Category: 2018

Totalization Accord would Benefit Workers and Retirees who Divide their Careers between the U.S. and Armenia

WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America Monday called upon the Social Security Administration to explore a Social Security Totalization Agreement with Armenia eliminating the danger of double taxation of pension benefits and, more broadly, clarifying the obligations and entitlements of workers who divide their careers between the United States and Armenia.

In a July 16 letter to Social Security Administration Acting Commissioner Nancy Berryhill, ANCA Chairman Raff Hamparian noted that: “In addition to providing material benefits to workers and greater clarity for employers, such an agreement will strengthen the bonds between America and Armenia, fostering a more conducive environment for even closer commercial relations and more effective cooperation across a broad array of international challenges.” He added that the ANCA is: “particularly mindful of the mutual advantages that such an accord would hold for ex-pats and self-employed workers, and also in the areas of retirement, disability, and survivor benefits.”

The U.S. currently has a Social Security Totalization Agreement in force with more than two dozen nations, listed in date order: Italy (1978), Germany (1979), Switzerland (1980), Belgium (1984), Norway (1984), Canada ((1984), United Kingdom (1985), Sweden (1987), Spain (1988), France (1988), Portugal (1989), Netherlands (1990), Austria (1991), Finland (1992), Ireland (1993), Luxembourg (1993), Greece (1994), South Korea (2001), Chile (2001), Australia (2002), Japan (2005), Denmark (2008), Czech Republic (2009), Poland (2009), Slovak Republic (2014), and Hungary (2016). A Totalization Agreement is a convention between two countries preventing duplicate Social Security contributions for the same income – effectively eliminating dual coverage and dual contributions (taxes) for the same work. Generally speaking, such accords ensure that workers only need to pay social security taxes to one country.

The United States and the Republic of Armenia periodically convene the U.S.-Armenia Joint Economic Task Force (USATF) and have negotiated a broad range of economic accords, including a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), an Agreement on Trade Relations, an Investment Incentive Agreement, and a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT). Armenia has been designated as a beneficiary country under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, under which a range of Armenian exports are eligible for duty-free entry to the United States. Armenia joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2003, and was granted Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status in 2005.

In addition to a Social Security Totalization Agreement, the ANCA is encouraging the Administration to negotiate a long overdue bilateral Double Tax Treaty to eliminate dual taxation, and – longer term – a U.S.-Armenia Free Trade Agreement.

Text of ANCA Letter to Social Security Administration Acting Commission Berryhill

Dear Commissioner Berryhill:
I am writing to share our interest in helping American and Armenian workers realize the considerable economic, cultural, and social benefits of a Social Security Totalization Agreement between the United States and the Republic of Armenia.

As an organization representing Americans of Armenian heritage – many with strong family, business, and other ties to Armenia – we are particularly interested, first and foremost, in eliminating the danger of dual Social Security taxation, and also filling gaps in the benefit protection of employees who have divided their careers between the U.S. and Armenia. We are particularly mindful of the mutual advantages that such an accord would hold in the areas of retirement, disability, and survivor benefits.

As you know, many friendly countries, like Armenia, with vibrant diaspora communities in the United States, have such agreements, among them Italy, Ireland, Greece, Poland, and South Korea. In addition to providing material benefits to workers and greater clarity for employers, such an agreement will strengthen the bonds between America and Armenia, fostering a more conducive environment for even closer commercial relations and more effective cooperation across a broad array of international challenges.

Our organization looks forward to engaging with the Social Security Administration and our many friends across the Legislative and Executive branches of government in support of a Social Security Totalization Agreement with Armenia. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your team to start the process toward a finalized and fully functioning agreement.

Sincerely,
Raffi Haig Hamparian
Chairman

GLENDALE—In early June, members of Armenian Youth Federation Western U.S.’s “With Our Soldiers” Committee traveled to Artsakh with trained professionals of Code 3 Angels and donated 500 emergency medical kits to Artsakh’s Ministry of Defense. The kits, which included emergency bandages and tourniquets, were prepared by members of the committee beforehand in Pasadena.

These members also travelled to the military base in Tonashen and provided a review of First Aid/CPR training to some of the soldiers. The “With Our Soldiers” Committee had taken on this project with Code 3 Angels, a nonprofit organization that provides emergency medical services skills and training to people across the U.S. and in developing nations, as a part of its ongoing work to provide direct aid to Artsakh with the engagement of the Armenian Youth Federation membership.

In addition to preparing over 500 kits, members of the AYF also received the necessary training and became certified in order to assist the trained professionals of Code 3 Angels on their training sessions. This project will serve as just one of the next several steps that the “With Our Soldiers” committee plans to take on as a part of their consistent efforts in supporting our troops in the homeland.

As an update, the “With Our Soldiers” 2.0 campaign recently concluded a few months ago when our members completed dispersing funds to the 7 remaining families of fallen soldiers as a part of 2.0. The campaign provided each of these families with $1000, making the total amount delivered to the families of fallen soldiers of the 2016 Four Day War and the following months over $150,000.

Here is the information about these 7 soldiers:

Vardan Sargsyan (b. 1997) was a tall and extremely strong physically amongst his peers growing up and as a result spend his youth playing sports. Positionally, a defender during soccer, Vardan’s ability to excel in sports would transcend to other spheres of life including his ability to play instruments. Enjoying many wind instruments, among his favorite were the duduk and the zurna which he would often take to as a hobby and pastime. Vardan was killed on June 16, 2017 by Azerbaijani fire.

Vigen Petrosyan (b. 1997) was serving on the frontlines of Talish & Martuni and was at the frontlines during the April 2016 4-day war without the knowledge of his parents. The only person aware of the extent of Vigen’s involvement was his brother Vahe. Vigen was only 20 years old and one month shy of finishing his service when he was killed, alongside 2 of his fellow soldiers as a result of an Azerbaijani missile that hit a tree the soldiers were sitting under and detonated. He was killed on June 16, 2017.

Arayik Matinyan (b. 1998) was a sniper in the Artsakh Armed Forces. He was generally a hard worker and learned to survive off the land he lived on from his father. He was the oldest of three brothers and also had one sister. He was killed along with Vardan Sargsyan and Vigen Petrosyan on June 16, 2017 by Azerbaijan fire.

Vazgen Poghosyan (b. 1997) was serving in the eastern direction of the Line of Contact. He lived with his family in the town of Horbategh in the province of Vayots Dzor. Vazgen was posthumously awarded the “For Service in Battle” medal for bravery shown during his defense of the Artsakh border. He was killed on July 10, 2017 by Azerbaijani fire.

Narek Gasparyan (b. 1998) was a participant of the 2016 April War serving in Talish. According to family members, Gasparyan had one month before he was to be discharged from the Artsakh Armed Forces. Gasparyan’s brother also served last year and was recently discharged. Narek was known for being a very talented dhol player. Gasparyan was killed on June 17, 2017 by Azerbaijani aggression.

Arman Movsisyan (b. 1998) was a very active child growing up and liked to finish things fast and first. He was the only son in the family and had one sister. Arman enjoyed building things on his own and working on various projects. When he passed away, he left behind a bicycle that he was building as well as a garage he was building for his family. Arman was killed by Azerbaijani fire on August 14, 2017.

Artak Bisharyan (b.1991) was posthumously awarded the “For Service in Battle” medal for bravery and courage shown during his defense of his fatherland. Although he had finished his mandatory service he decided to remain and continue to carry out his duties for his nation and his people. Furthermore his brother is a police officer and thus for the Bisharyan family service to the state plays an integral role in their framework. Artak will be remembered as a kind-hearted individual who would always perform tasks and do things so that his friends would not have to and that is exactly how he spent his last few breaths. The Armenian military had a task to be fulfilled near the neutral zone and it was exactly then when the enemy infantry took aim, killing Artak. He was killed on August 27, 2017.

The AYF’s “With Our Soldiers” campaign, originally launched in 2012, provided medical services and assistance to more than 80 veterans of the Artsakh Liberation Movement. To learn more about the WOS campaign or to make a donation today, you can visit withoursoldiers.com.

Founded in 1933 with organizational structures in over 17 regions around the world and a legacy of over eighty years of community involvement, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian-American youth organization in the world, working to advance the social, political, educational, and cultural awareness of Armenian youth.

Pashinyan calls Manoukian, the ARF leader who became the first prime minister of the 1918 Republic, the “greatest apostle of modern history.”

YEREVAN—Hundreds gathered at Republic Square on Tuesday evening, for the long-awaited unveiling of a statue of Aram Manoukian, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation leader who became the first prime minister of the First Republic of Armenia in 1918, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President Armen Sarkissian and His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians joined ARF leaders and members for the momentous ceremony.

In remarks delivered at the foot of the statue, Prime Minister Pashinyan hailed Manoukian as the “greatest apostle of modern history,” saying that his predecessor from the First Republic of Armenia had carved victories from defeats and sowed his mission of marshaling the Armenian Nation to statehood after 600 years of living under foreign rule “into this land.”

“Perhaps I won’t be wrong to say that in the person of Aram Manoukian we are dealing with the greatest apostle of our modern history. He was born to realize a great mission, and he succeeded. It truly was the greatest mission—to find victories within storms of defeats, to find hope in a flood of despair, to find strength when it seems your arms are weakened and knees bent. Aram Manoukian fully implemented his mission, he never lived for himself, his family or relatives, he lived for his people, he struggled and won for his people,” said Pashinyan to the cheers of the crowd at the ceremony.

Saying that Aram Manoukian walked the very street, where the crowd had gathered, he pledged to be guided by his principles in advancing and strengthening the modern-day Republic of Armenia.

We have our mission. The mission of state and public officials and citizens of Armenia is to be worthy to Aram Manoukian’s virtue and to live in a way to be entitled to look right into his eyes when walking next to his statue and say that we are the masters of his mission, his work is not incomplete. His victory is alive,” added Pashinyan.

After the ceremony, President Sarkissian laid flowers at the foot of the statue and mingled with participants of the ceremony.

ARF Bureau member and head of its political office Giro Manoyan delivered remarks on behalf of the organization, citing Manoukian’s accomplishments as an ARF member, a soldier for the Armenian Cause and a leader who led the realization of the dream of establishing an independent Armenian Republic.