Category: 2020

Italy returns 1,800-year-old artifact to Turkey

Arbi Tashjian
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Sept 20 2020
Baris Seckin   |20.09.2020


ANKARA 

Italian authorities handed over a historical inscription that dates to the ancient Lycian era to the Turkish foreign mission after decades of judicial wrangling about ownership, the Turkish envoy to Rome said Saturday.

The historical inscription is 1,800 years old and depicts the regret of parents whose sons committed theft. It was smuggled out of Turkey to Italy and was found by Italian authorities during a raid in 1997.

Ambassador Murat Saim Esenli and an accompanying delegation received the artifact from Claudio Mauti, an Italian officer in charge of the anti-smuggling department.

Esenli said the judicial process continued for more than two decades and he praised Italian authorities for taking good care of the artifact amid the process, adding that Turkish ministries established coordination to bring it back home.

The Turkish diplomat said the return of the inscription would further add to the good relations between Ankara and Rome, and the move had historical, academic as well as bureaucratic and judicial aspects.

Turkey and Italy enjoyed positive ties in the sense of cultural coordination as Italy returned a historical vase in 1991, according to Esenli who said smuggling historical artifacts still continued and both countries should reach an agreement regarding the protection of cultural properties.

Luca Brachi, a lawmaker representing the Turkish side during the trials, said the process was prolonged because judges in charge of the case were changed, but he was pleased with the conclusion.

An Italian court ruled Nov. 5, 2019, that the inscription belonged to Turkey, officially starting the return process of the historical gem, which was taken out of the Apollon Aksyros Temple in Manisa province of Turkey.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas


Kuwait leaders congratulate Armenian Pres. on nat’l day

Emil Lazarian
MENAFN
Sept 20 2020
Kuwait leaders congratulate Armenian Pres. on nat’l day

Date

9/20/2020 5:15:42 AM                                                                          

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    (MENAFN – Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, Sept 20 (KUNA) — His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah conveyed, in a cable Sunday, greetings of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and himself to President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian on his country’s national day.
    He wished Sarkissian good health and for Armenia progress and prosperity.
    His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent a similar cable. (end)
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    Saudi leaders greet Maltese, Armenians

    Emil Karabekian
    Saudi Gazette, Saudi Arabia
    Sept 20 2020

    September 20, 2020

    Saudi Gazette report

    RIYADH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman have sent separate cables of congratulation to President of Malta George Vella and President Armen Sarkissian of Armenia on the Independence Day of their respective countries.

    The Saudi leaders wished both the presidents constant good health and happiness and the government and people of Malta and Armenia steady progress and prosperity, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Sunday.







    Azerbaijani President accused Armenia of preparing for a new war

    Garnik Zakarian
    Pledge Times
    Sept 20 2020
    by Bhavi Mandalia

    Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused Armenia of preparing for a new war. He stated this in an interview with Azerbaijani TV channels, Interfax-Azerbaijan reports.

    “They are preparing for a new war. There is a concentration of their forces not far from the line of contact. We see everything, we track everything, ”Aliyev said and warned that Azerbaijan would defend itself.

    In his words, the Armenian authorities deliberately go to provocations to escalate the Karabakh conflict, including illegal settlement of “Nagorno-Karabakh”.

    Aliyev also called the clashes on the border in July a consequence of the provocation of Yerevan. “This is an armed provocation, and it is not a secret for anyone that Armenia started it,” the Azerbaijani leader stressed. “We do not have any military targets in the territory of Armenia.”

    There has been a territorial dispute between Baku and Yerevan for 30 years over Nagorno-Karabakh. In 1991, the region, inhabited mainly by Armenians, declared independence from Azerbaijan, which tried to return it by force. The war broke out, in 1994, the parties, with the mediation of Russia, signed a truce protocol. However, hostilities periodically resume. In July 2020, clashes took place on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, 300 kilometers from Karabakh. The total losses were 18 people.



    Adam Schiff: Arson at Armenian church in San Francisco despicable

    Maral Chavushian
    Public Radio of Armenia
    Sept 20 2020

    The devastating fire – caused by arson – at St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church in San Francisco is despicable, Rep. Adam Schif has said.

    “For Armenians around the world, but especially in our California community, this hits close to home. The devastating fire – caused by arson – at St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church in San Francisco is despicable. Those responsible for this act of hate must be swiftly brought to justice,” Schiff said in a Facebook post.

    “Across the country, hate crimes are on the rise. And for the Armenian community, hate directed towards the community is nothing new – from vandalizing churches, to tearing down flags, and even violence. We must all condemn hate, wherever it is seen, however it manifests,” the lawmaker added.

    For Armenians around the world, but especially in our California community, this hits close to home. The devastating…

    Gepostet von Congressman Adam Schiff am Sonntag, 20. September 2020

    A building next to an Armenian church in San Francisco’s Laurel Heights burned down overnight Thursday.

    Dispatchers received reports around 4 a.m. of a fire at the building next to the St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church. Fire crews arrived on scene not long after and managed to prevent it from spreading to the church, but the building was destroyed.

    “The San Francisco Fire Department responded immediately, however, the building has suffered a great loss,” V. Rev. Fr. Smpad Saboundjian and church chairman Rostom Aintablian wrote in a message to parishioners.

    District Attorney of San Francisco Chesa Boudin has expressed outrage at the arson at Armenian Church.

    “The Armenian community of San Francisco woke up today to an arson at their church. There is no room for this cowardly, hateful, criminal conduct in San Francisco. We stand with the Armenian community against hate,” Mr. Boudin said in a Twitter post.


    Divine Liturgy and flag blessing in Antelias ahead of Armenia’s Independence Day

    Emil Lazarian
    Public Radio of Armenia
    Sept 20 2020

    On Sunday, September 20th, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the great House of Cilicia, presided over the Divine Liturgy at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, and conducted Prayers of Thanksgiving for the Republic of Armenia and the blessing of the Armenian flag in front of the Independence Monument.

    The liturgy was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Lebanon Vahagn Atabekian and the staff of the Embassy, as well as members of the National Central Committee and the faithful.

    Liturgies were held in all the dioceses of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia.


    Armenia parliament deputy speaker: Azerbaijan bears fully responsibility for inciting provocative actions

    Alex Jidarian
    News.am, Armenia
    Sept 20 2020

    20:03, 20.09.2020
                      

    Huge fire breaks out near Yerevan’s Matenadaran

    Emma Jilavian
    News.am, Armenia
    Sept 19 2020
    Huge fire breaks out near Yerevan’s Matenadaran Huge fire breaks out near Yerevan’s Matenadaran

    22:45, 19.09.2020
                      

    Sports: Yervand Mkrtchyan scores gold medal in Romania

    Emma Nadirian
    News.am, Armenia
    Sept 20 2020

    Armenia’s national athletics team is participating in the championship of the Balkan states in the Romanian city of Cluj.

    Yervand Mkrtchyan performed excellently and scored a gold medal after running in 3 minutes, and 47 seconds during the 1,500-meter race, as reported the press service of the Armenian Athletic Federation.

    Mkrtchyan will also participate in the 800-meter race.


    Diplomat: Azerbaijan`s threat of missile attack on the Armenian nuclear power plant is a gross violation of international humanitarian law

    Bedik Zaminian
    Arminfo, Armenia
    Sept 19 2020

    ArmInfo. The threat of a rocket attack by Azerbaijan at the Armenian nuclear power plant is a gross violation of international humanitarian law, the Ambassador  Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Italy  Tsovinar Hambardzumyan stated about this in the interview to the  Italian “La Verita” newspaper.

    According to her, such threats best demonstrate the true face of this  state. “We consider this statement as a sign of state nuclear  terrorism. This statement poses a threat to all the peoples of the  region, including the people of Azerbaijan. One observation: for many  years, Azerbaijan has constantly raised the issue of the safety of a  nuclear power plant in various international organizations, noting  that it is in a seismic zone, allegedly outdated, and so on. And now  Azerbaijan is threatening to destroy it. We think that this clearly  shows that all the so-called fears of Azerbaijan are anti-Armenian,  “the diplomat said. She stated with regret that human life in  Azerbaijan is not a value, not to mention the life of the people of  Nagorno- Karabakh.

    Speaking about the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the  Ambassador, first of all, thanked the Italian authorities, and  personally the Minister of Foreign Affairs Luigi Di Maio, for a  balanced approach to the settlement of the conflict. “I highly  appreciate the approach taken by the Italian side during the July  events. We expect that the Italian authorities will continue to show  a balanced, impartial approach and support the peace process within  the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co- chairmanship, “the  ambassador said.

    Answering the question who was the first to start hostilities during  the July events, Tsovinar Hambardzumyan recalled Armenia’s proposals  to introduce mechanisms of investigations on the border of Armenia  and Azerbaijan and on the Line of Contact of the armed forces of  Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, which were rejected by official  Baku.

    The current escalation of hostilities has highlighted the need for  enhanced security and confidence-building measures, such as  establishing direct communication between commanders and introducing  monitoring and investigation mechanisms. However, it is not Armenia  and Artsakh, but Azerbaijan that consistently opposes to the  introduction of these measures, “the Armenian diplomat noted.

    She also pointed to the role of Turkey in exacerbating the situation.  According to Tsovinar Hambardzumyan, the role of Turkey, to put it  mildly, as always, is destructive. “Unfortunately, Turkey is becoming  more and more dangerous as it has become an exporter of instability  to various regions, be it the Mediterranean, Africa or the Asian  region. Turkey is currently trying to export this policy to the South  Caucasus. Their unconditional support for Azerbaijan and their  destructive role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is only part of  Turkey’s neo-Ottoman policy, “the Armenian diplomat said.