DECEMBER 13, 2014 MirTHErARoMENr IAN -Spe ctator Volume LXXXV, NO. 22, Issue 4367 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 Israel’s Rivlin Backtracks On AGBU Issues Mirror Annual Statement Decrying Winter Break Armenian Genocide Recognition WATERTOWN — The Armenian Mirror- Communication of Spectator will close for the Christmas Once an Outspoken Advocate for Jerusalem Patriarch and New Year break at the end of Israel’s Recognition of the December. The last issue of the year will come out on December 27 while the first Massacres, President Quietly NEW YORK — On December 5, the Armenian General Benevolent Union issue of 2015 will be that of January 10. Distances Himself from Campaign (AGBU) issued a statement in response to the letter last week disseminated widely by Patriarch Nouhan Manougian Uruguay Vice President: By Tamar Pileggi addressed to the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. Armenian Genocide The AGBU response appears in its TEL AVIV (Times of Israel) — President entirety below: Will Never Be Forgotten Reuven Rivlin, formerly an outspoken advo - The Armenian General Benevolent cate of Israel’s recognition of the Armenian MONTEVIDEO, Uruguary (PrensaArmenia) — Union has always been watchful and sup - Genocide, decided not to renew his signa - Before his trip to Yerevan, Vice President of portive of the Armenian Patriarchate of ture on an annual petition calling for Israel President Reuven Rivlin of Israel Uruguay Danilo Astori spoke at Carrasco Jerusalem as we believe it is one of our to officially recognize the mass killings as International Airport with one of the members of most important spiritual and national genocide. the Armenian National Committee of Uruguay institutions in the world in terms of our Those responsible for the petition were comed the president’s “statesmanship.” about the objectives of his official visit to Armenia. heritage, and because of the prominent surprised by Rivlin’s change of stance, Israel has avoided formally recognizing “The Armenian Genocide will live forever in our status the Armenian Apostolic Church Israel’s Channel 10 News reported on the Armenian Genocide in the political memory. There is no history or future without maintains in the cradle of Christendom. Thursday night, which was ascribed to the arena for years, for fear of straining diplo - memory,” remarked Astori. “I hope my journey will We also believe heightened sensitivity of his position since matic ties with Turkey, which was Israel’s help to further deepen our ties of friendship with that it is of utmost Rivlin was elected president earlier this closest ally in the Muslim world until the the great country of Armenia.” importance to year. The TV report said Rivlin was appar - deterioration under the leadership of Recep During the term of President José Mujica ending maintain strong ently concerned not to further harm Israel’s Tayyip Erdogan, an open supporter of next March 1, a number of official visits to Armenia relations between strained relations with Turkey. Hamas who has issued a stream of highly were conducted. the Patriarchate Ties have been all but frozen in recent critical statements about Israel. and the Mother years, notably as a consequence of the 2010 In years past, Rivlin on numerous occa - See based on Sentence Extended for killing of nine Turkish citizens by Israeli sions encouraged Israeli lawmakers to reject mutual respect, naval commandos. The Turks were attacked the politicized discourse that has dominated Christian spirit and AGBU President Turkish-Armenian when they intercepted the Turkish vessel the discussion of the issue. “I’m aware of the recognition of the Berge Setrakian Mavi Marmara as it sought to break Israel’s sensitivity, but I’m not blaming modern-day Intellectual Sevan supremacy of the security blockade of Hamas-run Gaza. Turkey,” Rivlin told Knesset (Parliament) Mother See of Echmiadzin as the head The 100th anniversary of the Armenian members last year, when he was still a mem - Nisanyan of our Armenian Apostolic Church. Genocide will be commemorated on April ber of the Knesset himself. “The government The Saint James Brotherhood has ISTANBUL (Today’s Zaman) — The prison sentence 24, 2015. that committed these acts was overturned by been the custodian of the treasures of of Turkish-Armenian linguist and writer Sevan Beit Hanassi, the president’s official resi - Turkey itself,” he said. the Patriarchate and its legacy, histori - Nisanyan, who was jailed on charges of illegal con - dence, confirmed that Rivlin had not signed “I’m sure Turkey will be an ally. I think a cally serving as its true defenders in face struction on his home, has been increased to 11 the petition, Channel 10 said. It said solution needs to be found for this crisis, of many challenges. The Patriarchate years and 8 months, Agos reports. unnamed Foreign Ministry officials wel - see ISRAEL, page 16 has also played an important historical Nisanyan was sentenced in a different case to 5 role in the preservation of our identity years imprisonment and given an additional fine of and we believe that it should continue in 12,600 Turkish Lira by the Selçuk 2. Nisanyan’s its mission keeping pace with the chang - lawyer, Murat Akçi, has stated that they will appeal ing times, with a vision for the future these rulings as well. and a comprehensive plan for renova - Nisanyan is known for his outspokenness against tions of the facilities and improved man - the government. It is widely believed that the intel - agement and public relations practices lectual is being sentenced to prison for the addition which make best use of the tremendous to his home as an excuse, rather than an actual resources of the Patriarchate and poten crime being committed. see STATEMENT, page 16 According to an article on the Al-Monitor news website, Nisanyan expressed the following senti - ments to Turkish journalist Hasan Cemal: “All my life — with my books, with my work in the village — Senate Foreign Relations I tried to do something good for the people. What did I get in return? From the state, I always got sus - Committee Approves picion, enmity and despotism. I always had to deal with ethnic and political prejudices, with disrespect Society for Armenian Studies Conference participants, Washington DC Obama Ambassador and contempt.” Nominees for Armenia, Society for Armenian Studies Washington DC Azerbaijan Conference on Armenians in the Ottoman Empire WASHINGTON — This week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee INSI DE PART I Manoogian Professor of Armenian (SFRC) approved President Obama’s Language and Literature at the nominees to serve as ambassador to University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, wel - Armenia and Azerbaijan, Richard M. By Aram Arkun comed participants and guests. Mills, Jr. and Robert F. Cekuta, respec - Celebrate Chairman of the conference organizing tively, reported the Armenian Assembly of America. The SFRC approved a slew of WASHINGTON — The Society for committee Dr. Bedross Der Matossian, nominations by voice vote during a Film Armenian Studies (SAS), a primarily assistant professor of Modern Middle closed-door meeting in the Capitol. Page 10 American association of scholars and East History in the Department of “We would like to thank out-going US supporters of Armenology, is celebrat - History at the University of Nebraska, Ambassador John Heffern for his work ing its 40th anniversary this year. It Lincoln, spoke of the attempt to orga - and accomplishments over the last three held an international conference in nize three panels, on the following top - years,” stated Assembly Executive Yerevan in October, and on November ics: the contribution of the Armenians Director Bryan Ardouny. “We look for - INDEX 21-22, it convened a conference in to Ottoman culture, society, art and ward to working with the next ambas - Arts and Living . 10 Washington, DC called “Armenians in architecture; Armenians of the Empire sador to continue strengthening the US- Armenia . 2 the Ottoman Empire in the 19th-20th from the Balkan Wars to World War I; Armenia partnership.” Community News. 4 Centuries.” and the Armenian Genocide and its after - The confirmation of the two nominees Editorial . 14 SAS Executive Council President Dr. math. Unfortunately no submissions comes at a crucial time as increased ten - International . 3 Kevork B. Bardakjian, Marie see SAS, page 12 sions along the Line of Contact (LOC) see AMBASSADORS, page 6 2 S ATURDAY , D ECEMBER 13, 2014 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Old Yerevan: Urban Restoration Project for Capital to Be Presented Next Year Karabagh President Levon Vardanyan has one aim – to turn stones are kept. It is a unique monu - Posthumously Awards By Gayane Mkrtchyan the section into a social, cultural center ment. I myself wanted it dismantled. where there will be carpet, silver-mak - Before the case got so loud some of my Serviceman ing, embroidery, pottery centers, as well colleagues had not even seen it. It was YEREVAN (ArmeniaNow) — Next as galleries, museum centers – without in such an urban environment that it YEREVAN (Armenpress) — On December 9 the spring the ‘Old Yerevan’ project a residential area. was unnoticed,” he said. President of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic Bako which includes 30 historical-cultural “You see, the Vernisage that we have Vardanyan said that unlike Afrikyans, Sahakyan signed a decree on awarding posthu- buildings on Yerevan’s main avenue’s is in an embarrassing state… imagine a other ancient monument buildings were mously private of NKR Defense Army’s N division and Abovyan, Pavstos Byuzand, luxurious version of the Vernisage. I dismantled in a negligent manner, and Garik Ispiryan with the “For Service in Battle” Eznik Koghbatsi and Arami Street mean, I’d like there to be a carpet salon, most of the stones are missing.