Author: Kalantarian Kevo

KARAGIOSIAN TRAIL: BURBANK OFFICER TELLS OF YEARS OF ETHNIC HARASSMENT, DISCRIMINATION

Burbank Leader

March 27 2012
CA

Burbank Police Det. Steve Karagiosian claims other officers made
offending comments about his ethnicity.

March 27, 2012|By Maria Hsin, [email protected]

The Armenian American police detective who is suing the city over
allegations he was harassed and discriminated against because of
his ethnicity took the stand during his suit’s trial this week,
sharing with the jury years of alleged ethnic slurs directed at him
and Armenians in general.

Det. Steve Karagiosian testified that other officers, including
detectives and sergeants, made disparaging remarks about Armenians
from the moment he joined the department in 2004 to begin his training.

Karagiosian said he initially did not report the comments because of
his junior rank.

“I was brand new, I wasn’t about to complain to anyone,” he said this
week in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

At one point, Karagiosian said he discussed disparaging comments
allegedly made by fellow Officer Aaron Kendrick. Kendrick later
apologized, Karagiosian added.

When Karagiosian was able to pick his schedule, he chose shifts that
Kendrick and other officers who allegedly made ethnic slurs were not
working. The harassment briefly subsided, Karagiosian testified,
but picked up after an interview with Irma Rodriguez Moisa, an
outside attorney hired to investigate an anonymous letter alleging
discrimination in the department.

Despite being told the interview was confidential, Karagiosian said
about a month after his interview with her, a “majority of officers
knew what was said.”

Karagiosian said at one point, he reported everything to his supervisor
because he was ready to discuss “everything that he had not complained
about that I thought was inappropriate in the workplace.”

But after hearing that former Police Chief Tim Stehr would be
unsympathetic, and after the content from his first interview with
an investigator was apparently leaked, Karagiosian testified that he
decided to keep his complaints private out of fear of retaliation.

The city has contended in court that Karagiosian told an investigator
he wasn’t offended by remarks about his ethnicity and that he only
filed a lawsuit after fearing disciplinary action when the FBI began to
investigate the department about allegations of excessive use of force.

Karagiosian said he was cleared from any wrong-doing by the FBI after
the agency requested his file and that of 37 other officers.

POLISH FILM YEAR TO START IN YEREVAN ON THURSDAY

news.am
March 28, 2012 | 16:57

YEREVAN. – The Polish Film Year festival will kick off in Armenia’s
capital Yerevan, on Thursday, with the screening of Polish director
Juliusz Machulski’s dramatic comedy entitled “Vabank.”

All through the festival, ten Polish films will be shown with
Armenian translation, the Polish Embassy in Armenia informed Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

The films will be screened on the last Thursday of each month, and
each film will be followed by discussions monitored by a film critic,
or a filmmaker.

The admission to all films will be free.

D. BABAYAN: BLACK PR PRACTICED AGAINST ARTSAKH

Panorama.am
29/03/2012

“Azerbaijani authorities practice black PR against Artsakh. Our country
is developing day by day, which may be shaking the atmosphere in the
ruling Administration of Azerbaijan,” Davit Babayan, head of NKR
President’s public relations department told Panorama.am asked to
remark on accusations addressed to the airport construction in Artsakh.

“The airport is a civilian object. How can it destabilize the
situation, when it is defined by the international norms that people
have the right to freedom of movement. And this is one of the ways to
implement our rights. Today they are alarmed by the airport, tomorrow
they will be bothered by passing our border via vehicles. This is
not serious, I think,” Davit Babayan said.

USA TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ARMENIA’S OMBUDSMAN’S OFFICE

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 29, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. The ombudsman office signed on March
29 memorandum of mutual understanding with the USAID. According
to the memorandum, the USAID will provide technical assistance for
strengthening the institutional capacities of the office. Ombudsman
Karen Andreasyan said as a result the services of the office provided
to citizens especially in provinces will be improved.

Director of the USAID Armenia Office Jatinder Cheema said the activity
of the ombudsman”s office is quite extended and their contribution
is quite modest. “We greatly highlight the role of formation of civil
society,” she said.

U.S. ambassador to Armenia John Heffern stressed that Armenian-American
relations are quite inclusive. “The real partnership is based on
values and the values protected by this office are serious ground
for cooperation,” Heffern said.

THE AZERBAIJANI SIDE FAILS TO LEAD THE OSCE MISSION TO ITS FRONT POSITIONS

armradio.am
29.03.2012 16:46

On March 29, in accordance with the agreement previously achieved
with the authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh),
the OSCE Mission held scheduled monitoring of the Nagorno Karabakh
and Azerbaijani armed forces’ contact line in the Martuni direction,
near the village of Kuropatkino.

>From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was led
by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzey
Kasprzyk (Poland). The monitoring group included the OSCE Office
Coordinator Peter Kee (Great Britain) and Field Assistant of the
PRCiO Antal Herdich (Hungary).

On the opposite side, the monitoring was led by Field Assistants of
the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office William
Prior (Great Britain) and Hristo Hristov (Bulgaria).

The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. No
violation of the ceasefire was fixed. However, the Azerbaijani side
did not lead the OSCE mission to its front line, as a result of which
the monitoring was conducted from a farther distance.

>From the Karabakh party, the monitoring mission was accompanied by
representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense,
reported the NKR MFA press service.

‘ARMENIAN REVIEW’ RELEASES LATEST ISSUE

Armenian Weekly
March 29, 2012

Following a long tradition of publishing non-thematic issues, the
latest volume of the Armenian Review-released in March-follows two
thematic publications and includes four scholarly articles and a
number of book reviews and review essays.

The latest volume of the Armenian Review includes four scholarly
articles and a number of book reviews and review essays.

The issue starts with a discussion by Ara Sanjian on the challenges,
limitations, and opportunities confronting historians conducting
in-depth research about the Armenia Revolutionary Federation (ARF).

The article provides a survey of the limited materials available to
scholars about the ARF-whether academic research or personal memoirs.

Also highlighted is the need for the comprehensive use of archival
material to be able to map, narrate, and evaluate the history of the
ARF, especially its post-1924 activities in the diaspora.

Another piece, authored by Bedross Der Matossian, is a comprehensive
survey of the archival material at the Armenian Patriarchate of
Jerusalem. Der Matossian offers a brief survey of the archives
available at various locations before providing a detailed account
of the material available at the Patriarchate. He then offers an
accounting of the archives based on sub-themes and time periods. This
piece is the first public examination and analysis of the material
related to the Armenian Genocide at the Jerusalem Patriarchate.

The third piece is a collaborative effort by Katy E. Pearce, Howard
Giles, Christopher Hajek, Valerie Barker, and Charles Choi, and is an
intriguing comparison of the attitudes of citizens in Armenia and the
United States toward their respective police forces. The research not
only looks into the attitudes of citizens but also attempts to measure
the respect and trust that citizens in each country have toward their
law enforcement agencies. The piece is based on a detailed theoretical
framework and provides insight into relations between community and
law enforcement in each country.

The fourth piece, penned by Armen Baibourtian, is a hybrid of academic
research and the personal accounts of a diplomat. As Armenia’s first
ambassador to India, Baibourtian has been able to directly observe
and formulate bilateral relations between the two countries. The
article provides a brief historical background before focusing on the
continually increasing levels of cooperation between Yerevan and New
Delhi, in the process highlighting some of the strategic priorities
of the newly established Republic of Armenia during its earliest years.

As the Armenian Review approaches its 65th anniversary, the editorial
team expresses its firm commitment to a similarly productive future
for the journal. The digitization of all past issues is underway,
and the initial stages of that work have already been completed. The
wealth of resources that 60 years’ worth of issues constitutes is
monumental. To support this effort and for more information, e-mail
the editor at [email protected].

Annual subscription rates are $30 for individuals and $60 for
institutions at U.S. addresses. For addresses outside the U.S.,
subscription rates are $35 for individuals and $70 for institutions.

Payments could be made online on the journal’s website. All
subscription, order, and renewal inquiries should be addressed to the
publisher by writing to the Armenian Review, Inc., 80 Bigelow Avenue,
Watertown, MA 02472-2012; or by e-mailing [email protected];
or by calling (617) 926-4037.

OUTSIDER: SUKIASYAN IS NOT ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS
By Gayane Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
Vote 2012 | 29.03.12 | 14:33

The Election Commission of Constituency #10 on Wednesday made a
decision not to register renowned businessman Khachatur Sukiasyan’s
candidacy for the May 6 Parliamentary elections. The Armenian National
Congress (ANC), which supports Sukiasyan, called this “a powerless
and fraudulent step, which is the expression of the authorities’
fear and revenge.”

The commission made its decision based on the notice sent by the
Passport and Visa Department of the Police of Armenia, according to
which Sukiasyan has not permanently resided in Armenia within the
recent five years (he lived abroad for ten months).

Predicting such a decision Sukiasyan’s family, which have been
subjected to political pursuits since the Presidential elections in
2008, when Sukiasyan publically supported opposition leader Levon
Ter-Petrosyan, nominated Sukiasyan’s brother Saribek Sukiasyan’s
candidacy in the same electoral district beforehand.

The commission registered Saribek’s candidacy and he will compete with
another well-known businessman, head of Nushikyan Association Garegin
Nushikyan, who is nominated by Republican Party of Armenia (RPA).

Still, Khachatur Sukiasyan’s attorney Ara Zohrabyan says that being
absent from a country for ten months does not mean not residing
there permanently.

“Under the Article 23 of the Civil Code of Armenia, ‘The place of
residence is the place where a citizen permanently or primarily
lives.’ Sukiasyan was absent for only ten months, and it is only
18 percent within five years. We will settle this issue at court
instances, we will even appeal to the European Court [of Human
Rights],” Zohrabyan says.

Even though the opposition political figure was denied, RPA has
nominated a number of candidates who were absent from Armenia for a
long time, too.

Owner of Hrazdan open-air market Ashot Aghababyan, who during
his interviews has not concealed the fact that he was absent from
Armenia due to health problems, is registered as a candidate for
the Parliamentary elections at electoral district #33 in Gyumri,
Shirak province.

Former Deputy Minister of Health Tatul Hakobyan who is a candidate at
electoral district #37 (Syunik province) has lived in Denmark since
November 2010 and he works at the World Health Organization as an
expert, however he had no problems regarding his registration.

ARMENIA’S PREMIER SAYS UNEMPLOYMENT KOTAYK REGION’S MAIN PROBLEM

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 29, 2012
ARZAKAN

ARZAKAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenia”s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
presented at the outgoing cabinet sitting today the results of studies
made in the Kotayk region of Armenia. The premier stressed that the
most urgent issue of the province is unemployment. “After the collapse
of the USSR the factories stopped working and today we see that the 35%
of the family budget goes for food. The social-economic figures show
poverty level in the province is high,” the premier stressed. Among
the prior issues of the province is road construction, assistance to
villages, creation of jobs. The province lacks in teachers, though
the majority of its schools have been renovated.

Certain part of the population of the region ties its future with
the outgoing work.

PROGRAMME OF RUSSIAN FM’S VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN MADE PUBLIC

News.Az
Thu 29 March 2012 09:42 GMT | 10:42 Local Time

Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov is to pay an official
visit to Azerbaijan.

During the upcoming visit to Baku, Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov will discuss issues of bilateral trade-economic,
inter-regional and cross-border cooperation, and humanitarian aspects
of the relationship, the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
the status of the Caspian Sea, and cooperation within international
organizations.

The statement came from the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Earlier it was reported that Lavrov’s visit to Baku will be held on
April 3-4. On the eve of the visit the Russian minister will hold
meetings in Yerevan. Both visits are confined to the 20th anniversary
of diplomatic relations.

In Baku, Lavrov is to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev,
Prime Minister Artur Racizade and Chairman of the Milli Majlis Ogtay
Asadov. He is also to hold expanded talks with Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov.

“We view Azerbaijan as a strategic partner in the Caucasus and the
Caspian region. We develop relations on the basis of equality, mutual
respect for interests and good neighborly relations “, the ministry’s
statement says.

Russian side hopes effective work of the Intergovernmental Commission
on economic cooperation in trade and economic sphere to be discussed
between Lavrov and Mammadyarov, as well as the implementation of
major joint projects, including in the energy field.

According to the Foreign Ministry, last year the bilateral trade
exceeded $ 2.5 bn, and the potential for its further increase has
not been exhausted.

The agenda still includes the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
especially in light of the recent meeting between the presidents of
Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in Sochi on 23 January.

“Russia welcomes the willingness of conflicting parties to accelerate
the achievement of an agreement on basic principles for taking into
account the work done so far and it will fully support both in the
trilateral format,and as the co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group,” the
Foreign Ministry says.

The issue of inter-regional and cross-border cooperation between
Russia and Azerbaijan as a key element of bilateral relations will
also not be left unattended.

Ministers will consider humanitarian subjects of the
Russian-Azerbaijani relations. In this regard, it is important to
note the new joint project, launched in 2011 – Baku International
Humanitarian Forum.

“We hope that it will become a promising regional and international
cooperation format,” the Foreign Ministry says.

WORLD BANK SUPPORTS ENERGY EFFICIENCY INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC FACILITIES OF ARMENIA

armradio.am
28.03.2012 13:20

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a US$1.82
million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund
for the Energy Efficiency Project for Armenia. The project will help
to reduce energy consumption of social and other public facilities.

This project will support energy efficiency investments in schools,
kindergartens, hospitals, administrative buildings, and street lighting
and will reduce energy consumption of retrofitted public and social
facilities as well as CO2 emissions.

“We are pleased that children and hospital patients, students,
employees and users of administrative buildings will be the main
beneficiaries of the proposed energy efficiency investments,” said
Jean-Michel Happi, World Bank Country Manager for Armenia. “Armenia
will start reaping the benefits of energy efficiency through reduced
energy costs, improved comfort levels, and upgraded facilities.”

“By supporting energy efficiency investments in around 120 schools,
hospitals and other public facilitates, the project will seek to
develop, test and disseminate replicable and sustainable models for
energy efficiency service provision. Energy efficiency investments in
social and other public facilities can also help stimulate the market
by creating demand for energy efficient equipment and services,”
said Ani Balabanyan, Head of the World Bank team designing the project.

The project will finance insulation of walls, basements and attics,
repair/replacement of external doors and windows, window optimization
reflective surfacing of walls behind radiators, improvement/replacement
of boilers and heating systems, as well as replacement of mercury
vapor lamps with high-pressure sodium vapor lamps.

The project will be supported by US$8.3 million from the Government
funding, US$1.82 million from the GEF grant, and US$0.54 million
co-financing from the Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency Fund
(R2E2 Fund). The Government funding will include repayments of the
revolving funds under the recently completed World Bank supported
Urban Heating and Renewable Energy projects.