JUNE 30, 2012 THE ARMENIAN Mirror -Spe ctaItn Ouor Mirror -Spe ctatror 80th Year Volume LXXXII, NO. 50, Issue 4245 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 By Nancy Kalajian Mirror-Spectator to Special to the Mirror-Spectator Austrian President Visits Armenia, Close for Holiday WATERTOWN, Mass. — The Armenian Mirror- Spectator will close for two weeks in July for its annual summer holiday. Discusses Karabagh Issue The issue of June 30 will be the last before the summer break. The issue of July 21 will be the first upon return. YEREVAN (Hetq and Armenpress) — Visiting Austrian President Heinz Fischer this week declared in Yerevan that the IMF to Lend Armenia Karabagh issue cannot be solved through force and violence. $50.7-Million Loan for Fischer made the statement at a joint ‘Solid Growth’ press conference with Armenian President Serge Sargisian after the two leaders met at YEREVAN (ArmeniaNow) — The International the Presidential Palace. Monetary Fund (IMF) offered a cautiously-positive “We see no alternative to the peaceful economic outlook for Armenia as it announced the talks within the scope of the OSCE Minsk release of $50.7 million in fresh loan tranches to Group,” Sargisian said, adding that the authorities last week. “Azerbaijan’s recent bellicose statements The two installments are part of a three-year create tension both at the line of contact lending program for the country worth $404 mil - between the armed forces of Nagorno lion that was launched by the IMF in June 2010. President Serge Sargisian, right, with Austrian President Heinz Fischer Karabagh and Azerbaijan and at the Their disbursement raised to almost $270 million of Armenian-Azerbaijani border.” the total amount of low-interest funds allocated to “The provocations of the past weeks have dent noted. Minsk Group co-chairing countries, urging the Armenian government and Central Bank under claimed the lives of servicemen, and the sit - Sargisian recalled the Los Cabos state - the parties to maintain the ceasefire regime that scheme. uation remains tense,” the Armenian presi - ment issued by the presidents of the OSCE and underlining that the conflict should be In a written statement, the IMF praised the settled on the basis of the principles of the Armenian authorities for adhering to macroeco - Helsinki Final Act, namely non-use of force nomic policies favored by the Washington-based or the threat of force, the right of peoples fund. It said that they have translated into “solid Turkey to Drop Sanctions on France over Genocide to self-determination and territorial integri - growth” and falling inflation. “The outlook for 2012 and the medium-term is ANKARA (AFP) — Turkey this week relations, which hit a low over French objec - ty. positive, but not without risks, particularly stem - praised the positive attitude adopted by the tions to Turkey’s bid to join the European “We are ready to move forward on the ming from Europe and affecting Armenia via new French president toward relations with Union and legislation in France seeking to basis of those principles, and the sooner Russia,” read the statement. Ankara, saying that sanctions imposed on make it a crime to deny the Armenian the issue is settled, the better. The rapid Paris would no longer be implemented. Genocide. resolution of the issue stems from the inter - “Sanctions will drop from the agenda Turkish-French relations deteriorated ests of the peoples of Armenia and Nagorno Armenia’s Ambassador thanks to this new stance adopted by under Hollande’s predecessor, Nicolas Karabagh. I think the international France,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Sarkozy, who angered Ankara when he see KARABAGH, page 2 To UN Raises Issue of Davutoglu said in a televised interview, pushed ahead with a bill to criminalize adding that he would be visiting Paris next denial of the Armenian Genocide in 1915. Azerbaijani Occupation month. After the contentious bill passed in the NEW YORK (Hetq) — Armenia’s Permanent Newly-elected French President Francois National Assembly in December, Turkey Senate Foreign Representative to the United Nations (UN), Garen Hollande promised to open a “new page” in see SANCTIONS, page 3 Nazarian, raised the issue of the Azerbaijani occu - Relations Committee pation of Artzvashen, Shahoumyan and Getashen during his speech this week at the Security Approves Morningstar Council. As Ambassador to UN Secretary General Ban-Ki moon and more than 50 representatives of UN member-states were Azerbaijan present at the discussion regarding the protection of civilian populations in conflict zones. Sen. Boxer Expresses Concerns Nazarian also underscored the responsibility of Over Azerbaijan’s Hostile Actions Azerbaijan in violating the ceasefire and shooting civilians in the Karabagh conflict, as well as tram - WASHINGTON — This week, the Senate pling the rights of hundreds of thousands of Foreign Relations Committee voted to Armenian refugees. approve a number of ambassadorial nomi - Nazarian said that as a result of the conflict, nees, including Richard Morningstar, whom entire Armenian communities had been destroyed, the Barack Obama administration desig - including Artzvashen and the northern Artsakh nated to serve as ambassador to Azerbaijan, Republic communities of Shahoumyan, Getashen reported the and 18 other villages which remain under Armenian Assembly Azerbaijani occupation. of America. Morningstar’s nomination comes INSI DE Samuel Wurzelbacher, better known as “Joe the Plumber” amid Azerbaijan’s June 4 cease-fire vio - lation. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) stated ‘Joe the Plumber’ Links Deaths of Holocaust, this week that it was Women Genocide to Gun Control, in Campaign Video “absolutely critical Sen. Barbara Boxer that Ambassador (D-CA) TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio congressional candidate known as “Joe the Morningstar use his Writers Plumber” is running a campaign video in which he suggests that Nazi gun control position to respond contributed to deaths during the Holocaust because Jews didn’t have firearms to to and counter the Government of Page 10 defend themselves. Azerbaijan’s escalating acts of aggression The ad drew strong rebukes from Democrats and Jewish organizations. and threats against Armenia and Nagorno In the video, Samuel Wurzelbacher loads a shotgun and fires at lemons and toma - Karabagh.” Responding to Boxer’s ques - toes placed on wooden posts. “In 1939, Germany established gun control,” he says. tion submitted for the record, Morningstar “From 1939 to 1945, 6 million Jews and 7 million others, unable to defend them - pledged that “if confirmed, I will make the INDEX selves, were exterminated,” he said before ending the video by saying “I love case that irresponsible rhetoric is unaccept - Arts and Living . 10 America.” able and undermines our efforts to achieve Armenia . 2 Community News. 5 Gun control opponents have long held that Adolf Hitler was able to seize power a peaceful settlement of the conflict. I will urge the Azerbaijani government to show Editorial . 14 in Germany in part because of controls on firearms. International . 3, 4 see GUNS, page 4 restraint in its rhetoric and to prepare its people for peace, not war.” see BOXER, page 6 2 S ATURDAY , J UNE 30, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia President of Mer Doon Receives Medal From Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Lithuania Interested in ECHMIADZIN — On Monday, April 4, doors in Echmiadzin, in October 2006. Closer Ties Tigranuhi Karapetyan, president of Our Mer Doon provides a loving and com - Home-Mer Doon, received a gold medal passionate family environment for dis - YEREVAN (News.am) — Armenian-Lithuanian polit- from the Republic of Armenia’s minister advantaged young women who have ical relations should be used to boost economic of labor and social affairs, Artur outgrown their orphanage. Sadly, most ties, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian Grigoryan. This recognition is the highest emancipated orphans in Armenia end and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Aubalis award of the Ministry of Labor and Social up living on the streets, unskilled, min - said. affairs and honored Karapetyan as an imally educated and unprepared for Nalbandian welcomed his Lithuanian counterpart outstanding example for her many years adulthood. Many fall prey to lowly stressing that positive relations are developing. of service to the orphaned and disadvan - opportunists who offer them some form During last week’s meeting the ministers dis- taged children in Armenia during an of shelter, claim ownership over them cussed regional and bilateral issues, talks on the event organized by Mer Doon, titled “You and exploit them. Mer Doon offers association agreement and strengthening of Are A Mother, A Woman, A Creator.” these young adults a chance at an edu - Armenia-EU relations. Special guests included the head of cation, a home and a much brighter Nalbandian underscored Lithuania was the first the Department of Family, Women, and future. For many of these young adults, to recognize Armenia’s independence and the first Baltic state to open an embassy in Yerevan. In his turn, Aubalis stressed that political rela- tions must serve a basis to promote economic ties Tigranuhi Karapetyan accepting the adding several Lithuanian companies intend to Golden Medal from Artur Grigoryan work in Armenia. Other fields of concern are education and cul- ture. Controversial Former Lake Sevan Fish Species Yerevan Mayor Gets On Verge of Extinction Position in New SEVAN (Arminfo) — Due to illegal fishing, the Government native fish species of Lake Sevan are on the verge of extinction, Bardukh Gabrielyan, director of the YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Gagik Institute of Hydroecology and Ichthyology of the Beglarian, the controversial former Armenian National Academy of Sciences, said at a From left, Nonna Sargsyan, Ani Qochar, Nune Yesayan, Lala Ghazaryan and Tigranuhi Karapetyan with the young women of Mer Doon mayor of Yerevan, has been appointed press conference this week.