Author: Babajanian Karo

August 28, 2014, Yerevan, Armenia

Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) – Yerevan Office
Inessa Grigoryan, PR & Communications Manager
1 Northern Avenue, Suite 24,=20
0001, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
Tel: (+374 10) 50.20.76; 53.34.12
Fax: (+374 10) 50.20.76
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Children of Armenia Convey Message of Love and Patriotism to Soldiers
of Artsakh

August 28, 2014 — COAF’s 20-member Interactive Theatre Group from
the Armavir province of Armenia held a series of inspiring patriotic
performances at a number of military bases in the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic (Artsakh).

The performance piece focused on the importance and necessity of
providing love to the elderly, to children and to the young men and
women proudly serving and defending their motherland in an effort to
secure peace for the present and future generations. The reciprocity
of support, encouragement, love, warmth, compassion and empathy toward
one another was the underlying theme being conveyed by the young
actors.

The performances were followed by meetings between the Interactive
Theater actors and soldiers. Military officers talked to the actors
about the critical role of the military in defending the country’s
borders. The actors expressed their deep gratitude to the servicemen
for their honorable role in protecting the citizens of Artsakh and
Armenia.

The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) approached the Ministries of
Defense of the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
with the idea of bringing the Interactive Theater performances to
servicemen in Karabakh. The performance’s underlying message
emphasizes the significance of solidarity and unity and demonstrates
how results and accomplishments can be achieved cohesively through
collective high morale and dedication toward the motherland.

COAF’s Interactive Theatre was launched in March 2013, allowing rural
youth to develop creative and analytical skills. The young actors have
learned how to identify and express various thoughts and feelings
artistically in regard to their personal, social, community life
experiences. The theatre group has performed on various stages since
its inception, including the “Pomegranate Grain” National Youth
Festival where they won a “Flight” Award. The Interactive Theatre
Group also staged a touching performance in loving memory of
philanthropist Gerard Cafesjian.

* * * * *
About COAF

The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) is a non-profit,
non-governmental organization that employs community-led approaches
aimed at improving the quality of life in rural Armenia, with a
particular focus on children and youth. COAF’s target development
areas are education, health, social and economic development. COAF
launched its programs in 2004, starting in one village and expanding
to 22 villages in the Armavir and Aragatsotn marzes of Armenia. This
became the inception of COAF’s innovative cluster village model
approach. Eight of COAF’s beneficiary villages have undergone
intensive interventions, while selected development programs have been
carried out in the rest of the villages. Over 30,000 people have been
impacted by COAF’s work. Please see more at
and am.coafkids.org.

We should work- without thinking for long- to resettle Yezidis in
Artsakh, NKR Spokesman says

Tuesday 26 August 2014 15:28
Photo: Photolure

Ashot Ghulyan

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Chairman of NKR National Assembly Ashot Ghulyan
said that we should work hard without thinking for a long time to
resettle Yezidi people in Arstakh.

“The Artsakh authorities haven’t ruled out the option. In such cases,
I against focusing on diplomatic results. It’s more of a human issue
than a political or diplomatic topic”, he said this during his meeting
with journalists in Arstakh.

Touching upon the concerns that it may result in demographic changes,
the Spokesman said that he doesn’t “think the resettlement will be
held on such a large scale that may impact the demography”.

Fresh Plaza, The Netherlands
Aug 26 2014

12,000 tons of apricots harvested in Armenia this year

Armenia harvested 12,000 tons of apricots this year, Agriculture
Minister Sergo Karapetyan said Friday at a news conference.

“This year’s apricot crop is definitely smaller than that of the
previous year, but I think it will total 12,000 tons,” he said.

According to the agriculture ministry, the country’s apricot crop
totalled 88,800 tons in 2013.

Karapetyan said referring to preliminary figures that 1792 tons of
apricots were exported this year and 160 tons were sold to canneries.
He said excessive supply of apricots was seen at markets in 2013,
while this year apricots were sufficient, but prices were high.

The agriculture ministry says 23,800 tons of apricots were exported
from Armenia in 2013.

On March 30, a heavy snowfall badly damaged the country’s agriculture,
particularly 80-90% of apricot crop.

,000-tons-of-apricots-harvested-in-Armenia-this-year

The Messenger, Georgia
Aug 26 2014

The threat from “little green men”

By Messenger Staff
Tuesday, August 26

NATO is launching a battle against “little green men”. A statement
over the issue was made by the NATO Commander-in-Chief in Europe
Philip Breedlove. He appealed to NATO member states to re-evaluate the
situation in Ukraine and look deeper at the occurrence of unidentified
soldiers fighting against government armed forces.

The term “little green men” emerged after the occupation of Crimea,
when professional soldiers without any identification marks managed to
annex the area. Everyone knew that the “little green men” were Russian
military division members. The suspicion was also backed with
evidence. However, Russian officials have denied any direct
interference in Crimea.

Nevertheless, Russian President Vladimir Putin later awarded Russian
soldiers for successfully holding the Crimean referendum.

Breedlove stresses that the “little Green men” create bases for
political and social destabilization and the soldiers might be used by
Russia again in Eastern Ukraine.(If not used already!?)

“We should instruct our forces to be ready,” Bridlove said. Kurt
Volker, former Ambassador of the United States to NATO claims that
Russia must be opposed.

Georgian military analyst Giorgi Tavdgiridze explains that “they will
appear in the regions, which have some ethnic problem, and where
separatist intentions might be encouraged. Donetsk, Lugansk, Crimea,
Abkhazia and Ossetia are the regions where separatism might be
supported. Russia uses the lever and creates confrontations. After the
regions, the ‘little green men’ might appear in Latvia and Estonia, as
both countries have a considerable number of ethnic Russians,” the
analyst said, adding that the armed forces of the two countries will
not be able to resist the “green men” and they will require
international assistance in this regard.

NATO generals believe that fighting against “the green men” means
fighting against Russian imperialistic intentions.

As for Georgia, it was stated that Russia might use the “green men” in
Javakheti and some other regions that are populated by ethnic
Armenians, Russians and other non-Georgians. However, Russia is
currently engaged with Ukrainian issues so the appearance of these men
are less likely in the near future.

Silk Road Reporters
Aug 25 2014

Azerbaijan’s Missed Opportunity in Karabakh

Published by Joshua Noonan
August 25, 2014

Amid the deepening crisis in Ukraine, Azerbaijan has missed a crucial
opportunity to achieve a stated core national goal of the
reunification of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and surrounding
territories.

This region since the 1990s has been occupied by separatist Armenians
with the support of the Russian Federation. The non-use of the forced
reintegration of the more than 15% of the landmass of Azerbaijan has
been a missed opportunity by the Aliyev Regime in achieving its
priority of ensuring control over Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding
regions. This fleeting possibility to achieve Azerbaijan’s goal
existed while Russia, the widely regarded patron of the occupiers was
engaged in wresting control of Crimea, Ukraine.

Since the Nagorno-Karabakh War, hundreds of thousands of internally
displaced persons (IDPs) have been living in public buildings and
camps throughout Azerbaijan. This was due to the actions of the
separatist. Many of the ethnic Armenians, claiming self-determination
conducted a campaign on ethnic cleansing throughout Nagorno-Karabakh
and the surrounding seven regions.

With the rise of Heydar Aliyev as president the cooling of the
conflict was signaled through the institution of the Bishkek Protocol.
Nevertheless, the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan as in
Armenia has been a useful galvanizing force in these fractious
countries. Peace negotiations are conducted under the aegis of the
Minsk Group. The Minsk Group was created on 24 March 1992 by the
Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), the
predecessor of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE). Throughout its first few years of existence a settlement was
nearly reached on several occasions.

Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that any possibility of peace
was scuttled by the assassination of Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan
and Parliamentary Speaker Karen Demirchyan and six others and the
injuring of 30 at the Parliament of Armenia in Yerevan on October 27
1999. Former Russia’s Federal Security Service, Colonel Alexander
Litvinenko claimed on May 3 2005 that the attack carried out by
Armenian nationals was a Russian plot to disrupt the Peace Process.

Nevertheless, the Armenian’s Karabakhi faction also benefited from the
attack as witnessed by aversions by the president of Armenia Levon
Ter-Petrosyan “If you vote for Serzh Sargsyan on 19 February you will
vote for Nairi Hunanyan. He who elects Serzh Sarkisian would desecrate
the holy graves of Karen Demirchian and Vazgen Sarkisian”. Thus the
continuation of the conflict could be seen as partially driven by
internecine Armenian fights.

With President Ilham Aliyev taking his father’s place, the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue and the return of the territory to Baku’s
control became even more used in legitimizing the regime. This paired
with the hagiography of the deceased President Aliyev has been used to
bolster the status of the regime. This rhetoric has been followed by a
spending binge on foreign defense materiel fueled by the oil and
natural gas boom from the opening of the various pipelines connecting
Azerbaijan to Georgia, Turkey, and soon with the development of the
Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), piping gas to the European Union.
Nevertheless, the leverage that this economic and military clout have
given has not been used to further the goals of reunification.

This is heightened in the recent Ukraine Crisis where Russian policy
bandwidth was at capacity throughout the occupation of Crimea and the
continued provocations throughout Eastern Ukraine. While Armenian CSTO
membership guarantees its protection by Russia, Nagorno-Karabakh as an
internationally unrecognized entity is not and thus could be lost
without any treaty obligation actions by the Russian Federation.

With the constraints the Russian Federation faced in policy bandwidth,
Special Forces, military deployments, and fiscal tools, the Ukraine
Crisis provided an opportune time for the consolidation of Azerbaijani
territory. The actions of Azerbaijan in the Minsk Group should have
signaled enough goodwill to ameliorate the international backlash of a
ground offensive. The political benefits would also be apparent in a
spike in popularity and the signaling of President Aliyev as the
unifier of Azerbaijani lands. The reintegration of these territories
would create an opportunity for high levels of infrastructure spending
for the Akkord Group as well as other regime affiliated firms and
would be seen as a major windfall through the recycling of government
reserves into the private sector.

The more than 500,000 IDPs which were displaced from the region would
be resettled in their hometowns and villages throughout Karabakh. In
the long run, this would strengthen the bottom line of the government
which currently spends more than three percent of GDP on subsiding the
IDPs with special schools, utilities support, and other benefits. With
the consolidation of territory, a peace could be made with Armenia
allowing for more normal relationship and economic activity to take
place in the South Caucasus. This would allow for the continued
diminution of Russian influence in the region and the enabling of the
interests of the people of the respective states to be at the
forefront of the discussion.

This counterfactual begs the question of the Aliyev Regime’s inaction
when Russian interference would be minimal at best. The continuation
of the status quo in the long run is untenable due to the fact that it
being conducted as a mutually hurting stalemate. Other reasons for
sustaining the status quo include the desire to resolve the problem
peacefully, the fear of Russian intervention, the conservation of
state resources, or the usefulness of the conflict as a galvanizing
force within the state. I would conclude that the last is the most
likely driver of inaction within the Aliyev Regime.

The centrifugal force derived from the continuation of the Karabakh
that benefits the regime is the key driver for their inaction during
the Ukraine Crisis. Though the Azerbaijani military peaked in relative
strength vis-à-vis Armenia, the force is easily deployable and has
been modernized since the oil boom started. The state too has been
partially modernized since the start of the oil boom, thus placing
increasing power in the hands of President Aliyev. While factionalism
remains within the Cabinet of Ministers, the recent sacking of
ministers demonstrates where the locus of power remains, with
President Aliyev.

While the South Caucasus’ foremost frozen conflict could have ended,
it is the question of regime stability instead of the enforcement of
territorial integrity that plays the deciding factor despite the
favorable conditions presented by the Ukraine Crisis. Such an
opportunity may be the last for some time for the swift resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict. This lost chance could be seen as the
subservience of the national interest to parochial ones, and the
long-term enabling of the Russian Federation to have a stronger role
in the South Caucasus.

Joshua Noonan is an Azerbaijan and Caucasus News Analyst; John Hopkins
SAIS MA in Russian and Eurasian Studies, International Economics and
is a Presidential Management Fellowship Finalist.

Next Attempt To Station Russian Troops In Karabakh

Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 26 August 2014, 21:00

After the Armenian army countered the massive attack of Azerbaijan all
alone, a lot of representatives of the Armenian society announced
proudly that we need no peacekeepers and we will make it alone.

They understand that this is not the last effort to station troops in
the region, and now many are trying to predict the next attempt. It
will not be necessarily military. Now everyone is playing a hybrid war
in the world. And the troops may appear in Karabakh in the result of
different actions, such as the membership of Armenia to the Eurasian
Union.

Russia has already approved the agreement of membership, and if
Lukashenko and Nazarbayev get guarantees that Armenia will join within
its “internationally recognized borders”, i.e. without Karabakh, they
will also approve. And all they will have to do is sign.

In Karabakh people say that immediately after membership Russia will
again “ask” Azerbaijan to attack and then, without waiting for
Armenia’s consent or invitation, Russia will deploy troops in Karabakh
for the “defense of customs border”.

Those who think so consider membership to the Eurasian Union as high
treason. However, the Armenian community does not seem to link
membership to future threats in Karabakh. The ultimate risk considered
is customs between Armenia and Karabakh. However, it is a trifle
compared with what will be in the result of “peacekeepers”.

Currently the Armenian community focused on other “challenges”, each
who considers themselves part of the glamour community feels they need
to take a public ice bath. In addition, the future of the country
remains unpopular, especially that it does not require wearing
military uniform and spend a romantic night in trenches.

Serzh Sargsyan has recently announced that membership to the Customs
Union is good for Armenia, adding that we’ll see who was right.
However, does Serzh Sargsyan have any guarantee that after membership
Karabakh will look the same and have the same security system as now?
And whether Serzh Sargsyan has a way back.

Nazarbayev said if problems occur, Kazakhstan will leave the Eurasian
Economic Union at any moment. And Armenia can neither join, nor leave
it.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710 or (973) 943-8697
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

August 26, 2014

___________________

ARCHBISHOP BARSAMIAN Visits Kansas City Parish

By Anita Zakarian and Bill Rinck

After months of planning and weeks of preparation, the Armenian Church
Community of Kansas City, MO, hosted a three-day visit by the Primate,
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, on August 8-10. This was the Primate’s first
trip to Kansas City, and the entire community worked diligently to make it
special and memorable.

Fr. Tateos Abdalian, the Diocese’s director of Mission Parishes, arrived on
Thursday to meet with the local parish council to go over last-minute
details.

On Friday afternoon, the Primate arrived and was greeted at the airport by
20 community members who expressed their excitement and joy. Tigran
Topchian, a young parishioner and altar server, dressed in Armenian costume,
greeted the Primate with the traditional tray bearing salt and bread.

After spending time greeting each person, a limousine took the Primate, Fr.
Abdalian, and parish council chair Gary Hatutian to the Marriott Plaza
hotel, where later that evening the parish council hosted a dinner reception
for council members, their spouses, and community leaders.

During dinner the parishioners easily felt at home with Archbishop
Barsamian, as he welcomed each person to offer questions, comments, and
suggestions. He was especially interested in how the Diocese could be more
helpful to the Kansas City community. His words about the unique Armenian
Christian faith inspired everyone there.

Saturday afternoon, a picnic at a local park brought out 70 parishioners to
meet the Primate, interact with him, and enjoy the fellowship of each other.

The khorovadz was expertly prepared in the traditional Armenian
“village-style” by the men of the community, who took great pride in their
efforts. They invited the Primate to sit with them and play a few games of
tavloo.

After the picnic, members of the choir had an electrifying rehearsal with
Maestro Khoren Mekanejian, the Diocesan director of Music Ministry. The
hours flew by as choir members learned how to bring the music of the badarak
to life.

Sunday morning saw the community’s St. Garabed Armenian Church filled with
parishioners eagerly awaiting the procession of the Primate into the
sanctuary. Most of those present had never seen a badarak with a complement
of clergy and altar servers in their splendid vestments walking in
procession. Archbishop Barsamian was assisted by Fr. Abdalian, deacons Vrej
Minassian and Vahe Bagdasarian; altar servers Gary Hatutian, Tigran
Topchian, and Michael Marifian (who was visiting from Bellville, IL).
Maestro Mekanejian demonstrated that even with a small choir, beautiful
sounds can be produced.

During the Primate’s sermon, he congratulated the community for their
resolve to bring the presence of the Armenian Church to Kansas City. He also
committed himself to returning next year to consecrate the entire church
sanctuary.

Two of the founding members of the community-Zaven Hatutian and Armen
Hovsepian-were granted the “St. Vartan Award” for their many years of
service to the St. Garabed Armenian Church of Kansas City. Both gentlemen
were visibly moved by this honor.

Following a requiem service, the Primate moved to the newly installed
baptismal font, which he proceeded to consecrate. Assisted by Fr. Abdalian,
who first washed the font with water and wine, the Primate sealed the four
corners and the center of the font with holy chrism. He placed priestly
vestments on it, along with six candlesticks.

With his final blessing, the community gathered in the church hall to share
a meal once again with the Primate. Armenian songs were sung led by Tatev
Amiryan, Maestro Khoren, and Njdeh Asisian.

###

Photos attached.
Photo 1: Archbishop Barsamian (left) and Fr. Tateos Abdalian during the
celebration of the Divine Liturgy in Kansas City.
Photo 2: Parishioners play tavloo with Archbishop Barsamian.
Photo 3: Archbishop Barsamian congratulates Zaven Hatutian and Armen
Hovsepian, recipients of the “St. Vartan Award.”

Georgia not going to introduce visa regime with Armenia

18:01, 26 August, 2014

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. Starting on September 1, Georgia will
apply a new visa regime for all foreign citizens. If previously
citizens of 118 countries could visit Georgia without a visa, now the
list of these countries is reduced to 94.Only citizens of countries
with which Georgia has a visa-free regime can visit Georgia without an
entry visa. This includes Armenia: Armenian citizens can visit Georgia
for 90 days within a 180-day period without an entry visa. This means
that there is no visa requirement for working trips, meetings or
leisure purposes.

As reports “Armenpress”, the purpose of the Law on the LegalStatus of
Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons recently adopted by the
Georgian government is to regulate “integration relations” with other
countries.

Those, who will visit Georgia for the purposes of education, work or
family reunification, will need to apply for visa to the embassy of
their respective country in Georgia, based on which they will then
receive a residence permit.

Resettlement in Artsakh is underway, NKR Spokesman says

Tuesday 26 August 2014 11:27
Photo: Mediamax

Ashot Ghulyan

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Chairman of NKR National Assembly Ashot Ghulyan
said that the settlement process in Arstakh is going on and several
dozens of people settle in Artsakh on a yearly basis.

Ashot Ghulyan said this during his meeting with journalists, Mediamax reports.

“Relying on Arstakh demographic development program, we will
consistently be working toward resettlement in Arstakh regions. Our
will is to organize resettlement of simultaneously several thousand
people in Arstakh but we don’t have large our economic and financial
capacities and we can’t embark on such a large-scale work yet”, he
said. The Spokesman noted that the program for resettlement of Syrian
Armenians in Artsakh has also been implemented.

According to Ashot Ghulyan, they simultaneously take steps to address
the issues of remote communities.

Mher Hovhannisyan takes first prize at Brasschaat Open

14:39 26/08/2014 » SPORT

Armenian IM Mher Hovhannisyan (Belgium) scored 7.5 points out of 9 and
took the first prize among 166 participants at the Brasschaat Open
chess tournament (Belgium). GM Erik van den Doel (Netherlands) had the
same result, but he was behind the Armenian chess player with
additional points, armchess.am reported.

Source: Panorama.am