Serbian LawmakersReject Armenian

Genocide BillBELGRADE (news.am) — The Serbian parlia-

ment rejected the opposition’s proposal to recog-nize Armenian Genocide on March 9.Even though such motions have been submitted

several times in the Serbian legislature over thepast decade, they have always been rejected,according to RFE/RL Balkan Service.The resolution recognizing the genocide of 1.5

million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire was sub-mitted by Serbia’s former Prime Minister ZoranZivkovic, who now heads the opposition New Party.Speaking to the RFE/RL Serbian Service,

Zivkovic underscored the need for Belgrade to clar-ify its position on this matter, and he recalled thatboth Russia and most of the US states have recog-nized this greatest tragedy of the 20th century.According to various estimates, about 300

Armenians live in Serbia.

Armenian PremierMeets Lebanese

PresidentBEIRUT (news.am) — Armenian Prime Minister

Karen Karapetyan met Lebanon’s President MichelAoun on Monday, March 12, at the residence of theLebanese President, the press service of theGovernment of Armenia reported.Karapetyan thanked for the warm reception and

added that he is glad to be in Lebanon.“Just two weeks ago we had the opportunity to

exchange ideas in Yerevan over the multilayeredrelations between Armenia and Lebanon. We high-light the regular high level interactions and dia-logue between Armenia and friendly Lebanon. As Inoted during our previous meeting, the economicpotential of our bilateral relations is rather hugeand it should be maximally utilized,” KarenKarapetyan said.The Lebanese president welcomed the visit of the

Armenian premier to Lebanon, expressing convic-tion that it will foster the further development ofthe friendly relations between Armenia andLebanon. Aoun expressed his readiness to support the

implementation of joint projects.Karapetyan during his visit discussed the oppor-

tunities for establishing an Armenian-Lebanesefund.Karapetyan later met with Lebanese Prime

Minister Saad Hariri.“We stated that in all respects the relations

between our two countries are at a very high level.We also noted that our economic relations lagbehind the high level of political relations, andthere is great potential to tap and develop,”Karapetyan said.He added that he invited Hariri to visit Armenia.

Mirror- SpectatorMirror- SpectatorTHE ARMENIAN

Volume LXXXVIII , NO. 34, Issue 4529

MARCH 17 , 2 018

$ 2.00

INSIDE

The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932NEWS IN BRIEF

HablamosArmenio

Page 5

INDEXArts and Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Armenia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,3Community News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 4,5

Good, Not-So-Clean Fun with Vahe BerberianENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. —

Delivering his signature style ofcomedy all the way from LosAngeles, Vahe Berberian per-formed his new monologue,

“Ooremn,” to great enthusiasm at sold-out weekend performances onMarch 3 and 4 at the Clinton Inn in an event hosted by the TekeyanCultural Association (TCA) of Greater New York. Tying together generations through contemporary and cultural refer-

ences, Berberian elaborated, through humor, on the themes of marriage,religion, current events and social media during his one-hour-and-forty-five minute set in the Armenian language.

see COMEDY, page 15

By Taleen Babayan Special to the Mirror-Spectator

USC Shoah FoundationAdds Large Collection ofArmenian GenocideTestimony to its ArchiveLOS ANGELES — University of Southern

California (USC) Shoah Foundation hasreceived one of the largest collections of tes-timonies from survivors of the ArmenianGenocide that were recorded over decadesby Dr. Richard Hovannisian, a leading schol-ar on the World War I-era genocide.The Richard G. Hovannisian Armenian

Genocide Oral History Collection was offi-cially announced as a part of the VisualHistory Archive at a ceremony on Friday,March 9. The more than1,000 interviews willconstitute the largestnon-Holocaust-relatedcollection to be integrat-ed into the institute’sVisual History Archive.It will also be thearchive’s first audio-onlycollection. Initially, apilot of 10 testimonies —seven in English andthree in Armenian — willbe available to the pub-lic in the Institute’s Visual History Archive.The rest will be added as they are digitizedand indexed to the high standards used bythe Institute. In addition to the audiotapesrecorded in a variety of formats, the newcollection includes documents and pho-tographs corresponding to each interview,transcripts and translations thatHovannisian and his students put togetherover the years. The vast majority of the col-lection was recorded in Armenian, but up to20 percent of the testimonies are in English;there is a smaller portion of Turkish andSpanish language interviews.The son of a Genocide survivor,

Hovannisian believes deeply in the power oftestimony as a tool to educate, combatdenial, and communicate the magnitude ofa criminal scheme that claimed an estimat-ed 1.5 million Armenian lives. But numbersalone don’t begin to tell the story. “The fig-ure ‘a million and a half’ can roll right overour shoulders,” he said. “But it’s differentwhen you take those individual interviewsand start listening to them one by one. Andthen it becomes a million-and-a-half individ-uals and the loss of a civilization, of a wayof life, a space where people lived for morethan 3,000 years, and everything that spacecontained.”The institute also houses the Armenian

Film Foundation’s collection of ArmenianSurvivor testimony, which was fully inte-grated into the Visual History Archive inlate 2016.“By adding more context to theVisual History Archive, we continue to

see SHOAH, page 20

Prof. RichardHovannisian

St. Vartan Cathedral ConcertCelebrates Armenian MusicNEW YORK — The joyous musical notes emanating in the sanctuary of the St.

Vartan Cathedral served as a welcome to the new season during the “Celebrationof Spring Concert,” onWednesday, February 28, in anevent presented by the ArmenianMission to the United Nations, inthe spirit of friendship, dialogueand cooperation among nations.

Performing to overflowing pews of United Nations diplomats and delegates, theinternationally acclaimed and award-winning artists Levon Chilingirian (violin),Suren Bagratuni (cello) and Karen Hakobyan (piano) played works by Haydn,Beethoven, Khachaturian, Hovunts and Babadjanian as they kicked off theirNorth American tour.

see CONCERT, page 11

By Taleen Babayan Special to the Mirror-Spectator

Trio of Karen Hakobyan (piano), Levon Chilingirian (violin) and Suren Bagratuni (cello)

By Hagop VartivarianSpecial to the Mirror-Spectator

NEW YORK — A delegation of ArmenianNational Assembly representatives visitedNew York on Saturday, March 10, and helda meeting with representatives of theArmenian community at St. VartanCathedral hosted by Archbishop KhajagBarsamian, Primate of the Diocese of theArmenian Church of America (Eastern).The delegation had previously visited

Washington, DC, where they met withCongressmen and other high-rankingAmerican government officials. The representatives spoke about their

efforts at establishing state contacts duringnew political developments in the West, aswell as the electoral changes in Armenia.They praised the participation of diasporanArmenians in Armenia’s economic growth. They talked about three important fields

of cooperation with the United States andstressed the importance of the Armenianlobbying organizations in this country

see VISIT, page 10

Armenian National AssemblyMembers Visit New York

Nalbandian PresentsForeign Policy Priorities

In SwedenSTOCKHOLM (Armenpress) — While on an official

visit in Stockholm on March 13, Armenian foreignminister Edward Nalbandian met with leadership ofleading analytical centers of Sweden, such as theStockholm International Peace Research Institute,the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, theCenter for Peace and Conflict Research at theUppsala University, the Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation,as well as with high-ranking diplomats, the ForeignMinistry reported.During the meeting Nalbandian presented

Armenia’s foreign policy priorities and the stepsaimed at developing the Armenian-Swedish relations.He appreciated the cooperation with Sweden both

at bilateral and multilateral formats attaching impor-tance to the mutual partnership within the frames ofthe Armenia-EU relations, and the EasternPartnership in particular. In this context Nalbandiantouched upon the Armenia-EU Comprehensive andEnhanced Partnership Agreement, as well as thecooperation prospects.He introduced the meeting participants on the

joint efforts of Armenia and the Organization forSecurity and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) MinskGroup Co-Chair countries aimed at peacefully set-tling the Karabakh conflict, as well as Armenia’sstances on a number of urgent regional and interna-tional issues.The foreign minister also answered the questions

of the meeting participants.

Sargsyan Attends WorldChess Tournament

BERLIN (Public Radio of Armenia) — PresidentSerzh Sargsyan of Armenia, who is also president ofthe Armenian Chess Federation, attended the open-ing ceremony of the World Chess CandidatesTournament in Berlin on March 9. Sargsyan partici-pated in the ceremony as an honorary guest inacknowledgement of Armenia’s contribution to thedevelopment and popularization of chess.Sargsyan delivered an address at the event. At the end of the event, the eight world-famous par-

ticipants were presented.“Though Armenia is not one of the world’s largest

countries for its small size and population, many con-sider it a chess superpower, since the modestArmenian national team, which features current con-tender Levon Aronian, has triumphed three times inthe last few years and once won the title of worldchampion,” Sargsyan said in his comments.“This year the world’s first chess research institute

was inaugurated in Armenia. We hope that theInstitute’s activities will help reveal the undiscoveredaspects of the game of chess,” he added.Speeches were also delivered by President of the

German Chess Federation Ulrich Krause, FIDE VicePresident Georgios Makropoulos, as well as organiz-er’s representatives – Ilya Merenson, President ofthe World Chess Organization and Andrey Gurev,Vice-President of the Russian Chess Federation.

Ski Resort to BeConstructed in Lori

YEREVAN (Armenpress) — The Government ofArmenia has approved the construction of a skiresort in Lori Province of Armenia. Minister ofTerritorial Administration and Development ofArmenia Davit Lokyan noted that Ecosign interna-tional company has been chosen for designing a mas-ter plan of the area. Lokyan added that the project will be implemented

in the Antarashen and Lermontovo communities ofLori Province and the investment will amount to 30billion drams (around $62 million). “The project will foster the diversification of

touristic entertainments in Armenia and will raisecompetitiveness. It will also prolong the touristic sea-son,” he said, adding that more than 1,500 new jobswould be created. The resort will also be able to host international

sporting events.

News From Armenia

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ARMENIA

GYUMRI — Prime Minister KarenKarapetyan visited Gyumri on March 3,riding on the new electric train, whichhas started running between Yerevanand Gyumri.After getting acquainted with the

train, he welcomed the decision madeby the South Caucasus Railway CJSCto operate it in Armenia. Karapetyan was told that starting

March 4, the new train will run twice aday, Fridays-Sundays at express regimewithout making stops. The trip’s dura-tion is two hours. The other Yerevan-Gyumri-Yerevan railway services arestill being provided using the oldrolling stock. Tickets cost 2,500 drams($5.20) each way.The train complies with all necessary

safety standards. In Gyumri Karapetyan received a

delegation led by Marie LouPapazian, CEO of Tumo Center forCreative Technologies. The delega-tion comprised Herve Fleuri, execu-tive vice president of the Paul BocuseCulinary Institute (France), French-Armenian philanthropist RaffiDerderian and others.

The guests introduced the PrimeMinister to the Gyumri CulinarySchool Project which will use the PaulBocuse Institute’s expertise and possi-bilities. Prime Minister Karapetyan wel-comed the idea of implementing such aproject in Armenia.

“I am convinced that it will be asuccessful, change-oriented project,which is so much needed inGyumri,” the Premier stressed, assur-ing that his government is ready tosupport the implementation of theproject.

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on the new train

Marie Lou Papazian, Herve Fleuri and Raffi Derderian meet with Prime MinisterKaren Karapetyan.

Prime Minister Travels to GyumriBy New Electric Train Line

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — A reportaired during last week’s evening showon Armenia’s Public Television sparkedcriticism among human rights activistswho insist that female prison inmatesfeatured in the program became a tar-get of unsolicited ridicule.As part of the “Fine Evening” show

broadcast on March 8, a public holidaymarking Women’s Day in Armenia, ayoung woman apparently posing as aningénue reporter interviewed sevenfemale convicts serving their sentencesin a penitentiary in Abovian, a townsome 15 kilometers to the northeast ofcapital Yerevan. The reporter askedsome frivolous ‘girly’ questions, includ-ing whether there were any “cute guysamong the guards”, and the answers ofthe women were accompanied with off-screen giggles.Zaruhi Hovannisian, a member of the

public group engaged in prison moni-toring, said the show raised some ques-tions that needed to be answered bythe Ministry of Justice.“Were these women aware of how

their words would later be edited [forthe report] and whether a laugh trackwould be added? Secondly, did thesewomen have the opportunity to choosewhether to answer or not or the prisonadministration itself chose the womenwho were to answer the reporter’squestions?” she queried.The show also raised eyebrows in the

media community because dozens ofjournalists in Armenia are known tohave difficulty in accessing prisons forfilming. Some have to wait for monthsbefore their requests are likely to berejected for some reason.“It turns out that access to prisons

for investigative journalists is bannedand for those who film for entertain-ment purposes it is not,” complainedGrisha Balasanian, a journalist writingfor the Hetq magazine.Balasanian said he had been waiting

for permission to film at the hospitalfor convicts for a year. “I have made arequest to the chief of the establish-ment and have also turned to the min-ister of justice… During the year I have

periodically received rejections withthe explanation that they are too busy,”the investigative journalist said.The daily Hraparak encountered the

same attitude from the penitentiarydepartment as its request for filminginside a prison located in a Yerevansuburb for the purpose of gettingacquainted with the conditions ofprison cells, the library and the can-teen was rejected.“We make a request to visit some

convict at some penitentiary and get acynical reply that they cannot let a jour-nalist in because of the [administra-tion’s] being busy,” Hraparak editorArmine Ohanian said, adding that theombudsman officially confirmed to herthat the refusal was unlawful.RFE/RL’s Armenian service

(Azatutyun.am) asked the PenitentiaryDepartment of the Ministry of Justice toclarify the situation and was still waitingfor the reply to its written inquiry at thetime of this posting. Neither the PublicTelevision of Armenia has reacted to thecriticism yet.

Public TV Show Criticized for ‘Ridiculing’ Female Prison Inmates

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ARMENIA

BEIRUT — Within the framework of his offi-cial visit to Lebanon, on March 13 PrimeMinister Karen Karapetyan met with Lebanesebusiness leaders in Beirut.The prospects of investing in Armenia were

discussed at the meeting. Headed by CompanyCo-founder Romen Mathieu, the members ofthe EuroMena Funds’ delegation presented theareas of their company’s activities and thewealth of know-how they had built up. Theynoted that the Company is keen to cooperatewith Armenia in the fields of insurance, infor-mation technology, services and construction.Karapetyan presented Armenia’s current eco-

nomic position, stressing that a 7.5-percent eco-nomic growth was recorded in 2017. The othermacroeconomic indicators, too, were positivelast year. Karen Karapetyan noted that it is nowthe right time to invest in Armenia which bene-fits from different preferential trade regimes.Welcoming the EuroMena Funds’ willingness

to get involved in Armenia, the Premierexpressed readiness on behalf of his govern-ment to discuss the future steps in all detail.Prime Minister Karapetyan next met with

President of Future Group Concern Fouad M.Makhzoumi to discuss issues of investmentcooperation. Fouad M. Makhzoumi presentedhis company’s activities in a number of coun-tries around the globe. The Premier invited himto visit Armenia in order to get acquainted withour country’s opportunities, noting that theArmenian side is prepared to discuss theprospects of mutually beneficial cooperation.The EuroMena Fund, L.P. specializes in

high growth mid-market private companies.The fund typically invests in banking andinsurance; maintenance and services; phar-maceutical, healthcare services, chemicals,

and cosmetics; production of food and bever-ages; and retail and consumer products. Itmainly invests in Middle East and NorthAfrica (MENA) countries and theMediterranean countries.Future Group was established in 1981 and

over the past decades has evolved from aregional concern to a truly global entity.Headquartered in Dubai with offices in Londonand New York and business hubs worldwide,Future Group today is a holding company thatoversees 30 privately held companies across

four core sectors spanning five continents. TheFuture Group has divisions and subsidiaries ina wide range of different industries rangingfrom manufacturing and engineering servicesto real estate development.

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan and his aides meet with Lebanese businesspeople.

Prime Minister Discusses Prospects of InvestmentPrograms with Lebanese Business Leaders

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Hundreds of peo-ple rallied in Yerevan on Thursday, March 1,to mark the tenth anniversary of a deadlysuppression of anti-government streetprotests that followed a disputed Armenianpresidential held in February 2008.The crowd led by top representatives of the

opposition Armenian National Congress(HAK) marched to the site of vicious clashesbetween security forces and supporters offormer President Levon Ter-Petrosian, themain opposition candidate in the ballot.Eight protesters and two police servicemendied in the violence.Thousands of people barricaded them-

selves in downtown Yerevan on March 1,2008 hours after riot police broke up non-stop demonstrations staged by the Ter-

Petrosian-led opposition in the city’s LibertySquare in protest against alleged vote rig-ging. The police and interior troops triedunsuccessfully to disperse them before thenPresident Robert Kocharian called a state ofemergency and ordered Armenian army unitsinto the capital. Scores of opposition mem-bers and supporters were arrested in the fol-lowing weeks in a crackdown condemned bylocal and international human rights groups.HAK leaders again charged that Kocharian

rigged the election to hand over power toSerzh Sarkisian, his preferred successor,when they addressed the demonstrators inLiberty Square before the march.Levon Zurabian, the deputy chairman of

the opposition party headed by Ter-Petrosian, described the authorities’ actions

in March 2008 as a “violent act of usurpationof power.” He claimed that the crackdownprevented Armenia’s Constitutional Courtfrom invalidating the election results thatgave victory to Sarkisian.Zurabian also condemned the authorities

for their failure to identify and prosecute anyof the individuals personally responsible forthe ten deaths. “They won’t prosecute them-selves and their murderers,” said AramManukian, another senior HAK member.The crowded applauded as Manukian read

out the names of the ten victims. SargisKloyan, whose son Gor was among the pro-testers killed ten years ago, also gave aspeech, alleging a government cover-up ofthe killings.The demonstrators were escorted by riot

police officers holding white carnations asthey walked towards an unofficial memorialto the unrest victims. The officers joined theorganizers and participants of the rally in lay-ing flowers there.

Ter-Petrosian did not take part in the annu-al commemoration. The organizers gave noclear reasons for the 73-year-old ex-presi-dent’s absence.

The demonstrators also included severalother opposition figures not affiliated withthe HAK. One of them, Nikol Pashinian, wasa key speaker at the opposition protest onMarch 1-2, 2008. Pashinian split from Ter-Petrosian’s opposition movement afterspending nearly two years in prison oncharges stemming from the unrest.

Armenian Opposition Marks 2008 Unrest Anniversary

President CongratulatesPope Francis on FifthAnniversaryYEREVAN (Public Radio of Armenia) —

President Serzh Sargsyan sent on March13 a congratulatory message to PopeFrancis on the fifth anniversary of beingelected Pontiff of the Holy See of Rome,wishing the Pope robust health and everysuccess in all his undertakings.“Since the very first day of your tenure,

you have sought to promote equity andjustice across the globe and foster dia-logue between conflicting sides. It is mypleasure to note that your deeds havebeen distinguished with great attention tothe Armenian people,” Sargsyan said inhis message.Sargsyan recalled his fond memories of

meetings with Pope Francis at the HolySee and in Armenia.

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The Armenian gov-ernment has accused Baku of failing to meetits obligations to an international organiza-tion after Azerbaijan launched large-scalewar games on Monday, March 12.“Azerbaijan began its military exercises

without notifying in advance theOrganization for Security and Cooperationin Europe (OSCE) member states and with agross violation of its obligations before theorganization,” Tigran Balayan, a spokesmanfor Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affair,wrote on Twitter.Azerbaijan’s five-day war games involving

about 25,000 troops and a large number ofmilitary hardware come weeks before thecountry’s early presidential election sched-uled for April 11.The issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, an

Armenian-control region that broke awayfrom Azerbaijan as a result of a war in the

early 1990s, is likely to feature prominentlyduring the campaign leading up to the votein which current President Ilham Aliyev isexpected to win his fourth consecutive five-year term.Military authorities in Azerbaijan do not

specify the location of the current wargames, only mentioning that they are unfold-ing “in the difficult conditions of the moun-tainous terrain.”

Some 250 tanks and other armored vehi-cles, up to 1,000 artillery units of differentcalibers, multiple rocket launcher systemsand mortars, as well as up to 50 units ofarmy and front-line aircraft are also involvedin the exercises, according to Azerbaijan’sMinistry of Defense.

According to official sources in Azerbaijan,during the exercises “army units will repulsethe attack of the conventional enemy and

will launch a counteroffensive.”During the five-day exercises, the

Azerbaijani armed forces will also reportedlyuse a number of new types of weaponsrecently acquired from Russia, Israel and theCzech Republic.Responding to the criticism coming from

Yerevan regarding the conduct of the exer-cises, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministryspokesman Hikmet Hajiev insisted that thewar games taking place “in the sovereign ter-ritory of Azerbaijan” correspond to “theOSCE’s Vienna document of 2011.”In 2017 Azerbaijan conducted several mili-

tary exercises, causing the wrath of theArmenian side. The largest exercises last yearwere held in April and involved some 30,000troops. Those war games came a year afterthe deadliest Armenian-Azerbaijani fightingin Nagorno-Karabakh since the 1994 cease-fire known as a four-day war.

Armenia Slams Azerbaijan Over Large-Scale War Games

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INTERNATIONAL

S A T U R D A Y, M A R C H 1 7 , 2 0 1 8

Azerbaijan Angry withUS over Karabakh

President VisitSTEPANAKERT (Public Radio of Armenia) —

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the USAmbassador to the country Robert Cekuta in con-nection with Nagorno Karabakh President BakoSahakyan’s visit to Washington this week and anevent expected to be held in the US Congress,Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman for Azerbaijan’s ForeignMinistry said, according to Azeri media reports.Hajiyev said that Ambassador Cekuta received a

note of protest, sent by Azerbaijan’s Ministry ofForeign Affairs to the U.S. Department of State. Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the US also held a

meeting at the State Department to express theAzerbaijani side’s protest, the spokesman added. “As a response to such behavior of the US,

Azerbaijan will proceed from the principle of reci-procity in relations with the US,” Hajiyev stressed.

Three Armenians onForbes Billionaires’ ListMOSCOW (Public Radio of Armenia) — There are

three Armenians on 2018 World’s Billionaires Listpublished by Forbes on March 6.Founder and CEO of Magnit, Russia’s biggest

supermarket chain and owner of football teamKrasnodar Sergei Galitsky (Arutyunyan) (550th) isthe world’s richest Armenian with an estimated networth of $4 billion. Head of Tashir Group Samvel Karapetyan is listed

606th with a net worth of $3.7. ArgentineanArmenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian is 887thwith a net worth of $2.7 billion. Forbes has pinned down a record 2,208 billionaires

from 72 countries and territories including the first-ever from Hungary and Zimbabwe. This elite group isworth $9.1 trillion, up 18 percent since last year.Their average net worth is a record $4.1 billion.Americans lead the way with a record 585 billion-

aires, followed by mainland China with 373.Amazon’s chief Jeff Bezos secures the list’s top spotfor the first time, becoming the only person toappear in the Forbes ranks with a 12-figure fortune.Bezos’s fortune leapt more than $39 billion, the

list’s biggest one-year gain ever. He moves ahead ofBill Gates, who is now number 2. It is the biggest gapbetween no. 1 and 2 since 2001.Warren Buffett is third with a net worth of $84 bil-

lion. Bernard Arnault, with a fortune of $72 billion,reclaims the title of richest European for the firsttime since 2012.There are 259 newcomers including the first ever

cryptocurrency billionaires.

Intensive ArmenianLanguage and Culture

Course in VeniceVENICE — The 33rd sesion of the Summer Course

of Armenian Language and Culture organized by the“Padus-Araxes” Association will take place July 30 toAugust 14. Examinations will take place on August14th.To apply, fill in the application form on the web-

site: www.padusaraxes. com/SummerCourse/ApplicationForm. Applications must be submittedpersonally in written form. Applications will beaccepted up to the deadline of June 30. Those applying must be at least 18 years of age.

Turkish PM BinaliYildirimn to Visit

AzerbaijanANKARA (Armenpress) — Turkey’s Prime

Minister Binali Yildirimn visited Azerbaijan onMarch 14, Turkish media report.Yildirimn participated in the 6th Baku World

Forum.During the visit the Turkish premier also met with

President Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister ArturRasizade and Speaker of Parliament Ogtay Asadov.

International News

BERLIN — Turkey’s offensive in northern Syria is com-ing under growing censure throughout Europe. It will behigh on the list of foreign policy challenges facing theGerman government which has just come into being.Under the leadership of Chancellor Angela Merkel, a newversion of the grand coalition made up of her CDU andsister party CSU, together with the Social Democrats(SPD), was officially constituted in mid March.Turkey launched its military offensive aimed at Afrin

on January 20, and justified its massive deployment ofmilitary strength as “self-defense.” But is the claim sub-stantiated? If it were, Turkey would have the right torespond militarily, according to international law, as longas it did so in a “proportionate and measured manner,”as NATO secretary general Stoltenberg put it. Thereports of civilian casualties speak of hundreds of inno-cents, mainly women and children; and Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that over 3,000 Kurds,whom he defined “terrorists,” have been “neutralized.”Massive destruction of infrastructure has resulted fromthe bombardments. This does not look proportionate ormeasured.In fact, not only is the claim to self-defense dubious; it

is becoming evident that the Turkish action, cynicallynamed “Operation Olive Branch,” constitutes a violationof international law.

Bundestag Experts Raise Doubts

On March 7 the Wissenschaftliche Dienste (ScientificService) of the German Bundestag (Parliament) issued areport on the matter, in response to the request ofAlexander Neu, a parliamentarian from the leftist opposi-tion party, Die Linke. The Scientific Service is an officialgroup of researchers and experts who provide material in

support of the work of the parliamentarians, but it doesnot represent its political positions or those of the gov-ernment. The body examined the issue in great detail and pub-

lished its findings online on March 7. The report was enti-tled, “Evaluation according to International Law of the‘Operation Olive Branch’ of Turkey against the KurdishYPG in Northern Syria” (WD2 – 3000 – 023/18,Völkerrechtliche Bewertung der “Operation Olivenzweig”der Türkei gegen die kurdische YPG in Nordsyrien, 7März 2018, S. 1-18). The group first asked if Turkey hadthe right to act militarily “in self-defense.” According toArticle 51 of the UN Charta a state is authorized torespond to an “armed attack,” but not every act of vio-lence can be thus defined. Turkey argued in its declara-tion to the UN Security Council that it was responding toan escalation of rocket attacks from Kurdish forces nearAfrin targeting Kilis and Hatay, but is it true? There wereno reports of such in the international press. And if therewere, would this constitute an “armed attack”? Thereport says the burden of proof is on the accuser, in thiscase Turkey, and says it may have presented a “substan-tiated explanation,” but has not established the absolutecertainty of the accusation or “convincing proof” that thethreat merits military self-defense. An accurate evalua-tion would rely on “objective facts” and not only the“subjective perception of threat;” perhaps theInternational Court at the Hague could determine this. The experts’ report questions the proportionality of

Turkey’s response, stating that there are objective crite-ria to ascertain this and adding that self-defense cannotjustify acts of vengeance. Concrete doubts regarding theproportionality of its response have arisen as a result ofthe “scale, aims and duration of the military course ofaction in northern Syria.”

What Strategic Aims?

Turkey has not in fact used the words “armed attack”to identify the perceived threat, but it has presented a listof its own military aims, which is extremely revealing.This was issued by the prime minister’s office on January21 and is quoted at length in the experts’ report, inEnglish, on page 16. The aims are:“To ensure the Turkey-supported Free Syrian Army

(FSA) takes control of a 10.000-square kilometer areaFollowing on from the Euphrates Shield Operation and

the operation in Idlib, to completely prevent the outlawedKurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from reaching theEastern Mediterranean.To eliminate the possibility of losing Turkey’s geo-

graphical contact with the Arab world.To ensure the security of Turkey’s borders with Syria.To prevent the infiltration of the Syrian Democratic

Union Party (PYD) and the PKK into Turkey through theAmanos mountains.To prevent a terrorist organization from opening to the

Mediterranean and to the world from here.To ensure the security and continuation of the

Euphrates Shield Operation area.To counter US support for a terrorist organization.”Such a detailed list of strategic goals is most useful.

What indeed is really behind the operation? The expertssum it up thus: “The geostrategic interest of Turkeyapparently aims to contain the Kurdish sphere of influ-ence in Syria, and to prevent the emergence of a de factoKurdish regime and simultaneously to use the opportu-nity offered by a collapse of Syria and the “Islamic State”to expand its own sphere of influence. From Turkey’sviewpoint the takeover or siege of the Syrian city Afrinappears to be a geostrategically necessary step for reach-ing these aims.”In a footnote, one reads that in fact Erdogan already on

February 20 announced that the siege of Afrin was immi-nent.The experts argue that the “concept of self-defense

appears in principle incompatible with a military actionthat pursues aims that could lead to achieving a perma-nent change of structures and zones of influence on theterritory of a foreign state.” And that is what one gathersmust be the aim of Turkey’s offensive.The report shows that Turkey has presented no con-

vincing proof that it has been subject to an “armedattack,” or that the threat it sees coming from non-statearmed groups warrants actions of self-defense. Turkey’sgeostrategic aims, furthermore, go way beyond the scopeof self-defense. In conclusion, the experts declare thatTurkey’s case rests “on a shaky foundation.” They rec-ommend that NATO partners should call on Turkey toprove its case, and to desist from further pursuance of itsmilitary operation. The appearance of this report has contributed to defin-

ing the agenda for the new government, regarding how toproceed with Turkey. Politicians in Ankara continue tolobby for a restoration of friendly ties, but with expand-ing coverage of civilian casualties, protest demonstra-tions are growing in numbers and intensity in Germanyand elsewhere. Demonstrators have been denouncingGermany’s continued delivery of military equipment toTurkey; opposition politicians have raised a hue and cryabout continued economic support for trade relations.Criticism is getting louder, but no serious political stepshave been taken by governments in Europe. How longwill the NATO “partners” continue to look the other way?

(The author expresses her thanks to theWissenschaftliche Dienste for the kind permission to quote

from the report. Apart from the list of strategic aims,which appears in English on page 16 of the report, and thephrase by Stoltenberg, other quotes have been translated

from the original German by the author.)

Turkey’s Syrian Offensive: Self-Defense or Violation of International Law?

By Muriel Mirak-Weissbach Special to the Mirror-Spectator

The experts’ report questions the proportionality of Turkey’s response, statingthat there are objective criteria to ascertain

this and adding that self-defense cannotjustify acts of vengeance.

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INTERNATIONAL

WASHINGTON — Congressional Caucus onArmenian Issues Co-Chair CongressmanFrank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), CongressionalCaucus on Armenian Issues Co-Vice ChairCongressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), andCongressman Jim Costa (D-CA) issued state-ments in commemoration of the 30th anniver-sary of Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian pogroms inSumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku, reported theArmenian Assembly of America (Assembly).Invited by the Armenian Caucus leadership, adelegation from Artakh (Nagorno Karabakh),led by President Bako Sahakyan, are inWashington, D.C. for a week-long workingvisit, where they will be able to meet andspeak with Members of Congress regardingstrengthening the U.S.-Artsakh relationship.Rep. Pallone said on the House floor: “On

February 27, 1988, up to 200 Armenian civil-ians living in the city of Sumgait in Azerbaijanwere indiscriminately killed, raped, maimed,and even burned alive for no reason otherthan their ethnicity. This senseless violencewas instigated by hostile, anti-Armenianrhetoric from Azerbaijani citizens and officialsagainst these innocent individuals. For threedecades, Azerbaijan has taken steps to coverup these crimes against humanity and dismissthe atrocities at Sumgait. Even more disturb-

ing is that perpetrators of these events andsimilar violent attacks have since been laudedas national heroes.” He added: “I will contin-ue to work with my colleagues on theCongressional Armenian Issues Caucus toremember the victims of the pogroms atSumgait and to condemn all acts of violenceagainst people who are targeted simplybecause of their existence. I hope my col-leagues will join me in rejecting violentrhetoric and intimidation by renewing ourcommitment to achieving a collective and last-ing peace.”Beginning in Sumgait in 1988, and spread-

ing to the cities of Kirovabad in 1989 andBaku in 1990, armed mobs of Azerbaijani cit-izens took to the streets targeting Armenianresidences and destroying Armenian-ownedbusinesses while Azerbaijan security servicesstood by. The Sumgait pogrom was widelyreported and roundly condemned, but the vio-lence was never contained. Increasingly, anti-Armenian forces acted with impunity and thepogroms spread across Azerbaijan, leading tothe military campaigns of the late 1980s to1994 to deport the Armenians of Artsakh,until a cease-fire agreement was signed byAzerbaijan, Artsakh, and Armenia. Since then,the cease-fire agreement has been violated on

a daily basis, and in April 2016 Azerbaijanresumed full-scale warfare for four days beforeit was prevailed upon to halt its aggression.“Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the

30th anniversary of the pogrom against theArmenian residents of the town of Sumgait,Azerbaijan. On February 27 1988, and forthree days following, Azerbaijani mobsassaulted and killed Armenians. The violenceleft hundreds of Armenian civilians dead andinjured, women and girls were raped, andsome victims were burned alive. Thousandswere forced to flee their homes, leavingbehind their belonging,” Rep. Schiff informedhis colleagues on the House floor. “Thepogroms came about as the result of years ofvicious, racist anti-Armenian propaganda byAzerbaijani authorities, dehumanizingArmenians. Azerbaijan authorities made littleeffort to punish those responsible, insteadattempting to cover up the atrocities inSumgait to this day, and denying the govern-ment role in instigating the killings. Indeed,even today, racist propaganda againstArmenia and Armenians is prevalent inAzerbaijan,” he continued.On February 28, Rep. Costa stated: “This

week marks the 30th anniversary of thepogroms against people of Armenian descent

in Sumgait, Azerbaijan. Yet, the violence andhatred of the pogroms failed in suppressingthe Armenian people. Their dedication to self-determination burned on, and their refusal tosacrifice their freedom inspired democraticmovements across the Soviet Union. To thethousands of Armenian Americans living inour San Joaquin Valley - and to Armenian peo-ple living throughout the world, l stand withyou. We must continue to advocate for theprotection of human rights and democraticfreedoms, for the Armenian people, and forall.”This year also marks the 30th anniversary

of Artsakh’s Liberation Movement that wassparked in 1988 by the spreading threat of thepogroms. Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Rep.Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Rep. David Valadao(R-CA), and Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Co-Vice Chair Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) providedremarks to commemorate this anniversaryand congratulate the people of Artsakh.“On behalf of the Armenian American com-

munity, I thank the Congressional Caucus onArmenian Issues for its leadership and princi-pled stand in sending a strong message of sup-port for Armenians in Artsakh in the face ofAzeri aggression,” stated Assembly ExecutiveDirector Bryan Ardouny.

Members of Congress Commemorate Sumgait Pogroms’ Anniversary

By Aram Arkun Mirror-Spectator Staff

BARCELONA, Spain — When you askArmenians about the Armenian community ofBarcelona, the only name at best that comes upis that of Vigen Hovsepyan. Now a Yerevan-based singer, Hovsepyan lived in Barcelona withhis family as a teenager, and sings Spanish andArmenian songs. However, there is an activecommunity there that deserves to be betterknown.The Armenians of Barcelona form the most

organized segment of the Spanish-Armeniancommunity. Most are recent immigrants fromArmenia and other parts of the former SovietUnion, though there were scattered numbers ofindividuals coming to Spain from the MiddleEast and elsewhere even before this. DatevSoulian, president of the Associació CulturalArmenia de Barcelona (ACAB), estimates thatthere are around 3,000 Armenians inBarcelona, as well as more in surroundingareas. Though many initial immigrants wentinto construction and restaurant work, as acces-sible initial jobs, there are now many profes-sionals in fields like law or business. The association keeps in touch with many

Armenians through email and social media. Ithas a website (www.acab.es) and Facebookpage. Founded in 2004, ACAB has a physical

center called Casa Armenia or Hay Doun(Armenian House) which it established in coop-eration with the Armenian General BenevolentUnion in 2010. It is located in a central locationin the upscale Eixample neighborhood.Although few Armenians actually live in thisneighborhood, it is convenient because of thegood public transportation network.

Every Saturday, the community getstogether, with chess lessons, Armenian lan-guage classes, and dance lessons.Occasionally the students perform at events.The teachers are all volunteers, and text-books are sent from Armenia. Students pay anominal fee of 25 Euros a month, while par-ents and members of the association make

donations.Every month or two there are lectures or

other public events. Sometimes Armenianspeakers from other parts of Europe andArmenia come and visit. Some events areintended more for a Spanish/Catalan audiencethan for the local Armenians. For example, onFebruary 20, the Armenian ambassador toSpain, Avet Adonts, came from Madrid and par-ticipated in a panel at the Centre InternacionalEscarré per a les Minories Ètniques i lesNacions (CIEMEN) devoted to the 30th anniver-sary of the Karabakh Movement along withjournalist and director of VilaWeb Vicent Partaland Abel Riu, political scientist specializing inthe post-Soviet realm. On the other hand, on March 4, the chil-

dren celebrated International MotherLanguage Day at the Hay Doun with a pre-sentation primarily for the local community.ACAB maintains good relations with the gov-

ernment of Armenia and its embassy in Spainand various diasporan organizations like theAGBU. Soulian pointed out that it strives tokeep the Armenian cultural identity alive inSpain. Most families have relatives in Armeniaand sometimes go back during vacations, sothis identity is strong, but it is the new genera-tions born in Spain which will require more sup-port to combat assimilation. ACAB is workingto create programs for their needs. The community is a growing one and is wel-

coming to guests from other countries.

Diasporan-Armenian Community in Barcelona Rises

International Mother Language Day March 4 presentation at the Casa Armenia

International Mother Language Day March 4 presentation at the Casa Armenia Armenian teachers,including Tamara Karapetyan, Anahit Ghazaryan, Narine Kulikyan, Naira Madinyan, NarineYerimyan and Marine Avanesyan, and their students at the Casa Armenia on Saturday, February 24

6

Community News

Armenian Assembly WelcomesArmenia-US Parliamentary

Friendship GroupWASHINGTON — This week, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly)

welcomed a delegation of the Armenia-US Parliamentary Friendship Group dur-ing their trip to Washington, D.C. The delegation was in Washington for a seriesof meetings, including a roundtable discussion with Assembly Board of TrusteesCo-Chair Anthony Barsamian, Board Member Annie Totah, and ExecutiveDirector Bryan Ardouny, as well as Armenian National Institute (ANI) DirectorDr. Rouben Adalian.

The delegation of Armenian Parliamentarians is led by Arpine Hovhannisyan,Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia and Chairwoman of theArmenia-US Parliamentary Friendship Group. She is joined by ParliamentariansArmen Ashotyan, Edmon Marukyan, Aghvan Vardanyan and Naira Zohrabyan.This working visit comes six months after US Members of Congress visitedArmenia and Artsakh, as part of a US Congressional Delegation.

“We are thrilled that this first trip has been made by so many of the Membersof Parliament, and we look forward to many more,” said Congressional Caucuson Armenian Issues Co-Chair Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA), anArmenian American who participated in the US Congressional Delegation inSeptember 2017.

Throughout the week, Members of Parliament met with Democratic LeaderRep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. EdRoyce (R-CA), Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Memberand Armenian Caucus Co-Vice Chair Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Armenian

see FRIENDSHIP, page 7

Senate SelectCommittee holdsHistoric hearingOn Armenia

SACRAMENTO — State Sen. Anthony J.Portantino convened a public hearing inSacramento on California-Armenia trade agree-ments, civil rights issues, and University ofCalifornia Divestiture from the Republic ofTurkey on Thursday, March 1.

Senators Scott Wilk, Ben Allen and JohnMoorlach were also in attendance. The hearing,which was the first of its kind, provided updateson Portantino’s ongoing efforts towardstrengthening and formalizing ties betweenCalifornia and Armenia. Portantino Chairs theSenate Select Committee on California,Armenia and Artsakh Trade, Art and CulturalExchange. Portantino convened a joint hearingof both committees he chairs.

“Yesterday, was a great day for California,Armenia and Artsakh relations and I was veryproud to be a part of it. Our speakers and pre-senters made a passionate case for the recogni-tion of human rights abuses and the benefits ofsigning a mutual trade agreement betweenCalifornia and Armenian. The UCLA studentswere particularly compelling with their pas-sionate presentation on Divestiture. It made meexcited to be in the Capitol,” commentedPortantino.

The hearing consisted of three panels ofspeakers, each discussing a different topic ofArmenian importance. The first panel featuredmoving testimony by Armenian-Americanactivist and author, Anna AstvatsurianTurcotte. Turcotte detailed her family’s story ofescape from the Nagorno-Karabkah War. Herpresentation set the backdrop for the remain-der of the hearing, as it highlighted how farArtsakh has come in the last two decades and

how far it still needs to go. By listening to theharrowing details of the war, which must not beforgotten, the State Legislature could bettergrasp the need for California to cooperate andhelp Artsakh thrive.

The second panel was composed of twoexperts on trade agreements, one fromCalifornia’s perspective and one fromArmenia’s. Gordon Hinkle, Senior VicePresident, Global Operations at GoldenCalifornia Inc./California Center discussed howCalifornia has benefited from signingMemorandums of Understanding (MOU) withChina, including building trade, cultural, andbusiness relationships between the two govern-ments. Hinkle also expressed enthusiasm at theidea of working with Armenia in building thoseties. Valery Mktroumian, Deputy ConsulGeneral of the Republic of Armenia, discussedthe long and prosperous relationship Californiahas had with Armenia. He testified that theCalifornia International Trade Office inArmenia (CITO), made possible with the

see HEARING, page 9

From left, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., Edmon Marukyan and ArpineHovhannisyan at United States Capitol

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‘Armenian Women:Leadership,Empowerment,Human Rights’ atTufts University

MEDFORD, Mass. — A panel discus-sion on “Armenian Women: Leadership,Empowerment, and Human Rights” willtake place on Wednesday, April 11, at7:30 p.m., at Tufts University, AlumnaeLounge, 40 Talbot Ave.

The program is organized by theNational Association for ArmenianStudies and Research (NAASR) /Calouste Gulbenkian FoundationLecture Series on ContemporaryArmenian Issues and hosted by theTufts Armenian Club, with the co-spon-sorship of the Armenian BarAssociation, AGBU-YP Boston,Armenian International Women’sAssociation (AIWA), all ASAs at Boston-Area Universities, and New Paths-Bridging Armenian Women.

The panel will be moderated by Dr.Anna Ohanyan, Richard B. FinneganDistinguished Professor of PoliticalScience and International Relations,Stonehill College, and will feature theparticipation of Dr. Denise Horn, asso-ciate professor and chair, political sci-ence and international relations,Simmons College; Nairi Krafian, pastpresident, Tufts University ArmenianClub, and founder of Oknooshoon ani-mal therapy project in Armenia; viaSkype, Nvard Manasyan, GenderEquality Officer, UNICEF; and MaroMatossian, executive director, Women’sSupport Center, Armenia.

Many studieshave demon-strated thatinvestment inwomen andgirls strength-ens democracyand weakensauthoritarian-ism, makes fam-ilies healthier,peace agree-ments moredurable andsocieties lessvulnerable toextremism, violence and terroristrecruitment.

Unfortunately, many studies alsoshow that gender discrimination andphysical assaults on women are globaland systemic in nature. From the “MeToo” movement, women’s marches inWashington, New York City and Boston,all the way to the City Council inYerevan, it has become painfully clearthat violence against women is a world-wide phenomenon.

The panelists will examine the causes,costs, and consequences of gender dis-crimination and violence againstwomen in Armenia and the Diaspora.The conversation will draw from experi-ences in Southeast Asia with a focus onempowerment of women as it relates todevelopment strategies, civil societydevelopment and democratization.

The program is free and open to thepublic. There will be a reception andrefreshments immediately following theprogram and question-and-answer ses-sion.

Parking is available in the DowlingGarage at 419 Boston Ave. and in des-ignated on-street areas.

Maro Matossian, exec-utive director, Women’sSupport Center,Armenia.

State Sen. Anthony J. Portantino

From left, Arpine Hovhannisyan, Armen Ashotyan, Rita Balian, MariamKhaloyan and Bryan Ardouny at United States Capitol.

FRIENDSHIP, from page 6Caucus Vice Co-Chair Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL),Foreign Affairs Committee Members Rep. DavidCicilline (D-RI) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA),Commission on Security and Cooperation inEurope (US Helsinki Commission) Co-ChairRep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), and House DemocracyPartnership Program Commission RankingMember and founder Rep. David Price (D-NC).

During their conversation with Members ofthe House Foreign Affairs Committee, they dis-cussed US-Armenia relations, the crisis inNagorno-Karabakh, and Armenia’s acceptanceof refugees from Iraq and Syria. ChairmanRoyce stated: “Armenia and the United Statesenjoy a valuable and growing relationship. Inparticular, Armenia’s contributions to countert-errorism efforts and its assistance to Syrianrefugees have been crucial. But there are stillmany opportunities to further strengthen ourrelationship on security and human rights pri-orities in the region. I look forward to doing

just that.”On March 7, the Assembly joined the

Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues inco-hosting a reception on Capitol Hill welcom-ing the Armenian Parliamentary Delegation,alongside the Embassy of Armenia to theUnited States and other Armenian organiza-tions. Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. FrankPallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Rep. Dave Trott (R-MI), andRep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) were in attendance, inaddition to Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA), Jim Costa(D-CA), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), RajaKrishnamoorthi (D-IL), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV),and Paul Tonko (D-NY).

At the reception, Members of Congressoffered remarks welcoming the ArmenianParliamentary delegation and sharing theirthoughts on US-Armenia relations.

Pallone touched upon their earlier discussionson a number of priorities of the ArmenianCaucus to help improve relations with Armenia

and Artsakh. He described this visit as “an oppor-tunity to talk about substantive issues that wecan make a difference on.” He continued: “I can-not overemphasize how important it is for us togo to Armenia, for them to come here, and for usto exchange ideas because that can really makea difference in terms of the future of the rela-tionship between our two countries.”

Trott spoke about the current HouseResolution, H.Res.220, which reaffirms theArmenian Genocide. He proudly shared thatthis resolution currently has more co-sponsorsthan any Armenian Genocide resolution in thepast seven years. He then went on to note theimportance of strong US-Armenia relations.

“When President Trump talks about AmericaFirst, I agree with that but for me, what thatmeans is friends like Armenia. We need to havea strong relationship. We need to have youknow that we are there to help you, and we arethere to trade with you, and we are there towork with you to make sure that your citizens

have the best dream and life they can, becausethat will help America more than anything else.So, we want to make sure the Administrationand State Department continue to understandhow important this relationship is, and I’ll doeverything I can to accomplish that,” Trott said.

Speier recalled their meeting earlier that daywith Leader Pelosi, and the important dialoguebetween the legislators.

“We met this afternoon with the DemocraticLeader Nancy Pelosi, and I said to her ‘this is thenew Armenia, and the new Armenia is all aboutmoving to this parliamentary structure to creategreater democracy and we want to be part of see-ing Armenia succeed in this 21st century,”Speier said. “We need to find a way to create anenvironment where all of those in Armenia canthrive and can succeed. One of the messages thatour community from Armenia brought was oneof finding a way to create greater IT opportuni-ties. So we are going to look at how we can dothat. We want to support this democracy. We arethrilled that this first trip has been made by somany of the Members of Parliament, and we lookforward to many more.”

Commenting on the United States’ strong rela-tionship with Armenia and Artsakh, Chu said:“I’m so happy to be celebrating the strong andenduring US-Armenia relationship. Ours is a truefriendship, based on shared values and goals.

That is why I’m proud to support economic andmilitary aid to Armenia, and to supportArmenians in Artsakh in their fight for peace.And it is my sincere hope that, through our con-tinued efforts together, we can finally put theAmerican government on the right side of histo-ry and acknowledge the reality of the ArmenianGenocide once and for all. None of this would bepossible without the support and hard work ofthe Congressional Armenian Caucus and groupslike the Armenian Assembly of America.”

The Armenian Assembly hosted a round tablediscussion, where its leadership exchangedideas with the Armenian ParliamentaryDelegation and Armenian Ambassador to theUS Grigor Hovhannissian on a broad range ofissues, including its work with Congress andthe State Department. The Assembly refer-enced the first US Congressional Delegation toArmenia, organized by the Assembly, and theimportance of this mutual exchange. ANIDirector Dr. Adalian then discussed his work atthe Institute, and the importance to educateArmenians and Americans on the history of theArmenian Genocide, and the resolutions andpolicies enacted as a result.

7S A T U R D A Y, M A R C H 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

COMMUNITY NEWS

Armenian Assembly Welcomes Armenia-US Parliamentary Friendship Group

Edmon Marukyan and Dr. Rouben Adalian

Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-CA), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), ArmenianParliament Deputy Speaker Arpine Hovhannisyan, Armenian Parliament Member Edmon Marukyan,Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), and Armenian Parliament Member Armen Ashotyan

From left, John Evans, Tulsi Gabbard and Dr. Rouben Adalian at United States Capitol

By Bryan Marquard

BOSTON (Boston Globe) — During the 50years he ran an expansive restaurant empireunlike any other in Boston, Charlie Sarkisstrode through life as if it were one of hisdozens of dining rooms. His eyes noticed every-thing: the cut of a steak, the quality of service,the bottom line.

Sarkis, who was 78 when he died Sunday,March 11, in Florida of complications frombrain cancer, at one point presided over anabundant list of more than 30 dining destina-tions that included his flagship Abe & Louie’s,along with Atlantic Fish Company, J.C. Hillary’sLtd., Charley’s Eating and Drinking Saloon,and the Papa Razzi and Joe’s American Bar &Grill chains.

Complex and unafraid to be combative whilefighting to protect the 3,400 jobs at his estab-lishments, Sarkis was just as well known forowning the Wonderland Greyhound Park inRevere and a harness racing track inFoxborough — gambling pursuits that evenadmirers found unusual in a man who made nosecret of his wish to distance himself from thecriminal reputation of his father, one ofBoston’s best-known bookies.

Though Sarkis chose very public ways tomake his fortune, he was famously private. Yetwhen he opened up in an interview in 2005, itwas to discuss the very personal challenges hehad faced recovering from his first brainsurgery in 1995 and his efforts to steer otherswith brain tumors to top-notch doctors. “I’mnot as tough as you think, you know,” he toldthe Globe. “Can I be a pain? All that and more.But I learned we don’t control what we thinkwe control. And you have to pass somethingon.”

He cut an elegant figure in his dark tailoredsuits, silk ties, and crisp shirts, but he neverducked a fight to protect his life’s work,whether in a courtroom, a regulatory hearing,or the pages of newspapers where his quotescould slice as sharply as a carving knife.

At times his commanding presence said mostof what he needed to say, as was the case whenhe presided at Abe & Louie’s on BoylstonStreet. With its dark wood, brass rails, andheavy cutlery, the steakhouse was a cut abovethe rest in the Back Bay Restaurant GroupSarkis headed, and it became one of the city’smost successful restaurants, attracting topBoston sports stars or a visiting Warren Buffettto its elegant private dining room. As with hisother restaurants, Sarkis kept a table for him-self offering a view of the kitchen, the frontdoor, and the bar. When the need arose, hepounded on the table to emphasize a point.

If a deferential waiter asked whether his mealpassed muster, Sarkis would gesture to a near-by patron. “He would say, ‘Don’t ask me, askhim. I have to be here. He doesn’t have to comeback,’ ” recalled his wife, Jolene. “Charlie want-ed everybody treated the same way. He wantedeveryone to come and have a great meal.”

Sarkis “had the real ability to affect peoplewith his presence, and his presence lived

beyond his physical presence. I think that wasone of the unspoken secrets of his success,”said Ann Marie Escobar, chief operating officerof Legal Sea Foods.

“He was so consistent and so focused thatpeople who worked with him wanted to be as

perfect-seeking,” said Escobar, who worked forSarkis for 30 years and was executive vice pres-ident of operations for Back Bay RestaurantGroup. “His true life passion was this businessand the hospitality part of this business. Heknew in his soul how to do it right.”

At many of his other restaurants, includingCharley’s on Newbury Street, Sarkis nurturedan appealing formula: attentive service, gener-ous drinks, and good meals that avoided thepretentiousness of what he dismissed as “cheffyrestaurants” with their complicated fare.

His gambling ventures were less simple. Hewaged and lost a legal battle with New EnglandPatriots owner Robert Kraft in the late 1990sover property adjacent to the team’sFoxborough stadium, which Sarkis operatedfirst as a thoroughbred track and then for har-ness racing — all of which he was forced to letgo when a judge ruled against his claims in alease dispute.

With Wonderland, which he ran through hisWestwood Group, Sarkis persevered throughthe ups and downs of the economy andthrough legislative fights over various gamblingbills. The track closed in 2010, nearly two yearsafter a state referendum banned greyhound rac-ing.

All those battles seemed tame next to theupheaval in 1990, when 40 people, includinghis father and Wonderland’s general manager,were indicted on charges of running an illegalgaming operation. Though Sarkis was notcharged, he again found himself in the shadowof his father, Abraham, whom prosecutorscalled the mastermind behind the scheme toillegally arrange bets at off-track premises.Abraham Sarkis, who had been convicted in anunrelated bookmaking case years earlier, diedin 1991, before the charges against him in theWonderland arrest were resolved.

Though Sarkis made no secret that he lovedhis father, he said in a 1994 interview that hehad decided early in life to keep his distancefrom Abe’s unsavory career. “I wanted to be asfar away from that life as I could get,” he saidthen. “I just knew it wasn’t right and I couldn’tlive that way. I didn’t have the nervous systemto do it.”

The older of two siblings, Charles F. Sarkisgrew up in Milton, the only son of AbrahamSarkis and the former Dorothy Rooney. His sis-ter, Dorothy Morkis, became a successful riderand competitor in equestrian competitions.

Sarkis graduated from GeorgetownUniversity with a bachelor’s degree in businessand received a master’s in business fromBoston College.

While living in Washington, D.C., and study-ing at Georgetown, he watched gentrificationchange the neighborhood around campus.“That’s where he got the restaurant bug,” hiswife said. “He was going out to eat most nightsand he thought, ‘This is what the Back Bayshould be like.’ ”

In 1964, Sarkis bought Boraschi’s restaurantin Boston. He went on to open Charley’s onNewbury Street in 1970 and proceeded toexpand his empire into a string of East Coastrestaurants.

Sarkis married Nancy Hennessey in 1960,and they had six children. Their marriage endedin divorce in 1998. She died in 2012.

In 1999, Sarkis married Jolene Sykes, whohas served as publisher and president ofFortune magazine. In recent years they lived inPalm Beach, Fla.

In 2011 and 2012, Sarkis sold the bulk of hisrestaurants to the Tavistock Group andNewport Harbor Corp., his wife said. Two finalrestaurants, in New Jersey, are scheduled toclose at the end of this month.

Because of how certain provisions in theTavistock deal affected three of his children,who worked for the Back Bay RestaurantGroup, family acrimony became public aroundthe time of the sale and was detailed in theGlobe. “I am selling my business due to my age,my serious health issues, and my business andpersonal financial situation,” Sarkis wrote atthe time in an e-mail to the Globe.

“I care very much about the business I built,and even more about my children,” he added,“and I will continue — privately — to do the bestI can for both.”

Over the years, Sarkis “was most proud ofthe people he employed and how many heemployed,” his wife said. “He really felt hewas a contributor to Boston and toMassachusetts because he hired and trainedso many people.”

Services will be announced for Sarkis, who inaddition to his sister, of Dover, and his wifeleaves three daughters, Nancy Corcoran ofWalpole, Amy of Westwood, and Sarah ofHonolulu; three sons, Charles Jr. of Canton,Paul of Los Angeles, and Patrick of Boston; hiswife’s daughter from a previous marriage,Katherine Henry of Dallas; five grandchildren;and three step-grandchildren.

“He was so fun and so funny,” his wife said.“He was just so full of life and exuberance. Hewas always pursuing the best of everything, soit was always a fun ride with him.”

Sarkis kept working for some 16 years afterhis first bout with brain cancer, in 1995, eventhough it affected his ability to recognize faces.“It’s my little secret,” he confided in 2005. Therecurring illness was humbling. He said that acouple of days before undergoing surgeryagain, he walked into a healing service at aHolliston chapel. “I looked around and said:‘Everyone is here for hope. Why do I think I’many better than anyone else?’ And I stayed. Itwas one of those life-altering moments.”

He added: “Sometimes I feel sorry for myself.Then I say, ‘You’re the luckiest guy in theworld.’”

8 S A T U R D A Y, M A R C H 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

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WASHINGTON — On March 6, the Knightsand Daughters of Vartan of Washington, DC,hosted a community-wide reception to welcomefive members of the Armenia-US Parliamentarydelegation, visiting Washington DC for a seriesof meetings with US government officials,politicians and Armenian-American communityleaders. The trip has been organized by theArmenian Embassy, in cooperation with theCongressional Armenian Caucus.

The Armenia-US Parliamentary Delegation isheaded by Arpine Hovhannisyan, deputy speak-er of the National Assembly of Armenia andincludes Parliamentarians of four major politi-cal parties of Armenia, Armen Ashotyan,

Edmon Marukhyan, Aghvan Vardanyan andNaira Zoorabyan.

(See related stories on the delegation’s visiton pages 1 and 6.)

Sareen and Arya Balian sang the Nationalanthems of America and Armenia. Parish coun-cil Chairmen of both St. Mary’s ArmenianChurch and Soorp Khach Armenian Church,Onnik Sivaslian and Hrant Jamgochian, respec-tively, welcomed the dignitaries. Knights of

Vartan Commander Kevork Marashlian empha-sized that the silent majority of DiasporaArmenians supports the foreign affairs of thecountry as well as the Armenian people, butthat they are entitled to constructive critique of

the government and the political parties, espe-cially regarding the welfare of the people. Thenhe invited Ambassador Grigor Hovhannesyan,who thanked Knights and Daughters of Vartanfor the event and presented the members of thedelegation of the Armenian Parliament.

Arpine Hovhannisyan reiterated the impor-tance of the Armenian Diaspora and announcedthat this is the first visit of its kind to CapitolHill by an Armenian delegation.

After a prayer by Fr. Sarkis Aktavookian, atraditional Armenian Lenten dinner was served

to the parliamentary delegation and the invitedguests from the Washington communityArmenian organizations, churches, along withArmenian advocacy organizations, theArmenian National Committee of America andthe Armenian Assembly of America.

The dinner was followed by a lively discus-sion, during which the parliamentary membersanswered questions from the participants.

During the discussions, the group addressedthe transition of Armenia to a parliamentarymode.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Knights and Daughters of Vartan Welcome Armenian Parliamentary Delegation to Washington

Parliamentary delegates third row with members of Daughters of Vartan of Washington, D.C.

HEARING, from page 6leadership of former Senator Jack Scott andGovernor Gray Davis, was of immense benefit toArmenia and articulated his support for arenewed trade office in Armenia. He noted howfar Armenia has come in the decade since thetrade office closed, with special focus on thebooming tech industry Armenia boasts.

The third panel featured a discussion of theUniversity of California’s (UC) investments inthe Republics of Turkey and Armenia and high-lighted why divestment from the Republic ofTurkey is particularly prudent moving forward.Jagdeep Bachher, Chief Investment Officer, VicePresident of Investments spoke first, detailingwhat kinds of investments the UC makes, whatrisk factors it considers in making those deci-sions, and how under his leadership the institu-tion’s involvement with the AmericanUniversity of Armenia has grown. With thatbackground in mind, members heard the impas-sioned speeches of two of the co-founders ofthe Divest Turkey campaign, Arev Hovespianand Razmig Sarkissian, as well as current mem-ber of the campaign, Aram Manoukian. Theyreminded the legislature of Turkey’s ongoinghuman rights abuses against ethnic minoritiesand discussed why it is no longer financiallywise for the UC to invest in Turkey given itsrecent descent into dictatorship.

“I was very honored to have had the oppor-tunity to present on the importance of the UCdivestment from Turkey before the first hearingof the Select Committee. I believe that our tes-timony made a compelling case to the CIO fromthe University and I felt he was being veryrespectful of our student perspective, going sofar as to invite us to formally present in thefuture to the University Investment CommitteeDirectly. We are grateful to Senator Portantino

for this opportunity and we are optimistic thatit will lead to a positive outcome,” commentedArev Hovsepian, Co-Founder Divest Turkey andformer UCLA student.

After all speakers had made their presenta-tions, Senator Portantino, together with his col-league, Senator Wilk, presented a SenateResolution to members of Armenian grassrootsorganizations commemorating the 30thanniversary of the Sumgait Pogrom. The tragicevent, which commenced on the eve ofFebruary 28th, 1988, resulted in the death of200 Armenian men, women, and children and isconsidered to be the start of the NagornoKarabakh War. Azeris planned and orchestrat-ed the brutal massacres which targetedArmenians solely for their heritage followingtheir peaceful protest calling for historicArmenian lands to be liberated.

The resolution, which commemorated all ofthe victims who perished in the SumgaitPogroms, was read aloud during the televisedhearing. The leaders of the Armenian NationalCommittee – Western Region and theArmenian Assembly of America were present toaccept the resolution.

During the public comment portion of themeeting, members of the greater Armenian andAzeri communities were afforded the opportu-nity to address the committee. Portantinogracefully handled the comments from AzeriAmericans.

Portantino represents nearly 930,000 peoplein the 25th Senate District, which includesAltadena, Atwater Village, Bradbury, Burbank,Claremont, Duarte, Glendale, Glendora, LaCañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, La Verne, LosFeliz, Monrovia, Montrose, Pasadena, San Dimas,San Marino, Shadow Hills, Sierra Madre, SouthPasadena, Sunland-Tujunga, and Upland.

Senate Select Committee holds Historic hearing on Armenia

MEDFORD, Mass. — The Cambridge-YerevanSister City Association (CYSCA) has organized apanel discussion on 3D printing: the wave of thefuture. The event is co-sponsored by TuftsArmenian Club and the National Association forArmenian Studies and Research (NAASR). Thisevent is being held as part of the annualCambridge Science Festival on Thursday, April19, 7-9 p.m. at Tufts University’s Paige Hall,Crane Room, 12 Upper Campus Road, Medford.The moderator will be Berge Ayvazian.

The distinguished panel of scientists will fea-ture an expert from Armenia on 3D printingHrayr Azizbekyan, head ofengineering/researcher at Matter Wave PhysicsLab, Institute for Physical Research, NationalAcademy of Sciences, Yerevan, Armenia. Hrayrhas been invited to Cambridge by CYSCA specif-ically for this event. The five other panelists willinclude local 3D experts: Jennifer Milne,Formlabs, Somerville; Adam Green, Einstein’s

Workshop, Burlington; AJ Perez, NV Bots,Boston; Chris Templeman, Garage Makerspace(NERD), Microsoft, Cambridge. Jack Keverian,Peabody will offer an overview of 3D printing.

The discussion will cover the education, appli-cation, manufacture of 3D printers and is intend-ed for the general public. Since its inception, 3Dprinting has been innovative in various indus-tries such as biomedical, manufacturing, indus-try and socioculture. Learn about efforts beingmade both in the United States and Armenia, interms of manufacturing and education.

Admission is free and the public is invited.Parking is available after 5PM in all spaces.Refreshments will be provided after the pro-gram. For questions or more details, contactAlisa Stepanian at asteoanian@aol.com.

For more information about the OW programcontact Alisa Stepanian at asteoanian@aol.comor Jack Medzorian at jmedzorian@aol.com orabout CYSCA www.cambridgeyerevan.org.

Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association toSponsor Panel Discussion on 3D Printing

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COMMUNITY NEWS

National Assembly Members Visit New York VISIT, from page 1

While revealing their concerns about emigration from Armenia and economic improvement,they expressed the hope that the new government will quickly find solutions to these issues.

Barsamian called for cooperation and mutual confidence in an effort to fortify Armenia-diaspora relations and remarked that American Armenians were preparing to celebrate thefiftieth anniversary of St. Vartan Cathedral in New York.

Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan voiced his wishes for their success. The visiting delegation included Arpine Hovhannisyan, one of the deputy speakers or vice

presidents of the National Assembly and member of the Republican Party of Armenia,Armen Ashotyan, member of the same party and chairman of the National Assembly’sStanding Committee on Foreign Relations, Naira Zohrabyan, member of the ProsperousArmenia Party of Gagik Tsarukyan, Edmon Marukyan of the Yelk opposition alliance, andAghvan Vardanyan of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

Diplomats from the Armenian embassy in Washington and representatives of theArmenian Democratic Liberal Party and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation were pre-sent at the meeting.

(Translated from the Armenian)

The visiting delegation of National Assembly representatives with New York area clergy andcommunity leaders.

WATERTOWN — On January 28, on theArmy Day holiday in Armenia, Watertown-based Cpl. Paul S. Marsoubian Post 41AMVETS reached out to front-line soldierscelebrating the 26th Anniversary of the Armyof the Republic of Armenia. The post donat-ed a commemorative holiday meal to front-line soldiers in the trenches defending thehostile border of Armenia and Azerbaijan inthe Tavush region of Armenia. Besides meatblessed by the clergy and cooked in a stewcalled “Khashlama,” soldiers were given tea,coffee, bread, chocolate, soda and cigarettes.

This project was conceived of and spearhead-ed by Jack Medzorian an AMVETS Post 41, pastpost commander, trustee and charter memberand under the leadership of GeorgeHaroutunian, present commander and trusteeof the post. This project was a huge successthanks to excellent coordination by GoharPalyan, Yerevan-based Knights of Vartan repre-sentative, and Rev. Aram Mirzoyan, the Fundfor Armenian Relief (FAR), as well as local vol-unteers commandeered by Mirzoyan. Based inthe front-line border town of Berd, Mirzoyan isthe spiritual leader of the area 4-5 hours north-east of Yerevan called Shamshadeen, comprisedof 16 front-line border villages where the troopsare entrenched.

Commander A. Kirakosyan of the DefenseMinistry of the Republic of Armenia was soimpressed by this act of goodwill that he sentan official Certificate of Gratitude praisingthe AMVETS Post 41 for its generosity.

Armenia’s army has been under attack byneighboring Azerbaijan in violation of acease-fire agreement negotiated 24 years ago.In addition, Azerbaijan and Turkey, in defi-ance of International Law, have both block-aded Armenia. As a consequence, land-lockedArmenia stands surrounded and cut off onboth ends, with limited access only to Iranand Georgia for transit of vital goods. In spiteof Armenia being a member of the UnitedNations, there seems to be little or no inter-est and efforts to mediate a peace treaty andefforts to date by the OSCE have had no suc-cess to date.

Post 41 was founded in 1952 in Watertownby American-Armenian veterans of WorldWar II and named in memory of a local heroCorporal Paul S. Marsoubian who died inGermany in battle in WWII. Several veteransof AMVETS Post 41 have served in combatwith courage and some have been awardedthe Purple Heart and cited for bravery.

Post 41 has played an active role in nation-al and international affairs, having produceda national AMVETS commander and a statecommander over its 66-year history. The posthas a monthly luncheon meeting at theArmenian General Benevolent Union Center,Watertown, during which dedicated membersgreet each other, enjoy lunch and continue tosupport worthy causes.

Recently, Post 41 donated $10,000, splitevenly between AMVETS District 5 and theAMVETS Department of Massachusetts withthe proviso that the hard-earned money ofthese Post 41 veterans be used to help theircomrades in need.

Besides defending its borders, theArmenian Army plays an active role inInternational Affairs. Todd Jacobus, life mem-ber of AMVETS Post 2008 in Belmont, MArecently retired as Deputy Commander of theUnited Nations peace-keeping forces in thedangerous regions of Kosovo reports that hecommanded the Armenian Army and otherswho participated in peace-keeping in Kosovo.He cites the tremendous care and concern bythe Armenian soldiers under his command.During his service, AMVETS Post 2008donated scores of CARE packages to thetroops under difficult conditions which

reached the Armenian and other troopsunder his command.

In addition, in another internationalsphere, Post 2008 AMVETS donated scoresof CARE packages and sports clothing totroops under the command of Major FelixGregorian, who served combat tours as anAMVET of Post 2008 with no less than fivetours of duty in the Middle East before beingretired last year.

Gregory Arabian, Esq., retired US ArmyMajor, and former active member of Post 41,was moved by this story. He is currently com-mander of Post 2008 in Belmont and firstvice-commander of AMVETS district 5. Hehas decided to recognize this goodwill pro-ject of Post 41 at the AMVETS NationalConvention, stating, “God Bless AMVETSPost 41 for their care, concern and generosi-ty in tough times like these. AMVETS isinvolved, is alive, and is a body of veteranshelping veterans and others in need, whetherin the national or international sphere. I willreport it everywhere. I will also address thisyear’s AMVETS National Convention withthis story of goodwill and sacrifice”

– Jack Medzorian

A popular veal stew called Khashlama being prepared for front-line troops defending the hostile bor-der of Armenia and Azerbaijan in NE Armenia’s Shamshadeen region (a group of 16 border vil-lages) of the Tavush Marz. Meal hosted by the Armenian-American Veterans of AMVETS Post 41,Watertown MA on January 28, Army Day holiday in Armenia.

AMVETS POST 41 Reaches OutTo Armenia’s Front-Line Troops

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CONCERT, from page 1The culturally rich event, in partnership with

the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church ofAmerica, with the support of Nazar andArtemis Nazarian, also recognized the seasonwhen Armenia became a member state of theUN in March 1992, marking an opportunity forthe Armenian Mission to invite the UnitedNations community to share in their nation’smusical talents and traditions.

“Our primary targets were our internationalpartners,” said Ambassador ZohrabMnatsakanyan, permanent representative ofArmenia to the United Nations. “The wholeidea of this concert was to combine all of theelements of our culture into one single com-monality, just as we are here in New York City.”

The predominantly international crowd, cou-pled with the global backgrounds of the per-formers, who have trained in Armenia, Russia,England, Cyrus and the US and who play bothEastern and Western composers, was sharedwith the entire UN community in an effort to“participate and share in diversity.”

He continued, “The incessant applausedemonstrated how exciting it is to showcaseArmenia’s rich cultural and musical heritage inone of the most beautiful churches located bythe United Nations, which demonstrates thevibrancy of the Cathedral’s architecture, faithand culture.”

The hour-long concert captured various tonesand moods of classical music, ranging fromHaydn’s lively piano trio to Hovnuts’ rarely-per-formed Duo Sonata for violin and cello toBabadjanian’s emotionally charged piano trio,culminating in an artistic and enriching perfor-mance.

“It was a great honor and pleasure to beinvited by Ambassador Mnatsakanyan to per-form in St. Vartan Cathedral,” said Chilingirian,who had played there previously with hisChilingirian Quartet 40 years ago. The Cyprus-

born violinist, who is professor of violin andchamber music at the Royal Academy of Musicin London, remarked on the “wonderfulacoustics” of the Cathedral, making it “an idealvenue to promote the music of Armenian com-posers in front of a truly international audi-ence.”

Each of the musicians was pleased to forma trio with their colleagues and fellow musi-cians, with whom they share mutual respect

and admiration. “This concert gave me the opportunity to

collaborate with two of the most prominentArmenian musicians,” said New York-basedpianist, composer and conductor Hakobyan,who is founder and artistic director of Pegasus:

The Orchestra. “The acoustics, beauty and spir-itual richness of the Cathedral, combined withthe warmth and enthusiasm of the audience,enhanced our performance.”

For the Yerevan-born Bagratuni, this washis first visit to St. Vartan Cathedral, whichhe described as a “unique experience.”

“I can’t think of a better way to intro-duce Armenian music and musicians tothe world community,” said Bagratuni, aprofessor of cello at Michigan StateUniversity and artistic director of theInternational Music Academy in Italy.“The international and Armenian com-munities have to realize Armenian musi-cians are capable of performing music ofall composers, not only Armenian.”

Hakobyan echoed Bagratuni’sthoughts, noting that events such as thisconcert “have the capacity to reachwider audiences by showcasing themusic of Armenian composers alongsideWestern works.”

Further highlighting the artistic abili-ties of the Armenian people was the art-work hanging on the walls by Ardean’sdesigns. Inspired by Armenia’s architec-ture, illuminated manuscripts and cross-stones, the Armenia-based design com-

pany, under the artistic guidance of founderand director Vasken Brudian, was originallyestablished at the Tumo Center for CreativeTechnologies in Armenia and has grown into acontemporary design company in the country.

“Armenian artists and musicians are recog-

nized worldwide not only because they areArmenian but also because their quality and tal-ent,” said Bagratuni. “This, I hope, was the mes-sage behind the Celebration of Spring concert.”

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Levon Chilingirian (violin) and Suren Bagratuni (cello)as they conclude Hovunt’s Duo Sonata for violin andcello

St. Vartan Cathedral Concert Celebrates Armenian Music

Celebration of Spring concert at St. Vartan Cathedral

The performers with Ambassador Mnatsakanyan after the show

12

Berklee MiddleEastern FestivalCelebrates MusicFrom AroundThe World BOSTON — Berklee College of Music

presented the 10th annual BerkleeMiddle Eastern Festival as part of itsSignature Series on Thursday, March 1.Founded and directed by associate pro-fessor Christiane Karam, the festivalbrings together guest artists, communi-ty musicians, Berklee students, visualartists, and dancers from all over theworld to celebrate the music of theMiddle East, the Balkans, theCaucasus, and the Mediterranean.This year, the festival featured a stel-

lar lineup of guest performers. Lastyear’s Middle Eastern Festival headlin-er, the innovative Armenian pianist andcomposer Tigran Hamasyan, returnedto the stage for another memorable per-formance. The concert includedBerklee assistant professor and

acclaimed Ukrainian pianist and com-poser Vadim Neselovskyi ’04, who alsoperformed with the Vadim NeselovskyiTrio.Additional Middle Eastern Festival

performers included Palestinian singerand post-modern musician AmalMarkus, and acclaimed musical collec-tive Women of the World, with princi-ples representing India, Italy, Japan,Haiti and the United States. Roundingout the lineup was the PletenitsaBalkan Choir, a primarily female chorusthat encourages cultural exchangethrough choral and folk musical adap-tations, and Berklee World Strings,which showcased the talents of Berkleemusicians from Jordan, Spain, Ecuador,Turkey, China, Canada, and the UnitedStates, among other countries.

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Arts & Living

Lark Musical SocietyCelebrates AMAA Centennial

With ‘Faith and Love’PASADENA, Calif. — The day after a gentle rain, sunshine in the crisp late after-

noon lit the scene perfectly as guests arrived for Lark Musical Society’s celebra-tion concert, “Faith and Love” at Pasadena’sAmbassador Auditorium, on Sunday, March4. The program featured Anton Bruckner’stripartite Te Deum, a popular thanksgivinghymn and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with

the chorus Ode to Joy, a masterpiece expressing the human longing for brother-hood and equality. It was a joyful and inspiring celebration of the Armenian Missionary Association

of America’s (AMAA) 100-year legacy of mission and service.The AMAA was founded in 1918 in Worcester, Mass. by the Armenian

Evangelicals to send aid overseas to survivors of the Armenian Genocide in theNear East. Its work has continued and expanded since then, now providing human-itarian aid, education, youth programs, and support for churches and Christianoutreach in 24 countries. AMAA Executive Director/CEO Zaven Khanjian hon-ored its founders and leaders in his program notes, citing Psalm 135:3 and writ-ing, “Pleasant is the memory of the early visionaries, successive leadership andgenerations of unsung heroes whose gospel-illuminated path and selfless sacrificeled to miracles in the life of the nation.”AMAA board members joined directors and staff, supporters, Lark Musical

Society members and supporters, local dignitaries, and a full-house audience at themagnificent concert with the express desire to celebrate the AMAA’s work in musi-cal tribute. Many of the guests came from local Armenian Evangelical churches,and have long-standing ties to the AMAA, and fervent appreciation for its mission.This was the final event of a busy weekend as the AMAA Board of Directors heldmeetings March 2-3 in the L.A. area, and five local churches hosted AMAA pre-sentations Sunday morning.Doris Melkonian, who holds a masters in musicology from UCLA, delivered a

pre-concert lecture. Those arriving early learned that Bruckner named his workafter an ancient hymn which begins “Thee, O God, we praise” and he based its texton the Apostles’ Creed.Beethoven’s 9th Symphony is considered one of the greatest works in the Western

musical tradition. Melkonian pointed out that the 1st movement starts with “thevoid” of the book of Genesis; while the exuberant chorus of the 4th movement cel-ebrates joy, life, and God’s divine blessings. She concluded, “Tonight, as the con-templative music of Bruckner and Beethoven transport us upward, we join in thisjoyful chorus of praise and give thanks to God. We praise God for the miracles andthe transformational work that have taken place through the programs initiated andsponsored by the Armenian Missionary Association of America.”Doors to the hall opened soon afterward and almost every seat was filled as

Concert Committee Chair Ken Kevorkian welcomed guests and dignitaries. Rev.Dr. Ara Chakerian, minister to the Armenian Evangelical Union of North Americablessed the concert with an invocation.Dr. Nazareth Darakjian, president of the AMAA Board of Directors, patron of the

Lark Musical Society, and a member of the Lark Mastersingers, stepped forwardto provide a stirring reflection on the founding of the Armenian Republic and thefounding of the AMAA in 1918, one century ago:“For 100 years the AMAA served Armenian communities in the Diaspora, and

after the disastrous earthquake that hit Armenia in 1988, the AMAA extended itsactivities to the Motherland also. Today, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary ofthe formation of the AMAA, we are also celebrating the 100th anniversary of therebirth of the Armenian nation, the rebirth of hope for a people who walked inthe valley of the shadow of death, came face to face with the possibility of totalannihilation, but survived.”

see CENTENNIAL, page 13

Armenian EntriesPart of SociallyRelevant FilmFestivalNEW YORK — SR Socially Relevant Film

Festival 2018 (SRFF 2018) brings in its FifthSeason with 70 international and local films,industry workshops and panels, and otherevents dedicated to social issues and the film-makers that highlight them. SRFF 2018 will beheld from March 16 to 22, 2018 at CinemaVillage and neighboring venues. This year’s lineup of the growing Socially

Relevant Film Festival has movies from 35 coun-tries. Among those are two important and inter-esting Armenian films, a documentary,“Armenians of the World” by the Lebaneseactress and filmmaker Carmen Labaki thatshows Armenians in Lebanon, Syria, Turkeyand Armenian with some new footage reflectingthe recent upheavals, and a narrative featurefilm, “Hot Country Cold Winter,” by DavidSarafian, that deals with the important periodof transition from Soviet to IndependentArmenia.These two films will have their New York pre-

mieres. Partner organizations in the film festival for

these two films are the National Association forArmenian Studies and Research, St. LeonArmenian Church and the Armenian GeneralBenevolent Union Performing arts.The rapidly-growing Festival, now in its fifth

year, is a multi-faceted event that embodies thecultural values of New York and the world.SRFF 2018 showcases films across an array ofplatforms from emerging, international andlocal filmmakers. There will be several spotlightprograms, industry workshops, and panels ondifferent regions and issues. Previous editions ofthe festival have included a number ofArmenian films. A percentage of the box officefrom the Armenian films will be donated toSOAR - Society of Orphaned Armenian Relief.

“Armenians of the World” by CarmenLabaki, Lebanon, Armenia, Syria, & Turkey,2017 | 56 minutes, will be shown on Sunday,March 18, at 6 p.m.It is a documentary that relates the amazing

story of a people that endured a lot of injustice

and suffering. The pride they take in their iden-tity, their sense of belonging and integration issecond to none. Shot in Turkey, Syria, Armeniaand Lebanon the film took a whole year ofresearch to be completed. This is a recent editwith updated information. In Turkey: Scenes ofdesolation, ruins, and silence. In Syria: Tearsand testimonies. In Armenia: Resistance, strongwill, and a dream. In Lebanon: An entire destiny

see FILMS, page 13

Vatsche Barsoumian led the Lark Orchestra, Lark Mastersingers, and musical artistsShoushik Barsoumian (Soprano), Garineh Avakian (Mezzo-soprano), Berj Karazian(Tenor), and Abdiel Gonzalez (Baritone)

By Elise Kalfayan

Pianist Tigran Hamasyan

Carmen Labaki, director of “Armenians of theWorld”

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ARTS & LIVING

CENTENNIAL, from page 12Conductor Vatsche Barsoumian led the Lark

Orchestra, Lark Mastersingers, and musicalartists Shoushik Barsoumian (Soprano),Garineh Avakian (Mezzo-soprano), BerjKarazian (Tenor), and Abdiel Gonzalez(Baritone) in a tremendous and moving musicalprogram that exceeded even the high expecta-tions set by the evening’s speakers. The Lark Musical Society, formed and sup-

ported by true artists, routinely excels in itsbeautifully curated and produced programs,and this was no exception. The performancewas a wonderful achievement as well a fittingcentennial tribute to the AMAA. Multiple ova-

tions that followed the finale were well-deserved by all the outstanding artists andmusicians who played in this program.Barsoumian founded the Lark Musical

Society, which includes a conservatory, musicaleducation program for children, the Dilijan

Chamber Series, and other successful musicaland artistic endeavors. The first of many collab-orations with the Lark Musical Society and theAMAA initiated in 1996 when the Lark Choirwas invited to Paris, France to perform duringthe 150th Anniversary Celebration of the found-ing of the Armenian Evangelical Church.In his concert notes, Barsoumian wrote that

Lark has a focus on the cultural work of theArmenian people, but drew in this concert fromthe full canon of Western music. “This seems afitting emulation of the truly global scale of theAMAA’s mission, with its charitable efforts ren-dered worldwide to communities in need, evenas it maintains a focus on enriching the lives,

both spiritual and physical, of Armenians wher-ever it can.” He concluded, “The spirit of thesemasterpieces is the spirit behind the goodworks of the Armenian Missionary Associationof America. Long may they continue to serve.Long may they spread their Faith and Love.”

Armenian EntriesPart of SociallyRelevant FilmFestivalFILMS, from page 12beginning in ancient times and everlastingthrough history.Today, the Turkish government is busy

destroying whatever belongs to the Armenians:bridges, houses, churches…If you go to Turkey,you won’t find the same images that werefilmed some years ago.(Trailer: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6e6u4n) “Hot Country, Cold Winter” by David

Safarian, Armenia, The Netherlands, Germany,2016 | 104 minutes, will be screened onSunday, March 18, at 7:30 pm.In Armenian and Russian with English subti-

tles, it is the tale of a man and a woman suffer-ing near-absurd circumstances during a totalenergy crisis right after the break down of theSoviet Union. Their narratives, recollections,imagination, and dreams are depicted in thispowerful narrative feature film dealing with aperiod of modern history, not so far away fromour times.It received awards for Best Actress and Best

Art Director National Film Academy ofArmenia, 2016, Best Narrative Feature FilmDirector Award 19th ARPA International FilmFestival 2016 Los Angeles, US, Best ScreenplayAward and Special Mention of Jury 13thGolden Apricot Yerevan International FilmFestival, and Effulgent Angel Prize 13thEffulgent Angel International Film Festival,2016 Moscow, Russia.Visit = http://www.dailymotion.com/video/

x6dbdg0 for a trailer.

‘Head Above Water’

Another film that will make its New Yorkpremier is “Head Above Water” by EricShahinian, US, 2017. A devoted husband isforced to confront his doubts about remain-ing the caretaker of his wife suffering fromAlzheimer’s disease. It won the Gold RemiAward Worldfest-Houston International Film

Festival, Best Actor Award Sulmona FilmFestival and Golden Apricot Award for BestShort Film Golden Apricot YerevanInternational Film Festival.The film will be shown on Wednesday,

March 21, at 3:30 p.m. in the “AgeingGracefully” collection of films.Among the other 67 officially selected

films to be screened in the heart ofGreenwich Village, are a diverse mix of fournarrative features, 12 documentaries, 40shorts, 10 VR/360º films and more. There isalso a script-writing contest and readings ofexcerpts from finalist scripts. The films rep-resent 35 countries. Visit www.ratedsr-films.org for schedules, film synopses, andfilmmaker bios.The festival closes on the evening of

March 22 with a glittering AwardsCeremony and screening of the winningfilms at Cinema Village, and party for thefilmmakers at Doux Supperclub featuringappearances from International and NYCfilmmakers, as well as industry guests andveterans.Festival Founder and Artistic Director

Nora Armani says “We are proud to reach

our fifth annual edition. Our dedication isfirst and foremost to the filmmaker whosework will otherwise not be seen on majorscreens. We advocate those filmmakers whochoose to tell socially relevant stories insteadof resorting to violence and commercialchoices.”The festival is proud to be supported by

the Left Tilt Fund, The Lower ManhattanCultural Council, Fairways Law Firm - Paris,The Puffin Foundation, in addition to spon-sorships from the German Consulate Generalof New York, The Dutch Consulate General,and Armenian organizations such as NAASR,St. Leon Armenian Church, AGBUPerforming Arts, AIWA NJ and ArmenianNetwork of America. Industry partners andsponsors include Cinema Libre Studio,Candy Factory, InkTip, Final Draft,Resolution rentals and more. Award trophiesare by Michael Aram and Anet Abnous.Hospitality partners are VillanelleRestaurant, Doux Supperclub, and LaColombe Coffee.For more information about SRFF 2018

events and sponsors, as well as past festivaleditions, visit www.ratedsrfilms.org.

Lark Musical Society Celebrates AMAACentennial with ‘Faith and Love’

Doris Melkonian delivers a pre-concert lecture.

A scene from “Hot Country Cold Winter” by David Sarafian

Eric Shahinian, director of “Head Above Water”

TheIrreverentGenius ofVaheBerberianBy Taleen BabayanSpecial to the Mirror Spectator

NEW YORK — It is a challenge to describe VaheBerberian in one word: playwright, comedian, writer,painter, actor and director have all been used to depictthis creative spirit, who has carved a niche in contem-porary Armenian theater and art. His scope, however,stretches much further.Berberian embraced his passion for the written word

and the blank canvas from a young age in 1950s Beirutand further sharpened his craft in Los Angeles over thelast three decades, where he continues to create art onhis own terms. Whether it is his plays, monologues,films, or paintings, his astute observations take centerstage, as does his love for the Armenian language. Entertaining with ease and smarts, Berberian is cur-

rently on tour with his sixth monologue, “Ooremn,”which he recently performed to great fanfare for theGreater New York Armenian community. (See relatedstory on Page 1.)He gave an exclusive interview over breakfast at Café

Angelique in Tenafly, NJ, about his latest show, his artis-tic process and why the arts are more important thanever. His eyes are ever observing — of the bright hue ofred hair, of the artwork in the railroad station turnedcafé — but above all, of the mind, heart and soul of theArmenian.

Taleen Babayan: Your monologues are humorous,culturally relevant and always receive joyous laughs.Aside from the entertainment aspect, what do you wantaudiences to take away from performances?

Vahe Berberian: First and foremost the entertain-ment is very important. Second I want to make themthink. I believe that it is possible to be intelligent andentertaining at the same time.

TB: How does it feel to share your work with audi-ences? Is it more fulfilling to write or to perform and seethe audience reaction?

VB: Of course it all depends on the medium. Forexample, if I’m writing a novel, I really love being on myown and writing at a café. But when you write plays andmonologues, it all comes to life only while performingbecause you can never really assess the work until it isperformed. Sometimes while I’m writing I think maybethis isn’t funny at all and then I do it in front of an audi-ence and they roar and then I realize it’s good. Whenyou have an audience, it takes on another dimension.

TB: Do you first practice your material in front of peo-ple you trust?

VB: Very informally. I never tell them because it’s dif-ficult when people sit in front of you in a judgmentalstate because their acceptance is completely different.No matter how good something is, when you’re askingsomeone to judge, the mental state is a completely dif-ferent one than someone who is there to enjoy. Butwhen I do informally practice the material, I don’t tellthem. If I have something new and I’m surrounded byfriends, I try it out on them and I can tell from the reac-tion how good or bad it is. Funnily enough, some of myvery close friends can tell if I’m trying my material outon them or not. They’ll tell me if it’s funny or inappro-priate.

TB: Do you sometimes feel like you want to push theenvelope further but have to keep an eye on the mate-rial because of the more conservative Armenian audi-ence?

VB: You know I do. As much as I want to say I don’t.But when I’m performing in front of my own audiencein Los Angeles, that’s my hardcore audience. They arethere only for me and I can really push the envelopemuch further than any other community.

TB: Do you enjoy meeting Armenians from all aroundthe world? What is a commonality or difference you findwithin the various communities?

VB: The commonalities are always there. This is the

funny thing about us. We constantly harp on the differ-ences, [whether we are Barskahye or Beirutzi orHayasdantzi] but in the end you realize that what isfunny is the fact that we are seriously the same. The dif-ferences are so superficial. And the ironic thing is thatwe think we are different. Probably psychologically wedo that to create some kind of distinction. Humans arelike that. Person comes from the Latin word Persona,which means mask in theater. So we all wear masks andcommunities and groups are like that too. We want towear a mask that differentiates us from others in orderto make us feel special.

TB: Your parents’ home in Beirut encouraged thearts, theatre and literature. What are your earliest mem-ories of artistic influences in your home?

VB: I have to say that our house was always packedwith books, paintings and drawings. Both my parentswere avid readers and books were everywhere. I used toplay hooky from school in order to read. My father wasa draftsman and my mother loved painting so I wasalways surrounded by art.

TB: Was it encouraged by your family to pursue thearts?

VB: Definitely. We weren’t well off but my mombought me my first guitar. As I said the books werealways there. I had a godfather who was a fascinatingman and he used to get me paints and brushes, so froma very young age the arts were in my life. The only thingthat my father kept saying was you keep doing manythings at the same time, you have to choose one or theother, but I could never do it. I think what it comes

down to is that every art is a form of entertainment.Every art. You’re telling a story. There has to be somekind of narrative in whatever you do. I remember whenI was maybe 6 years old I would write a story and thenon the other page I would draw and sketch in case youdidn’t understand my story.

TB: You mentioned working on a novel, what is itabout?

VB: This is a very new experience for me becausealthough I’ve worked on novels before, this is a periodpiece and more than half of it happens in 1877 so I hadto do a lot of research both about the period andRomania, where it takes place.

TB: I read about your family’s tragic experiences dur-ing the Armenian Genocide. Do you feel that somehowyour comedy is rooted in this inherent despair?

VB: Look, I’m not a very happy person. I’m a pes-simist in general and I think the reason I do comedy isthat I feel the need to do comedy. It’s funny because peo-ple ask me in interviews how I find these topics [in mymonologues and writing] or when I was a kid I wouldtell stories that happened to me and people would askhow does this only happen to you? Because you havechosen to do this, your eyes see situations and some-times it’s not really comical but you see the possibilitiesfor comedy. For example, my wife early on started as acostume designer for theater and we would walk into aused clothing store and I would say there’s nothing. But

she would point things out I didn’t see because that’sher métier; she knows the possibilities if she alters ordyes something. The way she perceives things are differ-ent than what I perceive, just like how she won’t see thecomical situations that I do.

TB:What is your process like not only to write mono-logues but also for your paintings and playwriting? Doyou tackle each medium depending on your inspirationof each project?

VB: Most of the time, I work on a few different thingsat the same time. When I’m in Los Angeles, if you lookat my schedule you’ll see studio, writing, performance,but there comes a point where it is almost time for thebaby to come out then I don’t do anything else but thatcertain thing. That’s the moment I know the water hasbroken and the baby is coming out so I have to leaveeverything else aside. It’s impossible for me to do any-thing but this.

TB: Do you have a certain level of discipline youadhere to?

VB: Absolutely. This whole idea of the bohemianartist is bullshit. Because nothing will get done if youdon’t have discipline. Especially with someone like me,who is surrounded by people all the time. When I paint,my studio is full of people, my friends, my theater com-pany. We drink, we smoke, we have fun.

TB: It’s interesting you have chosen to write and per-form in Armenian, even though you could easily do soin English. Is there a specific reason?

VB: Oh yeah. I find performing in Armenian orgasmic.The language turns me on. I love it because when speaks

to me in Armenian, I feel like theyknow my secrets. As Armenians, wehave a sense of family no matter wherewe are because being of the same eth-nicity and speaking the same languageremoves barriers.

TB: Did you ever see yourself here?Did you have set goals as an artist ordid you remain open to the opportuni-ties you created or that came yourway?

VB: That’s a very good question.Where I am now, I honestly cannotremember where I thought I would be.I always knew I would write or paintbut because I grew up in a fatalisticculture in my mind, success was neveran easy thing. So when I thought of asuccessful painter I always thought ofsomeone who struggles all his life andthen he dies and his paintings are soldfor astronomical figures. I really could-n’t perceive the idea that it’s possibleto be a successful living artist until Istarted selling and I thought some-thing’s wrong here because it doesn’twork with my concept of the torturedartist. Sometimes you ask yourself, amI a fake? Because that’s not how wewere brought up. Hagop Baroniandied a poor man. Van Gogh committedsuicide. Every single artist I loved andrevered, all of them died poor.

TB: But you didn’t waver. You knewwhat it was you wanted to do and youforged your own path.

VB: One of the most profoundquotes I have read is by Oscar Wildewhen he said “I put all my genius intomy life. I put only my talent into my

work,” meaning that the most important creation ismyself. The rest is nothing compared to yourself, thatself you have created.

TB: I read you said once, “fall in love with the project…fallin love with the person. Don’t be afraid of pain...it makes youfeel alive.” Have emotions always been the driving forcebehind your creativity and artistry?

VB: Absolutely. I have always used this following anal-ogy. Life is a cocktail party. You eat, you drink, you con-sume to the point where you become sick. The momentof throwing up is the moment of your creation where it’simpossible to keep anything inside you anymore. Youknow you’re going to get very sick if you don’t throw up.So the artist throws up on the canvas. The writer on thepaper. The actor on the stage. It’s emptying everythinginside you to the point where you’re cleansed, you’recathartic then you have to drink again in order to createagain.

TB:What advice do you have for the next generationsof Armenians who want to embrace and pursue the artsbut are reluctant to do so since it’s not the most practi-cal vocation?

VB: Right now what we need is culture. There areenough people out there who are feeding our stomachsand our pockets. I think we really need people who willnourish us and our brains and feed us culturally.Otherwise no matter how affluent you are, when youhave no identity, who cares? Who cares?

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ARTS & LIVING

COMEDY, from page 1Conveying his astute ability to grasp obser-

vations of even the simplest everyday circum-stances and situations, Berberian analyzedhuman relationships and interactions throughthe lens of comedy, relating to both Armeniansand the world at large. (See interview withBerberian on page 14.)Hilda Hartounian, chair of the TCA, wel-

comed guests and gave an update on upcomingTCA-related events and activities, before intro-ducing Berberian to the stage. “Vahe, who has many talents, is someone

very familiar to all of us,” said Hartounian. “Weare so happy he is here among us today to per-form his latest monologue.” Berberian debuted “Ooremn,” his sixth mono-

logue, last September in Glendale. He is current-ly on tour with his show, delighting audiencesacross the country and overseas. Fresh off per-formances in Lebanon and Canada, Berberianwill continue to present his show to Armeniancommunities around the globe.

“I appreciate Vahe Berberian’s good humorand his jokes,” said guest Jirair Khorozian. “Hiscomedy is hilarious and daring.” “I enjoyed a lot of laughs,” said Andrew

Saganda who attended the performance withhis family. “It’s a wonderful time and perfect towatch with your parents as well.”The Beirut-born Berberian, a Los Angeles res-

ident for the past three decades, has pursuedthe arts through various channels, includingwriting, painting, acting and directing, amongmany other modes of creativity. His earlier pop-ular monologues, aptly named, “ Yevaylen,”“Nayev,” “Dagaveen,” “Sagayn” and “Yete,”each probe into man’s existence, all the whileentertaining his international audience. “It was honor to host a multi-talented artist

as renowned as Vahe Berberian,” saidHartounian after the show. “It’s always a privi-lege to organize events such as this that makeus proud to be Armenian.”

Photos by Anahid Kaprelian

15T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O RS A T U R D A Y, M A R C H 1 7 , 2 0 1 8

ARTS & LIVING

Roasted Cauliflower, Lemon and OnionsINGREDIENTS1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets or wedges (about 8 cups)2 large lemons, thinly sliced1 medium red onion, diced or sliced1/4 cup olive oil or grape seed oil or 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter4-5 garlic cloves, chopped1 tablespoon grated lemon rind1 tablespoon lemon juice1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt1/4 teaspoon each white or black pepper, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes (totaste)1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs or Panko bread crumbs (optional)Chopped fresh parsley and thyme leavesCrumbled feta cheese, blue cheese or grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION:Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Toss cauliflower, lemons and onions with the oil, garlic, lemon rind, lemon juice,

and spices in a large bowl. Place on a greased baking sheet lined with foil and roast until golden, about 25

to 28 minutes, tossing, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Add the breadcrumbs, toss, drizzle with olive oil, and roast 3-5 minutes longer, if desired.Remove from oven.Transfer to a bowl or platter, top with fresh chopped parsley and thyme, and

sprinkle with cheese. Serve with Italian vinaigrette dressing or yogurt on the side.Serves 4-6.

*Christine's recipes have been published in the Fresno Bee newspaper, Sunsetmagazine, Cooking Light magazine, and at http://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/

Recipe Corner

by Christine Vartanian Datian

Good, Not-So-Clean Fun With Vahe Berberian

FRESNO — Narine Toukhikyan-Khachaturyan, director of the HovhanessTumanian Museum of Yerevan, Armenia willbe the guest speaker at the ArmenianMuseum of Fresno on Monday, March 26,starting at 7 p.m. Tukhikyan-Khachaturyan, was the curator

of Eclipse Exhibit in Armenia. Being underpressure from the old guard, the exhibitionwas shut down in fall 2017 after being on dis-play for only three weeks.She will provide new findings about the

renowned author, nicknamed “The Poet ofAll Armenians,” Hovhaness Tumanian, andreflect on his four sons; one of them waskilled in Van, and the other three were exiledand murdered during Stalin’s Purge.A revised addition of Eclipse, with its

impact on diaspora and the ArmenianChurch will be on display in Armenian andEnglish languages.

Tumanian is considered one of the fore-most writers of the Armenian literature.Through his writings he was able to immor-talize some of the most ethnographic cus-toms and traditions of the Armenian culture.As the 9th, and the youngest child of a villagepriest, he grew up in a one-room-house in thehighlands of Lori region of Armenia. Duringand following the Genocide he and his familywere very active in providing shelter to therefugees and orphans. He associated closelywith our national heroes, such as GeneralAntranik Ouzanyan in their struggle for inde-pendence in 1918. Toukhikyan-Khacahturyan was born in

Yerevan. She is a graduate of thePhilological faculty of the Yerevan StateUniversity. She has worked in TV produc-tions and is the author of different TV pro-jects. Her hobby is translations. She is theauthor of many articles published in

Armenian and international journals andnewspapers. Several books are edited byher. Since 2007 she is managing theToumanian Museum. Since 2011 memberof ICOM. In 2013 she was one of the 5 win-ners of ICOM- CECA ‘best practice’’awards. The museum educational projectthat won the world competition was called“Three apples fell from heaven.”This is the first museum in Armenia that

invested new technologies in its activity.After this event, on Wednesday, April 4, at

6 p.m. the museum will host a talk by WilliamC. Rempel, about his new book, The Gambler:How Penniless Dropout Kirk Became TheGreatest Deal Maker in Capitalist History.Rempel is a veteran investigative reporter

and editor with 36 experience at the LosAngeles Times. For more information, visit

www.armof.org

Narine Tukhikyan-Khachaturyan

Narine Tukhikyan-Khachaturyan Lecture at Fresno Museum

Guests enjoying the Vahe Berberian show

Some members of the TCA Executive Board with Vahe Berberian at the Clinton Inn, from left, HaroutChatmajian, Marie Zokian, Vahe Berberian, Hilda Hartounian, Hagop Vartivarian and Barkev Kalayjian.

TaleenSetrakian,AnoushGulian, ZarigBaghdadlianand JirairKhorozian

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MARCH 16-17 — Conference, “Celebration of 400 Yearsof Armenian-American Heritage, 1618-2018,” at theArarat-Eskijian Museum, Mission Hills. Co-sponsored bythe Ararat-Eskijian Museum (AEM), the NationalAssociation for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR),Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives, theArmenian Genocide Museum-Institute (AGMI) inYerevan, Armenia, and the California State UniversityNorthridge Armenian Studies Program.

APRIL 8 — St. David Armenian Church of Boca Ratonwill celebrate the 30th Anniversary of its Consecrationon Sunday, with a Celebratory Banquet in the ChurchMardigian Hall at 1 p.m., presided by Archbishop KhajagBarsamian. All are invited to this special occasion.Donations for adults $45, children under 14, $10Contact the church office 561 994-2335, or SonigKradjian 607 727-8786 and Emma Pilikyan 561 414-1182.JANUARY 20-27, 2019 — Armenian Heritage CruiseXXII Western Carribean Cruise aboard RoyalCarribean’s Allure of the Seas. Traveling toNassau/Cozumel/Roatan/Costa Maya. Cabin rates start-ing from $949 per person based on double occupancy,including port charges and ACAA registration fee.Govermment taxes of $137.45 are additional. Armenianentertainment, cultural presentations, festival day, tavlouand belote tournaments and much more. Call TravelGroup International 561-447-0750 or 866-447-0750 ext.108. Contact person Jaine.

APRIL 15 — Book presentation by Adrienne Alexanian(editor) on her father’s memoir Forced intoGenocide: Memoirs of an Armenian Soldier in theOttoman Turkish Army, Sunday, 3 p.m. sharp. The IllinoisHolocaust Museum and Education Center 9603 WoodsDrive Skokie, Il. 60077—-RSVP (847) 967-4800. There areno other books in literature on this aspect of theGenocide. The book also contains rare documents andpictures which will be shown during a power point pre-sentation. Book signing during reception.

MARCH 18 — Book Presentation by Adrienne G.Alexanian, Forced into Genocide, Memoirs of anArmenian Soldier in the Ottoman Turkish Army,Sunday, 12:30 p.m., Charles and Nevart Talanian CulturalHall, Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston,145 Brattle St., Cambridge. This book is a riveting mem-oir of Yervant Edward Alexanian, an eye-witness to themassacre and dislocation of his family and countrymen inOttoman Turkey during WW I, while he served as a con-script in the Turkish Army. Reception and Book Signing tofollow Presentation. All are welcome! Log ontohttp://www.htaac.org/calendar/event/527/ for furtherinformation.MARCH 22 — 7:30 p.m.: Siobhan Nash-Marshall, “TheSins of the Fathers: Turkish Denialism and theArmenian Genocide,” Thursday, at the NAASRCenter, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont. The program is opento the public. Contact: hq@naasr.org or 617-489-1610.MARCH 23 — Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston(SNDC) is honored to share the stage with worldrenowned and beloved singer from ArmeniaSirusho, appearing live for the first time in Boston, at theprestigious Berklee Performance Center, 136 Mass. Ave.,Boston. Start time: 8 pm. Tickets may be purchasedonline at www.berklee.edu/events/Sirusho or by calling617-747-2261. To avoid online fees, you may also pur-chase your tickets in person at the Berklee Box Office, 10am – 6pm. For more info or questions, email sirusho-boston@gmail.com . You may also follow us on Facebookat www.facebook.com/events/162986714315959/Reserve your tickets for this memorable cultural eveningof Armenian song and dance.APRIL 8 — Annual Reconfiguration of the Abstract

Sculpture, Armenian Heritage Park on The Greenway,

Boston, Sunday, 7 am Rain Date: Sunday, April 15APRIL 10 — Armenian Business Network (ABN) Winter

Business Networking event. Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. TheSheraton Commander, Cambridge. Stephen Demirjian,guest speaker from the Achieve Institute shares methodson creating greater personal and work life success. Thisevent is free of charge. RSVP: armenianbusinessnet-work@gmail.comAPRIL 11 — A recap on the status of the documentaryproject “Neighbors in Memory,” accompanied by apanel of community members shedding light on the stateof Armenian-Turkish relations as they live and witness it.Wednesday, 7 p.m., Capitol Theatre, 204 Mass. Ave.,Arlington. Screenings, discussions and refreshments. Formore information: gonca59@gmail.comAPRIL 14 — Saturday, St. James Great Gatsby Gala! ARoarin’ 20s Celebration! Live Jazz & Armenian Music,Passed Hors D’oeuvres, Mezza and Dessert Stations andmore. St. James Armenian Church – 465 Mt. AuburnStreet, Watertown, 8 p.m., Tickets $100. Purchase onlineat www.stjameswatertown.org orcontact info@sthagop.com.APRIL 20-21 — Commemorating the 103rd anniversaryof the Armenian Genocide, first at the State House,on Friday, April 20, 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., Boston. A freereception will follow. Then on Saturday, April 21, aCommemoration at the Park, 3 to 5 p.m. Further detailswill follow. For more information, visitbostonagcc@gmail.com.

APRIL 21 – Annual Procession and Raising of the ArmenianFlag at Lowell City Hall in commemoration of the 103rdanniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Procession to beled by the Lowell Armenian-American Veterans HonorGuard. Participants should meet at the corner ofMerrimack and John Sts. in Lowell at 9:30 a.m.Sponsored by the Armenian National Committee,Merrimack Valley (ANCMV) with the participation of allarea Armenian Churches and Organizations.MAY 5 — Saturday, Kentucky Derby Watch Party, Fun

and festivities to support Armenia Tree Project, At the ele-gant/historic Gore Place in Waltham. Details to follow.MAY 5 — Save the date! Annual Meeting, ArmenianInternational Women’s Association (AIWA). Detailsto follow. Contact: info@aiwainternational.org or 617-926-0171.May 5 — Celebrate Public Art during Artweek onSaturday at the Park, Armenian Heritage Park onThe Greenway, Boston, 1 p.m., World Labyrinth Day:Walk As One in peace & harmony with people in citiesand towns worldwide including the labyrinth in Gyumri.At 12:45 p.m., introduction to Walking a Labyrinth, 1:30pm - Reception to View the 2018 Configuration of theAbstract Sculpture. Remarks: Sarah Baker, editor-in-chief,Art New England magazine. Introduced by Lucas Cowan,Public Art Curator, Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy.Tea & Desserts, hosted by MEM Tea Imports & EasternLamejun Bakers. RSVP appreciated.hello@ArmenianHeritagePark.orgMAY 6 — “Celebrating 400 Hundred Years of ArmenianAmerican Heritage: 1618-2018” Exhibition and thelaunching of Armenian Legacy in America: A 400-Year Heritage by Dr. Hayk Demoyan in an illustratedtalk. Other speakers include Robert Mirak, Barbara J.Merguerian and Nubar Afeyan. Sunday, 3 p.m.Admission free and open to the public. Book sale andreception to follow. Organized by Armenian CulturalFoundation, co-sponsored by the Amaras Art Alliance,and National Association for Armenian Studies andResearch, 441 Mystic Street (Route 3), Arlington. Tel.(781)-646-3090 armeniancultural.fdn@gmail.comMAY 11 — Welcome His Holiness Karekin II, SupremePatriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, toCelebrate with Rev. Father Mampre A. Kouzouian on the60th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Priesthood.Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston, 145Brattle Street, Cambridge. Hrashapar Service in theSanctuary followed by a Celebration in the Charles andNevart Talanian Cultural Hall. Details forthcoming.MAY 19 — Hai Guin Scholarship Association AnnualLuncheon & Fashion Show, Saturday, 11:30 a.m., atMontvale Plaza, Stoneham. Fashions by SoftSurroundings of Chestnut Hill, MA. Tickets: $60 per per-son. Please call Lisa at 781-729-6333; Becky at 508-651-8893;or Marilyn at 978-818-9098 for tickets. JUNE 6 — Tea & Tranquility, Armenian Heritage Park onThe Greenway, Boston, Wednesday, 5-6:30 p.m. Meet &

Greet! Enjoy Tea & Desserts hosted by MEM Tea Importsand The Bostonian Hotel. Walk the Labyrinth. For first-timewalkers introduction to walking a labyrinth at 5:30 p.m.RSVP appreciated. hello@ArmenianHeritagePark.orgJUNE 28 — Under a Strawberry Moon, ArmenianHeritage Park on The Greenway, Boston, Thursday,8:30– 9:30 p.m. Meet & Greet! Moonlit Labyrinth Walk.Enjoy chocolate-dipped strawberries, hosted by VickiLee’s and Ice Teas, hosted by MEM Tea Imports. RSVPappreciated. hello@ArmenianHeritagePark.orgJULY 18 — Tea & Tranquility, Armenian Heritage Parkon The Greenway, Boston. Wednesday, 5- 6:30 p.m.Meet & Greet! Enjoy Tea & Desserts hosted by MEM TeaImports and The Bostonian Hotel. Walk the Labyrinth. Forfirst-time walkers introduction to walking a labyrinth at5:30 p.m. RSVP appreciated.hello@ArmenianHeritagePark.orgAUGUST 15 — Tea & Tranquility, Armenian HeritagePark on The Greenway, Boston, Wednesday, 5-6:30p.m. Meet & Greet! Enjoy Tea & Desserts hosted by MEMTea Imports and The Bostonian Hotel. Walk theLabyrinth. For first-time walkers introduction to walking alabyrinth at 5:30 p.m. RSVP appreciated.hello@ArmenianHeritagePark.orgSEPTEMBER 16 — Sunday Afternoon at the Park forFamilies & Friends. Armenian Heritage Park on TheGreenway. 2-4 p.m. Enjoy Boston Hye Guys Ensemblewith Ron Sahatjian, clarinet; Joe Kouyoumjian, oud; ArtChingris, percussion. RSVP appreciated.hello@ArmenianHeritgePark.org

MARCH 22 — Talk by Adrienne Alexanian on herfather’s memoir, Forced into Genocide: Memoir of anArmenian Soldier in the Ottoman Turkish Army.Thursday, 7 p.m., Holocaust Memorial Center ZekelmanFamily Campus, 28123 Orchard Lake Road FarmingtonHills, MI 48334. The book presents a unique account ofthe Armenian genocide and was translated from theArmenian and edited by Adrienne Alexanian. RSVP byMarch 20. 248-553-2400x112 or rsvp@holocaustcen-ter.org. Free with admission or membership. Book sign-ing during reception.

SEPTEMBER 30 — Save the date! Armenia Fund USAand Ardzagang Armenian TV are proud to presentArtash Asatryan and Band, guest singer Grisha Asatryan,from Armenia! The concert is dedicated to the Armenia’sand Artsakh’s Independence Celebration. Don’t miss theperformance by the son and grandson of the legendaryArmenian singer Aram Asatryan. Proceeds will benefitFruitful Artsakh Project. 4 p.m. Location: Bergen PAC, 30N Van Brunt St, Englewood.

MARCH 18 — 6 p.m.: Armenian film screenings inSocially Relevant Film Festival, “Armenians of theWorld” (Director: Carmen Labaki) and Hot Country, ColdWinter (Director: David Safarian). At Cinéma Village 22 E12th St, NY, NY. Co-sponsored by AGBU Performing Arts,NAASR, St. Leon Armenian Church, and SOAR. For moreinformation visit www.ratedsrfilms.org.MARCH 28 — Taner Akçam, “Killing Orders: TalatPasha’s Telegrams and the Armenian Genocide,” atColumbia University. 6:00 p.m. Co-sponsored by theColumbia Armenian Center and NAASR. (Venue TBA.)Further details to follow.

APRIL 21 - MAY 13 — Off-Broadway production by PanAsian Repertory Theatre of Joyce Van Dyke’s play,DAYBREAK: the lyrical story of two Armenian womenfriends, survivors from 1915, who are transported withtheir families into the 21st century future. Performancesat the Beckett Theatre (on Theatre Row), 410 W. 42ndSt., New York, Tuesdays through Sundays; weekend mati-nees. Discount tickets for seniors, students and groups.For tickets and information: www.telecharge.com or call(212) 239-6200. For discount tickets: www.telecharge-offers.com or call (212) 947-8844. Or contact the the-atre: info@panasianrep.org, (212) 868-4030.

CC AA L E N D A RL E N D A RMASSACHUSETTSCALIFORNIA

MASSACHUSETTSMASSACHUSETTS

MASSACHUSETTSFLORIDA

ILLINOIS

MICHIGAN

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

ARTS & LIVING

17S A T U R D A Y, M A R C H 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

COMMENTARY

Is a Political Storm Gathering over Armenia?COMMENTARY

By Edmond Y. Azadian

As Armenia’s Parliament continues to strip the newly-createdoffice of the president of any and all meaningful powers and asthe media and the opposition forces continue to debate whenArmen Sarkissian gave up his British citizenship, one is remind-ed of the fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the Ottoman forcesof Turkish Sultan Mohamed II. According to legend, the capitalfell while the Byzantine Court was debating a very crucial topic:how many angels could stand on the point of a pin.

While the story might serve as a very effective metaphor, itsounds as if it is an apocryphal one, because that analogy ismore relevant to 17th-century theology and also, becauseByzantine Emperor Constantine and his courtiers were in astruggle to save their lives, as the Turks had given enough warn-ings by bombarding the city for a long time. To this day, thereis scant evidence about the fate of the emperor; some believe hewas killed during fighting while other witnesses vouch for hissuicide.

Continuing with the deviation from our own topic, it is inter-esting to remember how the Ottoman army succeeded in break-ing the defenses of the city. A Hungarian engineer called Urbanor Orban, perhaps one of the ancestors of Hungary’s currentPrime Minister Victor Orban, who delivered Azeri murdererRamil Safarov into the loving arms of Azeri President IlhamAliyev to a hero’s welcome in Baku, had designed a new andpowerful cannon and had offered it to the Byzantine ruler, whorefused to buy it because of a lack of funding. Engineer Orbanthen sold his invention to the Ottoman army, where it played afateful part in its victory.

Returning to our metaphor, while Armenia is furtivelyengaged in minutiae, the world around it is becoming more omi-nous. A rapid succession of events does not favor the country atthe moment.

The Russian-Turkish rapprochement is at Armenia’s expenseinter alia. It has global ramifications. Turkey, as a major power,can play a balancing act. Its membership in NATO is a valuableasset for the West, which cannot afford to sever its ties no mat-ter how strained they may become. And using that situation asa point of leverage, Turkey can move towards the West’s adver-saries, namely Russia and Iran, with impunity.

Eli Lake, in an opinion piece in Bloomberg, warns Turkey that“the US should make clear to ersatz allies that betrayal has con-sequences,” to no avail.

On the other hand, Russia, which is suffering from the NATOsqueeze and Western sanctions, would compromise many issuesjust to draw a wedge in the ranks of NATO members. Among thecompromises may be Armenia’s fate. Developments are indicat-ing that it may be the case even as an unintended consequence.

After Aliyev’s threatening speech staking his claim on Yerevanand Sevan, Azerbaijan is engaged in war games on Armenia’sborders. To quell suspicions, Azeri Foreign Minister ElmarMammadyarov has announced that after the elections inArmenia and Azerbaijan, more concrete and substantive negoti-

ations will be conducted. Pundits are wondering if this is a warstrategy or whether Baku has finally realized that there may notbe a military solution to this thorny issue.

Armenia’s Maj. Gen. Asdvadzadour Petrosyan is wonderingwhat is behind Azerbaijan’s war games. “Under the guise of wargames, a concentration of forces may take place. The second stateis the formation of those forces in preparation of an eventual war.We should leave no stone unturned and be ready,” he said.

On the heels of Aliyev’s war rhetoric and actual militarybuildup, an announcement from Moscow renders the situationmore alarming. Indeed, Russian Colonel-General AnatolySidorov, who is the chief of the allied Staff of the CollectiveSecurity Treaty Organization (CSTO), made a stern announce-ment to Tert.am, that Nagorno Karabakh or Artsakh is not amember state of CSTO; hence that body does not have theauthority to offer any aid to that country in case of renewed mil-itary operations.

Why was this announcement made at this particular moment?Is it a coincidence or does it indicate a confluence of factorstowards the development of a dangerous situation down theroad?

As Armenia leans towards Europe to the chagrin of Moscow,this may serve as a message to Yerevan.

Turkey has the leverage to carry its balancing act between thetwo antagonistic camps but Armenia has limited choices to emu-late that policy.

The general also made some remarks regarding Russia’s armssales to Azerbaijan, bordering on cynicism. Addressing the issueof Russian-Azerbaijan arms trade, Sidorov said that he is confi-dent that Azerbaijan will purchase weaponry from another stateshould Russia suspend sales. That being true, whether Moscowsells arms to Azerbaijan or not is a policy statement. And thatpolicy is very clear for everyone to see.

President Serzh Sargsyan declared the Protocols drawn upbetween Armenia and Turkey in 2009 null and void. It is a sig-nificant question whether that move was coordinated withMoscow or not in light of Russian-Turkish cooperation in theregion on many critical issues. The answer can cut both ways. Ifit was coordinated, then Moscow would have one extra politicalasset to deal with Turkey. If it was not, then that move wouldaggravate the situation more and thus lead General Sidorov tomake his announcements at this point in time.

The upcoming Francophonie conference in Yerevan andArmenia’s intensifying relations with the European Union andindividual European countries may be developing at the expenseof Moscow’s patience with Armenia, which it considers a vassalstate. At what point would Moscow’s patience run out and thusgive the green light to Baku to another skirmish with Armenia?

Sidorov’s message has political connotations. Why make astatement on an obvious situation? And the statement soundshollow within the context of the Armenia-Azerbaijan standoff. Itis obvious that if war breaks out, it will start from Karabakh andit will be because of Karabakh. Excluding that potential in thestrategic partnership between Armenia and Russia is a very omi-nous development which casts a dark pall over the Russian mil-itary presence in Armenia.

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18 S A T U R D A Y, M A R C H 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

COMMENTARY

By Philippe Raffi Kalfayan

Recent news from Armenia is ratherdistressing. We witnessed the selection ofa single candidate and his election asPresident of the Republic of Armenia bythe sole will of the Prince. Choosing the

prime minister will take place only after April 9, when the cur-rent president’s term will end, and Parliament will have eightdays to propose candidates and elect one. Already, theRepublican Party of Armenia (RPA) has announced that it sup-ports the principle of an open and nominal ballot, which is aconsiderable means of pressure on the deputies. The votes ofthe Republican Party and those of its ally, the Dashnak Party,form a majority at the Parliament and that leaves little doubtabout their candidate’s election. In the run-up to joining thecoalition, the ARF insisted on the necessity to reform the con-stitution and strengthen democratic governance through tran-sition from a semi-presidential regime to a parliamentary one.The present scenario comes to prove that democracy has oncemore been defeated. In addition, it perpetuates the contemptagainst the citizens, weakens the image of Armenia on the inter-national arena, and weakens its leaders, including the new pres-ident, domestically and abroad.

A president with a considerably affected legitimacy

The Minister of Justice, who led all the legislative draftingefforts to comply with the new constitution, says Armenia con-siders credible the statement of President-elect ArmenSarkissian that he renounced his British citizenship in 2011and adds that no further confirmation would be needed, in anycase, from another country because Armenia is a sovereignstate. This statement is not only an affront to the good sense ofthe whole Armenian nation, it is also characteristic of the opac-ity of political life in Armenia, and it is, above all, a thinly-veiledadmission that the elected president does not satisfy one of therequirements of the new Constitution: to have been a citizenonly of the Republic of Armenia for the last six years. A quickanalysis supports that assertion: (1) in 2011, it is unlikely thatArmen Sarkissian could foresee that the new Constitutionwould be adopted in 2015 and that it would be chosen byPresident Serzh Sargsyan in 2017; (2) who can believe for amoment that he renounced his British citizenship in 2011 andconvinced Prince Charles to visit Armenia in 2013, a chain ofevents that would have been shocking to say the least for theBritish Crown? (3) Having lived in Britain for the last 30 years(with the exception of the period when he was Prime Minister),he is likely to return to live in the UK sooner or later.

A coalition of NGO’s also reacted on March 5 to the newsabout the failure of new president “to dispel the doubts abouthis citizenship” (Read Transparency statement).

Lawyer Vahé Grigoryan supports a more daring analysis,which relates to the process of electing the new president (seeh t t p : / /w w w . i l u r . am/n ew s / v i ew/ 6 6 5 0 0 . h t m l ;http://www.ilur.am /news/view/66627.html;http://www.ilur.am/news/view/66818.html). He considersthat the new Constitution is not yet in force, and that conse-quently the election of the President should have been in accor-dance with the terms of the 2005 Constitution, namely by thedirect vote of the population, and not by not by Parliament,which would have exceeded its constitutional powers as definedin 2005.

Whatever the angle of analysis, and whatever his personalqualifications and skills, which are not in question, the newpresident starts his mandate with a handicap: an illegitimateelection. Moreover, Britain’s diplomatic silence on the status ofhis citizenship can become a weapon that can be used againsthim. Domestically it can reduce his ability to manoeuver com-pared to his predecessors while internationally, in terms of for-eign policy, it poses an even bigger threat.

Sovereignty for the People, not the State

Despite the continuously alarming diagnosis that has beenrepeated throughout the last 25 years of the Third Republic ofArmenia, the population hemorrhage continues and endangersthe foundations of the state. In the wake of constitutionalreforms adopted in December 2015, the distressing spectacle ofthe election of a single candidate for the presidency, underquestionable eligibility conditions, by the Armenian Parliament,the concentration of all executive and legislative powers in thehands of the future prime minister, the hidden control of thejudiciary. For example, is it conceivable in a lawful state for anattorney, a member of the Bar Council, to be a partner in a com-pany with a High Magistrate of the Court of Cassation and aBankruptcy Judge? Lawyers defending political prisoners arecaught between multiple disciplinary measures instituted bytheir Chamber’s President and the new law that allows judgesto directly sanction lawyers, making the performance of theirduties all the more challenging economic and technical wise,with the aim of discouraging them. The overwhelmingly harshtreatment of the most radical political opponents, such as themembers of the Founding Parliament, manifests the politicalsickness of Armenia. The propaganda of Armenian organiza-tions and media in diaspora cannot change this cruel reality.

The disregard for the citizens is total: the economic and socialconditions are such for the vast majority that everything is forsale, including the ballot papers, whether on national elections[see the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe(OSCE) reports for the last legislative elections and PublicForum Armenia (PFA) report for the constitutional referendumof December 2015 or on professional [the website of the Bar ofArmenia mentions the financing by an Armenian sponsor of thediaspora of annual fees of hundreds of registered lawyers; thismeasure is unbecoming of a lawyer because it is an attack onhis independence and on the very foundations of the profession.In countries where lawyers cannot fund their fees, the bargrants exemptions] or partisan elections. The clientelism insuch a social environment is another form of contempt forhuman conscience.

The state of war with Azerbaijan and the aggressive and hate-ful behavior of the latter towards Armenia seems to be an effec-tive argument to silence the diaspora on the domestic politicallife by brandishing its threat to national security, but it nolonger interferes with the families’ willingness to leave the coun-try and protect their children as they approach the age of con-scription.

The famous French Declaration of the Rights of Man and ofthe Citizen of 1789 noted in its preamble that “ignorance, obliv-ion, or contempt for human rights are the only cause of publicmisfortune and of government corruption.” It was not until1948 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that thecommunity of states, through the United Nations, establishedconventions and international pacts. They have become essen-tial legal and political instruments. They are the foundation ofthe rule of law. The state is recognized as the legally obligedsubject and guarantor of their implementation, but the univer-sal principles belong to the citizens and become weaponsagainst the abuses of those who hold the powers.

It is worth remembering, as does the Constitution of theUnited States of America, that the people are sovereign and notthe state: “We the People of the United States ... do ordain andestablish this Constitution ...”

The Universal Declaration went further and gave birth to theright to rebellion. The preamble “considers it is essential, if manis not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebel-lion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights shouldbe protected by the rule of law.”

Virtuous Yet Flawed UN Discourse

The absence of democracy and respect for human rightsrefers to a certain form of structuring and formation of thestate, which reflects the balance of forces and the assertion ofarbitrariness.

The temptation of relativisation with Turkey and Azerbaijanin terms of human rights records is easy but not acceptablebecause the issue at stake is neither more nor less than thepolitical survival of the country and its security. Somedenounce human rights as a weapon used by Western statesand international NGOs, and complain that there are doublestandards. There are many both in Armenia and in the Diasporawho regard human rights as superfluous and prefer a priorityfocus on economic development. The first statement containssome truth and is debatable, but is this the essential? The sec-ond statement shows an unawareness that economic, social andcultural rights are “inseparable, interdependent, and interrelat-ed” with civil and political rights. The World Conference onHuman Rights in 1993 enshrined this principle. Thoughtfulobservers know, as an example, that an Armenian entrepreneur,from Armenia or from the Diaspora, has no chance to defendhis rights fairly if he is confronted with an adversarial disputewith one of the oligarchic clans that reign over the economy.

As a result of a total mistrust in the institutions and indiffer-ence to political life, citizens developed a survival reflex that isdeeply individualistic and materialistic. These injustices and dis-parities generate individual and collective violence. The smallsize of the country adds to the political, economic and socialpressures as well as fears of violence, especially in the provinces.The individual prefers to negotiate rather than confront.Human life has a price in prosecutors’ offices, even if this sub-ject is taboo in Armenia. This observation is certainly dark butit is reality. And finally, there is the issue of emigration.

International aid does not solve corruption, but on the con-trary, in its current form, feeds it. Tens of millions of dollars andeuros are being invested unabated in justice reforms, humanrights training and the establishment of the rule of law, byUSAID and EUROPAID, did not help reversing the trend butjust enrich Armenian civil servants and some offshore consult-ing companies under the tolerant eye of these internationalinstitutions.

Create National Cohesion to Better Deal withExternal Threats

The recent speeches of the Armenian Foreign Minister andPresident before the UN and European Assemblies promotinghuman rights principles are noteworthy and laudable, but whatabout their effective application in Armenia itself?

There is no alternative to the establishment of the rule of lawin Armenia and the restoration of the sovereignty of the people.It is a small state, without energy resources, heavily indebted,without prospects for economic development at the current rate

of emigration. Armenia is under the influence of the great pow-ers; the question of Nagorno-Karabakh and its latent conflict isweighing on its diplomatic relations and on foreign investments.It is the vital interest of the Republic of Armenia to mobilize andhold together its citizens and the Diaspora around a democrat-ic, just and sovereign society project. Domestic peace, based onvalues to which the whole nation adheres, is the unique reme-dy to economic welfare and effective ability to counter externalthreats.

Successive country leaders failed in this mission for differentreasons and circumstances. Today it is no longer possible toignore it. The organizations of the diaspora as well as some per-sonalities selected as interfaces by the Armenian governmentturn a blind eye, hiding behind the principle of non-interferencein the domestic politics of Armenia. We also witness indiffer-ence, complacency and even complicity, not to mention the per-sonal interests of some.

The good will of associations and individuals in the diaspora,who engage selflessly, without waiting for any reward of theiractions, is not questioned, but those people must face the obvi-ous: bright projects and good intentions are not enough to stemthe emigration of the population.

The actions of the commando group Sasna Tzrer and itsdeadly results are in itself regrettable [the circumstances of thedeaths of the three police officers are still unclear], it isnonetheless understandable. It was an expression of rebellion,although one may question if the undefined criteria of tyrannyand oppression were met or not. Armenians of the diaspora whohave allowed themselves to judge these men, many of whom areveterans or heroes of the Karabakh war, had absolutely no rightto do so; only the people living in Armenia can express them-selves on this subject and they did it either by expressing theirsympathy or by keeping quiet for the majority. The repressionof the government was all the more strong and arbitrary againstthe political leaders of this movement and its supporters.

Remarkably, the murderers of March 1, 2008 demonstratorshave still not been arrested and the commissioners of the attackon parliament on October 27, 1999 were never brought to jus-tice. Meanwhile, the public prosecutor demands that JirayrSefilyan, Garo Yeghnukian, Gevorg Safarian, be prosecuted,seeking long prison sentences for their vehement criticism ofthe regime and their desire to put an end to it by organizingmass protests in 2015 or resisting the police (Safarian case).

Whichever scenario is to be played in April, this article is anappeal to the current and future leaders of Armenia and to allpolitical forces to reconsider the mode of governance, to bringnew political leadership from inside and outside Armenia, andto free, on the occasion of the implementation of the new con-stitution, all political prisoners.

(Philippe Raffi Kalfayan is a columnist for the Mirror-Spectator. He is an international legal expert, the former sec-

retary general of the International Federation for HumanRights (FIDH), an associate researcher at the Paris HumanRights Center at the University of Paris 2 Pantheon Assas.)

New Constitution: The Promised Democracy Is Yet another Defeat

A Quandary or Amot Eh?To The Editor:

Thank you for highlighting the vital issue of gender selectionabortion in Armenia, “We Lose 1,400 Girls a Year. Who WillOur Boys Marry?: Armenia’s Quandary” (Suzanne Moore,3/3/18). This article presents some “progress” in gender equal-ity, expressing the efforts made to engage the church and socialservices to decrease abortions of female babies. Allow me to dif-fer.

Exhorting Armenian priests, “You are clergymen…The wordis your weapon” sounds potent. But the word of God has nopower for you, unless you are surrendered to the Lord, and it isonly a sword if God wields it through you. If Armenian priestsreally believed that they are accountable to God, they would fallon the floor and repent of betraying the most basics in the faith.“Thou shalt not kill” would be their heart cry to the people,prompted by God Himself.

“Getting the church on your side, along with the governmentand civil society is quite something.” The true “church” standsto represent God, calling others to believe and join into theBody of Christ. Would Jesus Christ work alongside theArmenian government and social groups to equalize abortion?Is the Holy Spirit present in abortion clinics hoping that theoperation is ‘gender neutral’?

It is a lost and darkened society that strives to improve andqualify sin. “Everyone stresses this is not being for or againstabortion….The right to abortion is an achievement of civiliza-tion.” An epidemic in Armenia for many years, it is not uncom-mon for Armenian women to have 20 abortions during their life-time.

Armenian clergy working toward gender neutral abortionsand, moreover, believing as the world does that this is a realaccomplishment, are most depraved.

Lisa StepanianNew York, NY

LETTERS

S A T U R D A Y, M A R C H 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

COMMENTARY

19

My TurnBy Harut Sassounian

International Legal ExpertAffirms Artsakh’s Right of Self-Determination

A colloquium was held on February 27, 2018, at theEuropean Parliament in Brussels on the legal right of self-determination for Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh). It was hostedby European Parliament deputies Michèle Rivasi (Verts/ALE) and Lars Adaktusson (EPP); and co-organized by theArmenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights,Tufenkian Foundation, and the European ArmenianFederation for Justice and Democracy.

The speakers at the colloquium were: Dr. Alfred de Zayas,a UN Independent Expert on the promotion of a democraticand equitable international order; Dr. Paul Williams,Professor of Law, American University Washington College ofLaw and co-founder of Public International Law & PolicyGroup; Dr. Sergey Markedonov, Associate Professor atRussian State University; Armine Aleksanyan, DeputyForeign Minister of Artsakh Republic; and moderator GiroManoyan, Board Member of the Armenian Legal Center forJustice and Human Rights.

Prof. Alfred de Zayas started his legal argument by quotingfrom the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rightsand the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rightswhich stipulate that “All peoples have the right of self-deter-mination.”

Furthermore, de Zayas emphasized that according to thetwo UN Covenants, “duty bearers of the right of self-determi-nation are all States parties to the Covenants, who are notmerely prohibited from interfering with the exercise of the

right, but ‘shall promote’ its realization proactively…. Theymust not only respect the right, but implement it. Moreoverin modern international law, self-determination is an ergaomnes [towards everyone] commitment stipulated in numer-ous articles of the UN Charter and in countless SecurityCouncil and General Assembly resolutions. The empower-ment of peoples to enjoy human rights without discrimina-tion and to exercise a degree of self-government is crucial fornational and international stability. Otherwise, a significantpotential for conflict remains.”

Significantly, Professor de Zayas stressed: “Even thoughself-determination has emerged as a jus cogens [compellinglaw] right, superior to many other international law princi-ples, including territorial integrity, it is not self-executing.”Among “legitimate claimants to the right of self-determina-tion,” Professor de Zayas included the Kurds, Sahraouis,Palestinians, Kashmiris, Igbos of Biafra, and Tamils of SriLanka. He also mentioned as examples “the Russian-Ukrainian entities of Lugansk and Donetsk, the Republic ofPridnestrovia (Transnistria-Moldavia), the Republic ofArtsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), Abkhazia, and SouthernOssetia… among peoples that have achieved self-determina-tion through effective separation from State entities withwhich they had hitherto been associated, but their interna-tional status remains inchoate because of the political bicker-ing among the great powers and consequent lack of interna-tional recognition.”

Professor de Zayas added that people seeking self-determi-nation “are entitled to the full protection of the Internationalhuman rights treaty regime. A solution to the impasse canonly be through peaceful negotiation, since the use of armedforce against self-determination would violate numerous inter-national treaties, including the UN Charter, the human rightsCovenants, and the Geneva Red Cross Conventions.”

“If there is a compelling demand for separation,” de Zayasinsisted, “it is most important to avoid the use of force, whichwould endanger local, regional and international stability andfurther erode the enjoyment of other human rights.” In addi-tion, “The implementation of self-determination is not exclu-sively within the domestic jurisdiction of the State concerned,but is a legitimate concern of the international community.”

Prof. de Zayas explained that the principal of territorial

integrity is only valid in the case of an external attack: “Theprinciple is not intended for internal application, becausethis would automatically cancel out the jus cogens [com-pelling law] right of self-determination. Every single exerciseof the right of self-determination that results in secessionhas entailed an adjustment to the territorial integrity of theprevious State entity. There are too many precedents tocount.”

There should be no discrimination among people who seekself-determination, according to Prof. de Zayas: “The inde-pendence of the former Soviet republics and the secession ofthe peoples of the former Yugoslavia created important prece-dents for the implementation of self-determination. Theseprecedents cannot be ignored when modern self-determina-tion disputes arise. It is not possible to say yes to the self-determination of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Croatia,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, but then say no to the self-determination of the people of Abkhazia, Southern Ossetia orNagorno Karabagh. All these peoples have the same humanrights and must not be discriminated against. As in the caseof the successful claimants, these peoples also unilaterallydeclared independence. There is no justification whatever todeny them recognition by applying self-determination selec-tively and making frivolous distinctions that have no base inlaw or justice.”

For those who juxtapose the principle of territorial integri-ty to self-determination, Prof. de Zayas countered: “The prin-ciple of territorial integrity is not sufficient justification toperpetuate situations of internal conflict that may fester anderupt in civil war, thus threatening regional and internation-al peace and security.”

Finally, Professor de Zayas suggested that “In order toensure sustainable internal and external peace in the twenty-first century, the international community must react to earlywarning signs and establish conflict-prevention mechanisms.Facilitating dialog between peoples and organizing referendain a timely fashion are tools to ensure the peaceful evolutionof national and international relations. Inclusion of all stake-holders must be the rule, not the exception. In conclusion, letus celebrate the implementation of self-determination of peo-ples as an expression of democracy, as indeed democracy is aform of self-determination.”

By Robert Fisk

Only in Turkey is the identity of a citizen amatter of national security. That’s why the pop-ulation registry in Ankara was until now aclosed book, its details a state secret. MustafaKemal Ataturk’s definition of “Turkishness”was “anyone who is attached to the Turkishstate as a citizen”. Turks came from a clear eth-nic identity, untainted by racial minorities ordoubtful lineage. That’s one reason why theNazis lavished praise on Ataturk’s republic,their newspapers mourning his death in black-bordered front pages.

After all, as Hitler was to ask in several news-paper interviews — and to his generals beforehe invaded Poland — who now remembers theArmenians? Ataturk had supposedly inheritedan Armenian-free Turkey, just as Hitler intend-ed to present his followers with a Jew-freeEurope. The Armenian genocide of 1915 —denied by the Turkish government today —destroyed a million and a half ChristianOttoman citizens in the first industrial holo-caust of the 20th century. Almost the entireArmenian community had been liquidated. Orhad it?

For the stunned reaction of Turks to the sud-den and unexpected opening of population reg-isters on an online genealogy database threeweeks ago was so immediate and so vast thatthe system crashed within hours. Rather a lotof Turks, it turned out, were actuallyArmenians – or part-Armenians – or even part-ly Greek or Jewish. And across the mountainsof eastern Anatolia – and around the cities ofIstanbul, Izmir, Erzurum, Van and Gaziantepand along the haunted death convoy routes toSyria, ancient ghosts climbed out of century-old graves to reassert their Armenian presencein Turkish history. For the registry proved thatmany of them — through their families — werestill alive.

Until now, for at least two decades — at leastbefore Sultan Erdogan’s post-coup autocracy –thousands of Turks spoke freely, albeit in pri-vate, about their ancestry. They knew thatamid the mass slaughter and rape of theArmenians, many Christian families soughtsanctuary in conversion to Islam, while tens ofthousands of young Armenian women weregiven in marriage to Turkish or KurdishMuslim men. Their children grew up asMuslims and regarded themselves as Turks butoften knew that they were half-Armenian. Tensof thousands of Armenian orphans were placedin Muslim schools, forced to speak Turkish andchange their names. One of the largest schoolswas in Beirut, organized for a time by one ofTurkey’s leading feminists who wrote of herexperience and was later to die in America.

The Armenian diaspora — the 11 millionArmenians living outside Turkey or Armeniaitself, and who trace their ancestry back to thesurvivors of the 1915 genocide — were the firstto understand the significance of the newly-opened population registers, noting that someinformation dated back to the early 1800s. Upto four million Turkish citizens were reportedto have sought access to their family tree with-in 48 hours — which is why the system crashed– and in the days since it was re-established,according to retired statistician and Armeniandemographer George Aghjayan, eight millionTurks have requested their pedigrees. That’s 10percent of the entire Turkish population.

The documents can be vague. And they arenot complete. There are examples of knownArmenian ancestors listed as Muslim withoutreference to their origin. The names shown forthose known to have converted during the1915 genocide are Muslim names — but theChristian names of their parents are alsoshown. There will always be discrepancies andunknown details. Many Ottoman registrars didnot give accurate details of birthdays: Turkishofficials might travel to a village once a monthand simply list its newborn under the date of

their visit. There are still centenarians alive inLebanon and Syria, for example, who all pos-sess the same birth date, whatever their origin.

So why has Turkey released these files now?Erdogan is quoted to have once complainedthat Turks were “accused of being Jews,Armenians or Greeks.” Tayfun Atay, a colum-nist for the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet,wrote that he was “advised in a friendly matternot to admit that I am a Georgian…What aboutthose who risk learning that they are ofArmenian ancestry or a convert? Just think:you think you are a red-blooded Turk but turnout to be a pure-blood Armenian.”

Journalist Serdar Korucu told Al-Monitorthat “if they had done this a few years agowhen we were [becoming more tolerant], con-spiracy theories would not have been as strongas today, when the state believes we are in astruggle for existence. This is how Turkey rein-vigorates the spirit of the Independence War”— to inspire patriotism and pro-governmentthinking.

In 2003, the Armenian newspaper Agos,whose editor Hrant Dink was assassinated out-side his office in 2007, reported that theTurkish government was secretly codingminorities in registers: Greeks were one,according to the paper. Armenians were two.Jews were three. Korucu recalled how the direc-tor of the Turkish Historical Society threat-ened minorities in 2007. “Don’t make meangry. I have a list of converts I can revealdown to their streets and homes.” The directorlater became a politician in the rightistNationalist Action Party.

Ethnic Armenian columnist Hayko Bagdatplaced this in a story he told the Al-Monitorwebsite – including an individual family talewhich might be humorous if it was not socharged with tragedy. “During the 1915 geno-cide, along with mass conversions, there werealso thousands of children in exile…The societyis not yet ready to deal with this reality.”Imagine, Bagdat said, that Lutfi Dogan, who

had served as Turkey’s director of religiousaffairs, was the brother of someone who wasthe Armenian patriarch, Shnorhk Kalustyan.

“Kalustyan, who returned to Turkey fromBeirut in 1961, was remembered as a saint inthe Turkish Armenian Patriarchate and assomeone who had served in the most difficulttimes after 1915. During the genocide, hismother sent the children away and convertedto Islam. Later she married [a man called]Dogan, who was of high social standing, andhad two girls and a boy. The boy was LutfiDogan. When the mother, who was then withthe Nationalist Action Party…died, his unclecame in priest garb from Beirut to attend thefuneral. Nobody could say anything.”

This predicament was eloquently conveyed inFethiye Çetin’s memoir of her grandmother, arespected Muslim housewife in the smallTurkish town of Maden, who revealed to hergranddaughter that she was Armenian. Most ofthe men in her village were slaughtered, Seher(her real Armenian name was Heranus) said. ATurkish gendarme had adopted her. FethiyeÇetin, a human rights lawyer who acted for thesoon-to-be-murdered Hrant Dink, posted hergrandmother’s death announcement in Dink’spaper, Agos: “Heranus lost her entire familyand never saw them again,” she wrote. “Shewas given a new name, to live in a new family.She forgot her mother tongue and her reli-gion…she never ever forgot her name, her vil-lage, her mother, her father…She lived until theage of 95.” Relatives in America read the deathnotice and Heranus’ sister — still alive — calledÇetin in Istanbul. A family reunited.

Perhaps two million Turks have Armeniangrandmothers. But they are supposed tobelieve that the genocide never happened.

(Robert Fisk is the chief Middle East corre-spondent for the Independent (UK) daily. This

column originally ran in the March 1, 2018edition of the paper.)

Erdogan Has Released the Genealogy of Thousandsof Turks — But What Is His Motive?

STEPANAKERT — Ararat Avanesyan, a sol-dier wounded in the Artsakh Liberation War inthe early 1990s, celebrated his housewarmingon March 13 in the Patara village of Askeranregion, Artsakh. The house was purchased andrenovated by the Tufenkian Foundation, withshared funding from Ralph Yirikian, GeneralManager of VivaCell-MTS and the New York St.Illuminator Cathedral’sZarukian Fund recentlyestablished by AzaduhiZarukian.

Askeran AdministrationHead Sergey Grigoryan,Patara Village Mayor KarenArzumanyan and TufenkianFoundation ExecutiveDirector Raffi Doudaklianattended the event.

Avanesyan was one ofthe first freedom fightersto join the liberationmovement, and was heavi-ly wounded in battle, los-ing one leg and facing anumber of health difficul-ties since. Today, at the age of 47, he lives inPatara with his wife and three teenage daugh-ters. Until recently, the family did not have ahome of their own and had to take up tempo-rary residence at a relatives’ house.

This is the ninth housewarming celebrated in

Artsakh in the framework of TufenkianFoundation’s “Housing for Wounded Soldiers”initiative. The initiative was launched in April2016, in response to the Four Day War. Sincethen, with funds raised during the 2016 emer-gency appeal and through additional supportfrom individual donors, nine houses have beenbuilt, reconstructed or purchased for Artsakh’s

wounded soldiers.Though initially intended to assist soldiers of

the April War, the project was later expanded toinclude Artsakh’s wounded soldiers with urgenthousing needs, regardless of which war or bat-tle they were injured in. Ararat Avanesyan is the3rd soldier of the 90s Liberation War to benefitfrom the project. The geography of the initia-tive was also expanded during the past twoyears, ranging from large towns likeStepanakert and Hadrut to small, remote vil-lages in Artsakh’s borderlands.

All nine soldiers so far included in the initia-tive faced socio-economic struggles and lived indeplorable housing conditions. Moreover, dueto their battle injures, they were unable to ren-ovate their current homes or work to purchasenew ones.

The house in Patara was purchased lastNovember and has been renovated to ensurethat it provides dignified living for Ararat’s fam-ily. In addition to general improvements andrepairs, a kitchen and a bathroom have beenbuilt. Also, through specific adjustments, thehouse has been adapted to Ararat’s mobilityneeds (Avanesyan walks with crutches).

Although the 2016 emergency has ended,the housing needs for Artsakh’s soldiers isongoing. With many wounded soldiers requir-ing similar assistance, the Foundation will con-tinue this work indefinitely.

S A T U R D A Y, M A R C H 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R20

USC Shoah FoundationAdds Large Collection ofArmenian GenocideTestimony to its ArchiveSHOAH, from page 1honor the memories of those whose lives wereneedlessly taken,” said USC Shoah FoundationVinci-Viterbi Executive Director Stephen Smith.“These voices will help ensure future genera-tions will learn from those who experienced thehorrors of the Armenian Genocide.”

The Armenian Film Foundation’s collectionof testimonies was recorded by J. MichaelHagopian for the purpose of making documen-taries about one of the earliest genocides of the20th century. By contrast, Hovannisian, a pro-fessor emeritus of Armenian History at UCLA,had a more academic approach. His testimoniestypically exceed an hour and feature a widerange of questions about the survivor’s entirelife history. Hovannisian, who collected the tes-timonies from 1972 to the 2000s, also inter-viewed some children and grandchildren of sur-vivors in the later years of the project.

Hovannisian was one of the founders ofArmenian Studies as a discipline in the UnitedStates, producing numerous articles and booksthat are considered foundational, while alsotraining young scholars who went on to becomeexperts in the study of Armenia from ancient tomodern times. He is currently professor emeritusat UCLA, adjunct professor at USC and presi-dential fellow at Chapman University.

Ex-Justice Minister Named Chair ofArmenian Constitutional Court

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Less than two weeks after being elected a member of theConstitutional Court, Armenia’s ex-Minister of Justice Hrair Tovmasian has been named as acandidate for the post of the Court’s chairman.

The nomination of the 47-year-old co-author of Armenia’s BasicLaw was made on Tuesday, March 13, by Armenian ParliamentSpeaker Ara Babloyan.

Earlier, Babloyan terminated the powers of Gagik Harutiunian aschairman of the Constitutional Court following his resignation andelection as chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, a new bodyestablished under Armenia’s reformed Constitution.

The post of the chairman of the Constitutional Court becamevacant before April 9, which means that the 2015 Constitution willnot apply to the election of the new chairman. Accordingly, underthe 2005 Constitution, it is the National Assembly that will electthe new chairman of the Constitutional Court within a period of 30days.

If the elections were to be held in accordance with the Constitution reformed in 2015, theConstitutional Court would elect its chairman from among its judges for a period of six yearswithout the right to be re-elected. Meanwhile, under the provisions of the Basic Law passedin 2005, the chairman of the Constitutional Court, who shall be elected by the NationalAssembly, will serve until he or she attains the age of 65.

Artak Zeinalian, a member of the parliament’s opposition Yelk faction, thinks that theauthors of the Constitution, including Tovmasian himself, have foreseen such a development.“The goal is to ensure that Tovmasian will serve as chairman of the Constitutional Courtuntil 2035 when he turns 65. Formally, there seems to be no problem... But I think that withthis trick the logic of the new Constitution is blocked. Under the new Constitution, the mem-bers of the Constitutional Court are replaceable and a more democratic mechanism is to beapplied. But I think this was done specifically to neutralize it and for the chairman of theConstitutional Court to carry out the political will of the political majority. That is, it wasdone so as to turn the Constitutional Court into a politicized body,” he charged.

Hrair Tovmasian

Ararat Avenesyan and his wife at the unveiling ceremony

9th Wounded Soldier in Artsakh ReceivesHome from Tufenkian Foundation