Author: Babajanian Karo

news.az, Azerbaijan
Jan 6 2012

Four int’l organizations to mull frozen conflicts
Fri 06 January 2012 05:47 GMT | 7:47 Local Time

The official Baku is preparing for another portentous event.

Thus, Baku will host a quadrilateral meeting and international
conference involving representatives of GUAM Parliament Assembly,
Baltic Assembly, Benelux Parliament and Visegrad Summit, Gun.Az
reports. The event aims to expand the joint cooperation of the four
organizations.

Of issues to be discussed will be the settlement of frozen conflicts.

Head of the Azerbaijani delegation at GUAM PA Elton Mammadov noted
that GUAM always keeps the settlement of frozen conflict on the
agenda. The resolution adopted at international conference `Forming
relations over borders’ held in Baku reflected peaceful settlement of
frozen conflicts in the territories of GUAM member countries within
internationally recognized borders, international legal norms and
principles.

In the document on settlement of conflicts in the Caucasus region,
adopted separately by the Baltic Assembly, the member countries
declared that they support peaceful settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within international legal norms and
principles.

Mammadov noted that based on the agreement reached at the bureau of
the GUAM PA, this year, the meetings of this organization will focus
on energy, science and education, settlement of frozen conflicts,
realization of Nabucco project and other issues.

News.Az

news.az, Azerbaijan
Jan 6 2012

‘France with Sarkozy wants to regain its status as import actor in int’l arena’
Fri 06 January 2012 08:58 GMT | 10:58 Local Time

Nicola Sarkozy’s remarks that he made against Turkey in Yerevan during
his visit to the South Caucasus and the recent policy against Ankara
showed real position of France once again.

Scientific collaborator of the Political Sciences Institute of
Westphalian Wilhelms-University of Münster, Elnur Ismayilov told the
statement to Gun.Az while commenting on the fact that Sarkozy sent the
bill criminalizing denial of genocides including `Armenian genocide’
to the Senate.

`I think the bill will be approved. To view this bill just as part of
the electioneering would be naivety. France with Sarkozy wants to
regain its status as import actor in the international arena’, the
political analyst said.

News.Az

news.am, Armenia
Jan 6 2012

Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Christmas

January 06, 2012 | 01:01

YEREVAN. – Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Christmas on Friday.

The God was humanized and appeared before people. `And the Holy Ghost
descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came
from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well
pleased (Luke 3:22; Matt 3:17; Mark 1:11).’

Saint Liturgy is served on Friday morning then Jesus’ baptism is held.
Jesus blessed the water by his baptism. Server of the liturgy drops
chrism into the water. According to the tradition, people take the
blessed water to homes as a treatment for the illnesses. Later the
priests visit homes and bless the believers.

Public Radio, Armenia
Jan 6 2012

Message of His Holiness Karekin II on Feast of the Holy Nativity and
Theophany of Jesus Christ
06.01.2012 14:16

`Dear faithful sons and daughters in the Homeland and the Diaspora,

Today before our souls and minds is that life-giving `great and
wondrous’ mystery which shone out over the heavens and the earth, when
the bright star stood still over the cave in Bethlehem and the angels
proclaimed the glad tidings of the Holy Birth of the Savior Son of
God, saying, `For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a
Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’ Luke 2:11. The gospels tell us how
the wise Magi who had travelled from afar and shepherds nearby,
hurried toward the manger and bowed down before the babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes, and welcomed the arrival of the Savior to the
world.

On the feast of the marvelous mystery of the Holy Nativity, we are all
pilgrims to Bethlehem, either by visiting the Holy Land or by making
our souls Bethlehem, to bow down before the infant Jesus with the
wisdom and strength granted to us by faith, to recognize Him and
accept Him as the Only Begotten Son of God and the way to eternal
life. As the apostle writes, `Whoever has the Son has life; whoever
does not have the Son of God does not have life.’ Today in the
`Bethlehem of the Armenians’ – this holy sanctuary where the Only
Begotten Son of God descended – and in all of our churches established
through its light, we, dear ones, and all children of our nation,
joyfully praise the birth of the Savior who came to earth for us, and
confess: You are our Lord. You are our Savior. You are the source of
life and the path to eternity. This confession has illuminated and
continues to illuminate the path of humanity. Through Christ, God’s
love was revealed to mankind; the Son of God came into the world to
eliminate sin, dissipate the darkness of death, and to lead humanity
to its Creator – to accept everlasting life. Through Christ, divine
love is dispersed throughout the world entire – over man and nature –
to always renew and fill it with life and joy. However a way of life
opposed to the divine will turns life into a focus of problems and
challenges. Let us look at the modern world. It is burdened with
manifold difficulties, deprivations, contradictions and conflicts. The
rejection of Christ and His commandments gives birth to wars and
tragedies, harms our planet, becomes the cause of a weakening soul and
spirituality, as well as the violent interruption of God-granted life
– murder and suicide. The universal crisis of our day, which is
explained through political, economic and material causes, is also
fundamentally a result of the alienation and straying from the
luminous path that leads toward God, the rejection of the gifts of
heavenly love by sinful ways. Christ is life and in keeping his
commandments, God’s love, truth, holiness, justice and mercy are
implemented in this world, leading it towards the good and perfect,
the full life that was our Lord’s earthly life, which was faith and
love for the heavenly Father and blessing for mankind.

Dear and pious faithful, faith and love are those unshakeable
foundations, through steadfast reliance upon which shall the life of
our country and people become stronger and be filled with joy and
delight. The fruits of faith and love are the good works of honesty,
righteousness, sympathy, support and assistance to one another, which
shall always accompany us so long as our path does not divert from
Christ’s luminous path. In our days, as well as in our lives,
alongside the works built by faith and many God-pleasing enterprises,
unfortunately we see God-denying processes, behavior incompatible with
the Christian character of our people, distortion of our cherished
national values, as well as ignoring the spiritual in favor of
overvaluing material possessions and money – such that they become the
main objective rather than a means of organizing a good and fair life.
Truly, manifestations such as these empty life of the life-sustaining
presence of Christ, denying it of that spiritual joy, empathy,
philanthropy, noble and lofty emotions, and God-granted salvation.
Christ warns of that destructive path, saying, `For what does it
profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?’ Mark 8:36.
Dear ones, we shall renew our lives today through the true example of
love shown by our Lord; our lives that are not yet free from needs and
difficulties, from major external and internal issues that impede the
progress and prosperity of our country and people. The challenges and
demands of our present lives cannot undermine our will to overcome the
obstacles and barriers and, supporting one another, to serve the
strengthening of our land, the progress of our nation and the building
of a bright future. The advancement of our life will open bright new
horizons before us, if we unite our national efforts and commit
ourselves to work to bring goodness to society, with the aspirations
of serving the nation and the Homeland, combining the abiding of the
law with love, justice with clemency, wealth with mercy, power with
assistance, and ability with service, because we accept and profess
the life-granting Son. Today, with the example of the Magi and the
shepherds, let us bow down before Christ, accept the Lord within the
mangers of our hearts, be renewed by the grace of salvation granted to
us, and always remember that the Lord’s `mercy is for those who fear
him from generation to generation.’ Luke 1:50.

On the soul-renewing occasion of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of
our Lord, we greet the incumbents of the hierarchal sees of our
Apostolic Holy Church with Christ-bequeathed love: His Holiness Aram
I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia; His Eminence Archbishop
Torkom Manoogian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem; His Eminence
Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople;
President Serzh Sargsian of the Republic of Armenia and the First
Lady, present here today for the Divine Liturgy; and the state
officials of the Armenians. We extend greetings to President Bako
Sahakian of the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. We convey our pontifical
love and blessings to the oath-bound clergy of our Church and to all
our people dispersed throughout the world. With the glad tiding of the
Holy Nativity, we greet the spiritual heads of our Sister Churches and
the representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Armenia.

On this day full of grace that brings glad tidings, dear pious
faithful, let us pray and appeal to our Savior with these words,
`Lord, may the graces of your Holy Birth illuminate the entire world,
may the angelic tiding of peace resound in all corners of the earth,
may goodwill and harmony accompany all nations and peoples, and may
joy and happiness reign in all families. Let hatred, enmity, despair,
indifference, bitterness and sadness retreat before the light of your
Holy Nativity, and may the whole world be enveloped with the love and
hope you have gifted. Keep our nation dispersed throughout the world
united, Lord, in your loving care, and grant a prosperous and thriving
life, welfare and strength to Armenia and Artsakh, and greater light
and brilliance to our Holy Apostolic Church. And we, true to your
words, shall bear witness to our faith through our works, and always
feel within our hearts the joy of your life-giving presence, and
exuberantly proclaim the good news of your Holy Birth.’ Amen.

Christ is Born and Revealed.
Great tidings to us all.

Dissident Voice
Jan 6 2012

Why has President Sarkozy Revived the Alleged Armenian Genocide?
by Dan Lieberman / January 6th, 2012

Genocide is always ignored until the genocide is over. After its
completion, eloquent and hypocritical words appear in defense of the
murdered and departed. Genocide makes headlines, and people know how
to use them for their own advantage.

France’s President Nicholas Sarkozy gains headlines, and mostly for
appropriate reasons. He is in the news almost every day – marriage to
a celebrity model, leading the charge against dispatched Libyan leader
Moammar Gadhafi, whom he befriended months earlier, scuffling with
Germany’s Prime Minister Angela Merkel over how to save the Euro and
French banks, camera shots with the new baby, and at an October 7,
2011 meeting in Armenia stating that `Turkey’s refusal to recognize
the [Armenian] genocide would force France to make such denials a
criminal offense.’

Peoples who suffered genocide have the right to solicit compensation
for displaced survivors from the guilty government and to seek means
to correct the wrong. Others have an obligation to help. Nevertheless,
knowing that President Sarkozy’s statement would irritate Turkish
Prime Minister Erdogan and force him to reject the bill, there must be
more to the French President’s actions and to the French National
Assembly December 20, 2011 vote that proposed a year in jail and a
fine of $58,000 to those publicly denying the alleged genocide.

Note: The expression `alleged genocide’ is used for impartiality.
There is neither intention to deny genocide nor assent to a thesis
that it did not occur.

What does the bill accomplish for France?

Is denial of an Armenian genocide a polarizing issue in France? Do
citizens of La Patria openly debate Ottoman Empire responsibility for
an alleged genocide that happened one hundred years ago? Does French
jurisprudence need this bill to prevent a significant offense? The
necessity to pass a law that makes it a crime to deny the alleged
Armenian genocide is baffling. To whom is it directed and what is its
purpose?

The bill will not help the victims; after all, they are gone. What
happened in the Armenian part of Turkey almost a century ago is not a
French issue, and therefore will neither resolve a present or future
French problem nor change French life. It is doubtful that many
citizens thought about the issue and argued a need for the bill.

The bill will create problems

Old wounds are opened, and with them renewed hatreds will occur. As
the western world starts to overcome its prejudices and learns to
appreciate the Turkish nation, Sarkozy shakes the world with
accusations of criminal behavior by the almost ancient Ottoman
government.

Just when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has embarked on
reconciliation with Armenia and his own Armenian citizens, a challenge
interrupts the peace-minded progress. After decades of hostility,
Turkey and Armenia signed an agreement in October 2009 to establish
diplomatic relations and open their borders. Unfortunately, neither
government has ratified the agreement due to the lack of settlement of
a dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a
territory that was formally inside Azerbaijan and, since a 1990s war,
is occupied by ethnic Armenians.

The bill, written one hundred years after an event, makes it illegal
for people to rebut accusations that their ancestors initiated
genocide and considers them complicit in the atrocities if they defend
their elders. The Turks are probably asking themselves: `If this bill
is necessary, why aren’t there bills concerning complicity of many
western powers in the mass killings of Indigenous populations in the
Western Hemisphere, African populations throughout Africa, which
includes slavery in the United States, Asians, most prominently in
China, India, and the Philippines, and their own populations in
Europe?’

Not stopping atrocities, and then criminalizing words that question
the extent of the atrocities, smacks of duplicity; an attempt to hide
failures by achieving political correctness. Isn’t there something
wrong in a democratic nation when opinions can be made illegal and
illegal deeds are not prevented?

Why aren’t remaining effects of previous genocides not directly countered?

Existing effects of previous genocides require more attention than
bills that punish people for denying genocide. In North, Central and
South America, Indigenous peoples who suffered genocide continue to
struggle for cultural survival and to maintain their dignity. Inca and
Mapuche from South America, Maya from Central America, and Indigenous
peoples in North America remain disempowered in trying to regain the
land and resources stolen from them and find themselves slowly
decimated and slipping into obscurity. Grief still inhabits their
faces and squalor is forced upon them.

Disadvantages arising from past actions have been, and always will,
impede descendants of American slaves in their progress. While severe
disadvantage is not easily overcome, advantage is capitalized and adds
to advantage. African Americans deserve a compensation that enables
them to overcome the disadvantages in order to achieve an equal status
with White America.

Why are these victims of genocide not being properly helped? The
answer is simple: the economic capital (a huge amount to right the
wrongs done to the African Americans) will not return a positive
political benefit. Note that these genocides are often denied with one
statement – a natural course of history – and the detractors are not
punished.

What motivated a bill that criminalizes denial of an alleged genocide?

Proving hidden motivations for passage of the bill cannot be easily
justified or demonstrated. Frame the question in another context:
Knowing that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan would disregard President
Sarkozy’s statement and vehemently reject the bill, how will others
benefit from a bill that criminalizes denial of an alleged Armenian
genocide?

Prime Minister Erdogan has taken independent stances that lead many to
regard him his courage. His stances and moral attitude have generated
opposition and disturbed those who envy his popularity. The French
bill shifts the moral compass from Erdogan to Sarkozy and reduces the
impact from Erdogan’s independent positions.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) has steered Turkey away from
the severe nationalist polices of its militarist predecessors. The
bill places Erdogan and his AKP Party in a difficult position. Accept
the bill and lose favor with a great majority of the Turkish
electorate. Reject the bill and give the appearance of following a
renewed nationalist policy.

Those who view Turkey as too independent, too large, and too Muslim
seek any excuse to keep Turkey out of the European Union. Add to the
list Turkey’s unwillingness to recognize the Ottoman Empire’s
culpability in the alleged Armenian genocide.

When friendly with Turkey, Israel rejected recognition of the alleged
Armenian genocide. Now that the two nations are declared antagonists,
is it possible that Israel, whose Knesset held a renewed discussion on
recognizing the Armenian genocide, played a role in promoting the bill
in order to embarrass Erdogan?

Armenia has an unresolved situation with Azerbaijan over the status of
Nagorno-Karabakh. The Armenian lobby consistently works to keep the
atrocity alive and direct sympathy to Armenia.

France has a law that calls genocide denial a criminal offense. People
are questioning why the law is applied to the World War II holocaust
and not to other genocides.

An Armenian lobby and contributors can play a significant role in the
coming French presidential election.

The bill might backfire on President Sarkozy and damage French interests.

An injured Turkey, that has become dubious of a wounded European
Union, might shift its allegiance and interchange from the western
world to Russia, China and India. If that happens, NATO, who relies
greatly on Turkey’s geo-strategic position, will find itself engaging
a more difficult partner.

Preventing genocide and assisting its remaining victims has highest
priority. However, perpetually aggravating hatred rather than pursuing
reconciliation and using a genocide for enhancing a personal or
national agenda create suspicion. Making criminals of those who
recognize atrocities but deny that ancestors deserve to be included as
purveyors of genocide is a controversial afterthought and an arm
twister: `Say uncle or go to jail.’

Dan Lieberman is Editor of Alternative Insight, a monthly web based
newsletter. He is a writer of many published articles on the Middle
East. He can be reached at: [email protected]. Read
other articles by Dan.

Public Radio, Armenia
Jan 5 2012

Candlelight Divine Liturgy celebrated in all Armenian churches
05.01.2012 19:32

On January 6, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy
Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

ôhe celebration of the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our
Lord Jesus Christ starts on the evening of January 5 as the church day
changes at 17:00 p.m., after the evening service. So the celebration
of the feast starts in the evening of January 5 and is continued on
January 6.

In the evening of January 5 candlelight Divine Liturgy is celebrated
in all Armenian churches. Candlelight Divine Liturgy is celebrated
only twice during the year – on the eve of the Feast of the Holy
Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ and on the eve of the
Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In the
evening of that day people take to their homes candles lit in the
church symbolizing the divine light and the blessing of the Church.
Lighting candles symbolizes also the light of Bethlehem star leading
the magi from the east to the Baby Jesus.

On January 6, following the Divine Liturgy, the Armenian Church also
offers a special Blessing of the Waters Service to celebrate the
Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan. The wonder-working water
blessed by means of cross and Holy Chrism is distributed to the
faithful for spiritual and bodily healing.

Among the ceremonies related to the feast is the Blessing of the Home
Service. After the Feast of Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord
Jesus Christ and the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord
Jesus Christ people invite clergy to their homes and offices to
receive the life-giving tiding and divine blessing. Blessing of the
Home Service is performed also when the peace of home is disturbed and
the presence of evil forces is felt.

January 7, as well as all the days following the major church feasts
are memorial days (or days of Remembrance of the dead). On January 7
(and all memorial days) a special Repose of Souls Service is offered
in memory of the dead after which people go the graveyards to pay
visit to their relatives’ tombs.

The ceremonies related to the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany
of Our Lord Jesus Christ are concluded on January 13, the Feast of
Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Public Radio, Armenia
Jan 5 2012

Virginia Holocaust Museum to develop a permanent exhibit on the
Armenian Genocide
05.01.2012 16:36

The Virginia Holocaust Museum has decided to develop a permanent
exhibit on the Armenian Genocide. The museum hosted a special event in
December to call attention to its temporary Armenian exhibit and spur
donations of suitable artifacts and financial support for the
forthcoming permanent exhibit. The event was organized by the Armenian
Education Center (AEC) of Virginia, the Armenian Mirror-Spectator
reports.

The Virginia Holocaust Museum was founded in 1997 in several rooms of
Temple Beth El but as it grew, in 2000, it was gifted an old tobacco
warehouse by the Virginia State Legislature.

Tim Hensley, the librarian of the museum, spoke about the museum’s
plan for a permanent exhibit, titled `The Whole World Failed,’ which
will include materials on a variety of 20th- and 21st- century
genocides and the genocide of the American Indians.

The Virginia Holocaust Museum is hosting the Watertown, Mass.-based
Armenian Library and Museum of America’s folding panel display, `The
Ongoing Armenian Genocide: Death, Denial and Desecration,’ devoted to
the Armenian Genocide and its denial, from November 2011 to July 2012.
It may also be shown at the University of Richmond for several months
after this.

news.am, Armenia
Jan 5 2012

Russian expert predicts 99.99% probability of war in Karabakh

January 05, 2012 | 18:04

Formally, the most important event for the South Caucasus in 2011 can
be considered the signing of a treaty extending Russia’s military
presence in Armenia, political analyst Alexander Khramchikhin told
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to him, important and significant events in the region are
expected in the near future.

`A new war will break out in the Karabakh conflict zone and it can be
expected at any time even in 2012,’ he said stressing there is 99.99%
probability of war.

Head of Russia-based Institute for Political and Military Analysis
said the `settlement of the conflict is fiction.’

Khramchikhin is also pessimistic about the future of Armenian-Turkish
reconciliation process.

`Normalization has not progressed an inch over the recent years.
Situation will remain the same 2012 – a new geopolitical role of
Turkey does not suppose reconciliation with Armenia, because it gives
nothing to Ankara,’ he said.

The expert also commented on the developments in the Middle East,
saying `it is clear that the Arab Spring leads to the Islamization of
the affected states.’

`Saudi Arabia is governing the process. The next victim will be Syria,
Assad apparently has no chance to escape. In the coming year Syria
will be subject to the military defeat with a full occupation by a
coalition consisting of the armed forces of Turkey, United States, UK
and the Arab Sunni monarchies,’ he concluded.

Hurriyet, Turkey
Jan 4 2012

Court rules in favor of Armenian hospital
ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

Vercihan ZiflioÄ?lu

An Istanbul court has ruled in favor of the Surp Pırgiç Armenian
Hospital-Foundation to impose an interim injunction over foundation
lands that had been expropriated by the state and transferred over to
Zeytinburnu Municipality in 1985.

`The AKP [Justice and Development Party] blazed a trail in Republican
history with the [passing of] the Foundations Law. The prime minister
issued a directive for the return of our properties. An AKP mayor is
now going against a law legislated by the head of the party, and more
significantly, by a prime minister,’ Bedros Å?irinoÄ?lu, the head of the
foundation, told the Hürriyet Daily News on Jan. 3.

The court decided to impose the interim junction over a
43,160-square-meter estate occupied by Istanbul’s Zeytinburnu
Municipality in accordance with the new Foundations Law.

People who want to buy the tracts in question had begun visiting the
hospital, leading the foundation to file the suit to impose the
interim injunction, Ali ElbeyoÄ?lu, the lawyer for the Armenian
Patriarchate of Turkey, told the Daily News.

Zeytinburnu Municipality was planning to build a stadium over the
grounds in question but has now suspended the project due to the
court’s ruling, the municipality’s press adviser, Ä°smail Uluhan, told
the Daily News but did not elaborate further.

Å?irinoÄ?lu said they had filed the suit without even first attempting
to contact the municipality due to the new Foundations Law and added
they were planning to construct Istanbul’s third Armenian hospital
over the territory in dispute.

The land was originally bought during the 19th century by Calouste
Gülbenkyan, the founder of Lisbon’s Gülbenkyan Museum. Gülbenkyan then
donated the land to the foundation to provide a continuous income for
the hospital.

`We would have had a rough time unless the Foundations Law had gone
into effect,’ ElbeyoÄ?lu said, adding that the municipality had been
accruing unlawful profits through the estate since it was expropriated
in 1985.
January/05/2012

Support Committee for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division
Tel: 978-772-9417
Web:

AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE
My Involvement with Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division
Joseph Dagdigian

December 26, 1999: My wife Lisa and I were unable to decide on New
Year’s Eve plans for the new millennium. So we went to Armenia.
Believing that the prophesies about the world’s computers crashing on
Y2K may be true, I hoped to be stranded in Haiastan for a while. But it
was not to be.

A few months prior to our departure, at one of Prof. Richard
Hovanissian’s Armenian Cities seminars at UCLA, I met Anahid Yeremian.
An announcement that she was working on some science projects in Armenia
led me to introduce myself to her. So on our December trip to Armenia I
took an envelope from Anahid to be delivered to the head of the
Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division (CRD), Prof. Ashot Chilingarian. The
envelope contained a few papers and some money for CRD.

CRD and Professor Ashot Chilingarian

We met Prof. Chilingarian in the lobby of the Ani Hotel where we
delivered the envelope, and talked a bit. Prof. Chilingarian was
extremely personable and easy to talk to. Anahid had suggested (strongly
I may add) that if we got invited to one of CRD’s research stations on
Mt. Aragats it would be good to go. Although I am an engineer with a
strong interest in physics, I was apprehensive about spending a day with
a group of PhD physicists: what would we talk about? Would I understand
anything they were saying? Lisa was adamant: “/If we get invited, we’re
going. It’s only for a day!/” The invite came and we met Prof.
Chilingarian at his office at the Yerevan Physics Institute where he
briefly described CRD’s research. They study cosmic ray physics and
space weather; the effect of cosmic rays on the earth’s environment and
on systems such as satellites, power grids, and pipelines. They collect
cosmic ray data from two cosmic ray observatories on Mt. Aragats. We
left for the lower of CRD’s two research stations, the Nor Ambert
research station at about 6,000 feet on Mt. Aragats. Going higher up to
the Aragats station at 10,500 feet would have been treacherous and time
consuming as there was deep snow cover at the higher altitudes.

At CRD’s research stations on Mt. Aragats crews monitor sophisticated
cosmic ray detectors around the clock. Professor Chilingarian with
another senior scientist, Valerie Babayan, showed us their facilities.
One technician, working on an old troublesome IBM PC which was used to
relay cosmic ray data to CRD’s facilities in Yerevan, joked about how
valuable the antiquated equipment was; museums would pay a fortune for
this stuff!

That evening we dined with the crew at the Nor Ambert station:
scientists, engineers, cooks, cleaning women, and the rest totaling
perhaps 8-10 people who were on duty there. We discussed everything
imaginable: science, Armenia, the US, politics, and history exactly as
we would do with dear friends back home. These people defied my
preconceived stereotype. It seemed that we had known each other all our
lives — it’s just we hadn’t met yet. After dinner one gentleman arose,
approached me, looked me in the eye, and said “/I want you to know one
thing. We’re going to do our research no matter what, but we’re going to
do it in Armenia. I’ve been to Europe and the US. I can go wherever I
want. But I’d rather starve than leave Armenia/.” Yes, I thought, but if
your child is going hungry you’ll leave.

I excused myself, and asked for directions to the rest room. Looking
around I felt both embarrassed and ashamed that we, the Armenian people,
allowed such gifted scientists and dedicated Armenians to work and live
in such run down conditions. That evening as time to return to Yerevan
approached, Prof. Chilingarian indicated that he would remain on “/our
mountain/”. Two of his staff would drive us back to Yerevan.
Chilingarian thanked us “/for all we had done/”. Embarrassed by his
statement, I protested that we did nothing, just delivered an envelope
from Anahid. He stood up, looked me in the eye and said “/You don’t have
the slightest idea what you’ve done. The mere fact that you’re here
indicates that someone in the rest of the world knows we exist. You
don’t know how important that is for us. It gives us the strength to go
on/.”

During our drive back to Yerevan I quietly thought about how I would
sell Lisa on doing what we could to help CRD.We arrived at the Ani
Hotel. Despite only having met hosts 8 or so hours ago, we knew each
other in a very fundamental way. It was an emotional goodbye. As soon as
the car left Lisa turned to me and stated “/That’s it, were going to
adopt the CRD/.”

Upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union CRD’s funding dried up, with
CRD’s employees going without pay for months on end. Professor
Chilingarian told his people that as funds became available, he would
distribute the funds equitably among them. Whoever wanted to seek
employment elsewhere had his blessing, he understood, and would help as
best he could. Most everyone stayed. But to keep up with cutting edge
science some of their antiquated equipment had to be replaced. Confident
of Prof. Chilingarian’s leadership, his people agreed to forego part of
their already meager pay to fund essential new equipment. It was an
investment in CRD’s future. Local villagers, I am told, during the cold
winter months would cook and bring warm food to the scientists stating
“/We don’t quite understanding what you are doing, but we know it’s
important/.”

Prof. Chilingarian has on numerous occasions decried the emigration of
bright young Armenians to foreign soil. He once told me “/You don’t
realize how bright some of our students are. I know I can’t hire them
all, I don’t have the means. But every year if I can hire one or two of
the brightest, keep themhere in Armenia, pay them enough so that some
day they can bring up families here, well… I think my life will be a
success/.”

Prof Chilingarian in Boston

Early in February 2000 Prof. Chilingarian was invited by the US State
Department to a conference in greater Boston, after which he stayed with
us for a few days. He, accompanied by Anahid Yeremian, gave a lecture at
the Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA). While staying with us
he received news that CRD’s electric power was about to be turned off
for non-payment of their bill. CRD simply did not have the cash.
Chilingarian convinced the electric company to delay cutting the power
for another month or two. I suggested to Anahid that Chilingarian issue
an appeal to the Diaspora for support. Anahid replied “/These people
have lost everything but their dignity, I’m not about to ask them to
give that up too/”, referring to having them plea for funds. So Anahid
and I asked our friends and relatives for support. Chilingarian was
initially against this. He stated the Diaspora had enough problems, they
need schools, community centers etc. But finally he relented. Anahid and
I formed the Support Committee for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division
(SCACRD) working in conjunction with a number of organizations,
including the Armenian Engineers and Scientists of America (AESA).

Subsequent Visits to CRD

During one visit I was escorted to a building at the Nor Ambert research
station – a large garage filled with wood and woodworking equipment.
Prof. Chilingarian explained that he needed new windows for the Aragats
Research Station building at 11,500 ft altitude atop Mt. Aragats. Winter
snow there often reaches the 2^nd story windows. Though there were funds
to buy new windows, he realized that with the same amount of money he
could equip a woodworking shop and hire a couple of local carpenters to
make the windows. Otherwise, he stated, these people would have had to
leave Armenia as they had no other opportunities for work here.

On another occasion I sent $100 to Professor Chilingarian. This was not
part of our official aid to CRD, but a personal contribution for him to
use as he saw fit. I suggested they buy a new TV, or perhaps a couple of
kegs of beer for CRD’s employees on Mt. Aragats. A week later I received
a thank you note. There were two men in the local village who did
part-time repair work on CRD’s facilities. Both had orchards which were
wiped out during a recent hail storm. “/If I give each $50/”, stated
Chilingarian, “/they can replant their orchards and be back in business
in a few years. Is that ok?/” Of course it was!

Anahid and I were privileged to attend the international Solar Extreme
Events conference at CRD’s Nor Ambert research station during the summer
of 2005. By this time Diaspora funding had allowed Chilingarian some
latitude in negotiating research partnerships with many international
scientific organizations. Research grants now paid for well over half of
CRD’s budget with a bit more support now coming from the Armenian
government as well. Still, Diaspora support remained, and remains,
essential. Anahid and I interviewed on video a leading scientist from a
Swiss research institute. We assured him that we wanted honest responses
and would not be offended by any comments he may make. We proceeded to
question him on the quality and relevance of CRD’s research. He had
nothing but positive things to say. The following day he approached us
and requested that we delete his interview. Shocked, we agreed to do so.
“/Yes/”, he exclaimed, “/since yesterday I’ve seen more of the
facilities here and have a better understanding of the research being
conducted./ /Would you mind interviewing me again? I have many more
positive comments to make about the CRD!/”

At the conclusion of the conference a scientist from Japan, a very
senior, internationally renowned physicist asked for permission to
speak. He reminisced about his long association with Prof. Chilingarian,
first as a young PhD, until now. He spoke admiringly of Chilingarian’s
research, vision, and his leadership of the CRD.

The Future

Prof. Chilingarian and the CRD have received numerous accolades and
awards too numerous to list here (visit
for a details). He has increased the number
of students taken under his wing, mentoring a number of very talented
young scientists. Chilingarian has not only taken a leadership role
within Armenia but within international scientific organizations as
well. He recently was appointed director of the Yerevan Physics
Institute where he is embarking on a program to utilize Armenia’s
scientific talent to generate revenue for Armenia while benefiting
Armenia socially. Among projects being implemented are the production of
short live medical radioisotopes for the diagnosis of diseases, and
sophisticated medical imaging. He continues as well to lead the CRD.
Prof. Chilingarian’s research has been internationally acknowledged on a
number of occasions . He is a newly elected Fellow of the American
Physical Society together with two other Armenians, Harut Avagyan at the
Jefferson Laboratory in Virginia, and Yuri Oganessian from the Joint
Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia. All are originally from Armenia.

Conclusion

A last minute trip to California, then Armenia, resulted in an
unintended but welcome consequence: the formation of the Support
Committee for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division (SCACRD). While I don’t know
all of our dispersed SCACRD members and supporters personally, I think
of them all every day and thank them for their trust. What they have
helped accomplish is and continues to be extremely important. And I
thank Anahid for her vision, tireless dedication, and determination.

In 2000 there were perhaps 2-3 young scientists at the CRD. Now there
are many. Both graduate and undergraduate students conduct relevant real
world research under Prof. Chilingarian’s tutelage. Many of these
students have received international acclaim for their research. During
a recent visit to CRD’s headquarters in Yerevan I entered an office
filled with young people. As I left I stopped in Chilingarian’s office
to say goodbye. I commented on how impressive it was to see an office
full of young people working collaboratively. Prof. Chilingarian looked
up and said “/Of course, what do you expect? This is the road to our
future/.”