Category: 2019

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry calls on Armenia to leave Karabakh showing commitment to democracy, peace

Chmshkian Vicken
Interfax
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry calls on Armenia to leave Karabakh showing commitment to democracy, peace

 BAKU. May 13

Armenian forces must leave Karabakh if Armenia is interested in building a democracy and ensuring prosperity of the Armenian people and development of the region, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry press secretary Leyla Abdullayeva said in her comments on the recent statement by Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.

“Armenia is far from stopping the policy of aggression it has been pursuing for decades […] or demonstrating the intention to establish normal relations with neighbors and to show respect for principles of international law, first and foremost, the territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders,” Abdullayeva said.

If Mnatsakanyan is truly “interested in building a democracy and ensuring prosperity and security of his people and progress in the region, then the Armenian Armed Forces must immediately leave the occupied Azerbaijani lands,” she said.

“Only then it will be possible to talk about human values, democracy, and value of human life,” Abdullayeva said.

“Whenever we speak about the will and the final say of the people, either in Armenia or in Nagorno-Karabakh, we speak about simple democratic principles,” Mnatsakanyan told the Internet portal tert.am last week. “Our people have elected the government and vested it with power, which the government is using to assume the responsibility and to participate in […] the peace process in Nagorno-Karabakh,” he said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Cease-Fire at 25

Hunanian Jack
The National Interest Online
 
 
 
The Nagorno-Karabakh Cease-Fire at 25
 
Marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the cease-fire in the area of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict.
 
by Masis Mayilian
 
This month marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the cease-fire brokered by the Russian Federation among all parties to the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict—the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), Azerbaijan and Armenia. The Agreement on Cease-fire and Cessation of Hostilities in the area of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict came into force one minute after midnight on May 12, 1994.
 
This quarter-century anniversary is a good occasion to assess the cease-fire from today’s perspective, to sum up some results in terms of what has been done and what needs to be done to strengthen the cease-fire, and to draw lessons that will be useful for enhancing the effectiveness of the peace process for the resolution of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict.
 
The agreement is of key importance since it put an end to the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against the democratic statehood of Artsakh. It also moved the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict into a political and diplomatic track, and by so doing created conditions for the parties, with the assistance of international mediators, to concentrate efforts on finding ways to finally resolve the conflict through negotiations.
 
 
So far, this Agreement has been the only real achievement in the process of resolving the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict. The path to peace, or rather to cease-fire, turned out to be quite difficult. As an eyewitness to those events and a participant in the talks that took place during the war and the postwar years, I can say that attempts were repeatedly made in 1992–1993 to end the fighting. However, cease-fire agreements reached during this period proved short-term. The reason for these failures was that Azerbaijan, confident of its military and technical superiority, was hoping for a military solution to the conflict and used the pauses solely for a time out, in order to resume fighting again later.
 
It is because of this position taken by Azerbaijan, which did not want to guarantee peace and commit itself to the cessation hostilities, that the four UN Security Council resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh, the main requirement of which was an immediate cease-fire, the cessation of all hostilities and hostile acts were thwarted. By all its actions, Baku demonstrated that it considered the UN Security Council resolutions not as a means of ending the war, but as an instrument of achieving a military and political advantage.
 
The first prerequisites for an indefinite cease-fire agreement appeared in 1994 only after the Artsakh Defence Army managed to repel the armed aggression of Azerbaijan, ensure the security of the republic’s borders and thereby seriously undermine Baku’s potential aimed at resolving the conflict through military force.
 
These positive trends were consolidated through direct negotiations, which in prior years had stalled on the issue of the status of Artsakh. Only after very sensitive losses on the battlefield and a significant weakening of its military potential, the Azerbaijani leadership, not only ceased to prevent official Stepanakert from fully participating in the negotiations, but also repeatedly initiated direct contacts with the authorities of Artsakh, including at the highest level. Removing the main obstacle to direct talks allowed the parties to concentrate on substantive issues. Thanks to these contacts, Baku and Stepanakert concluded a dozen agreements on the limitation of hostilities, and on temporary cease-fires or their extension, which ultimately paved the way for an agreement on an indefinite cease-fire and cessation of hostilities.
 
The basis for the current indefinite cease-fire was laid on May 5, 1994, in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, where, under the auspices of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the leaders of the parliaments of Artsakh, Azerbaijan and Armenia discussed the situation in the region, and following the negotiations, signed the Bishkek Protocol (Azerbaijan joined the document three days later, and with some reservations). It is worth noting that the Protocol was preceded by a Statement of the Council of CIS Heads of State adopted in Moscow on April 15 of that same year, in which “an immediate cease-fire, cessation of all hostilities, and its reliable consolidation” was named as the main priority and imperative of the settlement. Supporting this statement, the participants of the Bishkek meeting expressed their readiness to render all possible assistance to the efforts of the heads and representatives of the executive power to end the armed confrontation through the early conclusion of an appropriate agreement. After that, the already mentioned agreement of May 12, 1994, was signed.
 
On July 26–27, 1994, signing an additional agreement, all three parties confirmed the indefinite nature of the cease-fire regime until a final settlement of the conflict was reached. The parties reaffirmed this position by making special statements in August and November of the same year.
  
On February 6, 1995, an Agreement on Strengthening the Cease-fire reached between Artsakh, Armenia and Azerbaijan, under the auspices of the Russian-Swedish Co-Chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group, came into force. The agreement contained a whole set of militarily significant stabilizing measures for crisis situations with a view to consolidating the cease-fire.
 
In subsequent years, unfortunately, it became impossible to build on the success achieved through the agreements of May 12, 1994, and February 6, 1995. The settlement process stalled immediately after Baku returned to a policy of confrontation. As part of this policy, it first refused to comply with the provisions of the agreement of February 6, 1995. Then, in early 1997, Baku thwarted the full-fledged trilateral negotiations by trying to impose, as a basis for settlement, its nonconsensual proposals put forward during the 1996 OSCE Lisbon Summit.
  
In the following years, the Azerbaijani side, both in public statements and in documents distributed in international organizations, tried to reserve the right to unleash a new war against Artsakh. The manipulation of the UN Security Council resolutions adopted in 1993 forms an important part of the attempts of Azerbaijan to impose on the international community the thesis “either a settlement on Baku’s terms or war.” Although Azerbaijan itself refused to implement the requirements and calls of the UN Security Council resolutions addressed to it, years later, it stubbornly seeks to present certain provisions of those resolutions as conditions for resolving the conflict, non-implementation of which, according to the Azerbaijani authorities, allegedly gives them the right to use force. Such an interpretation directly contradicts the letter and spirit of the resolutions adopted during the period of active hostilities that aimed at putting an end to the war and starting a political dialogue.
 
Baku’s diplomatic manoeuvres were accompanied by real escalation along the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan. Moreover, cease-fire violations by the Azerbaijani army were becoming more threatening both in scale and duration, and the number and type of weapons used.
 
The culmination of this policy of confrontation was a major escalation by the Azerbaijani authorities to resolve the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict by force. On the night of April 2, 2016, in flagrant violation of the cease-fire agreement of May 12, 1994, Azerbaijan undertook a large-scale offensive along the entire Line of Contact, using heavy equipment, artillery and combat aircraft.
 
The intensity and scale of the attack, the number of forces and military equipment used, as well as statements by Azerbaijani officials clearly indicated that the April 2, 2016 aggression was not a spontaneous escalation of tension, but a carefully planned and prepared armed attack. However, after suffering heavy losses in manpower and equipment, on April 5, 2016, Azerbaijan asked through the mediation of the Russian Federation for a cessation of hostilities.
 
Azerbaijan’s abandonment of its commitments to maintaining peace in the region received a strong response from the international community. As a result of Azerbaijan’s attempts to unleash armed aggression against Artsakh, the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group—the United States, Russia, France, the UN Secretary-General, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Secretary-General of the Council of Europe—called for strict adherence to the May 12, 1994, cease-fire agreement and the February 6, 1995, agreement on strengthening the cease-fire. The reaction of the international community has shown that the agreements of May 12, 1994, and of February 6, 1995, are among the key elements for maintaining regional security in the South Caucasus.
 
In addition to its practical value, the cease-fire agreement is also important from the point of view of the accumulated experience in organizing effective negotiations. The example of the agreement of May 12, 1994, demonstrates that success in conflict resolution depends on two key conditions. First is the exclusion of any illusions about the possibility of resolving the conflict through force. It is also worth recalling that the peaceful settlement of disputes is one of the fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the UN Charter. The second condition is the organization of direct talks, in which each of the parties to a conflict conducts negotiations on its own behalf and on those issues that fall within its competence.
 
 
And today, twenty-five years later, the cease-fire agreement can serve as a guideline for enhancing the effectiveness of the peace process. On the other hand, to give impetus to the conflict resolution process, it is necessary to resume direct trilateral negotiations, and it remains important to consistently strengthen the cease-fire, including through the introduction of an international mechanism to monitor its observance.
 
Artsakh not only supported the proposals and calls by the mediators to strengthen the cease-fire, but also repeatedly proposed various initiatives to ensure the irreversibility of the peace process. One of the latest examples of the constructive approach of official Stepanakert is the willingness to provide international mediators with data from video surveillance of the situation on the border. The permanent video surveillance system installed by Artsakh on the Line of Contact may become an integral part of an international cease-fire control mechanism.
 
In this context, it is also important to stress the need for the implementation of agreements reached during the two post–April, 2016, summits in Vienna and St. Petersburg, providing for the introduction of a mechanism to monitor the situation on the Line of Contact and the mechanism for investigating incidents at the border, as well as expanding the office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office with a view to increasing its monitoring capacities. Three years later, the Vienna and St. Petersburg agreements, due to strong opposition by Azerbaijan, still remain on paper only.
 
 
 
However, the situation with Azerbaijan’s attempts to denounce the trilateral agreements on cease-fire and on strengthening the cease-fire, signed by the Defence Ministers of Artsakh, Azerbaijan and Armenia in 1994–1995, is even more worrying. Notes on the actual denunciation of these previously adopted documents were distributed by the Permanent Representation of Azerbaijan to the OSCE on April 11, 2016, and by the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations on April 14, 2016. The Azerbaijani side has not yet withdrawn or in any way disguised those notes. Thus, Baku formally refused to recognize the political and legal basis of the cease-fire in the area of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict, and hence, the entire peace process. Obviously, neither the strengthening of the cease-fire, nor the advancement of the negotiation process is possible without the full restoration of the agreement of May 12, 1994.
 
The question of the demarcation line of the opposing forces, which, under the mediation of the Russian Ministry of Defence, was recorded by all three parties as part of the cease-fire, deserves special mention. Consequently, implementation of the cease-fire agreement also means the restoration of the cease-fire line agreed to by the parties, which was violated by Azerbaijan in April 2016.
 
 
I believe that the combination and complementarity of two conditions—diplomatic (restoration of direct trilateral negotiations) and military-political (strengthening the cease-fire and ensuring the irreversibility of the peace process)—will create the necessary prerequisites for real progress in the peaceful settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict and ensure long-term stability in the South Caucasus.
 
Masis Mayilian is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh.
 
 

Sports: Armenia international Sargis Adamyan signs for German Hoffenheim

David Nargizian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia international Sargis Adamyan signs for German Hoffenheim

2019-05-14 18:39:00 

                           

Armenia international Sargis Adamyan has signed a three-year contract with German Hoffenheim.

Adamyan, 25, previously played for Jahn Regensburg in Bundesliga 2. The Armenian forward scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists.

Before the last round, Hoffenheim sits eights in Bundesliga with 51 points, and still hopes to qualify for European cups.


Asbarez: Evoke, Embrace, Evolve—Women’s Empowerment Event

Chmshkian Vicken
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10 hours ago

HealWithin International

BURBANK—HealWithin International, a nonprofit health organization announced its 7th 3E Event. The 3E is a day of cooperation, genuine connections, powerful self-reflection and empowerment for women. This year’s 3E will take place on Saturday June 1, at the Castaway at 1250 E. Harvard Road, Burbank, California 91501. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. with check-in, followed by programs running from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The day will be filled with thought-provoking discussions, esteemed speakers, guided visualization, soulful group activities, dancing, sound-healing, fire dance, unique vendors and much more. A healthy, delicious lunch is also included with the admission ticket. All proceeds from The 3E Event will go towards HWI programs in helping motherless children.

“Participants at the event will ultimately open their hearts to love and appreciate more, expand their minds to possibilities that exist, transform their lives and feel more elevated, uncover and move beyond what may be holding them back and recognize and honor their feminine power,” said Ms. Boubari, President of HWI as well as founder and host of The 3E Event.

Panel of speakers include, Dr. Carolyn Rowley (Founder & Executive Director of Cayenne Wellness Center & Children’s Foundation), Dr. Armina Gharpetian (GUSD Board Member), Christeil Gota (CEO & Practice Administrator at LACN and Hawaii Cancer Care) and Liza Boubari- CCHt (Founder of HealWithin—a healing center for mind-body therapy, Clinical Hypnotherapist / Stress Management consultant).

For more information about The 3E Event, visit the website.

For more information about HealWithin International, visit their website.

Asbarez: Belgian Lawmakers Call for Artsakh’s Participation in Peace Talks

Torgomian Varazdat
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8 hours ago

The “We are Our Mountains” monument in Artsakh

A group of Belgian lawmakers called for Artsakh’s participation in the Karabakh peace talks. In a statement issued Sunday on the 25th anniversary of the Karabakh cease fire, the group of mainly French-speaking legislators from Belgium, who are part of the Artskah Friendship Group of the Flemish parliament, also lamented at the fact that there has not been any tangible progress in the talks.

“The Agreement of May 12, 1992 put an end to the bloody war unleashed against the people of Artsakh who struggled to live free and in dignity in their ancestral homeland. The fragile peace established by the Agreement prevented further human losses and laid the foundations for peace talks aimed at finding a just and lasting solution to the conflict,” said the statement, which was distributed by the Arstsakh Foreign Ministry.

At the same time, the lawmakers expressed regret that no tangible progress has been achieved toward adopting a comprehensive agreement on establishing lasting peace over the last 25 years, “as evidenced by the resumption of the large-scale hostilities unleashed against Artsakh by Azerbaijan in April 2016.”

“We are convinced that a genuine peace process that bears fruits requires a direct dialogue with the people of Artsakh and the full-fledged participation of the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities – one of the signatories of the Ceasefire Agreement, in the negotiation process,” said the statement, in which the lawmakers stress that the conflict must be resolved peacefully.

“There is no alternative to a peaceful solution to the conflict. Curbing bellicose rhetoric, hate-speech and putting in place confidence-building, such as OSCE investigative mechanism to prevent ceasefire violations, which the Armenian side has accepted, and promoting people-to-people contacts are an essential prerequisite,” added the statement.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry on 25th Anniversary of Ceasefire Agreement`

Emil Lazarian
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8 hours ago

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry issued an announcement on the 25th anniversary of establishment of the Karabakh conflict ceasefire. Below is the complete text of the announcement.

marks the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of a ceasefire regime between Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan and Armenia. The Bishkek Protocol, signed earlier on 5 May 1994 between the Heads of Parliaments of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan and Armenia paved the way for the cessation of hostilities and the conclusion of subsequent trilateral ceasefire agreements in 1994 and 1995.

On this 25th Anniversary we reiterate our deep appreciation and acknowledgment of the efforts of the mediators and first of all the Russian Federation, who played a critical role in achieving these agreements. They were subsequently endorsed, and their validity reinforced by the international community, particularly at the OSCE Summit in Budapest in 1994.

The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have manifested their unwavering capacity to defend and counter the devastating aggression by Azerbaijan and the threat of ethnic cleansing and annihilation at the beginning of the 1990s, to establish firm foundations for a democratic society and to freely determine their political, economic, social and cultural development in pursuit of the full realization of their right to self-determination. Armenia has been and remains the guarantor of the security of Nagorno-Karabakh and of its people.

Against the background of continued ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan, and particularly of the aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh in April 2016, the 1994-1995 ceasefire agreements remain valid and constitute the only solid foundation against the use of force and the resumption of hostilities, which will entail devastating consequences for all the people in the region. In their joint statement of 16 May 2016 the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs reiterated their support to and insisted on the importance of respecting the 1994-1995 ceasefire agreements.

Armenia remains committed to firmly respecting the letter and the spirit of the 1994-1995 ceasefire agreements. Furthermore, these agreements remain the backbone of denouncing the use of force and securing a conducive environment for a genuine progress in the negotiations for the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the internationally agreed format of mediation by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

The agreements reached in Dushanbe in September 2018 on respecting the ceasefire regime demonstrate the importance of political will in sustaining ceasefire and reducing risks of escalation. There were recent instances of ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan, which resulted in heavy injuries to two soldiers of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army and one soldier of the Armed Forces of Armenia on the line of contact and across border respectively. These deplorable incidents call for recommitment to the respect of the ceasefire regime and its reinforcement. Specific measures, particularly those agreed during the 2016 summits in Vienna and St. Petersburg should be implemented.

The 25th Anniversary of the establishment of the ceasefire regime attests to the validity and sustainability of the trilateral format of the 1994-1995 agreements, and to the importance of full engagement of Nagorno-Karabakh in the resolution process in order to achieve a lasting resolution of the conflict.

This Anniversary is also an encouragement for the renewed commitment of all the parties to the peaceful resolution of the conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Armenia remains fully committed to achieving lasting peace, as has been numerously reiterated by the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, including during the latest summit in Vienna on 29 March 2019″, the foreign ministry said in the statement.

Meet Three EPIC Startup Teams: Smart Green, Vactube, and Agourmet!

Ara Felekian
American University of Armenia
40 Marshal Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 0019, Republic of Armenia  
Tel: (+374 10) 32 40 40; (+374 60) 69 40 40 | Fax:  (+374 60) 61 25 12  

Webpage: www.

Innovation in Smart Greenhouses, Next-Generation Fruit Drying, and Augmented Reality Restaurant Ordering

Earlier this Spring, the Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) of the American University of Armenia (AUA) welcomed the 4th batch of venture startup teams to the EPIC business incubator. During the course of the program, the teams will participate in a 12-week intensive idea-stage incubation training to shape their ventures, validate their business concepts, and build their business models. Having full access to AUA’s resources, the teams will participate in workshops, receive advising, and be mentored by seasoned entrepreneurs, AUA faculty and alumni.

EPIC proudly introduces three of the nine startups that were accepted into the program this spring: Smart Green, Vactube and Agourmet. These ventures are designed to offer innovative solutions in agriculture, food processing, and food service.

If you know of any potential partners or collaborators with experience in any of these industries who would like to contribute to the success of these teams, EPIC would welcome hearing from you. Please contact EPIC at epic@.

Please read the brief profiles of each startup presented below:

Smart Green is a greenhouse automation system for small- and medium-sized greenhouses. Smart Green is designed to help farmers maximize revenue, economize resources, and protect yields through the Internet of Things (IoT) smart technology. It will perform automated greenhouse systems management based on data from wireless sensors placed throughout the greenhouse. The system will allow users to monitor the environment of the greenhouse and receive notifications in case of emergencies.

Vactube is a glass tube solar vacuum fruit dryer that reduces the length of the fruit drying period by 3-5 times compared to existing greenhouse-type solar dryers. Using Vactube results in high-quality, attractive dried fruits that are free of added sugar, sulphur, or other additives.

Agourmet is an augmented-reality application which acts as a primary or secondary menu for food-related businesses. It helps restaurants provide customers with a three-dimensional visualization of their dishes. Agourmet streamlines the process of ordering restaurant food, making it more accurate, entertaining, and reliable.

For more information about these teams or EPIC, please visit epic. or write to epic@.

The Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) is a platform for promoting entrepreneurial education, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and startup venture incubation. EPIC provides an ecosystem for the American University of Armenia’s (AUA) emerging entrepreneurs consisting of first-class facilities and collaborative workspace, programs and events, and a network of mentors, advisors and investors. EPIC fosters the understanding and application of entrepreneurship with students and faculty at AUA to craft high-impact multidisciplinary ventures.

—

Astghik Gyurjinyan | Coordinator

Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center

+374 60 612 590,  

agyurjinyan@  

_________________________________________________________________

40 Baghramyan Avenue, Yerevan 0019, Republic of Armenia

RFE/RL Armenian Report – 05/13/2019

Albert Nalbandian 
Monday, 
Kocharian Goes On Trial (UPDATED)
        • Naira Bulghadarian
        • Gayane Saribekian
Armenia -- Former President Robert Kocharian attends the first court hearing in 
his trial in Yerevan, . A court in Yerevan held on Monday the first, preliminary hearing in the trial 
of Armenia’s former President Robert Kocharian and three other former senior 
officials prosecuted in connection with the 2008 post-election violence in 
Yerevan. The hearing focused on defense lawyers’ demands for another judge to preside 
over the high-profile trial. The ex-president was therefore the only defendant 
present in the courtroom. The other defendants are the former presidential chief of staff Armen Gevorgian 
and retired army Generals Seyran Ohanian and Yuri Khachaturov. Unlike 
Kocharian, they are not held in detention. Kocharian looked relaxed and smiled when he spoke with his lawyers during a 
break in the court session. At one point he also waved to two dozen supporters 
who filled the courtroom and chanted “President!”
They afterwards bitterly argued with a man apparently critical of Kocharian who 
tried to enter the courtroom. Police officers intervened to stop the 
altercation from degenerating into violence. Earlier in the day, Kocharian supporters were angered outside the courtroom by 
Vardgez Gaspari, a prominent activist who held up a poster saying “Robik 
murderer.” One of them ripped up the posted while another hit Gaspari with a 
bottle. Police officers removed participants of the incident from the building moments 
later. Gaspari accused them of inactivity. Kocharian, Gevorgian, Ohanian and Khachaturov stand accused of “overthrowing 
the constitutional order” in the wake of a disputed presidential election held 
in February 2008. Investigators say they illegally used Armenian army units 
against supporters of the main opposition presidential candidate, Levon 
Ter-Petrosian, who protested against alleged electoral fraud. All four men deny the charges. Kocharian says that they are part of a political 
“vendetta” waged by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. Kocharian’s younger son Levon echoed that claim when he spoke to RFE/RL’s 
Armenian service in the courtroom. “I believe that the accusations are personal 
revenge,” he said. “There are many facts which prove what my father says, what 
our lawyers say and what we agree with.”
Pashinian was one of the main opposition speakers during the 2008 protests. He 
subsequently spent about two years in prison for organizing what the former 
Armenian authorities characterized as “mass disturbances.” Pashinian has denied 
interfering in the investigation, which took a new turn after last year’s 
“velvet revolution” in the country. Eight protesters and two police servicemen were killed as security forces 
quelled the post-election protests on March 1-2, 2008. Kocharian ordered army 
units into central Yerevan during the violence. Khachaturov served as deputy defense minister while Ohanian was the chief of 
the Armenian army’s General Staff at the time. Ohanian has repeatedly denied 
the army’s involvement in the post-election political processes. Earlier this year, Kocharian was also charged with receiving a $3 million bribe 
from an Armenian businesswoman, Silva Hambardzumian. Prosecutors say that 
Hambardzumian also paid a separate $1 million kickback to Gevorgian. The latter 
became Armenia’s deputy prime minister after Kocharian handed over power to 
Serzh Sarkisian in April 2008. Both Kocharian and Gevorgian deny the corruption accusations as well. The ex-president’s lawyers also demanded on Monday that the presiding judge, 
Davit Grigorian, recuse himself from the high-profile case. They said he cannot 
be trusted because earlier this year he declined to rule on their petition to 
free Kocharian from pre-trial custody. They also claimed that Grigorian has not 
had enough time to thoroughly examine materials of the criminal case. The prosecution led by Armenia’s Prosecutor-General Artur Davtian as well as a 
lawyer representing the families of people killed in March 2008 objected to the 
demand. Grigorian will announce on Tuesday whether he will continue to preside 
over the trial. Incidentally, the Supreme Judicial Council, a body overseeing the Armenian 
judiciary, censured Grigorian on Monday for having another judge decide whether 
Kocharian should remain behind bars. The council last week took similar 
disciplinary action against two other judges for the same reason. Minister Cautious About Corruption In Healthcare
մայիսի 13, 2019
        • Susan Badalian
Armenia -- Health Minister Arsen Torosian speaks at a news conference held at 
the UN office in Yerevan, May 6, 2019. Կիսվել
Կարդալ մեկնաբանությունները
 Տպել
Armenia’s public healthcare sector may still be plagued by corruption despite 
the government’s anti-graft efforts, Health Minister Arsen Torosian admitted on 
Monday. “If we talk about illegal revenues collected in medical institutions and 
consider that corruption, then it does exist,” he told reporters. “I personally 
don’t consider that corruption. I consider that illegal revenue … which a 
doctor seeks from a patient, a patient’s relative and so on.”
“If we go a bit further up, if we talk about corruption in the government 
apparatus, I can say that we are doing everything do put an end to that,” said 
Torosian. As recently as in late March, one of Torosian’s deputies, Arsen Davtian, was 
arrested while allegedly receiving a hefty bribe from a hospital director in 
return for ensuring greater government funding for the latter’s medical 
institution. Davtian was sacked shortly afterwards. Torosian has repeatedly pledged to eliminate widespread corruption in the 
healthcare system since he was appointed health minister one year ago. He insisted on Monday he will alert law-enforcement authorities about any 
instance of corruption known to him. The minister argued that it was he who 
effectively engineered the arrest in February of two senior government 
officials accused of attempting to personally benefit from government-funded 
supplies of medical equipment to three hospitals. The officials held senior positions in the State Oversight Service (SOS), a 
government agency tasked with combatting financial irregularities in the public 
sector. The SOS chief, Davit Sanasarian, was also indicted but not arrested 
last month. Sanasarian strongly denies the corruption charges. Turning to the chronic problem informal payments collected in Armenian 
hospitals, Torosian said the best way to end them is to raise the salaries of 
doctors and other medical personnel. “No doctor enjoys getting 5,000 drams 
($10) and putting it into their pockets,” he said. “They want to legally get 
that 5,000, 10,000 or 50,000 drams as part of their monthly salary, and our 
task here is to shift everything on to a legal plane.”
Jailed General Insists On Innocence
        • Marine Khachatrian
Armenia -- Retired General Manvel Grigorian appears before a court in Yerevan, 
. Retired General Manvel Grigorian and his wife pleaded not guilty to a string of 
criminal charges brought against them at the start of their trial in Yerevan on 
Monday. “I don’t consider myself guilty,” Grigorian said nearly one year after being 
arrested following searches conducted at his properties in and around the town 
of Echmiadzin. Investigators found there many weapons, ammunition, medication and field 
rations for soldiers provided by the Armenian Defense Ministry. They also 
discovered canned food and several vehicles donated by Armenians at one of 
Grigorian’s mansions. An official video of the searches conducted by the 
National Security Service (NSS) caused shock and indignation in the country. Grigorian was also charged with tax evasion and extortion in February. His 
wife, Nazik Amirian, was indicted on some of these charges but not arrested. Armenia - A screenshot of official video of security officers finding larges 
stockpiles of food in a villa belonging to retired General Manvel Grigorian, 17 
June 2018. Amirian insisted on Monday that the high-profile case is “fabricated.” She also 
protested her and her husband’s innocence at the first, preliminary court 
hearing in the trial held in Grigorian’s absence on May 2. That hearing focused on defense lawyers’ fresh demands for Grigorian’s release 
from detention on health grounds. The court rejected them, backing prosecutors’ 
assertions that the ailing ex-general is receiving adequate treatment in a 
civilian clinic in Yerevan when he has been kept since February. Grigorian, who served as deputy defense minister from 2000-2008, told the court 
that he has suffered from many serious diseases and undergone several surgeries 
in the last two decades. “There is hardly a doctor in Armenia who hasn’t 
treated me,” he said. Grigorian felt unwell during Monday’s court session which was repeatedly 
interrupted because of that. The 62-year-old required medical aid from doctors 
present in the courtroom. Pashinian Allies Slam Karabakh Security Chief
        • Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenia -- Retired General Vitaly Balasanian attends an official ceremony at 
the Yerlablur military cemetery in Yerevan, January 28, 2017. Two Armenian pro-government lawmakers on Monday hit out at a senior 
Nagorno-Karabakh official who has traded insults with Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian’s press secretary. Vitaly Balasanian, a retired army general who serves as secretary of Karabakh’s 
Security Council, began the war of words last week when he criticized Armenian 
authorities for not heeding the current and former Karabakh leaders’ calls for 
the release of Armenia’s imprisoned former President Robert Kocharian. He made 
the comments in Stepanakert during official celebrations of Karabakh’s main 
public holiday attended by Pashinian. Responding to them, Pashinian’s press secretary, Vladimir Karapetian, said that 
Balasanian should have exercised “necessary restraint.”
“Vladimir Karapetian is too little a person … to make such statements,” 
Balasanian shot back in an ensuing newspaper interview. “Let the Vladimir 
Karapetians mind their business.”
Karapetian responded by likening Balasanian to two senior members of the former 
ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) loathed by many allies and supporters 
of Pashinian. Two of those allies added their voice to the criticism of the Karabakh 
official. “The statement by that official not only endangered our national 
security system but also offended our public self-esteem,” said Andranik 
Kocharian, the chairman of the Armenian parliament committee on defense and 
security. “He must not do such things.”
Ruben Rubinian, who heads the parliament’s foreign relations committee, 
described Balasanian’s statements as “unfortunate.” “Unfortunate for Mr. Balasanian,” he added at a joint news conference with Kocharian. Balasanian was a prominent field commander during the 1991-1994 war with 
Azerbaijan. He is now seen as one of the potential main candidates in a 
presidential election which is due to be held in Karabakh next year. Nagorno-Karabakh -- Prime Minister Nikol Pashinin and Karabakh President Bako 
Sahakian lead a festive demosntration in Stepanakert, May 9, 2019. Pashinian raised more questions about his relationship with the Karabakh 
leadership on his return from Stepanakert. “If some people try to turn Artsakh 
(Karabakh) into a hotbed of counterrevolution, the people of Artsakh will turn 
it into a hotbed of revolution,” he wrote on Facebook late on May 9. He did not 
elaborate. It is not clear whether Pashinian warned Balasanian or HHK leader and former 
President Serzh Sarkisian. The latter was also in Karabakh last week, attending 
events together with Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian leadership. While in Stepanakert Sarkisian was interviewed by Karabakh state television. He 
spoke only about the 1991-1994 war, avoiding any comments on political 
developments in Karabakh or Armenia. Pashinian publicly lambasted Karabakh leaders in November during Armenia’s 
parliamentary election campaign. One of his close associates, Sasun Mikaelian, 
declared at a campaign rally that last spring’s protest movement that brought 
Pashinian to power was more important than the Armenian victory in the war. Mikaelian’s remark was condemned by Armenian opposition politicians as well as 
senior officials in Stepanakert, including a spokesman for General Levon 
Mnatsakanian, the then commander of Karabakh’s Armenian-backed army. Pashinian accused the Karabakh leadership of misinterpreting Mikaelian’s 
statement and “meddling” in the Armenian parliamentary race. Mnatsakanian was 
sacked in December. 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

The California Courier Online, May 16, 2019

Karakhanian Suren
The California Courier Online, May 16, 2019

1 –        US Federal Agency: Turkey Among Most
            Egregious Violators of Religious Freedom
            By Harut Sassounian
            Publisher, The California Courier
            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2-         Carnegie Hall to Award Medal of Excellence to Gregorian
3 –        Newsom Increases Invesment in Armenian American Museum
            After Key Meeting
4-         DerSahakian Cements Granada Hills Charter HS
            US Academic Decathlon Championship
5-         Kim Kardashian Helped Free 17 Inmates in 90 Days,
            Reunites Them with Families

*****************************************

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1 –        US Federal Agency: Turkey Among Most
            Egregious Violators of Religious Freedom
            By Harut Sassounian
           Publisher, The California Courier
            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

Last week, I reported on Azerbaijan’s violations of religious freedom
as documented in the most recent Annual Report of the United States
Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). My article
this week covers religious violations in Turkey as reported by USCIRF,
a U.S. Federal government agency.

The Annual Report revealed that “in 2018, the state of religious
freedom in Turkey remained deeply troubling, raising serious concerns
that the country’s current trajectory will lead to the further
deterioration of conditions in the year ahead. The lack of any
meaningful progress on the part of the Turkish government to address
longstanding religious freedom issues was continued cause for concern.
Many serious limitations on the freedom of religion or belief
continued, threatening the continued vitality and survival of minority
religious communities in the country; in addition, increased
demonization and a smear campaign by government entities and
pro-government media contributed to a growing climate of fear among
religious minority communities. The Turkish government continued to
interfere in the internal affairs of religious communities,
disallowing patriarchal elections for the Armenian Apostolic Church
and maintaining its requirement that Greek Orthodox metropolitans
obtain Turkish citizenship in order to participate in the church’s
Holy Synod.”

Furthermore, the USCIRF stated that “followers of U.S.-based cleric
Fethullah Gülen,” who was the political supporter of Pres. Recep
Tayyip Erdogan earlier in his career, “continued to be dismissed from
public service, detained, and arrested in the tens of thousands for
alleged complicity in the July 2016 failed coup attempt or involvement
in terrorist activity. The Turkish government has indiscriminately
designated those affiliated with Gülen as part of a terrorist
organization. Government officials also continued to engage in
anti-Semitism in the form of public statements and comments made on
social media platforms, while pro-government newspapers and media
outlets propagated hate speech directed against both Christians and
Jews.”

In the past three years, since the failed coup attempt of July 2016 to
overthrow Pres. Erdogan, the Turkish government dismissed over 150,000
public servants, and arrested tens of thousands accusing them of
plotting the coup and being involved in terrorism. In addition, 68
journalists—the most in any country—have been jailed, over 150 media
outlets were closed down, and most independent media companies were
controlled by the government.

Furthermore, the USCIRF reports the following religious violations in Turkey:

1) Students in public schools, including Alevis, are forced to take
the Islamic course of “Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge.”
Armenians, Greeks, Jews and atheists have been given exemptions.
Students and their parents seeking exemption have to undergo a long
arduous process or pursue their claims in court.

2) The Turkish government interferes in the internal affairs of both
Greek and Armenian communities by restricting the ordination of clergy
to Turkish citizenship. Since the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey was
incapacitated in 2010, the Turkish government has not allowed the
Armenian community to elect a new Patriarch.

3) “Alevis constitute the largest religious minority in Turkey
[estimated 10 to 25 million]. However, the government has long
classified Alevis as Muslim and subsequently failed to recognize them
as a religious community distinct from majority Sunni Muslims. Despite
a February 2015 ruling issued by the European Court of Human Rights,
the government has yet to take steps to exempt Alevi students from
attending compulsory religious classes that are based primarily on the
Sunni understanding of Islam,” according to the USCIRF Annual Report.

4) There is widespread anti-Semitism in the pro-government print and
social media. According to the Hrant Dink Foundation, there were 427
instances of anti-Jewish hate speech from January to April 2018.
Turkish politicians also frequently make anti-Semitic comments.

5) The Protestant community also continued to be the target of hate
speech. The European Court of Human Rights found Turkey violated the
rights of the Foundation of Seventh-day Adventists. In addition,
“Jehovah’s Witnesses are denied the right to conscientious objection
to military service and face prosecution, fines, and imprisonment for
the exercise of their beliefs,” USCIRF reported.

6) “The Armenian Patriarchate has been seeking the return of the
Sanasaryan Han in Istanbul—a property previously used for the
education of Armenian children—that the government seized in 1935. The
Greek Orthodox Foundation on Bozcaada Island has also yet to receive
the title deeds for 11 properties, despite a September 2014 decision
rendered by the Council of Foundations to transfer the deeds. The
Greek Orthodox Theological School of Halki, also known as Halki
Seminary, has been closed and unable to educate or train clergy since
1971,” according to the USCIRF.

The USCIRF urged the US government to pressure Turkey to comply with
all provisions of religious freedom and take appropriate corrective
measures.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

2-         Carnegie Hall to Award Medal of Excellence to Gregorian

Carnegie Hall will award its 10th Medal of Excellence to Vartan
Gregorian, who has fundamentally transformed the landscape of
philanthropy in New York and around our country during his tenures at
The New York Public Library, Brown University, and now as the 12th
president of the Carnegie Corporation.

In recognition of the centennial of Andrew Carnegie’s passing, it is
especially fitting to honor Dr. Gregorian, who embodies the true
spirit of philanthropy that was so profoundly inherent to Carnegie
Hall’s founder. Dr. Gregorian’s global impact through his work as a
scholar, philanthropist, and advocate of the arts complements the
worldwide reach of Carnegie Hall’s ever-expanding artistic and
community programs.

Proceeds from the evening support Migrations: The Making of America
festival and all of Carnegie Hall’s innovative artistic and education
programs

***************************************************************************************************

3 –        Newsom Increases Invesment in Armenian American Museum

            After Key Meeting

GLENDALE—On May 4, the Armenian American Museum leadership met with
Governor Gavin Newsom’s Legislative Secretary, Anthony Williams.
Initiated by Senator Anthony J. Portantino, the meeting convened the
Museum Board of Trustees, architectural team, and Construction
Committee members for a presentation on their vision for the Armenian
American cultural and educational center planned for Glendale. Mr.
Williams was provided a comprehensive overview of the project, a site
visit to its future location, and a detailed construction timeline.

Portantino expressed his excitement and highlighted the State of
California’s support for the Armenian American Museum.

Following Saturday’s successful meeting and review of the Armenian
American Museum by his policy director, Governor Gavin Newsom
announced on May 9 that he has included $5 million dollars for the
Armenian American Museum in his May revised 2019-2020 budget.

“I’m ecstatic and extremely thankful to Governor Newsom and Policy
Director Anthony Williams for recognizing the overwhelming merit and
momentum behind this amazing museum. The Governor’s generous offer to
help the museum is a clear recognition of the importance of the
project to the State of California,” said Senator Portantino.

 “The museum board was very pleased and honored to welcome Mr.
Williams to Glendale on Saturday and we are very thankful to Governor
Newsom for validating our effort by increasing the State’s investment
to further our efforts. This is wonderful news for our community and
the State of California. We are again grateful to Senator Portantino
for helping us share our vision for the museum directly with the
Governor’s office and the Governor for responding so positively to
what we are endeavoring to do,” said Shant Sahakian, Executive
Director.

The Governor’s May revised budget will be reviewed by both houses of
the legislature before the mid-June constitutional deadline for
passage. Generally, the Governor’s budget priorities successfully make
it through that process.

“The State of California is a proud partner of the Armenian American
Museum and this opportunity to share the museum’s progress with the
Governor’s office is both responsible and exciting. Mr. Williams
witnessed our historic project becoming a reality and received a
firsthand look at the positive impact it is going to have on our
community, state, and country for generations to come,” said
Portantino.

An initial $1 million grant for the project was approved as part of
the 2016-2017 State budget followed by an additional $3 million in the
2017-2018 budget.

Museum Executive Chairman Berdj Karapetian presented the Museum’s
programs and discussed how the project will be a space that will help
Armenian Americans discover their roots and people of diverse
backgrounds discover cross-cultural connections.

“It is an honor to present our vision for the Armenian American Museum
to the Governor’s office,” said Executive Chairman Berdj Karapetian.
“We are building a cultural and educational center that will enrich
our entire community and we are grateful to Mr. Williams and Governor
Newsom for taking an interest in our vision and our progress. It means
a great deal to our community to have this type of involvement and
participation from the office of our State’s Governor.”

The meeting was attended by Museum Board of Trustees members and
representatives from the Armenian Catholic Eparchy, Armenian Cultural
Foundation, Armenian Evangelical Union of North America, Armenian
General Benevolent Union Western District, Armenian Missionary
Association of America, Armenian Relief Society Western USA, Nor Or
Charitable Foundation, Nor Serount Cultural Association, Western
Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, and Western Prelacy
of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Members of the Museum Construction
Committee and Alajajian Marcoosi Architects were in attendance at the
meeting as well as Councilmember Zareh Sinanyan representing the City
of Glendale.

“I very much appreciated seeing the vision of the Armenian museum and
the extraordinary collaboration that’s behind this important project
first hand. Walking the future location and hearing directly from the
artists and construction team responsible for its vision was beyond
enlightening,” said Legislative Secretary Anthony Williams.

*****************************************************************************************************

4-         DerSahakian Cements Granada Hills Charter HS

            US Academic Decathlon Championship

On April 27, 2019, Granada Hills Charter High School (GHC) reclaimed
the United States Academic Decathlon (USAD) title, capturing the
school’s seventh national championship with a total of 53,108.5 points
out of a possible 60,000. The school secured the national title in
2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. A welcome celebration was
held with bagpipers, cheerleaders and special guests when the winning
team returned to school on Monday morning.

The Academic Decathlon is a rigorous, 10-event competition that
revolves around a central topic in seven subject areas: science,
literature, art, music, social science, economics and mathematics.
This year’s topic was “The 1960s: A Transformational Decade.” The
decathletes compete in multiple-choice exams on each topic as well as
through essays and speeches. GHC won both a Los Angeles-area
competition for charter schools and the California state championship
to qualify for the national competition, which was held in
Bloomington, Minnesota.

Academic Decathlon teams consist of nine students, divided among three
categories based on GPA: Honors (3.74 – 4.0 and above), Scholastic
(3.0 – 3.74) and Varsity (2.99 and less). GHC’s Academic Decathlon
team includes Honors decathletes Nicole DerSahakian, Connie Chen, and
Dilawar Khan; Scholastic decathletes Lelija Kazlauskas, Kenny Ly, and
Jared Matsubayashi; and Varsity decathletes Benjamin LaFreniere, Ezhan
Mirza, and Tamara Cruz. The coaches are Alina Lee, Linda Kang, and Amy
Contreras.

As a senior at GHC, this is Nicole DerSahakian’s second year as a
decathlete. She is currently the only Armenian to have ever competed
on GHC’s Academic Decathlon team.

“It feels absolutely amazing to finally reach my goal. This has been
my dream for two years and I’m so grateful for being given this
opportunity,” said DerSahakian. She received numerous medals at the
national competition, including gold medals in the categories of
literature and art, in which she earned a perfect score; a silver
medal in the category of mathematics; and a bronze medal in the
category of essay. Nicole will be graduating as a valedictorian this
May and will be attending the University of California, Berkeley in
the fall.

So, what is their secret? According to DerSahakian, the team’s success
stems from their true sense of family, immense cooperation, and
ability to work indefatigably towards a common goal. “My teammates and
I have formed very close bonds over the course of the past 11 months.
Our camaraderie has truly allowed us to motivate one another, hold
each other accountable, and help each other succeed.”

“Each year is a tough challenge that forces the decathletes not only
to bear down and study hard but also to overcome disappointments and
moments when they really are pushed to new limits,” said Alina Lee,
head coach. In addition to the efforts of the decathletes, the
wonderful coaches and staff supporting them played an instrumental
role in their success.

 “On behalf of the Granada Hills Charter community, I want to
congratulate our 2019 National Champions,” said Brian Bauer, Executive
Director of GHC. “Their dedication, determination and discipline are
wonderful reflections of the education and environment for learning we
strive each day to create at Granada Hills Charter. We all are very
proud of them and hope the memories they have made are everlasting and
inspire them, whether they are returning GHC students or move on to
the next exciting stage of their lives.”

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

5-         Kim Kardashian Helped Free 17 Inmates in 90 Days,

            Reunites Them with Families

(TMZ)—Kim Kardashian is helping free inmates at an amazingly high
rate, and she’s been doing it rather quietly—until now.

TMZ has learned Kim and her legal team helped 17 prisoners gain
freedom over the last 3 months or so—each of them having served years
of life sentences without parole for low-level drug offenses.

It’s all part of the 90 Days of Freedom campaign launched by Kim’s
lawyer, Brittany K. Barnett, in partnership with lawyer MiAngel Cody
of The Decarceration Collective.

The campaign puts the First Step Act—signed by President Trump last
year—to work for prisoners who received draconian sentences.

Kim is footing the bill while Barnett, who also co-founded the Buried
Alive advocacy group, and Cody handle the lawyering. TMZ has been told
that Kim’s been secretly funding the campaign over the past few
months.

We’ve known about a few cases Kim’s backed—Jeffrey Stringer in
Florida, Cyntoia Brown in Tennessee, Alice Marie Johnson in
Alabama—but now we know the list is much longer.

Among the names is Jamelle Carraway, who is back with his family after
serving 11 years of a life sentence in federal prison. Jamelle, who
was 31 when he was arrested for cocaine possession, is living and
working in Illinois as he makes the slow transition back to society.

Eric Balcom is back home in Florida, and seeing his mother for the
first time in 16 years after serving hard time in federal prison. He
was convicted on a drug charge when he was 29, and was sentenced to
life without parole.

Terrence Byrd is finally free after spending half his life—25 years—in
federal prison on drug possession charges.

TMZ was told he’s been reunited with his 96-year-old grandmother, the
woman who raised him.

Kim, Brittany and MiAngel aren’t done working miracles, either—TMZ was
told they’re on top of several more cases.

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California Courier Online provides viewers of the Armenian News News Service
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requested to provide their names, addresses, and/or telephone numbers
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Armenian pavilion at Expo Beijing 2019 visited by 40 thousand people daily

Parkev Tvankchian
ARKA, Armenia

YEREVAN, May 13. /ARKA/. The Armenian pavilion at the Expo Beijing 2019 gardening exhibition ‘In Harmony with Nature” opened on April 29 is visited by about 40,000 people daily, the press service of the Armenian Ministry of Economic Development and Investments reported.

It said the pavilion has on display species of plants grown in Armenia, in particular, two apricot trees and two grape vines. The best Armenian wines,  brandy, dried fruits, pita bread, fruit jams, Armenian carpets and much more are also on display. Videos about the tourism potential of Armenia and winemaking are broadcast on the big screen.

The exhibition includes international and interregional conferences and discussions. The Chinese CCTV channel aired a report  about the Armenian pavilion.

The international exhibition, which will be open until October 7, features 97 countries. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Garnik Petrosyan and Armenian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China Sergey Sanasaryan took part in its opening. –0-

http://arka.am/en/news/business/armenian_pavilion_at_expo_beijing_2019_visited_by_40_thousand_people_daily/