JANUARY 19, 2019 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXIX, NO. 26, Issue 4570 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF Putin Congratulates Hope after Seven Years of War for Syria Pashinyan Reconstruction of Churches first time on how reconstruction has begun created in the aftermath of the historic MOSCOW (Panorama.am) — Russian President in several holy places, offering renewed meeting between Patriarch Kirill of Vladimir Putin sent on Monday, January 14, a mes- and Holy Places hope to the thousands of Christians that Moscow and All Russia and Pope Francis in sage to Nikol Pashinyan, congratulating him on his were persecuted by the fanatical Jihad Havana, on February 12, 2016. appointment as prime minister of Armenia, the forces and had to flee their homes. The preface of the booklet was written by Kremlin press service reported. By Elisabeth Hellenbroich The publication comes thanks to the ini- Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Vladimir Putin noted, in part, that relations tiatives of a joint commission of Catholic chairman of the Department for External between Russia and Armenia rested on the good and Russian Orthodox priests which was see HOPE, page 6 traditions of friendship and mutual respect, and BERLIN — At the beginning of 2018 a that both countries had accumulated substantial booklet was published by Aid to the experience of fruitful cooperation in various areas. Church in Need (ACN International), a “I hope that our dialogue and constructive joint charity of pontifical right which through its Armenian Delegation Meets with al-Assad work will further strengthen Russian-Armenian allied cooperation, and that this will also help pro- offices in 24 countries supports Christians Syrian Leader Promises to wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or mote integration processes in the Eurasian region. in material need through information, Rebuild Razed Genocide This, undoubtedly, meets the interests of our frater- prayer and action). The booklet provides a Monument nal peoples,” the head of the Russian state noted. very moving testimony to the immense Putin, until this announcement, had been cool destruction which was caused by the war in toward Pashinyan, while repeatedly sending greet- Syria that began in 2011 and led to the By Anna Gziryan ings to former Armenian President Robert total destruction of many parts of the coun- Kocharyan, who is currently jailed by the Pashinyan regime. try — killing half a million Syrians and forc- YEREVAN (Armenpress) — A ing almost 12 million Syrian citizens to flee meeting between Syrian President their homes. Bashar al-Assad, Syrian-Armenians New Ambassador to US During this war, the Christian population as well as businesspeople from was targeted with particular brutality, Armenia was held in December, in a Presents Credentials which included the slaughtering of positive and warm atmosphere. YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Armenia’s Christians by jihadist forces, ransacking The group from Armenia was led Ambassador to the United States Varuzhan their holy places and homes as well as sym- by George Barseghyan, chairman of Nersesyan presented his credentials to US bols. Almost no attention has been given so the Syrian-Armenian community in President Donald Trump on January 15, the far to the immense damage that was inflict- Armenia. He presented details from Armenian Embassy announced on Facebook. ed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria the aforementioned meeting during “Welcoming President Trump on behalf of (ISIS) to Christian holy places, churches, a recent interview. Armenia’s president, prime minister and people, monasteries, cemeteries and youth centers. see DEIR ZOR, page 6 The destroyed Deir Zor monument in Syria The booklet provides information for the the ambassador stated that it is a great honor and responsibility for him to represent Armenia in the US in this important period. “During the meeting President Trump and Nersesyan spoke about expanding bilateral rela- Pashinyan Reappointed Prime Minister tions in different areas. They highlighted the role of the American-Armenian community in developing the friendship between the two countries,” the YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Nikol Pashinyan evant decree at a meeting with Pashinyan “Your success is our country’s success, Embassy said in a statement. was formally reappointed as Armenia’s timed to coincide with the inaugural ses- our people’s, everyone’s, including me, suc- prime minister on Monday, January 14, sion of the Armenian parliament, in which cess,” he said. Armenian President more than one month after his My Step My Step has a two-thirds majority. “I want to emphasize that the main polit- alliance won snap parliamentary elections “Congratulations, Mr. Prime Minister,” ical change anticipated in Armenia has Recalls Ambassador resulting from last spring’s Velvet Sarkissian told the 43-year-old former jour- already happened: power has been fully Revolution in the country. nalist at the meeting held in the presiden- from Spain President Armen Sarkissian signed a rel- tial palace in Yerevan. YEREVAN (Arka) — Armenian President Armen Sarkissian recalled this week the country’s ambas- sador to Spain Avet Adonts. By another decree, he appointed Armen Papikyan as head of the Armenian mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, as well as the permanent representative of Armenia to the UN headquarters in Vienna and other international organizations. Also Sahak Sargsyan was appointed as Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the Black Nikol Pashinyan Sea Economic Cooperation Organization. returned to the people and democracy has been established in Armenia,” Pashinyan said for his part. INSIDE Under the Armenian constitution, Pashinyan has to name members of his cab- inet and ask the president to formally appoint them within five days. He will then Leading the have 20 days to submit the government’s The Blessing of the Water ceremony five-year policy program to the parliament. The program’s approval by the National City of Roses New Primate Welcomes Armenian Assembly will amount to a vote of confi- dence. Page 7 Christmas at St. Vartan Cathedral It is expected that most of the current cab- inet members — including Defense Minister NEW YORK — January 6, 2019, fell on the first Sunday of the New Year, and the Davit Tonoyan and Foreign Minister Zohrab Armenian Church of America welcomed the occasion with the new Primate of the Mnatsakanyan — will retain their posts. INDEX Eastern Diocese celebrating the “Armenian Christmas” Divine Liturgy. Outgoing First Deputy Prime Minister Arts and Living . 12 Celebrating the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Jesus Christ for the Ararat Mirzoyan and Culture Minister Lilit Makunts have resigned to take up senior Armenia . 2,3 first time since his election as Diocesan Primate, the Very Rev. Daniel Findikyan Community News. 7 led an inspiring badarak before a crowded sanctuary and several thousand view- positions in the parliament. Editorial . 17 ers watching an online broadcast. Pashinyan is expected to make major International . 4-6 see CHRISTMAS, page 10 changes in the government’s structure. A see PASHINYAN, page 2 2 S ATURDAY, J ANUARY 1 9 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Another Former Armenian Defense Armenian Parliament Chief Indicted over 2008 Violence Condemns 1990 YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Former date. He claims that Armenia’s current Pogroms in Baku Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan has leadership is waging a politically moti- also been indicted in connection with vated “vendetta” against him. YEREVAN (Arka) — The Armenian National the deadly breakup of opposition The SIS says that Kocharyan illegally Assembly condemns the Armenian pogroms commit- protests staged in Yerevan in 2008, a used the armed forces against opposi- ted in Baku in January 1990, Parliament Speaker senior prosecutor confirmed on tion supporters who demonstrated in Arrarat Mirzoyan said on January 15. Monday, January 14. Yerevan against alleged electoral fraud. He said all the members of the parliament Vahagn Muradyan, who oversees According to the law-enforcement body, denounce that violence as well as any violence based major criminal investigations, said that the ex-president ordered troops into the on discrimination. the Special Investigative Service (SIS) Armenian capital before declaring a ”We, as people that had experienced several times charged Ohanyan with “overthrowing state of emergency late on March 1, in our history such tragedies will never tolerate such the constitutional order” in the wake of 2008 amid deadly clashes between secu- violence against any nation,” Mirzoyan said. a disputed presidential election held in rity forces and opposition protesters. On February 26 to 29, 1988, authorities-backed February 2008. Eight protesters and two police service- mass pogroms and atrocities against Armenians were It is not yet clear whether Ohanyan men died in what was the worst street committed in Sumgait, a city in Azerbaijan. accepts or denies the grave accusation. violence in the country’s history. According to the official reports, 32 Armenians He is understood to have not been Harutiunyan, who now lives in Russia, Seyran Ohanyan were killed and hundreds injured in these pogroms. arrested pending the outcome of the served as defense minister while As many as 14,000 Armenians fled their homes in investigation conducted by the SIS. Ohanyan was the chief of the Armenian Sumgait. The SIS brought last year the same army’s General Staff at the time. Shortly after being sacked in October Anti-Armenian pogroms took place also in other charges against two other retired gener- Ohanyan was personally involved in 2016, Ohanyan teamed up with two cities of Azerbaijan. In January 1990 they were rag- als, Mikael Harutiunyan and Yuri the enforcement of the three-week emer- opposition politicians, Vartan Oskanian ing in Baku. Khachaturov, as well as former gency rule. Serzh Sarkisian, the official and Raffi Hovannisian, to challenge As a result, more than 360,000 refugees from President Robert Kocharyan.