Mher Koubelian
GLENDALE—The community is invited to a very informative lecture series “Ararat Phoenix Rising-Reawakening of the Armenian Identity” by Mher Koubelian. The lectures will be held in four different cities: Glendale, Lomita, Altadena and Winnetka throughout California from August 25-September 1, 2017.
Throughout millenia, Armenia has been born and reborn, struck down only to rise again from ashes. This historic survival could be explained by divine providence and a unique national identity. This presentation seeks to awaken hearts and empower them to take their rightful place, by first exploring Armenia’s God given calling through many key elements from mythology, history, linguistics, genetics, culture and etc.
Born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1984, Mher Koubelian, a young pharmacist who has spent most of his life in Montreal, Canada, is an individual who holds dear his Armenian and Christian heritage, ceaselessly explores the unique identity and calling of the Armenian nation- a topic that he has presented in his community churches, youth groups and elsewhere. He is the founder of ” Ararat Awakening Association” in 2013, through which he has participated in interesting dialogues and conferences with Turks and Kurds in Toronto, New Jersey, Armenia and Turkey.
“Ararat Phoenix Rising- Reawakening of the Armenian Identity ” will be presented in:
1- Glendale on Friday, August 25 at 7:30 pm at Armenian Society of Los Angeles, 117 S. Louise St.
2- Lomiota-Torrance on Sunday, August 27 at 6:30 pm at South Bay Armenian Community Center, 2222 Lomita Blvd.
3- Altadena on Thursday, August 31 at 7:30 pm at Tekeyan Cultural Center, 1901 Allen Ave.
4- Winnetka on Friday, September 1 at 7:30 pm at Organization of Istanbul Armenian Center, 19726 Sherman Way.
The lecture series are presented by joint efforts of Ararat Foundation, HaiEm Org., Armenian Society of Los Angeles, Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, Mashdots College, Nor Serount Cultural Association, Organization of Istanbul Armenians, South Bay Armenian Community Center of Lomita-Torrance and Tekeyan Cultural Association.
The lectures will be presented in Armenian. There will be a cultural program. The admission is free and refreshments will be served. For information please contact .
BAKU: Defense Minitser: Azerbaijan, Russia to develop military cooperation
By Rashid Shirinov
Russia and Azerbaijan intend to develop all-round cooperation in the military-technical sphere, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov told journalists on August 13.
“Our cooperation in the military sphere is developing in many directions – in the field of military-technical cooperation, military education, joint exercises and training,” the minister said. “I think we have great prospects, and we will further develop this cooperation.”
Hasanov reminded that Russia and Azerbaijan carried out joint exercises in the Caspian Sea. Moreover, many officers and cadets from Azerbaijan get education in military educational institutions of the Russian Federation.
The minister reminded that a lot of Russia-produced equipment is being used by the Azerbaijani army.
The Azerbaijani Army is today considered the most modern army in the Caucasus. The skills and combat readiness of the Azerbaijani Army are growing year by year, as the country’s Armed Forces regularly conduct military exercises. The Azerbaijani army is supplied with modern weapons and technical equipment for maintaining a high level of combat capability.
The army building process is of particular importance for Azerbaijan, as twenty percent of the country’s territory is under Armenian occupation and the country is in a state of war with Armenia.
Hasanov also praised the organization of the “Tank biathlon” competition, which has been held within the framework of the International Army Games – 2017.
“Russia is the organizer and inspirer of these Games. Army Games gain popularity. More and more countries are involved in the Games every year,” Hasanov said.
The defense minister also reminded that Azerbaijan has hosted the “Sea Cup” contest. The competition was held within the Army Games on August 1-11.
As many as 300 personnel of the Navies of Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran and Kazakhstan were involved in the contest, which was held in three stages – artillery firing, ship damage control, ship crew skills and rescue contest. Representatives of the Armed Forces of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain observed the competition.
Sports: Armenia beats Slovakia for second time at FIBA Basketball World Cup Pre-Qualifiers
The Armenian men national basketball team beat Slovak Republic for the second time at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Pre-Qualifiers.
The Niksa Bavcevic-coached Armenian team claimed a 92-78 win over its opponent at Hant Arena, Bratislava, on Saturday, according to the Armenian National Olympic Committee.
Ryan Boatright was named the key player of the Armenian team, collecting 22 points.
In another game of Group A, Sweden defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 88-72.
After four rounds, Armenia’s basketball team solely leads Group A, with the team scheduled to face Sweden in the next game on August 16.
Zartonk Daily 14.08.2017
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«Let’s wake up»in: Editing
California Courier Online, Aug. 17, 2017
Activist Admits Major Blow
The California
Courier
Tarkanian to Run for US
Seat Held by Dean Heller
Prohibition
Off a Global Health Initiative
to Receive
Star on Hollywood’s
of Fame’ Aug. 24
Liberated
ISIS in Raqqa
Syrian Forces
to Honor Long-Time Board Member, Neshan Peroomian
Activist Admits Major Blow
major victory for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide when Texas became the 46th
State to recognize it. What Armenian-Americans did not realize is that the
recognition by Texas
had a devastating impact on the Turkish community’s lobbying efforts in that
State.
revealed in an article in Turkishnews.com the degree of despair he and his
fellow Turks suffered in Texas
when the State House recognized the Armenian Genocide on May 19, 2017. It is
not very often that we come across a Turkish lobbyist who acknowledges total
defeat at the hands of the Armenian community.
his fellow Turks for “years of Turkish apathy and passivity, combined with
Armenian aggressiveness and Western prejudice” for the passage of the
resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide. He also credits the activism by
the Armenian National Committee of America, Western Region (ANCA-WR), for
arranging “tours involving Armenian activists at town-hall meetings,” visiting
“State elected officials individually,” and establishing ANCA-WR chapters in
“Dallas, Austin and Houston.”
credits the success of the genocide resolution to the support of “State
Representative Scott Sanford, who is also the Executive Pastor of a Baptist
church in Texas.”
Having done an incredible amount of research for his article, Demirmen recalls
that “at a gala organized by ANCA-Dallas in April 2016, Representative Sanford
was awarded ‘Advocate for Justice Award’ for his ‘strong dedication to raising
awareness about the Armenian Genocide.’ ” At the gala, a letter from Republican
Senator Ted Cruz was read recognizing the Armenian Genocide, according to
Demirmen.
Representative Sanford introduced Texas House Resolution HR-191 to recognize
the Armenian Genocide. The Resolution was first presented to the Trade &
Intergovernmental Affairs Committee (TIAC) which called for a public hearing at
the State Capitol in Austin
on April 24. Demirmen regrets that the Texas
legislature chose “April 24 for the public hearing, a date considered symbolic
for Armenian allegations, [which] was the first sign that TIAC was pro-Armenian
in its outlook.”
“the hearing was closely coordinated with ANCA-WR and Rep. Sanford, and while
the Armenian side had long known about the hearing, the Turkish side knew of
the meeting less than a week in advance.” As a result, only six Turks attended
the hearing (five from Houston and one from Dallas), while “a large
crowd from the Armenian side was present. Also present [at TIAC] as an
‘observer’ was Rep. Sanford.” Demirmen expresses his regret that only four
Turks, including himself, testified in committee, whereas 21 Armenians had
testified. “The Armenian side ended up having five times more chances to
present its case than the Turkish side. Thus the Armenian side dominated not
only in terms of ‘presence’ in the hearing, but also in the testimonies given,”
Demirmen admitted. “Among those who testified for the Armenian side were
representatives from the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission, and Houston’s Holocaust
Museum,” Demirmen
reported. In addition, “hundreds of letters were emailed to state legislators.
Many more phone calls were made by the Armenian community.”
by Turks who testified against the Resolution, were: 1) the “impropriety of
Texas legislators to intervene in matters affecting U.S. foreign policy, 2) the
damage the bill could do to trade relations between Texas and Turkey, 3) the
divisive aspect of the resolution, and not the least, 4) the fact that the
resolution is defamatory toward Texas residents of Turkish heritage,” Demirmen
complained.
objections made an impact on the TIAC members who approved the Resolution
unanimously on April 24. The Texas House took up the Resolution on May 19
approving it with 137 yes votes (eight members were absent and five abstained).
describes the outcome as “a feat masterminded by ANCA-WR and endorsed by the
Texas House of Representatives. While the resolution has no legal force, for
all practical purposes, and for the public at large, it was a declaration
finding Ottoman Turks guilty of a heinous crime.”
acknowledges that “the Turkish response, at least at the grassroots level, to
HR-191, was feeble. … Turks are no match to Armenians on activism on the
‘genocide’ issue…. The Turkish side has only itself to blame for its lethargy
and passivity.”
concludes his article by blaming the ATA-Houston (American Turkish Association)
for not bothering to oppose HR-191. He calls the group, “the
happy-hour-conscious association, founded in 1979, was not interested in the
Armenian issue….”
Texas Turks for their inactivity, there is actually only one reason why the
Resolution was adopted: Because it tells the truth! The State of Texas finally
acknowledged the historical fact of the Armenian Genocide!
Breaks Ground on New Embassy in Yerevan
new and much bigger building for its embassy in Armenia on Aug. 9 in what a senior
Chinese diplomat described as another sign of deepening relations between the
two nations.
Minister Li Huilai broke ground on the site of the 40,000-square-meter embassy
compound that should be completed by the end of 2019. Officials said that it
will be the second largest Chinese diplomatic mission in the former Soviet Union.
ambassador in Yerevan,
Tian Erlong, told reporters at the ground-breaking ceremony. “The Chinese
Embassy in Armenia will have
a new building in Armenia.”
will be better represented in this country. This is logical because the scale
and nature of our cooperation are rapidly developing, and this obviously
requires more efforts, more human resources and, therefore, a larger building,”
he said.
reportedly said Beijing would like to “further
deepen the dynamically deepening partnership with Armenia.” “The unprecedentedly
high-level relationship and friendship between China
and Armenia
are based on sincerity and mutual respect,” the Armenian Foreign Ministry
quoted him as saying.
told Li that close relations with China
are one of Yerevan’s
foreign policy priorities.
efforts to boost bilateral commerce and the situation in the region. Nalbandian
was reported to praise China’s
“balanced position” on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
counterpart Serzh Sarkisian agreed to deepen ties between their nations when
then they met in Beijing
in 2015. In a joint statement, they noted “mutual understanding on issues
relating to pivotal interests and concerns of the two countries.”
Chinese-Armenian trade rose by 35 percent to $243 million in the first half of
this year, making China Armenia’s third largest trading partner after Russia
and the European Union.
also seems interested in stepping up military cooperation with Armenia.
A top Chinese military official, Rear Admiral Guan Youfei, visited Yerevan in April, holding
talks with Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan and the chief of the Armenian army’s
General Staff, General Movses Hakobyan. The Armenian Defense Ministry said they
reached “agreements on expanding cooperation and implementing a number of
mutually beneficial projects in the area of defense.”
Tarkanian to Run for US
Seat Held by Dean Heller
Lochhead
candidate Danny Tarkanian said Tuesday he will challenge fellow Republican Dean
Heller, Nevada’s vulnerable incumbent senator, in 2018.
Tarkanian said Heller “turned his back on us.”
so many different votes that he’s lost so much credibility with the voters,”
Tarkanian said in an interview with the Review-Journal. “He keeps breaking his
promise to voters in Nevada.
They feel they can’t trust him anymore.”
“perennial candidate.”
battle with Heller, who has faced recent pressure from both Democrat and
Republican groups. U.S. Rep. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat, also
wants the seat.
Tarkanian announced his intentions, partly due to the Senate’s failed attempts
to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare.
repeal the health care law, Heller changed his approach in June, when joined
Gov. Brian Sandoval to publicly oppose a proposal to repeal Obamacare. The move
sparked the America First Policies super PAC, which is run by President Donald
Trump’s former campaign advisers, to launch a $1 million ad campaign against
him the next day.
July meeting in which Trump attempted to persuade GOP senators to repeal
Obamacare, the president issued a not-so-veiled threat to Heller.
wants to remain a senator, doesn’t he?” as Heller grinned.
for the Senate’s so-called “skinny repeal,” Nevada voters are unhappy with Heller,
according to recent polls.
of Heller’s job performance, compared to 55 percent who disapproved.
consulting firm, reported that Heller’s approval rating among Nevada
Republicans is 31 percent, according to The Daily Caller. That poll also found that 43
percent of Nevada GOP voters disapprove of Heller.
and Tarkanian against each other, with 38 percent support to Heller and 34
percent to Tarkanian. The results fell within the poll’s 4.4 percent margin of
error.
statement soon after Tarkanian announced his run, saying it stands firmly with Nevada’s senior senator.
Heller was appointed to the Senate in 2011 and won re-election in 2012.
the team of President Trump,” and supports Trump’s policies to repeal
Obamacare, end sanctuary cities and defund Planned Parenthood.
Clinton win Nevada
last year by being a “Never Trumper,” and blasted him for his stances on the
GOP’s multiple pushes to repeal Obamacare.
basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, is a businessman and attorney who has run
unsuccessfully for secretary of state, state senate and the U.S. House and
Senate. He won the Republican nomination in four of those five runs.
when he last ran for U.S. Senate.
to former state Sen. Sue Lowden and eventual nominee Sharron Angle. Angle went
on to lose to Harry Reid in the general election.
Reconsideration
Prohibition
– State Senator Anthony J. Portantino has submitted a letter to Caruso
Affiliated Holdings urging the company to reconsider its decision and allow
public advertising for the Armenian Genocide and Human Rights Documentary
Architects of Denial. Reports have pegged politics as the explanation for
the Caruso Affiliated decision not to feature the film in an outdoor billboard
advertisement.
provoking and hard-edged filmmaking that stimulates conversations about
historical events. It seems like labeling Art as ‘too political’ was an
odd reason to deny the appropriate free _expression_ of a historical
documentary. As a former filmmaker and current State Senator it was
important for me to share my concerns and urge reconsideration,” commented
Portantino.
by highlighting the strong legacy and celebration of our state’s artistic
freedom, California’s
legacy of leadership for Genocide recognition and the importance of proactively
appreciating our Armenian American neighbors. The example set by the
State of California
should be an inspiration for our corporate partners to follow,” concluded
Portantino.
which is home to the largest Armenian American Community in any legislative
district in the country. He is also a former filmmaker. Earlier in
the year, he successfully included funding for Armenian Genocide curriculum
implementation and the Armenian
American Museum
in the California State Budget signed by Governor Brown. He chairs the
California State Senate Select Committee on California,
Armenia
and Artsakh Trade, Art and Cultural Exchange.
at Armenian Consulate to
Off a Global Health Initiative
Armenian American Medical Society (AAMS) Executive Board, led by Raffi
Tachdjian, MD, MPH and Prof. Armen Muradyan Rector of Mkhitar Heratsi Yerevan
State Medical University (YSMU) and former Health Minister of The Republic of
Armenia, was held at the Armenian Consulate in Glendale. The meeting was facilitated by Dr.
Shant Shekherdimian Pediatric surgeon at UCLA Health.
at the Armenian consulate in the presence of the Deputy General Consul of
Armenia Valery Mkrtumyan. The primary objective of this meeting was to discuss
collaboration between AAMS and YSMU. The plan for this collaboration and AAMS’s
goal is to foster a new era of communication and sharing of ideas, to increase the
school’s impact both scientifically and altruistically in order to become a
model system to be exemplified by other countries and healthcare systems.
outline that looks to assist, not just the students both here in the diaspora
and in Yerevan, but to lay the foundation to strengthen the impact the school
will haveand to make YSMU one of the leading schools in the world.
relationship by growing and cultivating students, professors, faculty and a
complete system for health. The vision is to create a self-sustaining system of
healthcare to not only serve the people but to be a role-model for other
countries and systems worldwide. This
commitment serves to strengthen YSMU’s world ranking, and to not only help
students succeed but create exchange programs in order for the science,
knowledge and information to flow not only from teacher to student but through
multiple channels worldwide, consistently.
Armen Muradyan. By having these
colleagues in Yerevan we will be able to work closely and forge a path forward
with a solid outline and solid roles to be partitioned off and to eventually
come together with a bigger picture than we envision now that will lead to a superb entity and union
with the two parties involved. Through this cooperative effort we hope that
today’s meeting will define our roles within our respective medical
organizations and put together this quilt of information in order to create
self-sustaining system of healthcare. Tonight’s meeting was an excellent start
to make this vision and to make positive and impactful changes” said Dr. Raffi
Tachdjian.
Sandcastle Girls’ Becomes
DIEGO, CA – KPBS last
week announced the 2017 One Book, One San Diego book selection, “The Sandcastle
Girls” by Chris Bohjalian, the critically acclaimed novelist whose books
frequently make the New York Times best-seller list.
Bohjalian said. “San Diego
is a wonderful reading community. I’ve made appearances there off and on over
the years, and I’ve always been dazzled by the bookstores and the libraries and
the readers.”
Book, One San Diego is a community-wide reading program in its 11th season and
includes more than 20 community partners. Started in 2006 by KPBS, along with
the San Diego Public Library, the program encourages everyone in the region to
read and discuss the same book.
will speak here on Sept. 12 and 13, the first of many One Book events held by
KPBS and community partners that will run through December. KPBS will give away
100 copies of Bohjalian’s book at the inaugural San Diego Festival of Books,
organized by The San Diego Union-Tribune in partnership with KPBS, at Liberty
Station on Aug. 26. Bohjalian’s novel, a multi-generational tale that spans
nearly 100 years, is initially set in Syria during World War I and
focuses on the Armenian Genocide.
days it is very important for me to tell people that I am the grandson of two
Middle Eastern immigrants,” Bohjalian said. “We are a nation of refugees and
immigrants. The novel is set in Aleppo — yes,
that Aleppo
that has broken all of our hearts the last five years — and the city as it
appears in the novel exists now only in romance and memory.”
General Manager Tom Karlo said that One Book is one of his favorite KPBS
community engagement events.
Ball is a KPBS staff member.
to Receive
Star on Hollywood’s
of Fame’ Aug. 24
(Sherbrooktimes) – The legend of French music, Charles Aznavour, at 93
years, will finally receive his star on the Walk of fame of Hollywood, the
“Walk of Fame”, said the agency, which assigns them.
chamber of commerce of Hollywood is proud to announce that the legendary artist
Charles Aznavour will receive the 2618e star on the walk of Fame on August 24”,
it said. It will be located on the famous Hollywood
boulevard, in front of a historic theatre of Los Angeles dedicated to musicals,
the Pantages.
around the world and loved by millions of fans of all generations,” said Ana
Martinez, producer of the ceremonies on the “Walk of Fame”.
and Time, in 1998, the “singer of varieties, the most important of the 20th
century”, ahead of icons such as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and Frank Sinatra,
has sold over 180 million records and written 1300 songs in multiple languages.
born in Paris of Armenian parents, and became one of the most ardent champions
of the Armenian diaspora, received in the fall of the image of the star, which will be this
time formally cemented in place on the “Walk of Fame” next week.
for years, I’ve worked a lot in the United States,
because (…) the country of the “show business”, this is America,” he declared to the AFP.
The author and interpreter of The Bohemian, or My Grief is particularly popular
in Los Angeles
and the surrounding area where the largest Armenian community in the Diaspora
lives.
Liberated
ISIS in Raqqa
Syrian Forces
Syrian democratic forces have liberated a group of Armenians from ISIS in Raqqa on August 8.
told Ara News that the ISIS terrorists forced
them to wear headscarves keeping their faces open to differ from the Muslim
women.
that she had to pay taxes to the ISIS.
Ara News.
is under the Kurdish control, while the others remain in Raqqa.
to Honor Long-Time Board Member, Neshan Peroomian
– The Armenian Educational Foundation (AEF) will honor long-time Board member,
Neshan Peroomian, at AEF’s sold -out event to be held at the home of Al and
Diane Cabraloff on September 10.
decades of dedicated and exemplary service, including 36 years on the Board of
Directors and as past president. In his
honor, AEF has established a four-year full tuition scholarship for students
attending universities in Armenia
and Artsakh. Neshan and his wife Dr.
Rubina Peroomian have graciously sponsored an additional scholarship
requirements- – doer, donor, or door opener”. Neshan meets and surpasses
all three “Ds”. He has been one of the most active AEF doer-members; he
has been a very generous donor; and has introduced numerous individuals who
have in turn, become supporters of AEF.
I join the Board of Directors in congratulating and thanking Neshan for
his four decades of service.”
AEF educational projects. Beginning in 1988, after the devastating earthquake,
Peroomian assumed leadership in constructing new homes, sponsored by the
Armenian Relief Society, in Grashen
Village. He saw the
need for a school and kindergarten and approached AEF for help. The AEF
Board immediately raised the necessary funds for construction of the new school
and Elise Merdinian’s generous donation, in memory of her sister, covered the
cost of building the kindergarten.
Peroomian supervised both projects to successful completion.
involved and supervised approximately 200 school renovation projects- the
majority of these renovations being in Armenia’s border villages, Artsakh
and Javakhk. He selected the schools, received Board approval, solicited
bids, negotiated and signed the contracts, and supervised the construction to
completion. Peroomian authorized payments for each phase of construction,
before AEF Treasurer paid the contractor. As with all AEF members, AEF did
not reimburse Peroomian for his expenses, including travel to Armenia.
the school, which had over 100 students. The school needed a complete
renovation, including a new roof, windows, waterproofing, etc,” said AEF Board
member and former President, Al Cabraloff. “Upon my return, I contacted Neshan,
who immediately visited the school, took along contractors, received three bids
and negotiated the final contract. I was able to raise the necessary
funds to cover all of the cost of construction and we had a grand opening with
close to 100 friends and relatives from Southern
California. Diane and I extend our heartfelt thanks to
Neshan for his unwavering dedication to get the job done; and we are especially
pleased that AEF will honor Neshan at our home,” Cabraloff said.
served on numerous organizations, including Armenian Cultural Foundation,
Armenian National Committee, Pasadena Monument Committee, and Armenian-American
Museum, to name a few.
assistance to Armenia
students and educational institutions. For more information, please visit
aefweb.org or contact the AEF office at [email protected] or
818-242-4154.
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, (818) 409-0949.
HAARETZ – Israeli Suicide-drone Maker Carried Out Live Demo on Armenian Army Targets, Complaint Says
Israeli
Suicide-drone Maker Carried Out Live Demo on Armenian Army Targets, Complaint
Says
Israeli Defense Ministry probes allegation that Azerbaijan asked
Aeronautics Defense Systems to demonstrate drone on military target. When the
drone operators refused, managers attempted to carry out the test. The company
denies the allegation
Gili Cohen
13.08.2017 | 14:05
Israel’s new kamikaze drone
The Defense Ministry is examining whether the Israeli firm Aeronautics
Defense Systems was asked to actually demonstrate the use of an armed unmanned
aircraft in the Central Asian republic of Azerbaijan against a military
position of the neighboring country of Armenia, with which Azerbaijan has a border dispute. The Israeli company denies
the allegation.
The Defense Ministry recently received a complaint alleging that after a
team from Aeronautics Defense Systems came to Azerbaijan seeking to finalize a
contract for the sale of company’s Orbiter 1K unmanned aircraft, they were
asked to deploy the aircraft, armed with explosives, on a military position of
the Armenian army.
The existence of the complaint was reported Sunday by the Israeli daily
paper Maariv. For its part however, Aeronautics Defense Systems strongly denied
that its staff carried out such a mission, saying that it was carried out by
the purchaser of the aircraft, and the company “never carries out
demonstrations [of the operations of the drone] on live targets, and that was
true in this case as well.”
According to Maariv, the two Israeli operators of the craft refused to
hit the Armenian position, and after remaining firm in their refusal even after
threats directed against them, senior representatives of the company armed and
operated the unmanned aircraft themselves. Ultimately the drones are said to
have missed their targets, and no damage was caused, but according to the
complaint, one of them struck at a distance of about 100 meters (330 feet) from
the position.
The company’s website states that the Orbiter 1k in
is capable of carrying a special 1 to 2 kilogram (2.2 to 4.4 pound) special
explosive payload.
The complaint against the company was filed with the ministry’s Defense
Export Controls Agency, which is responsible for overseeing the activities of
the country’s defense contractors, certainly when it is demonstrating the use
of such equipment.
The dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which has resulted in
fighting over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, has resulted in the
loss of life. In the past, it had been reported that an unmanned aircraft,
including aircraft of the type that crash into their targets, was seen on the attack in Nagorno-Karabakh. In
that case, the aircraft was a Harop model produced by Israel Aerospace
Industries. In 2016, it was reported that a Harop hit a bus and killed seven
Armenians.
Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, recently said that his country had
purchased nearly $5 billion worth of military equipment from Israel. On a visit
by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Azerbaijan late last year, the Azeri
president made note of the military cooperation between the two countries over
many years. According to foreign reports, Israel has sold Azerbaijan radar and
unmanned aircraft systems as well as Israeli Tavor rifles.
The Defense Ministry said in response: “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 stated: “Aeronautics markets its
products to customers in about 50 different countries,[and] only in accordance
with approval from the Defense Export Controls Agency. The operational action
was carried out by the purchaser alone and on its responsibility. Aeronautics
has never carried out demonstrations on live targets, and that was true in this
case as well.”
RFE/RL Armenian Report – 08/14/2017
Monday, Israeli Defense Firm Accused Of Drone Attack On Armenians Nagorno-Karabakh -- An Israel-manufactured Azerbaijani "suicide" drone crashes in the Martakert district, 4Apr2016. Israel's Defense Ministry claims to be investigating reports that senior executives of an Israeli defense company struck an Armenian military position with a "suicide" drone recently in an effort to sell such weapons to Azerbaijan. The Israeli daily "Maariv" reported on Sunday that representatives of the company, Aeronautics Defense Systems, travelled to Azerbaijan over a month ago to finalize a contract for the sale of its Orbiter 1K unmanned aircraft capable of carrying special explosive payload. Citing a formal complaint lodged with the ministry, the paper reported that two Israeli drone operators rebuffed Azerbaijani officials' demand to demonstrate the use of the deadly drone by hitting the Armenian position in an undisclosed area with it. But other, more senior representatives of the company agreed to launch the deadly craft towards the target, the paper said. One of the operators subsequently resigned from the company in protest, while the other plans to follow suit soon, according to "Maariv." Reacting to the report, the Israeli Defense Ministry said: "The claim is being examined by the relevant parties at the ministry." The complaint was filed with the ministry's Defense Export Controls Agency, reported another Israeli daily, "Haaretz." Aeronautics Defense Systems, meanwhile, denied the report, saying that "the operational action was carried out by the purchaser alone." According to Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenian-backed Defense Army, the Azerbaijani military most recently attacked its frontline positions with a suicide drone on July 7. Colonel Armen Gyozalian, the commander of an army unit stationed in northeastern Karabakh, told the "Hay Zinvor" newspaper earlier this month that two of his soldiers were lightly wounded in the incident. No Armenian military hardware was damaged in that drone attack, he said. The Azerbaijani army heavily used similar suicide drones manufactured by another Israeli company, Israel Aerospace Industries, during the April 2016 hostilities in Karabakh, which left at least 190 soldiers from both sides dead. Baku had gotten hold of them as part of multimillion-dollar defense contracts signed with the Jewish state. The Israeli weapons sold to Azerbaijan have included not only various types of unmanned aircraft but also air-defense systems and anti-tank rockets. Aeronautics Defense Systems, the Oribter manufacturer, reportedly started supplying drones to the Azerbaijani military in 2008. Armenia has long expressed concern at the Israeli-Azerbaijani arms deals, saying that they undermine international efforts to end the Karabakh conflict. The Armenian Foreign Ministry on Monday reacted cautiously to the Israeli newspaper report. "We are aware of problems and monitoring them," a ministry spokesman told Tert.am. The report came less than three weeks after Israeli Minister of Regional Cooperation Tzachi Hanegbi visited Yerevan in an apparent bid to improve his country's frosty relationship with Armenia. Hanegbi signed a number of bilateral agreements with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Culture Minister Armen Amirian. He also met with Prime Minister Karen Karapetian. Armenia Battling Wildfires . Ruzanna Gishian Armenia - A wildfire in the Khosrov Forest Reserve, 14Aug2017. Russia sent a large water-dropping aircraft to Armenia to help authorities there contain a massive wildfire in a forest southeast of Yerevan that raged for the third consecutive day on Monday. The fire in the historic Khosrov Forest Reserve broke out on Saturday. Helped by an unusually hot and dry weather, it quickly spread to more than 200 hectares of land, threatening to engulf the entire state-protected area encompassing 9,000 hectares of forest founded by a 4th century Armenian king. The Ministry for Emergency Situations scrambled to contain the blaze, sending dozens firefighters to the area. They were joined on Monday by over 200 Armenian army soldiers and police officers as well as hundreds of residents of nearby villages and volunteers from other parts of the country. They continued to battle the fire as it burned down more trees on Monday afternoon, sending a thick smoke billowing skyward. Ministry officials complained that the Khosrov reserve's mountainous terrain is making is practically impossible for them to deploy fire engines. An Armenian military helicopter was therefore called in to join the operation. Water dropped by it on burning trees provided insufficient, however. Armenia - A wildfire in the Khosrov Forest Reserve, 14Aug2017. Emergency Situations Minister Davit Tonoyan called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Puchkov to ask him for urgent assistance. Tonoyan's press office announced later in the day that the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations will dispatch a special plane designed for dealing with forest fires. A statement by the office said the Ilyushin-72 plane can drop more than 42 tons of water and protect almost 5 hectares of land against flames during a single flight. Preparations are now underway to ensuring necessary water supply to the plane, added the statement. The water-dropping plane arrived at the Erebuni airbase in Yerevan at 7 around p.m. local time. "We hope that the plane will arrive and we'll extinguish the fire with its help," a senior official at the Armenian Rescue Service told reporters. "This is a disaster, this is not an ordinary fire," he said. "I've worked in this area for many years and haven't seen a fire like this before." Although Armenia has been affected by an intense heatwave for the last few weeks, law-enforcement authorities suspect that the Khosrov forest fire was the result of human negligence. The Investigative Committee launched a criminal inquiry under corresponding articles of the Armenian Criminal Code. Another massive wildfire broke out near a village in the southeastern Vayots Dzor province last Thursday. It reportedly affected about 650 hectares of land partly covered with trees. Tonoyan's ministry announced on Monday that the fire has finally been contained with the help of army soldiers and policemen. RFE/RL Reporter Harassed In Armenia Armenia - A vanadlized car that transported an RFE/RL car to Sevan, 14 August, 2017. A correspondent for RFE/RL's Armenian service was threatened and chased by a man while reporting on safety standards at Armenia's liquefied gas stations on Monday. The furious young man turned on the reporter, Narine Ghalechian, when she approached one such station in Sevan, a town 55 kilometers north of Yerevan, and started filming it. He didn't explain his rage during the incident. "I switched off and hid the video camera to prevent him from damaging it but kept holding the microphone in a visible way, which was enough for him to understand that I'm a journalist, then ran away and got in the car" Ghalechian said afterwards. "I told him not to approach me or I will call the police, which made him even angrier. "He reached for the car's door which I already locked. When he realized that the door is locked he started kicking and punching it." Ghalechian then headed to a police station and reported the incident to senior officers there. The man was brought into the police station for questioning later in the day. Police officers also inspected the damaged car used by the RFE/RL crew. They pledged to hold the violent man accountable. Armenia's human rights ombudsman, Arman Tatoyan, was quick to express concern at the incident. A statement by Tatoyan's office said he has formally appealed to the Armenian police to conduct an investigation. Russian PM Hails Rising Trade With Armenia Kazakhstan - Prime Ministers Dmitry Medvedev of Russia (R) and Karen Karapetian of Armenia meet in Astana, 14Aug2017. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev welcomed a continuing double-digit growth of Russia's trade with Armenia when he met with his Armenian counterpart Karen Karapetian on Monday. The two men held talks on the sidelines of a meeting in Kazakhstan's capital Astana of the prime ministers of Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member states. "On the whole, the situation is not bad because there is an increase in both deliveries of goods from Armenia to Russia and overall commercial exchange between our countries," Medvedev said in his opening remarks at the meeting. "We are continuing to coordinate our positions on joint investment projects, on a number of areas of economic cooperation which have emerged of late." "So on the whole, things are going well, but this doesn't mean that we have nothing to discuss," he added. "I also want to discuss a number of issues, including dates for your visit to Armenia," replied Karapetian. Official Armenian statistics show that Russian-Armenian trade increased by over 23.7 percent to $737.5 million in the first half of this year. By comparison, Armenia's trade with the European Union amounted to $677 million in the same period. It was up by 18 percent in absolute terms. Russia surpassed the EU as Armenia's leading trading partner after a similar rise in bilateral trade recorded last year. Armenian exports to Russia alone jumped by 51 percent in 2016. Officials in Yerevan attributed that to Armenia's membership in the EEU, a Russian-led trade bloc comprising five ex-Soviet states. Analysts believe that a stabilization and certain strengthening of the Russian ruble in 2016 was also a key factor. The Russian currency weakened sharply against the U.S. dollar in 2014 and 2015 due to the collapse of oil prices and Western economic sanctions imposed on Moscow. As a result, Russian-Armenian trade plummeted in 2015. Press Review (Saturday, August 12) "For the [Armenian] authorities, the population is a gray mass which should be bribed, bullied and suppressed during elections so that they can achieve their desired results," writes "Aravot." "The people then had better not disturb the authorities for the next four or five years. And they may not disturb. But that is not an ideal solution for the authorities because humiliated people are not inclined to work and create and may have a latent hatred towards those who humiliate them." Armen Badalian, a political commentator, tells Lragir.am that Armenia's civil society must have a staunchly pro-Western orientation. "Russia has serious problems with civil society and you can't build a civil society through integration into Russian integration structures," he says. Writing in Civilnet.am, a prominent journalist and columnist, Tatul Hakobian, looks at opposition calls for renaming street names in Yerevan that were named after controversial Armenian Bolshevik leaders. He brings the example of a village in Armenia's Gegharkunik village that was named after one of those leaders in the 1920s, wondering whether it too should be given a new name. (Sargis Harutyunyan) 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
Investigative Committee: Armenia citizen kept in Georgia’s Azerbaijani village for 14 years
YEREVAN. – The Investigative Committee of Armenia has launched a criminal case into the labor trafficking of an Armenian citizen in Soganlug village of Georgia.
Media monitoring revealed several publications regarding the exploitation of the Armenian citizen in the Azerbaijani village of Georgia, the press service of the Investigative Committee reports. According to the publications, on July 28, the spokesperson for the Armenian MFA stated that an Armenian citizen was kept in slavish conditions in an Azerbaijani village of Georgia, where he was subjected to labor trafficking. The man managed to return to Armenia.
To find out the circumstances, materials have been prepared upon the order of Deputy Chairman of the Investigative Committee, Head of Department of Particularly Important Cases Vahagn Harutyunyan.
It was found out that in 2003 the aforementioned Armenian citizen left for Georgia in search for work. He turned to a driver of a random car, requesting to support him in looking for a job. The latter took him to the Azerbaijani village Soganlug, where an Azerbaijani family kept him in slavery till 7 May 2017, taking advantage of the man’s ignorance about the location. The man was forced to work for free, lived in an attic and slept on cardboard boxes.
A criminal case has been launched under Article 132 of the Armenia Criminal Code. Investigation is underway.
So, What Became Clear in July?
Aug 11 2017
Haikazn Ghahriyan, Editor-in-Chief
Politics – Friday, 11 August 2017, 18:03
Armenia banana warehouse target of acid attack
Vahram Mirakyan, a businessman who helped end a long time monopoly on the import of bananas to Armenia, said that his warehouse refrigerators were attacked on Aug. 10.
According to RFE/RL’s Armenian service, Mirakyan said that an unknown assailant poured acid on the refrigerator compressors of the warehouses where bananas imported by his company are kept.
“If the refrigerator had stopped working at night, 20 tons of produce would have perished within an hour,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian service. Mirakyan alerted the Armenian police about the incident and will determine the damage after a police inspection.
According to Mirakyan, no other equipment was damaged and none of his produce was stolen. He said that he presumes that the attack was the work of those who wish that he no longer imports bananas into the country.
For several years, Armenia’s banana imports were effectively monopolized by the Katrin Group, which is said to be controlled by Major General Mihran Poghosyan, Armenia’s former Chief Compulsory Enforcement Officer. Poghosyan resigned last year after being accused of having secret offshore accounts exposed by the Panama Papers. The Special Investigation Service (SIS) of Armenia launched a criminal investigation shortly after Poghosyan’s resignation. On Jan. 24, the SIS announced that it will not press criminal charges against the Major General.
Earlier this year, Poghosyan was elected to the Armenia’s National Assembly as a part of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia’s (RPA) candidate list.
Shortly after taking office in Sept. 2016, Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan promised to liberalize the import of several products into the country, Mirakyan began importing bananas in 2016. Since then, some 40 other entities also import bananas into Armenia.