Author: Kajoyan Gevork

PRIVATE ARMENIAN SCHOOL WINS GLENDALE SUIT

Glendale News Press
,0,5885903.story
July 25 2012
CA

Judge finds that officials acted improperly when they closed Scholars
Academic Foundation

By Brittany Levine, [email protected] July 25, 2012 |
5:46 p.m.

A private Armenian school was improperly shut down by Glendale
officials, some of whom gave false testimony about events that led
to the closure of the campus in 2010, a Los Angeles County Superior
Court judge has ruled.

In the ruling handed down last week, Judge David Milton found that city
officials used “increased fees, yellow tagging and other steps” as a
“pretext to achieve an unlawful purpose, closing plaintiff’s school.”

Milton awarded that school, Scholars Academic Foundation, $135,000
in damages.

City Atty. Mike Garcia said by phone Wednesday that he vehemently
disagrees with Milton’s decision, but city officials have yet to
decide whether to appeal.

“We were pretty shocked by some of these conclusions,” Garcia said.

The debacle began when Scholars Academic Foundation moved from its
location at 1021 Grandview Ave. to a former Glendale Unified School
District building at 3800 Foothill Blvd. in January 2010 without
proper city permits.

The school’s principal, Anahit Grigoryan, said during court proceedings
that the city’s former zoning administrator, Edith Fuentes, said they
could operate in the new building if they quickly applied for permits.

That turned out to be an incorrect assessment.

The city sent the kindergarten-to-12th-grade school violation notices
but never received a response. In a surprise February 2010 visit,
a fire inspector determined the building was unsafe to occupy as
a school.

But Milton said the inspector’s decision to yellow-tag the building
– making it temporarily uninhabitable – was “not supported by the
evidence.”

The inspector, Jeffrey Halpert, said the City Council ordered the
city attorney to “go after the school,” according to Milton’s ruling.

“It’s just not true,” Garcia said, contending that Halpert’s statement
was based on hearsay.

Mayor Frank Quintero also said Wednesday that the City Council did
not give those marching orders, but officials take children’s safety
seriously.

“When it comes to children’s safety, it’s always important that things
get done properly, and that’s the bottom line,” he said.

In court documents, city officials said the school had an inadequate
fire alarm and locked or blocked exits, prompting the shutdown.

Ron Billing, a city building inspector, testified that the exits were
blocked by chairs stacked in a hallway. Additionally, he said, the fire
alarm system needed replacement batteries. In an earlier declaration
used to support the temporary restraining order that resulted in the
school’s closure, he said the problems were more severe, claiming,
in part, that there was no fire system at all.

Billing, who has been in Glendale for 10 years, “did not display the
level of knowledge, expertise, objectivity or veracity expected from
a government official,” Milton wrote, noting Billing acknowledged
that the 2010 declaration was partially false.

The judge added that some witnesses, including Fuentes, were “not
candid during all court proceedings due to fear of retaliation”
by the city.

The school moved to several other locations after being shut down. It
is now operating in Los Angeles, although it has lost all but roughly
25 of its original 300 students.

“Our client was fully and completely vindicated,” said Richard Foster,
the school’s attorney. “As demonstrated by the decision, the city’s
misconduct was outrageous, dishonest and prevalent, reaching to the
highest levels.”

Foster added that the school plans to ask a judge to require the city
to pay its attorney’s fees.

A financial analyst testified that over 10 years, the school could
have made $2.75 million. Milton divided that to cover the first six
months after the building was yellow-tagged.

Garcia disagreed with the monetary damages, adding that the city’s
decisions did not constitute a “taking” of property because they did
not deprive the owners of economically viable use of their property.

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN CLOSER RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA – ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

ITAR-TASS
July 24, 2012 Tuesday 06:24 PM GMT+4
Russia

Stable relations with Russia are a “cornerstone of Armenia’s security,”
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said on Tuesday at a meeting with
visiting speaker of the Russian State Duma lower parliament house
Sergei Naryshkin.

“Armenia is interested in closer relations with Russia, relations
built on a solid historic base and developing in the spirit of ally
relations,” he said.

The Armenian president highly appreciated Naryshkin’s contribution
to strengthening friendly relations between Russia and Armenia,
the presidential press service said. He expressed the hope that the
visit by the Russian State Duma speaker will give a fresh impetus to
the dynamically developing Russia-Armenian strategic relations.

Naryshkin noted with satisfaction the high level of strategic
partnership between Russia and Armenia. “Russia values much its
relations with Armenia, which have become still more active in the past
decade,” he said and added that parliamentary diplomacy contributes
much to this.

ZARTONK EDITOR VISITS EAST COAST

July 25, 2012 2:56 pm

BOSTON – Baydzig Kalaydjian, the editor of Zartonk daily, the Armenian
Democratic Liberal (ADL) Party’s publication in Lebanon, visited
Boston and New York as part of her tour of the US. Kalaydjian was
accompanied by Hagop Vartivarian, the ADL Press Committee co-chair.

During her visit to Boston, Kalaydjian met with the editor of the
Armenian Mirror-Spectator, Alin K. Gregorian; Dr. Nubar Berberian,
secretary of the Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA) Central Board
of Directors; and Kevork Marashlian, executive secretary of the
TCA Central Board of Directors. She also visited Hairenik editor
ZavenTorikian and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)
Archives Institute Director Vatche Proudian, as well as Armenian
Cultural Foundation Executive Director Ara Ghazarians.

During her visit to Boston, Kalaydjian was feted at a reception
held in her honor on Monday, July 16, at the headquarters of the
Mirror-Spectator.

ARMENIAN FARMER INJURED IN SHOOTING FROM AZERBAIJAN

Interfax
July 23 2012
Russia

A resident of Armenia’s northeastern Tavush district bordering on
Azerbaijan was injured in shooting from the Azeri territory, the
Armenian police told Interfax on Monday.

“The Berd military hospital reported on July 21 the admission of
25-year-old villager Nerkin Karmirakhbyur. He was injured while
farming. The shooting came from Azerbaijan,” the police said.

Investigation started. Forensic tests are planned.

SAMUEL SEVIAN WINS 20TH METROPOLITAN CHESS INVITATIONAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 24, 2012 – 19:54 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 11-year-old Armenian chess player Samuel
Sevian scored 7 points out of 9 to win the first prize at the
20th Metropolitan Tournament in Los Angeles. Samuel fulfilled an
International Master norm for the second time within the last two
months.

Meanwhile, Armenian grandmaster Tatev Abrahamyan scored 4,5 points
out of 5 to win the chess open in Woodlands Hills, USA.

The tournament brought together 41 chess players, armchess.am reported.

STYOPA SAFARYAN: THE DEVELOPMENTS IN SYRIA ARE IRREVERSIBLE
Lena Badeyan

“Radiolur”
24.07.2012 16:42

Armenia has to accept all Armenians from Syria, Secretary General
of the Heritage Party Board Styopa Safaryan told a press conference
today. He is assured, however, that the Armenian government is not
yet ready for it.

The ex-MP is concerned with the silence Armenia keeps on the issue.

Neither the officials, nor the political scientists are making any
attempt to analyze the situation, envision the possible developments
and be ready for them, Styopa Safaryan said.

Safaryan says the events in Syria are irreversible. “The regime will
change,” he stated.

ARMENIA-SPAIN FRIENDLY GROUP IS FORMED IN ARMENIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

ARMENPRESS
24 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS: Charge d’ Affaires of the Republic of
Armenia to Spain Khoren Terterian on July 18 held a meeting with the
president of foreign affairs committee of Spanish Parliament Duran
i Lleida.

Armenpress was informed from Media, information and public relations
department of Armenian foreign affairs ministry that during the meeting
issues concerning prospects of developments of parliamentary relations
between two countries and other issues of mutual interest.

Khoren Terterian informed Duran i Lleida that in the National Assembly
of Armenia is being formed Armenia-Spain friendship group.

There was an exchange of opinions about Armenia-EU relations. Armenian
Charge d’ Affaires introduced the process of reforms directed to
establishment of closer relations with European family. Welcoming the
progress of Armenian side in Euro integration process mister Lleida
highlighted the readiness of Spanish side to support Armenia in that
direction. Khoren Terterian presented to the Spanish deputy the main
directions of the foreign policy of Armenia.

AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA TALKS WILL BE OF NO GOOD AS CRISIS PERSISTS IN REGION – IRANIAN MFA

news.am
July 24, 2012 | 14:53

Presidential elections in Nagorno-Karabakh seem to have no positive
results, official representative of Iranian MFA told reporters
on Tuesday.

Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said as long as the crisis persists in
the region, talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia will be of no good
and the elections, too, seem to have no positive results, IRNA reports.

During the briefing Mehmanparast also touched upon the relations
between Iran and Azerbaijan.

He stressed that Tehran and Baku are determined to establish closer
relations, although certain currents are trying to damage amicable ties
between the countries. He also called on both sides to be vigilant.

ELECTIONS, GEOPOLITICS, AND TIME

Tuesday, 24 July 2012 05:39

So, the July 19 presidential elections in the NKR became part
of history, but, surely, certain time they will still occupy the
minds of political scientists and experts. It should be noted that
the estimates and opinions on the NKR presidential elections were
expressed both before and after the electoral process, and their
range was quite wide – from well-disposed to negative.

Although it should be recognized that no open condemnation was
expressed. Except, of course, the sharp reaction by Azerbaijan and
Turkey, which was easy to forecast, due to well-known reasons, and
therefore does not deserve serious attention.

Surely, we are, first of all, interested in the position and
assessments of international structures and observers carrying out
direct monitoring of the elections. Comparative analysis of the
estimates that were given by international structures to the earlier
election processes in the NKR and the last presidential election lets
us talk about some positive trends. Of course, neither the OSCE nor
the European Union, which was also predicted, did not approve the
presidential elections, but they didnâ~@~Yt either flatly condemned
them.

Among those who claimed not to recognize the elections were Chairman
of the OSCE Permanent Council Oen O’Leary and head of the European
diplomacy, Catherine Ashton. A corresponding statement was also issued
by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, who, as Catherine Ashton, said the
elections should not prejudge the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh
at the negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

In fact, from the diplomatic point of view, such a statement is quite
right, as the negotiation process within the Minsk Group is still
underway. However, the fears of international organizations on the
possible predetermination of the political status of Nagorno-Karabakh
are completely useless, since the presidential elections in the NKR do
not include such a function and have, so to say, a purely domestic
purpose, or, they are focused on the formation of governmental
structures to control the state.

In the same sense, the change in the tone of the international
mediators’ statements attracts the attention. The OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs themselves recognized the “need for the formation of de
facto authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh to ensure democracy and to
maintain the public life”. That is, we can state that the mediators
fairly can no longer ignore the political processes in the NKR,
in particular, the establishment of legitimate authorities via
nationwide elections. Moreover, holding elections in the NKR in a
real competition, as it happened on July 19, should only be welcomed
by international organizations, as it clearly confirms the commitment
of both the people and authorities of the Republic to the democratic
principles of civil society. Legitimately elected state power is
predictable and acts responsibly, which is very important in the
modern civilized world.

I must say that the assessments of the international observers, who
monitored the presidential elections, advantageously differed from the
views of European officials and were much more specific. And it is not
only and not so much the estimates of the electoral process unanimously
recognized by actually all the observers as “a democratic act of free
will of the Republic’s citizens corresponding to the international
standards of the electoral law”. In this case, important are the
political assessments. As it was rightly noted by Director of the
Polish branch of the European Centre for Geopolitical Studies Mateusz
Piskorski, “just the democratically elected President, Parliament,
and representatives of other branches of power can negotiate on behalf
of the NKR”. Members of the Russian observation mission also noted the
importance of the elections for the negotiation process in the format
of the OSCE Minsk Group. Director of the RF Institute of the Newest
States Alexey Martynov stated bluntly that “Nagorno-Karabakh is quite
an established state and from a legal point of view has every right to
be fully represented in the negotiation process”. Let us note that the
conclusion of actually all the observing missions, made â~@~Kâ~@~Kup
on the presidential elections, state the compliance of the level of
democratic development in Nagorno-Karabakh with the standards of the
countries with developed democracy. This means that they can serve
a peculiar signal to the international community to appreciate the
efforts of the NKR people and authorities and to legally recognize its
independence, which, according to the observers, it quite established.

As for the fact that this signal does not yet reach the international
structures displaying, to put it mildly, political indifference
towards Nagorno-Karabakh in terms of not so much the recognition of
its independence, but, at least, its return to the negotiating table,
then this issue has quite understandable and known reasons.

Unfortunately, Nagorno-Karabakh became a hostage of the geopolitical
struggle of the superpowers, which cannot determine their own interests
in our region. Then, is not the trust to them as bearers and apologists
of democratic values lost? And the trust towards the mediators in the
process of the Karabakh conflict settlement, which, by definition, are
considered to be impartial? And what will help to restore this trust?

But, these are the questions that can be answered only by time. The
time when the critical mass of positive assessments of independent
international observers will completely outweigh the principle of
political or conjuncture expediency, by which the international
organizations are guided, dependent on the interests of the major
extra-regional forces. In the words of the observers, we’d like to
be sure that the time will certainly come.

Leonid MARTIROSSIAN

Editor-in-Chief of Azat Artsakh newspaper

VILNIUS RESIDENT DETAINED FOR HANGING FLAG OF SOVIET ARMENIA

news.am
July 24, 2012 | 12:06

A jeweler from Vilnius Arvidas Guryavichus was detained for hanging
the flag of USSR and Soviet Armenia on his balcony.

He was accused of violating the law prohibiting the public display
of Soviet symbols, Delfi.lt reports.

However, the jeweler claimed he wanted to sell the flags to a
collector. There was no place to expand the flag in the apartment
and he decided to hang it on the balcony

Another resident of Vilnius was angered noticing the Soviet flag and
called the police. The jeweler may face a fine amounting to $175-350.

The ban on the demonstration of the Soviet and Nazi symbols operates in
Lithuania since 2008. In particular, the flag of the USSR and Soviet
symbols, such as the hammer and sickle, the red five point star,
are banned.

The ban applies primarily to rallies and other public events. However,
it is applied in other cases, writes Lenta.ru.