Karagyozian Lena – Page 59 – Armenian Directory & News

Car of Armen Gyulbudaghyants, provided by FFA, robbed

December 1, 2018March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

15:47 | November 29,2018 | Social
Armenian:

31 year-old Yerevan resident Martin Kobalyan, who applied to the Arabkir Police division, informed that on November 27-28 November, the front lights of the Porsche Cayenne car parked in front of the building at Komitas Avenue were stolen.

As reported by shamshyan.com, this car is registered in the Football Federation of Armenia and it is driven by the head coach of the Armenian national team Armen Gyulbudaghyants.

Materials are being prepared in the Investigation Department of the Arabkir Police Division.

Expert: Armenian banks need to focus on digital banking and electronic channels when servicing SMEs

November 12, 2018March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

Arminfo, Armenia

Nov 10 2018

Expert: Armenian banks need to focus on digital banking and electronic channels when servicing SMEs

Yerevan 10.11.18

Alina Oganesyan. In Armenia, there is a significant increase in lending to SMEs in comparison with other countries in the region. In an interview with ArmInfo, such an opinion was expressed by the founder, CEO of the SME Banking Club Andrei Gidulyan on the margins of a seminar initiated in Armenia on the initiative of Converse Bank.

“In Armenia, the level of financing for small and medium businesses is quite high. In particular, in comparison with Ukraine, where the bank’s coverage of SME segment clients is about 10%, in Russia it is 20-25%, and in Armenia this figure reaches 60%” he remarked.

According to A. Gidulyan, the corporate sector is less widely represented in Armenia, as banks focus mainly on SMEs. “In Armenia, all 17 banks provide loans to small and medium businesses, whereas in Ukraine, out of 80 banks, only 20 lend to SME,” – he said.

However, in terms of financing and servicing SMEs, in his opinion, Armenian banks should focus on the development of digital banking and electronic channels.

“Now we see that the business need to use mobile technologies has already been formed. Clients are ready to use messengers, chat bots, make payments, use mobile applications of banks. We are now trying to stir up banks and give a small impetus, showing the best practices so that they too to launch similar solutions that are already used in other countries, “he said, stressing that about 90% of the clients of the Baltic countries are already using online banking.

It should be noted that the SME Banking Club seminar is held in Armenia in order to provide participants with comprehensive information on trends SME development, provides for the exchange of information and experience on the conditions of lending to SMEs of global, regional, local banks and financial companies. Since 2010, SME Banking Club constantly organizes regional and international banking events in Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, Kazakhstan, and Egypt.

Recall that, according to EBRD, the share of Armenian SMEs in the structure of GDP in 2017 was 34.4%, with a turnover of 1,920.3 billion drams, which is more than a year ago by 14.2%. In the structure of active taxpayers, the share of SMEs is 77% or 82,209 companies. At the same time, in the general list of taxpayers, the share of active reached 59.2% or 106,596 companies, which, in numerical terms, is 5,593 more than a year ago.

According to the latest data of the National Center for SME Development (SME DNC) for several years, the share of SMEs in the structure of Armenia’s GDP remains unchanged, at about 28%. As of the beginning of July of this year, according to the criteria of the National Center, out of 75 thousand 60% of SME business entities operating in Armenia are private entrepreneurs and only 40% are organizations.

Discussions on fighting tax evasion and capital outflow from the country to offshore companies started in Yerevan

November 10, 2018March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

Arminfo, Armenia

Nov 7 2018

Discussions on fighting tax evasion and capital outflow from the country to offshore companies started in Yerevan

Yerevan November 07

Naira Badalyan. Officials and experts from 20 countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia gathered in Yerevan today to understand how to deal with modern challenges in the field of taxation, follow tax evasion and capital outflow from the country to offshore companies. The issues will be discussed at the IV regional meeting of the two-day IV regional meeting devoted to the system of preventing the erosion of the tax / tax base and the withdrawal of income / profits from taxation (BEPS) in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA).

According to the head of the international programs and transfer pricing department of the RA State Directorate of Taxation, Nairui Avetisyan, in the age of electronic commerce and unrestricted movement of capital, the country’s domestic legislation in a certain sense loses its relevance. Armenia is trying to resolve this issue, including with the help of international tax regulations. “The more the borders open, the closer the cooperation of the tax authorities,” she said.

Back in June 2017, Armenia joined the 15th Action of the Organization for the Development of Economic Cooperation in the framework of a program to prevent the erosion of the tax base and the export of profits (BEPS), against transfer pricing. and the country’s reliability is improved from the investor’s point of view. Accession to the 15th BEPS protocol, as explained by Avetisyan, gives the tax authority of the country an additional lever of control in order to avoid tax evasion in by a foreign organization carrying out the activity of the Republic of Armenia, proving that the company’s profit is formed in Armenia and, consequently, it is subject to taxation in Armenia. “The idea of BEPS is that the tax is payable in the country where additional value is created”, – she said. At the same time, Armenia will avoid the fate of becoming a country for money laundering.

Today, already with 46 countries, Armenia has agreements against double taxation. Citizens and enterprises of the republic working abroad pay taxes there, and vice versa, the last agreement was recently signed with Israel. Purpose of these agreements

– eliminate double taxation in foreign trade between the two states, prevent tax discrimination against economic entities of the parties, eliminate double taxation of property and income, and create a predictable and stable tax environment for business. In November of this year. An agreement with Switzerland is planned to be signed, which is expected to be signed next year. The conclusion of a similar document with Argentina, Portugal and South Korea is also expected.

It should be noted that the issue of excluding double taxation between Armenia and the USA has been discussed for over 20 years – since 1994, the RA government has repeatedly raised this issue. In 2000, already during the Armenian-American intergovernmental meeting, the question was raised about the need to conclude an agreement. Since then, although preparatory work has been carried out to conclude an agreement, in fact, the negotiations themselves have not started. The current agreement concluded between the Soviet Union and the United States, as stated in the Ministry of Finance, is overdue and irrelevant, only for the simple reason that the Republic of Armenia is not the successor of the USSR. The American side argues its refusal by the fact that it sees no difficulty for US companies from the absence of such a contract. Yerevan, however, believes that even in the absence of obvious difficulties at this stage, the elimination of double taxation can be a barrier to attracting mutual investments, since the prospect of paying taxes twice can scare off potential investors.

Meeting of Armenian, Belarussian Presidents held in Minsk (photos)

October 31, 2018March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

| 16:08 | October 30 2018

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 10/19/2018

October 20, 2018March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

                                        Friday, 
Sarkisian Allies Oppose Election Boycott
        • Gayane Saribekian
Armenia - President Serzh Sarkisian speaks at the official launch of his 
Republican Party's election campaign in Yerevan, 5Mar2017.
Senior representatives of former President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party 
of Armenia (HHK) said on Friday that it should participate in forthcoming snap 
parliamentary elections.
The HHK, which retains the largest faction in the current Armenian parliament, 
has reluctantly dropped its objections to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s 
efforts to hold the elections in December, rather than next May or June. 
Observers believe that it is now too unpopular to make a strong showing in the 
vote.
The HHK’s executive body discussed the matter at a meeting late on Thursday 
chaired by Sarkisian. It announced no final decisions afterwards.
“We have not yet made a decision,” the HHK’s parliamentary leader, Vahram 
Baghdasarian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service on Friday. “Discussions are 
continuing.”
Baghdasarian said he and most other senior Republicans want their party to 
enter parliamentary race. “I think that participation [in the elections] is the 
right thing to do,” he said.
Baghdasarian cautioned, though, that the HHK leadership needs to evaluate its 
current approval rating and other “resources” before making a final decision.
Eduard Sharmazanov, the HHK spokesman and a deputy parliament speaker, also 
argued against boycotting the snap polls.
“It’s obvious that Pashinian is headed for victory and nobody can doubt it, at 
least at this stage,” Sharmazanov told RFE/RL’s Armenian service. “And our 
state, our parliament, and our state system need a real opposition, not a fake 
opposition.”
“We think that both a strong opposition and a strong government are needed,” he 
said. “Or else, we will have a new political monopoly and no serious checks and 
balances. So we have to take part in the elections in order to be a real 
counterweight.”
Sharmazanov insisted that the HHK, which dominated Armenian politics for more 
than a decade, has been the country’s sole truly opposition force ever since 
Pashinian swept to power in May. “Everyone else applauds Pashinian, either 
overtly or not overtly,” he said.
Sarkisian has made very public appearances and statements since Pashinian-led 
mass protests forced him to resign in April. It is not yet clear whether he 
supports his party’s participation in the December elections and is ready to 
top its list of candidates.
Workers Protest Closure Of Armenian Copper Plant
        • Karine Simonian
Armenia - A poster saying "We demand work" is displayed by workers protesting 
against the closure of a copper smelter in Alaverdi, .
Hundreds of workers of a copper smelter in northern Armenia blocked a major 
highway on Friday in protest against its closure resulting from the 
government’s decision to enforce strict environmental regulations there.
The Soviet-built plant located in the town of Alaverdi was recently fined 
$800,000 for exceeding air pollution quotas set by the government in 2005. The 
former Armenian authorities avoided punishing the plant for that.
Citing financial problems, the plant’s parent company, Vallex Group, said that 
it is unable to pay the fine and comply with the pollution caps. It warned last 
week that it will have to shut down the smelter and lay off more than 600 
people working there unless the government reverses the punitive measures.
Subsequent negotiations between Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian and the 
Vallex chairman, Valeri Mejlumian, yielded no agreement. Avinian said earlier 
this week that the Alaverdi plant causes serious environmental damage and 
should be replaced by a larger and more modern facility.
As production operations at the plant were brought to a halt on Friday many of 
the workers took to the streets to voice support for Vallex’s demands. They 
blocked a highway passing through Alaverdi.
“Can anyone [from the government] come here explain to these 630 families [of 
workers] what fate awaits them?” said one of the protesters. “All we want is 
jobs.”
Eduard Sharmazanov, an Alaverdi-born deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament 
representing the former ruling Republican Party, voiced support for the 
protesters’ demands in a written appeal to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.
“I am calling on you to do everything possible and impossible so that the 
Alaverdi copper smelter continues to operate,” said Sharmazanov. “Or else, 650 
families could choose the path of emigration.”
The government did not immediately react to the protests.
Vallex is currently in serious financial trouble, having lost control over 
Armenia’s second largest copper and molybdenum mine after failing repay its 
massive debts to a Russian commercial bank. The bank, VTB, had lent Vallex the 
bulk of $380 million which was invested in mining and ore-processing facilities 
at the Teghut deposit also located in the Lori province.
Vallex shut down the mine in January because of being unable to refurbish its 
waste disposal facility. Most of the 1,200 or so people working at Teghut lost 
their jobs as a result. VTB took over the mine in payment for the debt.
Vallex used the Alaverdi plant as collateral when it secured the loan from VTB. 
It could therefore lose control of that facility as well.
Pashinian Defends Controversial Choice Of Provincial Governor
        • Sisak Gabrielian
        • Naira Bulghadarian
Armenia - Police General Hunan Poghosian (C) speaks to protesters in Yerevan, 
18 July 2016.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Friday defended his decision to appoint a 
retired police general as governor of Armenia’s southeastern Syunik province 
which has prompted criticism from human rights activists.
Lieutenant-General Hunan Poghosian served as first deputy chief of the Armenian 
police during most of former President Serzh Sarkisian’s decade-long rule. He 
resigned immediately after Pashinian came to power in May in a wave of 
anti-Sarkisian protests.
Pashinian explained Poghosian’s appointment as governor when he visited the 
provincial capital Kapan to campaign for a candidate of his Civil Contract 
party running in an upcoming election of the town’s mayor.
Speaking at a campaign rally, Pashinian alleged attempts to “restore the old 
oligarchic logic” in Syunik. The mountainous region bordering Iran should 
therefore be governed by a tough security officer who can “bang his fist on the 
table” and maintain law and order, protect civil liberties and guarantee free 
enterprise, he said.
Human rights activists and even some Pashinian supporters criticized the 
Armenian government after it formalized Poghosian’s appointment on Tuesday.They 
said that the police general was closely linked to the former ruling regime 
accused of corruption and human rights abuses.
Pashinian countered that he faced similar criticism when he appointed two other 
career officers, Valeri Osipinian and Artur Vanetsian, as heads of the police 
and the National Security Service (NSS) respectively in May. He argued that 
both men are now popular with his supporters.
“When I walk in the streets with [Vanetsian] people hail and thank him as well 
as Mr. Osipian,” he said. “Mr. Poghosian, I hope that when I come here next 
time people will welcome you in the same way in Kapan and the other towns of 
Syunik.”
Pashinian also noted that Poghosian was the one who had him rushed to hospital 
when he was injured in an April 16 clash in downtown Yerevan between his 
supporters and riot police.
Armenia -- Political activist Shant Harutiunian (L) clashes with another man 
during an anti-government protest in downtown Yerevan during , 5Nov2013.
The choice of Poghosian proved controversial also because of past allegations 
that he beat up a well-known maverick activist arrested while leading a violent 
anti-government demonstration in 2013. The activist, Shant Harutiunian, was 
subsequently sentenced to six years in prison.
Pashinian himself voiced the torture allegations in a 2013 interview with 
RFE/RL’s Armenian service.
The premier argued on Friday that Harutiunian never gave formal incriminating 
testimony against the police general. Nevertheless, he said, he has instructed 
law-enforcement authorities to again investigate the alleged torture.
“I don’t know what happened in 2013,” said Pashinian. “But I also want to say 
that as prime minister I asked Hunan Poghosian about that incident and got an 
answer which satisfied me. Let the investigation ascertain the rest. In 
Armenia, everyone is equal before the law.”
Meanwhile, Harutiunian’s teenage son Shahen told RFE/RL’s Armenian service that 
Poghosian never personally assaulted his father in custody. He said the jailed 
activist was physically abused by other security officials in the presence of 
Poghosian and Vladimir Gasparian, the then national police chief.
Still, Shant Harutiunian’s lawyer, Inessa Petrosian, insisted that Poghosian 
must be held accountable for the alleged ill-treatment. “Nikol Pashinian must 
scrap the appointment of that governor,” she said.
Kocharian To Shun Snap Elections
        • Emil Danielyan
Armenia -- Former President Robert Kocharian gives an interview to the Russian 
NTV channel, Yerevan.
Two months after announcing his return to active politics, former President 
Robert Kocharian has ruled out his participation in early general elections 
that will likely be held in Armenia in December.
“First of all, the legitimacy of this process is very dubious for me, and 
secondly, I just don’t have time [to prepare for the elections,]” Kocharian 
told the Russian RIA Novosti news agency in an interview published on Thursday.
“Besides, I have had no party affiliation. This means that I have to create a 
party from scratch, rather than restore something that has existed before,” he 
said, adding that he needs time to cobble together a team of “talented, young 
and energetic people.”
Kocharian also complained that most Armenians are now too euphoric about last 
spring’s “velvet revolution” to make rational choices. “People are not ready to 
discuss programs, to get to the bottom of economics or social policy,” he said. 
“This is why the elections will have a superficial character. The dominant 
theme will be defense of the revolution.”
Kocharian admitted Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and his allies will likely 
score a landslide victory in the polls. “Opinion polls show that the country is 
now heading for the formation of yet another political monopoly,” he said. “And 
this is what generated and what was targeted by the ‘velvet revolution’ in 
Armenia in the first place.”
Kocharian himself was accused by critics of systematically stifling dissent, 
tolerating government corruption and rigging elections when he ran the country 
from 1998-2008.He handed over power to his longtime ally, Serzh Sarkisian, 
following a disputed presidential election that sparked anti-government 
protests in Yerevan.
Kocharian ordered security forces to quell those protests on March 1-2, 2008. 
Eight protesters and two police servicemen were killed as a result.
Law-enforcement authorities launched criminal proceedings against Kocharian 
shortly after Pashinian swept to power in May. The ex-president was arrested in 
late July on charges of illegally using the armed forces against protesters and 
overthrowing the constitutional order.
Armenia’s Court of Appeals freed him from custody on August 13, saying that the 
constitution guarantees his immunity from prosecution.
Kocharian announced his political comeback three days later. He accused 
Pashinian’s government of endangering the country’s national security, 
undermining its relations with Russia and lacking economic programs.
Pashinian, who played a key role in the 2008 protests, vehemently defended the 
ongoing criminal investigation at a rally held on August 17. “All murderers 
will go to prison,” he said.
Speaking to RIA Novosti, Kocharian again claimed that the new authorities are 
waging a political “vendetta” against him. He predicted that he will face more 
accusations soon.
“The most curious thing is that I wasn’t in government for ten years,” said the 
64-year-old. “I don’t quite understand what they want from me. I clearly wasn’t 
the target of that revolution. There was a totally different [Sarkisian-led] 
government with which I practically did not communicate and which I criticized. 
But all of a sudden I became an object of scrutiny.”
Press Review
“Zhamanak” quotes former President Robert Kocharian as telling the Russian RIA 
Novosti news agency that he is planning to set up a political party to fill the 
“opposition vacuum” in Armenia. The paper highly critical of Kocharian is sure 
that the move will meet with strong public hostility.
“Zhoghovurd” hails the European Union’s decision to provide Armenia with 
financial assistance meant for the proper conduct of the upcoming fresh 
parliamentary elections. The paper says this development proved wrong those who 
claimed that the West and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission in 
particular considers the elections too hasty and therefore not quite 
legitimate. What is more, it says, the head of the EU Delegation in Yerevan, 
Piotr Switalski, said on Thursday that the EU could provide additional economic 
aid to Armenia next year.
Lragir.am reports that Kocharian has moved to take advantage of an ongoing 
criminal investigation into leaked phone calls between the heads of Armenia’s 
National Security Service (NSS) and Special Investigative Service (NSS) which 
touched upon criminal proceedings launched against the ex-president. A lawyer 
for Kocharian has demanded that his client be treated as a “victim” in that 
probe. The online publication says that Kocharian is also planning to appeal to 
the European Court of Human Rights.
(Lilit Harutiunian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2018 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

The California Courier Online, October 18, 2018

October 16, 2018March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

The California Courier Online, October 18, 2018

1 – Commentary

Britain Investigates Azeri Banker’s Wife

For Multi-Million Dollar Shopping Spree

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

2- 17th Francophonie Summit Concludes in Armenia

3- Turkish court frees US pastor Andrew Brunson

4 – Trini-Canadian mother appeals to Trudeau for abducted son

5 – ABMDR walkathon in Glendale draws strong community support

6- Haigazian Hosts Cultural Evening with Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra

7- U.S., Turkey, France at Ends about Saudi Arabia, Journalist Khashoggi

8- Armenia Chief Foreign Policy Adviser Gasparyan

Is a cigar entrepreneur afoul with debts

******************************************

1 – Britain Investigates Azeri Banker’s Wife

For Multi-Million Dollar Shopping Spree

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

Another Azerbaijan-related major corruption scandal is brewing in
Europe. The country’s crooked officials have swindled billions of
petrodollars for their personal benefit while the majority of the
Azeri people live in abject poverty.

The latest example is on the front pages of most British newspapers.
Mrs. Zamira Hajiyeva, 55, the wife of an Azerbaijani banker, has spent
over $21 million by shopping at the Harrods luxury department store in
London between 2006 and 2016.

The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency alleged that stolen funds
were used to buy a $15 million, five-bedroom house in the exclusive
London neighborhood of Knightsbridge, 100 yards from the doors of
Harrods. The house is now worth $20 million. She is also accused of
spending almost $14 million to purchase a golf and country club in
Ascot, The Guardian newspaper reported. Incredibly, Mrs. Hajiyeva owns
two reserved parking spaces in Harrods at a cost of $500,000 a year.
She was given permission to live in the UK eight years ago under a
visa scheme for wealthy investors, without checking her source of
funds.

“Mrs. Hajiyeva is the wife of Jahangir Hajiyev, 57, the former
chairman of the state-owned International Bank of Azerbaijan. In 2016
he was sentenced to 15 years in jail for defrauding the bank out of $3
billion,” according to Rupert Neate of The Guardian.

Mrs. Hajiyeva’s lawyers in London had petitioned to keep her name, the
husband’s name, their nationality and his bank a secret. However, the
British court of appeal lifted the veil of secrecy at the request of
the media.

The National Crime Agency stated that Mrs. Hajiyeva used 35 American
Express, Mastercard, and Visa credit cards issued by her husband’s
bank to fund her spending spree. On one trip to Harrods, she spent
$200,000 on Boucheron, a luxury jewelry, perfume and watches brand. On
another trip, she bought $132,000 of Cartier jewelry. She also
purchased a $42 million Gulfstream G550 jet. Her wine cellar is
stocked with some of the world’s most expensive bottles, The Guardian
reported. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hajiyeva’s daughter from a previous
marriage, who was a student in London, had shares worth $20 million
paying dividends of $1.3 million a year. Mrs. Hajiyeva also has two
sons from her current husband, ages 17 and 20, who were also educated
in private British schools.

Mrs. Hajiyeva’s husband gave her $1.3 million to invest in British
government bonds, and received $26,000 monthly expense allowance.
However, after her husband’s arrest, she fled Azerbaijan and began
selling her family’s silver at Christie’s auction house.

The Azerbaijani authorities are interested in questioning Mrs.
Hajiyeva in connection with her husband’s banking case, accusing her
and other family members of serving as conduits for Mr. Hajiyev’s
scheme to take money out of the country.

Mrs. Hajiyeva is the first person in the UK’s new anti-corruption law
– “Unexplained Wealth Order” – designed to target suspected corrupt
foreign officials who have potentially laundered stolen money. Justice
Supperstone demanded that she explain the source of the funds for her
lavish purchases. If she is unable to do so, her properties could be
seized. The Judge agreed that “this evidence is significant in the
light of the reports of Mr. Hajiyev’s trial allegations made against
him included abuse of his position at the Bank by issuing credit cards
in the names of family members, through which large debts were run up
against the Bank.”

Mr. Jahangir Hajiyev, as chairman of the IBA bank between 2001 and
2008, had an official salary of $71,000 a year. However, Werner
Capital, which manages property investment for wealthy people,
produced a report in 2011 disclosing that Mr. Hajiyev was worth $73
million, The Guardian reported. The prosecutor, Jonathan Hall, who
represented the National Crime Agency, announced: “As a state employee
between 1993 and 2015, it is very unlikely that such a position would
have generated sufficient income to fund the acquisition of the
property.”

In court, Mrs. Hajiyeva stated that she had no knowledge of the source
of funds for her purchases, claiming that her husband was responsible
for the payments. She described Mr. Hajiyev as “a man of substantial
means.” She has hired a team of highly paid British lawyers to defend
her in court.

For the time being Mrs. Hajiyeva’s expensive London mansion and the
golf and country club remain frozen and cannot be sold.

It remains to be seen if the British government would seize Mrs.
Hajiyeva’s properties in London. There are many more such cases which
will come before the courts in the coming months, exposing the
widespread corruption of Azeri officials who have stolen billions of
dollars from their country’s oil wealth, investing them for their
personal benefit in many countries around the world.

**************************************************************************************************

2- 17th Francophonie Summit Concludes in Armenia

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)—The 17th Summit of the International
Organization of the Francophonie concluded on Friday, October 12 in
Yerevan.

Representatives from 84 countries and leaders of 34 nations had
converged on the Karen Demirchyan Sports Complex on Thursday, October
11 to commence the much-anticipated Francophonie, where Armenia
assumed the presidency of the organization for the next two years. The
summit marks the largest international gathering to be hosted by
Armenia. Armenia and Moldova are the only former Soviet republics
among the Francophonie’s 54 full members. The three Baltic states,
Georgia and Ukraine have an observer status in the organization

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his wife, Anna Hakopyan; as well as
President Armen Sarkissian and first lady, Nune Sarkissian; and
General-Secretary of the Francophonie, Michaëlle Jean, greeted and
received the delegates and leaders, among them French President
Emanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Lebanese
President Michel Aoun.

At the conclusion of the official welcoming ceremony, Pashinyan was
joined by Macron to dedicate a commemorative stamp in Aznavour’s
memory.

“He was a huge talent of singing, who sang about our happiness,
misfortunes, our light approaches toward life. He sang with a unique
sadness, which is unique to people living in wandering. We all know
that he is Armenian, he was singing and preserving Armenianness, was
encouraging courage. By fully acknowledging the great crime, the
Genocide, a victim of which was also he, I want to voice the name of
this great man, Charles Aznavour,” said Macron.

Pashinyan addressed the opening of the summit in French, paying a
special tribute to Aznavour, which was met with thunderous applause
and standing ovation by the participants. “I and all Armenian people
are happy to host in Yerevan the 17th summit of the heads of
Francophone states and governments. Welcome to Armenia!” said
Pashinyan. “Armenia is a young member of the Francophonie … and yet
there is no need to prove its commitment to promoting cultural and
linguistic diversity and fundamental values of the French language and
the Francophonie.”

Pashinyan said it is imperative to redouble the efforts to prevent the
emergence of new genocides, war crimes and crimes against humanity—and
to maintain a firm commitment to peaceful settlement of conflicts
within the framework of internationally recognized negotiating
formats.

“This is the case of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, negotiated in the
format of the OSCE Minsk Group with its three co-chairs—France, the
United States and Russia; a conflict that has been going on for
several decades now and that has caused so much suffering; a conflict
that opposes Nagorno-Karabakh, which for more than 25 years has
exercised its right to self-determination, and Azerbaijan, which
refuses any dialogue with the elected representatives of
Nagorno-Karabakh,” said Pashinyan. “We are convinced that
Nagorno-Karabakh should have a decisive voice in the peace process and
that its future status must be determined taking into account the
_expression_ of the legally-binding will of the people of
Nagorno-Karabakh. The issue of security has existential significance
for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. The latter has so often been
subject to violations of its rights, discrimination and atrocities
that the rejection of dialogue and the renewed attempts to use force
against it endanger the physical existence of the population of
Nagorno-Karabagh.”

Trudeau, in turn, noted that Canada is for the continued peace
dialogue: “We hope the matter will be solved peacefully for all sides.
We call to continue the international process, the Minsk Group
process, to settle the conflict considering the interests of peoples
of the region,” Trudeau stressed.

“We do not have the same skin color, our gods do not bear the same
names and some of us do not believe in God,” said Macron in his
remarks at the opening of the Summit. “We also live in very different
climate zones and our songs are not similar. Our histories do not
originate from the same sources and there have been many wounds
between us which are only now starting to heal. Yet strangely enough,
this diverse family is united around a single language…That language
does not belong to anyone, it belongs to all of us.”

Macron also addressed Pashinyan. “I would also like to congratulate
you on organizing this summit at its best. You know what kind of a
high place your country has in the hearts of the French people. In
Paris, Marseille, Lyon, or elsewhere, the word Armenia causes very
delicate and emotional emotions in the souls of the French people,”
said Macron.

Macron announced Thursday that France will declare a national day of
remembrance for the Armenian Genocide April 24 as he honored the
victims of the Genocide first at Dzidzernagapert Memorial Complex and
later Charles Aznavour Cultural Center, where he attended a dedication
ceremony.

Macron visited the Dzidzernagapert and laid a wreath in memory of the
victims. He and his wife also planted a tree in the Memory Garden and
visited the Armenian Genocide Museum where they signed the Memory
Book.

“We are here today with difficult emotions and feelings. On behalf of
France, I pay homage to all those who fell with ‘the sun in their
eyes,’ those who ‘just wanted to live.’ France denounced the genocide
back in 1915 by its scholars. And it accepted the children and
families who were fleeing the genocide, who enriched our nation even
more,” Macron said in his note in the Memory Book. “France will never
forget and will fight for truth and recognition. We bow to those, who
fell for present and future generations.”

Thursday’s Francophonie events concluded with a jubilant concert at
Republic Square, attended by summit participants and open to the
public.

Pashinyan hosted the leaders at this residence for a welcoming dinner
reception where, a video posted on social media depicts Macron,
Trudeau and other leaders dancing to Armenian music. During the dinner
Pashinyan gave the photo taken during the visit of Trudeau’s father,
Pierre Trudeau to Armenia, as a present. The photo was taken from the
Archives of National Security Service.

Trudeau visited Armenia with his father, Pierre Trudeau during Soviet
times back in 1984. His father had also served as Canadian Prime
Minister however he was already retired during his visit to Armenia.
Trudeau does not appear in the photo, because he was a child and
therefore not surveilled.

The Francophonie Summit brought a celebratory atmosphere to Yerevan,
where international leaders, including Macron and Trudeau strolled the
streets of the capital meeting its residents and, at times, stopping
to take selfies—even with the prime minister and his wife. Anna
Hakobyan, Brigitte Macron and spouses of other heads of state and
government of OIF member countries visited several museums in Yerevan,
including the Yervand Kochar Museum, then the Cascade Complex, where
they viewed the Fernando Botero sculptures. Later, they visited the
Cafesjian Center for the Arts.

The summit consists of presentations by guests and discussions on
important issues for participating countries.

One of the highlights of the summit was the election of the new head
of the Francophonie. Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo
replaced Canadian Michaelle Jean as the organization’s secretary
general. “I am an African, but I am also a citizen of the world. I
will try to do everything possible so that young people can express
themselves and their talents, especially in Africa,” she said.

Tunisia was also approved as the venue for the next Francophonie summit.

Created in 1970, the Francophonie is a large international
organization which unites French-speaking countries. It has 58
members. Entrance into the organization is not governed by a country’s
public knowledge of French, but rather the level of cultural
connections and cooperation between the country and France. Armenia
joined in 2004. France is home to some 500,000 ethnic Armenians, and
sizable Armenian communities also live in Belgium, Switzerland,
Canada, and other Francophone countries.

*********************************************************************************************

3 – Turkish court frees US pastor Andrew Brunson

A Turkish court has freed U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson two years after
he was detained, charged with helping to plot a coup against President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The case had soured relations between Turkey and the United States,
heightened by President Donald Trump’s defense of Brunson as his
administration elevated religious freedom as a cause.

The court on Friday, October 12 sentenced Brunson to three years and
one month in prison, but chose to release him based on his time
already served, as well as his manner during the proceedings, his
lawyer said. Prosecutors were seeking a 10-year jail term.

Trump tweeted after the verdict: “My thoughts and prayers are with
Pastor Brunson, and we hope to have him safely back home soon!”

Trump said on Saturday, October 13, Brunson’s release was a
“tremendous step” toward improved relations with Turkey, but he denied
cutting a deal with Ankara. “The only deal, if you could call it a
deal, is a psychological one. We feel much differently about Turkey
today than we did yesterday, and I think we have a chance of really
becoming much closer to Turkey,” Trump told reporters during
Saturday’s Oval Office meeting with Brunson. The pastor’s release
could signal a thaw in relations between the two NATO allies, which
worsened in August after a deal to free Brunson fell apart and Trump
authorized a doubling of duties on aluminum and steel imported from
Turkey, helping drive the lira currency down against the dollar.
Trump, who met with Brunson at the White House on Saturday, did not
pledge to lift the sanctions but said he welcomed an end to the “harsh
relationship” the countries had over the past two months.

In front of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump’s national
security adviser John Bolton, U.S. lawmakers and Brunson’s family, the
pastor knelt beside Trump on the floor of the Oval Office, placed a
hand on his shoulder, and prayed for God to give him “supernatural
wisdom.”

Trump also thanked Erdogan at Saturday’s meeting for helping secure
Brunson’s release, despite a curt Twitter post from the Turkish leader
earlier on Saturday repeating that Brunson’s release was a court’s
decision to make, not his.

“Dear Mr. President, as I always pointed out, the Turkish judiciary
reached its decision independently,” Erdogan wrote on his Twitter
account. “I hope that the United States and Turkey will continue their
cooperation as the allies that they are, and fight together against
terrorist groups.”

Turkey detained Brunson in October 2016 in the aftermath of a failed
military coup. Brunson, a native of North Carolina, worked as an
evangelical Presbyterian pastor at the Izmir Resurrection Church.

He had lived in Turkey for more than 23 years with his wife and three children.

***************************************************************************************************

4 – Trini-Canadian mother appeals to Trudeau for abducted son

TRINIDAD AND TOBEGO (Loop News)—A Trinidadian-Canadian mother pleaded
to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to help her recover her son,
who was taken by his father to Armenia.

According to a report by the Toronto Sun, Chan, who is originally from
Trinidad and Tobago but has since moved to Canada, has a
three-year-old son with ex-husband Armen Avansi, who was originally
from Armenia.

She said in April 2018, Avansi took the child to Armenia without her
permission and despite a court order which gives her custody of her
son.

Chan said Avansi took Alex and told her it was for vacation, but he
never brought the child back home.

However, because Armenia is not a signatory to the Hague Convention,
which allows for the return of children who were removed unlawfully,
national security officials could not take action.

Chan, desperate for assistance, has decided to reach out to Trudeau
who was said to be in Armenia this week for the Francophonie summit.

Chan told the Toronto Sun she is pleading for her son to be returned home.

“I’m pleading with him to help me return my son to his rightful home
in Canada. I need Canada to step in and get Alex and me back home.”

The court also heard that Avansi warned Chan not to contact anyone
about the situation as it ‘might make it dangerous’.

Chan said at the end of May she flew to Armenia and was able to see
Alex for a short two-hour visit. The child was then taken from her
again.

“Alex became very sad and started to cry out for mommy. Armen quickly
hailed a cab, jumped in and took off with Alex crying for me. I begged
Armen every day to see Alex, but he would not allow me to see him,”
she said. Chan has since taken leave from her job and returned to
Armenia to try to have the Canadian court order recognized in
Armenia.She said she eventually won visitation rights via Armenian
courts, however as there is no enforcement, she only sees her son
briefly under the watchful eyes of her ex-husband and his parents.

She is pleading to Trudeau that her son can soon be returned home.

“It’s been six months now and I’ve been fighting every day. It’s just
been emotionally draining and exhausting. The only thing that has kept
me going is hope, hope that I will get him back and return to Canada,”
she said.

*****************************************************************************************************

5- ABMDR walkathon in Glendale draws strong community support

LOS ANGELES—The 13th annual Walk of Life, held on October 6 in
Glendale, drew strong community support, particularly from youth.
Close to 300 people participated in the event to walk and raise funds
for the life-saving mission of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
(ABMDR), in a festive atmosphere that featured music and food.
Walkathon participants included state and local elected officials and
community leaders, and numerous teams representing schools,
universities, community organizations, and individual supporters.

Walk of Life’s opening ceremony took place at the plaza of the
Glendale City building. “It’s due to fundraisers like this that we are
able to move forward with the ABMDR mission to find donors for
patients in need of a bone marrow transplant. To date, this
organization, which is run entirely by volunteers, has registered over
29,000 donors from 29 countries, and facilitated 31 transplants. As
importantly, ABMDR has established and operates a world-class
tissue-typing laboratory and a state-of-the-art stem cell harvesting
center in Yerevan. All of these achievements are made possible by you,
our supporters,” said Walkathon Committee Chair Dr. Christina Ashjian.

Ashjian acknowledged attending dignitaries and Walk of Life’s honorary
chairs, including Father Vazken Atmajian of the Western Prelacy;
Father Hovsep Hagopian of the Western Diocese; California State
Senator Anthony Portantino; Talin Mangioglu, District Director for
Senator Portantino; Mary Hovagimian, representing US Congressman Adam
Schiff; California State Assembly member Laura Friedman; Glendale
Mayor Zareh Sinanyan; Glendale Unified School District Board of
Education members Dr. Armina Gharpetian and Shant Sahakian; and Areg
Boyamyan, Senior Vice President of Foundation Laboratory and an
executive with the Viazoi company.

“October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I’m very happy that our
walkathon today is also dedicated to all our patients, as a source of
hope in their struggle to regain their health,” said ABMDR founder and
president Dr. Frieda Jordan. “When someone is diagnosed with cancer,
there are two critically important elements for the path toward
recovery. One is hope; and the other is the knowledge that there are
people who care for them and give them the encouragement they need in
their fight to get well again. I thank you all for participating in
our walkathons for the past 13 years, and for spreading the word and
spirit of our work throughout our community.”

“I’ve been attending Walk of Life for many years, and it’s wonderful
to see it grow. This is a truly extraordinary event, organized by a
truly extraordinary organization, through which you can literally save
a life, if you’re lucky enough to be a match for a patient in need of
a transplant. This is a very personal event for me because I’m a
cancer survivor. We will be walking today for all the Armenian and
non-Armenian patients who might find a bone marrow match because of
your efforts, because of your donations of time and money,” said State
Assembly member Laura Friedman, who presented Dr. Jordan with a
Certificate of Recognition, issued by the California State Assembly in
honor of Walk of Life.

“For almost 20 years now, it’s been our honor to support ABMDR through
Foundation Laboratory—and, this year, through Viazoi,” said Areg
Boyamyan on behalf of Foundation Laboratory and the Viazoi company.
“Today, Dr. Frieda Jordan’s vision has become a truly global
phenomenon, and I’d like to congratulate the organization’s tireless
leadership and volunteers, and our community here in Los Angeles and
across the world, for your wonderful dedication to this cause.”

“Seven years ago, I received a phone call that changed my life,” she
said. “I was identified as a bone marrow match for a three-year-old
child who had been given three-to-six months to live. With the bone
marrow stem cells I was able to donate, she received a transplant, and
today she’s ten years old and cancer-free. It’s thanks to
organizations like ABMDR that such life-saving procedures are made
possible, and I encourage every one of you to support the Registry’s
mission, so that you, too, might experience the deeply rewarding
opportunity to help save someone’s life,” said Arpine Zohrabyan.

State Senator Anthony Portantino presented Dr. Jordan with a
Certificate of Recognition from the California State Senate, in honor
of the walkathon.

The 5-K walk-run looped through central Glendale. The walkathon
concluded at the plaza of the Glendale City building, where the
festivities continued into the day.

The event also gave participants the opportunity to join the ranks of
ABMDR as potential bone marrow stem cell donors, as many volunteers
were on hand to answer questions and welcome new recruits.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

6- Haigazian Hosts Cultural Evening with Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra

BEIRUT—On October 5, the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, under the
direction of Maestro Garo Avessian, presented a concert—sponsored by
Haigazian University—at the St. Joseph Church, in Ashrafieh, featuring
guest pianist Karen Hakobyan, from New York.

The Concert program included a rich selection of International and
Armenian music by renowned composers, Johann Strauss, Antonin Dvorak
and Aram Khatchaturian.

Hakobyan skillfully played Aram Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto in
D-flat major, op. 38. Hakobyan further enchanted the audience by
dedicating his encore, Armenian composer Arno Babajanian’s “Elegy”, to
the memory of the late French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour.

Through this cultural collaboration with the Lebanese Philharmonic
Orchestra, Haigazian University fulfilled part of its mission as an
acclaimed institution of higher learning, that of contributing to the
“refinement of the mind, the language, the behavior, and eventually
the soul of the human being”, as stated by University President, Rev.
Dr. Paul Haidostian.

Hakobyan is a top prizewinner of multiple international piano and
composition competitions; Avessian, in addition to his many honors and
awards, was the First & Grand Prize Winner of the 14th Danube
International Conducting Masterclass & Competition in August 2018.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

7- U.S., Turkey, France at Ends about Saudi Arabia, Journalist Khashoggi

By Julia Harte and Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday,
October 13 the United States would be “punishing itself” by halting
military sales to Saudi Arabia even if it is proven that Saudi
journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the country’s consulate
in Istanbul.

Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Riyadh and a U.S. resident,
disappeared on Oct. 2 after visiting the Saudi consulate. Turkey’s
government believes he was deliberately killed inside the building and
his body removed.

Trump has forged closer ties with Saudi Arabia and is under
international and domestic pressure to help determine what happened to
Khashoggi and punish Saudi Arabia if investigations show its
government had him killed.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have demanded firm action.
There was already mounting concern over civilian deaths caused by a
Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen’s civil war and some lawmakers
have said Washington should block military sales to Riyadh if the
allegations over Khashoggi are proven.

But Trump is firmly opposed.

“I actually think we’d be punishing ourselves if we did that,” Trump
told reporters at the White House on Saturday.

“There are other things we can do that are very, very powerful, very
strong and we’ll do them,” he added, without saying what those
measures might be.

Under U.S. law, major foreign military sales can be blocked by
Congress. An informal review process lets key lawmakers use a practice
known as a “hold” to stall deals if they have concerns such as whether
the weapons being supplied would be used to kill civilians.

Major U.S. defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin Corp. and
Raytheon Co, are among the beneficiaries of Washington’s close ties to
Riyadh and would be hurt by the halting of any major deal. Trump said
on Saturday his administration won a $110 billion military order from
Saudi Arabia and that it was worth 450,000 U.S. jobs.

“If they don’t buy it from us, they’re going to buy it from Russia or
they’re going to buy it from China,” he said. “Think of that, $110
billion, all they’re going to do is give it to other countries, and I
think that would be very foolish.”

It was unclear what measures Trump might take against Saudi Arabia,
which is the world’s largest oil exporter, and one of his top allies.
The Trump administration plans to reimpose sanctions on oil exports
from Iran on Nov. 5 and Trump has urged Saudi Arabia to boost oil
output to help make up for the loss.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday, October 12, that he
was “extremely worried” by the disappearance of Khashoggi and would
speak on the issue with Saudi and Turkish leaders in the coming days.

“What has been described is serious, very serious,” Macron told French
broadcasters France 24 and RFI in Armenian capital Yerevan in his
first comments on the case. “I await the truth and complete clarity
being established. France wants everything to be done so that we have
all the truth on this case of which the first elements are extremely
worrying.”

Macron said that he had not spoken to Saudi King Salman or his son
Crown Prince Mohammed about Khashoggi.

Some commentators in France have criticized the lack of response by
the government, which like other Western allies of Saudi Arabia have
recently embraced Crown Prince Mohammed as a reformer of his kingdom.

Macron, who welcomed Prince Mohammed to Paris in April, said he would
speak on the matter with fellow world leaders “in the coming days.”

“Depending on what is established, I will take a position,” he said.

Turkey’s official line is that Khashoggi is missing but that based on
security footage and other evidence knows “for sure” the journalist
has been killed. The Turkish government has agreed to a joint
investigation with the Saudis, and a Saudi delegation arrived in
Turkey on Friday, October 12 to take part in talks throughout the
weekend.

Human rights activists and journalists have voiced deep concern over
the fact that Saudi Arabia may have used a diplomatic zone in a
foreign country to harm one of its own citizens.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

8- Armenia Chief Foreign Policy Adviser Gasparyan

Is a cigar entrepreneur afoul with debts

By Grigor Atanesian

(Eurasianet.org)—As Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s chief foreign
policy adviser, Arsen Gasparyan manages one of Yerevan’s most
sensitive relationships: that with Russia. Since being appointed in
July, he has repeatedly met with senior Russian officials, and was
part of Pashinyan’s delegation to Moscow for a meeting with Vladimir
Putin in early September. At the same time, he has been fighting a
lawsuit about an unpaid debt in the United States. According to public
records examined by Eurasianet, three lawsuits over the last three
years have been filed against Gasparyan, a U.S.-Armenian dual citizen,
for unpaid debts totaling about $25,000. Two of the suits have been
settled, but the third is ongoing, with the most recent motion against
Gasparyan filed in a Florida court on October 1.

Though financial troubles are not unusual, and the amounts in this
case not huge, they inevitably raise questions about an individual’s
vulnerability and loyalty. Debt problems are typically disqualifying
for even low-level security clearances in many countries. For an
official in the United States, it would “raise red flags,” said Andy
Wright, who served as associate counsel in the Obama White House.

Of course Armenia has different traditions, but Pashinyan’s choice of
Gasparyan comes amid a string of foreign policy blunders and could
bolster critics who say the new leader’s team is problematic.

In a 2015 letter made public during a lawsuit filed by American
Express over an unpaid credit card debt, Gasparyan wrote that he was
facing “critical financial problems.” In 2016, Gasparyan traveled to
Armenia to sell some property in order to repay a debt of about
$10,000 to a friend. In emails submitted to the court, he tried to
explain his predicament to the friend, Greg Kahwajian, to whom
Gasparyan had promised to repay the money in 2014. Kahwajian, however,
was losing patience: “Get me my [expletive] money. Enough is enough.”

Gasparyan told Eurasianet he has no comment regarding the lawsuits.
“That is a civil lawsuit, and it doesn’t make sense to write about it
because it interests nobody,” Gasparyan said. “This is a strictly
personal matter.” He said that he didn’t plan to attend the next
hearing, because “those matters are taken care of by the lawyers.”
Court records, however, indicate that Gasparyan is representing
himself in the case.

Before being appointed by Pashinyan in July, Gasparyan, 52, was little
known in Armenia, having spent most of the last two decades in Russia
and the United States. He held a number of posts in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in the 1990s, including a stint as spokesman between
1996 and 1998. At the same time, he was befriending Pashinyan, who was
the editor of the newspaper Oragir when Gasparyan was MFA spokesman.
“We’ve known each other very well since then, and we keep in touch,”
Gasparyan said. “It’s an honor for me that he offered me this position
and trusted me with managing international relations and international
economic relations.”

One government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that
in Pashinyan’s office, “as a rule, advisers and aides aren’t
nominated, they are [the prime minister’s] acquaintances.”

After leaving the foreign ministry, Gasparyan moved to Moscow,
establishing himself as a pioneer of what he called “the cigar-smoking
lifestyle.” In the early 2000s, Gasparyan founded and ran Russia’s
first cigar-themed magazine, Hecho a Mano, dubbed by Gasparyan as “the
exciting guide to the school of luxury.”

He later moved to Florida to start Arsen, his own brand of Dominican
cigars, along with cigarmaker and restaurateur Augusto Reyes. Arsen
cigars were distributed in the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine; product
lines included Pink for Men and Connoisseur Collection. Until 2014,
Gasparyan also served as president of Vitolier, a Florida-based cigar
importer.

Gasparyan’s official resume on the Armenian government website does
not list his cigar businesses, nor does it mention more recent work as
an executive at an oil company owned by a Russian energy mogul. In
2016, a business magazine listed him as “director of the U.S. Bureau”
of Esproenko International, an oil and gas corporation based in Spain.
Gasparyan confirmed his employment at Esproenko, but said that it had
ended by 2015.

“After 2014, I didn’t have any commercial interests whatsoever,
anywhere,” Gasparyan said. “I was in the publishing business in
Russia, and after that I had a small cigar business, cigar
manufacturing in the Dominican Republic, which I closed. After that,
after 2014, I didn’t have any business or commercial interest
anywhere.”

Such omissions on a resume “raise issues of potential
untrustworthiness,” said Mark Zaid, a national security lawyer in
Washington. “If this were an American case, there would be some real
red flags for whatever agency involved to consider whether or not this
person should have a security clearance or a job.”

Under Armenian law, an official can be denied or stripped of security
clearance if he or she “has presented deliberately false information.”
Access to sensitive information regarding “foreign policy” and
“foreign economic relations” requires a security clearance.

At the same time Gasparyan was juggling his business ventures, he was
pursuing an academic career in Florida. He completed his PhD in
political science 2017 at the University of Miami, with a dissertation
titled, “Energy Diplomacy: the United States of America and the
Russian Federation.”

He also was teaching at nearby Miami Dade College. While the official
resume says he has worked as a “lecturer” at both schools from 2006,
he started at the University of Miami in 2013, working as a teaching
assistant while enrolled as a graduate student. At Miami Dade, he has
taught since 2015, a school spokesperson told Eurasianet.

“I love the academy the most, I love to teach,” Gasparyan said.

Financially, he has been less successful. A review of court records
shows that Gasparyan has been sued three times since 2015 for unpaid
debts. In 2015 and 2016, he was sued by American Express and Capital
One Bank for failing to pay credits of $10,487 and $5,335,
respectively. In the first case, a judge ordered Gasparyan to pay the
debt plus costs; the second case was dropped by the bank.

The Kahwajian suit is still underway. On October 1, Kahwajian filed a
motion in Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit for summary judgment
over the debt, plus damages of $19,600. He accuses Gasparyan of “civil
theft.” Kahwajian declined to comment, saying only that his legal
motions “speak for themselves.”

Meanwhile, Gasparyan has been managing Armenia’s Russia portfolio,
meeting with Russia’s deputy foreign minister and officials in the
Kremlin. Gasparyan told Eurasianet that his main responsibility is
managing “international economic relations and international
relations. Together with the prime minister, we think that after the
[upcoming parliamentary] elections, we should seriously consider the
economization of our foreign policy.” Gasparyan occasionally comments
publicly on other issues, as well. In early October, he was involved
in a minor political controversy when he said that there were no
obstacles to foreign investment in Armenia. Some media interpreted
that as contradicting Pashinyan’s regular claims that early
parliamentary elections are necessary to attract foreign investors,
and he was forced to call a press conference to clarify.

He has joined a foreign policy team beset by missteps, contributing to
perceptions that foreign policy under Pashinyan is a work in progress.
On a July visit to Brussels, Pashinyan publicly complained the
European Union wasn’t providing enough aid. The European envoy
responded by saying that the EU must first receive “concrete
proposals.” Later, the government brought charges against Yuriy
Khachaturov, the head of the Collective Security Treaty Organization,
a Russia-led military bloc, for his role in violently breaking up
protests in 2008. Moscow, which had not been consulted, was aghast. In
August, a widely publicized effort to set up a meeting between
Pashinyan and U.S. President Donald Trump fell flat. Gasparyan’s
predecessor resigned shortly after.

“This is a continuation of the old government’s policies—appointing
people with little knowledge about the positions they’re appointed
to,” Eduard Abrahamyan, a doctoral fellow and regional security
analyst at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, told
Eurasianet. Pashinyan’s people “have no foreign policy vision. They
have no understanding of how to channel Armenia’s international
stance.”

The lack of transparency behind some appointments also highlights the
concentration of power around Pashinyan, Abrahamyan said: “We are
seeing the closing of the political system in Armenia.”

This article appeared in Eurasianet.org on October 12, 2018.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

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Azerbaijani Press: Will Bolton Raise Human Rights in Azerbaijan?

October 14, 2018March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijani Opposition Press

Oct 12 2018

Will Bolton Raise Human Rights in Azerbaijan?

Washington D.C./12.10.18/Turan: “On October 20th I’ll be traveling to Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia to meet with my counterparts and other senior officials to advance American interests on a range of security issues,” John Bolton, assistant to U.S. President for national security affairs, tweeted last night.

“Please raise #Azerbaijan human rights — HR violations weaken our partnership,” Richard Kauzlarich, former U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan, tweeted back hours later.

A top U.S. official, who is knowledgeable about the current state of U.S.-Azerbaijani relations, told Turan that Bolton’s visit to Azerbaijan will be “yet another step forward in deepening the two countries” strategic partnership,” citing the recent trip of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs George Kent to the region.

During his meetings with Azerbaijani officials, Mr. Kent “did raise the cases of unjustly imprisoned political activists and journalists,” a source claimed.

Ambassador Bolton’s trip, he added, confirms that the security issues of the South Caucasus region as a whole takes an important place in the agenda of the US administration.

Human rights experts worry that the way Azerbaijani government treats its citizens is getting sidelined in the effort to secure security cooperation. “Avoiding the rights issue would send the “wrong message,” a source told Turan. “Consider this [upcoming trip] as a continuation of an ongoing negotiations between the high level officials.”

Another diplomat, who is also involved in U.S.-Azerbaijani dialogs, told Turan that Washington “wants to work with Azerbaijan economically and militarily,” but added Bolton “would also raise sensitive issues of human rights with President Aliyev in this contexts.”

Relations between the two countries have been badly strained in recent years as Azerbaijan, according media watchdog groups, ranks among the top countries for jailing members of the media.

Aliyev government has also blocked independent and western news websites, including the U.S.-backed RFERL and other broadcasting services.-0-

“Dramatic night”. conflict of interest was inevitable, two possible scenarios remain

October 4, 2018March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

03.10.2018

Armenia:

Public figure Avetik Chalabyan spoke on his Facebook page about yesterday’s “dramatic night” and analyzed what happened yesterday and why.

We present the entire post below. “After a dramatic night, a new morning is dawning, and many of you are probably asking yourself what will happen now. In order to answer that question, we must first understand what happened yesterday and why.

During the Yerevan elections, it became obvious that Nikol Pashinyan, and the revolutionary movement led by him, will try to capitalize on the results of the elections and go for the accelerated dissolution of the National Assembly, although the same Nikol Pashinyan had announced before that that he is inclined to organize the extraordinary elections of the National Assembly in May-June next year. It also became obvious that in those elections the forces representing the previous political system have at best a small chance to overcome the threshold, and in the worst case they may not overcome it and remain on the political sidelines, and Nikol Pashinyan will get not only a constitutional majority in the National Assembly, but also de facto, unlimited power for the next five years. This obvious conflict of interests should lead to a clash, which happened yesterday.

However, unlike almost all previous clashes, this time it escalated the defensive side, and the consolidated vote of all three factions showed that it was a pre-organized and well-calculated move, the meaning of which was to escalate the political crisis and bring it to an accelerated conclusion. Part of that resolution already happened yesterday, when Nikol Pashinyan de facto resigned from the coalition government that has existed since May 8, dismissing the ministers representing them from their positions, and henceforth remained alone in the government (as well as being deprived of even the theoretical support of the National Assembly). The other step in the dissolution was Nikol Pashinyan’s announcement of his imminent resignation, with which he actually starts the process of dissolution of the National Assembly. With that, the events entered an accelerated phase, and now, if the resignation happens, there are only two possible scenarios.

The first scenario is understandable: the National Assembly does not elect a new prime minister, it is dissolved by force of law, and the country goes to new elections. In the second case, the three NA factions create a new parliamentary coalition, I elect a new prime minister, and he tries to pacify the street, with an absolutely unpredictable result, because as much as he can pacify, he can lead to bloodshed and chaos. It is clear that the first scenario is beneficial for the country, but in order for it to happen, the parties must come to an agreement and make mutual concessions. ARF Armen Rustamyan has already talked about the possible logic of concessions: to hold the elections next year, but within the agreed and fixed period of the memorandum, and turn the police into the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and place it under a politically neutral leader acceptable to all. It is clear that RPA and PAP have their own logic of concessions, although they have not formulated it clearly yet. Theoretically, the third scenario is also possible, when after the resignation of Nikol Pashinyan, the parties elect a politically neutral and mutually acceptable, technical prime minister by mutual agreement, who in a short time carries out the preparations for the elections in peaceful conditions, but the probability of this scenario is unclear for now.

In this situation, it would be reasonable for the revolutionary force and Nikol Pashinyan to withdraw from the accelerated resolution and sit down at the negotiating table. It is in the interests of all of us that this National Assembly be dissolved, new, democratic and fair elections take place, and a new political majority is formed, which will represent the country’s population and take full political responsibility for its future development. It is also in the interests of all of us that this process takes place smoothly and even more bloodlessly, and that there is no violation of legitimacy at any stage, which can instantly lead to the intervention of external forces.

This is possible if the revolutionary force realizes that, unlike in May, now an asymmetric balance of forces has been formed, and only force pressure on the street is no longer enough to disperse the National Assembly, and the arsenal of offensive actions in the legal field is actually exhausted. The defending party, no matter how politically weakened and discredited it is, is protected by the existing constitution, and by controlling the National Assembly, which is the highest body of power, it has a significant field of maneuver, which it will not give up just like that.

If we want the revolution to reach its logical conclusion, but at the same time without irretrievable losses, we must find a reasonable compromise that will provide the defending party with sufficient guarantees and incentives to abandon the National Assembly, which is the last bastion of its own legitimacy, and will pave the way for new elections. I think that the defense side is now waiting for such a proposal, and I hope that further developments will go in that direction.”

‘Eternal Glory to You, Dear Master, Dear Charles, Great Armenian’ – ex-president Serzh Sargsyan’s condolences on Aznavour’s passing

October 3, 2018March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

ArmenPress, Armenia

Oct 1 2018

‘Eternal Glory to You, Dear Master, Dear Charles, Great Armenian’ – ex-president Serzh Sargsyan’s condolences on Aznavour’s passing

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republican Party of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the former President of Armenia, has expressed condolences over the passing of French-Armenian singer, National Hero of Armenia Charles Aznavour.

“It is impossible to describe in words the great sorrow which I live in now. The demise of Charles is a great, irreversible loss and pain for all of us, especially for those who have personally known him.

Charles Aznavour, the Armenian national hero, the ambassador of the Armenian people to the world, the artist of the century, the father of the French song, so loved by all of us Charles Aznavour, with his incomparable, unique, bright talent, his honesty, optimism and kindness was a man worthy of admiration in the whole world. He embodied the destiny of the Armenian nation, its revival, unwavering will, diligence and invincibility.

Charles’s life itself was a wonderful film, bright and full of humanism. This story, this miracle continues and will continue. Aznavour’s bright star will always lighten us all from heaven.

Eternal Glory to You, Dear Master, Dear Charles, Great Armenian,” Sargsyan said in the condolence message as reported by the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK).

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Gladys Berejiklian apologises as Liberals face Wagga Wagga byelection wipeout

September 10, 2018March 12, 2026 Karagyozian Lena

The Guardian

Sept 10 2018

Gladys Berejiklian apologises as Liberals face Wagga Wagga byelection wipeout

Premier says NSW government will work hard ‘to win back the trust that we have clearly lost’

The New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has apologised to voters after a disastrous showing in the Wagga Wagga byelection looked set to see the seat slip out of the Liberal party’s grip for the first time in 60 years.

The party is almost certain to lose the previously ultra-safe seat in the Riverina region as the messy leadership spill in Canberra cost the sitting state government dear in Saturday’s poll.

“It’s likely that we’ll get the highest primary vote, but, of course, not enough to hold the seat,” Berejiklian said on Sunday. “It’s the most likely outcome is that independent Joe McGirr will win the seat.”

She apologised to voters for the byelection forced by the resignation of the disgraced MP Daryl Maguire.

“I want the people of Wagga to know that my government will work hard across NSW, but especially in that region, to win back the trust that we have clearly lost.

Acknowledging the impact of the ructions in Canberra that replaced Malcolm Turnbull with Scott Morrison, she said: “The overwhelming message I was getting is that people were sick of politicians fighting amongst themselves and sick of the perception that politicians were in it for themselves and not the community.

“And the circumstances which forced the previous member to resign, plus what happened at a different level of government, exacerbated those feelings that people had.”

Results so far show a projected swing of about 29% against the state’s Coalition government, with McGirr most likely to take the seat ahead of Labor.

Speaking to supporters in his Wagga backyard on Saturday night, McGirr said he was feeling “quietly optimistic” but didn’t expect a result until Sunday.

The doctor and academic ruled out joining the Coalition once in government.

The NSW Liberal state director, Chris Stone, on Saturday told the party’s election-might function that “on current projections it will be very difficult for us to get there”. The Liberal candidate, Julia Ham, told the subdued crowd she would consider running in the statewide election in March.

The Labor candidate, Dan Hayes, declared that the community had “made Wagga marginal again” after arriving at his party’s election-night reception to rapturous applause. Hayes said the local and national scandals had stoked community anger.

The premier and several senior colleagues acknowledged that Turnbull’s knifing had deterred some voters in Wagga but the federal senator Jim Molan dismissed those concerns, saying it “wasn’t a factor”.

“People were very disappointed that we were spending time taking about ourselves and to ourselves but it’s something that every now and again that you’ve got to go through,” Molan said. “We don’t go through leadership spill for fun, I can tell you that.

The deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, wouldn’t be drawn on whether the federal Coalition would be to blame for a Liberal loss, saying the government wasn’t intending on losing the seat.