Belgium to open an embassy in Armenia

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 11:14,

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Hadja Lahbib, announced the opening of the Belgian embassy in Armenia. Lahbib also stated that Belgium wants to contribute to the EU observation mission in Armenia.

ARMENPRESS reports, Lahbib announced, “In the Caucasus, Belgium will also be present in Armenia. The country was covered until now by our Embassy in Moscow, and geopolitical developments require monitoring on the ground. Belgium's increased diplomatic attention in a country and a region which has a strong Russian influence is part of the European neighborhood policy with regard to the countries to the east of the EU and bears witness to the concern for preserving security and stability in this strategically important region.

Belgium fully supports European efforts that can contribute to the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in particular through an EU civilian observation mission in Armenia, to which Belgium wishes to contribute. Our country also attaches great importance to stability and good neighborliness in the South Caucasus. The opening of a diplomatic mission in Yerevan, in addition to our already existing embassy in Baku (Azerbaijan), stems from this vision”.

Artsakh’s FM holds online meeting with representatives of the Armenian community of Australia

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 11:34,

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. On 10 May, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh Sergey Ghazaryan, at the initiative of Permanent Representative of Artsakh in Australia Mr. Kaylar Michaelian, held an online meeting with representatives of the Armenian Community of Australia, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh.

The Minister presented the situation in Artsakh caused by the blockade, as well as referred to the humanitarian and existential threats faced by the republic.

Speaking about relations with the Diaspora, Foreign Minister Sergey Ghazaryan expressed his thanks to the Armenian Community of Australia for the assistance provided to Artsakh since the beginning of the blockade. In this context, he also stressed the importance of activities aimed at raising international awareness of the criminal policy of Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh.

During the meeting, further directions of co-operation were outlined.

Prime Minister Pashinyan leaves for Brussels on a working visit

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 12:33,

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan left for Brussels on a working visit on May 13-14, ARMENPRESS was infomred from the office of the Prime MInister. 

 Nikol Pashinyan will first have a meeting with the President of the European Council Charles Michel, then a tripartite meeting of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the President of the European Council and the President of Azerbaijan is scheduled.

FlyONE Armenia’s Yerevan-Istanbul-Yerevan flight delayed until May 14 due to technical malfunction of the aircraft

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 13:12,

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. The Yerevan-Istanbul-Yerevan flight scheduled for May 13 of this year was postponed until May 14 at 00:20 due to a technical malfunction of the aircraft, ARMENPRESS was informed from FlyONE Armenia.

"As of now, the malfunction has been eliminated, the flight will take place according to the newly announced schedule," FlyONE Armenia informed.

In response to inquiries, FlyONE Armenia also reports that the airline could not use another aircraft to operate the flight, since the Turkish aviation authorities have given permission for only a limited number of aircrafts.

"According to the aviation rules, the passengers were provided with water after 3 hours. The airline accommodated all passengers who needed to stay in both Yerevan and Istanbul in hotels until the flight will take place.

The airline is studying the videos on social networks about the flight, from which it will draw appropriate conclusions.

The airline apologizes to passengers for the caused inconvenience.

For all questions related to the delayed flight, the airline asks passengers to contact . E-mail or phone +37412400003", FlyONE Armenia said.

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Ararat Mirzoyan holds telephone conversation with the acting US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

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 16:28,

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan had a telephone conversation with Dereck Hogan, acting US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, ARMENPRESS was informed from MFA Armenia.

The interlocutors discussed issues of regional stability and security.

Minister Mirzoyan presented the situation created as a result of the provocative and aggressive actions of the Azerbaijani armed forces against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia during the last days, emphasizing that they are aimed at disrupting the efforts aimed at continuing the peace negotiations.

The sides exchanged thoughts on the need to address the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

POWs should be repatriated. The US ambassador to Armenia met with the family members of the POWs and missing servicemen

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 14:23,

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. Kristina Kvien, the Ambassador of the United States of America to Armenia, met with the family members of the servicemen who went missing as a result of the 44-day war and those who were captured by Azerbaijan, ARMENPRESS reports, the US Embassy in Armenia informs.

The message issued by the embassy states that the POWs should be repatriated and the remains of those killed on both sides of the conflict should be returned to their relatives whenever possible.

Armenian parliamentary delegation to participate in the session of the Council of CSTO Parliamentary Assembly in Minsk

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 16:44,

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. On May 17-19, the delegation led by the President of the National Assembly of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, will participate in the session of the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the parliament of Armenia, Vice President of the National Assembly Hakob Arshakyan, MP from the opposition "Armenia" faction Gegham Manukyan, ruling "Civil Contract" faction MP Hovik Aghazaryan, other members of the National Assembly staff will go to the capital of Belarus as part of the delegation.

Armenpress: Prime Minister Pashinyan’s meeting with Charles Michel kicks off in Brussels

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 22:25,

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. The meeting of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan with the President of the European Council Charles Michel has started in Brussels.

ARMENPRESS reports, a tripartite meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and European Council President Charles Michel will take place on May 14.

Before the tripartite meeting, the President of the European Council will have a separate meeting with the president of Azerbaijan.

AW: New Jersey legend Al Kachadurian turns 100

Al Kachadurian on his 100th birthday, (Photo: Brian Borchard)

Albert Kachadurian loves people.

“I love to hear what people got to say,” he says. “I’m just that kind of a person that gets along with everybody. It’s a great honor for me.”

A kind and humble man with countless stories and detailed memories, Mr. Kachadurian, who goes by Al, is New Jersey’s newest centenarian.

The celebrations began over the weekend at the North Jersey Country Club (NJCC), where Kachadurian, the club’s oldest member of 66 years and former president, was honored as “Mr. North Jersey CC.” Surrounded by fellow avid golfers, friends and family under sunny skies on May 6, Mr. Kachadurian hit the ceremonial tee shot that launched the club’s season and marked its 100th opening day ahead of his own personal milestone on Friday.

“I can’t tell you how emotional I feel that I’m still alive,” he expressed to the Weekly during a phone interview about his long and blessed life. He made sure to set the record straight at the onset.

“My real name is not Albert,” he revealed. “My real name is Vahan.”

Kachadurian was born on May 12, 1923 in Paterson, New Jersey to Hagop and Anne [née Simonian] Kachadourian. When he was in kindergarten in 1928, his mother visited the principal’s office to discuss an important matter. “All the kids were making fun of me because I had such a long name—Vahan Kachadurian,” he recalled. “We gotta do something, she said. They’re making fun of my son.” “Why don’t we call him Albert?” suggested the principal. 

That seminal moment during his formative years would resurface decades later when Kachadurian, now a father, told his son John, who was working in New York in the textile industry at the time, that he could change or shorten his surname if that would make his life easier. “He said, ‘Dad, I am proud of my name. Kachadurian. I am very proud of it.’ And that made me feel so good,” recalled Mr. Kachadurian of his only son who died in 2016.

Despite the intolerance of ethnic minorities and prejudice against immigrants in the 1920s and 30s, Kachadurian remembers having a happy childhood. “I had some hard times, but when I think back on it, they were really wonderful years. Nothing could have been better,” he said.

As an only child, Kachadurian grew up learning about his ancestors’ struggles and worked hard to make them proud. All four of Kachadurian’s grandparents perished during the Armenian Genocide. His mother, who was from Dikranagerd/Diyarbekir, was orphaned. “My mother was a brave woman,” he said. “She told me her story many times of how she survived.” His mother was miraculously spared from the atrocities because she was at the home of a Turkish family playing with their little girl. They helped her get on a bus to Syria, where she spent several years in an orphanage until relatives in the US learned of her whereabouts and arranged for her immigration.

Kachadurian was an outstanding student athlete at Paterson Eastside High School, where he starred as a first team all-state running back. In an in-depth interview with City of Champions author Hank Gola, who pitched this story to the Weekly, he recalled “simple and wholesome” days on the football field and what it was like to play baseball with Larry Doby, who broke the American League color barrier with the Cleveland Indians in 1947. “I loved every single second of it,” he told the Weekly.

Al Kachadurian and Hank Gola at his 100th birthday celebration, (Photo: Brian Borchard)

During World War II, Kachadurian joined the US Navy in 1943 and attended Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania with 44 other prospective officers. He was then sent to the United States Navy Reserve Midshipmen’s School at Columbia where he trained to become an officer and was assigned to a ship in the Brooklyn Navy Yard until the end of the war.

Kachadurian would return to the game of football for the Columbia Lions and execute the most decisive interception of his athletic career in 1947 during a game against the undefeated Army Black Knights. Kachadurian remembers the game-winning play like it was yesterday. “With a couple minutes left in the game, they were marching up to score a touchdown. They threw a pass, which I intercepted. That saved the game, and we broke their record. That was the highlight of the season.”

Memorabilia from Al Kachadurian’s illustrious athletic career flanked by plaques from the NJCC (Photo: Brian Borchard)

Kachadurian went on to graduate from Columbia’s business school and took over his father’s successful dry cleaning business in Paterson.

On February 16, 1947, he married Janet White of blessed memory—his high school sweetheart and wife of 64 years. Together, they raised three children. “I believe in love and respect. I think those two words carried us through as a beautiful family,” he shared.

Mr. Kachadurian instilled his love for his Armenian heritage with his five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren and encouraged them to read Franz Werfel’s historical novel The Forty Days of Musa Dagh. He regrets that he was unable to journey to Armenia after retirement and is saddened by the homeland living under threat. “I am disappointed that there is so much turmoil there,” he told the Weekly. 

He will blow out his candles on Friday with gratitude for a long life and says he will wish for more compassion in this world. “I wish more people would get along with each other,” he said. “I’ve been one of the luckiest, most fortunate people that have ever lived. I’ve lived a good life.”

Assistant Editor
Leeza Arakelian is the assistant editor of the Armenian Weekly. She is a graduate of UCLA and Emerson College. Leeza has written and produced for local and network television news including Boston 25 and Al Jazeera America.


Telegram accounts of unknown origin spread disinformation on number of wounded troops, warns defense ministry

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 09:29,

YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Ministry of Defense has warned that some Telegram accounts of unknown origin are spreading disinformation about the number of wounded troops amid the ongoing Azerbaijani artillery and mortar attack near Sotk.

In a statement, the ministry said that three Armenian troops were wounded as of 09:20.

The situation in the direction of Sotk was unchanged as of 09:20.

The Azerbaijani military has been shelling Armenian positions near Sotk since 06:00, May 11.