Author: Antonian Lara

DAVID HAKOBYAN: TAKE SERIOUSLY EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEANS TO BE INFANTILE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
02.07.2009 16:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "I think one must be infantile to take seriously the
European Parliament and European institutions," David Hakobyan, the
leader of the Marxist Party of Armenia told a press conference today.

According to him, all their actions stem from their own benefit. "Every
time coming to Armenia, they give the same assessment: compared to
last year, clear progress is evident," Hakobyan said. He also added,
that after departure representatives of Euro parliament change their
views and began to contradict to all previously told. And when Armenia
must be pressed they immediately submit their resolution.

Hakobyan also commented on the events occurred during the summer
session of PACE, noting that all hysteria around Zaruhi Postanjyan
is regrettable.

"Germany and the United Kingdom caused greater harm to Armenia than
Turkey", David Hakobyan said.

Member of the Armenian delegation to PACE Zaruhi Postanjyan asked the
Azerbaijani and Turkish delegations to sign for the changes to the PACE
resolution on Armenia, including the call to Armenian authorities to
release of all people detained after the events of March 1, as well
as to restore the activities of the fact gathering Group of experts,
investigating the events of March 1, and to involve international
independent experts.

PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS TO VISIT ARMENIA

armradio.am
02.07.2009 17:48

The President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias will pay an
official visit to Armenia on 6 and 7 July, accompanied by his wife,
Mrs Elsi Christofia.

During his visit to Armenia, President Christofias will have a private
meeting with the country’s President, Mr Serzh Sargsyan, followed by
talks between their countries’ delegations.

The President of the Republic will also have a meeting with the Prime
Minister of Armenia Mr Tigran Sargsyan, with the Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of all Armenians HH Karekin II, as well as with the
Mayor of Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, Mr Gagik Beglaryan.

During his stay in Armenia, President Christofias and his wife will
visit the Memorial to the Victims of the Armenian Genocide. President
Christofias will also attend a working lunch with the Armenian Foreign
Minister, Mr Edward Nalbandian, as well as a dinner hosted by the
Armenian President.

The President of the Republic will be accompanied by the Minister
of Foreign Affairs Mr Markos Kyprianou, the Ambassador of Cyprus
to Armenia, stationed in Moscow, Mr Petros Kestoras, the Honorary
Consul of Cyprus to Armenia, Mr Armen Khachatryan, as well as the
Representative of the Armenian Religious Group in the House of
Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Vartkes Mahdessian.

GIMME MORE TURKEY
By Naomi Wise

San Diego Reader
Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Pasha drew my eye with an ad in this paper, including a coupon for
a freebie appetizer platter. Hmm…a new bargain destination? Worth
trying? I scurried to the website and found that the restaurant
wasn’t just another generic Mediterranean eatery but specifically
Turkish. Now that’s something fresh! (There’s also the charming
Bird House Grill in Encinitas, and a doner-kebab joint downtown,
but that’s about it for Turkish, far as I know.) The menu revealed
standard Middle Eastern dishes, but also several distinctly Turkish
specialties I’d never encountered before – two salads, three entrees,
a dessert. Good enough for a start. And this would be third in a
row for an exploration of new or newish restaurants serving various
global forms of "barbecue," after Southern and Japanese, and leading
right in to July 4. Posse roundup time!

Several of my friends have traveled in Turkey. They’ve come back raving
about their trips but not so much about the food. Still, knowing a
trifle about Turkish history, I’m curious about the cuisine. First
off, Turks are not generic "Middle Easterners," even if they share a
common religion in Islam. They don’t speak Arabic (a Semitic language)
but the totally different Turkish (a Ural-Altaic Turkic language,
most closely related to Azeri and Uzbek). Their location and ecosystem
tie them to Asia Minor (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, etc.), Persia,
and the Adriatic Sea, rather than the Mediterranean Arab world –
think snow, not sand.

And when the Ottoman Empire swept through the rest of Asia Minor
en route to Greece, its military fell in love with Armenian food
(same as me) and scooped up large numbers of Armenians to serve as
army cooks while they were conquering the world. Greece gained an
infusion of fresh recipes from Armenia, shaping the Greek cuisine
we know today, but traditional Greek dishes also gained worldwide
currency, especially their ancient masterpiece of stuffed grape leaves
– now best known by the Turkish word dolma. One end result of all
this conquest was the settling of a huge Armenian population in the
city of Izmir, which became the "cuisine capital" of Turkey, after a
fashion, spreading its culinary influence (at least until the whole
Turkish-Armenian thing went horribly tragic, as the empire rotted,
but I’m not going to go into that in a restaurant review…). What
other influences did the Turks pick up in their conquests and meld
into their own cuisine? Inquiring minds want to know.

When we arrived at Pasha, we found a medium-small room with dark
tablecloths, paper napkins, walls painted a light terra cotta and
hung with a spare but beautiful collection of Turkish handicrafts. The
restaurant is owned by a youngish couple, the husband from Lebanon and
the wife from Turkey. Both do some cooking and some serving. But the
night we ate there, most of the Turkish dishes – the malatya (Turkish
potato salad), the etli borek (meat pie), and the spinach borek – were
all unavailable; they just hadn’t been prepared for a midweek night.

We began with the vegetarian meze platter, for which we had
the coupon. Everything on it was very pleasant, especially the
lively tabouli and the light, faintly smoky baba ghanoush. (A
typo on the website spells it "Babagannosh," which sounds like
Turkish/Russian-Yiddish for "Grandpa’s getting a snack.") None of
the appetizers on the platter seems uniquely Turkish, or in any way
different from every other meze platter in town. Be sure to save some
of the cacik (pronounced "jah-jik," the Turkish version of Greek
tzatziki or Indian cucumber raita) and the garlic-yogurt sauce for
your main courses, as dips for your grilled meats.

We also ordered the Turkish Shepherd Salad (coban salatasi) –
diced tomatoes amended by cukes, scallion, onions, parsley, and
bell pepper in a lemon vinaigrette, topped with a light snowfall of
feta cheese. The tomatoes are under a lot of pressure to perform in
this dish, and sad to say, they didn’t: They were nearly tasteless,
hard supermarket-style globe tomatoes, and June is not yet their
season. The dressing needed more acidity for "oomph" to compensate for
their blandness. "This time of year," said Marty, "the only tomatoes
worth anything are little ones, cherry or grape tomatoes." "Yeah,
even if you leave the regular ones on the counter, they never ripen
and sweeten," added the Lynnester. Oddly, the leftovers of this salad
improved greatly during two nights in the fridge, allowing the dressing
to soak in and saturate the veggies.

The best of our entrees by far was a Turkish specialty, Ali Nazik. It
features small, richly seasoned cubes of charbroiled beef served on a
warm bed of tart, creamy patlican (pronounced "PAHT-lee-jahn") salad,
mashed eggplant mixed with yogurt and plenty of garlic. It comes with
grilled tomato and grilled slices of slightly spicy red pepper. It
all works together, with a fine contrast between the chewy, salty
meat and lush, garlicky eggplant. (The eggplant is also available
separately on the meze list.) "I’d come back for this dish," said
Lynne, who lives nearby, and probably will do just that.

Shrimp kebabs came in second. The shrimps were well seasoned if quite
salty, and reasonably tender. Like nearly all other entrees, they
were accompanied by fluffy basmati rice, pita, hummus (standing in
for the baba ghanoush promised on the menu with the seafood dishes),
and the fine house salad, a lively mixture of greens, tomatoes, cukes,
onions, and (in this plate alone) a few whole basil leaves.

The lamb shish kebab was flavorful with a marinade and charring, but
dry and rather tough. It set Marty, Dave, and me to reminiscing about
Sayyat Nova, an exquisite Armenian restaurant in Greenwich Village,
way back when I was a teen beatnik, thrilled to taste this new cuisine
with my dad and stepmom. That restaurant’s rendition had a subtle,
garlic-perfused olive-oil marinade for large leg of lamb chunks charred
outside but rosy inside. At Pasha, the chunks are smaller and cooked
medium (pinky-brown) inside, and the marinade is more assertive,
possibly, judging by the result, including an acidic, tenderizing
component like lemon juice. "I think the meat’s been marinated too
long," said Dave. "The texture on the exterior, just under the char,
is a bit mealy." "And the lamb doesn’t have much lamb flavor," Marty
observed. "I don’t know whether that’s because it’s cooked too well
done or if the lamb itself is lacking."

Unable to fulfill our hopes of a borek, we asked the owner whether
the gyro meat in the Iskender (doner) kebab plate was house-made
or bought. Bought, alas. Instead, the owner persuaded us to try a
shawarma. Because this is a newbie restaurant with not much volume
yet, the traditional shawarma of a huge hunk of flesh rotating on a
vertical spit has proven impractical. "Instead, I cut it in slices,
so the delicious marinade goes all through the meat, then I charbroil
the slices," he said. We chose beef shawarma over the alternative
chicken breast, which dries out too easily. But the beef proved just
as dry. "It’s almost like jerky!" Lynne said. "You can’t even taste
the marinade, just the charring," said Dave. Dipping the slices in
cacik or garlic sauce left over from the appetizer platter helped,
but only a little.

There are two desserts. The house-made baklava is flaky and nutty
(with both pistachios and walnuts) but sparing on the honey syrup –
much less sweet than standard versions. "I like this a lot," said
Lynne. "It’s not overwhelming." Kunafa is genuinely exotic, a large
wedge-shaped pastry with delicate top and bottom crusts of crunchy
farina flakes, sandwiching a filling of melted mild cheeses (mozzarella
and Jack or Havarti, or another cheese of that ilk). It’s topped with
crumbled pistachios, lightly dressed with fragrant rosewater-scented
sugar syrup, and is barely sweet at all. It’s like a cheese course
and a dessert all in one.

The Turkish coffee was strong and a little bitter, with all the "mud"
hiding at the bottom of the cup. It comes unsweetened. We stirred in
sugar with our fork handles (no spoons provided – yeah, it’s still
a start-up).

Bottom line: Pasha is indeed a bargain. With the coupon for a
free appetizer platter, the bill came to $28 per person total,
all inclusive. But I feel the restaurant isn’t making the most of
its greatest potential strength. Generic Middle Eastern restaurants
are a dime a dozen, some cheaper than this and some offering easier
parking. In order to compete, the Turkish dishes that distinguish
Pasha from the crowd should be available all the time, and I’d also
like to see more of them, if the Ali Nazik – outstanding hit of our
dinner – is any example. Then there’d be a reason to come back over
and over and explore what could be a unique menu. Hey, flaunt it if
you’ve got it, baby!

MINORITY REPORT
Bipin Adhikari [email protected]

E Kantipur
2009-07-02 00:30:28

The report of the Constituent Assembly (CA) Committee on the Protection
of Rights and Freedoms of Minority and Marginalized Communities, which
is now under discussion at the plenary session of the House, captures
many of the current requirements under its terms of reference. The
report contains a concept paper and a preliminary draft as much as
they relate with the minority rights issues to be covered by the new
constitution to be drafted by the unicameral House.

The report deals not only with normal individual rights as applied to
members of ethnic, class, religious, linguistic or sexual minorities,
but also collective rights accorded to minority groups by virtue of
their minority status. Marginalized groups are also carefully brought
within the fold. In its entirety, it covers protection of existence,
protection from discrimination, protection and promotion of identity,
and participation in political life. But then it also happens to
contain a very controversial provision while dealing with the right
to equality.

As a proviso to the general rule which guarantees that the state
shall not discriminate between people on the basis of ethnicity,
religion and so on, it also goes on maintaining that the state shall
provide by law special measures on the basis of positive discrimination
along with compensation for the persecution rendered in the past for
the protection, development and empowerment of the communities and
classes left behind in economic, social, political and educational
areas and in the area of health (emphasis added).

An identical provision has been proposed also in the context of racial
discrimination and misconduct of "untouchability" and religious and
personal persecution. Here, too, the state has been obliged to provide
compensation for the discrimination, misconduct and persecution,
in addition to the measure of proportional representation in state
institutions. Firstly, the committee intends to treat the first
set of communities differently than the second set of communities,
yet both these provisions maintain that Nepal has been a persecuting
state – a grave charge that remains to be substantiated on explicit
grounds. Secondly, it defines discrimination associated with the
untouchability stigma as racial.

At the outset, it must be emphasized that comparative constitutional
law has developed a rich discourse over the last half century or
so on how the state might respond in varying ways to the claims
concerning historical injustices. There are different models of
reverse discrimination or affirmative action, which could be applied
to promote equal opportunity and set the balance right. They focus on
measures ranging from employment and education to public contracting
and health programmes. The drive behind them are two-fold: to maximize
diversity in all levels of society, along with its presumed benefits,
and to redress perceived disadvantages due to overt, institutional
or involuntary discrimination.

The intention here, as far as the report of the committee is concerned,
seems to be apparently different. Going beyond the historical wrongs,
it talks about "persecution", which in general may imply the systematic
mistreatment of a community by another community through murderous
activities and efforts of extermination, enslavement, deportation
or maltreatment on political, racial or religious grounds. The most
common forms of persecution are religious, ethnic and political,
though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. In any
case, the term "persecution" implies deeply traumatic injustices.

Without generalizing too much, certain apparent characteristics of
persecution could easily be established. When the committee uses the
term, (a) It assumes in the first place that Nepal has a history
of persecution (b) That the persecutors have acted with the power
of the state in the job of persecution (c) That this went on for a
long time of history and (d) Resulted in continuous deprivation of
some groups, which needs to be remedied by offering compensation by
the state. It also implies that affirmative actions or measures of
positive discrimination are not enough to redeem them.

In the given framework, the "state" must be defined as persecutor,
and compensation must be paid by it as the culprit of history. It
goes without saying that the state (persecutor) here means the Khas
community, especially Bahuns and Chhetris, who are now implicated
for capturing this country for long. This is the community that
produced King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who unified the country in the
latter half of the 18th century and allegedly started the process of
persecution through his new establishment. Linked with this is the
argument that Khasas are the invaders while the other communities
are the victims. The committee has not offered the basis on which
this conclusion has been grounded.

The world definitely has a history of systematic mistreatment of groups
due to their religious affiliation – resulting in the persecution and
killing of millions. Atheists have experienced persecution throughout
history. In the two thousand years of the Christian faith, about 70
million believers have been killed for their inability to turn back
from their religion. The persecution of Jews occurred many times
in Jewish history. Hindus have been historically persecuted during
Islamic rule on the South Asian subcontinent. The persecution of many
ethnic groups, not to mention ethnic Germans and albinos, are the
most scandalous episodes in world history. These are not stories of
isolated examples, but of unrelenting persecution over a long period
of time. But do they have parallels in Nepal?

During 1915-20, when Ismail Anwar was the ruler of Turkey, 12 lakh
Armenians, almost 8 lakh Greeks and 5 lakh Assyrians were eliminated
because of ethnic reasons. It is said that during the reign of Chairman
Mao Tse-tung of the Chinese Communist Party, more than seven million
people were killed due to political and ethnic reasons. During 1932-39,
Joseph Stalin eliminated 2.3 million people from different parts of
the Soviet Union.

Adolf Hitler of Germany was by all means the worst persecutor. He
killed six million Jews to establish what he described as Nazism
just seven decade ago. During 1941-44, almost 50 million people were
killed in Japan. Cambodia’s Pol Pot regime of 1975-79 and of North
Korea’s Kim Il Sung’s regime between 1946-1994 were the other worst
scenarios. All these examples can help explain what persecution is,
and at what time the state must be identified with the persecuting
rulers or their communities.

Even among the cases softer than them, treating the problems of Nepal
on a par with the treatment of indigenous peoples, such as the Indians
and Inuits in Canada, the Aboriginal people of Australia, the Maoris
of New Zealand, the Sami of Scandinavia, the Inuits of Greenland and
the Indian tribes of the United States cannot be prudent. There are
many such examples, where natives suffered because of persecution
rendered by outsiders who settled in the country.

Unfortunately, Nepal as a persecuting state does not fit anywhere. The
committee report must then be discussed why the state should be scolded
for grave injustices and persecution that it has not committed against
anybody. And if the purpose is only to create space for further
affirmative action and positive discrimination measures for those
who deserve them, why the reference about persecuting state or the
persecuting community. If the strategy is not to diminish the political
identity of this country, there is scope for serious discussion.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Twenty-first Century AGBU Philadelphia Cotillion Connects Generations of
Armenian Americans

On Saturday, June 20, 26 young men and women ushered the 2009 AGBU
Philadelphia cotillion into the 21st century with a program of powerful
words, music, dance and multimedia displays at the Sheraton-University
City in Philadelphia.

In an elegant integration of Armenian heritage and contemporary American
culture, young Armenian Americans took part in the event which
symbolically marked their entry into multidimensional Armenian-American
adult life. During the event, they performed a sophisticated Armenian
dance under the direction of longtime choreographer Fran Torcomian.

An elaborate keepsake program booklet, rich with biographical accounts
and photographs, captured the essence of the participants, which the
cotillion organizers referred to as "cotillionaires." This term was
coined to describe "a new kind of cotillion participant, male or female,
who is all-at-once proud of the past yet grounded in the present and
confident to link the two together," said cotillion parent Melissa
Selverian, who co-chaired the event with husband Richard and cotillion
parents Yvonne and Paul Fereshetian.

"After all, these are the young men and women who ventured bravely off
of Facebook to bridge the gap between the digital social network and the
more-than-40-year-old live cotillion network. In so doing, they changed
the cotillion for the better, making it more relevant in the lives of
young Armenian Americans today," she explained.

Mixing the live and digital social networks and the past with the
present, the cotillion featured a through-the-years multimedia
presentation and an intergenerational dance starring many of the
participants. Katrina Selverian produced and presented a biographical
video and slide show of the participants and the Ararat Dance Ensemble,
led by directors Toros Torcomian and Christopher Torcomian, captured the
timelessness of the affair in a captivating impromptu performance that
included the leaders and members of the original ensemble from three
decades ago.

Guest speaker, alumna Julie Paretchan of the AGBU Cotillion of 1999,
confirmed the enduring power and relevance of the cotillion to the
city’s Armenian-American community. She reflected on how the cotillion
had brought her parents together in marriage, and had allowed her
brother to form strong friendships with fellow Armenians. She said that
she also benefited from many friendships as a result of the cotillion.
She recently resettled in Philadelphia and she is proud to lead the next
generation of Armenian Americans by volunteering her time with the newly
formed local AGBU Young Professionals committee–YP Philadelphia.

"Cotillion alumni have a special connection with the event," Selverian
told guests, describing how the 2009 event "grew from the hearts and
minds of cotillion alums."

"Countless friendships made in cotillions over the last four decades are
long-lasting and unsurpassed," she said. "I know my husband Richard and
my co-chairs Yvonne and Paul Fereshetian share these sentiments as
cotillion alumni."

Longtime AGBU Philadelphia members and community leaders, George
Yacoubian and Liz Barone, toasted the participants and the committee for
rejuvenating the affair.

Special thanks were extended to the sponsors of the evening,
particularly Clara Marie Samelian, who honored the memory of her
parents, John and Araxie Samelian, on the back cover of the keepsake
program booklet. The Samelians were longtime members of AGBU
Philadelphia, and Araxie Samelian was the co-founder of the Philadelphia
cotillion dinner dance, which debuted in 1966.

The 2009 cotillionaires are Michael Berge Alexanian, Stephanie Hripsime
Alexanian, Niki Nubar Arakelian, Serop Buldukyan, Cerise Setta
Fereshetian, Damon Raffi Fereshetian, Jasmine Ani Fereshetian, Allison
Sonya Injaian, James Keshgegian, Karine Keshgegian, Richard Avedis
Keshgegian, Harout Nalbandian, Gabrielle Nazeni Pakhtigian, Garineh Ara
Panosian, Katrina Maritza Selverian, Sara Seerarpy Selverian, Maritsa
Suzanne Sherenian, Michael Sherenian, Talene Beatrice Soghomonian,
Alyssa Talene Sookiasian, Paul Vartan Sookiasian, Mark Tekirian, Alex
Deron Torcomian, Ana Francesca Torcomian, Christopher Torcomian and
Matthew Robert Zakian.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually serving some
400,000 Armenians on six continents.

VivaCell-MTS offers new Vringo service
27.06.2009 16:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ VivaCell-MTS offers a new Vringo service to its
customers, which enables users every time receive a call instead of
the usual voice signal or still image. Customers will see the video
clip they prefer – their video ringtone. Animation, musical video
clips, sports and fashion, jokes and nature… users will definitely
find their video ringtone in the rich and diverse collection of
videos.
Besides, with `Vringo’ customers can create a list of buddies
(friends) from other users of `Vringo’, see buddies’ video ringtones
while receiving calls from them. They can also show their video
ringtone to buddies while calling them, share video ringtones between
each other. To use the service the customer need a mobile phone
enabling to set a video as a ringtone, active Internet and to visit
vivacell.vringo.com and register. Users can use the service and manage
their profiles through web or wap interface or by downloading to the
phone the special `Vringo’ applet.
The monthly fee of the service is AMD 100, but till the end of July
2009 it will be provided without monthly fee. Upon registration
customers will receive 1 video ringtone and for extra fee they will be
able to obtain more. 1 video ringtone costs AMD 650. The video
ringtone has no validity period – having once saved it in the phone
customers can use it as much as they wish.
Internet traffic used for accessing the WAP interface and obtaining
video ringtones through WAP, as well as for managing and synchronizing
the `Vringo’ applet is not chargeable. However, if users are managing
accounts through web interface, they are charged for Internet
according to their tariff plan.

ACCOMPANIED BY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OF "LUYS" FOUNDATION JACQUELINE KARA-ASLANYAN, RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN TODAY VISITED THE YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY

W ednesday, 24 June 2009

Accompanied by director of educational programs of "Luys" foundation
Jacqueline Kara-Aslanyan, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan today
visited the Yerevan State University. During a scheduled meeting,
they briefed the students on the objectives of the Fund and the ways
it may use to support those Armenian students studying at the top-rate
universities of the world.

Member of the board of "Luys" foundation, RA Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan noted that the meeting is devoted to Foundation’s
educational programs: "The fund was set up under the high patronage
of the President of the Republic of Armenia and will handle cultural,
scientific and educational questions. It is a private initiative under
which benevolent contributions from the private sector will be used
to reach the set targets.

Due presidential patronage, this initiative will be kept in
focus and, therefore, it will have to be given broad publicity
and transparency. We shall be trying to abide by this principle in
implementing all our functions," the Prime Minister said and added that
there is some misunderstanding concerning the charitable activities
of the Fund, "in particular, we ha ve organized charitable concerts,
sponsored cultural programs, including the gala event dedicated to
Jivan Gasparyan’s 80th birth anniversary and Jethro Tull’s concert
in Yerevan. We provide support to such entities as in our opinion
carry out activities in conformity with the mandate of the Fund."

With reference to the educational component, the Prime Minister
indicated that an educational agenda is already out for this year
to a total budget of AMD 400 million. The educational program will
be coordinated by a governing council composed of the Prime Minister
of the Republic of Armenia, Deputy Chief of Presidential Staff Vigen
Sargsyan, CBA Vice-President Vacheh Gabrielyan, representative of
the Armenian Apostolic Church Ter Mesrop, MP Anahit Bakhshyan and
others. Educational program coordinator Jacqueline Karaaslanjan was
elected by open and transparent vote. The 2008 financial report of the
Fund along with auditor’s the findings have been published in media.

At the end of the meeting, the students in attendance engaged in an
easy-going dialog with the head of RA government.

80TH ANNIVERSARY OF TIGRAN PETROSIAN’S BIRTH MARKED IN ESTONIA

Noyan Tapan
June 23, 2009

TALLINN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. An open chess
tournament dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the world champion
Tigran Petrosian’s birth was held in Estonia. Robert Dubrovin and
Georg Nero became the winners. According to miasin. ru, some of the
participants in the tournament were the same age as Tigran Petrosian,
they knew him during his lifetime. They came with photos, documents
and souvenirs. Lembit Vakhesaar, who was an arbiter at the famous
Karpov-Kasparov match, showed a historical document – the original
of Tigran Petrosian’s application-complaint at the 1979 Tallinn
Tournament, when during the Petrosian-Elvest game the young Estonian
player left the hall for 10 minutes.

The impression was that the chess players of Estonia had been waiting
for this event – the tournament in memory of Tigran Petrosian, and
it will certainly have its place in the timetable of Estonia’s chess
competitions, the paper reported.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Karine Abalyan
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: <;

June 23, 2009

U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA DIALOGUES WITH DIOCESAN LEADERS, ADDRESSES PUBLIC
FORUM AT EASTERN DIOCESE IN NEW YORK

Addressing about 250 people at the Diocesan Center on Monday, June 22, Her
Excellency Marie Yovanovitch, the United States Ambassador to the Republic
of Armenia, spoke about U.S. goals in Armenia, discussed taxpayer-funded
development programs, and asked the public to share its concerns on
U.S.-Armenia relations.

"In many ways, the Armenian-American community represents the foundation and
the strength of our bilateral relationship with Armenia," the ambassador
said, underlining the support of diasporan Armenians for their homeland.

Speaking about progress made since Armenia’s independence in 1991,
Ambassador Yovanovitch noted the expansion of human rights, economic growth,
and increased reliance on the democratic process.

"I’m proud of our success stories," she said, "but there’s always more that
can be done."

One focus is to bring greater fairness and transparency to local and
national elections. Though she observed a more open media environment and
other changes in last month’s mayoral elections in Yerevan, Ambassador
Yovanovitch said there are still irregularities which make the election
process problematic.

The U.S. government understands "that the path to democracy is rarely swift
or smooth," she said, and it aims "to help people restore momentum to their
own democratization."

Turning to the economy, Ambassador Yovanovitch stressed that despite growth
in recent years, the Armenian economy today faces the challenges posed by
the global financial crisis.

In the first five months of this year, the economy contracted by more than
15 percent, she said, a troubling trend that could lead to a rise in poverty
rates. The country’s dependence on remittances and its expansion in the
mining and construction sector have been severely undermined by the current
economic situation.

At the same time, the ambassador said, the economic crisis is an opportunity
for the Armenian government to make reforms that would put in place a
transparent legal system, modernize the country’s infrastructure, and
establish a competitive private sector.

To help during the economic crisis, Ambassador Yovanovitch said, the U.S. is
stepping up short-term humanitarian efforts, like a new program that
allocates money to villages for infrastructure work and employs local
residents to carry out the projects.

"It’s basic assistance that makes a huge difference in the lives of
individuals," Ambassador Yovanovitch explained.

U.S. taxpayer money is also used to bolster law enforcement capacity,
operate newly opened advocacy centers and clinics, and support an initiative
that assists municipalities in Armenia strengthen fiscal management, the
ambassador said.

In addition, the U.S. government has partnered with companies like Coca-Cola
and Sun Microsystems to sponsor programs that protect natural resources and
promote information technology training at Armenian universities.

She called Armenia one of the largest recipients of U.S. aid worldwide,
having received a total of $1.8 billion in total assistance to date.

Speaking about Armenia’s relationship with its neighbors, Ambassador
Yovanovitch said the U.S. supports an open border with Turkey – a process
that should unfold without preconditions and with a timeframe acceptable to
both parties – and a resolution to the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict.

"It will take hard work and political courage to transform Armenia and the
region," she said; but remained optimistic about future developments.

Before concluding her remarks, Ambassador Yovanovitch acknowledged the
"anger and disappointment" felt throughout the Armenian-American community
in regard to this year’s April 24 statement from President Barack Obama.

She said that the decision whether to use the word "genocide" in the annual
statement made by the U.S. President is ultimately a decision of the White
House. The ambassador said that while the past must not be forgotten, it is
important for Armenia to look forward, especially at a time of economic
insecurity.

"Armenian issues require Armenian solutions," she said, explaining that
while the U.S. provides support, in the end it will be up to the Armenian
people to chart their path in the 21st century.

Monday’s event was co-hosted by the Diocese of the Armenian Church of
America (Eastern) and the Fund for Armenian Relief.

In remarks introducing Ambassador Yovanovitch to the Armenian-American
community, Diocesan Council member Sandra Shahinian Leitner called the
Diocesan Center a most appropriate setting for the public forum.

"The Diocesan Complex is not only the central institution of the Armenian
presence in America," she said, "it has also played a central and vital role
in the ongoing relationship between the United States and the Republic of
Armenia."

She went on to describe the 20-year relationship between the U.S. State
Department and the Diocese, through its Fund for Armenian Relief, which has
helped develop Armenia’s medical, social, technological, and other sectors.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern), thanked Ambassador Yovanovitch for her visit to the
Eastern Diocese.

He recalled the role of the Diocese during the 1988 earthquake and in the
midst of the September 11, 2001 attacks, emphasizing the Eastern Diocese as
an American as well as an Armenian institution. The Primate also reflected
on milestones in the Diocese’s long service to the Republic of Armenia. (See
the sidebar story for the Primate’s full remarks.)

"We will always support and love the Republic of Armenia; we will always
support and love the United States of America-no matter the circumstance, in
times of joy and prosperity, in times of sorrow and disappointment,"
Archbishop Barsamian said. "Nothing will separate us from this bond."

"I know that these same ideals speak to you, as well," he added to the
ambassador.

The evening also included a period where Ambassador Yovanovitch addressed
questions from the audience.

On Tuesday, June 23, the ambassador returned to the Eastern Diocese for a
breakfast with young professionals held at the Diocese’s Krikor and Clara
Zohrab Information Center. A group of 30 young professionals engaged in
informal discussion with Ambassador Yovanovitch.

Later that same day, the ambassador was the guest of honor at a luncheon
hosted by Archbishop Barsamian in the formal reception room of the Diocesan
Center, where leaders of the Eastern Diocese from the Diocesan Council, the
Fund for Armenian Relief Board of Directors, and the Diocesan Legate’s
Committee had an opportunity to dialogue with Ambassador Yovanovitch in a
private setting.

Ambassador Yovanovitch also received a tour of St. Vartan Armenian
Cathedral, given by Cathedral Dean Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian, with Diocesan
Council Chairman Oscar Tatosian.

Ambassador Yovanovitch is in the midst of a four-city tour of
Armenian-American communities, which also includes stops in Boston, Los
Angeles, and Washington, D.C.

###

CAPTIONS:

Photo1:

Diocesan Primate Abp. Khajag Barsamian (center) with U.S. Amb. Yovanovitch
(right) and Garnik Nanagoulian, executive director of the Fund for Armenian
Relief (left).

Photo2:

U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch addresses the Armenian-American
public in Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium, of the Diocesan Center in
New York City, on June 22.

Photo3:

At the Eastern Diocese’s Zohrab Information Center, Amb. Yovanovitch talks
informally with a group of young professionals from the New York area.

Photo4:

Abp. Barsamian thanks Amb. Yovanovitch for her two-day visit to the Eastern
Diocese in New York, during a luncheon with Diocesan leaders from the Fund
for Armenian Relief, the Diocesan Legates’ Committee, and the Diocesan
Council.

# # #

Press and Information Department
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Armenia
Tel. + 37410 544041. ext. 202
Fax. + 37410 565601
e-mail: [email protected]
web:

Argentina opens Embassy in Armenia

On June 19, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian received
Marcelo Sabaste, Charge d’Affaires ad interim of Argentina who has
arrived in Yerevan on the occasion of opening the Embassy of
Argentina.

In his welcoming remarks Minister Nalbandian expressed satisfaction
with the opening of Embassy of Argentina in Armenia and expressed hope
that it will give a new impetus to the deepening and strengthening of
bilateral comprehensive relations. Armenian Foreign Minister stressed
that the friendly relations of two countries as well as the developed
legal field create a solid basis for the establishment of more active
cooperation in different areas. Edward Nalbandian told the Argentine
Charge d’Affaires ad interim that the Ministry of Foreign Affaires
will provide all necessary during his mission and opening of
Argentinean embassy.

Marcelo Sabaste handed over the address of Foreign Minister of
Argentina Jorge Taiana to Armenian Foreign Minister and emphasized
that Argentina attaches great importance to the further enlargement of
comprehensive relations with Armenia and that is the reason of opening
in Yerevan of the first Argentine Embassy in the South Caucasus. He
praised the role of Argentinean Armenian community in the development
of bilateral relations.

The two also exchanged views on several issues of mutual interests.

Charge d’ Affaires ad interim of Argentina reaffirmed the Argentinean
Foreign Minister’s invitation to Armenian Foreign Minister to visit
Buenos Aires.