National, International, Armenia, and Community News and Opinion

Number 108
April 4, 2009
Commentary
Armenian Church’s expanding role in the military
In 1997 Catholicos Karekin I
appointed Father Vertanes
Abrahamian as the first chaplain
of the Armenian Army. Since that
time, the program has grown to 30
chaplains, both priests and deacons,
serving Armenia’s armed forces. At
the helm of this critical ministry is
the since elevated Bishop Vertanes
The Armenians of Colorado welcomed
Ronald Altoon and Edward
Avedisian to Louisville on March
24. The group gathered to hear Mr.
Altoon describe his experiences in
Armenia
The Molokans add ethnic color to Armenia
Ivan Makshanov, a Russian Molokan
was born and has always lived
in the village of Lermondova. His
ancestors, exiled from the Saradova
province of Russia have also lived
in this village. “Our homeland was
Russia. We were exiled from there.
Community
Community
If they exiled us here, and we have
lived in Armenia for more than 150
years, then Armenia is our homeland,”
he says. Tatul Hakobyan reports
about the Russian Molokans
living in Armenia.
See story on page 15m
Abrahamian, himself as veteran of
the Karabakh war. This year, His
Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos
of All Armenians, elevated the
chaplaincy program as well, and
has since been granted diocesan
status.
Armenians of Colorado host AUA guests
See story on page 18m
designing a state-of-the-art educational
building for the American
University of Armenia
See story on page 12m
the armenian
reporter
Speculations mount about a
possible Armenia-Turkey deal
Anonymous sources
cited on timing,
substance
Armenia’s foreign
minister to attend
conference
News analysis by Emil
Sanamyan
President Abdullah Gül of Turkey, on right with mustache, is received by
President Serge Sargsian of Armenia at the presidential palace in Yerevan as
protestors invoke Armenian grievances against Turkey, Sept.6, 2008. Photolure.
WASHINGTON – With President
Barack Obama on his way to Turkey
just weeks before Armenian
Genocide commemoration day, and
unprecedented high-level meetings
between Armenia and Turkey, expectations
for progress in relations
between Armenia and Turkey are
once again being fueled.
Armenian officials contacted by
the Armenian Reporter would not
comment on whether an agreement
with Turkey was imminent, but
did confirm that Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian will attend
the Istanbul conference, which Mr.
Obama will address.
Writing on April 1, the Wall Street
Journal cited anonymous diplomatic
sources as claiming that Armenia
and Turkey “could soon announce
a deal aimed at reopening their
border and restoring relations” and
that “the timing of the deal is being
choreographed” with Mr. Obama’s
trip, the paper’s Brussels and Istanbul
correspondents reported.
One of the Journal correspondents
contacted by the Reporter
would not reveal if any of the officials
he spoke with were from Armenia.
The outlines of the deal, as described
by these anonymous sources
would include “opening and fixing
borders, restoring diplomatic
relations and setting up commissions
to look at disputes, including
Continued on page 3
House Armenia Caucus co-chairs
request support for Armenia funding
On the road: Hamazkayin N.Y. Theatre Group
celebrates Levon Shant
The Hamazkayin Armenian Educational
and Cultural Society of
New York will be celebrating the
140th anniversary of the birth of
renowned playwright Levon Shant
With his “Letter to President
Obama,” 14-year-old Aram Balian
of Chevy Chase, Md., has won the
second annual Armenian Student
Essay Contest, the Knights of Vartan
“Ani” Lodge has announced.
Community
Knights of Vartan “Ani” Lodge announces winner
of student essay contest
Community
Celebrating Zabel Varadian’s life
by presenting the U.S. premiere of
a dramatic love story, “On the Road”
(“Champoon Vra”).
See story on page 6m
The winning essay urges the president
to follow up on his affirmation
to recognize and to persuade the
Republic of Turkey to recognize the
Armenian Genocide.
See story on page 8m
In 1956, Zabel Shiranian and her
husband Mal Varadian purchased
the Public Street Market in South
Providence, R.I., which they operated
for 40 years until their retirement.
They provided the first employment
for dozens of young men
who grew to be family friends and
successful members of the Rhode
Island Armenian-American community.
See story on page 7m
by Maria Titizian
YEREVAN – House Armenian Caucus
co-chairs Reps. Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D.-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.)
sent a letter requesting support for
funding programs for Armenia to
the leaders of the Appropriations
Subcommittee on State-Foreign
Operations, chairperson Rep. Nita
Lowey and ranking member Kay
Granger.
The letter was signed by 32 other
members of Congress (see chart).
In their letter, Mr. Pallone and
Mr. Kirk ask for tighter restrictions
on Section 907 of the Freedom
Support Act, which limits U.S.
military aid to Azerbaijan as long
as Azerbaijan threatens stability in
the region. The letter reads, “The
Armenian Caucus for years has
supported parity between Armenia
and Azerbaijan, but Azerbaijan’s
continual threats of war with
Armenia, a U.S. ally in the South
Caucasus, threaten stability in the
region. Due to these threats, we are
requesting tighter restrictions on
Section 907 of the Freedom Support
Act.”
The signers asked for $70 million
in economic assistance and $5
million in military assistance to
Armenia. “The people of Armenia
James Langevin
Anna Eshoo
Stephen Lynch
Candice Miller
John Sarbanes
Dennis Cardoza
James McGovern
Rush Holt
Louis Capps
Loretta Sanchez
Anthony Weiner
Gary Peters
Jim Costa
Scott Garrett
Raul Grijalva
Timothy Walz
continue to face the devastating
impact of Turkey and Azerbaijan’s
dual blockades, illegal actions that,
according to World Bank estimates
from several years ago, cost Armenia
roughly $720 million annually.
Compounding the impact of these
blockades is the approximately $680
million loss to Armenia’s economy,
in the form of increased transportation
costs, higher prices, and lost
investment, that resulted from
the recent Russia-Georgia conflict.
During this conflict, Armenia provided
humanitarian, diplomatic
and economic assistance to Georgia,
facilitated the safe transit for
U.S. and international officials, and
helped rebuild damaged Georgian
infrastructure,” the letter states.
They also request $10 million in
aid for Nagorno-Karabakh, urging
a shift in that aid from humanitarian
to developmental programs. Finally,
they asked for an end to any
remaining restrictions on United
States and Nagorno-Karabakh government
official contacts. f
Members of Congress who have signed the
Appropriations letter
Grace Napolitano
Chris Van Hollen
Ed Markey
Eliot Engel
Henry Waxman
Collin Peterson
Howard Berman
Mark Souder
Brad Sherman
Joseph Baca
Barney Frank
Chaka Fattah
Elton Gallegly
Carolyn Maloney
Joseph Crowley
Frank LoBiondo