Author: Torgomian Varazdat

Armenian Ambassador meets with US Congressman Jim Costa

Torgomian Varazdat

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 15:56, 8 February, 2022

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. On February 7th Lilit Makunts, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States, met with member of House Foreign Relations Committee, Congressman Jim Costa (D–CA), the Armenian Embassy said in a statement on social media.

Ambassador Makunts handed over “Mkhitar Gosh” State Award to Congressman on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and the United States and for significant contribution to the development of Armenian-American relations.

The sides discussed issues related to further deepening of bilateral relations, as well as referred to international and regional developments.

Iran congratulates Armenia on anniversary of diplomatic ties

Torgomian Varazdat
Tehran Times
Iran – Feb 7 2022
  1. Politics
February 7, 2022 – 18:14

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has sent a message to his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan congratulating him on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In the message, Amir Abdollahian reminded Iran was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of the Republic of Armenia and to establish official diplomatic relations with the country.

He added that during the past year, relations between Iran and Armenia have been expanded and boosted in various fields, and with the signing of numerous documents, the legal basis for cooperation has also been strengthened, the Iranian foreign ministry said. 

The Iranian foreign minister stressed the determination of the Islamic Republic of Iran to further bolster bilateral and regional cooperation with the Republic of Armenia.

Iran officially recognized the independence of Armenia on the 25th of December, 1991. A declaration on establishing diplomatic relations between Armenia and Iran was signed in Tehran on the 9th of February, 1992, according to the Armenian foreign ministry.

On the same day “The Declaration on Principles and Aims of Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran” was signed to assure the Parties’ intention to establish friendly relations.

The solemn opening ceremony of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran took place in Yerevan in April 1992.

In December 1992, the embassy of the Republic of Armenia was opened in Tehran.

In late November last year, Mirzoyan held a phone conversation with Amir Abdollahian. The foreign ministers of Armenia and Iran discussed issues of mutual interest related to regional security. They also discussed the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. 

In this call, Mirzoyan highly appreciated Iran’s position on territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of Armenia, according to the Armenian foreign ministry. 

Amir Abdollahian and Mirzoyan also exchanged views on expanding the contacts in the fields of trade, economy, infrastructure and energy.

Implementation of directed work aimed at the multilateral agreement on the establishment of the “Persian Gulf-Black Sea” international transport corridor was also emphasized.

During the 2020 war in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Iran actively worked to ensure peace in the region and presented a peace initiative. Iranian officials paid visits to Baku and Yerevan in a bid to put an end to the war.

Iran underlined the need to refrain from changing the internationally recognized borders in the region. 

Freedom House urges Armenian authorities to revoke law criminalizing ‘serious insults’

Torgomian Varazdat
panorama.am
Armenia – Feb 5 2022

Freedom House notes with great concern the first criminal conviction of an Armenian citizen under the new provision of the Criminal Code criminalizing “serious insults” against government officials, it said in a statement.

“The enforcement of this legislation, which has resulted in the initiation of over 260 criminal cases in 2022 alone, signifies a clear degradation of democratic norms in Armenia and creates a chilling effect for free _expression_.

“We call on the parliament to revoke this law that so brazenly violates the principles enshrined in the Armenian Constitution, the country’s OSCE commitments and the European Convention on Human rights to which it is party,” reads the statement.

Armenia ex-President: It seemed as if it not Armenia leader, but Azerbaijan president spoke

Torgomian Varazdat
  News.am  
Armenia – Jan 31 2022
23:06, 31.01.2022

Absolutely no any verbal promise has been made. It has never been our workstyle – to yield something in accordance with verbal arrangements, the third President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said.

He commented on the allegations of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that Serzh Sargsyan made verbal promises (on the Karabakh settlement) and in 2018-2019 it is time to fulfill these promises, which have not been recorded in any document.

“When I was listening to the portions about Artsakh in that interview, it was astonishing to hear some so-called “arguments”, which I heard in 2008, 2009 and 2010 from the President of Azerbaijan. It would seem to me at certain moments – to be very honest with you – that it was Azerbaijani President speaking, not Armenia’s governor. It was very painful because he no longer could use those objective arguments that would give us good chances to achieve a status for Artsakh, as if he tries to put forward those arguments, tomorrow they will remind him of his own words,” Sargsyan said.

He noted that thinking people and some political forces in Armenia are disappointed. “I have come to observe that among certain political forces in Armenia and many intelligent people there is a sense of disillusionment. There is a certain atmosphere of disappointment. And the allegations of those – I mean both the incumbent authorities here and those in Azerbaijan – that the Nagorno Karabakh issue is resolved, has in some ways affected these people. I have come on air to declare once again that Artsakh will never be part of Azerbaijan. And for that – despite the calamitous war, despite the capitulation – there are still opportunities to be seized,” he said.

Turkish press: ‘Armenia aims to form diplomatic ties with Turkey’

Torgomian Varazdat
 ANKARA JAN 25, 2022 – 9:31 AM GMT+3

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian attends an informal annual summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) heads of state at the Konstantin Palace presidential residence in Strelna, outside St. Petersburg, Russia, Dec. 28, 2021. (AFP Photo)

Armenia wants to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey without any preconditions, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Monday, indicating that the country might attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

Speaking at a press conference, he said: “Our special representatives have met. If the process continues like this, it is highly possible that Armenia will participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. It would be irrational to miss a chance to continue meetings.”

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum will be held on March 11-14 in Antalya province, under the motto “Recoding Diplomacy” and will be attended by several heads of states, ministers, academicians and members of the press.

The gathering, where the most important regional and global issues on the world’s agenda will be discussed in a solution-oriented platform, will provide leaders, politicians, prominent academics, thinkers, opinion leaders, diplomats and business people an opportunity to discuss international issues from a diplomatic perspective.

After a 1 1/2 hour meeting recently in Moscow, the Turkish and Armenian foreign ministries published the same statement hailing the talks and agreeing to “continue negotiations without preconditions.” Turkey aims for the next meeting to be held either in Turkey or Armenia, sources said.

Former Ambassador to the United States Serdar Kılıç was named as the Turkish special envoy on Dec. 15, 2021, to discuss steps toward normalization with neighboring Armenia. Three days later, Armenia appointed its special representative, deputy parliamentary speaker Ruben Rubinyan.

“In the past we have not been successful and we have to use this experience,” Pashinian said.

Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic or commercial ties for three decades, and the talks are the first attempt to restore links since a 2009 peace accord. That deal was never ratified and ties have remained tense.

The neighbors are at odds over various issues, primarily the 1915 incidents and Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

With their borders closed to one another, Turkey and Armenia have no direct trade routes. Indirect trade has risen marginally since 2013 but was just $3.8 million (TL 51.2 million) in 2021, according to official Turkish data.

Relations between Armenia and Turkey have historically been complicated. Turkey’s position on the events of 1915 is that Armenians lost their lives in eastern Anatolia after some sided with the invading Russians and revolted against the Ottoman forces. The subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties, with massacres by militaries and militia groups from both sides increasing the death toll.

Turkey objects to the presentation of the incidents as “genocide” but describes the 1915 events as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.

Pashinian also noted that the signing of a peace agreement with Azerbaijan is on the agenda.

“Such an agreement must be signed but this document has to be formed as a result of negotiations. Armenia is ready for these negotiations.”

Turkey has been putting heavy emphasis on creating enhanced cooperation and integration in the region following the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Clashes erupted in September 2020 between the former Soviet republics when the Armenian Army launched attacks on Azerbaijani civilians and forces and violated several humanitarian cease-fire agreements. Turkey staunchly supported Azerbaijan in its fight.

During the 44-day conflict, which ended in a truce on Nov. 10, 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages in Nagorno-Karabakh from almost three decades of occupation.

The two countries also closely cooperate within the scope of the Organization of Turkic States and establish the 3+3 Caucasus platform, which envisages further integration and cooperation in the region.

Ankara has made frequent calls for a six-nation platform comprising of Turkey, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia for permanent peace, stability and cooperation in the region, saying it would be a win-win initiative for all regional actors in the Caucasus.

The first meeting took place in Russia, without the participation of Georgia, which announced it would not take part in the next round, expected to take place in Turkey.

TONIGHT Hamazkayin W.R.L.G. Armenian Book Club Paruyr Sevak by Mr. Saro Nazarian 1/27/22

Torgomian Varazdat
Good Evening Everyone,

Hamazkayin Western Region Literary Group presents Armenian Book Club presents Paruyr Sevak Lectured by Mr. Saro Nazarian TONIGHT Thursday, January 27, 2022 at 8pm (PDT), 11pm (ET), (Armenia-Friday 8am) on Zoom FREE. Contact Anna Seferian for details (818) 631-7611.


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Memorial fountain for Armenian painter damaged in eastern Turkey

Torgomian Varazdat
Jan 28 2022

  • Jan 28 2022 12:33 Gmt+3
  • Last Updated On: Jan 28 2022 12:35 Gmt+3

A fountain built in the memory of famed Armenian painter Arshile Gorky in his birthplace, Turkey’s eastern Van province, was damaged by unknown persons, news website Duvar reported on Thursday.

Van’s Edremit district municipality built the fountain in 2015, continuing an Anatolian tradition of commemorating the departed by providing water for residents and passers-by. The fountain was built during the term of Sevil Rojbin Çetin, who was elected mayor from the now defunct pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).

Four sides of the fountain were embellished with details about Gorky’s life in Turkish, Armenian, Kurdish and English, with water pouring from each of them. The fountain’s architects used special stones from the region, and it was built close to Gorky’s former family home.

The monument had suffered several attacks in the past, starting after Mayor Çetin was removed from her post and jailed on terrorism charges. Çetin was replaced by a government-appointed proxy, who let the fountain fall into ruin again, Duvar said.

Over time, the spouts on all four sides were damaged and blocked, while Gorky’s name was scratched out. In the most recent incident, the signs telling Gorky’s life story were removed and disappeared.

When asked why the water had been shut off, the municipality under the appointed mayor told reporters it had been a measure due to insufficient water levels. Municipal officials denied any knowledge of damages, Duvar said.

Arshile Gorky, born Vostanik Manoug Adoian in 1904, fled to Russian-controlled territories to the east during the 1915 Armenian Genocide with his mother and sisters. He lost his mother to starvation in Yerevan in 1919, and emigrated to the United States in 1920. He changed his name and enrolled in the New England School of Art in Boston.

He later taught in several art schools and was employed by the Works Progress Administration Federal Art Project, which was also home to Alice Neel and Diego Rivera.

In 1948, Gorky hanged himself in his studio after telling one of his students he was going to take his own life. On a crate he wrote, “Goodbye My Loveds”.

Cited alongside Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, Gorky is among the highest regarded American painters of the 20th century.

Armenpress: Armenia reports 940 new cases of coronavirus. 127 citizens recover

Torgomian Varazdat

Armenia reports 940 new cases of coronavirus. 127 citizens recover

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 11:04,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 22, ARMENPRESS. 940 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Armenia in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 350 897, the ministry of healthcare reports.

5812 COVID-19 tests were conducted in one day.

127 patients have recovered.

No death has been reported. The total deaths stand at 8027.

The number of active cases is 7242.

Armenia’s envoy for dialogue with Turkey presents details to lawmakers

Torgomian Varazdat

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 11:08,

YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. The Republic of Armenia is in favor for the borders with Turkey to be opened and relations to be normalized swiftly without preconditions, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Hakob Arshakyan said in his speech to lawmakers during the January 17 session.

Answering a question from opposition Hayastan MP Agnessa Khamoyan, he said the normalization is in the interests of Armenia and the Armenian people.

MP Khamoyan asked for details from the meeting between the special envoys of Armenia and Turkey which took place recently in Moscow.

“Mr. Arshakyan, the foreign ministry’s statement says that the meeting was held in a positive and constructive atmosphere. As your colleague stated, since important processes are taking place in the country, could you eventually inform the society on the processes and this positive and constructive atmosphere? Could you also explain where the agreement on having special representatives for attempting a normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey was reached?” Khamoyan asked Arshakyan, who is the Acting Speaker of Parliament due to Speaker Alen Simonyan currently being on an official trip abroad.

Arshakyan responded by saying that ever since Armenia’s independence and from the time when Turkey closed the borders the official position of Armenia has always been in favor of establishing relations and repoening of borders without preconditions.

“This logic hasn’t changed, the Republic of Armenia is maintaining this position now as well, and we are in favor of the reopening of borders and swift normalization of relations without preconditions. This is in the interests of Armenia and the Armenian people. Regarding the negotiations which took place during the meeting: the statement that the foreign ministry released is essentially describing the course of the negotiations. But if you want to obtain deeper and more comprehensive information regarding the course of the very negotiations itself, I believe from collegial and institutional perspective all mechanisms are in place for us to have such discussion and for you to have the chance to ask your questions,” Arshakyan said.

MP Khamoyan was dissatisfied from Arshakyan’s answers, and Deputy Speaker Ruben Rubinyan himself – the Armenian special envoy for dialogue with Turkey – took the floor to present some details from the meeting with his Turkish counterpart.

“If you remember, back in 2021 the official representative of the Russian foreign ministry said that there is a process and the Armenian side has spoken with the Russian side about beginning a potential process with Turkey, which was then confirmed by the Armenian foreign ministry, and then Turkey announced the appointment of its special representative, which was welcomed by the Armenian foreign ministry and which noted that it will also appoint a special representative, and after that the Turkish side appointed its special representative, and after that the Armenian side appointed its special representative. This is how the agreements were reached. While the agreements on the exact location were reached with the help of the Russian side and the meeting took place in the Russian foreign ministry’s reception building in Moscow. You asked what we mean by saying ‘constructive atmosphere’. We mean a constructive atmosphere. As a result of the meeting the Armenian and Turkish foreign ministries issued press released which presented what the special representatives have discussed. The Russian foreign ministry also issued a press release,” Rubinyan said.

Hayastan MP Gegham Manukyan inquired from the technicalities, asking whether or not Rubinyan engaged in the negotiations with the Turkish envoy on behalf of the Armenian parliament given that he was sent to Moscow formally under the instruction signed by the Speaker on January 13.

Manukyan asked whether or not the parliament had authorized Rubinyan on behalf of the state to engage in negotiations on behalf of Armenia, whether or not the matter was discussed at the National Assembly Council.

“Each negotiation has a delegation, a head of delegation, there is a respective procedure, the agenda, timeframes, and expenses. All these procedures were adhered to in this case as well,” Arshakyan said, adding that they are open to answer remaining questions from the opposition MPs.

The Ararat Association of RI surpasses $500,000 in donations to the RI Armenian community

Torgomian Varazdat
January 11, 2022 Guest Contributor Nonprofit News 0

Kneeling: Chairman Alan Zartarian. Left to right: Ken Minasian, Ken Bogosian, Charlie Ajootian, Stepan Kanarian, David Papazian and Richard Papazian

PROVIDENCE, RI—In August 2021, the Ararat Association of RI hosted its 33rd annual Armenian Invitation Golf Tournament which proved to be the most successful in the organization’s tournament history.

From its beginning in 1983, six native Rhode Island Armenian professionals came together to form what is now known as the Ararat Association of Rhode Island, whose purpose is primarily social and fraternal. These individuals set out to participate in their community on a non-sectarian basis by forming a non-profit entity to cultivate professional, social and cultural interaction amongst its founding members and the Rhode Island Armenian community-at-large.

Members include Charles J. Ajootian, K. Kenneth Bogosian, Stepan P. Kanarian, Kenneth R. Minasian, H. David Papazian, Richard K. Papazian and chairman Alan G. Zartarian.

In early spring of 1988, the group would sponsor its inaugural golf tournament to promote sportsmanship, fellowship and social interaction within the Armenian community. These initial goals were exceeded beyond all expectations and resulted in an extremely successful community and financial event for the association. With this financial success, the association found its real mission: to provide all its event profits to various local Armenian organizations. Now, 38 years after its founding, the Ararat Association of RI is proud to report it has provided over $500,000 in donations to over 50 Rhode Island Armenian organizations and causes.

A partial list of recipients of the Ararat Association donations are: 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Armenian Chorale, ACYOA Juniors and Seniors, Armenian Historical Association of RI, Armenian Library & Museum, Armenian Martyrs’ Memorial Committee (AMMC), AMMC Youth Day, Armenian Radio Hour, ARS Ani Chapter, Armenian Saints Softball Team, Armenian Students’ Association, AYF Juniors and Seniors, Charles Yaghoobian Scholarship Fund, Hamazkayin, Homenetmen, Husenig Foundation, Knights of Vartan, Mourad Armenian School Dance Costumes, Nazali and Siroun Dance Groups, White Cross Project, “Women of 1915” event, and Youth Soccer and Basketball.

In addition, the organizations of the Armenian Evangelical Church, Sts. Sahag and Mesrob and Sts. Vartanantz Armenian churches include: Armenian schools, bazaars, Bible Camp, Bible Camp scholarships, Christian Education Committee, Christmas and Easter donations, Christmas altar flowers, church cultural committees, picnics, Senior Citizens events, Sunday schools, and multiple Thanksgiving and Christmas food certificates for individual parishioners.

The Ararat Association thanks everyone who has helped us achieve this milestone and wish all a Merry Armenian Christmas and good health throughout the coming year.