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The Armenian Weekly; Volume 73, No. 46; Nov. 17, 2007
News:
1. Karabakh President Visits East Coast, Detroit
2. Public Forum on H.Res.106 and ADL Issue
3. Beugekian Appointed ARS Executive Director
4. Bohjalian Novel Customers’ Favorite on Amazon
***
1. Karabakh President Visits East Coast, Detroit
WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-On Nov. 14, Nagorno-Karabakh president Bako Sahakyan
visited the Hairenik Association and met with ARF Eastern Region Central
Committee representatives Ivan Ardhaldjian and Garo Getsemanian, and members
of the ARS Central Executive Board and International Office. Sahakyan gave a
press conference attended by editors of the Armenian Weekly, the Hairenik
Weekly and the Armenian Mirror-Spectator.
Ardhaldjian welcomed the president and briefly described the main challenges
in the Eastern Region and the role of the ARF in confronting these
challenges. Getsemanian spoke about the work the ARF-ER has done in Armenia
and Karabakh. Sahakyan talked about the different ways in which the Armenia
diaspora has assisted and can still assist in bringing prosperity to
Karabakh and consolidating its independence. At the end of the meeting, the
Central Committee members presented a gift to the president.
The ARS, Inc. representatives offered a brief presentation to the president
of the Society’s activities in Armenia and Karabakh. They concentrated on
the 12 ARS "Soseh" kindergartens in Karabakh, and presented statistical
details about their financial situation and the present number of students
and staff.
The president and members of his delegation commended the ARS for its
activities. Sahakyan underlined, more than once, the necessity of
coordinating all projects in Karabakh with the local authorities, who have
adopted the slogan "Let us join together" in securing a decent livelihood
and acceptable social and economic conditions for Karabakh citizens.
Sahakyan then invited the ARS Central Executive Board to Stepanakert, to
report to the local population on the Society’s activities in the diaspora
and the homeland.
At the end of the meeting, ARS Central Executive Board member Mayda
Melkonian presented the Sahakyan with a gift. He, in turn, recorded the
following in the ARS International Office’s visitors’ record book: "The
people of Artsakh highly commend the participation of the diaspora and we
are interested in developing and strengthening our relations in the name of
our mutual goals."
While in Watertown, Sahakyan also visited the St. Stephen’s Armenian School,
where students from St. Stephen’s and the Armenian Sisters’ Academy
performed songs and recited poems. He was accompanied by Archbishop Barkev
Martirossian, Prelate of Artsakh; Roudig Husnoonts, the vice-chairperson of
the National Assembly of NKR; Narine Azadian, the Minister of Social
Affairs; and Vardan Barseghian, the Permanent Representative of the NKR in
the United States.
Meetings in New York
On Nov. 11, Sahakyan met with Armen Martirossian, the Permanent
Representative of Armenia to the United Nations, and Armenian Ambassador to
the U.S. Tatoul Markarian also attended the meeting.
Martirossian reviewed the recent activities of the Armenian Representation
in the UN concerning the Karabakh settlement. Sahakyan said the OSCE Minsk
Group was instrumental for achieving a resolution to the conflict, and
emphasized the need for full-fledged participation by all sides in the
negotiations.
The same day, Sahakyan met with a group of Armenian businessmen in New York,
headed by Raffi Meghrian. They discussed the prospect of various projects in
the NKR, particularly carpet weaving. Sahakyan said he appreciated Meghrian’s
contribution to that branch, and noted that NKR authorities would work on
its development.
Sahakyan also met with Prelate Oshagan Choloyan and representatives of the
Armenian community in New York. A number of economic and political issues
were discussed. Archbishop Choloyan called upon the meeting participants to
take an active part in the NKR’s prosperity and development, and emphasized
that the fate of the spiritual and cultural identity of Armenians was being
decided in Karabakh.
Sahakyan also posthumously awarded the Medal of Gratitude to the family of
well-known benefactor Sargis Hakobian later that day. He said Armenians
would always remember Hakobian’s contribution to the development of the NKR.
Meetings in Detroit
On Nov. 12, Sahakyan met with Congressman Joe Knollenberg in Detroit, who
congratulated Sahakyan on his presidency and the people of Karabakh on their
democratic and transparent elections, reported
They discussed the current socio-economic situation of the NKR, as well as
the Karabakh conflict settlement process. Congressman Knollenberg emphasized
the need to resolve the problem in a peaceful way, and the importance of
having the NKR participate in the negotiations as an equal party. Sahakyan
said he greatly appreciated the U.S. humanitarian aid to Karabakh, noting
the need for investments and development programs in the educational and
health spheres.
Sahakyan also met with representatives of the Detroit-Armenian community,
including ARF-Eastern Region Central Committee chairperson Haig Oshagan, who
pledged the region’s support to Karabakh.
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2. Public Forum on H.Res.106 and ADL Issue
BELMONT, Mass. (A.W.)-The Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church in Belmont was
host to a community forum on Wed., Nov. 7, which featured updates and
information about the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106, and the ADL
issue. The audience was provided with internet access during the program to
send e-mails to their Members of Congress.
Rev. Raphael Andonian opened the gathering with words of encouragement
urging participants to become as involved as possible. Lenna Garibian then
welcomed the attendees to an informative evening and presented a short video
clip of Armenian genocide survivor Kevork Norian of Arlington.
Norian, who was taped while attending a meeting of the Arlington Board of
Selectmen, told of his survival and thanked the United States for
"accept[ing] us" and treating "us with respect and dignity." The United
States, he said, "saved us from hell."
Garibian then introduced Sharistan Melkonian, chairperson of the Armenian
National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts, and Anthony Barsamian, board
member of the Armenian Assembly, who presented a town hall-style updated on
H.Res.106 in Congress.
"Let’s be honest, we did not win the media war last month," said Melkonian.
"But this isn’t even close to over. Eight former Secretaries of State, the
current Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense and President Bush
pulled out every last stop. We all watched, partially in disbelief. Well, we
still have some punches left ourselves."
"We can absolutely pass this resolution in this Congress but only with the
help of everyone in this room," she added, and highlighted ways in which the
attendees could become more involved and help.
Barsamian said he was glad to see the Armenian community in Boston working
together on such important issues. He and Melkonian also fielded questions
>From the audience.
Garibian then introduced a brief video produced by the AYF in New York of a
demonstration in Manhattan just prior to the national meeting of the ADL
earlier this month.
Ara Nazarian of the No Place for Denial team reported that the ADL
commissioners decided to "take no further action on the issue of the
Armenian genocide" at the national meeting.
"Obviously, we are very disappointed with the direction the ADL has chosen
to move," he said. "We are also convinced that the human rights commissions
in our towns will not be satisfied with the language produced at the ADL’s
national meeting, since they were looking to the ADL for a solidified policy
on this issue," continued Nazarian. "The ADL has made it clear that it
regards the affirmation of the Armenian genocide as a political issue and
not a human rights issue."
The program ended with a lengthy question and answer period.
To view the videos mentioned, visit
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3. Beugekian Appointed ARS Executive Director
The Central Executive Board of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS), Inc., has
appointed Jirayr Beugekian as its executive director, in charge of
overseeing the Society’s headquarters in Watertown, Mass., and its office in
Yerevan. The full-time appointment began on Nov. 1.
"We are happy to strengthen our operations with a person who can provide
administrative leadership and help our Society achieve its goals on the eve
of our 100th anniversary," said ARS Central Executive Board chairwoman
Hasmig Derderian. "This appointment will also allow our former executive
director, Mr. Tatul Sonentz-Papazian, to concentrate on the most important
task of writing the history of our nearly 100-year-old organization and
cataloging our rich archives."
Beugekian was born in Beirut, Lebanon. He studied at the Armenian Catholic
Zmmarian and Mesrobian Colleges and at the Hamazkayin Nishan Palandjian
College. He graduated from the Haigazian University College with a degree in
computer science. Beginning in 1983, Beugekian was a staff member at the
Aztag Daily newspaper, the ARF Press and Information Bureau, and the Droshak
bi-weekly, published in Athens, Greece. Beugekian worked in Armenia from
1989 to 1993, and in 2001 began working for the Hairenik Association, Inc.,
in Watertown. He is fluent in several languages.
"This is an exciting and important time in the life of the ARS and I look
forward to helping the Society move forward with its ever-increasing and
important international work," said Beugekian.
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4. Bohjalian Novel Customers’ Favorite on Amazon
BOSTON, Mass. (A.W.)-Amazon.com this week released its "Best Books of 2007"
list. Chris Bohjalian’s novel The Double Bind was ranked 9th in the Customer
Favorites: Literature and Fiction category.
The ranking is based on top-selling literature and fiction books on
Amazon.com in 2007, ranked according to customer orders through October.
Only books published for the first time in 2007 are eligible.
Bohjalian is the critically acclaimed author of ten novels, including
Midwives (a Publishers Weekly Best Book and an Oprah’s Book Club selection)
and his New York Times best seller Before You know Kindness. He lives in
Vermont.