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

Armenian Defense Ministry denies appearance of new Azerbaijani checkpoints in Syunik region

Emil Lazarian
NEWS.am
Armenia – June 1 2022
12:46, 01.06.2022

Azerbaijani units have once again advanced in the mountainous terrain opposite the village of Nerqin Hand in Armenia’s Syunik region, Sputnik Armenia reported.

Earlier, Sputnik Armenia, on the basis of fresh satellite images, recorded a new advance of the enemy in two sections in the mountainous terrain located in the direction of the village. Prior to the publication, the publication sought a comment from the Defense Ministry but did not receive one.

Afterward, the Defense Ministry confirmed that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces had invaded the territory in the direction of the village back in spring 2021. Later they left the territory due to weather conditions and returned after the snowfall. There was no official information about this until March 2022. At the same time, it is clear that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces made their way in this direction in March-April 2022, which can be seen in the satellite photos. The fresh images show that in addition to the already established advance (Arrow 1) Azerbaijani border troops have advanced in two other areas (Arrows 2 and 3), penetrating deeper into the territory of the Syunik region. In one case (Arrow 2) active road construction works were carried out after April 20, in the other (Arrow 3) presumably in May.

Today, however, the Armenian Defense Ministry says there is no repeated advance of Azerbaijani units in front of Nerqin Hand village in Syunik region. The defense ministry circulated a statement in which, referring to its statement of March 21, notes that the deployment of Azerbaijani units in the specified section of the border occurred after November 9, 2020, i.e. in the post-war period. “And immediately after fixing the fact of deployment, the Armenian Armed Forces took the necessary measures to take control of the Azerbaijani units, as a result of which the movement of Azerbaijani military is fully controlled by the Armenian forces, and any attempt to advance will lead to retaliation,” the statement says.

The Defense Ministry urged to refrain from spreading information that “damages the authority of the army and causes unwarranted tension in the society.”

Khachik Baghdasaryan, the village headman, also confirmed to the newspaper Pastinfo the fact of appearance of the new post in front of the village. However, he said he did not know who the post belonged to.

Earlier Sputnik Armenia found out that Azerbaijani units had infiltrated into the Armenian territory much to the south, near the height called “Vardasar”. The Defense Ministry at first denied this fact, but later at the request of Sputnik Armenia confirmed the advance, stating that it took place a year ago. The publication was told that the enemy positions were established in May-June 2021.

Sports: Weightlifting: Armenia’s Rafik Harutyunyan snatches gold at European Championships

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia 
Armenia – June 1 2022

Armenian weightlifter Rafik Harutyunyan (81 kg) won the gold at the European Weightlifting Championships under way in Albania.

Rafik won a silver medal in the snatch with a result of 160 kg, and a gold medal in the push with a result of 194 kg. He snatched the gold medal in the 81 kg event with an overall result of 354 kg.

Karen Margaryan, took the 4th place in the same weight category.

Another eight weightlifters will represent Armenia in the European Championships: Andranik Karapetyan, Vardan Manukyan (both 89 kg), Ara Aghanyan, Davit Hovhannisyan (both 96 kg), Samvel Gasparyan (102 kg), Arsen Martirosyan (109 kg), Varazdat Lalayan and Gor Minasyan (+109 kg).

The women’s team comprises three athletes: Isabella Yalyan (55 kg), Tatev Hakobyan (76 kg) and Hripsime Khurshudyan (87 kg).

Central Bank: Inflation in Armenia is currently growing

Emil Lazarian
NEWS.am
Armenia –
15:05, 31.05.2022

Inflation in Armenia is currently on the rise, Nerses Yeritsyan, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, said at the National Assembly during a preliminary discussion of the implemntation of the state budget for 2021 on Tuesday.

Thus, according to the latest forecasts made in March 2022, inflation should have been at the level of 6-6.5% at the end of the year. However, new upheavals arose due to the regional and geopolitical situation.

“The main external shock is the rise in energy prices and the global rise in prices associated with the maintenance of supply chains. At the moment, we are evaluating the impact of these shocks, although, in a certain sense, we are actually already seeing them. Over the past month, inflation has started moving up again,” Yeritsyan said.

He expressed hope that as a result of the Central Bank’s monetary policy, inflation will again begin to decline in three months.

“If there are no new shocks, inflation will return to the target 4 +/-1.5%,” he noted.

Azerbaijani press: Azerbaijan reveals number of historical, cultural monuments located in country’s liberated lands

Emil Lazarian
Society Materials  13:00


BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 31. Representatives of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture were sent to lands liberated from Armenian occupation and began to perform tasks related to the primary inventory and protection of cultural objects (monuments and institutions) the State Service for Protection, Development and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture told Trend.

According to State Service, 403 historical and cultural monuments with state registration were inspected at the first stage.

Monitoring of 162 objects (new discovered monuments) located in these territories was carried out, which do not have state registration, but are of historical, architectural and archaeological value.

It was found, during the monitoring, that 51 of 185 historical and cultural monuments with state registration were completely destroyed, and 134 were partially destroyed.

Also, 864 cultural institutions were identified during the initial monitoring, including 462 libraries, 20 museums, 26 children’s music schools, one cinema, two theaters, two galleries, three cinema clubs.

Currently, the monitoring is ongoing

Armenpress: The President of Armenia and the Prime Minister of Georgia stress the need to establish lasting peace in the region

Emil Lazarian

The President of Armenia and the Prime Minister of Georgia stress the need to establish lasting peace in the region

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 21:12,

YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS. Today, within the framework of his official visit to Georgia, the President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met with the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the President of Armenia, issues related to enriching interstate cooperation anchored on a solid historical basis in new directions were touched upon at the meeting.

Close cooperation and activation of contacts between different departments of Armenia and Georgia were highlighted. The need for speedy establishment of lasting and sustainable peace in the region for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries was emphasized.

The parties touched upon the further development of the Armenian-Georgian relations, as well as the processes taking place in the region and the international arena.

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 05/31/2022

Emil Lazarian 
                                        Tuesday, 
Karabakh Official Objects To EU Mediation
        • Narine Ghalechian
Belgium - European Council President Charles Michel, Armenian Prime Minister 
Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev meet in Brussels, May 22, 
2022.
The European Union is unfit to be the lead player in brokering a settlement of 
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a senior official in Stepanakert said on Tuesday.
“For us, the European Council (the EU’s top decision-making body) is not the 
format where issues of the resolution of the Karabakh conflict should be 
discussed because it is the OSCE Minsk Group which has an international mandate 
to do that and which we believe must be the main format,” said Artak Beglarian, 
the Karabakh state minister. “There is also the trilateral format of Armenia, 
Russia and Azerbaijan which has demonstrated its effectiveness in practice.”
“I don’t think that the European Council has the potential and interests to play 
a very serious role in a final and comprehensive settlement of the conflict,” 
Beglarian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
The EU should focus on other issues such as protection of the Karabakh 
Armenians’ “humanitarian rights” and preservation of their cultural legacy, he 
said.
The head of the European Council, Charles Michel, has hosted three trilateral 
meetings with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the last five months.
After the most recent meeting held on May 22, Michel said that Armenian Prime 
Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev agreed to 
“advance discussions” on a comprehensive peace treaty between their countries. 
He said he told them that it is “necessary that the rights and security of the 
ethnic Armenian population in Karabakh be addressed.”
Karabakh’s leadership denounced the latter remark, saying that the top EU 
official undermined the Karabakh Armenians’ right to self-determination by 
portraying them as an ethnic minority not eligible for independent statehood.
Beglarian likewise suggested that Michel signaled support for Azerbaijani 
control over the disputed territory.
Nagorno Karabakh Sate Minister Artak Beglarian, July 1, 2021
The previous Armenian-Azerbaijani summit held in Brussels on April 6 also raised 
concerns in Stepanakert. Pashinian said on April 13 that the international 
community is pressing Armenia to “lower the bar” on Karabakh’s status and 
recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. He signaled Yerevan’s intention to 
make such concessions, prompting strong criticism from Karabakh leaders.
Russia has criticized the EU’s mediation efforts, saying that they are part of 
the West’s attempts to hijack Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks and use the 
Karabakh conflict in its standoff with Moscow over Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, accused the EU last 
week of trying to “wedge” into the implementation of Armenian-Azerbaijani 
agreements brokered by Moscow. “We hope that Brussels will help implement them, 
and not try to play geopolitical games,” she said.
Russia has co-headed the Minsk Group together with the United States and France 
for nearly three decades. Russian officials say Washington and Paris stopped 
cooperating with Moscow in that format after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Pashinian Sees Strong Growth Despite Ukraine War Fallout
        • Sargis Harutyunyan
Armenia - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian speaks in the parliament, .
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Tuesday that the Armenian economy should 
expand by 7 percent this year contrary to far more modest growth forecasts made 
by Western lending institutions following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
The International Monetary Fund insisted as recently as on April 29 that 
economic growth in Armenia will slow down to about 1.5 percent due to the 
fallout from the bloody conflict. The Armenian Central Bank forecast a virtually 
identical growth rate in mid-March, three weeks after the start of the Russian 
invasion of Ukraine.
The World Bank predicted an even sharper slowdown in a report released on April 
11. The bank pointed to the South Caucasus country’s close economic ties with 
Russia, its number one trading partner hit by sweeping Western sanctions.
Pashinian said, however, that he expects the domestic economy to perform much 
better in 2022. He cited key macroeconomic data recorded by his government in 
the first four months of the year.
According to the government’s Statistical Committee, GDP growth accelerated to 
8.6 percent in the first quarter and continued unabated in April on the back of 
sharps gains in the services and construction sectors. By contrast, Armenian 
industrial output shrunk by about 7 percent year on year in March and rebounded 
only marginally in April.
Addressing pro-government lawmakers in Yerevan, Pashinian indicated that he 
hopes to keep up the growth in the months ahead with capital projects financed 
from the state budget.
“My instruction and mood is that we must concentrate on the execution of our 
budget, especially capital spending, so that we manage to meet our target of 7 
percent economic growth,” he said.
Tadevos Avetisian, an opposition lawmaker and economist, dismissed Pashinian’s 
projection, saying that spillover effects of the war in Ukraine have not yet 
reached Armenia.
Avetisian downplayed the significance of official macroeconomic statistics for 
January-April 2022. He argued that the Armenian economy contracted in the first 
quarter of 2021.
Parliament Majority To Block Opposition Resolution On Karabakh
        • Artak Khulian
        • Naira Nalbandian
Armenia - Riot police guard a government building during an opposition 
demonstration in Yerevan, .
Parliament speaker Alen Simonian reaffirmed on Tuesday the ruling Civil Contract 
party’s plans to block an opposition resolution rejecting any peace accord that 
would restore Azerbaijan’s control over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia’s leading opposition forces drafted the parliamentary resolution last 
week as they continued daily demonstrations in Yerevan demanding Prime Minister 
Nikol Pashinian’s resignation. They will try to push it through the National 
Assembly at an emergency session scheduled for Friday.
Simonian confirmed that the parliament’s pro-government majority will thwart the 
session by boycotting it.
Like other Pashinian allies, Simonian accused the opposition Hayastan and Pativ 
Unem blocs of exploiting the Karabakh conflict for political purposes. He also 
said that the draft resolution is aimed at reinvigorating what he described as a 
failed opposition campaign for Pashinian’s resignation.
“That [opposition] initiative is yet another attempt to find some way out of the 
situation,” Simonian told journalists.
Armenia - Parliament speaker Alen Simonian speaks to journalists, .
The speaker, who is a senior member of Civil Contract, insisted that Pashinian’s 
government will not cut any peace deals with Azerbaijan that will “not take into 
account the opinion of Artsakh and Armenia’s citizens.” But he stopped short of 
ruling out Yerevan’s recognition of Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh.
“They are afraid of doing that because they have given [Azerbaijani President 
Ilham] Aliyev promises,” said Ishkhan Saghatelian, an opposition leader and 
parliament vice-speaker. “They are afraid because one and a half years after the 
war [in Karabakh] they have increased only the number of police and interior 
troops, while the army has been downsized.”
The opposition accused Pashinian of planning to place Karabakh back under 
Azerbaijani rule when it launched the street protests in Yerevan on May 1.
The parliamentary resolution proposed by it not only rejects such an option but 
also says Pashinian’s government cannot make any territorial concessions to 
Azerbaijan as a result of a planned demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani 
border. It further says that the demarcation process must start only after Baku 
frees all Armenian prisoners and withdraws Azerbaijani troops from Armenian 
border areas occupied last year.
Armenia - An opposition supporter waves a Karabakh flag outside a goverment 
building guarded by riot police, .
The protests continued on Tuesday, with hundreds of people led by Saghatelian 
and other opposition lawmakers marching to a government building that houses 
three Armenian ministries. The lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to meet with the 
ministers of foreign affairs, education and justice and hear their opinion about 
Karabakh’s status. They did not attempt to force their way into the building 
heavily guarded by riot police.
The oppositionists’ attempt to break through a similar police cordon on Monday 
triggered clashes between their supporters and security forces outside the 
common building of four other government ministries. More than a hundred 
protesters were detained as a result.
Nine of them remained under arrest on Tuesday. Law-enforcement authorities said 
they could be prosecuted for participating in “mass disturbances.”
Saghatelian claimed that the authorities are “fabricating” such criminal cases 
in a bid to suppress the opposition movement. “In this way they are trying to 
isolate participants of the movement and intimidate other citizens,” he said.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2022 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

73% of Artsakh’s 2021 state budget was provided by Armenia – Pashinyan

Emil Lazarian

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 12:27,

YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS. Assistance provided by Armenia to Artsakh in 2021 grew 122% or by 70 billion drams, while the budget of Artsakh overall grew 48% or by 45 billion drams, PM Nikol Pashinyan told lawmakers.

“Since November 2020, we implemented 136 billion drams of projects in Artsakh. 120 billion drams was provided during 2021 for programs related to Artsakh,” Pashinyan said.

The money allocated by Armenia was used to pay the utility bills of residents in Artsakh, as well as the salary of the entire public administration employees.

“In 2019 the budget of Artsakh was 117,9 billion drams, from which 57,8 billion drams was paid from Armenia. In 2021 the Artsakh budget’s revenue part was 174 billion drams, from which 128 billion was paid from Armenia,” Pashinyan said.

Artsakh never had a bigger budget than now, Pashinyan said.

“And Armenia has never before given so much assistance to Artsakh.”

“73% of the Artsakh budget in 2021 was paid by the Government of Armenia,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan said the assistance is continuous and in 2022 it is planned to pay 144 billion drams to Artsakh.

The California Courier Online, June 2, 2022

Emil Lazarian

1-         Erdogan Hires his Cousin as Lobbyist

            To Obtain Votes of Turkish Americans

            By Harut Sassounian

            Publisher, The California Courier

            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

2-         Armenian’s First Satellite Reaches Orbit

3-         Homenetmen Celebrates 2022 Navasartian Games

4-         GALAS Queernissage Pop-Up Market

            to Celebrate Creativity, Artistry of LGBTQ+

5-         Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19

************************************************************************************************************************************************

1-         Erdogan Hires his Cousin as Lobbyist

            To Obtain Votes of Turkish Americans

            By Harut Sassounian

            Publisher, The California Courier

            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been President since 2014, is
planning to run for reelection in 2023. He previously served as Prime
Minister from 2003 to 2014. Before that, he was elected Mayor of
Istanbul in 1994 as a candidate from the Islamist Welfare Party.
However, he was forced out of office in 1998, banned from holding
political office, and imprisoned for four months after reciting a poem
which was viewed as an incitement to violence, religious or racial
hatred. Here is an ominous line from that poem: “The mosques are our
barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the
faithful our soldiers.” In 2001, he co-founded the Justice and
Development Party (AKP). Hence, Erdogan has been a continuous presence
at the highest echelons of Turkish government for almost 30 years.

Pres. Erdogan has now enlisted the help of his U.S.-based cousin, Dr.
Halil Mutlu, a citizen of Turkey, to obtain the votes of Turkish
citizens living in the United States during the 2023 presidential
election, to boost his slim chances for reelection.

According to the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) filings of the
U.S. Department of Justice, Dr. Mutlu registered as a political
lobbyist on May 11, 2022, on behalf of the Turkish ruling party (AKP)
in the United States, as its sole representative. Dr. Mutlu is a
resident of Windsor, Connecticut. The AKP representation office,
officially registered as a U.S. corporation on May 2, 2022, is
headquartered in Washington, D.C.

The FARA registration, signed by Mutlu, states that the “AK Party
representation to the United States represents the Justice and
Development Party of Turkey in the United States. Its responsibilities
include organizing political, social and cultural activities among the
Turkish citizens in the United States. It also aims to contribute to
furthering the cooperation and historical friendship between the
United States and Turkey….” The FARA registration form reveals the
true aim of this elaborate lobbying scheme: “It will also prepare and
disseminate AK Party material in the United States for the political
support of the Turkish citizens during elections.”

The FARA registration indicates that the U.S. office of AKP represents
the AKP’s principal office located at Pres. Erdogan’s presidential
palace in Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey. It is stated that AKP’s U.S. office
“does not have a budget established or a specified sum of money
allocated” to finance its activities. Dr. Mutlu is said to work
without any pay.

The completed FARA registration application also states that AKP’s
U.S. office will disseminate information through magazines,
newspapers, advertising campaigns, press releases, pamphlets, other
publications, lectures, speeches, radio and TV broadcasts, motion
picture films, letters, telegrams, email, websites, and social media.

The U.S. office of the AKP stated that it will publicize the above
mentioned information to public officials, civic groups, associations,
legislators, libraries, government agencies, educational groups,
newspapers, and nationality groups.

It is not credible that Dr. Mutlu will be able to carry out such an
enormous amount of work “on a part time basis,” without any staff and
without pay. I hope the U.S. Justice Department will keep a close eye
on the trail of funds used for such massive expenditures.

The Turkish government has permitted its citizens who live outside the
country to vote in domestic elections ever since 2014. The vote of
Turkish citizens in the Diaspora is important because around 1.5
million or over 50% of Turks residing abroad voted in the 2018
presidential election, including 811,000 in Germany, 186,000 in
France, 145,000 in the Netherlands, 60,000 in Austria, and 46,000 in
the United States. Erdogan received close to 60% of all votes cast
abroad.

The U.S.-based AL-MONITOR news website, reported that “Turkish
opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has explosively claimed that
millions of dollars have been siphoned off to allow President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan to flee the country if he loses the upcoming election….
Kilicdaroglu said the equivalent of $61 million was being transferred
‘all of a sudden,’ to the United States through education foundations
close to the President.” The New York-based Turken Foundation’s 2017
tax return shows that its assets were over $43 million. Erdogan’s two
children, son Bilal and daughter Esra, served on the Foundation’s
board. In 2014, Halil Mutlu was appointed chairman of the Turken
Foundation. He was also a board member of the Washington-based Turkish
American National Steering Committee, until his wife, Lynn Mutlu,
replaced him on the board.

It remains to be seen if Dr. Mutlu will be able to persuade a large
number of Turkish Americans to vote for Erdogan in next year’s
election. More importantly, should Erdogan not be reelected and stays
in Turkey, what legal troubles await him for violating a myriad of
Turkish laws for several decades.

************************************************************************************************************************************************
2-         Armenian’s First Satellite Reaches Orbit

(RFE/RL)—Armenia’s first satellite reached Earth’s orbit on May 27
after launching on May 25 aboard a SpaceX rocket from Cape Canaveral
in Florida. The satellite, will have multiple uses. “Photographs to be
taken by the satellite will be used in Armenia for border control,
emergency prevention and management, environmental protection,
including climate-change monitoring, urban planning, road
construction, geology, and other purposes,” Prime Minister Nikol
Pashinyan told a weekly cabinet meeting.

SpaceX released photos of the launch of its Transporter-5 mission on
Twitter. The mission carried 59 payloads as part of what the company
calls a small satellite “rideshare” program.

SpaceX has done three such missions so far this year and plans another
in October.

Pashinyan said the satellite launch was the result of “cooperation”
between the state-run Armenian company Geocosmos and Satlantis, a
Spanish company that specializes in the production of small satellites
and cameras for them.

He did not reveal financial terms of the deal; the Armenian
government’s press office released photographs of it.

Armenia first announced satellite launch plans in 2012 after talks
with Russia’s Federal Space Agency. A year later, a senior government
official said Yerevan hoped to attract private investments in the
project worth $250 million. The project never materialized. Pashinyan
did not explain why a smaller-scale project was launched with a
Western rather than Russian company to implement it.

************************************************************************************************************************************************
3-         Homenetmen Celebrates 2022 Navasartian Games

By Katy Simonian

This year’s 45th Navasartian Games and Festival, which will take place
on the campus of Los Angeles City College, will culminate on Fourth of
July weekend. Athletic competitions and Finals will convene from June
29 to July 3.

The Festival, featuring live entertainment, food and fun booths will
begin on Friday, July 1st at 4 pm and continue through Sunday, July
3rd.

The Closing Ceremonies will commence on Sunday, July 3rd at 6 pm, the
highlight of which will be the Parade of Champions, saluting the young
athletes and volunteers.

“We are so proud of all of our athletes. They are our greatest
achievement, as they inspire us to elevate one another through the
values of kindness, sportsmanship and humility. The Festival is our
way of saying thank you,” says Varant Melkonian, Homenetmen’s 2022
Exemplary Member.

“Elevate Yourself and Others with You.” This is the motto for
Homenetmen and serves as a guiding principle for the global Armenian
organization that has honored a passionate tradition of public service
for over a century.

In the Western United States, Homenetmen’s Scouting Program offers
over 2,000 Armenian-American Scouts the opportunity to earn medals and
badges for their unique areas of interest. The program features
regular troop activities such as field trips, outdoor scouting
exhibitions and camping excursions, all supervised by devoted
volunteers comprising parents, members and Scout leaders.

“Scouting brings us so much joy. It has made a positive impact on
shaping who I am today. So many people invested in me not only as a
Scout, but as a person. It is an honor to carry on the cycle of
giving. Watching them grow and preserve our beautiful Armenian culture
is a gift. Sharing intellectual conversations about our past, present
and future—our challenges and are successes, is what inspires me as a
Scout leader,” says Dr. Sharlene Gozalians, Regional Scout Master for
Homenetmen Western US.

The Scouts have the honor of representing our community and their
Armenian heritage at world jamborees, carrying the flag.

Most recently on April 24, Scouts from Homenetmen’s Western US Region
participated in annual commemorations, standing guard, presenting the
colors and placing a wreath at the Armenian Genocide Monument in
Montebello, honoring the victims and survivors of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915.

Homenetmen’s tradition of scouting is matched only by its legacy of
athletics, dating back to the vision of founder, Shavarsh Krissian,
whose prowess as an athlete inspired his vision for the organization.
Homenetmen’s Athletic Program includes basketball, volleyball, soccer,
tennis and table tennis to track and field, swimming, gymnastics and
karate. The cornerstone of the Athletic Program is sportsmanship and
teamwork—to instill  a sense of confidence, kindness and humility.

Homenetmen’s Western US Region has over 6,000 athletic members. These
athletes compete locally and in regional tournaments, most notably the
Navasartian Games.

“This year’s 45th Navasartian Games includes events kicking off in San
Diego, Fresno, Orange County and across the greater Los Angeles area.
The 2022 Navasartian Games are proving to be the experience of a
lifetime for our youth and their families” said Sevag Garabetian, Vice
Chairman of Homenetmen’s Western Region.

The achievements of Homenetmen’s Scouting and Athletic Programs will
be celebrated at the 45th Navasartian Victory Ball, which will take
place on Sunday, June 26 at The Beverly Hilton. Los Angeles City
College is located at 855 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90029.
Accessible parking is available, as well as Metro and Bus Stops for
convenience.

“We honor all of our athletes and volunteers, as they represent the
very best of our Armenian community. Homenetmen stands as a beacon of
hope to inspire all people. Our unity and strength will lead to our
greatest victory which is the happiness and success of our future
generations,” said Hagop Tufenkjian, Chairman of Homenetmen’s Western
Regional Executive Committee.

For more information about the Navasartian Games, Festival and 45th
Navasartian Victory Ball, visit NavasartianGames.com or call (323)
344-4300; see page 8 for details.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************
4-         GALAS Queernissage Pop-Up Market

            to Celebrate Creativity, Artistry of LGBTQ+

LOS ANGELES—Gay and Lesbian Armenian LGBTQ+ Armenian Society (GALAS)
will host its second annual Queernissage: an open air market featuring
LGBTQ+ creatives from South West Asia & North Africa (SWANA).

The market will take place on June 4, from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Studio
City Pop-Up: 4354 Tujunga Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604.

Queernissage is an homage to “Vernissage”, the open air market in
Armenia that has been a gathering place for artists and merchants for
decades. Through Queernissage, GALAS aims to create a space for their
community members to express and share their creativity with each
other and with the public. With an eclectic array of vendors,
attendees can expect to find artwork, freshly made baked goods,
interactive booths, and jewelry.

GALAS, now in its 24th year, also hosts programs including therapeutic
support groups, known as Soorj Sessions, as well as a scholarship fund
for college students of Armenian descent who have demonstrated LGBTQ+
activism.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************

5-         Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19

Armenia continues the fight against COVID-19. The government continues
to promote vaccinations. There were 2,075 active COVID-19 cases in
Armenia as of May 30. Armenia has recorded 422,939 coronavirus cases.
Armenia has recorded 8,624 deaths; this marks the second week where no
new deaths were recorded. 412,240 have recovered.

***************************************************************************************************************************

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California Courier Online provides readers of the Armenian News News Service
with a few of the articles in this week’s issue of The California
Courier. Letters to the editor are encouraged through our e-mail
address, . Letters are published with
the author’s name and location; authors are required to disclose their
identity to the editorial staff (name, address, and/or telephone
numbers for verification purposes).
California Courier subscribers can change or modify mailing addresses
by emailing .

Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders take tentative steps toward peace

Emil Lazarian
May 25 2022
Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders met in Brussels on May 22
Written byArzu Geybullayeva

The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Brussels on May 22, as part of ongoing peace talks between the two nations in the aftermath of the 44-day Nagorno-Karabakh war the two countries fought in 2020. The meeting was chaired by the European Council President Charles Michel and is the third peace discussion hosted by the European Council. 

The disputed territory of Karabakh, an area of 4,400 square kilometers in the South Caucasus has been under the control of its ethnic Armenian population as a self-declared state since a war fought in the early 1990s, which ended with a 1994 ceasefire and Armenian military victory. In the aftermath of the first war, a new, internationally unrecognized, de facto Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was established. Seven adjacent regions were occupied by the Armenian forces. As a result of that war, “more than a million people had been forced from their homes: Azerbaijanis fled Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and the adjacent territories, while Armenians left homes in Azerbaijan,” according to the International Crisis Group, an independent organization that works to prevent wars and shape policies.

Following the second Karabakh war in 2020, Azerbaijan regained control over much of the previously occupied seven regions. Azerbaijan also captured one-third of Karabakh itself as a result of the second war. On November 10, 2020, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia. Among several points of the agreement, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a presence of 1,960 Russian peacekeeping forces in those parts of Karabakh “not recaptured by Azerbaijan and a narrow corridor connecting with Armenia across the Azerbaijani district of Lachin.”

In his remarks on May 23, Michel said the three leaders focused on “the situation in the South Caucasus and the development of EU relations with both countries as well as the broader region.” 

The three leaders previously met in December 2021, and in April 2022. In a separate meeting under EU auspices in March 2022, the countries sent their senior representatives “to continue the engagement to ensure follow-up to agreements reached at leader’s level,” according to a statement by the European Council from April 2022. 

During their last meeting in Brussels in April, the parties also agreed to “the delimitation and demarcation of their bilateral border.” According to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe guidebook on demarcation and delimitation mean:

Delimitation – legal registration of the state border line between the neighboring states, the position of which is graphically depicted on a topographic map, with a corresponding description, which may be an integral part of the contract or an appendix to it.

Demarcation – marking on the ground the passage of the state border between the neighboring states with boundary signs with the drawing up of demarcation documents.

According to a statement released by the European Council, following the meeting on May 22, “the first joint meeting of the Border Commissions (on the demarcation and security of borders) will be held on the inter-state (Armenian-Azerbaijan) border.” The statement did not specify a date. However, following the meeting in Brussels, on May 23, both Armenia and Azerbaijan announced they were forming a state commission delegation on delimitation. And on May 24, the delegation met for the first time on the state border between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Among other issues discussed during the meeting were unblocking of transport links, further progress on the future peace treaty, and advancing economic development for the benefit of both countries and their populations. 

Meanwhile, protests have erupted in Armenia, with protestors demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian resign over the so-called concessions over Karabakh. According to local media, some 200 protesters were detained on May 2, as demonstrations continued and police resorted to violence to disperse the crowds. By some accounts, over 10,000 people attended the rally.

The anti-government protests began in April when Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hinted at making concessions regarding the final status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, after attending a meeting on April 6 in Brussels with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, facilitated by President of the European Council Charles Michel. During the meeting, the two leaders pledged to explore a “possible peace treaty” to finally resolve the conflict.

Days after his visit to Brussels, Pashinyan said in his speech at the national parliament that the “international community was calling Armenia to lower the bars of the status of the disputed region.” 

In response, the Nagorno-Karabakh Parliament adopted a resolution that said, “no government has a right to lower the negotiating bar for a status acceptable to Artsakth [Nagorno-Karabakh] and the internationally rebounded right to self-determination under the pretext of peace.”

On May 24, demonstrators blocked the entrance to several government buildings, voicing continued demands for Pashinian’s resignation, reported Radio Liberty.

The next trilateral meeting is scheduled to take place in August according to Charles Michel:

Following the meeting in Brussels on May 22, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, spoke on the phone with foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Officials discussed the situation in the region and the ongoing attempts at normalizing ties between the two nations.

However, some analysts believe Russia is losing ground in the negotiations. According to political analyst Ahmed Alili who spoke to Contact.az, “Russia is trying to continue negotiations on Karabakh on its turf and unilaterally dominate in mediating process. It is unwilling to include an alternative mediator.” But is failing at that, argues Alili. “Charles Michel was able to break this pattern and appear as an alternative. The results are already visible. Three meetings have taken place under the auspices of the European Council already,” said Alili.

According to an analysis by the International Crisis Group, engagement of more parties in mediation does not have to be mutually exclusive. “The OSCE Minsk Group (which includes Russia, France and the United States) permits discussions about the future of Nagorno-Karabakh. EU-hosted discussions help build ties with Brussels and facilitate conversations about the state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russia should remain open to all of them. Despite Moscow’s concerns about exclusion, its peacekeeping presence and critical role in 2020 ensure its continued involvement. There is no evidence, at least to date, to suggest that any other party wants to usurp its position,” reads the ICG analysis.

The most recent meeting between Armenia and Azerbaijan mediated by Russia took place in Dushanbe on May 12 on the sidelines of the Russia-led Commonwealth of Independent States meeting. The foreign ministers of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan discussed the terms of the November 9 ceasefire agreement signed in the aftermath of the 44-day war, including similar talking points from the Brussel’s meeting: normalizing ties, border delimitation, and the opening of transport links.

Analyst: Armenian FM was 30 minutes late for meeting with Sen. Menendez

Emil Lazarian
Panorama
Armenia – May 25 2022

Political analyst Suren Sargsyan has revealed details of Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan’s visit to the United States, saying he has been half an hour late for a meeting with Senator Bob Menendez.

“While in Washington, D.C., Ararat Mirzoyan was about 30 minutes late for a meeting with U.S. Senator Menendez,” he wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

Republican Senator Jim Risch, who was also supposed to take part in the meeting, was “outraged” and wanted to leave after waiting for 20 minutes, but was persuaded to wait a little longer.

The senators were annoyed not only at the minister’s tardiness, but also about the fact that no reasonable explanations were provided over it, Sargsyan said.

“Even Biden does not make an official like Menendez, who is also a good friend of Armenia, wait. I won’t be surprised if Bob Menendez, Chairman the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, does not want to communicate with Armenian delegations from now on,” he said.

“Incidentally, this is not the first scandal concerning Menendez. In 2020, then MP Makunts requested an urgent meeting with Menendez, but as the community press later reported, the only purpose of the meeting was to have a photo together,” the analyst added.