Author: Karapet Navasardian

The Azerbaijani side fired more than 600 shots from weapons of different caliber in the direction of Armenian positions last night.

The front divisions of the NKR Defense Army resorted to targeted retaliatory measures to silence the activeness of the rival.

The NKR Ministry of Defense reports that private of the Defense Army Hovhannes Harutyunyan, born in 1997, was fatally wounded because of violating the rules of use of weapons in one of the military units located in the southern direction of the Defense Army.

Investigation into the details of the incident is under way.

The NKR Defense Army said in a statement it shares the sorrow of the heavy loss and expresses condolences to the families and friends of the soldier.

Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg are teaming up for a new Indiana Jones film, has announced.

The fifth episode of the franchise will be released in July 2019.

The as-yet-untitled film will come 11 years after the most recent Indiana Jones film, 2008’s Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Ford and Spielberg first worked together on Indiana Jones film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, in 1981  and later thrilled audiences in 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The four films have brought in nearly $2 billion at the global box office.

A 300-year-old Armenian church has been put up for sale in Turkey for $1.5 million, reports.

An advert on the property website Sahibinden shows the ramshackle, three-story building in the heart of Bursa, northwest Turkey, is located near the tombs of the fifth Ottoman sultan, Mehmed I, and the 14th century tomb of Bayezid I’s adviser and son-in-law.

Estate agent Tayfun Ozengirler said the building in the Setbasi neighborhood was registered in as a historical monument in 1986.

“The area where the church is situated was once inhabited by Armenians,” Ozengirler said. “You can smell the history on every corner.”

Bursa, the capital of the Ottoman Empire before the capture of Constantinople in 1453, was a center of Armenian culture and the Armenian Patriarchate was based in Setbasi before moving to Istanbul.

Ozengirler said he had received a number of queries about the advert. “No one has agreed the demanded price so far but we will do our best for the sellers,” he told Anadolu Agency.

Tehran and Tbilisi are holding talks on the supply of 200 million cubic meters of Iranian gas to Georgia, Director General of the National Iranian Gas Exports Company (NIGEC) Alireza Kameli declared, TASS reports.

The statement was made after  talks in Tehran between Iranian Minister of Oil Bijan Namdar Zangeneh and Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze.

“Georgian state and private enterprises are interested in purchasing gas from Iran,” Kameli said. “The gas supply to Georgia is expected to start from next Iranian year (starts on March 21). According to him, the contract will be signed for seven months and will serve a basis for possible future cooperation. He further clarified that “Georgia will have to get a permission from Armenia for the transit of the Iranian gas through the territory of the neighboring county.”

“If the deal proves economically expedient, we’ll be able to speak about medium-term and long-term contracts for delivery of gas to Georgia,” Kameli concluded.

Georgia currently gets 88% of its gas from Azerbaijan. Another 12 % comes from Russia, as a free for transit of gas to Armenia.

Photo: Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Conflict in Syria may grow into military confrontation between the Middle East countries putting the security of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member-states in jeopardy, the post-Soviet security alliance’s chief, Nikolay Bordyuzha said on Tuesday, TASS reports.

“Turkey’s massive artillery shelling of Syrian territory, the statements of Ankara and Riyadh on plans to deploy ground operations in Syria threaten to switch the Syrian crisis to a qualitatively new and a very dangerous level: the direct military confrontation between the regional countries,” Bordyuzha said warning that it is difficult to predict the possible consequences.

The CSTO secretary-general stressed that in this context the fight against international terrorism and assistance to peaceful settlement in Syria is relegated to the back burner.

“Further instigation of hotbed of war in Syria’s territory in direct proximity from the zone of the CSTO’s responsibility is a threat to security of the organization’s member-states,” Bordyuzha said.

The CSTO is a regional security group comprising six post-Soviet countries — Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia.

Best Feature Film Award – “Lost Birds” (Turkey) Ela Alyamac, Aren Perdeci

Best Director Award – “Lost Birds” (Turkey) Ela Alyamac, Aren Perdeci

Best Documentary Film Award – “My Life in China”  (USA) Director, Kenneth Eng

Best Short Film Award – “The Loyalist”, (South Korea) Director, Minji Kang

Best Screenplay Award – “Three Windows and a Hanging” ( Kosovo ) Zymber Kelmendi

Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award – “Lost Birds” Ela Alyamac and Aren Perdeci (writers-directors-producers)

– The 18^th Annual Arpa International Film Festival (November 13- 15, 2015) screened 46 films from 22 countries.

The sold out event, opening night’s World Premiere Film “LOST BIRDS” stole everyone’s heart. This heartwarming film from Turkey, in Armenian and Turkish languages was filmed in Capadoccia, Turkey.  The story takes place in 1915, from the point of view of two children.  It is about Bedo, played by (Heros Agopyan) and Maryam, played by (Dila Uluca), whose beautiful, warm, and happy lives in Anatolia comes to an end when their grandfather played by (Sarkis Acemoglu) is taken away by soldiers.  Out of extreme fear, their mother, played by (Takuhi Bahar), forbid the children to go outside, but being children, they sneak out to their favorite spot to play, only to come back to an empty home and an empty village. Their fear takes over, and with their bird that they had saved, they embark on a journey toward Aleppo to find their mother, and their fellow villagers.

During the three days of the festival, the filmgoers enjoyed such films as Sabre Dance (USA), I Want to be a King” (Iran), Our Village (Armenia), Straw Dolls (USA), The Loyalist (South Korea), Armenopolis, Armenian Soul (Romania), Daylight after the Century (UK), Shattered, (Canada), Armenia Sings in our Hearts (Brazil), Family Dance (USA), While they were Flying to the Moon (Serbia), Three Windows and a Hanging (Kosovo), Paul The Birdman (USA), Get Up (Australia) and many more.

The evening’s Master of Ceremonies was award winning producer, director, chair of AFFMA Advisory Board Charles Davis.  Seven presenters, Michael Arabian, Anne Bedian, Bertila Damas, Rick Rosenthal, Janet Roth, Hrach Titizian, and Karina Weeks graced the stage and introduced the award winners. Half-way through the ceremony, soulful singer, Shaherah White warmed the room singing, My Funny Valentine.

The closing night festivities started with a short film by Levon Minasian of Paris, France titled “The Sandwich Island Man” which entertained the audience.

“I love Arpa International Film Festival with all my heart. I love the organizer, Sylvia Minassian who has managed this challenging work with inexhaustible energy for over 17 years. I am grateful that all of my films have been a part of the festival over the years. I have never been able to attend in person, but I hope to personally show my film to the faithful festival public,” was the comment made by the filmmaker Levon Minasian in an interview with Sharon Swainson, a freelance writer.

The Awards ceremony started with the announcements of the winning films followed by honoring actor David Dastmalchian with the Rising Star Award, who touched the audience with a moving acceptance speech that focused on giving back and supporting creative expression. He thanked the Festival for “helping young actors and struggling filmmakers all over the world to continue to express themselves and tell their story;” and he assured everyone that “no matter how little our stories are, they are worth telling.”

The final award of the night, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Esai Morales, an outstanding actor and activist, or “Actorvist”, who captivated the audience, by ending his powerful speech with the following statement:

“Take on your fears. Don’t let your fears shut your greatness down. You have a reason for being on this planet. Find it. And fight your challenges and let them (your challenges) make you a better person.”

Morales received a well-deserved standing ovation.

Founded in 1995, Arpa Foundation for Film, Music, and Art is a non-profit organization, formed for the purpose of promoting the arts and enhancing the cultural environment of our community by supporting artists who bridge the cultural divide, unifying diverse people and cultures through the arts.

Since its inception, AFFMA has supported a spectrum of artists including writers, photographers, filmmakers, dancers, designers, actors and musicians, by staging networking events, concerts, art exhibits, book signings, fashion shows, talent shows, musical performances, lectures, forums, comedy nights, special screenings, private premiers, and most significantly staging its signature event, the Arpa International Film Festival since 1997.

For over 18 years, Arpa international film festival continues to promote independent filmmakers, cultivating cultural understanding and global empathy in the heart of Hollywood. Through the generous support of our donors and sponsors, our yearly film festival event inspires people of all backgrounds and creates opportunities for creative expression. Arpa’s dedicated production team is committed to make a difference in fueling the global arena of independent cinema.

The committee has already begun working on the 2016 Arpa International Film festival.

An event to mark the launch of the Project “Long-term electoral assistance to the election related stakeholders of Armenia” will take place on Friday, 5.

This Project is launched in Armenia under the European Union and the Council of Europe’s Programmatic Co-operation Framework in the Eastern Partnership Countries for 2015-2017 (). The €33.8 million-worth co-operation agreement was signed in December 2014 to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law in six Eastern Partnership countries, including Armenia.

This country specific Project for Armenia aims at strengthening the capacity of the main election stakeholders of the country through capacity building and awareness raising involving both the electoral authorities and civil society as well as sharing best practice on election related issues within the Eastern Partnership countries. The duration of the Project is 18 months. The budget is 302,000 EUR.

Key speakers include H.E. Mr Piotr Antoni Świtalski, Ambassador, Head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia (tbc), Ms Natalia Voutova, Head of Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, Mr Tigran Mukuchyan, Chair of RA Central Electoral Commission, and Mr François Friederich, Head of the Division of Electoral Assistance and Census, Council of Europe.

Turkish Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Işık admitted that the investigation into the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink had been delayed, and blamed the “parallel state” for the delay, the reports.

“We accept that there has been a delay [in prosecuting the murder of Dink] because of the attempts of the Parallel State Structure to shadow the probe,” Işık responding to questions in the parliament on Jan. 19, the ninth anniversary of the prominent journalist’s assasination.

Dink, an outspoken activist for minority rights and former editor-in-chief of weekly Agos, was shot dead outside his office in Istanbul’s Şişli district on Jan. 19, 2007 by 17-year-old Ogün Samast, who had traveled to Istanbul from the Black Sea province of Trabzon before the murder.

“I underline that no cause can legitimize any attempt on someone’s life. This incident is being worked on with all details,” said Işık.

“But nothing remains secret. If we had thought different, we would not make that much effort to investigate all details of this incident and we would not give complete support to the judiciary. At the moment, we want and hope that all related institutions will work effectively in enlightening this incident as well as other unsolved murder incidents,” he added.

Işık also added that he wanted to see the instigators of Dink’s murder found and brought to face justice.
Relatives and followers of the case have long claimed that government officials, police, military personnel and members of the National Intelligence Agency (MİT) played a role in Dink’s murder by neglecting their duty to protect the journalist.

On Dec. 9, 2015, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office approved the indictment prepared against 26 police chiefs into “negligence on public duty” in the killing of Dink.

A total of 26 police officers, including both current and former police chiefs, will be tried as the indictment in the nine-year-long investigation.

The indictment referred to U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen, a former ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), who the AKP government now accuses of heading a terrorist organization. The officials currently being investigated were suspected of having links to the Gülen movement.

The 26 police officers were charged with one count each of “forming or heading an armed terrorist group,” “membership of an armed terrorist group,” “power abuse on duty,” “manipulating, destroying and/or concealing official documents,” “deliberate murder,” “fabricating official documents by public employees” and “deliberate murder on negligence” in the case filed into public officials at the time of the assassination. All of the 26 were on duty at the time of Dink’s murder.

Hakan Bakırcıoğlu, a Dink family lawyer, said on Nov. 4 that not opening a case against former police chiefs Ahmet İlhan Güler, Celalettin Cerrah, Reşat Altay, Engin Dinç and other suspects, would exclude their integral responsibility in Dink’s murder.

The Syrian Army and the country’s popular forces, backed by Russian airstrikes, have continued their advance, inflicting heavy losses on the terrorist groups in the country’s key provinces, Iranian media wrote on Wednesday, Sputnik News reports.

Over the past 24 hours the Syrian Air Force has attacked and destroyed the terrorists’ positions in Lattakia, Homs, Damascus, Deir Ezzur, Aleppo, Dara’a and Hama provinces, Fars news agency .

On Tuesday the government forces stormed a terrorist concentration center in Dara’a al-Balad leaving many militants dead and causing serious damage to their weapons and military equipment.

In Hama province, Syrian Army troops stormed a number of enemy strongholds, the agency reported, citing military sources in the area.

“Concentration centers of Ahrar al-Sham terrorist group near Atshan village in the northern part of Hama were massively attacked by the Syrian forces, leaving at least eight terrorists dead and wounding ten others,” the sources said.

n Aleppo province, Syrian fighter jets pounded a number of terrorist gathering centers in the town of Manbaj in the eastern part of the region.

In the meantime, the Syrian Army’s artillery hit the military positions of the terrorists in the village of Mansoura in the eastern part of the city of Aleppo, the agency reported.

Syrian government forces have recently been making rapid advances against the terrorists in several parts of the country.

Roberto Montella of Italy has begun service as Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
He assumes the post following two decades of work in international politics, including in the governmental and parliamentary sides of the OSCE.

“I have spent most of my career trying to build bridges between conflicting sides in South East Europe. I consider creating harmony and facilitating dialogue to be the central pillar of my approach,” Montella said.

“As Secretary General, I will strive to do the same. That means strengthening links, and forging new ones, between the Assembly and the OSCE’s governmental side and with other international organizations. This is not a goal in itself, but a way to help our parliamentarians deliver concrete results to the ‘end users’ of the OSCE’s products – namely, the citizens of OSCE area, and particularly those who live under difficult security situations.”

Montella has held various posts within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Secretariat, most recently serving as Director of Presidential Administration.

He previously held positions at OSCE field missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia and Montenegro, fulfilling a range of advisory, peace-building and management functions. He also served as Head of the OSCE South Serbia Regional Office and Head of the European Center for Minority Issues in Kosovo.

“I believe that in the face of the tremendous challenges affecting the OSCE area today, we need intensive, international parliamentary co-operation and dialogue more than ever before. The OSCE PA is one of the world’s vital forums for problem-solving and reinforcement of shared commitments. I will work every day to defend its health and facilitate the important work of its elected members,” the new Secretary General concluded.

OSCE PA President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) said: “I am confident in Roberto Montella’s ability to facilitate and help implement the wide-ranging work of our Assembly during this crucial juncture in the OSCE’s history. On behalf of my fellow parliamentarians, I look forward to our fruitful work together in the years ahead.”

Montella has taken part in nearly 40 election observation missions in the OSCE area and the Middle East, including as Co-ordinator of Long Term Election Observers for The Carter Center. He has served as political advisor to an Italian senator and PACE Vice-President, among other advisory roles. He also holds campaign-related and corporate experience.

In addition to his native Italian and French, Montella is fluent in English and Serbian.

The Secretary General holds general responsibility for managing the affairs of the OSCE PA; implementing the decisions of the Bureau, the Standing Committee and the Assembly; and overseeing the Secretariat’s offices in Copenhagen and Vienna. Along with the Treasurer, he is responsible for the management of the Assembly’s financial resources.

The Secretary General’s term is five years and may be renewed twice.

The OSCE PA Standing Committee voted in favor of Montella at 2015 Annual Session in Helsinki, following a unanimous vote by the Bureau.

He succeeds the Assembly’s first Secretary General, Spencer Oliver of the United States.