NOVEMBER 24, 2018 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXIX, NO. 19, Issue 4563 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF New Ambassador to US Pashinyan Rules out Change Presents Credentials to US Chief of Protocol WASHINGTON — On November 15 the newly In Armenia’s Policy on Iran appointed Ambassador of Armenia to the United States Varuzhan Nersesyan presented the copies of his credentials to Ambassador Sean Lawler, Chief of Protocol of the United States. YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Armenia will Lawler congratulated Nersesyan on assuming his maintain its close relationship with neigh- position and expressed confidence that the new boring Iran despite renewed US sanctions Armenian Ambassador will further contribute to against the Islamic Republic, Prime promoting friendly relations between Armenia and Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Tuesday, the United States. November 20. Nersesyan thanked Lawler for his hospitality and “We need to develop relations with Iran underlined his willingness to make efforts towards very intensively and they must be mutually expanding the Armenia-US political agenda. beneficial,” Pashinyan told reporters, com- During the meeting the two touched upon the menting on the impact of the sanctions on prospects of enhancing cultural and economic Armenian-Iranian ties. cooperation, particularly emphasizing the impor- He said he sees “no need to make any tance of expanding bilateral trade and business ties changes” in Armenia’s policy towards Iran. and fostering investments, as well as deepening “We should not only maintain the good cooperation in the tourism area. level of our relations but also try to raise them to a new level,” he stressed. Pashinyan said that the US administra- Azerbaijan Protests tion “understands our situation and poli- cy.” Having good relations with the United Karabakh Leader’s States is also “very important” to Armenia, Visits to US, France he added. Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in September A team of officials from the US state and PARIS (RFE/RL) — Azerbaijan has criticized the treasury departments had visited Yerevan United States and France for allowing Bako the previous week to explain the sanctions sanctions policy against Iran to govern- behavior through maximum economic and Sahakyan, the Nagorno-Karabakh president, to re-imposed by President Donald Trump ear- ments around the world.” diplomatic pressure, while also outlining again visit the two countries. lier this year to Armenia’s government and “They also met with the Deputy Governor areas for cooperation with partners like Sahakyan flew to Paris on November 14 to meet private sector. No details of their meetings of the Central Bank of Armenia as well as Armenia,” it added. with pro-Armenian French lawmakers and leaders were made public. with private banks, members of the American Armenian government bodies issued no of the Armenian community of France. He also vis- The US Embassy in Yerevan said the Chamber of Commerce in Armenia, and statements on the discussions with the vis- ited the local offices of the Hayastan All-Armenian “subject matter experts” from the US Armenian academics and think tank iting US officials. Fund as it began an annual fundraiser in Europe departments of state and treasury met with experts,” read an embassy statement. Iran was also high on the agenda of US that will primarily benefit Karabakh. senior Armenian government officials as “The delegation emphasized US efforts National Security Adviser John Bolton’s Sahakyan proceeded to Los Angeles on Friday, part of Washington’s efforts to “explain US to change the Iranian regime’s malign October trip to Armenia. Bolton said he November 16, ahead of the traditional told Pashinyan that the Trump administra- Thanksgiving Day telethon, a key source of funding tion will enforce the sanctions “very vigor- for infrastructure projects implemented by the pan- TCA Mourns Loss of Former ously.” Commercial and other traffic Armenian charity in Karabakh and Armenia. through the Armenian-Iranian border is Both Sahakyan and his predecessor have fre- President Dr. Kevork Keshishian therefore “going to be a significant issue” quently made such trips to the US, France and for Washington, he said. other Western countries. It is with great sadness that we share the news Speaking in the Armenian parliament a Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday of the loss of the prominent community leader and few days after his talks with Bolton, that it has sent a note of protest to the French gov- activist Dr. Kevork Keshishian, Pashinyan made clear that his government ernment. In a separate statement, the ministry also who passed away on Friday, will maintain Armenia’s “special” relation- said Baku will “review” its relations with Paris November 16, 2018, in Los ship with Iran. because of what it called French support for Angeles. The premier on Tuesday did not deny Karabakh’s “occupation regime.” Dr. Keshishian was a com- reports that some Armenian commercial “We believe that this move by France is casting munity activist from his banks have started closing the accounts of serious doubt on its objectiveness and impartiali- youth in Lebanon, taking his Iranian citizens, most of them Armenian ty,” a spokeswoman for the ministry, Leyla place among the ranks of the descent, living in Armenia. He insisted that Abdullayeva, told reporters. Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and those private banks are not acting on his Baku protested against Sahakyan’s trip to the the Tekeyan Cultural Association. government’s orders. He suggested that US in a similar fashion. It questioned the “sinceri- He continued this role after moving to the East they have commercial operations with the ty” of the US policy towards Azerbaijan, saying that Coast of the United States. As a result of his dedi- US and do not want to be sanctioned by by issuing a US visa to the Karabakh leader cation and commitment to the ideals of the AGBU, Washington. Washington is encouraging the “separatist entity.” see KESHISHIAN, page 20 see IRAN, page 2 Alexis Ohanian Launches Shakmat Brandy INSIDE LOS ANGELES — What do you do after you make millions in tech, receives accolades as a model husband for one of the world’s top athletes, and father an adorable child? For Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, the answer was to get into spirits. On Monday Arpa Film (11.12), Ohanian unveiled Shakmat, an Armenian brandy that he created in collabora- tion with Flaviar, a direct-to-consumer spirits club. The Brooklyn-born Ohanian is the great-grandson of refugees Fest Awards from the Armenian Genocide in the early twentieth century. While visiting his ancestral home in 2010, he discovered the joys Pages 10-11 of the local distillate. “Armenian brandy is something Armenians are really proud of, but outside of Armenia and the Armenian commu- nity, no one really knows it, which is a real shame — it’s leg- INDEX endary,” he said in a statement. Arts and Living . 13 Shakmat is a blended, 23-year-old XO brandy, clocking in at 40 Armenia . 2,3 percent alcohol content. The spirit is grape based and utilizes a Community News. 6 double distillation process involving both a continuous column Editorial . 17 still and French alembic stills. International . 4,5 see SHAKMAT, page 20 2 S ATURDAY, N OVEMBER 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Pashinyan Rules out Change Restoring Gyumri In Armenia’s Policy on Iran Priority, Pashinyan Says YEREVAN (Armenpress) — The restoration of the IRAN, from page 1 States is going to be very important.” Foreign Minister Zohrab disaster zone in Gyumri is a priority for the govern- Pashinyan met with Iranian President Speaking in the Armenian parliament Mnatsakanyan commented on the ment of Armenia, Acting Prime Minister Nikol Hassan Rouhani when he visited New a few days later, Pashinyan said he made move’s possible impact on the Pashinyan told reporters during a press conference York in September to address a session it clear to Bolton that his government Armenian-Iranian relationship in an on November 20. of the UN General Assembly. The two will maintain Armenia’s “special” rela- interview with the Russian TASS news “In terms of the restoration of the disaster zone, a leaders discussed ways of expanding tionship with Iran. “We respect the agency published on Friday. number of investment programs seem much more Armenian-Iranian trade and reaffirmed national interests of any country, but the “For us, this is a highly sensitive issue important, over which talks are underway and some their support for joint energy projects Republic of Armenia has its own nation- because Iran is an important partner of of them are being implemented. And we are inclined planned or already implemented by the al and state interests which do not Armenia with which we have … a bilat- that these investment programs create jobs in the two states. always coincide with the interests and eral agenda extremely important to disaster zone,” he said. With Armenia’s borders with ideas of other countries,” stressed Armenia,” said Mnatsakanyan. Touching upon the housing problems, the families Azerbaijan and Turkey closed due to the Pashinyan. US officials have yet to publicly say who need apartments, the acting PM said this debate Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Iran as well Bolton tweeted after his visit that which Armenian-Iranian commercial continues for a long time, but it must end one day. as Georgia serve as the sole conduits for Armenia is an “important friend” of the operations, if any, could be affected by “We need to understand what volumes the talk is the landlocked country’s trade with the United States.