Category: 2024

UC Irvine’s Center for Armenian Studies in partnership with Illuminations: The Chancellor’s Arts and Culture Initiative will host a sold-out concert of Zulal Trio, featuring Teni Apelian, Anais Alexandra Tekerian, and Yeraz Markarian on February 16.

The event boasts other campus and community partners, including the Orange County Armenian Professional Society.

The concert at UCI’s Winifred Smith Hall will feature the much-loved Zulal, an a cappella trio, which has performed in such esteemed venues as the Getty Museum, the MET, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the Berklee College of Music, and the Kennedy Center and has produced four critically acclaimed albums to its credit.

In a packed auditorium, Zulal will transform Armenia’s village folk melodies into arrangements that pay tribute to the music’s ancient roots while allowing it new possibilities. Zulal’s celebration of the trials and joys of old Armenian life, from the echoes of loss to the enduring vibrations of dance and celebration promises to be a unique opportunity for the campus and wider community.

Armenian Studies at UC Irvine includes undergraduate coursework in Armenian history and language, as well as a quarterly lecture series that bridges historical and cultural topics regarding Armenians worldwide.

Nyree Shishmanian

Armenia's Declaration of Independence was adopted on August 23, 1990

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s political team has not yet made a final decision on whether to try to remove from Armenia’s constitution any reference to a 1990 declaration of independence resented by Azerbaijan, a senior lawmaker said on Tuesday.

“I want to make clear that we do not have a final conclusion,” Hayk Konjoryan, the parliamentary leader of Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party, told reporters. “It’s still too early to make a final conclusion and raise questions from that standpoint.”

Konjoryan at the same time stressed: “We must not regard any text as sacrosanct.”

The declaration in turn refers to a 1989 unification act adopted by the legislative bodies of Soviet Armenia and the then Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast and calls for international recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide. It is cited in a preamble to the current Armenian constitution adopted in 1995.

Pashinyan again criticized the declaration last week, claiming that Armenia “will never have peace” with Azerbaijan as long as it is mentioned by the constitution. Accordingly, he defended his plans to try to enact a new constitution that would presumably make no such reference.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on February 1 that Armenia should remove that reference and amend other documents “infringing on Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity” if it wants to make peace with his country. Armenian opposition leaders portrayed Aliyev’s statement as further proof that Pashinyan wants to effectively declare the 1990 declaration null and void under pressure from Azerbaijan as well as Turkey.

“Aliyev and Pashinyan almost simultaneously … presented the same demands to the people of Armenia,” one of them, Artur Khachatrian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “It is obvious that Aliyev is thus forcing Pashinyan to make concessions.”

Konjoryan denied that Pashinyan wants to change the constitution at the behest of Aliyev. Pashinyan sounded less categorical on this score in a reportedly pre-recorded radio interview broadcast on February 1.

Khachatryan is one of several lawmakers from the main opposition Hayastan alliance who have been allowed by the Armenian Foreign Ministry to see in recent weeks written proposals regarding an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty exchanged by Yerevan and Baku. In a joint statement issued on February 2, the lawmakers insisted that the Azerbaijani terms of the treaty are extremely unfavorable for the Armenian side.

“I stand by our assertion that the country which presented such proposals to us has no desire or intention to sign a peace treaty with us,” Khachatrian insisted on Tuesday.

Edmon Marukyan, an Armenian ambassador-at-large and political ally of Pashinyan, likewise charged on February 2 that Baku is not serious about signing the peace deal. He said Aliyev’s demands for the constitutional change in Armenia amount to a “new precondition.”

Presidents of Armenia and Hungary, Vahakn Khachaturyan and Katalin Novák hold a joint press conference in Budapest on Feb. 6

Hungary’s extradition of Azerbaijani axe-murder Ramil Safarov is in Yerevan’s rear view.

President Katalin Novák of Hungary hailed as “historic” the restoration of relations with Armenia when she hosted her Armenian counterpart Vahagn Khachatryan in Budapest.

Novák expressed hope that the two countries will be able to intensify their relations and achieve tangible results in cooperation efforts.

“The last time an Armenian president visited [Hungary] was in 2009, while this is the first presidential visit after the change of the political system, I hope that we will be able to alter this trend and intensify our relations and have more official visits between our countries. There is readiness on our side and I hope that on your side as well,” Novák said during a joint press conference with Khachatryan.

“We need to understand the context of our diplomatic relations in order to be able to resolve all misunderstandings of the past,” the Hungarian president said, citing two recently signed memorandums of understanding as a testament to the willingness of the two countries to cooperate.

Armenia cut off diplomatic relations with Hungary in 2012 after Budapest extradited Azerbaijani soldier Ramil Safarov, who was serving a sentence after being convicted of killing — with an axe — an Armenian military officer, Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan while both were taking part in NATO’s Partnership for Peace military training exercises in 2004.

Gurgen Margaryan was asleep in his room when Safarov attacked him with an axe.

During the trial in Hungary, Safarov admitted in court to having killed Margaryan because of his hatred towards Armenia and Armenians. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Hungarian court. However, in 2012 Hungary extradited him to Azerbaijan upon Baku’s request.

Axe-murder Ramil Safarov is given a hero’s welcome upon his extradition from Hungary

Upon his arrival in Baku, Safari was pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and received a hero’s welcome. On the same day, then-President of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian severed diplomatic relations with Hungary.

Azerbaijan’s Justice Ministry at the time had assured officials in Hungary that Safarov would continue to serve his sentence in Azerbaijan. However, hours after his arrival on an Azerbaijani Airways special flight, Aliyev signed an order to pardon Safarov. The pardon was effective from the day of signing. Safarov’s pardon contradicted Azerbaijani criminal code, according to which prisoners serving a life sentence can be freed only after having served a period of a minimum of 25 years.

An investigation in 2017, led by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project revealed that that several bank transfers—in excess of $7 million—were made to a Budapest bank account around the time the Hungarian government extradited Safarov to Azerbaijan.

As part of the investigation into what became know as the “Azerbaijani Laundromat”—a nearly $3 billion slush fund tied to Azerbaijan’s ruling elite and used to buy influence around the world—Hungarian investigative journalism NGO Átlátszó.hu revealed that the Budapest bank account belonged to an offshore company owned by the son of an influential Azerbaijani politician.

According to the OCCRP report, more than $7 million was transferred to the account in 2012 right around the time the Hungarian government struck its deal with Azerbaijani authorities, allowing for Safarov’s extradition. The offshore company was already shuttered at the time of the investigation.

Hungary and Azerbaijan remain close partners, with Hungarian leaders voicing support for Baku’s violent attack on Artsakh that resulted in the 44-Day War.

When Yerevan began to intensify its relations with the European Union, Armenia made overtures to Hungary, an EU member, and signaled the Armenian government’s willingness to restore ties.

President Khachatryan’s visit to Budapest is the first time an Armenian leader has made an official visit to Hungary and is seen as the beginning of thawing of relations between Yerevan and Budapest.

As part of Khachaturyan’s official visit to Hungary, a memorandum of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of culture, education and science was signed.

Khachatryan also hailed his visit as “historic,” saying Armenia is ready to develop relations with Hungary and “will do everything to ensure dynamic development.”

”This visit is historic following a long pause. In fact, we are initiating a new process. And personally, I and our delegation greatly appreciate it. I would like to express the readiness of the Republic of Armenia to actively restart a new phase of Armenian-Hungarian relations and to do everything to ensure that our relations undergo dynamic development and follow a logical course,” Khachaturyan said.

Novák, the Hungarian president, said her country wants Armenia to strengthen its relations with the EU.

“We want Armenia to strengthen its relations with the European Union. You can count on us. When Hungary takes over the presidency of the European Union in July, we will do everything to support Armenia and its relations with the EU, as well as to advance the visa liberalization process for Armenia,” said Novák, adding that the EU should strengthen its relations with the South Caucasus, and Hungary can be useful in that regard.

Iran's Ambassador to Armenia, Mehdi Sobhani speaks in Yerevan on Feb. 6

Official Tehran, once again, emphasized its opposition to the so-called “corridor” scheme being advanced by Baku and Ankara, who are pushing for a land route through Armenia to Nakhichevan.

Iran’s Ambassador to Armenia, Mehdi Sobhani, told a meeting of experts and journalists in Yerevan on Tuesday that while in general political terms such a “corridor” is an opportunity for advancing transportation capabilities.

“However,” he emphasized, “this is perceived completely differently.”

“Tehran has demonstrated through its actions that it will not tolerate any geopolitical changes in this region,” Sobhani said, emphasizing the Iranian government’s long-held position that any changes to the existing borders in the region would be a red line for the Islamic Republic, whose supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has conveyed this message, in no uncertain terms, to the leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkey.

“The common border between Armenia and Iran has been the safest and has served as a guarantee for expanding ties and contacts between the two sides, as well as ensuring the well-being of both peoples,” said Sobhani.

“We welcome the unblocking of all roads and communications, if it happens based on the interests of countries and under their sovereignty. We support the strengthening of Armenia and the establishment of peace and stability. Therefore, only the balance of forces in our region will contribute to all of this. We are ready to provide any assistance that Armenia will need for further development,” Sobhani assured.

“Today, Iran is pursuing the most independent domestic and foreign policy, and without Tehran, not a single equation in the region can be resolved. Our country is part of the solution to the crises and problems of the region. Despite the pressure and conspiracies against Iran over the past 45 years, our country has made significant progress and, despite the sanctions imposed on us, has achieved remarkable advancements in all areas,” Sobhani emphasized.

According to the Ambassador, Iran is conducting a balanced policy with the countries of the region, with particular emphasis on its neighboring states. In particular, relations between Armenia and Iran have consistently developed since their establishment.

“The peoples of Iran and Armenia have always stood side by side amidst moments of joy and sorrow. Today, Iran supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia and, as before, is ready to leverage all its resources to develop cooperation,” the Iranian envoy said.

“If there are escalations and conflicts in our region, they have a negative impact on all the countries of the region; therefore, they should become guarantors of solving the problems with joint efforts. It is necessary to be guided by sincere motives and be consistent in establishing real peace and stable security,” Sobhani added.

Armenian Revolutionary Federation

The chairman of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau, Hagop Der-Khachadourian, met with Artsakh President Samuel Shahramanyan on Tuesday. ARF Artsakh Central Committee chair, Arthur Mossiyan, was also present.

During the meeting, issues related to the imperative to preserve the state structures of Artsakh, the return of forcibly displaced Artsakh Armenians to their and protection of their rights, as well as the socio-economic and legal situation of Artsakh Armenians in Armenia were discussed, the ARF Press Service reported.

Shahramanyan presented his perspective on the status of Artsakh and future steps.

The ARF Bureau chairman briefed the Artsakh leader on the effort of the ARF and Hai Tahd offices around the world and their advocacy on behalf of Artsakh Armenians.

It was decided to continue such meetings.