Author: Hagop Kamalian

Iran Says Ready to Send Ventilators, Masks to Armenia

Hagop Kamalian
Iran Front Page, Iran
By Emad Askarieh

Iran’s President says the Islamic Republic is ready to export hygienic and health facilities as well as ventilators and face masks to Armenia.

Referring to successes gained in production of these stuff, President Hassan Rouhani said the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to meet the needs of other countries, including Armenia, in the fight against Coronavirus.

He made the statements in a phone conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday afternoon.

Talking about the spread of the coronavirus in many countries around the world and the problems that this disease has created for governments and nations, the two sides stressed the need to develop regional and international cooperation, and touched upon transfer of experiences in dealing with the coronavirus.

Rouhani and Pashiniyan also reiterated that Iran and Armenia, as two neighbouring countries, should help each other more in these difficult circumstances.

They further confirmed that mutual ties are expanding, but put stress on the need for officials to work together in the Joint Commission to develop relations between Tehran and Yerevan.

For his part, Pashiniyan praised the success of the Islamic Republic in combating COVID-19 and the positive results it has achieved.

He also offered congratulations to the government and people of Iran on the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan.

Remembering the Armenian Genocide during the coronavirus pandemic

Hagop Kamalian
Fox 11, Los Angeles
 
 
 
By Araksya Karapetyan
 
Remembering the Armenian Genocide
 
Friday marks the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
 
LOS ANGELES – Friday marks the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and commemorative events will be altered due to the coronavirus pandemic.
 
For the longest time, the Armenian Genocide was dubbed "The Forgotten Genocide," but that is no longer the case.
 
In December 2019, a historic move took place, in which both chambers of Congress passed the Armenian Genocide Reaffirmation Resolution in a near-unanimous fashion.
 
“I don’t know that we can the moral leaders this country aspires to be if we are going to pick and choose among the genocides we are willing to recognize. I think we have to very blunt and truthful about any genocide including the Armenian genocide," California Rep. Adam Schiff said.
 
However, the Turkish government continues to refuse to recognize that a genocide took place.

Garo Paylan submits inquiry to Turkish Parliament on 105th anniversary of Armenian Genocide

Hagop Kamalian
Public Radio of Armenia

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır MP Garo Paylan has submitted an inquiry to the Turkish Grand National Assembly in the 105th year of Armenian Genocide.

Speaking to bianet, Paylan said “until a few years ago, the society of Turkey took very important steps to face the great calamity that happened 105 years ago.”

“The vast majority who did not know or recognize the issue could, at least, realize that a bad incident took place in 1915. Maybe, they did not call it a genocide, but they came to the point of condemning what happened back then and comprehend that what happened was terrible,” he said.

Paylan added however, that with processes of both peace and democratization coming to an end in 2015, all doors that were opened about Armenian Genocide have started to be closed one by one.

In other words, there was an attempt to hinder the steps that were taken to face, talk about and comprehend this issue and to serve justice with a fair memory, he said.

“As a matter of fact, the ones who talked about this issue faced investigations. There are five summaries of proceedings against me for talking about it. Others who want to talk about this issue are also faced with the stick of the judiciary. Seen in this light, I can say that we are in a worse situation than five years ago,” Garo Paylan added.

Today, he has submitted a Parliamentary inquiry to the Speaker’s Office.

“Armenian Genocide has been debated at dozens of parliaments around the world, it has been recognized as a genocide. But none of them has healed the wound of Armenian people,” the MP said.

“As a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, I know that the only Parliament that will heal the wound of the Armenian people is the Grand National Assembly of Turkey,” he stated.

“It is only when our Parliament faces this issue and justice is served that the wound of Armenian people will heal. Armenians of Turkey all around the world have been expecting this from the parliament of their homeland for 105 years. That is why, I have another Parliamentary inquiry,” Paylan said.

The lawmaker says he could use the word genocide with ease in the years 2015 and 2016, but after 2016, the word genocide has been banned at the Parliament and his Parliamentary questions and inquiries have been rejected on the ground of using the word genocide.

In his Parliamentary inquiry submitted to the Speaker’s Office today (April 24), HDP MP Garo Paylan has reiterated that “while the great calamity faced by the Armenian people in this land has been debated and recognized as a genocide by the parliaments of several states, it has not yet been debated at the Parliament of Turkey until today.”

Accordingly, Paylan has requested that a Parliamentary investigation be launched “so that the responsible parties of Armenian Genocide can be identified and justice can be served, albeit late.”

Music: Hayko, Artur Grigoryan, Harout Pamboukjian and others to perform at TOVMASYAN Charity Foundation’s pan-Armenian online concert

Hagop Kamalian
Panorama, Armenia

As reported earlier, TOVMASYAN Charity Foundation for the first time in the world has organized an unprecedented pan-Armenian interactive online charity concert program with the participation of more than 40 well-known Armenian stars through VR technologies.

A teaser released by the foundation reveals that Artak Tovmasyan, Artur Grigoryan, Harout Pamboukjian, Tata Simonyan, Arman Hovhannisyan, Armenchik, Razmik Amyan, Ara Martirosyan, Saro Tovmasyan, Erik Karapetyan, KarenSevak Band, Arame, Martin Mkrtchyan, Hripsime Hakobyan, Hayko, Sofi Mkheyan, Tatul Avoyan, Hayk Ghevondyan, Sona Shahgeldyan and other popular singers will perform during the concert.

The details on the complete list of the participants, official partners of the concert and ways of purchasing tickets are available in the video. 

The concert will be streaming live both from Yerevan Dvin Music Hall and Los Angeles on May 5, at 8:20pm Yerevan time and at 9:20am Los-Angeles time.

All proceeds from the concert will be used for Covid-19 anti-coronavirus programs in Armenia to purchase the necessary equipment and appropriate medications. 

Artists from Armenia will perform at Dvin Music Hall keeping some social distancing (#SocialDistancing), while those who will join from Los Angeles will perform online from home (#StayHome).

More information is available here https://all.me/tovmasyanfoundation

Read about the unique flashmob here 

https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2020/04/16/TOVMASYAN-Charity-Foundation/2275274

Two-month old baby infected with coronavirus is in good condition – Armenian healthcare minister

Hagop Kamalian

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 16:48,

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, ARMENPRESS. The two-month old baby who has been infected with the novel coronavirus in Armenia is in good condition. No children among the infected are in serious condition, Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan said today during a press conference.

“We are always careful to all children, but these days we need to be more careful especially to those children having immune deficiency or receiving chemotherapy. Children have a special place in testing criteria. The two-month old baby feels good. None of the infected school-age children is in serious condition, they all feel well”, the minister said.

According to the latest data, the total number of people infected with coronavirus in Armenia is 937. The death toll is 12. 5,144 people tested negative so far. The number of recovered patients has reached 149.

On March 16 Armenia declared a 30-day state of emergency to battle the spread of COVID-19. The state of emergency is effective until April 14, 17:00.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global pandemic and named the virus COVID-19. 

According to the data of the World Health Organization, coronavirus cases have been confirmed in more than 210 countries and territories.

Reported by Lilit Demuryan

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




RFE/RL Armenian Report – 04/09/2020

Hagop Kamalian 
                                        Thursday, April 1, 2020

Tsarukian’s Top Business Manager Faces More Charges
Ապրիլ 09, 2020
        • Naira Bulghadarian
Armenia -- Sedrak Arustamian speaks to workers of a cement plant in Ararat, 
April 15, 2019.
Կիսվել
        • 1
Կարդալ մեկնաբանությունները
 Տպել
A law-enforcement agency has brought more criminal charges against the top 
manager of companies belonging to Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) leader Gagik 
Tsarukian.

The Investigative Committee said on Wednesday that Sedrak Arustamian, the chief 
executive of Tsarukian’s Multi Group, is prosecuted for his refusal to stop the 
“illegal” construction of a luxury hotel in downtown Yerevan which the holding 
company began in early 2018.

Yerevan’s current municipal administration froze the construction shortly after 
taking office in October 2018. It said Multi Group never received a building 
permission for the high-rise. Tsarukian denied that.

Arustamian’s lawyer, Hovik Sukiasian, insisted on Thursday that both the current 
and previous Yerevan mayors did issue construction permits to Multi Group. 
Sukiasian also said that Multi Group is now locked in a court battle with the 
municipality and the Investigative Committee should not have indicted his client 
before a final court ruling in the case.

Arustamian was already charged with fraud and tax evasion in September 2019. 
Those accusations do not relate to any of the several dozen firms making up 
Multi Group and stem from Arustamian’s separate economic activities.

The Investigative Committee claimed that Tsarukian’s right-hand man helped a 
Chinese construction company building a 56-kilometer highway in northwestern 
Armenia evade 240 million drams ($503,000) in taxes. It said the company also 
paid an Armenian firm owned by Arustamian and run by two other men 117 million 
drams in fictitious consulting frees as part of the scam.

Arustamian denied those charges as well. He avoided arrest after Armenian courts 
granted him bail over investigators’ objections. The Investigative Committee 
decided not to seek his arrest this time around.

Tsarukian is one of the country’s wealthiest men. His opposition party controls 
the second largest number of seats in the Armenian parliament.



Armenia Evacuating Nationals From Turkey

        • Tatevik Sargsian

Turkey A worker sprays disinfectant outside Ortakoy Mosque, to prevent, the 
spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Istanbul.

Armenia’s government is evacuating at least 70 Armenian citizens from 
coronavirus-hit Turkey in coordination with Turkish and Georgian authorities, 
the Foreign Ministry in Yerevan said on Thursday.

Three buses carrying them left Istanbul on Wednesday morning and were due to 
reach Armenia via Georgia early on Friday.

“The transportation was agreed with relevant Turkish and Georgian authorities 
whose assistance is appreciated,” the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Anna 
Naghdalian, said in written comments to the Armenpress news agency.

Naghdalian said that just like Armenians returning from other countries, all of 
the evacuees will be placed in a two-week quarantine on their arrival in Armenia.

One of them, Gagik Musheghian, confirmed that the Armenian government paid for 
the bus service.

“The Armenian authorities have helped us a lot,” Musheghian told RFE/RL’s 
Armenian service by phone. “They’ve paid our bus fares, they’ve covered all our 
expenses.”

“The buses will pass through a transit corridor in Georgia and enter Armenia 
through the Bagratashen crossing,” he said.

It was not clear whether more Armenians living and working in Turkey will be 
repatriated in the coming days. According to Naghdalian, about 100 of them have 
so far contacted Armenia’s Foreign Ministry for the purpose of their possible 
evacuation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip reportedly expressed readiness to assist in the 
repatriation of Armenian citizens when he spoke to the spiritual leader of 
Turkey’s ethnic Armenian community, Patriarch Sahak Mashalian, on Wednesday.

According to the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul, Erdogan also said that 
Ankara is ready to provide Yerevan with medicines that could be used for 
treating coronavirus.

Commenting on the reported offer, Naghdalian said: “As a third party, we will 
refrain from commenting on unofficial information. In any case, such information 
is not on our agenda.”

The Turkish authorities have reported more than 38,000 coronavirus cases and 812 
deaths resulting from them so far.

Armenia and Turkey do not have diplomatic relations. Successive Turkish 
governments have kept the border between the two neighboring states closed 
because of the unresolved conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.



World Bank Warns Of Recession In Armenia

        • Emil Danielyan

Armenia -- A deserted sidewalk in the center of Yerevan, April 7, 2020.

The World Bank has warned of the growing risk of a recession in Armenia while 
saying that the Armenian economy could still grow modestly this year despite the 
coronavirus pandemic.

“Under the baseline scenario, envisaging the start of a gradual recovery [of 
economic activity] in mid-summer of 2020, the real GDP growth rate in 2020 is 
expected to moderate to 1.7 percent,” the bank said in its Europe and Central 
Asia Economic Update released on Thursday.

“At the same time, a prolonged [coronavirus] outbreak scenario would result in 
stagnant GDP or even an economic contraction,” it warned. “The probability 
weight on that happening is rising due to worsening health, economic, and 
financial outcomes across the world.”

The Armenian economy grew by 7.6 percent last year and continued to expand 
robustly in the first two months of this year. However, the situation changed 
dramatically last month as the Armenian government put the country under 
lockdown to fight against the spread of coronavirus.

The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) forecast last week a 0.7 percent GDP growth 
rate for 2020. Economy Minister Tigran Khachatrian agreed with that projection.

The World Bank noted that the pandemic has already shut down the Armenian 
tourism sector, caused a major drop in international prices of copper, one of 
the court’s main exports, and will increasingly cut multimillion-dollar 
remittances from Armenians working abroad and Russia in particular.

“Efforts to contain the spread will dampen demand further,” reads its report. “A 
dollarized economy and undiversified exports add to the challenges of managing 
the shock. However, a relatively healthy banking sector, a precautionary [loan] 
arrangement with the IMF, as well as some fiscal buffers partly mitigate the 
risks.”

A wide-ranging stimulus package approved by the Armenian government late last 
month calls for one-off cash payments to a large part of the population, 
financial assistance to businesses and loan subsidies for farmers. In 
particular, many creditworthy firms and individual entrepreneurs are due to 
receive grants worth $500 million ($1 million).


Armenia -- Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian holds a cabinet meeting in Yerevan, 
April 9, 2020.

The government on Thursday decided to extend the cash handouts to the owners of 
microbusinesses with annual revenue of up to 24 million drams. They will be 
eligible for up to 136,000 drams in compensation.

“The government has a clear strategy of how to overcome the crisis,” Prime 
Minister Nikol Pashinian insisted during a cabinet meeting in Yerevan.

The government has already spent 3.7 billion drams on coronavirus relief, he 
said, adding that the sum makes up less than 10 percent of emergency spending 
planned by it.

Pashinian went on to praise Armenian banks for honoring their pledge to suspend 
loan repayments for some 290,000 individual borrowers and 5,300 businesses. He 
also noted that the Armenian national currency, the dram, has rallied against 
the U.S. dollar in recent days after losing more than 4 percent of its value in 
March.

The World Bank report warns that falling remittance inflows from Russia may lead 
to “stronger depreciation pressures” on the dram in the months ahead.

The bank offered a far more positive outlook for the next few years. “GDP growth 
is forecast to recover over the medium term, to around 4.5 percent in 2021-22, 
supported by stabilizing external conditions and catch-up of delayed 
activities,” it said.

The Ministry of Health reported on Thursday morning that the number of 
coronavirus cases in Armenia rose by 28 to 921 in the past 24 hours. The latest 
official figures suggest that the virus, which has killed 10 people so far, 
continued to spread considerably more slowly than it did in the second half of 
March.

Pashinian again stated that the government is “cautiously optimistic” about 
containing the COVID-19 epidemic. He said a government task force will meet on 
Friday to decide whether to extend or ease the nationwide lockdown imposed on 
March 24.



EU To Boost Coronavirus Aid To Armenia


Belgium -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen holds a news 
conference detailing EU efforts to limit economic impact of the coronavirus 
outbreak, Brussels, April 2, 2020.

The European Union has pledged to nearly double its promised financial 
assistance to Armenia aimed at helping the country tackle the coronavirus 
epidemic and its severe socioeconomic consequences.

The EU said last week that its aid package will be worth 51 million euros ($55 
million).

The EU Delegation in Yerevan announced late on Wednesday that the 27-nation bloc 
has decided to increase the assistance to 92 million euros after “further 
restructuring” of ongoing projects in Armenia financed by it.

“The funds will be directed towards supplying medical devices and equipment, 
training for medical and laboratory staff, support to [small and medium-sized 
enterprises] and business community, as well as social and humanitarian 
assistance to those affected by the coronavirus outbreak,” it said in a 
statement.

The statement added that they will be part of the EU’s 20 billion-euro aid 
program for “partner countries” around the world hit hard by the disease.

The Delegation specified on its Facebook on April 2 that the EU will spend 30 
million euros on supporting Armenian businesses by improving their “access to 
cheap loans, working capital and guarantees.” It also promised to deliver 
“humanitarian aid packages” to over 3,000 poor families living in three Armenian 
provinces.

The EU announcements mark the largest coronavirus-related aid allocation secured 
by Yerevan so far.


Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2020 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Armenpress: Serzh Sargsyan to be summoned to parliamentary committee investigating 2016 April War

Hagop Kamalian

Serzh Sargsyan to be summoned to parliamentary committee investigating 2016 April War

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 16:12, 7 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, ARMENPRESS. Former President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan’s Office has said that he will make an appearance at the parliamentary ad hoc committee session investigating the 2016 April War on April 16th, at 14:00.

“Although it is perplexing that the parliamentary committee has decided to hold a session amid the situation which is created as a result of the pandemic, even if the government were to extend the state of emergency the Third President of Armenia is ready to visit the committee on April 16th, at 14:00”, Sargsyan’s Office said.

Sargsyan’s Office said that “he doesn’t have any problems in presenting details” of the April War to the committee.

The ex-president’s office has asked the parliamentary committee to clarify whether or not the session will be recorded, stenographed and archived. Sargsyan has asked the committee to ensure a recording opportunity and provide him with a copy of it.

 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Armenia initiates talks with Russian side on revising gas price

Hagop Kamalian

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 17:01, 31 March, 2020

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government has come up with an initiative to start talks with Russia on revising the price of gas, and our Russian partners have been notified on the matter, Deputy Prime Minister, State of Emergency Commandant Tigran Avinyan said at a press conference, asked whether the gas prices will be revised given the current fluctuations of the price in the international market.

“With what stage and procedure the talks will be carried out, I think, it’s still early to say, but, in any case, the current fluctuations of prices in the oil and gas market at this stage already give as all grounds for preliminary revision. I think we will start these discussions with the Russian partners very soon”, he added.

Earlier today Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan sent a letter on behalf of the Armenian government to Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chairman of the Management Committee at Gazprom PJSC Alexey Miller requesting to launch talks on the change of price of gas supplied to Armenia. “It’s already clear that the consequences of the novel coronavirus are going to have negative impact on the socio-economic development of our countries and this will lead to a decline on consumption volumes of energy resources. Of course, we will boost the production and consumption growth with all means, but for the efficiency of the aforementioned measures it’s necessary to ensure a competitive environment. We all understand that in this regard the price of gas in Armenia has a great significance. We also understand that the scales and level of friendly relations between our countries allow us and require from us to raise and discuss on time issues of systematic significance for our countries, also for the stable development of trade-economic cooperation. Taking into account the forecasts and the current situation in global markets connected with the prices of energy resources, including that of oil and gas, we find it appropriate to start new talks on the change of price of gas supplied to Armenia. In particular, we consider well-timed the discussion of issues on setting a rule to reduce the price of gas for one thousand cubic meters on the Armenia-Georgia border, as well as make payments for gas with the national currency”, the deputy PM said in the letter.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




CIVILNET.Goodbye, Patrick: Obituary

Hagop Kamalian
CIVILNET.AM

1 April, 2020 18:13 

French-Armenian politician Patrick Devedjian, who was a minister under France Presidents Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy, died from coronavirus on March 29. He was 75 years old. This prominent politician was also an advocate for the Armenian community in France. 

Ara Toranian, Co-Chair of the Coordination Council of Armenian organisations of France (CCAF) and Director of the monthly magazine Nouvelle d’Arménie, paid tribute to Patrick Devedjian in an editorial entitled “Goodbye Patrick” (“Adieu Patrick”).

Goodbye, Patrick

The news just broke. Abrupt. Patrick Devedjian, “affected by the epidemic,” as he stated in a tweet last Wednesday, died on 28 March at night in a hospital in Haut-de-Seine, where he was serving as chairman of the department for many years.

With his passing, France has lost one of its greatest politicians. And the Armenian world has lost one of its greatest figures that remained, after the death of Charles Aznavour one and a half years ago. The loss is immense. At a level of the emotion that is overwhelming for the community. Because this lawyer by profession was one of the greatest advocates for his cause, since 1975 when he volunteered to plead in favour of the first imprisoned combatants of the cause: the members of the Van Operation, Max Kilndjian, Alexander Yenikomshian, Mardiros Jamgotchian, Monte Melkonian. Concurrently being the advisor of French President Jacques Chirac and of the Rally for the Republic Party (RPR)! Thus, he became the advisor of the established power, of the established national and international order. But when it came to the genocide – that influenced him deeply as he said in an interview to Marianne Magazine – Patrick Devedjian only listened to his Armenian heart, that pushed him to be at the frontline of each battle. Always voluntary. Always all for it. And with such talent! Such intelligence! Such decency!

The walls of the National Assembly still resonate with his speech on May 29, 1998, when the recognition of the Armenian genocide was passed unanimously, in a session that ended with a long applause. Or, when he took the floor, for a fight that he felt would be extremely difficult, for the criminalisation of genocide denialism.

We will no longer be able to write about his endeavours which led him to get the medal of courage awarded by the Coordination Council of Armenian organisations of France  (CCAF), four years ago. Nor will we continue to see his incredible political career, which allowed him, in times where it was not easy to make such a name for himself, to be elected Mayor of Antony, deputy, minister and president of the wealthiest department of France. We will remember with emotion that his last public appearance at an Armenian event was at the annual dinner of this institution, where he was sitting next to the President of the French Republic on January 29, 2020. And that very lastly, he committed himself, once again, to the defence of the Mekhitarian College in Sèvres, where he was a student. 

We should point out that Patrick Devedjian played a decisive role in the institutionalization of Armenian bodies in the Republic, in which he was one the most respected figures, by both the right and left wings of politics. 

There is so much to say. We will go back very quickly to the exceptional itinerary of this servant of the Republic, who has done everything to allow France, which he cherished more than anything, to adopt the stance of recoginsing  the first genocide of the 20th century, which has now become a universal cause.

How could a virus end this force of nature, whose youthful appearance that defied time overshadowed that he was on the “at risk” age group. This loss is unacceptable. Nonetheless, it resembles the fate of Patrick Devedjian, who wrestled throughout his public life to raise awareness. In a final act, he reminds us how deadly the coronavirus is. But no Covid will ever erase the memory of this exceptional personality and the admiration he deserves.

Find the original text in French here.

Translated by Ani Paitjan

Edited by Emilio Leo Cricchio 
 

The commandant`s office allocated a sports and concert complex for isolation under coronavirus

Hagop Kamalian
Arminfo, Armenia
April 1 2020

ArmInfo. The commandant's office considers various scenarios for the development of the situation with the coronavirus, and prepares appropriate response mechanisms for  each of them. This is stated in the message of the Unified Information Center.

<Various places have been highlighted that can effectively serve to  isolate our fellow citizens, if such a need arises. One of such  places is the Sports and Concert Complex named after Karen  Demirchyan.  Meanwhile, it is worth emphasizing that the need to use  the CCM for these purposes may not arise>, the statement says.

We add that the day before late in the evening on social networks  photos of the CCM lobby began to be distributed, where dozens of beds  were installed.

As of March 31, 532 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the  republic, 31 people recovered, and three died.