Author: Badalian Vardan

PASADENA APPROVES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL PARK

Lasentinel
Sept 20 2013

Published on Friday, 20 September 2013 20:53

Former Mayor Bill Paparian Leads Crusade

In a packed chamber that spilled over into the hallway and a viewing
room downstairs, the Pasadena City Council voted unanimously on
recently to install an Armenian Genocide Memorial at Memorial Park.

The majority of the 36 people who submitted comment cards to present
before the council spoke favorably about the project as it was
proposed. Ninety-three others in attendance who chose not to speak
signed a petition of support, joining the 1,010 other community
members who had signed an earlier petition in support of the project.

The project’s expected completion date is April 24, 2015 to mark the
100th anniversary of the genocide, in which more than 1.5 million
Armenians are said to have died under the Ottoman Turks.

Many people have no idea of the significance of April 24 because the
Turkish and U.S. governments deny that genocide occurred.

However, Former Pasadena police chief Barney Melekian, who is also
on the Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial Committee, said that the
Armenian genocide was the first act of extermination in the 21st
century with significant evidence that it was the training ground
for the Holocaust that followed less than 25 years later.

“Thousands of Armenians came to Pasadena to rebuild their shattered
lives. They grew and prospered and raised their families to help make
this city what it is today. It seems imperative that all of Pasadena
learn about this event and remember that the unthinkable can happen,”
Melekian said.

Pasadena has a unique relationship with the Armenian American
community, having issued an annual proclamation commemorating the
genocide for more than 30 years as well as amending affirmative action
codes to make Armenians a protected class.

Pasadena also has a sister city in Armenia. Armenian Americans have
lived in the city since its inception, today totaling more than 20,000
according to church polls.

“I think an Armenian Genocide Memorial is vital to this community. I
think it will provide a tremendous education value on something
that is inextricably tied up in Pasadena as well as the world,”
Councilmember Terry Tornek said.

Councilmembers Tournek, Jacque Robinson and Margaret McAustin had
several questions including whether Memorial Park would have enough
room for the thousands who could come for the remembrance of the
genocide that is observed every year in Pasadena.

They also expressed concern about needing to revise the policy
detailing the approval process for future memorials.

“The greater good prevailed and nothing’s ever perfect but I think
it’s appropriate in the Memorial park,” Vice Mayor Jacque Robinson
said, who had the strongest reservations about the location.

Several military veterans expressed their concern that the Armenian
Genocide Memorial may overshadow the park that in their opinion should
be reserved for American casualties.

“If this memorial is as successful as I think we hope it is, I fear
it will come at the cost of changing the meaning of Memorial Park. The
memorial is fantastic, I think it merits its own park,” veteran David
Alexander said.

There were 36 speakers, but no one spoke negatively of the elegant
and beautiful design by Art Center College of Design student Catherine
Menard whose design was chosen in a contest with 17 submissions.

The memorial will feature a carved-stone basin of water straddled by a
tripod arrangement of three columns leaning into one another, where a
single drop of water will fall from highest point every three seconds.

Each will represent one life lost during the Armenian Genocide,
falling from the structure that was the instrument of death.

“It’s not just a tripod, the scaffold represents where the leaders of
our nation were hung by the Ottoman Turkish government at the outset
of the genocide,” PASAGMC board member and former Pasadena Mayor Bill
Paparian said.

Paparian along with Melekian and former state Assemblyman Anthony
Portantino were part of the Armenian group of leaders who came forward
to submit an application for the memorial in May of 2012. The PASAGMC
has already raised $40,000 to build the memorial and will also be
the caretakers once the project has been implemented.

OPENING CEREMONY OF ARMENIAN EMBASSY HELD IN VATICAN

Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome hosted the opening ceremony of the
Armenian Embassy in the Holy See, a reception on the occasion of the
22nd anniversary of Armenia’s independence, and the exhibition entitled
“Saint Gregory the Illuminator: Common Heritage of Christianity”.

“Today is a symbolic day. Armenia, which was the first country to
declare Christianity as its state religion, is opening its embassy
in the Holy See. When I served as Armenia’s nonresident ambassador
to the Vatican (pluralistically), I was constantly thinking of the
day when our two states would open their diplomatic missions and
appoint resident ambassadors to Yerevan and the Vatican. Today we are
proceeding along that path. I congratulate us all and wish success
to Ambassador Mikael Minasian in his mission aimed at strengthening
and deepening relations between Armenia and the Vatican,” Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stated at the opening ceremony.

“Our relations have deep historical roots. Christian faith became the
basis of these special relations. Great figures such as St. Nerses
Shnorhali, Mkhitar Sebastatsi and many others made their contribution
to the deepening of our ties. It is symbolic that the official opening
of the Armenian diplomatic mission coincides with an anniversary
of Armenia’s national holiday. With the restoration of Armenia’s
independence, our relations with the Holy See have gained renewed
impetus for two decades already,” the foreign minister said.

He reminded those present that in March of this year Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II attended
the enthronement of Pope Francis. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
visited the Holy See and met with Pope Benedict XVI in December 2011.

“We keep in our memory the historical visit of Pope John Paul II to
Armenia in 2001 when Armenia marked the 1700 anniversary of adoption
of Christianity. Armenia highly appreciates the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide by the Holy See in 2000,” Edward Nalbandian said.

According to him, the opening of Armenian embassy bears evidence of
the high level of close friendly relations between Armenia and the
Holy See and of the wish to further deepen these ties.

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT DEMANDED TO SOLVE HOUSING PROBLEMS IN GYUMRI

19:31, 20 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS: President of the Republic of
Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in framework of his visit to Shirak region on
September 20 held a consultation in the municipality of Gyumri on urban
development programs. “Armenpress” reports that after the consultation
during briefing head of Shirak municipality Tsolak Tsolakyan informed
that the main demand of the President in Gyumri is the elimination
of temporary houses. “The President gave corresponding instruction
and the main problem is to secure the inhabitants with flats,”
stressed Tsolakyan.

He informed during the consultation there was a reverberation to state
programs in Gyumri. In his words President listened to future programs
and gave corresponding instructions. The main suggestions referred
to road and sewer construction. The head of municipality mentioned
that President expressed his satisfaction about works implemented in
the region currently.

Speaking about temporary households’ elimination Tsolakyan mentioned:
“People who receive flats must leave the temporary households. This is
number 1 problem,” added Tsolakyan. At the invited consultation were
present deputies of National Assembly from Shirak region, officials
from Shirak and Gyumri municipalities.

© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am

ARMENIA TO HAVE MORE DEPUTY PMS – NEWSPAPER

September 20, 2013 | 09:10

YEREVAN. – According to rumors, the Professional Commission on
Constitutional Reforms, which is formed by the decree of Armenia’s
President Serzh Sargsyan, must come up with relevant changes in the
system of governance, Irates De Facto newspaper reports.

“That is, a shift to a parliamentary system. Although, as per the
commission members, this is not yet included in the agenda, it can
be discussed at some point.

“One of the reforms is the increase of deputy PMs. Accordingly, the
system of governance is being simplified. In other words, several
ministries-specifically power-will have one deputy PM who personally
will work with the PM. After the reform, the deputy PMs will have to
assume the position of the ‘superior’ of the given ministries.

“In parallel with ‘lightening’ the system of governance, however, it
is a fact that the executive [branch of power] is being ‘overload’
with several more officials, which also assumes certain financial
‘investment,'” Irates De Facto writes.

WIDESPREAD JOB CUTS ARE EXPECTED IN ARMENIA’S SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE – NEWSPAPER

September 20, 2013 | 06:47

YEREVAN. – The process of enlargement continues within Armenia’s system
of governance bringing along personnel shifts, Hraparak daily reports.

“In parallel with uniting the inspectorates, enlargement will take
place also in the investigative bodies that function within different
departments; they [i.e., the investigative bodies] will be included
within one or two bodies.

“It is clear that the head of such body will have a great reputation,
[and] therefore there is stiff competition for that post.

“Also, widespread job cuts are expected in the system of governance,
and the increase in salaries will actually be carried out on the
account of having a large number of unemployed. Some departments
have been told that the staff will be reduced by about 50 percent,”
Hraparak writes.

MAINTAINING RELATIONS WITH CUSTOMS UNION IS BEST DECISION FOR ARMENIA – SOCIOLOGIST

September 20, 2013 | 13:15

YEREVAN. – The independence was given to us; we have not achieved it.

The Soviet empire collapsed, and they simply, “threw us off the train.”

Sociologist Aharon Adibekyan stated the above-said during a press
conference on Friday.

“We should try to use our independence correctly. We should either
enter the Customs Union [CU], or the European Union. The best would be
to maintain ties with the CU, since they will not buy our products in
Europe. But this does not mean we have to become a backward country,
in terms of technology,” the sociologist stressed.

He added that Armenia needs to produce not solely for domestic
consumers, but to go out to foreign markets.

Adibekyan stressed that by remaining in the Customs Union, Armenia will
maintain what it has, but it will fall behind in the technology sector.

“By entering Europe, we will develop in terms of technology, but
we will have to share European values, including gender equality,”
Aharon Adibekyan maintained.

To note, on Saturday, September 21, Armenia will mark the 22nd
anniversary of its independence.

EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT: UKRAINE FEE TO PICK PARTNERS, PUTIN SAYS

September 20, 2013 – 10:04 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Russia respects Ukraine’s right to choose its
priorities and partners, including Kiev’s choice between closer
economic cooperation with Moscow or European integration, Russian
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, September 19, according
to RIA Novosti.

“Today, Ukraine is an independent state and we respect it. And,
of course, the choice of priorities, the choice of allies is a
national sovereign right of the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian
leadership,” Putin said at a meeting of the annual Valdai Discussion
Club, commenting on Ukraine’s plans to sign an association agreement
with the European Union.

On Wednesday Ukraine’s government approved the draft European Union
Association Agreement, moving the country one step closer to its
final signing, which is slated for November.

Moscow has been increasing pressure on Kiev to join the Customs
Union, which would – in effect – keep Ukraine under Russia’s sphere
of influence. Although Ukraine has observer status in this bloc,
it has made it clear it does not plan to take on full membership.

During Thursday’s meeting of the Valdai Club, which gathered high-level
Russian officials and foreign political scientists, Putin reiterated
that Russia is worried that European goods could enter Ukraine – free
of import duties – and then be re-exported to Customs Union countries,
flooding the market and undercutting domestic producers.

The Russian president added that Russia was also seeking to sign a
new basic agreement with the EU and if the two states joined forces
and entered the talks with a common stance, they would be able to
negotiate more favorable terms of the deal.

“We believe that if Ukraine joined the Customs Union and we coordinated
our joint efforts and negotiated with the Europeans, we would had
more chance to negotiate better terms of trade with our main economic
and trade partner,” Putin said, adding that trade with the EU states
accounts for nearly a half of all Russian trade turnover.

He said that according to estimates made by Russian experts and
confirmed by Ukraine’s Academy of Sciences, Ukraine would receive
additional budget incomes of nearly $9 billion if it joins the
Customs Union.

“[But] how would [Ukraine] benefit from the association with EU? Open
markets? Well, this does make economy more liberal. But I have no
idea about whether Ukrainian economy will be able to cope with such
liberalism. But this is not our business, our Ukrainian partners
should decide it for themselves,” Putin said. The EU, concerned over
Armenia’s jointing the Customs Union, will make concessions to Ukraine
in signing the Association Agreement, Eavex Capital investment company
said in an analytical article on September 16.

“With Ukraine as the most important country in the Eastern Partnership,
the recent EU statement should be viewed as an expression of support
to Kyiv in its intention to sign the Association and Free Trade
agreements in Vilnius,” ForUm quoted Eavex Capital as saying.

According to analysts, the European Commission President Jose Manuel
Barroso may back Ukraine in this issue, having earlier mentioned
Kyiv’s European aspirations as a priority.

‘OCTET’MUSIC SCHOOL OPENS IN ARMENIA’S GYUMRI – PHOTOS

18:10 ~U 20.09.13

Music School #6 ‘Octet’ after Azan Shishyan has been opened in Gyumri,
Armenia.

Attending the opening ceremony were Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan,
Governor of the Shirak region Felix Tsolakyan, Gyumri Mayor Samvel
Balasanyan, Armenia’s Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan, other
high-ranking officials, as well as the lead singer and lyricist
for Deep Purple rock band Ian Gillan, who greatly donated to the
construction of the school.

Ian Gillan, as well as Tim Irving, owner of the Millbank music store,
presented the school with new musical instruments. Back in 2009,
VivaCell MTS, Ian Gillan and “Tony” Iommi presented musical instruments
to the school as well.

The opening of Music School #6 completes the Rock Aid Armenia, which
was launched in 1989.

It is a beautiful building, with all the necessary musical
instruments. Such initiatives are a real inspiration for further work,
said Ian Gillan.

ARTSAKH WAR VETERAN URGES ARMENIAN PEOPLE TO JOIN FORCES AND OVERTHROW THE RULING REGIME

by Nana Martirosyan

ARMINFO
Friday, September 20, 19:59

During the Sept 20 rally in Liberty Square in Yerevan, Artsakh war
veteran Khachatur Avetisyan called on Armenian people to overthrow
the ruling regime.

Avetisyan also called on the leaders of political forces to put aside
the ambitions and start a fight for the sake of the country’s better
future. “We joined forces once and liberated Artsakh from the enemy.

Now it’s time to fight the enemy from within”, he stressed.

Heritage Party Leader Raffi Hovannisian agreed with Avetisyan and
said that the ruling regime is leading the people into an abyss. “The
man that has signed the Armenian-Turkish protocols, is deepening the
Madrid principles in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and is going
to join the Customs Union must resign,” Hovannisian said.

Unlike the rallies in March, today’s rally was very small and
consisted of no more than 500 people representing Heritage Party,
National Self-Determination Union and protesting Karabakh war veterans.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

His Holiness receives former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel

Antelias – On 18 September 2013, Former President Amin Gemayel met with His
Holiness Aram I at the Bikfaya monastery. Hagop Pakradouni, Armenian MP, was
also present at the meeting that lasted more than an hour. They discussed
the situation in Lebanon and Syria and also the problems of Christians in
the Middle East.
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