Author: Badalian Vardan

SHAKHNAZARYAN VS. LORA ADDED TO AVANESYAN-MABUZA BILL

Boxing Scene
March 25 2014

By Alexey Sukachev

It looks like a big Armenian homecoming as yet another talented
Russia-born Armenian has been added to the fight card on April 18 in
Krasnodar, the capital of the region with a huge Armenian population.

The entire show is being promoted by Kirill Pchenlinkov and his
boxing company.

A new and welcome add-on to the list is Aik “Humanoid” Shakhnazaryan
(11-0, 4 KOs), a 20-year old light welterweight boxer-puncher, who has
been riding pretty high recently. Shakhnazaryan, who is coming off
an impressive second-round stoppage of former amateur star Alisher
Rakhimov just two weeks ago, will have a chance to capture the WBO
Europe 140lb title.

Humanoid is in for a tough test of his manhood against dangerous WBO
#14 Dominican upset artist Felix Lora (17-10-5, 9 KOs), a reigning
beltholder. Lora has sensationally outpointed 33-2 former world title
challenger Sergey Fedchenko in his recent outing while fighting on
his opponent’s home turf. He has previously stolen 0’s from Polish
fighters Krzysztof Szot (14-0-1) and Krysztof Cieslak (15-0), Italian
Massimiliano Ballisai (15-0) and American Marlon Davis (9-0-1).

In the main event, welterweight David Avanesyan (16-1-1, 9 KOs)
takes on former IBO light welterweight champion and ex-world title
challenger Kaizer Mabuza (25-10-3, 15 KOs).

MOTHER SEE OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN CONDEMNS TERRORIST ATTACKS IN KESSAB

22:08 25.03.2014

On March 24, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians, had a telephone conversation with His Holiness Aram
I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, concerning the seizure
of Kessab and the surrounding areas, which led to the evacuation of
the Armenian population and several Armenian families, as well as
the destruction and shelling of homes and sacred places.

The Catholicos of All Armenians expressed his deep concerns about
the events and condemned the extremists’ terrorist actions against
the peaceful civilians, which was being supported by Turkey. During
the conversation, His Holiness Karekin II expressed his support to
Catholicos Aram I.

His Holiness also had a telephone conversation with His Grace Bishop
ArmashNalbandian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Damascus,
regarding the current situation in Kessab.

During a consultation at the Mother See, the Catholicos of All
Armenians affirmed that the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and its
diocesan structures dispersed throughout the Diaspora will continue
to support the Syrian-Armenians, praying for the re-establishment of
peace in the lives of the pious people of Syria and the safe return
of the deported and refugee families.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS DISRUPT INTERNATIONAL MINING CONFERENCE IN YEREVAN

03.25.2014 13:53 epress.am

Local environmental activists today interrupted an international
conference organized by the Government of the Republic of Armenia and
the World Bank titled “Responsible Mining in Armenia: Opportunities
and Challenges” held in Yerevan’s Armenia Marriott Hotel March 25-26.

As reported by Lragir [AM], the activists entered the conference room,
holding signs with such inscriptions as “The World Bank participates
in pillaging Armenia”, “Hands off Armenia” and “We know who the owners
of the mines are”. The activists also brought with them water from
local water basins and suggested conference participants, including
Minister of Nature Protection Aram Harutyunyan, drink it.

Earlier, the activists had issued an open letter to conference
participants.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO THE KING OF SPAIN

13:16 25.03.2014

President Serzh Sargsyan today sent a letter of condolences to the
King of Spain Juan Carlos I on the demise of the President of the
Spanish Government from 1976-1981 Adolfo Suarez Gonzalez, President’s
Press Office reports.

On behalf of the Armenian people and himself personally, President
Sargsyan expressed honest condolences and support to Juan Carlos I,
the friendly Spanish people and the family members and the closest
circle of Adolfo Suarez Gonzalez.

TWO PHARAOH STATUES UNVEILED IN EGYPT; GERMAN-ARMENIA ARCHAEOLOGIST LEADING THE PROJECT OF THEIR CONSERVATION

15:16 25.03.2014

Archaeologists have revealed two massive statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep
III in the famous Egyptian city of Luxor, at their original sites in
the funerary temple of the king, on the west bank of the Nile.

The two colossal statues will add to an existing pair of monoliths in
the temple, which is already world famous for the 3,400-year-old Memmon
colossi – twin statues of Amenhotep III who ruled during the political
and cultural zenith of ancient Egyptian civilization, AFP reports.

The new statues have been extensively restored, as they have
experienced severe damage over the centuries, according to Hourig
Sourouzian, the German-Armenia archaeologist who is leading the
project to conserve the entire Amenhotep III temple.

“The world until now knew two Memmon colossi, but from today it will
know four colossi of Amenhotep III,” Sourouzian said.

“The statues had lain in pieces for centuries in the fields, damaged by
destructive forces of nature like earthquakes, and later by irrigation
water, salt encroachment and vandalism,” she added.

One of the new statues is of the pharaoh seated; it weighs 250 tons
and is 11.5 meters tall and 3.6 meters wide. It is now missing its
double crown, which would have made it 13.5 meters high and 450 tons
in weight.

Sourouzian said that her team is trying to conserve all these monuments
and the temple itself, which had been left to the mercy of the elements
and suffered at the hands of man.

“Every ruin, every monument has its right to be treated decently. The
idea is to stop the dismantling of monuments and keep them at their
sites,” she said.

ARS ALLOCATES $125,000 TO ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN SYRIA

By Contributor // March 24, 2014

The Armenian Relief Society Central Executive Board released the
following statement.

In its 22nd plenary meeting, held from March 20-24 in Boston, the
Armenian Relief Society Central Executive Board discussed various
functions being planned for the 100th Commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide in 2015. In addition, as part of its full humanitarian agenda,
the Central Executive Board focused particular attention on assistance
projects for the Syrian-Armenian community.

In view of the recent armed aggression on Kessab, Syria, with
obvious Turkish military assistance, which has resulted in the forced
evacuation of its Armenian population, and after numerous contacts
with the local and ARS Syria regional officials, the board voted to
help the Kessab refugees now sheltered in Latakia with an allocation
of $15,000 to cover their immediate basic needs.

With regard to the on-going assistance program, it was also decided:

To continue, unabated, the active participation of ARS entities in
the united community efforts;

To allocate, at this juncture, $25,000 to the on-going “Warm Meal”
project, started in November, 2012;

To allocate $75,000 to the “School Fund” for the present academic year,
within the context of the aid to Syrian-Armenian schools; and

To allocate $10,000 via ARS Syria Executive Board, to programs designed
to meet the Aleppo Armenians’ basic needs.

Encouraged by the total commitment of the world-wide ARS entities,
the Central Executive Board follows the critical situation in Syria,
formulating new assistance programs as the need arises.

Armenian Relief Society Central Executive Board

NAGORNO-KARABAKH MP SUGGESTS FORMING ARMED GROUPS FOR DEFENDING KESAB

Tuesday, March 25, 18:26

Member of the Nagorno-Karabakh Parliament, veteran of the Nagorno-
Karabakh war Vahan Badasyan has suggested forming armed groups for
defending Armenians in the Syrian town of Kesab.

He said that he is ready to command such a group and urged all
Armenians having military experience to join him.

The Al-Nusra and Islamic Front terrorist groups have attacked Kesab
since Mar 21. Syrian government forces and Armenian self-defenders are
rebuffing the attacks, while Turkey is supporting the attackers. On
Sunday the Turkish air forces shot down a Syrian military jet that
was pursuing a group of terrorists.

REPORTS ON THE LIBERATION OF KESSAB DISMISSED

19:46 25.03.2014

The Kessab committee of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
(SDHP) has dismissed the reports that the Syrian army liberated the
Armenian-populated city of Kessab.

“According to confirmed information, the rebels are moving towards
Latakia, where the Armenians of Kessab have found refuge,” SDHP
Chairman Narek Galstyan said in a Facebook post.

He said Kessab is being robbed with the stolen property being
transported to Turkey. Turkish servicemen are actively supporting
the rebels.

TURKEY CONTINUES ANTI-ARMENIAN POLICY – ARF YOUTH

March 25, 2014 | 13:15

YEREVAN. – On the threshold of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide,
Turkeycontinues its anti-Armenian policy whose last manifestation
is the operations, by the terrorist groups instigated by Turkey,
on the settlements near the Turkish-Syrian border.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party Nikol Aghbalyan Student Union and the
ARF Youth Union statement reads the aforesaid.

“Turkey’s blow struck against [Syria’s predominantly Armenian-populated
town of] Kessab Armenians again takes place right before the eyes
of the international community. An international community which,
by its passive posture and connivance, encourages such crimes by
Turkey and its genocidal policy against the Armenians.

“We urge the United Nations [UN] to carry out its real mission, to
condemn and prevent Turkey’s covert aggression, and launch measures
toward the Kessab residents’ return to their permanent place of
residence,” the statement also reads, in particular.

In addition, the ARF youth informed that they will stage a respective
protest on Thursday, and in front of the UN Office in Armenia.

In the early morning on March 21, armed militants from the Jabhat
al-Nusra Islamic terrorist group infiltrated into northern Syria’s
Latakia Governorate, which is predominantly inhabited by Armenians
and Alawites. Two large groups of terrorists had launched the attack
from Turkey. Numerous displaced Kessab Armenians are currently
sheltered in Latakia city. On March 23, Turkish fighter planes downed
a Syrian military aircraft that was conducting a mission against
the Islamic terrorists in Kessab. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
had promised Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia of the
ArmenianApostolicChurch to do everything possible to protect the
Armenians in Kessab.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

UKRAINE-ARMENIE : L’AMBASSADEUR EXPLIQUE QUE LES RELATIONS SONT BONNES

ARMENIE

>.

Il estime, toutefois, que les moyens diplomatiques ne sont pas
epuises et que l’Ukraine est prete a negocier avec la Russie, ainsi
qu’avec la direction de Crimee et les representants de structures
internationales, et que Kiev est pret a reconsiderer l’expansion de
l’autorite de la Crimee.

Quant a la conversation telephonique mercredi entre les presidents
de l’Armenie et de la Russie, au cours de laquelle Serge Sarkissian a
fait une declaration sur la Crimee que la situation post-referendum,
est un autre exemple de la pratique du droit a l’autodetermination
des peuples par la libre expression de la volonte, Kukhta a dit
qu’il a ete mis au courant avec le contenu de cette conversation,
mais ne peut faire aucun commentaire.

Pendant ce temps, l’ambassadeur americain en Armenie John Heffern a
declare lors de la conference internationale sur “l’OTAN et le Caucase
du Sud : des approches strategiques pour la securite regionale”,
que la declaration d’Erevan concernant la Crimee est regrettable.

L’ambassadeur d’Ukraine a egalement parle de se retirer de la CEI :