Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
: July 21, 2011

Contact: Joseph Kazazian
Tel: 818-500-1918

ASSEMBLYMAN KATCHO ACHADJIAN MEETS WITH COMMUNITY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Part Two of ANCA-WR `Meet and Greet’ Series

Glendale- California State Assembly Member Katcho Achadjian met with
local activists to discuss various issues at the Armenian National
Committee of America-Western Region’s (ANCA-WR) `Meet and Greet’
series. The event was hosted on July 17 by Mr. and Mrs. Aram and Aida
Shorvoghlian at their home. This is the second such event organized by
the ANCA-WR.

`We would like to thank Assemblyman Achadjian for taking the time to
join us at this important event,’ said Armen Garabedian, Chairman of
the ANCA-WR California State Affairs Committee. `His many years of
public service embodies the spirit of civic participation that is at
the core of the ANCA-Western Region’s mission, and continues to be an
inspiration to our community.’

Mr. Achadjian, a Republican Assemblyman who represents the San Luis
Obispo area, discussed issues facing Armenian-American voters in
California. Among the issues was the push for Armenian Genocide
recognition on the federal level, the importance of ethics in
politics, as well as reaching across the aisle to Democrats. Mr.
Achadjian also highlighted the importance of staying involved in the
community and emphasized the Armenian spirit which has heralded so
many victories for him. Mr. Achadjian also touched on California state
budget issues.

After moving to the United States as a youth, Mr. Achadjian
established successful businesses, and stayed civically active. He has
served on numerous boards for non-profit organizations and was a
three- term member of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors.
He also served on the California Coastal Commission, an organization
tasked with protecting California’s natural resources. Mr. Achadjian
was sworn in as the representative of the 33rd Assembly district on
December 6, 2010.

The event took place at the Shorvoghlian residence, where local
activist engaged ANCA-WR committee members, and college students were
formally briefed by Achadjian. After a question and answer session
with attendees, he candidly mingled with those attending the event.
His hands-on approach was highlighted by his constant and welcomed
reminders to those attending to call him for help if they had any
questions.

`It is encouraging to see a fellow Armenian American reach great
heights in public service,’ said Joseph Kazazian, an intern with the
ANCA-WR. `As a California resident, I understand the importance of
engaging elected officials who help run the biggest state in the
United States. It is a monumental task, and Assemblyman Achadjian
handles it in stride.’

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential 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.

###

—
William Bairamian
Executive Director
Armenian National Committee of America, Western Region

818-500-1918

FRESH ART: NUNE ASATRYAN

Sun-Sentinel
,0,4125421.story
July 20 2011
FL

This Lake Worth artist gathers her forces behind the walls of her
art compound.

Nune Asatryan says her friends call her Lake Worth house “the
art compound.” Perhaps that’s because Asatryan and her husband,
singer-songwriter and producer Alan Najarian, don’t see the dwelling
they bought last year as a home with studios, but the opposite.

“It’s two big studios and a few bedrooms spread around it,” Asatryan
says. “We’re not your normal family.”

Raised in a creative environment, the painter and sculptor is
accustomed to art being embedded in her daily routine. Growing up in
Armenia, her family lived in an apartment next door to her father’s
sculpting studio, which she says drew a bohemian crowd and interesting
conversations. In the summer, the family would visit Lake Sevan.

“It’s one of the biggest [high-altitude] lakes in the world,” she
says. “Right on the beach were creative houses for artists that
belong to the Artists Union of Armenia. Artists from all over the
world would come and bring guests. Everybody would be there with
their easels and tools.”

Asatryan says her life in Lake Worth has a similar feeling of
community. Artists and musician friends are always dropping in, playing
music and discussing creative ideas, while her 8-year-old daughter,
Zara, runs from one studio to another singing, drawing, painting and
socializing. She and her husband channel this energy into their work.

For several years, Asatryan has been flipping back and forth between
series, creating oil paintings such as “Blue Oasis” and “Beautiful
Mind,” which depict fish and flora mingling in what looks like
shimmery, sunlit water. “Rebirth,” which produces a similar effect,
depicts seven nude women who appear to be walking or floating toward
a common place. The women have a translucent, ghostlike quality. One
figure’s mothlike wings bear spots resembling two large eyes. Eleven
more pairs of eyes are stacked atop one another on the right side of
the painting.

Connections, Asatryan’s most recent series, is a bit of a departure
from her previous work, in that it is less panoramic, depicting a
zoomed-in view of thick, weighty-looking chains in various positions.

But this series and her earlier works are similarly textured.

“It’s not texture as in sculpting texture,” Asatryan says. “It’s flat.

But colorwise, the paint is vibrating with little splashes and dots,
and that’s how you can recognize my work.”

Some paintings were completed in three days. “It’s just like burning
inside, and you do it and then go to sleep for another few days,”
she says. “Other works take considerably longer.”

“Immortality” depicts a sea of faces, including those of Jesus,
demons and artistic inspirations such asLeonardo da Vinci. Asatryan
worked on the piece for years, even though a buyer was waiting for it.

“I have to stop myself because people are like, ‘Hey, that’s the
hundredth painting of your one canvas.’ I just keep going,” she says.

Asatryan, who recently exhibited at the Mid-Summer Pop Up exhibition
at Deja New Gallery inPalm Beach Gardens, usually declines to go into
great detail about the meaning of her works. Once she’s finished,
she’s more interested in what viewers see.

“When the artist stops painting, I don’t think the art belongs to
them anymore,” she says. “The art belongs to the viewer. So I say,
‘What do you see in there? How do you feel about it?’ They talk and
talk, and I say, ‘That’s what it’s about. … It’s your connection
with that painting, whatever it makes you feel.’ That’s what art
really is and that’s what it should be.”

WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: ARMENIA-EGYPT 2:0 THOUGH NOT FINISHED

Panorama
July 20 2011
Armenia

In the fourth round of World Team Championship the team of Azerbaijan
defeated Russian team (3:1). Vugar Hashimov and Gadir Husseynov both
have recorded victories against Alexander Grishchuk and Peter Svidler.

Sergey Karjakin – Teymur Rajabov and Ian Nepomnyashchi and Shahriyar
Mamediarov pairings ended in draw.

Armenia-Egypt meeting results in Ningbo are 2:0: Sergey Movsisyan and
Vladimir Akobian defeated their rivals. Gabriel Sargsyan – Sami Shoker
and Mohamed Ezat – Robert Hovhannisyan sets are still continuing.

CORSE, ARMENIE, KARABAGH : MEME COMBAT

24 ORE

20 juillet 2011
Corsica

” Il est important de dire aux Corses que d’autres ont des problèmes
identiques. Et que, peut-etre, des solutions existent ailleurs “. Paul
Ceccaldi croit dans la force de l’exemplarite. Et dans le partage
d’experiences. Mais le president de l’associu Scopre de Marignana
n’est pas le seul. Convaincue, Annie Stepanow l’est aussi. ” La Corse,
l’Armenie et le Karabagh ont beaucoup de points communs, estime la
presidente de l’association culturelle armenienne des Pennes-Mirabeau.

L’attachement du peuple a sa terre, a sa langue, a ses valeurs,
a sa culture “.

VISITE DIPLOMATIQUE. En partenariat avec le Tavagna club, Ceccaldi et
Stepanow sont a l’origine de la venue de l’ambassadeur d’Armenie et
du Haut representant de la Republique du Karabagh dans les Deux-Sevi,
le week-end dernier. Trois jours d’echanges, au travers de debats,
de projections de films et de concerts. ” Sans lourdeur protocolaire
“, precise Paul Ceccaldi, encore sous le charme des diplomates Viguen
Tchitetchian et Hovannes Guevorkian.

RELATIONS. Accompagnes du maire des XIIIe et XIVe arrondissements de
Marseille, Garo Hovsepian, les officiels ont partage un peu de leur
experience avec les habitants du canton et les elus insulaires. La
presence du president de l’assemblee de Corse, Dominique Bucchini,
laisse d’ailleurs entrevoir d’autres formes de partenariats entre
l’Armenie et la Corse. En attendant, un voyage des associations dans
ce petit pays du Caucase et un projet de jumelage sont prevus.

CULTURE VS RURALITE. Pour Paul Ceccaldi, ce sejour diplomatique est
une ” forme de reconnaissance du travail quotidien de Scopre “. ”
Pourquoi le rural n’aurait-il pas droit a une vie culturelle aussi
intense, riche et intelligente que le milieu urbain ? “, fait-il mine
de s’interroger. Cette double culture, celebree dans l’interieur de
l’île, corso-armenienne, une famille l’incarne. Elle vit entre le
village de Marignana et Marseille.

AZERBAIJANI FM: ARMENIA SHOULD REASSESS VALUES

Trend Daily News
July 19, 2011 Tuesday 2:23 PM GMT +4
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov stated that Armenia
needs to reassess values.

“Azerbaijan has a maximum position, which can be formulated as the
restoration of full sovereign control over the Nagorno-Karabakh
region. Not just to restore the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,
but establish a direct vertical sovereign control over the territory
and population living there”, Azimov said in an interview with the
Echo Moskvy radio station.

He said Azerbaijan stepped to the middle of the bridge and stated
about its readiness to show flexibility, meaning the various models
of self-government for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh region
within Azerbaijan. That is, the flexibility within the framework of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

“We are ready for it and we went out to the middle of the bridge. But,
Armenia has an extreme position – Karabakh’s separation from
Azerbaijan, they do not hide this and all the time talking about
independence,” he added.

Azimov stated, on the other hand all those positions that Armenia
is trying to introduce into the settlement process, aimed not at
preserving the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Karabakh in its
composition, reintegration, but at its disintegration. The fact the
Armenian recently began talking about the fact that Azerbaijanis will
not return in Karabakh, and so on, is a statement of such a position.

Because, Azimov said, Azerbaijanis in Nagorno-Karabakh is the
restoration of the region’s demographics, restoration of equality of
the two communities in the region and Azerbaijan – is an objective
factor to participate in the life of this region, in its recovery.

“If we see that complex twists and turns occurs on the corridor [the
Lachin corridor], and the Armenian side insists on its hard-sided,
military control of these territories, which they are considering
a very broad parameters under the name of the corridor, then we
would have no doubt that the Armenian side tends to the separation,”
he added.

“We would like to see they still had reappraisal and think about what
they got today and what they lost and that they will acquire in the
future as a result of this action,” he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

AZERI OFFICIAL URGES SOLUTION TO CONFLICT

Hurriyet
July 20 2011
Turkey

Novruz Mammadov (R) urges Minsk Group to solve the Karabakh problem
justly.

The head of the Foreign Policy Department in the Office of the
Azerbaijani President has said Iran has offered to solve the Karabakh
issue among regional states but this doesn’t seem “realistic.”

“I don’t think the Karabakh issue can be solved without big states and
[of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE’s]
Minsk group,” Novruz Mammadov told the Hurriyet Daily News.

“Iran has a very important role for Armenia in the region, they make
good trade with Armenia; it would be very difficult for Armenia to
continue its presence as a state [without Iran],” he said. Mammadov
noted that Turkey had closed its border with Armenia many years ago
because of the Karabakh conflict, “Since the time that Turkey froze
its relations with Armenia, we see this as support from one brother
to another and other countries could also do the same thing,” he said.

Regarding the Azeri reaction on the Turkey-Armenia rapprochement,
Mammadov said: “Even brothers can have problems sometimes. We don’t
have any objections to the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border once
Armenia leaves the occupied areas of Azerbaijan.” Nagorno-Karabakh is
a constituent part of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia since the end of
1994. The enclave is internationally recognized as Azeri territory,
but it has declared itself an independent republic.

Years of negotiations involving Russia, the United States and Europe,
as well as Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders themselves, have failed to
resolve the enclave’s status or enable the return of refugees. Turkey
closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan in
the conflict.

While defending the solution of the Karabakh conflict within the
Minsk group, Mammadov also accused international powers of not being
fair during talks regarding the issue. “Seven areas that belong to
Azerbaijan are under Armenian occupation today. However the big powers
in the Minsk group treat Azerbaijan and Armenia as if they are under
the same situation,” he said.

“Global powers also think of their own interests, so they can say
‘white’ today for something that they called ‘black’ yesterday,”
said Mammadov.

The official said he believed the Karabakh conflict would be solved
“one day in the future.”

Regarding the priorities of Azerbaijan, Mammadov said: “Azerbaijan has
turned its face to Europe. We turned our face West but we also have
good relations with the Asian countries as well as the Muslim world.”

EXCUSES D’ISRAEL A LA TURQUIE ?
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
jeudi 21 juillet 2011

Selon la station de radio “Galey Tsahal”, le Premier ministre
israëlien Benjamin Netanyahu serait pret a presenter des excuses
prudentes relatives a l’incident de la flotille Mavi Marmara où
plusieurs ressortissants turcs avaient trouve la mort. Depuis un an,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan exige des excuses de la part d’Israël.

Benjamin Netanyahu aurait l’intention de mettre un terme au conflit
entre les deux Etats avant meme la publication du rapport d’enquete de
la commission de l’ONU sur les circonstances de l’affrontement sur le
“Marmara”.

La declaration intervient au moment où le Premier ministre turc
annonce son intention d’aller a Gaza pour rencontrer les dirigeants
du Hamas. Un projet qui a provoque l’irritation d’Israël ; “Il n’ya
aucune chance pour un compromis ou de reconciliation entre nos pays,
si en effet le premier ministre turcs se rend a Gaza et parle aux
dirigeants terroristes “, a declare le chef du gouvernement israëlien.

Ce a quoi Erdogan a retorque : “Je donne a Israël quelques jours a une
semaine. Si elle ne presente pas d’excuses pour le meurtre de neuf
de nos citoyens – J’irais a Gaza et je rencontrerai les dirigeants
du Hamas”, a-t-il dit.

USA – CHAMBRE DES REPRESENTANTS
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
jeudi 21 juillet 2011

Mercredi 20 juillet, par 43 voix contre une, la Commission permanente
des Affaires etrangères de la Chambre des representants a adopte un
amendement engageant la Turquie a mettre fin a la discrimination
religieuse. Qu’elle cesse toutes les restrictions relatives aux
rassemblements pour la prière et l’education religieuse, et restitue
les biens de l’Eglise illegalement confisques.

L’amendement, presente par les representant Ed Royce
(Republicain-Californie) et Howard Berman * (Democrate-Californie)
reposant sur la Resolution H 306, etait soutenu par 34 co-sponsors
avec un consensus bipartite. La promulgation en loi interesse les
communautes armenienne, grecque et assyro-chaldeenne.

Le Comite National Armenien des Etats Unis se felicite de cette
victoire ecrasante, ainsi que l’American Hellenic Institute (AHI)
et l’American Hellenic Education and Progressive Association (AHEPA)
qui avaient appele leurs communautes a se mobiliser massivement pour
soutenir le passage du texte.

“Cette resolution s’inscrit dans la fière tradition americaine de
defense de la liberte religieuse de part le monde”, a declare le
president supreme de l’AHEPA Nicholas A. Karacostas. “Si elle est
adoptee, cette mesure va encore renforcer l’engagement de notre nation
a la Declaration universelle des droits de l’homme, et egalement
s’appuyer sur le passage par le Congrès de la Loi sur la Liberte
Religieuse Internationale de 1998 et de nombreux autres textes de
loi favorisant la liberte religieuse a l’etranger.”, a-t-il dit.

* Howard Berman, un soutien sans faille a la cause armenienne

KARABAKH CAN NEVER BE PARTY OF CONFLICT – MP

news.az
July 19 2011
Azerbaijan

Armenians have repeated it like a parrot lately that Karabakh is also
party to the conflict and int’l organizations and Azerbaijan should
accept this.

According to their absurd claims, Azerbaijan should negotiate not
with Armenia, but Nagorno-karabakh as Armenia allegedly has nothing
to do with this issue.

The statement came from Eldar Ibrahimov, member of the Azerbaijani
Parliament~Rs delegation to the OSCE PA.

The members of the Armenian delegation voiced this statement at a
meeting with Azerbaijani representatives in latest Belgrade session
of the OSCE PA, he added.

Ibrahimov said, unfortunately, OSCE PA chairman, who organized the
meeting, declined to express an attitude to this.

‘In general, no one from politicians, in particular, European
parliamentarians hurry to provide an immediate reaction to issues
that are on agenda or they don~Rt want to do this to serve someone~Rs
interests. I say this based on my observation in the OSCE PA. In
other words, they do not say whether Armenia or Azerbaijan is right.

However, as representatives of a party that has suffered from a
conflict for many years, we have always opposed absurd claims of
Armenians, put forward grounded position and will further insist
on our just position till the conflict is solved in a fair manner,’
the MP noted.

ARMENIA CONTINUES TAKING AN EXTREMAL POSITION – ARAZ AZIMOV

news.az
July 19 2011
Azerbaijan

Official Baku is ready to compromise within the framework of the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in the resolution of Karabakh
conflict.

The statement came from Azerbaijan’s Deputy FM, personal representative
of Azerbaijani president on the resolution of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, Araz Azimov.

He was speaking to Echo Moskvy radio station.

He said the maximal position of official Baku is to restore full
sovereign control over the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

‘It is not merely the restoration of the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan but the direct establishment of vertical sovereign control
over this area and regulation of population there. Azerbaijan made a
step to the middle of the bridge and said it is ready to flexibilities,
implying different models of self-government for the population of
Karabakh within the Republic of Azerbaijan. This is the flexibility
within the framework of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. We are
ready to this and we have gone to the middle of the bridge’, he said.

According to Azimov, Armenia today continues taking an extremal
position aimed at separating Nagorno Karabakh from Azerbaijan.

‘They do not conceal it, they speak of independence all the time. On
the other hand, all those positions that Armenia is now trying to
apply in the resolution process, are targeting not preservation
of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Karabakh in its
framework, not reintegration but disintegration. And the fact that
Sargsyan has recently been speaking much of that Azerbaijanis will
not return to Karabakh, proves this. Azerbaijanis in Karabakh would
mean restoration of the regional demography, restoration of equality
of the two communities in the region’, the deputy minister said.

He said return of Azerbaijanis to Nagorno Karabakh is an objective
factor of involvement in the life of this region, its restoration
and creation of new grounds for definition of the legal status of
Nagorno Karabakh.

The deputy voiced hope that the Armenian leadership would review its
positions on the conflict and start being constructive in talks.