Category: News

The Armenian National Assembly voted 104 to 10 with 3 abstentions today to put the package of Constitutional amendments on a referendum.

The Republican Party faction voted in favor of reforms, so did the Prosperous Armenia (except for Tigran Urikhanyan).

Three members of the Orinats Yerkir faction abstained, two others voted no. Lyudmila Sargsyan of the Armenian National Congress, Tevan Poghosyan of the Heritage faction and Alik Arzumanyan were the three opposition lawmakers to support the initiative.

The parliamentary hearing was accompanied by protests outside the National Assembly. A number of citizens were detained.

India and Armenia have cultural and historic ties that go a long time back, but in terms of tourism for Indian visitors Armenia is still a little known destination. “India is a priority emerging market for us. We have a lot of things in common. The people of our country feel comfortable in India and vice versa,” Sergey Avetisyan, deputy minister, Republic of Armenia Ministry of Economy, told the 

In Armenia the Ministry of Economy includes tourism as segment of the economy. There is a department of tourism within the ministry which deals with policies of tourism, laws, regulations. The Armenian Development Foundation is the implementing arm of the policies.

Pointing out that Armenia is obviously interested in attracting tourists from India, Avetisyan stated, “You have a huge population and we are obviously interested in Indian tourists in terms of the numbers. But besides the numbers our historic and other linkages connects us. And that is why we have good potential for developing tourism.”

Avetisyan however acknowledged that Armenia will never be a mass tourism destination. “Our country is primarily a cultural tourism destination. We have our phenomenal history, deep roots into pagan culture, and into Christianity, being the first Christian nation. In terms of tourism our first position is cultural and historic tourism. Following which is nature based experiences like hiking, eco tourism, etc. People normally come here because of culture and heritage. The Armenian diaspora is huge, we have Armenians spread all across the world, who are our natural ambassadors telling about our country to their friends. There are Armenian societies, churches in many countries,” he mentioned.

The ministry is in talks with the travel trade community in Armenia to understand their interests and channel the resources through them. “Next year we will give the money from our budget to the travel trade industry. We will help them. Tourism is about the private sector,” stated Avetisyan.

It is not just India, Avetisyan remarked that other Asian countries like Philippines are interested in Armenia. “The whole tourism sector is about history, stories and fairy tales, and people need that kind of thing. You always welcome someone who is packing that and giving it to you,” he said.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has pledged to recognize the Armenian Genocide if elected, Turkish Yeni Safak newspaper reports.

The party presented its election platform today.

HDP Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdag stressed the need to apologize on the state level for genocides and massacres committed against different peoples over history.

The Party also promised that the national minorities will be granted the right to organize education in their native languages.

The HDP also vowed to open the Armenian-Turkish border without any preconditions, lift the economic blockade of Armenia and help reach a democratic solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Indonesia’s Aviastar airline said on Friday contact had been lost with a Twin Otter small passenger aircraft travelling between Masamba and Makassar on the island of Sulawesi.

Ten people were on board the aircraft, Wisnu Darjono, an official at Indonesia’s flight safety agency told Reuters. He confirmed authorities had lost contact with the aircraft.

Indonesian authorities have launched a search for the plane.

The Transportation Ministry said a search has begun for the aircraft that lost contact on a flight from the town of Masamba, about 30 minutes before its was scheduled to land in Makassar city.

“It was around 60 nautical miles from Makassar,” ministry spokesman J.R. Barata told MetroTV. “We have now started a search.”

“Most importantly, we will work out its position first,” Barata said adding that 10 people – seven passengers and three crew – were on board.

Aviastar, which flies domestic routes, said it had lost contact with the aircraft in the mid-afternoon and it had then contacted search authorities.

Members of the US-led coalition against Islamic State have called on Russia to cease air strikes they say are hitting the Syrian opposition and civilians, the BBC reports.

In a joint statement on Friday, the US, UK, Turkey and other coalition members said Russian strikes would “only fuel more extremism.”

Russia, which according to witnesses launched fresh strikes on Friday, says it is targeting IS.

A senior Russian official says strikes could last for three to four months.

Alexei Pushkov, the head of the foreign affairs committee in Russia’s parliament, said that the US had only “pretended” to bomb IS and promised that Russia’s campaign would be much more effective.

The Russian Air Force began air strikes in Syria on Wednesday.

Every year on April 24 Turkish singer Leman Stehn apologizes to the Armenian nation for the crime committed by her ancestors. Familiar with the true story, she never avoids the word ‘genocide.’ She first visited Armenia a few years ago and visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial. The singer is again in Armenia for a Komitas festival.

Every year Leman Stehn participates in commemoration events held in different countries of the world.

“Things should be called by their names,” she told a press conference in Yerevam. “I’m aware of what befell the Armenian nation and cannot understand how one can avoid the word ‘genocide.’ Of course, there was an Armenian Genocide. I consider it a duty to participate in events targeted at preventing genocide,” she said.

The Armenian national has been in her heart since youth. Born in Turkey, she moved to Germany at an early age and returned to Turkey only as a student. She learnt about the Armenian nation and culture thanks to her Armenian friends.

“I was young, when we returned to Turkey. Only then I came to know that Armenians previously lived on the territory of Turkey, that it was their homeland. I opened a new world for me,” the singer said.

Leman Stehn confessed she had been persecuted in Turkey for her pro-Armenian views, but this made her continue the struggle for justice with a greater vigor. After graduating from the Conservatory, the singer returned to Germany.

She had long abandoned the Armenian music until she heard the news of Hrant Dink’s assassination.

“I was shocked to hear we lost my lovely brother Hrant Dink. “Sarı Gyalin” was one of his most favorite songs,” Stehn said.

This was the song she performed at the festival dedicated to Komitas. The Turkish singer once again apologized to the heirs of victims of the Armenian Genocide for the crime committed by the Turkish nation and promised to visit Armenia again on April 24.

The National Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial (NCAGC) honored Senator Bob Dole Wednesday with the organization’s Survivor’s Gratitude Award in the category of Hero of Responsibility and Principle for his tireless efforts in raising attention to the Armenian Genocide and its victims, Kansas-based  reports.

Senator Dole has long been recognized as a friend to the Armenian community. In 1990, during the 75th anniversary of the Genocide, the Senator issued a strong rebuke to the United States Senate for its refusal to declare a day of remembrance for the victims of the massacre. He remains highly respected among Armenians to this day.

“I am both honored and humbled to receive this award from the NCAGC,” said Senator Dole. “But we must not forget that there is still much to be done to globally recognize what occurred a century ago. Only by acknowledging and accepting the past for what it is—however painful—can the world truly begin to work to heal and ensure a future free from genocide.”

Senator Dole’s award will be transported to the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics where it will reside.

Senator Dole’s recognition comes on the heels of a series of commemorative events which were hosted by the NCAGC in May of this year to honor the Genocide centennial. During a banquet ceremony in front of a crowd of nearly two thousand diaspora, 29 Survivor’s Gratitude Awards were presented as tokens of appreciation to individuals and organizations whose selfless and heroic actions have enabled the Armenian community to survive and thrive today.

“I would like to publicly express deep appreciation to Senator Dole on behalf of the Armenian community for his long-standing dedication to recognizing the Genocide of our people,” said Noubar Afeyan, Chairman of the NCAGC Steering Committee. “If not for his actions, along with the actions of other brave men, women and organizations, the Armenian community would not exist as it does today.”

On the one hundredth anniversary of the Genocide, the NCAGC continues its work to strengthen the ties that bind the Armenian community so that it may prosper for the next one hundred years and more.

The National Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial (NCAGC) began with the united efforts of the Diocese and Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Churches of America, East and West coasts. The NCAGC provides a unique opportunity to bring Armenians together from across the country and Diaspora to join in remembering and honoring those lost in the Genocide 100 years ago. Showing a unity of spirit and purpose, the events also serve to raise awareness of the Genocide and thank the institutions and individuals who have helped Armenians to survive and thrive.

One of the divisions of the Azerbaijani armed forces stationed in Nakhijevan attempted to violate the state border with Armenia at about 22:30, October 1, the Armenian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The incident took place at the south-western sector of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, in the direction of Yeraskh.

The Armenian armed forces were quick to detect the attack in the area between the military positions of the two countries and prevented the infringement attempt. The rival retreated as a result of exchange of fire.

The Ministry of Defense warns that any attempt to escalate the situation at the shared border in the direction of Nakhijevan will be strictly punished.

Attorney and renowned human rights advocate Geoffrey Robertson, QC, will pull double-duty later in October, when he will be a featured panelist during the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region’s Grassroots Road to Reparations panel and will also receive the ANCA-WR Advocates for Justice Award at the organization’s annual Gala Banquet.

The ANCA-WR Grassroots Conference will take place on October 23 and 24 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel, with the centerpiece Gala Banquet, celebrating the organization’s accomplishments on Sunday, October 25 at the grand ballroom of the same hotel.

Robertson will be joined by international legal expert Karnig Kerkonian, Esq., to discuss the issue of the Armenian Genocide in the international legal arena, as well as explore legal avenues to pursue the Armenian Cause in the post Genocide centennial phase. Kerkonian is a member of the Armenian Bar Association’s Board of Governors and currently serves as co-chair of its Armenian Rights Watch Committee. The panel, which will take place on October 24, will be co-sponsored by the Armenian Bar Association and moderated by ANCA National Board member Steven Dadaian, Esq., who has a long and impactful involvement in the ANCA family. Attorneys who attend the Road to Reparations panel are eligible to receive 1.5 hours of Continuing Legal Education general credit through the Armenian Bar Association.

Robertson is an international jurist, human rights lawyer, and academic. His latest book is An Inconvenient Genocide: Who Now Remembers the Armenians? In recent years, he has been particularly prominent in the defense of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks. He also represented author Salman Rushdie, and prosecuted General Augusto Pinochet. In 2008, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon appointed him as a “distinguished jurist” member of the UN’s Justice Council, which nominates and supervises UN judges. His memoir, The Justice Game, has sold more than 150,000 copies.

Robertson is a founder and joint head of Doughty Street Chambers, a prestigious law firm in England that has dealt with numerous international legal cases. Among the associates of the law firm is human rights advocate Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who along with Robertson will be recognized as a recipient of the ANCA-WR “Advocates of Justice” Award, with Robertson set to accept the award on her behalf.