DECEMBER 3, 2011 MirTHE rARoMENr IAN -Spe ctator Volume LXXXII, NO. 21, Issue 4215 $ 2.00 NEWS IN BRIEF The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Pop Star Sylvie Vartan All-Armenian Fund Raises Big Says She Is Armenian PARIS — French pop star Sylvie Vartan said for the first time on the show “Vivement dimanche” that she was of Armenian descent through her father, Bucks at Thanksgiving Telethon Georges Vartan, former press officer at Embassy of France in Sofia; this was the singer’s first public LOS ANGELES — In an annual telethon statement on her Armenian heritage. broadcast from Los Angeles late on Asked a question by Michel Drucker, on Thanksgiving Day, the Yerevan-based “Vivement dimanche,” the singer replied, “Yes, I’m Hayastan All-Armenian Fund (Himnadram) Armenian [on the] side of my father.” sponsored its annual telethon, during Born in Bulgaria on August 15, 1944 (her moth - which the organization received $12.3 mil - er is Bulgarian), she arrived in Paris on December lion in pledges. This year, as in last, the 1952 with her parents. funds will be used primarily toward the She started in show business at 16, and immedi - reconstruction of Nagorno-Karabagh’s ately became successful with a song by Charles water distribution network. Aznavour and Georges Garvarentz, La plus belle Final figures may prove to be higher after pour aller danser (The most beautiful to go dancing). it completes the tabulation of donation Her son, David Hallyday, is also a pop star in pledges received from Armenians in the France. United States and elsewhere in the world. “Right now we are ascertaining and pro - Youth Chess Player cessing the whole list of contributors,” Hayastan spokeswoman Hasmik Grigorian Takes World Title said. “I think this work will continue until December.” CALDAS NOVAS, Brazil (Tert.am) — Armenian Irina Lazarian, the executive director of chess player Samvel Ter-Sahakyan won first prize at Armenia Fund USA, said she was happy the World Youth Chess Championship, in the with the telethon. “It went pretty well. under 18 category. Compared to last year, we did better.” Host Mark Geragos (secon from right) and Kev Orkian, joined by co-hosts, mark the end of Ter-Sahakyan earned a total of eight points. She said there will be a dinner in Moscow the telethon. Robert Aghasaryan, in the same age category, on December 21, which is expected to raise ended his game with Erik Rozen from the US at a large sums again, as it did last year. Last tions prefer not to support an unrecognized result of last year’s telethon by $2 million,” draw at the last round and took 14th place with six year, the telethon raised about $10.2 mil - territory.” said Grigorian. points. lion, while the dinner raised about $10.6 “According to our estimates, about Hayastan raised a record-high $35 million In the championship for those under the age of million. 27,000 people have had running water in 2008. Moscow-based businessman 16, Karen Grigoryan, who was considered the The telethon, she said, benefits infra - since then,” said Grigorian. “But there are Samvel Karapetian donated $15 million of favorite, lost to Iranian rival Idani Powai and took structure development in rural villages in tens of thousands of others who still have that. 14th place with six points. Armenia and Karabagh. The program, she problems with access to drinking water.” see TELETHON, page 20 Of the 104 participants in this championship said, will take place as long as Armenia and “If we take into account the fact that the Grigoryan had the highest rating. Karabagh need help. In particular, she said, sum raised at the latest telethon does not Hovhannes Gabuzyan, playing at the same cate - Karabagh cannot get help from any inter - include the results of the [upcoming] gala, gory, had a good performance, beating Denis national organization, as “many organiza - then we can conclude that it exceeds the Erdogan Admission Kadric from Bosnia in the last round and taking the fourth place with 6.5 points. Of Dersim Massacres Armenia did not have representatives in other Viewed in Yerevan age groups. Religious Leaders Call for Sniper As Courting EU Armenia’s Poor Withdrawal in Karabagh Increases by 270,000 By Naira Hayrumyan YEREVAN (news.am) — The number of poor in YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — The top religious the end of a trilateral meeting in Yerevan Armenia increased by 270,000 in the past two leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia held as part of a summit of top clerics from YEREVAN (ArmeniaNow) — After years, as a result of the 2008-2009 economic down - have called for a withdrawal of snipers from post-Soviet countries. the surprise announcement by turn. Currently there are 1.2 million living at the Karabagh frontlines as a means to stop Armenia, as well as international media - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip level of poverty, according to statistics provided by bloodshed amid more reported casualties in tors, have repeatedly called for a bilateral Erdogan, who apologized for the mas - the govnerment. the conflict zone. withdrawal of snipers in order to reduce sacre of Kurds in Dersim in 1937 to Of the country’s residents, 35.8 percent were Russia’s Patriarch Kirill read out the deadly ceasefire violations reported along 39, when, according to official fig - considered to be indigent last year, compared to statement that he made jointly with the Armenian-Azerbaijani “line of contact” ures, 13,000 were killed, a question 27.6 percent in 2008. Those in extreme poverty Catholicos Karekin II, the supreme head of on a regular basis. Each side blames the arose about the next step. First of all, were 3 percent of the population, compared to 1.6 the Armenian Apostolic Church, and other. will this be limited to an apology, or percetn in 2008. Azerbaijan’s top Shia Muslim leader, The military authorities in Armenia and will there be some reparations to the People whose monthly salaries are below 33,500 Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, at see SNIPERS, page 20 Kurds for their material losses, and drams ($90), are considered to be at poverty level. secondly, will the Turkish prime min - ister also apologize to the Armenians for the 1915 Genocide? Armenian President Visits Georgia Apparently, Turkey feels very INSI DE uncomfortable because of interna - tional pressure and by taking “pre - ventive” steps, is trying to shift the issue from the material-territorial Black plane into the moral dimension. Any hope of an apology to Armenia has always been colored by whether History Genocide survivors would demand a return of their lands. Armenia has repeatedly stated that page 5 it has no territorial claims against Turkey. At the same time, the gov - ernment of Armenia does not recog - nize the current borders of Turkey. INDEX And, for decades, the Armenian Arts and Living . 12 Diaspora has pushed for internation - Armenia . 2 al recognition of the Armenian Community News. 5 President Serge Sargisian, left, stands with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili Genocide and the fact that the Editorial . 17 upon his arrival in Tbilisi. See story on page 3. see ERDOGAN, page 20 International . 3,- 2 S ATURDAY , D ECEMBER 3, 2011 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia AAA Yerevan Hosts Presentation on Argentinean Film Armenia-Turkey Relations Festival in Yerevan YEREVAN — Earlier this month, the Armenian Assembly of America’s YEREVAN (Arminfo) — The Argentinean Film Yerevan office hosted a presentation on Festival will be held December 9-11. Armenia-Turkey relations featuring The Argentina’s Embassy in Armenia reported political analyst and author Dr. Artak that the first screening of the Oscar-winning film Shakaryan, who is a Yerevan-based “Secret in Their Eyes,” directed by Juan Jose expert in Turkish studies. Campanella, will be shown in the festival. With an audience of journalists, vari - All films will be screened with English subtitles. ous experts, political analysts and stu - dents alike, Shakaryan discussed aspects Echmiadzin among of his book, Beyond Ararat, which is intended as a resource for a range of UNESCO World Heritage users, including journalists covering top - ics on Turkey, Oriental Studies experts, Cities List historians, international relations spe - ECHMIADZIN (news.am) — The 11th World cialists, as well as students wishing to Conference of UNESCO World Heritage Cities gain a wider perspective on Armenia’s Organization was held in Sintra, Portugal. A dele- neighbor to the west. The publication gation from Echmiadzin, led by Mayor Karen covers Turkey’s foreign policy principles, Grigoryan, also attended the event. and discusses many trends in Turkey’s In conjunction with the conference, Grigoryan current external affairs. Country Director Armina Darbinian with Dr. Artak Shakaryan and his family also met with the organization’s leadership, Shakaryan places special emphasis UNESCO representatives and several city mayors on Armenian-Turkish relations, the pro - from a number of countries. During the meetings, tocols negotiation process and the influ - with its neighbors rings hollow in light of tips,” added Darbinian. the parties discussed forms of cooperation in urban ence these had in the region. A transla - Turkey’s ongoing actions against “Through the ongoing projects of the economics and other domains. tion of the portions on Armenia from Armenia,” stated the Assembly’s Youth Club, the Armenian Assembly Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Country Director Armina Darbinian. continues the important tasks of Ahmet Davutoglu’s book, Strategic “Having accurate and complete informa - informing the public, educating the Moody’s Downgrades Depth, is also included in the appendix. tion is important and Dr. Shakaryan’s youth, raising awareness of critical “While the issue of Armenia-Turkey book provides unique insight and analy - issues and encouraging the next gener - Armenian Credit Rating relations is complex, there is no doubt sis of Turkish actions that journalists ation of responsible citizens and future YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Moody’s Investors Service that Turkey’s policy of ‘zero problems’ may not necessarily have at their finger - leaders in Armenia,” she added.