MAY 19, 2018 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXVIII, NO. 43, Issue 4538 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF Turkey Parliament Pashinyan Meets with Putin, Rejects Paylan Bill on Armenian Genocide ISTANBUL (Armenpress) — The leadership of the Former Soviet Bloc Leaders Turkish parliament this week rejected the bill that had been submitted by lawmaker of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Garo Paylan which called SOCHI, Russia (Public Radio of Armenia) for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, — Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Agos reports. Pashinyan participated in the sitting of the On April 20, 2018, Garo Paylan submitted a bill Supreme Council of the Eurasian Economic to the parliament proposing to call the 1915 and Union (EAEU) on May 9 along with the subsequent events as an Armenian Genocide, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, remove the names of perpetrators from public President of Belarus Alexander places, and grant Turkish citizenship to the descen- Lukashenko, President of Kazakhstan dants of the Genocide victims or Armenians affect- Nursultan Nazarbayev and Prime Minister ed by it. of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov. The rejection signed by Speaker of the parlia- President of Moldova and Chairman of the ment Ismail Kahraman says Paylan’s bill and state- EAEU Board Tigran Sargsyan were present ments “insult the country, the national dignity and at the meeting. oppose the history”. Addressing the summit, Pashinyan con- The Speaker rejected the bill of ethnic Armenian gratulated everyone on Victory Day and lawmaker sending it back aimed at “making neces- thanked Putin for the warm welcome. sary corrections”. “We have already formed the govern- ment, which does not envisage changes in foreign policy vectors. I confirm my full Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with Russian President Vladimir Putin Armenian Deputy see PASHINYAN, page 2 Foreign Minister Calls Out Azerbaijan for ‘Daesh-Style’ Violence ALBIN LOHR-JONES/EASTERN DIOCESE Former California BRUSSELS, Belgium (Public Radio of Armenia) Governor George — Violence in the Middle East has seriously harmed the Armenian communities of the region, Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ashot Deukmejian Dies Hovakimyan said on May 15, addressing a ministe- rial conference on “Ethnic and religious violence” Leaves Legacy of Fiscal in Brussels. Conservatism and Bipartisan He noted that many Armenians have been killed Cooperation as a result of terrorist actions, a number of Armenian settlements, churches, schools and cul- LOS ANGELES — Former Governor of tural establishments have been destroyed, forcing California George Deukmejian died on May Armenians to leave their homes 100 years after the 8. He was 89. Armenian Genocide. George Deukmejian, a two-term California Hovakimyan noted that Armenia was one of the governor who was admired by Republicans first countries to criticize the mass killing of the and Democrats alike for his willingness to civilian population by terrorist groups. cross party boundaries, and who quietly He reminded the assembled that the Armenian Parliament officially recognized and strongly Guests admiring the St. Vartan Cathedral 50th anniversary photography exhibit. shepherded the state through a period of rapid growth and sustained prosperity, died condemned the Yezidi Genocide in Iraq, thus at his home in Long Beach, Calif. reaffirming its commitment to keep fighting for St. Vartan Cathedral Marks see DEUKMEJIAN, page 6 prevention of genocides and other crimes against humanity. Hovakimyan called Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Golden Anniversary Elmar Mammadyarov’s statements on Nagorno Karabakh false and unfounded and reminded about NEW YORK — Half a century after St. Azerbaijan’s Daesh-style crimes against Armenians. By Taleen Babayan Vartan Cathedral was consecrated in a He also pointed out that the Azerbaijani policy of special ceremony, marking a symbolic justifying hate crimes and glorification of criminals, Special to the Mirror-Spectator moment in Armenian-American history, the patronage of violence and terrorism and belli- the community gathered to toast its 50th cose rhetoric on the state level are strongly con- anniversary in a cultural program featuring a photo exhibition and sacred music demnable. concert on Saturday, May 5. Honoring the weekend’s celebratory theme of “Promise, Progress, Presence,” the historic photo exhibition, which was unveiled in Yerevan Hall of the Eastern see ANNIVERSARY, page 10 INSIDE An App Could Be Just What the Doctor Ordered Sanjian on BOSTON — Harry tronic edition has been Lebanon Glorikian is focusing on the By Alin K. Gregorian released as well. impact of technology on The book, co-written by Mirror-Spectator Staff medicine and hoping to science writer Malorye Page 18 encourage closer ties Allison Branca, has found between the two, thus resulting in better plenty of attention in the medical world. health care at a lower price point. For Moneyball, Glorikian interviewed Glorikian is making his argument for this dozens of healthcare providers, top health- INDEX increased use of technology in medical care in care executives, and entrepreneurs from Arts and Living . 13 his latest book, MoneyBall Medicine: Thriving organizations including many at Lahey Armenia . 2 in the New Data-Driven Healthcare Market. Clinic, Collaborative Trajectory Analysis Community News. .. 4 The hardcover edition of the book was Project (cTAP) and Flatiron Health. Editorial . 17 International . 3 published in November and its initial runs As he writes in the introduction, “A sold out promptly on Amazon. Now, an elec- see MONEYBALL, page 9 2 S ATURDAY, M AY 1 9 , 2 0 1 8 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Armenian PM Expects Fresh Elections in 2018 YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan suggested on Tuesday, May 15, that fresh parliamentary elections sought by his political team will be held in Armenia later this year. Predecessor Serzh Sargsyan’s Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) holds the majority of seats in the current parliament. It is therefore in a position to block key bills drafted by Pashinyan’s government. The premier was asked by reporters about fresh elections as he walked from one ministry building to another. “I think this year,” he replied when asked about possible election dates. The idea of snap polls is supported in principle not only by Pashinyan’s Yelk alliance but also the two other parliamentary minority factions: the Tsarukian Bloc and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. Both groups have received ministerial posts in the Families celebrated the holiday and gathered for photos. (photo: Aram Arkun) new government. The HHK’s position on the issue remains unclear. Senior representatives of the formerly ruling party have only signaled that it will likely approve the Pashinyan Armenia Celebrates Triple May 9 government’s policy program which will be submitted to the National Assembly by the end of this month. Pashinyan seemed confident about the program’s approval by lawmakers. But he at the same time Holiday After May 8 Jubilation warned: “I also think that nobody should succumb to a temptation to wrongly interpret the political situation.” where the statue of Mother Armenia as heroes and often bearing images of Under the Armenian constitution, pre-term gener- wields her sword in defense of the land, medals they earned, were carried there al elections will have to be called if the prime minis- By Aram Arkun Mirror-Spectator Staff many families and representatives of earlier in the morning on stakes and ter resigns and the parliament twice fails to elect a organizations came to pay their were left standing against a wall. new premier. respects to the soldiers who died pro- Afterwards, many visitors went inside YEREVAN – After the jubilation creat- tecting Armenia. Wreaths were donat- the Military Museum of the Armenian Bangladeshi Detainees ed by Nikol Pashinyan’s election to the ed by various organizations and state Ministry of Defense underneath office of prime minister, the next day, May bodies. Pictures of the soldiers, named Mother Armenia to view the exhibits. In Armenia Probed For 9, Armenians celebrated a triple holiday. This holiday originally was for the victory Possible Terror Links of the Soviet Union in World War II, YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia’s National Security which is called the Great Patriotic War Service (NSS) said on Monday, May 14, that it is inves- here. Armenians made great sacrifices in tigating possible links with “terrorist groups” of six this war. The commemoration was later Bangladeshi men who were detained while crossing into broadened to include the liberation of the the country from Azerbaijan last week. city of Sushi, Artsakh, from Azerbaijan in The Armenian Defense Ministry reported the 1992, and the formation of the Defense detentions on May 8. It said the men were spotted Army of the Artsakh Republic the same and caught by its troops deployed on the heavily year. mined Armenian-Azerbaijani border before being Volunteer supporters of Pashinyan’s handed over to the NSS. movement cleaned the Republic An NSS statement said the six entered Armenia from Square on May 9, as they did after Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave, which also borders prior major demonstrations. on Iran and Turkey, under the cover of darkness. The primary celebrations take place “The individuals in question have testified that for in Yerevan and Stepanakert, the capital the purpose of finding work they intended to