Author: Ophelia Vardapetian

                                        Wednesday, 
Ex-President’s Indicted Brother Allowed To Leave Armenia
        • Naira Bulghadarian
Armenia -- President Serzh Sarkisian's brother Aleksandr is seen outside the 
parliament building in Yerevan, 10 June, 2010.
An indicted brother of Armenia’s former President Serzh Sarkisian has been 
allowed to temporarily leave the country after agreeing to pay the state $30 
million from his bank account that was frozen last summer.
Aleksandr Sarkisian avoided arrest but was banned from leaving Armenia when the 
National Security Service (NSS) charged him with fraud last month.
NSS spokesman Samson Galstian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service on Wednesday that 
investigators have allowed Sarkisian to stay abroad “for some time.” Galstian 
declined to give the reason for his departure or possible dates for his return 
to the country.
Sarkisian’s $30 million bank account in Armenia was frozen as part of a 
separate inquiry launched by the NSS shortly after his elder brother resigned 
in April 2018 amid nationwide anti-government protests. Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian publicly demanded in September that he “return the money to the state 
budget.” Sarkisian rejected Pashinian’s demand as illegal, while offering to 
donate part of the sum to the government as a gesture of goodwill.
The NSS announced last week that he has donated $19.6 million to the Armenian 
military. The money will be spent on arms acquisitions, the security agency 
said in a statement.
The statement said Aleksandr Sarkisian has also paid $6.5 million in back 
taxes. The nearly $3.9 million remaining in his frozen account will also be 
transferred to the state to fully settle his tax debt, according to the NSS.
Armenia -- Aleksandr Sarkisian is taken to the NSS for questioning, Yerevan, 
July 4, 2018.
The fraud charges brought against the ex-president’s brother stem from over a 
dozen drawings by the 20th century Armenian painter Martiros Saryan which were 
found in his Yerevan villa in July. The NSS confiscated the drawings, saying 
that his fugitive son Narek had fraudulently obtained them from Saryan’s 
descendants.
Narek Sarkisian, 37, fled Armenia in June before being charged with illegal 
arms possession and drug trafficking. The Czech police detained him in Prague 
in December on an Armenian arrest warrant. Armenian prosecutors formally 
demanded his extradition three weeks later.
Aleksandr Sarkisian’s second son, Levon, is currently standing trial on charges 
of attempted murder and illegal arms possession which he denies. The 
33-year-old was arrested in July and freed on bail in September.
During his brother’s 2008-2018 rule, Aleksandr Sarkisian, who is better known 
to the public as “Sashik,” earned notoriety for his flamboyant behavior and 
insults addressed to critics of Armenia’s former government. The 62-year-old is 
thought to have made a big fortune in the past two decades. He held a 
parliament seat from 2003-2011.
Armenian Speaker Proposes Multi-Party Talks On Electoral Reform
        • Astghik Bedevian
Armenia - Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan speaks at a parliament session in Yerevan, 
March 5, 2019.
Parliament speaker Ararat Mirzoyan urged political forces on Wednesday to start 
negotiations on reforming Armenia’s electoral legislation and bodies.
“The electoral institutions need to be improved and I want to take this 
opportunity and invite political forces to start jointly developing electoral 
reforms,” Mirzoyan said. He stressed that the pro-government majority in the 
Armenian parliament is ready to accept “radical changes” that would require 
constitutional amendments.
Vahagn Hovakimian, another lawmaker from the ruling My Step alliance, said the 
offer applies to not only the parliamentary opposition but also parties that 
are not represented in the National Assembly. The majority leaders will soon 
clarify the format of the proposed multi-party talks, he said.
Gevorg Gorgisian, a senior deputy representing the opposition Bright Armenia 
Party (LHK), reacted cautiously to the proposal, saying that it is not clear 
enough.
But the other parliamentary opposition force, the Prosperous Armenia Party 
(BHK), welcomed the idea. A senior BHK figure, Naira Zohrabian, told RFE/RL’s 
Armenian service that her party will definitely participate in the proposed 
reform of the Electoral Code.She said it will specifically advocate a lower 
vote threshold to enter the parliament and the abolition of nationwide 
constituencies from which half of the members of the current parliament were 
elected.
The previous Armenian parliament came very close to enacting these and other 
amendments before being dissolved in November. Former President Serzh 
Sarkisian’s Republican Party was widely blamed for its failure to pass them.
Pashinian Deplores ‘Azeri Intransigence’ On Karabakh
        • Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenia -- Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian (C) and members of his government 
attend a question-and-answer session in the parliament, Yerevan, March 6, 2019.
Azerbaijan is reluctant to accept a compromise solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh 
conflict, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Wednesday ahead of his 
anticipated fresh talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Speaking in the Armenian parliament, Pashinian complained that Baku has not 
reciprocated his recent calls for a Karabakh settlement that would be 
acceptable to the peoples of not only Armenia and Karabakh but also Azerbaijan.
“Unfortunately, the Azerbaijani side has still not made similar statements,” he 
said. “On the contrary, it constantly speaks of its readiness for and the 
possibility of a military solution to the problem. There are statements which 
make it clear that Azerbaijan’s government is not even thinking about any 
variant of the conflict’s resolution that would also be acceptable to the 
people of Armenia and Karabakh.”
Pashinian dismissed Baku’s offers to grant Karabakh a high degree of autonomy. 
“The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have a right to self-determination and must be 
able to exercise that right,” he told lawmakers.
Aliyev claimed, for his part, on Tuesday that “Yerevan is not showing a serious 
desire to conduct substantive negotiations and is trying to impede a Karabakh 
settlement by all means.”
“It is essential that the international community exert serious pressure on 
Yerevan to achieve progress in the negotiating process and the withdrawal of 
Armenia’s armed forces from Azerbaijan’s occupied territories,” Aliyev told 
Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak, who is also the current 
chairman-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Aliyev and Pashinian traded the accusations just days after the U.S., Russian 
and French mediators co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group announced that they have 
agreed to meet soon for further talks. The mediators gave no date for the 
summit.
Pashinian’s most recent meeting with Aliyev took place on January 22 on the 
sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It followed fresh 
negotiations held by the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Paris. 
According to the Minsk Group co-chairs, the ministers acknowledged the need for 
“taking concrete measures to prepare the populations for peace.”
Yerevan Seeks Release Of Armenian Villager Jailed In Azerbaijan
        • Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenia - Justice Minister Artak Zeynalian attends a meeting of the Armenian 
Armenia’s government is doing its best to bring back home a resident of an 
Armenian border village who has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in 
Azerbaijan, Justice Minister Artak Zeynalian said on Wednesday.
The Azerbaijani military detained the 34-year-old Karen Ghazarian in still 
unclear circumstances in July. It claimed to have captured him while thwarting 
an Armenian incursion into Azerbaijani territory.
The Armenian Defense Ministry categorically denied the alleged incursion 
attempt, insisting that Ghazarian is a civilian resident of Berdavan, a village 
in the northern Tavush province located just a few kilometers from the 
Azerbaijani border. It said he has a history of mental disease and had never 
served in the Armenian army because of that.
On February 27, a court in the Azerbaijani city of Ganja convicted Ghazarian of 
plotting “terrorist attacks” and “sabotage” in Azerbaijan and sentenced him to 
20 years’ imprisonment following a short trial reportedly held in closed 
session.
The Armenian government strongly condemned the verdict and again demanded 
Ghazarian’s immediate release.
Zeynalian accused Baku of illegally keeping Ghazarian in jail on bogus charges 
when he was asked about the captive’s fate during the government’s 
question-and-answer session in the Armenian parliament.
“Representatives of Karen Ghazarian have appealed to the European Court of 
Human Rights,” replied the minister. “That appeal is now being considered, … 
and the Republic of Armenia will be involved [in the legal action] as a third 
party.”
“Besides, the government is using all instruments and means to secure Karen 
Ghazarian’s life. At the same time everything is done to bring him back to the 
homeland,” added Zeynalian.
Another Armenian man, Zaven Karapetian, is also being held captive in 
Azerbaijan. Karapetian was detained in June 2014, with Baku similarly claiming 
to have thwarted an Armenian incursion. Yerevan insisted that Karapetian is a 
civilian resident of Vanadzor, an Armenian city around 130 kilometers from the 
border section which he crossed for still unknown reasons.
Three residents of other Tavush villages strayed into Azerbaijan in 2014. Two 
of them were branded Armenian “saboteurs” by the authorities in Baku and died 
shortly afterwards.
 
Press Review
“Zhoghovurd” writes on the 60th birthday anniversary of Armenia’s late Prime 
Minister Vazgen Sarkisian marked on Tuesday, saying that it rekindled memories 
of the October 1999 attack on the Armenian parliament in which he and seven 
other officials were assassinated. The paper hopes that the shock killings were 
be finally solved under the current Armenian leadership. “After a 20-year 
pause, many are now sure that the organizers of the October 27 [attack] can be 
identified,” it says.
In this regard, the paper quotes President Armen Sarkissian as calling for a 
proper legal “evaluation” of the 1999 shootings after laying flowers at Vazgen 
Sarkisian’s grave on Tuesday. It notes that the head of state has made more 
ambiguous statements about the March 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan.
“Zhamanak” reports, meanwhile, that former President Serzh Sarkisian attended a 
separate remembrance ceremony for Vazgen Sarkisian which was held in 
Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday. The daily believes that the event also had 
“political connotations” since it followed the latest newspaper interview given 
by another ex-president, Robert Kocharian. The latter expressed serious concern 
over the current Armenian authorities’ policy on the Karabakh conflict. The 
paper says that Kocharian is keen to exploit the issue in his efforts to secure 
his release from prison and resume his political activities. It claims that 
Serzh Sarkisian’s “silent” attendance of the event in Stepanakert is a 
“political response” to Kocharian’s alarmist statements on Karabakh.
“Hraparak” dismisses allegations by some opposition politicians and other 
critics of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian that Armenian civic groups and 
activists financed by U.S. billionaire George Soros’s Open Society Foundations 
(OSF) pose a serious threat to Armenia’s sovereignty and national security. The 
paper blasts the “limited mindset” of those critics. “The higher the degree of 
public self-consciousness and the more developed a country is, the fewer 
clichés it has,” it says, adding that educated Armenians will not buy such 
“conspiracy theories.”
(Lilit Harutiunian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2019 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Website: www.agbu.org
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, 
AGBU HOLDS ITS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN PARIS WITH A FOCUS ON THE FUTURE
From February 7-9, hundreds of Armenians and friends—from as far as Japan and 
Uruguay, South Africa and Australia—gathered in Paris on the occasion of the 
90th General Assembly of the AGBU. Over three days, a full agenda of diverse 
events took place at various landmark venues in the heart of the city, starting 
with a Welcome Reception at the Eiffel Tower. This set the stage for the rest 
of the weekend, over which the 113-year old organization would reflect on its 
many accomplishments in the previous two years, contemplate the future of the 
Armenian world against the sweeping global shifts wrought by new technologies 
and social trends, and recognize distinguished figures in the community who 
empower AGBU to touch the lives of over 500,000 Armenians every year and 
maintain a presence in nearly 97 countries. 
The first of these acknowledgements took place on Friday evening at a Charles 
Aznavour Tribute Concert at La Salle Wagram. The life and legacy of this global 
entertainer, Armenian statesman at large, and longtime friend of AGBU, was 
celebrated with a powerful medley of the lyrical genius’ best-loved ballads, 
performed by his esteemed accompanying pianist Erik Berchot and collaborating 
jazz singer Joana Mendil. In line with AGBU’s long tradition of fostering 
rising Armenian talents, contemporary vocalists Narine Dovlatyan, Iveta 
Mukuchyan, Sona Rubenyan, Srbuhi Sargsyan and Gor Sujyan, under the direction 
of performer Hayk Petrosyan, captured the audience with their stylistic 
tributes. Interspersed throughout the program was documentary footage 
chronicling Aznavour’s illustrious career and worldwide impact on society. 
Among the distinguished audience members was Aznavour’s son and co-founder of 
the Aznavour Foundation Nicolas Aznavour. “It was a great pleasure for us to 
honor my father’s memory with the AGBU family in Paris,” Aznavour remarked. 
“This concert marks the beginning of many collaborations between AGBU and the 
Aznavour Foundation. Charles Aznavour has brought so much joy and pride to our 
lives. It is our collective duty to keep alive his artistic and humanitarian 
legacy.”
The next day, during the formal session of the 90th General Assembly held at 
Les Jardins Saint Dominique, AGBU members unanimously elected four new board 
members: Haig Ariyan, Nadia Gortzounian, Vartkess Knadjian and Ari Libarikian. 
It was also a time for AGBU leadership to recognize valued individuals, whose 
life and work have positively impacted Armenians. 
French politician Patrick Devedjian was presented with the Boghos Nubar Award, 
the highest honor AGBU bestows upon community members who elevate others and 
work tirelessly in service of society. Celebrated as a universal role model and 
global Armenian citizen for his advocacy, Devedjian was honored for how he has 
paved the way for a generation of Armenian leadership in public service. Among 
his many achievements, his unrelenting pursuit of justice in relation to the 
recognition of the Armenian Genocide led to the passage of a 2016 extension of 
the current French holocaust law, making the denial or trivialization of all 
events classed as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or slavery 
punishable crimes. 
Esteemed community leaders and committees were also presented with high honors 
throughout the Assembly. Tamar Khabaian from Syria, Monica Nalbandian from 
Brazil, Maral Tchorbadjian from Australia and Herminé Duzian from France were 
all celebrated for their valiant efforts in serving and maintaining the spirit 
of AGBU. In addition, the AGBU Buenos Aires Chapter, the AGBU Young 
Professionals of Greater New York and the AGBU Young Professionals of Northern 
California were also recognized with awards, celebrating their innumerable 
contributions to community life among their constituents.
Later in the evening, participants gathered Le Pavillon Ledoyen, one of the 
most renowned restaurants in Paris, for the AGBU Gala. The affair was welcomed 
by Masters of Ceremony Central Board Member Ani Manoukian and London Trust 
Member Camilio Azzouz. Unbeknownst to all, the Gala paid tribute to two 
distinguished couples for their decades of active support of AGBU and the 
communities around them: Sarkis and Seta Demirdjian; and Vatche and Tamar 
Manoukian. Both were presented with tribute videos and special awards. 
Building on the storied legacies of their parents, prominent founding figures 
in the AGBU communities of Lebanon and Syria, Sarkis and Seta Demirdjian have 
continued to expand their philanthropic mission, encouraging new generations to 
follow their lead. It was the Demirdjians along with their siblings who, after 
the Lebanese Civil War, committed to creating a community center that would 
welcome the broader Lebanese community, making AGBU the first Armenian 
organization to create such a powerful medium of solidarity in the country and 
a model of social enterprise.  Beyond investing in education on multiple 
continents through the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School, the couple also 
supports the arts through their work with the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra 
and numerous music festivals. Committed to excellence, the Demirdjians were 
honored for their relentless efforts in bettering not just the Armenian world, 
but society at large.  
Vatche and Tamar Manoukian were also thanked for their continued generosity 
empowering Armenians and other meaningful communities throughout the world. 
Citing merely a handful of the couple’s vast beneficiaries, the Manoukians were 
among the first to invest in Armenia bringing outside companies to the nation, 
they have also been consistent donors of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin and AGBU 
through various projects including the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School 
and the Performing Arts Center in their name in California. Through their work 
with other global non-profit organizations like UNICEF and the Elton John AIDS 
Foundation, the Manoukians’ generosity toward the most marginalized communities 
has given back to countless in need while also elevating the Armenian image on 
a global scale.  His Royal Highness, Charles, Prince of Wales characterized 
their impact on his Dumfries House project, expressing his congratulations by 
saying: “I hope that you know how much you are appreciated for all that you 
have done in the United Kingdom. I would’ve called you a national treasure, but 
with your scope and breadth of work, it would be more accurate to describe you 
as an international treasure.” 
The weekend was one of tributes and gratitude, but it served equally as a venue 
for looking forward and establishing building blocks for the coming years. One 
of the highlights of the three-day program was the all-day Conference at 
Station F—the world’s largest start up campus. It was a fitting space for the 
extraordinary panel of visionaries and experts, assembled to spark timely and 
important conversations moderated by Stèphane Petrossian of AGBU France. The 
main thesis of the morning session was the dawn of the fast approaching Quantum 
Age. Keynote speaker Robert Vassoyan, Senior Executive Vice President of Atos 
S.E., asserted that governments, corporations, organizations and communities 
must prepare for the coming wave of far-reaching change, both to seize 
opportunities presented by science and technology and to manage the challenges 
posed by dark forces in cyberspace. Vassoyan closed his insightful presentation 
focusing on Armenia’s future and the tremendous opportunity for developing 
start-ups and cultivating diverse, young talent. Characterizing the country as 
an “eState,” he emphasized the importance of putting citizens at the center of 
this new way of looking at nationhood.  
In moderating the first panel on Entrepreneurship, Central Board member and 
President of AGBU Armenia Vasken Yacoubian stressed that the entrepreneurial 
spirit is core to Armenia’s ability to succeed. Panelists included Tatul 
Ajamyan, Founder of Wakie and IT startups, Aline Kamakian, Entrepreneur and 
Founder of Mayrig restaurants, and Vahe Keushguerian, Entrepreneur and 
Co-Founder of Impact Hub Armenia. Each provided deep insight on the issues 
surrounding starting a business in Armenia and the importance of promoting 
cultural tolerance between Diaspora and Armenia, as well as integrating female 
entrepreneurs into the start-up economy. 
The afternoon session picked up on the topic of women, focusing squarely on 
trending women’s issues, both in the global context and specifically relating 
to Armenia. AGBU Central Board Member Arda Haratunian moderated the discussions 
by high profile female leaders in various fields: Astrid Panosyan, Entrepreneur 
and Politician (LREM); Emma Arakelyan, Author and NYU Professor; Valerie 
Toranian, Director of La Revue des Deux Mondes and former editor-in-chief of 
Elle magazine in France; and Isabelle Capron, Vice President of Icicle Shanghai 
Fashion Group. 
Picking up on the many threads of ideas and concepts that emerged throughout 
the panels, President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian took to the podium to 
describe his vision of Armenia in light of the rapid succession of smaller 
evolutions that continue to transform the landscape of “Start Up Armenia” in 
ways previously unimagined. He noted that, at the end of the day, these quantum 
leaps of technological wonders must be mastered to remain consistent with our 
national morals and values. 
The conference concluded with presentations on AGBU initiatives and 
partnerships. AGBU Armenia Executive Director Talar Kazanjian on what the 
organization is doing to spur entrepreneurism among women in Armenia. She was 
followed by entrepreneur and founder of Hyetech Europe Armen Verdian and 
Digital Transformation Lead at Brenntag Haik Khanamiryan, who spoke about AGBU 
Europe’s Goriz Leadership program, designed to help young leaders collectively 
represent the Armenian identity as global citizens. 
In addition to the all-day conference, other opportunities for dialogue and 
idea exchange were organized for AGBU network representatives and Young 
Professional attendees. These adjunct events included a workshop for the AGBU 
regional leadership with Central Board members and two forums for Young 
Professionals to exchange ideas.
 
As the GA weekend concluded, participants prepared to leave Paris with a 
broader understanding of just how much the Armenian world is empowered by, and 
in turn, inspires the rest of the world. “After four full days of thoughtful 
reflection, stimulating conversations, celebrations and recognition of so many 
exemplary individuals in our midst,” President Setrakian said, “there is no 
doubt that AGBU is ready to take the next big leap into the future as a united 
force for good— across our communities, throughout Armenia, and in the world.”
The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is the world’s largest non-profit 
organization devoted to upholding the Armenian heritage through educational, 
cultural and humanitarian programs. Each year, AGBU is committed to making a 
difference in the lives of 500,000 people across Armenia, Artsakh and the 
Armenian diaspora. Since 1906, AGBU has remained true to one overarching goal: 
to create a foundation for the prosperity of all Armenians. To learn more visit 
www.agbu.org.