Author: Andres-Papazian

AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “HONORING THOSE WHO HELPED RESCUE A GENERATION OF SURVIVORS”

Friday, April 25th, 2014

Unveiling of Hadjin Orphan Dress by Kevin Blowers, curator of Bethel
College Library in Mihawaka, Indiana.

BY HASMIK PILIPOSYAN

MISSION HILLS, Calif.–On March 22, at the Ararat Home of Los
Angeles in Mission Hills, where our surviving elders still reside,
the Ararat-Eskijian Museum hosted an all-day International Conference,
“Honoring Those Who Helped Rescue a Generation of Armenian Survivors
1915 -1930”. The event was well attended by the community. Dr. Carla
Garapedian, director of ‘Screamers,’ was mistress of ceremonies for
the day. The conference opened with pre-recorded speeches addressed
to the Armenian community by United States Representatives Adam Schiff
and Mike Gato Assembly member 43rd district.

The purpose of the conference was to pay tribute to all those
countries, individuals, and organizations that had sacrificed so
much to aid a perishing nation. Diplomatic representatives were
invited from twenty countries, including New Zealand, China, Japan,
Philippine, South Korea, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Britain, Lebanon,
Syria, Palestine, Czech Republic, Germany, Royal Danish consulate,
Canada, and South Africa, with three diplomatic deputies attending,
importantly those of Greece, Norway and Australia.

Martin Eskijian, representing the Eskijian family, whose father,
Luther Eskijian founded the Museum, spoke about his father and the
legacy of his grandparents. Rev. Hovhannes Eskijian and his wife,
Gulenia, who labored to save Armenians during 1915 and 1916 in the
city of Aleppo. Rev. Eskijian perished at the age of 34 of typhus
a day before he was to be hanged publicly for saving the lives of
thousands of orphans from death.

Leading scholars from around the world discussed the manner in
which the international community, including the American Red Cross,
American Near East Relief, and the League of Nations, participated
in making the first major humanitarian effort of the twentieth century.

Missak Kelleshian described the Near East Relief (NER) humanitarian
organization, in which the “world united in selfless service
to humanity.” Through trauma relief, education, empowerment,
self-reliance, parenthood by proxy, education, and nutrition, the NER
assisted an entire generation of Armenian orphans to maintain their
heritage and reintegrate into society. “Quite literally,” Kelleshian
emphasized “Near East Relief kept and entire nation alive”.

Shant Mardirossian has been a member of the Board of Directors of the
Near East Foundation since 2002 and its Chair since 2007, in turn,
discussed the continuation of the Near East Relief’s work in many areas
in the Middle East and Armenia today. “Ninety-nine years later the
NER is still prominent throughout the world.” The Near East Relief
has kept alive its principle of honoring the past and continuing
our national legacy with many humanitarian projects. Prof. Vahram
Shemmassian (director of the Armenian Studies Program at California
State University, Northridge) described the work of the American Red
Cross in rescuing and rehabilitating survivors in the Arab Near East,
in nations such as Syria and Lebanon, and author Dr. Rubina Peroomian
spoke of the various missionaries that served in the Armenian provinces
in the Ottoman Empire and became witnesses to the mass atrocities
against the Christian Armenian population. Missionaries from Sweden,
Germany, United States, and other nations sent letters, telegrams and
other communications to their governments warning of the humanitarian
crisis in the Ottoman Empire, and were also instrumental in saving
thousands of Armenian children from a tragic fate.

Robert Fisk receiving the ‘Franz Werfel’ medal from Genocide Museum
Institute director Hayk Demoyan

Guests of the conference were moved with emotion at the “Orphan dress
from Hadjin,” a patchwork of a deported child’s sole garment, and an
unfinished rug created by the orphans, which Mennonite Missionary
Sister Dorinda Bowman brought with her on her return to the United
States from Turkey in 1914. The items are on loan from Bethel College
in Indiana to the Ararat-Eskijian Museum for two years. Also on
loan for the day of the conference from a San Francisco patron was
a jewelry box made by the orphans of Sivas.

Dr. Hayk Demoyan, the director of the Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute in Yerevan, spoke about Aurora Mardiganian–“Why
was America’s Heroine was Condemned to Oblivion?” Demoyan presented
newly revealed and unknown materials related to Aurora Mardiganian and
movie Ravished Armenia”. Aurora was a girl from Chmshkatsag in the
Ottoman province of Kharpert (Harput/Mamuret ul-Aziz), the daughter
of a wealthy family who was kidnapped during a death march and sold
into the slave markets of Turkey. She eventually escaped, and with
the help of the Near East Relief made it safely to New York. Aurora
authored Ravished Armenia, the story of her survival, which led to the
creation of the silent film, Auction of Souls. This was the first movie
about the Armenian Genocide. Aurora played the leading role herself.

Bared Maronian, the award winning director of the documentary of
“Orphans of the Genocide” screened a brief portion of his documentary.

He showed an emotional visual journey through never-before-seen
archival footage and recently-discovered memoirs of orphans who
lived through the last century’s first, fully documented, and least
recognized genocide.

Dr. Vatche Mankerian gave a powerful performance on the piano of the
works of Father Gomidas. Before his performance he gave tribute to
his family members, the Mankerians from Hadjin. Over three hundred
family members perished and only handful survivors.

Finally, Dr. Robert Fisk, a British writer and Middle East
correspondent for the UK newspaper, The Independent, flew in from
Damascus to participate in the conference. A century ago, Ottoman
Armenians were marched to their deaths in the Syrian Desert. Now,
with the recurring accounts of massacres in the Syrian conflict,
including the killings of Armenians on Syrian soil, Dr. Fisk explored
the comparisons between the 1915 Genocide and the current Syrian
catastrophe.

Former Governor of California George Deukmejian presented the
participants and European and Australian diplomats that were present
with awards replica of ” Mother Armenia” for their unprecedented
humanitarian assistance to the Armenian Orphans from 1915-1930. Dr.

Fisk also received several resolutions, and a gold medal of “Franz
Werfel” from Dr. Demoyan, the director of the Genocide Museum in
Armenia, for Dr. Fisk’s selfless contributions to the Armenian cause,
as Franz Werfel did with his pen when he wrote “The Forty Days of
Musa Dagh.”

From: A. Papazian

KURD POLITICIAN APOLOGIZES FOR PARTICIPATION OF KURDISH PEOPLE IN ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

18:35, 29 April, 2014

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. The Member of the European Democratic
and Peace Majlis, as well as Kurdish liberation movement Rozhden
Yalderem did not see sincerity in the statement of the Prime Minister
of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan made on April 23. In the Prime
Minister’s speech Rozhden Yalderem looked for the word “genocide”
but did not find it.

This is what made the Kurd politician angry. “We need to call things
by their names and give an answer for the crime carried out a century
ago. I did not see a big change in Erdogan’s statement. If he does
not utter and say the word “genocide” that they fulfilled, that is
not a change for us. In his statement Erdogan said that the Armenians
martyred during the First World War, it is not a big change in the
position of Turkey,” Yalderem said as reported by Armenpress. He
added that the ideology is led by the nationalists in Turkey and
today’s state policy of Turkey is built on that ideology.

Yalderem notes that Europe’s Democratic and Peace Majlis operates on
the public basis. 57 organizations are in the list of the structure,
Majlis has more than one million members.

The fact of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman government has
been documented, recognized, and affirmed in the form of media
and eyewitness reports, laws, resolutions, and statements by many
states and international organizations. The complete catalogue
of all documents categorizing the 1915 wholesale massacre of the
Armenian population in Ottoman Empire as a premeditated and thoroughly
executed act of genocide is extensive. Uruguay was the first country
to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide in 1965. The massacres
of the Armenian people were officially condemned and recognized as
genocide in accordance with the international law by France, Germany,
Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland,
Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Argentina,
Venezuela, Chile, Canada, Vatican and Australia.

From: A. Papazian

German president ‘horrified’ by developments in Turkey
By BUSRA OZERLI
2014-04-28

German president has said in Ankara he is “horrified” over negative
developments in Turkey, criticizing the government for censoring
Internet, controlling judiciary and granting wide powers to the spy
agency.

“Don’t take my statements as an interference into your domestic
affairs,” German President Joachim Gauck told a group of students at
the Ankara’s prestigious Middle Eastern Technical University (ODTU) on
Monday. “I should confess developments in Turkey horrify me.” He said
his remarks are aimed at sharing his concerns as a citizen of a
democratic nation.

Gauck said he lived in a communist regime for fifty years, in which
the ruling party decided what is legal and what is not. To avoid this,
he said, the separation of powers is significant.

Gauck, who is on a four-day-long official visit to Turkey, arrived in
the country late on Saturday accompanied by his wife, Daniela Schadt,
and Integration Minister Aydan Ozoguz, the first politician of Turkish
origin to hold a top post in Germany.

Gauck’s remarks came at a time when the government put judiciary under
its control with a recent bill on the Supreme Board of Judges and
Prosecutors (HSYK). The German president said the removal of a number
of police and prosecutors from their posts by the government will
block to illuminate shady developments. “I’m asking: If the government
tries to manipulate the court decisions in its favor or escape from
decisions against itself, can we talk about independence of
judiciary?”

Gauck also mentioned positive developments in Turkey, which includes
the taming military power in politics. He recalled that a dialogue has
been started with Kurds and that the conflicts decreased. He added
that historic taboos about what has been done to Armenians and Kurds
started to break up.

Gauck criticized granting wide powers to the National Intelligence
Organization (MIT) and slammed the authorities for using excessive
force to disperse protesters from the streets.

He said he is concerned over the freedom of press, reminding that
Internet is being censored while journalists are jailed or
intimidated. He stated that informing people and being informed by
developments are two fundamental conditions of a healthy democracy.

Earlier in the day, during a press conference with his Turkish
counterpart, Abdullah Gul, Gauck called on the Turkish government to
be responsive to criticism and said he does not understand why the
government has been antagonizing the media and judiciary.

`This [Turkish] government won the elections. Why would such a strong
government [need to] take such measures against judiciary and react to
the media?” said Gauck at a joint press conference with President
Abdullah Gul.

He added that the government should not feel uneasy with criticism and
asked Gul whether Twitter and YouTube had to be banned and why
Constitutional Court President Hasim Kilic recently delivered a harsh
speech. `Is this approach supposed to strengthen the democracy?’ said
the German president.

During the meeting, the presidents touched upon the issue of
minorities in Turkey. `A democratic society should be able to question
its history. Germany also expresses its guilt and shame [regarding its
national history], which is not a weakness,’ said Gauck.

In remarks regarding Turkey’s European Union membership, Gauck said,
“We are in a process that started a long time ago. There are some
chapters that are open and some that are not. There is no questioning
whether Turkey will become an EU member. Democracy is a state of
constant and systematic dialogue [between sides].’

Regarding Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks that he is
ignoring international criticism on the Twitter ban, Gauck emphasized
that the Turkish government is not facing a threat from social media.
Speaking alongside Gauck at the press conference, Gul expressed his
support for the government, which has asked Twitter to establish a
local office in Turkey in an attempt to end a feud over a tax-related
issue. Erdogan reiterated his stance on the government dispute with
Twitter last week by saying: `All else aside, a tax-evading company
may not operate in Turkey. It doesn’t have an office [in Turkey]. It
can’t operate [here]. We will do whatever is necessary. The issue is
no longer one-dimensional, it has multiple dimensions.’

Gul endorsed Erdogan’s condolences to the grandchildren of Armenians
who were killed in 1915 in Anatolia, during World War I. Gul expressed
his firm support for the statement, which was released by the Prime
Ministry on Erdogan’s behalf last week.

Speaking about the EU and Turkey’s turbulent relationship, Gul argued
that his country has undergone tremendous reforms in the past decade
as part of its firm commitment to the accession process. It is an
undisputed fact, Gul said, that Turkey has made remarkable progress on
its path toward membership.

In response to a German journalist’s question of whether Gul is taking
Gauck’s criticisms as advice or as a threat, Gul said: `No country can
claim to be perfect. We have seen murders committed by the far right
in Germany and the visible shame after the murders. We have similar
situations [in Turkey] and it is important to be aware of [both] our
flaws and our efforts to correct them.’

Before his visit to Ankara, the German president also visited a tent
city in Kahramanmaras on Sunday. After talking to Syrians there, Gauck
told journalists that he was very impressed by Turkey’s efforts to
provide help to Syrians who have fled the war. He pledged that Germany
would donate TL 2.5 million to Syrians in Turkey with the cooperation
of the Turkish Red Crescent Society (Kizilay).

`We can’t do much to end the war in Syria. But we should think more
about how we can help these people [Syrians who have fled the war]. I
see international cooperation here. Government institutions and
Turkish people are trying their best to help Syrians. We, as a rich
country, should ask ourselves whether we are doing everything we can
to help,’ said Gauck, adding: `This visit was an important message for
me to appreciate Turkey’s efforts. When I go back to my country, I
will tell my observations to the German government.” Gauck handed out
toys to Syrian children in the tent city.

Following his visit to the tent city, Gauck inspected 300 German
troops stationed in Kahramanmaras, where they operate NATO’s Patriot
missiles that guard against threats from Syria.

Turkey has Patriot missiles stationed in the southern provinces of
Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras and Adana. Six Patriot batteries were sent to
Turkey by the US, the Netherlands and Germany as part of a NATO
decision to boost Turkey’s air defense against a potential Syrian
missile attack. The batteries have been in those provinces since
December of 2012. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu sent a
letter requesting an extension of the Patriot batteries’ deployment to
areas along the Syrian border in December 2013. The extension request
was necessary, as the Patriots’ deployment was set to end after one
year.

Following his meeting with Gul, Gauck met with Erdogan on Monday in
Ankara. Gauck is also planning to visit Istanbul, where he will attend
the opening ceremony of the Turkish-German University in Istanbul’s
Beykoz district on Tuesday. Gauck is also expected to have meetings
with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Turkey.

From: A. Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 0033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 10) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website:

29 April, 2014

ACNIS Discussed the Armenian Genocide from the Perspective of
International Politics

Yerevan–Today on the foot of the Commemoration of the 100th
anniversary of the Great Genocide, the Armenian Center for National
and International Studies (ACNIS) convened a discussion on the 1915
Armenian Genocide from the Perspective of International Politics.
Analysts on Turkish issues, politicians, public activists and media
representatives were among the invited guests.

The seminar began with the opening remarks of ACNIS founder Raffi K.
Hovannisian who had just returned from his 6 day trip to Turkey. `It
is interesting that this year the commemoration of the victims of the
Genocide notably expanded its geography to include Istanbul and other
cities in Turkey. At the same time, the idea that what happened 99
years ago in Western Armenia was not just a massacre of a race, but a
disposition of a people which deserves to be included in the legal
agenda is taking root’ remarked Mr. Hovannisian.

Subsequently, an interesting lecture entitled `The Question of
Genocide in Regulating the Armenian Turkish Relations’ was presented
by Dr. Ashot Melkonyan, director of the Armenian National Academy of
Sciences Institute of History, who argued that in his opinion since
1965 the focus of the struggle to seek recognition of the Genocide is
wrong. He stated `Instead of directing all of our resources for
demanding retribution, we have focused our efforts in a fruitless
pursuit to counter Turkish denial.’ Dr. Melkonyan proved his point by
taking the audience on a brief historical tour. To discuss the
Genocide is a mistake which the Turkish government is always trying to
distract us with contended the speaker. `Recognition without
retribution is worthless. We will free ourselves of the complex of
being Genocide and Dispossessed victims only when our Homeland is
returned to us, which in my strong opinion is very possible’ assured
the scientist.

The recognition of the Genocide in international politics and the
security of the Armenian people and the Republic of Armenia were
discussed by ACNIS director, political scientist Manvel Sargisyan who
argued that for a long time the question of the Armenian Genocide has
been used as a tool by the international community in developing
relations with Turkey. Mr. Sargisyan asked `Is this conducive for the
interest of the Diaspora and Armenia’s Armenians, to what extent is
Armenia a demander, which is its right, have we accepted the fact that
others should control our rights for their own interest, hence, how to
take the question of the genocide out of world politics and which is
our alternative position.’ According to the speaker these were the
questions to ponder and these were the questions that posed a threat.

The discussion participants included former member of National
Assembly and political scientist, Stepan Safaryan, experts Sousanna
Barkhudaryan, Seda Meliqyan, and analyst Saro Saroyan and others.

The dominating opinion was that there needs to be elasticity and
dynamism in the foreign politics of Armenia, as wells as in the
workings of State Commission on Coordination of the Events for the
Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide so
that the tragedy that took place in the beginning of the last century
does not become a game for the Super powers.

———————————————————————

The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) is
a leading independent strategic research center located in Yerevan,
Armenia. As an independent, objective institution committed to
conducting professional policy research and analysis, ACNIS strives to
raise the level of public debate and seeks to broaden public
engagement in the public policy process, as well as fostering greater
and more inclusive public knowledge. Founded in 1994, ACNIS is the
institutional initiative of Raffi K. Hovannisian, Armenia’s first
Minister of Foreign Affairs. Over the past 20 years, ACNIS has
acquired a prominent reputation as a primary source of professional
independent research and analysis covering a wide range of national
and international policy issues.

For further information on the Center call (37410) 52-87-80 or
27-48-18; fax (37410) 52-48-46; email [email protected] or [email protected];
or visit

From: A. Papazian

Sevan level decrease due to Armenia’s oligarchic regime, World Bank
interests – opinions
11:29 ¢ 30.04.14

To raise the level of Lake Sevan it is necessary for Armenia’s
oligarchic regime and the World Bank to invest certain efforts,
according to an environmentalist.

Speaking to Tert.am, the president of the Association of Greens, Hakob
Sanasaryan, said he thinks the wealthy class and senior government
officials who own capital in the Sevan area are interested in leaving
the water level low to avoid damage to their property.

The environmentalist noted that his study of the WB 1996-1998 grant
projects (aimed at maintaining the lake’s eco-balance) revealed that
none of them offered favorable conditions for maintaining the lake’s
water level high.

`They say that in case the Sevan level goes up, that will cause a huge
damage to Armenia’s economy. They were strongly against the Vorotan
tunnel construction, considering its potential harm very great for
Armenia. Now, actually, we receive a loan once a difficulty emerges in
the economy. So the more undeveloped our economy is, the less we
cultivate lands and the lower the water level to ensure energy supply
when necessary, the higher their interest. I don’t think the WB wants
the Sevan level to go up,’ he said, noting that a further
deterioration of economy is more likely to increase the need of loan
programs.

As for the National Assembly’s amended law on Sevan (allowing for
water release for one instead of five years), Sanasaryan considered
the move positive, stressing the importance of further strong efforts.

`No matter the seeming increase in the Sevan level, the Armenian
authorities, under the president’s leadership, are doing all their
best to prevent it from going up. Had they allowed it, Sevan’s level
would be much higher; it would have reached the 1903,5 meter target,’
he added.

Asked to comment on the repeatedly voiced argument that the Ararat
valley faces a shortage of irrigation water (a problem that is often
cited as a cause of migration from the villages), the environmentalist
replied, `Yes, there is a problem of irrigation, but at times, 50
million cubic meters of water was enough for the whole year. Then they
increased that to 80 million, 140 million, 170 million and 240
[million cubic meter]. All this is not in line with the plan for
raising the lake’s level, with a large part of the irrigation water
released from Sevan going to the Caspian Sea.’

Levon Galstyan, another environmentalist who talked to our
correspondent, said the five-year time-limit is a voluntarily selected
timeframe not based on any professional or expert conclusion.

`This is a fact. I don’t think they made the change listening to
environmentalists,’ he said, adding that he himself does not see any
logic behind the move.

Galstyan said he is under the impression that the authorities treat
the lake as a dam whose water level can be changed any time. `We do
not have the governance resources capable of managing the environment.
And why not, the coastal constructions too, can be seen as a reason,
as their owners probably lobby for preventing a rise in the water
level,’ he added.

From: A. Papazian

Did Sarkisian Skip the Custom Union Summit Because of Kazakhstan?

Tuesday, April 29th, 2014

From right: Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Belarusian
President Alexander Lukashenko, and Russian President Vladimir Putin
in Minsk, Belarus. Oct. 25, 2013. (Photo: ITAR-TASS)

YEREVAN – President Serzh Sarkisian’s absence from a summit of leaders
from Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan taking place in the Belarus
capital of Minsk and was expected to complete Armenia’s membership in
the Custom Union has raised questions, with various government
agencies merely reaffirming Armenia’s commitment to join the
Russia-led union.

While presidential spokesperson Armand Saghatelyan made a vague
statement confirming that Sarkisian was in Yerevan, the Moscow-based
Regnum news agency, citing sources at the Armenian presidential
office, reported that Sarkisian did not attend the summit because of
Kazakhstan’s position on Nagorno-Karabakh.

In December, Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev raised questions
about Armenia’s membership in the Custom Union calling into question
the definition of its border and whether the envisioned membership
also included the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

`The `road map’ on Armenia has generally been agreed. I think we can
adopt it. However, the question of the border of the Customs Union and
where it will cross in Armenia in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict remains open. Therefore, we will sign the `road map’ together
with colleagues, but with the dissenting opinion, which will be
reported on,’ Nazarbayev said at the time, saying that Azerbaijan
should have a say in Armenia’s membership.

This unresolved issue, as well as what sources identified to Regnum as
unresolved issues between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan could be
prompting Armenia to not attend the summit.

Last week, Armenia’s outgoing economy minister Vahram Avanesyan,
signaled that Armenia may wait until the three countries sign a
Eurasian Union trade agreement, at which time Armenia will join that
bloc rather than the Customs Union.

Asked about the reason for the no-show, Foreign Ministry spokesman
Tigran Balayan said only that the leaders of the Customs Union’s three
member states will be briefed by the head of the trade bloc’s
executive body on the implementation of a `roadmap’ to Armenia’s
membership. Balayan did not comment further, reported RFE/RL.

From: A. Papazian

An International Conference `Honoring Those Who Helped Rescue a
Generation of Survivors’

Friday, April 25th, 2014

Unveiling of Hadjin Orphan Dress by Kevin Blowers, curator of Bethel
College Library in Mihawaka, Indiana.

BY HASMIK PILIPOSYAN

MISSION HILLS, Calif.’On March 22, at the Ararat Home of Los Angeles
in Mission Hills, where our surviving elders still reside, the
Ararat-Eskijian Museum hosted an all-day International Conference,
`Honoring Those Who Helped Rescue a Generation of Armenian Survivors
1915 -1930′. The event was well attended by the community. Dr. Carla
Garapedian, director of `Screamers,’ was mistress of ceremonies for
the day. The conference opened with pre-recorded speeches addressed to
the Armenian community by United States Representatives Adam Schiff
and Mike Gato Assembly member 43rd district.

The purpose of the conference was to pay tribute to all those
countries, individuals, and organizations that had sacrificed so much
to aid a perishing nation. Diplomatic representatives were invited
from twenty countries, including New Zealand, China, Japan,
Philippine, South Korea, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Britain,
Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Czech Republic, Germany, Royal Danish
consulate, Canada, and South Africa, with three diplomatic deputies
attending, importantly those of Greece, Norway and Australia.

Martin Eskijian, representing the Eskijian family, whose father,
Luther Eskijian founded the Museum, spoke about his father and the
legacy of his grandparents. Rev. Hovhannes Eskijian and his wife,
Gulenia, who labored to save Armenians during 1915 and 1916 in the
city of Aleppo. Rev. Eskijian perished at the age of 34 of typhus a
day before he was to be hanged publicly for saving the lives of
thousands of orphans from death.

Leading scholars from around the world discussed the manner in which
the international community, including the American Red Cross,
American Near East Relief, and the League of Nations, participated in
making the first major humanitarian effort of the twentieth century.

Missak Kelleshian described the Near East Relief (NER) humanitarian
organization, in which the `world united in selfless service to
humanity.’ Through trauma relief, education, empowerment,
self-reliance, parenthood by proxy, education, and nutrition, the NER
assisted an entire generation of Armenian orphans to maintain their
heritage and reintegrate into society. `Quite literally,’ Kelleshian
emphasized `Near East Relief kept and entire nation alive’.

Shant Mardirossian has been a member of the Board of Directors of the
Near East Foundation since 2002 and its Chair since 2007, in turn,
discussed the continuation of the Near East Relief’s work in many
areas in the Middle East and Armenia today. `Ninety-nine years later
the NER is still prominent throughout the world.’ The Near East Relief
has kept alive its principle of honoring the past and continuing our
national legacy with many humanitarian projects. Prof. Vahram
Shemmassian (director of the Armenian Studies Program at California
State University, Northridge) described the work of the American Red
Cross in rescuing and rehabilitating survivors in the Arab Near East,
in nations such as Syria and Lebanon, and author Dr. Rubina Peroomian
spoke of the various missionaries that served in the Armenian
provinces in the Ottoman Empire and became witnesses to the mass
atrocities against the Christian Armenian population. Missionaries
from Sweden, Germany, United States, and other nations sent letters,
telegrams and other communications to their governments warning of the
humanitarian crisis in the Ottoman Empire, and were also instrumental
in saving thousands of Armenian children from a tragic fate.

Robert Fisk receiving the ‘Franz Werfel’ medal from Genocide Museum
Institute director Hayk Demoyan

Guests of the conference were moved with emotion at the `Orphan dress
from Hadjin,’ a patchwork of a deported child’s sole garment, and an
unfinished rug created by the orphans, which Mennonite Missionary
Sister Dorinda Bowman brought with her on her return to the United
States from Turkey in 1914. The items are on loan from Bethel College
in Indiana to the Ararat-Eskijian Museum for two years. Also on loan
for the day of the conference from a San Francisco patron was a
jewelry box made by the orphans of Sivas.

Dr. Hayk Demoyan, the director of the Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute in Yerevan, spoke about Aurora Mardiganian’`Why was
America’s Heroine was Condemned to Oblivion?’ Demoyan presented newly
revealed and unknown materials related to Aurora Mardiganian and movie
Ravished Armenia’. Aurora was a girl from Chmshkatsag in the Ottoman
province of Kharpert (Harput/Mamuret ul-Aziz), the daughter of a
wealthy family who was kidnapped during a death march and sold into
the slave markets of Turkey. She eventually escaped, and with the help
of the Near East Relief made it safely to New York. Aurora authored
Ravished Armenia, the story of her survival, which led to the creation
of the silent film, Auction of Souls. This was the first movie about
the Armenian Genocide. Aurora played the leading role herself.

Bared Maronian, the award winning director of the documentary of
`Orphans of the Genocide’ screened a brief portion of his documentary.
He showed an emotional visual journey through never-before-seen
archival footage and recently-discovered memoirs of orphans who lived
through the last century’s first, fully documented, and least
recognized genocide.

Dr. Vatche Mankerian gave a powerful performance on the piano of the
works of Father Gomidas. Before his performance he gave tribute to his
family members, the Mankerians from Hadjin. Over three hundred family
members perished and only handful survivors.

Finally, Dr. Robert Fisk, a British writer and Middle East
correspondent for the UK newspaper, The Independent, flew in from
Damascus to participate in the conference. A century ago, Ottoman
Armenians were marched to their deaths in the Syrian Desert. Now, with
the recurring accounts of massacres in the Syrian conflict, including
the killings of Armenians on Syrian soil, Dr. Fisk explored the
comparisons between the 1915 Genocide and the current Syrian
catastrophe.

Former Governor of California George Deukmejian presented the
participants and European and Australian diplomats that were present
with awards replica of ` Mother Armenia’ for their unprecedented
humanitarian assistance to the Armenian Orphans from 1915-1930. Dr.
Fisk also received several resolutions, and a gold medal of `Franz
Werfel’ from Dr. Demoyan, the director of the Genocide Museum in
Armenia, for Dr. Fisk’s selfless contributions to the Armenian cause,
as Franz Werfel did with his pen when he wrote `The Forty Days of Musa
Dagh.’

From: A. Papazian

Khristenko: Draft treaty on Armenia’s accession to Customs Union
should be ready by June

12:51 30/04/2014 » POLITICS

A draft treaty on Armenia’s accession to the Belarusian-Kazakh-Russian
Customs Union and common economic area should be ready to be presented
to the heads of state for consideration by June 1, 2014, Eurasian
Economic Commission Board Chairman Viktor Khristenko told journalists
in Minsk on Tuesday, The Voice of Russia reports.

“The presidents have ordered that a draft treaty on the Republic of
Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union and the common economic area
be drawn up for consideration at a session of the Supreme Eurasian
Economic Council,” Khristenko said.

Touching on the implementation of an action plan for Armenia’s
accession to the Customs Union and the common economic area,
Khristenko noted that “the work that has been done by now” was
approved at the Tuesday meeting in Minsk.

“Out of the 126 clauses of the road map that are supposed to be
implemented before signing the accession treaty, 111 have already been
implemented, and the other 15 will be included in the treaty itself,”
he said, Interfax reports.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

Haykakan Zhamanak: Arsenyan is being pressurized

11:24 30/04/2014 » DAILY PRESS

Armenia’s Former Prime Minister, Ambassador of Armenia to UK Armen
Sargsyan has purchased 50 percent of the shares of Jermuk Group
Company belonging to MP from the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA)
Ashot Arsenyan, Haykakan Zhamanak writes.

Arsenyan, however, refuted this information yesterday. `Nevertheless,
a number of sources, in particular company employees, note that
Arsenyan is being pressurized by business circles,’ the newspaper
adds.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

Draft treaty on Armenia’s accession to CU should be ready by June

10:05 30.04.2014

A draft treaty on Armenia’s accession to the Belarusian-Kazakh-Russian
Customs Union and common economic area should be ready to be presented
to the heads of state for consideration by June 1, 2014, Eurasian
Economic Commission Board Chairman Viktor Khristenko told journalists
in Minsk on Tuesday, the Voice of Russia reports.

`The presidents have ordered that a draft treaty on the Republic of
Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union and the common economic area
be drawn up for consideration at a session of the Supreme Eurasian
Economic Council,’ Khristenko said.

Touching upon the implementation of an action plan for Armenia’s
accession to the Customs Union and the common economic area,
Khristenko noted that `the work that has been done by now’ was
approved at the Tuesday meeting in Minsk.

`Out of the 126 clauses of the road map that are supposed to be
implemented before signing the accession treaty, 111 have already been
implemented, and the other 15 will be included in the treaty itself,’
he said, Interfax reports.

From: A. Papazian