FEBRUARY 23, 2019 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXIX, NO. 31, Issue 4575 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF US Takes Armenia KENNETH MARTIN PHOTO Egypt Implicitly Recognizes Armenian To Task over Non- Genocide Combat Mission CAIRO (Egypt Today) — In his speech at the 2019 Munich Security Conference on February 18, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi stated that Egypt had To Syria hosted Armenians following the genocide against them 100 years ago by the Ottoman Empire. WASHINGTON and YEREVAN (Combined “In Egypt, we have 5 million refugees [registered Sources) — After a terse reaction by the and unregistered], who do not live in camps. They United States regarding a mission deployed by have been treated as we dealt with Armenians Armenia to Syria, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry [refugees] 100 years ago, when Egypt hosted them on Wednesday, February 13, emphasized the after the genocide,” Sisi said. humanitarian nature of the mission and sought to downplay the concerns expressed by the US State Department. Sen. Menendez Meets Armenia announced this month it had sent a team including de-mining experts, With Foreign Minister medical personnel and security officers who MUNICH (Armenpress) — Foreign Minister of will work carry out humanitarian activities The Keverian family with 2018 scholarship recipient Emilee Guzman, graduate of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and member of the in the northern city of Aleppo, which had a Everett High School. A second Scholarship was awarded in absentia to Rachael US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Robert large ethnic Armenian population before the Minassian, Junior at Providence College pursuing a Degree in Political Science Menendez exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues, highlighted the protection of Speaker Keverian Public Service Scholarship ethnic and religious minorities in the Middle East dur- ing their meeting in Munich on February 15. Created to Empower Next Generation The two discussed a number of issues of Armenian-US cooperation, highlighting the role of BOSTON — George Keverian was a man who dedicated his entire life to public the US-Armenian community. service. He was kind, honest, smart, and above all, put others first before himself. Mnatsakanyan presented the recent political He was in tune with his heritage and was proud to be developments in Armenia and the reform imple- Armenian. The Keverian family, joined by Alfred mentation process, emphasizing that the priority of Lattanzi, wanted to find a way to keep his legacy alive the government is ensuring economic development and use his life lessons to inspire the next generation based on technology and innovations. of young leaders. They have created the Honorable Armenia’s Defense Minister David Tonoyan, Speaker George Keverian Public Service Scholarship left, with Russian Defense Minister Sergey to do just that. Shoygu Layoffs for Armenian Jack Keverian reflected on his brother: “George and I were raised by a mother and father who had Government Employees war. (See related editorial on page 18.) escaped the Armenian Genocide and immigrated to YEREVAN (Panorama.am) — Some 150-200 our great country. They struggled to make ends meet The late Speaker George The US State Department in a statement Keverian employees will be dismissed as a result of the merg- released by the US Embassy in Armenia during the Great Depression. George and I were ing of various ministries, Prime Minister Nikol said, “We recognize the desire of other touched by their sacrifices. I am sure that the struggles faced by our family is the Pashinyan stated on February 12, at the National nations to respond to the humanitarian sit- force that motivated George to provide service to others. This is so well revealed by Assembly. Pashinyan’s remarks came at a question uation in Syria, and we share the concerns see SCHOLARSHIP, page 15 of one of MPs asking about the adverse implica- about protecting religious minorities in the tions of the proposed plan for consolidation. Middle East. However, we do not support Pashinyan said as a result of merging some min- any engagement with Syrian military forces, Memoirs of an Armenian in Germany istries, the new ministries cannot afford redundant whether that engagement is to provide assis- departments and staff. tance to civilians or is military in nature.” “Since the employees working in those positions “Nor do we support any cooperation are highly qualified, they will not face difficulties in between Armenia and Russia for this mis- By Muriel Mirak-Weissbach finding new jobs. Other employees will not be dis- sion. Russia has partnered with the Assad Special to the Mirror-Spectator missed at this point and will be trained to get skills regime to slaughter civilians and trigger a to be competitive in the job market,” he said. humanitarian catastrophe. Russia continues WIESBADEN, Germany — Lisa Berkian- Pashinyan next said the number of employees to protect the Assad regime and its atroci- Abrahamian has always lived with books; she expected to be laid off is around 150-200 . ties on a global stage,” the statement added. has worked as a librarian, a newspaper editor, The Ministry of Culture has merged with the The US embassy provided a copy of the translator and author. Born in Armenia, she Ministry of Education and Sciences as a depart- statement to Eurasianet but declined fur- came to Germany in 1992 to live with her hus- ment, while the Ministry of Agriculture will be uni- ther comment. band, Ara J. Berkian, and after his untimely fied with the Ministry of Economic Development Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesper- death in 1994, remained here, carrying on his and Investments. The Diaspora Ministry will be son Anna Naghdalian said that the US work and her own. In September 2014 she pub- passed on to an ambassador-at-large for relations and Armenia, for years, have responded to lished a book in Armenian on her husband, with Diaspora. the humanitarian tragedy that has which is not only a complete appreciation of plagued Syria and the ensuing refugee cri- Berkian as doctor, engineer, architect and sis that has displaced millions in the wake writer, but also contains important material and of the war there. letters from his archives, pertaining to German- Lisa and Ara Berkian Armenian relations. INSIDE see SYRIA, page 3 see MEMOIRS, page 6 Trading with Louise Manoogian Dr. Mihran Simone, longtime Agbabian, Armenia Armenian General Community Benevolent Union Activist, Page 7 Leader and Co-Founder of Benefactor, Died American INDEX On Monday, University of Arts and Living . 14 Armenia . 2,3 February 18. Armenia, Dies Community News. 7 Editorial . 18 See obituary on Page 9. See obituary on Page 8. International . 4-6 2 S ATURDAY, F EBRUARY 2 3 , 2 0 1 9 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Former President’s Brother, Under Investigation, ‘Donates’ $18 Million to Government Weightlifting YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — A controver- session. A Yerevan court freed him on lions of dollars in undeclared deposits at sial brother of Armenia’s former bail in September. an Armenian bank. Levon Sargsyan Championships President Serzh Sargsyan has been for- During his brother’s 2008-2018 rule, reportedly left the country around the Conclude mally charged with fraud, his lawyer Aleksandr Sargsyan, who is better same time. said on Tuesday, February 19. known to the public as “Sashik,” earned Serzh Sargsyan stepped down in April YEREVAN (Panorama.am) — The 2019 Armenian The lawyer, Mihran Poghosian said notoriety for his flamboyant behavior 2018 amid Pashinyan-led mass protests Men’s Weightlifting Championship concluded on that the accusation stems from over a and insults addressed to critics of sparked by his attempt to extend his Friday, February 15, with athletes competing in the dozen drawings by the 20th century Armenia’s former government. The 62- rule by becoming prime minister. He has 96-kilogram and 102-kilogram weight classes. As the year-old is not publicly commented on the embar- National Olympic Committee reported, Samvel thought to rassing charges brought against his rel- Gasparyan, competing in the 109-kilogram weight have made a atives. But some of his associates have class, was named the winner of the competition with fortune in the alleged political motives behind the the double-event of 356 kilograms. past two high-profile criminal cases. The race for the title of champion was tense among decades. He Edmon Marukyan, the leader of the weightlifters competing in the 102 kg weight cate- held a parlia- opposition Bright Armenia Party (LHK) gory. Gor Minasyan was out of competition, scoring ment seat which had also challenged Sargsyan, 428 kilograms in the double event. Ruben Alexanyan from 2003 to expressed concern at what he described came in second, while world champion Simon 2011. as a lack of transparency in the prose- Martirosyan took the bronze medal with 421 kilo- Sargsyan’s cution of individuals linked to the for- grams total weight. $30-million mer regime. In particular, he wondered A r m e n i a n why “Shashik” reportedly made the bank account hefty payment to the state without a OSCE Chair to Visit was frozen court ruling. Armenia, Azerbaijan in this summer “Don’t get me wrong, I welcome the Aleksandr Sargsyan as part of a fact that he returned [the money,]” March s e p a r a t e Marukyan told reporters. “I just want us inquiry con- to understand what kind of a process it YEREVAN (Armenpress) — The Minister of Armenian painter Martiros Saryan ducted by the NSS. Prime Minister resulted from.” Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, the which were found in Aleksandr Nikol Pashinyan publicly demanded in Organziation for Security and Cooperation in Sargsyan’s family house in Yerevan in September that he “return the money to Europe (OSCE) Chairperson-in-Office Miroslav July.