Author: Nanijanian Alex

Boston Globe, MA
Jan 6 2007

Q&A with Alice Kelikian
Film studies in the age of YouTube

By Mark Shanahan
January 6, 2008

IN THE AGE of YouTube, college courses devoted to the study of film
can seem pretty quaint. Why would students bother with the
masterworks of, say, Stanley Kubrick and Akira Kurosawa when they
could be sitting at a Mac making their very own viral videos? Forget
David Lean, let’s talk about lonelygirl15.

At Brandeis University, the person navigating this culture change is
Alice Kelikian, chair of the film studies program. The daughter of
Armenian immigrants – her father, Hampar Kelikian, was the surgeon who
saved Bob Dole’s right arm after World War II – Kelikian has an
appealing old-school ardor for cinema. At 13, she went on her first
date to see "Doctor Zhivago," and even now she attributes her love of
movies to the many Saturday afternoons spent in a dark theater gazing
up at Marcello Mastroianni.

But Kelikian knows that sitting in a theater surrounded by a
mesmerized crowd isn’t the way most people experience a movie
anymore. Increasingly, the language of film is learned online, on
television, and even in the back of a minivan, where children are
more likely to while away the hours with a DVD than a book.

In response, Kelikian is expanding the inquiry. She’s been chair of
the program for two years, and while film purists continue to focus
on aesthetics and theory, she’s busy creating courses that address
style, content, and the latest production techniques. Whenever
possible, Kelikian also brings actors and directors into the
classroom to speak for themselves.

"We missed the boat on photography – Brandeis has no program in
photography – and there’s an understanding that we don’t want to lose
the initiative on digital media," says Kelikian. "I want students to
know what’s happening."

IDEAS: Talk about your background and how you became interested in
film.

KELIKIAN: I started out as premed at the University of Illinois, but
I got bored with it by the second week. I decided to transfer and was
in the first class of women at Princeton. There were fewer than 25 of
us. In 1967, I went to Italy with my father and, there, I began an
obsession with all things Italian. I saw Fellini there.

IDEAS: The man?

KELIKIAN: The man.

IDEAS: Was film a big part of your life growing up?

KELIKIAN: Initially, I only went to films when my father had American
doctors over. Movies were a diversion from adult party life. The kids
were shipped out when people who drank and smoked came over.

IDEAS: What is a movie that made an impression on you?

KELIKIAN: I wasn’t supposed to see films that dealt with prostitution,
but my parents really loved "Never on Sunday," so the first film I
went to see when I had a say was "Never on Sunday," in which Melina
Mercouri plays a freelance prostitute. "Butterfield 8" was another one
I saw about a call girl.

IDEAS: But what was the movie that got you hooked on film?

KELIKIAN: Mario Monicelli’s "The Organizer." I saw it when I was
16. It’s about an itinerant professor who –

IDEAS: Is a prostitute?

KELIKIAN: No. But there is a prostitute in the film. The professor is
a socialist who tries to start a labor strike in Turin.

IDEAS: What excited you about movies?

KELIKIAN: I was starstruck and, remember, my first language is
Armenian and my family was very Armenian-centered. We played with
Armenian kids and went to Sunday school, and when the focus wasn’t on
Armenian-ness, it was on becoming a surgeon. I scrubbed up with my
father when I was 9 years old.

IDEAS: Who’s the biggest movie star of Armenian descent?

KELIKIAN: Mike Connors from "Mannix."

IDEAS: That’s pathetic.

KELIKIAN: I’m trying to think. There’s Charles Aznavour, but he’s
primarily a singer, and Sylvie Vartan, but she’s primarily a singer,
too.

IDEAS: What’s changed during your tenure as chair of film studies at
Brandeis?

KELIKIAN: When the program started 13 years ago, the dominant medium
in cinema was the motion picture. That remains, but new offshoots
have emerged that speak the language of film, like serial cable drama
and YouTube. Today, film studies has to include visual culture as a
whole: photography, video, animation, even reality TV. The varieties
of media, digital and otherwise, change endlessly, and we need to
comprehend the revolution.

IDEAS: Is the cinema culture dead?

KELIKIAN: I would say so if you’re talking about tent-pole studio
films, which now derive from popular or children’s literature, like
"The Chronicles of Narnia," "Spider-Man," and "Harry Potter." In this
country, the best movies being made are documentaries. In the past,
the documentary was reportage, but now the techniques of fiction film
are finding their way into the documentary genre.

IDEAS: Errol Morris is a friend of yours.

KELIKIAN: Yes, Errol and his wife have been friends for a long time.
He has screened all of his films at Brandeis in rough-cut. I’ve seen
his latest, "Standard Operating Procedure," and it’s his best yet.

IDEAS: Who else have you had at Brandeis?

KELIKIAN: Eli Wallach. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" has a huge
cult following. Also, Werner Herzog showed "Encounters at the End of
the World." He denounced television and there he was telling the
audience they had to watch the "Anna Nicole Show" to understand the
Iraq war.

IDEAS: What does the future of film look like?

KELIKIAN: We’re witnessing the advent of the short film, which is
prospering thanks to the availability of global Internet access and
inexpensive digital equipment. A language exists now that students
can speak, not just interpret. These are very exciting, porous times
for moving-picture media, with innovation seeping through in ways
unimaginable five years ago.

IDEAS: Is that good?

KELIKIAN: I can’t judge. It’s what’s happening. We have to embrace
it. I don’t know where the digital revolution is taking us, but it’s
something I want be part of.

IDEAS: Did your father have a favorite film?

KELIKIAN: "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" was one of his favorites because
it spoke to scoliosis. Isn’t that hilarious?

IDEAS: Where do you watch films these days? At home or in the
theater?

KELIKIAN: At home.

IDEAS: What happened to that kid who discovered the magic of movies
at the cinema?

KELIKIAN: That kid is older and she discovered the Criterion
Collection on DVD. You have to embrace change.

Mark Shanahan is a member of the Globe staff.

ticles/2008/01/06/qa_with_alice_kelikian/

Kirkus Reviews
January 2008

DRAINING THE SEA

FICTION

Whiting Writers’ Award-winner Marcom (The Daydreaming Boy, 2004,
etc.) obsessively explores the atrocities committed during the
Guatemalan civil war.

An unnamed middle-aged man, overweight and with kidney problems,
drives around Los Angeles picking up the carcasses of dead dogs. He
eats great quantities of fatty foods, he drinks, he watches TV. But
mostly he remembers, or imagines, a woman named Marta from the
village of Acul in Guatemala. Marta died in 1982 after being
tortured. Her hands were cut off. She was mutilated and raped.
Perhaps the man was involved in killing her. Perhaps he was her
torturer. Or her lover. Or he is imagining her existence and
experiencing generalized guilt. The man, who is half-Armenian, also
reflects on his mother’s memories of the 1915 genocide. But mostly he
talks to Marta, spilling forth his worst sexual fantasies in coarsely
graphic detail. Or are they fantasies? As lovemaking and torture are
described and redescribed, the images pile up into a confusing
nightmare. What happens in the first few pages is embellished, then
embellished again. There is little forward motion; Marcom is not
going for a story. The book is an indictment of Guatemalan dictators,
U.S. expansionism and American values in general. The text includes a
historical timeline and photographs of Los Angeles, Acul and the Der
Zor Desert. Marcom’s language is always fervent, whether gorgeous or
foul. But slogging through page after page of atrocities becomes
grueling.

As Marcom notes in her peculiar diction, "In paradise the suffering
is real and you no more real than this unreadable and unread book
(will you read it, Reader? Do you?)". Despite good intentions, most
won’t.

Publication Date: 3/13/2008 0:00:00
Publisher: Riverhead

Panorama.am

18:55 27/12/2007

STATE CUSTOMS COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT
REINSTATED 130 MILLION DRAMS

RA state customs committee registered 43 smuggling and
252 cases of breaking customs law within 2007. Armen
Avetisyan, the president of the committee presented
the violation cases and added that 343 cases were
registered and formed 1 billion 176 million drams.
According to Avetisyan 298 claims were applied to the
court within this year, and 227 of them were
satisfied, 43 stopped as the compensation was paid; 10
were partially satisfied, and 5 were not discussed as
the payment was organized before the court.
The president of state customs committee said that
they registered 96% satisfactory results which are
rather promising. He also reminded of the newly
structured investigation department which, by the way,
has already examined 32 criminal cases and reinstated
130 million drams.
Armen Avetisyan said that new employees of the
committee should be skillful in computer knowledge and
know at least one foreign language, as the committee
is equipped by new and modern technologies and the
above mentioned skills are of great importance.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMAN MELIKYAN: WHOEVER IS ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, HE WILL HAVE A DOMINANT PROVISION OVER NKR AUTHORITIES

2007-12-24 16:10:00

ArmInfo. Whoever is the Armenian president, he will have a dominant
position over the NKR authorities, Armenian presidential candidate,
ex-Foreign Minister of Armenia, ex-Advisor to the NKR president Arman
Melikyan said at a press conference at the "Mirror" club, Monday.

Asked about the possibility that the team of the first Armenian
president Levon Ter-Petrosyan will come to power and the "security
belt" territories will be returned to Azerbaijan, Melikyan said: "I
don’t think that in the present conditions, if Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
team comes to power in Armenia, authorities will be found in the
NKR who will be able to withstand Armenian authority’s decisions,
including the decision on returning the territories".

According to him, whoever is the Armenian president, he will have a
dominant position over the present NKR authorities: "This is a reality,
which must be taken into consideration". Asked if the NKR authorities
will be able to oppose Armenian authorities’ decisions, Melikyan said:
"Supposedly, yes. But I don’t still know such a fact".

ARMENIA DISTORTS THE ESSENCE OF THE MADRID TALKS

arminfo
2007-12-19 23:37:00

ArmInfo-Turan. After the meeting of Azerbaijan’s and Armenia’s
Foreign Ministers in Madrid within the frameworks of the Council
of Foreign Ministers OSCE, Armenia’s official actively distort the
content of the talks on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict,
reads the comment of the official representative of Azerbaijan’s
Foreign Ministry Khazar Ibrahim.

The talks are based on Azerbaijan’s position about restoration of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in all occupied
territories and the return of people displaced as a result of ethnic
cleansing to their native places, including the Nagorno Karabakh
region of Azerbaijan republic, Ibrahim said.

At the same time, Azerbaijan has always demonstrated a good
will. Armenia, on the contrary, continuing its military aggression,
demonstrates the policy of force use.

In accordance with the Article 51 of the UN Charter, if there is
aggression the victim has a right for self-defense. However, there
is a paradox situation in the region: the state- aggressor spends
more funds on defense that Azerbaijan. Expenses on military sphere in
Armenia comprise 4, 3%, and Azerbaijan – 3, 8%. Armenia has completely
militarized the Karabakh separatists.

Azerbaijan highly appreciates the recognition by the international
community Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity expressed in resolutions,
decisions and statements of the states and international organizations.

"We are deeply convinced that the propaganda by officials will cause
next signal of danger about real intentions of Armenia’s government"
reads the comment of the official representative of Foreign Ministry.

Khazar Ibrahim refuted the statement of Armenia’s Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian that Azerbaijan prevents participation in monitoring
on the front line of personal representative of the head of OSCE
Anjey Casprzhik.

Azerbaijan has never prevented anybody’s activity in accordance with
its international mandate, Ibrahim said.

AZERBAIJANI MPS DEMAND TO TAKE ACTIONS AGAINST PERSONS VISITING ARMENIA

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 19 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / "Trend" corr. I.Alizadeh / The Azerbaijani MPs
demand to take the actions against the NGO representatives and the
journalists, who pay the visit to Armenia. The MPs expressed negative
attitude against the tour by the Azerbaijanis to Armenia to hold the
Week of Azerbaijan.

>From 17 Dec, The Week of Azerbaijan was commenced in Armenia with the
assistance of the United States Embassy in Armenia. The Azerbaijan
Foreign Ministry values the event as a possibility to inform the true
reality about Azerbaijan.

MP Zahid Oruj, the deputy chairman of the Ana Vatan Party stated
that the most NGO representatives and the journalists who visited
Armenia usually made statements against Azerbaijan. "These people
cannot represent Azerbaijan. We should take concrete steps in order
to prevent such events. Azerbaijanis who visited Armenia should be
imposed both with the moral critics and the sanctions," Oruj added.

MPs stated about the importance to pass a bill which prohibit tour
to Armenia.

MP Azai Guliyev, the president of the National Forum of NGO, expressed
the dissatisfaction due to the statements made by Khazar Ibrahim, the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry official, on the tours to Armenia. Guliyev
believes that Azerbaijan cannot stick to one policy in connection
with the issue. Azerbaijan and Armenian Foreign Ministries positions
coincide on the issue. " Armenia uses such events as an attempt to
form the peacemaker image. How can we demand from Turkey not to open
its boundaries to Armenia? Azerbaijan must have a concrete position
about the tours to Armenia," Guliyev said.

MP Gudrat Hasanguliyev, the chairman of the opposition Popular Front
Party of Azerbaijan expressed dissatisfaction on tours to Armenia.

"The concrete measures should be taken on the issue," he added.

ZVARTNOTS’ CONCESSIONAIRE SUBMITS BID ON CONSTRUCTION OF NEW COMPLEX

Noyan Tapan
Dec 18 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues related to the new complex to
be constructed at Zvartnots Airport, the aviation sector and Gyumri
Airport were discussed at the December 18 working meeting of the
Armenian president Robert Kocharian and the head of the Main Department
of Civil Aviation adjunct to the RA government Artyom Movsesian.

A. Movsesian informed the president that the concessionaire of
Zvartnots Airport has already submitted a bid on construction of
a new complex for passenger registration, flight safety and border
control. The bid will soon be presented to the government for approval.

The head of the Main Department of Civil Aviation presented passenger
transportation data, according to which in 2007, the number of
passengers made about 1.5 million, which is more by 0.5 million as
compared with 2003 and 2004.

A. Movsesian also spoke about the results of flight safety checkings
that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) conducted
at Zvartnots Airport. According to these results, defects made up 7%,
which, as the department head explained, is a low index in comparison
with the average index of 40% in other countries.

The interlocutors also spoke about the work aimed at including the
newly-repaired Gyumri Airport in flight schedules and organizational
documents of European airlines. They discussed the amendments made
in the aviation legislation this year, as a result of which it has
been brought into line with international standards.

NT was informed by the RA president’s press service that R. Kocharian
gave instructions regarding the discussed issues.

ABILITY TO BUILD A WELFARE, STABLE, LEGAL STATE IS IMPORTANT
Naira Hayrumyan

KarabakhOpen
19-12-2007 13:29:20

The leaders of world powers are want Kosovo and Palestine to get
independence. Intensive talks have been held by the United States
and the EU over the past few months. And if there is disagreement
between Serbia and Russia over Kosovo, the issue of Palestine is
close to resolution.

Each of these issues is a "knot" which cannot be unknotted. It can
be cut through new methods. For instance, the notorious principles
of the right for self-determination and territorial integrity. This
controversy is typical of most "frozen" conflicts and is especially
true for Kosovo. Backed by Russia, Serbia would not agree to
secession of part of its historical territory which was settled by
Muslim Albanians a few decades ago who soon became majority there
as a result of demographic expansion and displacement of the native
population. They do not want to be part of Serbia, meanwhile Serbia
is not likely to give up its territory set down in international
agreements.

The right of a state to one territory or another is determined by
international agreements. Does it have to do with whom it ethnically
belongs? Is it possible to change it through demographic expansion?

Judging by the stance of the world leaders, the world tends to think
that international agreements are not dogmas. They were signed in
accordance with the political conjuncture of that time. Situation
changes, and necessity to revise international agreements occurs.

Since the establishment of the UN and agreement on solving all disputes
in the framework of this organization through consensus change of
borders has aroused but fear. Most countries fear a precedent – if
some unit jumps over consensus and reaches agreement, it will be a
"bad" signal for others. Now, however, fear is being replaced by
other senses, possibly good sense.

The European Union, which intends and needs to get hold of the
non-Russian territory of the continent, is worried. Due to "minor"
disputes the Balkans were not involved in European integration. It is
not acceptable for the European strategists politically, economically
and logistically.

Therefore, Serbia is offered an accelerated procedure of entry to
the EU only to have them let Kosovo secede. Belgrade is told: as soon
as you enter the European Union, we will launch work on integration
of Kosovo, and some time later there will be no border between you,
you will be part of the EU.

And it will depend on your ability to return to you historical
territory only. It is not necessary to wave your flag there.

We did the same in India, the English say. Now it is not our colony
but we control all the communications, profitable business, almost the
entire intellectual potential of India lives and studies in England
and the United.

They may call themselves an independent country but we know what the
reality is.

An almost similar scheme is offered to the other metropolises,
including Azerbaijan. They are trying to persuade the authorities
of Baku: give Karabakh independence, open the borders, roads, invest
money, and in a few years time it will be your territory.

For the time being, neither the Serbian nor the Azerbaijani government
can afford such an unpopular move because the nationalist forces
will overthrow them right away. They are still temporizing, but most
probably good sense will prevail some time later, and the leaders
of metropolises will realize that with transnational business,
international banks, convertible currency, the web, transcontinental
missiles borders become conventional.

In this case, the ability of a group of people living on that
territory to build a welfare, stable, legal and comfortable state
becomes important.

TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO AZERBAIJAN: YOU LAUNCH WAR IN NAGORNO KARABAKH, AND SEE HOW TURKEY BOILS UP

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan

Dec 18 2007

Huseyn Avni Karslioglu: Azerbaijan is not recognized in Turkey

"My dismissal as ambassador and appointment to another post in
Turkey was a surprise for me," Turkish ambassador extraordinary
and plenipotentiary to Azerbaijan Huseyn Avni Karslioglu said in an
interview to APA. The ambassador said when Abdullah Gul was elected
president of Turkey media reported that he would work with his old
friends and his name was among them.

"But I said that recalling me would not be good. I have just come to
Azerbaijan and started some activities here. This is the president’s
order. Only 11 months passed. My leaving did not make me fully glad.

Of course, my new appointment is also a high post. I will be head of
president’s secretariat," he said.

Huseyn Avni Karslioglu said he could not implement all the projects
he planned as an ambassador.

"We wanted Abdullah Gul to pay his first official as a president to
Azerbaijan and our wish came true. But not all the projects I planned
for improving economic relations have been implemented.

Turkey-Azerbaijan relations develop in all spheres, especially
in political-economic sphere. Turkey is able to do much for the
development of non-oil sector in Azerbaijan. We want Azerbaijan to
invest funds in Turkey," the ambassador said.

The ambassador said that Azerbaijan is loved in Turkey. But Azerbaijan
is not recognized in Turkey.

"Year of Azerbaijan has not been held in Turkey up to now. Azerbaijan
feels happy for any success of Turkey on the international level
and Azerbaijan’s achievement also makes Turkey happy. You launch
war in Nagorno Karabakh, and see how Turkey boils up. Turkey will be
so happy, if Azerbaijani football clubs Karvan, Turan, Garabagh and
Khazar-Lankaran win on the international level," he said.

Speaking about Turkey’s support to Azerbaijan in the settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the ambassador underlined that his
country is not the co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group.

"Neither the co-chairing countries, nor Armenia want this. Our
borders with Armenia are closed, and this has a serious influence on
Armenians. Turkey undergoes political and economic losses. Turkey is
exerted pressure," he said.

Huseyn Avni Karslioglu said the government devolved Turkish
parliament’s authorities in fighting against PKK to the servicemen.

He said that security agencies will take all necessary steps: "They
will either bomb, or carry out operation…"

The ambassador said he will not be able to take his car GAZ 21 he
bought in Azerbaijan with him.

"I planned to buy an old yellow bus and motor tricycle. I like to
drive them," he said.

Huseyn Avni Karslioglu also said he does not part with Azerbaijan,
and takes Azerbaijan with him.

GASPAR AGHAJANIAN: ARMENIAN JUDGE IN PALESTINE
Justine Rapaccioli

The Independent/UK
Published: 01 December 2007

Gaspar Aghajanian, lawyer: born Jerusalem, Palestine 16 April 1911;
married 1942 Astrid Topalian (two daughters); died Shoreham-by-Sea,
West Sussex 31 August 2007.

In 1947 in Tiberias, Palestine, a case was brought before the district
court concerning a dispute between two rabbis, both elderly men
who had been quarrelling for years. Their case was to be heard by a
judge recently appointed to the court. He looked through their file
and, seeing the petty nature of their dispute, bluntly told them
they should have known better: "Here you are accusing each other
of having committed acts which to me appear to be unimportant, and
doing it before me, a young gentile. You should be able to settle
your dispute yourselves peacefully. I want you now to shake hands
and make peace. Then I want to dismiss this case." The two rabbis
got up, shook hands and kissed each other, at which point a man from
the public benches approached the judge, kissed his hand and said,
"Just like the days of the Torah."

That same year the judge was paid a visit by Saad ad-Din al-Alami,
the Qadi of the Muslim Religious Court, and later the Grand Mufti
of Jerusalem. He had come to tell the judge that the Arabs of the
Tiberias sub-district were very pleased with his work and they now
felt they had an Arab judge who was safeguarding their rights and
interests. The judge expressed surprise; he was not an Arab, unlike
his predecessor who had been both an Arab and a Muslim. "Ah", said
al-Alami, "we were not getting justice from him!"

That Gaspar Aghajanian, the only Armenian judge in Palestine under the
British Mandate, could have commanded such respect from both Arabs
and Jews at a time when relations between the two were crumbling
beyond repair, is testament to an integrity that remained unshaken.

Aghajanian was born in 1911 into one of the oldest Armenian families
of the Old City of Jerusalem. His father had a barber’s shop and
was prone to violent outbursts towards his family. His mother found
employment at the home of Norman Bentwich, the Attorney General of
Palestine, and it was here that Gaspar and his two elder sisters were
given refuge from their father.

Aghajanian’s education began within the Armenian monastery of St
James and continued at Italian and English schools in the city,
where his passion for languages was nurtured.

Aghajanian began his working life as a junior clerk in the Jerusalem
law courts, while he pursued his education in legal studies at
evening classes.

His sister Sirvart had married an Armenian-Arab who was in the employ
of the King of Transjordan and it was he who introduced Aghajanian to
members of the Transjordanian royal family. Aghajanian was sometimes
called upon to entertain various members of the family when they
visited Jerusalem.

In 1938 Aghajanian was appointed Notary Public of Haifa and a year
later became Execution Officer. This was a time when tensions were
growing due to the sale of areas of land by Arab absentee landlords to
the Jewish National Fund. Travelling became dangerous and Aghajanian’s
ability to speak both Arabic and Hebrew got him out of many a sticky
situation.

In 1940 Aghajanian decided to volunteer for the British armed
forces, but was dissuaded by his superiors on the grounds that he
was already doing important work for the country. He did however join
the Palestinian Volunteer Force, becoming a gunner, and was awarded
the Defence Medal.

Aghajanian married, in 1942, Astrid Topalian, a survivor of the
1915 Armenian genocide. By 1946 they were living in Tiberias where
Aghajanian, now a magistrate, was in charge of the Courts of Tiberias
and Safad. Unlike magistrates in England, holders of the position in
Palestine had to be legally qualified and had jurisdiction in both
civil and criminal cases.

For a time it seemed that the Aghajanians would be happy in Tiberias
but in 1948, as fighting erupted between Arabs and Jews, they
found themselves literally in the crossfire and had to abandon
their home. Aghajanian’s wife and their daughters went to Amman
while he moved into the police building, determined to continue
his work. Eventually however, he, too, was forced to flee to
Transjordan. In Amman, Aghajanian applied for British citizenship and
in the meantime found work as legal advisor to the British Council
representative in the city.

In 1949 the family (now British citizens) left for Cyprus where
Aghajanian became Arab monitor with the US Foreign Broadcast
Information Service at its monitoring station at Karavas near
Kyrenia. He was eventually promoted to the post of Chief Monitor
for quality control, a position he occupied until his retirement in
1971. By now the Aghajanians were living in a house which they had
had built to their own specifications, fully expecting to spend the
rest of their lives there.

The Turkish invasion of Northern Cyprus in 1974 changed all that. The
couple were forced to leave their home in the fighting and were taken
to England as refugees by the RAF. They had lost everything. At the
age of 63, Aghajanian had to begin rebuilding his life. With the
help of friends he managed to find work at the Ministry of Defence
and settled in West Sussex. He retired, for the second time, in 1983.

The British High Commissioner of Cyprus had asked the Aghajanians
to submit a claim for compensation for the loss of their house and
possessions, but it was refused by the Turkish authorities on the
grounds that the couple were of "Armenian origin".

Despite all the difficulties that life threw at him, Aghajanian
remained an unassuming man committed to leading an upright life. As
a just man in an unjust world, he was respected by all who knew him.