Author: Kanayan Tamar

WORLD COMMUNITY MUST INCREASE PRESSURE ON ARMENIA TO SOLVE CONFLICT – FM SPOKESMAN

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
July 15 2013

15 July 2013, 10:14 (GMT+05:00)

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stressed the
inadmissibility of the existing status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement during a meeting with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen,
as well as a multilateral meeting with participation of Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, spokesman for the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry Elman Abdullayev told Trend.

“The two sides discussed issues on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
settlement,” Abdullayev said. “At the meeting, the Azerbaijani side
reiterated that at first the Armenian armed forces must be withdrawn
from the occupied Azerbaijani territories to achieve progress in the
conflict settlement.

“It was stressed during the meeting that the unresolved conflict is
a threat to the restoration of peace in the region,” Abdullayev added.

“Therefore, the world community must increase pressure on Armenia to
solve the conflict.”

Earlier, a joint meeting of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov and Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian with OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairmen – Jacques Faure (France), Ian Kelly (USA)
and Igor Popov (Russia) was held in Vienna.

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

ESPRIT D’ARMENIE AU FESTIVAL MUSIQUE ET HISTOIRE DE FONTFROIDE

Culturebox
15 juillet 2013

JORDI SAVALL

Du 15 au 18 juillet, decouvrez chaque soir a 21h30 un concert
de baroque dirige par Jordi Savall en direct de Fontfroide Vos
impressions, reactions mais aussi vos photos ou temoignages…

N’hesitez pas a nous rejoindre dans les commentaires ci-dessous !

Resume

Le festival Musique et Histoire de Fontfroide rend hommage a
l’Armenie ainsi qu’a Montserrat Figueras, qui avait une profonde
sympathie et une grande fascination pour les instruments armeniens
(dukuk, kamancha…)ainsi qu’une grande admiration pour le talent
des musiciens d’Armenie.

L’Armenie est une des plus anciennes civilisations chretiennes de
l’orient, qui a survecu miraculeusement a une histoire convulsive
et particulièrement tragique. Depuis sa fondation, elle se situe
politiquement et geographiquement au milieu d’autres grandes cultures
impregnees par des croyances orientales et par la pensee musulmane
et a vecu une histoire très douloureuse, ponctuee par des guerres et
des massacres extremes, qui ont cause la disparition de plus de la
moitie de sa population, l’exil de beaucoup d’autres et la perte de
grandes parties de son territoire. Malgre cela elle a su conserver
l’essence de ses particularites nationales tout au long des siècles,
comme le prouve surtout la creation de son propre alphabet (en 405 par
le moine Mesrop Machtots) et comme le montre aussi son riche patrimoine
architectural, eparpille aujourd’hui, meme en dehors de ses territoires
actuels. Bien que ce patrimoine tangible en soit un des temoignages
les plus frappants, elle a aussi garde un riche patrimoine intangible,
dans le domaine musical: un repertoire très riche et très differencie
mais malheureusement assez peu connu (a part celui du duduk).

De toutes les cultures developpees, la musique – representee par
certains instruments comme par les manières de chanter et de jouer
qui peuvent la concretiser -, devient le reflet spirituel le plus
fidèle de l’âme et de l’Histoire des peuples. De tous les instruments
utilises dans ses anciennes traditions musicales, l’Armenie a accorde
une preference particulière a un instrument unique : le duduk, a tel
point qu’on peut affirmer que cet instrument la definit d’une manière
presque absolue. Dès l’ecoute des premiers sons de ces instruments –
habituellement ils se jouent en duo – la qualite (presque vocale) et la
douceur de ses vibrations nous transportent dans un univers elegiaque
et poetique hors norme, et nous entrainent dans une dimension intime
et profonde. La musique devient ainsi un veritable baume, a la fois
sensuel et spirituel, capable de toucher directement notre âme et,
en la caressant, de la guerir de toutes les blessures et de tous
les chagrins.

Montserrat Figueras avait une profonde sympathie et une grande
fascination pour ces instruments armeniens, specialement le duduk et
le kamantcha et aussi une grande admiration pour les extraordinaires
qualites musicales de nos amis musiciens d’Armenie. C’est après sa
mort que j’ai moi-meme trouve une grande consolation a l’ecoute de ces
merveilleuses Plaintes a deux duduks et kamantcha, c’est pourquoi je
leur ai demande de venir aux ceremonies que nous avons organisees pour
les Adieux a notre chère Montserrat. Leurs interventions musicales
ont rempli les lieux des sons d’un autre monde, mais d’une beaute et
d’une spiritualite bouleversantes. C’est après ces moments d’une si
grande emotion et du fait de l’impact de la profonde consolation que
leur musique m’apportait, que j’ai pense a l’idee de dedier ce projet
singulier a la Memoire de Montserrat Figueras, tout en rendant un
hommage personnel a un peuple qui a tant souffert dans son histoire
(d’une souffrance qui n’est pas encore reconnue pleinement) et qui,
malgre tant de douleur avait inspire des musiques si pleines d’amour et
si porteuses de paix et d’harmonie. En meme temps, ce disque se veut
aussi un sincère hommage a ces merveilleux musiciens qui consacrent
leur vie a maintenir vivante la memoire de cette ancienne culture.

Chance merveilleuse : le très cher ami et grand maître du kamantcha
Gaguik Mouradian, m’avait offert – en 2004, deja – plusieurs
recueils de musiques armeniennes, parmi lesquels, le fabuleux
“THESAURUS” de melodies armeniennes publie en 1982 a Erevan, par
le musicologue Nigoghos Tahmizian, dans lequel j’ai pu trouver les
plus beaux exemples de ce repertoire, completes par les pièces pour
kamantcha et celles a deux duduks qu’ont propose nos amis musiciens
d’Armenie. Avec la collaboration d’un autre extraordinaire musicien et
aussi très cher ami, le joueur de duduk Haïg Sarikouyoumdjian, j’ai
passe plusieurs mois d’etude et de travail quotidien, a dechiffrer
les secrets de ces anciennes et très belles melodies, en ecoutant
d’anciens enregistrements et en recherchant les cles “secrètes”sur
le style et le caractère de chacune de ces musiques. Pendant tous ces
derniers mois, il n’y avait pas de nuit que je ne finisse sans passer
quelques heures enrichissantes dans l’etude et l’interpretation de
ces melodies au charme puissant.

Finalement nous avons trouve des dates pour les travailler ensemble,
et entre la fin du mois de Mars et les premiers jours d’Avril nous
nous sommes retrouves dans la merveilleuse Eglise Collegiale de
Cardona afin d’enregistrer toutes les pièces choisies pour aboutir a
cet hommage personnel et collectif dedie a cet envoûtant et elegiaque
Esprit d’Armenie. Tout de suite après, et grâce a la collaboration
de Lise Nazarian, encore une autre chère amie d’Armenie, nous nous
sommes mis a la recherche et a l’etude des elements complementaires
a la musique pour la realisation du livret du CD : livres d’art
et d’histoire sur l’Armenie, qu’on a trouves en abondance grâce a
Armen Samuelian et Alice Aslanian conservateurs et animateurs de la
merveilleuse “Librairie Orientale “, rue Monsieur Le Prince, a Paris,
et aussi au choix du specialiste J.P. Mahe pour la presentation d’un
article essentiel sur l’Art et l’Histoire de ce pays. En complement,
Manuel Forcano a apporte des textes sur la Memoire du Genocide et
sur la chronologie de son Histoire : une histoire que nous esperons
pouvoir aider a maintenir vivante grâce a l’emotion qu’apportent les
musiques de cet enregistrement.

Sans Emotion il n’y a pas de Memoire, sans Memoire il n’y a pas
de Justice, sans Justice il n’y a pas de Civilisation, et sans
Civilisation l’etre humain n’a pas de futur.

EAST VALLEY ANCA ENDORSES MONTAÑEZ FOR LA CITY COUNCIL

Monday, July 15th, 2013

ANCA-SFVE Volunteers at Cindy Montañez for L.A. City Council Campaign
Headquarters

VAN NUYS, Calif-On Tuesday, July 23, a special election will be held to
elect a new Los Angeles City Councilmember to represent the City of Los
Angeles’s 6th Council District, which encompasses the East San Fernando
Valley neighborhoods of Panorama City and Lake Balboa along with parts
of North Hollywood, Sun Valley, Arleta, and Van Nuys. In early June,
the East San Fernando Valley chapter of the Armenian National Committee
of America (ANCA-SFVE) announced its endorsement of Cindy Montañez,
a former California State Assembly-member, for the office.

“Cindy Montañez is the best qualified candidate who can bring all
communities within the 6th Council District together to tackle the
challenges that we currently face,” said Levon Baronian, Chairman of
the ANCA San Fernando Valley East Chapter. “There are approximately
25,000 Armenians residing within the 6th Council District and about
100,000 Armenians in the eastern San Fernando Valley. Therefore, it is
important for the ANCA-SFVE to endorse a candidate who will understand
and cater to the needs and priorities of the local Armenian-American
community, which is why we support Cindy Montañez.”

Avo Ovayan, a long-time leader of the East Valley Armenian community
said that after meeting and getting to know both candidates for the
office left vacant by Tony Cardenas, who was elected to Congress
late last year, it came down to choosing the candidate “who could
be counted on to be there for the Armenian-American community after
assuming office.”

In addition to providing its endorsement, the ANCA-SFVE and its
members have been supporting the Montañez campaign with phone-banking,
canvassing, fundraising, and networking within the Armenian-American
community. As a testament to the ANCA-SFVE’s grassroots appeal, a
broad spectrum of ANCA-SFVE activists have volunteered their time and
support to the campaign, including students, retirees, business-owners,
and even a dentist.

“I’m extremely busy, but when the ANCA-SFVE asked me if I’d be willing
to volunteer for Cindy’s campaign, I couldn’t refuse an opportunity
to help elect someone who I think can really make a difference for
the community,” said Dr. Lisa Baronian, a dentist from the East San
Fernando Valley.

The ANCA-SFVE strongly urges all registered voters in the 6th
Council District to vote for Cindy Montañez on Tuesday, July 23rd or,
if they are registered to vote by mail, to mail out their absentee
ballots immediately. The Armenian-American vote has the potential to
become the determining factor in this tightly contested race. If you
require assistance or need information regarding any voting-related
matter, please contact the ANCA-WR office at (818) 500-1918. For
more information about the ANCA-SFVE, please visit its website at
The ANCA San Fernando Valley East Chapter is the
largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots political
organization in the eastern San Fernando Valley.

ARMEN POGHOSYAN: PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARE WILL INCREASE BY 50%

Head of the Association of consumers of Armenia Armen Poghosyan said
today that the next wave of inflation will have a catastrophic impact
on the population. According to Poghosyan, the price increases of
gas and electricity are inadequate and illogical. According to him,
because of these increases, first of all the construction will die,
and Armenia will lose this market. As to the food and other services,
inflation in these spheres is inevitable. Armen Poghosyan says his
reliable sources affirm public transport fare will increase by 50%.

Pastinfo 15:51 15/07/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

HSBC NAMED BEST BANK IN ARMENIA BY EUROMONEY

YEREVAN, July 15./ARKA/. HSBC Bank Armenia cjsc has been named Best
Bank in Armenia at this year’s EUROMONEY Awards for Excellence,
the bank’s press office reported on Monday.

HSBC Group also received four global awards as well as twenty regional
and country awards in different categories. The award ceremony took
place in London on Thursday, 11 July.

EUROMONEY said, “HSBC trounced its larger rivals in Armenia, giving
the sector’s best pre-tax and return on equity result. The corporate
franchise remained the primary driver of expansion, but HSBC also
gained ground in the valuable premium retail sector.”

These awards recognize institutions that demonstrate leadership in
their markets, bringing to their customers the highest levels of
services, innovation and expertise.

HSBC Group’s awards include Best Global Emerging Market Investment
Bank, Best Global Emerging Market Debt House, Best Global Risk Adviser
and Best Global Transaction Banking House.

Thies Clemenz, HSBC Bank Armenia Chief Executive Officer, said:
“It is a great privilege to receive this award for the second time,
which is testimony to another successful year of HSBC in Armenia. We
are committed to supporting the growth of Armenia’s economy and
banking sector by playing a leading role in this industry.”

HSBC Bank Armenia cjsc was the first international bank to open in
Armenia in 1996. The bank is a joint venture between the HSBC Group,
which has 70 percent ownership, and members of overseas Armenian
businesses. The bank offers a wide range of products and services
to individual as well as corporate customers, including personal
financial services, commercial banking and treasury and capital
markets services. Thanks to the HSBC network in over 80 countries
and territories, the bank is uniquely positioned to provide truly
international services to its customers.

The Yerevan office opened with 18 staff and under 100 clients. HSBC
Bank Armenia cjsc today has more than 35 thousand individual and
almost five thousand corporate customers and employs 376 employees at
ten branches and offices in Yerevan. The bank has one of the largest
networks of 55 ATMs located throughout Yerevan. HSBC in Armenia has
grown assets from five million US dollars when it started to operate
in 1996 to just 524 million US dollars today. —0—-

– See more at:

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNIZED-POPE EXPECTED TO VISIT TURKEY

13:31, 15 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS: Pope Francis, the religious leader of
the Catholic world, who recognized the Armenian Genocide, is expected
to visit Turkey next year. As reported by Armenpress, quoting the
Today’s Zaman, which got the news from sources close to the Vatican,
preparations are under way for the Istanbul visit of the new pope,
which is expected to take place in November in 2014.

Istanbul-based Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew attended
the installation Mass of Pope Francis in Vatican City in March, in a
first-of-its-kind move since the 1054 break that led to the creation
of the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity,
along with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag.

Following the Mass, Bartholomew revealed that the new pope had told
him he wanted to pay a visit to Turkey. The pope’s expected visit –
also considered a reciprocation for that of Bartholomew – bears great
importance for the Catholic and Orthodox churches, as the meeting in
Istanbul between the pope and the Greek Orthodox ecumenical patriarch,
one of the leading figures of the Orthodox world (also known as Eastern
Christianity) is seen as a way of increasing dialogue between Eastern
and Western Christianity.

The timing of the pope’s visit is also telling. November 30 is
the anniversary of the foundation of the Church of Byzantium and
of its official recognition by Rome in the year 330. The Orthodox,
who celebrate this as the feast day of St. Andrew, with reference
to the apostle who founded the Church of Byzantium in Istanbul,
celebrate with a liturgy at the Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Pope Benedict XVI, the predecessor of the present pope, paid a visit
to Turkey upon the invitation of then-Turkish President Ahmet Necdet
Sezer in 2006 and had attended a liturgy on November 30 celebrating
the feast of St. Andrew together with Patriarch Bartholomew.

Although the date for the visit of the pope is not yet set, sources say
there is a strong possibility that he will be in Istanbul on November
30. It’s not clear yet whether the pope, who is expected to stay at
the Vatican’s representation in Istanbul, will also visit Ankara.

The newly elected Pope Francis, who recognized the Armenian Genocide
in 2005 in Buenos Aires on the occasion of the erecting a cross stone
dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide on the
90th anniversary of the Genocide, said that he desired to be buried
under that monument. The statements made on the Armenian Genocide
raised discontent and anxiety in Turkey.

ELITE WHEAT SEEDS TO BE PRODUCED IN ARMENIA TO REDUCE IMPORT

10:03, 15 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESSO~I The super elite seeds imported to
the Republic of Armenia will serve a base to produce elite seeds in
the country and stop their import from other countries. Armenpress was
reported about it by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic
of Armenia Samvel Galstyan. 20 tons of the super elite seeds imported
to Armenia in 2012 have fully justified the expectations and it is
expected to get 7-8 tons of harvest instead of the intended 5 tons.

As stated by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic
of Armenia Samvel Galstyan, the seed growing development program
approved by the Government of the Republic of Armenia provided with
the opportunity to implement a certain variety update. “In 2012 640
tons of elite seeds were imported to the Republic of Armenia”, –
said Samvel Galstyan, adding that notwithstanding that fact, another
440 tons of first reproduction of wheat seeds will be imported from
the Russian Federation.

In the low lands of the Republic the harvest of the wheat has already
been launched. In 2011 168 thousand tons of wheat was produced
in Armenia. In 2012 the indicator made 243 thousand tons. It is
expected that the volumes of the production of the wheat and other
grain crops in Armenia will exceed the level of the previous year by
45-46,000 tons.

“I THINK ARTSAKH PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT OF FREEDOM AND SELF-DETERMINATION.”

Sunday, 14 July 2013 23:04

It is the second year Grizhina Djeranaka-Geberd has participated in
the “Tnjre” international festival of junior musicians within the
framework of which she is conducting master classes for the musicians
of Artsakh. She is a violinist who has participated in a lot of
international festivals and received dozens of prizes and diplomas.

Below is our interview with Grizhina Djeranaka-Geberd.

– It is already the second year you have conducted master classes
in Artsakh. What is the differentiating feature of the musicians
of Artsakh?

– I think musicians don’t differ anywhere. Musicians love music and
thus spread peace. There are a lot of talented people here and the
only difference is the difficulty of acquiring musical instruments
and in general there are some other problems with music but we help
them to lighten this burden.

– Do you think the war and the Karabakh conflict in general interfered
in the development of the musicians in Artsakh?

– I am sure it did, but I think music is the best way to achieve
peace. Music has no boundaries and it relieves them of their pain. The
war and the conflict are a great trouble as people’s top priority is
their safety. If they are not safe people think that music is of minor
importance while if they practised music more they would fight less.

– What had you known about Artsakh before arriving here and what
impressions do you have now?

– Before my visit to Artsakh I had heard a lot about the war but I knew
nothing about the people living here. I have heard a lot about the
conflict on the news but I know that not all is reliable information
yet I was always “for you” as I think Artsakh people have the right
of freedom and self-determination.

– All those who visit Artsakh are under the threat of being declared
persona non-grata by Azerbaijan. What do you think about this?

– I am doing what I can and what I want. I am teaching music, this
is my life. I don’t think I should be afraid of it.

– Each time you share you knowledge and experience with our musicians
and what do you take from here?

– People’s cordiality and their spiritual beauty. I would like to
convey this to the people of Finland so that they would treat one
another so warmly. My husband also likes to come here though he does
not mix with the people as he has highly typical Finnish character.

You know the Finns used to live in separate in winter and didn’t
see anybody the whole winter and if they needed something, salt
for example, in order to approach another family they had to use
percussion instruments so that the neighbours could understand that
it was neither a wolf nor a bear and did not get afraid. During these
recent years as I have visited Artsakh and mixed with the local people
I have changed my way of communication and passed it to the Finns.

GOVERNMENT’S GETTING READY FOR … 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF GENOCIDE

Sunday notes

If one listened to this government, one would think that their only
concern is the recognition of the genocide. And one sometimes wants
to tell them “good for you that you do not forget about the genocide
amid kickbacks, offshore and retribution with citizens”. Good for
you or what the hell … anyway.

One output of such “care” should be movies which would tell the truth
to the world on the 100th anniversary of the genocide following
the example of Jews. In the 2000s over 50 films were made on the
Holocaust. The Pianist by Roman Polanski, Jakob the Liar by Peter
Kassovitz , The Reader by Stephen Daldry are very touching works
indeed, and Schindler’s List by Stephen Spielberg and Life is Beautiful
by Roberto Benini received Oscars and global fame.

In 2011 a state commission has been set up to coordinate the events
to mark the 100th anniversary. The commission includes the presidents
of two Armenian states, two catholicoses, two heads of other Armenian
churches, Arthur Baghdasaryan of the National Security Council, Gagik
Tsarukyan, Raffi Hovannisian, Hranush Hakobyan, Hasmik Poghosyan,
other ministers, two representatives of the ARF, perhaps for the
special role it has, one leader of the other traditional parties each
and no representative of culture. I thought a little and did not find
anything strange about it. There will be events.

I was abroad for the greater part of 2011 where I heard that this
great commission will set up a cinema commission which will include
talented specialists who will write and produce films on the Genocide.

It is not just events, films will be made… I also learned a few
days ago that entries on genocide had been considered for the Golden
Apricot Festival.

Let’s first speak about the Golden Apricot because it was its week.

Everything had been well planned. The opening and closing ceremonies
were in the Opera to make sure that the high-ranking officials,
sitting deeply in the red velvet armchairs do not care that the
picture is bad quality, “messages” are read, awards are handed over,
speeches are made which our officials like so much. (It is true
that Aznavour did not get on the stage, either he was tired or he
did not want to take part in this Brezhnevish theater but he will
go away while officials will stay). Every day is a party where the
cinema and pro-cinema people get in touch with the guests. And it
is a real holiday for lovers of real cinema and lovers: entry with
invitations which are easy or hard to get, free or cheap tickets,
meetings with contemporary producers and classics Ulrich Seidl,
Istvan Szabo, Jos Stelling, Margarethe von Trotta.

Now let me come back to the genocide. What has happened? Golden Apricot
received 4-5 applications from Armenian participants of Filmmakers
without Borders packaged in line with international standards and
proposed that the Ministry of Culture attend to them because the
project is small. After a long row of misunderstandings several dozens
of others were brought from Cinema Center and presented to Krzysztof
Zanussi, Atom Egoyan, Arsineh Khanjyan to judge. The ministry did
not explain what will follow evaluation, most entries submitted by
Cinema Center were immature, the participants were unaware of pitching
techniques. Eventually, the guests gave up and stopped the EVENT.

I was amazed, however, not by this hasty and cover-up competition but
Turkey’s Vice-Prime Minister Bulent Arinc’s statement last year to
shoot a film on 1915 telling the truth while the Armenian ministry
of culture was busy with applications in summer 2013.

I will explain for non-specialists. Two years left to go before 2015
is not sufficient to make a serious film. Six months to one year is
a modest period for writing a historical film. Plus casting, venue,
decorations, costumes … minus bureaucracy for funding and difficulty
to get co-financing.

In order not to limit myself to criticism I will also make constructive
proposals. First, the abovementioned real or commission-to-be could
have chosen two classic pieces of literature and call for a competition
of best scripts. I would suggest two books, Cursed Years by Yervand
Otyan and I Ask You Ladies and Gentlemen by Leon Zaven Surmelian
which was a bestseller in the United States.

Second, a grant should be envisaged for Armenian and foreign authors
to make sure that one or two good scenarios are made. Then something
similar should be done with companies and directors. A separate
competition should be held for new authors.

Meanwhile, nothing has been done, and nobody knows what the
continuation will be. Will the Italian strike of the government end?

Will a film be made some time between kickbacks, offshore, retribution
against citizens? Will the output be something as miserable as the
film about Garegin Nezhdeh which hides shyly that the hero of the film
saved Syunik from the Russian Red Army? And if it is finally shot,
will audience be ensured by way of distributing tickets at schools
on a voluntary-mandatory basis? And will there be a miracle and they
will not steal the money envisaged for promoting the international
recognition of the Genocide and we sitting in the hall will not
feel ashamed?

Vahram Martirosyan 12:43 15/07/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

EVERYTHING POSSIBLE WILL BE DONE TO RAISE FIGHTING CAPABILITY OF ARMED FORCES – BAKO SAHAKYAN

10:11 15/07/2013 ” ANALYSIS

On July 15, Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan was present at
the planned all-army command staff muster and delivered there a speech.

In his speech, the Commander-in-Chief of the Artsakh Armed Forces
called the army building one of the key directions of the state’s
activity, underlining that it was impossible to imagine the independent
Armenian statehood and its secure future without strong and battle
worthy armed forces. Bako Sahakyan noted that with that very deep
consciousness everything possible was done and would be done to raise
the fighting capability of the armed forces, modernize its technical
equipment, maintain the unshakable spirit of the army and ameliorate
social and living conditions of the Fatherland’s defenders.

The President issued instructions to the highest command staff of
the armed forces for proper organization of the muster, reported the
Central Information Department at the Artsakh President’s Office.

Source: Panorama.am