1- Reminiscing an Unforgettable Trip
To Armenia with Sen. Dole in 1997
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2- PM Nikol Pashinyan addresses the Summit for Democracy
3- Baroness Cox asks UK Government to assess ceasefire
violation by Azerbaijan, failure to return Armenian POWs
4- Armenian Artist Puts Her Reproductive Egg On Sale At Art Basel
5- Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19
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1- Reminiscing an Unforgettable Trip
To Armenia with Sen. Dole in 1997
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
A lot has been written about larger than life Sen. Bob Dole since his
passing on December 5 at the ripe old age of 98. He was a soldier,
Kansas State Representative for two years, member of the U.S. House of
Representatives for 8 years, U.S. Senator for 27 years, three-term
Senate Majority Leader for 11 years, Republican vice presidential
nominee in 1976, and presidential nominee in 1996. He was a decorated
war hero and champion of the Armenian Cause.
His life took a tragic turn after he got critically wounded in Italy
during World War II while serving in the U.S. Army, crippling his
shoulder and right arm. Armenian orthopedic surgeon Dr. Hampar
Kelikian was able to save Dole’s wounded arm, after seven surgeries
which the miraculous doctor performed free of charge.
More importantly than treating him physically, Dr. Kelikian boosted
the self-confidence of the future Senate leader to focus on what he
was left with rather than complaining about what he had lost. This was
an important lesson that Bob Dole kept in mind the rest of his life.
Dr. Kelikian was a survivor of the Armenian Genocide. He shared with
his patient, Bob Dole, the hellish experience of the Armenian
Genocide, during which he lost several members of his family and
barely survived himself. Those horrible stories left their indelible
mark on young Dole who never forgot the Armenian tragedy. When he rose
to the highest ranks of power, he did his best to bring a degree of
justice to the long-suffering Armenian nation by trying to get the
United States acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.
Dole’s valiant efforts in the Senate on behalf of the Armenian people
were thwarted by the Clinton Administration and Sen. Robert Byrd
(Democrat-West Virginia). However, 30 years later, the publicity
generated by Sen. Dole’s persistent dedication to the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide paid off. Fortunately, Bob Dole lived long
enough to see the fruits of his untiring efforts, when Pres. Joe
Biden, Bob Dole’s close friend and political rival, issued a Statement
on April 24, 2021 recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Dole sent a
personal note to Pres. Biden thanking him for his acknowledgment of
the Armenian Genocide.
I would like to share with readers my recollections of accompanying
Sen. Dole on a fact-finding trip to Armenia, October 13-15, 1997, to
assess Kirk Kerkorian’s planned multi-million dollar humanitarian
projects through his Lincy Foundation. The delegation included Alice
Kelikian, the daughter of Dr. Kelikian, Armenia’s Ambassador Rouben
Shugarian, Chairman of Lincy Jim Aljian and his wife Marjorie, two of
the Senator’s aides, and Sue Temkin, a tax attorney from Dole’s
Washington law firm. We travelled on board Kerkorian’s private jet. I
travelled with the delegation in my capacity as the person in charge
of the Lincy projects in Armenia.
In a gesture reserved to visiting heads of state, then Prime Minister
Robert Kocharyan and several high-ranking officials came to the
Yerevan airport to welcome Sen. Dole to Armenia. Also present at the
airport was the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Peter Tomsen. Although
Pres. Levon Ter-Petrossian was out of the country on a visit to
France, he spoke with Sen. Dole by telephone.
Sen. Dole, as a hero to the Armenian nation, was received
enthusiastically both by the public and officials. During the couple
of days we were in Armenia, we met with the Prime Minister, Chairman
of the Central Bank, Minister of Trade and Industry, Deputy Minister
of Economy and Finance, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (their
respective ministers were with the President in France), Chairman of
Parliament and his two deputies, Chairmen of all parliamentary
committees, local businessmen and bankers. Sen. Dole also met with
leaders of three opposition parties and held a press conference.
We visited the U.S. Embassy, where we were briefed by the Ambassador,
Commercial Attaché, and representative of USAID. We also met with
Catholicos of All-Armenians Karekin I at the Cathedral of Holy
Etchmiadzin. We toured a state-of-the-art clothing factory owned by a
businesswoman who had 500 employees. Finally, we visited the
Children’s Cardiac Center where Dr. Hrayr Hovaguimian, an
Armenian-American, was the chief surgeon.
Sen. Dole was deeply touched during his visit to the 70 young children
at the Nork Orphanage. When he learned that the staff of the orphanage
had not received their salaries for several months, he graciously
offered to provide their back pay.
Another moving experience was Sen. Dole’s visit to the Armenian
Genocide Memorial Monument and Museum where he laid a wreath. He and
Alice Kelikian planted a tree in memory of Dr. Hampar Kelikian.
This was Sen. Dole’s second trip to Armenia. He and his wife Elizabeth
visited Armenia in 1989, following the December 1988 earthquake. In
2019, the Republic of Armenia bestowed the prestigious “Order of
Honor” on Sen. Dole.
Sen. Dole was still active at the age of 97. On September 15, 2020,
Sen. Dole and his lobbying firm, Alston & Bird, signed a contract with
the Armenian government to “monitor current events relevant to
US-Armenia relations and provide strategic counsel with respect to
improvement of that relationship.” Sen. Dole wrote: “These services
may include outreach to United States Government officials as well as
Members of Congress and their staffs.” The contract was for one month
at a cost of $10,000.
The Armenian nation will long remember this great man who never forgot
the Armenian surgeon who restored his health and did his best to bring
acknowledgment to the Armenian Genocide.
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2- PM Nikol Pashinyan addresses the Summit for Democracy
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan delivered on Dec. 10 remarks at the
virtual “Summit for Democracy” initiated by US President Joe Biden.
The Prime Minister stated:
“It is my honor to represent the Republic of Armenia at today’s Summit
for Democracy. Citizens of Armenia do not take for granted the value
of government of the people, by the people, for the people. We have
fought for it throughout our modern history. By voting for
independence in 1991, we also restored a multi-party system and a
framework of political rights that is meant to empower the individual
citizen. Over the last three years, Armenians have chosen democracy
over authoritarianism twice. The first time was in 2018, following the
non-violent Velvet Revolution, and the subsequent free and fair snap
election. The second time was in 2021, following a devastating war.
Armenians went to the polls, again, to ensure that we would not return
to the ways of the past. Indeed, democracy is a perpetual work in
progress.
“We are committed to the consolidation of democracy in Armenia through
strengthening democratic institutions. By embracing transparency and
accountability, we are planning governance reforms and the
implementation of policies that will build faith both in Armenia and
among our partners abroad. By 2026, we aim to achieve continuous
improvements in comparative indicators, specifically rising from a
score of 50 to 60 in the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicator,
and 49 to 60 in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception
Index.
“We also consider tackling climate change as fundamental to democratic
governance, and are committed to building a low-emission energy sector
and a vibrant green economy.
“In our bid to consolidate our democracy, we are facing multiple
challenges. The biggest challenge for us comes in the form of military
threats to our security. Fighting for democracy at home is yet another
challenge. That challenge is compounded when threats arise from beyond
our borders. If we are to restore the appeal of democracy throughout
the world, we need to join forces to face these challenges together.
Armenia is committed to contributing to the global mission of
strengthening democracy, and we hope that we are not alone”.
The two-day event was attended by leaders and representatives of more
than a hundred countries.
Joe Biden delivered a speech at the opening of the Summit, after which
the panel discussions started. Representatives of non-governmental
organizations and the private sector also took part in the conference.
While Armenia was invited to the summit, Turkey—a NATO ally—and
Azerbaijan were not invited.
Issues related to countering threats to democracy, fighting corruption
and protecting human rights were on the agenda of the two-day debates.
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3- Baroness Cox asks UK Government to assess ceasefire
violation by Azerbaijan, failure to return Armenian POWs
Member of the House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox has asked Her
Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports of
violations of the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement by the
government of Azerbaijan, and the number of Armenian military and
civilian personnel who have yet to be released by the government of
Azerbaijan.
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, the Minister of State, Department for
the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office, said: “The Minister for Europe and Americas has
repeatedly highlighted the need for both countries to avoid
provocative actions. She has also raised the long-standing issues of
prisoners of war, detainees and the missing or deceased in calls with
both Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Bayramov and Armenian Foreign
Minister Mirzoyan. We urge both Governments to engage in substantive
negotiations to settle all matters relating to the conflict.”
Baroness Cox stressed that the impunity enjoyed by Azerbaijan has
encouraged continuing violations of the ceasefire agreement by
Azerbaijan. “As Azerbaijani forces continue to advance into Armenian
territories, a few weeks ago I visited a village, Davit Bek, in Syunik
province, and witnessed the suffering of the Armenian people there.
Azerbaijan also refuses to release Armenian prisoners, subjecting many
to torture and killing. What will Her Majesty’s Government do to
require Azerbaijan to stop violations of the ceasefire agreement and
of human rights?” she asked.
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park said: “The UK has engaged very
actively both during and after the conflict. The Minister for Europe
and Americas, Wendy Morton, speaks regularly with her counterparts in
both countries. She continuously urges de-escalation and a return to
the negotiating table under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group, and
she has condemned the alleged war crimes, including the deliberate
shelling of civilian areas, videos purportedly showing beheadings of
soldiers, and alleged deliberate use of white phosphorus against
civilians. The allegations come from both sides in this conflict.”
Lord Bishop of Coventry said he visited the border inclusion area of
Syunik province, at an earlier stage than Lady Cox. “In Khoznavar, the
incursion had cut off the nearby village from its main water source,
and access to grazing land had been denied, threatening the survival
of this poverty-stricken village. Following my letters of July 7 to
the Foreign Secretary and of 5 November to the Minister for Europe and
Americas, what further steps are Her Majesty’s Government taking to
challenge those illegal incursions, to ensure the integrity of
Armenia’s borders and to press for the withdrawal of Azerbaijani
troops according to the terms of the November 2020 ceasefire?” the
Lord asked. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park responded that “the UK
notes the ceasefire agreement reached in November last year.” “Both
countries had to make difficult decisions to secure stability and
peace, and it is important that remaining issues relating to the
conflict are resolved through negotiation. In particular, the OSCE
Minsk Group is the obvious and key forum for this, facilitated by
France, Russia and the US. The UK is not a formal member of the OSCE
but we continue to support its efforts to negotiate a permanent and
sustainable settlement,” he added.
Lord Risby emphasized that the major cause of tension and violence has
been the lack of a clear and mutually acceptable demarcation of the
international border and asked whether the UK considers assisting or
promoting the process. “The UK supports the OSCE Minsk Group process
and, alongside that, the basic principles. Last updated in 2009, these
include a return of the occupied territories and the acceptance of a
free _expression_ of will on the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region,”
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park noted.
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4- Armenian Artist Puts Her Reproductive Egg On Sale At Art Basel
By Mike Walters
(The Blast)—An artist is taking the saying “priceless piece of art” to
a whole new level, after deciding to sell one of her reproductive eggs
as an NFT, during this year’s Art Basel.
Armenian artist Narine Arakelian says she has created a painting
titled ‘Live’ — which will include an embedded contract promising one
of her eggs to the buyer willing to hit a certain price point. This
will be her first NFT and is being offered at this year’s Art Basel in
Miami, Florida. That’s right, along with the painting, the buyer will
get an actual egg which can be used to conceive a child.
As you know, NFT’s (Non-Fungible Tokens) are a type of digital art,
which is verified and confirmed as a unique piece of art using
blockchain authentication. The NFT’s are bought and sold using
cryptocurrency like Ethereum.
Shockingly, Narine claims she fully expects the person who buys the
NFT to conceive a child from the egg that she is selling. But, she is
not doing it as a stunt that might cause issues for the said unborn
child — she is hoping it will be purchased by a couple who is having
trouble conceiving a child of their own.
“My artworks are all my children and the fact this one will actually
produce a child is wonderful. The art will always mean so much to the
buyer because it brought them their child! It will always carry that
special memory,” Arakelian said.
She continued, “I am so happy to bring a child into the world through
my artwork, It’s a beautiful act of creativity to give the gift of art
and life.”
It should be noted, Narine is a mother and has a 21-year-old son.
The good news, the artist is fully aware of the implications of
something like this, and wants everyone to hear that “the child will
be a child once they are born, not a piece of art.”
Arakelian also exhibited a triptych titled ‘Love, Hope, Live’ at Art
Miami — which is a satellite fair near the Art Basel Miami Beach.
Arakelian is a Siberian-born Armenian artist who spends time in both
Los Angeles and Moscow, Russia. She is a college graduate who
completed a year-long internship at the Digital Arts Department at the
Los Angeles Academy of Art.
This isn’t the first time she has made waves in the art world. In
2019, the artist transformed the iconic 15th-century spiral staircase
of Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo in Venice into a colorful lighthouse.
She then performed, passing through each room and discarding elements
of her clothing, until she was completely naked.
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5- Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19
Armenia continues the fight against COVID-19, as the country continues
promoting the vaccination phase.
The U.S. State Department on July 26 warned American citizens to
reconsider travel to Armenia due to the increase in cases of the
Covid-19.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a
Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Armenia due to COVID-19, indicating a
high level of COVID-19 in the country,” said the State Department.
The State Department also urged U.S. citizens not to travel to the
Nagorno-Karabakh region due to armed conflict.
“The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S.
citizens in Nagorno-Karabakh as U.S. government employees are
restricted from traveling there,” the State Department added.
WHO, with funding from the European Union, in September supplied X-ray
equipment to 7 COVID-19 frontline hospitals – 1 in the capital Yerevan
and in 6 other cities in Armenia.
A new law came into effect on December 10, by order of the Armenian
Ministry of Health, that would allow employers to fire workers who
refuse to provide proof of vaccination. Armenia has the lowest
vaccination rate in the region and Europe. Armenia began its mass
vaccination campaign in April with authorities planning to inoculate
700,000 of the country’s 2.9 million citizens by the end of the year.
However, only 516,989 citizens had been fully vaccinated by Dec. 6.
620,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine were donated to Armenia by Norway
with the support of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism within the
framework of the Team Europe initiative is already in Armenia.
“The entire infrastructure is ready to carry out a large number of
vaccinations. I add that vaccination does not exclude the disease, but
reduces the risk of contagion”, Armenian Health Minister Anahit
Avanesyan reported during a recent press conference, adding that the
late entry into force of the restrictive measures was a shortcoming of
her department. According to the minister, they are currently
considering the option of requesting certification of negativity from
Covid or vaccination to enter restaurants and attend concerts.
There were 8,953 active cases in Armenia as of December 13. Armenia
has recorded 342,604 coronavirus cases and 7,819 deaths; 325,832 have
recovered.
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