Author: Babajanian Karo

YEREVAN WANTS TO SETTLE REFUGEES FROM SYRIA, LEBANON ON BAKU’S OCCUPIED TERRITORIES – AZERI OFFICIAL

Interfax
Aug 7 2012
Russia

Azerbaijan has alerted international organizations and countries
brokering a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict about Armenia’s
plans to illegally settle Armenian refugees from Syria and Lebanon
on Azerbaijan’s occupied territories, an Azeri Foreign Ministry
spokesman said.

“Following Armenian media reports to this effect, Azerbaijan has
informed the international community, primarily the UN, OSCE and,
especially, the countries co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group, of the
illegality of this Armenian step,” he said.

Such an illegitimate measure will negatively impact a peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the spokesman said.

“By taking such illegal steps, the Armenian side will negatively
influence the negotiations and attempt to obstruct status quo changes
in the conflict. The international community should not allow this
to happen,” he said.

THE CAUCASUS: BETWEEN DEMOCRACY AND SECURITY

Politkom.ru
July 23 2012
Russia

by Sergey Markedonov, Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Strategic
and International Studies, Washington, D.C., USA

The presidential election took place in the unrecognized
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) on 19 July [ 2012]. For various reasons
this election campaign merits serious attention. A considerable number
of commentators hastened to call it an “election with no mystery”
and a “struggle with a known result.” To illustrate, the political
editor of the special resource Commonspace.eu devoted to examining
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict noted that the July campaign in the
NKR “changed little both inside the country, in Karabakh, and in the
context of the ongoing talks on settling the conflict. Politics in
Nagornyy Karabakh has been to a significant degree in stagnation for
the last five years, and thanks to the efforts of the candidate from
the opposition Vitali Balasanyan, the election campaign experienced
some small excitement for the first time in many years. The result,
nonetheless, was altogether as expected. It is quite unlikely that
Karabakh will see any serious changes in the present context.” But
how justified is such pessimism?

In fact, to state that there is a certain political stagnation in
the NKR is not sufficient. The factors that led to such a result
must be understood. And how strong the stagnation is if during the
election the incumbent president’s chief opponent, who despite all
the existing administrative resources receives almost a third of the
number of those who took part in the voting. And generally speaking,
whether relying on electoral arithmetic alone is sufficient when
analysing the results of the election.

In fact, the last election in the NKR differed fundamentally as
compared with the recent campaigns in other de facto formations of
post-Soviet space in terms of the lack of surprises. In Karabakh the
leader was not replaced, as did happen in the Dniester Region or in
South Ossetia, where the proprietors of the presidential offices for
many years Eduard Kokoity and Igor Smirnov were forced to leave. Allow
me to mention, leave under serious pressure from opponents. And with
the serious resistance of the outgoing politicians. Together with, to
put it mildly, the ambiguous position of the Kremlin. That is to say,
in a tough competitive battle. Igor Smirnov lost the presidential
campaign (he did not even make it to a second round), while Eduard
Kokoity, without the possibility of fighting for his third term,
tried unsuccessfully to realize a “successor” operation. As a result
[came] the social awakening of South Ossetia, unprecedented since
the start of the 2000s, the appearance of fierce opposition leaders
(especially Alla Jioeva), and the coming to power of a new president
(Leonid Tibilov) together with a radical personnel reshuffle inside
the government and the intensification of party construction. In the
Dniester Region, the new presidential team headed by the young leader
Yevgeniy Shevchuk took the leading roles. Last year’s election of
the president of Abkhazia stands somewhat alone in this group since
it was unusual because of the death of Sergey Baghapsh, who scored
his last electoral victory in December 2009.

But the Abkhazian presidential election was also a game without
a result announced in advance. The three main rivals (the future
beneficiary Aleksandr Ankvab, Sergey Shamba, and Raul Khadzhimba)
waged the struggle until the last day without absolute certainty of any
success. The parliamentary elections in Abkhazia in 2012 were even more
competitive. The deputy corps, beginning with speaker Nugzar Ashuba,
changed substantially. Only three of the 35 people’s choices reaffirmed
their status. At the same time, the republic administration must also
be given its due. Apparently it sensed the demand for changes and as
a result refused to save the sinking ship of the “party of power”
United Abkhazia. Against this background of the “replacement of
persons” and some attempts to “replace the signposts,” the Nagornyy
Karabakh election campaign of 2012 did not seem an intriguing event
in its preliminary and initial stages. All the parliamentary factions
supported the republic’s incumbent President Bako Sahakyan. In that
way the “creative experience” of five years ago where deputies were
already expressing their support of a “single candidate” was repeated.

Later on one of the participants in the run-up election campaign,
Valeri Khachatryan, who had withdrawn as a candidate, also announced
his support specifically of Sahakyan. An interesting clash also
arose in the relations between Dashnaktsutyun [Armenian Revolutionary
Federation] and Vitali Balasanyan, the ex-minister of defence and one
of the candidates for the presidential post. For many years Balasanyan
was a member of the faction of Dashnaks [party], but before the start
of the presidential campaign, the oldest Armenian party terminated its
cooperation with him. The only party that supported the ex-minister
of defence was Movement-88, which is not represented in the present
makeup of the Nagornyy Karabakh parliament (elected in 2010).

Is this stagnation? Let us not rush to affix labels and draw final
conclusions. On the one hand, there is a great temptation to link the
2012 election and the previous campaigns (the 2007 presidential one
where Bako Sahakyan got 85.12 per cent, and the 2010 parliamentary
ones) into a kind of single trend. One should pay attention to the
idea that based on the level of competition, the 2010 elections
differed as compared with the previous campaigns, and for the better.

Many fierce opposition politicians did not take part in the struggle
for the deputy mandates. Notably, the silver medal winner of the
2007 presidential campaign, NKR ex-deputy minister of foreign affairs
Masis Mailyan, whom people remember for his tough polemics with Bako
Sahakyan during the presidential campaign. On the eve of the election,
in commenting on the domestic political situation, Mailyan stated:
“I think that the election will go normally and a pro-regime majority
will be in parliament, since three of the four parties will certainly
get in.” Touching on the question of public election run-up sentiments,
he emphasized that the population is “taking a very calm attitude
towards the election they are waiting for,” since no real struggle
between the regime and the opposition is envisioned. Outside observers
did not fail to note this fact. To illustrate, in the annual report
“Freedom in the World” prepared by Freedom House, the NKR was noted as
an “unfree country,” which was in that way compared with Azerbaijan,
although earlier it had always held a higher line in the rating.

But on the other hand, several features of fundamental importance must
certainly be noted. In the first place, the definite social-political
decline in the NKR in recent years is directly related to the decline
in security in this cooled but not extinguished “hotspot” of Eurasia.

Take just this summer! Incidents on the line of contact [with
Azerbaijan] continued even during the official visit of the US
Secretary of State to the South Caucasus! Sizing up the power positions
of the opponent has today become a much more important component
of the negotiating process. And we see how each new statement of
“compromises achieved” and “progress” is almost inevitably accompanied
by the latest batch of violations of ceasefire agreements. In this
connection the problems of security make the democratic factors
secondary. Other de facto states of post-Soviet space also had similar
experience, with certain adjustments and stipulations. To illustrate,
a direct result of the aggravation in Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia was
the postponement of the parliamentary elections scheduled for 24
November 2001 to 2 March 2002. But perhaps the clearest example on
this level is South Ossetia. In conditions of the “defrosting of the
conflict” in 2004-2008, the entire internal agenda in the republic
was in effect cut back. And the revival of the compe titive political
process began already after Russia’s recognition of the republic and
the minimization of the “Georgian factor.” One can argue about whether
Moscow’s decision on 26 August 2008 was correct or not, but it helped
South Ossetia secure the minimum of security which made it possible for
both Alla Jioyeva and Leonid Tibilov to appear in the political arena
and in the end to destroy Eduard Kokoity’s monopoly. Even though the
Kremlin hardly had any strategic intentions for the democratization of
the republic. But despite all its powerful influence on the situation
in South Ossetia, even it is by no means omnipotent.

In the second place, in the case of the NKR, the crisis of so-called
“competitive democratization” is a much more important topic.

According to the justifiable comment by the British specialist
Laurence Broers, “as unrecognized formations, the de facto states
have come a good way in demonstrating compliance with the formal
“markers” of democracy (regular elections and correct procedures)
and projecting a democratic image to the outside world. One could
have defined… the dynamics of “competitive democratization” and the
attempt to demonstrate superficially the recognizable indicators of
democracy to Western observers as significant in comparison with the
mother state.

Such a situation probably existed in the middle of the first decade of
the new century. But the dynamics had changed substantially by the end
of the first decade of the 2000s. The norm “first the standards and
then the status” was terribly discredited after the independence of
Kosovo was recognized. And this perception was reinforced in 2008 when
the great powers were recognizing de facto states in accordance with
their own geopolitical reasons rather than because this independence
was de facto “earned” by the formations. The political elite of the
NKR for many years considered democracy as an important resource of
political competition with Baku. For many years, according to the
ratings of the well-known international organization Freedom House,
the level of freedom in the NKR was higher than Azerbaijan’s. That made
it possible for politicians not only in the unrecognized republic
but also in Armenia, as well as representatives of the diaspora
and experts in the West, to say that an important reason for the
self-determination of Karabakh was the higher level of freedom in it
than in the “mother state.” Today, thanks to the West’s well-known
indifference towards and disinterest in issues of democratization in
the NKR, this resource no longer seems too effective.

But even so the 2012 elections, after beginning without any intrigue,
did not become an all-conquering triumph of the administrative
resource. Vitali Balasanyan offered serious competition to the
incumbent leader and in the struggle with him got 32.5 per cent. For
comparison. In the last elections, the “silver medal winner” got
slightly more than 12 per cent. Sahakyan himself as compared with the
result of five years ago reduced his indicators to 66.7 per cent of
the votes. At the same time, the problem of the NKR as a political
actor was the main issue of the run-up election debate, unlike in
other de facto formations. “If I am going to be elected president,
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic will become a party to the negotiations,
not an object of but an actor in the negotiations,” Balasanyan said
during his election campaign. And it was specifically the defence of
special approaches differing from “greater Armenia” that was one of
the central themes of the opposition candidate. In that way, despite
all the existing temptations, one should not rush to draw conclusions
on the establishment of a “stagnation” trend. The NKR did not receive
a new president. But then a new strong opposition leader able to
consolidate the protest sentiments is perfectly possible. Although
today such predictions are still premature.

Elections in the NKR, unlike the campaigns in Abkhazia or South
Ossetia, are not a subject of lively debate among the leading
international players. Here there is no acute competition of
evaluations either. Neither the West nor Russia recognizes the
legality of the Karabakh election campaigns. But all that does not
reduce the interest in the unrecognized elections by social activists
and even politicians from different countries whose geography (once
again in comparison with other unrecognized republics of Eurasia)
is much broader. To illustrate, in 2012 observing the voting were 88
people from 22 countries, including the United States, Canada (the
well-known Canadian politician and liberal deputy Jim Karygiannis came
to observe the election in the NKR), Uruguay, Israel, and Argentina.

This attention, which is by no means always strictly related to
particular state interests, helps preserve a certain aura of democratic
romanticism around the NKR which Nagorno-Karabakh politicians and
public figures can use to minimize the costs of possible periods
of stagnation.

[Translated from Russian]

“PRESENCE OF RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE IN ARMENIA IS WITHIN THE INTERESTS OF OUR SECURITY”, SERZH SARGSYAN SAYS

Mediamax
Aug 8 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow
and Yerevan face the issue of working out a plan for developing
relations in the economy sphere till 2020.

RBK reports that the Russian President said this in Moscow during the
meeting with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan today. Vladimir
Putin said that the task is given to the Armenian-Russian
Intergovernmental Commission which next session is going to be held
in autumn 2012.

According to Putin, Russian-Armenian economic ties develop “quite
well” – over 2011, the trade turnover made USD 1bln and the growth
of the index made 32% as of the first half-year. In his turn, Serzh
Sargsyan expressed the opinion that within next 2-3 years, the trade
turnover between Russia and Armenia may be doubled or even tripled.

The Armenian President noted that military and military-technical
cooperation between the two countries is revving up. He recalled
that the terms of stay of the Russian military base in Armenia were
prolonged in 2010.

“We think the stay of the Russian military base in Armenia is within
the interests of our security”, said Serzh Sargsyan adding that
Armenia will host CSTO exercises in autumn.

RUSSIA, ARMENIA ‘CLOSE STRATEGIC PARTNERS’ – PRESIDENTS
Svetlana Andreyeva

The Voice of Russia
Aug 8 2012

Russia’s annual trade with Armenia is back to the pre-crisis level of
about $1bn, and there is room for it to grow even further. Presidents
Vladimir Putin and Serge Sargsyan discussed this and other matters
at their meeting in Moscow on Wednesday.

Their meeting closely coincided with the 20th anniversary of diplomatic
relations between Russia and Armenia and the 15th anniversary of the
Russian-Armenian friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance treaty.

After emerging from the talks, Mr Putin spoke for the press:

“We have discussed Russian-Armenian coordination within international
organizations, including the Commonwealth of Independent States and
the Collective Security Treaty Organization. We also devoted time to
post-Soviet integration and agreed to set up a bilateral commission
which would look into how Armenia can build cooperation with the
Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Unfortunately, the
Customs Union does not share land borders with Armenia. This obstacle,
however, can be successfully overcome with the help of international
agreements, signed by the Customs Union countries.”

Mr Sargsyan reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to strengthening the
Collective Security Treaty Organization, which brings his country
together with Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

In September, his country is to host exercises of the Collective
Rapid Deployment Force of the CSTO.

He also spoke about joint projects in the economy:

“These are long-term projects. They include several new generating
units at Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear power plant and important
infrastructure installations on Armenian territory.”

The Armenian President described Russia as a powerful factor of
strategic stability in the South Caucasus. He also accepted Putin’s
offer of further Russian mediation on the issue Nagorny Karabakh, a
breakaway Armenian-populated enclave inside Azerbaijan. Mr Sargsyan
praised Russia’s role in Karabakh as ‘constructive’ and ‘conducive
to stability and peace’.

RUSSIA, ARMENIA TO SET UP SPECIAL COMMITTEE FOR CES INTEGRATION PROCESSES

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 8, 2012 – 19:37 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Russia and Armenia have agreed on establishment of
a special committee to consider Yerevan’s possible involvement in the
integration processes of Customs Union (CU) and Common Economic Space
(CES), Russian President said.

According to Vladimir Putin, this implies “implementation of recent
cooperation agreements signed between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus
in the framework of the CU and CES, considering all the peculiarities”.

“Lack of Russian-Armenian common border enabled us to devise tools
agreed among the countries (Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus),” Putin
said, adding that prospects for increased cooperation in the framework
of the CIS, CSTO and other international organizations were also
discussed at the meeting between Armenian and Russian leaders.

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America and Canada
H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Prelate, Easter Prelacy and Canada
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Web:

August 9, 2012

We are repeating the lead item from last week because of the
continuing and growing crisis in Syria that is affecting our Armenian
community. Please heed this appeal and send in your donations today.

CATHOLICOS ARAM APPEALS FOR ASSISTANCE
FOR ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN SYRIA

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, issued an
appeal for humanitarian assistance for the Armenian community in
Syria. His Holiness called upon the Armenian community in Syria to
remain unified under these difficult circumstances. From the beginning
of the unrest, His Holiness has been monitoring the humanitarian needs
of the community. The Holy See is providing financial aid for needy
families in Aleppo through the
Prelacy of Aleppo.

His Holiness has asked all the dioceses under the jurisdiction of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia to help families in need, as well as
assistance
for the Armenian Schools in Syria.

Donations can be sent to the Eastern Prelacy, 138 East 39th Street,
New York, NY 10016. Checks should be payable to Armenian Apostolic
Church of America; please indicate `Aleppo relief’ in the memo area.

As president of the Middle East Council of Churches, His Holiness also
appealed for aid from all ecumenical and humanitarian
organizations. He
also issued a call for the end of violence and urged working towards
the unity of the people and dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN OFFERS PRAYERS AT ARS CONVENTION

Bishop Anoushavan with leaders of the Armenian Relief Society and
guests at the annual convention of the Armenian Relief Society,
Eastern United States that took place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The
Vicar offered the convention’s opening prayer and the invocation at
the concluding banquet.

VICAR WILL BE AT ST. SARKIS (DOUGLASTON)

Bishop Anoushavan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and deliver the
sermon this Sunday, August 12, at St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New
York.
Following the Badarak he will preside over the Blessing of Grapes and
the traditional madagh of `Harissa.’

ANEC WILL SPONSOR SEMINAR AUGUST 18

The Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC) is sponsoring a
teachers’ seminar-workshop, `Train the Trainer: Armenian as a
Second Language for Newcomers.’ The seminar, which is under the
auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan, will take place at the
Prelacy offices in New York on Saturday, August 18, beginning at 10 am
and continuing to 4:30 pm. For information: [email protected]
or 212-689-7231.

BIBLE READINGS

Bible readings for Sunday, August 12, Feast of the Assumption of the
Holy Mother of God, Song of Songs 4:9-15; 8:14; Isaiah 7:10-16;
Galatians 3:29-4:7; Luke 2:1-7. Lections for blessing of grapes:
Proverbs 3:9-10; Isaiah 65:8-10; Hebrews 6:16-7:7; John 15:1-8.

Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all
your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your
vats will be bursting with wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10)

For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings click here
().

FEAST OF SHOGHAKAT OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN

This Saturday, August 11, is the Feast of the Shoghakat of Holy
Etchmiadzin that is always observed on the Saturday prior to the Feast
of the Assumption. Shoghakat refers to the vision of St. Gregory and
the rays of light when God chose the site for the Mother
Cathedral. The feast is celebrated at the time of Assumption because
the Cathedral in Etchmiadzin is named
in honor of the Holy Mother, although through the years it became
known as
Etchmiadzin and Shoghakat refers to the three other nearby churches
built by Gregory the Illuminator.

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

This Sunday, August 12, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of
the Assumption (Verapokoum) of the Holy Mother of God and the Blessing
of the Grapes. Verapokoum in classical Armenian means `transport up.’
According to tradition, when the Holy Mother died she was buried by
the apostles. Bartholomew, who was not present at her funeral, wanted
to visit her grave. When the gravestone was lifted they were surprised
to find that her body had disappeared. It was believed that Christ had
come and taken his mother to the Heavenly Kingdom. Based on this
event, the Church Fathers established the Feast of the Assumption of
the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is one of the five tabernacle feast
days in the Armenian Church’s liturgical calendar. The feast is
preceded by a week (five days) of fasting and followed by a memorial
day.

Because Bartholomew was very fond of the Holy Mother, the apostle John
gave him an image of her (which she had given to John). Bartholomew
took this image with him to Armenia to Darbnots Kar in the province of
Antsev,
Vaspourakan (Western Armenia) where a convent for nuns, Hogyats Vank
(Monastery of the Spirits), was built and where the icon was
kept. Most depictions of Bartholomew show him holding this icon.

The concept of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is old as evidenced
in sacred prose and poetry dedicated to the Holy Mother. However, it
did not become a basic doctrine of the church until the ninth century
and it was in the twelfth century that the feast was called `The
Assumption.’

This Sunday is the name day for those named Mariam, Maro, Mary, Mari,
Mayrenie, Maroush, Serpouhi, Dirouhi, Takouhi, Lousig, Arpine,
Arpenig, Markarid, Nazig, Azniv, Arousiag, Seta, Verzhin, and
Arshalouys.

BLESSING OF THE GRAPES

The Blessing of the Grapes takes place on the Feast of the Assumption,
although there is no connection between the two. Similar to other
holidays, it coincides with a pre-Christian era festival that the
Church Fathers
incorporated into the liturgical calendar. The hymn Park Sourb
Khatchesi (Glory to Your Sacred Cross) is sung; Biblical passages are
recited, followed by a prayer composed by Catholicos Nerses Shnorhali
specifically for this
occasion. After the prayer, the grapes are blessed three times with
the words Orhnestsee Bahbanestsee and then the blessed grapes are
distributed to the faithful, many of whom have refrained from eating
grapes this year until after this blessing.

Certainly we can say that the Blessing of the Grapes is a celebration
of the fruitfulness of the earth. Grapes are one of the oldest
cultivated plants in the world. Noah planted a vineyard immediately
after disembarking from the Ark (Genesis, Chapter 9) in Nackhichevan,
Armenia. And, of course, the wine of the Divine Liturgy comes from
grapes.

Bless, O Lord, the grape plants and vineyards from which these grapes
are taken and presented to the holy church, and make them bountiful
and fruitful; let them be like good and fertile land, protect the
vineyard from all kinds of misfortune and destruction which come from
above because of our sins, from hail, from cold, from hot winds, and
from destructive insects, so that we may enjoy that which You have
created in this world for our enjoyment and for Your glory, and grant
that we may be worthy to eat and drink with
You from the bounty of Your most fruitful vine at the table of Your
Father’s Kingdom, according to the just promise which You made, to the
honor and glory of Your coexisting Trinity, the Father, the Son, and
the most Holy Spirit to whom is due glory, power, and honor, now and
forever. Amen.
(From the prayer written by Catholicos Nerses Shnorhali for the
Blessing of the Grapes)

REMEMBRANCE OF THE DEAD (MEMORIAL DAY)

Monday, August 13, is Memorial Day (Merelotz). In accordance with the
tradition of the Armenian Church, the day after each of the five
tabernacle feasts is designated as a Memorial Day, a day of
remembrance of the dead. Traditionally, on Merelotz the Divine Liturgy
is celebrated with a requiem service for all souls and for those
specifically requested. Following the service the clergy and faithful
would go to the cemeteries where the graves were individually blessed.

NEWS FROM THE CATHOLICOSATE

LIVE TELEVISION BROADCAST VIA SATELLITE
FROM CATHOLICOSATE

On the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption, Noursat will be
broadcasting live via satellite the Divine Liturgy presided over by
His Holiness Aram I, at the Sourp Asdvadzadzin Monastery in Bikfaya,
Lebanon, the summer residence of the Catholicos as well as the site of
the Cilician See’s Theological Seminary.

For instructions and schedule click here
().

This Week in Armenian History
Prepared by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC)

Birth of Siamanto (August 15, 1878)

In the constellation of intellectuals that were victims of the
Armenian genocide, Siamanto occupied a place at the top. He was one of
the shining stars of Armenian modern poetry together with Taniel
Varoujan.

Siamanto’s birthplace, Akn, was a city on the shores of the Euphrates
River, in the vilayet of Kharpert. It was remarkable for its
troubadours, inspired by the natural beauty of its surroundings. It
was also noted for the frequent migration of its Armenian
inhabitants. Many contemporaries of Siamanto were born there or had
their family roots in the city, such as writers Arpiar Arpiarian,
Arshag Tchobanian, Minas Tcheraz, Misak Medzarentz and Krikor Zohrab.

Born Adom Yarjanian, the future poet lived in Akn until 1891. He
attended the Nersessian School. Its principal, Bishop Karekin
Servantzdiantz, a folklorist and writer, encouraged him to develop his
poetic talent. He gave him the pen name Siamanto, from the hero of one
of his tales.

Siamanto came from a middle-upper-class family. They moved to
Constantinople, where he graduated from the Berberian School in
1896. The massacres ordered by Sultan Abdul Hamid II were in full
fledge. When the bloody wave reached Constantinople, Siamanto, like
many other Armenians, fled the city and the country. He ended up in
Egypt.

He moved to Paris in 1897 and enrolled in the Sorbonne to pursue
studies in literature for the next three years. He did menial jobs to
sustain
himself. He developed close ties with well-known Armenian
personalities in
and outside Paris. In 1898, his first published poem, `Vision of
Death,’ made an impact among literary circles. In Geneva
(Switzerland), he developed close ties with the newspaper of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Droshak. He became a member of the
party and his poetry nurtured from news of the massacres and
revolutionary actions.

He published his first slim volume of poetry, Heroically, in 1902.
Struggle for liberation was one of the main themes of his writing,
which he developed in a collection of poems, Sons of Armenia,
published in three cycles (1905, 1906, and 1908). Here he made a
transition from mystical symbolism to a realistic depiction of the
Armenian plight. His collection Torches of Agony and Hope (1907)
showed him in a more lyrical and evocative vein.

In 1904, Siamanto fell ill with pneumonia, but he was able to fully
recover, although his health was always delicate. He lived in Paris,
Zurich, and Geneva for the next four years, until he returned to
Constantinople
after the Ottoman Revolution of 1908, which promised freedom and
equality to all. The Adana massacres of 1909, however, showed that the
cycle of violence had not ended. The bloodshed deeply affected
Siamanto, who published his new book, Bloody News from My Friend
(1909), as a reaction to the massacre.

In 1909-1910, he lived in Boston, where he was an editor at the
Hairenik newspaper. He published a book of twelve poems, called
Invitation to
the Homeland, to launch a campaign for the return of the thousands of
Armenians who migrated to America during the years of tyranny. He also
published the first volume of his Complete Works in 1910. He returned
to Constantinople and in 1912 he wrote the poem Saint Mesrob,
dedicated to the 1500th anniversary of the creation of the Armenian
alphabet (at the time, the date of the creation of the alphabet was
thought to be 412), which was celebrated
with great enthusiasm by Armenians all over the world. A few months
later,
he traveled to Eastern Armenia and the Caucasus accompanying the
coffin of
Simon Zavarian, one of the founders of the A.R.F. (1866-1913).

In the ill-fated night of April 23-24, he was rounded up by the
Turkish authorities, sent to exile in Ayash with many other
intellectuals, and from there, months later, to death and to
immortality.

STAGING OF NEW PLAY ANNOUNCED

The New York Theatre Workshop has announced the presentation of a new
play, `Red Dog Howls,’ by Alexander Dinelaris, that =80=9Cexplores the
horror of a forgotten genocide, the enduring strength of the human
spirit and how the choices we make for our children will=80’for better
or worse-reverberate for generations to come… In 1915, a terrible
secret was buried…Almost a century later, it is about to be
uncovered.’

The theater is located at 79 East 4th Street, New York
City. Performances begin September 5 and continue to October 14. For
information: ().

BE A FRIEND ON FACEBOOK

In conjunction with the upcoming visit of His Holiness Aram I to the
Eastern Prelacy we have created a Facebook page that can be found by
searching on `Armenian Church Eastern US.’ We are in the process of
populating the page and will soon begin adding content on a daily
basis. Click here to jump to our Facebook page
().

FROM THE PRELACY BOOKSTORE

THIS WEEK WE FEATURE THREE CDs FROM THE POPULAR AND TALENTED

TENOR KEVORK HADJIAN

BLESS YOU (Uzkez Orhnemk)
A selection of 12 sacred songs.
$18.00 plus shipping & handling

ARMENIA IN GOMIDAS (Gomidasian Haiastan)
Includes 17 popular selections.
$15.00 plus shipping & handling

ARMENIA IN SONGS (Haiastanuh Yergeroum)
A selection of 15 songs expressing the Armenian dream.
An informative booklet is included.
$15.00 plus shipping & handling

To order these or other items contact the bookstore by email at
[email protected] or by telephone at 212-689-7810.

A REMINDER ABOUT CROSSROADS

We remind you that items in Crossroads can be reproduced without
permission. Please credit Crossroads as the source.

POPULAR TIME FOR PICNICS

The celebration of the Blessing of the Grapes is a time when many of
our parishes have their annual summer picnics and an open-air blessing
of
grapes. Those parishes that submitted information are listed in our
calendar below. It is a fun activity of fellowship and good food for
the whole family.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

August 10-12-Armenian Fest and Blessing of the Grapes, All Saints
Church, Glenview, Illinois. For information: 847-998-1989.

August 12-Annual Church Picnic and Blessing of the Grapes,
Sts. Vartanantz Church (New Jersey) and Dro Gomideh. Dunkerhook Park,
Pavillion D,
Paramus, New Jersey, 1 to 5 pm. Music, delicious food and desserts,
arts &
crafts and playground for children; cards and tavloo…and more. In
case of rain, indoor picnic at Sts. Vartanantz hall, 461 Bergen
Boulevard, Ridgefield, New Jersey.

August 12-Assumption of the Holy Mother of God, Blessing of the
Grapes, and Indoor Picnic, following the Divine Liturgy at
St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City, under the auspices of
Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, Pastor. Organized and prepared by the
Ladies Guild. Activities for
kids of all ages; food available for sale. Admission (including raffle
ticket), $5.00; children free. For information: 212-689-5880.

August 12-St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, Feast of the
Assumption of the Holy Virgin and Blessing of Grapes, traditional
madagh of Harissa.

August 12-Annual Picnic, St. Stephen’s Armenian Church of Greater
Boston. Divine Liturgy will take place at 10 am at Camp Haiastan in
Franklin, Massachusetts. Lunch beginning at 12 noon includes delicious
shish kebab and refreshments. Blessing of Madagh and Grapes at 3:30
pm. Live music by Mal Barsamian Ensemble.

August 12-Holy Trinity Church, 635 Grove Street, Worcester,
Massachusetts, Annual Church Picnic and Blessing of the Grapes, at
noon on the church grounds. Enjoy delicious Armenian food, including
Shish Kebab, Losh Kebab, and Chicken Kebab dinners, along with kheyma
and homemade desserts. Listen and dance to Armenian music by DJ
Shaheen, sign-up for backgammon tournament, or let children play on
bouncy house. Free parking and admission. For information:
508-852-2414.

August 12-Assumption of the Holy Mother of God, Blessing of the Grapes
and indoor picnic following the Divine Liturgy at St. Gregory the
Illuminator Church, Granite City, Illinois. Tasty shish kebab and
chicken kebab
dinners will be sold. Armenian breads and pastries along with other
delicacies will be for sale. Armenian dancing and activities for
children of all ages. Free admission.

August 18-The Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC) sponsors a
teachers’ seminar-workshop, `Train the Trainer: Armenian as a Second
Language for Newcomers,’ for ANEC-affiliated schools,
under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, at the
Armenian Prelacy headquarters, New York, from 10 am to 4:30 pm. For
information, email [email protected] or call (212) 689-7231.

August 19-Annual church picnic and Blessing of the Grapes,
St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts. Festivities
start at noon on
the church grounds; free parking and admission; shish kebab, losh
kebab, chicken kebab, khema and homemade desserts. Music by John
Berberian and Ensemble. For information: 508-234-3677.

September 16-St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, Annual Church
Picnic, on the church grounds, noon to 6 pm. Best kebabs, cold beer
and tan, watermelon, home-made sweets, special `Kid-Zone’ activities
for children. Also Armenian music and dancing, raffle with great
prizes. Takeout available all day. Admission free. For information
718-224-2275.

October 4-31-Pontifical Visit to the Eastern Prelacy by His Holiness
Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia.

November 10-Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society of
New Jersey and Vanush Khanamiryan Dance Academy of New York, present
Inga
& Anush with performances by Hamazkayin Nayiri Dance Ensemble of New
Jersey, Hamazkayin Meghri Dance Ensemble of Pennsylvania, and Vanush
Khanamiryan
Dance Academy of New York and Connecticut. Felician College, 262 South
Main Street, Lodi, New Jersey, 5 pm. For reservations ($35 – $70) and
information: 201-739-9557, 201-684-1509, or

().

November 11-Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society of
Boston and Vanush Khanamiryan Dance Academy proudly present Inga &
Anush with performance by Erebouni Dance Ensemble of Hamazkayin
Boston. Shaw Auditorium, Watertown High School, Watertown,
Massachusetts, 5 pm. For reservations ($35 – $45) and information:
617-331-0426 or
().

November 18-St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, 50th anniversary
jubilee.

Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacy’s web
site.

To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
add
[email protected] to your address book.

Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
credit Crossroads as the source.

Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected]

ARMENIAN MUSICIANS TO PERFORM CONCERT IN BAKU

APA
Aug 9 2012
Azerbaijan

Ten musicians of Armenian State Youth Orchestra to arrive in Baku
within “I, Culture Orchestra”

Baku – APA. Ten musicians of Armenian State Youth Orchestra will
perform a concert in Baku within “I, Culture Orchestra” project. APA
reports quoting “Armenpress” that the Armenian musicians will have
concerts in Ljubljana, Warsaw, Minsk, Kiev, Chisinau, Tbilisi and Baku
within the project. The concerts will be held from August 24 till
September 2.

“I, Culture Orchestra” is a unique and innovative project of the Adam
Mickiewicz Institute, as well as one of the most important elements in
the cultural programme of the Polish Presidency of the European Union
Council. The Orchestra follows the example of such renowned ensembles
as the European Union Youth Orchestra and the West-Eastern Divan
Orchestra. Its members are young people from Poland and other European
countries to the east of the European Union: Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Georgia, Moldavia and Ukraine.

ARMAVIA RENONCE A ACHETER UN DEUXIEME SUKHO RUSSE
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 8 aout 2012

Invoquant des raisons de securite, la compagnie aerienne nationale
Armavia, a declare lundi avoir decide de ne pas ajouter a sa flotte
de Sukhoi SuperJet 100, un avion de fabrication russe, en depit d’un
contrat existant avec le constructeur.

Selon l’accord qui l’a lie a Suhkoï, signe a Erevan en 2007, Armavia
est tenu d’acheter deux avions de ligne au groupe. Ses dirigeants
avaient vivement defendu cet accord de 100 millions de dollars a
l’epoque, minimisant le fait que les superjets nouvellement developpes
n’avaient pas encore ete testes en condition de vol reel.

Mikhail Bagdasarov, proprietaire Armavia, est un homme d’affaires
armeno-russe proche du gouvernement armenien. Sukhoi est egalement
gere par un citoyen russe d’origine armenienne, Mikhail Pogosian. La
societe russe etait jusque-la plus connue pour ses avions militaires
largement utilises par les forces aeriennes russes et celles de
nombreux autres Etats, y compris l’Armenie.

Armavia a commence a utiliser le premier SuperJet 100 en Avril 2011.

Mais en debut d’annee, le jet est reste cloue a terre pour des raisons
techniques avant d’etre envoye en Russie pour des reparations urgentes.

Un porte-parole d’Armavia a declare a RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am) que la
societe n’en assurerait plus l’exploitation. Il argue du fait que le
SuperJet ait deja besoin de reparations après seulement une annee de
service temoigne de l’insuffisance de sa qualite et de celle de ses
caracteristiques techniques.

Dmitry Atbashian, ancien responsable de longue date de l’aviation
civile armenienne et qui fait autorite, a approuve cette decision.

“Cet avion ne reponde pas aux paramètres indiques dans ses publicites,”
a-t-il declare a RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am). “Pour ce que j’en sais,
ses moteurs ne sont pas assez bons et ses coûts d’exploitation sont
plus eleves que prevu.”

Armavia a deja annonce le mois dernier qu’il ne prendra pas livraison
du deuxième avion russe. Il n’a pas souhaite justifier sa decision.

Celle-ci a cependant ete annoncee deux mois après qu’un autre SuperJet
se soit ecrase lors d’un vol promotionnel en Indonesie, tuant les 45
personnes a bord. L’avion avait disparu des ecrans radars après que
l’equipage ait demande au contrôle du trafic aerien l’autorisation
de changer de cap.

Sukhoi a developpe conjointement le SupeJet avec une societe italienne
en 2000-2004 dans le cadre des efforts de la Russie pour relancer
son industrie aerospatiale durement touchee par l’effondrement de
l’Union sovietique.

L’Armenie deplace son Consulat d’Alep
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 8 aout 2012

L’Armenie a temporairement demenage son consulat general a Alep dans
un endroit plus sûr de la plus grande ville de Syrie, après plus
d’une semaine de combats acharnes entre les troupes gouvernementales
et les rebelles syriens, a annonce Erevan.

Tigran Balayan, porte-parole du ministère armenien des Affaires
etrangères, a declare a RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am) que les locaux
consulaires sont maintenant situes plus près du centre des quartiers
d’Alep peuples par des dizaines de milliers d’Armeniens. Il n’y a
pas d’information concernant des combats importants dans cette zone.

Balayan a declare que le but principal de la delocalisation est ”
d’organiser les services consulaires offerts aux Armeniens syriens
pour les rendre plus sûre et plus rapide.”

Le consulat d’Alep ainsi que l’Ambassade armenienne a Damas continuera
a fonctionner en depit de l’escalade de la violence en Syrie. Selon
le ministère des Affaires etrangères, ses services ont emis quelque
3.000 visas armeniens cette annee.

Les missions diplomatiques ont egalement ete autorisees la semaine
dernière a accorder des passeports armeniens aux ressortissants syriens
d’origine armenienne. Selon les autorites de l’immigration a Erevan,
plus de 6.000 d’entre eux ont demande la double citoyennete armenienne
depuis le debut de l’annee dernière.

Il y a environ 80 000 Armeniens de souche vivant en Syrie. Des
centaines d’entre eux ont trouve refuge dans leur patrie ancestrale,
ces dernières semaines. La compagnie aerienne nationale de l’Armenie,
Armavia, a lance des vols supplementaires a destination de Alep la
semaine dernière, invoquant la necessite de permettre Armeniens de
Syrie de fuir le pays dechire par la guerre.

Gevorg Payasian, sa femme et ses enfants sont arrives en Armenie
a depuis la Syrie plus d’un mois auparavant. Se referant a ses
conversations telephoniques avec des parents qui restent a Alep,
Payasian a declare lundi que les Armeniens sont de plus en plus
touches par les combats.

” Aucun côte n’a de problème avec les Armeniens,” a-t-il dit aux
journalistes. “Mais les gens meurent, tous les magasins sont fermes,
et il y a des penuries alimentaires.”

Le ministère armenien de la Diaspora insiste, quant a lui, sur le
fait la situation de plus en plus sanglante en Syrie ne justifie
toujours pas un exode de masse des Armeniens. ” La plupart d’entre
eux ne voient pas de mortels dangers. Pourquoi ? Parce qu’il n’y a
pas d’hysterie anti-armenienne “, a declare Firdus Zakarian, l’un des
responsables d’un groupe de travail du ministère charge de l’arrivee
des Armeniens syriens.

La Federation revolutionnaire armenienne (Dachnaktsoutioun), un parti
influent represente dans les communautes de la diaspora a travers le
monde et en Syrie en particulier, a egalement reaffirme son opposition
a une emigration en masse de la communaute armenienne de Syrie.

Giro Manoyan, un representant majeur de la FRA, a neanmoins declare
que membres de la communaute qui viennent en Armenie devrait obtenir
de l’aide du gouvernement. “Mais il ne faut pas donner l’impression
que tous les Armeniens syriens ont envie de venir en Armenie et que
nous ne faisons rien pour les aider a venir parce qu’il n’y a pas un
tel desir,” a-t-il dit.

Les sections locales de la FRA et de l’UGAB, la plus grande association
de bienfaisance de la diaspora, ont ete pendant des decennies les
principales structures de la communaute armenienne en Syrie.

L’UGAB a annonce vendredi avoir prevu un fonds de 1 million de dollars
pour l’aide humanitaire aux Armeniens syriens. “Un groupe de travail
special, en cooperation avec le Comite du departement Syrie, est
en train d’evaluer les besoins emergents … pour aider et soutenir
notre communaute la-bas,” a-t-elle indique dans un communique.

L’organisation de bienfaisance basee aux Etats-Unis a egalement exprime
la volonte de transformer ses installations a Alep, Damas et dans la
ville syrienne de Kamishli, en abris temporaires pour les Armeniens
de souche deplaces par le conflit.

“L’UGAB qui est en relation etroite avec les responsables de l’Armenie
travaille sur les efforts diplomatiques et les initiatives sociales
et organisationnelles qui sont mises en oeuvre pour remedier a la
situation “, a ajoute la declaration.

CIVIL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: NO SECURITY GUARANTEES IN AIRSPACE OVER OCCUPIED AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES

Trend
Aug 7 2012
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has banned the use of the airspace of Nagorno-Karabakh
occupied by Armenia, since no one can guarantee flight safety in
the area, the head of the Azerbaijani Civil Aviation Administration,
Arif Mammadov, told the New Azerbaijan party’s official website.

He said Armenia’s steps directed to the operation of the airport in
Khankendi, are attempts to violate international legal norms. This
air space belongs to Azerbaijan, so its use by Armenia is impossible.

“Therefore we, in accordance with international rules of air
navigation, declared air space closed. Our decision has been accepted
by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). If Armenians
illegally invade the air space of Azerbaijan, it will mean that they
violate international norms,” the administration head said.

The equipment for the airport in Khankendi was obtained from the French
company Thales fraudulently. The Azerbaijani side has sent appeal to
the ICAO, in which it indicated that this equipment could fall into
terrorist hands. The international organization fully supports the
position of Azerbaijan, Mammadov said.

In his response letter ICAO head said that in case of violation of
its airspace Azerbaijan may compel the offender to make a landing at
any other airport, without causing harm to civilians and civilian
aircraft. The right to take any decision belongs to the state,
Mammadov 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 per cent 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 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.