Author: Andres-Papazian

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers hopes to buy Shakhtar Donetsk’s
Henrikh Mkhitaryan for £20 million

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is poised for talks with Shakhtar
Donetsk midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan this week as he attempts to seal
a £20?million deal.

Easter promise: Midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan (right) of Shakhtar
Donetsk has attracted Liverpool’s attention Photo: BONGARTS

By John Percy

10:30PM BST 16 Jun 2013

As first revealed by Telegraph Sport, Rodgers has identified
Mkhitaryan as his flagship signing for the summer and has tabled a bid
which is believed to have triggered a release clause inserted into the
24-year-old’s contract by the Ukrainian champions.

Liverpool are now waiting for the go-ahead to meet the Armenia
international, one of the most highly regarded playmakers in Europe,
and are hopeful of completing a transfer that will represent a huge
statement of intent.

Ian Ayre, the club’s managing director, cancelled a trip to attend an
economics conference in Brazil to remain in England to assist in the
deal and Liverpool will step up their bid to sign him in the next 48
hours.

Liverpool are understood to be aware of potential competition from a
German club, possibly Borussia Dortmund, and know an impressive sales
pitch is required to convince Mkhitaryan to move to Anfield.

Rodgers has already signed Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas and Kolo
Touré from Manchester City, but Mkhi – taryan’s signing will be seen as
a real coup if they can finalise the deal.

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Mkhitaryan scored 25 goals for Shakhtar last season and produced an
excellent performance in his country’s defeat of Denmark in their
World Cup qualifier six days ago.

Liverpool are confident of finally completing the capture of
Sunderlandgoalkeeper Simon Mignolet this week, with a restructured bid
likely to be made on Monday. Sunderland value Mignolet at £10?million
and while Liverpool’s second bid of £8?million was rejected. A
compromise figure is expected to be reached.

Mignolet’s arrival will only increase uncertainty over the future of
Pepe Reina and send out a message that the Spain international is no
longer Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper. Reina has attracted
interest fromBarcelona this summer and his departure would represent a
signicant saving on the club’s wage bill, with the 30-year-old earning
a hefty £120,000 a week.

Luis Suárez’s future at Anfield continues to remain in doubt after the
Uruguay international reiterated his desire to leave. He was quoted as
saying in Spanish newspaper Marca: `First I have a contract with the
club, but if one day I want to sign [for another club]. Liverpool will
hear the offer, as it does with other players.

`They must agree with other teams, but the word of the player, in this
case mine, is important. If you need a change, you should listen to
the player.

`Every player aspires [to be the best] and if you ask a child of eight
years they would say one day they would go to Real Madrid or
Barcelona.’

From: A. Papazian

LETA (Latvia National News Agency)
June 15, 2013 Saturday 11:46 AM EST

Estonia introduces its culture to Armenia

Jun 13, 2013 (LETA (Latvia National News Agency)

TALLINN: On 12-16 June, the unique Estonian public diplomacy mission
‘Everyone’s Going to Yerevan’ will take place in Yerevan and many
other Armenian cities, in order to enliven cultural relations between
Estonia and Armenia.

The Estonian Foreign Ministry said that an initiative of this kind
will give a vital boost to the development of Estonia-Armenia
relations. Estonia and Armenia’s cultural ties will be intensified
over the course of five days through the extensive cultural programme
taking place in Yerevan and other Armenian cities.

Estonian Ambassador to Armenia Priit Turk will participate in the
opening of the exhibit of artist Siim-Tanel Annus and host a reception
dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia.

>From 12-16 June the unique public diplomacy mission ‘Everyone’s Going
to Yerevan’ will take place in Yerevan and many other Armenian cities.
The five days will include more than 40 different cultural events, and
participants will include the Estonian National Male Choir, Andres
Mustonen and Hortus Musicus, Tõnis Mägi, Anne Veski, the Jaak Sooäär
Trio, J.M.K.E, Tallinn Dance Theatre, and many others. A total of
nearly 340 Estonians will be going to Yerevan. The event is being led
by the director of AS Corpore Meelis Kubits.

While the event is taking place, representatives of Estonian and
Armenian municipalities will meet to discuss challenges and
opportunities in tourism in the 21st century.

From: A. Papazian

TURQUIE
Turquie : Erdogan fait évacuer de force le parc Gezi d’Istanbul

ISTANBUL (AFP) – La police turque a évacué samedi par la force le
dernier carré des manifestants qui occupaient le parc Gezi d’Istanbul,
le bastion de la fronde antigouvernementale qui agite la Turquie
depuis deux semaines, après un nouvel ultimatum du Premier ministre
Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Peu avant 21h00 locales (18h00 GMT), les forces de l’ordre sont
intervenues avec des canons à eau pour disperser des centaines de
personnes qui s’étaient réunies sur la place Taksim, puis sont entrées
dans le parc, qu’elles ont vidé de tous ses milliers d’occupants par
des jets de grenades lacrymogènes. Plusieurs personnes ont été
interpellées.

De nombreuses tentes dans lesquelles les occupants s’apprêtaient à
passer une nouvelle nuit ont été détruites et leurs banderoles
arrachées.

`Ils sont entrés de force, avec beaucoup de gaz. Ils nous ont frappé,
même les femmes`, a raconté à l’AFP un des manifestants, Ader Tefiq.

`J’étais à l’intérieur de la tente hôpital (…) ils ont lancé des
grenades lacrymogènes et des dizaines de policiers sont entrés`, a
rapporté de son côté Elif, un médecin de 45 ans, `ils nous ont pris
nos masques et nos lunettes de protection en nous disant que nous n’en
aurions plus besoin désormais`.

Deux heures plus tôt, le chef du gouvernement avait lancé un nouvel
avertissement aux manifestants, lors d’un discours prononcé devant
plusieurs dizaines de milliers de partisans réunis dans une lointaine
banlieue d’Ankara.

`Nous avons une réunion publique demain à Istanbul. Je le dis
clairement : si Taksim n’est pas évacuée, les forces de sécurité de ce
pays sauront comment l’évacuer`, a lancé M. Erdogan sur le ton ferme
qu’il affectionne depuis le début de la crise.

`S’il y a encore des frères là-bas, s’il vous plaît, partez parce que
ce parc appartient à la population d’Istanbul`, a-t-il insisté, `ce
n’est pas une zone d’occupation pour des organisations illégales`.

Samedi matin, la coordination des manifestants, le collectif
Solidarité Taksim, avait annoncé son refus de quitter le parc Gezi,
malgré les gestes de conciliation du pouvoir.

`Nous allons poursuivre notre résistance contre toute injustice dans
notre pays (…) Ce n’est qu’un début, notre lutte se poursuivra !`,
a-t-elle indiqué, `aujourd’hui nous sommes bien plus forts, organisés
et optimistes qu’il y a dix-huit jours`.

Irréductibles

Lors d’une rencontre avec une délégation de la société civile, dont
deux porte-parole de la la coordination des manifestants, M. Erdogan
avait promis qu’il ne toucherait pas au parc tant que la justice,
saisie par les adversaires de la destruction du parc, n’aurait pas
définitivement tranché le dossier.

Mais les irréductibles du parc Gezi ont refusé catégoriquement ce que
le pouvoir a présenté comme des concessions.

`Nous restons dans le camp parce que nos demandes n’ont pas été
satisfaites par le gouvernement`, a expliqué à l’AFP Ata, futur
docteur en mathématiques. `Il veut montrer son pouvoir pour nous
intimider, nous menacer`, a-t-elle ajouté, `mais c’est précisément
pourquoi nous sommes là, c’est tout le problème`, a-t-elle ajouté.

Le 31 mai, la police est intervenue pour disperser violemment des
militants écologistes qui protestaient contre la destruction annoncée
du parc Gezi et de ses 600 platanes dans le cadre d’un projet contesté
d’aménagement de la place Taksim.

La colère provoquée par cette opération a suscité la plus vaste fronde
contre le gouvernement islamo-conservateur turc depuis son arrivée en
pouvoir en 2002. Dans de nombreuses villes du pays, des dizaines de
milliers de manifestants exigent la démission de M. Erdogan, accusé de
dérive autoritaire et de vouloir islamiser la société turque.

Sûr du soutien d’une majorité de la population, le chef du
gouvernement, dont le Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP) a
raflé 50% des voix aux législatives de 2011, a adopté une position
très ferme face aux contestataires, qualifiés à longueur de discours
de `pillards` ou d’`extrémistes.

Samedi encore devant ses partisans, il s’est présenté comme la `voix
des masses silencieuses` et a salué ses partisans qui donnent `la
vraie image de la Turquie`.

Le Premier ministre doit tenir dimanche après-midi une nouvelle
réunion publique avec des dizaines de milliers de manifestants à
Istanbul.

Les brutalités policières et l’intransigeance de M. Erdogan face aux
protestataires lui ont valu de nombreuses critiques et terni son image
à l’étranger, notamment auprès des États-Unis et des pays de l’Union
européenne.

dimanche 16 juin 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIE
Arménie : Débat sur la privatisation du dernier repos

L’opposition rejette l’idée de cimetières privés en Arménie. Le projet
de loi est à un stade de développement, mais ses opposants estiment
qu’il va approfondir les inégalités sociales.

La semaine dernière, des auditions parlementaires ont eu lieu, initiée
par le Comité national permanent de l’Assemblée sur les questions de
l’Administration territoriale et des Collectivités locales, sur le
projet d’amendements à la loi sur « les funérailles et crémations »
rédigés par Hovhannes Margaryan et Heghine Bisharyan,des députés du
parti Orinats Yerkir qui parle aussi de la création de cimetières
privés.

Selon les auteurs du projet de loi, la question a été soulevée lors de
la récente réunion du cabinet à l’initiative du Premier ministre où il
a été convenu que cela nécessite des solutions urgentes non seulement
à Erevan, mais aussi dans les communes rurales, où les cimetières
s’étendent maintenant au-delà de toutes les limites et ont atteint les
routes.

Il y a 27 cimetières rien qu’à Erevan dont 11 sont complets et
refusent de nouveaux ajouts. L’État fournit 2,5 mètres carrés de
terres par personne gratuitement, et 12 m² pour une famille, mais le
reste des arrangements – les clôtures, les plantations, les pierres
tombales – sont à la charge des parents du défunt.

« Aujourd’hui, les cimetières poussent comme des champignons car il
n’y a pas d’organes pour réguler le secteur et attribuer les terres.
Il y a une suggestion de créer des cimetières alternatifs et de créer
un organisme d’état pour s’assurer que les normes établies soient
préservés », explique Hovhannes Margaryan, ajoutant que les cimetières
alternatives offriraient des services payants, et que les gens ont le
choix de les utiliser ou non. Selon Hovhannes Margaryan, les terres
des cimetières privés devraient être fournies non comme une propriété
permanente, mais devraient être loués pour 49 ans.

Artsvik Minasyan député de la Fédération Révolutionnaire Arménienne
(FRA) a déclaré au cours de la discussion qu’il a de sérieuses
réserves sur la question, en se demandant comment il serait bon de
donner la sphère au secteur privé.

« Qu’est-ce que c’est ? Maintenant, nous allons avoir des cimetières
pour les pauvres et les riches ? La grande question est de savoir si
nous réglons les problèmes des cimetière avec ce projet de loi, ou
est-ce la question des cimetières privés ? » a-t-il dit, ajoutant
qu’un document de réflexion devrait être élaboré pour réglementer les
terrains plutôt que de proposer un répertoire de solutions.

Les adversaires au projet de loi sont d’accord qu’il existe des
problèmes, mais ils ne croient pas que le projet de loi serait en
mesure de les résoudre.

« Je crois que le projet de loi est extrêmement prématuré, le style de
travail que les autorités ont adopté n’est absolument pas dirigé à
unir la société, bien au contraire, il aggrave la crise », explique
Armen Martirosyan vice-président du parti Héritage, ajoutant que le
projet de loi pourrait être approuvé, mais croit que ce serait une
erreur.

Gohar Abrahamian

ArmeniaNow

dimanche 16 juin 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

WHITHER TURKEY?

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
June 14 2013

by Fatma Muge Göcek*
14 June 2013 /

On May 25, 2013, my colleague Ron Suny and I flew to Ä°stanbul,
Turkey, to attend the Hrant Dink Memorial Workshop (June 1-2, 2013)
that has been taking place since he was assassinated in front of his
newspaper on Jan. 19, 2007.

We were invited to report on the activities of the Workshop on
Armenian Turkish Scholarship (WATS) that promotes the generation of
new knowledge through the joint collaboration of scholars working on
Turkish and Armenian issues. Even though the 2013 annual workshop
was very successful, much of the attention was drawn away by the
anti-government protests that took a violent turn on May 31 at
Taksim’s Gezi Park, a short distance away from Bankalar Caddesi,
where the conference was taking place.

This was an Ä°stanbul district I knew well since I was born and spent
the first 12 years of my life in TepebaÅ~_ı, also near Taksim. Yet,
the whole setting was now very different from the politically muted
Cold War years of my childhood.

The protest initially started with the intent to prevent the removal
of the centuries-old trees from the Gezi Park, planned under a
redevelopment aiming to transform it into yet another neoliberal
space promoting consumption. Until then, the park had been one of
the few green spaces that acted like the lungs of downtown Ä°stanbul
and that could also be accessed by all citizens, rather than a few
chosen, moneyed customers. In addition, it was rumored that the
Ottoman military barracks once housed at Gezi Park were going to
be rebuilt to serve as a city museum. The manifest intent of the
socially conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) government
was innocent: to further beautify the city by creating a renewed park
and a city museum. Yet, the latent objective was not as innocent: This
government move marked the culmination of a neo-liberal spree that
had literally created many malls within a short time span, tearing
down culturally meaningful old movie theatres and pudding shops and
replacing them with cement blocks advocating constant consumption in
the process. The military barracks had also once been historically
significant as the headquarters of the ultimately unsuccessful 1909
conservative reaction to the 1908 Young Turk Revolution. Since the
AKP traced its historical lineage to this reaction rather than the
Young Turk movement that ultimately established the secular Turkish
Republic, it seemed like the AKP in general and Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan in particular wanted to rewrite republican history
from a new point of origin. From this point on, the AKP as a political
actor will be replaced by Prime Minister Erdogan; this is so because
during the last decade of AKP rule (2002-13), Erdogan increasingly
concentrated power in his person alone, leading many to accuse him of
“turning into a sultan.”

Yet, Gezi Park also marked the culmination of feeling towards prior
conservative policy moves, moves that ultimately mobilized general
discontent into a protest movement. Among these were policies Erdogan
personally advocated, carrying some into law with amazing speed. One
such proposal (now approved into law by President Abdullah Gul)
stated that alcoholic beverages could not be advertised on social
media and could not be sold after 10 p.m. Upon being asked to comment
on the proposal, Erdogan stated that he considers all those who had
had a single drink in their lives as well as those who opposed the
law for intervening with their lifestyle to be “alcoholics.” In the
process, he dismissed former republican leaders for being “a couple
of drunkards.” Probably one of the most contentious recent government
moves accompanying the “alcohol fury” was the building of the third
bridge across the Bosporus on yet another green area, further cutting
into the lungs of the city. Almost to add insult to injury, Erdogan
announced that he had decided, after a brief discussion within his
inner circle, to name it the “Yavuz Sultan Selim” bridge, after the
Ottoman Sultan Selim the Grim, best known for conquering the Arabian
peninsula and Egypt and for massacring tens of thousands of Alevis
in Asia Minor in the process. Hence all these factors escalated and
radicalized those opposing such developments.

The initial peaceful protest that started mid-May was met by the
police’s pepper gas literally aimed at the faces of the protestors at
close range. The severity of the government reaction, captured and
distributed through smart phones, Facebook and Twitter, galvanized
others, leading tens of thousands to go to Taksim Square in support.

In addition, thousands in other Turkish cities and overseas engaged in
similar protest movements in solidarity. The popular reaction led the
government to withdraw the police force, only to escalate the number
of protestors who kept arriving every night in large numbers. And
this was fully a new social movement in that it united all parts
of the political spectrum from unionists, political activists,
non-governmental organizations as well as many college and high
school students.

This civil unrest has now been going on for two weeks. Erdogan’s
reaction revealed his innate beliefs: He first withdrew the police when
casualties escalated, then claimed all protestors were plunderers and
then argued they were infiltrated by marginal dangerous forces intent
on destroying Turkey. Hence, he steadfastly refused to acknowledge
this was a spontaneous protest movement, always trying to locate
foreign and domestic provocateurs among them. Perhaps the most
telling of Erdogan’s statements was that “he could barely contain the
50 percent who had voted for him” from taking to the streets. This
statement starkly reveals Erdogan’s conception of democracy: He sees
himself as the political representative of not all Turkish citizens,
but the 50 percent that voted for him, a numerical majority he sees
as enabling him to do whatever he sees fit.

Yet the health of democracies is not judged by how well they meet the
demands of the majority. After all, since “demos,” “cratos” stands for
the “power” of the “people,” in this political context, the power of
the majority is easily met. The ultimate challenge is to acknowledge
and ensure the rights of all its citizens, especially the rights of
minorities that are most vulnerable to populist pressures. Rather
than acting on this premise, Erdogan instead set out to demonstrate
and presumably reinstate his political power by publicly parading the
populist majority. He has planned two public “counter” demonstrations
manned by his AKP followers in Ankara on June 15 and in Ä°stanbul
on June 16. After meeting with some of the Gezi protestors, he also
proposed that what will happen at the park be determined through a
“referendum,” or a “plebiscite,” both measures that would display
the numerical strength of the majority.

Such display of political power is fickle. Erdogan wants to get AKP
followers on the streets this weekend in Ankara and Ä°stanbul to
demonstrate his political power. He may accomplish what he endeavors.

Yet, what takes place, be it peaceful or not, could just as quickly
undermine his current political hold. Such destabilization and
ensuing polarization between pro and anti-government forces would
then lead Turkey down an uncertain, undemocratic path. It would be
uncertain because Erdogan would have played all his cards; it would be
undemocratic because with no powerful political opposition in place,
only two political actors would benefit from the ensuing melee — the
radical political fringe or, more probably, the military. If there is
a military intervention, Turkey will have to start the democratization
process of removing the military from politics all over again. I still
cannot believe that Prime Minister Erdogan is willing to take such
a risk, one that would undermine all that he and his followers have
worked for in the last decade. And that is why I wanted to share my
concerns with you.

*Fatma Muge Göcek is a professor of sociology and women’s studies
at the University of Michigan.

From: A. Papazian

WOW! KATE MIDDLETON’S HUSBAND PRINCE WILLIAM DISCOVERED TO HAVE INDIAN DNA IN HIS BLOOD

Now Magazine Online
June 14 2013

A distant relative on the Duke’s maternal side hailed from India

Prince William is set to become the first British monarch to have
Indian ancestry.

It’s been revealed through DNA testing that the Duke, 31, has a
great-great-great-great-greatgrandmother on his mum Princess Diana’s
side who was at least half-Indian.

Eliza Kewark – who’s often been described as Armenian – is now known
to have lived in the country’s western region.

She was married to Scotsman Theodore Forbes, who left his wife and
sent their daughter to live in Britain at the age of six.

William’s Indian heritage was discovered by genetics experts at the
University Of Edinburgh and website BritainsDMA using saliva samples
from family members.

The rare strand of DNA has been recorded in 14 other people and can
only be passed on in the female line, meaning William and wife Kate
Middleton’s baby won’t have it.

William is second in line to the throne, behind his father Prince
Charles.

‘I always assumed that I was part-Armenian,’ says William’s aunt Mary
Roach, who provided DNA.

‘So I am delighted that I also have an Indian background.’

Related news:

From: A. Papazian

COUPLE WHO LEAKED FEDERAL COURT RECORDS TO ARMENIAN POWER SENTENCED TO PRISON

Glendale News Press, CA
June 14 2013

A Hollywood couple accused of disclosing confidential court records
to members of the organized crime group Armenian Power was sentenced
Wednesday to federal prison, officials said.

U.S. District Court Judge Michael Fitzgerald sentenced Nune Gevorkyan,
36 – a clerk in the federal court’s criminal intake area – to six
months in prison, and her 41-year-old husband, Oganes Koshkaryan,
to 57 months in prison for his role in the scheme.

The couple, who must also serve three years supervised release,
was ordered to cease any association with members of Armenian Power.

Fitzgerald called the scheme “unthinkable,” adding that Gevorkyan
“besmirched the reputation of her co-workers,” according to the U.S.

Attorney’s Office.

Koshkaryan and Gevorkyan were arrested in August 2012 following a
federal grand jury indictment accusing them of conspiring to obstruct
justice by notifying members or associates of Armenian Power about
imminent federal arrest warrants.

Their actions, police said, forced investigators to move up a
large-scale gas theft operation due to concerns suspects would flee,
destroy evidence or harm officers.

An investigation last year by the Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force
discovered that Gevorkyan and her husband, an alleged associate of
Armenian Power, was charging money in exchange for the confidential
information obtained through the federal court system, police said.

The task force includes investigators from the FBI, U.S. Secret
Service, U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
and the Glendale, Burbank and Los Angeles police departments.

Undercover investigators made deals with Koshkaryan to get Gevorkyan
to leak sealed court records about confidential information on criminal
defendants involved in ongoing cases.

Authorities were then able to confirm that Gevorkyan accessed the
court records.

In a March letter to Fitzgerald, Gevorkyan took full responsibility for
her actions, according to U.S. District Court documents. She described
feeling shame and sadness over losing “the best job” she’s ever had.

“I have always respected and followed the law, so to find myself in
this situation has been a terrible shock to my system,” she wrote.

— Veronica Rocha

From: A. Papazian

SPAIN DISTANCES ITSELF FROM CABALLE’S VISIT TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Interfax, Russia
June 13 2013

The Spanish Foreign Ministry said in reply to Azerbaijan’s protest
note that opera star Montserrat Caballe’s visit to the occupied
Azerbaijani territories does not reflect Spain’s official position,
a diplomatic source told Interfax.

Spain recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and supports the
international community’s efforts toward peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the source said.

Caballe visited occupied Azerbaijani territories and gave concerts
there in early June. The Azeri Embassy to Spain issued a note of
protest to the Spain Foreign Ministry, saying that the singer may
not be granted an Azeri visa for unlawfully visiting the occupied
Azeri territories.

Azerbaijan officially declares foreign nationals visiting its occupied
territories personae non gratae.

From: A. Papazian

Mediamax, Armenia
June 13 2013

Saint Gevorg church in Western Armenia is one of Europe’s most
endangered monuments

0Thursday 13 June 2013 11:19

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Europa Nostra organization named 7 most endangered
monuments of Europe on territories of Albania, Cyprus, France,
Portugal, Italy, Romania and today’s Turkey (Western Armenia).

Saint Gevorg Armenian church in Mardin town (Western Armenia,
Diarbekir) presented by Turkey is among the 7 most endangered
monuments

`Over 15 centuries, Saint Gevorg church has been the spiritual center
of the big Armenian community of Mardin town. This historic monument
was built in 420 and used by the Armenian people till 1915, until
Armenians left the town’, the statement of Europa Nostra reads this.

It’s also noted that the Turkish branch of Europa Nostra organization
expressed its concern over saving the church with the support of
foundation of the Armenian catholic community in Mardin.

`7 Most Endangered Sites’ program started in January 2013 and 21
European countries nominated 40 candidacies within it.

The program is supported by the European Investment Bank.

The details of the program are available here

From: A. Papazian

The Telegraph
Calcutta, India

A doomed love story
DAVID BROWN

Saturday, June 15, 2013

The anguished plea of a desperate wife and mother marks the
culmination of a tumultuous love story that was ultimately scarred by
the social attitudes to race and marriage in colonial India.

“Our beloved Kitty and Alexander thank God they are in good health and
often hope to see their beloved father,” Eliza Kewark wrote to
Theodore Forbes.

Theodore was a wealthy Scottish merchant who had made his fortune in
India in the early 19th century.

Theodore arrived in India in 1809 as an employee of the East India
Company looking for adventure and fortune. The 21-year-old merchant
was posted to the port city of Surat, where he met Eliza through her
brother-in-law, Aratoon Baldassier, who was acting as his agent.

Theodore described Eliza several times as a “girl”, suggesting that
she may have been several years his junior. Eliza’s father was Jacob
Kevork, or Hakob Kevokian, a very Armenian name, but there is no
record of her mother. However, DNA test results show that she was
Indian.

There had been a thriving Armenian trading community in Surat since
the 17th century and there was some inter-marriage with the local
population. When Theodore met Eliza it was common for British men to
begin relationships with Indian women and to have children, even if
they already had a family back in Britain.

Susan Harvard, who has been researching Eliza and Theodore’s
relationship for almost 30 years, believes that the couple were
married in the Armenian church in Surat in early 1812, shortly before
he was posted to Mocha in current-day Yemen. However, it may not have
been legally recognised. In his notebook, Theodore refers to Eliza as
“the very pattern of what a wife ought to be” and in his letters
addresses her as “My Dear Betsy”.

Their daughter Katherine (Kitty) Scott Forbes was born in Mocha in
December 1812 and their son, Alexander, two years later. Eliza
returned to Surat in 1815 and a second son, Fraser, was born in March
1817 but died aged six months.

Theodore had been offered a partnership in Forbes & Co, a trading
company based in Bombay, where the senior partner was Sir Charles
Forbes, a distant relative. But there had been a significant change in
colonial society. An influx of British women to India had led to a
change in social attitudes, with relationships with local women now
considered inappropriate for the merchant class.

While Theodore worked in Bombay his wife, Kitty and Alexander were
left in Surat.

In a series of pitiful letters, Eliza begged to be allowed to join her
husband. In October 1817 she wrote of her hope that “Our Almighty may
do so the lucky day as connect our eyes to eyes. Our children as they
hope be make them love at your present will. I entreat you my dear sir
you may call from hence as soon as possible. Then will be happy and
save my life.”

The letters, which appear to have been written by a scribe in Surat,
were signed “Mrs Forbes” followed by her title written in Armenian,
presumably by herself. But in earlier letters she and Kitty both wrote
in Hindi, suggesting a mixed heritage.

The following February she appealed for money for the family,
describing Theodore’s “prosperous face with your merciful eyes” and
how she prayed for “lucky day as we can meet to each another”. In a
postscript she added: “Kitty and Alexander often ask after you their
beloved Papa and I let you know they are in good health.” A week later
she wrote again, seeking a reply to her letter.

In June 1818, Theodore’s friend Thomas Fraser wrote to him after
visiting the family in Surat. “Kitty retains her good looks but the
sooner you give the order about her departure to England the better as
her complexion will soil in this detestable climate.”

So Theodore decided that his daughter, then 6, should be sent to his
family home at Boyndlie, Aberdeenshire, where there would be less sun.

Eliza reluctantly accepted this plan but insisted that her faithful
servant, Fazagool, accompany her daughter to Scotland. In another
letter, she pleaded again to be allowed to rejoin her husband,
writing: “My good sir, I pray you let me know by your leave I will
bring my child to give in your hand by myself and after Kitty is
dispatched to Europe then stay in Bombay or stay in Surat.”

It is Eliza’s final surviving letter to Theodore, so it is possible
that the couple were reunited in Bombay. Kitty left for Scotland in
August 1819 and Theodore decided to return to Britain the following
year, but died aboard the Blenden Hall in September 1820.

In his will, written aboard the ship, he refers to Eliza as his
“housekeeper” and leaves her a monthly allowance of just Rs 100 a
month, less than half the sum she had been receiving. Theodore left
Kitty, his “reputed natural daughter by Eliza Kewark”, Rs 50,000. His
“reputed son” Alexander received Rs 20,000 and his father stated that
he should remain in India.

Life for Kitty at Boyndile would have been very different from her
home in Surat. Harvard said: “I don’t think her grandparents would
have encouraged her to talk about her past because it could have given
the impression that she was illegitimate and `coloured’.”

Mary Roach, the maternal aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales, agrees: “My
mother appeared to have no knowledge of (Kitty’s Indian mother), so
perhaps it was hidden.”

Kitty later married James Crombie, a member of the family that
manufactured coats, and was a respected member of Scottish society.

Eliza was last heard of in 1834 when she wrote to Charles Forbes
complaining that the annuity left by her “beloved master” had been
halved. Charles Forbes forwarded her letter to her children but there
is no record of a reply.

In a footnote to history, the current Earl Spencer, the brother of the
late Diana, Princess of Wales, has named two of his daughters Eliza
and Kitty.

THE TIMES, LONDON

From: A. Papazian