Author: Andres-Papazian

AMBASSADOR EDWARD DJEREDJIAN TO SPEAK AT NAJARIAN-ENDOWED LECTURE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

September 13, 2012 12:43 pm

BOSTON – The third annual K. George and Carolann S. Najarian, MD
Endowed Lecture on Human Rights will be held on Thursday, October 25,
at 7 p.m. at Faneuil Hall.

Free and open to the public, the lecture is an endowed public program
of the Armenian Heritage Foundation, sponsor of the Armenian Heritage
Park on Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway.

In celebration of the opening of the Armenian Heritage Park and a
central theme of the Greenway – the immigrant experience – it is
fitting that this year’s speaker is Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian,
founding director of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public
Policy and former US ambassador to Israel and Syria.

A first generation Armenian-American and the son of survivors of the
Armenian Genocide, Djerejian is an example of the kind of achievement,
leadership, public service and commitment to human rights that this
endowed lecture series celebrates in this inaugural year of the park.

Djerejian has also worked to assist Armenia and Artsakh in their
transition to democracy and peace.

Djerejian served in the US Foreign Service under eight presidents,
from John F. Kennedy to William J. Clinton (1962-1994). Prior to his
nomination by Clinton as US Ambassador to Israel (1993-1994), he was
assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs in both the
George H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations (1991- 1993). He was
the US ambassador to Syria (1988-1991) and also served as special
assistant to President Ronald Reagan and deputy press secretary for
foreign affairs in the White House (1985-1986). After his retirement
from government service in 1994, he became the founding director of
the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.

His book, Danger and Opportunity: An American Ambassador’s Journey
Through the Middle East, was published by Simon & Schuster in 2008. He
has been awarded the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, the
Department of State’s Distinguished Honor Award and numerous other
honors, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Anti-
Defamation League’s Moral Statesman Award. He is also a recipient
of the Association of Rice Alumni’s Gold Medal, the group’s most
prestigious award, for his service to Rice University.

In 2011, Djerejian was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of
Arts and Sciences, and named to the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie
Corporation of New York by its president, Dr. Vartan B. Gregorian.

“We are honored and pleased that the ambassador has accepted our
invitation to speak in this inaugural year of Armenian Heritage Park,”
commented Dr. Carolann S. Najarian who with her husband, George, has
endowed this lecture series in honor of Carolann Najarian’s father,
Avedis Abrahamian.

The lecture series has been inspired by the New England women and
men – intellectuals, politicians, diplomats, religious leaders and
ordinary citizens – who, beginning in the 1890s at Faneuil Hall,
heard the eyewitness accounts of the atrocities taking place against
the Armenian minority of the Ottoman Empire during World War I and
were called to action. Distinguished Bostonians, among them Julia
Ward Howe, Clara Barton, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Alice Stone
Blackwell, heard these accounts and were moved to assist the

Armenians. As a result, the American Red Cross launched its first
international mission, Armenian Heritage Foundation, with Barton
bringing aid to the Armenians. Philanthropists nationwide raised more
than $100 million in aid. This was America’s first internationally-
focused human rights movement.

Gov. Deval L. Patrick and Mayor Thomas M. Menino are honorary chairs.

Co-chairs representing their participating organization are Charlie
Clements, executive director, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy,
Harvard Kennedy School of Government; Martha F. Davis, PhD, faculty
director, Northeastern School of Law, Human Rights and the Global
Economy; David Hollenbach, S.J., director, Boston College Center
for Human Rights and International Justice; Michael A. Grodin,
MD, and George J. Annas, JD, and MPH co-directors, Global Lawyers
and Physicians Working Together for Human Rights, Boston University
School of Public Health; Shant Mardirossian, chairman of the board,
Near East Foundation; Margot Stern Strom, founder/executive director,
Facing History and Ourselves; Adam Strom, director of research
and development, Facing History and Ourselves; Deborah W. Nutter,
PhD, senior associate dean, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy,
Tufts University; Balakrishnan Rajagopal, PhD, acting director,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Human Rights and Justice; and
Joshua Rubenstein, Northeast Regional director, Amnesty International
USA.

Serving on the Lecture Committee are Dr. Carolann Najarian, George
Najarian, Dr. Joyce Barsam, Phyllis Dohanian, Dr. Linda Kaboolian,
Audrey Kalajian and Barbara Tellalian. The Armenian Heritage
Foundation, sponsor of Armenian Heritage Park, is a non-profit
organization founded to secure the designation and to raise funds to
design, develop and construct Armenian Heritage Park and endow its
public programs, including this annual lecture, the reconfiguration
of the park’s sculpture and its ongoing care and maintenance. The
board comprises representatives from 13 parishes and 25 cultural
organizations within the Massachusetts Armenian-American community.

Honorary chairs of the foundation are Sheriff Peter Koutoujian and
Registrar Rachel Kaprielian; the president is James Kalustian.

For further information on Armenian Heritage Park and its programs,
visit ArmenianHeritagePark.org.

From: A. Papazian

POLITICIAN: BY PARDONING RAMIL SAFAROV, ALIYEV HAS CONSOLIDATED THE IDEA ON NECESSITY TO RECOGNIZE THE NKR’S INDEPENDENCE AMONG OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS

arminfo
Friday, September 14, 17:07

By pardoning murderer Ramil Safarov, Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev has consolidated the idea on the necessity to recognize the
NKR’s independence among the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, MP from
the Orinats Yerkir Party Faction Hovhannes Margaryan said at today’s
press conference.

He said that after such manifestation of Azerbaijan’s xenophobia
against Armenians, the presence of the Armenian-populated
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in the structure of Azerbaijan is out of
question. Consequently, the only guarantee of security for the NKR is
the recognition of its independence. He also pointed out that Armenia
should demand legal and moral assessment of this incident. He added
that the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on September
13 has become the first crack in the concrete wall.

In the meantime, MP from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia
Mkrtich Minasyan thinks that the resolution was too mild and did not
force Azerbaijan to take steps to come out of the current situation.

“This resolution does not say a single word about the debates; the
EP members only expressed their regret and called on the parties to
something inconceivable”, he said. Minasyan added that the resolution
has had a negative effect on the EU image, as everybody has understood
that moral standards have no value.

Leader of the Democratic Party of Armenia Aram Sargsyan pointed out
that the resolution will not affect the trade and economic cooperation
of Azerbaijan and the EU countries. “This proves that nobody is
interested in morality, everybody pursues their own interests”,
he said.

To note, on September 13 the European Parliament adopted the resolution
condemning extradition of Ramil Safarov from Hungary and pardoning
in Baku. One of the speeches made during the session characterized
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as a mafia boss, who supports his
follower. The participants also touched on the Karabakh peace process
and the rough violation of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced
Persons. The document says that Ilham Aliyev’s decision on pardoning
Safarov escalates the tension between the sides even more.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA HOSTS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OPHTHALMOLOGY

news.am
September 14, 2012 | 16:35

YEREVAN.- The two-day 12th International Conference on Ophthalmology
began September 14 in Yerevan, with the participation of
representatives from the Government of Armenia, Ministry of Health,
U.S. Embassy and USAID, embassies and non-governmental organizations.

U.S. Ambassador John Heffern and Armenian Minister of Health Derenik
Dumanyan welcomed the participants of the event. The conference brought
together renowned experts of various fields of ophthalmology from
Armenia, the United States, Europe, CIS countries, Caucasus, Central
and Middle Asia to foster a vigorous exchange of information and
knowledge in various specialties related to eye care. The conference
was made possible thanks to the joint efforts of USAID, AECP, the
Ministry of Health, and Gebauer Stiftung, a Swiss charity foundation.

Prevention of childhood blindness through combating Retinopathy of
Prematurity (ROP) and the announcement of the USAID/AECP joint project
“Center of Excellence for Prevention of Childhood Blindness” (CEPCB)
were the main topics of the conference’s first day.

The mission of the CEPCB is to develop specialized ophthalmological
capacity to help children from Armenia and abroad avoid childhood
blindness. The Center will also take the lead in the exchange of
knowledge among medical professionals in the region.

“Through USAID support, the AECP has the exciting opportunity to
be the first in the region to establish and develop this Center
of Excellence. The Center will function within one year at the
Republican Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, as decided preliminarily,”
AECP President Roger Ohanesian said at the event. Initially, the
project will focus on childhood blindness caused by Retinopathy of
Prematurity and related eye diseases in conjunction with providing
quality newborn care in Armenia and encouraging regional cooperation.

From: A. Papazian

ALEPPO ARMENIANS TRYING TO FIND SECURITY IN VILLANER DISTRICT OF ALEPPO

16:25 | 2012-09-14 | Armenia | Diaspora |

Aleppo Armenians try to find security in Villaner district of Aleppo.

This was reported to “First Armenian News and Analysis” by Raffi
Merjanyan, who lives in Villaner district.

He said the clashes and the tension remain the same between the Syrian
authorities and the Free Army. The situation is so tense that a great
flow is observed among Syrian-Armenians to the Villaner district,
as in other districts it is not safe.

“In this district it is more or less safe. What will happen later,
I don’t know.”- said the Aleppo Armenian.

He said that many Armenians chose the overland route leaving for
Turkey, Lebanon, and Yerevan.

According to Raffi Mirjanyan’s words news are spread that several
Armenians were killed in the evening. “If I am not mistaken 4 of them,
but I have no details.”- said Merjanyan.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI FOOTBALL MATCH DUE IN YEKATERINBURG SEPT 14

tert.am
14.09.12

Armenian and Azerbaijani football players are due to meet today in
Russian town of Yekaterinburg at 4 p.m, Vesti.az reports.

The football match will be conducted within the framework of
“Friendship Cup” football games.

Head of the Azerbaijani community of Yekaterinburg Sahin Sikhilinski
said the leadership of Azerbaijani community will be present at the
event not only to support Azerbaijani football players but “not to
allow clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani fans.”

From: A. Papazian

“HERITAGE”: THE OFFENCE REVEALED BY AUDIT CHAMBER SEEM TO SERVE LIKE THE DAMAGING INFORMATION ABOUT “BUSINESS-ELITE” IN THE HANDS OF THE AUTHORITIES

arminfo
Friday, September 14, 15:47

The Audit Chamber of Armenia has been revealing new violations and
abuse in various companies and organizations from year to year. But the
point is that these facts still remain on the paper and no relevant
measures were taken to make the guilty persons responsible, the head
of the “Heritage” parliamentary faction, Ruben Hakopyan, said over
today’s briefing in the parliament.

He said that if these abuses which damage the state budget very
much, were not given the needed assessment by the authorities and
law-enforcement agencies, in that case, they are either falsified
or used by the authorities like the damaging information about
functionaries and representatives of the “business-elite”. Another
possible reason why the authorities pull wool over these abuses,
is that the above-mentioned persons (oligarchs) will be useful for
the authorities in their attempt to reproduce themselves.

From: A. Papazian

LOVE EUROPE INSIDE YOU
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:46:27 – 14/09/2012

The resolution of the European Parliament on the pardoning of the
Azerbaijani murderer revealed the crisis of Europe’s regional policy,
its amorphous nature. The European Parliament drafts a resolution which
is about something that is known to everyone but is about nothing,
in fact.

It is difficult to identify the contribution of Armenia to this
resolution, on what Armenia worked with the European Parliament,
what the parliament of Armenia, its standing committee of European
integration have done, what the ministry of foreign affairs has done
in this regard.

At least, if this resolution is the output of these institutions,
one can imagine what would happen if they did not work at all or were
not efficient enough. Perhaps Azerbaijan would be chided for delaying
the murderer’s release.

Last December I visited Strasbourg with a group of Armenian journalists
and met with a friend of Armenia in the EP. The visit was facilitated
by the French Embassy and the MFA. This person complained that Armenia
is very passive in its interaction with the European Parliament while
the Azerbaijani lobby is quite active, organizes frequent visits
of MEPs to Baku. The Armenian MPs and MFA officials are not active
enough and do not promote the interests of Armenia in the EP.

He did not know that the Armenian MPs and MFA officials are busy
promoting not the interests of Armenia but their party, group or
personal interests.

Evidence to this is the comparison of the resolutions of the Armenian
Parliament and the European Parliament. In fact, the EP resolution has
no message but does the resolution of the Armenian parliament have
a message? The statement of the Armenian parliament lacked content,
just like the EP resolution, or was even worse.

Hence, Armenia cannot tell, demand or expect anything from Europe,
the European Parliament, even though the reaction of Europe is not
satisfactory in political terms because it is not doing better.

However, Armenia does not seem to have anything to say about the EP
resolution. What would it say when the EP actually legitimized the
inadequacy of the Armenian parliament?

There is one more issue. The European Parliament adopts a resolution
for itself, not for Armenia. From this point of view, it is interesting
whether Europe is satisfied with its reaction. Does the resolution
serve the European interests in general and the policy on the South
Caucasus?

The European diversity of genres is increasingly revealed and therefore
the weight of the European word, its political value and content drops,
its orbit is getting vague.

The conclusion is that Europe cannot be perceived as one whole, as one
political center which can offer solutions of complicated regional
issues and participate in their implementation unless it overcomes
its own crisis, not only of the euro but also its system of values,
economic and political structure and foundation.

From: A. Papazian

LITTLE SPACE, BIG BUSINESS: FROM AYNTAP TO YEREVAN ON “ARMENIAN PIZZA”
By Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow
14.09.12 | 15:18

Layers of pale, roundish dough get strokes of color as a woman’s
fingers smoothly spread spicy minced meat over the flat dough. It’s
ready to be baked. The woman puts the discs on ‘elevator’ trays that
take them upstairs, then she cries out: “Receive!”

A man stands by the big oven on the ground floor and greets the lift
that’s coming from the basement. With dance-like fluidity he takes the
ready dough circles and with equally light and smooth movements puts
them into the red-hot oven. In a few minutes hot aromatic lahmajoun
is ready to be served.

“We have only 20 sq. m. of space. I decided to use it to its best,
which is a typical Armenian trait – adjusting to the situation and
doing the impossible. I’m following Archimedes rule: ‘give me a
fulcrum and I’ll move the Erath’,” says 51-year-old Sargis Grboyan,
offering some of the tasty lahmajoun right off the oven.

He says that translated from Arabic lahmajoun means “dough and meat”,
in Armenian it’s called “msashort”, meaning “covered with meat color”.

Some might call it “Armenian pizza”. One of the most popular kinds
is Ayntap (a city in Western Armenia) lahmajoun.

“After the Genocide they emigrated to Syria and other Arabic countries
taking their cuisine with them. There msashort turned into lahmajoun.

During the 1946-47 wave of repatriation Syrian Armenians brought
the tradition to Eastern Armenia,” says Sargis, who is from Ayntap
by roots.

Grboyan’s parents repatriated to Armenia in 1947. His father Yenok
Grboyan turned to the Soviet authorities asking for a piece of land in
Yerevan’s Kilikia district, where he could build a house overlooking
the Biblical Mount Ararat.

“They satisfied my father’s request, although Kilikia district back
then was nothing but a bare hill. It was difficult for my parents to
adjust to the Soviet regime; they had come back but regretted the
decision and the only thing keeping them from leaving was that it
was their motherland. When Armenia gained independence, the family
started thinking about founding a private business,” recalls Grboyan.

Repatriates brought new culture to Armenia. Eastern coffee (now
often referred to as Armenian) was a real discovery for the locals,
as where lahmajoun, ishli kyufta, tabuleh, gari yarakh, surborak,
etc., which are now among favorites of the locals.

Grboyan recalls how their neighbors would come to their place for
a treat of the aromatic lahmajoun every time his mom would make
it, because the inviting smell of it went far beyond their little
hospitable house. This gave an idea to Sargis and his brother Vazgen
Grboyan – buy a small place in the city and found a lahmajoun business.

With a background in mechanics, Grboyan, without any training on how
to run a business or any knowledge of marketing techniques, somehow
found the key to success.

“In 2001 we opened Mer Taghy (Our District). For the first 25 days we
worked for free, treating people with our lahmajoun. The first month
we used 5 kilos of meet, the second – 10 kg, then up to 25 kg. People
were curious, they would taste and ask: ‘This is such tasty lahmajoun,
where do they make it?’,” tells Grboyan.

Today Mer Taghy has many regular visitors, who go there not only
for the lahmajoun, but to meet Sargis. The conversation with him
keeps being interrupted by “Sargis jan, hello, how are you?”, as
customers come by to greet him, or “Sargis jan, I have come to have
some lahmajoun and a little chat with you”, “Sargis jan, tomorrow
I’ll be sending 15 people to you, they are visiting from America”, etc.

“I like talking to people, making jokes, finding out where they are
from by family roots, treat them. When people are in good mood their
palate is more sensitive to the taste of food,” says Grboyan and adds:
“Our most important principle is hospitality. And when showing your
hospitality, you shouldn’t expect anything in response.”

Mer Taghy has become a small meeting place fro Diaspora Armenians.

They come here to eat, to talk, to discuss issues, to help each other.

Grboyan says that “with this lahmajoun I have traveled around the
world – China, France, Aleppo, Syria, Beirut, Egypt, America…

Tufayans, a wealthy Egyptian-Armenian family, who have major bread
factories in Florida, wrote a $44,000 check right here and gave me
a car – that black BMW, X 5 standing over there by the sidewalk.”

Grboyan is also the chairman of Ayntap union of comptatriots. They
have connections with Ayntap natives living in different Armenian
communities across the world; there are also philanthropists among
them who assist Armenia.

“There are more wealthy people among Ayntap natives than others. And
wealth doesn’t come by chance, it is earned. Ayntap people are a
little crafty, but smart and resourceful in business, they are good
learners,” he says.

Many of the high-ranking officials and law-makers prefer Mer Taghy
to luxurious fancy restaurants.

“Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Serzh Sargsyan’s brother Levon Sargsyan come
here. Once the prime minister came to have lahmajoun and asked:
“Sargis, you have made a good name, but by how many percent do you
evade taxes? Half serious, half joking, I said: 10 percent. He said:
How about more honestly? I said: 25 percent. He said: Isn’t it too
much? I said: “So for you it is a period of transition, but not for
me?” He said: Bravo!” tells Sargis.

He is looking through the thick albums with his customers’ photographs
and notes about the Mer Taghy and the tasty lahmajoun. He stops when
he reaches the photo of Gilbert Kerkerian, former deputy mayor of
Marseilles, due to whose efforts a monument to the victims of the
Armenian genocide was erected there and one of the streets was called
Genocide. Grboyan has placed a similar sign on the street where Met
Taghy is located.

“Kerkerian came to Armenia and visited Mer Taghy. He came across the
familiar sign and was astonished. I was at a wedding party that day,
when I suddenly got a call telling me to come back as there was someone
asking for me. Our acquaintance has turned into great friendship,”
recalls Grboyan, with warm affection.

There days the little bakery receives orders for 1,500 lahmajoun, which
takes around 80-100 kilos of beef. The business has been expanding,
but is still run from the 20 sq. m premise.

“There is a phrase I like saying – my space doesn’t grow, but my
business does. There are those when the premise is big, but there is
little business. When a young man is conscripted, he says he’s going
to become a general. Big goals generate enthusiasm and aspiration,
if you set good goals you will have the energy and with willingness
to work hard. Everything can be achieved,” says Grboyan.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN REFUGEES LOSE TRUST IN THE NEGOTIATION FORMAT
Lena Badeyan

“Radiolur
14.09.2012 15:51

Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan convened an extended sitting today,
during which they adopted a statement addressed to the Armenian
authorities and the international community. They were joined by the
“Patrida” union of Greeks of Armenia and Karabakh.

The refugees do not trust the current negotiation format on the
settlement of the Karabakh issue. In the current situation they
believe that to ensure the security of the whole Armenian nation,
it’s necessary to stop the negotiations under way within the framework
of the OSCE Minsk Group and searching for a new format for resolution
of the conflict, which will completely exclude the possibility of war
and ensure the full participation of all parties to the conflicts in
the process.

The Armenian refugees are confident that Azerbaijani army officer
Ramil Safarov, who took special training courses in Turkey, committed
the international terrorist act, according to the instruction of the
Azerbaijani leadership.

The “Patrida” union of Greeks of Armenia and Karabakh also appealed
to the Republican faction of the National Assembly, urging to adopt a
bill on the historically proved genocide of Greeks in Turkey between
1916 and 1923.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA IS READY TO HOLD CSTO FORTHCOMING MILITARY DRILLS IN A HIGH-LEVEL

ARMENPRESS
14 September, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS: The Republic of Armenia is ready
to launch CSTO “Cooperation 2012” military drills in a high level
due September 15-19. They have essential political and practical
importance for Armenia. Armenian Republic National Security Council
Secretary Arthur Baghdasaryan came forth with a statement in the
course of the briefing with the journalists.

In the words of the interlocutor over 1700 servicemen from Armenia
and all CSTO member states are going to take part in the scheduled
military drills. Defense Ministry , National Security Service, the
Police, Emergency Situation Ministry from all stated countries are
set to participate in the military drills, Armenpress reports.

“In the course of the Security Council latest session we envisaged
issues pertain to the launch of the maneuvers and recorded Armenia
is ready to conduct them in a high level ” Baghdasaryan stated. “In
a result it was decided to establish National Security Council and
Defense Ministry joint working group to analyze the procedure of the
maneuvers, results, as well as elaboration of the program to launch
necessary reforms in the relevant state government bodies , if needed”
Baghdasaryan inderscored.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization was signed in 1992, May
15. Armenia, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ghrghzstane, Tajikistani
and Uzbekistan are among CSTO member states.

From: A. Papazian