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Author: Hambik Zargarian

Armenian, Turkish envoys meet in Vienna, reiterate agreement to continue the process without preconditions

Hambik Zargarian
Public Radio of Armenia
May 3 2022

On May 3, Special Representatives for the normalization process between Armenia and Turkey, respectively, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ruben Rubinyan and Ambassador Serdar Kilic held their third meeting in Vienna.

The Special Representatives reaffirmed the declared goal of achieving full normalization between their respective countries through this process. In this sense, they had a sincere and productive exchange of concrete views and discussed possible steps that can be undertaken for tangible progress in this direction.

They reiterated their agreement to continue the process without preconditions.

Armenian Defense Minister meets with Georgian PM, lays flowers at Tbilisi Hero’s Square Memorial

Hambik Zargarian

Armenian Defense Minister meets with Georgian PM, lays flowers at Tbilisi Hero’s Square Memorial

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 19:52, 4 May, 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 4, ARMENPRESS. The Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Suren Papikyan met with the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili on May 4.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Armenia, during the meeting Suren Papikyan presented the results of his meeting with his Georgian counterpart and the agreements reached on the development of bilateral cooperation in the defense sphere.

Suren Papikyan also presented the steps taken by Armenia to establish peace in the region and emphasized the role of Georgia in those processes.

The Armenian Defense Minister thanked the Georgian Prime Minister for his efforts to repatriate Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan, due to which, in particular, 15 Armenian prisoners of war were returned to Armenia on June 12 last year.

On May 4, the delegation led by Suren Papikyan visited the Hero’s Square Memorial in Tbilisi, laid flowers at the monument and paid homage.

           


Asbarez: ANCA-WR Endorses Henry Stern for Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Third District

Hambik Zargarian
 by Contributor

 

 April 26, 2022

 

in Community, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories
 0

Earlier this week, the Armenian National Committee of America–Western Region announced its endorsement of Henry Stern for his bid for Supervisor in Los Angeles County’s Third District for the 2022 elections. 

“The ANCA-WR has enjoyed a productive relationship with Henry Stern throughout his career as a California Senator and is proud to endorse him as an LA County Supervisorial candidate,” remarked ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “As a principled leader on Armenian issues, we look forward to working with him to address the concerns of the Armenian community in the Third District,” she continued.  

“I have been incredibly proud to represent the vibrant Armenian-American community of the San Fernando Valley during my time in the California State Senate, and am honored to earn the endorsement of the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region for the Third Supervisorial District,” said Senator Stern.

“As Senator, I was grateful for the opportunity to visit Armenia and work to strengthen relations between the Republic of Armenia and California. I was also honored to have worked to establish the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education – an issue close to my heart – to promote greater public awareness and education on the scourge of genocide so as to ensure these crimes are never forgotten nor repeated. From combating genocide denial, confronting the unprecedented rise in hate crimes plaguing our communities, to forcefully condemning Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression against the Armenians of Artsakh – I look forward to being a strong voice for the Armenian-American community in Los Angeles County,” Stern concluded.

Henry Stern was first elected to the California State Senate in 2016, representing the 27th District, which includes the densely Armenian-populated areas of the San Fernando Valley such as Northridge, Encino, Reseda, Woodland Hills, Simi Valley, and portions of Santa Clarita. 

As a Senator, Stern has been committed to elevating the voice of his Armenian-American constituency and representing the needs of the local community. Senator Stern has been outspoken on the issue of justice for the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide. In 2021, Stern was appointed the Co-Chair of the recently formed Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education. The Council was established in 2021 to combat the rising anti-Semitism and other acts of hate, with a particular emphasis on the public school system, in light of new evidence showing a lack of knowledge about the Armenian Genocide, Holocaust, and other mass atrocity crimes among California students.

Stern’s commitment to confronting hate in all its forms was demonstrated following hate crime incidents at the Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School and the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School when Turkish flags were hung on the school gates. Stern, whose district encompasses both schools, issued his strong condemnation and denunciation of the hate crime at the time.

Senator Stern is also a member of the California, Armenia, and Artsakh Mutual Trade, Art and Cultural Exchange Senate’s Select Committee. In 2018, under the auspices of the ANCA-WR, Stern traveled to Armenia with other elected officials, where he met with political and business leaders in Armenia in order to deepen economic and cultural ties between the Republic of Armenia and California. 

During the invasion of Artsakh by Azerbaijan – with Turkey’s support – in September 2020, Senator Stern was vocal in expressing his support for the Armenian people. Senator Stern joined together with dozens of Jewish leaders ranging from local clergy, political officials, and community organizations in condemning Azerbaijani and Turkish aggression and standing in solidarity with the Armenian people.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is responsible for a roughly $30 billion annual budget covering a wide range of services, which include child services and foster care, the sheriff’s department, jails, and transportation, among many others. The newly adopted Supervisorial District Three encompasses the cities of Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Encino, Granada Hills, Lake Balboa, North Hills, Northridge, Panorama City, Reseda, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Valley Glen, Topanga Canyon, Toluca Lake, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, and portions of Hollywood, North Hollywood, Studio City, Sun Valley, and Sylmar.

Los Angeles is home to the largest Armenian diaspora community globally, with up to half a million residents of Armenian ancestry across the county. The Armenian-American community of Los Angeles has made an indelible impact on the social, cultural, political, and economic fabric of the county.

With primary elections approaching on June 7th, Armenian-Americans have an important opportunity to ensure our community’s collective voice is heard, and are poised to play a significant role in shaping the county’s future. 

The ANCA-WR will continue to announce its endorsements as it works tirelessly to ensure issues of significance to the Armenian-American community are addressed by candidates ahead of the upcoming elections. 

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.

PACE initiates resolution on threats to journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan

Hambik Zargarian
NEWS.am
Armenia – May 2 2022
19:50, 02.05.2022

A group of PACE deputies on the eve of the annual World Freedom Day on 3 May initiated a resolution of the Assembly on threats to the life and security of journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan. The initiative by Belgian MP Christophe Lacroix was supported by 37 PACE members from 24 countries, Turan reported.

“The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is concerned about the increasing level of violence, intolerance and continuing threats against Azerbaijani journalists, bloggers and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan,” reads the petition signed by the mentioned MPs.

Journalist and human rights activist, well-known LGBT activist Avaz Shikhmammadov was murdered in his home on 22 February, 2022. Numerous requests to protect his life were ignored by the law enforcement agencies of Azerbaijan.

On 23 April, 2022, the well-known blogger and human rights activist, former prisoner of conscience Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was kidnapped by masked men, who tortured and subjected him to inhuman treatment. They ordered the blogger to delete his critical publications.

Over the past two months, many investigative journalists have received warnings from representatives of Azerbaijan’s law enforcement agencies demanding that they stop their anti-corruption investigations of government officials. “Otherwise, journalists were threatened, death and serious health problems that would look like accidents or poisoning. After these threats, some of these journalists were forced to declare the cessation of anti-corruption investigations, while others still decided to continue their work,” the document further states.

The Parliamentary Assembly should examine and study the killings and assassination cases and continuing threats to the lives and freedoms of Azerbaijani journalists, bloggers and human rights activists who continue to work at home and abroad and produce a comprehensive report on this issue, the petitioners say.

The Assembly should call on the Azerbaijani government to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights and guarantee the safety of journalists and human rights defenders, allowing them to continue their professional activities unhindered.

Emin Huseynov, director of the Institute of Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, told the Turan news agency that the 38 deputies’ appeal will be considered in mid-May by a standing committee and the PACE Bureau.

Eric Bogosian Joins ‘Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire’ For AMC

Hambik Zargarian
DEADLINE
March 17 2022

Somebody get Eric Bogosian a fedora: The Talk Radio alum has been cast in the upcoming series Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire as an investigative journalist.

Bogosian will play Daniel Molloy, a reporter who snags the interview of a lifetime with a charismatic bloodsucker. The series from Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad), Rolin Jones (Perry Mason, Friday Night Lights) and Christopher Rice is based on Anne Rice’s bestselling novel of the same name.

The author died in December.

“In 1988, I hit my mom up for money three times to see Talk Radio in the movie theaters,” said Jones, who will serve as showrunner and executive producer, in a statement. “I count Eric Bogosian as one of the half dozen artists who made me want to do this for a career. He is, for me, the dented car fender of the American Soul and I can think of no better actor/writer alive to play this role. I’m in total frothing geek mode about his casting.”

Bogosian joins previously announced cast Sam Reid (Lestat), Jacob Anderson (Louis), Bailey Bass (Claudia) and Assad Zaman (Rashid).  The first seven episodes of the series will premiere later this year on AMC and AMC+.  Alan Taylor will direct the first two episodes and executive produce the series.

Bogosian most recently starred in Uncut Gems as well as HBO’s Succession and Showtime’s Billions.

 

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 05/01/2022

Hambik Zargarian 
                                        Sunday, May 1, 2022
Armenian Opposition Starts ‘Civil Disobedience’ Campaign
Armenia - Opposition supporters demonstrate in France Square, Yerevan, May 1, 
2022.
Thousands of protesters occupied a square in downtown Yerevan on Sunday at the 
start of what Armenia’s leading opposition forces described as a “civil 
disobedience” campaign aimed at toppling Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
The opposition Hayastan and Pativ Unem alliances pitched tents in France Square, 
the intersection of four key avenues, as they rallied their supporters there 
after days of more small-scale protests. They said they will block streets in 
the city center and other parts of the Armenian capital on Monday to step up the 
pressure on the Armenian government.
“We will not leave this place until we achieve victory,” said Anna Grigorian, a 
lawmaker affiliated with Hayastan.
Addressing the crowd, she and other opposition leaders reiterated that 
Pashinian’s removal from power would prevent sweeping concessions to Azerbaijan 
planned by him.
Pashinian signaled last month his administration’s readiness to recognize 
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity through a bilateral peace treaty. Critics say 
he is intent on helping Baku regain control of Karabakh. The premier’s political 
allies deny this.
Armenia - Opposition supporters set up a tent camp in France Square, Yerevan, 
May 1, 2022.
“These authorities have no mandate to lead the country to new concessions,” 
Ishkhan Saghatelian, a Hayastan leader, told the protesters before announcing 
the “large-scale actions of disobedience.”
“This is not a seizure of power,” he said. “This is an exercise of dignified 
citizens’ constitutional right to come out and oust these pro-Turkish 
authorities for the sake of Armenia, Artsakh (Karabakh) and the Armenian people.”
Saghatelian also urged parliament deputies representing Pashinian’s Civil 
Contract to use the “last chance to correct your mistake” and defect from the 
ruling political team.
Some of those pro-government lawmakers have publicly denounced the opposition 
campaign and said it will end in failure.
Armenia - Former President Robert Kocharian and members of his family 
participate in an opposition demonstration in Yerevan, May 1, 2022.
The opposition set up the protest camp amid heightened security, with scores of 
riot police deployed nearby. They did not attempt to disperse the protesters.
Earlier on Sunday, Armenia’s Office of the Prosecutor-General warned the 
opposition against “provoking mass disturbances.”
In a separate statement, the National Security Service (NSS) claimed that there 
is a “real danger” of such violence. It said it will not hesitate to counter 
“any kind of actions destabilizing Armenia’s internal stability.”
Saghatelian, who is also a deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament, dismissed 
these warnings, saying that the opposition will be staging only peaceful 
protests. He also urged security forces to defy Pashinian’s “illegal orders.”
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.

Development of relations with Georgia one of most important priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy – FM

Hambik Zargarian

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 12:53,

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan made a statement for the press following his meeting with his Georgian counterpart Ilia Darchiashvili, who arrived in Armenia on an official visit.

The statement says:

“Honorable Mr. Darchiashvili,

Dear colleagues, 

I would like to welcome my colleague Ilia Darchiashvili, the Foreign Minister of Georgia, who is in Yerevan on his first official visit, and once again congratulate him and wish him success in assuming the responsible post of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. 

This year we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. The friendship between Armenia and Georgia is based on common values and strong historical ties deriving from the depths of the centuries, and I want to state that since independence we have developed close cooperation with Georgia in almost every sphere. The development of special neighborly relations between our countries and the further deepening of multifaceted cooperation is one of the important priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy, enshrined in the program of the Government.

I would like to state with commendation that there is a high level of political dialogue and cooperation within bilateral and multilateral platforms between Armenia and Georgia. This is evidenced by regular reciprocal visits at the highest levels, effective cooperation in the political, economic, communication, security and humanitarian spheres, as well as within international organizations, about further expansion of which we had detailed discussions with my colleague.

Armenia attaches great importance to the joint efforts for the general development and promotion in the region, another manifestation of which is the cooperation between our countries in the effort of establishing the “Persian Gulf- Back Sea International Transport-Transit Corridor”.

Dear colleagues, 

Today we also touched upon issues of regional and international security and stability.

I comprehensively presented to my colleague the situation around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and Armenia’s position on the processes aimed at establishing regional peace and stability, and on the negotiations on a comprehensive peace agreement with Azerbaijan. In this context, I underlined the mediating role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship in advancing the peace process aimed at the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

I should mention that humanitarian issues remain unresolved. In violation of international humanitarian law and the provisions of the November 9 Trilateral Statement, Azerbaijan continues to illegally hold Armenian prisoners of war and civilians hostage. The desecration and destruction of the identity of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage by Azerbaijan in the territories fallen under the control of Azerbaijan as a result of the 44-day war remain of particular importance. The latest such example is the desecration of the St. Harutyun Church in Hadrut. For the prevention of these recurring cases of vandalism, currently the visit of the UNESCO assessment mission to the region is urgent as before.

Honorable Minister,

I once again welcome You in Yerevan. I am convinced that the friendly relations established between our countries, as well as the brotherly ties of Armenian and Georgian people provide a solid foundation for strengthening and developing existing achievements of partnership”.

Most Armenians welcome Russians` arrival, disagree with western sanctions – survey

Hambik Zargarian
ARMINFO
Armenia –
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo. 72.8% of the respondents involved in a survey conducted by Marketing Professional Group (MPG), an exclusive representative of the GALLUP International Association in Armenia, disagree with the western sanctions against  Russia. 

Specifically, 8.4% of the respondents fully support the western  sanctions/restrictions imposed on Russia, 11% consider them mainly  positive, 17.8% consider the sanctions mainly negative, 55% believe  the sanctions are totally negative and 7.9% could not answer. 

77.6% of the respondents believe that the anti-Russian sanctions are  affecting Armenia.  

Specifically, 53.9% of the residents are sure that the sanctions are  affecting Armenia, 23.7% believe the sanctions are most likely  affecting Armenia, 9.6% said the sanctions are probably not affecting  the country, 8.2% believe the sanctions are not affecting at all and  4.7% could not answer. 

86.6% welcome Russians coming to Armenia amid the Ukraine  developments. 

Specifically, 47.8% of the respondents positively welcome the fact of  many Russians coming to Armenia for temporary residence or work,  38.8% most likely welcome, 5.2% are not disposed to welcome the fact,  6.6% are strongly against it and 1.6% could not answer. 

Most of the respondents, 85.2%, are sure Russians’ arrival in Armenia  will have a positive impact on the country’s economy.  

The survey was conducted from April 2 to 6, 2022, with 1,002  respondents involved. The survey has a margin of error of +3%.

Artsakh ombudsman’s report on Azerbaijani violations disseminated as official document in UN

Hambik Zargarian
Panorama
Armenia –

LAW 12:27 27/04/2022 NKR

The report of the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of the Artsakh Republic “On the Violations of the Rights of Artsakh People by Azerbaijan in February-March 2022” was disseminated as an official document in the United Nations (UN), Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan said on Wednesday.

The report highlights that for almost one year and a half after the end of the large-scale hostilities and the establishment of the ceasefire on November 9, 2020, Azerbaijan has violated the rights of the Artsakh Armenians, including the right to life, health, physical and psychological integrity, through various means.

It points to the deliberate disruption of gas supplies to Artsakh by the Azerbaijani military in March.

The full report is available here.

Azerbaijani press: French presidential elections: Armenian lobby’s total failure

Hambik Zargarian
15:44 (UTC+04:00)
580

By Ayya Lmahamad

The first round of the French presidential election was held on April 10. The final results of the first round demonstrated that the Armenian lobby’s attempt to interfere in the elections and elect a leader more sympathetic to Armenian interests was a complete failure.

The Armenian lobby made large bets on candidates with questionable backgrounds, such as Marine Le Pen, Eric Zemmour, and Valerie Pecresse. However, the current president, Emmanuel Macron, who took first place in the first round with 27.84 percent of the vote, and the leader of the extreme right-wing National Front, Marine Le Pen, who took second place with 23.15 percent, advanced to the second round of elections.

With the announcement of the French elections, these three candidates began to make all kinds of unrealistic promises to the local Armenian diaspora, particularly regarding Karabakh. All in the name of getting their votes. Zemmour and Pecresse even decided to travel to Armenia and illegally to Azerbaijan’s Kabarakh, and Le Pen especially distinguished herself during the election campaign. She stated that it had been a long-held childhood dream of hers to see Nagorno-Karabakh rejoin Armenia. It is very interesting how she dreams of reigniting a conflict that has recently ended rather than ending wars and conflicts that are killing people.

It’s quite a strange logic for someone running for president of France to think about unrealistic Armenian fantasies but not about the French people. By the way, the French did not approve of the candidate’s behavior, and as a result, she received fewer votes than Macron.

Marine Le Pen has long been known for her Islamophobia and hatred of all Turkic peoples, as her entire ideology is based on the notion that non-Christian nations and peoples cannot be a part of European culture. She is primarily popular among conservative residents of small towns and the countryside who are upset that migrants are bringing their traditions into the traditional foundation of French society. That is why the National Front program she leads is based on limiting migration into the country and achieving the country’s exit from the EU.

France now has much more pressing issues than the Armenian lobby’s whining – social problems, and the French people tend to vote for the candidate who promises to solve them. According to pre-election polls in France, voters are concerned about a decline in the population’s standard and quality of life, religious and ethnic contradictions, an increase in the number of offenses, crime, problems with migrants and the demographic situation, and issues of social infrastructure.

Given this, the provision of food to the population ranks first among the current president Emmanuel Macron’s social promises. Macron stated during his election campaign that if re-elected, he intends to develop and implement a “food stamp program” to protect the poor and middle class from rising food prices and a new crisis. Macron’s entire attention will be focused in these areas. He’ll have to explain why he’s running for a second term.

Furthermore, unlike Le Pen, President Macron campaigned on the themes of strengthening Europe’s unity and active participation in NATO.

It is worth noting that The Economist predicts President Emmanuel Macron will win easily in the second round of the presidential election. The statistical model predicts that he will receive 74 percent of the vote, while Marine Le Pen will receive only 26 percent.

The results show that voters are not concerned with global processes or fictitious Armenian problems, but rather with France’s domestic social problems that must be addressed.

In a nutshell, the results of the first round of presidential elections revealed that Armenians have suffered another fiasco. The Armenian lobby’s hopes that the new French president will support their claims against Azerbaijan are unlikely to come true. When it comes to electing a president, ordinary French citizens want the most dignified candidate who will prioritize them.

The failure of the Armenian candidates hit the Armenian lobby hard, demonstrating that its influence is not as strong as it claims. The talk of a powerful Armenian lobby has nothing to do with reality.