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Author: Kevo Kalantarian

Armenian Defense Minister, French Ambassador discuss cooperation in defense and regional security issues

Kevo Kalantarian

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 18:50,

YEREVAN, 16 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Suren Papikyan received Ambassador of France to Armenia Anne Louyot, Military Attaché, Lieutenant Colonel Frédéric Campos (residence in Tbilisi), ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Defense of Armenia.

"Highly appreciating the current level of political relations between Armenia and France, the Armenian Defense Minister thanked the French leadership for its support in the repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war, as well as for the establishment of peace and stability in the region," the statement reads.

At the rquest of Ambassador Anne Louyot, the Defense Minister presented the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

During the meeting, a number of issues related to the Armenian-French bilateral cooperation in the field of defense and regional security were discussed.

Azerbaijani press: Baku vows to arrest separatist leader soon

Kevo Kalantarian
17:45 (UTC+04:00)
672

By Sabina Mammadli

Baku has pledged to arrest the leader of the self-proclaimed regime in Azerbaijan's Karabakh region, Araik Arutyunyan, soon

The head of the investigation department at the Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General's Office, Nemat Avazov, made the remarks.

Araik Harutyunyan

Arayik Harutyunyan, the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh" group's leader, will be arrested soon, and an investigation will be launched in Azerbaijan. Harutyunyan is charged with committing four terrorist attacks against civilians in Azerbaijan’s Ganja city in October 2020, Avazov noted.

“The terrorist attacks were committed from Armenia’s territory. As a result, 26 Azerbaijani civilians were killed and 175 were injured. Harutyunyan claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack on his social network account on October 4,” he said.

Avazov underlined that criminal cases had been initiated based on various articles of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code and Harutyunyan had been put on the wanted fugitives list.

The fact that Harutyunyan has not been brought to trial is temporary, he added.

 “I think that in accordance with the international convention, Harutyunyan will be detained by the investigative team and handed over for launching an investigation in a short period of time,” he added.

Sumgayit

In a separate statement, the head of the investigation department noted that work is underway to continue the search for persons accused of rioting in Azerbaijan's Sumgayit city in 1988.

According to the document presented to the General Assembly by Azerbaijan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Yashar Aliyev, the official investigation confirmed that the February 1988 events were planned and carried out by Armenian extremist organizations to undermine Azerbaijan's authority and conceal Armenia's illegal occupation intentions.

"In 1988, Eduard Grigoryan, the organizer of the events in Sumgayit, and others were put on the wanted list. Currently, operational and search measures are being carried out in this case. Work is underway to bring these people to the investigation," Avazov added.

A reminder that in March 2020, the Azerbaijani government submitted a document to the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly in connection with the events in Azerbaijan’s Sumgayit city as of February 1988.

As a result of riots in Sumgayit city, 32 people were killed on the night of February 28, 1988, 26 of them are Armenians, six – Azerbaijanis.

On the night of February 28, 1988, 32 people were killed as a result of riots in Sumgayit, 26 of whom were Armenians and six Azerbaijanis.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva previously described the 1988 killing of 32 people in Sumgayit as a well-planned provocation against Azerbaijan.

As a result of the military aggression by Armenia, 100 Azerbaijani civilians were killed, including 12 children and 27 women. As many as 454 people were injured, including 35 children. Some 181 children lost one parent, five children lost both parents, one family died. In total, 12,292 residential and non-residential buildings and 288 vehicles were damaged.

A criminal case has been initiated into the death of every civilian in Azerbaijan caused by the Armenian terror, and appeals have been sent to international courts and organizations.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal that Baku and Yerevan signed on November 10, 2020, brought an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s.

The peace agreement stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions and urged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s. Before the signing of the deal, the Azerbaijani army had liberated around 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historic Shusha city.

Asbarez: Supervisor Barger Visits Armenian American Museum Construction Site

Kevo Kalantarian
by Contributor

 

 

 

in Community, Latest, News, Top Stories

L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger (center) at the Armenian American Museum construction site

GLENDALE—The Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California hosted a special visit by Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger at the construction site of the cultural and educational center. The museum held its historic groundbreaking in Summer 2021 and is currently under construction at Glendale Central Park.

“I am excited to witness the Armenian American Museum coming to fruition thanks to the years of hard work and dedication of the entire community,” stated Supervisor Barger, who represents the Fifth District. “It is an honor to contribute to such a historical cultural center that will be the pride of many residents in Los Angeles County.”

Supervisor Barger has been a longtime supporter of the Armenian American Museum. In 2018, the Supervisor announced a generous contribution of $1 million in support of the landmark center at the museum’s Inaugural Gala. In 2019, the Supervisor was recognized for her support as one of the distinguished honorees of the 2nd Annual Gala.

The Armenian American Museum is a world class educational and cultural institution that is currently under construction in the museum campus at Glendale Central Park. The museum will offer a wide range of public programming through the Permanent Exhibition, Temporary Exhibitions, Auditorium, Learning Center, Demonstration Kitchen, Archives Center, and more.

The mission of the Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California is to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Armenian American experience. The vision is a cultural campus that enriches the community, educates the public on the Armenian American story, and empowers individuals to embrace cultural diversity and speak out against prejudice.

For more information, visit the website.

Armenian singer’s first trip to U.S. pays off with Houston Grand Opera prize

Kevo Kalantarian
Houston Chronicle
Feb 3 2022
Chris Gray February 3, 2022


Five years ago, Navasard Hakobyan planned to become a physician. Then the principal of his school heard him sing and suggested medicine might not be the proper path. His parents agreed.

“That very day in our house it was decided that I would become an opera singer,” he says through a translator from his Armenian home, “not knowing what it was and how difficult the road ahead was for me.”

Last month, that road led him to the Wortham Center, where Hakobyan took first prize in Houston Grand Opera’s 34th annual Concert of Arias. Singing selections from Tchaikovsky’s “Mazeppa” and Donizetti’s “La Favorite,” his robust baritone won over a panel of top HGO officials: general director and CEO Khori Dastoor; artistic advisor and soprano Ana Maria Martinez; and artistic and music director Patrick Summers. Soprano Christine Goerke, then appearing in HGO’s production of Francis Poulenc’s “Dialogues of the Carmelites,” also served as a judge.

In a celebratory news release, Dastoor beamed at “an awe-inspiring evening, full of beautiful music and spirited competition.”

“The rising stars who took the Wortham stage hold the keys to the future of this artform, and I’m happy to share that the future is looking bright indeed,” she said.

“I think the judges responded to the beauty and power of Navasard’s talent — he has an extraordinary voice that makes him capable of very deep _expression_ through music,” says HGO Studio director Brian Speck. “He is also a committed performer that inhabits the music and invites you into his world.”

Hakobyan’s first onstage role was Silvio in Ruggero Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci,” which he has since played twice more. In 2018, he joined the young artist program of the National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Yerevan, Armenia. The next year, he won the President of the Republic of Armenia Youth Prize.

Before the Concert of Arias, also known as the Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers, Hakobyan’s other successes on the international stage came at Moscow’s José Carreras Grand Prix and last year at the Premiere Opera Foundation’s International Vocal Competition. There, he competed virtually and won $2,500.

Speck saw Hakobyan at one of these events and invited him to compete in Houston, where the young baritone triumphed over the contest’s eight other finalists — including Cuban-Puerto Rican soprano Amanda Batista, who took second place, and the third-place finisher, South Korean bass-baritone Jongwon Han — due to the “striking” quality of his voice, he believes.

“His sound fills the theater effortlessly,” says Speck. “You could close your eyes and just enjoy the sound. I think what makes his performances thrilling is the combination of that visceral reaction to his sound, and the way he shares himself when he sings. He stays in the moment and really communicates with the audience through his voice.”

Hakobyan’s trip to Houston for the concert, where he spent 13 days, also marked his first time in the United States. Although his time outside rehearsals was limited, it still sounds like the city left a favorable impression.

“I loved Houston,” Hakobyan says. “It is a very beautiful city, it has a lot of interesting sightseeing places. There is inexplicable vibe in the city which gives you very positive energy. I felt it.”

Hakobyan says he plans to invest his $10,000 prize money from the concert developing his career. One of his first steps will be to enter HGO Studio in the fall, where Speck will be happy to have him. “I’m excited that Houston audiences will have the chance to hear Navasard on the HGO stage early in his career,” he says.

“I think he will be a huge contributor to the operas in which he performs at HGO,” Speck continues, “and at the same time, we’ll be able to provide him with support to ensure his success and a foundation of skill and experience that will help him to build a major career in opera.”

When Speck’s invitation to compete in Houston arrived, Hakobyan says he accepted it “without thinking long.” Now, that intuition has paid off.

“At that moment I did not understand why I agreed, but my inner voice was telling me that I must definitely participate,” he says. “At that moment I felt that a new door of life was opening for me. In fact, I was right.”

Chris Gray is a Galveston-based writer.

Armenpress: Andrey Klimov considers the supply of weapons by Turkey to Ukraine a provocation

Kevo Kalantarian

Andrey Klimov considers the supply of weapons by Turkey to Ukraine a provocation

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 21:25, 3 February, 2022

YEREVAN, 3 FEBRUARY, ARMENPESS. Turkey's supply of weapons to Ukraine is a provocation in the current difficult geopolitical situation, and Ankara can not but understand it, ARMENPRESS reports, Andrei Klimov, Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"In this situation, the supply of weapons to Ukraine is a provocation in itself. They can't but understand that in Ankara, but they do iy anyway, which is painful," Klimov said.

The senator stressed that Turkey's motives are understandable: on the one hand, Ankara is trying to solve its financial problems, remind about itself, promote its weapons.

"Besides, Turkey wants to be a part of this big game," he added.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine and Turkey have signed an agreement to expand production of Turkish Bayraktar drones in the country.




Turkish press: Turkish Aerospace’s Anka UCAV sets flight record at over 30 hours

Kevo Kalantarian
 ISTANBUL JAN 12, 2022 – 1:23 PM GMT+3


TAI's Anka is seen in the air in this photo provided on Aug. 14, 2021. (IHA Photo)

Turkey's Anka medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) has set a new flight record on Tuesday by staying in the air for 30 hours and 30 minutes, according to Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the manufacturing company.

The TAI shared the related news via a Twitter statement. “Anka has achieved new successes! It broke the record for the longest flight by making a mission flight of 30 hours and 30 minutes in a sortie!”

The Anka UCAV, which broke the flight record, is estimated to be in the “next-generation Anka” configuration, according to open sources.

The next-generation Anka drones are based on the Anka-S UCAVs, which are already included in the Turkish security forces’ inventory.

In June last year, Turkey-based defense industry news platform SavunmaSanayiST.com reported that TAI has delivered four of the newly-configured Anka-S drones, two of which have been allocated to the Turkish Naval Forces, while the country's air force will use the other two.

In an interview with the news website, TAI UAV Systems Vice-Chair Ömer Yıldız said the main difference between the new generation and the current Anka-S is in the wings and wing profile.

The Anka-S UAV has a useful payload capacity of 250 kilograms (551 pounds) and can stay in the air for up to 24 hours. With the new configuration, it can now carry up to 350 kilograms and stay in the air for up to 30 hours.

The Anka-S configuration, with Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) capabilities through satellite links, is used by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the Gendarmerie units. The Anka-B configuration, which has Link Relay capabilities, is also used by the TSK and the Gendarmerie. The Anka-I, on the other hand, is operated by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and used in signal intelligence.

This particular drone was also exported to Tunisia, its first sales deal abroad, while reports suggested that Kazakhstan will soon buy three Anka UCAVs.

Red Cross on Karabakh conflict consequences: Winter deepens agony of families of missing people

Kevo Kalantarian
  News.am  
Armenia – Jan 27 2022
17:00, 27.01.2022

 In marshy fields and mountain slopes, in hard-to-reach areas, in overgrown with bushes, littered with mines and unexploded ordnance, dozens of men and women have been searching for and raising the remains of fallen soldiers for more than a year, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) writes about the consequences of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

About 300 people are still missing as a result of the escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 2020. Since the ceasefire agreement was signed in November 2020, the remains of more than 1,700 people have been found and the process of identifying them and returning them to their families has begun.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, together with Russian peacekeepers, has conducted about 360 searches for human remains, supporting local rescue teams in their work.

"Nothing can bring their loved ones back but giving these hundreds of families a chance to know what happened is incredibly important. Conditions are always extremely dangerous because the terrain is littered with mines and unexploded ordnances, and on top of that, in winter visibility drops to almost zero," said Christopher Poole, who leads ICRC's regional specialists in landmines, explosive remnants of war, stockpiles and small arms.

"In order to retrieve these remains, recovery teams must face mortal danger. It is not just about treating the dead with dignity, but also doing it safely. Our teams support local specialists as they do this," Poole said.

Restoration work is often put on hold for a variety of reasons, including winter conditions. These operations are part of the ICRC's longstanding work as a neutral intermediary in the region since 1992.

The ICRC's forensic experts also assist mortuaries in the region by providing cold storage, equipment and advice to groups undertaking the difficult task of identification.

"Retrieving human remains, identifying the victims and returning them to their families is complex and takes time. There is always a lot of pressure on forensic practitioners from authorities and families to work as quickly as possible, but there is no margin for error," said Jane Taylor, ICRC's regional forensics manager for Europe and Central Asia.

In addition to the hundreds of people missing in the November 2020 escalation, more than 4,500 people went missing as a result of the 1990s conflict.

"People going missing and families not knowing what happened to them is one of the most agonizing and often overlooked scars left by conflict. Thousands of families across Europe today are living with this pain. Besides those affected by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, there are hundreds of people missing in Ukraine after almost eight years of conflict, for example, and more than 10,000 people missing in the Balkans," said Martin Schüepp, ICRC's regional director for Europe and Central Asia.

Armenian Parliament Speaker releases details from meeting with US House Speaker

Kevo Kalantarian

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 12:08, 20 January, 2022

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Alen Simonyan has presented details from his January 19th meeting with Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.

In an interview to Voice of America, Alen Simonyan said that the meeting lasted very long as many issues were discussed. “First of all, I thanked Mrs Pelosi and the current Senators for their contributions to the adoption of the resolution on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. We also discussed the current situation in our region, the ongoing processes in the Armenia-Turkey relations, as well as the situation on the border with Azerbaijan and the provocations that are taking place on the border. I am happy to state that the talk with all partners attending the meeting was held within the same logic”, the Speaker said.

Simonyan informed that he also met with a group of US Congressmen, as well as a number of meetings are planned with the US Senators, during which all issues concerning the Armenian people, including the border situation, will be discussed.

The court will publish the decision on the preventive measure of Davit Tonoyan and others on January 24

Kevo Kalantarian

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 19:07,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan, chaired by Judge Manvel Shahverdyan, left for the deliberation room to make a decision on the precautionary measure of former Defense Minister David Tonoyan, former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Stepan Galstyan, businessman engaged in arms supplies Davit Galstyan, former Chief of Military Aviation of the Armed Forces Avetik Muradyan and former Head of the Aviation Technical Service of the Military Aviation Department Artyom Hambaryan, Tonoyan’s lawyer Sergey Hovhannisyan told ARMENPRESS. The decision will be published on January 24 at 11:00.

The prosecutor demanded that the remand chosen against them as precautionary measure be left unchanged. Davit Tonoyan's lawyers filed a motion for Tonoyan to be released on personal bail, MPs from the "Civil Contract" party Kristine Poghosyan, Vilen Gabrielyan, the chairman of the "Republic" party Aram Sargsyan have issued guarantees for David Tonoyan. The lawyers of the other defendants filed a motion to apply other precautionary measures, including bail.

Tonoyan was arrested in September 2021 on charges of embezzlement and falsifications which he allegedly committed during his tenure as minister of defense. He denies wrongdoing. Davit Galstyan, the head of the company supplying weapons to Armenia, and Stepan Galstyan, the deputy chief of the General Staff, are also accused and are detained over the same case.