Author: nina hovnanian

Ambassadors visit the Civilitas Foundation

09:30 pm | June 14, 2012 | Politics

Representatives of the Civilitas Foundation today received the
Ambassadors of the United States, Switzerland, as well as EU-member
countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and
Romania. The Ambassador of the European Union has also visited the
Foundation.

“Director of the Civilitas Foundation Salpi Ghazarian presented the
details on the political raid against the Foundation and its founder
Vardan Oskanyan. The Ambassadors were introduced to the Foundation’s
sources of funding and expenditures, as well as the main directions of
activities,” as reported by the Foundation’s press service.

Schmidt Got $105K-Plus from Turkish Coalition in 2011

Friday, June 15th, 2012
by Asbarez

Jean Schmidt
BY DEE SHESGREEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer

CINCINNATI – Rep. Jean Schmidt received $582,768 over three years from
the Turkish Coalition of America, and she still owed at least $515,000
in legal fees at the end of 2011, according to her most recent
financial disclosure report.

The Miami Township Republican reported three debts – all to law firms
that represented her in her legal tangle with opponent David Krikorian
and the ethics case that ensued.

Last summer, the House ethics committee found that Schmidt had
accepted an improper gift from the Turkish Coalition. Although the
panel found that she didn’t know the coalition was paying her legal
fees, it ordered her to repay the funds and report them on her
disclosure form.

Schmidt sued Krikorian after he claimed that she had taken `blood
money’ from the government of Turkey in exchange for her opposition to
efforts that would label as `genocide’ the killings of Armenians
living in Turkey during World War I.

The Ohio Elections Commission ruled in her favor; she also filed a
defamation lawsuit against Krikorian in June 2010, in Clermont County
Common Pleas Court, seeking $6.8 million in damages. She has since
dropped that case.

To comply with the ethics ruling, Schmidt reported receiving about
$430,000 in 2009 and 2010 from the Turkish coalition. And her latest
report shows she got another $152,658 in 2011.

So far, she has repaid about $43,000 of the legal tab from her
personal funds. She has said she intends to raise money through her
legal expense trust to replay the rest.

But she’s only raised $5,000 for that account. And when she leaves
Congress early next year, she will not have to comply with the House
ethics ruling.

Overall, Schmidt reported assets valued at between $2.85 million and
$10.4 million. Lawmakers only have to report their assets and debts in
wide ranges, so determining precise net worth is not possible.

Citizen Kane
14 juin 2012

L’Arménie parmi les pays emergents??

Cet article a été écrit par Misha Uzan

Petit pays souvent oublié, sans accès à la mer situé dans le Petit
Caucase, l’Arménie compte-t-elle parmi les pays emergents?

L’Arménie, ou République d’Arménie est ancienne république soviétique,
ce qui lui a fait connaître un grand retard dans son développement.
Elle a des frontières terrestres avec la Turquie à l’ouest, la Géorgie
au nord, l’Azerbaïdjan à l’est et l’Iran au sud. Bien que parfois
géographiquement située en Asie, l’Arménie est considérée par certains
auteurs comme faisant culturellement, historiquement et politiquement
parlant, partie de l’Europe, voire, géographiquement, à sa lisière.
Elle est membre de plus de trente-cinq organisations internationales,
comme l’ONU, le Conseil de l’Europe, la Communauté des Ã?tats
indépendants, qui réunissent des Etats riches.

Néanmoins, l’Arménie n’est pas un pays financier. Pays Montagnier, 90%
du pays se trouve à plus de 1000 mètres de hauteur, il souffre d’un
manque de moyens financiers qui empêche l’Ã?tat arménien de financer de
nombreux projets de développement ou de rénovation. Les dons
recueillis par la diaspora arménienne par le biais d’organismes de
soutien ou par l’initiative privée individuelle de personnes riches
d’origine arménienne se substituent souvent à l’Ã?tat défaillant : la
construction d’un tunnel routier sur l’axe menant vers la Géorgie, la
construction du téléphérique permettant un accès plus aisé au
monastère de Tatev, la restauration de nombreux monastères, le
financement d’écoles, de routes et la distribution de l’eau, surtout
au Karabagh, sont désormais souvent assurés par les fonds venus de la
diaspora. LA situation difficile de l’Arménie, rejetée par son voisin
turque notamment, ne la fait pas compter parmi les pays emergents.

Cette situation contraste avec celle de la dispora arménienne, un peu
partout dans le monde, qui réussit au contraire très bien et aide
énormément le pays, mais de l’extérieur. Mais l’Arménie reste très
handicapée par le blocus terrestre de la frontière par l’Azerbaïdjan
et la Turquie, blocus dont personne ne parle, totalement ignoré des
grands médias ou d’associations qui se passionnent en revanche pour
d’autres blocus bien plus justifiés. Le pays compte huit cents
kilomètres de voies ferrées, le plus souvent en mauvais état. Les
routes, quant à elles, sont normalement praticables dans les
montagnes. Les télécommunications sont en développement. L’Arménie a
connu entre 2000 et 2008 des taux de croissance compris entre 5 et 14%
mais une récession de 14% en 2009 et deuis des taux de 2 Ã 5%. Petit
pays isolé et combattu, notamment par la Turquie, il faudrait Ã
l’Arménie trouver quelques alliés et de l’aide au développement pour
pouvoir compter parmi les pays emergents.

Kirkus Reviews
June 15, 2012, Friday

AMERICAN GYPSY: A Memoir

In this engaging immigrant memoir, first-time author Marafioti, née
Kopylenko, describes with humor and introspection how the
self-described “Split Nationality Disorder” she experienced growing up
only magnified upon her family’s emigration from the former Soviet
Union to Los Angeles when she was 15. Born into a Moscow-based Roma
family, the author spent the first 15 years of her life seeing
Siberia, Mongolia and the former Soviet Union with her parents, who
performed in a traveling Roma ensemble “the size of a circus.” Even as
a child, Marafioti became acutely aware of racism both within her own
family, as she witnessed the difficulty her Armenian mother faced
gaining acceptance from her Russian paternal grandmother, and in
school, as her Roma heritage was cruelly outed by a classmate sticking
a sign to her back that read “Gyp.” Though well-off in their native
Moscow, Marafioti’s family-especially her father, a gifted guitarist
and composer-looked to the United States as a land of even greater
opportunity, where their Romani roots would not carry the Gypsy
stigma.

One of the more humorous scenes involves the family’s green card
interview, where the U.S. consular officer’s limited Russian led her
to question Marafioti’s mother on her drinking (which she was
notorious for), when she meant singing (one letter difference in
Russian), her father babbling on about wishing to play with B.B. King
and heal people with his bare hands. Soon after the family arrived in
California, the author’s parents divorced, leaving her to cope with a
broken home and dramatic change in finances, alongside the more
typical immigrant difficulties of adapting to a foreign language and
culture. As she recounts her love, loss and academic achievement
experienced while “attending the same school that Cher once did,”
Marafioti’s probing observation of the contrast of American
individualism with fierce Roma ethnocentrism, even xenophobia, yields
a provocative exploration of identity. Contrasting cultural values
shine in this winning contemporary immigrant account of assimilation
versus individuation

Publication Date: 2012-07-10
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Stage: Adult
ISBN: 978-0-374-10407-8
Price: $16.00
Author: Marafioti, Oksana

Book Review: `Classified Woman: The Sibel Edmonds Story’
by Nanore Barsoumian

June 15, 2012

Classified Woman: The Sibel Edmonds Story
By Sibel Edmonds
Alexandria, Virginia: Published by Sibel Edmonds (2012)
342 pages, $21.95

A string of suspicious events and encounters lead FBI translator Sibel
Edmonds to the center of a conspiratorial net of cover-ups and
possible espionage, as she attempts to unravel the truth behind buried
sensitive case files that could shed light and incriminate
high-profile individuals in connection with the September 2001
terrorist attacks in New York.

Her story made headlines in the U.S., as well as in Turkey, where she
was accused of being a U.S. spy, an enemy of the state, and even an
agent working for the Armenians.
Her struggle takes her to the halls of Congress, U.S. courtrooms, and,
finally, the National Whistleblowers Coalition she helped found.

When Edmonds, a Turkish-speaking U.S. citizen, is hired by the FBI as
a translator, she is eager to serve her adopted country in the wake of
the terrorist attacks. But she soon finds out that the FBI’s
translation department is anything but transparent, and accountability
and oversight are sorely lacking. Files go missing. Translations are
sabotaged, putting lives – the lives of FBI agents – in danger. Her
immediate boss seems more and more unprincipled and crooked with every
passing encounter. An atmosphere of fear and hopelessness prevents
others from speaking out.

Edmonds, however, is determined to fight, even though it may cost her
the job, and her and her family’s safety.

Yes, this is a memoir. We feel her frustration and puzzlement as she
is discouraged, sabotaged, and even threatened during her search for
answers. When a new co-worker stops by her house unannounced, Edmonds
is convinced it is an attempt to recruit her and her husband into the
Turkish lobby. She takes note. She begins to meticulously chronicle
her encounters, meetings, and the brow-raising conduct of her bosses
and colleagues.

Almost immediately after she begins her employment, Edmonds is put off
by the words of her immediate supervisor, Mike Feghali. `For years and
years the bureau, all these agents, treated us, the translators, as
second-class citizens… Now, thanks to the 9/11 terrorist attack, all
that has changed; the terrorists and what they did put us translators
on the map… That’s why I say sometimes good things come out of bad
things. Some may consider what happened on 9/11 terrible, but we, the
translators, see it as a cause to celebrate. Look at these date
cookies my wife baked yesterday: see, we are still celebrating the
attack; this is our customary celebration cookie. Have some,’ Feghali
tells her one day. `I was sick to my stomach,’ writes Edmonds.

When an FBI field agent sends in a taped conversation between a
`target’ and someone from a border region of Pakistan and Iran,
Edmonds is horrified to discover that the original three-sentence-long
translation failed to mention that the conversation revolved around
building blueprints of skyscrapers that would be hand-delivered to the
`target.’ `I believed the agent’s hunch was right on target. September
eleven attacks and skyscrapers; blueprints and building composites of
skyscrapers hand delivered to Iran; the date preceding the attacks by
approximately two months,’ writes Edmonds. `I pushed the Start button
and went over it. Bingo! First, the target and recipient congratulated
themselves for this precious Eid. (Eid is a religious holiday in the
Muslim world.) I knew all the dates for Eid that year: there were no
religious holidays in September. These congratulations were given one
day after the 9/11 attacks. Were they celebrating a successful
operation?’

Edmonds took the information to Feghali, and began the tedious work of
transcribing and translating the entire conversation. To her shock,
three days later, Feghali sent the tapes back to the field agent, with
a note stating that there were no discrepancies in the original
translation. `How would you like it if the shoe was on the other foot?
How would you like some translator coming after you, checking what you
produced, and questioning its accuracy?’ said Feghali. `You wouldn’t
have appreciated that kind of backstabbing, Sibel, right?’ he added.
This was but one of many other such encounters and cover ups. The
bureaucratic hierarchy had her hands tied. Edmonds’ persistence was
turning her into an enemy in the eyes of her supervisors. She tried to
bypass them, but to no avail. Finally, her employment was terminated.

Soon she opened a new chapter in her struggle. She was determined to
expose what she witnessed and experienced. And through `Classified
Woman,’ step by step Edmonds takes us on her roller-coaster journey,
from her days as a translator to her battles in the courts and before
Congress. At every turn doors close in her face, but adversity never
deters her. Her story made headlines in the U.S., as well as in
Turkey, where she was accused of being a U.S. spy, an enemy of the
state, and even an agent working for the Armenians. Her true struggle,
however, was within U.S. government bodies. When Attorney General John
Ashcroft invoked the State Secrets Privilege act against her, she
became the most gagged woman in U.S. history – unable to speak about
what she had seen, and even who she was. She finally joined forces
with the ACLU, and eventually helped form the National Whistleblowers
Coalition. A `classified woman,’ Edmonds remains undeterred – even her
memoir is an act of defiance.

French MP Philippe Kaltenbach deems Genocide denial unacceptable

June 15, 2012 – 20:41 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia’s ambassador to FranceVigen Chitechyan met
with French Senator Philippe Kaltenbach, who reaffirmed his intention
to honor the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims despite any
attempts to deny the historical fact.

He noted that the newly-elected President also deems Genocide negation
unacceptable, with a relevant bill criminalizing the denial of this
crime against humanity to be drafted in the near future.

He further voiced willingness to meet with Armenian MPs from Armenia-
France friendship group in November.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the
Armenian Genocide. The bill envisaged imposing a 45,000 euro fine and
a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against
humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Later, the French Constitutional Council ruled that a bill adopted by
the French Senate making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide was
anti-constitutional.

In a statement the Council said the bill adopted by parliament on
January 23 represented an `unconstitutional breach of the practice of
freedom of expression and communication.’ Turkey reacted furiously
when the Senate approved the law. Ankara halted political and military
cooperation with France and was threatening to cut off economic and
cultural ties if the law took effect.

Immediately after French Constitutional Council ruling, the then
President Nicolas Sarkozy instructed the government to submit a new
draft law punishing the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

ARS Thanks Donors on 20th Anniversary of `Sponsor a Child’

by Armenian Weekly
June 15, 2012

The Armenian Relief Society’s (ARS) `Sponsor a Child’ Program was
created in 1992 in response to the earthquake in Armenia and the armed
struggle in Artsakh. Since then, more than 7,000 orphans have received
the uninterrupted assistance of the program.

One of the many letters received from beneficiaries of the `Sponsor a
Child’ program.
`Sponsor a Child’ was implemented by the ARS Central Executive Board,
in collaboration with the ARS Regional Executives of Armenia and
Artsakh. Needy youngsters up to 18 years of age, orphaned by one or
both parents, have received uninterrupted monetary contributions from
ARS chapters and members, AYF Junior and Senior chapters, Armenian
churches and church organizations, Armenian schools and teachers,
Armenian international, national and community organizations, as well
as individual members of the Armenian community.

Since the Armenian Relief Society’s inception in 1910, our supporters
have put us at the forefront of providing assistance to our brethren
in Armenia and throughout the diaspora. The ARS Eastern USA Board of
Regional Directors would like to thank every individual and
organizational sponsor for their unwavering commitment to the `Sponsor
A Child’ Program.

The goals of the program have been reached through your extraordinary
generosity. We are forever thankful for your participation, and your
commitment to the future of Armenia and Artsakh.

Supporters who have `Sponsored a Child’ through the ARS Eastern USA, include:

An orphan who receives assistance from the `Sponsor a Child’ program
has sent this photo to her sponsor.

Ms. Marcia Abernathy

Ms. Armena Abernathy

Mr. & Mrs. John Jacqueline Abonayan

Dr. & Mrs. Sevak & Rouzan Abrahamian

Mr. Mardig Abrimian

Mr. & Mrs. Sarkis & Azniv Abrimian

Mr. Haig Adishian

Ms. Ani Adishian

Mr. Ken Afarian

Ms. Roslyn Aganour

Ms. Alice Aghjayan

In memory of Kavaljian/Adzigian

Ms. Ani Aghjayan

Mr. & Mrs. Ashod Aivazian

Ms. Mary Akmekjian

Mr. & Mrs. Karnig Alajajian

Mr. Gabriel Alexander

Mr. Mardig Alexander

Ms. Isabelle Allison

Mr. & Mrs. Hampo & Annie Almasian

Ms. Mary Antonian

Dr. & Mrs. Sarkis Anak

Mr. Raffi Anac

Ms. Zovinar Anac

Mr. Bedros Angacian

Mrs. Hermin Anserlian

Ms. Helene Andreassian

Mr. Chahe Arakelian

Ms. Susie Arakelian

Mr. & Mrs. Korken & Sarah Arakelian

Ms. Seran Antreasian

Ms. Knar Apkarian

Mr. Ari Aposhian

Amnesty International (Candy Reinhart)

Mr. & Mrs. Harout & Mary Arabian

Mr. Mardo Arisdakessian

Ms. Madeline Armstrong/Mooradian

Mr. & Mrs. Don Arslanian

Mr. Mihran Artinian

Ms. Anoush Artinian

Ms. Gladys D. Arzoun

Roxanne & Sona Arzoomanian

Mr. & Mrs. Vatche Astarjian

Dr. & Mrs. Henry Astarjian

Mr. Edward Asadourian

Mr. & Mrs. James Atamian

Ms. Alice Atikian

Mr. Victor Attar

Ms. Christine Avakian

Mr. & Mrs. Souren Azirian

Mrs. Verginia Azizian/Krikorian

Mr. Agop Azarian

Ms. Marina Babikian

Vatche & Elizabeth Baghdikian

Mr. & Mrs. Jirair Bakerdjian

Mr. Albert M. Bakerdjian

Mr. & Mrs. Levon & Emma Balian

Mr. & Mrs. N. Balikjian

Mrs. Alice Baloulian

Mr. Razmik Banosian

Ms. Alis Baronian

Ms. Mary Barooshian

Ms. Anahid Alvandian Bartels

Mr. & Mrs. George & Linda Bashirian

Mr. & Mrs. George & Shakeh Basmajian

Mrs. Vera Bejakian

Mr. Samuel Bejakian

Mr. Armen Berian

Ms. Salley Berjian

In memory of Alice Haigazian Berman

Ms. Sonia Bezdigian

Mrs. Rose (Boyajian) Bouley

Ms. Suzy Tazian Borden

Mr. & Mrs. Vazken Boyadjian

Mr. & Mrs. David Brundage

Mr. Anthony Bruno

Mr. & Mrs. John & Melanie Buchaklian

Mr. & Mrs. Ethan & Taline Campbell

Dr. & Mrs. Garo Chalian

MR. Artin Can

Mr. & Mrs. Sinan Cinar

Mr. Cesar Chekijian

Ms. Susan Shamshoian-Chrisensen

Ms. Sonia Christiansen

Carmen, Thomas & Arda Collins

Ms. Sossie Dadoyan-Arlia

Ms. Lucine Dadrian

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph & Lisa Dagdigian

Mr. & Mrs. Zohrab Daghlian

Mr. Hagop Dakessian

Ms. Houri Darakjian

Mr. Christopher Darryn

Daughters of Vartan Grand Council

Ms. Goharik Davidian

Ms. Evlin Davidian

Ms. Annie A. Davison

Ms. Diane S. DeLullo Sahagian

Mr. Suren Aram Demirjian

Ms. Joan Demurjian

Philippe Der Arslanian

In memory of Maritza Deradoorian

Mrs. Siran Adjemian DerBedrosian

Ms. Audrey Derderian

Mr. Avo Derderian

Mrs. Hasmig DerVartanian

Mr. & Mrs. Bedig & Arev DerVartanian

Detroit Armenian Women’s Club

Detroit Armenian Men’s Club

Bedros & Hripsime dido

Ms. Elize Dilangian

Helma & Vartan Dilanjian

Mr. & Mrs. Berj Djibilian

Varujan & Nora Diratsaoglu

Mr. Richard Doherty

Dench Dominik

Ms. Seta Donabedian

Mr. & Mrs. Vecan Donabedian

Mr. & Mrs. Haig Donabedian

Mr. & Mrs. Edgar Donabedian

Mr. Eric Donabedian

Ms. Ojen Donikian

Ms. Margaret Donoian

Ms. Eva Donoian

Ms. Ojene Doukmajian

Mr. Jack Dostourian

Mr. Aram Doru

Mr. Vahe Doudaklian

Mrs. Lou Dorian in memory of Mike Dorian

Mr. Karekin Doudoukjian

Mr. Stephen T. Dulgarian

Ms. Edma Dumanian

Ms. Sherry Dunwoody

Ms. Rita Engeian

Dr. Kenneth Elmassian

Mr. Dro Ekmekjian

Christine Engustian, Esq.

Mrs. Sossie Essajanian & Cousins

Ms. Berdjouhi Esmerian

Mr. & Mrs. Sourin Etyemezian

Ms. Mary Fermanian

Mr. Yeprem Festekjian

Mr. Raffi Festekjian

Mr. Misak Festekjian

Ms. Taline Festekjian

Mr. Hovhanness Freeland

Ms. Lena Mkhitarian Fritts

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Gallo

Mr. & Mrs. Richard & Norma Giragosin

Mr. Aram Garabedian

Ms. Annie Gharibian

Ms. Ani Gharibian

Mr. Shant Gharibian

Mr. & Mrs. Ara Gharibian

Ms. Sonik Green

Mrs. Ojik Gregorian

Sarine & Arin Gregorian

Ms. Genia Gharabegian

Dr. & Mrs. Bryan & Nancy Goddard

Ms. Vera Ann Grigorian

Ms. Mary Ida Gueyikian

Ms. Hripsime Guedoyan

Ms. Siroun Gureghian

Nancy & Barkev Guizirian

Ms. Mary Guizirian Rivoli

Dr. J.A. Gulekjian

Ms. Bridget Habibian/Hajjar

Kenneth & Gloria Hachikian

Ms. Seda Hacobian

Mr. & Mrs. Harry Hagopian

Joseph & Sylvia Hagopian

Ms. Elaine Hagopian

In Memory of Virginia Harpoutian

Mr. & Mrs. Lee Hamptian

Ms. Virginia Hazian

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Haroutiunian

Ms. Rosaline Hausserman in memory of Parechanian/Shamgochian

Homenetmen of Chicago

Zareh Hovanesian, M.D.

Ms. Carmen Hovsepian

Nubar Ipek & Manus Ipek

Mrs. Vera Iskenderian

Ms. Carol Jaffarian

Mr. & Mrs. Harout Jamgotchian

Mr. & Mrs. Armen & Sossy Jeknavorian

Varouj & Tina Jindoian

Ms. Loucine Khachadurian

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Kadian

Mr. Armen Kahkejian

Ms. Rotha Rosa Kahvedjian

In memory of Yacoub Kahkejian

Ms. Arpie Kahvejian

Ms. Alice Kalaydjian

Mrs. Seta Kaligian

Gerald & Anne Kalayjian

Mr. Harout Kaldjian

Ms. Victoria Kallem

Mr. & Mrs. Dro & Lynn Kanayan

Ms. Elsie Kaprelian

Dr. Meline Karakashian

Mr. Stanley Karibian

Mr. & Mrs. Jirair Karakouzian

Mr. Hagop Karalian

Mr. Tony Antranig Karayan

Mr. Marcel Karian

Ms. Vanouhe Karoghlanian

Mr. Arden Kartayan

Mr. Avedis Kasparian

Ms. Nayiri Kasparian

Ms. Maral Kasparian

Kevork Kasparian

Hagop & Solair Kaya

Mr. Mgirdich Kasparian

Mrs. Takouhi Kazarian

Mr. Gerard Kazarian

Ms. Hripsime Kebabjian

Ms. Elizabeth Kelerchian

Ms. Talar Keoseyan

Mrs. Parkuhi Keshishian

Ms. Seta Keshishian

Mr. & Mrs. Arisdakes Keshishian

Mr. Zakios Keshishian

Ms. Anik Kechichian

Ani and Haroutiun Kechichian

Ms. Dzovig Keledjian

Mrs. Talyn Keomurjian-Chaglasian

Mr. & Mrs. Puzant Khachadourian

Nairi & Ani Khachatourian

Mr. & Mrs. Vachik Khachatourian

Ms. Rima Khachatourian

Ms. Suzy Khatchikian

Ms. Silva Khacherian

Mr. & Mrs. Zohrab & Holly Khaligian

Mr. Armen Kholamian

Gary & Nancy Kholamian

Dro & Clara Kholamian

Ms. Arda Kholamian

Mr. Hagop Kholamian

Ms. Hermine Kholamian

Ms. Maggie Khorozian

Ms. Sona Kludjian

Mr. & Mrs. Ara Killian

Megerditch & Pannie Kiledjian

Mr. & Mrs. Mike Kojoian

Rose & Pail Koobatian

Ms. Arpy Kouyoumjian

Ms. Anahid Krichian

Ms. Nancy Kricorian

Ms. Helen Krikorian Jones

Christopher & Mark Krikorian

Verkin Krikorian

Dikran Krikorian

Arthur Krystofiak

Mrs. Arshalouys Kupelian

Mr. Naz Kupelian

Ms. Naomi Kuzoian

Ms. Taline Tazian Linovitz

Ms. Sonia Magdusian

Mr. Yeghish Marashlian

Ms. Annie Madroosian

Ms. Yeghish Marashlian

M/M Khoren & Gina Mahjoubian

Mrs. Dikranouhi Mahserejian

Mr. Vahe Mahrokhian

Mr. & Mrs. Berj Manoukian

Ms. Sona Manoukian

Mr. Viken Manoukian

Ms. Nanig Manoukian

Mr. Raffi Manoukian

H & A Manoukian

Mrs. A. Manoukian

Ms. Arek Manoukian

Ms. Arshalouys Manoukian

Mr. & Mrs. Ara Marangosian

Ms. Yegish Marashlian

Mr. & Mrs. H. Mardirossian

Ms. Siranoush Markarian

Marzbed Armenian School

Ms. Rebecca Massmanian

Mr. & Mrs. Berj Massoyan

Mr. & Mrs. Ken & Arda McCarthy

Mr. & Mrs. John Melikian

Mr. Ara Melkonian

Mr & Mrs. Yeprem and Mayda Melkonian

Mr. & Mrs. Sevak Melkonian

Mr. & Mrs. Vrej Melkonian

Ms. Vana Chamlian

Mr. Albert Mazmanian

Mr. & Mrs. Hratch & Tamar Melkonian

Mr. & Mrs. Nazaret & Zabel Melkonian

Mr. Andre Megerdichian

Ms. Martha Mensoian

Mr. Stephen Mesrobian

Mrs. Araxi Micaelian

Ms. Ani Mikaelian

Mr. Karo Mikaelian

Mateos & Alicia Mikaelian

Mr. & Mrs. Artin Mikaelian

Virginia Miller

Berdj Miller

Mr. & Mrs. William & Florence Mohler

Ms. Azniv Minassian

Ms. Anjel Minassian

Mr. & Mrs. Dikran Minassian

Mrs. Maro Minassian

Mr. & Mrs. John Mouradian

Ms. Elise Mouradian

Mr. & Mrs. Krikor Mouradian

Mr. & Mrs. Krikor Mossessian

George & Pat Movesian

Ms. Makruhi Movsesyan

Souren & Madeline Mozian

Ms. Nora Naraghi

Ms. Linda Nerkizian

Ele Naufal

Ms. Lucia Nazarian

Mr. Jack Nazarian

Ms. Arax Navasartian

Ms. Mariam Norigian

Ms. Doris Lentz

Ms. Alice Norian

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Ohanian

Ms. Anna Ohanian

Ms. Alice Ohanian

Mr. John Ohanian

Ms. Lena Ohannesian

Ms. Suzy Ohannesian

Erol (Garbis) Okan

Jirayr & Irma Orak

Greg & Kathy Ornazian

Mr. & Mrs. Hayg & Georgi-Ann Oshagan

Dr. & Mrs. Andranik Ovassapian

Ms. Margarette Ovian

Ms. Gail Ovian

Linda Pedian & Family

Ms. Shoushan Papakian

Ms. Kathlyn Penirian

Debra & Jim Rauch

Mr. & Mrs. William Rees

Gary & Susan Reizian

Ms. Candy Reinhart Fac

Ms. Eugenie Megerian-Rodriguez

Ms. Sonia Cavallo Runde

Mr. Andre Megerdichian

Ms. Alice Salter

Mr. Albert Sahakian

Ms. Anna Sagatelian

Mr. & Mrs. Sam Samuelian

Albert & Lina Sarkissian

Mr. & Mrs. Albert Sarkissian

Mr. & Mrs. Sarkis Sarkisian

Ms. Mary Saroukhanian

Ms. Lousin Sarian

Arpiar & Margaret Saunders

Steven & Anita Serian

Mr. Raffi Sevadjian

Ms. Rose Shamshoian

Ms. Pearl Shakarjian

Hovsep & Alice Shishmanian

Dr. Lida Antonian Shishmanian

Ms. Sonia Simonian

Mr. Paul Sirian

St. Asdvadzadzin Armenian Church

St. Vartanantz `Nareg’ Armenian Saturday School

St. Gregory Armenian Church Ladies Guild

Soorp Khatch Armenian Church Ladies Guild

Mr. & Mrs. Hagop & Arpik Soulakian

St. Stephen’s Church

St. Stephen’s Elementary School

St. Stephen’s Armenian Saturday School

St. Vartanantz Mourad Saturday School

Ms. Sonya Simonian

Ms. Ojen Simonian

Mr. Vatche Simonian

Jason & Nora Simonian

Mr. Viken Sonentz-Papazian

Dr. Zareh & Emma Soghomonian

Mr. Arthur Stepanian

Zaghik Takvorian

Taniel Varoujan Armenian School

Mr. & Mrs. Armen & Mary Tarjan

Artin & Nevart Tatarian

Mr. Kegham K. Tazian

Mr. Misak Terjanian

Mr. Viguen Ter-Minassian

Mr. Aram Terlemezian

Ms. Rita Teodorescu

Mr. James Throne & Anya Throne

Mr. Viguen Ter-Minassian

Mr. & Mrs. Hagop Terzian

Mr. & Mrs. Mardiros Terzian

Mr. & Mrs. Ara Terzian

Mr. Herachik Tooma

Ms. Ossanna Toumayan

Mr. & Mrs. Raffi Toroyan

Mr. Aram Michael Toroyan

Mr. Art Toroyan

In memory of M. Topalian

Mr. Armen Topouzian

Mr. Ara Topouzian

Ms. Talin Topouzian

Ms. Meline Topouzian

Simone & Daron Topouzian

Mr. Keri Topouzian

Nishan & Azadouhi Vartanian

Ms. Ani Varvar

Ms. Nectar Babaeghian Walen

Ms. Lucine Wisniewski

Mr. Kevork Yacoubian

Ms. Sose Yaghmourian

Aram & Sara Yavruyan

Mr. Vasken & Kiki Yeremian

Alfred & Diane Yeznaian

Ms. Joyce Yeremian

Mr. Migirdic Yigitkurt

Ms. Berta Yigitkurt

Mr. Murat Yuzlek

Mr. George Zabounjian

Ms. Kareen Zeitounzian

Ms. Talin Zerdelian

Ms. Virginia Zerdelian

Mr. Bedros Zerdelian

Ms. Nora Zobian

Ms. Nora Zohrabian

ARS `Akhourian’ Chapter

ARS Cleveland `Artsakh’ Chapter

ARS NJ `Agnouni’ Chapter

ARS Philadelphia `Ani’ Chapter

ARS Providence `Ani’ Chapter

ARS Providence `Arax’ Chapter

ARS Merrimack Valley `Arax’ Chapter

ARS PA `Artemis’ Chapter

ARS Bergen County Chapter

ARS Binghamton `Anahid’ Chapter

ARS Cambridge `Shushi’ Chapter

ARS Hartford `Havadk’ Chapter

ARS Watertown `Leola Sassouni’ Chapter

ARS Richmond `Hooys’ Chapter

ARS Merrimack Valley `Arax’ Chapter

ARS Lowell `Lousintak’ Chapter

ARS Niagara Falls `Lucia’ Chapter

ARS Detroit Mid-Council

ARS Detroit `Maro’ Chapter

ARS NY `Erebouni Chapter

ARS NY `Mayr’ Chapter

ARS Granite City `Reubena’ Chapter

ARS Washington `Satenig’ Chapter

ARS Detroit `Shakeh’ Chapter

ARS NJ `Shakeh’ Chapter

ARS Lexington `Shoushan’ Chapter

ARS Florida `Sosseh’ Chapter

ARS Racine `Soseh’ Chapter

ARS NJ `Spitak’ Chapter

ARS Detroit `Sybille’ Chapter

ARS Springfield `Ararat’ Chapter

ARS Detroit `Tzolig’ Chapter

ARS Utica `Varsenig’ Chapter

ARS Worcester `Knar’ Chapter

ARS Chicago `Zabel’ Chapter

ARS Detroit `Zabel’ Chapter

ABAKA Armenian School of Performing Arts

AYF Juniors, Providence

AYF Providence `Varantian’ Chapter

AYF Granite City `Antranig’ Chapter

AYF Central Executive

AYF PA Chapter

AYF Juniors, Worcester

AYF Racine Armen Karo Chapter

Armenian Educational Union of Arabkir & Sees

Armenian Sisters’ Academy

Armenian Student Association

Existing ministries must be optimized, new ones should not be
established – Armenian Premier

NEWS.AM
June 15, 2012 | 12:53

YEREVAN. – The issue of establishing an innovation ministry needs to
be discussed with the partners, because there are arguments for and
against it, Armenia’s PM Tigran Sargsyan told news reporters during a
briefing on Friday.

`We must think about optimizing the ministries and not opening many
new ministries, so the functions do not repeat,’ stated Sargsyan.

The Premier informed that the proposal by the partners in the
Information Technology (IT) sector will be examined on the basis of
what type of effective system of governance must be in Armenia ten
years later.

As per Tigran Sargsyan, there is an ongoing productive dialogue with
IT representatives, and the Prime Ministerial Information Technology
Development Support Center is established.

Talk With Conspirators Is Short

Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:14:03 – 15/06/2012

The planned neutralization of Robert Kocharyan’s supporters has
started long ago: visually, it started from the arrest of the Traffic
Police head Margar Ohanyan. Then the press reported that though
Ohanyan was accused of embezzlement of public funds, in fact, his
arrest was connected with some conspiracy against Serzh Sargsyan. They
spoke about the fact that the conspiracy was allegedly carried out in
order to bring to power the second President Robert Kocharyan. It was
said that a group of influential persons by Armenian standards,
including those from the ruling Republican Party, even called a
meeting, which discussed this issue.

It is noteworthy that no one had ever clarified what the `conspiracy’
was about, whether it was about force coup or people just agreed to
support Robert Kocharyan at the elections. Anyway, after this, those
who participated in those meetings or were `suspected’ of conspiracy,
appeared out of favor.

The arrest of the Police Chief Alik Sargsyan was also viewed in this
context as well as the sacking of Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglaryan and
even Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan. Later, all of them appeared in the
proximity of Serzh Sargsyan, who preferred keeping them close.

The more the presidential elections are approaching, the more
intensively possible participants of the conspiracy are neutralized.
It has even reached Vartan Oskanian who is suspected of money
laundering. despite the ambassadors of almost all influential
countries accredited in Armenia have visited Civilitas, the
authorities didn’t go back on their word and didn’t announce about
dismissing the criminal or political case. Perhaps, this means that
the ambassadors visited the foundation just to find out how serious
the authorities are about Vartan Oskanian.

Apparently, serious, and not by accident money laundering case was
chosen. Oskanian’s brand is his culture and politics of Western
`ferment’, which requires transparency and respect for democratic
norms. In fact, his own weapon has been used against Vartan Oskanian.

Who else will be required to be neutralized for Robert Kocharyan to
declare that he will not run for president? However, the elections in
Armenia are no longer an internal affair, and it is possible that
Kocharyan will simply not be let come out of the game by those who
have bet on him. But it is unlikely they will be able to stand up for
the same Oskanian or Tsarukyan, who has recently been forced to close
his Ararat cement plant.

Apparently, the `conspiracy’ is continuing; anyway, no white flag can
be seen. This means that they will still knock at someone’s doors.

At first glance it might seem that this neutralization is not in the
spirit of democracy, and if someone wants to support the `other’
candidate, it is their right. But on the other hand, this `other’ has
been holding the society and his environment in suspense for several
years now, not declaring his intentions, although they are obvious. He
does not want to legitimize his supporters, leaving them in status of
`conspirators’. A conversation with the conspirators, as they say, is
short.

Turkish historian calls on West to recognize Armenian Genocide

TERT.AM
15:03 – 15.06.12

First Turkish historian to recognize the Armenian Genocide,
sociologist Taner Akcam called on the US President Barack Obama and
European countries to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

According to Turkish Milliyet, Akcam participated in the event
dedicated to the international Christian reconciliation conducted in
Washington.

He called on Turkey to describe what happened in 1915 as Genocide and
encouraged the country to give compensation like Germany did.