Armenian News...This will also appeal to a wider readership - Take a peak and you will be surprised!...
Message from Peter Shahbenderian
Clare and I have been asked to take a tour to Armenia from
the 27th April to the 5th May , (organised by Inscape Society,
Fine Art Study Tours).
Please see attachment for details.
For jazz music lovers
Tigran Hmasyan new CD, Mockroot on the Nonesuch label,
mediamax.am
ARMENIA TO CONDUCT DIRECT FLIGHTS TO IRAQI
arminfo.am
THE GLOBE THEATRE TO MAKE A TOUR TO ARMENIA IN
Please see attachment for details.
For jazz music lovers
Tigran Hmasyan new CD, Mockroot on the Nonesuch label,
has an exceedingly good review in the Evening Standard
awarded 4 stars out of 5.
".Hamasyan delivers his boldest effort yet..., wide-ranging influences
".Hamasyan delivers his boldest effort yet..., wide-ranging influences
including pop, dance and the folk music of his homeland..two
arrangements of traditional folk songs with their rollicking atmospheric
vocals... Hamasyan's big-hearted joie de vivre can be overwhelming.
.. not for the fainthearted "
PERMYAKOV WILL GO ON TRIAL IN GYUMRI
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 3 2015
Russian serviceman Valery Permyakov, who is accused of murdering
a family of seven in Armenia's northern city of Gyumri, will go on
trial in Armenia on the premises of Russia's military base there,
sources familiar with the situation said.
"Since the crime of the Avetisyan family's murder is being investigated
simultaneously by the Russian and Armenian sides, they are considering
the possibility of adopting a joint, consolidated indictment based
on Russian penal laws," one of the sources said.
"Everything that has been developed by Armenian investigators will
be transferred to the Russian side to be attached to the case file,"
the source noted.
As Vestnik Kavkaza previously reported, a family of six, including
a two-year-old child, were murdered in Gyumri, northern Armenia,
on January 12. The only survivor, six-month-old Sergei Avetisyan,
was hospitalized with stab wounds. He died on January 19.
The murder caused a wide resonance in Armenian society. As a result
of the negotiations of the Investigative Committees of Russia and
Armenia, an agreement to establish a headquarters to coordinate the
investigation was signed. It was agreed that Russian and Armenian
investigators will conduct a joint investigation, and the trial and
investigation into the murders will be held in Armenia.
The Press Secretary of the President of Russia, Dmitry Peskov,
commenting on the incident in Gyumri, said the case will be considered
by a Russian court.
RFE/RL Report
Armenia Seeks Jurisdiction Over Gyumri Massacre Suspect
Satenik Kaghzvantsian
03.02.2015
Armenia has formally asked Russia to extradite a Russian soldier
accused of murdering seven members of an Armenian family in Gyumri.
Prosecutor-General Gevorg Kostanian's office announced on Tuesday that
he has sent a letter to his Russian counterpart, Yury Chayka, saying
that the high-profile case should be transferred to Armenian
jurisdiction.
The office said Kostanian invoked a 1997 Russian-Armenian treaty
regulating the presence of a Russian military base in Armenia. It gave
no other details of the letter.
The Office of the Prosecutor-General revealed Kostanian's petition
just hours after a Russian news report said that Valery Permyakov, the
Russian conscript charged in the massacre, will be tried by a Russian
military court in Armenia. Citing an unnamed source close to the
investigation into the January 12 massacre, the Interfax news agency
said that the court will consider evidence collected not only by
Russian investigators but also their Armenian colleagues.
Permyakov has been kept under arrest at the Russian base's Gyumri
headquarters ever since being arrested, in still unclear
circumstances, 12 hours after a local couple, their daughter, son,
daughter-in-law and 2-year-old granddaughter were found dead in their
home. The seventh member of the Avetisian family, a 6-month-old baby
boy, died of his stab injuries a week later.
Kostanian's letter means that the Armenian authorities want Permyakov
to appear before an Armenian court and to be tried under Armenian law
-- something which has for weeks been demanded by many residents of
Gyumri. The latter believe that a Russian trial would facilitate a
cover-up of the gruesome crime.
About 2,000 Gyumri citizens staged a series of protests outside
government buildings and Russian facilities in Armenia's second
largest city last month. Some of them clashed with riot police near
the local Russian consulate on January 15.
Responding to the unprecedented protests, the Russian authorities
assured Armenians that they will spare no effort to solve the
killings. Later in January, the heads of powerful Russian and Armenian
law-enforcement bodies pledged to coordinate their separate criminal
investigations into the slaughter. Armenian investigators were
subsequently allowed to interrogate Permyakov.
Non-partisan activists who helped to organize the Gyumri protests
urged Moscow to grant Kostanian's request. "A [Russian] rebuff could
further escalate the situation," one of them, Karen Petrosian, told
RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). "It would be very prudent of
the Russian authorities to meet our legitimate demands and hand over
that person to Armenian law-enforcement bodies."
Another activist, Armen Nersisian, similarly warned that the protests
will reignite if the Russians remain adamant in having custody of
Permyakov. "If somebody thinks that our pressure on this issue has
eased they are wrong," he said. "The pain and shock in Gyumri has not
eased either."
Nersisian added that the soldier's handover is a matter of not only
justice but also "national dignity."
Kostanian pledged to appeal to the chief Russian prosecutor when he
was confronted by angry demonstrators in Gyumri on January 15. They
were incensed by his earlier statement that the Armenian side is not
seeking Permyakov's handover because Russia's constitution forbids the
extradition of Russian citizens to foreign states.
The treaty cited by Kostanian in his letter stipulates that Russian
military personnel charged with crimes committed outside their
installations in Armenia shall be prosecuted by Armenian
authorities. It requires Russian investigators to deal with offenses
happening within the military base. The Russians have charged
Permyakov with not only multiple murder but also desertion, meaning
that the 18-year-old can technically fall under both Russian and
Armenian jurisdictions.
US REDUCES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ARMENIA AGAIN
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 3 2015
The US administration has introduced a new budget for the financial
assistance to the countries of the South Caucasus in 2016.
The paper proposes cutting economic assistance to both Armenia and
Azerbaijan, while maintaining parity in military aid to these two
countries.
"The President's proposal of $18,360,000 in Economic Support Funds
for Armenia in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 would, if approved by Congress,
represent a record low in such aid since Armenia's independence,"
ArmInfo writes.
The Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America,
Aram Hamparian, is concerned about the Obama administration's
intentions. If the budget is approved, the Economic Support Fund
will provide $7,978,000 to Azerbaijan, $18.36 million to Armenia,
$50,552,000 to Georgia.
Foreign Military Financing to both Armenia and Azerbaijan amounts
to $1.7 million, Georgia is not funded. For international military
education and training, Azerbaijan will receive $600,000, Armenia -
$600,000, Georgia - $ 2.2 million.
PERMYAKOV WILL GO ON TRIAL IN GYUMRI
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 3 2015
Russian serviceman Valery Permyakov, who is accused of murdering
a family of seven in Armenia's northern city of Gyumri, will go on
trial in Armenia on the premises of Russia's military base there,
sources familiar with the situation said.
"Since the crime of the Avetisyan family's murder is being investigated
simultaneously by the Russian and Armenian sides, they are considering
the possibility of adopting a joint, consolidated indictment based
on Russian penal laws," one of the sources said.
"Everything that has been developed by Armenian investigators will
be transferred to the Russian side to be attached to the case file,"
the source noted.
As Vestnik Kavkaza previously reported, a family of six, including
a two-year-old child, were murdered in Gyumri, northern Armenia,
on January 12. The only survivor, six-month-old Sergei Avetisyan,
was hospitalized with stab wounds. He died on January 19.
The murder caused a wide resonance in Armenian society. As a result
of the negotiations of the Investigative Committees of Russia and
Armenia, an agreement to establish a headquarters to coordinate the
investigation was signed. It was agreed that Russian and Armenian
investigators will conduct a joint investigation, and the trial and
investigation into the murders will be held in Armenia.
The Press Secretary of the President of Russia, Dmitry Peskov,
commenting on the incident in Gyumri, said the case will be considered
by a Russian court.
RFE/RL Report
Armenia Seeks Jurisdiction Over Gyumri Massacre Suspect
Satenik Kaghzvantsian
03.02.2015
Armenia has formally asked Russia to extradite a Russian soldier
accused of murdering seven members of an Armenian family in Gyumri.
Prosecutor-General Gevorg Kostanian's office announced on Tuesday that
he has sent a letter to his Russian counterpart, Yury Chayka, saying
that the high-profile case should be transferred to Armenian
jurisdiction.
The office said Kostanian invoked a 1997 Russian-Armenian treaty
regulating the presence of a Russian military base in Armenia. It gave
no other details of the letter.
The Office of the Prosecutor-General revealed Kostanian's petition
just hours after a Russian news report said that Valery Permyakov, the
Russian conscript charged in the massacre, will be tried by a Russian
military court in Armenia. Citing an unnamed source close to the
investigation into the January 12 massacre, the Interfax news agency
said that the court will consider evidence collected not only by
Russian investigators but also their Armenian colleagues.
Permyakov has been kept under arrest at the Russian base's Gyumri
headquarters ever since being arrested, in still unclear
circumstances, 12 hours after a local couple, their daughter, son,
daughter-in-law and 2-year-old granddaughter were found dead in their
home. The seventh member of the Avetisian family, a 6-month-old baby
boy, died of his stab injuries a week later.
Kostanian's letter means that the Armenian authorities want Permyakov
to appear before an Armenian court and to be tried under Armenian law
-- something which has for weeks been demanded by many residents of
Gyumri. The latter believe that a Russian trial would facilitate a
cover-up of the gruesome crime.
About 2,000 Gyumri citizens staged a series of protests outside
government buildings and Russian facilities in Armenia's second
largest city last month. Some of them clashed with riot police near
the local Russian consulate on January 15.
Responding to the unprecedented protests, the Russian authorities
assured Armenians that they will spare no effort to solve the
killings. Later in January, the heads of powerful Russian and Armenian
law-enforcement bodies pledged to coordinate their separate criminal
investigations into the slaughter. Armenian investigators were
subsequently allowed to interrogate Permyakov.
Non-partisan activists who helped to organize the Gyumri protests
urged Moscow to grant Kostanian's request. "A [Russian] rebuff could
further escalate the situation," one of them, Karen Petrosian, told
RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). "It would be very prudent of
the Russian authorities to meet our legitimate demands and hand over
that person to Armenian law-enforcement bodies."
Another activist, Armen Nersisian, similarly warned that the protests
will reignite if the Russians remain adamant in having custody of
Permyakov. "If somebody thinks that our pressure on this issue has
eased they are wrong," he said. "The pain and shock in Gyumri has not
eased either."
Nersisian added that the soldier's handover is a matter of not only
justice but also "national dignity."
Kostanian pledged to appeal to the chief Russian prosecutor when he
was confronted by angry demonstrators in Gyumri on January 15. They
were incensed by his earlier statement that the Armenian side is not
seeking Permyakov's handover because Russia's constitution forbids the
extradition of Russian citizens to foreign states.
The treaty cited by Kostanian in his letter stipulates that Russian
military personnel charged with crimes committed outside their
installations in Armenia shall be prosecuted by Armenian
authorities. It requires Russian investigators to deal with offenses
happening within the military base. The Russians have charged
Permyakov with not only multiple murder but also desertion, meaning
that the 18-year-old can technically fall under both Russian and
Armenian jurisdictions.
US REDUCES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ARMENIA AGAIN
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 3 2015
The US administration has introduced a new budget for the financial
assistance to the countries of the South Caucasus in 2016.
The paper proposes cutting economic assistance to both Armenia and
Azerbaijan, while maintaining parity in military aid to these two
countries.
"The President's proposal of $18,360,000 in Economic Support Funds
for Armenia in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 would, if approved by Congress,
represent a record low in such aid since Armenia's independence,"
ArmInfo writes.
The Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America,
Aram Hamparian, is concerned about the Obama administration's
intentions. If the budget is approved, the Economic Support Fund
will provide $7,978,000 to Azerbaijan, $18.36 million to Armenia,
$50,552,000 to Georgia.
Foreign Military Financing to both Armenia and Azerbaijan amounts
to $1.7 million, Georgia is not funded. For international military
education and training, Azerbaijan will receive $600,000, Armenia -
$600,000, Georgia - $ 2.2 million.
mediamax.am
ARMENIA TO CONDUCT DIRECT FLIGHTS TO IRAQI
KURDISTAN
February 4, 2015 14:05
Yerevan /Mediamax/. Starting next week, Armenia will conduct direct
flights to Erbil, capital of Southern Kurdistan in Iraq.
"Horizon" weekly writes that Armenian Ambassador to Iraq Karen
Grigoryan said this during his meeting with Foreign Minister of
Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Foreign Minister Falah Mustafa.
According to the magazine, at his first visit to the Kurdistan Region,
Ambassador Karen Grigoryan stated that the approval to open Armenia's
consulate general in Erbil had been granted.
According to the Ambassador, the Armenian government is committed to
maintain and strengthen relations with Kurdistan Regional Government.
He expressed the hope that operation of direct flights will lead to
more economic and cultural exchanges between Kurdistan and Armenia.
The sides also discussed security and humanitarian challenges facing
the Kurdistan Region.
Mediamax recalls that last December, the Armenian language was
recognized one of the official languages in the Kurdistan Regional
Government in Iraq.
'UNANNOUNCED' WAR GAMES: ARMENIA SAYS AZERBAIJAN'S
February 4, 2015 14:05
Yerevan /Mediamax/. Starting next week, Armenia will conduct direct
flights to Erbil, capital of Southern Kurdistan in Iraq.
"Horizon" weekly writes that Armenian Ambassador to Iraq Karen
Grigoryan said this during his meeting with Foreign Minister of
Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Foreign Minister Falah Mustafa.
According to the magazine, at his first visit to the Kurdistan Region,
Ambassador Karen Grigoryan stated that the approval to open Armenia's
consulate general in Erbil had been granted.
According to the Ambassador, the Armenian government is committed to
maintain and strengthen relations with Kurdistan Regional Government.
He expressed the hope that operation of direct flights will lead to
more economic and cultural exchanges between Kurdistan and Armenia.
The sides also discussed security and humanitarian challenges facing
the Kurdistan Region.
Mediamax recalls that last December, the Armenian language was
recognized one of the official languages in the Kurdistan Regional
Government in Iraq.
'UNANNOUNCED' WAR GAMES: ARMENIA SAYS AZERBAIJAN'S
MILITARY EXERCISES VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL NORMS
05.02.15
GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
The large-scale military exercises that were recently launched by
Azerbaijan are held with violations of international agreements,
the Armenian Defense Ministry says. In a military expert's opinion,
meanwhile, these drills may be a prelude to "full-scale tensions".
On February 2, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry's press service
said that the country's armed forces launched "operational-tactical
exercises", which involve around 15,000 active servicemen and 5,000
reserve personnel. The attraction of the latter reportedly pursues
the goal of checking the army's mobilization capacity.
It is known that the exercises are being held upon Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev's instruction and are being led by two most
senior officers of the Azerbaijani Army, Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov
and his first deputy, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
Colonel-General Najmeddin Sadikov.
Reports also say that the exercises involve all types of army forces
- around 300 units of armored vehicles, more than 200 artillery
and anti-aircraft units, about 20 aircraft and air defense units,
including anti-aircraft missile systems.
However, Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan
on Wednesday told ArmeniaNow that these exercise are contrary to
Azerbaijan's international commitments, in particular, they are being
held with violations of the provisions of an OSCE Vienna document
that deals with prior notification of large military activities. The
document was upgraded in 2011 and came into force on October 17, 2012.
According to Hovhannisyan, the document envisages the order of
providing preliminary information about exercises, according to which
the Azerbaijani Republic should have informed the member states about
its exercise still on November 15, 2014.
"Even if the exercises were scheduled at a later date, in particular,
in January 2015, Azerbaijan was obliged to provide information on that
as soon as possible, the way it was done in 2014 by the Republic of
Armenia," the Defense Ministry spokesman said.
It is remarkable that during the last 10 months the armed forces of
Azerbaijan have conducted at least four major military exercises,
including in the immediate vicinity of the Line of Contact with
Nagorno-Karabakh and at the state border with Armenia.
The latest such exercises were only several months ago, in autumn.
First, Azerbaijan held exercises in September and then in November.
However, the February exercises in Azerbaijan are believed to be the
biggest ones in the last few years.
In November 2014, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh held joint military
drills entitled "Unity 2014", which involved 47,000 troops, around
900 armored vehicles and 2,000 pieces of artillery.
According to the political analyst, founder and president of the
Institute for International and Security Affairs Stepan Safaryan,
such intensive military exercises in Azerbaijan show that it still has
not given up its intentions to escalate and destabilize the situation
in the conflict zone.
"Last autumn they also had military exercises and this is the
second large-scale military drill after that. Let's not forget that
Azerbaijan's adventurous attacks last summer were also preceded
by exercises. I think that Azerbaijan does understand that it has
neither strength nor permission to wage a war, but it does indulge
in escalating the situation especially when there are Turkey and
Russia, which directly or indirectly contribute to it," the analysts
told ArmeniaNow.
05.02.15
GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
The large-scale military exercises that were recently launched by
Azerbaijan are held with violations of international agreements,
the Armenian Defense Ministry says. In a military expert's opinion,
meanwhile, these drills may be a prelude to "full-scale tensions".
On February 2, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry's press service
said that the country's armed forces launched "operational-tactical
exercises", which involve around 15,000 active servicemen and 5,000
reserve personnel. The attraction of the latter reportedly pursues
the goal of checking the army's mobilization capacity.
It is known that the exercises are being held upon Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev's instruction and are being led by two most
senior officers of the Azerbaijani Army, Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov
and his first deputy, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
Colonel-General Najmeddin Sadikov.
Reports also say that the exercises involve all types of army forces
- around 300 units of armored vehicles, more than 200 artillery
and anti-aircraft units, about 20 aircraft and air defense units,
including anti-aircraft missile systems.
However, Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan
on Wednesday told ArmeniaNow that these exercise are contrary to
Azerbaijan's international commitments, in particular, they are being
held with violations of the provisions of an OSCE Vienna document
that deals with prior notification of large military activities. The
document was upgraded in 2011 and came into force on October 17, 2012.
According to Hovhannisyan, the document envisages the order of
providing preliminary information about exercises, according to which
the Azerbaijani Republic should have informed the member states about
its exercise still on November 15, 2014.
"Even if the exercises were scheduled at a later date, in particular,
in January 2015, Azerbaijan was obliged to provide information on that
as soon as possible, the way it was done in 2014 by the Republic of
Armenia," the Defense Ministry spokesman said.
It is remarkable that during the last 10 months the armed forces of
Azerbaijan have conducted at least four major military exercises,
including in the immediate vicinity of the Line of Contact with
Nagorno-Karabakh and at the state border with Armenia.
The latest such exercises were only several months ago, in autumn.
First, Azerbaijan held exercises in September and then in November.
However, the February exercises in Azerbaijan are believed to be the
biggest ones in the last few years.
In November 2014, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh held joint military
drills entitled "Unity 2014", which involved 47,000 troops, around
900 armored vehicles and 2,000 pieces of artillery.
According to the political analyst, founder and president of the
Institute for International and Security Affairs Stepan Safaryan,
such intensive military exercises in Azerbaijan show that it still has
not given up its intentions to escalate and destabilize the situation
in the conflict zone.
"Last autumn they also had military exercises and this is the
second large-scale military drill after that. Let's not forget that
Azerbaijan's adventurous attacks last summer were also preceded
by exercises. I think that Azerbaijan does understand that it has
neither strength nor permission to wage a war, but it does indulge
in escalating the situation especially when there are Turkey and
Russia, which directly or indirectly contribute to it," the analysts
told ArmeniaNow.
arminfo.am
THE GLOBE THEATRE TO MAKE A TOUR TO ARMENIA IN
OCTOBER
by Karina Manukyan
February 5, 15:43
The Globe Theatre (London) will give a performance in Armenia within
the frames of a world tour dedicated to the 450th anniversary of
William Shakespeare.
The Globe Theatre marks Shakespeare's anniversary on a large scale.
Under the "Globe to Globe. Hamlet", large-scale project, "Hamlet"
will be staged in almost all countries within 2 years. Starting from
January 2015, it will be performed in 11 states, including Portugal,
Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya.
In October 2015, The Globe will make a tour to Armenia, Georgia,
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. the official
website of the Theatre reports.
The "Globe to Globe. Hamlet" project was launched on 18 April 2014
and will last till April 2016.
by Karina Manukyan
February 5, 15:43
The Globe Theatre (London) will give a performance in Armenia within
the frames of a world tour dedicated to the 450th anniversary of
William Shakespeare.
The Globe Theatre marks Shakespeare's anniversary on a large scale.
Under the "Globe to Globe. Hamlet", large-scale project, "Hamlet"
will be staged in almost all countries within 2 years. Starting from
January 2015, it will be performed in 11 states, including Portugal,
Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya.
In October 2015, The Globe will make a tour to Armenia, Georgia,
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. the official
website of the Theatre reports.
The "Globe to Globe. Hamlet" project was launched on 18 April 2014
and will last till April 2016.
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