THE ARMENIAN MIRRORc SPECTATOR Since 1932 Volume LXXXXII, NO. 1, Issue 4693 JULY 24, 2021 $2.00 Jivan Gasparyan, Armenian Musician Farewell to Ambassador Varuzhan Nersesyan WASHINGTON — The Armenian Embassy here hosted a farewell reception on Monday, Beloved By Rock July 19, for Ambassador Varuzhan Nersesyan and his family, who after two and half years of ser- vice has been reposted to Great Britain, Stars And Hollywood, starting August 1. Participants at the event included US Has Died State Department officials, members By Anastasia Tsioulcas of the US Congress, other ambassadors in NEW YORK (NPR) — Legendary duduk the US and Armenian player Jivan Gasparyan died on July 6, ac- Community religious cording to a Facebook post by his grandson and organizations rep- and protégé, Jivan Gasparyan Jr. He was 92. resentatives in the US. He was a prolific performer, playing on the Primate Bishop soundtracks of many movies, from “The Last Daniel Findikyan Temptation of Christ” to “Gladiator.” He was opened the program, also a collaborator of musicians Peter Ga- followed by Acting briel, Michael Brook, the Kronos Quartet, Deputy Assistant Sec- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Lionel Ritchie and retary Bureau of Eu- Queen’s Brian May, among many others. ropean and Eurasian No other details were provided. affairs of State Depart- Gasparyan (whose names are sometimes ment John Armstrong, transliterated as “Djivan” and “Gasparian”) John Armstrong speaks during the ceremony Rep. Jackie Speier, (D, was born October 12, 1928 in Solak, Arme- for outgoing Ambassador Nersesyan. (Photo by CA) and Ambassador nia, in a village near Yerevan. At age six, he Haykaram Nahapetyan) Nersesyan. began learning the duduk — a double-reed Foreign Diplomats Visiting Shushi Become Armenian Democratic Liberal Party Eastern District Part of Azerbaijan Propaganda Campaign Committee Praises Amb. BRUSSELS, Belgium — The Euro- terrorist fighters, the Azerbaijani armed Nersesyan’s Tenure in US pean Armenian Federation for Justice forces deliberately destroyed Shushi’s and democracy (EAFJD) issued a state- civilian infrastructure and bombed the The following letter ment deploring the visit of foreign am- town’s main cathedral twice during the was sent by the Armenian bassadors and diplomats in Azerbaijan 44-day war in the autumn 2020. As a Democratic Liberal Par- to occupied Shushi in Nagorno Kara- result of this disastrous war unleashed ty Eastern District Com- bakh (Artsakh). by the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem, mittee to Amb. Varuzhan The diplomats’ unfortunate decision the centuries-old Armenian town of Nersesyan, the now-former ambassa- to join this propaganda tour organized Shushi is now completely ethnically dor of Armenia to the US. by the Azerbaijani government is a cleansed of its Armenian population for regrettable act of approval and legiti- the first time in history. The Azerbaija- July 12, 2021 mization of the war crimes committed ni President later publicly and proudly by the same authoritarian and criminal announced that they “chased the Arme- Your Excellency Varuzhan Nersesyan Azerbaijani regime against the native nian population like dogs”. Ambassador, Republic of Armenia Armenian population of Shushi and It goes without saying that the refusal Washington, D.C. Nagorno Karabakh in general only few of the ambassadors the three co-chair months ago. countries of the Organization for Secu- Dear Mr. Ambassador, instrument close to the Western oboe — from In fact, with a massive support of Tur- rity and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) At the conclusion of your term as his father, who was also a musician. Years lat- key and the deployment of paid Syrian see PROPAGANDA, page 5 Armenia’s diplomatic representative to er, though, he said in interview with English the United States, music journalist Simon Broughton that his we salute you and biggest inspiration was going as a boy to the wish you well in cinema, and hearing duduk players accompa- your future mis- ny the films with their own improvisations. sion for Armenia. Within his own country, Gasparyan’s tal- During your ent was recognized early. He coaxed a whole tenure we wit- world of emotional expression out of his sim- nessed extensive ple instrument — one made of apricot wood, and productive diplomatic activity with only a one-octave range. By the time promoting and developing meaningful he was 20, Gasparyan was soloing with the relations between Armenia and United Yerevan Philharmonic Orchestra. He had a States, during which momentous events notable career in Armenia and the then-Sovi- took place in the Caucasus and around et Union; in 1973, he was the first musician the world, posing challenges for the ex- to be given the title of the People’s Artist of ecution of your mission. We are proud Armenia. to state that you met those challenges see GASPARYAN, page 9 Foreign diplomats visiting Shushi earlier in July see PRAISE, page 20 ARMENIA GERMANY KARABAKH Armen Grigoryan A Harp for Gyumri Artsakh’s Economy: Tapped to Become The Post-war Armenia’s New FM Syndrome and Recovery Efforts Page 2 Page 15 Page 3 2 SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2021 ARMENIAN MIRROR-SPECTATOR ARMENIA NEWS from ARMENIA Reconstruction Works Continue at Amaras Armen Grigoryan Tapped to Monastery Supported by Serzh Sargsyan YEREVAN (Panorama.am) Become Armenia’s New FM — ”Reconstruction works contin- ue at Amaras Monastery complex YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Former secre- er Pashinyan has made an appointment in in Artsakh,” Deputy Chairman of tary of Armenia’s Security Council Armen the Foreign Ministry, bypassing the diplo- the Republican Party of Armenia Grigoryan has been appointed first deputy matic corps. Acting Deputy Prime Minis- (RPA) Armen Ashotyan wrote on minister of foreign affairs in a move that ter Tigran Avinyan said that “the political Facebook, adding the initiative is ruling party representatives see as a pre- appointment is needed for establishing a supported by Luys Foundation and lude to his appointment to the currently certain connection between the diplomatic the continuous support of former vacant ministerial position. corps and the political leadership in order President Serzh Sargsyan. “This Grigoryan, 38, is a member of the ruling to remove the differences that have existed is Amaras - the ancient Armenian Civil Contract party. He graduated from to some extent.” “I think that on the whole spiritual and education center the Department of International Relations this is a positive appointment,” Avinyan standing alone in the face of the en- of Yerevan State University and later from said. emy forces. This the place, where the American University of Armenia, but Grigoryan was one of the few officials Mesrop Mashtots established the has no experience of diplomatic work. who criticized the decision of the Rus- first Armenian school. The old Grigoryan coordinated electoral pro- sian-led Collective Security Treaty Organi- mulberry tress at the monastery grams for the anti-corruption organization, zation (CSTO) not to support Armenia in yard know more about the history Transparency International, before becom- Armen Grigoryan its current border standoff with Azerbaijan, of our people than thousands of ing one of the key figures of Armenia’s advising that the CSTO’s secretary-general our compatriots. Visit Artsakh!” 2018 “Velvet Revolution.” He was ap- tional interests,” he said. show restraint in his public remarks. Ashotyan wrote, sharing photos pointed secretary of the Security Council Later it was Grigoryan who accused Political analyst Armen Baghdasaryan from the scene. after the revolution. Ayvazyan of torpedoing the government believes that if Grigoryan is appointed for- Chief of Pashinyan’s staff Arayik Haruti- work on the repatriation of Armenian pris- eign minister, there will be drastic changes unyan introduced Grigoryan to the staff of oners of war from Azerbaijan by lying as Armenia will start pursuing a pro-West- Makunts Gives up the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, July that Yerevan had no minefield maps that it ern foreign policy. Parliament Seat for 14. In his remarks he expressed confidence could pass on to the Azerbaijani side. “Considering his track record, his nu- Reported U.S. Envoy that Grigoryan will encompass the tasks set Ayvazyan’s resignation was followed by merous statements, I think it will be very to him by the government. the resignations of all four of his deputies. difficult for him to pursue a pro-Russian Job Grigoryan, for his part, said that he was The resignation of one deputy minister, Ar- foreign policy. In case of a sharp change in YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN. convinced that “we will jointly implement men Ghevondyan, was not accepted by the Armenia’s foreign policy, Russia will try to Net) — Lawmaker from the ruling all the tasks outlined in the electoral pro- government and he continued to serve not react as harshly as possible,” Baghdasarian Civil Contract party Lilit Makunts gram of the Civil Contract party that will to leave the ministry without the leadership said. has relinquished her seat in the Ar- also be reflected in the government’s pro- altogether. Baghdasarian believes that career diplo- menian parliament. This was con- gram.” Lawmaker Artur Hovannisian, a mem- mats would not agree to cardinal changes firmed by Armen Smbatyan, the Armenia has had no foreign minister ber of the Civil Contract party, confirmed in Armenia’s foreign policy, so Pashinyan Secretary of the country’s Central since May 31. In his farewell speech to that Grigoryan is also their candidate for has been looking for a candidate for the top Electoral Commission on July 20, the ministry staff former Foreign Minister the post of foreign minister. He said that post outside the Foreign Ministry. Sputnik Armenia reports. Ara Ayvazyan made it clear that he had there was a discussion within the party on “It is searching for and finding allies that According to earlier reports and resigned because of policy disagreements this issue.