9,843 thousand tons of fresh fruit and vegetables were exported from Armenia this year as compared with 8,043 tons – for the same period in 2016, the country’s agriculture ministry reported on Friday.
According to the source, Russia is the main export direction with some 9,000 tones delivered, while Georgia, Belarus, UAE, and Romania accounted the smaller share of the total export volumes.
ArmenPress News Agency , Armenia Monday Congressmen call on U.S. Secretary of Treasury to renegotiate the existing, outdated Double Tax Treaty with Armenia YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Representatives David Valadao (R-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA) are collecting signatures on a bipartisan letter urging their Congressional colleagues to request that Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin renegotiate the existing, outdated Double Tax Treaty with Armenia, an obsolete Cold War-era accord, recognized today by the U.S. but not Armenia, that was negotiated with the now defunct USSR more than four decades ago, ARMENPRESS was informed from the official website of the ANCA. The Valadao-Sherman letter notes that “The existing Soviet-era treaty does not reflect the increasing complexity of a globalized world and the friendship between the American and Armenian peoples,” then calls upon Secretary Mnuchin to, “prioritize the renegotiation of the double tax treaty with Armenia.” The letter also underscores that “the complexities of the international tax structure should not discourage American and Armenian companies from conducting business with each other due to double taxation. The need for updated guidelines that reflect the current state of U.S.-Armenian relations and recently passed tax reform legislation cannot be understated.” “We want to thank Representatives Valadao and Sherman for spearheading Congressional outreach to Secretary Mnuchin in support of an updated, working U.S.-Armenia Tax Treaty that will – by ending the threat of double taxation – break down a key barrier to the growth of bilateral trade and investment,” said ANCA Government Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian. “We join with them in encouraging their House colleagues to support the timely negotiation of this mutually-beneficial and long overdue accord.” “Dear Secretary Mnuchin, We are writing you with regards to the current U.S. tax treaty with the Republic of Armenia. The current tax treaty between the United States and Armenia is insufficient for the needs of the two countries, as it was last negotiated with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) during the Cold War in 1973. We believe the unrealized benefits of an updated double tax treaty between Washington and Yerevan necessitate immediate negotiations, which could be based upon the frameworks of treaties recently ratified with other nations. In fact, the Armenian Embassy has said it would be “willing to conclude such an accord on the basis of the latest U.S. Model Income Tax Convention of 2016.” The complexities of the international tax structure should not discourage American and Armenian companies from conducting business with each other due to double taxation. The need for updated guidelines that reflect the current state of U.S.-Armenian relations and recently passed tax reform legislation cannot be understated. As Members of Congress, we respectfully urge you to prioritize the renegotiation of the double tax treaty with Armenia. The existing Soviet-era treaty does not reflect the increasing complexity of a globalized world and the friendship between the American and Armenian peoples. Furthermore, it is vital we provide businesses from both countries the ability and incentive to invest in one another. Thank you for your service to the United States. We look forward to your response”, reads the letter of David Valadao and Brad Sherman to Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin.
Representatives of the Armenian community of Syria will be among the participants of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi. Deputies of the Syrian parliament Nora Arisyan and Zhirayr Reisyan have already arrived in Sochi.
According to the national composition, the majority of delegates will be Arabs (94.5%). Over 1600 delegates representing all layers of the Syrian society are invited to the Congress. Kurds, Yezidis, Assyrians, Armenians, Circassians, Chechens, Dagestani, Abkhazians, Turkomans and Druze will also attend the congress.
Syrian National Dialogue Congress will be held on January 30, 2018.
The Homenetmen scouts conduct the flag ceremony during ARF’s 127th anniversary celebration in Glendale on Sunday
GLENDALE—The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central Committee marked the party’s 127th anniversary during a celebration Sunday at Glendale High School’s John Wayne Auditorium, which was filled to capacity with community members who had gathered to hear an accounting of the party’s activities from its leaders and to mark the milestone with enthusiasm and fervor.
Present at the event were leaders of the four denominations of the Armenian Churches, community members, organizational leaders and representatives and ARF members and supporters.
The Homenetmen scouts and marching band during the ARF Day celebration
The program began with the Homenetmen Marching band ushering in a group of scouts who were carrying the flags of Armenia, Artsakh, the United States, State of California and the ARF. They were followed by another group of scouts who were waving the Armenian tri-color in an impressive flag ceremony that included the performance of the national anthems of Armenia, Artsakh, the U.S., as well as the official anthem of the ARF. This year, following the singing of the traditional anthems, a brief video introducing the Homenetmen and its 100 years of achievements were also included during the flag ceremony, which concluded with the performance of the “Haratch Nahadag,” the official anthem of the Homenetmen, which in 2018 will mark the centennial of its founding.
The Mistress of Cermonies, Dr. Souzy Ohanian, welcomed the attendees and presented a brief overview of the ARF as well as the evening’s program, which was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Armenia’s independence.
Patil Derderian presented remarks on behalf of the Armenian Youth Federation, which on that day, January 14, was marking the 85th anniversary of its establishment. ARF Western US Central Committee member Garo Ispendjian presented an overview of the ARF’s activities in the past year and delineated some of the key focal points for the party in 2018. The keynote speaker of the evening was ARF Bureau member Dr. Viken Yacoubian, who among other issues emphasized the need for the Diaspora to recalibrate itself to better serve the Armenian Nation.
The Ferrahian school chorus performs patriotic songs during the celebration
Throughout the program, video vignettes highlighted the activities of the AYF, the AYF Juniors and the Homenetmen. An “In Memoriam” video paid tribute to ARF members from the Western Region who had passed away in the last year.
The cultural portion of the program included a dance performance by the Hamazkayin Ani Dance Troupe, as well as musical performances by Karnig Sarkisian, Tro Krikorian and Edgar Hakpyan.
The celebration concluded with the performance of patriotic songs by the Ferrahian Armenian School Chorus, conducted by Araxia Varteressian. The group was joined by revolutionary singer Karnig Sarkisian for the performance of “Ariunot Trosh—Bloody Flag,” which enjoyed an enthusiastic standing ovation and participation from the audience.
Asbarez will have a more detailed coverage of the celebration in its upcoming editions.
Mariam Kirakosian Megrdichian
Mariam Kirakosian Megrdichian
(May 29, 1929-January 7, 2018)
Mariam Mary Megrdichian was born on May 10, 1929, to Gregor and Bengsat Kirakosian in Vladikavkaz North Ossetia-Alania, Russia. A few years after her birth, the Kirakosian family moved to a collective farming village, kolkhoz, in Novorosisk, Russia on the Black Sea coast, where many Armenian families from the Terjan district of Erzeroum province of historic Armenia had re-settled af- ter the Armenian Genocide. As did many other families, the Kirakosians maintained and spoke the dis- tinct dialect of Terjan and still speak it to this day.
When Mariam was five years old, she traveled to Armenia with her aunt to visit her cousins. The short time while she was there, she attended kindergarten, but upon returning to Russia, she was a student at the local Armenian school in her village in Novorosisk. Mariam loved to read and some of her favorite books were historic novels written by Raffi and the poetry of Hovanes Toumanian. As an adult, she was an avid reader of the Asbarez daily newspaper that was founded in Fresno, CA, and enjoyed discussing history and politics, especially with her son-in-law, Bryan Bedrosian.
In 1943, during World War II, the Nazi forces captured the coastal town of Novorosisk and forced their family along with countless others to leave Russia at a moment’s notice. They relocated them by primitive trains to the forced labor camps in Heilbronn, Germany. Mariam’s mother gave birth to her youngest brother Levon in the train car on that treacherous journey to the unknown territory. Mariam was one of the youngest members of the labor force and was assigned to work in the Knorr food processing plant during the day, which is currently still in business. Upon returning to the Camp in the evenings, she helped her mother take care of her younger siblings.
After the war ended and Nazi Germany surrendered to the allied forces, Mariam became one of the 5000 plus Armenians who lived in the Displaced Persons Camp in Fungerkazerne, Stuttgart, Germany. Regretfully, many of Mariam’s siblings lost their lives during that period before their libe- ration. She was one of the four who survived along with her parents, brother Galust, sister Rose, and youngest brother Levon. The “D.P.” camp was a safe haven for nearly five years for all surviving Armenians and developed into a “Little Armenia”. It had its own governing system, church, social and athletic clubs, and school. Life as they say, had turned to the new normal.
Mariam Kirakosian Megrdichian in her youth
In the late 1940’s post war years, the “D.P.” Camp was miraculously discovered by George Mardikian on one of his trips abroad as the food consultant to the Quartermaster General of the United States Army. While in Germany visiting the troops that were stationed there, he learned that there was a post war camp, housing some 5000 displaced Armenians. With the help of Brigadier General Haig Shekerjian and the Armenian National Committee to Aid Homeless Armenians, better known as ANCHA, the majority of the families from the camp were able to immigrate to America and other parts of the world.
The Kirakosian family left Germany in 1949, and sailed to America reaching Ellis Island in late September. After locating relatives on the east coast, they eventually traveled to Michigan and settled in the Highland Park district of Detroit. At that time, there were many successful Armenian businessmen that lived in greater Detroit, whose families had fled to America after the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Alec Manougian was one of those immigrants that through hard work and perse- verance, had built the MASCO factory which was the developer of the modern day Delta Faucets and plumbing products. Mariam secured a job at MASCO on the assembly line to help support her family as they began their new life in the United States of America.
Life in America was a chance for a new beginning for Mariam and her family. She attended the St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, sang in the choir, and joined the Armenian Relief Society. One eve- ning while attending a family party with her relatives, Mariam ran into her childhood friend from the “DP” Camp in Germany, Hovhannes Megrdichian, who had moved to Detroit to work at Fisher Body. Or maybe it was Hovhannes who spotted the beautiful Mariam with the “Ava Gardner” looks that caught his eye! Coincidently, Hovhannes’s father and Mariam’s father became acquainted with each other from back in Terjan, Erzeroum, Armenia, while serving together in General Dro’s battalion of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Tashnagtsutiun, during the Armenian Genocide. And as life progressed, their friendship blossomed into a lasting relationship and the glamorous couple was mar- ried in 1953.
Mariam and Hovhannes were blessed with the birth of their one and only child, Rosie Vartouhi, who was the first grandchild to be born into the Kirakosian and Megrdichian families. Mariam and her young family moved to Fresno, CA in the mid-1950s, to be near her in-laws. She became an active member of the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church and member of the Trinity Guild. She had joined the Armenian Relief Society, Detroit Sybil Chapter in 1949, and later became an active member of the Fresno Sophia Chapter, serving on many committees and held the office of recording secretary many times. She was a member of the Armenian Relief Society for over 68 years. Mariam and Hovhannes also belonged to the Armenian Caucasus Club in Fresno. They helped in planning and or- ganizing with their close friends the Khanzadians, Abrahamians, Zakarians, Kevorkians, Avakians, Tamamians, and countless others, the most wonderful summer picnics and annual New Years Eve parties that would be a sell out each and every new year.
When her daughter Rosie started attending school, Mariam re-entered the work force. She worked in various fresh fruit and raisin packing houses, Laura Scudder’s Potato Chip processing plant, and the Victor Knitting Mills. In her spare time, she crocheted beautiful blankets, doilies, and sweaters. She was a gourmet cook and baked the most delicious Erzeroumtzi Gatah with Khoriz that would melt in your mouth. She was a very generous person and would share her baked goods and recipes with all of her friends and relatives.
In 1984, her daughter Rosie married Bryan Bedrosian, and in 1987, they were blessed with the birth of her grandson, Armen Hovhannes Bedrosian, who was the greatest joy in her life. Armen would find any excuse possible to stay with his “Mamoog” during his childhood years and she loved to take care of him more than life itself. She called him “Mamoogine Tsakooguh” and he would reply with “Tsakoogine Mamooguh”!
Mariam Kirakosian Megrdichian passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Sunday, January 7, 2018, into the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven. Life will never be the same without her beautiful smile and her loving heart for her family and friends.
Mariam was preceded in death by her parents, Gregor and Bengsat Kirakosian; brother, Galust Kirakosian; and her beloved husband, Hovhannes Megrdichian.
She leaves behind her daughter, Rosie Bedrosian and her husband Bryan; her grandson, Dr. Armen Bedrosian and his wife Stephanie; and her two great-granddaughters, Lillian Sonya and Vivian Rose Bedrosian. She is also survived by her sister, Rose Hovanesian, and her children, Manushag, and Gregor and his wife Garine, and their children, Lena, Paul, Levonig, Nicole, Ashot, and Anuta; her brother, Levon Kirakosian and his wife Silva, and their children, Dvin and Kristina, Leo, Aram, Gregor and Sevan, Garen and Juno; as well as many cousins.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church – Orphan Fund, 2226 Ventura St., Fresno, CA 93721; The Armenian Relief Society – Akhourian Mother and Child Birthing Hospital, P.O. Box 327, Fresno, CA 93708; or the Charlie Keyan Armenian Community School, 108 N. Villa, Clovis, CA 93612.
Official Stepanakert is labeling the Azerbaijani actions to be terrorist.
Artsakh Presidential spokesman Davit Babayan commented on the recent death of a soldier caused by Azerbaijani gunfire in an interview with ARMENPRESS.
“We are dealing with a terrorist state in the person of Azerbaijan. We are dealing with a low adversary. The violation of ceasefire during New Year days, which doesn’t whatsoever impact the military political balance, doesn’t change the situation in Azerbaijan’s favor. This is simply low, terrorism, inhumane conduct. This is the abnormal adversary we are dealing with”, he said.
Davit Babayan reminded that the official Stepanakert, had proposed 10 years ago to refrain from ceasefire violations especially during international, national, religious holidays as means of stability and peace.
“Taking such a step during holidays is a low [thing to do], it doesn’t fit into any reasoning. This is an irreversible loss for us, the memory of the fallen soldier will always stay bright in the hearts of all”, Babayan said.
On January 7, an Artsakhi soldier was shot dead by Azerbaijan.
January 4, 2018 3:54AM
OUTCAST Henrikh Mkhitaryan could be used as a makeweight in a deal for a Mourinho midfield target, Woodward won’t sanction fullback deal and United’s January wants revealed!
All that and more in a Manchester United edition of Rumour Mill!
MOURINHO EXIT RUMOURS
Concern is mounting inside Old Trafford surrounding the future of manager Mourinho. The Daily Mail suggest that the Special One is cutting a dejected figure in Manchester, and has been spending less and less time in the city, with his home in London, as his side slip further and futher behind runaway leaders Manchester City.
Additionally, the report suggests staff believe that the Portugese manager has withdrawn further into his inner sanctum and could quit the job at the end of the season.
Just last week Mourinho criticized United’s board about their willingness to spend transfer funds and question marks have been raised about his happiness in the Old Trafford hot seat. He also missed the mark in taking aim at a club legend, Paul Scholes.
Could the Special One kick-start another managerial merry go round in 2018?
MKHI SWAP DEAL
Henrikh Mkhitaryan has yet again been linked with an escape from his Old Trafford nightmare, with Corriere dello Sport reporting that the Armenian could arrive at Inter Milan with Joao Mario heading in the opposite direction.
Mario joined Inter for £35m (AU$60m) last summer, while Mkhitaryan was a £37m (AU$63m) signing for Jose Mourinho. Their similar price tags, and the struggles of both to settle at their respective new homes could see the clubs look at a straight swap deal for the pair.
The deal seems to make sense, with Mourinho reportedly eager to replace the exiled Mkhitaryan in the United midfield.
INTER ALSO KEEN ON MATA?
Juan Mata’s time at United could come to an end sooner rather than later due to an interesting clause in the midfielder’s contract.
AS report that the Mancunian club only have until May to activate a clause which allows them to renew the Spaniard’s deal until 2019.
A failure to do so could see the 29-year-old depart for free in the summer.
Mata is also being linked with a move to Inter Milan, reports The Mirror.
MOURINHO’S JAN PLANS
It’s no secret that Mourinho isn’t happy with his Manchester United squad.
And the Portuguese manager will reportedly do something about it in January, planning no less than three signings to bolster his side, according to MailOnline.
Mourinho is allegedly after two fullbacks, one for each side of his back four, as well as an attacking midfielder as he attempts to reinvigorate the Old Trafford playing staff.
MOURINHO’S ROSE FRUSTRATION
The Special One is after a pair of fullbacks, and he wants one of them to be Spurs outcast Danny Rose.
However, United chief Ed Woodward doesn’t exactly see eye to eye with the Portuguese manager, telling Mourinho that in order to sign the Spurs man he’ll have to part with other members of his first team squad.
The Daily Mirror suggest that Rose could be available for around £50m (AU$86m).
DARMIAN A WANTED MAN
He may not be Mourinho’s favourite player, but it appears Matteo Darmian still has some admirers back in his homeland.
The Italian’s agent has suggested that the fullback has attracted significant interest from the Serie A, where he used to play for Torino, although it is unclear whether the Red Devils are happy to sell the 28-year-old.
Darmian has made just two Premier League starts this season and has been linked with a move to Roma.
Armenpress News Agency , Armenia December 21, 2017 Thursday Ancient manuscripts, cross-stones, jewelry samples: Exhibition on Armenian culture to open in New York's Metropolitan Museum YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. An exhibition dedicated to the Armenian culture will open in the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York in 2018, Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan, acting director of Matenadaran - The Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, told ARMENPRESS. He informed that the opening of the exhibition will be held in September and will last 4 months. “Exhibits from the Matenadaran, Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and History Museum of Armenia will be displayed. We provide 28 manuscripts. I think it will contribute to promoting our values. This process started two years ago, it passed a very good preparation stage”, he said. Deputy director of the History Museum of Armenia Iveta Mkrtchyan told ARMENPRESS that the Museum is going to present samples of sculpture of 5-6th centuries, such as cross-stones. Applied art objects, jewelry samples dating back to 11-13th centuries will also be displayed at the exhibition. “We held a discussion with the specialists of the Metropolitan Museum, the exhibits were chosen to be displayed at the exhibition. In other words, we jointly selected the exhibits”, she said. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is going to present a total of 20 exhibits, including cross-stones, the stone-made model of the church, fabrics and curtains. “A very great event is expected to be held in one of the world’s greatest Museums. It’s a major exhibition presenting the culture of our people, the Christian era. It’s an important event in terms of promoting the Armenian culture”, director of the archives and manuscripts of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Asoghik Karapetyan told ARMENPRESS, stating that catalog publishing is also expected.