Category: 2019

BY SARKIS MAHSEREJIAN
Translated from Armenian by R. Guevjelian

Whenever I visit an old friend of mine, who has the qualifications of a Santa Claus, he usually picks up a newly published book from a drawer and insists that I accept it as a gift. I am not the only recipient of his generosity, as my friend is a sworn member of a dwindling group of book lovers who not only buy books, but acquire a couple of them and gift them to their friends.

When I visited him last, he took a newly-published photography book out of his cache, from the cover of which a half-hidden Mount Ararat smiled at me, with the title “Armenia Through My Lens – A Photographer’s Travels,” by a young man named Sevag Mehterian.

I accepted this gift with thanks and, upon returning home, I started going through it, assuming that a new individual has joined the ranks of all those young men who have visited Armenia during the last decades and discovered their homeland. With his camera, Sevag has added a new illustrated book to the list of similar volumes, which I should say, is an encouraging aspect in itself.

At a first glance, I naturally tried to reinforce my predisposition, but as I went forward, the title of the volume started to make sense. Here is a young man, who looks at his homeland through his lens, from Armenia all the way to Artsakh and its surroundings. He hasn’t limited his photography to traditional methods, but, like some rare ones, he has preferred to view his homeland and its various treasures from above.

Camera in hand, he has directed his lens from Erevan to Erebuni, has “flown” over Tsitsernakaberd, Lake Sevan, numerous monasteries and historic landmarks, has reached Lori and Syunik-Zangezur, has perched near his “preys” to capture Oshagan’s carved stone Armenian Alphabet, as well as Echmiadzin and Datev. He’s even reached Artsakh, to photograph from air or on land, Stepanakert, Shushi, Gandzasar, “We are our Mountains” monument and other spectacular holy sites. From time to time, with the help of his electronic device, he has “played” with some of his pictures, for example presenting the reflection of a picture on the frame’s second half, showing that with such tricks a photograph’s handicraft can reach art’s threshold.

The tome doesn’t have a preface. Short, one-line explanations accompany the photographs. Sevag has clearly preferred that his pictures speak for themselves.

At the end of the book, there is a short summary about the author. Sevag Mehterian studied Marine Geology at University of California, Berkeley and got his PhD in Geochemistry and Climate Science from the University of Miami. Sevag likes to watch nature’s beauty and presents it through his lens. He doesn’t call himself an art photographer. Instead, he is a silent, yet loquacious, bridge between nature and viewer.

As a point worthy of appreciation, Sevag has taken his lens to Armenia and Artsakh—nowhere else. He has an unwavering connection to his homeland and he wants to impart that, as well as his love for Armenia, to his viewers. If we look closely, we will find that Sevag’s values are rooted in the environment he was raised in, his love for Armenia stems from his home.

Find more of Sevag’s work online.

LOS ANGELES—Celebrating the 30th anniversary of its founding, the Armenian Bar Association returned to the place of its provenance, exhilarated with the energy and excitement of the Los Angeles metropolis, to convene its annual meeting.

The conference, which took place from June 28 to 30, showcased the Association’s enduring activism and valuable output in one of its seminal dimensions: the protection, respect and importance of the human and civil rights of Armenians around the world and, in particular, in our homelands of Armenia and Artsakh. The special guests from abroad included Arman Tatoyan, Ombudsman and Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, Artak Beglaryan, Ombudsman and Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh, and Robert Avetisyan, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Artsakh to the United States of America.

“We were incredibly honored that Dr. Tatoyan, Mr. Beglaryan and Mr. Avetisyan graciously accepted our invitation to attend and participate as our keynote speakers for our 30th annual meeting, where our attendees learned of their outstanding and ground-breaking work in the field of human rights. A very special added bonus was the presence and participation throughout the weekend of our Association’s founding father, Raffi K. Hovannisian,” stated Chairman Gerard V. Kassabian.

The conference schedule began on Friday, June 28, with a meeting of the 18-member Board of Governors, where the Association’s leadership rolled up their sleeves and, with an eye towards improvement and innovation, examined the work of its robust collection of committees. Following the Board meeting, members and guests were treated to a festive and entertaining reception under the Southern California’s shining stars at the, finely-appointed, outdoor deck of the luxurious Sheraton Grand Hotel. In a true reflection of the Association’s broad and all-embracing appeal, gathered together in the spirit of fun and fellowship were our founding members, judges, law professors, law students, friends and family.

The meeting on Saturday morning began with a plenary session where the multi-faceted workings of the Association’s affairs were shared and discussed.  Reports were provided by Student Affairs Committee Co-Chairs Aleksan Giragosian and Zepur Simonian, Scholarship Committee member Saro Kerkonian, Armenian Rights Watch Committee and Artsakh Law Initiative Committee Co-Chair Karnig Kerkonian, Armenian Genocide Reparations Committee Chairman Armen K. Hovannisian, and by Pro Bono Committee member Lucy Varpetian.  The Nominations Committee then presented the slate of recommended members to the Board of Governors.  The nominees, two accomplished newcomers and four incumbents, were unanimously approved by the membership.

“We are thrilled that Deputy District Attorney Hrag Alex Bastian of San Francisco and esteemed civil litigator Souren Israelyan of New York City, along with a team of veteran members, were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Governors. They bring the passion and energy to carry forward the positive momentum that the Armenian Bar Association has developed in the past several years,” noted Co-Vice Chairwoman Lucy Varpetian.

After the business portion of the meeting, the first signature panel discussion explored the plunder of historic Armenia’s native culture and civilization and an examined the legal opportunities and challenges in restoring some of what was wrongfully taken. Moderated by Board member Armen Hovannisian, the panel opened with a riveting visual presentation by attorney Matthew Karanian rooted in his monumental pictorial and documentary work of critical acclaim, “The Armenian Highland.” Karanian presented a photographic simulation of his travels through Western Armenia documenting the evidence of religious sites, cultural artifacts, and the remains of the heart-breaking ruins throughout the region.

Then, in a most timely and illuminating presentation for the attendees, Thaddeus Stauber of Nixon Peabody, LLP spoke candidly about the often windy and uphill road to recover articles and areas of cultural heritage.  His perspective was thought-provoking, sobering and constructive insofar as Stauber is known to represent successfully the world’s leading cultural institutions and foreign sovereigns in connection with Nazi looted art claims.  His candid view from the other side of the litigation divide provided valuable lessons which will go a long way in informing future Armenian Genocide-related restitutions efforts.

The morning session was followed by a sumptuous luncheon where the guest speaker was Gassia Apkarian, Judge of the Superior Court of California for the County of Orange.  Following a light-hearted, engaging, and endearing introduction by Superior Court Judge Maria Daghlian-Hernandez, Judge Apkarian offered her personal and professional insights with respect to former governmental administrations of the Republic of Armenia and posed constructive critiques of the current state of the Republic’s judiciary.

After the luncheon, the nearly one hundred people in attendance listened and engaged with great interest the second signature panel, moderated by Board member Garo B. Ghazarian. The audience heard of the extraordinary work of the Ombudsmen and Human Rights Defenders of the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh. Ombudsmen Tatoyan and Beglaryan each provided a comprehensive overview of the purpose of their offices and how they and their staff members go about achieving their institutional objectives.  They both emphasized that their positions are non-partisan and that they do not serve at the whim or direction of the government in power, but rather are independent investigatory and advocacy bodies. They also described how their professional independence is safeguarded by the fact that they are not subject to recall by any of the branches of government.

The weekend ended with a big bang and beautiful tribute. A dazzling celebration of the monumental lifetime achievements of Judge Dickran Tevrizian took place at the magnificent California Club where more than three hundred guests came to honor the pioneering work and regal influence of Judge Tevrizian and to mark and revel in the Association’s thirty years of excellence and virtue.

Videos of the panels are available online.

Organizers of a large international technology conference, to be held in Yerevan in October, have been negotiating with former President Barack Obama to attend the event, which is dubbed the World Congress of Information Technologies.

The congress organizers, the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises President Alexander Yesayan told briefed reporters Saturday on efforts to secure Obama’s participation, but did not elaborate further, saying “surprises are expected.”

The WCIT 2019 will host three sets of “Lightning Rounds,” open to all, showcasing flash-forward technologies from start-ups, big companies, universities, and more.

The Lightning Rounds will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs, innovators and scientists to present their ideas to international venture funds and world famous businessmen, in order to attract investments for their implementation. Fifteen ideas and startups will be selected by a jury of international specialists from submissions received from around the world. “We invite Armenian and foreign startups to register now on WCIT’s official website and submit their ideas,” UATE President Yesayan and Syuzanna Azoyan, WCIT 2019 program director said at the meeting with Armenian and European journalists.

More than 2,500 participants from 70 countries are expected to attend WCIT 2019. The agenda will include discussion of the hottest topics in the industry. ICT industry leaders and innovators, government and global policy leaders, startups, and investors will exchange ideas in sessions such as “Black Swan,” “Innovation Meets Capital,” “Artificial Intelligence in Genomics,” “How ‘Green’ is Silicon,” “Rise of the Machines,” and many others.

WCIT 2019’s program will also feature a panel of ICT ministers from nations across the globe, who will discuss the challenges in moving toward greater delivery of and distribution of enhanced public services and their nations’ best practices in dealing with those challenges.

Another panel will feature the mayors of “smart” cities from around the world, who will discuss the use of ICT in the municipal context and explore both its positive and negative impact on people’s daily lives.

The government of Armenia has declared ICT a strategic goal for economic development. Armenia actively promotes the development of high-tech innovations, ecosystems, and startups, and facilitates foreign direct investment in the ICT sector. There are more than 900 ICT companies in Armenia, including Picsart, Renderforest, Betconstruct, Joomag, and others. Forty-five percent of Armenia’s ICT-related exports go to the USA and Canada, 25% to Europe, and 11% to Asia.

The congress will be preceded by a concert at the Republic Square in downtown Yerevan at 8 p.m. on October 6.

“The world forum has been held in 16 countries, and we have invited musicians from all those countries to form an orchestra under the baton of conductor Sergey Smbatyan. There will be 70 musicians from 16 countries and 30 musicians from Armenia,” Yesayan said.

He noted for the first time in history an orchestra will play a piece of music arranged by artificial intelligence online.

WCIT is an annual congress where the world’s leading technology thinkers and innovators gather to advance the conversation on the key questions facing the industry and the world.

According to Yesayan the theme of the Congress will be “Fulfilling the Promise of the Digital Age – The Power of Decentralization.”

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—Defense Ministers Sergey Shoygu of Russia and Davit Tonoyan of Armenia agreed on fresh arms deals at their latest talks held in Moscow, the Armenian Defense Ministry indicated on Sunday.

The ministry spokesman, Artsrun Hovannisyan, said they discussed, among other things, Russian-Armenian “military-technical cooperation,” an official euphemism for arms production and supplies.

“Davit Tonoyan and Sergey Shoygu reached a number of important agreements on the implementation of bilateral military-political, military and military-technical programs,” Hovannisyan wrote on his Facebook page. He did not give any details of those understandings.

Hovannisyan said the two ministers also agreed on the importance of continuing joint actions by their armed forces and “reinforcing the combat readiness” of Russian troops stationed in Armenia.

A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry likewise said “joint projects of military and military-technical cooperation” were on the agenda of Saturday’s talks but did not elaborate. It quoted as Shoygu noting “the strategic level of relations” between the Russian and Armenian militaries.

The Russian minister also praised more than 80 Armenian demining experts, army medics and other non-combat military personnel serving in Syria in close coordination with the Russian military.

Russian and Armenian defense officials signed unpublicized agreements on fresh Russian arms supplies to Armenian at the end of a five-day session of a joint commission on “military-technical cooperation” held in Yerevan in early June.

The session began four days after the head of Russia’s Rosoboronexport state arms exporter, Alexander Mikheyev, visited Yerevan and met with Tonoyan. The two men also held talks in Moscow in late April. Tonoyan said afterwards that Armenia will continue to acquire Russian weapons “very vigorously.”

In February, Yerevan confirmed the signing of a Russian-Armenian contract for the purchase of four Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jets to the Armenian Air Force. The multirole jets are due to be delivered by the beginning of 2020. The Armenian Defense Ministry plans to buy more such Russian warplanes in the following years.

Russia has long been the principle supplier of weapons and other military equipment to the Armenian army.

Anti-mining protesters clash with police over the weekend.

Despite days of growing protests against a mining project in Amulsar, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday said his government will allow the Lydian International to move forward with mining gold, claiming that the mining operation will raise Armenia’s environmental standards to “unprecedented levels.”

Since the beginning of the Amulsar mining project, residents of nearby Jermuk, a resort town known for its mineral waters and natural springs, and surrounding areas have protested the effort, raising concerns about the environmental hazards of the operation and the impact it will have on Armenia’s natural resources, the residents and the drinking water.

While all roads leading to Amulsar have been blocked by residents since June of last year, Jermuk residents were joined by environmental activists beginning on Wednesday to protest the findings of an independent study commissioned by the government which concluded that the mining project did not pose significant environmental risks to the region, its habitat and its residents, specifically Jermuk and Lake Sevan.

When local residents blocked the roadway to Amulsar in June, 2018, Lydian International, the British-American joint venture, threated legal action, which led the government to hire a Lebanon-based environmental consulting firm, ELARD, to conduct an environmental impact study of the mining. At the same time, Armenia’s Investigative body launched a criminal probe of the government agency that green lit the project under the previous regime.

The Amulsar project, which could be deemed as one the largest foreign investment efforts implemented in Armenia, began in 2016, with Lydian claiming that it has spent more than $400 million in preparation for the actual mining and dismissing environmental hazard concerns. Pashinyan’s government said that it would wait for the report to make a decision.

The conclusions of the report were released on by Armenia’s top law enforcement official Hayk Grigoryan during Thursday’s cabinet meeting.

Summing up the results of the 200-page report prepared by ELARD, Grigoryan said that audit had found that the underground water at Amulsar has no “physical connections” with Jermuk’s water sources, or, for that matter, canals or rivers that flow into Lake Sevan, saying that the lake could be contaminated with “insignificant” toxic waste in the event of a powerful earthquake.

According to Grigoryan’s briefing, the greater environmental risks to other rivers flowing through the Vayots Dzor Province, where Amulsar is located, may be minimized by Lydian enacting “mitigating measures” outlined in the ELARD report. Grigoryan claimed that Lydian has signaled its readiness to take all steps necessary.

In light of the report, Grigoryan also said that the agency, which originally gave the green light to the project in 2016, will not face charges.

“We are relieved that the Audit Report has been made public, as the Government of Armenia has repeatedly conditioned Lydian’s ability to advance the Amulsar Project on its results,” Lydian’s interim chairman and chief executive, Edward Sellers, was quoted in a statement as saying after the release of the ELARD report.

“We look forward to reading the full text of the Audit Report and are confident it will confirm Lydian’s prudential approach to environmental stewardship,” Sellers added.

Over the weekend, protesters clashed with law enforcement officers who arrested six people from the growing number of demonstrators. Pashinyan held several consultations on Monday, including a closed-door session with his ruling “My Step” faction on Monday, following which he took to Facebook to explain to the people the rationale for his decision to green light the Amulsar project.

”In the event that Amulsar is developed under existing conditions, it will be developed under unprecedented environmental standards for the Republic of Armenia,” said Pashinyan on Monday adding that the so-called high standards would force other mining companies to reform their practices.

“Now the government has to go to the low-level mines and tell them that they should elevate their operations to [comply with] the new standards. This is a political obligation,” Pashinyan said Monday. “Now the companies that are operating in lower levels will be forced to spend tens of millions of dollars elevate their standards and the government has the levers to force those companies to do so.”

Meanwhile, a group called the International Federation of Human Rights issued a reportMonday saying that the ELARD report “while providing additional interesting and useful information, cannot be considered in any way a simple ‘green light’ to the company to pursue its operations in Amulsar region.”