News Inbrief
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AUGUST 20, 2011 MirTHE rARoMENr IAN -Spe ctator Volume LXXXII, NO. 6, Issue 4200 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Ani Ruins May Be Put Armenian On UNESCO World Official Vows Heritage List ISTANBUL (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Turkish authorities announced its intention to apply to put ‘Unprecedented’ the ruins of the medieval Armenian capital, Ani, on the UNESCO world heritage list. The head of the Turkish Culture Ministry’s Elections Hakan Doganay said that the main standing church YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia’s next there will be reconstructed with the funds raised parliamentary and presidential elections from tourism, Nouvelles D’Armenie reported, citing will be “unprecedented” in terms of their the Anadolu Agency. transparency, Garegin Azarian, the chair - About 23,000 tourists, mostly from France, UK man of the Central Election Commission and Japan, visited Ani in the first six months of this (CEC), said on Tuesday. year. Azarian said the integrity of the electoral “Urartians, Seljuks and Ottomans lived in Ani,” process in the country will improve marked - he said, neglecting to mention that Ani was the cap - ly already during the parliamentary race ital of Armenia in the 10th century. scheduled for next spring. “The openness of these elections will be Serj Tankian gives a concert in Yerevan. Yerevan Will Have unprecedented compared with previous elections,” he said. E-Guides for Tourists Azarian based his stated optimism on US-Armenian Rocker Tankian fresh amendments to the Electoral Code YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Special elec - tronic devices will be installed near historical mon - Calls for Change in Armenia uments and buildings in Yerevan within the frame - work of the Electronic City program, thanks to which the residents and guests of the capital will By Emil Danielyan, Elina Chilingarian have an opportunity to receive online information on historical monuments, reported the press office of the Yerevan city administration. YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Serj Tankian, renowned American-Armenian musician, on Monday, called for boosting the rule of law and combating corruption in Armenia, saying that is key to addressing the country’s fundamental problems. Clinton Discusses Speaking after his latest solo concert in Yerevan, the lead singer of the California-based band System of a Down also criticized a controversial mining pro - ‘Wilsonian’ Borders ject fiercely opposed by local environment protection groups. With Davutoglu in Garegin Azarian, chairman of the Central He at the same time emphasized his belief that Armenia has done “pretty well” Election Commission since gaining independence two decades ago. Turkey “I think we need to establish the rule of law in this country,” Tankian told a public discussion organized by the Civilitas Foundation, a Yerevan think-tank, and MOSCOW — “We the United States and Turkey that were enacted by the Armenian author - owe Armenia what was promised them by President ities in May. He singled out a new provision the local office of Counterpart International, a US civic development agency. see TANKIAN, page 16 Woodrow Wilson,” the Moscow-based Regnum that requires the CEC to publicize every news agency quoted Secretary Hillary Clinton as hour data on voter turnout from all of saying during her meetings last month in Turkey, Armenia’s 2,000 or so polling stations. according to the news agency’s source in the President Serge Sargisian likewise region. stressed the importance of those amend - Plaintiffs Score Early Victory against Turkish According to the same Regnum source, during ments when he addressed the Council of her meetings with Turkish officials last month, Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Banks in Armenian Genocide Lawsuit Clinton also allegedly outlined a new Middle East in Strasbourg last June. He pledged to and Caucasus map after an envisioned end to the “spare no effort” to ensure that the next LOS ANGELES — On August 2, a US fed - from land that was illegally seized during Karabagh conflict. This map, which supposedly Armenian elections are widely recognized eral district court in Los Angeles handed the Armenian Genocide, when the Ottoman not only includes the deployment of peacekeep - as democratic. Armenian plaintiffs an early victory in a dif - Turks drove Armenians from the Adana ing forces to the Karabagh conflict zone, also Armenia’s leading opposition groups dis - ficult legal battle over reparations for land region of southern Turkey. The property at envisions exchange of territories and transport miss such statements, however. In particu - seized from Armenians in Turkey during issue in the lawsuit is currently part of a routes. lar, they point out that the CEC continues the Armenian Genocide (Alex Bakalian et. strategic US airbase in southern Turkey. The Regnum source indicated that the afore - to be headed by Azarian, who was in charge al vs. Republic of Turkey, the Central Bank Representing the plaintiffs are the mentioned discussion was about granting Armenia of the last parliamentary and presidential of Turkey, and T.C. Ziraat Bankasi et. al, Yeghiayan Law Firm in Glendale, Schwarcz, a corridor to the port of Trabizon, following a pos - elections marred by fraud reports. Case Number 2:10-CV-09596, December 15, Rimberg, Boyd & Rader, LLP in Los sible ratification of the Turkey-Armenia protocols. The disputed presidential ballot held in 2010). Angeles and Michael Bazyler from Regnum also discussed a possible territorial February 2008 also led to deadly street Nearly eight months after the complaint Chapman University School of Law in exchange with Azerbaijan, to be overseen by US clashes between opposition protesters and was filed, the court determined that all Orange. ambassador to Baku, Matthew Bryza. The Regnum security forces. three defendants, in a first-of-its-kind law - The plaintiffs have spent recent months source said that process would be the creation of a Azarian claimed last month that elections suit in the United States, had been lawfully attempting to serve all the defendants and Greater Azerbaijan. are perceived as fraudulent by many served. then to have the court affirm their service Armenians because of opposition parties The lawsuit, filed by descendants of efforts. In the August 2 order, the court and candidates unjustly crying foul after Armenian Genocide victims, accuses the denied the Central Bank of Turkey’s and see ELECTIONS, page 2 defendants of stealing and then profiting see LAWSUIT, page 16 INSI DE Tumo Center Opens in Yerevan Memories of YEREVAN — On Monday, August 14, the video/audio through extensive after-school Erzinga Tumo Center for Creative Technologies offi - programs. cially opened to the public, but on, Friday, Designed to serve 1,000 students a day, page 10 August 12, the public got a taste of the the 75,000-square-foot facility will offer stu - state-of-the-art facility during the opening dents in Armenia access to the latest tech - ceremonies, which were streamed live on nology and a universe of innovative ideas. the center’s website. “Teamwork, communication, Internet liter - INDEX Founded by AGBU Central Board mem - acy, analytical thinking, initiative — these are Arts and Living . 10 ber Sam Simonian and his wife, Sylva, the skills that will be taught at Tumo,” says Armenia . 2, 3 Tumo is located in Yerevan’s Ajapniak Sylva Simonian. “Sure, the kids may come to Community News. 5 neighborhood and it is designed to intro - learn how to create a video game, or build a Editorial . 14 duce students, ages 12 to 18, to a profes - better website — and have fun in the process International . 4 sional level of instruction in animation, web — but they’ll leave with so much more.” Sam and Sylva Simonian development, video game design and digital see TUMO, page 3 2 S ATURDAY , A UGUST 20, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia AUA Graduation: 20 Years of Advancement YEREVAN — “Twenty Years of During his address, Babayan stated, ues its efforts on the goal of a tobacco- Advancement” was the slogan as the “We no longer have the right to again free Armenia. Couple Appointed UK American University of Armenia (AUA) abuse God’s favor and treat our inde - The Department of Law held the first celebrated its 20th anniversary year and pendent republic with the same lack of Intellectual Property Moot Court for law Ambassadors to held its 19th graduation and commence - attention. Dear graduates, the responsi - students throughout Armenian here at ment ceremonies during the last week of bility to maintain our independence, AUA. Armenia June. bought at the price of our people’s sacri - School of Business and Management, Festivities began on Friday, June 24, fices, is now also yours.” in cooperation with the University LONDON (News.am) — Jonathan James Aves and with a graduation party at Ashtaraki During his address, Donahue stated, Curriculum Committee reviewed, com - Katherine Jane Leach, a husband and wife team, Dzor, where AUA faculty and staff con - “My message is simple. I challenge you pleted and implemented a new business have been appointed as the United Kingdom’s joint gratulated the Class of 2011, and cele - today to become active citizens, to make curriculum, designed to accommodate ambassadors to Armenia in succession to Charles brated the occasion of their graduation your communities and workplaces bet - the needs of working professionals, John Lonsdal. with dinner, music and dance. The party ter, to make a difference. You will face including a new 2.5-year professional Aves and Leach will take up their appointment in brought together about 300 graduates, January 2012. Both will be permanently residing in alumni, past and present faculty and Yerevan and alternate in exercising the functions of staff. ambassador on a four-monthly rotation, the UK On Sunday, June 26, AUA held its Embassy in Armenia said.