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Minasyan, S., 2008. Tigran the Great. [Online] Available at:

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1683. Plutarch’s Parallel Lives: Lucullus.] Available at:

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W. (trans.), 1903. Strabo’s Geography.] Available at:

By a¸~Na¸¥wty

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From: A. Papazian

CSTO SECRETARY GENERAL DISCUSS ISSUES OF STABILITY IN CAUCASUS WITH ARMENIAN TOP OFFICIALS

ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 23, 2015 Monday 07:39 PM GMT+4

YEREVAN March 23.

Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization /CSTO/
Nikolai Bordyuzha on Monday had a number of meetings with Armenia’s
top officials to discuss issues of stability in the Caucasus

Chief of CSTO Joint Staff Alexander Studenikin also took part in
these meetings.

At a meeting with Armenia’s President Serzh Sarfsyan, “the
sides discussed cooperation within the Collective Security Treaty
Organization, joint events, including preparations for joint exercises
of CSTO peacekeeping forces Unbreakable Brotherhood-2015 planned to
be held in Armenia in September,” the press service of the Armenian
president’s administration said.

A meeting with Armenian Defence Minister Seiran Oganyan centered round
the implementation of resolutions of the December session of the CSTO
Collective Security Council, issues of regional and international
security. “Specific attention was focused on the organization of
various events planned within the CSTO, including military exercises
in Armenia,” the Armenian defence ministry said.

From: A. Papazian

RSF – DANS LA TETE DE ILHAM ALIEV, PRESIDENT D’AZERBAIDJAN

Publie le : 25-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – “Nos coffres debordent
tellement de petrodollars que nous n’avons plus du tout besoin de
donner le change sur la democratie. Comme les louanges, le silence
s’achète. Nos largesses ont raison de bon nombre de critiques autrefois
feroces, a l’interieur du pays comme a l’etranger.

L’Assemblee parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe a tente, en janvier
dernier, de faire voter une resolution “sur la situation des droits
de l’homme en Azerbaïdjan”. Nous y avons mis les moyens, mais nous
sommes parvenus a nos fins : rejetee, la resolution ! Qu’est-ce qu’ils
croyaient ? Les affaires sont trop importantes, les sommes en jeu trop
enormes.” Pour demontrer les intentions profondes des Predateurs des
Droits de l’Homme, Reporters sans frontières se met dans leur tete et
presente leurs pensees au style direct, a la première personne. La
transcription est librement etablie par l’organisation, mais les
faits invoques conformes a la realite. Le Collectif VAN publie ici
le texte de RSF a propos d’Ilham Aliev, president de la Republique
d’Azerbaïdjan.

Photo : Vestnik Kavkaza

Reporters sans frontières

24.03.2015

Dans la tete de* Ilham Aliev, president de la Republique, Azerbaïdjan

*Pour demontrer les intentions profondes des Predateurs, Reporters sans
frontières se met dans leur tete et presente leurs pensees au style
direct, a la première personne. La transcription est librement etablie
par l’organisation, mais les faits invoques conformes a la realite.

“Sous pretexte que Papa m’a laisse l’Azerbaïdjan en heritage, on m’a
longtemps pris pour un homme affable et inoffensif. Quelle naïvete !

J’ai la situation en main. Qu’un journaliste essaie de parler de moi,
de ma femme ou de mes proches en des termes peu elogieux, je saurai lui
faire regretter ses erreurs. Menaces de mort, enlèvements, mes sbires
ne reculent devant aucune methode musclee. Cela ne nous empeche pas
d’avoir du tact parfois. Enregistrement de scènes sexuelles, sextapes
comme on dit chez vous, rumeurs et campagnes de calomnie : atteindre
nos opposants dans leur dignite suffit souvent a ramener le calme.

Directement ou indirectement, je contrôle toutes les chaînes de
television de mon pays. Nous avons banni la BBC, Radio Free Europe
et Voice of America de la FM azerbaïdjanaise depuis 2009. Ils me
cherchaient trop de poux dans la tete. Mes hommes harcèlent tant
la presse d’opposition qu’elle a ete reduite a la portion congrue,
juste ce qu’il faut pour prouver a l’exterieur que l’Azerbaïdjan est
un Etat democratique. Encore que la facade democratique, j’en ai a
peu près autant a faire que de ma première chemise. Les democrates,
vous leur tendez la main, ils prennent le bras ! Galvanisee par les
“printemps arabes”, la rue a commence a me faire peur, au printemps
2011. J’ai fait arreter les principaux blogueurs d’opposition, mais le
bruit de fond continue. Dommage, car je prepare la prochaine election
presidentielle en octobre. Et on voudrait que je laisse faire ? Cela
ne serait pas digne d’un Aliev.

L’heure n’est plus a la mollesse, que l’on me pretait lorsque j’ai
succede a Papa, vous vous souvenez ? Le journal d’opposition Azadlig,
qui s’entete depuis des annees malgre arrestations, enlèvements,
passages a tabac et menaces, est au bord de l’asphyxie. Enfin ! Je
pousse des lois toujours plus repressives ; c’est facile, en ce moment,
il n’y a qu’a copier celles adoptees en Russie. Et si je tolère encore
Internet, j’ai demande aux services de securite d’etre sur les dents
: a la moindre alerte, on bloque ce qu’il faut et on coffre tout
le monde.

Nos coffres debordent tellement de petrodollars que nous n’avons
plus du tout besoin de donner le change sur la democratie. Comme
les louanges, le silence s’achète. Nos largesses ont raison de bon
nombre de critiques autrefois feroces, a l’interieur du pays comme
a l’etranger.

L’Assemblee parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe a tente, en janvier
dernier, de faire voter une resolution “sur la situation des droits
de l’homme en Azerbaïdjan”. Nous y avons mis les moyens, mais nous
sommes parvenus a nos fins : rejetee, la resolution ! Qu’est-ce
qu’ils croyaient ? Les affaires sont trop importantes, les sommes en
jeu trop enormes. Heureusement que papa m’a appris comment clouer le
bec aux voix dissidentes.”

Lire aussi :

Dossier du Collectif VAN : L’Azerbaïdjan, une dictature nationaliste
et negationniste

Source/Lien : Reporters sans frontières

From: A. Papazian