Author: Babajanian Karo

EU ASSISTS IN ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES’ MIGRATION PREVENTION EFFORTS

TERT.AM
12:51 ~U 27.03.13

Armenia’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the People in Need
organization on Tuesday signed a cooperation declaration as part of
the efforts to continue the Target Initiative for Armenia project.

According to the Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper, the organization
allocated ~@1 million to Armenia in an effort to prevent migration
from the country.

Migration prevention is said to be one the four key components of
the initiative. It is targeted at people preparing to leave Armenia
forever. The proposed plan envisages social and psychological services,
as well as job offers promising a sustainable salary.

Official data posted on the EU Delegation to Armenia’s website suggest
that the Union has provided over 500 million Euros to the country
since 1992.

European Union or Eurasian Union? Addressing this dilemma that
has acquired a special urgency for Armenia in the recent period,
Yerjanik Abgaryan of the Armenian Pan-National Movement has left
the following comment in Facebook: “Let us now judge who Armenia’s
friends and enemies are. The European Union has allocated money for
assisting people seeking migration opportunities … while Russia –
in an attempt to assist those people – organizes free Russian language
classes in almost all the regions and the capital of Armenia to allure
the Armenians in need into its Siberia repopulation plans,” he said.

Speaking to Tert.am, President of the European Integration NGO Karen
Bekaryan said it isn’t correct to use such characterizations to
describe a foreign organization’s activities in a country.

“It is high time to realize that any state dealing with us pursues
its own interests. And wherever [those interests] match with ours,
the relations deepen and develop. The EU and Russia are no exceptions
in this case,” he said, noting that the EU Association Agreement
and the Free and Comprehensive Trade Area talks have helped increase
assistance to Armenia over the recent period.

But despite the continuing efforts, many Armenian migrants living in
camps are said to be ill-disposed to the repatriation program. An
Armenian citizen is even reported to have committed suicide in a
Belgian camp.

The same reports suggest that the EU is strictly interested in
repatriating those people and to that effect even offers money to
the illegal migrants.

Bekaryan attributed such efforts to the logic behind illegal
migration concept. “Note, for example, that the preparation of the
Visa Facilitation Agreement always went parallel with the problems
stemming from the Readmission Agreement. To speak more plainly, the
issue is this: we are ready to facilitate the entry provided that you,
as a partner, are willing to have your contribution to combatting
illegal [migration],” he explained.

WILL SPRING ARRIVE IN ARMENIA?

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 25 2013

by Alin Ozinian*

Armenia’s Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian, who was awarded
37 percent of popular votes in the country’s Feb. 18 presidential
elections, ranking him second to Serzh Azati Sarksyan, has disputed
the results and called on Sarksyan to re-hold the election.

Before the election, no one had expected Hovannisian, who was also
Armenia’s first foreign minister, to achieve the electoral success
he did. Thus, many people agreed that anti-Sarksyan voters had cast
their ballots for Hovannisian in the elections. After the election
results, Hovannisian declared himself the “real president elected
by the people” and started to hold post-election demonstrations to
protest what he saw as dubious election results.

During his election campaign, “Raffi,” as he is referred to, walked
through the streets, greeted people, rode the subway and tried to
engage in conversations with all segments of society, and maintained
this attitude after the elections. Hovannisian, while greeting people
with hugs and saying “barev” (hello in Armenian), started a new
campaign called “BAREVolution.” Nowadays people are joking, saying:
“Barev [is a greeting that] used to belong to God, but now it belongs
to Raffi. So how are Sarksyan supporters greeting each other now?”

While government officials pointed to many countries, including Turkey,
that have already congratulated Sarksyan on his victory as well as
positive reports from international election observers after the
votes were counted, Hovannisian’s supporters explain how the election
results had been tampered with in Sarksyan’s favor.

Hovannisian and Sarksyan had a one-on-one post-election meeting in
Yerevan on Feb. 21. Only the first five minutes of the meeting were
broadcast live on the Internet. During these five minutes, Sarksyan
asked his opponent: “You look like you are down. Are you upset?”

Hovannisian answered: “I do not feel blue. I am quite alright.”

Although this short conversation restored people’s hope about
Hovannisian’s determination, many others thought that the leader
would withdraw his claims of electoral fraud if he were appointed as
a minister in the new government. After the meeting, Hovannisian,
who looked truly upset this time, told the people waiting for him
on historic Baghramyan Avenue: “Now go back to your homes, we will
gather tomorrow again.” This undermined his supporters’ morale and
their desire to display resistance to the Sarksyan administration.

Since Feb. 21, Hovannisian has held dozens of meetings and declared
that he will go on a hunger strike on March 9 until the election is
re-held. Dashnak Party leader Andreas Ghukasyan, who leveled sharp
criticism at Sarksyan, insisting that he shouldn’t be participating
in these elections, and who had previously gone on a hunger strike
to protest Sarksyan’s candidacy one month before the elections, also
supports Hovannisian. Although millionaire businessman Gagik Tsarukyan,
the leader of the country’s second-largest Prosperous Armenia political
party, who disappointed many of his supporters by deciding not to stand
as a candidate for president, does not openly support Hovannisian,
his popular television channel extensively covers the news reports on
Hovannisian’s protest and invites him on to live television programs.

When we consider the repressive state practices against freedom
of the press and expression, this may be regarded as outright
support to Hovannisian. Armenia’s first president, 68-year-old Levon
Ter-Petrosyan, the leader of the opposition Armenian National Congress
(ANC), who announced that he will not stand for the presidency, does
not openly lend support to Hovannisian but underlined the importance of
free and transparent elections several times. During the post-election
demonstration against alleged electoral fraud on March 1, 2008, a
skirmish broke out between Ter-Petrosyan supporters and security forces
in Yerevan’s Freedom Square. The police forces opened fire on the
protesters, killing 10 of them. Since 2008, Ter-Petrosyan supporters
have commemorated the anniversary of this bloody post-election clash
by holding “Mourning Rallies” in Freedom Square.

Unlike in previous years, Ter-Petrosyan left the Freedom Square
to Hovannisian’s demonstrations on March 1. Nikol Pashinyan, an
Armenian journalist and senior leader of the opposition movement led
by Ter-Petrosyan, also began to organize Hovannisian’s rallies.

Hovannisian has already declared that he will not let anyone shed a
single drop of blood while striving for transparent elections.

However, Hovannisian’s approach toward the “Karabakh clan” — a
group of political leaders from the Karabakh region including former
President Robert Kocharian and incumbent Sarksyan — is different from
Ter-Petrosyan’s approach. During his post-election demonstrations,
Ter-Petrosyan divided people into the Karabakh clan, who both assume
and wield power, and Armenians, who are treated like second-class
citizens in Armenia. But Raffi adopts an all-embracing attitude which
he stresses at every opportunity. Saying, “This is our homeland, our
children and our future and we have to work together to build a bright
future,” Hovannisian hugs a seller in a market and takes a baby into
his arms. He calls on the diaspora to support his struggle against
electoral fraud in a western Armenian accent and uses Russian words
as if to show that he is aware of Russia’s influence over the country.

Although it was not mentioned on his schedule, Sarksyan paid his first
official visit as president to Moscow on March 12, and met with Russian
President Vladimir Putin. Putin, of course, congratulated him and
wished him luck with his future achievements. It seems that Sarksyan,
who returned to Armenia after getting the approval of his big brother,
is skeptical and uneasy about Hovannisian. In fact, all Armenians
wish to have a more transparent government and a better life and this
is why many people still stand with Hovannisian. On the other hand,
others who find his demands admirable believe that he has neither a
plan nor the power to force the government to re-hold the elections.

The fact is that the only demand held by Hovannisian, who considers a
hunger strike as his last resort, was to meet with Sarksyan in Freedom
Square. Sarksyan does not take Hovannisian seriously, though, and
continues to reject his demand. Although it seems unlikely Hovannisian
will achieve anything with a hunger strike when we consider the fact
that Sarksyan does not pay any heed to him, people are still waiting
for the rally slated for April 8 in which around 1 million people,
including those from the diaspora, are expected to attend. And April
8 will be either the milestone of the “BAREVolution” or the last day
we see Hovannisian in the squares.

*Alin Ozinian is an independent analyst.

;jsessionid=070CA12BFA47C00880C55401A5D8730D?newsId=310701&columnistId=0

ARF PLANS TO ORGANIZE A MARCH

12:05 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

On the eve of Armenian Genocide 98th anniversary commemoration the
Youth Union of Armenia and “Nicole Aghbalyan” Students’ Union issued
a statement inviting all young people of Armenia to take part in the
traditional march with lights.

The statement below:

On the occasion of Armenian Genocide 98th anniversary commemoration
the Youth Union of Armenia and “Nicole Aghbalyan” Students’ has the
initiative to organize a public meeting and the traditional march of
lights on April 23, 2013.

All student and youth organizations are invited to participate in
this initiative.

“Dear young people, on the eve of April 24, let us prove our unity
and our determination to be the defender of our rights”.

ARF Youth Union of Armenia

“Nikol Aghbalyan” Students’ Union

J. SEFILYAN: ONLY ONE ISSUE TO DISCUSS

01:15 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

Serzh Sargsyan’s proposal aimed to stop the progress of Raffi
Hovannisian. Shushi’s battalion’s commander Zhirayr Sefilyan thinks.

“Entering in any kind of relations with this regime will be only
damage to this movement”.

To his mind Raffi Hovannisian will remain loyal and faithful to his
requirements.

Sefilyan believes that meaningful dialogue will not be, and if there
is only the issue of overturned government. “Only this kind of agenda
will make to sit down at the discussion table”.

861 FAMILIES FROM ARMENIA RECEIVE RIGHT TO LAWFULLY LIVE IN TURKEY

NEWS.AM
March 26, 2013 | 08:08

Despite the absence of diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey,
it became apparent that hundreds of families from Armenia have been
granted permission to lawfully reside in Turkey.

Responding to the queries by the Turkish MPs, Turkey’s Minister of
Interior, Muammer Guler, informed that 861 families from Armenia
as well as people from Armenia that are currently in Turkey for a
variety of purposes were granted permission to live in Turkey, the
Turkish parliament’s official website reports.

To note, there is no clear data on the actual number of people from
Armenia that currently live and work in Turkey, but experts state
that 10-15 thousand people from Armenia are in Turkey at present.

WHOM ARMENIA’S NATURAL RESOURCES BELONG TO
Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

12:26 26/03/2013

Addressing the latest rally of the opposition in Freedom Square, member
of Karabakh committee Ashot Manucharyan made an interesting proposal:
to transfer the income from the exploitation of mineral resources to
the national budget in order to fund free education and health care.

This sounds as the most reasonable solution. If we are the owners of
the natural resources, we should receive income. But the resources,
though are said to be national wealth, are exploited by private
companies, mainly foreign. While, citizens receive crumbs in the form
of royalties and environmental contributions.

There was information that ex-prime minister and ex-ambassador of
Armenia to Great Britain Armen Sargsyan has been appointed Director
of the British Lydian International Company, which is considered the
founder of the Armenian company Geoteam which exploits the gold mines
of Amulsar.

It is noteworthy that deputy minister of foreign affairs of Great
Britain Simon Fraser, who has recently been to Yerevan, is lobbying
the interests of this company. He said he positively appreciates the
expected volume of the Lydian International investment in the mining
sector of Armenia in the amount of 400 million.

Deputy Foreign Minister also said that the United Kingdom government is
ready to assist British companies wishing to invest in Armenia, adding
that there are good investment possibilities particularly in the areas
of financial services, information technology, mining and agriculture.

According to press reports, the subsoil of Armenia is estimated at
170 billion USD, the annual export of mining products is about 600
million. The budget gets only a small part of this sum, although
the largest taxpayer of the country is exactly the mining company
Zangezur combine.

It is enough to pass a law under which the state will receive a certain
percentage of the shares from the exploitation of mineral resources,
and a considerable portion of the proceeds from the benefit will
flow to the national budget. This will not only boost the coffers at
the expense of our own good, but will also bring to light the mining
business, which is now in deep shadow.

The government has not even exercised an open inventory of mineral
resources, so no one could calculate the true income. Only “their”
people are involved in the exploitation of mineral resources and a few
foreign companies, whose interests are lobbied internationally. The
true income and profits of these companies is unknown to the public.

Many countries were able to brilliantly solve social problems due
to the fact that they gave shares from the exploitation of mineral
resources to the state. For example, in some Arab countries the
shareholders of oil companies are all the citizens. In Armenia,
ordinary citizens don’t receive a penny from their natural resources.

Now a lot of development of mineral resources is carried out in
Karabakh, and in many regions of Armenia. Citizens raised mainly
environmental issues in this regard. But it is equally important to
insist on the fact that citizens are the owners of mineral resources,
so they must not only obtain significant share of profits, but also
know how much is produced, how much is sold and in whose pockets the
income flows.

AZNAVOUR OU LA BANALISATION DE LA TERMINOLOGIE DE GENOCIDE

Publie le : 26-03-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Groupe parlementaire
Suisse-Armenie a reagi aux declarations de Charles Aznavour lors
d’une interview accordee a la RTS le 20 mars, au cours de laquelle
le chanteur a dit qu’il se “foutait du mot genocide” eu egard a la
reconnaissance par la Turquie des evenements de 1915. “On se demande
quelles sont les veritables intentions du Gouvernement armenien qui
se fait representer sur trois plans de la scène internationale par une
personnalite qui ne semble pas avoir compris tout l’enjeu de la lutte
pour la reconnaissance d’un crime responsable de l’extermination de
son peuple”. Le Collectif VAN vous propose ce Communique de presse
du Groupe parlementaire Suisse-Armenie publie le 25 mars sur le site
de NAM (Nouvelles d’Armenie Magazine).

NAM

Communique de presse

Reaction du groupe parlementaire Suisse-Armenie aux declarations de
Charles Aznavour

Le Groupe parlementaire Suisse-Armenie a reagi aux declarations de
Charles Aznavour lors d’une interview accordee a la RTS le 20 mars, au
cours de laquelle le chanteur a dit qu’il se “foutait du mot genocide”
eu egard a la reconnaissance par la Turquie des evenements de 1915.

Groupe parlementaire Suisse-Armenie

Communique de presse

Berne, le 25 mars 2013

Banalisation de la terminologie de genocide

Les propos tenus lors de l’interview de Charles Aznavour, Ambassadeur
d’Armenie en Suisse auprès de l’ONU et de l’UNESCO, diffusee hier
a 13H25 par la Radio Television Suisse (RTS) lors du programme ”
Pardonnez-moi ” anime par Darius Rochebin, etaient imprudents et
malheureux a plus d’un titre.

En effet, M. Aznavour s’est exprime en disant qu’ ” il se foutait du
mot genocide ” en oubliant que la Suisse a toujours ete a l’avant-garde
dans la defense des peuples persecutes par ce crime.

Aussi, M. Aznavour a complètement oublie que quelques jours après son
interview (enregistree mercredi 20 mars 2013 et passee en differe
dimanche 24 mars), la delegation armenienne auprès du Conseil
des Droits de l’Homme a Genève devait faire passer une importante
resolution (A/HRC/22/L.30) sur la prevention du crime de genocide,
qui a finalement ete adoptee vendredi 22 mars.

D’autre part, M. Aznavour participait jeudi 21 mars a un debat consacre
a la diaspora armenienne dans le cadre du Festival international du
Film de Fribourg. L’introduction du programme de ce debat decrivait
“la difficulte a faire reconnaître son histoire et ses drames (parlant
des Armeniens), faute d’images qui les auraient rendus incontestables,
aux aspirations de la nouvelle generation (…)”.

Faut-il encore preciser que la realite du genocide n’est plus a prouver
car les documents scientifiques y afferant sont incontestables ? Il
est dès lors legitime de s’indigner devant une telle affirmation mais
qui semble manifestement laisser M. Aznavour indifferent.

Les Armeniens meritent-ils tant d’indignite ?

On se demande quelles sont les veritables intentions du Gouvernement
armenien qui se fait representer sur trois plans de la scène
internationale par une personnalite qui ne semble pas avoir compris
tout l’enjeu de la lutte pour la reconnaissance d’un crime responsable
de l’extermination de son peuple. Rappelons que c’est precisement
ce crime commis contre le peuple armenien qui a pousse le juriste
international Raphaël Lemkin a initier la Convention de l’ONU de 1948
pour la prevention et la repression du crime de genocide. M. Aznavour
semble se passer des longs combats menes par le Parlement suisse pour
la reconnaissance du genocide des Armeniens. Il en etait d’ailleurs
absent. Il est aussi très preoccupant de voir la desinvolture de M.

Aznavour concernant le combat ayant abouti a la denonciation et a la
condamnation des negationnistes en Suisse ainsi qu’a une jurisprudence
sans precedent en la matière.

Il est purement et simplement incomprehensible que le representant
de la Republique d’Armenie puisse banaliser la terminologie de
genocide en diminuant la gravite de ce crime tout en offrant ainsi
une echappatoire a la Turquie a la veille de la 100ème commemoration
du genocide des Armeniens.

Etait-ce precisement de cette banalisation dont avaient besoin les
Etats-Unis, l’Union europeenne, la France, la Russie et la Suisse le
10 octobre 2009 lors de la signature des protocoles de Zurich ? Est-ce
de cela dont ils ont besoin pour 2015 ? Ce n’en est pas a douter si
l’on considère que M. Aznavour a ete parmi les premiers a feliciter M.

Serge Sargsian reelu a la Presidence de l’Armenie – d’ailleurs dans
un processus electoral truffe de fraudes – et qui avait cautionne
les protocoles de Zurich.

Le Groupe parlementaire Suisse-Armenie est bien conscient de
l’importance du travail de reconciliation entre les Nations turque
et armenienne et le soutient fortement, mais celle-ci ne pourra
pas se realiser en banalisant le plan juridique duquel depend cette
problematique et dont on ne pourra pas se passer pour aboutir a une
solution durable du conflit armeno-turc.

Sarkis Shahinian

Secretaire general du Groupe parlementaire Suisse-Armenie

lundi 25 mars 2013, Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : NAM

RAFFI HOVHANNISSIAN SOUMET DES PROPOSITIONS A SERGE SARKISSIAN

Lors d’une nouvelle manifestation, le 22 mars, Raffi Hovhannissian a
devoile une lettre adressee au President Sarkissian, comprenant deux
propositions :

tenue immediate de nouvelles elections presidentielles et/ou partage
du pouvoir entre les autorites et le peuple.

M. Hovhannissian reclame egalement la tenue d’elections legislatives
anticipees et la mise en ~uvre de reformes au Code electoral,
afin d’abolir le scrutin majoritaire, de permettre la publication
des listes des citoyens qui ont effectivement vote ; de reintroduire
les partis politiques dans la formation de la Commission electorale
Centrale et les commissions electorales des districts ; d’assurer
la participation au scrutin des citoyens vivant a l’etranger ou de
proceder au retrait de leurs noms sur les listes electorales. M.

Hovhannissian demande par ailleurs :

le retrait d’au moins cinq gouverneurs regionaux, qui devront etre
remplaces par des candidats proposes par lui-meme ;

la destitution de tous les maires de villes et villages qui ont viole
la loi en falsifiant les resultats des elections du 18 fevrier ;

la poursuite de tous les fraudeurs, y compris les gouverneurs, maires
et autres fonctionnaires ;

la nomination de candidats proposes par Raffi Hovhannissian a la
tete des Ministères et des postes suivants ; Procureur general ;
Service des recettes d’Etat (impôts et douanes) ; Securite nationale ;
Ministère des Affaires etrangères ; Education et sciences ; Chambre
de contrôle ; Conseil de la justice ; Commission anti-corruption.

M. Hovhannissian a precise que ce n’est qu’après que ses demandes
auront ete satisfaites qu’il reconnaîtra les resultats des elections
du 18 fevrier. 168 Jam relève que Raffi Hovhannissian, en reclamant
des postes de responsabilite au President Sarkissian, a reconnu la
legitimite de celui-ci.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 25 mars 2013

mardi 26 mars 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LA-AREA STUDENTS WIN AT AESA SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

Monday, March 25th, 2013

The winners of the AESA Science Bowl

BURBANK–Woodbury University in Burbank, California was the site again
for the 12th Science Olympiad on Sunday March 10, 2013. This annual
event organized by the Science Olympiad Committee of the Armenian
Engineers and Scientists of America (AESA) brings together young
Armenian students from different middle and high schools to showcase
their completed science projects.

Total of 90 students from 6th through 12th grades with 73 projects
had the opportunity to participate in this year’s competition. These
students were representing nine schools at this event: AGBU
Manoogian-Demirdjian, Chaminade High School, Charlotte and Elise
Merdinian Armenian Evangelical, Holy Martyrs Ferrahian, Rose and
Alex Pilibos School, St. Gregory Alfred and Marguerite Hovsepian,
TCA Arshag Dickranian, Toll Middle School, and Vahan Anoush Chamlian.

The project entries were divided into four categories: junior life
sciences, junior physical sciences, senior life sciences and senior
physical sciences. These projects were judged by eighteen volunteer
scientists and engineers based on creativity, scientific thought and
data analysis, thoroughness, presentation, as well as clarity.

Aside from showcasing their science projects, the Science Olympiad
Committee this year had chosen a wonderful activity to promote team
work and principles of engineering. The students were divided into
groups of five, each group was handed a bag of materials which included
30 sheets of paper, one cardboard (30â~@³ x 12â~@³), four pencils, one
marble, one roll of tape, a pair of scissors, and one ruler (12â~@³).

>>From these materials, they were asked to construct a roller coaster
that had a loop and a funnel. They were given one hour to construct
and then the roller coasters were judged on creativity, design, and
length. A team of five students won based on the complexity of their
roller coaster and the length of time it took the marble to get down
the track. Each was awarded a movie ticket gift certificate.

The award ceremony started by a motivating presentation by Dr.

Beatrisa Boyadzhyan, a research scientist at Quest Diagnostics who
talked about DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecule with a fascinating
video about DNA’s transcription and translation and how DNA may become
the hard drive of the future, opening a new way of information data
storage and recovery.

After congratulatory remarks by AESA President, Dr. Mardy Kazarians,
Jenik Gharabegian, Committee Chairwoman welcomed everyone and praised
all the participating students for their hard work and dedication
in completing their science projects, the participating schools,
principals, vice principals, teachers and parents who had been
instrumental in students taking part in this science competition.

Dr. Marina Guevrekian was praised for being instrumental in increasing
the Science Olympiad endowment fund by $10,000 by being named the
recipient winner of Johnson & Johnson 2012 Volunteer Recognition Grant
Program out of 150 worldwide Johnson & Johnson employee applicants.

Anna Patatanyan of St. Gregory Alfred and Marguerite Hovsepian School
was the recipient of the teacher award this year. The recipient of
the school award was Elise Merdinian Armenian Evangelical School,
represented by their science teacher Mr. Fredrick Sayadian.

“We would like to acknowledge the Science Olympiad Committee members,
Emma Abrahamian, Arpi Arman, Sarkis Barkhoudarian, Mariyetta Madatyan,
Louisa Manasyan, Talin Petrosian, and Arsine Vardanyan for their
dedication and devotion,” said AESA President, Dr. Mardy Kazarians.

“In addition, we commend all the sponsors and the scientists and
engineers who had visited the schools for mentoring the students at
the schools’ science fairs along with the ones who judged the projects
for the participating students,” concluded Kazarians.

Here is the list of student award winners:

The AESA encourages all Armenian students from 6th through 12th
grades whether in public or private schools to strongly consider
participating in the next 2014 AESA Science Olympiad. For further
information please contact at [email protected] or Twitter – @AESA.

Facebook –

Established in 1983 in Glendale, California, AESA is a non-partisan
and non-sectarian philanthropic organization focused primarily
on addressing the professional, technical and scientific needs of
fellow Armenian engineers, scientists, industrialists and architects
throughout the world. For more information, check AESA’s website at
, or contact (818)547-3372, e-mail: [email protected]

ARMENIAN MEDICAL WORLD CONGRESS WELCOMES PROMINENT INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERTS

Monday, March 25th, 2013

Daniel Stamboulian and Claire Panosian Dunavan

LOS ANGELES-Infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death in
developing countries, killing one in three people worldwide.

Prevention and treatment can vary from simple, cost-effective measures
like an insecticide-treated bednet or a vaccine to life-long anti-viral
treatment for HIV/AIDS.

In the case of HIV/AIDS, the African continent has the highest disease
burden since Africa currently has two-thirds of all people living
with HIV worldwide.

Malaria, an age-old mosquito-borne scourge, kills approximately
660,000 people each year, primarily children under the age of five.

About 90 percent of malaria deaths occur in Africa, followed by South
East Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean. Despite recent strides in
malaria prevention and treatment, anti-malarial drug resistance is
a growing problem.

Other global threats to child survival include upper respiratory
infection and diarrhea as well as dengue fever, a mosquito-borne virus.

At the other end of the spectrum, adult deaths due to respiratory
infections can be mitigated by new and improved vaccines as well as
diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis, but the rising global tide
of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is creating new challenges.

“With the globalization of economies and the escalation of commercial
travel, the interaction among people of different origins has
increased, and with that the potential for the transmission of old
and new infectious diseases,” says Alex Jawharjian, PharmD, MPH,
Scientific Committee member and co-chair of the Pharmacy Programs at
the 11th Armenian Medical World Congress.

Daniel Stamboulian, MD, Professor Emeritus of Infectious Diseases at
Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales (UCES, University
of Social and Entrepreneurial Sciences); Voluntary Professor of
Medicine at the University of Miami; and Honorary Professor at
Instituto Universitario CEMIC, will be presenting on “New Facts
in the Prevention and Treatment of Adulthood Infectious Diseases,”
at the 11th Armenian Medical World Congress in Los Angeles on July 4.

“Adulthood vaccinations, especially against influenza and pneumococcal
infections, are extremely important and effective in preventing
infectious diseases,” says Dr. Stamboulian.

Dr. Stamboulian received his medical degree and his specialty degree
in Pediatrics from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. After
completing a postdoctoral training in infectious diseases at USC,
he returned to Buenos Aires to begin his practice in the field of
infectious diseases and played a leading role in research and teaching
activities at different hospitals and institutions there.

Dr. Stamboulian is the founder of the Pan-American Association of
Infectious Diseases (API) and co-founder of the Argentine Society
of Infectious Diseases (SADI). In addition, Dr. Stamboulian is
the founder and Chairman of the non-profit research and education
organization FUNCEI (Fundacion Centro de Estudios Infectologicos) in
Buenos Aires. Within FUNCEI, he has led numerous academic, research
and teaching programs, including the Post-Residency Fellowship Program
in Infectious Diseases. In 2001, he founded FIDEC (Fighting Infectious
Diseases in Emerging Countries), a non-profit organization based in the
United States, that aims at promoting a regional and multidisciplinary
approach for the prevention and management of infectious diseases.

Throughout his career, Dr. Stamboulian has received numerous awards.

He was twice awarded the “Bicentennial Medal,” both as a prominent
member of the Armenian Community in Argentina and in recognition of
his work as a medical consultant for the Ministry of Health of the
City of Buenos Aires. In 2011, he was pronounced “Prominent Figure
of Science” by the Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires.

Claire Panosian Dunavan, MD, FIDSA, DTM&H (London), Past-President of
the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene is Professor
of Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the David Geffen School of
Medicine at UCLA. She will be discussing the “Global Health Equity in
Infectious Diseases: the Case of Malaria,” at the July 4th symposium.

“Malaria not only kills, it holds back human and economic development,”
states Dr. Panosian Dunavan. “Tackling this disease is now an
international imperative.”

Dr. Panosian Dunavan received her education at Stanford University,
Northwestern University School of Medicine, Tufts-New England Medical
Center, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In the
1980s, she became Chief of Infectious Diseases at LA County-Olive View
Medical Center and later moved to UCLA’s main medical campus, founding
UCLA’s Travel and Tropical Medicine Program and later co-founding
UCLA’s Program in Global Health. Throughout her career, she has been a
clinician, a global health policy consultant, and a popular professor
on the main UCLA campus. In addition, she has frequently worked in
developing countries as a consultant or visiting faculty member.

Panosian Dunavan’s second career as a print and broadcast journalist
includes six years as a national editor, reporter, and co-anchor for
Lifetime Television. In 1997, her interview with a dying physician won
an international “Freddie” Award. In 2000, with her husband Patrick
Dunavan – an 8-time Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker – she
produced a television program on hepatitis B which has reached 300
million international viewers. In recent years, she has written
regularly for the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington
Post, Baltimore Sun, Discover magazine, and Scientific American among
other popular publications. Since 2009, she has also written a weekly
syndicated column called “The Infection Files” which currently runs
in print and online in multiple southern California newspapers,
reaching an estimated audience of 1.5 million.

For more information or to register for the 11th Armenian Medical
World Congress, visit our website at