FEBRUARY 29, 2020 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXX, NO. 32, Issue 4625 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF Dan Janjigian Armenia to Suspend Air and Land Travel to Runs in Texas And from Iran YEREVAN (Public Radio of Armenia) — The Congressional Armenian Government is suspending travel to and from Iran for two weeks, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a Facebook post on February 23. Primary “Based on Article 16 of the Law on State Border of the Republic of Armenia, which deals with the temporary cessation of communication across the By Aram Arkun state border in the event of the spread of infectious diseases, the government will make an extraordi- Mirror-Spectator Staff nary decision to suspend communication with the Islamic Republic of Iran for two weeks,”he said. LEANDER, TX — Every so often, a new The Coronavirus Prevention Commission was Armenian name pops up among political scheduled to meet on Monday, February 24, to dis- candidates on the national scene in the US. cuss the next steps, possible scenarios and mea- Armenians rejoice even when the candidate sures to follow. has tenuous connections to his roots. Today, Iran’s health ministry raised the death toll from in the 31st Congressional district, an area the new coronavirus to eight Sunday. north of Austin, Texas, there is a new candi- As of February 24, there were 43 confirmed cases date running in the primary election, Dan of the illness in Iran, health ministry spokesman (Daniel Armen) Janjigian, who is strongly Veteran Journalist Mitchell Kianoush Jahanpour told state TV. connected to his Armenian heritage. Some may remember him from 2002 when he was one of two members of the Republic of D. Kehetian Dies Armenia is World’s Armenia’s bobsledding team in the Salt Lake Third Most Militarized City Winter Olympics. Significantly, if DEARBORN, Mich. — Longtime journalist and regular contributor to the Janjigian wins the primary election, he will Mirror-Spectator Mitchell “Mitch” Kehetian died on February 22, at the age of Country, Report Shows be running against a Republican incumbent, 89 at Beaumont Hospital. Rep. John Carter, who not only refused to Born in Detroit on October 20, 1930, the son of the late Kaspar and Arousiag YEREVAN (News.am) — Armenia is the world’s cosponsor the successful Armenian Alice Kehetian, he was a graduate of Detroit’s Southwestern High School. third most militarized country, according to the Genocide resolution H.R. 296 but did not A retired editor of the 2019 edition of the Global Militarization Index even show up to vote on it last fall. Macomb Daily, he began a (GMI) by the German-based Bonn International Background 52-year journalism career Center for Conversion (BICC). Janjigian, 47-years-old, grew up in a very in 1953 at the Detroit Armenia is behind Israel and Singapore only, and Armenian household. Born in Chicago, he Times. After retiring, he tops the list of most heavily militarized countries in and his family soon moved to the San continued to write com- Europe. Francisco Bay area in northern California, mentary for local newspa- The ten countries with the highest levels of milita- where his parents, Aram and Florence, pers. He also was a fre- rization in 2018 are Israel, Singapore, Armenia, started a popular restaurant called the quent contributor to the Cyprus, South Korea, Russia, Greece, Jordan, Belarus Armenian Gourmet in 1974 in Sunnyvale. Armenian-American press, and Azerbaijan. These countries allocate particularly It operated successfully for the next 40 from his youth until a few high levels of resources to the military in comparison years. As a result, Dan grew up surrounded months before his passing. to other areas of society, the report shows. by Armenian food and frequently was pre- Kehetian served the US “Both Baku and Yerevan are currently modern- sent at various Armenian ceremonies, with military in the Army Active Reserves intelligence division – foreign interrogation izing the old army and air force weapons systems, his parents doing the cooking. He served in unit. A former board trustee at Central Michigan for which they have awarded various large-scale con- church until the beginning of high school University, Mitch was recognized by Wayne State University’s Journalism tracts to Russian weapons manufacturers. The as an acolyte. He was involved in the see KEHETIAN, page 8 result is rising military spending on both sides,” the Armenian Church Youth Organization and authors say. would go to Armenian camp in summer, Azerbaijan’s is tenth in the list, while Armenia’s becoming a counsellor. He said, “That was ADL Endorses Texas Congressional other neighbors – Georgia and Turkey – are the one of the favorite times in my life,” and 49th and 20th respectively. recalled with a chuckle how he and Matt Candidate Dan Janjigian The Global Militarization Index depicts the rela- Vasgersian, today a sportscaster and televi- tive weight and importance of the military appara- sion host, would get into trouble and have BELMONT, Mass. — The Armenian Democratic Liberal tus of one state in relation to its society as a whole. to go shovel manure as punishment. Party (ADL) Eastern District Committee announced its For this, the GMI records a number of indicators, Later he would go to various Armenian endorsement of Dan Janjigian for the 31st Congressional dis- such as comparison of military expenditures with events like ACYO Sports Weekend and the trict of Texas, which is north of the city of Austin. ADL its GDP, the contrast between the total number of Navasartian Games. Eastern District Chairman Kevork Marashlian noted that as military forces and the overall population, the ratio Janjigian’s maternal grandfather came Janjigian has been involved in Armenian affairs and has been of the number of heavy weapons systems available see JANJIGIAN, page 12 see ENDORSEMENT, page 12 and the number of the overall population. American University INSIDE Students Learn the Best Of Both Worlds at WPI Khachaturian at By Alin K. Gregorian American Ballet Mirror-Spectator Staff Page 13 WORCESTER — The American University of Armenia (AUA) prides itself on its curricu- lum and state-of-the-art facilities. Now, they are able to give an opportunity to several stu- dents to study at one of the most renowned INDEX institutions of higher learning in the state, Arts and Living . 13 the Worcester Polytechnic institute (WPI). Armenia . 2,3 The students will participate in the Community News. 6 Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP), which Editorial . 18 International . 4,5 allows students to work together to solve Students share a light moment at Prof. Paula Quinn’s class with AUA students and WPI students. real-world problems. (Kenneth Martin photo) see STUDENTS, page 10 2 S ATURDAY, F EBRUARY 2 9 , 2 0 2 0 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Serzh Sargsyan’s Trial Starts New Canada YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Nearly two The trial prosecutor, Arsen Karabakh-born ex-president said in a years after resigning amid mass protests Martirosyan, denied that, saying that short speech greeted with applause and Ambassador to Armenia against his continued rule, Armenia’s for- investigators collected enough evidence “President!” chants. mer President Serzh Sargsyan went on to press the charges against the man The crowd included senior members YEREVAN (Armenpress) — The newly-appointed trial on Tuesday, February 25, on cor- who ruled Armenia from 2008 to 2018. of the former ruling Republican Party Ambassador of Canada to Armenia Alison LeClaire ruption charges which he rejects as polit- The incriminating pre-trial testimony of Armenia (HHK) still headed by (residence in Moscow), presented her credentials to ically motivated. was reportedly given by Karapetyan. Sargsyan. In a statement issued earlier Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Grigor Sargsyan stands accused of giving The former minister was jeered by the in the day, the HHK leadership similar- Hovhannisyan, on February 25. privileged treatment in 2013 to his ex-president’s supporters when he ly alleged a connection between the Hovhannisyan congratulated LeClaire on the occa- longtime friend and businessman entered the courtroom moments before trial and the current state of the sion of the assumption of the post and hoped that the Barsegh Barseghyan which cost the the start of the trial. He refused to talk Karabakh negotiating process. sides will continue making efforts to enrich the bilat- state 489 million drams (just over $1 to reporters afterwards. “With such steps the authorities aim eral political agenda. million) in losses. According to law- The defense lawyers also alleged to deflect the Armenian people’s atten- During the meeting the sides discussed the steps enforcement authorities, he made sure numerous procedural violations com- tion from numerous internal and exter- aimed at the activation of bilateral relations in dif- that a government tender for supplies mitted by investigators. They accused nal problems that are becoming more ferent directions, including activation of inter-parlia- of subsidized diesel fuel to farmers is Martirosyan of being biased against acute by the day,” said the statement. mentary relations, Canada’s assistance to the demo- won by Barseghyan’s Flash company, their client and demanded his replace- HHK representatives claimed earlier cratic process in Armenia, as well as issues of fos- rather than another fuel importer that ment by another prosecutor. The pre- that their leader was indicted in early tering bilateral economic relations. The sides also offered a lower price. siding judge, Vahe Misakyan, adjourned December in retaliation for his public talked about the opportunities to organize high level Sargsyan is standing trial together the court hearing to consider the criticism of Prime Minister Nikol mutual visits in the near future.