Author: Babajanian Karo

Real Medicine Foundation: Team Armenia’s LA benefit raises funds for
Shinuhayr Clinic

asbarez
Friday, August 12th, 2011

Real Medicine Foundation event committee (photo by Studio Alavian)

BY JOE ROOS

LOS ANGELES – On Aug. 7 there was a benefit. Anyone who’s ever been to
one knows the point of a benefit:

`Here we are over here. We know our situation is very fortunate. There
they are over there. We know their situation is very unfortunate.
Let’s get together over here and pool our resources so we can help
their situation over there.’

That’s the point of a benefit.

That relatively simple set of parameters is like a well-done painting:
It’s a beautiful testament to the spirit of humanity. However, much
like a masterful painting, the true beauty of a benefit lies within
the finite details that make it unique.

What’s the benefit for? How do we get people to come? How do we get
people to kick in? How successful were we at the end of the day?

The Real Medicine Foundation’s benefit for the Shinuhayr Primary
Healthcare Clinic in Armenia, sponsored by Geragos & Geragos Law Firm
Aug. 7 at the Fine Arts Building in Los Angeles, was indeed a uniquely
beautiful and successful display of humanity and compassion.

Nairy Ghazourian, volunteer leader of Real Medicine Foundation’s `Team
Armenia’ and event organizer, effectively summed up the spirit of the
evening in her address to the guests.

`This is family. This is friends helping friends,’ said Ghazourian to
the mostly Armenian-American crowd. `It’s always a team effort. All of
us (at the benefit) are privileged so much in this world and this
wonderful country, and I think all we can do is really give ourselves
a little more to those who are much less fortunate than us.’

In unanimous agreement, everyone gave to support the clinic.

The Shinuhayr Clinic, even with its current deteriorated structure, is
providing primary healthcare and emergency services to Shinuhayr, as
well as seven surrounding villages. Doctors and nurses are provided by
the Armenian government, but the clinic operations, to include
supplies and structural repairs, is funded through The Real Medicine
Foundation. Hence, the need for a benefit.

`In Armenia right now, we’re working out of a structure that was a
hospital in the time of the Soviet Union, and the building needs
urgent renovation,’ said Dr. Martina Fuchs, founder and CEO of the
Real Medicine Foundation. `Most of the rooms are not usable. We use a
few of the rooms as examination rooms for the patients, and a few
other rooms to make sure we at least have a running clinic.’

Dr. Fuchs is not the typical Non-Governmental Organization CEO. She
stood out in the crowd of well-dressed, mostly Armenian-American
benefit attendees, and it wasn’t just because of her blonde hair. Dr.
Fuchs’ persona and her demeanor are not that of a stuffy executive,
making calls from a top-floor office. Though everyone at the Fine Arts
Building was well aware of who she was, she presented herself as a
gracious servant, and indeed acted as one.

Her attendance at the event in Los Angeles was only a stop on a
voyage. She came from working on the ground in Haiti, where victims
are still feeling the devastating effects of the January 12, 2010
earthquake. After the benefit, she was en route to another one of the
16 countries in which The Real Medicine Foundation has relief efforts,
where she’d be working again in the field with actual people in need.

Though the benefit was only a stop on what seems like a never-ending
crusade, the importance of soliciting financial contributions hardly
escaped her. `The greatest challenge is always money,’ said Fuchs.
`The more funding we have, the more we can do, the more people we can
reach.’

This particular fundraiser was in an effort to reach more people, but
also to strengthen the services for the people who were already being
reached. That strengthening, as everyone who has made an assessment of
the clinic agrees, needs to start with the roof.

`Just talking to us, they decided, `let’s do the roof first,” said
Sarkis Moradian of Ark Construction, a construction company that has
been working closely with Team Armenia to renovate the clinic.
According to Moradian, there are several structural improvements that
can be made to the building, but the element in the most dire need of
repair is the roof. With several leaking areas, compounded by
precipitation brought on by Armenian weather, it makes sense to tackle
the leaking roof before any damage can spread to other parts of the
structure, said Moradian.

To solicit funding for the roof as well as whatever else could be
helped by the benefit, Nairy Ghazourian also worked to give patrons an
immediate memento for return on their investment. A silent auction of
prints by acclaimed artists such as Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, and
Marc Chagall, from the prestigious Andrew Weiss Gallery, was held for
patrons. Additionally, photographs of Armenian life and culture from
the collection, `A Journey to Armenia,’ a collection by Armenian
photographers Sara Anjargolian and Vahe D’Ala, were sold to give
attendees a reminder of just who it was that their contributions were
going to benefit.

And even for those who didn’t come away from the benefit with
something new to hang on their wall, there was still a cavalcade of
impressive entertainment to whisk them through the evening.
Performances from international artist and singer, Helen, and
Legendary Persian recording artist, Sattar, as well as appearances
from International, Persian and Armenian recording artist, Andy, and
Emmy-award winning actress, Shohreh Aghdashloo, all made sure the
scene under the ceiling of the Fine Arts Building was starlit.

But star appearances and performances are not the point of a benefit.
The point of a benefit is to pool resources over here to help the
situation over there.

Mistress of ceremonies Jill Simonian informed the audience that $1,000
will buy medical supplies for the clinic for two months. `I’m no
mathematician, my husband will tell you,’ said Simonian. `But I do
know that one hundred times ten equals one thousand, and I believe
there are about one hundred people in this room. So $10 per person can
buy the supplies for the clinic in Armenia!’

When all was said and done, The `Team Armenia’ Real Medicine
Foundation benefit indeed raised thousands of dollars for the
Shinuhayr Primary Healthcare Clinic in Armenia. That’s the point of a
benefit.

LOUPS
Nouvelle attaque des loups dans la région de Vayots Tsor

Les loups ont attaqué une nouvelle fois en Arménie. Le 8 août la
police était informée par l’attaque de loups dans le village de Salli
dans la région de Vayots Tsor. Dans la nuit du 7 au 8 les loups
s’attaquaient à un troupeau de moutons et chèvres en tuant ou dévorant
une cinq bêtes. Par ailleurs une quinzaine d’autres bêtes étaient
portées disparues. Ces derniers mois, dans cette région de Vayots
Tsor, les attaques de loups sont relativement fréquentes.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 13 août 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

BOXE
L’Arménie accueillera un championnat du monde de boxe professionnelle
avec le combat Vic Darchinyan-Pauius Abinda

Vic Darchinyan, champion du monde des poids super-légers (IBO) est
depuis près d’un mois en Arménie. Il y prépare son combat qui se
déroulera le 3 septembre au Complexe sportif Karen Demirdjian
(Hamalir) d’Erévan, contre Paulus Abinda (Namibie). Vic Darchinyan
s’entraîne à Dzargatsor. Il dit « je m’entraine avec Azad
Hovhannissian et Gabriel Dolmayan qui monteront également sur le ring
lors de la soirée du 3 septembre. Tout se passe très bien ». Le 3
septembre sera une grande soirée de boxe à Erévan. Pour la première
fois, des championnats du monde de boxe professionnelle se dérouleront
en Arménie. Cinq combats sont au programme avec des boxeurs venus
d’Afrique et de Nouvelle Zélande. « Je désirais depuis très longtemps
faire un combat en Arménie. Mon rêve se réalise enfin. Je pense que ce
sera une grande soirée de boxe pour les milliers de supporters qui
viendront au Hamalir d’Erévan » dit Vic Darchinyan qui place ainsi
l’Arménie sur la scène de la boxe internationale.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 13 août 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

MONTAGNES
Les alpinistes Arméniens au sommet du Kazbek (5 033 m)

Une équipe de 5 alpinistes Arméniens, membres de la Fédération
arménienne d’alpiniste ont vaincu le 8 août le sommet du mont Kazbek
(5033 mètres) situé en Géorgie et réputé difficile d’accès. Les
alpinistes Arméniens ont déployé au sommet du Kazbek le drapeau
arménien. Une équipe géorgienne avait également gravi le sommet.
L’ascension fut difficile pour les 5 alpinistes dont 3 femmes. Malgré
les mauvaises conditions climatiques et contre l’avis des
météorologues et spécialistes de la montagne, l’équipe arménienne
avait décidé d’effectuer l’ascension du Kazbek. Cette équipe était
composée par Karékine Ounoussian, Levon Movsissian, Hasmig Manandian,
Annie Khatchatrian et Monar Movsissian. Un mois plus tôt elle avait
vaincu le sommet du Demavend (Iran) et ses 5 671 mètres. Mais le
Kazbek restait une montagne plus difficile. Le succès des Arméniens
sera inscrit dans les pages glorieuses de la Fédération arménienne
d’alpinisme qui vient d’enregistrer 120 nouveaux adhérents,
majoritairement jeunes.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 13 août 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

LE BATEAU ARMENIEN
Le voilier « Armenia » accueilli par les présidents de Chypre et d’Arménie

Le 11 août, le président de Chypre Dimitris Christofias et son
homologue arménien Serge Sarkissian ont assisté à Limassol (Chypre) à
la cérémonie d’accueil du voilier « Armenia ». Le bateau qui prit la
mer le 18 mai 2009 de Valence (Espagne) sillonne mers et océans à la
rencontre des communautés arméniennes. A Limassol, l’arrivée d’«
Armenia » coïncidait avec les cérémonies du 20ème anniversaire de la
République d’Arménie. D’après le journal « Cyprus Mail » le président
chypriote s’adressant à Serge Sarkissian a dit qu’il était heureux
d’accueillir à Chypre le président d’Arménie ainsi que le voilier «
Armenia ». « Pour nous c’est un grand honneur que le voyage du bateau
arménien se termine à Chypre, c’est un symbole illustrant les très
bonnes relations arméno-grecques » dit Dimitris Christofias. Il ajouta
également « Les républiques de Chypre et d’Arménie développent
ensemble des relations profondes basées sur le droit international, la
paix, l’indépendance et la liberté des peuples ».

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 13 août 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

ISRAEL’S KNESSET TO CONSIDER “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” RESOLUTIONS IN OCTOBER

Trend
Aug 12 2011
Azerbaijan

Discussion of two resolutions on the so-called “Armenian genocide”
in Israeli parliament (Knesset), is postponed until October after
parliamentary recess, coordinator of Jerusalem Armenian Cause (Hay Dat)
group Hagop Sevan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Asked about the actions that Armenian community of Israel and Hay
Dat intend to carry out, Sevan noted a lot of work had been done.

“There were meetings, discussions, agreement was reached. For obvious
reasons, I would not like to disclose the details right now,” he added.

The issue on recognition of the so-called “Armenian genocide” was
introduced in the Knesset Committee on Education, Culture and Sport
in May this year by “leftist” party “Meretz” with the support of the
“Likud” party, led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Before sending it to the Commission on Education, Culture and Sports
MPs approved the decision to continue the discussion.

AZERBAIJAN SHOOTS DOCUMENTARY FILM ABOUT KARABAKH REALITIES

Trend
Aug 12 2011
Azerbaijan

A documentary film shot in English titled, “Who is Guilty?,” dedicated
to Karabakh, will soon be presented to the public.

The film tells the story of the atrocities of Armenian vandals against
the Azerbaijani people during the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and
surrounding areas.

The film is being shot within the “Realities of Karabakh” project. It
is implemented by the Azerbaijani Presidential State NGO Support
Council.

Project head Vusala Huseynli said the main purpose is to inform the
world about the problem.

“The film tells about innocent children brutally killed in Khojaly
and other occupied areas and the disabled children,” she said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT PRESSURE ON AZERBAIJAN USING KARABAKH CONFLICT – RULING PARTY

news.az
Aug 12 2011
Azerbaijan

Today the reality is that Russia, as one of the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs, is interested in resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani
Karabakh conflict.

The main reason is some qualitative changes in foreign policy of the
Russian Federation.

The remarks came from Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New
Azerbaijan Party Mubariz Gurbanli.

It is impossible to achieve breakthrough in negotiations through
pressure, Gurbanli said. “You cannot use Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
as a means of pressure on Azerbaijan. Such a tactic never worked,”
the ruling party official said.

“Despite 20% of Azerbaijani territory has been occupied, we will not
retreat from this policy and we are implementing it with success,”
Gurbanli added.

“Serious socio-economic situation in Armenia makes some countries to
intensify their efforts in resolving Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

Armenia’s economy is experiencing hard times, and its patrons
are clearly getting tired of this situation. Therefore, in
order to save Armenia, they are trying to assist in resolving the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Of course, Azerbaijan
and Russia are strategic partners and Ilham Aliyev and Dmitry Medvedev
maintain trusting and friendly relations. There is certain opinion
about resolution of this conflict in Russian society,” the official
continued.

‘Given all these factors, I think a favorable condition will be created
for resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,’ Gurbanli noted.

‘EU HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY PRESENT IN ITS EASTERN NEIGHBOURHOOD’

news.az
Aug 12 2011
Azerbaijan

News.Az interviews Jana Kobzova an independent think tank of the
European Council of Foreign Relations.

How would you characterize the EU’s foreign policy towards the Eastern
partnership countries?

Through the Eastern Partnership policy, the EU aims to help promote
economic and political convergence of its eastern neighbours with
the European Union. In practice, this means the EU is helping to
bolster market economy and strengthen democracy and rule of law in
its neighbourhood.

In other words, it’s a policy of great aspirations which has yet to
bear its fruit: until now, the results have been more limited than
it was hoped for: in fact, in the last five years, democracy has
worsened in all countries of Eastern partnership except for Moldova,
corruption is on rise and human rights situation has deteriorated in
Belarus or Ukraine – this is hardly the convergence the EU hoped for.

At the same time, the policy was never meant to change things on
the ground – the EU cannot do it, local population and their elected
representatives in Eastern partnership have to do that – the policy was
meant to help those who want to make these changes at home. The case
of Moldova, which since the democratic elections in 2009 has made a
significant use of the EU’s eastern partnership offer to simplify the
visa regime with the European Union or embark on negotiations about
deep and comprehensive free trade area, which would eventually open
up the EU’s internal market for Moldova. In other words, when there
is a will, the EU policy of Eastern partnership can help a lot.

However, it must be said that due to the economic crisis, revolts
in the North Africa and Eurozone crisis, the EU has devoted less
political attention to its eastern neighbours than before. The EU did
criticise the rigged elections in Belarus or the political trial of
Yulia Tymoshenko in Ukraine, however, despite worsening of democracy
in its eastern neighbourhood, the EU’s attention has been elsewhere,
making the EU’s eastern partnership something of a ‘do it yourself’
offer for its eastern neighbours. This may change as the EU’s External
Action Service shapes up and settles down – but it may take more time
than many initially thought.

What are your expectations from the upcoming Eastern partnership
in Warsaw?

Due to the on-going turmoil in Eurozone as well as the continued
unrest in Middle East and North Africa, at the moment, the Eastern
neighbourhood has not been the number 1 or number 2 priority for the
EU member states. At the same time, the summit is hosted by Poland,
whose foreign policy focus rests on Eastern partnership – Warsaw has
been previously quite effective in engaging other key member states
of the EU such as Germany to keep their attention on the Eastern
Partnership. In addition, Commissioner Fule and his team have made
a remarkable job in making sure the Eastern neighbourhood does not
slip for the EU’s radar screen.

One of the open questions is whether Belarusian official
representatives would be invited to the summit – due to the crackdown
on civil society, the EU has suspended most of the official contacts
with the regime and there are dividing opinions whether to exclude
Belarus from the summit or not given the fact that the state of
democracy is not rosy on most other Eastern partnership countries.

More than a year ago, the EU launched a review of its European
Neighbourhood Policy, which also covers the Eastern partnership
countries – the review has now been concluded and its results will be
discussed with the Eastern partners (who also inputted in the review).

The main challenge for the EU is how to implement one of the review’s
key recommendations, i.e. tougher application of conditionality in its
neighbourhood, given the slow pace of reform in most of the Eastern
partnership countries (i.e. more funds for more reforms, less funds
for less reforms).

Do you expect any resistance from Russia to European integration of
its neighbors?

The EU has been increasingly present in its eastern neighbourhood:
it is the biggest trade partner for all Eastern partnership countries
except for Belarus and has border-monitoring and monitoring missions
on Ukraine-Moldova’s border as well as in Georgia. In case of Ukraine,
Russia has exercised quite a strong pressure on Kyiv not to continue
negotiations with the EU on a deep and comprehensive trade agreement –
instead, Moscow wanted Ukraine to join the Customs Union with Belarus
and Kazakhstan. Russia still perceives its neighbours as part of
its ‘near abroad’ and would continue to try to maintain its leading
role in the region, however, Russia is no longer ready to commit the
enormous resources it used to commit – such as cheap energy subsidies
or numerous peacekeepers – to maintain its position: Russia did not
intervene in Kyrgyzstan and it is unlikely that Moscow would repeat
the military intervention it did in Georgia in 2008 elsewhere in
the region.

At the same time, due to the reasons described below, the full
integration of the Eastern partnership countries into the EU is
currently off the table: due to disappointments with Ukraine but also
due to the EU’s internal problems, the EU’s enlargement – except for
Croatia and maybe Iceland – will remain a non-starter for the next
couple of years. This doesn’t mean that the countries should not
continue reforms and democratization – the Baltic states or Central
European states launched their reforms in 1990s at the time when no
one seriously talked about their potential EU accession.

May the European integration assist somehow to bring closer positions
of Azerbaijan and Armenia on Karabakh?

Countries with unresolved border disputes cannot join the European
Union – so resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh will have to take place
before Armenia’s or Azerbaijan’s accession. Political and economic
reforms required from the countries to join the EU are not directly
aimed at conflict resolution, however, integration process would
help focus the attention on issues other than Nagorno Karabakh and
potentially decrease the tensions.

The EU is already supporting the conflict resolution through a number
of ways, including supporting projects on the ground and the mediation
of the Minsk Group. Ultimately, it will be up to the people of both
states and Nagorno Karabakh population to resolve the issue. However,
given the current tensions and lack of progress on negotiations,
the process looks rather long-term.

What kind of role may the EU play in the settlement such kind of
territorial disputes near its Eastern borders?

With the consent of the concerned parties, the EU can deploy
peacekeeping or monitoring missions and assist – financially or
through experts – with mediation between the sides of the conflict.

For example, in the case of Transnistria, the EU deployed its border
assistance and monitoring mission to Moldova and Ukraine, which helps
improve border and customs management along the two states’ border
(including Transnistria). At the same time, as mentioned, the EU acts
upon the consent of the involved sides – which also limits the scope
of its assistance, as in the case of Georgia, where the EU Monitoring
Mission has no access to Abkhazia or South Ossetia.

GEORGIAN GOV’T DECISION CAUSES OUTRAGE IN ARMENIA

news.az
Aug 12 2011
Azerbaijan

Georgian authorities plan to take 25 percent of shares of the Georgian
Oil and Gas Corporation to London and New York international stock
markets.

The decision of the Georgian government, which calls to take shares
of large state-owned companies to international stock exchanges,
has caused an outrage in Armenia.

A number of Armenian media outlets including Armenian Press report
that Azerbaijani companies may obtain the pipeline that connects
Russia and Armenia through Georgia. In this case it is possible that
Armenia will face gas supply problem.

The Georgian authorities plan to take 25 percent of shares of the
Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation to London and New York international
stock markets. According to the government, this will give Georgia
an opportunity to identify the real value of state-owned companies
and also raise their rating.

The Georgian section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan gas pipeline is owned
by the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation.

Russian Vzqlyad newspaper reports that Georgia’s Energy and Natural
Resources Minister Alexander Khetaguri said shares of some facilities
will be placed in London, New York and Warsaw stock exchanges under
the government decision.

This may also apply to the gas pipeline that connects Russia and
Armenia and owned by the International Oil and Gas Corporation. The
main point here is the sale of about 25% of shares.

However, Georgian government stated earlier that it had no intention
to sell Russia-Armenia gas pipeline.