Armenpress News Agency , Armenia Wednesday Armenian delegates give worthy response to Azerbaijani provocations in NATO PA sitting YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS. During the committee discussions of NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s spring sitting the Azerbaijani delegates have continuously displayed a provocative behavior, head of the Armenian delegation to NATO PA, Republican faction lawmaker Koryun Nahapetyan told a press conference on May 31, speaking about the May 26-29 NATO PA sitting in Tbilisi. “The Azerbaijanis were speaking about the same topics which you are very well familiar with. They were speaking about the so-called occupation of their territories all the time. These were responded by clear clarifications by us. We said that it is Azerbaijan which has occupied the Armenian lands: Shahumyan, Getashen, Martunashen. We also noted that our goal is not to respond to the Azerbaijani delegation’s provocative behavior at all. We clearly proceeded from the agenda which was scheduled within the framework of NATO PA’s different committees”, Nahapetyan said. He added that in the PA’s defense and security committee, he asked a question to Georgia’s defense minister regarding the battle-worthiness of Georgia’s armed forces and their actions aimed at complying their military with NATO standards. A question was raised also on expenditures on transitioning to a professional army. “In the defense and security committee, we also raised a question on the consequences of Islamic State terrorist organization’s actions. We have stated that the Islamic State is an equal threat to not only NATO member states, but also partnership countries”, Nahapetyan said. Georgia’s FM delivered a speech in the NATO PA’s political committee, and the Armenian delegate asked a question regarding Georgia’s foreign policy agenda and relations with NATO, as well as Armenian-Georgian ties. Nahapetyan highlighted the plenary session of the assembly, where Georgia’s president, prime minister and speaker of parliament delivered speeches. “I would like to especially highlight NATO deputy secretary general Rose Gottemoeller’s report, which was followed by a Q&A. We used our opportunity to address a question. The question was in regard to prospects of enhancing NATO’s Partnership for Peace program. The deputy secretary general praised the Armenia-NATO partnership relations, mentioning that recently high level mutual visits are taking place and the Armenia-NATO partnership ties are being discussed”, he said. Gottemoeller welcomed the Armenian delegation’s proposal. She said she will discuss this issue in detail in the NATO HQ and they will respond shortly.
Author: Garnik Tadevosian
Film: Good Intentions: Alumnus’s Documentary Features Professor
The Armenian Mirror-Spectator
June 1 2017
By Meredith Dowling
HAMILTON, N.Y. (Colgate News) — When filmmaker Joe Berlinger, Colgate Class of ’83 appeared at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 25 for the premiere of his latest documentary, “Intent to Destroy,” he had another member of the Colgate community by his side: English and humanities professor Peter Balakian, whose class Berlinger had taken years ago.
“Intent to Destroy” takes a close look at the Armenian Genocide and the Turkish government’s continued denial of it. Balakian appears frequently in the film to provide commentary on the genocide’s historical context and the way stories about it have evolved over time.
The film marks a departure from Berlinger’s usual style of documentary filmmaking, where he chronicles events as they unfold in real time, such as in “Brother’s Keeper,” about an alleged murder in rural New York, and the “Paradise Lost” trilogy, about three men wrongfully convicted of murder. However, “Intent to Destroy” still adheres to Berlinger’s core purpose.
“My intention as a filmmaker has always been to seek the truth, especially in circumstances that risk distorting or silencing it,” said Berlinger. “Throughout my career, I have used my camera to give a voice to the voiceless, whether it be those caught in an unforgiving judicial system or fighting to be heard from deep within the US penal system, and I hope to bring this same force to Armenians worldwide.”
Berlinger developed the idea for Intent to Destroy when he heard about director Terry George’s latest film, “The Promise,” which was in production at the time. “The Promise” — starring Oscar Isaac, Christian Bale, and Charlotte Le Bon — is an epic love story that unfolds in the midst of the Armenian Genocide.
Berlinger realized that “The Promise” was the perfect way to connect the Armenian Genocide to the present. He received permission to embed himself and his crew into the set of George’s film so that he could make a documentary that not only examined the historical and political aspects of the Armenian Genocide, but also considered the challenges faced by people trying to tell these stories today.
“I finally felt there was an interesting way to create a documentary about the subject that would add something new to the existing films already out there,” said Berlinger.
He sought to feature a diverse mix of scholars, historians, and filmmakers in the documentary. Serendipitously, Berlinger’s former professor — Balakian — wrote one of the most seminal books on the Armenian Genocide. What’s more, Balakian’s books provided some of the inspiration for The Promise’s script, although the professor didn’t know it at the time.
“To be able to collaborate with Peter — with his vast knowledge and personal connection to this subject matter — was an exceptional opportunity,” Berlinger said.
Balakian has previously appeared in a number of other documentaries, including PBS’s 2006 film Armenian Genocide, but working with Berlinger was especially exciting.
“It’s always great to see former students go on to be wonderful, successful, creative artists,” Balakian said. “Joe is a superb artist, and this is a very important film. He did an extremely fine job creating a complex narrative.”
“Intent to Destroy” is playing on the film festival circuit throughout the summer and will have a limited release in theaters in the fall.
Armenian, German Scientists Hold Workshop in Byurakan
Asbarez
Scientists from Armenia and Germany held a workshop on May 23-24 in Nor Amberd, Byurakan, Armenia. (Photo: A. Alikhanyan National Laboratory)
BYURAKAN, Armenia—The first workshop on common scientific interests in the physical sciences between Armenia and the State of Brandenburg, Germany, (ARBRA 2017) was held on May 23-24 in Nor Amberd, Byurakan, Armenia.
German scientists from Deutsches Elektronensynchrotron (DESY), German Research Centre for Geosciences, Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics and Potsdam University, together with the Brandenburg Minister of Science and Culture, Martina Münch, the lord mayor of Potsdam, Jann Jakobs, the German Ambassador to Armenia Matthias Kiesler and representatives from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) met about 30 Armenian scientists from Yerevan Physics Institute, Byurakan Observatory and the Institute of Geology of the National Academy of Science of Armenia, the representatives from the Armenian Ministries of Science and Education and the State Committee of Science. The aim of the workshop was to present existing cooperation, explore common scientific interests, and discuss potential future projects.
This workshop was inspired by a recent letter of intent, signed by the Brandenburg Minister of Science, Research and Culture and the Armenian Minister for Culture, with the goal of strengthening relations. A number of potential future projects were presented at the workshop. After the workshop, participants will pursue the collaborative projects.
BSEC not the place to discuss the Karabakh issue – Armenia Deputy FM
The summit dedicated the 25th anniversary of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) was held in Istanbul on May 22. The summit was preceded by a special meeting of BSEC Council of Foreign Ministers and the sitting of the Committee of Senior Officials.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayip Erdogan offered opening remarks at the summit. Attending the event were the Presidents of Greece and Moldova, the Russian Prime Minister, Foreign Ministers ad Deputy Foreign Ministers from a number of countries.
Addressing the summit, the Deputy Foreign Minister Ashot Hovakimyan referred to the work done over the 25 years of the organization’s existence, emphasizing the need to develop and reinforce its economic component. He stressed that the regional economic cooperation, the economic projects in bilateral and multilateral formats cannot be fully implemented under the conditions of closed borders. He said the projects should involve all member countries without any discrimination.
In response to Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Oktay Assdov’s accusations addressed to Armenia, Ashot Hovakimyan noted that “once again the Azerbaijani representative tried to use the BSEC podium to present the distorted picture of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.”
“We are confident that this summit is not the place and BSEC is not the format, where the Karabakh issue should be discussed. By doing so the Azerbaijani side demonstrated its disrespect for the BSEC Statute, the principles and goals of the organization and this summit,” Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister said.
Ashot Hovakimyan noted that “ progress in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement can be achieved only in case Azerbaijan refuses from its policy of force and engages in negotiations within the agreed format of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship.”
The summit adopted a declaration, which reiterated the organization’s economic nature.
BAKU: Moscow urges Karabakh conflict sides to avoid further escalation
APA, Azerbaijan
Moscow urges the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to avoid any further escalation in the conflict zone, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Thursday, an APA correspondent reported from Moscow.
Russia that continues to act as an intermediary in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict condemns violations of the ceasefire on the line of contact, noted Zakharova.
As for future meetings on the settlement of the conflict, Zakharova said there is nothing to announce. “As soon as the information is available, we will provide it,” she added.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict entered its modern phase when the Armenian SRR made territorial claims against the Azerbaijani SSR in 1988.
A fierce war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. As a result of the war, Armenian armed forces occupied some 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory which includes Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts (Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan), and over a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced people.
The military operations finally came to an end when Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in Bishkek in 1994.
Dealing with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the OSCE Minsk Group, which was created after the meeting of the CSCE (OSCE after the Budapest summit held in December 1994) Ministerial Council in Helsinki on 24 March 1992. The Group’s members include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, the United States, France, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Finland and Sweden.
Besides, the OSCE Minsk Group has a co-chairmanship institution, comprised of Russian, the US and French co-chairs, which began operating in 1996.
Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of the UN Security Council, which were passed in short intervals in 1993, and other resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly, PACE, OSCE, OIC, and other organizations require Armenia to unconditionally withdraw its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh.
Panel at Hammer Museum highlights how filmmakers depict genocide
A wide-ranging panel discussion at the Hammer Museum at UCLA delved into the challenges of using film to depict genocide and ethnic conflict, according to UCLA’s official website.
The event, held April 6, featured Terry George, an Academy Award-nominated writer and director; Dr. Eric Esrailian, a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; and Stephen D. Smith, executive director of the University of Southern California Shoah Foundation.
George is the director and co-writer, and Esrailian a producer, of a new feature film called “The Promise,” which is set during the 1915 Armenian genocide, and is set for a wide premiere April 21.
Esrailian, a digestive disease expert and philanthropist, also sits on the executive board of UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television and has been involved in developing the school’s Skoll Center for Social Impact Entertainment. He said one hurdle for the filmmakers is that the events of 1915 are still so poorly understood by the general public.
“One of the challenges is the lack of general awareness of the Armenian genocide,” he said. “Because the denial has been so heavy, it crushes the truth. You have to counteract that.”
That meant striking a careful balance: telling a story through specific characters while also establishing the facts around historical events. George said finding an empathetic person to serve as the focal point can be the key to taking on an emotionally difficult subject in a film. So “The Promise” uses fictional characters who, George said, “allow us to walk through the tumultuous events that defined the Armenian genocide.”
In addition to writing and directing “The Promise,” George was the co-writer and director of “Hotel Rwanda,” and his other projects have examined the Vietnam War and the conflict in Northern Ireland. Creating sympathetic protagonists is one of the important ways to draw viewers into stories about such major conflicts, he said. “An ordinary person who transcends the horrible situation they are put in and, in battling against it, proves our own humanity,” he said.
Smith said that balancing historical accuracy with interesting storylines is a tension that frequently arises in historical films aimed at mass audiences.
“Filmmakers want to keep the engagement of the audience,” he said. “The telling of the story is what’s going to do that and, therefore, artistic license is a really important part of that process.”
But that can raise questions about historical accuracy and credibility — something Smith said can be mitigated in part through close collaboration between scholars and filmmakers.
George said filmmakers have to research and source their work as accurately as possible so their films’ truthfulness isn’t in question.
The film’s release date is within days of both Armenian Genocide Awareness Day and Holocaust Remembrance Day, which this year both fall on April 24. Smith pointed out that April is also the month during which the Cambodian genocide began and that the movie premiere falls during the 100-day period of commemoration of the Rwandan genocide.
“Survivors are still feeling the pain of those events,” he said, adding that the confluence of those anniversaries and commemorations are “good opportunities for communities to come together, because the grief that is shared is universal.”
Esrailian said the new film has struck an emotional chord with audiences who feel connected to the Armenian genocide. “Art can allow people to heal,” he said. “That’s why we made the movie.”
‘Chemical attack’ in Syria’s Idlib kills dozens
Photo: EMC
At least 35 people have been killed and 60 wounded in a suspected chemical attack on a rebel-held town in north-western Syria, a monitoring group says, the BBC reports.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that strikes on Khan Sheikhoun by Syrian government or Russian jets had caused many people to choke.
The Syrian Observatory cited medical sources in Khan Sheikhoun as reporting that the symptoms among those affected by Tuesday morning’s attack included fainting, vomiting and foaming at the mouth.
The victims were mostly civilians, and included at least nine children, it said.
Pasadena Armenians to hold Resistance|Rebuilding|Redefining event
– The Pasadena Armenian Community Organizations Committee has organized a community-wide two-part event series designated, Resistance|Rebuilding|Redefining, which will take place on consecutive Sundays with Part I taking place at the Pasadena Armenian Center on Washington Blvd, and ending with Part II at the Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene’s, Lee Chapel.
Both events have been organized as part of the upcoming commemoration of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The struggle against Genocide and human rights atrocities is still present and prevalent today. Now, as in the past, the world is experiencing a contentious political climate where genocide is rife and subversive ideological strife common place. Genocides that have taken place in recent history have yet to teach us a lesson on humanity’s enduring willingness to commit evil and inability to live in peace with each other. In retrospect, hope is always there, in perpetuity, for a better and peaceful tomorrow.
“I can’t fathom that the Armenian Genocide has not been resolved to this day!” said organizing committee member Victoria Dochoghlian. “It’s time steps were taken by the world’s community of powers to rectify the aberration, the mistakes and the iniquities of the past, which caused humanity to deviate from its path, causing a degradation in its conscience, and then proceeded to propel itself into irretrievable ruin.”
Committee Chairperson, Taleen Hindoyan, stressed that, “For far too long, the world has shamefully sat back and neglected to resolve the “Epic” miscarriage of justice that is the Armenian Genocide.” “For, as long as this genocide remains unresolved, and history fails to correct the heinous misdeeds of the Ottoman Turks, the depravity of which has caused untold pain and suffering on the Armenian Nation, the stain of evil and shame will be engraved “permanently” on humanity’s legacy.”
1,237 photos and 184 films submitted for Aurora competitions
The application process of Aurora Short Film and Photo Competitions is over.
1,237 photos have been submitted for the Aurora Photo Competition from 48 countries including Armenia, Russia, United States, Argentina, Columbia, Thailand, Georgia and many others.
184 films from 27 countries have been submitted for the Aurora Short Film Competition.
All photos and short films that meet the technical requirements of the competitions have been presented to the jury. The short film competition jury is chaired by the director Edgar Baghdasaryan, and the photo competition jury is chaired by the photographer John Stanmeyer.
The selected films and photos should express the ideas of humanism as well as the selection criteria of the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity: courage, commitment and impact, according to the rules of two competitions.
The results of the Aurora Photo and Short Film Competitions will be announced in April, 2017. Aurora Humanitarian Initiative will award US$4000 to the director of the best film. Second and third places will receive US$2000 and US$1500 award respectively. The author of the best photo will be awarded US$2,500 prize. Second and third places will receive awards of US$1,500 and US$1,000 respectively. The awards will be presented to the winners in May during a special event. The best films and photos will be screened and exhibited during 2017 Aurora Prize Events.
During the month between April 24 and May 28, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative will organize a global program of activities to profile the inspirational stories of the 2017 finalists, as well as broader humanitarian endeavors. The 2017 Aurora Prize finalists will be announced on April 24, 2017, the annual day of remembrance for victims of the Armenian Genocide. One of these finalists will then be named as the 2017 Aurora Prize Laureate at a special ceremony on May 28, 2017, in Yerevan, Armenia.
Additional tuition discounts for students, who were on military duty during April war
Students, who were on military duty during the April aggression against Artsakh, will get additional tuition discounts, Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Artrun Hovhannisyan informs.
The Armenian Ministry of Defense and the Youth Foundation of Armenia have reached an agreement, under which students who were on military duty during the April war, but were not directly involved in military actions, will get an additional 20 percent discount at higher educational establishments.
Added to the previously set 30 percent the discount will amount to 50 percent overall. Funds will be allocated by the Development Foundation of Armenia.