NOVEMBER 9, 2013 MirTHErARoMENr IAN -Spe ctator Volume LXXXIV, NO. 17, Issue 4311 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 President, Minsk Group Islamized Discuss NKR Conflict YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — President Serge Sargisian discussed the Karabagh conflict settle - ment with the Organization for Security and Armenians: Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group co- chairs, Ambassadors James Warlick of the United States, Igor Popov of Russia, Jacques Faure of Coming to Grips With a France and Andrzej Kasprzyk, the personal repre - New Reality sentative of the chairperson-in-office. According to presidential press service, no details of the meeting were provided. By Hrant Gadarigian Earlier, the ambassadors met with Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian, with the parties focus - ing on possible routes to promote solution of the ISTANBUL (Hetq) — Over the centuries, conflict. The co-chairs briefed the Armenian official untold numbers of Christian Armenians on the results of meetings held in Baku. have converted to Islam. The vast majority Nalbandian further drew the co-chairs’ attention have done so under various degrees of pres - to Baku’s military rhetoric as well as frequent vio - sure and given the exigencies of the time. lations of ceasefire. While relatively subtle on occasion, the imperative to convert to a religion mostly regarded as the faith of the “enemy” was Air Armenia Obtains often clear-cut — convert or perish. Ruben Meliksetian, left, with Fr. Diradur Sardaryan Second Plane Over the past decade or so, a new sub- grouping of Armenians, either called YEREVAN (Arminfo) — The second plane of the Air Armenia company arrived at Zvartnots Airport on Music, Literature and Religion in Tuesday, November 5. Three- Day Istanbul Conference German-Armenian Cultural Dialogue The A-320 liner can carry 150 passengers and is Seen as First Step in supposed to fly to Moscow on a daily basis. BERLIN — The Armenian community had much to celebrate in Germany at the Marketing Manager of Air Armenia Sirak Opening Dialogue end of October: in Berlin it was the 90th anniversary of the founding of the com - Hambartsumyan said that on November 17 the company will redouble the number of its flights Islamized of Muslim Armenians, has come munity, commemorated with a to Moscow. to the fore. formal ceremony on October 26 Air Armenia’s Boeing 737-500 will now fly to While the existence of such Armenians is in the Charlottenburg Town Hall, By Muriel Mirak-Weissbach Samara, Sochi, Krasnodar and Rostov-on-Don. not new per say, the issue of who they co-sponsored by the Minister for Special to the Mirror-Spectator The first charter flight between Yerevan and exactly are in terms of overall Armenian the Diaspora of the Republic of Rostov-on-Don was carried out on October 23 and identity has been gaining greater exposure, Armenia Hranusch Hakobyan the first regular flight to Moscow on October 27. both in Armenian circles and in Turkey. and the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf Mayor Reinhard Naumann. To the south, in Air Armenia is also licensed to fly to St. Petersburg. One such attempt to grapple with this Stuttgart, it was the 30th anniversary of the Armenian Holy Cross Church (Surb issue is the conference now taking place in Khatch) in nearby Göppingen, and the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Istanbul. Baden-Wurttemberg Armenian community. The double jubilee was commemorated Ohanian Condemns Titled, “Islamized (Islamicized) within the context of the third annual “Armenian Cultural Days” organized by com - Armenians” and organized by the Hrant munity leader and parish priest Father Diradur Sardaryan from October 24-27, in Azeri Provocations Dink Foundation, the conference began on collaboration with several state institutions as well as the Embassy and the Cultural YEREVAN (Armenpress) — During a November 5 November 2. Ministry of the Republic of Armenia. press conference, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian The scope of the conference is immense see GERMANY, page 12 stated that the provocations of the Azerbaijani and has attracted a number of prominent armed forces in the sector of Voskepar-Baghanis of scholars and heretofore unknown speakers the Tavush province were conditioned by the commenting and analyzing the centuries- ple in the hall to listen to what speakers like Catholicos Karekin II recent staff changes in the country. old conversion process of Armenians in the Taner Akçam, Ayse Gul Altinay, Hranush “In general such harassments and violations are Ottoman Empire, with a special focus on Kharatyan, Laurence Ritter, Anoush Suni, Elected a World taking place in the framework of the political the 1915 Genocide and its aftermath. and Adnan Celik, amongst others, had to events. I think that the incident was conditioned say on the subject. Council of Churches by the recent staff changes or the commanders Rakel Dink, representing the President decided to open fire on [it],” said Ohanian, adding Hrant Dink Foundation, wel - that the situation has been analyzed and corre - comed speakers and audience BUSAN, Korea — On November 4, at sponding action will be taken. alike, stressing that the confer - the World Council of Churches’ 10th Azerbaijani forces opened fire on October 30 in ence was merely an initial step in Assembly, the delegates voted for Voskepar-Baghanis. The shots were fired via small discussing both the history, and Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and caliber weapons. No injuries were reported. more importantly, the present Catholicos of All Armenians, to serve as On October 12, Azerbaijani troops opened fire reality of Islamized Armenians. one of the president of the World on civilians of Inner Karmiraghbyur in the same Religion, identity, memory, eth - Council of Churches (WCC) for the next province. A Navur villager, Hayk Kosakyan, was nicity, are just a few of the inter - eight years. wounded during this attack. twined topics that the speakers The WCC presidency consists of eight touched in their presentations. members whose mission is to foster inter- Naturally, I cannot delve into church and ecumenical relations, defend all the subjects that the 30 human rights, justice and peace. INSI DE Outside the Istanbul conference speakers will raise over the The delegation of the Catholicosate of course of three days, but I can All Armenians attended a celebration of give readers a concise overview. Divine Liturgy at the Coptic and Greek Bogaziçi University’s Albert Long Hall After an opening conversation amongst Orthodox Churches, at the end of which Honoring was packed the other day when the confer - Fethiye Çetin, Nabahat Akkoc and Sibel Karekn II’s 14th anniversary as catholi - ence kicked off. There were at least 700 peo - see ISLAMIZED, page 3 cos was celebrated. Heroes Garry Kasparov Seeking Latvian Citizenship Page 10 MOSCOW (Guardian) — The former world chess champion turned Kremlin critic, Garry Kasparov, has asked Latvian politicians to grant him citizenship to INDEX help him pursue his political activities in Russia. Arts and Living . 10 In a letter seen by Reuters, Kasparov, 50, said Armenia . 2 Latvian citizenship would give him the security to Community News. 4 work “in Russia and in other countries across the Editorial . 14 world where civil rights are denied and democratic International . 3 norms are trampled on.” Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II 2 S ATURDAY , N OVEMBER 9, 2013 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia London Doctors Visit Armenian Lighthouse Charitable Foundation Police Stop Opposition March, Arrest 20 PTGHUNK, Armenia — On October 6, ety of conditions. The a delegation of doctors from London, people treated were YEREVAN (Reuters) — Armenian police detained 20 England provided medical examinations among Armenia’s poor - people in clashes on Tuesday with anti-government and treatment free of charge to 47 vil - est and socially neglect - protesters armed with sticks and firecrackers who lagers at the outreach center of the ed sector who have no tried to march on the presidential palace, witness- Armenian Lighthouse Charitable access to healthcare. es said. Foundation (ALCF). Patients came from all President Serge Sargisian was re-elected to a sec- The team was organized by Dr. Susan the regions of Armenia ond five-year term in February but independent Onanyan, a physician from Yerevan, who currently served by the monitors said the vote lacked real competition and has been volunteering her time with the ALCF’s charitable pro - some small street protests flared for a short time ALCF’s Myradoon and Husi Jerag pro - grams and family spon - afterward. grams for more than two years. The sorships. After the one- Tuesday’s protest march, led by Shant London-based volunteers were Dr. day clinic, the team com - Arutyunian, a flamboyant opposition activist who Kevork Hopayian, Dr. Seda Boghossian, mitted to return to ran in the 1999 parliamentary election, was Dr. Lilian Johnston and psychologist Armenia every year. In Doctors from England volunteer their services to 47 blocked by police en route to the presidential Liza Kouyoumjian. Joining them were the meantime, Onanyan patients. palace. Sona Mouradian and Richard Surabian will conduct follow-up Scuffles ensued as dozens of protesters wearing visits Guy Fawkes masks on the backs of their heads with all the patients who A shipping container that originated threw large firecrackers at policemen, injuring sev- were treated. from the ALCF’s California-based ware - eral, a police spokesman said. Seta Ghazarian, house was expected to arrive in Armenia Guy Fawkes, a 17th century English Catholic, founder of the Armenian by the end of October. The container was the best-known conspirator in a plot to blow up Lighthouse Charitable holds medical supplies and equipment the English parliament. Foundation, explained, that was donated by Sherman Oaks “By far, our most vulner - Medical Supplies of Sherman Oaks, able population are the California.