APRIL 20, 2013 MirTHErARoMENr IAN -Spe ctator Volume LXXXIII, NO. 40, Issue 4285 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 French Armenians Criticize Hollande Administration Slashes Aid to Armenia PARIS (PanArmenian.net) — Charles Aznavour urged French President Francois Hollande to reaf - Military Parity Kept Consistent with the levels provided in $600,000 in IMET funding for Armenia. firm his commitment to Armenian issues. FY 2013, the Administration’s budget Additionally, the Assembly’s testimony Aznavour expressed his disappointment with the With Azerbaijan called for $2.7 million in Foreign Military highlighted the inexplicable pardon of an president’s Socialist party for its recent votes Financing (FMF) and $600,000 in Azeri officer who brutally murdered an against pro-Armenian laws. WASHINGTON — The Obama International Military Education Training Armenian officer at a NATO partnership Aznavour reminded the press that it was the Administration released its proposed bud - (IMET) for Armenia and Azerbaijan, and for peace training exercise and urged that Socialist party that initiated the failed bill on crim - get for Fiscal Year 2014, which main - thus maintained military parity with the Subcommittee “cease military assis - inalization of the Armenian Genocide in France. tained military parity between Armenia respect to these accounts. tance to Azerbaijan.” The Hayastan cultural union of France has also and Azerbaijan, but continued the overall In its FY 2014 testimony to the House, In addition to FMF and IMET assis - begun a signature campaign, urging Hollande to downward trend in assistance to Eurasia State Foreign Operations Appropriations tance, the administration’s FY 2014 bud - keep his election promise and adopt the bill crimi - and Central Asia countries, reported the Subcommittee last month, the Assembly get also recommended that Armenia nalizing the Armenian Genocide denial. Hundreds Armenian Assembly of America. called for at least $2.7 million in FMF and see AID, page 16 of citizens have joined the initiative in Valence, with the campaign continuing in Paris, Lyon and Marseille. “The adoption of the Genocide denial bill is one Local Observances of the French president’s election pledges. Police Continue Investigation Hollande earlier expressed commitment to the Honor Victims of criminalization of the denial of the crime; 600,000 French Armenians and their friends are now wait - Into Marathon Bombs Armenian Genocide ing for his statement,” read a statement from a Hayastan representative. Local Runner Sarkis Chekijian that killed three people and sent 176 to hos - WATERTOWN — On April 24, the glob - The Hayastan Union plans to present the letter at pitals with injuries, 17 critical. al Armenian community will unite to com - the Élysée Palace on April 24. Finishes Race Safely “Any time bombs are used to target inno - memorate the 98th anniversary of the cent civilians, it is an act of terror,” Obama Armenian Genocide. The follow - BOSTON (Combined sources) — said. “What we don’t yet know, however, is ing is a list of church services Rabbi Calls for President Barack Obama called the Boston who carried out this attack or why, whether and coordinated events in the Genocide Recognition Marathon bombings an “act of terror” on it was planned and executed by a terrorist local Massachusetts com - Tuesday and investigators said no addition - organization — foreign or domestic — or was munity. For full event YEREVAN (Arminfo) — In a recent article in the al explosive devices have been found other the act of a malevolent individual.” details and more Huffington Post, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach than two that detonated near the finish Dispelling earlier reports of as many as events in your area, denounced President Barack Obama’s recent line, a development that could complicate seven devices being found around Boston, check the Calendar appeasement of Turkey. the case. Gene Marquez, assistant special agent in section on page 12. “If Obama were true to his word as a presidential Law enforcement officials, who asked the charge for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, •Boston, April 19 — candidate in 2008 and interested in a significant public to turn over any photos or video of Tobacco and Firearms, said authorities had 10:30 a.m., Armenian Genocide success in the Middle East, he should have pushed Monday’s marathon and the blasts, did not determined that the only bombs deployed Commemoration at the State House, Erdogan to reciprocate and apologize to the long- disclose any possible leads in the investiga - in the attack were the two that detonated House of Representatives Chamber, suffering Armenians for this first genocide in mod - tion. No one has been arrested, police said. shortly before 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on Massachusetts State House, with keynote ern history,” said Boteach. Current and former counter-terrorism Monday. speech by former US Ambassador to He added, “To win support from Armenians officials said that the Boston bombs were Any unexploded device might have pro - Armenia John Evans. Donald Tellalian will while running for office, Obama said on January built using pressure cookers as the super - vided a clearer picture of what materials receive a proclamation. Buses provided by 19, 2008, ‘Two years ago, I criticized the firing of structure, black powder or gunpowder as were used and how the bomb was assem - the Knights of Vartan leave St. James and US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans after he the explosive and ball bearings as addition - bled, furnishing leads in the case. St. Stephen’s Churches in Watertown at 9 properly used the term genocide to describe al shrapnel. The officials said that instruc - Meanwhile, a stretch of Boylston Street a.m. Turkey’s slaughter of thousands of Armenians tions on how to design such bombs are near the race’s finish line, where the blasts •Lowell, April 20 — 10 a.m., Genocide starting in 1915. The Armenian Genocide is not an available on the Internet. occurred, and the blocks around it were commemoration and flag-raising, Lowell allegation ... but rather a widely documented fact Obama, in an appearance in the White closed to traffic as police searched for evi - City Hall, sponsored by the Armenian supported by an overwhelming body of historical House briefing room, said it was not yet dence. National Committee of Merrimack Valley. evidence. ... As president I will recognize the clear who carried out Monday’s twin blasts see MARATHON, page 16 Please convene at 9:30 a.m. for a march Armenian Genocide.” downtown. Boteach concluding, “But instead of working to •Cambridge, April 21 — 10 a.m-12 p.m., fulfill his promise, President Obama and his admin - Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church istration repeatedly have avoided the term ‘geno - will hold the 98th Anniversary cide,’ and worked behind the scenes to prevent Commemoration of Armenian Genocide, Congress from recognizing it. More than 20 coun - church Sanctuary and Armenian Martyrs’ tries and 42 US states already have recognized the Monument; 145 Brattle St. events of 1915 as genocide. As Obama seeks to •Worcester, April 21, 12 p.m. Armenian shape his Middle East policy and consider his lega - Church of Our Savior will host a special cy over the next four years, he should consider the Hokehankisd honoring those lost in the promises he made as a young candidate and recog - Armenian Genocide; program, question nize a massacre that never should be forgotten.” and answer, blessing of the Madagh. Honored guest Vahe Tachjian, historian. •Worcester, April 23 — 7 p.m., City Hall, 3rd floor council chambers, City proclama - tion, Armenian youth to address the council. INSI DE •Watertown, April 24 — 6 p.m., St. James Armenian Apostolic Church and St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church together with the Armenian Cultural and ‘Tezeta’ Education Center (ACEC) will host a com - memoration of the Armenian Genocide. The event will begin at St. James for a Film requiem service, followed by the laying of the wreath at the Khatchkar . A procession Page 10 will march to St. Stephen’s where another wreath will be laid before continuing to the ACEC for a commemorative program with speaker Armenia’s Ambassador to the INDEX LOS ANGELES — Vatche Semerdjian, above right, was recently United Nations Garen Nazarian. Arts and Living . 10 honored for dedicating more than 50 years of his life to serve •Chelmsford, April 24 — Sts. Vartanantz Armenia . 2 Armenian communities worldwide. Above, he is with Glendale Armenian Church will hold a requiem ser - Community News. 4 vice at Martyrs’ Memorial, followed by a Editorial . 13 Mayor Frank Quintero, who gave him a proclamation at the International . 3 program. See full story and more photographs on page 9. viewing of a short video, “The Hidden Armenians.” For official start time, contact the church office; 80 Old Westford Road. 2 S ATURDAY , A PRIL 20, 2013 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia AUA Study: Mining in Armenia Creates Poverty, Income Inequality Armenia Celebrates YEREVAN — Mining contributed to An increase in poverty is another raise the standard of living for a vast Police Day economic growth in Armenia between observed effect of mining, a relationship majority of their populations because YEREVAN (Armenpress) — On April 16, Armenian 200 and 2010 while simultaneously cre - that Dr. Grigoryan says needs to be they devised and implemented good local authorities and armed forces celebrated ating income inequality and poverty. studied further. public policy,” stresses Amirkhanian, Police Day. This is according to a recent study by Other research on the impact of min - who organized an international confer - A performance of the Armenian national anthem the American University of Armenia ing conducted by the AUA School of ence last November on the topic. was followed by congratulatory speeches by Prime (AUA) Acopian Center for the Public Health and AUA Acopian Center Without proper policies designed to Minister Tigran Sargisian, Secretary of National Environment conducted in cooperation Security Council Artur Baghdasaryan, Chief of with the AUA College of Business and Police Vladimir Gasparyan, Director of National Economics.