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

Two war participants begin open-ended hunger strike in Yerevan square

Emil Lazarian
Panorama
Armenia –

Nver Kirakosyan and Artur Avagyan, who are participants of the 44-day war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in 2020, started an open-ended hunger strike in Yerevan’s Liberty Square on Monday morning.

They announced plans to go on a hunger strike late on Sunday, joining the protest in support of Artsakh held indefinitely by MP Artur Vanetsyan, leader of the opposition With Honor faction, and dozens of other opposition activists, since Sunday evening.

“The hunger strike is aimed at drawing the attention of our generation to the situation around Artsakh and to push for practical steps. The move is radical, spontaneous, but relevant to the situation,” Kirakosyan wrote on Facebook, stressing that it is not politically motivated and calling on young people to join them.

Vanetsyan, however, urged them to end the hunger strike.

“I can feel the pain and anger of the boys who lost their fellow soldiers in the 44-day war. The guys consider their actions an adequate response to the situation, but I urged them to stop the hunger strike,” the opposition leader said.

The protest comes after Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that the international community is pressing Armenia to “lower the bar on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh’s status” and recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

ARARAT Brandy as ‘Anahit’ Film Awards Partner

Emil Lazarian
Panorama
Armenia –

On April 15, on the eve of the Armenian Cinema Day “Anahit” Film Awards took place with the support of the legendary Armenian ARARAT brandy.

ARARAT brandies have always supported both Armenian and international significant cultural events by uniquely documented the brightest moments of triumph.

“Anahit” Awards was founded in 2016 by the Armenian National Film Academy. By uniting professionals of the Armenian film industry, Armenian National Film Academy awards the most promising pictures, which on the long run draws a huge perspective for them to seek new success on the leading film awards worldwide.

The celebrated moments of the festive award were accompanied by the legendary Armenian ARARAT brandies.

“To the degree, brandy-making is an art of portraying the present for the sake of future joy. I believe, that in that sense, it is similar to filmmaking. Masters from both industries leave their unique trace in history – in the chronicles of brandy-making as well as in the rich archives of the Armenian Cinema,” says Serge Khachatryan, Chief Operating Officer of Yerevan Brandy Company.

“The birth of the Armenian Cinema was set on April 16, 1923, with the decision to establish State Cinema institution. Armenian filmmakers have their significant role in the history world cinema. Founded by the Armenian National Film Academy, the 3rd “Anahit” Film Awards took place to promote and to mark the progress of the Armenian Cinema. We are all delighted to announce that the celebration was festive. Indeed, this bright event became possible thanks to our partners, especially Yerevan Brandy Company, who stood by our side by intertwining the taste and warmth of the legendary brandies with the magic of films,” says Ruben Jaghinyan, the President of Armenian National Film Academy.

The winner of “Anahit” Film Awards for the best picture is “Should the Wind Drop” (Ani Vorskanyan as producer), for the best director is Nora Martirosyan, for the best actress is Lily Elbakyan for her role in “Chnchik” and the award for the best actor went to David Hakobyan for his role in “Should the Wind Drop”.

Director of Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute on upcoming commemorative events dedicated to 107th anniversary of Armenian Genocide

Emil Lazarian
ARMINFO
Armenia –
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo.From April 20 to April 22 Armenia will host a unique international “Challenges of Armenian Genocide Education in the 21st Century” scientific  conference, within which 29 reports will be presented. Director of  Armenian Genocide Museum- Institute Harutyun Marutyan announced this  on April 18 at a meeting with journalists, announcing commemorative  events dedicated to the 107th anniversary of the massacre of  Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.

According to him, the key speakers from Armenia, the U.S., Spain,  Rwanda, Cambodia, Libya and Israel will present 29 reports.

“On April 20, the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute will open a new  non-permanent exhibition, called : “Testimonies of an Enlightened  Nation in the Footsteps of Armenian Schools.” The Armenian people  left a huge legacy in the Ottoman Empire, Western Armenia and  Cilicia. Under the pressure exerted on them, the Armenians were able  to organize educational activities. That is what the Exhibition is  dedicated to.  The author of the exhibition is Seda Parsamyan.  Nevertheless, everything will not be limited to this. So, on April 23  at 12:00,  an exhibition of graphic paintings “Death March in the  Desert” by French artist of Armenian origin Jean Pierre Seferian will kick off at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute . On April 29 an  exhibition of a Dutch researcher titled “Armenian Terrors through  the Eyes of the Dutch” will open , Marutyan said.

At the same time, he said that on April 24, representatives  of the Armenia-Israel and Armenia- Syria parliamentary friendship  groups will visit the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex to pay their  respects to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide of  1915.

“The memorial will also be visited by a minister from the Netherlands  and a representative of the International Organization of La  Francophonie,” the director of the Museum-Institute said, recalling  that, as a rule, on this day the memorial is visited by many guests  from abroad. 

Armenia should fully realize new reality surrounding Artsakh – Stepan Grigoryan

Emil Lazarian
ARMINFO
Armenia –
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo.The reason for Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Khovaev’s new status, Special Envoy of the RF Foreign Minister for Armenian-Azerbaijani  normalization, is the desire to present it as a result of the USA and  France refusing to work with Russia within the OSCE Minsk Group, the  political scientist Stepan Grigoryan said in an interview with  ArmInfo. 

And it is only Moscow that considers the OSCE Minsk Group’s  activities ended on February 24.  “Otherwise, the U.S. and French  co-chairs would not have come to the region to find a solution to the  Artsakh problem – let me emphasize, within the OSCE Minsk Group,” Mr  Grigoryan said. 

“Russia is determined to contribute to the signing of a peace  agreement between Yerevan and Baku based on the Baku-proposed  principles for establishing Armenian-Azerbaijani interstate relations  and on Yerevan’s response to them,” Maria Zakharova, Spokesperson for  the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated.   

On February 24, 2022, Washington and Paris broke off all contacts  with Moscow as OSCE Minsk Group co-chair. However, the real situation  in the South Caucasus does not allow intervals in negotiations. It  requires further consistent steps to establish long-lasting peace in  the region, Zakharova said.   

In his context, Ambassador-at-large Igor Khovaev will continue in a  new capacity of Special Envoy of the Russian FM for normalization of  the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.

According to Mr Grigoryan, official cessation of the OSCE Minsk  Group’s activities and dissolution of the co-chairmanship – the only  official international format mandated to deal with the issue of  Artsakh’s status – is actually Moscow’s desire not that of Washington  or Paris. In fact, the OSCE Minsk Group has over recent years been a  “thorn in the side” of not only Azerbaijan and Turkey, but also of  Russia. So it is Russia that is actually seeking dissolution of the  co-chairmanship by bringing accusations against the USA and France.  

“Igor Khovaev’s appointment as Special Envoy of Russia’s foreign  minister for Armenian-Azerbaijani problems is nothing but an official  reorganization of the international format of negotiations over  Artsakh – and it is not France or the USA, but it is Russia. And the  goal is to sideline the USA and the EU and gain an opportunity to  ensure surrender of Artsakh to Azerbaijan as part of its pro-Turkish  and, consequently, pro- Azerbaijani policy. 

“We, on our part, should fully realize the new reality. Otherwise,  Armenia and Artsakh are very soon going to face entirely new threats  and challenges,” Mr Grigoryan said. 

18 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia – 04/16/2022

Emil Lazarian

18 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

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 11:07,

YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. 18 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed over the last 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total number of confirmed cases to 422,747, the Armenian Ministry of Healthcare said.

No new deaths were recorded and the death toll stood at 8621.

14 people recovered (total recoveries: 410,434).

2631 tests were administered (total tests: 3,013,643).

The number of active cases stood at 2011.

Opinion: The Armenian Genocide’s martyrs

Emil Lazarian
CT Post
Harry Mazadoorian

On April 15, Armenians in Connecticut and all over the world will commemorate the Armenian Genocide of 1915, when more than 1.5 million Armenians perished in a vicious and unthinkable state action by the Ottoman Empire.

Despite overwhelming and virtually incontrovertible evidence of that horrific tragedy, the government of Turkey continues to shamelessly deny it. The United States, which had sidestepped the recognition issue for many years so as not to offend its NATO ally, formally recognized and condemned the genocide in 2020 with resolutions of both houses of Congress and then by President Joe Biden’s statement in 2021, courageously recognizing the genocide, which said of the victims, “We honor their story. We see that pain. We affirm the history … The American people honor all those Armenians who perished in the genocide.”

Efforts for continued condemnation of all genocides is important to honor those who perished during those horrible times but equally to deter the ongoing threats of future genocides. Continued vigilance is needed as the world today witnesses an escalation of brutality in Ukraine, which that government now condemns as genocide. Continued atrocities in the historic Armenian region known as Artsakh further demonstrate the need to watchfully condemn ongoing genocides.

In addition to the increasing number of recognition of the Armenian genocide by scholars, journalists and governments has been another event which has uplifted the hearts and souls of Armenians all around the world: In 2015, the year of the 100th commemoration of that tragic event, the Armenian Church took an unprecedented and truly remarkable step: The canonization of the martyrs of the genocide by the Armenian Church. The Synod of bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church, under the auspices the Armenian Catholicoi, formally recognized those who perished in the Genocide as martyrs and canonized them as saints of the Armenian Church.

The event was reported to be the largest canonization service in history. It was an occurrence of enormous consequence. It had been some 500 years since the last time the Armenian Church had canonized a new saint. While not widely reported in non-Armenian communities, the historic event was reverently and proudly proclaimed throughout Armenia and the diaspora. It was a monumental event filled with hope and symbolism.

His Eminence Archbishop Daniel Findikyan, primate of the Armenian Diocese of the Armenian Church in America, Eastern Region, before his ordination, produced a magnificent monograph titled “From Victims to Martyrs.” In it he wrote: “Never in (the) history of the Armenian Church had new saints been proclaimed with greater splendor, excitement or inclusiveness — every hierarchical jurisdiction of the Armenian Church was represented, as were a few sister churches throughout the world. … Unprecedented as well was the Armenian Church’s readiness, after one hundred years, to discern God’s redeeming grace from within the darkness and evil of that great crime against humanity.”

The Genocide victims are now martyrs. They can now provide intercession. Instead of praying for them, we now pray to them. It is something of incredible mystery and relevance. In the words of Father Untzag Nalbandian, pastor of Trumbull’s Holy Ascension Armenian Church “Many of us are the sons and daughters of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide, who gave us a new life in this country and or wherever they went. Since 2015, our generation became the children of saints, which puts on us a greater responsibility to be good, caring, helpful and compassionate towards others. Genocide against one ethnic group is a genocide against all humanity. We remember our martyrs, but now we also can ask for their intercession.”

Along with the canonization of the martyrs came the consecration and anointment of a new icon depicting the Holy Martyrs. It is present in all Armenian churches.

The canonization has proved to be an inspirational event for the entire Armenian community, and for the world. It is a reminder that despite the passage of time, helpless victims of the Armenian Genocide will be never be forgotten, but rather will be remembered for their faith and will forever serve to intercede on behalf of all of their descendants.

Harry Mazadoorian lives in Kensington. His parents were survivors of the Armenian Genocide in which three of his grandparents perished.

Russia’s FM talks about new developments in Karabakh with Armenian politician

Emil Lazarian

Date

4/17/2022 8:15:51 AM

 

(MENAFN) According to the Russian Foreign Ministry statement on Friday, the country’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov talked about new advances on Karabakh in a telephone discussion with his Armenian partner Ararat Mirzoyan.

Based on the ministry’s statement, “the ministers exchanged views on the implementation of the agreements of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia dated November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021, with an emphasis on further steps to unblock transport communications in the region and the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.”

The statement also mentioned, Lavrov and Ararat also talked about the forecasts for the talk of a Baku-Yerevan peace treaty with Russia’s help, and about the arrangements to the next trip of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Russia.

MENAFN17042022000045014146ID1104035833

Artsakh Ombudsman: Protection of rights is acceptable to all, but political interests decide everything

Emil Lazarian
NEWS.am
Armenia –
16:30, 17.04.2022

From the viewpoint of the protection of Artsakh people’s rights, there was no visible interest in the meeting with OSCE Chairman-in-Office Zbigniew Rau, Artsakh Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan said on the air of the NEWS.am Power Factor.

“During the meeting, my main task was to present the humanitarian situation in Artsakh and the consequences of Azerbaijan’s criminal actions, and to make it clear that human rights cannot be ignored. In my opinion, from the meeting, it is very difficult to bring the defense of rights in the world. It seems acceptable to everyone that there are rights to be protected, but in the end it is political interests that decide everything. And I did not see any interest in terms of the real protection of Artsakh people’s rights,” Stepanyan said.

He noted that during the meeting it was said that the status of Artsakh must be solved by both sides in the course of negotiations.

Newspaper: US ambassador visits Armenia Central Bank, gives instructions to heads of banks

Emil Lazarian
NEWS.am
Armenia –
10:17, 16.04.2022

YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Yesterday we received a written answer from the US embassy to our written question—whether a meeting between US Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy and the heads of Armenia’s banks took place in the RA Central Bank building about a month ago, during which the ambassador made a demand to the banks not try to circumvent Western sanctions and help the RF [(Russian Federation)] citizens—by which, in fact, they confirmed our news:

“The United States appreciates Armenia’s commitment to follow international sanctions, and on this issue maintains regular contact with representatives of Armenia’s banking sector. The sanctions imposed by the United States, its allies, and partners in response to the war Russia unleashed against Ukraine are the heavy price imposed on those who support the war preferred by [Russian] President Putin. They [i.e., the sanctions] have no intention of punishing ordinary Russian citizens.”

ARMENPRESS arts journalist acknowledged by Union of Writers

Emil Lazarian

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 16:50,

YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. ARMENPRESS’s arts journalist Angela Hambardzumyan is among the distinguished reporters who were recognized by the Union of Writers for their coverage of the cultural events organized by the organization during 2021.

Union of Writers President Edward Militonyan presented certificates to ARMENPRESS’s Angela Hambardzumyan, Public Television’s Nune Aleksanyan, RFE/RL Azatutyun’s Gayane Danielyan, Aravot’s Vova Arzumanyan, Irvunk’s Nune Zakaryan, Grakan Tert’s Shake Yeritsyan and writer, reporter Hovhannes Avdaryan. The Third Armenian Channel, Shant TV, Zinuzh Media and Public Radio were also given certificates of acknowledgment.

Notable events organized by the union in 2021 include the Book Giving Day and the World Poetry Day events and the 125th anniversary of birth of Charents.