Author: Kanayan Tamar

California Senate recognition of Karabakh is significant event for Armenians

13:08, 28.08.2014

STEPANAKERT. – The California State Senate’s passing of the resolution
on the recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), or Artsakh,
is a major and significant event for all Armenians, NKR Presidential
Press Secretary Davit Babayan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In Babayan’s words, NKR, Armenia, and the Armenian diaspora have been
making long efforts to achieve Karabakh’s international recognition.

“The California Senate’s passing of the resolution means that this
[US] state has finally accepted the independence of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. This is very symbolic; California
recognized Karabakh’s independence on the eve of September 2, the day
of the declaration of NKR’s independence. This is a gift from the
residents of California to the people of Artsakh,” he stated.

Babayan also noted that the passing of this resolution has introduced
a new quality to the process of NKR’s international recognition, since
the US State of California is comparable to the world’s largest
countries in terms of economic and demographic aspects.

“It can be said that one of the world’s major countries has accepted
Karabakh’s independence. This fact is a new impetus and opportunity
from the viewpoint of expanding the geographical scope of the
recognition of NKR’s independence,” he noted.

The NKR presidential spokesperson also expressed a view that the
recognition of NKR’s independence reflects the fact that Karabakh is
an established democratic state.

As reported earlier, the California State Senate on Wednesday passed,
by an overwhelming majority of votes, Assembly member Mike Gatto’s
resolution (AJR 32) on the recognition of the independence and
self-determination of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), or Artsakh.

AJR 32 encourages Artsakh’s continuing efforts to develop as a free
and independent nation and formally calls upon the President and
Congress of the United States to support the self-determination and
democratic independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710 or (973) 943-8697
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-686-0710
Fax: 212–779-3558
Email: [email protected]
Web:

** TOP STORY August 28, 2014
————————————————————
Jeremiah
The Prophet Jeremiah as depicted by Michelangelo.

** Jeremiah: Prophet of Sorrow-and Hope
————————————————————
The Armenian Church liturgical calendar designates today as the feast
of St. Jeremiah: one of the major prophets of the Bible.

Jeremiah received his prophetic calling in a time of great promise:
the reign of the godly king Josiah, during which a lost book of Moses
(eventually known as Deuteronomy) was re-discovered, and a movement of
spiritual renewal awakened among the Hebrew people.

But the pious king died in battle; his successors were weak and
profligate; and Jeremiah’s generation saw its worst fears realized:
the conquest of their holy city, Jerusalem, and the bitter exile of a
nation from its homeland.

Jeremiah documented his painful experiences in the Old Testament book
of his name, as well as in the aptly titled book of Lamentations. As a
result, he became known to the ages as the `weeping prophet.’

Yet even in defeat, Jeremiah was something other than a voice of
doom. To his people he spoke with the words of God; and they were
words of hope, not despair.

Click here () to learn more.

** Scripture of the Week
————————————————————

Is 9:8-19
2 Cor 1:1-11
Mk 4:35-40

** Prayer of the Week
————————————————————

Heavenly King, grant me your kingdom which you promised to your
beloved, and strengthen my heart to hate sin and to love you only and
to do your will. Have mercy upon your creatures, and upon me, a great
sinner. Amen.

** Upcoming Saints & Feasts
————————————————————

2 September: Holy Prophets Ezekiel, Ezra, and Zechariah, Father of John the Baptist

4 September: St. John the Forerunner and Job the Righteous

** CHURCH NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
————————————————————
Armenian Church in Myanmar
St. John the Baptist Armenian Church in Yangon, Myanmar.

** An Armenian Outpost in Yangon
————————————————————
Today’s
BBC News Magazine features a profile of Myanmar’s historic Armenian church.

Built in the mid-19th century, at the height of the Armenian presence
in southeast Asia, St. John the Baptist Church is now the last vestige
of the Armenian merchant community that once thrived in Yangon,
Myanmar’s largest city.

Still, a handful of local residents are determined to keep the church
open and to preserve the badarak in this all but forgotten Armenian
outpost. `We’re part Armenian,” parishioner Rachel Minus told the BBC,
`and this church and its services mean a lot to us.’

Click here
()
to read the article on BBC’s website.

** DIOCESAN NEWS
————————————————————
Boyajian Youth Choir Directors program
Gregory Zohrabian, a participant in this year’s BYCDP, looks through
the Divine Liturgy pew book during the group’s visit to the Diocesan
Center.

** Boyajian Youth Choir Directors Program
————————————————————
The Sacred Music Council of the Eastern Diocese concluded its annual
=80=9CBoyajian Youth Choir Directors Program’ (BYCDP) at St. Nersess
Seminary last week. Six young candidates participated in the week-long
program to study Armenian Church hymns, language, liturgical
traditions, and conducting. This year’s focus was on the requiem
service and hymns related to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy
Cross.

Sacred Music Council chair Dn. Rubik Mailian led the program, teaching
music ministry, vocal music, and basic conducting gestures. Other
members of the Sacred Music Council who assisted Dn. Mailian were the
Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, Rev. Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan, and
Maestro Khoren Mekanejian. The Rev. Fr. Gomidas Zohrabian supervised
the young people during their stay at St. Nersess Seminary.

On Wednesday, August 20, program participants traveled to the Diocesan
Center in New York to meet with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan
Primate. Archbishop Barsamian commended the students on their
dedication to learning the sacred music of the Armenian Church and
encouraged them to play an active role in their parish choirs.

The BYCDP is a three-year program to prepare young musicians for music
ministry in the church. Click here
()
to view a gallery of photos.

FAR
Young artists in Tavush.

** Nourishing Minds Through Art
————————————————————
More than 300 children in Armenia’s Tavush region are now taking part
in a program of extracurricular activities-including Sunday School
classes, sports, dance, crafts, and art classes-thanks to the Fund for
Armenian Relief’s `Breaking the Cycle of Poverty” program.

In art class, the children have learned to make still-life drawings,
paint scenes from nature, and knit colorful scarves and hats. Their
artwork is regularly displayed at FAR’s regional office in Berd. Click
here
()
to read more on FAR’s blog.

The `Breaking the Cycle of Poverty” program was established by the
Mardigian Family Foundation through the largest-ever contribution made
to FAR. The five-year project addresses malnutrition, unemployment,
poverty, and infrastructure weaknesses in Armenia’s northeastern
province.

Diocesan Director Search

** Search for Diocesan Director of Administration
————————————————————
The Eastern Diocese is searching for candidates for the position of
Director of Administration.

Based in New York City, the Director of Administration will be
responsible for the management and operations of the Diocesan Center;
management of the administrative, operations, and business staff; and
coordination of Diocesan programs, in accordance with the directives
and policies established by the Primate and Diocesan Council.

Click here
()
to view a complete job description and list of
qualifications. Qualified applicants should send resume and cover
letter to the Primate’s office at the e-mail address
[email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]?subject=Diocesan%20Director%20Applicant)
.

** PARISH NEWS
————————————————————
St. Gregory of Narek Church, Cleveland, OH
Archbishop Vicken Aykazian blesses grapes on the Feast of Assumption
in Cleveland.

** Cleveland Parish Welcomes Ecumenical Director
————————————————————
St. Gregory of Narek Church of Cleveland, OH, welcomed Archbishop
Vicken Aykazian, the Diocese’s Ecumenical Director, on Sunday, August
17: the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother-of God. Archbishop
Aykazian celebrated the Divine Liturgy and performed the `Blessing of
Grapes’ ceremony. He was assisted by the Rev. Fr. Hratch Sargsyan,
parish pastor.

Later that afternoon, an ecumenical prayer service was held with the
participation of local church leaders and clergy. The prayer service
was organized as part of St. Gregory Church’s 50th anniversary
celebration.

The day concluded with the annual church picnic featuring Armenian
food, games, and activities for kids. Click here
()
to view photos.

Ecumenical Prayer Service in Chicago
Fr. Aren Jebejian at Chicago’s interfaith service last week.

** Prayers for Peace in Chicago
————————————————————
On Monday, August 18, the Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian, pastor of
St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago, IL, took part in an
interfaith prayer service in downtown Chicago.

Fr. Jebejian read Psalm 50 at the service, which drew more than 400
participants to pray for peace and to condemn the violence in the
Middle East and the recent turmoil in parts of the United States.

The service was organized by the interfaith organization Council of
Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago.

Bible Study

** Reading Luke in Cheltenham
————————————————————
`What did two disheartened followers of Jesus talk about as they
departed Jerusalem after the crucifixion? And what gave them the
courage to return?’

Such questions were the focus of a four-week summer Bible study on the
Gospel of Luke at Holy Trinity Church in Cheltenham, PA. Led by the
Rev. Fr. Hakob Gevorgyan, parish pastor, and Nancy Basmajian, the
parish’s director of adult Christian education, parishioners worked
together in small groups to explore passages from Luke’s gospel.

Reading the story of the Road to Emmaus along with the parables of the
Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, the Bible-study group drew out a
common thread in Luke’s gospel on the nature of discipleship and the
spiritual journey of following Christ, being transformed by him, and
committing oneself to his mission.

`I enjoyed this series because of its challenging questions and the
opportunity to hear other people share their views,’ remarked parish
council treasurer Don Paretchan, who attended all four sessions. `I
also came to realize the importance of one’s faith journey.’

Bible study at Holy Trinity has become a regular feature of parish
life. A six-week study on the Gospel of Mark is planned for the fall.

Garen Sendjian
Armenian basketball talent Garen Spendjian.

** Full Court Press to Cairo
————————————————————
In a follow-up to a story we ran in December 2012 about the
establishment of the Armenia Basketball team, the Diocese’s newsletter
has received word that team member Garen Spendjian has accepted a
position with the El Shams team of Cairo, Egypt.

Spendjian is a parishioner of Holy Martyrs Church of Bayside, NY. Most
recently he played on the Republic of Armenia’s national basketball
team as it prepared to take part in Europe’s Fédération Internationale
de Basket-ball (FIBA) competition. Under the leadership of head coach
Carl Bardakian, Spendjian and his Armenian teammates traveled to
Yerevan last summer to begin training for the FIBA event.

Now Spendjian is preparing for his new life in Egypt. Click here
()
to read more about his career in the Armenia Basketball team
newsletter.

Concert in Minnesota
Karo Avakian at St. Sahag Church.

** An Evening of Opera in St. Paul
————————————————————
St. Sahag Church of St. Paul, MN, hosted an evening with Los
Angeles-based opera singers Nadima and Karo Avakian on Saturday,
August 23. The couple gave a moving performance of arias by Puccini,
Dvorak, and Spendiaryan, among other composers.

On Sunday, the Avakians sang in the church choir during the
celebration of the Divine Liturgy by the Rev. Fr. Tadeos Barseghyan,
parish pastor. Click here
()
to view photos.

Upcoming events

** Upcoming Parish Events
————————————————————

St. Mark Church | Springfield, MA
St. Mark Church of Springfield, MA, will host its annual Armenian Fest
on Sunday, August 31, from 12 to 7 p.m. on church grounds.

Enjoy shish kebob, losh kebab, and chicken; Armenian sweets; and other
traditional favorites. Entertainment will include performances by the
Ansbigian Armenian band and the September Girls of Wilbraham. For
information, call the church at (413) 783-5793.

Holy Martyrs Church | Bayside, NY
Holy Martyrs Church of Bayside, NY, will host its annual Oceania
Street Festival on Saturday, September 6 (from 12 to 8 p.m.), and
Sunday, September 7 (from 12 to 6 p.m.).

The festival features Armenian food, street vendors, dance
performances, games for kids, a raffle, and other activities. The
Vosbikian Band will entertain guests on Saturday, and the Onnik
Dinkjian band will perform on Sunday. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church | Providence, RI
Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of Providence, RI, will host its annual
picnic on September 13 and 14.

Enjoy live Armenian music and dancing under large tents on church
grounds. Dinner on Saturday night will feature kheyma; on Sunday
guests will be served chicken. Armenian shish and losh kebab will also
be available.

Click here
()
to view a flyer. For more information, visit ,
or call the church at (401) 272-7712.

Holy Trinity Church | Cambridge, MA
Holy Trinity Church of Cambridge, MA, will host the Trinity Family
Festival on Sunday, September 14, from 12 to 5 p.m. on church grounds.

Join the parish for an afternoon of food and fellowship. The day will
feature traditional Armenian food, music by the Greg Krikorian
Ensemble, face-painting and other activities for children, and a
`tavloo challenge.’ The blessing of madagh will take place at 4 p.m.

Click here
()
to view a flyer for information, or contact the church office at (617)
354-0632, or via e-mail at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
.

St. Vartan Cathedral | New York, NY
Registration and the first day of St. Vartan Armenian School will take
place Saturday, September 20, at 10 a.m. Classes are geared towards
children ages 2 to 14, with bi-lingual sessions available. For
information, contact the school principal Shakeh Kadehjian at (718)
729-7265, or e-mail [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

St. Thomas Church | Tenafly, NJ
The Kirikian Armenian Saturday School of St. Thomas Church of Tenafly,
NJ, will resume classes on Saturday, September 20. The school offers
Armenian language and culture instruction. Registration for new
students will be held on the first day of class. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Church of Our Saviour | Worcester, MA
The Church of Our Saviour of Worcester, MA, will sponsor its 21st
annual Charity Golf Outing on Monday September 22, at the Sterling
Country Club in Sterling, MA. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. An
awards banquet will follow the day’s tournament. Sponsorship
opportunities are available. Click here
()
to learn more and to download registration materials.

** YOUTH NEWS
————————————————————
Jerusalem Students at St. Nersess Seminary
Nanar Nakashian and Dikran Enoyan with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian.

** Jerusalem Students Spend Summer at St. Nersess
————————————————————

Two students of the Sts. Tarkmanchatz School of Jerusalem’s Armenian
Patriarchate took part in the annual summer conferences at St. Nersess
Armenian Seminary this year.

Nanar Nakashian and Dikran Enoyan joined dozens of other summer
conference participants for Bible study sessions, daily worship,
lectures from clergy and lay leaders, Armenian language instruction,
as well as sports and outings.

This is the ninth year of the unique program, which gives students
from Sts. Tarkmanchatz School an opportunity to study at St. Nersess
Seminary during the summer months. The program was created and
continues to be organized by the Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean of
St. Nersess Seminary.

Click here
()
to visit the seminary’s website and to read more.

** EVENTS
————————————————————
Upcoming Events at the Zohrab Information Center

** Fall Series at the Diocese’s Zohrab Center
————————————————————

The Diocese’s Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center has announced
its fall schedule of cultural events.

The series opens on Wednesday, September 10, with the screening of the
film Garod (`Yearning’) by Frunze Dovlatyan. Released in 1990, the
film explores such topics as nationalism and genocide through the
lives of villagers on the Armenia-Turkish border in the 1930s. Writer
and filmmaker Christopher Atamian will give a brief introduction at
the September 10 screening.

Other events scheduled for the fall include discussions of Armenian
architecture, a talk on the canonization of the martyrs of the
Armenian Genocide, an evening of poetry, and a presentation on the
Armenian community of Azerbaijan. Click here
()
to view the full schedule.

Prayer Services at St. Vartan Cathedral

** Come Pray at St. Vartan Cathedral
————————————————————

Beginning on Tuesday, September 2, morning and evening prayer services
will take place every Tuesday through Friday at St. Vartan Armenian
Cathedral, under the leadership of the Very Rev. Fr. Mamigon
Kiledjian, cathedral dean, and clergy of the Diocese.

The Morning Service (Aravodyan zham) will begin at 8 a.m., and the
Evening Service (Yeregoyan zham) will begin at 6 p.m. Each service
will last 30 minutes and include psalmody, prayers, and hymns.

All members of the Armenian Church, along with their friends, family,
and work colleagues, are warmly invited to join in the Armenian
Church’s prayer to Jesus Christ our Lord.

Bike for Independence Day

** Ride for Armenian Independence
————————————————————

St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral and the Permanent Mission of the
Republic of Armenia to the United Nations will host a bike ride in New
York in observance of Armenia’s Independence Day next month.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, September 20, beginning at 9:30
a.m. Riders will proceed from 34th Street to West 12th Street and
return to the cathedral for lunch.

Vasken Melikian, Lebanon cycling champion and Guinness World Record
holder for towing a car by bicycle the farthest distance, will be the
day’s featured participant.

The event is free, but prospective participants are asked to RSVP by
Wednesday, September 17, by contacting Maria Barsoumian at the
Diocesan Center at (212) 686-0710, ext. 136, or at
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

A group of Russian journalists and experts declared persona non grata
in Azerbaijan

August 26, 2014 16:52

Recently a group of journalists and experts arrived in Artsakh on a
familiarization visit.

After their departure, it became known that they were included in the
black list of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. As “Artsakhpress”
reports members of the group wrote about this on their Facebook page.

Journalist Anastasia Karimova made a note on her Facebook page: “A
trip to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic cost us getting blacklisted from
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. I could not imagine that in the space of
the CIS, especially in the Caucasus, especially in an unrecognized
republic, there can be such quality of infrastructure… such level of
political competition and transparency in public administration.
…Karabakh case seems to me more interesting than the advertised
“Georgian miracle”.”

Journalists Alexander Shmelev, Dmitry Bavyrin, Marina Skorikova and
Svetlana Shmeleva are also included in the black list of the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. Among those who are prohibited from
entering Azerbaijan are the Chairman of the Uruguayan Parliament,
MEPs, members of the National Assembly of France, a group of deputies
of the Russian parliament, MPs from Argentina, Slovakia, Canada,
members of the House of Lords of the UK and many other countries.

Opera singer Montserrat Caballe was also included in this list,
together with blogger Artemy Lebedev, journalists Ilya Azar and Sergey
Butman, journalists of Financial Times, the British Times, Washington
Post, Russian daily newspaper, Echo of Moscow and so on.

Artsakhpress.am

– See more at:

Post-Periodical, CA
Aug 26 2014

City Council Approves $1 Lease for Armenian Center in Encino

By Matt Thacker on Aug 26, 2014.

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to lease the old Fire
Station No. 83 in Encino to the Armenian Cultural Foundation for $1
per year for 30 years.

The motion was approved unanimously without discussion at Tuesday’s meeting.

The former fire station at 5001 North Balboa Boulevard has been vacant
for eight years. Councilmember Paul Koretz, who introduced the motion
in April 2013, wrote last year that the site had become a safety
hazard.

“The site has fallen victim to copper wire theft, vagrancy, graffiti
and illegal dumping,” Koretz stated.

The nonprofit Armenian Cultural Foundation plans to create a community
center. The foundation operates dozens of community centers across the
United States with after-school programs, senior and social services,
cultural affairs, community meetings and recreational services.

“It’s these types of public-private partnerships that make the city a
better place to live” Hrair Nahabedian, chairman of the local ACF
chapter, told Asbarez.com. “We look forward to focusing our resources
and turning this dilapidated, old fire station into a thriving center
for the entire community.”

The $1 lease has been the subject of controversy since the plan was
announced. Last year, the Encino Neighborhood Council passed a motion
13-4 disapproving of the “manner, circumstances and terms of the
lease.” The Lake Balboa Neighborhood Council also passed a motion
asking the city to complete further study of the property before
approving a lease.

More than 600 community members signed a petition attempting to block
the plan with some residents accusing city leaders of making a
back-room deal, according to the LA Daily News. Parents at nearby
Encino Community Charter Elementary School had hoped the property
could be used by the school.

The original motion was made by Councilmember Paul Koretz and
then-Councilmember Eric Garcetti and seconded by Paul Krekorian. At
the time, the councilmembers were hoping to approve a lease of at
least 50 years by last summer.

According to the City Administrative Officer, the 20,000-square-foot
property has a rental value opportunity of $5.3 million to $6.6
million during the term of the lease. The Innovation, Technology and
General Services Committee noted in a fiscal impact statement that the
economic benefits provided by the foundation for the community will
total $16.9 million in direct expenses during that time period.

“These figures do not take into consideration the $1.2 million to $1.5
million that ACF will invest in tenant improvement work at the
facility,” the committee stated. “Additionally, the ACF will be
financially responsible for all maintenance, repairs, utilities,
janitorial, and security costs associated with the property.”

The foundation has not responded to a request for comment.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Aug 25 2014

U.S. ex-ambassador says most UN resolutions are ignored

25 August 2014 – 12:35pm

U.S. ex-Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza told Vestnik Kavkaza
that most resolutions of the UN Security Council were unfulfilled. He
noted that the resolutions passed on Nagorno-Karabakh between 30 April
and 12 November 1993 had not been realized because organizations of
Armenian diasporas, such as the Armenian National Congress in the
U.S., started a campaign to depict Azerbaijan as the aggressor and
Armenia as the victim.

The diplomat noted that the OSCE Minsk Group played its part in
slowing the implementation of the resolutions. He reminded that the
UNSC resolutions on Libya and Iraq were initiatives by the U.S. and
France, not the UN itself. In the case of Nagorno-Karabakh, the U.S.,
France and Russia are interrelated within the framework of the OSCE
Minsk Group and have a responsibility to fulfil the resolutions.

Bryza said that the U.S. was not insisting on fulfilling the
resolutions or withdrawal of forces from the conflict zone. The U.S.,
in his words, expects their fulfillment as soon as the conflict is
solved within the Minsk Group framework. Bryza believes that President
Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry should take part in the
dialogue personally to help resolve the conflict.

Armenian Foreign Minister to Attend Erdogan’s Inauguration

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian will attend Tayyip
Erdogan’s inauguration

(c) RIA Novosti. Eduard Pesov
14:45 26/08/2014

Related News

Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan Ready to Continue Dialogue on
Nagorno-Karabakh – Lavrov
Armenia Urges to Stabilize Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Zone
Turkey Extends Unprecedented Condolences to Armenian People

MOSCOW, August 26 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s Foreign Minister will
attend Turkish president-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s inauguration
ceremony, according to a statement from Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.

“Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian is going to visit Turkey
in order to attend Turkish president-elect’s inauguration that will
take place on August 28,” the statement said.

Earlier, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan revealed the Turkish
invitation and said that his country’s representatives are likely to
attend the ceremony.

Sargsyan also mentioned that Nalbandian would use this occasion to
clarify whether Erdogan will accept Armenia’s invitation to take part
in Yerevan commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the 1915
Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire. The official ceremony will
take place on April 24, 2015.

Turkey refuses to acknowledge the Armenian genocide.

No diplomatic relations exist between Turkey and Armenia, the
Turkish-Armenian border has been closed since 1993.

The relations between the two countries are tense mainly because
Turkey openly supports Azerbaijan’s position with regards to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In 2008, the Armenian president initiated the process of diplomatic
relations establishment between the two countries.

In 2009, the “Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations
Between the Republic of Turkey and the Republic of Armenia” was signed
by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Armenian
counterpart Eduard Nalbandian in the Swiss city of Zurich.

The same year, Erdogan froze the agreement and made it clear that
Ankara would not establish diplomatic relations with Yerevan and open
its borders before the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was resolved.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict evolved from the war of 1988-1994
between ethnic Azeri and Armenians who fought for the disputed lands
of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. More than 35,000 people died in the
war, but tensions in the region still remain.

ARMENIE
Les troupes russes étudient l’utilisation de drones en Arménie

Plus de 100 militaires russes basées en Arménie recevront des
compétences de contrôle d’un drone (avion sans pilote) lors d’un
exercice d’entraînement en campagne de trois jours, dans un district
militaire du Sud de la Russie a annoncé l’agence de presse RIA
Novosti.

Les exercices ont commencé dans les centres Kamhud et Alagyaz de
formation alpine en Arménie.

“Une caractéristique de la formation sur le terrain est d’instruire le
personnel sur la façon de mener à bien le décollage, le contrôle en
vol et à l’atterrissage des ” Navodchik-2, “” Forpost “,” Orlan-10
“et” UAV Zastava “[drones] dans une région montagneuse à plus de 1500
mètres au dessus du niveau de la mer “, précise le communiqué.

Source : Panorama.am

mardi 26 août 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

ARMENIE
L’Arménie assistera probablement à la cérémonie d’investiture du Président turc

Le Chef de l’Etat a confirmé avoir reçu l’invitation d’Ankara à
prendre part à la cérémonie d’investiture du Président Erdogan.
L’Arménie y sera probablement représentée par le Ministre des AE. Lors
de ce déplacement, le Ministre arménien essaiera de s’informer de la
position d’Ankara sur les suites données par le Président turc à
l’invitation à venir assister à la cérémonie de commémoration du
centenaire du Génocide arménien à Erevan.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Arménie en
date du 25 août 2014

mardi 26 août 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

AZERBAÏDJAN
Bakou s’indigne des critiques de la France et des Etats-Unis
concernant le traitement infligé à Karen Petrossian

Dans un communiqué publié vendredi 22 août le gouvernement
azerbaïdjanais a vivement critiqué la réaction de Washington et de
Paris à l’exécution par les autorités de Bakou de Karen Petrosian, un
villageois arménien des zones frontalières qui s’était égaré en
territoire azéri. Les autorités de Bakou maintiennent que le
ressortissant arménien, tué durant sa captivité le 8 août, serait un
“saboteur arménien”, qui aurait franchi délibérément la frontière au
sein d’un “groupe de commando”. Les témoignages recueillis auprès des
villageois azéris qui avaient découvert Petrosian avant l’arrivée des
soldats, contredisent pourtant les allégations de Bakou. Les images
prises par les habitants du village azerbaïdjanais d’Agbulaq montrent
Petrossian sans armes, parlant sans violence avec les villageois. Le
18 août, le Département d’Etat américain avait publié une déclaration
par laquelle il condamnait l’exécution de Petrosian durant sa
captivité et appelait Bakou à mener une enquête sérieuse sur les
circonstances exactes de sa mort. “Les Etats-Unis sont profondément
touchés par les informations relatives à la mort de Karen Petrossian
alors qu’il était en captivité en Azerbaïdjan et par le fait que sa
mort ne serait pas due à des causes naturelles”, indique le
communiqué. “Les Etats-Unis présentent leurs plus sincères
condoléances à la famille de M. Pétrossian. Nous appelons le
gouvernement de l’Azerbaïdjan à conduire une enquête sérieuse et
transparente sur cet incident et à en rendre les conclusions
publiques”. Des images accablantes pour Bakou ont été diffusées sur la
chaîne nationale de la télévision azérie, montrant des représentants
du ministère azerbaïdjanais de la défense procéder à un interrogatoire
public, violent et humiliant, de K. Petrosian. Le vendredi 8 août, le
ministère azerbaïdjanais de la défense avait annoncé que K.Petrosian
était décédé d’une “crise cardiaque foudroyante”. Les autorités
arméniennes ont de leur côté souligné que K. Petrosian, gé de 31 ans,
n’était pas mort de cause naturelle, mais parce qu’il avait été
torturé et battu à mort. Les circonstances tragiques du décès de K.
Petrossian rappellent celles dans lesquelles avait trouvé la mort
Manvel Saribekian, un habitant gé de 20 ans d’un autre village
arménien des régions frontalières qui avait été capturé par les
soldats azéris en septembre 2010. M.Saribekian, portant les stigmates
des sévices qu’on lui avait infligés, avait été exhibé à la télévision
azérie, pour > publiquement qu’il était membre d’un commando
arménien qui prévoyait de lancer des attaques terroristes en
Azerbaïdjan. M. Saribekian avait été retrouvé pendu dans la cellule de
la prison azérie où il venait d’être incarcéré. Les autorités azéries
ont pretend qu’il s’était suicidé, une version contestée par la partie
arménienne qui a pour sa part affirmé que M. Saribekian avait été
torturé à mort ou poussé au suicide. Le gouvernement arménien comme la
famille de M.Saribekian n’ont cessé de rappeler que le jeune Arménien
était un simple civil qui avait franchi accidentellement la frontière
arméno-azérie alors qu’il rassemblait son troupeau.K. Pétrossian a été
de la même manière présenté comme un membre d’un commando arménien par
la propagande de Bakou, peu de temps après que les forces arméniennes
du Karabagh eurent intercepté des ressortissants azéris en mission de
sabotage dans la région de Kelbadjar où ils ont tué aux moins deux
personnes, dont un adolescent arménien de 17 ans. Bakou avait récusé
de telles informations, alors que les saboteurs azéris avaient été
pris en flagant délit, et a répondu par cette exécution déguisée de K.
Petrossian, dont la justice azérie n’a même pas pris la peine de
présenter des preuves d’une éventuelle participation à une opération
de sabotage. Dans son communiqué du 22 août, le ministère
azerbaïdjanais des affaires étrangères appelle les Etats-Unis et la
France à afficher une “position équilibrée et neutre concernant le
règlement du conflit du Haut-Karabagh, et à faire preuve de
pondération et de discernement en exprimant leurs condoléances et
préoccupations”. Bakou doit désormais adresser ses doléances aussi à
la Russie, la troisième puissance médiatrice du Groupe de Minsk, qui a
depuis à son tour exprimé son indignation concernant les circonstances
de la mort de K. Pétrossian et appelé les autorités azéries à mener
une enquête.

mardi 26 août 2014,
Gari (c)armenews.com

POLITIQUE
Le président serein face aux menaces de l’opposition

Le Président Serge Sarkissian a insisté sur le fait qu’il n’est pas
inquiet des menaces de l’opposition de lancer cet automne une nouvelle
campagne de manifestations de rue visant à le renverser.

Parlant avec un groupe de jeunes journalistes samedi, Sarkissian a
déclaré que les forces de l’opposition établies de l’Arménie ainsi que
le parti Arménie prospère (BHK) ne peuvent arriver au pouvoir que par
des élections régulières.

> dit-il. en Arménie, en disant que lui et d’autres
groupes d’opposition tentent depuis longtemps de galvaniser leurs
partisans avec de telles déclarations. > a-t-il déclaré.

Levon Zurabian, un responsable important du HAK, s’est moqué des
propos du président lundi. >,
a-t-il déclaré au service arménien de RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am). >

> a-t-il dit. Les gens ne
doivent s’accommoder l’existence du régime de Serge Sarkissian. ”

Levon Ter-Petrossian, haut dirigeant du HAK, avait affirmé le mois
dernier que la chute de Sarkissian va devenir inévitable s’il appuie
la réforme constitutionnelle controversée dont l’opposition arménienne
estime qu’elle répond à l’objectif de prolonger son règne.

Sarkissian a déclaré samedi qu’il restait attaché à la modification de
la Constitution arménienne dans le sens d’une réduction des pouvoirs
conférés à la présidence. Il a dit qu’il envisage de signer en octobre
un > final de la réforme qui est actuellement développé par
une commission ad hoc formée par lui. Mais Sarkissian a également noté
que lui et le Parti républicain d’Arménie (HHK) fixeront une date pour
un référendum sur les amendements constitutionnels que > Sans aller plus loin.

mardi 26 août 2014,
Ara (c)armenews.com