LOUSSAPATZ_The Dawn - 2012-959-11-17

ԹԻՒ 959 ՇԱԲԱԹ, 17 ՆՈՅԵՄԲԵՐ 2012

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ԾԱՆՕԹԱՆԱԼ ՀԱՅ ԳԻՏՆԱԿԱՆՆԵՐՈՒ

Armenians in Science

VARAZTAD H. KAZANJIAN (1879 - 1974) Varaztad Hovannes Kazanjian's pioneering contributions to plastic surgery transformed the new discipline into an esteemed surgical specialty. He recorded his unique treatments and methods in one hundred and fifty journal articles and he co-authored with John M. Converse (1909 - 1981) the classic The Surgical Treatment of Facial Injuries (1949).

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ՏՈՔԴ. ՈՒԶՈՒՆԵԱՆԻ

«ՓՈՓՈԽՈՒԹԵԱՆ ՔԱՄԻՆԵՐԸ» ՅՕԴՈՒԱԾԸ Մեթր Պարգեւ Դաւիթեան

Թորոնթոհայերը լաւ կը ճանչնան Տոքթ. Զարեհ Ուզունեանը եւ լաւ գիտեն անոր ատամնաբուժական մարզի մէջ կատարած օգտաշատ ներդրումներն ու ծառայութիւնները Հայաստանի եւ Արցախի մէջ։ Ան, թորոնթոհայ կարգ մը բարեկամ բժիշկներու հետ միասին, գործնական դեր կատարած է բժշկական խնամքի բուժարաններ հաստատելով հայրենիքի մէջ, եւ այդ պատճառաւ ան յաճախ կա՚ յցելէ Հայաստան եւ Արցախ։

Վերջերս, Տոքթ. Ուզունեանի յօդուածը` «Փոփոխութեան Քամիները» (Winds of Change) լոյս տեսաւ Տոքթ. Տիգրան Աբրահամեանի Keghart.com կայքէջին վրայ, որուն մէջ հայրենիքի հազարումէկ դժուար եւ թշուառ պարագաներու մէջ ապրող մեր ժողովուրդի իրավիճակին զուգահեռ ընթացող յոյսի եւ լոյսի նշոյլ մը կը տեսնէ Տոքթ. Ուզունեանը, վկայակոչելով քանի մը յուսադրիչ դէպքեր, որոնք կը ներկայացնեն ծիլ տուող շարժում մը կամ զարթօնք մը հայրենի մեր ժողովուրդին մէջ, որ կ՚ուզէ խաղաղ միջոցներով փոխել կամ յեղաշրջել այն ինչ որ սխալ է եւ տգեղ՝ մեր Հայրենիքի ընկերային հարցեր հետապնդող պետական գործելակերպին մէջ։

Տոքթ. Ուզունեան կոչ կո՚ ւղղէ սփիւռքահայ զանգուածներուն եւ զանոնք ներկայացնող միութիւններուն ու կազմակերպութիւններուն, որ գործակցին «փոփոխութեան քամիներուն» ընթացք տուող հայրենի ուժերուն հետ, որպէսզի «պատմութեան ճիշդ կողմը կանգնելով» բաց չթողուն ազգի եւ հայրենիքի փրկութեան այս խիստ կարեւոր հնարաւորութիւնը։

Շնորհաւորելի է Տոքթ. Ուզունեանը իր իմաստալից եւ ազգանուէր տենչով։

Ամէն սրտցաւ հայու թարգմանը կը հանդիսանայ Տոքթ. Ուզունեան իր կոչով։

Սակայն ինչպէ՞ս խօսք հասկցնել եւ գործակցութիւն խնդրել կամ պահանջել այն սփիւռքահայ «աթոռապաշտ»ներէն կամ «փառամոլ»ներէն, որոնք հայրենիքի ներկայ ցաւալի իրավիճակի հեղինակներուն հետ գործակցած են եւ տակաւին կը գործակցին՝ այստեղէն կամ այնտեղէն մետալ մը ստանալու կամ առջեւի շարքեր նստելու համար։ Նիւթապաշտ եւ շահախնդիր մտածելակերպի ներկայացուցիչ դարձած մեր հայրենի պետական աւագանին վստահ որ պիտի շարունակէ դէմ կանգնիլ ամէն տեսակի փոփոխութիւններու, որոնք ժողովրդային զարթօնքի կամ վերածնունդի (Renaissance) կը ծառայեն։

Բայց եւ այնպէս, մեր փառապանծ անցեալի հերոսամարտերու կանչն է՝ «Ան որ քա՛ջ է, ի՞նչ կը սպասէ»։

Մեր Ժողովուրդի առողջ բազկերակը դարերու եւ դաւերու դէմ չէդադրած բաբախելէ, եւ վստահ որ այսպիսի «ձախորդ օրեր ձմրան նման կու գան ու կ՚երթան» եւ ծլարձակող վերածնունդը Հայրենիք-Սփիւռք գործակցութեամբ կը ծաղկի ու կո՚ ւռճանայ։

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COVER PAGE

DDr. Kazanjian was born in Turkish Armenia on March 18, 1879. To escape the civil strife of his homeland, he came to the United States in October 1895. He settled in Worcester, Massachusetts, and began working in a wire mill. It was at the mill that Dr. Kazanjian first displayed the natural dexterity that would serve him so well in the field of plastic surgery.

At the suggestion of a co-worker, Dr Kazanjian decided to pursue a career in dentistry. To further his education and prepare for dental school, he spent his nights taking classes and learning English while he worked in the wire mill during the day. His diligence was rewarded and he entered the Harvard Dental School in 1902.

In 1905, Dr. Kazanjian received his D.M.D. degree from Harvard. Upon his graduation, he began a private practice and accepted a position as an Assistant in Prosthetic Dentistry at the Harvard Dental School. While working at the Dental School Clinic, he treated over four hundred jaw fractures and introduced a new method of treatment. He was one of the first practitioners to replace the cumbersome interdental splint with a simpler intermaxillary wiring method.

Throughout his career Dr. Kazanjian often crossed the line between prosthetic dentistry and plastic and reconstructive surgery. During World War I he was able to use his skill in prosthetic dentistry to reconstruct the faces of soldiers disfigured during combat. In recognition of his service, he was invested in 1919 as a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.

In 1919, Dr. Kazanjian returned to Boston and accepted a position as Professor of Military Oral Surgery in the Harvard Dental School. After graduating from the Harvard Medical School in 1921, he became head of the combined Plastic Surgery Clinic of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and the Massachusetts General Hospital. He also served on the staffs of New England Deaconess Hospital, Beth Israel Hospital, and Boston City Hospital. In 1922, he became Professor of Clinical Oral Surgery at Harvard Medical School, a position he held for 20 years. In 1941, he became the first Professor of Plastic Surgery at the Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Kazanjian received many honors and awards including the Special Honorary Citation of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 1951; the Society Award of the American Society of Oral Surgeons in 1954, and the Award of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons in 1959. He served as president of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgery, and the New England Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He died on October 19, 1974 at the age of 95.

During World War I, Dr Kazanjian used his unique surgical skill to treat the soldiers severely disfigured during combat. In 1915, he was appointed Dental Chief of the First Harvard Unit organized to serve overseas with the British Forces. He established the first dental and maxillofacial unit clinic in France as part of the Unit's services at the General Hospital in Camiers. This clinic was eventually moved to enlarged facilities and continued until February 1919. Dr. Kazanjian treated approximately 3,000 patients and he was eventually dubbed "Miracle Man of the Western Front."

In recognition of his services during World War I, Dr Kazanjian was decorated "Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St George" by King George V at Buckingham Palace.

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Armenia, France Vow Stronger Ties Hollande Reiterates Pledge to Redraft the Armenian Genocide Bill

P ARIS -- Armenia and France accentuated their longstanding f riendly relations and pledged to boost economic and political ties as their leaders met in Paris on Monday.

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian, who arrived in France on a three-day official visit the previous night, was received by his French counterpart Francois Hollande in the Elysee Palace, with the agenda of the talks ranging from economic cooperation to Nagorno-Karabakh and other regional concerns including Syria and Iran. The sides also addressed the prospect of a new legislation in France to criminalize denial of the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Ottoman

Turkey. After the meeting the two leaders made statements for the press. One of the major issues on the agenda of the talks that lasted for nearly an hour was the Nagorno-

Karabakh settlement in which France acts as one of the international mediators between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Hollande stressed that France saw a settlement within the framework of the so-called Madrid principles and vowed continued French mediation in finding a solution to the protracted conflict.

“France, which is a member of the Minsk Group, will do everything to make the negotiations reach their conclusion. As you know, the negotiations were suspended at one point, but now they have resumed,” said the French leader.

Hollande also told the media that he discussed with Sarkisian other regional concerns, including the crisis in Syria and developments around Iran.

Expressing his understanding of Armenia’s cautious position on Syria where there is a sizable ethnic Armenian community, the French leader still stressed that Syria needs a change of its regime. He did not elaborate on discussions involving Iran, only saying that he hoped the messages made at the meeting would get across through the Armenian president.

For his part, Sarkisian thanked the French government and people for their positions affirming the Armenian Genocide.

Speaking about prospects of economic cooperation Hollande said that France was the second largest investor in Armenia’s economy. Still, he stressed the need for deepening economic ties. He said that French-Armenian economic ties could be expanded especially in the transportation and agricultural sectors.

“We, indeed, would like the French capital to expand in Armenia,” Sarkisian underscored. “This time I have come to France to tell the French president, the very good friend of mine and the Armenian people, Francois Hollande, that Armenia is deeply interested in expanding the agenda of Armenian- French relations.”

Hollande said he accepted Sarkisian’s invitation to pay a state visit to Armenia next year.

The meeting between Armenian and French Presidents was followed by a state dinner in honor of Serzh Sarkisian.

During the dinner Francois Hollande reiterated the pledge to redraft the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial in France, stressing the need to ensure the legal framework to avoid censorship by the Constitutional Council.

Sarkisian Interview with Le Figaro

In an interview with the French daily, Le Figaro, Sarkisian urged Turkey to follow the example of France in facing the past by admitting that the Ottoman-era massacres of more than 1.5 million Armenians constituted genocide. However, he stressed that Armenia did not intend to damage Turkey by its welcoming the affirmations of the Armenian Genocide by the world governments. “Our policy is

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not based on the desire to harm Turkey. It is based on clear principles. We want Turkey’s ties with France and other European countries to expand, so that Turkey can, through these relations, embrace European values.”

“French presidents have had the strength to face history. I applaud their courage. I will ask President Hollande to tell Turkish authorities how he personally condemned the deportation of Jews and their incarceration in concentration camps [during the Second World War]. This could serve as a lesson for the leaders of Turkey,” said Sarkisian.

ACA-PAC Calls on President Obama for Stronger Support to Armenian Issues

LOS ANGELES -- The Armenian Council of America PAC sent a letter addressed to Barack Obama congratulating him on his reelection as the President of the United States. The letter also noted the community’s hopes that the administration will address issues of great importance for Armenian Americans. The following is the letter in its entirety:

Dear President Obama,

The Armenian Council of America-P AC (ACA-P AC) would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your momentous victory in the 2012 Presidential Elections.

Your plans set forth to recover the economy and the urgency to restore faith in the American working class has evoked a new sense of confidence that was lost in the American people during these harsh economic times of home

foreclosures, unemployment and poverty. We applaud your conviction in giving every American a chance to succeed and ensuring that

healthcare will be available and affordable for the middle class and low-income families. As a proud Armenian-American political organization that endorsed you for your second term as President, we hope that in the next four years your Administration will address the following issues

that are of great importance to Armenian-Americans: 1. Urge Azerbaijan to refrain from hostile rhetoric and actions against the Republics of Armenia

and Karabagh and seek a lasting settlement for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based upon America’s founding commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination.

2. Urge Turkey to reopen its border with Armenia without any preconditions and re-emphasize the need for Turkey to come to terms with its own history and accept the Genocide as a historical fact.

3. Utilize the proper English term of Genocide in reference to the Genocide of Armenians by the Young Turks in the Ottoman Empire.

4. Have your foreign policy team pay more attention to issues of governance and development in the Republic of Armenia.

5. Make the safety and security of Armenians and other vulnerable minority communities affected by the Syrian conflict a priority.

We are looking forward to your leadership in these matters for the next four years and beyond.

Armenian Genocide Memorial in Deir ez-Zor Damaged after Shelling

Holy Martyrs Memorial Complex and a nearby chapel in the town of Deir ez-Zor (450 kilometers to the northeast from capital Damascus) has sustained some damage caused by bomb shelling and explosions. The complex immortalizes the memory of hundreds of thousands of Armenians killed during the Ottoman-era death marches through the Syrian desert.

A video footage distributed on YouTube by Syrian opposition groups shows damage in the interior of the complex with fallen stones and shattered glasses.

Late last month the Armenian Surp Gevorg (St. George) church located at a scene of continuing fighting between the Syrian army and rebels in Aleppo was seriously damaged by fire.

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Armenia Seeks Broader Ties to Upgrade Its Defense Industry

YEREVAN -- Armenia intends to expand its military-technical cooperation with international partners, including some NA TO-member states, as part of an ongoing reform of its defense industry, a representative of military authorities in Y erevan said on Wednesday.

Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovannisian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) that negotiations in this direction were underway with a number of potential partners, including some leading companies in the West.

“In this sphere we try to cooperate not only with our traditional partners, but also with the world’s leading companies of the industry, and their experience is very important,” he said, adding that details about cooperation projects will be announced as soon as specific agreements are reached.

The Defense Ministry representative emphasized that Armenia examined prospects of being involved in “interesting and attractive projects” not only with former Soviet countries and Warsaw Pact members but also Western countries, including those representing NATO.

Senior military officials in Armenia began to talk about the need to upgrade the country’s military-industrial complex still about two years ago. In December 2011, Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian approved the concept of reforms and development for the defense industry, with a number of agreements promoting these reforms announced in the recent period.

Last month Armenia announced plans to bolster its domestic defense industry through closer ties with NATO member states as Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian and his Italian counterpart, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, visiting Yerevan, signed an agreement on wide-ranging bilateral military cooperation. Later in October, after talks with the visiting United States Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, the Armenian defense chief, in particular, declared that Yerevan hoped to start cooperating with U.S. defense industries.

Finally, last week, the Armenian government approved an agreement under which Armenia and Russia are to start jointly manufacturing weapons and other military equipment in what is expected to give a further boost to the already existing close defense ties between the two allies.

The Armenian Defense Ministry official stressed that deeper military-technical cooperation with Russia is of key importance to Armenia considering the fact that the bulk of the weaponry used by Armenian armed forces is of Russian make.

Hovannisian did not exclude that weapons jointly produced by Armenian and Russian enterprises could also be sold to third countries on the international market. “The primary task for us is to upgrade and rearm our armed forces, but the industry may also take some types of weapons to the market,” he said.

NKR Foreign Minister Calls on the UN to Assist in the Rehabilitation of

the Stepanakert Airport

NEW YORK -- Nagorno Karabakh Republic Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan has circulated a letter, as a document of the General Assembly and Security Council in the United Nations Organization, calling for their assistance in the re-opening of Stepanakert airport.

According to the letter Azerbaijan has started a fraudulent campaign aimed at misleading the international community and justifying its policy of using force or threat of force against the people of Nagorno Karabakh.

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The rehabilitation of the Stepanakert airport is the sovereign right of the NKR and pursues solely civilian and humanitarian objectives, including realization of such a basic human right as freedom of movement. Freedom of movement of the civilian population of the NKR alongside with other human rights outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other core international instruments have already been continuously and vehemently undermined by the ongoing Azerbaijani blockade. This stance of Azerbaijan is a clear manifestation of its upright disregard for human rights and fundamental freedoms as a continuation of its policy of collective punishment of civilian population, reads the letter of the NKR Foreign Minister.

The threats of Azerbaijan to shoot down civil aircrafts in particular, violates the provisions of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation and runs counter to the commitments undertaken in the framework of the negotiation process mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair states, to reject any threat or use of force against civil aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps, and refrain from politicizing the issue.

Such threats, along with the statements on the highest level declaring all Armenians of the world as enemy number one of Azerbaijan are a vivid example of the long-established anti-Armenian hysteria and xenophobia of the Azeri state policy. The pardon and nationwide glorification of Ramil Safarov, Azerbaijani officer, who was convicted to the life imprisonment in Hungary for perpetuating brutal hate crime, a manslaughter, is the most shocking yet just recent manifestation of this policy. In this context, my Government considers the steps taken by the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in particular declarations on undertaking “all necessary measures” in order to prevent the functioning of the Stepanakert Airport along with previous threats to shoot down civil planes as irresponsible and politically charged actions, is mentioned in the letter.

Minister Mirzoyan called upon the UN Secretary General, the UN and its specialized agencies, as well as all peace-loving Member States to assist in the rehabilitation of the Stepanakert airport in order to ensure that the people of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic is able to exercise their basic human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The NKR Foreign Minister expressed strong belief that the rehabilitation of the Stepanakert airport will contribute to the realization of aims and objectives of the Convention on International Civil Aviation and may also serve as a confidence building measure contributing towards progress in the negotiation process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Major Armenian Genocide Film Launched at TUMO Center

YEREVAN -- Producers of the upcoming feature “Three Apples Fell From Heaven,” a drama set against the backdrop of the Armenian Genocide, gathered at Tumo Center for Creative Technologies in Yerevan to introduce award- winning director Shekhar Kapur who was in the country to scout locations for the film.

“This is a challenging project that reveals a shameful chapter in world history,” said Kapur whose movies, including “Elizabeth” and “The Golden Age,” have earned nine Academy Award nominations. “I am not one to back down from a challenge and I believe the world is ready to join me in finally examining this tragedy and its far-reaching consequences. My films aspire to put human faces on history and I think that’s what make them relevant. That’s what I hope to do in depicting the Armenian Genocide.”

The Tumo Center event was held to welcome the production team to Armenia where they hope to do some of the filming. "Three Apples Fell from Heaven" is based on Micheline Aharonian Marcom’s award-winning novel of heroism and heartbreak set against the savage backdrop of the Ottoman purge of its Armenian population during the years 1914- 1917. The film’ s executive producer, V ahe Y acoubian, introduced author Marcom, along with producer/actress Sona Tatoyan and her husband, Oscar-nominated screenwriter José Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries) who has adapted Marcom’s novel for the screen. They were joined on the podium by the film's French producer, Edgard Tenembaum, and Turkish co-producer, Cigdem Mater.

“I cannot express my joy in working with Shekhar Kapur on this project," says Tatoyan. "José and I just spent a week with him in Yerevan working on the script and location scouting. I'd read that he is a director who works at the intersection of art, myth and activism and that is a perfect description for this film." Tatoyan continues, “The film is the first of its kind - an epic historical drama to be filmed in a country with little film infrastructure. “Three Apples” will be the catalyst to creating a world-class film industry in Armenia so it really is an act of activism. The other important thing to note with the film is that it is a co-production with Armenia, France and Turkey. This is obviously historic and challenging in an amazing way. The film is not only a narrative about genocide. It works on several levels. Like the

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book, it is surrounded by passion and love. We want to share the film with people around the world, with all cultures and people of all faiths. Not only with Armenians, but with all human beings who look at genocide as a universal tragedy.”

"Launching this film in Armenia, surrounded by so many talented artists and internationally recognized filmmakers, was an emotionally charged experience,” adds Yacoubian. “It gave the proper inspirational foundation for making a film that will commemorate the Armenian Genocide and help pave the way for a peaceful and harmonious future for humanity."

Following the presentation, the film's co-producer, Alex Kalognomos, hosted a closing reception that allowed guests a closer look at the state-of-the-art Tumo facility, and Kapur continued to share his impressions of being in Armenia for the first time and his deep respect for the historical significance of “Three Apples’" story.

Armenia Beat Lithuania 4-2 in Soccer Friendly

YEREVAN -- Armenia beat Lithuania 4-2 in a spectacular Wednesday friendly at Yerevan’s Republican Stadium that was also a farewell game honoring their long-time captain Sargis Hovsepyan.

Hovsepian, 40, making his 132nd appearance for the team after staying in soccer for more than two decades, played only the opening five minutes letting a substitute continue. He drew big applause from fans in the stands as he headed off the pitch into a chilly night and possibly up to an equally successful career as a manager with the national team.

On the field, meanwhile, Hovsepyan’s former teammates were finally scoring goals that have been few and far between during this ending season.

Striker Edgar Manucharyan opened the scoring in the 6th minute, followed by goals from Karlen Mkrtchyan (48th minute), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (55th minute) and Aras Ozbilis (71th minute). Lithuanians managed to score twice in the meantime (in the 66th and 83rd minutes).

Syrian Armenians Get Housing Rent Subsidy in Armenia

YEREVAN -- Officials at the Yerevan office of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) said on Friday that they provided last month between 40,000 and 60,000 drams ($100-150) in financial assistance to some 220 Syrian Armenian families renting apartments. They said they have received more than 200 applications for such aid this month.

The applications are processed by an 11-member panel that consists of mostly Syrian-born AGBU officials. According to Aruzh Yesayan, head of the task force, the scheme is designed for socially vulnerable families that struggle to pay rent in Yerevan. This is why, he said, Syrian nationals who rent expensive apartments in the city center, own property or have well-paid jobs in Armenia are not eligible for the assistance.

“In general, if a person is employed, we treat them a bit more strictly,” Yesayan told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).

Marine Aleshai, her husband and son are among the beneficiaries of the AGBU scheme. They received 60,000 drams in October to pay half of their apartment rent.

The family has rented a one-bedroom apartment in Yerevan since fleeing Syria in August. In Aleshai’s words, her 60-year husband and young son have still not found permanent employment. “We are unemployed for the first time in our lives,” she said.

“We are running out of savings and have to sell personal jewelry to get by,” another middle-aged woman told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) as she applied for housing aid at the AGBU office.

According to government estimates, there are currently about 5,000 Syrian citizens of Armenian descent living in Armenia. There were an estimated 80,000 Armenians in Syria before the outbreak of bloody unrest in the Middle Eastern state.

The AGBU, which is headquartered in New York, announced in August that it has set aside $1 million for humanitarian assistance to the Syrian Armenians. Other Armenian institutions and individuals are also making efforts to help the struggling community. In particular, the Echmiadzin-based Mother See of the Armenian Apostolic Church donated $200,000 to its Syrian diocese last month.

A school initiated by Guligian Charitable organization in Yerevan has enabled scores of children of Syrian Armenians who fled violence in Aleppo and other cities and towns of Syria to study in their usual language of instruction, the Arabic, as well as with the use of the curricula typical for schools in their native Middle Eastern country. Currently over 270 students are enrolled in classes first to ninth grades.

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UN Agency Protests Lease of Historic Armenian Church in Northren

Cyprus

CYPRUS -- An organization for religious foundations in northen Cyprus (occupied by Turkey) has leased an historic and beautifully restored Armenian site through an unfair and opaque tender procedure, the United Nations Development Program-Action for Cooperation and Trust (UNDP-ACT) program have said, the Cyprus Mail reports.

EVKAF, that oversees religious foundations in the north, leased in August the 14th century Armenian Church of Sourp Asdvadzadzin and Monastery complex (AMD) in the Arabahmet area of northern Nicosia that was renovated with UNDP-ACT funds as part of reconciliation efforts.

Turkish Cypriot press reports named the Near East University as the winner of a ten-year tender to turn the monastery into a cultural centre.

According to Vartkes Mahdessian, the Armenian representative in parliament, such a move goes against the project’s original intention.

“The objective was to have a multi-communal area where communities could come together and for the church to be used as a place of worship by the Armenian community,” he said yesterday.

UNDP-ACT echoed Mahdessian’s concerns in a news release yesterday.

Stakeholders worked “to restore the site to international standards so that it could encourage peace and reconciliation between all of the communities in Cyprus,” said the statement from UNDP- ACT and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Although UNDP-ACT and USAID did not name the tender winner, they recently said that they learned that “the site had been leased by EVKAF through a tender process that was neither fair nor transparent.”

“We have expressed our serious concerns to EVKAF about this unacceptable result,” the news release said.

USAID and UNDP-ACT put €3.5 million into what they have called a “visionary endeavour” and a “unique confidence building measure” referring to efforts to build trust among the island’s communities.

“UNDP and USAID look forward to a speedy resolution of this issue so that we can continue to support all communities in Cyprus on cultural heritage initiatives,” the news release said.

Mahdessian said that the news release “enforces our efforts” adding that they have been meeting with diplomats and representations “and we are waiting for an outcome whereby justice will be restored.”

As a first step, the tender procedure must be annulled, Mahdessian said. According to the UNDP and USAID, the Turkish Cypriot leadership agreed to investigate the outcome and take action “as appropriate”.

The AMD includes historic buildings partially surrounded by a tall masonry wall and including a Gothic masonry church and part of a monastery complex. It was in poor condition when the decision to fix it was taken.

German Kultur Radio Station:

Hasan Cemal’s “1915. Armenian Genocide” is an Brave Book

“Brave book”, this is how the book of Turkish writer Hasan Cemal “1915. Ermeni Soykirimi” which means “1915. Armenian Genocide” was considered by German “Culture” radio station. As reports Armenpress on November 13 outstanding German radio station has devoted a whole program to Cemal’s book, his observations on Armenian Genocide and their friendship with Hrant Dink. The program mainly referred to the confession of Hasan Cemal about his grandfather who participated in the massacres of Armenians.

“The issue of Armenian Genocide has been a taboo in Turkish history for a long time, and Hasan Cemal has been raised with this taboo. His own approaches, issues and perceptions Cemal has collected in his book “1915. Armenian Genocide”. The cover of the book reflects Cemal putting white carnations near the flame in Tsitsernakaberd memorial” noted the radio station. The station quoted Cemal as saying “I was feeling to destroy the “wall” of taboo inside me. But I remembered the word of my friend, Hrant Dink when saying “Lets finally come together and respect our pain””.

The author of the book has earlier stated ''We cannot move forward without confronting and taking into consideration the events of the past. We cannot keep an eye on the anguish of the past. Moreover the pain of 1915 is not a story, it is a current day issue’’.

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The first chapter of the book runs how Hasan comes to know 1915 events. Then the author dwells on how he became to be called ''parricide'' after coming forth with his obtained information and statements in the course of Hrant Dink’s assassination hearings in 2006. The second chapter of the book tells the author’s way of thinking before reveal of 1915 events and reportedly how it changed in the course of the time. The most interesting part of the book is the third chapter entitled ''Pasha Grandfather or Cemal Pasha family''. This chapter tells about 1915 Armenian Genocide organizer Cemal Pasha and his family. Hasan Cemal has repeatedly stated he recognizes 1915 events Genocide. He visited Tsitsernakeberd and laid a wreath at the Genocide Memorial in 2008.

German “Culture” has concluded its program referring to the 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide which will be respected by Armenian all over the world.” Whether Turkey will manage to conclude peace with Armenia or not. This process should be supported by such brave and courageous people as Hasan Camal” noted German journalist.

If Allowed to Install the Statue of Aliyev, Let’s Install One for Pinochet

and Mubarak By Ellen Barry

When the Mayor of Mexico City inaugurated a pretty little garden fronted by a very large statue at the edge of the central Chapultepec Park last summer, it seemed another step forward in his drive to improve the quality of life in this impossible city.

But a quick check on Google might have spared Mayor Marcelo Ebrard from what happened next. Speaking off the cuff, the mayor praised the statue’s subject — a complete stranger to many Mexico City residents — as “a great political leader, a statesman.”

The statue portrays Heydar Aliyev, who ruled Azerbaijan with a stern hand after the breakup of the Soviet Union. A K.G.B. general and Communist Party boss, who died in 2003, Mr. Aliyev made himself the center of a cult of personality, his image gracing villages across the tiny country.

The admiration has spread since his son, Ilham H. Aliyev, became president nine years ago. Statues have gone up in Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Egypt, Georgia, Romania and Serbia in homage to the

father of modern Azerbaijan. “In Mexico City, on our main avenue, our Champs Élysées, there are statues of Gandhi,

Churchill — and Aliyev,” said Denise Dresser, a writer and academic who sits on a citizens’ commission that oversees projects for Chapultepec Park, which is Mexico’s own Central Park. Officials in Mr. Ebrard’s cabinet were tongue-tied. They argued that it was not Mexico’s place to pass judgment on other countries’ leaders. That unleashed a spate of commentary in which writers threw out the names of undesirable strongmen who might one day find a pedestal on Mexico City streets under such reasoning.

“It’s a mistake, and we should have evaluated that this could be problematic,” Mr. Ebrard said. “Since they said, ‘This is the father of the country, Azerbaijan opened relations with Mexico in 2004, everything’s O.K., we are part of the United Nations, we have elections,’ we didn’t think there would be a problem.”

If it is allowed to install the statue of Aliyev, let’s install the one of Pinochet and Mubarak.

Director of Moscow bureau of the New York Times

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Lecture by Dr. Lerna Ekmekcioglu on Armenians in the Early Turkish Republic

BELMONT, MA -- Dr. Lerna Ekmekcioglu, McMillan-Stewart Career Development Assistant Professor of History at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will give a lecture entitled “Wishful Thinking or Insidious Camouflage? Armenians Responding to the New Turkey (1923-1933),” highlighting NAASR’s 2012 Christmas Open House on Thursday, December 6, 2012. The Open House will begin at 6:00 p.m. and conclude at 11:00 p.m., with Ekmekcioglu’s talk set for 8:00 p.m. The evening’ s events will take place at the NA ASR Center, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA.

Special Book Sale and 2013 Project SAVE Calendar Available

Both before and after the lecture, NAASR’s bookstore will be open and feature a one night only 20%-off sale, with additional discounts of 40% or more on selected titles. Numerous recently published titles will be available.

Ruth Thomasian, Founder and Executive Director of Project Archives, will be on hand with the 2013 calendar “Armenians a Century Ago: In the Homeland and Diaspora.” The calendar, as always featuring remarkable photographs from Project SAVE’s enormous archival collection, provides a glimpse of the

diversity of Armenian life during the pre-genocide years.

A Look at Armenians in the Early Years of the Turkish Republic

Dr. Ekmekcioglu will be speaking at NAASR for the first time. Her lecture will examine the previously under-studied Armenian community in Turkey in the first decade of the Turkish Republic. How did Armenians respond to the establishment of the new Turkey in 1923? Was this Republic really “new” for them? What can we learn about the early Turkish Republic when we look at it from the perspective of its Armenian citizens?

Focusing on 1920s and 30s Armenian spokespeople, intellectuals, and lay and religious leadership, Ekmekcioglu will demonstrate that Armenian responses to the state’s policies (homogenization, secularization, Westernization) included cooperation, accommodation, and camouflaging, as well as certain forms of more overt resistance that took the shape of calls to preserve Armenianness inside those spaces in which the state did not care or dare to interfere. She argues that neither the Turkish Republic’s policies nor the Armenian responses were completely new. The Ottoman past mattered much more than either group would admit.

Dr. Ekmekcioglu joined M.I.T. in 2011 after a post-doc year at the University of Michigan’s Armenian Studies Program. The holder of a doctorate from New York University, she teaches courses related to the modern Middle East, with a focus on its ethnic diversity and majority- minority relations. She is also affiliated with the Women and Gender Studies Program and teaches courses on gender in the Middle East and North Africa. As the holder of the McMillan-Stewart Chair she organizes lectures that pertain to women in the developing world.

She is currently working on a monograph titled Surviving the New Turkey: Armenians in Post- Ottoman Istanbul, which analyzes the ways in which survivors of the Armenian genocide who continued living inside Turkish borders crafted themselves a new presence to be able to co-habit peacefully with the perpetrator society.

More information about Ekmekcioglu’s lecture, the NAASR Christmas Open House, or NAASR and its programs for the furtherance of Armenian studies, research, and publication may be had by calling 617-489-1610, faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing hq@naasr.org, or writing to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.

SAVE Armenian Photograph

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TURKISH THREATS AGAINST INTERNATIONAL ENERGY COMPANIES FALL IN VACUUM

Turkey's threats against international energy companies that are set to receive licenses to explore for offshore oil and gas will fall into a vacuum, said Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis. "Those companies cooperating with GCA (Greek-Cypriot Administration) will not be allowed to take part in new energy projects in Turkey," said the statement released by Turkey late last week. But Turkey's statement received a sharp response from Marcoullis, who said that it is Cyprus' sovereign right to explore for its offshore energy wealth, and that

Turkey's threats once again show its true face. "Through its announcement and the threats that it launches against companies, two of which come from the European Union, the Turkish Foreign Ministry shows once again Turkeyʼs true face. The occupying power has a heavily blemished record of violations of international law both with regard to its international and national behaviour," said Marcoullis. Russian, French and South Korean companies are set to win licenses to explore for offshore natural gas, according to information from Commerce Minister Neoklis Sylikiotis. The companies are Total, ENI, Kogas, Novatec and GPB Global Resources and they will be drilling for gas in Blocks 11, Block 9, Block 2 and 3. The companies will begin negotiations to wrap up the deals with the government shortly. Blocks 2 and 3 will be explored by ENI and Kogas, an Italian-South Korean consortium. These areas are particularly sensitive as they are on an invisible border between north and south Cyprus, which has been occupied by Turkey since 1974. Turkey has rattled its sabre several times over the last three years during Noble Energy's exploration of Block 12 and refuses to recognise a treaty between Cyprus and Israel marking out maritime limits of each country's exclusive economic zone. But as a US-based company, Noble Energy, was protected by US naval ships, which made regular patrols in the area to make the point that they will defend from any attacks by Turkey. Analysts say that France would do the same for its energy company's interests. President Demetris Christofias signalled Italy and France's successful bids by going on a state visit to each country in recent days. In France, President Francois Hollande said that if a French company wins the contract, it will bring Cyprus and France even closer together. Given that it has the backing of many foreign government, Cyprus will continue its policy in the field of hydrocarbons "undistracted and with determination," said the Foreign Minister. Exploitation of hydrocarbons will benefit the state of Cyprus and advance the prosperity of all the people of Cyprus: Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins, said Marcoullis. At the end of last year, Noble Energy announced it had discovered a significant natural gas reservoir in Block 12 in Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone.

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