The California
Courier Online, August 11, 2022
1- U.S. Publicizes its Strategy on Armenia
Based
Obviously on America’s
Interests
By Harut
Sassounian
Publisher,
The California
Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
2- Two Armenian
servicemen killed, 19 wounded after Azerbaijani attack
3- LACMA’s 2022
Art + Film Gala to honor Helen Pashgian
4- Krikor
Naregatsi Is the Pioneer of Renaissance
5- Armenia
Continues Fight Against COVID-19
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U.S. Publicizes its Strategy on Armenia
Based
Obviously on America’s
Interests
By Harut
Sassounian
Publisher,
The California
Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
The United States Department of State posted on its website a lengthy document
which described the American government’s strategy for relations with 175
countries, including, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, in the next four years.
The 16-page section covering Armenia
is dated May 4, 2022. The document is titled, “Integrated Country Strategy”
(ICS).
The ICS sets goals and objectives through a coordinated and
collaborative planning effort among Department of State, USAID, and other U.S.
Government agencies with programming in Armenia. The document indicated
that the main objective is the furthering of U.S. national interests. It made it
clear that the goal of the United States
government is to minimize the influence of Russia
in Armenia, while maximizing
U.S.
interests. This is not surprising, as all countries attempt to increase their
influence in the world. Given Russia
vs. the West confrontation in the Ukraine
war, U.S. antagonism to Russia has
grown exponentially. This is confirmed by the document’s own statement: “The U.S. role has become more important as regional
tensions increase following Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine.”
In addition to its anti-Russia perspective, the United States drags Armenia
into its hostility with China
and Iran, further meddling
in Armenia’s
foreign relations. The document stated: “Strengthen the ability of partners and
Allies to resist and counter influence operations and disinformation,
particularly from Russia and
the PRC [People’s Republic of China];
Counter Russian, PRC, Iranian, and other state, and non-state actors’
strategic, conventional, and hybrid threats and emerging disruptive
technologies that threaten U.S.
and European security in Europe and beyond.”
The U.S.
document also disparaged Armenia’s
membership in the Eurasian Economic Union since its other members are Belarus., Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. The
document stated: “Armenia’s
participation in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) may limit trade with
non-EAEU members as it conforms with poorly planned or implemented EAEU
standards or imposes unclear documentation requirements.” The U.S. document concealed the fact that Armenia signed on March 1, 2021 “the European Union-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership
Agreement (CEPA)” to enhance trade and other relations with European countries.
Likewise, the U.S.
document disparaged Armenia’s
membership in the military alliance of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization since its other members are: Armenia,
Belarus., Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.
The first paragraph of the document stated: The U.S.
objective is to “advance American interests by helping Armenia succeed
as a secure, prosperous and democratic country, at peace with its neighbors,
and more closely integrated with the Euro-Atlantic community. The document also
stated that Armenia’s defeat
in the Artsakh War of 2020 and continuing tensions along its border “highlight
the importance of the U.S.
role as a Minsk Group Co-Chair and other diplomatic efforts to improve Armenia’s ties
with its neighbors.” This is a misleading statement as the Minsk Group no
longer exists, except on paper, since Russia,
as one of the three co-chairs of the Minsk Group, does not acknowledge its
viability and Azerbaijan
totally rejects its mediating efforts. The United
States is simply using the defunct Minsk Group as a tool
to counter Russia’s
unilateral actions in the Artsakh conflict. The second excuse the United States used to meddle in Armenia’s internal decisions is “to help Armenia normalize relations with its neighbors,’
meaning Azerbaijan and Turkey, but not Iran. At this point, Armenia’s relations are much more critical with
supportive Iran than with
hostile Azerbaijan and Turkey.
To avoid any misunderstanding, I am just as opposed to the
undue influence of Russia in
the internal affairs of Armenia,
which should not be under the thumb of any country and should be able to manage
its foreign relations to maximize its own national interests. What Armenia
needs is a multilateral foreign policy, developing friendly relations with most
countries of the world, including the Middle East (Arab States, Iran, and
Israel), Asia (China and India), Africa, Europe, North and South America, and
Russia. Relying on only one power, no matter which one, can only lead to
disappointment and undue influence on Armenia.
The U.S.
document repeated several times that “Armenia has strengthened its
commitment to a democratic path that respects rule of law and human rights,
though more progress is required.” Fortunately, the State Department recognized
that “more progress is required.” Elsewhere in the document, the United States
correctly acknowledged: “The Armenian government has taken some steps to
ameliorate social and human rights concerns, but progress has been mixed.”
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan came to power in 2018 espousing the ideals of
democratic rule. Regrettably, he has strayed far from the principles of
democracy, establishing one-man dictatorial rule, making all governmental decisions
on behalf of the Cabinet of Ministers, Parliament, President, and Courts. Since
Pashinyan has antagonized most Armenians, his popularity at home has suffered
tremendously, decreasing from a high of 80 percent in 2018 to a low of around
30 percent. By ignoring the violations of human rights and decline of democracy
in Armenia, the United States simply disappoints Armenians in Armenia and the
Diaspora, particularly, American Armenians, who question the U.S. commitment to
democracy beyond paying mere lip service.
When the U.S.
government and its embassy in Yerevan remain
silent in the face of grave violations of human rights in Armenia, it shows that the United States,
contrary to its statements, is not serious about improving democracy in the
country. Similarly, when Azerbaijan
regularly attacks and kills Armenians, while the United
States calls on both sides to reduce tensions, the United States loses its credibility in the eyes
of Armenians in and out of Armenia.
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2- Two Armenian servicemen killed,
19 wounded after Azerbaijani attack
YEREVAN (Armenpress)—As a
result of Azerbaijan’s
violation of the ceasefire regime on August 3, servicemen Gurgen Gabrielyan and
Artur Khachatryan were killed.
“On August 3, starting at 9 am, the Azerbaijani units, in a
gross violation of the ceasefire regime, targeted the military positions of the
Artsakh Defense Army and the permanent location of one of the military units,
using mortars and grenade launchers in addition to firearm weapons of various
calibers and drones, as a result of which servicemen Gurgen Gabrielyan and
Artur Khachatryan were fatally wounded. Another 19 servicemen have been
wounded.
Measures are being taken to stabilize the situation together
with the command of the Russian troops carrying out a peacekeeping mission in
the Republic of Artsakh.
In a statement made by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan on
August 3, it was announced that one Azerbaijani soldier named Anar Kazimov was
killed.
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3- LACMA’s 2022 Art + Film Gala to
honor Helen Pashgian
By Jessica Gelt
(Los Angeles
Times)—The Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced that it will honor
sculptor Helen Pashgian at its 2022 Art + Film Gala. The 11th edition of the
event, co-chaired by Eva Chow and Leonardo DiCaprio, will take place on Nov. 5.
Since its inception, the glitzy celebration has sought to
highlight the intersectionality of art and film by bringing together the two
worlds as only a Hollywood-adjacent party can.
Pashgian, an original member of Southern
California’s 1960s Light and Space movement, has a notable history
with LACMA. In 2014, the museum presented her first large-scale sculptural
installation, “Helen Pashgian: Light Invisible. Untitled (2012-13).” The
immersive installation, which is now part of LACMA’s permanent collection,
consisted of 12 molded acrylic columns that filled an entire gallery.
Pashgian, 88, lives and works in Pasadena. She earned an undergraduate degree
at Pomona College
in Claremont before getting her master’s degree
at Boston University in 1958. Over the years she
has created a luminous body of work, crafting art out of reflective materials
such as cast resin, fiberglass, plastic and coated glass.
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4- Krikor Naregatsi Is the Pioneer
of Renaissance
By Armine C. Koundakjian
Krikor Naregatsi is best known as the author of the admired
epic work called The Book of Lamentations. But in the international community,
few know about the fact that Naregatsi was the first who wrote about
Renaissance. This is because no one in the old world had heard of a recluse
philosopher, poet and monk in an obscure country called Armenia who was writing
about novel ideas in Armenian—whereas the same ideas surfaced in Europe 500
years later in Latin.
Naregatsi (950-1003 A.D.) was baptized Artun, which in
Armenian and Greek means “Awake” or “Overseer”. Grigor’s mother died when he
was a child. His father Khosrov Antsevatsi handed over the care of the child to
Anania Naregatsi, Grigor’s uncle who was the bishop of the Monestary of
Naregavank.
This brilliant, gifted mystical and lyrical poet lived and
created his literature during relatively peaceful times. For nearly 200 years
the Arab conquerors’ oppressive reign that had devastated and destroyed the
once prosperous cities and towns, finally came to an end and a period of
prosperity started under the rule of Bagratuni and Artsruni kingdoms.
The terror of the previous oppressors gave way to the newly
powerful Feudals and clergy who treated the peasantry and the laborers with
utmost cruelty.
Life became so unbearable and harsh that the populace
started a widespread revolt against the church establishment. This revolt is
known in history as Tondrakian Cult, which influenced similar ideas and later
on spread throughout Europe.
For those who are not well-versed in history, it is
surprising why the Tondrakian Cult followers targeted the church and not the
feudals.
The explanation is that the church establishment had started
confiscating lands from the peasants by making them the property of the
monasteries.
The much loved and popular Naregatsi started protesting
against such inhumane and cruel treatment. His writings and talks pinpointed
the sufferings of the common man. He was the first to call attention to the
well-being of the common man.
Naregatsi’s ideas began to alarm the church hierarchy.
Anania Naregatsi also defended the Tondrakian movement but, later on he was
compelled to soften his views by writing contrary papers condemning the
Tondrakian cult.
Naregatsi’s thoughts are with God, but his writings are
about the contradictions and injustices befallen on the common man. He
struggled for the rights and freedom of the human being. His unparalleled place
in Armenia’s
literature of the 10th and 11th centuries is indisputable. No other mortal of
that era could have played such a vital and important role than this Man Of The
Cloth who took the first steps towards The Dawn Of Renaissance before it became
widespread in Europe.
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5- Armenia Continues Fight Against
COVID-19
More than 2.2 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have
been administered in Armenia
since commencing the vaccination program a year ago, authorities said on August
8. Armenia
has recorded 426,799 coronavirus cases as of August 8. Armenia has
recorded 8,635 deaths. There are 5,503 active cases; 412,661 have recovered.
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