Armenia, DiasporaConference Begins

YEREVAN — The Armenia-Diaspora Conferencehas brought together this week 500 representativesfrom 50 countries.

As the Diaspora Ministry reports, President ofArmenia Serge Sargisian and President of NagornoKarabagh Bako Sahakian delivered addresses.

Patriarchal blessings were delivered byCatholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, andCatholicos of Cilicia Aram I.

The four themes are language and education;youth; the centennial of the Genocide andArmenian-Diasporan cooperation.

Foreign MinisterReceives French

Parliament GroupYEREVAN (Armenpress) — Armenian ForeignMinister Eduard Nalbandian received this week rep-resentatives from the France-ArmeniaParliamentary Friendship Group, headed byFrancois Rochebloine.

Nalbandian praised the personal contribution ofthe French parliamentarians to the development ofArmenian-French relations and the expansion ofcooperation between the two nations’ parliaments.

Rochebloine noted that he has always been afriend of the Armenian people and will continue hisactivity directed toward strengthening the cooper-ation of the Armenian and French peoples.

Expanded MatenadaranInaugurated

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — President Serge Sargisianinaugurated on Tuesday a new, more sprawlingbuilding of Armenia’s Matenadaran repository ofancient manuscripts.

The Matenadaran, officially called the MesropMashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, wasfounded in 1959 to house and maintain one of theworld’s richest collections of handwritten booksspanning a range of subjects. It currently has17,000 manuscripts, mostly in Armenian, and30,000 other documents of interest to scholars.

A fraction of those manuscripts is put on displayat a museum in the old Matenadaran building.

The government initiated in early 2008 the $14-million construction of a new building adjacent tothe existing one. It will now house the manuscriptrepository itself as well as other facilities of theinstitute employing hundreds of people.

The project was financed by Russian-Armenianbusinessman Sergei Hambardzumian and MaximHakobian, a shareholder in Armenia’s largest min-ing company.

Sargisian paid tribute to both men as well asArtur Meschian, a prominent Armenian musicianand architect who designed the building, in aspeech at the inauguration ceremony.

INDEXArts and Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Armenia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3Community News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Mirror- SpectatorMirror- SpectatorTHE ARMENIAN

Volume LXXXII , NO. 11, Issue 4205

S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 1

$ 2.00

JulfaRevisited

page 10

INSIDE

The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States

NEWS IN BRIEF

Karsh ExhibitCaptures SparkALMAUnveils Gallery

By Daphne AbeelSpecial to the Mirror-Spectator

WATERTOWN, Mass. — Anyonewith a passing knowledge of 20th-century photography has seen animage shot by Yousuf Karsh. Hisphotograph of Winston Churchill ispossibly the most frequently repro-duced photo portrait in the world.

Thus, it is no wonder that theArmenian Library and Museum ofAmerica (ALMA) has celebrated,with two events, its acquisitionfrom Karsh’s widow, Estrellita, ofa group of images that willbecome part of the museum’s per-manent collection.

see ALMA, page 16

ALMA Chairman Haig der Manuelian and Estrellita Karsh cut the ribbon to the newBedoukian Gallery, which houses the Karsh show.

TEHRAN, Iran (RFE/RL) — PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated Iran’sstrong interest in expanding its “historic,deep and friendly” relations with Armeniaas he met with Armenian Foreign MinisterEduard Nalbandian here overthe weekend.

Ahmadinejad reportedlycalled for a faster implementa-tion of more Armenian-Iranianenergy projects. Official Iraniansources quoted him as sayingthey will bolster peace and sta-bility in the region.

“We can expand the existingrelations by up to three times,”Ahmadinejad told Nalbandianon Saturday, according to theMehr news agency.

Another Iranian news agency,IRNA, quoted him as repeatinghis earlier remark that Tehran isplacing “no limitations” on the develop-ment of bilateral ties “in all areas.”

A statement by the Armenian ForeignMinistry said the two men agreed on theneed for a “further development of the

mutually beneficial relations.”“The course of the implementation of

joint economic projects was discussed dur-ing the meeting,” added the statement. Theprojects include the construction of two

hydroelectric plants on the Arax rivermarking the Armenian-Iranian border and apipeline that will ship Iranian fuel toArmenia. The two governments also plan to

see IRAN, page 4

Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian, left, withPresident Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, right

Tehran Again Calls for CloserArmenian-Iranian Ties

Ambassadors toArmenia, TurkeyApproved by SenateForeign RelationsCommittee

WASHINGTON — On September 13,during the Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee business meeting to considera slate of administration nominees forambassadorial posts, Sen. RobertMenendez (D-NJ) cited his loss of confi-dence in the US envoy to Turkey FrancisRicciardone given his careless responseregarding minority rights in Turkey,reported the Armenian Assembly ofAmerica.

Specifically, Menendez stated: “his[Ricciardone’s] response indicates thathe either did not carefully review theresponses that were submitted in hisname or worse that he truly wasunaware of the history of the Christianchurch in Turkey and the difficultiesthat Christian churches continue to facein that country. His response indicates alack of focus or interest in issues affect-ing the Armenian community and sendsa message to Turkey that the Armeniaissue is not an “A-list” issue. We need anambassador in Ankara that can support,defend and advocate on behalf of all ofthe United States’ interests vis-à-visTurkey. Unfortunately, I’ve lost confi-dence in the ability of Mr. Ricciardone toundertake that task and will not be ableto support his nomination.”

Senate Foreign Relations CommitteeChairman John Kerry (D-MA) followedup on Menendez’s remarks, adding thatRicciardone’s response was “unaccept-able, incorrect and inappropriate.”

The Armenian Assembly previouslyexpressed its concerns with respect toRicciardone’s responses and, in itsAugust letter to US Secretary of StateHillary Clinton, urged “immediateaction” to correct Ricciardone’s discon-certing statement which “in the contextof the planned extermination of theArmenian people and the documenteddestruction of its religious and culturalheritage is as much offensive as it isshocking.”

see AMBASSADORS, page 14

By Tigran Avetisian

STEPANAKERT (RFE/RL) — The report-ed downing of an Azerbaijani spy droneover Nagorno Karabagh will restrainBaku’s appetite for another war with theArmenians, the Karabagh Armenian leader-ship said on Thursday.

Bako Sahakian, the president of theNagorno-Karabagh Republic (NKR), alsosaid through a spokesman that the recon-naissance flight allegedly carried out by thedestroyed unmanned aircraft constituted aserious ceasefire violation.

“First of all, the [Azerbaijani] aggressorwill now feel more restrained because the

destruction of such military hardware alsoshows the extent of the technical sophisti-cation of our army. That will certainly havea quite sobering impact on Baku’s behav-ior,” Sahakian’s press secretary, DavitBabayan, said.

The NKR Defense Army announced onWednesday that its forces shot down theAzerbaijani drone while it flew a reconnais-sance mission over Karabagh’s easternMartuni district on Monday. The Armenia-backed army released several pictures ofwhat it described as the drone wreckage.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry deniedthat information late on Thursday. In ashort statement cited by the Trend newsagency, it said “Azerbaijan has nothing to

see DRONE, page 2

Karabagh Sees ‘Sobering Impact’From Azeri Drone Downing

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““WWiitthh iittss wwoorrkkiinngg eexxppeerriieennccee tthhee ccoommppaannyy ccaannbbeeccoommee aann iimmppeettuuss ffoorr ccoommppaanniieess ooff tthheeTTrraannssBBaallttiicc ssttaatteess ttoo eenntteerr tthhee AArrmmeenniiaann mmaarrkkeett,,””HHaarruuttuunniiaann ssaaiidd..

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LLooccaall EElleeccttiioonnss HHeelldd iinnKKaarraabbaagghh

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News From Armenia

S A T U R D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 1 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R2

ARMENIA

DRONE, frtom page 1do with an unmanned aerial vehiclethat crashed in Armenian-occupiedNagorno Karabagh.”

The ministry also reported that anAzerbaijani army officer was seriouslywounded at an unspecified section of theArmenian-Azerbaijani “line of contact.”

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces havepreviously not claimed to have shot downair targets since a May 1994 truce that halt-ed their bitter war for Karabagh.

Babayan described the drone destruc-tion as “factual evidence” of truce vio-lations by Azerbaijan. He said field rep-resentatives of the Organization forSecurity and Cooperation in Europeshould consider expanding their moni-toring of the ceasefire regime in theKarabagh conflict zone after this inci-

dent.The incident was reported by the

Karabagh Armenians six month afteran Azerbaijani-Israeli joint venturebegan assembling Israeli-designeddrones for Azerbaijan’s armed forces.The Azerbaijani military has also report-edly purchased such aircraft from Israeland Turkey.

According to Col. Nikolay Babayan,commander of Armenia’s air-defenseforces, Karabagh army units used spe-cial “radioelectronic” equipment toshoot down the spy plane.

“It is very difficult to hit and evenlocate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)because they are made of special com-posite materials,” Babayan toldPanorama.am on Wednesday. “But wemanaged to do that by using special

devices.”The official did not

specify the type of anti-aircraft weapon thatwas reportedly used todown the UAV. He saidonly that Azerbaijanidrones regularly carryout reconnaissanceflights near Karabagh.

“This time, the UAVviolated the border, asa result of which itsflight was ended by thejoint work of our air-defense troops andradioelectronic forces,”added Babayan.

Karabagh Sees ‘Sobering Impact’From Azeri Drone Downing

Wreckage of what Karabagh-Armenian forces say wasan Azerbaijani drone shot down on September 12

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — TheCouncil of Europe’s ParliamentaryAssembly (PACE) looks set to declarethat Armenia has essentially over-come the political fallout from the dis-puted February 2008presidential electionand the deadly unrestcaused by it.

A draft resolutionthat will be debated atits forthcoming ses-sion in Strasbourgwelcomes the recentrelease of the lastArmenian oppositionmembers remaining inprison and the result-ing dialogue betweenthe ruling coalitionand the oppositionArmenian NationalCongress (HAK).

The document draft-ed by the PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia, JohnPrescott and Axel Fischer, alsodescribes as “crucial” the proper con-duct of parliamentary elections duenext spring.

“The Assembly considers that theoutcome of the latest generalamnesty, the renewed impetus toinvestigate the 10 deaths during theMarch 2008 events and the resultingstart of a constructive dialoguebetween the opposition and rulingcoalition mean that the chapter onthe March 2008 events can finally beconsidered closed,” reads the draftresolution made public this week.

It says that in order to avoid arepeat of the March 2008 post-elec-tion violence in Yerevan, which left 10people dead, Armenia should hold“genuinely democratic parliamentaryelections,” reform its law-enforcement

and judicial systems and create a “plu-ralist media environment.”

The proposed resolution is a majorboost to President Serge Sargisianand his coalition government. They

have for years been under pressurefrom Western powers and structuresto reverse a harsh crackdown on theHAK launched after the 2008 ballot.

Predictably, the HAK, whose leaderLevon Ter-Petrosian was the mainopposition presidential candidate in2008, has condemned the document.Its representative to the Council ofEurope, Arman Grigorian, on Fridayaccused the leadership of theStrasbourg-based assembly of sidingwith the Armenian government in itsstandoff with the Ter-Petrosian-ledopposition.

“This is a manifestation of the factthat the PACE and the authors of thisresolution have breached their impar-tiality and neutrality,” Grigorian said.

“In essence, this is yet anothercarte blanche to Armenia’s authori-ties to continue the policy that they

have long pursued,” he said.Grigorian argued that the authori-

ties are still investigating the deathsof eight opposition protesters andtwo security personnel on March 1-2,2008 and have not identified anyoneresponsible for them.

Responding to HAK demands,Sargisian ordered a “more meticu-lous” inquiry into the killings in lateApril. Law-enforcement bodies havereported no major progress in therenewed probe so far.

While praising Sargisian’s order,the draft resolution reiterates PACEconcerns about “the lack of results ofthe inquiry into the ten deaths” andurges Armenian investigators to oper-ate more transparently.

Fischer visited Yerevan shortly afterthe start of the government-HAK dia-logue in mid-July. “I am very satisfiedwith the start of this dialogue,” hesaid at the end of his fact-finding trip,which included meetings withSarkisian and Ter-Petrosian.

The HAK subsequently suspendedtalks with the ruling coalition inprotest against the controversialarrest of one of its activists. The draftresolution does not mention this fact.

“Even if the dialogue continued,the dialogue is not a solution in itselfbut a method of solving things,” saidGrigorian. “The two things must notbe confused.”

The HAK representative acknowl-edged that despite the opposition crit-icism, the PACE will almost certainlyadopt the document without majorchanges at its next session scheduledfor October 3-7.

Arman Grigorian, a senior member of the oppositionArmenian National Congress, speaks to journalists.

Council of Europe Body Set to DeclareArmenian Unrest Chapter ‘Closed’

ARF in USChanges PositionOn AnniversaryCelebration

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Amajor diaspora branch of theopposition ArmenianRevolutionary Federation (ARF)has reversed its decision to boy-cott an upcoming banquet here tobe attended by President SergeSargisian.

The September 25 event isorganized by the ArmenianConsulate there and dedicated tothe 20th anniversary of Armenia’sindependence. Sargisian willattend it as part of a visit to theUnited States that will involvemeetings with representatives ofthe influential Armenian-American community.

The ARF chapter in the westernUS said on August 18 that itsleaders will boycott the banquetin protest against Sargisian’strack record in office. It said hispresence there will “cast a shadowon the idea of independence anddenigrate the struggle of our peo-ple for the restoration of justice.”

ARF’s supreme decision-makingbody based in Yerevan, theBureau, was quick to criticize themove.

In another statement circulatedover the weekend, ARF’s WesternUS Central Committee claimedthat the “nature” of the celebra-tion has been misunderstood andthat it is not aimed at honoringSargisian.

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Opposition leaderLevon Ter-Petrosian urged the United States totake the lead in the Nagorno-Karabagh peaceprocess in late 2008, less than a month afteraccusing Washington of seeking excessiveArmenian concessions to Azerbaijan, accordingto newly-disclosed US diplomatic records.

In a classified 2008 cable released byWikiLeaks, Marie Yovanovitch, who was USambassador in Yerevan then, said Ter-Petrosianalso told her that he publicly branded US poli-cy on Armenia “immoral” as part of his effortsto placate radical supporters demanding a newopposition push for power.

Yovanovitch rejected this explanation as “dis-honest,” deploring the former Armenian presi-dent’s “lack of integrity,” saying he is willing to“sell out his own policy views for the sake ofpersonal political expedience.”

The leaked cable recounts the former ambas-sador’s first meeting with Ter-Petrosian thattook place on November 4, 2008. It reveals thatthe meeting was scheduled for October 20 butthat Yovanovitch postponed it to demonstrateWashington’s “displeasure” with his speech atan opposition rally held on October 17, 2008.

Speaking at that rally, Ter-Petrosian chargedthat the US and other Western powers are turn-ing a blind eye to a continuing governmentcrackdown on his opposition movement in theirquest for a “unilateral” resolution of theKarabagh conflict. Such a settlement, he said,would spell a “national disaster” for Armeniabecause it would exclude Russia.

Ter-Petrosian also claimed at the time that inreturn for strong Western support for hisregime, President Serge Sargisian is ready to“put Karabagh up for sale” and renounceArmenia’s political and military alliance withRussia.

According to Yovanovitch, Ter-Petrosianmade diametrically opposite statements whenthey met three weeks later. She quoted him assaying that the US should hijack the initiativein the Karabagh conflict mediation from theRussians by dispatching then Secretary of StateCondoleezza Rice to the region to negotiate afinal Armenian-Azerbaijani agreement and hav-ing it signed in Washington in the presence ofoutgoing President George W. Bush.

“LTP [Levon Ter-Petrosian] said the USwould be doing Armenia and its people a greatfavor by intervening to achieve a balanced set-tlement that would leave neither Armenia norAzerbaijan with ‘a loser’s complex,’”Yovanovitch wrote. She said Ter-Petrosianassured her that his Armenian NationalCongress (HAK) alliance “will not do anythingto complicate Sargisian’s settlement efforts” inthe coming months.

The envoy told top US State Department offi-cials that Ter-Petrosian also justified his harshverbal attacks on the West voiced at theOctober 2008 rally. She quoted the HAK leaderas saying that he simply sought to sell his deci-sion to suspend anti-government demonstra-tions in Yerevan to “the radical elements in hisopposition movement.”

Explaining that decision in his 45-minutespeech at the rally, Ter-Petrosian asserted thatfurther street protests would “weaken SergeSargisian’s positions and thereby increase pos-sibilities of exerting external pressure on himand clinching concessions from him.”

Throughout the summer of 2008, seniorHAK figures told supporters to get ready forrenewed “decisive” actions against theSarkisian administration. One of them statedthat the October 17 rally will mark a “turningpoint” in the opposition movement’s strug-gle.

According to Yovanovitch, Ter-Petrosian saidthat the protest suspension carried “great risks”for him and that he had “no other way to getpeople off the streets and back in their homes.”

Yovanovitch, who completed her three-yeartour of duty in Armenia last June, dismissed thealleged explanation. “Painting the UnitedStates in an immoral light on resolving [theKarabagh conflict] is intellectually dishonest nomatter the motive,” she told the charismaticopposition leader, according to the cable.

Yovanovitch suggested the following motivesbehind his “dishonest rhetoric.” “Our read isthat LTP saw support for public rallies dwin-dling with each passing month, and was des-perate to find a face-saving tactic,” she told offi-cials in Washington. “Empty-handed aftermonths of a stridently rejectionist strategy, LTPchose to cloak himself in nationalism and con-

coct a conspiracy theory of great power machi-nations to cover his political retreat.”

Levon Zurabian, a close Ter-Petrosian associ-ate coordinating the HAK’s day-to-day activities,insisted on Thursday that there were no con-tradictions between what the ex-president saidat the rally and the conversation with the USambassador.

In particular, Zurabian, who was also presentat that meeting, strongly denied her claims thatTer-Petrosian admitted misleading his mostloyal supporters. “Ter-Petrosian never said sucha thing, I refute that,” he said. “And MarieYovanovitch also refutes herself in that report.”

But Zurabian would not comment onwhether Ter-Petrosian indeed urged the US toaggressively push for an Armenian-Azerbaijanipeace deal.

Ter-Petrosian was quoted as questioningRussia’s commitment to Karabagh peace inanother leaked cable which Yovanovitch sent toWashington in August 2009. The confidentialdocument also publicized by WikiLeaks givesdetails of his meeting in Yerevan with MatthewBryza, then US deputy assistant secretary ofstate.

“LTP worried that Russia does not actuallywant a solution, but rather a lingering problemthat leaves both Armenia and Azerbaijan depen-dent on Russia,” reads the document.

Ter-Petrosian’s alleged concerns contrastedwith his exceedingly positive public statementson the Russian government. The HAK leaderhas been far more critical of the Western pow-ers in his public pronouncements made sincethe disputed February 2008 presidential elec-tion. He has repeatedly accused them of toler-ating human rights abuses in Armenia for“geopolitical considerations.”

Zurabian claimed that relations betweenAmerican diplomats and the HAK began wors-ening in September 2008 because Armenia’sleading opposition force refused to uncondi-tionally back Sargisian’s policy of rapproche-ment with Turkey.

“We were angry that for the sake of geopolit-ical aims the United States can turn a blind eyeto the trampling of democracy,” he said. “Wewere angry with the United States for that rea-son, while the United States probably hadmotives to be angry with our position.”

“But over time — when it became obviousthat our evaluations are correct, that Turkeywill not delink relations with Armenia fromthe Karabagh issue, that Serge Sargisian isexploiting the normalization process to keeppolitical prisoners and destroy the opposition— the same Marie Yovanovitch learned torespect Levon Ter-Petrosian,” added the HAKcoordinator.

S A T U R D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 1 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R 3

ARMENIA

YEREVAN — President Serge Sargisian this week handed out medals toArmenians who have contributed to the republic and to the better-ment of the Armenian people. Among those was HaroutKhatchadourian, one of the founders of KOHAR Symphony Orchestraand Choir, which is based in Gumri. Khatchadourian and his brothers,all of whom live in Beirut, Lebanon, pay all the costs associated withKOHAR, as a way to pay tribute to their parents. Above, PresidentSerge Sargisian, left, presents the medal to Harout Khatchadourian.

Leaked Document RevealsUS Fury with Ter-Petrosian

Chess Becomes Mandatory School Subject YEREVAN (RFE/RL and Reuters) — Chess has become a mandatory school subject across

Armenia for every child over the age of 6.School officials in Armenia say the move is aimed at fostering independent strategic think-

ing among future generations at school, at work and in society.The plan took effect beginning with the current academic year. More than 40,000 children

in about 1,500 Armenian schools already have received chess textbooks and chess pieces.They are now receiving formal lessons twice a week from 1,200 specially-trained and select-ed teachers.

Vachik Khachaturian, who has been teaching mathematics at school for years, decided toteach chess, too. He says the game is interesting and useful for his young students atYerevan’s Secondary School No. 125.

“First of all, chess is a game and it is fun. At the same time, it is an intellectual game,”Khachaturian says. “Along with mastering the game the children learn to think indepen-dently. This [independence] makes the game interesting for them, especially at their youngage.”

Armenia already is one of the world’s leading chess nations. The country boasts more than30 grandmasters and gold-medal winners at the International Chess Olympiads in 2006 and2008.

President Serge Sargisian presides over Armenia’s Chess Academy and the national ChessFederation. He also has been involved during the past three years in developing the plan toteach chess in the nation’s schools.

The director of Armenia’s Chess Academy, grandmaster Smbat Lputian, initiated the pro-ject to introduce chess as a mandatory school subject. He says he strongly believes in thepositive impact that playing chess can have upon children of a young age.

“Chess is an amazing game, amazing as I see only positive things in it,” Lputian says. “Itis a very fair game and this is the most important thing.”

Sitting amid chessboards in the academy’s tournament room, Lputian explains that hesees chess as a way to develop the ability of children to think independently.

“It makes you think and map out a strategy and while working on it, you need to assessyour every move in advance and find the right one,” Lputian says. “And with every moveyou need to make a decision, the whole game is about making decisions and these decisionsshould be primarily correct. The game makes you more accustomed to making serious deci-sions in difficult situations.”

Chess also is regarded by most Armenians as an inclusive and universal activity, capableof uniting people of different ages and physical abilities.

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia’s aggregateoutput of wheat will rise by almost 20 percentthis year mainly because of more favorableweather conditions, a senior government offi-cial announced on Friday.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture SamvelGalstian said farmers across the country willcollect at least 217,000 metric tons of wheat in2011, up from 183,000 reported by his ministrylast year.

“The weather this year has been favorablefor the republic,” he said.

Galstian also noted a “certain contribution”to the better harvest from more than 1,000 tonsof high-quality grain seeds that were importedby the Armenian government from Russia lastfall.

The government distributed them to about150 farmers as part of a plan to gradually raisedomestic wheat production to 350,000 tons by2014.

According to government statistics, themountainous country of 3 million consumes anestimated 650,000 tons of wheat each year.

Armenian wheat output steadily declineduntil 2011, with many local farmers switchingto other crops due to poor yields and modestincome generated by them. The Ministry ofAgriculture estimates that the total area of

grain fields has shrunk by roughly one-third to80,000 hectares since 2004. It hopes that theseed distribution program will help to reversethis trend.

According to Galstian, the government hasalready purchased a second 110,000-ton batchof “elite” Russian seeds this year.

Farmers willing to receive them must meet anumber of stringent requirements, includingownership of at least seven hectares of land.More importantly, they are not allowed to plantwheat and other cereal seeds in those plots fortwo consecutive years, a condition which isproving particularly controversial.

Galstian faced protests from villagers in theShirak region as he met them in the regionalcapital Gumri to select those eligible for seedallocations. He said that only 74 of several hun-dred Shirak farmers who applied for thescheme would receive elite seeds and be able topay for them in kind in 2012.

Many in the audience walked out of the meet-ing in protest against what they see as a gov-ernment policy that favors well-to-do farmers.

“They are now saying that all seven hectaresmust be planted with other crops or not culti-vated at all [for one year.] But there are 20 per-sons in my family. What should we do to get byuntil next year?”

Government Reports Rise in Armenian Wheat Output

BERLIN (Deutsche Welle) — GermanChancellor Angela Merkel and TurkishPresident Abdullah Gul met in Berlin onTuesday for talks aimed at airing issuestouching on integration, EU accessionand ties with Israel.

A raft of complex issues was on thetable Tuesday when German ChancellorAngela Merkel held talks with TurkishPresident Abdullah Gul in Berlin. Up fordiscussion was the sharp deteriorationin relations between Turkey and Israel,as well as the long-standing conserva-tive unease in Germany over Turkishintegration.

According to a message from govern-ment spokesman Steffen Seibert sentfollowing the talks over the networkingsite Twitter, the Turkish presidentagreed with Merkel that good Germanlanguage skills were necessary for suc-cessful integration in Germany.

Seibert tweeted that both Merkel andGul acknowledged “that the Germanlanguage should be learned early and aswell as possible,” according to the APnews agency.

Earlier this year, Turkish PrimeMinister Recep Tayyip Erdogan calledon the some 3 million Turks living inGermany to integrate but not assimilate.He advised Turkish immigrants to teachtheir children the Turkish languagebefore German.

Gul touched on the subject ahead of histhree-day German tour, telling publicbroadcaster ZDF that German immigra-tion law violated human rights. He saidthe legislation was unfair because it pro-hibited Turkish citizens from joining aspouse in Germany unless they couldprove knowledge of the German language.

Contentious UN reportAlso on the table at the chancellery

was the recent flare-up in tensionsbetween Turkey and Israel over a raidon a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last yearwhich ended in the deaths of eightTurkish activists and one TurkishAmerican.

Turkey has expelled the Israeli ambas-sador to Ankara and suspended militaryties with the country in the wake of aUnited Nations report certifying thatthe Jewish nation’s deadly raid waslegal, despite it being heavy-handed.

The issue is of particular importanceto Germany as both Turkey and Israelare key regional partners.

EU AccessionThe closed-door talks were also

thought to have touched on relationsbetween Turkey and the EuropeanUnion. From the start of the visit, Gulhas reiterated Turkey’s desire to join the27-nation bloc. Merkel opposes Turkishaccession and has only offered what shecalls a “strategic partnership,” which

Turkey rejects.Complicating matters, Turkey over

the weekend threatened to freeze rela-tions with the EU if it went ahead withallowing the divided island of Cyprus totake over the rotating six-month presi-dency of the bloc next year.

Cyprus joined the EU in 2004 andwas due to be handed the presidency inJuly 2012 after Denmark. But Turkeysaid it first wants to see a resolution toa standoff between Cyprus’ Turkishnorth and its Greek south, adding thata Cypriot EU presidency would “cause amajor disruption” in relations. Turkeydoes not recognize Cyprus as a sover-eign country.

Following the talks with Merkel, Gulwas to travel to the western city ofOsnabrück for a second meeting withGerman President Christian Wulff.There he was scheduled to visit theprovincial city’s historic town hall, atwhich the 1648 Peace of Westphaliawas signed, bringing to a close theThirty Years’ War in Europe.

S A T U R D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 1 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R4

INTERNATIONAL

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““DDuurriinngg hhiiss ssttaayy iinn SSttoocckkhhoollmm hhee ppaaiinntteedd tthheewweellll--kknnoowwnn ccaannvvaass ppiiccttuurriinngg tthhee RRooyyaall CCaassttllee,,”” ssaaiiddSSwweeddiisshh aarrttiisstt BBjjoorrggee FFrriiddllaanndd..

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HHee ssaaiidd tthhee AArrmmeenniiaann ppooppuullaattiioonn hhaass mmaaddee mmaannyyaacchhiieevveemmeennttss tthheerree,, ppaarrttiiccuullaarrllyy tthhee ssttaattee--aawwaarrddwwiinnnniinngg ddaannccee eennsseemmbbllee,, UUrraarrttuu,, aass wweellll aass tthhee ccuull--ttuurraall cceenntteerr,, AArrvveesstt,, aanndd aa SSuunnddaayy sscchhooooll..

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TThhee jjoobb ppaayyss $$22,,440000 ppeerr mmoonntthh ffoorr iinnssttrruuccttoorrssaanndd $$33,,550000 ffoorr aa pprrooffeessssoorr..

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International News

IRAN, from page 1build a third high-voltage transmissionline connecting their power grids.

The Armenian government hasrepeatedly said that work on these facil-ities will start this year. However, therehave been no official announcements tothat effect yet.

Ahmadinejad spoke of “technical andfinancial problems” hampering theimplementation of those projects.According to Mehr, he said they shouldbe overcome “as soon as possible.”

The unresolved conflict over NagornoKarabagh was also reportedly on theagenda of Nalbandian’s talks withAhmadinejad and Iranian ForeignMinister Ali-Akbar Salehi. TheArmenian minister again praised theIslamic Republic’s “balanced” stance onthe dispute.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry saidSalehi asked Nalbandian to brief him onthe latest developments in Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations mediated bythe United States, Russia and France.

Tehran Calls for Closer Armenian Ties

EU Ready to IncreaseFinancial Aid toArmenia in Case ofSuccessful Reform

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) —European Union is ready toincrease the financial assistance toArmenia in case of successfulreform, Gunnar Wiegand,European Co-Chair of the EU-Armenia Cooperation Committee,European External Action Service(EEAS) Director for Russia,Eastern Partnership, Central Asia,Regional Cooperation and OSCE,made such statement in Yerevanbefore opening the 12th session ofthe Committee, Tuesday.

We are ready to increase thefinancial aid to Armenia, he said,the more reforms Armenia carriesout the more financing it willreceive from Europe.

Wiegand said that Armenia nowreceives more than 50 million eurosannually while five years ago itreceived 20-25 million.

He said that Armenia has suc-ceeded in certain reforms in thelegal sector and visa facilitation.Wiegand said that EU has adopteda decision to start negotiations withArmenia for visa facilitation. Forhis part, the Armenian Co-Chair ofthe EU-Armenia CooperationCommittee Tigran Davtyan saidthat Armenia has achieved successalso in the talks for the AssociationAgreement. He said that theAssociation Agreement requiressolution to a number of tasks in thesphere of.

“I hope we will complete thepreparation stage and start formalimplementation of the agreementon free trade,” Davtyan said.

The committee was scheduled todiscuss a broad spectrum of issuesrelated trade, security, justice,transport, energy, medicine andhuman rights. The Committee con-vened behind the closed doors.

To recall, Armenian and EUsigned the Agreement forPartnership and Cooperation onApril 22 1996. The Agreementcame into effect on July 1 1999.The Cooperation Committee wasset up in line with the Article 83 ofthe Agreement. The 11th sessionon Sept 17 2010 resulted in theagreement to set up a subcommit-tee to discuss energy, nuclear safe-ty, transport and environmentalissues.

Merkel Hosts Turkey’s President for Talks in Berlin

STRASBOURG (Voice of Russia) —European parents might be prohibitedfrom getting to know the sex of theirchild during pregnancy. TheParliamentary Assembly of the Councilof Europe (PACE) has taken this initia-tive in order to put an end to the mal-practice existing in several countrieswhere women terminate pregnancywhen they come to know that theywould give birth to girls.

PACE Committee for GenderEquality has decided to ban Europeanphysicians from informing the futureparents of the sex of the child.According to the committee, who willbe born in the family, a boy or a girl, isa crucial question in several countriesof the former Socialist camp.Consequently, many women performabortions fearing that their men will bedisappointed with the birth of daugh-ters rather than sons as heirs.

A study conducted by Swiss scientistsfor the PACE has shown that unbornchildren have been subjected to selec-tion in four member countries of theCouncil of Europe. In Armenia,Azerbaijan and Albania, only 100 girlsare born for every 112 boys. In Georgia,this proportion is 100 to 111. The com-mittee urged these four countries toinvestigate the situation. These expertshave drafted a document that will betabled at the next PACE plenary sessionthat will run October 3-7.

Politicians suggest banning physi-cians in state-run hospitals from shar-ing information with parents about thesex of the child after ultrasonic scan-

ning. They wanted to introduce thisrule in all 47 member countries of theCouncil of Europe. PACE is a consulta-tive body and has no right to impose itsrecommendations on the governments.

Meanwhile, Britain, as a member ofthe Council of Europe, has vigorouslyopposed a possible imposition of a banon baby gender identification. Futureparents should know in advance whowill be born from the practical stand-point because they must know whetherthey should prepare a separate roomfor the new child or he or she will be ofthe same sex as other children, repre-sentatives of parents’ organizations andphysicians say. Dr. Gillian Lockwood,former vice-chairman of the ethics com-mittee of the Royal Collage ofObstetricians and Gynecologists,believes such directives will be hardlybeneficial for Britain. Traditionally,physicians at state-run local hospitalsinform parents of the child’s genderduring the 20-week pregnancy periodwhen an abortion can be performedfrom the medical standpoint, saysLockwood.

By virtue of religious and public tra-ditions in Europe, the problem ofunequal attitude towards the sex of chil-dren is a relatively new one. However,in some other countries, such as India,physicians are categorically prohibitedto inform future parents of their baby’sgender. This preventative measure istaken to stop women from receivingabortions upon learning the sex of thebaby, in a culture where girls are viewedas a burden.

PACE to Ban Gender Prediction during Pregnancy

5S A T U R D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 1 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O R

Community News

More than 240 YouthsAttend 48th Season ofAGBU Camp Nubar

CATSKILL MOUNTAINS, N.Y. — On August 13, AGBU Camp Nubar concludedits 48th season here, located in the scenic Hudson Valley of upstate New York. Thesummer camp opened its doors to youth from around the globe on July 2 and wasorganized into three two-week sessions. More than 240 campers and counselorsfrom Canada, France, Germany, the UK, Turkey and all across the United Statesattended the camp at the state-of-the-art facility. Campers and counselors, both oldand new, rekindled friendships and created new bonds throughout the six-weekprogram.Under the guidance of returning director Jennifer Omartian and assistant direc-

tor Daniel Antreasyan, the staff introduced new activities this year, including camp-wide hikes and the revival of popular Camp Nubar songs and campouts. With thestaff’s expertise, they offered an array of activities in which campers could partic-ipate, including horseback riding, arts and crafts, tubing, tennis, archery, creativewriting, digital media and technology and vocal classes.Each session had its own activities and events. During the first session, camp staff

organized a counselor hunt, hayrides, a July 4th carnival and the return of CampNubar’s Armenian nights. The second session welcomed ballet master ArmanJulhakyan and art instructor Ella Pepanyan, both from the AGBU Children’s Centersin Armenia, for a series of cultural lessons. Julhakyan led campers in variousArmenian dances, while campers learned to create pieces of art under the guidanceof Pepanyan. Campers also participated in an Olympics competition, a basketballgame against Lake Delaware Boys Camp and a dance at Lake Arax.On July 24, AGBU Camp Nubar opened its gates to parents, grandparents, alum-

ni and friends at its 31st annual Open House. The Catskill Mountains offered abackdrop for families to visit campers and for alumni to reminisce about their timeat the camp. The day started with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of theDiocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), celebrating the DivineLiturgy in the Nazarian Center. Following the church service, campers participat-ed in horseback riding and waterfront shows, as well as playing the finals of thecamp-wide tennis tournament. Throughout the day, Armenian-inspired ceramics

see CAMP NUBAR, page 7

Turkish GovernmentIgnores ArmenianProperty Right LawsuitLOS ANGELES — The Turkish government is

now in default after ignoring a lawsuit broughtagainst it and two Turkish banks over repara-tions for land in southern Turkey seized fromArmenians during the Armenian Genocide(Alex Bakalian et. al vs. Republic of Turkey, theCentral Bank of Turkey, and T.C. Ziraat Bankasiet. al., Case Number 2:10-CV-09596, December15, 2010). The default notice was entered onSeptember 1, 2011.The land in question is currently home to the

Incirlik Air Base, which houses the United States39th Mission Support Group and 39th MedicalGroup. The air base is located near Adana, Turkey.After refusing to accept service of the lawsuit

under governing rules of the 1906 HagueConvention, Turkey was served through USembassy channels on June 20. Service was con-firmed and the court was notified. Turkey had60 days (by August 19) to answer the complaintbut did not. The two bank defendants, CentralBank of Turkey and T.C. Ziraat Bank, requestedand were given an extension to respond bySeptember 19.“The US Department of State had sent a

diplomatic note to Ankara warning that thecountry is bound by law to defend against thelawsuit,” says Vartkes Yeghiayan, with theYeghiayan Law Firm and one of the attorneysrepresenting the plaintiffs. “Choosing to ignorethe lawsuit won’t make it go away.”The plaintiffs are arguing that their Armenian

relatives owned land now occupied by theIncirlik Base. Their complaint includes docu-ments showing legal ownership. When their rel-atives were forced to flee the then OttomanEmpire, their property was subsequently seizedand then sold without their permission.By refusing to respond, Turkey risks having

the court rule against it in absentia. Damagescould be as high as $100 million.Representing the plaintiffs are the Yeghiayan

Law Firm in Glendale, Schwarcz, Rimberg,Boyd & Rader, LLP in Los Angeles and MichaelBazyler from Chapman University School ofLaw in Orange.For a copy of the default notice, contact

Diane Zakian Rumbaugh atdiane@rumbaughpr.com, Vartkes Yeghiayan atvarkesy@sbcglobal.net or Diane ZakianRumbaugh at diane@rumbaughpr.com.

TRIBUTE:

NishanParlakian,Educator andDramatist(1925-2011)

By Aram ArkunMirror-Spectator Staff

NEW YORK — Educator and dramatist Dr.Nishan Parlakian was one of those larger-than-life figures who seem to abound among theArmenians. A physically large man, he had agregarious personality to go with his size.When he liked someone, whether or not thatperson was younger than him, he would beginto call his friend “my son” (or “my daughter”).He had a great following among actors andlovers of drama both among Armenians andnon-Armenians, and was generous with histime, helping both institutions and individualshe felt were deserving of it.Parlakian was professor emeritus at John Jay

College of Criminal Justice (part of the CityUniversity of New York), where he taughtdrama, speech and English literature from 1970to 1998. He received his doctorate in drama

from Columbia University in 1967, after earn-ing two master’s degrees (in theater and drama)from the same school and a bachelor’s degreefrom Syracuse University in 1948. During along and distinguished career as an educator,Parlakian also taught at Pace University, NewYork University and Bronx Community Collegeof CUNY.Parlakian has translated and published a

number of classical and modern Armenian playsinto English, usually adding his own introduc-tions. Two such translations of plays byAlexandre Shirvanzade — “For the Sake ofHonor” (Badvi Hamar, 1976) and “Evil Spirit”(Char Voki, 1980) — were published by St.Vartan Press (the publishing imprint of theDiocese of the Armenian Church of America)and later produced by New York’s ClassicTheatre. The same press also publishedParlakian’s version of Aramshot Babayan’s “BeNice, I’m Dead” (Kna Meri, Ari Sirem) in 1990.Griffon House published his translation ofAsadour’s “The Bride” in 1987.As a dramatist, Parlakian wrote more than 30

plays. Several of these were produced in NewYork; others — like “Last of the Mohigians,” pub-lished in The Armenian Review in 1959 —appeared in various periodicals. In 1988, NewYork’s Classic Theatre presented his ethnic drama,“Grandma, Pray forMe,” whichwent on towin theColumbus: Countdown 1992 International ArtsAward and was published in 1990.

see PARLAKIAN, page 6

Art instructor Ella Pepanyan helping campers create Armenian-inspired crafts

Nishan and Florence Parlakian at Nishan’s 80thbirthday surprise party

Low-Income HousingTopic of Talk at St. JamesMen’s ClubWATERTOWN — On Monday, October 3,

Dana Boole, president and CEO of CommunityAffordable Housing Equity Corporation(CAHEC) in Raleigh, NC, will be the speaker atthe dinner meeting of the St. James ArmenianChurch Men’s Club. The topic will be “Insidersview of public/private low income housing.”Boole manages CAHEC’s operations and over-

sees its fund-raising efforts throughout the US,with primary focus on the Mid-Atlantic andSoutheastern states. Created in 1992 to helpfinance the development of affordable rentalhousing in North Carolina, CAHEC is now a non-profit equity provider operating in 10 states.Boole came to CAHEC from Edison Capital

Housing Investments in Boston. As acquisitionsdirector at Edison, he focused primarily on equi-ty syndication in the eastern US. Before joiningEdison, he held positions as vice president ofacquisitions for National PartnershipInvestments Corp. and as commercial realestate consultant for the Leggat Company.The social hours starts with mezza at 6:15 p.m.,

followed by a complete Armenian dinner at 7 p.m.Tickets are $12 per person. The dinner meetingwill be at the St. James Armenian CharlesMosesiasn Cultural & Youth Center Keljik Hall,465 Mt. Auburn St. Ladies are welcome.

Campers enjoy horseback riding.

BOCA RATON — As part of programs dedicat-ed to “The Year of Lay Ministry,” as announced bythe Diocesan Assembly, Very Rev. Nareg Berberianinitiated a Religious Education Program for the layleadership of the church so that the participantswould closely study the faith, history and theologyof the Armenian Church. This seven-week course isdesigned to enhance the knowledge of the lay lead-ers in the faith and theology of the Armenian

Apostolic Church, while serving as “lay ministers”of St. David Armenian Church.The Religious Education Program will offer

the following themes: The Sacraments of theArmenian Church, the Apostolicity of theArmenian Church, the Divine Liturgy, theUnderstanding of the Holy Trinity, theTheology of Death and Dying, the Holy Bibleand Contemporary issues the Armenian

Church faces today.On Thursday, September 15, more than 25 lay

leaders of St. David Armenian Church participatedin the first lecture series. Berberian spoke aboutthe sacraments of the Armenian Church and itsimpact in our lives. He emphasized that the sacra-ments of the Church are the means to enter intothe vineyard of the Lord and enhance our faith bymaintaining its divine mystery in our lives.“Since we are offered to the altar of God during

our baptism, we are called for the first time tobecome lay ministers of the Church and livethrough faith, hope and love,” stated Berberian.In his remarks to the participants, Berberian

noted, “To be a successful and effective lay minis-ter, it is prerequisite to gain knowledge of the basicteachings of our Church so you may be able toidentify yourself with the history and faith that youare called upon to serve as a representative of yourchurch community. Without that basic knowledge,a lay minister will fail in his/her ministry.”The participants were captured by the theme

and fully engaged in conversation. Carol Norigian,the chair of the Women’s Guild and the DiocesanDelegate reflected, “As I continue to study aboutour Church, my faith and my service in theArmenian Church will strengthen, and I will appre-ciate the theology and the ancient tradition passedonto us through the generations.”On Sunday, September 18, the Diocesan theme

was introduced to the parishioners. Berberiandelivered a sermon based on Jesus’ word, “Followme.”He focused on three points: 1) TheCall comesfrom Christ; 2) The Call is simple and 3) The Callis transformative.Being an active parish in the Diocese, St. David

Armenian Church will continue to follow the direc-tives sent by theDiocese to strengthen the lay lead-ership of the Church through educational and out-reach programs.Recently, Berberian publishedhis first handbook

titled, Walking Through the Armenian Faith andHistory: An Instructional Handbook,whichwill beunveiled in February 2012.

PARLAKIAN, from page 5In the last decade, Parlakian published three

anthologies which will remain handy referenceworks for many years to come. ModernArmenian Drama (2001) was co-edited with Dr.S. Peter Cowe. Contemporary ArmenianAmerican Drama: An Anthology of AncestralVoices (2004) and Notable Women in ModernArmenian Drama (2009) were both preparedby Parlakian alone.Parlakian’s articles on Armenian literature

have been published in numerous anthologiesand professional journals, and he frequentlycontributed reviews and other short pieces toArmenian newspapers and periodicals.His multifaceted role within the Armenian-

American community has included long-termrelationships with the Armenian StudentsAssociation and with the Diocese of theArmenian Church of America (Eastern). In par-tial recognition of this work, he received theArthur H. Dadian Armenian Heritage Awardfrom the Armenian Students Association in1999, and in 2008, the St. Vartan Award from

the Armenian Diocese.Parlakian was artistic director of the

Armenian Students Association Players from1950 to 1954; in 1974, with the New YorkArmenian Students’ Association, he presented aprogram titled “Directing Armenians.”Parlakian spent 16 seasons (1972-1988) asartistic director of the Armenian Church ofAmerica’s Diocesan Players, during which timehe staged plays by Shirvanzade, Sundukian,Baronian, Asadour and others.From 1976 to 1980, he was editor of The

Armenian Church quarterly magazine, and he wasan influential voice on the editorial board of Araratquarterly, where he contributed articles and edited

special issues for almost 40 years.For his publications and his work in Armenia,

Parlakian has received grants from the AGBU,the Armenian Literary Society and PSC/CUNY.He was also a Fulbright lecturer in Armenia in1991-92.Alongside his work in the Armenian sphere,

Parlakian was very interested in the work of LuigiPirandello and became an active organizer of thePirandello Society of America. He has served as edi-tor of the society’s newsletter andwas the presidentof the society from 1995 to 2003. He was literaryhistorian of the Roundabout Theatre (New YorkCity), editor and founder of the CUNY Stage (1995-2000) and sat on the editorial board ofMulti-EthnicLiteratures of the United States and the board ofthe Classic Theatre.Parlakian was very proud of the literary work

of his father, Raphael, who as a youth had beenpraised by master poet Taniel Varujan butended up as a jeweler in the United States inorder to earn a livelihood. A devoted family manlike his father, Nishan Parlakian leaves behindhis wife of many years, Florence (née Mechtel);two children, Nishan Payel (and wife Margot)and Elizabeth Rose, as well as grandchildren,Liliana and Rose Parlakian.Parlakian died on September 12. Services

were held at the Riverside Memorial Chapel inNew York on September 15 and he was buriedthe next day in Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale,in Westchester County.

6 T H E A R M E N I A N M I R R O R - S P E C TAT O RS A T U R D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 1

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COMMUNITY NEWS

More than 240 YouthsAttend 48th Season ofAGBU Camp NubarCAMP NUBAR, from page 5and art projects were on display, and parentswatched campers of all ages perform skits andArmenian dances and songs.During the last two weeks of camp,

campers and counselors awaited the surprisebeginning of Color War. This three-day eventdivides the camp into two teams, Gold andBlue, and campers compete in athletic, artis-tic and creative activities as part of theirrespective team. Following the competition,counselors transformed the dining hall into a“Finding Nemo”-themed banquet for thecampers to enjoy. With summer coming to aclose, campers were teary eyed as they saidgoodbye to their friends.“I always have a great time going to Camp

Nubar, and knowing that I am going to sharebeautiful moments in this amazing communi-ty,” said 2011 camper Laura Bal of France. “Atthe end of the session, I was already thinkingabout the following summer. If you asked me todescribe Camp Nubar in a few words, it wouldbe friendship, family and a lot of fun,” she said.Fellow camper Greg Merjian of Florida

shared Bal’s enthusiasm. “This year, campwas an amazing experience for me and I trulyenjoyed my last year as a camper. I look for-ward to returning year after year because Inever cease to enjoy every second that I amat camp. It’s the only place I can go wherethe friendships hold deeper meaning and thememories last forever. I was a camper for nineyears and I look forward to taking the nextstep and attending camp for years to come asa staff member,” he said.For more information about AGBU and its

worldwide programs, visit www.agbu.org.

WINNETKA, Calif. (Los Angeles Times) — Inthe kitchen of this Winnetka hall, honey-filledballs of lokma are piled on plates for dessert.Puff pastries called borek are filled with cheese,eggs and dill, then warmed in the oven. SpicyArmenian prosciutto chills in the fridge.The night’s main dish — marinated beef called

doner on three large spits — is roasting. It takesat least five hours to make a proper doner, sayscook Sako Cicek. He places thin ribbons of themeat in a chafing dish.The occasion for this feast is Doner Night, an

event sponsored by the Organization of IstanbulArmenians, a group of more than 1,000 TurkishArmenians in Southern California. Of the hun-dreds of thousands of Armenians in California,Turkish Armenians make up a small fraction. Inaddition to Armenian, they also speak Turkish,listen to Turkish music and have adopted manyof the traditions of that country.There are times, some said, when this close-

ness with Turkey — those who remained in thatcountry were sometimes discouraged from fol-lowing their own traditions and culture — hasmade it difficult to gain acceptance from otherArmenians. But that is changing. Organizationslike the one hosting this event have found waysto embrace both elements of the culture.

“Now they are going through a certainrevival,” said Richard Hovannisian, who recentlyretired as the chair of the Armenian EducationalFoundation at UCLA. “They’re given a little morespace to discover their culture.”After renting various spaces for

years, the Organization of IstanbulArmenians occupies an ornate two-story building in Winnetka wherechildren take Armenian-languagelessons and events like Doner Nightbring hundreds together for musicand food. This year, the group willcelebrate its 35th anniversary.But when the group started, said

Avedis Tekolian, one of thefounders, “we didn’t have muchmoney. People gave $3, $12. Weworked very hard.”In the US, said Talin Sarafoglu,

the president of the IstanbulArmenians Ladies Auxiliary, whichorganized the weekend event,Turkish Armenians were able to learn moreabout the Armenian side of their culture.“When we first came here, we also went

through a revival of finding our Armenian iden-tity,” she said. “Our goal is while we can keep

some of the customs and the food from ournative land, we also want to bond with otherArmenian groups.”Like others, Frank V. Zerunyan, a city council-

man in Rolling Hills Estates, left Istanbul

because his family wanted more opportunitiesfor him than they believed he would have inTurkey. When he was 11, his father, who hadbeen a successful business owner, started gettingthreats.

“At that time, it was not very well receivedwhen a non-Turkish individual or Christianminority reached levels of substance,” he said.“My father knew very well that I could not havemuch of a future in that country.”When he arrived in the US in 1978, the

Organization of Istanbul Armenians was two-years old and had only a few dozen members. Hejoined and ultimately became chairman of thescholarship committee.For Berna Khachigian, another member of the

auxiliary, the organization became like a secondfamily.She came to the US when she was 12 and has

only a few close family members here, she said.Past 10 p.m. on a recent Saturday night,

Khachigian was in the kitchen, keeping tabs onthings. The doner had been served. The dinnerhad been an elegant affair, with linen tableclothsand modern white china. Bottles of soft drinks,red wine and an anise-flavored drink called rakihad been passed around the table.The deejay was beginning to play Turkish and

Armenian songs with a heavy bass that could beheard clearly in the kitchen.“This is a gathering place for us,” Khachigian

said. “We have friends here, they have becomelike cousins.”

Members of the Ladies’ Auxiliary in the kitchen

A Brotherhood Is Bolstered by Food and Friendship

TENAFLY, N.J. — At the annual Symposiumfor Armenian Teachers, held this year at St.Thomas Church, presentations were given byexpert educators on the ways students learnand on how technology can aid in the learningprocess.More than 40 participants representing six

Diocesan Armenian schools in New York andNew Jersey attended the event, which washosted by St. Thomas’ Kirkian ArmenianSchool on Saturday, September 10. The day’sprogram was organized by Gilda Kupelian,coordinator of Armenian Studies in theDiocesan Department of Youth and Education.Jim Jacobson, a professor of education at St.

Peter College, gave an interactive presentationon the principles of learning. Participants alsoheard from Artoun Hamalian, director of edu-cation at the Armenian General BenevolentUnion, who spoke about virtual classroomsand other technological tools for teaching chil-dren the Armenian language.Kupelian introduced new resources and

works in progress at the Diocese’s ArmenianStudies program. These include planning inter-scholastic cultural events for students and thedevelopment of a practical grammar book.Kupelian also noted the emphasis being placedon hosting an increased number of regionalseminars to allow educators from differentparts of the country to hear about the latestdevelopments in Armenian studies and toshare concerns and advice. The most recentregional seminar was held in Cambridge,

Mass., last May for teachers in the NewEngland area.In addition to the presentations by guest

speakers and Kupelian, symposium partici-pants viewed and discussed a video onClassical Armenian orthography.The day also featured an award ceremony.

Sirvart Demirjian, Araxi Diratsouian and NazikSesetian of Tenafly’s Kirkian School were hon-ored for 25 years of service. Tanya Vartanian of

the Kirkian School and Berch Manukian of theDiocese’s Khrimian Lyceum were honored fora decade of service.The honorees were presented with gifts on

behalf of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,Primate of the Diocese of the ArmenianChurch of America (Eastern), in appreciationof their dedication to teaching children theArmenian language and culture.The participating schools also received

copies of a CD featuring the Armenian andAmerican national anthems, as arranged byKhoren Mekanejian, the Diocese’s coordinatorof Music Ministry. Schools wishing to obtainthe CD should contact Kupelian.The Kirkian School, which hosted the sym-

posium, recently celebrated its 50th anniver-sary. The school — the largest in the Diocese —was recognized by Armenia’s Ministry ofDiaspora on this occasion.

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Educators at the annual Armenian TeachersSymposium this month with the Very Rev. PapkenAnoushian, pastor of St. Thomas Church

Educators Focus on Technology at Annual Symposium for Armenian Teachers

Symposium participants take part in a workshop during the day’s gathering.

The day’s honorees with Gilda Kupelian (at left)and the Very Rev. Papken Anoushian

Fundraising Efforts DedicatedTo Continuing MedicalEducation in Armenia

By Taleen Babayan

TEANECK, N.J. — As a physician at theNinotsminda Emergency Center, Dr. LilitAnanikyan spends her days performing surg-eries, checking in on her patients and treatingthe ill in this Armenian-populated district in theJavakhk region of southern Georgia. Serving inan under-staffed and under-resourced hospital,Ananikyan and her colleagues face a multitudeof obstacles on a daily basis, including lack ofheat during the harsh winter months, outdatedambulance cars and a scarcity of medical sup-plies. But perhaps the biggest challenge of all isthe lack of updating one’s medical training.Many of the doctors, not only in Javakhk, butalso in Nagorno Karabagh and rural Armenia,have not received additional training or coursesto update their knowledge of medicine since thecollapse of the Soviet Union some 20 years ago.Through the support of the Armenian

American Health Professional Organization’s(AAHPO) partnership with the Fund forArmenian Relief (FAR), Ananikyan and otherdoctors in Javakhk and Nagorno Karabagh areoverturning this trend by having the opportu-nity to participate in AAHPO’s ContinuingMedical Education program.“I could not believe such a humanitarian project

could exist,” said Ananikyan, manager of the med-ical ambulatory department at the NinotsmindaEmergency Center. “It was a great opportunity todeepen my professional knowledge.”The positive impact the Continuing Medical

Education program has had on healthcaredelivery in Armenia led to AAHPO dedicatingits upcoming annual gala banquet to raisemoney to expand the program to Javakhk andNagorno-Karabagh.The theme of this year’s banquet is “Help

Save Lives! Support the Continuing Medical

Education of Doctors in Armenia.” It will takeplace on Saturday, October 15, at the Marriottat Glenpointe. The evening will also serve as anopportunity to honor Dr. Richard Babayan,Annette Choolfaian, RN, MPA, and Dr. HaikazGrigorian for their various achievements andcontributions in the medical field.The fall of the Soviet Union dealt a blow to

the healthcare system in Armenia, and since thefounding of the Armenian republic, no govern-ment regulations requiring doctors to keeptheir medical knowledge up-to-date have beenimplemented. “In the Armenian-populated regions of

Nagorno Karabagh and Javakhk, there are nomechanisms or funding for updating doctors’medical skills,” said Dr. Aram Cazazian, a mem-ber of AAHPO’s Board of Directors. “Ninetypercent of the doctors have not received furthermedical education in the past 15 years.”The Continuing Medical Education program

currently supports 30 physicians a year, yethundreds are waiting to participate. “Medicine is progressive,” said Dr. Raffy

Hovanessian, a member of AAHPO’s Board ofDirectors. “This continuing medical educationprogram is vital because it is of utmost impor-tance to update the quality of healthcare inArmenia, Javakhk and Nagorno Karabagh.”The money AAHPO raises for the CME

month-long program in Yerevan covers tuitionexpenses, lodging and a stipend for doctorswho are taking time off from their work. Over

the course of four weeks, the physicians partic-ipate in intensive programs in their specialty inleading medical centers as well as universitiesand advanced clinics in Yerevan. They learnmodern medical skills, such as Cesarean-sectiontechniques and the acute treatment of heartattacks, that will have immediate impact whenthey return to their home villages. “Continuing medical education is a require-

ment that we take for granted here in the US,”said Dr. Tsoline Kojaoghlanian, also a memberof AAHPO’s Board of Directors. “It is evenmore crucial to introduce and maintain it inareas of most need.”Aside from enhancing their medical skills,

participating doctors also have the opportunityto network, take computer literacy courses andpartake in teleconferences. At the conclusion ofthe program, participants will have completedan independent research project and received acertificate of completion signed by the Ministryof Health. “This program provided me with a significant

amount of information about medicine and newtechnologies,” said Dr. Irina Khachatryan whoworks in the Stepanakert Children’s Hospital.“It inspired me to continue to improve ourhealth service quality.”Members of AAHPO themselves have first-

hand experience of seeing the improvement thisprogram has brought to physicians. Dr. Larry

Najarian, president of AAHPO, traveled toArmenia during the AAHPO medical missionthis past summer where he had the opportuni-ty to meet the graduates of the ContinuingMedical Education program. “It was a very moving, humbling experience,”

said Najarian. “Seeing and understanding the cir-cumstances in which they work was sobering andinspires us to help. CME is a ray of hope that pro-vides knowledge and saves lives.”AAHPO is in its 17th year serving the

Armenian-American community.

“We are saving lives by training these doc-tors,” said Cazazian, “The continuation of thisprogram for many years to come is crucial.”AAHPO’s 2011 Gala Banquet and Fundraiser

will take place on Saturday, October 15 at theMarriott at Glenpointe, 100 Frank W. BurrBoulevard. Cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m. and din-ner at 7:30 p.m. Vartan Abdo will serve as mas-ter of ceremonies. To RSVP by mail, include alist of names of the attendees along with acheck made out to “AAHPO” and mail toAAHPO, PO Box 645, Far Hills, NJ 07931.RSVP’s can also be submitted online atwww.aahpo.org.

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Dr. Eliz Agopian, an AAHPO medical missionparticipant, conversing with a CME graduatephysician

AAHPO’s Annual Gala Banquet to Be Held October 15 in New Jersey

Graduates of the Continuing Medical Education program together with AAHPO health care professionals and medical mission participants

Graduation ceremony of the CME program participants, including pediatricians, ophthalmologistsand infectious diseases specialists, from Nagorno-Karabagh and Javakhk regions

10

Columbus SymphonyKicks off Pops Series withOpera to Broadway

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Broadway World) —Music Director Jean-Marie Zeitouni opens theColumbus Symphony Orchestra’s (CSO) 2011-12 Pops Series with his own selection of worksfrom “Opera to Broadway.” Guest vocalistsAline Kutan, Frédéric Antoun and Keith Pharesjoin the Columbus Symphony and Chorus foran evening of audience favorites from theworlds of opera and Broadway including piecesfrom “Romeo and Juliet,” “Madama Butterfly,”“Trovatore,” “Oklahoma,” “Fiddler on theRoof,” “Sweeny Todd” and more.

A graduate of the Montreal Conservatory,Zeitouni has emerged as one of Canada’s bright-est young conductors with an eloquent yet fierystyle in repertoire ranging from Baroque to con-temporary music. He was installed as musicdirector of the Columbus Symphony in October2010, and also serves as principal conductorand artistic director designate of I Musici deMontréal, a prestigious Canadian chamberorchestra. Zeitouni also enjoys a long associa-tion with Les Violons du Roy, a celebratedchamber orchestra based in Quebec City, firstas conductor-in-residence, then as associate con-ductor, and since 2008, as principal guest con-ductor. Over the years, he has led the ensemblein more than 200 performances in the provinceof Québec, across Canada, and in Mexico. In2006, he recorded his first CD with Les Violonsdu Roy titled “Piazzolla,” which received a 2007JUNO Award for Classical Album of the Year inthe category of Solo or Chamber Ensemble.They also recorded two subsequent CDs,“Bartok” (2008) and “Britten” (2010).

Guest soprano Kutan is a young Canadiansoprano of Armenian origins who made herdebut at the age of 18 in the role of Flora (“TheTurn of the Screw” from Benjamin Britten)with the Vancouver Opera. She studied at theUniversity of British Columbia in Vancouverand the Laval University of Quebec. Beforestarting her operatic career, Kutan toured fortwo years with in a Canadian production ofAndrew Lloyd Weber’s “The Phantom of theOpera.” In 1995, Kutan won the MetropolitanOpera Competition in New York.

Montreal-based tenor Antoun has sung lead-ing roles with the Montreal Opera, Mexico’sBellas Artes, Opera Theater of Saint Louis, theOpera Company of Philadelphia and at theSpoleto Festival USA. His repertory includesRomeo in Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet,”Alfredo in Verdi’s “La Traviata,” Rodolfo inPuccini’s “La Boheme” and Nemorino inDonizetti’s “The Elixir of Love,” among manyother roles. He has also specialized in concertworks and oratorios, including Handel’sMessiah, Bach’s St. John Passion and St.Matthew Passion, Mozart’s Requiem andHaydn’s The Creation. Antoun is a graduate ofthe Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphiaand has won awards from the Oratorio Societyof New York, the George London Foundation,the Debut Young Concert Artist Series and theLicia-Albanese Puccini Competition.

Acclaimed both on the opera and concertstage, Phares is emerging as a versatile artist. Agraduate of the Juilliard Opera Center, he was anational winner of the 1998 MetropolitanOpera National Council Auditions and a finalistin the 1999 Eleanor McCollum Competition ofthe Houston Grand Opera. He also has beenrecognized with a Richard Gaddes Grant fromthe Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and the 2000Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the JuilliardSchool of Music.

The CSO presents “Opera to Broadway” atthe Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.) on Saturday,October 15, at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchasedat the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office (39 E. StateSt.), all Ticketmaster outlets andwww.ticketmaster.com. The Ohio TheatreTicket Office will also be open two hours priorto each performance.

For information, visitwww.columbussymphony.com.

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Arts & LivingS A T U R D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 1

A Fresh Look atRole of New JulfaCAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Dr. Sebouh D. Aslanian, on Wednesday, September 14,

brought the Armenians of New Julfa in Iran to life during a talk at HarvardUniversity that was crammed with facts, but witty and fast-paced. He turned whatcould be a history lesson into a bird’s-eye-view of the small-yet-plucky communitywhich has left its mark around the world.

The lecture, his first since he took over for the recently-retired Prof. RichardHovannisian at UCLA, was named after his book, From the Indian Ocean to the

Mediterranean: The Global TradeNetworks of Armenian Merchantsfrom New Julfa.

Immediately after starting the lec-ture, Aslanian pleasantly surprisedthose assembled by joking that he was

just saying enough to whet the audience’s appetites so that they would purchasehis book and then in turn, through brisk sales, help quicken the arrival of the paper-back edition. From that point on, he had the audience’s complete attention.

Aslanian’s focus is the Armenians of New Julfa, Iran, a community of traderswhose span reached from Venice to India to Mexico. That community was createdartificially, as the original Julfans were forcibly brought over to Persia (Iran) fromJulfa in Nakhijevan, by Persian ruler Shah Abbas I, in order to bring to Persia theskills (and profits) of these silk and gem traders. The approximate years that thecommunity was practicing its global trade was from 1622 to 1750.

Aslanian spoke admiringly of how these newcomers to Iran thrived not long aftertheir arrival. In fact, this ability to adapt became one reason why they were so suc-cessful in living anywhere in the world.

“Within a short period, they experienced tremendous growth,” Aslanian said.“They created trade settlements from London to Amsterdam and as far east asManila and Canton in China.”

According to Aslanian, the New Julfans valued profits and trade so much thatthey were willing to make whatever changes needed to fit their host societies bet-ter. Among those changes was converting to Catholicism in Catholic host countriessuch as Italy and Mexico. This very conversion — with their detailed answers inquestionnaires in the Inquisition offices — has left behind a trove of informationabout the community.

Aslanian spoke at length about the contracts which enabled the rich merchantsof Julfa, which he called the nodal center, to send out junior partners without muchcapital to form nodes or settlements around the world. The senior partner with cap-ital, he explained, got into a commenda trust with a capital-poor merchant willingto go away for decades at a time, making money for a particular merchant.

By the time the cash-poor trader went into a commenda trust with a rich, seden-tary merchant, or khoja, he would be between 13 and 16, and by that time wouldhave had the benefit of “essentially an MBA program.” The master khoja, der oragha would send the young man or enker, across the Indian Ocean to make money.For their two to three decades of work, the younger partner would be entitled toreceive anywhere from 25 to 33 percent of the profits. Throughout the long yearsof traveling, meticulous records were kept, which were presented to the sedentarypartner for an in-depth analysis at the conclusion of the trip.

Of course, many wondered how this long-distanc