Category: News

Armenian cellist, Gold Medal winner in 2011 Tchaikovsky Competition Narek Hakhnazaryan will mark his Australian debut in a series of concerts scheduled for May 4-7, according to the official website of the Sydney Opera House.

Two vastly different Russian voices will meet in the concerts – Tchaikovsky’s elegant and graceful Rococo Variations and the fierce and exciting Leningrad Symphony by Shostakovich.

Shostakovich said his mighty  Leningrad  Symphony was ‘how I hear the war’. It was written in a besieged city, its creation an act of defiance. After its premiere in 1942 it was smuggled to the West, its musical and political impact quickly felt everywhere.  Even today the music is full of emotional power, from a mood of tragedy to the spirit of heroism and hope.

The  Rococo  Variations for cello and orchestra makes a complete contrast: graceful music inspired by Tchaikovsky’s favorite composer, Mozart. And we’ve invited Paul Stanhope to write a companion work. The soloist is a young Armenian cellist, Gold Medal winner in 2011 Tchaikovsky Competition, making his Australian debut.

A band performs music by Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian at Stachus, a large square in central Munich.

Video by Elza Manukyan

A coalition of 14 national anti-genocide and human rights groups, led by the Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region (ANCA-ER), have called on The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, and The Philadelphia Inquirer to issue a formal apology for the placement of advertisements denying the Armenian Genocide in their publications and urged an advertisement policy review to prevent similar incidents in the future.

In letters sent to the publications this week, the coalition explains that “the website linked to in the advertisement clearly denies the Armenian Genocide in several ways, including by disputing the number of people killed, referring to the genocide as a ‘destructive conflict,’ or the ‘1915 tragedy.’  While the coded language used on the website may be unfamiliar to outsiders, we are all too familiar with the use of this language as a tool for denial.”  The letters went on to note that “the advertisement was run by an organization called the ‘Turkic Platform,’ a propaganda group that aims to distract conversation from Turkey’s role in the Armenian Genocide through the use of billboard and newspaper advertisements and other activities.”

ANCA-ER’s Armen Sahakyan thanked coalition partners for taking a “principled and unequivocal stance against the denial of the Armenian Genocide. We will continue our active work in further promoting the anti-genocide alliance to speak with one, united voice against all cases of genocide and/or their denial.”

Leaders of A Demand for Action; Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region; Asia Minor and Pontos Hellenic Research Center; Carl Wilkens Fellowship; Darfur Interfaith Network; Genocide Watch; Hellenic American Leadership Council; In Defense of Christians; International Association of Genocide Scholars; Jewish World Watch; Students Taking Action Now: Darfur (STAND); Stop Genocide Now; Together We Remember; and United to End Genocide co-signed the letters which outline three concrete requests:

• A formal apology to readers for running the ad, including to those who are victims or descendants of victims of the Armenian Genocide;
•  A policy review to ensure the newspaper will no longer accept advertisements which promote hate speech and genocide denial; and
•  A meeting with senior staff of the newspaper’s advertising department to better understand the policy under which the newspaper accepted the ad.

On April 20^th, the Istanbul-based Turkic Platform began a U.S.–wide advertisement blitz denying the Armenian Genocide,  spending millions on full page print newspaper ads, online news site ads and billboards. Backlash from the ad campaign has been significant with grassroots action leading to ClearChannel Outdoor first pulling its billboards in Boston, Chicago and San Francisco and then stopping the campaign nationwide.  Some newspapers, including the San Jose Mercury News, issued apologies and pledged a full review of their ad placement policy.

 

 

 

The Armenian Ministry of Transport and Communication has launched the .Armenian: domain, which will work along the English language .am domain name. President:.Armenian:  will be the first official website to be registered in the Armenian script.

The current .am domain was assigned to the Republic of Armenia in 1994, the Internet Society NGO got the right to register it in the same year. The same NGO retains the right to manage the .Armenian: domain.

The registration process started back in 2012, Vice-President of the Internet Society NGO Grigory Saghyan told reporters today. He noted that “writing in the Armenian script is compulsory for the system to recognize the website you are trying to access.”

For accessing websites registered on the Armenian: domain from abroad it will be necessary to install an Armenian keyboard, and the Windows provides that opportunity.

The Ministry of Transport and Communication has offered all state bodies to register their websites on the Armenian: domain. The cost is the same as with the .am – 9-10 thousand AMD for registration and 1,000 AMD monthly service fee.

150 applications have already been submitted for registration, of which 70 are government agencies.

Prior to the approval by a Turkish parliamentary committee of a bill stripping parliamentarians of their immunity, a physical fight broke out on May 2 between members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and the ruling Justice and Development (AKP) party. , both physically and through hate speech. Paylan called the attack a premeditated “lynching” campaign in a press statement on May 3. This was the second fight in parliament in the past five days.

In a statement following the attack, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) said it had repeatedly and unsuccessfully called on the U.S. government to condemn the political prosecution, persecution, and threats directed against Agos Editor Hrant Dink prior to his 2007 murder. The statement reads:

“Prior to his 2007 murder on the streets of Istanbul, the ANCA repeatedly – but, ultimately, unsuccessfully – called on the U.S. government to condemn the political prosecution, persecution and threats directed against this courageous Armenian journalist for his “crime” of speaking honestly about the Armenian Genocide

American presidents like calling for a “full, frank and just acknowledgement of the facts,” as long as they’re not the ones doing the acknowledging. Brave talk, but no action, a sad surrender to foreign pressure.

It was Hrant – living under Erdogan’s dagger – who demonstrated the courage that U.S. leaders lacked.

Despite all our efforts and the clear facts on the ground, the U.S. Department of State and The White House could not find their way to utter even one public word in his defense. One expression of concern. One word on his behalf. That is, until his death.

It was only after Hrant Dink was murdered in cold blood that the U.S. government found its voice, condemning a murder it did nothing to prevent.

Let us work to ensure that the same fate does not befall Garo Paylan – a truth teller and peace maker who deserves the support, not the silence, of the elected representatives of the American people.”

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan received today Iran’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Seyed Kazem Sajadi. The parties discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation and regional security.

The Armenian Defense Minister informed the Ambassador about the agreements reached in Moscow with his Azerbaijani counterpart.

Minister Ohanyan also briefed Ambassador Sajadi on the situation around Nagorno Karabakh and the recent aggressive actions of Azerbaijan.

Seyed Kazem Sajadi expressed his concern over the current situation and pledged his willingness to make all efforts to maintain peace and stability.

The Iranian Ambassador emphasized the importance of bilateral cooperation in the defense sphere.

 

 

 

The recognition of NKR independence will lead to a solution of the issue, but will transfer it to a new stage, Director of the Armenian branch of the CIS Institute Alexander Markarov told reporters today. According to him, the issue of recognition will be brought into agenda if Azerbaijan unleashes more serious military actions, as this will allow Armenia to once again insist that Azerbaijan is unable to solve the issue in a peaceful way.

Political scientist Sergey Shakaryants says the recognition of NKR has numerous layers with corresponding consequences. According to him, the real recognition takes place in the nation’s subconsciousness. He believes the recognition is untimely today as it had to have been done much earlier.

Shakaryants considers that recognition would not impede the negotiation process, and there are examples of it. He says that if Armenia recognizes Nagorno Karabakh and sings a corresponding agreement with the latter, all countries tied with Armenia by different agreements will have to take this into account.

“We’ll resort to recognition of Artsakh, when we see all other options are excluded. Recognition will mean Nagorno Karabakh moves to a category of semi-recognized states.  In that case it will have some level of sovereignty, which will be somewhat restricted. In any case, recognition will mean Armenia has not seen any other option,” Markarov said.

Speech of the Foreign Minister of Armenia at the EU Eastern Partnership and Visegrad Four Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Dear colleagues,

I would like to thank the Visegrad Four Czech Presidency and Lubomir for hosting this ministerial meeting.

Last year we had an opportunity to host in Yerevan the representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs of the V4 countries to discuss the possibilities of deepening of Armenia-V4 ties.

2015 was a special year for the Armenia-EU cooperation including intensive dialogue and high-level visits. The launch of the negotiations on the future Armenia – EU framework agreement last December will enable us to lay a new legal foundation for our relations. Armenia has joined or is in the process of joining a number of the EU programs: COSME, Horizon 2020, Creative Europe. We look forward to start soon visa liberalization dialogue and negotiations on the Aviation agreement.

Riga Summit Joint Declaration reaffirmed our shared vision of the Partnership based on common values, mutual interests and commitments. The Summit also reiterated full support to the efforts by the co-chairs of the Minsk Group on the peaceful negotiated solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, based on the five statements of Presidents of the Minsk group Co-chair countries adopted since 2009. We all remember, how Azerbaijan tried to block the entire Riga Summit declaration because of the reference to the Minsk Group Co-Chair countries Presidents’ statements.

However, the calls of the international community on the exclusively peaceful settlement of the issue were continuously neglected by Baku. In early April, the large-scale military aggressive actions unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh, resulted in many killed and wounded, along with the gross violations of the international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Despite the repeated calls of the Co-Chairs of the Minsk group for the unconditional implementation of the trilateral ceasefire agreement of 1994 and the agreement on the consolidation of the ceasefire of 1995, signed by Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, Baku is attempting to put under the question the validity of those documents, by distributing appropriate letters in the OSCE and the UN. Those attempts were failed due to prompt reaction of the Minsk group co-chair states, calling for full respect of 1994-1995 ceasefire agreements.

Azerbaijan has continued the violations, concentrating heavy weaponry and military forces along the entire Line of Contact with Nagorno-Karabakh, further increasing its warmongering and launching a provocative propaganda campaign on international arena trying to accuse the Armenian side in exactly what it is itself doing, thus preparing ground for new military attacks which can have far-reaching consequences for the whole region.

Today, it is imperative to preclude the future reoccurrence of what happened in the beginning of April, to ensure that the dangerous attempts on seeking military solution to the issue will be effectively curbed. The implementation of the confidence building measures proposed by the Co-chairs will certainly serve that purpose, including the creation of the mechanism of investigation for the violations of the cease-fire and capacity enhancement of the team of the Personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. Such concrete steps could allow to restore the negotiation environment and continue the peace process.

Dear Colleagues,

Armenia will spare no efforts working together with the co-chair countries towards the exclusively peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Thank you.

At a joint press conference of the Eastern Partnership and Visegrad Four Foreign Ministers in Prague the correspondent of the “Orer” Czech-Armenian magazine raised the issue of recent tension at the Nagorno Karabakh line of contact, the beheading of NKR Defense Army soldiers,  and the subsequent awarding of the highest honour to the war criminal. The journalist asked the Foreign Ministers why they failed to give a political evaluation to this DAESH-ISIS-style behaviour of both the soldier, and the president, and the country itself.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov preferred to avoid answering the question and speak about the situation at the line of contact instead, accusing the Armenian side of provocations.

In response to that Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stated: “A very long lecture, but no answer to a very direct and very clear question. Because I agree that enough is enough, to proclaim murderers as national heroes of Azerbaijan. It was done with Ramil Safarov and now, you know all the brutalities during a very large scale, very well planned and prepared aggressive military operations against Nagorno-Karabakh and during those operations, DAESH-style brutalities, maybe not DAESH-style, but Baku-style, because before it was the case of Ramil Safarov. Three captured Armenian soldiers were beheaded, and their heads were demonstrated in the villages and cities of Azerbaijan. And one of the murderers was proclaimed just two days ago by the Azerbaijani President as a national hero.

I will not go to the deep of the history of this conflict, but it is well-known that the conflict was created by the aggression of Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh with the use of mercenaries, closely linked to notorious terrorist organizations. The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister recalled the four resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. Why four? Because after the adoption of each resolution, Azerbaijan rejected to respect them. And four resolutions were adopted with one goal – to stop hostilities. Azerbaijan did not respect it. Till now, after the ceasefire agreement was reached in 1994 on trilateral basis, signed by Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, and they have no time limitations, the three Co-Chair countries, by the way, these are very well known facts for everybody, permanent members of the Security Council, never made any reference to those resolutions of the SC. Because the SC resolutions were adopted, as I said, to have a cease-fire. And the cease-fire was adopted later on, in 1994, May, by the abovementioned trilateral agreement, then confirmed in July 1994, and then in February 1995.

By the way, during this operation, the last operation, the Azerbaijani diplomats were trying to present the situation as if those agreements are not in force. A Note Verbale was sent to Vienna, to the Secretariat of the OSCE saying those agreements are not in force. My colleague told the three Co-Chairs that the Ambassador of Azerbaijan had no instruction to do that, it was unilateral, a personal initiative. And the three Co-Chairs, because Note Verbale was not withdrawn, were obliged to send their own Verbal Note saying, no, the three agreements of 1994, 1995 have no time limitations, and they have to be respected and fully implemented, and the oral arrangement reached on April 5th, 2016, in Moscow pursued the goal of stopping hostilities, to restore the ceasefire agreements of 1994, 1995.

Later on, another Azerbaijani diplomat distributed another Note Verbale in New York, in the UN. Again my colleague told the three Co-Chairs that it was without his instructions, the diplomat had just initiated it on a personal basis and distributed this letter. But because this Note Verbale was not withdrawn, so the three Co-Chair countries, just to remind they are the three permanent members of the UN security Council – Russia, United States and France – they were obliged to distribute last Saturday a letter saying that the trilateral ceasefire agreements reached in 1994, 1995 have to be fully respected.

What do we have today? Very negative consequences of this aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh, the aggression at the beginning of April. And we have to continue our efforts together with the three Co-Chairs to restore a negotiating environment and to assure, guarantee no repetition of such kind of things, which happened in the beginning of April, and first of all to implement the proposal of the Co-Chairs to create the mechanism of investigation of the violation of the ceasefire, rejected by Azerbaijan, accepted by Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. And another proposal – to increase, to enhance, to make stronger the capacities of the office and the team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the ground, but not to reduce the capacities of this team, that Azerbaijan is trying to do.

That is what we have, and Armenia will continue its efforts together with the three Co-Chair countries to find an exclusively peaceful, negotiated solution for this conflict.”

Photo by Danny Liao

 

By Liz Ohanesian

Sona Movsesian applied to be a production assistant on Conan O’Brien’s late-night talk show — and ended up becoming his assistant. The San Gabriel Valley native has been a part of the famed comedian’s team beginning with his West Coast stint on NBC, through the live tour that followed his well-documented breakup with the network, and through the move to TBS, his show’s current home. “Honestly, it has not stopped being one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Movsesian says.

A television obsessive, Movsesian says she watches “a staggering amount of television,” adding that she once watched five seasons of Friday Night Lights in a week. When she was a student at USC, Movsesian thought she would work in film. Then she landed an internship at NBC and fell for the small-screen life. From there, she got into the network’s page program and her career path was set.

She never intended to be on camera, but Movsesian has become a familiar face to the Conan audience. She’s the assistant whose fury over a missing coffee mug sparked O’Brien’s interrogation of the show’s staff. Her apartment was the starting point for a Magic Mike XXL girls’ night out that the boss and a camera crew joined. Movsesian’s star turn, though, came last fall when Team Coco headed to Armenia.

Movsesian, who is of Armenian heritage, inspired the episode. “I wish I could take credit and say that I pitched going to Armenia, but it wasn’t me,” she says. “It was Conan.”

Born in Montebello and raised in Hacienda Heights, Movsesian is the daughter of ethnic Armenian parents who immigrated to the United States from Turkey. “It’s not that I’ve been very vocal about being Armenian, but I think when you’re a first-generation Armenian-American, it’s very hard to hide the fact that you’re Armenian,” she says. “I think that Conan just absorbed the fact that I’m very in tune with my culture and I had never been to Armenia.”

The trip was a big deal for Movsesian, a chance to make an excursion that’s seen as a pilgrimage of sorts for members of the Armenian diaspora. It also was a project that made her a little nervous. She was the only Armenian involved in making the episode and worried that something might inadvertently offend those who share her heritage. “My concern was, what if this thing is a huge disaster and I’m excommunicated from the Armenian community completely?” she says.

That didn’t happen. In fact, the positive reaction was greater than she’d expected. “Now, the amount of Armenians from all over the world who contact me, who tweet at me, who send me Facebook messages,” she says, “I never anticipated that in a million years.” Movsesian became Armenian-famous, something that became fodder for a joke on the show after she rode on the “Discover Armenia” float in the 2016 Rose Parade.

While Movsesian has received a lot of attention for “Conan in Armenia,” she gives the credit for the episode’s success to others on the team. “The fact that they did it without having been part of the culture, to me, is really the success of the episode,” she says. “I think that, to me, was the most touching part of it.”