DECEMBER 22, 2018 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXIX, NO. 23, Issue 4567 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF Mirror-Spectator’s Archbishop Aykazian Present at Iraq, Syria Annual Winter Break WATERTOWN — This is the last issue of the Genocide Relief and Accountability Act Signing Armenian Mirror-Spectator before its annual winter (OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY SHEALAH CRAIGHEAD) break. Publishing will recommence with the issue of January 5, 2019. The offices will reopen on By Aram Arkun January 2. The first issue back will be mailed later Mirror-Spectator Staff than usual because of the postal schedule. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our readers. WASHINGTON — On December 11, President Donald Trump signed H.R. 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Lukashenko, Putin Had Accountability Act of 2018, in the Oval Office. The goal of the new law is to assist Urged Sargsyan to Cede religious and ethnic groups targeted by Land to Azerbaijan ISIS for mass murder and genocide in the two countries mentioned. It also authorizes MINSK, Belarus (Armenpress) — President of the US government to help bring organiz- Belarus Alexander Lukashenko disclosed in an ers and perpetrators of these crimes to jus- interview on December 14 earlier proposals made tice. Among the high-level dignitaries pre- in 2016 by him and Russian President Vladimir sent, besides the president, were the vice Putin to then-President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan president, various congressmen and sena- for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. tors, and religious leaders of the persecut- Lukashenko revealed the discussion during a ed communities. Legate and Ecumenical meeting with Russian news media representatives, Director of the Eastern Diocese of the President Donald J. Trump talks with reporters after signing H.R. 390-Iraq and Syria according to Belta. Armenian Church of America Archbishop Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018 Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in the Oval Office “Me and Putin suggested surrendering five Vicken Aykazian, a leader in many of the White House. regions to Azerbaijan,” Lukashenko said, noting American and international ecumenical that the issue was discussed during the 2016 CSTO organizations, was among the latter. summit in Yerevan. Archbishop Aykazian was the only reli- the invitation 3 days ago directly from the time of trial, to speak up on their behalf, “He [Sargsyan] said — if he were to surrender gious leader invited who was based in the White House.” He said that there were 35 and to act to preserve the ancient Christian those territories, Azerbaijan would cut off the road United States, as all the others were from people present at the very beginning, but enclaves in the Middle East. Our objective and will occupy Karabakh. Me and Putin promised the targeted region. Even American church they only asked for some 7 or 10 people to is to ensure that the rights of religious we would deploy our troops and we won’t allow it organizations in general were not invited. go see the president. groups will be preserved, that faith remains to happen. He rejected the offer,” Lukashenko said. When asked how he got involved in this, he It started at 11 a.m., he related, when respected, and that people of faith remain He also revealed Azeri President Ilham Aliyev replied, “I don’t really know. I think the Vice President Michael Pence came to free to perform their obligations without wanted to run a gas pipleline through Armenia to White House knew that I have been very speak to them. Aykazian was asked to per- impediment.” Georgia. and wanted him to speak to Sargsyan to active in defending the rights of the form the invocation and open the meeting. Pence declared that it has always been on get permission but Sargsyan rejected it. Christian minorities and the suffering of He said, “For us, our challenge is to stand the agenda of the administration to not refugees in the Middle East. I just received with these Christian communities in their see ACCOUNTABILITY, page 9 Official Visits Drawing Kocharyan in Jail YEREVAN (Armenpress) — On December 14, Conclusions Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan met with Robert Kocharyan, the former Three Decades President of Armenia, currently under arrest. “We discussed all issues concerning the jurisdic- tion of the Human Rights Defender. We have pre- After Devastation pared respective inquiries relating the issues that have been raised during the private conversation,” he said. By Alin K. Gregorian “We are also in contact with the attorneys,” he said. Mirror-Spectator Staff Kocharyan had spent two weeks in jail in sum- mer, but was eventually freed. But on December 7, BELMONT, Mass. — On Thursday, a higher court overruled the release and ordered December 13, almost exactly 30 years after him to be remanded into custody pending trial. the devastation of the earthquake in north- Kocharyan is charged with “overthrowing consti- ern Armenia, some of the people who first tutional order” during the 2008 post-election responded to that disaster gathered at the unrest, when clashes between security forces and Vatche Meguerdichian at Alcazar First Armenian Church to share an protesters left 10 people dead during his final days overview of what motivated them as well as as president. He denies any wrongdoing. the logistics of sending aid to their broth- Vatche Delights ers and sisters so far away.The program was cosponsored by the First Armenian Church and the National Association for Armenian Taste Buds and Studies and Research. INSIDE One focus of the evening, the brainchild Ear Drums of retired Boston Globe Pulitzer Prize-win- ning investigative journalist Stephen LOS ANGELES — It’s half past twelve on a Saturday afternoon in Sherman Kurkjian, was not only the disaster and the Christmas Oaks. Extended families are ready to feast on homemade mante and manaish, response, but the changes that resulted kebab and kufteh reminiscent of the fla- from the collision of the need of the people vorful meals of Beirut as they catch up in Armenia and the immediate response Greetings By Taleen Babayan with loved ones. The restaurant is abuzz from people around the world, Armenian Special to the Mirror-Spectator with activity, the phone is ringing off the and non, and how they not only changed Pages 10-11 hook and warm greetings are extended to relations between Armenia and the diaspo- the Armenian regulars while recommenda- ra forever, but possibly put the final nail in tions are made for newbies as eggs are cracked and chicken is grilled on the hiss- the coffin of the Soviet Union. ing stove. He wrote a lengthy piece about the many INDEX The man behind this lively scene, savory food and center of hospitality is Vatche firsts that happened as a result of the Arts and Living . 14 Meguerdichian, the international singer who made a name for himself covering earthquake aid heading from the US. (See Armenia . 2,3 songs from across the globe with his trademark smooth voice and the longing https://mirrorspectator.com/2018/09/13 Community News. 6 emotion he injected into each lyric, delivering a glimpse of the sweet yesteryear /the-untold-story-the-earthqVuake-that- Editorial . 18 for his loyal audience. shook-armenia-the-relief-effort-that- International . 4,5 see VATCHE, page 12 changed-the-world/) see CONCLUSIONS, page 7 2 S ATURDAY, D ECEMBER 2 2 , 2 0 1 8 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Moscow Clarifies Position on ‘Foreign’ Pashinyan Meets with Military Presence in Armenia Czech Ambassador, NGO MOSCOW — Russia’s Foreign safety and other sanitary controls on question.” Director Minister Sergey Lavrov referred to its territory. Earlier this year, it “There is a dialogue and desire to Armenian biological laboratories allowed Russian officials to inspect achieve mutual understanding, including YEREVAN (Armenpress) —Prime Minister Nikol donated by the United States when them after Moscow claimed that on the transparency of the biological lab- Pashinyan met with Ambassador of Czech Republic he stressed the need to prevent “for- Washington seems to be running a oratories and the presence or non-pres- to Armenia Petr Mikyska and People in Need NGO eign” military presence in Armenia, a clandestine biological weapons lab in ence of foreign military personnel in Executive Director Simon Pánek on December 14, senior Russian diplomat said on neighboring Georgia. those labs,” Kopyrkin added in reference Pashinyan’s office said. Tuesday, December 18. The Russian ambassador in to Lavrov’s remarks. During the meeting Pashinyan attached impor- Lavrov told a Russian radio station Yerevan, Sergey Kopyrkin, said the Commenting on the remarks, the tance to the continuous development of the on Monday that Moscow and Yerevan Russian and Armenian sides are now Armenian Foreign Ministry likewise Armenian-Czech relations and noted that the are close to signing an agreement engaged in a “constructive dialogue” insisted that Lavrov spoke about the Armenian government is interested in further deep- that will bar third countries from on the work of the labs. bio labs. ening and expanding of economic partnership. deploying military personnel in “I don’t exclude that at some point “The labs belong to Armenia and Pashinyan in particular addressed the govern- Armenia. He spoke in the context of we will reach an overall mutual under- are of a civilian character,” stressed ment’s steps and projects aimed at improving the American bio labs provided to several standing and agreement,” he told a the ministry spokeswoman, Anna business climate, stressing that the Armenian gov- ex-Soviet states in recent years. news conference. “I can’t tell yet what Naghdalian.