Author: Hunanian Jack

Azerbaijan will additionally supply 500 million cubic meters (mcm) of gas a year to Georgia, according to Rovnag Abdullayev, president of Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR.

Abdullayev made the remarks speaking to Trend at the second meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council in Baku Feb. 29.

“Previously, we supplied 800 mcm of gas a year to Georgia from the Shah Deniz,” he said. “We have managed to increase the supply through that route to 1.5 billion cubic meters (bcm), as well as to 1.5 bcm via a pipeline connecting the two countries in Azerbaijan’s Gazakh district.”

He also said that at present, there is an opportunity to additionally obtain 500 to 700 mcm of gas from the Shah Deniz consortium.

Azerbaijan exports gas to Georgia via a pipeline linking the two countries in the Azerbaijani district of Gazakh.

This pipeline can pump more than 2.5 bcm of gas a year.

Idaho Armenian-American Community Defeats Pro-Azerbaijani Resolution In State Legislature In Less Than 48 Hours

The Armenian National Committee of America–Western Region announced Wednesday that it successfully defeated House Concurrent Resolution 37, which attempted to praise Azerbaijan’s interfaith tolerance and positive multiculturalism. The ANCA-WR led an advocacy initiative and mobilized Idaho’s local Armenian American community to defeat the measure in less than 48 hours.

“The quick defeat of Idaho’s resolution in praise of Azerbaijan is a testament to the strength of American democracy and yet another example that our well-organized grassroots efforts will have a stronger resounding effect than that of a foreign paid lobby ,” said Elen Asatryan, Executive Director of the ANCA-WR. “We are proud that the State of Idaho has joined the states of Hawaii, Colorado, California and others to reject the dictatorial regime of Azerbaijan, which is known for its oppression of citizens, press and its persecution of Christian communities.

“A dictatorship that has destroyed more Christian monuments than ISIS and is the world’s fifth most censored country should not be praised for anything, let alone interfaith tolerance.”

,  sponsored by Representative Thomas Dayley, was introduced by the Idaho House State Affairs Committee on Feb. 11, 2016. Once alerted to the resolution, ANCA-WR immediately alerted the local Armenian American community, to all House members in opposition to the resolution and called upon all members to encourage the withdrawal of this resolution.

Earlier Wednesday, the Idaho House State Affairs Committee confirmed that the controversial measure had effectively been withdrawn killed.

“The sponsor of the resolution has requested that I hold the bill and not have a hearing on it,” stated Representative Thomas Loertscher, chairman of the committee, in an email. “That is what will happen and it will not advance and will not be considered for any further action.”

Two hospitals have been hit in new air strikes in northern Syria, medics and witnesses say, causing a number of deaths and injuries, the BBC reports.

In Azaz on the Turkish border, at least 10 people reportedly died, including several in one hospital building.

Medecins Sans Frontieres said eight staff members were missing after another attack in Maarat al-Numan.

The strikes come days after Russia and other world powers agreed to a limited cessation of hostilities in Syria.

It was unclear who carried out the latest attacks. MSF did not identify who was responsible for the Maarat al-Numan strikes.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

During the meeting the parties continued discussions on the process of peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

Referring to the negotiation process, Minister Nalbandian noted: “Ignoring the targeted messages of the international community, Azerbaijan continues to severely violate the trilateral agreements on establishment and reinforcement of ceasefire, turns down the proposal to create a mechanism of investigation of border incidents, attempts to take the discussions on the settlement of the issue to other formats and criticizes the Minsk Group co-chairmanship format. This comes to prove that Baku is doing its best to frustrate the settlement process. Furthermore, these actions of the Azerbaijani side and the refusal to meet with the Co-Chairs contribute to the maintenance of the status quo, something Armenia and the co-chairing countries have always stood against.”

Edward Nalbandian reiterated that Armenia would continue to work together with the Co-Chairs towards an exceptionally peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

Sarkis Eken, an 86-year-old known as one of the oldest Armenians born and residing in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir, passed away at Dicle University’s hospital, where he was receiving treatment, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Ekenwas born in 1930 in the Başbuk village of Diyarbakir’s Silvan district and was living in the Meryem Ana Assyrian Church in its central Sur district for 55 years.

He lived out his final years alone after losing his wife of 65 years, Baydzar Eken, in 2014, only two months after their official civil marriage.

His funeral was initially planned in Surp Giragos Armenian Church in Sur’s Fatihpaşa neighborhood, but the venue was changed due to the curfew in Fatihpaşa.

The one-hour ceremony, which was orchestrated by priest Yusuf Akbulut of Meryem Ana Assyrian Church, was attended by Diyarbakir Church spiritual leader Ahmet Güvener, Sur deputy mayor Azize Değer Kutlu from the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), local authorities,  artists and Eken’s relatives and friends.

Priest Akbulut said the ceremony would have been attended by many more from both Turkey and abroad if there were not any ongoing clashes in Sur district. He added that Eken was a beloved man who always aimed at being a good person.

Eken was laid to rest in the Christian church in Diyarbakır’s Urfakapı district.

Celine Dion’s husband René Angélil has died at the age of 73 after a lengthy battle against throat cancer.

”Rene Angelil, 73, passed away this morning as his home in Las Vegas after a long and courageous battle against cancer. The family requests that their privacy be respected at the moment; more details will be provided at a later time,” reads a statement on Celine Dion’s Facebook page.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili will address the nation tonight, possibly announcing his resignation, Georgian national television reported.

Local media outlets indicated earlier Garibashvili planned to resign to lead the Georgian Dream coalition, which he chairs, campaign office.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has been tapped as his successor.

Charles Aznavour has reminded the world about the 1988 devastating earthquake.

“On 7 December 1988, a terrible earthquake struck Armenia, leaving tens of thousands dead and hundreds of thousands homeless,” Aznavour wrote in a Facebook post.

In the aftermath of the earthquake the world known French Armenian singer created the “Aznavour pour l’Arménie” Association, which carried out humanitarian projects.

After the earthquake a panel of 80 French artists recorded song “Pour toi Arménie” (For you, Armenia) to support Armenians and many generous donors also contributed to this effort of solidarity.