Author: Hagop Kamalian

Concert dedicated to the 25^th anniversary of Armenia’s membership in the UN was held in New York on March 16. Attending the event were Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, UN Secretary António Guterres, heads of diplomatic missions accredited to the UN, high-ranking officials of the UN Secretariat, representatives of the Armenian community.

Addressing the attendees, Minister Nalbandian said “it’s hard to overestimate the importance of the day.

“Armenia joined the UN family at a time full of challenges, but this never undermined our determination and commitment to build a society in full compliance with the goals and principles of the UN,” he said.

“We are guided by the UN Charter, which calls to unite to maintain international peace and security, develop good-neighborly relations between states based on the respect for equality and the right to self-determination. The full and steady implementation of these commitments is the duty of all member states. Armenia is fully faithful to these commitments, including in its efforts towards an exceptionally peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict  ” Edward Nalbandian said.

He noted that Armenian directly contributes to global peace, participating in a number of peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon and Mali.

“We have joined the efforts of the international community aimed at non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, fight against terrorism, search for ways to solve the migrant crisis. Armenia has provided refuge to 22 thousand refugees from Syria, making the country the third in Europe with the number of migrants per capita. Our country is doing the utmost to contribute to tolerance and promote intercultural, interreligious dialogue, fight racism, propaganda of hatred and xenophobia,” Edward Nalbandian stated.

Asbarez – The Armenian American Museum unveiled a new animated tour video of the cultural and educational center’s concept design, providing a first look at the project’s iconic design and ambitious program. The video can we watched above.

The animated video tour begins with an aerial view of the in the proposed Downtown Glendale location adjacent to the Central Library and Americana at Brand. The tour continues with the interior of the Museum, revealing the grand lobby, state-of-the-art auditorium, and exhibition halls, where Museum officials plan to feature permanent exhibitions on the Armenian American experience and traveling exhibitions on diverse cultures and subject matters that will engage all audiences. The video concludes with an evening shot featuring the rooftop sculpture garden and Museum exterior.

“The Armenian American Museum will be one of the most historic cultural and educational centers built in the region and we are excited to share our vision through the concept design animated tour,” said Museum Executive Committee Chairman Berdj Karapetian. “The Museum will serve students, artists, historians, and diverse audiences from across the Southern California region.”

The vision for the Armenian American Museum is a cultural campus that enriches the community, educates the public on the Armenian American story, and empowers individuals to embrace cultural diversity and speak out against prejudice.

Museum and City officials are on schedule to complete the concept design, traffic, parking, economic, and environmental studies in time for the consideration of the ground lease agreement by the Glendale City Council during the fourth quarter of 2017.

On 1 March Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan received representatives of the Armenian foreign ministry’s central apparatus and diplomatic corps headed by foreign minister Edward Nalbandyan.

Foreign policy of the two Armenian states, the Azerbaijani-Karabagh conflict settlement and regional processes were touched upon during the meeting.

The Head of the State noted with satisfaction that such meetings had become traditional and took place in a periodic manner, highlighting their significance from the viewpoint of deepening cooperation between the RA and NKR in foreign policy sphere.

During the meeting President Sahakyan handed in NKR state awards to a group of diplomats of the Republic of Armenia foreign ministry for significant contribution to the process of the Artsakh Republic independence’s recognition.

Photo: AFP

 

French centre-right presidential candidate Francois Fillon has said he will fight on, as he announced that a judge was placing him under formal investigation, the BBC reports.

For weeks, he has fought allegations that his wife was paid for years for work she did not do.

He has now been summoned to appear before the judge, Serge Tournaire, on 15 March.

“It’s a political assassination,” Mr Fillon complained.

Head of the Azerbaijani community of Moscow Region Qalib Agayev has been arrested after a criminal case was instigated against him in January.  The man  accused of fraud is currently under house arrest, reports.

According to the source, Agayev is accused of embezzlement of budget funds at the amount of 600 thousand rubles.

He received the funds in 2015 under the “Russia in the eyes of Turkish and Azerbaijani schoolchildren” grant program provided to the “Russian world” Fund of the Ministry of Education.

Agayev had to organize the visit of Azerbaijani and Turkish schoolchildren to Russia for a tour around the Golden Ring.

Presumably, the man used the large sum at his discretion.

Twenty-seven Russian citizens arrived in Armenia on internal passports on February 23, spokesman for the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tigran Balayan has said.

“Twenty-seven citizens of Russia arrived in Armenia on internal passports on the first day,” Balayan tweeted.

The decision of the Armenian government came into force on February 23.

The NKR Foreign Ministry has issued a statement on the Constitutional Referendum held in Artsakh on February 20:

On 20 February 2017, a national referendum on a new draft Constitution was held in the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic). The turnout has been 76, 44 per cent of the registered voters, of which 87, 6 per cent supported the adoption of the new Constitution. Around 100 international observers from 30 countries monitored the voting process and positively assessed the organization and conduct of the referendum noting their transparency and compliance with international standards.

The new Constitution is to continue the traditions of state building enshrined in the first constitution, further strengthen the sovereignty of the country, and promote human rights and the rule of law, to improve public administration, enroot the independent judiciary and reform the local self-government. A key innovation was the increase of direct participation of citizens in public affairs by providing them with the right to legislative initiative, as well as on proposing amendments to the Constitution.

The referendum on 20 February has become another act of expression of will by the people of Artsakh, in exercising their right to determine their own future, as enshrined in fundamental international documents.

The attempts of Baku to suppress by all means, including military, this inherent right of the people of Artsakh, lead to the outbreak of the armed conflict. It remains a major source of persistent tension in the region and the reason for the lack of progress in the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict.

The democratic development of Artsakh’s statehood is an irreversible process. Reluctance of Azerbaijan to recognize this fact through denial of the right to self-determination realized by the people of Artsakh is an attempt to return to the past, which is doomed to failure.

– When President Donald Trump signed his executive order halting refugee admissions last month citing national security, he made it a point to say that religious minorities, especially Christians, would be given priority.

But some Christian refugees have been unable to enter the U.S. in the aftermath of the presidential order, even though the travel ban has been suspended for now by federal courts.

One family bound for Los Angeles is among the refugees held up in Iran.

George Haratoonian, a business owner who lives in Glendale and arrived himself as a refugee nearly three decades ago, was expecting his brother’s family to fly into Los Angeles on Feb. 4. They were planning to live with him until they got settled.

But just as the president’s order took effect in late January, the family received disappointing news: their visas to Austria, the first leg of their journey, had been canceled. Haratoonian was with them in Tehran when they got the news.

“We had hoped that this thing was a rumor,” he said. It wasn’t.

The Haratoonians are Armenian Christians, a religious minority in Iran. The family was traveling to the U.S. through what is known as the Lautenberg program, which benefits religious minorities. The program was originally enacted in 1990 to assist refugees from the former Soviet Union. Today, the program mostly benefits Christian, Jewish, Baha’i and other religious minority refugees from Iran.

Under the program, refugees transit from Iran to Austria, then on to the United States. Because the U.S. has no embassy in Iran, they must complete their paperwork in Austria before they continue on to the U.S. In order to get to Austria, they receive what’s known as a “D visa” from the Austrian government.

An Austrian government official confirmed in an email to KPCC that the visas of Iranian refugees in the program were canceled “following a procedural modification on the part of the United States.” The action occurred just ahead of the ban taking place. Refugee agencies believe that the Austrian government anticipated a policy change and didn’t want refugees stuck in transit.

Haratoonian said his family has lost much more than visas. They had quit their jobs, left school, moved out of their home and sold all their belongings.

“Now, they’ve lost everything. And now they are living like homeless. It’s ridiculous,” he said.

The family is staying in a vacant house in Tehran, owned by a friend. Haratoonian’s eldest niece spoke with KPCC from there.

“The house is totally empty, and all we have is the stuff we already packed for going to Austria,” said Haratoonian’s niece, a 21-year-old college student who withdrew from the university she attended as the family prepared to leave the country.

Administration officials are now weighing their options, which could include a revision of the travel ban to address legal issues and a request for the full Ninth Circuit to review the stay of the ban.

As his family waits for news, George Haratoonian calls his brother nearly every day. He dials them in the mornings, when it’s nighttime in Iran, calling from his party-rental business in Atwater.

“I just give them hope, I can’t do anything else,” said Haratoonian. “I can’t send a visa for them. I can’t send an airplane for them. What can I do? It’s devastating.”

Manchester United stars Ashley Young and Henrikh Mkhitaryan swapped football matches for mathematics… after dropping in on a Manchester school, the reports.

The stars left pupils gobsmacked after they walked into classrooms at the Manchester Academy to help out.

The surprise visit, arranged as part of the academy’s partnership with the Manchester United Foundation, saw the players take part in Maths, French and English lessons at the Moss Side school.

Young and Mkhitaryan helped out teachers with lessons and told youngsters about the importance of sticking with education.

The duo then took to the pitch to have a kick about with pupils to help promote an evening football programme, held at 12 locations across the city by the foundation.

Mubarik Yusuf, Devonie Williams, Adam Benaicha and Abdiaziz Dahir were some of the teenagers who had the chance to show the United heroes around their school.

Midfielder Mkhitaryan said: “It’s always a pleasure to meet children because we have been kids as well.

“We are still kids for our parents and have studied at school, so it’s always important to come and support them and help them to find the right way.”

Manchester Academy Principal Andy Griffin said he was thrilled to welcome the players to the school on Wednesday.

He said: “A special moment for me was the way both Ashley and Henrikh interacted with our students. Here at the academy, we have an incredibly diverse community; Henrikh speaks several languages and it was just great to see the children’s engage with the players in a really positive manner. I’m sure it’s something our students will remember forever.”

Vietnam will now be granting electronic visas for Armenian citizens.

Vietnam began granting electronic visas for foreign citizens from 40 countries worldwide as from February 1, 2017, the reports.

According to the State news agency, the application will be submitted and the payment will be made online. It will take three days to process application for an e-visa valid for 30 days. The visa does not require letters of guarantee or invitation.

Foreign citizens will be granted  e-visas for exit and entry through international border gates.

The 40 countries include Azerbaijan, Argentina, Armenia, Ireland, Poland, Belarus, Bulgaria, Brunei, South Korea, Germany, Chile, China (not applicable to Chinese e-passport holders), Colombia, Czech Republic, Cuba, Denmark, Timor Leste, United States of America, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Russia, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Myanmar, Mongolia, Japan, Panama, Peru, Finland, France, The Philippines, Romania, Spain, Sweden,  Uruguay, Venezuela, Norway, and Slovakia.