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Author: Khondkarian Raffi

Azerbaijani press: Official: Armenia returns 147 human remains to Azerbaijan

Khondkarian Raffi
22 February 2022 10:45 (UTC+04:00)
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By Vugar Khalilov

Armenia has so far returned 147 human remains to Azerbaijan, head of the Azerbaijani Military Prosecutor’s Office special investigations department Emil Taghiyev has said.

“[Some] 3,890 Azerbaijani citizens went missing during the First Karabakh War. Biological samples taken from the missings’ family members are used to identify the remains,” Taghiyev told in an interview with Trend.

He added that the remains were jumbled since the bodies were buried in mass graves during the first Karabakh war (1988-1994).

They returned the remains, conducted an investigation with the assistance of a forensic medical specialist, and assigned proper molecular genetic testing to the identification.

The fate of Azerbaijani citizens who have been missing for approximately 30 years can be clarified as a result of testing of the remains to be removed from mass graves (based on information provided by Armenia).

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated on February 8 that humanitarian issues were one of the main topics of a February 4 virtual meeting attended by French President Emanuel Macron, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, European Council President Charles Michel, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

At the meeting, Aliyev underlined that Armenia had to provide information about the mass graves of 3,890 missing Azerbaijani citizens (including 71 children, 267 women and 326 elderly people). The presidents of France and the European Council both supported this issue.

Armenia, which is responsible for determining the fate of about 4,000 missing Azerbaijani citizens, promised to cooperate in this matter.

However, Armenia’s later denial of its international humanitarian obligations, as well as promises made during the abovementioned meeting, is completely outside the moral, ethical, and legal framework in light of Azerbaijan’s discovery and return of the bodies of 1,708 Armenian servicemen, the ministry said.

It should be mentioned that in the 20th century, Armenians perpetrated systematic crimes and atrocities against Azerbaijanis to break the spirit of the nation and annihilate the Azerbaijani people of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Khojaly genocide is regarded as the culmination of Armenian mass murders.

AW: Armenian and Azerbaijani politicians named in Credit Suisse leak

Khondkarian Raffi
 Lillian Avedian News 0

A leak revealing secret Swiss banking records implicates several figures from the South Caucasus, including former president of Armenia Armen Sarkissian and the sons of the head of Nakhichevan Vasif Talibov. 

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) published its findings from a leak identifying 18,000 foreign customers at Credit Suisse whose holdings amount to a total of over $8 billion. The accounts belong to “corrupt politicians, criminals, spies, dictators and other dubious characters,” according to the OCCRP report. 

“Credit Suisse’s clients included the family of an Egyptian intelligence chief who oversaw torture of terrorism suspects for the CIA; an Italian accused of laundering criminal funds for the infamous ‘Ndrangheta criminal group; a German executive who bribed Nigerian officials for telecoms contracts; and Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who held a single account worth 230 million Swiss francs ($223 million) at its peak, even as his country raked in billions in foreign aid,” the February 20 report reads. 

Data from the leak was provided to 48 media outlets worldwide, including Armenian investigative news outlet Hetq. Hetq uncovered that approximately 400 Armenian citizens hold bank accounts at Credit Suisse, including Sarkissian and his sister Karine Sargsyan.

Former President Armen Sarkissian

Sarkissian and Sargsyan held more than 10 million Swiss francs in a Credit Suisse bank account between 2006 and 2016 that he did not disclose in his financial declarations. Sarkissian was legally obligated to submit a financial statement upon his appointment as Armenian ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2013, a post he held until his election to the presidency in 2018.

In 2013, Sarkissian declared that he held eight million euros. In 2016, Hetq reported that Sarkissian had not submitted his financial holdings for several years. Sarkissian submitted his annual disclosures from the previous five years in 2017, following notices from Armenia’s Ethics Committee. Those statements did not include the 10 million francs in his Credit Suisse account, according to Armenia’s Corruption Prevention Commission. 

Reached for a comment from Hetq, Sarkissian said that “accessing details of someone’s private bank account, as you have, is wrong and unlawful, all over the world. It is an infringement of privacy and breach of confidentiality.”

According to Sarkissian, positions served on a pro bono basis, like diplomatic posts, only require the declaration of cash holdings. 

“It was not certain that the rules obliging officials to declare their interests applied in such circumstances and, in fact, others serving on a pro bono basis did not make any declarations,” he said. 

His financial declarations did not specify whether his assets were cash or electronic. 

“They were not electronic at the time and did not oblige me to declare specific bank accounts, only my cash holdings, which I declared every year,” he told Hetq. 

Sarkissian had three other Credit Suisse accounts that closed before he took office. 

Sarkissian resigned at the end of January, citing the constitutional limits on the power of the presidency to influence policy in times of national crisis. Yet an investigation published by Hetq said that Sarkissian resigned after he was contacted by journalists regarding his secret second citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis.

According to Hetq, Sarkissian held a passport for the Caribbean nation as late as 2017. Under the Armenian Constitution, the president must have held citizenship of only the Republic of Armenia for the preceding six years. 

The office of the president denied the media report, calling it an “attempt to divert public attention by a false agenda.” 

Vasif Talibov, Heydar Aliyev and Ilham Aliyev (Twitter)

The Credit Suisse leak also names Seymur and Rza, sons of the leader of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic Vasif Talibov. 

Three separate banking leaks reveal that Rza and Seymur received wire transfers worth a total of $20.5 million between 2007 and 2012 in bank accounts held with Credit Suisse, Emirates NBD, Barclays and other major financial institutions. 

The money came from two shell companies, Murova Systems and Continus Corporation, which are associated with the Azerbaijani and Troika Laundromats. The Azerbaijani Laundromat is a multi-billion dollar secret slush fund used among other things to purchase silence from European politicians regarding Azerbaijani human rights abuses. 

In 2012, Rza purchased two buildings in the Georgian resort town of Batumi that he converted into a five-star hotel. Rza, Seymur and their sister Baharkhanim also bought a dozen properties in Dubai, including a luxurious villa and a 12-floor apartment hotel. In total, their properties are worth an estimated $63 million.

Talibov’s official salary is about $26,000 per year. The report says that the Talibov family “enriched itself from questionable sources even as Nakhchivan’s people suffered.” 

Rza and Seymur Talibov (Facebook)

“Talibov has led Nakhchivan with an iron fist for more than 26 years. Under his rule, detainees have been subject to beatings and vicious torture. Dissidents have been forced into psychiatric hospitals. He has also used his power to silence independent media: Journalists and activists who criticized his rule have faced pressure, arrest, and exile,” the OCCRP report reads. 

Credit Suisse has faced a string of scandals over the past two decades regarding its facilitation of money laundering and tax evasion. The bank currently faces charges of allowing a group of Bulgarian cocaine smugglers to launder 146 million euros through its accounts.

The OCCRP interviewed over a dozen anonymous Credit Suisse employees. Most spoke of a “highly toxic corporate culture that incentivized taking on risk to maximize profits—and bonuses.” 

“The bank incentivizes a banker to look the other way with an account they know to be toxic,” said a former senior manager. “If you close a toxic account, especially a large account in excess of $20 million, the banker finds himself in a deep hole. A deep hole that is almost impossible to get out of.”

Credit Suisse released a statement in response to the report stating that it “strongly rejects the allegations and inferences about the bank’s purported business practices.” According to Credit Suisse, the media reports are based on “partial, selective information taken out of context, resulting in tendentious interpretations of the bank’s business conduct.” 

Critics also blame the Swiss government for creating a “lax regulatory environment and laws that punish those who speak out against corruption.”

“The irony is that Switzerland has become the place for dirty money to go because it is pure, well-managed, reliable,” says James Henry, a senior adviser to the U.K. charity Tax Justice Network who has studied tax evasion at Credit Suisse. “The business model of taking money out of poor countries is the problem.”

  •  Bio
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Lillian Avedian is a staff writer for the Armenian Weekly. Her writing has also been published in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Hetq and the Daily Californian. She is pursuing master’s degrees in Journalism and Near Eastern Studies at New York University. A human rights journalist and feminist poet, Lillian’s first poetry collection Journey to Tatev was released with Girls on Key Press in spring of 2021.


At this time of tension, EU needs to remember Nagorno-Karabakh

Khondkarian Raffi
Open Democracy
Feb 22 2022


A message to the EU (and the US): despite a possible escalation in Ukraine, don’t forget the other major conflict in the region

Yervand ShirinyanDavid Amiryan
, 12.47pm

The 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 left thousands dead, but it did not put an end to the longest-running conflict in the South Caucasus. What is worse is that the grim situation in Ukraine threatens a renewed large-scale conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The status quo has changed dramatically and the two sides can no longer be treated as equal sides to the conflict. Today, Armenia, having lost the war, is being subjected to aggression.

In this context, a much more engaged EU (and US) is necessary.

First, it is critical to pressure Azerbaijan to move away from its aggressive approach and instead embrace negotiations on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group. The message should be unambiguous: the use of force is not an option and will be met with consequences.

Second, the EU could push for – and support – a monitoring mission along the border. The EU’s common security and defence policy (CSDP) mission has been used in similar contexts and could go a long way to stabilise the situation on the ground. Such a mission could enable the creation of a demilitarised zone in Nagorno-Karabakh, creating a conducive environment for determining the border. In parallel, the EU should push for a border delimitation and demarcation process, ideally under the OSCE.

Last but not least, decisive measures should be taken for the return of Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) who are, more than a year later, still detained in Azerbaijan. Despite many statements calling for the return of these POWs, Azerbaijan still holds dozens of them, in violation of international humanitarian law.

Also, earlier this month, Azerbaijan announced plans to erase elements of Armenian culture in Nagorno-Karabakh, such as Armenian inscriptions at religious sites. An outcry ensued internationally, but the situation warrants more drastic measures, including targeted individual sanctions as well as conditions attached to aid, particularly in light of the EU’s recently approved aid package to Azerbaijan of 2 billion euros. 

The need for these actions can be explained by the complex situation in the region. Active hostilities have largely stopped, thanks to the presence of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh following the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement brokered by Moscow. However, the situation remains far from peaceful. There are still numerous localised incidents, in addition to larger instances of armed clashes, such as the ones on 16 November 2021 and 12 January 2022.

The 2020 war between Armenia and Azerbaijan significantly altered the geopolitics of the South Caucasus. First, Turkey’s active role in the conflict and the support it gave Azerbaijan, including the recruitment of Syrian mercenaries, significantly increased its influence in the region. Second, the institutional framework for settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the OSCE Minsk Group, has been undermined. Emboldened by his victory, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has been publicly stating that the conflict is over and refusing to engage with the Minsk Group.

There is a real threat of ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh

This begs the question what will happen to the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh once the Russian peacekeeping mission finishes in less than four years. Given the brutalities documented during the war, the state-promoted Armenophobia in Azerbaijan, and post-war incidents that target the Armenian population, there is a real threat of ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Another important consequence of the war is the change in the de-facto borders between the two countries. In some locations, the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces are only a few hundred metres away from each other. This has had a major impact on the rights and livelihoods of local communities. Residents of border communities have been taken captive, their crops set on fire and their cattle stolen.

Recent meetings between Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and President Aliyev, two of which were mediated by the EU, have produced only modest results. One outcome is that there is now a direct line between the defence ministers of the two countries, to prevent border skirmishes. The two countries also agreed to take steps towards unblocking railway connections.

One of the most important unsolved issues is where the border goes. Russia has proposed the creation of a border demarcation committee (which it would lead), but no progress is yet in sight.  

The explosive situation in Ukraine could have devastating consequences for the Caucasus, including a new conflict. Despite a personal ‘friendship’ between presidents Putin and Erdogan, Russia has been increasingly annoyed by Turkey, which has not recognised Russian control of Crimea, and because it has provided Ukraine with armed drones. There has also been recent tension between Azerbaijan and Russia, particularly over Russia’s peacekeeping mission in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Turkey will be tempted to use force again in the region, especially as their earlier actions did not generate adequate international condemnation.

The EU has the tools to prevent the worst. It now needs the will.

Armenpress: Russia recognizes independence of Donetsk and Lugansk

Khondkarian Raffi

Russia recognizes independence of Donetsk and Lugansk

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 23:39,

YEREVAN, 21 FEBRUARY, ARMENPERESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced about the recognition of sovereignity of  Donetsk and Lugansk, ARMENPRESS reports Putin said in his message addressed to the Russian people.

Following the message, the Russian President signed the decrees recognizing the independence of Lugansk and Donetsk, as well as the agreements on friendship and mutual assistance with the leaders of Donetsk and Lugansk.

Asbarez: New St. Sarkis Armenian Church Consecrated in San Diego

Khondkarian Raffi
 by Contributor

 

 February 14, 2022

 

in Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories
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St. Sarkis Armenian Church of San Diego Godparents of St. Sarkis, with Clergy Clergy presiding over the Consecration

SAN DIEGO, Calif.—More than 15 years in the making, the new St. Sarkis Armenian Church was consecrated on January 29 in San Diego. The church is located at 13925 El Camino Real, near Del Mar.

The jubliant weekend of ceremonies took place from January 28 to 30 and was presided over by Western Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America, and Parish Priest Very Rev. Fr. Pakrad Dz. V. Berjekian.

More than 350 attendees, each day, occupied the new sanctuary for Friday’s Opening of the Door Ceremony, Saturday’s Consecration, and Sunday’s first regular Divine Liturgy service (“Badarak”) in the new church. The clergy, public officials, parishioners, friends, and other special guests, celebrated with remarks, presentations and sacred music—and were masked according to State COVID Protocol.

Newly-commissioned stained glass windows, paintings, mosaics, crosses and icons adorned the sanctuary as the church was formally consecrated. An overflow tent outside with live a video and audio feed accommodated additional parishioners, and receptions followed every service.

Grand Benefactors David and Lois (Israelian) Butterfield as the church is consecrated and named Grand Benefactors David and Lois (Israelian) Butterfield Pontifical Encyclical (Gontag) Recipients

A Consecration Banquet and Recognition Ceremony was also held at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar on the evening of Saturday, January 29, after the consecration ceremony, with more than 320 people in attendance, while observing COVID mask protocols.

The Spyurk String Quartet from Los Angeles performed Armenian and classical selections. The banquet was emceed by Fox5 News Correspondent Jacqueline Sarkissian and featured special remarks, awards, performances and videos of the church’s building over the last three years.

An Armenian Luncheon and Cultural performance served as the weekend’s finale after the first regular church service was held on Sunday, January 30. Featuring the talented youth and heritage instructors of the church, the performance featured Armenian vocalists, dancers and recitations. It was emceed by Reporter Claudette Stefanian of Fox40 Sacramento, formerly of NBC7 San Diego.

Godparents of the Altar Mark and Marina Minasian The Congregation The Youth Volunteers and performers of St. Sarkis

The Consecration Weekend was co-chaired by Nora Balikian and Lisa Kradjian, along with their tireless committee. The event’s Cultural Committee, chaired by Vahe Manoushakian and Sona Baghdasaryan, oversaw all the weekend’s performances. The Building Committee, chaired by Garo Hachigian and previously Jim Sahagian, and the Design Committee and Trust Fund Committee, both chaired by Harry Krikorian, worked diligently for many years to make the new church a reality. More than 30 youth and young professional volunteers, coordinated by Thalia Hagopian, helped the weekend flow smoothly.

The Parish Council of St. Sarkis, who worked with dedication to oversee the Consecration, was Deacon Yerevan Ohannessian, Chairman; Berj Arakelian, Vice Chairman; Carol Artinian, Secretary; Armen Derderian, Treasurer, and advisors Hunan Arshakian, Artur Nersisyan, Deacon Levon Parsegov, Hakob Sargsyan, and Dr. George Zakaroff.

The church’s Ladies Society, co-chaired by Sonia Serpekian and Carol Artinian, assisted with the receptions and luncheon.

The Hon. Todd Gloria, Mayor of San Diego, gave an award to Very Rev. Fr. Pakrad Dz. V. Berjekian and Parish Council Chairman Yerevan Ohannessian City and County Public Officials with His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and Clergy Homenetmen Sevan Chapter Scouts after their flag presentation

Throughout the weekend, several individuals were honored for their dedicated efforts to the church, including: the original church leaders and godparents; the new godparents and the Consecration, Building, Trust Fund and Design Committees who brought the church and celebration weekend to life; and the youth volunteers and performers who represent the future of the church and community.

Hundreds of donors and sponsors were also acknowledged for their contributions over the last 14 years in the commemorative booklet distributed at the banquet.

Pontifical Encyclicals (Gontags) were bestowed by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians and presented by Archbishop Hovnan Derderian to Dave and Loie (Israelian) Butterfield, Khoren and Kathy Kassardjian, Harry Krikorian, Dr. Berge and Terry Minasian, and Alan and Mireille Yaghdjian.

Design Committee Consecration Committee Building Committee

The Grand Benefactors of St. Sarkis are David and Lois (Israelian) Butterfield. Godparents of the Altar are Mark and Marina Minasian. The Founding Pillars of the church are Khoren and Kathy Kassardjan, Alan and Mireille Yaghdjian, Carol Vassiliadis and Ilse and Gary Takessian.

The Godparents of St. Sarkis are Khoren & Kathy Kassardjian (St. Matthew), Paul & Rosemarie Kalemkiarian (St. John), Alan & Mireille Yaghdjian (St. Luke), Carol Vassiliadis (St. Mark), Gary & Ilse Takessian (St. Peter), David & Annie Malcolm (St. Andrew), Armen & Sevan Derderian (St. Philip), John & Cynthia Andonian (St. Gregory the Enlightener), James & Jane Sahagian (St. Bartholomew), Paul & Andrea Essajian (St. Simon the Canaanite), Dr. Jack, Garo & Nina Hachigian (St. Matthias), Dr. Berge & Terry Minasian (St. Thaddeus), Harry Krikorian & George Krikorian (St. James of Alphael), Noubar & Maida Markarian (St. Thomas), Steven & Lisa Kradjian (St. James of Zebedee), and Jim & Beth Broussalian (St. Paul).

Very Rev. Fr. Pakrad Dz. V. Berjekian, Parish Priest Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese Several volunteers at entrance of the new church

Public officials present at the Consecration Weekend included: Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles Ambassador Dr. Armen Baibourtian; Ambassador Nina Hachigian, Department of Defense Policy Board and Deputy Mayor of International Affairs, City of Los Angeles; Congressman Scott Peters, 52nd District of California; San Diego City Mayor Todd Gloria; San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan; Judge Dana Sabraw, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California; Judge Sharon Kalemkiarian, Judge for the Superior Court of San Diego; Ernest Dronenburg, Jr., San Diego County Assessor/City Clerk; San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister; Former Mayor of Solana Beach Joe Kellejian; Greg Cox, Former Chairman of San Diego County of Supervisors, Former Mayor, of Chula Vista and Former Member, California Coastal Commission; Former Mayor of Chula Vista Cheryl Cox.

Armenian clergy in attendance throughout the weekend included: Western Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian; Former Western Primate of the Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian; Primate of the Diocese of Tavush, Armenia Bishop Bagrat Galastanyan; Former Primate of Artsakh, Armenia Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan; Very Rev. Pakrad Dz. V. Berjekian, Parish Priest, St. Sarkis Armenian Church; Very Rev. Datev A.K. Tatoulian, Former Parish Priest of St. John Garabed Church; Fr. Moushegh A. K. Tashjian; Fr. Vazken Movsesian; Fr. Manoug A.K. Markarian; and Fr. Rupen Zakaryan.  

Sanctuary interior

Ecumenical Religious Leaders in attendance in the weekend included: Rev. Father Michael Sitaras,Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, which housed the Armenian church services while the new facility was being built; and Father Toufic Nasr, St. Ephrem Maronite Catholic Church.

Regular services, which began as of Sunday, February 6, will be held on Sunday’s from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and will be followed by a coffee hour.

Registration for Armenian Sunday School (language and faith heritage instruction) begins in late February. Youth fellowship and adult bible study classes and activities, festivals, and more, are forthcoming.

The church is part of the Heritage Pointe Del Mar campus site, which will also include a banquet hall, classrooms and offices, a heritage park, gymnasium, and, eventually, a senior residential facility.

For more information, call 619-284-7179, email [email protected], or visit the website.

MEPs urge release of Armenian POWs, call for Minsk Group’s swift return to its mediating role

Khondkarian Raffi
Public Radio of Armenia
Feb 17 2022
, 14:18

 1 minute read

The OSCE Minsk Group remains the only internationally recognized format for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, Members of the European parliament said in a resolution on the Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2021.

In the resolution the European Parliament calls on the EU, its Member States and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP) to actively engage in finding a lasting settlement on Nagorno-Karabakh and to prevent a further escalation of tensions in the region, notably by pressing Azerbaijan and Armenia to address post-war issues, including the demarcation of borders and the release of all remaining prisoners of war.

The MEPs note that the OSCE Minsk Group remains the only internationally recognized format for the resolution of this conflict on the basis of the principles of territorial integrity, non-use of force, self-determination and equal rights, and peaceful resolution of conflicts.

The European Union calls for the Minsk Group’s swift return to its mediating role.

Turkish press: Armenia, Turkiye train brings back nostalgia for people at border

Khondkarian Raffi
Cuneyt Celik   |15.02.2022


KARS, Turkiye

A train which ran between Turkiye and Armenia brings back nostalgia to people on both sides of the border.

Amid a thaw in relations between Turkiye and Armenia, people in Turkiye’s eastern province Kars are waiting for the Dogukapi border crossing to reopen after nearly three decades.

The border was closed in 1993 in response to Armenia’s occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory.

Turkiye’s Eastern Express line, which attracts many tourists, departs from the capital city of Ankara, and arrives in eastern province Kars after a 25-hour-long journey with picturesque views all along the route of 1,310 kilometers (814 miles). From Kars, there is another regional train departing for Akyaka district, located near the Armenian border. Through the Dogukapi border crossing, one can reach Armenia’s border city Gyumri.

Recaling those busy days when trains would travel between Turkiye and Armenia, business people and former railway workers say a possible reopening of the line would contribute to the trade and tourism in the region.

Ilim Goktas, who worked for six years at the Dogukapi train station, told Anadolu Agency he hopes “the gate will reopen.”

“Peace and tranquility will come to the region, our economy will revive,” he added.

Stating that he had to leave his job after the Dogukapi border crossing was closed, Goktas said: “At that time, coal, fiber, sunflower, cotton and iron would come in (to Turkiye through that route).”

“We stayed very busy transferring the cargo coming from Armenia and Russia to Turkish trains at our station,” he recalled.

He added that around 100 people would work in shifts at the border crossing at the time.

Livestock from the Turkish provinces of Van, Mus, Agri, Kars and Erzurum would also be sent to the Soviet Union through that gate, he added.

Cahit Akbulak, a retired worker, stated that they operated three shifts due to the high workload on the railway line between the two countries.

Kenan Akbulak, a village head, said: “With the opening of Dogukapi, there will be job opportunities, imports and exports in our village.”

Businessperson Alican Alibeyoglu said: “We should see the railway here as the old Silk Road that extends to China and Siberia. Opening the gate will contribute to Kars and other cities in the region.”

* Writing by Iclal Turan.

BAJ Unicorn Academy launched in Armenia to develop Machine Learning Engineers

Khondkarian Raffi

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 13:00, 7 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. With the initiative of Orion and BAJ Accelerator the BAJ Unicorn Academy program has been launched in Armenia, highly qualified Machine Learning Engineers will be developed. The IT education program is implemented by the Armenian Code Academy (ACA) with funding from Embodied and cognaize companies, the ACA told Armenpress.

The education program is free of charge for the 20 selected students. The first class took place on January 28th and the program lasts for 5 months. 

“Working with our future unicorn companies, we noticed a lack of senior Machine Learning specialists in Armenia. In our estimation, in the coming years, IT companies will continue to grow rapidly, therefore, there will be a need for more specialists. We decided to solve the problem by creating opportunities to gain experience on the educational and international standards’ level. If the first class is successful, we will increase the number of students and programs moving forward,” said Diana Arzumanyan, CEO & Co-Founder of Orion Armenia. 

“We have invited lecturers from the world’s leading companies and universities to train and prepare highly qualified Machine Learning Engineers. We have lecturers from the University of Arizona, Google, and other international companies,” said Narek Aslikyan, CEO & Co-Founder of Armenian Code Academy. 

The best students from the class will get job offers from Embodied and cognaize startups, both of which have achieved great successes in the global market, and currently are actively recruiting and expanding their Armenian teams. With the knowledge gained at BAJ Unicorn Academy, the graduates will also be competitive in the labor market and will be highly sought after by other companies. 

About Orion

Orion Worldwide Innovations (“Orion”), is a startup growth and ecosystem acceleration hub and offers a full-service package to make companies investable and enter the US market, enhance their customer acquisition strategies, stay competitive, and protect their innovation.Orion is a U.S.-based company that was formed in 2017, with offices in New York City, U.S., and Yerevan, Armenia.Orion partners with companies and investor networks worldwide.

About BAJ Accelerator

BAJ Accelerator is a growth stage accelerator and is for startups at the Seed to Series A+ levels. BAJ Accelerator is the first one in the world “accelerating the acceleration of technology” by offering high-touch relationships for funding and growth, business and legal, investment and academia. Topics span an impressive range including technology, legal, finance, sales, marketing, leadership, storytelling and exponential thinking.BAJ Accelerator brings fast-paced drive with the unique vision of “Less Talk, More Deals” slogan.

About ACA

Armenian Code Academy is a leading tech education institution based in Yerevan, Armenia. For the past six years, we have been organizing training programs offering high-quality education to both enthusiasts who want to join computer programming and already practicing programmers who wish to expand their horizons.

Armenpress: Pashinyan’s visit to Turkey and participation in the Antalya conference is not discussed

Khondkarian Raffi

Pashinyan’s visit to Turkey and participation in the Antalya conference is not discussed

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 09:14, 5 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Turkey and participation in the Antalya diplomatic conference is not discussed, ARMENPRESS reports the spokesman of the MFA Armenia Vahan Hunanyan announced.

Hunanyan commented on Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay’s statement that Nikol Pashinyan will visit Turkey in March to attend the Antalya Forum. The invitation to that diplomatic meeting has been sent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and the special representative of Armenia Ruben Rubinyan.




Fwd: The California Courier Online, Feb. 3, 2022

Khondkarian Raffi
The California Courier Online, Feb. 3, 2022

1-         After Abandoning Artsakh, Pashinyan

            Now Gives Up the Armenian Cause

            By Harut Sassounian

            Publisher, The California Courier

            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

2-         Armenia to Provide Artsakh with $300 Million Financial Aid In 2022

3-         Roma will not extend contract of soccer player Henrikh Mkhitaryan
4-         Armenia v. Azerbaijan in the International Court of Justice

5-         Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19

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

1-         After Abandoning Artsakh, Pashinyan

            Now Gives Up the Armenian Cause

            By Harut Sassounian

            Publisher, The California Courier

            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

It is simply amazing that every time Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
opens his mouth, he makes a new and bigger blunder. To be convinced of
this, all one has to do is follow his speeches, press conferences,
contradictory statements in the Armenian Parliament, Facebook
postings, flawed decisions and unqualified nominations. To make
matters worse, he does not seem to learn from his errors. Pashinyan
neither realizes nor admits his mistakes. He seems to be incorrigible.

On January 24, 2022, the Prime Minister gave another one of his
so-called press conferences. No reporters were present to ask
questions and challenge his misstatements. It was a
poorly-orchestrated show to mislead the public. A young lady read the
questions supposedly sent by the media. When one of the journalists
complained later that his question was presented in a garbled manner,
the young lady honestly confessed that she had simply read the
questions given to her by the Prime Minister’s aides.

Among the Prime Minister’s biggest blunders was his reply to a
question about Armenian historical demands from Turkey. Pashinyan
stated that “the Republic of Armenia has never conducted a policy of
the Armenian Cause. Never.” I seriously doubt that he knows the
meaning of “the Armenian Cause.” His comment is no different than what
a Turkish official would have said. It is shameful that after the
horrendous genocide that was committed against Armenians in 1915-1923,
killing 1.5 million innocent men, women and children, and
dispossessing them of their historic homeland, the Prime Minister so
casually dismisses Armenians’ just demands and acts as if nothing had
happened. This is exactly what the Turkish leaders want—that Armenians
forget about the past and drop their demands.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister falsely stated that Pres. “Robert
Kocharian in 2005 publicly announced that Armenia does not have
territorial demands or territorial expectations from Turkey.” I recall
reporting about Kocharian’s statement back in April 2005, when a
Yerevan State University student asked him about Armenia’s demands for
land from Turkey. Kocharian cautiously responded: “This issue would
have to be taken up by a future President.” It is clear that at a time
when Armenia had its hands full dealing with the conflict with
Azerbaijan over Artsakh, it was not in Armenia’s best interest to open
a second front with Turkey over Armenian territories. Kocharian did
not say that Armenia had no territorial demands from Turkey. He simply
said that the resolution of that issue has to be taken up at a later
date. It is a shame that Prime Minister Pashinyan repeated what the
Turkish media had falsely reported rather than what was actually said
by the previous President of Armenia.

Going from one distortion to the next, Pashinyan falsely added that
Pres. “Serzh Sargsyan had made a reference to Kocharian’s statement.”
I do not recall Sargsyan making such a reference. Pashinyan continued
by stating that “Armenia never placed in doubt the Armenia-Turkey
border. You will not find a single leader or government of the
Armenian Republic who put in doubt the Armenia-Turkey border. We have
not resigned from this policy.” In reality, until Pashinyan, no
Armenian President or government had accepted the current
Armenia-Turkey border nor stated that Armenia did not have territorial
demands from Turkey.

Coming to the issue of the Armenian Genocide, Prime Minister Pashinyan
wrongly stated: “We must register that the locomotive behind the
process of the recognition of the Genocide has always been the
Diaspora and Diaspora organizations.” This is exactly what the Turkish
government would want the Armenian leader to say. There are several
things wrong with the Prime Minister’s statement.

1) Pashinyan is once again splitting the Diaspora from Armenia.

2) The Armenian Genocide is not exclusively a Diaspora issue. The
descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors constitute today over
one-third of Armenia’s population. That is why every year on April 24
over one million Armenians march to the Armenian Genocide Monument in
Yerevan.

3) All previous Armenian governments have pursued the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. In fact, Armenia’s Declaration
of Independence, issued on August 23, 1990, declared the following:
“Aware of its historic responsibility for the destiny of the Armenian
people engaged in the realization of the aspirations of all Armenians
and the restoration of historical justice,” and “The Republic of
Armenia stands in support of the task of achieving international
recognition of the 1915 Genocide in Ottoman Turkey and Western
Armenia.” Significantly, the Declaration used the words “Western
Armenia,” which is now being abandoned by the Prime Minister. Later,
Armenia’s Constitution included a link to the Declaration of
Independence.

4) The pursuit of the international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is a pan Armenian issue which concerns both the Diaspora and
Armenia. Therefore, there must be a coordinated division of labor
between the Diaspora and the Armenian government. What the Diaspora is
able to do is different from what the Armenian government can do and
vice versa.

The Prime Minister also made many other misstatements in his over
two-hour-long so-called press conference. However, an entire book has
to be written, not just an article, to expose all of his
misstatements.

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2-         Armenia to Provide Artsakh with $300 Million Financial Aid In 2022

YEREVAN — Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Artsakh
President Araik Harutyunyan met today in Yerevan to address social and
infrastructure problems in Artsakh, the press service of the Armenian
prime minister reported.

“After the 44-day war (in 2020 autumn), the Armenian government has
been much more active in assisting Artsakh to resolve its social and
economic problems,” Pashinyan was quoted as saying.

He added that the annual budget of Artsakh for 2022 is unprecedented,
“which, in principle, is natural, because the post-war reconstruction,
first of all, is very important”.

”Of course, it will require a lot of effort from us. And I think this
is normal,” Pashinyan said.

He said that in 2022 the Armenian government will provide Artsakh with
a budget support of about 144 billion drams (about $300 million), up
from more than 100 billion drams, provided in 2021.

Artsakh President Araik Harutyunyan, in turn, said that 300 apartments
have already been built and handed over mainly to the families of
displaced persons.

He said the construction of another 3000 houses has also begun. The
authorities have also repaired about 500 apartments and the design of
about another 2000 apartments is already underway.

“The Badara-Stepanakert pipeline is already under construction, which
will solve not only the drinking water problem in the capital
Stepanakert, but also in the new settlements under construction, some
of which are in the vicinity of Stepanakert. At the same time, the
construction of Badara water reservoir has already started. Work on
the Sovetar canal, which will provide an additional 3,000 hectares of
land for irrigation, is nearing completion,” Harutyunyan said.

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3-         Roma will not extend contract of soccer player Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Italian club AS Roma will not extend the contract of soccer player
Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

He will be a free agent after the end of his contract, and can be
transferred to another team without payment.

Mkhitaryan’s annual salary of 3 million euros is the basis for such a
decision by the Italian club.

Mkhitaryan played in the top leagues in Europe, such as Arsenal and
Manchester United (2016-2018). He scored a goal in the 2017 Europa
League final with “Manchester United”, becoming the first Armenian
footballer to win a major European Cup. In 2013-2016 he played for
Borussia Dortmund ․ He was recognized as the best football player in
the German Bundesliga in the 2015-2016 season, scoring 23 goals and
providing 32 assists in 52 matches. He also played for Shakhtar
Donetsk (2010-2013) and Metallurg Donetsk (2009-2010). He was involved
with Pyunik Yerevan (1995-2006) in Armenia. He first played for the
Espoirs national team, and at the age of 17 was a professional
footballer for a senior team.

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4-         Armenia v. Azerbaijan in the International Court of Justice

International lawyer Karnig Kerkonian (pictured, right) will share his
experiences with a presentation on “Armenia v. Azerbaijan in the
International Court of Justice: The Recent Case Brought Under the
International Convention Against All Forms of Racial Discrimination”
at 7 p.m. (Pacific time)/10 p.m. (Eastern time) on Thursday, February
17, 2022.

The presentation is part of the Spring 2022 Lecture Series of the
Armenian Studies Program and is co-sponsored by the Society for
Armenian Studies (SAS).

On September 16, 2021, the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
announced that Armenia had started court proceedings against
Azerbaijan. Armenia accused Azerbaijan of racial discrimination in
violation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). The lawsuit followed the
44-day war fought between the two states last year. Armenia accuses
Azerbaijan of discriminating against ethnic Armenians.

It asserts that “Anti-Armenian hate is [Azerbaijani] State policy” and
has lead to “mass killings, torture and other abuse” of ethnic
Armenians.

In its court application, Armenia recorded the violent persecution of
Armenians throughout the 20th century.

Karnig Kerkonian an international lawyer, who is a member of the
Armenian delegation to the ICJ in the case against Azerbaijan, will
discuss the ramifications of the case.

Kerkonian currently leads the international and federal practice
groups at Kerkonian Dajani LLP, focusing on complex litigation
matters, Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act litigation, the Alien Tort
Claims Act and commercial sanctions regime matters.

Kerkonian holds an A.B. magna cum laude in Government from Harvard
University and two law degrees—a J.D. from the University of Chicago
where he served on the Law Review as well as a post-doctoral Diploma
in Public International Law from Cambridge University, England where
he studied under James R. Crawford, later a Judge of the International
Court of Justice. Mr. Kerkonian presents regularly on matters of
public international law, the International Court of Justice, the
European Court of Human Rights and the application of international
law in U.S. courts.

He is an adjunct professor of public international law at Artsakh
State University.

Zoom Registration Link:

For information about Armenian Studies Program presentations, please
follow ArmenianStudiesFresnoState on Facebook or at the Program
website,

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5-         Armenia Continues Fight Against COVID-19

Armenia continues the fight against COVID-19, as the country continues
promoting the vaccination phase. Armenia’s Ministry of Health
announced on January 11 new restrictions to curb the fast spreading of
the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. From January 22, people above 18
must present either a vaccination certificate or a negative recent
test result prior to entering restaurants, hotels, cinemas and other
similar venues, Xinhua news agency reported citing the MInistry as
saying. As of Monday, January 10 the country had administered a total
of 1,694,518 doses of Covid-19 vaccines, according to the Ministry.

The U.S. State Department on July 26 warned American citizens to
reconsider travel to Armenia due to the increase in cases of the
Covid-19.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a
Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Armenia due to COVID-19, indicating a
high level of COVID-19 in the country,” said the State Department.

The State Department also urged U.S. citizens not to travel to the
Nagorno-Karabakh region due to armed conflict. “The U.S. government is
unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in
Nagorno-Karabakh as U.S. government employees are restricted from
traveling there,” the State Department added.

WHO, with funding from the European Union, in September supplied X-ray
equipment to 7 COVID-19 frontline hospitals – 1 in the capital Yerevan
and in 6 other cities in Armenia.

A new law came into effect on December 10, by order of the Armenian
Ministry of Health, that would allow employers to fire workers who
refuse to provide proof of vaccination. Armenia has the lowest
vaccination rate in the region and Europe. Armenia began its mass
vaccination campaign in April with authorities planning to inoculate
700,000 of the country’s 2.9 million citizens by the end of the year.
However, only 516,989 citizens had been fully vaccinated by Dec. 6.

620,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine were donated to Armenia by Norway
with the support of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism within the
framework of the Team Europe initiative is already in Armenia.

“The entire infrastructure is ready to carry out a large number of
vaccinations. I add that vaccination does not exclude the disease, but
reduces the risk of contagion”, Armenian Health Minister Anahit
Avanesyan reported during a recent press conference, adding that the
late entry into force of the restrictive measures was a shortcoming of
her department. According to the minister, they are currently
considering the option of requesting certification of negativity from
Covid or vaccination to enter restaurants and attend concerts.

There were 9,977 active cases in Armenia as of January 24, 2022.
Armenia has recorded 352,399 coronavirus cases and 8,028 deaths;
334,394 have recovered.

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