Author: Andres-Papazian

Open Music Society Foundation
Media Contact: Alina Koutnouyan
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 818-649-8653

ARMENIAN ARTISTS TAKE ON UNIQUE CHALLENGE OF PERFORMING AT SPACE
SHUTTLE CEREMONY

Endeavour will land at LAX on September 20

Los Angeles, August 30, 2012 – A group of over 30 artists from the
Open Music Society Foundation (OMSF) will perform during the arrival
ceremony of Space Shuttle Endeavour, an invitation-only event which
will be held at Los Angeles International Airport on September 20.
Endeavour, which completed its last mission in 2011, will be flown on
the back of a modified Boeing 747 from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center
to LAX. It will remain at the airport a few weeks before being
transferred to the California Science Center, which was named by NASA
as the new home of the shuttle.

A Los Angeles-based arts organization, the OMSF has been working
closely with the California Science Center Foundation to design an
integrated artistic program for the shuttle’s arrival ceremony.
Components of the program will be performed at various stages of the
event, which will include appearances by dignitaries, the dramatic
landing and taxiing of Endeavour, and rolling of the red carpet to
welcome the storied spacecraft. The ceremony will take place at an
United Airlines hangar.

`Imagine being part of such an extraordinary celebration,’ said Aram
Gharabekian, the OMSF’s artistic director and conductor. `The arrival
ceremony will engage the entire Greater Los Angeles community, like a
large, united family paying homage to an American scientific icon,
through an event we will experience only once in our lifetime.’

`I feel privileged to be surrounded with so many talented
professionals who make up our team,’ Gharabekian continued. `And it’s
been a joy working with the California Science Center team, led by
President and CEO Jeff Rudolph, whose vision, enthusiasm, and support
have been a source of inspiration. ‘

Gharabekian also spoke of the daunting task of mounting artistic
performances in an industrial environment. `We were faced with three
main challenges: the excessive noise level of LAX, one of the nation’s
busiest airports; the absence of a performance stage inside
the hangar; and the lack of natural acoustics in the structure,’ he
explained. `We had to be creative in an unorthodox manner to overcome
these challenges. Thanks to the resourcefulness and guidance of our
production team, we designed performances which will take place in
`virtual’ and `mobile’ spaces inside and outside the hangar, with
minimal noise interference from plane takeoffs and landings.’
Gharabekian added that the production team `will capture every moment
and emotion of this historic event on film.’

Apart from Gharabekian, the OMSF artistic team includes Aida
Amirkhanian. A dancer, choreographer, theater director, and Iyengar
Yoga instructor, Amirkhanian has performed and collaborated with
several world-renowned companies, among them Maurice Béjart’s Ballet
du XXème Siècle, the Human Veins Dance Theatre, the Canberra Dance
Theatre, and Jigsaw Theatre Company. Amirkhanian has performed at many
of the world’s most prestigious venues, among them Covent Garden
in London, Thétre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, the Odeon of Herodes
Atticus in Athens, and the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.

The OMSF production team is headed by executive producer Alina
Koutnouyan, the foundation’s COO and a founding member of its Board.
`We are fortunate to be collaborating with some of the best talent in
the business,’ Koutnouyan said. `Our production and artistic teams
have come up with some wonderful solutions to overcome the logistical
difficulties of performing at an airport, within the limited time
frame of the arrival ceremony. We are equally privileged to have a
skilled Board task force, which has taken on the challenge of raising
funds in a very short span, aiming to assist the California Science
Center in organizing Endeavour’s arrival ceremony.’

Members of the production team include producer Keith Dixon, live-
television director Mark Mardoyan, production director Raffi
Ganoumian, and event designer Arsine Shirvanian.

Owner of Patterson Avenue Productions, Keith Dixon has executive-
produced scores of corporate events throughout the globe, produced or
directed more than 3,000 corporate television productions, and
directed more than 400 interactive, multilingual television
broadcasts.

Emmy-Award-winning live-television director Mark Mardoyan’s credits
include top-rated productions such as `World Magic Awards,’ `Masters
of Illusion,’ `Impossible Magic,’ `Heroes Among Us,’ and `Hollywood
Christmas Parade.’

Raffi Ganoumian of Neptune Productions is a highly regarded event
producer. His body of work includes major productions such as the
Congressional Medal of Honor ceremony at the Ronald Reagan
Presidential Library, and promotional events for Nike, Hennessy Black,
and DirecTV.

Arsine Shirvanian of Shirvan Design is an acclaimed event designer,
with a portfolio that includes numerous corporate and private
occasions. Shirvanian’s work has been featured in a number of
international publications.

As excitement builds, with rehearsals continuing at an intense pace in
the run-up to Space Shuttle Endeavor’s arrival ceremony, Alina
Koutnouyan and OMSF founding Board member and CFO Varand Gourjian
expressed gratitude to the California Science Center.

`Amidst the myriad of logistical details and events spearheaded by the
California Science Center’s visionary leadership, President and
CEO Jeff Rudolph and his colleagues were nonetheless able to devote
serious thought and effort to making the arrival ceremony an
unforgettable occasion,’ Koutnouyan said.

Gourjian, on his part, stated, `It has been a pleasure working with a
receptive, forward-thinking institution such as the California Science
Center. We have established a very trusting and mutually respectful
relationship, and it’s been great to witness the synergy between our
teams, in creating a memorable arrival for the shuttle.’

On the night of October 12, Endeavour will leave LAX, arriving the
next morning at Inglewood City Hall. =46rom there the shuttle will
travel through city streets to the California Science Center – the
first time a spacecraft will be transported through urban roadways.
Beginning October 30, Endeavour will be on display at the California
Science Center’s Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display
Pavilion while the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, a new addition

to the Science Center, is being built. The new wing is slated to be
completed in 2017.

About the OMSF: The Open Music Society Foundation is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to advancing musical education and mentorship
for young talent, and increasing public interest in the arts through
Open Music Fest, an unprecedented and unique series of arts festivals
in which artistic collaboration embraces cultural diversity, fostering
mutual understanding and appreciation. For more information, please
visit openmusicsociety.org

From: A. Papazian

OBAMA DEEPLY CONCERNED BY SAFAROV RELEASE

armradio.am
01.09.2012 10:42

“President Obama is deeply concerned by the announcement that the
President of Azerbaijan has pardoned Ramil Safarov following his
return from Hungary,” NSC Spokesman Tommy Vietor declared.

“Safarov confessed to the murder of Armenian Army officer Gurgen
Margaryan in Budapest in 2004, and was serving a life sentence in
Hungary for this brutal crime. We are communicating to Azerbaijani
authorities our disappointment about the decision to pardon Safarov,”
he said.

“This action is contrary to ongoing efforts to reduce regional tensions
and promote reconciliation. The United States is also requesting an
explanation from Hungary regarding its decision to transfer Safarov
to Azerbaijan, Tommy Vietor stated.

From: A. Papazian

MINORITY FOUNDATIONS DEMAND EXTRA TIME FOR PROPERTY RETURN

Hurriyet

Aug 31 2012
Turkey

Minority foundations are request extra time for the return of their
properties, saying that the one year period given to minorities
to demand the return of their property is not long enough due to
bureaucratic obstacles.

The one year period given to minority foundations for the return of
their property has expired, but complaints are still ongoing. The
council members of various minority foundations have underlined that
the process has gone well for a year, but that a one year period is
not enough for them to receive back their property and extra time
is needed.

Speaking to the Hurriyet Daily News, Harutyun Þanlý, a member of the
coordination committee of the Armenian Foundations Solidarity Platform,
or VADIP, said they had met Foundations General Director Adnan Ertem
in early August.

“Adnan Ertem said we had 600 properties, but were not working hard
enough to take them back.

Foundation heads are all amateurs. A serious examination is required
to reveal properties. Some of our lands are occupied, some had
highways constructed on them. Such cases must be detected,” Þanlý
said. “However, bureaucratic procedures and the indifference of some
foundation heads make it difficult. We have neither sufficient data
nor the 1936 declaration.”

Following the Lausanne Treaty, a law was passed in 1936 that suggested
the recording of all minority foundations. Apart from the property
recorded in the declaration, the foundations were prevented from
obtaining new properties. With the Foundations Law enacted by the
Justice and Development Party (AKP) government in 2008, it became
possible for properties belonging to minorities to be returned to them.

“Extra time should be given, and the elections [of foundation heads]
should be open to the whole of Istanbul. New legislation should be
introduced to prevent the misuse of authority, so that foundation
heads will not just act as they wish,” Þanlý said.

Within the one-year period, Armenian Foundations received some of
their most important foundations back in Istanbul, including the
historic Surp Hac Týbrevank High School in the Uskudar district,
the Selamet Han in Eminonu, which belongs to the Yedikule Surp Pýrgic
Hospital-Foundation in Zeytinburnu.

Controversial Mor Gabriel case

Meanwhile, the Mor Gabriel Monastery in the Midyat district of the
southeastern province of Mardin – one of the most important monasteries
in the Syriac world – has been engaged in a lawsuit since 2008.

The head of the Mor Gabriel Monastery Foundation Kuryakos Ergun said
the time limit was too short and that during the one year period given
none of the properties belonging to foundations in the southeastern
region had been re-possessed.

“The southeastern region was declared an emergency region because of
terrorism. In 2008, the Land Registry Cadastre Office registered all
of our property under their name and they also sued us. For trivial
reasons, the Supreme Court of Appeals considered us squatters on
our own property, and our appeal to take back one of our lands was
suspended for three months,” Ergun said.

Hagia Dimitrios Church Foundation Head Dimitri Zotos said they
experienced great difficulty in obtaining the land title records, and
were trapped in the obstacles of bureaucracy. “We could not receive
back even one of our foundations. We had taken this for granted,
but each foundation has a different condition,” Zotos said.

From: A. Papazian

PLANNERS OK COMMUNITY CENTER: PROJECT WILL HOUSE FIVE ARMENIAN GROUPS WITH LEASED PARKING OFF-CAMPUS.

Burbank Leader
,0,7393365.story
Aug 31 2012
CA

By Mark Kellam, August 31, 2012 | 4:14 p.m.

Members of the Burbank Planning Board unanimously approved a project
that would bring several Armenian groups under one roof and provide
a new community center with a gym, basketball court and office space.

Eighty-eight people on Monday pulled cards to speak during the meeting,
all of them in support of the project. However, 80 of them waived
their right to speak and just wanted to show that they were behind
the center, which will be located at 75 E. Santa Anita Ave. in a
commercial area with no residential neighborhoods nearby.

“It’s nice to see such a cohesive group,” board member Undine Petrulis
said to the crowd, which included residents of all ages, including
members of local Scout groups.

Referring to the center’s combined uses as a puzzle, board member
Doug Drake said the location is ideal.

“It seems like it fits perfectly there,” he said.

Plans call for using an existing industrial building as the centerpiece
for the project, which would include a 5,707-square-foot basketball
court and 2,697-square-foot gym on the first floor, as well as 5,978
square feet of office space.

A second floor with 3,509 square feet of additional office space will
be constructed, according to the plans.

The offices will be used by the Armenian Relief Society, Armenian
Cultural Foundation, Armenian Youth Federation, Armenian National
Committee, Homenetmen and Scout groups.

All of the organizations currently have offices in different
locations. They would like to combine in one building because they
have similar goals and regularly work together.

A post-production company was previously in the building. It had only
nine parking spaces, far fewer than the 50 spaces that city planners
calculated would be needed for a community center with substantial
office space.

However, the owner of an adjacent office building is expected to enter
into a five-year lease agreement to provide 41 spaces to the center.

City officials said the nearby offices do not need the spots during
weekday evenings and weekends – times when the center will be open.

Vahe Hovanessian, chairman of the Planning Board, said he believed
the 41 parking spaces will be more than the center needs.

“I think 41 spots off-campus are rarely going to be used in full,”
he said.

The basketball court, gym and offices will open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

during the week. On weekends, the basketball court and gym will be
open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and the offices will be closed.

From: A. Papazian

SERZH SARGSYAN: THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA CANNOT TOLERATE HUNGARY’S DEAL WITH AZERBAIJAN

Mediamax

Aug 31 2012
Armenia

Yerevan, August 31. /Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
said today that “we suspend diplomatic relations and all official
ties with Hungary”.

The President said this at the meeting with the heads of diplomatic
missions of UN member states and heads of representations of
international organizations accredited in Armenia.

The President particularly said:

“Distinguished Ambassadors:

Unfortunately today we invited you to the President’s Office on
an extraordinary occasion. As you should know, an officer of the
Azeri military who had killed Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan,
was transferred to Azerbaijan. The President of Azerbaijan – and we
have been warning about it – has immediately granted pardon to him.

This has happened because the Government of Hungary, a member State
of the European Union and NATO, has made a deal with the authorities
of Azerbaijan.

I do not want to revisit the circumstances of the murder of Gurgen
Margaryan; you are very well aware of them. As the trial had shown,
the horrendous manslaughter took place only because Gurgen Margaryan
was an Armenian.

Immediately after this crime had been perpetrated the Hungarian
authorities as well as our partners – EU and NATO member states, were
continually urging us to refrain from politicizing the process. We
were continually urged to trust the judiciary of Hungary, a member
State to those important alliances.

We have been closely following all the developments around that
criminal. This issue has been discussed during each and every meeting
with the President, Speaker of the Parliament, Foreign Minister and
Ambassador of Hungary, and we have been assured on numerous occasions
that such a transfer or a return of a criminal to Azerbaijan was
excluded. We have received that same response to our requests
during our contacts just a few days ago with the representatives
of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry and Parliament. But as a result
of perfidious developments the murderer has turned up in Baku and
got released.

I have nothing to say about Azerbaijan – just plainly nothing. That
country speaks about itself with the actions it takes, and I am not
the one to explain those steps.

Ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen:

With their joint actions the authorities of Hungary and Azerbaijan
have opened the door for the recurrence of such crimes. With this
decision they convey a clear message to the butchers. The slaughterers
hereafter are well aware of impunity they can enjoy for the murder
driven by ethnic or religious hatred.

I CAN NOT TOLERATE THAT.

THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA CAN NOT TOLERATE THAT.

THE ARMENIAN NATION WILL NEVER FORGIVE THAT.

I officially announce that as of today we suspend diplomatic relations
and all official contacts with Hungary.

We expect a precise and unambiguous response by all our partners with
regard to this incident.

Anyone who tolerates this, will tomorrow be held responsible to
history.

Half-measures and circumlocution are not acceptable.

We will judge the attitude of our partners towards the security of
the Armenian nation by their response to this incident.

I request you urgently to convey this as my personal message to the
Heads of your States and Governments.

That is all I wanted to say. I do not know if Q&A will make sense or
not? I think it won’t since what happened can hardly be accommodated
by a reasonable mind. A country that considers itself developed and
civilized does not have the right to behave this way and it well
deserves proper assessment by its partners”. –0–

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIANS KILL AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER NEAR KARABAKH: REPORT

Agence France Presse
August 29, 2012 Wednesday 3:51 PM GMT

Armenian forces killed an Azerbaijani soldier on Wednesday near the
disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh in the latest deadly clash between
the two enemies, a news agency in Baku reported.

Azerbaijani news agency APA reported that warrant officer Musfiq
Bayramov was shot dead in the Tartar region when Armenian troops
allegedly breached the ceasefire on the Karabakh frontline.

The Azerbaijani defence ministry did not respond to calls from AFP
for confirmation.

If the report is confirmed, Bayramov would be the 13th soldier to
die this year in firefights along the frontline and on the border
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to official statements.

Armenia-backed separatists seized Karabakh from Azerbaijan in a war
in the 1990s that left some 30,000 people dead, but despite years
of negotiations since a 1994 ceasefire, the two sides have not yet
signed a final peace deal.

Azerbaijan has threatened to take back the disputed region by force
if negotiations do not yield results, while Armenia has vowed massive
retaliation against any military action.

eg-emc/am/yad

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS CELEBRATED FORTH INCESSANT VICTORY. 8 POINTS OUT OF 8 POSSIBLE

ARMENPRESS
31 August, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS: Armenia’s men’s team scored 2.5:1.5
over Philippines’ team in the fourth round of Chess Olympics hosted
Istanbul celebrating its fourth victory. Armenpress informs that
Levon Aronian played a draw with grandmaster Wesley So, grandmaster
Gabriel Sargsian scored the win over grandmaster Oliver Demikiling,
grandmaster Sergey Movsesian and Vladimir Hakobian hsared a point
accordingly with Oliver Barbosa and Marc Paragua. Armenian chess
players have secured their place in the top of the tournament after
the forth round getting 8 points out of 8.

Let us remind that the chess players of Armenian diaspora have been
rather successful during 40th Chess Olympics hosted Istanbul. As
Armenpress reports grandmasters Varujan Hakobian and Tatev Abrahamian
have their active contribution in the success of American team,
Grigor-Sevak Mkhitaryian of Brazilian and Daniel Petrosian of
Lebanon’s women’s team. They all have their own, unique place in
the national chess teams of these countries. They participated in
different international tournaments hosted Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN REJOICES AT KILLER EXTRADITION

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 31, 2012 – 21:51 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The photograph of Azeri assassin Ramil Safarov and
news about his extradition has caused exultation among Azerbaijanis,
who posted lots of joyful comments on the occasion.

One of the comments read: “We could buy back Safarov and we will buy
back Karabakh.”

Lieutenant of the Armenian armed forces Gurgen Margaryan, 26, was
hacked to death, while asleep, by lieutenant Safarov, in Budapest
during a three-month English language course in the framework of
NATO-sponsored Partnership for Peace program.

On April 13, 2006, Budapest District Court sentenced Safarov to life
in prison for murdering Margaryan. On February 22, 2007, Budapest
Court rejected the Azerbaijani military officer’s appeal against the
verdict, precluding possibility of pardon for the initial 30 years.

However, Safarov was extradited to Azerbaijan, where he was granted
a presidential pardon almost immediately after his arrival.

From: A. Papazian

BREAKING NEWS: ARMENIA SUSPENDS RELATIONS WITH HUNGARY

asbarez
Friday, August 31st, 2012

President Sarkisian addresses the foreign diplomatic corps on Friday

YEREVAN-President Serzh Sarkisian suspended all relations with Hungary
Friday in the aftermath of that country decision to covertly extradite
an Azeri office who brutally murdered an Armenian soldier in 2004
during a joint NATO military retreat, reported the presidential
press service.

After meeting with Armenian National Security Council, Sarkisian
convened a meeting of foreign diplomatic corps to convey Armenia’s
anger and its decision to immediately suspend relations with Hungary.

Lt. Ramil Safarov sentenced to life in prison in Hungary for hacking
to death Armenian officer, Lt. Gurgen Markarian, was sent back to
Azerbaijan Friday and, despite assurances, was immediately pardoned
and freed by Azeri President Ilham Aliyev.

Safarov was given a life sentence in 2006 by the Budapest City Court
after he confessed to killing Markarian while both were in Hungary
for a 2004 NATO language course.

Hungary returned the 35-year-old Safarov to Azerbaijan only after
receiving assurances from the Azerbaijani Justice Ministry that
Safarov’s sentence, which included the possibility of parole after
25 years, would be enforced.

In very terse remarks, Sarkisian condemned Hungary for the transfer
and also criticized the international community for not responding
to apparent warning by Armenia, which adhered to international calls
to not politicize the case.

In an earlier meeting with Armenia’s National Security Council,
Sarkisian announced that he has instructed the defense ministry
to place all troops on high alert, urged the National Assembly
to convene an emergency session. He also announced that he has a
“special assignment” for the head of Armenia’s National Security
Service Gorik Hakpyan.

Below is the text of Sarkisian’s remarks to diplomats as presented
by the presidential office without edits:

Distinguished Ambassadors:

Unfortunately today we invited you to the President’s Office on
an extraordinary occasion. As you should know, an officer of the
Azeri military who had killed Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan,
was transferred to Azerbaijan. The President of Azerbaijan – and we
have been warning about it – has immediately granted pardon to him.

This has happened because the Government of Hungary, a member State
of the European Union and NATO, has made a deal with the authorities
of Azerbaijan.

I do not want to revisit the circumstances of the murder of Gurgen
Margaryan; you are very well aware of them. As the trial had
demonstrated, the horrendous manslaughter took place only because
Gurgen Margaryan was an Armenian.

Immediately after this crime had been perpetrated the Hungarian
authorities as well as our partners – EU and NATO member States, were
continually urging us to refrain from politicizing that process. We
were continually urged to trust the judiciary of Hungary, a member
State to those important alliances.

We have been closely following all the developments around that
criminal. This issue has been discussed during each and every meeting
with the President, Speaker of the Parliament, Foreign Minister and
Ambassador of Hungary, and we have been assured on numerous occasions
that such a transfer or a return of a criminal to Azerbaijan was
excluded. We have received that same response to our requests
during our contacts just a few days ago with the representatives
of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry and Parliament. But as a result
of perfidious developments the murderer has turned up in Baku and
got released.

I have nothing to say about Azerbaijan – just plainly nothing. That
country speaks about itself with the actions it takes, and I am not
the one to explain those steps.

Ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen:

With their joint actions the authorities of Hungary and Azerbaijan
have opened the door for the recurrence of such crimes. With this
decision they convey a clear message to the butchers. The slaughterers
hereafter are well aware of impunity they can enjoy for the murder
driven by ethnic or religious hatred.

I CAN NOT TOLERATE THAT.

THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA CAN NOT TOLERATE THAT.

THE ARMENIAN NATION WILL NEVER FORGIVE THAT.

I officially announce that as of today we suspend diplomatic relations
and all official contacts with Hungary.

We expect a precise and unambiguous response by all our partners with
regard to this incident.

Anyone who tolerates this, will tomorrow be held responsible to
history.

Half-measures and circumlocution are not acceptable.

We will judge the attitude of our partners towards the security of
the Armenian nation by their response to this incident.

I request you urgently to convey this as my personal message to the
Heads of your States and Governments.

That is all I wanted to say. I do not know if Q&A will make sense or
not? I think it won’t since what happened can hardly be accommodated
by a reasonable mind. A country that considers itself developed and
civilized does not have the right to behave this way and it well
deserves proper assessment by its partners.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJANI SCIENTIST CLAIMS ALIYEV VIOLATED NORMS IN ISSUING AMNESTY TO MURDERER SAFAROV

news.am
August 31, 2012 | 16:56

BAKU. – The Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev issues an amnesty
to the murderer of an Armenian serviceman by violating laws of
own country, Azerbaijani professor Hanlar Alikberov commented for
contact.az website.

Admitting the President’s right to issue an amnesty to criminals, the
scientist, however, claims that, according to the Azerbaijani Criminal
Code, Aliyev could have issued an amnesty only to those criminals who
are sentenced for a fixed period or for other punishments which have
no connection to the life imprisonment.

At the same time, the Hungary Supreme Court sentenced Safarov to life
imprisonment and not for a fixed period. Hence, Aliyev had no right
to set free Safarov. To the most, he could have changed the sentence
to 25 years in jail.

“There is no doubt that the norm contradicts to the Constitution and
other norms and will bring forth wide discussions in the world outlets,
which will negatively impact on Azerbaijan’s international image,”
he concluded.

From: A. Papazian