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

Aurora’s Sunrise: Armenian Genocide documentary to premiere in France this week

Emil Lazarian

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 14:42,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. Aurora’s Sunrise, a historical animated documentary film about the life of Aurora Mardiganian, will premiere at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France this week, the Zoryan Institute said in a statement.

“At only 14 years old, in 1915, Aurora faced the horrors of the Armenian Genocide. Within a year, witnessing the deaths of everyone in her family, Aurora had lost everything, and was sold into a Turkish harem. But with extraordinary courage and luck, she escaped to America, where her story became a sensation. 

The Zoryan Institute’s objective with this film is to bring to life the ZI’s Oral History Testimonies onto the big screen, through animated documentary films, to relay the stories of the Genocide survivors to the younger generations, especially of girls and to empower them, and  to represent their communities in the face of great adversity and violence. 

In 2015, during the year of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Zoryan Institute, signed a partnership agreement with Bars Media of Armenia to produce the animated documentary based on the testimony of A. Mardiganian. Aurora’s Sunrise was made possible with the academic contribution of the Zoryan Institute Armenia, based on its oral history archives (filmed by the Zoryan Institute on January 29, 1984). 

The film is directed by Inna Sahakyan. It is produced by Bars Media, led by Vardan Hovhannisyan, Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion&ArtboxLaisvalaikioKlubas, with the financial partnership of Eurimages, the Zoryan Institute Armenia & the National Cinema Center of Armenia, and with the contributions of the Lithuanian Film Center, ZDF/ARTE, Public TV Armenia, and LRT. 

The Zoryan Institute is thrilled that 40 years after the launch of the Armenian Genocide Oral History Project, which collected testimonies of survivors of the 1915 Genocide across 4 continents, the great-grandchildren of those who experienced the genocide are experiencing life before, during, and after the genocide through a film that seamlessly blends a mix of footage from the Zoryan Institute’s original live interview with Aurora and the brilliant animation of Bars Media and their German and Lithuanian co-producers, along with scenes from the 1919 silent film “Auction of Souls” (film starring Aurora Mardiganian prepared by Near East Relief). 

The world premiere of Aurora’s Sunrise, is taking place at the prestigious Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France this week. Annecy is a week-long global festival that brings together the biggest names in animation to celebrate creative and diverse animation styles and techniques.

In addition to initial cost of the Oral History testimonies, Aurora’s Sunrise film had a budget of over USD $1,000,000.00, and is only the beginning of these invaluable stories of Armenian Genocide survivors”, the statement says.

Armenia Central Bank forecasts 12-month inflation will gradually decrease

Emil Lazarian

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 16:14,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. The Board of the Central Bank of Armenia decided to keep the refinancing rate unchanged during today’s session, setting it at 9.25%, CBA Governor Martin Galstyan said at a press conference, stating that in May 2022, the 12-month inflation has increased, comprising 9.0%. The 12-month normal inflation has also increased, comprising 8.4%.

Martin Galstyan said that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict continues negatively impacting the economic and financial market developments of Armenia’s main partner countries.

“Continued disruptions of world value chains and constant increase in prices in international commodity markets lead to the expansion of global inflationary environment. The central banks of developed countries are announcing a tightening of a monetary-credit policy at relatively faster rates. Therefore, the inflationary impact from the external sector on Armenia’s economy is still maintained”, he said.

The CBA Governor said that the high activity of the Armenian economy is maintained in the second quarter of 2022. The major inflow of foreign visitors and the growth in domestic private spending contribute to the increase in services and the whole demand. This leads to the expansion of the overall inflationary environment and the increase in inflationary expectations. The major growth in export of Armenian services and the financial inflow contributes also to the devaluation of the dram in the exchange market. The latter is assessed to have a positive effect in easing the domestic inflationary environment.

“In such situation the Board finds it appropriate to keep the policy rate unchanged”, he said, adding: “It is forecast that the 12-month inflation will gradually decline and approach the targeted 4% in the medium-term horizon”.

Armenian FM presents situation around Nagorno Karabakh conflict to his Bulgarian counterpart

Emil Lazarian

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 16:23,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. On June 14, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan who is in Sofia on an official visit, held a tête-à-tête conversation with the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria Teodora Genchovska which was followed by the meeting in an extended format with the participation of the delegations, the Armenian Foreign Ministry reports.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Teodora Genchovska commended the current level of Armenian-Bulgarian interstate relations based on centuries-old friendship, expressing readiness to promote the cooperation between the two countries in bilateral and multilateral formats. The importance of official reciprocal high-level visits and regular consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries was emphasized. 

The sides touched upon the prospects of expanding the trade turnover and investments and emphasized the utilization of the existing great potential in these spheres. In this regard, the role of the works of the Armenian-Bulgarian Intergovernmental Commission and the promotion of business to business contacts was underlined.

Both sides stressed the importance of the works carried out towards the establishment of the Persian Gulf-Black Sea International Transport Corridor.

The sides exchanged views on the further development of the Armenia-EU partnership.

The interlocutors touched upon the ties between Armenia and Bulgaria in the spheres of education and culture. In this regard, Minister Mirzoyan expressed gratitude to the Bulgarian authorities for their caring attitude towards the Armenian cultural heritage and for organizing the education of Armenian citizens in Bulgarian universities within the framework of a bilateral intergovernmental program.

The sides discussed a number of issues on regional and international security. Minister Mirzoyan presented to his Bulgarian counterpart the situation around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the position of the Armenian side on the processes aimed at establishing regional peace and stability and the negotiations on the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The mediating role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship in promoting the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was underlined. In this regard, Ararat Mirzoyan highly valued the position of Bulgaria.

Minister Mirzoyan expressed concern over the continuous anti-Armenian and warmongering rhetoric of the Azerbaijani authorities, and provocative actions against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. He also drew his colleague’s attention to the fact that in gross violation of the norms of international humanitarian law, Azerbaijan continues to hold Armenian prisoners of war and civilian hostages.

Special emphasis was given to the prevention of  Azerbaijan’s policy of distortion and destruction of the identity of Armenian monuments that are part of the universal cultural heritage in the territories fallen under Azerbaijani control due to the 44-day war. In this context, Minister Mirzoyan stressed the urgency of a clear and targeted response of the international community, as well as the imperative of the involvement of relevant international organizations in Nagorno-Karabakh, especially the unimpeded implementation of UNESCO fact-finding mission.

Ararat Mirzoyan briefed his counterpart on the recent developments of the Armenia-Turkey normalization process.  

Within the framework of the visit of the Foreign Minister of Armenia, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria the ceremony of signing the 2022-2025 cooperation program in the sphere of culture between the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia and the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria took place. From the Armenian side the program was signed by the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, and from the Bulgarian side – the Minister of Culture Atanas Atanasov.




Government bond auctions with a volume of AMD 25 billion took place on AMX

Emil Lazarian

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 18:47,

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. Today the allocation auction of government bonds totalling AMD 25 billion has taken place on Armenian Securities Exchange.

The volume of auction allocation of government bonds (ISIN AMGN36294251) amounted to AMD 25 billion, with the demand surpassing AMD 35,3 billion (around 41%). The weighted average yield of the auction is 10.9690%, and the annual yield of the coupon is 9.25%.

You can take part in the primary auctions via primary dealers the list of which is published on the website of RA Ministry of Finance, while the secondary market government bonds can be bought via members and market participants.

You can receive additional information on auctions by visiting the “Gbond Auction” page on AMX’s website.

About AMX- Armenia Securities Exchange

Armenia Securities Exchange (AMX) is the only securities regulated market operator in Armenia. AMX offers exchange services, such as listing, trading, clearing and informational services, as well as alternative exchange solutions. The Exchange settlement is carried out by Central Depository of Armenia which is 100% owned by Armenia Securities Exchange. AMX’s mission is to foster the Exchange’s infrastructure of capital market, making it an active financial asset for the development of Armenia’s economy.

For additional information please reach us at [email protected]  or +37460695555, ext. 142.

Greece Strengthens Tourism Ties with Armenia at UNWTO Meeting

Emil Lazarian
June 7 2022
Posted On 07 Jun 2022
By : GTP editing team

Greece is looking outward taking actions to penetrate new markets and boost the country’s tourism product, said Deputy Tourism Minister Sofia Zacharaki during her visit to Yerevan, Armenia for the 67th meeting of the UNWTO Commission for Europe.

It is noted that Greece serves as Chair of the UNWTO Commission for Europe for the 2021-2023 period.

Zacharaki, who presided over the meeting, which included the participation of UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili and UNWTO Regional Director for Europe Alessandra Priante, met with Armenian tourism sector stakeholders to discuss ways to further strengthen ties between the two countries.

Among others, she met with major Armenian tour operators and discussed specific actions to boost tourist flows, as well as with representatives from Enterprise Armenia.

The minister said there was a growing interest by Armenians to visit Greece this year.

During her visit to Erevan she visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan as well as the museum dedicated to Armenians who lost their lives during genocide. She also met with representatives of the Greek community in Armenia.

Addressing the UNWTO meeting, Zacharaki referred to the great momentum in tourism this year, adding that there were reasonable hopes for full post-Covid-19 recovery. She stressed, however, that the sector globally and particularly in Europe was faced with significant challenges including the Russia- Ukraine war and soaring prices.

On the sidelines of the event, Zacharaki had the chance together with the head of the ministry’s general directorate for Tourism Policy, Panagiota Dionysopoulou, to meet with partners from France, Portugal, Spain, and Bulgaria, to discuss cooperation in tourism and participation in activities for the UNWTO Maritime Tourism Research Center for the Mediterranean which is based in Athens. 

“I had the opportunity to emphasize to our partners the impressive recovery of Greek tourism in 2021 and its even more dynamic development for 2022. We exchanged thoughts and ideas on how we can address the significant and common challenges in terms of employment, education, sustainability, but also public-private partnerships,” she said.

Addressing a special discussion on Tourism and Rural Development, Zacharaki underlined the importance of developing alternative forms of tourism “in order to obtain a better quality, balanced and sustainable tourism product”. 

“In this context, we refer to the great success of the inclusion of Soufli in the ‘Best Tourism Villages’ as well as of Western Samos in the upgrade program,” she said.

Zacharaki also presented the Greek tourism ministry’s new initiatives including the launch of special seal for visitable breweries, cheese-making factories and olive mills and to efforts being made to link the primary sector with tourism through programs supporting young farmers.

The next UNWTO Commission for Europe meeting will be held in Bulgaria.


https://news.gtp.gr/2022/06/07/greece-strengthens-tourism-ties-with-armenia-at-unwto-meeting/

MP Tigran Abrahamyan deplores decision to merge military staff with Armenian Defense Ministry

Emil Lazarian
Panorama
Armenia – June 7 2022

Tigran Abrahamyan, a lawmaker from the opposition Pativ Unem bloc, took to Facebook on Tuesday to deplore the authorities’ plans to merge the Armenian army’s General Staff with the Defense Ministry.

The General Staff chief will also serve as Armenia’s first deputy defense minister as part of the “reforms”, as a result of which the armed forces will be engaged in the defense of the country and combat training, Abrahamyan said.

“The defense minister is still unaware that prior to the “reforms” announced by him, it was the General Staff that was in charge of combat training and combat efficiency,” he wrote.

“The authorities believe that making the General Staff chief subordinate to the defense minister will prevent any disobedience, as it happened during former Chief of the General Staff Onik Gasparyan’s tenure,” the MP said.

Abrahamyan stated that the General Staff and the Defense Ministry have divisions which perform the same functions and should be restructured.

“However, it makes no sense at all to make the General Staff chief also the first deputy defense minister. Moreover, it will cause more problems instead of solving the pending issues,” he said.

“They say that the General Staff should deal exclusively with combat training of the military, but it is subordinated to the ministry, thus mixing everything up,” Abrahamyan added.

Newspaper: Artsakh Defense Army ex-commander summoned for questioning about 20 times

Emil Lazarian
NEWS.am
Armenia – June 7 2022
10:00, 07.06.2022

YEREVAN. – Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Zhoghovurd daily has learned that a noteworthy situation has arisen at the Department of Investigation of Especially Important Cases of the General Military Investigation Department of the RA Investigative Committee. In particular, the investigative body actively summons officials of the Armed Forces for questioning.

We were informed that the former Chief of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces, Onik Gasparyan, and the former Commander of the [Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] Defense Army, Jalal Harutyunyan, as well as other former officials of the General Staff of the Armed Forces have been summoned for questioning these days.

Moreover, according to the information we received, the investigative body will also transfer former Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan from Yerevan-Kentron penitentiary to the military investigative—again for interrogation. According to the information we received, the investigative body will interrogate him in the framework of criminal cases initiated as a result of the [44-day Artsakh] war [in the fall of 2020].

By the way, according to the exclusive information of Zhoghovurd daily, Jalal Harutyunyan has already been summoned to the investigative body for questioning about 20 times, and Onik Gasparyan has been summoned for questioning about 10 times.

Noteworthy disclosures and arrests are expected in the near future.

Azerbaijani Press: Zangazur Corridor: Armenia’s extraterritoriality angst, two platforms, three neighbours

Emil Lazarian
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
June 8 2022

By Orkhan Amashov

In defeat and partial, however superficial, renunciation of its grandiose ambitions, Armenia has gained a valuable chance to reshape its selfhood. Despite some half-hearted meanderings aimed at self-analysis, within the year and a half that has elapsed since the 10 November ceasefire deal, Yerevan has achieved absolutely nothing in the department of “soul-cleansing”. What is now clear is that the vanquished nation has stumbled upon the thorny path of maladjustment, somewhat rendering itself irreconcilably at odds with its own self-interest.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have yet to forge a common understanding on how to proceed in relation to what is either called the Zangazur Corridor or the Nakhichevan route – viewed as the central segment of the post-conflict connectivity agenda by Baku.

Yerevan accepts that Azerbaijan should have access to Nakhchivan via the Syunik Province, but it remains worried that if Article 9 of the ceasefire agreement is implemented and the Border Guard Service of the Russian Federal Security Service is responsible for overseeing the transport connection, Armenia’s de facto sovereignty over its own territory will be curbed.

This is the essence of Yerevan’s extraterritoriality angst. Feigned, semi-genuine, or half-cultivated, it appears to constitute a major stumbling block on the way to implementing Article 9 of the 10 November deal.

Two platforms

The cumulative impact of the recent developments under the aegis of the EU and Russia, namely the third trilateral convocation mediated by Brussels and the 3 June meeting of the trilateral commission on the unblocking of communications in Moscow, has reinforced, albeit undramatically and with some reservations, the centrality of the overland passage connecting western Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan within the larger connectivity agenda.

The 22 May post-meeting statement of European Commission President Charles Michel touched upon the “principles governing” the route commensurate with the geographical reality of the Zangazur Corridor. On 31 May, the spokesperson for the EC President issued a written document, specifying that “no extraterritorial claims with regard to future transport infrastructure exists”, and “any speculation to the contrary is regrettable”.

On 3 June, the tenth meeting of the trilateral commission on the opening of regional transport communications took place, and a whole range of issues, falling within the scope of connectivity, including “possible routes for a highway linking mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave”, were discussed.

For Armenia, if denuded of its “corridor part”, the project is acceptable and potentially appreciable. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan reiterated there was a common perception that “all transportation infrastructure and roads to be unblocked must operate under the sovereignty and legislation of those countries through which they pass”.

Whilst Armenia continues to flaunt its misgivings, Baku, both on a rhetorical and practical level, must act decisively. Azerbaijan expects the Horadiz-Agband railway segment of the Zangazur project to be fully operational next year. Despite this, there is no indication that Yerevan has taken any steps towards building the 43-km segment running through its southern portion.

Three Big

In addition to the aforementioned two platforms dealing with the full spectrum of the Azerbaijani-Armenian interstate normalisation, the individual lines maintained by three big neighbours of the South Caucasus – Turkey, Russia, and Iran – are unquestionably of significance.

Ankara fully backs Baku and has a strong interest in achieving unrestricted access to Azerbaijan via Armenia. The current transit route via Georgia, which allows Turkey to connect both with its first-rate ally and the Caspian Sea, is good, yet it is undeniably true that a new link via Nakhchivan will be faster and traverse lowland topography, rendering it far more attractive and efficient.

Russia’s position is unique, as it also a mediator within the trilateral format originated in the ceasefire agreement. On the whole, the Kremlin is interested in reconnecting with Armenia via Azerbaijan, thereby avoiding Georgia, and Article 9 means it will have an element of control over the proposed route.

Iran, however, begs to differ. The fear preying on the minds of those in Tehran is that a new link will undermine its access to fraternal Armenia, as the implementation of the letter and spirit of Article 9, will amount to a “change of borders”.

This concern was pacified, to some degree, in March of this year, when Azerbaijan and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding envisaging the establishment of a new communications route connecting the East Zangazur Economic Region with Nakhchivan, via Iran.

However, first things first. Both Baku and Yerevan have to move on. Many in Armenia are acutely conscious of the insipid vacuity of staying enmeshed in a lugubrious imbroglio. Deaf and blind to reason, the revenge-driven opposition prefers running amok and going berserk. Pashinyan’s government is not aimless, but impotent in achieving its objectives. Baku is unmoved and resolute, but there are constraints within which its vim and vigour could operate.

Evacuated Karabakh residents gradually return despite Azeri presence

Emil Lazarian
PanARMENIAN
Armenia – June 8 2022

PanARMENIAN.Net – Head of the village of Khramort in Nagorno-Karabakh Zorik Abrahamyan has revealed that only one Azerbaijani flag is visible instead of the previous four on a nearby strategic height known as Karaglukh.

In an interview with Pastinfo, the official revealed that 25% of the population that had been evacuated as a result of Azerbaijan’s incursion earlier in the year, have already returned home.

“Residents are gradually returning to their homes, setting an example for each other. People have begun to cultivate their gardens, harvesting mulberries, busy with daily work. They are returning little by little. We can’t call them all at once, because we have to make sure that people are completely safe. It’s true that we have positions. Strongholds of Russian peacekeepers are also located in the village, but in any case, if something happens one of these days, who is going to be responsible for it? The situation in the Karaglukh area remains the same; the enemy is still there,” Abrahamyan said

Azerbaijani troops continue to remain in positions they set up on Karaglukh, a strategic height in Nagorno-Karabakh, which Azeri forces stormed in March, killing injuring Armenian soldiers.



​Russian FM arrives in Armenia for working visit

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia

Armenia – June 8 2022

Russian FM arrives in Armenia for working visit

June 8, 2022, 18:06

Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov arrived in Yerevan. Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan welcomed him at the airport.

On June 9, the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Russia will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

Within the framework of the visit, meetings are also scheduled with the President and the Prime Minister of Armenia.