Oleg Gabrielyan: Crimean-Armenians urge authorities to consider their claims for Surb Khach monastery's status.December 8, 2009 - 17:02 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - After reconstruction and consecration Surb Khach ceased functioning as a monastery, according to Head of Crimean-Armenian Community Oleg Gabrielyan. "If the monastery had monks, we could have avoided such situation," he finds. In a letter addressed to Supreme Rada Speaker Anatoly Gratsenko, the Armenians of Crimea voice their community's position on the impermissibility of authorities' taking any measures without the previous consent of the AAC Ukrainian eparchy. Earlier Gratsenko announced that beginning December 1, 2009, Surb Khach Monastery would become a department of Crimea's ethnographic center. A monument of state importance, Surb Khach (Holy Cross) was for centuries a place of worship and pilgrimage for Armenians. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |