Author: Ekmekjian Janet

Azerbaijan adds Serbian made anti-aircraft guns seized from Armenia to national armament

Ekmekjian Janet
Euractiv
Oct 26 2021

betabriefing.com and EURACTIV.rs

Anti-aircraft guns made in Serbia’s arms factory Zastava Oruzje in Kragujevac, which Azerbaijan seized during the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenian forces, have been added to Azerbaijan’s national armaments. [zef art/Shutterstock]

Anti-aircraft guns made in Serbia’s arms factory Zastava Oruzje in Kragujevac, which Azerbaijan seized during the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenian forces, have been added to Azerbaijan’s national armaments and displayed at a recently held joint military drill with Turkey.

According to the website Balkan Security Network, the video footage of the exercise includes a Soviet multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armoured tracked vehicle MT-LB with Zastava manufactured 20 mm triple-barreled automatic anti-aircraft guns M-55A4.

The video shows the MT-LB had been repainted before being delivered to the units deployed in the isolated enclave of Nakhchivan, where a joint military exercise of Azerbaijan and Turkey armed forces, titled ‘The Steadfast Brotherhood-2021’, was held from 5 to 8 October,” according to the website.

(EURACTIV.rs | betabriefing.com)

https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/azerbaijan-adds-serbian-made-anti-aircraft-guns-seized-from-armenia-to-national-armament/

CivilNet: Armenia plans to ban plastic bags in 2022

Ekmekjian Janet
CIVILNET.AM

24 Oct, 2021 08:10

Starting January 1, 2022, Armenians should not expect to see any plastic bags at retail stores. In just a few months, the sale and free distributions of plastic bags thicker than 50 microns will be banned in Armenia.

Arthur Ghavalyan from Armenia’s Ministry of Environment says that the goal is to stop the circulation of bags intended for short-term use, and to switch to bags made of reusable or biodegradable materials.

But what do Armenian think about this decision? 

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 22-10-21

Ekmekjian Janet

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 17:40,

YEREVAN, 22 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 22 October, USD exchange rate up by 0.01 drams to 476.48 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.16 drams to 554.77 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.05 drams to 6.75 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.21 drams to 657.69 drams.

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

Gold price up by 20.49 drams to 27257.43 drams. Silver price up by 4.22 drams to 371.18 drams. Platinum price up by 0.33 drams to 15977.91 drams.

CivilNet: Armenia’s pandemic defeat, ruling party election losses and Putin’s riddles

Ekmekjian Janet
CIVILNET.AM

21 Oct, 2021 06:10

In the latest edition of Insights With Eric Hacopian, Eric discusses Armenia’s failure in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and how this is ultimately a failure of leadership. Eric furthermore speaks on the ruling party’s defeat in local elections, and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambiguous yet possibly tactical remarks referring to Artsakh as Armenia.

Armenia, a global player in microelectronics education

Ekmekjian Janet
Panorama, Armenia
Oct 21 2021

436 participants from 13 countries competed in the 16th Annual International Microelectronics Olympiad: Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Egypt, Peru, Russia, Serbia, Vietnam, UAE, Ukraine and USA, VivaCell MTS reported. 

The Organizing Committee of the Annual International Microelectronics Olympiad today announced the winners of the 16th Annual International Microelectronics Olympiad during an online awarding ceremony:

  • Zhanna Khajoyan from Armenia became the first prize winner.

  • Hassan Mostafa Imam Ali from Egypt got the second place.

  • Three third prizes were awarded to – 

  • Khaled Hammuda Mohamed Abdelrazek from Egypt

  • Angela Kostik from Serbia

  • Dejan Gutik from Bosnia-Herzegovina

The Awarding ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of the High-Tech Industry of RA Robert Khachatryan.

This year’s Olympiad featured the diversity of the geography of the participating countries, including representatives from the Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Egypt, Peru, Russia, Serbia, Vietnam, UAE, Ukraine and the United States. “It is very important that even in the conditions of this pandemic, the interest towards the Olympiad does not decrease. Moreover, the Olympiad continues to serve its mission successfully,” said the President of Olympiad Program Committee, Director of Synopsys Armenia Educational Department, Chairman of the “Microelectronic Schemes and Systems” at the Armenian National Polytechnic University, prof. Vazgen Melikyan. 

The Olympiad was conducted in two stages. The first stage, held simultaneously in the participants’ countries, involved a test to establish a baseline. The second, the final stage involved a challenging contest consisting of advanced engineering tasks requiring complex solutions. Of 436 participants in the first stage, 21 were qualified to progress to the second stage, which was held on October 8.  Of these 21 contestants, 6 were from Yerevan, and 15 were from a variety of other countries. 

“One of the goals of the Olympiad is to raise the visibility of Armenia as a leading country in the field of microelectronics,” said Armen Baldryan, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Olympiad and Director of “Unicomp”. “It is gratifying to see that Armenia continues preserving and developing the traditions of leadership and excellence in the field of microelectronics coming from the 50s of the last century.” 

It is noteworthy that this year the first prize was awarded to 23-year-old Zhanna Khojayan, representing Armenia, who is a second-year Master student enrolled in the joint program of the National Polytechnic University of Armenia and Synopsys Armenia Educational Department. She is already employed at Synopsys Armenia as an R&D Engineer.

“The main goal of this Olympiad, founded by Synopsys Armenia, is to identify the brightest, most talented engineers under the age of 30 and to increase interest in microelectronics among young specialists both in Armenia and in participating countries. The Olympiad also plays an important role in discerning the level of knowledge of participants in the field of microelectronics in order to make necessary adjustments to regional educational programs and curricula,” said Dr. Yervand Zoryan, Synopsys Fellow and the President of Synopsys Armenia. “The fact that the student of the Synopsys educational program implemented jointly with the Polytechnic was recognized as the best among 436 participants from 13 countries of the world, testifies to the international quality of our educational programs in the field of microelectronics.”

The annual International Microelectronics Olympiad was founded in 2006 under the auspices of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. It is held in cooperation with the Technical Council for Test Technologies (IEEE TTTC) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the world’s largest technical professional organization.

The initiator and general organizer of the Olympiad is Synopsys Armenia, and the general partner is Viva-MTS. The main supporter is “Unicomp” company. Among the sponsors of the Olympiad are the Union of ICT Employers, “Viasphere” Technopark, “INGO ARMENIA” Insurance CJSC.

“For 16 years in a row Viva-MTS supports this initiative. Why? Obviously, because, in IT, in fulfillment of the global agenda of digitalization Armenia possesses immense potential, which is still very far from being fully used. I am happy our compatriots participate and what is more win in international Olympiad. The competition is now a reality and initiative like this one are extremely important for the development of competitive advantages of the country, increasing the ranking of the country, ensuring its economic growth, as well as for prevention of the brain drain,” Ralph Yirikian, the General Manager of the Olympiad’s General Partner, Viva-MTS, said.

“When we launched this important competition in 2006, we had no idea that in coming years it would become an international Olympiad in the field of microelectronics with a very high international standard and help in creating of the community of young specialists involved in microelectronics”, said the Vice President of Olympiad Org Committee, Synopsys Armenia Director Hovik Musayelyan.

“I believe the Microelectronics Olympiad is a very good opportunity for everyone in the Microelectronics Design Field to test his knowledge and skills and compete against colleagues from all over the world, in order to identify the weaknesses for further improvement. Such a competition has a high reputation and it will give you and your institution a credit internationally. This is my first international competition and I am honored to be a finalist in the 16th Microelectronics Olympiad. Thanks for the organizing and programming committee for making this opportunity available,” said Khaled Hammuda Mohamed Abdelrazek, an Egyptian participant who won the third prize at the 16th Olympiad. 

The Olympiad covers the following topics: Olympiad topics for 2011 included Digital IC Design and Test, Analog and Mixed Signal IC Design and Test, Semiconductor Devices and Technology, and Mathematic and Algorithmic Issues of Electronic Design Automation (EDA).  

For more information, visit the annual International Microelectronics Olympiad website at www.microelectronicsolympiad.org.

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 18-10-21

Ekmekjian Janet

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 17:23,

YEREVAN, 18 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 18 October, USD exchange rate down by 0.15 drams to 478.27 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.18 drams to 553.88 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 6.71 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.11 drams to 656.66 drams.

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

Gold price down by 409.24 drams to 27257.57 drams. Silver price down by 1.65 drams to 357.36 drams. Platinum price up by 241.05 drams to 16130.2 drams.

Novel case: Armenia and Azerbaijan have been fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh …

Ekmekjian Janet
India – Oct 14 2021
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is controlled by Azerbaijan but is populated by people of Armenian ethnicity, since 1991
Flag of Artsakh and also known as Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on an armored personnel carrier and soldiers with machine guns.
Shutterstock
Prabhakar Singh   |   Published 15.10.21, 12:21 AM

Armenia and Azerbaijan were in the news in September 2020 on account of their territorial dispute in Nagorno-Karabakh. On September 16, 2021, Armenia instituted proceedings against Azerbaijan before the International Court of Justice for alleged violations of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. On September 23, in a copycat move, Azerbaijan approached the ICJ, accusing Armenia of CERD violations, requesting the ICJ to direct it to “immediately cease and desist” from endangering Azerbaijani lives by “planting of landmines in Azerbaijan’s territory”.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is controlled by Azerbaijan but is populated by people of Armenian ethnicity, since 1991. Nagorno-Karabakh is to Armenia what Crimea was to Russia with Azerbaijan in Ukraine’s shoes. Armenia’s application to the ICJ notes that the Azerbaijani president “routinely” uses derogatory language to brand ethnic Armenians as “bandits” and “barbarians”. The clash over Nagorno-Karabakh erupted with a musically choreographed threat of use of force — a first of its kind — with Azerbaijan’s army releasing a death metal music video touting its military might. According to Armenia, a stamp issued by Azerbaijan sought to ‘commemorate’ Baku’s violations of CERD by depicting a Nazi-style chemical ‘disinfecting’ Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia announced full mobilization in response. António Guterres paid the customary lip service expected of a UN secretary-general. Meanwhile, Iran, which borders both Azerbaijan and Armenia, offered its good offices for peace talks. Turkey spoke in support of Azerbaijan. Russia, a traditional ally of Armenia, called for an immediate ceasefire.

In 2008, the ICJ had found no jurisdiction when Georgia took Russia to the ICJ for CERD violations even as the court allowed provisional measures. Now Armenia has decided to invoke similar charges against Azerbaijan. In the Mavrommatis Concessions case, the Permanent Court of International Justice ruled a “dispute” to be “a disagreement on a point of law or fact, a conflict of legal views or of interests between two persons”. The ICJ’s advisory opinion in the Interpretation of Peace Treaties with Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania case defined a legal dispute in relation to a Convention as “a situation in which the two sides held clearly opposite views concerning the question of the performance or non-performance of certain treaty obligations”.

The CERD is an international convention to which both Armenia and Azerbaijan are signatories. All “good-faith” efforts, Armenia claims, for putting an end to Azerbaijan’s violations of CERD have failed. Article 22 of CERD allows the ICJ’s jurisdiction for treaty parties. The Armenian application to the ICJ contends that “[f]or decades, Azerbaijan has subjected Armenians to racial discrimination” and “Armenians have been subjected to systemic discrimination, mass killings, torture” that are illegal under CERD. Armenia further alleges that the end of hostilities and the November 2020 ceasefire notwithstanding, Azerbaijan has continued to “engage in the murder, torture and other abuse” of Armenian prisoners of war. In a prayer to the ICJ, Armenia has demanded that Azerbaijan release all Armenian PoWs and refrain from “espousing hatred” of Armenian ethnicity by “closing or suspending the activities of the Military Trophies Park”. A cursory reading of CERD makes it obvious that Azerbaijan is in violation of Article 5, recognizing political rights, civil rights, and equality before courts as well as right of access to “restaurants, cafes, theatres and parks”. Armenia has also asked for reparations from Azerbaijan under Article 6 of CERD.

With no legal basis for a ‘comprehensive settlement’ of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute by international courts, Armenia lacks the military power or the appetite for actions that are illegal under the UN Charter. By championing people-centricity in an unsettled territorial dispute, Armenia is decentring an international law obsessed with territory and states.

Security Council Secretary reiterates Armenia has never discussed, won’t discuss any issue of corridor logic

Ekmekjian Janet

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 10:39, 14 October, 2021

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan reiterates that Armenia has never discussed, is not discussing and will not discuss any issue of corridor logic.

In an interview to the Iranian Tasnim news agency, Grigoryan said that after the November 9, 2020, trilateral statement different discussions on various topics were held and different approaches were presented.

“Not only the November 9, but also the war paved a way for numerous discussions. The war, really, had a tremendous impact on the region. It paved a way for presence of terrorists and the armed forces of other country in our region. As a result the region is instability. We have repeatedly warned everyone about this, but these warnings didn’t help so that we could prevent this process. As for the unblocking, I want to state that this is cited in the November 9 and January 11 joint statements. I want to state clearly that it’s doesn’t contain any word about corridor. However, Azerbaijan has repeatedly announced that there is talk about corridor. I want to state clearly that Armenia has never discussed, is not discussing and will not discuss any issue of corridor logic”, Secretary Grigoryan said.

He said that they have transferred this approach not only to the partners, but also have regularly announced this publicly. “Moreover, during the pre-election campaign Prime Minister Pashinyan announced in Kapan that there hasn’t been any talk of creation of a corridor and would not be. You know that during these elections we received an absolute support by the people, which means that the public as well supports us in not providing a corridor. In other words, this is also a public perception that there must not be a corridor. Armenia is ready to provide a road, open the roads, in other words, to provide all the existing roads so that both Azerbaijan and Turkey can use those roads to travel. But all these roads will be under the sovereignty of Armenia, and we have said this both publicly and told also our partners”, Armen Grigoryan said.

 

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

PRESS RELEASE: ANCA-WR Endorses Paul Koretz for Los Angeles City Controller

Ekmekjian Janet

For Immediate Release
Contact: Armen Sahakyan
tel. (818) 500-1918

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) has endorsed Councilmember Paul Koretz for Los Angeles City Controller. The endorsement followed a virtual meeting between Councilmember Koretz and the ANCA Western Region Board of Directors.

The City Controller is the elected paymaster, auditor, and chief accounting officer for the city of Los Angeles. The mandated functions of the Controller are divided amongst three divisions: Audit Services, Accounting Operations, and Financial Reporting and Analysis – in addition to Executive Office and Management Services leadership and staff.

“As a longtime friend and staunch ally of the Armenian community in Los Angeles for many decades, the ANCA-WR is proud to endorse Paul Koretz for LA City Controller,” remarked ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “Councilmember Koretz has a proven track record in public service and we’re confident that upon getting elected he will institute policies and reform for the betterment of all Angelenos.”

“I am honored to have the endorsement of the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region, an organization that has stood with me, and I them, for decades,” said Councilmember Koretz. “The Armenian Cause is near and dear to my heart, as such we will continue to persevere and win victories together. The Armenian community is part of the fabric that makes the City Los Angeles so great, through a rich culture, language, education and arts.  Thank you to my Armenian brothers and sisters in Los Angeles for continuing to stand with me.”

Every year on April 24, Councilmember Koretz has marched and protested with the Armenian community as well as assisted with all the logistical needs, such as securing permits, street closures as well as allocating discretionary funds to ensure the safety of protesters.

He has made other sizable allocations from discretionary funds to finance the installation of the speed feedback signs for Ferrahian Armenian School, security grants for the Holy Martyrs Armenian Church, and many other improvement initiatives for the overall wellbeing of the Armenian community in his district.

During last year’s devastating 44-Day War waged against Artsakh and Armenia by the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem, Councilmember Koretz was one of the first government officials in the State of California to denounce the attack and issue a statement condemning Azerbaijan’s government.

He was also outspoken during the arson and shooting that took place in San Francisco at the St. Gregory Church and School in September of 2020, ensuring that LAPD deployed resources to all Armenian houses of worship and schools for additional protection.

These examples — among many others — demonstrate Councilmember Koretz’s dedication to the Armenian community and to public service at large, and for these reasons, the ANCA Western Region wholeheartedly endorses his candidacy for LA City Controller.

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.



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Asbarez: ‘Multifaceted’ Exhibit at Tufenkian Gallery to Feature 12 Contemporary Artists

Ekmekjian Janet
by Contributor

 

 October 7, 2021

 

in Art, Arts & Culture, Latest, News, Top Stories

Sigrid Burton, Tingis (#120L-1), 2020, 30 x 60 inches, oil on linen

LOS ANGELES—Tufenkian Fine Arts will present, “Multifaceted,” a two-part show featuring artworks by twelve contemporary artists co-curated between John David O’Brien and Caroline Tufenkian in the downstairs gallery space and a selection of artworks by John David O’Brien in the upstairs gallery space. “Multifaceted” seeks to subvert the traditional art historical paradigm of summarizing single artists as one evolving line of stylistic continuance, ignoring the multidimensional aspects which are often present in their creative sphere. The exhibition will run from Saturday, October 16, and will be on view through Saturday, November 20. 

The placement of artworks by Sigrid Burton, Stephen Douglas, Mary Addison Hackett, Gegam Kacherian, Kaye Freeman, Noel Korten, Erika Lizée, Farzad Kohan, Wendy Adest, Garo Antreasian, Fatemeh Burnes, and Jennifer Gunlock together was meant by Tufenkian and O’Brien to be a homage to their artistic bandwidth, individually and collectively. “Multifaceted” places these artists, varied in their practices and creative expressions, within the same space without attempting to reconcile their differences. This exhibition was conceptualized as an experiment in pluralism, celebrating the manifold dimensions of the world which we share together. 

  • Wendy Adest, Cascade, 2021, 15.5 x 8 x 1
  • Farzad Kohan, Everyday, 2019, 56 x 47

There was a time in which competing views and artistic ideals were pitted one against the other. Was a more abstract worldview more significant than a more figurative worldview? Was a color laden expansion more noteworthy than a monochromatic reduction? As a viewer, we can decide which of these positions best represents the world around us as we perceive it, however, those same personal decisions are often revised historically on a regular basis. In this thread lies the richness and infinite mutability of the visual arts as a tool for deciphering the world around us through its translation into color and form. 

Having grown up in an art world firmly rooted in the Italian tradition before re-rooting in California’s artistic landscape, John David O’Brien was never able to reconcile the differences that existed between these two worlds. Rejecting any singular resolution to this dilemma, O’Brien has chosen to accept that these separate trends were equally aspirational in their reach, and therefore equal in value. O’Brien’s practice references the history of Arte Povera in Italy and fuses it with West Coast Assemblage art. “Multifaceted” celebrates the plentitude of ways in which art is meant to explore the extent, the bounty, and the depth of our art world.