MAY 19, 2012 THE ARMENIAN Mirror -Spe ctaItn Ouor Mirror -Spe ctatror 80th Year Volume LXXXII, NO. 44, Issue 4239 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 Azerbaijan to Build Oil Mediators End another Round of Karabagh Diplomacy Refinery in Libya BAKU (RFE/RL) — International media - BAKU (APA) — The ambassador of Azerbaijan to tors gave no indication of progress in the Libya, Agasalim Shukurov, met with that coun - Nagorno-Karabagh peace process on try’s Oil and Gas Minister Abdulrahman Ben Monday after meeting with the presidents Yezza this past week. of Armenia and Azerbaijan in a fresh round Briefing the minister on the Azerbaijan’s his - of regional shuttle diplomacy. tory, the ambassador said the implementation of The US, Russian and French co-chairs of projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and the Organization for Security and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum has an important role in Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk supplying the country’s natural resources to the Group met with President Serge Sargisian world market. in Yerevan on Saturday before traveling to Stressing the importance of forming oil-gas Baku for similar talks with his Azerbaijani ties between Azerbaijan and Libya, Shukurov counterpart, Ilham Aliyev. Official said he was sure that this would deepen relations Armenian and Azerbaijani sources gave no between the two countries. details of those talks. The diplomat conveyed the proposal of In a joint statement issued in the Azerbaijan to build filling stations in Libya Azerbaijani capital, the co-chairs said they under the brand of SOCAR and build an oil refin - held further discussions with the parties on President Serge Sargisian, right, with the OSCE Minsk Group chairs ery, either jointly or at the expense of “how to implement the commitments” Azerbaijan’s investments. made by Aliyev and Sargisian at their most The ambassador invited the Libyan minister to recent meeting held in Sochi, Russia in the Basic Principles” of a Karabagh settle - the conflict zone shortly afterwards to pre - the 19th International Oil and Gas Fair and January. ment put forward by the Minsk Group co- sent the parties with a plan of actions Conference on June 5 to 8 in Baku . The two presidents pledged to “acceler - chairs in a statement released after the meant to help them fulfill that pledge. ate the achievement of an agreement on Sochi talks. The mediating troika toured The mediators’ latest statement made no Uruguayan Foreign specific mention of that plan. It said they also discussed with the Armenian and Minister Visits Armenia Azerbaijani leaders a possible “mechanism” for jointly investigating ceasefire violations YEREVAN (Times.am) — Minister of Foreign Affairs UNDP, Eduardo Eurnekian Team up to around Karabagh and along the Armenian- of Uruguay Luis Almagro was in Armenia on an Azerbaijani border. official visit, May 4-5. Spur Agro Development in Armenia “The co-chairs expressed their concern Almagros visited Tsitsernakaberd and laid a over recent incidents along the frontlines wreath at the memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims. Later, he visited the Armenian Genocide ARMAVIR (hetq) — Poverty in the rural to improve people’s wellbeing is the and urged the sides to exercise restraint Institute Museum where he was shown the docu - communities of Armenia is higher than in Integrated Community Development and refrain from retaliation,” the statement ment in which Uruguay recognized the Armenian urban areas due to a lack of economic oppor - approach. said. “The co-chairs welcomed the sides’ Genocide. Uruguay was the first country to recog - tunities and the poor quality of public ser - Communities’ needs are best addressed reaffirmation of their commitment to seek nize the Genocide in 1965. vices, such as healthcare, education and when the intervention is holistic, focusing on a peaceful settlement.” Almagros said that his visit to the institute made social protection. the three pillars of sustainable development US envoy Robert Bradtke, Russia’s Igor a great impression on him. The United Nations Development (e.g. social, economic and environmental) Popov and France’s Jacques Faure added “Armenian Genocide is a crime not only against Programme’s (UNDP’s) experience world - and fostering decentralization, good local that they plan to hold follow-up negotia - Armenian nation but also against the whole wide and in Armenia over the past 20 years governance and democracy. tions with the Armenian and Azerbaijani humanity. Unfortunately the lessons of the history suggests that poverty is a complex and mul - Agricultural activities are the main source foreign ministers “in the near future.” were not studied well and genocides are going in tidimensional phenomena, which is context of employment and income generation for the world now as well,” he said. specific and addressing it requires concerted the residents of Baghramyan, Arevadasht, According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and comprehensive efforts across all levels of Artamet and Myasnikyan rural communities Tbilisi Armenians Almagros was in Armenia at the invitation of government and all sectors of the economy. of Baghramyan sub-region (hereinafter, Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian. A home grown and effective approach that micro-region) in the Armavir Struggle to Save their Meetings with Nalbandian, President Sargisian was spearheaded by the UNDP in an attempt see UNDP, page 2 Churches Crumbling and Catholicos Karekin II also took place. From Official Neglect Farewell to Iran Genocide Survivor Areka Der TBILISI (ArmeniaNow) — The collapse of the bell tower of the Armenian St. Nshan Ambassador Church Sunday night again reminded the YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — On May 12, Kazarian Celebrates Centennial local Armenian community about the President Serge Sargisian held a farewell meeting defenseless status that Armenian churches with Iran’s departing ambassador to Armenia, WATERTOWN, Mass. — Though TV have in Georgia. Seyed Ali Sagayan. personality Willard Scott sent a letter of By Nancy Kalajian While the main reasons for the collapse Sargisian thanked the envoy for strengthening congratulations for Areka Der Kazarian’s Special to the Mirror-Spectator is considered to be an earthquake that hit cooperation and developing bilateral ties, according 100th birthday, it was the 100 family the territory a few days before as well as to Republic of Armenia Ministry of Foreign Affairs. members, relatives and friends who came unprecedented showers during the past few in celebration from as far away as New York, Delaware, Florida, Maine and even days in the Georgian capital, specialists still Buenos Aires that might be the most memorable. Gathering for lunch on a rainy consider that had repairs been done in time day in April, the ambiance at the Oakley Country Club was full of bright flowers, it would perhaps have been possible to warm smiles and happy recollections of a life well-lived. avoid such a situation. The Armenian side INSI DE see CENTENNIAL, page 7 has long accused Georgians of neglecting the condition of the church and sought to take possession of it in order to make all necessary restoration works. Philly An estimated 300,000 ethnic Armenians live in Georgia, where there are also more than 300 Armenian churches. Only 40 of Walk these churches, however, are in use. St. Nshan Church is one of the six churches Story on page 5 that are part of a dispute between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Georgian Orthodox Church. The others are St. Norashen, Mughnetsots St. Gevorg, Yerevantsots St. Minas, Shamkoretsots INDEX Surb Astvatsatsin (St. Mary) and St. Nshan Arts and Living . 12 in Akhaltsikhe. Armenia . 2 In July, when the status of legal entity Community News. 5 was granted to a number of religious orga - Editorial . 17 Areka Der Kazarian shows her cake with sons Alan, Gregory and Ed DerKazarian. International . 3,4 nizations in Georgia, including to the dio - cese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, it see TBILISI, page 3 2 S ATURDAY , MA Y 19, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Tekeyan Center Fund Launches Armenia Has New Support to School Program Ambassador in Japan YEREVAN — On April 25, Tekeyan school. certificates and prizes in various cate - YEREVAN (news.am) — President Serge Sargisian Center Fund (TCF) launched its pro - Leach was invited to the podium to gories: Armenian Language and appointed Hrant Poghosyan, Armenia’s ambassador gram “Support to Armenian Schools- award prizes. She then praised the Literature awards: first prize, Mary to Japan. His diplomatic residence will be in Tokyo. 2012,” which involves a number of pro - fund’s activities and also suggested Mayilyan, Karbi; second prize, And with another decree by the president, jects. Traditionally, the series of pro - including English in the list of subjects Shoghakat Simonyan, Karbi, and third Armenia’s ambassador to the Czech Republic, jects starts with “Tekeyan Olympiad,” for competition, which she said would prize, Sylvia Hakobjanyan, Stepanavan; Tigran Seyranyan, was simultaneously appointed an interscholastic competition in the deepen Armenian-British relations. honorable mention prize: Mane Armenia’s ambassador to Slovakia. His diplomatic Armenian language, literature and The principal of Berdzor Tekeyan Davtyan, Yerevan; certificates: Haykuhi residence will be in Prague, the president’s press mathematics. School, Anahit Kosakyan, thanked the Nersisyan, Yerevan; Anna Martirosyan, office reported. It was the second time that the fund fund for allowing the school in the com - Stepanavan; Nelli Vardanyan, Yerevan; had organized a contest of knowledge petition and hoped that one day Diana Dallakyan, Stepanavan; Lilit Chief of Police’s where the eighth-graders of Tekeyan “Tekeyan Olympiad” would be held in Gharibyan, Gumri, and Elen Minasyan, schools from Yerevan, Gumri, liberated Berdzor. Yerevan; Mathematics: first prize, Daughter Flees Scene of Stepanavan and Karbi competed with Principal of Yerevan Tekeyan School, Abraham Portugalyan, Yerevan; second each other for prizes.