BAKU: Armenian leadership trying to put pressure on Russia, says expert

Trend, Azerbaijan

Aug 23 2017
15:47 (UTC+04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 23

By Seba Aghayeva – Trend:

The Armenian leadership is trying to put pressure on Russia, using such intrigues as rapprochement with the European Union, NATO and, in general, with the Western Coalition, Sergey Markov, Russian president’s confidant, member of Russian Civic Chamber, told Trend Aug. 23.

“The Armenian leadership is trying to solve several problems by taking such steps: firstly, to influence Russia, so that Moscow doesn’t put pressure on Yerevan, doesn’t return to the table of serious and meaningful negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’s settlement. It is known that the Armenian leadership is not against negotiations, but it is against meaningful negotiations and wants to simply participate in negotiations,” said Markov.

In Russia, it is believed that if the constructive negotiation process doesn’t continue, there is a high probability of resumption of hostilities, and under the current circumstances it would be right to resume serious and meaningful negotiations, noted the expert.

The leadership of Armenia is satisfied with the current state of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and Yerevan wouldn’t like to move forward in resolving this conflict, but, on the contrary, to retain control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the territories around it, noted Markov.

Thus, he continued, Armenia will have the chance to exchange the occupied territories around Nagorno-Karabakh for concessions from Azerbaijan in the future.

The leadership of Armenia is exerting pressure on Russia through such kind of intrigues as rapprochement with the European Union, the US and the whole Western coalition, and also participation in the NATO multinational exercise Noble Partner 2017, which took place in early August in Georgia under the patronage of US Vice President Mike Pence, according to him.

Secondly, Yerevan wants to improve the economic condition of Armenia through rapprochement with the EU and the US, Markov added.

“The Armenian leadership is well aware that the West, including the EU, gives money for a reason – if there is political cooperation. Therefore, the more political cooperation with the EU, the more money.”

Thirdly, the Armenian leadership wants to improve the internal political situation, as there are serious socio-political forces in Armenia that stick to pro-Western and anti-Russian policy, according to the expert.

“There are statements that Armenia is following the path of Ukraine – something similar to Maidan is being prepared in the country. This is why the country’s leadership is forced to establish closer ties with the EU, in order to prevent creation of the Armenian Maidan and calm certain pro-Western forces in Armenia, as well as prevent the possible western support of protests in Armenia,” Markov said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

BAKU: New permanent US co-chair of OSCE MG named

Trend, Azerbaijan

Aug 23 2017
04:43 (UTC+04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug.24

By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:

Andrew Schofer will be the new permanent US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

The remarks were made by the interim US co-chair Richard Hoagland during the round-table in Washington.

“I’m very pleased to tell you that starting Monday, the US co-chair will be Andrew Schofer. Very experienced senior US diplomat, who most recently served as our charge d’affaires at the US Mission for International Organizations in Vienna,” he said.

The Minsk Group, the activities of which have become known as the Minsk Process, spearheads the OSCE’s efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is co-chaired by France, the Russian Federation, and the United States.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

BAKU: “EU will soon take more principled stance on Karabakh conflict”

Trend, Azerbaijan

Aug 23 2017


By Seba Aghayeva – Trend:

The EU will soon take a more principled stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and show will to resolve it, Nikita Isayev, political analyst, leader of the New Russia public and political movement, told Trend, Aug. 23.

“In this case, the EU may express its position on the behalf of France, which is one of the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group,” the expert said. “Unfortunately, this will happen without paying significant attention to Russia’s position.”

The analyst noted that the principles of the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the proposals on its settlement that were previously voiced by international mediators, may change in this case.

“The current settlement principles lead to impasse and don’t resolve the conflict, they are fraught with escalation of tensions in the South Caucasus region,” he said. “The escalation of the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region is dangerous not only for the direct participants of the conflict, but for the entire region.”

According to the expert, it is necessary to find new ways for the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

The settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is one of the topics of the Russian and Armenian presidents’ meeting to be held Aug. 23 in the city of Sochi, the Kremlin’s press service reported earlier.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

BAKU: Another provocation from Armenians: wine festival in Karabakh

News.az, Azerbaijan

Aug 23 2017

Wed 11:15 GMT | 7:15 Local Time

The fourth annual wine festival will be held in the occupied Khojavand district of Azerbaijan (in the village of Tog) on September 16.

According to Armenian media, conduction of the wine festival in Karabakh does not only promote winemaking, but increases the flow of tourists illegally visiting the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

It should be noted that about 2,000 tourists from foreign countries visit the illegal festival held by Armenians in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan every year.

Official Baku has always regarded conduction of such events as a provocative step by the Armenian side and urged foreign journalists not to participate in similar events with clearly political motive in the occupied territories.

News.Az

California Courier Online, Aug. 24, 2014

The California Courier Online,
 
1 –    Commentary
        Americana Now Accepts to
Advertise
        Armenian Genocide Documentary
        By Harut Sassounian
        Publisher,
The California
Courier
        www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2    Gladys
Berejiklian: “I Hope to Visit Armenia
        Next
Year as Premier of New South Wales”
3 –    Garo
Paylan: It is Sad that We Failed to Protect the Remains of Our Ancestors
4 –    Google Speech Recognition
        Now
Supports Armenian
5 –    Caruso Agrees to Advertise Genocide
Documentary
        And
Forge Relationship with Armenian Community
6    U.S.  Religious Freedom Report Addresses
        Armenian
Church Property Seized in Turkey
7 –    Baku Asked Israeli Firm to
Conduct
        Drone
Strike Test Against Armenians
8 –    Dutch
Deports Asylum-Seeking Mother
        As
Children, 11 and 12, Go into Hiding
9    Americana Reverses Rejection of Genocide Film
        Ad in Wake of Uproar from Armenian
Community
*******************************************
1 –    Commentary
        Americana Now Accepts to
Advertise
        Armenian Genocide Documentary
 
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
 
Americana
shopping mall executives in Glendale
once again reversed themselves declaring that they not only now accept to
advertise the Armenian Genocide Documentary, Architects of Denial, but offered
to do it for free!
In the process, Americana’s executives
behaved erratically, unprofessionally, and most surprisingly, against their own
business interests by behaving insensitively toward the major block of their
shoppers, the large local Armenian population.
It all started two weeks ago
when Americana’s
General Manager Julie Jauregui refused to sell space on its billboard by
calling the Armenian Genocide documentary “too political.” When I
contacted Americana for a proper explanation, I
was told by Emily Davis, responsible for Americana’s
Public Relations and Communications: “We have strict standards for our
advertisements and we carefully review all content. This did not comply with
the advertising guidelines for our portfolio properties throughout Southern California.” When asked why the documentary did not
comply with Americana’s advertising guidelines,
three days later I was told by Emily Davis, Americana had no further comment!
Under pressure from the
local Armenian community and the Armenian National Committee of America —
Glendale Chapter, Jackie Levy, Americana’s Executive Vice President, changed
course and sent a conciliatory letter to ANCA, dangling the hope that there
would be a resolution to the issue after meeting with the Glendale City Council
and the documentary producers, and declining to meet with ANCA.
A few days later, Jackie
Levy, sent a much harsher letter to the documentary producers stating once
again that Americana declines the requested advertising because the shopping
mall is for people “who can come together to enjoy themselves… that is why we
have established policies prohibiting advertisements concerning political
issues.” She then offered to meet with ANCA and expressed the wish to “reaffirm
our longstanding support of the Armenian community….” which is a complete lie. Americana has repeatedly
taken anti-Armenian positions, particularly on the Armenian Genocide issue when
they banned the sale of genocide t-shirts three years ago.
Jackie Levy then proceeded
to make the most offensive remark, mentioning “comments we have received
ranging from the Armenian community and the Turkish Consulate.” Ms. Levy should
be asked how many Turkish shoppers frequent Americana
vs. 100,000 Armenians in Glendale.
Furthermore, why is she allowing the Consulate of a foreign despotic regime to
interfere in the decisions of Americana
and the local community? By doing so, she is equating Armenians — the victims
of genocide — with those whose ancestors had committed such heinous mass
crimes!
Meanwhile the pressure
started mounting on Americana
by various American TV networks which broadcast the Armenian protests against
the shopping mall. There were also more than 20 Armenian and non-Armenian
speakers, including this writer, who addressed the Glendale City Council on
August 15, expressing their outrage at Jackie Levy’s insensitive letter. At the
end, all five City Council members expressed their unhappiness with Americana’s rejection of
the Armenian Genocide ad and committed to follow up with the shopping mall’s
executives to pressure them to change their position.
Finally, Americana
executives reversed their position once again on August 17, by announcing
shortly before ANCA’s press conference scheduled to declare a boycott of Americana by the local
Armenian community. Jackie Levy announced that Americana now agrees to display the
advertisement and “at no cost to the producers.”
Ms. Levy excuses Americana’s earlier
negative decision as a “misunderstanding” of their position on human
rights “and for that we apologize. We have always condemned violence and
atrocities of any form anywhere in the world, including the Armenian Genocide
that has impacted the lives of Armenians in our community.”
In response, ANCA announced
that they consider Americana’s
reversal an “initial positive step.” The ANCA further stated that the shopping
mall “should be demonstrating its corporate citizenship” and “must seek a
relationship with the community that demonstrates, in concrete terms, its
understanding and care for the surrounding community and our city. In the coming
weeks, we look forward to meeting with Mr. Rick Caruso [Americana’s
owner] and his management team to discuss, in concrete terms, how we can forge
a better relationship and bond between the community and the Americana and Caruso Affiliated that results in
a genuine, constructive and meaningful long-term relationship.”
Given Americana executives’ contradictory
statements in the last couple of weeks, the Armenian community has lost
complete trust in their promises. Mr. Caruso, Americana’s owner, not only should review the
shopping mall’s relationship with the local Armenian community, but also decide
if several of his executives should continue working for him given their
unprofessional behavior.
*******************************************************************************************************
2 –   Gladys Berejiklian: “I Hope to Visit Armenia
        Next
Year as Premier of New South Wales”
SIDNEY, Australia (News.am) – Premier of Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) Gladys
Berejiklian hopes to visit Armenia
next year, she said in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am. Gladys
Berejiklian spoke about her visit to Armenia and Karabakh as well as her
Armenian heritage.
What is your main task as Prime Minister
of New South Wales? 
New South Wales
is home to 7.8 million people and is the largest of Australia’s six states. About a
third of Australia’s
population live in NSW. NSW has the largest, fastest-growing and
most-diversified economy in Australia.
It has an economy larger than Ireland,
Norway and Israel.
The role of the Premier is equivalent to that of
a State Governor in the United
States. The Premier is the leader of the
Government, the most senior decision maker and most visible face of the State
Government to the public. The Premier leads and coordinates the work of a
Government Ministers across budgets, policy and new legislation. 
You visited Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh
together with the delegation of Australian politicians back in 2013. Could you
please share you impressions of this visit?
In July 2013, as part of a Parliamentary
delegation of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Armenia, I had the opportunity
to visit Armenia
in an official capacity. We visited Yerevan,
Artsakh and other regions of Armenia.
The trip embedded in both my colleagues and me, a deeper understanding of not
only the Armenian way of life, but also the challenges and the significant
strategic opportunities available to Armenia. 
You have constantly raised the Armenian
community concerns in the parliament, including recognition of the Armenian
Genocide and Karabakh issue. Do you think Australia can ever recognize the
Armenian Genocide?
As the granddaughter of survivors of the
Armenian genocide, I am proud of my Armenian heritage and will continue to
advocate for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. This year marks the 20th
anniversary of the unanimous recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the
Parliament of New South Wales. We also have an Armenian Khachkar in our Parliamentary Garden to recognise the victims of the
Armenian Genocide.  I hope to visit Armenia next year as the Premier of
NSW.
****************************************************************************************************
3 –    Garo
Paylan: It is Sad that We Failed to Protect the Remains of Our Ancestors
ISTANBUL
(Agos) – The Turkish Parliament member of pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party
(HDP) Garo Paylan visited Van to verify the information that
toilets were built in a historic Armenian cemetery.
The territory was surrounded by barbed wire.
Paylan talked to the local residents.
“Wherever I touched, human bones were found.
There is no doubt anymore that this territory used to be an Armenian cemetery,”
Paylan said.
Paylan said that the territory had been a
dwelling place from the times of Urartu. “Armenian people lived there since
then. Everyone whom I talked to told about churches and schools. But alas,
these memories are erased.”
Paylan emphasized that according to the local
residents, the gravestones of the cemetery had been eliminated in 1940-50s. “A
Muslim chapel, a toilet and a café are built at the place of the cemetery. It
is sad that we failed to protect the remains of our ancestors”.
Arshile Gorky was born in Dilkaya in Edremit
region of Van. The spring that was built near his house and destroyed after
some time was restored in 2015 and a sign was established by the Municipality of Edremit. Now the sign is removed and the
spring water is cut off, Paylan says. According to him, all documents of
Armenian life are eliminated        
**********************************************************************************************
4 –    Google
Speech Recognition
        Now
Supports Armenian
SAN JOSE, CA (PanArmenian.Net)Google speech recognition can now
support the Armenian language,
the company said in a blog post on August 14.
After bringing voice typing (instead of typing)
to 30 languages and locales around the world, Google’s speech recognition now
supports 119 language varieties, in Gboard on Android, Voice Search and more.
The full list of newly supported languages and
locales includes Amharic (Ethiopia), Armenian (Armenia), Azerbaijani
(Azerbaijani), Bengali (Bangladesh, India), English (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria,
Tanzania), Georgian (Georgia), Gujarati (India), Javanese (Indonesia), Kannada
(India), Khmer (Cambodian), Lao (Laos), Latvian (Latvia), Malayalam (India),
Marathi (India), Nepali (Nepal), Sinhala (Sri Lanka), Sundanese (Indonesia),
Swahili (Tanzania, Kenya), Tamil (India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia),
Telugu (India), Urdu (Pakistan, India).
“To incorporate 30 new language varieties,
we worked with native speakers to collect speech samples, asking them to read
common phrases,” Google said.
“This process trained our machine learning
models to understand the sounds and words of the new languages and to improve
their accuracy when exposed to more examples over time.” 
***************************************************************************************************
5 –    Caruso
Agrees to Advertise Genocide Documentary
        And
Forge Relationship with Armenian Community
GLENDALE – On
August 17, the Armenian National Committee of America – Glendale received a letter from Caruso
Affiliated Executive Vice President of Operations, Jackie Levy condemning
“violence and atrocities of any form anywhere in the world, including the
Armenian Genocide that has impacted the lives of Armenians in our
community”.  The letter also states that Caruso Affiliated will work with
the producers of Architects of Denial and the City of Glendale
in an effort to display the advertisement at the Americana at Brand, at no cost to the
producers.
The ANCA Glendale welcomed this important albeit
delayed response as the first step in addressing a larger issue of
insensitivity toward the Armenian-American community and utter lack of outreach
and understanding.
“We look forward to working with Americana at Brand and
Caruso Affiliated to further address the community’s needs and develop a
positive and constructive relationship moving forward,” said Elen Asatryan, a
spokesperson for the ANCA Glendale chapter.
“We especially want to thank the grassroots in
our community who rose to the occasion by making our collective concerns heard
on a larger scale. This outcome shows that when the community is activated,
decision makers will hear its voice,” she said.
“We are sincerely grateful to our elected
officials – specifically State Senator Anthony Portantino who joined us on the
ground from day one, members of the Glendale City Council who supported our
position, as well as US Congressman Adam Schiff, LA County Supervisor Kathryn
Barger, and Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Krekorian for responding to the call
for action and providing their staunch support that made this possible,”
Asatryan concluded.
Caruso Agrees to Advertise Genocide Documentary
And Forge Relationship with Armenian Community
GLENDALE – On
August 17, the Armenian National Committee of America – Glendale received a letter from Caruso
Affiliated Executive Vice President of Operations, Jackie Levy condemning
“violence and atrocities of any form anywhere in the world, including the
Armenian Genocide that has impacted the lives of Armenians in our community”. 
The letter also states that Caruso Affiliated will work with the producers of
Architects of Denial and the City of Glendale in
an effort to display the advertisement at the Americana at Brand, at no cost to the
producers.
The ANCA Glendale welcomed this important albeit
delayed response as the first step in addressing a larger issue of
insensitivity toward the Armenian-American community and utter lack of outreach
and understanding.
“We look forward to working with Americana at Brand and
Caruso Affiliated to further address the community’s needs and develop a
positive and constructive relationship moving forward,” said Elen Asatryan, a
spokesperson for the ANCA Glendale chapter.
“We especially want to thank the grassroots in
our community who rose to the occasion by making our collective concerns heard
on a larger scale. This outcome shows that when the community is activated,
decision makers will hear its voice,” she said.
“We are sincerely grateful to our elected
officials – specifically State Senator Anthony Portantino who joined us on the
ground from day one, members of the Glendale City Council who supported our
position, as well as US Congressman Adam Schiff, LA County Supervisor Kathryn
Barger, and Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Krekorian for responding to the call
for action and providing their staunch support that made this possible,”
Asatryan concluded.
On August 22, the ANCA and a number of
politicians had scheduled a press conference to announce a community boycott of
the Americana
at Brand.
The press conference was still held, but, this
time to announce the receipt of the letter from Caruso, and discuss the
ramifications of the incident and the resulting action.
*****************************************************************************************************
6 –    U.S.  Religious Freedom Report Addresses
        Armenian
Church Property Seized in Turkey
YEREVAN
(Panorama.am) – U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on August 15 presented
the State Department’s annual report on international religious freedom.
The report for 2016 found that major issues were
also observed in Turkey.
Referring to properties seized from the
religious minorities by the Turkish government in previous decades, the report
says that the country failed to return them in the indicated year.
In particular, it pointed out that the Armenian Apostolic
Church’s Catholicosate of the Great
House of Cilicia (based in Lebanon)
made a second application for expedited review of a lawsuit, filed with the Constitutional Court
in April 2015, to recover the centuries-old headquarters of the Catholicosate
of Sis in the Adana
Province.
It is noted that according to the lawsuit, the
headquarters, now controlled by the government but once a center of Armenian
Christian life, was wrongly seized in 1915 and should be returned. In June the Constitutional Court
rejected the application on procedural grounds. In December the Catholicosate
applied to the ECHR for the return of the property.
The report also notes that the Turkish
authorities have canceled religious services at the Armenian church on Akhtamar Island
on Lake Van.
It also made a reference to the elections of the
Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul, stating that the Turkish authorities interfered
in the election process of the Armenian Patriarch.
*****************************************************************************************************
7 –    Baku Asked Israeli Firm to
Conduct
        Drone
Strike Test Against Armenians
JERUSALEM, (Maariv)  
The Israeli Defense Ministry is checking reports that Aeronautics Defense
Systems had been asked by Azerbaijan to
carry out a live demonstration of an armed unmanned aerial vehicle against an
Armenian military position in Artsakh.
The Israeli daily reported on August 13 that a
team belonging to the Israeli defense company arrived in Baku to finalize a contract for the sale of
its Orbiter 1K UAV
when they were asked to strike the position. According to the report, the two
Israeli pilots operating the UAV refused to hit the position and senior
representatives of the company took control and operated the craft themselves,
ultimately missing their targets.
The Israeli Defense Ministry said that while “as
a rule, the Defense Ministry does not make it a practice to comment on issues
involving military exports, the claim is being examined by the relevant parties
at the ministry.”
Aeronautics Defense Systems strongly denied that
the event ever occurred claiming that “Aeronautics never performs
demonstrations using live fire and that was true in this case as well” and that
the operation of the craft is carried out by the purchaser and whatever occurs
is the purchaser’s responsibility.
Two senior members of the delegation who were
present in Baku
allegedly tried to persuade the two pilots – who refused to operate the drone
against Armenian positions – to change their minds, threatened to punish them
and explained that their refusal to comply with the request would harm the
company’s chances of winning a contract. The two senior officials had to
demonstrate a drone strike themselves, but apparently because of their lack of
proficiency in operating the drones, the aircraft missed the target, with no
casualties or damage registered as a result.
Aeronautics’s Orbiter 1K is a loitering suicide drone capable of
carrying a 1 to 2 kg. explosive payload.
**************************************************************************************************
8 –    Dutch
Deports Asylum-Seeking Mother
        As
Children, 11 and 12, Go into Hiding
AMERSFOORT, The Netherlands (Dutchnews)Two
children who have lived in the Netherlands for nine years but face deportation
to Armenia have gone into hiding while their mother is deported, broadcaster
NOS said last week.
Armina Hambartsjumian, the mother of Lily, 11
and Howick, 12, was picked up at her home at a refugee centre in Amersfoort
last week and was put on a flight to Paris on Monday,
Defence for Children said. She will then be put on
another plane to Yerevan.
‘We have never before come across a case in
which a mother is deported while the children remain in the Netherlands,’ Defence for Children
said. The children were born in Russia
and have never been to Armenia.
Nor do they speak the language.
The children were not at home when their mother
was picked up and their whereabouts are unknown. She has also refused to say
where they are,
NOS said.
Last Friday, judges in The Hague ruled that the family can be
deported because the children do not qualify for the child amnesty introduced
by the outgoing government in 2012. In order to qualify, children must have
become rooted in the Netherlands
and their families must have cooperated with attempts to deport them.
In addition, the fact that the mother has been
separated from her children is her own fault, the court said.
Appeal
On Friday, friends of the children made a
last-ditch appeal to junior justice minister Klaas Dijkhoff for clemency.
Supporters of the family say they should be allowed to stay while the coalition
negotiations are ongoing. A chance in the amnesty rules are thought to be one
of the topics up for discussion.
ChristenUnie and D66 are both
part of the coalition talks and the two parties were involved with efforts to
relax the rules earlier. ‘I am aware of the situation, but giving a reaction
would not be in the children’s interests, ChristenUnie MP Joel Voordewind told
Trouw.
Only 4% of the 3,000 application under the child
amnesty rules have been successful.
The children’s ombudsman Margrite Kalverboar has
described the deportation as a scandal and says the amnesty rules need to be
changed.
The mother told NOS last week she does not know
how she will manage in Armenia.
Despite having Armenian nationality, she was born in Azerbaijan
and came to the Netherlands
via Russia.
********************************************************************************************************
9 –    Americana Reverses Rejection of Genocide Film
        Ad in Wake of Uproar from Armenian
Community
GLENDALE, CA – On Aug. 15, the Armenian National
Committee of America-Glendale held a press conference at the Americana at Brand
to update the media and the community at large on its next steps in addressing
the issue surrounding Caruso Affiliated’s prior decision to reject
advertisement space for the upcoming Armenian Genocide documentary, “Architects
of Denial.”
Initially, the press conference was planned to
announce an official boycott of the Americana at Brand and Caruso Affiliated
based on its utter lack of sensitivity toward the Armenian-American community,
its decision to reject billboard space calling it “too political,”
claiming that the advertisement would violate their “guideline principle,”
which is to “ensure that everyone in the community feels welcome” and Mr.
Caruso’s unwillingness to immediately meet with ANCA Glendale to rectify the
situation.
But as the organization was setting up the
microphones on the green public park in the heart of the Americana at Brand, Caruso Affiliated,
submitted a response letter to the organization condemning “violence and
atrocities of any form anywhere in the world, including the Armenian Genocide
that has impacted the lives of Armenians in our community.” The letter also
stated that Caruso Affiliated will work with the producers of “Architects of
Denial” and the City of Glendale in an effort to
display the advertisement at the Americana
at Brand, at no cost to the producers.
The press conference was kicked off with opening
remarks by former ANCA-WR Executive Director, Elen Asatryan who thanked the
media and the community members, and announced the long list of elected
officials and community leaders who were in attendance, standing in solidarity
with the organization.
ANCA Glendale Chair, Artin Manoukian then took
to the podium to provide the organization’s statement. “Let us be abundantly
clear, the Americana serves at the pleasure of the City of Glendale and its
citizens, not the other way around…the Americana was basing its decisions on
Turkish government interests that oppose the values of tolerance, respect for
all cultures and in this case the facts of history. Exposing genocide is never
something that should be silenced.”
Manoukian concluded his remarks with “We
appreciate these initial positive steps the Americana and Caruso Affiliated are taking.
However, this is not how a company like Caruso Affiliated should be demonstrating
its corporate citizenship. Caruso Affiliated must seek a relationship with the
community that demonstrates, in concrete terms, its understanding and care for
the surrounding community and our city. In the coming weeks, we look forward to
meeting with Mr. Rick Caruso and his management team to discuss, in concrete
terms, how we can forge a better relationship and bond between the community
and the Americana
and Caruso Affiliated that results in a genuine, constructive and meaningful
long-term relationship.”
Executive Producer of Architects of Denial, Dean
Cain followed Mr. Manoukian’s comments by thanking Mr. Caruso for “recognizing
that genocide is not a political issue, it’s a historical fact.”  Cain
concluded with, “I am glad to see this first step and I hope the film will
educate people.”
CA State Senator Anthony Portantino, who joined
the efforts on the ground on day one with the release of a strong statement,
personally communicated with Caruso Affiliated, and spoke at the Glendale City
Council meeting this past Tuesday took to the podium stating, “I am proud to
stand here today. Yes, we should appreciate the effort that’s been done, but it
also underscores why we make documentaries about historical facts.Let’s be
clear the atrocities of 1915 are not in dispute. A movie about a historical
fact should not be subject to additional scrutiny for its advertising.”
Portantino ended his remarks with a,  “shout out to the grassroots who
advocated, posted, made calls and sent emails. Remember, people power trumps
money power all day long”.
Senator Portantino’s remarks were followed by
Glendale Mayor Vartan Gharpetian who spoke on behalf of all four Councilmembers
present stated, “As the proud Mayor of our Jewel
City and the home to more than 100,000
Armenian-Americans, I called the actions of Americana at Brand, as too insulting, and too
far from advocating for human rights.”
“Today, I am pleased that Caruso Affiliated took
the necessary steps to learn about the historical facts and acknowledging the
atrocities of the Armenian Genocide in their letter of apology received today,”
he added.
In the final statement provided by the Armenian
Bar Association, Boardmember Garo Ghazarian, Esq. stated, “Yet, we still
demand. We demand that Mr. Caruso deliver to the public an open apology from
the Americana for their reckless manipulation of Armenian history; We also
demand that Mr. Caruso ensure — in swift fashion — that information about arts
projects, education, and public outreach addressing the Armenian Genocide enjoy
the full light of day and the bright lights of public display at the Americana.
Time was running out an hour ago. Time is now up.”
The press conference ended with final words by
Asatryan thanking the “grassroots and the community organizations that rose to
the occasion, and “specifically State Senator Anthony Portantino who joined us
on the ground from day one, members of the Glendale City Council who supported
our position, as well as US Congressman Adam Schiff, LA County Supervisor
Kathryn Barger, and Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Krekorian.”  Complete
video of the press conference is available online at
www.ancaglendale.org/press-kit.
Leading up to the press conference, ANCA
Glendale submitted letters to The Americana at Brand and Caruso Affiliated requesting
an immediate meeting and action to rectify this situation.  On August 9,
2017, the organization also launched a letter and call in campaign available at
www.ancaglendale.org/endthegag. The action alert resulted in over 10,000 emails
and phone calls to the management.from residents, business owners and customers
of the establishment, calling for immediate action.
 On August 15, Executive Producers of
“Architects of Denial,” Montel Williams and Dean Cain released a statement
noting “The seriousness of this issue cannot and should not be understated.
This is no longer about our movie or an advertisement. This is about
vindicating the dignity of the victims and the survivors of a genocide.”
Complete statement is available at www.ancaglendale.org/montel-cain/.
The same evening, dozens of community leaders
and members, including ANCA Glendale Chair Artin Manoukian and State Senator
Anthony Portantino took to the Glendale City Council to provide powerful
testimonies and ask the city to take immediate action in resolving the
matter.  The councilmembers ended the oral communication section by
condemning Caruso Affiliated’s decision and agendizing the matter for the next
city council meeting.
Elected officials and community organizations
present at the press conference included CA State Senator Anthony Portantino,
Glendale Mayor Vartan Gharpetian, Glendale Councilmembers Ara Najarian, Zareh
Sinanyan, Paula Devine, Vrej Aghajanian, Glendale City Clerk Ardashes
Kassakhian, Glendale Unified School District Board President Nayiri Nahabedian
and members Dr. Armine Gharpetian and Shant Sahakian, Glendale Community
College Board President Dr. Armine Hacopian and Trustee Yvette Vartanian Davis,
and Crescenta Valley Town Council President Harry Leon.
In addition to the attendees, the following
organizations also joined ANCA Glendale as coalition partners in an official
call to action: American Hellenic Council, ANCA La Crescenta, Burbank,
Hollywood Chapters, Armenian American Chamber of Commerce, Armenian American
Council on Aging, Armenian Bar Association, Armenian Cultural Foundation,
Armenian Educational Foundation, Armenian Society of Los Angeles, Armenian
Youth Association of California, Armenian Relief Society – Glendale Chapter,
Assyrian American Association of Southern CA, Committee for Armenian Students
in Public Schools, Davidian/Mariamian Educational Foundation, Homenetmen
Glendale Ararat Chapter, Glendale Teachers Association, Hamazkayin Armenian
Cultural & Educational Society – Glendale Chapter, Korean American Forum of
California, Korea Glendale Sister City Association, New Joulfa Zartonk
Association, Richard Tufenkian Pre-School, SEYFO Center – Assyrian Genocide
Research Center, SWANA-LA (Southwest Asian And North Afrikan – Los Angeles ),
Urmia Armenian Society, Vahan and Anoush Chamlian School.
********************************************************************************************************
California Courier Online provides viewers of
the Armenian News News Service with a few of the articles in this week’s issue of The
California Courier.  Letters to the
editor are encouraged through our e-mail address, [email protected]. However,
authors are requested to provide their names, addresses, and/or telephone
numbers to verify identity, if any question arises. California Courier
subscribers are requested not to use this service to change, or modify mailing
addresses. Those changes can be made through our e-mail,
, or by
phone, (81
8) 409-0949.
******************************************************************************************************
 
 

Zartonk Daily 23.08.2017

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RFE/RL Armenian Report – 08/22/2017

                                        Tuesday, 
Fewer Armenians Involved In Agriculture
 . Sargis Harutyunyan
Armenia - Grapes harvested at a vineyard in the Ararat Valley,
9Sep2013.
Despite strong growth in agriculture reported by the Armenian
government, the number of people involved in the sector has declined
considerably in the last few years, according to official statistics.
Figures from the National Statistical Service (NSS) show that there
were a total of 338,000 farmers and other agricultural workers in
Armenia last year, down from 437,200 in 2012.
This decrease calls into question separate NSS data showing that
Armenian agricultural output rose by an average 6.3 percent annually
between 2012 and 2016. Armenia's economy grew by an average of 3.5
percent in that period.
Economic growth in the country all but ground to a halt last
year. Finance Minister Vartan Aramian attributed the slowdown to a
revised calculation of domestic agricultural production which was
carried out shortly after last fall's government reshuffle in Yerevan.
The previous Armenian cabinet claimed until then that both the
agricultural sector and the economy as a whole are on track to grow in
2016. The NSS reported in January that the sector generating less than
one-fifth of Gross Domestic Product contracted by over 5 percent last
year. Government officials blamed the drop on unfavorable weather
conditions.
Agricultural output shrank by 1.4 percent in the first half of this
year following an unusually cold winter, government data show.
"The plight of our villagers is very difficult now," Agriculture
Minister Ignati Arakelian told RFE/RL's Armenian service
(Azatutyun.am) last week. Arakelian, who was appointed in October,
said the mostly subsistence farmers are struggling to grow the right
crops and sell them at a profit.
Armenia Joins Firefighting Efforts In Georgia
Georgia -- A wildire in the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park,
21Aug2017
Armenia sent several dozen firefighters to neighboring Georgia on
Tuesday to help authorities there battle a wildfire that erupted in a
Georgian nature reserve at the weekend.
Georgian officials reported that the fire in the Borjomi-Kharagauli
National Park has expanded to an area of more than twelve
hectares. They said that high winds and heavy smoke are impeding
efforts by Georgian firefighters to contain the blaze. The steep,
rugged landscape also makes it very difficult to use firefighting
machinery, they said.
The scale of the disaster led the Georgian government to ask
neighboring states for assistance. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili
told reporters on Tuesday that Azerbaijan and Turkey have sent in
firefighting helicopters and that firefighters from Armenia are "on
their way" to the mountainous area in south-central Georgia.
The Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed the
information, saying that it has dispatched eight fire engines along
with their crews to the Borjomi reserve. The 57-strong team also
includes medics and other emergency workers, the ministry said in a
statement.
According to the Armenpress news agency, the head of the ministry's
Rescue Service, Mushegh Ghazarian, will personally coordinate the
team's participation in the firefighting efforts.
Armenia - Armenian firefighting crews depart to Georgia to join
firefighting efforts in the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park,
22Aug2017.
The authorities in Yerevan provided the assistance just days after
extinguishing two massive wildfires that burned hundreds of hectares
of woodland in Armenia after weeks of unusually high
temperatures. They had to ask Russia to send a heavy firefighting
aircraft for containing one of those fires that erupted in the Khosrov
Forest State Reserve southeast of Yerevan on August 12.
Large quantities of water dropped by the Ilyushin-72 plane proved
critical in the firefighting operation conducted there.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations said earlier on Tuesday that its
firefighters are continuing to carry out "post-extinguishment works"
to prevent renewed fire outbreaks at Khosrov.
Dashnak Minister Denies Renewed Friction With PM
 . Narine Ghalechian
Armenia -- Environment Minister Artsvik Minasian at a press conference
in Yerevan, 27Dec2016
Environment Minister Artsvik Minasian, one of the three cabinet
members representing the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(Dashnaktsutyun), on Tuesday dismissed renewed speculation about his
tense relationship with Prime Minister Karen Karapetian.
Shortly after taking office last September, Karapetian publicly
criticized Minasian, who was Armenia's economy minister at the time,
prompting a stern rebuke from a Dashnaktsutyun leader. Minasian was
subsequently appointed to his current ministerial post after objecting
to the new prime minister's decision to the rename the Armenian
Ministry of Economy.
Media speculation about lingering tensions between the two men was
only stoked by this month's two massive wildfires that burned hundreds
of hectares of forests in the country. Some critics blame the Ministry
of Environment Protection for the fires, saying that it failed to take
necessary precautions despite an unusually hot and dry weather.
Speaking at the RFE/RL studio in Yerevan, Minasian insisted that his
rapport with Karapetian is "very normal" and "not tense" and that
critical statements made by the premier are only "natural."
"On the contrary, it would be bad if nothing was said and if all
discussions, government meetings were mere formalities," he said. "I
think that a healthy atmosphere should be encouraged and that only a
healthy debate can produce the best solution."
Accordingly, the minister ruled out the possibility of his
resignation. "Every time you receive and accept a proposal to take up
a political post, the time will come when you will resign from it," he
said. "But right now there is no such issue. I had a discussion with
the prime minister today as well."
"We now need to come up with an analysis of this situation and
approaches, including changes that we have to make," he added in an
apparent reference to additional government measures to protect
Armenian forests.
Minasian also emphasized that he occupies his "political post" as a
result of a power-sharing deal between Dashnaktsutyun and President
Serzh Sarkisian which was struck in early 2016 and extended shortly
after the April 2017 parliamentary elections. The two other government
members affiliated with Dashnaktsutyun are Territorial Administration
Minister Davit Lokian and Education Minister Levon Mkrtchian.
Dashnaktsutyun controls 7 seats in Armenia's 105-member parliament
elected in April.
Press Review
"Haykakan Zhamanak" describes as "sensational" a Turkish minister's
statement that Turkey wants to sign a free-trade deal with the
Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). "Analysts are now trying to
understand Armenia's position on this Turkish statement," writes the
paper. "They are also looking into what Armenia could gain from that
process. The first thing that is pointed out is that in case of
signing any agreement with the EEU Turkey will have to open the
Turkish-Armenian border, its only land border with that union, or that
such a thing is not possible without Armenia's consent. Therefore, it
is claimed, new opportunities will open up for Armenia's authorities
to advance our national interests."
Other observers think, however, that Russia could pressurize Armenia
into making major concessions to the Turks without getting anything in
return. "There are indeed such concerns," says "Haykakan Zhamanak."
"Aravot" considers "rational" some Armenian opposition politicians'
calls for the country to leave the EEU. "There is neither Europe, nor
Asia nor economy nor union there," claims the paper. "On top of that,
there are unprecedented sanctions [against Russia]." It complains that
membership in the EEU prevents Armenia from signing free-trade deals
with other nations or economic blocs on its own.
"Zhoghovurd" comments on claims by a senior executive of Iran's
national gas company that Tehran and Yerevan are now discussing the
possibility of sharply increasing Iranian gas supplies to
Armenia. "Iran has repeatedly expressed readiness to sell [more] gas
to Armenia," the paper says. "What is more, at one point Iran did not
rule out the possibility of selling gas to Armenia at a lower price."
It claims that the Armenian government failed to seize upon that
opportunity. It blames Russia for that. "The Gazprom company # will
never allow Armenia to have an alternative source of gas," it says.
(Tigran Avetisian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2017 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 08/23/2017

                                        Wednesday, 
Putin In Fresh Talks With Sarkisian
Russia - President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with his Armenian
counterpart Serzh Sarkisian in Sochi, 23Aug2017.
President Vladimir Putin praised Russia's close political, military
and economic ties with Armenia as he met with his Armenian counterpart
Serzh Sarkisian in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on Wednesday.
Putin started the talks by noting the upcoming 20th anniversary of the
signing of a comprehensive Russian-Armenian treaty.
"Since then relations between Armenia and Russia as sovereign states
have strengthened in the most serious manner," he said. "We maintain
an intensive political dialogue, cooperate on a bilateral basis in the
areas of economy and security, military affairs."
"We actively interact within the framework of international
organizations and our integration structures," Putin added in
televised remarks.
Sarkisian likewise described Russian-Armenian relations as "strategic"
and multifaceted. "Our commercial ties are developing intensively," he
went on, pointing to a 24 percent rise in bilateral trade recorded by
the Armenian government in the first half of this year.
Sarkisian also thanked Moscow for helping authorities in Armenia
extinguish a massive wildfire that broke out in a nature reserve
southeast of Yerevan earlier this month. A Russian water-dropping
plane played a major role in the firefighting efforts there.
Russia - President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with his Armenian
counterpart Serzh Sarkisian in Sochi, 23Aug2017.
Neither president mentioned the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in his
opening remarks. A statement on the talks issued by the Kremlin also
made no reference to the issue.
According to the Armenian presidential press office, Putin and
Sarkisian discussed the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute after their
meeting continued behind the closed doors. The office gave no details.
The two leaders made no public statements after the talks held in the
presence of Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Edward
Nalbandian of Armenia.Lavrov has been personally involved in
international efforts to broker an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal.
Putin met with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev in Sochi late last
month. The Karabakh conflict was also on the agenda.
Putin hosted the most recent Armenian-Azerbaijani summit in
Saint-Petersburg in June 2016, two months after four-day hostilities
around Karabakh which Moscow helped to halt. The three presidents
signaled progress towards a Karabakh settlement right after that
meeting. However, the peace process again stalled in the following
months.
Russia and the two other mediating powers, the United States and
France, now hope to organize another Aliyev-Sarkisian meeting this
fall.
Opposition Mayor Accuses Predecessor Of Corruption
 . Anush Muradian
Armenia - Garik Sargsian (L), mayor of Nor Kyank village, and his
lawyer, Rustam Badasian, at a news conference in Yerevan, 23Aug2017
The mayor of an Armenian village affiliated with the opposition Yelk
alliance on Wednesday accused the family of his pro-government
predecessor of illegally privatizing land that belonged to the local
community.
Garik Sargsian of Nor Kyank, a village in the southern Ararat
province, said he has filed lawsuits in a bid to restore public
ownership of the two plots of land. He said they were sold to the wife
and the daughter of the former village mayor, Mayis Abrahamian, at a
fraction of their market value.
The privatization deals were approved by the local council years
before Sargsian defeated Abrahamian in a mayoral election held last
September. Those decisions were supposedly signed by most members of
the council.
The 30-year-old mayor, a rare opposition member running a local
community in Armenia, and his lawyer, Rustam Badasian, said they
suspect that at least some of those signatures were rigged.
"With our lawsuits, we are demanding the annulment of these deals
whereby communal land was sold," Badasian told a news conference in
Yerevan. He said they have also asked the Armenian police to launch a
criminal investigation into a possible forgery of the signatures.
"We have reasonable suspicions that they are fake because the
signatures put by several of the current councilors # under council
decisions adopted after November 2016 and before November 2016 clearly
do not match each other," explained the lawyer. One council member has
already admitted not having signed the privatization deals, he
claimed.
Abrahamian, who is a member of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia
(HHK), strongly denied the corruption claims, saying that his
successor is simply keen to discredit him. He insisted that the land
acquisitions were legal and that no signatures were forged.
"There was a tender in 2004 and my wife won it and bought that land,"
Abrahamian told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
"Why is only my wife's name being circulated?" complained the former
village chief, who now holds a senior position in the provincial
administration. "Other people also bought [village land.] Why isn't he
talking about them?"
Press Review
"Haykakan Zhamanak" says that Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and
Serzh Sarkisian of Armenia will have "many issues to discuss" when
they meet in the Russian city of Sochi on Wednesday. "But since Russia
is trying, together with the two other co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group, to end the deadlock in Karabakh peace talks, the key topic now
is a Sarkisian-Aliyev meeting planned for this autumn," the paper
says. "In order for the meeting to take place, the Azerbaijani side
should guarantee that it will not walk away from agreements on
confidence-building measures in the conflict zone. [Ilham] Aliyev may
have given such guarantees at his [recent] meeting with Putin [in
Sochi.] But of course he may have also not given them. Vladimir Putin
will definitely communicate the Azerbaijani president's position to
Serzh Sarkisian today."
"Aravot" comments on reports that Turkey is seeking to sign a
free-trade deal with the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union
(EEU). Armenia has already made clear through Deputy Foreign Minister
Shavarsh Kocharian that Ankara cannot reach such a deal without
Yerevan's consent. Kocharian also pointed in that regard to the
long-running Turkish economic blockade of Armenia. "Turkey is making
yet another move aimed at deepening its relations with Moscow," writes
the paper. "These are not easy times for Ankara, and the Turkish
authorities are seeking access to the EEU markets. For its part,
Moscow was quite flattered by such a statement from Ankara given its
efforts to boost the EEU's clout."
"Hraparak" quotes Stepan Grigorian, an Armenian analyst, as suggesting
that the Turks are "blackmailing" the European Union with their stated
desire to forge closer commercial ties with the Russian-led trade
bloc. He believes that Ankara cannot enter into any free-trade
agreements with the EEU without scrapping its customs union with the
EU. "The Armenian factor is also at play," adds Grigorian. "If Turkey
wants to form a free-trade area with the EEU how can it keep the
border with Armenia closed? I don't think that this stage Turkey will
willingly open the border with Armenia."
(Tigran Avetisian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2017 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

Zartonk Daily 24.08.2017

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A Generational Question

Asbarez Armenian News

Aug 22 2017


The late Marilyn Arshagouni with her grand-daughters, Ani and Marie.

BY MARIE PAPAZIAN
Barnard College of Columbia University Class of 2021
Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program – Summer 2017

“If you don’t speak Armenian, are you really Armenian?”

On our walk to the ANCA offices under the warm D.C. sun, my peers were debating this question loudly. Passionate exclamations ensued, involving the assertion that losing one’s ability to speak Armenian was equivalent to assimilating altogether: ignorant and morally reprehensible. I walked along quietly, pondering the various assertions of my peers. I appreciated where these arguments came from. Part of me agreed, part of me felt ashamed, and part of me began to question the validity of my Armenian-ness. Little did I know, this was the same question my grandmother, as well as many other members of my family, have faced over the years.

I am fifth generation Armenian-American on my mom’s side, and third on my dad’s. My ancestors in the U.S. all managed to find marriageable Armenians. And so, I am considered by some to be “100% Armenian,” or “full Armenian.” That is, before they learn that my knowledge of the Armenian language is introductory at best.

My maternal grandmother, Marilyn Arshagouni, was born in 1935 to one of the earliest Armenian families to settle in Los Angeles – a shocking fact, given that the current Armenian population there is almost half a million. In childhood, she didn’t know many other Armenian families, and the language, while spoken by her father’s family, was not spoken in her home. Despite this lack of knowledge of Armenian, she was smart and hardworking, becoming the first junior at UCLA to be elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honors society, and later graduating with highest honors and a BA in English. The English language was her first love, and she went on to study English at graduate school.

When my grandmother married my grandfather in 1956, he began bringing her closer to Armenian culture. He was born and raised in the Armenian diaspora in Greece, and so he was a native speaker and had a strong sense of community. Once my grandmother met Richard Hovannisian, a graduate student of Armenian history at UCLA, she furthered her great, though untraditional, contributions to the Armenian community. She helped edit his dissertation, which would become the classic Armenia on the Road to Independence. She then went on to edit the first volumes of his four-volume History of the Republic of Armenia.

For over 25 years my grandmother taught English and history at the Holy Martyrs Ferrahian Armenian High School in Encino, CA. And she and my grandfather were on the Armenian Monument Council that established the first genocide monument on public land in California.

Given her great influence on the Armenian community, I was stunned when I learned the accusations that she bore the brunt of as an Armenian born in the U.S. It is an accusation that both of my parents have heard countless times. It is one to which I am just now being exposed.
My ancestors have lived in the U.S. for over a hundred years. Despite this, my love of Armenian culture is strong, and my yearning to give back to my community even stronger. Ours is an important history and an important story. Each of our experiences is different. Some of us grew up in the midst of an Armenian-speaking community. Others, like my grandmother and me, grew up surrounded at home by an incredible library of Armenian books and culture and friends.

Although my grandmother was never fluent in Armenian as a child, her immersion into the community led her to pick up a considerable amount of the language. It was the same with my mother. I expect that it will be the same for me. I still plan to study Armenian in college. But, as I do so, I will remember that our goal as a diaspora should be inclusiveness, as a nod to our shared, bitter, and rocky history. It is counterproductive to shun those who have not had the privilege of a strong cultural or linguistic upbringing. As Yeghishe Charents, the famous Armenian writer and poet, wrote, “Oh, Armenian people, your only salvation lies in the power of your unity.”

And so, I disagree with the assertion that one must speak Armenian to truly be Armenian. If that were the case, my grandmother would be an outcast in our greater community, despite her countless contributions. As members of a diaspora, exposure to the Armenian language isn’t all that unites us. It is our love of community, our blood, our shared history and future, and our determination to help in any way we can. I am beginning to learn that. Although I will continue to face questions by my peers about the validity of my Armenian identity, I embrace my ethnicity wholeheartedly. And as my grandmother did, I will continue to do my part, not only as an Armenian, but as an Armenian in America.