Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Iran Book News Agency, Iran
May 5 2013

`Encyclopedia of Iranian Armenians links countries’

4 May 2013 15:13

The 26th Tehran International Book Fair held a session during which
the Encyclopedia of Iranian Armenians was unveiled.
IBNA: The unveiling ceremony was attended by University professor
Hojatoleslam Bahman Akbari, the book’s writer Janet. D. Lazarian as
well as a group of Armenians and researchers, the news headquarters of
the 26th Tehran International Book Fair reported.

Talking about the book’s author, Hojatoleslam Bahman Akbari said:
`Janet. D. Lazarian is an Iranian Armenian scholar who cooperated in
compiling different works. The Encyclopedia of Iranian Armenians was
unveiled in Armenia before and Iran is now holding the ceremony as a
positive step towards cementing the ties of Iranians, Iranian
Armenians and Armenians themselves.’

Janet. D. Lazarian also said that several years have passed since the
book’s publication but the work was converted into Persian this year.
Unfortunately no other books have been published on Iranian Armenians
and their services to Iran since 1600 so far.

According to my suggestion, books were supposed to be compiled about
Iranian Jews, Zoroastrians, Assyrians and Armenians which would have
been presented to foreign guests who visit Iran; however only
Encyclopedia of Iranian Armenians was published.

The book’s compilation toke over a year and a committee screened all
the names and people which were supposed to be included in the book.
The book was then sent to Armenia and the Iranian ambassador to
Yerevan tried to translate it. The work was translated in different
parts by students which could not be published. Finally supported by
an Armenian, the book was translated by George Abrahamian, she added.

Following the fall of the Soviet Union, no information exists about
Iranian Armenians, she said and added: `Unfortunately only noted
scholars and dignitaries are known in Armenia and the Armenians have
no further information on other Iranian Armenians scholars and
hopefully the translation will be a beginning for linking both the
nations.’

Lazarian also thanked Hojatoleslam Bahman Akbari for the efforts he
made for the book’s publication. She finally said that Iran’s cultural
attaché office in Armenia hadn’t prepared enough books for Iranians
and the book was released in 400 copies in Armenia. Hopefully the book
will soon be reprinted for all.

The 26th Tehran International Book Fair will be underway at Imam
Khomeini Mosalla until May 11.

From: Baghdasarian

Wicked Local, MA
May 4 2013

Strength in the Face of Tragedy: A Thank You to the Armenian-American Community

Belmont, Mass. – On April 19, the Massachusetts Armenian community
demonstrated the kind of resilience and courage that has inspired us
to be `Boston Strong’ in the wake of last week’s tragedies.

The 98th anniversary Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide was to
take place on Friday, April 19, at the Massachusetts State House. We
expected hundreds of people from Watertown and surrounding communities
to attend. The planned march to the New England Holocaust Memorial
and Armenian Heritage Park had already been cancelled due to the
Boston Marathon bombings – but there was a considered decision by the
planning committee to move forward with the State House event.
All that transpired in the early hours of Friday changed those plans.
With Boston and Watertown on lockdown, the plans for the Commemoration
were put aside, our energy directed toward getting the stay-indoors
request out to residents of Watertown and surrounding communities.

Beyond Watertown’s borders, other communities were also impacted by
Friday’s events. A class of Wilmington High School students, who had
studied the Genocide and had planned to attend the Commemoration, is
now part of a community mourning the loss of Officer Sean Collier.

Our months of planning would no longer culminate in a Commemoration
that would fill the House of Representatives Chamber with hundreds of
people, young and old, school children and scouts, guest speakers and
Genocide survivors. Any momentary disappointment was soon replaced
with concern and prayers for our friends in Watertown, who were
undergoing a horrific ordeal.
We spread the word that the Commemoration had been cancelled, but the
catering order for 350 had already been prepared by Ani Catering of
Belmont. The planning committee agreed to donate the food to law
enforcement in Watertown.

Coordinating this donation, when most of the committee members were
subject to the shelter-in-place order, was hardly an easy task. Lalig
Musserian of Belmont, the Commemoration coordinator, worked quickly,
contacting Hovannes Janessian of Ani Catering. They worked out a plan
with Sheriff Peter Koutoujian’s office to have the food safely
delivered to law enforcement in Watertown. Hovannes waited for hours
with the food before the police granted Lalig permission to drive to
his catering shop in Belmont. Around noon on Friday, Lalig and her
husband received clearance. Together, they loaded the van with brown
bags of sweet rolls, cookies, brownies, cheeses, and beverages. They
drove through empty streets and made their way through checkpoints
before a member of the Sheriff’s office greeted them and accepted the
donation. They were also able to hand out brown bag lunches to several
Watertown police officers on patrol.

We are sure that there are many more untold stories of kindness,
courage, and generosity in the face of danger that will eventually
emerge. But Lalig, Hovannes, and Watertown: you inspired us with your
strength on Friday. The Armenian Genocide Commemoration would have
allowed us to gather together to remember the 1.5 million lives lost
in the Armenian Genocide, to stand up for survivors, and to celebrate
the contributions of Armenian-Americans to our society. Your
contribution on Friday touched us deeply.

Last week, we saw people from all over the world come together to
support Boston. The sense emerged that `We are all Bostonians.’ The
Armenian community also came together- once again- in the face of
tragedy. Yours is truly a story of perseverance, and we thank you for
your example.

Megan Wood is Representative Jonathan Hecht’s legislative aide. Jeanne
Mooney and Anne Johnson Landry serve on Senator Will Brownsberger’s
legislative staff.

From: Baghdasarian

UEFA.com
May 4 2013

Shirak wrap up Armenian title

Published: Friday 3 May 2013, 23.17CET
by Khachik Chakhoyan

FC Mika’s shock defeat by FC Banants gave FC Shirak the chance to win
the title with two games to spare, and the Gyumri club duly claimed
their first championship since 1999 with victory at FC Pyunik.

FC Shirak secured their first Armenian title in 14 years with two
matches to spare after their 1-0 win at FC Pyunik was coupled with FC
Mika’s 2-1 reverse against bottom side FC Banants.

Mika began the day five points behind the leaders but a Banants winner
in the dying moments gave Shirak the chance to wrap up their fourth
championship and first since 1999.

Despite fielding their strongest side, Shirak failed to create any
chances in the first half and were lucky not to concede when Artak
Edigaryan’s free-kick hit a post for Pyunik. The contest was livelier
after the break with chances at both ends before Yoro Lamine Ly
converted substitute Levon Pachajyan’s low cross nine minutes from
time for his 16th goal of the season.

“I am so happy,” a teary Shirak coach Vardan Bichakhchyan told
UEFA.com. “I have never felt such happiness before. All credit to my
players, it is their win. Shirak had been striving for this success
for so long. [The city of] Gyumri needs such victories and we made all
the citizens happy. This is pure joy, and we made it by our own
efforts and eagerness.”

From: Baghdasarian

GAGUIK TSAROUKIAN ENCOURAGE VIVEMENT LES HABITANTS DE EREVAN A VOTER POUR SON PARTI

Les quotidiens rendent compte de la manifestation d’Armenie prospère
sur la place de la Liberte, lors de laquelle le leader du parti,
Gaguik Tsaroukian, a exhorte les habitants a defier ce qu’il a denonce
comme des tentatives d’intimidation et a voter en faveur de son parti.

Selon M. Tsaroukian, ” un maire du parti Armenie prospère ne prendrait
pas de pots-de-vin et repondrait a la lettre d’un citoyen le jour meme
“. L’ancien ministre des AE, Vartan Oskanian, tete de liste electorale
d’Armenie prospère, a egalement pris la parole, soulignant a nouveau
l’importance de mettre fin au ” monopole politique ” du parti au
pouvoir. Il a estime que la defaite du parti Republicain se traduirait
par un ” changement radical ” sur la scène politique armenienne.

Hayots Achkhar se montre surpris des declarations des representants
d’Armenie prospère sur la necessite de changements radicaux dans le
pays, alors que ce parti a pendant quelques annees appartenu a la
coalition gouvernementale, est actuellement represente au sein du
Conseil municipal de Erevan, a toujours vote en faveur des budgets de
Erevan et dirige de surcroît 6 autres villes d’Armenie. ” Qu’est-ce
qui vous empechait de proceder a des changements Messieurs ? “,
demande Hayots Achkhar.

Haykakan Jamanak relève par ailleurs que cette formation politique qui
se dit ” victime de pressions ” a fait venir en bus des centaines
d’habitants, dont des enseignants et des ecoliers, de la ville
d’Abovian (fief de M. Tsaroukian) pour participer a cette manifestation
a Erevan. Ce quotidien publie des photos des bus transportant des
habitants, ainsi que des jeunes faisant la queue devant le bureau
d’Armenie prospère pour recevoir une remuneration financière pour
leur participation…

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 3 mai 2013

samedi 4 mai 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

COURT REQUESTS DINK DOCUMENTS FROM ANKARA PROSECUTORS

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 3 2013

The Ä°stanbul 2nd High Criminal Juvenile Court, which is overseeing
the case into the murder of Hrank Dink, who was killed by an
ultranationalist teenager in January 2007, has requested documents
belonging to a plot to kill Dink, if any, from the Ankara Chief Public
Prosecutor’s Office.

The documents were allegedly seized from the Special Forces Command
in 2010. The command was searched by a judge as part of an ongoing
probe into a suspected military plot to assassinate Deputy Prime
Minister Bulent Arınc. Following the search, claims emerged that the
judge found documents that mentioned a plot to kill Turkish-Armenian
journalist Dink.

Hakan Bakırcıoglu, one of the lawyers for the Dink family, reminded
the court about the claims, and in response, the presiding judge
decided to send a written communiqué to the Ankara Chief Public
Prosecutor’s Office to ask if it possesses any such document seized
from the Special Forces Command detailing a plot to kill Dink, and
if it does, to send copies of them to the court.

Dink was gunned down in broad daylight on Jan. 17, 2007, by
ultranationalist Ogun Samast. Dink was the editor-in-chief of the
Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos at the time. Samast is being tried in
juvenile court because he was a minor at the time of the crime.

Also during Friday’s hearing, another lawyer for the Dink family,
Fethiye Cetin, asked the court to hear the testimony of a secret
witness, who uses the codename BarıÅ~_. When testifying to prosecutors
involved in the Dink murder case, BarıÅ~_ claimed that the plot
to kill Dink had been devised by JÄ°TEM, an illegal and clandestine
network within the gendarmerie. Cetin said they believe the secret
witness is telling the truth.

The Dink murder shocked Turkey and the ensuing trial became mired in
controversy, with Dink’s family and human rights activists arguing
that links between suspects in the case and the real masterminds of
the murder, suspected to be in the military and police force, were
not sufficiently investigated.

From: Baghdasarian

EDWARD NALBANDIAN: ARMENIA IS NOT GOING TO RAISE KARABAKH PROBLEM DURING ITS COE PRESIDENCY PERIOD

ARMINFO
Friday, May 3, 18:00

Armenia is not going to raise the Karabakh problem during its Council
of Europe presidency, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
said at today’s hearings in Parliament.

He believes that the Council of Europe is not the format to discuss
the Karabakh conflict because the Karabakh peace process is going
on within the frames of OSCE Minsk Group. “A decision to set up a
PACE Committee to discuss the Karabakh conflict was made as early as
2005, but the further developments demonstrated the inexpediency of
the given approach. We do not think it is an effective way. This has
been repeatedly spoken about, and the OSCE MG co-chairs also share
this viewpoint”, Nalbandian said.

To recall, on May 16 Armenia will assume the CoE Committee of Ministers
presidency. Armenia’s presidency of the CoE Committee of Ministers
will follow Andorra’s presidency.

From: Baghdasarian

BRITISH AMBASSADOR IMPRESSED BY DEDICATION OF ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS

16:43 03/05/2013 ” SOCIETY

Jonathan Aves, British Ambassador, sends his greetings on Press
Freedom Day to everybody in Armenia who works in the press and media.

“A free media is vital to a flourishing society where all citizens
can realise their potential. This is true in Armenia as in any
other country. I have been deeply impressed by the dedication and
commitment of Armenian journalists to keeping their fellow citizens
well-informed, stimulated and entertained. Thank you!” the Ambassador
said in his statement.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

PROSPEROUS ARMENIA: IF MAY 5 ELECTIONS ARE FAIR, WE WILL GET MOST OF THE SEATS IN YEREVAN’S ELDERS COUNCIL

ARMINFO
Friday, May 3, 17:41

If the May 5 elections are fair, we will get most of the seats
in Yerevan’s Elders Council, Naira Zohrabyan, the secretary of the
parliamentary group of Prosperous Armenia Party, said in the parliament
on Friday.

She said that the opposition forces may form a bloc after the
elections. “All of the regime’s attempts to drive a wedge between
Prosperous Armenia, ARFD and Armenian National Congress will be
futile,” Zohrabyan said.

She said that Prosperous Armenia has made it clear to its voters that
this is a political election and they will elect political figures
rather than just municipal administrators.

From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN AIR CARRIERS GET PERMISSION TO MAKE ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS TO ARMENIA

ARMINFO
Friday, May 3, 17:48

To avoid possible air ticket price hike, the Department to Regulate
Air Traffic, the General Civil Aviation Department of Armenia (GCADA),
has permitted foreign air carriers to make additional flights to
Armenia in the summer season, GCADA reported. In response to mass media
reports, GCADA specialists surveyed the market of air transportation
and found out that the tickets for economy class have not changed in
price. In the mean while, economy tickets are largely in demand, which
can lead to a rise in their prices. To prevent possible price hike,
the Department adopted a decision to permit the following airlines
to make additional flights for the “Summer 2013” navigation season:
Aeroflot, Rossiya Airlines, Polet, International Airlines of Ukraine,
Ural Airlines, and Siberia, says Hrant Mirzoyan, GCADA Department to
Regulate Air Traffic.

In particular, Aeroflot, Siberia, Rossiya Airlines, International
Airlines, Ural Airlines are allowed to make additional regular flights
on the following routes: Yerevan-Moscow-Yerevan, Yerevan-Novosibirsk-
Yerevan, Yerevan-Kiev-Yerevan, Yerevan-St. Petersburg-Yerevan, and
Yerevan-Nizhny Novgorod- Yerevan.

To expand the geography of air transportation, the foreign airlines
are allowed to make flights to new destinations: Yerevan-Ufa_Yerevan,
Yerevan-Kaliningrad-Yerevan, Yerevan-Belgorod-Yerevan.

To recall, on April 1 2013 the national air carrier of Armenia,
Armavia LLC, announced a bankruptcy procedure and grounded flights.

The deficit in the market will be filled with additional regular
flights.

From: Baghdasarian

Report: ‘Misha,’ said to have steered elder Boston bombing suspect to
stricter Islam, lives in RI

Breaking News

Providence Journal (Providence, Rhode Island)
April 29, 2013 12:44 am

By Maria Caporizzo

A figure family members say steered the elder Boston bombing suspect
toward a stricter version of Islam has been identified by The New York
Review of Books as a man living in Rhode Island.

The Associated Press reports family members have said Tamerlan
Tsarnaev was religiously apathetic until 2008 or 2009, when he met a
conservative Muslim convert known to the family only as “Misha.”

In a post on its website Sunday night, The New York Review of Books’
Christian Caryl writes, “Today I was able to meet ‘Misha,’ whose real
name is Mikhail Allakhverdov. Having been referred by a family in
Boston that was close to the Tsarnaevs, I found Allakverdov at his
home in Rhode Island, in a lower middle class neighborhood, where he
lives in [a] modest, tidy apartment with his elderly parents.”

Caryl writes that Allakhverdov confirmed that he had known Tamerlan
but denied any role in the marathon bombings.

“I wasn’t his teacher. If I had been his teacher, I would have made
sure he never did anything like this,” Caryl quotes Allakhverdov as
saying.

The AP reports two U.S. officials say investigators have not found a
connection between Misha and the Boston attack or terrorism in
general.

From: Baghdasarian