THE ARMENIAN MIRRORc SPECTATOR Since 1932 Volume LXXXXI, NO. 44, Issue 4686 MAY 22, 2021 $2.00 Three Arrested in Attack on Armenian Priest in Jerusalem JERUSALEM (Panorama.am) — Three young Jewish men were arrested in Jerus- aelm following a mob attack on an Arme- nian priest. Fr. Arbak Sarukhanyan was attacked on his way to the Church of the Holy Sepul- cher in Jerusalem. “Fr. Arbak was injured. He was rushed to hospital and was discharged after receiving the necessary aid,” Fr. Koryoun (Hovnan) Baghdasaryan, Chancellor of the Arme- nian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, wrote on Facebook on Tuesday, May 18. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem lodged a complaint with the police, after which three of the attackers were arrested, he said. Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan inspecting the area around Sev Lake “We demand that the police conduct a fair investigation and bring all the perpe- trators to account in accordance with the law in order to avoid such incidents in the Azerbaijani Forces Leaving Armenian future,” Fr. Koryoun said. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem severely condemns the assault by Jewish Territory after International Pressure youth upon one of the Members of the Brotherhood, Father Arpag Apegha Sa- Azerbaijani control. ry, and prevented them from digging en- roukhanian, on the road leading to the Holy By Raffi Elliott Sepulcher. Special to the Mirror-Spectator Azerbaijani soldiers had reportedly trenchments. Armenian Defense Minister crossed into the internationally recog- Vagharshak Harutyunyan later announced Father Arpag has received multiple in- GORIS, Armenia –– Azerbaijani troops nized territory of Armenia on the morning “The Azerbaijani forces near the Sev Lake juries. He was immediately transferred to are slowly pulling out of the area around of May 12 in the vicinity of that lake under have been surrounded by the Armenian the hospital, and after receiving emergency the remote mountain lake of Sev Lidj the guise of conducting “border adjust- military. All approaches to the area are un- medical procedures, was released. after they entered the area on the border ments.” Local Armenian forces halted the der our control.” The Patriarchate has officially present- between Syunik and the adjacent province Azerbaijani intrusion which reached some However, the Azerbaijanis refused to ed a protest to the police department, after of Karvajar which had recently fallen into 3.5 KM (2.1 miles) into Armenian territo- see TERRITORY, page 3 which three of the assailants were arrested. Armenian Museum of America Acting PM Pashinyan Uses Ancient Treasures to Excite Holds Security Council New Interest Meeting on Azerbaijan’s By Aram Arkun WATERTOWN — The Armenian Syunik Encroachment Mirror-Spectator Staff Museum of America has been closed to visitors since the start of the novel YEREVAN — Armenia’s Security coronavirus pandemic last year, but (Aram Arkun photo) Council held an extraordinary sitting, inside its landmark building in Water- chaired by Acting Prime Minister Nikol town, the staff have been busier than Pashinyan on May 12. The Council dis- ever, researching its collections, pre- cussed the situation at the border section of paring new exhibits and finding ways Sev Lich in Syunik Marz of Armenia and to connect through the media and In- the steps to take in this connection. ternet with the public. Addressing the meeting, Nikol Pash- For a museum to be able to operate inyan stated, in part: “Today’s Security effectively, it is not enough to possess Council sitting is dedicated to the events an extensive and interesting collection. taking place at the border section close to Well-funded research is necessary for Sev Lich in Syunik Marz and the surround- Dr. Alisa Dumikyan identification of items and their proper ing area. Earlier today Azerbaijan’s armed presentation in exhibits. Fortunately, the museum was able forces crossed the state border of the Re- to bring scholar Dr. Alisa Dumikyan from Armenia to help public of Armenia and advanced as far as in this work. She was working in France with a post-doc- 3.5 kilometers in that section. In fact, they Illumination: Gospel Book fragment, 1477 Gift of toral grant, related Berj Chekijian, the museum’s director are trying to surround and besiege the lake. Adele and Haig Der Manuelian (photo courtesy see TREASURES, page 8 “Of course, this is unacceptable to the Armenian Museum of America) see ENCROACHMENT, page 2 ARMENIA MEXICO FRANCE Planting Hope For All the French Armenians for Rural Flavors of the Demonstrate to Armenians World Free Prisoners in Azerbaijan Page 2 Page 12 Page 4 2 SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021 ARMENIAN MIRROR-SPECTATOR ARMENIA NEWS from ARMENIA Ex-Minister Gagik Planting Hope for Rural Armenians Beglaryan Arrested YEREVAN —With many villagers un- ty, soil and water conservation, and carbon with seasonal jobs, many of the villagers able to travel abroad for work due to the sequestration. Most significantly, 60 vil- prefer to stay with their families and work Upon Arrival in pandemic and socio-economic issues lagers were hired to assist in the plantings. in the village. The amount earned and Armenia brought on by the recent war, the tempo- Many of the newcomers to Aznvadzor saved abroad is not significant when all YEREVAN (Public Radio of rary work opportunities created by ATP first settled in the 1990s, and were Ar- the expenses are taken into account - ac- Armenia) – Armenia’s former are critical in creating economic opportu- menian refugees from Azerbaijan, mainly commodation, obtaining visas, travel fees, Minister of Transport and Commu- nity in rural Armenia. Most recently, the from Baku, Ganja, Sumgait, etc. The main etc. Therefore, the seasonal opportunities nication Gagik Beglaryan was ar- Aznvadzor community in the Lori region occupation of the villagers is animal farm- created by ATP are critical in ensuring that rested upon his arrival at Zvartnots became the focal point of ATP’s job stim- ing and horticulture. However, some have the population remains in Aznvadzor, with International Airport in Yerevan, ulation. left traditional agricultural occupations to their family and near their homes. Armenia’s Police Press Service re- Situated in the northern Lori region, work in Armenia’s booming tourism in- The selection of the new forestry plant- ports. Beglaryan, 57, was handed Aznvazdzor Village was an Azerbaija- dustry. Still, the majority of the villagers ing site in Aznvadzor village was careful- over to the National Security Ser- ly planned by ATP specialists, taking into vice after arriving from Moscow consideration several important factors on May 17. The former minister including providing job opportunities had been wanted since March 23, to these villagers, as well as the optimal 2020 on charges of misappropria- climate conditions. The main purpose of tion or waste and abuse of official forest rehabilitation here is to restore the authority. Detention was chosen capacity of degraded forest land due to as a precautionary measure. Gagik illegal and uncontrolled logging that was Beglaryan was the head of Yere- done during the 1990s. van’s Kentron community in 2002- The planting site, which encompasses a 2008 and served as mayor of Ye- territory of about 42 hectares (103 acres), revan between 2009 and 2010. He is situated on a slope of a hill about a ki- was the Minister of Transport and lometer away from Aznvadzor. Prior to Communication of the Republic of the first plantings. the entire territory was Armenia in 2012-2016. fenced. The first tree planting was imple- mented in fall 2020 during which around 100,000 trees were planted, including fruit Armenia Submits trees, decorative trees and shrubs. 85,000 Application against trees were planted during the second tree planting, which was just completed. Turkey with ECHR Though our planting in Aznvadzor was Workers in Aznvadzor STRASBOURG — On May 9, completed, our work is not finished. Just the government of Armenia sub- last week, ATP planted 35,000 trees in mitted an inter-state application ni settlement up until the outbreak of the engage in farming or leave for Russia for Koghes village in Lori, and hired 33 locals. against Turkey with the European Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 1989. The seasonal jobs. ATP will continue to create job opportuni- Court of Human Rights (ECHR) village is located on the southern slopes “After we left Talish we stayed in ties and stimulate economic growth in ru- claiming a number of Convention of Bazum ridge, four kilometers from the Alashan, the real name of which is Qmqa- ral Armenia through future planting proj- violations by Turkey by means of city of Vanadzor. It occupies an area of dzor. From there we went to Berdzor and ects, including the upcoming willow-tree recruiting and transporting Syri- 14.56 sq. kilomters and has a population to Bertadzor after that. In the end, our fate planting project, through which another an mercenaries to Azerbaijan and of about 300. brought us to Aznvadzor, Lori, which we 300 workers will be hired. providing military support to Azer- Spring planting in Aznvadzor began had never heard of. How many dzor’s Through an anonymous donor, a match baijan during the 44-day war, the on Monday, April 19, and lasted for two (gorges) do we have to enter and exit be- opportunity was created for $10,000 to as- Representative of Armenia before weeks. More than 85,000 trees were plant- fore we can have a stable future?”, said sist in hiring the seasonal workers for our the ECHR said in a Facebook post ed across 42 hectares, including pine, wild ATP seasonal worker, Ashot Bayunts. planting in Aznvadzor. Though the match on May 18. In particular, the Arme- apple, oak, and beech. A fence was also The lack of employment in the village has been reached for that project, our up- nian government claims that during installed to help protect the newly plant- forces the male population to migrate coming projects still need financial support the 44-day war Turkey violated the ed trees.