FEBRUARY 16, 2019 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXIX, NO. 30, Issue 4574 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF Armenian Premier Congratulates Iran on Anniversary Parliament YEREVAN — Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory message to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani on Debates Monday, February 11, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. ‘Revolutionary’ The message read, in part, “I cordially con- gratulate you and the friendly people of Iran on the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Program Revolution. The centuries-long friendship and historical traditions between our peoples are a YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The National solid basis for making more Armenian-Iranian Assembly began debating on Tuesday, relations, raising the bilateral cooperation to a February 12, the Armenian government’s qualitatively new level.” five-year program which Prime Minister Pashinyan is scheduled to visit Iran later this Nikol Pashinyan again portrayed as a poli- winter. cy framework for an “economic revolution” in the country. Pashinyan presented the 70-page pro- President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, laying a wreath at the Genocide memorial Armenian Shooter gram to lawmakers in a two-hour speech Wins Silver at Kuwait that was followed by a question-and-answer Macron Declares April 24 as Day of session. More than 50 members of the 132- Tournament seat parliament registered to ask him ques- Remembrance of Armenian Genocide tions relating to the document. KUWAIT CITY (Panorama.am) — Armenian shooter Elmira Karapetyan has won a silver medal “There can be no return to the former PARIS (Combined Sources) — French President Emmanuel Macron declared at the 8th International Amir of Kuwait Shooting criminal-oligarchic ruling regime, and we April 24 as “a national day of remembrance of the Armenian genocide” on Grand Prix which kicked off in Kuwait City, the cap- need to rid our homeland of the last Tuesday, February 5. ital of Kuwait, on February 8. remaining bacilli of criminal-oligarchic and Macron, in keeping with a 2017 campaign promise, told an annual dinner of She finished second after scoring 234.5 points in corrupt governance,” stated Pashinyan. the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France that France was the 10m pistol event, the Armenian Shooting “I am announcing the start of a popular among the first nations to denounce “the murderous hunt of the Armenian peo- Federation told Panorama.am. economic revolution in the Republic of ple in the Ottoman Empire.” Another Armenian shooter, Hrach Babayan, took Armenia,” he said. “The Armenian people France officially recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2001 and a law in 2016 the 6th spot in the 10m rifle event, coming 5th in see PARLIAMENT, page 2 made it illegal to deny that status. the 50m event. The Council of Europe and European parliament have both recognized the massacres as genocide, as has Pope Francis. Macron said he informed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the Echmiadzin Donates 10 decision in advance, adding that he wanted to keep an open dialogue with Turkey. Apartments In Gyumri “We have disagreements over the fight against the Islamic State, human rights GYUMRI (Armenpress) — The Mother See of and civil liberties in Turkey and on the genocide,” Macron said. Holy Echmiadzin will donate apartments to 10 “We also have points of agreement such as the necessity for a political transi- homeless families from Spitak and Gyumri. tion in Syria. As such, dialogue with Turkey is indispensable,” Macron said. The project has been initiated through finan- Speaking to the Armenian community at a dinner in Paris, Macron said France cial assistance from dioceses. “will in the next weeks make April 24 a national day of commemoration of the The Social Service Department of the Armenian genocide.” Armenian Church selected the families based on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the see RECOGNITION, page 5 National Assembly on February 12. their need. Some of the families have already moved in. New Charges Leveled Official Sanguine About West’s Reaction Against Kocharyan YEREVAN (Armenpress) — The Special Investigation Service of Armenia leveled new To Armenian Deployment In Syria charges against the second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, his defense team announced. In addition to Article 300 of the criminal code YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — A senior civilians and clear landmines left behind mittee on defense and security, said that of Armenia which concerns overthrowing the Armenian lawmaker expressed confidence from the continuing bloody conflict in the the thousands of ethnic Armenians in the constitutional order, Kocharyan is now charged on Monday, February 11, that Western Arab state. war-ravaged city will now “feel safer.” also under Article 311 which deals with receiv- powers will not rebuke Armenia for deploy- The ministry attributed the deployment “Our Western partners will definitely ing large bribes. ing military personnel to Syria with to “the severe humanitarian situation” in understand this [deployment] because we Russia’s support. Aleppo, “written requests from the Syrian are talking first and foremost about our The Armenian Defense Ministry sent 83 side,” and the exaistence of an Armenian [ethnic Armenian] compatriots living in medics, demining experts and other mili- community in Syria. Syria,” Kocharian told RFE/RL’s Armenian tary personnel to the Syrian city of Aleppo Andranik Kocharian, the pro-government service. INSIDE on Friday, February 8. It said they will help chairman of the Armenian parliament com- Armenia’s plans to send military person- nel to Syria were first announced by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in September fol- lowing his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin held in Moscow. Tribute to John Bolton, the US national security adviser, discussed the issue with Pashinyan and Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan when Kerr Legacy he visited Yerevan in October. Bolton warned them against sending combat Page 10 troops to aid Syrian government forces or their allies. The United States and the European Union have been very critical of the Russian INDEX military intervention in Syria which helped Arts and Living . 13 President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime gain the Armenia . 2,3 upper hand in the brutal civil war. Community News. 6 The Armenian deployment came as Editorial . 18 Tonoyan held talks in Moscow with International . 4,5 Russian soldiers handing out food in December near Idlib. Russia’s Defense. see SYRIA, page 4 2 S ATURDAY, F EBRUARY 1 6 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Armenian Parliament Debates Mixing Old and New Bring Tourists to ‘Revolutionary’ Program Armenia PARLIAMENT, from page 1 In an apparent response to the criti- ordinary Armenians. have prevailed in the fight against cor- cism, Pashinyan said: “The numerical “It is the government of Armenia YEREVAN (Armenpress) — By merging the repu- ruption, impunity and clan-based gover- parameters of the economic revolution which would bear responsibility for tation of Armenia as the first country to adopt nance, and the Armenian people will depend on how many citizens of that,” insisted the prime minister. Christianity as a state religion as well as the recent also prevail in the fight against poverty, Armenia will respond to our appeal to Pashinyan also declared that his Velvet Revolution, it will be possible to create a new unemployment and misery.” touristic brand for Armenia, Pashinyan told parlia- The program presented by ment on February 12. Pashinyan affirms the govern- “In 2018 the number of tourists visiting Armenia ment’s commitment to a “com- increased by 10.5 percent. The growth rate further petitive and inclusive econo- increased in the last quarter. The merger of the rep- my” primarily driven by hi-tech utation of Armenia as the first country to adopt industries. It says that to this Christianity as a state religion and the implementer end the government will signif- of an unprecedented Velvet Revolution will create a icantly improve tax administra- new brand that will also have a significant impact on tion, ease business regulations, the development of tourism in Armenia,” Pashinyan guarantee fair competition, said. attract foreign investment, and According to the prime minister, the sphere of stimulate exports and innova- tourism is very important for overcoming poverty. tion. “We have already launched the project in the side- This, the document adds, lines of which we give grants to the residents of for- should translate into an annu- est areas, in order they create some businesses offer- al GDP growth rate of at least ing touristic services,” he noted. 5 percent from 2019 to 2023. Armenia’s former govern- Armenia Reducing ment brought down by Pashinyan-led mass protests Mining Output last year set practically the same economic growth targets Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his entourage enter the National National Assembly on YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Prime Minister Nikol February 12. in its last five-year program Pashinyan sees a necessity to reduce the output of drawn up in 2017. It pledged mining industry in the total volume of exports. At to reduce the official poverty rate, become activists of the economic revo- administration has already “broken the same time he emphasized the necessity for min- which stands at around 30 percent, by lution and how many of them will the spine of systemic corruption in ing industries to meet the strictest environmental 12 percentage points by 2022. decide to take up opportunities provid- Armenia.” He said it will now focus on standards, Pashinyan told the National Assembly on The current government is likewise ed by this revolutionary platform.” putting in place “institutional” safe- Tuesday, February 12. promising “substantial” reductions in Ani Samsonian, a lawmaker repre- guards against corrupt practices.