Monthly Archives: June 2012
Encounters with Syrian-Armenians in Yerevan: 1970 and Today
There’s talk here in Armenia about what’s going on in Syria and what this means for Armenians living there. Open a newspaper or listen to the radio and you’ll see this and that analyst giving their take on the civil war now raging in Homs, Damascus, Aleppo and points in between. Mostly, these commentators talk […]
Where Do We Go from Here? Notes from a ‘Tourist’ in Diyarbakir
The Turkish version of the following article appeared in the July 20, 2012 issue of Ozgur Haber, a daily newspaper published in Diyarbakir/Dikranagerd. I sit in my room, in Diyarbakir’s old Deliller Kervansaray. I draw the curtains shut, and lay down on my belly. I am content in my temporary seclusion, hidden from the bustling […]
An old established Armenian business in Istanbul
One of the oldest established Armenian businesses in Istanbul, BerKac has survived the political and economic turmoil in Turkey, yet it has remained steadfast serving its community that it was established for. Like many family run businesses, it has undergone the traditional business transition of handing over from father to child, or in this case […]
Controversial text book about Armenians sparks stir in Turkey
The Ministry of Education has defended a school text book that includes slurs about Armenians as well as a number of Turkish writers, saying the book was “written with the sense of national reflex and humorous criticism.” Penned by Yunus Zeyrek, the book, titled “Bu Dosyayı Kaldırıyorum: Ermeni Meselesi” (“Closing this File: The Armenian Issue”) […]
Armenia Admonishes Azerbaijan at BSCE Summit
ISTANBUL—Efforts by Azerbaijan to politicize the Black Sea Economic Cooperation were thwarted when head of the Armenian delegation admonished Azerbaijan for discussing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at a forum that “cannot become a platform for political discussions and accusations.” During a presentation to the summit, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said conflict was a major barrier to […]
How an Army of Bears Is Saving a Town
In the town of Berd in northern Armenia’s Tavush province, a group of women knit little arms and legs, strawberry-shaped torsos, round heads, and half-moon ears and snouts. When all the pieces are stuffed and attached, plump little bears stare back and smile. These are the Berd Bears, a small army of cuddly pals that […]
Q&A with Singer, Songwriter Tamar Kaprielian
NEW YORK (A.W.)–Weekly contributor Lori Cinar recently had the chance to interview Tamar Kaprelian, a budding singer-songwriter originally from Arizona whose new album, “California,” was released on June 19. Read on to find out about her life, influences, and plans for the future. Lori Cinar: Where are you originally from? Where do you live now? […]
Հաշմանդամային սպորտի 10-րդ փառատոնն ավարտվեց
Կարմիր Խաչի հետնվնասվածքային վերականգնողական կենտրոնում տեղի ունեցավ Հայաստանի Ազգային Պարալիմպիկ կոմիտեի կազմակերպած հաշմանդամների 10-րդ հանրապետական մարզական փառատոնը, որին մասնակցեցին բոլոր մարզերի 90 մարզիկներ: Նրանք պայքարեցին վեց մարզաձեւերում` հաշմանդամային բասկետբոլ, ծանրամարտ, բազկամարտ, լող, շախմատ, սեղանի թենիս: Բացման արարողությանը ներկա էին Հայաստանի Ազգային Պարալիմպիկ կոմիտեի նախագահ Հակոբ Աբրահամյանը, Սպորտի եւ երիտասարդության հարցերի նախարարության ներկայացուցիչներ, Աշխատանքի եւ սոցիալակն […]
Congress May Cut off Aid to Turkey for Hosting Sudan’s Genocidal President
A Congressional committee adopted an amendment last month that would suspend U.S. foreign aid to any country hosting a visit by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Members of Congress intend to isolate this brutal leader and help bring him to court for his crimes in Darfur. Congress decided to take this action after several countries, including […]
AYF Olympics Braces for Tidal Wave
Visitors sitting poolside at this year’s Boston AYF Olympics could very well get caught up in a Detroit “Kopernik Tandourjian” tsunami. Expected to compete this year is a K-T trio unlike anything the organization has ever seen. All three have qualified to participate in the USA Olympic Trials in an attempt to make the swim […]
Home at Last: An AYFer Visits Historic Armenia
When I was asked to accompany my father on a trip to Turkey, I was struck with conflicting feelings: Should I visit a place that was responsible for the massacres of my family, as well as many other Armenian families? Should I spend money in a place that took money and valuables from the people […]
Keghi Interrupted: Treasuring Moments in Manure
I took each step with caution, placing one foot in front of the other with the precision of a tightrope dancer. I carefully traced the edge of the crumbling wall, where the earth was dry. Just a few inches to my right was the stew of mud, manure, and urine that carpeted the interior […]
EBRD strategy for Armenia focuses on finance, infrastructure, agribusiness, energy
The FINANCIAL — Stable recovery from the crisis, fewer barriers to business, and more private sector participation: these were Armenia (9KB – SHTML)’s achievements in the last three years since the EBRD adopted its previous strategy for the country. Armenia held more transparent and competitive parliamentary elections in 2012, but continues to face challenges in […]
Postcard from Armenia: Shopping Like a Local, and “Shnorhakalutyun, France!”
A man wearing khaki shorts and sunglasses was blocking my way. In the cramped space between the meat deli and the shelves of neatly stacked lavash, or soft paper-thin layers of fresh bread, my half-full shopping cart and I came to an abrupt halt. A woman next to the khaki-clad man was arguing with a […]
Turkey to drop sanctions on France over Armenia
ANKARA — Turkey on Thursday praised the positive attitude adopted by the new French president toward relations with Ankara, saying that sanctions imposed on Paris would no longer be implemented. “Sanctions will drop from the agenda thanks to this new stance adopted by France,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in a televised interview, adding […]
Why is there Interest in the Criminal Investigation of Former Foreign Minister Oskanian?
As the news of the criminal investigation of former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian of Armenia broke out last week, a floodgate of news and analysis inundated the electronic and print media in Armenia and the Diaspora. Nearly ten days after the initial media frenzy, the widespread public and media interest in the issue is still […]
Nalbandian Blames Azerbaijan for Peace Stalemate
YEREVAN—After an announcement by the presidents of the Minsk Group co-chairing countries, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian reiterated Yerevan’s assertion that Azerbaijan is to blame for the stalemate in the Karabagh peace talks. In a written statement, Nalbandian aligned Yerevan with the presidents of the U.S., France, and Russia who, on the sidelines of the […]
State Dept. Responds to ANCA Concerns on Azeri Aggression
Continues Artificial Even-Handedness in Condemning Azerbaijan’s Recent Cease-Fire Violations WASHINGTON—The U.S. State Department this month once again failed to properly condemn Azerbaijan’s escalating violence against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh in a June 13 letter responding to the Armenian National Committee of America’s (ANCA) concerns about Azerbaijan’s recent cross-border attacks. The response came to a letter by […]
Demolition of Armenian Church’s bell tower in Tbilisi, Georgia
On the morning of May 14, 2012 the bell tower of the Surb Nshan Armenian Church was demolished. The 1703 church is situated on Vertshkhli Street in Tbilisi, and its walls were painted by eminent Armenian painters Hovnatanyans. Over a long period of time the Church’s bell tower has been in emergency conditions. A while […]
Europe’s risky tolerance of tension in the Caucasus
Military tensions have grown in recent weeks between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Charles Tannock argues that the EU should take steps to diffuse the situation. Charles Tannock is a member of the European Parliament from Britain. “Almost unnoticed beyond the specialist foreign policy community, there have been around a dozen heavy incidents of exchanges of sniper […]
