Author: Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS

No OSCE member can singlehandedly end a mechanism – Armenian FM on Azeri claims of Minsk Group being obsolete

Emil Lazarian

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 16:12,

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. No OSCE member can singlehandedly end a mechanism or institution which was founded by all members of the organization, Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan said during a joint press conference with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani when asked by a reporter to comment on Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev’s claims that the OSCE Minsk Group is expired.

“I think we can’t be guided by the Azerbaijani claims, given the fact that the Azerbaijani claims themselves very often contradict one another around various issues. We can recall the example of Lachin Corridor, when Azerbaijan claimed and still claims that the corridor isn’t blocked, and then a few days later it claims that the corridor is blocked by civilian environmental activists who have environmental concerns, and then it says that these activists should check all cargo and persons passing along the corridor. If we were to be guided by the Azerbaijani claims we would be in a total confusion. Furthermore, Azerbaijan claims that not only doesn’t the Minsk Group exist anymore, but that Nagorno Karabakh doesn’t exist, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict doesn’t exist, and there’s no issue at all in this context that requires addressing or international discussion, or resolution.” the Armenian FM said.

“No OSCE member country can put an end to a mechanism, an institution, a decision, around the establishment of which all member countries had concurred, and which was basically founded by all member countries. The Minsk Group, Minsk format exists, and it is another matter that for many reasons, objective and subjective, the activities of the co-chairmanship is now frozen. I am sure that the Minsk process still has tasks to fulfill and a role in addressing the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh,” he said, adding that the OSCE has tasks to do as well, namely through its other institutions, such as the Personal Representative of the CiO, and not only the Minsk Group.

Asbarez: Armenian History Month at Glendale Library

Emil Lazarian
by Contributor

 

 

 

in Community, Latest, News, Top Stories

GLENDALE—Glendale Library, Arts & Culture announced their celebratory programs paying tribute to the local Armenian community in a celebration of history and culture throughout April.  

The Central Library will present a celebration of Armenian Culture, History, and Heritage on Saturday, April 15, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., during a large, joyous community event at the Central Library. This year’s theme is “Origins: A Celebration of Armenian Artists, Creators, and Inventors Who Have Made an Impact on the World.” The opening ceremony will begin at noon with remarks from Library, Arts & Culture Director Dr. Gary Shaffer.  

Additional events include poetry readings in English and Armenian, Armenian-themed crafts for all ages, and a class in Armenian calligraphy courtesy of the Armenian Artist’s Association. Raffi Joe Wartanian, Glendale’s inaugural Poet Laureate will be on site leading the public in writing a collective community poem.

Glendale Community College has collaborated with GLAC on a historical display of photos and visual representations of family heirlooms and artwork from GCC students and the Glendale community through a call for public submissions.  

The footage collected by the USC Institute of Armenian Studies will be on view throughout the day for patrons to listen to while they enjoy Armenian pastries and coffee offered by Glendale’s own Urartu Coffee.  

The highlight event will take place on the library’s main floor at 1:30 p.m. as Lernazang Ensemble leads a participatory workshop in traditional Armenian singing and dancing that uphold the memories of the lost homeland of Western Armenia.  

Community partners and exhibitors will be available throughout the event, including author Katia Tavitian, Armenian Relief Society of Western U.S.A, GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society, USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, Glendale Community College, Armenian Artist’s Association, Homenetmen Glendale Ararat Chapter, Armenian Youth Federation, and Abril Books. 

On Wednesday, April 19, at 7:00pm Central Library will host a special conversation with Inna Sahakyan, Director of the film “Aurora’s Sunrise,” Armenia’s submission to the 2023 Academy Awards. The animated film is based on the life of Aurora Mardiganian, an Armenian Genocide survivor who, after her escape, became an actress in the United States and starred in the silent film, Auction of Souls (Ravished Armenia). The event will include clips, stills, and an in-depth discussion about the craft of making the film.  

The conversation with Inna Sahakian is also in conjunction with the City of Glendale’s Week of Remembrance. Visit the website to learn more about upcoming events and Glendale’s 22nd Annual Armenian Genocide Commemorative Event at the Alex Theatre on April 24th 2023, at 7:00pm. 

Glendale Library, Arts & Culture’s Armenian History Month is part of the library’s “Be the Change Series: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Antiracism.” 

“Be The Change” is the library’s promise to build a collective understanding of systemic racism, elevate the voices and stories of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and inspire our community to be the change through lectures, exhibits, and programming. 

The Armenian History Celebration will take place at Central Library at 222 East Harvard Street, Glendale, CA 91205, on Saturday, April 15, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

Visit the website for details on all of the library’s events, resources, and more.  

For more information, please call Library information at 818-548-2021 or email Library staff at [email protected]. 

Known as the “Jewel City,” Glendale is the fourth largest city of Los Angeles County. With a population of more than 200,000, Glendale is a thriving cosmopolitan city that is rich in history, culturally diverse, and offers nearly 50 public parks, and easy access to a municipal airport. It is the home to a vibrant business community, with major companies in healthcare, entertainment, manufacturing, retail, and banking.

Founded in 1907, the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Department includes eight neighborhood libraries including the Brand Library & Art Center, a regional visual arts and music library and performance venue housed in the historic 1904 mansion of Glendale pioneer Leslie C. Brand, and the Central Library, a 93,000 square foot center for individuals and groups to convene, collaborate and create. The department also serves as the chief liaison to the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission which works to continually transform Glendale into an ever-evolving arts destination. Glendale Library Arts & Culture is supported in part through the efforts of the Glendale Library Arts & Culture Trust. For more information visit the Glendale LAC website, or contact Library, Arts & Culture at 818-548-2021 or via email at [email protected].

Asbarez: Second Azerbaijani Soldier Arrested in Armenia

Emil Lazarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

A second Azerbaijani soldier who deserted his post was arrested in Armenia on Apr. 13


The second Azerbaijani soldier who crossed into Armenian territory on Monday was captured on Thursday and taken into custody by Armenian authorities, the defense ministry said in a statement.

On Monday, Azerbaijani defense officials reported that two of its soldiers were missing in action. Soon after, residents in local towns spotted one of the Azerbaijani soldier and immediately alerted the authorities. He was captured and arrested by Armenia’s National Security Services.

Speaking to parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the first soldier deserted his unit because he was mistreated by his fellow soldiers.

The soldier who was captured on Thursday was found by local youths in the Achanan village in Armenia’s Syunik Province.

“My friend and I had left the village and were going to the city—Kapan. On the way we saw him in a Turkish [Azerbaijani] military uniform. We stopped, asked questions, and understood that he is a Turk [Azerbaijani]. Then my other friend Ashot came and we caught him. Then the police came and we told them what had happened,” a local resident of Achanan Gor Ohanjanyan told the News.am site

“He was wet and dirty condition. He was carrying bullets, masks and several types of amunition. He was also holding a phone,” Ohanjanyan added.

The soldier who was captured on Monday showed up in Syunik’s Bnunis village and was later detained in another village—Ashotavan. He reportedly had knocked on the doors of local residents.

One of the residents who opened the door saw two masked individual and called the police. The soldier who was arrested on Monday was wearing civilian clothes, while his comrade managed to escape and avoided capture until Thursday.

Ohanjanyan, the local resident who caught the second Azerbaijani soldier told News.am that the captive was carrying a phone and alleged that it belonged to a security officer found killed on Wednesday in the nearby Zangezur Copper mine.

[see video]

At 6:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday officials at the Kapan Medical Center told police that they had dispatched an ambulance to the copper mine where a man’s dead body had been found.

A spokesperson for Armenia’s Investigative Committee, Gor Abrahamyan, said his agency did not have information to indicate the person found at the copper mine was not killed by an Azerbaijani.

“At the moment, we have not received any information through investigation that the crime was committed by Azerbaijanis. If, beyond speculation, some people may have known, certain information about the perpetrators of the crime in general, then they can and are obligated to report [it] to the body conducting the proceedings,” Abramyan said in a social media post on Thursday.

The actions of the international community should be addressed. Khandanyan to the OSCE Chairman-in-office

Emil Lazarian

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 18:29,

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. On April 13, the Chair of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, the Head of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE PA) Sargis Khandanyan and the delegation members met with the delegation led by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, ARMENPRESS was informed from the parliament of Armenia.

Welcoming Bujar Osmani, Sargis Khandanyan underscored that, unfortunately the visit of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office coincided with the Azerbaijani next aggression on the territory of Armenia, because of which the Armenian side had casualties and wounded.

In the words of the Head of the Armenian delegation, because of the Lachin Corridor blocking by Azerbaijan the humanitarian situation deteriorates day by day in Nagorno Karabakh. According to Sargis Khandanyan, in the solutions of the created situation the actions of the international community should be distinct and addressed, taking into consideration the intention of Azerbaijan to implement the policy of ethnic cleansing.

According to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, this visit documents that the raised issue is in the centre of their attention, and they are concerned about the existing security situation in the region. “Our goal is to promote the establishment of the stable peace in the region,” Bujar Osmani underscored and expressed hope that during his chairmanship it will be possible to record positive steps in this issue.

The Armenian parliamentarians spoke about the security complicated situation existing in the South Caucasus and the continuous efforts of Armenia aimed at the establishment of peace. The members of the Armenian delegation to OSCE PA reaffirmed that Armenia has no territorial requirements towards its neighbours and wants to ensure peaceful coexistence in the region. Reference was also made to Armenian prisoners of war being held in Azerbaijan, the implementation of the practical steps by the OSCE was highlighted in the issue of their return.

Issues on Armenia-OSCE long-term cooperation, as well as the development of relations with North Macedonia were discussed.

Living the Armenian-American dream, how Paul Ignatius inspired so many

Emil Lazarian
By Alexi Chidbachian
Published 23 hours ago
FOX 11


LOS ANGELES – From fighting in the Navy to helping his community and inspiring people… Paul Ignatius has done it all.  

At 102 years old, the Armenian-American Veteran is filled with joy, passion and charisma.  

His family roots and history travel far. His grandfather was among the first Armenians to settle in Glendale, California in 1911. After living in Armenia and then Manchester, England, his family moved to sunny California and made Glendale their home. Paul was then born on Nov. 11, 1920.  

He graduated from Hoover High School in 1938 then attended the University of Southern California, graduating in 1942.

Glendale now has the second-largest Armenian population of any U.S. city, behind Los Angeles, but it wasn’t always like that.  

“I think the only kids with Armenian parents in school at that time were my brother, sister and myself,” Ignatius told FOX 11. 

But despite living in a new country, his family thrived and made a name for themselves.  

His father and mother founded the organization Armenian Allied Arts Association which helps foster the development of people in arts and music. His father also founded a senior home facility in the San Fernando Valley.

“The remarkable thing I think about Armenian people is that they have survived for so long in times of adversary as well as good times. They have been innovators from early on, making wine, leather shoes, doing a lot of things and despite the tragic elements of Armenian history, particularly the terrible period in 1915, they have managed to continue this long history of contributions to culture.”

After graduating USC, Ignatius enlisted in the Navy. He was a lieutenant in the Navy during World War II and served for four years. He then served eight years in the Pentagon, first as Assistant Secretary of the Army, then Assistant Secretary of Defense and then he spent his last two years as Secretary of the Navy from 1967 to 1969 under President Lyndon B. Johnson.  

Ignatius was the highest-ranking Armenian-American in the U.S. government. He encourages other Armenian-Americans to enter public service fields. 

“I believe that one of the strengths of people with Armenian heritage is their intellectual ability,” he said. “They have contributed to cultural achievements in the past and are continuing to do so today.”

To his surprise, the Navy in 2019, commissioned a destroyer in his honor… naming it the USS Paul Ignatius.

“Navy Secretary Ray Mabus invited me to lunch, we talked about this and that, and as lunch was coming to an end he said ‘oh, by the way, I’m going to name a ship after you’. I said ‘what’, and he did,” Ignatius said as he chuckled.  

The USS Paul Ignatius is a guided-missile destroyer and is now headquartered in Spain.  

Ignatius has inspired so many people, including his grandson who became a naval officer. His grandson is stationed in Japan and ironically is on a sister ship of the USS Paul Ignatius.

“I had arranged a visit to the Pentagon for him and he felt patriotic walking through and seeing all these pictures, including my own portrait outside the Navy secretary office and I think he got kind of interested in that.”

During his time in Glendale and in the Navy, Ignatius definitely made a lasting impact on people. Rep. Adam Schiff, who represents California’s 30th Congressional District, recently introduced legislation to name a post office in Glendale after Ignatius.  

Schiff’s bill would designate the post office at 6444 San Fernando Road as the “Paul Ignatius Post Office.” It is also the same street that his grandfather built their house nearly a century ago. Talk about full circle.

Ignatius hopes to visit the post office and the Armenian-American Museum which is slated to open in 2024.

Ignatius, who lives in Washington D.C., now spends most of his time reading, writing articles and books, and of course spending time with his family. 

“I tried to lead an honorable life and do my best with whatever task I tackled.”  

https://www.foxla.com/news/paul-ignatius-armenian-american-glendale-navy-secretary.amp


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Armenian and Azeri soldiers clash near contested region, seven killed

Emil Lazarian
REUTERS
Reuters

TBILISI/BAKU, April 11 (Reuters) – South Caucasus rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan on Tuesday accused each other of opening fire around the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region in a clash that killed a total of seven soldiers.

The two neighbours – both formerly part of the Soviet Union – have fought repeatedly over the last 35 years for control of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but home to a mainly ethnic Armenian population.

The Azeri defence ministry said three troops had died in a clash close to the contested Lachin Corridor, a key road into Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia that crosses through Azeri territory. The Armenian defence ministry said four of its soldiers had died and another six had been wounded.

Yerevan had earlier accused Azerbaijan of opening fire on Armenian troops performing engineering work near the village of Tegh in Armenia’s southern Syunik province. It said its forces had taken “countermeasures”, without providing details.

Tegh is the last village on the Lachin Corridor in Armenia before it enters Azeri territory.

Baku said its troops came under “intense fire” from Armenian troops stationed in Syunik province.

Russia dispatched a thousands-strong peacekeeping contingent to the region in 2020 as part of a deal to end weeks of fighting that killed thousands and saw Azerbaijan make significant territorial gains.

Moscow is an ally of Armenia through a mutual self-defence pact, but also strives for good relations with Baku. The latest stand-off has been seen as a key test of Moscow’s ongoing influence in the region as it wages its own war in Ukraine.

The latest stand-off is over control of the Lachin Corridor – the only road route linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijanis claiming to be environmental protesters have been blocking the route since the end of last year, resulting in what Armenia calls a humanitarian crisis.

Baku denies those claims, saying essential supplies can get into the territory and has defended the protesters as rallying against legitimate environmental concerns. Yerevan calls them government-backed agitators.

Reporting by Jake Cordell and Felix Light in Tbilisi, Nailia Bagirova in Baku; Editing by David Ljunggren, Alex Richardson and Jonathan Oatis

Russian ban on dairy imports from Armenia contradicts EEU trade regulations, says Economy Minister

Emil Lazarian

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 11:01,

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan said Thursday that Russia’s ban on the imports of Armenian dairy products is a violation of the EEU trade regulations.

He said that Armenia is discussing the matter with Russian partners.

“We find this to be an obstacle for EEU trade,” Kerobyan said in parliament during question time when asked by MP Gegham Manukyan when the issue will be resolved. “We are now discussing this issue with our Russian colleagues. The ban placed by Rosselkhoznadzor [Russian governmental agriculture watchdog] contradicts the trade regulations in the Eurasian Economic Union. In addition, we are also engaged in talks to understand the regulations through which we can maximally swiftly resolve this issue without applying the EEU standard procedures,” Kerobyan said.

In response to the MP’s criticism over the government’s handling of the agriculture sector, Kerobyan said that agriculture is indeed a major sector but not the largest, while the dairy production isn’t the largest branch in agriculture itself.

Kerobyan said that in 2022 Armenia exported 18 million dollars worth of dairy products to the EEU market, which amounts less than 1% of the total exports of Armenia.

Russia banned on April 5 imports of dairy products from Armenia, saying that Armenian producers use Iranian raw materials banned in Russia.

Armenia, Azerbaijan military forces clash along border; at least 7 killed

Emil Lazarian
Associated Press

Military forces from Armenia and Azerbaijan clashed Tuesday along their border and at least seven soldiers were killed, according to the countries’ defense ministries.

The confrontation follows months of tensions over the blockage of the only road connecting Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan.

Armenia’s Defense Ministry said Azerbaijan fired on soldiers who were performing unspecified engineering work near the Armenian village of Tegh, about 2 miles from the border. Four Armenian soldiers were killed and six wounded, it said.

Azerbaijan said it was Armenian soldiers who opened fire, and that three Azeri soldiers died.

The clash area lies along the Lachin Corridor, the road that leads to Nagorno-Karabakh.

That region came under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia in 1994 after a separatist war in which Armenia also took control of adjacent territories.

During six weeks of intensive fighting in 2020 that ended with a Russia-brokered truce, Azerbaijan took control of the territories and of part of Nagorno-Karabakh itself. Russia sent in a peacekeeping force that was tasked with maintaining order and protecting the Lachin Corridor.

But in December, demonstrators who claimed to be environmental activists began blocking the road, alleging that Armenia was conducting illegal mining in the region.

Armenia contends the protests are orchestrated by Azerbaijan. In turn, Azerbaijan alleges that Armenians have used the corridor to transport land mines into Nagorno-Karabakh in violation of the armistice terms.

The road blockage has led to food shortages in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan also has periodically cut gas and electricity supplies.

Asbarez: Azerbaijan Would Not Have ‘Taken Karabakh’ Without Turkish Drones, Cavusoglu Boasts

Emil Lazarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 April 10, 2023

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

The Turkish-made Bayrakdar TB2 drone


Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu boasted that if it weren’t for Turkey’s robust drone production it would have been impossible for Azerbaijan to “take Karabakh” during the 2020 Artsakh War.

“Today, Turkey has increased national and local production in the field of military industry to 80 percent,” Cavusoglu said at the opening of a local campaign headquarters for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Ermenihaber news site reported.

“If we hadn’t reached that figure, if we hadn’t manufactured combat UAVs, if we hadn’t manufactured all kinds of ground, air defense and attack systems, including helicopters, it would have been difficult for Azerbaijan to take Karabakh,” Cavusoglu added, emphasizing that Turkey will continue to develop the local military industry so it is not dependent on other countries.

Cavusoglu’s comments come days after he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Ankara and hailed the normalization process between Armenia and Turkey.

MP Mher Sahakyan stripped of immunity

Emil Lazarian

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 11:33,

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Parliament approved the prosecution’s motion asking for permission to launch criminal proceedings against MP Mher Sahakyan for alleged assault, which he claims was self-defense.

65 of the 107 MPs took part in the vote and all voted in favor of stripping Sahakyan of immunity.

Sahakyan, an opposition MP representing the Hayastan faction, is accused of physically attacking MP Vladimir Vardanyan (Civil Contract), the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on State-Legal Affairs, during a session of the committee. Vardanyan suffered minor injuries, according to prosecutors.

In a statement released Monday, prosecutors said that Sahakyan’s alleged actions amount to disorderly conduct/infliction of minor bodily injuries under article 297, paragraph 1 and article 171, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code.

Law enforcement agencies can institute criminal proceedings against a legislator only if parliament gives consent.

Sahakyan claims self-defense.

He claims that during the meeting Vardanyan was about to assault him and that he hit him to avoid getting punched. Vardanyan has denied this version of events and said that Sahakyan made an unprovoked attack.