Category: 2019

French specialists to assist Armenian State Revenue Committee in struggle against shady dealings

Edgar Tavakalian
ARKA, Armenia

YEREVAN, July 10. /ARKA/. The State Revenue Committee of Armenia and Expertise France, the French international technical cooperation agency, signed an agreement on Tuesday on consulting services, the press office of the committee reports.  

In accordance with the agreement, the French agency will assist the Armenian authorities in their efforts to lessen shady dealings and to ensure a stable growth to tax revenue. 

The signing ceremony was attended by French Ambassador to Armenia Jonathan Lacote. 

Special emphasis in this 18-month project is put on the measures to be taken to lessen shadow economy. 

The French party will attract international specialists with rich experience for working out effective proposals for the State Revenuer Committee. 

The program to be launched in September will be implemented as part of the financing agreement between the Armenian government and the French Development Agency. -0–

Restoration of Lake Sevan’s ecosystem requires a number of measures

Jane Topchian
ARKA, Armenia

YEREVAN, July 10 /ARKA/. Restoration of Lake Sevan’s ecosystem requires a number of measures, Bardukh Gabrielyan, the director of Zoology and Hydroecology Research Center, an affiliation of the National Academy of Sciences, said to a news conference today. “First of all, it is necessary to raise the level of the lake,” he said.

Gabrielyan said the next measure is to stop throwing organic substances and phosphorus into the rivers that flow into the lake. Also it is necessary to install sewage treatment plants on the main rivers. “There are several such plants in the region, but they carry out only mechanical cleaning of sewage waters, which is not enough,” he stressed.

Gabrielyan also called for continuing cleaning of the coastal area, which had been ceased for reasons unknown.

He also considers it necessary to restore fish stock. Gabrielyan said that currently there is a decline in stocks of fish, including crucian carp and crayfish. According to him, only the white fish population is growing, but even this indicator is insufficient.

Earlier, Gabrielyan said that according to his latest data for October 2018, the total fish stocks in the lake amounted to almost 3000 tons. Gabrielyan said that if these measures are implemented, the situation will normalize in 4-5 years. 

Lake Sevan  is the largest lake in Armenia and the South Caucasus region and  one of the largest fresh-water high-altitude lakes in the world. The lake is situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, at the altitude of over 1,900m above sea level. It is fed by 28 rivers and streams.  -0

Film: The Hidden Cross: Documentary about the Armenians in Amed

Eduard Nalbandian
ANF News
July 9 2019

A documentary about survivors of the Armenian genocide who had to convert to Islam was shot in Amed. ANF talked to the directors.

The documentary film “The Hidden Cross” (Saklı Haç) tells the story of Armenians in the northern Kurdistan province of Amed (Diyarbakır), who have converted to Islam after the genocide. The directors see their film as a work-up in the form of a confrontation with what everyone knew but was not talked about.

The genocide of the Armenians in 1915 in the Ottoman Empire has killed about one and a half million people. A not insignificant part of the survivors has converted to Islam. For over a century, they have kept their identity, their culture and their faith hidden. Especially in rural areas with a predominantly Sunni population, Armenians changed their names and began performing Muslim rituals. Many felt the need to be more Muslim than the Muslims. The Egil district in Amed is home to Armenians who had to hide themselves and their identity. Altan Sancar and Serhat Temel have made a documentary about them. They told ANF what motivated them to write this documentary.

A hidden story

“The Armenian genocide has many facets, including Armenians converted to Islam. They cannot really express themselves and do not speak. We thought that by giving voice to these people, we came one step further in 1915. The title of our documentary summarizes the lives of Armenians converted to Islam. It was created in an interesting way. In the first week of shooting, we visited a woman. She said she wanted to show us something and got a cross out of a chest. It was her grandmother’s cross that passed it on to her mother, and finally to her. She herself will pass it on to one of her daughters. So we got the idea for the title “The hidden cross”. It’s not just about the cross, it’s about identity, culture and beliefs that are hidden. Hiding is not just a symbol, but also a part of the story,” says Altan Sancar.

Gala in Amed

The gala of the documentary took place in Amed on 16 June. More screenings are planned in Istanbul and other cities, according to Sancar: “Our biggest dream would be a gala in Armenia. There will also be screenings in Europe. At the same time, we expect performances at film festivals. Afterwards, the film will be freely accessible on the internet. Our goal is for everyone to see and know what has been done to Armenians, Kurds and other discriminated peoples in the region. We will continue to work on this topic.”

Important is the confrontation

Serhat Temel, the second director, says that he had played as a child with many of the children and grandchildren of the main characters of the documentary: “We grew up with them. We realize how much we hurt them as a child. It is a story we know. We found it necessary that it be worked up and a confrontation with it takes place. There have been many topics that require an apology. However, we are not concerned with a superficial apology, but with a confrontation with reality. What will save and clear us is to confront with what we have done ourselves. Already in our childhood, we knew what it was all about, how these children grew up and how the people who have spoken in the film suffered. And we wanted everyone to see it. It is supposed to be a confrontation for all who lived there and remained silent until today.”

Generational trauma

Although more than a century has passed since the genocide, the people in the film are still traumatized, Temel says: “Actually, we did not talk to the first generation, but to the second and third generations, who did not experience the genocide themselves. In their stories it becomes clear that the trauma has not been overcome. Actually, this is the story of our shame. We first wanted to process the topic in writing, but then we thought it would be more widely used as a documentary. Our main concern is that the stories of these people become known. We’ve been working on the film for about a year, of which we spent three months filming.”

Altan Sancar, who himself is a grandson of converted Armenians, adds, “Perhaps the basis for what Turkey is experiencing today was laid in 1915. If we can deal with the truth of 1915, maybe something can change today.”


https://anfenglish.com/culture/the-hidden-cross-documentary-about-the-armenians-in-amed-35860?fbclid=IwAR2fyZxiBT1mOF2m50cd2F8OCTVfNDlgQU5svop3oh_fLc2EYLQlFlleI6A


Eurovision This Decade: Armenia

Lilit Nahapetian
ESC United
Eurovision This Decade: Armenia

All opinions expressed in this article are those of the editor quoted and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the other team members or the website as a whole.

Welcome back to Eurovision this decade, a series where we look back at the amazing decade just gone and give you our thoughts of each country’s entries. Today we will be looking at Armenia, but first let’s take a look at who #YOU voted as your favourite Albanian entry of the 10s?

In first place, it’s Eugent Bushpepa with Mall from 2017! The epic rock ballad in the local tongue enthused 29% of our voters and takes the title for Albania. Second is 2012’s Rona Nishliu with 21%, and third goes to this year’s entrant Jonida Maliqi with 17%. Now… on to Armenia!

Armenia have competed in nine of the ten contests this decade, deciding to withdraw from the contest in 2012, and have had a wide variety of entries. Let’s take a quick look at Armenia’s track record and then we’ll get into the rankings!

2010 – Eva Rivas – Apricot Stone

Performed second in the second semi final and qualified for the final in sixth place with 83 points. Eva and her team then performed 21st in the grand final and finished seventh with 141 points.

2011 – Emmy – Boom Boom

Performed fourth in the first semi final and failed to qualify for the final in 12th place with 54 points. Armenia would not participate in 2012.

2013 – Dorians – Lonely Planet

Armenia returned in 2013 and performed 11th in the second semi final and qualified for the final in seventh place with 69 points. Dorians then performed 12th in the grand final and finished 18th overall with 41 points.

2014 – Aram MP3 – Not Alone

Performed first in the first semi final and qualified for the final in fourth place with 121 points. Aram then performed seventh in the final and finished fourth again with 174 points in total.

2015 – Geneaology – Face the Shadow

Performed second in the first semi final and qualified for the final in seventh place with 77 points. Genealogy then performed sixth in the grand final and finished 16th overall with 34 points.

2016 – Iveta Mukuchyan – LoveWave

Performed seventh in the first semi final and qualified for the final in second place with 243 points. Iveta then performed 26th in the grand final and finished seventh overall with 249 points.

2017 – Artsvik – Fly with Me

Performed 16th in the first semi final and qualified for the final in seventh place with 152 points. Artsvik then performed fifth in the grand final and finished 18th with 79 points.

2018 – Sevak Khanagyan – Qami

Performed 16th in the first semi final and failed to qualify for the final finishing 15th with 79 points.

2019 – Srbuk – Walking Out

Opened the second semi final and failed to qualify for the final, finishing 16th with 49 points.

All of our team members who ranked the entries also said a few words on their personal favourites and why they are where they are. Here are our favourite Armenian entries of the decade…

Connor – 2016 – Iveta Mukuchyan – LoveWave

This wasn’t an easy choice for me, because I love “Fly with Me” so much, but I have my wits about me and know it’s not a match for “Love Wave.” This song is straight up eternal and honestly the most modern song we’ve seen from Armenia (in my opinion). This is an iconic performance from the 2016 contest, and I love everything this song offers. It’s got a killer introduction, an alluring staging, a scandalous bodysuit, and then that hologram moment. Honestly, this song has it all.

James – 2014 – Aram Mp3 – Not Alone

Aram MP3’s “Not Alone,” like his name, teeters on the brink of ridiculousness and outdatedness with its blend of strings and dubstep. But it works, somehow. Armenia seems to be the Eurovision hipster’s choice, but apart from Aram Mp3 I have not been sold, with most of Armenia’s entries suffering from one significant flaw (such as Srbuk’s jarring and confusing empty stadium moment in “Walking Out”). “Not Alone” does not have one of those moments. They kept it simple here and benefited with their joint-highest placement yet.

Jordan – 2014 – Aram Mp3 – Not Alone

The mix of ballad and dubstep here is just genius. Aram Mp3 is a great live performer and made this song one of the true highlights of the 2014 contest. The ballad opening is soft, and it slowly builds up to the epic climax the song is remembered for. I’m so happy this did so well. It really deserved it and its quite rightly Armenia’s best performing song ever, tied with their 2008 entry.

Roy – 2014 – Aram Mp3 – Not Alone

Aram gave us an incredible song with an amazing build-up. He showed us that you can use dubstep in a Eurovision song and make it do well. Mix in his incredible voice and you have this amazing song.

Sean – 2016 – Iveta Mukuchyan – LoveWave 

This just had everything; a charismatic performer with a powerful stage presence, a mysterious intrigue, fantastic camerawork, ethnic elements and, most importantly of all – it slapped hard! Iveta brought a real spark to Stockholm with her LoveWave and there’s no comparison from Armenia in this decade. Iconic.

Zack – 2016 – Iveta Mukuchyan – LoveWave

Flawless.

Team Ranking:

We as a team have all voted Eurovision style with Armenia’s entries and given 12 down to 2 points for their nine songs. But who was our winner? Find out below…

Readers Ranking:

In the poll below #YOU can vote for your favourite Armenian entry from this decade! Come back on Friday to find out your favourite and see what we thought of the five Australian entries from this decade.

Watch all videos at

Sports: Summer Universiade: Levon Aghasyan reaches final

Maral Chavushian
Panorama, Armenia
July 9 2019
Sport 17:47 09/07/2019 Armenia

Diver Vladimir Harutyunyan has placed 9th at the 30th Summer Universiade underway in Naples, the National Olympic Committee reported.

As the source said, 21-year-old Vladimir Harutyunyan successfully overcame the qualification round of the 10 m springboard event and reached the semifinal where scored 357,80 points and placed 10th getting the right to perform in the final where he came 9th with 358,20 points.

24-year-old Levon Aghasyan has qualified for the final too. He registered a 16m 27 cm result among 30 divers in the qualification round and took the 4th position. Aghasyan has qualified for the final where he will compete with top 12 divers. The final will take place on July 10, the source said.

Turkish Press: Refusing new Armenian patriarch election violates religious freedom, Turkey’s top court rules

Arsine Chaltikian
Sabah, Turkey
DAILY SABAH
ISTANBUL

n administrative decision dating back to 2017 that refused two initiatives to elect a new patriarch for the Armenian Orthodox Church was a violation of the right of religious freedom, Turkey’s Constitutional Court said in a detailed ruling Wednesday.

The issue that pitted different groups within Turkey’s Armenian community and the Istanbul Governorate began in the summer of 2007 when late Patriarch Mesrob II, commonly known by his civilian name Mesrob Mutafyan since he succeeded Karekin II in 1998, fell ill due to dementia, which was diagnosed in 2008.

Under Turkish laws and patriarchate rules, a new patriarch cannot be elected while his predecessor is alive, and Mesrob II’s case was the first instance that left the Armenian community puzzled about how to proceed with replacing a living religious leader, especially one that was also viewed as a uniting figure and a representative of the community. Archbishop Aram Ateşyan was appointed to serve as the Patriarchal Vicar in 2008 as the 84th patriarch had to withdraw from his duties.

However, this marked the beginning of a new debate within the Armenian community as two conflicting views emerged since the post was unprecedented. One group centered on Ateşyan appealed to the Istanbul Governorate for an election of a new leader with the title of “co-patriarch.” The other group, however, called for a new patriarchal election and also appealed to the governorate.

In June 2010, the Istanbul Governorate tacitly rejected the second group by not responding to their appeal while also rejecting the first group’s appeal, arguing that the post of patriarch was not empty, and hence an election for a “general acting patriarch” could be held instead. The Clerical Committee of the patriarchate voted 25-1 to elect Ateşyan to the acting patriarch post in July 2010, and a cabinet decision in August confirmed this appointment.

However, the move was not viewed legitimate by a significant portion of the Armenian community since whole community has participated in the patriarchate election since 1863, when a code of regulations concerning the Armenian “millet” in the Ottoman Empire was introduced. According to the document referred to as the Regulation of the Armenian Nation, or the Armenian National Constitution, which was transformed into a cabinet decree in 1961, first civilians vote for the delegates who then vote for the patriarch.

Following heated debates and even protests, which were mainly aimed at Ateşyan, the Clerical Committee finally decided to “retire” Mesrob II in late October 2016 based on ancient laws and church traditions that enable the annulment of the vows of religious leaders if they “disappear” for seven years, and declared the patriarch’s post vacant, which paved the way for a patriarchal election. Earlier in March, a court had assigned Mesrob II’s mother Mari Mutafyan as his legal guardian due to his illness.

In March 2017, the Clerical Committee elected the Primate of the German Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Karekin Bekçiyan (Bekdjian) as deghabagh (locum tenens), a trustee that leads the patriarchate until the election. However, Ateşyan did not resign from his post and a petition filed to the Ministry of Interior to hold the elections was left unanswered. Bishop Sahak Maşalyan, who was serving as the head of Clerical Committee, announced his resignation in February, accusing Ateşyan of delaying the elections that would be held if the council and local authorities approved, although he later retracted his resignation. Ateşyan finally bowed to the pressure from the community and resigned on May 24, 2017.

In the meantime, the Istanbul Governorate said in a statement that the deghabagh election was invalid since Mesrob II was still alive. This view was reiterated in February 2018 in the governorate’s written statement addressed to the patriarchate, in which Bekçiyan was referred to as the “so-called” deghabagh and Ateşyan was referred to as the acting patriarch. Shortly after, Bekçiyan returned to Germany, saying he did not want to be involved in a debate that could tear down the community.

During this process, the governorate’s decision was brought to an administrative court, arguing that the Clerical Committee alone had decided on the election of an acting patriarch although the election itself should have been held by the Assembly of the Delegates, a body that consisted of 20 clergymen and 120 civilians. The administrative court rejected the case in March 2012, and a subsequent appeal to Turkey’s top administrative court, the Council of State, was also turned down in November 2015.

Two Turkish-Armenian citizens used their rights to individual application to the Constitutional Court in October 2014 and later in February 2016, saying the administrative rulings breached their right of religious freedom. The court ruled in favor of the applicants on May 22 in an 11-4 vote. In its detailed ruling released on July 10, the court said that the Ministry of Interior misinterpreted the Ottoman-era regulation, which required an election not only for death or resignation of a patriarch but also for other “various reasons”, without specifications. The court noted that there had been previous cases when a patriarch had abandoned his seat without resigning and an election was held afterwards. The court also said in the elections of 1950, 1961, 1990 and 1998 during the Republican era, civilians had a say over clergymen, and the postponement of the elections ignored their will. The fact that the ministry decided on which conditions the patriarch could be elected also breached the freedom of religion and faith enshrined in the constitution, the court said.

Meanwhile Mesrob II, a respected figure within the Armenian community and in general Turkish public opinion, died on March 8, ending this decade-long debate. His funeral at the Surp Asdvadzadzin Church in Istanbul was attended by thousands of Turkish-Armenians and dignitaries. The election process for a new patriarch was relaunched after the mourning period ended in mid-April, and Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu visited the patriarchate on May 13 to discuss matters related to the elections. The process was briefly postponed due to the re-run of the Istanbul mayoral elections on June 23, but on July 4, the Clerical Committee elected Bishop Maşalyan as the deghabagh with 13 votes against Ateşyan’s 11. The patriarchate is now expected to reveal the election date and its final conduct soon.

Like other non-Muslim communities whose population has dwindled over the years due to a lack of rights and oppressive state policies in the past, the Armenian community has seen a reinstatement of their rights, such as the return of properties once seized by the state, in recent years.

The Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate has the largest congregation in the community and its roots can be traced back to the conquest of Istanbul by the Ottomans and Mehmed II (Mehmed the Conqueror) who is credited with paving the way for the establishment of a patriarchate. Before the sultan granted them religious freedom, Armenians were forced to pray in the Byzantine churches of other communities in the city. The patriarchate was an influential religious authority for Armenian communities around the world until the early 20th century, but its influence has decreased over time, especially after the Armenian population in Turkey diminished following World War I and after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

Mutafyan was born in Istanbul and studied sociology and philosophy in the U.S. before returning to Turkey. He was ordained by the priesthood in 1979 and appointed pastor to Kınalıada, an island near Istanbul where a small Armenian community lives. He was hailed as a uniting figure for the Armenian community during his short tenure and was vocal in his efforts to suppress divisive rhetoric between Turks and Armenians. In one of his last speeches, the patriarch called upon Turkey to develop relations with Armenia and the Armenian diaspora, despite a dispute over the World War I deaths of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, which the diaspora and the Armenian government brand as “genocide.” Like Hrant Dink, a prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist who was assassinated by an ultranationalist in 2007, the patriarch had advocated dialogue between Turkey and Armenia for mutual understanding.

https://www.dailysabah.com/minorities/2019/07/10/refusing-new-armenian-patriarch-election-violates-religious-freedom-turkeys-top-court-rules



Azerbaijani Press: U.S. expert: Armenia must immediately end occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh

Emil Lazarian
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
17:41 (UTC+04:00)
721

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

The protracted armed conflicts in Azerbaijani territories and Armenia’s occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh must end immediately, Peter M. Tase, Scholar of International Affairs and author of various books on Azerbaijani Studies and Latin American Politics, said in an interview with Azernews.

He noted that Azerbaijan has been very careful, pragmatic and consistent when it comes to solving the armed conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Tase stressed that Baku is a trusted partner of the West and has established an admirable reputation when it comes to embracing a negotiations practice that is envied by some of the most sophisticated democracies in Europe. 

“On the other hand, issues arising from the internal disputes in Armenia are matters that must be resolved among Armenian political leaders and civil society.  The final status of Nagorno-Karabakh and its re-insertion in the territorial sovereignty of Azerbaijan should not be taken hostage by the domestic political and judicial disagreements that exist among Armenians,” he mentioned.

The expert pointed out that Nagorno-Karabakh is a sovereign territory of Azerbaijan, historical sources and archaeological sites show ample evidence of this region considered to be the heart of Azerbaijani nation and economy. He added that greater pressure from international actors towards the solution of this protracted conflict, fueled by Armenia, is detrimental to solve by peaceful means this conflict that has serious security implications throughout Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. 

As to additional steps needed to be taken to advance the negotiation process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he considers that first, the Armenian Armed Forces should withdraw from the occupied territories and second, the Azerbaijani communities, that were forced violently to leave their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh, should be allowed to return in their hometowns. 

“These are the two pillars that ensure a peaceful solution to the 30-year long armed conflict that has shed so much blood of innocent Azerbaijani civilians,” he stressed.

As for the involvement of the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh to conflict settlement process, Tase considers that the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities directly connected to Nagorno-Karabakh may garner a greater role and involvement in solving peacefully such a protracted conflict, adding that this was the topic of the meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian FMs held in Paris on January 16.

“Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, one of the greatest prerequisites of upholding human rights is our drive to continue with persistence and defend the rights of Azerbaijanis that were forced by Armenia to abandon their native villages and convince influential European actors to exert economic and political pressures against Yerevan; such a strategy would bring results towards ensuring Azerbaijan’s full territorial sovereignty,” he said.

Commenting on the recent repeated Armenian provocations, in particular the killing of Azerbaijani servicemen on the frontline, and the expediency of the agreements on reducing tensions reached in Dushanbe in September 2018, he recalled that the Commonwealth of Independent States’ summit in Dushanbe held in September 28, 2018, hosted on its sidelines a bilateral meeting between the President of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister of Armenia.

He expressed confidence that the Dushanbe Agreement has been seriously violated precisely due to the repeated armed provocations conducted by Armenian Armed Forces over the last eight months against civilians and Azerbaijani soldiers nearby the line of contact.

“European Community of nations and Washington must actively condemn belligerent acts led by Armenia and its armed forces that are operating, with full impunity, from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan; unprecedented silence is as evil as Armenian bullets being shot at Azerbaijani civilians and military posts,” the expert stated.

Asbarez: Consul General Joins Portantino in Sacramento for Armenian Trade Office Bill Hearing

Babken Chilingarian
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12 hours ago

Ambassador Baibourtian and Senator Portantino on the CA Senate

SACRAMENTO, Calif.,—A measure to establish a trade office between Armenia and California passed the State Assembly’s Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee on Tuesday.

The bill, known as SB 302, was authored by State Senator Anthony J. Portantino and seeks to reestablish the trade office which was ended in 2008. Ambassador Armen Baibourtian flew to Sacramento to offer his testimony in support of SB 302 as it would be the first international trade office reestablished since California ended the program.

“I am very happy to be in a position to foster strong economic ties between California and Armenia which can be formalized under SB 302. California is an international economic driver, and home to the largest Armenian American Community in the country that has a large presence in our business community. We should seize upon the opportunity presented by our healthy economy and these inherent advantages, and use the trade office to help both economies. I am looking forward to watching the momentum behind this effort build and to the success it will inspire,” commented Senator Portantino.

SB 302 is coauthored by Senators Scott Wilk (R- Santa Clarita) Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), Scott Winer (D-San Francisco), Henry Stern (D- Calabasas), Assembly Members Autumn Burke (D- Inglewood) and Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley). Portantino, Wilk, Stern, Low and Burke have all traveled to Armenia.

“These are exciting times in California and in Armenia. I am very pleased with the progress of the Trade Office and I look forward to the work ahead to make it a success. The Armenian community and I are grateful to Senator Portantino for his friendship and his stewardship of this laudable effort,” commented Ambassador Baibourtian.

Asbarez: Melkonian School ‘Should Reopen,’ Says Chief Cypriot Lawmaker

Emil Lazarian
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The entrance to Melkonian Educational Institute in Nicosia , Cyprus

Armenian Lawmakers Visiting Cyprus Were Confronted by Protesters Hoping Armenia’s New Leaders Can Make a Difference

The Melkonian Educational Institute in Nicosia “should reopen,” said Cyprus’ House of Representatives President Demetris Syllouris during a meeting on July 4 in the Cypriot capital with a delegation of Armenian lawmakers headed by Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan.

The decision to abruptly close the historic Melkonian School in 2005 became a topic of discussion between Cypriot and Armenian legislators. Also participating in last week’s meeting was Vartkes Mahdessian, an Armenian member of the Cypriot parliament.

According to the Nicosia-based Financial Mirror, the Cypriot side lamented the decision by school administrators to sell the land on which the school sits, despite appeals by Cyprus officials that the school should reopen in order to serve the needs of the Armenian Diaspora.

Armenia’s Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan (left) with Cyprus’ House of Representatives President Demetris Syllouris in Nicosia on July 4

The Financial Mirror also reported that Syllouris had raised the Melkonian School issue with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during his visit to Yerevan in May, emphasizing that the school property should not be made available for any commercial activities, but a solution should be found to benefit the Armenian Diaspora and the community in Cyprus, with Melkonian becoming a center of excellence for education, technology and research.

Syllouris reportedly reiterated the Cypriot government’s opposition to Melkonian’s closure during a meeting with then parliament speaker Ara Babloyan, stressing that many Armenians and the entire Cypriot nation were against selling the Melkonian School and its property, which includes acres of forest whose first trees were planted by orphans of the Armenian Genocide when the Melkonian institute was initially operating as an orphanage.

Syllouris also fondly recalled being a guest of honor at a gathering in 2016 hosted by Melkonian alumni who gathered at the school’s grounds to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Melkonian Orphanage. During the event, Syllouris was presented with a special honor presented by Dr. Daniel Abdoulian, one of the oldest surviving Melkonian graduates from 1944, who had traveled to Cyprus from Los Angeles.

Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan and lawmaker Mkhitary Hayrapetyan are confronted by angry protesters in front of the Melkonian School on July 5

Syllouris had declared at the time that the award would be placed at the Presidential Palace because it was dedicated “to the entire nation of Cyprus.”

Syllouris and his legislative colleagues were at the forefront of efforts to keep the school open in 2004 and 2005, when the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), which was running the school, opted to close the venerable educational institution and sell the property. Syllouris also spearheaded the effort to designate the school and its property as a “protected national heritage site,” to prevent development and sale of the property.

Before the Armenian legislative delegation visited the Melkonian School on July 5, the chair of the Armenian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Sport and Youth Affairs Mkhitar Hayrapetyan said that Melkonian’s closure was painful.

Melkonian Global Initiative founder Arsine Shirvanian during the July 5 protest

Hayrapetyan, who was part of the Mirzoyan-led delegation and until the December 9 parliamentary election was Armenia’s Diaspora Minister, said that the Melkonian School has always been a focal point of his visits to Cyprus.

The Armenian legislative delegation arrived at the Melkonian School on Friday, July 5 and they were met by community members, activists and Cypriot organizational leaders who were protesting the sale of the land and the school’s closure.

Organized by the Melkonian Global Initiative, the protesters hoped that they would find a sympathetic ear in the Armenian legislative delegation, most of whom represent the Pashinyan’s “My Step” alliance. MGI founder Arsine Shirvanian, who had traveled to Nicosia from the Los Angeles especially for this event, stressed the importance of Armenian education and educational institutions in the uphill battle to preserve Armenian identity and advance the Armenian Nation.

While the Armenian lawmakers were sympathetic to the protesters’ demands and pledged to further address various resolutions to the issue, they were non-committal.

A Cypriot-Armenian community member discusses the Melkonian issue with parliament speaker Ararat Mirzoyan

“Melkonian [school] is not owned by the Republic of Armenian, it is owned by the AGBU,” Armenia’s parliament speaker told the crowd gathered at the school grounds last week.

“It is extremely painful for me to see that the school that became a home for Armenian orphans of the Genocide and for several generations is closed down. Words can’t describe my emotions,” said Mkhitaryan before visiting Melkonian last week.

“I would not be wrong, if I said that the Melkonian Educational Institute is a symbol of all Armenians, of their persistence to be reborn, struggle and succeed after the Genocide, and it is on this symbolic day that Ararat Mirzoyan and I will be visiting the once active, but now silent and melancholic corner of Cyprus,” said Hayrapetyan pointing out that July 5 was National Symbols Day in Armenia in addition to being Constitution Day.

Sympathetic, but non-committal. Will a new—and young—crop of Armenian lawmakers, one of whom expressed his “extreme” sadness about the Melkonian School closure, take active steps toward reopening the school? Or will fight for the school remain a torch carried by activist Melkonian alumni, the Cyprus-Armenian community and the government of Cyprus?

Full House Vote Expected on Measure to Withdraw Snipers at Artsakh Border

Karakhanian Suren
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Chu amendment calls for implementation of Royce-Engel Artsakh peace proposal

ANCA Welcomes Rules Committee Vote on Chu Amendment Calling For Implementation of Royce-Engel Artsakh Peace Proposal

WASHINGTON—The House Rules Committee cleared the path for full House consideration of an amendment by Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) supporting the deployment of gunfire locators, the addition of observers, and the non-deployment of snipers, heavy arms, and new weaponry along the Artsakh line-of-contact, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

The decision sets the stage for a House vote on the measure during consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R.2500), expected to begin this week.  Joining Rep. Chu in supporting the measure are Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Vice-Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA).

“America must stand with Armenians everywhere, that includes in Artsakh where innocent families are still subject to Azerbaijan’s repeated and lethal violations of the cease-fire,” Rep. Chu told the ANCA.  “Common sense requirements like gun-fire locators, monitors, and a ban on snipers will make it harder for violations to go unnoticed, which is why I am so thrilled this necessary language was included for consideration in the National Defense Authorization Act. We stand on the side of peace, and it is my hope that this amendment is adopted into the final NDAA so that we can have the tools necessary to guarantee that peace.”

“We would like to thank Chairman McGovern for his Rules Committee leadership in allowing a full House vote on Representative Chu’s pro-peace amendment in support of common-sense initiatives to help create the conditions for a durable peace between Artsakh and Azerbaijan,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.  “First put forward by former House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ed Royce and current Chair Eliot Engel, these cease-fire strengthening proposals enjoy the support of Artsakh, Armenia, the United States, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.”

The text of the Chu Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 reads as follows:

It is the sense of Congress that United States interests in the stability of the Caucasus region and the continuation of the Nagorno Karabakh cease-fire will be advanced by an agreement among regional stakeholders on:

1. The non-deployment of snipers, heavy arms, and new weaponry along the line-of-contact;

2. The deployment of gun-fire locator systems on the line-of-contact; and

3. An increase in the number of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe observers along the line-of-contact.

The Royce-Engel initiative, first proposed in Fall 2015, received the support of over 100 U.S. House members through a series of Congressional calls to the U.S. Administration and the OSCE to take concrete action to ensure Artsakh peace as Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group mediated negotiations continue.  The ANCA has launched multiple nationwide grassroots campaigns in support of the initiative, which has gotten support from the U.S. State Department and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, in addition to the Republics of Artsakh and Armenia.  Azerbaijan remains the only obstacle to their practical implementation.