Category: 2023

Best manifestation of growing ties is upcoming opening of Canadian Embassy in Yerevan – Pashinyan congratulates Trudeau

Christine Harutyunian

 13:59, 1 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has sent a congratulatory message to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the occasion of Canada Day.

The letter reads as follows: 

"Honorable Mr. Prime Minister,

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Armenia and myself, I warmly congratulate you on Canada Day.

The friendly relations of our two countries have always been based on common values and mutual respect. In recent years, they have experienced greater development as a result of Canada's commitment and efforts to support Armenia's developing democracy. The best manifestation of the growing ties is the upcoming opening of the Canadian Embassy in Yerevan, which will surely be a new impetus for the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields.

Cooperation between Armenia and Canada on multilateral platforms is also effectively going on. Canada, as a supporter of the strengthening of international law and legal order, also invests its efforts in the direction of strengthening stability and security in the South Caucasus.

Once again, I congratulate you and the friendly people of Canada on the occasion of National Day and on this festive occasion wish you prosperity and continued progress."

Azerbaijan’s lies exposed: Nagorno Karabakh releases documents debunking Baku’s fake news

Emil Lazarian

 16:17, 1 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS. The Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan has published documents debunking the Azerbaijani claims alleging that Armenia has troops in Artsakh.

Armenia does not maintain any military presence in Nagorno Karabakh but Azerbaijan is falsely accusing it of having troops there.

The most recent false accusation happened after the June 28 Azeri attack in Nagorno Karabakh, which left four Nagorno Karabakh troops dead. Azerbaijan falsely claimed that two of the four fallen troops were members of the Armed Forces of Armenia. 

Stepanyan published documents proving that the troops were Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army servicemen, and made the following post:

“The request of the parents to transport the bodies of Samvel Torosyan and Yervand Tadevosyan, two of the four soldiers who died as a result of Azerbaijan's aggression (օn the night of June 27-28, 2023) against Artsakh, to Armenia and bury them in Yerablur, and the circumstances of their transportation by the ICRC are used by the Azerbaijani propaganda machine to claim that Armed Forces of Armenia are allegedly deployed in Artsakh.

“With this claim, Azerbaijan is openly preparing an information ground for initiating new attacks against Artsakh, which is already being discussed in the Azerbaijani media․

“Azerbaijan’s claims are false and have nothing to do with reality. In order to prove it, with the permission of the relatives of the fallen servicemen, we are publishing the facts collected by the Human rights defender of Artsakh.

“Samvel Tigran Torosyan was born in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on December 16, 2003 (Picture 1: Samvel Torosyan's birth certificate).

He attended Stepanakert No. 7 primary school. He continued his education in the secondary vocational educational program (college) of the Shushi Technological University with the qualification of urban cadastre (Picture 2: Samvel Torosyan's diploma).

He was receiving higher education at the Faculty of Economics and Law of Mesrop Mashtots University in Stepanakert, majoring in information systems (Picture 3: Samvel Torosyan's student card).

Samvel Torosyan was a citizen of the Republic of Artsakh, registered in the city of Stepanakert (Picture 4: Samvel Torosyan's passport).

He was drafted into the army from the military commissariat of Stepanakert. The family and relatives permanently live in Stepanakert.

“Yervand Hovhannes Tadevosyan was born on May 27, 2003 in the city of Berdzor, Kashatagh region of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Picture 5: Yervand Tadevosyan's birth certificate).

He attended secondary school No. 2 named after V. Zatikyan of Berdzor. He completed primary education in 2018 (Picture 6: Yervand Tadevosyan's primary education certificate).

Yervand Tadevosyan was a citizen of the Republic of Artsakh, he was registered in the city of Berdzor (Picture 7: Yervand Tadevosyan's passport).

He was drafted to army from the military commissariat of Kashatagh. After the 2020 war, Yervand Tadevosyan's family, as a forcibly displaced family, found refuge in the Ararat province of the Republic of Armenia, continuing to maintain the citizenship of the Republic of Artsakh.

“To prevent possible speculations about the presented documents, we remind that the identity documents of all citizens of the Republic of Artsakh are issued by the Republic of Armenia, with the difference of their registration address. It is a well-known approach, which is used due to the non-recognition of Artsakh, so that Artsakh residents can travel and exercise their rights in other countries as well. This approach is applied to citizens of almost all unrecognized states in the world, taking into account the gaps in international law and international relations with regard to human rights protection.

“Samvel Torosyan and Yervand Tadevosyan’s parents decided to bury their children in the "Yerablur" military memorial-pantheon of the Republic of Armenia in accordance with their rights. It is noteworthy that this is not a new approach, and in previous years, many servicemen of the Artsakh Republic were also buried in Yerablur, taking into account the nationwide importance of that pantheon.

“Regarding the false claims of Azerbaijan about the military service of RA citizens (residents) in the ranks of the Artsakh Defense Army, the continuous fact-finding efforts of the Human rights defender prove that since 2021, only citizens and residents of the Republic of Artsakh perform military service in Artsakh. Hence, we draw the attention of the responsible actors of the international community to the fact that the Azerbaijani side, encouraged by the impunity for the blockade of Artsakh and its military aggressions against it, is looking for new justifications to carry out new criminal actions against the people of Artsakh.”



Prosecutorial independence is highly important – EU ambassador

Lilit Nahapetian

 15:14, 1 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS. Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin has attached importance to prosecutorial independence and responsibility in the process of the judiciary reforms.

Speaking at the Prosecutorial Independence in Upholding the Rule of Law  seminar dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the establishment of the Prosecution of Armenia, Wiktorin said that the purpose of prosecutorial independence is for the prosecutor to be able to make the right decision without fear. The Ambassador emphasized that prosecutors play a crucial role in administering justice.

“The EU has been supporting democratic governance reforms in Armenia, the rule of law, anti-discrimination, the promotion and the protection of human rights and of fundamental freedoms and the consolidation of democracy and democratic values,” Wiktorin added, noting that the EU has significantly contributed to the justice and anti corruption reforms in Armenia.

The EU Ambassador mentioned the Partnership for Good Governance project of the EU and Council of Europe as an important support to Armenia’s justice system.

She congratulated the prosecutors and those in attendance on the anniversary.

The EU ambassador praised the Armenian government for its commitment to comprehensively carry out the ambitious reforms agenda.

Senior Armenian diplomat calls on international community to prevent new Azerbaijani provocation in Nagorno Karabakh

Lara Antonian

 16:42, 1 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador-at-Large Edmon Marukyan has called on the international community to prevent another provocation by Azerbaijan and its policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno Karabakh.

“Azerbaijani media reports about a new special operation being prepared by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh. Reasoning that the 4 servicemen who were killed in Nagorno-Karabakh on June 28 as a result of the Azerbaijani provocation were servicemen of the Armenian Defense Ministry,” Marukyan tweeted on July 1. “The allegations of the Azerbaijani side are completely false, there are no Armenian servicemen in NK, the killed servicemen were from NK. Armenia has repeatedly offered an international fact-finding mission to be sent to Nagorno-Karabakh to prove the presence or absence of the units of Armenian Armed Forces. Azerbaijan rejected that offer. Azerbaijan's initiation of a new provocation will once again violate the trilateral statement of November 9, according to which Russian peacekeepers must ensure the safety of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. The international community should follow the actions of the Azerbaijani side in order to prevent another provocation and Azerbaijan's policy of ethnic cleansing against the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians,” he added.

Armenia does not maintain any military presence in Nagorno Karabakh but Azerbaijan is falsely accusing it of having troops there.

The most recent false accusation happened after the June 28 Azeri attack in Nagorno Karabakh, which left four Nagorno Karabakh troops dead. Azerbaijan falsely claimed that two of the four fallen troops were servicemen of the Armed Forces of Armenia. The bodies of the two soldiers were transported by the ICRC to Armenia to be buried in the Yerablur pantheon based on the desire of the families. The Nagorno Karabakh Human Rights Defender released documents proving that the fallen troops were servicemen of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army.




Armenpress: Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General congratulates Armenian prosecution on 105th anniversary

Samvel Nahapetian

 16:55, 1 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS. When prosecutors are free to do their work without fear or favor they pursue justice in which the public can have faith, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe Bjørn Berge said in his video message to participants of the Prosecutorial Independence in Upholding the Rule of Law conference in Yerevan on the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the establishment of the Armenian prosecution.

Berge spoke about the importance of the independence, impartial and effective judiciaries and said that this includes prosecutors.

“When prosecutors are free to do their work without fear or favor they pursue justice in which the public can have faith,” Berge said.

The Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe noted that the Council of Europe has issued a range of binding standards and soft law tools to help member states tackle problems more effectively.

Following this guidance helps ensure that prosecution services are fair, impartial and transparent, and never arbitrary, he said. 

“This conference is an opportunity for us to share experiences and best practice on identifying and overcoming challenges to the prosecutors’ independence. And I also hope that you will be able to reflect upon whether the Council of Europe guidance is sufficient, or whether you believe there is more that we can do. I hope that it will also be a chance for you to discuss how independent prosecutors can overcome the new challenges on the horizon. The environment is a good example. Our recent summit was clear about the importance of stepping up our work to protect it. As part of this, the consultative council of European prosecutors has adopted an opinion on the role of prosecutors in the protection of the environment. And we have a committee of experts currently at work on a new convention on the protection of the environment through criminal law. I have no doubt that impartial, independent prosecutors will be needed in cases of environmental crime, as well as other issues,” Berge said, and thanked the Armenian Prosecution and the EU for organizing the conference.

He also congratulated the Armenian prosecution on its 105th anniversary.

AW: ANCA backs NDAA amendments to save Artsakh and sanction Azerbaijan

Yeghisabet Arthur
July 1, 2023 ANCA ANCA News 0

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is mobilizing on Capitol Hill and in Congressional districts across America to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its seven-month blockade of Artsakh and escalating anti-Armenian aggression – backing a series of targeted amendments to the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA – H.R.2670) to sanction Azerbaijan, support U.S. aid to Artsakh and advance Artsakh self-determination.

The ANCA is leading a nationwide grassroots effort to encourage representatives to cosponsor each of the amendments, which are set to be considered by the House Rules Committee as early as the week of July 10. The full U.S. House will have the opportunity to vote on each of the amendments that are ruled in order, either separately or grouped together “en bloc,” during consideration of H.R.2670. Amendments with strong, bipartisan backing are generally considered more favorably by the Rules Committee.

“With Azerbaijan’s brutal blockade of Artsakh now in its seventh month, Congress must act immediately to prevent a second Armenian Genocide by adopting amendments which would sanction Azerbaijan, stand up for Artsakh’s right to self-determination, and send assistance to the 120,000 indigenous Armenian Christians of Artsakh,” said ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian. “Take action today at www.anca.org/NDAA.”

The thirteen pro-Artsakh/Armenia amendments to the NDAA Bill are as follows:

Amendment 163 – Introduced by Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), the amendment “directs a report to Congress on the humanitarian impact of the blockade of the Lachin Corridor and a long-term assessment of the blockade’s impact on Nagorno-Karabakh’s food, agricultural, water, and energy security.”

Amendment 340 – Spearheaded by Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), this amendment calls for the “prohibition on military aid and security assistance to the defense, security, and border forces of the Government of Azerbaijan.

Amendment 426 – Introduced by Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), this amendment commissions a report on the energy partnerships Azerbaijan has had with Russian and Iranian companies which undermine international sanctions.

Amendment 556 – Spearheaded by Greek American Representatives Chris Pappas (D-NH) and Dina Titus (D-NV), this amendment calls for an investigation into the use of Turkish F-16s during the 2020 Artsakh war.

Amendment 692 – Led by Rep. Frank Pallone and Rep. Gus Bilirakis, this amendment calls for U.S. sanctions on Azerbaijan for human rights violations committed against Armenians in Artsakh and calls for the immediate opening of the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor.

Amendment 721 – Led by the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NJ), this amendment “requires the Secretary of State to provide the relevant Congressional Committees updates on the status of freedom of movement in the Lachin Corridor.”

Amendment 858 – This second amendment led by Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. “requires the Secretary of State to report on if U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan is being used to undermine the status of ongoing peace negotiations with Armenia.”

Amendment 863 – Led by Central Valley California Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), this amendment “requires a report into the applicability of sanctions under existing statute (Magnitsky Act) to designate Azerbaijani government and military officials complicit in the perpetration of human rights abuses during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, and in relation to the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor.”

Amendment 947 – Led by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), this amendment calls on the Departments of State and Defense to explain their waiver of Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan and argues that the waiver has “emboldened Azerbaijan to violate human rights and international law with impunity.”

Amendment 1087 – Introduced by Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA), this amendment calls on the Secretaries of State and Defense to submit a report to Congress on the use of “U.S. parts and technology discovered in Turkish Bayraktar drones deployed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s use of prohibited munitions against Nagorno Karabakh and Turkey and Azerbaijan’s recruitment of foreign terrorist fighters to participate in military operations against Nagorno Karabakh.”

Amendment 1127 – Introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), this amendment would prohibit the Departments of Defense, State and Commerce from “authorizing new export licenses for offensive weapons for Azerbaijan, until Azerbaijan ceases the offensive use of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Amendment 1132 – This second amendment introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff expresses the “sense of Congress that any lasting peace in the South Caucasus must ensure that the inalienable right to self-determination of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh is upheld.”

Amendment 1160 – This third amendment introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff calls for Azerbaijan’s “immediate and unconditional release of Armenian POWs.”

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The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.


Nursery Opening in Gyumri on World Environment Day

Arpi Talalian
July 1, 2023 Armenia Tree Project Non-Profit 0

ATP staff members stand with EU4ENVIRONMENT Green Community, Resilient Future sign at Gyumri Nursery opening

GYUMRI, Armenia—On June 5, Armenia Tree Project (ATP) opened a new nursery in Gyumri with the support of the European Union within the framework of the EU4Environment: Green Community-Resilient Future Grant Project and partners Armenian Energy Agency and Jinishian Memorial Foundation. The opening date coincided with World Environment Day, symbolic of the project’s goals and future impact. Representatives from ATP, the EU, Armenian Energy Agency, Jinishian Memorial Foundation, Shirak Regional Administration and Gyumri Breeding Station attended the opening event, praising the collaboration and the bright future of the nursery. 

  Located within the Gyumri Breeding Station, the nursery will serve an essential role in increasing forest cover, which is sparse in the Shirak region. Spanning more than two football fields in size, the nursery hosts a 234-square-meter greenhouse and has the capacity to supply up to 100,000 seedlings per year. Currently, 15 types of seedlings and shrubs are growing in the nursery, including pine, birch, pear, apple, ash, maple, oak, forsythia, spirea, dogwood, honey cherry, cypress and oriental arborvitae. The project combines community greening and green economic opportunity. Norik Mkrtchyan, director of the Gyumri Breeding Station, said that they can start selling the nursery plants next year.

“Protection of the environment is at the heart of EU policies. Through the European Green Deal, EU aims to be a global leader in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation. The European Union is committed to continue supporting projects in Armenia on biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, renewable energy, and sustainable waste management,” said Silja Kasmann,deputy head of cooperation from the EU, regarding the project. 

Armenuhi Vanoyan, grants manager at ATP, said, “After working on this project for more than a year, we are so happy to be opening this nursery and to create more opportunities for people in the Shirak region. The surrounding community will be able to purchase plants and seeds that are already adapted to their climate. We hope this will lead to people greening their own spaces, creating their own backyard nurseries and food sources.” 

Since March 2021, ATP has worked under the EU4Environment: Green Community-Resilient Future Grant Project in the target regions of Shirak, Lori and Tavush. Through the project, ATP has planted 100 hectares of forests, greened more than 50 sites including parks, schools and community forests, provided green governance training to 10 village and regional administrators, established 150 backyard nurseries, trained more than 500 children in sustainable practices and topics and established 15 youth eco clubs. ATP will continue maintaining current projects throughout the grant period, at the end of which in March of 2024 information will be compiled to propose a sustainable and replicable model of green governance for other regions of Armenia.

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Armenia Tree Project (ATP) is a non-profit program based in Woburn and Yerevan conducting vitally important environmental projects in Armenia's cities and villages and seeks support in advancing its reforestation mission. Since 1994, ATP has planted and restored more than 6,000,000 trees, and hundreds of jobs have been created for Armenians in seasonal tree-related programs.


AW: Samsung Innovation Campus celebrates graduation of second cohort of students

Boris Nahapetian
July 1, 2023 Guest Contributor News 0

Samsung Innovation Campus second cohort of graduates

DILIJAN, Armenia—The Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC), a technology-based educational IT program by Samsung Electronics with its Armenian campus at UWC Dilijan, celebrated the graduation of its second cohort of students on June 10. A class of 50 youngsters from Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanаdzor and other communities of Armenia successfully completed the training course and presented their individual projects — mobile applications on the Android OS.

The participants of Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) passed a nine-month project-based course, divided into five modules:

  • Fundamentals of Java programming language
  • Introduction to Object Oriented Programming
  • Fundamentals of Android Application Programming
  • Algorithms and data structures
  • Fundamentals of mobile application server side development

After completing the course, the students presented individual projects which they developed using the knowledge and skills acquired at SIC, as their final test for certification. The projects were presented to an evaluation panel consisting of Samsung-certified instructors, educators in the field of computer science and tech industry representatives. 

“We are honored to have Samsung as a partner for this pioneering initiative. A lot of work has been done to deliver the results and achieve success,” said Arman Jilavyan, member of the UWC Dilijan Board of Governors. “We are proud that our cooperation with Samsung opened a new page in UWC Dilijan’s capacity to contribute to the development of Armenia.”

Samsung CIS HQ vice president Sergey Pevnev with an alumna

“We strongly believe in the potential of future generations. And in our company, social contribution to the education of young people is of great importance. Samsung Innovation Campus helps young people from all over the world master the most innovative IT technologies and successfully unleash their talents and future potential. We are proud of our partnership with UWC Dilijan College,” stated Sergey Pevnev, vice-president at Samsung Electronics CIS RHQ. “Thanks to the strong support from the leadership of UWC Dilijan and the Samsung Innovation Campus Armenia team of the development of our joint project, the program at UWC Dilijan demonstrates impressive results confirmed by the high level of the projects developed by the talented graduates. Our warmest congratulations to all the young developers on successful completion of Samsung Innovation Campus program.”

UWC Dilijan and Samsung Electronics, a world leading technological company, established Samsung Innovation Campus in Dilijan, Armenia in 2021. The initiative is aimed at making a contribution to Armenia by enabling Armenian youth to develop their IT skills and learn the concepts related to Android mobile programming. 

Samsung Electronics operates various technology-based education programs to nurture young talent that is capable of leading society in the future. One of these programs is the Samsung Innovation Campus at UWC Dilijan, which is built around the delivery, over the next three years, of a combination of online sessions and in-person training for 100 children annually. The initiative focuses on 14- to 16-year-old Armenian children. Samsung Electronics has equipped the facility with the state-of-the-art technology, including 25 computer stations, smart boards and other devices essential for the delivery of the Samsung Innovation Campus program in Armenia.




AGBU Marks 110 Years in France With an Emphasis on Current Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)

Ani Basmajian

 

 

Press Release

 

 

 

June 30, 2023

For immediate release

 

 

Paris, June 26, 2023 – The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU)—the world’s largest Armenian nonprofit — finally had the opportunity to commemorate the 110th Anniversary of its presence in France three years after the fact, due to the global pandemic and deadly war against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) starting in 2020. Nevertheless, the event attracted participants from across the globe over the course of two days, complete with conferences, dinners, and group activities. The aim was also to generate support from French politicians as well as valued AGBU donors and friends for AGBU’s humanitarian efforts in Artsakh. The AGBU France Board was also renewed on this occasion.

 

A Legacy for Relief

 

Founded in 1906 in Cairo, AGBU first came to France in 1910 with the creation of its Marseille branch. Over the ensuing decades, AGBU came to the aid of Armenian communities in harm’s way. More recently, it expanded its capacity to meet multiple emergency situations in hotspots around the world, thanks to the AGBU Global Relief Fund. From the conflict in Syria and the Beirut Blast in Lebanon to the 2020 Artsakh War, this dedicated fund allowed AGBU to ramp up humanitarian solutions on the local level, whether delivering on-the-ground assistance with food boxes, survival gear, pharmaceutical and medical supplies, or providing longer-term financial assistance. 

 

Since December 2022, the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh have been suffering the full force of a blockade imposed by the government of Azerbaijan that deprives them of energy, food and healthcare. AGBU has stepped up its efforts to support this vulnerable community with resources raised through this special fund. 

In an emphatic speech, AGBU President explained the organization’s commitment to Artsakh and Armenia.  “Because, for AGBU, benevolence is not only a virtue; it is a moral duty, it is a commitment,” he stated. “If the French of Armenian origin are today an exemplary model of integration, it is not only because of their courage and tenacity. It’s also thanks to their spirit of solidarity, to which France has just paid homage by inducting Mélinée and Missak Manouchian into the Panthéon …Our union is more necessary than ever, our energy is more essential than ever, our generosity is more vital than ever …If history has taught us anything, it’s that the future is not given, it must be taken. In 110 years’ time, AGBU will still exist, with future generations who will carry the torch in pursuit of its mission. Today, the future of Armenia and Artsakh is in front of us. It is up to us to conquer it.” 

Anniversary Events

As part of the milestone occasion, AGBU organized three events, including an all-day conference on the challenges facing Armenia in the South Caucasus region, an evening for young professionals and a dinner in solidarity with the Armenian people. 

 

On June 23, “Armenia at the Crossroads, Peace and Prosperity at the Edge of Europe” was organized by AGBU France and Applied Policy Research Institute (APRI) of Armenia at Sciences Po. The keynote remarks for the morning discussion were delivered by Nathalie Loiseau, a member of European Parliament and the chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defense. 

 

Also in attendance was Xavier Bertrand, the president of the Regional Council of Hauts-de-France who talked about Armenian-French strategic partnership: “Leaving Nagorno-Karabakh today means abandoning Armenia tomorrow. If we leave Nagorno-Karabakh, there’s going to be a massacre. We have to be aware of this. We have to show that important things are happening not only in Ukraine. And also we are talking about ethnic purification, ethnic cleansing. We should be careful that Armenia doesn’t have part of its territory taken from itself, because otherwise Armenia is going to be menaced in the future.” 

 

Among the other speakers of the morning session were Armelle Charrier, International Affairs Commentator, France24; Laure Delcour, Associate Professor in International Relations and EU Studies, Sorbonne Nouvelle University; Benyamin Poghosyan, Senior Research Fellow, APRI Armenia; Arancha González Laya, the former minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain and the dean of the Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po; Ambassador Jacques Faure, the former ambassador of France to Ukraine; Former Co-Chair, OSCE Minsk Group, etc.

 

For the afternoon session, the emphasis was placed on sustainable agriculture in Armenia, transformative technologies, and renewable energies. A number of Armenian entrepreneurs participated, including: Anahit Markosian, the founder and head of R&D and Product Development, Nairian Skincare; Aimee Keushguerian, the founder and owner of Zulal Wines and the managing director of Keush; Victoria Aslanian, the CEO and co-founder of ArmAs Winery. Each shared their experiences and their formula for success. They also discussed how they are strengthening Armenia’s economic and business opportunities and ecosystems to build a more resilient country. First Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia Gevorg Mantashyan also addressed the audience with a speech about the opportunities that exist in that sphere. 

 

That same evening, “La Nuit des YP” was organized by the AGBU Young Professionals of Paris, bringing together 120 young professionals from across Europe to the Monnaie de Paris. 

 

The dinner in solidarity with the Armenian people took place on Saturday, June 24 at the Westin Paris Vendôme. Over 200 people attended.  AGBU Central Board of Directors, under the chairmanship of AGBU President Berge Setrakian, along with the French and European network and AGBU friends, paid tribute to its valued partners, including: Nathalie Loiseau, member of the European Parliament and chair of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defense; Valérie Pécresse, the president of the Île-de-France Regional Council; Laurent Wauquiez, the president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Council; Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, represented by Arnaud Ngatcha, the deputy mayor of Paris in charge of Europe and international affairs for the French-speaking world. AGBU leadership expressed its gratitude for their continued support in solidarity projects with Armenia and Artsakh. In turn, the honorees offered their own perspectives on the crisis. 

 

“Is Azeri aggression more acceptable than Russian aggression? Is Azeri gas more acceptable than Russian gas? Is the territory of Artsakh less sacred in the eyes of the European media than Donbass? Is Armenian blood less valuable than Ukrainian blood? Would we impose this peace on Armenia by abandoning 120,000 of your compatriots on the other side of a corridor, in a blockade of an inhumanity we didn’t even think we’d see in the 21st century?” expressed Laurent Wauquiez, the president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, during the solidarity dinner organized by AGBU France.

 

“I can no longer stand these diplomatic announcements that sound like they were written by ChatGPT, since they keep saying that both sides need to exercise restraint. I still know the difference between an aggressor and an aggressed. I can still name the fact that Azerbaijan is shooting at Armenia. I still know how to say that while Azerbaijan is firing on the internationally recognized territory of Armenia, so-called Russian peacekeepers are present and crossing their arms“, said Nathalie Loiseau, Member of the European Parliament.

 

“Realpolitik has its limits, it can’t justify everything. Just because the European Union needs Azerbaijani gas doesn’t mean we should keep quiet. (…) The Armenians of both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh represent the outpost of democracy, in a region where authoritarian, even dictatorial states reign unchallenged. (…) For me, defending Armenia is defending Europe, defending our human values, our common values” added Valérie Pécresse, President of the Paris region.

 

A New AGBU France Board of Directors 

 

On Saturday June 24, members of the new AGBU France Board of Directors were also able to meet with the AGBU Central Board of Directors. During this meeting, the activities and news of AGBU global, AGBU Armenia and AGBU Europe were presented. Stéphane Petrossian is appointed co-president of AGBU France, alongside Nadia Gortzounian, co-president of AGBU France. Camilio Azzouz becomes AGBU Europe President.

 

To help support humanitarian efforts in Artsakh, donate to AGBU Global Relief Fund at agbugiving.org/relief.

Link to photos

 

Photo 1: 

APRI Conference in session at Sciences Po, Paris 

 

Photo 2: 

President of the Regional Council of Hauts-de-France Xavier Bertrand, APRI keynote speaker

 

Photo 3: 

European Parliament member Nathalie Loiseau, APRI keynote speaker

 

Photo 4: 

Laurent Wauquiez, the president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Council addresses guests at the dinner in Solidarity with the Armenian People at the Westin Paris Vendome. 

 

Photo 5: 

AGBU leadership and distinguished guests at the dinner in Solidarity with the Armenian People. From Left: Hovhannes Guevorkian, Ara Toranian, Joseph Oughourlian, Laurent Wauquiez, Nadia Gortzounian, François-Xavier Bellamy, Hasmik Tolmadjian, Arnaud Ngatcha, Berge Setrakian, Stéphane Petrossian, and Camilio Azzouz

 

Photo 6: 

AGBU Central Board members and AGBU France board members meet in Paris. 

 

 

The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is the world’s largest non-profit organization devoted to upholding the Armenian heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs. Each year, AGBU is committed to making a difference in the lives of 500,000 people across Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian diaspora.  Since 1906, AGBU has remained true to one overarching goal: to create a foundation for the prosperity of all Armenians. To learn more visit www.agbu.org.

 

 

Media Inquiries:

AGBU Press Office

55 East 59th Street

New York, NY 10022-1112

This email was sent to [email protected]

AGBU, 55 East 59th Street, NY, New York 10022, United States

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Armenpress: Azerbaijan opens gunfire in Nagorno Karabakh, farmer again targeted

Vardan Badalian

 10:04, 26 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 26, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani military has again violated the Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire in four directions, the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Ministry of Defense has said.

The Azerbaijani troops opened small arms fire from 12:40, June 25 to 01:00, June 26 in the directions of Martuni, Askeran, Shushi and Martakert regions, the ministry said in a statement on Monday. 

Moreover, the Azerbaijani military again targeted a farmer carrying out agricultural work on his tractor in the fields of Avdur community at 17:30, June 25.

No casualties were reported.

Nagorno Karabakh authorities said they’ve notified the Russian peacekeepers on the shooting.

As of 09:30, June 26 the situation on the line of contact was relatively stable, the ministry added.