Category: News

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) held a productive and positive meeting with the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA), on a wide variety of topics, including efforts to bring peace and freedom to the independent Republic of Nagorno Karabagh (Artsakh). The meeting was held at the Chairman’s district office in Brea, California on August 17, 2016 and included the participation of national, regional and local ANCA officials. The ANCA has had a long and constructive relationship with Chairman Royce based on the outstanding work of the ANCA of Orange County and accompanied the Chairman during his 2014 Congressional Delegation visit to the Republic of Armenia.

“Armenian Americans living in California’s 39th Congressional District are fortunate to have a senior Member of Congress like Ed Royce, who chairs the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee, representing them in Washington, DC,” expressed ANCA Western Region Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. after meeting with Chairman Royce. “Chairman Royce is unique because of his total command and understanding of issues ranging from Artsakh to the Armenian Genocide. We look forward to continuing our work with Chairman Royce to secure peace and freedom for Artsakh and to secure justice with respect to the Armenian Genocide. The ANCA is especially eager to work with Chairman Royce in the coming days to secure implementation of the Royce-Engel initiative,” Hovsepian added.

The meeting with Chairman Royce focused on the pressing need to make sustained progress on the Royce-Engel initiative launched last year by the Chairman and the Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY). The Royce-Engel initiative, which is strongly backed by the ANCA, includes three common-sense measures to secure Artsakh peace. 1.) An agreement from all sides not to deploy snipers, heavy arms, or new weaponry along the line of contact. 2.) The placement of OSCE-monitored, advanced gunfire-locator systems and sound-ranging equipment to determine the source of attacks along the line of contact. 3.) The deployment of additional OSCE observers along the line of contact to better monitor cease-fire violations. Armenia and Artsakh have long agreed to all three measures; Azerbaijan opposes their implementation. The Royce-Engel proposals, have received the support of over 90 U.S. Representatives through two Congressional letters sent to the Obama Administration in November of 2015 and March of 2016.

ANCA leaders also highlighted the reckless nature of the “Madrid Principles,” which are being discussed in the context of a final settlement for Artsakh. Originally discussed in 2007 with the specifics largely kept secret until recently, the “Madrid Principles” set forth a proposed formula which purportedly calls for Artsakh’s up-front surrender of 7 regions of its sovereign territory in return for only a vague promise that Azerbaijan will allow a future “expression of will” that would determine its status, setting the stage for continued conflict and increased regional instability. The ANCA shared with Chairman Royce that the organization considers the “Madrid Principles” to be reckless, irresponsible and – as noted by many Members of Congress – not a sound recipe for peace.

Next month, ANCA leaders will join Chairman Royce at the In Defense of Christians (IDC) national advocacy convention in Washington, DC. The IDC convention, which is being sponsored by the ANCA, is seeking to safeguard health and welfare of the remaining Christians in the Middle East. During the 114th Congress, Chairman Royce was a powerful force in advancing legislation that led the Obama Administration to label the crimes against humanity occurring today against Christians, including Armenians, and other minorities in the Middle East – as a genocide.

The Armenian translation of Turkish historian Taner Akcam has been published in Yerevan, Akunq.net reports.

The book titled “Forced Islamization of Armenians: Silence, Denial and Assimilation” consists of three parts. In the first part the author speaks about the impossibility of an unbiased study of the Armenian Genocide issue in Turkey, about the difficulties and persecutions he has passed through.

The second part presents the story of discriminatory and biased discussions on the Turkish edition of Armenian Officer Sarkis Torossian’s Memoires, which raised a second wave of criticism against Taner Akcam, who tracked down Torossian’s family in America.

In the third part the author presents the policy of forces Islamization and assimilation of Armenians between 1915 and 1918. Taner Akcam describes this as a structural element of the Armenian Genocide.

The book has been translated and prepared for publication at the Research Center on Western Armenian Studies. Meline Anumyan has translated the book from Turkish, Haykazun Alvrtyan is the managing editor.

The book published under the sponsorship of the Jerair Nishanian Foundation is dedicated to the memory of the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide.

President Serzh Sargsyan today sent a cable of condolences to his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella over the that claimed tens of human lives and caused destructions. The message reads:

I express my deepest condolences and support to you and the families of the victims, whishing them endurance and strength of spirit. We pray for the health of those injured and wish them a speedy recovery.

I’m confident that due to consistent efforts of the Italian authorities the consequences of the earthquake will be eliminated as soon as possible.

Our hearts and thoughts are with the friendly people of Italy.

Photo: Reuters

 

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake has struck central Italy, leaving at least 37 people dead and 150 missing, as rescuers search for survivors, the BBC reports.

Many of the dead were in the village of Pescara del Tronto which was levelled to the ground and there were fears the number of casualties could rise.

Much of the town of Amatrice was reduced to rubble and a family of four were feared dead nearby in Accumoli.

The quake hit at 03:36 (01:36 GMT), 100km (65 miles) north-east of Rome.

Although it struck at a shallow depth of 10km, its intensity was compared to the Aquila earthquake in April 2009 in which 309 people died. The epicentre was around Accumoli where several people died.

The International Weightlifting Federation has declared that as a consequence of the IOC’s reanalyses of samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (IOC – wave 2), the samples of a number of athletes have returned Adverse Analytical Findings.

Gold medal winner in the 85kg weight category Andrey Ribakov of Belarus is among the athletes that failed the doping test. That means Armenia’s Tigran Martirosyan, who had won a bronze medal at Beijing Olympics, will now get the silver.

Martirosyan had lifted a combined 380 kg (177+203).

Photo: AFP

 

In the wake of the powerful earthquake that struck central Italy on Wednesday, Pope Francis at the General Audience postponed his prepared catechesis, and led the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square in the recitation of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary, Vatican Radio reports.

The Holy Father expressed his “heartfelt sorrow and spiritual closeness” to all those affected by the earthquake and its aftershocks. He said he was deeply saddened upon learning several children were among the dead, and of hearing of the total destruction of the town of Amatrice.

“I want to assure all the people of Accumuli, Amatrice, the Diocese of Rieti,Ascoli Piceno, and all the people of Lazio, Umbria, and Le Marche, of the prayers and close solidarity of the entire Church, who in these moments extends her merciful love, as well as the concern of all of us here in the Piazza, Pope Francis said.

He asked everyone to join him in prayer to Jesus, that the Lord might “console the broken-hearted, and, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, bring them peace.”

“With Jesus,” Pope Francis concluded, “let our hearts be moved with compassion.”

Photo: AFP

 

Heavy shelling of so-called Islamic State positions has marked the start of a Turkish offensive to drive the militants away from the Syrian border, teh BBC reports.

Military sources told Turkish media 70 targets in the Jarablus area had been destroyed by artillery and rocket strikes, and 12 by air strikes.

Turkish tanks are now reported to have crossed into Syria.

The operation is aimed in part at pre-empting any move by Syrian Kurds to establish themselves on the border.

Turkish special forces are already inside Syria as part of the offensive.

The Catholicosate of Cilicia held consultations on the lawsuit asking the Return of its historic Seat from Turkey, the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia reports.

Since his arrival in Geneva, His Holiness Aram I has been consulting with experts regarding the lawsuit asking from Turkey the Return of the historic Seat of the Catholicosate in Sis (Kozan).

Discussions focussed on the recent attempted coup in Turkey and its temporary suspension of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Catholicosate will keep the constituency informed of developments.

Photo: EPA

Turkey has bombarded so-called Islamic State (IS) targets in northern Syria amid reports Syrian rebels are to launch an offensive against the group, the BBC reports.

Artillery positions inside Turkey fired on IS as well as Kurdish YPG militia targets in the towns of Jarablus and Manbij.

Some 1,500 Turkish-backed Syrian rebels are thought to be in the Turkish town of Gaziantep waiting to attack.

This follows a bomb attack on a wedding there that killed more than 50 people

On 22 August Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited one of the borderline sections located in the south-eastern part of the republic, met there the command staff, got acquainted with the course of service and current situation.

RA and NKR defense ministers Seyran Ohanyan and Levon Mnatsakanyan and other officials partook at the meeting.