Category: 2019

MediaMax, Armenia

Feb 22 2019

The birth of the club

A lot of work has been done since 2016 and we didn’t want it all to be in vain.

We decided to reform the team and compete in the Armenian League A. Since then we are down to hard, but pleasant work.

Step by step, we are becoming a professional club. We are getting better at organization, and my goal is that Urartu doesn’t stay a one-time project but grows into a stable club for years to come.

The new training ground in Yerevan

I am certain that the most important thing for us is to have a training ground. We have an investor who is ready to build it and gift it to Urartu. The architect and the mayor responded positively to our offer, and the City Council will make the final decision.

Apart from the training conditions, we need a basketball court with capacity of 500, where we will hold official matches.

The plans for 2019

Urartu wants to win the league this year and compete in international tournaments, where the club plans to play well and see where it stands in terms of quality.

Creating a team for the future

We lean on youngsters when we choose which foreign player to hire, because we think about the future of the club. I want this squad to become a real team with its own philosophy and special characteristics, a real family.

The obstacles

First of all, we need basketball courts to develop the sport in Armenia. Sport doesn’t develop with several halls available; we should attach special importance to this.

Besides, there should be more schools for children and youth, and qualification classes should be held for coaches and referees.

Urartu BC head coach Mikael Poghosyan

Plans and European cups

We wish to have a winning team each year. We were among the best in League A last year, and currently we are the second.

The club has long-term plans, and we want to perform in European cups in the future.

Competitors and League A

Now we have more foreign players, and the level of the team’s performance has changed, also conditioned by the activeness and competition in League A.

The competition certainly helps the team. Our main competitors in League A are Aragats and Artsakh.

Only victory

At the start of League A and now as well we only consider victory without thinking about anything else. Our composition isn’t final yet. The negotiations with players still continue, so I won’t mention names yet. Besides, it will be a surprise.

The club’s philosophy

Our goal is to make Urartu Armenia’s best, strongest and most favorite team. We wish to perform in Europe in several years and show that Armenia has basketball and that basketball is Urartu.

EAEU Cup

We will play in the EAEU Cup tomorrow. We will estimate our level in this competition by comparing our strength with that of our competitors to understand our potential. 

The next generation

We also think about the future generation of the club; we have different age groups. We have just started working in that direction and we don’t even participate in competitions.

Development of basketball

It is developing well in Armenia, but something should change every year with the help of the state or sponsors. The development should start from children, while we do the opposite.

Gohar Nalbandyan, Hasmik Babayan
Photos by Emin Aristakesyan

Armenian FM meets with OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs

12:53,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs – Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America, arrived in Yerevan on a regional visit.

They already met with Armenia’s foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.

“The Co-Chairs arrived in Yerevan on a regional visit. They already met with the minister and later will meet with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan”, Armenian foreign ministry spokeswoman Anna Naghdalyan told Armenpress.

She informed that after the Yerevan visit the Co-Chairs will most probably visit Baku.

The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship is the only mediation format dealing with the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Armenia Deputy PM meets with Artsakh State Minister

13:10,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan met with Artsakh’s State Minister Grigory Martirosyan on February 19.

During the meeting the sides attached importance to the high level of partnership and ensuring the smooth process of implementation of joint programs, for the benefit of the continuous development of the two Armenian countries, Avinyan’s office said.

 Avinyan and Martirosyan concurred that sectoral policies and major projects that are being carried out in Armenia and Artsakh should be combinable and harmonious.

Prospects of implementing projects of joint interest in agriculture, transportation and infrastructure, urban development and energy were discussed.

The sides also discussed issues of digitization, increasing the efficiency of the state administration system, and staffing policy.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Erdogan mentions Armenian community of Turkey in Budapest Process speech

13:15,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS.President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has mentioned the Armenians living in Turkey in remarks delivered at the 6th Ministerial Conference of Budapest Process in Istanbul. Erdogan mentioned Armenians when he was speaking about Syrian refugees, Anadolu reports.

He said that Turkey currently hosts 3,6 million Syrian refugees, whom they aren’t planning to send back.

Speaking about other ethnicities living in Turkey, Erdogan mentioned also the 100,000 Armenians living in the country.

“Around 100,000 Armenians live in Turkey, 40,000 of whom are citizens of Turkey. The remaining are not citizens, but we aren’t going to expel them also,” President Erdogan said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Exhibition of Armenia’s historical maps held in Šiauliai, Lithuania

14:19,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The opening ceremony of an exhibition titled ‘Armenia in Ancient Maps’ was held in the Public Library of Lithuanian city of Šiauliai on February 19, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

The event has been organized by the Armenian Embassy in Lithuania and the Public Library of Šiauliai by the support of the city’s Armenian community.

It was attended by MPs, members of the Lithuania-Armenia parliamentary friendship group Arunas Gumuliauskas and Stasys Tumenas, the representatives of the city authorities, cultural figures, as well as Armenian community representatives.

The exhibition enabled to get acquainted with the history of the Armenian people based on facts.

Armenian Ambassador to Lithuania Tigran Mkrtchyan in his welcoming remarks stated that the organization of the exhibition doesn’t pursue any political goal, it presents Armenia at different historical periods with facts that are formed on scientific and cultural basis.

The Ambassador thanked the Library directorate and head of the Armenian community of Šiauliai Rafik Kazarian for the assistance provided for holding the event.

The exhibition is open until March 4, 2019.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

Netanyahu cancels trip to Moscow

15:02,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled his visit to Moscow scheduled on February 21 within the frames of which he was expected to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Jerusalem Post reported.

The Israeli PM made such a decision due to the domestic political situation in the country, according to the newspaper.

On February 19 the Kremlin said in a statement that Putin and Netanyahu will hold talks on February 21. “The two leaders are expected to discuss the urgent issues of the bilateral cooperation, first of all, in commercial and humanitarian areas, as well as to exchange views on the current situation in the Middle East, including the Israeli-Palestinian settlement issues and the situation in Syria”, the statement said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

President Sarkissian extends condolences on death of philanthropist Louise Manoogian Simone

15:03,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a condolence letter over the death of national figure and philanthropist Louise Manoogian Simone, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

“With deep sorrow I have learnt the news of the death of dignified daughter of our people, national figure and philanthropist Louise Manoogian Simone.

This is a major loss for Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenians worldwide because Mrs. Manoogian Simone had the closest connection with what is called Armenian and Armenia, by always standing with and among them.

As a deserving child of her patriotic parents – National Hero of Armenia Alex Manoogian and Mrs. Marie Manoogian, as the President of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and philanthropist, her services provided to the Homeland, the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian people worldwide are really unique with their volumes and content.

Since Armenia’s independence, Armenia and Artsakh became the target of her patriotic activity to which Mrs. Manoogian Simone remained devoted up to the end of her life. As a longtime President of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, member of the Board of Trustees and honorary member of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, she initiated and implemented numerous programs both in Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora.

That Great Woman with her comprehensive activities and reputation goes beyond the national boundaries and presents our people at best at the international level.

At this difficult moment of a pan-national loss, I extend my sincere and deepest condolences to her family and relatives, brother Richard Manoogian, her three children, grandchildren, the AGBU, the Board of Trustees, sharing everyone’s grief”, reads the President’s condolence letter.

Louise Manoogian Simone has passed away on February 18 at the age of 86. She was born in Detroit, Michigan, on May 19, 1933. Her father, Alex Manoogian, National Hero of Armenia, philanthropist, had a great contribution to combining all Armenians worldwide.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

‘Superpower in the world of military orchestra’ – Armenia’s brilliant performance at IDEX 2019 gets global critical acclaim

16:39,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Fearless, perfect, a superpower in the world of military orchestra – this is how the Middle East’s leading English-language newspaper The National has described the Armenian Military Orchestra’s performance at the opening ceremony of IDEX 2019 in Abu Dhabi.

The brilliantly performed drill commands and music by the Guards of Honor and the Armenian Military Orchestra impressed Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, as the two were seen on big screens leading the applause.

“No-one was quite sure why the Armenian Military Orchestra was taking part, until they started, that is. Armenia, it turns out, is a superpower in the world of military orchestras. A general fearlessly marched a gauntlet of swords slashing up and down in perfect symmetry, allowing him the pass through unharmed. An impressed Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, were pictured on big screens leading the applause”, The National said in an article on IDEX 2019 entitled “A show of military might and modern warfare”.

The performance of the Armenian military was so impressing that even The Guardian mentioned it in an unrelated article about the expo. “Khaleeji bagpipe band, a colourful aircraft display, a performance by the Armenian Military Orchestra and a big show of support from the Emirate royal families”, The Guardian said.  Gulf News also weighed in, noting the performance to be one of the outstanding moments of the inauguration. “The opening ceremony was marked by a mock military operation as well as performances by the UAE military band, Abu Dhabi police band and Armenian military orchestra.”

The ceremonial guards were among the Armenian military delegation led by Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan to the 2019 International Defense Exhibition and Conference, one of the largest arms expos in the Middle East.

The Armenian Defense Ministry participated at the IDEX 2019 arms expo, presenting the following Armenia-made defense technologies.

• Electro-optic countermeasure system 3K01
• Pancratic sniper sight 3*9
• Sniper Rifle K-8
• Thermal imaging gunner sight for T72A tank
• Inductive mine detector RIA-1
• Bulletproof vest GS-47/0717
• Various types of reconnaissance UAVs, all in final stages of development, with proven technologies
• Military and tactical boots
• MJ-25 sectoral search semi-stationary VHF radar (Model 1:10)
• Microwave transistor amplifier for target detection HFAS-75G

Earlier in January, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, invited Armenian Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan to participate at the event.

Stepan Kocharyan