Category: 2020

Gastro-yard and museum of kamancha opened in Ashtarak

Garo Vardanian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 27 2020

ArmInfo.The regular gastro yard was opened in Ashtarak within the framework of the UNDP Integrated Rural Tourism Development program. According to the  Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia, a kamancha museum was  opened at the gastro-yard (Armenian national four-stringed musical  instrument – Ed. note).

The gastro-yard in Ashtarak is unique as in addition to the Armenian  national cuisine, tourists will also get acquainted with the culture  of the country. In this particular case, the guests of the Ashtarak  gastro-yard will learn about kamancha, about the process of its  manufacture, and will even be able to enjoy during dinner the  musicians playing this instrument.

As of today, 35 gastro-yards are already operating in the republic,  of which 23 contain a wine component.  According to UNDP program  coordinator Arman Vanesyan, wine gastronomy yards are open not only  in areas famous for their wine-making culture. A similar approach, he  said, helps to improve the quality of the wine produced. "Within the  framework of the program, we provide the villager with equipment and  specialist services, which helps to improve the quality of wines,"  Vanesyan said. In particular, he referred to the experience of the  beneficiary of one of the wine gastro-yards, who, based on high  demand, increased the grape harvest from 1 ton to 5 tons. Moreover,  income from tourists increased from 3 thousand to 6-10 thousand  drams.

In total, within the framework of this program, 60 gastro-yards will  be opened throughout the republic, which will create jobs for  residents of rural areas. The total cost of the program is $ 3  million. Of this amount, $ 500 thousand was allocated for the  construction of gastro-yards. The Ministry of Economy of the Republic  of Armenia additionally allocated 60 million drams for the   implementation of the program. 

Yerevan: Sumgait crime laid the foundation for Karabakh conflict

Hambik Zargarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 27 2020

ArmInfo. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia issued a statement on the occasion of the anniversary of the anti-Armenian pogroms in Sumgait.  So, the  statement of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, in particular, states:   "Today we honor the memory of the victims of the anti-Armenian  pogroms in Sumgait. At the end of February 1988, the Armenian  population of Sumgait was subjected to mass killings and atrocities  committed with indescribable cruelty.

The Sumgayit crime laid the foundation for the Nagorno-Karabakh  conflict when Azerbaijan responded to the peaceful appeal of the  people of Nagorno-Karabakh to self-determination by mass violence and  pogroms of Armenians. This actually formed the essence of the  Karabakh problem: ensuring the security of the people of Artsakh  through the exercise of the right to self-determination outside of  Azerbaijan.  The Sumgayit crime was the first mass crime committed on  the basis of identity on the European continent after the Second  World War, followed by new crimes planned and carried out on a large  scale by Azerbaijan in Baku, Kirovabad and the territories of the  Nagorno-Karabakh Republic-Shaumyan region occupied by Azerbaijan,  separate sections of Martakert and Martuni.

An assessment by the Azerbaijani authorities of the Sumgayit massacre  clearly illustrates the lack of readiness to resolve the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Over the past three decades, the tactics  of the Azerbaijani authorities have changed from the heroization of  criminals to the prosecution of victims for organizing pogroms. The  unwillingness of the Azerbaijani side to assume any responsibility  for the massive and most serious human rights violations on its  territory and the presence of genocidal intentions regarding the  Armenians remained unchanged.

Today, we honor the memory of the victims of the Sumgayit pogroms,  confirming our determination to prevent the recurrence of such  massacres against the Armenian people. "

Recall that ethnic unrest in the city of Sumgayit in the Azerbaijan  SSR occurred on February 27-29, 1988.  They were accompanied by  massive violence against the Armenian population, robberies,  killings, arson and destruction of property. According to the British  journalist Tom de Waal, these events were "the first outbreak of mass  violence in modern Soviet history." The Sumgait pogrom was a landmark  event and a turning point in the aggravation of the ethnic conflict  in Transcaucasia, which caused the first flows of Armenian refugees  from Sumgait to Stepanakert and Armenia. According to the official  data of the USSR Prosecutor General's Office, 26 citizens of Armenian  ethnicity were killed and more than a hundred people were injured in  the riots, while unofficial estimates say that the number of  Armenians killed is hundreds During the clean-up operation, 276  military personnel received injuries of varying severity .. On  February 29, 1988 at a meeting of the Politburo of the CPSU Central  Committee in Moscow, it was officially recognized that the massacres  and killings in Sumgait were carried out on a national basis,  however, as indicated in the materials of the human rights activist  Memorial Center, the lack of a timely investigation into the  circumstances of the pogroms, the establishment and punishment of  those responsible led to a further escalation of the Karabakh  conflict. 

Pashinyan: Samvel Karapetyan`s work against the policy of the destruction of Armenian monuments in Turkey and Azerbaijan is highly appreciated

Zhanna Nahapetian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 27 2020

ArmInfo. RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a telegram of condolences over the death of famous specialist in monuments Samvel Karapetyan.

According to the press service of the government, the telegram in  particular reads:  ''I learned with deep sorrow about the untimely  death of the famous Armenian specialist in monuments, historian,  chairman of the Yerevan Office of the Research on Armenian  Architecture Foundation (RAA) Samvel Karapetyan. The consistent work  of the famous specialist in monuments against the policy of the  destruction of Armenian monuments in Turkey and Azerbaijan is worthy  of appreciation. I express my deepest condolences to the family and  colleagues of Samvel Karapetyan and share their grief''.  Famous  Armenian historian and specialist in architectural monuments Samvel  Karapetyan died at the age of 58. An expert traveled in Armenia,  Turkey, Georgia, and other countries, photographing and mapping  monuments of Armenian architecture for research purposes. 

For many years, he fought against the attempts of the Georgian and  Turkish authorities to appropriate some Armenian historical monuments  by destroying the corresponding inscriptions in the Armenian  language.  In addition, thanks to the help of researchers and  tourists from around the world, he was able to collect and summarize  data on the destruction of Armenian monuments in Azerbaijan. In  particular, on the facts of the destruction by the Azerbaijani  military of the cemetery of Old Dzhugha, he created a documentary  film, which was subsequently marked with a presidential award. He  also presented these egregious facts in the US Congress and the  European Court of Human Rights. Samvel Karapetyan is the author of a  number of books and publications on the Armenian cultural and  architectural heritage.

 

Extra-curricular coding courses start in three schools in Yerevan

Emil Lazarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 27 2020

ArmInfo. Beeline Armenia and British Council in Armenia are launching "Coding skills: Bridging present and future" program, which has kicked off at Avetik Isahakyan  Yerevan High School N16 yesterday.

As the Company's press service informs, beneficiaries of the program  will attend extracurricular coding classes, aimed at developing the  students' digital and other key skills.

Implemented with support of the Armenian Ministry of Education,  Science, Culture and Sport, the program will be introduced in high  schools N170 and N97 next. In all three schools, Micro:bit systems  have been implemented in the score of the program. The schools also  received corresponding resources for the classes.

"In recent years Beeline Armenia has been making efforts to help  young people with quality digital education and career choice. I am  happy to cooperate with the British Council in this program and  receive support from the Ministry of Education. I am certain the  program will be the start of big professional achievements for many  students," said Naira Nazaryan Head of PR at Beeline Armenia.

To recall, VEON Armenia CJSC is now VEON Armenia Holdings B.V.  (Beeline trademark) is part of the VEON group of companies, which is  one of the world's largest integrated telecom operators. The group  includes communications companies providing voice and data services  based on a wide range of wireless and fixed-line technologies, as  well as broadband Internet access for subscribers in Russia, Italy,  Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Georgia,  Kyrgyzstan, Laos , Algeria, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The companies of  the group provide services under the brands Beeline, Kyivstar, Wind,  Mobilink, Banglalink and Djezzy.

Armenian FM and CSTO Secretary General discussed cooperation within framework of military alliance

Babken Chilingarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Feb 27 2020

ArmInfo. Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, at a meeting with OSCE Secretary General Stanislav Zas, expressed hope that the newly appointed  Secretary General will contribute to the realization of the universal  goals of the Organization.

According to the press service of the RA MFA, the interlocutors  discussed in detail the interaction within the CSTO.

Pointing to the important role of Armenia in the security system  within the framework of the CSTO, Mnatsakanyan noted that close  cooperation between the participating countries plays an important  role in improving the effectiveness of the structure, as well as  jointly solving the challenges facing the Organization.

The parties discussed a wide range of issues on the regional and  international agenda.  During the visit, Zas also visited the  Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex for the victims of the Armenian  Genocide and paid tribute to the memory of the holy martyrs. 

Chess: Armenia’s Tigran Harutyunyan wins Aeroflot Open B Tournament

Maral Chavushian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 28 2020

Armenian chess player Tigran Harutyunyan has won the Aeroflot Open 2020 B Tournament in Moscow.

The Armenian player celebrated 5 victories and drew 4 games to win the tournament with 7 points, the Chess Federation of Armenia reported.

Meanwhile, another Armenian player Manuel Petrosyan took the 8th place with 6 points in A Tournament.

In C Tournament, Artur Gharagyozyan finished 9th with 6.5 points. 

Female candidates running for president in Artsakh

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
Feb 28 2020
Politics 17:09 28/02/2020 NKR

Out of 14 candidates running for president in the Republic of Artsakh, two are females. They have shared about their expectation ahead of the nation-wide elections slated for April with Azdarar Tv programme.

“I am ready to assume the role of the head of the state. I am confident I will be able to work harder than any other previous leader. Furthermore, the Republic of Artsakh led by me will be the best place to live,” one of the candidates, Bella Lalayan, said.

Economist Kristine Balayan is the other female candidate nominated for the presidency.

The int’l community should condemn and give a clear and unequivocal assessment to the genocidal actions committed by the Azerbaijani authorities

Bedik Zaminian
Aravot, Armenia
Feb 27 2020
The international community should condemn and give a clear and unequivocal assessment to the genocidal actions committed by the Azerbaijani authorities against the peaceful Armenian population

                                                       
February 28,2020 16:53 17

                                                        

Comment by the Information and Public Relations Department of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Artsakh on the 32-nd Anniversary of the Massacre of Armenians in Sumgait
32 years ago, on February 27-29, 1988, the authorities of the Azerbaijani SSR perpetrated the massacre and forced deportation of the Armenian population in the city of Sumgait, accompanied by atrocities committed with unprecedented cruelty. The three-day mass beatings, killings and violent acts were the response of the authorities of Baku to the peaceful and legitimate demands of the Armenians of Artsakh (Karabakh) to realize their inalienable right to self-determination.

There is ample evidence that the massacres of Armenians in Sumgait were thoroughly prepared and planned by the Azerbaijani authorities. Speaking at the rallies held on the eve of the massacres, high-ranking representatives of the city authorities called on the crowd to punish the Armenians and demanded “to kill and to deport them from Sumgait and from entire Azerbaijan”. Almost every speech ended with the chanting of “Death to Armenians!”. Amid the obvious inaction of the authorities and law enforcement bodies, as well as guided by the latters, hundreds of Azerbaijanis in Sumgait, inspired by the calls for hatred and violence against Armenians, started unimpeded attacks on the apartments of the Armenians living in Sumgait, having the lists of addresses at their disposal.

The impunity of the real organizers and perpetrators of the crimes against humanity committed in Sumgait created a fertile ground for the ethnic cleansing of Armenians throughout the Azerbaijani SSR in the subsequent years – in Kirovabad, Baku and a number of other Armenian-populated cities. Thousands of Armenians became victims of this policy, and hundreds of thousands became refugees.

Currently, the Azerbaijani authorities, unfortunately, continue their policy of inciting hatred and xenophobia against the Armenians, heroizing and glorifying the Azerbaijani officer who brutally killed an Armenian officer in Hungary in 2004. Another manifestation of such a policy became the rewarding of the Azerbaijani officer by the President of Azerbaijan for beheading a serviceman of the Artsakh Defense Army during the April war of 2016 unleashed against the Republic of Artsakh, as well as the gross violations of the norms of humanitarian law and the war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces.

We bow to the memory of the innocent victims of the Sumgait crime. The international community should condemn and give a clear and unequivocal assessment to the genocidal actions committed by the Azerbaijani authorities against the peaceful Armenian population, which will not only prevent the repetition of such atrocities in the future, but will also help to heal the situation in Azerbaijan.

Artsakh MFA Press Service

Tigran Harutyunyan wins Aeroflot Open 2020 B Group tournament

Shushan Frangulian

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 09:45,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s chess player Tigran Harutyunyan has won at the Aeroflot Open 2020 B Group tournament in Moscow.

Meanwhile, Manuel Petrosyan and Hayk Martirosyan both finished in draws at the A Group’s final round. Gabriel Sargsyan defeated Shant Sargsyan.

Manuel Petrosyan gained 9 points out of 6 and was ranked 8th, while Gabriel Sargsyan finished 20th.

Harutyunyan garnered 7 points but was announced winner with additional scores.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Civilization cannot develop guided by fascism, xenophobia – Armenian President addresses message

Zhanna Nahapetian

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 09:47,

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian addressed message in the memory of the victims of the carnage organized in Soviet Azerbaijan and Day of Protection of the Rights of the Expelled Armenian Population, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The message says:

“Dear Compatriots:

Today is the 32nd anniversary of the tragic events in Sumgait town of Azerbaijan. In those days in February, 1988, supported by the criminal acquiescence of the authorities of Soviet Azerbaijan, local armed gangs in Sumgait executed mass violence against the Armenian population, which mounted to massacres, accompanied by torture, rape, looting, and torching of the Armenian property. As a result of the crime instigated and carried out at the state level multiple citizens of the Armenian origin were killed, many were injured, subjected to violence, and deported.

Violence and savageries against Armenians in Sumgait, and later in Baku, Kirovabad, and Maragha in their nature were reminiscent of the horrendous days of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. They also resulted in xenophobia and especially Armenophobia enthused in Azerbaijan for decades which today has become even more pronounced and have acquired state-sponsored and state-coordinated features.

Recalling the tragic events, which happened more than 32 years ago, paying tribute to our compatriots, who became victims, and proclaiming February 28 in Armenia and Artsakh the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Carnage Organized in Soviet Azerbaijan and Day of Protection of the Rights of the Expelled Armenian Population, we also send a message to the humankind that civilization cannot develop guided by fascism, national discrimination, and xenophobia.

Each case which goes unpunished, each distorted fact, each life taken based on hatred means a new opening and possibility for tragedy, it means complicity with those who perpetrate xenophobia, instigators and those who use it as a weapon. It also means incessant waves of hatred in the region, unhindered path to ethnic cleansing, and ultimately to the gravest crime against humanity – genocide.

The tragedy in Sumgait and Armenians affected by it were the immediate victims of homophobia and Armenophobia. Keeping the road open for the “Brown plague” today too, manifests disrespect to the memory of all those who fell victims of fascism and xenophobia.

I bow to the memory of all those who became victims of the Azerbaijani violence in Sumgait and Baku.

May they rest in peace”.