Author: Badalian Vardan

WHAT ACTUALLY WAS DESTROYED DURING THE JULY FIRE AT THE MARTIROS SARYAN HOUSE-MUSEUM

14:01, November 8, 2013

Anna Babajanyan

On July 19, a fire broke out at the Martiros Saryan House-Museum
in Yerevan.

Fire crews responded and extinguished the blaze a half hour later.

They stated that only a few household items were destroyed on the
first floor.

The Ministry of Culture also issued a statement that nothing of value
had been burned.

Even Museum Director Rouzan Saryan (a granddaughter of the famous
painter) was quick to point out that none of the master’s canvases
or other items had been damaged.

But do their statements correspond to what really happened? It
appears not.

Hetq has learnt that a few days before the fire, Araxi Saryan (the
painter’s daughter-in-law) requested that she bring a large container
through the first floor living quarters so that she could rummage
through the painter’s various items located there.

That container was destroyed in the fire.

In a conversation with Hetq, the museum’s chief archivist Sofia Saryan
verified that other items had been destroyed as well, and that not
one container, but six had been destroyed.

“I had brought those trunks to the first floor. They contained photos
of Saryan’s works as well as film negatives of the painter’s personal
photos,” Sofia Saryan said.

She stressed the importance of the photos for the preparation of a
Saryan catalog, and that they comprised the bulk of the catalog’s
photographs. They document the existence of this or that Saryan
work, even those works whose current location is unknown or which no
longer exist.

The archivist says that the information has nevertheless been preserved
and that the lists of works have been registered. As regards the
negatives, they have been digitized and most are on display at the
museum. When we asked how many photos and negatives had been destroyed,
Sofia Saryan had trouble answering. She only noted that the trunks
had been full.

Hetq’s source at the Ministry of Culture claims that the trunks
contained much more interesting items; particularly documents,
manuscripts, and other photos, films, and other cultural items.

Sofia Saryan denied this to be the case, pointing out that she had
sorted out the materials in the trunk for later work.

If we accept, for a moment, that the trunks did not contain such
valuable items, we can only assume that all six merely contained
photos and film negatives already preserved. Thus, the claim that
further work was to be done on them at a later date doesn’t ring true.

Our same source says that these valuable items had been stored in the
first floor hallway for days and that they were all destroyed in the
fire. The source argues that the museum management is now attempting
to conceal the contents of the trunks, just like it was trying to
cover up the fact that they never existed in the first place.

When we visited the museum, we saw a number of trunks lined up
along the first floor hallway. When we asked what they contained,
management tried to avoid answering. They even attempted to keep us
away from photographing them.

We should add that even during the construction now going on at
the museum, many of its valuable items haven’t been relocated. You
would think this would be the first step management would take to
safeguard them.

This runs counter to an earlier claim by museum director Rouzan
Saryan that the painter’s canvases and other valuables had been
removed for safekeeping.

We wrote to the Ministry of Culture based on the claims of the
museum’s chief archivist. We inquired if the ministry was aware that
the above photos and negatives had been destroyed, and if so, why
did they conceal this news? If not, what steps were they planning to
get to the truth and prevent such losses in the future? In addition,
who would be held accountable for the loss?

We also asked what the steps the ministry has to date taken to digitize
the Saryan Museum’s archives.

The Ministry merely responded that trunks contained personal household
items of the Saryan family and black and white photos of the painters
works which have already appeared in numerous catalogs and albums.

They also claimed that all of Saryan’s works in the museum have
been digitized.

In essence the ministry and the museum’s chief archivist are now
rejecting the early claims of the emergency services and the ministry
itself that only household items had been destroyed.

It now appears that the Ministry of Culture knew all along that other
items had also been burnt.

The Ministry never answered our question as to why they saw fit to
conceal this truth, as well as our other questions regarding future
prevention and culpability.

As to the fire itself, we should note the museum’s fire extinguishing
system mysteriously never kicked in. Sofia Saryan didn’t deny this
fact. What she did say, as a justification, was that the fire was
caused by an electrical short and that all systems were down at the
time. “The maintenance systems were being changed and the wires were
overloaded,” she claimed.

We then contacted the Ministry of Emergency Affairs, asking why they
had misconstrued the facts and why the museum’s anti-fire system
failed. They responded that an investigation had never revealed such
trunks (naturally, since they were destroyed-A.B.) and that museum
management and eye witnesses never mentioned their existence in
their statements.

“We have nothing to hide. Our inspector knew nothing about any trunks,”
Sergey Hayrapetyan, Chief of the Fire and Technical Safety Inspectorate
at the ministry, told Hetq.

“So the museum perhaps concealed this information from you?” we asked
Hayrapetyan. “Of course,” he replied. “Perhaps they hide it from us
as well.”

Hayrapetyan added that fire detectors hadn’t been installed on the
first floor and that the fire never reached the second floor to set
off the system. He noted that all detectors must be checked yearly
and that it is the responsibility of museum management to do so.

P.S. Renovation work at the Saryan House-Museum will continue for
another year. In the meantime, the painter’s work will be on display
at the National Gallery and the Matenadaran. The English version of
the new Martiros Saryan House-Museum website is now under construction.

Armenian National Committee of Canada
Comité National Arménien du Canada

130 Rue Albert Street, Suite/Bureau 1007
Ottawa, Ontario, KIP 5G4
Tel./Tél. (613) 235-2622, Fax/Téléc. (613) 238-2622
E-mail/Courriel:[email protected]

REMEMBERING OUR HEROES…

/November 8, 2013
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumdjian (514) 265-4602 /

An ultimate sacrifice of one’s life, the highest tribute of a solder or
a civilian, who is on guard of its country’s peace and well-being, has
always been remembered in the past, is remembered today and will always
remain so in our memories.

Being strong believers in the principals of freedom and liberty,
Armenians, who have been forced out of their ancestral lands at the
beginning of the twentieth century, have settledin the diasporas of many
countries. They have served in their adoptive country’s military units
in times of need. Canadians of Armenian origin have fought under the
Canadian flag starting from as early as the Second World War. Learning
from the lessons of our own history, we also have a moral obligation to
remember and pay tribute to many unknown victims of war crimes and
crimes against humanity. They, too, are amongst those brave men and
women who have sacrificed their lives for our today’s wellbeing.

The Armenian National Committee of Canada, on behalf of the Canadian
Armenian community, would like to thank the Canadian Government and its
armed forces for the security, and safety they bring to our community
and country from coast to coast. We remember and are grateful for the
ultimate sacrifice of all those who have fallen on and off the
battlefields to protect us.

The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances
the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.

——

Le CNAC est l’organisation politique canadienne-arménienne la plus large
et influente. Collaborant avec une série de bureaux, chapitres et
souteneurs à travers le Canada et des organisations affiliées à travers
le monde, le CNAC s’occupe activement des inquiétudes de la communauté
canadienne-arménienne.//

BDP CO-CHAIR SELAHATTIN DEMIRTAS MET WITH ARMENIANS IN WASHINGTON

APA, Azerbaijan
Nov 7 2013

[ 07 November 2013 13:22 ]

Baku – APA. Selahattin Demirtas, co-chair of the Peace and Democracy
Party (BDP) met with the delegation headed by Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Bureau member Hagop Der Khatchadourian.

APA reports quoting “Hurriyet” that though the co-chair of BDP –
the PKK’s political wing met with the Armenians on October 20, it
was made public today. Demirtas didn’t inform the media outlets about
this meeting.

Der Khachadourian said, “The meeting presented an opportunity
for a useful dialogue about the possibilities of Armenian Kurdish
cooperation, Western Armenia, and Kurdistan as well as the national
and democratic aspirations of the Armenian and Kurdish nations.”

TURKEY’S PRO-KURDISH PARTY MEETS WITH ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN IN US

World Bulletin, Turkey
Nov 7 2013

Pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party delegation visited the ANCA
Washington office. The officials discussed the possibilities of
Armenian Kurdish cooperation.

World Bulletin / News Desk

A delegation of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP)
headed by its co-chair Selahattin Demirtas, visited the ANCA Washington
office and met with a delegation headed by Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Bureau member Hagop Der Khatchadourian last week.

The possibilities of Armenian Kurdish cooperation as well as the
national and democratic aspirations of the Armenian and Kurdish
nations were discussed during the meeting, reported the Asbarez.

The previous day an Armenian delegation headed by Hagop Der
Khachadourian had attended an all-day conference on the “The Kurdish
Role in the New Middle East” that took place in Washington with the
participation of Kurdish political leaders from Turkey, Syria, Iran,
and Iraq.

After the meeting with Demirtas, Der Khachadourian said, “The meeting
presented an opportunity for a useful dialogue about the possibilities
of Armenian Kurdish cooperation, Western Armenia, and Kurdistan as
well as the national and democratic aspirations of the Armenian and
Kurdish nations.”

WILL ARMENIA AND THE EU ADOPT A VISA-FREE REGIME?

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Nov 7 2013

7 November 2013 – 12:36pm

By David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

Discussions of the simplified visa regime and readmission approved by
the European Parliament which started in the Armenian National Assembly
have become a new reason for intensive parliamentary debates about the
reasons why Armenia should join the Customs Union (CU). The agreement
on simplification of visa procedures was signed in December 2012,
the readmission agreement was signed in April 2013. Thus, Armenia
became the second country of the region to simplify the visa regime
with the EU after Georgia. Armenia adopted a visa-free regime for EU
citizens unilaterally on April 1, 2013.

Armen Liloyan, head of the European Department of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry, said that, with account of contacts with European states,
the country had natural need to simplify the mechanism of visits of EU
citizens to Armenia. According to the document presented to Armenian
diplomats, members of state delegations, citizens with close relatives,
students, journalists, athletes, businessmen, scientists and pupils
will enjoy simplified mechanisms for Schengen visa-issuing.

Schengen visas will be free of charge for pensioners, children under
12, the handicapped and people accompanying them, and post-graduates
students. For others, the visa fees dropped from 60 to 35 euro. The
volume of documentation needed for embassies will be reduced and
time needed for visa decisions will drop to 10 days. Issuing of multi
visas will also become easier.

Liloyan noted that ratification and realization of agreements will
encourage dialogue with the EU to form a free market regime, though
the problem of lifting the visa regime altogether remained complicated
for some countries of the European Union in terms of migration. “With
account of the fact that signing of the agreement by Armenia and the
EU became a result of political will of the two sides, both agreements
are mutually connected and come into force at the same time,” said
the ministerial official.

Naira Karapetyan, a member of the Armenian delegation to the PACE,
stated that the Visa Dialogue project aimed at implementation of the
visa-free regime will be formed as soon as the documents are signed.

The question is, how can the agreements match the lost opportunity to
sign the association agreement and the free trade zone agreement in
Vilnius? According to Liloyan, the summit of the Eastern Partnership
is not the end. “Yerevan has said time and again that the process
of rapprochement with Europe will continue in all fields, without
interfering in Eurasian integration processes. The DCFTA and AA are
not the goals in themselves, they are instruments for development
of Armenia. Considering the range of such instruments, Armenia will
choose the most preferable ones,” said Liloyan.

At the same time, Alexander Arzumanyan, a member of the Free Democrats
Party (opposition) and Armenian ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs,
characterized the DCFTA as a “high-tech instrument” and the Eurasian
Union as a “rusty wrench.” Noting the productivity of the past year of
discussions of integration with the EU, the oppositionist emphasized
that the process was dragged only because of Moscow. Arzumanyan
expressed confidence that Armenia will continue European integration
at any cost.

Naira Zograbyan, Secretary of Prosperous Armenia, objected that no one
in Armenia or Europe knew what Armenia would expect after the Vilnius
summit and how would relations with Europe develop after it. “With no
awareness of the obligations Armenia would take by joining the CU,
evaluation of the line the country would cross when intensifying
relations with Europe is impossible.”

Gagik Makaryan, Chairman of the Armenian Union of Employers, said
that many entrepreneurs were outraged by the fact that their opinion
on membership in the CU was totally neglected. Azumanyan recommended
he express a consolidated rating of integration processes. “I am
sure that if business chooses Europe, political authorities will be
obliged to serve the business interests,” the ex-minister stated.

Armenian Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan
declared that joining the CU became the price Armenia paid to avoid
higher gas prices. “By joining the CU, Armenia will pay $189 per
1000 square meters of gas, instead of $270, starting on April 1. The
decision to join the CU even to avoid higher gas prices was worth it
because 30% is a pretty big number,” said the minister. Before deciding
to join the CU, Yerevan had had additional talks with Gazprom, trying
to find alternate paths for 30% subsidy of gas that had become more
expensive on April 1, 2013. Thus, the government fixed the price at
$189 by joining the CU and freed itself from gas debts accumulated
since April 1.

WITH AND WITHOUT SOS SARGSYAN: THEATER’S FURTHER ACTIVITIES

11:06, 7 November, 2013

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Every day the People’s Artist of the
USSR and the Republic of Armenia Sos Sargsyan started his day at the
National Theater with a cup of coffee, reading the daily newspapers.

On the next day of his death, on September 26, his photo was on the
first pages of the daily newspapers lying on his table in his office.

The Director of the National Theater Vardan Lazarian told the
Armenpress correspondent that after the death of the great Armenian
artist his established Theater will continue the preservation of the
best theater traditions and the implementation of new ideas.

“We call him “grandpa” and do not speak about him in past, as there
are his students, his pupils, his ideas and therefore we have him
here. With his death our backbone broke but it does not mean that we
got broken in general. What happened struck us much, as Sos Sargsyan
was our teacher”, – said Lazarian.

Touching upon the forthcoming activities of the Theater, the Director
stated that the theatrical material left by Sos Sargsyan is so
tremendous that a whole life is necessary to implement it. (THE
FULL VERSION OF THE ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN) Interviewed by
Tatevik Grigoryan

© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am

DEVOTEE OF SCIENCE: ARMENIAN – GEORGIAN COLLOQUIUM DEVOTED TO 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ACADEMICIAN LYUDVIK MIRZOYAN

November 07, 2013 | 07:29

A joint Armenian – Georgian astronomical colloquium on unstable
stars and celestial objects, and devoted to the 90th anniversary of
Academician Lyudvik Mirzoyan, took place in Byurakan Astrophysical
Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.

The tradition of Armenian – Georgian joint scientific meetings had been
established back in the 1970s, and by the initiative of Academician
Victor Hambartsumian. Both Victor Hambartsumian and Lyudvik Mirzoyan
have played a great role in the development of astronomy in Georgia
and, due to their efforts, several joint Armenian – Georgian scientific
programs had been implemented. They have educated several generations
of Georgian astronomers, guiding their scientific research works. The
above colloquium was the 14th in turn.

To note, this year in May-and on the occasion of the 90th anniversary
of prominent astrophysicist, Academician of the National Academy of
Sciences of Armenia, First Armenian Member of the French International
Academy of Astronautics, Professor, Honored Scientist of the Armenian
Soviet Republic Lyudvik Mirzoyan-the presentation of the book entitled
Life Devoted to Byurakan, written by his daughter Nune Mirzoyan,
took place at the hall of the Presidium of the National Academy of
Sciences of Armenia.

Lyudvik Mirzoyan is one of the best representatives of the first
generation of Armenian astronomers who had founded Byurakan Observatory
and the Byurakan direction in science. For thirty years he had
been the assistant of Victor Hambartsumian at Byurakan Observatory
and has a huge input in formulation of the modern understanding of
star formation, thus becoming the pioneer in Armenian observational
astronomy.

The book presents Lyudvik Mirzoyan`s life and scientific activities,
which are directly connected with the foundation and establishment of
Byurakan Observatory. The memories of his colleagues, students and
contemporaries are included in the book. His valuable contribution
to Armenian science is widely acknowledged.

The name of Academician Lyudvik Mirzoyan is closely connected with
Byurakan Observatory and the development of astronomy, as well as
with the whole history of science.

Mirzoyan`s biography has reflected the whole controversial historical
period, when loftiness and the tragic were next to each other.

Lyudvik Mirzoyan was born in 1923. He had shown great interest toward
studies from early childhood, finishing school with excellent results,
he had entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Yerevan State
University. But his studies were interrupted by the Second World War
and he was obliged to leave the university for military service.

The happy childhood ended for him in 1930, when his father Vasili
Mirzoyan, a repatriate from Maku, was arrested and killed. Years
later, however, the accusations against his father were proved to be
false. But before this happened, Lyudvik had to endure the nightmare.

The 15-year-old boy had become the only man of the family and he had
to take care of his mother and two small sisters. Nevertheless, his
aspiration for studies was so strong that after finishing school he
continued studies at the university, parallel to working as a laborer.

According to the memories of his sister Nina Garibjanian-Mirzoyan,
he was serving together with Hungarian and German military captives,
building the VictoryBridge in Yerevan, since Stalin’s regime did not
trust those whose parents were arrested.

After the war he passed all exams as external student and, in 1947, he
graduated from the university with honors. The same year he attracted
the attention of Academician Victor Hambartsumian, who was looking
for students with outstanding abilities for the newly established
Byurakan Observatory. Hambartsumian suggested him to continue his
studies under his scientific guidance, and at the same time, to work at
the observatory, participating in its establishment. In 1951, Lyudvik
Mirzoyan was granted the scientific degree of Doctor of Astronomy.

In 1953, Mirzoyan was appointed Scientific Secretary of the
Observatory, and since 1959, and for almost thirty years, he was the
deputy of Victor Hambartsumian, Director of Byurakan Observatory. He
has worked productively for all those years, both as an organizer of
science and an administrator.

This was the period when Byurakan Observatory had an impetuous
development and serious scientific achievements, becoming one of
the leading observatories and scientific centers in the world. It
deservedly became the symbol of Armenian science and the “business
card” of Armenia.

Lyudvik Mirzoyan was one of the first students of Hambartsumian.

Subsequently, he himself became the teacher of all generations of
Armenian astronomers, giving lectures at YerevanStateUniversity for
almost half a century. Many of his foreign postgraduate students today
continue working at a variety of foreign observatories and scientific
centers and remember their teacher with deep gratitude.

His sustainable and fundamental scientific activity was aimed to
develop and prove the revolutionary ideas put forward by Academician
Hambartsumian and Byurakan Scientific School. Mirzoyan`s research
work was devoted to the study of the processes of star formations
and young stars.

He is the author of numerous scientific monographs, 200 scientific
papers, and many popular scientific articles and books.

Since 1965, Mirzoyan was Deputy Chief-Editor of the international
scientific journal Astrofizika (editor-in-chief was Victor
Hambartsumian), and since 1988, he became its editor-in-chief.

Academician Mirzoyan was also a member of the Scientific Editorial
Council of the Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia and the author of most
of the astronomical articles in this oeuvre.

During his years in office, Byurakan Observatory had a wide cooperation
with numerous leading observatories and scientific centers of the
world, many mutual and long-term visits were held, and they favored
the image of Armenian science and scientists.

He was decorated with a number of medals, among them the medal of
the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences for educating a generation of high
professionals for the Bulgarian observatory.

Lyudvik Mirzoyan`s daughters Nune and Anahit and his son Ara remember
him as a kind and caring, but at the same time a very strict father.

He liked classical music; he was interested in linguistic issues,
and was a member in the Committee for Terminology of Armenia. He had
created many scientific terminologies in Armenian in the fields of
astrophysics, physics, and mathematics.

When Lyudvik Mirzoyan was elected member of the French International
Academy of Astronautics-and being the first Armenian-and an advisor for
the Paris Institute of Astronomy, he learned French in three months.

Fourteen years have passed since the passing of this honorable man. It
is time to name a street in Yerevan and a street in Byurakan after
Lyudvik Mirzoyan.

It will be fair if the name of this patriotic scientist is also
physically present in those two places where his spiritual presence
still exists.

168 ZHAM: ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER SENDS $250 TO PENSIONER AND HER MENTALLY DEFICIENT SON

10:13 ~U 07.11.13

Armenian Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan has responded to the
newspaper’s article about Rima Talanchyan, a pensioner who addressed
a letter to Abrahamyan and demanded that Armenian MPs consider the
issue of pensions rather than their own salaries.

“If you do not reply to my letter, I will kill my mentally deficient
son and commit suicide, and you will be guilty,” the pensioner wrote.

After that, some people visited Rima Talanchyan and gave her
AMD 100,000 (about $250). “They told us the money was from Hovik
Abrahamyan. They gave us 100 drams and urged us not to go into
extremes, especially because pensions will be raised from next
January.”

ARMENIAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH PLANNING HIV PREVENTION PROJECT AMONG MIGRANTS

YEREVAN, November 7. /ARKA/. Armenia’s ministry of health is planning
to implement a new project on HIV prevention among migrants, the
press office of the ministry reported.

The minister of health Derenik Dumanyan visited the AIDS Prevention
Center Wednesday and discussed the details of the program that will be
co-funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria,
and supported by Russia, according to the report.

Mobile groups have been set up to carry out HIV infection tests among
migrants in 100 communities of the country.

The minister stressed the importance of the program and instructed
to submit a clear schedule of implementation. Dumanyan also attached
importance to maintaining patient confidentiality while carrying out
HIV examinations and treatment.

The press office said there are currently 1,563 cases of HIV infection
among Armenian citizens; over 90% of the patients are on follow-up
care and about 560 patients are treated by antiretroviral agents. -0–

– See more at:

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES RUSSIAN DELEGATION TO ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION COMMISSION

21:09 ~U 06.11.13

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan received on Wednesday a delegation
headed by Co-Chairman of the Armenian-Russian Parliamentary Cooperation
Commission Nikolay Ryzhkov.

The delegation arrived in Armenia to participate in the Commission’s
23rd meeting.

Armenia’s leader made a high appraisal of the Commission’s
activities, which have for years facilitated the dynamic development
of Armenian-Russian parliamentary cooperation. In this context,
President Serzh Sargsyan highlighted Mr Ryzhov’s significant role.

Armenia’s leader noted that the Russian members of the Parliamentary
Cooperation Commission are well-informed of the agenda of
Armenian-Russian relations and expressed his gratitude to them for
their support in dealing with the issues on the agenda. President
Serzh Sargsyan expressed hope for the Commission’s further efficient
activities. Much has to be done in the context of legislation after
Armenia decided in favor of the Customs Union, the president said.

For his part, Mr Ryzhkov informed President Serzh Sargsyan of the
results of the Commission’s meeting in Yerevan and pointed out the
significance of the issues on the meeting agenda, with most of them
related to the improvement of transport communication.

Mr Ryzhkov thanked Armenia’s president for attaching high importance
to MPs work.

Armenian News – Tert.am