Author: Badalian Vardan

Verelq: Robert Kocharyan’s team is preparing a big event

Badalian Vardan

“Hraparak” newspaper writes:


“The team of the second president of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, is preparing a big event, which will probably take place on March 16, at the sports concert complex named after Karen Demirchyan. On that day, it will be announced about the alliance led by Kocharyan, which will participate in the national elections on June 7.


There will be 2 forces in the alliance: the Armenian Revolutionary Alliance and the right-centered party of Sevak Khachatryan, candidate for the mayor of Etchmiadzin. Although the passing threshold for alliances was raised before this election from 7 to 8 percent, the second president’s team has no doubts that they will overcome the threshold, one more thing.


Although the government and its propaganda machine insist on the opposite. By the way, the first three of the alliance are 21 years old. Robert Kocharyan, Ishkhan Saghatelyan, Anna Grigoryan: Last time, the fourth number was Vahe Hakobyan, the chairman of the “Reviving Armenia” party, this time it will probably be Sevak Khachatryan.

—

RFE/RL Armenian Service – 02/26/2024

Badalian Vardan 
                                        Monday, 


Aliyev Insists On Azeri Terms Of Peace With Armenia

        • Ruzanna Stepanian

Turkey -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets his Azerbaijani 
counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Ankara, February 19, 2024.


Armenia has no choice but to accept Azerbaijan’s terms of a peace deal, 
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Monday ahead of fresh talks between 
the two nations.

“Armenia, which is trying to find a new master and is throwing itself into 
others’ arms, should realize that its only option is to accept all the 
conditions of Azerbaijan and give up its territorial claims to Azerbaijan,” he 
said during a visit to Nagorno-Karabakh recaptured by Baku last September.

The warning came just over a week after Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian met in Munich for talks hosted by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The 
two leaders agreed that their foreign ministers will meet soon for further 
discussions on an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that the ministers 
will meet in Berlin on Wednesday and Thursday. It did not say whether German 
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will attend the talks.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said earlier in the day that 
Armenian and Azerbaijani officials will negotiate “in the coming days.” He noted 
that despite a lack of face-to-face contacts between them, the two sides have 
continued to exchange written proposals on the peace treaty in recent months.

Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanian said last week that they still 
disagree on some key terms of the treaty. Pashinian complained, meanwhile, that 
the Azerbaijani leadership remains reluctant to recognize Armenia’s borders 
“without ambiguity.”

Pashinian went on to accuse Azerbaijan of planning military aggression against 
Armenia. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry rejected the claim as “absolutely 
baseless.”

“The last five months have been the calmest period along the presumptive border 
between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Bayramov said on Monday. He accused the 
European Union and France in particular of seeking to whip up tensions there.

Bayramov specifically reiterated Baku’s discontent with an EU monitoring mission 
deployed on the Armenian side of the border and denounced France for continuing 
to support Armenia in the conflict.

Meeting with Pashinian in Paris last Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron 
said Azerbaijan should explicitly recognize Armenia’s territorial integrity. His 
defense minister, Sebastien Lecornu, delivered a new batch of French military 
equipment acquired by Armenia during an ensuing visit to Yerevan. Lecornu 
stressed that Armenia will use that hardware only if it is attacked by one of 
its neighbors.




Armenian Church Also Opposes New Constitution

        • Robert Zargarian

Armenia - The Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apsotolic Church starts 
a meeting in Echmiadzin, February 20, 2024.


The Armenian Apostolic Church has added its voice to opposition criticism of 
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s plans to try to enact a new constitution 
demanded by Azerbaijan.

The issue was on the agenda of a five-day session of the church’s Supreme 
Spiritual Council that drew to a close in Echmiadzin at the weekend.

“The Supreme Spiritual Council found the initiative to adopt a new Constitution 
very bewildering, especially given that it is widely perceived in public circles 
also as a consequence of external coercion,” read an official statement on the 
session chaired by Catholicos Garegin II.

“It was noted that the discourse of various high-ranking Armenian officials as 
well as the president of Azerbaijan regarding the adoption of the new 
Constitution only deepens existing suspicions,” it said.

Pashinian declared last month that Armenia needs a new constitution reflecting 
the “new geopolitical environment” in the region. Analysts believe that he first 
and foremost wants to get rid of a preamble to the current constitution that 
makes reference to a 1990 declaration of independence adopted by the republic’s 
first post-Communist parliament. The declaration in turn cites a 1989 
unification act adopted by the legislative bodies of Soviet Armenia and the then 
Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on February 1 that Armenia should remove 
that reference if it wants to cut a peace deal with his country. Armenian 
opposition leaders portrayed Aliyev’s statement as further proof that Pashinian 
is planning to change the constitution at the behest of Baku. Pashinian has 
denied the opposition claims while saying that Armenia “will never have peace” 
as long as it sticks to the 1990 declaration.

The church council defended the country’s existing constitution, saying that it 
is anchored in “the cherished past of our people” and their “national 
aspirations.” It also condemned Azerbaijan’s “expansionist ambitions” and 
“continuing encroachments” on Armenian territory.

Armenia - Catholicos Garegin II leads Christmass mass at the St. Gregory the 
Illuminator Cathedral in Yerevan, January 6, 2024.

Pashinian’s relationship with the ancient church, to which the vast majority of 
Armenians belong, has increasingly deteriorated since the 2020 war in 
Nagorno-Karabakh. Garegin and other senior clergymen joined the Armenian 
opposition in calling for Pashinian’s resignation following Armenia’s defeat in 
the six-week war.

Pashinian and other senior Armenian officials have boycotted Christmas and 
Easter liturgies led by Garegin for the past three years. In May 2023, the 
premier accused the church of meddling in politics, prompting a scathing 
response from Garegin’s office.

Tensions between the government and the church rose further last October when 
Garegin blamed Pashinian for Azerbaijan’s recapture of Karabakh and the 
resulting mass exodus of the region’s ethnic Armenian population. The church had 
repeatedly condemned Pashinian for recognizing Azerbaijani sovereignty over 
Karabakh before Baku’s September 19-20 military offensive.

The Supreme Spiritual Council concluded its session as over 200 supporters of 
Garegin gathered at the church’s Mother See following reports that an obscure 
group of Armenians planned to hold the same day a rally in Echmiadzin to demand 
his resignation.

The town’s municipal administration sanctioned the rally, slated for February 
24, late last month but revoked the permission shortly afterwards amid an uproar 
from vocal critics of the Armenian government. They claimed that Pashinian is 
behind the attempted rally.

The crowd that gathered on Saturday to show support for the church’s supreme 
head included several opposition figures, notably Levon Kocharian, a parliament 
deputy from the opposition Hayastan alliance led by his father and former 
Armenian President Robert Kocharian.

Another senior Hayastan member, Ishkhan Saghatelian, last week warned Pashinian 
against pressing ahead with his plans for the new constitution. He said that the 
Armenian opposition would “do everything” to turn a possible constitutional 
referendum on into a popular vote of no confidence in the premier.




Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Said To Visit Armenia

        • Artak Khulian
        • Shoghik Galstian

Spain - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian talks to Ukraine's President 
Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a European summit in Granada, October 5, 2023.


Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is planning to visit Armenia next week 
amid the South Caucasus country’s mounting tensions with Russia, a diplomatic 
source told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

The visit will likely take place on March 4, the source said, adding that 
Zelenskiy will also travel to Azerbaijan in that case.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry pointedly declined to confirm or deny the 
information, saying only that it informs the public about the visits of foreign 
leaders “in due course.”

Ukraine’s charge d‘affaires in Yerevan, Valeri Lobach, was also coy about the 
possibility of such a trip. “The spring will bring positive events to Armenia,” 
he told reporters on Friday.

News of Zelenskiy’s possible trip followed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s 
recent visits to Germany and France during which he stepped up his criticism of 
Russia. In particular, Pashinian for the first time denounced the Russian 
invasion of Ukraine, saying that it violated a December 1991 declaration in 
which newly independent Soviet republics recognized each other’s Soviet-era 
borders.

Lawmakers representing Pashinian’s ruling Civil Contract party on Monday gave 
more indications that the Ukrainian president, who has not visited any 
non-Baltic ex-Soviet state since the outbreak of the war with Russia, is due in 
Yerevan.

“After all, the president of Ukraine is the elected leader of his country, and 
just like other heads of state, can visit Armenia unless there are some special 
hurdles,” one of them, Babken Tunian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during 'Ukraine. Year 2024' 
conference, in Kyiv, .

“We don’t care about how Russia will or will not react [to Zelenskiy’s visit,]” 
said another pro-government lawmaker, Gagik Melkonian.

There has been no such reaction from Moscow yet. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov 
said on February 19 that Russia and Armenia now have “diametrically opposite 
views” on the war in Ukraine.

Relations between the two longtime allies have further deteriorated in recent 
months, with the Russian Foreign Ministry accusing Pashinian of “destroying” 
them.

Dmitry Suslov, a senior analyst with Russia’s Kremlin-linked Council on Foreign 
and Defense Policy, told the Sputnik news agency on Monday that Zelenskiy’s 
visit to Armenia could mark “the point of no return” in the erosion of bilateral 
ties. Suslov claimed that it would be part of the West’s efforts to reorient 
Armenia towards the United States and the European Union.

Armenian opposition leaders have expressed serious concern about the 
far-reaching change in Armenia’s traditional foreign policy, saying that it is 
reckless in the absence of security guarantees or military aid offered by 
Western powers.

Pashinian embarked on the apparent rapprochement with Ukraine last year despite 
Kyiv’s strong support for Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.



Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2024 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Azerbaijan-Armenia relations moving forward again

Badalian Vardan
ARAB NEWS, Saudi Arabia
Feb 25 2024

YASAR YAKIS


Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met on Feb. 17 during the Munich Security Conference. It was a nice surprise that both leaders were able to make it to Germany.
There is now a thaw in Azerbaijani-Armenian relations. Using this opportunity, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz facilitated a meeting and personally participated in it. This was followed by a bilateral meeting between Aliyev and Pashinyan. The two leaders agreed on a number of issues, including the continuation of the peace talks between their countries and the demarcation of borders. It appears that Pashinyan was not fully happy with Aliyev’s hinting at the question of demarcation of the borders, but we have to admit that the dust cannot be swept under the carpet indefinitely.
With the end of Armenia’s occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, a new window of opportunity is open in the region. It is important not to let this window close again. In this advice, there is also an allusion to encourage Azerbaijan to be more forthcoming.
Pashinyan may be counting on the support of the strong Armenian diaspora in the US during the presidential election at the end of this year. The Armenian diaspora in Russia is also strong, but we do not know how Moscow will use this leverage. One has to admit that Azerbaijan also has stakes in its hand and will probably use them when the opportunity arises.
The question of the Meghri corridor is one of the thorniest issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia and perhaps the most difficult to solve. Article 9 of the ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia President Vladimir Putin in November 2022 states: “All economic and transport connections in the region shall be unblocked. The Republic of Armenia shall guarantee the security of transport connections between the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in order to arrange unobstructed movement of persons, vehicles and cargo in both directions.”
The future status of the Meghri corridor could not be defined more clearly than that.
During a live broadcast that Pashinyan made and that lasted several hours, he said he was convinced that the only thing that can ensure 100 percent peace is a lasting “de jure fixed binding peace.” He claimed that the trilateral ceasefire did not specifically mention the Meghri corridor. The name “Meghri” may not be mentioned in the text, but an entire paragraph of the ceasefire agreement was exclusively about this corridor. The corridor will facilitate transport links between Russia, Georgia and Iran on the one hand and between the Nakhchivan exclave and Azerbaijan on the other. In addition, it will also facilitate the connection between Turkiye and — through the Caspian Sea — the Central Asian states.

A new era may be dawning in the Caucasus, but it has to be handled with the utmost care.

Yasar Yakis

Two days after the Munich Security Conference, another important meeting was held in Ankara between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Aliyev. In this meeting, Erdogan reiterated his full support for the signing of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He said: “There is no doubt that the signing of a lasting peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia will be a new source of hope for peace and stability in our region and the world.”
A few hours before the Erdogan-Aliyev meeting, the spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry made an important point that should not be missed. According to the Armenian Constitution, the Nagorno-Karabakh territories that have been taken back by Azerbaijan are still shown in Armenian maps as belonging to Armenia. Hopefully, adjustments will be made in due course.
Other issues of cooperation were also raised in the meeting between Erdogan and Aliyev.
The Gaza war and other developments in the international arena have put Pashinyan in a difficult position because, under pressure from Washington and Paris, he last year ratified the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court to bring charges against Putin, meaning Yerevan would be obliged to arrest the Russian leader should he visit the country. On Feb. 2, Pashinyan announced that he would no longer rely on Russia’s protection and that Armenia had to have a new defense structure. This further exacerbated Moscow’s attitude toward Armenia. This is a major shift in Armenia’s attitude.
Substantive negotiations have recently been initiated between Azerbaijan and Armenia. They are being held in various Gulf countries. When the two countries are left alone, they make more progress in their talks. Problems arise when the Armenian diaspora in France and the US pour fuel on the fire.
Since the last Nagorno-Karabakh war of 2020, the Council of Europe has played a negative role by raising human rights issues in Azerbaijan. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has initiated a procedure to suspend Baku’s membership, claiming that human rights violations were committed during the clashes. However, the atrocities committed by Armenians exceeded by far what was done by Azerbaijanis. On Feb. 26, 1992, for example, 613 defenseless Azerbaijanis suffered untold atrocities and were killed.
Turkiye has strongly opposed the suspension of Azerbaijan but some members of the council seized this opportunity to criticize both Ankara and Baku at the same time. Such an attitude will not lead the Council of Europe anywhere. Even if Azerbaijan’s membership of the Council of Europe is suspended, it could survive without being a member.
The initiative of the Council of Europe may also negatively affect the reconciliation process that was launched between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
A new era may be dawning in the Caucasus, but it has to be handled with the utmost care.

  • Yasar Yakis is a former foreign minister of Turkiye and founding member of the ruling AK Party. X: @yakis_yasar

Turkish Press: Historic window of opportunity for lasting peace in Karabakh should not be closed, says Turkish president

Badalian Vardan
Yeni Safak
Feb 20 2024

Historic window of opportunity for lasting peace in Karabakh should not be closed, says Turkish president

Signing of permanent peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia will be new source of hope for peace, and stability in our region and world, says Recep Tayyip Erdogan

With the end of Armenia's decades-long occupation of Karabakh, a historic opportunity opened for lasting peace in the region, said the Turkish president on Monday.

When Azerbaijan in fall 2020 and last September brought an end to Armenia's nearly 30-year occupation of Karabakh, a historic window of opportunity opened for lasting peace in the Southern Caucasus, said Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking in the capital Ankara alongside Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev.

It is “crucial” that this window does not close, Erdogan added.

“It is undoubtedly certain that the signing of a permanent peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia will be a new source of hope for peace, tranquility, and stability in our region and the world,” said Erdogan.

He said that during this process, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have stood “shoulder to shoulder.”

“I believe that Armenia should evaluate this process with a long-term, strategic perspective. We also invite third parties to contribute constructively to the process rather than poisoning it,” he said.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Azerbaijan liberated most of the region during the war in the fall of 2020, which ended with a Russian-brokered peace agreement, opening the door to normalization.

Baku initiated an anti-terrorism operation in Karabakh last September to establish constitutional order, after which illegal separatist forces in the region surrendered.

Erdogan on Monday welcomed Aliyev in the capital Ankara to discuss all aspects of bilateral relations, as well as steps to further cooperation between the two countries.

Aliyev's visit to Ankara is his first trip abroad since being reelected earlier this month.

– Council of Europe and Azerbaijan

On more recent developments, Erdogan said Türkiye will continue to work to get Azerbaijan's credentials validated at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

“We will continue our support and efforts for Azerbaijan until the decision (not ratifying their credentials) is overturned,” Erdogan said.

Last month, PACE voted to deny validation to the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation to the body, alleging that it has not fulfilled major commitments under its Council of Europe membership.

Erdogan added that Türkiye will continue stressing that PACE should be a platform for “parliamentary democracy rather than conflict.”

– Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations on trade, transportation

Erdogan said the potential in the transportation and energy sectors between Baku and Ankara must be enhanced “in a period of critical challenges.”

“The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line is essentially one of the most concrete examples of this. It is crucial to complete our renovation efforts urgently to achieve the highest efficiency from this line. During my visit to Nakhchivan, the Turkish Gate, in September, I, along with Aliyev, signed the memorandum of understanding for the Kars-Nakhchivan railway with this understanding,” he said.

Erdogan added that expanding the capacity of Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and facilitating the transportation of Caspian natural gas to both Türkiye and Europe are key focuses in Ankara's agenda within this sector.

“We added a new dimension to our energy cooperation with the Igdir-Nakhchivan natural gas pipeline project initiated during my visit to Nakhchivan,” last September, said Erdogan.

On trade ties, Erdogan said: “The total Turkish-Azerbaijani trade volume last year reached $7.5 billion for the first time. We will step up our efforts to achieve a $15 billion target,” Erdogan added.

Erdogan also expressed hope that recent incidents on the border of the two countries that wounded one Azerbaijani soldier would not be repeated.

“Our family council continues to work towards further institutionalization and strengthening of our unity within the Organization of Turkic States,” Erdogan said.

-⁠ ⁠Turkish-Azerbaijani unity important factor for Eurasia

For his part, Aliyev described his visit to Türkiye following his reelection earlier this month as “natural,” saying that Turkish-Azerbaijani unity is an important factor not only for the region but also for the Eurasian continent as a whole.

Aliyev said Türkiye has reached new heights with Erdogan's efforts, and has gotten a say on the global level, adding that Türkiye is also the guarantor of “peace, stability and cooperation” in the southern Caucasus.

Türkiye stood by Azerbaijan, which “solved the historical problem that it could not solve by peaceful means on the battlefield," and his people will not forget Türkiye's support during this time, said Aliyev, referring to its regaining full sovereignty over its territory of Karabakh after a nearly 30-year occupation.

He added that the anti-terror operation Azerbaijan carried out in the Karabakh region last September “fully affirmed” the country's sovereignty.

Aliyev also said Azerbaijan and Türkiye share an outlook in all matters and are adding to their strength based on a declaration cementing their alliance.

“The unification of the Turkic world, the coexistence of peoples with common cultures, will increase the strength of each member of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS),” he added.

Repeating his Turkish counterpart's remarks that an extraordinary OTS summit in Shusha, Azerbaijan will be held in July, Aliyev said Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar will also attend, a move which he said will “give impetus to the unity of the Turkic people.”

Aliyev said he is very pleased that their trade with Türkiye is growing rapidly, much more than they could have ever dreamed.

He also said that military collaboration is also an important aspect of cooperation between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, describing the armies of both countries as “like a fist.”

He went on to say he and Erdogan had extensive discussions regarding the defense industry sector, and that they have “concrete plans” for joint production.

Ameriabank executives to retain management – Bank of Georgia Group chairman

Badalian Vardan

 13:36,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Ameriabank and Bank of Georgia Group (BOGG) PLC have completed negotiations. Ameriabank can now join the BOGG international group. The next phase envisages the confirmation of the deal, and meanwhile BOGG chairman Mel Carvill has visited Armenia on the occasion of the successful completion of the negotiations.

In an interview with journalist Eric Hacopian, Carvill spoke about Armenia’s investment appeal, presented BOGG, the details of the possible deal and its importance for both sides.

He also spoke about the opportunities that the deal would provide in case of confirmation. The BOGG chairman said that greater security and stability guarantees will be created for the bank’s customers, because Ameriabank will be part of a major banking group and thus have direct access to global capital markets. At the same time, Carvill said that Ameriabank will continue shaping its success story by remaining the leading Armenian bank. “The current management team will also continue to manage the bank,” he said.

[see video]

Feu! Chatterton chante la mémoire de Missak Manouchian, bientôt panthéonisé

Badalian Vardan
Le Figaro, France
18 fev 2024
Par Le Figaro avec AFP

Depuis 2021, le groupe de rock parisien Feu! Chatterton reprend le titre L'Affiche rouge de Léo Ferré, célébrant Missak Manouchian, héros de la résistance fusillé il y a 80 ans et honoré au Panthéon mercredi 21 février.

«La question, c'est pourquoi il n'y est pas entré plus tôt ?», s'interroge le chanteur Arthur Teboul aux côtés de l’instrumentaliste Sébastien Wolf concernant l’intronisation au Panthéon, mercredi 21 février, de Missak Manouchian. «Parfois, les chansons nous choisissent» : Feu! Chatterton, groupe de rock lettré, reprend depuis fin 2021 en concert L'Affiche rouge, chanson de Léo Ferré célébrant le héros de la résistance fusillé il y a 80 ans.

Arthur Teboul et Sébastien Wolf sont à l'origine d'un moment suspendu, récemment dans l'émission télé musicale Taratata . Quand ils jouent L'Affiche rouge, le public s'attend à une séquence débridée. «On n'avait rien dit. On l'a faite pendant les balances (répétitions) et, là, Nagui ne bougeait plus, puis il a dit: “vous le faites ce soir !”», se souvient Sébastien Wolf, seul au clavier pour une nappe sonore en apesanteur. «En concert, le silence se fait et, à la fin, les gens nous parlent de quoi ? De cette chanson. Mais c'est la chanson qui est forte, nous ne sommes que des passeurs», décrit Arthur Teboul. On peut saisir l'émotion du public, alors que le titre atterrit pendant les rappels, dans l'album Live à Paris enregistré en avril 2022 au Zénith.

«Arthur la chantonnait depuis longtemps en loges et, un jour, on s'est dit: “vas-y, on la joue ce soir !”», rembobine Sébastien Wolf. «C'était comme une évidence : c'était à l'automne 2021, pile pendant la montée d'Éric Zemmour lors de la campagne présidentielle», décrypte le multi-instrumentiste. «Il y avait comme une correspondance avec cette chanson dans notre set et la période politique». Le musicien espère faire réfléchir, dans un public «de tout bord politique». «Ceux qui ont fait de mauvais choix, à cause de la crise, de la peur, peut-être comprendront-ils que ce n'est pas l'étranger le problème».

Rescapé du génocide arménien, apatride, réfugié en France, Missak Manouchian rejoignit la résistance communiste (Francs-tireurs et partisans – Main-d'oeuvre immigrée/FTP-MOI), parmi laquelle il s'illustra à la tête d'un réseau très actif. Arrêté, il fut fusillé par les Allemands à 37 ans, le 21 février 1944, avec une vingtaine de ses camarades. Dix d'entre eux figuraient sur l'Affiche rouge placardée dans les rues par l'occupant, qui les présentait comme «l'armée du crime».

Louis Aragon rendra hommage en 1955 à ces «vingt et trois étrangers et nos frères pourtant» dans son poème Strophes pour se souvenir, s'inspirant de la dernière lettre que Missak Manouchian adressa à sa femme Mélinée (qui lui survécut 45 ans et entrera également au Panthéon). Un poème repris en chanson en 1961 par Léo Ferré. Un vinyle en édition limitée, avec Missak Manouchian sur la pochette, paraît d'ailleurs vendredi avec les versions de Léo Ferré et de Feu! Chatterton.

«Dans le groupe, plusieurs d'entre nous ont des grands-parents qui ont connu la guerre dans la résistance ou ont été déportés. Ça résonne énormément chez nous mais ça résonne encore plus avec l'actualité», reprend Sébastien Wolf. Et de souligner le «besoin de se rappeler ce qui s'est passé il n'y a pas si longtemps en France». Les mots posés par Aragon remontent à près de 70 ans. «Ça peut paraître loin mais on réalise à quel point ces mots ont une acuité qui fait flipper», rebondit Arthur Teboul.

«Il suffit de pas grand-chose, un peu de confort, de lâcheté, pour laisser les choses s'installer – la haine de l'étranger – et on est pris au piège, c'est trop tard», synthétise le chanteur. «Nous sommes des chansonniers, nous ne pouvons qu'éveiller un sentiment, parler à hauteur d'humain, dire comment tu trouves en l'autre ton égal», conclut-il.

https://www.lefigaro.fr/musique/feu-chatterton-chante-la-memoire-de-missak-manouchian-bientot-pantheonise-20240218

Armenpress: Armenian gymnasts Artur Avetisyan, Vahagn Davtyan enter World Cup finals

Badalian Vardan

 09:45,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 16, ARMENPRESS. Two Armenian gymnasts have so far made it to the World Cup finals in Cairo, Egypt.

Artur Avetisyan entered the finals with 15,533 points in the Rings exercise. Vahagn Davtyan made it to the finals with an equal amount of points.

Gagik Khachikyan and Harutyun Merdinyan did not qualify for the finals in the Pommel Horse.

Artur Davtyan’s qualifying performance in the Vault is scheduled for February 16.

Armenpress: British delegation visits Jermuk

Badalian Vardan

 21:28,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS.  The British parliamentary delegation accompanied by the Chair of the Armenian National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Sargis Khandanyan and Armenian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the UK, Varuzhan Nersisyan visited Jermuk, Jermuk community leader Vahagn Arsenyan said on social media.

The meeting held in the Jermuk community hall was followed by the meeting with the forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno Karabakh.

The delegation also visited parts of the city of Jermuk, which were affected by the Azerbaijani military aggression in September 2022.

Brussels hosts EU-Armenia Partnership Council meeting

Badalian Vardan

 15:53,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, ARMENPRESS. The fifth meeting of the EU-Armenia Partnership Council is underway in Brussels.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Josep Borrell, the Vice President of the European Commission, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy are participating in the meeting.

The agenda of the meeting includes a wide range of issues: the implementation process of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, including the reforms implemented in Armenia and their results. The prospects of deepening the Armenia-EU partnership in various fields will also be touched upon, taking into account the current priorities and existing challenges. The security situation in the South Caucasus and regional issues will also be discussed.

Sports: Armenian Wrestling Star Malkhas Amoyan Secures Spot in European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship Finals

Badalian Vardan
Feb 12 2024

: Armenian wrestling prodigy, Malkhas Amoyan, clinches a spot in the finals of the European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship. The 77 kg category titan overpowered Moldova's Alexandrin Gutu with a 2-1 victory in the semi-finals, securing his chance at the gold in Bucharest, Romania.

Malkhas Amoyan, a two-time European champion and world champion, has once again etched his name in the annals of Armenian wrestling. His latest achievement at the ongoing European Championships has captivated audiences worldwide. Amoyan's impressive victories against Italian Riccardo Vito Abbrescia and Russian Adlet Tyulubaev in the earlier rounds showcased his unwavering determination and expertise.

In the high-stakes semi-finals against Alexandrin Gutu, Amoyan exhibited remarkable strength and tactical prowess. The intense bout saw both wrestlers vying for dominance. However, Amoyan's experience and skill ultimately prevailed, securing his coveted place in the finals.

Meanwhile, Manvel Khachatryan, another formidable contender from the Armenian wrestling team, competed in the 55 kg category. Despite a valiant effort, Khachatryan succumbed to Moldovan wrestler Artem Dileanu in the semi-finals. The bout ended with a score of 2-2, with the deciding point scored by Dileanu. However, Khachatryan will have the opportunity to redeem himself and vie for the bronze medal on February 13.

As the European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship unfolds, all eyes are on Malkhas Amoyan as he prepares to face Turkey's Emre Basar in the finals. Will Amoyan clinch his third championship in the 77 kg weight category? The stage is set for a thrilling conclusion to this international wrestling spectacle.

In the realm of Greco-Roman wrestling, where strength and strategy intertwine, Malkhas Amoyan's journey serves as a testament to the indomitable spirit of Armenian athletes. As the curtains close on the European Championships, the world watches with bated breath, eager to witness the next chapter in this grand saga of human endurance and will.

https://bnnbreaking.com/sports/armenian-wrestling-star-malkhas-amoyan-secures-spot-in-european-greco-roman-wrestling-championship-finals