Author: Khoyetsian Rose

President Khachaturyan addresses congratulatory message on 32nd anniversary of Declaration of Independence

Khoyetsian Rose

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 13:15,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan addressed a congratulatory message on the 32nd anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the Presidential Office said.

The message reads:

“Dear compatriots,

Today we mark the day of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia.

On August 23, 1990, the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic Supreme Council adopted the Declaration of Independence, “expressing the united will of the people of Armenia”, as stated in the very first line of the Declaration, and made the first step on the path to creating an independent statehood. The Declaration of Independence outlined the landmark goals of our statehood to have a sovereign state, ensure the country’s internal and external security, set democratic freedoms and guarantee the fulfillment of the inalienable rights of the citizens of Armenia to work, create and build their own prosperous future.

This content of the Declaration of Independence is always relevant because it expresses our collective goals and dreams as a statement and a society.

And today, like three decades before, we must be ready to resist and overcome all the trials facing our homeland with joint efforts, having the Declaration of Independence and the idea of Independence as a guideline and belief.

I congratulate all of us on this important symbolic day”.

Turkish press: Armenians in Lachin region burn houses, forests before leaving

Khoyetsian Rose
Ruslan Rehimov   |18.08.2022


BAKU, Azerbaijan

Homes and forests are being set ablaze in the Azerbaijani border region of Lachin by illegally settled Armenians as they leave the region, showed recent captured footage.

Despite successive warnings not to burn their homes or harm the environment, images have been circulating on social media showing some Armenians burning their houses and nearby forests.

Footage showed Armenians setting fire to their homes in the city of Lachin and nearby villages of Zabuh and Sus, along with the surrounding forestland.

Azerbaijan is set to retake control of Lachin, which lies on the route between the city of Khankendi in Karabakh and Armenia, at the end of this month, in accordance with a joint declaration signed by Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Russian troops and the Armenian population will leave the areas along the route known as the “Lachin corridor,” where Lachin, Zabuh, and Sus are located and which was temporarily put under Russian control in accordance with the tripartite declaration signed on Nov. 10, 2020 after 44 days of conflict.

As part of the declaration, Azerbaijan built 32 kilometers (20 miles) of road passing around Lachin for the Armenian population in Karabakh to use on their way to and from Armenia.

Russian forces providing security on the route of the old Lachin corridor will also move the checkpoints to the new road.

Lachin and its villages were occupied by the Armenian army in 1992, and then Armenians brought from Syria and Lebanon were settled there in the following years. Throughout the process, Azerbaijan has declared that it sees this as a war crime and violation of the Geneva Conventions.

According to information from the Armenian press and social media, the Armenian population that settled in Lachin and Zabuh and Sus was warned to leave the region by Aug. 25. They will be able to settle in either Armenia or Khankendi and will receive financial assistance from Yerevan.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

As new clashes erupted in September 2020, the ensuing conflict saw Azerbaijan liberate several cities and over 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia for almost 30 years.

The fighting ended in November 2020 with a deal brokered by Russia that saw Armenia cede chunks of the territory it had occupied for decades.

In January 2021, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia agreed to develop economic ties and infrastructure for the benefit of the entire region.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar

Assembly Concludes 2022 D.C. Summer Internship Program

Khoyetsian Rose

Armenian Assembly of America Terjenian-Thomas interns met with Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) this summer to participate in policy-related conversations, and discuss issues relating to Armenia and Artsakh.


Washington, D.C. – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) marked another successful summer welcoming students from around the country for the 2022 Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program in Washington DC, where they participated in various high-profile placements, from governmental departments to embassies and federal legislative offices.
“The Assembly is committed to training the next generation of leaders through our Internship Program. Every year we look forward to connecting with bright, college-age students from across the country who have an interest in the political process, government and advocacy,” said Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.
The Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program provides students a closer look into the way government functions, particularly on Capitol Hill.
“We learned about the importance of grassroots support for Armenian issues,” said Bettina Saraydaroglu, who served as the Assembly’s Summer Intern Coordinator. The George Washington University rising senior, who is studying International Affairs and Geography, noted the “impact” of being an advocate for Armenia and Artsakh.
“I was inspired by the work done by the staffers, Congressmen and Congresswoman who put in the time to represent their constituents,” added Saraydaroglu.
As an intern in Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s (D-FL) office, Lily Kalandjian appreciated the network of Armenian students and professionals she was exposed to throughout the Internship Program, including Capitol Hill staffers, World Bank traders, and McDonald’s executives.

“This summer was an invaluable experience where I was able to meet directly with Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators to advocate for Armenian issues and give back to my Armenian community while furthering the Armenian cause,” said Kalandjian, a rising junior studying Political Science at the University of Florida. “Not only was I able to get in touch with my Armenian heritage on a deeper level, but I was also able to create lifelong friends. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity provided by the Armenian Assembly as it has afforded me an experience of a lifetime.”

The Armenian Assembly of America Terjenian-Thomas interns met with Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen and thanked him for his support on issues pertaining to the Armenian people.


California native Peter Chelebian also cited the Assembly’s Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program as a “memorable summer experience” that provided him with the “tools” to understand all facets of Washington, DC.
“Advocating for Armenian issues in the nation’s capital was incredibly empowering as I consider law and government work in the future,” said Chelebian, who highlighted the importance of meetings organized by the Assembly with key figures including Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Sam Tatevosian, director of McDonald’s Corporation’s federal government relations department. Chelebian, a rising senior at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) is studying Political Science and interned at the Center for Immigration Studies. “I learned so much talking to successful and admirable power players in DC, and thank the Assembly for setting up such opportunities.”
As an Armenian Assembly of America intern, Lilia Karapetyan also appreciated connecting with elected officials and being exposed to Armenian American issues.
“The meetings were incredibly useful to get in contact with professionals in the advocacy field and intern alums now pursuing their respective careers,” said Karapetyan, a rising senior at University of Maryland, College Park, where she is studying Criminology, Criminal Justice and French. “A number of people we met with had careers that align with my interests and hearing about their experiences will help me with my own upcoming transition into the professional world.”
In addition to the daily internship placements, participants enjoyed a range of programming and activities throughout the summer, including discussions with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD); Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA); Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA); Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA); Grigor Sargsyan, Principal Portfolio Manager at the World Bank; Jeffrey Kramb, Armenian Desk Officer at the U.S. Department of State; Sam Tatevosyan, Head of Federal Government Relations at McDonalds Corporation; Ani Toumajan, Legislative Assistant to Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI); Assembly Board Member and intern alumnus Aram Gavoor, Esq., who serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professorial Lecturer in Law at The George Washington University Law School; Khatchig Mouradian, Armenian and Georgian Area Specialist at the Library of Congress; recent Assembly Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program alumni Sophia Badalian, Tamar Barsamian, Arianna Cruickshank, Robert George, Armen Kaprelian, and Olivia Zorayan; Bryan Ardouny, Assembly Executive Director; Mihran Toumajan, Assembly Western Regional Director; Arpi Vartanian, Assembly Armenia Regional Director; Mariam Khaloyan, Assembly Congressional Relations Director; as well as mixers with Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) interns, and a trip to the Washington Nationals baseball game, courtesy of Chuck Yessaian from the Armenian Youth Center Golf Committee.

The Armenian Assembly of America Terjenian-Thomas interns in front of the U.S. Capitol.


The Assembly’s flagship Terjenian-Thomas Internship Program, which marks its 45th year, along with its sister Yerevan Internship Program, is comprised of meetings with elected officials, as well as with leaders and experts who work in government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the mass media. Over the last four decades, the Assembly has welcomed over 1,200 students and secured placements for them in high-profile roles, including with congressional offices, government departments, media outlets, think tanks, and nonprofit organizations in Washington DC, and Yerevan.
This year’s intern class included: Louisa Bayburtian, Armenian Assembly of America; Peter Chelebian, Center for Immigration Studies; Jack Dunkerley, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation; Lucas Eskigian, Office of Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA); Elen Hovhannisyan, Embassy of the Republic of Armenia; Gagik Hovhannisyan, Embassy of the Republic of Armenia; Lily Kalandjian, Office of Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL); Lilia Karapetyan, Armenian Assembly of America; Elena Martinez, U.S. Department of Treasury; Bettina Saraydaroglu, Armenian Assembly of America; and Alis Tokatlioglu, Armenian American Cultural Association, Inc.


Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.


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NR# 2022-36

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 15-08-22

Khoyetsian Rose

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 17:23,

YEREVAN, 15 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 15 August, USD exchange rate up by 0.28 drams to 406.19 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 3.25 drams to 414.31 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.06 drams to 6.60 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.29 drams to 490.96 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 43.90 drams to 23403.59 drams. Silver price down by 3.40 drams to 264.65 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams.

Team Armenia brings 4 medals from 7th Children of Asia International Sports Games

Khoyetsian Rose

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 11:35, 8 August 2022

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenia won 4 medals in the 7th Children of Asia International Sports Games held July 27-August 8 in Vladivostok, Russia, the ministry of sports reported.

Sambist Mher Ohanyan won the gold medal at the 7th Children of Asia International Sports Games in the 64kg division of sambo tournament.

All other three medals were won by marksmen: Nare Melkumyan won silver and Gagik Nikoghosyan won bronze in the rifle shooting tournament. Both marksmen won another bronze with a score of 17:13 in a team competition.

In the handgun competition, Armen Gevorgyan finished 6th with a score of 536, 186.1, while Edita Manucharyan finished 5th with a score of 534, 137.7. The duo again finished 5th in a team competition.

The Armenian breach volleyball team, which included Milena and Elizaveta Tonoyans, won the 5th place after having 3 victories and 4 losses.

More than 1300 athletes aged 13-16 from Armenia, Afghanistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Lebanon are participating in the championship.

Avetik Chalabyan: This is ‘Nikol Pashinyan vs Avetik Chalabyan’ lawsuit

Khoyetsian Rose
NEWS.am
Aug 10 2022
Avetik Chalabyan: This is ‘Nikol Pashinyan vs Avetik Chalabyan’ lawsuit
15:23, 10.08.2022

Public and political activist Avetik Chalabyan said in the courtroom today, August 10, that the verdict in his case has been accepted and is stored on one of the shelves in court.

“Emma Sargsyan and I are accused of the same thing, but from the first day the attitude of the preliminary investigation body towards me and Emma Sargsyan is asymmetrical. In relation to Emma Sargsyan a preventive measure was chosen in the form of written undertaking not to leave the country, and in relation to me the most brutal measure – arrest,” said Chalabyan.

According to Avetik Chalabyan, according to the prepared verdict, Emma Sargsyan will receive the mildest punishment, a fine, while he will receive the heaviest punishment, in the form of imprisonment for three years.

“This is not a trial against Emma Sargsyan and Avetik Chalabyan, but the trial of Nikol Pashinyan vs. Emma Sargsyan is an accidental person in this case. Therefore, I propose to drop the charges against Emma Sargsyan. Let’s take into account that Emma Sargsyan is a single mother with a child with health problems. Emma Sargsyan, like me, has done nothing. But you are judging me for something else,” Avetik Chalabyan said.

“It is not possible for peacekeeping forces to defend a country or nation”: Areresum

Khoyetsian Rose
Aravot
Armenia – Aug 8 2022

On June 30, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan said that Armenia is discussing the issues related to Berdzor and Aghavno with their partners in Artsakh. “We still have time to find solutions for the road and for the residents. We still have about 1.5 years. We will work with the Artsakh government and find solutions.” However, on August 5, it became clear that the residents of Aghavno, Nerkin Sus, and Berdzor should be evacuated from Kashatagh by August 25. The guest of Aravot’s “Areresum (Confrontation)” program, former head of the Military Institute of the Ministry of Defense, colonel, and candidate of political sciences Aleksan Minasyan, addressing the question of why the term was so shortened, specifically said that Azerbaijan speaks from the position of strength. “They clearly feel their advantage. They feel that they are far superior to us in terms of weapons. And we, who should have prepared with small detachments to take action behind them, are not doing so.” 

Significant sections of high-voltage lines, communication cables, and gas pipelines going to Artsakh will remain under the control of Azerbaijan for the time being. What is the explanation for the fact that the construction of new electricity and communication lines and a gas pipeline to Artsakh did not start earlier and the Armenian side once again faced the fact? Vova Vartanov, the founder of the military-patriotic organization The Art of Staying Alive, the commander of the volunteer battalion VOMA, and the other guest of the “Areresum” program, said, “It seems to me that all of this is explained by the approach of our people to leave it to their own devices: whatever will happen will happen. When I say something like this, they retort that the authorities… the people in power are not the same people… They are the same as this consumer society, which is absolutely not preparing for large-scale military operations, which is not preparing to protect its family.”

Deputies of the Civil Contract faction criticized the Russian peacekeepers for this latest tension, noting that according to the November 9 announcement, the Lachin Corridor is solely under the responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping mission, and that military force must ensure peace and stability in its area of responsibility in accordance with its mandate. However, if we take into account that the Azerbaijanis used drones again, does the tripartite statement say that the peacekeepers can have and use anti-aircraft defense systems? Aleksan Minasyan said that peacekeepers can use all kinds of weapons if they are defined by agreements. Azerbaijan did not sign the mandate of the peacekeepers, and this means that they do not have a mandate to participate in military operations, but have an exclusively stabilizing military-political significance. “And we know that there are not so many Russian troops in that area that they can provide 100 percent control,” the former head of the Military Institute of the Ministry of Defense also mentioned. He added that we have no right to rely only on peacekeepers. 

However, there are suggestions that the peacekeeping mission should be changed and multinational forces should be deployed in Artsakh. Vova Vartanov believes that the absence of collisions and incidents is not guaranteed even in that case. “The peacekeepers put you in a comfort zone, giving you a false sense of security that they will protect you. I do not have enough fingers; many international examples can be cited when peacekeepers in the heart of Europe did not protect Serbian Krajina, Bosnian Muslims… It is not possible to protect a country or a nation with peacekeeping forces.” He added, “And whether the peacekeepers will be Dutch, from Burundi or from Upper Volta, it makes no difference to me. They come here to protect their interests.”

CNN: Russia calls for restraint after deadly Nagorno-Karabakh clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Khoyetsian Rose
CNN News
Aug 4 2022
By Jorge Engels, CNN
Updated 10:57 AM EDT, Thu August 04, 2022

(CNN)Russia has called for restraint after Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of violating a Moscow-brokered ceasefire following deadly clashes in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The fighting killed at least one Azerbaijani soldier, according to that country’s foreign ministry on Wednesday.

Armenia’s foreign ministry also said the clashes had resulted in “casualties and wounded ones,” but did not specify how many or which side those belonged to. It also called on the world to step in to stop Azerbaijan’s “aggressive behavior and actions.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Russia is “concerned,” reported Reuters.

“We are watching very closely, we are naturally concerned about the situation worsening,” he said Thursday. “We ask the parties for restraint and most importantly to implement all provisions of the trilateral documents.”

Both sides have accused the other of launching attacks on military positions in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Russia, an Armenian security ally, maintains a peacekeeping force in the region after brokering a ceasefire agreement in early November 2020, ending an almost two-month conflict that killed at least 6,500 people, according to Reuters.

Russia’s defense ministry on Wednesday also accused Azerbaijani forces of violating the ceasefire, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

“The command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, together with representatives of the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides, are taking measures to stabilize the situation,” the ministry said in a statement, according to TASS.

On Wednesday, the European Union called for an immediate end to the hostilities.

“It is essential to de-escalate, fully respect the ceasefire and return to the negotiating table to seek negotiated solutions,” an EU spokesperson said in a statement.

Nagorno-Karabakh is populated and controlled by ethnic Armenians, and aided by the Armenian diaspora.

It sits inside Azerbaijani territory and is connected to Armenia proper by a costly highway, known as the Lachin corridor, where Wednesday’s clashes took place.

Azerbaijan has long claimed it will retake the territory, which is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani. Control over the area has become a point of nationalist pride in both countries.

The unrest in Nagorno-Karabakh dates back to the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the region, backed by Armenia, declared independence from Azerbaijan.

With additional reporting from Reuters.

Artsakh: Traffic along Shushi-Berdzor-Goris highway is open in both directions

Khoyetsian Rose
ARMINFO

Armenia – Aug 3 2022
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo. Traffic along the Shushi-Berdzor-Goris interstate highway is open in both directions. This was reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Artsakh.

, the Artsakh Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Another escalation of situation began on the morning of August 1.  Azerbaijani units do not stop provocations and ceasefire violations.  As a result of shelling from the Azerbaijani side on August 1, a  soldier was wounded.

And today, as a result of enemy actions, 8 servicemen of the Artsakh  Defense Army were injured, one more died.

Project of Christ statue on Armenian mount sparks historians’ and rights defenders’ criticism

Khoyetsian Rose
Caucasian Knot
Project of Christ statue on Armenian mount sparks historians’ and rights defenders’ criticism
The installation of a statue of Jesus Christ on Mount Atis violates the law on the protection of cultural heritage and natural areas, 16 human rights and public organizations have stated. They doubt the attractiveness of the statue for tourists.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on July 16, on the top of Mount Atis, activists held a rally against the erection of the above statue, which was the initiative of Gagik Tsarukyan, the leader of the “Prosperous Armenia” Party. The idea was approved by the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, who announced that the statue would increase tourists’ interest in Armenia. Scientists opposed the idea, while the Armenian Apostolic Church believes that the statue is contrary to the cult tradition.

The construction of the statue has revealed corruption risks in the alienation of a public area that is a historical monument, as well as the non-transparent activities of Armenian authorities, the authors of the statement signed by the Transparency International Anticorruption Centre, the Vanadzor Office of the Helsinki Civil Assembly, the Helsinki Association of Armenia and other organizations assert.

“They are destroying not only a natural monument, but also the cultural and historical heritage. There are more than 50 antiquities of the Neolithic, Stone and Bronze Ages on Mount Atis,” said Garegin Miskaryan, the initiator of the petition against the construction of the statue.

Asmik Arutyunyan, an expert from the NGO “Rights Protection Without Borders”, said that authorities had ignored the demand of public organizations and continue the construction.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on at 03:53 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:
Scientists oppose construction of residential houses near scientific centre in Yerevan, In Yerevan, police detain five opponents of construction in a park, Human rights defenders criticize dispersal of protest against construction in Yerevan.

Author: Tigran Petrosyan Source: СK correspondent
Source: ?fbclid=IwAR2_V5t3XzFzo5wKjb-VWY21W6822D2HyL0ES3YlLs9VIOFHGHhANCWqG9E
© Caucasian Knot