Author: Ekmekjian Janet

Senator Menendez highlights State Department’s failure to comply with Section 907 reporting requirements

Ekmekjian Janet
Panorama
Armenia –

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, emphasized the difference in aid between Armenia and Azerbaijan during Tuesday’s hearing with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken regarding the Fiscal Year 2023 State Department budget request, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).

Referencing the Government Accounting Office’s (GAO) report publicly released last month, Chairman Menendez highlighted that the Department of State and Department of Defense failed to comply with reporting requirements for reviewing U.S. assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan in terms of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.

In response, Secretary Blinken stated he was “happy to go back and take a look at the specifics of the concerns [Chairman Menendez] has raised about the inadequacy of the reporting.”

“Section 907 is an annual decision and we have interagency review and that review is underway, but I take what you [Chairman Menendez] say seriously,” said Secretary Blinken, who then shifted to the ongoing conflicts in Artsakh, instigated by Azerbaijan.

“More broadly, I’ve been very actively and directly engaged with leadership in both Armenia and Azerbaijan trying to help advance prospects for a long-term political settlement in regard to Nagorno-Karabakh,” said Secretary Blinken. “We have been trying to push back on any unilateral actions, particularly by Azerbaijan, that would only inflame the situation, and we have a number of programs in place that are part of the budget to try to help advance more peaceful prospects.”

Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan commended Chairman Menendez’s efforts with respect to principles outlined in Section 907, as well as the ongoing attacks taking place against the Armenian people.

“We applaud Chairman Menendez for his leadership during today’s hearing on this critical issue,” said Khaloyan. “As long as Azerbaijan continues its aggression against the Armenian people, Section 907 must be fully enforced, especially in light of Azerbaijan’s violations of all agreements concerning Artsakh and its Fall 2020 war,” she continued.

Police apprehend opposition youth protesting in Yerevan

Ekmekjian Janet
News.am
Armenia –
 
15:19, 25.04.2022

The police have apprehended—using disproportionate force—a group of young people from the Youth Union and the Nikol Aghbalyan Student Union of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party of Armenia during their protest action in Yerevan, Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from the aforementioned student union.

And the ARF Youth Union informed that five of their members were taken to a police station for carrying out a peaceful awareness campaign.

Earlier, Armenian News-NEWS.am reported that a group of youth from the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party have blocked a street in the capital Yerevan—and chanting “Armenia without [PM] Nikol [Pashinyan],” “Armenia without Turks,” and ” Union, fight, victory.”

The opposition of Armenia has announced the second phase of its fight.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 13-04-22

Ekmekjian Janet

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 17:43,

YEREVAN, 13 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 13 April, USD exchange rate down by 0.70 drams to 472.43 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 2.75 drams to 511.45 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.05 drams to 5.91 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.52 drams to 614.21 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 97.33 drams to 29783.30 drams. Silver price down by 1.25 drams to 379.80 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

Photographer Winslow Martin to present ‘We Wait For Your Return: A Love Letter to Armenia’

Ekmekjian Janet
April 7, 2022 Guest Contributor Photography, Announcements 1

Collecting flowers near a tank commemorating the Armenian army’s victory over Azerbaijan in Shushi, Nagorno Karabagh, on May 9th, 1992 (Photo: Winslow Martin/‘We Wait For Your Return: A Love Letter to Armenia’)

BOSTON, Mass.—American photographer and storyteller Winslow Martin will be offering a moving love letter to Armenia with We Wait For Your Return, a night of intimate stories, evocative imagery and music celebrating the beauty and soul of the Armenian people. Martin will take audience members on a unique journey from Watertown, Massachusetts, to Armenia with the help of award-winning Armenian composer Astghik Martirosyan and a five-piece band. We Wait For Your Return: A Love Letter to Armenia will premiere Saturday, May 7 at 8:00 PM at Blackman Auditorium on the campus of Northeastern University (342 Huntington Avenue). Tickets are available online.

The images from We Wait For Your Return form a remarkable tapestry, one photo a probing portrait, the next a poignant still life, another an extraordinary scene of a distinctive Armenian landscape, challenging and rewarding the viewer with the use of composition and light. Martin connects each image in We Wait For Your Return through his storytelling, taking audience members on a spiritual and artistic journey from his first meeting with Father Dajad Davidian at a Watertown church, through the deepening of their friendship, as it played out across their adventures together in Armenia.

Martin’s life as a photographer has been all about people—photographing the music world in Boston, serving as a commercial photographer and as senior staff photographer at Community Newspapers Company, where he was honored as Photographer of the Year by the New England Press Association. He is best known for documenting everyday life and historical events in Armenia, his passion for the last 20 years. Martin is now pouring all of his energy into sharing his Armenian images and stories with a broader audience. His purpose is simple—to bring greater attention and support to Armenia today, where Martin is spending April, preparing for a showcase of his work at the National Museum of Armenia in Yerevan.

“I fell in love with Armenia and I want to, in this performance, somehow give back to them,” said Martin. “When you are a photographer, you reach a point when the work isn’t just about you and the photography and your viewers. It is about what you owe to the people who so graciously opened their doors to you. You have to give back something because they have given so much of themselves.”

Martirosyan, an award-winning composer, has crafted a beautiful accompaniment to the evening. Armenian folk songs and liturgical music are interpreted in her arrangements along with her own original compositions, which support Martin’s storytelling and enhance the drama and emotion of his photographs. She will be the lead vocalist for  five-piece band, which will include a piano, bass, percussion and duduk, an Armenian reed instrument.

An Armenian born Los Angeles-based vocalist, composer and pianist, Martirosyan has collaborated and performed with renowned musicians including Dave Holland, Darek Oleszkiewicz and Johnny O’Neal. She is a recent recipient of the Magos Herrera Female Immigrant Musician Award (2022) from the International Human Rights Art Festival.

A portion of the proceeds from the evening will support Project SAVE, an organization that brings to light the culture and history of Armenians by making photographs and their stories, which otherwise would be lost, destroyed or forgotten, available for public and educational use.




Armenian products to be presented at exhibition in California

Ekmekjian Janet

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 10:56, 7 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. The International Business Support Council, the Armenian American Business Council and the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America will implement a project titled “America-Armenia Business Bridge” in California on May 2-9 under the auspices of the Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles, the Consulate said in a statement on social media.

Exhibition and conference will be held within the framework of the project.

“The exhibition will enable Armenian manufacturers, as well as companies providing services to present their production/services in the big American market.

Both the Armenian community and American supplying companies, representatives of major American stores, will participate in the exhibition”, the statement says.

Armenian President holds meeting with Romanian Ambassador

Ekmekjian Janet

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 17:00, 8 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. President Vahagn Khachaturyan received today Ambassador of Romania to Armenia Cornel Ionescu, the Presidential Office said.

During the meeting the sides exchanged ideas about the ongoing works aimed at further developing and deepening the Armenian-Romanian relations which, they said, are based on mutual respect and centuries-old friendship.

Regional security and challenges were also touched upon.

The Armenian President and the Romanian Ambassador also discussed the activity of the inter-governmental commission, calling it an important platform for developing the new opportunities of the bilateral ties in a number of areas.

Both sides highlighted the role of the Armenian community in Romania’s public-political life and its bridging role in the relations between the two countries.

Armenia expects Russian peacekeepers to restore status quo in Artsakh – Foreign Minister

Ekmekjian Janet
Public Radio of Armenia
April 8 2022
April 8, 2022, 17:32

 1 minute read

The Armenian authorities hope that the Russian peacekeepers will force the Azerbaijani military back to their starting positions and restore the status quo in Artsakh, Foreign Minister Aearat Mirzoyan said at a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.

“When it comes to the invasion of the village of Parukh, violation of the status quo and the Russian peacekeeping contingent, Armenia continues to believe that the Russian peacekeeping contingent will still be able to restore the status quo as of March 23,” he said.

“We also appreciate the mediation efforts of the Russian Federation aimed at implementing the trilateral statements of November 9, 2020, January 11, 2021 and November 26, 2021. I would like to reiterate Armenia’s commitment to the implementation of all agreements,” Minister Mirzoyan said, adding that the issues of the return of prisoners of war and other detainees, preservation of historical and cultural heritage in the territories currently under Azerbaijani control remain urgent.

The Armenian Foreign Minister stressed that solutions can only be reached through peaceful negotiations.

Junior Eurovision 2022 to be held on 11 December in Yerevan, Armenia

Ekmekjian Janet

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 16:52, 6 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, ARMENPRESS. The European Broadcasting Union confirmed that the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 will be held in Armenia on Sunday 11 December. The date chosen is no coincidence, as it avoids coinciding with the final of the World Cup in Qatar, ESC Plus reported.

This festival will follow in the wake of Maléna’s sensational victory in Paris with her whirlwind of a song Qami Qami.

[see video]
Hovhannes Movsisyan, CEO of Armenian Public Television, said:

“It is an honour to host the 20th edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Yerevan, one of the oldest and most iconic cities in the world.

We are excited to work together with the EBU and our public service media partners across Europe to create an unforgettable journey for our young talents and a cutting-edge TV show for millions of viewers around the world.

We will spare no effort to ensure we create magic for the young participants and viewers, and we look forward to welcoming them all to Yerevan later this year.”

This will be the second time Yerevan has hosted the Contest, having done so in 2011, after Vladimir Arzumanyan won the previous year with his song Mama. In fact, Armenia is one of the most successful countries in the history of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, having participated 14 times and never finished lower than ninth place.

A commitment to showmanship that Martin Österdahl, Executive Supervisor of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, highlights:

“Armenia’s brilliant, stylish and contemporary winning song set a new standard for Junior Eurovision, and we have no doubt that excellence will be reflected in the quality of the show that AMPTV is producing in this special anniversary year.

We look forward to working with our colleagues in Armenia, and can’t wait for them to show the unprecedented enthusiasm and passion we know Yerevan has for Junior Eurovision”.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 06-04-22

Ekmekjian Janet

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 17:43, 6 April, 2022

YEREVAN, 6 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 6 April, USD exchange rate down by 2.21 drams to 479.38 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 5.06 drams to 523.20 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.06 drams to 5.85 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 5.01 drams to 627.08 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 74.77 drams to 29962.52 drams. Silver price down by 1.60 drams to 380.30 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

Opposition: The idea of "equitable withdrawal of troops" is part of the policy of peaceful surrender of territories

Ekmekjian Janet
ARMINFO
Armenia – April 5 2022
Alina Hovhannisyan

ArmInfo.The idea of “equitable withdrawal of troops” is part of the policy of peaceful surrender of territories Tigran Abrahamyan, MP from the “I have the honor” bloc,  stated this during his speech at an opposition rally. < This must be  prevented, there is no other way!>, the parliamentarian said. In  this regard, he noted that such ideas can only be put forward by  people who have no idea about the features of life in the border  regions and settlements.

Noting that the idea of  equitable withdrawal of troops was voiced by  the head of the Armenian government not only on the situation in  Artsakh, Abrahamyan stressed that the Sotk-Khoznavar, Syunik,  Gegharkunik, Vayotsdzor, and Yeraskh sectors in the Ararat region are  under actual threat.

The parliamentarian said that today Armenia has no alternative to the  modernization of the Armed Forces, the creation of a modern  technological army. However, the authorities, in response to such  calls from the opposition, as Abrahamyan further noted, only increase  funding for the law enforcement bloc, in particular the Police, the  Investigative Committee, and the Prosecutor’s Office. The MP assessed  such actions of the current government as nothing but the latter’s  desire to maintain power, rather than to ensure the safety of the  citizens of Armenia and Artsakh.

Speaking about the upcoming meeting between Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham  Aliyev, Abrahamyan said that said that the expectations of achieving  good results are in vain, taking into account the absence of a strong  security system and a strong army.