Zareh Sinanyan
Glendale City Councilmember Zareh Sinanyan on Friday submitted a letter resigning his position on Glendale City Council effective immediately. He confirmed that he will be accepting a high-ranking position in the government of the Republic of Armenia.
While an official announcement has not been made by the government of Armenia, sources suggest that Sinanyan will be appointed to the newly-created position of the High Commissioner of Diaspora Affairs, overseeing homeland-Diaspora relations.
“We will weigh all the options and make the best decision when it comes to filling the open seat on the dais.” He added, “I would like to thank Zareh for his service to the City of Glendale while on the City Council,” said Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian.
“The ANCA-Glendale Chapter has enjoyed a constructive and close relationship with City Councilmember Zareh Sinanyan since his first election to office and was proud to mobilize its grassroots structure to ensure his success beginning from his first campaign in 2013,” stated Ronnie Gharibian, Armenian National Committee of America-Glendale Co-Chair.
“Since his election to public office, Sinanyan has ably served all citizens of Glendale and has always maintained open lines of communication with our organization and our community, working together on issues of mutual interest and concern. We thank him for his dedicated service and wish him success in his new position in Armenia. We are confident that our relations will continue to grow as he embarks on this new chapter of serving our homeland. We also look forward to continuing our productive relationship with the entire Glendale City Council as well as with Councilmember Sinanyan’s replacement,” added Gharibian.
Per the City’s Charter, the four remaining City Councilmembers have two options to fill the vacant seat: they can either directly appoint someone to the seat or hold a special election to fill the vacancy. Should the City Council make an appointment, it must happen within thirty (30) days of the vacancy. If an appointment is not made within thirty days, then Council must immediately call for a special election to be held within one hundred twenty (120) days from the call of the election.
Sinanyan was first elected to the Glendale City Council in 2013 and reelected to a second term in 2017. During his time on the City Council he has served as the City’s Mayor twice (2014-2015 and 2018-2019). He is currently serving as the President of the Hollywood Burbank Airport Authority.
Armenia’s Justice Minister Artak Zeynalyan
Amid calls from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to reform Armenia’s judicial system, the country’s justice minister, Artak Zeynalyan announced his resignation on Friday in a message posted on his personal Facebook page.
“I have resigned from the position of minister of justice. Assuming the office of a minister in this historic period for our people was a very responsible step, but also a step aimed at having a chance to gradually solve the judicial issues that emerged while conducting human rights activities,” Zeynalyan said in his post.
“I am satisfied with this step and would like to thank Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for proposing my candidacy for the justice minister,” added Zeynalyan who also thanked the ministry staff “for collective productive and responsible work. I also want to thank the international partners and civil society representatives for the joint work.”
After Pashinyan addressed the nation on May 20, calling for the vetting of all judges, Zeynalyan was quick to claim that the process was internationally accepted and announced that all judges in Armenia would be subject to the vetting process. st1yle=”margin:0px 0px 10px”>Zeynalyan said on May 21 that the vetting will be implemented without discrimination, and individuals will not be targeted.
Another resignation in the judicial system was announced on Friday, with the Interim Chairman of Armenia’s Supreme Judicial Council Gevorg Danielyan tendering his resignation, which, according to a message on his Facebook page will go in effect on June10.
Addressing the top judicial body’s members, he called for an “thoughtful approach” to his decision, citing the absence of pressing issues in the sector.
“In addition, this shouldn’t have come as a surprise to you,” he said. “At least as far as I am concerned, I find it necessary to enable the news Supreme Judicial Council to embark on the implementation of judicial and legal reforms.”
Danielyan said for around a year he and Gagik Harutyunyan, the chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council who resigned last month, managed to work hard under conditions of heavy workload and frequent “obvious fake news” on the media.
Garen Yegparian
BY GAREN YEGPARIAN
It seems like the Soviet Era is reaching out from the grave and grabbing the Republic of Armenia. The level and style of ARF criticism is very reminiscent of those sad times. It is pathetic and, at best, unhelpful to the ongoing political development of the country’s polity.
The latest manifestation of this ridiculous stridency might be said to have begun with the attack on Hrant Markarian, the former ARF Bureau Reperesentative, while walking with his grandchildren. A participant in the fray was Vartan/Vardan Haroutiunian who incited the group of attackers to violence. This guy himself got beaten up a few days ago. Now, everyone is all a twitter about the ARF being a terrorist group. There have even been references to the Dro/Tro incident of the 1990s in which the RoA’s then president, Levon Der Bedrosian brought extremely inflated, if not patently false, charges against many ARF members as a means of eliminating the party as a political competitor.
These two examples alone ought to be enough to substantiate the Soviet flavor of the anti-ARF melee besetting the country. It was very popular for the Soviets to try to tarnish the ARF as a gun-wielding bunch of reckless terrorists. Levon Der Bedrosian is a product of the Soviet system and used what he had been taught against the ARF. So, when I encounter this faux-criticism of the ARF today, I recoil in disgust and concern for the country.
What makes it all worse is the unbelievable heights of hypocrisy achieved by the “criticisms” voiced against the ARF. At least some of the commentary stems form the fact that a few dozen ARF members reported to the police and asserted “I did it” in reference to the attack on Haroutiunian. This piece of political protest has been twistedly represented as “proof” that the ARF is violent and should be shunned.
Of course, the most obvious question that arises is: where were these voices of condemnation when Markarian’s attack was incited by Haroutiunian? Is not incitement to violence and battery just as contemptible as the actual act? Isn’t hate speech and incitement to violence prohibited and punishable in most modern countries?
Then we have the example of Nigol Pashinian’s chest thumping demand of law enforcement last summer to “lay them down on the asphalt”, referring to those he deemed culpable of releasing a surreptitiously taped phone conversation. Even worse, he repeated that comment (disguised in the form of saying “I don’t want to repeat what I said before about laying people down on the asphalt”) just a few days ago in the context of the fracas over the Markarian attack. Why is he not the target of the same anti-violence vitriol?
Also the examples are two incidents related to a newly formed political party, Adekvad, described in a piece by Ani Mejlumian as conservative. One of its prominent members, Narek Malian was attacked, in March, by a group of pro-Pashinian students. In May, a member of the Civil Contract party, Arthur Ispirian, claimed that members of Adekvad had attacked him. Where was the hue-and-cry over these acts of political violence?
The other telling, and recent, example of the anti-ARF hysteria being whipped up is a pair of public gatherings/rallies. One was called by Nigol Pashinian who demanded “the people” barricade courthouse entrances, the response to which was a few hundred people, cumulatively, showing up at different locations. The other was the ARF’s recent really calling on Pashinian to get serious, attended by some four or five thousand people. Not much was made of the meagre response to the prime minister’s call. Yet, using a picture of the ARF’s rally site taken BEFORE the gathering started, which shows only people setting up for the event, there is much ado about how “poorly” attended it was. Can anyone spell d-o-u-b-l-e s-t-a-n-d-a-r-d?
The double-standards and hypocrisy underlying the current criticism of the ARF is all the evidence needed to show that this is all just political jockeying, devoid of substance, and more discrediting of the critics than of the ARF. This is not to say that the ARF is perfect. Nor do I expect any group/party, especially the ARF that is so thoroughly engaged and active in the life of our nation, not to be criticized. But please, let’s be reasonable (if not constructive) when critiquing what any political actor does. Otherwise, we’ll descend into a cacophony of pointless, endless, and mutually destructive recrimination.
Those engaged in this type of anti-ARF criticism for its own sake, especially if they think they are helping Pashinian, are on the wrong path. They are discrediting the hope and possibilities of the movement that brought him to power.
Let’s all speak out against this type of political pseudo-discourse. Today, it’s the ARF, tomorrow it could be Pashinian, or someone else, who is the target.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended an official reception in St. Petersburg, hosted on behalf of the Armenian Embassy in the Russian Federation, which brought together numerous well-known representatives of the Armenian community – cultural and public figures, business people.
Greeting those present, the Prime Minister noted that has been a tradition for him to meet with our compatriots during his overseas visits.
“Meetings like this are important because we hope that the New Armenia can become a center of gravitation for the entire Armenian nation. The changes taking place in the Republic of Armenia should make every Armenian living in the world proud of Armenia, proud of its content, economic and political status. Naturally, that feeling of pride should encourage them to contribute to the country’s development. Investing is usually perceived as financial investment, but I do believe that moral support is as much important. I am pleased to note that this positive contribution has been formed among the Armenians,” Nikol Pashinyan said. The Prime Minister said Armenia witnessed a series of fundamental transformations last year.
“Our confidence has been growing ever since. We have finally reached the point where we can solve the problems we face, and most importantly, make Armenia a competitive state in economic, political and security terms. Our goal is to make Armenia an influential, authoritative country on both regional and international levels, and we will go the same way,” the Prime Minister said.
Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that tangible progress has been recorded in our country in the first quarter of this year. “The Republic of Armenia was the fastest growing economy in the EAEU according to last year’s data. We continued to maintain our leading positions as of the first quarter of this year. Armenia boasts the highest economic growth rate in the EAEU, which is 7.1%. In April, economic activity was 9.2%. This does not mean at all that everything is excellent, but it means that development groundwork has started working,” the Premier said, noting that a free economic field should be formed in Armenia.
“Any Armenian willing to invest in Homeland’s development should be given the opportunity to do so, and that opportunity is already available,” Nikol Pashinyan said, adding that the Armenian government is no longer interested in easy-to-solve problems, simple economic schemes. According to him, we have to set fat more serious problems, including the making of Armenia an innovative and technological country. The Prime Minister noted that in March last year 95 percent of the citizens considered that political changes were impossible in Armenia, but the change came as early as in April.
“It was not easy to solve political issues, the process lasted a long time. I hope and I am convinced that economic development will not take so long. Why am I confident: just because I believe in our people’s talent. Many keep asking how come Armenians go to Russia, to the United States and achieve great success, but in the meantime, they cannot succeed in their home country. The time has come for Armenians to achieve much greater success in the Republic of Armenia, because the skills they have acquired in different countries of the world should be invested in Armenia where they are offered unlimited opportunities. I am convinced that this will happen. I want to say that I love you all, I am proud of the success that you have in the Russian Federation.
I am convinced that your talent will contribute to the further strengthening of your homeland, you can do that, there will be no artificial barriers before you because Armenia is your homeland, the country where I hope you and your children will live. You are allowed to get richer and enrich the country,” the Head of Government said.
Taking the opportunity, Nikol Pashinyan talked to those Armenians in attendance of the reception. They showed great interest in the positive changes taking place in Armenia and shared with the Prime Minister their ideas and initiatives to implement different projects in the homeland.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is currently meeting with Aharon Aharon, the CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The meeting is taking place as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), ARMENPRESS correspondent reports from the Russian city.
Earlier on June 6, Pashinyan had a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the business forum.
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met with CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority Aharon Aharon on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
During the meeting PM Pashinyan highlighted the development of cooperation between Armenia and Israel in the field of high technologies and stated that this sector is one of the priority directions of the Armenian government. The PM stated that the government’s goal is to make the field of high technologies a locomotive in the economy’s structure and for this purpose the Cabinet will do everything with its tools to promote the development of this sector. He informed that this year the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT 2019) will be held in Yerevan in autumn and invited the Israeli companies to participate in this important event.
In terms of mutual partnership Aharon Aharon proposed to consider the creation of an Israeli IT field representation in Armenia and the signing of an inter-state agreement.
PM Pashinyan welcomed these proposals and highlighted taking practical steps on this path in the future.
French “Summit of minds” has kicked off in Dilijan city of Armenia.
The Summit of Minds, held annually in France’s Chamonix, this year will be held in Armenia for the first time. Armenia is the first country to host this French event.
ARMENPRESS reports the agreement on holding the event in Armenia was reached in September, 2018, when President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian was participating in the annual “Summit of minds” as the keynote speaker.
Over 100 prominent political and military figures from Armenia and abroad, scientists and businessmen participate in the event.
A number of thematic discussions are planned, which will focus on the geopolitical processes in Eurasia and the Middle East, high technologies and management, artificial intelligence, digital economy and so on.
The event will be over on June 9. The key partner of the summit is “The Monthly Barometer” prestigious analytical center.
Friday,
‘No Plans Yet’ For Kocharian, Sarkisian To Cooperate
• Sargis Harutyunyan
Armenia - President Serzh Sarkisian (L) and his predecessor Robert Kocharian
visit Gyumri, 7 December 2008.
Former Presidents Serzh Sarkisian and Robert Kocharian are not yet considering
jointly challenging Armenia’s current government, a senior representative of
Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK) said on Friday.
The HHK has repeatedly condemned as politically motivated Kocharian’s arrest
and prosecution on charges stemming from the 2008 post-election violence in
Yerevan. Sarkisian visited and talked to his predecessor on May 25 one week
after the latter was released from prison pending the outcome of his trial.
“There was no political agenda at that meeting,” insisted Armen Ashotian, the
HHK’s deputy chairman. “Not that I know of. There is no political agenda at the
moment in terms of drawing up programs for cooperation between our teams in the
future.”
“Again, the HHK support for Robert Kocharian has to do with many other
circumstances, not a vision for a common political future. Even Robert
Kocharian has not generated such a process yet,” Ashotian told a news
conference.
“Of course, if we have a common concern, vision or ideas about the future, we
will be ready to talk, cooperate with various political actors,” he said.
Armenia -- Armen Ashotian, deputy chairman of the opposition Republican Party,
speaks at a news conference in Yerevan, June 7, 2019.
Kocharian announced his return to active politics shortly after being indicted
in July last year. He has yet to set up his own party or team up with other
political groups.
Sarkisian and Kocharian are both natives of Nagorno-Karabakh who had played a
major role in the 1991-1994 war with Azerbaijan before holding top government
positions in Armenia. Kocharian handed over power to Sarkisian after completing
his second presidential term in 2008. Relations between the two men worsened in
the following years, with Kocharian increasingly criticizing the Sarkisian
administration’s economic and other policies.
The two ex-presidents and their political allies now share strong opposition to
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. Pashinian came to power as a result of last
spring’s “velvet revolution” that brought down Sarkisian’s government accused
many Armenians of corruption and mismanagement.
Ashotian reiterated the HHK’s highly negative attitude towards the current
government. He accused Pashinian of seeking “absolute power” and not tolerating
dissent.
Armenian Justice Minister Resigns
• Naira Bulghadarian
Armenia - Justice Minister Artak Zeynalian speaks to journalists, Yerevan,
April 3, 2019.
Armenia’s Justice Minister Artak Zeynalian tendered his resignation on Friday
after just over a year in office.
Zeynalian gave no reason for his decision which he announced on Facebook.
Instead, he thanked Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian for appointing him as
justice minister following last year’s “velvet revolution.” He also thanked
Justice Ministry employees for the “interesting, fruitful and responsible joint
work.”
“I’m sure that everything will be fine … But if it won’t be fine, it will be
very fine,” wrote Zeynalian.
A spokesperson for the Justice Ministry refused to comment on his resignation.
Zeynalian, 49, is a prominent politician and former civil rights campaigner
affiliated with the pro-Western Hanrapetutyun (Republic) party. He retained his
post even after the party challenged Pashinian’s My Step alliance in the
December 2018 parliamentary elections.
My Step’s parliamentary leader, Lilit Makunts, suggested that his resignation
is connected with sweeping judicial reforms planned by the Armenian
authorities. Makunts said some My Step lawmakers are unhappy with the
reform-related work of the Justice Ministry and Zeynalian in particular.
Makunts told reporters that they voiced their “concerns” after government
supporters blocked the court buildings across the country at Pashinian’s urging
on May 20. She insisted, however, that none of them called for Zeynalian’s
resignation.
Speaking to journalists on May 21, Zeynalian pointedly declined to comment on
the court blockade denounced by the Armenian opposition.
Artur Sakunts, a human rights activist, likewise linked the minister’s
resignation with the judicial crisis. Sakunts said that the Justice Ministry
did not initiate “drastic changes” within the judiciary under Zeynalian.
Also resigning on Friday was Gevorg Danielian, the acting head of the Supreme
Judicial Council (SJC), a state body overseeing Armenia’s courts. In a
statement, Danielian said the SJC needs to have a different composition in
order to “really inspire trust” and be able to implement judicial reforms.
The SJC’s previous chairman, Gagik Harutiunian, stepped down on May 24.
Harutiunian attributed the move to “ongoing developments relating to the
judicial authority” and his “concerns expressed in that regard.”
Armenian, Karabakh Leaders Urged To Ease Tensions
• Ruzanna Stepanian
Nagorno-Karbabakh -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinin and Karabakh
President Bako Sahakian lead a festive march in Stepanakert, May 9, 2019.
Senior opposition lawmakers in Yerevan on Friday called on Armenia’s and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s leaders to defuse their increasingly visible tensions
through dialogue.
The tensions rose on Wednesday as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian accused top
Karabakh officials of spreading false claims about significant territorial
concessions to Azerbaijan planned by his government. He also claimed that
unlike his administration, Armenia’s former government never presented details
of its negotiations with Azerbaijan to the authorities in Stepanakert.
Bako Sahakian, the Karabakh president, was quick to deny the claim. He also
dismissed allegations about a “treasonous” conspiracy against Pashinian plotted
in Stepanakert.
Deputies from the two opposition parties represented in Armenia’s parliament
expressed concern over these verbal barbs, citing the lingering risk of a
renewed war with Azerbaijan. Gevorg Gorgisian of the Bright Armenia Party (LHK)
said Yerevan and Stepanakert should find “the right mechanism for communicating
with each other.”
“Any tensions must be overcome because we can solve any issue only with joint
efforts,” Gorgisian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service. “Artsakh (Karabakh) cannot
exist separately, while Armenia, I think, will be in serious trouble if we have
problems with Artsakh.”
Sergey Bagratian, a senior lawmaker from the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK),
suggested that the tensions stem from Yerevan’s and Stepanakert’s “different
approaches” to resolving the Karabakh conflict. “We have had discussions at our
meetings with Karabakh authorities, and those differences are clear to me,” he
said. “The difference between the approaches is tactical.”
Gorgisian questioned the existence of such differences, however. “I don’t think
that Armenia can have a leader who will try to come up with a variant of the
conflict’s resolution unacceptable to the people of Artsakh,” he said.
Meanwhile, Andranik Kocharian, the pro-government chairman of the Armenian
parliament committee on defense and security, blamed Karabakh leaders for the
row. He said some of them are worried about ongoing reforms in Armenia.
Press Review
“Zhamanak” says Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s statement made at a cabinet
meeting on Thursday amounted to an “ultimatum” to the heads of Armenia’s main
law-enforcement agencies. Pashinian demanded strong action against a “hybrid
war” waged against his government. “If Pashinian voices the same concern or
makes a similar speech some time later it will be hard to understand the logic
behind his not sacking the heads of the security bodies,” comments the paper.
“But there is also another side to the story and perhaps Pashinian’s speech is
not a show of discontent with the efficiency of the security bodies but a
political formulation of their new task … or, in other words, an initiative to
politically and publicly legitimize a toughening of their actions.”
“If there are groups of individuals plotting some crimes they must definitely
be isolated from the society, regardless of the color of their clothes,”
“Aravot” writes in an editorial on Pashinian’s order issued to the police and
the National Security Service (NSS). “But it’s not the country’s number one
official who must talk about that. That must be done by law-enforcement bodies
in a more a more reserved and businesslike manner. These threats take on a
political dimension when they are voiced by politicians, and they may leave the
impression of a [government] campaign against undesirable persons.”
“Unfortunately, a certain segment of the society has a wrong or superficial
idea of a conspiracy or sellout of lands in the Karabakh conflict,” complains
“Haykakan Zhamanak.” “For many years this issue was artificially oversimplified
and as a result a view that there are two types of political forces -- patriots
who send to hell anyone daring to speak of Armenian concessions and those who
would sell out lands -- took hold in the public consciousness. The reality is
much more complex. Let’s just leave aside the talk of ‘land sellers.’ There
were, there are and there will be no such forces in Armenia and Artsakh. We are
talking about mechanisms for not making unacceptable concessions.” That, the
paper says, requires meaningful government efforts to make the country stronger
and able to cope with external pressures.
(Lilit Harutiunian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2019 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org
ARF Celebrates 101st Anniversary of the First Republic of Armenia
The Armenian Youth Federation of Syria organized a celebration dedicated to the 101st anniversary of the First Republic of Armenia in Aleppo on June 1 at “Yesayan” hall. The main speaker of the event, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau Chairman Hagop Der Khatchadourian, travelled from Armenia to Aleppo to participate in the event.
In his keynote address , Der Khatchadourian spoke about the symbols of independence and the current political developments, saying “May 28th: the most important page in our recent history was written in blood and sweat. Our statehood was reborn from this chaos; Armenia once again became a part of the global [Armenian] family and has become a country that has been strongly entrenched in progress and social justice, even during the harshest times.”
Der Khatchadourian explained that it was almost thirty years ago that we [the ARF] delivered the symbols of our statehood and independence that was preserved in the Diaspora during the years of exile [under the Soviet Union]: the tricolor, the National Anthem, coat of arms, and national identity, to the newly free and independent Armenia. Unfortunately, this joy [at having an independent country] was mixed with frustration when the first president of the Republic of Armenia destroyed the belief of pan-Armenian solidarity and began to create divisions within the people of Armenia and the Diaspora.
“We see this happening again today, with the divisive characterization of ‘black and white,’ with the occasional poisonous and hatful acts that have spilled into public domain, instead of the promise of ‘love and tolerance.’ For example, the actions against long-time ARF Bureau chairman Hrant Markarian, his son and grandchildren, which should have been condemned by the highest of government officials remains unanswered – with no statements made by any high-ranking officials or governmental members,” said Der Khachadourian.
In conclusion, Der Khatchadourian called on our people to unite, stressing the fact that “we should not take for granted the value of our nation—this opportunity to have an independent Armenia and Artsakh. We should be ready to develop Armenia and Artsakh without any compromises. Together, with our homeland, and through the fair distribution of roles, by helping one another, we will be able to strengthen our statehood, strengthen Artsakh, Javakhk and the Diaspora in order to see our national aspirations come true.”
On the morning of June, the ARF Bureau chairman, attended the Divine Liturgy held at the Forty Martyrs Cathedral. Following church services, Der Khatchadourian met with representatives of community and affiliate organizations.
“First, I would like to congratulate this magnificent community for being one of the Diaspora’s radiating communities—the place [Syria] where the survivors of the Armenian Genocide began creating the Diaspora with their hard-work. The people who turned their mourning for the Genocide into a struggle, then established it as a cultural hub and helped create other regions and flourished. Although, the recent emigration from Aleppo due to the civil war has had its negative effects, but it has helped contribute to the revitalization of other Diasporan cities, especially in Canada, Sweden, Australia and elsewhere,” said Der-Khachadourian who also reflected on his life in Aleppo and shared fond memories from his childhood.
Der Khatchadourian, and his delegation visited the Armenian evangelical community in Syria, whose leader welcomed the ARF Bureau chairman and stated that the his presence in Aleppo was not only a joyous moment for the Armenian evangelical community and its affiliate associations and institutions, but to all Syrian Armenians.
“The Armenian Evangelical Community of Syria, with your investment and followers, is an advocate of our national values, and has its own place in our national life,” said Der-Khachadourian who commended the Evangelical leaders for their coordinated and unified efforts.
In the evening, Der Khachadourian attended a concert of spiritual music, organized by the Aleppo Prelacyt at the Forty Martyrs Cathedral, which was dedicated to the first lady of Syria.
On the same day, Der Khachatourian and his delegation were welcomed by the Armenian Catholic community and representatives of the Holy Trinity church.
On the morning of Monday, June, Der Khatchadourian, accompanied by representatives of Aleppo’s community and affiliate organizations, visited Nor Kyugh. The visit began at St. Gregory the Illuminator church, after which the delegation visited a social service center, as well as the editorial offices of the Gandzasar newspaper and Arevelk printing house.
Der Khatchadourian also visited the local Armenian Relief Society and Hamazkayin “Zavarian” Cultural centers. A trip to Aleppo would not have been complete without a visit to the Karen Jeppe Djemaran [Academy], where Hagop Der Khatchadourian in the presence of local officials, Karen Jeppe administration, religious leaders and ARF members, officially unveiled the bust in memory of Raffi Bchachkjian, an ARF member who was the leader of the self-defense efforts of the Armenian neighborhoods in Aleppo.
“Unger Raffi’s heroic deeds have not remained within the borders of Syria, but have reached all Armenians. Unger Raffi with his spirit and dedication to the ARF will inspire future generations. On this occasion [of the unveiling of the bust], I want to convey well-wishes from the entire ARF family, from Armenia to the Diaspora,” said Der Khachadourian.
“Dear Unger Raffi, let your memory continue to be an inspiration. With your actions, you have added to the vast pantheon of the ARF heroes of our past. Not only are we proud of you, as you are a continuation of our heroic history, but as a guarantee for our prosperous future,” added Der Khachadourian.
On Tuesday, June 4, Der Khatchadourian met with the leaders of the Syrian-Armenian Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Center. During the meeting, which lasted almost an hour, Der Khatchadourian commended the work of the executive committee, which over the last 7 years, organized and preserved the community. Der Khatchadourian expressed his appreciation of this historic, noble mission, especially in the spheres of humanitarian and educational work.
He stressed that rebuilding the Syrian-Armenian institutions and the community must continue with the same spirit and vigor, while utilizing new methods of cooperation. He expressed that these practical acts that the executive committee has undertaken demonstrates support to the Syrian government and the president.