Author: Karakhanian Suren

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the President of the National Assembly of Serbia Maja Gojkovic.

At the meeting, the parties discussed the important role of the interparliamentary relations in the development of the Armenian-Serbian interstate ties.

They underscored the necessity to develop cooperation of the legislative bodies which according to the interlocutors, stems from the spirit of the Armenian-Serbian friendship. In this context, the parties stressed the importance of stirring up activities of the friendship groups acting in the parliaments of the two countries which will have its positive impact on the strengthening of cooperation in the framework of parliamentary assemblies.

Noting that currently Serbia is actively implementing the EU integration policies, and that membership at the European Union is a priority for her country, the President of the National Assembly of Serbia underscored that in her opinion, the exchange of integration experiences will be beneficial for both sides, considering the fact that Armenia is a member of the Eurasian Union and at the same time attaches great importance to the development of cooperation with the European Union.

Maja Gojkovic highlighted the importance of high-level reciprocal visits and expressed hope that the President of Armenia will visit the Republic of Serbia which will provide an opportunity to discuss the interparliamentary relations as well.

At the meeting, discussed were also issues pertaining to the cooperation of the Armenian and Serbian delegations at the interparliamentary assemblies.

The parties spoke about the NK peace process. Maja Gojkovic noted that based on their experience, in Serbia they believe strongly that the resolution of the issue is possible in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, only through peaceful means and solely through a dialogue.

President Serzh Sargsyan said that he was accepting the invitation of his colleague to visit Serbia with pleasure. He underscored that Armenia is open and sincere in her relations with Serbia, is interested in deepening the interstate relations in the atmosphere of mutual trust and cooperation.

– An elderly Armenian couple in Istanbul were victims of a home invasion robbery, but the manner in which they were found indicates that they were targeted because they were Armenian.

Seta Demirci, 79, and her husband Hagop, 85, were discovered in their apartment gagged and tied by pig skin rope, an act usually “reserved for infidels,” as Armenians are often referred to in Turkey. Hagop Demirci was pronounced dead due to strangulation, while Seta Demirci was rushed to the hospital, according to a report by the news site, which covered the incident in Turkish.

The site reported that the couple’s housekeeper, knocking on the door and not receiving a response, alerted their nephew, who lives nearby, and who opened the apartment door to find the two bound and gagged and their valuables stolen. The couple’s apartment is located near Gezi Park in Istanbul.

Elderly Armenians have been a target of violence in Istanbul and the surrounding suburbs recently.

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan received the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk. The parties discussed the situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

Minister Ohanyan presented the recent provocations of Azerbaijan and the retaliatory measures taken by the Armenian side.

The Armenian Defense Minister reiterated the importance of working out international mechanisms to reinforce the control of the situation.

Ambassador Kasprzyk, in turn, expressed concern over the escalation of the situation and promised to take relevant steps.

Photo:  Vadim Zhernov/ITAR-TASS  

A new batch of domestically-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has arrived for the Russian military base in Armenia, the press office of Russia’s Southern Military District said on Monday, TASS reports.

“Modern domestically-made drones Takhion have entered service in the UAV unit of the Southern Military District’s military base located in the Republic of Armenia,” the press office said in a statement.

The Russian military personnel will learn to operate new drones within a month at the Kamkhud and Alagyaz high-mountainous training ranges.

The Takhion UAV is designed for army reconnaissance day and night at a distance of up to 40 km. The drone can mount a video, photo or infrared camera. The UAV has a liftoff weight of about 25 kg and flight duration of up to 6 hours. Takhion drones are produced at the Urals-based Izhmash-UAV enterprise.

On December 5, nine performers and hundreds of guests gathered at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall for this year’s AGBU New York Special Events Committee (NYSEC) Performing Artists in Concert. The evening of music, entitled Melodies of Hope, was in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide centenary, and raised over $50,000 for performing arts initiatives worldwide.

The evening’s program featured musicians from Armenia, Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Macedonia, Portugal and the United States, all of whom were first-time participants in the concert series. The performers were all recipients of AGBU Performing Arts scholarships, which have allowed them to study at prestigious institutions like the Cologne High Institute of Music, Mannes School of Music, Monash University of Melbourne, Manhattan School of Music and the Shanghai Music Conservatory.

The performers composing this year’s international ensemble included: Arpine Azatyan (violin), Sona Barseghyan (piano), Vasko Dukovski (duduk and clarinet), Luke Ratcliffe Khachaturian (piano), Artur Mouradian (viola and violin), Talin Nalbandian, (mezzo-soprano), Astghik Poghosyan (violin), Tamara Sevunts (actress and poet) and Amy Tcheupdjian (cello). After the concert, Sevunts reflected on the importance of bringing young Armenians together: “I cannot express how tremendous it was to be with artists of similar backgrounds from all over the world on such a prestigious stage. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity and excited even more for what is to come. I think there is a profound understanding in the community now, and among our youth, that the arts and the love and passion with which we give ourselves to them will help pave the progress of the Armenian community.”

Poghosyan also served as the artistic director for the evening and opened the concert with an explanation of the significance of the gathering: “This year’s concert is particularly special, as it is in commemoration of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide. Towards the end of this significant year, we are here to mark this anniversary together, bringing positive spirit, music, and of course, hope, in the essence of all that unites us. Today, you will hear melodies of peace that each of us wishes for, melodies of pride that each of us carries out wherever we are in this world and melodies of hope that will take us to a brighter future.”

The concert was composed of an eclectic selection of Western classical and Armenian music. It was also the Carnegie Hall premiere of the 2015 Sayat Nova International Composition Competition winning piece, “Flowers of Golgotha,” by composer Hovik Sardaryan. In addition, the evening featured readings of poems by Grigor Narekatsi and Daniel Varoujan, pieces by Sharafyan, Shostakovich, Rachmaninov, Saryan and Beethoven, and an interpretation of the traditional Armenian folk song “Tsitsernak,” arranged especially for the evening’s performance by Yang Yi, a student at the Shanghai Music Conservatory, as a gift and symbol of respect in honor of the Armenian Genocide.

Hayk Arsenyan, the director of the AGBU Performing Arts Department (PAD), commented on the special theme of the concert: “This year, we wanted to introduce the audience to our ancient musical tradition, from the medieval period all the way up to the contemporary, to show the continuity of our thriving culture and encourage Armenians around the world to keep creating.”

The delegation headed by Greek Minister of National Defense Panagiotis “Panos” Kammenos will arrive in Armenia for an official visit today.

The official greeting ceremony will take place later today. The Meeting of the Defense Ministers of the two countries will be followed by a press briefing.

Naming a baby is one of the biggest decisions new parents have to make, so it makes sense that Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West are taking their time choosing a name for their new son.

A day after their second child was born, the star couple still haven’t chosen his first name — or, at least, they aren’t sharing it yet — a source told .

The pair took almost a week to name daughter North, 2, and, shortly before her son’s arrival, Kardashian West told PEOPLE that they still didn’t have a name picked out. However, the source did say that Kardashian West reportedly told people at the hospital that she was going to use her late father’s name — Robert — for the child’s middle name.

“It’s like the last thing Kanye and I did when North was born,” she shared. “We didn’t name her for like seven days. I feel like it will just come to us.”

A source close to West also told PEOPLE that they hadn’t shared the new baby’s name yet.

“He never said anything about the name. Even if they had one picked out, he wasn’t going to share it. He doesn’t believe in telling anyone the name until the baby is born.”

The first source also reveals that Kardashian West did not have a C-section to deliver her baby, which was surely a relief.

After she learned that her baby was breech, the reality star wrote on her website and app that she was hoping to avoid delivering via C-section.

“Obviously, if it’s an emergency and for the safety of my son, I will get a C-section — but if I don’t need one, I’d rather not,” Kardashian West wrote.

The new mom had plenty of support throughout the delivery: Most of herfamily members stopped by the hospital on Saturday to deliver gifts and see their newest addition. And, the source says, older sister Kourtney, who has three children of her own and to whom Kardashian West has said she often turns to for pregnancy advice, stayed with her sister throughout her labor.

President of the Republic of Armenia, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Serzh Sargsyan visited the defense positions in the northeast of the country.

Accompanied by Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and the senior command staff of the Armed Forces, the President toured the frontline military units and visited the defense positions.

The President attended simulation exercises involving divisions of the Second Army Corps, listened to a report by the commander of the Corps on the situation and problems in the military unit under his command.

In one of the military units President Sargsyan participated in the opening of a new canteen for servicemen.

The same day President Serzh Sargsyan left got the Nagorno Karabakh Republic for a working visit.

Photo by Kevin Tanaka/Pioneer Press

Members of the Armenian community gathered at St. James Armenian Church in downtown Evanston on Sunday, Oct. 25, for the unveiling of a traditional khachkar—or a cross stone—in front of the church,  reports.

Khajag Barsamian, archbishop of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of American, led the ceremony, which consecrated “the uniquely Armenian monument in honor of the canonization of over 1.5 million martyrs of the 1915 Armenian genocide,” according to a press release from the church.

Evanston’s consecration ceremony took place at the conclusion of the special Episcopal Divine Liturgy (mass). “It was very uplifting and spiritual,” the Rev. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan, the pastor of St. James, said on Monday, Oct. 26.

“The khachkar monument, standing over ten feet tall in St. James’ front garden,” the release said, “was carved out of tuff stone in Armenia this summer and then shipped to Evanston.”

The release also explained that the art of carving khachkars dates back to the 4th century and “symbolizes the rebirth of Armenian culture after centuries of hardship.” the release said. No two khachkars are alike, according to the release.

“St. James’ khachkar was commissioned by the parish and supported through donations by dozens of individuals and families in the community in the names of loved ones both living and deceased,” the release said.

Almost every family has a member who was killed in 1915 or forced to leave their home, said Rev. Khoja-Eynatyan. So Sunday’s ceremony, was “very personal for every family,” he said.

On the emotional day, St. James parish members also marked the occasion by celebrating their 70th anniversary as a testimony to Armenians’ presence in the greater Chicago community.

“They (Armenians) came here to the United States,” said Rev. Khoja-Eynatyan, “and the first thing they did after settling was build churches.”