MAY 12, 2012 THE ARMENIAN Mirror -Spe ctaItn Ouor Mirror -Spe ctatror 80th Year Volume LXXXII, NO. 42, Issue 4238 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 Group Asks Clinton to Armenian Election Given Mixed Assessment Include Israel in NATO Summit after Ruling Republican Party Turkey Veto Wins Big NEW YORK — The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — International this week expressed deep concern at reports that observers gave a mixed assessment of Turkey blocked Israel’s participation in the upcom - Armenia’s parliamentary elections this ing NATO summit due to bilateral disagreements week, praising the pre-election environment between the two countries. in the country but reporting irregularities In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a “significant number” of polling stations the league called Turkey’s actions “extremely on voting day. unfortunate” and “highly politicized,” and urged In their preliminary findings that fell short the State Department to find a way to enable of the Armenian government’s expectations, Israel’s participation in the summit, “…so that the nearly 300 observers mostly deployed by Turkey’s political dispute with Israel does not the Organization for Security and detract from the interests of the US, NATO, Israel Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) avoided stat - or the other participants in the Chicago summit,” ing whether the vote was democratic. which is scheduled for May 20-21. Senior European election observers start a joint news conference in Yerevan on May 7. “Armenia deserves recognition for its President Serge Sargisian is scheduled to partic - electoral reforms and its open and peaceful ipate in the summit. campaign environment but in this race, sev - eral stakeholders too often failed to comply an who heads a group of short-term OSCE “The election campaign was open and with the law and election commissions too monitors. “As a result, the international respected fundamental freedoms, and the Armenia Participates often failed to enforce it,” said Francois- commitments to which Armenia has freely media offered broad and balanced coverage Xavier de Donnea, a Belgian parliamentari - subscribed were not always respected.” during the official campaign period,” said In Classical Eurovision Radmila Sekerinska, an observer mission VIENNA (Arminfo) — Narek Kazazyan, a 15-year- leader representing the OSCE’s Office for old kanon player, represented Armenia in the Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Classical Eurovision 2012 international contest (ODIHR). “Unfortunately, this was over - on May 5 in Vienna. The final of the contest was Azeri President Uses Platform at UN shadowed by concerns over the accuracy of scheduled for May 11. Previously, Kazaryan had voter lists and violations of the Electoral performed with noted duduk player Jivan Code that created an unequal playing Security Council to Revile Armenia Gasparyan and the Chamber Orchestra field.” Virtuosos of Moscow. The second semifinal took Representatives of smaller monitoring Demonstrators Take moon, as well as the German Foreign place on May 6. teams deployed by the European Minister and the ambassadors from Armenia is taking part in the contest for the first Aliyev to Task Parliament and the Council of Europe’s Security Council members US, France time. The Classical Eurovision is held once in two Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) agreed and Germany, were not present. years. Musicians age 15-20 years participate in the with this conclusion. Emma Nicholson, who After making the 5,000-mile journey to contest. By Florence Avakian New York for this appearance, he was led the 27-strong PACE team, expressed concern over “reports of widespread inter - Special to the Mirror-Spectator escorted into the UN through the base - ment garage, so that he would not have ference with the running of polling sta - Armenian President to see the more than 50 demonstrators tions, voters’ movement and casting of UNITED NATIONS — Lies, distortions from the New York/New Jersey ARF see ELECTIONS, page 2 Congratulates and propaganda took center stage on chapter who protested across the street Medvedev Friday, May 4, as Azerbaijani President from the UN, carrying the flags of Ilham Aliyev addressed the topic of “anti- Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno YEREVAN (Armenpress) — On May 8, President terrorism” before the United Nations Karabagh) and signs which read, “Turkey Aftermath of French Serge Sargisian sent a congratulatory message to Security Council and accused Armenia of and Azerbaijan Guilty of Genocide,” Dmitry Medvedev, on his becoming Russia’s new “terrorism against civilians, military “Baku Guilty of Ethnic Cleansing” and Presidential Election premier. aggression and ethnic cleansing.” “Stop Destruction of Nakhichevan .” Sargisian expressed his gratitude to Medvedev for Possibly aware this diatribe would strengthening relations between Armenia and occur, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki- see UN, page 4 By Varoujan Sirapian Russia, and Medvedev’s personal contribution Special to the Mirror-Spectator toward a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno- Karabagh conflict. Editor and Journalist Mahtesian to Receive “The important trilateral meetings of Russian, PARIS — Never has an election in France Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents organized at Mirror ’s 2012 Award of Excellence at Banquet been so uncertain. According to surveys your initiative, as well as your consistent endeavors conducted six months ago, Nicolas Sarkozy in the direction of rapprochement of the parties’ WASHINGTON — Charles Mahtesian is Politico’s started about 16 percentage points down. positions over fundamental principals of conflict His place on the final ballot was not even By Aram Arkun national politics editor and has his own blog on the resolution, supported by other member states of Politico website. An expert on American politics fre - assured, as he was running in third place, OSCE Minsk Group, deserve profound acknowl - Mirror-Spectator Staff quently appearing on major radio and television behind Francois Hollande (Socialist) and edgment,” the message read. shows as an analyst, Mahtesian also has a deep Marine Le Pen (Front National). interest in and commitment to his Armenian heritage. He will be receiving the After the first round on April 22, only Armenian Mirror-Spectator ’s 2012 Award of Excellence on May 24. two candidates were left: Sarkozy and Mahtesian grew up in Haverhill, a suburb of Philadelphia, and confesses that he was Hollande. The past 15 days were very tense INSI DE not that interested in politics as a and until the evening of May 4 (officially youth. He said, “I was a political the last day of the campaign), the gap nar - science major, but was mostly a rowed between the two candidates. dumb jock playing baseball and French law does not permit publication soccer until halfway through col - of surveys 48 hours before voting. In the JAZZ in lege.” He completed an internship age of online media and social networks, on Capitol Hill while studying at that measure seems absurd, as the Belgians Watertown Catholic University in Washington, and the Swiss, for example, can publish the DC, and soon enough found his see FRANCE, page 4 Story on page 16 true calling. He explained, “I think it is the clash of forces, the high stakes that interest me in politics. Discovering all of the forces that INDEX Charles Mahtesian drive American politics fascinated me, and in particular trying to Arts and Living . 12 Armenia . 2, 3 understand the cultural, social, Community News. 5 economic and political forces that drive the processes and make politicians do the Editorial . 17 things they do.” International . 4 see MAHTESIAN , page 8 Francois Hollande 2 S ATURDAY , MA Y 12, 2012 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia AGBU Young Professionals Pool Worldwide Resources for American University of Armenia’s ACM Digital Library Subscription YEREVAN — Since 2001, the AGBU Young Aronian Keeps Second Professionals (YP) Place in FIDE Ranking Network has lent its finan - cial support to the PARIS (armradio.am) — Armenian Grandmaster American University of Levon Aronian (2,825) came in second place in the Armenia (AUA) by spon - World Chess Federation (FIDE) Ranking, which soring its annual subscrip - was released this week. Magnus Carlsen of Norway tion to the Association for tops the list with a rating of 2,835. Computing Machinery Four more Armenian grandmasters are included (ACM) Digital Library. in the top 10 list of chess players: Sergei Movsesian More than a decade later, (2,698), at 47th; Vladimir Akopian (2,697), at 49th, the giving continues with and Gabriel Sargissian (2,679) and Tigran support provided this year Petrosian (2,657) rank 71st and 94th respectively. by YP Boston, YP Greater AUA graduate students go online and look through material in the ACM Digital Library, which is Armenia ranks fourth in the list of countries New York, YP Lebanon, sponsored annually by the AGBU Young Professionals to support their studies. after Russia, Ukraine and China. YP Los Angeles, YP Orange County and HAIK, a YP Partner organization in resources and address the field’s chal - “We are grateful to have the com - Presidents of Armenia, Frankfurt, Germany. In total, AGBU YP lenges. Access to the latest publications mitted support of the global network Karabagh Participate in groups and partners have donated nearly via the ACM Digital Library is essential of the AGBU Young Professionals,” $25,000 to this endeavor over the years. for AUA graduate students and faculty to said Dr. Bruce Boghosian, president Opening of Complex “It is important for the AGBU Young further their scholarship and stay abreast of AUA “The AGBU YP sponsorship Professionals to support AUA graduate of the changing trends in computing and of the ACM has been steadfast over STEPANAKERT (Armenpress) — On May 8, students in their efforts to pursue their information technologies. the years.” Nagorno Karabagh Republic President Bako studies,” said YP Orange County Sahakyan together with President Serge Sargisian Chairwoman Dora Gulesserian, whose of Armenia took part in an opening ceremony of group donated for the first time this year.