2022 – Page 205 – Armenian Directory & News

Karabakh resident reports property damage in Azeri ceasefire violation

July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 Sonya Jalatian

PanARMENIAN

Armenia –

– 13:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - A resident of the community of Karmir Shuka in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) on Thursday, July 28 submitted a police report, revealing that the kitchen window and entrance door of the second floor of his house were damaged in Azerbaijan’s ceasefire violations from across the contact line.

The person was identified as V. Shahnazaryan. Following the report, the police discovered eight bullets in his backyard.

Earlier on Thursday, the Azerbaijani military opened fire towards the Armenian communities of Taghavard and Karmir Shuka in Nagorno-Karabakh. Local police reported that the shooting continued for some 20 minutes, with the Azerbaijanis using various caliber firearms.

Azerbaijani military fires on Karabakh villages; No casualties reported

July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 Ara Felekian

PanARMENIAN

Armenia –

– 14:38 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Azerbaijani military on Thursday, July 28 opened fire towards the Armenian communities of Taghavard and Karmir Shuka in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh).

Local police reported that the shooting continued for some 20 minutes, with the Azerbaijanis using various caliber firearms.

No casualties were reported on the Armenian side. Russian peacekeepers deployed in the region since the end of the war are reportedly on the ground.

Sona Movsesian Leans on The Rock, Cher and Mister Rogers

July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 Emil Lazarian

Sona Movsesian Leans on The Rock, Cher and Mister Rogers

The co-host of “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” talks about the best Girl Scout cookies and adulting at Disneyland.

Credit…via Plume Books

By Chris Kornelis

“The World’s Worst Assistant,” a new memoir by Sona Movsesian, recounts what happens when an ambitious young woman who excelled at both the Burger King drive-through and the NBC page program managed to turn things around when she landed a job as Conan O’Brien’s assistant — a deal she sealed by asking if she could lie down during the interview.

“The HR rep told me that Conan liked my couch joke,” she writes. “I got my job working for Conan because I made a joke about being lazy — foreshadowing at its best.”

Thirteen years later, Movsesian, who co-hosts the podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” has amassed plenty of skills and work experiences rarely boasted about on LinkedIn. Once, for example, she watched 58 episodes of “Friends” on the clock over a four-day period because she’d heard that Robert De Niro’s assistant had watched 55. Sleeping on the job? How to “abuse your corporate card without technically embezzling”? “Worst Assistant” has illustrated guides for that.

But Movsesian’s story is not about celebrating laziness or ineptitude. It’s about how two flawed people who were meant to be together found each other: a boss accepting an employee for who she is and how she does her job, and an employee accepting her boss for everything that he is.

“I give Sona the space to be Sona (see book),” O’Brien writes in the foreword, “and she in turn gives me the space to knock a delicious cupcake out of her hand just as she is about to take a bite.”

Here, the world’s worst assistant talks about the movie she’s watched the most, the TV she can watch with her kids and the Girl Scout cookies she buys in bulk. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

1. Cher: Cher is a very important person, and not just because of her contributions to culture and fashion. She’s part Armenian, and I’m Armenian. For us, we have very few famous people in the limelight, and no one is bigger than Cher. She’s an icon, and the fact that she’s half Armenian was a really big deal for all of us, especially growing up.

2. The Evil Eye: The Evil Eye is in a lot of cultures, including Armenian culture. It’s a round eye that’s usually blue, white and black. It keeps the evil eye away from you. If people are trying to curse you in some way or wish ill upon you, it pushes that away and protects you. It’s in my car. It’s in my house. It’s at work. It’s a big part of who I am as an Armenian and who I am as a human being.

3. “Galaxy Quest”: “Galaxy Quest” is the first movie I saw in the theaters four times. When I ran out of people to go with, I went and saw it in the theater by myself. I’d never done anything like that. I don’t know why, I just always felt like it was weird to go to the movies by yourself. “Galaxy Quest” broke that seal for me.

4. Fred Rogers: We have twin, 1-year-old boys. My husband and I were like, what could we watch with them that we won’t hate? And so we bought all the old seasons of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” The episodes are timeless. There’s an episode where he meets Yo-Yo Ma. After, he’s like: Let’s reflect on how Yo-Yo Ma talked about how he would feel playing the cello. And there is just a minute of complete silence. No one would ever do that now. No one would ever not do anything for a minute.

5. “Cheers”: I started bingeing the entire series about six years ago. Then I met the man who would become my husband, and I found out he was also bingeing “Cheers.” We were at almost the same place. When he told me that, I was like: Oh, we have to get married and we have to finish “Cheers” together.

6. The Rock: Wrestling was a big part of high school for me. It was like a soap opera I didn’t realize I needed in my life. And The Rock was the most important character. When The Rock left wrestling, he took my wrestling love with him. But I’ll still watch anything he’s in. I don’t care if I’m interested in it, I will abandon my kids and go to the movies for a couple hours.

7. Cock Sparrer: When I met my husband, he was in a Cock Sparrer cover band — a British punk rock band. It’s a genre I’d never really gotten into, but when we heard that Cock Sparrer was playing in Santa Cruz, we went and saw them. It was really cool to connect with my husband in that way, to see something that he loved in a genre that he loved and then realize I also really liked it, too.

8. “Step Brothers”: Years ago, after I bought a condo, I cut a window in the wall between the kitchen and the living room specifically so I could watch “Step Brothers” while cooking. With Will Ferrell movies, the more you watch them, the more you catch the nuance in things. But I also love that I can put it on, do something else and then stare at the TV at any point and laugh at whatever is happening.

9. Disneyland: When I was a kid, I was filled with absolute wonder when I went to Disneyland. My mind would explode. Now I can go there and buy a Popsicle and then five minutes later I can buy popcorn and then two minutes later I can have chicken tenders. I can do Disneyland the way I wanted to do Disneyland as a kid, but I can do it as an adult because I’m paying for it.

10. Girl Scout Cookies: Girl Scouts is where I met my core group of friends when I was in elementary school. Today, it doesn’t matter if you’re a co-worker’s daughter or a stranger on the street. If you say “I’m a girl scout — will you buy some cookies?” I will say yes and I will buy an inordinate amount of cookies from you. Most of the time, it’s Samoas.

A version of this article appears in print on July 31, 2022, Section AR, Page 3 of the New York edition with the headline: Sona Movsesian Still Adores Disneyland

Armenia bars entry of diaspora leader over an ‘attack’ on PM

July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 Rose Khoyetsian

ByAni Avetisyan

Mourad Papazian. Image via the Public Radio of Armenia.

EWC Armenia Announces the 2022’s National Semifinalists

July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 Manouk Vasilian

Armenia –

On July 25, the Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) of the American University of Armenia (AUA), the National Organizer of Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) in Armenia announced the results of the first judgment round of the competition.

From over 110 submitted applications, 99 startup teams had passed the initial screening stage, and 34 were later selected as semifinalists based on the online evaluation of 48 judges from different industry verticals.

The National Semifinals of EWC Armenia 2022 will be held on August 1 and 2 at AUA. A dozen startups will advance to the National Finals.
Starting from August 4, the finalists will participate in hybrid weeklong workshops with qualified pitch coaches and business consultants to be prepared for the National Finals.

The National Finals will take place on August 13. It will be a celebration of an entrepreneurial culture with an inspirational keynote speech, a stimulating panel discussion, and an exciting pitch competition between the National Finalists with special guests from the public sector, ecosystem representatives, and a selected bunch of entrepreneurs.
Armenia received the second slot for national representative at the EWC Globals, which means that instead of one, two startups are going to represent Armenia on the global stage of the competition..
To attend the EWC Armenia 2022 National Finals, you can register through this link. The registration will be closed on August 10.

US Increasingly Concerned At Armenia As A Sanctions Buster – OpEd

July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 Ani Kharatian

Eurasia Review 0 Comments

By Taras Kuzio

During a visit this month to Yerevan, CIA Director William Burns warned Armenia about assisting Russia to evade Western sanctions, including high-technology, imposed in response to the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. Armenia has a long record of assisting Iran to evade international sanctions, experience which will undoubtedly come in handy. Burns reportedly also warned Armenia about becoming too close to Iran, a country the US and Israel have viewed as an existentialist threat for decades.

Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturian has praised Russia’s response to Western sanctions. Meeting Putin at the St. Petersburg ‘international’ economic forum, Khachaturian said he agreed with Putin’s explanations for his invasion of Ukraine, the so-called ‘special military operation.’ ‘It’s really a new era,’ he said , and ‘One should probably think about how to continue to develop in the new conditions that open up new opportunities.’ ‘I am sure that Russia’s economy will survive based on the resources and means at its disposal and given [what happened in] the last two months,’ he added.

The South Caucasus has a geopolitical faultline that pits Russia, Iran and Armenia on the one side with Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan on the other. This faultline is under pressure from efforts by the EU acting as an honest broker to have Azerbaijan and Armenia sign a peace treaty that would codify the outcome of the 2020 Second Karabakh War and end three decades of conflict. Turkey and Armenia are also negotiating to end an even longer period of bad relations.

Opposed to these peace developments are the pro-Russian camp in Armenia and the Armenian diaspora, which is sizeable in France and the US, and corrupt state officials long involved in smuggling and breaking international sanctions. The pro-Russian camp is particularly strong in Armenia’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs, where the diaspora has inordinate influence, and Defence, where old Soviet networks prevail.

Russia’s so-called peacekeeping force was introduced as part of the November 2020 ceasefire agreement. Azerbaijan has always remained suspicious because of Russia’s traditional support for Armenia where it has three, soon to be five, military bases. Nearly as many Armenians live in Russia as live in Armenia. The hawkish head of RT, Russia’s propaganda television channel, is an Armenian Margarita Simonyan who is well known for her anti-Ukrainian diatribes.

With Russia’s war in Ukraine going badly, the Kremlin is also desperately seeking mercenaries and military equipment from its allies. Russia feels an acute shortage of weapons and ammunitions in its war against Ukraine. Ukraine’s armed forces have destroyed 400 Russian jet fighters and helicopters, 1700 tanks, and 1,000 artillery and anti-aircraft systems. Armenia is assisting Russia by becoming second to Belarus as a supplier of military equipment to Russia, including Smerch multiple rocket launchers and four SU30 jet fighters purchased in 2018. Armenia’s recent large purchase of Soviet era ammunition is suspected to be for Russia. Armenia denied it had transferred the SU30 jet fighters but Western intelligence sources report they were in fact sent to Russia and are being used in its military invasion of Ukraine.

Millions of Armenians already have Russian passports who live in Russia and others who live in Armenia are offered passports in exchange to agreeing to fight in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine or by sending so-called ‘humanitarian aid’ to Russia’s proxy entities there, the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) and Luhansk Peoples Republic (LPR). Russia has long disguised the sending of weapons as ‘humanitarian aid’ to the DPR and LPR and to the Armenian-enclave of Karabakh in Azerbaijan.

The faithfulness of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s negotiations with Azerbaijan and Turkey is put in doubt when Armenia is acting as Russia’s second closest ally, after Belarus, in its war against Ukraine. As Russian military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer writes, Armenia has preferred to build very close ties with Russia and Iran rather than adopting an independent and multi-vector foreign policy.

In contrast to Armenia and Belarus, Central Asian states such as Kazakhstan have distanced themselves from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently thanked Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for refusing to recognise the DPR and LPR.

A surprising addition to countries that are assisting Russia in evading Western sanctions is Georgia. Traditionally a close ally of Ukraine’s in their joint quest to integrate into NATO and the EU, Georgia’s de facto ruler, oligarch Bidzina Ivanshili is pursuing a pro-Russian foreign policy. Ivanshili made his billions in the 1990s in Russia and presumably the Kremlin has some kompromat on him.

Washington and Brussels are therefore both perturbed at Armenia and Georgia assisting Russia to evade Western sanctions. More Russians have moved to Georgia than to Armenia since the invasion and not all of them are anti-Putin. In June, the EU recognised Georgia’s stagnation and only granted candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, refusing to grant this to Georgia.

A mass influx of 134,000 Russians, particularly from the IT sector, have moved to Armenia since the invasion. Among those who moved is Ruben Vardanyan, a Russian businessman of Armenian origin who is included in Western sanctions against Russia. Ukraine’s military intelligence reported that 113 Russian IT firms moved to Armenia and nearly new 1,000 private companies were launched. Some of these are fronts for evaning Western sanctions, conducting espionage and working on cyber, hacking, and other activities against Ukraine. Armenian many companies registered in other members of the Eurasian Economic Union and some are serving as intermediary hubs for Russian high tech; Armenia is used for buying high tech products in the West which are then transported to Russia.

Armenia and Russia are cooperating to replace the US dollar as a means to withstand sanctions. The two countries central banks are discussing how a Russian ruble-Armenian dram exchange could facilitate a move from the US dollar.

Armenia, and to some extent Georgia, are playing a dangerous game in assisting Russia in evading Western sanctions. Short-term corrupt benefits to Armenian and Georgian officials, and geopolitical advantages to Armenia as part of its close ties to Russia, will be outweighed by being blacklisted by the US and the EU. Armenia is undermining the EU’s willingness to broker a peace deal and Turkey’s readiness for reconciliation by copying Belarus in increasingly becoming a Russian satellite.

Armenian and Georgian airlines jointly ordered three Boeing 737-800BCFs

July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 Emil Lazarian

Armenia’s Armenia airline and its partner Georgian Airlines from Georgia, have placed an order for three Boeing 737-800BSFs (Boeing Converted Freighters) as part of the group’s plan to add more dedicated cargo airplanes to its operations in the Caucasus region.

The deal, signed at Farnborough International last week, includes 737-800 modifications to be done at Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Company (GAMECO) and at Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Co. (STAECO) in China.

The first 737-800BCF on order will be delivered next year, with deliveries continuing into 2024. The converted freighters will be operated by Georgian Airlines.

“We are thrilled to bring more much-needed air cargo capacity to the region with the addition of three 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters,” said Tamaz Gaiashvili, President of Georgian Airlines Group. “The 737-800BCF has the payload, range and capability to carry both e-commerce and general cargo.”

Cargo carrier Georgian Airlines (IATA: GH) was established during COVID-19 crisis in 2020 by Tamaz Gaiashvili, co-owner of the troubled passenger carrier Georgian Airways (IATA: A9). It commenced operations in April 2021. The operating range of Tbilisi–headquartered airline includes air cargo transportation by both charter and regular flights across Europe, the CIS, the Middle East, Central, Eastern and Southern Asia. Currently Georgian Airlines operates one 737-800BCF and one 737-800SF, predominantly in the interests of Silk Way West Airlines of Azerbaijan. The carrier is part of Georgian Airlines Group, which also includes Armenia airline.

Established in December 2015, Yerevan-headquartered Armenia airline (код IATA: RM) has launched operations since April 2016.

http://www.rusaviainsider.com/armenian-and-georgian-airlines-jointly-ordered-three-boeing-737-800bcfs/

As a result of Azerbaijani shooting, the window and the entrance door of the house in Karmir Shuka were damaged

July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 Manouk Vasilian

21:06,

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS. Resident of Karmir Shuka community V. Shahnazaryan applied to the Red Market Department of the Martuni Regional Police Department on July 28, saying that on the same day, at around 11:45, as a result of shots fired by the adversary, the kitchen window and entrance door of the second floor of his private house were damaged, ARMENPRESS reports the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Artsakh informed.

8 bullets of 7.62 mm caliber were also found in the yard of the resident of Karmir Shuka.

The Azerbaijani armed forces fired irregular shots at Taghavard and Karmir Shuka communities of Artsakh, the Interior Ministry of Artsakh said.

“The Martuni police department was notified that at around 11:45 Azerbaijanis fired intensively from various firearms in the direction of Taghavard and Karmir Shuka communities for about 20 minutes.

There are no casualties.

Armenpress: The Netherlands stands with Armenia and is doing everything to return the Armenian POWs. Ambassador Nico Schermers

July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 Liana Toganian

The Netherlands stands with Armenia and is doing everything to return the Armenian POWs. Ambassador Nico Schermers

21:20,

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's official visit to the Netherlands was important, first of all, from the political point of view, to show that the Republic of Armenia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have contacts and connections at the highest level, at the level of prime ministers, Nico Schermers, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Armenia said in an interview with ARMENPRESS on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and the Netherlands.

According to the Ambassador, during the visit it was also emphasized that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte supports Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in his efforts to strengthen democracy, rule of law and human rights in Armenia.

“Of course, we have noted the difficult situation of Armenia in recent years, and the message of Prime Minister Rutte regarding the prisoners of war is that we are standing by Armenia and doing everything we can to bring them back,” Ambassador Niko Schermers added.

The full interview of ARMENPRESS with Dutch Ambassador Nico Schermers will be published tomorrow, July 29

Asbarez: ANCA-WR to Honor Rep. Jackie Speier with Lifetime Achievement Award at September 25 Gala

July 29, 2022July 29, 2022 Arsine Chaltikian

by Contributor

in Armenia, Artsakh, Community, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

BY KATY SIMONIAN

The Armenian National Committee of America–Western Region will honor Representative Jackie Speier with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades of dedicated public service and devotion to her community. Speier will be honored at the 2022 ANCA-WR Awards Gala which will be held on Sunday, September 25 at The Beverly Hilton.

During her impressive tenure as a member of Congress, she has proudly stood as an ardent champion of the Armenian Cause, spearheading policies on genocide education, recognition and prevention, and building a strong diplomatic relationship between Armenia and the United States.

As Co-Chair of the Armenian Caucus, and one of only two members of Congress of Armenian heritage, Speier remains a prominent voice for the Armenian people, honoring her heritage while fulfilling her oath to protect and serve the American people. Her commitment to justice and equality is an example of political courage for her Congressional colleagues, as she is faithful to the many people and causes she has served for decades.

The issue of genocide recognition is one of deep significance for Speier, as her family’s survival and perseverance are a constant source of inspiration. Speier’s mother Nancy Kanchelian was born in Fresno, and lost most of her extended family during the Armenian Genocide. In a heartbreaking twist of fate, her paternal Grandfather, who was Jewish, spent one month in a German concentration camp during World War II. It is poignant to think that both sides of the Congresswoman’s family were touched by genocide, a fact that drives her fierce commitment to the Armenian Cause and to human rights in general.

Jackie Speier’s career in public service is the ultimate testament of her family’s strength, bravery and resilience – qualities she would ultimately need when she herself was touched by tragedy. Her life was forever changed in 1978, when she suffered five gunshot wounds during the Jonestown Massacre, while serving as an aide to her political mentor, Congressman Leo Ryan, who was assassinated during the shooting, marking one of the worst massacres in U.S. history. It would be easy to understand why Jackie Speier would choose to withdraw from public life after suffering such an unspeakable act of violence. Those who thought she would retreat, underestimated her fighting spirit, as her survival motivated her to continue her career in public service. She was first elected to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 1980 as the youngest person ever elected to that Board, after which she ably served five terms in the California State Assembly and three terms in the California State Senate. Her political life came full circle in 2008 when she won the Congressional seat once held by the late Congressman Ryan, a victory that truly reflects her deep sense of empathy for those who have overcome obstacles in order to serve the greater good.

During her years in Congress, Speier has been a leading voice on the Armenian Cause, both as Co-Chair of the Armenian Caucus and as a member of the House Armed Services Committee. She has supported legislation to promote education on the Armenian Genocide and was instrumental in advocating for America’s Recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Her work toward recognition and policies toward prevention was fulfilled, when President Biden publicly recognized the Armenian Genocide, marking a monumental shift in foreign policy that places the United States on the right side of history, aligning with America’s principles of truth, freedom and justice.

When asked about her devotion to the Armenian Cause following U.S. recognition, Speier praised the move as a necessary step forward for U.S. – Armenia relations. “President Biden’s milestone recognition of the genocide for what it was sends a clear message to those who would try to erase history: despite their best efforts, they will never be successful. Healing and reconciliation require a truthful acknowledgement of the past, however dark it may be. For far too long, the global Armenian community has been denied this healing,” she said. “The U.S. recognition comes at a pivotal moment and sends an important message to would-be perpetrators as history risks repeating itself with Azerbaijan’s destruction of Armenian cultural and religious sites in Artsakh,” she added, reflecting the need to preserve and enforce strong U.S. foreign policy in support of the Armenian Nation.
While she recently announced that she will not seek another term, her continued support for the Armenian-American community is vital to carrying on the policies she supported during her years in office. She leads from her heart, which is full pride in her Armenian heritage, and the same courage and strength of her family, who survived the Armenian Genocide and believed in the Armenian Dream, instilling the values of hard work and humility in a woman who would go on to leave an indelible mark on Congress and the country she so humbly served.

“Congresswoman Speier has been a champion of the Armenian community in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Matt Senekeremian, Chair of ANCA-WR’s San Francisco chapter and a long-time constituent of Representative Speier’s district. “We have been fortunate to have her represent our community in the state legislature and Congress where she has been an inspiration and role model for future generations of Armenian-Americans pursuing a career in public service,” he added.

As a Congresswoman, as an American and as a proud Armenian, Jackie Speier has built a legacy of public service that will serve as a model for future generations in the pursuit of justice for the Armenian Cause.

“Representative Jackie Speier is an inspiration to us all. Her commitment to the Armenian Cause has built a strong foundation for relations between Armenia and America to grow and thrive in the years to come,” said ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “Her contributions to Congress as Co-Chair of the Armenian Caucus have brought forth historic change. We can all learn from her leadership, as we move forward to ensure her efforts will continue to make a positive impact on the Armenian community here in the United States and around the world,” she added.

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.

Purchase 2022 ANCA-WR Awards Gala tickets.

Katy Simonian is a member of the 2022 ANCA-WR Gala Committee.