Author: Badalian Vardan

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM LOSES APPEAL

Courthouse News Service
July 17 2014

By JACK BOUBOUSHIAN

(CN) – A historic property in Washington, D.C., must be returned to
its donor because of the failure to open an Armenian Genocide Museum
there, the D.C. Circuit ruled.

Armenian Assembly of America joined several other organizations 20
years ago to create an Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial (AGM&M)
in Washington D.C.

The genocide was carried out by the Ottoman government in modern Turkey
against its Armenian citizens. Beginning in 1915, a genocidal policy
of massacre, forced labor and death marches killed an estimated 1
million to 1.5 million people, and drove the Armenians out of their
historic homeland in eastern Anatolia.

To make their museum a reality, the Armenian Assembly and others
purchased a historic building, the National Bank of Washington building
at 14th and G Streets, just blocks from the White House.

A benefactor, Gerard Cafesjian, also purchased the buildings adjacent
to the Bank Building to expand the museum effort.

After these property purchases, however, the philanthropists made
little progress toward developing the museum.

Eventually irreconcilable differences arose between major donor
Cafesjian and one of the assembly’s founders, Hirair Hovnanian.

This split entered the courts when both parties laid claim to the
museum-related properties Cafesjian purchased, and the assembly
accused Cafesjian of mismanaging the project.

The D.C. Circuit affirmed a ruling for Cafesjian on Tuesday, finding
that the grant agreement provided Cafesjian the right to seek transfer
of the properties granted for the museum’s use because the museum’s
development foundered.

There is no support for the assembly’s view that equity should not
permit Cafesjian to benefit from AGM&M’s failure to meet its deadline
“because Cafesjian’s actions were the very reason AGM&M could not
develop the museum by the end of 2010,” according to the ruling.

“As the District Court interpreted the evidence below, it was the
‘lack of funding’ that caused AGM&M to put the brakes on the museum
project, ‘and the record [did] not clearly show that any actions by
Cafesjian … caused AGM&M to lose donors,'” Judge Robert Wilkins
wrote for the three-judge panel.

The grant agreement provided that, if the museum was not substantially
completed by 2010, Cafesjian could seek either the return of the
grant funds or the transfer of the property, without regard for the
property’s appreciation at the time of reversion.

“With the benefit of hindsight, appellants may now think this deal
improvident, but no sense of buyer’s remorse can empower us to rewrite
the plain terms of the contract to which they agreed,” Wilkins said.

NEW LESLIE AYVAZIAN COMEDY PREMIERS AT DORSET THEATRE FESTIVAL

The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, Massachusetts)
July 16, 2014 Wednesday

DORSET – Dorset Theatre presents Leslie Ayvazian’s new comedy,
“Out of the City.”

This is the third world premiere that Dorset has produced in the past
five seasons, continuing a tradition of New Play Development to which
Artistic Director Dina Janis has proven deeply committed.

“Fostering new work is one of the most important things we do here at
Dorset, from our Young Playwrights workshops to our New Play Reading
Series,” said Janis, who directs “Out of the City.”

“Out of the City” tells the story of two couples who head to a Bed and
Breakfast in the Poconos to celebrate a 60th birthday, and find that
unexpected feelings lead to complications. Ayvazian’s play “15/15”
appeared on the Kilroy’s “Best Unproduced Plays by Female Playwrights
of 2014,” and her “Nine Armenians” won the John Gassner/Outer Critics
Circle Award for best new American play. Ayvazian, an actor who has
been seen on and off-Broadway in shows such as “A Naked Girl on the
Appian Way” and “Raised in Captivity,” and has had recurring roles
on Law & Order, will also star in the play.

Alongside Ayvazian, actor John Procaccino makes his Dorset debut.

Procaccino is known for his work on Broadway in shows such as “A Time
to Kill,” “Enemy of the People” and “An American Daughter,” as well as
television credits on “Law & Order,” “NYPD Blue” and “Smash.” Janet
Zarish’sr New York credits include Miss Julie and “An Enemy of the
People” at Roundabout Theatre and The Square at The Public. She has
also appeared in films such as “Object of My Affection” and “Mystic
Pizza.” Rounding out the cast, Mark Blum has appeared on Broadway in
both revivals of Gore Vidal’s “The Best Man” as well as the Primary
Stages’ revival of Donald Margulies’ “The Model Apartment.” His
film and television credits include “Desperately Seeking Susan,”
“The Good Wife,” “The Sopranos” and “The West Wing.”

“I think this production will really resonate with our community,”
Janis said. “It’s rare to see such a sweetly honest and funny play
about people in this age group, and with this stellar cast, I think
it’s something audiences will truly appreciate.”

“Out of the City” runs through July 19 at the Dorset Theatre Festival.

For tickets, visit dorsettheatrefestival.org or call (802) 867-2223

1914-2014: 100 YEARS OF THE GERMAN-ARMENIAN SOCIETY

By Contributor on July 17, 2014
(Armenian+Weekly)

By Muriel Mirak-Weissbach

Johannes Lepsius is known for his work as a pastor and humanitarian who
intervened on behalf of the Ottoman Armenians in the late 19th century.

Johannes Lepsius

When the genocide began, he returned to Constantinople from Berlin
and tried in vain to dissuade the Young Turk leaders from their
extermination project. His report on the systematic elimination of the
Armenians through murder and deportation raised the alarm in Germany.

What is less well known about Lepsius, the “German exception,” is
that he established the German-Armenian Society, an organization that
has just celebrated its 100th jubilee. Together with journalist Paul
Rohrbach and the Armenian writer Avetik Issahakyan, Lepsius founded
the “Deutsch-Armenische Gesellschaft” (DAG) in June 1914, with the aim
of promoting understanding between Germans and Armenians, as well as
catering to the needs of Armenians living in Germany. In addition,
the DAG intervened to protect the interests of Armenian minorities
in Turkey and other countries of the region.

On June 14 of this year, the DAG and the Lepsiushaus (the research and
meeting center located in Lepsius’s family estate in Potsdam) together
celebrated the centenary with a conference and commemorative ceremony,
at a time when events recollecting the outbreak of the catastrophic
First World War are being organized internationally. In addition
to Dr. Rolf Hosfeld, the director of the Lepsiushaus, and Dr. Raffi
Kantian, president of the DAG and publisher of its quarterly journal,
the Armenisch-Deutsche-Korrespondenz, were political, intellectual,
and religious figures in attendance.

Following opening remarks by Hosfeld and Kantian was Prof. Manfred
Aschke, president of the Constitutional Court in Thuringia, as well
as member of the Lepsiushaus board. Aschke, who is the grandson
of Johannes Lepsius, spoke about the period between the Armenian
reforms of 1913 and the genocide, and the corresponding changes in
the tasks of the DAG. Prof. Hacik Gazer, anArmenian from Istanbul,
who is professor of Oriental Church History at Erlangen, illustrated
German-Armenian cultural cooperation during the 19th century, taking
the example of Armenian students.

How Germany has dealt with the genocide became a focus of discussion
in a lecture given by Dr. Christoph Bergner. A member of the German
parliament (Bundestag), Bergner talked about the 2005 resolution on the
massacre and expulsion of the Armenians, which urged the government
to support efforts in Germany towards reconciliation. As he pointed
out, the problems addressed in the initiative have still not been
resolved. Prof. Armenuhi Drost-Abarjan, the leading Armenologist in
Germany, presented the cultural-political collaboration between the
federal state of Saxon-Anhalt and the Republic of Armenia.

A roundtable discussion brought together several political
figures, including Bundestag members. Under Kantian’s moderation,
the participants assessed the current situation of relations among
Armenia, Germany, and Europe, with a view to the future.

The festive celebration in the evening opened with music by tenor Artak
Kirakosyan and baritone Asatur Baljyan. An ecumenical prayer for the
founders of the DAG and those they protectedwas offered by Archbishop
Karekin Bekdjian, Bishop Markus Droge, and Ecumenical Episcopal Vicar
Father Matthias Fenski. This was followed by greetings presented by
Gunter Fritsch, president of the State Parliament of Brandenburg,
Hasmik Poghosian, cultural minister of Armenia, Stephan Dorgerloh,
cultural minister of Saxon-Anhalt, Martin Gorholt from the Brandenburg
State government, and Jann Jakobs, mayor of Potsdam, which is the
capital of Brandenburg.

After another musical interlude by the vocalists, Prof. Jan-Hendrik
Olbertz, president of Humboldt University, delivered the keynote
address. A former cultural minister of Saxon-Anhalt, he spoke about
the cultural cooperation between that federal state and Armenia.

The evening celebration took place in the Brandenburg State Parliament,
housed in a magnificent castle that, torn down in the 1960’s, was
rebuilt and has just recently reopened. Attending the conference and
reception were more than 250 guests.

Excerpts from the speech by Hosfeld follow:

“The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung referred to Johannes Lepsius
recently as a representative of the politics of law in a period
in which international relations were characterized by anything but
principles of law. Implementing such principles of law in the ‘Armenian
question’ served the lobbying of the German-Armenian Society in its
foundation before World War I, and these principles characterize its
successors’ work still today…

Johannes Lepsius was a German exception. This is the title of a
book that we published last year, with the acts of a scientific
conference held at Potsdam University. A free conscience and the
resulting responsibility for human rights for him always stood above
national claims to power, also and especially in times of violence
and war… The Lepsiushaus sees itself in his tradition and in this
spirit as an institution for scientific research and debate as well
as political education and dialogue with civil society aims.

“The common aims and activities of the Lepsiushaus and German-Armenian
Society have come about as an expression of their similar traditions
and tasks. On this occasion, I would like to thank Raffi Kantian,
who has participated in several conferences we have organized at the
Lepsiushaus since its opening, as speaker, podiums discussion member,
and especially through his constructive, stimulating contributions. I
have the impression that we understand each other very well on a
principled level. Like us, he is a promoter of dialogue, impressively
documented in the Berlin lecture series, and a convinced representative
of what, in the spirit of Lepsius, I would like to call a morally
grounded Realpolitik…”

AZERBAIJAN’S INCURSION SHOULD BE APPROPRIATELY ASSESSED BY INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY: NKR PRESIDENT

12:06 17.07.2014

On 16 July Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan met with the
Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador
Andrzej Kasprzyk, NKR President’s press Office reported.

Issues related to the current stage of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh
conflict settlement negotiations and its prospects, as well as the
situation along the line of contact between the NKR and Azerbaijan
armed forces were discussed during the meeting.

The President considered the recent incursion of the Azerbaijani
subversive group into the NKR territory as another provocative
terrorist act of official Baku and a serious blow to the negotiation
process and the efforts of mediator states, adding that it must be
appropriately assessed by the international community.

PROTESTING VARDENIS FARMERS’ PROPERTY FROZEN BECAUSE OF ACCUMULATED DEBTS

07.17.2014 16:51 epress.am

Several dozen farmers from Vardenis held a protest outside the Armenian
government building today, demanding a meeting with RA Prime Minister
Hovik Abrahamyan.

Speaking to Epress.am, they said that, a 2011 government decision led
the Ministry of Agriculture to import substandard seeds, which do not
yield crops, resulting in the property and assets of 150 farmers to
be frozen because of their accumulated debts.

“The wheat didn’t sprout; we’ve repeatedly proven that the the
seed agency deceived us. They were supposed to import the 970 tons
of autumn sowing, high-quality seeds from Seeds of Stavropol, but,
breaching the decision, instead they imported it from [the Russian]
United Grain Company — the Control Chamber recorded the violations
in 2012. They distributed the seeds for us to return them later,
but that year there was a drought, they didn’t grow. The next year
we planted the same [seeds] again, the weather was favorable, but it
turned out the seeds were substandard,” one of the farmers, Vardan
Hayrapetyan, informed Epress.am.

Protesting farmer Gagik Yeghiazaryan said that the Ministry of
Agriculture is not promising any solutions to the issue, keeping
them waiting for years, but today they came to get an answer from
the government.

“What I have [my property] is frozen; I took on expenses, I burned
the field so that I can plant, but I don’t have seeds. I can’t
take out a loan, at least to buy seeds. The field awaits, empty,”
said Yeghiazaryan.

After today’s cabinet meeting, the farmers met with head of the
government’s Department for Reception of Citizens and Discussion of
Petitions Aleksandr Ghazaryan, who informed them that discussions on
the matter are being held.

MONEY VS. VOTES

By Contributor on July 17, 2014

Dear Editor:

Please permit me to use your pages to inform your readers of a very
important matter.

The Republican-controlled legislature of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania voted into law a Genocide Education measure that
specifically ignores the Armenian Genocide.

The law, sadly, goes into effect in the Commonwealth’s high schools
in 2015–the year of the Centenary of the start of the Armenian
Genocide–and is designed to teach the youngsters the evil and the
horrors of genocides.

Reference to the Armenian Genocide was in the original draft, but was
eliminated after a campaign by the Turks. Efforts to get the reference
to the Armenian Genocide back into the bill received promises from
many sides, including the leader of the Republican Party. However,
when it came to the crunch, the reference to the Armenian Genocide
was not included in the final measure, which did include constant
references to “Holocaust” and “other genocides” and which specifically
also included the Rwandan Genocide.

Therefore, I urge all readers to vote against the Republican Party
in the forthcoming elections. This is not to say that the Democrat
Party candidate is the better candidate, but it is to say that the
Republican Party candidate is the inferior.

I urge all your readers who are not residents of Pennsylvania but
who have relatives and friends in the Commonwealth to contact them
and spread this message.

The lesson the politicians must be taught is that the Turks may have
the money but the Armenians have the votes.

Avedis Kevorkian

Philadelphia, Pa.

AZERBAIJANI FORCES KILL KARABAKH FARMER: SEPARATISTS

Agence France Presse
July 15, 2014 Tuesday 3:19 PM GMT

YEREVAN, July 15 2014

Azerbaijani troops killed an Armenian farmer in the latest violent
confrontation along the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region’s volatile
frontline, rebel authorities said on Tuesday.

“On July 14 (Monday), Azerbaijani troops shot dead a resident
of Karabakh’s Askeran district, Arvind Danielyan,” the separatist
region’s prosecutor general said in a statement.

Danielyan “was working the land on a tractor when Azerbaijani forces
opened fire”.

Violence along the frontline between arch-foes Armenia and Azerbaijan
has simmered since the start of the year, with both sides accusing
each other of launching tit-for-tat raids.

On Saturday, a 37-year-old Armenian woman was seriously wounded in
shootout between rebel forces and Azerbaijani troops, which killed
one soldier from either side.

At least 20 soldiers have been killed so far this year, as government
and rebel snipers periodically exchange fire across the flashpoint
frontier.

Armenian-backed separatists seized Nagorny Karabakh from Azerbaijan in
a 1990s war that killed 30,000 people. Despite years of negotiations
since a 1994 ceasefire, the two sides have yet to sign a peace deal.

Azerbaijan has threatened to take back the disputed region by force
if negotiations do not yield results, while Armenia has vowed to
retaliate against any military action.

GENERAL ARKADY TER-TADEVOSYAN ISSUES STATEMENT ON DETENTION OF LEVON HAYRAPETYAN

20:34 * 16.07.14

Armenian General Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan (Komandos) has issued
a statement on the detention of the Armenian businessman and
philanthropist Levon Hayrapetyan.

“The Russian Federal Security Service has detained one of the most
active advocates of Russian-Armenian friendship and great patriot of
Armenia and Russia, well-known philanthropist Levon Hayrapetyan.

“I have for many years been an intimate friend with Levon Hayrapetyan
and I have no doubts that the action was aimed at overshadowing
Armenian-Russian friendship, the advisability of Armenia’s accession
to the Eurasian Economic Union and, to an extent, affecting the
construction of the Defense Army of the Nagorno-Karabakh Artsakh
Republic.

“The aforementioned suggests a political order for Levon Hayrapetyan’s
detention and prosecution, which has deeply perplexed the people who
know the well-known Armenian philanthropist well. The Republic of
Azerbaijan is the only state in the world expected to the discontented
with Levon Hayrapetyan’s activities. Its leaders are furiously jealous
of the Armenian states’ achievements. It is the Azerbaijan that,
using windfall petrodollars, is trying to resolve its problems by
means of ordinary presents and ‘caviar diplomacy’, a term that has
gained international currency. I would like to recall the words of
the CE Secretary General, who said that ‘Azerbaijan’s caviar diplomacy
is a threat to the CE Parliamentary Assembly’s sovereignty.’

“Regrettably, some Russian structures, including the Federal Security
Service, still have in their ranks dishonest people, who are ready
to betray their own country’s interests for thirty silver pieces. And
I am sure no one doubts that strong Armenians states located between
a NATO member-state and Russia is in Russia’s interests.

“I am recalling this fact for one more reason, namely, that Levon
Hayrapetyan is the main sponsor of the military schools being
constructed in Nagorno-Karabakh, and it is on his initiative that
it has been named after the outstanding Russian military figures of
Armenian descent – Alexander Suvorov and Valerian Madatov.

“Of course, the Armenian people cannot remain indifferent to Levon
Hayrapetyan’s fate, but I am sure that people will raise their voice
in his defense not only in Armenia, but also in Russia – the Russia
for whose development Levon Hayrapetyan has been and will yet be
doing a lot.

“On the other hand, I hope that the misunderstanding will soon be
cleared up and Levon Hayrapetyan will resume his noble activities
as a tireless champion of Armenian-Russian friendship, which is so
necessary for our countries.”

POLITICAL ACTIVIST ON TRIAL URGES YEREVAN MAYOR NOT TO BETRAY HIS FATHER

07.16.2014 16:55 epress.am

At the start of today’s trial in the case against political activist
Shant Harutyunyan and his friends, Harutyunyan urged Yerevan Mayor
Taron Margaryan (pictured) not to install the statue of Soviet leader
Anastas Mikoyan in the Armenian capital.

According to Harutyunyan, if the municipality wants to install
monuments of Bolsheviks, it can install monuments to Kamo (Semeno
Arshakovitch Ter-Petrossian), Sarkis Kasyan, and Aghasi Khanjyan,
for example.

Mikoyan, unlike the others, Harutyunyan said, is a traitor not only
to the state, but also to his family and father.

“At least you, whose father was Andranik Margaryan, dear Taron, you
should know well what a sordid structure the KGB is. The KGB corrupts
a man until the end, forces him to betray not only his country, but
also his father. Don’t become a son who betrays his own father. If
you’re forced because of your position, at least install Kamo’s statue,
not Mikoyan’s,” he said.

Taron Margaryan’s father, Andranik Margaryan, during the Soviet
years was a member of the underground National Unity Party, which
campaigned for Armenia’s succession from the Soviet Union. In 1974,
he was arrested and sentenced to two years in Soviet labor camps for
fighting against the Soviet regime.

Recently, there has been much discussion on social networking sites
and in local media concerning the municipality’s decision to erect a
monument to Soviet leader Anastas Mikoyan. Many public andcultural
figures, academics, and civil society activists are against the
decision.

SUPERFAN SPENDS EURO 22,000 AND GETS IN MAJOR DEBT TO LOOK LIKE KIM KARDASHIAN

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Freya Drohan

PUBLISHED 16/07/2014|15:02

A woman has spent a small fortune to look like her idol, Kim
Kardashian.

British woman Claire Leeson revealed on This Morning that she has
spent the equivalent of EURO 22,000 on surgery enhancements to look
like the reality tv star.

Superfan spends thousands to look like Kim Kardashian

The 24-year-old woman spent the money of teeth whitening, a breast
augmentation, hair extensions, makeup, tanning, and nails.

Not to mention the wardrobe to match.

She also admitted she wears “bum padding” i.e. pants with silicone
inside them to get the same curves as her American counterpart.

The young woman said she is now deep in debt, and has creditors have
sent her threatening letters:

“I work, but my job doesn’t pay enough,” she said. “I’ve used credit
cards to pay for everything. I’m in major debt. I say that I’m going
to pay them, but as soon as money comes in I just think about getting
my Kimmy on.”

Leeson says she started watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians in
2009, and quickly became captivated by the Armenian-American star:

“I watched and realized I had the same amount of siblings and that
we have the same kind of arguments and things going on,” she said. “I
thought she was so beautiful and I really wanted to be like her.”

She states that she was bullied throughout her life, and feels
“unstoppable, untouchable and strong” thanks to her new appearance.

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