Author: Badalian Vardan

Agence France Presse
December 29, 2013 Sunday 1:17 AM GMT

World War I in numbers

PARIS, Dec 29 2013

Millions of dead, millions more wounded, widowed and orphaned, the
dizzying figures from World War I provide a small clue to the scale
and horrors of the 1914-18 conflict.

The lack of reliable statistical tools at the time makes figures on
the Great War difficult to pin down, accounting for sometimes
substantial variations between historians.

The number of victims on the Russian and Ottoman sides remains
particularly uncertain.

AFP has compiled the most widely accepted figures related to the
conflict, and provided average estimates in cases where major
discrepancies still exist.

MORE THAN 70 NATIONS: The figure is slightly anachronistic, since many
of these nations had yet to gain independence from the six empires and
colonial powers — Austria-Hungary, Britain, France, Germany, Russia
and the Ottoman Empire — at the heart of the conflict.

A dozen independent nations went to war in the summer of 1914, the
rest entering the conflict later like Italy in 1915 or the United
States in 1917. Together the belligerent nations accounted for more
than 800 million people, or more than half the world’s population at
the time.

Only around 20 countries were to remain neutral throughout the
conflict, most of them in Latin America or northern Europe.

70 MILLION SOLDIERS: Some 20 million men were mobilised by the warring
parties at the outset of war in 1914, a figure that rose as the war
dragged on in time and expanded in scope.

Close to half of those mobilised were killed or injured.

Eight million men were mobilised in France, 13 million in Germany,
nine million in Austria-Hungary, nine million in Britain and the
British Empire (chiefly India), 18 million in Russia, six million in
Italy, four million in the United States.

10 MILLION MILITARY DEAD, 20 MILLION INJURED

France: 1.4 million dead, 4.2 million injured

Germany: 1.8 million dead, 4.2 million injured

Austria-Hungary: 1.4 million dead, 3.6 million injured

Russia: 1.8 million dead, five million injured

Britain and British Empire: 900,000 dead, two million injured

Italy: 600,000 dead, one million injured

Ottoman Empire: 800,000 dead

Serbia suffered the worst losses proportionally to the size of its
army, with 130,000 dead and 135,000 wounded — three quarters of its
forces.

The emblematic battles of Verdun and the Somme, in 1916, left 770,000
and 1.2 million dead, wounded and missing, on both sides.

But the opening weeks of the war took the heaviest toll in human
lives, with 27,000 French soldiers killed in a single day on August
22, 1914, the deadliest day in the history of the French army.

Seventy percent of the dead and wounded were hit by artillery fire.
Between five and six million were mutilated for life. Poison gas, used
on the battlefield for the first time, claimed 20,000 lives —
relatively few in terms of the war’s overall toll — but was to loom
large in the shared memory of the conflict, and with consequences for
many of the survivors long after the war had ended.

MILLIONS OF CIVILIAN DEAD: In addition to military losses many
millions of civilian lives were lost to the fighting. One million
Armenians were massacred by Turkish forces, while some historians
believe that up to five million people died in the Russian civil war
and lingering conflicts that simmered on after 1918 in eastern Europe
and Turkey.

A Spanish Influenza epidemic that broke out at the end of the war
claimed another 20 TO 40 MILLION LIVES among populations often
weakened by years of deprivation.

SIX MILLION PRISONERS OF WAR

20 MILLION LIVING UNDER OCCUPATION at the end of 1915, most of them in
Belgium, France, Poland and Serbia, living under German,
Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian rule.

10 MILLION REFUGEES across Europe, most of them in Russia, Serbia,
France, Belgium, Germany and Armenia.

THREE MILLION WAR WIDOWS, SIX MILLION ORPHANS

1.3 MILLION SHELLS FIRED, most of them on the Western Front, including
330 million fired by French artillery and 60 million during the Battle
of Verdun alone.

10 BILLION LETTERS AND PACKAGES exchanged between fighters on the
Western Front and their loved ones during more than 50 months of
conflict.

180 BILLION DOLLARS: The estimated cost of the war for the seven main
belligerents — Austria-Hungary, Britain, France, Germany, Italy,
Russia and the United States. Two thirds of the cost was borne by the
Allies and one third by the Central Powers. It was the equivalent of
three to four times the combined GDP of the European powers, who were
ruined by the conflict.

Comments on $6.2 billion outflow from Armenia

16:13 – 29.12.13

More than $6.2 billion was siphoned from Armenia from 2002 through
2011 as a result of government corruption, tax evasion and other
illegal activity, reports, citing the
Washington-based Global Financial Integrity (GFI) watchdog.

The major reason is, according to the GFI, the worst investment
environment in Armenia, economist Zoya Tadevosyan, an Armenian
National Congress (ANC) member, told Tert.am.

`If we compare, we can see much lower investment levels in Armenia,’ she added.

The second reason is the corrupt Armenian authorities, and foreign
investors are well aware of that.

`The authorities are well informed of the situation. So the country’s
political elite has no hopes for Armenia’s better future. They are
well aware of what they are doing, and this is the cause of capital
outflow,’ Tadevosyan said.

For the past five years, about $1 billion a year has been siphoned from Armenia.

`The authorities are making a poor mouth, claiming they cannot raise
pensions or solve social problems. They even say the people must
support them as much as they can,’ Tadevosyan said. Citizens that are
patiently watching the authorities implementing their `plunderous
policy’ are voluntary participants in their crimes.

Since huge funds are in Armenian officials’ hands, the capital outflow
is evidence the authorities do not see any future for the country,
says ex-chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia Bagrat Asatryan.

According to the GFI, cash outflows from the country dramatically
increased in 2007, averaging approximately $1 billion per annum
through 2011.

Asatryan noted that the cash outflows include both domestic and
foreign funds flowing through Armenia.

`It is common knowledge that Armenia is a transit country for
siphoning funds from other countries, particularly Russia,’ the
economist said. So Armenia may be involved in money laundering.

`Numerous facts can be cited, including luxury housing construction,’ he said.

According to the report, a total of $4.5 billion was siphoned from
Georgia from 2002 to 2011. A total of $17 billion was siphoned from
Azerbaijan.

Dervishians bring Armenia to your fingertips

by Tom Vartabedian

Published: Sunday December 29, 2013

Baykar Dervishian displays a number of items for sale as proprietor of
a business called The Armenian Vendor.

FRAMINGHAM, MASS. – What started out as an only trip to Armenia in
2005 has turned into a burgeoning enterprise for Ed Baykar Dervishian.

Together with his Armenia-born wife Narine, the two have nurtured a
business called “The Armenian Vendor” which travels the circuit at
bazaars and conventions peddling anything and everything under the
native sun.

It’s America’s answer to Vernissage — the open-air market you’ll
find inside Yerevan — with merchandise that stretches the gamut from
CDs and DVDs to food, T-shirts, games and promotional items.

On a recent visit to Sts. Vartanantz Church, I stumbled across a
recording of Armen Tigranian’s opera “David Beg” which I hadn’t heard
since my childhood days and — get this — a scented candle with
red, blue and orange wax.

My shopping was far from complete, adding an Armenian flag to replace
one that’s seen its better days, a T-shirt featuring a manual
typewriter (nostalgic) and lastly some gift cards from Zadig Orphanage
— a place after my own heart.

I visited that orphanage during a trip to Armenia and was so enamored
by the children there and the artwork they portrayed that I wound up
sharing my experience with the Armenian press.

On any given day, you’ll find the Dervishians tending to business with
three children in tow — Anna, 7; Tanya, 5, and Natalya, 12 months.
No, they’re not for sale though you might think they’re part of the
inventory.

It all adds up to a dedicated, hard-working Armenian family, steeped
in the roots of their Armenian ancestry and taking every initiative to
promote it.

It’s about a guy who graduated from Lehigh as an engineering major
with a minor in music who saw a need for Armenian commodities and
decided to address it.

Hence their motto: “We bring Armenia to your front door.”

“Growing up in New Jersey, there were no local Armenian stories from
which to trade,” Baykar recalled. “Moving to New England, I decided to
expand what was already inside the Watertown markets by creating a
website (Armenianvendor.com) where anyone anywhere around the world
could shop effortlessly and buy whatever they wanted. It’s been eight
years and has matured immensely on its own.”

Behind every successful man stands his woman and Baykar is no
exception. Without his wife, he admits, there’s no way this venture
could prosper. Narine worked 15 years in finance and puts the
experience to work here, juggling her day job with three kids, this
business and housekeeping chores.

They’ve recruit the help of many friends in bringing the products back
from Haiastan and getting them sold at various events. Sponsors also
get a slice of the pie so everyone benefits.

“Many Armenian organizations were skeptical about how we would fit
into their venues,” Baykar added. “But now, we’re doing picnics and
bazaars all over New England and the Mid-Atlantic area. People tell us
they attend these events just to browse over our product line and see
what they can find.”

Besides music and videos, Armenians are hot after tee shirts and
unusual items created by n artisans throughout the world. Though by no
means a Karsh, Dervishian’s photos of Armenia are another good sell.
The stories behind the images are free and entertaining. Children’s
toys, books and educational items are always up for grabs, especially
during Christmas.

“Our initial intent was to sell products only from Armenia,” he said.
“But having them shipped was way too costly. Since Armenia is
landlocked, getting them out of the country became a challenge.
Connections with family and friends facilitated our market.”

So he could better help his fellow Armenians, Baykar joined the
Knights of Vartan. He’s also been a parish council member at the
Armenian Church of the Holy Translators in Framingham and helped start
the Armenian School there.

What might surprise you about Baykar is his musicianship. He studied
violin in his younger days and went places with his instrument. He was
in Regional and All-State Orchestras in New Jersey along with many pit
orchestras for plays and ensembles. Much of that has taken a back seat
due to time constraints.

People who know him recognize the stories he’s waiting to tell, even
if it might interfere with business a tad. He’s a genuine resource for
Armenian products, information and events.

There’s the one about a bike-a-thon in New York City a few months ago.
A priest called to order 40 shirts from his inventory to outfit the
bikers – two days before the event!

“There was no way I could ship them on time,” he said. “It was then
that I discovered the power of the Armenian Network.”

Baykar hooked up with Talene Khachadurian, president, New York
Armenian Network, for help. They found a participating biker and got
together along a highway to transfer the shirts and get them into the
proper hands just in time.

The future is today, not tomorrow, for the Dervishians. Depending upon
time, energy and finances, Baykar would love to raise the business
from a local “mom and pop” operation to one with satellite divisions
selling live across America.

The next time you may cross paths with this vendor, drop by and say
“Hye.” It just might make your introduction that much more special.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 28 2013

Expert says Iran and Armenia are strategic partners

28 December 2013 – 12:10pm

This week Iranian President Hassan Rouhani congratuled his Armenian
counterpart Serzh Sargsyan on the coming New Year. In his address the
Iranian president called for peace and security for the whole region.

The head of the Modern Iranian Research Centre, Radjab Safarov, says
Iranian-Armenian relations are very close and that mutual trade ties
are developing rapidly.

“Iran and Armenia are strategic partners. Armenia is crucial for
enhancement of Iran’s economic and political influence in the
Caucasus,” the expert says.

Interfax, Russia
dec 27 2013

Iran intending to raise gas prices for Armenia – PM

YEREVAN. Dec 27

Iran is planning to raise gas prices for Armenia and review agreements
on barter shipments of natural gas in exchange for electricity,
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan told journalists on Friday.

Sargsyan said this in response to the recent statement from Iran’s
ambassador to Armenia that Iran is prepared to hold talks with
amicable countries, including Armenia, concerning the sale of gas for
a market price that could be lower than the current one.

“In contrast, experience from the last three years shows that Iran is
aiming to reconsider the ‘gas for electricity’ agreements, and raise
the price for gas,” Sargsyan said. “This is probably a diplomatic
misunderstanding.”

In this regard, he said, the latest agreements with Russia on leaving
the price for gas unchanged until 2018 are very advantageous for
Armenia. Currently Russia sells Armenia gas at the price of $189 per 1
thousand cubic meters.

In 2012, Armenia imported 488.3 million cubic meters of gas, up 6.2%
from 2011, from Iran. Iran delivers natural gas to Armenia for CJSC
Yerevan Thermal Power Plant in exchange for electricity at a ratio of
1 cubic meter of gas per 3 kilowatt hours (kWh) of power. As per the
agreement between the two countries, Iran can deliver up to 1.1
billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas to Armenia a year (around 3 million
cu m a day). Starting in 2014, it can send Armenia up to 2.3 bcm of
gas a year.

Armenia planned to export electricity surpluses to neighboring Georgia
and Turkey, but this has not yet occurred. Armenia imported a total of
2.456 bcm of natural gas in 2012, up 18.7%, including 1.967 bcm from
Russia, up 22.3%.

Kh pr eb of

The News Today (Bangladesh.)
December 27, 2013 Friday

1857 War and the unsung heroes of Bengal

In the annals of modern Indian history, the year 1757 was a watershed
year when Robert Clive defeated Siraj ud – Daulah of Bengal at the
Battle of Plassey. Exactly 100 years after this historical event, the
Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, or the first Indian War of Independence as Marx
called it, cleared the path for the British monarchy to take over the
reins of India from the East India Company, which had established its
control over large parts of the country over the preceding 200 years.
Though most history texts describe this revolt, which originated from
Delhi, Meerut and Lucknow, as seeking to re-establish Moghul rule,
there is more to the uprising. Revisiting the Sepoy Mutiny on its
150th anniversary in 2007, an officer of West Bengal State Archives,
Ananda Bhattacharya, took up the task of unearthing forgotten pieces
of history to explore the role of Bengal in the 1857 revolt. The
revolt began early in 1857 with rumours that the catridges provided
with the new Enfield Rifles issued to the sepoys of the British army
were saturated with animal grease – the fat of a swine used to pollute
one community and the fat of the cow to degrade another.

While there has been a gamut of historical literature on the revolt,
revisiting and exploring its various aspects, the author has
undertaken a probe into contemporary accounts and dug out valuable
information on hitherto unknown socio-economic aspects of the Great
Revolt. In this respect, the history books only mention the episode of
Mangal Pandey, a Native Infantry sepoy from Barrackpore, who was
hanged on April 8, 1857 for his active role in inciting sepoys against
their British masters. In his findings, Mr. Bhattacharya points out
that Bengal was not left behind in the uprising even though Calcutta
was the Capital of British India. “It is a marvel and a mystery that
so many years should have passed away without an explosion. At last a
firebrand was applied to what a single spark might have ignited; and
in the course of a few weeks there was a general conflagration; but a
conflagration which still bears more marks of accident than of
deliberate conspiracy and incendiarism” (Edinburgh Review No. 216).
Being the chief British colonial city, Calcutta and its surrounding
towns had native Infantry platoons in Dum Dum and Barrackpore.

Though Bengal was not the epicentre of this great political upheaval,
Eastern India was not immune to its impact. The mutinies in Bengal
have from the beginning drawn the sympathy of the country. The
mutineers were joined and aided by the civil population. In some
regions of Bengal, the rebellion took on the attributes of a patriotic
revolt against the British Raj. As in the case of Mangal Pandey
(Barrackpore revolt), sometimes the leaders became folk heroes in the
nationalist movement. In the case of Dacca revolt, this book quotes a
recollection of a witness who said that “without delay the prisoners
were tried the next day and were hanged near Episcopalian Church,
close to the maidan at Antaghar … these sepoys were hanged in the
open, in the heart of the town, perhaps to create an impression on the
mind of the people of Dacca”.

While the Native Infantry sepoys were echoing the revolt of Lucknow
and Delhi, the British Indian Association, under the secretaryship of
Iswar Chander Singh, viewed the happenings at Meerut and Delhi with
disgust and horror of the soldiery at those stations and said that “it
would not meet with support from the bulk of civil population or from
any influential classes”. Three days after this resolution, another
meeting under the chairmanship of Raja Radhakanta Deb was of the
opinion that “it would be the duty of native portion of Her Majesty’s
subjects to render the government every aid for the preservation of
civil order and tranquillity”. So was the case of Mohammedans of
Calcutta such as Haji Mohammed Ispahane and Aga Mohammad Hassan.

The Armenian residents in the city and the French inhabitants too
echoed similar sentiments in support of the government and against the
sepoys. In case of need, these groups said, “their services may be
accepted for the common good and as a proof of their loyalty and
attachment towards Her Majesty of England”. This book also contains
some unpublished documents based on the military despatches by Forrest
and Mutiny papers of Kaye (preserved in the India Office Library,
London). Some of them show a different light of Bahadur Shah and Rani
Lakshmibai of Jhansi about their roles in the Mutiny of 1857.

The concluding part of the book contains the deposition of Shaik
Hedayut Ali, Subedar and Sirdar Bahadoor of Bengal Sikh Police
Battalion, commanded by Captain T. Rattray which gives a broad
background of the mutiny of the Bengal Army and the consequent
rebellion in the Bengal Presidency. The details of reaction of British
soldiers during this crisis shows the valiant minds of local leaders
and the chicanery of the rulers who were living in palaces. This
section is really an eye-opener. In a nutshell, this book throws new
light on the possibility of unearthing untold stories of our valiant
fighters such as Mangal Pandey et al. In that sense, the attempt is a
valid one.

Next year, in Ararat

December 28, 2013 | 22:30

Armenian News-NEWS.amcontinues Arianne & Armenia project within the
framework of which Arianne Caoili tells about numerous trips across
Armeniaand shares her impressions and experience of living in Armenia.

Next year, in Ararat

Topping the charts in 1951, Rosemary Clooney’s biggest hit, Come on-a
My House, was innocently penned one fine American day by cousins Ross
Bagdasarian (creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks) and immortal author
William Saroyan. Melodically derived from an Armenian folk song, it is
a call for companionship to be held at the most sacred of places – the
home, abundantly littered with cakes, candy, apricots, and of course,
pomegranates.

Winter has arrived and New Year is upon us. The leaves have turned a
darker shade of red in their daily transition to dried up brown.
Ararat seems more imposing. Sewn into the neck of the earth like a
majestic head, it sits impregnably on an ancient throne, on a land
from which nations have originated, and to which people flow unto to
worship. Its imperceptible, snow-capped crown casts an inescapable
shadow all the way from crossing Haghtanakbridgeto the shores of Sevan
to the grassy valleys of Shirak and across the balding spots of
Ashtarak. It looms exalted over the city as a reminder of what once
was and what could be.

When talking to most Armenians around town, the period around New Year
appears to be a time of congregational whining: it is darker, more
depressing, everything is permanently cold, they see the same
left-over pig for seven days, their credit has stretched beyond the
capacity of their future cash flow and faces on the street constrict.
The cold oppresses sincerity to no more thanhurried half-smilesand the
anxiousness of turning the gas on and off ticks nervously in the back
of people’s brains.

The invitation to Come on-a My House for the New Year appears to be an
awkward burden borne by all parties, whether it is a ritualistic
mourning or celebration or the usual merry-go-round that is the
Armenian New Year (homes where death has brought the inevitable or
where new life has breathed its first will be visited as a priority).
The ride begins at around ten and finishes in the wee hours. After the
first hour of the incoming new year, prepare for just about anyone to
drop in.

In Australia, our yearly restitution is reflected in Christmas Day and
the ‘gift list’: who (necessarily) to buy for and what to buy –
questions rashly answered in a commercial blizzard the week before
December 25 (having all forgotten that “it is more blessed to give
than to receive” for the last 350 days of the year). All of this lust
and hasty lashing out culminates into a miserly few minutes of an
excitable gift unwrapping ceremony and a day of communal gluttony (all
to be paid for by a big chunk of next year’s pay checks).

In the final week of the year that was, Armenian uncles, fathers, and
grandpas get ready for the big occasion by delivering the carefully
calculated grocery list; and on the final day of the year, the women
of the house arise in the early morning to prepare for what is to be a
very long and expensive day (a day which brings either repressed or
expressed regret, but regret nonetheless – even if its answer is
ultimately found in the excitement of the discovery of resolutions
which will serve as regret for next year’s final day). Guests swarm in
and linger, and pasus dolma and blinchiki pile up on table tops all
around Armenia like casino chips on the successful side of a roulette
table.

Persian philosopher and one of the world’s very first self-diagnosed,
proud alcoholics, Omar Khayyam, half-rightly concluded that

Now the New Year reviving old

desires

The thoughtful soul to solitude

retires.

I can’t agree with the second part of Omar’s depiction. In Armenia,
the start of the New Year hardly brings any solitude. After (and
before, and during) all that eating, are all of the communal toasts to
usher in a year that is hopefully equal to or greater than the
previous year. Alcohol is poured and shared in larger, more convoluted
mixtures than all of the concoctions invented and meticulously listed
in VenediktErofeev’sMoscow -Petushki. On the first day of the bright
and shiny new year, your stomach declares war on your liver, being
fully injected with an indeterminable soup of various sources – a stew
that your sewerage has never known, but in or around the late
afternoon of January 1, will surely greet.

The accompanying salutes of drinking vary in emotional potency,
length, and sincerity, but nonetheless thekenats is the central point
of the Armenian New Year: define your entrance into the host’s house
as your signature on the dotted line, and your participation in a
toast as the fulfilment of your contractual obligation.

‘Next Year in Jerusalem’ (or rather, ‘Next year in the rebuilt
Jerusalem’, for Jews living in Israel), is the cardinal toast that
traditionally concludes the Passover Seder (the Jewish ritual
symbolising the Israelite’s miraculous exodus from their Egyptian
overlords). As summarised by Rabbi David Hartman, “the cup of hope is
poured every year. Passover is the night for reckless dreams; for
visions about what a human being can be, what society can be, what
people can be, what history may become”.

Is Ararat the Armenian Jerusalem? I think the answer, even if
restricted to a symbolical one, is yes. Although it is not a
physically acquirable asset, lying enticingly close across a closed
border, it serves as a constant reminder of disrespect at its most
destructive and inhumane, while also motivating generations to create
more from what they have been given. Its sheer presence alone – its
omnipresent and dominating presence, inescapable from any window pane,
city square, bridge, road or solitude street corner in Armenia, is so
much more than what Frank Westerman termed the “mythical mountain” in
his otherwise fascinating read, Ararat. It is more: because it unites
a thought, a joy, and a people.

Caught up in the frenzy of our zeitgeist of ‘living in the now’, we
shouldn’t ignore the past or the future: they both serve as signposts
and even an excuse for being a little pugnacious. Although Rabbi
Hartman’s description is almost exclusively future-inclined, it is
also about our actions and thoughts now, because it is these that
decide our tomorrow. Here is to next year, in Ararat. And Happy New
Year.

Arianne Caoili
News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIAN PM HOLDS 3-HOUR-LONG PRESS CONFERENCE

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 27 2013

27 December 2013 – 5:16pm

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan held a
three-and-a-half-hour-long press conference today, during which he
focused on Armenian-Russian gas agreements, the economic situation,
budget matters, foreign investment and Armenia joining Customs Union,
News-Armenia reports.

ARS NY ‘MAYR’ CHAPTER HOSTS FUNDRAISER TO BENEFIT SYRIAN-ARMENIANS

By Contributor // December 24, 2013

By Anahid M. Ugurlayan

On Dec. 8, a sold-out crowd gathered at Almayass Restaurant in New
York City for a fundraiser luncheon hosted by the Armenian Relief
Society (ARS) New York “Mayr” Chapter. More than $5,000 was raised in
support of the ARS’s “Warm Home” Program, which provides fuel to help
Syrian-Armenian families heat their homes during the winter months.

A scene from the luncheon

Anais Tcholakian, the chapter chairperson, welcomed the guests and
thanked them for supporting the Society’s ongoing relief efforts to
Syria’s Armenians. She also thanked chapter members for organizing the
luncheon; Voice of Armenians TV for their coverage of the luncheon;
and Almayass’s owner, Varak Alexanian, its manager, Mario Arakelian,
and the entire staff for their gracious hospitality and support of
the ARS.

Guests observed a moment of silence in remembrance of the 25th
anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Armenia that claimed more
than 25,000 victims, as well as in memory of His Eminence Archbishop
Mesrob Ashjian, former Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of
America (Eastern), on the 10th anniversary of his passing.

Vicken Tarpinian performs

Houri Geudelekian, a member of the “Mayr” Chapter and ARS UN
Coordinator, talked about the ARS’s mission-since 1910-to serve the
humanitarian, educational, and cultural needs of the Armenian people
throughout the world and its work as a non-governmental organization
(NGO) at the UN. She lauded members’ immediate response to relief
efforts for the civil war in Syria, as well as victims for natural
disasters worldwide, most recently the Typhoon Haiyan. She also noted
that 10 percent of the luncheon proceeds would be donated to Typhoon
Haiyan relief.

Following Geudelekian’s remarks, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor
of St. Illuminator’s Armenian Apostolic Cathedral, delivered the
invocation. He said he admired the work of the ARS and thanked
attendees for their support of Syria’s Armenians.

More than $5,000 was raised in support of the ARS’s “Warm Home”
Program.

Guests were regaled by a surprise performance by renowned singer
Vicken Tarpinian, and danced to the latest Armenian music courtesy
of DJ Khajag. No luncheon could be complete without a raffle, and
this year’s raffle included many novelty items.

For more information about the ARS, visit

KAZAKH LEADER’S REMARK ON KARABAKH, CU SERVES NO PRACTICAL PURPOSE: EXPERT

December 25, 2013 – 16:41 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – CIS States Institute expert Mikhail Alexandrov
commented on recent statement of Kazakh leaderNursultan Nazarbayev,
who wanted clarification on Karabakh before signing a Customs Union
accession roadmap with Armenia.

“Though with reservation, Kazakhstan is ready to sign a roadmap
on Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union. Kazakhstan, however,
demands clarification on the issue of the CU borders in connection
with the Nagorno Karabakh issue,” the President said.

“The Nagorno Karabakh Republic is not a part of Armenia, even from
the viewpoint of Armenian legislation, so there’s no possibility to
include Karabakh in the Customs Union territory,” the expert said.

“NKR is an independent – though unrecognized – state. It has to
independently apply for the CU accession, also expressing readiness to
assume all CU-related obligations in unilateral manner, to rule out
issues that might arise from economical interaction with Armenia,”
the expert noted.

“Nazarbayev’s statement was meant to demonstrate concern over
Azerbaijan’s position. It serves no practical purpose, being unable
to hamper Armenia’s accession to the CU,” the expert concluded.