Category: 2018

Fresno Legislator Visits LA for Discussion of his Work in Support of Artsakh De-Mining and the Baroness Cox Rehabilitation Center

LOS ANGELES—Friends, supporters, and leaders of the Armenian National Committee of America gathered Tuesday to honor Congressional Armenian Caucus Republican Co-Chair David Valadao’s (R-CA) exemplary legislative leadership in advancing the health and safety of the citizens of the Artsakh Republic (Nagorno Karabakh).

The gathering – chaired by Adour and Arsho Aghjayan – featured remarks by Dr. Alina Dorian regarding the life-transforming work of the Baroness Cox Rehabilitation Center in Stepanakert, Artsakh’s capital. Dr. Dorian serves as the Principal of the Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School and is Assistant Professor at the UCLA Department of Community Health Sciences. She is an internationally respected public health expert who authored Artsakh’s first National Health Plan in the mid-1990s and has extensive experience in the Republic.

“We are proud of Congressman Valadao’s principled leadership in support of the Republic of Artsakh,” said ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian, who was joined by his wife Dr. Mireille Hamparian in hosting the gathering. “The ANCA is doing all we can – during what promises to be a highly competitive election season – to ensure that Representative Valadao returns to Congress as a senior appropriator, ready to engage effectively with his House colleagues on issues of concern to his numerous Armenian American constituents.”

“The National Organization of Republican Armenians (NORA) has no higher electoral priority this cycle than helping to re-elect Congressman Valadao,” said NORA leader Aram Gaboudian. “David Valadao has always been there for our community, and we’re proud to stand with David, today and in the months and years to come.”

Dr. Dorian shared insights about the invaluable work of the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center, first established in 2000 through a partnership of local health officials and then-Speaker of United Kingdom’s House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox (a trained nurse).

“It’s not just a Center,” said Dr. Dorian. “A center connotes walls and a building – a box. The Lady Cox Rehabilitation program thinks outside of the box – actually it’s created an environment where there is no box – serving the people in their homes and villages throughout Artsakh.”

The Baroness Cox Rehabilitation Center provides high-quality, specialized medical care each year to approximately 1,000 local and regional patients, and has treated over 15,000 to date. Among those receiving treatment – both at the Center and in their homes – are patients with spinal cord injuries, elderly stroke victims, and infants and children born with disabilities, such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida. The Lady Cox Center sends trained rehabilitation nurses to communities across Artsakh, serving those who do not have access to the Stepanakert location. The Center strives to dispel cultural stigmas, many rooted in the Soviet-era, associated with disabilities, and works – via speech, occupational and other therapies – to ensure that its patients are given the opportunity to live happy and fulfilling lives.

Hailing from California’s 21st Congressional District, which includes a large portion of the San Joaquin Valley, including towns around the City of Fresno, Congressman Valadao has consistently earned an “A” rating on the ANCA’s Congressional Report Card for his active representation of the Central Valley’s growing Armenian American community.

Congressman Valadao is a member of the influential House Appropriations Committee, where he successfully worked with the ANCA to ensure that U.S. aid continues to be used to de-mine the Republic of Artsakh – which was littered by lethal mines and unexploded Azerbaijani ordnance. Thanks to Congressman Valadao, last year the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a Federal Fiscal Year 2018 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that fully supports continued U.S. support for demining work in Artsakh.

Thanks to the efforts of the ANCA and the leadership of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), former Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and former Republican Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) – the U.S. has provided millions in funding to The HALO Trust, which has successfully demined approximately 97% of Artsakh. Over the last 16 years, the HALO Trust has destroyed over 8,733 anti-personnel mines, 2,584 anti-tank landmines, 180,858 small arms ammunition, 12,423 cluster bombs and 48,572 other explosive items. Amy Currin, who serves as HALO Trust’s Head of Development, provided an outstanding presentation to the Congressman and to those in attendance on the life-saving de-mining efforts of HALO’s front-line employees in Artsakh.

The ANCA’s efforts to secure direct U.S. assistance to Artsakh date back to May 1, 1997, when Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) offered an amendment, as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to the Foreign Policy Reform Act, to authorize direct U.S. funding for Artsakh. While the Sherman amendment failed, it set the stage for the ANCA’s work later that same year with then-senior appropriator Congressman Knollenberg , who successfully worked to ensure that the House Appropriations Committee approved a Foreign Aid bill (Public Law 105-118) that ultimately led to the allocation of $12 million in Federal Fiscal Year 1998 aid for Artsakh.

Congressman Valadao, who was born and raised in the small town of Hanford, California, was elected to the California State Assembly in 2010. Shortly thereafter, he sought and won the race to represent the constituents of California’s 21st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Valadao’s family emigrated to the United States in 1969 from the Azores Islands in Portugal. Like his father, the Congressman runs a dairy farm in addition to managing over 1,000 acres of farmland in Kings and western Tulare County, on which Valadao and his family grow alfalfa, corn, and wheat as dairy feedstock.

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)—One week after an embarrassing brawl between pro-government and opposition members of Yerevan’s municipal council, Mayor Taron Markaryan has decided to ban reporters from attending its further sessions.

Markaryan’s spokesman, Artur Gevorgyan, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) on Wednesday that they will now be able to watch council debates only through monitors to be placed in a separate press room. He insisted that the measure will not restrict media coverage of the legislature empowered to elect the city’s mayor.

“You don’t have to be in the council auditorium,” said Gevorgyan. “That must not be seen as a restriction in any way. Journalists will continue to move freely inside the [municipality] building on the days of council sessions.”

Markaryan told his lawyers and press officers on February 19 to propose ways of “regulating” the work of the press corps accredited by the municipality. The order came six days after a violent clash witnessed by a large number of reporters.

Two members of the city council representing the opposition Yerkir Tsirani party were confronted by their pro-government colleagues when they tried to hand Markaryan glass containers filled with sewage collected from a damaged sewer pipe in the city’s Nubarashen district.

Yerkir Tsirani’s Marina Khachatryan, slapped a male councilor representing the ruling Republican Party of Armenia after being jostled by him. The latter slapped Khachatryan while another Republican Party of Armenia councilmember puller her hair in response. Khachatryan and two other Yerkir Tsirani members, including the party leader Zaruhi Postanjyan, were then physically forced to leave the hall.

Postanjyan and her associates have often argued with Republican Party of Armenia councilmembers during sessions of the council elected last May. Journalists have repeatedly witnessed and reported on insults shouted by Markaryan’s loyalists at the three outspoken women.

Gevorgyan claimed that the mayor’s decision to bar the press from council sessions is not aimed at covering up more such incidents. He said that the municipal administration will install more video cameras in the chamber to ensure the transparency of proceedings. The official noted, however, that live broadcasts of debates could be interrupted in case of “hooliganism” on the part of councilmembers.

Markaryan’s actions following the February 13 incident have drawn criticism from Armenia’s leading media associations. The chairwoman of the Union of Journalists of Armenia, Satik Seyranyan, said they could “impede legitimate professional activities of reporters” when she met the mayor on Wednesday. Markaryan denied creating such obstacles.

LA CRESCENTA—The Armenian Youth Federation Crescenta Valley “Zartonk” Chapter announced that it will be hosting its annual Open Mic Night on Saturday, February 24 at 6:30 pm.

Due to popular demand, the event will be held at the Sparr Heights Community Center for the first time this year. Sparr Heights Community Center is located at 1613 Glencoe Way, Glendale, CA 91208. The Open Mic Night is free and open to the public.

Confirmed performers include standup comedy acts, poets, an Armenian cultural dance, and many talented voices. It will be a night to remember with artistic illustrations displayed throughout the night and other unique performances by members of the community.

“Our incredibly focused members of social committee are coming together in the best way; with teamwork and collaboration, social committee is turning what was once an intimate, small-scale event into a much larger, community affair,” said AYF “Zartonk” Social Committee Chairperson, Melinda Gevorgian. “We look forward to ensuring Open Mic Night is open to all members of the community, so that anyone who is interested in getting the rush of performing in front of a live audience gets to experience it,” Gevorgian continued.

Individuals interested in performing are asked to email [email protected].

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.

BRUSSELS—The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini and Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, signed the EU-Armenia Partnership Priorities in Brussels.

This sets the joint policy priorities for the coming years, in line with the new EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement. The four main areas of cooperation are:

• Strengthening institutions and good governance;
• Economic development and market opportunities;
• Connectivity, energy efficiency, environment and climate action;
• Mobility and people-to-people contacts

The Partnership Priorities will be key in guiding EU financial assistance to Armenia until 2020. For that period, the EU has earmarked around €160 million for Armenia to invest, among other areas, in education and innovation, which are key for Armenia’s economic development.

“The European Union and Armenia are, with these Partnership Priorities, further enhancing our already strong friendship and cooperation,” said Mogherini. “Combined with our new Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement that we signed only three months ago at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels, we are reinforcing our joint commitment to delivering positive results in areas that really make a difference to peoples’ lives, both in the EU and in Armenia. We stay engaged to push ahead and work to turn those commitments into reality.”
Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said: “I welcome the adoption of the Partnership Priorities between the European Union and Armenia, which is a direct result of differentiation in our bilateral relations based on mutual interests. This will pave the way for our cooperation with the aim to bring tangible benefits to the daily lives of Armenian citizens.”

The meeting also gave the High Representative and the Minister the opportunity to discuss relations between the European Union and Armenia more broadly, including plans for the implementation of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, which was signed in the margins of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels on 24 November, as well as follow-up on the progress on the 20 deliverables for 2020. The agreement provides for the wide-ranging approximation of Armenian legislation to that of the European Union. Once implemented, the agreement will bring concrete benefits to citizens, including job creation through economic growth, improved safety and environmental standards, fairer rules when it comes to competition and public procurement.

BRUSSELS—Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on Wednesday reiterated Yerevan’s decision to declare the dangerous Armenia-Turkey Protocols null and void, a pledge made by President Serzh Sarkisian at the United Nations last fall.

Speaking to the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Nalbandian said that the “normalization process with Turkey could have created new opportunities for both of our nations and the region at large.”

“Armenia spared no effort to see it succeed.” “Turkey has missed historic chance of reconciliation. Armenia does not resort to the language of preconditions, but equally, we shall never accept preconditions put forth by anyone,” said Nalbandian.

In his remarks, which also included a detailed assessment of the the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, Nalbandian delineated Armenia’s vision to advance relations with the European Union.

Armenia’s top diplomat, however, lamented Ankara’s continued policy to fuel conflict in the region.

“Almost 30 years have passed since the fall of the Berlin wall yet Turkey continues to keep its borders with Armenia closed,” said Nalbandian.

He added that not only Ankara has refrained from keeping its end of the bargain with the protocols it has “returned to the language of preconditions that it had used before the beginning of the process. Turkey has attempted to link the Armenian-Turkish normalization process to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on ungrounded claims of the Azerbaijani side. Any Turkish attempts to interfere in the Karabakh process or to link the normalization of relations with the Nagorno-Karabakh talks, harms both processes. This is a position that the whole international community have emphasized several times.”

“From the beginning of the process we made it clear in our contacts with the Turkish side as well as publicly that Armenia will never put under question the fact of the Armenian Genocide or the importance of its international recognition. True reconciliation does not consist of forgetting the past or feeding young generations with tales of denial. Armenia did not require the recognition of Genocide by Turkey as a precondition for the normalization of the relations. Paradoxically it is Turkey, that for 100 years has continuously denied the Genocide, has attempted to manipulate that issue, using it as another precondition,” explained Nalbandian.

The foreign minister also addressed the issue of the Karabakh conflict resolution process, pointing out Azerbaijan’s continued use of threats and belligerent language toward Armenia.
“On February 8th the President of this country [Azerbaijan] declared that different regions of Armenia, including its capital Yerevan are historic lands of Azerbaijan, where Azerbaijanis must return and that it is Baku’s political and strategic goal. I will leave to your consideration if this is a territorial claim towards a neighboring country, saber-rattling, or something else. But, it is well known that Baku’s belligerence on use of force and threat of force have many times turned into real actions,” said Nalbandian.

Nalbandian said that Azerbaijan does not do its part in honoring agreements reached at various summits since the April 2016 War.

“The recent most illustrative case was the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Krakow in January, where it was agreed in principle to implement the expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative. Armenia and the Co-Chairs issued almost identical statements reflecting this agreement while Azerbaijan has not made any reference to it either after the meeting or up to now. When the Co-Chairs returned to the region a few days ago, Azerbaijan again failed to honor the implementation of the agreement on the expansion,” said Nalbandian.

BY ADAM SCHIFF

There are few countries with whom the United States has a more complex relationship than Turkey. Turkey is a member of NATO, hosts a major U.S. airbase in Incirlik, and has long boasted a vigorous, if flawed, democracy in a strategically important Muslim country. For decades, the United States has cultivated ties with Turkey. But the relationship between our countries has been increasingly tested by the denial of its history of genocide, serious strategic differences, and its increasingly authoritarian character under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The strains in the US-Turkey relationship are becoming gaping rifts, with major implications for our bilateral relationship. With Erdogan’s drive to consolidate power, only intensified by a failed coup, Turkey has veered away from democracy and down the path towards autocracy. Political parties and leaders that oppose Erdogan’s policies are imprisoned and persecuted. Hundreds of thousands who are suspected of disloyalty have been fired from jobs. Turkey now has the dubious honor of being the world’s leading incarcerator of journalists.

On a recent visit to the United States, Erdogan’s personal security forces brutally assaulted peaceful protesters in Washington, DC. And Turkey has consistently prioritized combatting Kurdish nationalism, both within Turkey and in neighboring Syria, over all other issues and to the detriment of civil rights at home and regional stability abroad.

Now, with ISIS losing ground, Turkey has taken its war against Kurdish nationalism into northwestern Syria and the territory of Afrin, fighting the U.S. backed Kurdish forces who helped combat ISIS. This incursion is dangerous enough, but Turkey has suggested it intends to push even further into Syrian territory towards the city of Manbij, where a significant number of U.S. forces are currently stationed.

Such an action would directly threaten not only the lives of forces that have worked closely with the United States to decimate ISIS, but put American troops at risk, or bring us into direct conflict with a NATO ally, an unthinkable outcome. Comments made by Erdogan and other senior Turkish officials have blithely suggested that if any U.S. forces are injured in these actions, the fault will rest with the United States. These irresponsible actions and the rhetoric around them are more befitting an adversary than a nation with which we have a mutual defense agreement.

Turkish actions in Syria and its increasing belligerence towards the United States and on the world stage should cause us to reevaluate the totality of our policies, starting with the long overdue recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

As a longtime sponsor of legislation to recognize the Armenian Genocide, the extermination of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1923 by the Ottoman Empire, I am well acquainted with Turkey’s willingness to use threats to intimidate U.S. policymakers. It is only through a ferocious and well-funded lobbying campaign that successive Presidents and Congresses have failed to directly address the historic fact of the genocide. I have maintained for years that Turkey’s threats should not be taken at face value, and that ultimately, as they have with European nations who have recognized the Armenian Genocide, Turkey will simply do what it always does — whatever it believes is in its national interest.

Turkey never should have been given an effective veto over how America talks about an issue as important as genocide. Turkey’s veto power has become all the more untenable as it becomes more authoritarian, undermines U.S. security, and even threatens our troops. The Congress and the President would send a valuable and timely message to Turkey by properly recognizing and commemorating the Armenian Genocide when we mark the 103rd anniversary in April, making clear once and for all that we will not be intimidated into silence.