On 22 February NKR President Bako Sahakyan signed a decree, awarding writer and Armenian studies expert Kim Bakshi with the “Gratitude” medal for substantial contribution to the popularization of the Artsakh’s cultural heritage and in connection with the 85th birthday, Central Information Department of the Office of the Artsakh Republic President reports.
Category: News
Azerbaijan fired 1,200 shots over the weekend
The Azerbaijani side used weapons of different caliber as it fired more 1,200 shots in the direction of the Armenian positions over the weekend, the NKR Defense Ministry reports.
Front divisions of the NKR Defense Army have mostly refrained from retaliatory actions and have confidently carried out their military duty.
Syrian explosions kill more than 100
Photo: AFP
Bomb blasts in the Syrian cities of Homs and Damascus have left more than 100 people dead, monitors and state media say.
In Homs, at least 57 people, mainly civilians, were killed in a double car bombing, a monitoring group reported.
At least four blasts later struck the southern Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab, causing at least 50 deaths, the BBC reports.
So-called Islamic State has said it carried out the Damascus blasts.
Both Damascus and Homs have been targeted by Islamic State (IS) militants in the past.
Both attacks targeted areas dominated by minorities within Islam reviled by the Sunni Muslim radicals of IS.
In Homs, the blasts happened in a predominantly Alawite district, the sect to which President Bashar al-Assad belongs.
In Damascus, at least four explosions were reported in Sayyida Zeinab, the location of Syria’s holiest Shia Muslim shrine, said to contain the grave of the Prophet Muhammad’s granddaughter.
State television reported at least 50 dead and 200 wounded. Other reports put the death toll higher.
Homs, one of the early centres of the uprising against President Assad, was once dubbed the “capital of the revolution”.
But rebels left the city late last year under a ceasefire deal, leaving the city in government hands.
Russia deploys advanced aircraft to Armenia
Photo: Kirill Kallinikov / Sputnik
Russia has sent five additional Mig-29 fighter jets and a multipurpose helicopter to its military base in Armenia, the Defense Ministry reported, Russia Today reports.
The aircraft have been transported to a military airfield in the Armenian capital of Yerevan and will soon arrive at Erebuni airfield, where planes attached to the 102th military are based, the command for the South-Eastern Military District said on Saturday.
“Soon military engineers will assemble generation 4+ fighter jets and the Mi-8MT helicopter, which will then enter service,” the report said.“The unit’s pilots will start practice flights on the new Mig-29s in mid-March.”
Four of the fighter jets are regular Mig-29s, which were recently overhauled. Another one is an upgraded Mig-29S version, which has double the payload amounting to four tons and several other improvements. The new aircraft strengthen the 18 Mig-29s and 7 Mi-24P helicopter gunships already based at Erebuni.
Tracing family roots: First Armenian Genealogy conference planned for April
An Armenian Genealogy Conference will take place April 9-10 in Watertown. The conference, which grew out of the group on Facebook, will feature several speakers on various topics regarding Armenian genealogy, history, geography, and presentations on different organizations and initiatives, the reports.
George Aghjayan, a retired actuary and one of the conference organizers, noted that the study of Armenian genealogy has grown substantially over the last decade, and that organizing a conference was a necessary step. “Advances in technology have allowed access to information previously thought unattainable,” said Aghjayan, who hopes the conference will become an annual event.
Aghjayan has been working with Tracy Rivest Keeney and Mark Arslan to organize the conference, which is co-sponsored by the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), Project Save Armenian Photograph Archives, Inc., Houshamadyan, the Armenian Museum of America (AMA), and Hamazkayin Boston. During the weekend, participants—both beginner and advanced—will learn how to carry out genealogical research specific to Armenians and will take part in workshops, during which experienced volunteers will help answer questions, teach how to get started, and how to go beyond existing research.
“The recent proliferation and acceptance of social media has allowed a level of collaboration on genealogical and historical research never before possible,” Arslan told the Weekly. He noted that the Armenian Genealogy Facebook group has brought together people from the Armenian Diaspora worldwide, as well as the Republic of Armenia—individuals who share a passionate interest in learning more about their Armenian families and heritage. “The collective knowledge of our online community is amazing, everyone brings their own special talents to uncover genealogical treasures from the primary records online and in archives, as well as shares their own family anecdotes, memories, and experiences,” he said.
The conference will take place at the Armenian Museum of America
Perspectives of development of Armenia-Iran economic ties
President Serzh Sargsyan will hold a series of consultations with Armenian Ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions in foreign countries and international organizations to discuss the opportunities of furthering Armenia’s economic interests, the perspectives of implementation of new projects, development of ties in a number of spheres.
The first meeting of the series was dedicated to issues on the agenda of Armenia-Iran relations, the ongoing programs and new initiatives. The discussion featured Armenia’s Ambassador to Iran Artashes Tumanyan, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Karen Chshmarityan, Minister of Transport and Communication Gagik Beglaryan, other officials.
President Sargsyan asked Armenia’s Ambassador Artashes Tumanyan to report on a wide range of issues on the bilateral agenda. “Naturally, the lifting of sanctions against Iran has opened perspectives for the implementation of new programs in a number of fields. I would like to know about Armenia’s chances of becoming a key transit route for Iran,” the President said.
Cooperation in the field of energy was the second important issue outlined by President Sargsyan. He stressed the need for establishment of additional infrastructures and generating capacities.
Another issue high on the agenda of today’s consultations was Armenia’s investment capacity, especially considering that it’s the only member state of the Eurasian Economic Union sharing a land border with Iran.
Ambassador Tumanyan reported that the constriction of the third high-voltage power line is under way and will be completed by 2018. He said that serving as a transport corridor is of fundamental importance to Armenia. He referred to a recent statement by Iran’s Transport Minister about his country’s state policy of “four corridors,” one of which passes through Armenia.
“Two important political events have taken place in the region. First, the economic and financial sanctions against Iran have been lifted. Second, our country has become a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. The two developments are fundamental for building our economic policy,” Artashes Tumanyan said.
At the end of the consultations, President Sargsyan gave instructions to the participants of the consultation and involved agencies.
Community rallies in support of Syrian Armenians
Asbarez – Over 100 community members gathered at the St. Mary’s Church hall for a Community Rally organized by the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund.
The Rally’s guest speaker was Rev. Haroutune Selimian, President of the Armenian Evangelical Community of Syria as well as a member of the Central Committee of Syrian- Armenian Emergency Relief and Reconstruction Organization.
“It is important for our community to hear first-hand from individuals on the ground in Syria,” said Mher Tavidian, a member of the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund. “Rev. Selimian gave us a glimpse into what the Armenian communities in Syria need and the realistic effects of where the relief funds money is going.”
The rally started with opening remarks by SARF Committee member Vazken Madenlian which reminded the community of the SARF “Save a Life” Telethon which is set to take place this Sunday, February 21 from 2 to 8 p.m. Following his remarks, Rev. Selimian took the stage to discuss the situation in Syria for Armenians and the effects SARF has had on the community.
“Many in the community have asked how long we should continue to keep fighting for our Community in Syria instead of evacuating them,” exclaimed Rev. Selimian. “Of course we must keep the community alive. Today is the day that we stay, not the day that we leave. We must protect our communities, the war will end and our community will thrive again.”
Rev. Selimian continued by thanking every single Armenian-American community member who heeded the call for help and supported SARF and its activities and urged the community to support the SARF Telethon.
“SARF has supported thousands of families so that they can continue their lives not only in the present, but for the future as well,” said Selimian.
“The Last Inhabitant” slated for release during Golden Apricot Film Festival
“The Last Inhabitant,” a film directed by Jivan Avetisyan is slated for release later this year. The film tracks the events of 1988-1989 and shows how the Sumgait massacre affected the human destinies.
The shooting of the film was completed last year. The soundtrack of the film is currently being recorded in Armenia.
The music scored by System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian will be performed by the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hover State Chamber Choir.
“The Last Inhabitant” is about an Armenian village that has been forcibly emptied of its residents. The film’s main character, Abgar, lives with his mentally ill daughter. After Azerbaijanis enter the village and attempt to rape his daughter, Abgar has no choice other than fighting to ensure her safety.
The film stars world-renowned Iranian actor Homayoun Ershadi, Sandra Daukšaitė, Armenian actors Sos Janibekyan, Aleksander Khachatryan, Naira Muradyan, Anne Bedian, Babken Chobanyan.
The film will be presented to public during the 2016 Golden Apricot Film Festival.
OSCE MG format effective in many ways, says Russian Foreign Ministry
Members of the OSCE Minsk Group themselves should solve the issue of modifying the existing format on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, said Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson of Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Feb. 18.
She made the remarks in response to a question of Trend correspondent on the possibility of holding an expanded meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group.
“The current format has been approved, and it is widely recognized and effective in many ways,” said Zakharova. “Of course, everyone would like to have better results, however this format works.”
Earlier, Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström said in Baku that Sweden offers to convene an enlarged meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
“If there is a need for a meeting in a broader format for the conflict settlement, we, as an OSCE Minsk Group member, are willing to participate in it,” she added.
Russia grants $200 million loan to Armenia for purchasing weapons
The Russian government and the Armenian authorities have signed an agreement providing a ten-year state export loan to Armenia with the payment deferral until early 2018, Russian media inform, quoting a report on the official legal data portal.
“The Russian side is providing the Armenian side with a state export loan of up to $200 million for financing the delivery of Russian military products in line with the list contained in Appendix No1 to this agreement,” the report said.
According to the Appendix, Armenia will buy Russian Smerch rocket launchers and ammunition, Igla-S air defense missile systems, Avtobaza-M ground-based radar jamming and deception systems, the TOS-1A heavy flame-throwing systems with transporter-loader vehicles, 9M113M guided missiles, RPG-26 grenade launchers, Dragunov sniper rifles, Tiger armored vehicles, engineering means and communication systems.
The list may be adjusted with the mutual written consent of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation and the Armenian Defense Ministry, the report said. Armenia will spend the loan on funding up to 90 percent of the cost of each contract for the delivery of military products, with the settlements to be done in Russian rubles. Upfront payments will amount to at least 10 percent of the cost of each contract and will provided done by the Armenian side to Russian authorized entities in Russian rubles.